Topic: Local News

[6pairsofshoes]

No chance. One of the things that has scared me is the Republican ability to equate inequitable facts: Democrats querying election results, but then conceding after a recount is not equivalent to continuing to deny the results of an election that you factually lost.

The Republicans as a body seem to have decided that the actions of Biden's son - as a private citizen - are as bad for the country as one of the two main parties completely ignoring the Constitution.

They are irrational and will grasp at any excuse to avoid facing the reality that, as a minority party, they just don't have the votes to prevail without resorting to one dirty trick or another.

[goldshirt*9]

I don't vote -

Knowing what the common people have gone through to get the vote in this country alone I hate this, BUT I agree with your sentiment.
If people for once would refuse to vote in one general election to show their disgust
with politicians and the system.
But people being people 
 

[smokester]

Knowing what the common people have gone through to get the vote in this country alone I hate this, BUT I agree with your sentiment.
If people for once would refuse to vote in one general election to show their disgust
with politicians and the system.
But people being people 

I only don't vote when there's no one to vote for.

This happens quite frequently.

[goldshirt*9]

Number one son has arrived for 2 weeks prior to deployment to Inverness.
Luckily he has sent directly through the army 4 boxes of what ever, unfortunately I have had to re arranged
the garage to accommodate the rest  .

[6pairsofshoes]

The Times ("of London") has a token Republican writer or two - presumably for "balance". One of them (Lionel Schriver) wrote an article in defence of folk that vote for Mr Trump over the weekend. In it she notes that 45% of Americans don't think that Mr Trump is fit to be President, but that 46% of Americans don't think that Mr Biden is fit to be President.

I mused on this, and am firmly of the opinion (if it it true!) that the reason that 45% of Americans don't think that Mr Trump is fit to be President is down to the actions of the Republicans while in office (and while trying to get there) BUT the reason that 46% of Americans don't think that Mr Biden is fit to be President is also down to the actions of the Republicans while trying to get into office. The Republicans have been complaining with no real evidence at all about Democrat candidates - and their suitability for office - for the last three election cycles, where mostly the Democrats have been trying to get elected on their own merits. The Republican declared intentions have not endeared them to pretty much any one that can read, but Mr Biden (and prior to him Mrs Clinton) have had their route to office poisoned continually with unsubstantiated garbage. Surely it is only a matter of time before the Democrats are forced to adopt similar tactics, even if only in self-defence?

I fail to see how any one can be allowed to stand in a democratic election when they have freely declared their intention to ignore the result unless they win (and more, to note that counting isn't necessary, as they are bound to win). An underpinning principle of the democratic process is the agreement of all participants to abide by the result, and without that there can be no fair election.

I cannot for one moment understand how any Republican voter (let alone party apparatus) can even consider a candidate that has nothing but contempt for the democratic process. Can they not see that it is only a matter of time before the Democrats choose a similar candidate - how will an election work if neither side agrees to abide by the result?

I am basically in agreement with this.  It's sad that so many of the candidates running seem oblivious to the basic tenets of American democracy as it's outlined in the Constitution.  The contempt for women and people of color among some factions of the GOP is all too evident.  Efforts to make voting difficult among populations that tend to skew left is one tactic, the presence of networks that traffic in the politics of division, hate and resentment toward anyone who thinks differently, just adds to the problem.  That a reality tv show star whose main schtick is to kick people off the show by telling them "you're fired" is remarkably perverse in that his target audience consists of members who could not hope in their wildest dreams to attain a management position.

Someone said that Trump is a weak man's idea of a strong man and a poor man's conception of a wealthy man.  He is neither strong, nor is he obscenely wealthy.  He just acts like he's both and the gullible marks just lap it up.  That he boasts of not paying taxes "because I'm smart" should rile them up since many of them rely on government assistance of one form or another.

I've often speculated that if a Democrat came up with a cure for cancer the GOP would reject it for political reasons.  There's not much of an attempt to exchange opposing viewpoints in a civil atmosphere here.  It's all Jerry Springer (R.I.P.) Food Fight with these folks.

[goldshirt*9]

Had to cancel train trip to Birmingham at the weekend, they have cancelled a 1 hour train into a 4 hour circular route around the midland. car + carpark + clean air zone cheaper

[smokester]

The TNG turns 21 today.

It's going to be a tame one though as it's rumoured he has a re-sit on Tuesday. However, I've booked 3 days of Paris horse racing in September to  make up for it.

He's better pass that effing re-sit!

[dweez]

The TNG turns 21 today.

...

He's better pass that effing re-sit!

Haha, Happy B-Day, TNG!

[8ullfrog]

Gonna get hit with the vapors off a hurricane, on the Pacific if you can believe it.

People have already gone rabid, when it's mostly going to be a windy rainstorm here. The CVS in the entire area are boarded shut, and I've heard a disturbing rumor that it's more for looting protection than environmental.

One amusing bit, the Jack in the box is closed, they put a chair and a wet floor sign in the driveway. This has not stopped people from lining up and honking.

That's... honestly frightening. I know that people are stupid, but they're honking at a chair. I don't think it's going to pull forward any time soon.

[6pairsofshoes]

I laughed when I read that about Jack in the Box = people just want their burgers I guess.

I was hoping we'd get some of that rain as it's been really dry here and my rhubarb is kind of stressed so I've been watering it.  Water is expensive so I try to conserve it when I can, but the tomatoes like it and I've been watering every couple days or so.  The plants are happy.  We are slowly getting some ripe tomatoes.

Happy birthday to TNG.

[8ullfrog]

Looks like the storm is going all the way to Medford Oregon.

Unfortunately, the water seems to be going from Los Angeles to Idaho.

There are some outliers, I'm using bing weather to track things.

[smokester]

Either The or T Is redundundant.

... it seems like only a year since he turned 20.

It's a stammer.

He's back up in Manchester now. Hopefully studying hard.

[goldshirt*9]

That's it, Number 1 son has finally left and gone off to pastures new.
Left books and DVD's, a few pc games which are old.
Took him around 9 hrs to get to his new abode chasing a few haggises.
Didn't see him off as we were in the Derbyshire dales for the wife's birthday. Was a tad busy but luckily the local tabernae had a 4 day beer festival ( only went once) and a local brewery had a open day.
Wife thought I planned it all, pure luck 

[goldshirt*9]

Radio 2 in the park was in Town weekend just gone, seemed to go off with a bang with no mishaps that has sprung to light as yet.
Trains out of Leicester cancelled North and South due to a lightening strike (of the natural kind) which would have been a pain for a lot of people.
Personally it didnt seem too bad a day for the weather so must have been out of the city ??

[goldshirt*9]

Man Flu has appeared