No Unhappiness, No Disatisfaction. Just going away for a while. Tiring

As I said, it's not anything other than a bit tiring.
As some of you may remember, we live in Japan and have 6 daughters (Single,Twins, and Trips). Our oldest started university last year, and is attending King's College in London. Daughters here have finals coming up, then their week of school after finals, and then summer related school activities, etc
For the last 6 weeks it has been non-stop politics as well.

Our oldest just returned from the UK for a visit her during vacation. We wound up following the UK elections because she is there. She stayed later in the UK than planned to provide lodging for people who came into London to help Jeremy Corbyn's campaign, and a few other campaigns. So there was all those politics that happened there.

I have friends and relatives in France -- we followed those elections. Heard from them every few days. Almost everyone is satisfied with the Left doing so well.

I know people who have complained that the right got jobbed in the UK and France because of the way the system works. Reform and RN got so many votes, and so few seats. My pat response is, "So, you're equally upset Trump won the presidency in 2016, even though he got millions fewer votes?" That kills the conversation.

Throw on top of those elections, the US elections; I'm an American, Wife is Korean-Japanese. So, I've been following the US. That has been never-ending.

And, for the past few weeks here in Japan everything has been focused on the Tokyo Mayoral race. For anyone who wonders how big a job it is to be the Mayor of Tokyo, they have an equal, or bigger budget than many countries around the world.
We live in Kanagawa which is near to Tokyo, so we got a lot of the news -- actually all of Japan got the news daily, hourly, seemingly minute-by-minute, etc.
At least in Japan the news we get is news, and not commentary disguised as news

Over 50 people ran. A conservative party (don't know which one) owns board space on walls and rented it out to anyone who could pay the roughly 150 US dollar equivalent per day. So there were walls filled with reams of posters.
Some postings had scantily clad women, some had pictures of their pets, some had weird drawings, one guy dressed up in a Samurai outfit. None of these people were serious, many were influencers trying to get attention. Under Japanese law the only two things you cannot say in a campaign are; 1. You cannot promote a rival candidate for the same position; and 2. You cannot lie. (Imagine what that would do to Trump) But bright lighted boards, women barely wearing anything, loud blaring quotes and comments -- all fair game.

It is 40 Celsius in many places in Japan, so there's also that.

It became both annoying, and tiring.
It's break time for all of us here in Kanagawa. Will only show for salmonchanted's posting once a week for a while

I realize it's not a major event. But for the some I do keep in contact with -- you know I didn't die.
And, when I return, I hope it's with enough energy and enthusiasm to return doing my 5 Things from Europe.

Have a wonderful summer. Hopefully see you all in August

'More Fawlty Towers than Downton Abbey': Jacob Rees-Mogg's bid to become a reality TV star

One of the most fascinating parts of election night was watching the various ways that outgoing Conservative MPs reacted to the furious bloodbath to which they were subjected. Some, like Penny Mordaunt, made a decent fist of equanimity. Others, like Liz Truss, reacted to their loss like they’d just been clonked over the head with a leg of lamb. And then there was Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Throughout election night, Rees-Mogg adopted a slightly amused distance to the carnage around him, happily doing the media rounds before the votes were in before quoting Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in his concession speech. “From the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success,” he said, shortly before warmly shaking the hand of one of his opponents, a man in a baked bean balaclava.

For days, people have wondered exactly what Rees-Mogg meant by “the roses of success.” Was he already in the early stages of plotting his political comeback? Might he jump ship and ride the coattails of Reform back to parliament? Now we know the answer. According to a press release that landed this morning, when Jacob Rees-Mogg referred to “the roses of success,” he was in fact describing his new five-part Discovery+ reality show.

Long rumoured as a distant possibility, today Discovery+ announced the imminent arrival of a “fly-on-the-wall docu-series”, Meet the Rees-Moggs. Promising to “lift the lid on the man behind the public image,” Meet the Rees-Moggs will be set in the family’s 17th-century Somerset house where Jacob Rees-Mogg lives with his wife and six children, and will follow him from the announcement of the general election to the present moment. In the press release, Rees-Mogg said “Animals, children, an election and a film crew. What could possibly go wrong? This everyday story of Somerset folk is fun to film but may be a bit more Fawlty Towers than Downton Abbey.”

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/jul/10/more-fawlty-towers-than-downton-abbey-jacob-rees-moggs-bid-to-become-a-reality-tv-star

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If you don't know who Rees-Mogg is, think Rick Santorum w/o the insane religiosity.

Some surpise winners from the UK election

Jeremy Corbyn: Polls had varied over the last couple of weeks. I had seen polls that put Corbyn up by 1-3%. But there were also ones that had him behind; one had him behind by more than 9%.
Not only did he win, but he won rather handily. I guess parachuting in a guy who is strongly linked with private health care, and has been pushing for split public/private health care in the UK wasn't such a good idea.

Adrian Ramsay: A tip of the hat to Waveney Valley. They ousted the conservative. What makes this especially notable is not just that they've elected the Tories for decades now, but it's a rural area, which most pundits felt wouldn't go for a Green.

Shockat Adam: In what was probably the biggest surprise for Labour (on the negative side), Jonathan Ashworth was parachuted into heavily Labour supporting Leicester South. Ashworth was chosen by the NEC (National Labour Council), who chose him rather than allow the local constituency to choose their candidate. Ashworth's loss is a big deal as he was the National Labour Party's Campaign Coordinator, and very powerful within the party. Adam, an independent, ran on an 'End the War in Gaza' campaign.

Richard Tice: The odious Richard Tice of Reform Party. Tice, who is close to Farage (in both manner and politics), beat the moderate Tory, Matt Warman, in Boston and Skegness which was considered one of the most safe seats for the conservatives. (I will admit, this one is a bitter disappointment just because the toad won.)

Larry awaits his 5th PM with the arrival of Keir Starmer

North Korea hockey is out of control (North Korea vs Iran)

Definitely Trump

The cat in the flat: Singapore lifts ban on pets in public housing

Tommy is, without doubt, the head of his household. If he wants the air conditioning switched on, he simply glares at the unit on the wall. If he wants an early night, he’ll miaow for the TV to be silenced.

But, until now, he has been living in violation of a law that bans cats from much of Singapore’s housing.

This year, the 34-year ban will be overturned, allowing the city’s many fugitive cats to breathe a sigh of relief.

snip

Under the new regulations, residents will be allowed to own up to two cats, as well as one dog of an approved breed, provided they complete a free online pet ownership course, and microchip and register their pets. Owners will need to “take reasonable steps” to protect their cats from hazards, such as installing mesh or grilles to prevent cats from roaming or falling from high rise windows.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/10/the-cat-in-the-flat-singapore-lifts-ban-on-pets-in-public-housing

Socialism!!!!

The Georgia Republican Party is upset that Hershel Walker has bout 4 million dollars left over from his 2022 campaign and he won't share it with the Georgia Party (which will, of course, wind up with trump)
Why should Walker share?
That's Socialism.
Hershel grifted hard to get those funds
Pull yourself up by your bootstraps Georgia Republicans.
Stop buying coffee at Starbucks. Stop eating out. Start buying generic brands. Use coupons.
Learn to live within a budget!

Gregorian - Losing My Religion (Masters Of Chant in Santiago De Compostela)

Baseball Just Got a Million Times Better

Umpire Ángel Hernández is retiring effective immediately
That guy was the worst umpire.
He will NOT be missed by 99% of people in, and who follow baseball