Is a Virtual ‘Thon a possibility?

[Tactical Genius]

Ok, my review.

Cal Alamein was gracious enough to join us from witness protection, he looked and sounded like those ex-1990's Narcos you regularly see on DJ Vlad or a minor character from Breaking bad.
Various Artist joined us whilst midway through a burglary that he live streamed
Sits was on a Suburbia drive-by whist on the call. he cut off the feed just as he was slowing down and winding down the window
Jason Voorhees dialled in from Paraguay in full disguise in between hunting 100 year old Nazi's proving the words, "Never forget" isn't just talk. He was drinking from some mysterious enchanted goblet and every time he took a sip, FF internet kept messing up.
FF was sitting in her 1% Apartment that looked down on half of NYC
"English" Berbaslug looked like Millwall supporter circa 1982 whilst trying to convince us how Irish he was "I had pork and potatoes for dinner".
Paul S was drinking his on diarrhoea whilst trying to convince us it was premium homebrew
WOM sat there saying nothing whilst staring intensely at the screen. Some say he was orchestrating a drone strike.
John R Called in from his lighthouse
Pebblefish was smoking seductively at the camera

Who else have I missed.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

You gave Sporting and the rest of us a decent five minute history 101 on the Nation of Islam after signing in as Malcom X

[WOM]

WOM sat there saying nothing whilst staring intensely at the screen. Some say he was orchestrating a drone strike.

Yes, a pleasure to meet you, TG.

And yes, was distracted. I listed my wife's old motorbike online and was back-and-forthing with a potential buyer. He's just come and bought it now.

Next time, my full attention.

[jwdd27]

Ok, my review.

Cal Alamein was gracious enough to join us from witness protection, he looked and sounded like those ex-1990's Narcos you regularly see on DJ Vlad or a minor character from Breaking bad.
Various Artist joined us whilst midway through a burglary that he live streamed
Sits was on a Suburbia drive-by whist on the call. he cut off the feed just as he was slowing down and winding down the window
Jason Voorhees dialled in from Paraguay in full disguise in between hunting 100 year old Nazi's proving the words, "Never forget" isn't just talk. He was drinking from some mysterious enchanted goblet and every time he took a sip, FF internet kept messing up.
FF was sitting in her 1% Apartment that looked down on half of NYC
"English" Berbaslug looked like Millwall supporter circa 1982 whilst trying to convince us how Irish he was "I had pork and potatoes for dinner".
Paul S was drinking his on diarrhoea whilst trying to convince us it was premium homebrew
WOM sat there saying nothing whilst staring intensely at the screen. Some say he was orchestrating a drone strike.
John R Called in from his lighthouse
Pebblefish was smoking seductively at the camera

Who else have I missed.

You missed me out, another unmemorable contribution, but better to say nothing and be thought an idiot than etc.
I was also smoking, but rather more aggressively than pebbles. And as you noted, I had actual human company in Mrs D who decided to spend some time with me once I announced my intention to go on chat (I'd been on my own for the previous few hours). I'll put her on in my place next time, she'll talk to anyone. I didn't join in the text chat as my ashtray was propping up the tablet and obscuring the messages. But it was mainly the youth wing typing wasn't it, so I probably wouldn't have understood.
Mrs D was impressed with the slightly increased diversity on show compared to last time.

[Various Artist]

That'll be TG. Young, gifted and black – and not a glasses wearer. And bloody funny.

I love that I still count as part of the "youth wing", thanks jwdd.

[Tactical Genius]

You gave Sporting and the rest of us a decent five minute history 101 on the Nation of Islam after signing in as Malcom X

Ah, yes, I remember that. I think it was more along the lines of "what caused Malcolm X to fall out with the Nation of Islam".
Another question was arounbd the US election and black women expecting Biden to have a Black female running mate.

The people I didn't mention were those not looking suspicious so be thankful you were left out.

Oh and Erskine dropped in at the end with one of his amazing stories.

[Femme Folle]

Did you just call me sketchy?

[Cal Alamein]

Looks like I’ll have to find a new “Safe” location for the next ‘thon.

[Tactical Genius]

Did you just call me sketchy?

No, i'm just jealous you are living next door to Bobby Axelrod from Billions.

Allow this hater to hate for a little

[Various Artist]

Oh and Erskine dropped in at the end with one of his amazing stories.

One? One? Was that the one with the chickens, or the one with the transvestite bar?!

[Sits]

Yes, a pleasure to meet you, TG.

And yes, was distracted. I listed my wife's old motorbike online and was back-and-forthing with a potential buyer. He's just come and bought it now.

Next time, my full attention.

I thought you were just really cool, or something. Or studying CAD images of your next shed.

[Gangster Octopus]

Glad I joined in twice wearing my famous invisibility cloak...

[Femme Folle]

Gangster Octopus I was very happy to see you, both times!

[Gangster Octopus]

Ta.

[willie1foot]

Damn! Haven't dropped in for a awhile so I missed this. I suspected something was going on when I got a message advising 'pebblethefish is connected and waiting for you in your Zoom meeting'. Hopefully he/she got the right credentials and participated.

[Sits]

Glad I joined in twice wearing my famous invisibility cloak...

I saw you too, both times.

[Sam]

Glad to hear these are actually proving workable. I don't want to take part without my girlfriend's permission, as we live in a two-room flat so it's not like she can really go anywhere, but I'll ask her if she minds me joining you all next time (I'd be surprised if she does), and if jv's there too that'll be the South America contingent doubled.

[Sporting]

And 3 "Hispanics".

[Duncan Gardner]

Gracia's Senores. I'm an early rising insomniac so would be up to join a late-nighter in the Americas. My school/ tourist Spanish is limited but at least that means any digs at CONCACAF might pass by you lot

[Erskine Bridges]

Thanks for having me. That was really good to see some of you, with my own eyes like.
Apologies for the late arrival.
It seemed to work well, sometimes these things don’t .
cheers!

[Sporting]

Thanks for having me. That was really good to see some of you, with my own eyes like.
Apologies for the late arrival.
It seemed to work well, sometimes these things don’t .
cheers!

Good to meet you too, even if by the end I was a bit too fuddled to remember your excellent story.

I think you must have been absent for what for me was one of the highlights of the session: Jason's amazingly succinct and informed precis of various South American countries' history and politics in general. Very interesting. I seem to remember (correct me if wrong) him saying that Uruguay has the most left-wing government of any in the world. Would posters agree with this, assuming that this was in fact the assertion? I thought maybe New Zealand but this article:

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/202.../arde-f03.html

went some way to dissuading me.

Portugal is another possible candidate.

[Erskine Bridges]

I caught some of Jason’s socio political South American chat which was v interesting. I hope I get to South America some day.

[Sits]

Jacinta Ardern (Labour) had to do a coalition deal with Winston Peters (New Zealand First). Explains a lot.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

I did a module on Latin American politics as part of my degree, almost 30 years ago. At the time most were finding their way out of various periods of military- backed dictatorships, even Brazil (which I didn't know). The way they've all gone down different routes since is something I'd love to learn more about.

[ad hoc]

Good to meet you too, even if by the end I was a bit too fuddled to remember your excellent story.

I think you must have been absent for what for me was one of the highlights of the session: Jason's amazingly succinct and informed precis of various South American countries' history and politics in general. Very interesting. I seem to remember (correct me if wrong) him saying that Uruguay has the most left-wing government of any in the world. Would posters agree with this, assuming that this was in fact the assertion? I thought maybe New Zealand but this article:

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/202.../arde-f03.html

went some way to dissuading me.

Portugal is another possible candidate.

Most left-wing government means what? It sounds a bit impossible to define. There are places like Cuba, for example, which aren't democratic. Then places like Nepal, which is democratic, and has a communist government*

*Nepali politics is ace. The country is now led by the Nepal Communist Party, which was recently formed through a merger of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre). Prior to this, the CPN (Unified Marxist-Leninist) was formed out of the union of the CPN (Marxist) and the CPN (Marxist-Leninist), whereas the CPN (Maoist-Centre) were a faction that broke away from the CPN (Unity-Centre). As you might imagine you can go much further in all of the little factions and groups. There's probably more wikipedia pages devoted to the various Nepali Communist Parties as there are to episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer