Monthly archives: June 2024


Swiss museum removes Monet and Vincent van Gogh art over Nazi looting fears

Another example of how World War 2 still haunts us. Several paintings have been removed from display because of questions about whether their provenance included looting by the Nazis. All well and good, but when you’re dealing with the collection of a man who got rich supplying weapons to the Nazis, you really should have been asking exactly how he acquired every single one eighty years ago, not now.


The History of Softys’ Hard Stuff

Softys' Hard Stuff

I never went into Softys’ Hard Stuff. In fact, I only went past it once, during a photo wander around Bolton, which is when I took this photo. The picture has now been used (with permission) by Manchester Evening News in an article about the adult shop’s genesis in a TV programme and subsequent run-ins with the law.


Being Bellingcat

A few years ago, I was paid to do some (low stakes, very basic) open source intelligence research. The practise still fascinates me, but I’ve never dived in as deeply as I could. Or as thoroughly as Bellingcat, a company that beats established intelligence agencies analyses all the time.

Wired sat down with the company’s founder to discuss AI, being on Russia’s hit list, and the psychological toll of digging up the truth so many don’t want to hear.

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-lead-army-of-digital-sleuths-age-of-ai/