Interdimensional Observer

Although Arizona remains a haphazard guess, Trump could still take it. The remaining Maricopa County ballots are braille, large print, military, and overseas according to 538, noooooo idea what way they'll lean. Regardless of Biden's extraneous win or loss there, Democrats have shown they have very real potential in Arizona. And it isn't like being above 300 in the EC would give Biden that much more leverage, there isn't an overwhelming popular mandate coming from this election.

I wouldn't want to be so cynical concerning the media, I'm pretty sure a lot of them have been as sick to their souls as the rest of us, if not more, for the past four years because they were forced by profession and duty to keep their nose and mouth wide open in Trump's pile of excrement. Also, don't forget, we're going into 2-3 months of a lame duck Trump. It's going to be a really awkward America, except for the last conservative judge appointments and millions of Covid cases. A semi-random thought, is Trump going to make some sort of pathetically desperate Covid bargain plea at some point? "Get me that vaccine! If the vaccine comes out by January 20th, you can't get rid of me!"

I remember, resolving triggers a quest was surprisingly tricky. Tricky, because you don't actually get the quest here when the game should've done that, you have to find the Nopon all on your own, and then the quest easily resolves itself. Chioro's location is fairly hard to find. Santapon sounds like it'd be very befitting of the species. Very jolly and round, but beneath the veneer an unrepentant capitalist who wants you know it's better to give than to receive -as long as what you give is many expensive gifts you've purchased. As I swapped my avi yesterday and it's far too soon anyhow, I'm not going to get into the Christmas spirit for now. Though Apollo being red and white quietly blends into it.

People think about the Reconstruction period? I'm sure it's one of the more forgotten periods in US history, coming right after the glorious Civil War, which tends to end a "US History Part 1" course. A government willing to engage in unusually massive intervention to rebuild the South and potentially put the newly freed African Americans on a solid socio-economic and political footing, an opportunity which was wasted and followed with a century of Jim Crow. Thats was a massive setback to this country's racial-societal advancement, that took about another century years to correct with the 1960s. Modern Progressives I can imagine feel the shared frustration of the Reconstruction Radical Republicans in trying to overcome their party's moderates. As for Andrew Jackson, IIRC, one of my old history textbooks did say he would misspell a word in several different ways in a single letter, that has a Trumpian feel to it. Assuming Trumpism lose all its appeal at some point. Not guaranteed to happen at all, not from this point in the stream of time. "Peronism" is still a thing in Argentina long after its charismatic founder's death, although apparently it's so flexible that the left and right (including radicals) can claim it.

*Yawn* 🥱 I feel tired, I'm actually struggling to keep awake. Thats a good thing, because it means I'm returning to normal, after an objectively short but subjectively long week that isn't over quite yet, but very much seems to be ending well. And, a kinda interesting size comparison I found.:

Hmm... I wonder what his complementary presidential library is going to look like? I thought I read once what those tend to do is eulogize the man in question's presidency. It could be the Santiago de Compostela of the American radical right, built near the lovely Mar-a-Lago. Which makes me question if the presidential library thing needs to stop. Andrew Johnson as a person? Yeah, definitely terrible, though his actual actions as president were almost naught before Republican control of Congress so strong that modern Congress(wo)men and Senators of all stripes should salivate at that pipe dream. Andrew Jackson... didn't Trump say he liked the guy? Demagogue no.1 in a certain sense, Trump might've led to an increased interest by historians in studying him. Jackson is the culprit behind the horrendous Trail of Tears, that alone should sink his reputation to the negatives. And Jackson's war with the Second Bank of the United States led to his successor Martin Van Buren inheriting an economic ticking time bomb that exploded into a recession.

This actually makes me ponder, did running for the presidency make catching him for white collar criminality more likely? In the sense that he made himself higher profile than he already was, and that extra attention, combined with his lack of effort to hide the fact that he wasn't clean of criminal behavior, meant a greater effort would be placed on catching him. If Trump had never ran for the highest office in the land, could he have remained suspect, but by laying low, would "white collar crime isn't that big a deal" have meant that the law wouldn't seriously try to catch him?

TBF, the worrisome article I read was written by someone from Turkey, Erdogan's personal realm for the past two decades. I can see it as the author's understandable cri de coeur, and I'm easily moved by stuff like that. But, why did Britain in decline get it so easy? They've been in decline (since the end of WWII is my point of reference) for like 70-80 years and it's taken them this long to get Boris Johnson, who I assume is kinda populist and bad. Why did America, if you place its peak at the end of the Cold War, have to spiral past Boris Johnson bad so quickly to the anti-democratic and very populist Trump, why couldn't this country age with grace? Trump has shriveled it in no time.

I started the day cautiously optimistic, which I increasingly became as it passed on. Then, I read an emotionally well-written opinion piece, with a basis in fact, and I'm instantly sent back into shivering and heavy breathing, with existential fear.😱 I can't let myself stay happy for very long, can I?😖 Although I'm currently agnostic, I feel I'd definitely be someone who would benefit from following a faith, to alleviate my dread. However! There have been people who have obsessed over whether they'll die in mortal sin too much, to the detriment of their emotional, psychological, and physical wellbeing. And on second thought, I can absolutely visualize myself as being one of those people. I'm not so insane as to try going totally escapist and loose sight of reality. And alcoholism or addiction to mind-altering chemical compounds ingested, inhaled or otherwise do not appeal to me due to the lack of rational consciousness those would involve. What do I do to become more consistently happy and consistently stave off the terrible quivering of my being? Just accept the human condition is one in which this kind of sadness is inevitable, and thus treat it as entirely natural? Do I stop overthinking life, just roll with its punches, and continue on trying to be as happy as one can? I know I should count my blessings in life, compared to what many, many, many others have had. Though basic human ego -they aren't me, I truly pity their circumstances, but they aren't me- makes me set the less fortunate benignly aside and wish I, and they too, had yet more blessings. I find myself reminded of this short story by Voltaire, I make myself rather unhappy through some of my contemplative thoughts. But said thoughts aren't without some reason, and I am a person of the mind. When I really think about it, being given a purpose from up on high and unthinkingly carrying it out content all the way doesn't sit well with me, though I can see the appeal and how it'd be fine if expressing freedom of thought came at a risk because of an oppressive government/society. ...Where was I going with this? Not sure, but, for the moment, the heavy breathing is gone. It'll come back another day eventually, but it's gone for now. I pray that history does have an arrow pointing the right direction and that modern democracy is more than a flash in the pan of time that won't invariably cease to exist at some point due to human nature making autocracy, monarchy, and oligarchy the natural state of human society to which it shall eventually return.

Although, it is worth keeping in mind successful far right demagogic dictators elected into office, aren't in short supply around the world currently. Trump can be ousted right now, but the next, assuming they have actual competence, might not be. That is worrisome, but their election is currently at least four years away. We can breathe easily for this one moment in time. Me being me, I could start worrying about that right now, but I'll try not to. Why'd I have to read that depressing, scary article? It's ruining my mood.

And the courts aren't likely it seems to side with Trump, His Dishonor Judge Kegerator did strike some fear a few weeks ago, but the Supreme Court as a whole has no appetite for determining an election's results. Not to mention, you need evidence of something wrong to bring a case to court, if Trump can't find a real problem, and so far he hasn't, because there is none, you either the case either gets dismissed before it gets heard, or you lose. And so far, GOP lawsuits have mostly failed. When it comes to finding evidence, Trump doesn't put too much effort into sending anyone to look for it. He couldn't find 2016 voter fraud and that commission got canceled, and he never sent private investigators to search for Obama's Kenya birth certificate, and did Giuliani get any real dirt out of Ukraine. He never built much of that wall either. Trump will resist, but the old man is lazy and half-hearted. He'd rather insist on a falsehood and live in his delusional fantasies than seriously work, unless the "work" is rallies. His sycophants might be more motivated and competent, but eh, McConnell is going to squeeze in more judges in the next two-three months to add to the decades' worth he's gotten, but he and other politicians can ride on Trump's ideology if it remains popular without backing the ousted man himself. As one article I read on Rubio put it, Trump is temporary, Miami is forever. Barr... dunno about him, but how much can the DoJ really do by itself? The military will stay neutral. I've heard in passing the White House staff is starting to look for new jobs too, they weren't expecting a defeat. And that plans for a Trump news network are being considered (which assuming he doesn't buy up Fox, leaves me wondering if that network's greatest evils are going to leave to join the new propaganda machine).

Biden has flipped Pennsylvania. Every other state that has been declared for him gives him 253. Pennsylvania is worth 20 Electoral Votes. 253 + 20 = 273. Nevada, Arizona and Georgia, all maybes, would let him win even more, but losing them is no problem for Biden, he'll still win the presidency with just PA. PA's remaining votes are mail-ins and provisionals, because the Election Day votes were counted first. Mail-in votes in PA have been, even in rural counties, lopsidedly blue, because Trump railed against mail-ins as fraudulent. Therefore, it is highly likely the remaining votes will grow Biden's PA lead even more. Hence, even though it hasn't been officially called, barring a miracle, Biden will win PA, and without a red PA, Trump loses no matter what.

Someone just hacked into Ivanka's private email, her dad sent her an email with the title "How far to the Russia Embbasy?".😛 So, basically the fate of many a far right or far left group? A lack of unified leadership, ideally under someone with charisma, leads to hopeless infighting. Although, in sufficient numbers, and the Republicans absolutely have that, radicals can prove even disunited to be a real menace. Trump has gained on Biden in Arizona again, it doesn't matter with Pennsylvania as a 20 karat aquamarine on Biden's lapel, but I'd like more to see more blue on the map. Trump needs 60% of the remaining votes in Arizona to take it back, but ATM he's underperforming that number. It's his best shot for the start of a herculean comeback all things currently considered.

Why is Minnesota a purple or blue state in the first place? Minnesota's placement on the map looks as though it should be solid red.

Oh, Trumpism has been likely stalemated, not defeated. But were you complaining when ISIS stopped gaining ground in the Middle East for the first time? The war shall continue, with no end in sight. Not for the next four years, probably not for decades to come. Also, don't forget the Curious Case of Grover Cleveland. Although he was elected prior to the amendment officially restricting presidents to two terms, Cleveland did serve two non-consecutive terms as president, and that is still allowed. Meaning, Trump, if he has lost this one, could run again in 2024. I have very few doubts that he couldn't get the nomination. Given how much he looooooooves rallies and campaigning over actually doing the president's job, this might actually be a happier outcome for him. Although even in a second term, I don't see how he wouldn't invent an excuse for rallies.

Pennsylvania flipped! 273 in the Electoral College right there. Biden is probably going to be the next President of the United States! And I decided to change my avi spur of the moment. I had a random thought, Persona 2 is unexpectedly relevant in this current world two decades later. Core to the problems of Sumaru City, the setting of Persona 2, is that rumors are magically coming true. And later, it turns out conspiracy theories count as rumors. Rumors alone aren't to blame, Joker is actively doing evil, but the distortion of truth with untruths made real, isn't without relevance in an era where a lot of people are buying into conspiracies and a war on truth is being waged. Rather than pick Persona 2's evil Joker, I opted for Apollo instead, Tatsuya Suou's blazing ultimate self who will fight against fabrications to the very end. Yes, I'm suddenly in a cautiously optimistic mood.🙂

Likely Victory! 🎉🎊 Who needs legislation passed?* The United States's presidency's honor is probably being patched up. *On Inauguration Day, if all goes as is, two things must be immediately started: Plans for the coming year's White House Christmas theme, it's so great an undertaking that January is not too soon. Plans for the Democratic strategy for winning the destined war to be called the 2018 midterms. Anyone know the Senate probabilities this time?

Well, there is still the chance that Trump could do something totally outrageous even when he loses and the courts refuse to back him up, what exactly, I have no idea. Ordering the Marines (or whatever replaced the KGB) to assassinate Biden? Deploying B-51s with thermonuclear bombs to wipe out California let's not give him ideas? But, we've known he would not peacefully concede for months, if not years, I've had nights where I stayed up fearing it. And it shouldn't be a surprise a bunch of Republicans are staying on his side. Yet, for me personally, this terrible post-election chaos to come, will not be as stressful as the election itself -provided Biden wins (never too late to add a statement of caution, not until every vote is counted). Other people are absolutely going to remain at high stress levels, but the war for democracy has arrived, and Biden will have taken the electoral high ground, that is, perhaps naively, assuring enough for me.

I wish I understood the technical terms of what you said. Though the gist of it I see is "play really fast, leaping all over the place, and for a really long time". Good for you that you're able to keep up with it at all, I have reflexes that would make a dead cat look agile. So, WiFi issues in the era of Covid? Or did the professor bite their tongue trying to pronounce words from a particular theoretical construction of Common Brittonic, or attempting one of those click languages of southern Africa? ...What does being educated in linguistics involve?🤔

Hopefully those suburbanites will have their vote batteries recharged in time and ready to do it again. Send in Obama to rally the peaceful soldiers of democracy again if necessary, more Obama we miss you! speeches are always in demand.

*Wakes up after 3 hours of sleep* ...I really tried to prep myself for snoozing for like the 3 1/2 hours before that, no more checking the news or 538 since that point, but the heart would just not stay still enough for slumber. My teeth are chattering right now, with cautious hope that victory is here. Salvation is on the horizon after four that feels like forty years of wandering the wilderness of American politics. Sure, the Senate is still lost and House control has narrowed, but don't complain about there being only 10 survivors after a nuclear apocalypse. I should not be saying be say this yet, because *Cue the lightning bolt that burns down the building and all the remaining paper ballots therein in one of the remaining key states. Or, two meteors that strike the places where Biden and Harris are.*, but if you happen to visit one of the coterie of swing states that swung Biden, and you walk by someone who you think voted for him, say "Thank you" and kiss the ground six feet away from their feet (because Biden supporters rightly fear Covid). They deserve it, every single one of them, get used to bowing. And if it turns out they say "But I voted for Trump", then correct yourself and say "Thank you for voting anyhow", b/c democracy in action = good, but no need for symbolic puckering up to the pavement then. And good to see the Arizona gap widen again. If it holds, then McCain, if you interfered in the election from the beyond by temporarily possessing people long enough to fill out their votes for them, I then turn a blind eye to it. You can legally do that on All Saints' Day.👻

Agreed, FE never used traditional wizard/witch's caps before Awakening, and they don't exactly look good here. We did have Merric's and Lewyn's weird hats, but thats about it, FE usually kept its mages uncapped. *Looks up images for a reminder* They didn't even try. At least they flattened Fatima and swapped out her weapon and changed the clothes when they recycled her for SG. However, LA2 did canonize that dimensional travel is possible (but it is not used for the main story), and SG is LA minus the naming rights. Thus, I'll headcanon it that Hilda got her weapon from her Mama V, and her clothes from her Fatimama (who she is genetically the daughter of -but who cares?), her independent spirit obviously came from both mommies. Had I any skill at art, I'd draw a lovely scene of the two happy witches and their little witch daughter. Two little gameplay details about Nagi are, that he and Elma are the only characters to be in final tier classes, and he is the only non-Cross character IIRC with 5 Skill slots. Both of which back up that bio bit stating he is the strongest person in BLADE (and that Elma is close, as good, or even better). Whilst I like them all (that I know, Jin Uzuki still eluding me of course), I think I'm a little preferential to the originator Citan Uzuki. Throw the Taguel in there too, having a non-dragon shapeshifter species was probably because of Tellius. And I too am willing to somewhat excuse some of Awakening's faults on the potential swan song aspect. Best to go out with a bang, and I think Awakening did an alright or better job of showing love for the entire franchise to some extent. Why? Trying to learn to play this and it's hard? Or is it ""Oh Christmas, time for the Nutcracker!" everyone wants the Nutcracker, it and Swan Lake are the only two ballets to exist, I have to perform them again and again, nothing old and dare I say better, or something interestingly new. If someone asks me about the Nutcracker again, I'm going to crack their nuts."?

Arizona isn't exactly stable, I think Trump needs 56% of the vote to make it red, and so far, he's been hitting that. Biden's lead has declined from almost 80k to 36k now, don't count the orange man out.

Thanks.🤣 I think I'll get to playing a round of Civilization VI for now. I'll be playing as Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose unique ability allows the great works of art she owns to inflict increased loyalty pressure on nearby cities of rival empires, causing them to eventually give in and eventually flip to her empire. -I swear the election did not consciously influence my choice in this matter.🙂 And uh, no duh, but studies show that the results of an election do have an impact on your health. After the 2012 election Republicans, 60% of whom said they were happy in the days before the results, dropped to 30% after it. The happiness drop was quantified as greater than the Boston Marathon bombing's happiness impact on Bostonians. The effect went away after a week; though for the 2016 elections, those who voted for Clinton felt a decreased overall life satisfaction (distinct from pleasure) that lasted for months more like years. https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/11/how-deal-2020-election-anxiety-and-depression/616989/

True. I'll shaddup. Otherwise, if faced with probabilities based in evidence (that of course may not be perfect, but it's the best we've got) and I choose to ignore them, then am I different from a Trump supporter? Denying that the probability of spreading Covid-19 goes down when everyone is masked, is in principle the same ignorance, albeit from the opposite end of the expectations spectrum- it's unwarranted optimism instead of my heavy pessimism. You're quite right here, I'm sorry for brushing them aside with my concern over a victory. Even if the voters fail to bring forth a new dawn via their efforts to engage in democracy, there is something very, very honorable in "twilight valor", a valiant struggle made against all odds which ultimately ended in defeat.