… and there were advantages to it … the ability to just lie back and listen … it continued episode to episode, no ads. The YT one below you’d not want to “watch” on YT for the very reason of horrible ads, really the pits … but at HQ, that’s solved:
Which still leaves one issue … we know em all, we’ve heard each at least twice, we know the formulaic plots, we know the villain by the end. Thus it can only be for the process, for the evocation, we’d spend the time. I just listened to the Spencer opening and was already hooked again. Why?
Political posts … have read the sidebar … I have a job to do just now, so maybe 1330 onwards back here.
Reading IYE’s latest comment about his corner of France, I had just come from Xing three ladies Lucia, lida and Moosh (whom we know) … the first had posted:
Sometime back, lida had posted:
… and Moosh also puts out some evocative prints in a different style, but still with those highly evocative, melancholy undertones, the sense of solitary glimpses into something now far away.
I once found myself stepping out at night (or often during the day at some cafe) with a number of quite striking beauties, each an individual, and yet each with a certain melancholy … it immediately made me think of this Amon Duul song:
Maybe cut the band some slack on the lyrics … French German band, singing in English.
… plus it reminded me of The Three Days of the Condor … that part where he “kidnaps” the girl back to her apartment, where she has similar art upon the walls … bare trees, unadorned. I hasten to add that these ladies were never “overdone”, never made up as “painted women”, flopping it all out … there was a certain unknowing mystery in there, even an austere style.
When I think of those days, comparing it to my “rugby playing bully” days, and again comparing it to our current Restore brutalism, in contrast to IYE’s evocative pen picture of France … I’m just grateful for the journey … quite some journey … even now, my longest known friend is pony trekking in Iceland and reporting on it … the weather is interesting, as it is with us.
The foremost issue of having been an “associate member” of various western scenes over the years is that one is never fully accepted by any. Certainly accepted personally but not seen as “one of them” … how could I be? Just now, I’ve been speaking with Toodles of a mutual friend near the gulf … so what comes out of it is this sort of westwide culture and yet strong national cultures within each … personally, I love that. It’s not constricting, not suffocating. It’s vibrant.
And us here, we unherdables … what a mix … yet all of us think of cultural purity. Go figure, as an American might say.
(0658) Morning all! Looking dull out there as the clock strikes thirteen. (0757)
5. We may have had this, never mind
4. Steve at 1298
The Boss is Getting Fed Up’: Trump Advisor Warns of 90% Chance of US Strike on Iran Within Weeks
Vermont Spent Millions on Electric Buses That Turned Out to be ‘Unreliable’ in Cold Weather
Family Accuses Assisted Suicide Laws of ‘Killing the Disabled and Vulnerable’ After Son Is Euthanized for Suffering From ‘Seasonal Depression’
A Digital Maginot Line: Paris’s Plan for Cyber Dominance
Russia Rushes Oil To China As Iran Prepares Hormuz Closure; Medinsky Crushes Kiev Hopes Geneva Talks
Bioweapons Research in Switzerland?
EU Investigates Shein Over ‘Addictive Designs’ And Sales Of Childlike Sex Dolls
France Still in Shock After Murder of Young Patriot by Far-Left Mob (JH: Is this the one DAD was referring to? They’ve now stepped up to murder?)
Resisting A Pandemic of Mass Mediocrity
Much more.
3. These things do go viral
… hence the evil muvvers’ attempts at draconian screw-tightening:
2. The hopefully semi-eternal DAD
a) More on the murder at Lyon. Leftist Group linked to killing of young Activist not just a problem in France…. (JH: Murder at Lyon?)
b) Does Art follow Life: or does Life follow Art? An actor was pelted with fruit, shouted down and attacked by members of the audience as he delivered a monologue in character as a far-right activist….
c) The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has called on the UK Labour Government to scrap its ban on new North Sea exploration licences and bring the Energy Profits Levy to an orderly end….
d) Why is the UK Government Killing the Countryside? As long as there’s a settled, traditional people with deep roots and connectedness to the landscape, it will be observed that there always were indigenous peoples of these isles….
e) Liars: German national TV caught using AI images of fake ICE arrest….
f) The other day I look for a few minutes at the Ghlislain Maxwell 5th amendment video [GM5th}. Immediately I thought, “Blimy, prison food has filled out her face”.
(1704) Evening all, hope it was a good one for ye. Check if I’ve missed anything.
25. Andrew at the court of Rupert
My interview yesterday outside the Royal Courts of Justice. After the first hearing of @RupertLowe10 case against the IGCS and Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. I know exactly how this system works in Parliament to smear MPs who don’t stick to the scripted narrative. Please… https://t.co/6vJ53qQorn
Former PM Gordon Brown states that he was aware that Jeffrey Epstein was trafficking girls into and out of the UK ftom Stansted airport. It’s clear that private jets and their passengers are not regulated. The super rich are allowed to traffic children around the world. Why ? pic.twitter.com/bPvDsxhao6
… to a hundred and something pages … may I suggest you bookmark it at your place while it’s still on the front page? Meanwhile, there’s real war on X … enjoying it, making new friends and trying to help Britain too. I posted it on X too.
This is 2h 25m of Callan in three episodes. Now you either like, dislike or don’t know of it (outside the UK or before the 80s) but it did have a major audience at the time, it was the new dystopic series with anti-hero, in the style of Le Carre et al. Baddy could have been anyone but in the 70s, it was the KGB.
William Squires was the section honcho, called “Hunter”, Callan was the best operative, tone of the show was bleak. This is three episodes in a row, joined, about a KGB operative “Richmond”, played by TP McKenna, an excellent actor. It was unusual for the three episodes to be linked in theme. I’d say the best single episode might have been A Magnum for Schneider.
Hope you like this bit of nostalgia. At 1125, 2h 25m takes us to 1350, when I’ll resume … lunch, snooze, washing to do.
(0838) Dull out there again. Someone in Britain just said snow was forecast. (0916)
15. Thought for the day
14. State of play
13. Isn’t it “to” dust we will return?
Never mind. Just in case you’ve forgotten. From Senator Canavan, Queensland downunder.
Not being RC, nor any denomination right now, just biblical, the question is how far to observe these traditions such as abstinence. I mean … why? Ok, ok … if I have to give up ladies or chocolate … which one? Maybe just reduce?
12. More on that Alex Phillips and Young Bob interview
Don’t know about you but nice that Brit politics has become interesting again … even fun.
“A convicted child sex trafficker told a biologist: produce research on “transgender biology” or I cut your funding. The biologist complied. Six EFTA documents connect Jeffrey Epstein to the construction of America’s transgender medicine industry.
The biologist was Robert Trivers. After “7 years of continuous support” from Epstein, Trivers was desperate. He couldn’t make rent. Epstein’s email (EFTA01035762): “I thought that you might want to focus on transgender biology. people would be interested and i would fund.” Trivers capitulated the same day.
This is the same Robert Trivers who told Reuters that sex with minors isn’t “so heinous”: “By the time they’re 14 or 15, they’re like grown women were 60 years ago.” A convicted child sex trafficker paid this man to write about transgender children.
Epstein also funded the surgeon. Dr. Jess Ting received a $50,000 Epstein grant, visited his private island, and went on to build America’s first comprehensive transgender surgery program at Mount Sinai.
By 2017, Ting told Epstein he’d “given up plastic surgery and jumped into the world of transgender surgery.” By 2018, Epstein forwarded Ting’s email about the program to an associate (EFTA02667053). He wasn’t just receiving updates. He was circulating them.
Ting also solicited Epstein’s money for Born to Be — the Emmy-nominated documentary promoting Mount Sinai’s transgender surgery center. And when Reuters called asking about the Epstein relationship? Ting offered to let Epstein vet his responses to the press.
On December 18, 2025, HHS declared “gender-affirming care” for minors to be chemical and surgical mutilation. The government addressed WHAT these procedures do. These documents answer WHO BUILT IT.
(0437) Already it’s started … drops from three of our people, plus Young Bob on Alex Woman. Fascinating. Tell you what … for a pundit, for a news service, there’s an overwhelming amount of copy out there. Have a sombre Ash Wednesday. (0523)
5. My first tweet of the day over there
“Kathy Gyngell:
‘Mr. Farage had it in his power to lead a new genuine conservative right in British politics. By pandering to failed and unprincipled Tories he appears to have blown it.’
And moose limbs. He is being groomed for govt for sure. Restore is distraction to Them.”
(Incidentally … that quote is exactly the number of characters allowed on X.)
“Some on the ‘woke right’ saw the wind blowing in Reform’s direction and the potential for future career opportunities. Farage’s 3rd go at a ‘more of the same with a few populist tweaks’ Party won’t frighten the horses. Restore has blindsided them.”
Order of Restore:
“Reform has been the most obvious establishment bait and switch ever, the original donors list told absolutely everything you needed to know.”
Milesey:
“Thought you wanted this country back? Yet it seems from this & your interview with Charlie Downes and your rant against Restore with Isabel you may just be controlled opposition. Used to love listening to you.”
3. Steve at 1297
Fiery DHS Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin to Leave Trump Administration
Islamic Prayer Is Now Broadcasting on the Streets of New York City – 5 Times per Day
Bannon Breaks Silence: Says Epstein Texts Were for Documentary — Vows Film Will “Destroy the Myths” of the Notorious Predator (JH: Utter bollox, he’ll have to do better than that.)
Russia sends heavy hitters to Geneva. Graham demands regime change. Starmer vs infinite scrolling
98% of Excess Deaths in Highly Vaccinated Australian Regions Were Not From COVID-19
Why Trump’s Naval Buildup Near Iran Could End in Catastrophe
Epstein Files: Kyiv Recruited, Tel Aviv Enforced and the Phones Still Ring
Much more.
2. Toodles on Maxwell
The good lady sent two clips … one on Woody Allen, the sleazeball, with Twiggy … the other with someone I once ran here and maybe again … Melanie King … on the GM dummy used at the congressional hearing:
The obvious question is … do they take us for fools. Second thought is yes, they do but also don’t care now how sloppy they are to fail to cover up these days.
1. DAD at 1297
Wednesday. Things are not going well in France.
a) Lyon is a hot-bed of violent Lefties. Last week-end a young man who was protecting a meeting of Right-wingers was beaten-up and killed. I have not reported it as things were progressing….
b) One can always trust Jean-Luc Melenchon [Head of LFI] to pour petrol on a conflagration….
c) Seven 9mm rounds of ammunition were discovered on January 13, 2026, in a cell in the semi-open unit of Osny prison (95)….
d) According to information from ‘Le Canard Enchaîné’, the Prime Minister’s agricultural advisor was dismissed shortly before Christmas for “drug use.” The PM Sébastien Lecornu’s aide reportedly overdosed at a party….
