David Wharton
@wharton1965.bsky.social
I teach at a university and had a novel out a while ago. Maybe there'll be another along in a bit.
https://david-wharton.com
https://david-wharton.com
But what did he he think a mammoth could do about it?
December 8, 2025 at 10:04 AM
But what did he he think a mammoth could do about it?
Reposted by David Wharton
It's the Seasonal Reposting Competition! Repost this over the weekend, and on Sunday one lucky person will win a signed copy of one of my books. For you or the #crossword addict in your life: 50 fiendish @theguardian.com #puzzles and all the stories behind them:
boatmancryptics.co.uk/crossword-bo...
boatmancryptics.co.uk/crossword-bo...
November 14, 2025 at 1:24 PM
It's the Seasonal Reposting Competition! Repost this over the weekend, and on Sunday one lucky person will win a signed copy of one of my books. For you or the #crossword addict in your life: 50 fiendish @theguardian.com #puzzles and all the stories behind them:
boatmancryptics.co.uk/crossword-bo...
boatmancryptics.co.uk/crossword-bo...
Reposted by David Wharton
"Surely the clearest indication of the BBC's fundamental truthfulness and integrity is the number of known liars who wish to destroy it."
Isabella Stone
Sheffield
Isabella Stone
Sheffield
November 12, 2025 at 7:33 AM
"Surely the clearest indication of the BBC's fundamental truthfulness and integrity is the number of known liars who wish to destroy it."
Isabella Stone
Sheffield
Isabella Stone
Sheffield
Reposted by David Wharton
It's @leedsfilmfest.bsky.social time! Yay! As ever, I'll be posting #LIFF2025 reviews throughout, though it's shame the LIFF Bluesky account and the community is as active as the old Twitter. Let's see if we can get it going anyway...
October 31, 2025 at 12:16 PM
It's @leedsfilmfest.bsky.social time! Yay! As ever, I'll be posting #LIFF2025 reviews throughout, though it's shame the LIFF Bluesky account and the community is as active as the old Twitter. Let's see if we can get it going anyway...
Reposted by David Wharton
The world lost a genial man, a genius communicator and a supreme artist. I lost a friend - beloved Drew.
October 14, 2025 at 7:21 PM
The world lost a genial man, a genius communicator and a supreme artist. I lost a friend - beloved Drew.
Team on Only Connect called the Whitley Baes getting a connecting wall group of Spanish Cities right, and very few people in the world knowing why that is pleasing.
October 14, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Team on Only Connect called the Whitley Baes getting a connecting wall group of Spanish Cities right, and very few people in the world knowing why that is pleasing.
Reminds me of the gag in both Shawshank and Porridge when the only con who can write decent prose starts a business supplying love letters for the others to send to their wives and girlfriends. We've accidentally ended up in a text-driven world hardly anyone is competent to operate.
‘I realised I’d been ChatGPT-ed into bed’: how ‘Chatfishing’ made finding love on dating apps even weirder
Where once people were duped by soft-focus photos and borrowed chat-up lines, now they have to watch out for computer-generated charm. But it’s one thing to use a witty phrase – another thing entirely...
www.theguardian.com
October 12, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Reminds me of the gag in both Shawshank and Porridge when the only con who can write decent prose starts a business supplying love letters for the others to send to their wives and girlfriends. We've accidentally ended up in a text-driven world hardly anyone is competent to operate.
Reposted by David Wharton
Just to say that teachers do an incredibly difficult job, with all the right intentions, and can be the defining influence on a young person's life. They are the exact opposite of poisoners because good teaching provides the antidote to so many dangers
Nigel Farage says UK teachers are ‘poisoning our kids’ and predicts strikes as PM
Nigel Farage says UK teachers are ‘poisoning our kids’ and predicts strikes as PM
Exclusive: Reform UK leader, speaking at event for private US college, also claimed the ‘Marxist left’ controls education
Nigel Farage has predicted teachers would go on strike within weeks of a Reform UK government, and accused them of “poisoning our kids” by telling them that black children are victims and white children oppressors.
The Reform UK leader set out his view on British schools in an event for a private US Christian college in Michigan, claiming the “Marxist left” was “now in control of our education system”. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
October 9, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Just to say that teachers do an incredibly difficult job, with all the right intentions, and can be the defining influence on a young person's life. They are the exact opposite of poisoners because good teaching provides the antidote to so many dangers
Reposted by David Wharton
What AI doesn't understand is how refreshing a completely off-the-leash assignment is for a bored marker, and how joyously we will sometimes reward it just for breaking the tedium. It's a high-risk strategy, but there are days when it pays the jackpot.
I got an A star in GCSE Humanities after not revising at all and then waffling complete bollocks about the pageantry of fox hunting in the exam. Tried to get into the same college was told I had the highest grade in the UK at the interview, but they didn't count that GCSE so I couldn't use it.
I wrote a 15 page report on heraldic symbolism in medieval armor and weapon design for my art history class the night before it was due (8am class). Made up 90% of it (only found one book for reference) and got an A. GenAI could fucking never.
October 9, 2025 at 7:26 AM
What AI doesn't understand is how refreshing a completely off-the-leash assignment is for a bored marker, and how joyously we will sometimes reward it just for breaking the tedium. It's a high-risk strategy, but there are days when it pays the jackpot.
Teacher training bursaries announced for next year. Zero for English, but 20k per student for Latin and Greek. Really taking on the national shortages there, DfE.
October 7, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Teacher training bursaries announced for next year. Zero for English, but 20k per student for Latin and Greek. Really taking on the national shortages there, DfE.
Reposted by David Wharton
As sure as the sun rises in the east and God made little green apples, anyone who describes themself as unapologetically something or other should start apologizing immediately and never stop.
October 3, 2025 at 2:44 AM
As sure as the sun rises in the east and God made little green apples, anyone who describes themself as unapologetically something or other should start apologizing immediately and never stop.
Reposted by David Wharton
Reposted by David Wharton
I'm not idealistic about immigration but I would like something to be said for the idea that human existence is a good thing, that people existing is better than them not existing, that living human substance is to be prized, and that people don't have to start businesses or prop up the NHS or
September 29, 2025 at 8:05 PM
I'm not idealistic about immigration but I would like something to be said for the idea that human existence is a good thing, that people existing is better than them not existing, that living human substance is to be prized, and that people don't have to start businesses or prop up the NHS or
I wouldn't say that being a golfer is necessarily proof of terrible character. However, if it's the first thing I learn about a person, they're going to have to do a fair bit of work to get me onside.
September 29, 2025 at 2:11 PM
I wouldn't say that being a golfer is necessarily proof of terrible character. However, if it's the first thing I learn about a person, they're going to have to do a fair bit of work to get me onside.
Reposted by David Wharton
💯💯💯💯💯💯
Without trained staff to curate and maintain it, and engage the kids with what's there, most importantly of all, it's just a load of shelves with books on them.
Also no surprise the % of primaries with no provision atm is worse in deprived areas, esp in the north 👀👀👀👀
Without trained staff to curate and maintain it, and engage the kids with what's there, most importantly of all, it's just a load of shelves with books on them.
Also no surprise the % of primaries with no provision atm is worse in deprived areas, esp in the north 👀👀👀👀
September 29, 2025 at 1:25 PM
💯💯💯💯💯💯
Without trained staff to curate and maintain it, and engage the kids with what's there, most importantly of all, it's just a load of shelves with books on them.
Also no surprise the % of primaries with no provision atm is worse in deprived areas, esp in the north 👀👀👀👀
Without trained staff to curate and maintain it, and engage the kids with what's there, most importantly of all, it's just a load of shelves with books on them.
Also no surprise the % of primaries with no provision atm is worse in deprived areas, esp in the north 👀👀👀👀
I do love books in the post. Among today's deliveries, this one from @harryowl.bsky.social @claretpress.bsky.social.
I read an early draft a while back. Looking forward to seeing how it all turned out. Can already report that the opening's a zinger!
I read an early draft a while back. Looking forward to seeing how it all turned out. Can already report that the opening's a zinger!
September 29, 2025 at 1:17 PM
I do love books in the post. Among today's deliveries, this one from @harryowl.bsky.social @claretpress.bsky.social.
I read an early draft a while back. Looking forward to seeing how it all turned out. Can already report that the opening's a zinger!
I read an early draft a while back. Looking forward to seeing how it all turned out. Can already report that the opening's a zinger!
RIP Tony Harrison, last of those great H poets of my youth. Harrison, Heaney, Hughes and Hill.
September 27, 2025 at 9:53 AM
RIP Tony Harrison, last of those great H poets of my youth. Harrison, Heaney, Hughes and Hill.
Reposted by David Wharton
Godspeed to Danny Thompson. He added so much grace, beauty and guile to so many outstanding pieces of music (you could live a pretty nourishing musical life listening solely to the records he contributed to.) And an unfailingly entertaining and soulful conversationalist. One of the greats 💛
September 24, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Godspeed to Danny Thompson. He added so much grace, beauty and guile to so many outstanding pieces of music (you could live a pretty nourishing musical life listening solely to the records he contributed to.) And an unfailingly entertaining and soulful conversationalist. One of the greats 💛
Is there any other kind of movie? Anyway.
September 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Is there any other kind of movie? Anyway.
Well, remission from cancer is all very well, but I had to have my childhood vaccines again after my chemo, and now I've got the Autism.
September 24, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Well, remission from cancer is all very well, but I had to have my childhood vaccines again after my chemo, and now I've got the Autism.
Reposted by David Wharton
Reposted by David Wharton
version 2 - All those deaths of innocent people that receive silence, yet so many feel that one death of someone who spoke against empathy, and for the necessary death of innocent people to ensure the right to be armed, means they must be public in their condolences and compassion for this one life
September 11, 2025 at 10:21 AM
version 2 - All those deaths of innocent people that receive silence, yet so many feel that one death of someone who spoke against empathy, and for the necessary death of innocent people to ensure the right to be armed, means they must be public in their condolences and compassion for this one life
Hi @creekgirl.bsky.social good to see you again. Have sent you a DM on the horrid other site.
September 3, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Hi @creekgirl.bsky.social good to see you again. Have sent you a DM on the horrid other site.