Pinned
Alex Torrance
@alextorrance.co.uk
· Jun 26
A place in England.
places.projects.alextorrance.co.uk
I was looking at some English placenames recently and thought they all sounded made up, and thought it would be fun to make a thing that makes up English place names — so that's exactly what I did.
Introducing: A place in England
places.projects.alextorrance.co.uk
Introducing: A place in England
places.projects.alextorrance.co.uk
Reposted by Alex Torrance
Public digital services need to be *so much better* than anything the market offers. You can't switch. You can't get fed up and choose to pay a bit more at Ocado than Sainsbury's because the UX is better. You can't opt out of public services because you're digitally excluded.
January 17, 2026 at 3:59 PM
Public digital services need to be *so much better* than anything the market offers. You can't switch. You can't get fed up and choose to pay a bit more at Ocado than Sainsbury's because the UX is better. You can't opt out of public services because you're digitally excluded.
Reposted by Alex Torrance
wind power by country
January 21, 2026 at 3:12 PM
wind power by country
“You never see windmills in China”
From Wikipedia: China is the world leader in wind power generation, with the largest installed capacity of any nationand continued rapid growth in new wind facilities.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_po...
From Wikipedia: China is the world leader in wind power generation, with the largest installed capacity of any nationand continued rapid growth in new wind facilities.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_po...
Wind power in China - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
January 21, 2026 at 3:05 PM
“You never see windmills in China”
From Wikipedia: China is the world leader in wind power generation, with the largest installed capacity of any nationand continued rapid growth in new wind facilities.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_po...
From Wikipedia: China is the world leader in wind power generation, with the largest installed capacity of any nationand continued rapid growth in new wind facilities.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_po...
Look what they took from us
Office Systems: Designs for the Contemporary Workspace (1985)
20 scans from this remarkable furniture book.
www.presentandcorrect.com/blogs/blog/o...
20 scans from this remarkable furniture book.
www.presentandcorrect.com/blogs/blog/o...
January 20, 2026 at 7:07 PM
Look what they took from us
Reposted by Alex Torrance
I really cannot stress what a precise "oh this isn't serious" signal launching things at what3words is
At what3words for Darren Jones speech on 'Move fast and fix things: modernising Whitehall to deliver for Britain'
@instituteforgovernment.org.uk's Hannah White asks what will make this attempt at reform different - says what matters is what comes next
@instituteforgovernment.org.uk's Hannah White asks what will make this attempt at reform different - says what matters is what comes next
January 20, 2026 at 11:52 AM
I really cannot stress what a precise "oh this isn't serious" signal launching things at what3words is
It would take around $37B annually to solve world hunger by 2030 according to Oxfam.
www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/stor...
www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/stor...
January 18, 2026 at 7:10 PM
It would take around $37B annually to solve world hunger by 2030 according to Oxfam.
www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/stor...
www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/stor...
Reposted by Alex Torrance
🎧 Today's genre: experimental horror folk 🎧
Top tracks:
• Goblin - Suspiria
• Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
• LE SSERAFIM - SPAGHETTI
• Sufjan Stevens - Fourth of July
• FKA twigs - Striptease
Generate yours: https://www.musicgenre.site/experimental-horror-folk
Top tracks:
• Goblin - Suspiria
• Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
• LE SSERAFIM - SPAGHETTI
• Sufjan Stevens - Fourth of July
• FKA twigs - Striptease
Generate yours: https://www.musicgenre.site/experimental-horror-folk
Music Genre-ator — Generate random music genres
Now accepting demo submissions for my new 🎸 experimental horror folk 🎸 label
Make yours: https://www.musicgenre.site/experimental-horror-folk
www.musicgenre.site
January 17, 2026 at 2:01 PM
🎧 Today's genre: experimental horror folk 🎧
Top tracks:
• Goblin - Suspiria
• Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
• LE SSERAFIM - SPAGHETTI
• Sufjan Stevens - Fourth of July
• FKA twigs - Striptease
Generate yours: https://www.musicgenre.site/experimental-horror-folk
Top tracks:
• Goblin - Suspiria
• Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
• LE SSERAFIM - SPAGHETTI
• Sufjan Stevens - Fourth of July
• FKA twigs - Striptease
Generate yours: https://www.musicgenre.site/experimental-horror-folk
Dance Paul Rudd, Dance | Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! | adult swim
YouTube video by Adult Swim
youtu.be
January 16, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Reposted by Alex Torrance
Message in a bottle. www.designswarm.com/blog/2026/01...
The next 80 years of the Design Council (a letter from a friend)
The Design Council is selecting its new CEO and as a friend of the organisation (I’ve worked there twice, in 2005 as an intern and in 2022 as an interim Chief Design Officer) here are my thou…
www.designswarm.com
January 11, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Message in a bottle. www.designswarm.com/blog/2026/01...
Reposted by Alex Torrance
Reposted by Alex Torrance
👩🎤 I was into crust trip hop before it was cool 👩🎤
Top tracks:
• Pharsighted - Science over Money
• Nubiyan Twist - Figure Numatic
• Crystal Fighters - Xtatic Truth
• Tragedy - Conflicting Ideas
• Nausea - Cybergod
Generate yours: https://www.musicgenre.site/crust-trip-hop
Top tracks:
• Pharsighted - Science over Money
• Nubiyan Twist - Figure Numatic
• Crystal Fighters - Xtatic Truth
• Tragedy - Conflicting Ideas
• Nausea - Cybergod
Generate yours: https://www.musicgenre.site/crust-trip-hop
Music Genre-ator — Generate random music genres
Now accepting demo submissions for my new 🎸 crust trip hop 🎸 label
Make yours: https://www.musicgenre.site/crust-trip-hop
www.musicgenre.site
January 9, 2026 at 10:30 PM
👩🎤 I was into crust trip hop before it was cool 👩🎤
Top tracks:
• Pharsighted - Science over Money
• Nubiyan Twist - Figure Numatic
• Crystal Fighters - Xtatic Truth
• Tragedy - Conflicting Ideas
• Nausea - Cybergod
Generate yours: https://www.musicgenre.site/crust-trip-hop
Top tracks:
• Pharsighted - Science over Money
• Nubiyan Twist - Figure Numatic
• Crystal Fighters - Xtatic Truth
• Tragedy - Conflicting Ideas
• Nausea - Cybergod
Generate yours: https://www.musicgenre.site/crust-trip-hop
Reposted by Alex Torrance
I've been updating my random music genre web toy using Claude Code to help.
- searches last.fm api to find tracks matching tracks
- creates playlist with 30s previews of tracks using deezer api
- removed twitter & facebook links + post directly to bsky
www.musicgenre.site
- searches last.fm api to find tracks matching tracks
- creates playlist with 30s previews of tracks using deezer api
- removed twitter & facebook links + post directly to bsky
www.musicgenre.site
Music Genre-ator — Generate random music genres
🎻 I was into jazz baroque metal 🎻 Before it was cool https://www.musicgenre.site/jazz-baroque-metal
www.musicgenre.site
January 9, 2026 at 11:31 PM
I've been updating my random music genre web toy using Claude Code to help.
- searches last.fm api to find tracks matching tracks
- creates playlist with 30s previews of tracks using deezer api
- removed twitter & facebook links + post directly to bsky
www.musicgenre.site
- searches last.fm api to find tracks matching tracks
- creates playlist with 30s previews of tracks using deezer api
- removed twitter & facebook links + post directly to bsky
www.musicgenre.site
I've been updating my random music genre web toy using Claude Code to help.
- searches last.fm api to find tracks matching tracks
- creates playlist with 30s previews of tracks using deezer api
- removed twitter & facebook links + post directly to bsky
www.musicgenre.site
- searches last.fm api to find tracks matching tracks
- creates playlist with 30s previews of tracks using deezer api
- removed twitter & facebook links + post directly to bsky
www.musicgenre.site
Music Genre-ator — Generate random music genres
🎻 I was into jazz baroque metal 🎻 Before it was cool https://www.musicgenre.site/jazz-baroque-metal
www.musicgenre.site
January 9, 2026 at 11:31 PM
I've been updating my random music genre web toy using Claude Code to help.
- searches last.fm api to find tracks matching tracks
- creates playlist with 30s previews of tracks using deezer api
- removed twitter & facebook links + post directly to bsky
www.musicgenre.site
- searches last.fm api to find tracks matching tracks
- creates playlist with 30s previews of tracks using deezer api
- removed twitter & facebook links + post directly to bsky
www.musicgenre.site
Reposted by Alex Torrance
If a new app was produced which had, as its core features, the generation of sexual deep fake images of children and calls for a violent global far-right revolution, then not only would it be swiftly banned, but you wouldn't have a single mainstream politician willing to associate themselves with it
January 9, 2026 at 10:30 AM
If a new app was produced which had, as its core features, the generation of sexual deep fake images of children and calls for a violent global far-right revolution, then not only would it be swiftly banned, but you wouldn't have a single mainstream politician willing to associate themselves with it
Reposted by Alex Torrance
The GLC’s roads programme of the 60s & early 70s certainly kept the Graphic Design Division of the Council’s Supplies Department busy. Here are some covers of related brochures: the Eurostile typeface for the East Cross Route & italicised Helvetica (or similar) for Westway are particularly appealing
January 3, 2026 at 11:48 AM
The GLC’s roads programme of the 60s & early 70s certainly kept the Graphic Design Division of the Council’s Supplies Department busy. Here are some covers of related brochures: the Eurostile typeface for the East Cross Route & italicised Helvetica (or similar) for Westway are particularly appealing
Government should run its own mastodon server for official accounts, and parliament should run one for MPs.
They could then be reposted on other platforms with links to the official source.
They could then be reposted on other platforms with links to the official source.
Lost amid the discussion of why the Government should get off X is its utter uselessness as an engagement tool and the fact departments are wasting vast sums making content for it. Take this:
January 3, 2026 at 8:47 AM
Government should run its own mastodon server for official accounts, and parliament should run one for MPs.
They could then be reposted on other platforms with links to the official source.
They could then be reposted on other platforms with links to the official source.
Reposted by Alex Torrance
Lost amid the discussion of why the Government should get off X is its utter uselessness as an engagement tool and the fact departments are wasting vast sums making content for it. Take this:
January 2, 2026 at 11:15 PM
Lost amid the discussion of why the Government should get off X is its utter uselessness as an engagement tool and the fact departments are wasting vast sums making content for it. Take this:
Do games still have Christmas Easter eggs (Christmas eggs?) in them? I remember in Rise of the Triad the characters would have Santa hats on the select screen 🎄🎅🏻
December 24, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Do games still have Christmas Easter eggs (Christmas eggs?) in them? I remember in Rise of the Triad the characters would have Santa hats on the select screen 🎄🎅🏻
Just read the sad news about Antony Price. He was the fashion designer who styled Roxy Music and their iconic album covers.
I designed a website for him in 2008, he sent me some amazing sketches to scan, it was really special to see his work first hand.
RIP.
www.showstudio.com/contributors...
I designed a website for him in 2008, he sent me some amazing sketches to scan, it was really special to see his work first hand.
RIP.
www.showstudio.com/contributors...
The Designer Who Crafted Roxy Music’s Boundary-Breaking Look
Described as ‘the most criminally overlooked designer in British fashion’, Antony Price put the ‘glam’ in ‘glam rock’. Speaking to Susanne Madsen, he reflects on his era-defining collaboration with Ro...
www.anothermanmag.com
December 18, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Just read the sad news about Antony Price. He was the fashion designer who styled Roxy Music and their iconic album covers.
I designed a website for him in 2008, he sent me some amazing sketches to scan, it was really special to see his work first hand.
RIP.
www.showstudio.com/contributors...
I designed a website for him in 2008, he sent me some amazing sketches to scan, it was really special to see his work first hand.
RIP.
www.showstudio.com/contributors...
Reposted by Alex Torrance
A reminder that when Kemi Badenoch hacked Harriet Harman's website it was an offence carrying a sentence of up to five years in prison
The Conservative party’s policy also includes stripping people of their British citizenship when they are found guilty of a crime ⬇️
All criminals with dual nationality must be deported, say Tories
The Conservative party’s policy also includes stripping people of their British citizenship when they are found guilty of a crime
www.thetimes.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:08 PM
A reminder that when Kemi Badenoch hacked Harriet Harman's website it was an offence carrying a sentence of up to five years in prison
I didn’t realise that GOV.UK used to have a subdomain for independent ALBs
*. independent .gov.uk used to exist, since the need was clear. See www.independent.gov.uk for the sad vapours.
independent.gov.uk
www.independent.gov.uk
December 2, 2025 at 6:19 PM
I didn’t realise that GOV.UK used to have a subdomain for independent ALBs
Reposted by Alex Torrance
I agree, the publishing tools and systems GDS have created should be available for other public sector bodies — similar to how GOV.UK Pay and Notify are, and hopefully how GDS Local will enable local government.
December 1, 2025 at 10:30 PM
I agree, the publishing tools and systems GDS have created should be available for other public sector bodies — similar to how GOV.UK Pay and Notify are, and hopefully how GDS Local will enable local government.
Reposted by Alex Torrance
I think public bodies should be using better publishing platforms than Wordpress, especially if they are handling sensitive information like the OBR.
I think GDS should create a set of standards for publishing outside of the GOV.UK proposition.
www.tpximpact.com/knowledge-hu...
I think GDS should create a set of standards for publishing outside of the GOV.UK proposition.
www.tpximpact.com/knowledge-hu...
Websites beyond the GOV.UK proposition - TPXimpact
Departments are creating websites outside the main GOV.UK proposition, risking user trust. We explore why new GDS guidance on domains and branding is now essential.
www.tpximpact.com
December 1, 2025 at 8:55 PM
I think public bodies should be using better publishing platforms than Wordpress, especially if they are handling sensitive information like the OBR.
I think GDS should create a set of standards for publishing outside of the GOV.UK proposition.
www.tpximpact.com/knowledge-hu...
I think GDS should create a set of standards for publishing outside of the GOV.UK proposition.
www.tpximpact.com/knowledge-hu...
I think public bodies should be using better publishing platforms than Wordpress, especially if they are handling sensitive information like the OBR.
I think GDS should create a set of standards for publishing outside of the GOV.UK proposition.
www.tpximpact.com/knowledge-hu...
I think GDS should create a set of standards for publishing outside of the GOV.UK proposition.
www.tpximpact.com/knowledge-hu...
Websites beyond the GOV.UK proposition - TPXimpact
Departments are creating websites outside the main GOV.UK proposition, risking user trust. We explore why new GDS guidance on domains and branding is now essential.
www.tpximpact.com
December 1, 2025 at 8:55 PM
I think public bodies should be using better publishing platforms than Wordpress, especially if they are handling sensitive information like the OBR.
I think GDS should create a set of standards for publishing outside of the GOV.UK proposition.
www.tpximpact.com/knowledge-hu...
I think GDS should create a set of standards for publishing outside of the GOV.UK proposition.
www.tpximpact.com/knowledge-hu...