That these racist thugs have morphed into "far right influencers" is central. Being a bigot used to be a hobby. It is now a profession. We don't have to treat the monetisation of hate as an inevitable phenomenon. We can regulate platforms - not to supress speech, but to remove financial incentives.

'Rule Britannia' 'Unite the Kingdom' 'Account based in Thailand'... 🤔

This goes twice as much for characters outside your own country. Their names are all as much the products of their region, their generation, their relatives, their class and their parents' enthusiasms as yours.

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 1387: Character names are more believable if they are appropriate to the character's background, generation, culture, region. That doesn't mean you can't have a character with an unusual name: but you still need to know why their parents chose it.

Lucy Eldine Gonzalez Parsons (c. 1853 – March 7, 1942) was an American labour organizer, feminist and radical socialist. She is remembered as a powerful orator. #CelebratingWomen

When the hell did we ever call our ma's the odious and smug American mom ?? Its mam, mum, ma, never mom. Money for this BS coming in from elsewhere...

"You don’t have to — and shouldn’t — imitate Reform’s policies. That’s a losing trade every centre-left party has made for thirty years, and it never, ever works, because the original haters are always going to outbid the cover band." And other great commentary here. bylinetimes.com/2026/05/08/r...

In honour of St Brendan the Navigator, today being his feast day “Inuit, Irish and Norse: the earliest explorers of the North Atlantic”. An online lecture, delivered as part of 'Virtually Shackleton 2020' by the Shackleton Museum, Athy, Co. Kildare, Ireland. youtu.be/wSRZuuKStsk?...

Local saint St. Brendan's feast day today, so here's an illustrated line from the Prayer Of St. Brendan The Navigator, who is said to have travelled from Kerry in Ireland to America a thousand years before Columbus made his journey. Trust in the darkness. Prints: www.ciaraioch.com/artprints/p/...

A great Irish artist and illustrator with a quirky sense of humour when required and even available for commissions. Well worth checking out for the saints or sinners in your life.

And this morning the Shed is a watermark trapped in a panel of paper…

A stunning #Roman amber flask, found in Aquileia, dating 1st/2nd c. AD. Aquileia's position at the end of a main amber trade route resulted in its becoming a centre for the carving and distribution of Baltic amber across the Roman Empire. 📷 Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Aquileia 🏺

Despicable. Bloody traitors.

I guess no-one has told him Taiwan’s been independent since 1949…?! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

🧵 What a woman.

There are so many amazing finds from prehistoric pile dwellings settlements: 3,500-year-old wooden whisks found in settlements at the Lake Carera/Italy. By rotating the shaft, it’s possible to whip cream until it turns into butter. Larger whisks were presumably used for making cheese. 🧵1/2 🏺

Why exactly would a Thailand-based economic migrant secretly give Nigel Farage £5 million as a 'reward' for delivering Brexit? I won't get to ask either of them this question but every single journalist & broadcaster granted access could...

So turns out now would be a VERY good time to treat yourself to a print, if you've had your eye on one - and there's 10% off when you use the discount code FECKINGCAR at checkout for a limited time. Shop here: www.ciaraioch.com/artprints #SpéirGhorm

And this morning the Shed is peacock-tailed; dancing in the sunlight.

The US and China, two of the most powerful countries in the world, sit to discuss the future, as they see it. There are no women sitting at this table. Sisters...and I'll continue to say this....Destroy the patriarchy.

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 63: At the heart of a story lies the relationship of the main character with their world. If in doubt, try describing this relationship very simply: a (adjective) character in a (adjective) world. Keep changing the adjectives till you get it right.

💥 At European Movement, we've just launched a campaign to smash Starmer's 3 red lines on Europe... And European Movement will be setting out what a pathway to full EU membership looks like. All to coincide with the 10th anniversary of Brexit. See more here: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/smash-red-...

🎶 I went to a forum I used to frequent Where many an hour I had happily spent. I struck up a convo with one eejit noob- But, faith and begorrah, ‘twas some AI boob! [Chorus] And it’s no, nay, never, No, nay, never no more That I speak with an AI, No, never, no more! 🎶

Isabella Lucy Bird (1831 – 1904), was a nineteenth-century British explorer, writer, photographer, and naturalist, co-founder of the John Bishop Memorial hospital in Srinagar, and the first woman to be elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. #CelebratingWomen

Hare's Tail Bog Cotton at Milltownpass bog, so dreamy.... @peatlandecr.bsky.social @communitywetlands.bsky.social @tocharstories.bsky.social @claireissimo.bsky.social

Her comment about the 4 in 5 reveals a fundamental misunderstanding about the economic importance of HE as a sector, partnerships with local industry and the NHS, and that other rather important work of universities alongside teaching - research.

When Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social shared his article about why universities were in trouble and why they need investment, a Labour MP jumped in to say they weren’t a priority for her. She may be surprised at how many people are employed in universities and how important they are to the economy.

A brilliant piece by @samfr.bsky.social on why our universities are in trouble - and why it’s in ALL our best interests to save them.

A very stylish #Roman enclosed boot with a highly decorative and intricate cut-out design that would have shown off the wearer’s socks. Found in London, dating c. 75-125 AD. 📷 me, taken in 2021 at the Museum of London

I have one word: Clippy. 🤦‍♀️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

And this morning the Shed is an unexpected item in the bagging area…

going on GB News to talk policy is like walking into the chimps enclosure at the zoo to discuss Descartes

Starmer saying “Back at the heart of Europe” can only mean rejoining the EU.

Bastards. That needs to change if there’s to be a UI.

Men are using Meta AI glasses to secretly film women at beaches, shops, on the street & on nights out. They then post these clips online where they receive a barrage of misogynistic abuse. I’m campaigning to make this behaviour an offence. Women deserve to feel safe in public spaces.

Quick reminder that Meta was founded by douchebags who made an incel app to rate women's attractiveness. These glasses are just following the douchey DNA

OMG. Scundered for the BBC. "The King's Speech referred to "significant reforms to the police", four words that describe… " Not sure whether this is a literacy problem or STEM deficiency, but it’s bloody embarrassing either way. 🤦‍♀️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

During this time Johann was promoted to the rank of corporal. In 1748 Johann was discovered to be female while undergoing treatment for severe illness, and was discharged from the army with honours. Empress Maria Theresa granted her a lifelong pension as a corporal.

Johanna Sophia Kettner (1724 - 1802), was an Austrian soldier. In 1743, Johanna enlisted in the imperial Austrian army as a man named Johann Kettner. Johann served in the prestigious Hagenbach infantry regiment of the Austrian army for about fourteen years. #CelebratingWomen

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 91644: if your plot is getting too complicated, try asking these questions: Whose story is this? What do they need? What’s stopping them from achieving it? If you’re not sure if the answers, your plot structure may need looking at…

Bless these women, and all the others like them. Beannú orthu. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Ban these bastard devices, and ban Meta too. #BanMeta www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The two biggest culprits? 1) Bread. Yes, bread. Read the fine print on the wrapper. 2) Processed meats. And I don’t even mean bacon. It’s horrendous. They ARE trying to kill us. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

There’s one hell of a lot of digging to be done on that guy. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

All prints are printed on real nice, real fancy textured heavy fine art paper and most of them aren't even secretly cursed by an ancient powerful bog hag

Would be good if performers, musicians, writers, and other creative workers insisted on organisers not using genAI for advertising festivals, shows and events they're taking part in, in solidarity with visual artists, because it's absolutely everywhere at the moment. We need to stick together!

And this morning the Shed is a cave in the hills, high up by the line of trees…