Friday 4 April: Tariffs prove that Trump is serious about putting Americans first

Posted on by Geoff Graham

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579 thoughts on “Friday 4 April: Tariffs prove that Trump is serious about putting Americans first”

  2. Good morning, chums, and thanks, Geoff, for today's NoTTLe site. Total failure on Wordle today.

    Wordle 1,385 X/6

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  6. 404052+ up ticks,

    Morning Each,

    Friday 4 April: Tariffs prove that Trump is serious about putting Americans first

    Understatement,
    Very,very,serious,I'm glad to say.

    1. Morning Oggy. Pretty much everything you read in the MSM is now a blatant lie. Completely divorced from reality.

      1. 404052+ up ticks,

        Morning AS,

        Our current treacherous BBc / media, if about in the 1940s would have cabled Avenue Foch
        and said ” two SOE operatives arriving tonight
        at coordinates …….”

    4. Every single one is a lie. How he can say those things is staggering. Surely he can't believe them? Sadly, there are far too many thick idiots who vote Labour who do.

  9. I fear Britain is lurching towards civil war, and nobody knows how to stop it. 4 April 2025.

    I now fear Britain is heading for open sectarian conflict, possibly war, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. Here’s a snapshot of what I’m hearing.

    I’m not sure about Civil War which would predicate two equally armed forces duking it out. I think it much more likely that the country will fragment into centres of power with low level violence and atrocity and a severe internal refugee problem.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/04/03/civil-war-is-coming-to-britain/

    1. And We already know which side the police, law courts and government are on.

    3. How to stop it is easy: get. Rid. Of. Them.

      Stop paying the diversity to breed. Stop having preferential law. Stop letting them out of prison. Get rid of the violent thugs. Stop giving them free houses. If they won't clean up after themselves, collar and chain them until they do.

      Remind the foreigner that they are servant, not equal, not master. Ban speaking foreign in public. Abolish all foreign religions. Instead of jailing someone for putting bacon on a mosque, have plod say ' a bit of a waste of bacon' and forget about it. Stop pandering to them. Make them uncomfortable and unwelcome until they either leave or fit in.

    4. Major and Blair deliberately disarmed the GBP.
      Now only criminals and some state employees can get hold of guns.
      Personally, I felt a lot safer when the restrictions were easier.

  10. Good morning all.
    A bright sun illuminating the trees behind the former pub over the road promising a sunny day.
    Still a bit chilly with a tad under 6½°C outside.

      1. Errr…. grey an overcast. There's blue sky behind the clouds.

        That's the weather, not my mindset (that's positively thunderous)

  12. Morning, all Y'all.
    Brilliant sunshine, not a cloud in the sky. A beautiful day…

  13. Morning all 🙂😊
    High thin cloud, bright start, no wind.
    I wonder how the average American who voted for Trump feels now. We only get the msm opinions and we all know what there game is.
    That huge wooden spoon must need replacing it must be worn out by now.

  14. Tunnock's teacakes to fly again after cockpit mess.

    Tunnock’s teacakes have been passed fit to fly by the RAF after they were banned from flights 60 years ago. The iconic Scottish snack was a favourite of airmen to help stave off hunger while flying their nuclear bombers on long training missions at the height of the Cold War.

    However, they were added to the RAF’S no-fly list following an incident in the 1960s when some teacakes are said to have exploded in a cockpit.
    But now, the RAF Centre of Aerospace Medicine in Bedfordshire, has flown the teacakes to 8,000ft, climbing at 4,000ft per minute, before rapidly decompressing them to 25,000ft to see if they would blow up.

    While the marshmallow in the teacakes did escape from the chocolate casing, they did not appear to explode.

    My crabfat friends will be delighted by this news. I would bet, though, that more than a few of this delicacy would have been secretly stowed away in many a cockpit since that 1960 ban.

    1. If you're at 8000 feet and decompress the pressure inside the cockpit will be that of 8000 ft not 25,000 ft. To get that pressure you'd have to decompress AT 25000 ft.

    1. My word trapped eh……
      All the arm waving that seems to more and more popular now is not the answer to a perfectly reasonable question.

      2. Nothing. Khan doesn't like having capable people around him. They expose his mendacity. They also cause him problems. By ensuring only he very dross are appointed he secures his post.

        All of them should be sacked. Spend the money on white police officers who serve the public and have them start shooting the criminal diversity.

    5. A classic diversity hire: thick, incompetent, stupid, unintelligible, unprepared, grossly overpaid but in post because black and a woman.

      This is what holds back women in the workplace: the idea that you could hire some useless bint like that.

  16. Lady Eddy returns home tomorrow from her 10 days with number 3 son in Dubai.
    Number one is picking me up and we are driving to LHR to collect her. She has had a lovely time. And as a dedicated grandma deserved the break.
    Number two, wife and their two lovely grandchildren are off to Disney Land Paris later.
    Me…..? I'm just plodding on as usual.
    'Oh Well' as Peter Green once sang.

      2. …and he's not being forced to go to Disneyland Paris. Big Win to be 'just plodding on as usual.'

        1. And everything is so tidy washing done washing up all done, work in the garden in progress. I've had 50 years of practice 😄😉

          1. With that level of saintliness, you'll be fast-tracked through the Pearly Gates when your time comes.

    2. ♬I can't help about the shape I'm in,
      I can't sing, I ain't pretty and my legs are thin.
      But don't ask me what I think of you,
      I might not give the answer that you want me to.♬

      1. Spot on Grizz.
        a Long time ago I went to see a band at a club known as Klooks Kleek, in West Hampstead above the Railway Tavern. The band was called Peter B's Looners. Peter Bardens on Hamond Peter Green (front man) on guitar, Mick Fleetwood on drums. No stage just floor level and my mates and I stood very close to him. Soon after they became Fleetwood Mac.

        1. Legend has it that the band didn’t have a name. When asked what was he going to call it, Peter Green just pointed at his drummer (Mick Fleetwood) and bassist (John ‘Mac’ McVie) and said … er … Fleetwood … Mac .

          1. Good grief, Grizzly, you're back today from the Yukon and have re-joined the Police Force – not the Police "Service", note.

      3. I pointed out to a Lefty that the EU has been levying tariffs for decades to create a protectionist, expensive market. He didn't believe me. The ignorance and stupidity of so many remoaners is staggering.

        1. People just believe what the media says. They don't realise that every country including the UK is putting tariffs on things.

  18. Morning all.
    Failed. Did not expect this answer:
    Wordle 1,385 X/6

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    1. Good morning. Similar here!
      Wordle 1,385 X/6

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      1. That's reassuring to me that both Per and BB2 failed – just like me – in solving today's Wordle in the allowed 6 attempts.

  19. My OH just told me he was up at 10 past 3 finishing off defrosting the fridge! I must have been fast asleep then. He couldn't sleep knowing he hadn't finished the job.

    1. ‘Morning Jules! My old man does things like that! It’s not uncommon for him to mop the kitchen floor in the middle of the night! I guess that’s why he’s bought a very expensive programmable robotic vacuum/cleaner called Dougal – it revolves a lot!

          1. Sue Mac, to the best of my knowledge and recollection I have never, ever, called you a Silly Sausage.

        1. Actually he’s quite quiet except when he rumbles along the wood hall floor! Unfortunately, he has a tendency to get stuck on the metal strip coming out of the kitchen, and needs to make several manoeuvres to get out! Once he had to shout for help!

      4. Best time to do it. No one around, it'll be dry for the morning, can leave the window open a touch to get some air in.

        My problem is where I go, a dog usually follows. While Lucy and Oscar are pretty good at doing as they're told, Mongo isn't – or will often decide not to be. He's a good boy most of the time but he has a stubborn streak a mile wide. Say 'out, stay' and he'll look at you, then flop down where he is.

        1. You're confusing him, Wibbers. He doesn't know whether you want him to go out or stay in. Lol.

    2. My entire life changed for the better when I got rid of my old fridge-freezer and bought a self-defrosting one.

  20. BTL Comment and response:-

    Comment by Susan Hills.
    8 min ago

    Off topic but would like the Editor to confirm.

    On GBNEWS last night it was broadcast that Trump likes the Chagos deal because Starmer has told him there will be no rent for America to use the Chagos Islands.

    Reply by R. Spowart.

    1 min ago

    Ooof! They kept that quiet.

    1. Morning Ogga

      I wonder how many scammers are posing as MPs and ministers of state ..

      We will wait and see , but every government over the decades has produced many rogues .

      I don't think the Labour front bench appear to be all that clean .. and what happened to the chap Ali who provided the PM and others with freebees?

      A certain FO minister reminds me of Idi Amin .. Yep , Idi swanked around devouring everything whilst his people starved and suffered .

  24. Good morning all, damp morning here , Moh now playing golf .

    Everything in the garden is greening up pretty quickly .

    Strange how some trees and shrubs seem way ahead of other varieties .

    1. It would be good to see some more insects though. Today might bring more out as the temp here is forecast to reach a scorching 18°C this afternoon.

      Edit; 'Morning, Belle.

      1. Morning Mola ,

        Please will you read this link https://kelstonsparkes.com/kelston-sparkes-appointed-on-further-wetlands-scheme/

        So, if you have read that , and got the gist of the article … Many of us walk our dogs near that area .. The Wetland reclaim is an enormous project .. HUGE impact .

        A few weeks ago there was a small work party hammering in stakes into the heather area further in to the drier area of the heathland , still RSPB .. They were erecting an enclosure of white plastic probably a couple of feet or more high .. perhaps half an acre , but the plastic was also buried to a depth in the ground of a foot or more .. ( I know because I visit that area of the heath virtually every day )

        There are written signs that say bio diversity protected site .. I stopped by and got out of the car and peered over top of the plastic boundary fence … what an amazing surprise .. I saw a young adder basking in the sunshine .

        A forestry wagon stopped by me and a few bods climbed out of it with a bucket … These people had slow worms , lizards , snakes etc to release inside the enclosure … they were saving reptiles that were being disturbed by the wetland project … yes salt water project not fresh water….

        Sorry to sound boring , but what are the poor things going to eat now , because EVERWHERE appears to be devoid of insects ..

        It would have been kinder to have either placed them near a boggy area rather than run the risk of a blinking heathland blaze destroying the poor things .

        A blooming wetland project to attract more birds who will have nothing to eat .. unless of course they want the new wetland to resemble a Nigerian swamp , full of Tsetse flies and other unwelcome abominations .

        Any way I took a photo of the adder , young male and very pale .. I can't get my pics from my phone to download on here .

        1. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b75e1bb79c4f876ea79909efaf54e1cf22cd0d1a86d44bf60719245298c45844.png Not to worry, Maggie, I've downloaded a photo of an adder for you.😘

          Seriously though you are not being boring. The depletion of insects is a worrying development for all life forms. I cancelled my membership of the RSPB (Royal Suppliers of Porcelain Blue-tits) years ago when a healthy copse of trees at their Titchwell Marsh nature reserve in North Norfolk was hacked down to make a picnic area for visitors.

          1. Reeves' calculator. She thinks it's a big number but doesn't understand the M is for minus.

        2. Hi, Belle, only just seen your post. Fascinating. Hopefully they’ve done some real life research. Adders and grass snakes both eat lizards. What sort of size is the enclosed area? What’s happening in the “wetland project” that disturbs the local reptiles. The Dorset heaths are famous for their sand lizard and smooth snake populations as you will know.

          1. The wetland project has made me so angry .. a total waste of money . You are spot on re your thoughts .

            The whole of Purbeck heathland will resemble a huge swamp ..

        4. “Kelston Sparkes appointed on further wetlands scheme

          The Environment Agency, RSPB and Natural England have joined forces with Dorset Council to adapt 150 hectares of low-lying grassland at Arne Moor into a diverse wetland habitat. This proactive measure is designed to combat rising sea levels that can lead to loss of habitat for wildlife.”

          A ‘proactive’ measure by the RSPB. What could possibly go wrong?

      2. It was very noticeable the difference in insect splats on the car in France compared with the UK.
        Every day on the journey up and down we had to clean the windscreen in France, not once in the UK.

          1. Most of our driving avoided cities in both UK and France.
            Although, to be fair, we drove more miles in France each day, but the ratio of UK hits was far, far less than the mileages would suggest.

          1. Agreed.
            It would be interesting to read any academic research on pollination rates over the last half century and whether crop yields, type by type, have dropped.

      3. Yes, I was thinking that earlier. VERY few flying insects about at the moment.

      1. Not sure how much they benefit the wider economy. A factory near me which employed about 50 people closed and was converted, at great expense, into a data centre. How many people work there now?

        1. You'd be surprised, as there's a lot of monitoring going on. Remember the heatsink (a huge tub of water you could comfortably dive in) needs to be replaced and cleaned every month or so, then there's monitoring of the power use, cleaning (and yes, clean rooms need cleaning) and this is specialised work. Not folks nipping about with a bottle of pledge and a duster.

          The problem the UK has is we just don't need 45 million of the 85 population. We need a few, highly skilled professionals. We don't make anything not because we're bad at it, but because our industry has gone beyond that to the clever bit. We don't mass produce F1 engines, but we do sell the tech used for tens of millions. We might make one Rolls Royce but that's because the carpenter hired to do the wood is an absolute genius of curves and lines to fit in the exact space. We laser cut steel molds – a process China doesn't do: it makes a sand copy.

          The failure of the state is in desperately needing to make itself look good it has destroyed the natural balance of society and that did mean a smaller, higher skilled, more highly educated population that works longer and has fewer children. Big fat state saw a shrinking population that wouldn't need it and set about reversing that, by flooding us with unwanted foreigners who have no utility or value whatsoever.

    2. AI = Artificial Idiocy (or Artificial Imbecility?).

      I prefer Arseholic Imbecility (especially since I personally coined the wonderfully descriptive adjective, 'arseholic', which has manifold uses, especially in these benighted times).

      1. No, but calling a glorifed search engine 'AI' is a misnomer. AI would predict what you want, not respond to your queries.

        Saying 'write me code to enter text wibble into a text field called address1 in selenium python just gets you sample code. It wouldn't get further than that.

    3. Also notable that while it looks as if only 6p is tax, remember that the energy is itself taxed at source. Gas, for example is doubled in price and all of that is passed on and not reflected in the price, but it is used to set the price of unreliables, so not only do we have to pay a fortune for unreliables in subsidy, but their base price is inflated to make them look competitive against gas power when they're far more than 3 times more expensive even if they were to operate at a reasonable level of efficiency – which they never do.

  27. Tariffs prove that Trump is serious about putting Americans first

    So under the Trump agenda, shares have fallen a bit but prospects for working people have been greatly enhanced with industry and investment flooding back into the USA.

    Much better than the existing net zero and the 2030 globalist agenda we are stuck with, you lose all your money and your possessions.
    But you will be happy, they say

    1. Yet I don't know what Trump is doing. High taxes do create jobs locally and the US has a bigger market but they are still an overall negative element longer term.

      Heck, the EU imposes them and has destroyed growth in Europe for nearly 2 decades now.

  28. You can see why Ange & Dominic Grieve KC are desperately trying to conflate criticism of a religion with racial hatred as they fine tune the Islamophobia law.

      1. Nor have I – I bought some BT shares donkey's years ago – privatisation ones I think – and every so often I get invited to sell them. I ignore them.

    1. The world is crying out for a Star Wars-like Rebel Alliance to take on and destroy this evil WEF/UN Empire that threatens to enslave us all.

  31. Good Morning!

    Today’s article looks at Islamism and a report indicating that over seventy percent of British Muslims identify themselves as being primarily Muslim, rather than British, a frightening finding for which we blame the woke globalist Establishment.

    In Our Future and Education Duke Maskell looks at what education is and how it is seen and discussed by politicians, most of whom think the only thing that matters is how much money is spent on it.

    Iain Hunter Delingpole-axed the Flat Earth conspiracy once and for al l. He does so eloquently and in order to defend all the real conspiracy theories we love and cherish, and which have been proven all too real.

    Energy watch 08.00: Demand:  33.15 GW. Total UK Production: 28.25 GW from: Hydrocarbons 21.4%; Wind 30.6%; Imports 19.4%; Biomass 8.8%; Nuclear 12.5%. Solar: 2.8%.

    They have declared today a ‘moderate’ carbon density day, but it is clear that, in the same manner that they reduce UK’s ‘carbon footprint’ (I Know) by exporting all our heavy industry, they are decarbonising our power generation by use of imports, today at almost 20%. Even if you believe in man-made climate change, that is fraudulent – like everything else about this government.

    2. The others who say that they are more British than muslim are practising taqiyya.

  33. We just seem to have more than our share here of liars,cheats and rogues – and that's just in the Front Bench.

    1. Looking forward to a Netflix docudrama about the rape gangs. I'll take a seat.

      1. Netflix have form for being extremely Left wing. They've lost millions pushing their ideology and avoiding confronting the appalling criminality of the diversity.

    1. History proves that tariff walls don't work. They always inevitably make the customer poorer by making goods more expensive. Governments like them as it forces control over trade with the idea being to promote an internal market and create more jobs 'locally'. This was the EU's plan, as it enforced and reinforced the single market but in reality it's just made Europe more expensive, less competitive and infinitely less innovative.

      This is why growth has slowed to dot percentage points. The richest middle class in Europe is poorer than the lowest earners in Singapore.

      1. America grew to industrial might behind tariff barriers. Japan recovered spectacularly after WW II behind various obstacles to free trade. China has become the workshop of the world with scant regard for the rules of the game.

        Works well on Planet Perfect, but ours is a fallen world

        1. Yet Germany exported masses precisely because it abandoned the socialist idiocy while the UK adopted it post war. Japan threw manufacturing into overdrive and had low barriers on materials like metal and cloth. They learned that tariffs simply just make people poorer. Japan is still struggling to learn that.

          1. America also made Britain pay back the post-war loans.
            Unlike Germany and Japan who "started it"

  38. JOHNNY TILLOTSON, who has died aged 86, was a singer best known for his worldwide hit Poetry in Motion, a UK No 1 and US No 2 in 1960 and 1961; he went on to have a string of hits on both sides of the Atlantic, part of the wave of clean-cut young men like Bobby Vee and Bobby Rydell who stepped in to try to fill the gap created by Elvis Presley’s stint in the US Army.

    The years 1960–1962 were a dismal black hole in the world of popular music. The fresh vibrancy of 1950s rock-'n'-roll had faded and all we were left with in that awful void were plastic wannabe Elvis's with their dire and tedious crooning cacophony.

    The yearned-for emergence of excellent blues-based rock, in 1963, was a more than welcome relief for fans of decent popular music. Those tired old Teds were swept away along with their greasy quiffs and their ghastly croaking that was only beloved by toothless bearded hags who remained clamouring for more Bing Crosby anachronisms.

    1. Crikey , you do have a way with words Grizzly .

      I do agree with you , says I , laughing !

      Moh loves a prog called Angel radio, he can only pick it up in the car .. full of oldies , and produced by oldies , but the oldies who have their DJ slots , dig into their own LP collections and some of the music is surprising , and some are cringe making .. when I want to scream , let me out let me out of the car, stop!

      2. Maggie, I think that your other half has good taste. I too am a regular listener to Angel Radio. I think I was born a generation too late.

        1. I am afraid I cringe a bit , some of the crooning annoys me ..

          I love jazz , so I am happy when some bluesy stuff is played .. but oh dear Elsie , do you also have a well worn supply of LP’s

          ANGEL RADIO.. can’t access it on the kitchen radio .only when out in the car.

          1. Hi Maggie, I too like jazz and often listen to Radio Swiss Jazz. I used to have a wonderful collection of LPs, singles and EPs in perfectly mint condition. But I sold them on some years ago for an excellent price. I now have replaced most of them with CDs.

    2. What price then Bobby Vee, Brian Hyland and Frankie Avalon – all adored by the immediately post Bobby Sox generation?

    3. Grizzly, are you suggesting that I am a "toothless bearded hag"? I don't sport a beard (not many Elsies do) but I do like crooners like Bing and Frank.

      1. Bing and Frank were of their time and had talent.
        All those nonentity one-hit-wonders between 1960–62 (listed above) had none.

  40. When the WEF/UN cartel of megalomanic dictators — Klaus Schwab, George Soros, Billy Goats, António Guterres, et al — first read George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four; when was it that they decided the novel wasn’t a warning, but a very handy user manual?

    2. As I wrote a couple of decades ago:

      'One Blair had a nightmare; another Blair saw it as a dream and started to enact it.'

    3. I do wonder sometimes. You look at what the state is doing and it is so clearly abusive fascism that it's clear they saw their ideal guidebook.

      Of course, what they forget is that eventually, they stop being O'Brien.

    4. Prior to the planning for Covid/Lockdowns/social imprisonment, mass vaccination (and the rest, mass immigration, for one). That's when. You missed out T. Blair.

    1. What do you mean by a hat that you could put a slogan on, what style hat?

        2. Oddly Bill. That's what came to mind for me. Plenty of room for a billboard.

      2. You choose. I’m a homburg man myself. You might prefer a Christmas paper party hat.😉

      1. I'm sure that Rupert Lowe would not Brooke such environmental vandalism if he ever came to be in government.

      2. I'm sure that Rupert Lowe would not Brooke such environmental vandalism if he ever came to be in government.

      3. Keen Balhamians of the world should join forces when passing through the Gateway to the South.

  43. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/04/03/civil-war-is-coming-to-britain/

    Err, the conflict was inevitable. Bring a savage, barbaric, stone age religion into a country forcibly made poorer by continued state oppression, protect and fete the barbarians and keep pushing ever more of them in, at great expense to the suppressed workking majority and the outcome was obvious to anyone.

    We're sick of being stabbed, bombed, raped and the press – at the behest of the state – protecting the alien invader.

      1. I think the LD one on hold following local protest, Belle. Or so it was reported, who knows what's true and what's false.

      2. It's obviously someone trolling. There would be zero chance of anything being built there.

    2. When Judaism was the minority religion in this country. We gave a nod to them as was right and proper. A mention of Hanukah etc. But otherwise they were treated exactly like everyone else. That is how Islam should be treated, no special privileges. No concessions for Halal, no concessions for burkas, no concessions for prayer 5 times a day. No concessions in the treatment of the Koran. No concessions in language, English or nothing. Measures should be taken to ban the lot and for those who do not want to co-operate, then pay their passage home.
      And, by the way. Mosques in the lake district and/or on Mam Tor are not whimsical. It is quite deliberate. Such acts are designed to display dominance and are, no matter how beautiful, an act of corrupt ugliness of a corrupt religion. Just as Al-Aqsa built right on top of the most sacred place for Judaism is a deliberate affront and display of aggression against the Jews.

      1. That's the problem. For some insane reason this appalling, violent religion is promoted, rather than denigrated. I just don't see why. They're nothing but trouble.

        1. It started out with the wokerati feeling smug because of an acceptance of a different 'culture'. Now they realise that Islam can't be criticised because violence will result, so they have to play along and support attempts to outlaw 'Islamophobia'.

        2. The reason that Islam is promoted is that we have a spinless ruling class that doesn't know its history. Islam is about dominance, its methodology is to play victim and get concessions. It will keep testing the waters to get outrageous outcomes for itself. It continues to do this until it feels strong enough to take over the society completely. Here in the West, they can do that by manipulating democracy. Prodded along by the threat of riots and of guilt, etc. This has been the modus operandi of Islam since the beginning. If you are a higher culture, like Europe or, in its time, Java as another example, it will threaten, knowing that concessions will be made, In short it has perfected the art of bullying until it is triumphant, it is the street thug against the pampered middle class office worker. You cannot avoid violence with Islam, it is inevitable. But the powers that be fall into the trap of thinking that they can appease Islam and it is this unwillingness to fight fire with fire which guarantees that we will lose. Our only hope is that the population at large wakes up to the threat before it is to late and fights back.

    1. Talking of which when leaving Gibraltar has anyone sailed westwards against the wind trying to get past Tarifa Point?

      The Med for a small sailing boat is rather like Hotel California. Easy to sail into it and check in with the current and wind behind you but difficult ever to leave!

      1. Apart from anything else Rastus, it is a lovely part of the world. I remember watching the Greek sailing ships searching for sponges, old fashioned, powered by the wind, on a still blue sea as calm as an indoor pool. I wouldn't want to leave.

  48. … Bobby Vinton, Craig Douglas, Marty Wilde, Dickie Valentine …

    All of them beyond dire!

    2. Sometimes, Grizzly, I think that you a man with no taste at all in music. I guess we'll just have to agree to differ.

      1. Au contraire, Auntie Elsie. I consider myself to have exquisite taste in good music.

    1. Sonny Boy Snr and family are skiing in Austria this week. They have to go further up the mountains, but there is still plenty of snow.

  51. I support him, Rastus…think you're correct but that's why he'll never be in government. We're up the creek, no paddle.

  52. Oddly enough, yes they do! The twins think it’s hilarious when we carry him upstairs! He’s got a map of the layout of the house, and he’s very good, but if he needs to empty the bag we need to lift him!

    1. Elon is an example of everything good about America. He's a South African who made his money and now is a staunch patriot who espouses american values.

      Instead of the dross we get, who want to kill us – after sponging off our money.

      1. Sad but true. They are intellectually and academically behind. About a fifth of children leave school unable to read. They are also technically innumerate and illiterate.

        Someone suggested this is why gang scrawl is just that – they can't read the words.

        1. The blanket was invented and manufactured by a white man. Same for the bowl. The stick was simply picked up.

          1. For those who have not come across it:

            In the matter of racial comparisons,
            the media shouts to the moon
            about all the historic achievements
            of the Redskin, the Spic and the Coon.

            Yet strangely when strolling museums
            the White man's creations stand thick,
            and all we can find of those others
            are a blanket, a bowl and a stick.

            No telephones, timeclocks or engines,
            no lights that go on with a flick,
            no airplanes or rockets or radios,
            just a blanket, a bowl and a stick

            Not one sioux indian submarine,
            no african ice cream to lick,
            not a single mexican x-ray machine,
            just a blanket, a bowl and a stick

            So remember when history's the subject,
            and revisionists are up to their tricks,
            the evidence tells quite another tale
            of a blanket, a bowl and a stick.

  55. I've just found out who is standing (why does our national broadcaster insist on using the Americanizm "running"?) at the county elections where I live.

    The divison is divided between an urban part of Malvern, and surrounding villages, which are very rural. Last time, the Lib Dem was strong in the town, and the Independent strong in the villages. The Tory was reasonably strong in both, so took the seat. I voted Independent, mostly over the closure of the Further Education college in the town. The Independent, also a district councillor, attempted a buy-out by the District to run as a community college, but the owners upped their price to what they could get from a developer.

    This time, there is no Independent, only Labour, Tory, Lib Dem, Reform and Green.

    My feeling is that Reform have not done enough to get very far. Labour is nowhere. The Green is the wife of an old Green veteran who won another County seat in Malvern at a by-election, but is not established enough in the villages and may struggle. The Tory, who I know well, lives in the town and hasn't really been seen much, whereas Tories need to put themselves about if they are to hold on, especially with the current state of the party.

    This leaves the Lib Dem, who seems capable, is recommended by the popular Independent next door. Learning from the mistake last time, he is against the asset-stripping of F.E. collleges by the corporate Warwickshire Colleges Group, and rides a unicycle, so would be popular to the party leader.

    I will read all the election literature before casting my vote, but my inclination this time is with the Lib Dem.

        1. Wot Bill said with the rider that they are actually worse and they say what they say in the knowledge/expectation they will never have to implement it.

      2. Voting for them is voting for the blob. Makes no difference if you vote for them or the Labour Conservative parasites.

    2. In Norfolk, Essex and Sussex there are no local elections. They have been "postponed" allegedly for a year because those areas are being changed into unitary authorities. It won't be done in a year; this postponement will run and run.
      Guess who is scheduled for an almighty kicking?

    3. That is the way the Lib Dems, who are neither liberal nor democratic, work. They start at a local level and build a power base.

    4. Limp Dumbs – the slightly more acceptable face of the Reds. Your choice Jeremy.

  56. Why are so many against the tariffs from Trump but not against the tariffs from the EU that are far greater than Trumps and have been in ln place far longer. Brexit has saved us from a far greater tariff from Trump.

    1. An impartial mainstream media would publish a table, country by country, showing clearly the rate of tariffs they will have imposed upon them by the USA and the tariffs they already impose upon the USA.

      The PTB – especially those in the EU – don't like the truth to be exposed.

    1. The sad thing is, she'll say that and the Lefty sheep will believe her. Their mindless hatred of Trump gives her carte blanche.

  59. Omg. Am on a “wealth management call” where i am supposedly having a one-2-one with an adviser; it is clear i know more than him and he has spent the past 45 minutes ranting against the Conservatives (especially Truss) and Trump/Vance/Musk; praising Joe; and Kier (“a statesman”, apparently); ranting against American tariffs…did you know Jan VI was “domestic terrorism”? And that Trump is definitely going to take a 3rd term because he “owns” the Supreme Court ….

    I could go on, but i’m trying to shut him up and get on with my day.

    1. Not much value in his ranting. You could always stop him and say 'How will these impact on our capital'. I find asking Lefties to confront their ignorance usually undoes them completely.

      1. Well i have been gently pushing back – “on the other hand have you considered this angle” but he really hasn’t grasped the fact that i am totally at 180 degrees from his worldview. Hoping to get him off the Zoom soon – 90 minutes of my life i won’t get back.

        1. Don't aim to change his opinion, just make him justify himself with facts he won't have. Then repeat those to him.

          Lefties hate that. They've only emotion and rage, no substance. No facts, no discipline.

      1. No, provided free by a former employer who has some of my money in an occupational pension and who is looking to get is to transfer our money out into another vehicle now approaching 60 (in a few years, i might add)

  60. In case you haven't actually read Tim Stanley's article.

    Britain is lurching towards civil war, and nobody knows how to stop it

    Labour's instinct is the worst response imaginable

    Tim Stanley • 03 April 2025 7:38pm BST

    I now fear Britain is heading for open sectarian conflict, possibly war, and there's nothing we can do to stop it. Here's a snapshot of what I'm hearing.

    On one night in Westminster, I met someone who argued for voluntary repatriation, two generations back; a Labour activist told me we must "re-educate" Muslims; and Jacob Rees-Mogg, debating me on GB News, said Britain should take "zero" refugees. I spluttered a reply about the good Samaritan and staggered off to bed, confused and depressed.

    For two decades I've argued for controlling immigration, and successive governments, including Jacob's, increased it. Suddenly I've woken up in a land where everyone manically wants to reduce or even reverse it, and they've leapfrogged me into a pool of dark resentment.

    Nigel Farage is mocked as a "dhimmi" for appointing a Muslim to chair his party; he looks nervous of his own supporters. Even Labour has turned on the Sentencing Council, which, for all its faults, was trying to fix a genuine racial disparity (it's black people who tend to get longer sentences than whites, not the other way around).

    On that last saga, so much hinges. It goes to the heart of how a society kills itself with kindness.

    Nearly 200,000 YouTubers have watched an interview given to Louise Perry by David Betz, a professor of conflict studies at King's, London. Betz argues that the conditions for a failed state we ordinarily apply overseas are now found here: frayed social contract, falling trust, polarisation. Into this mix Britain injected multiculturalism, encouraging millions to move here without expecting integration.

    If you think "fear of the other" is a human instinct, the policy was mad to begin with. Combine it with economic decline and you invite ethnic competition over services and jobs.

    Implicit in the Sentencing Council's guidance is the belief that when you operate a multicultural society – packed with groups with different values and experiences, advantages and handicaps – the only way to achieve equal outcomes is to treat people differently. In this spirit, says Betz, the modern state acts like an imperial administrator, promoting the interests of preferred minorities while trying to avoid a riot.

    I grew up in a post-colonial world where we said "I don't see race" and honestly, if naively, meant it. Over the past 30 years, liberal institutions have taught us to see race again – by stressing the wonders of diversity so persistently that some white people feel the state has actively taken a side against them. Ancient, binding concepts, such as "equality before the law" ring hollow. The latest Police Race Action Plan openly rejects the principle of "treating everyone the same" in favour of "equality of police outcomes".

    A situation in which millions believe cops are not impartial public servants but an occupying force is the headline metric of state failure. Mainland Britain has become Ulster.

    It isn't an endorsement of white resentment to acknowledge that it's real and growing, that beyond the curated Question Time audience, millions have evolved from irony to nihilism to something more disturbing. Just read the comments beneath the Betz video. "As a 28-year-old, fighting-age male, I am ready to lay down my life for Mother England and the survival of my folk." Viewers refer in code to Rotherham – to avoid being muted in the forum – and the grooming scandal that suggested the authorities were willing to cover up rape to maintain the peace.

    The UK is "a tinder box waiting to explode", writes an unhappy reviewer, which is also the worry of Canadian officials. In 2024, its police force produced a report warning their nation might be further buffeted by inequality, climate change and "paranoid populism". Separately, a government think tank warned of "civil war… in the United States" as a potential "underanticipated disruption".

    In fact, the low-level insurgency has already begun. Ireland has seen arson at asylum hotels. Last year, Britain had riots. Why did No10 insist that so many be thrown into jail? Betz notes that while Islamist terrorism is more lethal than far-Right extremism, there are only 4 million Muslims whereas there are around 50 million whites.

    Were the latter group radicalised, things might go south very fast, hence some in the security forces clearly regard white Britons as the emergent threat.

    Well, when "a formerly dominant social majority fears it is in danger of losing that dominance," to quote Betz, it doesn't surrender its position quietly – and yet this is what elites constantly tell the white working-class they must do, while refusing to abandon their own privileges.

    Labour, the party of racial and gender equality, has never seen fit to elect a non-white or a woman as leader. Neither is it willing to revive the economy with free market capitalism; nor to revive solidarity with socialism.

    Instead, it tries to knit the country back together with petty cash thrown at potholes or a roundtable on the spectre of white male violence. Centrist dad redux.

    Labour's instinct is to lean into multiculturalism, flirting with laws against islamophobia: the worst response imaginable. In that vein, what moron thought it would be clever to ban Marine Le Pen from running for office?

    Every conspiracy theory is confirmed, and without a democratic outlet for anger – seeing their aspirations limited and being too poor to emigrate – where else will a militant faction of angry whites go but to violence?

    Reform is a vehicle for dissent but offers no programme for change. The Tories lack imagination, and the world they exist to preserve is dead. We have no national culture to reunite us; no universalising religion to appeal to. When I saw a Tory MP tell GB News that the Sentencing Council evinced a bias against "white Christian" defendants, I laughed at the innocence. If someone's in the dock for murder or rape, they probably don't go to Evensong.

    Betz sees no solution, so suggests we prepare for anarchy. I'm more concerned about fascism. We're not far away from a politician running for office as explicitly anti-Muslim, and to those who say authoritarianism cannot happen here, I reply: lockdown.

    Did you ever think the state could imprison us in our homes? And if it can isolate the diseased from the healthy, the vaxed from the unvaxed, do you think it can't, or won't, someday separate us based on race or religion? We are literally debating the legalisation of euthanasia, a favourite tool of tyrants.

    As my companion on that horrid evening spoke of repatriation, I imagined foreign-made parts of me being politely invited to leave and floating off through the window, an arm to Ireland, a foot to France. What remained prayed silently that if this country does go mad, I won't lose my head.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/04/03/civil-war-is-coming-to-britain

    He knows trouble of some sort is coming but can't bring himself to state explicitly that the problem is imported, while still sneering at conservatism, loyalty and, implicitly, the unspoken horror of patriotism. He thinks he is on the right side by saying he has argued for the control of immigration but throws up his hands in horror at the idea of repatriation. Who has ever suggested that that be implemented en masse? Certainly, the Channel hoppers should go (saving £4 billion p.a.), as should all those who came here on legal tickets but have broken the terms of their permits while bringing dependents with them (£7-8 billion according to some recent reports). Tough action here might scare off a few more.

    Stanley is typical of those commentators who simply cannot admit publicly that Man is a tribal creature. They live in a world in which we all join hands. It never existed.

    1. He seems unwilling to admit that our country has been invaded and we are powerless to stop it. But the government – this one, the last one or the next – has the power to stop it from getting worse. but they do nothing and they still come.
      One simple measure could be to stop the benefits! Don't put them up in hotels with all found. Round them up and put them in uncomfortable container ships and send home any dissenters.
      Stop letting Muslims put their hideous mosques everywhere. They can go back to Pakistan.

      1. Remember how Suella Braverman got into trouble for using the 'I'word!

        …… home Secretary Suella Braverman, while answering questions in parliament on the plight of some 4000 asylum-seekers held at Manston Airfield, referred to migrants crossing the Channel in small boats as ‘an invasion’.

        Most people in the government, the civil service and other state institutions such as the police and education would be terrified of saying this.

        If Islamic countries can ban synagogues and churches why cannot Christian countries with established churches ban mosques?

        A bit two tier if you ask me.

      2. Remember how Suella Braverman got into trouble for using the 'I'word!

        …… home Secretary Suella Braverman, while answering questions in parliament on the plight of some 4000 asylum-seekers held at Manston Airfield, referred to migrants crossing the Channel in small boats as ‘an invasion’.

        Most people in the government, the civil service and other state institutions such as the police and education would be terrified of saying this.

        If Islamic countries can ban synagogues and churches why cannot Christian countries with established churches ban mosques?

        A bit two tier if you ask me.

    2. Funnily enough I was chatting to my neighbour when I walked the dogs and one thing he said when complaining about the number of immigrants was “I am angry”.

      1. By and large, dog walkers chat to each other; subjects tend to very parochial, or concerning family and their dogs.
        I have noticed generalised political comment creeping in. Not party politics, no ranting, just a quiet despair at the state of this country.

        1. Yes the one exception this morning was the third neighbour I chatted to; he stuck to the weather and dogs. The other two had a rant about the state of the nation.

    3. David Betz's YT vid was the first out there. What shocked the Libtards was that it was a Canadian liberal in academia breaking the news gently to the Libtards. He warned they would stick their fingers in their ears and double-down.
      In fact that was No.8 on his list of 14 configurations. They did just that.

      The one that sticks out is.. No.13.
      13/ The unresolved & ongoing industrial rape gang revelations completely undermining govt legitimacy and trashing what was left of the social contract.

      This was the one that Farage quietly forgot about and confirmed his credentials as nothing more than a wet-Tory.

  61. British actor and broadcaster Stephen Fry has received a knighthood from King Charles.

    A gift from one gay-boy to another.

    5. I thought that Charlie Boy wanted to be a Tampax – an unusual wish for a queer shirt lifter.

      1. I think the king has become a scapegoat for everything and anything. I find it a bit much and, to be blunt, a cowardly thing to do. Especially on the part of those who want to preserve England but then go about tearing everything down then decry what is happening to the country. It is much harder to build but nothing is going to get better until people start appreciating what we have and how it came to be, in that process, the monarchy plays a central role.

        1. One can be in favour of the monarchy without being a fan of the monarch.

    6. Fair play to him. He's a complex character, but if we want to recognise talent, why not.

  62. Yo all and Good Moaning frrom a sunny and warm C d S.

    The rules for visiting Skeg are changing: from last October until last weekend, the only visitors allowed were the over 60's

    From now until this coming October, most Midland Towns are going to empty their citizens here and move into their own, or hired, caravans.

      1. I could have touched it, it was so calm.

        I had spotted it as I walked up the drive and had been working around it. It didn't move apart from some ear twitches, so I went to find a camera.

        They are regular visitors, the adults are much more wary.

        2. I believe that staying motionless is a leveret's main form (excuse the pun) of defence.

          1. In my experience in our garden, the mother tends to show them a suitable hiding spot, and leaves them to hunker down for the day, returning at dusk.

            I’ve just been out again and it’s nibbling on some grass and just watches me warily.
            The ears are moving too, which they weren’t when I first spotted it and it me.

            I had a regular visitor a few years ago and one day I stroked its nose. It took a step forward and gave me a Greta look: “How very dare you”, but it didn’t run off.

          3. They seem to calm down when we speak softly.
            The garden is fenced and there are many, many hiding places that are fairly safe. I keep large sections fairly wild so there are feeding opportunities and shelter, we often disturb adults when working in the wilder bits; they tend to run off, but generally stay within the boundaries.

  64. 404052+ up ticks,

    A chain reaction triggered by governing politico's guest's being asked to leave hotel accommodation will trigger a maxi crime wave.

    Be no surprise to find compulsory lodgering / rodgering will become a prime issue.

    Dt,

    Hotels threaten to evict hundreds of asylum seekers
    ‘If there is no payment, there is no option,’ owner of hotel group tells The Telegraph

  65. Afternoon all. Lovely day; sunny and not too windy. I have taken the dogs for a good walk and am waiting for my lunch to cook.

    It’s a measure of current politicians that nobody believed Trump would do what he said until he started doing it.

    1. Still very windy here – hanging out the washing on a rotary line is tricky in this wind.

      OH went next door to apologise for the ladder getting dented when it blew down the other day – our neighbour wasn't bothered and said he'd go up and finish the job for him. but the ladder is now back up (though at a wider angle) and it might blow down again. If it does it might not miss my pot………

          3. Difficult when it’s just resting against the house wall and standing on the gravel drive. There’s nothing there to tie it to even if we had any bungee cords.

      2. Our rotary line collapsed (broke across) at ground level two days ago. I had towels on the lines and a further wash of dog towels so I expect the force of the wind on towels was too much for the corroded metal work. Fortunately the towels were just about dry, and the ground was dry so no extra washing. I am now using the rotary dryer with six inches sawn off at the bottom – it is fine for clothes but insufficient height for duvet covers and sheets. Another rotary dryer will be ready for collection from JL next week. Fortunately doggo has now grown past the stage of wanting to leap and grab everything off the washing line…. ditto ironing hanging over the ironing board and now only occasional stuff from the indoor clothes rack!

    2. Are the dogs out in the garden?

      What amazes me is the way the TDS people wilfully miss the point about the tariffs being reciprocal. Many of them pretend to be Christian and still don't understand the do-as-you-would-be-done-by principle. Of course the wretched EU deliberately sets out to harm Europe.

    1. I don't know the facts but these days, given the desperation of the hard Left I really wouldn't put anything past them. They're terrified.

  67. KC questions Reform UK’s ‘influence’ on Rupert Lowe investigation

    Evening Standard

    A KC has questioned whether an investigation into MP Rupert Lowe was conducted “independently of the influence” of Reform UK, in a review commissioned on behalf of the suspended politician.

    Mr Lowe said the “independent review” showed the investigation conducted on behalf of the party was “fundamentally flawed, unfair, and influenced by political motivations”.

    Reform UK said last month that an “independent KC” had found “credible evidence of unlawful harassment of two women by both Mr Lowe and male members of his team”.

    The Great Yarmouth MP lost the Reform whip after the party said it had received evidence of “serious bullying” and “derogatory” remarks made about women in the MP’s offices.

    Mr Lowe, who has repeatedly denied the allegations against him, was also reported to the police over allegations of verbal threats towards Reform chairman Zia Yusuf.

    A review, commissioned by law firm Irwin Mitchell LLP on behalf of Mr Lowe and published on Friday, claimed the KC who investigated the politician had “produced” witness statements on behalf of the complainants following lengthy telephone interviews.

    It added that “no terms of reference were ever set by the party” and that the report was provided to Reform before the expiry of the deadline set for Mr Lowe to respond to allegations made against him.

    The author of the review, named as Gemma White KC, wrote: “In addition to being unfair to Mr Lowe the sequence of events which led up to provision of the report to the party gives rise to real questions as to the extent to which the KC conducted the investigation independently of the influence of the party.”

    Ms White claimed it was not apparent that the KC who conducted the investigation commissioned by Reform, named in the party’s report as Jacqueline Perry, had “recent experience” conducting independent investigations into allegations of bullying and harassment.

    Following the publication of the review, Mr Lowe said: “In 67 years, I have never seen such vile and unprofessional behaviour. Including, but not limited to, publicly shaming my staff without even giving them the opportunity to respond to the false and damaging allegations.

    “Reform has proven itself not only unfit to govern but unfit to sit in the House of Commons. To handle such a basic process in a hideously unprofessional and malicious manner is simply unacceptable.

    “I asked reasonable questions of (party leader Nigel) Farage, after months of pushing behind the scenes. My punishment for bruising his ego? A concerted smear campaign to ruin my name and reputation.

    “Nigel Farage must never be prime minister.”

    Mr Lowe was one of five MPs elected for Reform in last year’s election.

    Reform UK has been approached for comment.

    1. Farage didn't like the fact that Rupert Lowe was becoming more popular than he was. It was a hit job.

      1. Such men as these be never at heart's ease
        Whiles they behold a greater than themselves.

        [Julius Caesar]

        A government should be more like a well tuned orchestra than a one man band.

        1. It is amazing how much insight Shakespeare had into the psychology of man.

          1. And there was me, thinking he was just a far-right fascist colonialist racist bigot.

          2. Oh yes sorry, where is my pc? He was all that too and a privileged white man..

          1. She is indeed, spot on and humorous with it. ‘Batshit Bonkers Broken Britain’ indeed 😀

  69. Beautiful sunshine for Aintree's Ladies Day. A lot of scouse totty on display…and I mean A LOT.

      1. I have a horse running tomorrow but I am not even going to apply for a badge. I might go down the pub to watch it in peace.

    2. Looks like an adder? 70+ years ago, at home, there was a nest of 'em, the young hanging from low tree branches. Ones to swerve….

      1. It was either yesterday or the day before .. I have had so much to think about and do , I cannot believe it is the end of the week .

        Just forked out a fortune on Pip at Vets, anal glands , booster jab as well as flea and worm and tick tablets .

        My car , we are talking near £1k to have it fixed .. darned potholes and ruts in the road .

        1. Booster jab?

          Your potholes and ruts can’t be worse than ours…..
          One of our neighbours managed to get a petition to the council up and running and most of us signed it, though it was tricky to register (which is probably a deliberate off-putting measure) and a local councillor had a look at it with someone who allocates the resources…..

          Anyway they have now said we ‘might’ have a “fix my street” team to do some patching……….sometime.

          1. Dogs need a booster jab every year against all the horrible things that lurk amongst canine sniffings and snufflings .

            We have had pot holes fixed , but new ones reappear .. all these electric cars and heavy home deliveries are making our roads worse than ever .

        3. Put a claim into the council – if they are aware of the pothole and not repaired it you have a good case – that's how it works up here anyway

    5. I do like snakes, and adders are at their prettiest this time of year, Just watch out for Pip sniffing around.

      1. Be careful also with Oscar .. adders love sandy dunes and grassy areas .. as a nudist found out when sunbathing on the nudist section of Sandbanks !

        1. I will. Saw a grass snake today as I was walking Oscar along the river path. Saw a few ripples on the nearside bank which turned into a beautiful 2 minutes of watching it swim across to the Devon bank.

  71. Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president of the EC for tech sovereignty, security and democracy

    Oh dear. When you get a communist demanding a backdoor into encryption and see they have 'democracy' in their title they're clearly just a fascist.

    Here's an idea lass. You add in the backdoor to your bank account and only give the keys to 'special people'. I guarantee you in minutes your bank account will be emptied and we'll be watching your horror as we send plenty of messages on your behalf including your resignation.

    Go on. Try it. Daft bint.

    https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/03/eu_backdoor_encryption/

  73. Took Pip out for his walkie via favourite place , car graunched and shuddered and made terrible noises in the suspension ..

    Abandoned idea of walkie , drove car straight to our garage we use .

    Moh playing golf , me on my own .. car was ramped up and the mountings and shock absorbers etc in a mess ( potholes ) and other cracked things , springs blah blah , will cost a fortune to repair .. I took the dog for a walk down a long track from the farm area the mechanics operate from .. 4,000 steps!!!! and arrived back to hear the bad news ..

    They have loaned me a Honda Jazz ..

    April, what an expensive start .

    1. That's bad luck.
      I had a better start, a roof glass on the car was hit by something and cracked and the claim was initially unlikely, the company passed it to the specialists and they said it was fair, the money, over Eur 1800.00, arrived today

    2. Hi, Belle, been out a lot and only saw your post of 12 hours ago recently. Replied a little while ago. Sorry about automobile problems.

  74. Russell Brand charged with rape
    Disgraced comedian also charged with oral rape and sexual assault following Metropolitan Police investigation
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/04/04/russell-brand-charged-rape-metropolitan-police/

    I don't know what to think.

    Are the guns out for him because he says he has become a Christian?

    Any way I hope she will come out on her boy's side.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9bab2b1541ad6a0e9c3b4b52d05409ded4a44c323f1bc69aa626bb1953a414f9.png

      1. Laurence fox, Andrew Tate. Many others. They are too masculine and the Left don't want that.

    3. I wasn't going to say anything about this. I'm pleasantly surprised that others are thinking what I'm thinking. Yes, its quite interesting that all the time he was on the left nothing was said. Now he's converted to Christianity and become a pro-Trump conservative. They come after him. Who remembers clearly what they were doing in 1999 to 2005? I certainly don't. There really should be a time limit on this sort of nonsense. 5 years after the fact would be ample, not 20 years plus.

  76. ‘We’ve been sent a second homes tax bill because of our unusual marriage lifestyle’
    ‘Living together apart’ arrangements provide a lucrative opportunity for local authorities
     https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/property/second-homes/should-we-divorce-avoid-second-homes-tax-raid/

    BTL

    Could not the couple divorce but do so with their fingers crossed so that they were divorced on paper to avoid paying double council tax but still effectively married to each other in commitment and in spirit?

      1. Caroline and I got married in a church – but we could have got married in a registry office without having to go anywhere near a church.

        So when the state imposes penalties on those who are married then why should not a couple decide to marry in a church and in the eyes of God but not go anywhere near the state's paperwork?

        1. That’s not an option in Britain, but I agree, if the state makes marriage difficult, it is a good solution.

  77. Tariff revenues fall short in blow to Trump’s hopes of making America richer. 4 April 2025.

    Donald Trump’s tariffs on China have so far raised far less for the US than expected, undermining his claim that new taxes on foreign imports will make the US rich.

    I think that Trump is wrong about this. Not just the hubris of trying to take on the whole world at the same time but the very principle of the idea. I’m not an economist but I do not believe that International Trade is a Zero-Sum game. It is not quid pro quo. You cannot say. “We will buy your cars if you buy our chlorinated chicken.” It is much more complicated than that.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/04/04/tariff-revenues-fall-short-trumps-hopes-boost-us-finances/

    1. I think the article is missing the whole point of tariffs though. It's not about the money they take in tariffs, it's about companies and customers looking for cheaper home-made alternatives to imported goods.

      2. In theory, but in the immediate aftermath of Trump's actions, people have finally realised that "American" products have considerable import content. The US "big three" car makers for example all import a lot of their vehicle content from Canada and Mexico – in support of Trump's previous essay into trade and tariffs, where he revamped NAFTA – the North American Free Trade Area.

        So, "domestic" products will get more expensive, too.

        1. For the US to survive as a major manufacturing country, they will have to start making the parts too, down to refining metals. Not 100% of course, but China has far too large a share of those industries on which everything else depends at the moment.

          1. There is a lot more manufacturing here than in Britain, but the Far East offers cheap options. Also, here, they have to worry about pollution and the high damages to anyone who gets hurt in a factory. The Chinese do neither. Having a sizable military which is basically required to buy American helps of course. As an example, the US bought both Canberras (back when I was young) and Harriers – but both were US made under license. Companies like BAE Systems have to have a totally separate US operation, run by Americans in order to bid for US government contracts.

  79. Steerpike
    Starmer’s skills adviser founded failing school
    4 April 2025, 1:12pm

    There’s a new man about Whitehall. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed Oli de Botton – ex-adviser to David Miliband and the husband of former No. 10 communications chief Amber de Botton – as his Expert Adviser on Education and Skills. The role of the new skills guru will be to advise ministers on the government’s education vision but Mr S is more than a little sceptical of de Botton’s track record in the field. Not least because the adviser also happens to be the co-founder of School 21 – a progressive free school that has produced some rather underwhelming results…

    Working with ex-Tony Blair SpAd Peter Hyman, the government’s new education expert set up the radical education project in 2012 to deliver a programme of teaching that focused on ‘head, heart and hand’. The dynamic duo pushed a programme of oracy-based education that currently includes ‘mastery lessons’, problem-based learning scenarios and creativity to ‘develop students who create beautiful work which makes a difference to the world’. How inspiring.

    The only problem is that School 21’s outcomes aren’t all that rosy. The school has been marked as ‘average’ on the government website and falls short by almost ten percentage points of other schools in the local authority when comparing pass marks in English and maths GCSEs. More than that, schools watchdog Ofsted warned bosses at the end of last year that the institution ‘requires improvement’ – with criticism directed at the quality of its teaching, as well as its behaviour, attitudes, leadership and management. Crikey!

    Appointing the founder of a failing school as skills adviser is just another of the baffling decisions made by Starmer’s army since they came to power. Not that the new party of government seems all that interested in its own academic prowess either. A response to Tory MP Charlie Dewhirst revealed that, since Sir Keir’s crowd won the election, Labour’s war on education extends to the degree the PM isn’t even making use of his own library – with the number of donations made by the UK leader or his ministers to the official collection coming to a grand total of, er, zero. What a set of role models for Britain’s schoolchildren, eh?

    *************************************************

    Plastic Letters
    2 hours ago
    Typical Labour – the race to de Botton.

    1. "Oli de Botton" Granddad worked his whole life down t'pit, his old man was a dustman and young Oli trained in the merchant navy. Or maybe not.

      1. Why not deport them to Muslim countries where they can face the full force of their own cuddly laws?

        2. According to Matt Goodwin, there are 85 sharia courts in the UK. Needs to be put an end to.

      2. Because Rockall is only 8,000 square feet, that is not big enough for the size of prison you would need.

    3. Meaningless phrases – "Be limitless", "Be authentic", and at the end – "Be love". What is it supposed to mean?

      3. It means if you want to look like me spend your rich sugar daddy money on $1000 face creme.

        Don't forget the vagina tightening operation given they are reliant on viagara.

      1. She let out all the ills on the world. All that was left when she’d finished was Hope.

        1. Remember the advertisement for brown bread and Harold Wilson's deputy, George, which the Conservatives used:

          DON'T SAY BROWN – JUST SAY HOPELESS!

    5. A dreadful advert of nothing. How can you be 'limitless'? You have limits, they're set by natural laws. You can't circumvent them.

      1. The upside is when Meagain Markle sees shit like that she will be smacking Harry over the head with those oh so curated frying pans they never paid any money for.

    6. Comment made:-

      Bloody Hell!
      What a load of nausea inducing, self indulgent bullshite and crap!
      Who the fuck are Pandora anyway?

    7. Between the 1950s and 1960s television adverts used to be informative, entertaining and often funny.
      These days they are irritating, banal, patronising and utterly unwatchable. Thankfully I don't have access to them any more.

    8. Enough to make one vomit, a lot of other contenders though, and I only see adverts when watching Now TV cricket.

  82. Caption Contest (Tariffic Edition)
     https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2cbcbc7291286cf21ceb14f7cfa36daee54524fa3a6824c4f20f6dd86dd2ff11.png
    stephen dean
    2h
    Honest Don setting the betting odds for the Grand National.

    Charlie Dudgeon
    2h
    And it came to pass that Donald came down from the mountain, and said "Behold the new tablets, the tablets of tariffs, which will make thee all great again." And he showed the tablets on Fox News to the moneylender of Ottawa, the Jezebel of Brussels and the the great Brylcreamed Winnie the Pooh of the East. And there was great gnashing of teeth. But the son of the toolmaker saith, "Show us mercy, and you can visitith our King who once had great power but now opens hospitals. And I will showeth unto thee a thing of great wisdom by which all laws are made and which surpasses all the great wisdom of past ages." "And what is this great thing of wisdom?"" saith Donald. The son of the toolmaker replied "Its name is Adolescence".

    1. Someone already posted that one this morning! The woman's an idiot but she's on a very large salary………

      2. Oh, my apologies to the person concerned, I’ve only just looked in. I’ve been out shopping.

      3. The salary of an Assembly Member is currently £62,761 per year, except for

        the Statutory Deputy Mayor which is £111,669

        (The monkeys used to be happy with peanuts – now they are demanding pounds instead)

    1. The last one resonates. I can't remember a time the GP had my med file open instead of Google.

    2. I got protractor eventually. It's been many a year since I owned one but it was still lurking at the back of the mind.

    3. Some of them were quite good – but it was a long list. Half would have been enough.

    1. A cruel Dell Boy joke was when he called Boycie a Jaffa – a seedless orange – when his wife didn't get pregnant because he was firing blanks.

  87. Why HMRC’s plot to raid your bank account spells disaster
    Taxman’s new debt collection powers would create a ‘tyranny of the state’
     https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ddcf7d729eefe502415ea3fcbb61a404898356085b7deadf4adf981d919b4efb.png
    BTL

    I have noticed that in the last few days photos of Rachel Reeves make her look more feminine, more attractive and less witch-like.

    Is she trying to soften us up – and if so what is the new horror she has up her sleeve?

    3. Are they planning to award themselves the power to inspect people's bank accounts, or to take tax that they consider they are owed?
      Neither would be surprising given their self-appointed roles as our lords and masters.

        1. which one? I vaguely remember something about it, but have been a bit distracted recently.

          1. The power to raid your account to take tax they are owed. Alf and I have been very distracted what with a leakin the kitchen sink, in the shower abd in the hideous avocado toilet (ugh!). We moved just over 5 weeks ago in case you had not heard. Down sized from large 3bed, 3bathroom house which we loved, into a small 3bed, 1 shower room bungalow.

          2. Thanks. To take tax they **believe** they are owed! Of course that will never be misused because the state would never do such a thing.

            I did pick up that you had moved – it sounded like a lot of work and bother. Hope you manage to get the avocado toilet changed soon – that would surely raise your spirits a bit!
            It is the right thing to do to downsize before things get out of control – our cottage is so small that I probably won’t have to, but my children have made various mutterings about it being a very high maintenance property. They have a point, and improvements will have to be made.

    6. I received a letter today from my annuity company, not looking good.
      I'll take out little and often. Just like everyone else who have savings,. I've already pay blood tax on the money I worked very hard to put into the account. This government are Absolute vile thieving bastards.

  88. Wordle No. 1,385 4/6

    ⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
    ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
    ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
    🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    Wordle 4 Apr 2025

    A shrimp for Par Four?

    1. A "Phew!" today. WordHippo thesaurus suggested it. Not something I'd heard of. Not kosher.

      Wordle 1,385 6/6

      ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜
      ⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
      ⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
      ⬜🟩🟩⬜🟨
      🟩🟩🟩⬜🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

      1. What was your guess 5, Sue – I cant think of a single word that fits? If you can put it up behind a 'spoiler' ….

          4. Never seen or heard that one before, Sue. Looked it up and see it's a new Aussie word.

    2. What a stinker – I still had two options for guess 6 but thought one might not be US usage (began with B ) although I realised later it's also a fish!
      This one was right up there with the -O-ER killers!!

      Phew indeed!!!!

      Wordle 1,385 6/6

      ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨
      ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜
      🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
      ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
      ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    3. First miss in many months. G,F,D didn't work and that was that.

      Wordle 1,385 X/6

      ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜
      ⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜
      ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
      ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
      ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
      ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩

    5. My second word clinched it for me, no other choices.

      Wordle 1,385 3/6

      ⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
      ⬜🟩🟩⬜🟨
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    6. Well done. A bit of a dilemma before I got there. Bogey the result.

      Wordle 1,385 5/6

      ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
      ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜
      ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
      ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    1. Those protesters were bussed in and paid expenses as muslims do for local elections. They were even paying homeless people a tenner to vote.

      I am glad to see it all kicking off in Glasgow and Northern Ireland.

    3. But they are refugees and persecuted asylum seekers, surely you're not suggesting that they might actually be benefit shoppers, please say it ain't true.

      /sarc

      1. I don't think you need to add the 'sarc', Sos, anyone here who doesn't get it shouldn't be here.

        1. In principle I agree, but experience has taught me that people often take my comments literally, unless I do give them a gentle hint.

          2. Let them hang themselves with their own density. Having said that, some of the longer posts can be ambiguous about their direction.

          3. Generally I do that to get a response, or try to stimulate debate. There are a few Nottlers who seem incapable of recognising that maybe, just maybe, they might be wrong.

            There are usually two and sometimes more than two sides to an argument/discussion.

    4. …risks damaging social cohesion….in Glasgow? As a Southerner i find that amusing.

  91. That's me for today. Sunny – but still a chilly edge to the wind. Took it easy – just gathered two large trays of kindling.

    Have a spiffing evening.

    A demain, one hopes.

  92. Nigel Farage slags off Rupert Lowe.. on a technicality.

    "Oddly, he never joined. He stood for us without being member.."

    Er, yes dear.. Reform doesn't have members, it has subscribers.

    1. It wasn't so long ago when the FTSE dropped to 6 thousand.

      They threatened and intimidated Truss but Trump is a bit more difficult to handle. Hence the assassination attempts before he got the full protection as President of the United States. Rats are running.

      I quite enjoyed Borderlands.

    2. It's been on the slide for a few weeks now. I heard one commenter say that during the last twenty years it simply responds to the amount of credit in the system, and so a controlled reduction of credit causes the stock market to go down.

    3. from Silver Academy (an American amateur commenter)
      "The Trump administration’s sweeping April 2025 tariffs have ignited global economic tremors, but beneath the chaos lies a high-stakes gamble: crashing equity markets to drive capital into long-term Treasuries, artificially suppressing yields to manage America’s debt crisis while betting on a manufacturing revival. This “shock therapy” strategy carries monumental risks and rewards, with an 18-month countdown to the 2026 midterms determining its legacy.
      The Debt Wall and Yield Suppression
      The U.S. faces a historic $9.2 trillion in federal debt maturing in 2025. By deliberately spooking markets with tariffs, the administration has triggered a risk-off stampede from equities to bonds. The 10-year Treasury yield plunged to 4.00% post-announcement—a six-month low—as global investors sought safety. This drop directly reduces refinancing costs.

        1. I think a lot of people have been worried about the costs of our countries refinancing debt, I've certainly read a lot of speculation about what they would do.
          Not that it's a problem over here of course, as the Labour Party owns a magic money tree.

      2. Hmm. Sovereign euros are beginning to look good. I can't believe I just wrote that.

        1. The euro would already have been a goner in 2008 if the Chinese and the Americans hadn’t saved it, I read. It’s an unnatural beast that can’t survive in the wild.

    5. Dow Jones ain't got time for the bums.
      They wind up, on skid row, with holes in their pockets,
      Then say to you, "Buddy, can you spare a dime?"
      But you ain't got the time …

      2. I think he must have Bell's palsy. It does make people look deranged. even when they aren't. I find him very sensible.

          2. It’s not great, sorry to read that. I don’t think there’s a cure, is there treatment? I always thought it was a trapped nerve or similar. People seem more ill generally to me
            perhaps because they didn’t see GPS/ hospital appts during lockdowns. And more down, and angry.

          3. I think it's just one of those things, although the incidence of it did rocket with the jabs. Apparently. But DC has had that frozen (collapsed?) side to his face for a long time.

          4. Blasted jabs, again. My family thought I had early onset dementia, I apparently didn’t make much sense (nowt fresh). Perhaps an inherited gene in his case…maybe from father/grandfather?

      3. He's talking sense here though. State waste, inefficiency, debt, incompetence, arrogance and welfarism with a failed and useless bureaucracy dictating far too much.

        His points on immigration stand – the Left have forced the dross of the world and then made this beautiful country a doss house. The pollution are everywhere, ruining everything.

        I'd point out that his milestones are nigh the same I've been banging on about here for yonks. Clearly, I am a jeanius.

      4. He's talking sense here though. State waste, inefficiency, debt, incompetence, arrogance and welfarism with a failed and useless bureaucracy dictating far too much.

        His points on immigration stand – the Left have forced the dross of the world and then made this beautiful country a doss house. The pollution are everywhere, ruining everything.

      5. Ignore, if you can, what he 'looks and sounds' like. Although I'm only 10 minutes into the 20 minute video, he's spot on so far.

  95. It is a recognised fact that Americans have much better teeth than us Brits.
    Whiter and straighter.
    This is all down to their chlorinated chicken diets.
    It works far better than fluoride in water and doesn't rot the brain and turn people into gullible Lefties.
    The sooner we get a trade deal with the USA the better

    1. Most of our tooth paste is now made in Europe (Poland) or I've been told even China.

      1. I was looking up how to make homemade toothpaste just the other day. Baking powder, apparently

          1. Well i thought that. But the recipe wanted baking powder (amongst other things)

          3. Ugh. But, good to know if you are on a desert island, or held hostage for years in a single room, with or without windows.

          5. Well i would prefer to be held hostage in a room with windows, but i imagine hostage-takers generally throw their victims into windowless rooms.

          7. It might be apocryphal, KJ, but I do remember when I was little everyone marvelling at the quality of the teeth remaining in Roman skulls and that (the urine teeth-cleaning) being the accepted explanation

          8. I was told they chewed sticks until they were frayed and used them as tooth brushes.

    2. Murka is obsessed with teeth and have very expensive dentistry (for the top echelons – it's one of the ways you tell who's important, that and thinness)

    3. Having lived in the US for years, I would not credit chlorinated chicken. Rather, the use of fluoride in both water and toothpaste, plus of course US dental care, which routinely includes orthodontic treatment for children's' teeth if they are not perfect – and straight. I know that well, having had to foot the bills for both my kids who grew up here.

      1. Same in Norway. You see youngsters going round with mouthfuls of wire as their teeth are straightened. As a kid in the UK, nobody ever seemed to bother about snaggly teeth.

        1. My dentist straightened my buck teeth when I was a child, but I didn't have to wear a brace. He removed four (perfectly healthy) teeth and gave me lip exercises to do to push the teeth back into the spaces created. It worked.

          1. I was taken to see an orthodontist who said I would need to wear a brace. I made a face and my mother said I would do as I was told. The orthodonist said "Take her away! I can't treat this child – she won't cooperate!" !" So we went away – my dentist removed four premolars and the other teeth moved into line. I don't think I had to do any exercises.

          2. That sounds like my dentist. I had to put my lower lip over my top lip and press. Not onerous.

        2. My grandchildren too, a private dentist as no NHS one available. Friend needed all his teeth replacing, his dentist quoted him 30k, then saw him later out and about and said he'd do it for 10k on the side. Friend went to Spain, had a splendid hol, visited a dentist who did replacements for around £3k. Very happy friend.

        4. They're not bothered about them here. As I am not, either, it feels rather relaxing.

    5. I remember in 1969 being in hospital having my appendix removed. The lad opposite had burst his spleen in a motorcycle accident and the other two patients (twenty year olds) had just had all their teeth removed.

      1. My grandmothers, born in 1904 and 1909 respectively, both had their teeth removed deliberately and replaced with false ones.

        1. My mother, born in 1913, had false teeth, but I don't know when her teeth were removed. The young guys in hospital in 1969 were having their teeth removed for precisely the same reason as your grandmothers.

        2. My mother was born in 1909 and she died in 1989 with with all her own teeth still intact.

        3. My mother, born in 1904, kept her own teeth throughout her life. She died at the age of 97.

          My father, born in 1898, lost his and had to have false teeth from ther age of 50.

          I am 78 and have my own teeth with the help of a crown or four and a couple of bridges.

  96. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/tax/hmrcs-plot-raid-bank-account-risks-complete-disaster/

    The state takes vast sum sof money in tax, so people rightly avoid paying it. Then they pay overly generous welfare, despite a grossly overmanned department and want to use the same powers to raid bank accounts there.

    It is their problem, they've created it. The solution is obvious: lower, flat, taxes. Stop trying to rob us at every turn, stop giving vast sums to wasters and the problem big fat state has created will simply go away, without needing this egregious intrusion.

    1. It’s state organised theft, wibbling. And they want to get their hands on every single penny of ours by hook or crook. Crook mostly.

  97. Another day in the life of myself draws to an end. I've just had a lovely photo of number 3 and his mother enjoying cocktails on the water in Dubai. Last night there for them. I just hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.
    I'm orff after another half day at work in the garden.
    Night all 😴

    Women's football on telly Itv England v Belgium now but no sign of the people who seem to believe that they have taken over the country.

    1. Just picked up on that and was about to post. I won't tread on your toes, poppiesmum.😇

      Bonus is the judges having to seek hiding places and protection. Now go for Fonda Lying & Co.

      1. I think judges having to go into hiding is counter-productive and if Le Pen has any sense she should tell her supporters that chasing the judiciary is utterly wrong.

        Even if the bastards do deserve it!

        1. I disagree. There is clearly an agenda where the judiciary is concerned and they need to be called out. The wigs and gowns should be enough. Though the Left wanted to get rid of those so people with Afros and dreadlocks weren't discriminated against. Cuts both ways.

          1. By all means call them out, but violence and property damage should be avoided.

      2. There was a recent clip of a video of a young woman having a pop at UvdL who looked very uncomfortable, more used to being lauded.

      3. No problemo, Korky. I didn’t know whether it was true or fevered, hopeful rumour. Wonderful that the judges have had to go to ground. ‘The people, united, will not be divided!’ I hope certain others are starting to feel a little frisson of fear.

  99. Popping back in……
    There's news this evening that the police have seized Rupert Lowe's gun collection in response to allegations from reform that he had threatened to kill their chairman.

    Can Reform stoop any lower? Can the British police force behave any more stupidly? Who is next in line for an establishment lawfare attack?

    1. https://dailysceptic.org/2025/04/04/anti-abortion-campaigner-championed-by-white-house-found-guilty-of-breaching-buffer-zone-by-holding-sign-saying-here-to-talk-if-you-want/

      Ordered to pay £20,000 costs.

      Btl some posters have linked to what we might think to be far more egregious crimes than standing silently in a “buffer zone” and only being required to pay negligible costs.

      Others point out she shouldn’t be in the “buffer zone”.

      I think if you are standing silently, with or without a placard, and especially if you are on your own and not in a group, gang or mob, you should be able to do what you want. I think the very idea of “buffer zones” for silent non-violent protest is appalling.

      I used to be OK with our abortion laws – up to 16 weeks i think? I may be wrong. But persecutions like this, when you rampage around London weekend after weekend calling for the death of Jews and get away with it, make my blood boil.

      1. The state will protect and promote the abortion industry at all costs.
        The population reduction agenda has been going since the war and abortion is an important part of it.

    2. Where is the proof of that threat…or is it a 'he said, she said' accusation. Farage isn't doing himself/Reform any favours. Next thing we know, Reform being dismantled, broken up…similar to UKIP?

      1. Kate, I've just had circular from Reform ( and a membership card) asking for a donation in addition to my membership fee. I binned it in light of the current in-fighting

        1. I had a telephone call (on a number I only ever used for a UKIP whatsapp group) asking me to donate. I told them where to go and complained about the unauthorised use of my data.

        2. ‘Evening Alec…what’s the betting you’re not alone. Seems Farage may have form. Katie Hopkins nails him. I like Lowe, hope he’s re-elected as Independent. Btw how’s your artwork doing (don’t answer if you’d rather not, I’ve had some sort of block – going to try drawing see if that helps 😄)

          2. I love the Roller especially – what colours! Did you see him at home or on your travels? I’ve lately stopped painting, couldn’t get anything worthwhile done – going back to drawing for a while first graphite then biro (no mistakes allowed 😄)

          3. Thanks Kate, I have a book on birds. I’ve tried graphite for drawing and got on reasonably with it (Biro confined to crosswords), charcoal the worst medium for me – too messy until sprayed. Never tried oils but have some oil based pastels which are quite good. I like watercolours first and foremost though.

          4. Me2 -Mark Catesby one, a birthday gift, recommended. I have some charcoal with the paper wrapper that can be torn off as and when, a bit cleaner but it is a messy, I think Seren Bell uses it – I like her drawings. I have some oil based pastels too, another gift, not yet used. If you can manage watercolours – you’re a true artist :-))!

      2. UKIP is still going strong. They just don't get any publicity and the media still wields enormous power.
        If UKIP started to get popular, no doubt the same lawfare tactics would be used against them too.

        1. Thanks, didn’t know that, will look out for them. Agree likely to get negative publicity.

    3. It sounds as though a certain person in Reform is so desperate he has lost all sense of reality. Are we sure his ego hasn't driven him over the edge and perhaps he is suffering from dementia? Of course in the current climate the police will be only too happy to relieve a farmer of his firearms, however ludicrous the reason.

    4. What pisses me off, Rik, is that whatever the truth of the matter is, Reform UK lose votes. Who else can we vote for? The local elections are generally a protest vote, which they shouldn't be, as the candidates should be looking at local issues. It just seems that whatever party challenges the current Uniparty self destructs. I'm fed up with it!

    5. Yet more justification for not participating. I'll stay resolutely at home, other than going out for a bite to eat or a drink.

  100. That chap Nigel Whassisface who is the GB news political go to is an absolute leftie PRAT

  101. Off to bed now. I've an early start tomorrow, t'Lad is dragging me to the Great Central Railway Open Day.
    Alarm set for 05:45 to catch the 07:15 from Cromford.
    I'm going to be bloody knackered this time tomorrow!!

    1. Goodnight, Bob. Enjoy your day tomorrow. A railwayman's, as opposed to a busman's, holiday? 🙂

    2. “As the UK's only double track, main line heritage railway, we are the only place in the world where full size steam engines can be seen passing each other – just as it was when steam ruled the rails.
      We run trains every weekend of the year*, bank holidays and selected weekdays in school holidays and summer months. (*pre-bookable services only during Santa season)”

      Well you learn something new etc

      1. "…the only place in the world where full size steam engines can be seen passing each other – just as it was when steam ruled the rails."

        But not at the speeds of the past.

    3. 0545 – a veritable lie in – we were up at 0530 for an early ferry!! Not a popular start to the day!

  103. I’ve just been reading an article on the Daily Sceptic: “Anti-Abortion Campaigner Championed by White House Found Guilty of Breaching ‘Buffer Zone’ by Holding Sign Saying “Here to Talk, if You Want””

    Frequently recently whenever i hear or read the words “free speech”, these lyrics from the Clash’s “Know your rights” spring into my mind:

    “You have the right
    To free speech
    Provided of course
    You’re not dumb enough
    To actually try it”

  104. Well, chums, it's almost 11 pm so time for me to climb the stairs to Bedfordshire. I wish you all a Good Night; sleep well and I hope to see you all early tomorrow morning.

  106. As i am still awake i want others to suffer……………………..

    Meghan Markle gushes about the best business advice she has ever received following As Ever launch.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-14571715/meghan-markle-best-business-advice-launch.html

    Among the items she has linked is a $1,415 beige cashmere crewneck from designer Loro Piana, an ivory silk maxi dress by Heidi Merrick listed $1,350, and a pair of loose brown pants for $388 from Brochu Walker.

    She even added bottles of the exact nail polish color she was wearing on With Love, Meghan.

    'You've asked me about my nail polish on "With Love, Meghan," – one coat of each, plus a few of my other essentials! Enjoy,' she wrote in an Instagram story last week.

    ……………………………

    To be honest…she sounds like a second rate version of me…Those in the know, know.

  107. Good morning all.
    Well, I've made it out of bed and have even put a load of washing on for the DT to hang up when she gets back from dropping us, Me & the two Still-at-homes, off.
    We will be off to the station in 50 or so minutes.
    Still dark and a tad over 6½°C outside.

Comments are closed.