Diplomatie, Musique, Pétrole

avril 18, 2025

The image features a scene from a news article on the New York Times website. The main focus is on two individuals standing together in front of a backdrop that includes two large flags: one American flag and one Italian flag. On the left side of the image, the American flag is prominently displayed, with its red and white stripes and blue field with white stars. The Italian flag is partially visible, suggesting a connection to Italy. The first individual, on the right, appears to be a man with light skin, short, styled hair, and a slight smile. He is wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and a red tie. His body language is open, and he is gesturing with his right hand, possibly pointing or emphasizing a point. The second individual, on the left, has light skin and long, straight hair that falls past her shoulders. She is wearing a light-colored coat and has a cheerful expression, smiling broadly. She stands close to the man, suggesting a friendly interaction. The background consists of a white wall and a window, indicating an indoor setting, likely a formal meeting space. The overall atmosphere appears to be positive, with both individuals engaged in conversation or a photo opportunity. Above the image, there is text that reads "Trump Welcomes a European Leader He Likes: Meloni of Italy," indicating the context of the meeting. Below this headline, there is a brief description stating that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy came to meet President Trump representing Italy, but also on behalf of the rest of Europe. The article is categorized under the "Tariffs" section, with additional headlines visible on the left side of the image, including topics related to tariffs and international relations. The layout suggests a typical news article format, with a focus on current events and political interactions. Overall, the image captures a moment of diplomatic engagement between the two leaders, set against a backdrop of national symbols.
11:00 AM

Friday, 18th.

10:30 am

Dean Martin - That's Love

https://youtu.be/OnFlx2Lnr9Q

[Intro: Coro]

(In America dove love è re)

(Quando un ragazzo incontra una ragazza)

(Ecco cosa dicono)

[Ritornello: Dean Martin]

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[Ponte: Dean Martin]

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[Strofa: Dean Martin]

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[Ritornello: (Coro) & Dean Martin]

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[Ponte: (Coro) & Dean Martin]

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(Trin-trin-trin e canterai, “Beautiful life, beautiful life, beautiful life”)

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[Strofa: Dean Martin & Coro]

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[Finale: Dean Martin]

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The image depicts a meeting taking place in a formal setting, likely an office or a government building. **Setting:** - The background features an ornate fireplace with decorative elements, including gold accents. The walls are adorned with a light-colored wallpaper that has a subtle pattern. - There are two large, upholstered chairs visible, one of which is occupied by a woman dressed in a white suit. The other chair is occupied by a man in a dark suit. **People:** 1. **Woman:** - She has shoulder-length blonde hair and is wearing a white suit with a fitted jacket and matching trousers. - Her facial expression appears animated and engaged, with a slight smile as she gestures with her right hand while holding a green pen in her left hand. - She seems to be speaking or making a point, indicating a level of enthusiasm or emphasis in her communication. 2. **Man:** - He has light-colored hair and is wearing a dark blue suit with a red tie. - His expression is also one of amusement or enjoyment, as he is smiling and looking at the woman while seated comfortably in his chair. **Text:** - There is text overlaying the bottom of the image, which appears to be a transcription of the conversation. It reads: "allowed Christopher Columbo to make his trip And I say to remember." This suggests a discussion about historical or cultural topics. **Additional Elements:** - The video player interface is visible at the bottom, indicating that this image is a screenshot from a video, likely from a news source, as indicated by the "Forbes Breaking News" logo in the corner. - The date "APRIL 17, 2025" is prominently displayed at the top of the image, indicating when the meeting took place. Overall, the image captures a moment of interaction between two individuals in a formal setting, with a focus on their expressions and gestures, suggesting a significant discussion.
11:00 AM (b)

Keren teaches International Relations at Columbia uni!

: )
The image displays a YouTube video interface featuring a promotional video for "Tiger Balm." The background is a vibrant orange color, which dominates the visual space. Prominently displayed in the center is the Tiger Balm logo, featuring a stylized tiger in a leaping pose. The tiger is illustrated in shades of orange and black, with distinct stripes and a dynamic posture, conveying a sense of energy and movement. Below the tiger, the text "TIGER BALM®" is written in bold, black letters, emphasizing the brand name. In the upper left corner, there is a small logo for "DG Doetsch Grether AG," which appears to be the company associated with the product, along with a location designation "CH-4051 Basel." The text in the background, partially visible, appears to be in German, with phrases that suggest a focus on the effectiveness of the product through concentrated plant power. At the bottom of the image, there is a video player interface showing the play button, a timeline, and options to share, download, or clip the video. The current playtime is indicated as "0:14" with a total duration of "0:15," suggesting this is a short promotional clip. In the lower left corner, there is a sponsored label indicating the advertisement is for "tigerbalm.ch," which is likely the official website for the product. The surrounding context includes a glimpse of a desktop environment, with browser tabs visible at the top of the screen, indicating that the viewer is accessing this video through a web browser. The tabs include social media and other websites, suggesting a casual browsing experience. Overall, the image is focused on the Tiger Balm branding, with clear visual elements that highlight the product's identity and promotional intent.
12:30 PM

I met the Tiger Balm owner, when he visited with Lee Hsien Loong

I wasn't supposed to be in that room, but Harsha De Silva, forcibly dragged me in, and then Ranil W let me stay inside

Even though ███████████████████████████████████████████████████

I took my 2 Lee Kuan Yew books for him to sign, ████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████

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Here I am

Here I stand

This is me

And there's nobody else I'd rather be
12:30 PM (b)

I also met the Prima owner in Singapore, and other cool people

The coolest of whom, was Ken Soh, my mentor for cyber security

Shamil Mendis and his wife, gave me a mini Tiger Balm jar as a gift
The image displays a webpage from the site "Vote Lehan," specifically the "Trade" section. The layout features a clean, minimalist design with a white background and black text. The title "Trade" is prominently displayed at the top in a large, bold font. Below the title, there are five numbered sections, each detailing different aspects of trade policy: 1. **Setting Industry Standards for Growth**: This section discusses the Trade Department's focus on establishing clear industry benchmarks to enhance Sri Lanka's global trade presence. It emphasizes collaboration with experts and stakeholders and mentions the potential for military backing to ensure progress. 2. **Global Capitalism for National Prosperity**: This part outlines a strategy aimed at wealth generation for Sri Lanka, referencing the "Sri Lanka Family Tree" initiative, which aims to ensure that all citizens benefit from economic growth. 3. **Standardized Work and Investments**: This section highlights the importance of standardizing work practices to create opportunities, reduce unemployment, and attract investments, with the Trade Department leading by example. 4. **Worker Rights and Economic Stability**: Here, the vision is to improve labor rights in Sri Lanka, drawing comparisons to developed nations like Germany. It stresses the importance of maintaining fiscal discipline to avoid economic instability. 5. **Capitalism, Sri Lanka Style**: This section likely discusses the unique approach to capitalism that Sri Lanka will adopt, although the text is not fully visible. The webpage is framed by a browser interface, showing tabs for "Welcome To Jurassic" and "Facebook" at the top. The time displayed is 1:32 PM on April 18, and the battery and Wi-Fi indicators suggest the device is a laptop. The overall aesthetic is professional and focused on political messaging related to trade policies in Sri Lanka.
1:45 PM

🎶 Welcome to Jurassic Park

🦕 by John Williams

https://youtu.be/BXsWn9DHf5g (video)

https://youtu.be/BXsWn9DhF5g

Main Chord Progression:

| Bb | Eb | F | Bb |

| Gm | Eb | Cm | F |

Melodic Highlights:

🎹 Bb → D · F · G · F

🎹 Eb → F · G · Bb · G

🎹 F → A · Bb · C · Bb

🎹 Gm → D · F · G

🎹 Cm → G · Ab · Bb

✨ These notes rise above the chords, evoking the image of the gates of Jurassic Park opening.

Let it breathe. Let it build. Let it speak without words.

The image contains a text document with a structured layout, likely outlining a policy or strategic plan. The text is organized into numbered sections, each with a bold heading followed by descriptive content. 1. **Capitalism, Sri Lanka Style**: This section discusses the goal of integrating Sri Lanka into the global value chain through collaboration with multinational corporations, emphasizing dynamic tax policies to support economic development. 2. **Entrepreneurship through the SLWF**: This section mentions the Sri Lanka Wealth Fund (SLWF) and its aim to replace outdated tax systems to promote entrepreneurial ventures, with a goal of increasing entrepreneurship rates from 2% to 100%. 3. **Flexible Labor Rights and Retirement**: This part advocates for German-style union practices to give workers a voice in company decisions and mentions flexible retirement options to allow continued economic contribution. 4. **Efficiency through Standardization**: This section outlines plans to streamline operations across industries to maximize efficiency and improve work-life balance for Sri Lankans. 5. **Eradicating the Black Market**: This part addresses the threat of the black market to legal businesses and the economy, stating that strict measures will be implemented to ensure transparency. 6. **Mandatory Oversight for Accountability**: This section discusses the introduction of mandatory oversight for businesses to ensure transparency and governance, focusing on long-term strategies for economic stability. The text is presented in a clear, professional font, likely intended for formal communication. There are no images, logos, or identifiable brands present in the document. The background appears to be a plain white or light-colored surface, emphasizing the text. There are no people, clothing, or facial expressions visible in the image, as it solely consists of text. The overall tone of the document is formal and focused on economic policy.
1:45 PM (b)

🙂

People may not believe us when we describe SL today — the challenges we face: 1.2m court cases, children on about 1,000 calories a day leading to stunting concerns, a GDP per capita of $2,500, and more.

Similarly, many in Singapore today may not recall or easily imagine how life was for their grandparents.
The image displays a YouTube video page featuring the title "Remember Who You Are." The video is associated with Hans Zimmer, who has a verified account indicated by a checkmark next to his name. The subscriber count is shown as 1.34 million. Below the title, there is a view count of 8.1 million, with a note stating that the video was uploaded 6 years ago. The video is provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group. The background of the page is predominantly black, consistent with YouTube's dark mode interface. There is a prominent "Subscribe" button in white with rounded edges, located to the right of Hans Zimmer's name. The overall layout is typical of YouTube's video display, with the title and channel information clearly visible. No people are present in the image, and there are no additional objects or products visible. The setting is purely digital, as it is a screenshot of a web browser displaying a YouTube video. The browser tabs at the top indicate that the user has multiple tabs open, including Facebook and other YouTube videos, but no specific content from those tabs is visible in this image. The time displayed on the browser indicates it is 1:46 PM on April 18, with the date also visible. The image does not contain any logos or trademarks beyond those associated with YouTube and Universal Music Group. There are no discernible facial expressions, clothing, or actions to describe, as the image is focused solely on the digital content of the YouTube page.
1:45 PM (c)

Jonathan looks a bit like Hans Zimmer!
The image displays a promotional artwork for "The Lion King," specifically from "The Legacy Collection." The background features a gradient of deep blue and purple hues, suggesting a night sky with scattered stars. In the center, there is a stylized depiction of a lion, possibly representing Simba, with a strong, proud expression. The lion is rendered in warm, earthy tones, primarily shades of orange and brown, which contrast with the cooler background colors. To the right of the larger lion, there is a smaller lion cub, also in warm tones, looking up towards the larger figure. The cub's expression appears curious and innocent. Surrounding the lions are soft, swirling clouds in pink and purple, adding a dreamy quality to the image. At the top of the artwork, the text reads: "Walt Disney Records," followed by "THE LEGACY COLLECTION" in a bold font. Below that, "THE LION KING" is prominently displayed, indicating the title of the collection. At the bottom of the image, there is additional text that states "ORIGINAL SONGS," "MUSIC BY ELTON JOHN," "LYRICS BY TIM RICE," and "SCORE COMPOSED BY HANS ZIMMER," providing credits for the music associated with the film. The overall composition is visually striking, combining elements of nostalgia and artistry, characteristic of Disney's branding. The image is designed to evoke emotions related to the beloved film and its music.
1:45 PM (d)

Why am I crying? This music feels profoundly moving and fills me with emotion.
2:30 PM

I love music, it just charges me up
3:45 PM

Even after everything, all of the miracles Peter saw to his own eyes

He still denied Jesus 3 times

We are all like him, but we have seen July 13

8b people have seen it
10:45 PM

I want a Tesla

I love Elon, he's super cool

And I'm rooting for, and actively thinking of ways to protect Zuckerberg

It's ugly what that spiteful woman is doing, testifying on personal matters like Sheryl celebrating her femininity with lingerie, while Zuck's taking an antitrust lawsuit, it's very mind boggling, how they all plan those things

Poison the pond tactics, before trying to harm FB
11:00 PM

They have planned for that woman, to publish her book, and then, to testify at the exact moment Zuck has to defend himself with an antitrust

Nobody, forced anyone to use FB

We're all here, in full knowledge, because of the respect, trust and gratitude we have in Zuckerberg

Yeah you all can say, "They gave free emails at gmail or Google, to make money off you, free web hosting on FB, to sell your data for engagement"

But those free services were still insanely valuable

Even now, most people use gmail

Most people use fb

We all love it, and we love Zuck, Sheryl and their wonderful team, of cautious people who protected their users
11:00 PM (b)

I'm hurt to see Zuck in so much pain
The image displays a YouTube interface featuring two video thumbnails. On the left side, the thumbnail shows a gaming scene from a first-person shooter game, likely from the "Halo" series. The screen displays a character holding a large weapon, with a HUD (heads-up display) indicating ammunition count and other game-related information. The character is wearing a red armor suit, and the background appears to be a futuristic landscape with rocky terrain and structures. The video duration is shown as 12:16, and the title reads "the quiet kid." On the right side, the thumbnail features a cooking scene. It shows a deep fryer filled with bubbling oil, indicating that food is being cooked. There are metal baskets submerged in the oil, likely used for frying food items. The text overlay states, "His team looked for small changes they could make to save cooking time and money." This video is titled "Chili’s CEO Breaks Down How the Restaurant Chain Became Hot..." and has a duration of 8:57. The logo for The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is visible in the top right corner of this thumbnail. The background of the YouTube interface is dark, and the top of the screen shows the Chrome browser with tabs open, including a YouTube tab. The time displayed in the top right corner reads 05:37:57, and the date is noted as Friday, April 18, at 11:00 PM. The interface includes various icons for notifications and settings, typical of a web browser. Overall, the image captures a digital environment focused on video content, showcasing gaming and culinary themes.
11:15 PM

Stephen's not the Wizard at the DBU. They're good people. Franklyn was teaching me about how to conserve oil, by drying the crisps properly. Cause the water in the crisps, because we keep in cold water. That water spoils the oil faster. So we do like the DBU and those decent, good people.

Sean, Henricus, from Cambridge uni, will be able to be a lawyer when I get elected (fantasy). As he's been in a very ugly, profane and unjust way, like Jagath's daughter Puthula who is also a Buckingham uni lawyer, aren't allowed to practice here

As they're "too good"

I'm hurt by those stories too

***

Let's just do it soon

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You don't need 49 years of experience like Franklyn

You need to have some

I dunno

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11:15 PM (b)

Lehan's the type who prefers a good name, over good oil

As the psalms reads
11:15 PM (c)

China is most of all, indebted unto itself, so that's how they theoretically can implode, but we will see

In next 3 weeks, hopefully, they recalibrate, China's foreign relations to US, and they can cooperate meaningfully
11:15 PM (d)

Nahil has apparently bought Kingsbury or Intercontinental from Sharma

And also some other spot, like Villa Ocean View

I have no clue

I haven't the faintest clue what they are doing

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Inspired by real events, edited for story. Inspired by real events, edited for story. A true story.