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Postcard from Stratford, London (artfully ignoring the just-out-of-shot football stadium)

SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#blackandwhitefilm of the day: The Lady Vanishes, 1938. Hitchcock thriller/romcom. Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave seek missing elderly May Whitty on a Euro train while trying to escape Nazis. Charters and Caldicott add the laughs on BBCFour at 8pm youtu.be/5dPl5LVYSAo?...

youtu.be

The Lady Vanishes - Trailer

YouTube video by filmschoolsecrets

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Here's my favourite photo I took in September. What's yours? (This is a group of tourists at the Neue Wache Memorial in Berlin. It's a war remembrance building with the statue 'Mother with her Dead Son' by Käthe Kollwitz'Neue details here www.visitberlin.de/en/neue-wach...)

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Today's highlight from my Beatnik Sounds playlist is a rare live performance of Blossom Dearie's tongue-in-cheek "I'm Hip". Enjoy youtu.be/EMB5CzzWXMQ?...

youtu.be

Blossom Dearie - 'I'm Hip'

YouTube video by jim lowe

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Nine years ago, I went down from the 19th row to the front and encouraged everyone to stand up as Wilko performed with John Cooper Clarke at the Royal Albert Hall, to celebrate Wilko's 70th birthday. Eagle-eyed viewers will spot me in these two pictures, in my black Wilko t-shirt!

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Today's highlight from the Beatnik Sounds playlist is the ska/jazz crossover of Baba Brooks' Watermelon Man. Herbie Hancock's tune never sounded so exciting youtu.be/F9nJ2M28rYA?...

youtu.be

Baba Brooks - Watermelon Man

YouTube video by negrosounds

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The job search continues. My attempt to sell Happy Days products was shut down by the authorities. They accused me of running a Fonzie scheme.

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

With all this coverage about Manchester City finally emerging, I missed this about one of the architects of the takeover. He sounds like a right wrong 'un, but who would play him in the movie?

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Let me know if you do use it, how it goes down

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I reckon it would attract an interested audience, but be no good for you if they want to buy the tracks they hear and you can't supply them

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Today's highlight from the playlist is Bill Doggett's 1957 driving instrumental Ram-Bunk-Shush youtu.be/Y9IX9dLUzow?...

youtu.be

1957 HITS ARCHIVE: Ram-Bunk-Shush - Bill Doggett

YouTube video by The45Prof

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Today's personal highlight from the playlist is the gorgeous 7hr du Matin by Jacqueline Taieb. youtu.be/UKhZTzjFX_4?...

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7h du Matin by Jacqueline Taïeb

YouTube video by French Mademoiselles Channel

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

#music #playlist I had great fun putting together this almost six hour playlist of toe-tapping and finger-clicking jazz, ska and R&B rarities and classics from the late 50s and early 60s. Enjoy! open.spotify.com/playlist/44M...

open.spotify.com

Now I'm hip - Beatnik Sounds of the late 50s and early 60s

All the jazz, ska and R&B that the cool cats were listening to

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

A former Olympic boxer has become a Financial Planner after winning his only professional bout. He said: "I turned pro for the money only to realise that money gives you a little bit of happiness, but it gives you zero fulfilment." A sensible move? www.financialplanningtoday.co.uk/news/olympic...

financialplanningtoday.co.uk

Olympic boxer turned Planner joins Skybound Wealth

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

My first away trip of the season saw AFC Wimbledon lose a 1-0 lead to end up with a draw with Cambridge United after a 91st minute equaliser. I'd never been to Cambridge so made sure to enjoy several of its pubs and a walk along the Cam.

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I've had an interesting and fun week. I hope you have too.

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

#Fraudsters are now trying to trick people into believe their #scam emails are genuine by adding the heading: 'If this message was incorrectly flagged as spam, kindly mark it as "Not Spam".' As usual the giveaway is the dodgy email address of the sender. Block the crooks.

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

A London investment broker has today gone into special administration. It has had 15 names in its history. That's a signal, perhaps, that it wasn't terrible reliable despite having been authorised by the FCA. Should the regulator have acted sooner? www.financialplanningtoday.co.uk/news/london-...

financialplanningtoday.co.uk

London investment broker enters special administration

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Ed Sheeran's star has waned so far he's now satirical fodder for Private Eye cartoonists

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Postcard from the top of the Reichstag building in Berlin. It's free entry the German parliament and is well worth a visit. Although, sadly thousands of other tourists had the same bright idea!

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Berlin culture: we're at the Deutsch Opera to see a production of Tosca, in a German opera house, sing in Italian, with subtitles in English. Cosmopolitan!

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

No, taken from a bridge on the way to Charlottesburg Palace

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Why am I always fascinated by city rivers? This is The Spree, Berlin's main river, pictured in Charlottenburg, which was a separate town until 1920.

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Time for reflection in Berlin

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I've had a fun and interesting week. I hope you have too.

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The job search continues. I was sacked from the department store for stealing an item. I told them I'd been diagnosed as having kleptomania and the doctor had told me to take something for it.

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

#blackandwhitefilm of the day: Shadow Of A Doubt, 1943. Hitchcock's favourite of his films. Joseph Cotton is charming Uncle Charlie, but his adoring niece Teresa Wright fears he may have a dark secret. Suspensful and chilling #FilmNoir on @Film4 at 11am. youtu.be/QAdjnumtmXs

youtu.be

Shadow of a Doubt Trailer (1943) Alfred Hitchcock

YouTube video by the villain whispered

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

It was 40 years ago that I first saw The Wedding Present and it was great to see another iteration of the group in Kingston playing an acoustic set of some of their best from the last four decades. It was also a great pleasure to chat to David Gedge - but much less of a pleasure for him!

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I saw The Children at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith. Hard-hitting drama about former workers at a nuclear power station after a disaster. Meera Syal, Declan Conlon and Kerry Fox faced up to their past with anger and regret and with issues, but it lacked coherency for me. It runs until 3 October.

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

We were just talking about the cold war museum. There's one in Gdansk which was fascinating

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I'm heading to #Berlin for the first time this weekend. If you've been there, what would be one tip you'd give me: something to see or do, or advice on getting around. Many thanks

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Reposted by SimonRead

SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

#blackandwhitefilm of the day: Sahara, 1943. Rugged Humphrey Bogart leads a ragged multi-national tank crew in an heroic hopeless rearguard fight against hundreds of Nazis in the desert heat. It's a classic gung-ho war drama on Legend Channel at 3pm youtu.be/NuHYqjUnxMA?...

youtu.be

SAHARA (1943) Theatrical Trailer - Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett, J. Carrol Naish

YouTube video by Biggest Trailer DataBase

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Can you spot 18-year-old Michael Caine's first film appearance, in the audience at a youth club in the government 1951 propaganda film 'On National Service' film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/41653

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

"I don't mean to be bold, but may I hold your hand" Marc Bolan was killed in a car crash at Barnes today in 1977, a staggering 49 years ago. T Rex made some brilliant records, at least to this kid's ears. It all started with 1971 number one Hot Love for me youtu.be/--EcVz-KaVU?...

youtu.be

Marc Bolan & T.Rex - Hot Love

YouTube video by DreamyLadyify

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

youtu.be

SAHARA (1943) Theatrical Trailer - Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett, J. Carrol Naish

YouTube video by Biggest Trailer DataBase

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

#blackandwhitefilm of the day: Seance On A Wet Afternoon, 1964. British psychological kidnapping thriller with Kim Stanley and Dicky Attenborough as a mentally-unstable medium and her cowed husband. It's deliciously disturbing on @talkingpicturestv.bsky.social at 1.30pm youtu.be/oLrtv6YfyVE

youtu.be

Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964) Original Trailer [FHD]

YouTube video by HD Retro Trailers

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Reposted by SimonRead

Claire Cullingworth @ccullingworth.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

This made me smile, attached to an ordinary cast iron drainpipe on a house in Durham. #TinyJoys

A cast iron drain pipe going down the side of a white-painted house. A crest of red feathers and a bright orange beak made from something solid have been attached around it. It looks remarkably like "Feathers McGraw", the evil criminal penguin from The Wrong Trousers.

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SimonRead @simonread.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

It's Ray Manzarak of The Doors

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Reposted by SimonRead

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 14/09/2026

Your regular reminder: If the Russians stop fighting, the war ends. If the Ukrainians stop fighting, their land will be occupied, their leaders will be killed, their history and language will be erased, their children will be kidnapped to serve Russia.

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