Alright, listen up - here's what's happened Donald Trump described Keir Starmer as a tough negotiator & his friend Then Putin texted "Agent Krasnov" like "WTF are u doing Help bring him down, u bubonic paedophile" & so began a series of unhinged, factless posts about Chagos, Iran & Free Speech...

@theobserveruk.bsky.social great paper today

Absolutely right. Do not feed the monster. Do not fuel the machine. You will feel happier, freer, wiser and better for it.

I’ve been listening to Radio 3 since the 2019 GE for precisely this reason

The Multitudes show at the #SouthbankCentre tonight was probably the worst I’ve ever seen anywhere. The orchestra was obscured by a projection of 90 minutes of high definition AI slop, fictional images of environmental destruction. The irony. (Last week’s Turangalîla by contrast was amazeballs)

@edcaesar.bsky.social for one minute I thought the Today programme might just invite you on… www.penguin.co.uk/books/186803...

Oooh. White whale …. Walter White

The day just got better - a story from the marvellous Jeff Maysh in the FT. @janinegibson.ft.com

Hisaishi to Fauré - very smooth @bbcradio3bot.bsky.social

@secondmentions.bsky.social small green pickles

@adammacqueen.bsky.social can I DM you re Hobbe’s Folly?

I don’t remember writing it, but a lot of digital ink has passed under the bridge since then. But looking back, the Magazine was really ahead of its time.

BBC News’ decision to remove anything fun or with a sense of community (Eddie Mair style PM, Adrian Chiles style working lunch, the Daily Politics to Politics Live switch), in favour of a multi format news sludge has been incredibly damaging. I loved the Magazine.

The BBC News (online) magazine was such a great product. Amazing feature writing, strong sense of its reader community. High standards. I miss it.

TFW you look something up and find @BBCNewsMagazine got there first. We did a good thing. www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-m...

Gee Americans talk well. This Tiger Woods press conference copper is so fluent.

Two excellent journalists have a fascinating discussion about technology and... [cough]... the BBC News Magazine... Great work fellas @stokel.bsky.social and Alex Hudson open.spotify.com/episode/4HTW...

“Gregor Mendel - Creepy Pioneer of Genetics” in the current @vizcomic.bsky.social is a work of genius

music.apple.com/gb/album/the... Maybe it’s just me but I think this is @billybragg.bsky.social ‘s finest. As true today as it was in 1991.

Yeah just a normal Friday evening watching American Psycho in Islington with Tarantino. You?

@markradcliffe.bsky.social ooh. Radio 3.

“But you’re the only one with a tomahawk” From the new Private Eye, out now.

Ohhhhhh. Tom Allen …. Kenneth Williams. That’s why it works.

@outonbluesix.bsky.social Can I DM you Tim?

Tonight is your last chance to respond to the public consultation about BBC Charter Review www.gov.uk/government/c...

An observation test for your inner 8-year-old. Can you spot 12 deliberate mistakes? From Treasure magazine, 1965 Official answers coming soon (Even if you don’t reply, could you please ‘like’ or share this one?)

Wordlebot flunked it today. Not seen that before.

I’ve been one of the biggest fans of the Hundred. I was at the first game. I love it, and I don’t care what anyone says about that. But I feel a boycott coming on. #boycottthehundred

Oh well *done* ECB. You really played a blinder there.

Both Oval Invincibles captains from the 2025 season have said that they were released back into the auction pool without any contact from the franchise’s new ownership, with the team now rebranded to MI London srkl.in/63324BAFGzQ

Life follows art Wordle 1,716 2/6* ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

A Clive James phrase to remember: ‘the end of the sentence was slower to arrive than a school holiday’

Another Polanski where the environment isn’t mentioned. #r4today

Oof. Page 18 of today’s @theguardian.com causing spluttering this morning for 100 brand people.

My stress dream last night — I was somehow in another remake of The Producers but I couldn’t see the point, which did not go down well.

Just been reminded that Charles M Schulz lived on Coffee Lane, Sebastopol, California.

Oh well *done* ECB. That worked out well, didn’t it. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...

Why I’ve read @PrivateEyeNews since I was 15. I got my copy on Tuesday, Andrew arrested Thursday. Inside it reminds us it raised concerns in 2009 about Mandelson discussing affairs of state with Epstein and a news item on Charles saying he would assist police with their enquiries. All for £2.99

Amazing the number of BBC presenters — *BBC PRESENTERS*— who in 2026 say BARack instead of BarACK.

Alex Kirby - the most decent man you could hope to work with. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Nice job from @alanconnor.bsky.social

How I feel walking down the garden

What’s the actual point of AI being a thing if they can’t make Kermit sound like Kermit.

Interesting - but carefully phrased - series on Radio 3 about US music and politics. I wonder if they will add a Philip Glass episode www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...

Twelve-year-old me didn’t realise Whoopee!’s joke page ‘Smiler’s Smile-In’ was a reference to Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In. Fifty-five-year old me has just got the joke. @gnfar.bsky.social

Biggest surprise in HMS Pinafore at the Coliseum was the fourth wall breaking by Mel Giedroyc and John Savournin — a clear family tree from One Man, Two Guvnors, also directed by Cal McCrystal. Really a joyous experience - runs for another week. #ENOPinafore

Honest question to my BBC News pals. Is a 4% rise in *English* half-term holiday fines really a much bigger story than a 50-year low murder rate (incl 28% fall in knife deaths)?? Sorry for being tedious but it's almost a textbook example of good things ≠ news.

If the BBC could be bothered to post on Bluesky (you know, that whole “being where their audience is” thing) then we’d all be talking about the spectacular debunking Radio 4’s More or Less did today.

The Today programme is going on so much about how good reading is for you that I’ve decided to turn it off and read my book.