PhD. Military history; Peninsular War; Royal Engineers; Author of several books on Peninsular War, military engineering and soldiers. Web: https://marksthompson.weebly.com/https://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mty6wcqlok2uParton or Trump? Which American do you want to be?26 Aug 2026 11:07 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mty6wcqlok2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mse5cuih622oIan M Banks – The Algebraist, 2004, p.468(edited) 3 of 3 ... However all this is the result of programs written by sentient beings … sifting through earlier examples … stored within my memories … and selecting the most appropriate. Remind you of anything today?05 Aug 2026 18:19 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mse5cuih622ohttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mse5bba4wk2oIan M Banks – The Algebraist, 2004, p.468(edited) 2 of 3 By being able to access my memories, by having trillions of facts and works and books … I am the sum of all my memories, plus the application of certain rules … I am blessed with the ability to think extremely quickly05 Aug 2026 18:19 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mse5bba4wk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mse56op3b22oIan M Banks – The Algebraist, 2004, p.468(edited) Human to ships computer in the far future: You seem alive to me … Are you sure you might not be alive and sentient? Of course not! … I am able to give the appearance of life … It is not especially difficult. How do you do this? 1 of 205 Aug 2026 18:17 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mse56op3b22ohttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mrab456ljs2gSettle flower pot festival in their Remembrance Garden. Lest we Forget22 Jul 2026 11:51 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrab456ljs2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3moiqxfgfc22zTried to buy a hacksaw on eBay. They said I have to prove I am over 18 and asked for credit card details. I have had an eBay account for over 25 years with a credit card attached. Apparently too difficult for them !17 Jun 2026 16:41 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3moiqxfgfc22zhttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mmqperv6ns2pI have been getting NAGGED for weeks by the company that manages my pension to do an investment review. This is the complete list of occupations from which I have to choose!!!!26 May 2026 09:43 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmqperv6ns2phttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mjwv5hcnts2zAm I the only person who when they click on a post finds that Bluesky goes back to the top of the post list and does not return to where I was. Then I have to scroll through again !!! Very irritating.20 Apr 2026 16:27 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjwv5hcnts2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mjk32gvj3c26Tacky TACO?15 Apr 2026 14:08 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjk32gvj3c26https://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mfcswn5gk22qQuestion: Olympic coverage shows us being Great Britain. Should it not be United Kingdom?20 Feb 2026 19:13 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfcswn5gk22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mf75y64jgc25Make Maggie Tyers famous 🤡 [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Feb 2026 08:21 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mf75y64jgc25https://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mdiyo2r75s23It’s a year since I bought anything from Trump supporting Amazon. You know what? I have not missed it and much more of my money has gone to local and national businesses. All I need now is for another 100 million people to join me 😀28 Jan 2026 19:22 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdiyo2r75s23https://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mcyzldswyk2aI have been asked back again (third time) to talk to a sixth-form college doing A-level military history. Disappointed that I can’t find other historians willing to give up a couple of hours to talk to the next generation. If you have free time and knowledge of Crimean, Boer or FWW message me.22 Jan 2026 10:55 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcyzldswyk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mcxerghj4s2kTrump has been told he can’t use force and is using his usual bullying tactics to hide this weakness. Shoot me down. 4/4 end21 Jan 2026 19:10 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcxerghj4s2khttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mcxeqqcfps2kAttacking / supply by sea has similar distances to cover again with hostile activity. I believe the Swedish have a reputation for sinking American carriers in exercises. The only friendly bases will be the East coast of the US. Who is going to want to operate that far from a friendly base? 3/421 Jan 2026 19:10 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcxeqqcfps2khttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mcxeqd5qrs2kThe shortest distance between USA and Greenland is over 2,000km. If Canada refuses overflights, that distance rises to 2,500km. Flights could be challenged by irate Europeans. It is likely that US air and naval facilities in Europe (including Iceland) would not be available. 2/421 Jan 2026 19:10 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcxeqd5qrs2khttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mcxeixq2ns2kA hypothesis – Trump says: “I will not use force to take Greenland” – Reality: The US military said it can’t be done without European support. 1/421 Jan 2026 19:06 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcxeixq2ns2khttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mcrzjfezxk2mtrump Awards Volume 1.19 Jan 2026 16:06 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcrzjfezxk2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mc6d7ifp622rGareth Glover is talking online about the Commissary in the Napoleonic British army at 7pm on 27 January 2026, for the Friends of the Lines of Torres Vedras. email: i_j_brewer@msn.com to register your interest.11 Jan 2026 20:06 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mc6d7ifp622rhttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mbt7h5o4w22kWho does this remind you of? (Especially the Pinocchio nose)07 Jan 2026 09:59 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbt7h5o4w22khttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mboc6ryknc2p'Let them hate me as long as they fear me' - Caligula - The Twelve Ceaears, Book IV. There is a current Wold 'leader' to whom this quote is also relevant. No prizes for guessing.05 Jan 2026 11:05 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mboc6ryknc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3mbjfyi3ef225On this shitty day, this made me smile. ‘Tommy’ at Seaham Harbour, UK. Lest we forget.03 Jan 2026 12:30 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbjfyi3ef225https://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3maiohvrjws2kI asked AI to produce a PhD level presentation on the battle of Albuera (1811) with citations. I am not worrying about AI taking over from historians (yet). 9 slides, most containing a single sentence.21 Dec 2025 12:04 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3maiohvrjws2khttps://bsky.app/profile/marksthompson.bsky.social/post/3m7lhyxkzus2mif you want hit Trump's America where it hurts, add this to the end your searches '-site:amazon.co.uk'. This will exclude amazon from your web searches. I access it through an autocorrect which means I do not even have to type it. Use this for other American companies that support Trump.09 Dec 2025 21:21 +0000at://did:plc:2vbxwrlkxerg6b4c2cmn3a42/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7lhyxkzus2m