Lord of Leisure

Morning campers, you might have been wondering what’s been going on with the Lord of Leisure all this time, given the last post was about the UK General Election which took place back in December 2020 and since then, you’ve seen various tweets and Instagram posts going up, but very little else. There was the cleanup of one outstanding part of the Outer Worlds Livestream being put back online but other than that, not a hint of a Twitch livestream, YouTube video or even a terrible Christmas and New Year ramble on this old web site.

Well, to be honest, not a great deal.

Jaunary has been a time of getting thoughts together, getting other things ready and seeing what lies ahead. For all the madness in the world, the chance to sleep and take stock of what to do next with things. From a personal perspective, I did the exact opposite of what everyone else does for “New Year, New Start” and stopped going to the gym and just decided to enjoy some time off from a lot of the usual meh that plagues us all, still talking with friends and family of course but for all purposes. I’d just slumped on the sofa and wanted a breather.

In a way, I regressed back to happier times, rewatching old TV, replaying old games and even attempting to do some DIY that I’d long put off. Nice and Simple. I even got up one day this week somehow with a state of childlike euporhea and skipped around the flat, much to the annoyance of the downstairs neighbour. Why? Because my eyes are on a different prize now.

This is the part of the blog post where you will just have to imagine me turning around a chair and sitting on it backwards to start being real. Actual personal opinions backed up with relevant internet links are coming, so you know it’s going to be deep. Normal service of screwing around and being thicker than the village idiot will resume afterwards, I promise!

It’s sad timing that this post will end up being posted on the day the UK leaves the EU and the fresh hell of the news stating whose fault it is when it comes to trying to negotiate complex trade agreements in less than 11 months. As the news will be flooded with it all day today, I’d still like to share some thoughts about the whole Brexit mess, even if it won’t win any friends.

There’s been litterally no benefits given as to what we will get out of all this, even as the real work of trying to resolve the mess made by Brexit now has to begin.

Bare minimum in terms of what we can expect in the UK, life gets harder and more costly with much more paperwork causing more delays. UK chaps and chapettes will still be able to look at moving to another European country, just the work and money needed will increase greatly from 2021. All the while, certain invidiuals will continue to think that because the withdrawl process no longer can be stopped, they still will be allowed to be cancerous assholes.

The funny thing is, there will also be those who will say “What was all the fuss about?” come tomorrow morning when everything is the same in terms of still being within the Single Market and thus having all the same rules apply but we don’t have any future say in them. One now former Brexit Part MEP laughably then raised this as an issue, almost like they were admitting, to quote Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys; “This shit just got real.”

Perhaps others who will also be asking what the fuss was about, are easily wanting to forget that the transistion period where nothing changes will have kicked in and we will only be staring at the true outcome come the end of December 2020 onwards. People will believe it’s all done when the word’s no longer mentioned (by government edict it seems) when the real work to try and get some of what we’ve lost back begins in earnest. The efforts to already pretend it’s all done and focus on other things are underway and people will buy it hook, line and stinker. Look at the shiny shiny everyone!

Lies, trechery, deceit and complete stupidity won, and will continue to win for at least the next decade, given the severe lack of true objective news reporting and any effective opposition for the time being. But even that was the fault of Brexit, rather than the failings of completely useless idiots who want their own utopia of, I have no idea what. Long story short, we’re in for a lot more insanity and I for one, feel like I’m the mad one for questioning it at all. I will never get a decent argument for any of this. I never will.

It’s clear we’re all too entrenched in our beliefs, not even reality will change that.

We all each now have to get on with look after ourselves explictly, screwing the rest if you have to. It’s an awful way to think but, what other conclusions can you draw? Despite what some will say, that the fight continues and we should continue to be doing this, that and the other to help, I’m of the ilk of no, enough. No-one’s coming to help now. We are each on our own, with a small circle of true friends and family. It’s time to do as we each see fit, and make sure that we’re alright, we’re OK. Selfish? Yep. Do I feel bad about it? Nope, not any more. It’s done wonders for the mental wellbeing.

So for 2020 ahead, personal change is required. How and when that comes, it’s not narrowed down exactly but it’s been discussed with enough that I feel good about what’s to come. A change is as good as a rest some say, and I intend to change things up quite a bit. Things were on hold long enough so time to get to it.

There you go campers, I got something off my bigger man breasts now. I must confess I do feel much better. Let’s move onto more fun stuff like talking about video games, terrible films at the cinema, maybe even the livestreaming returning as well on the old Twitch and YouTube. Chuffing yes!

Let’s also leave the mad bastards to their “whatever they think they’ve got”.

Campers, it’s been quite a while since I took the time to sit down and write anything about the world or indeed, anything else. It always comes and goes as to what I’m doing where and why etc. but then things fall apart.

However, given the importance of today, I still wanted to take a small amount of time out to write up a few thoughts about the General Election taking place in the United Kingdom today, and where things could end up for everyone in 2020 and beyond. Sadly this is quite a serious post and thoughts of which I do not share lightly.

Anyone who will have glanced at a lot of the Twitter feed over the past few years will have seen I don’t agree at all (to put it lightly) as to where things have gone in the UK. It’s been basically a horror story lurching from one sorry mess to the next, truly beginning in 2015 when the Conservative Party gained a surprise majority to govern. It was then that we had the Brexit campaign forced down our collective throats and in essence where the lies, trechery and deceit truly began.

It didn’t take long for the lies to unravel and divisions to override pretty much everything else ongoing that would have made any difference to anyone’s lives. The lack of accountablity and human decency has pretty gone beyond whatever we could have come up with in terms of jokes. If any of this was ever pitched as a TV series or film before 2019, it would have been laughed at as being completly unrealistic.

The choice for local MPs in the 2019 GE which everyone wanted / didn’t want / no idea what they wanted, is pretty bleak in a lot of places. Why is that?

Well, for a start, we’re having the wrong vote. This should have been the second referendum vote to properly decide if Brexit is truly what is wanted. Because Brexit will override everything else for years to come, should it go ahead. The chance for people to be 100% sure should have been given, but no. We as the little people, who are only needed to votes or money to give in tax were denied that. The best way to ensure Brexit truly begins, instead of being delayed several times already, was a GE. To give a direct vote on the single issue which truly has caused untold misery, would mean it could all stop.

I will never know what the prize of Brexit ever is to everyone, because it’s gone from being a wonderful thing to something we’re being told we should just get it over with. Not exactly the best endorsement to have for such a major change to millions of people’s lives is it? It’s not helped by the fact all of what was said was 100% bulls*it.

So we’re here at a GE. What’s the best outcome? A Hung Parliament. Again. Again Again actually, given that’s how most of this decade has been already so far. There’s only been two years where one party had a majority and look at the massive cock-up they caused then.

Why? Because no one party have covered themselves in any major glory throughout all this god awful nightmare. They simply do not deserve a clear majority. Not one party.

In fact it’s gone further in that the lies, trechery and deceit is so damned toxic, you can now only fear as to what the bastards would unleash on us if they were to get away with it, even after being found out. So if they are forced time and time again to be held to account, all because of the one damned issue which screwed things up, they will have to actually allow the second vote, where then we have the final proper oppontity to stop all this madness and finally get back to other things which matter more.

The world is messed up, and it’s going to get worse. It will involve working together to resolve various things and actual tough humanine choices to be made. We don’t need the B word buggering everything else up in the meantime because should it actually go through, it will be at least a decade of insanity and suffering. AT LEAST!

Let’s be honest, who among us have gotten tired of having to worry about food or medicine shortages or no longer being able to afford healthcare if certain events happen as a result of Brexit? The fact that this situation is even a remote possiblity means this is just utter madness. There’s a myraid of other things which are wrong here and what we will lose but it’s not even close to being on the table to be discussed properly right now.

So if you haven’t already voted and can do so, go vote before 10pm tonight.

My personal recommendation is vote for anyone which allows Brexit to be put to another vote and potentially be stopped dead. Despite all the huge amount of misgivings anyone may have, right now, nothing else matters. Another general election would be called right after a second referendum vote for sure, given any agreements would be just for getting the second referendum through the Houses of Parliament so you would not have to put up with whoever for long.

See you all on the other side tomorrow.

Another month long past, another Marvel movie which will indeed just hoover up money.

Before we even begin, this film firmly goes into the category of “If you’re not a fan, you’re not going to want to see this”, in the similar fashion of Detective Pikachu was, which was just published on this very blog beforehand. It’s the latest in a long series of superhero films and after Avengers: Endgame, you might have actually had your fill of the whole genre and are ready to move on with other things.

That’s all entirely understandable and so after the ridiculous highs of Avengers: Endgame, Both Sony and Marvel have to contend with how to continue things forward now with a lighter affair which brought many things back down to a much smaller staked situation and indeed show there was going to be life after Tony Stark. That’s mentioned here as pretty much, it is a theme of dealing with the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame and who is going to take over the reigns from Robert Downey Jr’s larger than life billionaire hero.

With everyone coming back from the events of Avengers: Endgame now being referred to as “The Blip” and the universe saved from Thanos, Tom Holland’s Spiderman is just tired and wants to get away from it all on a school trip and in essence, get it together with MJ (Zendeya) finally. Of course as we see, things will not be straight forward as a new threat comes along with strange elemental creatures causing havok and Jake Gyllenhaal coming in as the new hero on the scene, Mysterio.

Nick Futy makes a return along with Maria Hill (Samuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders) and they lead the new duo in combatting the new foes, and we see Nick Fury somewhat annoyed that Peter Parker is still thinking about his own high school issues and hanging out with MJ rather than saving the world and doing more grander things. This conflict occurs for quite a bit of the film with the theme of “stepping up” being the main focus.

Now this is where I may cause some constination in terms of the fanbase of the MCU. in a strange sort of way, this was a tick the boxes affair that was entertaingly fine. It was very good to watch, no real bad acting, the story made sense in context, some really cute scenes along with good speical effects. The mid end credits scene is a massive moment, with a large dose of fan service and reference to “fake news” which leaves things wide open and certainly makes you want to see what happens next. Seriously massive props for Marvel bringing back that particular actor too for the role…..

However, one can argue that this was just a nice way to climb down things from Endgame, to show what happened and in a way, it’s just fine. It has action, funny chracter moments and certainly a moment which made lots of girls go awwwwww in the screening I attended. But afterwards, having time to digest the events of the film, acting, effects etc, I only reach the conclusion of it’s fine.

To be honest, the film kind of leans way too much on the death of Tony Stark as a crutch, even though during two scenes, it was used to great effect. Seriously, The Marvel Logo coming in with “I will always love you” by Whitney Houston along with images of Stark was a touchingly laugh out loud moment at the beginning. But really it was laid on a wee bit too thick at times and it got annoying from my point of view. Perhaps that was now a failing from Spider-Man Homecoming, that having Iron Man present then, not having him now, left a void to be filled and they hadn’t worked out how to do that yet. That Spider-Man actually can’t work by himself in his own films. It maybe the wrong impression to arrive at of course but couldn’t be helped.

That’s potentially a more long term problem with the MCU; It only litterally was down to the final mid credits scene that I’m more inclined right now to see what happens with Spiderman next and not much else from Marvel, aside from perhaps Blade which if given the right material, Mushaira Ali will knock right out of the park.

The biggest cloud surrounding the MCU now is; What will be the point in carrying on watching after Avengers: Endgame, which was a damn good finale and that was such a natural point to actually stop? Based on this outing and films slated down the line, I’m not sure any more.

Make no mistake, Spider-Man: Far from Home is not a bad film. Cast and Crew have turned out a quality piece of entertainment and it’s still much better than a lot of other films on the market at the moment. But the point has been reached for myself where indifference has finally landed. If it is just myself feeling that way, that’s fine perhaps, they will continue to make all the monies in the bank account without me. If however, many others have reached that point, that is very dangerous for the franchise.