I don't need to fly a flag to know who I am.
Writer, voice over, narrator, muso, sound producer
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I don't need to fly a flag to know who I am.
The joke here is the idiotic interpretation of what is "left" or what is "right." Apparently a hotel is left wing but a converted building is right wing. What a stupid way of defining political divides. It is bad enough that people don't even know what fascism is and confuse it with capitalism
Bring me a sausage From deepest Toulouse Bring me fat bacon I have nothing to lose Bring me white beans Picked just today For a gorgeous Traditional Delicious And filling Warm and delectable French cassoulet #poetry #food
And I wonder who is most likely to be involved. I don't suppose Trump knows anyone in tourism... His plan for peace sounds like something from the Apprentice.
It is irrelevant. Despite the very real tragedy, the relative numbers are so small that it is pointless looking at anything except at the particular individual and their circumstances. Any "groupings" are likely to be coincidental and not causal.
But adverting is, whether we like it or not, a fundamental test of trust, which is why in the UK it highly regulated on TV and radio. It is about time that internet advertising, especially Google et al, was put under intense scrutiny and forced to regulate properly. 3/3
Google’s response? These ads do not break any rules. It appears that advertisers are allowed to lie with impunity and so rip off customers. We hear a lot about trust and the internet. @mariannaspringbbc.bsky.social and @zsk.bsky.social at the BBC do great work about misinformation etc. 2/3
Recently, I have reported assorted ads to Google. In each case, the advertiser lied. One was for a thumb drive which they said was approved by a US institution that doesn’t exist. They also claimed that at 16tb, the device was bigger than a massive library. Again an easily verified lie. 1/3
As I said, people will see what they want to see.
I like playing with secret lines hidden over two lines. It is really an old comedy rhyme construct, but works with anything
Since the European Commission for Human Rights is not to protect governments but to protect US from our own governments, sure it is the public who should decide whether we want to throw away that protection. Not government.
Gove has always said he didn't spread it. And the Sun said they had the story from Multiple sources anyway.
It says a lot for the person posting that they do not allow replies to their post. People see bias in news coverage based on their own biases. Farage will complain of unfair treatment in the media; his opposers will complain that there is too much Farage. It makes this petition idiotic.
Freedom of speech has to be for everyone. Even those we disagree with. That does not mean you allow people to use it to incite hatred, but even there, you are careful. For bring down one pillar of freedom, then the others might follow. Freedom of thought and speech is too valuable and vulnerable
Well then, you don't believe in Freedom of speech. None of those things are nice. But if you sanction people for those, who is next? Me for writing something that upsets a right-winger or left winger? My mother for being Chritstian? Or my ex for being black? You can't ONLY have YOUR freedom.
There is a long history of the Union Jack being used to further racist causes, unfortunately. Other countries have suffered the same problems. They do it to "legitimise" their hate, calling it patriotic. The NF did it.
That's right, but also said that he didn't feel it would be right for Britain as it would conflict with the Commonwealth. Of course, De Gaul didn't want us as part of it anyway and vetoed any membership discussions.
At the #Riot: Stick on shin Glass in face Shout till hoarse At the human Race for the loot The flames enjoy 15 mins fame And a cause Forgotten are we Silence the free Fight for the vote Then steal it Away and away are we. #poemsabout #riot
Churchill didn't think we needed to join because he believed that the Commonwealth would turn into a powerful, self-serving trading block. Which it didn't. It turned out trade works best locally - who'd have thought of that? Well, the future EU for one!
Especially since her family over centuries is quite pan-European (geographically speaking.) And ruled more than just what is now the UK. (Like a large chunk of Francia!) The complication is not the Royal Family, the complication is Churchill, who was fully supportive of the EU project, but...
Actually, freedom of speech comes with no automatic strings. Those are applied by law - like don't incite violence (eg, suggesting a hotel is burnt down). It is nice if people are respectful, but that is not part of human rights. That is what is "acceptable" in society, which is different.
It makes sense that she was. Her own family having so many European connections. And no, her hat wasn't a clue!
We need the AI equivalent of Asimov's three laws of robotics that governs how and what the AI itself runs. And how it let's itself be used. Something incontrovertible, hard-wired, that no amount of hacking or self-programming can subvert. The final self-sanction being total shutdown.
Tomato curry was one of my mother's favourites. Their Tamil cook used to cook it for the children when they didn't feel well. This was in Rangoon in the 1920s. When my mother got very old (late nineties), I cooked it for her when she didn't feel well. I would serve it with lentils and soft Pavs.
Life is Random There is no fate Or force above For whom we wait If power There be It's just luck If we are rich Or kiss the dust CCH
I could be bothered to do a proper search, so here are two brief bits. Some Corbyn bits: www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/... Labour Party bits: www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/...
It missed us in the north.
In one of my stories, I have a character in the polar region in summer shouting, "We leave at dawn. Assuming I can work out when dawn is!"
That's called freedom of speech. Rather ironic since one of the claims of right-wing, US criticism is that we have none!
Word of the day: Goop. Slang, originally US. A stupid of fatuous person. Dating from 1900 ish. Also the adjective goopy. A fun word, but you might not want to name your company after it...
Oh, yes, that was the other thing missing from some people's education - geography! 😆
I was thinking exactly that. Learning how our electoral system works, and possibly learning how to ask critical questions and retaining some cynicism, is probably a good thing to learn at school anyway! Together with how to do proper research before speaking.
ChatGPT doesn't add to my story, doesn't suggest plot changes, or do any of the writing for me, it simply makes sure it matches the style that we developed. It has been an interesting process, and I have learnt not just about how to properly train AI, but also more about Shakespearean English. 3/3
This cheat sheet is an AI Training primer. ChatGPT is remembering it in the context of a particular chat and we have given the primer a name. Now when I write dialogue for the character, I can double check the English by pasting it into ChatGPT and asking it to compare it to the primer. 2/3
Where AI can legitimately help authors: In my WIP I have a character who speaks in an archaic way. I have chosen Elizabethan/Shakespearean as a guide. But I am not wonderful at "thees and thous," as it were. Working with ChatGPT (free level), I have worked out a cheat sheet. 1/3
If you want people to find your blog then I wouldn't bother with a domain based solution, not to start. This is why things like Medium have become popular - they come with an audience. At least some will find you. Don't forget audio too. Podcasting is free on Spotify, so do an audio version.
Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper which opposes the Netanyahu govt, says senior military sources are disputing the official response to Israel’s ‘double-tap’ attack on the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, which killed 20 people including 5 journalists.
I am always amazed how people don't understand the unique institution that is the European Convention of Human Rights. An institution what ANYONE in signatory countries can appeal to when their own government turns against them or lets them down. Who wouldn't want that?
Looking over the rocks To distant lives Across the ocean scape I could climb upon the crags Step over clouds And start anew once more (CCH, just now)
As for "just a figurehead", my late uncle who was a British Consol would tell you that the existence of the figurehead (seperate to gov) was extremely important to diplomacy. As for impeachment, the US president is immune from proscecution for official acts. Our PM isn't. I prefer it like that.
Nice! I am a great fan of Bulgur Wheat. Especially in Hyderabadi Haleem, which is something I love in the autumn. A bone warmer! I am cooking a dry beef curry later - I think I'll do your salad (minus chicken) to go with it. Maybe some bread too.
In the morning My voice is hushed Full of night's restlessness My spirit crushed
Only the king is protected from prosecution. That is because he is head of state. It is usual to protect the HoS of a country to stop malicious prosecutions being used to destabilise a country. The other members of the Royal Family aren't protected. Princess Anne was even fined for speeding.
The UK prime minister is not protected from criminal or civil prosecution for any offence. Nor is any government minister. Whereas in the US, the president has a dual role - head of the executive AND head of state. And so IS protected. The roles should be split like ours are.
I am not a monarchist, but on a practical level, they do serve a purpose. Apart from pulling in a huge amount of revenue for the country, because the King as Head of State cannot be prosecuted, it means the people who actually run the country (the government) CAN be prosecuted. cont..
She is meeting up with Trump's people next. But, that is democracy and a free society. Trump or Vance will declare that this shows there is no free speech in the UK while ignoring the fact that she is totally free to spout lies and talk to them. We are aslo free to laugh at them. I suggest you do.
But the article is more than just the interview. It also points out what she originally posted, why she went to trial, that she pled guilty, and what the charge was. They do NOT say she was tried as a political prisoner. They just report her accusation and gave the gov the chance to react.
No, that would be an opinion. If Starmer or the Home Office refutes her charge, that will also be reported (they have declined to comment). The BBC were not responsible for the incarceration, and despite some prats on here, they are not the government spokesperson. Cont
On that basis, your wishing for the BBC to say she is "Lying" about being a political prisoner is also PR. It is still an interview, albeit with political bias from the Telegraph. But you see the same thing in all newspapers. It is why the BBC is reporting the interview but is not agreeeing with it
No it shouldn't. The BBC is reporting the news, and the news is that she gave an interview. If you want them to report YOUR opinion, then you need to get interviewed by them. By the way, I agree that she wasn't a political prisoner, but that is just my opinion.
What fake interview? Do you mean this one with Allison Pearson? The one the quote is lifted from? youtu.be/5sO1oVzFSC0?...
Nigel Farage says of immigration: "We have a massive crisis in Britain. It is not only posing a national security threat but it's leading to public anger that frankly is not very far away from disorder." He fails to point out that the disorder is from HIS supporters.
It is quoting her. Not unusual for a headline to quote a person who has given an interview.
"I, for some reason, seem to have had the most coverage," she said to a newspaper journalist who works for a right wing newspaper... People are more transparent than many sometimes admit!
So, you can't chuck in a critism about Charles during a debate about some event that he happened to be part of. But you can if the debate is primarily about his behaviour during that event.
Not true. You cannot make "incidental" critism of royals, judges, governors, mps, etc. But you can where it is the substantive subject of the debate. erskinemay.parliament.uk/section/4873...
The Tenures Abolition Act was in 1660 in England. That is after the act of union in 1603. So I assume this was to address a hangover in Scotland when it comes to superior title of deeds etc on certain land ownership. Rather than the existence of serfs! Too much reading for now.
There hasn't been any feudalism in Britain for 400 years, and it started to die out 400 years before that.
Groan....
I have just made something very similar, but inside a wrap with some air fried fish fingers and a smear of hummus. Capers and fish always go well together.
Ah, begining to look like he is an antisemitic conspiracy theorist then. He can Foxtrot Oscar, as the saying goes.
No, they are about BOTH. Many Israelis are against the horror happening in Gaza including leading Israeli rights organisations. I ask again - what is this "Jewish Lobby?" www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
What is this "lobby" you speak about. You do realise that many Jewish people are against what Netanyahu is doing? Many in Isreal too. Hense the huge protests that have happened out there. So, again, what is this "Jewish Lobby?"
No, that isn't it. Other groups haven't been banned. This is directly related to the attack on the airfield, I think. And not just that it cost millions - though that will be part of it.
Most people don't know what fascism looks like. They should read manifestoes by people like Musolini before they throw the label around so innacurately.
As long as you don't plant your face in the first lamppost that leaps out in front of you! Perhaps leave out the fun little drink part till you have put your bike to bed.
By the way, many people comment on the ages of the people arrested. I don't see the relevance. The police simply arrested those who were there. They didn't go around asking if they were over fifty first!
I keep scratching my head over this. I get the feeling that there maybe some reason why they were labelled as terrorists beyond attacking an airfield. Or perhaps they were showing signs of becoming more militant. The gov has never proscribed Stop Oil, and some would have cheered that one!
Ah! Memories of glowing Welsh sheep! (They were contaminated with it after Chernobyl) Ironically, it is used to calibrate geiger counters. Those things they used to test the shipping containers...
Because sometimes you have to just to keep things moving. Journalists should do an internship at an embassy or consulate. The reality of diplomacy is both sobering and fascinating. There were good reasons why the Ambassador served Ferrero Rocher! (My late uncle, a British Consul, loved that ad!)
BIg tip, Nigella: Before wrapping up, drape the wrap over a burner, turning frequently until it chars nicely and starts to bubble up (especially with better quality ones). It gives the wrap an instant luxurious texture and taste. I have a cheap, portable camping stove just for that.
If you are going to publish an article about people buying less fast food (which is a good thing - but sad about high grocery prices) perhaps it is better to choose a cover image were the food doesn't look so wonderfully apertising! 😄 @emermoreau.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Echoes of Gerald Ratna, who, having made a fortune selling cheap tat, described his sets of earings as: "cheaper than a prawn sandwich from Marks and Spencer's, but ... the sandwich will probably last longer". Customers turned their backs, the company nearly died, and Ratna was sacked.
Ah, Cosmic AC - Isaac Asimov.
This is Cosmic AC The Last Question - by Isaac Asimov
Trump wouldn't know how to be diplomatic if you welded the word to his face. I know what my uncle would of thought about him (which isn't flattering) and he was British Consul in NYC in the 70s
Then you haven't been listening. They have told Trump he is wrong to start negotiating with Putin without Ukraine. They have really pissed him off and he and his attack dog Vance has been lashing out.
They are saying that Trump is wrong. How is that weak? What do you expect them to do? They are saying he is wrong about Gaza too. US politicians have responded with personal attacks. What do you do when the US president doesn't give a shit?
I notice that Trump is listing back towards "Ukraine started it"
Oops! See = Sell
If your group is better known than the issue, you have got it wrong. The trick is to pick how you message. One speech by someone like Attenborough is worth fifty traffic-blocking marches. Greta got it right initially with her message of "listen to the scientists." But she has been derailed a bit now
He reveals himself so easily. "Don't see - it has serious security issues for the US." "Well, okay, bribe me and you can."
Applies to most "isms" Having said that, "populist" parties (often backed by an ism ideology) often overestimate the support from the public. Hitler found this out and only eventually won an election by rigging it.
I am sure they will outlaw paint next. I very much support the right to protest. Though I get frustrated when groups (like those that glue themselves to roads) do protests that piss off the very people they need support from - the public. PR doesn't come naturally to some!
This is an interesting read. This is the announcement about the ban from July. Three groups were listed: Palestine Action, Maniacs Murder Cult and Russian Imperial Movement. It is interesting to compare the different reasoning (though it is limited). www.gov.uk/government/n...
Did you support them BEFORE the ban? I can understand objecting to the ban - it sounds like it was based on paranoia rather than firm intelligence (though I have no proof either way). But to start SUPPORTING the group because of the nature of the ban? That sounds like a big step.
The critical question with PA (and one that I don't have the resources or knowledge to answer) is are they kind of group that would become violent in the future? Would they do IRA style bombings, etc? If so, is this ban pre-emptive? With the GC Women, that kind of question didn't even apply. 2/2
The two cases aren't comparable. To start, the women at GC didn't cause millions of pounds of damage overnight. Also, the GC women didn't "support" anyone. They simply protested about the location of weapons. I don't like the PA ban, but PA are a very different type of group to the GC Women. 1/2
This is chilling: "Simcha says the Palestinians who left villages and farms near the hilltops he has claimed simply realised that God intended the land for Jews, not for them." Read Bowen's interview with a Zionist in the West Bank: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trump on the Security of the US: "Yeah, so you can't sell those chips to China - they are a security risk. Unless you pay me 15% of the revenue. Then you can." Unbelievable! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Perhaps it is time for both leaders and the people abandon this glamour parade of popularity and look instead to the needed bureaucracy that is truly behind a well run country. But to do that, it would mean abandoning too the "Political Party" for those undermine both democracy and bureaucracy.
All negotiations between countries or peoples should start with that mantra - chanted aloud: One people must never rule another people. If parties cannot agree to that truth, then you MUST ask WHY they can't. For all have perpetrated it and all have suffered it. It is a basic, undeniable truth.
I woke today with a mantra playing in my head that I use in my books (WIP): "One people must never rule another people." The British Empire had countless examples where this was shown to be true. The Middle East is full of examples. So is Asia, the Americas, Africa. All going back many centuries.
So one way or another, I can now buy milk every 9 or 10 days and it doesn't go off before I use it all up. It might not be as romantic as the foil topped glass bottle, but it is much less wasteful, and tastes just as fresh. 6/6
Milk was pasteurised when I was young but it wasn't homogenised. Breaking the fat into small particles stops the cream forming on top and the milk lasts longer in the fridge. And NO! Homogenised milk does NOT cause cancer. Stupid people back then and now. 5/6
Then we had milk cartons. Those were even worse! We tried to keep them shut with a peg, but the opening flaps would get soggy and nasty. Thankfully, those were replaced. Modern plastic bottles do not change the favour of milk, and the tops shut tightly, prolonging the live of the milk. 4/6
The bottles have changed of course. Originally, we had glass bottles with foil caps. (Which we collected for Blue Peter!) They weren't always perfectly sealed, and once opened, they didn't close properly again. Assuming the birds didn't peck them open! Later we bought plastic caps. 3/6
These days, most people buy milk from supermarkets. It leaves the cold fridge, has a quick trip home, and is put straight into a cold fridge again. In the past, the milk was loaded into open-sided milk carts at 4am, and there it sat, warming up as the cart pootled around the streets. 2/6
I was just thinking about how long milk lasts now compared to when I was young in the 1960s/70s. It is a lot of simple reasons. Firstly, bottling plants are just about completely sterile now. Indeed, the milk is kept unsullied from the moment it leaves the cow! 1/6