I specifically asked if we could TALK ABOUT BOTTOMS and yet what do get? Not a peep - especially from the Centrist Dads
For me, this speaks volumes. This forum would rather talk about anything, literally anything - NATO, Tory politics, political betting, Brexit, Greenland, Gaza
But bottoms? Nada
Fine. Do fat bottomed girls make the rockin’ world go ‘round?
Now you’re just lowering the tone
I meant a serious discussion
Ok. If PB is unprepared to address this in an adult way. Let’s ask an even bigger question: how much would you pay to avoid giving oral sex to Lord Heseltine?
At his rather advanced years surely it’s moot point as he would be unlikely to get aroused ?
That’s why, for me, the price would be pretty high. You’d have to really work at it
I went to an all-boys' school. One of the subjects we discussed during lunch break was "would you let a grown man roger you for a million pounds?". Purely on a hypothetical basis, of course
Was this a lunchtime debate club? If so, I think the teacher in charge will be in the newspapers soon or already.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Commercially devastating to whom? All the contracts were signed years ago. Hotels and airlines maybe.
The Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc. You know what happened when half the world's top athletes stayed at home? America won everything. They loved it.
It will be the same this time. No European sides means more wins for Team USA.
I understand why Starmer gave that speech . But it’s still painful . The Trump administration will actively work to ensure Farage wins the next GE . And Starmer has to stand there continuing this pathetic charade.
The Trump admin will be gone by May 2029.
Senior Republicans - even the most sycophantic ones, because it's never comfortable being close to a maniac - must be desperately hoping he can be got rid of, and trying to calculate how to get from here to there while minimising the damage to themselves.
The dilemma of tyrants' cronies through the centuries.
* They drive on the wrong side of the road * They don't play football with a round ball * They don't play cricket * They're a republic * They mispronounce basic words like "water" * They can't spell basic words like "colour"
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Nice idea, Leon, but you overlook the awkward fact that the head of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, is a Trump sycophant, so it ain't gonna happen.
The tournament will not only go ahead as planned but you are likely to see it blatantly rigged to the benefit of the USA and Trumps other favoured nations. A bet on Venezuela would be a smart move.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Exactly. They should, but won’t, do it. It would fuck off all the right people.
Of course, as someone sagely observed, people are far more likely to care about the Soccer World Cup than Greenland.
If we did it would also have the bonus of depriving Scotland from going and would also remove the chance of the other two home nations going 👍
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Commercially devastating to whom? All the contracts were signed years ago. Hotels and airlines maybe.
The Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc. You know what happened when half the world's top athletes stayed at home? America won everything. They loved it.
It will be the same this time. No European sides means more wins for Team USA.
Unlike the Olympics, you can’t just play the WC with half the teams.
There would be dozens of matches cancelled, tickets refunded, contracts broken…
I am at a waste to energy incinerator discussing the disposable of bottom ash if that helps.
Don't use the "I" word. "Energy recovery facility" is the preferred terminology for plants that, er, incinerate waste.
Is the site you are visiting considering retrofitting CCS, by any chance?
Carbon capture is above my pay grade. I am merely advising on optimal disposal of bottom ash and the potential for salvaging ferrous and non ferrous residues.
Doesn't the bottom ash go into road building as a base? We could fill a lot of potholes with it.
Some does. It depends what is being burned. If highly calorific "clean burn" material like solvents as a cement kiln fuel for example, and that ash can be sold to be added to the cement product. Most domestic bottom ash goes to landfill because it is contaminated by all sorts of old rubbish residue, otherwise further expensive sorting is required, although there are facilities that will do that.
For the EfW I'm most familiar with (burning "black bag" waste) the bottom ash goes into aggregates.
In cement kilns, the combustion ash is already mixed with the limestone and therefore goes into the cement clinker automatically. They can burn practically any old shite in cement kilns. If some of that fuel is biogenic in origin, it cuts down on CO2 emissions, and with CCS, you could in theory get carbon-negative cement.
The cemfuel burns hot and clean. The clean bottom ash is then mixed with thee limestone. We were sending highly calorific solvent materials to be blended as cemfuel. So long as it has a calorific value it goes in the pot.
The municipal waste to energy facilities I deal with tend to landfill bottom ash complete with metal content. Even with higher rate landfill tax it is generally a cheaper option.
This is getting dangerously close to a work meeting, so best we end it there!
WELKER: Not from the perspective of European leaders
BESSENT: European leaders will come around and understand they need to be under the US security umbrella. What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse.
The US have nothing to offer Europe except illusion.
* They drive on the wrong side of the road * They don't play football with a round ball * They don't play cricket * They're a republic * They mispronounce basic words like "water" * They can't spell basic words like "colour"
* They drive on the wrong side of the road * They don't play football with a round ball * They don't play cricket * They're a republic * They mispronounce basic words like "water" * They can't spell basic words like "colour"
How do you pronounce water?
Well, our colonial cousins normally pronounce it like "wodder".
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Exactly. They should, but won’t, do it. It would fuck off all the right people.
Of course, as someone sagely observed, people are far more likely to care about the Soccer World Cup than Greenland.
If we did it would also have the bonus of depriving Scotland from going and would also remove the chance of the other two home nations going 👍
If we boycott the FIFA World Cup in the US then the way to do it is to set up a Nu-FIFA World Cup in Europe and convince the South Americans, at least, to join UEFA in the breakaway.
Legacy FIFA is then a complete shell and collapses.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Commercially devastating to whom? All the contracts were signed years ago. Hotels and airlines maybe.
The Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc. You know what happened when half the world's top athletes stayed at home? America won everything. They loved it.
It will be the same this time. No European sides means more wins for Team USA.
Unlike the Olympics, you can’t just play the WC with half the teams.
There would be dozens of matches cancelled, tickets refunded, contracts broken…
There are 48 teams taking part in this year's World Cup, up from 32 last time. It would be perfectly easy to go back to the smaller sized tournament. And yes, there would be some refunds but so what? Most of the pain would be this side of the Atlantic anyway with European sponsors and tv deals tied to their own national teams.
I am at a waste to energy incinerator discussing the disposable of bottom ash if that helps.
Don't use the "I" word. "Energy recovery facility" is the preferred terminology for plants that, er, incinerate waste.
Is the site you are visiting considering retrofitting CCS, by any chance?
Carbon capture is above my pay grade. I am merely advising on optimal disposal of bottom ash and the potential for salvaging ferrous and non ferrous residues.
"bottom ash" sounds like a euphamism for ass-crack dandruff...
We are on the verge of returning to Leon's original request which I am circling around.
Think of your wood burner and the ash that falls to the bottom but on an industrial scale.
But can’t you just put that on the garden as a fertiliser ?
Years ago, ash from the Byker incinerator was used to make paths on some allotments in Newcastle. The only problem was that toxic heavy metals leached out of the ash into the soil where folk were growing their vegetables.
Hence Ant and Dec
(Un)interesting fact: Byker Grove was not set in Byker.
The Good Life was. It filmed in Surbiton but somewhere in flipping Middlesex !
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Commercially devastating to whom? All the contracts were signed years ago. Hotels and airlines maybe.
The Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc. You know what happened when half the world's top athletes stayed at home? America won everything. They loved it.
It will be the same this time. No European sides means more wins for Team USA.
Unlike the Olympics, you can’t just play the WC with half the teams.
There would be dozens of matches cancelled, tickets refunded, contracts broken…
Legacy FIFA would doubtless offer places in the competition to African and Asian teams to make up the numbers and have the matches played, but it would be a farce.
@cooperlund.online · now The fact that he can’t seize this moment to become president through back room intrigue really speaks to all the different ways that JD Vance is the biggest piece of shit in the country. Dick Cheney gets this one done before the day’s over.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
What would hurt FIFA more financially, is sponsors pulling out
But as most of them are American, its not going to happen
A Europe wide boycott of Coke is about the best you could do.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Exactly. They should, but won’t, do it. It would fuck off all the right people.
Of course, as someone sagely observed, people are far more likely to care about the Soccer World Cup than Greenland.
If we did it would also have the bonus of depriving Scotland from going and would also remove the chance of the other two home nations going 👍
If we boycott the FIFA World Cup in the US then the way to do it is to set up a Nu-FIFA World Cup in Europe and convince the South Americans, at least, to join UEFA in the breakaway.
Legacy FIFA is then a complete shell and collapses.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Commercially devastating to whom? All the contracts were signed years ago. Hotels and airlines maybe.
The Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc. You know what happened when half the world's top athletes stayed at home? America won everything. They loved it.
It will be the same this time. No European sides means more wins for Team USA.
Unlike the Olympics, you can’t just play the WC with half the teams.
There would be dozens of matches cancelled, tickets refunded, contracts broken…
Why not? The Yanks play the World Series in baseball and don't let any foreign nations play (apart from a few Canadians)?
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Nice idea, Leon, but you overlook the awkward fact that the head of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, is a Trump sycophant, so it ain't gonna happen.
The tournament will not only go ahead as planned but you are likely to see it blatantly rigged to the benefit of the USA and Trumps other favoured nations. A bet on Venezuela would be a smart move.
My brain malfunctions when trying to process how much a loathe Infantino. It folds in on itself and I make inadvertent guttural noises.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Exactly. They should, but won’t, do it. It would fuck off all the right people.
Of course, as someone sagely observed, people are far more likely to care about the Soccer World Cup than Greenland.
If we did it would also have the bonus of depriving Scotland from going and would also remove the chance of the other two home nations going 👍
If we boycott the FIFA World Cup in the US then the way to do it is to set up a Nu-FIFA World Cup in Europe and convince the South Americans, at least, to join UEFA in the breakaway.
Legacy FIFA is then a complete shell and collapses.
I really like that train of thought.
Oh, anything that collapses FIFA is worth a shot, but I doubt it will work.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
What would hurt FIFA more financially, is sponsors pulling out
But as most of them are American, its not going to happen
A Europe wide boycott of Coke is about the best you could do.
Budweiser would be better as it would have the side benefit of weaning youngsters off it and on to proper beer.
I have a genuine problem with listening to Starmer speak: his whiny voice means I forget what he says a few moments after he says it, so I am in no position to say whether it was good or bad. So I'll leave that up to you.
My prejudices regarding his character lead me to think it'll be bad: perhaps somebody can persuade me otherwise but looking at the comments so far I doubt it.
For Starmer, it was good.
If you listen to the BBC and LBC it really is disgusting appeasement.
I watched it live. It didn't come across like that. He said what Trump was doing was "completely wrong" and that he was consulting with our European allies.
@shashj "A larger number of Danish combat soldiers are expected to arrive in Kangerlussuaq in Greenland north of Nuuk on Monday evening ... Army Chief Peter Boysen will arrive with the group"
I have a genuine problem with listening to Starmer speak: his whiny voice means I forget what he says a few moments after he says it, so I am in no position to say whether it was good or bad. So I'll leave that up to you.
My prejudices regarding his character lead me to think it'll be bad: perhaps somebody can persuade me otherwise but looking at the comments so far I doubt it.
For Starmer, it was good.
If you listen to the BBC and LBC it really is disgusting appeasement.
I watched it live. It didn't come across like that. He said what Trump was doing was "completely wrong" and that he was consulting with our European allies.
@cooperlund.online · now The fact that he can’t seize this moment to become president through back room intrigue really speaks to all the different ways that JD Vance is the biggest piece of shit in the country. Dick Cheney gets this one done before the day’s over.
I’m not convinced I feel any better about Vance in charge. Plausibly worse, in fact.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Commercially devastating to whom? All the contracts were signed years ago. Hotels and airlines maybe.
The Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc. You know what happened when half the world's top athletes stayed at home? America won everything. They loved it.
It will be the same this time. No European sides means more wins for Team USA.
#China's first response to President #Trump's ridiculous demand for the US to acquire Greenland: "We urge the United States to stop using the so-called ‘China threat’ as a pretext to pursue #selfish interests."
@cooperlund.online · now The fact that he can’t seize this moment to become president through back room intrigue really speaks to all the different ways that JD Vance is the biggest piece of shit in the country. Dick Cheney gets this one done before the day’s over.
I’m not convinced I feel any better about Vance in charge. Plausibly worse, in fact.
Indeed, but the point is that Vance doesn't have the stones
I have a genuine problem with listening to Starmer speak: his whiny voice means I forget what he says a few moments after he says it, so I am in no position to say whether it was good or bad. So I'll leave that up to you.
My prejudices regarding his character lead me to think it'll be bad: perhaps somebody can persuade me otherwise but looking at the comments so far I doubt it.
For Starmer, it was good.
If you listen to the BBC and LBC it really is disgusting appeasement.
I watched it live. It didn't come across like that. He said what Trump was doing was "completely wrong" and that he was consulting with our European allies.
PS I'm not a Starmer fan.
a new name, Sir Neville Starmer
That's rather rude to Neville Chamberlain - he was re-arming the country as fast as possible and had been doing so for multiple years.
If Hitler hadn't started the war earlier than planned - original kickoff was set for late 1942 - Germany would have been in a terrible position.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Commercially devastating to whom? All the contracts were signed years ago. Hotels and airlines maybe.
The Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc. You know what happened when half the world's top athletes stayed at home? America won everything. They loved it.
It will be the same this time. No European sides means more wins for Team USA.
You reckon ICE will leave any of the European sides unhampered by detainments/deportations?
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
What would hurt FIFA more financially, is sponsors pulling out
But as most of them are American, its not going to happen
A Europe wide boycott of Coke is about the best you could do.
Budweiser would be better as it would have the side benefit of weaning youngsters off it and on to proper beer.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Commercially devastating to whom? All the contracts were signed years ago. Hotels and airlines maybe.
The Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc. You know what happened when half the world's top athletes stayed at home? America won everything. They loved it.
It will be the same this time. No European sides means more wins for Team USA.
I put a few quid on USA winning yesterday. Figure I can probs scratch it in most likely scenario of nothing happening, and if a boycott did happen then quids in.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Commercially devastating to whom? All the contracts were signed years ago. Hotels and airlines maybe.
The Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc. You know what happened when half the world's top athletes stayed at home? America won everything. They loved it.
It will be the same this time. No European sides means more wins for Team USA.
Unlike the Olympics, you can’t just play the WC with half the teams.
There would be dozens of matches cancelled, tickets refunded, contracts broken…
Plus the TV ratings would plunge, worldwide, enraging advertisers, and then shareholders
It would cause a total shitshow, mainly painful in America
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Bit unfair on LA, SF and Seattle all of which voted for Harris and the Democrats in 2024.
Most Trump voters in Texas and Florida and the Midwest and rustbelt I suspect see soccer as mainly a game for kids and Hispanics, they couldn't care less about the World Cup for soccer, they are American Football fans, like rugby here for some seen as the more manly of the big ball games. The Superbowl being cancelled would devastate Trump fans, Trump himself attended the last one, the soccer WC, not much
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Commercially devastating to whom? All the contracts were signed years ago. Hotels and airlines maybe.
The Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc. You know what happened when half the world's top athletes stayed at home? America won everything. They loved it.
It will be the same this time. No European sides means more wins for Team USA.
Unlike the Olympics, you can’t just play the WC with half the teams.
There would be dozens of matches cancelled, tickets refunded, contracts broken…
Plus the TV ratings would plunge, worldwide, enraging advertisers, and then shareholders
It would cause a total shitshow, mainly painful in America
Maybe it’s just a ruse in order to make the World Cup like the World Series! Team USA guaranteed winners
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Bit unfair on LA, SF and Seattle all of which voted for Harris and the Democrats in 2024.
Most Trump voters in Texas and Florida and the Midwest and rustbelt I suspect see soccer as mainly a game for kids and Hispanics, they couldn't care less about the World Cup for soccer, they are American Football fans, like rugby here for some seen as the more manly of the big ball games. The Superbowl being cancelled would devastate Trump fans, Trump himself attended the last one, the soccer WC, not much
This is a bit dim, and very out of date
Soccer is genuinely big right across America now. Trump is a New Yorker, he went to the FIFA drawing of the matches
A successful European boycott of the World Cup would really fuck off a lot of American voters, just before the Mid-terms, and they would be likely to blame Trump
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
What would hurt FIFA more financially, is sponsors pulling out
But as most of them are American, its not going to happen
A Europe wide boycott of Coke is about the best you could do.
Budweiser would be better as it would have the side benefit of weaning youngsters off it and on to proper beer.
A successful European boycott of the World Cup would really fuck off a lot of American voters, just before the Mid-terms, and they would be likely to blame Trump
Unfortunately those who would be most pissed off would be Democrats, especially Hispanic voters, most Republicans won't care, they are American football and baseball and golf fans not soccer fans
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Bit unfair on LA, SF and Seattle all of which voted for Harris and the Democrats in 2024.
Most Trump voters in Texas and Florida and the Midwest and rustbelt I suspect see soccer as mainly a game for kids and Hispanics, they couldn't care less about the World Cup for soccer, they are American Football fans, like rugby here for some seen as the more manly of the big ball games. The Superbowl being cancelled would devastate Trump fans, Trump himself attended the last one, the soccer WC, not much
Trump has been threatening to remove the games from Dem cities/states anyway, and they have ICE randomly murdering and abducting people in those cities. From reddit (I know, I know), most US soccer fans would be absolutely delighted if we told FIFA and Trump to fuck off, especially if mentioned ICE as part of the reason for it.
We do have one other option. His golf courses - but he might actually nuke us if we did that. "Clinton Turnberry" and "Obama Balmedie" for the lolz.
Maybe Trump will try to paint Farage as the hero who saved the UK and drop the tariffs .
Thereby giving Farage an electoral boost !
The next GE arrives after the Trump 47 first term is over. Unless his team steal the election hopefully he is done and the Grim Reaper may well have done his work and Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon and JD Vance will be pressing licence plates in a federal penitentiary.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Bit unfair on LA, SF and Seattle all of which voted for Harris and the Democrats in 2024.
Most Trump voters in Texas and Florida and the Midwest and rustbelt I suspect see soccer as mainly a game for kids and Hispanics, they couldn't care less about the World Cup for soccer, they are American Football fans, like rugby here for some seen as the more manly of the big ball games. The Superbowl being cancelled would devastate Trump fans, Trump himself attended the last one, the soccer WC, not much
This is a bit dim, and very out of date
Soccer is genuinely big right across America now. Trump is a New Yorker, he went to the FIFA drawing of the matches
He went for the peace prize tbh. Otherwise fully agree.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
What would hurt FIFA more financially, is sponsors pulling out
But as most of them are American, its not going to happen
A Europe wide boycott of Coke is about the best you could do.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Bit unfair on LA, SF and Seattle all of which voted for Harris and the Democrats in 2024.
Most Trump voters in Texas and Florida and the Midwest and rustbelt I suspect see soccer as mainly a game for kids and Hispanics, they couldn't care less about the World Cup for soccer, they are American Football fans, like rugby here for some seen as the more manly of the big ball games. The Superbowl being cancelled would devastate Trump fans, Trump himself attended the last one, the soccer WC, not much
This is a bit dim, and very out of date
Soccer is genuinely big right across America now. Trump is a New Yorker, he went to the FIFA drawing of the matches
It has grown but is still mainly played by children and Hispanics. American Football crowds are still vastly bigger in the US than those for soccer matches except for Hispanic heavy cities like LA and Miami (hence Beckham and Ronaldo for example go there where the bucks are)
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Boycotting the World Cup might annoy Trump but then either USA wins, which will please him no end (and remember his favourite son is a fan) or a South American team which might please voters in the diaspora communities.
No, it would totally ruin the tournament. 80% of the best teams and players are European
It would be a commercially devastating boycott. No one would fucking care worldwide. No Mbappe, no Bellingham, no Dembele, no Kane, no Yamal, no Saka. No England, France, Spain, Germany
Worst World Cup EVAH. It would genuinely hurt
But the Europeans haven’t got the cullions to do it. I’d love if it if they did, if only to fuck off FIFA as WELL as Trump, two birds, one stone
Exactly. They should, but won’t, do it. It would fuck off all the right people.
Of course, as someone sagely observed, people are far more likely to care about the Soccer World Cup than Greenland.
If we did it would also have the bonus of depriving Scotland from going and would also remove the chance of the other two home nations going 👍
If we boycott the FIFA World Cup in the US then the way to do it is to set up a Nu-FIFA World Cup in Europe and convince the South Americans, at least, to join UEFA in the breakaway.
Legacy FIFA is then a complete shell and collapses.
I really like that train of thought.
The FIFA replacement could award Trump a Piss (off) Prize.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Bit unfair on LA, SF and Seattle all of which voted for Harris and the Democrats in 2024.
Most Trump voters in Texas and Florida and the Midwest and rustbelt I suspect see soccer as mainly a game for kids and Hispanics, they couldn't care less about the World Cup for soccer, they are American Football fans, like rugby here for some seen as the more manly of the big ball games. The Superbowl being cancelled would devastate Trump fans, Trump himself attended the last one, the soccer WC, not much
Trump has been threatening to remove the games from Dem cities/states anyway, and they have ICE randomly murdering and abducting people in those cities. From reddit (I know, I know), most US soccer fans would be absolutely delighted if we told FIFA and Trump to fuck off, especially if mentioned ICE as part of the reason for it.
We do have one other option. His golf courses - but he might actually nuke us if we did that. "Clinton Turnberry" and "Obama Balmedie" for the lolz.
Yes Trump losing his golf courses and resorts would hit him far more
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
What would hurt FIFA more financially, is sponsors pulling out
But as most of them are American, its not going to happen
A Europe wide boycott of Coke is about the best you could do.
Budweiser would be better as it would have the side benefit of weaning youngsters off it and on to proper beer.
No one drinks Budweiser outside the US, surely ?
Only the sort of poser that drinks out of the bottle with the label facing outwards so that the world can see they’re a wanker.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
What would hurt FIFA more financially, is sponsors pulling out
But as most of them are American, its not going to happen
A Europe wide boycott of Coke is about the best you could do.
Budweiser would be better as it would have the side benefit of weaning youngsters off it and on to proper beer.
No one drinks Budweiser outside the US, surely ?
They do. Two easy options would be to bar products with above a certain amount of rice in the grist from calling themselves "beer" and/or settling the trademark dispute in favour of Budweiser Budvar in the EU.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
What would hurt FIFA more financially, is sponsors pulling out
But as most of them are American, its not going to happen
A Europe wide boycott of Coke is about the best you could do.
Budweiser would be better as it would have the side benefit of weaning youngsters off it and on to proper beer.
No one drinks Budweiser outside the US, surely ?
Only the sort of poser that drinks out of the bottle with the label facing outwards so that the world can see they’re a wanker.
If America does attempt to forcibly take Greenland, which is the sovereign territory of an EU member (albeit technically outside the EU) I genuinely do not see HOW the EU could send football teams to the World Cup in the USA
@maxseddon Trump also invited Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko to the "Board of Peace," per this letter. He describes it as "the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled."
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Bit unfair on LA, SF and Seattle all of which voted for Harris and the Democrats in 2024.
Most Trump voters in Texas and Florida and the Midwest and rustbelt I suspect see soccer as mainly a game for kids and Hispanics, they couldn't care less about the World Cup for soccer, they are American Football fans, like rugby here for some seen as the more manly of the big ball games. The Superbowl being cancelled would devastate Trump fans, Trump himself attended the last one, the soccer WC, not much
Trump has been threatening to remove the games from Dem cities/states anyway, and they have ICE randomly murdering and abducting people in those cities. From reddit (I know, I know), most US soccer fans would be absolutely delighted if we told FIFA and Trump to fuck off, especially if mentioned ICE as part of the reason for it.
We do have one other option. His golf courses - but he might actually nuke us if we did that. "Clinton Turnberry" and "Obama Balmedie" for the lolz.
Yes Trump losing his golf courses and resorts would hit him far more
If America does attempt to forcibly take Greenland, which is the sovereign territory of an EU member (albeit technically outside the EU) I genuinely do not see HOW the EU could send football teams to the World Cup in the USA
The UK would be in a pickle in the middle
It won't, 71% of Americans oppose taking Greenland by force and only Republicans even back trying to buy it. Trump can read polls too as can members of Congress who he needs to ensure don't impeach him again
If America does attempt to forcibly take Greenland, which is the sovereign territory of an EU member (albeit technically outside the EU) I genuinely do not see HOW the EU could send football teams to the World Cup in the USA
The UK would be in a pickle in the middle
Fake news they rejoined.
Starmer taking us out of the EU was the greatest dereliction of duty by a UK Prime Minister.
Honestly boycotting the World Cup would be the most effective and probably the least disruptive of all of the options available to Europe. I’m not sure how you can send teams and fans to contribute to a spectacle designed entirely to celebrate a guy trying to invade your territory.
I agree with this
The Americans are really excited about the World Cup. I just did a World Cup road trip to 3 different hosting cities - LA, SF, Seattle. It’s a big deal, commercially, culturally, socially. Trump is cosy with FIFA, he wants a grand spectacle, etc
If all the European teams pulled out that would totally ruin the tournament, lose lots of money for lots of people, and be a real slap in the face for Trump
Bit tough on Mexico and Canada, but if Europe REALLY wants to hurt Trump and demonstrate some soft power, this is it. There is nothing else as potent
Bit unfair on LA, SF and Seattle all of which voted for Harris and the Democrats in 2024.
Most Trump voters in Texas and Florida and the Midwest and rustbelt I suspect see soccer as mainly a game for kids and Hispanics, they couldn't care less about the World Cup for soccer, they are American Football fans, like rugby here for some seen as the more manly of the big ball games. The Superbowl being cancelled would devastate Trump fans, Trump himself attended the last one, the soccer WC, not much
Trump has been threatening to remove the games from Dem cities/states anyway, and they have ICE randomly murdering and abducting people in those cities. From reddit (I know, I know), most US soccer fans would be absolutely delighted if we told FIFA and Trump to fuck off, especially if mentioned ICE as part of the reason for it.
We do have one other option. His golf courses - but he might actually nuke us if we did that. "Clinton Turnberry" and "Obama Balmedie" for the lolz.
Yes Trump losing his golf courses and resorts would hit him far more
We need them for our security?
Energy security? Put wind turbines on them, and that would really wind him up.
If America does attempt to forcibly take Greenland, which is the sovereign territory of an EU member (albeit technically outside the EU) I genuinely do not see HOW the EU could send football teams to the World Cup in the USA
The UK would be in a pickle in the middle
Fake news they rejoined.
Wasn’t that fake news about fake news?
Either way, if America does use force here, I do not see how the EU can possibly send football teams to a tournament held in a militarily hostile nation seizing sovereign European territory. It’s absurd
If America does attempt to forcibly take Greenland, which is the sovereign territory of an EU member (albeit technically outside the EU) I genuinely do not see HOW the EU could send football teams to the World Cup in the USA
The UK would be in a pickle in the middle
Fake news they rejoined.
Starmer taking us out of the EU was the greatest dereliction of duty by a UK Prime Minister.
@maxseddon Trump also invited Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko to the "Board of Peace," per this letter. He describes it as "the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled."
Good grief ! He’s now trolling the rest of the world . Why didn’t he invite Kim Jong Un to complete the parade of scum ?
If America does attempt to forcibly take Greenland, which is the sovereign territory of an EU member (albeit technically outside the EU) I genuinely do not see HOW the EU could send football teams to the World Cup in the USA
The UK would be in a pickle in the middle
Fake news they rejoined.
Wasn’t that fake news about fake news?
Either way, if America does use force here, I do not see how the EU can possibly send football teams to a tournament held in a militarily hostile nation seizing sovereign European territory. It’s absurd
Everyone turned up in Russia eight years ago, well after large parts of Ukraine had already been seized by force.
If America does attempt to forcibly take Greenland, which is the sovereign territory of an EU member (albeit technically outside the EU) I genuinely do not see HOW the EU could send football teams to the World Cup in the USA
The UK would be in a pickle in the middle
Fake news they rejoined.
Wasn’t that fake news about fake news?
Either way, if America does use force here, I do not see how the EU can possibly send football teams to a tournament held in a militarily hostile nation seizing sovereign European territory. It’s absurd
Everyone sent teams to Russia in 2018.
Now you can say that was different, in that very few people were taking the Russian seizure of parts of Ukraine that seriously, and Greenland - kinda part of Denmark - is a bit closer to home than Crimea, but I wouldn't be confident.
If America does attempt to forcibly take Greenland, which is the sovereign territory of an EU member (albeit technically outside the EU) I genuinely do not see HOW the EU could send football teams to the World Cup in the USA
The UK would be in a pickle in the middle
Fake news they rejoined.
Wasn’t that fake news about fake news?
Either way, if America does use force here, I do not see how the EU can possibly send football teams to a tournament held in a militarily hostile nation seizing sovereign European territory. It’s absurd
Everyone sent teams to Russia in 2018.
Now you can say that was different, in that very few people were taking the Russian seizure of parts of Ukraine that seriously, and Greenland - kinda part of Denmark - is a bit closer to home than Crimea, but I wouldn't be confident.
This feels VERY different, albeit I take your legalistic point
If America does attempt to forcibly take Greenland, which is the sovereign territory of an EU member (albeit technically outside the EU) I genuinely do not see HOW the EU could send football teams to the World Cup in the USA
The UK would be in a pickle in the middle
Fake news they rejoined.
Wasn’t that fake news about fake news?
Either way, if America does use force here, I do not see how the EU can possibly send football teams to a tournament held in a militarily hostile nation seizing sovereign European territory. It’s absurd
Everyone turned up in Russia eight years ago, well after large parts of Ukraine had already been seized by force.
And shortly after Salisbury. Pathetic.
I guess there is something in holding your "friends" to a higher standard, but we have a long and ignoble history of farcical weakness in the face of these twats.
@CindyXiaodanYu ‘Of the many nicknames that the Chinese have given Donald Trump, the most beloved is “Chuan Jianguo”. Jianguo means “to build the nation”, while Chuan is Trump’s Sinicised surname. It’s a patriotic name with a distinctly communist ring, typical of an older generation. The joke is that this American septuagenarian is making China great again.’
If America does attempt to forcibly take Greenland, which is the sovereign territory of an EU member (albeit technically outside the EU) I genuinely do not see HOW the EU could send football teams to the World Cup in the USA
The UK would be in a pickle in the middle
It won't, 71% of Americans oppose taking Greenland by force and only Republicans even back trying to buy it. Trump can read polls too as can members of Congress who he needs to ensure don't impeach him again
What is Trump is actually now as mad as Biden was back in the day? Only with a more VIGOROUS form of dementia?
As I said yesterday, i can see a kind of perverse nihilistic “Monroe Doctrine” logic to America seizing Greenland, but
1. Doing it this way, in a form apparently designed to alienate all allies and embolden fierce enemies, is absurdly stupid
2. Even if it works, it come at an insanely high risk - a risk America does not have to take right now, she is still strong and militarily and technologically superior
I am at a waste to energy incinerator discussing the disposable of bottom ash if that helps.
Don't use the "I" word. "Energy recovery facility" is the preferred terminology for plants that, er, incinerate waste.
Is the site you are visiting considering retrofitting CCS, by any chance?
Carbon capture is above my pay grade. I am merely advising on optimal disposal of bottom ash and the potential for salvaging ferrous and non ferrous residues.
Doesn't the bottom ash go into road building as a base? We could fill a lot of potholes with it.
Some does. It depends what is being burned. If highly calorific "clean burn" material like solvents as a cement kiln fuel for example, and that ash can be sold to be added to the cement product. Most domestic bottom ash goes to landfill because it is contaminated by all sorts of old rubbish residue, otherwise further expensive sorting is required, although there are facilities that will do that.
For the EfW I'm most familiar with (burning "black bag" waste) the bottom ash goes into aggregates.
In cement kilns, the combustion ash is already mixed with the limestone and therefore goes into the cement clinker automatically. They can burn practically any old shite in cement kilns. If some of that fuel is biogenic in origin, it cuts down on CO2 emissions, and with CCS, you could in theory get carbon-negative cement.
You see?
That’s why I said LET’S TALK ABOUT BOTTOMS
I felt the PB chat was getting a bit bogged down in arcane and boring stuff, and now here we are, as a result of my BOTTOMS intervention, gassing away happily about cement clinkers and limestone ash combustion
"limestone ash combustion"
FFS, Ash is the by-product of combustion of the fuel going into the kiln. The limestone is calcined.
Don't you know ANYTHING about cement manufacture???
@maxseddon Trump also invited Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko to the "Board of Peace," per this letter. He describes it as "the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled."
I am at a waste to energy incinerator discussing the disposable of bottom ash if that helps.
Don't use the "I" word. "Energy recovery facility" is the preferred terminology for plants that, er, incinerate waste.
Is the site you are visiting considering retrofitting CCS, by any chance?
Carbon capture is above my pay grade. I am merely advising on optimal disposal of bottom ash and the potential for salvaging ferrous and non ferrous residues.
Doesn't the bottom ash go into road building as a base? We could fill a lot of potholes with it.
Some does. It depends what is being burned. If highly calorific "clean burn" material like solvents as a cement kiln fuel for example, and that ash can be sold to be added to the cement product. Most domestic bottom ash goes to landfill because it is contaminated by all sorts of old rubbish residue, otherwise further expensive sorting is required, although there are facilities that will do that.
For the EfW I'm most familiar with (burning "black bag" waste) the bottom ash goes into aggregates.
In cement kilns, the combustion ash is already mixed with the limestone and therefore goes into the cement clinker automatically. They can burn practically any old shite in cement kilns. If some of that fuel is biogenic in origin, it cuts down on CO2 emissions, and with CCS, you could in theory get carbon-negative cement.
You see?
That’s why I said LET’S TALK ABOUT BOTTOMS
I felt the PB chat was getting a bit bogged down in arcane and boring stuff, and now here we are, as a result of my BOTTOMS intervention, gassing away happily about cement clinkers and limestone ash combustion
"limestone ash combustion"
FFS, Ash is the by-product of combustion of the fuel going into the kiln. The limestone is calcined.
Don't you know ANYTHING about cement manufacture???
@maxseddon Trump also invited Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko to the "Board of Peace," per this letter. He describes it as "the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled."
I daresay it might be. IIUC, you need an invitation from Mr Trump and then the willingness & ability to pay Mr Trump $1million. To be fair, no doubt if you weren't on the guest list and offered to pay, you would likely be included, or maybe the price would be higher.
@maxseddon Trump also invited Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko to the "Board of Peace," per this letter. He describes it as "the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled."
Good grief ! He’s now trolling the rest of the world . Why didn’t he invite Kim Jong Un to complete the parade of scum ?
I am still convinced we could and should be tentatively scheduling an alternative World Cup in the UK for any teams which boycott. We have all the facilities and infrastructure ready to go.
Probably the most ‘traditional’ politician in the inner circle, yet somehow the craziest thing Trump has ever said was in a memo that came out of his department, and has blown up into a proper international incident among allies.
@maxseddon Trump also invited Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko to the "Board of Peace," per this letter. He describes it as "the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled."
I daresay it might be. IIUC, you need an invitation from Mr Trump and then the willingness & ability to pay Mr Trump $1million. To be fair, no doubt if you weren't on the guest list and offered to pay, you would likely be included, or maybe the price would be higher.
I believe it's $1 billion. In the style of Dr. Evil.
Jürgen Hardt appears to be the German equivalent of, "a senior backbencher," i.e. politically a nobody.
I'm glad that at least one politician, somewhere, is talking about it, but it's not quite, "being threatened," yet.
If America takes Greenland by force, I predict the EU - at least - will boycott the World Cup
I would have to check the numbers, but if the EU (sans Hungary and Slovakia obvs.) took that view I'd guess you'd be pretty close to a majority in UEFA, at which point the boycott is by UEFA, and UEFA stage an alternative competition.
@maxseddon Trump also invited Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko to the "Board of Peace," per this letter. He describes it as "the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled."
Good grief ! He’s now trolling the rest of the world . Why didn’t he invite Kim Jong Un to complete the parade of scum ?
G9od afternoon
You really couldnt make this up
Its like some weird surreal world but it not
It is very scary
What's even more scary is that a large part of the US population is apparently behind him all the way.
Jürgen Hardt appears to be the German equivalent of, "a senior backbencher," i.e. politically a nobody.
I'm glad that at least one politician, somewhere, is talking about it, but it's not quite, "being threatened," yet.
If America takes Greenland by force, I predict the EU - at least - will boycott the World Cup
I would have to check the numbers, but if the EU (sans Hungary and Slovakia obvs.) took that view I'd guess you'd be pretty close to a majority in UEFA, at which point the boycott is by UEFA, and UEFA stage an alternative competition.
@maxseddon Trump also invited Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko to the "Board of Peace," per this letter. He describes it as "the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled."
I daresay it might be. IIUC, you need an invitation from Mr Trump and then the willingness & ability to pay Mr Trump $1million. To be fair, no doubt if you weren't on the guest list and offered to pay, you would likely be included, or maybe the price would be higher.
I believe it's $1 billion. In the style of Dr. Evil.
Thank you, my mistake, showing what a cheapskate I am.
Jürgen Hardt appears to be the German equivalent of, "a senior backbencher," i.e. politically a nobody.
I'm glad that at least one politician, somewhere, is talking about it, but it's not quite, "being threatened," yet.
If America takes Greenland by force, I predict the EU - at least - will boycott the World Cup
I would have to check the numbers, but if the EU (sans Hungary and Slovakia obvs.) took that view I'd guess you'd be pretty close to a majority in UEFA, at which point the boycott is by UEFA, and UEFA stage an alternative competition.
So there are 55 members of UEFA, and 27 members of the EU, plus the UK counts as five in UEFA, and Denmark counts double with the Faroes, and there are other UEFA associations closely associated with EU member states (e.g. San Marino).
So if the EU (exc. the traitors) are all onboard they would win a vote at UEFA.
I am still convinced we could and should be tentatively scheduling an alternative World Cup in the UK for any teams which boycott. We have all the facilities and infrastructure ready to go.
Its not that simple though. You need hotels (teams and fans). You need training facilities (ok lots of very good ones around the country). You need the grounds and that stops any club that is renewing its pitch over the summer etc. You need the police on board.
Clearly could be done, but don't underestimate the challenge.
Comments
https://thehill.com/policy/international/5695421-starmer-criticizes-trump-greenland/
The Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc. You know what happened when half the world's top athletes stayed at home? America won everything. They loved it.
It will be the same this time. No European sides means more wins for Team USA.
The illegal immigrant criminals should be joining ICE.
Domain knowledge, people. Domain knowledge.
The dilemma of tyrants' cronies through the centuries.
* They drive on the wrong side of the road
* They don't play football with a round ball
* They don't play cricket
* They're a republic
* They mispronounce basic words like "water"
* They can't spell basic words like "colour"
The tournament will not only go ahead as planned but you are likely to see it blatantly rigged to the benefit of the USA and Trumps other favoured nations. A bet on Venezuela would be a smart move.
Of course, as someone sagely observed, people are far more likely to care about the Soccer World Cup than Greenland.
If we did it would also have the bonus of depriving Scotland from going and would also remove the chance of the other two home nations going 👍
There would be dozens of matches cancelled, tickets refunded, contracts broken…
Glad I’ve never had an allotment in Byker.
But some people prefer illusion to reality.
Legacy FIFA is then a complete shell and collapses.
https://bsky.app/profile/onestpress.onestnetwork.com/post/3mcroqxqewc2q
“He assumes Greenlanders are uneducated and stupid. The opposite is true.
“We will be here hundreds of years after Donald Trump.
“If he invaded us, we would wait him out like bad weather.
“We know how to wait. We hunker down for storms. We could wait 10 or 20 years.”
· now
The fact that he can’t seize this moment to become president through back room intrigue really speaks to all the different ways that JD Vance is the biggest piece of shit in the country. Dick Cheney gets this one done before the day’s over.
PS I'm not a Starmer fan.
"A larger number of Danish combat soldiers are expected to arrive in Kangerlussuaq in Greenland north of Nuuk on Monday evening ... Army Chief Peter Boysen will arrive with the group"
#China's first response to President #Trump's ridiculous demand for the US to acquire Greenland: "We urge the United States to stop using the so-called ‘China threat’ as a pretext to pursue #selfish interests."
If Hitler hadn't started the war earlier than planned - original kickoff was set for late 1942 - Germany would have been in a terrible position.
It would cause a total shitshow, mainly painful in America
Most Trump voters in Texas and Florida and the Midwest and rustbelt I suspect see soccer as mainly a game for kids and Hispanics, they couldn't care less about the World Cup for soccer, they are American Football fans, like rugby here for some seen as the more manly of the big ball games. The Superbowl being cancelled would devastate Trump fans, Trump himself attended the last one, the soccer WC, not much
Thereby giving Farage an electoral boost !
Soccer is genuinely big right across America now. Trump is a New Yorker, he went to the FIFA drawing of the matches
We do have one other option. His golf courses - but he might actually nuke us if we did that. "Clinton Turnberry" and "Obama Balmedie" for the lolz.
It would be fun if Trump stated he would only discuss UK Foreign Policy with Nigel Farage.
No one would pose with Budweiser?!?
The UK would be in a pickle in the middle
Trump also invited Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko to the "Board of Peace," per this letter. He describes it as "the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled."
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/just-one-five-americans-support-trumps-efforts-acquire-greenland-reutersipsos-2026-01-14/
Starmer taking us out of the EU was the greatest dereliction of duty by a UK Prime Minister.
Either way, if America does use force here, I do not see how the EU can possibly send football teams to a tournament held in a militarily hostile nation seizing sovereign European territory. It’s absurd
“Germany is considering a boycott of the 2026 World Cup as a last resort in the event of a US annexation of Greenland.
According to CDU/CSU representative Jürgen Hardt, such a boycott is seen as leverage against Trump on the Greenland issue.
At the same time, Berlin hopes that a solution can be found within NATO without escalation.
This madman in the White House has plunged the whole world into chaos in just a few months.
Putin will be pleased – that's probably the plan.”
https://x.com/jurgen_nauditt/status/2012392466314399922?s=61&t=GGp3Vs1t1kTWDiyA-odnZg
Now you can say that was different, in that very few people were taking the Russian seizure of parts of Ukraine that seriously, and Greenland - kinda part of Denmark - is a bit closer to home than Crimea, but I wouldn't be confident.
I guess there is something in holding your "friends" to a higher standard, but we have a long and ignoble history of farcical weakness in the face of these twats.
I'm glad that at least one politician, somewhere, is talking about it, but it's not quite, "being threatened," yet.
‘Of the many nicknames that the Chinese have given Donald Trump, the most beloved is “Chuan Jianguo”. Jianguo means “to build the nation”, while Chuan is Trump’s Sinicised surname. It’s a patriotic name with a distinctly communist ring, typical of an older generation. The joke is that this American septuagenarian is making China great again.’
As I said yesterday, i can see a kind of perverse nihilistic “Monroe Doctrine” logic to America seizing Greenland, but
1. Doing it this way, in a form apparently designed to alienate all allies and embolden fierce enemies, is absurdly stupid
2. Even if it works, it come at an insanely high risk - a risk America does not have to take right now, she is still strong and militarily and technologically superior
You let European football fans do god’s own work via the chants, especially when he’s in the stadiums.
FFS, Ash is the by-product of combustion of the fuel going into the kiln. The limestone is calcined.
Don't you know ANYTHING about cement manufacture???
Board of all the twats.
US Treasury Secretary Bessent: It's a complete canard to think President Trump's action on Greenland is due to nobel peace prize.
You really couldnt make this up
Its like some weird surreal world but it is not
It is very scary
told the Norwegian PM that his action on Greenland was due to the Nobel peace prize…
We have all the facilities and infrastructure ready to go.
Probably the most ‘traditional’ politician in the inner circle, yet somehow the craziest thing Trump has ever said was in a memo that came out of his department, and has blown up into a proper international incident among allies.
So if the EU (exc. the traitors) are all onboard they would win a vote at UEFA.
Clearly could be done, but don't underestimate the challenge.