saw a certain recently-arrived-in-Washington journalist gushing about how safe it feels compared to London, the murder rate there is 32 per 100,000! London's is somewhere around 1! Be real!

I've worn really distinctive clothing for years but in my 60s I just felt I wanted to look normal. I gave a dozen boxes of clothes to the local charity shop and now I keep seeing people in my old clothes; I realised I have looked like a twat for years.

This is bizarre. Like the editor of the guardian or mail or any other paper complaining repeatedly about the front page lead they decided to run with. Very good example of what's wrong with broadcast news - they've given up deciding for themselves what is or isn't news and what the priorities are

If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features." There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.

I am moving to Dubai because England is so dangerous. www.ft.com/content/9bf6...

It's a bit sad watching a podcast with Alan Rusbridger and Janine Gibson, and thinking about the Guardian as it is now.

In the last decades, the world has made fantastic progress against extreme poverty. In 1990, 2.3 billion people lived in extreme poverty. Since then, the number of extremely poor people has declined by 1.5 *billion* people. 🧵

i feel sorry for former bbc employees who slag the bbc off in the papers, because it shows they don’t have any friends from when they worked there to vent to on whatsapp

BBC Under Attack: Pot and Kettle Special The new Private Eye is out now.

Finally, a bit of a reality check from our 2024 election book (out soon!) for everyone hyperventilating about collapsing public trust in the BBC - free to air TV (mostly the BBC) is still the most widely consumed and widely trusted source of news - blows print, online & social media out of the water

excoriating Observer editorial on the BBC departures observer.co.uk/opinion-and-...

I found this out about ten minutes ago, on a random news feed. How did I not know? Mira Nair is an amazing director, and now her son will run New York....

Businesses have noticed this is a leftwing government. Farmers have noticed. The globally mobile rich have noticed. Basically the only people who don’t think this is a leftwing government are the people who want one.

MOJO's chief headbanger James McNair runs down Page, Plant, Bonham and Paul-Jones' finest studio and live LPs. 10. Celebration Day 9. In Through The Out Door

This is great. Robert Redford talking about the origins of All The President's Men www.instagram.com/reel/DOrMsCx...

[me, a journalist who spends all day every day on a social media app where the discovery algorithm is personally controlled by its owner, captain birdseye] you know, a lot of people are talking about fish fingers, we should probably cover that

Ping is real! #edreardon

Spy Hunter has been short listed for the Aspects of History Spy fiction prize - honoured, happy, excited etc. Thanks so much to the judges. aspectsofhistory.com/spymasters-b... @hodderbooks.bsky.social @hodderfiction.bsky.social @writerspractice.bsky.social

Mid 00s, at a Linkin Park gig. Got caught short in the mosh pit with too many people behind me to get out. Decided to crowd surf to the front but shat myself halfway. Apologies to the man who got his hands covered in it.

I’m hiring a reporter for London Centric, looking for someone smart who can use a phone, knock on doors and wants to cause trouble. Don’t care if you’ve got qualifications, just want evidence of caring about news. Initial six month contract, pay above national rates. www.londoncentric.media/p/jobs

Another little push for my piece on the wondrous story behind Lindisfarne’s Lady Eleanor. www.loudersound.com/features/lin...

I've been a journalist for 25+ years and I'm not sure I've witnessed as much wilful (and v likely coordinated) disinformation from certain corners of the UK media than over past few days. Sun, Mail and Telegraph have been truly awful - and seemingly shameless www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Just saw that the sequel to The Accoutant is coming out, and they've named it The Accountant 2. Surely it should have been called The Accountant: Double Entry.

My proposal for this grey February Monday is that political reporters should be abolished. They're far too addicted to the psychodrama, they don't have expertise in any policy areas, they bigfoot their expert colleagues on any story that involves an MP, and this creates too noise and little light.

MOJO’s editorial staff are still being contacted by musicians who have been targeted by this scam via Facebook. To be clear: MOJO never asks to be paid in exchange for coverage.

To be honest, regardless of the ins and outs of the deal, I am shocked that the Scott Trust board didn't consult the editor of the paper it's done a deal to sell. Can the board members come out in support of this? Will they? or resign maybe....

The arts now contribute more to our GDP than either mining or agriculture....

Those advocating the use of AI in creative pursuits are gleefully, maddeningly, (unknowingly?), acquiescing in their own obsolesence.

Not sure if it's still on, but The Tales of Hoffman at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden was absolutely brilliant. Never seen it before, bonkers, absurd, captivating, amazing. Thought it would be a yawn-fest. I was so wrong. Now time to watch the Powel and Pressberger movie.

We all knew this, didn't we?

Hello. I'm new here. Used to love the other place. But the new owner made it all a bit nasty. Thought I might get glassed or something. So, here's to happier days.