It must be a while since I’ve updated this blog. My baby’s now trying to walk before he can sit, let alone stand, and something is apparently ‘coming home’. Whatever it is, I’m not convinced – but patriotically optimistic! Of course, it’s football which is nearing its return to its accommodation. While that remains…
Category: Headlines
Ethical dilemmas: Should pictures like this be published by newspapers?
A social media debate about imagery depicting this incident over the weekend took me by complete surprise. The incident, in which a car collided with a telegraph pole in a residential road, made the news, including on one of our websites. The story began to unfold well before it hit the headlines, though. From what…
Parenting and journalism phrases which should be banned
Before I became a parent a particular phrase really irritated me. It was words to the effect of: “You’ll understand when you’re a parent.” Always uttered by a parent, I was intrigued to know what superior mindset would come over me when I joined the elite club. I would often hear this in relation to…
My papers: Why accusations of bias are wrong
It’s all too easy to label a newspaper biased if you don’t like what you see. I spent three years as a political reporter for our papers and in that time I dedicated the majority of my evenings to covering hundreds of council meetings. I was often the only one in the public gallery, press…
Trade secrets: How to do shorthand
Some people might balance spoons on their face as their party piece. Others might whip out their best Alan Sugar impression, or a bit of amateur opera. Ask a journalist, though, and it’s likely to be their Teeline rather than their teaspoons that they turn to. Shorthand comes in a variety of styles. Former typists…
My papers: Who tells us what to print?
I was out and about a couple of weeks ago and someone clocked I worked for the local paper. These inquisitive beings crop up all over the place, like a granny sensing a nearby baby. This generally goes one of two ways: intrigue about an interesting career or an ear bashing for a terrible cock-up….
A shout-out to the mums
Albie loves his Mummy. That was apparent tonight, if not already, as he desperately tried to crane his neck around Daddy to see her as Daddy tried to spoon an unknown combination of pureed fruits into his distracted baby’s gob. Maternity leave mums have it more difficult than we sometimes give credit for. As I…
Ignore the conspiracy theorists – Tommy Robinson is rightfully behind bars
English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson is rightfully behind bars. Robinson, also known as Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, 35, was jailed for contempt of court after an ‘hour-long rant’ outside Leeds Crown Court. See here for the full report: https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/crime/why-tommy-robinson-was-jailed-over-facebook-rant-outside-leeds-crown-court-1-9184513 You might not be familiar with contempt – but in a nutshell there are laws which ensure…
Why bank holidays might be a bonus – but are actually a bit of a pain
Bank holidays are great for boosting precious family time – but if you have a refluxy baby, the extra day comes with added risk. While maximising magic moments, the extra day increases the odds of being struck by projectile puke by a third – and it’s not like they need the invite. They’re perfectly capable…
When I mixed up ‘deprivation’ with ‘depravity’ – and my other top tales
I’ve twice interviewed the Prime Minister, challenged computer whizzes to scam me and hurriedly grabbed quotes from physicist Professor Brian Cox in a school car park. I’ve chased a miracle chicken around a garden with Mini Cheddars to get the right photograph, researched the appearance of mystery skeletons and their links to a ‘big cat’…
