Jim Parkin @ParkinJim@qoto.org

These are the Biden holiday decorations, just unveiled by our first lady, Dr. Jill Biden.
My first thought was, “What, no blood red scary trees, symbolizing the blood of our enemies?!”
It’s sure nice to have normal back. In so many ways.

Twitter was never a healthy "public square" for most of us. Let's not rewrite history while eulogizing the hellsite.
Twitter was a frightening battleground where we managed barely to claw out an uneasy existence amidst the worst violent neo-Nazi extremists who constantly published our home addresses, threatened our kids' lives, and sent hordes of racist trolls into our mentions.
The same principles that allowed us to survive uneasily on Twitter will be required here in the #fediverse. Community defense, thoughtful pressure on moderation policies, and eternal vigilance.
There are no safe spaces but those we make safe through constant effort. We keep us safe.

I was just chatting with a friend about this, and we were both saying that we’re not even Jewish and the recent mainstreaming of antisemitism in the Republican Party, from Trump to Kanye to the GOP House to Musk’s flirtations with the far right — are absolutely chilling.

In 2018, Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell was awarded the Breakthrough Prize in Physics for her discovery of pulsars. The judges and founders of that prize did what the Nobel Committee should have done.

She used the prize money to set up a fund supporting students from under-represented groups who want to become researchers in physics and astronomy.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45425872

People applying for a few quid in measly welfare face more checks and scrutiny than the mates of govt cronies do for millions of £££'s in taxpayer money.

#EatTheRich

Meta fined €265M for not protecting Facebook users' data from scrapers https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/meta-fined-265m-for-not-protecting-facebook-users-data-from-scrapers/

Well there is no doubt about it now folks. #ElonMusk has just posted Pepe the Frog confirming to any doubters that he's all in w the alt-right, white power, #GQP, 4chan racist/anti-semites/anti-democracy/anti-LGBTQ losers. #Racism #antisemitism #AntiLGBTQ #Transphobes #Twitter #GQP #AltRight #Maga #MagaRepublican #VoteBlueToSaveDemocracy #VoteBlue2024 #HateSpeech #HateSpeechIsNotFreeSpeech #Fascist #PepeTheFrog #Cult45

I don’t have an unwanted pregnancy.

I’m not in Ukraine getting hit by Russian shelling.

I’m not facing ethnic cleansing in Tigray.

I don’t have a disability.

I’m not gay.

➡️ But I defend everyone’s rights.

✅ Because that’s what universal human rights are all about.

The more I understand #economics the more dangerous #monopoly seems. We need to control monopolies as forcefully as we do inflation.

@pluralistic excellent as usual: https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/28/enshittification/

Aren't Apple allowed free speech too?

A fan carrying a pride flag and wearing a t-shirt stating "respect for Iranian women" and "save Ukraine" ran onto the pitch during the #FIFAWorldCup match between Portugal and Uruguay.

Read more ⬇️

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/breaking-world-cup-rainbow-flag-28605580?4

Perhaps Hancock should apologise to the families of those who were killed by his incompetence whilst balancing a toad on his head and see if it takes the edge off for them.

ITV could air it.

It’s grotesque when minimizers cheer for other countries to fail at mitigating #COVID spread.

It’s also self-defeating: When other places fail, it raises the likelihood of more transmissible & deadly variants, which prolongs the pandemic & increases the danger for EVERYONE around the world.

#COVID19 #PublicHealth #GlobalHealth

Winter is coming.. One of my early digital images, Lochan na h-Achlaise at the west end of Rannoch Moor, January 2005.
#Winter #Scotland #GlenCoe #ice #Snow #RannochMoor

The new results of analyzes of organic residues of pottery vessels from Mesopotamia reveal an invisible soup!

The first civilized societies in the world developed about 5,500 years ago in Mesopotamia.
The Journal of Archaeological Sciences published a research paper in which we read:
Reports show that Mesopotamian pottery contained a wide variety of foods, but particularly meat-based meals, most likely a soup or broth flavored with bone marrow.

Source: University of Glasgow 2022

A view of the earth being eclipsed by the moon. A never seen before view from space.
#space #nasa #artemis

Why am I posting so much less now?

Because the electricity turns on now twice a day for about 2 hours,& when it’s switched off, signal is very poor. I do my best to keep you updated,but I do miss reading your comments.

But,everything will be better soon.We are winning anyway🤍

Here is one of my favorite #photo of the setting moon. #Fotomontag #Fotomontag #Photography #moon #moonphotography

Dear Jim,
Please paint me an anthropomorphised New York skyline battling a giant religiously fanatical prawn. Meanwhile the diamond falcon contemplates.
All the best,
Carl Brown

Dear Jim,
Please paint me a Tyrannosaurus Rex playing Connect 4 with Heston Blumenthal on a lake of fire whilst a care bear watches them lustfully.
Thanks,
iknockthingsover