Just found out that Stepboy’s New Year’s Eve plan to watch KPop Demon Hunters is just for him and me. Apparently Spouse is supposed to watch football and listen to “Old Rock n Roll” in the meantime.

Go round the outside.

@katepreach.bsky.social @adela42.bsky.social

Damon Knight: hello citizens Knight: it's me, damon knight Knight: science fiction writer, SFWA founder, and vigilante crime fighter Barker: yeah that scans Poe: how do you figure that, clive? Barker: i mean with a name like damon knight Poe: oh yeah that makes sense

When I am lord and ruler of all, everyone will have to do a year of a customer facing role (retail, catering, etc) before they do anything else.

9 1/2 Leeks

The Mancunian Candidate #MakeAFilmCheaper

Throw Mama From The Automated Light Metro System #MakeAFilmCheaper

The Devil Wears Primark #MakeAFilmCheaper

The Sheining #makeafilmcheaper

Ok, ok, ok hear me out but: There should be a scheme for 6 month long internships for middle aged people to work in hospitality or retail. They would learn valuable skills in diplomacy, poker face and empathy for people on minimum wage just trying to get through their days. I am middle aged.

New Christmas episode up now! Asterix and the Roman Agent - and LOADS more Asterix books - with Louie Stowell, Robert Shearman, Una McCormack & Andy Miller. 🎄📚🎅 @robertshearman.bsky.social @louiestowell.bsky.social @unamccormack.bsky.social @iammilliam.bsky.social open.spotify.com/episode/6mIn...

The Red Rider, from Vasilisa the Beautiful, by Ivan Bilibin, 1899.

Father Christmas chose well- a Fourth Doctor story with Sarah Jane and Fela Kuti by @tadethompson.bsky.social

'Unfortunately David, we have reviewed your past behaviour...and the computer has said No!!'

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Oh well.

Guys I know Musk runs Grok not ChatGPT. The point is ChatGPT also doesn‘t run on clouds and rainbows. All of these tools destroy our planet and people‘s livelihoods. It doesn‘t make a fucking difference. See: www.bbc.com/news/article...

To everyone on Bluesky finding out about Walliams and despairing at the fact that "I read those books to my kids" I just want to reassure them that it's OK. He didn't write them.

Every time there's a breaking story about a celeb's treatment of women, everyone in the book world asks, "Is it finally Walliams?" Well, it finally is.

Funny that Harper Collins dropped him once his books weren’t as popular

There is always some satisfaction watching a predator get revealed but knowing how long the infamous whisper networks have told us about this again suggests an industry that needs a long hard look at itself for not wanting to lose some sales

I felt a great disturbance in the force, as if thousands of voices in publishing cried out "at fucking last!" At the same time. I fear something....satisfying... has happened.

News is strategically broken on a Friday afternoon so people forget about it over the w/e, so I think it’s very important that we return to this on Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday etc etc

I predicted this about 6 months ago. news.sky.com/story/david-...

Karen is a GoH at @easterconuk.bsky.social next year! I am so excited!

Well, that’s going to help his defamation claim….

NOT SHIRLEY

Grief is bloody horrible. Grief at a time of year when Mandatory Jollity abounds makes it even worse. And people who say “oh, come on! It will cheer you up!” when Mandatory Jollity is proposed deserve to step on a plug.

Please, please stop voting for people who get free healthcare paid for by our taxes while taking away our healthcare. Please vote for people who are passionate about accessible, affordable healthcare for all.

My marvellous friend @alisonbaker01.bsky.social wrote this nine years ago and it's just popped up as a memory. Still very good and valid medium.com/%40mstick68/...

StepTeen& I went to Waterstones in Brighton today so he could choose a Christmas Eve book. (Rudolph used to bring new pyjamas and a book at bed time; he’s too busy for teenagers so stepmums do it instead.) Now he gets PIP, he got to select a Christmas present for his Mum. So proud! She’ll love it!

Yes, this. @rozkaveney.bsky.social is a brilliant woman. I am proud that I share a gender with her.

Elon Musk is one of the worst human beings in history and is a white male. This is not propaganda as he thinks just propaganda There are a lot of good reasons for transitioning, most of them having to do with not hating yourself, not being made miserable by dysphoria and so on.

This is fantastic news. Farah is the preeminent scholar on the work of Heinlein and I have been challenged, enthralled and had my mind changed by her reasoned arguments in this book. I am very excited it is going to come out to new readers late next year. Congrats @effjayem.bsky.social

Hebburn is a place in Tyne and Wear #totp

"VilliManilli.exe has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down" #TOTP

I hadn’t quite realised how utterly appalling 1998 was for pop music #totp

Because absolutely no one asked for it, I'm going to give you my thoughts on the Michael Myers masks from the 12 Halloween movies he's in. You're welcome. Here's the original and one of the best. Simple, yet apparently difficult to replicate as we'll see... William Shatner never looked so good.

I made a really rubbish joke about Bob Dylan and cue cards today. Because the gif of Bob Dylan is of him holding a sign saying “dig yourself” I now have this earworm. Enjoy. youtu.be/F_q5fnceoXI?...

King: you know we haven't seen JK Rowling in a while King: is she still tweeting? Barker: ha ha ha oh steve Barker: ha ha ha ha ha Barker: ha ha ha ha ha ha King: what's so funny? Barker: ha ha ha! King: c'mon i want to know the joke

A reminder that before the Trump admin/RFK took over this year, the U.S. had officially declared measles eliminated in 2000.

This is the point, not the by-product.

A white British father and son BOTH raped the same child and pled guilty to multiple counts of Sexual assault. This has been in the press for 2 days. The Mirror is the only National newspaper to report on it… And THAT’s why people have such a skewed perception of the links between race and SA🤷🏼‍♀️

I wish “fuck off, my dad just died” was an acceptable response to any email saying “I’m sorry to ask, but could you just…”

This keeps happening.

I am so old.

Today is Human Rights Day. Protecting human rights is essential, especially in these days of relentless and brutal attacks against so many groups of people. Saying "no" isn't enough, but it is a start. I wrote about why, and provide a few suggestions as to what and how. ko-fi.com/post/Saying-...

That's because you're in Dubai.