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middleway.bsky.social
david @ middleway
@middleway.bsky.social
440 followers 830 following 1.2K posts
#middleway
@middleway
Believe nothing, as you have been told it.
Jumble & windbaggery, buddhism philosophy & opera. Some hamsters too.
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middleway.bsky.social
david @ middleway @middleway.bsky.social · Feb 6
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche giving Pointing Out instructions

"To stop thinking, you need to recognize your essence. It’s like seeing the sun in the sky just once—forever after, you know what the sun looks like ... " 🔆

🙏🏻

#rinpoche #dzogchen #dharma #buddhism #tibetan #mahamudra
#nyingma #tibet
middleway.bsky.social
Pete Songi on Starmer’s kowtow to China www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

this government exists only to disappoint us ... Keir Starmer, in a former life as rights barrister, acted for Tibetan activists arrested for peaceful protest in London in 1999 state visit of Chinese President Jiang Zemin
Pete Songi on Keir Starmer’s trip to China – cartoon
The prime minister has said he will ‘raise the issues that need to be raised’ on human rights with China’s president, Xi Jinping
www.theguardian.com
January 28, 2026 at 10:08 PM
middleway.bsky.social
I spotted a Hooded Crow during the RSPB’s #BigGardenBirdWatch
@rspbni.bsky.social

bit.ly/3tgxjGS
RSPB
bit.ly
January 24, 2026 at 1:13 PM
middleway.bsky.social
Local monasteries, such as the Sumang Monastery in Maozhuang village, have partnered with communities to create shelters for stray #Tibetan #Mastiff dogs, driven by Buddhist principles of compassion.
January 22, 2026 at 11:51 PM
Reposted by david @ middleway
patreets.bsky.social
Guardians of the Himalayas: Tibetan Mastiffs and the Vanishing Pastoral Life
open.substack.com/pub/carlitas...
Guardians of the Himalayas: Tibetan Mastiffs and the Vanishing Pastoral Life
What happens when humans forgot to honour the ancient guardians of Ladakh
open.substack.com
January 22, 2026 at 9:07 PM
middleway.bsky.social
David Bowie Tibet House Benefit Concert 26.02.2001 New York Carnegie Hall singing Silly Boy Blue (1965) with a shout out to the Tibetan Lama who was his teacher, Chime Rinpoche

youtu.be/KeOI6aOxdzs?...
David Bowie Tibet House Benefit 26.02.2001 Silly boy blue
YouTube video by LOMmaster33
youtu.be
January 20, 2026 at 9:52 AM
Reposted by david @ middleway
citizenfra.bsky.social
#Valentino and with that, a generation of masters slip into history. ciao Bello and Grazie.

www.theguardian.com/fashion/gall...
Valentino: his life and career in pictures
A look at some of the Italian fashion designer’s greatest moments, after his death at the age of 93
www.theguardian.com
January 19, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Reposted by david @ middleway
thealtarofandy.bsky.social
#Valentino 💔
January 19, 2026 at 9:18 PM
middleway.bsky.social
Mrs Jacqueline Kennedy wearing a one shouldered, green #Valentino gown in 1967
Jacqueline Kennedy in Valentino (Cambodia, 1967) This image captures Jacqueline Kennedy during her widely publicised visit to Cambodia in November 1967. She is pictured attending a formal reception, likely hosted by the Cambodian head of state. The Gown and Styling Jacqueline is wearing a striking mint green evening gown designed by Valentino, a couturier who became one of her favourites during this era. * Silhouette: The dress features an asymmetrical, one-shouldered design with a dramatic, cape-like drape cascading down her left side. The loose, flowing cut evokes a Grecian influence, which was a hallmark of Valentino’s style at the time. * Details: The hem and edges of the cape are intricately trimmed with sparkling silver beading or crystal embroidery, adding texture and catching the light. * Accessories: She pairs the gown with formal, white opera-length gloves and holds a small, metallic clutch purse in her left hand. She is also wearing statement drop earrings that complement the gown's trim. * Hair: Her hair is styled in her signature bouffant, pulled back elegantly to reveal her face and the neckline of the dress. The Setting and Context Standing to her right is Prince Norodom Sihanouk, the Cambodian head of state, dressed in a black tuxedo. He appears to be presenting a selection of gifts to her. * The Display: On the table before them are several open blue velvet boxes lined with satin, displaying ornate silver items—likely tea sets, bowls, or ceremonial vessels. * Her Expression: Jacqueline looks down at the gifts with a polite, attentive expression, her gloved hand raised slightly near her chin in a gesture of appreciation or contemplation. This visit was significant as it was one of her first major semi-official international trips after leaving the White House, helping to briefly thaw diplomatic relations between the US and Cambodia. Would you like me to find out more about the specific gifts she was receiving in this photo?
January 19, 2026 at 10:38 PM
middleway.bsky.social
Terrible choices by the Corporation of London ... Shower of Bastards ... The Italian café at Parliament Hill Fields has been run by the D'Auria family for 45 years

Alberto’s 80th Birthday Celebration and Farewell to Parliament Hill Cafe
On 25th January, we will be holding a farewell party
Alberto’s 80th Birthday Celebration and Farewell to Parliament Hill Cafe On 25th January, we will be holding a farewell party to say thank you and goodbye to all of our friends, family and customers. We will also be celebrating Alberto D’Auria’s 80th birthday on the same day from 12-4pm A buffet will be provided
January 19, 2026 at 5:26 PM
middleway.bsky.social
www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/2574466...

Terrible choices by the Corporation of London ... Shower of Bastards ...
'The whole family is devastated we are losing our cafes'
The co-owner of the Lido and Highgate Wood cafes has spoken of his family's devastation as they are handed to new operator Daisy Green.
www.hamhigh.co.uk
January 19, 2026 at 5:23 PM
middleway.bsky.social
Is psychedelic therapy just feeding patients "comforting delusions"? New research suggests it’s not about the beliefs, but the specific emotional architecture.
​Cova & Seragnoli (2025) propose a Two-Process Model of self-transcendence
January 18, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Reposted by david @ middleway
middleway.bsky.social
If you look closely at the figure's face you can see wavy lines emanating from the mouth area which is specific breathing technique required for Tummo, known as Vase Breathing (rlung bum pa). This technique involves retaining the breath at the navel to fan the inner fire.
icon depiction of the Yoga of Inner Heat, known in Tibetan as Tummo (gtum mo).
January 18, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by david @ middleway
christrekkin.bsky.social
Inspired by the opening episode of #StarTrekStarfleetAcademy, I wanted to do a video of me singing 'San Francisco' so here it is

Hope you enjoy it ☺️💜🖖🎵 #MusicalTrekkie
January 18, 2026 at 9:56 AM
Reposted by david @ middleway
maybulman.bsky.social
ICYMI: The Tony Blair Institute is building its own AI tools with the view of selling them to authoritarian govts, in what insiders describe as a bid to rival controversial US tech firm Palantir

democracyforsale.substack.com/p/blair-bids...

Note the wild response we got from TBI's press team ⬇️
petergeoghegan.bsky.social Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 18d
🔴Tony Blair Institute talks lots about democracy

But his week I contacted them for comment on this story

The response? "You are an organisation with a long-standing and partisan anti-TBI agenda and we will not engage with your disingenuous questions."
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/blair-bids...
Blair bids to build own AI tools to rival Palantir
TBI insiders warn of “'insane” plan to transform think tank into a tech company
democracyforsale.substack.com
January 12, 2026 at 5:33 PM
middleway.bsky.social
Fascinating ​🇩🇪 German Poster = Absolutely no hesitation. Slaps a massive #DOMCOM
​marketing tag to just say "Let's call a sub a sub" 😂 🏍️⛓️ ​🇬🇧 UK/US vanilla "This year's biggest cinematic surprise" "A deeply moving love story." 😆
​#Pillion #FilmSky #AlexanderSkarsgard #HarryMelling #gay
Here is the alt text for the four images provided: ​Image 1 A split-screen movie poster for the film Pillion. On the left, a close-up of actor Alexander Skarsgård, who is wet and shirtless, wearing a silver chain necklace with a key attached. On the right, a close-up of actor Harry Melling, also wet and shirtless, wearing a heavy silver chain necklace secured with a padlock. The title "pillion" spans horizontally across both images in large cyan letters. A quote at the bottom from Indiewire reads: "A deeply moving love story... chains, gags and all." ​Image 2 A movie poster with a coral-red background featuring Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling. Skarsgård is dressed in a white, black, and blue leather motorcycle racing suit. He sits on a black motorcycle, looking serious, with his hand resting on top of Melling's head. Melling crouches below him wearing a brown leather jacket, looking forward. The title "pillion" appears in large cyan text. Above the title are press quotes including "SEXY," "HILARIOUS," and "BRILLIANT." The text at the bottom reads "IN CINEMAS 28 NOVEMBER." ​Image 3 A movie poster set in a grassy park. In the foreground, a large Rottweiler and a small, long-haired Dachshund stand side-by-side. To the left is a blue and white parking sign that reads "Motorcycles only." The title "pillion" is superimposed in the center in large cyan letters. The actors' names, Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård, appear above the title. ​Image 4 A German version of the Pillion movie poster with a bright pink background. It features the same image as the English poster: Alexander Skarsgård in motorcycle gear sitting on a bike with his hand on Harry Melling's head. The title "pillion" is in bright yellow. A prominent quote at the top in German reads "UNVERSCHÄMT FESSELNDE DOMCOM" (Outrageously captivating DomCom). Text at the bottom reads "NUR IM KINO."
January 18, 2026 at 7:46 AM
Reposted by david @ middleway
middleway.bsky.social
www.thetimes.com/article/6f16...

"What seems likely is that the new embassy will allow the Chinese Communist Party to scale up its espionage and interference operations across Europe."
It’s a mega mistake to allow this Chinese embassy
Approving China’s biggest diplomatic mission less than 2m from critical cables seems… risky. We don’t have to say ‘yes’
www.thetimes.com
January 14, 2026 at 7:26 PM
Reposted by david @ middleway
mkirschenbaum.bsky.social
For @techpolicypress.bsky.social , a quick turnaround and slightly longer version of the talk I gave at UVA last week, “Grok is an Epistemic Weapon.” Shout outs to @hbcompass.bsky.social, @eliothiggins.bsky.social, others.
justinhendrix.bsky.social Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 15d
Grok stands as the clearest example of an AI that is both ideologically aligned and operationally embedded in a social media platform, says @mkirschenbaum.bsky.social. "Its mechanisms should be taken apart under bright lights, in much the same way people learn how to defuse a bomb."
Grok is an Epistemic Weapon | TechPolicy.Press
Elon Musk's Grok claims to be truth-seeking while shaping discourse and amplifying ideology, argues Matthew Kirschenbaum.
www.techpolicy.press
January 13, 2026 at 2:55 PM
middleway.bsky.social
dukeupress.edu/ocean-as-muc...
Tsering Woeser

Ocean, as Much as Rain presents for the first time in the English-language world a collection of masterfully translated literary writings by prominent Tibetan writer Tsering Woeser. doi.org/10.1215/9781...
Crossref
Choose from multiple link options via Crossref
doi.org
January 13, 2026 at 5:08 PM
middleway.bsky.social
Small but Certain Happiness
“ #YOLO is passé; #SBCH is here.” Hence people were now turning to the idea of finding SBCH, which stands for “small but certain happiness.” This phrase was first coined by the Japanese novelist Haruki #Murakami in his essay “Afternoon in the Islets of Langerhans.”
Small but Certain Happiness “YOLO is passé; SBCH is here.” When I had asked people in Seoul what they were interested in these days, this was the reply I received. YOLO, which stands for “you only live once,” had led to spending beyond their means, and in the end made life more difficult. Hence people were now turning to the idea of finding SBCH, which stands for “small but certain happiness.” This phrase was first coined by the Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami in his essay “Afternoon in the Islets of Langerhans.”
January 13, 2026 at 3:56 PM
middleway.bsky.social
Tories call for block on Chinese #super-embassy in #London amid claims of hidden chamber near sensitive cables – #CCP
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Tories call for block on Chinese super-embassy amid claims of hidden chamber near sensitive cables – UK politics live
Shadow home office minister Alicia Kearns says unredacted plans show 208 secret rooms and approving plans would be ‘insanity’
www.theguardian.com
January 13, 2026 at 3:43 PM
Reposted by david @ middleway
rspb.bsky.social
Ready to level up your birdwatching? 😎

Here’s another 10 birds to keep an eye out for this #BigGardenBirdwatch...

From colourful Jays to stealthy Sparrowhawks, who have you spotted on your patch before?

PS - Don't forget to sign up: www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...
Illustrations of 10 less common garden birds: Tree Sparrow (brown with a black cheek spot), Pied Wagtail (black and white with a long tail), Rook (glossy black with a pale beak), Fieldfare (grey head, brown back, speckled chest), Blackcap (male: grey with a black cap, female: brown with a chestnut cap), Common Gull (grey wings, white body), Stock Dove (blue-grey), Jay (pinkish with blue wing patch
January 13, 2026 at 10:00 AM
middleway.bsky.social
www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

Big Garden Birdwatch is the world’s largest garden wildlife survey. Every year, hundreds of thousands of nature lovers like you take part, helping to build a picture of how garden birds are faring. @rspb.bsky.social #rspb
RSPB
www.rspb.org.uk
January 13, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Reposted by david @ middleway
inflammatory.bsky.social
The friendship secret: why socialising could help you live longer www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

Ben Rein suggests Social Journaling to find your balance:
​📝 Track every interaction:
1️⃣ Who & Context
2️⃣ Duration
3️⃣ Mood After (Energised ⚡️ vs Drained 🪫)
​Cut the allergens
​#Neuroscience
The friendship secret: why socialising could help you live longer
Neuroscientist Ben Rein is on a mission to show that being around others not only feels good, but can even improve recovery from strokes, cancer and heart attacks. So why are so many of us isolated an...
www.theguardian.com
January 12, 2026 at 11:43 AM
Reposted by david @ middleway
kenjennings.bsky.social
Fred Flintstone is the only straight cereal mascot. Barney Rubble is bi.
January 10, 2026 at 6:48 PM
middleway.bsky.social
Robert Thurman & Annie Bien on the Sixth Dalai Lama
This video is the full episode 343 of the Bob Thurman Podcast where they discuss the "secret biography" and the deeper meaning behind the poems.

youtube.com/watch?v=Epue...
A Tibet House US Menla Conversation with Annie Bien – Ep. 343
YouTube video by Tibet House US NYC | Menla Resort Online
youtube.com
January 10, 2026 at 11:57 AM