https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-tariffs-tax-canada-government-shutdown-senate-live-news-b2714336.html#

'So deeply stupid': Historian fact checks Trump justification for trade war

https://www.rawstory.com/trade-war-trump-europe/

An American history scholar has this opinion.

Is it fair?

What do you think?

Pay As You Retire.

Your thoughts...

www.prweb.com/releases/14th-now-thousands-expected-at-march-to-demand-trumps-removal-from-office-302401190.html

Let's see if Donald thinks this is a big enough crowd for his ego...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c93nke05gwjo

They call us "The Elderly"
We were born in the 40-50-60’s.
We grew up in the 50-60-70's.
We studied in the 60-70-80's.
We were dating in the 70-80-90's.
We got married and discovered the world in the 70-80-90's.
We venture into the 80-90’s.
We stabilize in the 2000’s.
We got wiser in the 2010’s.
And we are going firmly through and beyond 2020.
Turns out we've lived through EIGHT different decades...
TWO different centuries...
TWO different millennia...
We have gone from the telephone with an operator for long–distance calls to video calls to anywhere in the world.
We have gone from slides to YouTube, from vinyl records to online music, from handwritten letters to email and Whats App.
From live matches on the radio, to black and white TV, colour TV and then to 3D HD TV.
We went to the Video store and now we watch Netflix.
We got to know the first computers, punch cards, floppy disks and now we have gigabytes and megabytes on our smartphones.
We wore shorts throughout our childhood and then long trousers, Oxfords, flares, shell suits & blue jeans.
We dodged infantile paralysis, meningitis, polio, tuberculosis, swine flu and now COVID-19.
We rode skates, tricycles, bicycles, mopeds, petrol or diesel cars and now we drive hybrids or electric.
Yes, we've been through a lot but what a great life we've had!
They could describe us as "exennials," people who were born in that world of the fifties, who had an analog childhood and a digital adulthood.
We've kind of "Seen-It-All"!
Our generation has literally lived through and witnessed more than any other in every dimension of life.
It is our generation that has literally adapted to "CHANGE."
A big round of applause to all the members of a very special generation, which will be UNIQUE!
Class dismissed

https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/japan/aichi-child-abuse-rape-video-arrest-b2713450.html?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=embed1

Are any of you on tiktok? There's a trend going around with people posting videos of the tea time alarm in the UK, some pretending they've been fined for missing it etc.(The team time alarm is explained as a siren that goes off signalling everyone in uk must have a cuppa!) The funniest thing is that so many people abroad are taking it seriously 🤣 😂
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdenkovS/

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3vwzx9eexro.amp

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14477243/Mother-eyes-gouged-evil-ex-partner-domestic-abuse.html

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdexskoh/

"Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem.

For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed.

[ this article was written in 2016 by Nate White ] ]

So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump’s limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief.

Plus, we like a laugh.

And while Trump may be laughable, he has never once said anything wry, witty or even faintly amusing – not once, ever. I don’t say that rhetorically, I mean it quite literally: not once, not ever.
And that fact is particularly disturbing to the British sensibility – for us, to lack humour is almost inhuman.

But with Trump, it’s a fact. He doesn’t even seem to understand what a joke is – his idea of a joke is a crass comment, an illiterate insult, a casual act of cruelty.

Trump is a troll. And like all trolls, he is never funny and he never laughs; he only crows or jeers.

And scarily, he doesn’t just talk in crude, witless insults – he actually thinks in them.
His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness.

There is never any under-layer of irony, complexity, nuance or depth. It’s all surface.

Some Americans might see this as refreshingly upfront.

Well, we don’t. We see it as having no inner world, no soul.
And in Britain we traditionally side with David, not Goliath.
All our heroes are plucky underdogs: Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist.
Trump is neither plucky, nor an underdog.

He is the exact opposite of that.
He’s not even a spoiled rich-boy, or a greedy fat-cat.
He’s more a fat white slug.

A Jabba the Hutt of privilege.

Worse, he is that most unforgivable of all things to the British: a bully.
Except when he is among bullies; then he suddenly transforms into a snivelling sidekick instead.

There are unspoken rules to this stuff – the Queensberry rules of basic decency – and he breaks them all.
He punches downwards – which a gentleman should, would, could never do – and every blow he aims is below the belt.
He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless – and he kicks them when they are down.

The fact that a significant minority – perhaps a third – of Americans look at what he does, listen to what he says, and then think ‘Yeah, he seems like my kind of guy’ is a matter of some confusion and no little distress to British people, you don’t need a particularly keen eye for detail to spot flaws in the man.

This last point is what especially confuses and dismays British people, and many other people too; his faults seem very hard to miss.

There have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of nasty people too.
Has stupidity ever been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid?"

I think this man misunderstood what a railway sleeper is.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cq6yzll9j92o

One per household, just pay £1.99 postage
https://www.westminstercollection.com/commemoratives/popular-culture/2025/the-ve-day-pin-badge-upsell.aspx?prodsn=u&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0BMABhZGlkAAAGCzz5_7IBHRvoDkXmmywLGpw19RAYis6RzVU8KLr0BuMBGv1AUlFrih72NbeW3cqTOQ_aem_QiiMVfpJmAhuRiVjFlMoOg&utm_medium=paid&utm_source=fb&utm_id=6645253987594_v2_s02&utm_content=6645324181194&utm_term=6645324180994&utm_campaign=6645253987594

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c70wr9k2z8ro

With teachers like that I'm not surprised that many Americans are so ignorant of science.

https://youtube.com/shorts/TNaXv37W96w?si=wy5pBIScBN3TJak7

Musk offers to pay for a new party!!



https://youtu.be/_2uXGuvyazo?si=pxfnUg2S5M6TXiEC

Saying there is no freedom of speech
but he misses out the important detail of why the man was prosecuted

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdeVusQq/

https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/trading-standards-postcode-lottery-revealed-aP3TX4u6v2rs

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gdwde82ldo

https://youtu.be/ah34rQYZ-VQ?si=3t8yqsUKIIaDoHha

https://youtu.be/iEekVIMGqwo?si=d_L6W6OOqmsre-iw

There was an interesting programme on BBC1 this afternoon, the Commonwealth Day service from Westminster Abbey.

Twenty one years ago I was asked if I would give permission to allow my daughter to join with her Brownie pack, to escort the Queen down the aisle of Westminster Abbey, to celebrate Commonwealth Day. Of course it wasn't something you needed to think about, permission was instantaneous. Then there was the thought of how can you get a ticket to attend a Royal event. In reality quite easily, a phone call to the Abbey, a redirection from them and I was talking to the lady organising the event. A quick chat and the ticket was mine.

The Commonwealth remains an important body of nation/people throughout the world and then, as today, there were people from many nations in the Abbey.

That set me wondering! If Trump decides he will attempt a land grab over Canada, will he in fact be taking on a host of other nations as well. And what reaction would he expect from the King as Head of the Commonwealth, especially as he feels slighted by the King meeting Zelensky before meeting him?

Greenland may not want Denmark to help if there is a grab there, but would Canada, hope for, want and expect the rest of the Commonwealth to assist in fighting off the pariah known as Trump?

https://whowhatwhy.org/justice/rights-liberties/of-all-the-bad-things-trump-is-doing-this-may-be-the-most-alarming/

Click on

The BBC's 2023/24 annual report shows that senior managers who are LGBT earn 15.6% more than those who are not, with senior managers from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds (BAME) earning 12.6% more than their white counterparts.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of the information:

LGBT Senior Managers:

The BBC's 2023/24 annual report reveals that senior managers identifying as LGBT earn 15.6% more than those who do not.

BAME Senior Managers:

Senior managers from Black, Asian, and other ethnic minority backgrounds (BAME) earn a median average 12.6% more than those who are white.

Other Pay Gaps:

The report also shows that those with a recognized disability earn around 8% more than colleagues without one, while women earn 5% more than men.

Criticism and Context:
These figures have led to criticism and questions about the BBC's commitment to equal pay, with some arguing that the corporation is not paying staff based on merit.

BBC's Response:
The BBC has committed to equal pay, but the figures have led to questions about how equal the licence fee funded pay scales are.

There was a rich man who owned a national chain of jewellery shops who announced that his best sellers were c**p.

Gerald Ratner's stupidity is legend. He destroyed his own business.

Elon Musk is an Immensely rich man whose wealth revolves round his company's car sales.

He has away of saluting people's intelligence too.

Would you buy a new or used Tesla car now?

https://futurism.com/numbers-consumers-against-tesla

I have just received my renewal demands for my house and car insurance, my house is up by 23.9% and the car by 30.1% amounting to an additional £410 pa.
On querying these increases I am told that all insurance premiums are going up necessitated by the increase in NI costs in the budget.
I think that it is safe to assume that the insurance companies, having been given an excuse by the Chancellor to raise prices, will add on an extra bit for themselves, they would be mad to miss such a chance.
So much for Party that said they wouldn't increase taxes and Rachel from accounts who clearly wants to increase inflation, odd thing for a Chancellor to want to do.
Any Lefties want to defend such stupidity?

Mark Carney will replace Justin Trudeau as the next Canadian Prime Minister.

In his acceptance speech, the former head of the UK and Canada's central banks says his nation faces "dark, dark days, brought on by a country we can no longer trust"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cg4k2l204zqt?post=asset%3A90b8b45d-43e2-4a62-b8f7-909b6ca43e97

https://www.politico.eu/article/european-council-summit-donald-trump-war-in-ukraine-peace-talks/

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/feb/26/poo-and-punishment-is-there-really-a-war-on-dogs-in-england-and-wales

Developing story 😢

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14442071/amp/Gene-Hackman-wife-Betsy-Arakawa-dead-Santa-Fe-home.html

What a lemon

https://youtu.be/M_lvniot6dA?si=gF3SOmzAvsUGD5vh

https://youtu.be/skV7LWBSKrA?si=AuzqYmhPDL3QHvj2

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdemV5Su/

Brings a Ukrainian family together

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqjd78jpqj9o.amp

When you are Trump!!

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdemfKEu/

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdePgA7Q/

Here’s a long and very interesting piece on Donald Trump by Sidney Blumenthal https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/09/sycophancy-toadying-trump-self-aggrandizement It could have done with a little copy-editing in places to reconstruct a few sentences to make them clearer, but I dare say the Guardian may have agreed to leave it untouched. It really is a horrifying tale. Would the British electorate vote in such numbers for someone so appallingly unsuitable? I do hope not. And I really, really wish someone would assassinate Trump before more damage is done.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c0l16424w1pt?page=2

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdeDQMgV/

No problem. Microsoft Teams Personal is exactly the same in layout, format and operation. There is no difference I can see. Messaging (chat), audio and video.
You will have to download the appropriate app for desktop or mobile. I have a desktop, the Teams app is shown below, it may also cover mobile.
When installing, use the same email address as you have for Skype. It goes quite easy.
Teams searches your email and Skype for those contacts who are on Teams and lists them.
You will have to invite your contacts not listed to join Teams using their email address in the search box. An email will then be sent to them.
I myself and two friends have already done this and Teams is working perfectly, exactly as on Skype.
Try this -

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-teams/teams-for-home?msockid=3a67d2a3fab964d508bdc70bfb8165d0

https://whoownsengland.org/2025/03/06/huge-win-government-announces-plan-to-open-up-land-registry/

Then tells them she hopes they get deported!

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNderwUaL/

...but I've stopped laughing now!

https://news.stv.tv/west-central/trump-turnberry-golf-courses-dug-up-and-buildings-daubed-with-red-paint-by-protesters