Not to be too Angela Carter, but I think I might really be in love with this young fox who keeps coming to look in through my bedroom window 💔

Fully funded Bloomsbury PhD studentship (SOAS/Birkbeck): Queer Meaning-Making in South Asian Literature: New Comparative Perspectives. Supervised by Anandi Rao & me. Application deadline 6 May. www.soas.ac.uk/study/studen... 🌈🎓

(even if it does raise all kinds of questions… an Elizabethan person’s collar or an Elizabethan dog’s collar??)

a tiny consolation to realise that the hated head-bucket currently being worn by my poor beloved dog is actually called an Elizabethan collar!!

It just never ends.

Margaret Cole THE CAUSE OF THE WAR in Spain, and the actions of Fascist Powers with regard to it, have made it clear to everyone who cares for democracy, liberalism, or culture, that Fascism is determined to wipe these out by every possible means, both of brutal violence and lying propaganda. Those who doubt should read or listen to the speeches of the rebel generals and their foreign supporters: this should be enough for anyone who cares at all for civilisation.

Margaret Cole (crime writer): 'The war in Spain, and the actions of Fascist Powers with regard to it, have made it clear to everyone who cares for democracy, liberalism, or culture, that Fascism is determined to wipe these out by every possible means, both of brutal violence and lying propaganda.'

The lack of public accountability of senior managers (with those pay rises & reliance on management consultants) across the UK HE sector is a scandal comparable to the privatisation/corporatisation of other public services; universities are now ultimately ruled by former bankers & their worldviews.

Marking boycott looms at Goldsmiths over £20m of cuts to staff Staff at Goldsmiths, University of London, have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action in a fight to protect jobs, UCU announced today.

🚨 1 in 4 staff at Goldsmiths to be axed.

All while senior management get eye-watering pay rises and £16m is spent on consultants and lawyers.

This is the reality of Higher Education in the UK.

Our members have voted for industrial action, support them.

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1447...

The wonderful Lavender Menace in Edinburgh are doing a fundraiser to support their operating costs! They've been able to do so much as a staffed organisation - it will be so good for queer life in Scotland if they can keep going: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-laven...

(I have jumped from Fyfe back to Cliff here – having realised that I mistakenly left out a page of 'C' entries...)

Norman Cliff Foreign Editor, News Chronicle I AM WITH THE COMMON PEOPLE of Spain in their almost unaided struggle through blood and tears for liberty, decency and civilisation against Fascist tyranny, military insanity and imported savagery.

Norman Cliff (pacifist socialist journalist): 'I am with the common people of Spain in their almost unaided struggle through blood and tears for liberty, decency and civilisation against Fascist tyranny, military insanity and imported savagery.'

Indeed - and it's been really interesting to get a chance to pay a bit of attention to each individual contribution and contributor. Although I am dreading the also timely "against" responses!

Hamilton Fyfe THAT THE FIGHT IN SPAIN is between the forces of freedom, democracy, justice, and the forces of reaction, tyranny, obscurantism, admits of no doubt. It would be a disaster for all who believe in the right of People to decide for themselves their own destinies, if Fascism were to win. It must not win !

Hamilton Fyfe (journalist & playwright): 'The fight in Spain is between the forces of freedom, democracy, justice, & the forces of reaction, tyranny, obscurantism... It would be a disaster for all who believe in the right of People to decide own destinies, if Fascism were to win. It must not win!'

A short, squat white lighthouse on rocks, surrounded by water. A road bridge crosses over from outside the frame of the photo and passes behind the lighthouse.

In what (I hope!) will be the first in a series of events taking To the Lighthouse *back* to Skye, Bethan Roberts and I will be leading a workshop in Portree on Tues 5th May, reflecting on how Woolf's novel resonates with sustainability, housing, and tourism today atlasarts.org.uk/programme/to...

this sounds so wonderful Peter!!

This goldfish breaking the fourth wall from its bowl with a reflection of a window to the outside world (in James Cadenhead’s 1886 ‘Lady with a Japanese Screen’ at the wonderful Edinburgh City Art Centre) is like a whole modernist novel in one morose fishy gaze.

UCU Edinburgh picketers finding the sun in George Square on the first day of this week‘s strike @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social

Staff working conditions are student learning conditions – why we are striking  — UCU Edinburgh Staff across the University are commencing strike action on Monday March 30, with additional industrial action to come, unless senior management can reassure staff that no compulsory redundancy notic...

We're on strike again! You can read more about why here: www.ucuedinburgh.org.uk/blog/d8mewmx... University management not sticking to their word? Who would have thought it? Please spread the word!

striking staff holding placards and pink/black balloons representing hidden redundancies stand in front of the spire of Edinburgh Futures Institute. Pavement chalk reads 'no more cuts'

UCU Edinburgh STRIKE✊🩷

As @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social begins a week of strikes, against massive, unnecessary cuts, and while senior managers still receive fat-cat style pay rises and perks (despite what to external eyes looks like mismanagement), I wonder if this kind of example might begin to prick their consciences?

On 16th April, join me and @peterjcherry.bsky.social for a webinar on the travel grants and research support available for UK university students via the @thebiaankara.bsky.social - biaa.ac.uk/events/webin...

William Forrest I AM A LABOURER'S SON. I am a trade unionist. I am a writer. The labourers of Spain, los pobres y humildes, the trade unionists of Spain, the writers of Spain—all these are my comrades, my brothers. And you ask me where I stand, with them or against them? In the name of God! Suffering, struggling, stoic People of Spain, All your split blood heroic Is not in vain, No, spilt not in vain.

Journalist William Forrest: ‘I am a labourer’s son. I am a trade unionist. I am a writer. The labourers of Spain, los pobres y humildes, the trade unionists of Spain, the writers of Spain—all these are my comrades, my brothers. And you ask me where I stand, with them or against them?‘

On the one hand, more power to these students, on the other - I am meant to be giving a lecture on The Lonely Londoners in this building this afternoon😞

#OtD 27 Mar 1943 gay anti-fascist Willem Arondeus led a group in bombing the Amsterdam Public Records Office that Nazis used to identify Dutch Jews. Arrested, before his execution, Arondeus wanted it to be known that "homosexuals are not cowards." stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9931...

Ford Madox Ford I AM UNHESITATINGLY FOR the existing Spanish Government and against Franco's attempt-on every ground of feeling and reason. In addition, as the merest commonsense, the Government of the Spanish, as of any other nation, should be settled and defined by the inhabitants of that nation. Mr. Franco seeks to establish a government resting on the arms of Moors, Germans, Italians. Its success must be contrary to world conscience.

Ford Madox Ford (!): ’I am unhesitatingly for the existing Spanish Government and against Franco's attempt – on every ground of feeling and reason... The Government of the Spanish should be settled and defined by the inhabitants of that nation. Its success must be contrary to world conscience.’

Liam O' Flaherty I AM FOR THE LEGAL GOVERNMENT and the people of Republican Spain against Franco and Fascism. As an Irishman I realise that the toiling masses of Spain are waging the same struggle which we have waged for centuries in Ireland against landlordism and foreign Imperialism. Long live the Republic in Spain and all over the earth.

Liam O'Flaherty (author & founder of the Irish Communist Party): ‘As an Irishman I realise that the toiling masses of Spain are waging the same struggle which we have waged for centuries in Ireland against landlordism and foreign Imperialism. Long live the Republic in Spain and all over the earth.’

Havelock Ellis IN REPLY-While I recognise that there are good men on both sides, I am myself decisively on the side of the legal Government and against Franco and the Fascists.

Sexologist Havelock Ellis: ‘While I recognise that there are good men on both sides, I am myself decisively on the side of the legal Government and against Franco and the Fascists.’

Edinburgh staff urge university to ditch OpenAI deal Academics raise concerns over ChatGPT owner’s links to US military and claim tools are ‘looking to replace knowledge workers’

Edinburgh staff urge university to ditch OpenAI deal: www.timeshighereducation.com/news/edinbur...

today’s dawn chorus: blackbirds, robins, blue tits, great tits, sparrows, wrens – and some nest-building magpies putting them all in their place.

Cedric Dover THE SUCCESS OF REPUBLICAN SPAIN would make another revolutionary advance in human progress. It would cripple European Fascism even if it did not kill it. It would encourage those suffering millions who

know the yoke of colonial Fascism. It would inspire the proletariat, the depressed peoples and the true intellectuals of the world. To support the Spanish Republic, to share its struggle as intimately as we can, is therefore an honour and a duty.

Cedric Dover (naturalist and Indian nationalist): ’The success of Republican Spain would make another revolutionary advance in human progress. It would cripple European Fascism even if it did not kill it. It would encourage those suffering millions who know the yoke of colonial Fascism.’