Nico Macdonald

I’ve taken down my websites, by blocking the HTTPS port, to address the PHP vulnerability. Hopefully, the effects on other sites will be limited, but I wonder how many organisations’ web implementation has been exposed by this development. Meanwhile they yap on about implementing machine learning.

It is notable how many organisations, not least governmental and quasi-governmental, don’t include the email thread in replies. I suspect this is a tactic to help one ‘forget’ one’s feedback or complaint and thus reduce accountability. Either way, it shows they don’t care about their ‘users’ input.

On UK govt approving Jackdaw gas field drilling, Brendan O’Neill @JuliaHB1 #TalkTV notes of #NetZero zealots: ‘The reason they’re against all of this stuff is because they’re against modern society. They’re against #Progress They’re against the Industrial Revolution. They want to turn time back…’

I’ve signed @campaignforthearts.org petition urging the PM to revitalise the arts. I commented: ‘The arts provide citizens with pleasure, enjoyment, conviviality and connection, and insight into the human condition… But they should not be instrumentalised, nor politicised.’ buff.ly/wkEKKcQ

In 2+yrs of hearing “Israel went too far in Gaza” or “Israel is committing genocide”, I haven’t heard one MSM broadcast journo or commentator ask why, in response to Hamas’ strategy, the IDF chose to adopt the tactics it did; or consider if it mitigated civilian harms.

When at #PMQ PM Burnham says we must “look straight at democratic interference”, implicitly around #EUref, does he wonder how his ilk __resist__ such influence? Or whether Russia, China and Iran might “interfere” to push Left/Green issues such as #NetZero or anti-Zionism?

We must not let a “social media ban” become #DigitalID by the backdoor. Don’t enable ‘gate-keeping’ of adults’ online access. Protect privacy. Protect the open Internet, enabling creativity and access to knowledge. #DontIDtheInternet dontidtheinternet.com cc @pollybillington.bsky.social

This evening I’m hosting a KCC Cliftonville by-election hustings: – Joanne Janet Bright (@labouruk.bsky.social) – Lucy Gray, Independent – Charlie Leys, Conservatives – Marc Rattigan (@reformuk.bsky.social) – Dr Mo Shafaei (@libdems.org.uk) – Rob Yates (@greenparty.org.uk) bit.ly/Cliftonville...

“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro…” announces President Trump < Do we still think democracy can be imposed by external force? Have we not learned from Iraq, Libya, Ukraine?

BBC Director-General Tim Davie and its CEO of #BBCNews and Current Affairs, Deborah Turness, have resigned reports @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/3JTK2Ya @deborahturness also heads up #BBCVerify, which ignored the @BBC’s own disinformation and is a bad-faith tool that should be shut down.

To those going on or supporting the #March4Palestine in London today: “End the Genocide” they shout, again, and again, and again. Yet they never define “genocide”, let alone explain how a genocide has taken place, or is taking place… Read on @X: x.com/Nico_Macdona...

Two minutes’ silence for the sailors, soldiers and airmen who fought for Victory in Europe, at our local war memorial in Margate. Also for those who were injured or died in air-raids, and munitions factory disasters. And those who helped the Dunkirk evacuation. #VEDay80 #VEDay

Follow #BennettInstitute for Public Policy (@bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk) Annual Conference @churchillcol.bsky.social Cambridge, with sessions on Wicked Problems; Investment imperative; Rethinking work; Political disenchantment; and Misinformation. Keynote lecture by (@profsanderlinden.bsky.social)

@mariannaspringbbc.bsky.social What’s the #BBCVerify analysis of the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone (www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...)? Verify’s analysis isn’t noted in the 27 February @BBCMediaCentre press release on the documentary (www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...) bsky.app/profile/laur...

‘Legacy media is in some trouble because people don’t trust us. For such a prominent media organisation… to have indulged in this kind of behaviour… is really damaging to the cause of journalism’ – Alan Rusbridger (https://buff.ly/40uzFhE) on #BBCPM on the Sun’s settlement with Prince Harry

The inauguration of Donald Trump as US president represents the electoral failure of modern Left-liberalism and Democratic politics. It failed to honestly defend its positions to its critics, or advance its arguments in good faith in #Elections2024 We need a better opposition to Trump-Vance.

In 1996, JavaScript made Web popups possible. We marvelled: This static page could change! Today, sites/apps suffer “interface pollution”, with rollovers spawning ‘bubbles’ and controls. But neither should designers hide UI controls under rollovers, as @OpenAI does in ChatGPT.

Transport journalist, former MP and Transport Under-Secretary Norman Baker on Julia Hartley-Brewer with show #TalkTV with Alex Phillips, on the increase in motoring offences, the irrationality of enforcing all the 20mph limits and allowing motorists to judge for themselves… https://buff.ly/41lj8yI

Journalist Nicole Lampert (@nicolelampert.bsky.social ) on the Peter Cardwell show #TalkTV reports on the attack by other pupils on those from the North London-based JFS Jewish mixed comprehensive school and notes that #Antisemitism in the UK ‘is entering a violent phase’ (https://buff.ly/3VeV1Om)

Even after a sobering loss in #Election2024 the Harris Fight Fund continues to promote unsubstantiated assertions about Trump seeking “fewer rights and freedoms”, “prosecuting political enemies” and “building a government full of sycophants”. Read on… https://buff.ly/4fSHQdY

Watching live: On the Precipice public meeting hosted by Our Fight (@OurFightUK) and British Friends of Israel on why standing for civilisation means standing with Israel, with Mick Hume and Allison Pearson Venue in NW London not disclosed due to antisemitic threats

On the NCHI she’s accused of, Allison Pearson @JuliaHB1 #TalkTV notes: ‘Braverman wanted to scrap non-crime hate incidents and introduced statutory guidance… The police were supposed “to rein it in”… and not misuse these to blight people’s lives and restrict Free Speech but they have scaled it up.’