NPR

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 12:15 pm

dpedin wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 11:00 am I checked my cupboard the other day and discover I have more than enough unworn pairs to last me till I have departed.....

Didn't realise you were a woman; you kept that quiet.

My mum was the same! She always told me to never skimp on buying shoes. buy the best you could afford was her motto. She grew up during the war and her dad, my grandfather was a tailor - along with her 3 sisters they made all their own clothes but all bought expensive shoes. When she died I discovered about a dozen pairs of expensive shoes still in their boxes in her bedroom cupboard. My young nieces said they were 'cool' and they all wanted to wear them!

dpedin wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 12:26 pm

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 12:15 pm

dpedin wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 11:00 am I checked my cupboard the other day and discover I have more than enough unworn pairs to last me till I have departed.....

Didn't realise you were a woman; you kept that quiet.

My mum was the same! She always told me to never skimp on buying shoes. buy the best you could afford was her motto. She grew up during the war and her dad, my grandfather was a tailor - along with her 3 sisters they made all their own clothes but all bought expensive shoes. When she died I discovered about a dozen pairs of expensive shoes still in their boxes in her bedroom cupboard. My young nieces said they were 'cool' and they all wanted to wear them!

I was told to never be afraid to pay a good amount of money for the things that go between you and the ground - shoes, tyres, mattress.

Biffer wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 3:15 pm

dpedin wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 12:26 pm

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 12:15 pm

Didn't realise you were a woman; you kept that quiet.

My mum was the same! She always told me to never skimp on buying shoes. buy the best you could afford was her motto. She grew up during the war and her dad, my grandfather was a tailor - along with her 3 sisters they made all their own clothes but all bought expensive shoes. When she died I discovered about a dozen pairs of expensive shoes still in their boxes in her bedroom cupboard. My young nieces said they were 'cool' and they all wanted to wear them!

I was told to never be afraid to pay a good amount of money for the things that go between you and the ground - shoes, tyres, mattress.

+ a woman

Yeeb wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 3:54 pm

Biffer wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 3:15 pm

dpedin wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 12:26 pm

My mum was the same! She always told me to never skimp on buying shoes. buy the best you could afford was her motto. She grew up during the war and her dad, my grandfather was a tailor - along with her 3 sisters they made all their own clothes but all bought expensive shoes. When she died I discovered about a dozen pairs of expensive shoes still in their boxes in her bedroom cupboard. My young nieces said they were 'cool' and they all wanted to wear them!

I was told to never be afraid to pay a good amount of money for the things that go between you and the ground - shoes, tyres, mattress.

+ a woman

..............facing the ground so that you've got somewhere to park your bike!
(Copyright: B Connolly.)

Putin will be laughing his arse off and lapping up the scenes from the Whitehouse

I understand the need for careful financial diplomacy but fuck me, that despicable cunt and his rent boy Vance should never be welcomed in any other European country ever. Starmer needs to find his balls and withdraw the invitation.

Blackmac wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 6:50 pm I understand the need for careful financial diplomacy but fuck me, that despicable cunt and his rent boy Vance should never be welcomed in any other European country ever. Starmer needs to find his balls and withdraw the invitation.

Could not agree with you more. Appalling and grisly.

TedMaul wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 6:54 pm

Blackmac wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 6:50 pm I understand the need for careful financial diplomacy but fuck me, that despicable cunt and his rent boy Vance should never be welcomed in any other European country ever. Starmer needs to find his balls and withdraw the invitation.

Could not agree with you more. Appalling and grisly.

Just seen it. Don’t think I could hate 2 humans more

Blackmac wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 6:50 pm I understand the need for careful financial diplomacy but fuck me, that despicable cunt and his rent boy Vance should never be welcomed in any other European country ever. Starmer needs to find his balls and withdraw the invitation.

Yeah, that was a short honeymoon for Starmer

Fuck me sideways, fucking cnuts

Hopefully, with them openly siding with Russia and the economy starting to crash with sky high egg prices this is the beginning of the end. Hopefully.

I like neeps wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 7:30 pm Hopefully, with them openly siding with Russia and the economy starting to crash with sky high egg prices this is the beginning of the end. Hopefully.

I admire your optimism, but people are idiots and we will no doubt end up with President Vance in four year's time.

I like neeps wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 7:30 pm Hopefully, with them openly siding with Russia and the economy starting to crash with sky high egg prices this is the beginning of the end. Hopefully.

I doubt it, the cult will be loving it, sticking it to mericas enemy!

robmatic wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 7:35 pm

I like neeps wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 7:30 pm Hopefully, with them openly siding with Russia and the economy starting to crash with sky high egg prices this is the beginning of the end. Hopefully.

I admire your optimism, but people are idiots and we will no doubt end up with President Vance in four year's time.

I just don't think so - see Ron DeSanctis.

Trump's brand of Republicanism without Trump just isn't popular. Trump has a weird charisma and is quite funny - even his well that's good tv quip today morbidly funny.

Vance is just a lickspittle prick.

Trump will now use Zelensky's "opposition to a peace deal" to cut off all US military aid to Ukraine.

His base will be orgasmic that he owned the foreign libtard dictator in public.

Putin will piss himself with laughter.

Trump will prematurely declare Mission Accomplished.

The war will go on...

Gumboot wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 7:44 pm Trump will now use Zelensky's "opposition to a peace deal" to cut off all US military aid to Ukraine.

His base will be orgasmic that he owned the foreign libtard dictator in public.

Putin will piss himself with laughter.

Trump will prematurely declare Mission Accomplished.

The war will go on...

Maybe that was the plan all along.

The better outcome is that was a show for the maga cretins..I really fucken hope so.

More likely it's apparent the world's most powerful country is run by obnoxious arseholes and we are all in alot of trouble.

Here is where I am maybe being controversial..Zelensky should have not responded to the very crude baiting from the VP. Yes is sucks to have to kiss the ring but that's just the reality of geo politics.

Also Starmer and Macron where correct to go and try and make nice. That the price we pay for disarming and relying on American goodwill.

TB63 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 6:52 pm

It absolutely was a set up. As if it wasn't clear enough from his trip to Europe, Vance is there purely as a mouthpiece for nasty propaganda lines that have no basis in reality, but that the Republican paymasters wish to be vocalised.

tc27 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 8:16 pm The better outcome is that was a show for the maga cretins..I really fucken hope so.

More likely it's apparent the world's most powerful country is run by obnoxious arseholes and we are all in alot of trouble.

Here is where I am maybe being controversial..Zelensky should have not responded to the very crude baiting from the VP. Yes is sucks to have to kiss the ring but that's just the reality of geo politics.

Also Starmer and Macron where correct to go and try and make nice. That the price we pay for disarming and relying on American goodwill.

Seeing that they are trying to push this narrative on social media but really, there was no deal here for Ukraine.

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 8:16 pm

TB63 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 6:52 pm

It absolutely was a set up. As if it wasn't clear enough from his trip to Europe, Vance is there purely as a mouthpiece for nasty propaganda lines that have no basis in reality, but that the Republican paymasters wish to be vocalised.

Interesting thr Senator Sanders has said he told Zelensky they're going to wind him up and not to take tbe bait but he did and so now he must resign.

I wonder if the Americans promised Putin as part of talks they'd get Zelensky to step down. The US do love some regime change shenanigans ...

Looks like I picked the wrong day to play PlayStation for 4 hours and not listen to any news or social media …

I am pretty aghast tbf, so much so I had to log on here outside of work hours and vent , else I’d get pretty angry. What the bloody hell was all that about ?
Massive set up
Stupid belittling ‘question’ re a suit
Provocation
Interruption
Gloating
Bullying Z to say thank you ?

Just plain madness, the most logical explanation my little brain can come up with is that it was all conjured up to force Zelensky to quit as part of Russian red lines conditions for peace. Can only imagine what macron, Starmer et all are talking about right now , even Xi. Absolute car crash tv , only with people with nukes. Even my famed black humour, can’t really joke about this kind of step toward world war 3 (which Trump mentioned several times whilst bullying). Just kinda numb right now.

I like neeps wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 8:58 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 8:16 pm

TB63 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 6:52 pm

It absolutely was a set up. As if it wasn't clear enough from his trip to Europe, Vance is there purely as a mouthpiece for nasty propaganda lines that have no basis in reality, but that the Republican paymasters wish to be vocalised.

Interesting thr Senator Sanders has said he told Zelensky they're going to wind him up and not to take tbe bait but he did and so now he must resign.

I wonder if the Americans promised Putin as part of talks they'd get Zelensky to step down. The US do love some regime change shenanigans ...

Yep, feels like he has put a noose round his own neck , wasn’t a time for anger . Your last sentence is what I’m thinking right now, it was like a WWF vignette

I am not hugely positive about what grown up, respectable diplomacy will do when faced with a group of pricks with massive coercive power.

Some bland and noncommittal statements of support? Some summits where nothing concrete is decided?

I think I'll go and buy about 100kg of nematodes, & scatter them all over the greens & fairways of Doonbeg !!

I'd invite some of our Scottish posters to do the same Turnberry !

Sure it's petty & low-level, but what the fuck else can we do to cause this vile animal some pain ?

It's a gnat bite, but you just know it'll infuriate him, & cost him money, & that's about all we can so; except getting down on our knees & praying for him to be struck down with the most horrible painful death ever experienced by any cunt every !

Yeeb wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 9:31 pm

I like neeps wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 8:58 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 8:16 pm

It absolutely was a set up. As if it wasn't clear enough from his trip to Europe, Vance is there purely as a mouthpiece for nasty propaganda lines that have no basis in reality, but that the Republican paymasters wish to be vocalised.

Interesting thr Senator Sanders has said he told Zelensky they're going to wind him up and not to take tbe bait but he did and so now he must resign.

I wonder if the Americans promised Putin as part of talks they'd get Zelensky to step down. The US do love some regime change shenanigans ...

Yep, feels like he has put a noose round his own neck , wasn’t a time for anger . Your last sentence is what I’m thinking right now, it was like a WWF vignette

What was it the time for?

His people are dying protecting themselves from an aggressor. Grotesque war crimes have been committed against the Ukrainian people, besides indiscriminate slaughter and torture of civillians, hundreds if not thousands of their children were sent back to Russia and will likely never be repatriated. All the while the West has collectively dragged its heels on adequately arming or giving usage permissions for Ukraine to really strike any decisive blows.

And now he is expected to meekly accept the insults of men who have zero intention of assisting Ukraine or working for Ukraine's interest? Fuck that. He could've been saccharine sweet, dressed in the sharpest of suits and the American right would still have disparaged and belittled him because they do not care about Ukraine and are led by men who wish to be able to rule and conduct themselves as Putin does.

You're risking World War 3 and you would have been defeated within 2 weeks if not for America - they are directly regurgitating favoured Kremlin talking points.

It's depressing that this is clearly what a lot of people want at the top, setting the tone. No morals, just what is in it for me? Right down to the being outraged at not receiving constant public thanks in the meeting.

robmatic wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 9:35 pm I am not hugely positive about what grown up, respectable diplomacy will do when faced with a group of pricks with massive coercive power.

Some bland and noncommittal statements of support? Some summits where nothing concrete is decided?

Absolutely, there's no scope for it because you just do not know which way the cockwomble is going to go with matters.

Yep. I don't think meekly sitting there and taking it plays well domestically. He's in a shit place with few good options, but probably has to show a minimum level of backbone.

The whole regime change in Ukraine seems like a huge red herring. There's not a world I can see where a compliant regime is installed in Kiev that will roll over. Ukrainian's may be tired, but they hate Russia. In terms of popularity, someone like Zaluzhnyi would be next in line. Hardly seems the type of bloke that's going to sign in country away in some worthless deal.

Timothy Snyder offers a calm and measured response to the shitshow in the WH

https://snyder.substack.com/p/five-fail ... dium=email

So it is just the nukes then?

Russia can't even take Ukraine after 3 years - what hope do they have of taking on the whole of Europe?

Army sizes mean nothing now....flood the skies with drones and boom - you have more destructive force than an army of 200k boots on the ground.

......but the nukes.

For the first time in my life I feel genuinely scared about what is happening in the world. This is a full on shit show

Graham was in very quick with the "we can't work with him" narrative. It's almost as if he knew in advance that something was being cooked up.

Maybe it's too simplistic to say, but time for the world to stop leaning so much on America? Is that possible? Just a few million votes one way or the other in a country with 350m (1/3-ish of those eligible didn't bother?), swings the path of world politics.

Can Europe and friends ramp things up to fill the gaps, and even launch themselves forward?

Niegs wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 11:10 pm Maybe it's too simplistic to say, but time for the world to stop leaning so much on America? Is that possible? Just a few million votes one way or the other in a country with 350m (1/3-ish of those eligible didn't bother?), swings the path of world politics.

Can Europe and friends ramp things up to fill the gaps, and even launch themselves forward?

Macron was derided by other European leaders for promoting this very approach for years. Not so much derision nowadays.

If anyone is interested in the psych of Putin and Russia, I’ve literally this minute finished a brilliant novel called The Wizard of the Kremlin by Giuliano da Empoli.

The penultimate chapter was spookily prescient about the last couple of days

Slick wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 11:28 pm If anyone is interested in the psych of Putin and Russia, I’ve literally this minute finished a brilliant novel called The Wizard of the Kremlin by Giuliano da Empoli.

The penultimate chapter was spookily prescient about the last couple of days

Don't leave us hanging

Slick wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 11:28 pm If anyone is interested in the psych of Putin and Russia, I’ve literally this minute finished a brilliant novel called The Wizard of the Kremlin by Giuliano da Empoli.

The penultimate chapter was spookily prescient about the last couple of days

A pair of morons who are too stupid to realise how stupid they are sign power over to their sworn enemy because it somehow not only makes them look tough to their equally moronic hate cult, but there’s a few quid in it too?

Gumboot wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 11:16 pm

Niegs wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 11:10 pm Maybe it's too simplistic to say, but time for the world to stop leaning so much on America? Is that possible? Just a few million votes one way or the other in a country with 350m (1/3-ish of those eligible didn't bother?), swings the path of world politics.

Can Europe and friends ramp things up to fill the gaps, and even launch themselves forward?

Macron was derided by other European leaders for promoting this very approach for years. Not so much derision nowadays.

Too late now. A modest increase in defence spending particularly around industry in 2014 followed by a more substantial boost in 2022 may have given us the chance to run a different course. Plus of course a weaning or never being so beholden to Russian energy in the first place. From where we are now we can give Ukraine nothing but false hope, nothing but empty encouragement to send more men to die.

What Trump has done is a shameful abandonment of a nation that has shown so much courage and dignity in the face of unspeakable atrocities, but it’s too easy to pretend it is all his fault when we have done nearly nothing to allow another path to be taken bar offer empty words. I remember listening to an Indian general as Ukraine invaded tell a Ukrainian that the west would fight to the last Ukrainian, clearly correct then and clearly correct now.

Ukraine shoulders some responsibility as well. I went to a talk by a senior member of their elite this week who had the following solutions:

1. Britain to lead a task force of the Baltic, Scandis and Benelux in direct war with Russia
2. France to pile in once the front is stabilised
3. Risk of nuclear war to be ignored as ‘it won’t happen’
4. Peace to come from Ukraine reclaiming all occupied territory and Russia to be dismembered into 100 (genuinely) states along ethnic lines.

They have of course been led up the garden path but still having any dream of peace that doesn’t involve a serious think about what territory they can give up is sadly totally delusional and a lot of us left this talk very disillusioned. Can’t help but feel a total collapse is coming