Alexei Navalny

I do not mourn the death of a far right politician in Russia. However, his death was wrong, and while I strongly disagree with many of his views, his imprisonment and previous attempts to kill him were wrong. I considered him to be insane to return to Russia when he could have lived in exile, but his decision while brave, has made him into a martyr. But to be fair, living abroad has not saved others.

There have been many who have defended Russia and Putin after his interview with Tucker Carlson. I do wonder if they are to defend yet another assassination in Russia. 

Voter ID laws will help the Conservatives

Recent elections in the UK have shown a huge swing to Labour, but this is not something Labour should be complacent about.  Too many people chose to stay at home, and in absolute terms, Labour did not gain many votes in the areas.

I think that Labour should work to get people to register for free voter ID.  Turnout is going to be a factor in the next election along with Voter ID. With job-centres being told to stop referring benefit claimants to food banks, Labour should be helping people get free ID outside job centres and also at foodbanks.  The danger is that too many people will be disenfranchised and that Labour will be the party that will lose out the most.

Senility in American politics

In the USA, both the candidates for the presidency are making gaffes.  Both have done so before, but Biden is looking more frail than Trump when he does so. 

Personally, I think that Trump is going to win the elections this year.  His attack adds work, and Biden is doing himself few favours.  If Nikki Haley was standing, the outcome would be even more certain, but when have Americans chosen the best person for the job of leading them?

Trump for some reason mixed up Obama with Biden.

For the record, the husband of Nikki Haley is serving in the military.

There are loads of others, but these are two of the more recent and memorable ones.

NATO expansion

It appears according to Putin that NATO expansion is the cause of Russia invading Ukraine.  

An agreement about NATO expansion apparently had been made in 1990, this being that NATO would not expand beyond the reunified Germany.

After this agreement, in 1992, Russia aided in the 'liberation' of Transnistria from Moldova as well as Abkhazia and South Ossetia from Georgia.  Both areas had a substantial Russian population which some would argue was the reason for Russian intervention.  Since then, Russia has helped to 'liberate' Crimea from Ukraine, an area of Ukraine with a large Russian speaking population. Following this, other areas of Eastern Ukraine sought independence, which is when the frozen conflict started which resumed in 2022. 

Nations on the borders of Russia, watching how Russia had helped with the liberation of parts of Moldova and Georgia understandably became concerned that they would be next.  So when someone blames NATO for its expansion, ask them if those new nations should have trusted a nation which invaded, and still occupies, old parts of the USSR to create a Greater Russia.

And if people feel that Russia has a right to obtain its ancestral lands, does China have that right with territory that now belongs to Russia?

Poor Melania Trump is being compared to Taylor Swift

There are those on the right of US politics who are comparing Taylor Swift and Melania Trump.  I think it is unfair to compare a woman who has won a Grammy Award for album of the year four times (something no one else has done) to a woman who married rich (or not depending on who you believe).

There has been a degree of slut shaming, some pointing out or tweeting naked photos of the former First Lady, others referring to Taylor Swift’s record when it comes to romance, specifically, the number of men that she has dated.

I do know that I admire talent and hard work. Though to be fair to Melania, it takes a certain amount of hard work to keep a marriage going when your husband repeatedly cheats on you. 

I had to pinch myself

I would never have thought that Arsenal would have won as they did yesterday by such a big margin.  Needless to say, West Ham fans were quiet at work.  We can only play the teams which we are to play, if they do not play well, that is not our fault.  But whereas we would make it hard work to beat them, we took them apart, and more importantly, improved our goal difference. 

If we win all our games now, we can finish in second place.  But that is if we win all our games...

On a different note, on Friday, there was a 'pub quiz' which was held at the Rugby ground.  Two teams from work went, we beat the other team and came seventh out of 43 teams.  But at the end of this, two of the ladies went into town to continue to party.  They did ask the rest of us to join them and I declined.  Today, I found out that they did not get back until six in the morning!  My stamina for that is non-existent and all I could think about was how I was asleep by midnight!

American Fiction

This was another film which I watched, not knowing what it was about.  I had heard about it and my wife was keen to watch it.  I really liked it. 

It told a story, not often told, and while it was not the best of stories when told, it was well put together.  Today, there are many shows and films where characters happen to be black, sometimes the issue of racism is addressed, and example being Criminal Record. I love the characters, and it makes me consider visiting Boston if I ever return to the USA.

My wife loved it and I am very glad that she made me go to watch it with her.