A reminder that today we are policing two protests - a march from Parliament Square to Hyde Park organised the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and a counter protest organised by Enough is Enough which is taking place in Pall Mall.
28 April 2011. Labour politician Ed Balls tweeted his own name on his Twitter account, seemingly looking for references to himself on the social media site. Ever since, this day is known on Twitter as Ed Balls Day to celebrate his gaffe.
Remember that time Ukraine denied their complicity in the assassination of Darya Dugina, but then the US confirmed that the SBU was indeed responsible for it?
And yet 🇺🇦 stans keep insisting that Ukraine does not and can not resort to terrorism.
Pepperidge farm remembers.
If I may, there’s something I need to get off my chest.
As democracy remains under siege, it has been frustrating to watch how the press covers politics these days.
I am reminded by lessons that came to me during the Nixon years as a CBS News correspondent, which I’ll add here:
1. Enough with Both-sides-ism
When one side lies intentionally and repeatedly, they are no longer entitled to the benefit of the doubt. They should be held to account, right away. Do not simply repeat the narratives they spew.
2. Prioritize Live Fact-Checking
Rigorous and robust fact-checking is the best defense against misinformation, intentional lies, and deflection.
If Trump says the sky is green, the story isn’t that the sky is now green; the story is that the sky is still blue and Trump got it wrong.
3. Ask Lawmakers Hard Questions
Ask about the fundamental principles of democracy. Push them to go on the record that Biden won the 2020 election.
Ask if they support the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
This writing is not to offer any claim of knowing it all. Your correspondent has made his share of mistakes, but after more than seven decades I believe I have picked up a few useful guideposts.
Good journalism is always worth it. Our democracy depends on it.
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For the rest of my list, please see my the latest post of my independent newsletter – the link is in my Twitter biography.
Minister of Social Equality & Women's Advancement, May Golan of the Likud, during a Knesset hearing about the motion to expel MK Ofer Cassif: "I am personally proud of the ruins of Gaza, and that every baby, even 80 years from now, will tell their grandchildren what the Jews did"
Colleagues reporting from the London #HighCourt with me:
"It's horrible. Actually it's ridiculous"
We journalists cannot hear the U.S. arguments which are being discussed in the courtroom, though we sit 3 metres away from the U.S. lawyers: no serious microphones. Unbelievable
Apparently Elon Musk permanently suspended the user below for the tweet below, and did so on the grounds that comedy is not legal on Twitter when the butt of the joke is Musk himself.
So I propose a minor act of harmless Twitter disobedience: RETWEET the hell out of this image.
Good photo of Alan Bates. I should know. I took it, when there weren’t that many people interested in the #PostOfficeScandal. Now the @Telegraph have stolen it. I asked them to contact me last week when they used it without permission. They didn’t. telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/01/3…
My 81 year old dad received notice from his landlady. He hasn't done anything wrong, pays his rent, has been there for years, & is close with his neighbours.
She wanted to sell the place.
OK. Fair enough. That's property ownership and she has no obligation to consider the age of my father, his health, his connection to his small community.
So my rather amazing nephew offered to buy it. He's worked damn hard to be in a position to be able to, with a help scheme from work, and he convinced Dad it was not charity as it would be his first investment.
Landlady gets a valuation, nephew gets a valuation. They both say the same, and it is within nephew's budget. Brilliant!
"I want £50,000 more than that", says the landlady.
Nephew refuses, a 3rd valuation is arranged. They agree with the first 2.
"I'm not selling anymore", says the landlady, "But the old man still needs to get out".
The place is serviceable for Dad because he does not have most people's demands, he's not greedy. You can't fit more than a single bed in the one bedroom, the bathroom is absolutely teeny-tiny, the kitchen has no hob, no oven, Dad had to bring his own shelving unit for his food. It is not of a standard that most people want these days, but Dad loves it.
It is his home.
She could have the fair amount in her bank right now, and Dad could have a secure place he loves to live out his twilight years, but she'd rather evict an OAP on the off chance she can then squeeze more money out of the property than it is worth.
Greed is the scourge of our species.
Message to @TheSun - the “ill fan” has passed away. On behalf of Iain’s family and friends, my fellow @OfficialBWFC supporters, and football generally, I would request issue of a formal apology for this insensitive, provocative and sensationalist headline. RIP Iain 💔
@CGreenUK
Navigating the Uncertain Futurev on the Discuss podcast
Join me in this deep dive as we explore the challenges of predicting an uncertain future. We also delve into the importance of resilience, identity, and the profound impact of music.
shows.acast.com/652ea63f0dec9b…
Thank you all so much for the donations to the Horizon Scandal Fund. I rarely ask anyone to retweet, but we are keen to reach as many people who need help as possible. We are there to help ANYONE IN NEED affected by the Post Office scandal.
horizonscandalfund.org/apply.html