Rupert Cocke
@rupertcocke.bsky.social
Barcelona-based journalist for Mergermarket. Views my own. You can see my free weekly blog on thinking critically about the news at https://sharpenyouraxe.substack.com/ If you want to start a debate with me, please ask first!
I always have massive respect for musicians who can have a run of three perfect albums in a row. D'Angelo is on that list! May he rest in peace.
October 16, 2025 at 9:32 AM
I always have massive respect for musicians who can have a run of three perfect albums in a row. D'Angelo is on that list! May he rest in peace.
Great use of the word "almost"
September 10, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Great use of the word "almost"
Notice anything different about me?
July 1, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Notice anything different about me?
If anyone in Barcelona wants a plan for the rest of the bank holiday, the Sean Scully exhibition in la Pedrera is excellent
May 1, 2025 at 1:30 PM
If anyone in Barcelona wants a plan for the rest of the bank holiday, the Sean Scully exhibition in la Pedrera is excellent
It's like the "two buttons" meme... If you think "Catalan is for locals only," then you lose the right to get upset if newcomers keep speaking Spanish. If you think everyone should speak Catalan, then you need to help the people who want to learn!
April 19, 2025 at 9:43 AM
It's like the "two buttons" meme... If you think "Catalan is for locals only," then you lose the right to get upset if newcomers keep speaking Spanish. If you think everyone should speak Catalan, then you need to help the people who want to learn!
This is the prompt for ChatGPT: "Create a 3D toy action figure of a man/woman named xxxx, depicted as a xxxx. He/She should be holding xxxx and a xxxxx. Style it like a collectible vinyl toy, inside a detailed toy package with his/her name on the front. Professional but playful design."
April 16, 2025 at 9:51 AM
This is the prompt for ChatGPT: "Create a 3D toy action figure of a man/woman named xxxx, depicted as a xxxx. He/She should be holding xxxx and a xxxxx. Style it like a collectible vinyl toy, inside a detailed toy package with his/her name on the front. Professional but playful design."
From 3rd November 2024
April 7, 2025 at 4:10 PM
From 3rd November 2024
If anyone in Barcelona wants a fun idea for the long weekend, the MiróMatisse exhibition in the Miró museum is rather excellent. It is great seeing the works of two loveable artists, who appreciated and inspired each other, side by side.
December 7, 2024 at 2:16 PM
If anyone in Barcelona wants a fun idea for the long weekend, the MiróMatisse exhibition in the Miró museum is rather excellent. It is great seeing the works of two loveable artists, who appreciated and inspired each other, side by side.
Google News brings up zero recent stories in English about Victor de Aldama, a Spanish fixer. His testimony in court yesterday, packed with allegations of widespread corruption throughout the Socialist administration, was so explosive that it could bring down the government.
November 22, 2024 at 7:09 AM
Google News brings up zero recent stories in English about Victor de Aldama, a Spanish fixer. His testimony in court yesterday, packed with allegations of widespread corruption throughout the Socialist administration, was so explosive that it could bring down the government.
One of the strangest things about living in Spain is walking past the tobacco shops just before Halloween. Why do they think it's a good idea to fill the window with skeletons and skulls?
October 30, 2024 at 8:27 PM
One of the strangest things about living in Spain is walking past the tobacco shops just before Halloween. Why do they think it's a good idea to fill the window with skeletons and skulls?
Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #1,692,870!
September 17, 2024 at 6:19 AM
Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #1,692,870!
Cooper is a Holocaust revisionist
September 4, 2024 at 6:24 AM
Cooper is a Holocaust revisionist
Kamala Harris has picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. He is responsible for making the word "weird" have a viral moment as a way of describing Donald Trump and his own VC pick JD Vance.
August 6, 2024 at 2:43 PM
Kamala Harris has picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. He is responsible for making the word "weird" have a viral moment as a way of describing Donald Trump and his own VC pick JD Vance.
I dressed up as the Spanish stereotype of a tourist ("un guiri") last year. A friend of mine just sent me this rather spectacular Photoshop...
May 2, 2024 at 8:49 AM
I dressed up as the Spanish stereotype of a tourist ("un guiri") last year. A friend of mine just sent me this rather spectacular Photoshop...
Could a corruption scandal involving Spain's Socialists ("el caso Koldo") bring down the government? PM Pedro Sánchez's coalition lacks a working majority and his regular partners might be unwilling to support him in a no-confidence vote. Meanwhile, the PP is ahead in the polls.
February 27, 2024 at 7:23 AM
Could a corruption scandal involving Spain's Socialists ("el caso Koldo") bring down the government? PM Pedro Sánchez's coalition lacks a working majority and his regular partners might be unwilling to support him in a no-confidence vote. Meanwhile, the PP is ahead in the polls.
Why is it that "un tinto de verano con torreznos" sounds cool but "a red wine spritzer with pork scratchings" doesn't?
January 20, 2024 at 8:43 PM
Why is it that "un tinto de verano con torreznos" sounds cool but "a red wine spritzer with pork scratchings" doesn't?
When Junts and the Socialists cut a deal in November, it clearly flagged an independence referendum. When I mentioned this on BSKY, an Irish lefty called me "a demented Brit."
January 16, 2024 at 10:48 AM
When Junts and the Socialists cut a deal in November, it clearly flagged an independence referendum. When I mentioned this on BSKY, an Irish lefty called me "a demented Brit."
I managed to get four new Barcelona transport cards for the whole family this morning. It took more than three hours and was my third attempt. Those of you who live outside Catalonia might not realise quite how impressive it is to get to the end of this ordeal!
December 27, 2023 at 12:57 PM
I managed to get four new Barcelona transport cards for the whole family this morning. It took more than three hours and was my third attempt. Those of you who live outside Catalonia might not realise quite how impressive it is to get to the end of this ordeal!
Vox received 12% of the vote in Spain's elections in July. Many voters see the party's leaders as neo-fascists pretending to be hardline conservatives. In this context, yesterday's threatening comments from party leader Santiago Abascal were a tactical mistake, as well as wrong.
December 12, 2023 at 8:51 AM
Vox received 12% of the vote in Spain's elections in July. Many voters see the party's leaders as neo-fascists pretending to be hardline conservatives. In this context, yesterday's threatening comments from party leader Santiago Abascal were a tactical mistake, as well as wrong.
The highlight of the debate in Spain was PM Pedro Sánchez telling everyone to read more Machiavelli. We all suspected him of being Machiavellian (self-interested, manipulative and uninterested in principles), right?
November 16, 2023 at 2:02 PM
The highlight of the debate in Spain was PM Pedro Sánchez telling everyone to read more Machiavelli. We all suspected him of being Machiavellian (self-interested, manipulative and uninterested in principles), right?