A blog for Writers, Readers, Thinkers, Beats, Freaks, Idealists, Punks, Hippies, Artists, Musicians, Poets, Photographers, Atheists, and all those of an Alternative Nature with Open Minds who seek Wonder and Fun.
Me and Pete
A blog for Writers, Readers, Thinkers, Beats, Freaks, Idealists, Punks, Hippies, Artists, Musicians, Poets, Photographers, Atheists, and all those of an Alternative Nature with Open Minds who seek Wonder and Fun.
Me and Pete
Unfortunately, Jeff, most of my comments are too sensitive for your ears and don’t make it passed the moderation.
Good to hear from you Leroy!
I suppose you think that little comment will get me angry and I’ll call you a bunch of well-deserved names that would get me kicked off here. Nope, whether here or on WB you’ve shown yourself as both coward and hypocrite. A lot of neofascist Trumpist talking points and pure BS from you is all that can be expected. I’m sure this won’t make it, either. You ARE what’s wrong with America, and are no patriot. Alone you are not even sound and fury, just nothing…
Who licked the red off your candy, Jeff?
It’s always a pleasure listening to others, even those I disagree with, perhaps especially those I disagree with. Even better when we can be polite to each other despite our differences. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you, Jeff.
I have to remember this website is for opher to promote and sell his books. Which is obviously okay and as it should be. Leroy whines, but most of what I leave never make it either, those comments having nothing to do with politics, so I’ll refrain. I’ve go too much to do to even care, like having to shovel snow off 220 feet of sidewalk in front of my house before darkness descends tonight. I wish opher and Bill H the best, and may pop in to read the latest. If opher cares, topical posting instructions might be helpful.
Cheers Jeff – always a pleasure!
Jeff – make a visit to this site if you want to bash the Trumpanzees. You will get a good taste of just how whacked-out these people are if you want to unload on them, it is more than encouraged.
https://breakingnewsandreligion.online/
My “handle” is Sluggo
I don’t “need” to bash Trumpists, they make good fools of themselves without my help. Consider Leroy. But am sorry not more in touch with you, Bill H. I’ve filed that site away, just in case. LOL I really do have a lot to do, and will post relevant updates here when I get them “on air.” Remember, music people, it’s Charlie Parker’s centenniary in 2020. Charlie Parker is important. Silly Trumpist running dogs are not. 🙂
Happy Brexit Day!
Thanks Leroy. I shall enjoy watching people regret it! Good luck with Trump.
We can only hope “novel” corona virus makes an appearance in the whitehouse. I’m equally sure ol Leroy was as excitewd when Nigel Farage campaigned for King Donald.
What? No Leroy victory laps celebrating King Don’s “victory?” Maybe Leroy is condemning Mitt Romney to using bathrooms full of transexuals.
The Grand Whiz-ard of time and bathrooms has spoken.
Hi,
We’re wondering if you’ve ever considered taking the content from ophersworld.com and converting it into videos to promote on Youtube using Content Samurai? You simply add the text and it converts it into scenes that make up a full video. No special skills are needed, and there’s access to over 1 million images/clips that can be used.
You can read more about the software here: https://turntextintovideo.com – there’s also a link to a totally free guide called the ‘Youtube SEO Cheat Sheet’, full of fantastic advice on how to help your site rank higher in Youtube and in Google.
Kind Regards,
Alena
That sounds very interesting. What’s the cost?
Ah, yes…the costs. Hmmm. Just got through talking with a neighbor that wandered by to let us know two neighbors up hill from us have “novel coronavirus” contracted from a care giver from the “Lifecare Center” associated with most of the 31 deaths in this state so far. They got tested 8 days ago and jtust found out they’re positive TODAY. Good job, Orangy. “We don’t want to know how many people have this because it will “hurt my numbers.” Poor Orangy. Guess neighbors on three sides of the infected couple are freaking out, despite a lack of real contact. Calm folks…calm. If you get it and die, then you get it and die. Nothing to be done for it. Numbers up or your number isn’t up. Good luck, folks.
Interesting to see how the orange imbecile copes with this. He’s spent his time discrediting experts and encouraging conspiracy thinking. I wonder if all the anti-vaccers will take the vaccine when it’s produced? I wonder when the twerp will stop listening to idiots like Pence and start listening to scientists? I wonder if he’ll start preparing soon instead of trying to blame it on the Chinese and Europeans?
Good luck.
On the positive side, the US can’t do any worse than Italy. The UK seems to have given up and decided to just let everyone get it and be done with it. Truly, Europe has done an awful, awful job with it.
Trump’s problem is that he is listening to his experts at the CDC and most of them are idiots. I watched a movie called Flu, based on a mutation of the bird flu spreading a suburb in Korea. The CDC was the bad guy. Not far from the mark.
Neither the US nor Europe learned from China and those countries that have been proactive such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea. I’ve heard Trump’s advisors say the stupidest things. The US has relatively few cases for one single reason: lack of testing. The state of Washington can test 80 a day but only tests 40. Pathetic. Ignorance is bliss. It’s one problem with a capitalist healthcare system. You have to go to a doctor and he decides whether you get the test. The doctor may be overruled if the patient hasn’t traveled to Italy or China, has a high fever, and struggles to breathe. For that, days later after paying a couple of thousand for the test, you may or may not know if you are positive. It may be a false negative or positive. Absolutely asinine.
Trump has acted more decisively than any European country with the possible exception of Hungary. Still, it is too little too late. It’s a pandemic now. It was a pandemic 48 days ago. The world needs to treat it as such.
Let’s face it; about 60-70% of us will get it before there is a vaccine. The only thing we can do is flatten the curve to prevent our hospital systems from becoming overwhelmed. It doesn’t do me a lot of good if I have a heart attack and it takes an hour for the ambulance to arrive. That is why the UK position is so asinine.
Hi Leroy – how on earth do you think Trump has acted decisively? The virus is prevalent in America. It has an incubation period of two weeks. Stopping flights is pointless.
Trumpo, just like Johnson and the Tories, has run down the health system in order to gain short-term profit (same flawed thinking as on the environment – which is also going to bite back big time). We’ll see how much all the loot protects these people!
Or do you think that sending the stock into the biggest loss in history is going to help?
China and Korea appear to have done a good job. Italy is taking measures.
The UK has an imbecile in charge so I don’t hold out too much hope. At least they are listening to scientists. Ironical really – spend years telling us that all experts and scientists are crap and now we depend on them for our lives!
I wonder how many of the antivaccers will refuse the vaccine when it’s produced?
Here in the UK there is a realisation that we are all going down with it. The policy is one of allowing most people to get it and build up herd resistance – while protecting the vulnerable through isolation. Makes some sense.
Yes – the only thing to do is to flatten the curve so that health services can cope. Can’t see anything in the USA geared to doing that, can you?
Over here we’re starting to get into gear – banning public events – trying to slow the contagion while letting those who are likely to get it mildly get and build up resistance in the population.
It’s gonna kill a lot of people!
And you’re right – we needed much more testing!!
I reckon this populist idea of not believing in experts and promoting conspiracy theories will come back to bite Trump.
Ah, the return of Trumpist Leroy, plying the current “party line. You clowns wanted a tiny government that could be drowned in a bathtub, and now get your wish. Trump played his usual anti-Obama card, and dismantled the machinery designed to deal with an outbreak, firing all those experts that not only couldn’t be believed, but were there because of that damn Muslim/Kenyan black guy. Curse them!! Now we’re suppose to all repeat the words of Orange F**k: “It’s under control.” Say repeatedly until you believe it.
Same here – the Tories have spent ten years dismantling the NHS – now they find we need it more than ever! The trouble is we have a drastic shortage of doctors and nurses because they robbed them of pay and pensions. They’ve shut hospitals and removed beds.
The mantra of putting money before people!
I place the problem at the feet of the UN. You know; that organization that you guys believe should rule the world. Out of political correctness, the WHO failed for 47 days to call it a pandemic, tying the hands of governments all around the world. For what reason? Not wanting to offend their paymasters, the Chinese. These are YOUR experts, at least they were in the past. You probably disown them now. These are the people whom you wanted to enlighten us to the true path of globalism. Admit it; it exposed the utter insaneness and failure of your philosophy. You guys own this one. True to form, you blame Trump. TDS is real.
On the bright side, we are living in interesting times. History is being made.
Lol Leroy – you do bring joy to a gloomy day. All the best to you. Just a few things:
a. How on earth is the WHO not calling it a pandemic tying anybody’s hands? The figures were all published. All governments were fully briefed. They made their own decisions as they are doing now. A pandemic is only a name given to an epidemic when it has uncontrollably spread across many nations. There was hope in the early days that it could be contained.
b. Since when have the Chinese been paymasters of the WHO or UN? According to Trumpo he pays for it!
c. It was Trumpo who declared in the early days that it was a hoax, fake news. Then he tried to blame it on the Chinese. Then he blamed it on the Europeans. While all the time he was doing nothing to protect Americans – no restrictions, no testing and no science.
d. It’s Trumpo who has run down the Health Service so that millions of the population have no cover. It was Trumpo who belittles all scientists and experts and immediately on taking office sacked them all – exactly as he did with all the environmental investigatory teams and monitoring. He doesn’t need scientists or experts does he? He doesn’t believe in global warming or covid 19 – it’s all fake news.
My friend you are clutching at straws. This is not the result of the UN or WHO. It is the result of a new virus that started up in China. It is the responsibility of every country to take measures to protect its people. Unfortunately both you and I are in the hands of populist imbeciles who haven’t got a clue and have spent their time belittling and dismantling the very people and services we most depend on.
Take care of yourself Leroy and wake up!
Hi guys, hope all is well with everyone. In my area, the stores are beginning to be emptied of staple goods. No toilet paper, paper towels, or hand sanitizer for over a week. Seeing lots of the doomsday preppie crowd who worship the Orange Buffoon coming in from outlying counties and loading up their F-350’s and Dodge Ram Pickups with all they can grab.
Ohh, and a side note, Trump was offered coronavirus test kits from the W.H.O. in late January and turned them down. The reason is still not clear, but it is suspected that this was during his “Coronavirus is fake news from the Left” era, or he was thinking the US Big Pharma could profiteer from selling their own, which it turns out we have not even developed yet due to the German patent, red tape, and QA testing issues.
Hi Bill, same here – the Brexiteering buffoons are loading up with anything they can get their unwashed hands on. It is like Zombie Apocalypse.
Doesn’t surprise me about Trumpo – his bungling speech the other day sent the markets crashing – biggest fall in recent history. Although, as you can see from Leroy’s pathetic attempt to blame it all on the UN, they’ll use any excuse to exonerate their hero. Hopefully the virus will thin them out a bit. It’s all fake news right?
Thank you, Opher, for your wish for me to die from Covid-19.
That’s why we don’t need elitists like you guys in charge.
Hi Leroy,
I hope you don’t die! I like you too much even if you are so gullible. I think there’s hope for you. You will see one day what a bungling fool you have for a President.
I do find it amusing that you refer to me as part of the elite. I suppose that in a number of senses I am. We both are part of an extremely rich and fortune elite compared to the fortunes of most of the world.
As someone with a high IQ that also puts me in the elite.
My frustration with Trump, Brexit and democracy is that a bunch of ignorant, uneducated morons have saddled us with a worse world.
Cheer up. You’ll probably survive!!
Hopefully Trump and Johnson will be seen for the populist fools they are.
Who knows? We may even create a better world and all come together in partnership after this virus is dealt with?
Oh BTW Leroy – by inference – you really don’t think that Trump is part of the real elite running the globe? A billionaire who has spent his time taking from the poor to give to his wealthy mates?
But Bill H., Orange F**k has said this will all end on its own. Of course, he’s said a lot of things, lying over 17,000 tImes since taikng office, and gee, now even ol Wall st won’t believe him. As you note, Orange F**k has been wet from being in a river…Denial, since this started. And we’ve got clever Leroy blaming the UN. Uh huh. That’s it…the UN and Obama. Leroy hasn’t said if people are spitting on his chinese wife and beating up his son for being part chinese and at fault, obvious carriers for “race based disease.” And grocery stores are almost to the point of being dangerous. Since there’s no law against it, we got MAGA hat types in grocery stores packing sidearms to protect the 50 rolls of toilet paper they need to survive. Yeah, let’s start a right wing rumor; coronavirus is just another attempt by democrats to distract people while they take away their guns…
I can’t believe the reaction in the States to this – first find someone to blame then go and buy another gun!
What they don’t see is that Trumpo first denied it, then tried to blame China and Europe while covering up the extent of the problem and deliberately hiding the stats. His bungling allowed it to get out of hand.
Hi, I was just checking out your site and filled out your contact form. The “contact us” page on your site sends you messages like this via email which is the reason you are reading my message right now correct? That’s the most important achievement with any kind of advertising, getting people to actually READ your message and I did that just now with you! If you have an ad message you would like to blast out to millions of websites via their contact forms in the U.S. or to any country worldwide let me know, I can even focus on specific niches and my charges are super reasonable. Reply here: harry2947har@gmail.com
I’ll bear that in mind.
Hmmm…ol Harry here reminds me of some others on a blog site several of us use to post on that had all sorts of reasonably priced IT volunteers wanting their little hands on the site. When the site owner gave in to a couple of “demands,” and some chose to leave, some, in an apparent huge spasm of right wing hatred started doxxing people and the owner wisely, if sadly, closed it down. I don’t know you, but will advise in this convoluted world we live in, people offering wonderous, free “services”, or even cheap, need to realize some people are smart enough to see they’ll never get more than they’ve paid for, or may even get screwed in the process or their “brand” ruined. opher has worked very hard on his writing and publication efforts. If he gets (and does get) people to read his books, he can get people to read “his messages.” Just sayin’, dude. I’m sure you are the most inexpensive, great promoter since Stevie Jobs, “Colon.” Time for evening corona virus concert while still warm enough to have doors and windows open in the studio. 🙂
There’s always someone offering something.
Well, folks like L
oooops. Folks like Leroy–rightists and Trumpians–are now calling for business as usual, no restrictions–because it would be okay if a million folks over 70 died “for the economy” and King Donald’s reelection. Wow…gee…sure hope Leroy’s kid hasn’t been beaten within an inch of his life for being half chinese, or his chinese wife lynched in his backward state of North Carolina, for giving people CV. You know “Chinese Virus.” Amazing.
Times like these bring out the best and the worst in people. You find out what people are really like. I couldn’t believe the queues for guns and the selfish panic buying. I think these last years have instilled a culture of selfishness and nastiness. Maybe when they all start dying that will change? America needs a new zeitgeist!
I hope this message finds Opher et al in good health and spirits.
I’m glad I didn’t have to line up for a gun. I’ve had my guns and ammo in storage for nearly ten years. I finally brought them home. I’ve been beefing up security and food stocks in case some of you guys run out. But, it won’t likely be necessary since essential businesses such as liquor stores remain open for you guys.
Don’t know where Michka gets his “facts”. He’s wrong on just about every point, even claiming that I live in North Carolina. North Carolina is too yankeefied for me. The truth of the matter, having an understanding of mathematics, I was calling on Trump to act much earlier. A total shutdown for a month may be what we need to nip this in the bud. We could then start over with more testing and contact tracing and isolation. Compared to the other Western governments, the US is still faring well–so far. Despite Jeff’s wishes, my son looks too much like me. He has no outward Asian features. Almost no one recognizes his name as being Chinese. Too close to a Western name for anyone to figure it out. Most can’t tell my wife from a mami chula.
It will be interesting to see how we recover from all this. Will we go the progressive liberal route or will we become less global? Since the virus is a product of globalism, I suspect the US will become more anti-global, especially after Trump is re-elected.
Hi Leroy – I hope you are well and keeping safe.
I am amazed by this gun craze in America. You can’t shoot viruses. Here we are much more civilised – we practice social distancing and help one another. I am swamped with offers of help while in isolation. We’re not fearful of our neighbours.
All the food stores are open and stocked. They won’t run out. We have deliveries to top us up. All is well.
I’ll let you and Jeff bicker between you.
As far as leadership goes the UK and USA are both in the same boat with ineffective bumbling populist leaders who haven’t got a clue. Trump not only was slow off the mark but pumping out all manner of false information – be over in three weeks, back to work by Easter, no worse that the flu, the US has it under control, I’m shaking hands, there is a cure (antimalarial hydroquinine), as well as not calling for a national effort and leaving States to fight it out in a bidding war for vital goods. Man’s a fool. All he cares about is money. For us Johnson is in critical care and we won’t miss him at all. Oh for Merkel and the German way of dealing with the virus. Knocks both of our nations into a cocked hat.
The UK and USA have been pathetic. Tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths! An economy wrecked – all because of a lack of preparation, testing and follow up.
I think the worse is yet to come for both of us – and I predict the USA will be the worst in the whole world. Trump took apart all the teams and mechanisms necessary to fight a pandemic. He’s a nutcase. Same with the environment. He took those monitoring teams apart too. Ignorant and short-sighted.
Saving a bit of money is going to cost a lot of lives and a small fortune. China is back to work. The only work in our countries will be in the morgues.
You stay isolated and safe Leroy. The worst is yet to come.
All the best
Opher
We’ll see if Trump gets elected. It reflects on you all. Over here in Europe he’s seen on a par with a circus clown and the town moron.
I’m reading Michelle Obama’s biography – Becoming. It is excellent – a study in intelligence, compassion and understanding – three attributes that Trump couldn’t even spell let alone possess. I suggest you give it a read. It’s an eye-opener.
After this is over the world will be different. We have seen how socialist policies are effective. Hopefully lessons will be learnt. Instead of going back to the unfair elitist way of doing things where a small bunch of capitalist profiteers exploit everybody and take the vast bulk of the spoils we might try for a fairer distribution of wealth.
Right on Opher! (Or write on).
But I hope Boris recovers.
I wouldn’t wish him dead – even though he is the architect of a lot of misery.
Trump is, and has been the epitome of failure during this crisis. There could not have been a worse time for him to be in power. Certainly he will not only not be re-elected, but will be tried and found guilty of the deaths of many people due to his ignorance and lack of response.
Seems all of you “Reich Wing” fools still bow to your Orange God, but if anything comes out of this, it will be to instill even more checks and balances to insure we never elect a self-centered, ignorant Dictator in our country again. We are much better than this.
Stay healthy, my friend!
In my area, most of the Trumpanzees live just over the next county line. One of my favorite fishing lakes is in the area, so on recent drives I was still seeing them at the local park sitting around the picnic tables suckin’ down brewskies and Marlboros while letting all of their kids play on the playground equipment. Seems they still go by the Orange Buffoon’s earlier pledge that “we’ll be out of this by Easter, believe me!” and his original proclamations to ignore the virus, as “it is a ploy by the Democrats to upset my Presidency”. But yet, these were the same people grabbing up and hoarding all of the toilet paper, paper towels, and disinfectant wipes. I heard a few of them on the local Ham Radio repeater scoffing Anthony Fauci because he doesn’t fully agree with Trump’s praise of the drug hydroxychloroquine, which they all seem to go along with. Of course, they also deny the fact that not only Trump, but many of Trump’s buddies have shares of stock in the companies that produce it (Sanofi & Novartis).
Hope all of you are doing well!
Maybe they’ll be a big cull. Many of those I’ve seen at the rallies appear to be very obese! That’s a big factor that’ll put them at risk. They don’t seem to have much common sense. Buying up guns – perhaps they think they can shoot the virus when it comes around?
Trump has been terrible hasn’t he? All that fake information and contradiction. If they had a drug that worked they’d be using it! There wouldn’t be all these thousands dying. It looks to me as if the States is going to be the worst hit of any country.
You stay safe Bill!!
Bill, if one is objective, Trump has performed well in comparison to other major Western governments with respect to deaths per million and cases per million. Germany is doing an outstanding job with regards to the testing and treatment and is the exception. The US is only slightly behind. The other major European countries are performing poorly. The UK isn’t doing badly on paper. Ignorance is bliss. Keep in mind that China is lying.
Yeah, sure, Trump should have acted earlier, but I don’t see any other president past, present, or future acting more decisively. I blame it on the WHO. Had it declared it a pandemic earlier, Trump could have and would have acted earlier. It would have given him cover. Most folks like you were already calling it a big nothing burger at the time. If Trump had pulled the trigger earlier, you guys would have gone berzerk. It is safe to say that you, Bill, would have complained no manner how Trump acted.
It’s not funny, but, if you could separate yourself from the tragedies, it is funny that the most affected areas are anti-Trumper. Refer to us deployables in flyover country in whatever derogatory matter you like, but the truth is, it’s the liberal areas of the country who oppose strong borders who are getting infected. Flyover country is faring better at the moment.
Stay safe!
Leroy – obviously it is the urban areas with the high density populations in which the virus spreads more quickly.
It boggles me that you can defend Trumps actions. He has been absolutely lamentable.
Obama had institutions in place for just such an emergency as this. He had three pandemics to deal with – I believe that was SARS, MERS and Swine Flu. He knew that a big one was inevitable and set up institutions to deal with it. Trump, on gaining office, disbanded all those agencies (along with all the environmental monitoring). He slashed funding to science, refused to look at a universal healthcare and derided scientists and experts. At the start of this he was denying it – calling it a democratic scare story and fake news, then he started blaming China and then Europe and saying how well he was doing. He has refused to move to a national standing meaning that States compete for limited resources instead of focussing where needed. He refuses to follow the rules – handshaking, distancing and such like. He said it would all be over in three weeks, that it was no worse than the flu and that America needs to get back to work.
No America is not doing better than others. It is far worse. It was a good month or so behind Europe and is already surpassing it on the curve. It is only just starting in many areas and will have a horrific death toll because of the mixed messages, denials and stupidity.
Our news is reporting his actions as those of a bumbling imbecile. That is mainstream news.
You are defending the indefensible due to political leaning rather than any factually based knowledge. The man is out of his depth. He can’t read and knows fuck all. All he works on is how to make a profit. Nothing else counts.
There’s more to life than money.
Stay safe Leroy, isolate, the worst of the storm is a long way off.
Opher, I don’t know where you get your information, but people over here are getting along pretty well. There is nothing wrong with panicking. You of all people should know that it is a normal human response and has been a large part of our survival mechanism. There is nothing wrong with preparation. If I had the money, I would be a prepper.
Contrary to popular belief apparently in the UK, we do not shot viruses. We shoot those who chose not to prepare and decide to lighten us of our stocks. We don’t fear our neighbors. Trust but verify. You are right, however; we are not as civilized as those in the UK, preferring flying lead to knives and acid and bleach washes preferred by those who displaced your forebearers.
Don’t worry about Jeff. If would be unfair of me to engage him, even with half my brain tied behind my back as Rush might say. It might even be considered elder abuse.
The US may be the worse hit solely due to its population and the fact that China lies. In terms of deaths per million, I doubt we will finish in the top ten. There is some advantage to being late to the party. It is absolutely wrong to compare this virus to the flu, but, so far, even Italy and Spain have kept the mortality rate below that of the flu. They seem to be on the verge of slowing this thing down. There will be a second and perhaps a third wave. Let’s see if we learn our lesson. Having said that, if one were objective, he would have to say that the US is doing better than Europe. Just saying, not bragging.
Yeah, those socialist policies. What we hear here is that if you are over sixty, they don’t bother to treat you. You have budgets to respect. That won’t happen in the US. If you have insurance or not, they will treat you here. They can’t refuse without having a multi-million dollar suit leveled against them. That’s one advantage of a capitalist system–no death panels. So, what happens if our system gets overrun? The hospitals might have a talk with the family and encourage them to pull the plug. Otherwise, first come, first serve. They will find a way to treat you. They actually use hotels here during normal times. We may not move as quickly as China, but we will be more effective and efficient.
As far as culling is concerned, be aware that the most affected areas are anti-Trump. Don’t think for a minute that it is affecting mostly those in flyover country.
Take care and stay safe!
Lol Leroy – preparation is one thing but forming militias is quite another. We don’t have any of that siege mentality here.
Also we don’t have this acid and bleach attacks you speak of. That was a spate and quickly stamped our. We are not a violent society. There are a lot of lies about No-Go areas and Muslim extremism. There are none.
Sure we have gangs and we had a big spate of knife-crime in London. It’s being dealt with. We don’t have the guns or anywhere near the levels of violence.
Everyone here gets brilliant treatment for free. We do not refuse treatment to people. What you are hearing about are conspiracy theories and fake news. In the event of there not being sufficient ventilators – if the numbers rise too high and swamp the health service (as they are in New York) choices will have to be made as to who goes on the ventilator. It does not look as if that will happen. Unlike Italy and New York we are controlling the curve and coping.
Don’t believe everything you read on those right-right fake news sites. It’s lies. There are no budgets to respect. Here we get better healthcare than the States. Our life expectancy is higher. We are not turning anyone away.
Dang! They’re forming militias here? First I heard of that. No one told me. I had to hear it from a Brit. I better find me one to join.
You don’t have immigrant violence and in particular the raping of your women because the UK forbids people from talking about it. Tommy Robinson is a case in point. You might disagree with what he says, but you can’t deny that his speech is being suppressed. Freedom of speech is gone in the UK. PC-speak is still acceptable and seems to be the language you speak.
Unfortunately, the government there doesn’t trust you guys to own guns. Neither does our government these days. Thank goodness for the Constitution and Trump being elected to appoint textualist judges.
Yeah. Everyone gets treatment and everyone is generally satisfied, according to my former Scottish colleague. It might take a year or two to get treatment for the Covid-19, but you will get it if you live long enough.
The UK is doing well for one reason; it is burying its collective head in the sand. It’s pretty much the tack China is taking today. Develop herd immunity and move on. Accept that 3-5% of the people will die. The only fly in the ointment is that immunity might not develop is a substantial part of the population and that it may leave people damaged. But, in a socialist system, that is good for the short-term budget if people die
Leroy – Tommy Robinson (real name -Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon) is an extreme right-wing fascist and former football hooligan. He has been spreading racist propaganda and misinformation trying to stir up race hatred. He is a lying git. In the UK we have laws preventing people stirring up hatred. You may consider that an infringement of free speech – we consider it to be civilised behaviour. We would not have the KKK in Britain.
We don’t own guns because we really do not want the level of violent and murder that you guys have in the States. We don’t regularly have people going into schools or businesses or concerts rampaging around trying to shoot everyone. It’s not the Wild West over here. We’re civilised.
I’m surprised you don’t know about the militia. We have just had a documentary about the nutters running around playing with their guns and dressing up in military uniform. They looked like an obese bunch of idiots.
Leroy – if I got ill I would be in intensive care straight away. I wouldn’t have five ambulances from different companies fighting over me or trying to check my insurance cover. I would be admitted straight away and receive first-class nursing as good as anything anywhere.
Unfortunately we are not a socialist country. We’ve had ten years of capitalist right-wing Tories and now have a populist, extreme right-wing buffoon as a Prime Minister. He’s called Trump-lite over here.
We are going to do better than the USA with this virus, despite our PM being almost as big a populist idiot as Trump, because we have a better educated society without such a bunch of ignorant religious nutcases and conspiracy theory believers.
I suggest you stop getting your information from sites that are making up their facts to fit their extreme ideology. Understand that this virus is not very nice and will kill you, isolate and allow all the idiots to continue meeting up, spreading the disease and killing themselves.
Stay safe Leroy.
I give you this, Opher; the UK has a more compliant population. The election of Bojo and Brexit gives me hope.
There’s no point in discussing anything with a TDS sufferer. We’ll have to agree to disagree until the sickness passes.
Stay safe! I wouldn’t want you to find out the hard way.
Not so much compliant Leroy – we have a long history of social protest – but more civilised. America still has this Wild West attitude. It is an attitude of the individual against the world. We have a far greater feeling of community and cooperation. I think it comes from have a lot of settled history behind us.
The election of Johnson and the Brexit vote were both elitist controlled. People like Rees-Mogg made a killing out of it. He made two million out of Brexit. It puts control firmly in the hands of the wealthy elite. Both disasters for ordinary people.
It seems to me that you’re a Trump sufferer. You seem totally blind to all his failings.
Never mind – stay safe, keep isolated and try to stay away from the gun-totin’ nutcases.
LOL…Your view of America is typical of Europeans. Those of us who are not progressive liberals wear that view with honor. We’re a recalcitrant bunch. Apologists like Bill and Jeff wear it with shame and are continually apologizing for America much like their hero, O. Most Americans have a favorable view of Europeans, except for the French. They’re still pissed that France wouldn’t let the US fly over the country to deliver a message to Qadaffi….lol. France is a different world today. The youth are pretty much normal.
Stay safe! Stay healthy!
My view of America is tempered by my experience of living and working there Leroy. I love a lot of things about America – it’s energy and can do attitude, its generosity, the beautiful country, the warmth and friendliness. But I came up against intolerance, racism, extreme violence and ignorance as well.
You stay safe. Stay at home Leroy – sit this out!
Oph-
Many Republicans, especially Trump supporters are guided by fear of the unknown, bigotry, and are either self or family centered. This tends to drive the need to isolate themselves and have their guns ready for anything they feel is a threat on themselves or their family. I am noticing this even more now, as many of my Republican neighbors have retreated to hoarding essentials and isolating themselves versus the non-Republican neighbors who are all offering assistance to the area seniors or those who must stay isolated due to medical issues. How do I know this? My wife has an immune system issue that prevents both of us from leaving the house at all during this crisis, except maybe for a neighborhood walk. Neither of us can enter a store or any enclosed environment for any reason at this time.
We’re the same Bill. My wife has asthma. Yes, as you have noted, there are two responses. One is the more selfish one of grabbing supplies, getting the guns and locking yourself away and the other is looking for ways to get involved and help the needy. It’s the same here without the guns. The Brexiteers are hoarding and panicking. The rest are signing up to help. We’ve been inundated with offers of help.
I think the selfless outnumber the selfish.
Let’s hope we build a more caring world the other side of this.
Stay safe Bill.
What is ‘TDS’?
Trevor – TDS is a silly term that right-wing Americans use every time someone suggests that their President is a numbskull. They won’t have any criticism of the guy. He’s sacred.
So ol Leroy is now claiming he lives somewhere other than North Carolina, which he repeatedly claimed on WB. guess lying is just another “Trumpist virtue.” I’m sorry to hear about your kid and wife not being abused for being “foreign” and personally responsible for corona virus due to their chinese heritage. You aren’t sick, eh, or are you? Maybe it’s the fever driving your Trump-pliant postings. Stay safe and be well, Bill and opher. I guess Leroy hoarded enough toilet paper to stay well. Keep that mouth clean, Leroy. Wash those ideas for 20 seconds…
Clearly, My older comments to Leroy rang true to him or he not reply with such vitirol. Have you cut your wife down from the tree she was lynched on? Has your son gotten the plastic surgery to give him a “normal” appearance after his beating?
You liberals are all alike…lol. Always the victim. Conservatives bad, selfish, unwilling to help. We’re the good people always helping others–if we could, of course. Too bad we are victims. Oh, my disorder. Oh, my asthma. Oh, my back. Oh, I am so old. Poor me.
Oh, and, Jeff, best of luck to you too! Stay safe! Hope you and your family stay healthy. Always good to hear from you. So insightful.
I was in Florida for the fourth hurricane of the season a number of years ago. There were victims and there were those who took action. Being the conservative types, we took action. We cut our way out of the mess, then went across the street to help the take-charge, go-to woman across the street cut her way out so she could help others. Before going to help others, she asked us to remove the trees and limbs from an older couple’s driveway so they could get out if needed. By the we were finishing up, we were asked to remove the trees and limbs from a woman’s driveway so she could go to work. They were very appreciative. She and her daughter and son came out to thank us and take our picture. Did they help us help them? Oh, heck no. They were victims. So, I say, quit playing the victim and get out there and help someone. You don’t have to go outside and associate yourself with deployables. You can make masks (or give up your stockpile). They are many things you can do online. Are you doers or are you the picture taking victims?
Hi Leroy – Good for you. Like most people – when times are tough – we get stuck in and help other people in need. It’s a human characteristic. Certainly in this crisis people are being amazing.
Right now the best things we can all do is stay indoors and wash our hands and when we go out to exercise – keep at a distance from everyone and don’t touch anything.
As a biologist it seems very simple. I don’t see myself as a victim. I want to make sure I don’t become one. When I see on TV great bunches of fat loonies, wearing their MAGA hats, holding barbeques and parties or swilling beer together I think to myself – it is no wonder America has the highest death rate in the world. Too many Americans are stupid.
Thanks, Opher, but I must correct you on the death rate. The death rate per million population in the US is 57 according to Worldometers. Worldometers seems to be the definitive source for the world. The death rate in the UK is 145, still not too bad but more than twice the death rate as the US. The highest death rate that we know is 350 for Spain. Yes, I know that the US has the highest number of deaths. You don’t have to tell me that. But, the US is considerably larger in population than any European country. The death rate is the appropriate term to compare one country to another. The US is somewhere around number 9 on the list of major countries, lower if you consider the micronations and even lower if you consider that Iran, North Korea, and China among others are lying. Your TDS prevents you from being objective with the facts. I challenge you to prove that the US has anywhere near the highest death rate. How about exploring the news outside your echo chamber? Stay safe!
No Leroy – it is really only just starting in the States. You are weeks behind us. We’ll see when we get to the end.
The UK is doing abysmally because, like the States, we’ve had a pillock in charge – no strategies, no planning, ignoring of scientists and experts, no stock of necessary equipment, not enough testing, complacency and a running down of the NHS for a decade. A recipe for disaster.
The States had an added bonus of weeks to prepare which were squandered in denial.
Try being objective Leroy instead of in thrall to the incompetent imbecile in charge of your country. I’m in no doubt about our leader – he’s a buffoon.
Leroy – There is really no “news” with sources like FOX, Breitbart, and the other ERW “sources”. They are only opinions, fabrications, deflections, and editorial stories.
The Reich Wing these days does not really want to hear any “news”, because most of it is rightfully critical of Trump, so therefore the need for lies, opinions and conspiracy theories.
Too true Bill. If Leroy was to see how his ‘master’ was portrayed in Europe he might have a shock. Over here we see him as an arrogant, inept nincompoop.
Leroy was soooo proud he volunteered to “do something.” First rule of volunteering in the community is if you expect pats on the back and groveling “thank yous,” do something else, you’ll be disappointed. So one can suggest maybe ol Leroy need the pats on the back. Waving his little gun in “gun free zones” didn’t get the cheers he wanted, poor boy.
You know I do get the sneaking impression that you two don’t see eye to eye on a number of issues.
You just can’t admit it when you are wrong, Opher…lol. You used the word “has” as in the present. Who knows about the future. Until the future is here, neither of us can say. But, today, I can state it as a fact that the US does not have the highest death rate, not even close to. The US is well behind Germany and Italy in the testing, but it is ramping up nicely. The CDC got caught with its pants down, but, in the end, I think the testing rate will be up there with Germany. Notice how low a death rate Germany has (33).
There’s a benefit to being late for the party. That’s why I don’t think the US will achieve your dream.
If you have trouble with the facts, the problem is not with the facts.
Stay safe!
Leroy – I don’t know where you get your information from but I’m looking at the curve and trajectory. It’s not looking good. Not only has the States achieved the highest number of deaths in the world (and I think you will find China has a sizeably bigger population) but is on a course to be the worst in the world per head of population. I suggest that you wait until the ‘real’ figures are in before trying to excuse your lamentable leader. His ineptitude is only surpassed by Bolsonaro.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/worldwide-graphs/#countries-cases
look at these graphs Leroy.
LOL, Opher. It’s no big surprise that a more populous nation has more cases. One would come to a different conclusion as mention before if one looked at the cases per million. That would be more objective in making comparisons. You were talking about rates, remember? not absolute numbers. You may have noticed that I tried to preclude this argument in an earlier post. I saw it coming before it was even a thought for you…lol You made that argument anyway. Nice try, but I beat you to it.
It should be obvious to the most casual observer that China is lying. It defies nature to flatline as China has done. It is conservatively estimated that China has had three million cases. Of course, China could have invented a vaccine, but since it is not trying to profit from it yet as the sole provider, I have my doubts. My opinion is that China finds a 4 or 5% death rate acceptable and has given up on it. It gives China an enormous advance if it gets its economy up and running before the West. China seems to have forgotten, however, that it is an export-driven economy and its economy depends on its clients’ economies performing well. The survival of the CPP is paramount. It takes precedent over the people. There is an interesting dynamic going on with the form leader Jiang Zemin. There is a power struggle ensuing and his grandson is at the top of the viral research program. Did he release the virus to weaken Xi Jinping?
You guys live on conspiracy theories, don’t you Leroy. I was looking at the steepness of the curve, not the numbers. With a curve that steep the numbers will rise drastically. Unchecked it’s exponential.
So you think China is lying. Where are they putting the bodies then?
Pity they don’t include the UK in those top graphs Opher.
It is a pity. I don’t know why that is. I would like to see what that curve looks like.
Maybe ol Leroy will reconsider TDS as a disease he has. You know deranged and, unwilling to accept any idea contrary to that of King Donald, can only lie repeatedly, call every news item not in line with Dimbart and state TV (Fox), fake. Perhaps Leroy now sprays his face orange, so he can declare himself an alpha male. Leroy also lives in 2nd Amendment fantasyland, where when excrement hits fan, and the “hoards of immigrants swarm.” to get his little stash of asswipes and cheetos, he’s missed the point. If a swarm, they’ll still overcome him, get his stash and insert his “weapon” in his asshole and pull the trigger. No, Leroy…it’s not opher that has trouble with facts, it’s the blind supporters of King Donald not having feet on the ground. Think this unfair? Read Leroy above. All his points are Trumpist party talking points (lies) and Dimbart noise.
I agree – Leroy certainly plays the party line. Even mainstream TV is uncompromising in its view of Trump’s performance. They see him as a clown and that reflects badly on the American public who put him there!
Y’all are so funny. I don’t have to read your comments to know your opinions. I can just read CNN. I really don’t even have to read. I’ll sum it up for you: Orange man bad. Must drive you nuts that the hardest hit areas are anri-Trump, pro globalist.
If any of you have one of those “Oh, no! What I’m I gonna do” moments, just drop by the house in “North Carolina” and I will help you out. Hate to see y’all have to defend yourselves. Probably don’t even know which end of the gun to used…lol. Don’t worry; I’ll feed you and take good care. I’ll be wearing gloves and a mask, so don’t be shocked. I can give you math lessons while you are here.
Take care, y’all. Stay safe!
Hi Leroy – aren’t you embarrassed by the ineptitude and crass performance of your leader – we are on your behalf. It’s like watching an illiterate billionaire parading as trailer trash. His arrogance and stupidity is wince-making.
PS – we don’t need guns here. We’re civilised and helping each other.
“You guys live on conspiracy theories, don’t you Leroy.”
Time to change the subject, eh?…lol. Standard MO of liberals. No. I’m a realist.
“I was looking at the steepness of the curve, not the numbers. With a curve that steep the numbers will rise drastically. Unchecked it’s exponential.”
Geez, Opher, they are all exponential, except China. Let me clue you in. The US is about 5.5 times the size of Italy. Divide the US numbers by 5.5 and see where the US curve lies. Miraculously, the steepness of the curve will look more like Italy.
“So you think China is lying. Where are they putting the bodies then?”
Urns. They are in the urns. There are firsthand reports of thousands and thousands of urns. Do you really think China counted all those who collapsed in the streets? or died in their apartment? There are recent videos of Chinese going to the hospital and begging to be tested. The hospital refused. The official line is that the crisis is over and anyone who disagrees will have their organs harvested.
Leroy – the steepness of the curve indicates the rate of growth – nothing to do with numbers in a population. They are not all exponential. The worst runaway growth is in the USA.
You fall for every conspiracy theory going. China is the big liar because Trump says it is. Geez Leroy – get a grip.
No offense, Opher, but that is utter BS. I don’t say such things lightly. I hope you don’t get stripped of your biology degree for that one.
I suggest going to the main page and then going to both the US page and the Italian page. The curves look similar, even more so if you look at the log graph. Sure, Italy is starting to take measures that is softening the curve, but so is the US. So, seeing that no model is perfect, what would you say they are, linear? quadradic like China? Don’t be ashamed. Few people understand exponentials.
As usual, we are on the opposite side of everything. The Main Scream Media sides with China because it hurts Trump. I can only guess where you are getting your news. Next thing you will accuse me of being a racist. That’s the next page of the playbook.
Take care!
Hi Leroy – I haven’t heard you say anything racist; you just recite the stream of nonsense that comes out of the right-wing propaganda machine instead of looking at things objectively.
You’ve been lumbered with Trump not me. I’m lumbered with the buffoon Johnson.
Can’t you see how his denials of science and experts have impacted? His removal of money from research and environmental monitoring? His slackening of health and safety?
We have two catastrophes at the moment – both are dire – the Covid and the global warming/diversity problem. He has removed funding from both, is in denial, pumps out false propaganda and is heading for catastrophe. Did you hear him yesterday waffling about not understanding the difference between bacteria and viruses? Coming out with bullshit about antibiotics? Embarrassing.
I fully understand exponential Leroy. Take another look at the steepness of the curve. Look at the others flattening off. The difference between exponential and linear is evident.
The US is heading for a major mess. New York has been brought to its knees. Elsewhere people are out partying and having barbeques because Trump says it’s no worse than flu, that it’s a democratic hoax and America should get back to work (to get him re-elected).
Here you are Leroy – in case you missed it. The imbecile confusing viruses and bacteria. Antibiotics do not work against viruses. He should keep his stupid mouth shut.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-antibiotics-coronavirus-white-house-briefing-brilliant-enemy-genius-idiot-a9460636.html?fbclid=IwAR0AbF5-u-n0cCsmtkLtWXBM4B4j_KMWprCNnvfSh0E9JJgm07hJyTp9IxM
Kinda like here in the States, eh? Save the harvesting of organs. The Trump crime family doesn’t have that market cornered…yet. Those evil Chinese, eh? But Lying Leroy wants to clue you in with Trumpian lies. We are just using mass graves, not urns. What a difference!
So, Opher, what would you have done as president? You and your ilk derided Trump for banning travel to the US from countries with high numbers of infections. That reasoning follows the CCP line. Having already decided to let infectious people travel willy-nilly to the US, what would have President Opher done knowing that any effective action would have shut down the world economy? You criticize, so you must have a better plan. Could you please share President Opher’s plan with us?
My thoughts are that Trump could have shut down travel sooner and implemented contact tracing and quarantines a week or two sooner. You accuse him of not listening to the experts, yet he listened to your beloved world organizational experts such as those at the WHO. Much to your chagrin, I imagine, your world organizations failed us. They would have failed President Opher. It is a yuuge blow to globalization. I suspect you will see a setback to your world agenda, or, perhaps, you and your kind double down.
Concerning the video, there is not enough context. He seems to be making an analogy between the virus mutating and bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotic treatment. Analogies can be abstract, so I understand your confusion. My only objection is to him calling them smart. I call it dumb brute chance mutations. But, I can see why a layman might call it smart. It appears clever in adapting to the circumstances in order to survive. How do you consider it?
Leroy – the world is far too interconnected with trade and travel to have any effective travel embargos. With a two week period of incubation it is already too late before you know it. Blaming other countries is foolish. Nobody wanted it. But not planning ahead when scientists were predicting it for years was stupid. They should have had contingency plans, stockpiles and strategies. Trump sacked the scientists and disbanded the groups Obama had set up to deal with pandemics (He dealt with three). It was all part of Trump’s stupidity – anything to do with Obama was out! Scientists and experts are all fake news. The guy’s an illiterate moron.
Here’s what I wrote a little while back:
Covid-19 – What we should have done!
Posted on April 9, 2020 by Opher
The fact that we have this virus is not unexpected. We have known it was coming for decades.
Pandemics/epidemics are not uncommon. There have been a number in recent times – SARS, MERS, Swine Flu, Avian Flu, Spanish Flu, Ebola. There have been many science papers written, a huge number of dystopian novels and films and a general understanding that the big one was coming.
Covid-19 isn’t even the big one. It only kills about 1% (if treatment is available). The really big one will kill 99%.
So what should they have done (our beloved politicians).
They should have prepared.
They should have set up agencies to look into it.
They should have made contingency plans.
They should have funded research into viruses (instead of weapons).
They should have created effective generic antivirals (we have none).
They should have taken research out of the hands of companies and into the hands of governments.
They should have developed global strategies and cooperation.
They should have stockpiled protective clothing.
They should have stockpiled beds, ventilators and drugs.
They should have had facilities to make testing kits.
They should have tested, isolated and followed up all contacts.
They should have had robust contingency plans.
They should fund health properly and have sufficient staff and facilities – with clear guidelines on how to expand should the need arise.
They should have stopped these ‘wet’ wildlife markets.
They should have stopped the opening up of our remote areas by hunters and loggers (that’s where these diseases come from).
In earthquake and tsunami areas they have plans. Why not with a virus?
South Korea did exactly this! The UK, USA, Italy and Spain did not. Result – tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths!
What is going to happen when the big one actually arrives????
Will we be ready or more of this false economy and complacency? This short-term thinking and stupidity??
If I can think of it then it should not be beyond governments to think about it. Scientists have been shouting long and loud. Nobody was listening!!
Incompetence and complacency rules!!
As for the WHO – they were too slow off the mark.
As for Trump’s response – it was nothing to do with the WHO – he was ignoring what everyone was saying. His mind was totally on the economy. First it was fake news. Then it was no worse than flu, then it was a democrat hoax. The moron wasted time.
I’m not confused about what Trump said. He hasn’t a clue. He can’t differentiate between bacteria and viruses. He’s talking about antibiotics and smart germs. He’s an ignorant, uneducated cretin.
We had the people. Trump let them go because they worked prior under Obama.
We had the pandemic disease department. Trump closed it up because it was an “Obama thing”.
We had the money. Trump moved all of the funding to build his wall.
He also redirected 80% of the CDC funding to his wall.
He held off on procuring test kits so that US Big Pharma could hopefully reap the profits.
He continued to deny how serious the situation was until it became blatantly obvious to everyone on his team.
It is a very sorry state of affairs Bill.
On top of that you can add in the willful way they ignored the warnings of the report published in 2019 that a pandemic was imminent. https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/09/20/the-world-knows-an-apocalyptic-pandemic-is-coming/
No contingency plans. No stocks. No resources. Our leaders have been pitiful. The only thing that matters is the economy and their re-election.
We’re just lucky that this pandemic is not as lethal as it could have been.
Doesn’t matter what info you give ol Leroy, it’s not in talking points, it must be fake. I doubt will hear from ol Leroy soon, he must be off “liberating” Virginia and keeping the 2nd amendment safe there. Orangy ordered liberation. Ah, those poor oppressed states! Note his words I’m replying to, he just mocks anyone not mouthing Trumpist lies. Leroy should remind everyone what Trumpism does to potentially otherwise sane people. Abstract and confused seems a total projection Leroy boy. Yeah, don’t listen to experts, listen to chronic liars and conmen instead. They wave their little hands when they speak and mesmerize the stupid, silly Leroys of this world. Leroy is off waving his little pistol at the Virginia Statehouse. Bet those evil virginia ds are soooo scared.
I’d be a prepper, if I had the money. The logistics and costs to prepare for every possible threat are prohibitive. Which threat to prepare for? NEMP, meteor, pandemic, fire, drought, chaos, black hole, invasion? All of these things could happen.
On a national level, it would be money well-spent to harden the electrical grid, IMHO. Many folks would rather take the best of care of illegal immigrants at the expense of residents. NY had the opportunity to buy more ventilators, yet chose to spend the money on illegals. It is about prioritizing the risks, or at least it should be. The global economy will be the death of us all. If I asked you guys what your priorities are, they would certainly be different than mine. I am focused on survival. You guys are focused on equality, which is nothing more than a pipe dream. Surely, we will all die equally. In China, people say air pollution is the great equalizer.
One of my favorite sites is Zero Hedge. It is a doom and gloom site. You have to take it with a grain of salt. Yeah. Bad stuff happens. The problem with socialist societies is that they don’t have to account for the risks. The crisis in 2008 and the one now shows that the US socializes the risks and privatizes the gains. That’s not capitalism. In a purely capitalistic system, you either account for the risks or go out of business. Yeah. I got my stimulus check today. It will help pay for some desired renovations. Glad to have it, but it is just chump change to bribe us to bail out the rich. That is not capitalisms. That is socialism, fascism to be more exact. From the bottom up, we should all prepare for the risks out there. We cannot depend on a ubiquitous government o take care of us. It is too busy taking care of itself and its leaders. Yes, we should have prepared for a pandemic but on an individual, local, and state level.
We’ve lost this great country to socialism, and it happened under Trump. You should be grateful to Trump. Too bad it didn’t happen under O; it would have been more complete.
Take care and stay safe!
Hi Leroy – you’ve got a very strange idea of what socialism is.
The US is a runaway capitalist nightmare where all that counts is the money. But you do illustrate the paranoia that lies at the heart of America. Why are you all so fearful? Afraid of everything – frantically trying to protect yourself against every eventuality??? It’s futile, pointless and daft. You can’t protect yourself. You’ll go crazy trying.
The government has the power, cash, oversight and means to protect us. That is their job. That is why we have one.
To be fearful of the government you have elected is sad.
I don’t like ours. I think they do a crap job. But the country elected them. They may be crap but they are trying and they are accountable. Piss too many people off and they get kicked out!
That’d democracy.
This guy’s crackers! America fascist? Quite a bit, certainly not a democracy. ‘Socialism’ is simply looking after each other, not being selfish, being ‘equal’ in some things and all being ‘equitable’ (as fair as is possible, even if ‘life’ is not fair). Bit like insurance in a way.
It could be said to be the economics of Christ, not the economics of Mammon, (or Regan, or Trump, or Thatcher). All being the ‘Good samaritan’ (or good illegal immigrant, good alien?)
Justin Welby, former Oil financial executive and now Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote a book about it a couple of years ago. How neo-liberal (so-called) capitalism is ‘Mammon’ in the biblical sense. I have a copy somewhere. (Very slim volume and worth a read!).
Hi Trevor – unfortunately the American Right-wing, with their distorted views of socialism, conspiracy theories, terror of Muslims and paranoia, has become mainstream. They reinforce each other in this madness and Trump is their idol. He has stoked up this madness. The sooner he’s gone and the nutcases return to being a minority voice the better. I’m afraid America has become a madhouse.
Geez, Trevor. I always thought you were among the more intelligent members of WB. Guess I was wrong. I didn’t know that you too suffered from TDS. It’s infectious. I am shocked to discover that you are a socialist too, shocked I tell you!
Since most Europeans believe the Naziism and fascism belong to a subset of capitalism, I had better explain my definition. It’s not just my definition, but I will leave it at that. Opher has said before that although NAZI has socialism in its name, Hitler put it there to confuse his intentions and his enemies. I was rolling on the floor laughing when I heard that the first time. Fascism clearly belongs to the socialist domain. My definition of fascism is nominal property rights with de facto government control. The US saw that especially under O and all his regulations. He attempted to control mud puddles on farms through the clean water act, for example. The US has clearly gone down the path of government control, although Trump has removed many of the regulations that allowed the government to do so. With the latest Covid-19 stimulus, over two trillion dollars has been unleased to control American corporations and small businesses. I don’t know if it is true, but it is said that the government is now in the business of buying ETFs to stabilize the markets for the rich. You might call this socialism, and I would agree. The appropriate subset is fascism. The government is taken positions in these corporations, giving it control. I understand the hangup Europeans have with the word “fascism”. No one wants to be associated with Hitler’s Germany. But, if the facts bother you, the problem is not with the facts.
My views are unconventional, even for Americans. All economies, IMHO, are capitalist, just played by different rules. Everyone seeks their best advantage no matter the rules forced upon them.
“But you do illustrate the paranoia that lies at the heart of America. Why are you all so fearful? Afraid of everything – frantically trying to protect yourself against every eventuality??? It’s futile, pointless and daft. You can’t protect yourself. You’ll go crazy trying.”
It’s a survival trait that has been breed out of our European counterparts. You’re right; you can’t protect yourself against everything, and that is the reason why I explained that I am NOT a prepper. You can do prudent things such as locking your doors and putting a fence around your house and such. There’s plenty of food in the US. Many farmers are destroying food because there is too much. There is a demand, but the supply chain can’t deal with it overnight. Sixty percent of the food is consumed outside the home, restaurants, for example. They require milk in three and a half gallon containers. Residential consumers need it in one gallon or less containers. Sounds like a simple problem, but it is more complex than one would think. Buying what you can while you can makes sense in the short term. Is all this going to protect you? No. If someone is determined to take your stuff, there is little you can do about it. But, thieves choose the easiest targets. If a group of people is chased by a bear, it is only necessary to outrun the slowest runner. It makes sense to lock your doors, as I suspect you do. It’s the same with the border wall. If someone is determined to get in, they will. But, it keeps out those that lack the motivation, probably the vast majority. I used to be a globalist favoring open borders. You can’t be truly capitalist unless you believe in the free moment of labor and capital. Unfortunately, you can’t believe in these and have a welfare state. In all cases, a country does need to know who is in the country. There are bad people out there regardless of what you think.
“The government has the power, cash, oversight and means to protect us. That is their job. That is why we have one.”
We should only delegate to the government what we cannot do for ourselves. A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you have.
“To be fearful of the government you have elected is sad.”
Indeed. The government should fear the people. That’s why we need the second amendment.
“I don’t like ours. I think they do a crap job. But the country elected them. They may be crap but they are trying and they are accountable.”
I have great hope that Bojo can turn things around. Brexit is a great start. I rest assured that no matter what he accomplishes, you will be disappointed.
“Piss too many people off and they get kicked out! That’d democracy.”
I wish that were so. Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the rest. I’m not a Trump acolyte as you suggest. He was better than the alternative. He’s done some bonehead things lately such as signing the stimulus bill and supporting the idea of negative interest rates. It’s easy to play armchair president and be against whatever Trump is for. You never really answered my question of what you would do as president. It was more blaming Trump for the past. What would you have done starting January 1st, 2020 to stem the virus in the US? You have revealed your first mistake by not shutting down travel to the US.
Gosh Leroy. there is a lot in here that requires a lengthy reply. I will do that later and do it justice. Until then – take care my friend.
Leroy – I said I’d answer more fully – It hasn’t been bred out of Europeans. White America is European. We just have a more stable society that is less paranoid. We also have faith in our law and order system.
Every country has to have borders (until we start to eliminate poverty on a global scale). Nobody disputes that. But building a wall that long is plain dumb. It was a blatant electioneering gimmick to appeal to a paranoid electorate – nothing more. Of course there are bad people out there and no state can house everyone. They have to be kept out – with reasonable, practical methods – not stupid promises.
Trump is a billionaire – a member of the global elite you and I despise – pretending to be trailer trash and down with the people. He’s illiterate and none too bright. He’s a populist precisely because he looks at what his target audience want and promises to deliver it no matter how stupid or undeliverable that is. That’s the definition of a populist. It’s not about practical solutions to problems; it’s about pandering to his minions.
The government is elected by us to have an oversight, to do things on big scales, to have a national and global perspective that we cannot have. We all know they fuck up. We all know that they are corrupt. We all know that they think short-term about power and wealth. But they are still better than anarchy and people trying to do things on their own or private corporations making money out of us. We have to elect the right people.
No government ever fears the people. They have all the power. You delude yourself. Your only weapon worth anything is a vote.
Brexit is a huge mistake. Firstly it will cost us a fortune. It already has. Secondly it replaces cooperation with competition and that is a waste of resources. Thirdly it narrows our horizons and makes us insular and paranoid. Fourthly it makes us less safe. A trade union prevents wars. If the USA operated as separate States none of them would be a world power and it would never have achieved world dominance or half of what it has. Together we are stronger.
Yes we always get presented with a choice between two piss poor choices. That’s the way the global elite, through their money, create it.
It’s time the people demanded an alternative to a system perpetuated by the establishment elite and elected a government that represents the people and not the wealthy – that’s a truly socialist government – a government of and for the people.
Opher, thanks for the detailed response without being condescending.
You left out the black population here that is on average 25% European. Years of socialism and EU authoritarianism have bred out individualism in the UK, but, the UK is not as far down on the swirl as the rest of Europe as we all get flushed down the toilet of history. With the recent US bailout, the US is not far behind.
Trump has always been an outsider, a bit of a maverick. I used to despise the man as well. He wasn’t my first choice for president. He’s delivered, so I can’t complain. Sometimes, it’s the devil you need. I hired the devil once for a job. He delivered, although I may have sold my soul. It is not so much that we follow Trump; he follows us. Once he diverges, so shall we.
I think that you will be glad that the UK divorced the EU. When it collapses, you will see what I mean.
The idea of the states is that everything not delegated to the federal government was left to the states. It’s gone awry. Obviously, a federal government can fight wars better than an individual state. The police can apply more force than an individual. But, you only give them what they need, not total power over you. For example, a woman was recently arrested for taking her children to the park. Horrible crime by European standards, but it was overreach here.
A government that suppresses individualism can NEVER be for the people.
Hi Leroy,
Gosh you get a weird perspective over there. Here, by government law, all our parks are open. We just, for sane health reasons, have to socially distance. Sounds like extreme overreach over there. How do you stand it?
Are you out there with the rest of the right-wing demanding to have total freedom? Are you demanding to work, hug each other, support the economy, support Trump and die for freedom?
Leroy – just play the Simon & Garfunkel parody through and you’ll see how daft Trump is seen by most sane people:
https://opherworld.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php?post_type=post&jetpack-copy=44029
I can’t follow the link for some reason. I saw this video and thought of you.
That was really funny Leroy! I enjoyed it.
We need the UN to govern and take Leroy’s guns away from him. The framers had enough of one king and didn’t want another, ever, yet and despite his saying it ain’t so, Leroy mumbles the Trumpist Party talking points and lies. Can’t have it all ways, Leroy. You either want a government or don’t. If you don’t, King Donald will take you there. We need an Oliver Cromwell and an axe. The facts are you’ve consistently misrepresented matters and spewed falsehoods…you know….lies, and now want to be believed. Kinda like King Donald, eh? Now, come back with more 2nd Amendment romance about how guns will save ‘murrica. Yeah, can see you “at the barricade,” waving your little pistol at an Abrams tank. Riiiiight.
There is a ludicrous notion among many of these gun totin’ guys that they need guns to take on the State if it gets too big for its boots. It is absolutely ludicrous. Didn’t Waco teach them anything?? The government has tanks, bombers, napalm, missiles, drones and a well-coordinated army. It’d be like taking on a tiger with a peashooter. You have to be an imbecile to believe that.
Trump is probably the most obvious case of a President getting too big for his boots. He peddles fake news, destroys democracy, consorts with foreign enemies and causes mayhem among allies. I see no sign of the gun toters taking him down though.
The reality is that gun ownership has made America a violent, dangerous place where gangs and lawlessness are common.
Trump was right about one thing that is undeniable now. The Russian collusion investigation was a hoax. He was being spied on. It was a conspiracy to overthrow the US government. You would know this if you followed real news. The evidence is pouring out now that the Wuhan virus has everyone’s attention.
When you say the racist Wuhan virus do you mean Covid-19? You don’t really think that the way Trump adopted that term to detract from his complacency and ineptitude is a correct way of describing it do you?
Trump is pals with the KGB and Putin. He has shared business interests – a lot of money invested. I’ve seen the videos. That is why he called on them to hack the Democrats and Hilary. Didn’t Nixon have a problem with asking for a similar thing?
I imagine that if I were a weak-minded person and felt like a victim, I might share your views, Jeff.
Hey Leroy – you seem to have jumped in with two feet into the far-right camp. Being a total sycophant of Trump looks like weak-mindedness to me.
You are weak-minded, Leroy. And the one always thinking themselves a victim is your King Donald. Full of lies and shit as always, Leroy.
Sadly ol Leroy has become Leroy the Liar, just like his boss, King Donald. Leroy and other Trumpists have be ordered to liberate states unwilling to go along with Trumps “Die for the economy” rules. So I’m sure Leroy boy is off waving his little pistol at the Virginia statehouse. Bet those evil ds in Virginia are soooo scared. LOL
Won’t find me in Virginia. Too close to DC. You would be right at home with all those gun-hating Democrats in charge.
I’d be more worried about the gun-totin’ morons in the South! They are barely educated!
“Hey Leroy – you seem to have jumped in with two feet into the far-right camp. Being a total sycophant of Trump looks like weak-mindedness to me.”
“I’d be more worried about the gun-totin’ morons in the South! They are barely educated!”
“Trump is pals with the KGB and Putin. He has shared business interests – a lot of money invested. I’ve seen the videos. That is why he called on them to hack the Democrats and Hilary.”
LOL I’m reminded of this right-wing radio host. I forget his name. I’m sure Bill knows. I paraphrase, “The problem with liberals isn’t that they are ignorant; it’s just that they know so much that isn’t true.”
“When you say the racist Wuhan virus do you mean Covid-19? ”
Thought that would get a rise out of your PC self…LOL
You racist Europeans don’t have a problem with the term, “Ebola”, because it designates a virus originating in Africa. It starts in China and you are offended by naming the virus where it is believed to have originated. Explain that one…LOL.
I don’t think anyone calls Ebola or HIV the African disease do they? The place where a disease originates is not the defining point is it? Trump merely calls it that to deflect from his own ineptitude. At the beginning he was saying it was just a flu, a hoax, fake news, a democratic plot. He claimed to be in control. Then suddenly he woke up to the fact that it was shutting the world down and killing hundreds of thousands – so he looked to blame it on someone – first it was China and then Europe. Now he’s banning flights. As if that’ll make a difference. Now he’s encouraging people to forget social distancing and get back to work. It’ll be interesting to see how many he will be directly responsible for murdering!
The USA has more than a quarter of the world’s deaths so far. That’ll grow because your boss hasn’t got a handle on things. He’s doing the wrong things.
I just hope the intelligent stay indoors and isolate and leave it to the imbeciles to kill each other off!
Wuhan is a city in China where a virus orgininated. Ebola is a river in Africa near where the virus originated. I fail to see the difference. I forgot the original name for HIV. It was something with Gay in the acronym to signify that it started with gay men. Whether for political correctness or the fact that it eventually spread to drug users, the name was changed to HIV. It likely started in Africa, but they didn’t know it at the time. Do you have an issue with the Spanish flu? It made a name for itself in Spain, although it may have originated in the US. Of course, being a biologist, you know all this. Where it starts doesn’t define the disease; I agree. If you have a problem with it, take it up with your fellow biologist. I was just picking on you, since you are so predictable…lol. I normally call it Covid-19. I believe it is the first time referring to it as the Wuhan virus.
Stay safe!
BTW, Trump never called it a hoax or fake news. Only people who have problems parsing speech believe this. You heard what you wanted to hear. I am not going to explain it to you.
Hi Leroy,
What I have a problem with is populist leaders exploiting racist terminology to incite their base and deflect attention from their own failings.
But yes – Trump did say it was fake news. He also said it was a hoax. Both videos were widely circulated in Europe where he is viewed as a moron even by mainstream conservative media. He has certainly lowered the status of the USA around the world. The fact that the American people voted for him says a lot.
Oh, and I refuse to argue mathematics with you. You just don’t comprehend. I’ll leave it at the deaths or cases per million places the US in the middle of the pack of nations with a serious problem. It is a fact and not a point to brag about or take pride in. It could change for better or worse. We may never know as each nation accounts differently. China for sure is lying.
Leroy – I can do the Maths.
World population 8 billion. USA population 328 million. USA deaths 25% of entire world.
USA deaths – 849,000 China (population – 1.4 billion) – 4,600 deaths. Do the maths.
Or is it fake news and China is lying – so is Vietnam, Germany, South Korea and Japan?
And you call me ignorant? It’s not me swallowing the fake news streaming out of right-wing propaganda machines. That’s you.
No. I had never called you ignorant nor was it implied. It’s just that most of what you know is not true.
So which right wing fake new sources do I listen to? It’s not Fox; I don’t even have cable. What could it be? Help me out now. Oh, the Conservative Momma thing…I stumbled across it for the first time today.
Leroy – I don’t know where you get your news – I just know that you reflect the right-wing distortions and propaganda. You seem to believe in all this nonsense about Muslims taking over Europe and no-go areas. You repeat the nonsense that Trump comes out with.
Seemed fair comment though Opher!
What did Trevor? I’m not sure what you were commenting on. I’ve become a little disconnected from posts and comments.
Oh it was Leroys comment at 1.43am (my time?). I thought I was replying to your reply to that!
OK – with the vagaries of wordpress it is not always possible to link up what goes with what. I’ll go and have a look.
A conservative trait is that they want to feel comfortable all of the time and not deal with sometimes harsh realities. This explains their disregard for science and any other source that would provide them with uncomfortable truths. It also explains why when coupled with one of their other traits (no compassion for others), they are trying their best now to end the pandemic isolation rules. Just today I read that Attorney General William Barr is making preparations to declare many of the State’s stay at home orders as “unconstitutional”.
Just as Trump desires, Profits over Deaths.
It is mind boggling Bill. We get bewildering reporting of Americans doing stupid things – like a well-educated woman going into a packed church who, when questioned, claimed that it was OK to pack together in a church because God would look after them – the crowds of South nutters demonstrating in big throngs, waving banners saying Isolation = Communism with individuals interviewed saying it’s a hoax. We watch this with our mouths hanging open. Is there no education system in the States?
Yeah. I saw Pelosi pushing the meme that Trump was anti-science yesterday or the day before. You’re in lockstep, Bill. If you look at the facts, he is following the science. At least one of his experts is Clinton-friendly and has been critical of the president. I don’t think if you be fair to say that he is hiring yes people. Many conservatives complain about his experts. I’m not one of them. He put out a plan based on science. Honestly, I think there is a big, gaping hole in the plan. Even the experts screw up. Nevertheless, he does have a plan to reopen the economy. It has to be done at some point. There are some states, mine included, who are bypassing his recommendations and will open too soon and, no doubt, will be met with disaster.
It’s easy to be an armchair president.
Leroy – if he was following the science he wouldn’t be pushing to open up the States. He’s following the money and never mind the deaths.
“Leroy – if he was following the science he wouldn’t be pushing to open up the States. He’s following the money and never mind the deaths.”
He’s following a plan laid out by his experts, who are both doctors and recognized in their fields. As I said, one of them, at least, is not enamored with Trump. It’s a reasonable plan developed by his expert advisors, except I do believe there is a hole. The states can do what they want. There’s a website that predicts when a state should open based on the Trump administration guidelines. South Carolina and Georgia are jumping the gun. You can’t blame Trump for that. I do believe these states will unnecessarily cost lives.
As I understand the plan, after a state meets the guidelines, it goes into Phase 1. In 14 days, if it meets the guidelines, it can go into Phase 2. Therein lies the hole, IMHO. The state needs more than 14 days between the two phases. I do think the administration will have to address this hole at some point. Other than that, it’s a good plan, IMHO. Obviously, there’s a point where keeping the economy closed does more damage in terms of lives. For example, if we don’t have people to man the slaughterhouses, we will run out of meat. I don’t know what that point is. No one does. If he were following the money, he would have never shut the economy down. I hear that Sweden never closed down and it is not worse off, although it might have thrown the old people under the bus. I guess that is the socialist approach.
What would be a better plan in your opinion?
Leroy – glad to see you’re still here and haven’t injected yourself with disinfectant or tried putting UV probes up your anus.
You really believe that?
Trump has created huge amounts of confusion with his statements and U-turns. There are still ignorant people who believe it’s a hoax. There are still people who believe it was a Democratic fear story. There are still people who believe the Chinese deliberately released it. There are still people who don’t think you should isolate, distance and wash hands. He’s been complacent (‘the little flu’ – ‘it’s a hoax’ – ‘fake news’), inconsistent (‘we’ll be back to work in two weeks’) and plain stupid and ignorant. Anyone who disagrees with him is sacked. And that’s without the disinfectant and UV light unbelievable fiasco. He’s tried to divert attention with all his talk of the Chinese disease and closing borders. Talk about closing the door after the horse has bolted.
Encouraging his mindless minions to take to the street to protest the lockdown is lunacy. How many of them will die!!
Obviously what he should have done is
1. Take it seriously to begin with.
2. Stockpile PPE and ventilators – prepare hospitals.
3. Declare a national emergency.
4. Quarantine all people coming into the country.
5. Test, isolate and follow up all cases.
6. Divert national resources to the areas of need.
In other words he should have done what Vietnam, Germany, China and South Korea did. His mouthing off has resulted in hundreds of thousands of needless deaths.
My wife has been critical of Trump. You may recall that she is Chinese. I have been critical of Trump, but, as I review the timeline and inaction by the CHO and its sister organization, WHO, and all the propaganda they put out, I’ve started to soften my critique of Trump.
You know; they do use disinfectants today. You should know this. We call them antibiotics or anti-viral medications. A layman might refer to them as disinfectants. Again, you are parsing out what you want to hear and not taking it all in context. The conversation was about the effects of UV. So, if UV is such a bad idea, why are companies exploring it? I am not saying it will work, only that it is something already being searched. It may turn out to be a silly idea, or, it may just work. I’ll post such a link, although I hear the MSM is doing its best to suppress it. Youtube may have banned it by now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VwC7I66inQ&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1kC_W8bh2H0jtk4-Sih1se2m6qapZmr4u13aIgZKTVBe_tfchuSVqpnho
The MSM is also doing its best to suppress the results of hydroxychloroquine. I’m not saying it works. I suspect it is like cold fusion where laboratories across the globe verified that it was possible. It turned out that they saw what they wanted to see. It was false. Nevertheless, the MSM and other organizations are declaring it a dangerous drug without offering any proof whatsoever. My sister takes it every day. Yeah. Some bozos took 6,000 to 8,000 mg of it. One died and one survived. Of course, every drug has its toxic response, as you should know, being a biologist. In any case, pre-Covid-19, there were NO such warnings after millions of doses over decades. It seems to come from the elongation of the QT heartbeat parameter. Drugs that cause the elongation are associated with possible death. Such deaths have NEVER been recorded from the administration of hydroxychloroquine pre-Covid-19. Curious, wouldn’t you say?
You make some good points. It is easy to play the armchair president. I remember a reporter grilling Trump on these points. He asked a couple of poignant questions such as, and I paraphrase, “How many deaths had occurred at that time? How many were infected?” Now combine that with the misinformation from the CHO who was telling us that human to human transmissions weren’t happening. How many you ask? Zero deaths at that time and 20 cases.
I called for testing and isolation early on. Do you realize that some 400,000 people arrived from China after the outbreak started with 40,000 after Trump banned travel for non-residents from coming from there? That was just one country and you guys were still calling for open borders. It was impossible logistics after the delays caused by the CHO. That criticism rings hollow.
No doubt the CDC blew it with the testing kits. I give you that. Perhaps you can blame it on Trump. Perhaps not.
“In other words he should have done what Vietnam, Germany, China and South Korea did.”
I agree, but it is easier said than done. But, let’s do something you are not comfortable with and look at the facts. Germany has done a stupendous job with the testing and prevention of deaths. But, in terms of cases per million, Germany is still in the top 12 of major nations. The US is in 6th place. In terms of deaths per million, Germany is doing an outstanding job but still lands in 12th place, only two places below the US. That’s what counts, isn’t it? Deaths. Objectively, the US is not doing too badly in relation to Germany and you are praising Germany. You should be praising Trump. The UK makes the top 5 and it is likely under-reporting. Again, your criticism rings hollow.
I have nothing but praise for Asia, other than China. How South Korea was so successful is a mystery to me. How were they able to test so quickly? Where did the test kits come from? One thing I can think of is that it shut down flights coming into South Korea early, a point that you criticize Trump for. Then, the Koreans exposed to the virus came from a particular religious group that visited Wuhan. It was pretty easy to trace the contacts and quarantine. I also understand that it enforces the quarantine where it is mostly voluntary in the US. We have our rights here. And, for Asia in general, they wore masks. That is key. The US was told that masks shouldn’t be worn by the public. That is the worst mistake the administration made, IMHO. Why? How can the president recommend that the people wear masks when none are available? That would have caused panic. I don’t think the government should lie to the people, but I understand the decision.
You do make good points. All travel to the US should have been shut down early, even for Americans. Everyone should have worn masks from the beginning. There should have been tests early and often. Most importantly, China and the CHO should have been honest about reporting the outbreak. At that point, everything else is moot.
Hi Leroy – it is good to hear that you and yours are doing good.
Please allow me to address a few points. No – antibiotics and antivirals are not disinfectantss and UV light, while killing viruses outside the body, cannot be used to treat illness inside the body. It is in fact very damaging to cells and causes cancers even on the outside – hence UV protecting sun-creams.
The main stupidities of Trump was:
a. To disband all the institutions Obama had set up on pandemics and remove all strategic planning.
b. To underfund science and monitoring.
c. To deny there was a problem in the face of overwhelming evidence abroad.
d. Not to call a national emergency – not leave States he doesn’t like to have to fight for supplies.
e. To continually confuse the message – It should be – isolate, distance, stay at home, wash hands. Not it’ll all be over in a few weeks. We’re on top of it. Back to work. It’s flu. It’s a hoax. It’s a Democrat ploy. All totally stupid.
f. Not to push fake remedies (From companies he has shares in). They are dangerous and untested.
g. To have tested, isolated and followed up.
h. They should have had stockpiles, preparations and contingency plans because they do know that pandemics come around every decade or so and we are due a big one. Obama knew that and prepared. Trump deliberately took all that planning and preparation apart. That is scandalous.
His slapdash ignorance, complacency and stupidity has killed tens of thousands – just as Johnson’s has done here!
Vietnam, South Korea and China were prepared. They knew one was coming. We’ve had MERS, SARS, Bird Flu, Swine Flu, HIV and Ebola. Those were contained or difficult to catch. This one should not have caught anybody out. That is why we have governments!! They have to prepare for war, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes and all other eventualities.
My school had plans drawn up for all types of unlikely emergencies. You can’t later say ‘oh we did not know a major fire was coming. Who could have foreseen that?’
There is no excusing them!
The fact that China started by covering up and the WHO were slow to get going is no excuse. Two wrongs don’t make a right. There was plenty of evidence of what was happening. No excuse at all!!
You’re a little behind the times, Opher. I suggest you research Far UV. It has a lot of promise. Whether it is practical for this application might be a different story. It is not harmful to the outer skin or eyes, but I have no idea about lung tissue. Radiation is damaging to living cells but is used to treat medical conditions.
Many people suffer from what I heard a termed yesterday as indoctrination rigidity. That is when one is so biased that he refuses to learn or consider new ideas. It’s much like religious indoctrination, which the Climate Change crowd seems to suffer from.
Leroy – I am very aware of applications of UV. You are totally wrong about skin and eyes. It directly causes cataracts and induces melanoma cancers plus a range of other cancers. It is highly destructive to elastin and collagen causing premature aging of skin. You are obviously not aware of the whole reason for the sun protection campaigns. As for suggesting it could be used to treat a virus in the body – that is preposterous.
Radiation is an extremely damaging energy. It is directed at tumours precisely because it kills cells. It too causes multiple cancers, damages chromosomes even in low doses. You are spouting from a place of ignorance – a true Trumpist characteristic.
You failed to parse my words correctly. I doubt that you have a clue about Far UV. You assume that you are correct and never looked it up. You failed to understand my analogy as well. No wonder you misunderstand Trump. You are well indoctrinated…lol.
I plan to acquire a Far UV wand when available to see if works as advertised. I’ll let you know if I blind myself…lol.
Lol Leroy – I will repeat – UV light or far UV light will not be in any way useful to treat Covid-19 sufferers, as Trump suggested. Neither penetrate the skin and there is no way they could affect viruses inside cells in the body.
UV light is very dangerous. Far UV needs some thorough testing and, if it is safe, might have some minor role in killing airborne viruses and bacteria.
But, as you know, this is a complete red herring. What Trump was stupidly saying was that disinfectant and UV could be used to treat people suffering from Covid-19.He sounded like a complete imbecile. You are merely trying to put a spin on things. He was not referring to far UV at all.
Take care Opher. You may be right but Leroy has the better argument even if he’s wrong otherwise.
Here’s an interesting article about radiation and wild horses in Chernobyl:
https://theconversation.com/el-misterio-de-los-caballos-salvajes-de-chernobil-132638
Difficult for me to read with my limited language skills. But yes I am sure that some creatures might survive, even flourish, in high radiation levels. I don’t know how the horses are managing it. But the terrible effects of the destructive nature of radiation is quite apparent. It can be clearly seen. Areas of the country high in radioactive material (granite) or radon gas suffer corresponding higher rates of cancer and death. The atoms spontaneously breakdown releasing a burst of energy that destroys the molecules around them – protein or DNA. That would affect all forms of life – result – cancers, mutations and death.
Radiation is never good for anything – unless you like a high rate of mutation.
Hi Opher
You can put the text OR the url into Google translate and it will give you a very fair rendering in English.
I’ll give it a go Trevor.
Right I’ve checked that. An interesting article. It is a bit of a mystery as to how fauna is managing to survive in high radiation levels. Certainly the people in the area have suffered all manner of illness and cancer. One of the teachers at my school used to help out children and provide respite. At lot were very ill.
Interesting article, Trevor. Life adapts. Humans could adapt, although many would be culled out in the process, I suspect.
Nevertheless, I believe both of you miss my point. Radiation can be dangerous, yet it is useful to diagnose and treat a number of diseases. Likewise, UV can be dangerous. Could it also be useful in diagnosing and treating disease? We should keep an open mind. Because Trump questioned whether or not it could be useful doesn’t mean that it is not. If you are honest in your evaluation, he did not pronounce it as a cure nor did he suggest that we should consume Lysol; he left that question to the researchers. No doubt Trump would be better off if he questioned such things privately. Once he asked if a nuclear bomb could be used to quell a hurricane. He was widely ridiculed. The truth of the matter is that a previous president had asked that question and it was researched. What makes that president smart and Trump dumb?
Different frequencies have different responses. Properly targeted UV at the right frequency might prove to be useful. It is foolish to discount it. Apparently Youtube evaluated the company in the video I linked and determined the research has no merit just as Opher did. That is dangerous, IMHO. I’m sure that if we didn’t have X-rays today and Trump suggested it, he would be laughed out of office. Thank goodness for those who think outside the box.
“Radiation is never good for anything – unless you like a high rate of mutation.”
That is a definitively false statement and easily disproved. Trevor’s article would be a good example of life flourishing in the presence of radiation. It was certainly good for the horses. And, of course, the medical use of radiation disproves the claim. I know enough about medicine to be dangerous. As with many if not most treatments, there is a targeted response, a toxic response, and a fatal response. What may cure you may also kill you or make you sick. Can we not keep an open mind?
“I will repeat – UV light or far UV light will not be in any way useful to treat Covid-19 sufferers, as Trump suggested.”
UV already plays a part in sterilizing equipment, but, to my knowledge, it is not used as the sole means where sterilizing has to be complete. Tests indicated that Far UV may be a 1,000 more effective. Where UV may take a minute, Far UV can do it a fraction of a second. It makes it potentially useful for ventilation systems. It’s found to be useful in sterilizing hospital walls, but, it was noted that it didn’t penetrate organic matter so well. Hmmm…perhaps that can be useful in treating only surface pathogens? Anyway, at least one company finds the prospect of UV worth investing in for intubated patients. Why summarily dismiss it?
Leroy – you twist what Trump said. He was being an ignorant fool. You are trying to spin his statements as if they were based on some kind of intelligence; they weren’t.
Are you really suggesting that he was thinking of far UV from any level of understanding. The idea of treating patients with disinfectant or UV is ludicrous.
Disinfectant is a poison – it could not be used to treat people.
Far UV cannot penetrate cells to get at the virus inside.
You are desperately trying to make excuses for a man who is a fool.
It’s a fact that he was speaking in terms of the disinfecting capacity of UV rays from the sun. That was the subject. Was he speaking from a high level of intelligence on the matter? No. I think you could put it in the category of brainstorming. What do you do with you brainstorm? Basically, you throw stuff against the wall and see what sticks. In other words, you throw out ideas regardless of their perceived merit. Next, you evaluate those ideas for those worth pursuing. Do you need a president throwing out these ideas for scientists to evaluate? Probably not. I see idiot managers doing it all the time. Does the idea have merit? Apparently one company thinks it does. The only stupid question is the one not asked, some educators have told me in the past.
“Disinfectant is a poison – it could not be used to treat people.”
All medicine is poison, except, perhaps, those based on DNA. It may treat one symptom but cause another problem. Acetaminophen treats a headache, for example, but can also cause liver damage. Ibuprophen reduces inflammation but can cause internal bleeding. That is why I can’t take it. Water can be a poison if too much is consumed too quickly. Antibiotics are a form of disinfectant, although the medical world does not call it that. They all do not work the same.
“Far UV cannot penetrate cells to get at the virus inside.”
As I said before, Far UV doesn’t penetrate organic matter well. You may be right that it can’t kill the virus inside, but it surely can kill it outside. I don’t think either of us is knowledgeable enough about its applications. I am not one to summarily dismiss ideas. If O came up with the idea, some would love it. Personally, I despise the man, but he has been right on so far.
“You are desperately trying to make excuses for a man who is a fool.”
I think it was Abraham Lincoln who said something to the effect, “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than open your mouth and confirm it.” Trump should heed that advice, no doubt about it. The man speaks what is on his mind. It is the most open administration in my lifetime. Those who suffer from TDS assume that anything he says must be wrong and ridiculed. I think those should also heed Lincoln’s advice.
That’s because most of the things that he says and does are simply wrong. Some are plain stupid – like disinfectant and UV and walls. Some are even stupider – like disbanding the institutions to deal with pandemics or monitor global warming, or taking away environmental legislation, or reducing workers’ rights. They will come back to bite everyone really hard. Undermining experts, scientists and anyone who speaks out against him. His encouragement of hard right groups and pandering to Putin and Kim Jung Un. His giving away large tax breaks to the wealthy. His nepotism. His blatant self-serving – using his hotels and business connections to further his own interests (including hydrochloroquine). His lies and distortions of truth. His sacking of anybody who opposes his policies. His backtracking and obfuscation. His support of Israel and ignoring of Palestine. His knocking of NATO and lack of cooperation with allies. His trade wars.
I can’t think of a single thing that he’s done that’s good. The man is way out of his depth, surrounded with sycophants and is a global elite billionaire masquerading as one of the guys.
You’re still trying to defend that moron. He talked of injecting disinfectant and using UV in the body to heal people with the virus. Idiotic!
Nice blog
thank you.
My pleasure, followed you ☺️
Cheers Saania!!
Ah, good ol Leroy, still pimping his Trumpist lies and talking points. That seems pretty weakminded to me. Leroy is playing fascist “word games” to demean others, like all his “bred” crap. “Survival was bred out of Europe…” It was? They had two world wars fought there, and yet German, British, French and other geo-social units survive and thrive. The US? Fly a couple of jets into tall buildings and it falls apart. But Leroy feels “safe” when he can wave his little pistol around. Take that at a couple of levels. And nobody called Leroy a racists, but since he wants to be called a racist, okay. You’re a racist, Leroy, on top of being a Trump enabler and liar. Can’t always get what you want, but sometimes what you need, eh?
Maybe we all can discuss it over a beer someday. I would like that. Take care, old friend!
I’d like that too! I’ll referee!
I was having a discussion with some neighbors the other day and we came to the conclusion that in our town, only about maybe 20% or less of the residents would be who we could classify as Trump supporters. Same goes for the next town over.
One thing we are noticing lately is that this group keeps trying to create the false image that the majority of people in the area are on their side. This is the group that has been meeting up at the local park and lake almost everyday and letting their kids mingle and play together while they sit on the park benches sucking down Budweisers and Marlboros with no intention of following the relatively unenforced social distancing rules. About a week ago, they bused in a group of about 50 flag waving, bullhorn belching goobers that nobody recognized to stage a “freedom” protest downtown that was covered by the local newspaper that tends to lean to the “conservative” side.
Bottom line is that they do not represent the large majority of local residents, yet they want to try and manipulate everything to work in their favor by working to eliminate virtually every little “inconvenience” that they may have to deal with in their self-centered lives. To them, it’s all about them and it’s all about what is good for them right now. They have no regard whatsoever for the future and no concern for anyone other than themselves or their self-centered group.
That is so obvious from looking at the protestors. They seem to be the lowest IQs in the whole place yet are convinced that they know better than all the intelligent experts.
Trump has been fuelling their self-confidence; telling them that their crass xenophobic, racist and self-centred ideas are correct. That’s populism for you!
It also puts a big question mark over democracy. When 50% of the population have low IQs, poor education and no inclination to listen or think about the facts it becomes scary. These are the morons carrying around semi-automatic rifles! The ones Trump condones!
The one thing about it is that the ones who don’t practice social distancing are the ones more likely to go down with the virus. Then their lifestyle will catch up with them and they’ll wake up to the fact that it’s not a hoax. The fake news is spouting forth from Trump! You can’t shoot a virus!!
No, you can’t shoot a virus, but ol Leroy will try. Seems this is more appropriate for Leroy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMQPZe7cD7w
I think they’ve been watching too many Zombie Apocalypse movies!!
I actually care who I drink with, and would not enjoy the “few beers” with Leroy. Bill makes interesting observations. To Trumpists, beefed up by reports of how “big” in numbers and singlemindedness they are, think they’re the majority which as Bill also observed, really aren’t. Gee, MCGA? (Make the Confederacy Great Again) “Protesters” waving confederate flags touting freedom? LOL And the Leroy position “we’ve got guns” crapola has “scared” electeds into doing Trumpist bidding is absurd. Trumpists appear to be consistently ugly angry people feeling “owed, ” crying about how “they were ignored.” With reason.
Jeff – this swaggering lawlessness with violence, flouting of civilised behaviour and arrogance is scary stuff. The Confederacy was based on slavery and racism. I was quite shocked when travelling around in Louisiana and Mississippi at the poverty and racism that still exists. I think Trump has let a genie out of a bottle – it’s this uneducated mob. They feel empowered. They think that they can exert their power through violence and are bolstering each other up. It’s the worst element of American society.
America is a place of such extremes and hypocrisy. I bet a lot of these people profess to be born again Christians but feel OK about racism and guns. It’s like the NRA is running the country. On the other side you have the well-educated people who have been taught science and want a fairer, less violent society.
Is there really going to be a civil war at the end of this or will common sense prevail?
I do think that a lot of these people have been shat on for a long time. America is an unequal society. But instead of turning on the elite who are exploiting them they elect one of them and are conned and used.
Sad state of affairs.
Tax the rich. Provide better education, better wages and work conditions. Stop racism dead. It’s the only way. The elite are taking far too big a slice of the cake.
I’m beginning to think that since the Trumpies actually realize that they are a low percentage of the population, they get the idea that publicly displaying their weapons in public will convince others to follow their ideals (probably something they adapted from those living within other dictatorships throughout history).
Well, let it be known that I would have no problem at all walking up to one of these “Good Ole Boys” flaunting their AR-15 and slap them right upside the head. I know god damn well that none of them would have the guts to try and shoot me.
They certainly have become brazen. Fascists do that though. They congregate in big numbers to bolster each other up and march about armed to the teeth to make themselves look big and feel important. When the President supports your views it gives confidence. When there are a lot of you in these rallies it makes them think that they have the majority.
Hopefully when we are rid of the populist nutcases – Trump, Bolsonaro and Johnson – things will start to settle and these crackpots will crawl back under their rocks.
I just hope that whoever comes into power afterwards really starts to address the problem. These people need jobs and security. AI and automation will make that hard. Gun laws need addressing. Education needs ramping up.
I take that to really mean, “My wife (or husband) won’t let me drink.”. LOL. No need to be afraid. Opher will referee, and, I am ok if you drink milk.
Do you really, Leroy? I wouldn’t drink a glass of urine in your company. I don’t drink with fascist scum I count you part of.
Don’t forget Woody Guthrie’s sign Jeff.
What sign was that Opher?
This machine kills fascists Trevor. I loved that one. You don’t kill fascism with bullets. You use words, logic and education.
This must be a stressful time for you, old friend, with the virus threatening our most vulnerable population such as ourselves. And, with the latest news, I am sure it seems that your world is falling apart. The vast lies of the left are becoming evident now. First, you couldn’t stop Trump from becoming President. Once, he was sworn, the Mueller investigation found nothing to support the lies. The perjury trap failed against Trump. The ridiculous obstruction charges failed as well. Then, we found out the FISA warrants were a fraud on the court, all a pack of lies. Next, it was exposed that the Steele dossier (you know; the dossier created by our foreign enemies whom we thought were our friends) was thoroughly debunked. Most of us have known it for a long time, but now, it is official. The FBI has known it for a long time. It was a fraud by the coup plotters against the American people. This past week must have been a crushing blow. One of the pillars of the Russian collusion hoax collapsed. It was finally exposed that General Flynn was entrapped. They never had anything on him. It was never properly predicated. Worse, the House interviews were released. That proved the left knew all along that it was a pack of lies. Your hero, Adam Schiff, was exposed as an unmitigated, congenital liar. He never had any proof. He lied to you. All this stuff, still pushed today by our beloved Opher has been proven a lie. The “racist” and “fascist” and “Russian collusion” chants are wearing microscopically thin. If all these assertions and investigations into Flynn were not properly predicated, then the investigation into Trump was not as well. And, my old friend, that means your beliefs were never properly predicated. The fact of the matter is that it was your sympathizers who were colluding with the enemy, not that you would ever admit it. It doesn’t’ help that your latest Trump killer, Biden, is falling apart. His mental faculties are diminishing by the day. He has my sympathies. It doesn’t help that he also likes to grab them by the p&**%, but he does it literally. What do we hear from the left? Crickets. Oh, the hypocrisy!
In anticipation of your response, you will claim that the AG Barr is corrupt and politically biased and should be impeached and that there was indeed Russian collusion…LOL I refer you to the House documents where it was stated over and over and over that there was never proof of anything. It was just a feeling. It was a sham, if they were honest. It was proved that many of these government officials lied on your trusted news source, CNN, when they said there was proof. They knew it was a lie when they said it. Yes; your world is falling apart, so, my friend, I understand your bitterness and completely dismiss it. After Trump is re-elected and this virus fades, I am sure you will return to your friendly self. Take care, my friend, and the offer still stands. The first milk is on me.
Gosh Leroy – it’s only because all the Republicans rallied round that he’s still in power.
Once again, I’d never drink with you, Leroy boy. By your noxious post, you prove, once again, you know nothing about what you speak has proved, in this case, me. That’s okay, your material here proves you are just another pig Trumpist liar. Still aren’t moving to Russia? Gee, they’d love Leroy the liar. You worked overtime here to get that title.
You have a constant loop of King Donald moving his little hands doing a con-man curve. You Southern pieces of garbage seem to fall over for any con man waving their hands. And all you brave and former Rs, now Ts, are afraid of the King’s TWITter wrath. What brave ‘murricans…
“Gosh Leroy – it’s only because all the Republicans rallied round that he’s still in power.”
That’s true, Opher. Even though they knew the truth, they weren’t allowed to disclose it under the Senate and House rules, but they were free to vote on the facts. It can also be said that the Democrats rallied around Pelosi, Schiff, and Nadler in a 100% partisan impeachment to remove Trump from power when they knew it was a 100% false narrative. It’s inconceivable to me how anyone could now vote for a Democrat again until there is a reformation.
So there is a truth that is out there that nobody is allowed to talk about??
Opher, since you are a man of science, I thought this study on the spread of Covid-19 might be of interest to you. Seems the biggest deterrent to the spread of the virus is the closing of the border. You often accuse Trump of denying science. Since the study goes counter to your open border argument, do you accept or reject the science?
“We found that global connections, represented by countries importance in the global air transportation network, is the main explanation for the growth rate of COVID-19 in different countries.”
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.02.20050773v2
Ignore the bad grammar.
It bodes ill for the UK if true.
Firstly Leroy – I have never advocated free movement of people. I fully agree that border controls are necessary. We cannot have unlimited travel into countries. I am in favour of freedom of movement between European States in the EU (even though that does cause some problems) in the same way that there is freedom of movement between American States (each State being effectively a country).
I would hope in the future that we will have solved climate change, poverty and war and created a stable world in which there is far greater equality and we could then move towards open travel.
Having said that, it is obvious to me that travel plays a part in the spread of disease and a period of quarantine needs to be imposed but that is not the only factor at work here. Once in the virus spreads through contact and droplet.
The only way of containing it is social distancing, testing and follow-up. That is what successful countries like New Zealand did.
Trump and Johnson have been lamentable. Complacent, then trying to divert blame, running down health services, disbanding pandemic teams, not stockpiling, ignoring past pandemic reports and investigations, downplaying, not testing, not following up, putting covid 19 patients in with the vulnerable and, in Trump’s case, encouraging people to go back to work. No wonder the UK and USA are in a mess. Leadership has been dismal.
Leroy is beside himself trying to keep his “I’m rational” cover when he’s just another noise box to promoting Trumpism, power at ANY cost, but Leroy lies down with the same sort of people that are trying to get you to believe all those Covid-19 “hotspots” in meat packing plants weren’t caused by bad practices and close quarters but by the workers. They all brought it into the plants. It was the fault, once again, of “those people,” you know, colored skin. After all you know…criminals and filthy. Those noble meat packers, just sold out by their workers, the lazy bums, right Leroy boy? As far as those “chants” of “racism,” fascist etc. wearing thin, it’s only because saying them doesn’t keep you from being racist or a fascist. AND Trump is both racist and a fascist. “I” am “upset” according to Leroy because “my world is changing?” Uh, not as much as it is for you, honky. You will soon become a minority others don’t allow to sit at the front of the bus, or be served at lunch counter. That room behind that door off it’s hinges is to the “whites only” bathroom. You’ll have to fight for your privilege and right to vote. You will be allowed to consume over-cooked pot roast and veggies, topped off with jello salad, while you hand around covers of The Saturday Evening Post. Gotta let you honkies celebrate yer Kulture. Nope, ol Norman didn’t really Rock well.
You’re projecting again, Jeff.
Remember. I am a Deplorable. The leftist are the elitists.
You’re the one too good to have a beer with me. Yep. Sure enough. You are projecting.
No you are just another Notsee running dog. All Trumpists are Notsees. LOL
I’m not projecting, Leroy. You are just a wasted piece of human garbage the trashman dropped…
Too good? Try a simpler explanation, I have absolutely no use for you. And yeah, I must be an elitist as opposed to a moronic Trumplican. You need to spend more time on your knees in front of Orange Garbage. He’s such a “real man” not wearing a mask which according to Trumplicans is a sign of weakness. And Orange Turd is sooo Alpha, much like Trumplicans think (operational word) they are, but are only selfish crap piles who don’t care about anyone else other than themselves. I want Trump rallies to sicken and kill Trumpist dogs, bring the disease home and eliminate them from the gene pool. If that’s okay for hispanics and other minorities, turn about is fair play. Cut your wife’s body down from the lynching tree yet, or has the head popped off and the body came down on it’s own accord? And thanks for reminding people what a corrupt scumbag AG Barr is. Hey, Leroy, wehy not move to Russia where a big noise like you will be appreciatec for what they aren’t. Safe and be well, everyone but Leroy.
Oh, come on, Jeff. You’re making me blush.
Take care, my friend.
It should be noted that ANY “conversation” with selfish, lying Trumpublican pigs like Leroy boy is a waste of time. Bless opher’s good heart, he tried with Leroy, but can’t crack a Trumpist ‘power boy” like ol Leroy. Leroy is just as selfish as his compatriot Trumpublicans. Of course, to them wearing mask isn’t “manly”. No it just reduces the chance you’ll give CV-19 to someone else. If”someone else” gets sick, that’s okay. The manly Trumpublicans want just that, cause they are so tough and manly. Plus, if they’ve got older relatives, perhaps when those relatives sicken and die, they’ll inherit something like Orange F**Khead did. Sounds like you got your wife back alive off her lynching tree. Good work! Was it tough supergluing her head to body? Use tape?
It really looks to me Jeff that the USA is melting down. There could well be a spate of extreme violence before too long. The Trumpists really do think they can take on the government. If that happens they’ll send in the marines and it’ll be Waco all over the country. No matter how well-armed those guys think they are they won’t do too much against air-strikes, tanks and a coordinated army.
The only hope for the country is for Trump to be roundly beaten and things to calm down so that the nutters are no longer empowered.
There’s a difference, Opher. The government was able to demonize the religious group in Waco. The people remember the injustice just like Kent State. The military, under control of Trump, would intercede on the side of those protesting to open the economy. The best the states can do is invoke the national guard. Not much of a contest. Ultimately, the government controls the national guard. The most like scenario is that the snowflakes would melt.
Naw Leroy – if there was armed insurrection from a bunch of gun-totin’ loonies they’d first send in the national guard. If that fails they’d used full force. Not even Trump could allow an insurrection and, unlike Kent State, we’d be talking about armed militia. They’d have no problem at all in demonising them and it would be no contest. I’m afraid the Right are living in dreamland. The constitution was drawn up in a different age. It was possible back them for a militia to overcome a government. The main aim of that part of the constitution was to strengthen defence so that Britain could not take back over. Times have changed. Anybody thinking they could take on the government by force is deluding themselves – they’d be crushed like lice.
There you go again, Jeff–projecting. You doth protest too much. I suspect that despite all the invectives when everything is said and done, when you are behind the curtain where no one can see you, you will pull the lever for Trump. You strike me as one of those closet Trump supporters. You have to shoot your mouth off to ensure no one suspects you, else your reputation is destroyed.
Lol Leroy – I don’t think Jeff is a closet Trump supporter – I’m surprised anybody is after the mess he’s making of things.
Cliven Bundy et al defied the government and prevailed because the people supported him and opposed the government. The armed rebellion wasn’t put down.
I think you are confusing a few protest with insurrection. It’s probably the case in Europe, but here, protest are more civilized because we are allowed to do it. Generally, violence arises with the left. The right are more law abiding and even pick up the trash before they leave.
We are allowed to protest here too Leroy. It’s a right.
But I’m not talking about protest am I? I’m talking about a bunch of lunatics with semi-automatics who are training with a view to violently taking on their own government.
There’s no group that I am aware of out there with any desire to take over the US government. If so, they would be met with armed resistance from other patriotic citizens. I am so misinformed that I had to hear about it from someone from the UK…LOL. I guess that I am the last to know. There are some like the Bundy and the group at Waco who think they need to protect themselves from the government. They have been proven correct.
All those people with semi-automatic weapons are called hunters here, or they use them for target practice or self-defense. I belong in the latter two but participate in the former on occasion. I am one of those dreaded, evil landowners. You guys prefer acid baths and knives. I guess that is considered more civilized over there. Or, maybe, you guys are so admirably forgiving and tolerant of immigrant and third world violence. Seems you guys are like a frog being slowly boiled. You don’t realize it. Europe was once a great place. It’s painful to watch it fade away. I once enjoyed my time there.
Take care, Opher! You’re still a good egg. I think we could enjoy a beer and good conversation despite our differences.
Hey Leroy – what were they hunting in the Pittsburgh legislator?? Or wandering around in Washington?? Do we get different news to you?
We’ve had interviews with these guys. They openly tell us that they need to be armed in order to keep the government in check. They openly talk of taking on the government if they deem they are getting out of hand. Incredible.
Over here that would be called treason. I think we’ve moved on from being hung, drawn and quartered but we’d sure lock them up.
I don’t think there’s been an acid attack for years Leroy. There was a spate of gang related acid and knives – nothing like the mass killings in the States though. Leroy – I would not go back to the States; it is far too violent.
I’d enjoy a beer Leroy. I could put you right on a few things. At least we could argue!
“They openly tell us that they need to be armed in order to keep the government in check. ”
That’s exactly correct. They are not trying to take on the government.
How exactly are they keeping the government in check then, Leroy?
I would research the Cliven Bundy et al case. Even at Waco, they held the government in check for a while. It would be difficult for the government to attempt another brazen act like that today. It typically takes a violent, liberal government to commit such atrocities.
Leroy – the only reason Waco held out at all was because the government held back. One missile strike and the whole place would have been a crater. With a drone they wouldn’t even have seen it coming.
Liberal governments are not violent. It was the Bushes that went to war! No government can afford to allow anybody to live outside the law – any hint of treason and they would be brought down!
BTW – Cliven Bundy is another example of a nutcase who thinks he’s still living in the Wild West. It’s lucky that the Federal Government is lenient with him.
“One missile strike and the whole place would have been a crater.”
We don’t do that to our own people.
“No government can afford to allow anybody to live outside the law – any hint of treason and they would be brought down!”
No government should exercise its authority outside its constitution; i.e., it shouldn’t be allowed to operate outside the law.
Leroy – treason puts everything inside the law.
If you take on your government with armed force you are committing treason. Any government would use force and always have.
Hmmm…I see that you don’t know the definition of treason in the US. It has a special meaning. I also understand your view is that the state is supreme; whereas, in the US, the government exists at the mercy of the people. If it operates outside the Constitution, it is in violation of the law. If an individual operates within the Constitution, then he is within federal law.
Leroy – Treason – the crime of betraying one’s country, especially by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereign or government.
I don’t see what’s difficult about that.
The thing is Leroy – we elect a government to govern us. You didn’t elect a constitution. The constitution was imposed on you by the founding fathers. The government can amend the constitution if it wants. The government is legitimate by democratic process. The constitution is not democratic.
Now I don’t like my government – I think they lie and spin and cheat. I want something much fairer and a better society. Johnson represents the ruling elite (in the same way that Trump does) – out of privilege, creating policy that maintains privilege and wealth and opposing equality.
But, despite its defects, I support democracy. The alternative is the thugs ruling the country – at least worst thugs.
I also know that I have a great deal of freedom – to speak or act or travel (normally). As I do not want to incite violence or hatred I find I have unlimited freedom. I can follow my politics, religion and philosophy without hindrance.
The American view of freedom creates freedom for the powerful and virtual slavery for the masses. It has resulted in worse working conditions, pay and benefits with no safety nets. That isn’t freedom at all. Most people live in fear, are discriminated against and have to work themselves silly.
I prefer British freedom. I don’t have to worry about healthcare, welfare, pensions or injustice. No policeman is going to hold me down and strangle me with their knee here.
As I said, you don’t understand the US (constitutional) definition of treason. You understand the dictionary definition. I don’t expect you to know.
Congratulation to the UK for having no police brutality. That cop was on a power trip. I wish him a happy life with his shower buddy in prison for the next 25 years or more. He deserves the death penalty.
“Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.”
I prefer the American system of freedom where we do have free speech. We don’t lock people up like Tommy Robinson for exposing the truth.
Most Americans prefer to be able to get the treatment they want when they wanted it, and not to have it rationed. Death panels are unheard of here. I had a Scottish colleague in China. He was very happy with his medical treatment there. He was willing to wait a couple of years for his surgery. That just wouldn’t go over in the US. We like to have input into our treatment and have it done in a timely matter. It’s a trade-off. You guys have a fixed budget. That forces the death panels. We adapt by ever-increasing medical costs. Contrary to what you think, there are options for the poor and not so poor. The poor get free treatment. I was on ObamaCare for a while. The premiums were outrageous but the subsidies made it very affordable. If you are poor, it’s free. If you are middle-class, it is subsidized. It’s not free, but neither is yours.
Leroy – your ‘freedom to speak hate and violence’ is just giving bullies the right to terrorise ordinary people and violent racists to spread their pernicious hatred. Their freedom is someone’s tyranny. Try asking the victims of all this hatred if they think its a great idea. The right of the KKK to put a buirming cross in your front yard or threaten to kill you. All it is merely giving the right to the school bully to go around being nasty to people with complete impunity.
I don’t think the strong should be allowed to victimise the weak. The only peoples’ rights that are curtailed here are hate purveyors and bullies – rightfully so.
Tommy Robinson is a fascist liar – not near the truth. He is a known football racist thug who gained a huge following among right-wing racists from exaggerating, lying and spreading racist hatred. All his talk of rape gangs, Muslim take-overs and no-go areas was exaggerated nonsense.
I notice you don’t mention the sacred constitution in your reply on treason – a piece of writing put together by wealthy white men hundreds of years ago, aimed at separating USA from Britain and preparing for a future conflict, a piece of undemocratic law that the right-wing hold immutable. The definition of treason is just as valid in the USA as it is in the UK. The John Wayne mentality of people like Cliven is risible and is the main reason why many Americans are held with such disdain. They are uncivilised.
We don’t have such things as death panels. We have medical bodies who decide on treatment or when it is no longer in the patients interest to continue treatment – big difference. Neither do we have millions of people too poor to have any health cover who are left to die or have nasty diseases and ailments untreated. That is why our life expectancy is higher than Americans.
Contrary to popular belief outside the US, free speech does not allow you to burn a cross in someone’s yard. We have what we call property rights in the US. They would be guilty of trespassing and could be arrested for doing so. And, certainly, they would be responsible for any property damage. My mother used to threaten me with death quite often: I’m going to kill you! My wife often threatens my son with, “I am going to skin you alive!” Neither are serious with their threats. If someone does make serious threats against you, we handle it with restraining orders. If violated, the person goes to jail. In the case of Tommy Robinson, he was just exposing the special treatment of a special class of immigrants that practice Isalm and have views about women that are incompatible with Western culture. Exposing a group that terrorizes women regardless of religion should be encouraged, not silenced.
You shouldn’t fear Tommy Robinson and lock him up for his beliefs. You should counter his arguments. That makes more sense to me. You side with those who abuse women to impose your views that we are all the same. You are a real stand up guy for Isalm, but, you will let anyone condemn Christianity. I know your views on religion, all religions. That is why I am confused about your support of religious fanatics who abuse women. You protect the strong against the weak. You oppose people who speak the truth about them. I am not saying all are bad, but the ones that Robinson exposed are bad apples. The left’s tyranny is breathtaking.
I did indeed mention the Constitution. That was my point, in fact, that the Constitution defines treason differently. You can define it any way you want, but it doesn’t mean diddly squat in the US. Look it up, if you are not afraid to be wrong. Say what you want about the Constitution, but it is the document that defines the power of the federal government. If you don’t like what it says, change it. But, you don’t use activist judges to change the meaning of the laws and grant rights that are not in the Constitution. The Constitution doesn’t say anything about abortion, for example. The Supreme Court illegally made law giving women the right to abortion. I understand that the left loves abortions more than anything, but that doesn’t make it a right. It will be struck down; it is only a matter of time. Whether or not it should be a right is altogether another question. The Constitution could be changed to make it a right. Otherwise, it should be left to the states to decide. That is how it was designed to work.
“The John Wayne mentality of people like Cliven is risible and is the main reason why many Americans are held with such disdain. They are uncivilised.” And that is why we take pride in being called cowboys. We wear it as a badge of honor. Let’s hope we are never civilized.
“We have medical bodies who decide on treatment or when it is no longer in the patients interest to continue treatment – big difference.” That is what we call death panels, a government body making decisions about who is worth being treated and who is not. We read that many governments in Europe refuse to treat Covid-19 patients over 60. They just leave them to die. It all comes down to budgets. Some people can’t be squeezed into the budget so you let them die. The Charlie Grand scandal made it crystal clear that the NHS owned your body. The US offered to treat baby Grand for free. The offer was refused. It would have been its worse nightmare if the US would have been successful. There was little chance. The goal was to learn how to treat such conditions in order to save future lives. But, no, that would cost too much. It proves, however, that there are death panels in the UK. Even if the US or some other country could save lives, it would insist on letting them die to control the budget. I understand living within the budget. It makes sense. Just admit it. There’s no budget in the US, just ever-increasing cost of treatment. We pay for it. The Canadians, at least, are allowed to come to the US for treatment when the wait is too long.
We read in the press here that if you are deemed a purveyor of “hate speech” in the UK, you can be denied treatment, so it is not entirely a medical decision. They condemn certain people to death without a trial.
“Neither do we have millions of people too poor to have any health cover who are left to die or have nasty diseases and ailments untreated. That is why our life expectancy is higher than Americans.”
Neither do we. If you are poor, treatment is free under Medicaid. Live expectancy declined due to drug overdoses and opioid abuse, that is true. Recent studies have shown that UK life expectancy has started to decline for similar reasons. You just aren’t up to date. The life expectancy of older people is about the same these days. The US is behind in the life expectancy from birth, but the UK is catching up…sadly. I think that it is still true that blacks on average die earlier. I suspect it has to do with diet, but I don’t know. On the positive side, if you are wealthy, your life expectancy increased by nearly a decade.
We have restraining orders too. Unfortunately in the States there is open racism and violent threats without redress. People are victimised.
I despise religion and particularly Islam. I detest its misogyny and archaic ideas and its barbaric practice. I have written many posts against it. But I do not go lying, exaggerating or inciting hatred and violence the way Tommy Robinson has done. There is a big difference.
I am quite happy to tolerate people believing what they like as long as they don’t indoctrinate kids, bully or threaten others.
Tommy Robinson is a proven fascist thug who should be locked up.
The medical staff who decide on treatment for individuals are not death panels – neither are they connected in any way with the government. They look at outcomes and have to make difficult medical decisions on when to stop treatment or turn off machines. In the States, as we have experienced, medicine is a commercial experience. They will keep you alive and pump you full of medicine just as long as you can afford to pay. The minute you can’t pay that it. Now that is a real death panel – death by credit card.
You do receive a lot of false information over there. We do not have anything like that. There was a rule at the height of covid that those in Care Homes over the age of seventy five would not be taken to hospital but be treated in the homes. That has and will cause quite a scandal. But in the States in New York when they were inundated they were selecting who to treat and who not to. Were they death panels?
Life expectancy in the UK is definitely starting to decline because we’ve had a decade of right-wing government imposing austerity on the poor and cutting the NHS and services. It has created huge poverty and deprivation. They’ve been giving tax cuts to the wealthy. That’s the right-wing for you.
I’ve seen your standard of medicare and the poor service they provide. We’ve heard the stories of ambulances not picking up victims because they have no cover. We just had a friend come back from the US because he was suffering from all manner of illnesses that he could not afford to get treated there (he’d lived in the States for forty years) – including life threatening extreme hypertension. He was immediately taken into hospital here and treated.
I think you are believing too many right-wing propaganda stories. I’ve experienced both systems. What we have is far superior.
The original huge outbreak around here was definitely the fault of a care home, “Lifecare Center of Kirkland.” Residents were toppling over with Covid, and hauled off to a local hospital. The EMTs and cops exposed in the place were sent home to quarantine, while care home staff were sent on their little ways, no provisions were made for them until it was too late, infecting dozens, including the couple uphill from us that later died from CV. The care center claimed quarantining staff would have…been “expensive” and profits ARE more important than life, you know. And even though minimum wage, people working at “Deathcare Center” live all over the area some as far as 40 miles away, nothing was done. Agree with opher, NHS in the UK is far superior to what we have (don’t have?) here.
We’re on a bit of a cusp here Jeff. It could go either way. The government have relaxed the rules for political reasons but are not on top of the testing. They’ve just got their fingers crossed. But at least we’re not as bad as the States.
When we lived in the States for fourteen months we had to take out health insurance. My young son went down with a hernia in the first week and had to have an operation that used up nearly all our cover. We went for the year without cover – fortunately none of us got ill. It was a worry though. At least we don’t have worries like that over here.
Ah, well you can call ol Leroy persistent, if a complete liar and Trumpublican tool. Leroy now wants you to believe that black folks diet is what’s killing them. Once again a swipe at Black culture by the “superior by stupidity” white people. It’s all their fault. I’m waiting for ol Leroy boy to tell you how if blacks weren’t so lazy, they’d all have 20-30 jobs each and “be rich,” Leroy boy mentions how “smart rich people” live longer. I’d like that trend to stop. We need to take away rich people’s welfare (virtually no taxes), and begin restoring dignity to people that work for a living. Clown’s like Orange F**k inherited, not earned, what little real wealth Orangy has or had. He’s no billionaire. He’s declared bankruptcy more times than Leroy has claimed both Jeff and Bill “feel victimized” in these comments. Neither Jeff or Bill H have never said they’re “victims” or felt victimized, but he just figured a typical ERW smear will get an angry response, but just look above. Leroy has made numerous claims about Covid-19 and other topics. none of which is true. And if you don’t agree with Leroy’s lies, you “just aren’t up to date.” You know, Leroy’s lies are YOUR fault. Hope ol Leroy doesn’t follow Orangy’s advice and shoot up bleach so he’ll be as whiter inside as outside. Try injecting lysol, Leroy…Orangy said so. You also weren’t chanting “It’s under control” enough. O. ye of little faith, Leroy. LOL He’s not following “Dr. Trump’s sage medical advice.”
Notice how Leroy the Lia talking it up big about repeatedly tells opher how little he knows about ‘Murrica and ‘Murrircans, but Leroy boy lies consistently about everything, like his boss The Lyin’ King Donald. Ol Orangy is making threats about using the military to put down demonstrations rapidly turning into open rebellion, rebelling against the King. It must have pained ol Leroy to condemn the cop that murdered someone Leroy would have liked to seen dead anyway. Notice how he brings his Chinese wife up to imply he’s not a racist, having married outside his race. The fact your Chinese wife survived being lynched as the source of the Corona virus, must have been hard on Leroy’s sister. If the lynching had been a success, Leroy’s sister could have looked forward to a marriage and children with whom she should have had as a partner: Leroy. Yeah, “breeding’ for Leroy is really inbreeding to help MSGA. You know….Make the South Great Again.
Ol Leroy is still playing at being a Trumpist traitor, and absolving himself of any responsibility or accountability for his actions, like Orange F**khead. Cliven “buttfuck’ Bundy is just another rightist clown looking for a name. Yeah, it’s all that Black culture that kills em. Life expectancy is down for older folks, loser Leroy. Why aren’t you wringing your little hands over infant mortality, Leroy? And you are correct: you don’t know….much of anything, but try a beat up opher over what YOU claimed he doesn’t know.
Could we just burn Tommy Robinson in a front yard, alley or garbage dump? We can get rid of Trump the same way. I’ll volunteer my front yard to do it in.
These fascist conmen hide their true nature, paper over their past crimes and somehow manage to convince many people that they are rational and have answers to their problems. It’s like we’ve just lived through a type of zeitgeist that raised Franco, Hitler and Mussolini to power. The rise of right-wing fascism. Last time it took a world war to rid ourselves of that scourge. This time, hopefully, it will be the ballot box. The tide has turned. Most people have seen through the xenophobia, racism, lust for power and greed that lies behind Trump, Bolsonaro and Johnson. Their ineptitude and mean-mindedness is showing.
“Could we just burn Tommy Robinson in a front yard, alley or garbage dump? We can get rid of Trump the same way. I’ll volunteer my front yard to do it in.”
Good thing I am not that Euro-Canadian “Speaker of the Truth” who couldn’t find Poland on a map, Jeff, else I would have to turn you into the Secret Service.
Seems that the Orange Buffoon’s re-election strategists are using the recent protests to their advantage. Apparently multiple extreme Right Wing groups were not only creating fake BLM and Antifa twitter and FB accounts, but in several cities were actually witnessed observing and coordinating looting and rioting activity via Ham and FRS radio communication and posting “directives” on their sites to encourage and establish locations for looting and rioting. Some of the responsible groups mentioned included Evropa, American Guard, Proud Boys, and Boogaloo Bois, Last I heard from a friend who works with Twitter, they were tearing down the fake pages as quickly as they were being posted by using a “bot” to scan and delete them.
I had noticed at the beginning of the protests that the rioters and looters seemed to always be distanced from the groups of peaceful protestors. Obviously efforts were being made to make the peaceful protestors and the rioters/looters look like they were from the same faction, and Trump’s goal was to not only smear the protestors as “violent leftist democrat thugs”, but create a reason to respond in a violent manner with both law enforcement and the Military to portray and enhance his “law and order” platform. When the looting and violence being steered by his forces ceased after his plan was discovered, he tried using his “Church photo op” as yet another tactic as a show of force. Well, it appears he was not well received by either his new Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who is apparently refusing to allow Trump to use active duty military to quell the protests, or his former Defense Secretary James Mattis, who just denounced Trump as “a threat to the Constitution”.
Trump is certainly having a bad week, and appears to be totally losing it mentally while realizing his chances of re election have pretty much gone “up in smoke”
https://apnews.com/583432c84feb1d26ea919c0e2f0de54a
Hi Bill, Let’s hope all that underhand nastiness doesn’t pay off!!
I hope you are right about his re-election chances!! He is a dangerous, divisive man!
You guys are special…lol.
We’re all special Leroy!!
Hate to say it opher, but the rightist tactics Bill H mentioned do work to try and drive the narrative. Antifa is not some terrorist “organization.” hell, its not even an organization, but it is a good straw man to draw the FBI to start “investigating’ the left as King Donnie demands.
They are extremely duplicitous Jeff. The fascists will use every tactic possible to discredit the left.
You’re diluting the message, Opher. It’s like saying all lives matter.
How am I diluting it Leroy?? We need to address the inbuilt racism in our society and ensure our police forces are there for everyone equally.
More Leroy attempts to silence or divert opher. Trump just rolls out the next “shiny object” to try and divert. And seems that vast majority of Americans want law enforcement there for everyone, save Trumpists and Leroy. Trumpists and Leroy want law enforcement to harass the Left.
I’ve been looking at the polls Jeff – Trump is going down and down. There’s an air of desperation. But I think a good number of people have woken up. He’s an inept loser. His tactics of divide, whip up hate and rule, are no longer working. You can smell his defeat in the air – and it’s driving him crazy!!
Yeah. You can smell defeat, just like last time…lol.
Lol Leroy. Can’t you feel it? There’s a new compassionate zeitgeist. People are caring. There’s a rebellion against the greed, selfishness and division of populists. Money isn’t everything. People matter. The tide has turned for Trump, Bolsonaro and Johnson. It’s a new era.
You’re certainly the optimist Opher! Let’s hope.
Without optimism and hope we will never progress Trevor – I told you – I’m an idealist!
“There’s a rebellion against the greed, selfishness and division of populists. Money isn’t everything. People matter. The tide has turned for Trump, Bolsonaro and Johnson. It’s a new era.”
It’s the triumph of hope over experience. Which one of your countrymen said that about second marriages?
You guys were just a little to quick last time to pronounce the end of Conservatism and the Republican party and Trump. I don’t claim to be a Conservative, BTW. You guys suffer so profoundly from TDS that you prefer the total destruction of social order to another four years of Triumph–I mean Trump. I have no idea whether or not the forces of evil will prevail or whether we get another four years to dismantle globalism. Your guess is as good as mine. All the plots of the progressive liberals, Russians, Ukrainians, and Brits have failed so far. Maybe this one is the charm.
Lol – I haven’t seen any dismantling of globalism. Where’s that been happening? I have seen Trump lining his own pockets though. I have seen him showing no empathy or compassion, deliberately disrupting, obfuscating, lying and using hate and division to motivate his base. A nasty piece of work.
I take heart from the fact that all three of the populist narcissists are diving in the polls. Biden about 8 points up. I just hope the tide has turned and people want a better society, a fairer society that is inclusive, pluralist and more equal.
All this TDS thing the right are pumping out is childish Leroy. When you see bad behaviour you call it for what it is. Anybody who supports fascists, stirs up race hate, uses division as a tool and is petulant, vengeful and promotes violence deserves to be torn to pieces.
I honestly think that TDS is real. One can see it in your comments. If Trump is for it, you are against it. If he is against it, you are for it. For example, the ban on travel from China while it was still going on there. You were against it arguing it wouldn’t do any good. Logically, eliminating the source of infection would have a huge impact, but you can’t see that because of your TDS. Surely, I don’t think a biologist can be so ignorant of mathematics as no to understand exponentials. I don’t think you are. I think you are just blinded by your TDS. Countries that restricted international travel have fared better. It is the same with the Governors and mayors of liberal states and cities. They are the states and cities that have fared much worse because they do the opposite of what the current administration recommends. Trump wants to open up the economy, so they are against it. It is not a debate over whether or not it is wise. It is to make Trump look bad for the coming elections. They automatically assume that he is wrong. Same with the protest. No compassionate leader would advocate for chaos, but since they think it will hurt Trump, they are openly supporting rioters and the destruction of property and defunding police departments. It is truly insanity. TDS is the only thing that explains it. It’s Trump and flyover country against the world and insanity.
Leroy – have you been hypnotised??? Can’t you see what is really going on??
There is no point in banning flights when they have it under control and the US doesn’t. That is insane. The time to have banned the flights was right back at the beginning. Trump was denying it existed then. Then he was calling it a hoax. Then he said it was just flu. By the time he was talking about bans on flights it was much too late. The virus was taking off big time and China already had it under control.
We’re doing the same. We’ve put a stupid quarantine on flights. But we are a hot spot and they aren’t. It is only worth banning flights it they have a higher Covid level than we do.
Of course it is ludicrous to open up economies while the infection levels are high. That is consigning thousands of people to death. You talk of fictitious death panels in the UK but advocate policies that have killed hundreds of thousands. Why do you think the USA is the worst in the world and continuing to perform worse than anybody else?? Trump. Simple as that. We’re not far behind. Johnson. And Brazil might overtake both of us – Bolsonaro. Three clowns.
As for George Floyd – any compassionate leader would have gone live with condolences for the family, how shocked they were and what they were going to do about it. Not Trump. All he has done is stir up division and threaten to shoot peaceful protesters. He’s stoking the flames. As for the riots – nobody in their right minds condones violence and rioting. This minority need locking up. The peaceful demonstrators have been trying to stop them. As Bill says – all manner of groups, including criminals and right-wingers, have been using the protests to their advantage. For Trump to condemn them all, threaten violence, label them and treat them like scum is stirring up trouble.
You seem utterly oblivious to what is going on and under some kind of Trumpian spell.
Wake up Leroy – democracy is at stake here! Don’t come out with this juvenile TDS rubbish. That’s a cop out.
I don’t see Trump as “Conservative” at all. I see him as a form of Fascist Authoritarian Nationalist who simply gathers up a sector of society who were upset with the government and the country anyway and fires them up into a supportive group of minions by preying on their hate, discontent, and self-serving attitudes so that he use them to accomplish his only goal, which is to attain attention, praise, and more money. His favorite tools for this are embracing mania, engaging in pageantry, fight-picking, conspiracy theorizing, and throwing fits of rage and anger. He also knows that he can lie about anything and fabricate stories, assured that his base will believe it all. It’s all about shame and blame and not at all about concern or compassion for others. Deny, Distract, Deflect, Deceive, Delay, Divide, Discredit, Discount, Destroy, and Deal are the tactics he has used all of his life to achieve his objectives.
My parents were actually proud conservatives back when they stood for decency, law and order, honesty, and high moral standards. My mother was the President of the local PTA, along with being a Cub Scout den mother. My Father was a hard-working refrigeration mechanic for the local fishing fleet and was a Scoutmaster for the local Boy Scout troop. They would roll over in their graves if they knew what has happened to their party today, not to mention who is their leader.
Sadly this Tyrant is accomplishing his goals of creating hate and dividing the country to achieve the main objective of serving it up steaming hot to his idol and mentor, Vladimir Putin and his rich friends who Trump owes a fortune of loan debt to. He has already handed him the Middle East as a down payment. If this Orange Dictator gets re-elected, our Nation is toast. It’s been very obvious that he is taking full advantage of the recent protest activity by using it as a tool to create even more hate and division. Just last week several of his support groups were found creating fake web sites and actually fueling and coordinating looting and rioting activity and try to focus the blame on peaceful protestors. I suspect we will soon learn that these actions were directed by as far up as Trump’s reelection campaign officials.
Some of us remember Watergate.
You’ve summed it up Bill. The man is creating an ugly hornets’ nest of hate and division that will take generations to completely die away. He’s preying on every fear and promoting lies, distrust and false information. It is unbelievable that such a morally corrupt individual can have risen to such prominence.
I agree with you, Bill, to a limited extent. He is not a Conservative but has embraced that mantel to get elected. He a patriot. He’s also a narcissist. Narcissist lie. I made a deal with the devil and now have to deal with one myself. Narcissists need praise and adoration. Trump’s following through with his promises like no other president. That is why I continue to support him. Maybe he does it for the praise. There are narcissists everywhere. Many of them are bosses and political leaders. I don’t like them, but they can be very, very successful. It was a narcissist that I needed. Just wish I could get rid of him now…lol. Maybe I will be saying the same about Trump later. He has been the answer for this country. He’s doing a good job. He’s awfully difficult to like.
My parents were ultra-conservative. They never once indicated whether they were Republican or Democrat. They were small-town business people. They couldn’t afford to offend half the clientele. Many people asked my father to run for office. He always dismissed the requests with his standard reply, “When you run for office, you find out who your friends are.” It was just another way of saying that politics is bad for business. I suspect they voted Democrat in the early years like most people from the South. When I announced that I was going to vote for Carter, a Democrat, my mother threatened to call the police and have me thrown in jail. By that time, I am sure that they voted solidly Republican, but they never said.
Only a TDS sufferer could support the Democrat party today. There used to be a few good Blue Dogs, but those days are gone. It has become the party of change for change’s sake. It not only allows but celebrates the killing of babies today. They are for the defunding of the police departments. They support radicals, mayhem, looting and rioting, and the destruction of our history. The party has become the embodiment of the Antichrist. They are against everything good and normal. They want to change society, but they don’t know what they want to change it into. Whatever the status quo, they want to change it just because. Some are outright morons such as AOC. She is the de facto leader of the Democrats. How in this world could anyone vote for Biden? He’s an idiot. He always has been and always will be. The only difference today is that he appears to be a senile idiot. Everyone knows that he really doesn’t want to be president now. He’s just the best chance the party has to appeal to reasonable people, and that ain’t much. He won’t make it through his first term. My guess is that Clinton will be his running mate, and, once elected, he steps down. Biden may win. I doubt it, but stranger things have happened. The only choice in the Democratic party is between Dumb, Dumber, Dumbest.
You are pathetic, Leroy. The social order is destroyed. Yeah, that’s it “we need a better plot.” Typical fascist crap. Where is that AK47 Hilary used to shoot the Americans in Benghazi? Is it storeD right next to that server Hilary used to plan the shootings in Benghazi. You need to keep following King Donnie’s little hands making a curve, Leroy.”It’s all under control.” Gee, leamo Leroy, where did anyone here “predict” the end of conservatism and Trumpublican party? They did themselves in trying to cling to the King for the most important thing: POWER.
They sold their souls for power. Now they are allied to Trump and he is being seen for the toxic child he is. The Republican party will go down with the Trumpian ship – and good riddance! They are morally corrupt. The Republican party has been taken over by Tea Party extremists who are complete nutcases. Trump is the manifestation of that stupidity. The flat-earthers, conspiracy theorists and religious fanatics have taken over the asylum.
Bless your little heart, Jeff.
Just when we thought that the Orange Dictator couldn’t stoop any lower, during the distraction of the protests, Trump overturned a law that barred hunters in Alaska national preserves from baiting bear traps or killing denning bear cubs and wolf pups or other practices that have been condemned by environmental and wildlife protection groups. Under the new National Park Service rule, effective July 9, hunting on natural preserves in Alaska will be controlled by the state, which allows baiting of brown and black bears; hunting of denning black bears with artificial light, killing of denning wolves and coyotes, hunting of swimming caribou and hunting of caribou from motorboats. Of course, this practice allows for the deaths of Bear cubs and wolf pups. One can only imagine that his “trophy hunter” kids were behind this one.
Just last year during the startup of the House hearings in June 2019, Trump enacted a “back door maneuver” to allow longline fishing off of the coast of California, totally endangering the declining population of Giant Leatherback Turtles and the diminishing stock of Yellowfin Tuna. He has also dropped restrictions that limit the amount of water that can be diverted from the Sacramento River, which will decimate one of the last remaining Salmon runs in the State. In August of last year, Trump dropped restrictions to protect the largest Salmon run in Alaska by allowing mining operations within the area of streams and wetlands that the Salmon rely on for breeding.
All I can say is that If this Bastard is allowed to remain in office, he will most likely step of his war on wildlife and our wilderness. I am an avid fisherman and hiker. To me, this SOB is the antichrist for sure. Anyone who supports him at this point has absolutely no respect for our environment or recreational resources.
This deserves much wider circulation Bill. The man is a psychotic madman with no respect for life!!
It’s on the other site I frequent:
https://breakingnewsandreligion.online/category/breakingnews/
Cheers Bill. It angered me so much I just had to put it out. I hope you don’t mind!! I should have asked.
Even the liberal Snopes disagrees:
“In reality, some of those practices were already prohibited to sport hunters under Alaska law, and some, including hunting coyotes in their dens and killing hibernating bears and cubs, were restricted to subsistence hunters (and permitted to qualified subsistence hunters even under federal regulations).
The deeper issue all along was state vs. federal control of wildlife management. Despite support from scientific, environmental, and animal welfare advocacy groups, the federal restrictions were considered intrusive and unwarranted by many Alaskans. The state filed a lawsuit in January 2017 contending that the rules amounted to federal overreach, harming the ecosystem and citizens of Alaska.”
To be accurate, the Democratic House and the Republican Senate voted to overturn the rule put in place by O. It is a lie to say Trump overturned the law. He can’t do that. It was an O regulation. Sure, I suppose Trump signed the legislation, but it was implied that Trump did it unilaterally.
It’s back where it belongs–with the state. O illegally seized control before leaving office. It’s amazing how those suffering from TDS are blind to the facts. They have to exaggerate. Orange Man bad.
Leroy – you mean to tell me that Trump has not repealed environmental legislation – opening up national parks, allowing pollution and trophy hunting?
Well stated, Bill H. But don’t use that W word–Watergate. I’m actually missing The Germans and old Dick. Such sterling people, none spraying themselves Orange. The Germans were schoolboys: “Qvik, Ve got sumpthin hot to plot!! Haldeman, Kliendiest, Zeigler!!”
“Cheers Bill. It angered me so much I just had to put it out. I hope you don’t mind!! I should have asked.”
Did you bother to check the facts? Of course not; Orange Man bad…LOL. Oh yes, you have TDS bad.
Leroy – you are completely blind to the damage being done to the environment. Trump only cares about cash. He has consistently taken out laws that impact greatly on the environment.
“You are completely blind to the damage being done to the environment.”
What does that have to do with anything? I’m not blind to anything. I apply logic and reason, not emotion. I just pointed out the error in Bill’s argument that it wasn’t Trump unilaterally changed the law. It was Congress that passed the bipartisan law. Alaska already has tough laws to protect the environment. It changed very little other than giving control to the state where it belongs. Bill’s argument was a complete fabrication of a TDS sufferer.
“Trump only cares about cash.”
Why does he give up his salary? What proof do you have outside of CNN and the other MSM? Zilch. Zero. Nada. Nothing.
“He has consistently taken out laws that impact greatly on the environment.”
He doesn’t have that authority, silly biologist. Sure. He has removed many regulations that O put in place. Why should the government regulate mud puddles on farms? Makes no sense. O’s regulations were burdensome and reduce competition. Show me where he has harmed the environment, and don’t cite Climate Change and particularly the Paris Accord. It accomplished zilch, nada, nothing, zero. It was nothing more than virtue signaling.
Leroy – his salary is peanuts compared to the sums he is bringing in by using office. That was for show!!
He has removed funding, taken down environmental monitoring groups, opened up national parks, removed environmental legislation to reduce pollution and safeguard wildlife, withdrawn from the Pars agreement, implemented fracking, removed global monitoring, reduced funding — what more do you want??
It isn’t about puddles on farms. It’s about run off into waterways that kills wildlife and pollutes water.
Leroy lives to fool himself, just like other stupid, moronic
You’re a shining example of the left, Jeff. The best of the best. I am surprised I haven’t seen you defending CHAZ or CHOP or whatever you call it today. Did you give your ten bucks to your brother?
I don’t have to give ten bucks to anybody. George Soros is covering that and my paychecks. Do you know anything about CHAZ, leamo Leroy, or just making noise once again.
CHAZ: Churches Health Association of Zambia https://www.chaz.org.zm/
Lol – I’m not sure Jeff meant that one Trevor unless they are protesting in Seattle?
It just amused me!
And me – these acronyms are springing up everywhere. American politics is becoming extremely polarised and nasty. Worse than here. They’ve got guns!
Be sure leroy the galloping fascist gets that, Trev.
OOOPS… stupid, moronic Trumpublicans. Note his recent crap, at one point calling somebody a clinton lover as a new name. Yeah, of course even now, that’s right, Leroy boy. Liberals all still just want Trump impeached and have Hillary appointed president, Must be tough being a rightist moron as a way of life, eh Leroy boy?
“Leroy – you mean to tell me that Trump has not repealed environmental legislation – opening up national parks, allowing pollution and trophy hunting?”
Only Congress can do that, or the Supreme Court can strike down the law. We have separation of powers here. His only tools are executive orders and regulations where the law is not specific. O used executive orders to make law. It is not legal but if no one challeges, it becomes de facto law, at least until the next president comes along.
Leroy – he has been instrumental. When he could not use power directly he used it indirectly. All that was in his head was to free industry of any restrictions (environmental and labour) so that they could make more profit – thus increasing the economy – at the expense of the environment and health and safety.
There is a price to pay for that.
One of Orange F**k’s first “executive orders” was one allowing those poor, beleagured coal mining companies to dump mine tailing in streams. West Virginia has almost no clean drinking water, but he put all those unemployed coal miners instantly back to work…not. Why doesn’t King Donald hire all those unemployed junkie coal miners to “build ‘his’ wall?” So it takes years…a day’s work seperarted by nodding off after shooting up. Win win.
The man has consistently produced legislation to cut corners on the environment and health and safety. It maximises profits and puts more money in the pockets of the rich (under the guise of producing more jobs) and who give a flying fuck about the effects on nature or workers’ health!