A belated happy new year, anyway. How was your 2024? If you’re reading this, then you survived it. That’s the important thing. It was ok, I guess. I live for travel, so on that basis I give 2024 a C-. I didn’t get in any long haul destinations. But I did tick off four new countries – Estonia, Finland, Czech Republic and Belgium. But it rained cats and dogs at each place. I was more fortunate with the weather in places I revisited, Turkey and Egypt.
I’m a little pessimistic on many fronts heading into 2025. Eight years ago, the character of Trump was clear for all to see. But the comparisons between him and other 20th century European leaders was a bit off. I repeatedly made the point that 21st century USA was not 30s Germany. That was borne out on January 6th 2021.
A lot has been said about that day. We all watched Trump give a speech in which he urged the illegal overturning of the election. Not enough is said about a little watched clip, where Mike Pence ignored him and stood on the side of law, the constitution and defended democracy. I’m not nearly so confident that a tyrannical attempt to overturn the result of the election next time will come up against such a steadfast foe. And there is more than just a reasonable chance that such an attempt will be made.
The direction of travel is towards populist authoritarian tyrants. The one thing they all have in common is that they commit acts of unnecessary self harm against the folk they represent. And yet those are the same folk who’ve helped put them in power. Normal folk. The sort we all know. They’ve gone all a bit mad, and I’m not sure that there’s a lot to be done about it.
But anyway. Happy new year. May we all survive 2025. In the meantime, I invite you to visit my photoblog, to which I have made the singular annual post. The best of 2024.
The Mexile 
Belated Happy New Year to you two too and what a year it promises to be!
I’m not sure what will be on the horizon for us collectively. A certain ex and future resident of the white house who doesn’t want exported timbers for his burning nation or alumina to shore up his automobile manufacturing has promised to invade a peaceful nation and deport foreign illegal foreign nationals from his shores to their perspective countries primarily Mexico.
I’m sure this will cause immediate havoc among the majority of the farming, hospitality and hospital communities as these are most reliant on inexpensive labour for their various industries. I omitted the prison service here as although not a labour service industry as such a large portion of the population will be deported leaving the prison system which has been privatized with pockets quite depleted. To put this in perspective in 2017, seven years ago, there were 69,300 non US citizens held in private and public prisons at an average cost of $42,000 per head per annum. That’s a saving or a loss depending on where you are in the food chain of at least three billion bucks.
It’s interesting to point out that 130,000 Canadian medical pros work in the US too who may choose to jump ship should it start to founder. Of course that could go either way!
We on the other hand will be bracing for a hit on the dollar which will put a damper on travelling to foreign destinations. As it is €100 will set us back $148.76 CAD so it’s unlikely that we will be wandering back to Europe any time soon although my cousin has given us an open invitation to visit Faro whenever we get the urge. Mexico might be on the cards though in the meantime we have a wedding to attend to in April.
Fun times ahead.
You should have a memory stick with a notch for all your trips marked just for fun.
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The man is a blithering idiot who incessantly churns out nonsense and childish stupidity. Last time round there were adults in the room to tell him no, so not so much happened. This time, he has dispensed with them. And replaced them with other childlike morons. It won’t end well.
America First might very quickly turn into America Who, if he proceeds with half the things he’s promised. American Decline will look more like American Freefall.
Xi probably can’t believe his luck.
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