Mitchell Stirling
@mitchellst.bsky.social
I work with data and tell stories about it. I also write about closing tracks on albums on Substack.
Pinned
Mitchell Stirling
@mitchellst.bsky.social
· Sep 30
Reader's Poll - Tonight we're gonna party like it's 1990-9
Have Your Say - Your best album closers of the 1990s
open.substack.com
Reader's Poll - Tonight we're gonna party like it's 1990-9
open.substack.com/pub/therunou...
Vote for your favourite 1990s closing track, please!
#90smusic
#MusicSky
#MusicChallenge
#all50rts
#AlbumClosers
#MusicPoll
open.substack.com/pub/therunou...
Vote for your favourite 1990s closing track, please!
#90smusic
#MusicSky
#MusicChallenge
#all50rts
#AlbumClosers
#MusicPoll
I'd just say tidy again, why not?
January 12, 2026 at 8:35 AM
I'd just say tidy again, why not?
Shirley, Shirley, Shirley, own open.substack.com/pub/therunou... Couldn't wait until 14 Jan next year, could I?
Shirley, Shirley, Shirley, own
David Bowie - 'Subterraneans' (Low - 1977)
open.substack.com
January 11, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Shirley, Shirley, Shirley, own open.substack.com/pub/therunou... Couldn't wait until 14 Jan next year, could I?
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
The DG of the BBC said this week that it remains on X because it has to reach a worldwide audience.
40m followers....
40k views and 92 likes.
A local Facebook group has more reach.
40m followers....
40k views and 92 likes.
A local Facebook group has more reach.
January 9, 2026 at 6:09 PM
The DG of the BBC said this week that it remains on X because it has to reach a worldwide audience.
40m followers....
40k views and 92 likes.
A local Facebook group has more reach.
40m followers....
40k views and 92 likes.
A local Facebook group has more reach.
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
Banning X would have loads of upsides and really not many downsides for the government. The argument for shutting it down (distribution of CSAM) is incontrovertible, the people who are its most avid users hate the government anyway, and it would address threats to social cohesion and public order.
January 9, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Banning X would have loads of upsides and really not many downsides for the government. The argument for shutting it down (distribution of CSAM) is incontrovertible, the people who are its most avid users hate the government anyway, and it would address threats to social cohesion and public order.
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
2am: scared by Ramsay MacDonald PM turning his face very slightly between multiple identical photos of Stanley Baldwin PM
January 6, 2026 at 2:03 AM
2am: scared by Ramsay MacDonald PM turning his face very slightly between multiple identical photos of Stanley Baldwin PM
1 November 2024 - Manchester United appoint Ruben Amorim as their new head coach
2 November 2024 - Kemi Badenoch wins Tory leadership election
Looks like she's going to win this tussle.
2 November 2024 - Kemi Badenoch wins Tory leadership election
Looks like she's going to win this tussle.
January 5, 2026 at 11:37 AM
1 November 2024 - Manchester United appoint Ruben Amorim as their new head coach
2 November 2024 - Kemi Badenoch wins Tory leadership election
Looks like she's going to win this tussle.
2 November 2024 - Kemi Badenoch wins Tory leadership election
Looks like she's going to win this tussle.
Another 18 months in transition for Man Utd before they can begin another 18 months in transition.
Ruben Amorim sacked by Manchester United after losing power struggle over transfers
Ruben Amorim sacked by Manchester United after losing power struggle over transfers
*
Head coach goes after outburst at Leeds game
*
He oversaw worst Premier League finish of 15th
Ruben Amorim has been sacked by Manchester United after 14 months as their head coach. The Portuguese departs after a power struggle with the hierarchy over transfer policy, with Amorim demanding his colleagues in the recruitment department “do their job” after Sunday’s draw at Leeds.
Amorim believed United were prepared to back him in the January window should a major signing become available but then said last Friday: “We have no conversation to have any change in the squad.” Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 5, 2026 at 10:36 AM
Another 18 months in transition for Man Utd before they can begin another 18 months in transition.
A great start to the year in AI as my work's CoPilot decided to give me today's Wordle answer in a daily news round up. Thankfully after I'd played it but just a brainless thing to do.
January 5, 2026 at 7:56 AM
A great start to the year in AI as my work's CoPilot decided to give me today's Wordle answer in a daily news round up. Thankfully after I'd played it but just a brainless thing to do.
The Fire Doors tonight in London. Been a while since I have been to The Dublin Castle.
January 3, 2026 at 6:32 PM
The Fire Doors tonight in London. Been a while since I have been to The Dublin Castle.
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
grim posthumous scenario i had not previously considered: you post a picture of the missile headed straight for you, and are memorialized by a bunch of random assholes complaining about alt text
![A Bluesky user based in Venezuela posted 'I live near a military air base and five earth-shaking explosions were just heart.'
User @thenordic.bsky.social (a random asshole) replied 'was it too hard for you to to [sic] add a link?' along with a link to an AP piece. Quick, don't look, what do you think the odds are that this user responded gracefully to being told that OP was on the ground and reporting firsthand?](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ycbmujtxprrwbkiw3x5qsyz4/bafkreieh2ddespqvcqdhpfy4g2higsw4lfiguzpaxs3rdessztcokmww6i@jpeg)
January 3, 2026 at 8:21 AM
grim posthumous scenario i had not previously considered: you post a picture of the missile headed straight for you, and are memorialized by a bunch of random assholes complaining about alt text
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
As Director of Strategy at Number 10 I was shocked that we were lobbied by lobby groups
January 2, 2026 at 9:54 AM
As Director of Strategy at Number 10 I was shocked that we were lobbied by lobby groups
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
Oh - the animations in the middle of the London Eye aren’t added to the feed digitally. Instead they set up a small Hologauze projection right in front of the camera so it appears like it’s in the middle of the Eye. Why?! Somehow that’s worse?
www.avinteractive.com/news/project...
www.avinteractive.com/news/project...
January 1, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Oh - the animations in the middle of the London Eye aren’t added to the feed digitally. Instead they set up a small Hologauze projection right in front of the camera so it appears like it’s in the middle of the Eye. Why?! Somehow that’s worse?
www.avinteractive.com/news/project...
www.avinteractive.com/news/project...
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
If you keep telling social liberals to fuck off to impress the Times, don't act all surprised when they actually fuck off.
December 31, 2025 at 10:38 AM
If you keep telling social liberals to fuck off to impress the Times, don't act all surprised when they actually fuck off.
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
The England Travelling Supporters Club has just announced that conditional ticket applications for the Round of 32, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Final are UNDERSUBSCRIBED.
Incredible stuff tbh. Is anyone going to be at this World Cup?
Incredible stuff tbh. Is anyone going to be at this World Cup?
December 30, 2025 at 12:27 PM
The England Travelling Supporters Club has just announced that conditional ticket applications for the Round of 32, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Final are UNDERSUBSCRIBED.
Incredible stuff tbh. Is anyone going to be at this World Cup?
Incredible stuff tbh. Is anyone going to be at this World Cup?
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
One week they're crying about people getting visits from the police because of tweets, the next week they're calling for inquiries into tweets.
December 30, 2025 at 8:44 AM
One week they're crying about people getting visits from the police because of tweets, the next week they're calling for inquiries into tweets.
When I was younger I assumed this type of polling response was driven by a love of animals in Britain. Starting to wonder if 20% of it is driven by people who are just happy to ban anything they don't do like shutting nightclubs well after the pandemic.
Britons support a ban on trail hunting by 50% to 29%
Support by 2024 vote
Green: 64%
Labour: 62%
Lib Dem: 50% (net +22)
Reform UK: 45% (net +5)
Con: 34% (net -13)
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Support by 2024 vote
Green: 64%
Labour: 62%
Lib Dem: 50% (net +22)
Reform UK: 45% (net +5)
Con: 34% (net -13)
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
December 30, 2025 at 9:06 AM
When I was younger I assumed this type of polling response was driven by a love of animals in Britain. Starting to wonder if 20% of it is driven by people who are just happy to ban anything they don't do like shutting nightclubs well after the pandemic.
I've accidentally walked into a KFC at university wearing a near identical polo shirt to their uniform. A family friend did something similar at a London pub en route to Arsenal - Gillingham and was asked "Who's the manager?" by a customer who was confused to be told Andy Hessenthaler.
Please quote this with stories of your minor interactions with non-celebrities, e.g. “I once accidentally bumped into a man in the Wellingborough branch of Holland & Barrett”
December 30, 2025 at 9:04 AM
I've accidentally walked into a KFC at university wearing a near identical polo shirt to their uniform. A family friend did something similar at a London pub en route to Arsenal - Gillingham and was asked "Who's the manager?" by a customer who was confused to be told Andy Hessenthaler.
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
This is true and I was the only one on set excited about it (and playing the song on my phone to blank stares)
Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
December 30, 2025 at 4:21 AM
This is true and I was the only one on set excited about it (and playing the song on my phone to blank stares)
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
I see the bullshit has now reached the “Mark and Jez threatening to have each other sectioned” stage
December 28, 2025 at 5:03 PM
I see the bullshit has now reached the “Mark and Jez threatening to have each other sectioned” stage
The closing tracks on the best albums of 2025 open.substack.com/pub/therunou... our annual tradition continues into a fourth year.
The closing tracks on the best albums of 2025
Three years ago, we examined a selection of closing tracks from significant albums from 2022; two years ago, from 2023; and a year ago, from 2024.
open.substack.com
December 28, 2025 at 6:03 PM
The closing tracks on the best albums of 2025 open.substack.com/pub/therunou... our annual tradition continues into a fourth year.
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
We Didn't Start the Fire. With Bardot's passing three people mentioned in the song remain alive
December 28, 2025 at 11:24 AM
We Didn't Start the Fire. With Bardot's passing three people mentioned in the song remain alive
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
Reposted by Mitchell Stirling
Here’s to 2026
December 27, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Here’s to 2026