Andrew Bowden 🐀
@andrewbowden.me.uk
Found where the Metropolitan Elite gather. Mostly Mancunian, bit Londoner, pos British, definitely European. Brews own beer. Likes the radio. Thinks Tony Dibbin works too hard. All views mine, and only mine. He/Him. #RatVerified.
Pinned
Andrew Bowden 🐀
@andrewbowden.me.uk
· Mar 14
Thoroughly enjoying this photograph of the "food served" at a nearby pub.
Pretty sure you will taste the difference between Budvar Budweiser and Bud Light though.
Every single brand of lager tastes the same so stop whinging when a pub doesn't have the exact one you want. You'll live if you have to drink Madri instead of Peroni. They're the same pissing thing.
November 11, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Pretty sure you will taste the difference between Budvar Budweiser and Bud Light though.
Reposted by Andrew Bowden 🐀
not many people know this, but when the bbc doesn't have a director general its staff are allowed to come in not in uniform and bring in board games
November 11, 2025 at 2:57 PM
not many people know this, but when the bbc doesn't have a director general its staff are allowed to come in not in uniform and bring in board games
The 20 page brochure - which is very much geared up to staff and heads - has the word 'children' 18 times, 'teacher' 17, and 'support' 86 times. 'Education' does come in at 41.
Also the trust's brochure contains this, and well goodness knows what that's all about.
November 10, 2025 at 9:03 PM
The 20 page brochure - which is very much geared up to staff and heads - has the word 'children' 18 times, 'teacher' 17, and 'support' 86 times. 'Education' does come in at 41.
Our primary school has announced plans to join a Multi-Academy Trust. Looking into it, feel I should - at the very least - object on the basis that the trust schools have really cluttered and horribly designed websites.
November 10, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Our primary school has announced plans to join a Multi-Academy Trust. Looking into it, feel I should - at the very least - object on the basis that the trust schools have really cluttered and horribly designed websites.
I went into reading this article thinking "hmm, train fares are just too complex" but yeah, the article's right. It's not that fares are too complex, it's that we - the passenger - have to deal with the insane complexity of it all.
www.freewheeling.info/blog/complex...
www.freewheeling.info/blog/complex...
Complexity isn’t the issue with train fares — Freewheeling
There is a consensus that rail fares are too complex. There is a lot of truth to this but it’s nuanced. It’s very important we understand this nuance otherwise we’re in danger of fixing the wrong th...
www.freewheeling.info
November 10, 2025 at 11:10 AM
I went into reading this article thinking "hmm, train fares are just too complex" but yeah, the article's right. It's not that fares are too complex, it's that we - the passenger - have to deal with the insane complexity of it all.
www.freewheeling.info/blog/complex...
www.freewheeling.info/blog/complex...
This doesn't go far enough. There's too much food. It should be reduced to three:
Soylent Red
Soylent Yellow
Soylent Green.
Soylent Red
Soylent Yellow
Soylent Green.
There are to many cheeses.
It should be reduced to four:
Cheddar, Stilton, Mozzarella, and Parmesan.
It should be reduced to four:
Cheddar, Stilton, Mozzarella, and Parmesan.
November 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
This doesn't go far enough. There's too much food. It should be reduced to three:
Soylent Red
Soylent Yellow
Soylent Green.
Soylent Red
Soylent Yellow
Soylent Green.
Used to be a regular in a pub with a photo of Kevin Lloyd (actor of Tosh Lines) at the end of the bar as he was a patron of said establishment.
Unfortunately Kevin was also a chronic alcoholic, which was the ultimate reason he died when he did.
Unfortunately Kevin was also a chronic alcoholic, which was the ultimate reason he died when he did.
Got these new trainers today but I can't get it out of my head that they look like fuckin DC Tosh Lines from The Bill
November 9, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Used to be a regular in a pub with a photo of Kevin Lloyd (actor of Tosh Lines) at the end of the bar as he was a patron of said establishment.
Unfortunately Kevin was also a chronic alcoholic, which was the ultimate reason he died when he did.
Unfortunately Kevin was also a chronic alcoholic, which was the ultimate reason he died when he did.
Lest it not be forgotten that if you don't leave the post of DG under some sort of cloud then you are very unusual.
Personally, I reckon Tim Davie was ready to quit anyway. He's weathered loads of storms. There isn't anything that major about this one. And he's not going immediately anyway. No, I think it's a "I will make it look like I am falling on my sword, but I will do what I was always going to do" moment
November 9, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Lest it not be forgotten that if you don't leave the post of DG under some sort of cloud then you are very unusual.
Personally, I reckon Tim Davie was ready to quit anyway. He's weathered loads of storms. There isn't anything that major about this one. And he's not going immediately anyway. No, I think it's a "I will make it look like I am falling on my sword, but I will do what I was always going to do" moment
November 9, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Personally, I reckon Tim Davie was ready to quit anyway. He's weathered loads of storms. There isn't anything that major about this one. And he's not going immediately anyway. No, I think it's a "I will make it look like I am falling on my sword, but I will do what I was always going to do" moment
Reposted by Andrew Bowden 🐀
Billie Piper announced as the new BBC Director General but we've got to wait until next Christmas to find out why.
November 9, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Billie Piper announced as the new BBC Director General but we've got to wait until next Christmas to find out why.
Reposted by Andrew Bowden 🐀
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
November 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Every year about this day I think of my grandad. And I wonder how he ended up having a pretty calm war being a member of the mounted police in Palestine. Mind you at the beginning of the war he managed to miss a train he was on. Which was fortunate for him too as it was bombed.
November 9, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Every year about this day I think of my grandad. And I wonder how he ended up having a pretty calm war being a member of the mounted police in Palestine. Mind you at the beginning of the war he managed to miss a train he was on. Which was fortunate for him too as it was bombed.
Reposted by Andrew Bowden 🐀
In 2015 45% of the railways in India were electrified. A decision was made that year to make it 100%. Ten years later they’ve reached 98%.
Govt scraps all electrification investment. Midland Main Line to stay forever diesel Leicester Nottingham Derby Sheffield. Hugely embarrassing and inexplicable
www.ft.com/content/5ecd...
www.ft.com/content/5ecd...
UK transport secretary says full electrification of railways ‘not affordable right now’
Heidi Alexander says focus will be on other projects such as HS2
www.ft.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:55 AM
In 2015 45% of the railways in India were electrified. A decision was made that year to make it 100%. Ten years later they’ve reached 98%.
My view on these things is clear. Go to a good local firework display. Don't do fireworks in your garden. And certainly for goodness sake, DON'T DO A BLOODY FIREWORK DISPLAY IN YOUR GARDEN AT 10:53PM ON THE EIGHTH OF NOVEMBER.
November 8, 2025 at 10:54 PM
My view on these things is clear. Go to a good local firework display. Don't do fireworks in your garden. And certainly for goodness sake, DON'T DO A BLOODY FIREWORK DISPLAY IN YOUR GARDEN AT 10:53PM ON THE EIGHTH OF NOVEMBER.
All this so I can be the only person to turn up at the Marple Bonfire and Fireworks with printed tickets rather than faffing around for ten minutes trying to get them all to display on my phone.
Spent half an hour trying to get the printer with my laptop to work properly after it inexplicably stopped working for no apparent reason. I love technology.
November 8, 2025 at 3:49 PM
All this so I can be the only person to turn up at the Marple Bonfire and Fireworks with printed tickets rather than faffing around for ten minutes trying to get them all to display on my phone.
Spent half an hour trying to get the printer with my laptop to work properly after it inexplicably stopped working for no apparent reason. I love technology.
November 8, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Spent half an hour trying to get the printer with my laptop to work properly after it inexplicably stopped working for no apparent reason. I love technology.
Reading a murder mystery novel set on a transatlantic liner set in 1924. It's been bugging me since the character was introduced near the start that the detective who happens to be on board is not mentioned having ever shown any form of ID to prove he actually works for Scotland Yard.
November 7, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Reading a murder mystery novel set on a transatlantic liner set in 1924. It's been bugging me since the character was introduced near the start that the detective who happens to be on board is not mentioned having ever shown any form of ID to prove he actually works for Scotland Yard.
Reposted by Andrew Bowden 🐀
"Emotional Whiplash" doesn't even begin to cover it. Oh, my word.
November 7, 2025 at 1:32 PM
"Emotional Whiplash" doesn't even begin to cover it. Oh, my word.
Reposted by Andrew Bowden 🐀
AI peas peas with AI www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Give peas a chance – even AI peas: the Stephen Collins cartoon
AI can transform all areas of our lives – even boiling a bag of frozen veg
www.theguardian.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:46 PM
AI peas peas with AI www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Local high school is trying to change its admissions policy to favour pupils of the primary school in its Academy Trust over pupils of other primary schools. I kid you not that one of their reasons for doing the change actually is "other Academy trusts do this".
November 7, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Local high school is trying to change its admissions policy to favour pupils of the primary school in its Academy Trust over pupils of other primary schools. I kid you not that one of their reasons for doing the change actually is "other Academy trusts do this".
Reposted by Andrew Bowden 🐀
Finally, recognition for our ruinous work
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
🧵
🧵
November 6, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Finally, recognition for our ruinous work
This is good, but it's really time Greater Manchester moved to a zonal train fare system, integrated with Metrolink. Given how close Marple and Rose Hill stations are, it's bonkers tickets aren't interchangeable. Hyde North and Flowery Field also.
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater...
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater...
A huge shake-up of train tickets is on its way - starting in Greater Manchester
The biggest change in decades will see the current 'confusing range' of options removed, meaning cheaper fares for many
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 10:55 AM
This is good, but it's really time Greater Manchester moved to a zonal train fare system, integrated with Metrolink. Given how close Marple and Rose Hill stations are, it's bonkers tickets aren't interchangeable. Hyde North and Flowery Field also.
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater...
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater...
I am forever mislaying my wired headphones. Wireless ones? Ha. Not going there.
Also nothing says "has a shit phone" to muggers more than wired headphones
Also nothing says "has a shit phone" to muggers more than wired headphones
I am on my 17th pair of AirPods because they are tiny and easy to lose.
November 5, 2025 at 7:29 PM
I am forever mislaying my wired headphones. Wireless ones? Ha. Not going there.
Also nothing says "has a shit phone" to muggers more than wired headphones
Also nothing says "has a shit phone" to muggers more than wired headphones
This morning, touched in on the bus with my physical card. Lo, all my previous mobile phone journeys mysteriously appear on the Bee Network website. The ones that haven't been appearing. Don't think I have the energy to try to explain to them again that they have issues.
Bee Network have a website where you can track your journey history when using tap and go. But when I pay using my phone it doesn't show anything for me. Payment is taken, but they won't show my journey history.
2 months of investigations and their answer is "talk to your credit card company"
2 months of investigations and their answer is "talk to your credit card company"
November 5, 2025 at 12:52 PM
This morning, touched in on the bus with my physical card. Lo, all my previous mobile phone journeys mysteriously appear on the Bee Network website. The ones that haven't been appearing. Don't think I have the energy to try to explain to them again that they have issues.
Reposted by Andrew Bowden 🐀
Don't forget it's Brown Leather Jacket Day. Michael's going to safely set off some fireworks to celebrate.
November 5, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Don't forget it's Brown Leather Jacket Day. Michael's going to safely set off some fireworks to celebrate.