Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 3hThere'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. 110
Reposted by Michael ShawJohn Bull @garius.bsky.social · 4hMy 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. 201092232
Reposted by Michael ShawTom 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." 2326
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 21/09/2026I'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. 020
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 18/09/2026I 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. 010
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 06/09/2026When 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.comPeter ThielRon Gallo · Peter Thiel · Song · 2026 001
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 31/08/2026If 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. 000
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 30/08/2026Finally 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). 100
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 22/07/2026I 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? 000
Reposted by Michael ShawDominix @dominix.bsky.social · 20/07/2026King 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. 51182256
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 17/07/2026The “United Kingdom Of Butlins” teddy bear passport is really going out of its way to show it does not recognise the existence of Éire. 020
Reposted by Michael ShawSam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 13/07/2026Which 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. 725243
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 11/07/2026Finally 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. 000
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 03/07/2026This Is Just To Say I have eaten the plums that were in your garden despite being nocturnal 020
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 23/06/2026Was 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.” 010
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 23/06/2026This is the kind of nonsense that happens - in a HEATWAVE- if schools are overly attached to “zero tolerance” policies on uniforms. (From @londoncentric.media ) 000
Reposted by Michael ShawAlex von Tunzelmann @alexvont.bsky.social · 19/06/2026This 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... 1436280
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 17/06/2026Self Esteem was phenomenal. An astounding gig. 928936
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 11/06/2026One indication of how my day's going is I've drawn Curaçao in the office World Cup sweepstake. 000
Reposted by Michael ShawSam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 26/05/2026Interesting 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. 372357660
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 26/05/2026Has 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"? 110
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 22/05/2026Picture caption of the week goes to @londoncentric.media. 020
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 18/05/2026The 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.” 110
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 13/05/2026How 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. 000
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 13/04/2026Talking 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) 1220962
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 08/04/2026I 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.compeople are walking down a street in front of a sign that says supermercadoALT: people are walking down a street in front of a sign that says supermercado 000
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 28/03/2026Getting the stickers ready for when the Bayeux Tapestry comes to London this summer. 010
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 17/03/2026This is brilliant on the disappearance of the cultural "middle" - in film, food and work. readfoundobject.substack.com/p/they-kille...readfoundobject.substack.comThey Killed Normal and Called It ProgressJulia 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.) 011
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 17/03/2026Happy Slapping comes to the Netherlands 12 years later... 010
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 16/03/2026Got 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.coma 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 . 030
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 16/03/2026This 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.” 000
Reposted by Michael ShawSteve Akehurst @steveakehurst.bsky.social · 15/03/2026I 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? 2115430
Reposted by Michael ShawSchools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 12/03/2026ICYMI: 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.ukTeacher Development Trust to merge into Chartered CollegeLeader says move will 'protect the legacy' of the professional development organisation 001
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 11/03/2026Excited 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.comTeacher Development Trust to merge with Chartered College of TeachingThe education charity will officially join the professional body for teachers later this year, in a move described as an ‘exciting opportunity’ to improve CPD 000
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 06/03/2026I'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 264
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 03/03/2026South 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? 020
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 27/02/2026In 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. 011
Reposted by Michael ShawBrendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 21/02/2026Kurt 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 141100272912
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 12/02/2026Like this Lisa Nandy line from her interview with @theguardian.com. 823426
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 09/02/2026The 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) 000
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 01/02/2026Q: 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. 000
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 01/02/2026Still 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. 031
Reposted by Michael ShawRob Delaney @robdelaney.bsky.social · 30/01/2026Thank you yes, her website is great. May her fame grow exponentially today. 121834
Reposted by Michael ShawDESIGN THINKING! Comic @designthinking.lol · 23/01/2026Didn't see that one coming... #webcomics #comicsky 0192
Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 23/01/2026Celebrate #TheTraitors finale day by addressing colleagues in meetings using reflexive pronouns (“yourself”) instead of the objective case (“you”) for no apparent reason. 070
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.” 020