Notices by Alan Ferrier (alanferrier@mastodon.scot)

“Society corrupts the best of us. It is a little unfair to criticise a person for not sharing the enlightenment of a later epoch, but it is also profoundly saddening that such prejudices were so extremely pervasive. The question raises nagging uncertainties about which of the conventional truths of our own age will be considered unforgivable bigotry by the next.”
— Carl Sagan

Still the most iconic Scottish weather picture, in my humble opinion.

https://www.thenational.scot/politics/25965603.united-kingdom-catch-will-scotland/

America isn’t the way it is because he’s president. He’s president because America is the way it is.

🔥

When your Chicken Tikka Masala tastes a bit municipal swimming pool, you'll know it's the taste of #Brexit freedom.

France just jailed its former president for illegally funding his 2007 presidential campaign.
https://news.sky.com/story/too-late-to-investigate-farage-election-expenses-essex-police-say-13485447

This will drive all the right people bananas.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9891455007o

He could have said "Vandalism isn't patriotism; daubing red crosses on Chinese takeaways and scrawling racist graffiti isn't patriotism; perfomatively sitting in front of a flag or tying one to a mosque isn't patriotism.

Patriotism is about making this country safe, happy and prosperous for all."

But no. He chose to shag the flag.

Frankie Boyle on the fragrant J.K.Rowling:

Letter in today's Times:

Orwell's "1984" was not intended as an instruction manual.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4wy21dwkwo

"The scenes in Gaza have moved beyond description. We write as artists who’ve chosen to use our public platforms to speak out against the genocide occurring there & the role of the UK government in facilitating it."
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/07/21/ckjv-j21.html

Well played.

Protest is terrorism.
Genocide is defence.
War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.

Starmer rules out a Scottish independence referendum.

Starmer rules out referendum on Irish reunification.

Starmer rules out return to the EU, Single Market or Customs Union.

Never asks what we want - just tells us what we're "allowed".

Let's just call him Viceroy Starmer.

"'Austerity' is the idea that the worldwide financial crash of 2008 was caused by Wolverhampton having too many libraries."
—Alexei Sayle

Farage: Silence.
Tiny Tommy Ten-Names: Silence.
Grimes: Silence.
Hopkins: Silence.
6-Bob Knob: Silence.
Fox: Silence.
Tice: Silence.

Odd, that.

“This constant lying is not aimed at making the people believe a lie, but at ensuring that no one believes anything anymore.

A people that can no longer distinguish between truth and lies cannot distinguish between right and wrong.

And such a people, deprived of the power to think and judge is, without knowing and willing it, completely subjected to the rule of lies. With such a people, you can do whatever you want.”

—Hannah Arendt, German Historian and Philosopher (1906-1975)

Labour has ordered the Home Office to begin mass deportations of undocumented migrants.

Writing in The Sun, Yvette Cooper says she has told the Home Office to raid car washes, nail bars and salons. 1,000 staff will be deployed to fast-track deportations.

"Change," eh?