(Soon to be) Former President Donald Trump

[MKHIBEE]

New name for the water closet:

The Musk

” I’m going for a Musk” should become a national sound byte.

[Ozyhibby]

” I’m going for a Musk” should become a national sound byte.

As should always calling the cars ‘Swasticars’.


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[Ozyhibby]

Tech stocks getting absolute battering today. Shame.


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[jamie_1875]

Tech stocks getting absolute battering today. Shame.


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Nothing to do with Trump. It's mainly because a Chinese company said they can produce AI chips with same power as US chips significantly cheaper (or something like that) so Nvidia is down the most.

If you have a pension that's invested you might not be so happy.... most are likely invested in tech somewhere.

[The Tubs]

Nothing to do with Trump. It's mainly because a Chinese company said they can produce AI chips with same power as US chips significantly cheaper (or something like that) so Nvidia is down the most.

If you have a pension that's invested you might not be so happy.... most are likely invested in tech somewhere.

I think it shows that you can do more with less, thus hardware and energy requirements may be lower long term. Additionally, they're operating in an open-source way.

[K-Zazu]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20p36e62gyo.amp

Colombia backs down on deportation flights after Trump tariffs threat

The US will not go ahead with tariffs on Colombia, after Bogota agreed to accept - without restrictions - deported migrants, the White House says.

Donald Trump had ordered 25% tariffs on all Colombian goods after its president barred two US military deportation flights from landing in the country on Sunday.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro had initially responded by saying his country would accept repatriated citizens on "civilian planes, without treating them like criminals".

A White House statement says Colombia has now agreed to accept migrants arriving on US military aircraft "without limitation or delay".

Looks like Columbia crumbled pretty quickly.

[Ozyhibby]

One Jan 6th rioter already shot and killed by police while resisting arrest. Should have stayed in jail.

https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/indiana-man-fatally-shot-deputy-identified-jan-6

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[tamig]

One Jan 6th rioter already shot and killed by police while resisting arrest. Should have stayed in jail.

https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/indiana-man-fatally-shot-deputy-identified-jan-6

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If you read the story you’ll see he wasn’t one of the recently pardoned crooks.

[Ozyhibby]

If you read the story you’ll see he wasn’t one of the recently pardoned crooks.

He was pardoned, just not recently released.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250128/4ad5148c53882cfdbd0fdc823a26b372.png
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250128/801e469a1c42738c754d7d6f03b73099.png
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250128/52abca74dbf5627c48ac48df042c1a71.png
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250128/593988059350f09d25be84ee04df4978.png
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250128/ead227d8532210ea2059d76f1f40e878.png

There is a pattern developing.


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[grunt]

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vocg5apjrlm7dfptvy6qbrfy/bafkreig7ufrmfekxa7jvodu42uebom4htgi575cmod2xiaspm wu5gkucje@jpeg

[Bristolhibby]

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vocg5apjrlm7dfptvy6qbrfy/bafkreig7ufrmfekxa7jvodu42uebom4htgi575cmod2xiaspm wu5gkucje@jpeg

WTF does that even mean?

He’s describing it like it’s a giant tap.

J

[Ozyhibby]

WTF does that even mean?

He’s describing it like it’s a giant tap.

J

I think the authorities in California are trying to work it out as well. [emoji2369][emoji23]


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[babahibs]

Looks like Columbia crumbled pretty quickly.

Colombia.

[s.a.m]

WTF does that even mean?

He’s describing it like it’s a giant tap.

J

Tried to post an image, but couldn't [am useless at this]. The California Department of Water replied with a statement that, "The military has not entered California. The Federal Government restarted Federal water pumps after they were offline for three days for maintenance. State water supplies in South California remain plentiful."

Something like this happened during fires in his first term. He was ranting about California's poor management of their forests, which they should be raking, when most of the affected area was on federal land over which the state had no jurisdiction.

You'd hope that some day his supporters will twig that he's talking to them like they're really really stupid.*


*Yeah. I know. But not all - or even most of them.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Tried to post an image, but couldn't [am useless at this]. The California Department of Water replied with a statement that, "The military has not entered California. The Federal Government restarted Federal water pumps after they were offline for three days for maintenance. State water supplies in South California remain plentiful."

Something like this happened during fires in his first term. He was ranting about California's poor management of their forests, which they should be raking, when most of the affected area was on federal land over which the state had no jurisdiction.

You'd hope that some day his supporters will twig that he's talking to them like they're really really stupid.*


*Yeah. I know. But not all - or even most of them.

Is this the one where he claimed some Scandinavian countries rake their forests and that’s why they didn’t have forest fires? Met with the Scandinavians having no idea what he was on about..

[Bostonhibby]

Is this the one where he claimed some Scandinavian countries rake their forests and that’s why they didn’t have forest fires? Met with the Scandinavians having no idea what he was on about..Maybe he should annex the country of Scandinavium as it used to be the 86th state then send all their rakes and other gardening equipment to California to put the fires out?

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[s.a.m]

Is this the one where he claimed some Scandinavian countries rake their forests and that’s why they didn’t have forest fires? Met with the Scandinavians having no idea what he was on about..

:aok:. Finland, IIRC.

[K-Zazu]

Colombia.

Cheers mate. Not the Oasis song then 😂.

[lapsedhibee]

:aok:. Finland.
Yes, which doesn't even exist.

[Keith_M]

Left hand drive car with an A on plate. Probs in Austria


:agree:

It's a Vienna number plate. The wee red badge is the giveaway.



i thought at first that was the swiss flag https://www.hibs.net/images/smilies/embarrassed.gif but it's not, not the Austrian one either https://www.hibs.net/images/smilies/hmmmm.gif

It's from the Vienna 'Coat of Arms'

[Paulie Walnuts]

:aok:. Finland, IIRC.

That was it. The guy is ****ing nuts.

[Smartie]

Seemingly Trump had a call with the Danish PM the other day that went very badly - including at one point Trump calling her a "whore".

The Danes are having to put a plan into place so that any attack on Greenland will be so costly for Trump and the Americans that it will be unpalatable for them, which is sort of how Finland, Sweden and co managed to stave off an attack from the Soviet Union for so long.

I think we're going to see quite a big shift over the next few years to us actually being closer to not only Europe but also the Chinese rather than the Americans, who are very quickly going to find themselves without any friends in the world.

[Keith_M]

The US has illegally invaded other nations on multiple occasions since the end of WWII.

Trump's threat would take this to a new level.. invading territory of a fellow NATO member... but let's not fool ourselves that this is anything new.

He is an incredibly unpleasant man, with not even a hint of diplomacy or statesmanship, which is what makes him stand out from the others,. but the support for his actions from vast swathes of the US public is really just history repeating itself.

[Ozyhibby]

I don’t think he’ll invade Greenland. Denmark probably best to not talk about it. The less said the better.


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[Moulin Yarns]

Yes, which doesn't even exist.

Is there a big gap between Russia, Sweden and Norway?

[lapsedhibee]

Is there a big gap between Russia, Sweden and Norway?

Huge gap where so-called Finland is. Russo-Japanese fishing stitchup. It's on the internet.

[cabbageandribs1875]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GiRBdTMWgAAvx-h?format=jpg&name=large

[cabbageandribs1875]

Bluesky nearing 30m Bcounter (https://bcounter.nat.vg/)

[Colr]

Is this the one where he claimed some Scandinavian countries rake their forests and that’s why they didn’t have forest fires? Met with the Scandinavians having no idea what he was on about..

Yup. Austria and Finland, he says, sweep up the leaves so they don’t have forest fires.

[Moulin Yarns]

Huge gap where so-called Finland is. Russo-Japanese fishing stitchup. It's on the internet.

If it's on the Internet it must be true. I wonder how
Mixu Paatelainen got 70 caps playing for a country that you claim doesn't exist?? 🤣



https://youtu.be/HBZCyEj6rgg?si=dy3mSojP6PMlj8HQ



I see where you are coming from, the trumping fake news outlets

[Bostonhibby]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GiRBdTMWgAAvx-h?format=jpg&name=largeAnother person no one at all voted for in the election let's the mask slip.

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[DaveF]

Us Govt offers 8 months severance package to Federal workers. From some of the reporting, it's an attempt to root out the perceived large lefty element of workers.

I'm not sure I could hate the US much more than I do now but I'm sure it'll get worse.

[CropleyWasGod]

Here's another one :-

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/health/pepfar-trump-freeze.html

[Ozyhibby]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250129/40b49e0847b818d6753c7db2c6decf31.jpg

Probably photoshop but still made me chuckle.


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[wookie70]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250129/40b49e0847b818d6753c7db2c6decf31.jpg

Probably photoshop but still made me chuckle.


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Reuters says fake unfortunately

[cabbageandribs1875]

Nominee Kennedy Live LIVE: RFK Jr EXPOSED at CONFIRMATION Hearing / X (https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1rmGPoyydYXKN) something not right with him
someone described him as "tremoring" it was really bad approx 20 mins ago before a quick 5 min break

[Ozyhibby]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250129/eca68a34b193f042f757647c7393584b.png
Trump backed down. Bit of a humiliation.[emoji106]
Dems will take heart from that and start fighting harder.

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[DaveF]

Nominee Kennedy Live LIVE: RFK Jr EXPOSED at CONFIRMATION Hearing / X (https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1rmGPoyydYXKN) something not right with him
someone described him as "tremoring" it was really bad approx 20 mins ago before a quick 5 min break

Watched a bit of it. Hardly breaking news but the man is a bumbling idiot. And a dangerous one at that.

[CropleyWasGod]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250129/eca68a34b193f042f757647c7393584b.png
Trump backed down. Bit of a humiliation.[emoji106]
Dems will take heart from that and start fighting harder.

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Which order is that?

[s.a.m]

Which order is that?

The one offering 8 months notice to all federal employees, and to work it at home until September.

Edit: Got the wrong one, it's the federal funding freeze, as mentioned below. The federal workforce are still being asked to hand in their jotters.

[Keith_M]

Being reported now...

Trump rescinds order pausing federal grants and loans (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/jan/29/donald-trump-democrats-freeze-federal-funding-us-politics-live)

[Ozyhibby]

Which order is that?

Think the one that stopped a whole load of govt programs last night including Medicaid and a ton of other federal grants. Caused chaos for about 6 hours until a judge stepped in. He’s had to backtrack big time. These people are idiots.


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[s.a.m]

"Some of them are so bad we don't even trust the countries to hold them because we don't want them coming back, so we're going to send them out to Guatanamo Bay." DJ Trump.

This afternoon's Executive Order is the creation of a 30,000 migrant facility at Guantanamo.

[Hibs4185]

Nominee Kennedy Live LIVE: RFK Jr EXPOSED at CONFIRMATION Hearing / X (https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1rmGPoyydYXKN) something not right with him
someone described him as "tremoring" it was really bad approx 20 mins ago before a quick 5 min break

Was on twitter for 5 mins early and the propaganda is strong from both sides.

One post shows a video of a senator ‘destroying’ RFK and exposing him.

The next post was a video of RFK replying to a female senator with the Caption “RFK destroys senator and exposes the left wing”

It’s just a cesspit unfortunately

[tamig]

He was pardoned, just not recently released.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250128/4ad5148c53882cfdbd0fdc823a26b372.png
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250128/801e469a1c42738c754d7d6f03b73099.png
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https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250128/ead227d8532210ea2059d76f1f40e878.png

There is a pattern developing.


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The way the article is written is misleading. He did his time and was released in July - before Trump was back. All convictions for the Jan 6 riot were quashed by Trump. Anyone looking at the headlines here could jump to the conclusion that he had only recently been released following the mass pardon and shot a few days later. You adding “should have stayed in jail” indicated that’s how you read it too. Why would anyone stay in jail if they’d served their sentence?

[Ozyhibby]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250130/b556162572e62c4e35e3d061955d1772.png


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[Jones28]

I see the President has weighed in on the tragic air crash in Washington DC overnight.

Oh and they're opening a camp in Guantanamo Bay for migrants.

I'm listening to a very poignant podcast series on the Hollocaust at the moment...echoes everywhere.

[Callum_62]

I see the President has weighed in on the tragic air crash in Washington DC overnight.



Absolutely grinds my gears and is dangerous they way he "tweets" like some random boy would

Air crashes are usually fairly complex to get to the root of the issue - him weighing in with basic rhetoric hours after the collision is frankly ridiculous

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[Jones28]

Absolutely grinds my gears and is dangerous they way he "tweets" like some random boy would

Air crashes are usually fairly complex to get to the root of the issue - him weighing in with basic rhetoric hours after the collision is frankly ridiculous

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He's basically blamed the helicopter for the crash. Says he was briefed extensively, but this is a man who's inner circle used pictures during his last term as his attention span was so short.

[Bostonhibby]

He's basically blamed the helicopter for the crash. Says he was briefed extensively, but this is a man who's inner circle used pictures during his last term as his attention span was so short.Well he is an expert in aviation, air crash investigation and the U S liability market.

Maybe the way forward is to apply bleach to all aircraft?

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[overdrive]

Well he is an expert in aviation, air crash investigation and the U S liability market.

Maybe the way forward is to apply bleach to all aircraft?

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Nah power them on "clean" coal that never burns out.

[Bostonhibby]

Nah power them on "clean" coal that never burns out.[emoji23]

Have you considered running for president of the United States?

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[Jones28]

Well he is an expert in aviation, air crash investigation and the U S liability market.

Maybe the way forward is to apply bleach to all aircraft?

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****ed if I know, maybe we should all eat cats and dogs?

[Ozyhibby]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250130/6290c7de00bca49cbd7947e057068ec6.png
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250130/325ac5ffea89997bc53c6e75342558dc.png


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[McSwanky]

Anyone else watching this live presser? Absolutely gobsmacked. I shouldn't be, but I am.

[easty]

Anyone else watching this live presser? Absolutely gobsmacked. I shouldn't be, but I am.

Unreal.

"I have no information, but this has happened because Joe Biden hired people for diversity reasons."

[Smartie]

It’s a ******* circus and many more people are going to come to serious harm before it’s over.

[Hibby70]

Anyone else watching this live presser? Absolutely gobsmacked. I shouldn't be, but I am.

Even for him that was horrific.

[Ozyhibby]

No sympathy with Americans whining about him for the next 4 years. Will just keep shrugging my shoulders at each new outrage. Actions have consequences.


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[CropleyWasGod]

No sympathy with Americans whining about him for the next 4 years. Will just keep shrugging my shoulders at each new outrage. Actions have consequences.


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That's a bit mean, no?

Would you say the same to Brits whining about the Labour government?

[Ozyhibby]

That's a bit mean, no?

Would you say the same to Brits whining about the Labour government?

It’s probably very mean but I’m past caring. They knew what Trump is all about but did it anyway. This is not unexpected. If the want rid of vaccines and reproductive healthcare then why should I care when they suffer the negative outcomes. Hell mend them.
My only concern for them is in international geopolitics.


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[cabbageandribs1875]

i turned over from Bloomberg after listening to him for two mins, my last words before flicking channels were "that THING is a freakin president" a slaver of a man, a total slaver, he talks roond in circles

we have cameras looking up to the sky, you know, cameras looking up to space

the helicopter could have turned left, it could have turned right

[cabbageandribs1875]

RFK jr yesterday, i lost count of the times he said he didn't say things only to pointed out it was on record, lol

the only times he sorta gave an answer to a question was when it was from a republican and he probably knew what their questions would be :greengrin he just would not give a direct answer to Dems

Otto English on X: "Please stop whatever you are doing and watch this. The charlatan snake oil merchant RFK on the ropes as his very own words become knockout blows. https://t.co/pcaUEPJgW0" / X (https://x.com/Otto_English/status/1884663719398879395)

[Colr]

Air crash because of women, gays and black folks according to Trump.

[s.a.m]

It’s probably very mean but I’m past caring. They knew what Trump is all about but did it anyway. This is not unexpected. If the want rid of vaccines and reproductive healthcare then why should I care when they suffer the negative outcomes. Hell mend them.
My only concern for them is in international geopolitics.


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I get where you're coming from, and there's certainly an argument that Democrats protecting voters from the consequences of their choices is misguided. He told us exactly what he was going to get up to, and people who should know better let it pass because they assumed it was bluster (from the guy who wanted to be leader of the post powerful nation on the planet ffs:rolleyes:). Others suggested that grown-ups would stand in the way of the offensive, ridiculous or dangerous stuff. Then he replaced the 'grown-ups' with barely qualified / unqualified loyalists with dodgy pasts - like he said he would - and he was still given the benefit of the doubt.

All the same, most Americans didn't vote for him. Just under half of the people who actually voted, voted for him. And in such a fractured media environment, it's really hard to get accurate information to the people who need to hear it; they hear Trump and his proxies' allegations and hysteria, and they don't hear any fact-based refutations of it. They hear Trump blaming non-colour blind / woke hiring practices for air-traffic controllers or helicopter crew (and he seems to have blamed both at different times this morning) before there's been any investigation, and the stations his people are watching will air little or no considered and evidence-based coverage to counter or moderate it.

Just like they'll have heard him ranting nonsense about taps being switched off on pipes from the Pacific Northwest by Gavin 'New****' and that's all it would have taken to stop the fires, so he got the US military to turn the water back on and Bob's your auntie! They won't have read the Californian water authority pointing out that all that happened is that a federal (not California state) pump was turned off for maintenance for a few days, and federal employees switched it back on when it was fixed.

He does what he always does when something big happens - he gets in there and seizes the narrative as soon as possible. He blames somebody, calls them names, says they should be in jail and that maybe that's a direction they should go down, says he would have fixed it straight away and in fact, if he was in charge then it wouldn't have happened anyway and he had an uncle who taught at MTT so he's got a kinda inherited gift for science. He throws in some snippets of information or gossip that he's heard and somehow or other, it sticks for a big chunk of the population.

Apologies for saying not very much in a very long-winded way...:greengrin Some of us have to live here :eyes: - we're 2 weeks in and I'm exhausted already. I saw somebody post yesterday, "It's like being strapped to a chair and watching a toddler play with a loaded gun." That's where I'm at. :panic:


Incidentally, I live a few miles from the site of the crash and pretty close to the flight path of the main runway, which is the busiest in the country and situated in a tight and complicated airspace. Every time Congress tries to add a new flight for their members who don't want to travel 50 mins to Dulles or Baltimore to get to their home state (which they seem to have the authority to do?), the airport management say that they are already over-capacity in an airport that was not designed for that amount of traffic and it's an accident waiting to happen. And each time they're over-ruled.

Add to that the various helicopter operators: each military branch/ Coastguard / National Parks / Police /Customs and Borders / various hospitals. Plus Marine 1(and its decoy helicopters) / Marine 2 (plus decoy), up and down the river and over the city, and past the ends of the airport runways. Constantly. There's a ridiculous amount of stuff in the air.

[N.B. To be clear, this is actually a great place to be living for a while. I'm not moaning :greengrin. And if you've not been, it's worth a visit, even if you feel you need to wait until the madness is over!] [But there are definitely too many planes and helicopters.]

[Bristolhibby]

It’s probably very mean but I’m past caring. They knew what Trump is all about but did it anyway. This is not unexpected. If the want rid of vaccines and reproductive healthcare then why should I care when they suffer the negative outcomes. Hell mend them.
My only concern for them is in international geopolitics.


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Things more people didn’t vote for him than did vote for him.

J

[Ozyhibby]

Things more people didn’t vote for him than did vote for him.

J

I’ve even less sympathy for those who voted for third parties in that election.


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[Ozyhibby]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250130/1cd7ff98ea015ffc95cedf734287f9d2.png

Not enough staff in control tower?
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250130/8e3569e5bdf835c86327d3eb9f220b92.jpg


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[Bostonhibby]

Even for him that was horrific.Nice to think American's of both persuasions get what is coming to them, Democrats for not seeing it coming and Republicans just because.....

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[s.a.m]

I’ve even less sympathy for those who voted for third parties in that election.


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Yup.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I pretty much always say any time someone gets elected, whether it’s here, America or anywhere else that generally speaking, it’ll never be nearly as bad as the doomsday scenarios that you’ll usually hear people discussing. Generally speaking, I’d largely still say that’s the case.

This presidency however has a truly horrific, dangerous feel to it.

[Bristolhibby]

He's basically blamed the helicopter for the crash. Says he was briefed extensively, but this is a man who's inner circle used pictures during his last term as his attention span was so short.

He does not have enough info at this point to be pointing fingers at or exonerating anyone, not the helicopter, not the airline and not the ATC. A message of condolence is all that is needed from him.

But no, he tried to score some points. And the. Blaming diversity as the issue?

3 soldiers and 60 citizens are dead and that’s the time to go after woke?

J

[wookie70]

He does not have enough info at this point to be pointing fingers at or exonerating anyone, not the helicopter, not the airline and not the ATC. A message of condolence is all that is needed from him.

But no, he tried to score some points. And the. Blaming diversity as the issue?

3 soldiers and 60 citizens are dead and that’s the time to go after woke?

J

Every time you think he has reached the bottom of the barrel he goes lower. He is utter **** and the more brazen he gets the more it sounds like the Nazis

[Ozyhibby]

https://bsky.app/profile/bnonews.com/post/3lgygvpuzkc27

Doesn’t get much lower than this.


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[wookie70]

https://bsky.app/profile/bnonews.com/post/3lgygvpuzkc27

Doesn’t get much lower than this.


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I'm not sure there is a bottom to his lack of empathy and concern over anything that isn't him.

[Hibrandenburg]

Every time you think he has reached the bottom of the barrel he goes lower. He is utter **** and the more brazen he gets the more it sounds like the Nazis

That's the way fascism works. He has to go lower then lower because if he mellows he'll lose support from those who put him where he is. The hard facts are that a huge proportion of the American electorate want to see people hurting, they believe that certain groups of people are to blame for all their perceived troubles and think it will make their lives better. When bad times come calling, people turn on each other, from burning witches to Nazi extermination camps, we've seen it all before. The only question is, how far will Trump go to be seen to be "draining the swamp"?

[grunt]

Democrat Governor for Illinois J B Pritzker:

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:sbfnovykushb3kep3aabq5wu/bafkreigurfw7pc3zdtvaayh5wqbgt2zvq6v5bmeslztoybsue asobtswca@jpeg

[Bostonhibby]

Democrat Governor for Illinois J B Pritzker:

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:sbfnovykushb3kep3aabq5wu/bafkreigurfw7pc3zdtvaayh5wqbgt2zvq6v5bmeslztoybsue asobtswca@jpegHe's not really bothered if people die as a consequence of his actions to further personal aggrandisement. In fact freeing his Capitol Hill rioters tends to suggest if there's an opportunity to feel even more popular he'll take it irrespective.

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[Jim44]

Given his downward descent into depravity, could the title of this thread, this time round, become a reality, sooner than we think and hope. Fingers crossed.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Given his downward descent into depravity, could the title of this thread, this time round, become a reality, sooner than we think and hope. Fingers crossed.

I was thinking that as well. There’s surely a very, very real chance he gets assassinated.

[Jim44]

I was thinking that as well. There’s surely a very, very real chance he gets assassinated.

Well I can’t deny the thought did pass through my mind. But I was thinking more that Trump’s behaviour and utterances might become so debased that even his fellow Republicans will not tolerate it.

[Ozyhibby]

I was thinking that as well. There’s surely a very, very real chance he gets assassinated.

More likely impeached. No chance it happens before mid terms.


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[CropleyWasGod]

Given his downward descent into depravity, could the title of this thread, this time round, become a reality, sooner than we think and hope. Fingers crossed.

And be left with Vance? Not sure that would be any better.

[Bostonhibby]

And be left with Vance? Not sure that would be any better.Maybe Vance will switch to his original views on the Orange one? Anything for power and all that.

The chance to be Obergruppenfurher must be tempting, assuming Musk and all the other unelected gang members allow it.

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[Viva_Palmeiras]

I was thinking that as well. There’s surely a very, very real chance he gets assassinated.

What - Get Luigi out on day release for a stint at the Book Repository?

[overdrive]

Air crash because of women, gays and black folks according to Trump.

To be fair, he seems to be specifically blaming the physically and mentally disabled for this one. :rolleyes:

Maybe he will do an impression of disabled people again.

[Ozyhibby]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250131/09ef67ce40d499e82a36dc3141c7a513.jpg


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[s.a.m]

The past couple of days, government websites are being stripped of research and other content, on subjects such as LGBTQ, HIV, climate change, demographics and 'unfortunate' aspects of the country's past. These sites belong to the likes of the US Department of Agriculture, the National Park Service, the National Institutes for Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Census Bureau, with staff trying frantically ensure that the content is downloaded or retained on the Internet Archive or elsewhere.

Worth noting that there is currently a TB outbreak and bird flu cases that the CDC isn't allowed to communicate about, since last week's edict that they can' talk to the outside world.

And today in, "the truth is what I say it is", he issued an Executive Memorandum (complete with video of him gazing thoughtfully at a folder and gently nodding approval) that the plane crash was the fault of Joe Biden and DEI.

3 years and approx. 50 weeks to go.:rolleyes:

[lapsedhibee]

The past couple of days, government websites are being stripped of research and other content, on subjects such as LGBTQ, HIV, climate change, demographics and 'unfortunate' aspects of the country's past. These sites belong to the likes of the US Department of Agriculture, the National Park Service, the National Institutes for Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Census Bureau, with staff trying frantically ensure that the content is downloaded or retained on the Internet Archive or elsewhere.

Worth noting that there is currently a TB outbreak and bird flu cases that the CDC isn't allowed to communicate about, since last week's edict that they can' talk to the outside world.

And today in, "the truth is what I say it is", he issued an Executive Memorandum (complete with video of him gazing thoughtfully at a folder and gently nodding approval) that the plane crash was the fault of Joe Biden and DEI.

3 years and approx. 50 weeks to go.:rolleyes:

Hope you're not being too optimistic.

[Bristolhibby]

Oh no! Another plane crash, this time an air medical transport carrying a sick child and her mother.

Another chance for Trump to blame the democrats for this.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg0m5n8g0do

Can’t help feeling a department where people have been offered early redundancy can’t have the best motivation to work.

J

[Jim44]

The past couple of days, government websites are being stripped of research and other content, on subjects such as LGBTQ, HIV, climate change, demographics and 'unfortunate' aspects of the country's past. These sites belong to the likes of the US Department of Agriculture, the National Park Service, the National Institutes for Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Census Bureau, with staff trying frantically ensure that the content is downloaded or retained on the Internet Archive or elsewhere.

Worth noting that there is currently a TB outbreak and bird flu cases that the CDC isn't allowed to communicate about, since last week's edict that they can' talk to the outside world.

And today in, "the truth is what I say it is", he issued an Executive Memorandum (complete with video of him gazing thoughtfully at a folder and gently nodding approval) that the plane crash was the fault of Joe Biden and DEI.

3 years and approx. 50 weeks to go.:rolleyes:

It’s an unfortunate coincidence that the poor souls in the air crash in Philadelphia were Mexican. Loads of ammunition for the conspiracy theorists.

[Colr]

It’s an unfortunate coincidence that the poor souls in the air crash in Philadelphia were Mexican. Loads of ammunition for the conspiracy theorists.

Its bound to be the gay, liberal dwarfs’ fault.

[silverhibee]

The woman doing the press briefings is bonkers.

[Colr]

Its bound to be the gay, liberal dwarfs’ fault.

He may have been watching the new live action Snow White and mistook it for reality.

[Stairway 2 7]

Trump has signed in 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods and 10% on Chinese, he confirmed that the EU will be next.

Whisky producers will be hoping the rumours UK will be left are true as it will give them a price advantage over Irish whiskey in the big US market

[Bostonhibby]

Trump has signed in 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods and 10% on Chinese, he confirmed that the EU will be next.

Whisky producers will be hoping the rumours UK will be left are true as it will give them a price advantage over Irish whiskey in the big US marketI'm probably approaching this too simplistically but the Americans do seem to buy, and maybe rely on a lot of foreign made goods.

Whether it's because they can't produce them economically or are just so complacent that they think prices will stay low or even drop now the big orange guy is lashing out, it seems like they might be heading towards higher prices and /or a bit less availability- a bit like post Brexit UK.

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[Keith_M]

US Tariffs have previously affected Scottish businesses, most recently the 25% tariff on whisky.

One of the most devastating, though, was in the early 90s, when US tariffs caused devastation to the Textile industry in the Scottish Borders.

Bizarrely, the latter was initially triggered by a war between US owned banana producers and their EU supported counterparts in the Caribbean.

[The Tubs]

I'm probably approaching this too simplistically but the Americans do seem to buy, and maybe rely on a lot of foreign made goods.

Whether it's because they can't produce them economically or are just so complacent that they think prices will stay low or even drop now the big orange guy is lashing out, it seems like they might be heading towards higher prices and /or a bit less availability- a bit like post Brexit UK.

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Being a continental-sized nation, they're far less reliant on imports than the UK, by about 15% to 30% of GDP. Because their economy is so big, however, exporting to the US is important for foreigners. It seems like they want to go back to 19th century government financing and zero income tax.

[Colr]

Trump has signed in 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods and 10% on Chinese, he confirmed that the EU will be next.

Whisky producers will be hoping the rumours UK will be left are true as it will give them a price advantage over Irish whiskey in the big US market

Depends which stats you use. US stats suggest the US exports more to us than we do to them. UK figures suggest otherwise.

[Bostonhibby]

Being a continental-sized nation, they're far less reliant on imports than the UK, by about 15% to 30% of GDP. Because their economy is so big, however, exporting to the US is important for foreigners. It seems like they want to go back to 19th century government financing and zero income tax.[emoji106] good luck to them with that, seems like there's a huge assumption that other more productive nations will just roll over like Colombia did recently.
I'm not confident the USA can fire up it's own production economically during the orange guy's term, especially given the way he flits from soundbite to soundbite and that he doesn't really foresee that his statements often have consequences.

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[The Tubs]

[emoji106] good luck to them with that, seems like there's a huge assumption that other more productive nations will just roll over like Colombia did recently.
I'm not confident the USA can fire up it's own production up, economically during the orange guy's term, especially given the way he flits from soundbite to soundbite and that he doesn't really foresee that his statements often have consequences.

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Even if foreigners don't completely roll over, it will be the consumer that pays in the end so it'll probably be a more regressive than income tax. Bugger for Champagne and Ferraris though.

[Bostonhibby]

Even if foreigners don't completely roll over, it will be the consumer that pays in the end so it'll probably be a more regressive than income tax. Bugger for Champagne and Ferraris though.[emoji16]

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[Colr]

Even if foreigners don't completely roll over, it will be the consumer that pays in the end so it'll probably be a more regressive than income tax. Bugger for Champagne and Ferraris though.

I’m willing to help out with the spare champagne that they won’t be taking.

[Ozyhibby]

I wonder if we are heading for a Black Monday on the stock markets tomorrow? None of this looks good for business and US stocks (especially the ‘magnificent 7’) are massively over valued just now.


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[Smartie]

I think he’s totally overplaying his hand.

No doubt the tariffs will have the expected negative impact on their targets but I think he’s totally underestimated how they’re going to affect themselves.

I’ve also heard that their military bases are busying themselves as if they’re going to take action on someone over the next few weeks, military action on Panama being the most likely.

It’s going to be an even rockier next few years economically imo.

[s.a.m]

Being a continental-sized nation, they're far less reliant on imports than the UK, by about 15% to 30% of GDP. Because their economy is so big, however, exporting to the US is important for foreigners. It seems like they want to go back to 19th century government financing and zero income tax.

He's specifically said this is what he wants to do.

And although, like you say, they've got a lot of land. Theoretically, they could be self-sufficient (which would presumably mess up the 'replacing income tax with tariffs' plan), but they're not. It would take a number of years of scarcity of food and crucial goods before they got there. If you add to that the planned purge on illegal immigrants - who are a significant proportion of the food production and agriculture and construction sectors - that's going to be a challenge.

[Ozyhibby]

He's specifically said this is what he wants to do.

And although, like you say, they've got a lot of land. Theoretically, they could be self-sufficient (which would presumably mess up the 'replacing income tax with tariffs' plan), but they're not. It would take a number of years of scarcity of food and crucial goods before they got there. If you add to that the planned purge on illegal immigrants - who are a significant proportion of the food production and agriculture and construction sectors - that's going to be a challenge.

I don’t see how it does not result in massive inflation?


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[Andy Bee]

I wonder if we are heading for a Black Monday on the stock markets tomorrow? None of this looks good for business and US stocks (especially the ‘magnificent 7’) are massively over valued just now.


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Nvidia has already had $Bns wiped off its value. Canadian energy is a big one although he's only hitting Canada 10% for that. I remember watching an ex CEO of Google giving a lecture on energy, he spoke of when in office he would be approached by new starts asking for finance, $10m - $20m, then it grew to $50m - $100m, then $1bn - $5bn and then when he asked how much you need they told him money wasn't the problem they needed energy, the USA and its grid couldn't cope with the electricity needed for modern day data storage and the AI revolution. His answer was "you better stay good friends with Canada". Canada are now threatening to turn the power off in retaliation to the tariffs.

[s.a.m]

I don’t see how it does not result in massive inflation?
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Yeah. And, potentially a new 'Big Short'..
"In January, investors have placed 10 times more bets on US stocks falling than equivalent bets that shares in leading American companies would rise, the investment bank said."

[Ozyhibby]

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/02/price-america-trump-tariffs/681546/?gift=hVZeG3M9DnxL4CekrWGK35iP0ZJjvVhQYiBl2xnYrao&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

Worth a read on tariffs.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ezra-klein-show/id1548604447?i=1000688157475

And worth a listen. Only 15 mins long but explains well what’s happening and the limits and weaknesses in the Trump admin.


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[The_Exile]

I wonder if we are heading for a Black Monday on the stock markets tomorrow? None of this looks good for business and US stocks (especially the ‘magnificent 7’) are massively over valued just now.


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I've had a few grand in the S&P 500 for a couple of years. On Friday I sold everything and stuck it all in gold. Happy to sit this next 6 months out and see how it goes, if it dives then I'll buy back in at some point.

[grunt]

The guy's a lunatic.

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/bafkreifvubhfr7pdadmzkztgkhxk5cn2meslcansowf5h6es2 gosmmxj7a@jpeg

[grunt]

About those tariffs - "will there be some pain? Yes, maybe"

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/bafkreiaqwjzybdhogy7xzchen46f6gpffscimamiuqqn7m6mk zdhtyofte@jpeg

[The Tubs]

I've had a few grand in the S&P 500 for a couple of years. On Friday I sold everything and stuck it all in gold. Happy to sit this next 6 months out and see how it goes, if it dives then I'll buy back in at some point.

Sensible. The best retaliation suggestion I've seen is 100% tariffs on Teslas.

[Ozyhibby]

Sensible. The best retaliation suggestion I've seen is 100% tariffs on Teslas.

That plus targeting red states. Last time when Trump put tariffs on EU steel, the EU put tariffs on Harley Davidsons which were made in Mitch McConnels state. Canada (and Mexico) needs to target trump voters as much as possible.


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[Smartie]

That plus targeting red states. Last time when Trump put tariffs on EU steel, the EU put tariffs on Harley Davidsons which were made in Mitch McConnels state. Canada (and Mexico) needs to target trump voters as much as possible.


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Trump has been saying he’s going to introduce the tariffs for a long time and those they’re being imposed upon have had plenty of time to come up with a suitable strategy - like the Harley Davidson one mentioned above.

The EU don’t want a trade war but are ready for one.

[s.a.m]

That plus targeting red states. Last time when Trump put tariffs on EU steel, the EU put tariffs on Harley Davidsons which were made in Mitch McConnels state. Canada (and Mexico) needs to target trump voters as much as possible.


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:aok: British Columbia have already announced a ban on purchase of alcohol from red states, and Nova Scotia have ordered all American alcohol to be removed from shelves on the 4th.

[Colr]

:aok: British Columbia have already announced a ban on purchase of alcohol from red states, and Nova Scotia have ordered all American alcohol to be removed from shelves on the 4th.

Think I’ll treat myself to a bottle of Canadian Rye in solidarity.

[Bostonhibby]

I'll continue my long standing efforts to avoid all things American as best I can. To be honest as long as you're not addicted to cheap processed fast food it's not that hard even though more and more outlets seem to be springing up.



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[Colr]

I'll continue my long standing efforts to avoid all things American as best I can. To be honest as long as you're not addicted to cheap processed fast food it's not that hard even though more and more outlets seem to be springing up.



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Cholula instead of Tabasco

[Bostonhibby]

Cholula instead of Tabasco[emoji106][emoji16]

Buy Mexican and Canadian it is then.

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[Paul1642]

Anyone know what, if anything these means for us here in Scotland / the UK?

[Bristolhibby]

About those tariffs - "will there be some pain? Yes, maybe"

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/bafkreiaqwjzybdhogy7xzchen46f6gpffscimamiuqqn7m6mk zdhtyofte@jpeg

He seems to confuse a subsidy with just normal plain trade with another country.

They have things you want. You buy them from them. That isn’t a subsidy. That’s just trade.

Does he mean deficit? That’s fine, but it’s not always a bad thing. Especially if your trading partners have things you REALLY want.

J

[s.a.m]

He seems to confuse a subsidy with just normal plain trade with another country.

They have things you want. You buy them from them. That isn’t a subsidy. That’s just trade.

Does he mean deficit? That’s fine, but it’s not always a bad thing. Especially if your trading partners have things you REALLY want.

J

Yeah. He does the same thing with NATO countries' spending commitments. Then there's his misunderstanding of the way tariffs work.

I'm never sure whether he believes this bollocks, or if he knows but thinks his following is too stupid or incurious to figure it out.

[Bostonhibby]

He seems to confuse a subsidy with just normal plain trade with another country.

They have things you want. You buy them from them. That isn’t a subsidy. That’s just trade.

Does he mean deficit? That’s fine, but it’s not always a bad thing. Especially if your trading partners have things you REALLY want.

JHe seems to be blindsided by the link between tariffs and co-operating on drug smuggling the way he thinks it can be stopped.

It's almost as if no illegal drugs are grown, manufactured or distributed in the USA, maybe even by the orange guys supporters.

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[Hibs4185]

I never understand the American medical system and how they lay so much.

My wife is taking a medication that costs £99 across here. It’s made in America but in America the cheapest is $1300.

How is that even possible?

[grunt]

Why does the BBC call it a "tariff dispute"? It's an economic attack by Trump on Canada, Mexico and China using tariffs. There's no dispute involved.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cqjvg82lg4yt

[Smartie]

Why does the BBC call it a "tariff dispute"? It's an economic attack by Trump on Canada, Mexico and China using tariffs. There's no dispute involved.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cqjvg82lg4yt

I think a lot of media outlets and governments are still tiptoeing around Trump, they’ll do that until they feel safe from punishment for calling things out as being exactly what they are.

I’d maybe go further than your launching of an economic attack and describe as a declaration of trade war - an unwinnable war where there are only losers.

[grunt]

Who elected Musk?

Note that the www.usaid.gov is no longer accessible.

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:jk2qe5uo42rnff7ntopvfazp/bafkreibbpoyuj6nwdlia2rlwfwzwbjo7ljdh5j72wrpghfion vfc4g3gfq@jpeg

[grunt]

:greengrin

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:5bzgbfabcdhgizo4wdkudqts/bafkreibdgqfhpg2edtom4twe3qdxlhn757uaqtwwrcjklbuev 3nljjbdby@jpeg

[Hibrandenburg]

:greengrin

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:5bzgbfabcdhgizo4wdkudqts/bafkreibdgqfhpg2edtom4twe3qdxlhn757uaqtwwrcjklbuev 3nljjbdby@jpeg

To be fair, he could turn water into wine, it's a trade I'd seriously consider.

[Bostonhibby]

To be fair, he could turn water into wine, it's a trade I'd seriously consider.Maybe they could do something with bleach?

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[lapsedhibee]

:greengrin

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:5bzgbfabcdhgizo4wdkudqts/bafkreibdgqfhpg2edtom4twe3qdxlhn757uaqtwwrcjklbuev 3nljjbdby@jpeg

F. F. S. Is that real? :dunno:

[Keith_M]

F. F. S. Is that real? :dunno:


It was an online wind-up, she didn't actually say that.


https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/karoline-leavitt-shocks-tells-press-34593048

[Colr]

To be fair, he could turn water into wine, it's a trade I'd seriously consider.

I’m not sure he was fine. They nailed him to a cross if I recall. That’s not fine.

[Keith_M]

I’m not sure he was fine. They nailed him to a cross if I recall. That’s not fine.


Trump would probably call him a Communist.

[lapsedhibee]

It was an online wind-up, she didn't actually say that.


https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/karoline-leavitt-shocks-tells-press-34593048

:aok:

[grunt]

It was an online wind-up, she didn't actually say that.


https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/karoline-leavitt-shocks-tells-press-34593048
Sorry guys. It's so hard to tell these days.

[cabbageandribs1875]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Giu0k3FWYAEdc6-?format=jpg&name=medium


oh and the price of Eggs are rocketing, well done MAGA

[Colr]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Giu0k3FWYAEdc6-?format=jpg&name=medium


oh and the price of Eggs are rocketing, well done MAGA

Why eggs?

[grunt]

Why eggs?The price of eggs is alleged to have been one of the factors in swing voters coming out for Trump. He said he'd reduce the price of eggs. It was a lie, of course.

[Bostonhibby]

The price of eggs is alleged to have been one of the factors in swing voters coming out for Trump. He said he'd reduce the price of eggs. It was a lie, of course.Did he saying anything about laying eggs? He often has that strained look on his big orange coupon[emoji16]

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[Colr]

Did he saying anything about laying eggs? He often has that strained look on his big orange coupon[emoji16]

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Is that why he wears that nappy? The one that leaked when he was in Paris?

[Bostonhibby]

Is that why he wears that nappy? The one that leaked when he was in Paris?Part of his giant man baby act?

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[Colr]

He says he wants to replace Income Taxes (which congress controls) with tariffs ( which he controls).

[Hibrandenburg]

Never just believe what you read online, always fact check, otherwise you could end up looking silly.

[Hibs4185]

Europe next in line for tariffs. He says Uk might be ok.

[Ozyhibby]

Europe next in line for tariffs. He says Uk might be ok.

We’re only going to be ok because we don’t make anything, which is not really ok.[emoji2369]


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[Colr]

We’re only going to be ok because we don’t make anything, which is not really ok.[emoji2369]


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We outsourced and closed down our manufacturing under Thatcher.

I’m sure the factory owners have done alright

[CropleyWasGod]

We’re only going to be ok because we don’t make anything, which is not really ok.[emoji2369]


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Whisky? £5.6bn last year.

Admittedly, not all to the US, but it's a fair chunk.

[grunt]

Europe next in line for tariffs. He says Uk might be ok.I'm surprised anyone could work out what he meant by that rambling incoherent speech. Apparently what Europe is doing is "an atrocity". He's a lunatic.

[grunt]

Whisky? £5.6bn last year.
Wouldn't be the first time. He put 25% tariff on Scotch in 2019.

[Ozyhibby]

Whisky? £5.6bn last year.

Admittedly, not all to the US, but it's a fair chunk.

A fine industry but it’s not enough for a country of 70m + people.


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[CropleyWasGod]

A fine industry but it’s not enough for a country of 70m + people.


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Tbh, I was thinking more about its effect on the Scottish economy.

As Grunt says, it's been done before. I've just read a piece that says it caused a 35% reduction in exports.

[grunt]

Here's what the political editor of the BBC thinks ...

"tantalising". "gift".

Starmer needs to clear the lying Tories out of the BBC and restore some pride in our national broadcaster.

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:le3snqzui22uenjjk7v4btfb/bafkreifqswgvwwfa3h47ko6sneqrhrgjiz7oaxjg434qrpqas nricggkje@jpeg

[grunt]

And on the subject of the BBC, on a day when the world's stock markets are in freefall, isn't it a shame that the BBC has removed the page from their business website that displays the market numbers? We're being kept in the dark, the BBC hiding / not reporting / down playing bad news.

[Smartie]

Here's what the political editor of the BBC thinks ...

"tantalising". "gift".

Starmer needs to clear the lying Tories out of the BBC and restore some pride in our national broadcaster.

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:le3snqzui22uenjjk7v4btfb/bafkreifqswgvwwfa3h47ko6sneqrhrgjiz7oaxjg434qrpqas nricggkje@jpeg

I don't really see what is all that wrong with that?

Having read the rest of that wee bit on the BBC site it doesn't seem to be overly pro Tory, Trump or anything else.

On this occasion...

[grunt]

I don't really see what is all that wrong with that?
"Tantalising"

Adjective: "causing excitement, interest and desire". What Trump has done over the weekend has caused none of these. In fact, the complete opposite - fear, uncertainty and dread.

[Smartie]

"Tantalising"

Adjective: "causing excitement, interest and desire". What Trump has done over the weekend has caused none of these. In fact, the complete opposite - fear, uncertainty and dread.

Is it not referring to the situation he's placed Starmer in as he goes to Brussels - whilst tariffs are being thrown about left, right and centre, the prospect of the UK maybe avoiding tariffs is "tantalising", placing him in a spot where he may have to think further about our closeness to the US vs Europe?

[Kato]

"Tantalising"

Adjective: "causing excitement, interest and desire". What Trump has done over the weekend has caused none of these. In fact, the complete opposite - fear, uncertainty and dread.You're right off course but (millionaire) journalists see themselves as immune from the consequences, don't actually give a monkeys about "ordinary hard working people" and Trump's policies/announcements give them hours of easy gum-bumping on their rolling news shows.

They are thrilled he is back.

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[grunt]

Labour MP for the Western Isles.

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5r6ylqidaaenn65cd7eh2oa6/bafkreihlizk23pxhw5btchuhwzpwf7eglywkvnhvmadd3u72c 4dgu7ppke@jpeg

[H18S NX]

"Tantalising"

Adjective: "causing excitement, interest and desire". What Trump has done over the weekend has caused none of these. In fact, the complete opposite - fear, uncertainty and dread. ....Yep,well said m8:aok:

[Off the bar]

Labour MP for the Western Isles.

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5r6ylqidaaenn65cd7eh2oa6/bafkreihlizk23pxhw5btchuhwzpwf7eglywkvnhvmadd3u72c 4dgu7ppke@jpeg

Trump seams ashamed of the fact his mother came from poverty, which is actually good for us, can you imagine the fat orange nightmare cutting about in a kilt and bigging up his Scots routes. Mortifying.

[Smartie]

I'd be inviting Trump over to check first hand that his old mum's house and his hotels and golf courses are all adequately fireproofed in the event of tariffs being applied to the UK.

Because you never know what folk might do.

[Ozyhibby]

I'd be inviting Trump over to check first hand that his old mum's house and his hotels and golf courses are all adequately fireproofed in the event of tariffs being applied to the UK.

Because you never know what folk might do.

This will effect is whether we get tariffed or not. I expect the dollar to strengthen and the pound to weaken which will increase the likelihood the Reeves and Starmer have to go full austerity. Some rough time ahead for everyone globally with a full blown trade war. Globalisation is about to unwind at speed and it won’t be pretty for anyone.


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[AgentDaleCooper]

Labour MP for the Western Isles.

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5r6ylqidaaenn65cd7eh2oa6/bafkreihlizk23pxhw5btchuhwzpwf7eglywkvnhvmadd3u72c 4dgu7ppke@jpeg

as a gael, i cannot put into words how ashamed i am of torcuil crichton - literal nausea reading that. this is utterly, utterly disgusting, especially from a Labour politician. the last thing we want is to be seen as Trump's 'home' - even worse, for him to see us as some sort of home...

[grunt]

This is how the media SHOULD be reporting Trump's actions ...

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[lapsedhibee]

You're right off course but (millionaire) journalists see themselves as immune from the consequences, don't actually give a monkeys about "ordinary hard working people" and Trump's policies/announcements give them hours of easy gum-bumping on their rolling news shows.

They are thrilled he is back.


:agree:

[Mon Dieu4]

as a gael, i cannot put into words how ashamed i am of torcuil crichton - literal nausea reading that. this is utterly, utterly disgusting, especially from a Labour politician. the last thing we want is to be seen as Trump's 'home' - even worse, for him to see us as some sort of home...

I don't like Trump, he's a fanny, I find some of the things he comes out with funny, in an ideal world we wouldn't have anything to do with him but it's not an ideal world, his decisions can really affect people's lives going forward, including here, if we have to butter him up a bit then so be it I'm afraid

[jamie_1875]

I don't like Trump, he's a fanny, I find some of the things he comes out with funny, in an ideal world we wouldn't have anything to do with him but it's not an ideal world, his decisions can really affect people's lives going forward, including here, if we have to butter him up a bit then so be it I'm afraid

Absolutely agree, in the real world you deal with the most powerful man in the world in a practical way. If it helps businesses in Scotland then you welcome him and work with him.

[Stairway 2 7]

This will effect is whether we get tariffed or not. I expect the dollar to strengthen and the pound to weaken which will increase the likelihood the Reeves and Starmer have to go full austerity. Some rough time ahead for everyone globally with a full blown trade war. Globalisation is about to unwind at speed and it won’t be pretty for anyone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Pound strengthed in a big way against euro today and grew against the dollar and all other currencies bar the yen (due to tariff news). 10 year gilts down too

It should affect the US economy more than most others and with Germany in recession and having a manufacturing economy it will affect the EU too. We've already destroyed our manufacturing industry and since it's a services economy, its not expected to hurt us that much. Could be a boom time for Scottish whisky if Canadia and Ireland both get priced out the US

[Hibrandenburg]

Absolutely agree, in the real world you deal with the most powerful man in the world in a practical way. If it helps businesses in Scotland then you welcome him and work with him.

I sincerely hope that the Scottish Government are in no way being seen to pander to that fascist.

[Hibs4185]

Pound strengthed in a big way against euro today and grew against the dollar and all other currencies bar the yen (due to tariff news). 10 year gilts down too

It should affect the US economy more than most others and with Germany in recession and having a manufacturing economy it will affect the EU too. We've already destroyed our manufacturing industry and since it's a services economy, its not expected to hurt us that much. Could be a boom time for Scottish whisky if Canadia and Ireland both get priced out the US

It could work out nicely for the UK if we stay on side with Trump, particularly Scotland.

If he ‘punishes’ the rest of the world and offers us a trade deal it could work
Well.

I hate trump the same as most people on here but the UK government have to work with him.

The only problem I can see is Starmer cozying back up to Europe. Can’t imagine Trump being too supportive of that. Although if Starmer can pull it off, he would be onto a winner.

Closer ties with Europe - good for growth
No tariffs from the USA and potential trade deal - good for growth.

Sounds promising until you realise it’s Starmer and Reeves

[The Tubs]

I've just seen that Canada has a small trade surplus with the US. Does this mean the yanks are trying to butter them up for a fascist takeover too?

[AgentDaleCooper]

I've just seen that Canada has a small trade surplus with the US. Does this mean the yanks are trying to butter them up for a fascist takeover too?

it's all to do with their oil. Trump wants it, because a) it's oil and b) because it's the basis of the US's deficit towards Canada.

Scotland also has oil, which gives me the brown trousers feeling. This is what we're walking into by chumming up to him. Not to mention the insane data harvesting that Musk is up to. Imagine the power the pair of them would have if granted access to the kind of personal information they're imbibing from the treasury...it's genuinely very dystopian and scary, and no amount of pragmatism is going to avoid it if said pragmatism amounts to becoming his lapdog (which, lets be real, is the only relationship he'll be satisfied with).

[The Tubs]

it's all to do with their oil. Trump wants it, because a) it's oil and b) because it's the basis of the US's deficit towards Canada.

Scotland also has oil, which gives me the brown trousers feeling. This is what we're walking into by chumming up to him. Not to mention the insane data harvesting that Musk is up to. Imagine the power the pair of them would have if granted access to the kind of personal information they're imbibing from the treasury...it's genuinely very dystopian and scary, and no amount of pragmatism is going to avoid it if said pragmatism amounts to becoming his lapdog (which, lets be real, is the only relationship he'll be satisfied with).

It's a wee deficit, but, aye, it's always about resources. Are there any potential fascist puppets in Canada like the AfD?

[lapsedhibee]

It could work out nicely for the UK if we stay on side with Trump, particularly Scotland.

If he ‘punishes’ the rest of the world and offers us a trade deal it could work
Well.

I hate trump the same as most people on here but the UK government have to work with him.

The only problem I can see is Starmer cozying back up to Europe. Can’t imagine Trump being too supportive of that. Although if Starmer can pull it off, he would be onto a winner.

Closer ties with Europe - good for growth
No tariffs from the USA and potential trade deal - good for growth.

Sounds promising until you realise it’s Starmer and Reeves

Yeah me too, I'm all for supporting fascist lunatics if the whisky industry does well out of it and there's a knock-on reduction in Scottish income tax.

[s.a.m]

It could work out nicely for the UK if we stay on side with Trump, particularly Scotland.

If he ‘punishes’ the rest of the world and offers us a trade deal it could work
Well.

I hate trump the same as most people on here but the UK government have to work with him.

The only problem I can see is Starmer cozying back up to Europe. Can’t imagine Trump being too supportive of that. Although if Starmer can pull it off, he would be onto a winner.

Closer ties with Europe - good for growth
No tariffs from the USA and potential trade deal - good for growth.

Sounds promising until you realise it’s Starmer and Reeves

In the long-term, any advantage in being the bully's sidekick is unlikely to help us. This will end at some point, and he won't always be there. In the meantime, he'd be a fickle and untrustworthy pal, very possibly with increasing demands if we're to be allowed to hang on to his coat-tails. He has a long-term pattern of forcing his cohorts to subjugate themselves, then throwing them under the bus.

I'd personally much prefer it if we stood together with the rest of his targets and made clear that bullying countries into submission or attempting to seize control of them is unacceptable. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, we don't need to be Trump's Belarus.

[Ozyhibby]

Yeah me too, I'm all for supporting fascist lunatics if the whisky industry does well out of it and there's a knock-on reduction in Scottish income tax.

All the tax on whisky goes to London does it not?


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[grunt]

I don't like Trump, he's a fanny, I find some of the things he comes out with funny, in an ideal world we wouldn't have anything to do with him but it's not an ideal world, his decisions can really affect people's lives going forward, including here, if we have to butter him up a bit then so be it I'm afraidNo. He's an evil lunatic. If we want to be proud to be Scottish we should have nothing to do with him.


Absolutely agree, in the real world you deal with the most powerful man in the world in a practical way. If it helps businesses in Scotland then you welcome him and work with him.No. He's an evil lunatic. If we want to be proud to be Scottish we should have nothing to do with him.


Yeah me too, I'm all for supporting fascist lunatics if the whisky industry does well out of it and there's a knock-on reduction in Scottish income tax.This.

[CropleyWasGod]

All the tax on whisky goes to London does it not?


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Tax on staff costs stays in Scotland.

So, if tariffs affect production, there is a knock-on effect on the tax take in Scotland economy. Both in terms of whisky employees, and the wider community where they have spending power.

The duty and the VAT, which is probably what you meant, goes to London, together with the Corporation Tax.

[Mon Dieu4]

No. He's an evil lunatic. If we want to be proud to be Scottish we should have nothing to do with him.

No. He's an evil lunatic. If we want to be proud to be Scottish we should have nothing to do with him.

This.

He's a lunatic with the ability to make people's already hard life even worse, in the real world if that means playing nice for 4 years then the Government need to be pragmatic and deal with him

[lapsedhibee]

He's a lunatic with the ability to make people's already hard life even worse, in the real world if that means playing nice for 4 years then the Government need to be pragmatic and deal with him

Ever hear of Neville Chamberlain, at all? :dunno:

[Mon Dieu4]

Ever hear of Neville Chamberlain, at all? :dunno:

Here we go, knew someone would come out with something like that

There is a huge difference to holding your nose and swallowing something to try and avoid tarrifs that will majorly affect your already crumbling economy and what Chamberlain tried to do

It's really easy to have an idealised view on what you should do when you don't have the livelyhood of 65m people at stake

Also im speaking specifically about avoiding tarrifs, if he starts invading Canada, Mexico, Greenland and Panama is when you can tell him to go **** himself

[grunt]

There is a huge difference to holding your nose and swallowing something to try and avoid tarrifs that will majorly affect your already crumbling economy and what Chamberlain tried to do

It's really easy to have an idealised view on what you should do when you don't have the livelyhood of 65m people at stake
Sorry. Still a "no" from me.

[Stairway 2 7]

Rumours of a one month pause in Mexican tariffs due to Mexico promising to put 10,000 soldiers on the northern border to stop people and drug smuggling

[jamie_1875]

Here we go, knew someone would come out with something like that

There is a huge difference to holding your nose and swallowing something to try and avoid tarrifs that will majorly affect your already crumbling economy and what Chamberlain tried to do

It's really easy to have an idealised view on what you should do when you don't have the livelyhood of 65m people at stake

Also im speaking specifically about avoiding tarrifs, if he starts invading Canada, Mexico, Greenland and Panama is when you can tell him to go **** himself

Spot on, too many people don't seemingly live in the real world. I wonder how they would feel if they worked in the Whisky industry and their job and house etc was at stake.

[Hibs4185]

Yeah me too, I'm all for supporting fascist lunatics if the whisky industry does well out of it and there's a knock-on reduction in Scottish income tax.

What I said, in no way represented supporting a fascist lunatic.

Trump said the UK could be exempt, which could be good for the UK and Scotland.

If we had to bow down and kiss hiss ring whilst claiming ‘All Hail Trump’. That would be supporting a fascist lunatic, however hearing his words and saying it could be good for the UK is far from it.

[grunt]

What I said, in no way represented supporting a fascist lunatic.

Trump said the UK could be exempt, which could be good for the UK and Scotland.
What do you think he might want in exchange ...?

[Smartie]

Spot on, too many people don't seemingly live in the real world. I wonder how they would feel if they worked in the Whisky industry and their job and house etc was at stake.

I think that's valid up to a point.

Different people will have different tolerance levels for Trump's pish and what it means.

For some, he reached and breached that point long ago.

For others, there may remain room for pragmatism for a bit longer.

I'm not much of a fan to pandering to the likes of Trump. Bullies need confronted early and forcefully, never emboldened.

Is it wise to ruffle his feathers too much too early though? Maybe not. Starmer is probably being reasonably smart in keeping options open for now.

Britain has a history of trying to ride more than one horse at the same time and is occasionally successful with it.

[K-Zazu]

https://x.com/ch_cartoon/status/1886189236644188279?s=46

[Ozyhibby]

Tax on staff costs stays in Scotland.

So, if tariffs affect production, there is a knock-on effect on the tax take in Scotland economy. Both in terms of whisky employees, and the wider community where they have spending power.

The duty and the VAT, which is probably what you meant, goes to London, together with the Corporation Tax.

Is all of Income tax and NI devolved? Don’t we only have small variance power on income tax and no power over NI?



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[CropleyWasGod]

Is all of Income tax and NI devolved? Don’t we only have small variance power on income tax and no power over NI?



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Income Tax is devolved, and we keep all of it. NI isn't.

The pedant , and the tax exam marker, in me doesn't define NI as "tax", albeit many do. The scamps.

[Ozyhibby]

Income Tax is devolved, and we keep all of it. NI isn't.

The pedant , and the tax exam marker, in me doesn't define NI as "tax", albeit many do. The scamps.

Only partially devolved though?


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[Ozyhibby]

I see he has bottled it with Mexico. Delayed a month.


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[lapsedhibee]

What do you think he might want in exchange ...?

Might not want anything more than to divide the UK from Europe for as long as possible. Putin, China and Trump all have the break up of the EU as wishes, so it's in all their interests to be setting major European economies against each other. So yeah, let's try and get a few hundred £million ahead of the Irish, that's the main thing.

[Hibrandenburg]

Here we go, knew someone would come out with something like that

There is a huge difference to holding your nose and swallowing something to try and avoid tarrifs that will majorly affect your already crumbling economy and what Chamberlain tried to do

It's really easy to have an idealised view on what you should do when you don't have the livelyhood of 65m people at stake

Also im speaking specifically about avoiding tarrifs, if he starts invading Canada, Mexico, Greenland and Panama is when you can tell him to go **** himself

By the time Hitler walked into Czechoslovakia the writing was already on the wall and Chamberlain's appeasement was already meaningless as the chance to stop Hitler had already past. That should have been done once Hitler started disobeying international treaties, in particular the Treaty of Versailles.

The final straw was when he put 22,000 troops into the demilitarised Rhineland, that could have easily been put down by the Allies and by not doing so they handed Hitler back Germany's industrial heartland and with it the ability to build his war machine. Fascists like Trump need to be resisted from the start, not after they have all their ducks in a row.

[Keith_M]

Sorry guys. It's so hard to tell these days.


No problem, it honestly wouldn't surprise me if they did come out with something like that.

[wookie70]

Sorry. Still a "no" from me. And me too. He is a bully who needs someone to stand up to them and hopefully Europe does that. If the world bends the knee we will just get more and more Trump types in positions of Political power.

[grunt]

Nope, not fascist at all. Not in the least.

Please note I no longer have access to Twitter to check this post.

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[CropleyWasGod]

Only partially devolved though?


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For employment income, which is what we are talking about in relation to the whisky industry, it's fully devolved. SG sets the rates and bands. HMRC collects it, and remits it to the SG.

[Hibs4185]

What do you think he might want in exchange ...?

The UK don’t sell that many goods to the US, it’s service dominated. We don’t buy many goods either. I can’t think of anything I would want to buy from the Us. Wouldn’t want their cars or food. Love a JD though.

With Trump it could be anything, we might get Tariffs, we might not.

Hes threatening everyone with tariffs but said the UK are doing ok. What he wants? No one knows but he does like the UK, he put the Winston Churchill bust back in the Oval Office.

Let’s hope he just leaves us alone

[Hibs4185]

For employment income, which is what we are talking about in relation to the whisky industry, it's fully devolved. SG sets the rates and bands. HMRC collects it, and remits it to the SG.

Didn’t realise HMRC collected it! Always thought we had a scottish tax office!

[Kato]

Nope, not fascist at all. Not in the least.

Please note I no longer have access to Twitter to check this post.

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ezlkbx6mlpjf5ophlvrjgdk6/bafkreicc6b4yisul3ymx5t5lfxudyy5oncor5onnmay7uoinm 5epja4pwq@jpegWhat an absolute dick. Imagine him on a bus to a Hibs away game. He'd last about 5 minutes of slagging off then burst into tears.

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[Hibs4185]

Nope, not fascist at all. Not in the least.

Please note I no longer have access to Twitter to check this post.

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ezlkbx6mlpjf5ophlvrjgdk6/bafkreicc6b4yisul3ymx5t5lfxudyy5oncor5onnmay7uoinm 5epja4pwq@jpeg

So much for making X the bastion of free speech

[Stairway 2 7]

Nope, not fascist at all. Not in the least.

Please note I no longer have access to Twitter to check this post.

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ezlkbx6mlpjf5ophlvrjgdk6/bafkreicc6b4yisul3ymx5t5lfxudyy5oncor5onnmay7uoinm 5epja4pwq@jpeg

It's fake

[grunt]

Hes threatening everyone with tariffs but said the UK are doing ok. What he wants? No one knows but he does like the UK, he put the Winston Churchill bust back in the Oval Office. Well I'm convinced now.


Let’s hope he just leaves us aloneWorld leading diplomacy.

[Kato]

It's fakeStill a dick.

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[grunt]

It's fake
Think I'd better stop posting altogether.

[Stairway 2 7]

Still a dick.

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Definitely. He doesn't have to openly say it anyway as he just does it ie amplifying far right loons and shadow banning anti Trump voices

[Smartie]

Think I'd better stop posting altogether.

In fairness, it's harder than ever before to draw the line between real and fake. Much harder.

There are real things that are plain ridiculous. There's also no shortage of people with reasons to put out fake stuff.

I don't have any issue when someone posts something in good faith that turns out to be fake.

That the likes of Musk thrive and prosper in an environment where such doubt exists is not a coincidence.

[RyeSloan]

The UK don’t sell that many goods to the US, it’s service dominated. We don’t buy many goods either. I can’t think of anything I would want to buy from the Us. Wouldn’t want their cars or food. Love a JD though.

With Trump it could be anything, we might get Tariffs, we might not.

Hes threatening everyone with tariffs but said the UK are doing ok. What he wants? No one knows but he does like the UK, he put the Winston Churchill bust back in the Oval Office.

Let’s hope he just leaves us alone

Seen a lot of these types of comments but I’m not sure you are representing UK trade with the US overly accurately.

The Department for Industry and Trade says that, on an individual country level, the US is the UK’s largest trading partner accounting for 17% of all U.K. trade.

£60bn in goods (equivalent to 2 whole months of annual total goods exports) and £125bn in services.

We also run a trade surplus on both counts (just on goods and massively on services)

And that’s before you account for any FDI and the like.

So the pretence that somehow the US market is not overly important for the U.K. economy is, I would politely suggest, rather incorrect. Any market making up nearly 20% of your trade is one to pay attention to.

[jamie_1875]

Seen a lot of these types of comments but I’m not sure you are representing UK trade with the US overly accurately.

The Department for Industry and Trade says that, on an individual country level, the US is the UK’s largest trading partner accounting for 17% of all U.K. trade.

£60bn in goods (equivalent to 2 whole months of annual total goods exports) and £125bn in services.

We also run a trade surplus on both counts (just on goods and massively on services)

And that’s before you account for any FDI and the like.

So the pretence that somehow the US market is not overly important for the U.K. economy is, I would politely suggest, rather incorrect. Any market making up nearly 20% of your trade is one to pay attention to.

Yea but who cares about the economy and jobs and all that boring stuff when you can feel better about yourself and say we should tell Trump where to go.

Meanwhile in the real world....

[Callum_62]

Tariffs for Mexico and Canada on hold for at least 30 days

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[Paul1642]

Both Mexico and Canada tariffs halted for a provisional 30 days each.

Like most I can’t really tell the reason for the tariffs but Trumps narrative looks to be around strengthening borders and both counties have now made commitments to do so.

In reality nothing might change for the average American and fentanyl will still run rampant, but in terms of American public opinion, has Trump just played an absolute blinder?

I can’t find any reason for the speculated about tariffs on the EU though? What is he demanding there?

[jamie_1875]

Both Mexico and Canada tariffs halted for a provisional 30 days each.

Like most I can’t really tell the reason for the tariffs but Trumps narrative looks to be around strengthening borders and both counties have now made commitments to do so.

In reality nothing might change for the average American and fentanyl will still run rampant, but in terms of American public opinion, has Trump just played an absolute blinder?

I can’t find any reason for the speculated about tariffs on the EU though? What is he demanding there?

He has played it really well, he wanted the borders strengthed and he has got those assurances by using the strength of the US. Next we need to see if the Mexicans and Canadians follow through but on the face of it he has got what he wanted.

[The Tubs]

He has played it really well, he wanted the borders strengthed and he has got those assurances by using the strength of the US. Next we need to see if the Mexicans and Canadians follow through but on the face of it he has got what he wanted.

There's an argument he's got something from Mexico, but what can Canada do? I'd imagine they have a surplus of drugs and criminals coming from the US and I doubt they can do much about the little immigration from the north.

It's shown, after the tameness of Petro, that you can stand up to the bully so I'd say he's lost there.

[The Tubs]

Could they just be gaming the markets? Absolute crackpots.

[s.a.m]

He has played it really well, he wanted the borders strengthed and he has got those assurances by using the strength of the US. Next we need to see if the Mexicans and Canadians follow through but on the face of it he has got what he wanted.

Mexico did this before (but a larger number of troops, IIRC.) It didn't make a difference. The majority of drugs coming over the border are being brought in vehicles by Americans through official crossing points.

[Ozyhibby]

He has played it really well, he wanted the borders strengthed and he has got those assurances by using the strength of the US. Next we need to see if the Mexicans and Canadians follow through but on the face of it he has got what he wanted.

Mexico haven’t strengthened anything. The 10k troops are there already due to a deal with Biden. Canada haven’t done a thing. Mexico got Trump to commit to stopping guns flowing into Mexico.


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[s.a.m]

Mexico haven’t strengthened anything. The 10k troops are there already due to a deal with Biden. Canada haven’t done a thing. Mexico got Trump to commit to stopping guns flowing into Mexico.


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Quite. And Canada's plans for the border are the one they announced in December. Basically, everyone's doing what they were already doing it planning to do, and Trump's claiming it as a brilliant deal - and backing down.

[Hibrandenburg]

Yea but who cares about the economy and jobs and all that boring stuff when you can feel better about yourself and say we should tell Trump where to go.

Meanwhile in the real world....

In the real world we have a criminal fascist bully sowing seeds of discontent, not only inside the US but across the world, encouraging racial hatred, abolishing hard fought for equal rights for minorities, cuddling up to other fascist dictators, releasing en mass supporters that attempted to overthrow a democratically elected government on his request, has surrounded himself with fascist megalomaniacs and is threatening to invade sovereign countries. I could go on but what's the point, none of it would convince you that sucking up to a fascist isn't a good idea or even simply utterly spineless.

[Jim44]

Apologies for the length of this or if it’s repitiition. Saw it on FB. I have never read such an accurate description of the monster.

Someone asked "Why do some British people not like Donald Trump?"
Nate White, an articulate and witty writer from England, wrote this magnificent response:
"A few things spring to mind.
Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem.
For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace - all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed.
So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump's limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief.
Plus, we like a laugh. And while Trump may be laughable, he has never once said anything wry, witty or even faintly amusing - not once, ever.
I don't say that rhetorically, I mean it quite literally: not once, not ever. And that fact is particularly disturbing to the British sensibility - for us, to lack humour is almost inhuman.
But with Trump, it's a fact. He doesn't even seem to understand what a joke is - his idea of a joke is a crass comment, an illiterate insult, a casual act of cruelty.
Trump is a troll. And like all trolls, he is never funny and he never laughs; he only crows or jeers.
And scarily, he doesn't just talk in crude, witless insults - he actually thinks in them. His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness.
There is never any under-layer of irony, complexity, nuance or depth. It's all surface.
Some Americans might see this as refreshingly upfront.
Well, we don't. We see it as having no inner world, no soul.
And in Britain we traditionally side with David, not Goliath.
All our heroes are plucky underdogs: Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist.

Trump is neither plucky, nor an underdog. He is the exact opposite of that.
He's not even a spoiled rich-boy, or a greedy fat-cat.
He's more a fat white slug. A Jabba the Hutt of privilege.
And worse, he is that most unforgivable of all things to the British: a bully.
That is, except when he is among bullies; then he suddenly transforms into a snivelling sidekick instead.
There are unspoken rules to this stuff - the Queensberry rules of basic decency - and he breaks them all. He punches downwards - which a gentleman should, would, could never do - and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless - and he kicks them when they are down.
So the fact that a significant minority - perhaps a third - of Americans look at what he does, listen to what he says, and then think 'Yeah, he seems like my kind of guy' is a matter of some confusion and no little distress to British people, given that Americans are supposed to be nicer than us, and mostly are.
You don't need a particularly keen eye for detail to spot a few flaws in the man.
This last point is what especially confuses and dismays British people, and many other people too; his faults seem pretty bloody hard to miss.
After all, it's impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him speak a sentence or two, without staring deep into the abyss. He turns being artless into an art form; he is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of ****. His faults are fractal: even his flaws have flaws, and so on ad infinitum.
God knows there have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of nasty people too. But rarely has stupidity been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid.
He makes Nixon look trustworthy and George W look smart.
In fact, if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws - he would make a Trump.
And a remorseful Doctor Frankenstein would clutch out big clumpfuls of hair and scream in anguish:
'My God... what... have.. I... created?
If being a twat was a TV show, Trump would be the boxed set."

[Ozyhibby]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250204/73e625b18a8d31f7bb134d07af89d1f2.jpg


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[Ozyhibby]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250204/cbd57e81ad8d1f91afddb36b22ca961f.png
Shame. It will get worse for the swasticar.


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[Hibrandenburg]

Trump says " I hope Gazans won't want to return". What a horrible excuse for a human being he is, but let's suck up to him because there might be something in it for us. Anyone who wants to pacify this monster has zero integrity.

[Kato]

Trump says " I hope Gazans won't want to return". What a horrible excuse for a human being he is, but let's suck up to him because there might be something in it for us. Anyone who wants to pacify this monster has zero integrity.Allowing the Israelis to take Gaza is a huge win for his right-wing, medieval Christian supporters. Who see an all Jewish "Holy Land" as another step towards JC's second coming. Foreign policy run along the lines of nonsense superstition. (Not to mention all that beach front real estate.)

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[s.a.m]

So... Trump is in a press conference with Netanyahu and has announced that the population of the Gaza Strip is going to be evacuated, the US will take ownership of the land, level it and build. Asked if this is a permanent ownership, he says he sees it being a long-term situation.

Jesus.

Edit: he says he wants to see a middle-eastern riviera, and that's the land they need to do it.

[Hibrandenburg]

Allowing the Israelis to take Gaza is a huge win for his right-wing, medieval Christian supporters. Who see an all Jewish "Holy Land" as another step towards JC's second coming. Foreign policy run along the lines of nonsense superstition. (Not to mention all that beach front real estate.)

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If we're lucky, they might throw a few building contracts our way. Business is business and we have to live in the real world.

[ddoc]

Las Gaza, the place we we all need to put on our bucket list for a holiday destination.

[Hibrandenburg]

Las Gaza, the place we we all need to put on our bucket list for a holiday destination.

Don't be silly, we can't be giving it a foreign sounding name.

[ddoc]

Don't be silly, we can't be giving it a foreign sounding name.

Musky, in honour of his best bud.
I think there should be a competition to come up with the name for the 52nd State, after Canada is confirmed.

[lapsedhibee]

Don't be silly, we can't be giving it a foreign sounding name.

Trump will want "The Riviera Of America" because that's got no foreign words in it.

[ddoc]

Trump will want "The Riviera Of America" because that's got no foreign words in it.

Sorry to European, apparently Italian according to Google.

[Colr]

Trump will want "The Riviera Of America" because that's got no foreign words in it.

Beruit used to be the Riviera of the Middle East back in the 50s and 60s.

[Hibs4185]

With everything with Trump hopefully his insane comments are just rhetoric and there is some negotiation to be had.

No way Jordon and Egypt are going to take the Palestinians and no way the Palestinian people are going to just leave.

I think the whole world is reeling from it apart from Netanyahu

[DaveF]

If we're lucky, they might throw a few building contracts our way. Business is business and we have to live in the real world.

I shouldn't laugh but I do look forward to those whose comment this is aimed at, response 😂

[jamie_1875]

This was the kind of thing I was referring to, rather than simply saying GTF Donald Trump.

"The first minister has vowed to use Donald Trump's affinity for Scotland in a bid to avoid the prospect of tariffs being applied on imports to the US.

John Swinney said he had expressed the importance of trade between the countries, especially Scotch whisky, during a call he held with the US president-elect last month"

"John Swinney said he had expressed the importance of trade between the countries, especially Scotch whisky, during a call he held with the US president-elect last month."

"I will use that as a basis of proceeding with negotiations in discussions with President Trump.

"What he also said in the call was if I ever needed a further conversation with him, he'd be very welcome to taking that forward."

Well done John Swinney for engaging with Trump and protecting the needs of businesses and jobs in Scotland even although he may have had to do it biting his tongue. It seems if some had their way this conversation would never have taken place and the desire would be for Swinney to basically tell Trump to GTF and if tariffs then followed impacting thousands of jobs in Scotland then so be it.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Trump says " I hope Gazans won't want to return". What a horrible excuse for a human being he is, but let's suck up to him because there might be something in it for us. Anyone who wants to pacify this monster has zero integrity.

Ethnic cleansing.

The guy is a ****ing lunatic.

[Stairway 2 7]

Some US Palestinian supporters that were saying don't vote for Biden due to him being complicit, really played the wrong hand now Trump is letting Israel take Gaza. Genocide of millions of people. As said Egypt and Jordan won't accept Palestinians I don't see where they go, why doesn't Trump welcome them

[Bostonhibby]

Ethnic cleansing.

The guy is a ****ing lunatic.Truly hideous time in world history, the Jewish nation complicit in ethnic cleansing on this scale was just inconceivable until the felon in the White House got together with the internationally indicted Netanyahu, who will always do whatever is required for his personal survival.

Reading about the Holocaust has always meant I've had sympathy with the Jewish people's cause but it's at a crossroads now.

American's might be about to become embroiled in a real mess where it's unlikely their leader will get whatever he wants out of it. And at a time where many were under the impression they'd be less involved in conflicts abroad.



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[Pretty Boy]

I think it's interesting that the Saudis have come out quickly and said there will be no normalisation of their relationship with Israel without a Palestinian state. Saudi support had for Palestine had been reported as waning somewhat in recent times and there had been talk a deal with Israel was close not least because of their mutual distrust and proxy conflicts with Iran and their membership of the Arab-Israeli Alliance.

The Saudi reaction to Trump seems to slam the door on that in the short to medium term and that is an ally Trump can't **** off without strategic and economic consequences. The US needs Saudi Arabia onside whether they like to admit it or not.

[Bostonhibby]

I think it's interesting that the Saudis have come out quickly and said there will be no normalisation of their relationship with Israel without a Palestinian state. Saudi support had for Palestine had been reported as waning somewhat in recent times and there had been talk a deal with Israel was close not least because of their mutual distrust and proxy conflicts with Iran and their membership of the Arab-Israeli Alliance.

The Saudi reaction to Trump seems to slam the door on that in the short to medium term and that is an ally Trump can't **** off without strategic and economic consequences. The US needs Saudi Arabia onside whether they like to admit it or not.Agree with all of that, the irony of de facto despots blocking wannabe despots.

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[Ozyhibby]

This was the kind of thing I was referring to, rather than simply saying GTF Donald Trump.

"The first minister has vowed to use Donald Trump's affinity for Scotland in a bid to avoid the prospect of tariffs being applied on imports to the US.

John Swinney said he had expressed the importance of trade between the countries, especially Scotch whisky, during a call he held with the US president-elect last month"

"John Swinney said he had expressed the importance of trade between the countries, especially Scotch whisky, during a call he held with the US president-elect last month."

"I will use that as a basis of proceeding with negotiations in discussions with President Trump.

"What he also said in the call was if I ever needed a further conversation with him, he'd be very welcome to taking that forward."

Well done John Swinney for engaging with Trump and protecting the needs of businesses and jobs in Scotland even although he may have had to do it biting his tongue. It seems if some had their way this conversation would never have taken place and the desire would be for Swinney to basically tell Trump to GTF and if tariffs then followed impacting thousands of jobs in Scotland then so be it.

Swinney was right to stand up for Scottish business and he’s also right to call out ethnic cleansing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czj3wvyn0pno

Doubt we’ll hear same from Starmer.


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[Smartie]

Netanyahu and Trump really make for a ghastly combo, possibly even worse than Trump and Musk.

I hate people who see simple solutions to incredibly complex, multifaceted problems and there will be enormous consequences if and when they blunder further into this.

[grunt]

Swinney was right to stand up for Scottish business and he’s also right to call out ethnic cleansing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czj3wvyn0pno


Swinney should be thinking of the Scottish economy and its whisky industry. He's got no business telling King Trump what to do. He should stay quiet, it might upset Trump.

[jamie_1875]

Swinney was right to stand up for Scottish business and he’s also right to call out ethnic cleansing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czj3wvyn0pno

Doubt we’ll hear same from Starmer.


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As Swinney has rather finely demonstrated you can do both, call out his actions but at the same time engage and if required enter discussions that protect the businesses and jobs in Scotland. Tens of thousands of jobs in Scotland will depend on trade with the US, as FM of Scotland he has to acknowledge and understand that and he is doing a fine job of that at the moment.

[Smartie]

As Swinney has rather finely demonstrated you can do both, call out his actions but at the same time engage and if required enter discussions that protect the businesses and jobs in Scotland. Tens of thousands of jobs in Scotland will depend on trade with the US, as FM of Scotland he has to acknowledge and understand that and he is doing a fine job of that at the moment.

I saw an interesting thing the other day where someone was saying that all you really need to do with Trump is to allow him to declare a victory of sorts on TV. The reality of the situation doesn't matter so much. The Canadian and Mexican situations (where Trump paused the tariffs in response to measures the Canadians and Mexicans were bringing in anyway) were an example of this.

So it might be possible for Swinney to do both here, potentially.

I'm one of those who is very uncomfortable with appeasement when a line has clearly been crossed though.

[MKHIBEE]

Swinney was right to stand up for Scottish business and he’s also right to call out ethnic cleansing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czj3wvyn0pno

Doubt we’ll hear same from Starmer.


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As an avowed Zionist there is no chance of him saying the same

[Ozyhibby]

As an avowed Zionist there is no chance of him saying the same

He’ll be keen to know if the water and electricity are still cut.[emoji106]


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