Whatever makes you happy..

[Master Ray]

Just spent an hour going through old posts from over a decade on this fine Forum and it did put a smile on my face.  That said, I'm not sure if it should go on this thread or 'what makes you sad', it's a mixture of both.  But I love the community that was once there, the way that we supported each other, quibbled with each other, sometimes fell out but reconnected.  The characters we talked with, people who I do wonder what they're up to these days. Probably dropped away after the Forum went so quiet for so long, maybe they might pop in again one day for old times sake.  I guess this Forum is a bit like a pub that was once packed most nights but some of the regulars gave up drinking...   

If anyone was once a poster but became an occasional lurker, why not log back in and say hello?   

[Anna Woman von NRW]

Hello 

[Stephanie]

Well, I have never been one to post a lot on here - but yeah...HELLO 

[lupus225]

Hello again 

[Master Ray]

Aw, cheers guys! 

[Anna Woman von NRW]

Going to dinslaken tonight 

[Rusco]

Hello. I still love to visit sometimes here and check what's going on. To be honest I visit only rarely here so there would be too much to even start to tell. Right now I & my wife are focusing on building a new house on our yard. Some xtra space needed and much awaited for. It's exciting but expensive too. Just hoping everything will go fine.

Love to see familiar, old and new names here. I haven't forget you. Would be lovely to meet again some time in a future. Sending greetings to Jsyirish, JC, Dave, Paula, Shush, Bill B...

T

[Shush]

my new electronic fly swatter

[Stephanie]

Going to dinslaken tonight 

My friend and I went as well - and it sure made us happy!

A nice, short trip for us this time - and I liked the location as well. 

[Winterwulf]

The outcome of the Gorton and Denton election - Farage's fascists beaten again, Kipper Starmer put on notice that we, the voters, now don't regard Labour as the only way to stop them getting in.

[Ghosttrain]

With Polanski and Farage you now have a Loony Left and a Loony Right.........interesting times........

[Shush]

Interesting and worrying. Enforced by the previous comment that Ferage's lot are fascists. I refuse to believe that a large portion of the British population are "fascist", and let's face it, a large portion now supports Reform. Fascism, as far as I am aware, demands radical change and is outside of the democratic process.

Anyhow, there is clearly a watershed in British politics ahead, and more so now than ever before, name-calling will have more power than ever before: racist, traitor, Islamist, fascist, communist, globalist, etc., because of internet access.

I will say two things: maybe it is a good thing that the UK's two-horse race between Labour and Conservative is over, and more importantly, I have broken my own personal rule of not getting involved with political discussion on this hallowed forum!

[Winterwulf]

Fair point there, and I agree that a lot of the people who have or are considering voting for Reform aren't fascistic in their outlook but are desperate for something to change, much as many Germans voted for Hitler and the Nazis out of despair and the feeling that "mainstream" politics wasn't doing anything for them. However, I do feel that Farage and the people around him in his party do deserve the label of fascist - far-right authoritarians desiring power without limit or check and peddling the usual lies about "the others" being to blame for all the ills afflicting us with no intention of doing anything other than putting more money into the pockets of people who've profited from the country's decline and are bankrolling them.

[Master Ray]

Interesting and worrying. Enforced by the previous comment that Ferage's lot are fascists. I refuse to believe that a large portion of the British population are "fascist", and let's face it, a large portion now supports Reform. Fascism, as far as I am aware, demands radical change and is outside of the democratic process.

Anyhow, there is clearly a watershed in British politics ahead, and more so now than ever before, name-calling will have more power than ever before: racist, traitor, Islamist, fascist, communist, globalist, etc., because of internet access.

I will say two things: maybe it is a good thing that the UK's two-horse race between Labour and Conservative is over, and more importantly, I have broken my own personal rule of not getting involved with political discussion on this hallowed forum!

With you there, pal.  I'm often in Manchester and there are often various rallies going on there.  And, my God, there are some seriously nasty scenes going on there...

I'll start by saying I am on NO side of the whole conflict.  It's an awful scenario that has been going on for too long, both sides have been doing some terrible things for a long time over claims for land that are a bit vague at best.

And both sides of the debate are posting awfully violent and antagonizing clips of the other... and those who are addicted to social media just lap it up.  Gotta have the two minute hate, eh?  A few knuckleheads shouting racial abuse?  Not OK.  But there are people on the same side who are just concerned about their country and tens of thousands of people who are being let in without screening (as the rest of us have when we travel abroad) who come from countries that regard, say, women's rights aren't quite the same. It's not about skin colour or religion, just a recognition that societies aren't the same and it needs to be addressed.

But the Pro-Palestine side... I've witnessed with my own two eyes how utterly violent and nasty they can be.  They can be bullying and vicious and, as Shush says, utterly dismissive of anyone who doesn't go along with what they say.   They dismiss anyone as 'Far Right' who might engage them in conversation that is different to their ideals.  They boast about fighting 'fascists' and scream 'Nazi Scum Off Our Streets'... they demonize anyone who disagree with them, they reduce personal identity to easy hate words and refuse debate whilst masking their faces and attacking.  Please don't disagree with me on this one, I've seen it.

'This golden age of communication where everybody talks at the same time'.. prescient words indeed.  I'm just so f-ing tired with the whole thing. Social f-ing media is fueling so much ill-informed hatred.  WW3 could be on the horizon.  I just wish people would sit down and talk.   :'(

[Shush]

Fair point there, and I agree that a lot of the people who have or are considering voting for Reform aren't fascistic in their outlook but are desperate for something to change, much as many Germans voted for Hitler and the Nazis out of despair and the feeling that "mainstream" politics wasn't doing anything for them. However, I do feel that Farage and the people around him in his party do deserve the label of fascist - far-right authoritarians desiring power without limit or check and peddling the usual lies about "the others" being to blame for all the ills afflicting us with no intention of doing anything other than putting more money into the pockets of people who've profited from the country's decline and are bankrolling them.

How do you know Reform desires unlimited power, a non-democratic fascist state? I am under the impression they are putting themselves forward as a political party for democratic elections. It's like saying Corbyn's 'Your Party' is an extreme-left party desiring total power and is Communist – another form of totalitarianism and terror. It's all just words. My ultimate advice on politics: listen to what the parties propose, measure that against you ownn personal situation, desires, and values, and vote accordingly.