FastFreddy2

I think in a nutshell, you have identified the current status. This was a chance for a non-politician to 'clean-sweep' the usual resistant mire of politics that tends to bog everything down. A chance for someone who many believed had his wits about him, and could make change. 4 years on we can see this administration wasn't about making America great again, but feeding the biggest ego seen in politics for a very long time. If Weinstein thought he was being persecuted/chased, what lies ahead for Trump with the American judiciary will surely be in another league. Not only will Trump be sought through the courts, so will what's left of the Trump business. No-one expects his current wife to hang around either.

Amendment 25 allows for the incumbent to be assessed as incapable of holding office effectively. While the incumbent can use A.25 to 'relieve' themselves temporarily, there is a clause that allows the position to be taken. The VP and at least 8 of the 15 Cabinet members must conclude this and issue 'notice' to both the incumbent and the House(s) the incumbent has been replaced and for what reason. The danger of course, is that should the incumbent get wind of this before the declarations are made, he has the authority to fire both the VP and all the Cabinet who report to him. Impeachment failed before, but it might not after yesterday. Despite everything that has happened in the past 4 years, Trump still has supporters in both Houses. After Jan 20th of course, completely different ball game. Democrats have both Houses, mostly thanks to Trumps appalling performance which has spiralled downward with increasing speed for at least the past year. We will have to agree to disagree on the 'pride' issue. Trump will stay where he is right up until Biden is inaugurated and that's because too many people believe the office of President is untouchable. Even Nixon who should have had jail time for a similar attempt with undemocratic behaviour, was effectively let off the hook with a pardon. Ford's speech regarding his pardon explains my opinion exactly. To paraphrase, "It is what's best for the country and Nixon's family." America will have the same view of Trump. Don't forget Trump got nearly 74M votes in 2020 and in many election years that would be enough to have re-elected him. Biden wants to unite the country, and putting Trump in jail (where he belongs) will not help to do that. If Trump isn't removed before the 20th, Biden will be critical, but he won't look for revenge or retribution, it just wouldn't help him stop the hate that Trump has stirred up. The issue of Trump pardoning himself* and his family has been the subject of discussion elsewhere. For him to do this, would confirm the need to have done it. Given what happened yesterday at the hands of Trump, and the support the rioters have had from his family, none of them have a great future anywhere for any reason. They are now poison, socially and commercially. Ivanka had apparently done well, and there once was a possibility of a Trump dynasty, but no longer. Her father scuppered any chance of that yesterday, and she hammered the nails into her own political coffin by supporting her father and the rioters. P.S. *A headline circa midnight..... It seems this "Pardon" function is only valid if (a) the subsequent administration honours it (I think it would) and (b) only pardons Federal crime not State criminal acts. It would seem that New York is going after him sometime after Jan 21st for (I think) "tax irregularities".

The way to get him out, is the use of Amendment 25. Once he is out of office, he can not pardon himself. (The position of President goes to Pence, who having been threatened with violence by Trump at the hand of his rioter mob, would I think be disinclined to pardon Trump for anything.) Sadly, I think America/Americans will not use this or any other method to remove him prematurely, because of the shame it might invite. American 'pride' will save him until Biden takes over. Historically, any person achieving the title of President, gets to keep it for the rest of their lives. It would be fitting, if a way was found for that honour to be stripped from him. I fully agree sedition/insurrection were both witnessed during the previous days, and maybe even months as Trump continuously railed against election results. I have read him and his supporters tried 62 times to have counts disqualified in courts, and lack of evidence found not one case found in his favour. It didn't stop him spreading lies and propaganda that folk with soft minds thought to be true. Even highly placed court officials that had been given their job by Trump had said there was no evidence of fraud. Just a few days ago, a telephone conversation was published in which Trump was heard to coerce the government official. The point Trump wanted to make, was the official was to "find" (during a non-existent recount) over 11,000 uncounted votes in Trumps favour. Effectively doing the very thing Trump had accused the government officials of doing to him. Hard to imagine a man in a position of authority, abusing that authority by trying to alter a democratic election for the position of President of the United States. Hard to imagine a man in a position of authority in the American government, inciting an invasion of place and procedure, to thwart the very democratic process that he swore to uphold. Harder still to understand that "man" is currently the President of the United States of America.

I had come to this thread, on the back of a "Trump" search. Anyone reading the news today (Thursday for Brits) will now know that Trump incited a protest that (as predicted) became a riot with one protester being shot and who subsequently died. Even Republicans will have a hard time refuting his action was an act of sedition that will likely (and finally) find him at the sharp end of an impeachment. If I understand it right, the Democrats have both Houses (apparently thanks to Trump) and his Republican pals can't protect him this time around, even in the unlikely event they might want to. There is a lot more to this story, and every reader here will be submerged in it for the next week, if not two weeks. I will not add any further detail for now. The real reason for livening up this thread, isn't "Donny" but Brexit. At the time of writing last time in September 2017 it looked like the Referendum was going to get what the voter had asked for. hahahaha How wrong was that premature conclusion..... Three and a half years later, we have left the EU. I can't count the times it looked to me like it wasn't going to happen. Can't say how many angry days I had, wondering how elected politicians could so blatantly ignore the electorate. When historians write up UK politics of 2019, I wonder how they would describe it in a single word or single phrase? For me, "bloodbath" would be a starting point. Corbyn ridiculed three times. EU elections, Council Elections, and General Election pilloried for his "sitting on the fence" stance over Brexit, despite Labour party members at voter level wanting Brexit. My personal joy at Jo Swinson, who having promised to reverse the Referendum decision, couldn't even keep her constituency seat, despite being lauded as a potential Remainer coalition PM. Many Remainer MP's got it so wrong, though the writing was on the wall. Several Remain supporters understanding the EU and Council election results better than Swinson having seen Remainer supporters get significantly less votes than even the most pessimistic amongst them had thought possible. December 2019 brought an election victory for Brexit that was not only obvious, it was such a deep part of the winning manifesto it had to happen and happen it did. Within weeks the UK had 'technically' left the EU and moved into a transition period. A few days ago, the transition period concluded, and the UK has completely disengaged itself from EU influence (in any meaningful way) and regained its sovereignty. Well done democracy.

A simpler way to express the sentiment, would be the death certificate of someone dying from an air crash. I doubt anyone would have "Plane Crash" as cause of death on their certificate, it would be massive fatal trauma or a medical term that related to that. The suggestion is (my suggestion is) with almost every patient in hospital contracting the virus, every hospital death is being painted as a covid death to bolster the daily death count. This is "propaganda". Without doubt, Covid-19 is a virus that can kill. Without doubt we all need to do everything we can to evade infection. But bringing the country to a standstill (effectively switching a lightbulb on and off) for a third time isn't a solution. Today there is talk of periodic lockdowns through 2021. ... Did Australia need to do this? Did New Zealand? No, because unlike the UK, they shut their borders and had everyone stay home. The UK even when in lockdown, was allowing people to travel here and they weren't checked as they passed through the airport on their way to ..... No one knew. On Sunday our Pm wanted parents to send their children to school, despite the known risks involved "they are safe". (Refer to chart above.) Not 24 hours later, the same man declared schools weren't safe (refer to chart) and schools/colleges/universities were to be closed as were non-essential shops. Following the lockdown announcement, it was pointed out that because pet shops are allowed to stay open, you could walk into a shop and buy your dog a coat, but you couldn't walk into a shop and buy your child one. I'm not a denier., and I'm not a raging capitalist either, but if two shots at restrictions don't work, a third, a fourth, a fifth won't work either.

Well, that does sound like LSB, as I had a pair from them with the same heel height, but don't forget the company the film/stage production "Kinky Boots" is based on, also made larger size shoes - specifically for men. It could be one of their styles? I can't do it immediately, but I'll see if I can dig out some pictures of the LSB/Covergirl shoes I used to own, just to compare the heels. Mine would have been 7 and 7½ so the ratios would have been a little different, but I doubt they used more than two heel forms for shoes. Oddly the ones I had (two pairs) with officially 5" heels, were like yours, closer to 5½ inch high. Not sure if I measured the 6 inch heels, but I would be surprised if I hadn't. Those images would be archived though, so not immediately available to me.

They don't look like 5.5" to me either, but a longer shoe (larger size) can distort ratios I am familiar with. A tape measure will resolve the query in short order of course. A US11 is roughly similar to a UK9, and I think that is Heels usual size in a shoe? I have tried Aldo shoes marked US11 and they were closer to a UK 9½. A UK11 would feel like a welly on a UK size 9 foot I would have thought, and hose allows me to get into a smaller shoe, rather than padding one out. I don't remember that style from LSB or Covergirl. The heel shape looks a little more modern too? All those queries aside, if the shoe is comfortable and a pleasure to wear, I would agree, a "good buy".

I've recently signed up to Netflix, and this film is in the catalogue. I've had a sneak peek, and I know what you mean about Toy Story. Not sure why it was done like that that, but hey-ho. I got the bit where he visits a neighbour to move furniture and she talks about her brother liking high heels (6 inches or higher) and liking lingerie. I'm aware he had mental health issues post war, and the models got him past some of the horrors he witnessed. I think as low as my expectations are, I am looking forward to watching. Probably quite soon.

And as if by magic .....

Have you looked just inside the toe-box? (Effectively on the underside of the material covering the toe-box.) At least yours arrived. I bought some shoes, at a stupidly low price. So low in fact it likely cost the seller to send them (after commissions are paid.) I felt so bad about this, I sent a message to the seller to say if they packed them well enough to ensure they arrived safely, I would gift them more money. No response. A week later, no shoes and no response to a general query. A week later still, still no response to a further - amiable query. I consulted Ebay in the absence of shoes or contact, and got a refund in 2 hours. I'd have preferred to have the shoes.... If I remember, fees invoiced that from an unresolved dispute are not credited as with most returned goods. So not only did the seller not get a sale, they still lost money. Only for the third time in 12 years, I've felt compelled to leave negative feedback. I did wonder if there might be some sort of family or personal issue, but days before my second query, the seller listed another pair of shoes. Not quite sure what is going on with them ..... Disappointing, because I really wanted those shoes too.

Well at least some people are looking.... Rather looks like the UK is about to start an extended period of "lockdown" where we Brits are to be under house arrest except to join large groups of people 'at work' and other groups of fellow travellers on the way to/from a workplace if using public transport. The government wants us to continue sending our children to 'virus propagation centres', usually known as schools/colleges. We are of course allowed to visit supermarkets and mix with in the same atmosphere at the 500 other shoppers in the store while we shop, together air expelled by the immediately previous 500 shoppers. Any form of respite from this, is banned, with an increasing scale of fines for offenders/reoffenders. So while we may mix with others at work and school, we may not mix with any family we don't live with. We may not indulge in ANY form of socialising, nor personal care like visiting a gym or going to a hairdresser. "Retail therapy" (Mrs Freddy's favourite sort) also banned. All non-essential shops are currently closed for most, with a full 'lockdown' expected for another month, possibly two. It's probably mentioned elsewhere, but I have been as careful (paranoid) about personal safety as it's been possible to be. Since early March (so 3 weeks before covid became a national issue) I've worn gloves and a mask every time I've had contact with the public. Anything coming into the house either gets washed in soapy water (as I sing happy birthday, twice) or disinfected, or is put into "quarantine" for at least 2 weeks. Washing hands regardless to having worn gloves (or using sanitiser) every time I/we come into the house. So far, no symptoms, and since Mrs F has been tested (and will be again this week), we are covid free. Frankly, I am not fully understanding how so many people are still getting sick, and I'm not sure if the figures announced for those who perish are accurate either. We have personal experience of a 98 year old with terminal cancer, who unsurprisingly got covid while in hospital. (I have read several reports that claim 50% of the people in hospital with covid, caught it while they were there.) The lady passed away, and because we know the family we know this to be true: she went into the covid statistics. I'm not denying people get covid (we know of two who may have had it), nor that there is greater risk to some groups. (Old especially, anyone overweight, those already with compromised immune systems due to long term ill health.) The news media, and government are using statistics to claim things are getting worse and the second wave (we knew was to arrive in Winter from at least September) has us unprepared (potential of running out of oxygen and trained medical staff) and in a worse situation than we had in May and June. So following on with the notion about how are so many getting infected, there seems to be little interest in this. I wonder why? If 20% of people got it at work and they passed it to 70% of the other people infected, that would tell us where new more stringent (harsher) restrictions should be introduced. A similar story could be true of schools and colleges/universities. But no-one is looking at the causes or pathway to infection. That or it's known, and it's just too "hot" an issue to discuss.... A line from a well known British comedy runs ..... "this time next year Rodney" ...... I'm hoping that "this time next year" covid-19 will be consigned to history, and hopefully all members here will be around to see it gone.

I think there's a big difference between; realistic aspirational motivation, and wanting something you know you can't have. Unrealistic "craving" on any level, is probably destructive, and is certainly unhealthy. Although I don't much enjoy wearing an outdoor shoe while indoors, I have been forced to wear them, by way of attempting to maintain some ability and an attempt to help keep myself sane. These 'sessions' are restricted to when I cook. I'm pretty much walking around a kitchen area, and very close to where I sit and eat. I am the main food preparation operative here, and get the job around 13 times in every 14. I'm also lucky enough to get the washing up chore too. I wear a heel from start, to washing dishes/utensil conclusion. There is usually a sitting respite during the period of at least an hour. I'm only on my feet for around 90 minutes all in. Over a week that means I might wear a heel for longer overall than I might during an outing, but 6 or 7 short sessions are a lot less demanding than one long one.

I have had an interest in wearing a heel, for almost (but not quite) as long as I can remember. As I have mentioned before, my initial experience was wearing my mothers shoes which were mules with a modest heel, a type of shoe that was popular back then. I really enjoyed (or was drawn to) the flip-flap sound of mules as the heeled part of the shoe lightly slapped the heel of the wearer as they walked. I got the chance to try a pair of my mothers to see if they made the same flip-flap noise on my feet, and the same effect wearing those had on me, lasted for many years whenever I wore a heel. Just to avoid any errors from preconceptions, while there might have been some initial sexual context to the "effect", apart from one quite notable exception, my interest in wearing a heel did not involve sex. I had always worn them during social activity, and always while with my then girlfriend. Having had quite a long break from wearing a heel, I returned to them in earnest some 12 years ago. I'll admit to going a bit 'stir-crazy' having returned to once again enjoying what has been pretty much, a life-long interest. While the opportunity for social activity (nightclubs) with me in a heel had dwindled, I found walking distances in a heel (miles) was fantastic exercise, and the joy of hearing a heel while I walked -often with a friend- was great encouragement for continuing with that form of exercise. Not long after, I worked up the confidence to wear a heel in public, and in daylight. Many of those outings have been reported here. 2020, started as usual with cold weather, which certainly kept me more housebound than not. I'm not great out in the cold. Pretty early into the year, rumours of a nasty virus, a nasty deadly virus became increasingly public. By February, it was no longer a rumour. By the end of February the new rumour included the word 'pandemic'. By mid-March, it was here and we were in trouble. Skip forward 9 months, and in practical terms, not much seems to have changed regarding the threat. It's still here, it's still killing people. What has changed, is that social activity has almost completely stopped. That I believe, has had an unseen effect on most of us, if not all of us. As we have been put into something that is little better than house arrest, I think our interests, and to a degree our emotions, have also had to be curtailed. 9 months of emotional repression and physical restraint has got to have affected us in other ways, and none of it positive. Living in a repressive situation for 2-3 months is probably tolerable for almost everyone except the most sensitive amongst us. Kept in that situation for 9 months, what was expected to be temporary lifestyle changes, could become or seem like they have become - permanent. That has got to affect how we behave. Someone switched off the light at the end of the tunnel..... "Fun" as we knew it, has largely been removed from our lives. (Or at least the opportunities for fun has been removed.) My interest in wearing a heel has dwindled during these times. The interest hasn't gone, but like the rest of my 'usual' life, it has been repressed - and it's beginning to make me unhappy. A symptom of that unhappiness of course, is the lack of enthusiasm for things I enjoy, because I can't enjoy them. It's not healthy, to want something you can't have - is it?

I misunderstood the deadline. Finishing at 8am wasn't expected. Ho-hum.

Hopefully I will remember to look later when I have some time.... Should be a busy day today .... If I don't spend all day writing disfavourable comments online about the impending and unnecessary Lockdown II.

Same here. I don't at all mind if someone notices, as long as their realisation goes no further than that..... A long time ago (ten years possibly) I was sat in a carriage on the underground on my way into London, when I was spotted by a big fella on his way to a rugby match. The heels of my wedge boots were on show because I was sitting. The big fella gave his equally big mate a nudge, and looked at my shoes. His mate wasn't interested, so the nudger lost interest too. I've had the same experience a several times. Once in a large department store, by one of the assistants (who I later had to speak to). I did have an uncomfortable experience in House of Fraser Lakeside, as I walked past a cosmetics counter (Clarins). Two young girls who worked there, (late teens or very early 20's*) had a mutual giggle when they spotted my footwear. Not very respectful but they were obviously not very worldly. (A kindly way of saying 'immature'.) I think when you've a little experience of the world behind you, there isn't much to shock, and folk with a slightly different dress sense seldom (if ever) stimulates a visible response. * "Essex girls". A term of derision, normally associated with over use of cosmetics and lack of education. Sometimes justified?

Good news. I avoid climbing stairs if there are people who can watch the stairway for the same reason. Plus, getting up a set of stairs in heels provides little in the way of challenge, but getting down .... I can think of two well known sequences (one film one video) where the woman stepping down the stairway has a man on either side of her, helping her get down the stairway safely.....

I can't remember the name of the film but there's a well-known song that starts: "The heels are alive, with the sound of music...."

Mild? He's done what I expect I will do, buy some to find out what passes as a UK size (8 in my case) when shipped from China. The foot lengths the Chinese use, and their relationship to EU sizes bears no comparison. A CN sized shoe when converted means I need an EU43. Typically I take a 41 or a 42. An EU 43 would be like wearing loose wellies on my feet. I suspect shoe width has a part to play in these sizes and wide feet isn't something I need to worry about. It's maybe why I wear a shoe size lower than the indicated CN specification. What I won't be doing is buying from a UK seller at £70 who is plainly running a business, when I can get an identical item direct for £30. If the £30 version doesn't fit, likely I can move it on for £20-£30. A £70 shoe that doesn't fit, can be moved on for £20-£30 ..... Where in that buying decision does it make any sense at all to buy from Mr Tring? Conversely, if there was a returns policy based on sizing errors and shoes being unused of course, I might already have bought a couple of pairs regardless to the inflated price.

Where to get started? Personally, I think anyone who operates as this fella does, is likely a shyster. "It" has been running for some time, and imports shoes from China and sticks anything from £30-£50 on the price of the imported shoes. Not a problem, he has to make a profit, we assume? Whatever it is, it's not operated as a business. Not declared to Ebay as a business seller. No legally required returns policy, as must be provided by 'registered' retailers. As to the "2 week delivery as shoes are hand made" B/S .... It's two week delivery on his order from China, from companies who dispatch same day to every country around the world - ex-stock. Other than thinking they are buying off a UK retailer, (and the false sense of security they might enjoy from that), this 'outfit' provides no tangible benefit I can see to UK buyers. What "it" does do, is enjoy 'private seller' benefits from Ebay. Possibly avoid import taxes and tax on profits. The customer gets ..... ripped off - compared to buying direct. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001381512862.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.74584f97RPGCPw&algo_pvid=682f5a90-aa45-45e7-a2bc-8d680465be5c&algo_expid=682f5a90-aa45-45e7-a2bc-8d680465be5c-7&btsid=2100bb4c16037645972481034ef07b&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_ This is an expensive "branded" version. (Found to make a point on price.) There were similar styles from this 'brand', when bought from a different brand were half the money. Same brand ....... https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001146120923.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.74584f97RPGCPw&algo_pvid=48149778-e5dc-4934-be63-9cb0e683535c&algo_expid=48149778-e5dc-4934-be63-9cb0e683535c-25&btsid=2100bdf116037649058298395e0f9a&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_ Branded still ...... But much cheaper. Images are identical. https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32849898503.html?spm=2114.12057483.0.0.83c85381MTaBX8 I'm afraid I don't have the inclination to find the source of Ebay's Tring seller beyond a cursory look, but I hope I've made the case for buying direct. Or not buying at all.

Over time, I have amassed quite a few negative responses (red arrows)..... Nearly 85,000 in fact. The great bulk of those negative arrows from calling DM responders "knuckle-draggers", or "flat-earthers" when they support the notion cyclist should be seen as legitimate targets for motorists. I suppose 85000 negatives sounds a bit bad? Like I might be some sort of cycling troll? I do have some green ones too. Currently almost 573,000, so not all bad.

DM respondents think its okay for motorists to kill cyclists, and since half of cyclists are children, I have my doubts there's many responders there who are dealing with a full deck to start with. There was never - ever a chance, this article was going to meet a favourable response. It was only included as click-bait to get revenue from people reading something and likely 'venting their spleen' which is what the DM is notorious for. IE. Incitement/click-bait and using Instagram/Tik Tok/FB/Twitter to fill the pages to cause incitement.

If the valet finds a store, they might also discover these in the footcare section ... I would be concerned the linked Amazon (spit) offering looks like 10 off of the smaller toe variants, as none were shown on the large toe. This choice allows to to try for less money. As before, I'm happy to put one or a pair in the post for you.

Man in heels ..... and skirt...... Been doing it for 4 years. An American working in Germany. Full article: He certainly knows how to put an outfit together.

Yes, washable. I have several sets (3 or 4) and had them quite some time. Years, so worth the money. I think "Savers" do a similar thing without the material cover for £2 a pair. I have some of those too. They seem just as hardy as the Superdrug ones, but it's only a matter of time before I get careless with my big-toe-nail and slice a pair up. With London and Essex in restricted mode at the moment, this isn't an issue I need to worry about any time soon. I have been very careful for close to 8 full months, but I'm getting a bit fed up with Covid restrictions. We have plenty of PPE, social distancing isn't a secret, and folk understand how to keep safe. If the young want to party, and kill their own family through selfish behaviour, I'm not sure the government should be trying to stop them any longer. I'm not sure synthetic materials give in the way you hope they might, but great if they do. For my part, the gel stops rubbing, so prevents blistering and any other discomfort I could experience wearing a shoe with an inferred tendency toward torture? If Savers still do the £2 toe gels, (not found on their web site - which is useless) you won't be breaking the bank to try a pair. If I have an unused set, I'm happy to post them to you. (Along with my standard begging letter I often send landed gentry like yourself. M'Lord. )