A few weeks ago, I posted a link to a posting by a fictitious person – I can’t even remember his/her name now – which claimed to have researched and established links between Balcas and Arlene Foster. This was a prime example of fake news and I was foolish enough to believe it. I am happy to apologise unreservedly for my carelessness in promoting what now emerge as lies.
Fair play for you for apologizing Jude. The internet is a great tool for the dissemination of knowledge, but it is a two edged sword and along with a lot of great information there is also a lot of nonsense out there.
I think the problem is often we search vigorously online for articles that only support our own assumptions.
Jude I do remember that…I read it elsewhere on the net as well so assumed it was true.
Fair play for apologising.
How did you know it was fake news?
Another good story goes up in smoke!
You cannot remember the name of the person who made the false post, you made no attempt to check the background and yet you thought it was entirely reasonable to publish in full the allegations which identified a number of individuals and groups who turn out to have been blameless- is that a fair summary of your position ?
No, Kevin. I prefer my summary – it doesn’t have the same undertone of spite…
Kevin I have seen this story published elsewhere on the internet, yet did not know it was false until Jude pointed it out.
There have been so many stories that I am trying to remember which one of these was the fake one, Jude.Which one might you be apologising for ? Was this a complete blog or just one of the comments from a pseudonymn….making some stuffup? .In these days when the latest war cry is “Fake News” , where does reality end and satire begin anyway?Look what is happening in the White House at the moment. Is this just the idea of a “reality” show taken to the next level? What is “real” now anyway? I have to admit that I am also guilty of writing about a living fantasy on occasion myself. There is so much fantastical nonsense happening around us here that sometimes you can just pluck a story , fully-formed out of the air and tweak it a bit. It’s difficult to know sometimes if some of our politicians are living within some mad fantasy anyway.John Lennon might have put it like this ….in fact , I think he did!!!
“Strawberry Fields Forever”
Let me take you down, ’cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever
Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see
It’s getting hard to be someone but it all works out
It doesn’t matter much to me
Let me take you down, cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever
No one I think is in my tree
I mean it must be high or low
That is you can’t you know tune in but it’s all right
That is I think it’s not too bad
Let me take you down, cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever
Always, no sometimes, think it’s me
But you know I know when it’s a dream
I think I know I mean a “Yes” but it’s all wrong
That is I think I disagree
Let me take you down, cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever
Strawberry Fields forever
Strawberry Fields forever
Jude, don’t be too quick to apologise.
As I pointed out before, I spend a lot of my time in dark, cold, ditches and shuchs in various parts of Ireland, including Fermanagh, with locals, waiting, conversation usually revolves round local matters, the recent Phriom Aire may have no direct connection to BALCAS, some close to her may however!
A point I made in correspondence to the proper initiator of the inquiry when requesting him to properly set terms of reference of such, only by so doing will we find out where our, and Britain’s money is going.
My wee gaisun is home yesterday, he works in London, believe me, interest in where their money is going, is rife there, give them a referendum in the fate of the six Ulster counties, I suspect the union between great Britain and Ireland might be less secure than they slight protestant majority of them six might think.
On a related point, Desmond Bloal, Paisley was not the only founder of the D.U.P, made the point on founding this political party, ‘we shall be to the right on the constitutional issue and to the left on social issues’, feeding wealthy friends public money while young protestants cannot get social housing in the area they grew up in, nor job’s, is hardly what this party was founded for.
Time to ditch all Trimble’s right wing rebels.
Jude, I’m not a big fan of praising people for their apologies. One of my favourite such ‘praisings’ was by the LibDems who were being crucified over the increase in tuition fees and they stated (ish) that they should be praised because they had apologised so fully for their mistake.
So I wont break with my tradition of not praising people for their apologies but rather say that this was a ‘good’ apology.
A good apology is one that is not preceded or followed by the statement ‘if anyone is offended’ , accepts total blame and does not seek to get a sly boot in on someone else under cover of the apology and totally accepts responsibility.
So 8/10 (mandatory 2 points deducted to avoid suggestion of praise)
Jude
I note that your apology has even made the news pages of the Newsletter! Even more fame for you!