@lartonmedia.bsky.social
Day job is journalism and PR to finance an expensive stationery habit. Recovering sports writer. Main topic of conversation is rugby, with media and music not far behind. Co-editor of www.crimereview.co.uk.
Journalist friends, please respond to the UK government's consultation on late payments and poor practices. The NUJ has responses to help your submission. This is an important opportunity for every freelance journalist. #StopTheFreelanceRipOff: nuj.org.uk/resource/stop-the-freelance-rip-off.html
Thursday night and I’m settling down to watch Pro D2 rugby on YouTube. Tonight it’s Grenoble v Nevers. And it’s free to view! www.youtube.com/live/eWK4JyX...
High spot of Thursday night - watching French Pro D2 rugby. Tonight it’s Agen v Grenoble. The enterprising lads at FR-UK Rugby have negotiated a deal to screen one match a week on YouTube. And it’s free!
A new record has been set for deep cave dives in Ireland and the UK. Read the story on Darkness Below. darknessbelow.co.uk/jim-dives-to...
I’d be interested in people’s views. If someone is constantly doing the hard sell in your LinkedIn direct messages, do you warn them or just ditch them?
Great idea. I have a lot of happy memories of that building. www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2025/news/ar...
Rugby multitasking - watching Harlequins v Bristol in the PWR on the laptop and Ospreys v Leinster on my phone.
Nope. The biggest problem is deeply ignorant bigots like this,
I made a starter pack for NUJ London Freelance branch members, committee, and union officials.
NUJ members on Bluesky - please join and share!
#StrongerTogether #JoinAUnion
go.bsky.app/JyaRxx
My current take on AI is that you need a human between the AI and the consumer, otherwise it feels uncanny. Use AI to plan a presentation but not give it. Use it in business but don't give customers a chatbot. Use it to analyse information but not relay it. Don't shove it in people's faces.
Can anyone name an England match in living memory where Elliot Daly put in an influential performance? Nah, me neither. It’s a missed opportunity to try someone like Joe Carpenter.
That’s me in the stationery shop!
Whoever this is commenting on Premier Sports on the Gloucester v Scarlets match should know that Gloucester captain is Lewis Ludlow and not Lewis Ludlum. Matt Banahan, the former Bath and Gloucester player, is co-commentator. Can he please wave a note under the bloke’s nose to put him right!
Ugh, Columbia, even. Blame sausage fingers …
I watched half the programme and then bailed out. I was underwhelmed. And I wanted to add my usual caveat: there are experts at unis apart from Oxford/Cambridge/Colombia …
I can hear an English scholar friend fulminating about the misuse of the Dark Ages term!
Just settling down to listen to this. I’m listening out for my former colleague, the very splendid @christopherpittard.bsky.social .
Gizza!!!!!
Ha! Same here! Happy new year, Ian.
Not surprised if the Mercer story is true. Lousy news about Fasogbon, who looks the real deal.
Absolutely lousy night’s sleep so I’m in Costa early doors with coffee and a cinnamon bun. I’ve got a book on user-generated content and journalism to review. Happy new year, Bluesky friends.
and quibbling over how long Sammy Arnold of Newcastle will be out. That’s really shoddy behaviour - it was a nailed-on red card and a reckless tackle. And Saracens wonder why people dislike them.
So a month after the red card for dangerous play, we finally hear that Saracens’ Hugh Tizard has been banned for 12 games (cut to six because he’s apparently a nice boy and also finally said sorry). The delay appears to be down to Saracens calling in an independent surgeon …
Blimey, that was efficient. I applied for a new passport on Wednesday afternoon. It arrived this morning.
I’d dearly like to know what the verdict was on Hugh Tizard’s red card when Saracens lost to Newcastle on Nov 29. I can’t see a decision from an RFU disciplinary hearing. @charliemorgan.bsky.social and @crichardsontel.bsky.social , have you heard anything?
Another exclusive from the Telegraph rugby lads on the RFU saga. Now the National One clubs have waded in and demanded an examination into the sport’s management. 11/14 teams signed the letter. Looks like B’ham Moseley, Darlington MP and Bishop’s Stortford didn’t. I wonder why not.
Blimey! I’ve very bravely nabbed the Kindle edition for £1.99. I haven’t heard of either the author or the book. Hold my ankles … I’m going in!
If you’ve got your feet up this weekend (I’m reclining regally with a mug of green tea and a piece of chocolate yule log to hand), please catch up with the new edition of Crime Review. We’ve got ten new reviews and an interview with author Nadine Matheson. crimereview.co.uk/page.php/edi...
Not at all convinced by the RFU’s decision that the result in last Saturday’s Chinnor v Doncaster Championship match stands after the floodlights failed in the 68th minute. Score was 18-13, so Chinnor were hardly out of sight. I hope Doncaster appeal.