Jim McDougall

recently retired Depute Rector, geography teacher. Enjoy family, friends, walks, music, reading, current affairs.

[Antigone Journal @AntigoneJournal]

That people won't be interested in history unless you pander to them by manipulating the past according to fashion until it becomes "relevant".

[Ridvan Aydemir | Apostate Prophet @ApostateProphet]

BREAKING: The Greek Orthodox leadership in Suwayda, Syria, issued an URGENT statement as the Druze and Christians are brutally attacked by Islamists.

"Glory to God in all things

I direct this message to the entire world and call upon them to urgently intervene to stop the terrorist massacres in Suwayda.

I direct this humanitarian plea to those of sound minds who love peace.

The ongoing war in Suwayda Governorate is a war of annihilation
killing both young and old.

Therefore, I raise my voice loudly to the international community and to the United Nations to help us.

I hope this cry reaches the whole world.

Issued by
The Archdiocese of Bosra, Horan, Jabal al-Arab, and the Golan – Greek Orthodox."

[BBC Radio 3 @BBCRadio3]

"Music should be fun", Sir Roger Norrington once said, "it should entertain – and never, ever, be pompous."

Farewell to a fearless conductor with a singular and always thrilling approach to music, from every era. Sir Roger Norrington, who was a leading figure in the period-instrument movement, has died at the age of 91.

Sir Roger had distinctive and influential approach to historically informed performance which he took far beyond the Baroque and Classical periods and passionately applied to 19th and 20th Century music. He had deep connections to many leading orchestras, including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, who he famously conducted in the Last Night of the Proms in 2008.

[Mike Pitts @pittsmike]

My tribute to an extraordinary archaeologist, and a kind and generous man: Brian Fagan
https://t.co/cDPYRtYxfo

[ENT - Education Not Taxation @EducationNotTax]

Revealed: the full, devastating impact of Labour’s VAT raid on private schools https://t.co/FvuGYizog8
🎯 They said VAT on school fees would deliver for state schools — but it's delivered disruption.

📢 They said: No evidence schools would close
🔍 Reality: 44 schools shut — 6,000 children displaced

📢 They said: Only 3,000 pupils would leave in year one
🔍 Reality: 16,000 left — over 5x more than forecast

📢 They said: It would raise £1.7bn
🔍 Reality: £70m+ already lost — and rising state sector costs

📢 They said: Fees would rise slightly
🔍 Reality: Fees up 14–17% — pushing out middle-income families

📢 They said: 6,500 new teachers
🔍 Reality: No ringfenced funds — money diverted to housing

📢 They said: Public backs it
🔍 Reality: 45% support — but most don’t know who it really hurts

We say: SCRAP IT
#EducationNotTax

[Jim McDougall @jimmcdgll]

@KevinDu42622960 @SimoninSuffolk “No one left and no one came on the bare platform..”

[Jim McDougall @jimmcdgll]

@SimoninSuffolk Is this for a “ ghost train” that has to run to keep the line open?

[IPCallaway @IanCallaway352]

The home of the incomparable #PatrickLeighFermor, in whose footsteps I walked over the flank of Mount Ida, three weeks ago today.

[Jim McDougall @jimmcdgll]

@vivmarshuk @sophiefernley From now on, I’m Im.

[Jim McDougall @jimmcdgll]

Yes, when I was 5. Also my adenoids. I got a Thunderbirds 3 rocket as a treat!

[karen thompson @karenfthompson]

A question for all you Twits of a certain age..

When I was 10 I had my tonsils out,

I remember being in a ward with a lot of other children having the same op

Nearly everyone had their tonsils out in those days..

But nowadays they are really hesitant to do so

Did you..?

[Jenny Eclair @jennyeclair]

Or, allegedly, as it should be called 'The pinch of Salt Path '- hahaha, tell me Im first with that

[Jim McDougall @jimmcdgll]

@AHAllardyce @Tawona_Sithole @UofGlasgow @UofGUnescoRILA @UofGSocSci @UofGEducation @alison_phipps Many congratulations, Tawona!

[University of Glasgow @UofGlasgow]

‘We are but carvings and today is about those that do the carving.’

@UofGEducation lecturer & poet @Tawona_Sithole shares some inspiring words on his PhD graduation today. He honours all those people that help our students achieve their degrees.

#UofGgrad25

[CoffeeWithTheClassics @CoffeewClassics]

For July 4th, 10 contenders for the Great American Novel.

How many have you read? What would you add?

[Carlotta Gall @carlottagall]

Very sad but proud to be posting this on the death of our father, Sandy Gall. As my uncle Dr. Julian Smyth put it: His was a great life, generously and courageously lived. https://t.co/8Vw3CYm1PO

[Jim McDougall @jimmcdgll]

Fantastic performance of @DearEvanHansen at @edinplayhouse this evening. Outstanding cast!

[🇬🇧📺 Classic British TV 📺🇬🇧 @Classicbritcom]

Sandy Gall, CMG, CBE (1 October 1927 – 29 June 2025) R.I.P

[Auschwitz Memorial @AuschwitzMuseum]

It is deeply saddening that @facebook / @Meta see nothing wrong with distorting the true images of Auschwitz victims and allows accounts to exist that build their reach through deception.

In this case, real information copied from our site has been illustrated with photographs generated by artificial intelligence, which are, in fact, derogatory to the memory of Zygmunt Porębski.

What is particularly distasteful is the transformation of the original camp photograph into a bizarre, fabricated composition. A member of his family entrusted us with these photographs so that we could commemorate him on our site. Facebook, on the other hand, sees nothing wrong with exploiting the memory of an Auschwitz survivor.

It is a pity that Facebook cannot stand guard over the dignity of the people whose memory we are trying to preserve.

See the distorted & real images.

Tag people who should see this distortion in your comments.

[Simon Kuestenmacher @simongerman600]

For a while during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer, the sun sets in Eastern Brazil before it does in Ireland. Now you know.