This, funding "Life of Brian", and writing the best Beatles song are why George Harrison was definitely the best Beatle.

God, the 14 year old American "Communists" are out in force today, aren't they?

In my quest to become immortal, I am trialing spending time with my beautiful wife, enjoying steam engines, and eating pizza. It may not work, we'll see, but I suspect it will be as successful as this loony's approach.

I live in A, and intend to remain in A for the rest of my life. All the food I eat already comes from shops and restaurants in A.

Right, try three on removing the stain from my dress shirt. If this doesn't work, I'm going to have to threaten it with plimsoll whitener

The spikesman's comment made me genuinely laugh out loud.

I'm not saying Bridget Philipson and Lucy Powell look identical - they don't. But if one replaced the other as a minor recurring character on a sitcom between series, I'm not certain I would notice.

Right, after that little distraction, can we go back to discussing important things, like the Oxford Congestion Charge, steam locomotives, or the Waziristan Campaign of 1925?

Dear world, there have been far too many news items today. Please eliminate three. I am not a crackpot.

"Not before you will" *Pumps shotgun*

"Liz Truss murdered me"

That poor lady has forgotten her trousers, poor thing #totp

Ben Kingsley, best known for playing Royale in Barry Newman vehicle "Fear is the Key"

Possibly the best thread on Bluesky about the Breda M30. I appreciate this is an overly narrow superlative, but still, I think it is worth your time.

So, from what I can understand, Sabrina Carpenter is no relation to either the Carpenter's or Sabrina, but yet inhabits a place on the sexual suggestiveness graph exactly equidistant between the two of them.

1) The best Bond is the Bond you first saw in cinemas. Unless you read the books first, in which case it is Timothy Dalton. 2) Bond isn't based on anyone. It is based on an idealized man Fleming wishes he was. 3) Due to the time it takes to make films, the next Bond will have to be less than 35yo

I'm sorry, but why are people spending £3 for a tesco cake sandwich when you can buy two whole Swiss Rolls for that AND come back with change?

I mean, it was quite a big battle. It lasted several months.

The nearest thing to a logical reason for this bollocks I can think of is that there is a recording of him actually saying something awful that's about to come out, and the AI is the defence...

*Mutes Ninja*

No disagreement to the point, but something I have always said is that: 1) the SMLE was the best rifle of the war for soldiers 2) this has nothing to do with it's qualities as a rifle, but how easy it is to march with, even compared to lighter carbines.

The only good television was made between 1970-1985 in the UK, and had a short run (a good story needs to have an ending, and it needs to be building to it throughout). Tinker Tailor, Clochemerle, Smiley's People, Fall of Eagles, I CLAVDIVS. True goats

Tbh I can't believe I just read an entire article about the timing of the local business waste collection over a thousand kilometres from where I live just because you skeeted "undemocratic bins"

Monarch in Exile

This is why I couldn't live in London. I'm not certain that I could resist the desire to suffocate the man in this story with an Aldi carrier bag.

what actors call that one legend who’s always overacting

Why is there a drum circle in my village? Not a complaint - it is only 7:45 - just baffled.

When his name was first announced, I admit my first question was "what, the cricketer?"

i see toilet/shitting in the street shaming discourse going around again, so this is your periodic historian reminder that going to the toilet indoors has never been sustainable, and for millennia everyone either shat in the street or shat in buckets that were collected daily.

It'll be fucking Desmond focussed, won't it?

Bit of a Casablanca story. I had a reputation at school of being "the guy who liked old movies" (alongside other reputations). One day, I discussed with one of the teachers that it was an anniversary of its release, and could we show it? The answer was yes, so me and a small group... 1/?

Clochemerle. No-one has heard of it, but it is charming

Either getting a Christmas card from Buzz Aldrin after my dad gave him a table, or the time we had two Popes in our garden

Look, the answer is simple: a multiplayer Crusader King III game, with all the Lords Lieutenant in charge of their own counties. Whatever the map of England looks like when 6 players remain, is how England is divided.

Holy moley! I'm starring in "UK National Rail Disruptions bot"! This photo was only taken yesterday evening. The stout porter on the right is me!

I always enjoy it when the ceremonial duties are taken on by other countries.

I accidentally started getting ready for bed an hour early on account of misreading a digital clock - a common issue I have, as my brain was trained on analogue and I find it more intuitive. I think that is my age verification done.

The could have at least called it "J. Porter's". Granted, this would have only gotten a positive reception from Gilbert & Sullivan fans and those with an interest in 19th Century Royal Navy history, but it would have been a positive reception from someone at least.

Please say I am not the only person who got very confused because I had a brain fart and forgot that "Penguin" was a publisher?

It's between clipping Liam Gallagher's ticket or having two Popes in the garden

"The Whore of the Orient" - the sequel to LA Noire. LA Noire was flawed in a couple of ways, but it felt like a game made for me personally. A sequel set in the Shanghai Municipal Police of the International Settlement in the early 30s? I was so hyped. And still bitterly disappointed.

If this place was an echo chamber, I would certainly not be seeing this many post by 16 year old's proclaiming an adherence to communism in the clear hope of touching boobs.

As someone who is genuinely into classic menswear, one thing that really strikes me from his writings about that subject is that it is very clear that he has a genuine love of a distinctly American style that, I think, could only come from an immigrant with a strong affinity to his adopted country.

Kid no (as steam locos had been retired for 17 years by the time I was born). Teenager, yes (I was a very boring teenager with dreams of being a duller adult). Still get to play with steam locos at the weekend, mind.

Sim City like, but over several centuries. Starts as basic "feed pop, make cash", but over time agricultural and industrial revolutions occur, democracy expands (meaning you have to please an ever larger base).

50% the people who see this image: "Wahay! Lovely ladies!" Slightly less than 50%: "Cool! Daleks!" Me (the remainder): Ooh, fascinating! Must be the early period of the BR modernisation scheme! Old style uniforms and rolling stock liveries, but with BR double arrows.

Thank fuck that everyone on Bluesky has been distracted from the news that would send everyone on Bluesky mental (negative) by news that always sends everyone on Bluesky mental (positive).

Norway has come dressed as an "edgy" production of Corialanus set during the Troubles. Not a fan of the song.

Honestly, Ireland, if you are singing about a dog that the Russians murdered in a particularly horrific fashion, perhaps don't make it a cheery disco number about how the dog is dancing in space? Because she isn't. She was killed by the USSR. To make a point.