Renton

Tbh.

Aye. Fuck knows, maybe it would have been better for him to get 2 terms consecutively, he maybe would have been less mad and vengeful, and not been so pally with the broligarchs. Such is history, full of chance events and sliding doors moments (the original mutation to the coronavirus probably being the chance event). As for Europe, considering the fucking struggle Russia have had in taking even the Eastern third of Ukraine, are they really a threat? I think even NATO minus US could probably kick their arse. And Western Europe still has an independent nuclear deterrent (don't give me that shit the Americans control Trident, and the French still have a large nuclear presence). Putin won't attack a NATO country militarily imo, even if the US do fuck off.

I don't disagree entriely. Might disagree a bit about excusing the average American for recognising what Trump is, I mean, its in plain sight, every day. Truth is they just don't care, and that's what shocks me most. As for Labour going shit or bust over the EU, I don't think that's remotely the panacea you think it is (I know you probably don't either, but anyway). First of all, Europe is an absolute mess at the minute with the far right becoming ever more dominant. Secondly, we're not going to have any meaningful close relationship with them over the course of the next parliament imo. As usual we are talking to ourselves about this as if ascension to the EU is in our gift - it's not - they decide, and it only takes one nation or even region to block us. We should move to closer relations (which we are tbf), but the effects over the next election cycle will be neglible. And whilst I agree the media and gammons can't be placated, this will reignite over conflicts once again and be a massive political distraction for a whole another parliament. Even I can barely stomach that prospect.

Their main problem is they couldn't find sane candidates. And they have zero policies. To win an election, you need some kind of manifesto, their's - what there was of one - was batshit, including the UK rejoining the gold standard which would destroy the country overnight. I actually see Reform more as useful idiots damaging the tories still. Having said that, my political jusdgement is terrible nowadays.

Fucking AI. Makes things too easy.

Erm, social media are literally owned by the oligarchs. You'll not be able to catch up with them. Besides, our only dometic politics aren't that important. We don't live in a vacuum. We're sandwiched between two super powers, one of which we have rejected and is in decline anyway, and the other of which we are gravitating to despite it being a fascist oligarchy. I mean, things might be okay, but when sieg heiling is normalised, forgive me my concerns.

Exactly. Oh, it's just Boris being Boris. Just Elon being Elon. What a jape. He fucking sieg heiled at an inaugauration and, listening to R5 this morning, it wasn't even mentioned.

Labour winning was a massive outlier globally though. And already they are undermined on a daily basis by the right through lies perpetuated through social media. There are specific reasons for every election result, but the global growth of oligarchy, kleptocracy, autocracy and disinformation is undeniable. And the problem as I see it is, you get to a certain stage, and you effectively lose democracy because elections are rigged or they simply won't happen at all. That's where we are with the US imo, and this will act as a contagion for everywhere else.

And the irony here is that Trump and his fellow fuckers fought on an anti-corporate platform. You have to admire their chutzpah. Actually, no, you don't/. You have to despair at the shear stupidity of his voters which is magnitudes higher than I thought possible.

Aye, it won't be a pandemic, it'll be something else they'll create or manipulate. After a certain point, it won't matter anymore because all pretence of democracy will be gone. American Kleptocracy/Oligarchy, got a nice ring to it.

That was great. What he doesn't say though is how "the left" could have countered this. I mean there were obvious mistakes but say, take immigration, there are no easy answers. Again, I think it comes back down to the root problem of how disinformation is handled. I don't think people would vote for this future if they were informed. But they're willfully ignorant and manipulated. How do you stop that?

Strange take from what I said. I never disputed the legitimacy of Trump's vote and election win. The only person doing that was Trump himself 4 years ago. Do you think he should have been allowed to stand again given he has clearly demonstrated that he himself does not accept democracy? Don't you think seditionists actually deserve prison time and banning from public office? No, of course you don't. Russia is officially a democracy. Great lad that Putin, won fair and square with 90% of the vote. It's canny obvious to me and most sane people not all democracies are equal. The US is a failed democracy, with all norms, like seperation of Church, judiciary, media and State now a thing of the past. It's not the same as it was, imperfect as it was, 20 years ago. You know this I reckon, so I question your motives here.

No democracy without truth, no truth when lies are not exposed. There will never be truth again in the US now Trump has Musk and Zuckerberg in his pocket. Day for democracy, my arse. If democracy worked, Trump would be in prison for instigating sedition 4 years and 2 weeks ago. Democracy is finished in the US. There will never be a fair election again in the US.

Well you can take it from me it's as horrible as you can imagine. What the fuck has happened to the US? It's not hyperbolic to call Musk a nazi. It's simply evidenced. It's fact. Trump isn't a nazi. He has no idealogy. He's a gangster psychopath. What is happening in the US is frankly terrifying. Yes, I'll try to not let it affect me. But in reality, none of us can insulate ourselves from it. I realise in a very real way you are more exposed to this fascism than me. I can only give you my sympathy. I am sure this time will pass. Just like it did in the 1930s, eventually. I hope it isn't going to be that bad. Then I think, Goebbles never had total control of social media, AI, and deep fakes, and I honestly don't know.

I've got the full thing and yours was supposed to be like Kris Marshall. Somehow got a ginger Colin Firth instead.

So honoured I've changed my ava for the first time in 15 years.

Me too. Incredibly though, 77,284,118 Americans, including millions of women, thought:

I just fucking knew that would be your take on it.

Doesn't look well does she? Also never seen her once look happy. I guess all the money in the World is nowhere near enough to compensate her for having to be anywhere in his vicinity. Especially when he's on diaper filling duties. Anyway, so here it begins again. Let's revisit this page in four years if we're still alive then.

Not a dilemma for me. I need both hands.

Wrong. Gems loves his tech and has got double screened lap top.

Well, because it's you, I'll do a freebie. Your parked up in Scotland causing a traffic jam. A couple of things to note. For some reason ChatGP draws every man with a beard and sometimes stubbornly refuses to remove them. Secondly, it is very restrictive on what you can include without reporting you to plod. Yours required an, ahem, manual edit.

Here's one for @Dr Gloom. From now on these are available on request for a modest fee.

Well, tbf, I did tell it to make you good looking. 😘

Odd. This is what my ChatGPT came up with for you. Gave you too much hair like.