astreus

Nah, in the UK it’s the midlands. Coventry, Birmingham, Leicester, and Loughborough can all go in the bin.

Loving all the Scots embracing the United Kingdom in this thread by describing England as a part of their country 😉

The fact we have an idiom “sent to Coventry” meaning to deliberately ostracise someone should tell you all you need to know.

I went to uni in that city; there isn’t enough money in all the world to make me go back there. City of 300k people with over 3k homeless. Utter monstrosity of brutalist architecture (the university library is based on a panopticon prison, I kid you not). And the ring road! Taking your life in your hand just merging into it!

Absolutely insane amount of crime, with one of the highest rates of child sexual abuse in the country (for context, it’s crime index is about 20% higher than London’s). And I’ve never seen so many street walkers in my life! Plus they charge, I am not joking, £20 a go.

This is the first year where I’ve decided not to have any reading goals. It isn’t work, it’s pleasure. I don’t have video game goals, or cloud watching goals, so why book goals? This year, I will read when I feel like reading!

I don’t really read books digitally (my poor eyes now I’m in my 30s…) or listen to audio books. However, I do have multiple copies of the same book. I have four editions of The Hobbit, for example.

This is something I find interesting because it brings up the question: are books art in their own right, not simply a format for the story? My answer is YES! I love the look and feel of my Folio society edition, I love the smell and memories of my grandfather’s worn copy, I love the annotations in the second hand copy I got from a closing down sale (like the last reader was sharing the experience with me). And I love having a copy I’m willing to give/lend to friends and family that won’t break my heart if it’s lost.

Ooo forgot about Uncanny. I’ve read a few editions, might be time to get the old bank card out.

Fuck the Normans

I wonder if there’s a clear marker pre-50 shades of grey and post-50 shades of grey…that book seems to have done a number on people.

Now go watch some “problematic consent” porn next to her and see what happens!

World War II in Colour had some moments that raises the eyebrows, but it:

a) Explains how Britain caused WW2 due to their hatred of the Soviets

b) Why Stalin signed the non-aggression pact with Hitler

c) Shows how Spain was used as a proxy war between Russia and Germany (and how the League of Nations - especially France - led to a Fascist victory)

d) Explains how Russia was pivotal for ending the war

Overall, I thought it was very good.

DISCLAIMER: Watched it around a decade ago, so might be foggy