REAL TALK ALERT:
I’ve recently finished my 1st round of CBT (therapy) & waiting for my 2nd more in-depth CBT (god bless the NHS). My diagnosis & cause, which I don’t need to speak of here, are linked to my lower socio-economic upbringing, which is linked to a lot of past trauma

Which in turn affects my anxiety levels, my worth, my body image, my confidence & of course very low moods.
I tweet this not for any sympathy but
I want to normalise the idea that we can talk and reach out to people or in fact the services that are available

It’s insanely important and necessary for all. So please reach out. It is incredibly hard to have mental health issues in normal circumstances, but under a pandemic. Like literally fuck off, that’s something else. And I salute and feel all of you going through that.

But also here is a call to men. Some of you may well know this. But you need to talk and ask for help. It’s not a weakness. No one thinks less of you. You can’t ignore it and it’ll go away. Asking for help, talking about your feelings, seeking guidance doesn’t make you lesser

Lots of people may well look at me and think he’s doing ok in theatre, he’s got his shit together, he’s a big guy. But any success doesn’t make you feel any better if your mind is determined to belittle it, I may be 6ft1 but that doesn’t stop me feeling about an inch tall

If you’ll indulge, a bit of a thread on the 10th anniversary of the Sunday Tribune closing. This morning 10 years ago I was sitting in the Spar on Talbot Street with @pjcunningham1 as we planned a three-week trip to the States. 1/?

It was going to be mega. A bit of NBA, baseball spring training, The Masters. Think we talked about a Nascar race too. It was a classic PJ project – don’t worry about what can’t happen, this will be good, let's do it. 2/?

We’ve laughed about it a good few times since. There we were, planning an outrageously expensive trip completely oblivious to the fact that within a few hours, we’d be struggling to get the receipt for the coffees we were drinking covered on expenses. 3/?

It was kind of apt, too. I worked in the Tribune for 11 years and right up to the last morning of the last day, I found it to be a place where journalists had licence to try things that would be good. Didn’t always make financial sense but that was someone else’s problem. 4/?

Thing was, we always knew it was doomed. We always knew it wasn’t making money and that the plug could be pulled at any time. On some level, I always felt that gave you a bit more freedom to try things. Which made it a great place to be young and make mistakes. 5/?

Here is a synopsis of a situation outside of our place in DC Saturday night and some things to think about going forward about the limits of policing. (1/?)

So, about two hours ago, there was a man across the street from where we live screaming and threatening no one in particular on our side of the street.

It's unclear from my vantage whether the man is mentally ill or was simply intoxicated, but suffice it to say he's not in his right mind during this outburst.

In a major US city, this is not particularly unusual, though anyone in the immediate vicinity could be excused for feeling uncomfortable.

I'd imagine description would read something like: B/M, 6'0", 30s, grey hoodie, black pants, pacing & yelling in threatening manner.

For 15-20 minutes, he was totally left alone. At some point, MPD was called, and they came-- but no lights or sirens, established a very loose perimeter--and let him continue to rant at nobody in particular.

Attacks on Lockdown sceptics – and me in particular – have ratcheted up recently, with one of the most aggressive critics being the Conservative MP @NeilDotObrien. I thought it was time to compose a reply.

On Monday he wrote a piece for @ConHome entitled "Trumpism in Britain. It’s time to call out those in the media who cynically feed the cranks, rioters and conspiracists".

having a cup of tea while waiting for a shortening / molasses / boiling water / brown sugar slurry to cool enough to add yeast to it, so hey, howzabout a quick sermon about the nature of God and how we do or don't see it reflected in the godly, and in poseurs? a thread:

I have to start with heavy sticky theological stuff that I personally am underqualified to fully parse so bear with me. There are many ways of understanding omniscience,

and people have for millennia debated whether an omniscient being would necessarily be able to see the future before it happens --

the God of the Bible, the O.T. God, is generally considered by believers to have this power of precognition. Anti-choice people lean hard on Jeremiah 1:5 in this regard ("Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you"),

and of course if we take prophecy to be the literal reading-out of future events (I don't, but that's a different sermon), then precognition is a whole Godly thing, it's one of His main lookouts. With me? OK:

#YemenCantWait there is the most brilliant plea for an end to the War on the People of Yemen right now at https://t.co/V4hiU04urX What a TRIBUTE to the #Yemeni People. SO many really care for #Yemen, @joebiden must ends the label of the #Houthis as a Terror Organisation.

Great to hear this from you on #YemenCantWait and looking forward to seeing you cease USA logistical and military support to #Saudi on their campaign in #Yemen, and that they pay reparations and lift the blockade. Yes please send that AID. @ABlinken

Couldn't be more proud to hear @johnfinucane on behalf of @sinnfeinireland and #IRELAND at the #YemenCantWait @Zoom Conference tonight.

Millions of Children, (1.5 times our population in Ireland), do not have access to safe water in #Yemen STOP the #Saudi blockade.

says that Ireland must be a symbol for PEACE. Immediate Ceasefire and Lifting Blockade DEMANDED. Funding must be restored. We have seen our share of poverty, war and hunger in the Ireland past, we will not stand by and endure that others feel it. #YemenCantWait

@FranceInsoumise now "#France selling arms, canons, missiles and ships to #Saudi for offensive purposes and to commit war crimes, along the Saudi #Yemen Border. France in breach of the arms trade treaty in all of its actions. IT IS NOT COMPLEX @EmmanuelMacron "

hindsight is 20/20. Michael Burry would have been buried and forgotten in the annals of history if the housing boom had continued for just six more months. now, he is considered a whiz kid. life can be funny.

You know how occasionally you get glimpses of just how casually racist the world we grew up in really was & you get like a vertiginous lurch in your stomach? Heads up, this thread does need a content warning.

Background, I worship The Kinks & rate Ray Davies as one of THE great songwriters, but they're ruined for me by one song - 'Apeman' - a cod calypso in a comedy Caribbean accent with the chorus "wanna live like an apeman" & I thought it was about the most racist pop hit ever >

Well last night I happened upon a 1971 song by Harry Nilsson, a white man from New York, called 'Coconut,' which is another cod calypso etc in an even more offensive comedy accent ("put me lime in de coconut" etc.) I was appalled enough by it, but then >

I looked it up on Youtube & there's an old promo performance video of him doing the song. And it's just him and a guitarist and they are wearing actual monkey suits. I'm not going to paste the vid here because it is genuinely horrible.

But the moral of the story is, people my age (54) & older, we grew up SWIMMING in this stuff. Surrounded by it. People talk about the horrors of the Black & White Minstrel show as if it was in isolation. The truth is our culture, from films & TV, drama to sitcom >

Just got off statewide elected officials call with ERCOT. Trying to relay from memory:

-17 GigaWatt still off line.
-Trying to bring stuff back on line ASAP.
-Combination of gas, coal, solar, wind, and nukes went off line. (Nukes?)
-500 MW (0.5GW) came back during the call

Sun warming up wind turbine blades and shed off ice that formed during cold rain will put wind farms back on line quickly.

Water vapor in gas lines freezing up sensors and regulators in LNG plants.

LNG well heads frozen at the pump.

All cold related outage.

There were cold related measures taken after the freeze of 2011.

But the measures were for 2011 level storm.

2021 far exceeded what was planned or expected.

Just didn't expect this cold and across the entire state.

ERCOT is not responsible for who gets blacked out.

That goes to the transmission entity... oncor, centerpoint, and co-ops decide how to rotate the blackouts. ERCOT just tells them how much load to shed.

The expected blackout cycle is supposed to be 24hr on 24 off.

The only regulation on blackouts is about first responders and critical infrastructure.

(Downtown and hospital districts are critical I would guess)

They apologize for not letting the public know that this was what was going to happen. They knew this was coming last week. (?)

1)

Hello friends! Freelance photojournalist and accidental labour organizer, @photobracken here to tell you just how not good it’s been for photographers *gestures broadly at everything* esp freelancers, and what we are doing about it over at @PhotojsUnited.

It’s no news to say the news industry is struggling, but bear with me while I attempt to summarize why photojournalism is especially in crisis–it’s an inherently risky job that’s getting riskier, and most of us are freelancers who are totally unrepresented in the labour market.

We are losing photojournalists and it's terrifying bc, to echo @kassijackson_, photojournalists ARE journalists. It’s a specialized skill set that’s not easily replaced. Our work connects to the human experience, is guided by ethics and grounded in fact.

Don't even get me started on the fact that every marketing plan for every news publication out there trying to survive depends largely on photography. We get clicks baby

There is also an existential crisis going on, as we collectively grapple with the colonial roots and under representation of BIPOC and women in this practice. I’m not diving into that necessary conversation here but,

On late Tunde Thomas #DNAtest & the MD, FCMB Adam Nuru, paternity fraud, let me share a story from one of my private investigations.

Mr Balogun (not real name) was married to Mrs Kemi (not real name) for 33 years. none of the 4 children from that marriage belongs to Balogun. 💔

According to Mr Balogun, he met Kemi, while she was serving (NYSC) they dated briefly, & got married. He was already successful at a very young age, why Kemi was trying to find her feet. He gave her everything any woman could dream of having. A good life, & a good home.

Unknown to Balogun, while Kemi was serving, she dated him, alongside one poor dude. She had Balogun, as the money bag or MUGU, why the Poor Boy as her true love. When she became pregnant, Balogun proposed, & married her. But Kemi kept on with that relationship, outside matrimony.

Just to have unhindered access to her true Love, Kemi lied to Balogun that the poor dude (Uncle Shola) was a family member, from her late mum's family. That being the only child of her late mum, since after her death, it is only Uncle Shola, that has been in touch & helps to her.

That lie from Kemi, made Balogun to love Uncle Shola even more. For being there for his wife, when she had no one to help. He gave uncle Shola unhindered access to his house 24/7. Calling him in-law. The two love birds comport themselves properly, whenever someone is around.

Thread: Can we be honest for a brief moment? There are 5 main arguments believers are having about racism. The conflict over race is not about CRT and its validity. The (1st) conflict is really over the evidence that proves or disproves the existence of systemic racism

What I mean is, who’s/what evidence is empirical to prove or disprove the existence of systemic racism? For those who affirm CRT, it is proof. And others go to Civil Rights Legislation for disproof. Saying that “Systemic Racism” ended in the 1964 Civil Rights
Era.

The second most prevalent argument is over the definition of systemic. And depending on the definition, it may be accurate to say there is no systemic racism. But that depends on the way one is using the word systemic. Yet ppl seem to rarely define what they mean by systemic

The third argument is over the validity of experience. How much does personal experience count in one’s evaluation of racism? Some say none. That is just Standpoint Epistemology. Personal Agency matters not Personal Experience. But how does one do that?

How does one say your personal experience is not truth, but your responsibility to act against that experience is? Personal Agency comes out of personal experience. There is no agency without experience. I’m responsible for what? My actions stemming from my experiences.

Hi Twitter I can't sleep again. I need to ramble and rumble myself into passive aggressively sleeping.
The past 12 years haven't been easy for many but for those of us who are Jews of African descent in America it has been a trial by ordeal.

When Obama was president I remember when 1 of my students expressed a sense of fear of him. Their parents compared him to Hitler, wary of his passionate speeches &ability to arouse the masses. I immediately balked but knew where there was this sentiment there were others.

I lost a friend in Eva when she called him a Muslim born in Kenya. She also splashed a kid in the face with water...a lot...and I was like that's not cool but I also realized that would be my ass if I did that.

A parent I did not know threw a Karen moment at me before I knew what they were for wearing an Obama kippa...I took it off after a mild talking to...and I put it right back on after he won.

Then Trump came on the waves of birtherism. People we thought we knew became more and more hostile, untrustworthy and mean. We saw our community struggle between 2/3 mostly ok with us and 1/3 not. Many of us stopped going to the shuls we always had.

The ongoing Lincoln Project story reminds me that I haven't met anyone in politics yet who really understands how journalism works and how to handle a bad story. The Winning FormulaTM is also the right thing to do, but it involves a lot of humility and relinquishing some control.

First, don't lie to reporters. Ever. Even if you fool one, another one will find you out. And there are a lot of people who naively think they will fool ALL the reporters. This is just arrogance.

Don't try to intimidate people you suspect might be sources. It gives them more of an incentive to be a source, and it usually has the opposite of your intended effect: it encourages other people to talk to reporters.

If you know something is going to break, tell the story yourself, truthfully. There's a line from some Chris Matthews book that is actually applicable (and he did not do): hang a lantern on your problems.

Don't get defensive. It makes you sound like you don't *really* think you did anything wrong.

BOYS ALSO SUFFER FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LIKE GIRLS

HON ROBSON MAVENYENGWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker for allowing me the opportunity to add my voice to the motion brought by Hon. Bhuda concerning gender based violence which is mainly targeted against women and children. @wlsazim

HON MAVENYENGWA: I am a parent, I have a girl child and it pains me to witness the girl child being abused especially when they live with people who are not their natural parents. If people live with a step mother in most cases, they are ill treated.@YetTrust @NAYOZimbabwe

HON MAVENYENGWA: They grow up in an environment that is not conducive for children. There was a case where we ended up having to call the police because the stepmother was ill treating the child. @Y4pdZ @Youth4SDGsZim @NYDT1 @Youthdecidezw @moysarzim

HON. MAVENYENGWA: The child would draw water, look for wood and do everything to the extent that the child was failing to go to school. The father was there and was seeing these events unfold with his own eyes. That also touched me as the local Member of Parliament.

HON. MAVENYENGWA: I ended up looking for the police& those from Social Welfare department to ensure they assist the child. We are saying that Govt should come up with laws& penalties that are deterrent especially in GBV especially where the mother has passed away.

I've been speaking with Charlie Brown, Managing Director at @Chartwells_UK over the last few days.

I've been losing my patience a bit. It's not been as quick as I wanted, but we are here now. Some of this was organised today, some is from other days but here's a round up:

1/

Over the February school holiday, if there is no Government funding for #FreeSchoolMeals, at all the schools @Chartwells_UK is working in, Charlie commits to putting out boxes anyway.

So if @BorisJohnson @RishiSunak & @GavinWilliamson won't step up by then, Charlie will.

2/

From now, the school lunches boxes from @Chartwells_UK, are also going to cover breakfast as well. Chartwells will take the extra costs associated on the chin. They are fully aware they need to do better, and this is something we both feel is positive. (That was his idea).

3/

All the hampers that went out in the first week, like my rubbish one, that you all saw, aren't being billed. Chartwells need to suck it up. They can't charge Local Authorities (schools) for that now can they! That was an early point of agreement, so you may have heard of it.

4/

Starting with my school, and with a lot of input from teachers, kids & parents, Chartwells will improve the menus for lunches served at school (dinner hall ones). All schools have different menus, so this is a long term project, it'll take a while, but it's important.

5/