July 2018 Chat

[jolovespiggies]

I know racism is alive and well P

[jolovespiggies]

Sorry, don't know what happened there. Unfortunately, racism is alive and well, I wish it weren't and I don't think we will ever get rid of it either. I too am happy that the boys and their coach have been rescued.

Hugs
JO xx

[Bean]

Yes, Trump did say he was disappointed about Boris Johnson resigning as he always liked him - most people here have considered him a complete twit and a major embarrassment, but one that Theresa May employed to appease certain types of supporters, but also probably to keep an eye on him!

All the anti-Trump protests are due to kick off today anyway, the balloon was set to rise this morning! I'm all for keeping an open dialogue with people, even those who act badly or whose views or actions you find abhorrent. Us all shutting down ties when we don't like things is how we become segregated and it increases hostilites. But he really tests that theory!

[3piggles]

I agree about becoming segregated, but if you were here, in the US, trying to talk to some republicans, you'd find you can't get through to them, at all. They have their minds so firmly made up, and they are so totally set against anything that in any way challenges white, heterosexual male supremacy, there's no getting through to them. One of my female neighbors said she was voting for Trump because Hillary couldn't keep her man from having affairs with other women. I asked her if she knew Trump had been accused of rape repeatedly, of sexual misconduct even more often, and that he had to settle with his first wife, because he raped her? She said she knew all of that. I said, So you're voting for the rapist, because the rape victim was stupid enough to get raped? She just did one of those blow me off with a hand gesture things, as if the question weren't even worth her time.

Another neighbor sounds like Fox News fake news soundbites, when he talks. Hillary's a crook! Benghazi, email, Hillary's a crook! Others say he's doing a great job keeping those immigrants(not the words they used) out of our country. I asked each one of them if they were native Americans. They all said no, they were from... So you're immigrants, too? No, we're patriotic Americans protecting the country from all these criminals and Muslims. Sigh, closed minds are a hard thing to breach

I don't know if you're all speaking to each other more openly, but over here, it's agree with his supporters and him, or no one wants to hear what we have to say, period

I thought Boris Johnson was a crass aggitator, and a bit of a joke. I understood why Theresa May kept him on, and don't necessarily agree with him that the current group isn't getting England the best deal possible. I think it's hard to tell, especially since everyone reporting on Brexit seems to either have a slant to their reporting, or all be regurgitating the same news from the same source, Reuters, AP, etc.

Sorry about England losing to Croatia last night, though the Croatians were very happy about it. They will play France, and there will be one winner in the end. I think Brits should be proud of their team for going as far as they did, and only losing at the very last minute.

Slept with the windows open last night, and slept like a log. Even one night of getting some cool, fresh air in once in a while, is nice

[Bean]

Oh I'm certainly not saying that I'm under the impression that keeping channels open is always effective at bringing about any change, just certain that when we all box ourselves off into different groups/ ways of thinking, change is even less likely.

But it's hard speaking in any detail to people who have views you find abhorrent (and people, like the neighbour you mentioned, who have completely ridiculous opinions that make no sense!) - sometimes it's easier to try to forget those people think that way! I definitely don't go out of my way to raise any contentious topics, but still think people with different views connecting over different things can be helpful.

Trump's spouting endless nonsense over here already - I think he wants Boris to be the new Prime Minister, but openly championing him in that while dining with Theresa May is just such bad manners. He really is a total chump - seeing him over here just makes it all the more real.

[jolovespiggies]

I agree sweetie, Boris Johnson is a major public school prat! What do people like him know about the real world? I get that impression from die-hard Republicans too Piggles love, it is almost as if they have been brainwashed that they refuse to see anyone else's point of view. I avoid contentious subject too Bean hunni as you rarely make the person change their mind and agree with you. I do not like politics at all and I am happy just to keep out of it.

Hugs
JO xx

[3piggles]

Yes, he is a total chump, and I'm not at all surprised he's opened his mouth and inserted his foot, once again. It's his trademark. It's bad enough that he's that way. It's worse that so many people think he's doinog a fabulous job. Basically, they are as sexist, racist, bigoted and self-centered as he is. They just aren't smart enough to realize how much his policies are hurting them.

Hubby was saying that health care coverage in the US is changing. The days when we paid a minimum for great insurance coverage, and the company subsidized the rest, seem to be gone. Now, companies don't want to deal with health care costs, if they can possibly avoid it. They are providing minimal subsidies, if any, especially for new hires.

Pensions are also changing from the companies paying into a pension fund for each of its workers, so helping workers set up 401K retirement accounts that are paid into through payroll deductions the company will make for you. Hubby was offered a chance to contribute between 2-20% of his income to a 401K through the company. He didn't take it, though he probably should have. That's the only pension plan of any kind offered, and hubby said it's that way with a lot of companies, now. Long-term workers may still be vested in a pension plan, but new workers aren't. It's causing some major labor strikes around here, as new workers want what the old workers got, and it's not being offered anymore.

US Attorney Genereal Jeff Sessions, who is as bad as his boss, was in New Hampshire yesterday, talking about something. I won't give any of them air time in my house, as no matter what they are saying, it just makes me want to punch them. Fly that baby Cheetoh balloon high

[jolovespiggies]

I do not keep up to date with these things piggles hunni, but I know that things are going down the tubes in the UK also. Luckily for now at least, we have the NHS but that has become somewhat dysfunctional. It is like going back to Victorian times when everything was dreadful for the ordinary person.

Hugs
JO xx

[Bean]

I can't wait until he goes elsewhere and stops taking the headlines here - we know he's an undiplomatic, bigoted buffoon who just talks trash about people, so I'd sooner he wasn't paid any attention for doing so!

I saw an interview with Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London. Trump has basically blamed him personally for the fact any terrorism has taken place in London, and also for gun/ knife crime in the capital. Possibly for any hospital failures too? It's because he's doing such a bad job as mayor of course, nothing else plays a part. He's not talked about the leaders of any other capitals across Europe in this way. I wonder if Khan being Muslim plays any part in Trump's particular dislike of him...?

The interviewer (and a BBC one too - my, standards are slipping) was repeating all the insults Trump has said about him, trying to get him to say something catty back. He didn't rise to it at all and I was mightily grateful. Let's not retaliate by acting like he does!

[bazookagoof]

Bean, I hope this doesn't damage relations with us Yankees too badly!  We're not all like Trump!  

[Bean]

Ha! And thank goodness for that!

The protesters did manage to get within his earshot yesterday (despite millions being spent on a police operation to prevent it) as he enjoyed a round of golf on his golf course in Scotland. He declared last week that 'the British people love him', and as he golfed to a background of boos and heckles, I doubt he actually changed his mind and will walk away feeling just as puffed up and self important as ever. He has an impenetrable ego.

Anyway, he's off our soil now, I feel lighter!

World Cup and Wimbledon finals today - neither interest me, but a good day for people who like sports!

[jolovespiggies]

I know you aren't Baz hunni, you are our special friend. Jon Bon Jovi is a democrat I am pleased to say. Has he gone now Bean sweetie? I am afraid I didn't follow it myself other than I knew he was coming over for a visit.

Hugs
JO xx

[3piggles]

Glad to know Bon Joviis a Democrat! Even one of my favorite NASCAR people, Dale Earnhardt Jr., said he couldn't vote for 45, even though he'd always voted Republican, with the rest of his family. Whew! I find it very hard to get excabout NASCAR since the election, knowing how many come from his staunch supporter states I had hoped you'd keep him. Guess he'll be back soon, waging a tweet storm war against everyone who says anything bad about him, or asks him a question he doesn't like.

[jolovespiggies]

Sorry hunni, we had to give him back lol!

Hugs
Jo xx

[3piggles]

[jolovespiggies]

I am surprised that someone hasn't had a pop at him by now.

Hugs
JO xx

[3piggles]

One of us democrats would have to pop him, and we don't do those things. Popping people is what his supporters do, and since they support him, they want him to continue representing his depravity No, he's safe

Had some wild thunderstorms come through yesterday, and today is bright, sunny and low humidity! We have a stretch of great weather until Saturday, when unsettled weather returns. Not a washout, just a precursor to unsettled weather coming in for most of next week. We desparately need the rain, and while no one wants their summer vacation rained out, we need to break the severe drought conditions. We're not a part of the US that normally gets prolonged, severe droughts, though it happened back in the 60s. So all digits crossed that we actually get the rain next week, and it puts some water back in the wells, reservoirs, etc.!

I've been intermittently watching the Tour de France, because a friend is an ardent follower, and also works for one of the companies in the race. She's in France now, so I check periodically to see what's happening. Of all the male sports, I'd say those riders are by far the least wussy. They have some terrible crashes, get up and keep going. Have to admire their spirit, especially when bystanders walk out in front of them, grab them as cycle along, all the backup supply cars take up a whole lane and force all the cyclists into one lane. It's one of the worst organized events I've ever seen, remeniscent of rally car driving, where the onlookers are right at the edge of the route, and often get hit and killed, because they won't move? It must be a European thing to put the onlookers at such risk, as it's totally not allowed in the US.

[Bean]

The routes they follow are so long, I can imagine it'd be a nightmare to fence it all off.

But I agree it's infuriating to watch the idiots who go out in the road or try to touch the cyclists. I know it makes the cyclists very angry and I don't blame them. The speeds those guys go, and the hazardous nature of a lot of the mountain roads, it's so dangerous. And the people who do it claim to love the sport but are distracting and endangering the athletes. I wish they could find a way to stop that.

I wish we could get a good storm - lovely to watch and the garden would get a good soaking! We had a small amount of rain one night, but not enough by a long way. Still, we did have one cooler day, and fortuitously it was when my daughter's school had their sports day and a bit of cloud cover was very welcome for all the little kids running around!

[jolovespiggies]

I get your point Piggles love, they say the devil takes care of his own. We do need some heavy rain Bean lovey, it is so close here today.

Hugs
Jo xx

[3piggles]

Lately the devil seems to be doing a great job

Oh, excellent to get some cooler weather for sports day. It should be fun to participate, not grueling.

I've noticed there are barriers keeping spectators back in some places, but as you said, Bean, the route is so long, it's probably impossible to put up barriers all along the route. Even if the barriers were moved to the next stage route after each stage finished, some people have camped out for days to get a great spot, and they wouldn't be happy if they had to move. Still, it's a matter of safety, which doesn't seem to be very important in Europe?

Today they rode over the French Alps. Talk aboaut a grueling route! I was tired just watching it! Some of the riders had their tops unzipped, and most were perspiring. The crowds were right out in the way, just what the guys need after biking straight uphill for miles, not! At the finish line one of the helpers (I guess, he seemed to be wearing some team uniform) helped push a rider over the finish line, and some people were handing out water, but most were just getting in the way. I think this was the hardest stage of the race. Two Brits finished 1st and 2nd. Chris Froome was boo'd, even though he was completely cleared of drug charges. Of course, how many times was Lance Armstrong cleared of drug charges, before he was finally convicted?

Another gorgeous day. I got out to cycle this morning, and did my whole 2 miles. I should be able to ride tomorrow morning, and maybe Saturday, before the humidity returns, and rain comes with it. We've been able to open the windows by about 9 p.m. the last couple of days, and should be able to do that today and tomorrow. A/c didn't come on until after noon time, so I had the house open and airing until then We got out to bike last night, and if possible, will again tonight. It's about the only exercise hubby gets, sitting in an office all day.