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David

@unioniseddavid

On hiatus from Social Media at present. https://linktr.ee/unioniseddavid

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21.10.2023
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Latest posts by David @unioniseddavid

Plaque stating "Cooper Clarke Group PLC - Traffic Signals"

Plaque stating "Cooper Clarke Group PLC - Traffic Signals"

The bloody lights are bloody red
Bloody sense of bloody dread
Bloody lorries bloody smoke
Bloody biker's bloody choked
His bloody start he bloody sways
His bloody right of bloody way
Green nowhere to be bloody found
Evidently Chickentown

17.04.2025 16:49 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
β€œMAGA Lefty” Is Not A Thing Trump did not β€œsteal the Democrats’ economic platform.” He’s not β€œanti-war.” He’s an plutocratic imperialist waging war on social welfare, consumer protection, and civil liberties. Look at what he doe...

The bare minimum to be on the pro-labor left is to support a $15 federal minimum wage, universal healthcare, and strong labor protections. Trump opposes all of that. www.currentaffairs.org/news/maga-le...

25.03.2025 18:46 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Some disabled people could lose Β£10k a year in benefits by end of decade Experts say planned cuts will deliver series of β€˜painful income shocks’ for many

The Spirit of 4.5%

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...

24.03.2025 14:52 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Cut Off U.S. Energy and Resources Now: No Electricity, No Critical Minerals, No Oil and GasΒ  | Canadian Labour Congress WINNIPEG – Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, issued the following statement today:Β  Donald Trump’s reckless tariffs are an attack on Canadian workers and our economy. With 2.4 mil...

Trump’s Tariffs: Canadian unions hit back bit.ly/cdn-unions-h...

03.02.2025 10:50 πŸ‘ 26 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
X post:

Elon Musk

@elonmusk
We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper. 

Could gone to some great parties.

Did that instead.

X post: Elon Musk @elonmusk We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper. Could gone to some great parties. Did that instead.

U.S. policy was to help bring an end to apartheid and establish a nonracial, democratic government. In response to this policy and the Act, USAID/South Africa was responsible for financing projects that apartheid victims viewed as critical in promoting social, political, and economic change through peaceful means.

The mission enabled community consultation and ensured that the United States did not impose foreign-defined solutions to local problems. USAID created projects and activities to respond to the priorities of the black community and its leaders, maximized black participation and leadership, and ensured activities had a linkage to the general objectives of U.S. policy.

First-year funding for the program was $25 million, which was raised to $50 million the second year. The main project areas were community outreach and leadership development to redress the repression of black-led institutions; educational support and training to address the educational crisis in South Africa; black private enterprise development to combat the inhibiting effects of apartheid–induced discrimination in private enterprise; university grants to help create a new generation of economic and political leaders; human rights; legal assistance; labor union training; and health and nutrition

U.S. policy was to help bring an end to apartheid and establish a nonracial, democratic government. In response to this policy and the Act, USAID/South Africa was responsible for financing projects that apartheid victims viewed as critical in promoting social, political, and economic change through peaceful means. The mission enabled community consultation and ensured that the United States did not impose foreign-defined solutions to local problems. USAID created projects and activities to respond to the priorities of the black community and its leaders, maximized black participation and leadership, and ensured activities had a linkage to the general objectives of U.S. policy. First-year funding for the program was $25 million, which was raised to $50 million the second year. The main project areas were community outreach and leadership development to redress the repression of black-led institutions; educational support and training to address the educational crisis in South Africa; black private enterprise development to combat the inhibiting effects of apartheid–induced discrimination in private enterprise; university grants to help create a new generation of economic and political leaders; human rights; legal assistance; labor union training; and health and nutrition

What’s his beef against USAID in particu….oh. Wow.

03.02.2025 11:19 πŸ‘ 13984 πŸ” 5176 πŸ’¬ 291 πŸ“Œ 410

Regarding the DC air crash it seems the Air Traffic Control was chronically short of staff. Makes me think there should be some sort of initiative to recruit from underrepresented demographics who have the skillset but have been put off from applying due to little institutional representation ...

03.02.2025 09:28 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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This is real β€˜mad king’ stuff. β€œIt was not immediately clear how or where the federal government intends to transport the water.”
www.latimes.com/environment/...

01.02.2025 21:27 πŸ‘ 515 πŸ” 124 πŸ’¬ 22 πŸ“Œ 18

More of a lifestyle thing but does it also feature the history of "In my day only sailors had tattoos and now *everyone* seems to be getting them" which has a pedigree going back a century I believe.

01.02.2025 21:34 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
The Room Next Door - Donald Trump Plane Crash Fact Check
The Room Next Door - Donald Trump Plane Crash Fact Check YouTube video by Michael Spicer

More robust journalism than some that's knocking about.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNXR...

01.02.2025 21:31 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

How long until someone does a "We Didn't Start the Trade War" Billy Joel parody...

01.02.2025 21:23 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

A tad under the weather so booted up the Soul Reaver Legacy of Kain remaster today and it's a delight. The visuals are beautiful yet faithful, the voice acting is superb, and the block puzzles? Oh boy are there block puzzles...

01.02.2025 21:22 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image
16.01.2025 17:51 πŸ‘ 648 πŸ” 172 πŸ’¬ 12 πŸ“Œ 3
Preview
β€˜I am a Gazan’: writing on Eleanor Marx in times of genocide on her 170th birthday The youngest daughter of Karl Marx and her unwavering humanity in the face of injustice remain relevant for our times, writes DANA MILLS

This Eleanor Marx Day take a moment to read Sister Dana on the relevance of Eleanor today.

morningstaronline.co.uk/article/i-am...

16.01.2025 18:45 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Important info on Advice and Guidance for GPs.

Keep up the action, it strengthens our hand in negotiations!

11.01.2025 11:30 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A screenshot of a Tumblr post from user thehmn. It depicts two carved ivory figurines of foxes dressed as monks. The caption reads, Foxes disguised as monks. On the left from Japan and on the right from Denmark.

A screenshot of a Tumblr post from user thehmn. It depicts two carved ivory figurines of foxes dressed as monks. The caption reads, Foxes disguised as monks. On the left from Japan and on the right from Denmark.

Clearly, this was a global issue.

30.12.2024 12:55 πŸ‘ 9066 πŸ” 2731 πŸ’¬ 89 πŸ“Œ 127

That's what they all say...

03.01.2025 13:11 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

This post will be cited in family debates for years to come.

01.01.2025 17:08 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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You will be visited by three spirits ...

24.12.2024 16:54 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
The Bath Song by J. R. R. Tolkien

Sing hey! for the bath at close of day
that washes the weary mud away!
A loon is he that will not sing:
O! Water Hot is a noble thing!

O! Sweet is the sound of falling rain,
and the brook that leaps from hill to plain;
but better than rain or rippling streams
is Water Hot that smokes and steams.

O! Water cold we may pour at need
down a thirsty throat and be glad indeed;
but better is Beer if drink we lack,
and Water Hot poured down the back.

O! Water is fair that leaps on high
in a fountain white beneath the sky;
but never did fountain sound so sweet
as splashing Hot Water with my feet!

The Bath Song by J. R. R. Tolkien Sing hey! for the bath at close of day that washes the weary mud away! A loon is he that will not sing: O! Water Hot is a noble thing! O! Sweet is the sound of falling rain, and the brook that leaps from hill to plain; but better than rain or rippling streams is Water Hot that smokes and steams. O! Water cold we may pour at need down a thirsty throat and be glad indeed; but better is Beer if drink we lack, and Water Hot poured down the back. O! Water is fair that leaps on high in a fountain white beneath the sky; but never did fountain sound so sweet as splashing Hot Water with my feet!

The Bath Song is one of my favorite poems from #Tolkien. Despite being "mundane", it's a celebration of everyday comfort, a respite from challenging journey (Pippin sung it at some point during the Hobbits' dangerous journey). We need those even more nowadays. 1/2

#TolkienTrewsday #TolkienTuesday

24.12.2024 15:30 πŸ‘ 29 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 2
Preview
How Democrats can win the messaging war "Liberals trust the mainstream media β€” foolishly, I think. The trust is not deserved," Ryan Cooper tells us.

"The Times, which now supposedly employs like 10% of the journalists in the country, absolutely botched their coverage. It was probably worse than 2016. They had a scoop from John Kelly, Trump’s former chief of staff, calling him a fascist. They basically caught and killed their own scoop."

24.12.2024 16:41 πŸ‘ 3710 πŸ” 844 πŸ’¬ 113 πŸ“Œ 33
Add for some kind of grain app on twitter with the testimonial β€œit’s actually enjoyable to sell my grain”

Add for some kind of grain app on twitter with the testimonial β€œit’s actually enjoyable to sell my grain”

[defensively, to the chad hunter gatherers mocking me while I till my fields],

19.12.2024 03:25 πŸ‘ 2925 πŸ” 537 πŸ’¬ 26 πŸ“Œ 12
A photograph of capybaras enjoying a bath in a hot spring pool. One animal is submerged to the neck, its head looking up and its eyes are closed in pleasure. Another capybara is seen submerged next to its friend. Three yellow yuzu fruits with wrinkled skins are floating next to them. A wooden bucket with yuzus is placed on the stony edge of the pool.

A photograph of capybaras enjoying a bath in a hot spring pool. One animal is submerged to the neck, its head looking up and its eyes are closed in pleasure. Another capybara is seen submerged next to its friend. Three yellow yuzu fruits with wrinkled skins are floating next to them. A wooden bucket with yuzus is placed on the stony edge of the pool.

A photograph of a capybara enjoying a hot bath in a hot spring pool, surrounded by rock formations. There is a yuzu fruit on top of its head and a wooden bucket full of yuzu on the edge.

A photograph of a capybara enjoying a hot bath in a hot spring pool, surrounded by rock formations. There is a yuzu fruit on top of its head and a wooden bucket full of yuzu on the edge.

A photograph of a capybara enjoying a hot bath in a zoo in Izu, Japan. The capybara has a yuzu with its leaves on top of its head. The animal is surrounded by floating yellow yuzu fruits.

A photograph of a capybara enjoying a hot bath in a zoo in Izu, Japan. The capybara has a yuzu with its leaves on top of its head. The animal is surrounded by floating yellow yuzu fruits.

An adult capybara and capybara offspring enjoying a yuzu bath together in a hot spring pool in the zoo in Izu, surrounded by rock formations. The capybaras are surrounded by floating yuzu fruits.

An adult capybara and capybara offspring enjoying a yuzu bath together in a hot spring pool in the zoo in Izu, surrounded by rock formations. The capybaras are surrounded by floating yuzu fruits.

Capybaras enjoying the annual yuzuyu (citrus bath) at Izu Shaboten Zoo, mimicking a popular Winter Solstice tradition.

An old belief said yuzu bath protects from illness, bad luck, and misfortune, helping with sleep and bringing your mind to warmer months. 1/2

β„οΈπŸ‹

#FairyTaleTuesday

17.12.2024 12:39 πŸ‘ 126 πŸ” 59 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 9

Finish writing my thesis on LOTR is the big one! I also have a peer-reviewed article coming out, a handbook chapter and bibliographic essay to write, a seminar proceedings to finish editing, and an imperial ton of reading.

I'm swimming Tolkien in 2025! Now to avoid ending up like our boy Isildur…

15.12.2024 14:21 πŸ‘ 18 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Members of the National Union of Journalists at the Guardian and Observer are now on their second round of strike action, in case you were wondering why we have no Game Awards coverage. (I've been an NUJ member for 20 years.)

13.12.2024 15:55 πŸ‘ 36 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Maybe some ghosts will visit Jeff Bezos…

13.12.2024 16:33 πŸ‘ 17 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Union anger over Labour government’s β€˜insulting’ 2.8% public sector pay plan Pay review bodies will make final recommendations on proposed rises for teachers, NHS staff and other workers The government is set for a clash with trade unions after ministers recommended a 2.8% pay rise for teachers, NHS staff and other public sector…

Union anger over Labour government’s β€˜insulting’ 2.8% public sector pay plan

10.12.2024 21:13 πŸ‘ 124 πŸ” 14 πŸ’¬ 8 πŸ“Œ 5

262 words is not a manifesto. A manifesto should be so long and rambling that its sheer size deters people from reading it. It should look like you need a briefcase full of ragged, yellowed typing paper to lug it around in and wave at people. It should be usable as a melee weapon in an emergency.

10.12.2024 21:22 πŸ‘ 1014 πŸ” 97 πŸ’¬ 52 πŸ“Œ 35
Why we MUST change the law on fireworks | Sarah Owen MP
Why we MUST change the law on fireworks | Sarah Owen MP YouTube video by Sarah Owen MP

Last night's Fireworks Petition debate was one of the busiest I've seen - it shows the appetite for change in the public and among MPs.

It was good to chat with the petitioners afterwards, and get support from across the House for my Fireworks bill.

10.12.2024 11:59 πŸ‘ 17 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
weird interaction with a student this week. they kept coming up with weird "facts" ("greek is actually a combination of four other languages") that left me baffled. i said let's look this stuff up together, and they said ok, i'll open a search bar, and they opened... ch*tgpt

weird interaction with a student this week. they kept coming up with weird "facts" ("greek is actually a combination of four other languages") that left me baffled. i said let's look this stuff up together, and they said ok, i'll open a search bar, and they opened... ch*tgpt

and i was like "this is not a search bar" and they were like "yes it is, you can search for anything in here"

the thing that made me feel crazy is like. every kid that's using this as a browser is getting new BESPOKE false "facts." this isn't "a widespread misconception about X that stems from how it's taught in schools." each individual kid is now hooked into a Nonsense Machine

with the "widespread misconception about X" you can start at a baseline. like, ok, in tenth grade we all talk about X thing from history, and that leaves us with some misguided concepts about X, but we can correct that as students get broader understandings of the world

but with this, each child is getting UNIQUE wrong facts they are SURE are correct... because they did what we told them to do! they "looked it up"! they got it from somewhere! it's not a kid making up a belief on hearsay and assumption... it's something they think they LEARNED

and i was like "this is not a search bar" and they were like "yes it is, you can search for anything in here" the thing that made me feel crazy is like. every kid that's using this as a browser is getting new BESPOKE false "facts." this isn't "a widespread misconception about X that stems from how it's taught in schools." each individual kid is now hooked into a Nonsense Machine with the "widespread misconception about X" you can start at a baseline. like, ok, in tenth grade we all talk about X thing from history, and that leaves us with some misguided concepts about X, but we can correct that as students get broader understandings of the world but with this, each child is getting UNIQUE wrong facts they are SURE are correct... because they did what we told them to do! they "looked it up"! they got it from somewhere! it's not a kid making up a belief on hearsay and assumption... it's something they think they LEARNED

this kid was extremely combative with me, and i understood why. i was sitting in front of him and telling him that the internet, a computer, technology, all these supposedly authoritative things... were wrong. and that i, one person, was right. he basically *couldn't* believe me.

8

135

3.8K

97K

...

stillorangecrushed @stilloranged. 7h

he decided that i was simply a teacher who'd made a mistake. he could check it, after all! he could look it up! he could find the REAL facts. i obviously hadn't done that, i was just an adult who'd decided i was smarter than him. hence the defensiveness. like i said: i understood

5

760

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82K

stillorangecrushed @stilloranged. 7h

...

it was so fucking rough. i did my best, but i am one person trying to work against a campaign of misinformation so vast that it fucking terrifies me. this kid is being set up for a life lived entirely inside the hall of mirrors

this kid was extremely combative with me, and i understood why. i was sitting in front of him and telling him that the internet, a computer, technology, all these supposedly authoritative things... were wrong. and that i, one person, was right. he basically *couldn't* believe me. 8 135 3.8K 97K ... stillorangecrushed @stilloranged. 7h he decided that i was simply a teacher who'd made a mistake. he could check it, after all! he could look it up! he could find the REAL facts. i obviously hadn't done that, i was just an adult who'd decided i was smarter than him. hence the defensiveness. like i said: i understood 5 760 3.2K 82K stillorangecrushed @stilloranged. 7h ... it was so fucking rough. i did my best, but i am one person trying to work against a campaign of misinformation so vast that it fucking terrifies me. this kid is being set up for a life lived entirely inside the hall of mirrors

Well this is grim

06.07.2024 22:15 πŸ‘ 13394 πŸ” 5325 πŸ’¬ 377 πŸ“Œ 1098