Melbourne News, Gambia and Trump

Presidential Transition

24th of January...I don't think anything happened this week. Can't think of anything important anyway...oh there was that spider eating a foot long snake. That was pretty crazy. Other than that, I think newspapermen (and women, don't forget the women - Ed) pretty much had a dead rubber of a week. Oh there was that Presidential transition of power from a famous black leader, with all sorts of issues with disputed elections, cheering and jeering supporters, soldiers on hand in case anything got tasty. That entire fiasco has caused quite a stir! In finally deciding in good conscience to relinquish his mantle of leadership, the great leader said "I have decided today in good conscience to relinquish my mantle of leadership" to a crowd of yawns, before adding "of this great nation with infinite gratitude to all Gambians". That Yahya Jammeh is a card, eh?
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It feels like something else happened...like a rupture in The Force. Am sure it'll come to me. 
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Melbourne Driver

In Sad! news from the less bigly side of the Pacific, Melbourne experienced a grievous start to their weekend on Friday  after a local moron killed five people (including two children) with another 20 injured by ploughing through a pedestrianised area in a stolen car. What he was thinking yet hasn't come to light, but with his diminutive brain addled with drugs and stupidity I imagine there may not have been much of a thought process. This has caused, quite naturally, not only an outpouring of grief but calls for reformation of the law that currently enables criminals with previous convictions out on bail. I am not in any way an advocate of capital punishment: it won't serve as a deterrent; the risk of getting it wrong and murdering an innocent person is horrifying; and I believe wherever possible rehabilitation and help should be sought. In saying that, the financial burden on the taxpayer for housing, clothing, food, health-checks, rehabilitation coaching, psychiatric assessments, prison guards, police reports, judges, juries and witnesses, you could save an incredible burden on the taxpayer just by killing the perpetrator right there and then. There are of course over-riding problems with someone effectively being a Judge Dredd "I Am the Law!" type character and the overwhelming feeling that at the end there is a root cause and as a society we have failed the perpetrator in the first place. This does align perfectly with today's view though that no one person is accountable for anything and that blame pretty much rests on every other person's shoulders than that of the perpetrator. And I'll be honest, that grates. 
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Foreigners Keep Out

​On the other hand, I have had Muslim friends approach me and say "thank God it wasn't a Muslim!" The problem wasn't helped by Pauline Hanson (I apologise for even writing her name or giving her airplay) labelling it a terror attack and blaming refugees and all things foreign, including Muslims. Unfortunately this was a wholly home grown fuckwit, not something we can easily blame on those outsiders. Outsiders like me and her, really. This was epitomised by one of the best adverts in Australia's rich history for this Thursdays Australia Day - available below. Still, whether you're a wanna-be leader or an ex-leader of a small African country that vows to stay in power for a billion years, you have to allow for a few 'do-overs'.
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...Him

​Which brings me lastly to Him. God help us. America First! Well not exactly. Trump First, Cronies & Billionaires Second, America Third, The World Fourth. Problem is, America and the rest of us Goddamms that aren't living in America, we all live on the World. So do snakes and spiders, and lots of other things that kind of rely on us not fucking the entire World up. We should probably try to take of it.