The White House Correspondents' Dinner 2019

                             The White House Correspondents' Dinner 2019



Realising this blog has become an infrequent visitor over the past years, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all those who supported the idea since its inception. Some, strangely, even embraced it! One journalist seemed to delight in belittling me and humiliating me at ever possible turn. Belittle the words by all means but not the wordsmith.

Not ever easy and ironically if it weren't for my woeful transport experiences the blog would never have been born. Then I thought maybe this could grow into something rather than be still-born.

I hope I was always fair-minded. And while any amount of gratis food and wine at film screenings might have made my mind merrier than arrival from the outside world, my judgment could never be clouded.

It became way way too long but then I rightly felt an obligation to reciprocate a PR's invitation and give coverage. I still believe that.

When author/historian Ron Chernow last night extolled the virtues of student and local and independent journalism, remember that the average New Yorker, let alone American, had no idea of underground trains derailing, trains stuck in tunnels and the severe mental stress all this caused many. Nor the powers of London's Metropolitan Police and their 'PACE' areas of stop and search. Nor the local reasons for Brexit. Nor the British Government and the D-Notice.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41849256

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/stop-and-search-knife-crime-uk-police-government-a8846406.html

https://www.independent.ie/world-news/and-finally/what-is-a-dnotice-debunking-claims-the-media-is-being-gagged-over-the-grenfell-fire-35834435.html

Equally, Londoners would have no idea of say corruption in Rockland County or the suicide of Nicole Katherine Orttung (21) a promising young Columbia University student journalist. Nor this story from student journalists.

I hasten to add, one must use Noam Chomsky due diligence when believing anything in the media.

Do these films have anything in common?

Arbitrage
Unsane
Oranges and Sunshine
A Place in the Sun
Beast
Dark Places
Venom
In and Out
Charade
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
I Feel Pretty
First Reformed
The Towering Inferno
Chronic