#Department for Culture Media and Sport

[thepastisalreadywritten]

[insidecroydon]

Labour minister Bryant rejects public's pleas to save libraries

Closure opposition: parents, grandparents and youngsters at Bradmore Green Library yesterday, before it closed its doors for a final time Parents, grandparents and youngsters gathered at Bradmore Green Library yesterday, the council-run facility’s final day of operation. Bradmore Green, in Old Coulsdon, together with three other public libraries in Croydon – Sanderstead, Shirley and Broad Green –…

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - Cultural Manifesto.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Fifteen government departments have been monitoring the social media activity of potential critics and compiling “secret files” in order to block them from speaking at public events, the Observer can reveal. Under the guidelines issued in each department, including the departments of health, culture, media and sport, and environment, food and rural affairs, officials are advised to check experts’ Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts. They are also told to conduct Google searches on those individuals, using specific terms such as “criticism of government or prime minister”. The guidelines are designed to prevent anyone who has criticised the government in the previous three to five years from speaking at government-organised conferences and other events.

[...]

These hidden checks are unlawful, running contrary to data protection laws and potentially breaching equality and human rights legislation. Dan Kaszeta, a chemical weapons expert, was disinvited in April from giving a keynote speech at a UK defence conference after officials found social media posts criticising Tory ministers and government immigration policy. He told the Observer this weekend that he knows of 12 others who have uncovered evidence of similar government blacklisting, most of whom are frightened of speaking out. But he said far more will be unaware they ever failed secret vetting. He said: “The full extent of this is shocking and probably not fully known. I was lucky enough to be given clearcut, obvious evidence. It’s truly awful.”

[1americanconservative]

@Bitcoin4Freedom

I can't stand Donald Trump. He is braggy, he insults people for no reason, and he is just a brutal personality. But my mind is made up. I'm voting for him and here's why: * He puts Americans and their well-being first. Kamala will not. * He will bring

@elonmusk

into his cabinet to be the efficiency czar and get rid of waste. This alone may be the best single reason to vote for him. * He will bring

@RobertKennedyJr

into his cabinet to Make American Healthy Again. He will finally get to the bottom of why our food companies are destroying the health of our children. * I'm sick of the way the media lies continuously about

@realDonaldTrump

, starting with the incessant racism claims. They are just nonsense. The latest thing I learned? He sent his plane to fly Nelson Mandela home after he was in jail with the U.S. wouldn't do it. Racist? No. * I'm sick of the U.S. being embroiled in foreign wars. Trump will keep us out of them again. He's just crazy enough that foreign nations will stand down. They have no fear of Kamala. They will fear him. * Trump sees this country as fundamentally good. Kamala sees it as inherently evil. * Trump will end the nonsense of the open border which makes our country less secure, less financially stable, and brings in millions of people illegally who compete for Americans' jobs. * This government has to print billions to care for the illegals. That makes all of our dollars less valuable and makes prices zoom upward. * He will stockpile Bitcoin. * He will keep men out of women's bathrooms and women's sports. * He is a heavyweight personality and negotiator. Kamala is a phony personality and a lightweight negotiator. * The people who want Kamala Harris to win are the most annoying people in the country. They have pushed for pronouns, masks, endless vaccines, cancel culture, riots, blatant racism towards whites, gender confusion, undermining the U.S. constitution. * He will upset the current political system. He was nearly the victim of assassination 3x. And he keeps going. He's not the best in interviews, but he at least puts himself out there. Over and over and over. Kamala hasn't done a single press conference. * Harris and the media trying to prop her up hid Biden's cognitive decline. They accuse

@realDonaldTrump

of being a threat to democracy. Yet she was installed as the nominee with no votes. She wants to pack the Supreme Court. She wants to eliminate the filibuster. She sued

@RobertKennedyJr

to keep him off the ballot. And the threat to democracy is Trump? Nonsense. * Those who support Harris look at Trump supports as vile, stupid, ignorant, and fascists. They disown family members or disinvite them from Thanksgiving dinner of they support Trump. This is disgraceful. * Every time she talks, I try to give her a chance. But she is the most phony and condescending politician I have ever seen. Ever. I can't do it. I won't do it. * She and those who support her are resistant to Voter ID and believe requiring an ID is racist. Her Department of Justice is suing the state of Virginia for trying to purge the voter rolls of illegals. Why would we not want 1 vote per 1 U.S. citizen? Is it more racist to believe people from the inner city are perfectly capable of securing a government issued ID? Or to believe they are incapable? That's it. I'm done. Thanks for hearing me out.

[aimeedaisies]

Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, KCVO, CB appointed as Chair to the Science Museum Group

The Prime Minister has appointed Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, KCVO, CB as Chair of the Science Museum Group, for a four-year term, commencing on 1st of January 2024.

From: Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Science Museum Group

Published: 1st December 2023

Sir Tim Laurence has pursued a portfolio career centred around Built Heritage, Major Projects, Railways and Urban Regeneration since leaving the Royal Navy in 2010. He chaired English Heritage (2015-22), with over 400 historic sites and 40 small museums. Other chairmanships included the Major Projects Association and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the latter on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence. He was a Trustee and Deputy Chair of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Current roles include: Patron of the Windsor Leadership Trust; Patron of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway; member of the Great Western Railway Advisory Board; and Senior Advisor to the engineering consultancy Tetratech Europe. He contributes to a number of other charities.

Tim’s 37 years of Naval service included four warship commands and a series of senior roles in the Ministry of Defence, culminating in CEO of the organisation which manages the Ministry of Defence’s property and infrastructure worldwide.

He graduated from University College Durham in 1976 with a BSc in Geography, with Geology and Climatology, and was a Hudson Fellow at St Antony’s College Oxford (1998/99).

Remuneration and Governance Code

The Chair of the Science Museum Group is not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Sir Tim Laurence has not declared any significant political activity.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

Israel’s National Cyber Directorate (INCD) stated on Thursday that Iran is running a cyber campaign against members of the Israeli delegation arriving in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

In its investigation, the INCD revealed that Iranian hackers have created social media channels and published personal information about the Israeli team members to send them threats. The INCD is working with the Cyber Unit of Israel’s State Attorney to shut them down. 

As part of their anti-Israeli campaign, the hackers reportedly pose as the French organization GUD. INCD authorities are continuing to coordinate both with the Israeli Olympic Committee and the Security and Emergency Department of the Culture and Sports Ministry to make sure that Israel’s athletes and other delegation members remain safe during the Paris international sports competition.

INCD Dir.-Gen. Gabi Portnoy said Iran was exploiting the Olympics to terrorize Israel.

“Iran is exploiting an apolitical international sporting competition to promote digital terrorism against Israel and its right to participate in these competitions,” he said.

Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar echoed Portnoy’s remarks. 

“We are witnessing attempts by the Iranian regime to intimidate Israeli athletes and carry out psychological terror against our amazing delegation. We are here in Paris, continuing with full force, and nothing will stop us,” he said.

“Our athletes are more prepared and determined than ever to achieve great results, and our security apparatus is ready for any scenario. We will not relent until we topple the Iranian regime,” Zohar added.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said on Thursday that while cyberattacks on the Paris Olympics are inevitable, France will do all it can to limit the effects of such attacks.

“We are a target. There will be cyberattacks. The key thing is to limit their impact,” Attal told reporters at the headquarters of France’s ANSSI software security agency.

In the meantime, Israeli tourists in Paris face escalating threats.

On Sunday, Israel’s National Security Council (NSC) advised Israeli nationals traveling to the Olympic Games in Paris to exercise increased caution due to anti-Israel threats, warning that it believes Iranian-backed terror organizations “are seeking to carry out attacks on Israeli/Jewish targets around the Olympics.”

Earlier this week, a masked man with a Palestinian Authority flag on his shirt threatened the "Zionist regime" participating in the Olympic Games, saying, “Rivers of blood will flow through the streets of Paris.”

Despite the threats, the Israeli delegation traveled to Paris on Monday with their heads held high and the support of the entire nation.

“We feel like emissaries of the State of Israel – our athletes, every one of them are here to achieve their dreams, but there is another layer, of a national mission,” the President of the Olympic Committee of Israel Yael Arad said ahead of the flight to France.

French authorities have reportedly dispatched around 1,000 elite anti-terrorist officers to provide security and a "ring of steel" for Israel’s Olympic athletes. The first competition involving Israelis, a soccer match between Israel and Mali on Wednesday, passed without major security incidents, despite the presence of anti-Israel activists who held Palestinian Authority flags and demonstrated against the Jewish state. Some activists wore “Free Palestine” t-shirts and booed when the Israeli national anthem, "HaTikva" (The Hope) was played before the game. Israeli players were also met with initial boos when they touched the ball during the game.

On Friday, despite heightened security, France suffered attacks targeting the country's train networks in what authorities described as "coordinated sabotage," including arson. No organization has claimed responsibility. The attacks are expected to negatively impact around 250,000 travelers today and 800,000 over the weekend.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

'Media in Brazil have yet to understand the power of the Paralympics,' says Brazilian authority

The department is part of the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship and supports the Ministry of Sports

On the eve of the Paralympic Games in Paris, one expectation is whether Brazil will follow, cheer, and be moved by the athletes' participation, just as it was less than a month ago when the country took part in the Olympics.

At the last Paralympics in Japan, in 2021, Brazilian parathletes stood on the podium 72 times and won 22 gold medals. This number exceeds the total of medals the country won at the Olympic Games in the same edition and in Paris. 

However, for the National Department for the Rights of People with Disabilities, Ana Paula Feminella, the population's involvement is different. She attributes this imbalance to the Brazilian media, which “have yet to understand the power of the Paralympics," she said in an interview with the Bem Viver TV show on Tuesday (27).

The department is part of the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship and supports the Sports Ministry in developing paralympic athletes through the Living Without Limits program (Programa Viver Sem Limites, in Portuguese).

“I think there is still a very limited understanding, which is due to the ableism we live in, a culture that doesn't recognize people with disabilities as subjects of rights, as people who are also capable of doing great things,” says Feminella.

“We need the media to value [the Paralympics] even more, give more visibility to it,” said the secretary. 

Continue reading.

[georgegraphys]

Why is George Russell important to Mercedes PR plans in entering the Chinese market? — An opinionated talk by Ari

I'm not going to over speculate/over exaggerate the recent possibility of George promoting Mercedes (car company) in the Chinese market but if that really is the thing behind the whole douyin account thing, then allow me to do this talk about the whole possibility and why he's the right person if everything came true 😌😌

Why is he important? I've said lots of times on twitter (and maybe here i forgot) that George is a very good conversationalist. People use PR63 or PRussell to insult him but I do not think of it as an insult. Not everyone has natural born PR skills like George and if you look at some of the people in the grid? Fucking PR disasters whose image are saved by the work of their PR teams.

A good conversationalist like George can be seen from a) how he speaks b) the people he mingle with. Let's talk about point A. George might sound robotic to people who aren't used to/so fond of hearing PR speech but it is actually great because he answers those things diplomatically, weighing equally on the good and bad, rights and wrongs. Good and bad, rights and wrongs are heavily subjective. It differs from person to person. Having the ability to answer such questions diplomatically is a crazy talent. You might say "oh it's common sense, Ari" lol when you get out there and start working in the HR department/PR department, you'll notice that only 1% had that natural ability to be like George. And talking about speeches, forms of speeches extends beyond what is spoken verbally. Non verbal cues also shine through in this matter as the worst betrayer of a person is themselves and their non verbal cues. George is very good at controlling his non verbal cues. His expression, body language, gestures and much more. He is very good at controlling them (controlling ≠ hiding). He is very open with his body languages but also controls them very well (or it might just be him as an honest and good person tbh 😭) which is why these aspects made him a very good conversationalist.

The second one is the people he mingles with. "Ari he talks with that fraud FIA president and Fl*vi*" Gurl... I'm VERY sad to inform you that when you're in that position, you have 0 choice. It is very easy to be idealistic when you're not in that position but when you're in that position, it is not easy. This is the harsh truth. But aside from that, look at how easily he befriends people outside and inside the sport. From the executives, engineers and staff inside his team, other drivers on the grid, media, fans and more. He mingles with just anyone. And i think that might have to do with him being very good at finding people's hot buttons, being very responsive, a good listener and a good conversationalist. Those things are REAL talents because even me, myself, have not fully established those qualities despite studying these theoretical things myself in educational institutes and from obtaining real life experiences related to that. The people he mingles with shows that he is able to handle any kinds of diversity with such grace and respect. And respect won't happen without someone knowing and acknowledging the boundaries and differences as well as the concept of diversity.

Now we move on to the part of why he is so important to Mercedes PR plans for the chinese market.

Not every part of the world revolves with the european/american progressive mindsets and cultural values. Some parts of the world value the concept of cultural significance and emphasize a lot on respect (could be age/cultures/etc) which may be a bit lacking when compared to the european/american liberal progressive ways. And China is one of the latter countries. China is a very culturally rich country and they are very strong in the concept of respecting others. Those values are a part of the reason for where they are now internationally. They are very very proud of their own culture (as they should!) and living values. They are also a very innovative and creative country that uses every single thing at their disposal to the utmost.

To appeal to a country that is culturally rich and emphasizes heavily on their values and norms, they can't just pull a whole "let's do business" kind of thing. Every company/brand obviously needs someone, no matter if the impact ended up being small or big, to represent them. That representative will then be their ambassador/muse for them to appeal to the general public. And that's where George fits the criteria. A Formula One driver, one of the most followed on instagram (Top 10), having a pretty much solid spotlight on him in the sport, and on top of that, he is a very respectful, open minded, down to earth person who is also a good conversationalist that is REALLY REALLY great at networking.

George is also very strong and dedicated to his PR duties and obligations. He interacts well with his fans and is very good at creating a positive friendly environment and vibes for everyone. He is very good at networking and he knows the boundaries, both for the people he interacts with and the boundaries with Mercedes. He knows very well how to play the game and does everything so diplomatically.

There is a thin line between being diplomatic and being a "teacher's pet", "ass licker", "dick sucker" and others. The thin line is when someone is being diplomatic, they know how to not just please someone but also assert their stance on something politely and these people are not the kind of people that are pushovers. They know very well how to stand up for themselves, tug the necessary strings and others. While the so-called "teacher's pet", "ass licker", "dick sucker", they don't know how to do those things. They don't do it very well and could easily be a manipulative and cunning person. A diplomatic person is able to take advantage of a situation without pulling on some tricks, evil strings, and others. They do it so naturally while also asserting what they want and where they stand. That's what differentiates a diplomatic person and a "teacher's pet", "ass licker", "dick sucker".

So, these are the reasons why, in my opinion, George could make a very great piece to Mercedes PR plans on their chinese ventures. It's not all about marketability, popularity and those numbers you see on social media but what is also important is the individual themselves and how they carry themselves in real life, in front of the public, to the company and everyone else.

[dhr-ao3]

The Ring of Dispel

The Ring of Dispel https://ift.tt/pfKMiJT by HisKit Post-war life isn’t exactly how Hermione Granger thought it would be. She’s stuck on her way up the Ministry ladder working as the liaison to the Department for Digital Media, Culture and Sport in Muggle England. Losing herself amongst art, artifacts, and books in the National Gallery, British Museum and British Library should be the perfect job. However, when Draco Malfoy crashes back into her life (and seems to be a completely different person than she remembers), Hermione questions everything. A rash of forgeries pours into the Gallery and Draco is tasked to sort them out. It isn’t that he has to stay with Hermione as part of a work housing exchange, or that he’s a bad house guest. It’s the stirring dreams she started having about him that are causing the most havoc. When Harry Potter is hexed with an unknown life-draining curse, it’s up to Hermione and her unlikely companion, Draco, to save him. Racing through museums, trudging through the British countryside, and seeking shelter in an abandoned cabin to find the mythical Ring of Dispel, the two skirt the line between history and legend. Will they be able to uncover the cause of Harry’s curse in time to save him? Words: 11231, Chapters: 3/19, Language: English Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/M Characters: Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley, Pansy Parkinson, Gregory Goyle, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Theodore Nott, Original Characters Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy Additional Tags: Adventure & Romance, Arthurian legend - Freeform, Art History, Slow Burn, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, Dreams, Art, Libraries, Museums, Magic, Malfoy Manor (Harry Potter), Magical Artifacts, Explicit Sexual Content, Explicit Language, Draco Malfoy in the Muggle World via AO3 works tagged 'Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy' https://ift.tt/bUoIfeu February 28, 2024 at 06:51PM

[thepastisalreadywritten]

[kaicrose]

How Black athletes are negatively Represented and mistreated by the media.

Black athletes both men and women, have been negatively represented and mistreated by the media for as long as people of color have been able to play sports without segregation. From Football, soccer, tennis and baseball just to name a few  black athletes have been victims from the media. My first example of this is when Jackie Robison became the first African American to play in the MLB in the modern era. This was in 1947 which was before the Civil rights movement. Robison had faced many death threats to his family and to himself and was even threatened by opposing teams just based on skin color. According to Andscape.com “Baseball writers were far more comfortable dressing up in blackface and speaking in black dialect during their skits at their annual banquet than in writing about racism. They used racial pejoratives and stereotypes in print and in conversation. Shirley Povich, who was one of the relatively few mainstream sportswriters who advocated for blacks in baseball, was asked why so few white sportswriters called for the end of the color line. “I’m afraid the sportswriters were like the club owners,” he said. “They thought separate was better.” Obviously in today's world we have moved past segregation in sports and as a country but I think this is a great example to start with to show that this has been around for a while. 

In 2018 Lebron James had a 17 minute interview alongside Kevin Durant with ESPN. According to an article from NPR.com “James discussed family, personal growth and the challenges that come with being black and a public figure in America — including his reaction to the racial slur that was graffitied on his Los Angeles home last May. He also discussed politics and President Trump”. So clearly lebron is speaking out about things that have happened to him recently that were hateful and he was also talking about how president trump had said some questionable and shocking things he had said. In the interview Lebron stated "The No. 1 job in America, the appointed person is someone who doesn't understand the people," the athlete said at one point during the interview, adding that some of the president's comments are "laughable and scary." As we see here Lebron James who is one of the biggest Black athletes on the planet and maybe of all time is practicing his 1st amendment right. Laura Ingrahm from fox news had some rude things to say about lebron like that he was barely “intelligible”, and “ungrammatical.” She then finishes the segment by saying "It's always unwise to seek political advice from someone who gets paid $100 million a year to bounce a ball," she said. "Keep the political comments to yourselves. ... Shut up and dribble." This obviously challenged Lebrons intelligence as a black man and the comment of shut up and drip in my opinion had some racist undertones. Laura Ingrahm had actually gotten called out for her comments on defending Drew Brees a couple years ago as Drew brees made his politcal commets public. Laura had nothing to say about Brees. Drew Brees is also a white man.   

Here is the link to her speaking-https://youtu.be/AlHuaOIvRLY?si=QDFA1kN4EUTbCBtW 

Respone about Drew Brees - https://youtu.be/ege-lfF-TIA?si=hUmO7Zg8mLLArvIL

Serena Williams is one of greatest Tennis players ever to play the sport. If you have watched any sports news channel the last 15 years odds are you have seen a headline of Serna dealing with racism abuse online. She has also dealt with issues involving the French Open on what she could and can’t wear. In 2012 a man named David Leonard who was the chair of the department of critical culture, gender, and race studies at Washington State University decided to record tweets and comments after she had won her 5th Wimbledon title. Some of the awful things that he found during this process where things such as “Serena Williams look like a man with tits, it's only when she wears weave she looks female tbh, what a HENCH BOLD GORILLA!,” “I don't see how in the hell men find Serena Williams attractive?! She looks like a male gorilla in a dress, just saying!”. Not only is she being called a gorilla which is already messed up and racist on its own there are comments on the way she looks saying she looks like a  “Male” . David Lenord also states “The racism that underlies the characterizations of her as hypersexual, aggressive, and animalistic also means that when she dares to express frustration, she's stamped with the infamous "angry black woman" stereotype.” If we are being honest we do not see this type of hate towards white women in the sport and this is a prime example of mistreatment from the media and sexism is also demonstrated. 

In 2020 the UEFA Euros took place. It was England Vs. Italy. This is one of the largest soccer tournaments on the planet. The Game ended up going to penalties as the result of the game ended up in a draw. 3 out of the 5 people who took the penalties were black. All 3 of them unfortunately missed their penalties. There was already a stereotype online that black soccer players are not good at penalties. The problem with online racism and hate towards black soccer players in media is so bad when was watching it live I already knew that the young men Marcus Rashford, 23, Jadon Sancho, 21, and Bukayo Saka, 19, where going to be victims of mistreatment and to be negatively represented by the media. The abuse online was getting so bad that the government was getting involved. Fans that were caught making abusive comments towards the players were facing bans from stadiums and games for the rest of their lives. Marcus Rashford had released a statement saying "I can take critique of my performance all day long... but I will never apologize for who I am and where I came from,". Comments that were made about the players stemmed from fans calling them monkeys and other racial slurs like the N word. Along with these comments there was plenty of talk about how black people are not good at penalties and this is an example of black athletes being negatively represented.  

Here is a video of the Penalty shootout- https://youtu.be/QwvV06FvXbg?si=soHNWeBsENqieMwc 

Black athletes are subjected to negative representation by the media and are often mistreated as well. I hope this Blog has informed you of moments where black athletes have been treated negatively. Things have gotten a lot better since when Jackie Robinson was around and I hope to continue to see improvements in the treatment and representation of black athletes. 

Works Cited

Desmond-Harris, Jenée. “Serena Williams Is Constantly the Target of Disgusting Racist and Sexist Attacks.” Vox, 11 Mar. 2015, www.vox.com/2015/3/11/8189679/serena-williams-indian-wells-racism. 

England’s Black Players Face Racial Abuse after Euro 2020 Defeat | Reuters, www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-pm-johnson-condemns-racist-abuse-england-soccer-team-2021-07-12/. Accessed 1 May 2024. 

Lamb, Chris. “The White Media Missed the Significance of Jackie Robinson.” Andscape, Andscape, 22 Feb. 2021, andscape.com/features/the-white-media-missed-the-significance-of-jackie-robinson/. 

“Shut up and Dribble- (Full Video).” YouTube, 23 Feb. 2018, youtu.be/AlHuaOIvRLY?si=QDFA1kN4EUTbCBtW. Sullivan, Emily. “Laura Ingraham Told Lebron James to Shut up and Dribble; He Went to the Hoop.” NPR, NPR, 19 Feb. 2018, www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/19/587097707/laura-ingraham-told-lebron-james-to-shutup-and-dribble-he-went-to-the-hoop.

[eaglesnick]

“Withholding information is the essence of tyranny. Control of the flow of information is the tool of the dictatorship.” ― Bruce Coville

The statutory guidance document, "The Civil Service Code" states that as a civil servant you are:

 "...appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out your role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service and its core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality."  (The Civil Service Code: GOVUK: 16/03/2015)

Under the expanded heading “Objectivity" the code states:

“You must:

provide information and advice, including advice to ministers, on the basis of the evidence, and accurately present the options and facts

take decisions on the merits of the case

take due account of expert and professional advice."

Not so this Tory government with its right wing, anti-democratic agenda.

The Financial Times reported in 2022 that civil servants were to be protected from views and opinions from anyone who did not agree with government policy.

”UK civil servants have been ordered to trawl through the social media accounts of guest speakers at one government ministry, including going back up to five years to see if they have ever criticised government policy, as part of a new vetting process. The new Cabinet Office rules cover the vetting of outsiders coming into the department to take part in “learning and development” events and urge managers to carefully check the backgrounds of such guests.”  (Financial Times: 14/08/22)

So much for "Objectivity"   How can civil servants "take due account of expert and professional advice" or “present options and facts"  if they are not allowed to be exposed to those who have a different view to the government? 

One year on, and we find that 15 government departments are now actively  monitoring  the social media activity of anyone likely to influence civil servants and government policy.

“Under the guidelines issued in each department, including the departments of health, culture, media and sport, and environment, food and rural affairs, officials are advised to check experts’ Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts. They are also told to conduct Google searches on those individuals, using specific terms such as “criticism of government or prime minister”. (Guardian: 18/11/23)

Needles to say the hypocritical Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announced with much heralding of the event that he was appointing a “free speech" tsar to tackle the phenomenon of cancel culture.

“Sunak To Appoint Free Speech Tsar To Tackle Cancel Culture” (richieallen.co.uk: 16/01/23)

But opposition to cancel culture is strictly limited. Apparently “free speech” is not to be allowed within the civil service. Here it is government policy that civil servants be shielded from ANYONE who has criticised the government or who holds a contrary view to perceived Tory wisdom.  While others might be condemned (usually correctly) for censoring alternative views to their own this is not a principle encouraged among those who run the country. For them there is only one view, one set of believes that matter, those of their Tory masters.

[lgcmjun]

► NOW LOADING...

LGCU STUDENT PROFILES

NAME: KANG MINJUN

YEAR: SECOND

MAJOR: COMMUNICATION

SUBJECTS RANKING:

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS

PEOPLES, CULTURES, ENVIRONMENTS

WRITING FOR MASS MEDIA

PHOTOGRAPHY I

ART OF PROBLEM SOLVING

FACTS:

in this verse, student minjun just complains a lot about everything. communication was never meant to be his major but doing what his parents want (they’re both known journalists in this verse), is the only way he can get what he wants. so he lives a double life being the perfect son for them but a menace to everyone else.

hates sports to the max, but because he surprisingly has some kick-ass writing skills, he’s always hired by the university’s journal to cover most of the sports games that happen on campus. his awful reviews whenever someone loses turned him into a #1 bully target (but people actually think twice when they realize minjun is tall and strong)

he would love to become a dancer and even tried to convince his parents to change his major but his parents threatened to disown him, so after he agreed to never talk about that again, they bought him a new car. but since student minjun is pretty different from family minjun, he befriends people from the dancing department and is often seen training with them, whenever he can.

EXTRAS:

he is a photography enthusiast and captured a lot through his lenses, especially moments he shouldn’t have. no, he’s not a paparazzi nor will he ever use those pictures against people, but he strongly believes people should be more discreet when they’re doing the forbidden.

likes to write BL scripts in his free time and most of his characters are students from lgcu that he gave nicknames. they are always based on the stuff he witnesses on campus and only a few of his closest friends know about it.

is surprisingly popular with girls (and boys) despite being a grumpy old guy in a boy’s body. he won’t say no to fun times, especially if it involves clubbing and dancing (he probably won’t remember you the next morning if he drinks too much)

has a secret crush he won’t ever tell, no matter how some of his friends threaten him. he wishes to invite them to prom but surprisingly he’s insecure about it.

[aimeedaisies]

2024 Garden Parties!!!

The dates for The King's Garden Parties* in 2024 are as follows:

✨ Buckingham Palace - Wednesday 8th May 2024

The King and Queen, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester hosted the first garden party of 2023

✨ Buckingham Palace - Tuesday 21st May 2024

Last year (2023) the Prince and Princess of Wales with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh hosted the Kings Garden Party at Buckingham Palace

✨ Palace of Holyroodhouse - Tuesday 2nd July 2024

The King and Queen with the Princess Royal hosted last years Holyrood week garden party

*Please note, Garden Parties are traditionally referred to as The Sovereign's Garden Party. Attendance at each Garden Party will be confirmed on the day.

✨ The Creative Industries Garden Party - Wednesday 15th May 2024

His Majesty The King has given permission for a Garden Party to be hosted at Buckingham Palace, with support from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, in celebration of the Creative Industries of the United Kingdom. The Garden Party will bring together approximately 4,000 representatives across culture, art, heritage, film, TV, radio and fashion.

The Garden Party will celebrate the economic value of the sector to the UK economy in helping to showcase British culture and creativity around the Globe. In 2022 the Creative Industries generated over £124 billion in economic value and employed 2.4 million people in the United Kingdom. From theatre to video games, publishing to design, museums and galleries to film sets and music studios, the creative industries, and the creators and organisations within them, bring happiness, prosperity and help shape the world around us.

✨ The Not Forgotten Association Annual Garden Party - Friday 17 May 2024

From the Not Forgotten Association garden party in 2022

His Majesty The King has given permission for The Not Forgotten Association Annual Garden Party to be held by The Princess Royal, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, in the Buckingham Palace Garden on Friday, 17th May 2024.

The Not Forgotten Association is a tri-service charity which provides entertainment, leisure and recreation for ex-service men and women with disabilities or illness and serving personnel who are wounded, injured or sick. The Garden Party will bring together 2,000 beneficiaries of all ages and from all services.

The Princess Royal is Patron of The Not Forgotten Association.

✨ Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) - Thursday 23rd May 2024

The Duke of Kent and Sir Tim Laurence attending the RNLI 200 service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in March 2024

His Majesty The King has also given permission for the RNLI 200 Anniversary Garden Party to be held by The Princess Royal, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke of Kent in the Buckingham Palace Garden on Thursday, 23rd May 2024 in celebration of the charity's milestone anniversary.

Since the RNLI was founded on 4th March 1824, following an appeal to the nation from Sir William Hillary, the charity has saved 146,277 lives - this equates to an average of two lives saved every day for 200 years. Today, the RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations around the UK and Ireland, including four on the River Thames, and has seasonal lifeguards on around 240 beaches around the UK.

The Duke of Kent has been President of the RNLI since 25th March 1969. In his 55 years as President, the RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crews and beach lifeguards have saved more than 51,000 lives. Sir Tim Laurence is also Vice President of the charity.

The Garden Party will bring together 2,500 of the charity's long-serving volunteers, staff and their families as well as featuring an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat.