Oliver Lough
@olough.bsky.social
Humanitarian research and M&E; Kyiv, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Erbil, SOAS, Kabul, Beijing; feminist; Londoner. Everything is on fire or worse. All opinions my own. He/him
There is a much more difficult conversation to be had about how to handle the legacy of fantastic teachers who genuinely enriched the lives of a lot of kids and probably saved one or two of them, AND had stacks of child porn on their hard drives. "Stay mates with them" isn't it, though.
February 12, 2026 at 9:28 PM
There is a much more difficult conversation to be had about how to handle the legacy of fantastic teachers who genuinely enriched the lives of a lot of kids and probably saved one or two of them, AND had stacks of child porn on their hard drives. "Stay mates with them" isn't it, though.
Side note, there were two star sopranos in the choir at the time. One was this fucking loser and the other was Eddie Redmayne. I hope something about this divergence of fates poisons his dreams forever.
February 12, 2026 at 9:23 PM
Side note, there were two star sopranos in the choir at the time. One was this fucking loser and the other was Eddie Redmayne. I hope something about this divergence of fates poisons his dreams forever.
Went to the same prep school as Freddie, we were taught by the same men, several of whom turned out to be pedophiles and were of course welcomed back into the community with open arms after apoLOL they went to jail and the school closed because of course it fucking did this isn't hard.
It’s not a new principle that you don’t stay friends with someone you know is a pedophile. I wouldn’t stop being friends with them because I feared guilt by association. I’d stop being friends either them because they are a pedophile.
I wonder why the right needs to do these mental gymnastics… 🤔
I wonder why the right needs to do these mental gymnastics… 🤔
February 12, 2026 at 9:21 PM
Went to the same prep school as Freddie, we were taught by the same men, several of whom turned out to be pedophiles and were of course welcomed back into the community with open arms after apoLOL they went to jail and the school closed because of course it fucking did this isn't hard.
Reposted by Oliver Lough
It’s not a new principle that you don’t stay friends with someone you know is a pedophile. I wouldn’t stop being friends with them because I feared guilt by association. I’d stop being friends either them because they are a pedophile.
I wonder why the right needs to do these mental gymnastics… 🤔
I wonder why the right needs to do these mental gymnastics… 🤔
February 12, 2026 at 9:00 PM
It’s not a new principle that you don’t stay friends with someone you know is a pedophile. I wouldn’t stop being friends with them because I feared guilt by association. I’d stop being friends either them because they are a pedophile.
I wonder why the right needs to do these mental gymnastics… 🤔
I wonder why the right needs to do these mental gymnastics… 🤔
please keep this title. or if publisher won't let you, make it the series title. "Another 'ice sluts of the north waters' adventure", if you will.
February 12, 2026 at 7:12 AM
please keep this title. or if publisher won't let you, make it the series title. "Another 'ice sluts of the north waters' adventure", if you will.
Reposted by Oliver Lough
“I left London for New York eighteen years ago. For a long time I didn’t miss it. Recently I have found myself thinking about it more often, and sometimes even dreaming about it.”
@harikunzru.bsky.social on a drift through an old city.
@harikunzru.bsky.social on a drift through an old city.
Another London, by Hari Kunzru
Excavating the disenchanted city
buff.ly
February 7, 2026 at 5:01 PM
“I left London for New York eighteen years ago. For a long time I didn’t miss it. Recently I have found myself thinking about it more often, and sometimes even dreaming about it.”
@harikunzru.bsky.social on a drift through an old city.
@harikunzru.bsky.social on a drift through an old city.
Have we done Battleship Potemkin Village yet?
February 8, 2026 at 9:51 AM
Have we done Battleship Potemkin Village yet?
Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work.
"No, I know it sounds reasonable but, once again, that would be fraud."
"No, I know it sounds reasonable but, once again, that would be fraud."
Without naming your job, tell me something you over and over again at work.
“Hi, I’m here to pick up a book.”
“Hi, I’m here to pick up a book.”
Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work.
"Where are your citations?"
"Where are your citations?"
February 8, 2026 at 8:33 AM
Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work.
"No, I know it sounds reasonable but, once again, that would be fraud."
"No, I know it sounds reasonable but, once again, that would be fraud."
Ok fine don't like that one? What about an elegant, slender rail bridge of woven steel, fine as gossamer, linking Southend and Sheerness?
February 7, 2026 at 1:48 PM
Ok fine don't like that one? What about an elegant, slender rail bridge of woven steel, fine as gossamer, linking Southend and Sheerness?
Repost with a photo of yours that you think would make a good album cover
February 7, 2026 at 8:26 AM
Repost with a photo of yours that you think would make a good album cover
This is a good reading! Ending of (also excellent) RSC Comedy of Errors in 2021 had another quietly serious undercurrent of both Dromios realising they were collateral damage in the games of some deeply unserious, flippantly cruel posh twats.
February 5, 2026 at 3:14 PM
This is a good reading! Ending of (also excellent) RSC Comedy of Errors in 2021 had another quietly serious undercurrent of both Dromios realising they were collateral damage in the games of some deeply unserious, flippantly cruel posh twats.
Got an unusual window into that one in particular as my dad directed the NT live coverage for it (this is little more than a shameless plug; I am very proud of him).
February 5, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Got an unusual window into that one in particular as my dad directed the NT live coverage for it (this is little more than a shameless plug; I am very proud of him).
side-note - 2017 National production where Tamsin Grieg played Malvolia deadly straight (and also not straight at all in the other sense) was both sad, chilling, and entirely internally coherent with the rest of the production. Best approach I've seen.
February 5, 2026 at 2:42 PM
side-note - 2017 National production where Tamsin Grieg played Malvolia deadly straight (and also not straight at all in the other sense) was both sad, chilling, and entirely internally coherent with the rest of the production. Best approach I've seen.
Reposted by Oliver Lough
The aid sector is rapidly changing, with a diverse 'ecosystem' of actors with different values, motivations & approaches.
So what makes humanitarian action legitimate in today’s world – and who gets to decide? Share your views in this bold new digital consultation: buff.ly/w64j7G3 💬
So what makes humanitarian action legitimate in today’s world – and who gets to decide? Share your views in this bold new digital consultation: buff.ly/w64j7G3 💬
February 3, 2026 at 10:32 AM
The aid sector is rapidly changing, with a diverse 'ecosystem' of actors with different values, motivations & approaches.
So what makes humanitarian action legitimate in today’s world – and who gets to decide? Share your views in this bold new digital consultation: buff.ly/w64j7G3 💬
So what makes humanitarian action legitimate in today’s world – and who gets to decide? Share your views in this bold new digital consultation: buff.ly/w64j7G3 💬
not convinced there's a winning scenario here given how dependent everything is on big tech. If we're talking about "does it provide a good (and relatively ai-free) search experience", it does (for me, anyway). Way better than google itself which is basically unuseable now.
January 29, 2026 at 11:03 AM
not convinced there's a winning scenario here given how dependent everything is on big tech. If we're talking about "does it provide a good (and relatively ai-free) search experience", it does (for me, anyway). Way better than google itself which is basically unuseable now.
kagi? Have to pay for it but it's way better than DDG
January 29, 2026 at 10:48 AM
kagi? Have to pay for it but it's way better than DDG
not the main event but those are also delightfully flamboyant mouldings for a basic 2 up/2 down terrace.
January 29, 2026 at 9:48 AM
not the main event but those are also delightfully flamboyant mouldings for a basic 2 up/2 down terrace.
Reposted by Oliver Lough
My first piece for @mothership.blog! www.mothership.blog/dragon-age-g...
I pitched this back when Veilguard was coming out but we ran out of time and Maddy's been hounding me for it ever since. I'm very excited to have it up and on MADDY's NEW SITE
which you should sub to
I pitched this back when Veilguard was coming out but we ran out of time and Maddy's been hounding me for it ever since. I'm very excited to have it up and on MADDY's NEW SITE
which you should sub to
Dragon Age games lack agency, and that's the whole point
All that matters is who you love, and how you do it
www.mothership.blog
January 28, 2026 at 4:47 PM
My first piece for @mothership.blog! www.mothership.blog/dragon-age-g...
I pitched this back when Veilguard was coming out but we ran out of time and Maddy's been hounding me for it ever since. I'm very excited to have it up and on MADDY's NEW SITE
which you should sub to
I pitched this back when Veilguard was coming out but we ran out of time and Maddy's been hounding me for it ever since. I'm very excited to have it up and on MADDY's NEW SITE
which you should sub to
Excited for you to encounter the weird recurring DS9 trope, "hey, it's been a few weeks, let's spend an entire episode torturing Miles for no apparent reason"
January 28, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Excited for you to encounter the weird recurring DS9 trope, "hey, it's been a few weeks, let's spend an entire episode torturing Miles for no apparent reason"
not entirely unrelated: this wonderful piece from a decade ago www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
That Time I Tried to Buy an Actual Barrel of Crude Oil
Tracy Alloway strikes one of the more ridiculous trades in commodities history.
www.bloomberg.com
January 28, 2026 at 10:11 AM
not entirely unrelated: this wonderful piece from a decade ago www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Oliver Lough
brass solidarity band performing “stand by me” in the streets of whittier next to alex pretti’s memorial. the crowd started chanting “the people united will never be defeated” so they incorporated it into the song. i love minneapolis
January 27, 2026 at 12:22 AM
brass solidarity band performing “stand by me” in the streets of whittier next to alex pretti’s memorial. the crowd started chanting “the people united will never be defeated” so they incorporated it into the song. i love minneapolis
Poland has had had pretty much the best sustained GDP growth in the EU since 1990 so this isn't that hard to fathom. polandobserver.com/polands-grow...
January 26, 2026 at 9:16 AM
Poland has had had pretty much the best sustained GDP growth in the EU since 1990 so this isn't that hard to fathom. polandobserver.com/polands-grow...
1000% yes to this though. Number of worthy non-fic books that are just a pamphlet followed by 200 pages of the authors' workings-out.
One bonus, heretical thought: if you’re interested in a topic, a long essay can be more informative than a (non-fiction) book.
There is a silly publishing convention that a "serious" book needs to be 300 pages++. The result is tomes that are mostly filler.
Might the 5,000-word New Yorker be better?
There is a silly publishing convention that a "serious" book needs to be 300 pages++. The result is tomes that are mostly filler.
Might the 5,000-word New Yorker be better?
January 23, 2026 at 11:47 AM
1000% yes to this though. Number of worthy non-fic books that are just a pamphlet followed by 200 pages of the authors' workings-out.
Yeah hard no on this one. I love receiving books as gifts because they more often than not turn out to be things I never would've bought myself and there's usually something worthwhile to delve into. This just kind of suggests the people gifting you books don't know you especially well?
- Books make for terrible gifts
Easy, this one. When you give someone a book you are implicitly demanding they spend many hours doing something *you* think is interesting (ie reading that book). It is incredibly imposing. Or should they offend you by not reading it?
Recommend books, don't give them
Easy, this one. When you give someone a book you are implicitly demanding they spend many hours doing something *you* think is interesting (ie reading that book). It is incredibly imposing. Or should they offend you by not reading it?
Recommend books, don't give them
January 23, 2026 at 11:46 AM
Yeah hard no on this one. I love receiving books as gifts because they more often than not turn out to be things I never would've bought myself and there's usually something worthwhile to delve into. This just kind of suggests the people gifting you books don't know you especially well?