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PutneySW15 · 11/07/2026 14:15:46

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Tony the war monger

Finds another role as a peacemaker. You couldn't make it up.

Andy Pike ● 292d11 Comments ● 291d

Nobel Prize

So, the Donald met with María Machado of Venezuela in the Oval Office today and accepted her Nobel Peace Prize. Is that not an utterly pathetic gesture? Maybe you think he deserves it and at last it has gone to its rightful recipient?I’m veering on the side of cringeworthy and pathetic but it would be interesting to know what others think.By the way, what’s the story with the Epstein files?

Gerry Boyce ● 294d27 Comments ● 291d

Random pic 19 January 2026

Emily, the Border Force, "A Class" sniffer dog https://flic.kr/p/2rwyxij

Michael Ixer ● 292d0 Comments ● 292d

Iran

My prayers tonight are for all those brave people in Iran who are demonstrating, protesting, fighting and hoping for their freedom. I am in awe of resilience, courage and hope. May the road rise with you!

Gerry Boyce ● 297d59 Comments ● 292d

What price Special Relationship?

Only the other day I posted about the so-called “new world order”. I asked which new world order do we think we are in? Might is right, rules-based international order now a dead letter, global power blocs etc? If so then we need to get closer to one of those power blocs because we are looking pretty lonely out here on the edge of Europe. The US is only interested in the Americas, from the Arctic to the tip of South America. Trump may have some residual nostalgic affection for the UK but Vance and the others around him certainly don’t.I can’t see any geopolitical alternative to getting closer to the rest of Europe, fractious and divided though the continent often is. That vision of a Global Britain is a chimera. Trade deals with distant countries just aren’t going to cut it. Long supply chains will always be vulnerable (and expensive) and anyway we no longer have the navy to protect them.Maybe there’s another new world order out there but one that retains any vestige of a special relationship with the US is surely not part of it. Trump is on a disastrous path. What is it about Greenland that he can’t already have?

Jonathan Callaway ● 293d11 Comments ● 293d

I nearly fell of my chair!!

The extract below is from the Sunday Telegraph. Similar articles are on Huffington Post, Reuters, CNBC among others. All behind paywalls.Trump ‘wants nations to pay $1bn to join his Gaza peace board’US president’s plan for the strip angers Netanyahu while report suggests White House may be seeking to usurp UN"Donald Trump is asking countries that want a spot on his new “Board of Peace” for Gaza to pay $1 billion (£747 million) which he will control, according to a report.A draft charter for the proposed group, which will oversee the rebuilding of the strip, establishes Mr Trump as the inaugural chairman who would have a veto over new members, Bloomberg reported.According to the document, states would be restricted to a three-year term of membership unless they “contribute more than USD $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the Charter’s entry into force”.The White House has started to unveil administrators who will supervise Gaza as part of the second phase of the US president’s peace deal.They include Sir Tony Blair, Steve Witkoff, the White House envoy, and Jared Kushner, Mr Trump’s son-in-law.An “Executive Board” will oversee the postwar management of the enclave for the Board of Peace, and will include other world leaders who are expected to be announced at Davos next week.The charter for the group, which on Saturday was sent to dozens of heads of state with an invitation to join the board, suggests that Mr Trump is trying to set up an organisation to rival the United Nations....."https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/01/17/trumps-gaza-peace-board-angers-netanyahu/

Ivonne Holliday ● 293d1 Comments ● 293d

Wimbledon Theatre - Open House - No Magic Experienced Today

We were looking forward to today’s Open House at the Wimbledon Theatre. We had picked up a leaflet that said: ”For one day only, we’re offering an exclusive opportunity to step inside, explore, participate, and experience the magic that makes New Wimbledon Theatre come alive.” Well what a disappointment! We went on a “Tour” this afternoon. There was no guide and we followed a line of about 30/40 people backstage. We saw several toilets, a few dressing rooms ie rooms with a table and wall mirror with lights around, a room with a costume being put together that we weren’t allowed to enter and the girl in the room said there’s nothing interesting in here. We got a bit of exercise going up and down stairs and we took each other’s photographs on the stage. There was absolutely no magic or glamour anywhere! We would have liked to hear about the history of the theatre, eg when it was built and what happened to it during the War. Also what famous acts have appeared there? Thankfully, it was a free event!

Martine Guy ● 293d7 Comments ● 293d

Random pic 18 January 2026

Lotus showroom, Piccadilly https://flic.kr/p/2rF7Ghj

Michael Ixer ● 293d0 Comments ● 293d

Is Reform for or against this blackmail?

"44m ago16.49 GMTDonald Trump has said “world peace is at stake” as he unveiled 10% tariffs on European countries opposing US plans to acquire Greenland.Posting on Truth Social, the US president said:We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration. Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake!Trump concluded his post by saying the US is “immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades”.1h ago16.34 GMTTrump says eight European countries face 10% tariff for opposing US control of GreenlandDonald Trump has said he will impose 10% tariffs on Nato countries - including the UK, France, and Germany – who have deployed troops to Greenland amid US threats to take over the Arctic island.In a lengthy Truth Social post, he said “Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown”, adding: “This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet.”The US president said 10% tariffs will be imposed on all goods the countries export to the United States from 1 February, followed by a 25% rate from 1 June.“This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland,” he added.Trump reiterated his warning that “China and Russia want Greenland”, saying “there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it”."For Trump or Greenland, Ms Hammond?

David Ainsworth ● 293d5 Comments ● 293d

HAL says: "I'm sorry, I can't do that ..."

Some Windows PCs won't shutdown after latest MS security patch ...https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/16/patch_tuesday_secure_launch_bug_no_shutdown/(Or is that IBM shift minus one bit per byte.)

Michael Ixer ● 293d4 Comments ● 293d

Random pic 17 January 2026

Flypast over Smithfield, Tuesday 10th June, 2018 https://flic.kr/p/26fwfVy

Michael Ixer ● 294d1 Comments ● 293d

Amazon

Union shut Amazon Warehouse in Coventry as an outbreak of TB has been found about 10 people appear to have it.

Barbara Stevens ● 294d14 Comments ● 293d

Angela Rayner’s Hypocrisy

In 2023 Angela Rayner criticised MPs who take a job outside Parliament. She said, ‘Being an MP isn’t a second job. It is the job. Labour will put an end to this racket.’Today it was reported that she will joining Chertwell Speakers Bureau, where she will earn tens of thousands of pounds per speech delivering addresses to corporate clients on politics and ‘leadership under pressure’. No doubt the money will come in handy in respect of her £40 000 stamp duty bill, which she has still not paid.

Steven Rose ● 294d4 Comments ● 294d

🎶 How Will I Know 🎶

Reform held a press conference this afternoon to welcome Jenricks after his defection from the Conservative Party. There was a lengthy Q&A session with the press and at least two journalists who pressed Farage to say if there were any more Tory MPs about to jump ship. Of course he wasn’t going to answer that but he did say there will be another important defection announcement next Tuesday, and he hinted it could be from Labour … So who do you think it will be?

Sue Hammond ● 295d3 Comments ● 295d

Zadawi is coming home.

Telegraph today:-"Nadhim Zahawi ‘begged’ for Tory peerage before defection" [to Reform].July 2022. Business minister Nadhim Zahawi has been forced to backtrack during a TV interview with Andrew Neil after initially claiming he did not know whether Jeremy Corbyn would shoot Britain’s richest people if he becomes Prime Minister.Nadhim Zadawi:- "I came to the UK as a refugee, but immigration has gone too far" September 2024."The defection has drawn attention to Zahawi's past severe criticisms of Farage from 2015, which are now being used by opponents as counter-slogans and evidence of hypocrisy: "I would be frightened to live in a country run by you" (a tweet directed at Farage)."What's frightening is that in Farage's Britain people like me could be lawfully discriminated against"."angry slogans which are his stock in trade" (Zahawi's description of Farage's approach to policy)."Farage has run for political office SIX times and been an MEP for FIFTEEN yrs – he's as establishment as they come"."comments of which 'Goebbels would be proud'" (Zahawi's description of Farage's remarks on race discrimination laws)." (AI)

David Ainsworth ● 298d25 Comments ● 295d

Random pic 16 January 2026

Magicrêpe Pancake machine, 1970, France (Plastic, metal) Musée des Confluences (Lyon) INV. D2010.15. https://flic.kr/p/2rJ4uu2Inventions do not always meet with consumer acceptance. The Pancake machine, a type of photocopier for pancakes, did not meet the needs of the population for which it was designed.
[Text from museum label]

Michael Ixer ● 295d2 Comments ● 295d

For the Don, disrespect may be a capital offence

New York Times 12/1/26:-"President Trump has added another justification for the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minnesota: She behaved badly.“At a very minimum, that woman was very, very disrespectful to law enforcement,” Mr. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday evening.In the days since Ms. Good, 37, was shot and killed by Jonathan Ross, an ICE agent, Trump administration officials have used a variety of arguments as they have tried to justify the episode. They have called it an act of self-defense, and Mr. Trump has falsely claimed Ms. Good “ran over” the agent. JD Vance, the vice president, has argued that Mr. Ross has “absolute immunity.”"Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, contrasted Mr. Trump’s treatment of Ms. Good with his praise and support for the hundreds of pro-Trump rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and attacked the police.On Jan. 6 this year, the Trump administration made a page on its website that accused the Capitol Police of instigating the riot, and said a pro-Trump rioter whom the police killed during the mayhem was “murdered.”“Trump just pardoned nearly 1,600 insurrectionists,” Mr. Raskin said, “hundreds of whom violently attacked police officers and called them everything from traitors to pigs to racial epithets, and ruthlessly taunted them and maligned them for hours.” He added that “Donald Trump’s very dubious characterization of Renee Good as having been disrespectful is not only factually suspect, but it’s legally irrelevant.”“The police do not have the right to shoot people in the head because they consider them having acted in a disrespectful way,” Mr. Raskin said. “That legal standard would have led to a slaughter on Jan. 6.”"