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43
End of Skype
The main reason I'm looking for a program similar to Skype is I want the cheapest rate going when calling Government Departments and Banks when I placed on hold for 30 minutes or even longer. -
27
Can Americans afford vacations anymore?
I'd be surprised it was that low. Depending on what you're trying to buy, the number can be a lot higher than that. Some things are starting to come down, although Trump's tariffs might complicate things for a while. -
3
New Google Docs: "Help Me Write"....What IS this garbage?
Can you turn that junk off? Even the autocorrect spelling thing is a pain in the neck, sometimes. Anyway, when I write something, I don't need an AI assistant telling me how to improve. It just complicates matters.- 1
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Kirsty Coventry Triumphs Over Seb Coe in IOC Presidency Vote
No appetite for change inside the ultimate private members’ club as Thomas Bach will be succeeded by his preferred candidate at end of 12-year Lausanne reign In a closely watched election that unfolded in southern Greece, Kirsty Coventry emerged victorious over Sebastian Coe, securing the presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in a result that many saw as a win for continuity rather than reform. While the election of Coventry—the first female president of the IOC—is being hailed as a historic milestone for gender equality in sports leadership, the reality behind the scenes suggests otherwise. This was, in many ways, a confirmation of outgoing president Thomas Bach’s enduring influence, ensuring that his preferred successor would take over when his 12-year reign in Lausanne officially ends. Sports Correspondent asks IOC President Kirsty Coventry whether the sports body will comply with Donald Trump's stance that trans women should be banned from women's sport at the Olympics. Despite publicly insisting that he had no favored candidate, the 71-year-old Bach’s support for Coventry was an open secret. The election, which some anticipated would be a drawn-out affair, concluded within minutes, with the official announcement taking slightly longer—more akin to an Oscars-style awards ceremony than a contentious leadership race. For Lord Coe, the outcome was a significant setback, though not an unexpected one. As the reformist candidate in a seven-person contest, his vision for modernization never gained the traction he had hoped for. His defeat became all but inevitable when Bach, who was also named honorary life president, delivered an emotional farewell speech that underscored the organization’s reluctance to embrace change. Of the 97 IOC members eligible to vote, Coventry secured 49 votes, surpassing the minimum majority needed. Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. followed with 28, while Coe trailed far behind with only eight. Many within the IOC found the prospect of electing Samaranch—son of a former IOC president with ties to China and Spain’s Franco-era politics—unpalatable, making Coventry’s path to victory all the more straightforward. Coe, ever the sportsman, accepted his defeat with grace. He acknowledged his disappointment but emphasized the importance of having an athlete at the helm of the Olympic movement. Yet the election results underscored a harsh reality: the most qualified or reformist candidate does not always win. "The machine has won on this occasion," remarked one well-placed observer, pointing out that nearly three-quarters of the IOC’s voting membership was appointed during Bach’s tenure. Some, like Japan’s Morinari Watanabe, fought hard for their visions of change—his proposal of an Olympics spanning five continents, with 24-hour rolling TV coverage, was met with skepticism, earning him only three additional votes (assuming he voted for himself). Meanwhile, Coe had assembled a robust campaign team, but it was ultimately no match for Coventry’s seemingly effortless victory. Despite lacking a high-profile PR operation, she secured the presidency with little more than a modest manifesto written alongside her husband and a single PR aide, who was absent from the proceedings due to prior commitments. Reports suggest that Bach and his allies actively lobbied for Coventry deep into the election process. While he denied mentoring her directly, it was clear that she was the candidate he trusted to preserve the status quo. His remarks following the election contained a subtle rebuke to Coe and other critics of the IOC’s secretive voting process. “There is a good democratic rule: when you don’t win an election, you don’t blame the voters and you don’t blame the procedure,” Bach said, reinforcing the idea that the organization had no appetite for structural reform. As Coventry took the stage for her first press conference as president-elect, she was immediately questioned about her political ties to Zimbabwe. Her acceptance of a $100,000 cash reward from Robert Mugabe in 2008 after winning her second Olympic gold had long been a point of controversy. However, more significant concerns center on her role as Zimbabwe’s minister of sport and youth in a government led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa—nicknamed “The Crocodile” for his ruthless leadership—who remains under sanctions from the UK and the US. International human rights groups have condemned Mnangagwa’s administration for its repression of journalists and political opponents. The UK government has called on Zimbabwe’s leaders to uphold democratic principles and human rights. Critics argue that Coventry’s involvement in such a regime raises ethical questions about her suitability to lead the IOC. Addressing these concerns, Coventry defended her position, stating, “In terms of my country, I chose to try to create change from the inside. It gets criticized, and that’s OK. But I don’t think it’s right to scream from the sidelines. You have to be at the table.” While her remarks are unlikely to quell skepticism about her political affiliations, they reflect her belief in working within existing structures rather than challenging them outright—an approach that may have resonated with IOC members seeking stability over transformation. She also fielded questions about how she would handle geopolitical tensions, particularly with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon and the potential return of Donald Trump to the US presidency. “I’ve dealt with difficult men in high positions since I was 20 years old,” she said. “Communication is key. But my firm belief is that President Trump is a big fan of sports, and he will want these Games to be significant.” For Coe, the defeat marked the end of what may have been the toughest race of his career. Reflecting on the experience, he said, “You can only do what is in front of you. What I tried to do was really understand what the challenges were, articulate them, and then it was up to the membership.” Some observers in Greece quipped that Coventry’s victory was the biggest win for her namesake since the 1987 FA Cup final. But for many, this was no joking matter. It was a missed opportunity for meaningful reform, a testament to Bach’s enduring influence, and a moment that cemented the IOC’s resistance to change even as its leadership shifts. Based on a report by The Times 2025-03-22 -
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Trump Jokes About Biden’s “Wonderful” Talent He Could Never Master
US President Donald Trump couldn’t resist taking a jab at his predecessor, Joe Biden, during a recent interview where he revealed one ability the current president has that he simply cannot match. During a conversation with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham on The Ingraham Angle, the 78-year-old Trump was asked about his sleeping habits. Ingraham pointed out that he doesn’t seem to get much sleep and inquired about what he does when he wakes up in the middle of the night. "When you can't fall asleep, you wake up in the middle of the night, how do you go back to sleep?" she asked. Trump responded by highlighting what he humorously called “the only thing I totally admired about Sleepy Joe Biden.” "He'd go to a beach, he'd lay down on a cot, barely able to get his feet through the sand, he'd lay down, and within minutes he's sleeping," Trump said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I could never do that." The president has long mocked Biden with the nickname “Sleepy Joe,” and despite Biden no longer holding office, Trump continues to target him. "I would never be able to sleep like that," Trump added, emphasizing that this was the one thing about Biden that he found “wonderful.” However, the compliment didn’t last long, as Trump quickly pivoted back to his usual criticism, calling Biden a “disaster.” Reflecting on his own sleep habits, Trump admitted that he simply doesn’t sleep much. "A lot of people that love what they're doing don't sleep much, I find. And so far it's been OK," he remarked. During his first term, Trump’s White House physician, Dr. Ronny Jackson, reported that he functioned on just four to five hours of sleep per night. His late-night and early-morning activity on social media has long been a topic of discussion. While Trump enjoys golfing in his free time, Biden frequently vacationed at Rehoboth Beach during his presidency. Cameras often captured him relaxing on the sand with his family, a sight Trump has repeatedly mocked. This isn’t the first time Trump has ridiculed Biden for his beach getaways. During a campaign rally in Iowa last year, Trump took aim at Biden’s beach appearances, even making a bold claim about their physical fitness. "He spends so much time at the beach," Trump told the crowd. "How do you do that? And you know, I have a much better body than him, but I'm not really sure that I want to expose it." Even with Biden out of the political spotlight, it seems Trump has no plans to let up on his long-running rivalry. Based on a report by The Daily Mail 2025-03-22 -
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Meloni Caught Between Trump and Europe as Trans-Atlantic Rift Widens
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is facing a difficult balancing act as tensions grow between Europe and former U.S. President Donald Trump. While she has worked hard to maintain strong ties with Trump and his allies, including billionaire Elon Musk, her efforts to bridge the trans-Atlantic divide are proving increasingly difficult. Meloni was hesitant to join a recent video call with European leaders discussing the potential deployment of peacekeeping troops to Ukraine—an idea she strongly opposes. When she eventually dialed in, she made her position clear, criticizing leaders from France and the U.K. for strategizing without involving the United States. "It’s simply counterproductive to antagonize the United States," Meloni reportedly told them. "We cannot replace American support." She instead proposed a trans-Atlantic summit on Ukraine, but many European leaders are determined to move forward without waiting for Washington’s approval. Meloni has positioned herself as a key figure in maintaining ties between Europe and Trump, as uncertainty over America’s commitment to European security grows. While Trump has alarmed European leaders with threats of trade tariffs and by pressuring Ukraine to make concessions to Russia, many countries are beginning to discuss reducing their reliance on the U.S. for defense—an idea that Meloni strongly opposes. Despite her close relationship with Trump and Musk, Meloni has yet to see tangible benefits from her alignment with them. Trump has made sweeping threats against European trade, declaring, "The European Union was formed in order to screw the United States. That’s the purpose of it." Meloni has urged the European Union not to retaliate against potential tariffs, warning Italian lawmakers that a trade war could harm ordinary citizens. "I am not sure it is necessarily wise to respond to tariffs with tariffs," she said. "Italy’s efforts should focus on finding common sense solutions between the United States and Europe." Meloni, who leads one of Italy’s most stable governments in recent history, is in a better position than many of her European counterparts to engage with Trump. Her strong stance against immigration and "gender ideology" has made her a political ally of the former U.S. president, who has called her a "fantastic woman." She was also the only European head of government to attend his inauguration and has developed a personal friendship with Musk. This connection has yielded some results. During a dinner at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in January, Meloni secured Trump’s support for a prisoner-exchange deal that led to the release of an Italian journalist held in Iran. However, her influence over Trump’s broader foreign policy remains limited. In a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference last month, Meloni urged continued U.S. support for Ukraine, calling it a nation where "a proud people fight for their freedom against a brutal aggression." Her appeal was met with silence. Weeks later, Trump publicly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, briefly cut off military aid, and signaled a possible shift in U.S. alignment toward Russia, triggering panic among European leaders. As Washington’s support for Ukraine becomes less certain, European leaders are scrambling to bolster their own military capabilities. Meloni, a staunch defender of the Western alliance, now faces the real possibility that a second Trump administration could turn its back on Europe. Her insistence that European leaders should remain aligned with the U.S. is beginning to isolate her. "Washington has no desire to build a bridge with the European Union—and no one in Europe asked Meloni to play that role," said Teresa Coratella, an analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Meloni recently proposed extending NATO’s mutual defense guarantee to Ukraine, despite the country not being a member. Trump has so far dismissed calls for U.S. security guarantees for Kyiv. At the same time, she has backed a major European plan to increase military spending but has cautioned against moves that might drive the U.S. further away. Nicola Procaccini, a senior member of Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party in the European Parliament, warned, "One thing is doing our part by investing in military spending, as we rightly should. But it’s a fallacy to think that we can do without the United States, that there can be a European defense outside NATO." At a recent EU summit, Meloni sought to include a statement praising Trump’s efforts to broker peace in Ukraine. Other European leaders rejected the idea, wary of Trump’s unpredictable negotiations with Putin and concerned that he might prioritize repairing U.S.-Russia relations at Ukraine’s expense. Another test of Italy’s approach will be whether Meloni signs a long-term deal with Musk’s SpaceX to provide Starlink satellite communications for Italian embassies and military missions. While the Italian government views Starlink as a cutting-edge solution, there is growing debate within Meloni’s administration about the risks of relying on Musk, who has made controversial remarks about Ukraine’s military dependence on Starlink. His statement that Ukraine’s defenses would "collapse" without Starlink was widely interpreted as a veiled threat, sparking concerns in Rome. In response, Italy has begun exploring alternatives, including the French-owned satellite company Eutelsat. As the divide between the U.S. and Europe continues to grow, Meloni’s efforts to maintain strong trans-Atlantic ties are facing serious obstacles. With Trump’s influence reshaping global alliances, Italy’s leader finds herself in a difficult position—one where both Europe and the U.S. may be moving in directions beyond her control. Based on a report by WSJ 2025-03-22
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