ianstaerck.bsky.social
Primary teacher/book lover (especially children's books)/trail and fell runner/father of 3
82 posts
169 followers
270 following
Getting Started
Active Commenter
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I'd forgotten about that! That was a dreadful thing to say! 🤦♂️
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That scene when Barney is abducted as the carnival dances around him is *very* Wickerman! ❤️
I've just finished OSUS and enjoyed it far more than I anticipated. Some of the writing is beautiful and the atmospheric sense of jeopardy is fantastic! The long grass outside Hasting's house was creepy... 😂
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I enjoyed TDIR a few years ago (the first lockdown, in fact!) and fully intended to read the rest. It took me a while, as you can see. But it's reading OSUS that has made me want to get going with the rest. I listened to the recent BBC version of TDIR this Christmas - it was a great way back in. 😀👍
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Yes, I enjoyed it so much more than I expected to. I was led to believe it's inferior to what follows, but the atmosphere and the jeopardy were so expertly done, I enjoyed it more than the Dark Is Rising.
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Just finished reading my sister's old 80s edition with the iconic covers. Margery Gill's illustrations are fantastic for all the reasons you say. As a child, I never liked that style of drawing - I used to find it depressing somehow - but I'm beginning to appreciate it now.
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Wow - I love that midnight blue cover! Very atmospheric. I don't think that particular illustration is within the book, so it's lovely to see it. 😀👌
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Having grown up in London watching it as a kid, for the last 20 years I've lived very close to the lighthouse and stately home, which were locations in the programme. There's many a pigeon loft too.
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Wow. What a very rude response. Oh well...
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Perhaps that's true, but fawning adoration and obeisance gives them more validation. Silence here does that for them.
I appreciate the discussion - cheers. 😊
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I'm not sure if there's a typo in your second question, but I'm afraid I don't understand it. As for "no good" in a relationship, perhaps I'm missing something, but I don't recall any evidence of that in the love story between Robin and Marian.
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Well this is my original point - why *shouldn't* Starmer call out this behaviour as wrong, like other European leaders? It's plain to see Europe needs to stick together. The diplomacy as you call it just gives the bully validation. Make them an outlier, I say.
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Calling Robin Hood "no good" seems to be missing the point somewhat, doesn't it? 😀
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And how will Ukraine get support from "the snake"? I've just seen Trump say Zelensky needs to be nicer to Putin. There'll be no support there - not even after his mineral shakedown. (Telling that a such a metaphorical name should now be given to the US.)
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Then what? Then we risk confusing diplomacy with fawning. It is 100% clear that Trump and his administration expect the kind of respect Don Corleone was used to.
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In every AI creation, there's always something that gives it away and reminds me of the Fly. Here it's bearded belly dancers.
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We should file this in the same section as Toyah Wilcox performances. Seems ridiculous to think she freaked me out. 🤦♂️😂
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Holy shit! I must have buried this somewhere deep within myself! 😮😂
That image alone has just given me one almighty flashback. 😀👏
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Haha! Yes! Must have been an inspiration. Conor Hammil smashing Doon Mackichan's head through a pane of glass must have been inspired too. 😂🤜🤛
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Just got round to listening - what an episode! Always been a fan of John's, right back to the Joe Beesley days. 😂
He was so funny, and his passion for things that frighten and his love for what you guys do was abundantly clear. I loved listening to his choices - Bobby is getting watched tonight.
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I love it. The Gerry episode in the first season is jaw-droppingly good.
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Great! I love David Peace's novels - and this one sounds great. I've just downloaded the podcast - cheers! 😀👍
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Scrap that, series 1 and 2 are on there too. Just in a strange order. 😀🤷♂️
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I've come to this via Chris' repost. Never heard of the program but it sounds great. Can't see episodes earlier than the third series though. Were you able to hear that first episode somewhere else? Or was it just that the earlier ones have just been taken off the app recently?
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When that rioter got hit with a brick, I always felt that was very much "in the goolies."
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Yes, all the through we thought Minah was Harry-worthy - so calm and measured - but I guess she wasn't as practised in the art of self defence as Harry. Charlotte came out of nowhere - I thought she would be average, but she was stellar. Ironically Freddie's parting shot did for her.
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Honestly, I thought after the penultimate episode, the final would be a dead rubber - with Charlotte surely done for - but she played it so well it was a joy to watch. Then the faithfuls eating themselves was also fun. I don't feel a recruited traitor is ever worthy, but Charlotte was amazing value.
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Leanne seems to have picked up on Freddie's clue (a master stroke from a player who I didn't think would be canny enough to do that), but Frankie appears to have selected Charlotte without really taking that on board (unless I'm being harsh?)
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Absolutely no way is Neptune less popular than Uranus. Not having it.
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That's amazing. What a tribute! 💔🤜🤛
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Yes, I hope it doesn't go too much down the "nasty" route. The game is fascinating enough. The producers say they still want ordinary folk - not influencer wannabes. 🤞
Have you ever played Werewolves/Mafia? It's such an enjoyable party game. 😀❤️
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A few friends have said they'd like to watch without knowing. But for me, a huge factor in my enjoyment is revelling in the game play of Mina, and Harry and Paul last year. But it would certainly be interesting in not knowing - just not convinced I'd prefer it. Did you know who the Mole was?
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I remember the Mole because my brother watched it. Didn't catch enough of it. 🙄
That coffee plot sounds excellent! 😂👏👏👏
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Arousing too much suspicion (too much "evidence" 😀) makes the game too easy for the faithfuls. That's all I mean. I think the challenges and the way they've been designed have so far have got that right.
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Sorry, perhaps I've misunderstood where you both are coming from - but I think the immunity reward in the challenges has upped the jeopardy, leading to a good amount of "evidence" (as we saw with Freddie not being able to row and his petty reaction causing suspicion).
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I don't know. Being exposed as a liar in a game full of paranoia and suspicion is going to paint a big target on your back. Dam has been praised for "being true to himself" but being kicked out of the game at the half way stage made it disastrously naive.
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But evidence as opposed to hunches would make the game too easy for the faithfuls.
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Awesome cover! 😍
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The stable genius quote was 7 years ago??!! 😮
Great work from Happy! 👏
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It's wonderful! You write for children in a way that feels rare amongst current authors.
Sorry though, I didn't mean my comment about local (but limited!) knowledge to sound vaguely threatening. 🤦♂️😂
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Never knew they were married! Excellent creators both. 😀👏
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Slow mornings - when you wake up early enough to really enjoy them with a good book. ❤️🤜🤛