TASS

The TASS building in Moscow (1979)

An internet rabbit hole found me investigating the website of The Russian News Agency - TASS. Repeatedly, in recent reports concerning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, TASS has bolted on this particular paragraph:-

"When clarifying the developments unfolding, the Russian Defence Ministry reassured that Russian troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are limited to surgically striking and incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure. There are no threats whatsoever to the civilian population."

The following quotation was not created by TASS: “In war, truth is the first casualty.” It is attributed to Aeschylus,  a Greek dramatist (525 BC – 456 BC) and as events unfold in Ukraine we can see how valid that observation is. "No threats whatsoever"?  Yesterday, Ukraine's health minister said that 198 Ukrainians had been killed, including three children but the picture remains far from clear. Thousands of Ukrainians continue to head west to escape the war (Russian: a special military operation in order to protect people, denazification).

In terms of news chatter, imagery and social media input, no war in human history will be as well-covered as this one. Wars of the past often suffered from news blackouts,  secrecy and rumour but as it begins, news from this war is inescapable. It's in our faces.  Everybody apart from me has an expensive smartphone in their pocket - even in the underground stations of Kyiv. 

Of course, TASS shows no pictures from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the war that Putin has ignited.  Perhaps they are wary of the impact that truth might have upon the Russian people. Best to treat them like mushrooms. Keep them in the dark and feed them with horse shit.

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The Duke ( Yawn)

 

The Duke bored me

I didn’t like any of the characters 

I didn’t get them 

The bumbling Broadbent, I found irritating , rather than his usual endearing self and Mathew Goode looked rather odd when he faced the screen in bifocals which gave him the look of the terrible Japanese horror that was Micky Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany’s 

I feel odd today 

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Sunday

Rise and shine

It’s the Lord’s day

Praying for Ukraine

Smile, your alive

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Flee

I’m sat in the Storyhouse cafe feeling something thoughtful 

The film I’ve just seen was called Flee and it’s a powerful, heartwarming animated piece which tells the story of Amid , who is a successful academic living in Denmark who is about to get married to his boyfriend Kasper. As the wedding approaches Amid retells the story of his journey to the West. An illegal immigrant trafficked from Afghanistan , his story  is a complicated and at times a dramatically harrowing one and his suspenseful tale of liberation is not only from political oppression, and depredation but is one of sexual liberation and freedom.

It’s beautifully told and at times incredibly moving , so much so that when I got up to leave I caught the gaze of a man sitting behind me who mouthed the word “ Wow” as he stood up

“ That was incredible “ I said as we fell into line on the way out and started to chat as people do.

The man was perhaps in his late forties and wore an old fashioned duffle coat with toggles.

He had a very kind face.

We chatted more and stopped in the foyer to continue our conversation on just how good the movie was. He told me he “blubed “ several times. 

I told him I hadn’t heard him.

We laughed hands in pockets

I told him I missed giving a good film a post Mortem and he agreed.

“ Over coffee and cake is the best way! ” he said cheerfully and I suddenly almost thought it was a kind of invitation.

There was a slight pause , then he added awkwardly

“ Well I have to go……I’m meeting my husband…..he hates dubbed films” 

“ Mine did too” I replied and we both did that little hand up smiling wave thing men do when they say goodbye somewhat shyly.

Im having a coffee with a slice of cake, now

And I’m writing this  

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