Seen in the News

[Tizer]

And let's not forget that EVs are heavier than ICEs due to the massive batteries. The one to fear most is the Musk-designed Tesla Cybertruck. It's extremely heavy because the body is made out of armour-plate steel - he says it's built that way to survive on Mars!

[Stanley]

I saw THIS in the local news this morning.....
An 18-year-old man has been charged with preparing terrorist acts as part of an ongoing investigation by counter terrorism police. Muhammad Billal, was arrested in Nelson, Lancashire, on Tuesday, Greater Manchester Police said. He was charged with two counts of preparation to commit terrorist acts and four counts of collecting information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. Mr Billal appeared before Westminster Magistrates earlier where he was remanded into custody to appear at the same court on 19 February.
We have no idea of how the other half of the world lives.....

[Stanley]

THIS caught my attention this morning.....
He had heart failure at 30 and believes taking steroids will reduce his life by 20 years - but Joey Farrell continues using muscle-building drugs for "the sake of his career". The professional bodybuilder knows the health warnings and harmful long-term effects, and while he accepts he sounds "contradictory", he warned others not to follow his example. Meanwhile former Love Island contestant Tom Powell had breast tissue removed after taking steroids, and also said people shouldn't start doing it "whatsoever". A professor that specialises in steroid abuse has called for regional centres of excellence to tackle what he says is becoming a growing public health concern.
Nowt so queer as folk!

[Stanley]

Have a look at THIS and then ask yourself if the US is trying to take over the running of the world. I am waiting for some reaction to Trump's Megalomania but so far haven't seen anything meaningful. Surely the world isn't going to simply lie back and let him have his way?

[Tizer]

European leaders have expressed disdain for him and he's shot himself in the foot as far as EU-US relations are concerned and it was stupid of him to act and speak as he did in a Nato conference. In fact people around the world have been criticising him. He also let us see that he believes misinformation that he picks up on social media (as does Trump).

NB. I've just remembered that an American journalist told the BBC's Frank Gardner that Vance's speech in Munich was really aimed at Americans. He wants to show the guys back home that he's tough and giving the Europeans a bashing.

[Stanley]

I suppose the bottom line is that Trump and his cohorts are, at heart, disruptors. Remember Dominic Cummings?

Mind you, it would be as well to listen to THIS man.....
The UK military is "so run down" it could not lead any future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, the former head of the Army has said. Lord Dannatt told the BBC that up to 40,000 UK troops would be needed for such a mission and "we just haven't got that number available". It comes after Sir Keir Starmer said the UK would "play its part" in guaranteeing Ukraine's security after the prime minister was asked this week if he was open to sending British troops as peacekeepers. A former Nato chief told the BBC that Britain and France should lead a force of up to 100,000 troops as part of a long-term peacekeeping effort should Russia's war with Ukraine end.

[Whyperion]

I suppose the bottom line is that Trump and his cohorts are, at heart, disruptors. Remember Dominic Cummings?

Mind you, it would be as well to listen to THIS man.....
The UK military is "so run down" it could not lead any future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, the former head of the Army has said. Lord Dannatt told the BBC that up to 40,000 UK troops would be needed for such a mission and "we just haven't got that number available". It comes after Sir Keir Starmer said the UK would "play its part" in guaranteeing Ukraine's security after the prime minister was asked this week if he was open to sending British troops as peacekeepers. A former Nato chief told the BBC that Britain and France should lead a force of up to 100,000 troops as part of a long-term peacekeeping effort should Russia's war with Ukraine end.

UK with Johnson and Starmer has generally fed Ukraine warm words with a bit of training but no real (reported) large scale mil stuff (probably because we dont have modern to spare) Defence has failed to step up recruitment and training of people (and if many of the younger males traditionally incorporated into the Army are population wise one way or another not from families that were from the UK will they want to serve King ?) A Smarter Army can probably get away with being a smaller army but it will have more than one front to consider dealing with and its all the auxillary and ancilliary trades that are needed - and learning them will be useful elsewhere in the economy too.

[Tizer]

`Number of Ukrainian recruits trained by UK Armed Forces reaches 50,000' BFBS Forces News
The number of Ukrainian recruits to have been trained under Operation Interflex has reached 50,000, the Defence Secretary has announced. Interflex was launched in June 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with training being provided in the UK by British military personnel and their allies.

[Stanley]

We shall be needing a lot more of that in the future....

THIS might be a start....
Europe's leaders are scrambling. Their hastily convened security summit in Paris on Monday is proof of that. They are still reeling from not being invited by the US to talks with Russia over the future of Ukraine. US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he could be meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin "very soon". Can Europe, under pressure, put political differences and domestic economic concerns aside, and come up with a united front on security spending and on Ukraine's future, including potentially sending troops there - to force themselves a spot at the negotiating table? They are going to try.

[Whyperion]

`Number of Ukrainian recruits trained by UK Armed Forces reaches 50,000' BFBS Forces News
The number of Ukrainian recruits to have been trained under Operation Interflex has reached 50,000, the Defence Secretary has announced. Interflex was launched in June 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with training being provided in the UK by British military personnel and their allies.

Thanks. Ideally an equal number of new UK recruits should have joined them. Isnt there someone in the US who thinks that african-west indian - etc heritage people should not be in the US Armed Forces (shades of Bamber Bridge again)

[Whyperion]

Or rather not seen in the news.
At one time ITV had a weekly programme "What The Papers Say" This was then taken over by BBC (2?) . It seems to have disappeared as a stand alone programme from the main channels (watching BBC News is one step to far for me I think - its a bit repeaty with "Hard Talk" always seeming to be on. The BBC Website also had a link to Newspaper Headlines but that seems to have disappeared.
Of course Newspapers dont really have the impact they had , one almost misses Lord Rothermire and so on , even if one disagreed with the editors views.
Is everything delivered in 20 second reads on social media feeds , or are we at the worse the news the less we want to read or see about it.

[Whyperion]

The world (well You Tube) seems full of political commentators. One has been tracking Trump's promise to bring down inflation. However the price of eggs has been rising, Mike Johnson and others said, "well, prices fluctuate".
Actually none of them has noticed rises in Avian Flu and SimilarMSN News summary This appears to have hit Minnesota and Coloardo and similar places taking birds out of production and use. This could become worrying if disease spreads, is there any effective control for these

[Stanley]

THIS BBC account of a Canadian plane crash caught my eye.
Updated 1 hour ago
One child and two adults have been critically injured after a plane crashed and overturned while landing at Toronto Pearson airport in Canada, according to emergency services. Images shared on social media show a plane which appears to have flipped over and is lying on its roof on the snow-covered tarmac. It appears to be missing at least one of its wings. Toronto Pearson airport said the crash involved a Delta Air Lines flight arriving from Minneapolis, and that "all passengers and crew are accounted for". The flight had eighty people on board - 76 passengers and four crew - Delta said. Eighteen have been transported to hospital in total, according to the airline.
Early days but the passengers seem to have been extremely lucky!

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report. For once they are abreast of David Tripps!
A councillor in Lancashire has been found to owe almost £4,000 in council tax, meaning he is now unable to vote on the authority's budget for this year as a result. Conservative Tim Ormerod who represents Vivary Bridge ward, owes £3,835 in total from the past three years, Pendle Borough Council confirmed. Liberal Democrat group leader David Whipp has called for his immediate resignation, adding: "This is a scandal." The BBC has contacted Mr Ormerod and the Conservatives for a comment. Mr Ormerod was elected to the seat in May 2023 and has attended two committee meetings and one full council meeting since December 2023.

[Tizer]

Seen on the The Times front page today but the rest is behind a firewall. Other web sites have more information but see below*...
`High-vis jackets can ‘make people invisible to newer car sensors: Tests found that popular models with automatic braking systems hit mannequins wearing reflective material'

*This was in an Aussie paper on 10 January and their full story is on this site...
`Reflective clothing could make you invisible to AEB systems: Research has found high-visibility clothing worn to improve safety at night could have the opposite effect, at least for modern car tech' Car Expert

I wonder if the story was sent here by mail boat?

[Whyperion]

Or again not seen in the news.
I have some kind of newsfeed on my android phone . lots of vids from Daily Mail and Similar Sites . Problem is it comes in as 8hrs ago and the content was 8hrs before that so lots I have already heard and half of it is out of date

[Whyperion]

Production Control of "James Bond" movie franchise moves to Amazon (as Owners of Amazon-MGM) . Is nothing English anymore?

[Stanley]

Peter, so much journalism is done by trawling the web these days that the lag in that report is almost certainly down to it being overlooked in the flood of click-bait. It's a consequence of sacking the old fashioned investigative reporters because they cost too much.
The day is coming when there will be no 'foreign correspondents' sent abroad, the news will be gathered by contacting local journalists via the web, it's happening already......

[PanBiker]

Production Control of "James Bond" movie franchise moves to Amazon (as Owners of Amazon-MGM) . Is nothing English anymore?

Cubby Broccoli and his daughter now after he died produced all the Bond films from Dr No onwards. It has never been "English" so to speak apart from the character and the fact that some of the stage work was done in the UK.

The Australian soap Neighbours is owned by Amazon and has just been cancelled for the second time in the last 3 years after a run of 40 years or so. I don't watch it but heard it on the radio news this morning.

[Tizer]

Well blow me down, what a surprise!...
`Exclusive: US refusing to co-sponsor UN motion backing Ukraine ahead of war anniversary, diplomats say' Reuters

[Whyperion]

Trump seems to dislike the Press Association.

BBC has come under criticism for a aired documentary on Children in Gaza under a warzone. Mostly because said Children have family connections to HAMAS. not really sure how one could find a much different view , I suppose "offensive" action is not shown or left out to tell more of a sob story but the general gist is in the right ballpark

More not seen in the News. US turmoil ? as Trump steamrollers just about everything = the USPS seems next. The BBC had got bored leading with Trump / Ukraine and is looking at HAMAS/Israel hostage situation

[Whyperion]

A former Soviet intelligence officer has claimed Donald Trump was recruited by the KGB in 1987 and given the codename “Krasnov”.

This might explain a lot of things, but Trump does not seem to have much intelligence and I would have thought would have given the game away by now, maybe he is more clever. The News report suggests Russia was looking at Western Business persons who could be useful to them.


Meanwhile it looks like NASA is going to be taken over by Musk / Space X

[Stanley]

I heard that report about Neighbours being dropped again Ian. Perhaps its time has come at last!

I see we have a new crime.... (LINK)
Child criminal exploitation and "cuckooing" are set to become specific criminal offences as part of new legislation being introduced to Parliament next week. The Crime and Policing Bill will also include measures that could see restriction orders put on people thought to be at risk of exploiting children for criminal means. Cuckooing is when the home of a vulnerable person is taken over by criminals who use it as a base for illegal activities, such as drug dealing. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said exploitation like this was "sickening", adding that legislation would ensure victims were "properly protected and prevent these often hidden crimes from occurring in the first place".

[Stanley]

[Stanley]

Have a look at THIS BBC report of the WASPI campaign.....
3 hours ago
A campaign group has threatened the government with legal action unless it reconsiders its decision to refuse compensation to millions of women affected by an increase in the state pension age. The Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) group is demanding payouts for 3.6m women born in the 1950s who were not properly informed of changes first introduced in the 1990s. The government apologised that the changes were not communicated quickly enough but told the BBC it "cannot justify paying for a £10.5 billion compensation scheme at the expense of the taxpayer". WASPI chair Angela Madden said: "We believe this is not only an outrage but legally wrong." The "letter before action" that has been sent to the government is a formal mechanism to allow it a chance to respond before the campaigners seek a judicial review at the High Court in two weeks time.
I support the women and hope that they are successful. The governments refusal to pay compensation for their mistake is as egregious as the delays over the blood and Post Office scandal payouts.