Alex's even longer post thread.

[Alex]

Ash has finally decided to go to sleep. Yay!

[Alex]

The head of the Scottish government has made it clear that trump will not be allowed to visit his golf courses here during lockdown after rumours that he was planning on visiting his course at Turnberry during the upcoming inauguration.

[Alex]

I went on my first 40 man raid since returning to Warcraft last night. It was a run to a place called Molten Core. It was a decent enough run, nothing overly memorable. I did get a couple of new pieces of loot, one of which I did not want. It leads to getting a really great staff for priests, but I had that one on my previous priest and I wanted something different for this alt.

I was on the run with a few other people from the guild, our guild master (or mistress I guess) from the Netherlands, few other people from across Europe were on the run. Towards the end, I decided to find an online news channel that covers news from the US and see how Biden's confirmation vote had gone or was going given the expected delays.

At this point, it seems the protesters had only just started storming (I think?) the senate building. Apologies if it is called something else, but my delvings into American politics haven't taken me that far into it and if I am entirely honest, most of the buildings I know of in Washington beyond the White House comes down to Fallout 3.

I mentioned to the others in guild about what was happening. None of them had heard about it up to that point. It generated half an hour to an hour of chat with reactions ranging from sympathy for anyone who wasn't a protestor through to laughing at trump and his supporters through to contempt for the whole US. No one had any sympathy for the protestors though. My own feelings on it was that yeah it was bad, but the media were blowing it out of proportion. The October Revolution it was not. In the short term my guess is the protesters have done more damage than good to their cause. Some people who did support trump and had been taken in by him are going to be turned off by seeing what happens when you pander to the extremes of politics the way I've seen the republican party doing for quite some years now. This could be a chance for the moderates to step up and grab control of their party, although only time will tell if they can or will.

We spent the night talking to friends and relatives over in the US. Most were anti-trump before this, some had voted for trump and have decided they have made a huge mistake. Only two were openly still supporting him, although there was a third I think was keeping quiet. Some were talking about leaving the US, feeling like it is no longer the country they thought they knew. I imagine those feelings are just shock though and will return to more normal in a few days.

Providing nothing else kicks off.

Hope everyone over there stays safe.

[chefzombie]

although we could, we aren't leaving our country. we're taking it back. the trumpkins can leave and take that fat bastard, his spawn and his  varied bimbos with them. i hope they enjoy living in the dictatorship they want, but it ain't gonna be in MY america, not even my deep red state. not happenin'. sanity will reign, and the RWNJ's can leave. good riddance.

[Alex]

Seems many of trumps last remaining allies are abandoning him as in the last days of his power, his empire of lies crumbles under the weight of his own hubris like so many would-be dictators before him have done. Someone said to me they thought he would be remembered as the worst president in US history.

I think he'll be lucky to rate that high.

Is it the end of trumps political career? Maybe. With his fragile ego, he might not want to risk facing the humiliation of defeat again. Wouldn't be surprised to see someone else from his family step into the ring though.

But that is all things to watch for in the future as the endless cycle of doing the same s**t over and over again, repeating the same mistakes but expecting a different outcome continues to dog the human species.

Some have said that's the definition of insanity in an individual. What does it say about an entire race?

A poll showed that if an election was held in the UK, the current ruling party would not only lose, but the PM himself would lose his seat. This isn't something I've ever seen before. The PM always represents one of the safest available seats. Still, bumbling boris has time still yet to turn that around. The deal he has signed with Europe seems to please nobody (as if anyone could come up with a practical deal that would), and some European businesses are now refusing to deal with the UK because of the extra paperwork and fees required. The deal is legally unstable and could easily fall apart. Well boris, you fought, backstabbed and scrambled your way to the top of the pile. Hope you are enjoying that view right now. Might be remembered as the man who screwed the UK, but hey, you'll be remembered. Thats the important thing right?

[Alex]

The storm battering the southern end of the country is hitting here too, abet somewhat muted compared to the full thing elsewhere. I need to pop out for some things from the local shop.

Did something I've never done before and watched the US inauguration if for no other reason than the check the previous one had been chucked out. I had expected to hear of some level of trouble, if not at Washington then from trumpers elsewhere. If they have then it hasn't made the international news. They did interview the leader of some militia who declared this was the end on the union and showed how he was prepping for war. He yelled "Yeehaw!" and fired off a gun, managing to accidentally start a fire.

Sounds about right from what I've observed so far. A bunch of clowns playing with fire.

After disappearing almost totally from the news, the US is back in. I will be interested to see if after all the excitement of a new president fades if the coverage from the US will also fade or if it will continue, jumping to other topics? In many ways, I find it indicative of a countries soft power which in the States case plummeted during trump's time in office. I wonder how much goodwill his successor will be extended?

Took a walkout in the rain. It wasn't as bad as it sounds, but still wasn't a great day to be outside. I remember when I used to not really care about the weather and would be out in all sorts. Guess all this office work has made me soft. I did order a new pair of trainers for running in (at nearly £100 and have to be shipped from Denmark and won't arrive until the 28th thanks to brexit). Looking forward to getting out there and running once more, even if I have to start on a running machine.

[Alex]

Had to go out driving yesterday. This left me feeling uncomfortable for the rest of the day.

Work computers ran slowly and we gave up on what we were trying to do by 14:30 and went home instead. I see QAnon seems to be falling apart. Shame its influence still lingers. There are enough idiots out there who will still believe that crap.

I went through all my books and got rid of a load of ones that I am never going to read. Generally, ones that other people have bought me. Kristi keeps picking me up cheesy sci-fi novels despite the fact that I don't read a huge amount of sci-fi and what I do read I tend to pick carefully in a narrow range that avoids lurid covered pot pulp but stops short of Asimov or Frank Herbert. They all went off to a new home with an old man who suffers from dementia but loves reading. Seemed like a good destination for them. Otherwise, it would have been in the charity box at the local shop.

[Alex]

Properly working from home today and actually going to do something rather than the vague stuff I've been doing while covid keeps the office shut.

The Kent variant of Covid appears to be mutating yet again. Hopefully not into a form the vaccine won't work against.

Kind of wonder what trump is doing now. Other than the occasional headline saying his legal position has just gotten worse, either from new charges or his team quitting. Kind of the level of coverage we were getting from the US prior to the election. Now it has mostly vanished. The other big thing in the UK news was the short lived argument with Europe over Covid-19 vaccines with them first threatening to limit exports of it from the EU, and then demanding a share of the UK's vaccines followed up with a sharp climbdown after an attempt to use the Northern Ireland part of the agreement in a way that wasn't within the rules. From what I can see it looks like the EU has lost this round. Given how soon this was though after the trade agreement between us and them being signed it does not bode well for the future. Voters on the ground in Europe will not be happy their leaders did not secure them a better supply and will be resentful that we have it. Pretty sure an agreement could have been reached that made both sides look good.

Oh well.

I wonder if the conflict in Ukraine will be resolved anytime soon? I'd imagine not while Putin is in power. Despite the protests in Russia, I can't see him being out of power anytime soon. Still, it is good to know there is a protest movement there and they do not seem to be afraid of being arrested. Still there is a good argument for the west having done much to aggravate Russian fears of the west, bending agreements with word play and Ukraine itself hasn't been 100% innocent either. It had options and had made promises that it didn't keep prior to trouble kicking off there. Maybe that was just playing into Putin's hands.

[Alex]

Getting lots of snow at the moment. Its unusual, but not unheard of. Normally the heat from the gulf stream stops it from hanging around too long.

Then again, they do say climate change is causing the Gulf Stream to shift southwards so this could be a taste of things to come.

Got Ash to take to hospital today so they can check his hearing. Pretty confident they don't need to, that boy can hear a packet of chocolates being opened from the opposite end of the house and comes running.

I've been offered a regular test for covid to see if I have got or had it, but not shown symptoms. Took me about half a second to consider it and say hell yes.

[Alex]

We are having warm weather today after our freakish snow of recent weeks. My guess is that Feb will be nice weather and then we'll have a cold snap come March and April. Still, we got our daily walk outside while the warmer weather lasts and I've even got around to hanging laundry up on the line instead of using the drier. All we can do right now is make the best of the lockdown. Right now the tiny demon is playing his piano and singing along. Kristi is upstairs writing out some minutes, so I am taking the time to let Ash just play. No cartoons on, no parent amusing him, just letting him play himself. He seems happy enough. I am just trying to avoid the problems other parents are having with kids getting attachment issues. We do some stuff together and then get him to play on his own.

I had my first bi-weekly Covid-19 test yesterday. Can't say that sticking a cotton bud down my throat and then up my nose was overly pleasant, but if it helps track things then I can live with the mild, short-lived discomfort.

Rewatching The Almighty Johnson's. It's a show that got 3 seasons and should maybe have gotten one more, but they did at least manage to wrap everything up in the time they did have.

The news has announced prince Phillip has been taken to hospital. I find it hard to care in this case, there are nicer people out there who are more deserving of my support. New super courts are being built to cope with the backlog of cases built up over lockdown and the government is fighting with itself over how to come out of lockdown.

Got a friend over in the US whose wife has had a baby. Not sure what is wrong, but the child is going to be requiring some sort of operation and is seriously ill? Understandably, they have been too occupied to let everyone know exactly what is happening and I would go prying. They've started a go fund me campaign to raise money for the operation. How the hell can you have a system where this isn't dealt with and doesn't require charity? We have made a donation to it, and will be making a larger one come payday. I just hope they are able to treat her successfully. They've made over half the target they are aiming for since it was set up yesterday and I take that as an encouraging sign.

[ER]

Agreed, you'd think the wealthiest country in the world could take care of its children. Adults, whatever, but children? There ought to be funding for that. It's a disgrace. I wonder if the US cut all foreign aid that'd pay the health insurance of those under eighteen?

[indianasmith]

Agreed, you'd think the wealthiest country in the world could take care of its children. Adults, whatever, but children? There ought to be funding for that. It's a disgrace. I wonder if the US cut all foreign aid that'd pay the health insurance of those under eighteen?

Considering that foreign aid is less than 1% of the Federal budget, I doubt it. 

[ER]

Agreed, you'd think the wealthiest country in the world could take care of its children. Adults, whatever, but children? There ought to be funding for that. It's a disgrace. I wonder if the US cut all foreign aid that'd pay the health insurance of those under eighteen?

Considering that foreign aid is less than 1% of the Federal budget, I doubt it.  

That'd work out to around $600.00 annually per child (counting only US citizens, not foreign citizens resident in the US) and if used for a health insurance program, that actually could possibly be enough to make a difference in a child's life.

[indianasmith]

True, but there are better places we could make cuts.
Just like the memes raving about how we need to slash Congressional salaries and pensions and such - There are a total of 535 members of Congress at a time, perhaps half that many or less who have served long enough to merit a pension (they DON'T get a pension after one term, that's an internet myth).  Cut it to nothing and it's maybe 1/10 of .001% of the Federal Budget.  Of course, these folks would be perfectly happy to pay the folks who run our country minimum wage; their hatred of elected officials is what's driving the meme, not any desire for real budget reform.

But foreign aid and congressional salaries are convenient whipping boys; if you want to cut budgets, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the military are the biggest single expenditures every year - by hundreds of billions of dollars!

That being said, I'm ready for socialized medicine.  My wife and I pay $1200 a month for insurance, just for the two of us, and when she broke her arm we still had to pay $5000 out of pocket to take care of our "deductible".   What the HECK is the point of having insurance if you still have to wipe out most of your bank account over  a simple injury?

Wow, that meandered a lot.

[Alex]

My own view is that the first duty of any government should be looking after its people. If it isn't doing that then it is failing.

Got a phone call earlier. I am in the next group of people to be offered a Covid vaccination. The military doctors recommend getting it, although I have no idea which of the vaccines it is we are being offered. Having read a bit on how they were developed, I do have one I rather get but in the end of the day, I'll take whichever one I am offered.