Gordon Douglass
@balhamgardens.bsky.social
Just a random bloke in Balham London who's interested in gardening, politics and London (not necessarily in that order)
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
Today is the 47th anniversary of this clearly unimprovable photo, from a story so absurd that it shouldn’t be true, but is: the day a team of workers from British Waterways pulled the plug out of the Chesterfield Canal, and all the water emptied out
August 10, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Today is the 47th anniversary of this clearly unimprovable photo, from a story so absurd that it shouldn’t be true, but is: the day a team of workers from British Waterways pulled the plug out of the Chesterfield Canal, and all the water emptied out
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
People say “you can’t put the genie back in the bottle” re: technology. But that’s why the bottle was there in the first place. Someone decided it was bad having the genie running loose, and bottled it.
August 7, 2025 at 7:27 AM
People say “you can’t put the genie back in the bottle” re: technology. But that’s why the bottle was there in the first place. Someone decided it was bad having the genie running loose, and bottled it.
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
As I get older and I remember all of the people I lost along the way I think to myself, maybe a career as a tour guide wasn’t for me
September 3, 2024 at 2:21 PM
As I get older and I remember all of the people I lost along the way I think to myself, maybe a career as a tour guide wasn’t for me
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
I’m petrified about today’s science news. Genetically modifying crabs to have cheetah genes? This could go sideways fast.
July 8, 2025 at 9:45 AM
I’m petrified about today’s science news. Genetically modifying crabs to have cheetah genes? This could go sideways fast.
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
The BSL during Finland was sensational #Eurovision
May 17, 2025 at 8:23 PM
The BSL during Finland was sensational #Eurovision
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
New nightmare fuel: zombie cave-spider fungus
Newly discovered fungal species makes zombies of cave spiders on island of Ireland
Dr. Harry Evans, Emeritus Fellow at CAB International, led scientists—including from the Natural History Museum of Denmark and Royal Botanical Gardens Kew—in a study to investigate the identity of a f...
phys.org
January 30, 2025 at 8:16 AM
New nightmare fuel: zombie cave-spider fungus
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
Dear Santa,
You didn’t get me the thesaurus I asked for and now I’m mad. You made me really mad. I’m mad at you
You didn’t get me the thesaurus I asked for and now I’m mad. You made me really mad. I’m mad at you
December 25, 2024 at 2:10 PM
Dear Santa,
You didn’t get me the thesaurus I asked for and now I’m mad. You made me really mad. I’m mad at you
You didn’t get me the thesaurus I asked for and now I’m mad. You made me really mad. I’m mad at you
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
The other swans aren't gonna believe this
December 16, 2024 at 12:50 PM
The other swans aren't gonna believe this
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
What Joe Bloggs (just normal men) are known as in seven different languages:
7. Joe Little Carrot (Slovak)
6. Otto Normalconsumer (German)
5. Wang Number Five (Mandarin)
4. Average Svensson (Swedish)
3. Name Nameson (Danish)
2. Mid-range Vasya (Russian)
1. Statistical Kowalski (Polish)
7. Joe Little Carrot (Slovak)
6. Otto Normalconsumer (German)
5. Wang Number Five (Mandarin)
4. Average Svensson (Swedish)
3. Name Nameson (Danish)
2. Mid-range Vasya (Russian)
1. Statistical Kowalski (Polish)
December 4, 2024 at 4:22 PM
What Joe Bloggs (just normal men) are known as in seven different languages:
7. Joe Little Carrot (Slovak)
6. Otto Normalconsumer (German)
5. Wang Number Five (Mandarin)
4. Average Svensson (Swedish)
3. Name Nameson (Danish)
2. Mid-range Vasya (Russian)
1. Statistical Kowalski (Polish)
7. Joe Little Carrot (Slovak)
6. Otto Normalconsumer (German)
5. Wang Number Five (Mandarin)
4. Average Svensson (Swedish)
3. Name Nameson (Danish)
2. Mid-range Vasya (Russian)
1. Statistical Kowalski (Polish)
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
Hoardings are up, maybe they’re finally going to finish the thing.
December 4, 2024 at 12:34 PM
Hoardings are up, maybe they’re finally going to finish the thing.
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
Korean kids don't even get a coup day off
Ministry of Education has decided not to close the schools (massive eyeroll)
December 3, 2024 at 4:39 PM
Korean kids don't even get a coup day off
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
What if I told you that the only reason I am bald is that I’m afraid of a Ratatouille situation? What if I told you that I’d have so much hair if not for the fear of a rat using me like a puppet? These are modes of control, Neo. This is how they manipulate us. Ratatouilles, Neo. Rats that pull hair.
December 2, 2024 at 3:36 AM
What if I told you that the only reason I am bald is that I’m afraid of a Ratatouille situation? What if I told you that I’d have so much hair if not for the fear of a rat using me like a puppet? These are modes of control, Neo. This is how they manipulate us. Ratatouilles, Neo. Rats that pull hair.
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
I believe the normal approach is to reshoot his scenes with Christopher Plummer?
"The BBC should consider pausing MasterChef while Gregg Wallace is investigated, an MP has suggested."
Gregg Wallace: BBC should consider pausing Masterchef over allegations, says Rupa Huq MP
Rupa Huq said the continued broadcast of the series could be triggering for the women involved.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 2, 2024 at 12:06 PM
I believe the normal approach is to reshoot his scenes with Christopher Plummer?
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
'London, Winter' (1928) by Christopher RW Nevinson
(London Museum)
(London Museum)
November 27, 2024 at 4:32 PM
'London, Winter' (1928) by Christopher RW Nevinson
(London Museum)
(London Museum)
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
People ask me how I produce such unimpressive pieces of origami. Well, the answer is twofold,
November 29, 2024 at 9:07 AM
People ask me how I produce such unimpressive pieces of origami. Well, the answer is twofold,
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
City Hall station, New York. This Art Nouveau metro station was closed on December 31, 1945
It gets regular maintenance to guard against things like water damage & vandalism but it's unused because the new subway trains are too long for the platform
Once or twice a year, railfan groups give tours.
It gets regular maintenance to guard against things like water damage & vandalism but it's unused because the new subway trains are too long for the platform
Once or twice a year, railfan groups give tours.
November 26, 2024 at 12:58 AM
City Hall station, New York. This Art Nouveau metro station was closed on December 31, 1945
It gets regular maintenance to guard against things like water damage & vandalism but it's unused because the new subway trains are too long for the platform
Once or twice a year, railfan groups give tours.
It gets regular maintenance to guard against things like water damage & vandalism but it's unused because the new subway trains are too long for the platform
Once or twice a year, railfan groups give tours.
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
Isle of Wight, western frontier of the Roman empire. A man walks into a mosaic shop. I’d like a design for my dining room, something that will impress my guests and show them what a cultured man I am.
Shop assistant. Certainly Sir. How about something from our chicken head man range? All the rage.
Shop assistant. Certainly Sir. How about something from our chicken head man range? All the rage.
November 26, 2024 at 8:25 AM
Isle of Wight, western frontier of the Roman empire. A man walks into a mosaic shop. I’d like a design for my dining room, something that will impress my guests and show them what a cultured man I am.
Shop assistant. Certainly Sir. How about something from our chicken head man range? All the rage.
Shop assistant. Certainly Sir. How about something from our chicken head man range? All the rage.
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
still my favourite scene from alien
November 25, 2024 at 12:32 PM
still my favourite scene from alien
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
Before & After: I don’t think people realize the extent to which parked cars degrade public space.
November 25, 2024 at 5:25 AM
Before & After: I don’t think people realize the extent to which parked cars degrade public space.
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
Emmanuel Macron annonce la panthéonisation de l’historien et résistant Marc Bloch
Emmanuel Macron annonce la panthéonisation de l’historien et résistant Marc Bloch
Le président de la République, qui s’exprimait au palais universitaire de Strasbourg, a également appelé à reconnaître et enseigner la tragédie des « malgré-nous », ces Alsaciens et Mosellans incorporés de force dans l’armée nazie.
www.lemonde.fr
November 23, 2024 at 12:19 PM
Emmanuel Macron annonce la panthéonisation de l’historien et résistant Marc Bloch
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
ordered cheese tortellini in beef broth at the Italian deli for lunch, which I believe counts as a soup and as we all know all soups are healthy, follow me for more diet tips
November 22, 2024 at 1:23 PM
ordered cheese tortellini in beef broth at the Italian deli for lunch, which I believe counts as a soup and as we all know all soups are healthy, follow me for more diet tips
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
Malawi is much closer to being food self-sufficient than Singapore, but Singapore is massively more food secure.
Please let's not fall for the "food security" thing for a rich open trading nation like the UK, seriously.
Please let's not fall for the "food security" thing for a rich open trading nation like the UK, seriously.
November 19, 2024 at 10:51 AM
Malawi is much closer to being food self-sufficient than Singapore, but Singapore is massively more food secure.
Please let's not fall for the "food security" thing for a rich open trading nation like the UK, seriously.
Please let's not fall for the "food security" thing for a rich open trading nation like the UK, seriously.
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
This is a slow moving thread of screaming and horrified city gates. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa #ScreamingCityGates
June 11, 2024 at 10:26 AM
This is a slow moving thread of screaming and horrified city gates. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa #ScreamingCityGates
Reposted by Gordon Douglass
I've just published an investigation on the Transport for London cyberattack:
-TfL was hit by a wave of subsequent cyber attacks
-Millions of pounds of overcharged fares may never be refunded
-Some TfL software coded to be compatible with Internet Explorer 6
www.londoncentric.media/p/an-utter-s...
-TfL was hit by a wave of subsequent cyber attacks
-Millions of pounds of overcharged fares may never be refunded
-Some TfL software coded to be compatible with Internet Explorer 6
www.londoncentric.media/p/an-utter-s...
"An utter shitshow": Inside the Transport for London cyberattack
A special edition of London Centric looking at what's gone wrong at Transport for London — and whether the disaster recovery is as positive as they say.
www.londoncentric.media
October 27, 2024 at 7:43 AM
I've just published an investigation on the Transport for London cyberattack:
-TfL was hit by a wave of subsequent cyber attacks
-Millions of pounds of overcharged fares may never be refunded
-Some TfL software coded to be compatible with Internet Explorer 6
www.londoncentric.media/p/an-utter-s...
-TfL was hit by a wave of subsequent cyber attacks
-Millions of pounds of overcharged fares may never be refunded
-Some TfL software coded to be compatible with Internet Explorer 6
www.londoncentric.media/p/an-utter-s...