JAG

It was a marvelous testament to the regenerative properties conveyed by a diet of Big Macs and Diet Coke!

One plans for contingencies. The threats to both Canada and Greenland are consistent and persistent. The US maintains a military which is large enough to do either from a "standing start". That said I doubt that the people of the US would appreciate their National Guard being rotated through Canada on occupation duties. It is a big country - how many troops will be needed, for example, to garrison and escort convoys on the trucking routes through Canada to Alaska? Along with the threats Trump is doing his best to smash NATO. His scorn for other international bodies - notably the UN is obvious; ironically both bodies were largely created by the US to prevent exactly this sort of thing from happening again! He may be trolling, but given his actions and the capacities he controls, as I said, one plans for contingencies.

Yes, absolutely the case.

On his way to the nearest fountain for s <deleted>, shower, shave and shampoo!

I am sure that the King has the greatest respect for the Office of President of The United States. I rather doubt wether he has any respect for the current incumbent, or the collection of characters who surround him.

A resigning Prime Minister, very little. A newly elected Prime Minister, rather more. He or she will, as the Canadian Constitution requires, consult with the King of Canada. If the threats continue, and are deemed to be real, and damaging to Canada, then as King of Canada (on the advice of his Prime Minister) he may will feel he needs to speak. What will it accomplish? Well it will no doubt bring down a Trumpian tirade. This will certainly put a stop to the planned State Visit to the UK; President Trump may not care about that, although I suspect he will! Such a tirade will not go unnoticed world wide, and will bring his Presidency into disrepute - although again he may not care. You may be certain that any "takeover" which is opposed by the people and government of Canada will be opposed by the King, and resisted by Canadians if attempted. I would not be surprised that if a date is announced on which the USA intends to incorporate Canada, we would discover that the King will be in Canada at that same time! If nothing else, it would spark the biggest international incident since 1939, with repercussions for the USA, diplomatic and economic which will not fade for a very long time, not to mention a significant resistance movement. USA has a very large army, but you would need it to occupy, tie down and subdue a rebellious Canada.

I first went to the USA back in the Clinton Presidency. The cities (Washington DC) were amazing, and their populations seemed prosperous. As we drove down the coast through Virginia and the Carolinas it became a very different story. Rural housing was often little more than shacks, or battered mobile homes. Lots of abandoned housing. No obvious employment, little economic activity apart from the ubiquitous fast food outlets. It was, frankly, away from the cities, and going by most markers, pretty third world then. I was there with the Army. Talking to the US soldiers it rapidly became clear that many (if not most) had joined because it was the only way to get a job, and the only way to get an education and medical care; particularly the coloured soldier. The amount of latent discrimination both in the military and in civil society was noticeable. I went back several times over the next ten years. Not a lot seemed to change.

The Canadians have many strengths. Amongst them is an unerring ability to take the Mickey!

Hasn't NASA (immune to Musk's influence of course), cancelled a contract with one of Musk's competitors and awarded it to "Starlink". Not so much in plain sight as emblazoned in a multicoloured laser show all over NASA headquarters!

Musk wouldn't recognise the truth if it fell off the end of the bookshelf and hit him on the head! Mind you, much the same is true of his (titular) boss. As ever, everything they touch is clouded by a tissue of lies and claims that it is all done to paint them in a bad light! As Julius Caesar is reported to have claimed of his assassins in the Roman Senate (as discovered by the researchers for the docudrama "Carry on Cleo") : " Infamy, Infamy, they've all got it in for me!"

Pedantic I know, but why would you wish to dine off a monocular children's cartoon character (a minion) with its bones removed?

The King is the head of state (for Canada). Trudeau is his Prime Minister. Trudeau has a constitutional duty to consult with him. As King of Canada Charles has an absolute duty to make his views (as advised by his government ) known on the constant and very real intentions expressed by the current US Government, to annex Canada. That absolute duty extends to supporting and expressing the view of the Canadian government and people. It is complicated by the political uncertainty in Canada. That uncertainty will be settled when the new government is elected and installed. It is further complicated by the UK government attempts to curry favour with Trump by arranging a state visit. Starmer will have to be aware that such a state visit would be unwise if not impossible if Trump, as he likely will, turns his vitriol on King Charles as King of Canada. Interesting times!

Next "Bob bulletin" will be moaning about why so many of his local restaurants will not serve him!

Get your friend to her local government hospital. They are well set up for treating diabetes. Each hospital will hold regular diabetic clinics to monitor and control the disease. There isn't a magic bullet for diabetes - medicines - insulin and oral medicines will help get the blood sugar down to manageable levels, and medicine and diet will help control it. There is a significant reservoir of experience in dealing with it - Thais are susceptible - perhaps it is their taste for sticky rice? You can expect to spend time waiting around - take a book. I am diabetic, and am treated in my local (rural) hospital, in fact I went for my 4 monthly clinic visit today. I arrived at 0700, was seen by the nurse at about 0730, she took details, blood pressure and asked questions about my health. Then over to the labs. Waiting, reading a book until the lab technician made her favourite giggly tannoy announcement "Khun John Anthony, put the book down and come here". Pee in that bottle (what, from here? - more giggles), then draw some blood. Wait about an hour for the results, which are sent direct to the nurse and doctors computer terminals. Meanwhile over for a quick chest X ray, then back to see a doctor (who looked about fourteen!) he seemed happy with the results. No need to change the medication. Back to the nurse, a detailed debrief on the test results, kidneys good, blood sugar under control, urine good, lose a bit of weight, how is life treating you? (Quite "holistic") Quick English lesson on why Wednesday and Thursday are named for the Norse Gods Woden and Thor(!) and off to the adjacent pharmacy to pick up 4 months supply of insulin and medication. Total cost B4600. The next two visits are cheaper as I only have chest X-ray and blood tests once a year. All the staff, nurses, doctor, lab techs and pharmacy spoke English. Nurse Noodle (she cannot pronounce needle!) speaks excellent English, and is a Diabetic specialist. Back home by 12.30. Like I said, get your friend to the local hospital.

If you subscribe to the belief that man was created in the image of the almighty, then that puts Trump firmly in the category of "made up"!

Perhaps Trudeau is right - an attempt to destroy Canada's economy as a prelude/excuse to annexation. Why? Trump and his backers are very focussed on the "rare earth minerals" and Canada has a lot of them. They want them - it is to them what the oil boom was in places like Texas in the last century. The same motivation applies to Greenland and Ukraine. The current US Government is not really interested in, or bothered about domestic or international consequences, it works for its wealthy backers, who see this as an opportunity to become vastly wealthier.

Does it make you leak - often wondered?

What a load of self indulgent old cobblers!

Well "strap my vitals", Channel 4 being less than truthful when reporting from Gaza! How completely out of character!

That is ultimately sick.

Umh, has Mexico paid for "the big beautiful wall" yet?

?

As King of Canada, (a constitutional monarchy) he will act and speak as advised by his Prime Minister (Mr Trudeau). He is, as a constitutional monarch, constrained by a number of guidelines and "guard rails". Now I understand that the current US administration are enthusiastically ignoring guidelines and jettisoning "guardrails", but Canada still has and follows them.

I understand only took well. I was in the British Army for a long time. I served in several campaigns, the last two were "American led", and which both essentially ended in "cluster<deleted>s" when the Yanks cut and ran. The "trademark move", since Vietnam and Cambodia in the early 1970s and repeatedly since is to abandon your allies.

I was in the British Army for a long time. I served in several campaigns, the last two were "American led", and which both essentially ended in "cluster<deleted>s" when the Yanks cut and ran. The "trademark move", since Vietnam and Cambodia in the early 1970s and repeatedly since is to abandon your allies.