Sunday, October 13, 2024

Why I Moved from the USA to Moscow

Oct 2, 2024 | “Why I Moved From the USA to Russia”

Divorce Rate in Luxembourg

Oct 10, 2024 | “I was shocked when I discovered what the divorce rate in Luxembourg is running at. … In what is arguably the richest country in the world, we have among the unhappiest people in relationships.”

Former BP Oil Boss: 'Immensely Pleased' I Was Outed as Gay

Sep 20, 2024 | John Browne was celebrated as a titan of industry when he ran oil major, BP, for 12 years until 2007. His career at the firm abruptly ended following a personal scandal in 2007. The controversy involved a UK newspaper outing Browne’s sexuality. He discusses the experience on Bloomberg’s Leaders With Lacqua Goes Green.

The Lincoln Project: Axis of Influence

Oct 13, 2024 | These immigrants are the biggest threat to America.

Harris Puts Pressure on Trump over Medical Records

BBC: Kamala Harris has released her medical records, which concluded she is in "excellent health" and fit for the presidency.

Following the disclosure, the Democratic Party's nominee to be the next US president accused Donald Trump of a lack of transparency over not releasing his own health records.

The vice-president also claimed her Republican rival "doesn't want the American people to see whether or not he's fit to become president".

Without revealing Trump's medical records, the former president's team responded by quoting his doctor as saying that he was in "perfect and excellent health".

The Trump campaign said the Republican nominee had a "extremely busy and active campaign schedule" and claimed Harris "does not have the stamina of President Trump".

The trading of barbs came after the White House published a medical report that said Vice-President Harris “possesses the physical and mental resiliency” necessary to serve as president. » | Adam Durbin, BBC News | Sunday, October 13, 2024

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18 - I. Moderato

Jan 10, 2019 | Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

Saturday, October 12, 2024

Why London’s Nightlife Is Dying | Last Orders

Oct 12, 2024 | Matthew Lesh – public policy fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs and country manager for Freshwater Strategy – joins Chris Snowdon and Tom Slater for the latest episode of Last Orders. They discuss the departure of London’s ‘night tsar’, Scotland’s regressive experiment with ‘minimum pricing’ for alcohol, and the battle to open a chip shop in a Welsh seaside town.

Alex Salmond, Former First Minister of Scotland, Dies Aged 69

THE GUARDIAN: High-profile politician reported to have collapsed after delivering speech in North Macedonia on Saturday

Alex Salmond, the former first minister of Scotland who led Scotland to the brink of independence, has died at the age of 69.

Salmond served as first minister of Scotland from 2007. He stood down from the role after failing to secure independence in the 2014 referendum, handing over to his deputy, Nicola Sturgeon.

Reports suggested that he collapsed after delivering a speech in North Macedonia on Saturday.

Scotland’s first minister, John Swinney, said he was “deeply shocked and saddened”.

“Alex worked tirelessly and fought fearlessly for the country that he loved and for her independence. He took the Scottish National party from the fringes of Scottish politics into government and led Scotland so close to becoming an independent country.” » | Michael Savage and Libby Brooks | Saturday, October 12, 2024

King Charles and Royals Fail to Reveal Official Gifts for Past Four Years – Despite Promise to Do So

THE GUARDIAN: Royal family had pledged to declare all presents received in an annual list, after several controversies

King Charles III during a visit to the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh last month. Photograph: Getty Images | A screenshot from today’s Guardian.

King Charles and his family have failed to reveal their official gifts for the past four years, despite previously promising to publish an annual list.

Palace officials have blamed the pandemic, the change of reign, and then planning for last year’s coronation for their inability to publish details of the gifts received by members of the royal family.

The royal family’s reticence follows controversy over a cash-for-honours scandal involving the king’s main charitable foundation, which led to a police investigation that was dropped last year without a full explanation from either Scotland Yard or the Crown Prosecution Service. It also comes after revelations that Charles, when he was Prince of Wales, accepted £2.6m in cash in bags from a Qatari politician for another of his charities, the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund. » | Richard Palmer | Saturday, October 12, 2024

How Börek Is Made in Turkey, Serbia and Albania | DW Food

Oct 12, 2024 | Round, square or twisted into a snail, filled with minced meat, cheese or - quite unusually - with nettles - börek is a popular snack in the Balkan region. In Serbia, the inhabitants of the city of Niš are so crazy about their yufka pastries that they have launched their own börek festival. Our reporters took a look around three countries and asked them about the typical börek.

Fears Grow that 'Clown-like' Trump Could Achieve Fascist Goals Despite Gross Incompetence

Oct 12, 2024 | For as long as Donald Trump has been on the political scene, analysts have struggled with how much of his performance to take seriously. But as Election Day races closer and polls remain tight even as Trump rhetoric becomes more extreme and his supporters become more radicalized, more people are realizing that no matter how big a buffoon Trump may be the risks of him taking power and abusing that power are significant and worrisome.

JD Vance Crashes and Burns in Disastrous Interview

Oct 12, 2024


Democracy is clearly on its last legs! There’s nary a decent politician left to run a democracy anymore! Where on earth have all the decent, upstanding, moderate politicians gone?

Here in the UK, the very worst thing to have happened to politics was the advent of the career politician. In years gone by, it was successful people who generally entered politics in order to ‘give something back to the country’. They were often already independently wealthy, so they didn’t need to milk the system. These days, people go into politics from university, usually, in order to make money, not to give anything back to society. They can’t do that since they have nothing to give back! They have had no experience of life. A good student does not necessarily make a good politician. Life’s experience counts for a lot.

We really are living in sad, dark times. The Age of Trump has been particularly sad and dark. The sooner Trump leaves the political stage, the better! — © Mark Alexander

Truth To Power: Both Badenoch and Jenrick Will Spell Disaster for the Tories

Oct 12, 2024

Michael Lambert: The British Economy Is Damaged beyond Repair for These Three Reasons

Oct 12, 2024 | This week I visited Gothenburg in Sweden and was shocked by how much better the quality of life is there.

It reminded me again of just how bad the economic situation in the UK has become since Brexit and for three different reasons. The UK economy has passed the point of no return.

We are now destined to decline indefinitely thanks to three reasons. First Brexit has severely damaged the UK economy whereby it is now almost impossible for small- and medium-sized business to trade with the EU because of post Brexit restrictions. This has cost the UK economy £40 billion in lost taxes annually.

The new Labour government under Keir Starmer has made it clear that, whilst they would like to improve relations (reset) with the EU, there will be no return to the Single Market, Customs Union or Freedom of Movement.

The UK property market where houses have become unaffordable for most people has resulted in so much money being sucked out of the economy that people have much less disposable income and that the economy has suffered accordingly, with many pubs, restaurants and shops being forced to close.

Finally the sale to foreigners of many of our major companies and vital utilities and infrastructure has weakened our economy since profits from these enterprises are being sent to foreign shareholders who have very little interest in anything other than a return on their investments.



Politicians today are clueless! They can’t run and manage the country anymore: they make a dog’s dinner of it. Yet politicians of old ran and managed a huge empire! Politicians of yore must have been a hell of a lot smarter than those who are in control today. Politicians today can’t run this small country let alone empire. – © Mark Alexander

Friday, October 11, 2024

Our Gabled Home: How to Make Authentic German Spaetzle [Spätzle] at Home

Jul 4, 2023 | Spaetzle is a classic German dish that people love as a side dish or as a vegetarian meal. In this video, I am showing you how to make spaetzle the authentic German way, using fresh ingredients and simple techniques. So put on your apron and join me in the kitchen!

P&O Ferries Owner Pulls £1bn UK Investment after Rayner Attack

THE TELEGRAPH: Dubai company chief withdraws from investment summit after Deputy PM’s criticism of employment practices

P&O owner DP World has put a £1bn expansion of one of Britain’s biggest container hubs on hold after ministers attacked the ferry company’s employment practices.

The Dubai-based business had planned to announce the investment in London Gateway port at a summit convened by Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, next week.

However, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the DP World boss, will no longer attend the event after Louise Haigh, the Transport Secretary, and Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, described P&O as “unscrupulous” and “exploitative” this week. » | Christopher Jasper, Transport industry editor | Friday, October 11, 2024

Delhi Audience Laughs as Russian Foreign Minister Says Ukraine War 'Was Launched against Us'

Mar 4, 2023 | Sergei Lavrov's description of the Russian invasion as 'the war, which we are trying to stop, and which was launched against us using the Ukrainian people' was met with laughter at the Raisina Dialogue conference in India.

Talks on UK Rejoining EU Could Start in 10 Years’ Time, Says Peter Mandelson

THE GUARDIAN: Labour peer says in meantime it is essential to try to reduce damage of Brexit deal struck by Boris Johnson

Peter Mandelson has suggested the UK could start talks on rejoining the EU in 10 years’ time, much earlier than Keir Starmer believes.

Lord Mandelson told an audience in Edinburgh the “truth is that [reversing Brexit] could be a conversation which starts in 10 years’ time”, but only if EU member states were willing to consider it.

He said that in the meantime it was essential for the UK’s productivity and growth to reduce the damaging impact of the Brexit deal struck by Boris Johnson “as best we possibly can”.

Mandelson’s remarks, at a lecture for the thinktank Reform Scotland, are in contrast to the prime minister’s prediction before the general election that the UK would not rejoin the EU, or the single market or customs union, in his lifetime. » | Severin Carrell, Scotland editor | Friday, October 11, 2024

Doku: Die ‚Blutdiamanten‘ der Zarin | Timeline Deutschland

Jan 3, 2024 | Zum 400-jährigen Jubiläum der Romanow-Dynastie 2013 begaben wir uns auf die Suche nach dem Schicksal der reichsten Herrscherfamilie seit der Oktoberrevolution 1917. Der Film folgt Familienmitgliedern, Sammlern und Experten, während sie den verstreuten Schatz der Romanows – Juwelen, Diamanten, Gold und Gemälde – wiederentdecken. Besonders begehrt sind die ‚Blutdiamanten‘ aus den Korsagen der Zarin und ihrer Töchter, verschwunden seit der Mordnacht von Jekaterinburg. Eine weltweite Jagd nach dem Zarenschatz beginnt, während der Film rekonstruiert, wie der einstige Reichtum der Romanows bis zur Revolution in alle Welt zerstreut wurde.

Queen Camilla's Memories of Queen Elizabeth II

Sep 7, 2024