: The Magic Faraway Tree Took my boys to see The Magic Faraway Tree. 📺 I always remembered my favourite primary school …

: Little kid came over to me, sat on my knee and gazed lovingly into my eyes. Smiling sweetly at me, …

: Little kid has been finding, photographing and naming plants at school, so we did a little homework …

: I got April Fooled by my 11 year old.

: Apologies for the break in transmission. Last month I went out for a couple of pints with …

: Why am I suddenly seeing everyone using the word “revert”?

: The Art of the Deal Evolution of negotiations with my little kid during the last week: Me: it’s time to stop …

: The War for Greater Israel - Craig Murray Having sanctioned genocide, mass killings and deliberate …

: It’s wild out there! Free speech warriors out in force on X. Simultaneously celebrating …

: Custard Woman vs The Dark Lord Peter Mandelson - Worse than a bronchoscopy.

: Trigger warning.

: Please try again later.

: BREAKING! Claude AI: “…the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents in …

: Craig Murray discovers Venezuela! Being There - In Venezuela - Craig Murray craigmurray.org.uk …

: Little kid is back into space big time again. He’s been playing Universe Sandbox and watching …

: Trump bombs Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Nigeria, Venezuela, kidnaps Venezuela’s president and …

: What could possibly go wrong? The Home Secretary has said she wants to create a 'Panopticon' system …

: Fwiw, I think banning violent fans from attending a football match is the right decision. …

: TIL that there’s no such thing as complaints@ealing.gov.uk. Maybe there should be?

: Baby snail.

: A lot going on at the school gate to the footbridge.

: Little kid’s shadow.

: Follow the sun.

: Wife’s employer is introducing custom AI software and apparently now expects her to do twice …

: I know it’s been said before about Donald Trump, that he’s like a six year old child, …

: A Fire We Were Warned About. Within hours of publishing an update on Southall’s Toxic Town scandal, …

: Some amazing photos of last night’s fire. It’s literally around the corner from us, but …

: Local recycling plant went up in flames this evening.

: Chilli On The Rocks From cooking catastrophe to culinary triumph. Sort of.

: Big Kid and the Umbrella An umbrella is only as good as the people holding it.

: The streets of Southall and the road to hell… Jack Frost visited overnight and left some …

: Stunning sunrise photos captured by the wife showcase vibrant clouds over a suburban neighborhood.

: Eighteen months wasted, to add to the previous ten years. Time for a manager with a proven track …

: Last year I had a plan: fundraising for youth work fundraising for school local democracy activism …

: I am bleeding Criticism is directed at various situations related to authority and public safety, highlighting …

: The framing of this “story” is very interesting, to say the least, for all sorts of …

: Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan: “Pluribus is my twist on a post-apocalyptic zombie …

: Saw a few people mentioning Pluribus so I gave it a try. Had to switch off about half way through …

: Leftover cauliflower, broccoli and roast potatoes made a tasty bake in a Red Leicester cheese sauce.

: A delicious soup made from leftover vegetables received high praise from the chef’s wife.

: Something no one mentioned, but I had thought about and normally do, is bread sauce. No one eats it …

: Xmas lunch all prepared, cooked and eaten, washing up done as well, by 2:15 pm. Yes, I did forget …

: Certainly one of my favourite little kid masterpieces this year.

: Thanks to everyone who reminded me about gravy, sprouts and peas - Xmas dinner wouldn’t be the …

: The antidote to Xmas singles you didn’t know you needed. Merry Xmas Everybody

: Tomorrow I’ll do chicken legs (instead of turkey), Lincolnshire sausages, roasties, Yorkies, …

: Carrots, parsnips, stuffing balls and mash (not pictured) all prepared and cooked today, ready for …

: Reassuring to know that moral heavyweight “BJ” Clinton was just along for the ride and …

: Our friendly local neighbourhood Evri delivery driver, who always delivered to our door, has been …

: …these are great songs… Poetic, mystical, and marvellous… songs that should …

: A rare trip out to Southall Station this morning. View from Platform 3 eastbound.

: Big kid WhatsApped me this hilarious YT short. He was flabbergasted when I told him it was from the …

: It’s just a regular Saturday morning. Cook bacon, eat bacon, drink tea, catch up on …

: Quite a contrast to yesterday morning.

: Wet and windy.

: Hovercraft release Black Friday anti-Christmas single double A-side Christmas single. Hot off the …

: Unsafe discharge and death by licorice Mum is struggling with the stress of moving at 80 while dealing with health issues and the discovery …

: This and the dead cat on Portobello beach story make me nostalgic for …

: This morning we received a new report (from an incident on Wednesday afternoon). A year 10 white boy …

: Big kid told us he got his first taste of direct in your face racism. Last Friday, one of his …

: The problem with having micro.blog Premium and more than one blog on the same account is that I …

: There was a huge warehouse fire in Southall yesterday. Fortunately no one was hurt. Three schools …

: Beautiful sunshine and frost on the school run. Little kid was super excited to see the school field …

: New album available for pre-orders.

: Another great review: “disco, rnb, folk, pop, indie, rock, blues, country, alternative …

: Now That’s What I Call A Music Review!

: Starmer and Farage - two cheeks of the same backside.

: Some sensible thoughts on what’s needed from the Left.

: Who doesn’t love a bit of Autumn?

: “There’s a radiant darkness upon us”

: Seems like a long time since I felt able to enjoy a morning walk. Almost three months to the day …

: Well, we didn’t get a million, but £150,000 is still a very substantial grant! On the work …

: Shaken Not Stirred now available on Bandcamp, if you’re that way inclined.* *We promise not to …

: This is not a ceasefire. Here’s Israel's strategy to continue the war on Gaza: find a pretext, no …

: A recent Halloween party featured tender lamb biryani, raising ethical concerns amid its sourcing.

: I’d never heard of this guy before, and wish I hadn’t. Apparently he was deputy leader …

: “Masked Israeli Settlers Torture Lambs in West Bank Livestock Raid”

: Time to eat humble pie and admit I was wrong about Amorim. After winning three games on the bounce …

: This a is a really impressive review of my resurrected old band’s debut album. “The way …

: Ah, now it all starts to make sense.

: Cracking review!

: Reminds me of when Ofcom censured the BBC for not declaring the status of the interviewees on the …

: “Shaken Not Stirred is more than an album—it’s resurrection art.”

: Shaken Not Stirred.

: Finished watching: 24 Hour Party People 📺 23 years after it was made, in two sittings (watching it …

: New single released, only thirty years after we first recorded it.

: New fact-based polemic on local matters to me.

: Autumn Fair today at little kid’s school. I was supposed to be there helping out, but not …

: Turns out I was blocking pedestrian and cycle access. Ffs.

: Help me find my old bandmate and songwriter.

: No justice like British justice. Terror case against Kneecap rapper thrown out: bbc.com Home - BBC …

: Brilliant start to the day. Little kid said he wanted to park close to school today (we usually park …

: Haven’t recovered fully from my recent copd exacerbation and now I have a new lurgy.

: Where You Been? A year spent breathing life into archives, communities, and family while learning to breathe through …

: The S-cream.

: I was drawn to this building yesterday as it appeared in my orbit 📷 while walking back from the …

: Also took the car in for its MOT and a major service. I could do with one of those.

: Back at work today after three weeks off sick. Finally started feeling like I had some energy …

: Coughing has receded and I finished a second course of antibiotics and oral steroids on Sunday. GP …

: Neighbour’s little dog has been barking non-stop for three hours.

: Mental Colonisation The colonised mind loses the ability to recognise war crimes when committed by the …

: From Antisemite to Anti-American Watch how defenders of genocide cycle through different character assassinations - from antisemitism …

: Hi @Manton, not sure of you saw this, or if you can help? No hurry, but just wanted to make sure …

: Rigid, inflexible, and easily countered by even the weakest opposition. No Plan B. Why Amorim's …

: Why complain? Two years of Gaza’s destruction reveals how genocide denial evolves from factual disputes to …

: Two years into the genocide and this is now all perfectly normal and acceptable. Israel struck …

: “United have backed Amorim by spending £200m on attacking players this summer, while …

: Scenes at Blundell Park!

: Had several worrying coughing fits over the weekend, and yesterday evening especially. Chest felt …

: British holiday souvenir cough turned into another COPD exacerbation. Finally managed to see my GP …

: Mistake from Bruno playing out of position and out of harm’s way in central midfield, giving …

: Computer says, “No.”

:

: The Thought (For The Day) Police are here! BBC apologises after Jenrick accused of xenophobia: …

: I have been putting off doing some really important work for what feels like weeks, until it became …

: I feel like I may be stuck in some kind of recursive loop! Help! @manton

: Back to work today with a cough and a cold I brought home from our wet and windy holiday by the …

: Sky Park.

: Ha! Didn’t even realise at the time that big kid photobombed my obelisk pic!

: Bastard Service Tree.

: “We might live in a world where critics of AI are the loudest, but songs like this quietly and …

: Big kid has expanded his cooking empire, and now has his own domain.

: Higher Ground now on Apple Music.

: It’s been wet and windy on hour holiday so far, so we made use of the indoor swimming pools …

: Amazing what difference a year makes! Last time we were at Butlins, little kid was still barely …

: Where is big @luke@social.sdfeu.org ?

: A shocking indictment of Ealing Labour Council from a young black woman. When I was in primary …

: Higher Ground.

: The same legal scholars who would never question Israel’s right to exist as a state - despite …

: Last week Starmer proscribed Palestine Action. Yesterday he advocated the ultimate Palestine action …

: Every time trying to file urgent documents online at Companies House. They say the will send a …

: Big kid has video-documented my pizza making process by creating a “cooking website” …

: Google NotebookLM podcast “deep dive” on my AI music restoration project and the …

: Digging the Lost Tapes Restoration of Grimsby's No. 1 Band in 1996 How 1990s indie band Hovercraft (UK), who “hovered in, made a lot of noise, broke down and …

: Look away if you’re not interested in reality, right and wrong, or changing it. And yes, …

: Just five posts from three women in the last week? @manton It's been awhile but I poked my head in …

: Big kid’s last day at his primary school yesterday was emotional. And by emotional, I mean …

: Such an odd question and poll options. Better options in the comments. How should art be funded? How …

: Just when you think things can’t get any worse. Not content with failing to pay salaries, CAF …

: This is so messed up! ‘Yves Bonnet, the intelligence chief who tried to negotiate …

: Speaking of going on…. One of my favourite songs by The Damned - “Life Goes On”. …

: Save Ealing Children’s Centres campaign raised over £5,000 in just eight days to begin legal …

: Leeds former head teacher faces no charges following terrorism arrest for holding up a graphic from …

: “…even modest step counts of around 4,000 steps a day are linked to better health …

: This explains why our government is so keen to suppress dissent. The UK 'House of the People' …

: Successful and fulfilling work “Vision Day” yesterday. Everyone brought their own ideas …

: Peak Absurdity on the Ski School Run A chaotic morning ensues as our hero parent faces an uphill battle to retrieve a forgotten coat for …

: Haha, Google NotebookLM. 🧑‍🔧 In summary, Marsden’s experiences with customer service are a …

: Hmm… now she’s left half of it. “Very salty.”

: Wife is tucking in and talking about “Masterchef”. Cheese and tomato sarnies it is, …

: Speaking of lunch. I’m kind of hoping the wife doesn’t want this fried halloumi, tomato …

: We have our work “Vision Day” tomorrow. Some last minute emails back and forth about …

: “Self-defence.” Israeli forces kill 67 Palestinians seeking aid in northern Gaza, …

: I would do the same if I’d been spotted at a Coldplay concert. US tech CEO resigns after …

: I Got My Mojo Workin' Hovercraft’s electrifying take on Muddy Waters' blues standard, transforming the Chicago …

: Hovercraft’s most ambitious and psychologically complex composition, this two-part epic traces …

: Sick and evil. BBC radio 4 now. Prof Maynard, British surgeon describing injuries of teenage boys …

: Big kid just created his first website using Google Sites.

: I lost interest in cooking, and lost interest in eating salad. Today I was hungry, so I made a …

: URGENT support to fund a legal challenge to Ealing Council’s decision to close 10 …

: Breaking News: Superman “anti-Semitic” for standing against genocide.

: The Pied Piper of Ealing A child’s performance of The Pied Piper highlights the disconnect between political promises …

: Added a new chapter to my Ealing Council takedown: The Engagement Paradox - The Council Leader had …

: “Do you condemn the IDF?” Genocide expert: “The argument that the IDF [Israel Defense …

: Had two really poor nights' sleep. The heat doesn’t help. But I’ve got four big projects …

: Every song needs a pulse 📷. Every moment needs a heartbeat. Shimble’s rhythm keeping time with …

: “Existential threat” Jeremy Corbyn is having British Jews arrested for opposing Israeli …

: So It Goes: AI On The Absurd Logic of Ealing Council A satirical exploration reveals the absurdity of Ealing’s democratic practices and community …

: Time to slope 📷 off from the party.

: I haven’t been anywhere other than up and downstairs and in and out of the garden, but …

: I need a cold shower…

: They’re now just pouring whole buckets of water over their heads. Big kid’s birthday party is …

: Big kid’s birthday party is in full swing. Water bombs already, pizza due to arrive in five. …

: 📷 Dense foliage at the Gravel Pits.

: Perceval House W5: Where Local Democracy In Ealing Goes To Die Ealing Council’s contradictory policies and decision-making processes have led to the closure …

: Big kid got his SATs results on Tuesday and he and we are all very happy. He put in a lot of hard …

: Eleven distant 📷 years tomorrow since this rascal appeared and took over my life.

: Fixed the headline. Gaza truce talks reportedly stall despite second Netanyahu-Trump meeting after …

: People ask me, why do you wear that cap? Well, I’ve worn 📷 a cap on and off since I was …

: I had the noise pollution team in my house yesterday. They heard all the forking noise, investigated …

: Looking forward to the day when I will legally be branded a terrorist for wearing my hat.

: A slap on the wrist. Housebuilders to pay £100m towards affordable homes to avoid legal decision: …

: It’s all coming out now. Gregg Wallace sacked from MasterChef as 50 more people make claims to …

: Current 📷

: Confessions of a failed pop star.

: Happier here, yeah? No, not really. Vertical 📷

: The then London Mayor’s chief of staff shares his memories of twenty years ago today.

: Echo 📷 and the Funnymen?

: 📷 Fragments. I imagine this is what the inside of knee looks like now.

: Oh ffs! I think I might have done my ACL.

: Big kid persuaded me, against my better judgement, to join in with the parents' race at Sports Day …

: With all the hot weather I’ve been eating nothing but salad, fresh fruit and ice pops for what …

: Layers 📷 (1990 roadtrip from Boston to LA.)

: The CAF Bank saga just gets worse every day. Their new website is horribly broken in almost every …

: Outside the school offices. Little kid runs through here excitedly every morning. It looked …

: Kitchen garden at kids' school.

: Q) When is a door not a door? A) When it’s floating in the canal.

: Almost autumnal here.

: Slightly less ill at ease here feeding a live deer safely behind a wire mesh 📷?

: Having completed thirty days of the micro.blog photo challenge for June, I’m going to try …

: Kids have gone to sleep tonight clutching ice packs wrapped in a towel. 🥵

: Say what you like about AI, but it’s brought my old band back to life. Whether that’s a …

: Magical scene at after school clubs pick-up time. Excellent drama teacher had the little kids …

: Coot fight on the canal this morning.

: Yesterday I said something out loud that I thought might upset people. Instead they all laughed and …

: Had a kickabout with one of the neighbourhood kids and my neighbour downstairs in our close this …

: Solitude 📷

: Today’s salad bowl.

: Winding 📷 Latest update on this thread - mum is expecting to move into the flat downstairs in early …

: Big kid lost another tooth the other night. We often have no cash in the house other than what he …

: Little kid went on his first all day school trip to Whipsnade Zoo yesterday. When he jumped off the …

: Ephemeral 📷

: “If you have ever paid for hosting with us, and you haven’t violated our terms of service or …

: Big kid attended his high school transition day today along with kids from all the local primary …

: Collective 📷

: Bridge 📷

: Oh, well the day just gets better! Our payroll service has been unable to collect funds from CAF …

: I actually have work to do, and you have spent 45 minutes asking me if you have to do anything about …

: If it’s antisemitic to talk about Israel’s genocide of Palestinians, is it also …

: Decay 📷

: I am “currently number 28 in the queue”. Which is better than the previous “we …

: Bloom 📷

: Big kid singing at the Royal Albert Hall tonight!

: Fracture 📷

: Hometown The narrator reflects on their childhood memories in Caistor, describing various local landmarks and …

: Had to go into work first thing this morning and walked forty minutes home in this sticky heat. Felt …

: Grand Canyon sunset silhouette 📷 35 years ago.

: Algae gather 📷

: Equal 📷

: No idea what this is or was eighteen years or so ago. But it’s texture 📷

: Council have confirmed the source of the noise pollution is a broken acoustic barrier and have …

: It’s been a very noisy and smelly morning. Reversing forklifts, car alarms, barking dog, …

: Warmth 📷

: More bricks.

: Coot Jesus.

: These algae swarms remind me of nebulae.

: Eight days later and I’m logged into the shiny new work bank account, pension account and …

: Israel launched an unprovoked, illegal attack on Iran, committed terrorist car bomb attacks, …

: Melon blur 📷

: Today: “We are unable to answer your call. Please try again later.” 54 minutes on hold. …

: I was frightened of this giant bear when my parents made me pose for this photo. I’ve been …

: Forking* Hell (Again) 16 years later and the forklift beeping is back. Same estate, same problem, same polite delays from …

: Twilight 📷

: Lots of new buildings going up. The movement in this is interesting.

: 📷 pathway

: Mother coot with her cootlings.

: Coot diving.

: These ducklings are growing up fast.

: Not exactly hidden with that big arrow pointing the way, but I’ve never seen anyone use this …

: I have a memory of a 80’s or 90’s British TV comedy sketch character visiting a …

: I was no. 2 in the queue to get put on hold yesterday. Today I’m no. 60! 54 minutes on hold. …

: Exploited child labour this evening to harvest two bags of potatoes. Big kid insisted that the …

: Peacock butterfly.

: 54 minutes on hold.

: Statement from CAF Bank. …the transition to the new service has not been an easy process for …

: Brick 📷

: Strawberry moon 20 years ago. Full Strawberry Moon will be lowest in UK skies since 2006: bbc.com …

: Almost forgot. 📷 Rail.

: Potato.

: It’s a sign.

: So far today I’m locked out of the new work bank account and the old work pensions account, …

: Whoever did the CAF Bank redesign and new login security protocol must be having a very bad day …

: Morning wood 📷

: The more time I spent using AI (Gemini) on this particular project, and actually scrutinising its …

: Incredible piece from Auntie’s most experienced war correspondent and Middle East journalist. …

: Déjà vu this week, as I spent time trying to help my mum reply to an email and send an attachment. …

: It’s Sunday and I’ve barely moved off the sofa, so today’s micro.blog photo prompt …

: It’s right that we hold AI to account (if that’s even really possible) and expect better …

: Probably not going to see much more of big kid today. Switch 📷

: I recently spent far too much time creating a wholly unnecessary (but nice to have) app with Gemini. …

: Not sure this really works for contrast, but I like the photo. 📷

: There’s a cherry pie in the fridge and it’s really quite distracting.

: Reflection 📷 nostalgia, Newport, Rhode Island, 1989-90.

: A bit of nostalgia and one for the Pacific Wave Appreciation folks.

: We did get a little sunshine in the end. The AI generated alt-text mistakes my shadow for the …

: You can’t really make it out properly in the photo, but trust me, there’s a whole* …

: Spuds are flowering!

: 🌧️ No chance of a sun shadow 📷 today, so here’s a mummy duck 🦆 shadow instead.

: Three curve-y cootlings swimming in their own curve-y wakes. I noticed a lot of straight lines, and …

: Made my first ever music sale today on Bandcamp. Woohoo! (Thanks, Dad!) 🤦‍♂️

: Not trees.

: These trees outside our home provide beautiful cover for the ugly industrial warehouse they built …

: A must read. Israel so-called 'aid' programme for Gaza isn't about feeding the survivors.It's just …

: A frustrating journey home was made amusing by a faulty satnav that inaccurately estimated travel …

: Had a blowout on the A1 just before Grantham, so took the opportunity to visit Margaret …

: Bertie’s ice cream van shut up shop at six on the dot leaving my little lad, who was next in …

: I wasn’t sharp enough to capture the blue tits nesting in this wall-mounted ash tray.

: Humberston light railway station, no longer in use, sadly.

: My kids (and I) want to know why there’s a potato waffle in the beach information section of …

: Contemplating the global situation and the history of settler colonialism at the Meridian line.

: Some spectacular skies yesterday afternoon.

: Deep in the beating cold heart of Reform UK territory, the former Queen’s Head pub in …

: Back in Spilsby ordering ludicrous fish and chips again. Expect all hell to break loose soon.

: My head is shot, my teeth are rot… Had a few jars with my old band’s bass player last …

: Wife reckoned her pizza looked artistic.

: Earlier this week, I updated my crime report online to say that my son’s scooter had been …

: I didn’t notice these little ducks until I was right on top of them. If they noticed me, they …

: Cootlings have lost their red fluff.

: A fittingly very disappointing end to a very disappointing season. Congratulations to Spurs and Ed …

: I thought United started well enough, but in the end the decision to start both Mount and Fernandes …

: I listened to your feedback. “TOO LOUD!!!” you shouted above the din. Or was it …

: My morning walks back from dropping my kids off at school are usually relaxing. Not this morning. I …

: As Denny noted across the pond, lots of wildflowers, but no bees, or anything else? Where are all …

: Only six little ducks left today. Started with twelve.

: The new HT reviewed the security camera video and found the scooter! Hoorah! John Reese has been …

: From The Rehab To The Refurb Hovercraft has reunited to produce and record new versions of their favorite songs, reflecting on …

: My Eurovision entry for tonight’s final.

: “Palace manager looks decent”

: Brilliant penalty save from United reject.

: Brilliant sucker punch from Palace!

: I preferred God Save The Queen.

: My own tiny contribution to the “island of strangers” keeping us safe.

: Today’s birdwatching.

: Person of Interest 101 A wry account of trying to report a stolen scooter, navigating police bureaucracy, school CCTV …

: A parent reported their child’s bike theft to both the school and police, but faced delays and …

: Someone took big kid’s new scooter from the bike store at school yesterday. I was hoping it …

: Little Simz crackin' it.

: New, improved, “cover” of the original Here Now.

: A little tune I created, related. The sports presenter said: “I know where I stand on …

: Having bowed to public pressure to weed my potato patch, I now observe my wilting spuds and wonder …

: Starmer’s immigration speech “nonsense language worthy of a Trump style populist.” …

: Big kid sat his first SATs test yesterday and has more this week. He started a journal recording the …

: This morning’s walk. Filling up the lock (not me, I just observed). Very noisy. So peaceful …

: The “original” Pump Dot IO song recreated, not reimagined. Pump your life in and out of …

: My inbox is full of messages from Percy Thrower types demanding I weed my potato patch (ok, ok, …

: Earthed up my potatoes this evening and watered them for the first time since I can’t remember …

: Fund Britain’s Waterways. The Canal & River Trust (CRT), which manages over 2,000 miles …

: Sitting ducks.

: Back to five again. Seem to be two new cootlings this morning. David Marsden …

: Seven little ducks? Only eleven this morning. Twelve little ducks. David Marsden …

: Now You’re God / Dying Comes So Easy recreated in full. Original here.

: True then, and true now.

: 29 years ago. Getting closer to the grave.

: Thirty three years ago?

: Nearly forty year old demo tapes reimagined by AI.

: Veggie Chilli A delicious veggie chili was prepared by sautéing vegetables and beans, adding tomatoes and gravy, …

: In my efforts to bring about the end of the world as we know it, I’m all out of credit.

: Potatoes doing well.

: We hired a recommended, highly experienced copywriter to rewrite everything on our six months late …

: AI alt-text generator “thought” this was a crocodile. Lovely weather for ducks. Still …

: Lovely weather for ducks. Still eleven babies.

: Seem to be two new cootlings this morning.

: Scum.

: Secret garden.

: Only eleven this morning. Twelve little ducks. David Marsden …

: Got caught talking to a goose this morning.

: Evening meetings always leave me feeling hungover the next day. Honeyglaze makes everything better.

: White-knobbed coots and their red-faced babies.

: Twelve little ducks.

: These meetings are usually as dry as a bone. This one was unexpectedly raw and bloody. Trustees …

: Trustees meeting tonight. Must be a few years since we had an evening meeting. In person, too.

: Predictably, the internet is already rife with conspiracy theories. One popular theory is that …

: En fin, la pièce de la résistance. Another “original”. Not for the fainthearted. DREAM …

: One of my personal favourites, Here Now.

: Jimmy Carter latest.

: A very rare Marsden “original”

: An ode to microblogging and the King of ActivityPub.

: Who remembers the Arab Spring?

: Early doors, but surely a contender for Ingerland’s World Cup song next year.

: Ended up going down an AI music creation rabbit hole. Hovercraft Reimagined.

: Finally got around to uploading some of my old band Hovercraft’s music to Bandcamp.

: Cloudy ale, ffs.

: It’s come to something when we’re praising the Pope for cheering for peace not war, and …

: ‘He admitted to putting a “sock over my private bits” and opening his dressing …

: Getting ready for little kid’s birthday party this morning. Ordered pizza to be delivered for …

: It’s crazy to think that Prince Andrew was great pals with Jeffrey Epstein while Prince …

: Awful news. Virginia Giuffre, Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein accuser, dies by suicide: bbc.com …

: Cake looks amazing!

: Just for clarity, while he no longer has enormous testicles, he’s still very definitely a boy. …

: Little kid is five today. Job done according to his mum. At least I’m no longer getting peed …

: Keir Starmer welcomed the Magic Circle’s decision saying it brought “clarity”. …

: “18,000 years ago” before anyone gets too excited. First evidence of city-sized icebergs …

: Starmer nails his true colours to the mast. George Monbiot: “Across my long and largely futile …

: Apologies for typos. Not easy with my non-reading glasses on.

: Keir Starmer's identity crisis Keir Starmer is criticized for lacking principles and policies, ultimately positioning himself as a …

: Flight of the Heron.

: Dire Straits. Ffs. I’ll never get any work done.

: Stairway To Heaven, barely audible, playing on the “jukebox”.

: Obviously I’m in a work meeting.

: Ffs, Savile’s “chauffeur” was at it as well. 📺 The Detectives (2015) - ★★★★☆

: Back to work after the Easter (Spring Break) holidays. Half an hour to login to the Office 365 …

: Coaster.

: Lovely afternoon just to sit in the garden and feel the warm sun and breeze on your skin.

: What a terrific live performance by Porridge Radio on KEXP. And a really interesting and typically …

: “Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story” offers a compelling exploration of the infamous …

: Really enjoyed watching a little of Boreham Wood Academy’s training match this afternoon. …

: Everything you ever wanted to know about the cost of fish and chips and more A visit to a fish and chip shop resulted in an unexpected social media response, highlighting the …

: I have returned with the Famous Lincolnshire Plum Loaf!

: Surely a joke, but I just read that Bayindir is starting for United today after Onana failed to …

: This has gone semi-viral on Threads. Weird. Mum gave me £40 to buy two haddock, one chips, and three …

: We saw a pair of egrets, and a lot of wind turbines.

: Five minute walk from our caravan.

: We’ll keep the Red Flag flying here. And the Pirate flag.

: Nice little seating area right by our caravan. Unfortunately it’s mostly used as a pigeon …

: I was here yesterday evening.

: Mum gave me £40 to buy two haddock, one chips, and three peas from the chippy. I gave her £20 back …

: Full moon tomorrow night?

: After a five hour drive, a long walk to the shop and back, and a fiery Jalfrezi, I was ready for …

: When in Cleethorpes…

: Nice view.

: Macc Lads.

: Southend syndrome? US tourist takes wrong boat, ends up Southend fan: bbc.com Home - BBC News …

: Almost-five year old happily repeating his new favourite word: “TITS!” Soon-to-be-eleven …

: I should be watching United in the derby, of course. But I don’t have any of the pay-to-view …

: Potatoes planted out in bags!

: Bunged up, constantly sneezing, sore itchy eyes…

: Israel appears to commit war crimes with impunity. Video footage appears to contradict Israeli …

: Every time I finger my spurtle with it’s decorative thistle head, I can’t help but think …

: Easter Bonnet Parade is now Spring Bonnet Parade.

: TIL what a nonce is.

: Missed this important news item the other day. Ealing and Hillingdon boroughs to combine. A draft …

:

: Every outdoor seating area in the public realm is littered with beer bottles and cans, laughing gas …

: Morning walk. Sat on a tree stump for a few minutes enjoying the sunshine, breeze, and sights and …

: Nothing to do with porridge as it turned out, but yesterday was definitely too hard and too lumpy.

: Hellish morning so far. Little kid’s porridge was “too hot” so I stirred in some …

: Edit: nvm, seems to be resolved now. Not sure what has happened here @help? Mobile web browser.

: Went to the Naan Shop to get some naans and they’re all out of naans.

: Got called an anchor at work again. Probably taking it too nautically.

: Lovely light this morning on the canal.

: Hmmm…. maybe only really one cup. I can get three cups from one heaped spoon of the white …

: This smell and taste of this Assam tea evokes memories of bacon butties with my Grandpa Fred, …

: English Teacher and Richard Hawley cover Joy Division on the radio, live Transmission. Dance! …

: I can get three cups from one heaped spoon of the white tea, but only two from the black it seems.

: Made hash browns from scratch this morning and they turned out well.

: Ecclesiastical gobbledegook A productive week led to a promising funding opportunity for a new youth center, accreditation as a …

: More tea, vicar? Enjoying a variety of teas, particularly Assam black and white tea, has been a refreshing change.

: Little kid made the card at school and one of the parents handed out Happy Eid bags to the kids as …

: Big kid has been eating porridge every morning for a few weeks, which means ten minutes of stirring …

: Not sure where this came from, but it’s where we’re at.

: Interesting the way this story is framed as if award-winning BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen has …

: Big houseboat.

: What a load of rubbish.

: Yesterday’s cormorant.

: “One night, I opened my front door to such a strong gas smell I actually thought someone was trying …

: Finished reading: The Son and Heir by Alexander Munninghoff 📚 Not a page turner by any means …

: (From the quoted article) As US lawyer Dylan Williams notes: This Netanyahu quote reported by an …

: Woken at 1 am by the sicky sweet smell of petrol wafting in through our open bedroom window.

: Hey @manton, any chance you can look at this when you have a moment, please? …

: The invasion destroyed their hopes that Russia might become a normal, non-violent country. A …

: 🍿 A Complete Unknown (2024) - ★★★★☆ I really enjoyed this take on Bob Dylan’s electrifying …

: This substation fire is nearer to where I live than Heathrow. Woke up around 1 am to discover we had …

: Seed potatoes out for chitting. A bit earlier than last year!

: A common moorhen, not to be confused with a red-knobbed coot.

: I still don’t know who shot JFK, but it’s clear it had nothing to do with Israel.

: Well, what do you know?

: I hope everyone is watching and listening.

: Morning walk. The canal was unusually clean and calm in the sun. I hadn’t noticed the little …

: My new favourite band. Just wow! You watch the sky open But I feel it fall “Alela Diane …

: the UK will give £3 billion a year of military support until 2030/31 and “for as long as needed to …

: Mum’s house has been on the market for just over a week, and photographs have been uploaded to …

: Fundraising for my sons' school got off to a slow start, mainly because the school was slow in …

: Fundraising update Our fundraising journey at work got off to a false start, but now I hope we’re on the right …

: “Labour today is both a threat to peace and a force for poverty.” Editorial: …

: Morning walk on the school run.

: Morning sun.

: Two little ducks.

: Israel broke the terms of the ceasefire agreement and have now resumed their genocide of …

: A few years ago I had to pick jalapenos off my takeaway pizza because they were so freakishly hot. …

: 📺 Secret State (2012) - ★★★★☆ Inspired by the book, this is a very different take on A Very British …

: Ex Machina serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of artificial intelligence, showcasing a …

: You’d never know from this headline, of course, that it’s Israel who broke the ceasefire …

: Well, well, well. Ealing Council’s cost-cutting budget includes “improving” the …

: A Very British Coup. The series “A Very British Coup” remains relevant today, depicting a socialist prime …

: . @help any idea why my tweet archive seems to be missing ten years of tweets? I’ve tried …

: My boy got his picture taken for the local council propaganda rag when they opened the school street …

: Think of the children Ealing Council claims cutting Southall’s children’s centers from six to two will …

: American values. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy on the forced disappearance of Mahmoud Khalil …

: Save Ealing's Children's Centres Ealing residents are urged to sign a petition and voice their concerns against the proposed closure …

: Spag bol was spot on. Butter beans instead of meat.

: “This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians. More bombs, more aggression, more …

: Trees at Osterley Park.

: Osterley Park this morning.

: Robin having a bath in the rainwater captured by the cover of the kids' sandpit.

: I’ve been drinking tea and coffee without sugar since before the new year. Coffee now tastes …

: Ordered some seed potatoes today. Hopefully there’s enough good soil in our compost bin to get …

: Big kid can breathe again. Plan to ban smart phones in schools scrapped by MP: bbc.com Home - BBC …

: Boris Johnson has a lot to answer for. Is he a communist spy, too? He knew before anyone else that …

: Would now be a good time to invade Las Malvinas?

: Big kid brought home a June 1983 copy of National Geographic from the school library today (I said …

: Twice in the last two weeks my boss has called me the team’s anchor. At least that’s …

: This morning’s walk. I don’t know why this area is fenced off, but it has the effect of …

: If only there was a human rights lawyer / political leader of sound moral principles who could form …

: Big kid has got a place at our first choice high school for September. His best friends are all …

: Having unilaterally pledged endless war against a nuclear enemy with “British boots on the …

: Both Corbyn and Trump are communist spies, of course.

: Security is not the ability to destroy your neighbour. Security is the ability to get on with your …

: It is worth noting that Starmer’s delusional “Hundred Year Alliance” agreement with Zelensky …

: This morning’s walk.

: Starmer is now the de facto leader of the European Union.

: Oh, ffs. First it was Porridge Radio and now it’s my beloved Kiwi Browser that’s a dead …

: I saw the heavily edited Trump-Zelensky smackdown video and couldn’t help but think of Trump …

: Trump is an evil narcissist for publicly humiliating Zelensky because Zelensky refuses to negotiate …

: A new hope After years of challenges, my mum is considering a move to be closer to family, bringing her renewed …

: I smelled the spring On the smoky wind

: I’m raising money for my sons' school’s Parent Teacher Association to give to the school …

: Eurasian coot (not be confused with its Red-knobbed cousin).

: This morning’s tree.

: A bit late in the day, but a handy and relatively easy to use Python script that automates bulk …

: First time I stopped and really noticed this at my kids' school.

: How it was. How it’s going.

: Bit of a muddy walk around Osterley Park.

: Reading books for pleasure is so much fun, I wonder why I ever stopped? Back into it this month, and …

: Finished reading: The Last of the Moon Girls by Barbara Davis 📚 Five stars not enough. A murder …

: Bloody hell! Porridge Radio are calling it a day.

: Chomping on pistachios, I became aware that I was doing all the chomping on one side of my mouth. …

: Relaxing morning with the kids. I’m sucking on stray lumps of Red Leicester while stirring the …

: The funder who changed the closing date has rejected our grant application as it was submitted late. …

: After “fixing” my pyromaniac toaster I have now, somehow*, reconnected my anti-social …

: Wife can’t believe it’s March already!

: The code of life A World War II code breaker’s journey from decoding Nazi messages links to his …

: You Winchester, you lose some My space-obsessed kid inspired a parent to suggest a planetarium trip to Winchester, a town linked …

: On yer bike! (Your voice matters) Free bikes sound great, but my neighbourhood lacks safe storage and cycle lanes, a fact I shared …

: Cleaning up Big kid expresses his desire to clean up the town after enjoying his lunch monitor duties, prompting …

: Finished reading: Interference by Brad Parks 📚 Read this very quickly (for me), so it’s a …

: So far so good Work: I applied for four grants in six weeks, which is great, but two funders moved their deadlines …

: Too good to be true My digital leader kid gave a brilliant assembly on online scams, then immediately fell for one …

: ‘The UK currently has schemes for some Afghans, Ukrainians and people from Hong Kong to come …

: Much calmer sounds this afternoon when the lock was filled and the gate was closed.

: Sight and sound by the lock gate this morning. Transcript

: Sight and sound on the footbridge over the canal from this morning.

: Still setting up this bloody laptop.

: Kids are enjoying scooting into school in the mornings. I’m like some retired secret service …

: Putting my feet up before the school run starts again. The ball of my right big toe is very sore.

: All in a day's housework A busy day involved preparing for a new school street, running errands, cooking, and managing …

: ‘Under UK law, it is now an offence to enter the country without permission, while …

: Setting up a new laptop for a colleague at work. A very sleek and lightweight Lenovo V15 G4.

: Helicopter crews exposed to benzene twenty years ago now dying from cancer. MoD investigates air …

: Little kid, arising from his potty: “Dad, take the wee in the potty and put it in the …

: This morning was gloriously lazy. Hoping I can match that lack of effort this afternoon.

: ‘The BBC contacted Biden’s talent agency, which recently signed him, but no response was …

: ‘Find someone your base already dislikes. Attack them. Make it personal. Make it cruel. Make …

: ‘“Cultural evidence”, also used in far-right and religious extremist cases… does not …

: A better all round social work experience for everyone involved. They should be able to move to a …

: Pleased also that Maguire elected to head the ball this time to score the last minute winner. Even …

: Pleased for Zirkzee to get the equaliser. He and Garnacho made all the difference when they came on.

: We haven’t had a left back all season, so of course when we sign one we play him on the right …

: Ugarte gave the ball away like Casemiro for the goal.

: No wonder my eldest hates football. All he’s seen is United after Ferguson.

: Half-time report will be in the morning after we’ve all woken up.

: Beautiful swan!

: Goose stepped out of line.

: Some more trees for the collection. Never noticed this cabin before. I must have walked past it …

: Liked the colours of the weathered old narrowboats in these first two pics, and the sky in the …

: Walked past big kid’s old “Wonderwall” he helped to create at his nursery school, …

: I just used Voicenotes.com on my phone to record various training prices from historical invoices …

: Wife beefed about the beef (“too salty”) and the horseradish (“tastes like …

: AI will drink all our water, use up all our electricity, take all our jobs, deliver to us online …

: Pleased to see that Auntie has updated the headline on this story. Public invited to suggest names …

: Publish and REDACTED! This piece serves as both a critique of modern digital culture and a meditation on personal growth. …

: Wife has just got back from Ealing Broadway on a work visit with a very nice pair of brand new …

: Wife has had a sore throat on and off for a couple of weeks, so naturally she asked me to “get …

: Thanks to Howard Webb for clearing this up so promptly.

: Of course, it’s the anti-genocidal voters who didn’t buy the genocidal Biden/Harris …

: It was a rough night. Little kid was awake in wriggling around in our bed from 4 am, although, of …

: It could be a long night. Wife has just settled little kid back into bed. Big kid is coughing and …

: Spent quite a bit of time this evening trying out @Mtt’s brilliant new Bayou theme for my …

: Enjoyed this morning’s PTA meeting. Lots of great energy and ideas for raising money for our …

: Little kid fell asleep on my lap, as usual, watching videos of planets and being at one with the …

: Last night big kid fell asleep in his bed while wearing in-ear buds, ear defender …

: That’s a clutter of cats.

: Love the light of the setting sun on this tree.

: On the chicken, er, I mean school run earlier.

: Back home early from work after second meeting had been cancelled without anyone telling anyone …

: Oh, and printed a couple of things I’ll need later on our new home printer - only to discover …

: Spent the morning going over the AI’s homework that I assigned it last week, correcting it and …

: Not on our side. So now we have it. Rachel Reeves's claim that a third runway at Heathrow Airport …

: Is Trump doing a Truss and will “the deep state” intervene? Trump’s nightmare 2025 is …

: More evidence, should you need it, that in the last 50 years capitalism has disproportionately …

: My Dad has been radicalised by the far right on YouTube, and now he’s started using emojis in …

: Last weekend I was discovering the joy of listening to Leeds-based band English Teacher, whose …

: Big kid always leaves his pizza crusts and asked me to make a stuffed crust instead. I forgot all …

: Ten year old old just showed me how to do something on my phone.

: Talking of Chumbawamba has sent me down another memory hole today. I have some hazy memories of …

: In 1988, the great American novelist Kurt Vonnegut wrote a letter to the human race of 2088. Via …

: It’s been a Chumbawamba sort of a day. Anarchy, A Singsong and a Scrap, and A Night of Punk …

: I thought micro.blog was down all morning, but just realised it was something to do with my DNS …

: The goat singer A meditation on human suffering that winds through a landscape of broken dreams and stubborn hope. …

: This morning’s walk. The view from the top of the new hills is a bunch of half-built …

: Roadblock Metaphors for a life at standstill. When every warning and every barrier transforms into an …

: What are you waiting for? Welcome to humanity’s longest queue. From doctor’s offices to love affairs, we’re …

: Listening again to the unlistenable episode one, and it’s incredibly relevant right from the …

: Probably time to officially call it a day on #tinap @andyc@mastodon.me.uk. Almost 16 years from …

: Can’t remember ever seeing the equivalent Israel/Palestinian headline on the BBC. In a split …

: My local council in the news. Temporary housing linked to deaths of at least 74 children bbc.comHome …

: “Connect with others through social relationships… doing good things to other people, …

: BBC says IDF murdered children and lied about it ‘The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says the building was targeted because it was a Hezbollah …

: Life lessons Squeaky clean, studenty and a bit prog, Leeds band English Teacher channel The Sugarcubes' quirky …

: I had a really poor night’s sleep, worrying about little kid.

: Little kid slept in his own bed until 6 am. Hurrah!

: See no 🐵?

: What's out there? What’s out there? My space-obsessed four and three quarter year old might ask me that soon, so …

: I have been replaced by Professor Brian Cox on bedtime storytelling duties.

: Shepherd’s Pie in the morning, my delight.

: Must be the same reason they struggled in Ten Hag’s system? Why are Man Utd struggling in …

: Sign up to build Power for your Community. GET FUNDING AND TRAINING TO ORGANISE YOUR COMMUNITY.

: I know it’s bedtime for little kid when I have to pull him off his big brother. Somehow he was …

: Can’t say I like the original, but this cover of The Stooges' “Johanna” is …

: I’ve really been feeling the cold of winter in my bones this week. So it’s no suprise …

: Four and three quarter year old has spent most of the day creating this beauty. He’s not happy …

: Stumbled upon this great live recording of The Kills playing “Baby Says” last night.

: Kids are very happily playing together this morning, printing out pictures of planets, cutting them …

: Thatcher’s daughter. Reeves is still peddling the household analogy …

: Lots of Discordian/Robert Anton Wilson fans on Bluesky.

: One of my favourite live performances, and in particular this song “The Swamps” by …

: I got a seeded multigrain bloomer loaf from Tesco bakery, which smells and tastes amazing. Toasted …

: Not sure why this wasn’t prosecuted under anti-terrorism laws? White supremacist jailed for …

: Threat level: high.

: More than two years after I suggested this should be a priority, my sons' school will have a school …

: The new President of Israel. Israel has changed since Donald Trump's last term – has he? bbc.comHome …

: AI, ethics and democracy I keep reading that AI is dumb, dangerous and demented. And I’ve no doubt it’s all true. …

: Bye bye Biden. A genocidal war criminal with the blood of tens of thousands of women and children on …

: This Lino government is fucking awful. Patients dying in corridors at overwhelmed hospitals, say …

: Some prick just overtook me as I was indicating and turning right.

: Highlights from this morning’s walk. New wetland wellbeing walk by the canal.

: Arsenal match report For some reason this match report is in four acts: First half. Maguire nutmegged himself… …

: Another fantastic penalty save from Bayindir and Zirkzee sensibly chose to shoot to win the game …

: Extra time proved to be a waste of time. Now it’s a penalty shootout.

: 1-1 at full-time*. The two managers presumably threw cups and plates around in their half-time team …

: 0-0 at The Emirates at halftime in the FA Cup. For some reason Arsenal are dressed as Leeds in the …

: Little kid’s pizza slightly overheated.

: My pizza waiting to go in the oven. Kids' and wife’s pizzas are in there at the moment.

: Been drinking this stuff the last two nights. It’s very light, tastes nice enough, but unsure …

: Last night I had “ideal sleep” according to my sleep app. This is the first time …

: Southall Recreation Ground.

: This morning’s trees.

: What a beautiful morning for a walk!

: ☕ Foetus?

: Rorschach test ☕🐇

: A tree would have been nice, and I still think it was more effective how it was.

: Finally some positive news: I managed to buy and replace the headlamp and brake lamp on my car all …

: Harrow Council’s lawyers have sent me a cease and desist notice for driving in a bus lane on …

: Liz Truss’s lawyers have sent me a cease and desist notice for writing: Liz “Pork Markets” …

: Trying out adding audio narration to a blog post, but not sure I’ve quite got it right. The …

: I didn’t fancy my chances against this gang of Canadian geese.

: This little coot was barking like a dog, I swear, right up until I pressed the record button.

: This little coot was barking like a dog, I swear, right up until I pressed the record button. …

: Eating leftover mince pies now that I’m drinking sugar-free tea.

: Instead, here are some photos of a spooky old abandoned narrowboat.

: It’s a shame I can’t upload videos here as I was about to share a couple videos from …

: Not seen this “No more posts” before @help

: Back to work The last time I worked full-time, in 2015, I got fired for taking too much time off sick. The last …

: Exciting news - big kid found (what we think is) a faint Saturn not far from a bright Venus in the …

: Right now: snacking on my wife’s cashews as she’s eaten all my pistachios.

: Less exciting: driver side headlamp and brake lamp need replacing. Two years ago, I felt confident …

: Exciting first day back at school as the skies suddenly opened up and dropped huge, fat flakes of …

: Little kid ate a leftover sausage and reheated chips. Big kid had a bowl of rice and gravy followed …

: Had some crispy taco shells with lettuce, some chopped avocado, cucumber, red pepper and onion, and …

: Wife just rescued little kid who was hanging off the top bunk bed ladder.

: The peace and quiet is great, but not entirely relaxing. When the kids are quiet it usually means …

: Making chilli sans carne this morning. Kids are back at school tomorrow, so they are hanging out in …

: 2-2 in the end after an exciting second half of end-to-end football. United played like a team …

: 0-0 at halftime. United looking solid with a narrow four in midfield in front of a back five. Same …

: New hat achievement unlocked. Despite it being xmas holidays and eating to excess I lost a pound in …

: This parking advice signpost is much more effective now.

: Half-time oranges at the cricket. 🏏

: This tree, as big kid says, is sus.

: Today’s trees.

: BOOM! Figured out how to turn off automatic blog post thumbnails. (Wrap <!-- --> around the …

: Housing association sent someone round a couple of days ago to place this essential post-Grenfell …

: Finally figured out how to use the Lite Youtube embed plugin. In settings, replaced …

: Space-obsessed four year old last week: “My head is full of questions, Dad. There are eight …

: Spent half the day trying to force @robb@social.lol’s YouTube Lite plugin to work on my site, …

: We always used the have a special meal to mark New Year’s Day, like Christmas and Easter …

: Main course for me. Comfort food from childhood. Boiled gammon, mashed potatoes, carrots and white …

: I made a Snowman out of mashed potatoes, with sausage arms, carrot nose, onion mouth, cabbage scarf, …

: 20lb Sounds by 20lb Sounds I posted on my blog about Jimmy Carter. Hoping to post more in 2025 but …

: A wet and wild white-knuckle ride home into driving wind and rain on the London Orbital.

: This compilation project of Bob Dylan footage is fantastic. Video overdubbed with audio from …

: Big kid went home with his Auntie and cousins on Monday night, so later I will go and collect him. …

: This year This year I’m returning to full-time work for the first time in almost a decade. I’m …

: Last year I feel like I tried out some new ways of doing things that make my life better. …

: This year I managed to put up bookshelves and bunk beds, fixed a cupboard door back on in the …

: The lovely Micky Taylor on guitar sounding like Jimi Hendrix. I used to have the album cover on my …

: My kind of guitar breakdown.

: How does it feel, how does it feel? I love Cat Power’s recreation of Bob Dylan’s iconic …

: It took me a long time To figure out I don’t know what I want Three brilliant and very …

: Little Simz “Mood Swings” is one of my top songs of 2024. I think I first heard her on …

: The Old Hag The old house was long and thin, with dark corridors that ran from one end to the other, beside …

: the unknown is the only true hope for a brighter future

: My song of the year by a country mile. Drowned and buried at the bottom of a lake is my biggest …

: Porridge Radio are my band of the year. I relistened to their 2022 album “Waterslide, Diving …

: 3421 isn’t working. Surely he has to try something else? Man Utd relegation 'a possibility' …

: Listening to her sing. She is fully connected to her truth. It shows up in her words, and it shows …

: Two duos. One an English female singer-guitarist and an American male singer-guitarist. The other …

: I’m having trouble breathing in Feels like my anthem for the year. Great lyrics (including lines …

: Nothing he’s got he really needs Always one shinning up a lamp post!

: Today’s menu (illustrations by big kid).

: The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe What is your Conceptual Continuity?

: Some personal listening highlights of the year.

: How I listen to music I love music. Who doesn’t? I guess there must be some people. I was one of them. I stopped …

: Today we’re expecting our two nieces and their Mum. They’re at just the right ages to …

: Half a leftover and browning avocado made my fried eggs something special this morning.

: RIP Jimmy Carter. Not that Jimmy Carter.

: Reminds me of Tiananmen Square. This is the last photo of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of …

: The art of a good sandwich Let’s get something out of the way before we get into the meat, or the filling, of this post. …

: Tl;dr: we’re doomed!

: (Are you making this up?) Eh, some of it, yeah, why? (Well, what are you doing that for?) I …

: Developers: if you really want to help the community Concerns were raised about the proposed data center’s impact on local health, environmental …

: Was Joe Biden a good president? #EvanPoll #poll Evan Prodromou …

: Best part of Xmas Day for me was late last night when my little kid got a book for me to read to him …

: Wolves match report We watched Wallace and Gromit this afternoon, which everyone enjoyed, little kid was particularly …

: First Margarita.

: In between Yorkshire and xmas puddings…

: Yorkshire pudding followed by xmas pudding.

: Oops! Forgot to buy Yorkshires and had to make my own (for the first time). Looks all right!

: Today’s offerings.

: Santa wasn’t in his Grotto today (elf and safety reasons), so me and little kid had to …

: As I mentioned last year, I regularly bookmark people’s posts who I might otherwise have …

: A xmas miracle! Both kids are asleep before 9 pm!

: My year on micro.blog I had a lot fun writing and publishing on micro.blog this year, and also looking back and picking …

: Getting ready for this evening. H/t to @jthingelstad for the Irish Cream suggestion.

: All set!

: Leftover slice of pizza and blackberry and apple crumble for brunch. Tomorrow’s veggies almost …

: Plan for tomorrow: 🥕 Prepare and cook veggies for xmas lunch 🍿 Watch Sonic 3 with kids at cinema 🛏️ …

: Quite the confession. Gabriel said the agency duped Hezbollah into buying the pagers, making …

: Little kid sleeps in his own bed for about three or four hours before waking up crying and climbing …

: Big kid has been enjoying CrossFit exercises at school and at home. Big kid: “Hey Google! …

: After numerous attempts at therapising my toaster (“WTF is wrong with you, you stupid …

: United losing 3-0 at home to Bournemouth with an hour gone. Bring back baldie!

: Anyone know why some of my blog posts have a “thumbnail” screenshot image of the post …

: Ten months on and bath night is getting easier. Now all I have to do is say, “Who’s …

: Xmas pizza.

: …what’s important (as everyone who writes always says), is simply to write (and publish). …

: At the heart of neoliberalism is the fantasy of escape: escape from taxation and regulation, escape …

: Xmas Past. I listen to Jamendo so you don’t have to

: Nice tree, but it makes walking on the pavement almost impossible if you’re over five feet …

: Xmas in Little India.

: …streets were relatively clean, traffic lights and lamp-posts worked, and officers were …

: Toast in the Machine Some people seem to find the idea of machine intelligence frightening. And with good reason. Because …

: Perfect cheese omelette this morning. Two eggs whisked lightly for two minutes into a hot pan with …

: They are reduced to playing a game of politics which lacks any substance, with their only reward …

: A shame we only get to choose one.

: The Last Supper Work xmas lunch today was delicious, especially the spiced pear cake for dessert (albeit with the …

: This morning’s trees.

: My lucky day (NSFW). Transcript

: “…Netanyahu said the move was necessary because a “new front” had opened up …

: Road Rage My driving instructor told me that I would have to learn to drive twice. Once to pass my driving …

: Cricket match well underway in my local park at 9:30 this morning.

: Southall Odours I step out of my house and immediately notice the artificial “cotton fresh” scent of …

: What's going on in Syria? If I understand this correctly: it’s illegal in the UK to say or do anything that could be …

: Don’t most start-ups fail? Maybe a pop-up government would work better? Government wants state …

: The Queen had the IRA over for tea, so I can’t see what the problem is? UK will review Syrian …

: No one could have foreseen this. Man Utd sporting director Ashworth leaves after five months …

: My friend Tim has been busy… Dull Men's Club - the 'mundane' Facebook group that became an …

: Apple crumble is one of my five a day, right?

: No room at the inn Immigration case I’ve been working on since almost exactly a year ago has finally gone kaput …

: Luxury flats newly built by the canal. The absence of windows on the sides of the blocks is …

: Best naans in Southall Green!

: Like I was two years ago, when I last had a blood test, I’m “pre-diabetic”, so …

: What you writing FOR? I was in Hounslow, west London last year. I went to a cafe in a leisure centre. I’m not proud …

: At the risk of coming off like a poor man’s Gregg Wallace, I enjoy a four nut granola every …

: Bad Santa Big kid is getting too clever. I got him a surprise xmas gift he’ll love and set up an online …

: As well as being addicted to Duolingo, my lad is addicted to crumpets, and I’m his crumpet …

: No side effects from yesterday’s vaccine. GP called to discuss my imminent demise. She said …

: Getting all the wrapping done as things arrive this year. Leaving it all until xmas eve is too …

: Big kid reckons that the two boxes that arrived yesterday, and that I refused to open, contained …

: Blood test results suggest I’m in imminent danger of heart attack, kidney failure and cancer.

: I don’t understand how people think Joe Biden is a good guy. He’s probably done more …

: Had my pneumonia vaccine and diabetes blood test this morning. Nurse was very kind and thoughtful. I …

: Years ago, I would grab a Greggs sausage roll every morning for breakfast on the way into work.

: Is this the end for Greggs sausage rolls?

: Our little tree now has lights. Kids were excited but chilling out now to carols.

: I knew where this is before clicking through.

: Some more pizza prep and cooked pics. 🍕🍕🍕

: Boys are having so much fun on a Portal call with their “Papa” (my Dad, their Grandad).

: Making pizza. Dough has risen once, now going back under the cling film to rise again. Used …

: Kids decorated our little xmas tree, but I left the batteries in the lights all year, so …

: “Volcano with exploding baked bean and cheese lava” for lunch. Big kid is getting one of …

: Breathing calmed down so went for a short walk to the corner shop with Kid A where he bought a can …

: Retreated to the relative safety of the bedroom where I’m finding solace with Radiohead and OK …

: Wife wants to know what I think about the Assisted Dying Bill. She’s strongly in favour: …

: Breathless again. Ffs.

: On The Bales The recent farmers' protests in the UK and a comment on micro.blog about old style rectangular straw …

: Bye Bye Biden Some highlights and thoughts from Yesterday’s Man: The Case Against Joe Biden by Branko …

: I bought an acupressure mat (bed of “nails”) a couple of months ago to help with back …

: I celebrated Thanksgiving only once in my life, and it was certainly memorable.

: Looking at The Royal Observatory in Greenwich for my space obsessed four year old. No under fives! …

: Notionally returned to wfh today. ✅ Made chilli sans carne ✅ Emailed work to say I will try to ease …

: Me: Dinner’s on the table! Little kid: I’m just painting Mars!

: Dua Lipa's Tiny Desk concerts Dua Lipa’s Tiny Desk concert at home in between covid lockdowns in 2020 is the most watched …

: Love this coffee. Took a couple of weeks to get used to it after the previous regular one they sent …

: Overcome space and all we have left is here. Overcome time and all we have left is now. Jonathan …

: On Journaling I wrote this a week ago. My last journal was over a week ago, last Saturday. I’ve had a week …

: Jon Batiste's Tiny Desk concert Jon Batiste, like Alicia Keys, is a supremely talented musician and performer. This is another must …

: Alicia Keys' Tiny Desk concert If you haven’t seen and listened to Alicia Keys' Tiny Desk concert (Feb 2020) then I highly …

: My first attempt at a very simple recipe my Mum used to make fifty years ago. Little kid: “I …

: Living and breathing I have vague memories of seeing Florence + The Machine on the BBC at Glastonbury, possibly in 2009. …

: I recently read: How to Write One Song by Jeff Tweedy (of the band Wilco) 📚. It’s full of …

: Three days of feeling relatively well. Today I’m coughing, wheezing, short of breath again. …

: This went down well with the missus!

: This lovely tree by the bridge over the canal near my kids' school at Toplocks is gone.

: The air outside is thick with the smell of tar and vehicle emissions. Not doing my cough any good.

: It’s so cold this morning, when I got back from dropping the kids at school I had to do the …

: Starmer is proving to be every bit as reckless and depraved as Johnson.

: Yesterday’s Mac* ‘n’ Cheese went down well with me and big kid. It’s one of …

: Wife reckons she has kidney failure due to her high blood pressure. She says her kidneys are due to …

: Sausages Lincolnshire sausages are the finest sausages you can get. I remember as a boy, fifty years ago, my …

: Wife is making plans for my imminent demise.

: Always look as far ahead as possible

: Now they want me to have a blood test (routine annual test for diabetes). I hate blood tests, …

: Damn. Felt much better yesterday since starting antibiotics on Monday evening, no coughing and a …

: Machine of Interest I asked The Machine to review my review of Person of Interest Transcript

: Only time I saw Richard Branson in the flesh he was parading around in stockings and suspenders …

: Got Carter I started watching Person of Interest almost three months ago thanks to a recommendation from Hippy …

: The more his curiosity took over, the less control he had

: I’m so tired I went for a nap, but these corticosteroids won’t let me.

: Add vegetables to tea. Get soup.

: People Don't Change People don’t change, but they can make good decisions. This is a quote, or the gist of a …

: Thought I was getting over my cough, but it seemed to be getting worse again over the weekend and …

: Every time someone mentions Croissant (for cross-posting) I hear big kid’s Mum telling him, …

: DPD FFS! DPD notified me that their driver had delivered my parcel. “Parcel received by …

: After last week’s early mince pie tasting, I’m road-testing an approximation of xmas …

: I wrote 300 pages of notes and reflections in my personal and work journals in 90 days.

: Four year old every few seconds: “WHAT. THE. HEEE-EEEELLLLLL???!!!”

: My Cheese-o-meter For the best sensation, please read this post at room temperature. Blessed are the cheesemakers. …

: Not the most attractive presentation, but it’s all about the taste sensation. Cheddar on the …

: Finally feel like I’m getting my breath back after four days of having trouble breathing in, …

: WFH Saved My Life I’ve worked from home since the end of February 2020. I transferred all my work and systems …

: Coughing like a bastard this morning. Probably shouldn’t have smoked those twenty Roosters my …

: I vote for David Coote to replace Gary Lineker.

: The politics of envy?

: Big kid has written a list of all the things that make him angry. Top of the list is bananas.

: I’m officially old. I now require eye drops, ear drops, nasal spray and an inhaler just to …

: Finished a grant application with a colleague just in time to meet tomorrow’s deadline. A …

: A genuine laugh out loud moment from Jonathan Pie, who is definitely not having a liberal meltdown.

: After my experience with pump.io (pump eye-oh not pump dot eye-oh), I’m delighted that …

: Distractedly scrolling through my Facebook feed, which is now entirely made up of various treatments …

: Not Fake News Convicted felon, fascist and fake news king, the 45ᵗʰ President of the United States paid the porn …

: Wasn’t Harris ahead in the polls until the UK government started interfering in the election?

: Liz Kendall - Mad, Bad and Dangerous Trials of employment advisers giving CV and interview advice in hospitals produced “dramatic …

: Factional right-wing neoliberal think tank “Labour Together": The Budget is a Winner …

: Now we can all agree that Biden was a total failure of a president.

: In other news, I got 25% off my Cornish pasty at Peterborough Services for wearing my Corbyn cap.

: Hats Off! Sat on a bench in a children’s playground, a older couple approach me. The man is wearing a …

: My Mum’s cousin owns the local wool shop.

: Family Connection Restored Spent the day at my Mum’s, and a good portion of our final half an hour with her trying to fix …

: One positive outcome of my immune system going into overdrive in response to the covid vaccine is …

: COPD Last week I received confirmation of a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) …

: The Hangover I had my covid vaccine a week ago today. As expected I had a torrid night with violent shivers, …

: The Southall Gasworks Story The story of how the remediation of Southall Gasworks highlights the environmental injustices faced …

: Chasing youths with carving knives How my journey into care work was a serendipitous outcome of my search for meaning and purpose …

: Clear and obvious error After watching and re-watching the same three-second clip of nothing happening for so long that here …

: I thought I’d done great with these pizzas, but big kid ate only three slices (he can usually …

: Every word speaks the brutal truth. The Year After Al-Aqsa Flood | Black Agenda Report

: Dear President Biden…

: Following on from our expensive old and new door catastrophes, our washing machine has given up. …

: Another Door Closes Our twenty year old fridge door failed. It refused to stay closed anymore. Hinges had gone. After a …

: Palace Match Report Watched the United game (on my laptop) yesterday, having missed the Southampton and Barnsley games. …

: I can’t opt-out of LinkedIn’s new AI data gathering exercise, and neither can I delete …

: Digital Leader Hoping we found a good solution to help big kid’s Digital Leader application. He found it …

: I don’t understand why they have seized (now mouldy) courgettes as evidence but then again I don’t …

: Impossible demands Starmer is cynically setting up the NHS to fail in order to present private healthcare as the fix. …

: Death cult OBR: We have to kill old people and starve the children of the poor in order to keep funding our …

: Bunk beds built.

: This morning, and quite possibly this afternoon, I will mostly be assembling a flat pack …

: Big kid is applying to be a Digital Leader at school. In his application he wrote, ‘I want to …

: Scored this bag of Akash Gold at the local Tesco Express. Light and fluffy indeed. Chilli sans carne …

: Strong Irish backbone to this England team. Pickford (born Logan), Maguire, Rice, Grealish and Kane. …

: Funny old game In the good old days, football was a simple game. You had eleven players and a substitute numbered 1 …

: Achievement unlocked.

: Handed my four year old a slice of ham for his lunch. “Yay! Pink chicken!” Now we know …

: I started reading the Kindle sample for this, but immediately felt anxious that I should spend the …

: Noel plays his guitar as if he’s scared it will break, and Oasis’s funkless, sexless plod is always …

: Dead duck. An unpleasant walk in the midday sun by the canal yesterday. A few abandoned Lime Bikes …

: Emptying my Feedbin and stumbled across this epic from Christmas Day 2022. The one where Matthew …

: TV Show of Interest Finally got around to watching the pilot episode of Person of Interest last night. Took a little …

: Spuds Up! We harvested the last three of eleven potato bags at the weekend. A decent crop, and very tasty. …

: Well, the super secure new lock on our super expensive new front door failed catastrophically today. …

: Big Kids' Sports Day.

: England. Always different, always the same.

: Labour’s self-imposed, arbitrary and “binding” “fiscal rules” are the …

: My polling station was empty when I went to vote around 1:30 pm. My nearly ten year old looked at …

: Election Fever My inbox is full of people asking for my opinion and personal experience of this UK general election …

: New e-scooter and cycle hire infrastructure in Southall Green. [Edit] Not the ideal location.

: I used to be funny.

: Bushmen came to cut the communal grass and fill my compost bin with the cuttings. #Winning

: The Cuckoo's Nest Ealing Genocide Supporters Club (aka Ealing Labour Party) held their Southall Branch meeting …

: “…when you look at it on a personal level, if Nelson was your friend or your …

: One of the reasons we never visit the place where I grew up. “I just have to share?”?

: Natalie Elphicke said Labour can’t be trusted and doesn’t listen. She said the victim of …

: I’m so glad I ate my salad before reading about the Eunuch Maker.

: Fear and Loathing I spent the best part of nine months in America in 1989-90 on an international student exchange …

: “Zionism is rooted in trauma and fear. It’s about survival and love for the Jewish people. But …

: OFFICE ABANDONED - SUN STOPPED WORK Today’s office. - davidmarsden, …

: M.S. Panesar hit wicket b Panesar 0 Tbf, he lasted longer than I thought he would.

: Today’s office.

: Two Little Ducks Ever wonder what organized chaos looks like? Picture thirty overexcited nine-year-olds (and their …

: What Marxism teaches us What Marxism teaches us is simply to approach questions of society from a material basis: how does …

: Stop the Planes My wife was born in Uganda. She’s Black, like our kids. She came to the UK when she was five. …

: ☕🤦‍♂️

: A local shop owner asked why big kid wasn’t at school. When I told him it was closed because …

: Unusually productive morning. taught big kid how to convert fractions into decimals and percentages …

: My local polling station was deserted when I went to vote around 11am.

: Never listened to Buffalo Tom’s eponymous first album before. Produced by one Joseph Donald …

: Yesterday morning I took my little kid to see his best friend Lorenzo. Yesterday afternoon I took my …

: Nine year old said he wanted to grow some potatoes, so we planted chitted seed potatoes in bags …

: I think I was taking Tramadol for pain relief when I wrote this: Both sets of players would be …

: A Trip Down Memory Lane Andy’s post on Kingstonian Football Club losing their home reminded me of the loss of …

: 4 year old was born four years ago today, funnily enough.

: Zack, 35, says: “I got pretty disillusioned after I found myself consistently matching with …

: …blanket denial of Israeli war crimes has served to quiet the consciences of Israel’s most …

: This is the story of how I got there. A chronological curriculum vitae. (Need to get around to …

: The agenda now is all-Israeli: There is no one else but us. Only our disasters, our suffering, our …

: Front page of today’s Independent newspaper, headlines: Biden calls for immediate ceasefire …

: Where's Daddy? We have AI that can decide who is a terrorist and then track their every movement so we can wait …

: Hamas wants a permanent end to the war and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Mr Netanyahu’s …

: Can’t remember the last time I wore a watch. My nine year old wants it. Timpsons fitted a new …

: Journaling My nine year old started keeping a journal at school so we can read what he’s been doing at …

: Currently reading: Yesterday’s Man by Branko Marcetic 📚 He would indeed spend his Senate …

: Bath Night My little kid (now two months from being a not so small four) has gone right off the idea of having …

: 6/12

: Back cover image of the dec 1975 issue of “issues in radical therapy” (via danielle carr on …

: The Crisis in Gaza: Navigating Difficult Conversations A Q&A with Dr. Gabor Maté & Daniel …

: Pancake Day!

: the Biden administration does in fact have tons of leverage it can use to stop the genocidal …

: My kids were more interested in my egg timer app, which cock-a-doodle-doos when the eggs are ready, …

: STUMPED!

: “We say these rules are the rules when Russia invades Ukraine or when the Rohingya are being …

: Scratch that. Improvised rain shield.

: Viking dress up day.

: …people like you and I continue to have a vital role, as everybody does, in using the power …

: Last Words These are my last words writing from the café at the local leisure centre where I go every Wednesday …

: Germany has announced it will intervene in the substantial case to support Israel. They argue …

: Perhaps nothing I did would help prevent genocide, but we all have to do that which is within our …

: …genocide is never justified. It is absolute, a crime in itself. No matter how appalling the …

: SSSSSNNNNAAAAKKKKEEEEE! Very old photo (May? 1990). Mesa Verde National Park. Always thought it was …

: Irreplaceable! (I have a work commitment tomorrow morning.)

: Heart skipped a beat (or several) when I saw this in the canal this morning…

: Annual (eek!) morning walk.

: Curriculum Vitae (Memento Vivere) Having been so bitterly rejected both in love and at work, I started to look around for new …

: File under HamasIsrael don’t care about their own people?

: When I first went to university, one of my first mates was a very quiet and shy bass player, a …

: Those were the days.

: Thriving? My son’s school’s Thrive teacher is leaving. She helped transform my lad’s …

: Wife has returned home after being abducted by aliens (scroll down past the football).

: Curriculum Vitae (Hocus Pocus) Inevitably, my time as a Manchester University player came to end, and I left the club by mutual …

: Teachers Yesterday morning, I was sat in the foyer of my little kid’s children’s centre waiting …

: Curriculum Vitae (Ad Absurdum) I spent most of my three years ‘working’ in Manchester down the pub. When I was in my …

: Curriculum Vitae (Ad Nauseam) After failing to become the next George Harrison, I spent three years idling around, getting into …

: 365 It’s my 365 day ‘anniversary’ on micro.blog. When I moved here last year, it was …

: ToryBoy ToryBoy The Movie is the account of filmmaker John Walsh’s disillusionment with what he saw as …

: Writing to my MP: ICJP - Complicity in War Crimes Adapted from this template letter. Dear Mr Sharma, My esteemed representative: I write to you today …

: Curriculum Vitae (Repetitum) Following on from my success delivering the news to my local community, I took a break from the …

: Curriculum Vitae I’ve had a long and winding career in the fields of work and education. At one time, I was …

: Last night, I watched ToryBoy The Movie. This morning, I watched unelected former Tory Prime …

: Dishing It Out Following on from the pots and pans incident, my wife has decreed that the bamboo plates and bowls I …

: Bit of a damp squib today, but eleven years ago these were the scenes the morning after Diwali.

: Into our seventh hour of relentless fireworks. Happy Diwali in Little India. 🎆

: Beer Nights In I didn’t drink all of these beers in one sitting, or, in fact, any of them on Friday …

: The last three movies I watched all had the same ending: a daughter reunited with her father. 🍿 …

: Where we’re at. “Humans are complex and flawed.” “Nazis were only …

: Beer o’clock.

: Hey David Our contract with Plusnet for telephone landline and (not full) fibre broadband ends on 25 November. …

: Doctor's Orders My local pharmacy: Come and get your FREE flu jab! Me: My local pharmacy: Come and get your FREE flu …

: ERROR 55 - Internal Communication Problem Boss: Can you order a new printer for the office? Me: Sure. *orders a new printer for the office* …

: Break in Transmission Last week’s swimming lesson was cancelled, and the week before that, we went away for …

: After more than three weeks of Israel’s “targeted” bombing of Hamas in Gaza, …

: Any Old Pots and Pans? Following on from the successful installation of our new front door (which my wife is now quite …

: Frank My great-grandfather Frank, born in 1901, was a fossil to my young eyes, especially after he made us …

: Propaganda Last night, I was away in the middle of nowhere with no wifi and very poor data connection, so put …

: Getting Dressed My three and a half year old is going through that stage where he doesn’t want to get dressed …

: Haircut My nine year old had a trim the other day. No one else can really tell, but his massive afro …

: Catwoman Last week, we had a visitor. Catwoman appeared, to save the day! All the way from leafy Surrey, she …

: ‘Dreamed a dream…’ 🎶

: Too Much Pressure Inevitably, as I sit here in the cafe next to my son’s swimming lesson, unable to drink coffee …

: Impossible Job Last week, my boss asked me to produce a professional looking ten page job profile for a potential …

: Pay Rise I haven’t had a pay rise since April 2017. Taking into account the cost of living increases …

: Community Cats Just around the corner from my lad’s school by the canal is a cul-de-sac which is home to some …

: Free Palestine There seems to be a co-ordinated drive to obliterate Palestine, and Palestinians, from the map. I …

: Play Street We used to play in the street outside our home as kids growing up in the 70s. In rural Lincolnshire. …

: Class Thinking about Maths at school, got me thinking about the origin and meaning of class. It’s a …

: Distraction It’s easy to get distracted. My nine year old told his mum last night that he was so …

: The Swimmer My nine year old is on week three of his school swimming lessons. Prior to the first lesson, he was …

: Human Shield The school asked for a parent to volunteer to accompany the children to their weekly swimming class. …

: Bolognese! Last week, we had a new front door fitted. That morning, I took it upon myself to prepare a …

: The Door The door was old, but it still functioned as a door. It opened and closed, and kept us safe and …

: I nearly choked on my favourite muesli while reading 10 ethical brands owned by unethical companies, …

: Signs of the times…

: Responses to my open letter to Peter Mason I got a reply to my open letter to Peter Mason[pdf], Leader of Ealing Council, and one of my local …

: I learnt a new word today. Big kid complained that little kid “yeeted” his Lego Pikachu. …

: Open letter to Peter Mason Publishing this as it’s in the public interest and I’ve had no reply to my original …

: I’m about to carry a bag of sand.

: Big announcement* planned for tomorrow for #tinap aficionados. *Not a podcast.

: Personalised alarm call at 6:30 this morning as my little kid puked on my back.

: Morning walk, ostensibly to source the kids' favourite ice lollies. Mission unaccomplished.

: Enjoyed plenty of sun and relatively fresh air in our communal garden today. Kids enjoyed the beach …

: Three year old playing Scrabble for the first time. First word he tries to spell is his brother …

: Little kid turned on his Amazon Fire “Kids” tablet. A game asks him to enter his date of …

: This is why I’m always frothing at the mouth.

: Based on [residents'] feedback, Ealing Council has drawn up a list of ideas to reduce congestion and …

: Adam Curtis (1984), The Great British Housing Disaster, on how local councils dealt with unsafe new …

: Local council elections today in many areas. Don’t forget you now need to take some form of id …

: Big kid: “Dad! Dad! I killed the Ender Dragon, and I wasn’t even looking!” Me: …

: Risks to health from remediating Southall Gasworks AI is more ethical than Ealing Labour Party. No money was exchanged. What are the risks to health …

: First salad of the Sum…, er, Spring.

: I am the leader of Ealing Council I asked Google Bard to advise me on a local matter. I am the leader of Ealing Council. I have …

: Under poisoned skies Watched Under Poisoned Skies on BBC iPlayer last night. It’s the sad and shocking story of …

: Southall residents to give blood samples After six years of campaigning for justice: “The fact that gas used to be manufactured from coal …

: Reading for pleasure Two years ago my then six year old took what turned out to be a permanent break from the daily …

: Dark Star, Red Robin.

: Dark Star.

: It’s grim up north.

: Baked bread with my little kid using my pizza dough recipe (substituted wholemeal flour for white …

: Horseshit parade I visited the Palace of Westminster this week with my big kid on an educational school trip. It was …

: Finally got around to watching Our Friends In The North. ‘None of the issues the show mines …

: Big kid’s current favourite song.

: My little lad’s current favourite song.

: TIL that brain surgery is basically an off-shoot of hairdressing.

: Mmm… 🥦🥬🥕🇮🇪☘️

: Top o' the mornin' Showing my age this morning. I ‘heard’ my wife say, “My First Vegetables!” …

: ‘…housebuilders appear to be making ever greater profits.’ ‘[they] …

: Managed to source, buy, remove and replace broken car headlamp bulb all by myself this morning. …

: ‘…according to research by the London Tenants Federation, we are demolishing more …

: Made pancakes, with assistance from kids. No one liked them except me. Win-Lose-Win.

: Currently reading: Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer 📚 An enjoyable bedtime read with …

: Ducks in a row.

: Morning walk.

: You see, in Southall, car parks and re-wilding can go together!

: Foggy morning at holiday camp.

: Mini-Scalextric up and running.

: Sarnie. White rye bread with caraway seeds, salt beef, celeriac remoulade, pickled gherkins.

: Fronted adverbials excepted, gotta love my kid’s school!

: Our local incinerators were burning wooden pallets and melamine-coated wood particle fibreboard …

: The two wood-burning incinerators around the corner from our home appear to be no longer in use. One …

: Solidarity with all teachers today, especially those striking for better pay. Eight year old is at …

: ‘…financial liberalisation, mortgage reform and lack of investment in the existing …

: ‘All we see is broken homes here and poverty, ‘Corrupt government officials, lies and …

: No tipping or dumping.

: ‘…prioritises the maintenance of public housing, which is crucial in ensuring that …

: Met these two on the school walk this morning.

: Response to Ealing's air quality strategy and action plan Ealing Council’s draft Air Quality Strategy is a 64 page document together with a 40 page …

: Big kid with the tree he planted at his school.

: 1,001 days since my little one made his debut.

: Little kid was vomiting every hour from 6pm until midnight last night. Slept until 6am, kept down a …

: I hadn’t realised until today that they are building a new park with “viewing …

: Little lad at the park this morning. He’s had a good day and week, then just before bed …

: Big kid’s school storage units.

: Other than writing a couple of open letters to government ministers, what has Ealing Council done to …

: If air pollution monitoring data cannot inform the efficacy of individual air pollution reduction …

: Good enough to eat!

: School caretaker this morning gritted the playground before we all arrived, and helpfully marked the …

: Waiting for my 🍕 dough to rise…

: Lovely early evening sky tonight.

: Big kid woke up with a sore throat and didn’t want to go to school. Gave him paracetamol and …

: A few more pics of the long-derelict old sports centre at what is now Warren Farm Nature Reserve.

: Trip to Warren Farm this afternoon in the wind and the rain.

: New podcast, International Marxist Radio (IMR). The first episode features Ealing’s own Joe …

: HP sauce in the gravy adds a sweetness and edge to the pie. The carrots and leeks roasted together …

: Grated cheese to top my Shepherd’s Pie*. Got into the habit of always using a mix of extra …

: Frying chips. First batch done.

: Waiting for account verification emails from Companies House is like the proverbial waiting for a …

: “Southall is a run-down crime-ridden area, populated in the main by ethnic minorities.” …

: Dreaming of: a future in which ordinary people would be valued and able to live happily, safely, …

: Because Warren Farm appears to be the only site suitable for Skylarks to breed…, any future …

: Blended and warmed up leftover roasted carrots and parsnips with steamed sprouts, added instant …

: Cracker joke.

: Roasting: ❌ Turkey ✅ Chicken legs ✅ Pigs in blankets ✅ Stuffing ✅ Parsnips ✅ Carrots ✅ Potatoes …

: Drinking Baileys…

: Big kid is worried that the small glass of Baileys (use by date 10/2021) might kill Santa…

: I give up. Wife has just told me she knows her Apple ID password. Time for a mince pie and a cuppa.

: Wife’s old iPod has a smashed screen, so trying to copy her music collection so she can …

: Cut my hair short with clippers today. Big kid said, “Why did you cut your hair? I can see …

: Man carrying straw on a pitchfork?

: Unpacking grocery delivery without thinking, and big kid asks, “Is that wrapping …

: Little kid is totally captivated by this delightful story. youtu.be/DPfClnEK3…

: Dreamed I scored a hattrick in the World Cup Final and still ended up on the losing side.

: My kid’s teacher gave everyone a book for Xmas, which is an amazing thing to do. According to …

: The Property Lobby: The Hidden Reality Behind the Housing Crisis in Ealing There will be 14,800 new homes in 23 new developments in Southall over the next few years. 14 units …

: End of term, woohoo!

: First mince pie of the season!

: Bit parky today!

: Elusive Truth

: (De-)Ice Man Cometh!

: Bloody penalties!

: Free School Meals for every child in primary school. Subject: I’ve written to my MP, will you? Body: On 13 December Zarah Sultana MP is presenting the …

: Friday night in with antibiotics.

: Do not eat.

: Moon always looks much bigger to the eye.

: Special Xmas Lunch Menu Starter: Seasonal Word Soup Main course: Roast Gobbledegook with all the trimmings including sage …

: Arrived at just the right moment.

: Love this tree.

: Saturday night in with hot chocolate and paracetamol.

: Making porridge. I’ve eaten just three slices of toast in 24 hours.

: Yesterday was a ‘mare. Today will be better.

: We’re lucky that our modern little first floor flat has good insulation and retains heat. We started …

: I know someone in a big old house where the temperature indoors now is not much higher than …

: Little one is hot and refusing wear clothes. I’m cold and am bundled up in a jumper, and even a …

: All the boys are poorly today. No more fevers, but bad coughs, and none of us has an appetite. …

: Christmas tree and lights up. Boys did most of the tree decorating. Much quicker and less stressful …

: Kids' stuff: https://davidmarsden.info/2022/11/29/kids-stuff.html

: Kids' stuff I have successfully replicated this study at home, and can attest to its reliability and validity. …

: Tempory fix for a broken arm.

: Tempory fix for a broken arm.

: Both boys are staying at home today. Big kid bounced into school yesterday after recovering from two …

: Surprised I haven’t been asked to remove this review of FM Conway. Is 5,000 views a lot? I …

: Got soaked the skin collecting big kid from school (who, it turns out, ate and drank nothing all …

: Big kid better, back at school. Little one sat on my lap chuntering away with a fever.

: Little one is a good few months behind with his talking. Putting the grocery shopping away this …

: Tried my emergency coffees beans. They look and smell burnt. Taste like Costa coffee. Not great, but …

: Strep throat and scarlet fever reported at my son’s school. That might explain Kid A’s …

: Postie has delivered! ☕☕☕☕☕

: I have drunk all the coffee. The end.

: Who gives their postie a Christmas box?

: Kids rearranged all the furniture last night to recreate the space rocket from Wallace and …

: It’s started.

: Little one ate his usual two Weetabix for breakfast. Now he’s sat on my lap helping himself to …

: Regular exposure to even low levels of air pollution may cause changes to the heart similar to those …

: An hour after both kids are usually asleep, they’re both still up and currently rearranging …

: TV dinner.

: CHRISTMAS MARKET SATURDAY 3RD DECEMBER 1PM - 6PM Craft Stalls, Santa’s Grotto, Live Music, …

: Religious leader phoned my lad’s school today to feedback on their visit yesterday. I have …

: Little one went for a blood test at the hospital this morning. Paediatric outpatient ward was lovely …

: Public concerns over remediating the toxicity of the land… have not been addressed in the …

: “Once in a generation opportunity to look behind the scenes at the replacement of the lock …

: Lad has returned safe and sound from a school trip to a religious centre. Asked what he enjoyed most …

: Yesterday’s chilli today. 🌶️

: Finally figured out how to add @sod’s Search-Space and Surprise-Me plug-ins to my micro.blog. …

: These boots were made for splashing.

: Canal looking lovely this evening.

: Washed up ✅ Made breakfast and packed lunch for Kid A. ✅ Dropped Kid B at nursery 😭. ✅ Dropped Kid B at …

: It’s obviously good that David Baddiel has finally apologised in person for his racist abuse …

: Five hours sleep is enough for my two and a half year old, for now at least, so he’s sat on my …

: A New Ingerland Warming up for Ingerland’s opening match in the World Cup by practising penalties.

: 🍕🍕

: Pizza is in the oven. Can finally sit down and relax for ten minutes.

: I got my 🍕 dough dough risin'. Forgot to say that I feed my yeast with malt extract rather than …

: Proving my yeast, and mixing pasta flour with semolina flour, strong white bread flour, dark rye …

: Making pizza today, so defrosting some fresh yeast. Meantime, it’s breakfast. Egg and home …

: Wife is eating fish and chips while watching Korean soap on her tablet, while our little one sits on …

: Kids did these paintings with Mum this morning while I had a lie-in.

: Early lunch with my little one. Pie, chips and mushy peas!

: Strong smell of tar blowing in from the asphalt plant to the west of us.

: …trying to capture the essence of your life in a form that can be experienced by another, is …

: Corporate Social Responsibility In my work email. As part of our Corporate and Social Responsibility, we are running a digital …

: Lock steps and towpath.

: This tree is broken and falling into the water.

: Glad I don’t have to decorate this tree.

: Useful information and advice. Microblogging on the fediverse, leaving twitter to rot? …

: Some beautiful trees at my son’s school.

: I added a few finely chopped and fried onion pieces to my home fries for brunch. Must remember to …

: Morning from hell, sat in a car for four hours.

: Search the people you follow on Twitter for possible Mastodon/Fediverse accounts. I forgot the link! …

: My eight year old has watched so many US kids' TV shows that he now self-identifies as American.

: The Prince of Aberystwyth With the Prince of ActivityPub’s return to the fold, I can sense a #tinap reunion in the …

: Feels like a lot of effort just to make a cup of coffee.

: I’m about to eat a yum yum.

: Pump Dot IO Muskovite Twitter’s demise is imminent. Everyone’s go-to Twitter-alternative place of …

: Abandon all hope I reported an abandoned car to my housing association. It’s been left in our little communal …

: Is this thing on?

: An Ancient History Of Welfare In 1997 the UK government was spending an annual £24 billion on sick and disabled benefits. In 2010 …

: Strawberries for pigs? Little did we know at the time, but these little strawberries were usually engulfed in a toxic plume …

: How I caught covid I tested positive for coronavirus yesterday. I started to feel unwell – like I had flu – on Sunday …

: Chaos and Confusion If you thought last year was bad…. No one could have foreseen this! British coastguard sued …

: Nationalising Sausages Navy gunboats defending our fish from the French. An army of Sikhs feeding European lorry drivers …

: High Traffic Neighbourhood Took me an hour (as opposed to 10 minutes) to drive my lad home from school this afternoon, thanks …

: A Successful Home Delivery and the Lockdown/Lock-in. My second son was born late Saturday night (what would normally have been my beer night) two weeks …

: Return To Work I returned to work last week after my extended absence due to respiratory illness, which may or may …

: Trigger Vote for Sharma In July 2019, I attended a public meeting with Public Health England to discuss air pollution …

: Southall Under Siege: The Neighbours From Hell ‘A lack of scrutiny,’ says John Freeman, Regulatory Services Officer at Ealing Council. He’s talking …

: Taking the Piss Last night I arranged to meet a beautiful young woman and we spent an hour together alone in a dingy …

: Inconsiderate Constructor Lorry driver on his phone while leaving ‘Southall Village’ building site, right next to …

: Something for the weekend Or, why I became a soccer manager. Not Top 100, SM or even football-related. Three years out of …

: Same old England I've been writing (if that's the right word) about the England football team elsewhere since 2006, …

: How to be a Top Football Manager Leaked documents and video reveal the FA’s shortlist and assessment interview questions for …

: “Mum, passing me a small parcel wrapped in Xmas paper: ‘I didn’t get you anything …

: Louder than words We are all consciously or unconsciously re-enacting previous unresolved experiences of loss, or …

: Had hearing test on Friday. 20% hearing loss in left ear. Ear canal is wafer thin in places, meaning …

: 12 week old son just laughed properly for the first time. Now he can’t stop.

: 3 days into my new job. Company policy says staff must remain upbeat. Loving every single minute of …

: Baby son is one month old. Feels like we’ve had him five minutes and forever.

: A New Ingerland I wasn't even born when we won the World Cup I'm forty-six now and all hope I've given up My wife …

: Whatever happened to... Jimmy Carter? A little under three years ago I eulogised about Jimmy Carter (the footballer, not the peanut …

: Wife: “I don’t like the words. I don’t like the music. You sound like a hooligan. …

: Teaching REM’s The One I Love to 7 yr old. Had to change the words to ‘The One-Eyed …

: Xmas 2.0 Abstract: Not another Festive Fifty podcast. Tags: podcast, jamendo, music, freedom, xmas Following …

: Careers Advice “When I grow up, I want to play football for Manchester United!” For an eight year old …

: Wife says we should have named our cat Bjork. Because she’s small, cute and makes funny …

: Eating cold turkey, ham, pork pie, Lincolnshire sausage and haslet. Reminiscing about pig’s …

: Why are toasters and smoke alarms still so stupid?

: My back is killing me and I’m practically crippled after being out in the rain all day …

: Thanks to FA 1st Aid trainer Richard Barnes for relating the story of how he had his left wrist cut …

: Doing homework for the FA coaching course I’m on. Last night I suffered the ignominy of …

: Excellent! Trainer for FA coaching course I’m starting on Saturday is an ex-pro footballer, …

: Are you listening to Joy Division?

: Current NaNoWriMo word count: 0.

: Any mention of ‘baboon’ always reminds me of Stephen K Amos’s hilarious skit.

: Mmmm… Redbush tea with black molasses sugar hits the spot.

: Why England don't have a hope in hell of winning Euro 2012 Six years ago I wondered if the lack of Englishmen in Arsenal’s team (and most of the other leading …

: Abducted by aliens Abstract: Anally probed with a four metre long tube. Tags: alien, abduction, colonoscopy, humour, …

: A Christmas Cracker I received some customer feedback. A Welsh reader writes: You disgust me! I’m not at all …

: No onions, but plenty of fireworks with bier Abstract: Gertcha by the wiener. Tags: fireworks, photos, video, bier, Chas ‘n’ Dave, …

: Bonfire of the potatoes Abstract: Everyone needs good neighbours. Tags: Bonfire Night, Guy Fawkes, neighbours On Saturday …

: (There's Only One) Jimmy Carter (the footballer, not the peanut farmer) A long time ago, back in January 2010 in fact, Dan Lynch’s band 20lb Sounds released their song …

: Twenty Ten (The Prequel): The Cheesemaker Originally intended as a follow-up to part one of my milk-based food product styled personal review …

: Twenty Ten (Part One): Hard Cheese Abstract: Thankfully, there is no Part Two. Tags: snowcock, nanowrimo, manflu, cheese, depression …

: The World Cup on drugs: pure-grade heroin cut with shavings of Clive Tyldesley If England’s game against Algeria had been a Wimbledon tennis match, the two sides would still be at …

: No future in England's dreaming? Inside the mind of Fabio Capello Fabio Capello’s master plan to take England to the World Cup final is finally taking shape. On the …

: Waterboarding on the NHS Abstract: Gagging for it. Tags: waterboarding, NHS, bronchoscopy, torture, worklessness, Nazi, …

: Confessions of a thoracotomy patient Abstract: Lung-form blogging at its cheesiest. Tags: thoracotomy, empyema, decortication, cheese, …

: Why England don't have a hope in hell of winning the football World Cup in 2010 We don’t have any goalkeepers who are not proven to be accidents waiting to happen. James, Green, …

: United, born and bred: super glue Macari The only United match I’ve been to in recent years was last season’s FA Cup tie at home to Spurs, …

: Forking* Hell! A resident expresses frustration over ongoing noise disturbance from a nearby warehouse and issues …

: Why we're crap: the problem with English football It’s often the case that what in one sense is an undeniable strength can at the same time also be a …

: A new Scotland? Why England's football team will soon be as shit as Scotland's Is an all-foreign Arsenal bad for English football? But if all our top teams are made up of …

: Red missed: how Stewart Houston and Gordon Hill made me angry and depressed United’s FA Cup tie with Wolves last weekend and Auntie’s ‘flashback’ (Rio Ferdinand?), reminded me …

: Bangers 'n' Mash I guess one reason I’m able to maintain my weight is all the healthy eating I’ve been …

: The Colorado Trail I am rapt. Tight and warm in my sleeping bag, I stare out at the night sky. It is perfectly clear. …

: Multi-Cultural Societies Mark Twain once informed a preacher visiting Hartford that every word of a sermon the latter had …

: Big (in America) A mass twiddling of thumbs and looking at the ceiling prompted me: “It’s Big,” I …