Brian Holmes
@mrbrianholmes.bsky.social
International male. Reader, writer, biscuit eater. NE OH | LA/OC | LDN 🇺🇲 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🏳️🌈
Heated Rivalry in one line:
"We didn't even kiss."
"We didn't even kiss."
December 6, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Heated Rivalry in one line:
"We didn't even kiss."
"We didn't even kiss."
Reposted by Brian Holmes
My @politicshome.bsky.social story from the summer about the AI-generated "I rise to speak" phenomenon in Parliament has made it into @nytimes.com 🇺🇸
(sadly, without credit)
(sadly, without credit)
December 6, 2025 at 2:46 PM
My @politicshome.bsky.social story from the summer about the AI-generated "I rise to speak" phenomenon in Parliament has made it into @nytimes.com 🇺🇸
(sadly, without credit)
(sadly, without credit)
Reposted by Brian Holmes
cannot stress enough how bad it is to give teenage boys a "see this person naked" button. massive, multi-axis disaster
The rise of deepfake pornography in schools: ‘One girl was so horrified she vomited’ www.theguardian.com/society/ng-i...
The rise of deepfake pornography in schools: ‘One girl was so horrified she vomited’
The use of ‘nudify’ apps is becoming more and more prevalent, with hundreds of teachers having seen images created by pupils, often of their peers. The fallout is huge – and growing fast
www.theguardian.com
December 6, 2025 at 12:20 AM
cannot stress enough how bad it is to give teenage boys a "see this person naked" button. massive, multi-axis disaster
Reposted by Brian Holmes
Unsolicited writing advice, no. 926:
Some authors can pin down the perfect word in a first draft. Most can't. If that's you, don't worry about it. Make the structure sound before you start going over the detailing.
Some authors can pin down the perfect word in a first draft. Most can't. If that's you, don't worry about it. Make the structure sound before you start going over the detailing.
December 4, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Unsolicited writing advice, no. 926:
Some authors can pin down the perfect word in a first draft. Most can't. If that's you, don't worry about it. Make the structure sound before you start going over the detailing.
Some authors can pin down the perfect word in a first draft. Most can't. If that's you, don't worry about it. Make the structure sound before you start going over the detailing.
Reposted by Brian Holmes
i strongly, strongly believe that good writing is downstream of clear thinking and a strong understanding of the subject matter at hand. without fail, tortured writing comes from writers who don’t know and can’t think clearly about anything.
Oh man! This paragraph is brutal. The best thing about this review is it's not trying to be mean. It's just listing how bad the writing is.
December 3, 2025 at 4:14 PM
i strongly, strongly believe that good writing is downstream of clear thinking and a strong understanding of the subject matter at hand. without fail, tortured writing comes from writers who don’t know and can’t think clearly about anything.
Reposted by Brian Holmes
December 2, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Sudden surge from 1-3 inches to...more. 😲
December 1, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Sudden surge from 1-3 inches to...more. 😲
Waiting for the Browns game to finish show we can include Dad as we watch a show together.
Or may pick a series to watch with just Mom. 🤔
Or may pick a series to watch with just Mom. 🤔
November 30, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Waiting for the Browns game to finish show we can include Dad as we watch a show together.
Or may pick a series to watch with just Mom. 🤔
Or may pick a series to watch with just Mom. 🤔
Reposted by Brian Holmes
From Stoppard’s Arcadia:
November 29, 2025 at 8:30 PM
From Stoppard’s Arcadia:
Reposted by Brian Holmes
I’m dumbstruck by news of the death of Tom Stoppard—maybe because he hoarded all the words and knew how to use them better than just about anyone. I hope we savor his spectacular wit and erudition and argue about the politics of his plays forever. He was monumental, and also a kind and curious man.
November 29, 2025 at 11:24 PM
I’m dumbstruck by news of the death of Tom Stoppard—maybe because he hoarded all the words and knew how to use them better than just about anyone. I hope we savor his spectacular wit and erudition and argue about the politics of his plays forever. He was monumental, and also a kind and curious man.
Pet peeve: TV writing built around the wildest, often improbable twists at the very end of an episode.
The rest of the episode might even be quite dull, slow or uneven in its pacing. As if the BIG TWIST is everything. 🥱
The rest of the episode might even be quite dull, slow or uneven in its pacing. As if the BIG TWIST is everything. 🥱
November 29, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Pet peeve: TV writing built around the wildest, often improbable twists at the very end of an episode.
The rest of the episode might even be quite dull, slow or uneven in its pacing. As if the BIG TWIST is everything. 🥱
The rest of the episode might even be quite dull, slow or uneven in its pacing. As if the BIG TWIST is everything. 🥱
Reposted by Brian Holmes
Australia just recorded zero cervical cancer cases in women under 25 for the first time since records began in 1982. The amazing result of HPV vaccination.
November 28, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Australia just recorded zero cervical cancer cases in women under 25 for the first time since records began in 1982. The amazing result of HPV vaccination.
Brother's family getting ready to depart. Niece (aged 7) casually but urgently trying to snack on her gingerbread house before she goes.
November 28, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Brother's family getting ready to depart. Niece (aged 7) casually but urgently trying to snack on her gingerbread house before she goes.
Reposted by Brian Holmes
Hey, congratulations to all of Olivia Nuzzi’s horny media critic defenders. Heckuva job!
November 26, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Hey, congratulations to all of Olivia Nuzzi’s horny media critic defenders. Heckuva job!
Thankful to spend this week with my niece and nephew visiting from California. Showing these OC kids a proper Ohio Thanksgiving, after several days of autumn leaf piles, cold temps and snow.
November 27, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Thankful to spend this week with my niece and nephew visiting from California. Showing these OC kids a proper Ohio Thanksgiving, after several days of autumn leaf piles, cold temps and snow.
Reposted by Brian Holmes
This was a Budget born of political and intellectual weakness, not strength
Labour has to realise that moving the pieces on the board is not e enough. Affluence is essential for social democracy. And there isn't a plan to create it.
Latest from me 👇
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Labour has to realise that moving the pieces on the board is not e enough. Affluence is essential for social democracy. And there isn't a plan to create it.
Latest from me 👇
substack.com/home/post/p-...
A budget born of weakness, not of strength
Labour needs affluence to remake society. Yet it seems curiously uninterested in creating it.
substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:21 PM
This was a Budget born of political and intellectual weakness, not strength
Labour has to realise that moving the pieces on the board is not e enough. Affluence is essential for social democracy. And there isn't a plan to create it.
Latest from me 👇
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Labour has to realise that moving the pieces on the board is not e enough. Affluence is essential for social democracy. And there isn't a plan to create it.
Latest from me 👇
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Reposted by Brian Holmes
One thing I have no patience for is "there is nothing to be thankful for" doomerism. If Americans were finding things to be thankful for in 1863, two and a half years into a bloody Civil War, when Abraham Lincoln formalized the Thanksgiving holiday, then I can find things to be thankful for too.
November 26, 2025 at 10:33 PM
One thing I have no patience for is "there is nothing to be thankful for" doomerism. If Americans were finding things to be thankful for in 1863, two and a half years into a bloody Civil War, when Abraham Lincoln formalized the Thanksgiving holiday, then I can find things to be thankful for too.
Reposted by Brian Holmes
hidden benefit of all the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales is learning about mailing lists you need to unsubscribe from
November 26, 2025 at 6:34 PM
hidden benefit of all the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales is learning about mailing lists you need to unsubscribe from
Reposted by Brian Holmes
Every single person in Britain: "the chippy" or, if we're being fancy, "the chip shop"
The New York Times: "the french fry restaurant"
The New York Times: "the french fry restaurant"
new favourite New York Times term for a British thing just dropped
November 26, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Every single person in Britain: "the chippy" or, if we're being fancy, "the chip shop"
The New York Times: "the french fry restaurant"
The New York Times: "the french fry restaurant"
Current vibes: Dad just sang a verse of Home for the Holidays where someone is travelling down to Jersey's southern shore. 🎄
November 24, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Current vibes: Dad just sang a verse of Home for the Holidays where someone is travelling down to Jersey's southern shore. 🎄
Reposted by Brian Holmes
TRUMP: and this Daniel, he went into the den?
MAMDANI: The lion's den, yes
TRUMP: surely they ate him
MAMDANI: Here's the part where it gets a little Broadway: they didn't
TRUMP: Unbelievable
MAMDANI: The lion's den, yes
TRUMP: surely they ate him
MAMDANI: Here's the part where it gets a little Broadway: they didn't
TRUMP: Unbelievable
November 21, 2025 at 9:41 PM
TRUMP: and this Daniel, he went into the den?
MAMDANI: The lion's den, yes
TRUMP: surely they ate him
MAMDANI: Here's the part where it gets a little Broadway: they didn't
TRUMP: Unbelievable
MAMDANI: The lion's den, yes
TRUMP: surely they ate him
MAMDANI: Here's the part where it gets a little Broadway: they didn't
TRUMP: Unbelievable
Not another clickbait headline from an LGBTQ outlet about a reality TV "hunk" who "opens up about his sexuality."
...and the sexuality is straight.
...and the sexuality is straight.
November 20, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Not another clickbait headline from an LGBTQ outlet about a reality TV "hunk" who "opens up about his sexuality."
...and the sexuality is straight.
...and the sexuality is straight.
Reposted by Brian Holmes
I need "Stats are down but he played great" to make it into the lexicon.
November 19, 2025 at 1:21 AM
I need "Stats are down but he played great" to make it into the lexicon.
You know what's heaven in your mid to late 40s? A HEATING PAD
November 18, 2025 at 11:05 PM
You know what's heaven in your mid to late 40s? A HEATING PAD
Reposted by Brian Holmes
Fawning puff piece on Jeffrey Epstein, written by Landon Thomas Jr. for New York mag in October 2002.
In it, Thomas quotes Donald Trump as saying “I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years [i.e. since 1987]. Terrific guy, likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
In it, Thomas quotes Donald Trump as saying “I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years [i.e. since 1987]. Terrific guy, likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
Jeffrey Epstein: International Moneyman of Mystery
“Terrific guy,” Donald Trump booms from a speakerphone. “He’s a lot of fun to be with.”
nymag.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Fawning puff piece on Jeffrey Epstein, written by Landon Thomas Jr. for New York mag in October 2002.
In it, Thomas quotes Donald Trump as saying “I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years [i.e. since 1987]. Terrific guy, likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
In it, Thomas quotes Donald Trump as saying “I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years [i.e. since 1987]. Terrific guy, likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”