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Michael Shaw

@mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social
367 followers 461 following 339 posts

Education technologist. Londoner. Former journalist. Rants here entirely personal.

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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 3h
There's a huge social media trope about entitled parents demanding other passengers move because of their poor planning. I've experienced the opposite twice: airlines ****ing up and changing carefully-booked seats, separating a parent from a small child, then asking you to sort it out on board.
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John Bull @garius.bsky.social · 4h
My teacher brother has just informed me that his primary school kids now refer to anything shit or old fashioned as "Brexit". Which has made my morning.
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Tom Roberts @tpgroberts.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"Lord does the Park not have any brains these days? WHAT WERE THEY ACTUALLY DOING NEAR RAF FAIRFORD" "Dogging?" "Thanks for the offer Diana, but I'll pass if it's all the same to you, my knees aren't up to it and the citroen's gear stick makes me nervous. NO, THEY WERE ROBBING DIESEL."
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I've seen AI massively accelerating software development. But whenever I hear anyone talking about entire products built using AI I think of the "FARCE OF HOUSE BUILT BY MONTAGE" headline in the Armstrong & Miller sketch.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I think it’s very helpful that Reform has launched its Small Boats app so you can see how crossings look now under Labour… compared to two years ago when the Conservatives (who make up 5 of their 8 MPs) were in charge.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
When I heard this timely song a few weeks ago I was already aware of Peter Thiel’s lectures on the Antichrist. (There’s a great ‘Behind the Bastards’ episode on them). But I hadn’t known the involvement of Reform’s “contractor”, James Orr. open.spotify.com/track/1Bd9SR...
open.spotify.com
Peter Thiel
Ron Gallo · Peter Thiel · Song · 2026
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
If anyone (usually a kid) asks me “Who is your favourite superhero?”, many answer for many years has been “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girll”. Because she is. Reading these deeply funny and human comics with a family member has been a highlight of many weekends. Rest in peace, Will Murray.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Finally saw John Boorman’s “Excalibur” (1981) and I’m genuinely furious at democracy that such a godawful, clunky mess has a significantly better rating on IMDB than Highlander, released only 5 years later (and which actually holds up far better).
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
I first went to cover an initial hearing in a murder case BEFORE doing journalism law training. So the Evening Post news editor mocked me in a friendly way as he cut out all the *very illegal* specific details I’d included in my report. Why are newsdesks not doing this with the Widdecombe case?
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Dominix @dominix.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
King Charles told me the public keeps eating his prime ministers so l asked how many prime ministers he has and he said he just goes to the parliament and gets a new prime minister afterwards so I said it sounds like he's just feeding prime ministers to the public and then his son started crying.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
The “United Kingdom Of Butlins” teddy bear passport is really going out of its way to show it does not recognise the existence of Éire.
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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Which still won't stop the troop of malevolent idiots on X banging on about "third worlders" with "medieval views about women" coming to the UK.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Finally got round to watching “Project Hail Mary”. Then listened today to Empire’s interview with the directors Lord & Miller And when they said “We were inspired by Harold and Maude…” …I expect @tansyg.bsky.social would ticked another box on her bingo sheet after her series on Solo.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
This Is Just To Say I have eaten the plums that were in your garden despite being nocturnal
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Was out for dinner last week with an Irish friend. “What does make you proud to be English?” she asked. “Well, basically the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony - Shakespeare, Dizzee Rascal, the NHS…” “Thought so. You’d be amazed how many English people say the 2012 Olympics.”
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
This is the kind of nonsense that happens - in a HEATWAVE- if schools are overly attached to “zero tolerance” policies on uniforms. (From @londoncentric.media )
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Alex von Tunzelmann @alexvont.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
This is significant – and while the Makerfield byelection is unusual because it has such national significance, this chart indicates again that the anti-Reform bloc will vote tactically to keep them out. Source: www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
“There was very little movement between the and right voting blocs in Makerfield since 2024.” Chart compares 2024 general election result with 2026 byelection result. Combined Lab/Lib/Green vote is almost identical, though in 2026 almost all of it went to Burnham. Combined Con/Ref (and in 2026 Restore) vote is also almost identical, though in 2026 most of it went to Kenyon. Effectively very few people stuck to voting Lib Dem, Green or Tory.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Self Esteem was phenomenal. An astounding gig.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
One indication of how my day's going is I've drawn Curaçao in the office World Cup sweepstake.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
This. 100 times this.
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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Interesting that the idea of another EU referendum is regularly discussed on broascast media as something that would cause division and thus a bad idea. But plans to deport literally millions of people are discussed as administrative questions.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Has The Spectator @thespectator1828.bsky.social ever apologised for its gushing profile last year praising the founder of The Crewkern Gazette as "the most important political satirist of the moment”? Even now its known that he's a convicted neo-Nazi, white nationalist and "proud antisemite"?
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Picture caption of the week goes to @londoncentric.media.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
The Telegraph school bias piece is based on a report by Tory MP Neil O’Brien. Stuff he’s annoyed about includes a Lancs primary “still using the terrible left-wing ‘boxes and fences’ picture to try and teach Year 1 kids about equity and fairness - a totally slanted introduction to these issues.”
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
How bad is the Punisher special? Well, let’s just say I’ve bailed after 20 minutes and I made it all the way through the entire series of Iron Fist.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Talking to pro “free speech” UK right-wingers who admired Orban I have often referred to this detail - which I still find astonishing. (From @iandunt.bsky.social’s How To Be A Liberal)
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
I love the original West Side Story film (1961), especially the opening scenes. But the more years that pass the clearer it is that the Spielberg version (2021) is the better movie.
media.tenor.com
people are walking down a street in front of a sign that says supermercado
ALT: people are walking down a street in front of a sign that says supermercado
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Jacob Oller @jacoboller.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
i know writers who use AI and they're not writers
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Getting the stickers ready for when the Bayeux Tapestry comes to London this summer.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
This is brilliant on the disappearance of the cultural "middle" - in film, food and work. readfoundobject.substack.com/p/they-kille...
readfoundobject.substack.com
They Killed Normal and Called It Progress
Julia Roberts, Applebee's, Bandcamp, your manager, and the death of everything in between. (Also, Sweetgreen is the A24 of dining and I will die on this hill.)
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Happy Slapping comes to the Netherlands 12 years later...
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Got a suprise email today confirming a petition I signed 5 YEARS AGO against a road widening that would destroy beautiful parkland in Utrecht... helped the campaign succeed. One of the campaigners was Dutch actress Carice van Houten. Her magic probs helped more than the petition.
media.tenor.com
a woman with red hair and a red cape is standing next to a horse .
ALT: a woman with red hair and a red cape is standing next to a horse .
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
This reminds me of my favourite description of dealing with university academics (by an academic): “Not so much herding cats but herding kittens with flick-knives.”
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Steve Akehurst @steveakehurst.bsky.social · 15/03/2026
I enjoyed Louis Theroux's delve into the Manosphere, but I have the niggling sense that the whole panic around it is a bit of a fantasma. The prevalence of misogyny among young men is no higher now than in 2015. The worst you can say is it's stopped shrinking. What am I missing here?
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Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
ICYMI: The Teacher Development Trust is to become part of the Chartered College of Teaching, the professional development charity has announced schoolsweek.co.uk/teacher-developme…
schoolsweek.co.uk
Teacher Development Trust to merge into Chartered College
Leader says move will 'protect the legacy' of the professional development organisation
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Excited that the Teacher Development Trust is to become part of the Chartered College of Teaching. As a trustee of TDT I'm very glad the trust has found such a perfect home to continue its legacy. www.tes.com/magazine/new...
tes.com
Teacher Development Trust to merge with Chartered College of Teaching
The education charity will officially join the professional body for teachers later this year, in a move described as an ‘exciting opportunity’ to improve CPD
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
I'd somehow missed that Keir Starmer had uploaded a Trump-style war bravado Tiktok about the UK's response to Iran - soundtracked to "Money for nothing" by Dire Straits. What the actual hell? www.tiktok.com/@keirstarmer...
tiktok.com
🇬🇧
TikTok video by Keir Starmer
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
South London friends have been telling me about their frustration at the Red vs Blue “school wars” - the huge time wasted by schools and clubs, plus the fear caused to their kids over online bollocks. @londoncentric.media’s reporting is, as always, top class. open.substack.com/pub/londonce...
open.substack.com
"School wars": Moral panic or self-fulfilling prophecy?
The Metropolitan Police say they still haven't encountered a single incident relating to the viral red vs blue school wars trend. So is the threat real? And are parents unduly worried?
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
In the 2024 general election, Democracy Volunteers found that 49% of those causing “family voting” were… women. They should urgently release their stats on that for last night’s by-election as many groups are leaping to assumptions.
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Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
Kurt Vonnegut stop being so applicable to all time periods of American life, you can’t do that Kurt Vonnegut, your insights are too evergreen Kurt Vonnegut
For some reason, the most vocal Christians among us never mention the Beatitudes (Matthew 5). But, often with tears in their eyes, they demand that the Ten Commandments be posted in public buildings. And of course, that's Moses, not Jesus. I haven't heard one of them demand that the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, be posted anywhere.
'Blessed are the merciful' in a courtroom?
'Blessed are the peacemakers' in the Pentagon? Give me a break!
Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Like this Lisa Nandy line from her interview with @theguardian.com.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
The Ring surveillance story is bigger in the US than UK. But Apple fans who went with Aqara doorbells instead because they worked with Apple Home may still feel a bit smug. (Until the inevitable 2027 story about how their doors are being monitored by the Chinese government instead)
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Gwen C. Katz @gwenckatz.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Macbeth: SHIT
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
Q: What connects Darth Vader (18), Luke Skywalker (4), Han Solo (3), R2D2 (2), Princess Leia (1) and Boba Fett (1)? A: It’s how often they are named in the #Epstein Files.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
Still getting my head round living in a UK where the most popular party with women under 50 is the Greens, while for men over 50 it’s Reform.
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Rob Delaney @robdelaney.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Thank you yes, her website is great. May her fame grow exponentially today.
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Talia al Ghoul 🏳️‍⚧️ @usili.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Bilbo looking at his phone top

on bottom is ChatGPT

After all, why not? Why shouldn't I keep it?

You're absolutely right — you found it, it's been with you a long while, and it's only natural to feel fond of something that's served you so well, especially when someone like Gandalf suddenly seems to want it for himself.
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DESIGN THINKING! Comic @designthinking.lol · 23/01/2026
Didn't see that one coming... #webcomics #comicsky
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Celebrate #TheTraitors finale day by addressing colleagues in meetings using reflexive pronouns (“yourself”) instead of the objective case (“you”) for no apparent reason.
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Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
“It’s a rorsarch test, really. “And for some reason liberals keep insisting it’s a butterfly and not a bat.”
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