News and Current Events - 2023 +

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Dumb people have very short attention spans.

Just like who they voted for.

When I was on the phone with my sister last year and trying to get her to engage with me about who she was voting for, she asked...actually asked me, "Do you think I'm dumb?"

[Vic]

You are both right. Just me trying to be optimistic.

I got that look from my sister last year when she came over, while I was trying to have a rational discussion about the candidates. She absolutely refused and actually sulked for two days, refused to go anywhere with us. It made me wonder whether she is perhaps dumber than I thought. My other sister just shook her head at me as if saying "Don't go there".

But while I was watching BBC, CNN, France24, Deutsche Welle, Al Jazeera, etc so that I can get a balanced view, she was watching Fox News on her mobile... hopeless.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

It's so frustrating.

[Vic]

It is, but it's also a pointless exercise, clearly, and I will no longer bother.
I'll never convince them. Perhaps, when things get really bad they will run out of excuses or others to blame instead... (not giving that much hope either).

[Jeff Wrangler]

It is, but it's also a pointless exercise, clearly, and I will no longer bother.
I'll never convince them. Perhaps, when things get really bad they will run out of excuses or others to blame instead... (not giving that much hope either).

I agree. I don't believe anything will cause those MAGA types to change their minds.

[Jeff Wrangler]

And right now this is frightening me more than just about anything else he has done:

He's issued a decree from the throne titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," attacking the Smithsonian for promoting "improper anti-American ideology."

[Vic]

Yes, I have been reading on that... disgraceful. 

The AP had two articles about it:
Trump executive order on Smithsonian targets funding for programs with 'improper ideology'
https://apnews.com/article/trump-smithsonian-executive-order-improper-ideology-558ebfab722f603e94e02a1a4b06ed4d

and

Critics see Trump attacks on the 'Black Smithsonian' as an effort to sanitize racism in US history
https://apnews.com/article/trump-black-history-smithsonian-dei-687fd306dc9c6d7611300d74fe49b8aa

I've always wanted to go to the Smithsonian (Space etc!) but I never really visited DC, just passed by on my way to Florida. I guess I needn't bother for a while now, until it has been restored.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Critics see Trump attacks on the 'Black Smithsonian' as an effort to sanitize racism in US history

What he's doing is trying to insanitize the entire country.

It's my word for this cretin and his ilk, combining "insanitary" (unclean or contaminated enough to endanger health) and "insanity" which refers to a state of extreme mental illness or extreme foolishness.

There is a MAGA born every minute
Each time the second hand sweeps to the top
Like dandelions up they pop
Their ears so big, their eyes so wide
The cretin feeds 'em bonafide baloney
With no truth in it
Why you can bet he'll find some rube to buy his corn
'Cause there's a sure-as-shooting MAGA born a minute
And I'm referrin' to the minute he was born.

[Vic]

Today the UK Supreme Court decided there are only two biological sexes, leaving transsexuals and everyone else out in the cold.

Women's campaigners celebrate court win - but what will it change?
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqx4z2ln2j3o

What about people born with both sexes?
Wouldn't it have been better to assign a Third Sex, as other countries have done?
 

[Lyle (Mooska)]

It would be even better if people could just "leben und leben lassen." (Live and let live. I've watched Cabaret quite a few times!)

That article says: "It's important to note that trans people are still protected by the Equality Act."