Acton Bell

@actionbell.bsky.social

321 Followers 407 Following

Dead serious about crushing the Capitalist Patriarchy. Likes to embroider The Thick of It quotes. I listen to David Bowie instead of eating my feelings. Renegade.

Close-up of the front cover of Sycorax: Seer. Sage. Sorceress. by Nydia Hetherington. The cover features swirling, stylised ocean waves in shades of deep blue, turquoise, and green, with a small sailboat near the lower right corner dwarfed by the towering sea. The title "SYCORAX" appears in large white lettering across the centre, with the subtitle "Seer. Sage. Sorceress." beneath it. At the top are review quotes from Molly Aitken, Frances Quinn, and Louise Hare. The author's name, Nydia Hetherington, is printed in white at the bottom. The book rests on dark fabric with yellow stripes visible around the edges.
creenshot of a reposted social media post from the Royal College of Psychiatrists (@rcpsych). The post warns that, following a Met Office "risk to life" heat warning in parts of the UK, people with mental health conditions and those taking medications such as antidepressants, mood stabilisers, or antipsychotics should take extra care, as these medicines can increase the risk of dehydration and heat-related illness. It includes advice from Dr Daniel Harwood urging people to stay cool, keep hydrated, use sunscreen, avoid the hottest part of the day, and seek medical advice if they become physically unwell. A link to Royal College of Psychiatrists guidance and the hashtag #heatwave appear at the end. The screenshot also shows that the post has been reposted by the account owner.
A screenshot from the British political comedy The Thick of It showing a man carefully hurrying through an office while carrying two mugs of hot drinks. He appears anxious as he tries not to spill them. White subtitle text reads: "COME ON, QUICK. QUICK. FUCK, FUCK, IT'S HOT." Office desks, computer monitors, and glass-walled meeting rooms are visible in the background.
A close-up photograph taken from a first-person perspective showing a hand holding a handgun pointed upward toward the bright sun in a clear blue sky. The sun creates a strong glare and lens flare around the firearm. Part of a building roof is visible in the lower left corner, with faint outlines of other structures in the background. The image is high contrast, with the gun and hand appearing mostly in silhouette against the intense sunlight.
Book cover of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown. The cover has a brown-orange border surrounding a sepia-toned photograph of a Native American man seated and facing the camera. He wears traditional clothing and a head covering, with a small bag or case resting beside him. The title appears in large white lettering at the top: "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee". Beneath the photograph, the subtitle reads "An Indian History of the American West", followed by the author's name at the bottom.
A screenshot of a social media post by Jonathan Edward Durham (@thisone0verhere). The post reads: "Seeing this movie around the same time you actually read Romeo and Juliet is a very specific generational calling card that I'm more than happy to carry." Below the text is a still from the 1996 film adaptation of Romeo + Juliet, directed by Baz Luhrman, showing a young man standing beside a yellow taxi. He wears a sleeveless red shirt featuring a religious image, black trousers, and holsters with pistols in both hands.
An educational infographic titled “The Beighton Score for Generalised Joint Hypermobility” by Dr Alison Grimaldi. It explains the nine-point Beighton scoring system used to assess joint hypermobility. Five illustrated assessment criteria are shown across the centre: A person bending forward with knees straight and palms flat on the floor (1 point). Knee hyperextension greater than or equal to 10 degrees (1 point for each knee). Elbow hyperextension greater than or equal to 10 degrees (1 point for each elbow). Ability to bend the thumb back to touch the forearm (1 point for each thumb). Extension of the little finger (5th MCP joint) beyond 90 degrees (1 point for each hand). At the bottom, the infographic notes that using a Beighton score cutoff of 4 or more for generalised joint hypermobility can result in a 60% false-positive rate, and recommends using age- and sex-specific cut-offs appropriate to the population being assessed. A citation to a 2017 rheumatology study is included in the footer.
Four-panel comic. In the first panel, a frightened man sits on a bed while another man stands over him holding a knife, apparently threatening him. In the second panel, the victim looks nervous but begins reaching inside his shirt. In the third panel, he continues reaching into his shirt while the attacker watches. In the final panel, instead of pulling out a weapon or object, he reveals his middle finger and gives the attacker an unimpressed, defiant gesture. The humour comes from the dramatic buildup leading to a simple act of rebellion rather than self-defence.
A screen grab from a section of an article from the Guardian which reads: '4. He was quite rude about Wes Streeting The former health secretary was close to Mandelson in the past, to the extent that in February he pre-emptively released his own copies of their WhatsApp messages to try to limit any political damage. In July 2025, Streeting was expressing alarm at Israel’s actions in Gaza, and was among cabinet ministers trying to push Starmer for the UK to formally recognise Palestinian statehood. “By way, I received a wild long hysterical message from Wes about Israel,” Mandelson wrote to Pat McFadden, adding: “I pushed back. I can forward but reflects pretty badly on his maturity in my view.” Days later, after Streeting had lobbied cabinet colleagues for more action over Gaza, Mandelson told McFadden: “I think Wes is experiencing an early mid-life crisis.” McFadden did not reply.'
A close-up photograph of a Penguin Classics paperback edition of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Selected Poetry. The cover artwork shows an atmospheric seascape in fiery shades of red, orange, and smoky grey, with the dark silhouettes of storm-tossed ships and masts emerging through turbulent waves and mist. Below the painting is the familiar white Penguin Classics band with the penguin logo, and beneath it the title text: “SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE” in orange capitals and “Selected Poetry” in smaller white italic lettering. The book rests on a patterned orange and gold fabric surface
Book cover for Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb, labelled as Book One of The Farseer Trilogy. The cover has an aged parchment-style background with worn edges and decorative medieval manuscript elements. The title “Assassin’s Apprentice” appears in large black calligraphic lettering across the centre, with an ornate illuminated capital “A” containing a tiny skull illustration. At the top right is a blue heraldic shield featuring a deer-like animal with antlers beneath a crown. Above the title is a quote from George R. R. Martin: “In today’s crowded fantasy market Robin Hobb’s books are like diamonds in a sea of zircons.” The author’s name, “Robin Hobb,” appears in large pale gold lettering at the bottom.
Side profile of politician/spin doctor/podcaster Alastair Campbell, in high shadow with him facing right.
Star Trek Deep Space Nine title card, the text for the episode title reads "the Irishman suffers"
A photograph of the front cover of the novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. The cover features a painted portrait of a young Black child with short hair, facing forward with a calm, serious expression. Warm shades of orange, gold, and brown fill the textured background, giving the image a glowing, sunset-like atmosphere. The child wears a blue top with scattered red markings. At the bottom of the cover, the author’s name, “Mildred D. Taylor,” appears above the title in large pale lettering on a dark blue band. The book cover shows visible wear, with creases and scuffs around the edges.
A worn vintage children’s book cover titled “Hannibal on the Farm” against a red background. The cover is bright green with large white bubble lettering at the top. In the centre illustration, a small brown-and-white hamster faces a large red rooster on a farmyard scene with grass, wheat, and cottages in the background. A cartoon ladybird appears in the bottom-left corner. The book’s edges are scuffed and peeling with age.
A sepia-toned book cover for Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, published in the Oxford World’s Classics edition. The cover features a soft-focus profile portrait of a young woman with long, windswept hair, facing right against a dark background. The title and author’s name appear in black and dark red text on a white band across the centre.
Protest of Unite the kingdom with someone holding a sign saying 'If Jimmy Saville was a black Muslim Non-binary Lesbian he would have got away with it. Sign also shows a picture of Jimmy Saville with black skin. It makes him look mummified.
Screenshot of a social media post by a user named “JmRoyle #LFC #YNWA #BLM…” posted 4 hours earlier. The post reads: “Another five bite the dust: Five Reform UK Councillors resign days after being elected.” Below the text is a collage of five headshots of middle-aged men in suits, arranged in a grid. At the bottom are social media interaction icons showing replies, reposts, likes, and views.
Book cover for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling. The illustration shows a boy and a girl riding a large winged creature (a hippogriff) flying across a starry night sky in front of a glowing full moon. The creature has the front half of an eagle with wide outstretched wings and the body of a horse. The title “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” appears in large gold lettering at the top, with the author’s name beneath it. A note at the bottom reads “Winner of the 1999 Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year.”
Green hardback book with black text on it saying 'John Betjeman's Collected Poems'.
Book cover for Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell. The image shows a vintage street scene in Paris with tall, slightly worn apartment buildings in the background. In the foreground, a man pushes a handcart loaded with large sacks, while several other men in early 20th-century clothing stand nearby. Posters and advertisements cover a wall on the right, adding to the sense of urban grit. The title and author’s name appear in large, pale blue and white text across the top, with the Penguin Modern Classics logo in the upper left corner.
A cosy, wood-panelled pub interior with tall built-in bookshelves lining the walls, filled with worn and mismatched books. Warm lighting runs along the shelves, casting a soft glow. In the foreground is a cushioned booth with dark upholstery and a wooden divider featuring etched glass. In the background, a small group of people sit closely together at a table, eating and talking, with drinks and condiments visible. The atmosphere feels intimate and slightly old-fashioned, like a library blended with a pub.
Book cover for A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes. The design features a dark teal background with swirling, wave-like patterns in blue and orange. At the top and bottom are stylised golden ancient Greek ships with curved prows and sails. In the centre, the title “A Thousand Ships” appears in large gold lettering, with the author’s name, Natalie Haynes, above it in smaller text. A circular green sticker in the top right corner reads “Women’s Prize for Fiction 2020 – Shortlisted.” Below the title is a quote from Madeline Miller praising the novel for giving voice to the silenced women of the Trojan War.
Black-and-white book cover for Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh. The image shows a group of young people in extravagant 1920s fancy-dress costumes at a party—one person wears a large ornate headdress, another has a dark eye mask, and others are dressed in flowing gowns and theatrical outfits. They appear posed and slightly dishevelled, capturing a sense of decadent, chaotic revelry. The title “Evelyn Waugh Vile Bodies” is overlaid in large white text across the centre.
A candid photo of Robin Williams wearing a light pink T-shirt, smiling gently with his eyes closed as a monarch butterfly rests on the tip of his nose. His hands are loosely clasped near his chest in a playful, almost childlike pose. The background is softly blurred greenery, giving the image a calm, tender feeling. Above the photo, text reads: “I’m so glad we got to grow up with Robin Williams 🥺”.
A screenshot of a post on X (formerly Twitter) by George Madgwick (@GeorgeUK), displayed on a smartphone screen. The post reports that Matthew Cordy, a Reform UK councillor in Portsmouth, was injured while campaigning, stating that his finger was amputated in an accident involving a sharp letterbox and could not be saved. The message urges people to stay safe and suggests using a wooden spoon to push items through doors. Below the text is an attached photo showing two men in suits standing outdoors at what appears to be a public or ceremonial event. One man wears sunglasses and a lanyard; the other has glasses and a tie. Behind them are tents, a crowd of people (including some in military uniforms), and a large camera crane under a partly cloudy sky.
Image of the head and face of David Gyasi, an actor who is portraying Achilles in the Netflix drama Troy: Fall of a City. He is wearing a bronze, plumed traditional Greek helmet.
Small painting by Henry Wallis of the Pre-Raphaelites called The Death of Chatterton. Image shows a man in a squalid bed sit lying on his bad with one arm flung off, ostensibly dead. There is a small empty phial next to his hand. Chatterton was known to have ended his own life by drinking arsenic due to his impoverished state, despite being a literary genius. He was a very Romantic figure for some at the time (mid 18th Century)
Morgan le Fay — A richly detailed Pre-Raphaelite painting of a red-haired woman (Morgan le Fay) by Frederick Sandyrs standing in a dim, tapestry-lined room, mid-spell. She wears layered robes in green, gold, and deep red, with a leopard pelt draped over her hips. Her body twists dynamically as she raises her arms, appearing to enchant or manipulate a dark, cloth-draped figure or object in front of her. To her right stands a wooden loom with taut threads glowing in the warm light of a sunset visible through a window beyond, suggesting magic woven into fate. Around her are scattered objects: scrolls, a small chest with ornate patterns, vessels, and ritual items, adding to the sense of arcane practice. The background is filled with intricate patterns and hanging textiles, creating a dense, almost claustrophobic atmosphere. Her expression is intense and focused, lips slightly parted, as if caught in the breath between words of a spell. The overall mood is charged, mystical, and slightly ominous—capturing a moment of powerful, dangerous enchantment.
A large red book titled ‘The Art of the Pre-Raphaelites’ by Steven Adam’s with a picture of ‘The Beloved’ by Dante Gabriel Rossetti in its centre. To its right is a smaller book in an orange and black repeating pattern with cream text on which says ‘The Best of Dorothy Parker’ Duckworth
12 piles of historical fantasy; classic fantasy; feminist retellings of Greek mythology and several books covering politics, medicine, history and science.
Head and shoulders photo of the actor Matt Berry from the TV series Garth Marenghi's Darkplace as his character Dr Lucien Sanchez. Wearing a Dr's jacket on a yellow background
A photo of nine books neatly arranged on a dark navy or black fabric background patterned with thick gold geometric lines. The books are laid out in two rows, with five along the top and four along the bottom, their covers facing upward. Top row, left to right: A bright pink paperback titled Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson, with ornate gothic lettering and decorative flourishes. A richly illustrated hardback titled Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi, featuring an intricate gold-and-blue Egyptian-style design resembling a ceremonial collar. A black-and-gold decorative edition of Hekate: The Witch by Nikita Gill, showing the goddess Hekate holding torches with a dog at her feet, surrounded by ornate gold borders. A yellow-toned novel titled Medea by Eilish Quin, with a stylised illustration of a woman in profile with flowing hair. The Rest Is History by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, with illustrated historical figures on the cover and the subtitle “History’s Most Curious Questions Answered.” Bottom row, left to right: Greek Myths by Charlotte Higgins, a deep blue book with a minimalist gold constellation-style illustration. Le Fay by Sophie Keetch, with a dark cover featuring a woman with flowing hair surrounded by red and gold swirling designs. Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey, showing a gold dragon against a dark background with green orbital lines. At the lower edge near the right side sits a small round metallic object that resembles a pendant, medallion, or coin. The overall arrangement looks like a curated stack of fantasy, mythology, and history books displayed on a patterned bedspread or cloth.
A photograph of the book cover of The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes. The cover has a dark charcoal background with bold red and teal Greek-inspired illustrations. Two mirrored red-robed female figures face outward on either side, their arms extended toward the center, where a teal laurel wreath and skull motif sits above the title. Small teal stars are scattered across the background. At the bottom, two red bulls face each other. The title “THE CHILDREN OF JOCASTA” appears in large teal capital letters. Below it is the author’s name, “NATALIE HAYNES,” also in teal. Blurbs on the cover read: “‘Passionate and gripping’ Madeline Miller, author of CIRCE,” “‘Haynes is the nation’s great muse’ Adam Rutherford,” and “‘Wonderful’ The Times.” The book is resting on black fabric with wide mustard-yellow stripes.
Image of Patrick Stewart's head and shoulders with a shocked expression on his face. In the lower left corner is white text saying 'Laura.'
Screenshot of a search results page showing a “People also ask” section. Three expandable questions are visible: “What is Anne Brontë’s most famous book?”, “Which two novels did Anne Brontë write?”, and “Which Brontë sister was the prettiest?”. Each question has a downward arrow icon to the right, indicating it can be expanded. The background is white with black text in a standard web search layout.
A picture of two women from Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Tara and Willow - a redhead with cropped hair resting her head on the shoulder of a blonde woman with her hair tied up
screenshot of a satirical social media post. At the top is English text reading: “Germany’s satirical newspaper @der-postillon.com titles: ‘Vienna Academy of the Arts offers Trump admission as a student — They don’t want to get blamed again’.” Below this is an Instagram-style post from “realpostillon.” The main image shows an ornate historic building identified as the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. Superimposed in the top right corner is a circular photo of an older white-haired man wearing a dark suit and tie, smiling slightly. Across the bottom of the image is German text reading: “Wiener Kunstakademie bietet Donald Trump Studienplatz an.” The overall tone is clearly satirical, referencing historical irony and political commentary.
A minimalist book cover for A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft. The background is a solid, bright orange. The title appears at the top in large black serif text, with the word “WOMAN” especially bold and prominent. At the centre of the cover is a black silhouette of an open hand, surrounded by looping, scribble-like white lines forming a rough circular halo. At the bottom, the author’s name “MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT” is printed in white capital letters, with the words “VINTAGE FEMINISM” below it in smaller white text.
A book cover for The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers. The background is pale yellow with soft, misty tones. At the centre stands a tall, faceless figure wearing a flowing, tattered yellow robe and a simple crown. The figure’s face is completely dark and hidden within the hood, giving an eerie, unsettling impression. The robe appears to trail into mist at the bottom, as if dissolving into the ground. Faint, gothic-style spires and ruined city silhouettes rise in the background. The title “THE KING IN YELLOW” appears at the top in large, distressed gold lettering, and the author’s name “ROBERT W. CHAMBERS” is printed at the bottom.
Penguin Classics cover image of Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness and the Congo Diary'
A meme-style image with bold black text at the top reading: “If you start ‘People = Shit’ by Slipknot at 11:59:30pm on December 31st, the lyrics ‘HERE WE GO AGAIN MOTHERFUCKER!’ will play at Midnight. Start your New Year off right.” Below the text is an image of the album art for Slipknot’s song “People = Shit,” featuring a dark, abstract, high-contrast design with distressed textures and horn-like shapes. The Slipknot logo appears on the right side along with the album title Iowa. At the bottom of the image is a YouTube-style interface showing the title “Slipknot – People = Shit (Audio)” with “17M views.” Social media icons (like, comment, share) appear along the right edge.
Image of a woman holding a young child in her arms, both are smoking lit cigarettes. Text beneath the image reads 'WHEN Y0U LIGHT UP SO DO THEY. Now you both look cool as fuck.'
A meme image with white text at the top reading: “So we’ll try bumping you up to 100mg of the Seroquel™, and if that doesn’t work we can try upping the Lamictal™ and then if you need it you’ll start taking Wellbutr–”. Below the text is a still image of a woman with dark hair and bangs, looking exhausted and emotionally drained, her eyes slightly red as if she’s been crying. Brittany Murphy’s character from Girl, Interrupted. At the bottom of the image is a subtitle in white text on a black bar that reads: “Just give me the fucking Valium.”
Two older men stand close together indoors, smiling and laughing warmly. One (FUCKING NOAM CHOMSKY) has an arm around the other’s shoulders (STEVE FUCKING BANNON), suggesting familiarity or friendship. Both are casually dressed in dark tops and jackets. The room is softly lit, with a decorative set of balance scales on a shelf behind them and a mirror on the wall, giving the scene an informal, convivial atmosphere.
Screenshot of a tweet exchange. At the top, a tweet by Alan Ferrier (@alanferrier) reads: “You’re going to lose your shit when you find out about the British Empire.” Below it is an embedded tweet from Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) saying he has heard claims that Brexit MEPs were “disrespectful,” and argues that what is truly disrespectful is “taking the ancient nation states of Europe and turning it into one country with its own anthem and flag, without ever asking for permission.”
Black and white face of Ren Gill with scruffy hair, smiling, with an Ankara piercing in his right ear lobe
Image of the fine art piece Disques by Robert Delaunay
A staged anti-smoking poster showing a woman holding a lit cigarette while a small toddler in her arms mimics her, holding a cigarette of their own. The child looks up at the woman, imitating her behaviour. Smoke drifts around them. Beneath the image is the darkly sarcastic caption: “WHEN YOU LIGHT UP, SO DO THEY. Now you both look cool as fuck,” highlighting how adult smoking influences children.
A black and white image of the upper half of the three hip hop artists (from l to r) 2Pac, Rogre and Dr. Dre. 2Pac is holding a glass Tumblr with liquid in and is sticking his middle finger up on his right hand
A visual circular graph depicting the profiles of people I most frequently interact with on Bluesky
A festive green-and-red holiday-themed graphic titled “David’s Month of Music.” It displays a 31-day music challenge in a grid of dark green boxes, each containing a daily prompt such as “a favourite song,” “a song from this year,” “a cover version,” “a song with four words in the title,” “a Christmas song,” and more. Decorative holly, leaves, and wrapped gifts surround the border. At the bottom, white text reads: “please use the hashtag #DavidsMonthOfMusic.”
A smartphone screenshot displaying a green text message bubble. The message says: “Facebook told me to ask AI for gift ideas if I included 5 details about you so I asked it this: ‘Present for best friend who likes 1) taxidermy 2) art history 3) embroidery 4) antiques 5) her 4 cats. She collects crucifixes and pre-raphaelite paintings and is doing an English literature degree. She likes reading autobiographies of mentally ill women. She owns a jar of bees.’” Beneath the bubble is a text input bar with the microphone icon.