Spinneyhead

It’s Sounds of Soldiers time. Again   Recently updated !

This entry was posted in Donald Trump Sounds of Soldiers US Election on by
Buy Sounds of Soldiers

I put on the news to go with breakfast, and caught the end of Trump’s victory speech. Not a great way to start a Wednesday.

This US election, I’ve been too preoccupied to do my usual pimping of Sounds of Soldiers, but here we are.

I started this book in 2008, based on the premise of McCain/Palin winning the US elections that year, McCain dropping from the stress, and Palin being exactly as crazy as she appeared when she got power. That’s all hinted at in the back story, but it’s really about how a second American civil war affected Europe, and the narrator in particular. In some ways, it’s an optimistic book, as everyone is rebuilding, and finding better ways to do things. But there’s still all the death and terror that took the world to the place they had to rebuild from.

All of the above is to say- buy Sounds of Soldiers (also available from Smashwords if you don’t want to give Bezos any money). And start working out how we’re going to deal with the shit a second Trump presidency will shovel on the world.

Elon Musk is a pathetic little turd

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I only log in to Twitter once every week or two to check my mentions nowadays. Content from other feeds is pushed to it, so I still have an active presence there.

It’s unlikely I’ll delete my account, no matter how little I use it, but news that ‘X’ is selling user data to companies training AIs makes it tempting. In the mean time, the post title should be what gets tweeted, so I hope the bots learn to hate Noel Skum as much as the rest of us.

https://lifehacker.com/tech/x-is-selling-your-data-to-third-parties-for-ai-training

Look, I’ve not been smoking anything, okay. But….

This entry was posted in A Writer's Life on by

There’s a thought that’s been bugging me for the last few weeks. And it’s, well, *about* weeks.

Where did they come from?

I don’t mean as in how does time work? But more, where did the concept of the week (and the month, for that matter) come from? And how did 7 days- five ‘week’ and two ‘weekend’- become the international standard?*

There has to be an interesting tale to tell around this thought. I bet there were conflicts aplenty, between tribes, countries, cultures and religions. Lots of politics and intrigue, probably some action and romance. Blockbuster stuff.

If somebody wants to fund my time to write a pop history book on the subject, drop me a line.

*I imagine there are still cultures and countries operating on timetables different to the 7 day version. I would, of course, cover those as well.

What caused the White riot?

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The Conversation has a selection of articles looking into the roots of this week’s violence. This article links to them, and gives an overview of each. I’ll be reading them all later.

The concept of Middle Aged Radicalisation bemuses me. Much as I try to pretend I’m younger, my knees remind me every day that I’m definitely in my 50s. However, the Internet has existed for over 20 years, and I’ve been on it since soon after it became a thing. I may not be a scholar of memes, but I’ve seen enough to have some savvy over what people are trying to feed me. It’s a shock to find that others my age know so little about it.

https://theconversation.com/uk-riots-five-essential-reads-on-what-triggered-a-week-of-violence-236536

James Cleverley doesn’t live up to his name (part 3452)

This entry was posted in protest Spinneyhead on by

The Home Secretary wants to make it harder to hold a demonstration, calling for longer notice periods for larger marches. He wants a quick response to government failure or international outrage to be impossible.

He also said that he didn’t think there should be any more marches against the genocide in Gaza, as they’ve ‘made their point’. Which is a stupid argument. As long as civilians are being bombed and starved- and this country isn’t doing anything to stop it- the point hasn’t got through, and needs to be made over and over again.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/28/home-secretary-mulling-further-restrictions-on-protests

An open letter to ‘Gender Critical’ Greens

This entry was posted in Charity Green Party Transphobia writing on by

For a few months, I’ve been arguing on Facebook with ‘Gender Critical’ Green Party members. It’s hard to fit my thoughts into the restricted space of a Facebook post (and I’ll probably still miss stuff out in this extended format), what follows is addressed to them, in an attempt to explain my position-

I’m a middle aged, white, cis man, from a middle class background. I’m a little bit bi, so I do have some skin in the game, but most of my opposition to your stance comes from basic empathy and having read enough history to know where this could go.

Your language and logic is full of tropes lifted from right wing talking points and the moral panics of previous generations. You’ve thrown out unexplained (likely unexplainable) references to postmodernism, critical theory and the like, as well as that boogeyman beloved of the empty headed reactionary- Cultural Marxism. All to try to justify your opposition to the terror of ‘trans ideology’- something with even less substance than all your other words.

Being trans is lived reality for millions around the world. It’s not an ideology, it’s a fact. Proportionally, the trans population is tiny, but over the last few years, prejudice against them has ramped up. They’re almost up there with immigrants now as the most popular scapegoats of Tories and Republicans.

Something that is an ideology is your beloved protected Gender Critical belief. It’s the ideology the Tories and Republicans use to justify proposed and actual laws designed to persecute trans people. It’s been the driver of at least one murder in the UK, and doubtless many more worldwide. GC ideologues have talked about how their world would be so much better if they could just get rid of trans people. They have drawn the support of neo-nazis.

You’re going to tell me that you don’t agree with those people, that you’re not like them. But you’re lying. You’ve cited Linehan to support your points. You stand with JK Rowling. You’ve demanded support for the LGB Alliance. And those are just the examples I can think of off the top of my head.

I was going to be generous, and say that the line between Gender Critical belief and rabid transphobia is so fine it’s basically invisible. But I’m not even sure there is a line. You hold a belief that makes you think less of a group of people because of how they were born. That belief makes you think it would be acceptable to place restrictions on their freedoms. You may not say the quiet part out loud- even to yourself- but you occupy ideological space with the absolute worst of our politicians.

That is why I think you don’t belong in the Green Party. We’re a progressive organisation, and you’re trying to force regressive beliefs on us.

I plan to waste less of my time on you from now on. I’ll still call you out when you deserve it and I’m feeling feisty, but I’m going to spend more time on positive actions. Be proud for yourselves for that at least- you’ve inspired me.

There’s still a version of my trans kids and allies vs the terfs novel that needs to be written. I may try to break the writer’s block on what I’ve got so far, or it could need a whole new start, but I will keep trying.

More immediately, I have signed up to do Miles for Mermaids in March. I’ve committed to put in at least 100 miles on my bike whilst raising money for a charity that supports trans kids and their families. Thanks for getting me off my arse and back to improving my health and bank balance by cycling to work. Click here to chip in and do your bit as well.

Talking to yourself

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When I’m alone, and sometimes when I’m not, my inner speech becomes outer speech as I think my way through problems and action plans. That voice in your head is now being studied by philosophers as psychologists have found limits to their understanding of it.

https://theconversation.com/what-inner-speech-is-and-why-philosophy-is-waking-up-to-it-220619

Is India carrying out assassination abroad

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It’s alleged that Indian intelligence operatives (or assassins hired by them) have been targeting Sikh activists abroad. The cases cited in this report were in Canada and the USA, but if it’s been happening there, it’s happened in other countries too.

Foreign kill teams on the streets is definitely thriller material, but I don’t think India’s religious turmoil is the background most script writers would run with.

https://theconversation.com/alleged-assassination-plots-in-the-u-s-and-canada-signal-a-more-assertive-indian-foreign-policy-218907

All I Want for Christmas is a New Government

This entry was posted in Conservative Design politics Spinneyhead Shop on by

From a throwaway tweet over lunch on Tuesday-

I came home and had a play in Inkscape, and here’s the result. If you want to tell Santa what you want, the design is available on a wide variety of products at Redbubble.

The trick to sticking to a project every day—for years

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I’m trying out a new to-do list. It’s the first page of a spreadsheet I’m filling with projects, which will be broken down into the tasks involved as I start them. It means I’ll always have a list of things to work on, and when I’m done, I can cross the job off. Every Sunday (more often on really productive weeks), I mark the completed jobs and print out a new version of the sheet.

I don’t know how this would marry up with the advice in the linked article, but I’ll take it on board as well. You can’t finish any projects unless you start them, and the best way to progress is to commit to keep working in them, even if it is only a little every day.

https://qz.com/how-to-commit-projects-personal-professional-1850999982

Books for the weekend

This entry was posted in Garth Owen Lesser Universe Rain and Bullets on by
Night & Fog 1 cover image

Night & Fog 1: The March is available on Amazon today. An action sci-fi novelette, it’s more space pop song than space opera.

In the dying days of planetary occupation, the invaders have marched prisoners into the barely explored interior of the main continent.

Tren, an Aurzi, has escaped the march, only to be left in arid wasteland with little chance of survival. Until human mercenaries offer a way out, and to rescue the rest of the marchers.

Kettled cover image

The Tories are in Manchester for their conference, so it’s a good time to remind you of Kettled (also available at Smashwords and elsewhere).

The Tories are in Manchester, and thousands have turned out to protest their presence.

In the midst of the peaceful protest, a small group of hired troublemakers are planning to cause trouble. They want to start a riot, to distract from the demo’s message, and usher in new laws.

Irwin has been working with an MI5 agent to track them down before they can do any damage. But now, she has been stabbed, and he is trapped in a big crowd being held on a square by Police. Just the right place to start a fight.

With the reluctant help of Kay Wood, Irwin must track down the troublemakers before it’s too late, and find out who stabbed the MI5 agent.

Another Summer of Hate 8

This entry was posted in Patreon Rain and Bullets on by

Gary gave the motor a little blast of electricity, and used the torque to help pull up the front wheel. He pushed his torso up and forwards, and managed to get the back wheel into the air. It still tapped the edge of the curb, but he was getting better at these high speed bunny hops. Swinging back off the pavement, he caught some air and threaded between bollards.

The next delivery was by the chippy. There wasn’t a deadline, this wasn’t a video game, but he liked to push himself and get a bit better every time out. Like with the bunny hops. A right turn, then angle left, and he had another to do. It was a taller curb, and he whacked the wheel harder this time. Not enough to buckle the wheel, but he didn’t want to do it too often.

His customers were obvious, standing by the chip shop’s side door, hoods up and shoulders hunched against the drizzle. He angled across the car park, pulling a ragged stoppie as he drew up to them. It was only as he reached into his jacket for the bag that it began to feel wrong. They weren’t looking at him, eager to get the deal done, but scanning the surroundings.

The taller one reached out, real quick, and pushed Gary back. He kept pushing until Gary’s legs tangled in the bike frame, and he went over. His shoulders hit the concrete. He had tensed for it, but still his head cracked against the ground as well. Everything went unpleasantly bright.

The tall one was over him now, pinning him to the ground while the small one went through his pockets. “Tell that cunt Lee not to take the piss. He steals our business, we’ll steal his shit.” he hissed as he pulled out bags and cash. When he’d pocketed it all, he stood. The kick he swung at Gary’s chest was almost an afterthought. “Next time I bring a knife, yeah?”