Paula Kirby
@paulakirby.bsky.social
Internationalist. European. Scot by choice. Linguist. Political. Love landscapes, art, books, culture. Passionate believer in society. Trying to be Greener. Have (mostly) fond memories of my 2 years in the GDR (E. Germany) and may sometimes post pics of it
Rostock #DDR, 1978 © Lars Henrik Pontoppidan via Facebook.
Run-down for sure, but those of us who still have fond memories of the time & the place will also see a softness, a tranquility, a lack of pretentiousness, a simplicity & a reminder of a time when appearances and money weren't everything
Run-down for sure, but those of us who still have fond memories of the time & the place will also see a softness, a tranquility, a lack of pretentiousness, a simplicity & a reminder of a time when appearances and money weren't everything
May 13, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Rostock #DDR, 1978 © Lars Henrik Pontoppidan via Facebook.
Run-down for sure, but those of us who still have fond memories of the time & the place will also see a softness, a tranquility, a lack of pretentiousness, a simplicity & a reminder of a time when appearances and money weren't everything
Run-down for sure, but those of us who still have fond memories of the time & the place will also see a softness, a tranquility, a lack of pretentiousness, a simplicity & a reminder of a time when appearances and money weren't everything
Life in the #DDR:
#Naumburg 1988, returning home with the shopping © Reimund Schwarz via mittelhessen.de
I love this one! That old lady with the bike's going to be me in a few years' time! 😉
#GDR #EastGermany
#Naumburg 1988, returning home with the shopping © Reimund Schwarz via mittelhessen.de
I love this one! That old lady with the bike's going to be me in a few years' time! 😉
#GDR #EastGermany
April 3, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Life in the #DDR:
#Naumburg 1988, returning home with the shopping © Reimund Schwarz via mittelhessen.de
I love this one! That old lady with the bike's going to be me in a few years' time! 😉
#GDR #EastGermany
#Naumburg 1988, returning home with the shopping © Reimund Schwarz via mittelhessen.de
I love this one! That old lady with the bike's going to be me in a few years' time! 😉
#GDR #EastGermany
Reposted by Paula Kirby
Today, Donald Trump must have woken up today to the news of the world supporting President Zelenskyy.
May trump’s fall be never-ending. #SlavaUkraini 🇺🇦
May trump’s fall be never-ending. #SlavaUkraini 🇺🇦
March 1, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Today, Donald Trump must have woken up today to the news of the world supporting President Zelenskyy.
May trump’s fall be never-ending. #SlavaUkraini 🇺🇦
May trump’s fall be never-ending. #SlavaUkraini 🇺🇦
Reposted by Paula Kirby
UK Prime Minister Starmer hugs Zelensky as he welcomes him to 10 Downing Street.
This is how you welcome the leader of the free world.
This is how you welcome the leader of the free world.
March 1, 2025 at 5:28 PM
UK Prime Minister Starmer hugs Zelensky as he welcomes him to 10 Downing Street.
This is how you welcome the leader of the free world.
This is how you welcome the leader of the free world.
Reposted by Paula Kirby
HEY EVERYONE REMEMBER WHEN TRUMP WAS IMPEACHED FOR DENYING AID TO UKRAINE BECAUSE HE WANTED ZELENSKY TO LIE AND SAY BAD THINGS ABOUT BIDEN AND ZELENKSY WOULDN’T DO IT?
Maybe literally one fucking American newspapers could mention this in their, “think pieces,” about what happened yesterday.
Maybe literally one fucking American newspapers could mention this in their, “think pieces,” about what happened yesterday.
March 1, 2025 at 6:33 PM
HEY EVERYONE REMEMBER WHEN TRUMP WAS IMPEACHED FOR DENYING AID TO UKRAINE BECAUSE HE WANTED ZELENSKY TO LIE AND SAY BAD THINGS ABOUT BIDEN AND ZELENKSY WOULDN’T DO IT?
Maybe literally one fucking American newspapers could mention this in their, “think pieces,” about what happened yesterday.
Maybe literally one fucking American newspapers could mention this in their, “think pieces,” about what happened yesterday.
Calling all #Canadians!
#Petition calling on the Prime Minister of #Canada to revoke Elon Musk's citizenship:
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
Please share widely even if you're not Canadian yourself
#Petition calling on the Prime Minister of #Canada to revoke Elon Musk's citizenship:
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
Please share widely even if you're not Canadian yourself
Petition e-5353 - Petitions
www.ourcommons.ca
February 25, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Calling all #Canadians!
#Petition calling on the Prime Minister of #Canada to revoke Elon Musk's citizenship:
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
Please share widely even if you're not Canadian yourself
#Petition calling on the Prime Minister of #Canada to revoke Elon Musk's citizenship:
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
Please share widely even if you're not Canadian yourself
Reposted by Paula Kirby
So in the end, and rather unsurprisingly, the CDU did not win any voters from the far-right AfD by aligning their positions on migration and voting with them in parliament. Instead, they lost almost a million voters to the AfD
February 23, 2025 at 9:27 PM
So in the end, and rather unsurprisingly, the CDU did not win any voters from the far-right AfD by aligning their positions on migration and voting with them in parliament. Instead, they lost almost a million voters to the AfD
Reposted by Paula Kirby
This was very reassuring, I must say. No more pretending everything is normal anymore as during the election campaign. Things have to move now, and fast.
Blimey. Asked about Trump, Merz says he’s in close contact with European leaders about becoming “independent” from US (and confesses “I never thought I’d say that on TV show”). Casts doubt on value of NATO summit in June.
This from a die-hard Atlanticist. Things are moving fast.
This from a die-hard Atlanticist. Things are moving fast.
February 23, 2025 at 9:17 PM
This was very reassuring, I must say. No more pretending everything is normal anymore as during the election campaign. Things have to move now, and fast.
Reposted by Paula Kirby
Honestly: just imagine. And imagine the implication for Ukraine. For all our miserabilism and self-deprecation, British actions currently matter a great deal, especially now that America is in retreat.
And just for a second, imagine if Badenoch was in #10. Or Farage.
February 17, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Honestly: just imagine. And imagine the implication for Ukraine. For all our miserabilism and self-deprecation, British actions currently matter a great deal, especially now that America is in retreat.
Some excellent recommendations here
Nation at a crossroads: a reading guide to the 2025 German election
As the country goes to the polls, writers explore, in fiction and non-fiction, its identity and values — and where these suggest it is heading
www.ft.com
February 19, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Some excellent recommendations here
"Be careful. When a democracy is sick, fascism comes to its bedside, but it is not to inquire about its health."
Attributed to Albert Camus
Attributed to Albert Camus
February 11, 2025 at 2:56 AM
"Be careful. When a democracy is sick, fascism comes to its bedside, but it is not to inquire about its health."
Attributed to Albert Camus
Attributed to Albert Camus
I tend to find Owen Jones a bit hit and miss as a commentator, but this paragraph (taken from www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...) is absolutely spot on in my view.
February 6, 2025 at 7:11 PM
I tend to find Owen Jones a bit hit and miss as a commentator, but this paragraph (taken from www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...) is absolutely spot on in my view.
Reposted by Paula Kirby
Here is something from a contract lawyer's perspective.
Trump is not "transactional", for he will never be bound.
Indeed, he is anti-transactional.
A transaction is an exchange, an agreement.
But for Trump the agreement is only there to be repudiated, so to gain leverage for his next demand.
Trump is not "transactional", for he will never be bound.
Indeed, he is anti-transactional.
A transaction is an exchange, an agreement.
But for Trump the agreement is only there to be repudiated, so to gain leverage for his next demand.
February 3, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Here is something from a contract lawyer's perspective.
Trump is not "transactional", for he will never be bound.
Indeed, he is anti-transactional.
A transaction is an exchange, an agreement.
But for Trump the agreement is only there to be repudiated, so to gain leverage for his next demand.
Trump is not "transactional", for he will never be bound.
Indeed, he is anti-transactional.
A transaction is an exchange, an agreement.
But for Trump the agreement is only there to be repudiated, so to gain leverage for his next demand.
These people are amazing. If you're concerned about what's happening in the US right now – and who in their right mind isn't? – I really recommend giving them a follow.
Our coalition is a peaceful resistance—a group of tree-huggers dedicated to keeping Americans informed.
February 3, 2025 at 11:16 PM
These people are amazing. If you're concerned about what's happening in the US right now – and who in their right mind isn't? – I really recommend giving them a follow.
Reposted by Paula Kirby
Was schützt vor Desinformation?
Ein starker, unabhängiger öffentlich-rechtlicher Rundfunk trägt mit dazu bei, Menschen vor Fehl- und Desinformation zu schützen
Deshalb: Hier kann man die Petition „Unser ORF“ unterstützen, und sich gegen eine Zerstörung des ORF aussprechen
Empfehlung!
Ein starker, unabhängiger öffentlich-rechtlicher Rundfunk trägt mit dazu bei, Menschen vor Fehl- und Desinformation zu schützen
Deshalb: Hier kann man die Petition „Unser ORF“ unterstützen, und sich gegen eine Zerstörung des ORF aussprechen
Empfehlung!
Unser ORF - unsere Demokratie
Jetzt Petition unterzeichnen und Verhandler:innen kontaktieren!
www.unser-orf.at
January 31, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Was schützt vor Desinformation?
Ein starker, unabhängiger öffentlich-rechtlicher Rundfunk trägt mit dazu bei, Menschen vor Fehl- und Desinformation zu schützen
Deshalb: Hier kann man die Petition „Unser ORF“ unterstützen, und sich gegen eine Zerstörung des ORF aussprechen
Empfehlung!
Ein starker, unabhängiger öffentlich-rechtlicher Rundfunk trägt mit dazu bei, Menschen vor Fehl- und Desinformation zu schützen
Deshalb: Hier kann man die Petition „Unser ORF“ unterstützen, und sich gegen eine Zerstörung des ORF aussprechen
Empfehlung!
Reposted by Paula Kirby
Angela Merkel kritisiert Friedrich Merz. Ein Schritt, den sie bisher nie gehen wollte. Damit macht sie noch einmal deutlich, was für eine Zäsur das gestern war. Egal wem Merz und Linnemann das in die Schuhe schieben wollen.
Sie haben sich nicht an ihre eigenen Standards und Versprechen gehalten.
Sie haben sich nicht an ihre eigenen Standards und Versprechen gehalten.
Erklärung von Bundeskanzlerin a. D. Dr. Angela Merkel zur Abstimmung im Deutschen Bundestag am 29. Januar 2025
www.buero-bundeskanzlerin-ad.de
January 30, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Angela Merkel kritisiert Friedrich Merz. Ein Schritt, den sie bisher nie gehen wollte. Damit macht sie noch einmal deutlich, was für eine Zäsur das gestern war. Egal wem Merz und Linnemann das in die Schuhe schieben wollen.
Sie haben sich nicht an ihre eigenen Standards und Versprechen gehalten.
Sie haben sich nicht an ihre eigenen Standards und Versprechen gehalten.
Reposted by Paula Kirby
NEW Public Resource
Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions
A catalogue compiling all the legal challenges facing the #TrumpAdministration’s executive orders and actions.
Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions
A catalogue compiling all the legal challenges facing the #TrumpAdministration’s executive orders and actions.
Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions
A public resource tracking the legal challenges to the Trump administration's executive orders and actions.
www.justsecurity.org
January 29, 2025 at 8:31 PM
NEW Public Resource
Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions
A catalogue compiling all the legal challenges facing the #TrumpAdministration’s executive orders and actions.
Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions
A catalogue compiling all the legal challenges facing the #TrumpAdministration’s executive orders and actions.
Reposted by Paula Kirby
Another miserably short-sighted move. Our adversaries, like Russia & China, are busily expanding as the BBC WS contracts. Key tools of UK soft power are being sacrificed - & thanks to cuts to BBC Monitoring, the UK won't even know what narratives it needs to counter.
January 29, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Another miserably short-sighted move. Our adversaries, like Russia & China, are busily expanding as the BBC WS contracts. Key tools of UK soft power are being sacrificed - & thanks to cuts to BBC Monitoring, the UK won't even know what narratives it needs to counter.
Posted by the Buddenbrookshaus on FB today, for reasons my German-speaking followers who have been following the news from Germany (www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...) will immediately understand.
If you haven't yet read it, Klaus Mann's Mephisto is a Must Read for our times, whether in ENG or GER.
If you haven't yet read it, Klaus Mann's Mephisto is a Must Read for our times, whether in ENG or GER.
January 29, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Posted by the Buddenbrookshaus on FB today, for reasons my German-speaking followers who have been following the news from Germany (www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...) will immediately understand.
If you haven't yet read it, Klaus Mann's Mephisto is a Must Read for our times, whether in ENG or GER.
If you haven't yet read it, Klaus Mann's Mephisto is a Must Read for our times, whether in ENG or GER.
Reposted by Paula Kirby
Just three in 10 Britons (30 per cent) say that it was right for the UK to vote to leave the EU, compared to 55 per cent who say it was wrong, a new YouGov poll has shown
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Number of Britons who think Brexit was right decision hits new low - YouGov poll
On the five-year anniversary of Britain’s EU exit, new YouGov polling lays bare damning public sentiment on the decision
www.independent.co.uk
January 29, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Just three in 10 Britons (30 per cent) say that it was right for the UK to vote to leave the EU, compared to 55 per cent who say it was wrong, a new YouGov poll has shown
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Reposted by Paula Kirby
Astonishing. I felt panic for @bbcstever.bsky.social. It went on for 30mins. Lukashenko kept coming back to him, more and more annoyed.
"We don't shut anyone's mouth. Prison is for people who opened their mouth too wide ... You're asking me whatever you want. Don't overdo it, Steve!"
Chilling. ~AA
"We don't shut anyone's mouth. Prison is for people who opened their mouth too wide ... You're asking me whatever you want. Don't overdo it, Steve!"
Chilling. ~AA
January 28, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Astonishing. I felt panic for @bbcstever.bsky.social. It went on for 30mins. Lukashenko kept coming back to him, more and more annoyed.
"We don't shut anyone's mouth. Prison is for people who opened their mouth too wide ... You're asking me whatever you want. Don't overdo it, Steve!"
Chilling. ~AA
"We don't shut anyone's mouth. Prison is for people who opened their mouth too wide ... You're asking me whatever you want. Don't overdo it, Steve!"
Chilling. ~AA
Another great piece from the Guardian.
It could not be clearer that we liberals need to wake up to the fact that the old ways of doing politics – discourse, argument, nuance, facts and details – just don't – can't – work anymore.
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/ja...
It could not be clearer that we liberals need to wake up to the fact that the old ways of doing politics – discourse, argument, nuance, facts and details – just don't – can't – work anymore.
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/ja...
The loudest megaphone: how Trump mastered our new attention age
The old model of political debate is over, and spectacle beats argument every time. How did we get here?
www.theguardian.com
January 28, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Another great piece from the Guardian.
It could not be clearer that we liberals need to wake up to the fact that the old ways of doing politics – discourse, argument, nuance, facts and details – just don't – can't – work anymore.
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/ja...
It could not be clearer that we liberals need to wake up to the fact that the old ways of doing politics – discourse, argument, nuance, facts and details – just don't – can't – work anymore.
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/ja...
Reposted by Paula Kirby
I'm exhausted by all the people out there who are trying to prove they're each the most cynical world-weary disillusioned person who's not gonna ever do a fucking thing ever except dump on everything and expect to be admired for that. Wrote about that in 2016:
January 28, 2025 at 5:09 PM
I'm exhausted by all the people out there who are trying to prove they're each the most cynical world-weary disillusioned person who's not gonna ever do a fucking thing ever except dump on everything and expect to be admired for that. Wrote about that in 2016:
Reposted by Paula Kirby
Didn't vote for Starmer, don't like the bloke and the overall trajectory of his government... but fair's fair, credit where credit is due and all that. Twenty positives that, as @bylinetimes.bsky.social says, you're unlikely to know much - if anything - about. I certainly didn't.
🔴Twenty More Government Reforms the Media Hasn’t Been Telling You About
You probably won’t have read much about these announcements over the past few weeks
bylinetimes.com/2025/01/24/w...
You probably won’t have read much about these announcements over the past few weeks
bylinetimes.com/2025/01/24/w...
Twenty More Government Reforms the Media Hasn't Been Telling You About
You probably won’t have read much about these announcements over the past few weeks
bylinetimes.com
January 27, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Didn't vote for Starmer, don't like the bloke and the overall trajectory of his government... but fair's fair, credit where credit is due and all that. Twenty positives that, as @bylinetimes.bsky.social says, you're unlikely to know much - if anything - about. I certainly didn't.