Dr. Gonzo

https://theathletic.com/3400323/2022/07/05/ronaldo-united-training-transfer/?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes The Athletic saying they don't know when, or even if, Ronaldo will return to United & they're worried he'll try to force a move. Seems a bit weird, tbh. He's got all the money in the world, so I doubt that paycut for not being in the CL really makes that much of a difference to him & he's at a club he supposedly loves. So why the sudden want away attitude? If it's because he still wants the CL... he could have let United know earlier? Like even before the season was completed so at least they could plan for life without him (again) before the summer started. Seems a bit weird though, people say he "loves a challenge" and... he's at a club "he loves" that are experiencing a challenging moment. So it seems like at least one of those statements about him isn't true, if the Athletic is right in indicating he's forcing a move.

I just assume Everton fans are people who’ve become one with the aids virus

That's your example of a guy who diffused hyper partisan identity politics? The guy who was so feared by big believers in hyper partisan identity politics (in this case, denying people of a certain identity human rights and keeping them as chattel) started a civil war and then later was shot in the head by those same hyperpartisan dickheads after he'd won the war? I'm pretty sure just because of the way half the fucking country responded to his election, he's probably the most divisive president in the history of the US. The way the US responded after his assassination and the way the confederacy aristocrats were rehabilitated and happily welcomed back into their positions of status and power in that period of "reconstruction" are probably the biggest reason US politics are a mix of idiotic hyperpartisanship and culture wars. I think what America actually needs is someone who's an actual unifier. Look at FDR, he came to power because of the corruption and ineptitude of his predecessors leading to what was a total economic collapse. And even then... he was only really able to properly "unify" the US once it was pulled into WW2. But he ended up being one of the most popular presidents of all time because he challenged the status quo... and he was able to navigate the US through it's economic woes (although that's primarily because the US had the advantage of being the only industrialised western nation to not be war torn by the war). There's no easy fix for Americas problems. It's either going to have to get a hell of a lot worse (total economic collapse, world war, something like that) or America's just going to fall apart due to the media and politicians creating a narrative that Americans shouldn't work together or like each other because of various idiotic political reasons and the culture wars they are pushing. But corporate media has found that pushing culture wars and hyperpartisanship is more profitable than having a fully functioning democracy, and until that changes... that's likely going to be America's future.

Yeah I definitely relate to that. My mood gets very up or down here depending on homesickness and I think a lot of shit has happened in the last 5 years living here that make it feel very different to my first few years in the country. I dunno how people are supposed to have kids here and feel alright about it. Not just because of the incessant gun violence that the politicians refuse to do a fucking thing about - but that certainly plays a large part into my thinking there. The breaking news now is that the Highland Park suspect had been planning this attack for months. I'm not sure it can just be put down to "mental health" as the reason behind the shooting - I think anyone committing mass murder is probably mentally ill, but I don't think he's mentally ill enough to be declared incompetent for trial... he was competent enough to pre-meditate mass murder - he's competent to stand trial.

Yeah I either want to go home or move to Germany so I can hang out with @Tommy

8 mass shootings in the US yesterday…

Another shooting at a parade today.

Here’s another

The one person in that who actually acts sane is getting crushed in the polls though because… it’s America, so of course they are.

Whatever helps you sleep at night pal

Sadly, I think we both know why it's not getting more media coverage.

Gotta say whoever originally made that really knew that it would piss off Kurds who see that to put their ethnicity in quotes.

Richarlison was one of the few players Everton fans could count on to do something in matches for them that was positive. He's a good player and he's got a win-at-all costs mentality, which makes him an absolute twat to play against, but he's got the mentality to fight for his club. And he's performed pretty regularly for Brazil too. It's a big loss for Everton, but it's a huge signing for Spurs I think. He's a player that can come in for your two best players... and he can also play alongside them. So now you've got 4 very good players to compete for spots in that front 3 you have - I think that can only be a good thing for you. I don't really think you have anything to worry about. Terry Sheringham's thinking about things I think with a bit too much of an old school mentality - especially with this condensed season for the World Cup after an already pretty rigorous season with its own weird scheduling issues - you need depth to really contend. Now you've got exceptional attacking depth. Also it's all well and good having him remince about how Spurs did things in the old days that he maybe considers the golden years. But how many trophies did Spurs win then? I'm pretty sure the only thing he won at Spurs was player of the year - it seems a bit weird to tell someone like Conte, someone who's figured out how to win leagues many times, that he's doing it wrong and he should look to a period of time where Spurs won nothing.

Very happy with that news.

Jesus fucking Christ

He does everything from the point of view of a massive incel because he’s the king of the incels. I’ve only found there’s really 2 opinions on the guy: you think he’s an insufferable dickhead or you absolutely love him.

I think he's just trying to score easy points here. Gets to look like he's a champion of womens rights by making a dig at toxic masculinity & it's he gets to have a dig at Putin too, which is easy to do for any politician in the West to curry a bit of media favour. Plus being chummy with the media and making jokes has gotten him this far in his political career - I can't see him ever stopping, especially when he sees he's got an easy way to have a dig at some kind of political opponent. It's sort of the "special move" he's used throughout his career.

She worked at the White House for the Trump administration, she testified that Mark Meadows told Trump to say something to the protestors to get them to stop the capitol attack & that some of them had weapons. Her testimony included the president's response including statements like "I don't fucking care if they have weapons" and "they're not hear to hurt me" as well as his demands to be taken to the scene of the crime - "I'm the fucking president, take me to the capitol now." She also testified she overheard a conversation between Meadows and White House attorney Pat Cippilone: "You heard him [Trump], Pat. He thinks Mike deserves it. He doesn’t think they’re doing anything wrong." This was in response to chants of "hang Mike Pence." I think it's pretty telling that there isn't anyone willing to come forward to testify under oath, putting them under penalty of perjury, to contradict those claims. And testimony from people like William Barr, who was firmly in Trump's inner circle, don't seem to indicate that she's not being forthright about the president's behavior. Some of the more amusing parts of her testimony include William Barr telling Trump the election results were not a fraud and Trump threw his lunch that was covered in ketchup against the wall. She had to clean up the mess.

It was Pablo Escobar wasn’t it? First season of Narcos covers that story pretty well

I agree with that 100% but also... what?

In this era, if Jesus came back I'm pretty sure the US bible loving fanatics would crucify him for being an unwashed socialist

I agree, that's why I put it in quotes. These "moderates" are tbh quite happy for the republicans to pull the country further and further to the right, then they come in and make those policies the status quo (like Biden has done with many Trump-era policies: from immigration, the losing battle on trade with China, Middle East policy, etc...) There's about 2-4 people in US politics you can probably actually call left-wing and then the rest are either fairly right wing... or full on extremists.

I saw a poll recently where even many Trump supporters (not the diehard ones who are basically cultists at this point) think he shouldn't be the GOP nominee because he has too much baggage. And DeSantis also polls well among the many US "moderates." I realistically can't see any high profile dems winning it. Klobuchar's very much a status quo moderate democrat, which isn't really the kind of candidate that inspires voters to think positive change is coming with their election... a lot like Biden, tbh. And just in terms of the stupid things voters consider instead of... actual policies... she has a pretty nervous sounding wobbly voice that I think made her come off as a bit shit in the DNC debates. You pair her up against Trump or DeSantis and I think she'll probably come off looking really bad in the presidential debates even if she's just arguing against people spewing bullshit. I also think it's maybe a bit tough for sitting democrat senators right now - as a lot of them are taking heat from their base for failing to codify Roe v. Wade while they had the chance. Will voters remember that by the next election? I'm not so sure. I don't have much faith in most democrat politicians, too successfully battle this far-right movement in the US that's taken control of their conservative party. They've got the most watched media network on their side and they're comfortable making bad faith arguments in order to get votes and support. I'd like someone like Katie Porter to run, though: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Porter She won her seat in a district that once claimed it was "the most republican district in the United States" (although I'm not sure how that's true considering it's in California and not Alabama) - that has a long history of electing shitty people. She's popular in her district - and popular with a lot of left wing and liberal people in the US.