Martyn
@martynpedler.com
Writer, academic, brain in a jar. Creative Writing PhD in superhero stories. You can see my stuff at http://martynpedler.com
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Martyn
@martynpedler.com
· 8d
As I've gathered some new followers lately, an introduction: hi! I'm a writer in Melbourne, Australia. I usually post about pop culture mixed with some politics and dumb jokes. I have a creative writing PhD in superhero stories and a still-unannounced movie coming out later this year. (Shhh.)
Trans youth suicides spike after the withdrawl of gender-affirming care in the UK, surprising no one.
Trans Youth Suicides Skyrocketed In UK After Care Drawdown; Government Covers It Up
A Freedom of Information request to the National Child Mortality Database reveals that 22 trans children under 18 died by suicide in England in 2021-22 alone.
www.erininthemorning.com
February 9, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Trans youth suicides spike after the withdrawl of gender-affirming care in the UK, surprising no one.
Someone tell Musk that he can't colonise the moon because I already live there. It's nice and quiet.
February 9, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Someone tell Musk that he can't colonise the moon because I already live there. It's nice and quiet.
Police accuse protesters of "some type of contagion of group think". Next they'll be saying protesters are infected rage-zombies.
Police use pepper spray at Sydney rally against Isaac Herzog visit, with MP alleging officers threw punches
Grace Tame and Lidia Thorpe address crowds in Sydney and Melbourne as NSW Labor backbencher says police reaction ‘totally over-the-top’
www.theguardian.com
February 9, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Police accuse protesters of "some type of contagion of group think". Next they'll be saying protesters are infected rage-zombies.
He "brings goodwill"? Well, he says he does, so maybe "he says he brings goodwill" would be more accurate?
February 9, 2026 at 8:07 AM
He "brings goodwill"? Well, he says he does, so maybe "he says he brings goodwill" would be more accurate?
Digitally deaging actors seems like how we keep dragging out the same IP. Taking away space for new stars and new stories.
February 9, 2026 at 7:46 AM
Digitally deaging actors seems like how we keep dragging out the same IP. Taking away space for new stars and new stories.
So... is there a Mrs. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
February 8, 2026 at 2:05 AM
So... is there a Mrs. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
One of my most hated positions is "students on strike just want to get out of class". Because of course young people can't actually hold any unselfish beliefs, right?
February 8, 2026 at 12:46 AM
One of my most hated positions is "students on strike just want to get out of class". Because of course young people can't actually hold any unselfish beliefs, right?
There's a sign for a restaurant near me missing the RE so it just says TAURANT which sounds like a way you'd hail a passing knight. "Taurant and well met!"
February 8, 2026 at 12:33 AM
There's a sign for a restaurant near me missing the RE so it just says TAURANT which sounds like a way you'd hail a passing knight. "Taurant and well met!"
"Under the new legislation, public use of the controversial phrases 'globalise the intifada' and 'from the river to the sea' to cause menace, harassment or offence will be banned, with a maximum penalty of two years in prison."
New Queensland hate speech laws to ban slogans and symbols
The laws to be introduced in parliament this week will ban the phrases "globalise the intifada" and "from the river to the sea", as well as offensive symbols.
www.abc.net.au
February 8, 2026 at 12:03 AM
"Under the new legislation, public use of the controversial phrases 'globalise the intifada' and 'from the river to the sea' to cause menace, harassment or offence will be banned, with a maximum penalty of two years in prison."
Reposted by Martyn
I’m convinced all we’re ever asking for out of big epic worldbuilding is a story with focus on personal, emotional stakes. Lore should be like medical terminology in The Pitt, it’s really just rigorous and consistent atmosphere. And saving the world plots need to go out of fashion.
I think what I love about it is the simplicity and small scale, and the wit.
February 7, 2026 at 10:03 PM
I’m convinced all we’re ever asking for out of big epic worldbuilding is a story with focus on personal, emotional stakes. Lore should be like medical terminology in The Pitt, it’s really just rigorous and consistent atmosphere. And saving the world plots need to go out of fashion.
A good question for many politicians might be "if you're not a racist, why do racists like you so much?"
February 7, 2026 at 8:21 PM
A good question for many politicians might be "if you're not a racist, why do racists like you so much?"
"Over the last decade, the Los Angeles Police Department sent employees to Israel to train [...] But officers who attended these training sessions and dozens of other overseas seminars and conferences routinely failed to document what they learned or keep track of who they met with."
The LAPD sent officers to train in Israel. Officials can't explain what they learned
The Police Commission’s Office of the Inspector General found that the LAPD lacks a system for tracking employees who train with foreign law enforcement agencies.
www.latimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:54 PM
"Over the last decade, the Los Angeles Police Department sent employees to Israel to train [...] But officers who attended these training sessions and dozens of other overseas seminars and conferences routinely failed to document what they learned or keep track of who they met with."
"We don’t want it to be known that we are working on this."
Anthropic Knew the Public Would Be Disgusted by How It Was Destroying Physical Books, Secret Documents Reveal
Newly unsealed documents suggest that Anthropic was well aware that destroying books to train its AI would look bad.
futurism.com
February 7, 2026 at 6:33 PM
"We don’t want it to be known that we are working on this."
We are watching a William Friedkin movie every weekend in our Saturday night Friedk-Ins! Tonight is TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA.
February 7, 2026 at 8:31 AM
We are watching a William Friedkin movie every weekend in our Saturday night Friedk-Ins! Tonight is TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA.
Okay, fine – the Ian McKellen monologue on Colbert was very moving. Are you happy now?
February 7, 2026 at 7:25 AM
Okay, fine – the Ian McKellen monologue on Colbert was very moving. Are you happy now?
It's lucky that all I have is this hammer because man can I see a whole lot of nails!
February 7, 2026 at 5:00 AM
It's lucky that all I have is this hammer because man can I see a whole lot of nails!
Curious if WUTHERING HEIGHTS will cement Emerald Fennell as the new Baz Luhrmann.
February 7, 2026 at 1:43 AM
Curious if WUTHERING HEIGHTS will cement Emerald Fennell as the new Baz Luhrmann.
I'm no shrinking violet, but I cringe a little when politicians break out Tough Swears to show they're Big Mad.
February 6, 2026 at 10:48 PM
I'm no shrinking violet, but I cringe a little when politicians break out Tough Swears to show they're Big Mad.
Finished WONDER MAN last night. Barring its lazy use of AI art for some retro designs (boo!) I recommend it highly.
February 6, 2026 at 8:48 PM
Finished WONDER MAN last night. Barring its lazy use of AI art for some retro designs (boo!) I recommend it highly.
We're doing "anti-AI is gatekeeping art" discourse again? Think about it this way: the prompts you're writing are a kind of art, because you are writing them. The output they generate is just a party trick.
February 6, 2026 at 7:31 PM
We're doing "anti-AI is gatekeeping art" discourse again? Think about it this way: the prompts you're writing are a kind of art, because you are writing them. The output they generate is just a party trick.
Australia is inviting war criminals to visit, demanding reporters not write about their speeches to Parliament, and banning people from protesting about it. All in the name of "unity". It's grim.
February 6, 2026 at 7:18 PM
Australia is inviting war criminals to visit, demanding reporters not write about their speeches to Parliament, and banning people from protesting about it. All in the name of "unity". It's grim.
THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS, but the real "family" are the guys in the Phillipines driving the cars.
It Turns Out That When Waymos Are Stumped, They Get Intervention From Workers in the Philippines
During a Congressional hearing, Waymo's chief safety officer, Mauricio Peña, was grilled over the company's reliance on overseas workers.
futurism.com
February 6, 2026 at 7:06 PM
THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS, but the real "family" are the guys in the Phillipines driving the cars.
So the loving husband in THE PITT was Oliver in the first season of THE OC and the WONDER MAN finale played 'California'?
February 6, 2026 at 10:16 AM
So the loving husband in THE PITT was Oliver in the first season of THE OC and the WONDER MAN finale played 'California'?
I just met you
And this is crazy
But would you consider inviting one Palestinian advocate to a writer's festival without the Australian freaking government getting involved?
And this is crazy
But would you consider inviting one Palestinian advocate to a writer's festival without the Australian freaking government getting involved?
Writers festival 'crazy' to invite Randa Abdel-Fattah, NSW premier says
The festival's director said Dr Abdel-Fattah was invited in August last year and denied the state government pressured her to remove the writer.
www.abc.net.au
February 6, 2026 at 6:40 AM
I just met you
And this is crazy
But would you consider inviting one Palestinian advocate to a writer's festival without the Australian freaking government getting involved?
And this is crazy
But would you consider inviting one Palestinian advocate to a writer's festival without the Australian freaking government getting involved?
Sitting in a history class, screaming "spoilers!"
February 6, 2026 at 6:31 AM
Sitting in a history class, screaming "spoilers!"