Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa

[Robert Roaldi]

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I have abandoned my daily coffee in the local bar, because it seems that my system is not really any longer in a fit condition to cope with the caffein kick: .
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I don't know if it's an issue where you live, but I'm finding it more and more difficult to buy a reasonably sized cup of coffee. The "small" sizes in too many places are simply too big. Drink coffee for taste, water for hydration.

[Robert Roaldi]

Hi Frans, I am a South African (I hereby apologise for Elon Musk!). I have no dog in this fight.
However, there is something I don't understand that perhaps you can explain:

In your 2016 election, the incumbent was a Democrat, so I am guessing that they were in control of the country? Trump won that election - no rigging.(?)
In 2020, Trump, a Republican was in charge and I presume he was in control of the country. He loses that election and immediately claims the election was rigged - while he was in control.

2024 - a Democrat in charge, and Trump wins again...(no rigging?), does this mean that the Republicans are rigging your elections?

Hah!

[Rob C]

I don't know if it's an issue where you live, but I'm finding it more and more difficult to buy a reasonably sized cup of coffee. The "small" sizes in too many places are simply too big. Drink coffee for taste, water for hydration.

No, not here, locally, but I gather that in some other countries you can only get large mugs of the stuff. I suppose it’s marketing: give ‘em a lot of flavoured water and they think they are getting good value, so you can hike up the prices. My local sells a normal cup of coffee for 1,25 euros, other places up to around 1,60 euros. (No idea what prices are in the big city of Palma.) This one is mobbed every morning - you wait at the counter for quite a while to get attention. My kids tell me that in Glasgow, you can be asked for around four or five pounds for a cup… sometimes I think of moving back, and then fiscal reality tells me I am just going through a false memory phase of a city that never existed. Which I suppose is why we left.

However, as most folks here have to buy bottled drinking water, the potential for price gouging is enormous. Watch this space.

[Robert Roaldi]

No, not here, locally, but I gather that in some other countries you can only get large mugs of the stuff. I suppose it’s marketing: give ‘em a lot of flavoured water and they think they are getting good value, so you can hike up the prices. My local sells a normal cup of coffee for 1,25 euros, other places up to around 1,60 euros. (No idea what prices are in the big city of Palma.) This one is mobbed every morning - you wait at the counter for quite a while to get attention. My kids tell me that in Glasgow, you can be asked for around four or five pounds for a cup… sometimes I think of moving back, and then fiscal reality tells me I am just going through a false memory phase of a city that never existed. Which I suppose is why we left.

However, as most folks here have to buy bottled drinking water, the potential for price gouging is enormous. Watch this space.

In the Ottawa area, a cappuccino costs $4-$5 these days. A regular coffee costs $1.50 to $2.50 or so.

[Robert Roaldi]

Well folks, RFK Jr was nominated (is that the correct term for his current status) for a high position in public health. My earlier "extreme" predictions seem a little less outlandish now, if I can say so myself. They may start handing out tin-foil hats to everyone soon. Btw, I checked and you can order tin foil hats from online vendors, and they're not especially cheap. I saw one for $40, Canadian dollars mind, but still. If he does take action against vaccines, I assume that the wealthy will still be able to get theirs.

The web-o-sphere is all a twitter (can that word be used anymore) over Trump's nominations. I assume that bookies are already taking bets on which of the sycophant appointees gets thrown over the side first. There's some talk that not all will be ratified and Matt Gaetz seems especially vilified. Somehow I doubt that the GOP will resist. For all the talk of rugged individualism, I see a mostly conformity. The desire to hang onto the job overrides everything else. My favourite is the lady who was nominated as head of intelligence. Her espoused beliefs in various conspiracy theories is hilarious, assuming she meant what she said.

I saw one article that reported that Trump wants to end public subsidies in the renewable energy sector. I wouldn't have anything against that since the sector is starting to mature anyway. But the impression I get is that his base doesn't want renewable energy sources at all. That mystifies me. Isn't better for everyone if we have diverse sources of energy? What, is oil sacred?

Here, north of the border, the premiers of both Ontario and Alberta are making anti-Mexico trade statements. They seem to come out of nowhere but it might have something to do positioning with respect to with Trump's "America first" strategy, in case he actually follows through.

I have to pass along this quote from a US talk show clip I saw online. I can't remember who the guest was but he described politics as "show business for the unattractive".

[JoeKitchen]

Well folks, RFK Jr was nominated (is that the correct term for his current status) for a high position in public health. My earlier "extreme" predictions seem a little less outlandish now, if I can say so myself. They may start handing out tin-foil hats to everyone soon. Btw, I checked and you can order tin foil hats from online vendors, and they're not especially cheap. I saw one for $40, Canadian dollars mind, but still. If he does take action against vaccines, I assume that the wealthy will still be able to get theirs.

The web-o-sphere is all a twitter (can that word be used anymore) over Trump's nominations. I assume that bookies are already taking bets on which of the sycophant appointees gets thrown over the side first. There's some talk that not all will be ratified and Matt Gaetz seems especially vilified. Somehow I doubt that the GOP will resist. For all the talk of rugged individualism, I see a mostly conformity. The desire to hang onto the job overrides everything else. My favourite is the lady who was nominated as head of intelligence. Her espoused beliefs in various conspiracy theories is hilarious, assuming she meant what she said.

I saw one article that reported that Trump wants to end public subsidies in the renewable energy sector. I wouldn't have anything against that since the sector is starting to mature anyway. But the impression I get is that his base doesn't want renewable energy sources at all. That mystifies me. Isn't better for everyone if we have diverse sources of energy? What, is oil sacred?

Here, north of the border, the premiers of both Ontario and Alberta are making anti-Mexico trade statements. They seem to come out of nowhere but it might have something to do positioning with respect to with Trump's "America first" strategy, in case he actually follows through.

I have to pass along this quote from a US talk show clip I saw online. I can't remember who the guest was but he described politics as "show business for the unattractive".

In the words of John Fetterman, Trump's picks are "God-tier level trolling."

[Robert Roaldi]

Came across this very funny headline, and it's not from The Onion: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/17/republicans-trump-win-economy-election-security-confidence-00189941.

Speaking of The Onion, Elon Musk is trying to wedge his way into The Onion's buyout of Info Wars for some reason https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/elon-musk-x-corp-alex-jones-infowars-rcna180487. Must be a free speech thing.

[Robert Roaldi]

Interest podcast about the history of the John Birch and the PTA in the 1960s, https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/revisionist-history/john-birch-vs-the-pta from Revisionist History podcast channel. You don't need social media to do cancel culture.

[Robert Roaldi]

Some more thoughts about the US election. There has been no mention of the coal industry that I've noticed like there was in 2016. Did the issue go away or was it fixed?

I also didn't detect much talk about the deficit or debt. People used to obsess about those in the past but no more it seems. Like monopolies, those things might actually be good now. We had it wrong all along.

They've decided to make it difficult for trans people to use washrooms in the Capitol. I assume this only matters for shared washrooms. Everyone's bathrooms at home are unisex after all. I'm a bit surprised to find out that members of Congress have to share washrooms at all. I've noticed a minor trend in local restaurants, where they've renovated to make all washrooms private with locked doors and with no gender assignments. This makes so much sense to me, nobody wants to share a space with someone doing their business.

The two government efficiency experts, Vivek and Elon, want to layoffs masses of federal employees, https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5000448-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-government-efficiency/. The strategy must be for the laid off folks to take the places of all the deported illegal aliens. Musk himself is an expert at layoffs, having turfed out 3/4s of Twitter's staff. Of course, it's not making any money anymore but you can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs, as they say.

There's also talk about health care cuts https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5000935-medicaid-cuts-potential-next-congress/. Old people are pretty inefficient, I can see why they want to hasten their departure. Isn't it odd how the rich captains of industry always want others to tighten their belts. But I get it, they'll need the extra cash to pay for all the immigrant detentions.

[degrub]

Medicaid program is for the poor of any age. i think the article stated roughly half are children in the program.

[Robert Roaldi]

Medicaid program is for the poor of any age. i think the article stated roughly half are children in the program.

Thanks, I made a dumb assumption and didn't read carefully enough. The ins and outs of US medical care usually confuse me.

As I read it, health budgets have to decrease because of (impending) tax cuts then. Presumably, the voters made this decision. I wonder if they know.

[Robert Roaldi]

Fun day in the news.

Trump is selling guitars now, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-guitars_n_673e5695e4b09ddca792cb1d?utm_campaign=share_email&ncid=other_email_o63gt2jcad4, assuming that report is true. This is surprising to me, I don't associate him with music. Although come to think of it, he is a chill dancer.

I also saw a CNN report that Matt Gaetz has dropped out of the running for AG. Thrown under the bus even BEFORE taking office, is this a new record? There must be some even more damning info about him than I knew. It was only a few days ago that the good Christian Michael Johnston stated that the investigative report about Gaetz should not be released. Now there's a man whose judgement can be trusted. I thought his actions are always guided by the bible.

[digitaldog]

Yes, Gaetz is out. So only two of President-elect Donald Trump’s high-profile picks to join his Cabinet have faced serious allegations of sexual impropriety. 

[degrub]

Maybe something about not throwing stones....

[JoeKitchen]

I also saw a CNN report that Matt Gaetz has dropped out of the running for AG. Thrown under the bus even BEFORE taking office, is this a new record? There must be some even more damning info about him than I knew. It was only a few days ago that the good Christian Michael Johnston stated that the investigative report about Gaetz should not be released. Now there's a man whose judgement can be trusted. I thought his actions are always guided by the bible.

I'd bet anything his nomination was nothing but a ruse all along to give Gaetz an excuse to resign from the House, and ultimately his nomination to AG, before the ethic report was released, thus squashing it. 

I have to imagine what's in that report would not only damage his public career, but his private career too.  Gaetz may be bombastic, but he is quite shrewd.  Now that report is probably not going to see the light of day. 

[kers]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/22/angela-merkel-expresses-huge-concern-at-elon-musks-us-government-role

Former German chancellor says politics should govern the social balance between powerful and ordinary citizens

[Robert Roaldi]

I'd bet anything his nomination was nothing but a ruse all along to give Gaetz an excuse to resign from the House, and ultimately his nomination to AG, before the ethic report was released, thus squashing it. 

I have to imagine what's in that report would not only damage his public career, but his private career too.  Gaetz may be bombastic, but he is quite shrewd.  Now that report is probably not going to see the light of day.

A cynical friend had this suggestion about why Trump has put forward such an odd array of candidates. Trump nominated people even more outrageous than himself so that the chattering classes would have something else to talk about. They're a distraction. I don't think much of Trump but I do think he's shrewd enough to manage that, distraction being an important tool for grifters.

[Robert Roaldi]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/22/angela-merkel-expresses-huge-concern-at-elon-musks-us-government-role

Former German chancellor says politics should govern the social balance between powerful and ordinary citizens

I guess she hasn't heard. Monopolies are good now, conflicts of interest are ok too, the rich can do anything. They can even make fun of the people they're laying off, a really classy move. The President-elect is hawking guitars, it's not like there's any decorum left.

I think they should start floating the idea of raising taxes on middle and lower income people. I'm sure they can find an economist somewhere who can come up with a justification.

Does anyone know how Trump's crypto is doing?

[JoeKitchen]

A cynical friend had this suggestion about why Trump has put forward such an odd array of candidates. Trump nominated people even more outrageous than himself so that the chattering classes would have something else to talk about. They're a distraction. I don't think much of Trump but I do think he's shrewd enough to manage that, distraction being an important tool for grifters POLITICIANS.

There, fixed it for you. 

Anyway, further proof of my statement was that in an hour after Gaetz dropped out, the 100% qualified Bondi was nominated, who is certain to get through. 

[Robert Roaldi]

There, fixed it for you. 

Anyway, further proof of my statement was that in an hour after Gaetz dropped out, the 100% qualified Bondi was nominated, who is certain to get through.

Thank you.

The Ontario premier Doug Ford recently tabled legislation regarding roads and highways and one of the aspects is that the province reserves the right to tell cities where to build bike lanes and that some bike lanes have to be removed. This has raised the hackles of cyclists and urban design folks, as well as city governments who don't welcome the intrusion, but angry automobile drivers are happy. The lanes that he wants to give back to cars are in Toronto, I think, and the idea that this would solve Toronto's traffic clusterf**k is pure farce. However, he has all those people busy screaming at each other. Meanwhile, that legislation contains several other changes about how highways are built that not many people have noticed. Their long-term consequences are more important than 4-5 bike lanes in Toronto.

(I know nothing about Bondi, but let's not jump to conclusions. Early days.)