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I agree with Marjorie Taylor Greene – politicalbetting.com
I agree with Marjorie Taylor Greene – politicalbetting.com
In a Monday interview, MAGA influencer Steve Bannon asked Greene what advice she would give to President Donald Trump as Congress tries to pass legislation based on his agenda.
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(I mean, first.)
Here come get on this totally secure messaging app so the feds can't spy on you....
Operation Trojan Shield (stylized TRØJAN SHIELD), part of Operation Ironside, was a collaboration by law enforcement agencies from several countries, running between 2018 and 2021. It was a sting operation that intercepted millions of messages sent through the supposedly secure smartphone-based proprietary messaging app ANOM (also stylized as AN0M or ΛNØM).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Trojan_Shield
Decline of cash credited for drop in NHS surgery for children swallowing objects
Figures reveal 29% fall in operations in England to remove foreign bodies from children’s airways, noses and throats
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/28/decline-of-cash-credited-for-drop-in-nhs-surgery-for-children-swallowing-objects
With Labour apparently following the Cameron playbook, have they won over any former moderate voters who would now pick Labour over Reform?
This may be useful in tight contests. The New Statesmen opines this be the case.
Serious question: Do we have an age group + sex breakdown of how votes were cast on Thursday yet?
Just had a look at the route @BlancheLivermore is taking. Seems to be the Voie de la Nive to Saint-Jean. Then Chemin du Piémont Pyrénéen to Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges where it splits to the Via Garona where he is now. So far 200 miles and 25K ft of elevation.
He'll be glad to get back to his day job and taking it a bit easier. More pics please @Blanche
Don’t worry. It is utterly certain that the backdoor/archive that the U.K. government demands, for us, won’t be a dodgy pile of shite patched together by an incompetent contractor from another country.
It will be a shining beacon of Best Practise.
Like the Post Office Horizon system.
Britain’s tariff burden worse than EU
British products are subject to higher total US import taxes than those from Continent
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/05/05/britains-tariff-burden-worse-than-eu-despite-trump-brussels/
I know that we are enmeshed on defence and intelligence. And all it takes is one EO for Trump to end that. We can try to head that off by playing nice but as we have seen Trump is inconsistent because he's totally mad.
We need to be part of the international community organising against Trump's America, not fawning away as if they are still our ally. They are not.
Be more Carney.
...
The deal is the latest example of a UK-listed company being taken over by a US rival.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yr1nz7jwko
Does them good, and develops their trachea.
Given the timeframes involving in production of movies and TV shows this is going to take years to recover if it at all.
Trump is an economic terrorist.
Hannah Fry did an episode of The Secret Genius of Modern Life where Will Shu discussed the mathematics behind their success. Worthwhile watching on the March of the Mathematicians in business.
https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/comment-and-opinion/the-secret-genius-of-modern-life-hannah-fry-guides-viewers-through-mysteries-of-ordering-apps/674168.article
He clearly also realises that the midterms will be a bloodbath for Republicans & doesn't want to take the chance of being branded a loser.
I’m so old I can remember Starmer pulling out his state visit envelope like a third rate conjuror was described as a master stroke.
There should be a word that combines MEH with CRINGE
MINGE?
I would not vote for Starmer under any circumstances
But that was a comment quoted as coming out of the Trump regime, so it means precisely nothing.
And when a new arrangement is made with the EU, including some form of alignment on standards, Trump may throw another tantrum.
https://x.com/russianembassy/status/1919278386301575423?s=61&t=LYVEHh2mqFy1oUJAdCfe-Q
I suppose it’s better than the original VE parade where the free Poles were banned from participating because it would upset Stalin.
So you can understand his pique.
I also added a couple of sound effects, so if you listen to the podcast I'd really appreciate knowing if it feels like they're too loud/annoying or the volume's too low.
Podbean: https://undercutters.podbean.com/e/f1-2025-miami-grand-prix-review/
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f1-2025-miami-grand-prix-review/id1786574257?i=1000706487856
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5A2VFFZzTHjXLjfkkaEs2p
Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/bcfe213b-55fb-408a-a823-dc6693ee9f78/episodes/c5e242a8-ccd6-43e2-9916-67bb4819e677/undercutters---f1-podcast-f1-2025-miami-grand-prix-review
Transcript: https://morrisf1.blogspot.com/2025/05/f1-2025-miami-grand-prix-review.html
They made their decision and should stay with it and try to move on
Both UK and Europe are playing a twin-track game, and I'd say Starmer and also Macron have been doing a very good (not quite excellent) strategic job, including working alongside Zelensky. The perspective is subtly different from USA-Canada. For Europe Trump is a strategic threat, but EU + the rest are big enough to face him down in time and be the core of a new world trading system where international law still rules and the USA is marginalised - unlike Trump's desired free for all. UK is pivoting back to a closer position with the EU, more like Norway. OTOH we have a far more intimate relationship with the US than most of Europe, via Five Eyes and so on; in that respect the UK is more like Canada.
Starmer has a couple of very experienced hands in Peter Mandelson and Jonathon Powell in key positions. He's been weaker domestically.
The need is to keep the USA onside (ie avoid Trump tantrums) whilst moving Europe to a position where it can deal with Ukraine / Russia without needing the USA very much, and halting Trump's aim of creating a 3 polar USA / Russia / China world with Europe as meat to be carved up, whilst not having Trump pull out NATO and Europe in a short time. That means strategic autonomy - which imo France is now shown as having been better prepared for than the UK.
Meanwhile we need time for Europe to wake up and get organised (think Germany, Italy, Spain). We are making progress there, but it is a process of several years, and the more we keep the USA on side on the ground, the closer Trump is to the end of his term (or his life) and the further we can get.
Notable achievements recently are that Trump has signed a deal with Ukraine which is roughly what Ukraine wanted, rather than Trump's proposed surrender to Putin, and mutual carve up / looting of Ukraine to the USA's benefit. He has signed the principles and is now engaged for 6-12 months to negotiate the final version, in which time he will be less likely to surrender to Putin or just walk away on eg intelligence support.
Also Europe is now in a position to meet Ukraine's artillery needs with non-USA allies including Canada, which will further reduce USA leverage, and help defang Trump / Vance. Europe itself is already 2/3 of the way to delivering the 2 million 155mm shells promised for this year, and it is only 4 months in.
There's a long way to go, but they are still walking the tightrope. There's also the question as to whether the USA relationships can be salvaged post-Trump; keeping 2/3 or 3/4 of it if the USA stays a democracy would be better than a total loss.
Of course, we still have tactical arguments with the French - c'est la vie since 1066.
It was under this Times Radio Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tc8T1jnIEE&lc=UgzNKEHKuAHkgnutQt54AaABAg
Suppose the next election resolved into a Farage-Starmer showdown.
Or, more fancifully, BNP-Starmer? There's always a point where a voter has to find a clothes peg for their nose.
And yes, if Romford is a Ref-Con fight next time, the appalling Andrew Rosindell has my vote. Even though Buster the bull terrier was always the brains of the operation, and he's dead now.
Leavitt: The trade deals are continuing to move along in a positive and productive direction.. You had a new announcement yesterday, tariffs on the film industry. We are going to make Hollywood great again and it's one of the many great proposals the president has had to make our country boom again and to bring jobs back here
https://x.com/Acyn/status/1919566244203884742
I can vote Conservative, Plaid, or Lib Dem but never Labour especially having lived under Labour in Wales for years
A reminder that motorsport, especially motorbikes, will never be 100% safe. I hope the other injured riders recover quickly.
https://x.com/everythingmrace/status/1919481378007113757
And then another comes along and trumps them...
ETA and if Leon is right then Leon-sceptics are wrong, and their calls to oppose Trump risk boosting the nationalists – the polar opposite of their intention.
Outline your strategy for the PM.
Does it include pre-emptive denunciations of Trump and the USA?
Curious to know if Musk will also draw in his horns in supporting Republicans in the mid-terms.
As I have lamented a few times recently positive reasons to vote for anyone are thin to non existent. It is a matter of voting against the worst rather than for anything good.
I know this coz I have just heard praise of my opinions from a Nobel prize winner
True story
“Can you hear that familiar sound? The engines of the liberal establishment are revving up to explain why Reform’s success is definitely not down to the one thing we know it definitely is; immigration”
“Labour has morphed into a hyper-liberal party”
https://x.com/jonathan_hinder/status/1919310898247643422?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
Now that Reform control a number of Local Highways Authorities, this will be a convenient "not us" political target. They will need some when they find their more windy aspirations are not in their grasp.
We have seen this before. Ben Houchen did some of that in Middlesborough wrt Linthorpe Road. That was a game of political football, but what had been installed was a pile of not to standard (eg they used Orca separators, which are a trip hazard) crap anyway.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn4y45yp8pwo
Darker speculation was that it was deliberate move to create a reason to take it out. I'm not sure on that.
And there are a few other examples of political removal, sometimes over the objections of locals - Kensington High Street being one, where afaik the "extra" lane created is now once again blocked by parked cars that are not enforced upon.
There's also one in Bristol where removal was followed by a couple of deaths in the next months. And a case I would have to look up where poor drivers complained that they kept driving into the separators, so it should be removed.
I would expect the same in Norwich if it goes RefUK next year, where I think the County (who are generally not good) now control the city's streets.
Back then in 1989 Hollywood WAS utterly dominant
and could boss the global film biz. Now the Chinese market is actually bigger and is, for the first time, generating Chinese movies that gross more than American movies
“Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 made global history as the world’s highest-grossing film in a single market on Friday. It beat Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, which made $936.7 million in North America. As of 10 pm on Friday, Ne Zha 2 had made box office revenue of 6.82 billion yuan ($940.7 million), according to ticketing platform Maoyan”
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202502/1328035.shtml
And this isn’t a one-off, there are lots of these huge Chinese movies now
So if the USA imposes massive movie tariffs China can hit back with similar tariffs, knowing that it now makes its own movies which are more popular than Hollywood. And that cuts Hollywood out of the biggest market on earth - China - a devastating blow to the US entertainment industry
Lol.
It's going to be hilarious watching Reform trying to run various things, what are they going to do once they run out of non-existent diversity officers to fire?
I think he will try to give as much support as he can to try & reduce the Democrats' expected House majority & prevent them from gaining the Senate.
Even when the GOP were losing those seats he was easily winning the governorship . It’s good news for Osoff especially if the loathsome Greene wins the GOP primary.
Here in Wales I want Welsh Labour out of Office and will not vote Labour
On that theme, I read that that horrible old blood and soil fascist Daniella Weiss recently interviewed by Louis Theroux has been put forward for the Nobel Peace Prize, a depressing indication of where Israel is now.
Visa applications from nationalities thought most likely to overstay and claim asylum in the UK could be restricted under a new government crackdown.
Under Home Office plans, first reported in the Times, external, people from countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka may find it more difficult to come to the UK to work and study.
Ministers believe there is a particular problem with those who come to the UK legally on work or study visas and then lodge a claim for asylum - which if granted, would allow them to stay in the country permanently.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0wd75ne82o
COULD be the operative word here.
Anyway I'm off. It's far too Reformy to post on here today.
That's not to say Reform will be any better though
He believes you can bully and bluff your way to a good deal. That’s his “art of the deal”
But China is now far too big to be bullied and too smart to be bluffed. Meanwhile I imagine every producer in Hollywood is staring at balance sheets in despair
Which requires Trump to tell ever bigger lies. Like not that long ago, the US made 100% of all movies. There miggt just come a point at which his credibility is completely shot with the Trump-voting base. And then what? The 25th Amendment is no use, as his replacement is Continuity MAGA.
*I don't see cancellation of the mid-terms as an option. It would be a collision course with the Supreme Court and possibly 2/3rds of Congress. And the bond market...
We need to minimise collateral damage if (when imo - others may differ) RefUK turns out to be a Klutz Collective. It won't be hilarious for those on the receiving end.
But there is a small but growing chance of a progression in which there is a 'Reichstag fire' moment or series of events, followed by invoking emergency laws and emergency powers including cancellation. Trump is of course already doing this by pretending to be in an emergency/war situation to justify EOs bypassing congress. Trump has form for extreme positions. It's all gone on for so long that we forget how extreme all this is - like 6th January is becoming normalised for many people.
American TV, though, I think is still quite good - I wonder if that will be tarriffed too? Hard to say where to draw the line between one and another.
Caveat: I know very little about this subject so am happy to be contradicted.
https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/live-analyse-friedrich-merz-stellt-sich-im-bundestag-der-wahl-zum-kanzler-a-31b0d49d-b84c-4f58-a0ee-590e325c4be6
“China is a vital market for the U.S. film industry. Here's how the trade war could have major impacts.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-us-film-industry-trump-trade-tension-impacts/
My local cash-only(!) Chinese takeaway uses local delivery drivers, some of whom are private-hire drivers when the shop is closed.
Spicy Baked Cod with Chorizo, Sambal Oelek & Fragrant Seeds
Serves: 1 Time: 35–40 minutes
Mood: Smoky, spicy, aromatic — with a bright, zesty finish
Ingredients
Main dish:
• 1 cod fillet (150–180g), or hake/haddock
• 50g cooking chorizo, sliced into half-moons
• 1 small shallot or ½ onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 Bird’s Eye chili, finely chopped
• ½ tsp hot smoked paprika
• ½ tsp sambal oelek
• 100g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 100g tinned butter beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• ¼ tsp black mustard seeds
• 2–3 tbsp white wine or sherry
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• Wedge of lemon, to serve
• Fresh parsley or coriander, chopped (optional)
• Drizzle of chili oil or olive oil, to finish (optional)
• Optional final touch: ½–1 tsp Togarashi-su (Japanese chili vinegar)
To serve:
• Warm crusty bread
• Small green salad with simple vinaigrette
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 200°C (fan 180°C) / 400°F.
2. In a small ovenproof frying pan or baking dish, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the mustard seeds and fennel seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
3. Add the chorizo and cook for 2–3 minutes until it releases its rich oil.
4. Add shallot, garlic, and Bird’s Eye chili. Cook gently for 2–3 minutes.
5. Stir in the cherry tomatoes, butter beans, paprika, sambal oelek, and wine. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes until it thickens slightly.
6. Nestle the cod fillet on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Spoon sauce around the fish.
7. Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily.
8. Meanwhile, warm the bread and toss your salad.
9. When the fish is done, squeeze over lemon juice, scatter with herbs, and drizzle with chili oil if using.
10. Optional final flourish:
Stir in or drizzle ½–1 tsp chili vinegar (Togarashi-su) just before serving, to lift the flavours with a clean, tangy heat.
First of all, you can’t put customs duty on intangibles. The whole system is based on goods being taxed as they clear customs. So the “tariff” has to operate by some other means. Essentially, a withholding tax.
To levy WHT on films would require changes to domestic tax law. It would also infringe just about every tax treaty the US has. That kind of change has to go through the house and senate, it can’t generally be done by executive order. Which means being part of the tax reform package this Autumn. Seems unlikely to me.
There are other levers they are planning to pull (also going through the tax reform process currently) that retaliate against other OECD tax regimes, and those are nasty and affect intangible transactions, but they are very different from a film tax.
The frothing about "omg Reform are now in charge of councils" elides the fact that, in several cases, these councils were previously run by the most little-Englander Conservatives that you could imagine. I don't expect much to change in Worcestershire.