John Duncan Burns
@jdburns.bsky.social
Mostly retired payments geek, FRSA, musical omnivore,Woke Humanist,liberal supporter of @whiteribbon_uk, dad to 2 daughters, married for 44
years to Jenny.
years to Jenny.
November 7, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Reposted by John Duncan Burns
School pupils are to be taught how to tackle conspiracy theories, spot 'fake news' & root out misinformation. The Daily Mail, ajudged by Wikipedia to be an unreliable new source, is furious. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out why.
November 5, 2025 at 9:05 AM
School pupils are to be taught how to tackle conspiracy theories, spot 'fake news' & root out misinformation. The Daily Mail, ajudged by Wikipedia to be an unreliable new source, is furious. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out why.
To St Martin in the Fields a talk by @michaelrosen on his experience recovering from being in an induced coma for Covid back in 2020 and the work of the NHS. Funny, heartbreaking and inspiring in turn. He finished the talk with this poem.
November 3, 2025 at 8:50 PM
To St Martin in the Fields a talk by @michaelrosen on his experience recovering from being in an induced coma for Covid back in 2020 and the work of the NHS. Funny, heartbreaking and inspiring in turn. He finished the talk with this poem.
Reposted by John Duncan Burns
I really hope they win this, slapps are one of the ways by which the rich get away with whatever they like
We're trying to make legal history: we are asking the High Court to find for the first time ever that a defamation claim brought against @danneidle.bsky.social is a SLAPP under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. goodlaw.social/raiz
We’re helping Dan Neidle face down a seven-figure SLAPP | Good Law Project
A barrister who was flogging tax avoidance schemes is now suing Dan Neidle for a defamation payout of over £8m. But we’re not backing down.
goodlaw.social
October 29, 2025 at 7:19 AM
I really hope they win this, slapps are one of the ways by which the rich get away with whatever they like
Reposted by John Duncan Burns
Superb piece by @jamesbloodworth.bsky.social in this month's @bylinetimes.bsky.social mag: "Britain's Media Has Let Nigel Farage Reshape Political Journalism - Why?" This article alone was worth my annual sub to one of the very few news outlets still doing proper journalism
October 25, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Superb piece by @jamesbloodworth.bsky.social in this month's @bylinetimes.bsky.social mag: "Britain's Media Has Let Nigel Farage Reshape Political Journalism - Why?" This article alone was worth my annual sub to one of the very few news outlets still doing proper journalism
To Everyman cinema Reigate to see the Springsteen biopic - Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. Really interesting - Jeremy Alan White has Bruce’s mannerisms and way of standing down pat. 1/2
October 25, 2025 at 6:42 PM
To Everyman cinema Reigate to see the Springsteen biopic - Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. Really interesting - Jeremy Alan White has Bruce’s mannerisms and way of standing down pat. 1/2
To Dorking Halls for a fascinating talk by @davidolusoga.bsky.social on the bits that are missing from the history we are taught. Deeply thought provoking.
#History
#History
October 20, 2025 at 8:44 PM
To Dorking Halls for a fascinating talk by @davidolusoga.bsky.social on the bits that are missing from the history we are taught. Deeply thought provoking.
#History
#History
Mervyn King’s intro to the repeat of JK Galbraith’s series ‘The Age of Uncertainty’ really made clear how far the BBC has fallen in terms of explaining big ideas, giving time and resource to properly discuss them, rather than operating in sound bites.
October 19, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Mervyn King’s intro to the repeat of JK Galbraith’s series ‘The Age of Uncertainty’ really made clear how far the BBC has fallen in terms of explaining big ideas, giving time and resource to properly discuss them, rather than operating in sound bites.
Just finishing off our tin of this herbal tea by Bird & Blend which is really lovely stuff. Need to get another tin next time I’m up near Borough Market.
October 18, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Just finishing off our tin of this herbal tea by Bird & Blend which is really lovely stuff. Need to get another tin next time I’m up near Borough Market.
#ChristmasCakes Christmas cake making weekend in the Barrett Burns household. The house is full of wonderful aromas. 2 made and a 3rd in the oven. They will then be fed with brandy on a regular basis as they mature in the run up to the festive season
October 18, 2025 at 9:15 AM
#ChristmasCakes Christmas cake making weekend in the Barrett Burns household. The house is full of wonderful aromas. 2 made and a 3rd in the oven. They will then be fed with brandy on a regular basis as they mature in the run up to the festive season
#TodayProgramme
Somehow Nick Robinson managed a long segment on the banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Aston Villa match without once mentioning the chaos that those fans caused in Amsterdam. Bad, biased journalism.
Somehow Nick Robinson managed a long segment on the banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Aston Villa match without once mentioning the chaos that those fans caused in Amsterdam. Bad, biased journalism.
October 18, 2025 at 8:16 AM
#TodayProgramme
Somehow Nick Robinson managed a long segment on the banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Aston Villa match without once mentioning the chaos that those fans caused in Amsterdam. Bad, biased journalism.
Somehow Nick Robinson managed a long segment on the banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Aston Villa match without once mentioning the chaos that those fans caused in Amsterdam. Bad, biased journalism.
Reposted by John Duncan Burns
Bertrand Russell to Oswald Mosley. Perfection.
October 16, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Bertrand Russell to Oswald Mosley. Perfection.
#ChristianAid25
Wonderful lecture at St Martin in the Fields by @mazzucatom.bsky.social on how economics is getting it so wrong. One liner takeaway for me “the measure of growth should not be output but outcomes. Inspirational stuff.
Wonderful lecture at St Martin in the Fields by @mazzucatom.bsky.social on how economics is getting it so wrong. One liner takeaway for me “the measure of growth should not be output but outcomes. Inspirational stuff.
October 6, 2025 at 7:50 PM
#ChristianAid25
Wonderful lecture at St Martin in the Fields by @mazzucatom.bsky.social on how economics is getting it so wrong. One liner takeaway for me “the measure of growth should not be output but outcomes. Inspirational stuff.
Wonderful lecture at St Martin in the Fields by @mazzucatom.bsky.social on how economics is getting it so wrong. One liner takeaway for me “the measure of growth should not be output but outcomes. Inspirational stuff.
In the interval at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East for ‘The Harder They Come’. Loving it, and the fact that my seat is dedicated to the late, great Linda Smith.
By the way, it’s a brilliant show. Thoroughly recommended if you can get tickets
By the way, it’s a brilliant show. Thoroughly recommended if you can get tickets
October 4, 2025 at 4:58 PM
In the interval at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East for ‘The Harder They Come’. Loving it, and the fact that my seat is dedicated to the late, great Linda Smith.
By the way, it’s a brilliant show. Thoroughly recommended if you can get tickets
By the way, it’s a brilliant show. Thoroughly recommended if you can get tickets
Any Scots in the Redhill area, the butchers at Priory Farm have their own Scots Pasties out at the moment. We had one each for lunch - a bit like a haggis filled Forfar Bridie and utterly delicious. Thoroughly recommended. #FoodThreads
September 26, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Any Scots in the Redhill area, the butchers at Priory Farm have their own Scots Pasties out at the moment. We had one each for lunch - a bit like a haggis filled Forfar Bridie and utterly delicious. Thoroughly recommended. #FoodThreads
#womensrugbyworldcup
Well done England, hard luck France. Look forward to seeing both next week at Twickenham, France v New Zealand in the Bronze play off match and England v Canada in the final. 2 great matches in prospect.
Well done England, hard luck France. Look forward to seeing both next week at Twickenham, France v New Zealand in the Bronze play off match and England v Canada in the final. 2 great matches in prospect.
September 20, 2025 at 4:22 PM
#womensrugbyworldcup
Well done England, hard luck France. Look forward to seeing both next week at Twickenham, France v New Zealand in the Bronze play off match and England v Canada in the final. 2 great matches in prospect.
Well done England, hard luck France. Look forward to seeing both next week at Twickenham, France v New Zealand in the Bronze play off match and England v Canada in the final. 2 great matches in prospect.
Just came across the Camanachd Cup Final between Kingussie and Newtonmore on BBC Alba. No real idea what’s going on (not helped by the fact that the commentary is in Gaelic, which I don’t speak) but it looks brilliant, if brutal. #Shinty
September 20, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Just came across the Camanachd Cup Final between Kingussie and Newtonmore on BBC Alba. No real idea what’s going on (not helped by the fact that the commentary is in Gaelic, which I don’t speak) but it looks brilliant, if brutal. #Shinty
Time to share this
“For theirs is a land with a wall around it
And mine is a faith in my fellow man
Theirs is a land of hope and glory
Mine is the green field and the factory floor
Theirs are the skies all dark with bombers
And mine is the peace we knew
Between the wars”
youtu.be/n-TrKy041Sk
“For theirs is a land with a wall around it
And mine is a faith in my fellow man
Theirs is a land of hope and glory
Mine is the green field and the factory floor
Theirs are the skies all dark with bombers
And mine is the peace we knew
Between the wars”
youtu.be/n-TrKy041Sk
Billy Bragg - Between The Wars (Lyrics)
YouTube video by Don Mac
youtu.be
September 14, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Time to share this
“For theirs is a land with a wall around it
And mine is a faith in my fellow man
Theirs is a land of hope and glory
Mine is the green field and the factory floor
Theirs are the skies all dark with bombers
And mine is the peace we knew
Between the wars”
youtu.be/n-TrKy041Sk
“For theirs is a land with a wall around it
And mine is a faith in my fellow man
Theirs is a land of hope and glory
Mine is the green field and the factory floor
Theirs are the skies all dark with bombers
And mine is the peace we knew
Between the wars”
youtu.be/n-TrKy041Sk
Reposted by John Duncan Burns
A conundrum for the far right "free speech" guys
If, hypothetically, someone posted that "Charlie Kirk should have burned to death in a hotel full of asylum-seekers", would US "free speech" bros be outraged at the comments about Kirk, or protect the 'right' to advocate killing asylum-seekers?
*Obviously I don't advocate anyone being killed
*Obviously I don't advocate anyone being killed
September 11, 2025 at 7:18 PM
A conundrum for the far right "free speech" guys
#GreatBritishSewingBee
Patrick Grant must be the coolest man on British TV.
Patrick Grant must be the coolest man on British TV.
September 9, 2025 at 9:17 PM
#GreatBritishSewingBee
Patrick Grant must be the coolest man on British TV.
Patrick Grant must be the coolest man on British TV.
A couple of observations from having attended the utterly brilliant @royalphilorchestra prom on Sunday morning. Watching on TV or listening on radio one doesn’t get the sheer physicality of this music. #bbcproms2025 #classicalmusic
September 8, 2025 at 7:56 AM
A couple of observations from having attended the utterly brilliant @royalphilorchestra prom on Sunday morning. Watching on TV or listening on radio one doesn’t get the sheer physicality of this music. #bbcproms2025 #classicalmusic
September 5, 2025 at 3:22 PM
#Naturesbounty
Saturday morning foraging.
5lb + of brambles and about the same of cherry plums. Lots of apples to go back for. Jam and crumbles ahoy.
There are also loads of sloes, but we’ve still got last year’s sloe gin and vodka to go through.
Saturday morning foraging.
5lb + of brambles and about the same of cherry plums. Lots of apples to go back for. Jam and crumbles ahoy.
There are also loads of sloes, but we’ve still got last year’s sloe gin and vodka to go through.
August 23, 2025 at 10:24 AM
#Naturesbounty
Saturday morning foraging.
5lb + of brambles and about the same of cherry plums. Lots of apples to go back for. Jam and crumbles ahoy.
There are also loads of sloes, but we’ve still got last year’s sloe gin and vodka to go through.
Saturday morning foraging.
5lb + of brambles and about the same of cherry plums. Lots of apples to go back for. Jam and crumbles ahoy.
There are also loads of sloes, but we’ve still got last year’s sloe gin and vodka to go through.
Not often an ad makes me laugh out loud, but this…
IRN-BRU is not a soft drink - it’s Made in Scotland from Girders. But don’t take it from us, take it from him...
August 22, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Not often an ad makes me laugh out loud, but this…
To the Globe Theatre. Bravo for the funniest, most raucous Twelfth Night we’ve ever seen. Special plaudits to Pierce Quigley’s Malvolio and Jos Vantyler’s Feste. Absolutely recommended if you can get tickets
August 17, 2025 at 8:46 PM
To the Globe Theatre. Bravo for the funniest, most raucous Twelfth Night we’ve ever seen. Special plaudits to Pierce Quigley’s Malvolio and Jos Vantyler’s Feste. Absolutely recommended if you can get tickets