Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
@neilsandell.bsky.social
Canadian 🍁 journalist & audio documentary maker. Ex-CBC, former Atkinson Fellow. Tennis, doggies, Jays. Building a shrine to my air fryer. Lives in Nice, France. soundcloud.com/nsandell 🇨🇦
Headline writers at @nytimes.com twist themselves into pretzels to avoid using the word "hypocrisy".
November 29, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Headline writers at @nytimes.com twist themselves into pretzels to avoid using the word "hypocrisy".
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
Creating a military conflict with Venezuela gives this administration a legal "hook" to invoke the Alien Enemies Act. In other words, the foreign war is being manufactured in order to facilitate court deference for its domestic mass deportation policy. It's a Stephen Miller Special.
November 29, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Creating a military conflict with Venezuela gives this administration a legal "hook" to invoke the Alien Enemies Act. In other words, the foreign war is being manufactured in order to facilitate court deference for its domestic mass deportation policy. It's a Stephen Miller Special.
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
Reminder that shortly after ordering these strikes, Hegseth removed the press corps from the Pentagon and the SouthCom Commander overseeing operations in the Caribbean unexpectedly announced he is stepping down 2 yrs before his term is up. What we are seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.
Exclusive: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave an order to “kill everybody” in the first strike on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean. After two men survived, the mission commander ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions, according to two sources.
Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order to kill all crew members in the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug boat. Navy SEALs fired a second missile.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Reminder that shortly after ordering these strikes, Hegseth removed the press corps from the Pentagon and the SouthCom Commander overseeing operations in the Caribbean unexpectedly announced he is stepping down 2 yrs before his term is up. What we are seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.
I first read this as "doesn't claim the ruble"
Which also rings true.
Which also rings true.
Demolishing the East Wing of the White House before finalizing plans for what will be built above its ruins is a near-perfect metaphor for Trump's approach to economic policy. The only difference is the wrecking crew doesn’t claim the rubble is evidence of unprecedented growth.
November 29, 2025 at 5:39 PM
I first read this as "doesn't claim the ruble"
Which also rings true.
Which also rings true.
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
The NYT definitely made a choice not to add “without evidence” to this headline.
F.D.A. Attributes 10 Children’s Deaths to Covid Vaccines
www.nytimes.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:20 AM
The NYT definitely made a choice not to add “without evidence” to this headline.
open.substack.com/pub/theoldgr.... So full of insight. Worth the read.
The Day the World Stopped Noticing Me
I didn’t retire with a grand speech or a gold watch moment.
open.substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 9:03 AM
open.substack.com/pub/theoldgr.... So full of insight. Worth the read.
The difference between literal meaning and nuance or shading can be a gulf. There is art in translation.
One of the hardest things to do well.
Good literary translation requires understanding (language, culture, genre--on both sides of the translation) and an ability to write well. "AI" can't do that. There are no shortcuts. Treat your work and foreign language readers with the respect they deserve. You won't fool anyone with this.
November 27, 2025 at 10:13 AM
The difference between literal meaning and nuance or shading can be a gulf. There is art in translation.
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
One of the hardest things to do well.
Good literary translation requires understanding (language, culture, genre--on both sides of the translation) and an ability to write well. "AI" can't do that. There are no shortcuts. Treat your work and foreign language readers with the respect they deserve. You won't fool anyone with this.
Amazon has launched a new AI-driven translation service, Kindle Translate, for Kindle Direct Publishing authors 👇 #BookSky
November 27, 2025 at 8:49 AM
One of the hardest things to do well.
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
The war will end when Russia stops fighting. Therefore, pressure has to be put on Russia, so that they stop believing that they will win. Why is that so hard to understand?
November 27, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The war will end when Russia stops fighting. Therefore, pressure has to be put on Russia, so that they stop believing that they will win. Why is that so hard to understand?
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
Bloomberg has obtained the transcript of a call between Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and a senior aide to Vladimir Putin — in which Witkoff advised the aide — a Russian aide — on how Putin should go about pitching Trump on a pro-Russian peace plan aimed at bringing an end to the Ukraine war.
Witkoff Discusses Ukraine Plans With Key Putin Aide: Transcript
The following is a transcript of an Oct. 14 phone call lasting just over 5 minutes between Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy for peace missions, and Yuri Ushakov, Vladimir Putin’s most senio...
www.bloomberg.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Bloomberg has obtained the transcript of a call between Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and a senior aide to Vladimir Putin — in which Witkoff advised the aide — a Russian aide — on how Putin should go about pitching Trump on a pro-Russian peace plan aimed at bringing an end to the Ukraine war.
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
Three things about the Witkoff tapes:
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg
Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.
bloom.bg
November 25, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Three things about the Witkoff tapes:
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
When the leopard starts eating your face 🫣🐆
November 24, 2025 at 10:33 PM
When the leopard starts eating your face 🫣🐆
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
Comey today after his case was dismissed. He had a stark warning. He made it clear: this wasn’t vindication, it was a reminder of how close we came to losing the rule of law.
Power abused once can be abused again. We’d better take that seriously.
#USDemocracy
#Pinks
Power abused once can be abused again. We’d better take that seriously.
#USDemocracy
#Pinks
November 25, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Comey today after his case was dismissed. He had a stark warning. He made it clear: this wasn’t vindication, it was a reminder of how close we came to losing the rule of law.
Power abused once can be abused again. We’d better take that seriously.
#USDemocracy
#Pinks
Power abused once can be abused again. We’d better take that seriously.
#USDemocracy
#Pinks
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
The transformation is extraordinary.
November 24, 2025 at 6:33 PM
The transformation is extraordinary.
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
Just saw the list of gritter names for this year and they have outdone themselves
These always make me smile
These always make me smile
November 23, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Just saw the list of gritter names for this year and they have outdone themselves
These always make me smile
These always make me smile
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
Cheers to the person who leaked the initial changes www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
In reversal, Coast Guard again classifies swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The new order came hours after The Post reported the service would instead classify such symbols as “potentially divisive” under guidelines set for release next month.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Cheers to the person who leaked the initial changes www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Hats off to HuffPost’s Jessica Schulberg whose tenacious reporting led to the commuting of a death sentence. www.cjr.org/laurels-and-...
Laurels and Darts: Execution forestalled in Oklahoma; White House tries to talk turkey, gets gobbled; RFK Jr.,purple-prose muse.
On the ground in Oklahoma at the eleventh hour. Plus: White House tries to talk turkey; gets gobbled up by ABC News. And RFK Jr., purple-prose muse.
www.cjr.org
November 21, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Hats off to HuffPost’s Jessica Schulberg whose tenacious reporting led to the commuting of a death sentence. www.cjr.org/laurels-and-...
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
It's always hard to pick a worst day politically, but today the president called for the death of members of the opposition party, and the administration decided that people were being too hard on the swastika
November 21, 2025 at 4:15 AM
It's always hard to pick a worst day politically, but today the president called for the death of members of the opposition party, and the administration decided that people were being too hard on the swastika
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
These same folks extremely committed to fighting antisemitism in universities
Exclusive: The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, nooses and the Confederate flag as hate symbols.
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
www.washingtonpost.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:34 PM
These same folks extremely committed to fighting antisemitism in universities
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
Stop me if you've heard this before:
If the NYT still had a public editor, that person would have official standing to ask, WTF???
They axed the public editor. So it's up to the rest of us to ask, unofficially, WTF???
If the NYT still had a public editor, that person would have official standing to ask, WTF???
They axed the public editor. So it's up to the rest of us to ask, unofficially, WTF???
To recap: Jeffrey Epstein offered a NY Times reporter photos taken in Epstein's kitchen of Donald Trump and girls in bikinis *and* implored the NYT reporter to put this information in the public discourse in 2015
What did the NY Times editors know about this offer?
What did the NY Times editors know about this offer?
“would you like photos of donald and girls in bikinis in my kitchen?” -Jeffrey Epstein
November 12, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Stop me if you've heard this before:
If the NYT still had a public editor, that person would have official standing to ask, WTF???
They axed the public editor. So it's up to the rest of us to ask, unofficially, WTF???
If the NYT still had a public editor, that person would have official standing to ask, WTF???
They axed the public editor. So it's up to the rest of us to ask, unofficially, WTF???
Highly recommend this piece.
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
The truth about impartiality at the BBC
And the hysteria of the current "crisis"
open.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Highly recommend this piece.
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
The surrender caucus secured yes votes from Democrats who aren't facing re-election this cycle, but four of them have Democratic governors who can pick their replacement.
If you live in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maine or Virginia this is an easy and effective way to make your anger clear.
If you live in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maine or Virginia this is an easy and effective way to make your anger clear.
Yup, and the damage isn’t so much in the story as in the proof of weakness. Trump now knows he has new torture tools to make Dems do what he wants. It’s why at least one of the 7 capitulators oughta be run out of office now, mid session. Get that number down to 6. www.offmessage.net/p/16-thought...
November 10, 2025 at 12:55 PM
The surrender caucus secured yes votes from Democrats who aren't facing re-election this cycle, but four of them have Democratic governors who can pick their replacement.
If you live in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maine or Virginia this is an easy and effective way to make your anger clear.
If you live in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maine or Virginia this is an easy and effective way to make your anger clear.
Reposted by Neil Sandell 🇨🇦
After over nine months of Trump and his regime inflicting extreme pain and abuse on the country every day, eight Senate Democrats decided to remove one actual moment of leverage and end the government shutdown. Just pathetic.
November 10, 2025 at 1:42 PM
After over nine months of Trump and his regime inflicting extreme pain and abuse on the country every day, eight Senate Democrats decided to remove one actual moment of leverage and end the government shutdown. Just pathetic.