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Richard Watts

@richardthewatts.bsky.social
108 followers 65 following 67 posts

Arts writer, 3RRR broadcaster, RPG writer and player, Doctor Who watcher, Melburnian, OAM recipient, Hibernophile and habitual wearer of black.

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Reposted by Richard Watts
Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
The amazing “Elk’s Head of Huittinen” comes from a Mesolithic settlement in southern Finland, dating to around 6100 BC. The ~10 cm long steatite (soapstone) head was carefully ground and finished and features a shaft hole for mounting. Because the stone is soft, it is unlikely...🧵1/3 📷 me
A close-up photograph of a grayish-brow stone sculpture of an elk head, shown diagonally against a black background. The elongated muzzle points toward the lower right, with rounded antler-like forms rising at the top.
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Andy Fleming @slackbastard.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
High skool students respond to the presence of convicted spousal abuser & serial pest Avi Yeminem at the strike today (Yeminem is w his bodyguard Daniel Jones & Xtian nationalist Nick 'Banjo' Patterson) by chanting 'wife beater' & 'smol d!ck' (?).
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Andy Fleming @slackbastard.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
'But [former VicRoads road construction engineer Jeff Moran] said that since the Liberal Kennett govt privatised road construction & maintenance in the mid-to-late '90s, the necessary ongoing maintenance was often neglected.' I am shocked. Shocked & stunned. Etc.. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...
abc.net.au
Former VicRoads staff blame privatisation for state's crumbling roads
Former VicRoads staff say privatisation and road-building techniques are behind the horrific state of Victoria's roads.
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Yair Wallach @yairwallach.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The revelations regarding Netanyahu are not surprising. But the reporting demonstrates the crucial role of the Biden administration in shaping Israel's response to Oct 7. They bear so much responsibility. www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
haaretz.com
Netanyahu got an explicit warning before Oct. 7. He didn't brief security chiefs
In September '23, UAE President bin Zayed called Netanyahu to deliver a harsh warning. Netanyahu did nothing. An extensive investigation, conducted for a new book, reveals the PM's failures surroundin...
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Kevin Wilbraham @kpw1453.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
The surviving stones of the Callanish II Stone Circle. Dating to late Neolithic and early Bronze Age, the circle is located near the main Callanish Stones on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. 📸 My own. #StandingStoneSunday #Callanish #Archaeology
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Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Too good not to share: a wooden floor of a #Neolithic house. Unearthed in Alleshausen-Grundwiesen, a wetland settlement at the western rim of the Federsee marshlands, 3020-2700 BC. 📷H. Schlichterle/Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Baden Württemberg 🏺 #archaeology
A lawn, squares of which have been dug out until a depth of around 30 cm. There are bicolor length indicators (red and white) and, on the flat uneathed bottom: a wooden floor : planks on joists. The wood is black and corroded.
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Briony Kidd @brionykidd.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
No alliance with the USA until they restore democracy and begin to make amends for DOGE and ICE and other illegal atrocities. #auspol
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Working Class History @workingclasshistory.com · 29/08/2026
#OtD 29 Aug 1867 Karl Ulrichs became the first self-proclaimed homosexual to speak out publicly for gay rights when he pleaded at the Congress of German Jurists in Munich for a resolution urging the repeal of anti-homosexual laws stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1007...
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SteveH @sghendricks.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
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SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) @covid19disease.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
🚨 BREAKTHROUGH: After 40 years of research, Brazilian scientist Dr. Mariangela Hungria wins the World Food Prize for pioneering a $2 nitrogen-fixing bacteria treatment that replaces costly fertilizers, saves farmers $25 billion annually, and cuts 230 million tons of CO₂ emissions.
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Ben Eltham @beneltham.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Nearly every Australian engages in culture. Politicians should pay attention. Me in The Conversation, with Justin O’Connor and Tully Barnett theconversation.com/nearly-every...
theconversation.com
Nearly every Australian engages with arts and culture. Politicians should pay attention
Governments at all levels often assume arts funding is not electorally popular. New data shows they are wrong.
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Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
This extraordinary helmet is a lavish example of a Celtic style worn primarily during the 4th and 3rd centuries BC. Its dome and neck guard were forged from a single thin sheet of iron, then embellished with ornamental bronze bands worked into flowing vegetal motifs. Inlays of reddish ...🧵1/3 📷 me
A dome-shaped helmet displayed in a glass museum case, richly decorated with ornamental bronze bands worked into flowing vegetal motifs. Inlays of reddish coral or sea-snail shell once added striking flashes of colour. Two curved side tubes and a vertical finial on top.
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David @archaeomather.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Celtic head from northern England carved from sandstone with traces of original red pigment, Romano-British period ca. 100-300 CE.
Stone carving of a person’s head. They have a long chin and hair tucked behind large ears. At the Cleveland Museum of Art: “This stone head has never been attached to a torso.
It is known from ancient literary sources that the Celts, who originally occupied most of northern Europe from Hungary to the British Isles, practiced ritualistic veneration of the human head. For the Celts, the human head represented the seat of mankind's magical energy. Stone heads similar to this one have survived in large numbers, especially in the upland regions of northern England (the Pennines, the Peak District, and Cumbria) where this one was undoubtedly made by British Celts during the Roman occupation. Such stone heads were probably placed in religious shrines or grottos generally associated with springs, well heads, or natural landmarks for ritual veneration.”
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Erin Biba @erinbiba.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
ICYMI, the Dobby grave story was completely fake. Like, just, totally not true in any way.
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Luc Amkreutz @prehistoryrmo.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
The oldest smile in the world! The @rmoudheden.bsky.social Mesolithic Willemstad figurine c. 5300 BCE. Crafted from oak, this small figurine has a body that served as a grip. It may have been used in shamanistic rituals but could also be a toy. On display @landesmuseumhalle.bsky.social #FindsFriday
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Stephen A Russell @stephenarussell.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Everyone’s a basket case for thirsty Wicker, this year’s Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgard-led @melbfilmfest.bsky.social opener bit.ly/4fYzumK
bit.ly
Wicker review: an inventively tragicomic delight | ScreenHub: Film, TV, Streaming and Games
When Olivia Colman’s fisherwoman asks Peter Dinklage’s weaver to fashion her a wicker Alexander Skarsgård, everyone loses their minds in this raunchy fable.
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Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
#Neolithic textile production: a charred skein of linen thread, dating around 3200 BC, from the pile dwelling settlement of Nußdorf-Maurach, Überlingen, Lake Constance. The damp environment has preserved it in good condition The waterlogged, anaerobic environment provided ideal...🧵1/2 📷 me 🏺
A charred skein of linen thread displayed upright in a museum case. The blackened, twisted fibers are tightly coiled and partially fused from burning, mounted between two smooth, pale stone supports. The exhibit is lit to highlight the texture and preservation of the ancient textile remains.
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Richard Watts @richardthewatts.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
I won't be behind the mic on @3rrrfm.bsky.social's #SmartArts tomorrow, as I'm on a week-long writer's retreat in regional Victoria. Big thanks to Justine Costigan for hosting the show in my absence - I look forward to tuning in!
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ABC News Australia @news.abc.net.au · 05/08/2026
NSW Police make use of body-worn cameras mandatory following Four Corners investigation
abc.net.au
NSW Police now required to turn on body-worn cameras when 'the job's on'
Thousands of NSW Police officers will from today be required to switch on their body-worn cameras when using police powers.
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Reposted by Richard Watts
Stephen A Russell @stephenarussell.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Oh, nothing much, just a chat with Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma stars Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder bit.ly/4fE4w4w
bit.ly
Final girl thrills – Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder on Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma | ScreenHub: Film, TV, Streaming and Games
The stars of Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma talk horror heritage, queer filmmaking and their favourite final girls.
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Richard Watts @richardthewatts.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Shocked and saddened to learn that Irish muso Glen Hansard of The Frames and a talented and collegiate solo artist (his Christmas Busks on Dublin's Grafton Street were iconic) has died in a motorbike accident. Might be the night to rewatch Once, I think... www.irishtimes.com/culture/musi...
irishtimes.com
Oscar-winning musician and actor Glen Hansard dies in Dublin motorbike crash
Singer found fame after starring in The Commitments and with his band The Frames
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Michael Mazengarb @michaelmazengarb.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
I work at the Australian Government and if you did not receive the AusAlert message, unfortunately we have decided that you will be sacrificed in an emergency. May the odds be ever in your favour. This message is authorised by the Australian Government.
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Nick Feik @nickfeik.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Earlier: "Minister John-Paul Langbroek will not say why his department removed eight Indigenous leaders from state cultural institutions.. It follows allegations the state government is systematically removing Indigenous directors in a sustained campaign..."
abc.net.au
Qld minister tight-lipped about 'Project Invisibility' Indigenous sackings
Under the direction of Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek, eight Indigenous directors have disappeared from the boards of south-east Queensland's cultural institutions.
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Matthew Hodson @matthewhodson.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
JK Rowling uses her Harry Potter money to fund lawsuits against companies that support trans rights so no, I do not care what Hogwarts house you are in.
Trans lives are more important than Harry Potter.
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Roland Browne @slowguns.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
“……. the minister put the reporter's safety in danger, dumped on freedom of the press, and incited hate. How's that for a police minister?” Well said, @ABC This minister is struggling in his job, and failing to protect public safety. #guncontrolaustralia
abc.net.au
Going after the media a tried and true tactic of diversion
A minister of the Crown's scolding of a journalist asking a legitimate question about firearm ownership, and the subsequent pile-on allowed to run on social media, should ring alarm bells for anyone c...
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Reposted by Richard Watts
Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
"A Perth man has been fined $4,000 after admitting to distributing flyers containing false and offensive claims targeting members of the LGBTQIA+ community, including accusations of pedophilia and human trafficking." What a disgusting bigot. #wapol #auslaw www.starobserver.com.au/news/perth-m...
starobserver.com.au
Perth Man Fined After Distributing False Flyers Targeting LGBTQIA+ Community
A Perth man has been fined after distributing flyers containing accusations of pedophilia and human trafficking about LGBTQIA+ people.
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Martyn @martynpedler.com · 16/07/2026
"There is something rather audacious in telling queer people raised under the shadow of the cross that Christian iconography belongs exclusively to those who remained faithful to the institution. We are entitled to wrestle with it, parody it and subvert it."
theguardian.com
LGBTQI+ artists have been targeted for ‘insulting Christianity’. To queer people, this feels particularly cruel | James Thorpe
A theatre pop-up in a former Sydney church has been accused of ‘offensive trade’. But if causing offence can lead to eviction, every artist is vulnerable
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Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
An amazing miniature portrait of the #Roman empress Agrippina Minor (15-59 AD), made from chalcedony. Agrippina was the mother of Nero, and married to her uncle, emperor Claudius. It was rumoured that she poisoned her husband with a dish of mushrooms. 📷 me
A green stone bust of a woman displayed in a museum. The sculpture features an elaborate hairdo and a solemn expression. The bust is mounted on a clear stand, with a blurred background showcasing other artifacts in the exhibition.
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Jacob Oller @jacoboller.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
I don't know that I'm coining "sloppycats" as a term with this piece but I believe we're going to be seeing a lot of them www.avclub.com/ai-rip-off-f...
avclub.com
AI rip-offs have come for the movies
Knock-offs and cash grabs have always been a part of film culture, but AI rip-offs are about to change everything.
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Julian Sanchez @normative.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
The Trump administration has applied this principle at the cabinet level
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ABC News Australia @news.abc.net.au · 08/07/2026
V/Line peak services still suspended following Telstra outage
abc.net.au
Victoria's regional rail network remains at standstill after Telstra outage
V/Line has advised commuters not to use its services, as a telecommunications outage continues to cause safety issues with the network.
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Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera @pantibliss.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
As a casual observer of our neighbours politics this is very surprising. From all the breathless coverage you'd swear they had swept all before them
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Jamie McKelvie @mckelvie.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
The ability for creators of all kinds to hone their craft on the dole instead of needing to come from money to get anywhere
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Clare Heath-McIvor @clareheathmcivor.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
While we watch the populist surge — and a Vic election where far-right influence in the Libs could prove fatal — a quiet diplomatic nomination just gave Christian Nationalism a desk in Canberra. clareheathmcivor.substack.com/p/from-liber...
clareheathmcivor.substack.com
From Liberty University to the Lodge
How Trump's New Ambassador Gives Christian Nationalism a Desk in Canberra
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National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · 06/05/2026
The day has finally arrived. You can now *officially* watch puffins live from the Farne Islands, 24 hours a day: bit.ly/4tRz72T Please enjoy these puffins kissing in celebration of this momentous event.
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United Wizards of the Coast - CWA @uwotc-official.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
WotC declined to voluntarily recognize our union by Friday, May 1st. While we're disappointed in this delay, together we remain strong in our convictions. We look forward to sitting down at the bargaining table so we can make Arena better for workers, for Wizards, and for our players. #UWOTC-CWA
unitedwizardsofthecoast.com
Wizards of the Coast Declines to Recognize Union by May 1st
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Chortle @chortle.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Melbourne's finest...
dlvr.it
Melbourne's finest...
Record ten nominees for main comedy festival award
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Citizen.Coping @propcazhpm.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
The most enlightening bit of this article explains very precisely a fundamental shift in Google search— how what we type in is a rough suggestion. And it shares many useful operations and commands to get the information we want. Plus it has a list of alternatives to Google search at the bottom. 📌
cardcatalogforlife.substack.com
Google Has a Secret Reference Desk. Here's How to Use It.
40 Google features to find exactly what you need, the alternative search engines that do things Google won't, and the reference desk framework underneath all of it.
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Alexandra Heller-Nicholas @horrornonna.com · 15/03/2026
1000 Women in Horror premieres 20 March on Shudder! Here's a lovely review by the great Kate Robertson at Dread Central from last year's fest run to whet your appetite @dreadcentral.bsky.social
dreadcentral.com
'1000 Women in Horror' Review: A Necessary and Entertaining Look At Women In The Genre [Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2025]
'1000 Women in Horror' illustrates that women have always been part of horror; they just deserve more seats at the table.
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Simon Rosenberg @simonrosenberg.bsky.social · 15/03/2026
What Antifarmer said👇. Speers also reflects the political biases across most mainstream media: Status quo parties like Labor, Lib and Nats are almost never questioned about their funding sources, even though there is so much evidence on how vested interests impact public policy. #insiders #auspol
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Richard Watts @richardthewatts.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Janice Gobey, Chair of @writersvictoria.bsky.social, says: ‘For weeks we have tried, unsuccessfully, to meet with Minister Brooks. This is our opportunity to say what we would have said in the room... www.artshub.com.au/news/feature...
artshub.com.au
Dear Colin Brooks: defunded Victorian arts organisations address Creative Industries Minister
Four of the eight organisations abruptly defunded by Creative Victoria share their message for Creative Industries Minister Colin Brooks.
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Richard Watts @richardthewatts.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Thanks to @markmwrites.bsky.social for putting me onto this incredibly potent piece of performance art as political statement - chillingly beautiful.
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Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
Two perforated altar reliefs from the Mithraeum at Mundelsheim. One depicts Sol, the sun god, with the radiant. the other shows Luna, the goddess of the moon, with the crescent. In Roman times, they were illuminated from behind, creating a striking play of light and shadow that must ...🧵1/2
Close-up of a stone altar featuring the bust of Luna with a serene facial expression, and draped cloak. Perforated crescent moon above her head.Close-up of a stone altar featuring the bust of Sol with long curly hair, serene expression, and draped cloak. Perforated radiant above his head. The upper part of the altar is missing.
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Allison Gill @muellershewrote.com · 08/02/2026
Everyone should call their local election officials and ask them what they're doing to prepare. Our governors should deploy the Guard to protect polling places from voting machine and ballot seizures.
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Dr Jo Ball @drjeball.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
A #Roman glass bowl in cobalt blue with white irregular swirls; it was made about 2000 years ago, probably in Italy, but ended up in a C1st AD grave in Roman Britain #AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology #AncientRome
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Bruce Wilson @brucewilson.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
Mood.
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Andy Fleming @slackbastard.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
'Sometimes - history needs a push.'
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Andy Fleming @slackbastard.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
'Experts sound warning over ‘strategic’ move as neo-Nazi group National Socialist Network disbands due to hate laws' 🤔 www.news.com.au/technology/o...
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Richard Watts @richardthewatts.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
Made the long overdue decision today to kill off my old Twitter account next Satuday. Have been meaning to do so for ages, but just couldn't find the motivation/time. But now that it's truly descended into little more than a deepfake porn factory, I'm out. I'm also on Threads: richard.l.watts 1/2
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