If a young man is not considered old enough to smoke, then he is certainly not old enough to fight for his country. I heard this week from an American friend of mine that the new age limit for buying cigarettes is 21. This is absurd. A young man could have fathered several children by that age; and he could also be married. If a man is old enough and mature enough to marry and father a child, then he is certainly old enough and mature enough to smoke cigarettes. The fact that such a person cannot smoke or drink alcohol, but he can buy a semi-automatic weapon is totally and utterly absurd. American gun culture, if indeed culture it can be called, is appalling. It harkens back to the Wild West. The mentality in the US hasn't changed much since the days of 'cowboys and Indians'! – © Mark Alexander
Sunday, June 12, 2022
Thousands Rally for Gun Control in US as Mass Shootings Surge | DW News
If a young man is not considered old enough to smoke, then he is certainly not old enough to fight for his country. I heard this week from an American friend of mine that the new age limit for buying cigarettes is 21. This is absurd. A young man could have fathered several children by that age; and he could also be married. If a man is old enough and mature enough to marry and father a child, then he is certainly old enough and mature enough to smoke cigarettes. The fact that such a person cannot smoke or drink alcohol, but he can buy a semi-automatic weapon is totally and utterly absurd. American gun culture, if indeed culture it can be called, is appalling. It harkens back to the Wild West. The mentality in the US hasn't changed much since the days of 'cowboys and Indians'! – © Mark Alexander
Saturday, June 11, 2022
Real Men, Real Love, Real Kiss
As Energy Prices Soar, the Bitcoin Miners May Find They Have Struck Fool’s Gold
THE OBSERVER: The rising price of electricity and the plunging value of the cryptocurrency could burst the speculative bubble for today’s prospectors
In the bad old days, prospecting for gold was a grisly business involving hysterical crowds, pickaxes, digging, the wearing of appalling hats, standing in rivers panning for nuggets, “staking” claims and so on. The California gold rush of 1848-55, for example, brought 300,000 hopefuls to the Sierra Nevada and northern California and involved the massacre of thousands of Indigenous people.
In our day, the new gold is bitcoin, a cryptocurrency, and prospecting for it has become a genteel armchair activity, although it is called “mining”, for old times’ sake. What it actually involves is using computers to perform unfathomably complicated calculations to create cryptographic “hashes” – codes that are, in practical terms, uncrackable. » | John Naughton | Saturday, June 11, 2022
In the bad old days, prospecting for gold was a grisly business involving hysterical crowds, pickaxes, digging, the wearing of appalling hats, standing in rivers panning for nuggets, “staking” claims and so on. The California gold rush of 1848-55, for example, brought 300,000 hopefuls to the Sierra Nevada and northern California and involved the massacre of thousands of Indigenous people.
In our day, the new gold is bitcoin, a cryptocurrency, and prospecting for it has become a genteel armchair activity, although it is called “mining”, for old times’ sake. What it actually involves is using computers to perform unfathomably complicated calculations to create cryptographic “hashes” – codes that are, in practical terms, uncrackable. » | John Naughton | Saturday, June 11, 2022
Françoise Hardy : Die Diskrete | Doku HD | Reupload | ARTE
Jun 11, 2022 • Von der Ikone der 60er zur Grande Dame des französischen Chansons: Bereits im zarten Alter von 18 Jahren wurde Françoise Hardy mit ihrem ersten großen Hit "Tous les garçons et les filles" (1962) zum Idol des "Yéyé". Ihre sanfte Stimme ließ sie zu einer der bekanntesten Pop- und Chansonsängerin Frankreichs werden. Hardy ist so zeitlos geblieben wie ihre Lieder ...
Françoise Hardy war das Idol des Yéyé, der Popmusik der 60er Jahre. Ihr erster großer Hit „Tous les garçons et les filles“ (1962) eröffnete der Sängerin schon im zarten Alter von 18 Jahren den Weg zu einer Karriere als eine der bekanntesten Pop- und Chansonsängerinnen Frankreichs. Auch wenn die Pariserin in der französischen Musikszene anfangs völlig aus dem Rahmen fiel und sich ab den 80er Jahren ins Privatleben zurückzog, sorgte sie regelmäßig mit Platten wie „Décalages“ (1988) für Schlagzeilen. Viele Künstler zählen zu ihren Bewunderern: Sex-Pistols-Legende Malcolm McLaren nahm mit ihr einen Song auf, Mick Jagger bezeichnete sie als „ideale Frau“ und Bob Dylan widmete ihr ein Gedicht. Die stilbewusste Künstlerin ist sich über ihre musikalische Laufbahn mit ihren nostalgischen und romantischen Liedern hinweg selbst treu geblieben – aus der Ikone der 60er ist eine Grande Dame geworden. Doch wie gelang es der eleganten Französin – die blonde Mähne ist mittlerweile schneeweiß –, auch 25 veröffentlichte Alben später nicht an Ausstrahlung zu verlieren? Die Dokumentation beleuchtet die Persönlichkeit hinter dem Star und ergründet das visionäre Talent der Künstlerin. Es kommen europäische Musiker, Produzenten, Modeschöpfer und Sänger zu Wort, die ihre Sicht auf Françoise Hardy, ihre Einzigartigkeit und ihren Beitrag zur Popmusik äußern.
Dokumentation von Émilie Valentin und Matthieu Jaubert (F 2016, 54 Min)
Video auf YouTube verfügbar bis 17/07/2022
WIKIPEDIA – Françoise Hardy : [E] ; [F] ; [D].
Françoise Hardy war das Idol des Yéyé, der Popmusik der 60er Jahre. Ihr erster großer Hit „Tous les garçons et les filles“ (1962) eröffnete der Sängerin schon im zarten Alter von 18 Jahren den Weg zu einer Karriere als eine der bekanntesten Pop- und Chansonsängerinnen Frankreichs. Auch wenn die Pariserin in der französischen Musikszene anfangs völlig aus dem Rahmen fiel und sich ab den 80er Jahren ins Privatleben zurückzog, sorgte sie regelmäßig mit Platten wie „Décalages“ (1988) für Schlagzeilen. Viele Künstler zählen zu ihren Bewunderern: Sex-Pistols-Legende Malcolm McLaren nahm mit ihr einen Song auf, Mick Jagger bezeichnete sie als „ideale Frau“ und Bob Dylan widmete ihr ein Gedicht. Die stilbewusste Künstlerin ist sich über ihre musikalische Laufbahn mit ihren nostalgischen und romantischen Liedern hinweg selbst treu geblieben – aus der Ikone der 60er ist eine Grande Dame geworden. Doch wie gelang es der eleganten Französin – die blonde Mähne ist mittlerweile schneeweiß –, auch 25 veröffentlichte Alben später nicht an Ausstrahlung zu verlieren? Die Dokumentation beleuchtet die Persönlichkeit hinter dem Star und ergründet das visionäre Talent der Künstlerin. Es kommen europäische Musiker, Produzenten, Modeschöpfer und Sänger zu Wort, die ihre Sicht auf Françoise Hardy, ihre Einzigartigkeit und ihren Beitrag zur Popmusik äußern.
Dokumentation von Émilie Valentin und Matthieu Jaubert (F 2016, 54 Min)
Video auf YouTube verfügbar bis 17/07/2022
WIKIPEDIA – Françoise Hardy : [E] ; [F] ; [D].
Canada : The Authorities Have Lost Their Minds!
The Canadian government legalized the smoking of cannabis/marijuana three years ago; yet they are introducing ever more stringent laws against the smoking of cigarettes and other tobacco products. Clearly, these laws are redolent of a Nanny State. How stupid can people get? This means that you can legally get stoned out of your mind, yet enjoying a humble cigarette is becoming ever more difficult. How nonsensical is that? I had always thought that Canadians were smarter than this. Obviously, I was mistaken. – © Mark Alexander
The pros, cons and unknowns of legal cannabis in Canada 3 years later: Legalization has had a positive effect on the justice system, but public health data is lacking, experts say »
Written warning on every cigarette in Canadian world-first: Poison in every puff’ message proposed amid government concern photo warnings on tobacco packages have lost impact »
Zehn Jahre Haft für Boliviens Ex-Übergangspräsidentin Jeanine Áñez
NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Für die einen war es ein Staatsstreich, für die anderen lediglich eine Interimsherrschaft nach der Flucht von Präsident Evo Morales. Jetzt wird Boliviens Ex-Übergangspräsidentin Áñez zu zehn Jahren Haft verurteilt.
Jeanine Áñez am 13. März 2020 an einer Zeremonie im Präsidentenpalast in La Paz. | David Mercado / Reuters
{dpa) Ein Gericht in La Paz hat die ehemalige bolivianische Übergangspräsidentin Jeanine Áñez zu zehn Jahren Haft verurteilt. Áñez müsse die Strafe wegen verfassungswidriger Entscheidungen und Pflichtverletzungen, als sie im November 2019 die Interimspräsidentschaft übernahm, im Miraflores-Gefängnis am Regierungssitz La Paz absitzen, sagte der Richter bei der Verlesung des Urteils am Freitag (Ortszeit). «Mir wurde alles verweigert, und ich wurde schlechter behandelt als alle anderen, aber ich war, bin und werde die verfassungsmässige Präsidentin sein, die ihre Aufgabe übernahm, nachdem der Feigling geflohen war», hatte Áñez zuvor auf Twitter geschrieben. » | dpa | Samstag, 11. Juni 2022
Bolivian ex-president Jeanine Áñez jailed as leader of ‘coup’: Court finds rightwinger defied constitution during chaotic exit of Evo Morales, from whom she took over presidency »
{dpa) Ein Gericht in La Paz hat die ehemalige bolivianische Übergangspräsidentin Jeanine Áñez zu zehn Jahren Haft verurteilt. Áñez müsse die Strafe wegen verfassungswidriger Entscheidungen und Pflichtverletzungen, als sie im November 2019 die Interimspräsidentschaft übernahm, im Miraflores-Gefängnis am Regierungssitz La Paz absitzen, sagte der Richter bei der Verlesung des Urteils am Freitag (Ortszeit). «Mir wurde alles verweigert, und ich wurde schlechter behandelt als alle anderen, aber ich war, bin und werde die verfassungsmässige Präsidentin sein, die ihre Aufgabe übernahm, nachdem der Feigling geflohen war», hatte Áñez zuvor auf Twitter geschrieben. » | dpa | Samstag, 11. Juni 2022
Bolivian ex-president Jeanine Áñez jailed as leader of ‘coup’: Court finds rightwinger defied constitution during chaotic exit of Evo Morales, from whom she took over presidency »
La Corée du Nord nomme une femme à la tête de sa diplomatie
LE MONDE : Choe Son-hui était une proche conseillère de Kim Jong-un pendant les pourparlers sur le nucléaire avec les Etats-Unis. Elle remplace Ri Son-gwon, un ancien responsable militaire partisan d’une ligne dure.
Choe Son-hui devant l’ambassade de Corée du Nord à Pékin, en Chine, le 23 juin 2016. ANDY WONG / AP
Au moment où Pyongyang poursuit une série d’essais d’armement et ignore les appels des Etats-Unis à des pourparlers, la Corée du Nord a nommé pour la première fois une femme, Choe Son-hui, au poste de ministre des affaires étrangères, a rapporté la presse officielle samedi 11 juin.
Mme Choe, ancienne vice-ministre des affaires étrangères, a été désignée pour diriger la diplomatie nord-coréenne lors d’une réunion du parti au pouvoir présidée par le dirigeant, Kim Jong-un, selon l’agence de presse officielle KCNA. Elle remplace Ri Son-gwon, un ancien responsable militaire partisan d’une ligne dure qui a dirigé des négociations avec la Corée du Sud. » | Le Monde avec AFP | samedi 11 juin 2022
Au moment où Pyongyang poursuit une série d’essais d’armement et ignore les appels des Etats-Unis à des pourparlers, la Corée du Nord a nommé pour la première fois une femme, Choe Son-hui, au poste de ministre des affaires étrangères, a rapporté la presse officielle samedi 11 juin.
Mme Choe, ancienne vice-ministre des affaires étrangères, a été désignée pour diriger la diplomatie nord-coréenne lors d’une réunion du parti au pouvoir présidée par le dirigeant, Kim Jong-un, selon l’agence de presse officielle KCNA. Elle remplace Ri Son-gwon, un ancien responsable militaire partisan d’une ligne dure qui a dirigé des négociations avec la Corée du Sud. » | Le Monde avec AFP | samedi 11 juin 2022
Île du Levant: Wiege der französischen Freikörperkultur | Stadt, Land, Kunst | ARTE
Feb 21, 2022 • Die Île du Levant ist die wohl am wenigsten bekannte der Hyerischen Inseln. Mit ihren weißen Sandstränden und steilen Klippen, die mit dem tiefblauen Wasser des Mittelmeers kontrastieren, wurde sie in den 1930er Jahren zum Ausgangspunkt einer Lebensutopie, die die Rückkehr zur Natur proklamierte: die Freikörperkultur. Was schon im 18. Jahrhundert als medizinische Anwendung begann, fand schnell Anhänger in ganz Europa.
Die Brüder Durville brachten die Freikörperkultur auf die Insel, wo sie bis heute begeistert gepflegt wird.
Verfügbar bis zum 01/02/2024
Die Brüder Durville brachten die Freikörperkultur auf die Insel, wo sie bis heute begeistert gepflegt wird.
Verfügbar bis zum 01/02/2024
Marc & Roger’s Epic Gay Jewish Wedding – Highlights | Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop the Feeling | Reupload
Not a Still Life | Gay Jewish Documentary Portrait | Reupload
Aug 13, 2018 • In this documentary portrait, a charismatic older, gay, Jewish man undergoes an evolution of awareness amid the joys and sorrows of his wild and fully lived life. In revealing his “naked truth,” he offers viewers an opportunity for reflection about the complexity of human identity.
In the words of the film’s spirited subject, “This is the story of a gay, Jewish, animal rights, vegetarian, recovering alcoholic ... individual.” Steve Stone is an ebullient, extroverted character and an engaging storyteller with a life full of captivating tales. He is also not unlike many gay men of a certain age who were almost brought to extinction with the AIDS epidemic of the 80’s. In that sense, this film, a portrait of a man, is also a chronicle of a time that was.
This one man’s story, his struggles with sexual orientation and various addictions, love and loss, taps into themes that encompass all our lives. His quirky and entertaining reflections come from a unique perspective. We cannot help but see ourselves in, and be inspired by his distinctive outlook because for all the ways that we may not share his “outside the box” personality, his evolution, his journey through life and his deep desires are ours. They exemplify the conflicts and complexities in every human heart.
Not a Still Life punctuates the stories of Steve’s personal journey through the decades with a judicious use of title graphics to reflect key aspects of gay social history in America. His is the tale of a man who, in the homophobic period of the 50s, was ridiculed and dismissed as a child which led his irreverence, hyperactivity and rebelliousness. Determined to be himself rather than conform to social mores that made him uncomfortable, he came out to everyone in the early 60’s at the age of 17. Eight years before the Stonewall Rebellion, this was a brave move. Steve Stone has been openly gay for fifty years!
In the words of the film’s spirited subject, “This is the story of a gay, Jewish, animal rights, vegetarian, recovering alcoholic ... individual.” Steve Stone is an ebullient, extroverted character and an engaging storyteller with a life full of captivating tales. He is also not unlike many gay men of a certain age who were almost brought to extinction with the AIDS epidemic of the 80’s. In that sense, this film, a portrait of a man, is also a chronicle of a time that was.
This one man’s story, his struggles with sexual orientation and various addictions, love and loss, taps into themes that encompass all our lives. His quirky and entertaining reflections come from a unique perspective. We cannot help but see ourselves in, and be inspired by his distinctive outlook because for all the ways that we may not share his “outside the box” personality, his evolution, his journey through life and his deep desires are ours. They exemplify the conflicts and complexities in every human heart.
Not a Still Life punctuates the stories of Steve’s personal journey through the decades with a judicious use of title graphics to reflect key aspects of gay social history in America. His is the tale of a man who, in the homophobic period of the 50s, was ridiculed and dismissed as a child which led his irreverence, hyperactivity and rebelliousness. Determined to be himself rather than conform to social mores that made him uncomfortable, he came out to everyone in the early 60’s at the age of 17. Eight years before the Stonewall Rebellion, this was a brave move. Steve Stone has been openly gay for fifty years!
Blacklist Dubai over Failure to Crack Down on Russian Oligarchs, Say Campaigners
THE OBSERVER: UAE has become haven for superyachts, private jets and ‘dirty money’ since invasion of Ukraine, but has taken no action
The 387ft Motor Yacht A belonging to Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko anchored in the port of Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Photograph: Kamran Jebreili/AP
Campaigners and politicians are calling for the United Arab Emirates to be blacklisted over its failures to combat the flow of “dirty money” and to enforce sanctions imposed on Russian oligarchs.
The Gulf state has emerged as a key refuge for the Russian super-rich fleeing the impact of global sanctions, with private jets and superyachts linked to oligarchs heading to the UAE after the invasion of Ukraine.
Bill Browder, the financier and critic of Vladimir Putin’s regime, said: “Dubai has long been a safe place for dirty money. It should now be put on financial blacklists and its leaders shouldn’t be welcome here.”
He said secondary sanctions should be imposed on the UAE unless it provided assistance to countries pursuing the oligarchs’ assets. » | Jon Ungoed-Thomas | Saturday, June 11, 2022
Campaigners and politicians are calling for the United Arab Emirates to be blacklisted over its failures to combat the flow of “dirty money” and to enforce sanctions imposed on Russian oligarchs.
The Gulf state has emerged as a key refuge for the Russian super-rich fleeing the impact of global sanctions, with private jets and superyachts linked to oligarchs heading to the UAE after the invasion of Ukraine.
Bill Browder, the financier and critic of Vladimir Putin’s regime, said: “Dubai has long been a safe place for dirty money. It should now be put on financial blacklists and its leaders shouldn’t be welcome here.”
He said secondary sanctions should be imposed on the UAE unless it provided assistance to countries pursuing the oligarchs’ assets. » | Jon Ungoed-Thomas | Saturday, June 11, 2022
One Colourful “Giraffe Eating”!
Michael Lambert : 148 Tory MP’s Want to See the Back of Boris Johnson
Jun 11, 2022 • 148 Tory MP's want to see the back of Boris Johnson as their leader and Prime Minister. 41% of his Parliamentary party no longer support him and would like another leader. He has gone from being one of the most powerful prime ministers ever to becoming a lame duck in a day.
MP's have heard from their constituents how unpopular Johnson has become following the 'Partygate' scandal in which he flouted the very laws which he had introduced and insisted the nation obey. They will also have seen how he and his wife were booed at St Paul's Cathedral during the Jubilee.
His career is effectively over and, in due course, it will be time to choose a successor. Jeremy Hunt seems the favorite at present.
MP's have heard from their constituents how unpopular Johnson has become following the 'Partygate' scandal in which he flouted the very laws which he had introduced and insisted the nation obey. They will also have seen how he and his wife were booed at St Paul's Cathedral during the Jubilee.
His career is effectively over and, in due course, it will be time to choose a successor. Jeremy Hunt seems the favorite at present.
Boris Johnson Stands to Make £5m a Year after No 10, Say Experts
THE GUARDIAN: PM could join lecture circuit and rejoin paper where he complained of ‘chicken feed’ £250,000 salary
Boris Johnson’s current salary already puts him in the top 1% of earners in the UK Photograph: Andrew Parsons CCHQ/Parsons Media
Boris Johnson could make more than £5m a year after he leaves Downing Street, experts have estimated.
The figure will be welcome news to a prime minister who is said to regularly complain to friends that he is hard up, citing his second divorce, several children and his reduced income since entering No 10.
In fact, Johnson’s £155,376 salary puts him in the top 1% of UK earners. His housing, transport and a large part of his living costs are covered by the taxpayer.
Regardless of whether his financial straits are real or imagined, there are two certainties, says Tom Bower, one of Johnson’s biographers: that he is hopeless with money and that he will have no problem making lots of it after he leaves office.
“It’s because he’s such a bad money manager that he got himself into that ridiculous situation with the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat,” said Bower. “After that debacle, the financiers who fund the Tory party took him to one side and told him he didn’t need to worry about money; that his future earnings were guaranteed to be so strong that he could take out whatever loans he needed at very low rates.” » | Amelia Hill | Saturday, June 11, 2022
It looks as if Boris will be able to afford to buy a brush soon; and maybe a comb to go with it! – © Mark
Boris Johnson could make more than £5m a year after he leaves Downing Street, experts have estimated.
The figure will be welcome news to a prime minister who is said to regularly complain to friends that he is hard up, citing his second divorce, several children and his reduced income since entering No 10.
In fact, Johnson’s £155,376 salary puts him in the top 1% of UK earners. His housing, transport and a large part of his living costs are covered by the taxpayer.
Regardless of whether his financial straits are real or imagined, there are two certainties, says Tom Bower, one of Johnson’s biographers: that he is hopeless with money and that he will have no problem making lots of it after he leaves office.
“It’s because he’s such a bad money manager that he got himself into that ridiculous situation with the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat,” said Bower. “After that debacle, the financiers who fund the Tory party took him to one side and told him he didn’t need to worry about money; that his future earnings were guaranteed to be so strong that he could take out whatever loans he needed at very low rates.” » | Amelia Hill | Saturday, June 11, 2022
It looks as if Boris will be able to afford to buy a brush soon; and maybe a comb to go with it! – © Mark
There’s a New Breed of Young, Violent, Far-right Activist in Britain: ‘White Jihadists’
THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: The neo-Nazi founder of the banned terror group National Action was jailed this week. Sadly, there are more like him
‘Alex Davies began outlining the framework for his neo-Nazi youth movement a decade ago.’ Alex Davies arrives at Winchester crown court, 20 April 2022. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA
Alex Davies, the co-founder of the proscribed far-right terror group National Action, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison this week, bringing the total number of people convicted of membership of the group to 19. Formed in 2013, National Action espouses extreme antisemitic and anti-immigrant views, and presented itself as better organised and more disciplined than other groups in a British neo-Nazi scene previously on the verge of collapse.
When it was banned by the then-home secretary, Amber Rudd, in December 2016, National Action was the first far-right organisation to be proscribed since the second world war. But it wasn’t the first such group in that period to espouse extreme neo-Nazi beliefs or promote the ideology of terror and violence – nor will it be the last.
Davies, 27, a former University of Warwick student, began outlining the framework for this neo-Nazi youth movement a decade ago, while he was being monitored by the government’s controversial Prevent programme. » | Matthew Collins | Saturday, June 11, 2022
Alex Davies, the co-founder of the proscribed far-right terror group National Action, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison this week, bringing the total number of people convicted of membership of the group to 19. Formed in 2013, National Action espouses extreme antisemitic and anti-immigrant views, and presented itself as better organised and more disciplined than other groups in a British neo-Nazi scene previously on the verge of collapse.
When it was banned by the then-home secretary, Amber Rudd, in December 2016, National Action was the first far-right organisation to be proscribed since the second world war. But it wasn’t the first such group in that period to espouse extreme neo-Nazi beliefs or promote the ideology of terror and violence – nor will it be the last.
Davies, 27, a former University of Warwick student, began outlining the framework for this neo-Nazi youth movement a decade ago, while he was being monitored by the government’s controversial Prevent programme. » | Matthew Collins | Saturday, June 11, 2022
Prince Charles Criticises ‘Appalling’ Rwanda Migrant Scheme – Reports
THE GUARDIAN: Source says Prince of Wales was ‘more than disappointed’ with deportation plans
A spokesperson for Clarence House said Prince Charles remains politically neutral. Photograph: Reuters
Prince Charles has privately criticised the government’s policy of deporting migrants to Rwanda, calling the practice “appalling”.
The heir to the throne has been heard opposing the policy behind closed doors, a source has told the Times and the Daily Mail.
The claim comes on the same day that a legal challenge against deporting asylum seekers was rejected by the high court. The first flight to send migrants to the central African country could leave on Tuesday. An appeal against the ruling has been launched.
…
The source said: “[Charles] said he was more than disappointed at the policy.
“He said he thinks the government’s whole approach is appalling. It was clear he was not impressed with the government’s direction of travel.” » | Harry Taylor | Friday, June 10, 2022
Related (including my own thoughts on the matter).
Prince Charles has privately criticised the government’s policy of deporting migrants to Rwanda, calling the practice “appalling”.
The heir to the throne has been heard opposing the policy behind closed doors, a source has told the Times and the Daily Mail.
The claim comes on the same day that a legal challenge against deporting asylum seekers was rejected by the high court. The first flight to send migrants to the central African country could leave on Tuesday. An appeal against the ruling has been launched.
…
The source said: “[Charles] said he was more than disappointed at the policy.
“He said he thinks the government’s whole approach is appalling. It was clear he was not impressed with the government’s direction of travel.” » | Harry Taylor | Friday, June 10, 2022
Related (including my own thoughts on the matter).
Friday, June 10, 2022
Griechenlands neue Helden
'When Have We Ever Seen a Coup d'État Like This?' The Historical Significance of January 6th
Even the Murdoch Press Is Now Waking Up to the Truth: Brexit Was an Act of Self-harm
THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: When the most anti-EU newspapers are pointing to the policy’s inevitable failures, it’s time our government admitted the truth
My love of gardening is grounded in the thrill of renewal: the first snowdrop bulb, the first songbird to break the silence, that shaft of warmth in early March. This week, as a veteran party member and supporter of every Conservative leader from Churchill to Cameron, I have detected something similar: the renewal of my party’s European legacy.
The disastrous consequences of Brexit for living standards, for our economic wellbeing and for Britain’s reputation abroad, have so far been obscured by Covid, the war in Ukraine and the headline-grabbing story of our prime minister’s lack of truthfulness and integrity. But this week, the British press perhaps unintentionally revealed the real world that is emerging as a result of Brexit.
While readers of the Guardian have been kept closely informed about the continuing tragedy of Brexit, it’s only now that other parts of the British press have begun to consider the truth of its legacy. The economies of three of the regions that voted most heavily for Brexit were “smaller at the end of last year … than at the time of the vote”, wrote David Smith in the business section of this week’s Sunday Times. Despite a weak pound making Britain’s goods cheap for foreign buyers, “exporters are … struggling”, Jim Armitage wrote in the same paper. “First-quarter figures last week showed exports of food and drink to the EU were down 17%, or £614m, on pre-Covid levels. Exports to non European countries increased by 10.7%, or £223m, but not enough to offset the European decline.”
Brexit was meant to be a “new beginning for the Tory party,” Jeremy Warner wrote this week in the Daily Telegraph, “but by making trade with Europe more difficult and costly it has so far only added to the country’s travails”. In its coverage of recent OECD warnings, the Daily Mail reported that the UK economy “is set to flatline next year – performing worse than every other G20 country except for sanctions-crippled Russia”. Most of these countries have also felt the consequences of the war in Ukraine and the Covid epidemic – but not, of course, Brexit. » | Michael Heseltine | Friday, June 10, 2022
I have said this from the very start: Brexit was a stupid idea, is a stupid idea and will remain a stupid idea. Nobody with any understanding of economics would walk away from the largest single market in the world, The Single Market. One doesn't need much of a grasp of economics to understand that to do so would be highly damaging to one's own economy. That the Conservatives have done this, the Party that prides itself on being business-friendly, is totally and utterly incomprehensible. – © Mark Alexander
My love of gardening is grounded in the thrill of renewal: the first snowdrop bulb, the first songbird to break the silence, that shaft of warmth in early March. This week, as a veteran party member and supporter of every Conservative leader from Churchill to Cameron, I have detected something similar: the renewal of my party’s European legacy.
The disastrous consequences of Brexit for living standards, for our economic wellbeing and for Britain’s reputation abroad, have so far been obscured by Covid, the war in Ukraine and the headline-grabbing story of our prime minister’s lack of truthfulness and integrity. But this week, the British press perhaps unintentionally revealed the real world that is emerging as a result of Brexit.
While readers of the Guardian have been kept closely informed about the continuing tragedy of Brexit, it’s only now that other parts of the British press have begun to consider the truth of its legacy. The economies of three of the regions that voted most heavily for Brexit were “smaller at the end of last year … than at the time of the vote”, wrote David Smith in the business section of this week’s Sunday Times. Despite a weak pound making Britain’s goods cheap for foreign buyers, “exporters are … struggling”, Jim Armitage wrote in the same paper. “First-quarter figures last week showed exports of food and drink to the EU were down 17%, or £614m, on pre-Covid levels. Exports to non European countries increased by 10.7%, or £223m, but not enough to offset the European decline.”
Brexit was meant to be a “new beginning for the Tory party,” Jeremy Warner wrote this week in the Daily Telegraph, “but by making trade with Europe more difficult and costly it has so far only added to the country’s travails”. In its coverage of recent OECD warnings, the Daily Mail reported that the UK economy “is set to flatline next year – performing worse than every other G20 country except for sanctions-crippled Russia”. Most of these countries have also felt the consequences of the war in Ukraine and the Covid epidemic – but not, of course, Brexit. » | Michael Heseltine | Friday, June 10, 2022
I have said this from the very start: Brexit was a stupid idea, is a stupid idea and will remain a stupid idea. Nobody with any understanding of economics would walk away from the largest single market in the world, The Single Market. One doesn't need much of a grasp of economics to understand that to do so would be highly damaging to one's own economy. That the Conservatives have done this, the Party that prides itself on being business-friendly, is totally and utterly incomprehensible. – © Mark Alexander
Im Schatten des Ukraine-Krieges wächst Iran zur Atommacht heran
NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Iran produziert unverhohlen Material für eine Atombombe und reagiert auf Kritik an seinen Vertragsbrüchen, indem es die internationalen Inspektoren behindert. Solch alarmierendes Verhalten macht eine geeinte Reaktion der Grossmächte nötig – doch das Gegenteil ist der Fall.
Vor kurzem hat Iran eine wichtige Schwelle auf seinem jahrzehntelangen Weg zur Atombombe überschritten: Es besitzt nun genügend hochangereichertes Uran, um einen ersten nuklearen Sprengsatz herzustellen. Zwar verfügt Iran damit noch nicht über eine fertig gebaute Bombe, und auch die Entwicklung hin zu einem möglichen Einsatz einer solchen Waffe mit Mittelstreckenraketen ist vermutlich nicht abgeschlossen. Aber die Unverfrorenheit, mit der das Kleriker-Regime nach Atomwaffen greift, und die kraftlose weltweite Reaktion darauf sind bemerkenswert.
Dies hat mit der Ablenkung durch den Krieg in der Ukraine zu tun, aber nicht allein. Von den Grossmächten betrachten es nur die USA als wichtige Aufgabe, den Aufstieg Irans zur Atommacht – der ersten in der konfliktreichen Region des Persischen Golfes – zu verhindern. China und Russland schauen dagegen in völliger Verantwortungslosigkeit zu, wie das einstige internationale Sicherungssystem gegen die Ausbreitung von Atomwaffen zusammenbricht. » | Andreas Rüesch | Freitag, 10. Juni 2022
Smoking Could Be Banned in Beer Gardens
This country is turning into a real Nanny State! Who the hell gives these idiots the right to tell other adults what they can or cannot do for a bit of pleasure in their lives? People at the top take drugs of all sorts; and much else besides. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a cigarette as long as one’s smoking is kept in moderation. It’s like everything else in life, moderation is key.
In my life, whilst working abroad, I worked with many Americans. Almost all of them were smokers, most were pretty slim, and few of them suffered from diabetes. Look at Americans today! Most of them don’t smoke anymore, but very many Americans are obese, and type-2 diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the States.
I would be the last person to say that smoking is good for anyone’s health. But so aren't many things good for people’s health. Being obese certainly is not good for health. Nor is sugar or alcohol. Nor marijuana, for which laws are being relaxed. The long-term effects of vaping, despite what many governments say, are not yet known.
Please note that I am an ex-smoker, so I no longer have skin in the game. However, I will say this: When I smoked, I only ever smoked for the pleasure it brought me (and it brought me a lot of pleasure); I never smoked out of addiction. Never! Smoking is a habit, not an addiction. I know that to be true, because when I quit the habit, I had no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever. And I was a twenty a day smoker for most of my adult life. Were smoking to be an addiction, I would most certainly have had withdrawal symptoms. Nor, by the way, have I had any cravings.
So I say this: Let people smoke! Encourage them not to do so, by all means; but let people decide for themselves. I don’t want to live in a smoke-free Britain, because I am old enough to know that if they manage to stub out the habit altogether, it will be replaced by some other undesirable habit, from which many other undesirable side effects and problems will ensue. We will never be able to live in a Utopia. And as Margaret Thatcher once said: “We probably shouldn’t like it if we could.”
This government is a right-wing Conservative government. Right-wing Conservatives are supposed to believe in consumer choice. So they should live by their principles. For heaven's sake, leave smokers alone! – © Mark Alexander
Putin Likens Himself to Peter the Great
Russia's Economy: Is It Crumbling or Standing Strong? | DW News
The Queen's Reaction to The Death of Margaret & Her Mother | Elizabeth: Our Queen | Channel 5
Gary Younge Destroys America's Gun Obsession
"Nobody Is Sleeping Here"
If this is the way that Britain treats refugees, it makes me ashamed to be British! Shame on BoJo! Shame on Priti Patel! Shame on the Conservative government! Shame on us all for tolerating this treatment of these poor refugees! And we have the nerve to call ourselves Christians and this a Christian country! Unbelievable! – © Mark Alexander
Donald Trump a « allumé la mèche » de l’assaut du Capitole, selon la commission d’enquête
LE MONDE : La commission d’enquête de la Chambre des représentants a présenté jeudi ses premières conclusions sur l’attaque du 6 janvier 2021. Retransmise en direct sur plusieurs chaînes de télévision, cette audition publique a mis en évidence la responsabilité de l’ancien président américain.
Un exercice de pédagogie vital pour la démocratie américaine a débuté, jeudi 9 juin, dans une salle du Congrès. Ce fut aussi un moment de télévision exceptionnel, dont la sobriété des acteurs n’a fait que renforcer l’intensité. La commission d’enquête de la Chambre des représentants a tenu une première audition publique afin de remonter le fil des événements qui ont conduit à l’assaut du 6 janvier 2021 contre le Capitole, par les partisans de Donald Trump. Cette sombre journée fut « le point culminant d’une tentative de coup d’Etat », a résumé en introduction le démocrate Bennie Thompson (Mississippi), président de la commission.
Assis sous un écran géant, les neuf membres de la commission siégeaient dans une atmosphère solennelle, devant un parterre nourri de photographes. L’audition était réglée minutieusement, menée par Bennie Thompson et la vice-présidente de la commission, la républicaine Liz Cheney (Wyoming). « Le 6 janvier et les mensonges ayant conduit à l’insurrection ont mis en danger deux siècles et demi de démocratie constitutionnelle », a dit Bennie Thomson, pour cadrer l’enjeu du moment. Mais c’est surtout Liz Cheney qui a imprimé sa marque à l’audition. Devenue une pestiférée au sein du parti républicain, honnie par Donald Trump, elle s’est engagée depuis des mois dans une croisade pour établir la vérité sur le 6 janvier, en compagnie de l’autre élu de son parti au sein de la commission, Adam Kinzinger (Illinois). Pour la fille de l’ancien vice-président Dick Cheney, il s’agit du combat décisif de sa vie politique, qui n’autorise ni faiblesse, ni demi-mesure. » | Par Piotr Smolar (Washington, correspondant) | vendredi 10 juin 2022
Article réservé aux abonnés
Un exercice de pédagogie vital pour la démocratie américaine a débuté, jeudi 9 juin, dans une salle du Congrès. Ce fut aussi un moment de télévision exceptionnel, dont la sobriété des acteurs n’a fait que renforcer l’intensité. La commission d’enquête de la Chambre des représentants a tenu une première audition publique afin de remonter le fil des événements qui ont conduit à l’assaut du 6 janvier 2021 contre le Capitole, par les partisans de Donald Trump. Cette sombre journée fut « le point culminant d’une tentative de coup d’Etat », a résumé en introduction le démocrate Bennie Thompson (Mississippi), président de la commission.
Assis sous un écran géant, les neuf membres de la commission siégeaient dans une atmosphère solennelle, devant un parterre nourri de photographes. L’audition était réglée minutieusement, menée par Bennie Thompson et la vice-présidente de la commission, la républicaine Liz Cheney (Wyoming). « Le 6 janvier et les mensonges ayant conduit à l’insurrection ont mis en danger deux siècles et demi de démocratie constitutionnelle », a dit Bennie Thomson, pour cadrer l’enjeu du moment. Mais c’est surtout Liz Cheney qui a imprimé sa marque à l’audition. Devenue une pestiférée au sein du parti républicain, honnie par Donald Trump, elle s’est engagée depuis des mois dans une croisade pour établir la vérité sur le 6 janvier, en compagnie de l’autre élu de son parti au sein de la commission, Adam Kinzinger (Illinois). Pour la fille de l’ancien vice-président Dick Cheney, il s’agit du combat décisif de sa vie politique, qui n’autorise ni faiblesse, ni demi-mesure. » | Par Piotr Smolar (Washington, correspondant) | vendredi 10 juin 2022
Article réservé aux abonnés
Thursday, June 09, 2022
Ukraine - The End of the Russian World I ARTE.tv Documentary
Wednesday, June 08, 2022
Brian Sims | I'm From Bloomsburg, PA | True Gay Stories
WIKIPEDIA: Brian Sims.
Ex-Kanzlerin Merkel erklärt ihre Russlandpolitik | DW Nachrichten
Jun 8, 2022 • Es wurde viel über die Russland-Politik der vergangenen Regierung gesprochen, eine zu versöhnliche Haltung gegenüber Putin kritisiert.
Als der Krieg in der Ukraine ausbricht, ist Angela Merkel schon nicht mehr deutsche Bundeskanzlerin. Sie ist knapp drei Monate aus dem Amt, als die russische Armee am 24. Februar in die Ukraine einmarschiert.
Zum ersten Mal nach Ende ihrer Kanzlerschaft hat sich Angela Merkel jetzt auf der Bühne des Berliner Ensembles wieder kritischen Fragen gestellt.
Related.
Als der Krieg in der Ukraine ausbricht, ist Angela Merkel schon nicht mehr deutsche Bundeskanzlerin. Sie ist knapp drei Monate aus dem Amt, als die russische Armee am 24. Februar in die Ukraine einmarschiert.
Zum ersten Mal nach Ende ihrer Kanzlerschaft hat sich Angela Merkel jetzt auf der Bühne des Berliner Ensembles wieder kritischen Fragen gestellt.
Related.
Harvey Weinstein Facing Indecent Assault Charges in Britain
THE NEW YORK TIMES: British prosecutors said they authorized criminal charges against Mr. Weinstein for an incident in 1996.
The British authorities have authorized criminal charges against Harvey Weinstein on two counts of indecent assault against a woman in 1996 in London, the country’s Crown Prosecution Service announced in a news release Wednesday.
Mr. Weinstein, 70, has been convicted of felony sex crimes in New York and is awaiting trial in Los Angeles, where he has been charged with several counts of forcible rape, among other charges.
“Charges have been authorized against Harvey Weinstein, 70, following a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation,” Rosemary Ainslie, the head of the prosecution service’s special crime division, said in a statement. » | Julia Jacobs | Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Harvey Weinstein poursuivi au Royaume-Uni pour des soupçons d’agressions sexuelles en 1996 : Le parquet britannique a autorisé des poursuites contre le producteur de cinéma, dont les crimes avaient déclenché le mouvement #metoo en 2017. »
The British authorities have authorized criminal charges against Harvey Weinstein on two counts of indecent assault against a woman in 1996 in London, the country’s Crown Prosecution Service announced in a news release Wednesday.
Mr. Weinstein, 70, has been convicted of felony sex crimes in New York and is awaiting trial in Los Angeles, where he has been charged with several counts of forcible rape, among other charges.
“Charges have been authorized against Harvey Weinstein, 70, following a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation,” Rosemary Ainslie, the head of the prosecution service’s special crime division, said in a statement. » | Julia Jacobs | Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Harvey Weinstein poursuivi au Royaume-Uni pour des soupçons d’agressions sexuelles en 1996 : Le parquet britannique a autorisé des poursuites contre le producteur de cinéma, dont les crimes avaient déclenché le mouvement #metoo en 2017. »
Homosexualität im Fussball – Schiedsrichter Pascal Erlachner outet sich | Doku | SRF Dok
Dec 22, 2017 • Pascal Erlachner ist der erste Spitzenschiedsrichter, der sich outet.
Seine Motivation: Er will aufrütteln, enttabuisieren, helfen, ein Klima herzustellen, in dem es künftig normal sein soll, dass Fussballer, Trainer oder Funktionäre schwul sind. Sein Ziel: Er will auch nach dem Comingout weiterpfeifen.
Dieser Dokumentarfilm wurde teilweise auf Deutsch und teilweise auf Schweizerdeutsch (Schwyzertüütsch) ausgestrahlt. – Mark
Doku: So kämpfen schwule Fußballer für mehr Akzeptanz I Ganze Folge I 37 Grad: Für viele ist Fußball alles, nur nicht schwul! Natürlich gibt es homosexuelle Fußballspieler – doch wie groß ist der seelische Druck, nicht offen zu seiner Sexualität stehen zu können? Für viele ist Fußball alles, nur nicht schwul! Natürlich gibt es homosexuelle Fußballspieler – doch wie groß ist der seelische Druck, nicht offen zu seiner Sexualität stehen zu können? »
Seine Motivation: Er will aufrütteln, enttabuisieren, helfen, ein Klima herzustellen, in dem es künftig normal sein soll, dass Fussballer, Trainer oder Funktionäre schwul sind. Sein Ziel: Er will auch nach dem Comingout weiterpfeifen.
Dieser Dokumentarfilm wurde teilweise auf Deutsch und teilweise auf Schweizerdeutsch (Schwyzertüütsch) ausgestrahlt. – Mark
Doku: So kämpfen schwule Fußballer für mehr Akzeptanz I Ganze Folge I 37 Grad: Für viele ist Fußball alles, nur nicht schwul! Natürlich gibt es homosexuelle Fußballspieler – doch wie groß ist der seelische Druck, nicht offen zu seiner Sexualität stehen zu können? Für viele ist Fußball alles, nur nicht schwul! Natürlich gibt es homosexuelle Fußballspieler – doch wie groß ist der seelische Druck, nicht offen zu seiner Sexualität stehen zu können? »
The Only 8 Male Footballers Who Dared to Come Out as Gay as of February 2020
Gay footballers are afraid to come out, says Sweden's Ekdal: The 30-year-old midfielder believes the hostile atmosphere towards other sexual orientations could put kids off from playing the sport / Sampdoria and Sweden midfielder Albin Ekdal has expressed his frustration that players are still reluctant to come out as homosexual in the modern football world. »
Recently, Josh Cavallo came out. Check it out here.
The Pink Triangles: The Story of the Gay Holocaust | Complete Documentary
Premiered Jan 21, 2021 • The vastly ignored history of Germany's war on gay men during World War 2.
A special note: Trans women were also persecuted but Germany categorized them as gay men so there's no official records to refer to.
Patreon: www.patreon.com/jamessomerton Twitter: je_somerton
Boris Johnson: a Dead Man Walking? | Andrew Marr | New Statesman Podcast
Jun 7, 2022 • Boris Johnson has survived a confidence vote - but, as Andrew Marr explains, there are other ways he could lose his job.
Conservative MPs have voted 211-148 in favour of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. Loyalists like Dominic Raab, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nadine Dorries have been vocal in their attempt to get the country to "move on". But a confidence vote is never good news for a Prime Minister and have historicallly, eventually, proved fatally damaging.
…
Andrew Marr is Political Editor of the New Statesman, and a veteran political journalist, writer and broadcaster. …
Conservative MPs have voted 211-148 in favour of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. Loyalists like Dominic Raab, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nadine Dorries have been vocal in their attempt to get the country to "move on". But a confidence vote is never good news for a Prime Minister and have historicallly, eventually, proved fatally damaging.
…
Andrew Marr is Political Editor of the New Statesman, and a veteran political journalist, writer and broadcaster. …
⚡"Who Does Boris Johnson and His Government Really Work for? In Our Opinion, Not You."⚡
Angela Merkel on Ukraine, Putin and Her Legacy | DW News
Tuesday, June 07, 2022
Ex-gun Industry Insider Speaks Out about Republicans and NRA
Rachmaninov: Symfonie nr. 2 - Nationaal Jeugdorkest o.l.v. John Wilson - Concert HD
A Gay Kiss in Paris
Sunny Grapes
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