🫡 Roll out the red carpet

#096

Jack Ellis
August 17, 2025

The big news story of the moment is Trump and Putin meeting in Alaska to discuss Ukraine.

The proximity of the US and Russia proved a shock to some on the internet.

Because of the way that maps are normally drawn, I had never realised that the US (Alaska) and Russia are almost touching. I am shook.
— Will Kingston (@WillKingston)
9:12 AM • Aug 15, 2025

Anyway, the US Army rolled out the red carpet for Putin, as he looked to carve up Ukraine.

Who knows what will happen, but a couple of expressions came to mind while reading the news today:

“You give an inch and they take a mile”

and, as my father might say:

“I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him”

I don’t think either needs much explanation.

Let’s see how things play out.

Until next week 👋.

“Trump is on the phone, he wants to talk about the Nobel peace prize.”

This week’s three tips:

SOMETHING TO AVOID 🫣

🤦🏻‍♀️ “It was a historical meeting”

The words look almost identical, but they aren’t used in the same way.

Historical → means related to history in general, not necessarily important.

I’m reading a historical novel set in medieval England

✅ “It was a historic meeting”

Historic → means very important in history or likely to be remembered.

If you’re describing something that will make history → use historic.

If you’re talking about something that simply relates to history → use historical.

It was a historic meeting between Trump and Putin

SOMETHING TO SOUND CONFIDENT 🧐

👔 Business expressions

“Play hardball”

To be tough, aggressive, and uncompromising in negotiations or discussions. It’s the opposite of being “soft” or “flexible.”

The union threatened to strike, so management decided to play hardball and refused to raise salaries.

SOMETHING TO DO 👀

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