WTF-Beta

Journalist James Surowiecki now seems to have cracked the tariff calculation code.
"They didn't take into account non-tariff barriers at all, as they claim. Instead, they just took the trade deficit and divided it by the country's exports."

Surowiecki gives the example of Indonesia. "We have a trade deficit of $17.9 billion with Indonesia. Exports to us are $28 billion. 17.9 divided by 28 = 64%. And that, according to Trump, is the tariff that Indonesia charges us. What nonsense this is."

In a follow-up tweet, Surowiecki said it was "even worse" than he thought. "Trump's staff only considered the trade deficit in goods. Services apparently don't matter."

And what about Russia?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdjl3k1we8vo

Kindness is as kindness does. Got to be fair.

I tolerated 10 minutes of the Trump(CF) address before his self-professed humbleness, the meekness & humility of his demeanor, became too much to bear.

A vexed question.
We are in our healthy early sixties but these are full on sheepdogs (she is working stock while he is of showdog lineage) who could live well over 10 years; daughters live in London flats. One won't entertain the idea, will the other want a second?

Our dog is confirmed pregnant. Father is a shaggy, light brown, she is sleek, curly, tricolour.
Wondering how our pups will turn out?

At least Trump(CF) is truly elected.
We had Liz Truss and Rich Sunak foisted on us

This was in yesterday's Telegraph

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-daily-telegraph-your-money/20250329/281663965814049

Has the phrase 'Donald Dashers' become familiar in the US?
There have been two newspaper articles this week (Telegraph and Mail) with that title, and I was wondering who coined the term?

We used them at work to type labels until around 2010. The machines we bought came from Mexico.

I saw one in a charity shop, tempted because it was in really good condition. Made in GDR, but passed on it because where would I get ribbons?

This was reported (I think it was the FT) and caught my attention as the article said their new battery takes 4 minutes to charge giving over 400 miles range.

Is there really any difference these days? Are any of the old PA still about with Hamas rampant and the actual authority in Gaza?

Apologies for being vociferous btw, heartily sick of seeing the prolonged suffering.l day after day.
If we only had a decent UN with claws and teeth to sort evil out.
Instead we have Trump(CF) considering signing America up to our Commonwealth, he likes our King so much.

Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel yesterday and the Lebanese government have had enough and are going to do something about those Iranian proxies. Good news.

Kluurs
Do scholarly reports viewed on Turkish and Qatari TV count? Arguments from a Professor of an Iranian University who makes frequent appearances? Documentaries they broadcast about the history of the region, often with input from US academics?
I also watch the French 24, a station which I regard highly.

Stolen land or not, an eventual opportunistic response or not, 59 hostages are still held in Gaza. And the murderers of 1300 people remain free to kill again.

The near ruin of Gaza and tens of thousands of people killed & injured, mean as much to the faceless Palestinian Authority as Berlin did to Hitler.

What to do? Israel has started target bombing again. Will we watch this soft option for another 17 months?

The Berlin option remains, a house by house search & destroy until the Palestinian Authority surrender unconditionally or (as is more likely) are all dead.

It should have started when the civilised world was aghast and furious at the murderous incursion.

Huge IWC advert (FTimes weekend magazine) for their latest retro offering had me scurrying to find my 1978 Omega:

Not sure if I'm a fan of guilloche, but I know that new metal strap will be more comfortable.

Sitting unaffected on my comfy sofa I can almost hear the words shouted angrily at the next BAA meeting...
"Single point of failure?"

Heathrow is rather like a large town employing 75,000 people, who facilitate thousands of daily visitors.
It beggars belief that the busiest airport in Europe running 24-7 had, effectively, no backup generator.

For all the documentation and definitions signed up to since WW1, if there is one lesson to be learnt over the last century it is that people are going to take a long time to change.
Human nature remains essentially needy, greedy, jealous, aggressive.

Codification of war, of war crimes etc. is all very nice in academia, but the words on paper means little or nothing to despots like Xi (Huyger persecution)and Putin(taking children of Donbass).

The Palestinian army sent into Israel on 7th Oct, sent in to kill & kidnap without regard to age/gender/status, is an army that clearly fights without any rules.
Civilians, soldiery, & ruling authorities, buildings, infrastructure & services, all are targets in their total war to eradicate Israel.

When violent invasion occurs by a people of such ideals & character, I see no problem with severe responses such as were taken in WW2.
The decisions to bomb Dresden, make the dam buster raids, even the Nagasaki bomb. The idea that 'you may be able to fight on, but surrender now or we'll take out your cities and population until there's nothing & nobody in your homeland left to fight for'.

So I'll continue to support all Israeli actions until the Palestinians release all their hostages.

Bit ironic no?

How do they propose to fight the Palestinian genocidal terrorists ruling Gaza who continue to hold Israeli hostages and openly threaten to repeat the atrocities of 7th Oct 23 against Israel until it and its population are eradicated?

It's good to make the international shipping lanes safe for all countries

Interesting video. If only their government was nicer.

Over the weekend I binge watched the first series of:
The Diplomat
(set in Barcelona)

Now rewatching:
Signora Volpe
(set in Italy)