Early Risers.

[Horsetan]

....grateful for any reassurance that I'm not in a dream or nuts ....

No, you're not in a dream. But you may end up going nuts.

[Ian Abel]

Since I fly standby (courtesy of Jemma and her job) I only ever have one-ways at any point in time - though if I fail to return, I'm sure the Mrs-police will be after me in a flash.

I HAVE been warned that I better either return OR expect her to arrive imminently, if WW3 breaks out over here while I'm gone.  

An update on this post - I may be asked to seek long-term (4 years!!!) rental accommodation for myself and the entire family whilst I'm there!!!    

Anyone got a house for rent?

[Horsetan]

An update on this post - I may be asked to seek long-term (4 years!!!) rental accommodation for myself and the entire family whilst I'm there!!!    

Anyone got a house for rent?

I'll ask my old man. He's keen to find foreign property investors!

[AndyB]

Ian A. Old Hampshire welcomes you this weekend! Happy flights. 

Feel free to taxi to a stand and stay for a while.

[chrisf]

. I do wish the BBC wouldn't throw the schedules out of the window at the last second whatever the event. It doesn't take three hours to tell me that Trump has won. There are other things going on in the world and at home that are of more immediate or local importance 

 

Quite.  I can't help wondering why those who actually want to watch news specials are not directed to the news channel which is surely where they belong.  The clue is in the name!  The afternoon schedule on BBC1 is now in ruins ...

 

Chris

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Been all day catching up as masses of domestic tasks punctuated by the occasional visit to the computer to check on the updates on the Croydon tram accident.  I have no plans to speculate on that though I do know the stretch of track where it happened, and the curvature is extreme there to say the least and needs quite a serious speed restriction, or on the future of the USA or the rest of the planet except to reinforce the comment that the USA is not, and never has been, a dicatatorship, and even if the figurehead has ideas of his (or her) own (now his again) they do need the consent of the legislature, and can't just be steamrollered into legislation, regardless of the views of the numerlo uno. 

 

Apart from that, I think it has to be generic greetings all round.

 

I'm away for a few days on a duty visit to a friend of 30747 who has just come out of hospital, and am not taking the laptop with me, so no internet access until Sunday.

 

Back at the weekend.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[AndyID]

Democracy? More people voted for Clinton. Final tally not in yet.

[Rugd1022]

Democracy? More people voted for Clinton. Final tally not in yet.

 

As I understand it Andy the US voting system works on the number of 'College votes' across the country per state, not the number of individual electorial votes.

[AndyID]

As I understand it Andy the US voting system works on the number of 'College votes' across the country per state, not the number of individual electorial votes.

It does, but it should be changed although it is highly unlikely that will happen any time soon.

[BSW01]

Evening everyone

 

Well during my little drive this morning I managed to do about 6 miles just pottering about locally and seeing just how I would manage. It went very well, but for the time being I'm just going to stick to short trips and only use the car when absolutely necessary. So with that thought in mind, my next will be this evenings Sainsbury's Grand Prix.

 

It's been quite cool today not getting much above 6C, but this afternoon I decided to go for a walk. I did the same route as Monday which worked out at just over 3 1/2 miles, which I completed in an hour. I'm now averaging in the region of 1 mile in 16 minutes.

 

I shall now go and start preparing tonight's tea.

[81C]

Poor little Barney has a poorly paws and is off to the Vets he will have to be put under so they can deal with him he will also have his "Nads" removed with the hope of calming him down,

 he will be sore tomorrow fortunately his mum is off work to nurse him.

[The Stationmaster]

As I understand it Andy the US voting system works on the number of 'College votes' across the country per state, not the number of individual electorial votes.

 

Do I correctly recall something about Mr Trump recently saying that the decision should be based on the popular vote and that if he got a majority on that but lost out due to the Electoral College he would not accept the result?

[Ian Abel]

Do I correctly recall something about Mr Trump recently saying that the decision should be based on the popular vote and that if he got a majority on that but lost out due to the Electoral College he would not accept the result?

Yep, something along those lines.

Also, he said if he lost it meant the election was rigged. Not sure why the reverse can't be suggested as also true, i.e. if he WON the election is rigged!!  

 

The entire thing is one massive flustecuck IMHO - I fear I will be doing a lot of drinking in the UK! Reason I'm not before is I'm alone here in NY and it's too sad to be drinking alone

[Horsetan]

 

 

Democracy? More people voted for Clinton. Final tally not in yet.

As I understand it Andy the US voting system works on the number of 'College votes' across the country per state, not the number of individual electorial votes.

 

 

It does, but it should be changed although it is highly unlikely that will happen any time soon.

 

So the whole thing was rigged, then?

 

Irony upon irony  

Edited November 9, 2016 by Horsetan

[NHY 581]

Poor little Barney has a poorly paws and is off to the Vets he will have to be put under so they can deal with him he will also have his "Nads" removed with the hope of calming him down,

 he will be sore tomorrow fortunately his mum is off work to nurse him.

WP_20160312_16_14_17_Pro.jpg

 

I do miss my Monty......See avatar...

 

Rob.

[AndyID]

Do I correctly recall something about Mr Trump recently saying that the decision should be based on the popular vote and that if he got a majority on that but lost out due to the Electoral College he would not accept the result?

 

It wouldn't surprise me if he did.

 

Unless my rithmetics are fubar, it looks like Clinton will end up with a majority of around 100,000 votes. If we didn't specifically cast votes for a president I would be less concerned, but we do and the electoral college strikes me a gigantic finagle. It might have made sense a long time ago, but I'd like to see it scrapped.

[trisonic]

Andy, Mike,

 

Actually if you think of it as “Constituencies” it’s not so bad. Remember the Liberals and SDP in the seventies? Got tons of votes across the country but only one or two MP’s - very similar.

 

I understand your Republican Senator for Idaho is Mike Crapo?         Great name!

 

Best, Pete

Edited November 9, 2016 by trisonic

[shortliner]

Donald J's election proves two things - 1.  He was absolutely correct - the election was rigged, and 2. You CAN fool the people all of the time!

[trisonic]

Four times has the person who lost the “popular vote” won the presidency:

 

Trump 2016,

Bush 2000

Harrison 1888

Hayes 1876

 

It’s becoming more common due to shifting demographics but  the Electoral College requires that Presidents win “States” rather than voters. Therefore it makes no difference if it is a “Landslide” in the State or a few hundred. At present they have made their bed and have to sleep in it. 

Sound familiar?  Rather like a General Election - except that in the UK the populace do not get to vote in the Prime Minister themselves because the head of state is the Queen, who no one voted in.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited November 9, 2016 by trisonic

[Ian Abel]

Ian, given the qualifications you and the family members have, I doubt you'll be having problems finding employment here in Europe

 

Although I'm not sure your US passports will now be a help or hinderence here

Thanks for the encouragement - on the positive side at least both myself and Jemma also hold UK passports

 

Another positive note, though of only "local interest" here in Minnesota;

AMENDMENT APPROVED - Minnesotans voted to pass a constitutional amendment that removes legislators' power to set their own pay.

 

EDIT: Whoops also meant to add this - the future lies with the younger generation(s) once the old guard die off it seems...

 

Edited November 9, 2016 by Ian Abel

[jonny777]

Quite.  I can't help wondering why those who actually want to watch news specials are not directed to the news channel which is surely where they belong.  The clue is in the name!  The afternoon schedule on BBC1 is now in ruins ...

 

Chris

 

Agreed.

 

BBC News have a vastly over-inflated view of their own importance.

 

I switched on to watch Pointless but it is still News24 spouting speculative nonsense. I did the only thing possible which was to watch The Chase.

[PhilJ W]

They seem to be searching Hollywood for the next possible candidate......George Clooney?

 

I think as John Simpson said back in June ' People are just fed up of politicians...'

I understand that George Clooney is seriously considering standing for president (as a democrat) but not yet.

 

Maybe they could share a spray tan booth and then they'd both look as if they'd been tangoed.

 

Jamie

I wonder if her white bits would be in the shape of his hands.

 

Ian, given the qualifications you and the family members have, I doubt you'll be having problems finding employment here in Europe

 

Although I'm not sure your US passports will now be a help or hinderence here

If you have an Irish grandparent you can have an Irish passport and if you are decended from a  Holacaust survivor you can have a German passport.

Edited November 9, 2016 by PhilJ W

[iL Dottore]

As a slight deviation from the doom and gloom, I am pleased to announce that [a] I have finished "grotting up" the chimney for Jamie's layout and need only build its travel case and pack it, I've reserved a table for 8 at the Princess at 12 - which they'll hold for 30 minutes and [c] I am planning my culinary, theatrical and cultural excursions for the long weekend (arrive Friday morning, depart Monday night to/from LCY).

 

It is most interesting to observe the "meltdown" on the internet about the election of "The Donald" to the US presidency. Something that does, however, seem to be missing from all the hand wringing, tearing out of hair, wailing and gnashing of the teeth is any sort of insightful introspection as to why he was elected - at least any sort of introspection that doesn't throw up the usual -ists and -isms. Whether it's Birmingham Alabama or Birmingham, England; Paris, France or Paris Texas; Athens Georgia or Athens, Greece, once voters are taken for granted and their concerns (which may only be "perceived" but are none the less real to them) are either ignored and/or ridiculed, is it no wonder that they turn to those that offer to listen and who propose solutions - no matter how improbable to implement. For what it's worth "The Donald" does have - in my view - some positives: namely he financed his own campaign - so he is not indebted to special interest group donors; he seems that he'll focus primarily on domestic matters - so perhaps a wind down of the mess caused by Dubya and continued by Obama and, finally, he has a good rapport with Putin. And, like or not, a good relationship with Putin will be of great importance in the years ahead. His acceptance speech was a far cry from the usual "The Donald" bombast and - to my ears - sounded quite inclusive and conciliatory. We'll see what his presidency will bring, we'll see...

 

Anyway, I'm counting the hours until the meet up. Have a good one

 

iD

[The Stationmaster]

Agreed.

 

BBC News have a vastly over-inflated view of their own importance.

 

I switched on to watch Pointless but it is still News24 spouting speculative nonsense. I did the only thing possible which was to watch The Chase.

 

This sort of thing irritates me no end.  inevitably these 'rolling news' things seem to centre on irrelevant garbage at the expense of normal programming and I simply can't understand (as already said) why they are not banished to the BBC's news channel.

[roundhouse]

My meeting last Friday has moved to this Friday so just depends what time it finishes if I can make the meet up.