The Happy Thread

[Ali C]

1 hour ago, monkeyseemonkeydo said:

Yes, but

 

They all are 😢

[JT!]

On 11/9/2024 at 6:05 AM, Ali C said:

It’s a sign that people have had enough of “wokeness”, it’s reassuring that there’s still some common sense left in the world.

We’ll have to see if there’s increased tariffs which I agree isn’t ideal but I think that’s better than having the democrats in control over there…their behaviour has been really concerning to me.

I don't think it had much to do with "wokeness". Honestly the democrats really didn't run on a platform of being woke, anti-gun, pro immigration, and everything else you can think about that's generally considered leftist issues or complains from the right. They knew they had those people in the bag and tried to go after the undecided voters by keeping it pretty centrist.

I personally voted for Harris, my first time voting as a citizen, democratic polices align with my beliefs and I'm probably always going to vote that way regardless of who is the front runner, but even if I wasn't, after swearing an oath to the constitution and democracy when I become a citizen there's no way I could vote for Trump. The next 4 years are going to be the biggest threat of a dictatorship in the US since it's inception. Although I think it's massively unlikely, the idea is still scary.

What behavior do you think is really concerning?

I'm honestly still in disbelief, I figured since Biden won somewhat comfortably in 2020, Trump should have only lost more voters in those 4 years rather than gain. I feel like I have to put it down to her simply been a women and America isn't ready for a female president yet, I guess I hope America is sexist rather than stupid. I'll admit to be out of touch with what the majority of the country want.

[Ali C]

I was honestly worried Harris and co would be the bigger dictator risk, they seem to really love controlling media, controlling debates, controlling questions etc, they also seemed really bad at taking criticism. Now this was more of a worry with Biden to be honest, I don’t know a huge deal about Harris but Biden definitely put me off the democrats quite a bit. I feel they’re quite similar to Justin Trudeau and he’d make a brilliant dictator.

Im a big believer in free speech and it makes me sad that in the UK we don’t have an automatic right to that. I believe free speech will be more protected with Trump and even though he’s still quite embarrassing at times I honestly think he and his cabinet will be better for democracy than Harris and co. Plus he wasn’t a dictator last time.

[JT!]

On 11/22/2024 at 3:36 PM, Ali C said:

I was honestly worried Harris and co would be the bigger dictator risk, they seem to really love controlling media, controlling debates, controlling questions etc, they also seemed really bad at taking criticism. Now this was more of a worry with Biden to be honest, I don’t know a huge deal about Harris but Biden definitely put me off the democrats quite a bit. I feel they’re quite similar to Justin Trudeau and he’d make a brilliant dictator.

Im a big believer in free speech and it makes me sad that in the UK we don’t have an automatic right to that. I believe free speech will be more protected with Trump and even though he’s still quite embarrassing at times I honestly think he and his cabinet will be better for democracy than Harris and co. Plus he wasn’t a dictator last time.

Are you referring to the presidential debates? The media in the US are private organizations unlike the BBC, so I'm not sure how they can be controlled to any degree really.

It's crazy that we have two polar opposite viewpoints on this. I think it's blatantly evident that Trump only speaks to the importance of freedom of speech, but when you look at his actions, they tell a different story. Lafayette Square is a good example. And then we have Trump pressuring people to find him more votes, false claims of voter fraud, basically anything to try and stay in power when democracy has spoken and don't forget firing the Director of the FBI because he was investigating him. I don't see how these are the actions of a man who places any value in democracy and freedom of speech. Compare that to Biden... what exactly has he done to be a threat to them?

I'm big on free speech too, I believe it should be a fundamental right and the restrictions on it in the UK are bullshit.

[Ali C]

I did type out a big reply but to be honest even though I don’t have extreme views, I feel some would think they are and no good would come of it.

So I’ll just say that I’m no Trump fan, I think the Republicans would be better off with Vance but Trump will have to do for now and I hope this is a new direction away from the extreme lefty direction the world has seemingly been heading.

I did actually try to send you a DM but you can’t receive messages…took me bloody ages to write too 😭

 

 

 

[JT!]

19 hours ago, Ali C said:

I did type out a big reply but to be honest even though I don’t have extreme views, I feel some would think they are and no good would come of it.

So I’ll just say that I’m no Trump fan, I think the Republicans would be better off with Vance but Trump will have to do for now and I hope this is a new direction away from the extreme lefty direction the world has seemingly been heading.

I did actually try to send you a DM but you can’t receive messages…took me bloody ages to write too 😭

 

Weird, inbox isn't full and not disabled.

I don't really think the current government in the US is extreme left, I don't think they ran on a platform of extreme leftism. My email is in my profile here if you'd like, but I think it's a valuable discussion to have for others to join in. Open discussion is how things are changed and made better.

[Ali C]

I didn’t want to go too public as some of my opinions are formed from family being involved in the trans/LGBTQ world and it’s a sensitive issue.

It’s interesting to hear you don’t think they’re as left as I do, I guess it’s the same thought process I have towards the Republicans not being as right as others think. I certainly think a bit of both would be the best way forward. 
 

I’m definitely willing to change my opinion if Trump starts to do some really dodgy stuff, I really hope it works out and I really hope this is the start of the end of going through life worrying about offending the wrong people and cancel culture etc.

[JT!]

2 hours ago, Ali C said:

I didn’t want to go too public as some of my opinions are formed from family being involved in the trans/LGBTQ world and it’s a sensitive issue.

It’s interesting to hear you don’t think they’re as left as I do, I guess it’s the same thought process I have towards the Republicans not being as right as others think. I certainly think a bit of both would be the best way forward. 
 

I’m definitely willing to change my opinion if Trump starts to do some really dodgy stuff, I really hope it works out and I really hope this is the start of the end of going through life worrying about offending the wrong people and cancel culture etc.

Yeah I consider myself fairly left wing. Pro-choice, pro lgbtq movement, for socialized medicine, more funding for social programs etc. It's a no brainer for me to vote Democrat, 90% of my beliefs on how this country should be ran matches their values. But even if I wasn't, I couldn't in good conscience vote for Trump. He's a literal criminal, rapist, adulterer, wanna be dictator who was born into a life of luxury and has no understanding of any kind of normal life. He's a failed businessman who's declared bankruptcy on his businesses multiple times.

During his presidency he was impeached twice, had a terrible response to covid (although I'm well aware of your opinion on covid so that might not mean much to you), tried to stay in power by disregarding the results of the election he lost and he elected Brett Kavanaugh (another rapist) to the highest court in the land. I think it's fair to say that's pretty dodgy, but this time, he's got nothing to lose.

 

[Ali C]

I’m also pro choice, pro social medicine etc, I have mixed views on LGBTQ but ultimately have no issues with adults living how they want to live but I am against “hate” laws that control language, free reign of biological men in female sports and free reign for people (including children) to self allocate gender etc.

As I said, I have first hand insight into trans/LGBTQ culture as it affects a direct family member of mine and it’s far far far from healthy.

As I’ve also said, Trump isn’t an exemplary leader but I don’t like it when people state things as facts when they’re just allegations, if in the future he’s actually convicted of rape then sure, call him a rapist but until then I’d be careful being so black and white…this is kinda an issue I have with the left as a whole, they do tend to get the pitch forks out pretty eagerly.  Biden has also been accused of sexual assault but because it’s just an allegation I’d never claim he’s a rapist unless he was found guilty.
 

Being an adulterer isn’t ideal but that’s hardly a shock in this day and age, certainly not the first president to be guilty of that.

I still don’t get the dictator comments…he had opportunity to become one last time…is it because he joked about being one? Or because he can sit down and talk with real dictators? 
 

I can’t remember his response to Covid but I do have very strong feelings as you say, they’ve only been more cemented as times gone by.

 

 I’m not going to defend everything he’s done though, far from it as I do want to repeat my comments that I’m not a fan of Trump, he’s done bad things but then again so has Biden/Harris, I’m  just more a fan of the Republican Party’s principles though as mentioned at the start of this reply I think a combination of Democratic and Republican views would be best…I don’t like it when people can’t accept that both parties have flawed or valid points.

 

 

[monkeyseemonkeydo]

I'm still not sure how anyone can defend Trump and not see him as a disgusting, vile human being who should never have been able to get into a position to be president, let alone voted in twice! There isn't a single redeeming feature about him and his actions, the way he talks about people, the compulsive lying, criminal behaviour etc. etc. just leave me speachless that anyone could support him. But that's me and something for the angry thread...

[Ali C]

I used to feel the same but I honestly think COVID completely reset my entire belief system, I now automatically don’t trust the general populations opinions and tend to go the opposite way unless there’s truly compelling evidence they’re right

[MadManMike]

6 hours ago, monkeyseemonkeydo said:

I'm still not sure how anyone can defend Trump and not see him as a disgusting, vile human being who should never have been able to get into a position to be president, let alone voted in twice! There isn't a single redeeming feature about him and his actions, the way he talks about people, the compulsive lying, criminal behaviour etc. etc. just leave me speachless that anyone could support him. But that's me and something for the angry thread...

It's in the job description. Look at Alexander, he didn't even use his real name when he was in power (see also: 'Tommy Robinson').

Sacked from almost every job he's had for being useless or a compulsive liar, yet he still 'ran' the country.

Fined loads of people £10k a piece over lockdown rule breaches, whilst running his own coke-fuelled parties.

Getting smashed with his colleagues whilst we weren't allowed to go to our families funerals.

They're all self serving twats, but Trump is certainly one of the worst ones (aside from actual dictators that massacre their own people).

[JT!]

17 hours ago, Ali C said:

I’m also pro choice, pro social medicine etc, I have mixed views on LGBTQ but ultimately have no issues with adults living how they want to live but I am against “hate” laws that control language, free reign of biological men in female sports and free reign for people (including children) to self allocate gender etc.

As I said, I have first hand insight into trans/LGBTQ culture as it affects a direct family member of mine and it’s far far far from healthy.

As I’ve also said, Trump isn’t an exemplary leader but I don’t like it when people state things as facts when they’re just allegations, if in the future he’s actually convicted of rape then sure, call him a rapist but until then I’d be careful being so black and white…this is kinda an issue I have with the left as a whole, they do tend to get the pitch forks out pretty eagerly.  Biden has also been accused of sexual assault but because it’s just an allegation I’d never claim he’s a rapist unless he was found guilty.
 

Being an adulterer isn’t ideal but that’s hardly a shock in this day and age, certainly not the first president to be guilty of that.

I still don’t get the dictator comments…he had opportunity to become one last time…is it because he joked about being one? Or because he can sit down and talk with real dictators? 
 

I can’t remember his response to Covid but I do have very strong feelings as you say, they’ve only been more cemented as times gone by.

 

 I’m not going to defend everything he’s done though, far from it as I do want to repeat my comments that I’m not a fan of Trump, he’s done bad things but then again so has Biden/Harris, I’m  just more a fan of the Republican Party’s principles though as mentioned at the start of this reply I think a combination of Democratic and Republican views would be best…I don’t like it when people can’t accept that both parties have flawed or valid points.

 

 

I had a friend who's transitioned, then went back. He has quite a lot of mental and physical health issues. But just like everything in life, some people can handle change, it frees them, and they live a much happier life. Some people transition and end up just as miserable as they were before, because the problem wasn't their apparent gender in the first place. However, you can't base your opinions on one persons experience, just in the same way you can't judge a vaccine because you had X number of mates who got sick for a day or two when they had it. You're starting to strike me as someone who is very influenced by anecdotal evidence, I'd encourage you to start looking at the bigger picture.

With regards to Trump, I believe he's paid a settlement of millions of dollars. He's been accused of rape and sexual assault from dozens of women. He literally said on a hot mic "you can grab them by the pussy". We're pretty much certain he slept with Stormy Daniels (a consensual encounter to be fair) and who knows what "arrangement" he has with his wife, so even if it wasn't adultery, he still broke election rules by not disclosing that.

With regards to Bidens sexual assault claim, first of all it's whataboutism, if Biden did do what was claimed then he's a rapist too, that doesn't change anything about Trump. His accusation however was from one single women, and it's not really clear cut. The victim ended up defecting to Russia and was friends with a Russian spy. So who knows wtf is going on there. He also never paid her off.

It's not easy to become a dictator in a strong democracy, but he certainly started to try and lean that way. But if you don't think trying to overturn an election isn't a dictatorish move, I don't really know how to convince you otherwise.

I agree both parties have flaws, and as time goes on both parties will probably move to be more and more central. I know the Democrats really have to revaluate for 2028 because I think this loss came as a shock to half the country.

What exactly do you think Biden has done wrong in the last 4 years? Other than being someone who was probably too old to be running the county.

 

[manuel]

How anyone voted for him at all, regardless of their political leanings is a mystery to me. He is unable to function as a human being in society, let alone run it. A quick google on any of his incredible random ramblings proves that. My particular favourite is trump on sharks and electric boats in full. It doesn’t make me happy but it does make me laugh. What does make me happy is…

My headshok damper is now full of oil again, the fork seems to hold some air and is pretty smooth. Combined with the bearing service it’s actually working pretty well! Crap trials riding back on.

[forteh]

Entered the west midlands cyclocross league this year, today's race got cancelled and as it was the last event the final league positions have been released.

I came 12th overall in the veterans 40-49 category, which I'm rather chuffed with🙂

Persephone came 3rd in the girls u10s and it's currently leading the u12s category in the Notts and Derby CX league.

Looking forward to the coming year of xc racing now I've finally moved up to a modernish 29er intense.

Edited December 8 by forteh

[isitafox]

Windscreen washer hose on my car split this morning, luckily a couple of spare titanium maggie barbed fittings and some bleed pipe have managed to fix it. 

And that's why we never get rid of ANYTHING! 😅