Charles Flitcraft
@offmessage.com
How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks.
he/him. York, UK.
https://offmessage.com/
he/him. York, UK.
https://offmessage.com/
Terry Riley - You're No Good
YouTube video by carapan67
www.youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Many news stories recently have made me unutterably angry. The Free Birth Society one makes me unutterably unutterably sad. I just don't have the words.
November 25, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Many news stories recently have made me unutterably angry. The Free Birth Society one makes me unutterably unutterably sad. I just don't have the words.
Reposted by Charles Flitcraft
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by Charles Flitcraft
I am not sure there is a purer example of bureaucratic creep than G-Cloud. It started out as a breath of fresh air, but every iteration has added just a little more grit to the gears, and by the latest iteration you want to drive off a cliff rather than fill in their increasingly bizarre questions
November 21, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I am not sure there is a purer example of bureaucratic creep than G-Cloud. It started out as a breath of fresh air, but every iteration has added just a little more grit to the gears, and by the latest iteration you want to drive off a cliff rather than fill in their increasingly bizarre questions
Reposted by Charles Flitcraft
French 'National treasure', La Pascaline, pulled from auction as historical significance recognised.
Mathematician Blaise Pascal invented the calculating machine in 1642. Thought to be one of only eight remaining, the lot was expected to fetch £1.8mn.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Mathematician Blaise Pascal invented the calculating machine in 1642. Thought to be one of only eight remaining, the lot was expected to fetch £1.8mn.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Christie’s withdraws rare ‘first calculator’ from auction after French court halts export
Move comes after French scientists issued urgent appeal to prevent La Pascaline from leaving the country
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:29 AM
French 'National treasure', La Pascaline, pulled from auction as historical significance recognised.
Mathematician Blaise Pascal invented the calculating machine in 1642. Thought to be one of only eight remaining, the lot was expected to fetch £1.8mn.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Mathematician Blaise Pascal invented the calculating machine in 1642. Thought to be one of only eight remaining, the lot was expected to fetch £1.8mn.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
The eighties called, they'd like their restaurant back
November 19, 2025 at 9:41 PM
The eighties called, they'd like their restaurant back
I'm not alone in thinking this jewellery thing has.... resonances... am I?
November 17, 2025 at 1:06 PM
I'm not alone in thinking this jewellery thing has.... resonances... am I?
Reposted by Charles Flitcraft
My biggest fear when visiting a foreign country is that after a day of wandering I'll happen upon a little museum of me. Shuffling along with other tourists through rooms of my discarded effects and lost memories, unable to translate the labels. Learning nothing about myself.
November 16, 2025 at 8:32 AM
My biggest fear when visiting a foreign country is that after a day of wandering I'll happen upon a little museum of me. Shuffling along with other tourists through rooms of my discarded effects and lost memories, unable to translate the labels. Learning nothing about myself.
Reposted by Charles Flitcraft
Age yourself with gaming
November 12, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Age yourself with gaming
A VPN ban is the next logical step in this mess. How you distinguish "VPN vital to the cyber security of your firm" and "dirty shameful VPN" is a whole other matter, of course. Only endpoints in the UK allowed? Need a VAT number to buy one? Good luck with all that, none of it will work.
The British government admits it is now monitoring VPNs use by UK residents. Regulator Ofcom has contracted with an AI-powered surveillance service to detect the number of citizens using VPNs to evade the Online Safety Act.
The UK tech minister has said a VPN ban is on the table.
The UK tech minister has said a VPN ban is on the table.
Exclusive: Ofcom is monitoring VPNs following Online Safety Act. Here's how
Ignoring VPNs risks creating ineffective laws, but tracking them threatens people's privacy
www.techradar.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:01 AM
A VPN ban is the next logical step in this mess. How you distinguish "VPN vital to the cyber security of your firm" and "dirty shameful VPN" is a whole other matter, of course. Only endpoints in the UK allowed? Need a VAT number to buy one? Good luck with all that, none of it will work.
Fuck it, some days just need Fields of the Nephilim. Today is one of those days
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ors...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ors...
Fields of the Nephilim - For Her Light (Official Video)
YouTube video by Malo Te
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Fuck it, some days just need Fields of the Nephilim. Today is one of those days
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ors...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ors...
Given its contents you could certainly argue that @isotoma.com 's fridge is an archive.
Maybe we've been spending too much time with our friends at Cheshire, but sign us up for Team Fridge.
Hoping this helps our colleagues across the industry
November 10, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Given its contents you could certainly argue that @isotoma.com 's fridge is an archive.
Am hovering between £39.99 to buy a book vs £80 return to London to visit the British Library and read the bit I need there, but *trains!* and *a day in the British Library!*
November 10, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Am hovering between £39.99 to buy a book vs £80 return to London to visit the British Library and read the bit I need there, but *trains!* and *a day in the British Library!*
Never heard this version before (the 12 minute album version is on regular rotation), and never really thought of them as a 'live' band, either. TIL etc etc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI-k...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI-k...
Floating Points - Reflections - Mojave Desert - Kelso Dunes (Single edit)
YouTube video by Floating Points
www.youtube.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Never heard this version before (the 12 minute album version is on regular rotation), and never really thought of them as a 'live' band, either. TIL etc etc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI-k...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI-k...
Reposted by Charles Flitcraft
Margot Kidder in New York, photographed by Patrick Jarnoux, 1979. You will never be this cool. It’s simply not going to happen. Condolences.
December 14, 2024 at 3:18 PM
Margot Kidder in New York, photographed by Patrick Jarnoux, 1979. You will never be this cool. It’s simply not going to happen. Condolences.
Reposted by Charles Flitcraft
If you want to understand the emotional end intellectual malaise of British politics, this piece by @mjrobbins.com is a pretty good place to start. It effectively describes a country that has gone mad. open.substack.com/pub/martinro...
November 3, 2025 at 7:20 AM
If you want to understand the emotional end intellectual malaise of British politics, this piece by @mjrobbins.com is a pretty good place to start. It effectively describes a country that has gone mad. open.substack.com/pub/martinro...
Reposted by Charles Flitcraft
I've been getting back into the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series after many years, and the most relatable part is how everyday objects like doors and elevators have been imbued with artificial intelligence and it just makes them obnoxious and frustrating to use and everyone hates it.
November 1, 2025 at 8:55 PM
I've been getting back into the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series after many years, and the most relatable part is how everyday objects like doors and elevators have been imbued with artificial intelligence and it just makes them obnoxious and frustrating to use and everyone hates it.
Reposted by Charles Flitcraft
My Brutalist Christmas cards are back by popular demand!
Get yours here www.gailmyerscough.co.uk/christmas-ca...
Get yours here www.gailmyerscough.co.uk/christmas-ca...
October 30, 2025 at 7:02 PM
My Brutalist Christmas cards are back by popular demand!
Get yours here www.gailmyerscough.co.uk/christmas-ca...
Get yours here www.gailmyerscough.co.uk/christmas-ca...
Now that's a party invite
October 28, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Now that's a party invite
Reposted by Charles Flitcraft
One area where AI has a lot of potential is in weather forecasting and climate modelling.
Fairly accurate weather forecasting, in particular, is something that many of us now take for granted.
From my latest Substack: www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/artificial...
Fairly accurate weather forecasting, in particular, is something that many of us now take for granted.
From my latest Substack: www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/artificial...
Artificial intelligence could dramatically improve weather forecasting
An AI-based model outperformed every other in forecasting the Indian monsoon this year. This helped millions of farmers.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:34 AM
One area where AI has a lot of potential is in weather forecasting and climate modelling.
Fairly accurate weather forecasting, in particular, is something that many of us now take for granted.
From my latest Substack: www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/artificial...
Fairly accurate weather forecasting, in particular, is something that many of us now take for granted.
From my latest Substack: www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/artificial...
Reposted by Charles Flitcraft
It's the Fesshole/Vagina Museum crossover event you've all been waiting for. Tons of you tagged us into this across all of our socials, asking for a fact-check. The consensus of the reply guys is that it Didn't Happen. However, this is in fact very possible. Here's why...
October 28, 2025 at 10:48 AM
It's the Fesshole/Vagina Museum crossover event you've all been waiting for. Tons of you tagged us into this across all of our socials, asking for a fact-check. The consensus of the reply guys is that it Didn't Happen. However, this is in fact very possible. Here's why...