We Do Not Negotiate With Terrorists

It’s perhaps no surprise that contemporary definitions of the word “terrorism” have largely narrowed somewhat, but one of the Oxford English Dictionary’s definitions of “terrorism” still represents the broader usage:

The instilling of fear or terror; intimidation, coercion, bullying.

The first use of the term is believed to have been around 1794 and was in reference not to to the use of terror as a tool to undermine governments, but to the use of terror by governments themselves. Only a few years later it was being used in reference to the British government of the time.

The Worst Road Safety Film Ever

A new low in road safety films.

Risk: A Game of Diplomacy

Another week, another road safety film. Step forward, please, the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.

THINK!

The government THINK! campaign is fairly unambiguously named. It implores us to do one thing: THINK!

But, to copy a set of decisions laid out before you; to take them at face value; is that to THINK?

What are we being taught to THINK? Are we even being taught to THINK! at all?

The Egg and The Kettle of Fish

“To promote the idea of sharing the streets more safely, we’ve made a fun film here in the City of London Corporation.”

No.

No, you haven’t.

The Horse and The Python

Last week on the Nice Way Code website, in response to the bizarre half-launch, someone called Neil speculated that “it’s going to get even more patronising and even worse“; to which, someone on behalf of the campaign responded: “You’ll have to wait and see I suppose. Remember – you haven’t actually seen the campaign yet!”

Well, now we can see it (at least, we can see two TV ads; there may well be more to come). So let’s take a look.