Ben Curthoys
@bencurthoys.bsky.social
Founder, Monad Ticketing.
Trustee, The Maltings Berwick.
T1 Diabetes.
He/him. Berwick-upon-Tweed
Trustee, The Maltings Berwick.
T1 Diabetes.
He/him. Berwick-upon-Tweed
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
icymi, Musk's Ai, Grok, appears to have been instructed to always say Musk is the best at everything. And, when you do that, it turns out there's a loophole!
November 21, 2025 at 10:11 AM
icymi, Musk's Ai, Grok, appears to have been instructed to always say Musk is the best at everything. And, when you do that, it turns out there's a loophole!
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
normal stuff over there
November 20, 2025 at 8:27 PM
normal stuff over there
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
It’s insane that the Judge said I need to reapply in a year; y’know, incase I’m suddenly not disabled in a year.
November 20, 2025 at 6:51 PM
It’s insane that the Judge said I need to reapply in a year; y’know, incase I’m suddenly not disabled in a year.
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
VERY funny that Labour are being pointlessly cruel and haemorrhaging support from their base and yet none of what they're offering is ever going to be enough for the people whose approval they're seeking, WHO could have predicted it
November 20, 2025 at 3:20 PM
VERY funny that Labour are being pointlessly cruel and haemorrhaging support from their base and yet none of what they're offering is ever going to be enough for the people whose approval they're seeking, WHO could have predicted it
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
"a fall in net migration of 300,000 a year would increase the deficit by about £20 billion. The government are already having to make unpopular tax rises and spending cuts in the upcoming budget, but would have to make more if the deficit increases."
The coming collapse in immigration to the United Kingdom - UK in a changing Europe
James Bowes analyses the fall in net migration to the UK as a result of government policies and explores some of the political and economic consequences.
ukandeu.ac.uk
November 18, 2025 at 3:49 PM
"a fall in net migration of 300,000 a year would increase the deficit by about £20 billion. The government are already having to make unpopular tax rises and spending cuts in the upcoming budget, but would have to make more if the deficit increases."
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
Just heard re: some ICE agents who raided a Chicago taqueria, then went back to the same taqueria for lunch the following week and got confused when the owner kicked them out, and I realized "jesus these doofuses really do believe we're all living in a video game where the NPCs have no memory"
November 17, 2025 at 4:53 AM
Just heard re: some ICE agents who raided a Chicago taqueria, then went back to the same taqueria for lunch the following week and got confused when the owner kicked them out, and I realized "jesus these doofuses really do believe we're all living in a video game where the NPCs have no memory"
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
everyone is twelve (months) now
November 16, 2025 at 11:29 AM
everyone is twelve (months) now
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
The golden age of diversity and democracy in Oz.
November 16, 2025 at 7:04 AM
The golden age of diversity and democracy in Oz.
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
I see the “technically it’s ephebophelia” crowd is out today, so just a reminder that A) this is NOT a case where technically correct is the best kind of correct and B) the minute you say this, the gods dump you in the “irredeemable creeper” basket and wash their hands thoroughly after touching you.
November 13, 2025 at 6:57 PM
I see the “technically it’s ephebophelia” crowd is out today, so just a reminder that A) this is NOT a case where technically correct is the best kind of correct and B) the minute you say this, the gods dump you in the “irredeemable creeper” basket and wash their hands thoroughly after touching you.
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
The mind is its own place, and in it self
Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n.
Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n.
November 12, 2025 at 2:58 AM
The mind is its own place, and in it self
Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n.
Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n.
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
My last word on the matter
November 11, 2025 at 2:27 PM
My last word on the matter
Modern politics is an iterated prisoner's dilemma where one of the parties has repeatedly said and repeatedly proved that they don't care how much they screw themselves over as long as the other guys get screwed too...
November 9, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Modern politics is an iterated prisoner's dilemma where one of the parties has repeatedly said and repeatedly proved that they don't care how much they screw themselves over as long as the other guys get screwed too...
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
Zohran Mamdani: “I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I imposed sharia law 35 minutes ago”
November 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Zohran Mamdani: “I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I imposed sharia law 35 minutes ago”
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
I like how the caption on this photo reads as if he's making a claim that could not be independently verified.
November 6, 2025 at 8:19 PM
I like how the caption on this photo reads as if he's making a claim that could not be independently verified.
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:55 AM
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
It is genuinely hard for most people to grasp how poor the past was.
November 9, 2025 at 6:23 PM
It is genuinely hard for most people to grasp how poor the past was.
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
Billie Piper announced as the new BBC Director General but we've got to wait until next Christmas to find out why.
November 9, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Billie Piper announced as the new BBC Director General but we've got to wait until next Christmas to find out why.
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
November 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
Covid is still here because we chose not to do enough.
The climate is changing because we chose not to do enough.
And democracy? We can’t afford to just wait and see.
The climate is changing because we chose not to do enough.
And democracy? We can’t afford to just wait and see.
November 6, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Covid is still here because we chose not to do enough.
The climate is changing because we chose not to do enough.
And democracy? We can’t afford to just wait and see.
The climate is changing because we chose not to do enough.
And democracy? We can’t afford to just wait and see.
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
what bit of the Culture did Musk take in? slap drones
Optimus robots will just kinda follow criminals around and make sure they don't commit crimes again, so we can eliminate prisons.
These are all things Elon Musk is literally saying.
These are all things Elon Musk is literally saying.
November 6, 2025 at 10:16 PM
what bit of the Culture did Musk take in? slap drones
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
OK, as promised, here's my thread about the links between tear gas/pepper spray and the arms trade and gun industry.
November 5, 2025 at 10:39 AM
OK, as promised, here's my thread about the links between tear gas/pepper spray and the arms trade and gun industry.
I can't quite put my finger on it but there's something about Keir Starmer that is pure John Major. If Spitting Image were still a thing the Starmer puppet would be grey and like peas
Starmer has the air of a man weeks away from launching a "Back To Basics" campaign and then shagging Edwina Currie
Starmer has the air of a man weeks away from launching a "Back To Basics" campaign and then shagging Edwina Currie
November 5, 2025 at 10:50 PM
I can't quite put my finger on it but there's something about Keir Starmer that is pure John Major. If Spitting Image were still a thing the Starmer puppet would be grey and like peas
Starmer has the air of a man weeks away from launching a "Back To Basics" campaign and then shagging Edwina Currie
Starmer has the air of a man weeks away from launching a "Back To Basics" campaign and then shagging Edwina Currie
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
Seriously...I was an early member of GLF, a former Deputy Chair of Liberty, involved in consultations on both the GRA and the EA and various trans health initiatives. I have had a distinguished career in publishing and writing. Of course they'd never appoint me but turning me down would look bad.
The job adverts for EHRC Commissioners (4 posts) are finally out.
Deadline: 1st December.
If you, or anyone you know, feels brave enough to apply, please do consider putting in an application!
apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/9026?b...
Deadline: 1st December.
If you, or anyone you know, feels brave enough to apply, please do consider putting in an application!
apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/9026?b...
November 5, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Seriously...I was an early member of GLF, a former Deputy Chair of Liberty, involved in consultations on both the GRA and the EA and various trans health initiatives. I have had a distinguished career in publishing and writing. Of course they'd never appoint me but turning me down would look bad.
Reposted by Ben Curthoys
So this reminds me of one of my favourite WTF moments in heritage bureaucracy, which was the 2018 archaeological excavations just outside the chapel of St Peter at the Tower of London. nobody could decide who, apart from the king, could legally sign off on the project
…so there isn’t some department that is empowered to deal with this stuff that can just override the inevitable objections, I guess? rough, if so
November 5, 2025 at 8:15 PM
So this reminds me of one of my favourite WTF moments in heritage bureaucracy, which was the 2018 archaeological excavations just outside the chapel of St Peter at the Tower of London. nobody could decide who, apart from the king, could legally sign off on the project