Helen McCarthy

Helen McCarthy

@glider.bsky.social

Glider in the night, dancer in the dark, lover of lost rivers and paths in the woods and libraries and half-open doors. Moonlights as a writer. Images/poems mine unless credited. AI must be consensual. https://ko-fi.com/helenmccarthy51

3.5K followers1.1K following8.8K posts

Helen McCarthy reposted

archivetvmusings
@archivetvmusings.bsky.social

The Prisoner - The Schizoid Man by Terence Feeley (27th October 1967). Number 6 awakes to find he has a new identity - Number 12. To confuse matters even further, the new Number 2 (Anton Rodgers) then asks him to impersonate Number 6. Jane Merrow guests as Number 24.

Helen McCarthy reposted

deck.blue
@deck.blue

another important fact: i know most of the photos being shared around the world are from the major cities and capitals of brazil, but we had protests THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COUNTRY small cities, medium cities, even just neighboorhoods in big cities, EVERYWHERE revolted against the chance of fascism

Calli Giovanini COMMS CLOSED@calligiovanini.bsky.social

A wrong lesson to take from the Brazilian elections is that voting can defeat fascism. That's not true at all. Democracy is an incredibly frail system and the US almost took over the country through it. ORGANIZED PEOPLE DEFEATED FASCISM

Helen McCarthy
@glider.bsky.social

#SomethingBeautiful - observing and documenting the magic of art in everyday life

Animation Obsessive@ani-obsessive.bsky.social

This beautiful, surreal film is a masterpiece of stop motion. It's one of the very best by director Hermína Týrlová. Our new issue looks into The Blue Apron, and into Týrlová's love of putting life into mundane objects: animationobsessive.substack.com/p/an-invisib...

Helen McCarthy reposted

Helen McCarthy
@helenmccarthy51.bsky.social

Rest in peace, Walter Koenig, died aged 89 with his surviving family around him. He had a long and full life, but this is how I first saw him in Star Trek and to me he is forever Ensign Chekov, forever young.

Helen McCarthy reposted

Tom Cox
@dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social

Quality interdimensional portal tree face discovery on my walk on Dartmoor yesterday.

Tom Cox@dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social

I have said it before, and I will say it again: the UK countryside is full of interdimensional portals. All you have to do is keep your eyes open and look carefully for them... tomcox.substack.com/p/20-of-the-...

Helen McCarthy
@glider.bsky.social

#ShareGoodNews - Amazon deforestation slows. There is hope that we'll stop cutting down the trees before we destroy the forest and all the people and species that inhabit it.

Clara Jeffery@clarajeffery.bsky.social

Under Lulu, Amazon deforestation rates have been plummeting—by 41%. The planet won tonight. www.bbc.com/news/article...

bbc.comBrazil sees record fall in Amazon deforestation as key election loomsThe Amazon rainforest is a crucial buffer against climate change - but deforestation had expanded under former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Helen McCarthy reposted

Ryan T. Brown 🎮🩷
@toadsanime.lostincult.co.uk

Look at how beautiful our next batch of physical games are. 😭 Proper shipping update over at @lostincult.co.uk now, but I get so caught up behind-the-scenes, and it's important I appreciate how bloody exceptional these are. Looking forward to them shipping soon. ❤️

Helen McCarthy reposted

Jakub Jaraczewski
@jakubjaraczewski.bsky.social

🇵🇱 Polish range of answers to "How are you?" ("Fine, thanks, how are you?" is not an option) - somehow it's flying (jakoś leci) - dickish but stable (chujowo ale stabilnie) - old poverty (stara bieda) - could be worse (mogło być gorzej, peak expression of Polish happiness)

Helen McCarthy
@glider.bsky.social

#SomethingBeautiful - a door into ancient lives and loves

Andy Marshall@fotofacade.bsky.social

✨ From the latest digest: T.W. - R.M. - J.B. - 1627. Initials on a door at Alrewas. Inside, their world seemed to light up around me - a pulpit, a table they might once have broken bread over. Read the story 👉 www.digest.andymarsh...

Helen McCarthy reposted

Leicester Gazette
@leicestergazette.leicester.news

Two University of Leicester students speak out over ‘absurd’ and ‘Orwellian’ decision by the BBC and ITV Studios to edit out pride pins worn on University Challenge

leicester.newsBBC edits out pride pins on University Challenge in ‘Orwellian’ move* * * This story was published by **The Leicester Gazette** : a local, independent newspaper about Leicestershire. 1,000 people have already joined our community. Just use those buttons below to download our app and **sign up for free**. * * * Astrophysics student Samuel Carlier and History student Emmeline Hague-Wright were shocked to find that their LGBTQ+ pride pins had been edited out of their University Challenge appearance earlier this year. The episode, initially scheduled for BBC Two on 24 August, was delayed twice before airing on 7 September 2026. The pins showed the progressive LGBTQ+ pride flag, the bisexual pride flag and a rainbow feather. Speaking to the Leicester Gazette, Sam said: “Living in a liberal democracy and having the state broadcaster tell you ‘we’re editing how you look’, seems very Orwellian.” Sam described the choice to remove the pins before broadcast as “weird” and “absurd”. He said: “[Censoring] that seemed weird. If I had worn a rainbow shirt, would they have censored that? If the idea is to keep things impartial, where is that line in the sand?” A side by-side image of Sam wearing the pin and with it having been digitally removed. Photograph: supplied Sam contacted the BBC to try to understand why his pins had been edited out. He told the Gazette: “The BBC people said they’d ring me, and I chased them, they just said go to the complaints website and file a complaint there, that’s what I did.” Since then, Sam hasn’t had a response from the BBC as to why his pins were removed. After the episode had aired, Sam noted that his shirt ‘melted’ into itself occasionally, as a result of the editing. Photograph: supplied ## Students believe the decision was made following online transphobia Emmeline was also shocked when she found out that the feather pin she wore was due to be removed from the episode she was in. It was understood by Emmeline that there was online transphobia in response to previous episode of University Challenge, and she had been contacted by the BBC, anticipating support from the broadcaster. When the BBC contacted her, instead of an offer of support, she was told her pin was going to be removed. “At first it was mostly confusion,” she said. “I heard that they had received a lot of nastiness online from people and I thought they were going to call me to say ‘we have support services if needed,’ and that wasn't what I got at all.” Instead, Emmeline was notified that the episodes were going to be delayed. “It was out of left field, I was confused for a while,” she said. “This entire delay has been because of a feather and two badges on a teammate that were basically impossible [for viewers] to see.” Emmeline had expressed her frustrations with the repeated delays from the BBC, spanning from mid-July to early-September. She said: “We were announced on the website and then delayed again, and then announced on the website a second time, and delayed even further. Speaking about the removal, she said: “It takes a lot of time” she said. “Making it [the edit] look good would be even more expensive and time-consuming. It seems like drastically a lot of effort.” ## Join the conversation Our app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community. __Want to support our work?__ Click here for membership__.__ ## Wider criticism on LGBTQ+ support The pins Sam wore during the episode. Photograph: supplied According to leading LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall UK, two in five LGBTQ+ students will hide their identities at university for fear of discrimination. Stonewall has reported that more than 36 per cent of trans students have received hostile conduct from university staff due to their gender identity. Reflecting on the digital removal of the pins, Sam spoke about how disheartening the choice was. He said: “There was maybe like a span of eight years where someone could be uncontroversially out in the open queer – now that’s gone again.” he said. The BBC has also been widely criticised for ‘an attack on the LGBTQ+ community’ by pulling its involvement with the popular show, RuPaul's Drag Race. The broadcaster pulled its involvement in September following “significant financial pressures” as the reason for axing their involvement. The criticism follows another recent controversial edit by the BBC. On its hit show, Strictly Come Dancing, a decision was made to edit out ‘Protect the Dolls’ from contestant Bethany Antonia’s T-shirt. It’s a slogan which has become widely used to support the rights of trans women. The BBC defended their decision, saying the changes were made to meet editorial guidelines. It comes as the LGBTQ+ community has faced challenges amid an increasingly less tolerant political climate. ## What the BBC had to say When we asked them about editing out the pins worn by Leicester’s University Challenge team, a BBC spokesperson said: “In line with our editorial guidelines, we advise that no badges, flags, and emblems or symbols are worn or visible during filming, along with clothing with obvious branding or slogans. If such items are not removed for any reason then a decision is made between the programme makers and the BBC regarding any edits to the programme.” The BBC said the delays to the episode were unrelated to the decision to edit out the pins. A spokesperson for ITV Studios said: “University Challenge is an entertainment quiz show and is made in accordance with the BBC Editorial Guidelines requirements for impartiality.” The University of Leicester refused to comment on the matter. * * * **Before you go…** We’ve recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we’re a small team on a shoestring budget. Now, we’re ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. **Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.** The app connects with **Bluesky** , **Mastodon** and **Threads** , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It’s a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community. * * *

Helen McCarthy reposted

Paul Guinnessy
@paulguinnessy.bsky.social

Only took over a week, and a lot of lying by Trump and Musk.

The Kyiv Independent@kyivindependent.com

⚡️Starshield operations restored to speeds of more than 400 km/h, Ukraine's Defense Ministry says. "We record a speed of more than 400 kilometers per hour, the connection is stable," the ministry said.

kyivindependent.comStarshield operations restored to speeds of more than 400 km/h, Ukraine's Defense Ministry says"We record a speed of more than 400 kilometers per hour, the connection is stable," the ministry said.

Helen McCarthy reposted

Tim White
@twmcltd.bsky.social

Saturday 24 October 2026 Did you know today is United Nations Day? Ah, how I long for the day when the UN was a force for good and stability. It's now effectively held hostage by malign actors. It's one big reason Ukraine is still fighting for survival on Day 1704. Here's my daily🧵

Helen McCarthy reposted

princess zandra 美山地王 but kinda chinese
@spacehunterm.bsky.social

idk how far I'll pursue this foolhardy project of making an HD/scope version of the English Andromeda Strain trailer (e.g., Arrow BD + West German scope trailer exclusive footage + SD flat trailer English textual visuals), but at least the Wildfire team has human fleshtones again.

Helen McCarthy reposted

Michael Leader
@michaeljleader.bsky.social

Wildwood is undeniably an achievement on many levels, but reading all these reviews, I'm struck by how this is where Laika has finally succeeded in its mission to turn the solitary art of (stop motion) animation into a form of athletics - obsessed with scale, spectacle, endurance and big numbers.