Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
@matgb.uk
Displaced Devonian in Yorkshire, ageing goth who yawns a lot (2 sleep disorders and chronic fatigue). Never been a "real man" so a little bit NB, here for the SF, history, science and friends
Icon from Doomtown, best card game ever made
Icon from Doomtown, best card game ever made
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
Soylent Green is Pantone's Colour of the Year.
December 26, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Soylent Green is Pantone's Colour of the Year.
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
As it happens this is exactly the argument of a bunch of angry white dudes who seethe with fury because I have had a very successful 20 year career in mainstream science fiction publishing and they haven't. It's an intriguing hypothesis and I wish them joy with it.
You’re so woke you’re probably no longer a ‘real’ white man.
It happens to the best of us.
It happens to the best of us.
December 26, 2025 at 5:22 PM
As it happens this is exactly the argument of a bunch of angry white dudes who seethe with fury because I have had a very successful 20 year career in mainstream science fiction publishing and they haven't. It's an intriguing hypothesis and I wish them joy with it.
I have a sneaking suspicion Zen's had these papers bookmarked somewhere for just this sort of opportunity
December 26, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I have a sneaking suspicion Zen's had these papers bookmarked somewhere for just this sort of opportunity
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
My son bought me what I thought was a drill. Turned out to be a toblerone gaffer-taped to a bottle of Bailey’s.
December 26, 2025 at 12:52 PM
My son bought me what I thought was a drill. Turned out to be a toblerone gaffer-taped to a bottle of Bailey’s.
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
Never give up, never surrender! Galaxy Quest was released 26 years ago today.
NSEA Protector, NTE-3120, filming model by ILM (NTE for Not The Enterprise 🤭)
NSEA Protector, NTE-3120, filming model by ILM (NTE for Not The Enterprise 🤭)
December 25, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Never give up, never surrender! Galaxy Quest was released 26 years ago today.
NSEA Protector, NTE-3120, filming model by ILM (NTE for Not The Enterprise 🤭)
NSEA Protector, NTE-3120, filming model by ILM (NTE for Not The Enterprise 🤭)
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
A flashback to 1999: the first film I ever worked on at ILM was Galaxy Quest, and VFX supervisor Bill George asked me to come up with new call letters for the Protector spaceship.
What began as "STD" became
"NTE" ... which stands for "Not The Enterprise."
What began as "STD" became
"NTE" ... which stands for "Not The Enterprise."
November 20, 2024 at 2:57 AM
A flashback to 1999: the first film I ever worked on at ILM was Galaxy Quest, and VFX supervisor Bill George asked me to come up with new call letters for the Protector spaceship.
What began as "STD" became
"NTE" ... which stands for "Not The Enterprise."
What began as "STD" became
"NTE" ... which stands for "Not The Enterprise."
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
I am therefore free to call a raging bigot a raging bigot without fear of bullshit SLAPP suits, and on behalf of anyone in the UK, happily offer my "loudly call a raging bigot a raging bigot" service completely free of charge upon request and notification of all instances of raging fucking bigotry
December 25, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I am therefore free to call a raging bigot a raging bigot without fear of bullshit SLAPP suits, and on behalf of anyone in the UK, happily offer my "loudly call a raging bigot a raging bigot" service completely free of charge upon request and notification of all instances of raging fucking bigotry
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
Reminder: I am from the US, which specifically passed a law to protect against UK defamation judgements, which this crowd of raging bigots abuse horribly thanks to funding from the money Head Bigot JK Rowling earns from Harry Potter franchise revenue to file bullshit lawsuits as financial terrorism
December 25, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Reminder: I am from the US, which specifically passed a law to protect against UK defamation judgements, which this crowd of raging bigots abuse horribly thanks to funding from the money Head Bigot JK Rowling earns from Harry Potter franchise revenue to file bullshit lawsuits as financial terrorism
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
"One atom of justice, one molecule of mercy" is what first taught me constructivism. We all need these ideas, these lies to be real - or what's the point. We choose it. Together. Because we must.
"The falling angel meets the rising ape" is an outstanding line. I thought he was citing someone.
"The falling angel meets the rising ape" is an outstanding line. I thought he was citing someone.
Discworld QOTD, from Hogfather
December 25, 2025 at 6:41 PM
"One atom of justice, one molecule of mercy" is what first taught me constructivism. We all need these ideas, these lies to be real - or what's the point. We choose it. Together. Because we must.
"The falling angel meets the rising ape" is an outstanding line. I thought he was citing someone.
"The falling angel meets the rising ape" is an outstanding line. I thought he was citing someone.
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
a very happy Falling Angel/Rising Ape day to you all
for my money the single best passage in all of Discworld, and one of the finest passages in the history of literature
for my money the single best passage in all of Discworld, and one of the finest passages in the history of literature
December 25, 2025 at 6:02 PM
a very happy Falling Angel/Rising Ape day to you all
for my money the single best passage in all of Discworld, and one of the finest passages in the history of literature
for my money the single best passage in all of Discworld, and one of the finest passages in the history of literature
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
Sir Terry Pratchett is best understood as one of the most interesting, deeply ethical practical (I would say Pragmatist but I cede to actual experts) philosophers of the late 20th Century who just happened to work in deconstructed fantasy literature as his medium.
Discworld QOTD, from Hogfather
December 25, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Sir Terry Pratchett is best understood as one of the most interesting, deeply ethical practical (I would say Pragmatist but I cede to actual experts) philosophers of the late 20th Century who just happened to work in deconstructed fantasy literature as his medium.
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
I’m a couple of minutes early but fuck it, Happy Christmas my darlings and comrades, to you and yours.*
* Terms and conditions apply, not available to the rich.
* Terms and conditions apply, not available to the rich.
December 24, 2025 at 11:50 PM
I’m a couple of minutes early but fuck it, Happy Christmas my darlings and comrades, to you and yours.*
* Terms and conditions apply, not available to the rich.
* Terms and conditions apply, not available to the rich.
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
More British railway whimsy...
Or you could have been watching
www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-n...
www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-n...
Realtime Trains | 1X01 2345 North Pole International to North Pole International | 24/12/2025
Real-time train running information for 1X01 2345 departure from North Pole International to North Pole International on 24/12/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info f...
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
December 25, 2025 at 12:45 AM
More British railway whimsy...
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
You don’t get to take due process away from people just because some of them have tattoos, you loathsome pile of stale Twinkie cream.
December 24, 2025 at 9:17 PM
You don’t get to take due process away from people just because some of them have tattoos, you loathsome pile of stale Twinkie cream.
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
As many of us begin Christmas meal prep, allow me to share the advice that my ER nurse sister puts in the chat every year:
A dropped knife has no handle. Jump away. Let it fall. You can pick it up and wash it.
A dropped knife has no handle. Jump away. Let it fall. You can pick it up and wash it.
December 24, 2025 at 6:31 PM
As many of us begin Christmas meal prep, allow me to share the advice that my ER nurse sister puts in the chat every year:
A dropped knife has no handle. Jump away. Let it fall. You can pick it up and wash it.
A dropped knife has no handle. Jump away. Let it fall. You can pick it up and wash it.
Yeah, if I'm iffy about following someone, "no DMs" is a massive negative, it's just so pointless, I don't use them but they're not off completely, just set them how you want
Hey, people with "No DMs" in your bio... you know that's a setting right?
Because there are so many of you, and... there's no reason for it!
Go to "Chat", click the settings icon, ⚙️, and then pick the option you like.
Because there are so many of you, and... there's no reason for it!
Go to "Chat", click the settings icon, ⚙️, and then pick the option you like.
December 24, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Yeah, if I'm iffy about following someone, "no DMs" is a massive negative, it's just so pointless, I don't use them but they're not off completely, just set them how you want
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
This is a FANTASTIC thread and worth the read
This is a lot of what I hoped to explain in my book, but with less academic language so it's more accessible to someone who knows nothing about evolution
And also gave me a lot to mull over
Thank you @inanna-nalytica.bsky.social !
This is a lot of what I hoped to explain in my book, but with less academic language so it's more accessible to someone who knows nothing about evolution
And also gave me a lot to mull over
Thank you @inanna-nalytica.bsky.social !
I am an evolutionary biologist (though publishing more in medicine these days). I think trans modality is an evolutionary spandrel. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spandre...
December 24, 2025 at 3:11 AM
This is a FANTASTIC thread and worth the read
This is a lot of what I hoped to explain in my book, but with less academic language so it's more accessible to someone who knows nothing about evolution
And also gave me a lot to mull over
Thank you @inanna-nalytica.bsky.social !
This is a lot of what I hoped to explain in my book, but with less academic language so it's more accessible to someone who knows nothing about evolution
And also gave me a lot to mull over
Thank you @inanna-nalytica.bsky.social !
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
hello skyline
it is time to post the song of the season
~it's beginning to look a lot like FISHMEN~
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tTH...
it is time to post the song of the season
~it's beginning to look a lot like FISHMEN~
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tTH...
Fishmen
YouTube video by haakor
www.youtube.com
December 22, 2025 at 11:46 PM
hello skyline
it is time to post the song of the season
~it's beginning to look a lot like FISHMEN~
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tTH...
it is time to post the song of the season
~it's beginning to look a lot like FISHMEN~
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tTH...
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
I live in a rural community. I can tell you there’s no enthusiasm for so-called trail hunting (we all know and understand the truth of that), much less puppy farming, here.
A tiny number of wealthy people want these things, and they are not “the countryside”
news.sky.com/story/puppy-...
A tiny number of wealthy people want these things, and they are not “the countryside”
news.sky.com/story/puppy-...
Puppy farming and trail hunting to be banned - but critics warn of 'war on the countryside'
Ministers are introducing a series of new measures to better protect pets and wild animals - but critics warn Labour "simply don't care about rural Britain".
news.sky.com
December 22, 2025 at 2:25 PM
I live in a rural community. I can tell you there’s no enthusiasm for so-called trail hunting (we all know and understand the truth of that), much less puppy farming, here.
A tiny number of wealthy people want these things, and they are not “the countryside”
news.sky.com/story/puppy-...
A tiny number of wealthy people want these things, and they are not “the countryside”
news.sky.com/story/puppy-...
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
This article now has drone video footage for you to see the catastrophe as a Crow might see it
December 22, 2025 at 5:40 PM
This article now has drone video footage for you to see the catastrophe as a Crow might see it
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
In case you need to hear it from someone who was raised Hindu: Usha is not a hostage, she is an accomplice. She is culpable. Fuck her and the fascists she colludes with. May she go down with all of them. As Zohran ably demonstrates, our communities do not aspire to whiteness & don’t seek to appease.
Vance's latest rant has set off another misguided round of "free Usha" rhetoric. This isn't just inaccurate--she's wholly a part of this fascist project--it's dangerous. We can no longer afford to imagine fascism as smaller than it is. Hindu fascism is vast, too. No religion is immune.
December 22, 2025 at 4:53 AM
In case you need to hear it from someone who was raised Hindu: Usha is not a hostage, she is an accomplice. She is culpable. Fuck her and the fascists she colludes with. May she go down with all of them. As Zohran ably demonstrates, our communities do not aspire to whiteness & don’t seek to appease.
This vibes with something I was taught on a first aid course many many years ago
If you, the first aider/first responder need help and there's a crowd, ask the punks or bikers first, not the besuited 'respectable' types—they might start helping after they see 'lessers' showing them up
If you, the first aider/first responder need help and there's a crowd, ask the punks or bikers first, not the besuited 'respectable' types—they might start helping after they see 'lessers' showing them up
Be weird. Be colorful. Help random people.
December 21, 2025 at 7:20 PM
This vibes with something I was taught on a first aid course many many years ago
If you, the first aider/first responder need help and there's a crowd, ask the punks or bikers first, not the besuited 'respectable' types—they might start helping after they see 'lessers' showing them up
If you, the first aider/first responder need help and there's a crowd, ask the punks or bikers first, not the besuited 'respectable' types—they might start helping after they see 'lessers' showing them up
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
Be weird. Be colorful. Help random people.
December 21, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Be weird. Be colorful. Help random people.
Mandy Patinkin teaching Zohran Mamdani how to cook one of his mother's traditional recipes, for your cheering up needs for the evening?
December 20, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Mandy Patinkin teaching Zohran Mamdani how to cook one of his mother's traditional recipes, for your cheering up needs for the evening?
Reposted by Mat Bowles (He/Þei)
Blues Baggins Brothers Band
“Ma’am, we’re on a mission from Gandalf.”
“Ma’am, we’re on a mission from Gandalf.”
December 20, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Blues Baggins Brothers Band
“Ma’am, we’re on a mission from Gandalf.”
“Ma’am, we’re on a mission from Gandalf.”