It's a miracle I got in

Syria was a pretty stable place before the 2010's. Assad kept the tensions between the Alawites, Sunnis and Christians to a minimum. The Kurds got oppressed though, but that situation was much better than the horror we have now. Just like Iran was before Carter dropped the ball so badly. That actually set off a chain of events that led to the first war against Iraq and the chain of events that led to todays situation in the whole region.

Did they show Trumpton in Hungary?

The internet is a strange phenomenon in general considering how people tend to herd together. It's also easier to play people off against each other. One aspect of someones political view can draw them to a place where they buy into a whole ideology. Memes can be attractive as a way of drawing people in, then the next thing you know they are subscribing to an ideology. You have all the points of view and facts out there, especially in todays "age of information" but people will be drawn to a place where all their bias is confirmed in an echo chamber.

I find the rise of ideologues in the past few years disturbing, having a grandparent from each side who has suffered under both communism and facism. The use of social media and some of the terminology that has been fostered is disturbing also.

The pipelines were always the main object of everything. Just like the tensions in the South China Sea and the Pacific. They won't let the conflicts and incursions end for a while. It's all about market manipulation.

I heard Syria had been a pleasant place once too.

Playtime in Trumpton- or should that be Troll-town?

I know not whereof I speke.......yep, our favourite social media site, to which mine own traitor remaineth bound.....

I think there must be a cybermat afoot, infecting the minds of the masses, just like a computer virus. Funny how the same troll.phrases and memes replicate both here and in the UK. Soros is the figure of hate here, hated is he alike among Brexiteers. Those who dislike the victorious here get the same insults. Snowflakes are they, whingers, moaners, crybabies, liberals who cannot accept true democracy. They don't accept the Will of the People, they can't just get on with it. 

I should set up a school to teach the new lexicon of parroted pies in the face.

Oh and here is a clue to who may control Syria, or why it may really be time to kiss our botties goodbye, finally. Oil pipelines. Remember Iraq?

I'll give you a clue on who might be in control at the end. Unless the bear rears up. Something about two.major pipelines of oil........

My cousin has travelled a lot around that area of the world. She said Syria was an amazing country to visit before the war. Great people, food and archeological sites. She particularly liked Palmyra. It's been damaged badly and many buildings and artfacts were destroyed. I think that sometimes the "world police" policies of the more powerful UN members are far more damaging than good.

I do not know as much about Obama's foreign policy as I should. I have seen the images of what Syria has looked like though - all the infrastructure destroyed - no wonder they left. 

"Trumpsitters", loooooool! I've never heard that but it's a classic. Obama had as much agency as Trump but he had the whole "cult of personality" thing to get a pass. His foreign policy was terrible. Drone strikes, Libya, awful decisions in the Middle East and the decisions that led to the situation we have in Syria right now. If he was a pawn it meant he was complicit in carrying out the decisions of advisors who were beneath him in rank. Neither can compare to Bush in complete incompentancy!

May is a slave to her own ego. She doubles down when it's not necessary but bends to other peoples will when she is in awe. She's arrogant enough to dismiss the people she serves in office but so needy of approval she will *** kiss anyone more powerful. Compare how she treated the Grenfell Tower affair to anything involving America. She's an embarrassment to herself and this country.

You hit the nail on the head with Thatcher. She totally used that situation. She also helped Pinochet, I believe directly. Argentina and Chile had a lot of tensions over the Beagle Conflict in the years leading up to the Falklands War. The Falklands Islands and Tierra del Fuego were part of the Beagle Conflict affair between Chile and Argentina. When the Falklands War happened it seriously extinguished any intentions Argentina had of continuing aggressive negotiations over the Beagle Channel and the territories surrounding it. It weakened their bargaining position considerably. So no wonder Pinochet used to have lunch with Thatcher so often!

Seems I was so wrong about us bombing Syria! I don't think anything will happen with Russia though!

The elections are just spin! Ask some people why they are voting for a party and they can't tell you their policy or manifesto. They will either listen to Sky News or the BBC!

Trump is said to have a lot of trumpsitters around him to keep him more restrained. Obama seemed to have taken the advice of supposedly more experienced senators in foreign policy - or he was outnumbered and not much more than a pawn. 

May is a curious mixtire of stubbornness, ruthlessness alongside weakness. I agree many do seem to realise how destructive a move Brexit is, but no one seems to be able to stop it. Same reason as why what has happened here, happened: weak and divided opposition. 

Thatcher used the Falkland crisis to deflect from her unpolarity at home, just as it is all about migrants here. So we live in hope it's not Mother Russia rain down down just yet. TheTV run-up to the election truly was, spin, spin and more spin on that one. I had someone staying with me over Easter and he got very angry, watching it.

It shocked me how the press has more or less been shut down in regards to critics of Orban. It does seem very totalitarian. I don't think Orban can go too far just because of the way that international politics work now. With the past one party totalitarian regime that ruled before, the people will probably get Orban out if it gets too totalitarian. Democracy is to be treasured and the press thing might open a few eyes!

May will squirm around and flip flop to appease who she is told to. She's a very weak leader. Brexit wasn't expected and they had no contingency plan for it. That's why Cameron resigned the day after the vote. May is making a real mess of it. I personally see public support for Brexit dwindling.

I think the whole "New Cold War" thing is just subterfuge for quite a few leaders and corporations. I don't think anything will boil over. Our foriegn policy has been terrible recently and May hasn't got much support in parliament, even on her own back benches. If it goes to a parliamentary vote I think that May would lose if she wanted to take action in Syria. America's foreign policy was terrible under Bush and Obama. Trump would have to go pretty far to top their decisions. I'm actually surpised at how reserved he has been so far. His Twitter feed is insane but he actually hasn't been that bad on foreign policy in my opinion. 

That massive win is not good news, now the winner has the mandate to really throw his weight around, the saddest thing everywhere is realising how easy it is to push the right buttons of voters everywhere and manipulate them. The only thing that protects me here is I have my own property and means of income and I have been here a long time. 

The lawyer certainly agrees with you on the UK thing. But hey, May will save the day anyway with the local populace and with Trump and Europe, by starting world war three with Russia!

It does seem a bad situation considering the whole volatility of the EU status of both countries. It's sort of left you caught in the middle. I don't know if Britain will leave the EU myself. Lots of the premises that the whole leave section of voters were sold on are slowly dissolving along with Britains bargaining positions. I just don't know how it will go.

I think Hungary will leave with Orban in power. He does seem to be riding a wave of populism that is being stoked into fever pitch by the media. There is no media to challenge Orban. Hungary does seem to be in a pretty bad place. If the you-know-who I'm thinking of is the same one you are thinking of is the same person he seems to be fuelling the flames in his own way. Being caught between it all must be a pretty bad place. I hope things work out for Hungary and as little goes wrong as can be hoped for.

I have been looking into dual citizenship, though the advice from one lawyer is to wait a while. He seems to believe Brexit will fail, but I think that is pretty optimistic, with the stranglehold the lunatics who want this, have. But what if there is a Huxit in the next few years, or they get kicked out? I have heard there are those on the inside who are chummy with you-know-who. There are things that could happen that will not be pretty, ideas have been successfully spawned that are spreading like a malignant fungus. 

Ah Hungary! Yeah I saw what happened with Orban. Hungary haven't had it too easy politically for a long time. You do have a problem with ideologues there.

Yeah, I can imagine the clique thing being a problem. The amatuers of today will be the established of the future! Let's hope they do things different!

Thank you!

I am not based in Germany though, but Hungary. And I don't know what will happen now after the recent election. 

I am wary of cliquiness too, which is probably borne of individuals jostling for recognition. Amateurs are usually very nice to each other but beyond that, it can get a lot more nasty and it has not always been plain sailing. 

Oh great to hear it! You sound like you are really moving towards something, that's always good!

I know what you mean about daytime drinking, when you stop you feel like crap for the rest of the day. Problem with me is if I have one I'll keep drinking until bedtime. I'd imagine those kind of events could be a bit frustrating. All the hobnobbing and clique stuff in any kind of art scene is a bit strange sometimes! There's that hierarchy thing thats there too. The way that the whole thing is and the way you are finding a way to navigate it is pretty admirable to be honest. It's good to hear of other ASD people persuing their dreams! Lol, I've been asked if I was on drugs before at work. I just said "Why, do you want some?" and the guy got laughed out of the room.

I've been to art events before, my ex had an art degree. She gave up on it after a while to go into finance. I was a bit sad that she gave up on it. I also have a friend who is an artist in Peru. From what I've seen of it and heard it seems very much like you describe. I just hope you can do what you want. My Peruvian friend is moving along quite well. They've had a few exhibitions of their work. I really hope you can make it! I really don't see why an art degree would be necessary anyway, from what I can make of it there's more emphasis on interpretation and other peoples concepts than actual production and method. In my opinion art psychology is a bit pretentious and condesecnding to both the viewer and the artist. I'll interpret my way, thank you very much! Oh so you live in Germany, never been there but I want to go to Glashütte one day to see the Uhrenmuseum. I have a bit of a thing about watchmaking.

Good luck with everything!

I most certainly do design my own stuff, I have my own website too! 

There was booze aplenty but I don't like drinking during the day. Someone else commented that the event she attended to also seemed sluggish but she told me I could have made more small talk. But the woman I  wanted to talk to was all over an other artist. It was actually really cold in that cellar too. At one earlier event someone actually asked me if I was on drugs as I seemed so out of it. Well no, I b*****y wasn't, I was just cold!!!! And tired.

The art world is full of hungry egos and ambition of course and there have been pitfalls. I won't say I don't have a hungry ego greedy for recognition in this very competitive world too of course. For a long time this city was a closed shop with doors slammed on anyone who did not have a degree in art, but that is less the case now, possibly due to overspill from cities like Berlin, which have become yuppified and therefore expensive. 

Oh so you design your own stuff! That's impressive, a lot of stuff there are just album covers printed onto stuff! Do you struggle at networking events? I'd be terrible! It's sometimes harder when the atmosphere is reserved because, I feel more under scrutiny. In a more wild atmosphere you can break a few more rules, make a few more faux pas and hide in the raucous mood. It's far more tiring but when the wine is flowing it's a bit easier! 

Absolutely agree. Some NTs think that some of us are able to understand their MO and fight back. This idiot likes his football and he enjoys conflict towards others. I'm a petite blonde and so I think he likes making me cry. 

Eye contact is very uncomfortable for me. I might as well be staring at someone naked. I have no idea how people find it so natural. He thought I was being shifty. I just think he's being a dickhead.

He's a psychological bully and has sniffed out where you are most vulnerable.

I hope you find effective ways to keep him at arm's length. I got a lot of flak for avoiding eye conact too, especially from a certain creepy type of person. It is worth bearing in.mind that in some cultures it is a tally a sign of respect to avoid eye contact. 

Hi there. Thank you for your uplifting reply. I really appreciate it. 

I have indeed told people, but because I am so distressed about it I think they find it difficult to understand why I don't take firm action. He's no longer my boss, but the echos of him are still in my head. He's still in my department. I think that as I am in a state of extreme anxiety, I'm reliving the horror. I'm terrified each day to go to work and mix with people. I've lost my confidence and at times I don't want to carry on. My partner gets angry with me and although he (my partner) works close by but says he doesn't want to get involved. 

When I get my appointment to be assessed this will help me. When I get the results (I have self diagnosed all tests show ASD) I can move on and learn to understand myself. My boss commented on why I don't do eye contact and why for someone who is so intelligent why do I get anxious over social things. My partner says it's all in my head and I should ignore him.

I would love to become self employed and help people. I have a gift for writing (one of my scripts won a competition and was performed on stage) and I'm very empathic. I can sing and I have a knowledge of science. At the moment all those things are disappearing as I spend hours in tears. I self harm.

I'm so glad you had the opportunity to become self employed. 

Thank you.

Hi there and thanks for joining in. Have you talked to anyone about your manager? I don't know about a new mask but a new strategy and way of responding to him does seem in order. One of the reasons I am mainly self employed is not to end up in a position where someone could abuse their power or take it out on me, alas for many years as a subcontractee for many years, also meant being treated like an employer in many cases. And as an old colleague once put it, there is a lot more insecurity with being self employed, but one thing you do have is something could the effoff factor. Lots of people I am sure dream of telling their bosses what they can do with their jobs. In Japan they give their employees dolls they can punch during lunch breaks. 

Ultimately if a boss is really giving you a hard time I think it is probably better to move on. But in today's climate that is not really possible though it is the member one reason for many for looking for another position.