Ok, not football at all, but it matters, eventually.

[spaldy]

In the "it's a small world category"....

I had a neighbor across the street from me in Fishers, IN that was Latvian. He passed at 90 back in 2021. I used to go help him cut down scrub and trees as well heights work. I had to force him to allow me to help him. 80+ year olds don't need to be on ladders or running chainsaws. Afterwards he'd offer me beers and tell some stories. Hard to get him to reveal anything personally. Near the end he told me a riveting story about his life.

He was a prisoner of war for 3 different countries. Enlisted to help the Fins fight the russians when they invaded. He knew they were next. I suspect that he was underage given his age and when the war started. He was taken prisoners by the Russians when the Fins were overrun. He was conscripted to fight the Germans who he had no real problem with so he figured out he could cook and went that route. He also was very good at languages and knew quite a few so used him as a translator. When the Germans were overun by the Allies he was taken prisoner again. By then he was a good cook and spent the rest of the war cooking for officers. He was shipped over near the end of the war to a prison camp in Indiana (no fences- he said many were very happy to be there). After the war he ended up being adopted by a local church under a program and ended up in the US the rest of his days. The russians killed off his family so no reason to go back. He also said that they all came in and took over the baltic states.

Other than a deep hatred for the russians (not uncommon to anyone subjected to their rule) he was a really well adjusted and happy person. You would never have guessed his life story.

As MT knows Latvian is a unique language branch. I think it's one of two languages in this branch. I went to his funeral and honestly did not recognize hardly a world. I have a passing familiarity with several languages (mainly the romance language branch) so it was totally alien to me trying to figure out any words or even how the language worked syntax wise.

I was really glad to have had the chance to meet him.

[WTF11]

Back to the original issue of the thread;

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknew...03335507&ei=14

The Independent is just that, and it has no "axe to grind" when it comes to a stance on American politics (unless of course you think that all news outlets are anti-Trump? If so, why?). Trump is in one way like an elephant, he doesn't forget. He's also like the basest of humanity, in the he bears a grudge. In a President the first is perhaps a commendable quality, the latter somewhat less so.

And now we see that President-elect Trump wants to bypass senate hearings to confirm the appointment of his nominees, despite having a Republican majority in House AND Senate and wants to resort to recess appointments, approval for which would rest on just the Senate, wonder why?

Said it earlier this thread, be careful what you wish for, your wishes might be answered..

[WTF11]

And this from GB News, the U equivalent of "Truth social", hardly a Trump opponent;

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...e723ffb0&ei=13

[WTF11]

And another, despite the website trying to prevent logins on pc/laptop, f00k them all!)

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...e41d1def&ei=69

[WTF11]

Must make your heart swell with pride to be an American, in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...eb3a5009&ei=19

[spaldy]

Must make your heart swell with pride to be an American, in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...eb3a5009&ei=19

Always proud to be an American just as I am a parent, spouse or a Leeds supporter.

You can't just pick the times you want to support a country or team. You always do your best to support and effect positive change. People who only support during the good times make you wonder if they are really behind the cause. The stakes are highest on parenting but it works it's way down to country, work, neighborhood, church etc.

[WTF11]

And this from GB News, the U equivalent of "Truth social", hardly a Trump opponent;

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...e723ffb0&ei=13

"GB equivalent" f00king predictive texting!

[Orgoner]

You presumably know that you can preview before posting?

And, even if you do happen to miss something, you can still edit it afterwards.

Just saying, like.