Present: Me (M) and two Australian PGs* (APG) both academics on a three month leave - mandatory after 10 years' employment with one employer in Australia.
APG: What do you think of the current political climate in the USA?
M: Pretty scary.
APG: Yeah, especially with that billionaire Clinton woman.
M: What about Trump?
APG: Well, after Sanders dropped out he's the far better choice.
M (aghast): Why do you say that?
APG: He's a businessman. The USA needs to be run like a business.
M: He's a failed businessman. Every business he has been involved with has bankrupted. He's been sued.....
APG: Oh come on, most businessmen have failures, that's how they become successes. They learn from their mistakes!
M: But what about the people who have invested in his companies, their shares are worthless!
APG: That's real life. Some you win, some you lose.
M: So if he fails the USian people, and I can't count the number of ways this could happen, it would be an experiment?
APG: Of course. You don't want another corrupt Clinton running the country for her own personal gain.
I backed away with my hands up and didn't touch on Drumpf's comments on racism, immigration, privilege, creepiness (i.e desiring his daughters, et al)and mockery of those less fortunate.
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*Paying guests
I've heard this argument made. It's pretty weak. But there is a real feeling out there against rich women.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I don't give much credence to comfortable Australians commenting on the internal affairs of the U.S.
Exactly. These were the first pro Drumpfers I've ever engaged with F2F. All PGs have been anti.
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Remember the Soup Nazi from the TV series? I suggest you become the Rental Vacation House Nazi, kick their asses out.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Mike
I do enjoy studying people Mike. They are scientists. Tenured. Incredibly boring as in no interest in others'lives. BUT very active in volunteer rescue missions. Devote a lot of time to this and their community. No one is all bad or good we are grey.
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OMG, and I don’t say this lightly.
ReplyDeleteYour APGs were academics? Are you sure?
Perhaps Nevil Shute’s ‘On The Beach’ will become fact rather than fiction if they get their wish.
And reasonably respected. Incredibly smug. He just told me she maintains a blog which is a hit in Russia. (!!!)
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Anyone can be shortsighted, self-involved or stupid. It sounds like your guests are all three...
ReplyDeleteThey are. I'm always surprised when such people travel. It begs the question "why?"
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I know! Same convo Me and Female of-an-age car wash owner. Neither of us American. Me (see earlier comments on Senior poverty.) She. Sole owner of Bubbles biggest competitor. Apparently, Clinton is going to tax the ri... er ... selfless business owners to give it all to the poor.
ReplyDeleteYou don't SAY I said doling out the $21 for basic exterior and windshield wash. She. Oh no dear it's $38 for basic. Everything's going up you know. Our utilites!
You don't say.
I know, yeah, the blind surely don't want to see.
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Hi. It's been a long time since I commented here. I do follow your blog regularly but oftentimes have nothing to say, My sister-in-law is a Newfie in St. John's. Unfortunately, my husband and I live in TX. One of the worst places to live right now. The ridiculous stuff going on is bad enough, no matter where in the WORLD a person lives. It is REALLY bad here because TX is such a red state. So many people who support Republicans no matter what. Of course, I, like you would be, am particularly galled by the fact that this is such a "Christian" state. How in the world can these people not see that being for DJT is totally contrary to being Christian???
ReplyDeleteTruth be told, I would rather we had a better candidate than Clinton----if only President Obama could run again!! But Trump's being a possibility seems like something from a wild nightmare. Will November 8 never get here? And, please, may the thoughtful, intelligent people outnumber the fanatics( aliens? Can't believe they are really Americans! )
Living in TX means all of the media is slanted. Had to change the channel when a
news anchor announced that "Mr. Trump made a huge haul of cash here". As if he were her personal hero. Sickening. I would be afraid to put a Clinton sign in the yard. Had to take my Obama sticker off husband's vehicle when he was accosted at a red light because of it! Our own country has become foreign. Alas.
Good lawdie, that sounds awful, you must feel like an alien or a normie in a lunatic asylum. I know Clinton is not the best, vis-à-vis her war mongering, pro Iraq and Wall Street stance, but Sanders' wimpy backdown not impressive either. Elizabeth Warren now we'd be talkin'.
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Oh, sorry about my fellow Aussies. We are a ghastly people. As for your APGs being 'academics', you should know that Australian universities are run as 'businesses' too. They are in the business of hoovering up as much Asian new money as they can get their grubby little mitts on. Full-fee paying international students are far more lucrative and far less demanding than the local variety. Many of them are not there for an actual education but to enable their parents to buy property in Australia. There's a rule that you have to be a resident to buy residential property and students count as temporary residents. So, you see how the mindset is formed. The vested interests are doing very well out of this symbiotic relationship, which is interpreted by those benefiting as sound business practice. While the rest of us stand on the sidelines going but, but...
ReplyDeleteHope you overcharged them and spat on their Weeties.
LOL Pants. They weren't all bad as most people have that balance. But boring. My dear gawd, they put my previous to shame. For instance: when (in a desperate effort to make conversation) I asked him about their house in Oz, I got a room by room measurements lowdown and where every piece of furniture sat. I kid you not. Down to the laundry room and where it was. OMG. I felt my head explode.
DeleteThey booked me in March so couldn't overcharge. LOL. One of my closest friends, and you, are from Oz otherwise I might ban the bunch of ya. I am aware that this couple was not representative.
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Oh, you are a brave woman to tolerate these guests in your house. I hope you are getting lots of money from them.
ReplyDeleteNo not lots, LOL. But enough to throw the odd crust and give me a new phone when the other one went wonky. The little bits of benefits that others take for granted. And most PGs are fantastic and I nearly cry when they leave.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2016/08/26/this-is-the-worst-presidential-campaign-in-modern-history/?utm_term=.9028cccfc166&wpisrc=nl_popns&wpmm=1
ReplyDeleteRead this. Thanks Ramana, we're all going down the rabbit hole.
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Sometimes it's better to just back off...Trump/Clinton, is there really a difference? When you know what her and hubby have been up to over the years, if they weren't so powerful they'd have been jailed long ago. As for Trump...he's not worth the effort of rebuking.
ReplyDeleteI think most of the US prezzies could be up on charges of one kind or another, RJA. We're into how pleasant they look as they hide the blood of the dead millions on their hands. Even Obama.
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you make my day
ReplyDeleteenjoy your spunk
and you always
make me smile...
My spunk will die after me, Ernestine. I will spout fire from my urn.
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That is horrifying. Donald Trump is simply beyond the pale. We used to live in New York and New Jersey, and I can assure you, at that time, no one seemed to think he was a great businessman. He was known for sending everything into bankruptcy. And yes, all the other issues, including the rampant racism, is just frightening. I do think a lot of people might not publicly support him but will vote for him in November, only b/c they can do it in private and not have everyone know that they too are racist nuts.
ReplyDeleteThat's my feeling too Elle, a lot of silent supporters out there, truly frightening for all of us. He really is a horrible human being and now being charged with child rape too. Beyond the pale of any decency.
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My heart is in my mouth if Trump gets in!
ReplyDeleteThe World's got very silly and sinister.
Maggie x
More than silly, Maggie, endangered as if climate change wasn't enough and all the refugees that have been created by endless war.
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I guess if I had PGs I would avoid all conversations about religion and politics.
ReplyDeleteThey bring it up Tom unfortunately. Ill have to stop engaging with them in other than fluff.
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They bring it up Tom unfortunately. Ill have to stop engaging with them in other than fluff.
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Where I get my hair done I think they're all dyed in the wool Repubs. They're not talking politics at all as i like to hear the thinking -- mostly older hairdressers -- but I suspect they'll go for Trump or not vote. One, at least, I know said in the past she didn't like Hilliary because she didnt leave Bill after that intern incident. Some women have a problem accepting other women who are successful in professions once held primarily by men, even if the professional woman has a successful married life and children. I guess they're just in the old traditional way of thinking, they're jealous or have some belief system about women.
ReplyDeleteAnd the women's vote is something to be reckoned with Joared. And they would be representative. Scary.
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There's no answer to people like that except to run away fast. They'll never change their views on anything, however rational and sensible the counter-arguments. And does he truly believe Trump is NOT in it for his personal gain? He's really really only interested in improving the lives of ordinary folk? Blind naivety rules.
DeleteShe was the more vociferous one, Nick. I couldn't run, they were booked for 3 days so I minimized my time with them as best I could. They were both scientists with pea brains. Educating at university level, see the Pants comment above about such academics.
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