Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Geo the Sarge]

Cynical and very poorly informed is always a bad combination. To call this marketing shows a stunning lack of understanding. I can recommend some good books if you'd like to improve your knowledge of American politics.

I read in a book that America armed Afghanistan then sent soldiers to die fighting vs those weapons. I dunno, I reckon if I was American and someone I loved died fighting in Afghanistan vs an American gun I would be pretty cynical about foreign policy. The battle for good message would feel a bit tarnished tbh. If you guys aren't cynical about politics then you're saying politicians are 100% straight, and that would be a very weird stance to take. Absolutely nobody would agree with you. If you don't trust politicians 100% then you have every right to be cynical. If you aren't cynical you are naive, and that is the reality of a limited knowledge imo.

He did it because it is 100% the right thing to do, any reasonable human being would do the same. The camp is a disgrace and totally contradicts everything America is meant to stand for. Removing it has absolutely nothing to do with marketing.

Yep, that camp is such a disgrace they're gonna leave those lucky dudes in there for another year. But hey, we'll tell the press now cos it's a message of hope right? Let's see how this Obama dude gets on for real before we trust him absolutely. That's not a bad stance to take on politics in my ill-informed view.

America armed the Mujahideen in Afghanistan when they were fighting Russia and Donald Rumsfeld who deserves his own extra fiery section of hell, met Saddam Hussein and armed the Iraqis when they were fighting Iran.  In both instances they ended up fighting the armies they had armed.  America has shot itself in the foot many times, literally and metaphorically with this kind of stuff, but those were all Republican Governments with ulterior-motives.

Barack Obama's whole motivation for running for the Presidency in the first place was to end this type of politics.  If you've read his books, one of which was written way before he had an interest in politics it becomes absolutely clear he is not a typical war mongering politician who's only motives for doing anything are for the financial gain of himself and his rich corporate friends.  Guantanamo Bay was just simply a humanitarian disgrace and it goes against everything he has ever stood for, prior to and during his political life.  He pledged during his campaign he would address the Iraq withdrawal and the closure of Guantanamo Bay and that's what he's doing.   

I don't think the man is a messiah who is going to change everything over-night.  I'm as cynical as the next man as far as political promises go, but it's clear that he is different and given the state of the world he deserves a bit of latitude in order to try and undo the gordian knot that Bush and Cheney have tied America in domestically and in their foreign affairs.  Dismissing everything he does because of Reagan's double standards and Bush's desperate attempts to finish the job his Dad started is pretty ignorant and if everybody felt as you do there would be no chance of Obama changing anything.  Given the state of the world I think you have to allow yourself to believe he can sort the various messes out because if you don't the consequences are a lot worse than the disappointment you'll feel if he turns out to be just another American politician.

I like what you write mate.

Geo

[ripple11]

Cynical and very poorly informed is always a bad combination. To call this marketing shows a stunning lack of understanding. I can recommend some good books if you'd like to improve your knowledge of American politics.

nice of you to start posting more mate. ill have to come swansea soon, let me know when a decent tournament is on/ the bass are beginning to shoal.

!'ll get it in before Tikay does..................


 Sky Poker UK Tour Event 5
 Saturday 9th May 2009
  Aspers, Swansea  £50 + £5
  £5,000 GTD + Top 10 win entry to SPUKT Grand Final

[Acidmouse]

He did it because it is 100% the right thing to do, any reasonable human being would do the same. The camp is a disgrace and totally contradicts everything America is meant to stand for. Removing it has absolutely nothing to do with marketing.

Agreed.

So, hang on, they detained a bunch of innocent people with a few hardcore evangelical terrorists. They tortured them, denied them basic human rights, and stewed them for years. Now they are angry to hear that the ones they let go turn out to be 'terrorists?'.

I think a more accurate term would be 'innocent people so pissed at America that they are willing to join a terrorist organisation to get back at them'. Or perhaps, 'Terrorist recruiter's dream'.

[tikay]

Loving that Obama debate, hope it keeps going in the manner it has - lovely stuff, thank you. To be honest, I think he's a breath of fresh air. American, or African American, I don't care a jot, black, or white, ditto. He's a bloke, end of story, & a good bloke, I feel. Skin colour is of no relavance to me, though I can understand how it is to so many.

[Acidmouse]

It's a good thing and hugely relevent that Obama is black because otherwise the Republican party would have IMO got in again. Huge numbers of so called ethnic minority people come out voting for the first time in their lives due to the fact he was black and give them a glimmer of hope. Even though he is about as middle class white as you can get!

He has a huge task and pretty much hasn't got a hope in hell of clearing up the mass poverty that grips much of America right now. Last night a documentary about the American health care was a real shocker, how can 23,000 Americans die each year because of the basic lack of health care provision? yet they fund Israel 20 billion a year to continue illegal invasions?

He will soon find out the lobbyist have way too much power in washington for him to do anything meaningful for at least his first term in office.

[byronkincaid]

It's a good thing and hugely relevent that Obama is black because otherwise the Republican party would have IMO got in again. Huge numbers of so called ethnic minority people come out voting for the first time in their lives due to the fact he was black and give them a glimmer of hope. Even though he is about as middle class white as you can get!

He has a huge task and pretty much hasn't got a hope in hell of clearing up the mass poverty that grips much of America right now. Last night a documentary about the American health care was a real shocker, how can 23,000 Americans die each year because of the basic lack of health care provision? yet they fund Israel 20 billion a year to continue illegal invasions?

He will soon find out the lobbyist have way too much power in washington for him to do anything meaningful for at least his first term in office.

have been reading some articles saying that the UK is in a worse state than the US or will be in a year or so at least.

for example

http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2009-01-21-london-economy_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

[tikay]

Right, I'm back from my AWOL-ness.

I'll catch up with your PM's & reply to your Diary comments, soonest, I'm a bit pulled out right now, as you can imagine.

I'm working 4 days straight from today, PTP tonight, Shows on Saturday & Monday, down at Hove Dog Track at a Pub League Final on Sunday. Then I get two days break - what will I do with myself? - followed by another 5 days on the bounce, including Edinburgh, so it'll take me some time to catch up. Don't get me wrong, I adore being busy, especially at an age when so many struggle to find stuff to do.

The downside - everything has a downside - is that I don't always have time for things I want to do sometimes. Seeing people who I care about, who are special, they must get hacked off with me.

I think I'm just inherently selfish, I want to do exciting things all the time, just fill every moment with fun, doing nothing - chilling - is time lost, & I don't have any to waste at my age. Things to do, things to do.

I've been experimenting with getting more sleep this week, & it's worked an absolute treat, I've been bursting with energy. But I get busy, the work pours out of me, I can't seem to pace myself, then I get tired again, & so it goes on.

I'd not change anything, I'm as happy & fulfilled as I ve ever been. Just a few storm clouds here & there, you know how it is.

I've gone public today on the Poker Trilion thing, & I'm extremely uncomfy with it - but in a weird way, I feel better for having said what I said - I don't like, or feel a need, to keep secrets on these things, why should I? They are imperrilling blonde, & it's a struggle to pay the greengages right now.

I seem to be able to cope with the blonde worries, though they are wearing, especially when my life at Sky Poker is 100% excitement & fun. We'll sort it, in some shape or form, because I think this Forum is something worth a bit of grief to keep going. It will. I do feel awfully for Rich, though, it weighs on him heavily, & I feel responsible. I'm not, but I feel I am.

Well, I don't suppose that interests anyone. Trains & Poker you asked for, trains & poker upcoming.

[Longy]

Hilary Clinton would have won last years election as well imo, any decent Democratic candidate would have. The state of the US economy made almost impossible for any Republican candidate being tarred with the Bush brush.

Democrats made gains in the House of Representative and the Senate in November.

[Royal Flush]

Hilary Clinton would have won last years election as well imo, any decent Democratic candidate would have. The state of the US economy made almost impossible for any Republican candidate being tarred with the Bush brush.

Democrats made gains in the House of Representative and the Senate in November.

This, plus the minority's loved Bill as well so Hillary would have been laughing!

[kukushkin88]

Almost any decent candidate would have won for the Democrats 4 years ago as well (someone mentioned this before, maybe flushy). Sadly they didn't have one and the Republicans won based on little more than a promise to spend all available money on weapons to fight terror. Some good things happened in the last four years though, the Republican Party were taught some harsh lessons which hopefully will force them to reform (preferably they'll never be elected again, this is too much to hope for but a move away from neo-conservativism will be an enormous improvement). Also there was a sense that your average american started to become concerned about America's place in the world and what it's responsibilities should be, this was a major factor in why Obama won a landslide victory and has to bode well for the future. 

(Pencil in that May 9th tourney Alex, bass fishing and poker in the spring what could be better, looking forward to it already.)

[tikay]

Well, the PT thing is going off big time, it's all so unpleasant & horrible. I don't need this, & hate every moment.

I start work at 7pm, for 5 hours, PTP-ing, & I can't wait, it gets me away from all this PT nonsense for the evening.

May you all have a great Friday evening, & weekend.

Tomorrow is a new day.

[AlexMartin]

Right, I'm back from my AWOL-ness.

I'll catch up with your PM's & reply to your Diary comments, soonest, I'm a bit pulled out right now, as you can imagine.

I'm working 4 days straight from today, PTP tonight, Shows on Saturday & Monday, down at Hove Dog Track at a Pub League Final on Sunday. Then I get two days break - what will I do with myself? - followed by another 5 days on the bounce, including Edinburgh, so it'll take me some time to catch up. Don't get me wrong, I adore being busy, especially at an age when so many struggle to find stuff to do.

The downside - everything has a downside - is that I don't always have time for things I want to do sometimes. Seeing people who I care about, who are special, they must get hacked off with me.

I think I'm just inherently selfish, I want to do exciting things all the time, just fill every moment with fun, doing nothing - chilling - is time lost, & I don't have any to waste at my age. Things to do, things to do.

I've been experimenting with getting more sleep this week, & it's worked an absolute treat, I've been bursting with energy. But I get busy, the work pours out of me, I can't seem to pace myself, then I get tired again, & so it goes on.

I'd not change anything, I'm as happy & fulfilled as I ve ever been. Just a few storm clouds here & there, you know how it is.

I've gone public today on the Poker Trilion thing, & I'm extremely uncomfy with it - but in a weird way, I feel better for having said what I said - I don't like, or feel a need, to keep secrets on these things, why should I? They are imperrilling blonde, & it's a struggle to pay the greengages right now.

I seem to be able to cope with the blonde worries, though they are wearing, especially when my life at Sky Poker is 100% excitement & fun. We'll sort it, in some shape or form, because I think this Forum is something worth a bit of grief to keep going. It will. I do feel awfully for Rich, though, it weighs on him heavily, & I feel responsible. I'm not, but I feel I am.

Well, I don't suppose that interests anyone. Trains & Poker you asked for, trains & poker upcoming.

whats public?

[maldini32]

WarBwastard your fast becoming my favourite poster.

[GreekStein]

Right, I'm back from my AWOL-ness.

I'll catch up with your PM's & reply to your Diary comments, soonest, I'm a bit pulled out right now, as you can imagine.

I'm working 4 days straight from today, PTP tonight, Shows on Saturday & Monday, down at Hove Dog Track at a Pub League Final on Sunday. Then I get two days break - what will I do with myself? - followed by another 5 days on the bounce, including Edinburgh, so it'll take me some time to catch up. Don't get me wrong, I adore being busy, especially at an age when so many struggle to find stuff to do.

The downside - everything has a downside - is that I don't always have time for things I want to do sometimes. Seeing people who I care about, who are special, they must get hacked off with me.

I think I'm just inherently selfish, I want to do exciting things all the time, just fill every moment with fun, doing nothing - chilling - is time lost, & I don't have any to waste at my age. Things to do, things to do.

I've been experimenting with getting more sleep this week, & it's worked an absolute treat, I've been bursting with energy. But I get busy, the work pours out of me, I can't seem to pace myself, then I get tired again, & so it goes on.

I'd not change anything, I'm as happy & fulfilled as I ve ever been. Just a few storm clouds here & there, you know how it is.

I've gone public today on the Poker Trilion thing, & I'm extremely uncomfy with it - but in a weird way, I feel better for having said what I said - I don't like, or feel a need, to keep secrets on these things, why should I? They are imperrilling blonde, & it's a struggle to pay the greengages right now.

I seem to be able to cope with the blonde worries, though they are wearing, especially when my life at Sky Poker is 100% excitement & fun. We'll sort it, in some shape or form, because I think this Forum is something worth a bit of grief to keep going. It will. I do feel awfully for Rich, though, it weighs on him heavily, & I feel responsible. I'm not, but I feel I am.

Well, I don't suppose that interests anyone. Trains & Poker you asked for, trains & poker upcoming.

whats public?

They owe blonde £7k and are doing a fergus

[NoflopsHomer]

Right, I'm back from my AWOL-ness.

I'll catch up with your PM's & reply to your Diary comments, soonest, I'm a bit pulled out right now, as you can imagine.

I'm working 4 days straight from today, PTP tonight, Shows on Saturday & Monday, down at Hove Dog Track at a Pub League Final on Sunday. Then I get two days break - what will I do with myself? - followed by another 5 days on the bounce, including Edinburgh, so it'll take me some time to catch up. Don't get me wrong, I adore being busy, especially at an age when so many struggle to find stuff to do.

The downside - everything has a downside - is that I don't always have time for things I want to do sometimes. Seeing people who I care about, who are special, they must get hacked off with me.

I think I'm just inherently selfish, I want to do exciting things all the time, just fill every moment with fun, doing nothing - chilling - is time lost, & I don't have any to waste at my age. Things to do, things to do.

I've been experimenting with getting more sleep this week, & it's worked an absolute treat, I've been bursting with energy. But I get busy, the work pours out of me, I can't seem to pace myself, then I get tired again, & so it goes on.

I'd not change anything, I'm as happy & fulfilled as I ve ever been. Just a few storm clouds here & there, you know how it is.

I've gone public today on the Poker Trilion thing, & I'm extremely uncomfy with it - but in a weird way, I feel better for having said what I said - I don't like, or feel a need, to keep secrets on these things, why should I? They are imperrilling blonde, & it's a struggle to pay the greengages right now.

I seem to be able to cope with the blonde worries, though they are wearing, especially when my life at Sky Poker is 100% excitement & fun. We'll sort it, in some shape or form, because I think this Forum is something worth a bit of grief to keep going. It will. I do feel awfully for Rich, though, it weighs on him heavily, & I feel responsible. I'm not, but I feel I am.

Well, I don't suppose that interests anyone. Trains & Poker you asked for, trains & poker upcoming.

whats public?

They owe blonde £7k and are doing a fergus

Looking forward to the blog then...