egg

Agreed. I'm harsher than you. Anyone capable of exercise, can and should look after themselves and move around more. Anyone incapable of exercise can and should address their nutrition and not become obese. I'm horrified that we've got to the point where the message people are hearing is they don't have to worry about looking themselves as a jab will sort it. Eat less shite, move more. It's not complicated.

Yep, think it through, reality check it, announce it. It's not difficult. I'm not sure I can remember so much flip flopping from any previous government. Farcical.

It is, in part, but the extent to which China actually needs the oil is just one factor. It's also about Chinese influence and where it's money to buy the oil goes. The US have explicitly said to China that they are to stay away from the America's. They also don't want China controlling the oil or the Venezuelan oil industry. They also don't want Venezuelan debt to China being offset by oil exports which breach the US unilateral sanctions. I'm surprised that some people think this is mostly about the US wanting Venezuelan oil for their own purposes. Sure, that's a factor, ditto imperialism and a wish to have a puppet state in it's border, but It's far more geopolitical than the US wanting to nick oil.

It was a great, democratic nation. The CIA then orchestrated a coup for western gain. The locals didn't like the involvement of the West, and revolted. We've now got what we've got, and what the Iranians get next won't be what the Iranians choose. In reality, sadly, Iran couldn't be any of the things you say it could be.

Reprieve

Decent article on CNN about Trump's selective view on the sanctity of protests. I hadn't appreciated that he'd floated the idea of shooting protesters in the US. https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/12/politics/protests-iran-trump-rescue

People

Ha! That reminds me of my old boy telling me that I'd get a bottle of pop if I could tell him what a green house is made of. I never got the pop, and still don't know if it's glass or green bricks.

The bit you quoted from Ralph is correct though, and pretty much the core of this strategy. China can no longer get it's hands on cheap Venezuelan oil, and soon Iranian. India are similarly impacted. Major manufacturing countries not getting cheap oil, and countries in need of cash not being able to sell their oil, weakens all of them countries. It's a crude (no pun intended) strategy, but it's working.

Donny says Cuba must make a deal. Anyone got a clue what a deal is supposed to relate to? Oil? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2kv2gn62vo

Billy Bob Thornton is immense in everything he does. Even the pissed up thieving Bad Santa.

I'm not persuaded by distraction, although it's a cherry on top for Donny I suppose. It's more complex than that. This is - Venezuela and next Iran - about controlling who does and doesn't get oil (China), who gets oil money and impacting on their stability, and - Venezuela, Greenland - imperialism.

Yep. Even their plain classic shirts have splashes of colour and/or smarty coloured buttons. All a bit Tyson Fury for me.

Amen to those, particularly Oldman. Utterly believable. I'll add Christopher Waltz in Inglorious Basterds. Absolutely nailed the Hans Lander role.

Javier Bardem in no country for old men was unbelievably good. Ditto Kathy Bates in Misery. In lesser known stuff, Stephen Graham in The Virtues was phenomenal.

Prick. Tariff increases if they don't do as they're told?

Warped minds think alike!

Absolutely. With Wellington LCB, Robinson LWB, and Quarshie up top with Archer. Dream team.

Clash

I don't buy anywhere near as much stuff as I did, but spend more on vinyl records than I should. Where we do spend is holidays and breaks. We go away most weekends from spring to the end of summer, and several times in between. We eat out a fair bit as well, but usually just for an Indian, but it's easy to spend almost £100 for 2 just having a ruby. Like Duck, I hate clothes shops, and grab stuff online. Nowt extravagant. M&S, Crew, John Lewis, Aubin, are all decent quality and look good. I have to wear decent shoes though - DM's aren't what they were, but Solovair (who made DM's in England) are exceptional quality, and their NPS stuff isn't far off Church's quality for much less money.

Would he? People said that about Romeu. Is he more mobile than what we have? More incisive in his passing? More creative? He'd certainly bring experience, but I'm not convinced that he brings enough to improve us and make any meaningful difference.

No disrespect, but that's pretty pathetic. If you have an opinion, at least be willing to explain it.

I'm asking for an explanation for your emoji response, not for you to try to convince me. I say she wasn't reckless because she pulled away at low speed, and it should have been obvious to the agent that she may do so as she was behind the wheel of a car with it's engine running. What's the explanation for her being reckless? Emojis, or I wasn't there, aren't a sensible response.

Point me to her recklessness please. Naive, misguided, perhaps, but she wasn't reckless. The agent who killed her when he wasn't a danger to her, was reckless.

A car would clip me if I stood in its way and didn't move out of the way when it moved slowly away. Nothing reckless by the driver, but entirely reckless by the ICE agent.