Charging our phones to cope with the end of days…

Over the years, I have contemplated Armageddon hundreds of times. Not in a how do I achieve it sort of way, but more along the lines of what happens when civilization breaks down and the ants – or worse, the programming department at MTV – take over.

Pop culture has prepared me for a worst-case scenario, normally to the sound of a power ballad and the sight of some last heroic act of defiance. With the destruction of most of the planet  now assured,  the natural consequence of this anticipated disaster is always a plucky band of survivors who set out to rebuild society, while fighting off zombies or Republicans.

This is, of course, utter bobbins.

Giving Thanks for Thursday

Having been an overseas observer of the US festival of thanks for the majority of my 44 years, I admit that I have always found it be slightly odd.

Without wishing to take anything away from the day itself, there are just a number of anomalies that stand out and make me smile.

For millions of Americans and transplanted ex-pats, it is a day to spend with family or friends and stuff yourself full of turkey/vegetarian alternative while watching TV. Or Christmas as it is known in the UK.

America basically shuts down for Thanksgiving. Even the most corporate of evil commercial chains seem to have shuttered their doors for a few hours, while across the country, people are getting together and giving thanks for something (spoiler alert: that’s where the name came from). It’s a good day to hang out, drink beer and eat food. Perfect preparation for the shopping bonanza on Black Friday that follows the Thursday of Thanks.

That’s the first thing.

Unlike most other holidays, TG doesn’t have a set date. It exists in a nebulous “fourth-thursday-of-november” sort of way, the date changing every year – which must be really confusing if you want to claim being born on Thanksgiving…

U.S. electorate embraces Sanity…for 24 hours at least

So that is it…it’s all over.

Forty-seven years of campaigning, $47 trillion billion spent and the creation of a carbon footprint that may take some shifting for future generations.

Mitt lost, Obama won. Donald Trump got annoyed and Fox News had to break the news to Karl Rove that  the projections in battleground states were probably right.

Sanity seemed to prevail in the end as millions of voters decided that Mitt wasn’t the right option and that they would stick with the bloke with the nice smile instead.

Well done.

And now, the end is near…

 

 

 

 

Remember remember the fifth of November,

Gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder, treason

Should ever be forgot…

 

In 1605, a plot to assassinate King James the First was hatched by a motley crew of conspirators, who planned to replace the ruling monarch with a Catholic leader.

History shows that it was not successful. The authorities, getting wind that something was not quite right under the Houses of Parliament, descended on the seat of government on November 5th and arrested a man called Guido, or Guy, Fawkes. He was found in possession of a large number of barrels of gunpowder and, tellingly, a match.

He was sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered – an unpleasant means of death at the best of times. Happily for Fawkes, he decided suicide was a less painful option and he hung himself while in prison for his botched attempt at seventeenth century terrorism.

Celebrating All Hallows Eve…

In seven days time, this man could be President of the United States of America…

Happy Halloween.

 

 

Happy Columbus Day…well worth celebrating

As a proud Englishman, there are many things that my country did to other sovereign nations that make me feel a bit ashamed.

This is a discussion for another day, but as America celebrates the  achievements of Chris Columbus by allowing school kids to play outside my office window, I thought I would join in the fun by posting a picture.

Enjoy your day….

Mitt-watch: Day 14,789,621.2…the stopgap blog

Another week, less than a month to go until the country decides which bloke to send…I am too jaded to do anything more than steal something from Facebook and post it.

Normal service will be resumed soon(ish)…