Some Non-trivial Things That Annoy Me.

[Gillianren]

I've been saying for years that, when we had a house, I would throw a Halloween house party. All day long. Food, costumes, chat, Halloween movies in the background--and a bunch of us would take the kids trick-or-treating together.

Oh, well. Maybe next year. The kids handled not going trick-or-treating better than I was afraid they would, but it was still an obvious disappointment to them, and who can blame them?

[Trebuchet]

I am SO darn tired of this election we are having. And I fear that when it's over, it won't be over.

At least our state is solidly* with one party so we've been spared much of the advertising.

*It's a forgone conclusion which way the state as a whole will go, but the Cascade mountains are a political divide as well as a physical one. There are just more people on the west side of them.

[Extravoice]

I am SO darn tired of this election we are having. And I fear that when it's over, it won't be over.

Just as this pandemic will provide fodder for analyses and PhD theses for decades to come, so shall the 2020 US election.

[ozduck]

I am SO darn tired of this election we are having. And I fear that when it's over, it won't be over.

At least our state is solidly* with one party so we've been spared much of the advertising.

*It's a forgone conclusion which way the state as a whole will go, but the Cascade mountains are a political divide as well as a physical one. There are just more people on the west side of them.

I can assure you that a lot of people in countries outside the USA will also be happy when the US Election is over and the results are done and dusted. We may not get the electioneering but the coverage is pretty non-stop. Our papers and News reports will hopefully return to normal service - which is not all that good but at least there may be some variety.

[Jens]

I can assure you that a lot of people in countries outside the USA will also be happy when the US Election is over and the results are done and dusted. We may not get the electioneering but the coverage is pretty non-stop. Our papers and News reports will hopefully return to normal service - which is not all that good but at least there may be some variety.

That's interesting to hear about the non-stop coverage. In Japan there isn't (it gets mentioned on the evening news but not every day). Maybe it's because Australia is an English-speaking country?

[Van Rijn]

At least our state is solidly* with one party so we've been spared much of the advertising.

Yeah, my state is very one sided too, so we also aren’t getting much advertising on that score, but we have ballot propositions (an exercise in direct democracy) and I still am getting mailings on those. I voted a few days ago, and have been throwing those mailings in the trash with some satisfaction.

Propositions are often the main reason I vote. With votes for candidates in this state being so solidly in one camp, it generally doesn’t matter if I vote or how I vote on them except as a small personal statement. But it often isn’t clear how propositions will go, and I often have strong opinions on whether I think they are good ideas, so I can work up a fair amount of enthusiasm about voting on them. Like now, there are a couple I really want to see passed, a couple for which I don’t have strong feelings, and for the rest, I am really hoping they fail.

[The Backroad Astronomer]

A fact I'm sure they're not thrillered about.

For the first time in years it is not me.

[Noclevername]

Just as this pandemic will provide fodder for analyses and PhD theses for decades to come, so shall the 2020 US election.

Also satirical comedy.

[Extravoice]

...With votes for candidates in this state being so solidly in one camp, it generally doesn’t matter if I vote or how I vote...

My state is also solidly one party. After years of being an unaffiliated voter, I decided to register with that party. Not that I necessarily agree with the party line, but “membership” allows me to vote in the Primary election. That gives me some voice in who will, almost assuredly, win the general election.

[ozduck]

That's interesting to hear about the non-stop coverage. In Japan there isn't (it gets mentioned on the evening news but not every day). Maybe it's because Australia is an English-speaking country?

The English-speaking bit certainly hasa major effect especially with a very direct cultural relationship via movies, TV shows and music. Of course many Americans do have problems understanding what we say and mean.

However, there is also an extremely strong general fondness for the USA that leads us to be very interested in what is happening there. It has been a major holiday destination for Australians for years, being our third favourite destination in 2019 - NZ was first followed closely by Indonesia (mainly Bali). In 2019 Australians made just over 1,000,000 visits there compared to under 800,000 visits by Americans to Australia. This was nearly 40% more than the number of Australian visits to the UK that year. (Australian visits to Japan rated seventh - and were about 75% of those to the UK) I think that most Australians these days are more informed of events in the USA than of any other region or country. So we are normally very interested in what happens there but events there this year have caused mass bewilderment.

[grant hutchison]

The US election seems to be a pretty minor feature of the UK news cycle at present, what with one thing and another. But certainly easy enough to find coverage in on-line versions of British newspapers.

Grant Hutchison

[profloater]

The bbc podcast “Americast” uses two reporters and guests, to discuss the election. I cannot find a USA news feed apart from pbs, which is not partisan. Some of the pbs output is from the BBC anyway.

[Noclevername]

So we are normally very interested in what happens there but events there this year have caused mass bewilderment.

We in the US also have mass bewilderment about what's happening in the US.

[grant hutchison]

So we are normally very interested in what happens there but events there this year have caused mass bewilderment.

I imagine Australians are baffled by the complete absence of democracy sausages.

Grant Hutchison

[Gillianren]

It's interesting; one of the races in our state election that will prove interesting is the Secretary of Education. I hope that fear of providing age-appropriate education about sensitive topics to children doesn't win.

[KaiYeves]

Trying to apply for a winter job not knowing if certain events will make fleeing the country the prudent option.

[Extravoice]

Trying to apply for a winter job not knowing if certain events will make fleeing the country the prudent option.

My dentist just left on vacation to the Dominican Republic. (Probably funded by my tooth crown). He jokingly said he’d just set up shop there if things go sour really back here.

[Noclevername]

(Probably funded by my tooth crown)

All hail the king.

[ozduck]

I imagine Australians are baffled by the complete absence of democracy sausages.

Grant Hutchison

Quite right - there was even a story on the national news service about a sort of an US attempt to 'replace' them with pizza

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-...ueues/12838722

And for those confused here is a CNN article about them.

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/17/a...ntl/index.html

[Van Rijn]

So we are normally very interested in what happens there but events there this year have caused mass bewilderment.

. . . Just this year?

I’ve been bewildered for some time. Admittedly, there is a certain Twilight Zone feel to this year.

[ozduck]

. . . Just this year?

I’ve been bewildered for some time. Admittedly, there is a certain Twilight Zone feel to this year.

Perhaps I should have said increasing bewilderment. That gremlin does seem to be having an extra fun time on the wing this year.

[Trebuchet]

It's interesting; one of the races in our state election that will prove interesting is the Secretary of Education. I hope that fear of providing age-appropriate education about sensitive topics to children doesn't win.

And there's a referendum on the subject as well.

[Gillianren]

And there's a referendum on the subject as well.

Which passed, with a substantial percentage. But the woman running against our incumbent Secretary of Education did so because she was opposed to it. She also appears to have lost.

[Trebuchet]

My wife's hairdresser called last evening to cancel an appointment. Her husband had a stroke was been rushed to the hospital in Seattle. They are very nice people. I hope he'll pull through.

[Trebuchet]

My wife texted the hairdresser yesterday and she said to go ahead and come in today, would explain at the time. That's either good news or maybe very bad.

Meanwhile, I had a doctor appointment yesterday and was officially diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. That wasn't a huge surprise but very discouraging anyhow. I've already been depressed due to this awful year. We talked about that as well.

[Swift]

My wife texted the hairdresser yesterday and she said to go ahead and come in today, would explain at the time. That's either good news or maybe very bad.

Meanwhile, I had a doctor appointment yesterday and was officially diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. That wasn't a huge surprise but very discouraging anyhow. I've already been depressed due to this awful year. We talked about that as well.

Hang in there Trebuchet.

[ozduck]

My wife texted the hairdresser yesterday and she said to go ahead and come in today, would explain at the time. That's either good news or maybe very bad.

Meanwhile, I had a doctor appointment yesterday and was officially diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. That wasn't a huge surprise but very discouraging anyhow. I've already been depressed due to this awful year. We talked about that as well.

I really hope things improve for you.

[Jim]

My wife texted the hairdresser yesterday and she said to go ahead and come in today, would explain at the time. That's either good news or maybe very bad.

Meanwhile, I had a doctor appointment yesterday and was officially diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. That wasn't a huge surprise but very discouraging anyhow. I've already been depressed due to this awful year. We talked about that as well.

Well, rats.

[Trebuchet]

The hairdresser's husband is home and doing well. He actually had FOUR strokes; and had had a couple previously -- apparently some congenital anomaly in the blood vessels in his brain. He had been out hunting with his son from a previous marriage but they decided to quit early so he was home when it happened. As a retired firefighter, he got immediate attention on the 911 call, got taken immediately to the local hospital and when stabilized went to Seattle by ambulance, having another stroke in the ambulance on the ferry! Wow.
The hairdresser says they are looking into insurance for medical transport by helicopter, which they almost sent him on. It's really expensive. I think we will look into that as well.

Several years ago I lost about 30 pounds. I pretty much know how I did that, and how I put it back on. I'm going to get to work on that.

[Torsten]

Meanwhile, I had a doctor appointment yesterday and was officially diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. That wasn't a huge surprise but very discouraging anyhow. I've already been depressed due to this awful year. We talked about that as well.

Several years ago I lost about 30 pounds. I pretty much know how I did that, and how I put it back on. I'm going to get to work on that.

Darn. But I hope that's successful for you.