Let me get this straight: The Reform council leader was criticised by name - in an entirely non-threatening and reasonable way - because of decisions made by the council he leads, and he goes off the deep end and calls the cops? Free speech enthusiast turns out not to actually like free speech.

HappyToast@happytoast.co.uk · 6d ago

This has really pissed me off, if you're in the area and can afford it go and give the cafe owner some money to help fund the kids meals. And if he refuses buy yourself a nice coffee and tip him as much as you can. Fuck Reform taking food from kids in need. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

I'm not interested in reading a Substack (n4zi platform) post opening with "Full disclosure I used AI to write this" calling hypocrites tabletop authors against AI because other tabletop authors do use it. I'm not a hypocrite, and I block anyone using AI, including the author of that post.

A completely normal thing to say and not a totally unhinged creepfest. Do JKR and her fellow-travellers even think for a moment about what they are suggesting and how absolutely weird it makes them look?

The Serfs (youtube.com/theserfstv)@theserfstv.bsky.social · last wk.

They're coming for your children www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/06/jk-r...

I'm hoping that's pants in the sense of trousers and not something else. Because nobody needs the alternative at the gaming table. But you should buy FiveEvil because it's great.

Morgan Davie@fromthemorgue.bsky.social · last wk.

30% OFF! @drivethrurpg.com XMAS IN JULY Sick of D&D but players aren't sure about change? FiveEvil: Fiendish 5E Horror rips 5E into a machine for terror. It is the best intro to the wider world of #TTRPG It'll also scare the pants off you. Goodbye pants. www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/5...

He was always a twat. Mercilessly bullying Terry Jones, viciously envious of how loved Michael Palin is by everyone, etc.

George Monbiot@georgemonbiot.bsky.social · last wk.

Just loving how John Cleese, now reduced to one of his own caricatures, rages about immigrants coming to the UK and failing to accept "our" culture, from his home in ... (checks notes) ... Nevis in the Caribbean.

Realise we're very late in re-posting this, but it's wonderful to see our students like @aliyahkerr.bsky.social showcasing their fantastic work in the wider world.

Aliyah Kerr@aliyahkerr.bsky.social · last mo.

Presented my first ever conference paper yesterday at the @socialhistsoc.bsky.social Annual Conference! As an MA student at @ljmuhistory.bsky.social, I’m so grateful for all the thoughtful conversations and kind feedback on my research, it was all very encouraging! I had a brilliant time #SHS2026

Pīwakawaka all the way.

tohorā@tohora.bsky.social · last wk.

Forest & Bird have set the date for Te Manu Rongonui o te Tau - Bird of the Year 2026 voting, set to kick off from 4 September and close on 20 September. www.rnz.co.nz/news/environ...

The only non-mediocre parking spot at Manchester airport.

Astonishing that two such storied American game designers should set up shop next to each other in Helsinki airport.

1) A huge part of my Cold War/RPGs book project is th eoral history component. At the momnent, the interviews are frequently used in the form of "A British gamer suggested that..." which I find deeply unsatisfactory. But, I've been re-reading Christopher Browning's Ordinary Men.

OK, one other thing to love about games in Finland is that it’s all so normal. The craft beer pub I’m in has a huge range of up to date - often very expensive - games for patrons to play. And loads of people are playing them. And I’m not even close to where Ropecon is happening.

If you think Threads is a great date movie, then boy do I have the game for you!

Sadie is 🎲 Laying It All on the Line 🎲@oakleafinsignia.games · 2w ago

Badly promote your ttrpg: So uhhhh, do you like gambling?

What’s is even more amazing is that - with 10k plus unique attendees - Ropecon is entirely volunteer led and organised. It really is a remarkable and brilliant event. And games aside, the sheer scope of the talks and workshops is mind boggling.

Malcolm Craig@malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 2w ago

Jon is right on the money. The trade hall - so central to the big UK cons - isn't even close to being the most important part of Ropecon. What are important are the 1000+ games, talks, workshops, and other events running. There is something for you to do every minute of the con.

Jon is right on the money. The trade hall - so central to the big UK cons - isn't even close to being the most important part of Ropecon. What are important are the 1000+ games, talks, workshops, and other events running. There is something for you to do every minute of the con.

Jon at Handiwork Games@handiworkgames.bsky.social · 2w ago

Ahhhh Ropecon! So good. I was there as a guest in 2019 and it was a really great experience. Such a different vibe to the big US (and now UK) shows.

Well, here we are!

Once again, why haven’t we banned disposable barbecues?

Sue Wilkes@suewilkesauthor.bsky.social · 2w ago

One careless person has led to all this dangerous work for fire crews: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... www.cheshirefire.gov.uk/news-events/...

Anna, age 12, is the game designer we all need right now.

Jon at Handiwork Games@handiworkgames.bsky.social · 2w ago

Everyone on here be like “oh yes I am a games designer with very strong opinions”, meanwhile here’s Anna age 12 out-designing all of you with her amazing pavement games. G’aun yersel, Anna.

A good day to remind you all that you can spend £5.50 on a 28mm @countbinface.bsky.social model from Troublemaker Games, £3 of which goes to NHS supporting charities Now who is selling some frog faced fiends and a scale model pier for them to fight over? www.troublemakergames.co.uk/product-page...

I have not done any research on this, so I can only assume I will be approximately the 126,845th person to make the "There's a joke candidate standing in the Clacton by-election. And Count Binface as well" joke?

John Power Jr.@johnpower.bsky.social · 4w ago

If I was a TV presenter I think I’d try to look less grumpy about interviewing Count Binface than I do interviewing far right politicians but maybe that’s just me

Calling a by-election over the sovereign right of every MP to take secret gifts from a convicted criminal. What a time to be alive.

Restrictions on political donations are like "living in a communist country"? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha..ha! Oh my aching sides! Nigel, you're such a wag!

About to run this as a paid ad on Facebook. Wondering about the level of interaction from people who do not like the idea of rejecting AI and embracing puppet. We'll see. Anyway. Embrace puppet: www.backerkit.com/c/projects/h... #ttrpg #maskwitches

With the @hotcus.bsky.social conference this week, I cannot help but feel this is a personal attack on me by @pkandelic.bsky.social

Patrick Andelic@pkandelic.bsky.social · last mo.

We've all been there, Mr President.

I have a right old laugh to myself when I recall that I wrote the history sections and many scenario seeds for Cubicle Seven's Cold War Cthulhu under the pseudonym Harold Adrian Russell. Hilarious! Well, to one person. Me.

Shannon Appelcline@shannonappelcline.bsky.social · last mo.

I've completed a first draft of of Cthulhu timeline, meant to show the influences (and multiplicity) of the Cthulhu RPGs out there, centering on Call of Cthulhu. A few notes (in the next few messages) ... timeline.designers-and-dragons.com/cthulhu.html

I hadn't yet listened to @jemgilbert.bsky.social's Culture, Power, Politics ep. The End of the World as We Know It: Catastrophe Culture, when @thegrognardfiles.bsky.social mentioned my research had come up! What a lovely surprise (and a fascinating episode). culturepowerpolitics.org/2026/06/16/t...

The End of the World as We Know It: Catastrophe Culture

What role do images of total catastrophe play in our culture and politics? For notes, info and to support us, please go to:

culturepowerpolitics.org

This is one of the dumbest and saddest things I've ever seen. We should not think of universities in this way, and if we do that'll destroy everything that is both useful and good about them. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Find out which university degrees could earn you most across your lifetime

New data suggests which university degrees have the highest and lowest financial returns over a lifetime.

bbc.co.uk

Thanks to the super generous @nick.gark.net, I have the required article! Only I'm an idiot and it was issue 31, not 32.

Malcolm Craig@malcolmcraig.bsky.social · last mo.

It's research request time! Do any kind RPG enthusiasts out there have a copy of GDW's Challenge Magazine, Issue 32? And if you do, would you be willing to photograph the Twilight 2000 article on the effects of the nuclear strikes on the USSR? TIA!

It's research request time! Do any kind RPG enthusiasts out there have a copy of GDW's Challenge Magazine, Issue 32? And if you do, would you be willing to photograph the Twilight 2000 article on the effects of the nuclear strikes on the USSR? TIA!

Once again I am begging non-historians who use the Cuban Missile Crisis to underpin a thesis to actually read something published more recently than three decades ago. Jupiters in Turkey, my ass.

It's the @hotcus.bsky.social annual conference in Manchester next week, so cracking on with actually writing my paper. Finally, finally talking about the oral history project that's such a massive part of my Cold War/RPG research.