One of the genuine techniques SOE taught female agents in WW2 was: just talk to men confidently. They were taught to confidently express opinions on the thing they wanted info on in conversation with the target. There was a solid chance the target would then over-explain it to them. Right or Wrong
For the good of society, we need to lock up every one of these mendacious, venal would-be philosopher kings.
Faine Greenwood@faineg.com · 17h agoLet’s recall once again that Alex Karp very recently was expressing his desire to use AI to shut up uppity bitches with college degrees: futurism.com/artificial-i...
“No one should take this advice, but if you put yourself in a position where writing is all you’ve got to make a living with, that really does focus you amazingly.” I spoke to M John Harrison about Ballard, money, Iain Banks, rock-climbing, and how fans of his fiction become “users for life”:
M John Harrison on the Booker: ‘I’ll keep going until Mr Alzheimer calls’
The 81-year-old author on his love of weird fiction, his literary hero JG Ballard and why his work is like Marmite — ‘you either love it or hate it’
thetimes.com
M. John Harrison has never sold well in the U.S., but the truth is we don't know what his potential readership might be because he never had a consistent or highend lit publisher here. In the wake of the Booker, I hope Riverhead has plans to publish his backlist, perhaps with a unifying book design.
I so admire Nick’s ability to do this.
Nick Harkaway@nickharkaway.com · 2d agoFixed my sock on the train. Vastly impressed my seat-mates.
@bowiesongs.bsky.social cover of the first MJH I read, which I've somehow mysteriously connected with the Bewlay Brothers
Watch the moment The End of Everything was announced as the winner of the Booker Prize 2026 and hear what M. John Harrison said in his speech. Discover the book: thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-l...
M. John Harrison has won the fucking Booker for The End Of Everything! And I just learned that while listening to the radio (CBC) in my fucking car, and let out a huge happy whoop!
*They call that line "Von Neumann architecture" *Only engineers think those lines are straight. The lines of tech development are more like meandering Mississippi flood-plains, something muddy, sticky, fertile and grand about them *When the levee breaks, mama you've gotta move
you can draw a straight line from the A bomb to the electronics companies in what would become Silicon Valley, the need for reliable electronics on missiles, transistor, integrated circuit, digital computer, ARPANET, Internet, WWW… AI.
Legendary French 8 year old. "Macron is an asshole and so are all those shitty cops" Reporter "It's bad to swear (on live TV)" Kid "Macron says he wants to negotiate, then he doesn't fucking listen." What a legend, make him famous he deserves it.
Just found this from a long time ago: "Mr. Buk's Window" by William Gibson, about a place that would seem now to be a dream, were there not photos: www.shishigami.com/esotericart/...
esotericart.net
esotericart.net - a curated page of videos, sounds, writings and images of esoteric art.
shishigami.com
While I, of course, had only looked for it on Google! Huge thanks to my dear friend Jack! I had begun to wonder If I’d only dreamed it
Jack Womack@jwomack.bsky.social · 4d agoJust found this from a long time ago: "Mr. Buk's Window" by William Gibson, about a place that would seem now to be a dream, were there not photos: www.shishigami.com/esotericart/...
Power outages give me more time to read. Today, a book about Ukraine’s fight for its history. It makes me sick to read how russia portrayed us as uneducated peasants, our culture supposedly limited to the hopak, wreaths and complaints. Look at what Ukrainian artists create today.
The Beuchet chair illusion, created by psychologist Jean Beuchet in the 1960s, uses distorted perspective to create an optical illusion. richardwiseman.wordpress.com/2016/08/07/a... IG: @architectanddesign•
Today I stood near my favourite bookstore and filmed what I saw. How beautiful Kyiv is. I want you to see that the city is alive.
Dick Eagles is my favorite discarded Pynchon character.
Faine Greenwood@faineg.com · 6d agoNothing says resolve like Dick Eagles
A box of the UK paperback of my weird novel about grief and climate change has just arrived. Publication date 12/11; pre-orders very welcome. eg blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/pro...
You’re locked inside a movie theater for 24 hours. You can only watch movies starring one actor the entire time. Whose filmography are you choosing?
Indiana Jones: I've Got Nothing Better To Do
ALT: Indiana Jones: I've Got Nothing Better To Do
static.klipy.com
It's true. Salon is closing its doors. I'm scared, but I have a lot of plans, and it's just a matter of implementing them. If you want to hire me, DM me! I'm easy to work with, ask anyone who has. I started a Patreon. It will explain more. Please subscribe! www.patreon.com/AmandaMarcot...
Striking out on my own! | Amanda Marcotte
After 11 years at Salon I'm going back to the blogging/freelance lifestyle. Technically, so is everyone, since we're the latest victim of AI
patreon.com
Nick doing 1965 America will kick some serious time-travel ass. He’s incredibly talented.
Nick Harkaway@nickharkaway.com · 7d agoIt is UK publication day for The Taper Man... www.penguin.co.uk/books/475384...
'Smiley is back at the Circus in the safest of hands.' - Richard Osman Today sees George Smiley back at the Circus in The Taper Man by @nickharkaway.com, out now! linktr.ee/realjohnlecarre
At sea for 100 days, three men and two 13 yr-old boys “They drank rainwater to sustain themselves. They caught birds and turtles for food.”
The New York Times@nytimes.com · last wk.A boat in Micronesia went missing in July. This weekend, five of its passengers landed, unclothed and emaciated, on an island in Kiribati — more than 3,000 miles away.
