Saturday 7 March 2020

JUST MUSING


Apologies for my absence, I have been having a rather pleasant sojourn from my blog, which judging by my postbox has gone off in all sorts of strange directions, none of which, I'm afraid give me any inspiration.  I am wiping the slate clean and starting anew.  

The weird veering off is probably my own fault, because I have completely given myself over to hedonism since the trauma of the last General Election. In the nicest possible way of course, hedonism to me is switching off all the worries and having green tea in a china teacup.  My present life philosophy is, 'it's beyond my control'.  My theory is, you only torment yourself with a problem because you have an innate belief that you can somehow solve it.  Accepting that you can't is like having a huge weight taken from your shoulders.  

I'm not sure 'it's beyond my control' would have worked when I was younger, because then I believed if I worked hard enough and with ambition and tenacity, I could achieve anything.  In fact, people would often say to me, what a shame you don't use your talents for good.  A bit harsh, as I always took the side of the underdog, but maybe that's what they meant.  I was way too into lost causes.

My present obsession is US politics, their anchors and reporters are way more glamorous than our own, and their villains more blatant and cartoonish.  Most particularly Donald J. Trump.  As I have said many times over the years, I have been on a lifelong quest to discover the root causes and manifestations of true evil.  Now it's as if, Satan himself has put forward a prime example.  But what's scarier still, is how many people stand by his crudity, his ignorance and his racist spite, what a cruel, cruel world this is becoming.  Our own politics, I can't even look at.  I am hoping our Government at least, is going for more honest approach to the coronavirus because our leader is held to account in Parliament once a week.  I can't say I understand US politics, but it seems to me their President isn't held accountable to anyone!  I'm hoping someone will put me right, but meanwhile, I will hit google!

Normal service, whatever that is, I am hoping will shortly be resumed.  My fingers are itching to get back to the keyboard, though not so much my depressing postbag.  I have already decided my days are numbered due to coronavirus (watched A Month in Wuhan), but strangely, that, I do not find depressing.  I have sort of decided I need to write something meaningful and significant before I'm carted off in a body bag to a mass grave.  I once wrote an 80,000 word book in 3 months, so I know I can do it.  Nothing like thoughts of dying in a massive pandemic to get the creative juices flowing.  Now would be a good time to do the whole Stephen King thing, and go isolate myself in a cabin in the woods with loads of liquor, a trusty old typewriter and one cigarette (seriously?).  Better my chances with psychos and Hill people than a ride on the London underground, though I may just kill myself if I have only the one cigarette.

On a separate note, the 'evil of Donald Trump', I would be interested to hear others' thoughts.  He doesn't appear to have come from an abusive home, it is highly unlikely he was abused as a child.  A dysfunctional home, yes absolutely, his father was almost certainly absent (making money) as he grew up.  He has siblings who are successful, and one sibling who died from alcoholism.  He himself was sent away to military school, which sounds like a last ditch attempt by his parents to curb his, err, evil.  He was probably the kind of kid who tied fireworks to puppydogs tails.  

His constant self praise and need for praise is almost childlike.  Like he is constantly shouting 'hey Dad (or mum), did you see me do that?'.  More likely Dad, because he was the moneymaker, but also highly likely he has huge 'mummy' issues.   Whenever he confronts a formidable woman, he makes sure he has a gang with him.  He is always looking towards male 'alphas' eg. Epstein to come in with him on the abuse and the joke.  In my experience, a guy, who has to prove how heterosexual he is in front of his mates, usually isn't, he's just in denial.   There is a huge difference between men who truly love women and men who don't - one day I will write a blog about it.  

On the Trump thing, I once had students of psychology following my blog, and of course people who are just as interested in human behaviour as I and I hope some might comment.  My mind is blown, what we are watching now is so far from normal, a world leader of the '1984' and 'Brave New World' variety - he has surely surpassed Hitler?  

Once more, I find myself with no-one to discuss, in the kind of depth I want, all these huge scary subjects, which I why I started a blog!  I really want to hear the opinions of others.  I rarely have the opportunity to be in the company of people who share my interests.  My dear old dad tried to tell me, as kindly as he could, that 'normal' people just weren't interested.  I had a tendency at the time to recount every detail of every book I ever read to anyone who would listen.  In retrospect, it probably was vexing.  I remember how excited I was way back in 1999 when I discovered a chat room called 'book chat' - jeez was I naïve!  

Did I ever find like minded people on social media?  LOL, yeah a few, once I fought my way through the myriad of psychopaths, sociopaths, zealots and altogether unstable lunatics who use social media and anonymity to act out their antisocial fantasies, it truly was like trudging through a swamp battling leeches.  But it forced me to create my own blog, something over which I would have total control.  Besides which, I was getting pissed off at being censored, suspended and banned from all the 'regulated' facebook pages and chatrooms. But I have waffled, my point was, there have been many interesting and enlightening debates and discussions on here that I have really enjoyed, ergo, yeah, a lot more like minded people than not.  

Ps.  I went out today and stocked up on longlife milk and toilet roll, the wine is already running low :(  The craziness for hand sanitizer I just don't get.  Just wash yer fffing hands!  Hand washing is one of my OCDs and no, a squidge of a foul smelling, instantly oxidising, alcohol based chemical goo just doesn't compare.  

56 comments:

  1. "A dysfunctional home, yes absolutely, his father was almost certainly absent (making money) as he grew up. He has siblings who are successful, and one sibling who died from alcoholism. He himself was sent away to military school, which sounds like a last ditch attempt by his parents to curb his, err, evil. He was probably the kind of kid who tied fireworks to puppydogs tails."

    Compare with a young girl found wondering the streets, and put into care.

    One ends up to be the President of the USA.
    The other has a blog.

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    Replies
    1. What a round about way to get in a dig, lol. Poor you.

      Happily, I have no desire whatsoever to be anything like Donald Trump, and I have never wanted to be President of the USA. I am happy that people enjoy my writing, it's pretty much all I ever wanted.

      Delete
  2. Hi Rosalinda. Very nice hairstyle you have in the pic. ... whatever you want to write about go ahead we're listening.

    About the coronavirus epidemic naturally sorry for the mostly elderly inflicted, not too many children or robust teenagers seem to be getting the disease; to be cynical this is a gift and a bonanza for the media. The biggest story since world war two they're hoping. And they are loving it.
    Hysteria being world wide, you can't buy a roll of toilet paper from Hemel Hempstead to Hawaii.
    One good thing; there doesn't seem a pandemic in Africa so far which seems immune to the virus. And that's all to the good because to confront most of the African population with those peculiar rolls of paper westerners are so familiar with would be to them one of the greatest mysteries.

    On another topic: Your dream might come true if the chain of events unfolds in the USA.
    This is how it would go. Bernie Sanders would knock out Joe Biden and become the elected Democratic candidate for President. He has a lot of good ideas.
    In the next few months there would be a voter swing to the left and Sanders' party would oust Trump at election time. What a concept.
    They said showman Trump could never be elected in 2016 and Hillary was voted the winner by Washington Times/New York Times etc as a 98% pushover for President. And she lost.
    Someone said history never repeats itself We'll wait and see.
    Maybe democracy will prevail in America.
    jc

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    1. jc

      “Maybe democracy will prevail in America.”

      It already has.

      Delete
  3. Hi JC and bless you, it is yourself and others like you who keep me coming back, I like to hear the opinions of others.

    Re the threatened pandemic, I'm afraid I have watched far too many doomsday documentaries about pandemics and I am presently glued to the Walking Dead! Ok, not quite the same, but I have picked up a lot of tips on what to do in 'a walking dead' situation. Strangely enough, having watched the entire series, I do not recall any 'desperate for toilet rolls' situations.

    At face value the coronavirus does not seem that big a threat, but the 3.4% death rate given by the World Health Organisation would be 660,000 in the UK. In the US, it would be well over a million. The media are, imo, right to give the people as much information as possible. Unfortunately, too many leaders are guided more by politics than reality. At the moment, this is coming in the form of testing as few people as possible, it keeps the numbers down. This is actually making the situation much much worse, because no-one knows how many infected people there are out there who are spreading the virus everywhere.

    Strangely JC, I am not rooting for Bernie as much you might think, and of course I am still reeling from the crushing defeat of our own 'far left'. But I have taken a liking to Joe Biden, he is a genuinely nice guy and he carries with him all the successes of the Obama era. But what I like especially, is that if he wins, he has Mayor Pete, Kamala Harris and Stacy Abrahams to take up key positions, like Attorney General. I also like that Bloomberg is throwing his billions behind Biden, and is ready to go full 'scorched earth' on the Trump kids, which seems only fair because Trump is still obsessed with Biden's son.

    I don't think Trump will win again, he hasn't bothered to appeal to anyone beyond his base and he has probably driven away those moderates who gave him a chance. I think the midterms in 2018 were a good indication, the Democrats won back the House. I think too, that once the primaries are over and the democratic candidate known, he will have the full backing of everyone who wants Trump out and that includes a large number of prominent Republicans.

    But who can predict anything at this time. Apparently some are saying that where Italy is now, half the country quarantined, is where we will be in two weeks, scary huh?

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  4. Don't want to drive your readers crazy with more on the coronavirus but I just looked up a few statistics on the Black Death. Yeah that one.

    Well apart from wiping out half the population of England in the 1380's the Black Death actually had a lot of benefits for those that survived (I'm sure the Department of Pensions would have mixed feelings)

    Apparently the era of Serfdom disappeared due to labour shortage and its now recognized value; a whole new world emerged. More jobs, more food, more housing and a little bit of equality thrown in until the 1600's when a plague hit London to a lesser degree.

    What I'm thinking is that maybe Mother Nature is in on this.
    Maybe the Coronavirus is a way of reducing the number of old folks.
    Only she knows best.

    I notice in the news that my favorite capitalist Richard Branson just launched a mega cruise ship at exactly the time a cruise sip was quarantined in Japan. That was really bad luck. But I'm still not sure who would ever want to take a cruise in this vessel regardless of health.
    I've always thought the name "Virgin" Airlines sounds about as creepy as it gets.
    Have a nice day.
    jc

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    1. Good heavens JC, you are looking at the crisis from the perspective of a Nazi death camp doctor, which I am sure was not your intention. Whilst I get your point about thinning out the population, what if the virus mutates and starts attacking healthy young adults or God forbid, children?

      Yes, I agree Mother Nature has ways and means in which to reduce the population, but Man gives her more than a helping hand, see World Wars I and II. World War I killed millions, but not as many as the Spanish Flu that followed, a virus that was, for whatever reason, more lethal to the young and healthy.

      Whilst I can see how a lethal virus would be boon to a politician who wants to reduce the pension and benefits budgets, it would be hugely unpopular with the voters, those elderly and disabled people have family and friends who love them.

      The economy will suffer far more if the country comes to a stop, as is happening in Italy now. Where they are now, we might well be, in as little as two weeks. If you want to have nightmares, picture the supply chains, who are also coping with Brexit, getting food and medicines to where it's needed.

      As for Richard Branson, delighted that the launch of his new cruise ship has arrived at the worst possible time ever. The 'Virgin' name, I wouldn't pay too much heed to it, it probably began when he was at college.

      Delete
    2. Update from Planet Earth ( real one)

      The Coronavirus will be gone in a fortnight.It's costing too much money.
      What we're seeing is the 'terror threat' of the soon-to-be present.

      We can fight to survive hard times created by the supposed global terror threat. We have to accept that the governments of the US and UK have to throw billions, which grow into trillions, to keep the bogeymen they create at bay.
      So a new fear is born- bio-warfare.I know it isn't a new concept but this is a new strategy. It's H G Wells country ( ''oh wow how ironic, the unstoppable, indestructible, all powerful resistant machine was brought to it's knees by a common virus''').That kinda shiz....

      I just watch Jeremy Hunt, the free gift to all fans of rhyming slang, interviewed by funeral- faced Jon Snow on C4 news.

      Hunt had the rehearsed tone which is usually only reserved for reporting on an Earthquake or Tsunami.He spoke of the Italian problem.How a whole country is behind doors in self-isolation. He was asked if we should follow suit and if we should close all schools and shops and factories and he said yes.B ut he slipped a couple of nice little throwaways....

      He said he didn't want to see 'the horrific scenes of Italy here in the UK'. He stressed the word 'horrific' for effect.

      What scenes ? What is 'horrific'.When did empty streets with no people and no action become secnes or horrific ?

      His other throwawy was 'I want to read the reports from our behavioural scientists first'.

      Interesting.What can a behavioural scientist contribute in the way of defeating a virus or tracing it's route and progress ?The study and observe behavior.So our ministers are studying the behavior of us not the virus ? I wonder why.

      This new terror is like cyber crime.You can't see the terrorists destroying and causing havoc, you can only see the debris it leaves.So now we have the numbers...

      Let's suppose they're mildly accurate. The say 30-40 % of the world are vulnerable and could catch this thing.Of them, the more vulnerable needing hospitalisation is 10%. Let's just look at the US. A population of 300,000,000. 30-40 % is about 95 million. If 10% of them need hospital, that would be 9 million. There are only just under 1 million hospital beds in the country. These figures were available before Trump and Co started playing it all down and saying it will pass soon.

      Jeremy Hunt's other throwaway was ' we hope we don't reach that horrible situation where Drs have to decide who lives and dies''. Even though euthanasia is illegal and immoral( apparently).Sp we have a legitimate culling practice planting it's seeds right beneath our noses.

      When shit like this happens we are programmed to survive.It's how we're still here. we think of survival first.Then we look at our loved ones in the same way.We seldom if ever look at systemic consequences.We're being taught how to right now. What are the consequences long term for everyone.So we're shown the financial damage it causes globally( that word again).Close businesses and lock everyone in their house.Trade grinds to a halt faster than it did in 1929's depression.Shares plummet as does each major currency.Our recession then becomes- you've guessed it- global.Its like the great depression caught Spanish flu.

      You'll see all of this unfold before they release the antidotes.What you won't see is the politicians telling us the global economy is wrecked also telling us that the virus was a big wake up call to us all that we should prioritise healthcare like the NHS in order to have preventative measures in place should we be 'attacked' again.Why ? Because only those who can pay for their own care matter.

      Wash your hands. Boris said so...

      Ziggy Orwell :)

      Delete
    3. ''Re the threatened pandemic, I'm afraid I have watched far too many doomsday documentaries about pandemics and I am presently glued to the Walking Dead! Ok, not quite the same, but I have picked up a lot of tips on what to do in 'a walking dead' situation. ''

      You're still using the Hollywood Dream Factory for your primary source then. Brilliant.Here's 2 points to focus on : Zombies aren't real. Pandemics are. Try Googling sone from history Avian Flu to begin ( that caused the Spanish or partly caused it).

      '' you are looking at the crisis from the perspective of a Nazi death camp doctor''

      The Nzis were experimenting with as many ways as possible to cause mass death ( or control) using Biological warfare.That really happened.The CIA have done it ever since. Different ways to release havoc.These are de-classified files now if you look.So JC isn't a million miles away. Hitler preferred the quick way. Bomb millions of people in as many countries as possible until they surrender or die.Yet you say Trump surpasses Hitler. How has he surpassed him ? I think the world would have much preferred Hitler to be an arrogant ego maniac who just threatened and sounded off and ordered an occasional assassination of an enemy rather than cause a world war.But Trump is worse than Hitler. Do tell.

      Delete
    4. So zombies aren't real. Why thank you for that, how about the Tin Man and Wizard of Oz?

      As for your final paragraph, I have already explained, I was referring to innate evil rather than deeds, though I fear many 'deeds' will be uncovered once Trump is out of the White House. To help you understand, imagine rating a leader on how evil they are, or appear to be, with 1 being not evil at all, and 10 being most evil. In my opinion both Hitler and Trump are 10s and then some.

      Delete
    5. I cannot read your post in it's entirety Zig, because, it's batship crazy - are you presently sat at your pc with your head covered in tinfoil?

      I don't know where you are getting these weird ideas from, I suspect your own head, but they are unhelpful and chillingly callous. It's rare that I quote Boris Johnson, but he has said many of us will lose loved ones.

      You say we have to accept our government throwing billions, trillions, at a bogeyman (wtf) as if we should object to the use of our money to protect us. Your reference to Italy I don't understand. Perhaps listen to a few Italian doctors who are currently letting us know what they are experiencing now. We are on the same trajectory.

      You mock the inclusion of behavioural scientists, why? Do you not think it vital that the government should know how the population will behave? How do you stop for example, idiots with full virus symptoms wandering into A&E and taking out the entire medical team 14 days?

      Delete
    6. ''I cannot read your post in it's entirety Zig, because, it's batship crazy - are you presently sat at your pc with your head covered in tinfoil?''

      Not like you to dig at the poster Ros.Are you just sticking to the clever and witty now ( you don't qualify for original owing to the 35 year old tin foil joke).

      Don't shoot the messenger just because you are unable to grasp the message or you don't like it. We don't all love in a bottle watching movies to gather our vast reservoirs of insight.

      Since that post above was made both the UK and US have come out warning of financial catastrophes and global recession.I wonder how we will finance the 'preparedness' for the next virus that's picked to be the patsy for the billionaires who wrecked the economies of the world.

      What will Trump do about his threatened trade embargoes now ?The index is falling faster than the twin towers.What will the EU do ?

      The bogeymen you 'etf' are the scarey monsters on every corner.All those naughty terrorists that we're told are waiting to pounce or hack our computers and internet accounts.The 'radicals' that force the government's hands to impose shackles on the freedom of their citizens.The ones who have 'weapons of mass destruction' and the ones who blow up skyscrapers from caves.

      I mock the inclusion of behavioural scientists yes.I listen to their 'findings' and realise they deserve the mockery.

      Let's hope they make a film aout all of this for our less observant commentators.Or ppu some photographs in the gossip mags :)

      Delete
    7. Rosalinda Hutton13 March 2020 at 12:26

      ''You mock the inclusion of behavioural scientists, why? Do you not think it vital that the government should know how the population will behave? How do you stop for example, idiots with full virus symptoms wandering into A&E and taking out the entire medical team 14 days?''

      And how will he do that ? It's a strain of influenza he's been exposed to not radiation.This is why more information about the virus needs to passed on from scientists and less about the monitoring of the people.Critics of the government commissioning them and acting on their word has already been commented on.For instance '' the advice the behavioural scientists have given for sudden mass self isolating is dangerous and could cause problems regarding compliance and adherence to advice down the line''. But as for the killing of the virus- zilch.But to criticise that situation is 'batshit crazy ' and anyone thinking so needs a tin foil suit.

      You heard Boris- we all did.But we didn't need to sit at his knee like a puppy waiting for the wisdom.Many who've seen this crap before knew the news before they created it.In 1918 the media was used to lie about Spanish Flu( Chinese), and it backfired on them when Spain spoke the truth.This time they're over playing it. It won't prevent the 21st century equivalent of the 1929 crash though.I hope they'll share the cure with us in a week or two.So we can walk about carefree like they 'bravely' seem to be.The paranoia in the shops is annoying.

      Delete
  5. "On the Trump thing, I once had students of psychology following my blog, and of course people who are just as interested in human behaviour as I and I hope some might comment. My mind is blown, what we are watching now is so far from normal, a world leader of the '1984' and 'Brave New World' variety - he has surely surpassed Hitler?"

    Ros can you explain exactly what you mean when you say that Trump "has surely surpassed Hitler" please?

    ReplyDelete
  6. You are right 18:23, I should have been clearer there, I mean in the sense of being innately evil. He has no morals, no scruples, he is cruel, spiteful, vengeful, it is as if he hates everyone, well that is, my bottom line for him is that he hates everyone.

    It's not just that he lacks empathy, he lacks any real human emotions. He doesn't laugh, unless it is at someone else's misfortune. He can't feel sorrow, but he can't feel joy either, he is too full of paranoia to take pleasure from anything. He is the grown up version of the greedy, spiteful kid from childrens' stories, the personification of the personality no-one wants.

    How does he compare to Hitler. Both Sociopaths. Like Hitler, Trump makes sweeping decisions that devastate thousands of lives - look at his handling of the tornado that hit Puerto Rico. Look now at the way he is handling the very real threat of a pandemic that could kill millions, all he cares about is how it will make him look. A bit like Hitler when his niece/lover killed herself, it took her several days to die and his response was 'how could she do this to ME'.

    True, Trump hasn't yet set up death camps, but he is virtually imprisoning all those who arrive at the Southern border, and is notoriously putting small children in cages. And I cannot imagine the nightmare he is putting immigrants through with his ICE raids and so called crack down on 'illegals'. My heart truly goes out to them, no human being is illegal ffs!

    I believe Trump is just as evil as Hitler, but if you think differently, I'm all ears.

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    1. Thanks for your speedy reply Ros. I rest my case.

      Delete
  7. Rosalinda dear

    “Good heavens JC, you are looking at the crisis from the perspective of a Nazi death camp doctor,…”

    Are you serious??? Look, there’s nothing of the kind in jc’s comments.

    Your question: “…he has surely surpassed Hitler?”
    Your answer: “I believe Trump is just as evil as Hitler…”

    What’s happening with you, my dear? I’m concerned.

    For weeks I’ve been doing my bit to keep your blog going, but you have published only a tiny fraction of my posts. Like you I do, but your recent treatment of my contributions I don’t. For instance, what has happened to my 9 March @17:38 post?

    Please do come down to planet Earth. :)

    No bad feelings.

    Bless

    T

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    1. Aaaah T, apologies, I have been, as my dear old dad used to say, away with the fairies, since about December. I am terrified that I could be overwhelmed with melancholia, it is been threatening for sometime. My postbox I am afraid, went completely out of control. I just couldn't bring myself to read it, because in among all those posts, were so many spiteful posts digging away at my fragile and over sensitive ego, I just couldn't face them.

      It is a character defect, for which I feel much shame and another reason to persecute myself with Catholic guilt. I absolutely hate letting people down, I hate letting myself down, and in this instance, with something as personal as my blog, the guilt is excruciating. I have built up the audience, but I am not providing the goods, a bit like Judy Garland (saw the film recently).

      I want to write, I am not myself when I am not writing, I become tetchy and irritable and a little lost. Maybe why I am drinking more alcohol lately, I am hoping it will break my writers' block. And it has, to a certain extent. I have written hundreds of blogs, but I just haven't published them because I can't be arsed to go back and edit them and sharpen them up!

      But it's not just laziness. I am also crucifying myself with self doubt and lack of confidence. Who cares about my opinion, other than those who seem to have a psychotic obsession with everything I say, and interacting with them really doesn't feel good.

      Apologies for all that 'poor me' stuff T, none of it excuses my appalling bad manners of late. I am at the moment giving too much importance to the negative posts I receive, they are nothing new and have been far worse in the past. Perhaps it is my underlying melancholia that is allowing their hateful words to get to me. When I am on form, I squish them underfoot.

      Of course no bad feelings, you are a good friend T, as is JC, and I guess my earlier reply could have been less dramatic. As I said in my blog, I am pretty much feeling doomed just now, should I catch this dreaded virus, it will be curtains. Now I have always pictured myself departing this world 'Cathy' Wuthering Heights, style, that is, wearing a satin nightgown, bouncing off walls elegantly and with everyone hanging onto my every last word. Fat chance now, I'll probably take my last breath with someone saying, 'do you still need that inhaler?'

      Oops, my apology got lost in the 'darkside' ha ha. Unfortunately, as much as I enjoy raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, it is melancholia and doomsday scenarios that unleash my acerbic wit.

      My response to JC, I am afraid, was of course not personal, I used JC's post to respond generically, to the right wing opinions I am seeing on social media. JC was brave enough to say out loud, that Mother Nature, every so often, uses it's overwhelming powers to 'thin out' the population. It is survival of the fittest in action. The religious would believe it is all part of God's (whoever that might be), plan. From a logical perspective it makes perfect sense...…

      continues, methinks I may be running out of word space

      Delete
    2. but it's a bit harsh, and as history has shown, it is often those who fall outside of the young and healthy demographic who have brought about the greatest changes. The race for the White House is being fought by 3 white men in their 70's - how did that happen?

      But I have waffled. Thank you T for caring enough to help keep my blog going, it really is appreciated. I will now direct my space ship back down to earth! ;)

      Delete
    3. T

      It's called censorship. That and guessing.

      Delete
    4. Censorship, guessing, and hypocrisy

      Delete
  8. “In a Thursday night broadcast, Fox News anchor Raymond Arroyo asserted that Bloomberg will be a “Biden puppet master.”

    “What that means is that Mike Bloomberg is going to have more power than any ordinary American will in a Biden campaign,” Arroyo said.”

    https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/adl-criticizes-fox-news-host-for-using-anti-semitic-trope-to-describe-michael-bloomberg


    '42 Knees in One Day': Israeli Snipers Open Up About Shooting Gaza Protesters

    Over 200 Palestinians were killed and nearly 8,000 were injured during almost two years of weekly protests at the Israel-Gaza border. Israeli army snipers tell their stories

    https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-42-knees-in-one-day-israeli-snipers-open-up-about-shooting-gaza-protesters-1.8632555

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    1. I'm afraid your negative soothsaying and fear of Bloomberg's influence has little effect on me 09:57, I'm very much in the 'whatever it takes, get Trump out' camp, my greatest joy would be to see him and odious family led away in handcuffs. And honestly, could anyone be more pro Israel than Trump?

      Bloomberg is boring, but he's not a monster in the Trump mould, and it is naïve to imagine that any President would take office free of 'influences' and pressure groups. In the real world it is one of those 'it is as it is' situations. Presidential candidates need backing and obviously they will reward those who backed them should they win.

      Biden I hope, will take a fairer approach to the Israel/Palestine problem, hopefully he will stand up to Israel's atrocities, but tbh, I do not know his opinions on this, so will have a read up.

      Delete
    2. Rosalinda Hutton 11 March 2020 at 18:29

      Rosalind dear

      “I'm afraid your negative soothsaying and fear of Bloomberg's influence has little effect on me 09:57, I'm very much in the 'whatever it takes, get Trump out' camp, my greatest joy would be to see him and odious family led away in handcuffs. And honestly, could anyone be more pro Israel than Trump?”

      I gave two links for your readers to consider and didn’t say a word. I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything. I don’t have a crystal ball. We are all grownups and we are free to make up our own minds independently, if that’s our choice, of each other.

      As far as I know, it is generally accepted that if Biden gets to stand against Trump, Trump will have a second term in the White Chaos. Whilst I understand that Biden’s eloquence, superior intellect, patriotism, good looks and paternal affection towards ladies, young and not, would make him a wonderful POtUS, I don’t think you’d be too happy with his losing to Trump.

      Have a look at this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ-YjGmpO4Q
      Or google creepy uncle joe youtube.

      Do keep well, my dear.

      Bless.

      T

      Delete
    3. 'Why Joe Biden Would LOSE To Donald Trump'

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3S4ttnR1sM

      Delete
    4. If your intention is to upset me 10:34, then you have failed.

      Right now even a basset hound playing a piano could beat Trump, even if he played a few bum notes. Trump is demonstrating, daily, that he couldn't care less about the lives of the American public as they are being engulfed by a pandemic. Even his most ardent supporters will turn against him once they start losing loved ones.

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    5. Hi T. I'm not a huge fan of Biden, but Trump has now hit that wall. His ignorance and incompetence has led to catastrophe. How many US citizens will be found infected once tests are made available? Those crowded scenes in American airports were horrendous, and a direct result of one of his stupid, off the cuff decisions.

      I'm not going to google 'creepy uncle joe', because I'm not into all that #metoo stuff. I think it is sick (original meaning there) that some people are scrutinizing physical gestures to that extent and interpreting them as abusive in some way. But I am just as guilty, I watched that video of Trump and Epstein leering at an 80's party, over and over, revelling in the embarrassment I hope Trump felt.

      I think it is sad that the race for the presidency, in 2020, is between three old white guys in their 70s! How did that happen? I am hoping that Biden, or Bernie, chooses Elizabeth Warren as their running mate. She is one of those middle aged Matrons, from every society, and every period of history, especially WWII, who have authority, are methodical, organised and get things done. I always stand aside in their presence, they are truly formidable.

      Lots of experts are predicting lots of things for the coming presidential election T. Now I'm no expert, though I have certainly put in the hours, but I foresee things going horribly wrong for Trump, including a landslide defeat in November, whether it be Biden or Bernie. Trump has been an awful president, never more so than now in a time of crisis. Trump will be judged on numbers, his favourite topic, but this time, numbers that are devastating to him, the stock market crashing and the number of fatalities from coronavirus. I think it kind of ironic, that Trump will lose the White House for something that wasn't intrinsically, his fault. It was a little bug from China!

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    6. I was struggling to find a word there, lol, please read 'technically' in place of 'intrinsically'.

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  9. Hi Rosalinda

    In times of confusion you can often find solace in poetry and literature. I do so. Intuitively, for quite some time I’ve had a feeling, that there’s some sort of a new and better world order in the making, though I cannot really find words to explain how this will come about.

    “Democracy, It's coming from the feel. That this ain't exactly real Or it's real, but it ain't exactly there (Leonard Cohen)”
    I don’t really know what he means, but it’s encouraging isn’t it LOL ?

    Anyway, my belief in humanity was strengthened, when I recently learned that Corbyn defends Assange’s right to publish facts about war crimes. I was also very impressed by Emily Maitlis’s complete demolition of a prince, who through a magic trick turned him into a frog, which couldn’t even sweat. What a woman!

    As for Epstein’s systematic sexual exploitation of underage or young teenage girls, it isn’t really so much different from what the Palace allowed Jimmy Savile to do for so many years, not just “unbecoming” and tasteless behaviour I’d say.

    What more can I say Rosalinda than;

    May the royal house with all its princes and princesses crumble and fall and let us all hope that Meghan Markle will live happily wherever and forever with her Harry, who hasn’t yet become a frog.

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    1. Thank you Bjorn that made me laugh. You are right Bjorn there is much solace to be found in poetry and literature, though for me these days it seems to be more Netflix and Amazon Prime! So much to watch - so little time, ha ha. I am especially enjoying access to foreign films and drama, I love to see how people live in a country, not England. And of course and of course all the beautiful sights of foreign lands. If I were to write a recipe for my perfect film, there would be dogs, snow, a spooky old mansion and beautiful landscapes with maybe an appearance from Vincent Price, be he alive, or err, undead.

      Democracy, I'm not sure we are there yet Bjorn, or that we will be in our lifetimes. Despite all the enlightenment of the last few decades, the masses are still led by elites who not represent them. 300 or so years later, William Blake's 'Tyger Tyger', still doesn't know the power it has.

      Jeremy Corbyn is a good man, not a bad bone in his body. Sadly, the 21st century seems to have turned it's back on good. Emily Mailtlis's interview was astonishing! And one for the royal history books, but not in a good way. Perhaps generations in the future will make documentaries on the fall of the House of Windsor, beginning with THAT interview!

      The sleazy exploits of Expstein, Trump and Andrew, with their clammy old hands pawing vulnerable young girls, doesn't really surprise me. Birds, or should it be vultures, of a feather, flock together.

      Meghan and Harry have probably done the smart thing, they have a head start on making millions from being Royal!

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    2. Bear

      “Harry, who hasn’t yet become a frog.”

      Bare News: “We have been reliably informed that ex-prince Harry has turned into a frog.”

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    3. see...they were reptilian all along :/ Ok I know a Frog is amphibian but a ginger one has genes from both camps....similar to his aunty Andy

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  10. Ros 10 March 2020 at 23:06 - " I cannot imagine the nightmare he is putting immigrants through with his ICE raids and so called crack down on 'illegals'. My heart truly goes out to them, no human being is illegal ffs!"
    ----------------------------------------------

    ICE raids started in 2006 by Bush - some figures here:

    "According to an analysis by the Migration Policy Institute, more than 12 million people were "deported" -- either removed or returned -- from the US during the Clinton administration. More than 10 million were removed or returned during the Bush administration. Far fewer -- more than 5 million -- were removed or returned during the Obama administration."

    ICE raids are not unique to Trump (although he is seeking to amend them).

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    1. Thank you for that.

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    2. Thank you for that 11:09. As I said I cannot imagine the horrors, the key word there being imagine.

      Sadly, persecuting immigrants is a policy many unscrupulous leaders use to win the votes of the less educated, those with a need to have someone to blame for all their woes. The bully in chief is happy to give them what they want by treating these 'invaders' with brutality and contempt, rather than with kindness and compassion as citizens of the world. And the rot starts at the top, Trump's cruel and spiteful rhetoric impacts on those carrying out his orders. Trump has changed the dialectic, people fleeing horrendous situations in their own country, are no longer people in need, but criminals, even their children are put in cages.

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    3. I believe the term 'illegal' was referring to citizenship, not species.You can never be illegally human but you can be an illegal citizen of any country.But we can still be outraged if you like. It's the thing.

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    4. Many thanks for that 19:52. Do you know the difference between unlawful and illegal? One is against the Law, and the other is a sick bird ;)

      I am of course aware that illegal refers to citizenship. Unfortunately, due to language constantly evolving, the term 'illegals' a shortening of illegal immigrants, is now being used to describe people, human beings. Words change. Wicked now means great, gay no longer describes a sunny disposition. I suggest you read George Orwell's '1984', it is a masterclass in the way language is manipulated and changed to mean the opposite of it's origin.

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    5. That's an example of Language slowly dying, not evolving.It's a very important difference if you familiarise yourself with the vision of Orwell's 1984.Trump is as close to BB as we've ever had.Recall this. Trump called one particular news item that cast him in a negative light once '' Alternative facts''. Not fake news. that was another time. Theresa may was in the same position and used that exact same phrase. If you Google ''alternative facts'' and ''Orwell'' you'll uncover it's origin and meaning.

      The 1969 speech by Dr Richard day is good reading too.Especially as we can now assess it's validity from 2020.There's audio links too for those who can't be bothered to read.

      https://100777.com/nwo/barbarians

      Z

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    6. Good heavens Z, you are so infuriating, if I were married to you, you would surely be under the patio by now! You are telling me to familiarise myself with Orwell's 1984, after I had just recommended it as a masterclass in the way language evolves. I am familiar with '1984' you dipstick*.

      Language isn't dying. It is constantly changing and evolving. Millions of words have been added to the standard dictionary of Samuel Johnson, new words are added every year, which is why a dictionary is not a once in a lifetime purchase and we don't all speak oldy worldy like 18th Century peasants. The words of Chaucer and Shakespeare are still there, but not as they were originally written. If language were dying as you insist, we would haver fewer words, not more.


      *dipstick - also a measure for how much oil you have in your engine.
      Language isn't 'dying',

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    7. Libraries are a memory now and books are fossils and the standards in inner city education are at an all time low.Most exchanges take place online.Most online exchanges are brief. Paragraphs have been replaced by sentences. Sentences are shortened to acronyms and slang. Conversations are now shorter and narrower and mostly read rather than spoken. Shorthand internet slang and acronyms can now be found in the OED. All of this is evidence of thinking becoming narrower and constricting rather than expanding . When a mass becomes less it's more accurate to say it's dying rather than evolving. Language grew, it peaked and now it's going down the other side of the hill.This is what Orwell was seeing in his vision of the future. He knew that the words of Shakespeare still existed. But he also knew that they lived in the vaults of history.He was talking about the future not the past.If you believe Orwell was suggesting that language and thinking, which move together hand in hand, was about to evolve, please explain where he refers to such in the book. Or do you think that he thought a richer language and education was all part of a dark and Dystopian landscape ? In which case you misunderstood the book.

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    8. Language, like the value it holds for some, is becoming truncated. It's part of the new 'culture'. Face it, Rosalinda. Or at least try to learn it.

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  11. My attitude

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyNnvzn9bOw

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    1. Bruver Oddball, I presume? Oh man, doncha hit me with them negative waves so early in the morning. Have a little faith. Doncha dig how beautiful it is out here? Doncaha think you should reconsider the suggestion that the upright stabilization of a pole by a mobile cart serves as a standard model for bipedal locomotion, an important feature of the evolutionary divergence of hominids from apes that may have been responsible for freeing up prehensile hands for tool use, and inform the readers of your long overdue Ten Years After whether you continue to insist that causal entropic forcing of the cart results in the successful swing-up and upright stabilization of an initially downward-hanging pol?

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    2. never thought of it that way to be honest, T...:/

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    3. Gotcha, bruv! Me nose the feeling. At leest you is onest. Me’s generous tonite, have zis haf of ma sarnie, and me’s giving you time to sink hard of what me says. Me is in ze mood for dancing.

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    4. Having danced all night…

      A correction that changes everything: the last word should’ve been ‘pole’ not ‘pol’. That makes things clearer, see?

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    5. Muchos grassy ass for the sarnie comrade..It's been an age since i drizzled balsimic on my pickles..

      Things have become clear.An apocalypse has occurred.I saw visions.I saw the rapture.I saw the whole of da moon..

      Zigglesworth of the yard ( Captain)

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    6. Regard da moon, Captain.

      White in the moon the long road lies,
      The moon stands blank above;
      White in the moon the long road lies
      That leads me from my love.

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  12. " Perhaps it is my underlying melancholia that is allowing their hateful words to get to me. When I am on form, I squish them underfoot."

    Can you explain what you mean by "I squish them underfoot" please Ros?

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    1. Err, it was a joke. Ok, not a big old belly laugh, more pathos than wit, an observation with a smidgeon of bravado thrown in. A sort of Arnie 'I'll be back' stronger than before. A little self reassurance and a growl at my enemies. Your welcome.




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  13. Federal Judge Orders Chelsea Manning Released from Jail

    https://consortiumnews.com/2020/03/12/federal-judge-orders-chelsea-manning-released-from-jail/

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  14. "Ps. I went out today and stocked up on longlife milk"

    You do realise Ros that it is the milk that has a long life - and is not passed on to the person that bought it?

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    1. Very droll. For your information, I am not actually seeking long life through beverages, I just happen to like the taste.

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  15. My word Ros, you're looking more like Christine Hart every day.
    She passes herself off as an author too.

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  16. I am a published author, fact. Random House actually.

    Is your 'passes herself off as an author' referring to someone of my class being an author, or as I prefer a writer? It certainly was in the Madeleine McCann forums where certain people were enraged that I, an ordinary person, dared to elevate myself to a profession more suited to the upper classes. Perhaps you would prefer that I describe myself as a scullery maid who writes a bit?

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  17. I have a camera. Am I a photographer ?Yeah, I think I'll be a photographer :)

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