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Tanak's scribbles and thoughts

Seventeenth of July 2020 17-07-2020.

There's a few things floating around in my head, that I would want to write a piece about, but I can't seem to get the words correct in my head to make it into a good piece. For instancce, males playing as females, requesting for FxF plays. For some reason I can't get that right in my head. Don't get me wrong, anyone can play as what or who they want, that's a writer's freedom, but still. there's plenty of same-sex female request threads, even with the notion lesbian seeks in them. And it really makes me wonder how a lesbian would find it, if I as a male, pose myself as a female to write with her?

But it's a tricky subject to write about. it's similar to men posing as females to write with me, a very straight male. That doesn't sit right with me either. And I know that there are fabulous writers out there who can play as anything they want. But that's the problem I face in writing a piece about the subject. Because, how can I word it all, without giving offense to people, that's totally the opposite of what I try to bring across.

Another topic is the whole debate about racism. Again, don't get me wrong, I am fiercely fighting against whatever racism there is, but I also think that history shouldn't be re-written. Education about our past is much more effective than wipe out history, because, as I have stated before, if we forget about it, the risk of history repeating is ever the greater. I read an article today that the gravestone for a dog, who in WWII was a mascotte for the Dambusters, was changed, because its name *could be seen as a racial slur in current days*

Silly example, a dog is called Fire and has saved many lives as a rescue dog in an earthquake. But in 50 years from now Fire will be seen as racist. Should we change the gravestone for said dog? Or should we educate people living then that when Fire was alive his name had a certain meaning?

But that topic is also difficult to put into words, to put it as neutral as possible. So for the time being I'll keep trying to form the words in my head first.
 
Eighteenth of July 2020, 18-07-2020

Typical Saturday. I was gone for a few drinks last night, but a few turned into a couple more, because I unexpectedly met up with some friends that I hadn't seen in a long while. But, as I am used to, I woke up before 7am and was up and showered by 8. Shopping done by 10, as is normal as well. And after that I sort of slow down, had some breakfast, and by now lunch as well, but the rest of the day I won't be doing much. Maybe I'm nipping out for a little walk and a coffee somewhere, but that's about it. This morning it was fabulously blue sky, but it's getting overcast. If I want to go for a walk, I shouldn't wait for very long.
 
Nineteenth of July 2020, 19-07-2020.

Extremely lazy day today. I've barely done a thing. Yeah, eating breakfast and lunch so far. But that's about it. Writing a little bit. And mainly watching TV. The motorracers had their first race today at Jerez, and the Formula 1 has their third race in Hungary, it's still going, another 9 laps to go.

It's finished now. Hamilton won (again), but Max Verstappen finished second, and that's an amazing result, even more if you think that he made a mistake in the out-lap towards the grid. His mechanics had to replace the handlebar of his car in ten minutes before the race would start. And with seconds to spare they had the tires back on. Amazing. Incredible. And I have zero knowledge about anything technical, but even I know that it's a brilliant piece of workmanship.
 
Twentieth of July 2020, 20-07-2020

Saturday afternoon, so two days ago, I went for a walk and ended up at my local for a coffee. I've mentioned my local before, I've known the guy working there for a couple of decades now and he and I get along very well. And we've got a shared teenage-youth, for we both attended the same secundary school. Funnily enough, at that time we had no idea about each other's existence. The Dutch secundary school system is extremely difficult to explain, for each level (not the years, the level of capability) are separated. So you can spend 4, 5 or 6 years at a school and not know 75% of the people in the same year as yourself, for the simple reason they're on a different level of capability.

Only a couple of years ago, when secundary schools came up, we realized we had been to the same one, at the same time. Saturday afternoon, with the weather rather good, we sat outside, and I was the only customer at that time. There were some people out and about, not that busy. And at some point four men came from our left. Two of normal length and two who were very tall. Even for my friend and I, they were very tall. Him and I are both 6'5", but from sitting down, we saw, from a distance that two giants were going to walk by. And so, curious as I am, I asked the tallest of the four for his length.

The man was nigh on 7'4" (2m23). For most people among us that would easily be the tallest person they've ever known, but both my friend as I know someone who's 1 cm taller. In the first three years of secunday school, there was a guy who at 12 was as tall as I am now and at 15, when he left school even taller. He ended up being 2m24. He left school for a very particular reason, moving to the US to go to College and eventually he made it to the NBA where he played for the Indiana Pacers.

His name? Rik Smits, The Dunking Dutchman.

But where Rik had only been in a couple of classes with me, it turns out that he lived four doors away from my friend in their youth. And my friend had quite some stories to tell about the former NBA professional. There's nothing bad about those stories, far from it, but things like that aren't to be told on. That's really not the purpose of this journal-entry.
There is one story I do want to tell, because it's from first hand experience. In our second year at the school, new teachers, new subjects, one of the first lessons in Biology, the teacher was talking about length. And that it's normal for young teenage boys to be behind on their growth. I looked at Rik, he looked at me, and we both started laughing. So the teacher asks me why I am laughing and I'm like, 'Well miss, there are those among us who are well above 6 feet'. So she starts shaking her head and says it's impossible for a boy that young to be that tall.

As you can guess, Rik stood up, with the teachers jaw dropping to the floor. She was very apologetic. Fun days.
 
Twenty-first of July 2020, 21-07-2020.

Today would have been the start of the Nijmegen Four Day marches. Earlier in my journal I have written that I was going to go training with my mum again, for she would take part this year. But it's not to be this year, just like many other (big) events are cancelled. Even the Eindhoven marathon, sceduled for October, has already been cancelled. A lot of events are being rescheduled to 2021, but others are going to be crammed into a short few months later in the year. Like professional cycling.
This week the best 32 dart-players have their first televised tournament, where they all are in the same hotel. The English cricketers have just finished their second Test against the West Indies and football competitions in Europe are close to finishing or have finished, after a three months shut down.

Is it good that sports are restarting/have restarted? Probably in a way, it gives the general public something to watch on TV. But it's mainly money that rules. It's not about health or trying to entertain people. Take the English Premier League for instance. If it had been cancelled, they would have to repay 750 million pounds to the broadcasters. Those people don't give a toss about health, only about money and making more money.

It's like the attack on the München 1972 Olympics, where several Israeli athletes and officials were killed. The games will go on. Not because of their legacy, even in those days it was about sponsors and money.

The whole relaxing of measurements in various countries has gone way too fast, in my opinion. It's becoming almost impossible for me to keep distance to others. People just don't are, I've said that on several occasions here. And now, with new infections on the rise again, it's all younger people, the 20 to 40 year olds. And while they might not get all too ill themselves, they are certainly capable of spreading the disease to people who are vulnerable. I read something about 50 or 60 babies in a Texan hospital being diagnosed with COVID-19. How on earth is that possible?

This pandemic is far from over, but more and more it seems that people don't care anymore. And I don't mind them having a death- or sick-wish, but I really want to stay healthy for another 50 years or so. I have too much things planned for the future.
 
Twenty-second of July 2020, 22-07-2020

A new journal thread popped yesterday, and since I look at all of them, just because I'm interested to see what keeps other people busy I had a look at that one as well. It's a thread about Milfs, and when looking at the posted pictures it got me thinking. Why are Milfs always portrayed as big, busty women? Is that how the world sees a mother? As some overweight woman with tits so big they can knock a police-horse unconscious? There was one picture of a normal postured woman in there, but even she had those kind of breasts.

Are you not a Milf if you have smaller breasts and a smaller body? It really puzzles me, because when I look around where I live, I don't ever see mothers the size of what's on those pictures. Perhaps it's the country where I live, maybe people here are different. We're taller, that's a certainty, and while we have enough overweight people, they don''t make up the majority. So I don't know, I mean, I for one am totally not attracted by bigger girls or women, to each his (or her) own, of course, but those kind of women do not appeal to me to write a roleplay with as opposing partner.
But, as always, that's just my own opinion.

EDIT: AS always, please do NOT comment in here, if you wish to make comments, please be so kind to send me a PM.
 
Twenty-third of July 2020, 23-07-2020

I have zero inspiration to write something here. But I also want to keep my day to day going. So today I'm not going to write anything. Toodles, see you tomorrow.
 
Twenty-fourth of July 2020, 24-07-2020

As in pretty much every other country, in The Netherlands there's also a debate going on about mouth(/nose) masks. Should our government make them mandatory in more places than just public transport. And as in every other country, our government has a scientific bureau that advises them about pretty everything to do with public health and environmental issues (Dutch abbreviation RIVM).
The ironic thing is that all those institutions, like RIVM, but also CDC in the US for instance, base their advises on the same scientific reports. It's all a matter of how to interprete those reports. Basically, who do you believe, and what weight will you give a certain report.

Let's say there is a very strong, proven with facts, report, but it's from China, chances are the US won't believe it. But if that same report had been written by a Frenchman or woman, they'd be more likely to believe the findings.
At the moment, there are three scientific reports about mouth-masks, and according to our RIVM, none of them have very strong backing. There is no scientific proof that mouth-masks could reduce the spread of the virus.
It seems, again according to our RIVM, that scientists can't agree. One will be highly in favour of the masks and the next, their colleague in a same institute, can be highly against them.

I am dead against them, I agree with the notion that they can give a feeling of fake safety. That by wearing a mask, you don't have to wash your hands anymore, or keep your distance, I wear glasses, and you read everywhere that for people like me, wearing glasses, they're impossible. Or so they say. I haven't tried them. Because I keep my distance to other people, in a very rigid way. I wash my hands, I take care of my personal hygiene, all things that are proven to stop the virus for the biggest part. Because that's the thing with these corona viruses, you can still get it, even though you do your best.
 
Twenty-fifth of July 2020, 25-07-2020

The success story of the Dutch economy is a company located very close to EIndhoven. They used to be part of Philips Electronics, but some twenty, thirty years ago, they were split off to stand on their own legs. And they have long since put Philips in the shadows. And not only their former mother company, but also big shots like Shell and Unilever.

Not many people have heard about this company, it's called ASML, for they don't make consumer stuff. They're world leader in producing machines that can make computer chips. And their current best selling product is called an Extra Ultra Violet machine. Not your average thing by the way. One EUV costs around 120 million dollar, weighs 180,000 kilo and is as big as a schoolbus. It needs three carriers to fly them out to the customer.

And the company is already busy with innovating this one, for the next generation of machines, which will no doubt cost more and will be able to produce computer chips that are faster and smaller.
This corona-crisis has shown that working from home will be much more of a norm than it has been, so people will need faster computers all the time. But cars as well, electric ones, mobile phones, you name it, they almost all come from machines produced in the small town of Veldhoven.

And if you shoulld be some kind of engineer and are looking for a career change, ASML always needs a lot of international hotshots. Just check them out.

(No, I don't work for the company, lol)
 
Twenty-sixth of July 2020, 26-07-2020

Since my post yesterday, nobody has posted in the Journal section, which surprises me. There are days that I can go through a fair few other posts, but this is literally the first time nobody has posted in over a day.

Fairly quiet day for me today, but I've been out for a walk with my mum and a coffee at my local, which was nice. The weather was alright, there was some sun, but there was quite some cloud too and a bit of wind. Nothing compared to what's happening in Texas, of course, if we'd have that kind of wind, I'd not go out for a walk, obviously.

By Saturday next week it'll be 31C, but only for the Saturday, so in July we get another 'tropic' day. And other than that, that was my weekend.
 
Twenty-seventh of July 2020, 27-07-2020

It's half past two in the afternoon here, and for the first time today, I can see a little bit of blue in the sky. It's been cold, gloomy and rainy all day long. So basically shit weather. And by Friday it should be 30C. Crazy summer, crazy weather.

But it's funny, no matter who you speak to, from whetever country, people always seem to be talking about the weather. A friend of mine told me a story about the place she lives, that they jokingly say there's only one week of summer there, usually. And it's something the Irish would say as well. But the country they live is quite a way away from Ireland. I guess it's just people's favourite talking subject. The Weather. And there's probably always something to complain about. Too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, too [insert your own complaint].
 
Twenty-eighth of July 2020, 28-07-2020

And so it's nearly August, and after a couple of weeks of relatively low numbers of infections in Europe, several parts and countries are on the up again. The region around Barcelona (Catalunya in Spain), Luxemburg of all places and Sweden. And it's mainly younger people who are infected. Those between 18 and 40 make up the vast majority at the moment of infected people.

And as most called reason, it's said that they don't care anymore. Parties, gatherings, no social distancing, no personal hygiene. Because, and this is a guess I'm making, at the first round, that group was least affected. There were some deaths in that age-group, but nothing spectacular. Young people in the student/college ages with the start of a new school year close ahead, seem to most at risk at the moment, and least likely to care they get ill.
But what if it's you, that one girl or boy that gets really sick and gets to an ICU on a respirator? And let's say you're lucky, and you survive? Would you start warning your friends? Would they actually listen? Would they even care about you?

I am guessing that the biggest part of BMR's population is between 18 and 30, definitely between 18 and 40, so this concerns you all. We all, not just here on BMR, but everyone in the world, need to take better care of ourselves first and then about others. Personal hygiene, washing your hands, keeping your distance. Going in self-quarantaine when you get symptoms or when you've been in contact with an infected person. And not think that it's all fine and dandy, because this virus is going to be around for much longer than we all imagine.
 
Twenty-ninth of July 2020, 29-07-2020

I got thinking about today's entry because of the last entry @AndNich123 posted, about group plays. Looking back on nearly 28 years of roleplaying, I came to the conclusion, that I've never really done a group play. They're not really my thing. And the ones I've taken part in were all sandbox plays.
The thing is, for me personally, the moment you allow another person in a play, added on to 2, one male, one female, there's no balance anymore, and in my personal experience it becomes a power struggle instead of a roleplay. Who has better powers, who is smarter, etcetera.

I'm not a man for moresomes either, I have been asked (and have written) more than one male character, but as a roleplayer I am too limited to deepen more than one main character. Of course, as always, there are exceptions to that rule, there is one roleplay where there are more characters, and it's a play that works marvellously well. But that's also to do with the girl I write it with, because she's an exceptional writer and helps me become better. But that's an exception, and it's certainly not a group play. It's just her and me.

No, group plays? I stay away from them. Two people writing is more than enough for me.
 
Thirtieth of July 2020, 30-07-2020

Two remarkable news items from the US. One about an obligation to wear facial masks in the House of Representatives, imposed by Nancy Pelosi, with the approval of the Republican representative-leader. The reason? A representative from Texas had tested positive. So far, so normal. But said representative has already stated that he will refuse to wear a facial mask as it was a facial mask that has made him test positive.

Sorry, but how? You cannot make yourself ill. The article doesn't state if the man was using masks first used by others. Otherwise I have no idea how it's possible.

The second remarkable item was about Trump. He had a little tantrum again, being angry that the medical specialists, like Fauci, get more positive press. And Trump didn't think that was fair. But in the same breath, it was said that Trump and his son Don jr. had another slap on the wrist by Twitter, for retweeting a video about a woman who claimed to have cured 350 COVID19 patients with that malaria-drug that you need to inject. It's proven by a lot of medical specialists the sttuff doesn't do anything, but one person that says it does and Trump jumps on her.

Of course, he can do what he want, but that same woman is notoriously infamous for tweeting conspiracy theories and one video where she claims that the entire government is made up by aliens.

So, my dear reader, am I right to conclude that Trump has now admitted that he's an alien? By endorsing a video by someone who claims the government are aliens?


EDIT: And as it goes with news, one minute I type something about Trump and the next minute he completely derails world news.

I got notifications from 5 different (different countries) news-outlets, that Trump wants to delay (postpone?) the November general election, for the reason that postal voting is prone to fraud.
A couple of months ago I wrote that in my opinion it's Trump's biggest wish to become like Putin, or like a King, and this could well be the first step. To not hold elections anymore.
 
Thirty-first of July 2020, 31-07-2020

We're up for a day of freak weather. Two days ago it was low 20s in Celsius and in two days it will again be low 20s. But today the forecasted temperature is 36C At the time of writing it's nearly 9.30am and I've just been to the supermarket to get myself a few beers for tonight. It's already too hot for me. So today will be a day of doing absolutely nothing.

But I'm in luck, for there's something on TV that I really want to watch. The World Championship Snooker starts today. It was supposed to take place end of April, right up to the first May Bank Holiday, but as for corona, it got cancelled. And so, today it starts, for the next two weeks. But there's something strange about it, the UK government has made this tournament a pilot project, so for the first time in Europe, a major tournament that's being played indoors, ever since the lockdowns started, will have (some) audience. Is it too soon? We'll know when it's over.

The whole sportsmen and -women staying in a bubble doesn't really work, as Sergio Perez, the Formula 1 driver has tested positve and will not be allowed to take part in the British Grand Prix on Silverstone. So there you go with your 'keep a small bubble of designated people'.

This whole virus is far from gone, and could be with us for many a year to come. But hopefully we'll have some sort of vaccin soon, so it doesn't matter that it's still around.
 
First of August 2020, 01-08-2020

They say that by getting older it feels as if time seems to pass quicker. How often have you not told yourself, 'is it already August?' To name an example. And it's true, I've had it many a year in the past ten, twenty years, where I wondered what happened to time. It seems that the younger you are, the relative time flows slower. I'm sure there's a perfect scientific explanation for this.

But the other day I realized, to my pleasant surprise that it was only nearly August. In everyone's life there are significant dates, a marriage for instance, or a divorce, or the death of a dear one, or something completely different. I had one of those dates last December and when I realized how short ago that still was, I felt that this year is going much slower than previous years. And I think that the lockdown we've had this year has been of great influence on how I have seen 2020 so far. Life grinded to a halt for most people. For me personally nothing much changed, as I have said before, I am still doing the same things, with the same amount of time on my hands.

But everything around me stopped. No more living from one home-match of PSV to the next, two weeks later, no more going from birthday to attend to the next. No meeting up with friends or my weekly cards night. So yes, I really think it's been of influence on how I have perceived time the past 8 months. And still, I like this much better, Time flowing like a quiet stream. But at the same time I wonder how I will look back in another 8 months from now. So, if I remember, around the 1st of April 2021, I will be able to let you all know.
 
Second of August 2020, 02-08-2020

One of those typical Sunday's today. There's a lot of sports on TV, so basically I won't be doing much. Silverstone hosts the first of two Formula 1 Grand Prix', today and next week Sunday and there's snooker on as well. There was supposed to be cycling as well, but that was cancelled by local authorities in Heist, Belgium. Heist is located in the province of Antwerps and after a large spike there, the province has gone in lockdown. Right up to a night-curfew, for the first time since World War II.

Antwerps province has a border with The Netherlands for pretty much 60% of our shared border, and there's even one village that's literally split by the border. It has different names on either side (Baarle-Nassau on our side, Baarle-Hertog on the Belgian side) and during the first lockdown, where it was much more strict in Belgium as it was here, shops and stores, with a border running through them, had to take extra-ordinary measures. If for instance the frontdoor is in The Netherlands, the shop was allowed to be open, but the Belgian part had to be cordoned off. And if the entrance was on the Belgian side the shop wasn't even allowed to be open.

Funny situations, also along the Limburg border, in the East. Around Mother's Dady a florists, located right at the border, with its entrance a meter or two from said border was allowed to be open for Dutch customers, and Belgian customers could only look, because the federal Belgian police was there with a large presence, preventing any Belgian to cross the two meters, to buy flowers for their mothers.

I can only assume that similar situations are occurring at all the Swedish borders, because Norway and Finland have imposed strict measures for anyone travelling from Sweden into their countries. And no doubt there are other borders as well, with one country being in a stricter regime than other, bordering countries.
 
Third of August 2020, 03-08-2020.

I'll start by telliing that this will be the last of my daily entries. Right from where I started this journal, I have posted something every day, but as of late I have been struggling to come up with something good and meaningful to post here. So while I in no way am taking a step away from BMR, far from it, I love it here way too much, for the time being I will leave some gaps in the days.

In the six odd months since I first wrote a post here, the news all around me has given me plenty to write about. The COVID19 outbreak and subsequent lockdowns everywhere in the world gave me plenty to talk about. But, even for me it's starting to get boring, to keep warning this pandemic is far from over. I've made my message clear enough as is.
I know there's a few people reading my journal, and although I've never really thanked them for it, the fact even one person reads it, is highly appreciated. And if the news catches up on me, if something really big suddenly appears, I might go back to daily entries.
 
Ninth of August 2020, 09-08-2020

I've been told as a comment on my journal that I must really hate the USA and Americans. Because I have written a lot of posts on the USA. And while that is totally true, most of my posts were about the US government. And of course, half of the voting went to Trump, so in all fairness it was all about a certain part of the Americans, but I doubt that anyone voting could have ever seen the past four years panning out as they did.

I felt I had to say this, because today I want to write something about American crime shows. Hawaii Five O, NCIS (all franchises), CSI (all franchises), Instinct, Elementary, you name it. And I always think, could we have those shows in my country. And of course, I live in one of the smallest countries in the world, so no. Drive a hundred miles and I'm three countries down. But still, we have strict laws against guns. Doesn't mean there's no guns over here. Sure we do, there was a shooting on an Amsterdam artificial beach yesterday, where a man died. There's a Dutch police franchise, Rotterdam and Maastricht, but it's a series we borrowed from the Belgians. Translated, Cops, simple as.

The ironic thing is, they make up serial killers that both countries have barely had. And that's a big difference to the US. Or Russia, or other big countries, where serial killers can go on for years. But what strikes me most about the series I mentioned before, how. How is it possible that on an island group like Hawaii the most horrific things can happen. Sure, I know your thinking. Pearl Harbour. But that's different. That was truly an act of war. These days? Why would an Iranian terrorist go to Hawaii, when they can take out DC? And because the 50th state is an island group, how can people fly in tons of Semtex?

I love Hawaii Five O, it's a shame it stopped. I loved the old Magnum PI and I love the new one as well. I think it's a stroke of geniusness to make Higgins a female. Julie Higgins, British, of course, she's both hot as brilliant in what she does. And whoever decided to get LL Cool J a role in NCIS LA deserves a medal.
But my absolute hero is Gary Sinise, Mac from CSI NY, the calmest man you can find in life. Until you see him in other films that are so bad, that you wonder why he took part. But that, I guess, is the life of an actor stuck to a role in a series, and classed as a C-actor in movies.
 
Sixteenth of August 2020, 16-08-2020

Right at the start of the taken measurements in The Netherlands, in that first week of lockdowns, I needed to have toiletpaper. Because you know, it's needed. But it was THE product that people bought in bulk and then some. Empty shelves galore, we all remember how it was in those weeks, in whatever country you live. But I was lucky, because me and my mom always go do shopping very early on a Saturday morning, around 8.00-8.30. And so I managed to get about the last pack of 8 rolls, of the brand I always have. And unknowing to myself, I started a social experiment. I only realized this the other day.

Halfway March supermarkets started to have to sell no to customers for various products. Not because there wasn't enough stock, the problem was getting stock to supermarkets. The pack of toiletrolls I'm talking about I bought on the 21st of March. And I know, I'm a man, I don't need to use as much as females. And I live alone, so I need to use less as couples or families. But still, if I had 'listened' to the country, I would have bought a pack of 24 rolls that day, because they were on offer. But I didn't want to follow the hysterics.

Earlier this week, I started my last roll, nearly four months after I bought the pack. Probably next Saturday I will have to buy another pack of 8. And it proves to me that toiletpaper isn't so much of an essential product that households have to buy them by the dozens. If you just keep doing your normal thing, you can buy your normal amounts. Or is it that the corona-lockdowns put so much fear in the people, that they thought they'd have the constant runnings? And would have to shit a lot more than in normal times?

So, for all of you, if the amount of hospitalized people and deaths due to COVID19 will be rising again, in the so-called 'second wave', and countries go back into whatever kind of lockdown, you don't need to buy more toiletpaper than your usual amount. The world doesn't end in a lockdown, everything will be fine, eventually. And it will save you money.
 
Fourth of September 2020, 04-09-2020

It's been a couple of weeks since my last entry here, and even longer since I last wrote something about the UK. As some of you might know, I have lived in England for 9 years and I still have some ties to the country. So I am always interested in what's happening there, especially with a looming very hard Brexit, at the 31st of December this year. More about that in a bit. First yet another example of how broken the UK is, broken to the point you can't see it mended anymore.
A hair-salon in Gloucestershire was looking for a stylist, and put up a job-ad at the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions. As the owner of the salon describes her place as a happy place to go to, she asked in her ad for a 'happy stylist'. Sounds normal, don't you think?

Well, not according to the DWP, for they refused the ad, as it was discriminating against unhappy people. I kid you not. You should be ashamed in the UK to be happy and ask for happy employees! Of course, after a massive backlash, the story made the local news first and then the national news, the DWP made a U-Turn (they're good at that in the current British government) and said it was sorry for refusinng the ad in the first place.
Those U-Turns, there was one not so long ago about the grades for pupils doing their GCSE's and A-levels (mainly). Since schools were closed in March, and exams were cancelled, pupils didn't have any grades. But the schools, their heads and teachers, had predicted scores for each and everyone, and on the basis of that, University applications were sent out and pupils were offered places at various Uni's.

However, the government had an algorythm, to predict actual grades. Unfortunately, that algorythm was based on location in the first place. So brilliant pupils from poorer backgrounds had their results downgraded massively, all losing out on University places. Again, after a massive backlash, the government did a U-Turn, and accepted the grades set by the schools. But as these things go, Universities aren't as fast, and it seems barely any of the pupils will get their places back.

On a more personal level, one of the ties I have in the UK is my son. He lives with my ex, and I had kept my English bank--account with some savings on there, for his future. If anyone was doubting how hard this Brexit is going to be. I received a letter the other day, that because of the upcoming Brexit, UK banks will no longer be allowed to provide some banking services in a number of EU countries.
Will NO LONGER BE ALLOWED? By whom? The letter doesn't say that, but I am assuming it's the government. Boris Johnson really thinks that the UK will go back to the empire they were before WW2. Rule Brittannia.

I really fear for the UK and its inhabitants. Not the ones who never leave the country, and there are many of those. But the ones who want to come to mainland Europe for holiday, or the British citizens living in the EU. Without a deal of any kind, they'll all be unwanted aliens. And 3 million EU citizens will have to come back here. Because that's how it goes. But if that happens before or after the UK goes bankrupt and the Scots decide to separate? That part I don't know yet. Time will tell.
 
Tenth of September 2020, 10-09-2020

Somewhere between 30 and 40 years ago, a white jewish female baby was born in Kansas City. The exact date is unknown, as this female has never stated it anywhere. Her parents named her Jessica and I can only imagine her parents were very happy with her. And while she was growing up, going to High School and beyond, something must have snapped in her head. Perhaps she thought that as a white Jewish girl she wasn't getting the opportunities in life she deserved. And so, I am assuming, Jessica started building a lie about her life.

So far it's all pretty normal. There are many people who live lives that are lies. Who pretend to be older or younger, to be single or married, to be richer than they are in fact, it happens to so many people that it's almost becoming normal. Those that don't tell some lies about themselves are few and far between. I am no exception, I've told things to pretend I was a different person in the past.
But, none of those stories make headlines in the news, you need to build a llie that is so extraordinary, so beyond belief, that when it comes out, it will surely make headlines around the globe.

And that's exactly what Jessica did. This white Jewish girl from Kansas City set out to be black. Yes, my dear reader, she pretended to be a black woman. And not just that, she built a career upon her blackness. Jessica is a smart girl, she has brains, because she made it to professor at George Washington University, specialized in Africa and the African diaspora. Truly a clever cookie. She's published books, had a Youtube channel and was seen as somewhat of an expert on the matters she taught.

But then she was found out, for some reason unknown to me, and she came out, admitting she wasn't a woman of colour, but a white Jewish girl born in Kansas City.

But, if we put all that behind us, how on earth did she get the position at GWU? Don't they do background checks? Can anyone who claims A, even if it's the most blatant lie, brag their way through a whole hiring process? A friend of mine works for a company that does just that, background checks. They get a call from a prospective employer, get sent a CV and asked to check if what's on the CV is true. We all know that your CV should be accurate. Don't spice it up, don't put on there that you're an A-star accountant if you've worked the till at Walmart, Don't say you're fluent in Italian if you've shagged an Italian once and he or she called you 'Mi Amore'.

It's very sad, and pretty pathetic that Ms. Jessica Krug thought she had to live a lie all her adult life, but isn't the University partially to blame as well? Had they done a thorough background check, wouldn't it all have come out before she was appointed?

www.bbc.com

Jessica Krug: George Washington University professor says she lied about being black

A blog written by Jessica Krug, a white woman, admits to falsely claiming black identity for years.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
Twenty-fifth of September 2020, 25-09-2020

It will be no surprise to anyone when I mention once again that I am from a different era. It is what it is, and most of the times it brings me a lot of pleasure and joy, but sometimes I really scratch my head and wonder what it is that has happened in the years since I was a twenty-something and current day twenty-somethings. I know it's all pretty cryptic so far, but I'll get to where I want to be.

This litte piece is about languages. Moreso even, about your native language. And for most people, that native language is English and so what I am going to say isn't meant for you. You, the reader who has English as their first language, won't understand what I am going to say. I'm talking to everyone who has a different language as their first, native, language.
Whenever I meet a fellow country-person, and I have a private converstation with them, I speak in my own language. I don't bother bystanders or onlookers with a language they don''t speak, and because of the privateness of said conversation, others will not have the idea we are talking about things that could possible matter to them.

And while I know I am on an English-languaged website, when I have a PM conversation with someone from my own country, I write in Dutch. But there we come to my issue, because it happens a lot that when I do that, the person I message tells me they prefer to type/speak in English. And I don't get that. What's wrong with your own language? Why not speak or write in a private conversation in the language you've grown up with?

Do twenty-somethings in 2020 only speak in English, even when they are talking one on one with a fellow country person, like in a bar or restaurant? Or do they talk in their native language? Is it just that being online, on an English-languaged website, that they want to shift from their native language to English?

I don't think I will understand the difference, unless someone can give me a thorough explanation. But if you feel spoken to, please do NOT react here, but send me a PM.
 
Second of October 2020, 02-10-2020

Karma, as we all know, is a bitch. Karma bites you in your ass when you least want it. It's something that everyone hopes it will happen at some point, and usually it doesn't, but when it does, we can all shout out KARMA IS A BITCH.

As I stated on my profile post this morning, Donald Trump got tested positive for COVID-19. And we all knew it was bound to happen. If there ever was a man who didn't follow the advice of the experts in his country, it was Trump. Or even more, it IS Trump. If there was a person who has downplayed this virus, who has ridiculed the deaths in his country, it's Trump. Who has said that if all the deaths are Democratic voters it's better for him. That kind of man.

It's a month until the most important elections in a life-time. Does the US vote Trump back in or do they want to a change. And as an outsider, someone from Europe, I was appalled by the way the first Presidential debate went. Not so much that Trump thought he was on Twitter and Biden couldn't find his words. No, more the fact that Trump endorsed a more rightwing militia than the SS ever was for Hitler.

I don't think that Trump will win the elections. But I also don't think he will leave. Trump will call in the extreme right to start a second Civil War, so he can stay where he is. Today, the second of October, 2020, I am even at a point where I think that the only solution for the USA to remain a democracy is for Trump to die from Covid-19. Because if he doesn't, the USA is fucked, and it will be war.
It's ironic that a country that was built on immigrants hates immigrants. And it pains me to say, but as a Dutch person, my ancestors are to blame for a big part. It's even more ironic that I can honestly say I can track my own family tree back to 1200 something and still be Dutch, but there's barely an American that can do that. The native Americans didn't have those records. And I wish there was someone here that could raise their hand and say, I can prove you wrong, I can trace my ancestry back longer.

Growing up, I never thought to see a black American President, but I did. But I never thought that Obama would be followed by a man who is more racist than Hitler ever was. No matter how much I despise the things that Germany 1933 and onwards did, it was all about one race. For Trump it's everyone who is not American. While he isn't American himself. He's a mix of so many European influences.

Am I being harsh? Probably. Am I being rude? No doubt. Am I being honest? Always.

But, America, prove me wrong, prove me that you can stand up to him, go vote and vote for a better man as Trump is, even though Biden is not the best option. But he is a far BETTER option as what you have now. Blue Moon Roleplaying is all about inclusion, to give everyone a chance to be themselves and show who and what you are. We are all one here, no matter our wishes, we can be here what we want, we don't judge people here for being anything else than we are ourselves. The society that Veks and his crew have created here is what we all wish for in real life. Where everyone can be the person they are inside. And that's how it's supposed to be.
 
Twenty first of October 2020, 21-10-2020

In the past couple of weeks I've read a couple of researches concering the general health of people duirng this pandemic, and more the mental health of people at the moment.

And without wanting to hurt anyone, each and every of those new articles has made me laugh hard. I find it pathetic and sad. If you cannot be on your own anymore, I'm sorry, but really? There was another survey I read, that the one population that didn't have any problems with lockdowns or being alone are prisoners. Because, they are used to being alone. And as someone who thinks to be in society in its full perspective, I find that funny. The one population we wanted to lock away, is the one population who deals with it best.

I've never been in prison, but I can really imagine to be alone. And I have no problems with that. A total lockdown is the best West Europe could do right now to dam the second wave. At the moment the younger generations, the under 30s are the biggest age group of infected people in Europe, and it's that group that seem to not be able to be alone. They seem to need to hae contacts, with each other, with their parents, and grandparents. And they seem not to give a shit that they are infecting them. The full lock downs in March have taught us that it worked to get the spread of the virus down, but nowadays the same age group doesn't give a shit. And I really don't know why.

Unless of course, you, the under thirties want to have everyone else slaughtered out, to change the world. Get rid of the Trumps, the Putins, the Bolsaneros, by infecting them. But they've all been infected and are still here. So have you failed? Perhaps. Probably.

I'm a middle aged white male, everything you under thirties hate, and yet, I am everything you want to be. I am a man who cares about the future of this planet, I keep my distance, I take care of my personal hygiene, I take care of the people around me. I push them to do better. I push you all to be where I am now. But, but, but. Do not make the mistakes I made, because hell, I made a fair few of them. Listen to me, I would say, but you won't. I know that. Because I'm a middle aged white male. I am 53, but I have never been happier than I am now. And you can all learn from me. But will you? I bet not.
 
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