Got a terrible feeling about this water bottle, but no one else seems to care.

A useful response from the culture secretary would be to reference Gypsy: "you ain't getting eighty-eight cents out of me Rose".

2 approaches to revelry attire at Todmorden station.

Nnena Kalu's win is great news for UK culture overall. Her work makes the same point that @separatedoors1.bsky.social Doors has been making - learning disabled and neurodivergent creators are our colleagues, not to be put in a "community" or "outsider art" box. www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Abolish the Lords.

Indeed, and Hitler wasn't a subject of conversation at Plymstock Comprehensive. Apart from in History, when I remember Sarah Pickles asking why people didn't speak out more. I think we have some of the answer to her question now.

In my case this is me logging on to all my rail delay repay accounts for different operators to prevent deletion. (Despite it all apparently being the same system) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The recent release of the Index of Multiple Deprivation by UK Gov. allowed me to indulge my twin interests of psephology and demographics. The results a visualisation of the deprivation profiles of the 296 English local authorities. More info here www.opendatamanchester.org.uk/revisiting-p...

It's shocking to see how entrenched Blackpool's challenges have become. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Here’s my Spotify Wrapped 🎵✨

In related news, could there be an option on "delay repay" for it to go to a tab at The Doric Arch at Euston? www.theguardian.com/business/202...

We said Silence = Death for a reason. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

FINAL REVEAL: A brand new Benin bronze plaque, titled "Looting of the Oba's Palace in 1897". This #newarrival confronts the theft of works from Benin in 1897. It shows what the palace altar looked like before 1897 (left), and British soldiers in the act of looting (right).

'Suturing Wounds' features self-portraits of artist Sara Sallam wearing a tunic made of torn Egyptian textile fragments, bearing witness to the C19th practice of excavating Byzantine-era cemeteries, tearing garments from the dead to satisfy the growing demands of Western museums. bit.ly/3L6QX0n

I would have thought the important word would be "unfair". Writing as one who has been both sides of the various hiring and firing equations. www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...

People listening to music openly on the train be advised that I have a podcast with Galina Ustvolskaya's music on it and I'm not afraid to use it.

Congratulations to Aonishki!

Nye tider I Koebenhavn... www.dr.dk/nyheder/poli...

I see various takes on Danish politics today - and it is the government that has invited the comparison. I wish this country learned from dk's democratic culture, rather than the xenophobia of some of its political parties.

Denmark, Epinion poll: Copenhagen local election Ø (LEFT): 24% (-3) F (Greens/EFA): 20% (-2) A (S&D): 12% (+2) C (EPP): 10% (+2) B (RE): 8% V (RE): 7% (+1) I (EPP): 6% (-1) ... +/- vs. 04 September - 13 October Fieldwork: 13-17 November 2025 Sample size: 1,272 ➤ europeelects.eu/denmark

Happy local elections day Denmark... #kv2025

Anyway, had a great morning in West End Community centre joining the singing and signing choir County of Song has been supporting as part of Burnley Diversity Festival.

As one of a tiny handful of people in the UK that actually follows Danish politics, this is not the lesson to learn from it. To put it mildly.

One thing that the cultural sector should note - no disrespect to the great causes here - there is not a single cultural charity here, despite most of the celebrities being cultural figures.

So, a new verse for Lancashire: County of Song, looking for directors for establishing it as a CIC. The aim is to open up access to singing. Interested in hearing from people not just from the music world but from governance, health, data... countyofsong.substack.com/p/call-out-f...

Perhaps we can start to turn around the idea that children using time on culture is somewhat suspect. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

I vividly remember playing to Lancashire care home residents through the window during the pandemic. I guess Mr F's followers take a different approach. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Good news about the recommendations for a curriculum overhaul, particularly important for creative subjects. Let's hope this happens. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Japan's "Mundane Halloween" costume contest is back! Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary. Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest! #MundaneHalloween

Lots of young people round trick or treating. Everyone universally polite and charming as well as spooky. Full marks to the goth girls who were complentary about the garden. 🎃🦇🏮

I think one of the frustrations re facial recognition roll out by GMP that in Greater Manchester the police commissioner role is held by the mayor's office, but there is no real way of day to day clearly engaging - and having power to ensure - the mayor responds to concerns about policing.

To quote Privacy International "facial recognition technology (LFRT) can never be safely deployed in public spaces. Whether in use by police or private companies, it should be prohibited entirely. " www.gmp.police.uk/news/greater...

Very pleased to be working with West End community centre in Burnley, and Burnley Signing Choir for the November Diversity Festival. More info and ways to book on singing sessions here: countyofsong.substack.com/p/join-the-s...

How do you vote in a by-election? Caerphilly.

I’m increasingly coming to use STP/Nanny Ogg’s dictum that “Evil begins when you begin to treat people as things.” as a useful heuristic. This one has red warning lights flickering everywhere.

The Pirate Party (sic transit Gloria Hunniford) would have been all over this. Something for @samsterby.com maybe?

"Parking is such sweet sorrow"

Sumo stars goofing about at tourist locations seems a more fun way to celebrate England than any number of flags.

Just saying, the visiting sumo doesn't seem to have everyone up in arms...

Great meeting at ARTCH studios in Preston today - some fantastic studio, rehearsal and venue spaces. #CountyOfSong

Frog https://collections.artsmia.org/art/37581/

Youth are unhappy, must be the screens cannot be that we cut away all their activities www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Great #CountyOfSong session at The Gregson as part of Love Lancaster Live. Wonderful buzz in town with music echoing from pubs and venues.

The government want more coercive powers for the state against protests, and the main opposition party wants more coercive powers for the state against migrants. Our political-media culture continues in a loop where the response to every perceived problem is yet more coercive powers for the state.

"First day I met her, she said 'I'm a radical feminist lesbian.' I thought, what would the Queen mum do? So I just smiled and said 'We shall have fog by teatime.'"

Presumably the Conservatives are soon going to need a smaller conference hall so Manchester may be spared this in years to come.

West Yorkshire :

All the best to Matt after an amazing tenure at Youth Music. A funder with a real eye on transforming young people's lives and a champion of inclusion.

The Boring Fund will be open for applications in November. If your small UK charity needs (up to) £200 to cover something boring like insurance or web hosting, take a look. They welcome donations too.