Viktor Orban is now 20 points behind in the polls - and so he has ordered the military to guard “key energy facilities” against a possible Ukrainian “attack.” Hungarians fear he plans a fake national security emergency or false-flag incident before the April 12 election apnews.com/article/hung...

Watching, as many might be tonight, An Audience with Kenneth Williams. He talks about losing his favourite record, and how Hattie Jacques found him a replacement. Noel Coward reading Clemence Dane's The Welcoming Land. It's here. Gorgeously patriotic. www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...

JOB POST in FILM STUDIES: @kingsfilmstudies.bsky.social is hiring Lecturer w specialism(s) in 1 or more of following: 1) Film & Media Practice as Research / Filmmaking; 2) Film Curation +/or Archiving; 3) Non-Fiction Film & Media. Deadline MAR 2nd! Please pass along. www.kcl.ac.uk/jobs/137766-...

Saw him speak at the Occupy camp in 2011. He was full of weary optimism. “the occupiers,” he said, “represent the conscience of the church."

Rainbow over Broadcasting House

Physicists! How is the light from the neon cheese on top of the police box behind me being reflected onto the front of my jacket?

Nick Ross asks

Appreciating the use of Rachmaninov in Heated Rivalry

The men’s figure skating was primarily a museum of Jan Leeming’s hairdos

When Dusty Springfield had a look around the Chapati factory x

Now reading Robert Musil's Man Without Qualities, guided in part by one of the very best of @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social's Free Thinking episodes. Barometer at the ready... www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

This is about as good as it gets from the BBCFreeThinking stable. Rich philosophical discussion of an issue as ancient as it is contemporary. @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social with @profangiehobbs.bsky.social, Margaret MacMillan @leaypi.bsky.social @hdrochon.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Ahead of our opening this week, Conspiracies is in the @financialtimes.com! Read @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social's piece here: www.ft.com/content/13f7...

This could be Blake’s 7

This is a version of Elif's Public Humanities lecture given last week at Senate House. observer.co.uk/news/columni...

Extraordinary reporting. And a window on the two Londons - the one we live in and the phantom city of the online rage economy

I'm presenting some of Dan Farson's best bits at the BFI tomorrow night - the material is so delicious. Come along do. youtu.be/rENw3pZTXkA?...

The A Team!

Tomorrow night on @pbs.org ...

Always a proper thrill to have a piece in @financialtimes.com - makes an old hack feel young again. Also: I ❤️ @warburginstitute.bsky.social

Thank you to Elif Shafak and those who joined us last night in person and online for The National Humanities Lecture. Drawing on literature, history and her own experience as a writer and storyteller, Shafak made an impassioned case for the humanities. Watch here www.sas.ac.uk/news-events/... 1/3

How I became a conceptual artist in Sweden. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Nick-nacks de Edith Piaf

Just blending into the Parisian background

Oh but of course Marc Hauser was an Epstein pal. A fraud who faked his data. One of my very first R4 docs was on him and his work, on the evolution of morality. Other Harvard colleagues refused to comment, one trembling with fear when I asked him.

Relevant or

Honestly what is the point of having a programme that is *not* live if you are not going to use that function to aggressively factcheck the people on it?

Looking forward to discussing Is Might Right? with @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social and others on Free Thinking Feb 6th 21.00: bit.ly/4k8EneG

From undercover field operatives to online anonymity,via lives led in the closet and large scale infidelity, @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social discusses the what can prompt people to lead double lives. Only the BBC does this. Part of <48p a day per UK household licence fee. Because we enjoy conversation.

w.b. yeats died on this day in 1939. if, instead of dying, he had begun to age again but in reverse, he would have reached his birth - i.e. become 0 years old - in 2012. Assuming that he then began ageing in the normal direction again, he would currently be 14 years old and preparing for his gcses

Diddly-dum, diddly-dum, DIDDLY-DIDDLY-DIDDLY-DUM.

Sandra Dare makes her debut on @pbs.org tonight! Who remembers her great hit Crescendo? That, of course, was before that terrible business at Ladyhurst Studios… #Bookish

The Doctor speaks

On the iPlayer until civilisation collapses

Just one little Greenland

The New World asked me to speak to some British trans women about what life has been like for them over the past few years - here's what they had to say, in their own words: www.thenewworld.co.uk/marie-le-con...

92 today. My hero.

CITY TO GLASGOW ART SCHOOL: DROP DEAD

If you love your Sergio Leone get yourselves ready for one hell of a weekend in #Bristol this April! The Dollars Trilogy and much more to be screened. Early bird passes (£25) available here: www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/whats-on/meg...

He passed today, after having a stroke while on his way out to an evening at the opera.

📚 Job opportunity: Graduate Library Trainee (2026 to 2027) Join the Warburg Institute Library for a paid year of training before library school. Apply by: 1 February 2026 Find out more and apply: warburg.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...

Made a last visit to our show at Index, the Swedish Contemporary Art Foundation, before it closes next weekend. Just time for an experimental sound workshop and to look at excellent red and orange things.

Bookish has crossed the Atlantic

Proprietor Aaron Aardvark

Paperbacks are here!

 👀  With subjects ranging from political propaganda to the metaphysics of light, the new acquisitions table in the Reading Room has been updated. #PoliticalPropaganda #LibraryBooks #Metaphysics

I think some populist commentators, in their bubbles, may not realise how far they are from the *people* they often invoke and claim to represent.

This is hardly surprising if you’ve actually seen them at work on the street.

Wrote about the love of Lovejoy - with the help of Ian La Frenais and exec producer Tony Charles. www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2026/01/1...

Sadly it is official, my current employment contract finishes at the end of March. It has been a fantastic three years at Migrant Voice. If you, or someone you know, knows of job opportunities for an experienced policy, advocacy and comms person, across multiple sectors, please do let me know.