Toadfish Monastery

Last _{That doesn't surprise me one bit.  I thought it was a mistake when it happened.} Post

Quote from: Griffin on October 18, 2024, 10:12:25 PMI find it hard to believe they treat pensioners this way and pretend to be a socialist party.

Depends on the era and region. In Eastern Europe that would be 'normal' behaviour.

Last _{3rd way neoliberalism meets 2nd world} Post

Budget day today. I don't think anything affects me directly (this is unlikely to be true of the next budget next year), except businesses going out of business as their small profits getting too small to non-existent (read losses). I don't understand why small businesses would be attacked in a failing economy - surely there is a need for more not fewer? But I've never understood economics.

Health news better. I have two Warthin's benign tumours. Biopsies painful but not too much. No action required. I seem to have got rid of jelly legs by halving the dose of a medication.

Last _{Exhausted but less stressed} Post

Ostwald ripening. The big grow at the cost of the small and since the big have connections the process is fostered by those they are connected with/to.
The slow version of disaster capitalism - like rusting leading to the same product as burning iron, just less visible.

Last _{woke chemistry} Post

Of course it will affect me as prices will go up as the rise in National Insurance contributions by employers gets passed on, by the employers, to workers and prices. Also, personal allowance (that which shall be tax free income) still frozen meaning over time one pays more tax on income (apparently this is not presented as tax rises for the workers, they lie).

It is now November. If the months go any quicker they won't exist at all, and if time does not exist, I may be dead.

Last _{Only 54 days to Christmas} Post

And just 4 days to the US election.

Last _{nightmare before Xmas} Post

I already voted (early).

Last _{not that it will make much of a difference, I'm in FL} Post

Doesn't that depend on partially where you are in the state?

Last _{at least for the House} Post

Btw, I have finally managed to acquire a Dönertier. They were unavailable for years or only at insane prices.

https://fatjoke.de/wp-content/uploads/Doenertier-Pluesch-559x377.jpg

My vote didn't make the slightest difference.

Last _{now let the "good times" roll in...} Post

Dies irae dies ista
civitas facta fascista
fata dicta sunt sinistra/fat'_electa persinistra

Quando cimex est venturus
cuncta saevus vexaturus
marsupia exsanguiturus

Mos stupebit et natura
cum resurget creatura
cunnos procax prehensura

Day of ire, effing day
The state turned fascist
sinister fates have been announced/very sinister fates have been chosen

What a tic/bug is coming
to torment/plague everyone
to suck the purses dry

Morality and nature will be stupefied
when the creature re-emerges
randily to grab the p---ies


Last _improvised Post

Hey, it isn't as the AfD isn't breathing out your back...

Last _{the b*stards are everywhere} Post

I fear that - as in the early 1930ies - the weakest link are the 'normal' conservatives that consider using this "new popular/populist movement" as their path back into power followwed by an aberrant far left that sees more potential in a passive support of the same while fighting the moderate left. Then it was the hatred of the democratic establishment by both the Nazis and the communists who would on occasion even join forces in street battles with the social democrats. Now it's the BSW (btw accepting help from Putin as does the AfD) that officially opposes the AfD but tries to find common ground with them (hoping to appeal to their voters).
And the FDP that always suffered from a mild case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde (socially liberal and libertarian/national conservative) in essence blew up the ruling coalition in what seems like 'suicide out of fear of death'.

Last _{still more like a potential Saruman in the Shire here than the de facto Sauron triumphant in the US} Post

I was commenting with my buddies that it would seem like the 30s were in hibernation and starting to thaw out.

Last _{as for Putin helping the AfD... he is a fascist so...} Post

Putin will support extremists on both ends. The important thing is that it undermines liberal democracy. It could be counterproductive to help only one  side because that could lead to takeover of a still functioning system. The purpose is for the ship to sink not to get one group of rivaling mutineers to capture it intact.

Last _{free power drills to all the ship's rats} Post

Without trying to sound like an apologist, (or ignoring how big a monster the guy is) I believe that the west pushed him over the edge. He tried to enter NATO, and he got his paranoia triggered by some stupidly placed missiles in Poland, among other things.

Last _{IMO most of the stupidity happening right now could've been avoided and adding fuel to the fire isn't helping at all} Post