How are you today?

[blue]

Dave, exit polls conducted in some states showed that around 15% of people stated they had been influenced to vote for Obama by his handling of the crisis around the storm. So it definitely had an effect, but not to sensationalist levels I'd say.

One of the surprising things is that the economy didn't turn out to be the major issue that people were voting on - it does look like so-called 'social issues' like the erosion of rights for women and gay people were much more of a concern than the Republicans counted on. One of the (male) commentators on the BBC coverage pointed out that attacks on women's rights to birth control and terminations affected couples, not just women, and that this was a big concern for many. I believe there are states where people cannot buy birth control from their local pharmacies because of religious objections, a situation I find almost unbelievable in the most sophisticated western democracy in the 21st century.

Anyway, hopefully President Obama will be freed up to really make some headway now that he doesn't have to worry about being re-elected.

[blue]

Talking of gay rights, I went to see Julian Clary live the other day. He was hilarious as ever, but ended his show with a serious song about how it's still not 'cool to be queer' when there's rabid homophobia in places like Uganda and USA and amongst religious extremists.

He was in the last series of Celebrity Big Brother which I caught bits of while minding Rocco, I thought he was lovely and quietly hilarious.

And unfortunately yes, there are still so many places in the world where it can be life-threatening to be gay. I was listening to a programme on Radio 4 a while back about how life is for gay men in places like Iran, where they can be arrested and tortured if even suspected of being gay. People are being murdered all around the world for nothing more than preferring their own sex.

[alx5962]

Moved to another city, Internet is back at my new place !

[RobB]

Isn't moving cities a touch drastic just to get an internet connection,Alex?

[sound world]

It still says Lille in your avatar, Alex. Where are you now?

As for internet connections, I'm currently at my Mum's in Northampton and the broadband speed is fully 3 times faster than what I get in the sticks in Wiltshire. There's such a massive discrepancy in speed depending where you are-it's so unfair.

[alx5962]

Isn't moving cities a touch drastic just to get an internet connection,Alex?

Now I can plug my computer to the main worldwide web server

[alx5962]

It still says Lille in your avatar, Alex. Where are you now?

As for internet connections, I'm currently at my Mum's in Northampton and the broadband speed is fully 3 times faster than what I get in the sticks in Wiltshire. There's such a massive discrepancy in speed depending where you are-it's so unfair.

I'm 1.3 km (0.8 miles) far from my old place The town is called La Madeleine

[RobB]

There's such a massive discrepancy in speed depending where you are-it's so unfair.

Being on the edge of town its pretty rubbish here too........the exchange is about four miles away and yet only a mile away in town their broadband speed is 8 times quicker.

[RobB]

Isn't moving cities a touch drastic just to get an internet connection,Alex?

Now I can plug my computer to the main worldwide web server

......just make sure you don't get everyone else's bills?

[alx5962]

Isn't moving cities a touch drastic just to get an internet connection,Alex?

Now I can plug my computer to the main worldwide web server

......just make sure you don't get everyone else's bills?

I have my own Bill at the Gates

[RobB]

I have my own Bill at the Gates

[blue]

What a lovely name for a town, La Madeleine.

Talking of internet, I've found out that the connection at my daughter's house is wireless, so tomorrow when I go over to mind rocco I shall take my new laptop with me and see if I can hop on with the BT code they use. Would be handy if it works.

Still trying to find my way round Windows 8!

[RobB]

What a lovely name for a town, La Madeleine.

Reminds me of that old Moody Blues song, 'Boulevard De La Madeleine'

[blue]

And hey presto, I'm online with my new laptop! Ah, the joy of being able to see everything on a normal screen and having a full size keyboard ....

Right, now to download all that Tori stuff from the Night of Hunters tour .... I may be some time, chaps.

[d.a.walker]

Hey there!

Thought I'd say hello and see how everyone is going?

Been a very big year for me, a lot of very bad things happened, in particularly the breakdown and ending of the relationship I'd been in for 15 years. Finding myself single for the first time since I was 21 was very hard to adapt to. It's taken me almost 11 months and a hell of a lot of self discovery to work out who I am and what I want out of life. My ex had very much changed me into somebody I was not, and it required a lot of self healing to realise just how toxic my life had become in that relationship.

Things are now looking up, I've got a great apartment in the centre of Adelaide city, which I am loving. Adelaide is such a beautifully quiet place for a city. Never thought I could live so close to the heart of a city as this, but Adelaide feels much more like a large town more than anything. Music is still a massive part of my life, I managed to release my album back on the 5th October through Bandcamp.com, it only took me 4 years I've also gone back to consulting too, so have real financial stability for the first time in years. I've also recently met someone too, which so far is going well. So I'm just really taking each day as it comes and dodging the icebergs along the way

I've had a good read through this thread on here, it's a great one by the way, and it's been great to see how everyone is doing. Blue, I feel the need to discuss Tori btw!!!

I'm hoping now my life has plateaued I will get to call in here more often, particularly to see if Stina does re-emerge from her cocoon one day!

Well, gotta run, I'm being taken out somewhere today as a surprise

Best wishes to you all

Dan