For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
Syph is totally treatable now, herpes stays with you forever so whilst manageable it’s always there and highly transferable so you are likely to have to have some uncomfortable conversations once in a relationship and they want to stop having unprotected sex.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
Increasingly, free and open global trade is benefitting a small number of multinationals and their executives and not the majority of the population of the countries involved. Free and openglobal trade in the way it is now practiced means exporting jobs to countries with lower labour and material costs and buyng back unwanted and unneeded tat.
There was a time when free and global trade benefitted most people. Not any more.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
🇺🇸→🇺🇦 Agree to peace NOW! 🇺🇦→🇺🇸 OK. Unconditional ceasefire, negotiated in a day
🇺🇸→🇷🇺 Dear russia, please 🙏 agree to peace 🇷🇺→🇺🇸 NO. We want to wage a criminal war. To be clear, we’ll murder children every week
🇺🇸→🇷🇺 Oh, that’s how you are? Well then, we walk away 🤦🏻♂️
Who will ever take us seriously? Russia invaded Ukraine to kill Ukrainians for being Ukrainian. The bravest nation on earth is defending itself, and we can’t choose a side?
Time for Europe to plan for the US completely abandoning Ukraine, as that now seems a fairly likely outcome.
A drawback of Donald Trump as president is he can't manage anything that's difficult. If it can't be done by decree or press conference or social media it won't be happening.
This happened in The Sweeney episode with the Scottish rugby-playing copper down from Glasgow, which takes us neatly back to John Thaw, Britain's greatest ever television actor, as per last night's thread.
One of the most bizarre cases I dealt with as an east London councillor was a phone call from an elderly conservative member in my ward, during an election campaign, who had returned home from a shopping trip and found his front door demolished and the space where it had been covered by a piece of corregated iron, with a note explaining that this had been done by the local police.
Before contacting me, he’d tried to contact the local Conservatives, his being a member, but they had proved surprisingly unwilling to help.
To cut the long story short, it eventually transpired that, while he was out shopping, he’d been canvassed for the election by the local Tory candidate. She, knowing the guy was very elderly, got worried when there was no answer at the door, phoned one of the Tory cabinet members at the town hall. Who had phoned the police - probably exaggerating the circumstances somewhat - such that they’d gone round and immediately stoved in his front door. Finding the house empty, they’d patched it up with the corregated iron and left the scene.
Meanwhile, one of my LibDem colleagues had overheard the Tories in the town hall laughing and joking about some resident who’d had his front door demolished following a visit by the Tory candidate, and meantime he had told me the story - such that when the guy phoned me out of the blue, I already had some info and it didn’t take me long to join the dots.
Shamefully, the Tories had left this guy - in his 90s - to sort out the mess himself, and once he got me involved I was able to shame the council into replacing his front door at the taxpayers expense, the alternative being my passing a very juicy story on to the local media.
Needless to say that was one Tory member who didn’t vote Conservative a few weeks later.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
Increasingly, free and open global trade is benefitting a small number of multinationals and their executives and not the majority of the population of the countries involved. Free and openglobal trade in the way it is now practiced means exporting jobs to countries with lower labour and material costs and buyng back unwanted and unneeded tat.
There was a time when free and global trade benefitted most people. Not any more.
What I mean by free and open trade is that you can buy and sell goods and services freely worldwide.
That's what we need.
A world where lots of borders shut down and deny access to British ships, professionals and merchants would be really shit.
O/T but I thought the Ridley Scott depiction of the Battle of Waterloo, was absolutely dire, especially compared to the 1970 film.
It was only better than the Long Night, in the last season of Game of Thrones, insofar as it was shorter.
Waterloo (1970), as a film, was bloody brilliant.
I don't why so many battle scenes in films and series are so crap, given that it's not hard to do the research, and that you get films like Waterloo, Cross of Iron, or War and Peace, that do them very well.
The battle co-ordinator, for Scott's Napoleon, was apparently convinced that Napoleon's reputation as a commander was basically just down to good PR, which is ... revisionist, to say the least.
If Canada and the UK and Oz etc do unite we must surely call it the
Federal Union of Commonwealth Kingdoms
Greater Britain
Empire Redux.
The Making the Globe Pink Again Empire. Perhaps they could even get a float at Pride parades.
Except this new bloc has a strong hetero vibe. It's all the countries Bond would have considered sound minus the USA.
Canada provided for same sex marriage in 2005, the fourth country in the world to do so. The UK in 2014, the fourteenth.
It is not yet legal in India or Nigeria.
Such a union couldn't just be based on friendly liberal pats on the back over gay marriage.
I was responding to the suggestion that such a union carried the unsavoury odour of heterosexuality.
Yes, I didn't really get kinabalu's point there? How are Canada and Australia more heterosexual than other countries? And why is this unsavoury if it's true?
The reason Brits always add Oz and NZ to Canada as a potential political marriage partner is because Brits want to have the option of somewhere warm and sunny to go. Australia
For all its many virtues Canada doesn’t provide that
I really do think it is as simple as that
Nah. Even simpler. A mother never admits to preferring one child over another
Really?
We have weekly child rankings.
Yeah but I happen to know your kids fix it by quoting a Radiohead song at just the right moment.
Are you lot not ignoring the inverse with this ruling? That trans men are forced back to women's spaces.
Lets take the most awkward situation: there is a man somewhere a man should not be. Who is going to check if they are really trans or simply pretending?
Seems Schroedinger's pervs win wither way.
Yes, indeed. Someone who looks like a man can now enter a women-only space with impunity - they can just claim to be a trans man. It's not really practical to check that claim in most circumstances.
The group who brought this case do not seem to have spent even a nanosecond considering it may have negative repercussions for the women they were claiming to represent. But given the motivation of their major financial backer that's not wholly surprising.
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
Increasingly, free and open global trade is benefitting a small number of multinationals and their executives and not the majority of the population of the countries involved. Free and openglobal trade in the way it is now practiced means exporting jobs to countries with lower labour and material costs and buyng back unwanted and unneeded tat.
There was a time when free and global trade benefitted most people. Not any more.
What I mean by free and open trade is that you can buy and sell goods and services freely worldwide.
That's what we need.
A world where lots of borders shut down and deny access to British ships, professionals and merchants would be really shit.
I agree. And that is what it used to mean. But that is not the case any more. Free trade in the modern sense means the ability of multinationals to operate anywhere in the world to maximise their profit margin and minimise their exposure to local taxes and labour and environmental laws. Backed up where necessary by the more powerful national Governments to ensure no local objection.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
You do get a notable jump in GDP per capita, after the Black Death, but then, nothing much until towards the end of the 17th century.
Everytime I post about UK-Canada, people want to add Australia-NZ.
There is probably a case for stronger links of some sort, but there is no geopolitical logic. The South Pacific is too far from the North Atlantic, as New Zealanders learned with the fall of Singapore.
The UK's future lies in good links with Nigeria and India, populous countries where English is widely spoken and with large growing educated middle classes.
The Indians appear to hate the British, as rising Indian (or Hindi) nationalism seems to go hand-in-hand with revisionist accounts of the Raj.
Modhi, like so many nationalists, believes in a golden age that never was, before the British, the Sikh kingdoms, the Moghuls, and the Sultans of Delhi.
It's the subject of Willaim Dalrymple's latest book, The Golden Road - most enjoyable. apparently the golden age was fairly Buddhist. Don't tell Modhi.
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
Probably one of the tiny number of subjects about which our Leon has some relevant expertise to offer…
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
O/T but I thought the Ridley Scott depiction of the Battle of Waterloo, was absolutely dire, especially compared to the 1970 film.
It was only better than the Long Night, in the last season of Game of Thrones, insofar as it was shorter.
Waterloo (1970), as a film, was bloody brilliant.
It's rare we agree on anything but I'm 100% with you on this. Rod Steiger and Christopher Plummer are brilliant as the main protagonists but the star for me is Dan O'Herlihy as Ney. That scene at the end of the battle "do you know who I am? I'm Ney, Marshal of France". Also good to see Charlie Hungerford getting a part (well, until his leg got blown off).
Everytime I post about UK-Canada, people want to add Australia-NZ.
There is probably a case for stronger links of some sort, but there is no geopolitical logic. The South Pacific is too far from the North Atlantic, as New Zealanders learned with the fall of Singapore.
The UK's future lies in good links with Nigeria and India, populous countries where English is widely spoken and with large growing educated middle classes.
The Indians appear to hate the British, as rising Indian (or Hindi) nationalism seems to go hand-in-hand with revisionist accounts of the Raj.
Modhi, like so many nationalists, believes in a golden age that never was, before the British, the Sikh kingdoms, the Moghuls, and the Sultans of Delhi.
It's the subject of Willaim Dalrymple's latest book, The Golden Road - most enjoyable. apparently the golden age was fairly Buddhist. Don't tell Modhi.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
You do get a notable jump in GDP per capita, after the Black Death, but then, nothing much until towards the end of the 17th century.
Hmmm… the mad increases of the 20th cent make it hard to see, but
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
You do get a notable jump in GDP per capita, after the Black Death, but then, nothing much until towards the end of the 17th century.
I believe a lot of the upheaval we are seeing around the world is due to that very steep upslope levelling off, because it can't go on accelerating forever; we are in the upper reaches of an s-curve.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
The poor quality of the milk chocolate in the standard toblerone surprises me the occasional times I eat it. Somehow I think it should be a bit Swiss.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
You do get a notable jump in GDP per capita, after the Black Death, but then, nothing much until towards the end of the 17th century.
Hmmm… the mad increases of the 20th cent make it hard to see, but
Or as a log graph (did we learn nothing during The Sickness?)
Looks like breaks in trend in late 1600s, 1800 or so and 1925.
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
#philosophical
It's an interesting question.
Is a drug addict self-abusing or not? I would argue yes.
So the question is are you addicted and, if so, are you truly 'giving consent'?
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
You do get a notable jump in GDP per capita, after the Black Death, but then, nothing much until towards the end of the 17th century.
Hmmm… the mad increases of the 20th cent make it hard to see, but
Or as a log graph (did we learn nothing during The Sickness?)
Looks like breaks in trend in late 1600s, 1800 or so and 1925.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
Since 1925, we have gone from being probably the world's second wealthiest and most powerful country, to being the sick man of Europe (again). Don't get me wrong, I have every faith in our country that we can bounce back, but we've had a century of almost constant decline. Doing well is the situation improving, or at least staying the same.
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
Probably one of the tiny number of subjects about which our Leon has some relevant expertise to offer…
I have indeed had herpes. Not nice
However you can’t get it from dogs - even if you rape them - so you’re probably OK
This is the bit that gets me: “.. DOGE demanded root access. Not auditor access. Not admin.
They were given “tenant owner” privileges in Azure — full control over the NLRB’s cloud, above the CIO himself. This is never supposed to happen…
.. They disabled the logs. Berulis says DOGE demanded account creation with no recordkeeping.
They even ordered security controls bypassed and disabled tools like network watcher so their actions wouldn’t be logged..”
It gets worse; read the whole thread.
And the whistleblower … While preparing this disclosure, Berulis found a drone surveillance photo of himself taped to his front door with a threatening note.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
It’s alright, I’ve had it when people brought it in at work from holiday. White, dark and plain.
Wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it but when it’s free I’ll give it a go.
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
You do get a notable jump in GDP per capita, after the Black Death, but then, nothing much until towards the end of the 17th century.
Hmmm… the mad increases of the 20th cent make it hard to see, but
Or as a log graph (did we learn nothing during The Sickness?)
Looks like breaks in trend in late 1600s, 1800 or so and 1925.
Is this graph inflation adjusted?
Claims to be, though flip knows how they establish that.
PB lawyers: I'm curious, does the US have a similar legal set of rules about prejudicing a trial so that politicians have to be careful what they say about a case?
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
The ECHR rejected their appeals and it's still the case that you cannot consent to serious harm. You might then say what about boxing but in boxing serious harm isn't the intent, but a potential side-effect of being punched.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
O/T but I thought the Ridley Scott depiction of the Battle of Waterloo, was absolutely dire, especially compared to the 1970 film.
It was only better than the Long Night, in the last season of Game of Thrones, insofar as it was shorter.
Waterloo (1970), as a film, was bloody brilliant.
It's rare we agree on anything but I'm 100% with you on this. Rod Steiger and Christopher Plummer are brilliant as the main protagonists but the star for me is Dan O'Herlihy as Ney. That scene at the end of the battle "do you know who I am? I'm Ney, Marshal of France". Also good to see Charlie Hungerford getting a part (well, until his leg got blown off).
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
#philosophical
It's an interesting question.
Is a drug addict self-abusing or not? I would argue yes.
So the question is are you addicted and, if so, are you truly 'giving consent'?
FWIW answers variable depend ultimately on whether you belong to the Aristotelian tradition which assumes there are proper and improper, good and ungood functions or uses of and for the human, just as there are well and less well functioning wheelbarrows, and uses wheelbarrows, and humans, should be good at and things they aren't.
Or whether you belong to the fascinating traditions of Hume and friends who think this is all nonsense. As nearly always I am with Aristotle.
O/T but I thought the Ridley Scott depiction of the Battle of Waterloo, was absolutely dire, especially compared to the 1970 film.
It was only better than the Long Night, in the last season of Game of Thrones, insofar as it was shorter.
Waterloo (1970), as a film, was bloody brilliant.
It's rare we agree on anything but I'm 100% with you on this. Rod Steiger and Christopher Plummer are brilliant as the main protagonists but the star for me is Dan O'Herlihy as Ney. That scene at the end of the battle "do you know who I am? I'm Ney, Marshal of France". Also good to see Charlie Hungerford getting a part (well, until his leg got blown off).
...at which point he presumably had two parts.
"By God, sir, I've lost my leg!" "By God, sir, so you have!"
Careless family by all accounts: “Uxbridge's close family lost several limbs during the Napoleonic Wars..”
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
You do get a notable jump in GDP per capita, after the Black Death, but then, nothing much until towards the end of the 17th century.
Hmmm… the mad increases of the 20th cent make it hard to see, but
Or as a log graph (did we learn nothing during The Sickness?)
Looks like breaks in trend in late 1600s, 1800 or so and 1925.
Is this graph inflation adjusted?
Claims to be, though flip knows how they establish that.
Adjusted to 2013 pounds equivalent, apparently.
The underlying data is from the Bank of England, from this project
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
You do get a notable jump in GDP per capita, after the Black Death, but then, nothing much until towards the end of the 17th century.
Hmmm… the mad increases of the 20th cent make it hard to see, but
Or as a log graph (did we learn nothing during The Sickness?)
Looks like breaks in trend in late 1600s, 1800 or so and 1925.
Is this graph inflation adjusted?
Claims to be, though flip knows how they establish that.
Adjusted to 2013 pounds equivalent, apparently.
The underlying data is from the Bank of England, from this project
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
#philosophical
It's an interesting question.
Is a drug addict self-abusing or not? I would argue yes.
So the question is are you addicted and, if so, are you truly 'giving consent'?
Consent involves more than the immediacy of any one particular moment. It's quite possible to get into the state in which you cannot give or withold a consent for something, but often (not always of course) this entails a process of previous consents in which you have knowingly made decisions which ended in that final state of being unable to consent. This can take an evening in the pub, or can take 20 years of unremitting effort. Which is why 'I was so drunk when I raped her that I was not in control of my consenting so am not culpable' is often regarded as an incomplete exculpation. (IMO it makes it worse).
Melanie Field, who oversaw its drafting and passage through Westminster in 2010, said the legislation was meant to give transgender people with gender recognition certificates (GRCs) the same legal status as biological men or women.
This has the potential to blow up spectacularly and could be very dangerous for Starmer. Keep a close eye on Creasy.
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
The ECHR rejected their appeals and it's still the case that you cannot consent to serious harm. You might then say what about boxing but in boxing serious harm isn't the intent, but a potential side-effect of being punched.
Like the guy who branded his initials on his wife’s chubby, flabby, mottled white butt at her demand and he was prosecuted and found guilty of ABH.
O/T but I thought the Ridley Scott depiction of the Battle of Waterloo, was absolutely dire, especially compared to the 1970 film.
It was only better than the Long Night, in the last season of Game of Thrones, insofar as it was shorter.
Waterloo (1970), as a film, was bloody brilliant.
It's rare we agree on anything but I'm 100% with you on this. Rod Steiger and Christopher Plummer are brilliant as the main protagonists but the star for me is Dan O'Herlihy as Ney. That scene at the end of the battle "do you know who I am? I'm Ney, Marshal of France". Also good to see Charlie Hungerford getting a part (well, until his leg got blown off).
...at which point he presumably had two parts.
"By God, sir, I've lost my leg!" "By God, sir, so you have!"
Careless family by all accounts: “Uxbridge's close family lost several limbs during the Napoleonic Wars..”
Sarah: General Picton doesn't know how to walk in a ballroom. Duke of Wellington: But he is very good when he is dancing with the French.
O/T but I thought the Ridley Scott depiction of the Battle of Waterloo, was absolutely dire, especially compared to the 1970 film.
It was only better than the Long Night, in the last season of Game of Thrones, insofar as it was shorter.
Waterloo (1970), as a film, was bloody brilliant.
The Ukrainian army, in fancy dress and full splendour
One of the great films. I rather fancy that is all but forgotten now? Rod Steiger. Chris Plummer.
No - often re-shown. If you are vaguely interested in the history, it has some magnificent moments.
The charge of the Scots Greys was carefully staged to match the famous painting, for example. Plummer as Wellington and Steiger as Napoleon
Fantastic painting.
As a teenager I was rather fascinated by a book at the local library about Waterloo which had the painting included and many others. Wish I could recall its name. I took it out on loan several times.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
Melanie Field, who oversaw its drafting and passage through Westminster in 2010, said the legislation was meant to give transgender people with gender recognition certificates (GRCs) the same legal status as biological men or women.
This has the potential to blow up spectacularly and could be very dangerous for Starmer. Keep a close eye on Creasy.
Does it ?
She may say that was the intent of the law but that’s not how the Supreme Court has seen it so perhaps she should have done a better job if that was the intent.
Melanie Field, who oversaw its drafting and passage through Westminster in 2010, said the legislation was meant to give transgender people with gender recognition certificates (GRCs) the same legal status as biological men or women.
This has the potential to blow up spectacularly and could be very dangerous for Starmer. Keep a close eye on Creasy.
This may be so. Wait and see. It needs a detailed scrutiny of Hansard, and what was said in parliament/committee at the time. The SC can have its attention drawn to all this by the parties if they wish, and can take account of it, though parliamentary discussion can't simply override the meaning of the act itself.
When an act intends something very specific and detailed and which is not 100% obvious (the officious bystander test!) it usually says so.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
85 is a bit too much. In the 70s is (for me) plenty strong enough for very good chocolate.
Melanie Field, who oversaw its drafting and passage through Westminster in 2010, said the legislation was meant to give transgender people with gender recognition certificates (GRCs) the same legal status as biological men or women.
This has the potential to blow up spectacularly and could be very dangerous for Starmer. Keep a close eye on Creasy.
Does it ?
She may say that was the intent of the law but that’s not how the Supreme Court has seen it so perhaps she should have done a better job if that was the intent.
Creasy is a nobody.
Melanie Field is saying that she forgot to write the intent of the law into the actual, written law.
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
The ECHR rejected their appeals and it's still the case that you cannot consent to serious harm. You might then say what about boxing but in boxing serious harm isn't the intent, but a potential side-effect of being punched.
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
The ECHR rejected their appeals and it's still the case that you cannot consent to serious harm. You might then say what about boxing but in boxing serious harm isn't the intent, but a potential side-effect of being punched.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
85 is a bit too much. In the 70s is (for me) plenty strong enough for very good chocolate.
Yes I agree. But supplies were limited in my Almaty supermarket and I fancied posh chocolate with my Saperavi wine - my minibar only has TwiX. The chocolate not the social medium
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
You do get a notable jump in GDP per capita, after the Black Death, but then, nothing much until towards the end of the 17th century.
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
For what it's worth, I would choose Canada over Australia as a marriage partner for the UK. For a start, the skiing is much better. It's also not such a crazy hassle to get to, and there's far less jet lag.
Ottawa is nicer than Canberra too, albeit in the same way that syphilis is nicer than herpes.
Is syphilis nicer than herpes? I thought herpes gives you coldsores but syphilis means you go blind and have to have mercury injected up your willy?
You truly are living in the 19th century. Fair play.
I thought it was self-abuse that makes people go blind.
If I actually consent to my own self-abuse, it's not really abuse, is it?
The ECHR rejected their appeals and it's still the case that you cannot consent to serious harm. You might then say what about boxing but in boxing serious harm isn't the intent, but a potential side-effect of being punched.
Is assisted dying serious harm?
Currently yes, that's why there's a bill looking to change that.
Melanie Field, who oversaw its drafting and passage through Westminster in 2010, said the legislation was meant to give transgender people with gender recognition certificates (GRCs) the same legal status as biological men or women.
This has the potential to blow up spectacularly and could be very dangerous for Starmer. Keep a close eye on Creasy.
Does it ?
She may say that was the intent of the law but that’s not how the Supreme Court has seen it so perhaps she should have done a better job if that was the intent.
Creasy is a nobody.
Melanie Field is saying that she forgot to write the intent of the law into the actual, written law.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
You do get a notable jump in GDP per capita, after the Black Death, but then, nothing much until towards the end of the 17th century.
Hmmm… the mad increases of the 20th cent make it hard to see, but
Or as a log graph (did we learn nothing during The Sickness?)
Looks like breaks in trend in late 1600s, 1800 or so and 1925.
I studied Seventeenth Century history at A Level, and it always felt like an extraordinary period: it started out with Elizabeth I still on the throne, and ended a (broadly) constitutional monarchy with a modern financial system.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
85 is a bit too much. In the 70s is (for me) plenty strong enough for very good chocolate.
Yes I agree. But supplies were limited in my Almaty supermarket and I fancied posh chocolate with my Saperavi wine - my minibar only has TwiX. The chocolate not the social medium
Melanie Field, who oversaw its drafting and passage through Westminster in 2010, said the legislation was meant to give transgender people with gender recognition certificates (GRCs) the same legal status as biological men or women.
This has the potential to blow up spectacularly and could be very dangerous for Starmer. Keep a close eye on Creasy.
Does it ?
She may say that was the intent of the law but that’s not how the Supreme Court has seen it so perhaps she should have done a better job if that was the intent.
Creasy is a nobody.
Melanie Field is saying that she forgot to write the intent of the law into the actual, written law.
What other laws did she oversea drafting of?
The cynic in me is thinking they deliberately didn’t spell it out in black and white to avoid a meltdown by the MPs.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
Since 1925, we have gone from being probably the world's second wealthiest and most powerful country, to being the sick man of Europe (again). Don't get me wrong, I have every faith in our country that we can bounce back, but we've had a century of almost constant decline. Doing well is the situation improving, or at least staying the same.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
85 is a bit too much. In the 70s is (for me) plenty strong enough for very good chocolate.
Yes I agree. But supplies were limited in my Almaty supermarket and I fancied posh chocolate with my Saperavi wine - my minibar only has TwiX. The chocolate not the social medium
I should’ve done for the Ritter. My regular
I've tried a fair bit of chocolate one way or another, and the best one I think I've tried (as unadulterated chocolate) is this one:
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
You do get a notable jump in GDP per capita, after the Black Death, but then, nothing much until towards the end of the 17th century.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
Since 1925, we have gone from being probably the world's second wealthiest and most powerful country, to being the sick man of Europe (again). Don't get me wrong, I have every faith in our country that we can bounce back, but we've had a century of almost constant decline. Doing well is the situation improving, or at least staying the same.
Man, wait until you hear about Italy.
The home of the pizza, sans pineapple. Probably explains their decline.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
It’s alright, I’ve had it when people brought it in at work from holiday. White, dark and plain.
Wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it but when it’s free I’ll give it a go.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
85 is a bit too much. In the 70s is (for me) plenty strong enough for very good chocolate.
Yes I agree. But supplies were limited in my Almaty supermarket and I fancied posh chocolate with my Saperavi wine - my minibar only has TwiX. The chocolate not the social medium
I should’ve done for the Ritter. My regular
I've tried a fair bit of chocolate one way or another, and the best one I think I've tried (as unadulterated chocolate) is this one:
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
It would be interesting to get his account of this -
You do get a notable jump in GDP per capita, after the Black Death, but then, nothing much until towards the end of the 17th century.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
Since 1925, we have gone from being probably the world's second wealthiest and most powerful country, to being the sick man of Europe (again). Don't get me wrong, I have every faith in our country that we can bounce back, but we've had a century of almost constant decline. Doing well is the situation improving, or at least staying the same.
Man, wait until you hear about Italy.
The home of the pizza, sans pineapple. Probably explains their decline.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
Lindt milk chocolate however is easily the best of the big brands.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
Since 1925, we have gone from being probably the world's second wealthiest and most powerful country, to being the sick man of Europe (again). Don't get me wrong, I have every faith in our country that we can bounce back, but we've had a century of almost constant decline. Doing well is the situation improving, or at least staying the same.
Man, wait until you hear about Italy.
The home of the pizza, sans pineapple. Probably explains their decline.
They've been in decline since the Romans.
It's all been downhill since they abolished slavery, eh?
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
We haven't done well in the last century.
Don't be silly.
Since 1925, we have gone from being probably the world's second wealthiest and most powerful country, to being the sick man of Europe (again). Don't get me wrong, I have every faith in our country that we can bounce back, but we've had a century of almost constant decline. Doing well is the situation improving, or at least staying the same.
Man, wait until you hear about Italy.
The home of the pizza, sans pineapple. Probably explains their decline.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
85 is a bit too much. In the 70s is (for me) plenty strong enough for very good chocolate.
Yes I agree. But supplies were limited in my Almaty supermarket and I fancied posh chocolate with my Saperavi wine - my minibar only has TwiX. The chocolate not the social medium
I should’ve done for the Ritter. My regular
I've tried a fair bit of chocolate one way or another, and the best one I think I've tried (as unadulterated chocolate) is this one:
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Yes that’s a sharp analysis
We'd be quite fucked. Our prosperity depends on free and open global trade.
The reason we've done well the last century is that at first we policed it and then the Americans took over.
If no-one does then, well, we're in trouble.
Increasingly, free and open global trade is benefitting a small number of multinationals and their executives and not the majority of the population of the countries involved. Free and openglobal trade in the way it is now practiced means exporting jobs to countries with lower labour and material costs and buyng back unwanted and unneeded tat.
There was a time when free and global trade benefitted most people. Not any more.
What I mean by free and open trade is that you can buy and sell goods and services freely worldwide.
That's what we need.
A world where lots of borders shut down and deny access to British ships, professionals and merchants would be really shit.
We never had free trade was however part of the problem. Companies could for example get tshirts made for pennies in countries....however try and buy those tshirts from within the manufacturing country that sold them for a a few extra pennies on top and the companies would take you to court because you have to buy them at prices for your geographical area.
Free trade only works if it works both ways, sadly companies wanted to pay asian prices to manufacture but enforce european prices to sell
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
85 is a bit too much. In the 70s is (for me) plenty strong enough for very good chocolate.
Yes I agree. But supplies were limited in my Almaty supermarket and I fancied posh chocolate with my Saperavi wine - my minibar only has TwiX. The chocolate not the social medium
I should’ve done for the Ritter. My regular
I've tried a fair bit of chocolate one way or another, and the best one I think I've tried (as unadulterated chocolate) is this one:
From Congo. It just tastes so rich, creamy and unctuous - all just from the origin of the beans. They give money to the gorillas too.
That’s not as pricey as the bar of Dubai Lindt I saw in my local Sainsbury’s, a tenner !!
We are currently working our way through a biz of quality street. A gift at Xmas. Can’t say I’m a fan but I will match her magnificence chocolate for chocolate
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
I love chocolate and nuts but I don't mix them. I'm either having chocolate or I'm having nuts.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
85 is a bit too much. In the 70s is (for me) plenty strong enough for very good chocolate.
Yes I agree. But supplies were limited in my Almaty supermarket and I fancied posh chocolate with my Saperavi wine - my minibar only has TwiX. The chocolate not the social medium
I should’ve done for the Ritter. My regular
I've tried a fair bit of chocolate one way or another, and the best one I think I've tried (as unadulterated chocolate) is this one:
This is the bit that gets me: “.. DOGE demanded root access. Not auditor access. Not admin.
They were given “tenant owner” privileges in Azure — full control over the NLRB’s cloud, above the CIO himself. This is never supposed to happen…
.. They disabled the logs. Berulis says DOGE demanded account creation with no recordkeeping.
They even ordered security controls bypassed and disabled tools like network watcher so their actions wouldn’t be logged..”
It gets worse; read the whole thread.
If that's true, that is absolutely extraordinary.
The spped of the collapse of the US government into anarchic kleptocracy is remarkable.
It must have been well planned.
What's striking is that the Russian influence is happening in plain view.
Peter Zeihan, in his youtube videos, openly calls Tulsi Gabbard (Director of National Intelligence) a Russian asset. And, even more remarkably, so do the Russians.
Witkoff seems to fit better into the Useful Idiot category, but the effect is much the same.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
85 is a bit too much. In the 70s is (for me) plenty strong enough for very good chocolate.
Yes I agree. But supplies were limited in my Almaty supermarket and I fancied posh chocolate with my Saperavi wine - my minibar only has TwiX. The chocolate not the social medium
I should’ve done for the Ritter. My regular
I've tried a fair bit of chocolate one way or another, and the best one I think I've tried (as unadulterated chocolate) is this one:
From Congo. It just tastes so rich, creamy and unctuous - all just from the origin of the beans. They give money to the gorillas too.
That’s not as pricey as the bar of Dubai Lindt I saw in my local Sainsbury’s, a tenner !!
We are currently working our way through a biz of quality street. A gift at Xmas. Can’t say I’m a fan but I will match her magnificence chocolate for chocolate
I was one of those odd kids who liked the toffee penny.
Melanie Field, who oversaw its drafting and passage through Westminster in 2010, said the legislation was meant to give transgender people with gender recognition certificates (GRCs) the same legal status as biological men or women.
This has the potential to blow up spectacularly and could be very dangerous for Starmer. Keep a close eye on Creasy.
Does it ?
She may say that was the intent of the law but that’s not how the Supreme Court has seen it so perhaps she should have done a better job if that was the intent.
Creasy is a nobody.
Melanie Field is saying that she forgot to write the intent of the law into the actual, written law.
What other laws did she oversea drafting of?
The cynic in me is thinking they deliberately didn’t spell it out in black and white to avoid a meltdown by the MPs.
The Supreme Court reasoning on what the Equality Act means is interesting. Their argument in paragraphs 177-188 is basically. The section on pregnancy as a protected characteristic says "less favourable treatment of a woman because they are pregnant". The SC points out that it would be odd if Parliament's intention was to include trans women but exclude trans men so that when the EA says women it has to be cis women + trans men. Therefore whenever the EA says women it's cis women + trans men.
That leads to what hospitals have to do in the rare cases when they have a pregnant trans man. They cannot treat them in a female-only ward because of their 'masculine appearance' but maternity hospitals doesn't have male-only wards. I guess that'll be a way for women to get a private room for free, claim to be a trans man and you'll get a room on your own.
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
Same here. Dark Toblerone is leaving before I had a chance to say hello. Feel sad.
You’re not missing much. It’s probably worse than the milk version (which is actually ok if all you want is a hit of mild chocolate sweetness - but the nougat gets in your teeth)
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
I love chocolate and nuts but I don't mix them. I'm either having chocolate or I'm having nuts.
"The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner."
When the USA gets attacked again - and they will (*) - there will not be a coalition of the willing to help them. And this time, more people will just shrug their shoulders and say; "You see, that's what it feels like!"
(*) They will get attacked, because MAGA still see the USA as the most important world power. As Russia sees itself. And as China sees itself. That will lead to conflicts between them, probably proxy, but maybe worse. Also, to be the most important power, you need to throw your weight around - witness all Trump's Gaza nonsense. And that creates enemies who will want to fight you asymmetrically - as happened on 9/11 and before.
Russia does not see itself as “the most important world power”. They’re not delusional to that extent
They know America and China are much stronger and likely always will be
But they want to be seen as top of the next tier. A truly great power albeit not a superpower. It’s the potential demotion to the third tier - “economy the size of Spain” and all that - that really exercises them
What Putin wants is the resurrection of the old "spheres of influence" polity. Xi would probably be happy with that, as would the America First zealots.
The "End of History" as posited by Fukuyama would be well and truly up-ended. As would Western liberal democracy.
Given Russia and China don't have western liberal democracy anyway and unless Trump tries and cancels the next US elections not really. Provided spheres of influence doesn't expand to a new era of conquest and empires
The cynic in me expects this will just see a spike in demand !
I'd not known there was a dark chocolate Toblerone and my reaction to reading about its demise was to wonder what it's like. (Not interested in ordinary Toblerone.)
It’s alright, I’ve had it when people brought it in at work from holiday. White, dark and plain.
Wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it but when it’s free I’ll give it a go.
White Toblerone is genuinely disgusting.
Dark Toblerone is fine.
The demise of WH Smith probably spells the end for Toblerone generally.
Comments
There was a time when free and global trade benefitted most people. Not any more.
Before contacting me, he’d tried to contact the local Conservatives, his being a member, but they had proved surprisingly unwilling to help.
To cut the long story short, it eventually transpired that, while he was out shopping, he’d been canvassed for the election by the local Tory candidate. She, knowing the guy was very elderly, got worried when there was no answer at the door, phoned one of the Tory cabinet members at the town hall. Who had phoned the police - probably exaggerating the circumstances somewhat - such that they’d gone round and immediately stoved in his front door. Finding the house empty, they’d patched it up with the corregated iron and left the scene.
Meanwhile, one of my LibDem colleagues had overheard the Tories in the town hall laughing and joking about some resident who’d had his front door demolished following a visit by the Tory candidate, and meantime he had told me the story - such that when the guy phoned me out of the blue, I already had some info and it didn’t take me long to join the dots.
Shamefully, the Tories had left this guy - in his 90s - to sort out the mess himself, and once he got me involved I was able to shame the council into replacing his front door at the taxpayers expense, the alternative being my passing a very juicy story on to the local media.
Needless to say that was one Tory member who didn’t vote Conservative a few weeks later.
That's what we need.
A world where lots of borders shut down and deny access to British ships, professionals and merchants would be really shit.
The battle co-ordinator, for Scott's Napoleon, was apparently convinced that Napoleon's reputation as a commander was basically just down to good PR, which is ... revisionist, to say the least.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy4v0jy925vo
It is the British Empire model.
Probably one of the tiny number of subjects about which our Leon has some relevant expertise to offer…
#philosophical
Brace.
He's saying DOGE came in, data went out, and Russians started attempting logins with new valid DOGE passwords
Media's coverage wasn't detailed enough so I dug into his testimony:..
https://x.com/mattjay/status/1913023007263543565
This is the bit that gets me:
“.. DOGE demanded root access.
Not auditor access. Not admin.
They were given “tenant owner” privileges in Azure — full control over the NLRB’s cloud, above the CIO himself.
This is never supposed to happen…
.. They disabled the logs.
Berulis says DOGE demanded account creation with no recordkeeping.
They even ordered security controls bypassed and disabled tools like network watcher so their actions wouldn’t be logged..”
It gets worse; read the whole thread.
Looks like breaks in trend in late 1600s, 1800 or so and 1925.
Is a drug addict self-abusing or not? I would argue yes.
So the question is are you addicted and, if so, are you truly 'giving consent'?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EtShGsrN5qw
However you can’t get it from dogs - even if you rape them - so you’re probably OK
While preparing this disclosure, Berulis found a drone surveillance photo of himself taped to his front door with a threatening note.
Wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it but when it’s free I’ll give it a go.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/masochists-win-right-to-appeal-over-convictions-1568640.html
The charge of the Scots Greys was carefully staged to match the famous painting, for example.
Plummer as Wellington and Steiger as Napoleon
Eggs are so expensive that some Americans are decorating potatoes this Easter
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/easter-eggs-u-s-1.7510497
Or whether you belong to the fascinating traditions of Hume and friends who think this is all nonsense. As nearly always I am with Aristotle.
"By God, sir, so you have!"
Careless family by all accounts:
“Uxbridge's close family lost several limbs during the Napoleonic Wars..”
The underlying data is from the Bank of England, from this project
https://www.nuffield.ox.ac.uk/our-research/selected-projects/macroeconomic-data/
The underlying data is from the Bank of England, from this project
https://www.nuffield.ox.ac.uk/our-research/selected-projects/macroeconomic-data/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/18/ruling-on-woman-definition-at-odds-with-uk-equality-acts-aim-says-ex-civil-servant
Melanie Field, who oversaw its drafting and passage through Westminster in 2010, said the legislation was meant to give transgender people with gender recognition certificates (GRCs) the same legal status as biological men or women.
This has the potential to blow up spectacularly and could be very dangerous for Starmer. Keep a close eye on Creasy.
Duke of Wellington: But he is very good when he is dancing with the French.
As a teenager I was rather fascinated by a book at the local library about Waterloo which had the painting included and many others. Wish I could recall its name. I took it out on loan several times.
I think I may be a nerd.
I’m eating 85% cacao Lindt right now. Pretends to be posh chocolate but it’s too bitter and lacks the crucial sensuality
The best mass produced chocolate you can get most places is Ritter dark milk with hazelnuts
She may say that was the intent of the law but that’s not how the Supreme Court has seen it so perhaps she should have done a better job if that was the intent.
Creasy is a nobody.
When an act intends something very specific and detailed and which is not 100% obvious (the officious bystander test!) it usually says so.
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/15/nx-s1-5355896/doge-nlrb-elon-musk-spacex-security
It appears to be credible. There was to be an investigation, but it was halted on instructions from above.
What other laws did she oversea drafting of?
It must have been well planned.
I should’ve done for the Ritter. My regular
Probably a very well paid one.
https://cocoarunners.com/shop/original-beans-cru-virunga/
From Congo. It just tastes so rich, creamy and unctuous - all just from the origin of the beans. They give money to the gorillas too.
There you go…
Dark Toblerone is fine.
Free trade only works if it works both ways, sadly companies wanted to pay asian prices to manufacture but enforce european prices to sell
We are currently working our way through a biz of quality street. A gift at Xmas. Can’t say I’m a fan but I will match her magnificence chocolate for chocolate
It’s something they drink in the Congo
Peter Zeihan, in his youtube videos, openly calls Tulsi Gabbard (Director of National Intelligence) a Russian asset. And, even more remarkably, so do the Russians.
Witkoff seems to fit better into the Useful Idiot category, but the effect is much the same.
Quite extraordinary.
That leads to what hospitals have to do in the rare cases when they have a pregnant trans man. They cannot treat them in a female-only ward because of their 'masculine appearance' but maternity hospitals doesn't have male-only wards. I guess that'll be a way for women to get a private room for free, claim to be a trans man and you'll get a room on your own.
God tier for me