David Rafferty
@davidrafferty.bsky.social
Roman historian in South Australia. Current project: “How Republics Die: Rome’s democratic breakdown in the 1st century BCE”. Husband and father. I’m the one who set cats and dogs against each other.
Reposted by David Rafferty
Tonight in 1945, British and American bombers begin a series of raids against the German city of Dresden. The bombing and ensuing fires kill more than 20,000 people.
This footage of the second British raid was taken from a Lancaster of No.463 Sqn RAAF at 14,500 feet.
Film: #IWMcollections OPX 257
This footage of the second British raid was taken from a Lancaster of No.463 Sqn RAAF at 14,500 feet.
Film: #IWMcollections OPX 257
February 13, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Tonight in 1945, British and American bombers begin a series of raids against the German city of Dresden. The bombing and ensuing fires kill more than 20,000 people.
This footage of the second British raid was taken from a Lancaster of No.463 Sqn RAAF at 14,500 feet.
Film: #IWMcollections OPX 257
This footage of the second British raid was taken from a Lancaster of No.463 Sqn RAAF at 14,500 feet.
Film: #IWMcollections OPX 257
Reposted by David Rafferty
This is not actually an accomplishment but it feels like one anyway: I was once in Ireland for an entire week with no rain.
Ireland, Day 1056 of The Rain. Everything is saturated to the grey of the sky. Moss covers every surface. The outdoors sounds like constant static. The entire staff of Met Éireann is on mental health leave. I’ve forgotten what dry clothes feel like.
It is still a yellow weather alert.
#SpeirGorm
It is still a yellow weather alert.
#SpeirGorm
February 13, 2026 at 11:09 AM
This is not actually an accomplishment but it feels like one anyway: I was once in Ireland for an entire week with no rain.
Drop an alien that's not from Star Wars or Star Trek.
February 13, 2026 at 10:47 AM
Drop an alien that's not from Star Wars or Star Trek.
I consider myself a pun connoisseur - but is “pun sommelier” a valid career ambition?
February 13, 2026 at 10:34 AM
I consider myself a pun connoisseur - but is “pun sommelier” a valid career ambition?
Reposted by David Rafferty
Is there a preferred translation of Dante these days? I’m about to quote the Paradiso in print, briefly but prominently, and wouldn’t mind getting it right.
February 11, 2026 at 5:42 AM
Is there a preferred translation of Dante these days? I’m about to quote the Paradiso in print, briefly but prominently, and wouldn’t mind getting it right.
A thought: if they ever make a proper Iliad movie or TV show, and have an aristeia, the musical cue for it will have to be Free Bird. Because of the scene in Kingsman.
Just imagine Achilles cutting through the Trojans to that guitar solo.
Just imagine Achilles cutting through the Trojans to that guitar solo.
February 13, 2026 at 10:17 AM
A thought: if they ever make a proper Iliad movie or TV show, and have an aristeia, the musical cue for it will have to be Free Bird. Because of the scene in Kingsman.
Just imagine Achilles cutting through the Trojans to that guitar solo.
Just imagine Achilles cutting through the Trojans to that guitar solo.
Reposted by David Rafferty
Juno is hardly an unbiased source here, NASA. “‘Guy Not As Big a Deal As He Claims,’ Says Vengeful Wife Guy Cheated On Constantly”
Jupiter is smaller and more squashed than we thought, says NASA. The Juno spacecraft reveals the gas giant isn't as big as we thought. #Space #Astronomy #Jupiter www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/jupiter...
Jupiter is smaller and more squashed than we thought, says NASA | BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Data captured during 13 of the Juno spacecraft's flybys of Jupiter reveal the gas giant is narrower at the equator and flatter at the poles.
www.skyatnightmagazine.com
February 13, 2026 at 2:21 AM
Juno is hardly an unbiased source here, NASA. “‘Guy Not As Big a Deal As He Claims,’ Says Vengeful Wife Guy Cheated On Constantly”
Reposted by David Rafferty
Reposted by David Rafferty
Fantastic. Great move. Well done Angus.
February 13, 2026 at 1:49 AM
Fantastic. Great move. Well done Angus.
I, too, wish to have the money and clout for my brain farts to be reported as revealing a vision.
insane to be reporting this stuff with a straight face. like what are we doing here man
February 13, 2026 at 3:14 AM
I, too, wish to have the money and clout for my brain farts to be reported as revealing a vision.
This is unfortunate nominative determinism: the Latin word gratiosi means “influential men”: political wheelers and dealers, the sort of people who inhabit the smoke-filled backrooms.
An irrelevant detail from this long article on the Maya: www.theguardian.com/news/2026/fe...
An irrelevant detail from this long article on the Maya: www.theguardian.com/news/2026/fe...
February 13, 2026 at 1:05 AM
This is unfortunate nominative determinism: the Latin word gratiosi means “influential men”: political wheelers and dealers, the sort of people who inhabit the smoke-filled backrooms.
An irrelevant detail from this long article on the Maya: www.theguardian.com/news/2026/fe...
An irrelevant detail from this long article on the Maya: www.theguardian.com/news/2026/fe...
#arsenal
There’s been a lot of focus on Gyökeres but for me Eze has been more disappointing. He is so stationary: no drifting out wide to overload, no runs beyond the striker into the channels, no circulating the ball to shift defenders.
Just central, motionless, away from the ball.
There’s been a lot of focus on Gyökeres but for me Eze has been more disappointing. He is so stationary: no drifting out wide to overload, no runs beyond the striker into the channels, no circulating the ball to shift defenders.
Just central, motionless, away from the ball.
February 13, 2026 at 12:53 AM
#arsenal
There’s been a lot of focus on Gyökeres but for me Eze has been more disappointing. He is so stationary: no drifting out wide to overload, no runs beyond the striker into the channels, no circulating the ball to shift defenders.
Just central, motionless, away from the ball.
There’s been a lot of focus on Gyökeres but for me Eze has been more disappointing. He is so stationary: no drifting out wide to overload, no runs beyond the striker into the channels, no circulating the ball to shift defenders.
Just central, motionless, away from the ball.
Reposted by David Rafferty
In honour of the 30th anniversary of Hyperballad being released as a single I am listening to Post #NowPlaying tidal.com/album/341273...
Björk - Post
Listen to Post on TIDAL
tidal.com
February 12, 2026 at 10:13 AM
In honour of the 30th anniversary of Hyperballad being released as a single I am listening to Post #NowPlaying tidal.com/album/341273...
Am I the only one who saw this and went back to the stories about Baghdad c. 2004-5, where armed men would pull over a bus, separate the Shi’ites from the Sunnis, and then murder the group they didn’t like?
This is the second account - the first being in Chicago - of DHS agents mass detaining people and then *sorting them by race*.
More than 400 people, including hundreds of citizens, were “sorted” at gun point into racial and ethnic groups by 200 ICE agents who fired flash-bang grenades into cars with people inside, pointed guns at children & demanded their zip tied parents not comfort them. apple.news/Ausdx6kWtT0e...
February 12, 2026 at 6:43 AM
Am I the only one who saw this and went back to the stories about Baghdad c. 2004-5, where armed men would pull over a bus, separate the Shi’ites from the Sunnis, and then murder the group they didn’t like?
Reposted by David Rafferty
If you have a lot of notes in a separate app and want to add them to your Scrivener project, here’s how:
buff.ly
February 11, 2026 at 8:02 PM
If you have a lot of notes in a separate app and want to add them to your Scrivener project, here’s how:
Reposted by David Rafferty
Reposted by David Rafferty
If Arsenal win their next two games (v Brentford & Wolves) they will be 33 points clear of Spurs.
The next match would then be the north London derby and a win for Arsenal would see the early celebration of St Totteringham's Day who would be 36 behind with just 11 games to play.
The next match would then be the north London derby and a win for Arsenal would see the early celebration of St Totteringham's Day who would be 36 behind with just 11 games to play.
February 10, 2026 at 9:51 PM
If Arsenal win their next two games (v Brentford & Wolves) they will be 33 points clear of Spurs.
The next match would then be the north London derby and a win for Arsenal would see the early celebration of St Totteringham's Day who would be 36 behind with just 11 games to play.
The next match would then be the north London derby and a win for Arsenal would see the early celebration of St Totteringham's Day who would be 36 behind with just 11 games to play.
Interestingly, Mr Beast is more human as a robot than he is in real life.
February 11, 2026 at 8:35 AM
Interestingly, Mr Beast is more human as a robot than he is in real life.
Reposted by David Rafferty
Is it on? More than likely! Remember to please send me any Shakespeare references you see in #libspill commentary and reporting. I'm working on something, probably a short form piece, but maybe a journal article as well. #auspol #shakespeare
February 11, 2026 at 7:19 AM
Is it on? More than likely! Remember to please send me any Shakespeare references you see in #libspill commentary and reporting. I'm working on something, probably a short form piece, but maybe a journal article as well. #auspol #shakespeare
Reposted by David Rafferty
What would be darkly funny is future US Olympic teams not being allowed into the host country - because a fear exists they will try to claim asylum.
US Olympic Curling Team member speaks out against ICE:
"I'm proud to represent Team USA. But we'd be remiss if we didn't mention what's going on in Minnesota and what a tough time it's been. What's happening is wrong. There's no shades of gray."
"I'm proud to represent Team USA. But we'd be remiss if we didn't mention what's going on in Minnesota and what a tough time it's been. What's happening is wrong. There's no shades of gray."
February 11, 2026 at 12:20 AM
What would be darkly funny is future US Olympic teams not being allowed into the host country - because a fear exists they will try to claim asylum.
I find it very funny (as an Australian) that there is a French politician named Jack Lang.
He has not provoked the creation of an entire fascist movement in opposition (Aussie winning there), although according to Wikipedia his grandmother died in Ravensbrück.
He has not provoked the creation of an entire fascist movement in opposition (Aussie winning there), although according to Wikipedia his grandmother died in Ravensbrück.
France here. Jack Lang (politician) and his daughter are in deep trouble following the revelation of their ties to Epstein. Heard about Daniel Siad who was apparently recruiting for JE.
Also Jean-Luc Brunel (model scout), longtime associate of JE, died in 2022, suicide by hanging. Expecting more!
Also Jean-Luc Brunel (model scout), longtime associate of JE, died in 2022, suicide by hanging. Expecting more!
February 11, 2026 at 12:18 AM
I find it very funny (as an Australian) that there is a French politician named Jack Lang.
He has not provoked the creation of an entire fascist movement in opposition (Aussie winning there), although according to Wikipedia his grandmother died in Ravensbrück.
He has not provoked the creation of an entire fascist movement in opposition (Aussie winning there), although according to Wikipedia his grandmother died in Ravensbrück.
Yourself, but as a cartoon.
February 10, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Yourself, but as a cartoon.
Reposted by David Rafferty
One of the compensations of really hot days like this is that the nutella is all gooey when you eat it out of the jar with a spoon.
January 23, 2026 at 9:15 AM
One of the compensations of really hot days like this is that the nutella is all gooey when you eat it out of the jar with a spoon.