iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Five years ago, Juliette and I were approached to contribute a chapter to this Oxford Handbook of Allegory. We submitted three years ago. It is finally out, and our chapter on 'Allegory and the Absurd in Post-1950 Drama' is half-way in. global.oup.com/academic/pro...

global.oup.com

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

Heading to the Bolton Octagon to see Waiting for Godot. Taking the boys for their first experience of SB.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Back to Leeds for the last ever weekend of Practical Essays.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

I’ve just found this old self-portrait from 1989 of 22 year-old me.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Lovely to get Scatter volume 2. But, shouldn’t that say 1991-7 on the spine? @timbowness.bsky.social @stevenwilsonhq.bsky.social Nonetheless, looking forward to spinning.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Companies that currently have licenses to mine for minerals in Greenland: Amaroq Minerals Ltd. (Canada); Greenland Resources Inc. (Canada); GreenRoc Strategic Materials Plc / Greenland Graphite a/s (UK); Energy Transition Minerals Ltd (Australia); Ironbark Zinc Limited (Australia). US: not yet.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

The two instances when Peter Gabriel’s cover of Bowie’s Heroes is played in Stranger Things (S1 and S3) is following the believed death of a character who subsequently is discovered to be alive. Just saying.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

Between When Doves Cry and the eponymous closing song on the second side of Prince’s Purple Rain LP, are the tracks Baby I’m a Star and, notably, I Would Die 4 U. #strangerthings

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

TBF, life kind of feels like there’s always a secret traitor somewhere in the background.

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Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

🧵How much should the NHS worry about this winter's flu wave? You may have seen this alarming headline on the BBC website today... I think it's too early to make this claim and the data does not support it. I think it will be a bad flu season but no evidence to think worse than previous yrs 1/8

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 06/12/2025

Don’t do Spotify, but Apple Music is summing up my conservative tastes.

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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

This is incredibly grim

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

My 14-year old lad insists that there needs to be a Wild Opera vinyl release, and has designed the deluxe edition tracklisting. Just in case you needed a nudge @timbowness.bsky.social and @stevenwilsonhq.bsky.social

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Methuen Drama @methuendrama.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

“Reliably excellent.” – The Year's Work in Critical & Cultural Theory Interested in contributing to the Methuen Drama Engage series, edited by Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social & Enoch Brater? We’re welcoming proposals now. Details here: bit.ly/3T7T6tG

Methuen Drama Engage series Call for Proposals with book jackets

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

There were a lot of people hanging about in Shipley market square last night.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

Prog rock trivia. It is now the same amount of time since the last Genesis studio album as there was between their first and that last studio album.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

More time has elapsed between the release of the Beatles’ Anthology series and the new Anthology 4 this year, than between the Beatles disbanding and that first 3 Anthology releases.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

Me (1985), my son (2025), same @marillion.com t-shirt, same garden.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

Watching Live Aid in iPlayer. I was 18 and it was the summer before going to university. Looking back, even the old people look young. The oldest songs performed were only twenty years old or so at that time.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

The coffee at the Greek Corner in Shipley is reliably good. Thought I’d try the baklava today. Fantastic, but at £6.50 it needs to be! (Yes, I checked).

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

Thinking back to the Oasis/Blur rivalry, and how it was paralleled to the Beatles/Stones in the media if the time. Despite their overt homages to the Beatles, Oasis played The Rolling Stones role in that parallel. They had none of the invention, eclecticism and progression, which Blur so clearly did

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

The British national anthem, God save the King/Queen* originally contained a verse about crushing the Scots. Don't sing it at Glastonbury. *Delete as appropriate

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Yesterday was the 125th anniversary of the birth of Antiine de Saint-Exupéry, author of Le Petit Prince, the first book I ever translated (as a gift to my then girlfriend). “You are forever responsible toward those you have tamed”.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Romana II - Princess Astra The Master - Consul Tremas 6th Doctor - Commander Maxil 12th Doctor - Lobus Caecilius 16th Doctor - Rose Tyler? #regenerationadoptions

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University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 25/05/2025

At #UCU2025 we passed motions to reaffirm our commitment to trans rights. We’ll keep fighting for inclusive spaces, supportive policies and real solidarity. #TransRightsAreHumanRights #UCU2025 #UnionPower

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University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 26/05/2025

#UCU2025 congress has passed a motion to prepare to raise a formal dispute with the Education Secretary over the devastating funding crisis in higher education. Our message is clear: if Labour won’t intervene, we will. #UCU2025 #ProtectEducationNow #UnionPower #Post16Crisis #HigherEducation

Motion passed to raise a dispute with the education secretary over the goverment's failure to fund our sector

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

Absolute scenes in Liverpool. Celebrations everywhere. Some kind of football thing. Not a language I speak, so can’t translate. Great vibe.

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University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 26/05/2025

#UCU2025 Congress has voted to raise a trade dispute with the government. @drjogrady.bsky.social On BBC Radio 4 this morning our general secretary @drjogrady.bsky.social lays out the stark reality of the crisis facing our sector

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

Definitely checking this out. Probably not first date material.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Getting the train to the wrong side of the Pennines to the glorious port of Liverpool for the UCU congress. HE and FE need a solid set of resolutions in the current climate.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

I had fun watching the practical presentations of the Avant Garde Theatre students of the University of Lincoln yesterday. From Dada to the Absurd, via Artaud and biomechanics. Thinking and articulating through practice is not easy. Great work.

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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

This is a clear cut coordination policy intended to force independent institutions into loyalty with the regime. It is obviously the behaviour of an authoritarian state and anyone who claims otherwise needs their fucking head examined www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

theguardian.com

Trump administration halts Harvard’s ability to enroll international students

Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem posts copy of department’s letter to university on X

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

A day at the University of Lincoln to watch students’ creative practice.

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Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

“I woke up with a sense of dread…” A moving, deeply personal account from an EU citizen in Cambridge on how Labour’s new rhetoric is shaking people’s sense of belonging. Don’t miss this powerful open letter. 👇

eastangliabylines.co.uk

Letter: We are not strangers

Letter to the editor

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

Anagapesis is the sad condition that might first promote the breakdown of a relationship, and becomes then the goal of the discarded person. It is the nirvana of post-break-up experience. It is naturally resisted, but necessarily achieved.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

Elder son decided to make a butterscotch cake. Result.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 04/05/2025

Today I walked with a group of friends, across the moors, from Saltaire to Ilkley. Bar t’at an’ all. #yorkshire

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

I brought Anna’s bear and a birthday bun to her woodland grave today.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Today should have been my daughter’s 16th birthday.

My hand holding my daughter’s tiny hand in hospital.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 30/04/2025

The time of year when the cat chases the sunbeams.

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Mark Pendleton @markpendleton.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Proud as always of our union’s unequivocal support of trans people. There’s also a demo Friday afternoon at 3pm in Manchester. Hope to see many of you there.

Trans rights peaceful protest. Friday 18th April. Meet: St Peter’s Square, 3pm. All LGBTQIA+ and allies welcome.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Pickle locates and occupies the sunlight.

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