Maria
@thismaria.bsky.social
🍂 Writes, acts
🍂 Easily distracted, overly interested
🍂 Cape Town, mostly; Birmingham, occasionally
🍂 Easily distracted, overly interested
🍂 Cape Town, mostly; Birmingham, occasionally
Pinned
Maria
@thismaria.bsky.social
· Jan 2
My favourite poems from ON THE SUBJECT OF FALLEN THINGS by James Kearns. Thank you, @bloots.bsky.social, for the collection!
Happy New Year, and here are two poems from my favourite poet's beautiful collection ON THE SUBJECT OF FALLEN THINGS*.
Thanks, @karinamszczurek.bsky.social!
*James Kearns (Bad Betty Press, 2023)
Thanks, @karinamszczurek.bsky.social!
*James Kearns (Bad Betty Press, 2023)
Reposted by Maria
The endless column inches, YouTube videos, podcasts and more given over to the largely non-existent rightwards shift of young men is exhausting.
A small fraction are getting radicalised by the online right. But most young men vote left and liberal! Even more so than millennials did at their age!
A small fraction are getting radicalised by the online right. But most young men vote left and liberal! Even more so than millennials did at their age!
The untold story that is told constantly and isn’t really true
February 7, 2026 at 12:37 PM
The endless column inches, YouTube videos, podcasts and more given over to the largely non-existent rightwards shift of young men is exhausting.
A small fraction are getting radicalised by the online right. But most young men vote left and liberal! Even more so than millennials did at their age!
A small fraction are getting radicalised by the online right. But most young men vote left and liberal! Even more so than millennials did at their age!
Incredible opening ceremony. 100% madness. Pure delight.
“I’ve been cast at the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony”
“What are you?”
“A stovetop espresso maker.”
“What are you?”
“A stovetop espresso maker.”
February 6, 2026 at 8:51 PM
Incredible opening ceremony. 100% madness. Pure delight.
There are actually South Africans competing this year, but Canal+ has decided we'll not be seeing the Winter Olympics. 😑
DStv subscribers out in the cold as Canal+ rips 2026 Winter Olympics coverage from SuperSport www.news24.com/sport/other-...
DStv subscribers out in the cold as Canal+ rips 2026 Winter Olympics coverage from SuperSport www.news24.com/sport/other-...
DStv subscribers out in the cold as Canal+ rips 2026 Winter Olympics coverage from SuperSport | News24
DStv subscribers are shocked and furious after discovering that Canal+ MultiChoice won’t show a single frame of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games on SuperSport or Showmax.
www.news24.com
February 6, 2026 at 7:47 PM
There are actually South Africans competing this year, but Canal+ has decided we'll not be seeing the Winter Olympics. 😑
DStv subscribers out in the cold as Canal+ rips 2026 Winter Olympics coverage from SuperSport www.news24.com/sport/other-...
DStv subscribers out in the cold as Canal+ rips 2026 Winter Olympics coverage from SuperSport www.news24.com/sport/other-...
Reposted by Maria
The Epstein Files fallout continues well away from America.
Norway’s economic crime police unit Oekokrim is investigating former prime minister and Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjørn Jagland on suspicion of aggravated corruption based on information revealed in the latest files drop.
Norway’s economic crime police unit Oekokrim is investigating former prime minister and Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjørn Jagland on suspicion of aggravated corruption based on information revealed in the latest files drop.
February 5, 2026 at 10:25 PM
The Epstein Files fallout continues well away from America.
Norway’s economic crime police unit Oekokrim is investigating former prime minister and Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjørn Jagland on suspicion of aggravated corruption based on information revealed in the latest files drop.
Norway’s economic crime police unit Oekokrim is investigating former prime minister and Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjørn Jagland on suspicion of aggravated corruption based on information revealed in the latest files drop.
Reposted by Maria
In case you were unaware that GenAI software developers are also exploiting and abusing workers in the global South to support their plausible word-mulch vending machines.
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
‘In the end, you feel blank’: India’s female workers watching hours of abusive content to train AI
Women in rural communities describe trauma of moderating violent and pornographic content for global tech companies
www.theguardian.com
February 5, 2026 at 8:44 AM
In case you were unaware that GenAI software developers are also exploiting and abusing workers in the global South to support their plausible word-mulch vending machines.
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Reposted by Maria
Okay but Zack Polanski has been coming out with bangers
February 5, 2026 at 12:56 PM
Okay but Zack Polanski has been coming out with bangers
Reposted by Maria
A publisher who lays off a reporter whose pen is freezing because she's covering a frigid war zone while dodging missiles is not an editor you want to work for, in a more perfect world
February 4, 2026 at 5:07 PM
A publisher who lays off a reporter whose pen is freezing because she's covering a frigid war zone while dodging missiles is not an editor you want to work for, in a more perfect world
Reposted by Maria
calling L1 speakers of British English, please help out my student Emilia on her dissertation study! 🐦🐦
it's a short (<20 min) and fun one on voice recognition, please share! lancasteruni.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
it's a short (<20 min) and fun one on voice recognition, please share! lancasteruni.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management
The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.
lancasteruni.eu.qualtrics.com
February 3, 2026 at 10:37 PM
calling L1 speakers of British English, please help out my student Emilia on her dissertation study! 🐦🐦
it's a short (<20 min) and fun one on voice recognition, please share! lancasteruni.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
it's a short (<20 min) and fun one on voice recognition, please share! lancasteruni.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Fascinating: 'During the trial one juror asked the judge whether it would count as a lawful excuse if a defendant believed they were performing a life-saving action by destroying weapons used to kill civilians in an illegal genocide.'
Palestine Action activists cleared of aggravated burglary at Israeli defence firm site
Palestine Action activists cleared of aggravated burglary at Israeli defence firm site
None of the six activists were convicted of any offence over break-in at Elbit Systems factory near Bristol in 2024
Six Palestine Action activists have been cleared of committing aggravated burglary over a break-in at an Israeli defence firm’s UK site.
Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio, Fatema Rajwani, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin were accused of threatening unlawful violence and using sledgehammers as weapons after a prison van was driven into Elbit Systems’ factory in Filton, near Bristol, on 6 August 2024. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Fascinating: 'During the trial one juror asked the judge whether it would count as a lawful excuse if a defendant believed they were performing a life-saving action by destroying weapons used to kill civilians in an illegal genocide.'
Reposted by Maria
ohhh ‘democracy dies in darkness’ was aspirational
February 4, 2026 at 3:47 PM
ohhh ‘democracy dies in darkness’ was aspirational
Reposted by Maria
"Murray acknowledged that the Post has struggled to reach “customers” and talked about the competitive media marketplace."
they fired all of their black columnists, turned the Op/Ed section into corporatist agitprop, and infected the journalism with anti-woke cack. "Why we aren't making money?"
they fired all of their black columnists, turned the Op/Ed section into corporatist agitprop, and infected the journalism with anti-woke cack. "Why we aren't making money?"
‘It’s an absolute bloodbath’: Washington Post undergoing significant layoffs as part of ‘strategic reset’
Employees were told Wednesday that the paper’s sports desk would close among other cuts and restructures
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:36 PM
"Murray acknowledged that the Post has struggled to reach “customers” and talked about the competitive media marketplace."
they fired all of their black columnists, turned the Op/Ed section into corporatist agitprop, and infected the journalism with anti-woke cack. "Why we aren't making money?"
they fired all of their black columnists, turned the Op/Ed section into corporatist agitprop, and infected the journalism with anti-woke cack. "Why we aren't making money?"
Read, please:
This is making me think about cross-subsidy, which used to support a lot of writers. AutoTrader used to subsidise the Guardian's journalism. Bestselling books subsidised all the others. I'm sure even the BBC's best dramas subsidised its more niche offerings. But then people got all excited about...
“I didn’t have rich parents, a childhood bedroom to return to or an infatuated billionaire intent on marrying me. Either writing had to make me money or I couldn’t do it. “
I wrote about making a living from writing in the new economy.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I wrote about making a living from writing in the new economy.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
February 3, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Read, please:
Reposted by Maria
this 100% reads like the writer is planning to murder jonathan pryce
April 22, 2025 at 1:10 PM
this 100% reads like the writer is planning to murder jonathan pryce
Reposted by Maria
mr mandelson we find you guilty of everything. your punishment is to have gordon brown hit you with staplers for eternity
February 3, 2026 at 6:10 PM
mr mandelson we find you guilty of everything. your punishment is to have gordon brown hit you with staplers for eternity
Reposted by Maria
Ah this is the part of the show when seemingly disparate plotlines come together.
1. This 2016 exchange between Jeffrey Epstein and Peter Thiel is so essential, really gets to the heart of Epstein's project.
Epstein: brexit, just the beginning.
Thiel: Of what?
Epstein: return to tribalism... finding things on their way to collapse , was much easier than finding the next bargain
Epstein: brexit, just the beginning.
Thiel: Of what?
Epstein: return to tribalism... finding things on their way to collapse , was much easier than finding the next bargain
February 2, 2026 at 11:24 PM
Ah this is the part of the show when seemingly disparate plotlines come together.
Reposted by Maria
if there is a man i would trust to pursue a colleague who crossed him to the ends of the earth it is Gordon Brown, so this feels kind of fitting www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Gordon Brown asks top civil servant to investigate Mandelson ‘leak to Epstein’
Ex-PM asks cabinet secretary to investigate whether Mandelson shared market-sensitive information
www.theguardian.com
February 2, 2026 at 6:47 PM
if there is a man i would trust to pursue a colleague who crossed him to the ends of the earth it is Gordon Brown, so this feels kind of fitting www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Maria
The orcas have discovered fire.
Fire chief says cause of fire that sank 3 yachts will likely never be found
Fire chief says cause of fire that sank 3 yachts will likely never be found
A marina fire in Sidney, B.C. has sunk three yachts worth millions, and the community’s fire chief says investigators may never find the cause.
bit.ly
February 2, 2026 at 10:33 PM
The orcas have discovered fire.
Reposted by Maria
I’m sorry but what did libertarians think that the anonymous money laundering racism coin that you could only functionally use for illicit activity was doing other than this, exactly
February 2, 2026 at 7:24 PM
I’m sorry but what did libertarians think that the anonymous money laundering racism coin that you could only functionally use for illicit activity was doing other than this, exactly
Reposted by Maria
It’s frankly insulting that the worlds worst people weren’t meeting in a command center in a volcano wearing ceremonial robes but were all emailing on Hotmail accounts like “want 2 atrosity? With wemen?”
February 1, 2026 at 7:25 PM
It’s frankly insulting that the worlds worst people weren’t meeting in a command center in a volcano wearing ceremonial robes but were all emailing on Hotmail accounts like “want 2 atrosity? With wemen?”
Reposted by Maria
The British Museum posted Al slop and quietly deleted it. Here's what it was and why it matters.
#archaeology🏺#musuem #culture #heritage #history
#archaeology🏺#musuem #culture #heritage #history
February 1, 2026 at 3:19 PM
The British Museum posted Al slop and quietly deleted it. Here's what it was and why it matters.
#archaeology🏺#musuem #culture #heritage #history
#archaeology🏺#musuem #culture #heritage #history
Reposted by Maria
Extraordinary: Mandelson told Epstein that JP Morgan should "threaten" then cabinet colleague and chancellor Alistair Darling over tax on bankers' bonuses. In plain language: "Minister conspired with US bank against own government".
More brilliant FT reporting
www.ft.com/content/91e8...
More brilliant FT reporting
www.ft.com/content/91e8...
Mandelson told Epstein JPMorgan should ‘threaten’ UK government over banker tax
Then business secretary advised sex offender on how Jamie Dimon should lobby chancellor
www.ft.com
February 1, 2026 at 5:35 PM
Extraordinary: Mandelson told Epstein that JP Morgan should "threaten" then cabinet colleague and chancellor Alistair Darling over tax on bankers' bonuses. In plain language: "Minister conspired with US bank against own government".
More brilliant FT reporting
www.ft.com/content/91e8...
More brilliant FT reporting
www.ft.com/content/91e8...
Reposted by Maria
Do you remember when people were saying "I think my phone is listening to me, i'm getting ads for stuff I spoke about" and people said "They arent listening to you, they're just this good at predicting your interests"?
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
Google to pay $68 million over allegations its voice assistant eavesdropped on users
Class-action lawsuit alleged that Google's voice assistant illegally recorded and shared private conversations with advertisers.
www.cbsnews.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:44 PM
Do you remember when people were saying "I think my phone is listening to me, i'm getting ads for stuff I spoke about" and people said "They arent listening to you, they're just this good at predicting your interests"?
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
America is not a real place and nothing will convince me otherwise.
What do you MEAN the president audibly SHIT himself live on camera and they immediately cancelled the press conference and rushed everyone out of the room like it's a fire drill, and it happened two days ago, and I'm just hearing about it NOW?
February 1, 2026 at 10:16 PM
America is not a real place and nothing will convince me otherwise.