"Winter trees were a poetic lodestar for Burns" 'Ev’n winter bleak has charms to me, When winds rave thro’ the naked tree; Or frosts on hills of Ochiltree Are hoary gray; Or blinding drifts wild-furious flee, Dark’ning the day!' #RobertBurns #ValMcDermid #Winter #NickRipatrazone #HenryFarrer

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Think of how bad things must be for a Supreme Court Justice to feel he has to explain why it's a good idea to have laws enacted by legislators instead of decreed by wannabe dictators

I hate Trump and his minions, but not as much as I hate all of his colleagues in the Republican Party, who continue to watch Trump's ongoing destruction of the country while doing nothing to stop it. A handful of defectors could end all of this tomorrow.

Neal Katyal son of immigrants went to SCOTUS won & overturned tariffs, Alysa Liu, daughter of an immigrant, went Olympics & won gold. Winners representing a fraction of the myriad contributions to American society made every damn day by immigrants. Diversity is our strength USA.

He's not taking it well you guys

We need Leveson 2 . The media are still complicit in destroying people’s lives , and we also need to weed that dank patch of right wing media 🤝government embodied in Johnson and Gove .

The entire world has seen the photograph - Phil Noble is the Reuters photographer who took it.

FWIW if you are the kind of man who thinks swearing at MPs in Walthamstow town centre is best way to express your political preferences, can I at least ask you wait until my kids are out of earshot first. You might feel I am fair game for such abuse, but they are not.

Often you’ll be walking on Dartmoor & some ponies will be like “Follow us, we will lead you to the castle where the wizard lives & life is perfect!” My advice, from experience, is to ignore them. Ponies are known liars who will make up any old shit to briefly relieve the vast boredom of their lives.

I can't see any evidence for this rumour about Matt Goodwin, but my God it'd be funny if it were true.

“Rachel from accounts”.

Today’s Thought….

"A single nasal spray vaccine could protect against all coughs, colds and flus, as well as bacterial lung infections, and may even ease allergies, say US researchers." www.bbc.com/news/article.... #medicine

So in Jan, under Rachel Reeves: Retail sales up 1.8% MoM; 4.5% YoY (MoM) Initial estimates show that the public sector recorded a £30.4 billion surplus ( OBR) Inflation falls to 3% I tell you these wretched girls from accounts need to learn their place.

Someone check on Chris Mason.

Fair comparison.

Waiting for the BBC analysis ‘Andrew arrested: Why this could be a big win for Farage’

In so many ways, the UK in my view is slowly turning the corner. Much better times could be ahead. Can Labour take advantage where Biden couldn't? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Well That Pretty Much Sums It Up,Chumpster.......

I've just told my publishers to remove the Daily Mail quote they were going to put on the cover of the paperback of my latest novel. I don't care if the Daily Mail gave it a good review. The name of that shitrag is not going on the cover of my book.

A local dog has missed out on a historic cross-country medal at the Winter Olympics despite a lung-bursting surge in the homestretch.

Everything is Connected. From Private Eye:

This really is a great picture:

This is a crime. If you read the Board of Peace charter, you understand it has nothing to do with the American government; it's a private entity Trump created for his own enrichment. This is an impeachable offense, and if this country were not broken he would be gone by tomorrow.

For all my country's manifold problems, I am very grateful to live in a place where even the very rich and powerful are not beyond the long arm of the law. Not even the late Queen's favourite son. Look on and weep America.

As I was saying..,,

A stunning day but I think the UK can be a bit proud of itself tonight - we’ve shown that nobody is above the law (USA look and learn though it may be too late - your justice system is in the hands of your mad King)

The pressure is on the DOJ to finally do the right thing, especially as other countries hold their own rich and powerful accountable. Credit where it is due, King Charles clearly supports accountability, even when it involves his own brother. That alone feels like a step forward for the royals.

Best news I’ve heard from Britain in awhile. *This* is how governments around the world—first and foremost my own, in the US—should be handling collaboration with Epstein & Maxwell’s crimes. This is not a partisan issue. It’s about keeping kids safe & governments legitimate.

“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course”. This makes me feel more patriotic than any number of bedraggled lamppost flags.

“I remember the first time I saw Andy…”

All across Europe significant figures are rightly being arrested/ investigated in connection with Epstein yet in the US where we know there are significant figures who consorted with Epstein, nada. As though there’s a President & Cabinet who have a vested interest in trying to make it go away.

Leading Reform politician Nadhim Zahawi spoke today of an horrific encounter with a man who looked tired and threatening, and who typified the dystopian nightmare that is Broken Britain… From the new Private Eye, out now.

In light of the evidence here, Pam Bondi’s DOJ sent Jeffrey Epstein’s convicted accomplice to a minimum security prison camp. The cover-up is real

Rep. Stephen Lynch: "It offers a great contrast. Look what the British government is doing in light of the evidence, and look what the US government is doing. Nothing. Our chief law enforcement officer Pam Bondi is defending and obstructing the investigation."

Should your esteemed constabulary be inclined to cross the pond, we are in possession of a most splendid catalogue of miscreants (which we would be delighted to preserve in like confidentiality) for your good offices to apprehend.

Medicare for All - "That's socialism!" Social Security - "That's socialism!" Debt free education - "That's socialism!" Universal childcare - "That's socialism!" Billions for ICE, refurbishing Trump's Qatar jet, and tax cuts for the rich... "That's just how it is."

The wheels of justice may turn slowly, but in Britain: sleaze, malfeasance and/or incompetence in office - Johnson, Truss lose jobs Britain: Epstein dealings: Mandelson fired; Andrew arrested US: crickets. Nothing to see here. The rich and powerful do as they please.

Getting shown up in the arena of elite impunity by *the British monarchy* is an incredible “America at 250!” achievement

Now the rest of them. Not just the sex offenders, but all those named in the Epstein files who’ve used their power and influence to undermine our democracy and sell the country out. Investigate them all.

Feeling quite patriotic. This is what equality under the law is meant to look like.

Why isn't Trump suing congressmen for calling him a Pedophile and a rapist? He usually sues people just for calling him ugly.

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BranchBirds, any bird on a branch, the Alt theme is #Robins, so, of course the obvious - a European robin. #birds #photography

Zack Polanski on the Iain Dale show explaining that he and Putin could have a little convo about getting rid of nuclear weapons. 🤦‍♀️ The more we see and hear of Polanski, the more he sounds like he’s on an A level debating society. Absolute amateur.

I'd forgotten how vociferous Boris Johnson was in defence of Prince Andrew as the Epstein scandal started to rattle the iron railings of Buckingham Palace. Here he is in 2015 1/2 youtu.be/q8sclKL37JU?...

Okay, this is quite outstanding from Bedford Council.

Farage - grifting multimillionaire and highest earning MP Tice - family money multimillionaire Yusuf - multimillionaire Jenrick - millionaire Zahawi - multimillionaire But they want to cut the National Minimum Wage down from £12.21 per hour. (It goes up 50p in April.) God, they’re hideous.

So many countries reminding the USA of all the things the USA is supposed to be…