iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Yup - The Set-Up starring Robert Ryan was "from the poem by Joseph Moncure March". (It's a belter of a movie). Its opening titles:

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

The other side of it is having to listen to hours of samey complaints about the heat while all the time thinking, 'You know, I don't find it so bad...'

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Or a clever reference to the first line of dialogue in 'Body Heat'? ANGELA (O.S.) My God, it's hot. I stepped out of the shower and stared sweating again.

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Reposted by Mike B

Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

I remember a time when "crypto-fascist" used to mean a fascist hiding their bigotry. Now it means a fascist, open about their bigotry, and funded by crypto.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Remembered how I know the name: he was the guy who published a hit piece on Martin Amis... just as his own book was being published. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyage_...

en.wikipedia.org

Voyage to the End of the Room - Wikipedia

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 13/12/2025

Thanks to a very kind xmas offer, Stuart at @babelcolour.bsky.social took a newly discovered 1906 photo of my gt grandfather in Prestwich Asylum (newly committed) and re-imagined it as if taken by modern photography. Quite the result. Gt grandf was held there 35 years #manchesterhistory #prestwich

Black and white mug shot of 33-year-old man taken in 1906.

Colour reconstruction of 1905 photo as if taken today, of 33-yr-old man in a garden.

Colour reconstruction of 1905 photo as if taken today, of 33-yr-old man with background of a glowing sunset.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

Yup, she "opposed the extension of abortion rights in Northern Ireland, citing her belief in the sanctity of life and concerns over the 24-week limit."

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

Maskell is my local MP and I'm suspicious about this: she recently got herself a bad reputation for her anti-abortion views, and for her opposition to assisted dying rights. Can't help but think some of this is performative on her part, obscuring the taste of her unpleasant social conservatism.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Apologies for getting Turville's county wrong. It's in fact in Buckinghamshire (although not far from Oxfordshire).

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

For those who know that bit of #Oxfordshire, it was filmed in the village of #Turville, which still looks remarkably untouched, down to the pub in the opening shot.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

Equally depressing that The Times today ran a story written by the far right liar/fantasist Toby Young. His presence on its front page might even have been a push too far for The Telegraph.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

Looked her up on Wiki and came across the chilling words, 'She is an admirer of Ayn Rand...' That's the same Ayn Rand who railed against social security payments... until she claimed them herself.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

When you say 'available to residents of the island', out of interest how long does it take to be regarded as a resident there?

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Every intervention by Peter H makes me long all the more for Christopher, and preferably instead of.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

We left the EU. The Brexit vote mandate - interpreted to mean something no-one voted on, ie leaving the Single Market - is spent and thus irrelevant.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Got to say, the last para is not of the real world: 'The trial judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, previously told jurors that it would be "fundamentally wrong" to think that Clifford must be guilty of "anything else" because he had admitted murder.'

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

But the US seems likely to withdraw all its support, and certainly won't act as guarantor for Ukraine. What does Europe do? Troops on the ground = huge risk of escalation. Even air cover = risk of escalation. Realistically, what's the next stage?

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

If Hamas would release its innocent hostages, who've suffered for so long, the blockade would be over tomorrow.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

Aid problems would be over tomorrow if Hamas released its hostages.

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Reposted by Mike B

Marie Le Conte @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com · 28/02/2025

(on a personal note it's quite striking how quickly I've gone from "generally a bit of a pinko on defence issues" to "and could I just do a monthly direct debit to BAE Systems, would that help")

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

"The Prime Minister will have our support in taking the difficult decisions..." So if he now cancels the Triple Lock, saves the UK £10 billion and puts it towards rearmament, she'd back that against her aged voters? Hmm.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

You can still tell where it happened...

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

So Boris Johnson is going to be in Edinburgh in September? Lying and charging £££ for it. Time for #Edinburgh to do its thing, as it did with Farage.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

That's such a strange article. More like a supermarket sweep of vibes than anything resembling sense. @thetimes.com

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

A defendant can't put on a poor defence - as she did - and then go on to appeal, saying, 'I had a poor defence'.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Nothing surprises me on social media but I'm still surprised by the gullibility of people saying she is innocent. Remember, the families heard the full evidence... Letby's testimony... its context. This whole Lucy Letby is innocent farrago is clickbait. She will never be free. Rightly. #LucyLetby

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

Same issue on immigration. Still recall a BBC Brexit vox pop when everyone was decisively against immigration as such, but when asked about what categories of immigrants should be stopped, demurred at all of them.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Puzzle: why on earth was she 'pushed rightwards by people who didn't value African voices'? I'd have thought it was exactly the right of the political spectrum who wouldn't. (Thinking of all those Tories who've been rude and racist about Africa over the years, like Alan Clarke) #KemiBadenoch

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

'We're going to build the wall'... 'Immediately bring down prices'... 'Peace between Russia and Russia and Ukraine in 24 hours'... etc

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

It's a curiously dated outlook. Especially since Joan Smith's descriptions of the route from domestic violence to jihadism and other political labels, ascribing aberrant behaviour purely to a claimed ideology seems a limited explanation.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Yes, before posting it I got in touch with Felicity Dean, who was happy to see it online. Of course, alas, others are long gone, inc the writer and the director. But as it literally has not been seen since the 1980s, I felt people now should have the chance to view it.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Never read a word of Robert Burns' poetry? Here's one minute WITH SUBTITLES of the grisly witches' Sabbath from his famous poem Tam O'Shanter, filmed where it was set, in the ruin of Alloway church. #RobertBurns #BurnsNight #haggis #Scotland #Ayrshire youtu.be/cRydI51vt5U

youtu.be

Witches' sabbath in 'Tam O'Shanter' by Robert Burns; 1 min; English subtitles

YouTube video by Mike B

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

I remember this rubbish take from the UK's Brexit. At first cutting off your nose to spite your face feels bracingly contrarian, different, and edgy. But then, you have to govern...

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Interestingly, Vincent Pereira himself commented on it (in response to a hostile review) on the IMDB:

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

In my last house in Pinner, next door's kid was given a xylophone, it then placed in their back garden. He used to play the theme from 'Saw' on it, again and again...

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

1970s nostalgia? A No. 16 bus pauses at Holy Corner in Edinburgh in 1975. Alas, a random splice throws the focus out halfway through but I repeated the focused section. If you like old films, that is. youtu.be/f1pqsaOHkyI #Scotland #Edinburgh #Bruntsfield #oldfilms #Super8mm

youtu.be

Holy Corner, Edinburgh, 1975, shot on Super 8mm

YouTube video by Mike B

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

Watched In The Fade few nights ago. It's good and Diane Kruger's performance is extraordinary, but is also slightly disappointing by the end. One review I saw bundled it together with Michael Winner's first Death Wish, which isn't 100% wrong.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 22/12/2024

Don't know how far you're thinking of going back in time, but always been fascinated by what used to stand on the site of the Church of the Holy Trinity on #Micklegate. 10 years ago someone at the university did a CGI mock up of what it was like in the 15th century: #York

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 21/12/2024

Mr Cowley was looking for the Yeti when Liz Truss assumed office?

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 21/12/2024

Perhaps relevant: how Toby Young evaded rejection and managed to get into Oxford without the qualifications demanded. It explains a lot about Britain: this would never happen if he came from Brixton/Rochdale/Liverpool.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

Horrendously topical in parts, cf '...Jew-baiting defended by pacifists'.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

'In the first Lucy Letby trial, for some reason, there was no expert evidence put in by the defence.' davidallengreen.com/2024/07/the-...

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

They may bear in mind that Letby provided no defence when originally on trial. She should not be able to get the benefit of her own sub-optimal defence decisions. #LucyLetby #CourtofAppeal #truecrime

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Forgive me, but for avoidance of doubt, this is not by any description a 9 year jail sentence. It's four years, followed by a period free on licence. Not the same thing at all. Read the detail in the article:

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Especially since - like Trump - Musk only got his start due to his father's fortune (and possible illegal entry into the USA). It behoves him to act a bit more humble - the opposite of what will happen, of course.

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Mike B @m1chaelbarnes.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

'Whiny heroism' describes Peterson to a t.

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