Alistair
@funkyalchemist.bsky.social
Drawer, makerspace overlord and inveterate tinkerer. Regular forays into baking and cooking
Reposted by Alistair
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 6:40 PM
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
Reposted by Alistair
The truly maddening thing is that, unlike when I was a young man in science and the materials and engineering just weren’t there yet, the future is *right there.* The problem is *solved*. What’s holding us back is not just greed, but this bizarre nostalgia, an obsession with petro- masculinity.
Australia has so much electricity from solar power that it is going to start offering free electricity to everyone for at least three hours during the day as the wholesale price of power goes negative
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
Australia has so much solar that it's offering everyone free electricity
Australia's extensive solar power penetration makes so much energy that the government wants to offer free electricity at peak hours.
electrek.co
November 6, 2025 at 2:08 PM
The truly maddening thing is that, unlike when I was a young man in science and the materials and engineering just weren’t there yet, the future is *right there.* The problem is *solved*. What’s holding us back is not just greed, but this bizarre nostalgia, an obsession with petro- masculinity.
Reposted by Alistair
If you are in the US or Canada, Goodreads are running a giveaway for my new novel, The Survivor, where there are 25 print copies up for grabs. It's the last giveaway we have scheduled, afaik, so if you are interested, here's the link:
www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
Book giveaway for The Survivor by Andrew Reid Nov 01-Nov 21, 2025
Enter to win one of 25 free copies available. Giveaway dates from Nov 01-Nov 21, 2025. A hijacked New York subway train, an anonymous killer, and a young...
www.goodreads.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:05 PM
If you are in the US or Canada, Goodreads are running a giveaway for my new novel, The Survivor, where there are 25 print copies up for grabs. It's the last giveaway we have scheduled, afaik, so if you are interested, here's the link:
www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
Playing with overlapping portraits and then separating using improvised filters (coloured plastic document folders) for Drawing is Free Zoom free session this morning
November 3, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Playing with overlapping portraits and then separating using improvised filters (coloured plastic document folders) for Drawing is Free Zoom free session this morning
Today’s scrawl - based on a frieze of medieval masons, Royal Bank Place in Glasgow
November 2, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Today’s scrawl - based on a frieze of medieval masons, Royal Bank Place in Glasgow
Every Monday for the last year or so I’ve joined free online portrait sessions called Drawing is Free - I had the privilege of having a conversation as part of Chloe’s series “what it is to draw a face” www.patreon.com/posts/21-wha...
#21 'What it is to Draw a Face' conversation with Alistair Reid | Chloe Briggs
Get more from Chloe Briggs on Patreon
www.patreon.com
November 1, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Every Monday for the last year or so I’ve joined free online portrait sessions called Drawing is Free - I had the privilege of having a conversation as part of Chloe’s series “what it is to draw a face” www.patreon.com/posts/21-wha...
Today’s other drawings - hotel room self portrait in charcoal pencil & pencil sketches of False Killer Whale and Plesiosaur skeletons at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow
October 31, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Today’s other drawings - hotel room self portrait in charcoal pencil & pencil sketches of False Killer Whale and Plesiosaur skeletons at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow
I was feeling really uninspired by today’s “award” prompt for inktober but it occurred to me that I could give myself a participation prize for completing a 2nd year #inktober #inktober2025
October 31, 2025 at 4:48 PM
I was feeling really uninspired by today’s “award” prompt for inktober but it occurred to me that I could give myself a participation prize for completing a 2nd year #inktober #inktober2025
Day 30 of inktober - “Vacant” #inktober #inktober2025 0.2mm unipin fineliner, graphite and coloured pencil
October 30, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Day 30 of inktober - “Vacant” #inktober #inktober2025 0.2mm unipin fineliner, graphite and coloured pencil
A very quick scribble today to keep up with inktober “lesson” #inktober #inktober2025
October 29, 2025 at 2:56 PM
A very quick scribble today to keep up with inktober “lesson” #inktober #inktober2025
Not that I’ve been influenced by Autumnal leaves or anything but… inktober prompt of the day “skeletal” - I thought of a leaf skeleton shining with an aura #inktober #inktober2025
October 28, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Not that I’ve been influenced by Autumnal leaves or anything but… inktober prompt of the day “skeletal” - I thought of a leaf skeleton shining with an aura #inktober #inktober2025
I needed to be packed up and out sharpish after drawingisfree_org so minimalist materials of biro on brown packaging card for today’s portraits
October 27, 2025 at 1:41 PM
I needed to be packed up and out sharpish after drawingisfree_org so minimalist materials of biro on brown packaging card for today’s portraits
27th of inktober “onion” - y’all were the kind of kids that had microscopes and would look at onion skin to see the cells, right? #inktober #inktober2025 0.1mm Unipin pen
October 27, 2025 at 7:07 AM
27th of inktober “onion” - y’all were the kind of kids that had microscopes and would look at onion skin to see the cells, right? #inktober #inktober2025 0.1mm Unipin pen
inktober day 26 “puzzling” - a quick crossword. All answers are summaries of the answers to: Across 1. Quantum Gravity 2. Fermi Paradox 3. Mechanism of general anaesthesia 4. Baryon asymmetry 5. Nature of consciousness,… #inktober #inktober2025
October 26, 2025 at 10:12 AM
inktober day 26 “puzzling” - a quick crossword. All answers are summaries of the answers to: Across 1. Quantum Gravity 2. Fermi Paradox 3. Mechanism of general anaesthesia 4. Baryon asymmetry 5. Nature of consciousness,… #inktober #inktober2025
Oh, satire. inktober day 25 prompt is “inferno” during which Dante & Virgil find a freshly constructed circle #inktober #inktober2025
October 25, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Oh, satire. inktober day 25 prompt is “inferno” during which Dante & Virgil find a freshly constructed circle #inktober #inktober2025
Just killing time with Catriona, graphite & coloured pencil
October 25, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Just killing time with Catriona, graphite & coloured pencil
Fellow commuters - missed the ferry leaving and trying to swim to catch it
October 24, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Fellow commuters - missed the ferry leaving and trying to swim to catch it
Rush hour in Lamlash is something else - absolute bedlam
October 24, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Rush hour in Lamlash is something else - absolute bedlam
23rd of inktober “Firefly” - a Fairey Firefly target tug aircraft based on the photo blackskyphoto.com/wp-content/u... #inktober #inktober2025 black & yellow Indian inks
October 23, 2025 at 12:42 PM
23rd of inktober “Firefly” - a Fairey Firefly target tug aircraft based on the photo blackskyphoto.com/wp-content/u... #inktober #inktober2025 black & yellow Indian inks
Reposted by Alistair
What's EVIL? Who decides? #CriticalPonerology w/ Dr. Ken MacKendrick dives into:
religion
vampires
angry mobs seeking vigilante justice
billionaires
homicidal news anchors
subjects vs. objects &
if your toddler is evil
why you should be nicer to your coffee table.
www.alieward.com/ologies/crit...
religion
vampires
angry mobs seeking vigilante justice
billionaires
homicidal news anchors
subjects vs. objects &
if your toddler is evil
why you should be nicer to your coffee table.
www.alieward.com/ologies/crit...
Critical Ponerology (WHAT IS “EVIL”?) with Dr. Kenneth MacKendrick — alie ward
What is evil? Who is evil? Does evil exist? Who decides? Can we scream over turkey at grandma’s house? Let’s chat Critical Ponerology with scholar, professor, author of Evil: A Critical Primer, and ...
www.alieward.com
October 23, 2025 at 2:36 AM
What's EVIL? Who decides? #CriticalPonerology w/ Dr. Ken MacKendrick dives into:
religion
vampires
angry mobs seeking vigilante justice
billionaires
homicidal news anchors
subjects vs. objects &
if your toddler is evil
why you should be nicer to your coffee table.
www.alieward.com/ologies/crit...
religion
vampires
angry mobs seeking vigilante justice
billionaires
homicidal news anchors
subjects vs. objects &
if your toddler is evil
why you should be nicer to your coffee table.
www.alieward.com/ologies/crit...
“Button” for Inktober today - I decided to adopt the Americanism of button for badge and to take inspiration from collection.corita.org/piece/82-01 and fondly recall when such qualities seemed like useful things for prospective leaders #inktober #inktober2025
October 22, 2025 at 3:08 PM
“Button” for Inktober today - I decided to adopt the Americanism of button for badge and to take inspiration from collection.corita.org/piece/82-01 and fondly recall when such qualities seemed like useful things for prospective leaders #inktober #inktober2025
For today’s @inktober prompt of “blast” I was wondering what Eric Ravilious would have made of the night bomber campaign and ensuing firestorms. Inspiration taken from the photo of an Avro Lancaster against the background of a burning Hamburg. Blue and orange inks #inktober #inktober2025
October 21, 2025 at 8:20 PM
For today’s @inktober prompt of “blast” I was wondering what Eric Ravilious would have made of the night bomber campaign and ensuing firestorms. Inspiration taken from the photo of an Avro Lancaster against the background of a burning Hamburg. Blue and orange inks #inktober #inktober2025
Yesterday’s inktober was wholly an experiment - “rivals” blue and orange water based inks drawn onto damp paper #inktober #inktober2025
October 21, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Yesterday’s inktober was wholly an experiment - “rivals” blue and orange water based inks drawn onto damp paper #inktober #inktober2025
We have to assume one of them was the Emu War which was bubbling up again and threatening to explode again after 92 years of tension
Q: Considering the trade surplus that the US enjoys with Australia, would you consider lowering the tariffs?
TRUMP: The tariffs have been amazing because tariffs have been really a reason that I was able to settle almost all of the -- you know, I've settled eight wars.
TRUMP: The tariffs have been amazing because tariffs have been really a reason that I was able to settle almost all of the -- you know, I've settled eight wars.
October 21, 2025 at 10:12 AM
We have to assume one of them was the Emu War which was bubbling up again and threatening to explode again after 92 years of tension
The fact that I noticed and was pleased that pouring a portion of chocolates from the bag randomly resulted in an even number that I could eat in colour matched pairs probably explains many of the recommended posts and ads I get on instagram and facebook
October 21, 2025 at 9:44 AM
The fact that I noticed and was pleased that pouring a portion of chocolates from the bag randomly resulted in an even number that I could eat in colour matched pairs probably explains many of the recommended posts and ads I get on instagram and facebook