Travis Johnson

If you're into fairy folklore and related ephemera, this is an essential reference book. In fact, I just realised my old paperback seems to have disappeared, so that was an easy buy.

Ah! Spielberg's AI (and man, I had to wrack my brains for that one).

High-Rise surely counts but you're right, we've seen very few.

Wait what

What is surprising is how low the bar is. We thought it'd be some perfect simulation or, at the cruder end, a hot wire twisted into the hypothalamus. Instead it's Disney Princesses with seventeen fingers and Trump as a space marine or some shit.

The exact mechanism and capital's both-boots-in embrace is a bit outside the box, but the ol' electronic lotus eater machine is a well established trope.

But we did see it coming. Fucking WALL-E saw it coming.

BREAKING NEWS: many, many Americans.

Awesome!

A sign in a parking lot reads: NOTICE MUST BE CUSTOMER AT ALL TIMES

Welcome to America

Ah, an original Broccolini.

One of the more incredible stories out of LA this year has been how a taco review blog became the best on-the-ground coverage of ICE raids in the city.

They do a dispatch every day, follow-up on the kidnapped people (which almost no media outlet has done), and fact-check government claims.

Post from Threads user rodneyowl: "Ireland has declared the Basic Income for Artists scheme permanent. This will be officially announced in tomorrow’s budget. Details to follow. Congratulations to all who fought for it and the present and future artists of all sorts in Ireland. That includes me 👌We’re just comin to the end of a 3 year pilot scheme. It’s been a roaring success. For every €1 paid out to the 2000 participants, the government got €1.46 back. Can’t argue with that. Other countries are already taking note."

Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...

For every €1 provided through a Basic Income For Artists pilot program in Ireland, the government got €1.46 back. So it’s being made permanent.

Over and over we see it. It saves public money to provide public housing. And it makes public money to provide basic income.

We can’t afford to NOT do it.

I try not to share too much of this stuff, but this is psychopathic.

I swear to God, if you learn any five things about the defenders of the Alamo, you'll get a Santa Anna tattoo.

If we get some of that sweet "Davy Crockett died because he believed his own press" juice...

Oh, this is gonna be fun

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I keep a scrupulously curated timeline.

Genuinely need people to stop thinking that the Epstein Files are some kinda Holy Grail or, indeed, even the most important element in play right now.

Review: Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein Never Quite Comes To Life Frankenstein has long been Guillermo del Toro's dream project, but the lauded fantasist fails to bring the horror legend to life.

Frankenstein: I didn't care for it.

Just said the same thing. They gotta know.

Moisturiser and sunscreen every day.

A t-shirt listing everything Oliver Reed drank on the day he died while shooting Gladiator in Malta.

Mate of mine just got back from his brother's wedding in Malta. I asked him to pick something up for me, and the lad did not disappoint.

A press announcement reads: "2025 AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT! BEST DIRECTOR - SHORT FILM: MEREDITH BERG for TETHER (U.S.A.) "I would like to use film throughout my career to show our flaws but also to shine light on our strengths and opportunities. This isn’t a story about a perfect future. One could interpret the world of the story to be dystopic. But what’s important to me is that in the face of dystopia we find solace, community, and our best chance at survival through the support of those around us." - Meredith Berg"

Excited to announce I won "Best Director - Short Film" at the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival for my film "Tether" this weekend!!!! Thank you so much to @sydscififilmfest.bsky.social for the honor!

You can watch the trailer for Tether at bit.ly/tethertrailer
🥳 🥰 👨‍🚀

Tawny owl

Six weeks ago, I picked up a year-old tawny owl with a broken leg off the main road near our home and dropped him off at our nearest vet.

After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking “So when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧵

You have 37000 followers and said hating AI is eugenics.

Paddington in The Host (2007)

I Photoshop Paddington into a movie, TV show, or pop culture until I forget: Day 1665

There is zero chance of the US supporting its NATO allies if Europe goes up. Absolutely none. What's weird is everyone knows that.