In today's "This has made me laugh way more than it should" file...
Richard Smyth@rsmythfreelance.bsky.social · yesterdayBede's World! Bede's World! Party time! Venerable!
Georgia Lewis
@georgialewis.bsky.social
Freelance wordsmith. Australian in the UK via the Middle East. Sometimes serious, sometimes completely frivolous...
Richard Smyth@rsmythfreelance.bsky.social · yesterday
As Rod Liddle has died, I notice this column I wrote in 2019 about his attacks on people with M.E. is on the most read again. Rebekah Brooks, of News UK, described Liddle today as “provocative”. In reality, he spread lies about very sick people for cash. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Rod Liddle vilifies disabled people. I’m tired of the hate. We all should be | Frances Ryan
Whether it is ME patients or another target, huge swathes of the media have normalised hatred of minorities for years, says Guardian columnist Frances Ryan
theguardian.com
Well, that's just super. The direct line for a member of the editorial team of a major newspaper does not have a voicemail function. We really have moved into the era of simply never making or receiving phonecalls, even though that's often the most efficient way to communicate...
Snezana Savic's Vintage Phone Call
ALT: Snezana Savic's Vintage Phone Call
static.klipy.com
Bollocks. I've come down with shingles again and I'm many years too young to get the vaccine without paying £400. Has anyone managed to get the Shingrix vaccine on the NHS before they're 65?
#bbcbreakfast has really got to wind up this ridiculous Adam Peaty hagiography. I mean, sure, he's a good swimmer, but, Christ on a cracker, he's so boring and basically used his interview to give coded vague Facebook post-style messages to his mum. Absolutely pathetic, tedious telly.
Stylish people of Bluesky! I'm in pre-holiday shopping hell! Are there any waterproof wallets that either fit discreetly on a skinny lady wrist like mine? Or any waterproof belt bags that don't look like a stoma?
Shopping Time Bikini
ALT: Shopping Time Bikini
static.klipy.com
As an Aussie, I think compulsory voting (with some form of PR) is a brilliant idea. A GE then reflects the views of all voters. Your 1st vote at 18 becomes a right of passage. Move polling day to a Saturday. Finally, get the 'democracy sausage' local fundraising tradition going.
The entirety of British political and media discourse and policy is based around making sure nobody is getting something they aren’t completely entitled to. This is the outcome of that.
Liam Thorp@liamthorp.bsky.social · 2w agoHave the British public always been so self centred? I’m staggered by how many people I’ve seen saying ‘I don’t use buses so what good is that?’ Or ‘pubs aren’t for me so who cares?’ Millions of people do use each and they are both pretty vital for our economy and society
This made me laugh way more than it probably should have...
Odd This Day@oddthisday.bsky.social · 2w agoMorning
This is very disappointing. Such an important and undervalued brief which was for years held by a succession of uninterested itinerants. A prisons minister who genuinely cared and who was starting to see results.
Cassia Rowland@cassiarowland.bsky.social · 2w agoThe day’s first casualty: James Timpson resigns as prisons minister. This is a big surprise! Timpson had a long history as a prisons reformer before entering government and seen as one of Starmer’s more innovative & exciting appointments. He’s also delivered a big change programme in gov. So: why?
Oh God, so many... - Huge breakfast set out for the kids. They bite a piece of toast and leave. - People answering the front door as soon as someone knocks. - The L-shaped bedsheet that exposes his chest and covers her boobs. - Nobody ever has morning breath. www.thepoke.com/2026/07/11/w...
What small things do film-makers keep getting wrong about life? 17 of the pettiest pet peeves
You may be able to suspend disbelief enough to accept that a race of aliens can transform themselves from your classic robot look to a range of different vehicles, but can you accept that Megan Fox ca...
thepoke.com
Yep, they're losing their shit over in the other place...
Georgia Lewis@georgialewis.bsky.social · 2w agoWaiting for the inevitable right wing meltdown over this tribute to the BBC... #SPAARG
Oh God, I feel like the snarky parent critiquing the school play from the back of the auditorium, but the Muppets deserve better than a sub-par United Colours of Bennett on advert.. #SPAARG
I'm guessing this is the newfangled K-pop that my goddaughter and niece have told me about.
I mean, this looks pretty cool, but the majority of Madonna's halftime performance seems to have taken place in the stadium car park... #SPAARG
Getting a bit bored of #SPAARG so I'm reading my book. Burying my head in a fictionalised version of the disturbing final days of Katherine Howard might cause Spain to score...
And Thomas Tuchel has advised Andy Burnham not to be too defensive.
Parody Nigel Farage@parodypm.bsky.social · 3w agoI give up - Liz Truss just made parody accounts redundant.
Dogs living their best lives ever. This is the wholesome content we all need today.
ContempraInn 🌹@contemprainn.bsky.social · 3w agoHappy Dog 😊
@planningtransport.co.uk IMAGINE Susan Halls face!
ianVisits@ianvisits.co.uk · 3w agoSo Sir Sadiq Khan becomes Lord Khan. That's going to: a) Really annoy the haters b) Really confuse people about the difference between the Lord Mayor of London and Lord Khan, Mayor of London. c) Annoy Town Hall staff who just finished adding Sir to all his letterheads. www.gov.uk/government/n...
Farage's security costs £5m. Apparently, it would cost £100m to provide that level of security to 650 MPs. That's quite some efficiencies of scale. <INSERT Zach Galifianakis The Hangover Maths GIF>
SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!! I might have waved the curse bone by suggesting to my husband that this could go to penalties, so I can only apologise for any squeaky bum moments to follow... #ENGARG
OK, I've got the #ENGARG match on, I would like to see Argentina get pasted, but if this game gets boring, let it be known that I will start doing Nectar Canvass surveys to boost my points over the £100 mark...
I don’t buy the ‘ungovernable’ schtick, but I do think there needs to be systemic analysis of how successive UK governments (and, let’s be honest, official oppositions) managed to completely lose the knack of ever really getting anything right for at least a decade and a half.
Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social · 3w agoScoop by @georgewparker.bsky.social: according to three people familiar with Andy Burnham’s thinking, Shabana Mahmood is set to be the next Chancellor:
