Chris Stokes
@nisaccom.bsky.social
Reposted by Chris Stokes
Three Song Thrush singing at the same time in Highbury Park, Birmingham at 7.45am yesterday.
I haven't visited every day to check, but one of these birds has been singing from the same location for two weeks now.
I haven't visited every day to check, but one of these birds has been singing from the same location for two weeks now.
December 3, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Three Song Thrush singing at the same time in Highbury Park, Birmingham at 7.45am yesterday.
I haven't visited every day to check, but one of these birds has been singing from the same location for two weeks now.
I haven't visited every day to check, but one of these birds has been singing from the same location for two weeks now.
Reposted by Chris Stokes
Lovely day. Date: 3rd December 2025. A Song Thrush sang today at Denton reservoir. Normal? #ukbirding
December 3, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Lovely day. Date: 3rd December 2025. A Song Thrush sang today at Denton reservoir. Normal? #ukbirding
Why is some of the best stuff on YouTube in the comments? A story in one is of an U-Bahn announcement in Hannover in the prep for Expo 2000. It came first in German as usual & was followed by an English translation. Everyone on the storyteller's train & the platform burst out laughing. 1/2
December 2, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Why is some of the best stuff on YouTube in the comments? A story in one is of an U-Bahn announcement in Hannover in the prep for Expo 2000. It came first in German as usual & was followed by an English translation. Everyone on the storyteller's train & the platform burst out laughing. 1/2
Reposted by Chris Stokes
South London today
December 2, 2025 at 6:16 PM
South London today
Reposted by Chris Stokes
I’m continually disappointed by how forgotten Burgess is. He was a unique figure and deserves more recognition. (I’m desperately scrolling my timeline for the story from Martin Amis about going out drinking with him.)
December 2, 2025 at 1:25 PM
I’m continually disappointed by how forgotten Burgess is. He was a unique figure and deserves more recognition. (I’m desperately scrolling my timeline for the story from Martin Amis about going out drinking with him.)
Reposted by Chris Stokes
The British government and forces left their local translators and interpreters to be killed by the Taliban so they couldn't give evidence in any war-crimes trials
December 1, 2025 at 6:25 AM
The British government and forces left their local translators and interpreters to be killed by the Taliban so they couldn't give evidence in any war-crimes trials
On the Cambridge VC's words about Reform UK, Varsity has details not in the Times story. '“The very, very, very short headline on Reform is that what they seem to want to do is differentiate in the sector between the high-quality providers and low-quality providers..."'
www.varsity.co.uk/news/30787
www.varsity.co.uk/news/30787
Cambridge cosies up to Reform UK
Leaked recordings of a University Council meeting, obtained by Varsity and The Sunday Times, show the VC fearful of Trump-style recriminations if Reform were to win power
www.varsity.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 1:51 PM
On the Cambridge VC's words about Reform UK, Varsity has details not in the Times story. '“The very, very, very short headline on Reform is that what they seem to want to do is differentiate in the sector between the high-quality providers and low-quality providers..."'
www.varsity.co.uk/news/30787
www.varsity.co.uk/news/30787
Reposted by Chris Stokes
Reposted by Chris Stokes
I was trying to track down the source of Gramsci's "time of monsters" quote and found that it's a "mistranslation" (ie he just made it up) by Slavoj Zizek. Gramsci's line clearly translates as "morbid symptoms" instead. Mad that you can just rewrite a famous quote and get it widely accepted.
November 30, 2025 at 5:09 PM
I was trying to track down the source of Gramsci's "time of monsters" quote and found that it's a "mistranslation" (ie he just made it up) by Slavoj Zizek. Gramsci's line clearly translates as "morbid symptoms" instead. Mad that you can just rewrite a famous quote and get it widely accepted.
Reposted by Chris Stokes
The Economist's tedious war on woke continues with the manipulative headline "Denmark gets ready to cancel Christmas cards." If you read the piece it transpires this is about the end of letter collection and has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas.
Denmark gets ready to cancel Christmas cards
The Danish post is the first to end letter collection, but others will follow
www.economist.com
November 30, 2025 at 7:46 AM
The Economist's tedious war on woke continues with the manipulative headline "Denmark gets ready to cancel Christmas cards." If you read the piece it transpires this is about the end of letter collection and has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas.
You'll not find a more compelling advert for Largs anywhere.
A suitably sepulchral animation set to Ivor Cutler’s narration youtu.be/VS-uDupJCSw?...
Ivor Cutler - Life In A Scotch Sitting Room
YouTube video by San Fran
youtu.be
November 29, 2025 at 10:55 PM
You'll not find a more compelling advert for Largs anywhere.
Taking payment for 3 CDs (£1 all in—Art of Fugue, six partitas, B minor mass), a young charity shop volunteer asked me if I'm into classical music, then asked what I recommend coz he's getting into it. How do you answer a question like that?
November 29, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Taking payment for 3 CDs (£1 all in—Art of Fugue, six partitas, B minor mass), a young charity shop volunteer asked me if I'm into classical music, then asked what I recommend coz he's getting into it. How do you answer a question like that?
Reposted by Chris Stokes
Reposted by Chris Stokes
#BirdoftheDay Blue Heron
My daughter the Photographer ❤️
My daughter the Photographer ❤️
November 29, 2025 at 1:22 AM
#BirdoftheDay Blue Heron
My daughter the Photographer ❤️
My daughter the Photographer ❤️
Reposted by Chris Stokes
Sweating at Heathrow border control because I’ve swallowed 15 copies of uncut Intermezzo
Sally Rooney's books may be pulled off UK shelves due to her support for Palestine Action group
The author said it was “unclear” whether any UK company can make payments to her.
www.thejournal.ie
November 28, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Sweating at Heathrow border control because I’ve swallowed 15 copies of uncut Intermezzo
Reposted by Chris Stokes
Aaaaaand that's enough aviation internet for the day.
November 27, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Aaaaaand that's enough aviation internet for the day.
Reposted by Chris Stokes
Partner was at a talk last night chaired by journalist Lindsay Hilson, who opened the Q&A with something along the lines of "right, let's have some questions, and I want none of your 'this is more of a statement rather than a question' nonsense." 👍
November 28, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Partner was at a talk last night chaired by journalist Lindsay Hilson, who opened the Q&A with something along the lines of "right, let's have some questions, and I want none of your 'this is more of a statement rather than a question' nonsense." 👍
Reposted by Chris Stokes
I had an old HoD, brilliant man, given to asking long, convoluted questions. In dept seminars & meetings we just had to put up with him, but I remember one undergrad viva (early 80s when we still had them) when he tried the same on a smart, self-confident young woman who was being viva-ed for a Pass
November 28, 2025 at 12:51 PM
I had an old HoD, brilliant man, given to asking long, convoluted questions. In dept seminars & meetings we just had to put up with him, but I remember one undergrad viva (early 80s when we still had them) when he tried the same on a smart, self-confident young woman who was being viva-ed for a Pass
Reposted by Chris Stokes
The way Palestine Action ban was approved by MPs has been raised in the High Court, with Dame Victoria Sharp noting 2 unrelated groups were on the same order
She says MPs may have been "reluctant" to vote against it but the home sec lawyer says the court should be "cautious" giving that any weight
She says MPs may have been "reluctant" to vote against it but the home sec lawyer says the court should be "cautious" giving that any weight
Many MPs demanding explanation on why two other groups are on same banning order
Labour MP Kim Johnson says: "Lumping Palestine Action together with other two obscure groups to ensure it is proscribed is a disgraceful manipulation of parliamentary procedure"
Labour MP Kim Johnson says: "Lumping Palestine Action together with other two obscure groups to ensure it is proscribed is a disgraceful manipulation of parliamentary procedure"
November 27, 2025 at 12:25 PM
The way Palestine Action ban was approved by MPs has been raised in the High Court, with Dame Victoria Sharp noting 2 unrelated groups were on the same order
She says MPs may have been "reluctant" to vote against it but the home sec lawyer says the court should be "cautious" giving that any weight
She says MPs may have been "reluctant" to vote against it but the home sec lawyer says the court should be "cautious" giving that any weight
Top choice of Lindsay Kemp's review in Gramophone of recordings of Monteverdi's Vespers 30 years later, in 2015!
www.gramophone.co.uk/features/art...
www.gramophone.co.uk/features/art...
November 27, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Top choice of Lindsay Kemp's review in Gramophone of recordings of Monteverdi's Vespers 30 years later, in 2015!
www.gramophone.co.uk/features/art...
www.gramophone.co.uk/features/art...
Loving this 1984 recording of Monteverdi's Vespro della beata Vergine (1610) rescued from a charity shop. Performance by the Taverner Consort, Taverner Choir and Taverner Players, conducted by Andrew Parrott.
November 27, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Loving this 1984 recording of Monteverdi's Vespro della beata Vergine (1610) rescued from a charity shop. Performance by the Taverner Consort, Taverner Choir and Taverner Players, conducted by Andrew Parrott.
Reposted by Chris Stokes
i’m so happy for him
November 26, 2025 at 10:48 PM
i’m so happy for him
The Royal Society is in safe hands! Typing? Professors?
'He said: “I go and speak to highly accomplished professors and they’re spending their time typing stuff out, which should not be their job to do.'
'He said: “I go and speak to highly accomplished professors and they’re spending their time typing stuff out, which should not be their job to do.'
UK ‘making research scientists suffer’, warns Paul Nurse.
Bureaucracy must be cut to stop skilled researchers being forced into “trivial tasks”, urges geneticist.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Bureaucracy must be cut to stop skilled researchers being forced into “trivial tasks”, urges geneticist.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
UK ‘making research scientists suffer’, warns Paul Nurse - Research Professional News
Bureaucracy must be cut to stop skilled researchers being forced into “trivial tasks”, urges geneticist
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:21 AM
The Royal Society is in safe hands! Typing? Professors?
'He said: “I go and speak to highly accomplished professors and they’re spending their time typing stuff out, which should not be their job to do.'
'He said: “I go and speak to highly accomplished professors and they’re spending their time typing stuff out, which should not be their job to do.'
Reposted by Chris Stokes
"Another recurring issue is the use of first-person pronouns throughout the entire manuscript..."
a black and white photo of a man wearing a bandana and a necklace .
ALT: a black and white photo of a man wearing a bandana and a necklace .
media.tenor.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:00 AM
"Another recurring issue is the use of first-person pronouns throughout the entire manuscript..."
Reposted by Chris Stokes
Reminder that In the 1990s Farage sought the backing of the disgraced former Conservative MP and notorious racist Enoch Powell and twice asked him to stand as a candidate for UKIP.
www.theguardian.com/politics/201...
www.theguardian.com/politics/201...
Nigel Farage asked former Conservative MP Enoch Powell to back Ukip
Despite his ‘rivers of blood’ speech, the Ukip leader has said the central thrust of Powell’s immigration arguments hold true
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Reminder that In the 1990s Farage sought the backing of the disgraced former Conservative MP and notorious racist Enoch Powell and twice asked him to stand as a candidate for UKIP.
www.theguardian.com/politics/201...
www.theguardian.com/politics/201...