Re: General Non-game Chat Thread

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Which is what happens when the media forget their job is to inform people about politics and not try to become political king-makers in their own right. A lot of government media have tendencies that one needs to be aware of and that feeds nicely into the notion of them being mere 'propaganda-machines' of the reigning system.

It's not though. That's the thing. Their job is to outsell the competition. This monster is one we made. On all counts. There's reasons for it...it didn't come from nowhere...but Baelon had it right when he said 'self-selction' in regards to media. We sorted ourselves into categories that didn't just have bias...but rather had entirely different interpretations of reality itself.

And yes, to some extent that sorting was HERDING...it wasn't an accident. People were gradually encouraged to accept that there was no truth, there was 'their' truth, and there was everything else. It happened over the course of my own lifetime;
I can track its progress. And like most trends, it's a feedback loop. The more it happened, the faster it happened. Slow build, rapid conclusion.

I'm still struggling to deal with the stark reality I've been trying to deny for some time now. That it's far too late to do anything but try to enjoy the ride at this point. And hope there's a pillow at the end.

[Baelon Drakeson]

I really wonder what would have happened if Debbie Wasserman-Shultz hadn't skewed the primary away from Bernie.
Also, looks like Hillary is winning the popular vote, not that it matters much. Stupid out-of-date no-longer-useful electoral college system.

On the positive side, David Duke lost his senate run. As bad as this is, at least Louisiana voters had the decency to reject the overt KKK candidate.

[Nathaniel Mason]

President Trump is bad. President Trump with Republican controlled House and Senate, and the ability to shape the Supreme Court for decades to come?

My thought's exactly. Pretty damn scary. He also can pretty well declare war on anyone he wants with little or any opposition.

[Reader]

At a macro level, I take comfort in the knowledge that there is a great deal of ruin in a nation. A phrase to take comfort in.

At a micro level, people of my social class in America will do well, and those at the other end and women/minorities will do badly. Supreme Court is particularly negative and persistent.

Professionally, markets sanguine so far, could lead to orthodox fiscal and monetary policy rather than monetary policy trying to do fiscal's job. Bull case: reflation and growth. Bear case: War! Bull a little more likely, negative scenario has much higher downside.

[Ser Alfred Haigh]

Well, he still needs his party to back him, if he gets too much in-party opposition, they can let him run right into the open knife.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

He doesn't. He really doesn't.

That's kind of the thing.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

President Trump is bad. President Trump with Republican controlled House and Senate, and the ability to shape the Supreme Court for decades to come?

My thought's exactly. Pretty damn scary. He also can pretty well declare war on anyone he wants with little or any opposition.

And it's been established that he can be goaded with a criticising tweet.

I am particularly afraid for all the trans, muslim, immigrant, and poc people in the USA now. Those people will suffer the most, as discrimination becomes policy and Obamacare is repealed.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Oh yeah. I personally fall right into the Trumpian demographic, in skin if not in spirit. My anxiety is for others...though I do fear the economic consequences of the policies that loom.

But now, more than ever before, religion shall be a shield for discrimination. Those not of the chosen faith will be freely attacked. Even if that isn't official policy, through selective enforcement it can become the effective policy with no need for legislation (not that that would be an obstacle).

The only point now that's not absolutely steeped in the darkest of stench is that...at the end, when these fields are reaped, there will be no blame to shift, no fingers to point. They have all the reins now, and they own what will come of it. Even if the pain will be shared by all.

[Darron Greyjoy]

Its been a entertaining past while. I'm kinda sad its over but hey four more years of the living meme himself is alright.

[Baelon Drakeson]

I am particularly afraid for all the trans, muslim, immigrant, and poc people in the USA now. Those people will suffer the most, as discrimination becomes policy and Obamacare is repealed.

I very much agree with this, though I am in the "
safe"
(used loosely) demographic. Honestly though, I am more afraid for the future. The harms of the next 4 years (which could be catastrophic) pale in comparison to what could happen down the road.

This is a candidate who actively encouraged voter suppression and foreign interference with the election, and was not particularly condemning (and more than once encouraging) of violence against political opposition. Oh, and the threats of judicial tampering or extrajudicial imprisonment. Democracy in the US has been being corrupted since pretty much the very beginning (the term "
gerrymandering"
was coined in 1812), but this could be the first major step in a long time towards wrecking it altogether. I hope I am wrong, and it really could be just campaign rhetoric, but [url=I'm reminded of this video Nathan posted][/url].

Even if it is not that bad, I am afraid of the snowball effects of our education and social welfare systems becoming privatized and voter suppression being legalized, not to mention the global ecological impacts of the EPA being gutted.

Internationally, I suspect that Ukraine and Georgia will be in for a world of hurt next year, too.

[Nathaniel Mason]

The most immediate problem I see at the moment, is that his election legitimizes his behaviour and gives justification to similar behaviour.

How do you teach your children to be respectful of women, minorities and other faiths when the President of the United States isn't?

'Yes, Timmy. You too can grow up to be President, even if you are a lying, racist, misogynist, egomaniac. In fact, that might even help you win!'

Of course, Trump did not become President in a vacuum. Of the 200 million eligible voters, only about 120 million did, and those were about evenly split between Trump and Clinton. Obviously, 80 million (40% of the voting public) were neither sufficiently enticed by Clinton, or sufficiently offended by Trump to care one way or another. That says something all on it's own.

30% of the country lit the match, 30% of the country ran for the fire-hose, but 40% just sat back and watched the flames.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

We need something calming.

Or, at least, I do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7xai5u_tnk

[Baelon Drakeson]

Of course, Trump did not become President in a vacuum. Of the 200 million eligible voters, only about 120 million did, and those were about evenly split between Trump and Clinton. Obviously, 80 million (40% of the voting public) were neither sufficiently enticed by Clinton, or sufficiently offended by Trump to care one way or another. That says something all on it's own.

30% of the country lit the match, 30% of the country ran for the fire-hose, but 40% just sat back and watched the flames.

While that is true, it is hard to say how much of that 40% actually mattered. Let's take California as an example. Let's stipulate for the sake of argument that the voter turnout in Claifornia was 60% like the national average. Now, imagine if that remaining 40% had gone to vote, and all voted for Hillary. Net effect? A bigger difference in the popular vote and 0 difference in the end result - Hillary already got California's 55 electoral college votes.

Yeah, a massive disparity between the popular vote and the electoral college vote might have fueled enough resentment to change the system... but probably not. Like the video you posted said - put the voters in "
boxes"
to effectively reduce the number of keys to power needed. The electoral college system, while originally created for important pragmatic reasons, is now little more than a way to "
box"
voters.

We need something calming.

Thanks for trying. I wish it had worked for me.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

The most immediate problem I see at the moment, is that his election legitimizes his behaviour and gives justification to similar behaviour.

How do you teach your children to be respectful of women, minorities and other faiths when the President of the United States isn't?

'Yes, Timmy. You too can grow up to be President, even if you are a lying, racist, misogynist, egomaniac. In fact, that might even help you win!'

Of course, Trump did not become President in a vacuum. Of the 200 million eligible voters, only about 120 million did, and those were about evenly split between Trump and Clinton. Obviously, 80 million (40% of the voting public) were neither sufficiently enticed by Clinton, or sufficiently offended by Trump to care one way or another. That says something all on it's own.

30% of the country lit the match, 30% of the country ran for the fire-hose, but 40% just sat back and watched the flames.

I very much agree. Legitimising his behaviour is inexcusable. I'm still shocked that 42% of women voted for a rapist.

[Nathaniel Mason]

While that is true, it is hard to say how much of that 40% actually mattered.

I agree, with the electoral college, that it might not have made a difference, although it could have.

I guess it's more my point that nearly half the voting public didn't give a damn which one of them was President.

I very much agree. Legitimising his behaviour is inexcusable. I'm still shocked that 42% of women voted for a rapist.

I am still floored that 15% of LGBT voters voted for Trump, but if the exit polls are accurate, they were nearly all white gay men, so perhaps I shouldn't be surprised at all.

[Septon Arlyn]

I can agree with all the sentiments on this page

[Reader]

I can agree with all the sentiments on this page

Tempted to edit in various slanderous remarks above. :;
):

Then again, almost always tempted to do that.

[Reader]

I've had to cash out my bet and take my gains on the various free hedging bets I placed on trumpt. Thank god UK gambling site gives you a free £20-£25 bet when you register that you can use to offset your risk!

Maybe I'll look back on this in a few few hours (almost 5am in the UK) and regret it, but doubt it. Looks like Hilary needs Arizona to pull through.

Updating this in the interest of full disclosure: my wife bailed me out here, as she got up to go to the bathroom at 3am, I checked the results and she wasn't happy with the bet in the first place. She informs me that I owe her the proceeds for a new pair of boots. Seems reasonable.

Gotta know when to fold them (one of the cliches of equity management, somewhat supported by research, is that professionals sell their winners too early but are good at cutting under-performing positions early! Retail investors supposedly have the opposite traits).

[Loreia]

In both parties, no matter which way you voted, only an idiot could be happy today.

[Reader]

Please mark spoilers, but how many people are watching Westworld?

I'm enjoying it, splendid instrumental covers as noted elsewhere here. Plus I have a soft spot for science fiction and westerns (previous posting delays have been induced by a Western Themed card game! ).

[Jon Templeton]

What stage of grief are all of you in right now?

Seems like denial and anger for the most part.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

I am still floored that 15% of LGBT voters voted for Trump, but if the exit polls are accurate, they were nearly all white gay men, so perhaps I shouldn't be surprised at all.

Sadly, white cis gay men have a history of throwing trans people and poc under the proverbial bus.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

What stage of grief are all of you in right now?

Seems like denial and anger for the most part.

Cycling between anger and depression.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

I've had to cash out my bet and take my gains on the various free hedging bets I placed on trumpt. Thank god UK gambling site gives you a free £20-£25 bet when you register that you can use to offset your risk!

Maybe I'll look back on this in a few few hours (almost 5am in the UK) and regret it, but doubt it. Looks like Hilary needs Arizona to pull through.

Updating this in the interest of full disclosure: my wife bailed me out here, as she got up to go to the bathroom at 3am, I checked the results and she wasn't happy with the bet in the first place. She informs me that I owe her the proceeds for a new pair of boots. Seems reasonable.

Gotta know when to fold them (one of the cliches of equity management, somewhat supported by research, is that professionals sell their winners too early but are good at cutting under-performing positions early! Retail investors supposedly have the opposite traits).

Didn't you literally just take her shoe shopping last week? How many shoes/boots does a person need?

[Ser Alfred Haigh]

A dangerous question with some women !

[Sponsored content]