The frontispiece shared on all three volumes of Simon Raven's Alms For Oblivion. ALMS FOR OBLIVION: VOLUME III Simon Raven was perhaps known as much for his controversial behaviour as for his writing. Born on 28 December 1927, he grew up reading and studying the classics, translating them from Greek and Latin into English and vice-versa. He was expelled from Charterhouse School in 1945 for homosexual activities, having first been seduced at the age of nine by the games master (an experience he described as giving immediate and unalloyed pleasure') and went on to join the army. Following his National Service, Raven attended King's College, Cambridge to read English. Raven later returned to the army but was asked to resign rather than face a court-martial for 'conduct unbecoming'. It was at this point that he turned his focus to writing. The publisher Anthony Blond paid Raven to write and to move away from London to Deal, Kent. His works span a multitude of genres including fiction, drama, essays, memoirs and screenplays. Simon Raven died in May 2001, having written his own epitaph: 'He shared his bottle and when still young and appetising appetising, his bed,'

Just finished Alms For Oblivion, which is quite the ride. Entertaining, very much 'of its time' as is the frontispiece about the author.

Yikes!

I'm sure he wrote it himself @penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social but it still seems kinda wrong to print it today? Or am I being too sensitive?

An orange Ducati Scrambler at the Secret Nuclear Bunker near Nantwich

An orange Ducati Scrambler at the Secret Nuclear Bunker near Nantwich, a Jet Provost trainer is in the background

The Jet Provost trainer at Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker

Some of the signage at Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, shades of Threads...

Don't tell anyone, rode out to the secret nuclear bunker #MotoSky

Hey @revzilla.bsky.social love, love love your YT bike reviews... But do the rest of the world a solid. When you say how many pounds a bike weighs flash up on screen how many kilos please. Cheers! #MotoSky

is that a Rick Parfitt pipe at 21s?

Effort is sexy, exciting, weird, confusing (think Nek Chand working away and nobody knew...)

The fact that AI involves no effort is absolutely key.

Paging @katewagner.wehwalt.net

My car is 26 y/o.
I can see a market for supporting popular cars that have bricked the big tablet that controls everything. But will small makers? A business opportunity I guess.

Following this chap with interest.

true. But as a vehicle enthusiast, it makes me worry about 14 years being regarded as a good innings...

Ed hoying an LP at a zombie in their back garden as Shaun watches

Ed: 'Second Coming'.
Shaun: I like it!

Working on the wooden top for the Brutalist day-bed classic Black & Decker Workmate and a pallet

The wooden top fitted to one of the 'day beds' in the front garden.

Bank Holiday progress on the Brutalist 'day bed'/invertebrate hotel.

Is this the final evolution of Paddington becoming the new UK godhead? He gathers in the deceased, we show disapproval with hard stares, all hail the sandwich of marmalade!

Hopefully the scale of Artemis will help explain to the speculators that Musk keeps making promises to.

It will never happen.

Whatever bullshit he's promising will happen in five years, next year.

It will never happen.

He's pointing over there and picking your pocket. You dumb fuck.

Daniel Craig in a bookshop(?) in the film Enduring Love

Every time I see this thumbnail on Channel 4's film section

I think they've made a feature length Criterion Closet

An absolute treat, and now it becomes a double dose of comedy nostalgia to hear Barry in such good form.

heard about this and her on Monday's Harry Hill Show. Now bingeing on Self Esteem.

Which btw should be something we all do :)

subway ad that says "your idea could be live by the time you reach your stop"

as a culture we have really given "ideas" way too much credit. ideas are a dime a dozen. they happen all the time. the magic is way more in the doing, and the doing's diminished stature is linked to lack of respect for labor and, more recently, skill and expertise.

A 'day bed' under construction in the garden made of concrete paving slabs stacked on top of each other in an alternating pattern

A 'day bed' under construction in the garden made of concrete paving slabs stacked on top of each other in an alternating pattern

Building a brutal modernist 'day bed'/invertebrate hotel in the front garden @grindrod.bsky.social a black stained wooden top will echo the house.

A traction engine chuffing away outside the Swann Inn, Wybunbury whilst the driver refreshes himself on a glorious sunny March day

A traction engine chuffing away outside the Swann Inn, Wybunbury whilst the driver refreshes himself on a glorious sunny March day

A close up of a traction engine chuffing away outside the Swann Inn, Wybunbury whilst the driver refreshes himself on a glorious sunny March day

A Ducati Scrambler parked in front of a traction engine chuffing away outside the Swann Inn, Wybunbury whilst the driver refreshes himself on a glorious sunny March day

Absolutely glorious riding conditions, can't believe it's March, so I took the opportunity for a trip out. Somebody else did too. I may have gone slightly faster #MotoSky

Angled modernist halls of residence on Keele University campus sat against a bright blue sky on a sunny day

A relatively recent addition to Keele University campus sat against a bright blue sky on a sunny day

Interior of the chapel at Keele sunlight streaming in through plain glass windows with asymmetric leading

An abandoned smallish tower block at Keele. Looking somewhat Ballardian

Lovely day for a Keele mooch with Steve Marland and other enthusiasts for modern architecture @themodernist.bsky.social

A being from the Planet Brontitall, where the Shoe Event Horizon was exploited by the Dolmansaxlil Galactic Shoe Corporation who made shoes that were always too wide or in some way would never fit anyone so people were always replacing them.

Wow we really are approaching the Shoe Event Horizon. Realising this the day after Douglas Adams' birthday is bloody typical of me!

How long exactly does it take to evolve wings? Asking for a friend.
#H2G2

Going into Kung Fu Noodles in George St Manchester on Friday night. Young blade to his mates "Oh look it's Moby!" tbh it's been a while, quite surprised Moby was still a reference to youngsters.
I guess it is a VERY long time since Duncan Goodhew was the hilarious response to seeing a polished dome.

Fascinating. I've long said we need to document the creation of the industry, whilst there are still folk around to pass on first hand knowledge. Glad that there's such a good person doing it as John. Chapeau!

Shallow Grave - that's me! A funny smart young person in a flatshare in Edinburgh.

Revisited it recently. Those people are awful! Horrible. Was I a complete prick too? Ooof!

a Restomod of a Ferrari 355 by evolutoautomobili.com

Ian Callum and evolutoautomobili.com managing to pull off one of the most audacious bits in the car universe. Make a restomod that charges rich people fortunes for a 355 that looks like one of those hooky MR2 bodykit 355 'replicas'. Chapeau!

There should be strictly enforced term limits on Op Ed columns - the demand for takes rots the mind.

Good title, up there with the all time winner

Cover art for the album Asquarius, by Cud

I'm never fed up
Because I'm made up
just bought tickets to see @cud.bsky.social‬ just down the road...

A Dualit toaster element with a burnt out trace.

*sucks breath over teeth* that'll be your problem right there...

A delivery from Dualit

The patient, pre-med applied gently lay upon the operating table. If you zoom in you can see this toaster was made in Great Britain by Michael. Cheers Mike, we've had some top toast 🍞

Clear easy instructions to, ahem, pass over to your qualified electrician and a shiny new element

The patient, opened up on the table

Did I mention that Dualit are great? They really are. BTW you will need to request the spanner, even if you have a lot of tools... 6.5mm is an unusual size.

A screenshot from Björk's video, directed by Chris Cunningham - Björk is rendered as a very cool, clean cyberpunk robot

I know it is probably not the original source, but I blame Chris Cunningham's gorgeous video for Björk's All is Full Of Love for cementing the visual idea.