Stories are how we weave little pieces of connection and value across time and culture you can't outsource that to an algorithm without corrupting everything that matters, you are returning us back to the dust, you hopeless useless empty fools.

i hope the white house sends vance to campaign for Reform in britain

You know what doesn't get its support unceremoniously pulled by a tech company? Fuckin' books, brother

You know that thing you or someone you know likes? I've probably drawn a picture of it. Why not buy a shiny copy to cheer yourself or that person up when you or they look at it. Great idea. www.happytoast.co.uk

Me blocking someone

Sign up to my patreon.com/happytoast, buy my prints happytoast.co.uk give me a reason to go on with this nonsense in the face of ai art theft and planet burning superiority. Sorry to ask but I'm depressed as fuck right now even after an hour of Paddington gif work.

Can't wait for this film - expecting the same visceral reaction I got from the book, a sticky claustrophobic panic and shortness of breath. The only book I've read where I had to slam it shut and go breathe deeply by an open window. This film looks stunning. www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ma...

There's a very good @originstorypodcast.bsky.social on 15 Minute Cities and the hilariously incoherent RW response.

The government's immigration proposals are an obscenity: They needlessly punish refugees, make integration basically impossible, and introduce a sliding system of administrative abuse depending on how wealthy you are iandunt.substack.com/p/can-we-ext...

To build a cohesive future, we must start by acknowledging the Britain that actually exists, not a mythical version of our past. National confidence comes from embracing our reality as a vibrant, pluralistic, and majority non-religious nation, not from governing by nostalgia.

Beautiful work from @happytoast.co.uk

This an excellent aid to filling out the govt consultation. You've got til midnight on the 12th Feb. Please let them know you won't stand for the performative cruelty of the proposed reforms.

Very important! If you support the #AssistedDyingBill and are frustrated with the Lords running down the clock, thereby subverting the democratic will of the elected chamber... The most important thing you can do right now is sign this parliamentary petition. Sign! 👇 humanists.uk/2026/02/06/p...

Short thread- Not far from Crowborough is a place called Maresfield. An old army base there was used to house Vietnamese refugees (Boat People) in the late 70s/early 80s. Nobody was bothered about them being there at the time. No protest against them. Nothing.- www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

I genuinely affirmatively think that it is now a democratic imperative to spend as much time as you can offline. Read more offline. Socialise more offline. Discuss media you consume with other people offline. Out there is a real world full of people looking for real human connection - seize it

As someone who's worked with children with communication difficulties I know that art is an essential form of self expression. This fantastic project set up, I think, in the wake of the Grenfell fire, is just such a precious community. And we should all be more Lucy Easthope!!

The single most heartening thing I've read this week.

A good day to listen to our proud, joyous history of the BBC: One of the greatest British inventions of the 20th Century. An institution which, even at its worst, is far better than its detractors podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

There are many subtle and complex arguments one can have about the future of the BBC — but I guarantee you that no other channel or streaming service will be as committed to factual programming, children’s education, history shows, religious discussion, poetry, arts, or state of the nation debate

Absolutely this. As a licence payer, Donald Trump can fuck right off.

All still available at these crazy prices all Halloween weekend

Genuinely spat out my pumpkin soup at this one - could just be the cumulative effect of reading the whole thread which I recommend.

If you're a National Trust member, it's that time of year again: Midnight tonight is the deadline. It's a shame people have to keep doing this to keep a toehold on historical truth in this country, but here we are. Voting link: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/a...

Just a reminder that Wikipedia is the only remaining reliable source of information that right wing billionaires can't control. (Although they'll never stop trying.) Please donate to them whenever you can. Even a little bit helps. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

This does sound like a cracking read, if (as seems likely, given the balance of probability) a free copy doesn't migrate to my doorstep, it'll have to go on the increasingly bankruptcy-inducing books-to-be-bought list.

Queen

Playing the closing theme to Camberwick Green, just because everything is awful and it blocks things out momentarily

*sigh* No excuse not to get on with the grouting now #TheCricket

Today, the UK government intends to ban the non-violent protesters Palestine Action as a "terrorist" group, exposing anyone supporting them to terrorism charges. In 2 days, 380,000 people have watched this video on YT alone. You're going to need a bigger prison. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECkV...

Imagine a football stadium full of maimed and dead children — the cumulative horror in Gaza is hellish www.unicef.org/press-releas...

Red damselfly emergence day at the insect factory (back yard pond).

I really worry that our councils are about to be flooded by people who think they’re going to slash the fictitious billions council spend on forcing people to be on Pride parades, and now have a legal responsibility for providing adult social care.

Labour's base-punching strategy reminds of the Seinfeld episode where George is so obsessed with making Jerry's girlfriend like him (she clearly hates him) that he neglects his own girlfriend (who does like him) and she leaves him

i just googled "even ironic use of generative ai harms the planet meaning" and you would NOT believe what it came up with!!

Cis allies loudly declaring support also helps push back on one of the main goals of the anti trans movement, convincing the world that hating trans people is Normal Every random cis person going "well duh i'm chill with trans people who isn't" means that idea can't spread

If I’m being honest, I’m feeling pretty down about my small business. I’m working so hard but it’s been very quiet. It’s bloody difficult at the moment. Please have a look at what I do and repost to spread the word. www.gailmyerscough.co.uk

So let’s have a little look at the Right wing media feeding off its own ecosystem. Here’s @TiceRichard claiming NET ZERO caused the Heathrow shut down, while sharing a Telegraph article that appears to back up his claim Must be true then, right?? 🧐you know the drill… 🧵 1/

Hate the AI overview nonsense when searching on Google? You just need to swear in your f@cking search terms 😁 Excellent.

Slept in a Robert Palmer T shirt and woke up laughing.

And I am an ally. If you are too, let the world know.

I stand with the trans community. Pass it along.

I honestly believe our most powerful position in a toxic time that feeds on cynicism, apathy,& despair is to genuinely care and act for a better world. Cynicism is our enemy. We should check it, incl. on the left. It’s not intellectually superior. It’s the virus they’re trying to infect us with. NO

Thank you for screaming into the void. Your scream is very important to us. Unfortunately we are experiencing an exceptionally high volume of screams right now. You may wish to scream into the void later.

you don’t have to engage in the gaslighting. simply say ‘it was a nazi salute’ and refuse to engage in the preposterous claim that he was ‘throwing his heart to the crowd’ or whatever it was a nazi salute. the ppl claiming otherwise know it was too. you don’t need to spend the day arguing with them

Ozymandias:The Snowman

Ok, if you’re a small artist/creator with an online shop, post it in the replies here. If you’re not, repost this and with any luck the people gift hunting will find the gift makers. Let’s go!