Elizabeth Blunt
@bluntspeaking.bsky.social
Retired journalist and broadcaster, formerly with BBC News. Now painting, gardening and observing elections. Lives in SW London (a Strawberry Hillbilly) .
A frosty morning at Kew today, but look, the very first snowdrops.
November 26, 2025 at 7:06 PM
A frosty morning at Kew today, but look, the very first snowdrops.
Well. At least these Epstein emails might take President Trump's mind off bankrupting the BBC.
November 12, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Well. At least these Epstein emails might take President Trump's mind off bankrupting the BBC.
I'm hoping Pres Trump won't want to risk his fragile health on a transatlantic flight, but if the visit does go ahead they should invite his old chum Prince Andrew to sit next to him at the banquet. Just think of the embarrassment potential.
September 8, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I'm hoping Pres Trump won't want to risk his fragile health on a transatlantic flight, but if the visit does go ahead they should invite his old chum Prince Andrew to sit next to him at the banquet. Just think of the embarrassment potential.
Interesting thoughts on the Britain/free speech debate:
open.substack.com/pub/techtris...
open.substack.com/pub/techtris...
Why are so many Brits being arrested over tweets? Because of Elon Musk.
Social media moderation is being outsourced to UK police forces. Unsurprisingly, they're terrible at it.
open.substack.com
September 4, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Interesting thoughts on the Britain/free speech debate:
open.substack.com/pub/techtris...
open.substack.com/pub/techtris...
Reposted by Elizabeth Blunt
September 2, 2025 at 6:17 PM
If there is a problem with asylum applicant hostels, it is that they are full of single men. So preventing refugees from having their families with them seems an odd response.
September 2, 2025 at 9:28 AM
If there is a problem with asylum applicant hostels, it is that they are full of single men. So preventing refugees from having their families with them seems an odd response.
Maybe Trump is at death's door. Or maybe he just has something like flu or covid which makes you feel really awful, and wants to lie down quietly with his eyes shut. So he retreats to his country club. The White House can't be very restful. All those people wanting things. All that gilding....
September 1, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Maybe Trump is at death's door. Or maybe he just has something like flu or covid which makes you feel really awful, and wants to lie down quietly with his eyes shut. So he retreats to his country club. The White House can't be very restful. All those people wanting things. All that gilding....
@rosatkins.bsky.social Ros, can I make a request? I would like to know if recently arrived migrants really do commit more crime than the general British population, when you match then with a similar demographic group, ie disproportionately young single men. Have you looked at this?
August 10, 2025 at 3:51 PM
@rosatkins.bsky.social Ros, can I make a request? I would like to know if recently arrived migrants really do commit more crime than the general British population, when you match then with a similar demographic group, ie disproportionately young single men. Have you looked at this?
A warning. If @bsky.app wants you to verify your age, it won't accept a debit card. Credit card only. I'm 78 and have never had one, due to a fit of pique many years ago when they offered one to my profligate ex-husband and not to me!
July 26, 2025 at 6:14 PM
A warning. If @bsky.app wants you to verify your age, it won't accept a debit card. Credit card only. I'm 78 and have never had one, due to a fit of pique many years ago when they offered one to my profligate ex-husband and not to me!
🇨🇦 Can anyone help? Would I have needed a visa when I went to Canada in 2005? Their form is asking if I have ever had a visa before, and I don't think I did. But not sure.
July 3, 2025 at 7:17 AM
🇨🇦 Can anyone help? Would I have needed a visa when I went to Canada in 2005? Their form is asking if I have ever had a visa before, and I don't think I did. But not sure.
I can remember the BBC's old tape delay system, used when you were afraid someone might say something dodgy live on air. You recorded the output on one tape machine then looped the tape from its record head round the studio to the playback head on another machine, from which it went on air. 1/2
July 1, 2025 at 7:18 AM
I can remember the BBC's old tape delay system, used when you were afraid someone might say something dodgy live on air. You recorded the output on one tape machine then looped the tape from its record head round the studio to the playback head on another machine, from which it went on air. 1/2
Parliament is holding a debate on Westminster Hall this afternoon on the future funding of the the BBC World Service. The world is in a mess, VOA has gone, yet the BBC is facing severe cuts.
This link promises a live stream, around 1500 UK time. parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/c6…
This link promises a live stream, around 1500 UK time. parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/c6…
Parliamentlive.tv
Westminster Hall
parliamentlive.tv
June 26, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Parliament is holding a debate on Westminster Hall this afternoon on the future funding of the the BBC World Service. The world is in a mess, VOA has gone, yet the BBC is facing severe cuts.
This link promises a live stream, around 1500 UK time. parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/c6…
This link promises a live stream, around 1500 UK time. parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/c6…
Reposted by Elizabeth Blunt
Aircraft carriers of the world
USA
UK
France
Ukraine
USA
UK
France
Ukraine
June 1, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Aircraft carriers of the world
USA
UK
France
Ukraine
USA
UK
France
Ukraine
@drsarahballantyne.bsky.social Can I present the veg box diet - a chap just drove up from Kent and dumped these on my doorstep. I now have two weeks to eat it all before the next box arrives!
May 28, 2025 at 10:15 AM
@drsarahballantyne.bsky.social Can I present the veg box diet - a chap just drove up from Kent and dumped these on my doorstep. I now have two weeks to eat it all before the next box arrives!
This is delicious - the flying palace being offered to President Trump is a perfect example of a white elephant, defined by Wikipedia as 'an extravagant, impractical gift that cannot be easily disposed of.'
Forbes: The Qataris have been trying to get rid of that ostentatious luxury jet for five years, but no one would buy it. It costs too much to fly, costs more to maintain, and needs too big a landing strip. They had another one they unloaded on Turkey.
Delicious.
www.forbes.com/sites/jeremy...
Delicious.
www.forbes.com/sites/jeremy...
Why The Qataris Are Happy To Dump Their 747 On Trump
The president may be thirsting for a new four-engine jumbo jet, but many governments and royal families are unloading their fuel-guzzling palaces in the sky.
www.forbes.com
May 15, 2025 at 4:24 PM
This is delicious - the flying palace being offered to President Trump is a perfect example of a white elephant, defined by Wikipedia as 'an extravagant, impractical gift that cannot be easily disposed of.'
FB just reminded me of my favourite family photo, my mother on the right, with her sister Eva and baby brother Douglas. It must have been taken around 1911, when she would have been eight. All three lived to a ripe old age, 99, 90 and 101.
May 12, 2025 at 3:38 PM
FB just reminded me of my favourite family photo, my mother on the right, with her sister Eva and baby brother Douglas. It must have been taken around 1911, when she would have been eight. All three lived to a ripe old age, 99, 90 and 101.
Reposted by Elizabeth Blunt
Happy conclave day to all who celebrate
May 7, 2025 at 4:02 AM
Happy conclave day to all who celebrate
As the Conclave begins, an alarming, indeed jaw-dropping article about the dire state of Vatican finances.
www.wsj.com/world/europe...
www.wsj.com/world/europe...
The Vatican Financial Mess Pope Francis Couldn’t Fix
The next pope will inherit a soaring deficit and culture of financial malpractice that Francis tried and failed to solve even through his final weeks.
www.wsj.com
May 7, 2025 at 6:30 AM
As the Conclave begins, an alarming, indeed jaw-dropping article about the dire state of Vatican finances.
www.wsj.com/world/europe...
www.wsj.com/world/europe...
Whoooo! Yes, a group of them just went over my back garden.
Thank you to the Red Arrows for turning left just before Heathrow and out over Twickenham.
May 5, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Whoooo! Yes, a group of them just went over my back garden.
The assault on our public broadcasting colleagues in the States continues. It seems from this that NPR could still keep going without federal funding, but it will be hard. (PS: not a good moment to inflict cuts on the BBC's World Servicesl which may have to fill some of the gaps)
May 2, 2025 at 8:15 AM
The assault on our public broadcasting colleagues in the States continues. It seems from this that NPR could still keep going without federal funding, but it will be hard. (PS: not a good moment to inflict cuts on the BBC's World Servicesl which may have to fill some of the gaps)
Reposted by Elizabeth Blunt
Does anyone have recommendations about who to follow for events in Rome over the next few weeks? What I really need is a Conclave Starter Pack.
April 21, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Does anyone have recommendations about who to follow for events in Rome over the next few weeks? What I really need is a Conclave Starter Pack.
Does anyone have recommendations about who to follow for events in Rome over the next few weeks? What I really need is a Conclave Starter Pack.
April 21, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Does anyone have recommendations about who to follow for events in Rome over the next few weeks? What I really need is a Conclave Starter Pack.
A particularly nice one this morning from WomensArt
Louise V Durham, stained glass and driftwood sculpture, Shoreham by Sea, UK #WomensArt
April 16, 2025 at 5:08 AM
A particularly nice one this morning from WomensArt
Reposted by Elizabeth Blunt
Sir, you've just been accidentally added to Osama Bin Laden's stag weekend group chat.
March 26, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Sir, you've just been accidentally added to Osama Bin Laden's stag weekend group chat.