From riches to rags.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/tv/tv-chef-fanny-cradock-died-penniless-in-tiny-flat-despite-flashy-lifestyle/ar-AA1KG65c

He sunk the U-Boat, sustained 72 injuries and flew his plane back to base.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/britain-s-last-surviving-ww2-victoria-cross-recipient-dies-aged-105/ar-AA1KEoxD

Here's the latest proof.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/01/gabbard-00322598

The talks with Putin in Alaska were a very predictable failure. Even the president’s famed deal-making abilities can’t end this war

(Daniel DePetris
16 August 2025 5:00am BST
Daily Telegraph)

Mr Trump said very little during a joint press conference in Alaska

On his way to Alaska to meet Vladimir Putin, president Trump told Fox News’s Brett Baier that he wouldn’t be happy if he left the summit without a ceasefire in Ukraine. “Now, I say this, and I have said it from the beginning: This is really setting the table today,” Trump said. “We’re going to have another meeting, if things work out, which will be very soon, or we’re not going to have any more meetings at all, maybe ever.” In short, Trump was well aware that anything could have happened in Alaska on Friday.

In the event, after nearly three hours of talks, Trump and Putin stepped up to their lecterns touting unspecified progress and calling their discussions very productive. Putin, in his typical monotone, referred to the meeting with the US president as “long overdue”, cast blame on the Biden administration for allowing US-Russia relations to deteriorate, and credited Trump for at least being willing to meet face-to-face. Putin laid it on thick, going so far as to confirm Trump’s repeated assertions that the war in Ukraine would never have happened if he had still been holding court in the White House in February 2022.

Trump, a man who likes to hear himself talk, was noticeably subdued at the press conference and said very little. He consistently claimed progress on the major topics of discussion without telling us what those topics were. Ever the gracious host (unless your name is Volodymyr Zelensky), Trump returned Putin’s flattery; the Russian leader, he commented, wanted peace in Ukraine as much as he did. Of course, there’s very little evidence supporting that statement.

When all was said and done, there was no peace deal in Ukraine. Nothing on the conflict was settled. The immediate ceasefire that Trump, Zelensky and the Europeans hoped to squeeze out of the Russian strongman was nowhere to be found. On the big items, the summit failed.


Daniel DePetris

Trump has just discovered he isn’t as powerful as he thought he was
The talks with Putin in Alaska were a very predictable failure. Even the president’s famed deal-making abilities can’t end this war

Mr Trump said very little during a joint press conference in Alaska
Mr Trump said very little during a joint press conference in AlaskaCredit: Kevin Lamarque
Daniel DePetris
Daniel DePetris
16 August 2025 5:00am BST

On his way to Alaska to meet Vladimir Putin, president Trump told Fox News’s Brett Baier that he wouldn’t be happy if he left the summit without a ceasefire in Ukraine. “Now, I say this, and I have said it from the beginning: This is really setting the table today,” Trump said. “We’re going to have another meeting, if things work out, which will be very soon, or we’re not going to have any more meetings at all, maybe ever.” In short, Trump was well aware that anything could have happened in Alaska on Friday.

In the event, after nearly three hours of talks, Trump and Putin stepped up to their lecterns touting unspecified progress and calling their discussions very productive. Putin, in his typical monotone, referred to the meeting with the US president as “long overdue”, cast blame on the Biden administration for allowing US-Russia relations to deteriorate, and credited Trump for at least being willing to meet face-to-face. Putin laid it on thick, going so far as to confirm Trump’s repeated assertions that the war in Ukraine would never have happened if he had still been holding court in the White House in February 2022.

Trump, a man who likes to hear himself talk, was noticeably subdued at the press conference and said very little. He consistently claimed progress on the major topics of discussion without telling us what those topics were. Ever the gracious host (unless your name is Volodymyr Zelensky), Trump returned Putin’s flattery; the Russian leader, he commented, wanted peace in Ukraine as much as he did. Of course, there’s very little evidence supporting that statement.

When all was said and done, there was no peace deal in Ukraine. Nothing on the conflict was settled. The immediate ceasefire that Trump, Zelensky and the Europeans hoped to squeeze out of the Russian strongman was nowhere to be found. On the big items, the summit failed.

Mr Trump said very little during a joint press conference in Alaska
The two leaders say their goodbyes after the press conferenceCredit: Anadolu
But none of this should have been a surprise. Anybody who has been monitoring the three-and-a-half year war will tell you that neither Putin nor Zelensky is prepared to cede their maximum negotiating positions. The differences between Moscow and Kyiv remain unbridgeable at this point in time, so much so that many foreign policy analysts in the West were wondering why Trump even bothered to fly to Alaska in the first place.

Zelensky wants a ceasefire before real negotiations begin; Putin wants to fight and talk simultaneously. Zelensky doesn’t want to cede any Ukrainian territory that Russia doesn’t already occupy, and he most certainly won’t recognise Russia’s territorial gains; Putin wants Ukrainian forces to lay down their arms, withdraw and gift the entire Donbas region, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, to him on a silver platter. Zelensky wants Western security guarantees; Putin doesn’t want any Western involvement in Ukraine’s future defence at all. The divergences go on and on, and a single high-level meeting, particularly one to which Zelensky wasn’t invited, was never going to resolve them.

As we await the readouts from the White House and anticipate what agreements, if any, were actually reached, Trump will be returning to Washington with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he can talk solace in the fact that his talks with Putin didn’t break down, like the top-level diplomacy he instigated with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un more than six years before. He may even be able to call this entire endeavour a win if further talks are scheduled in the future.

Meanwhile, the nervous nellies in Europe will be relieved that Trump didn’t negotiate swaths of Ukraine away to the Russians, a concern that nagged Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz to such an extent that an emergency summit with Trump was put in the calendar last Wednesday to talk him out of any moves he may have up his sleeve.

Trump, however, is probably also a bit peeved by the outcome. Although the Trump administration tried to set the bar low, the president himself also outlined his expectations for the summit: a ceasefire and, if all goes well, another meeting, this time with Zelensky in the room. Instead, he’s leaving Alaska without the first item on his list and the second still up in the air. The fighting will go on as fiercely tomorrow as it did today.

The bottom line here is simple: Trump may aggrandise and boast about his remarkable dealmaking abilities, but on the war in Ukraine, he isn’t the most important protagonist in the story. Trump can push, pressure, cajole and sweet-talk, but it’s Zelensky and Putin who will determine when the killing stops. As the US intelligence community wrote in a threat assessment earlier this year, “both leaders for now probably still see the risks of a longer war as less than those of an unsatisfying settlement.”

Plenty has changed in the months since those words were published. But Trump’s big attempt at peacemaking notwithstanding, that conclusion still holds true.

Daniel DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/comment/2025/08/16/trump-has-just-discovered-he-isnt-as-powerful-as-he-thought/

A man walks out to the street and catches a taxi just going by. He gets into the taxi, and the cabby says, “Wow, perfect timing. You’re just like Frank.”

The passenger asks, “Who?”

The cabby explains, “Frank Feldman. He’s a guy who did everything right all the time. Like when I came along just when you needed a cab, things happened like that to Frank Feldman every single time.”

The passenger remarked, “There are always a few clouds over everybody.”

“Not Frank Feldman. He was a terrific athlete. He could have won the Grand Slam at tennis.

He could golf with the pros.
He sang like an opera baritone and danced like a Broadway star and you should have heard him play the piano. He was an amazing guy.”

The passenger said, “Sounds like he was really something special.”

The cabby replied, “There’s more. He had a memory like a computer. He remembered everybody’s birthday.

He knew all about wine, which foods to order and which fork to eat them with. He could fix anything. Not like me. I change a fuse, and the whole street blacks out. But Frank Feldman could do everything right.”
The passenger was amazed, “Wow, what a guy!”

The cabby continued, “He always knew the quickest way to go in traffic and avoid traffic jams. Not like me, I always seem to get stuck in them.

But Frank, he never made a mistake, and he really knew how to treat a woman and make her feel good. He would never answer her back even if she was in the wrong; and his clothing was always immaculate, shoes highly polished too. He was the perfect man! He never made a mistake. No one could ever measure up to Frank Feldman.”

Passenger: “How did you meet him?”

Cabby: “I never actually met Frank. He died and I married his wife 😊😂

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdCjFpaW/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14999677/amp/Mass-evacuation-chemical-incident-major-London-hospital-Firefighters-rush-scene-150-patients-medical-staff-told-leave.html

Our internet has been down.....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn47wq93vn2o.amp

The bad news is that there were 20 vacant places.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/at-least-68-migrants-killed-many-missing-after-boat-sinks-off-yemen/ar-AA1JSb8y

Does this sound like a good idea? If you think it doesn't, there's a petition to sign https://act.38degrees.org.uk/act/no-to-elon-energy-plans

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgr99lkjlk4o

https://youtu.be/zli1lvTXBfw?si=trQ40gIoVEL6rIbw

What a load of ….

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/other/michael-crawford-honoured-by-donald-trump/ar-AA1KsEoi

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/death-row-prisoner-gouges-out-both-his-own-eyes-to-delay-execution/ar-AA1KuRKe

... that we cannot protest and call a genocidal maniac a genocidal maniac without fear of arrest on terrorism charges!

A very sad turn of events for this country!

Are not good for the disabled

Who Farage calls victims

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/reform-silence-after-farage-suggests-again-that-he-favours-sweeping-cuts-to-disability-benefits/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/this-visionary-african-american-politician-dreamed-of-creating-an-all-black-state-in-oklahoma-territory-180987093/?utm_medium=distribution&utm_source=pushly&utm_campaign=editorial

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjdyxm52ep5o?at_campaign=crm&at_medium=emails&at_campaign_type=owned&at_objective=conversion&at_ptr_name=salesforce&at_ptr_type=media&at_creation=%5B90317_PANUK_DIV_33_NEW_TheUpbeat42_RET_COHORT%5D-20250811-%5Bbbcnews_theoutdoorsbelongtoyouasmuchasanyoneelse_newsengland%5D

https://youtube.com/shorts/KzEt1LRZFEU?si=jN5SGSO4oTX2UWsP

https://news.sky.com/story/what-does-the-data-tell-us-about-road-traffic-accidents-13410166

To those of you who contribute with kind donations to help me help strays, unwanted and feral cats via Suzy P!
Thank you for a large box of Sheba received regularly. Wet food much needed.
The abandoned cat situation is ridiculous. Worse each day.
Finding fosterers and good homes is impossible as more cats need help. Most have to be put back where found after vets visits not being able to find homes for them. At present feeding around 100.
Many are unwell and need vet help and neutering.
It is never ending and very depressing.
Donations from £1 can be forwarded to Suzy P or sent directly to my vet’s account.
25 years of cat rescue makes you much aware cats are rarely on owners priority list as so many are let down by irresponsible owners.
Finding the right forever homes is very important.
Thank you!

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/technology/uk-is-most-dangerous-country-in-europe-for-internet-users-study-shows/ar-AA1KiW5s

Unbelievably it has still been available until now. AOL having just announced they are closing it in September?
What speed modem did you have?
What ISP were you with?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/11/aol-dial-up-internet

"BRITAIN’S Chagos Islands handover will cost taxpayers ten times more than Sir Keir Starmer let on, newly unearthed figures claim.

Official estimates reveal the bill for giving the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius is not £3.4billion as promised, but actually close to £35billion."

I'm sick of hearing how we have no money for old people, the nhs, police etc when money like this is spent. £35 Billion could go a long way fixing this country.
All politicians are useless

https://thecritic.co.uk/farages-trans-blunder/

Morning all.
A new season of the popular Predict The Score game is starting today on the Pastime loop.
The game where you try to predict the score of one of the day's televised football matches.
You don't need to know about football to join in.
If you want to have a go, come and join us in the Pastime loop.
Everyone is welcome.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cewydrj2eqgo.amp

https://youtube.com/shorts/VlgUezSxnEk?si=wsUwW-kQKcKREUjW

Good luck to him

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/royals/king-charles-make-historic-address-35689482.amp

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdxCrdDY/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy8jqy4y5e8o.amp

https://youtu.be/ftMdFQlA2QQ?si=rnrBURfnfFRum0kn

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/afghanistan-s-taliban-have-weaponized-the-judicial-system-to-oppress-women-un-expert-says/ar-AA1K2OPH?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=6894d9867b6545c698da14ca295b267f&ei=55

Cor Blimey ! Another bit of our mighty Empire gone.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/king-charles-suffers-blow-as-nation-drops-oath-of-allegiance-to-british-monarch/ar-AA1K5YCI?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=4dafab6e5fee4fa2a8361f1db56cd433&ei=30

But not for those suffering with mental health issues

Although I believe this may be a postcode issue

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2v4mmgvmwo

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_Always_Chickens_Out

Murderer finally sent to prison

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/fugitive-who-murdered-anita-rose-as-she-walked-her-dog-is-jailed-for-life/ar-AA1K10l7?ocid=socialshare&cvid=689479e3cee54a2d9e6db354e82d9466&ei=12

Although I do still watch it from time to time. FSN is still a must watch.
1. Certain contributors are so pro Israel it's sickening. Recently when they showed news footage of a starving child, one of the studio panel claimed nobody in Gaza is starving, and the child just has a muscle wasting condition.

2. On a recent Patrick Christy's late show, he claimed that GBNews investigations had found out that the Red Cross were flying in the families of the small boat illegal migrants that had just arrived in the UK.
It was only the token politically left wing person on the panel that corrected the blatant lie. The Red Cross will fly in families of refugees/asylum seekers, only after they have leave to remain, have employment and have been here for 5 years.

Current volunteering opportunities
Independent Scrutiny & Oversight Board (ISOB) – Volunteer (Buckinghamshire)
Thames Valley Police have committed to the development and deployment of the Race Action Plan across all areas of the force.  The Action Plan aims to and racial disparity in every area of policing. The ISOB exists to provide overview and external scrutiny, to provide assurance of the Police’s Plan of Action and its Outputs. The expected time commitment is a maximum of 2 days per month split across a range of activities.
Thames Valley ISOB represents the diversity reflected across our communities. We want this diversity to be present on our Board and are required to promote the recruitment of culturally diverse members, with a particular focus on representing, involving, and retaining those from under-represented communities and young people.
We welcome applications from anyone regardless of age, experience, sexuality, religion/beliefs, disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, socio-economic background or other differences.
This voluntary role will include the following duties;
• Work in a transparent manner keeping good records of meetings, decisions and correspondence which can be made publicly accessible as appropriate.
• Hold the Police Race Action Plan board (“the PRAP”) to account for performance by monitoring and scrutinising the actions taken to implement the Action Plan.
• Have the authority to engage with internal and external stakeholders who could provide support and advice to shape and deliver the Plan. This will include external organisations and those leading in relevant fields, as well as staff networks and associations.
• Establish, with the PRAP, a baseline from which PRAP progress can be measured. The ISOB will therefore receive and be able to request data and information through the Action Plan’s central team.
• Offer advice and guidance to the PRAP on the Action Plan and where appropriate to Forces and NPCC Coordination Committees in order to help shape their activity.
• Use an independent voice to communicate and report on progress against the Action Plan.
We’re looking for someone who has a passion for championing and advocating on issues of inclusion and race, with an ability to think strategically and to challenge constructively, analyse detailed information and exercise independent, evidence-based judgement across a broad spectrum of policy and strategic equality issues, and be able to work in a team with others from varied backgrounds, with a capacity to devote the time and effort required to effectively discharge the duties of this role.
The successful applicant will be motivated by public service and a desire to bring about genuine, positive change and possess an empathetic and respectful communication approach to understanding the context, culture and history reflected in individual and community perspectives.
The closing date for enquiries and receipt of completed applications is Sunday 10 August 2025.
For further details and to apply, please visit the Thames Valley Police recruitment website.


https://www.thamesvalley-pcc.gov.uk/get-involved/vacancies/

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/tennessee-man-executed-while-his-defibrillator-remained-active-cried-out-in-pain-as-he-died-witnesses-say/ar-AA1JY2NV?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=68931a9e0dff468fa528f7f6e7a52c34&ei=21

State Department to trial programme requiring certain visitors to pay holding bond to enter country

Tourists and people visiting the US for business could have to pay up to $15,000 to enter the country under new proposals put forward by Donald Trump’s government.

The State Department announced it its launching a 12-month pilot programme under which people from countries deemed to have high overstay rates and deficient internal document security controls could be required to post bonds when applying for a visa.

The price range of the bonds will vary between $5,000 (£3,700), $10,000 (£7,500) or $15,000 (£11,300).

A preview of the bond notice, posted on the federal register website on Monday, said the pilot program would take effect within 15 days of its formal publication.

The department said it would be necessary to ensure that the US government is not financially liable if a visitor does not comply with the terms of his or her visa.

“Aliens applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure and who are nationals of countries identified by the department as having high visa overstay rates, where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient, or offering citizenship by investment, if the alien obtained citizenship with no residency requirement, may be subject to the pilot program,” the notice said.

The countries affected will be listed once the program takes effect, it said. The bond could be waived depending on an applicant’s individual circumstances.

The bond would not apply to citizens of countries enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program, which enables travel for business or tourism for up to 90 days.

The majority of the 42 countries enrolled in the program are in Europe, with others in Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere.

Visa bonds have been proposed in the past but have never been implemented.

The State Department has traditionally discouraged the requirement because of the cumbersome process of posting and discharging a bond.

The Trump administration is tightening requirements for visa applicants. Last week, the State Department announced that some visa renewal applicants would have to undergo an additional in-person interview, something that was not previously required.

In addition, the department is proposing that applicants for the Visa Diversity Lottery program have valid passports from their country of citizenship.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/08/04/tourists-pay-money-enter-us-how-much/

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🛑 Learn how to spot red flags

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