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Michael Merriman (he/him)

@hyperion4001.bsky.social
309 followers 729 following 107 posts

Geek, Gamer, Project Manager, Trade Union Activist, Unashamed Leftie, Liberal Christian, Proud Scot & occasional Kung-Fu Panda look-alike. All views are my own.

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Reposted by Michael Merriman (he/him)
Shannon McSheffrey @medievalmcsheff.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been Lives in a dream Waits at the window Wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door Who is it for? [Eleanor's ancestor, Elena Rigby, widow, appears in London record 1520, Letter Book N fol. 173r]
Manuscript handwriting, with words "Elena Rigby, vidua," which means Ellen Rigby, widow.
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CAKE @thebandcake.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
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Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Started watching Sky’s War Game last night where Michael Gove is the PM during the Russian attack and I’m afraid it is just very difficult to watch it without thinking of this, one of the great cartoons ever published
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Smooth Dunk @smoothdunk2.bsky.social · 02/02/2025
Wile E. Coyote Finally Kills Road Runner Then Immediately Wishes He Hadn’t
4 panel comic

Panel 1: Wile E. Coyote has finally murdered Road Runner by crushing him under a massive boulder

Panel 2: Wile celebrates his long sought after victory

Panel 3: Wile steps out from behind the boulder and is immediately confronted by Columbo who says “Mr. Coyote” in his typically annoying but persistent manner

Panel 4: Columbo calls his name again. Panicked, Wile retreats quickly behind the boulder, but in his heart of hearts, he knows it will do no good. In about two hours he’ll be going to prison. And not cartoon prison. Human prison.
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Claire Bygrave @clairebygrave.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Just saw this.. thought of Bodmin..
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Asher Wolf @asherwolf.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The future of automation is here!
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Nothings Monstered @nothingsmonstrd.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Rat Purse — Paul Frey, 20th C. brass, ruby
A brass Queen purse in the shape of a rat the body of the Rat is around bag of chainmail with four little rat legs coming off of it there's a rat tail at the end and the Rats I is a bright red thanks to a little speck of Ruby
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Bethany Black @bethanyblack.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
One of my favourite things from Green Lantern, when the Green Lantern Corps found a species in a sector with no light so the idea of a lantern or the colour green made no sense, so when Rot Lop Fan joined the Corps their oath was tailored to them. He joined the F Sharp Bell Corps
Rot Lop Fin says his oath “IN LOUDEST DIN OR
HUSH PROFOUND
MY EARS CATCH EVILS
SLIGHTEST SOUND
LET THOSE WHO TOL OUT EVIL’s KNELL
BEWARE MY POWER:
THE F-SHARP BELL!”
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Tim Morton @timmorton2.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Once more with feeling, can His Majesty’s Government please leave X, formally known as Twitter? @andyburnham.bsky.social @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social @heidialexander.bsky.social @lizforleicester.bsky.social @yvettecooper-mp.bsky.social @miattafahnbulleh.bsky.social @jessphillipsmp.bsky.social
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Berin Szóka @berinszoka.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Photo of the decade: AfD leader Alice Weidel
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Sophie Heawood @heawood.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Very funny description of Diana Rigg not giving up smoking (as written by her daughter, in Vogue)
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Aida 🇵🇷🇺🇸🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🇺🇦🐾🌊🦋🗽💙🐸 @latina4jesusdshw.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Yup! #Pinks #USDemocracy
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In Otter News @in-otter-news.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
.
Description: A photo of Steve the otter reaching his paw through a small round hole in a glass barrier to gently touch a person’s outstretched hand in a softly focused, naturalistic setting.

Text in image: “When you’re trying to love people but you’re also an introvert and have boundaries”
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Richard Littler @richardlittler.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
When I lived in Dublin there was a video rental shop around the corner from me with a sign in the window that read: 'Price Deal! 1 movie €2.50 per night or 2 movies for €5'.
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AFP News Agency @en.afp.com · 29/08/2026
🇯🇵 Thousands move Japan’s historic Hirosaki castle with ropes Chanting in unison, hundreds of volunteers in northern Japan have been heaving on ropes to pull a 400-tonne castle back towards its original position.
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Richard Kadrey @richardkadrey.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
For those who might have forgotten, Dolly was always punk as fuck
"I made jokes about it, but it's the truth that I kind of patterned my look after the town tramp. I didn't know who she was, just this woman who was blonde and piled her hair up, wore high heels and tight skirts, and, boy, she was the prettiest thing I've ever seen. Mama used to say, 'Aw, she's just trash,' and I thought, That's what I want to be when I grow up. Trash."
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James Wallis @jameswallis.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Absolute longshot: I'm looking for Euan Smith who drew artwork for White Dwarf magazine in the mid 1980s and therefore is probably British and probably in his late 50s or 60s. Do you or did you know him?
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Count Binface @countbinface.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
A brief note for Nadhim Zahawi.
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Picture This Scotland @74frankfurt.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Eilean Glas lighthouse on the island of Scalpay, Outer Hebrides. Pic: IG/thedoncor1
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👻madeline bOoOoOoOodent👻 @oldenoughtosay.com · 07/08/2026
ah yes the two genders
A green sainsbos caterpillar cake but also now there’s a pink one for some reason
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Johnathan Perkins @johnathanperk.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Please enjoy these tiny bleps. Our gift to you, during these trying times.
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Nigel Farage just took a question from a 'journalist' at his press conference, who turned out to be his former chief adviser Raheem Kassam, who asks him why the media are being so unfair to him
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Sir Michael Take CBE @sirmichaeltake.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Hmmmm… Will RichardTice now be calling a by-election in his constituency so he can fight against a bin? 🤔
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
We should never forget how the BBC has changed this country by giving endless airtime to Nigel Farage and other rightwing extremists, while shutting out progressive voices.
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Charlie Stross @cstross.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Thought for the day: It never ceases to amaze me how today's techbros' vision of the future they want defaults to fully automated leopard-face-chomping neo-feudalism rather than fully automated luxury gay space communism.
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Neil Mackay @neilmackay.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
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Chad Loder @chadloder.dev · 19/07/2026
Oh my god
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
State Pension age to rise to 68 for 5m Britons years earlier than expected. Many physically won't be able to work. Longer NHS queues. Many won't live long enough to draw the pension, wealth transferred to the rich who live longer. Cull of the working class. Rich can retire whenever they want.
independent.co.uk
Millions to retire later under state pension age increase plans
Around five millions workers could lose out under the plans, according to a report by the Office for Budget Responsibility
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Gillian Mackay - Scottish Greens @gillianmackaygreen.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Today marks the 90th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War. A total of 549 Scots volunteered to fight in Spain. Proportionally more Scots volunteered than from any other country. We still have a lot of work to do in Scotland to tackle fascism, racism, and all forms of discrimination.
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Athena Kugblenu @athenakugblenu.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
It's funny because MPs lives became unsafe around the same time as Nigel Farage entered the political arena on a platform of racism and hate. I wonder if there's a connection
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
After Zia Yusuf accuses critics of endangering Reform politicians with violent language, he is read a list of quotes where he called Reform's opponents "lunatics who deserve extinction", "sick arsonists" and "traitors" who will face a "reckoning". He says these are in "a totally different category"
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Euan @euan.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
support England? the thing that would make Douglas Alexander happy!?
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Euan @euan.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
surely this shows even the most die hard England fan why we just can’t
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🎃 The AbominaSean 🧟‍♂️ @sean8urson.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
"You come up with a slogan for the ice cream shop?" "Sure did boss, real fuckin haunting just like you asked." "what"
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Kara Jane Adams @ghostinexile.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Rowling’s greatest trick appears to pulling focus away from groups like The Christian Institute, Christian Concern, The Christian Legal Centre, etc. She gets the headlines and performs the public stunts, whilst they get to operate without any noticeable level of scrutiny.
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elia ayoub @ayoub.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
So I’m in Belfast
“We love Israel: never give up” and “Charlie Kirk: no Surrender”
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elia ayoub @ayoub.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Jesus. 35 UK universities quietly- without debate - joined the Ministry of Defence’s “Battlefield Alliance” which seeks to “reorientate academia towards Defence and National Security” They’re destroying the social sciences and humanities while militarising the institutions
• Durham University
• Newcastle University
• Northumbria University
• Lancaster University
• University of Cumbria
• University of Lancashire
• University of Liverpool
• University of Manchester
• University of Huddersfield
• University of Sheffield
• University of York
• Loughborough University
• University of Lincoln
• University of Nottingham
• Aston University
• University of Birmingham
• University of Warwick
• King's College London
• Kingston University
• Queen Mary University of London
• University College London
• University of Oxford
• University of Portsmouth
• University of Surrey
• University of Bath
• University of Bristol
• University of Exeter
• University of Plymouth
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Glasgow
• University of Strathclyde
• Cardiff University
• Swansea University
• Queens University Belfast
• Cranfield UniversityFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
14 July 2026
UK Universities Betray Public Trust by Joining MoD's 'Battlefield Advantage' Alliance
Without Debate
A coalition of campaign groups has accused UK universities of quietly integrating themselves into Britain's defence infrastructure after 35 institutions signed up to the Ministry of Defence's Defence Universities Alliance (DUA).
The Ministry of Defence says the alliance aims to "reorientate academia towards Defence and National Security", strengthen links between universities and the defence sector, and translate research into "battlefield advantage".
Campaigners say the move represents a significant shift in the role of higher education and has taken place without meaningful public debate.
Among the founding members are the University of Oxford, University College London, King's College London, the University of Manchester, the University of Edinburgh, Cardiff University and Queen's University Belfast.
"We are witnessing the formal incorporation of Britain's universities into the defence ecosystem," said Jinsella Kennaway, Founder and Executive Director of Demilitarise Education.
"The Ministry of Defence is explicit about its intentions. Universities exist to advance knowledge and foster critical inquiry, not to become pipelines for military research and defence recruitment.
Students and staff deserve to know who agreed to this and why."
Campaigners are calling on all 35 universities to publish the governance documents and board minutes relating to their decision to join the alliance, and to explain whether staff and students were consulted.
Many UK universities already maintain relationships with major defence companies, including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Leonardo, Thales, Lockheed Martin and QinetiQ. Critics argue that the DUA formalises and accelerates the integration of academia, industry and the state.
The coalition warns that, at a time of rising defence spending, universities risk becoming increasingly aligned with governme…
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John Bull @garius.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
A significant part of podcast editing is removing people saying "that's a great question actually"
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Michael Merriman (he/him) @hyperion4001.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Why can't companies offer an option out to England football nonsense like they do for Christmas, Mother's Day and Father's Day? As a Scot, the entitled "true spirit of 66", "it's coming home", "Ingurland" is tiresome and annoying, I'm not going to buy from you, so why not let me opt out?
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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Least surprising poll finding you’ll ever see: 73 per cent of people think that the investigation into Nigel Farage’s finances should continue even if he wins the Clacton by-election.
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Lee Hurley @hleehurley.com · 10/07/2026
Apparently Dr Mary Ann Stephenson, head of the EHRC was 'shocked' in a meeting with Unison when presented, by a trans rep, with 600 examples of documented harm (supplied by members) resulting from the UK's anti-trans policies. Has offered to work with the Union, although not clear what that means
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Reform Party UK Exposed @reformexposed.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Finish him, Count Binface.
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Poster promoting Count Binface, in the famous Obama style
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eva (^_^)/ @eva.computer · 08/07/2026
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𝔾𝕆ℝ𝔸ℕ @gorangligovic.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
there's a saying down our way that translates to "a crook does not believe honesty exists" and I think it's spot on
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Richard Kadrey @richardkadrey.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Good morning
Being an artist requires only two things: 
<a partially obscured wall in a supply shop that seems to read Art Supplies & Pain>
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Tits McGee @scientits.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
‘Say yes and never do it’ Mel Brooks knew how to deal with the studios
You have some wonderful stories of basically getting away with stuff at the studios.

I’d learned one very simple trick: say yes. Simply say yes. Like Joseph E. Levine, on “The Producers,” said, “The curly-haired guy—he’s funny looking. Fire him.” He wanted me to fire Gene Wilder. And I said, “Yes, he’s gone. I’m firing him.” I never did. But he forgot. After the screening of “Blazing Saddles,” the head of Warner Bros. threw me into the manager’s office, gave me a legal pad and a pencil, and gave me maybe twenty notes. He would have changed “Blazing Saddles” from a daring, funny, crazy picture to a stultified, dull, dusty old Western. He said, “No farting.” I said, “It’s out.”That’s probably the most famous scene in the movie, the campfire scene.

I know. He said, “You can’t punch a horse.” I said, “You’ll never see it again.” I kept saying, “You’re absolutely right. It’s out!” Then, when he left, I crumpled up all his notes, and I tossed it in the wastepaper basket. And John Calley, who was running [production at] Warner Bros. at the time, said, “Good filing.” That was the end of it. You say yes, and you never do it.

That’s great advice for life.

It is. Don’t fight them. Don’t waste your time struggling with them and trying to make sense to them. They’ll never understand.
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Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
I asked Norman Rockwell's granddaughter, Daisy Rockwell, about this use of her grandfather's work. She writes: "It goes without saying that they have completely misunderstood the meaning of the painting, which is tolerance for others and peaceful coexistence."
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