So sorry to hear of Les' death. He certainly brightened up the forum. I think he would have been a wonderful man to have known.

And, of course, Pat you have the right to hold your opinion. I would defend that right. My comment was intended in a careful and caring sense about what hatred of another human being can do to us when we allow space in our hearts for such hatred. 

I understand some of the comments above and see that the last four years of US politics has been somewhat crazy. However, one cannot lay the all the blame at Trump's feet. From Day One, the establishment was out to get a man that did not fit the political narrative. They came at him with lies (he himself was also guilty of those) and collusion, and a determination to undo the Choice of the American people. One could argue he invited such assault by his words to "drain the swamp". I do not find it difficult to believe that such a swamp does exist in the highest echelons of politics. The reason I wanted to Trump to win was quite simply that I did not wish to see the destructive social engineering of the far left of American politics, engineering that will affect much of the rest of the western world and possibly beyond, such is the influence and reach of American society, politics and philosophy. Trump was true to what he said he would do; he restored the economy, he lifted employment across the social divide, he stood for traditional family values and, perhaps most importantly, he stood for the rights of the unborn human being. I am concerned that too much of the radical far left has the ear of President-elect Biden (he, too, is a flawed character as recent revelations have shown) which will hold too much influence on his policies. Whoever had won the presidency, America is a divided nation and in a perilous position going forward and we all can potentially be deeply and negatively affected by it. It seems it was fun to hate and lampoon him and too easy to thump Trump and echo the pop-voice of a largely uninformed crowd.

I wonder how many Chi players experience the same silly inconsistencies that I do? For instance, anagrams of 'siren'. I'm aware of three, 'rinse', 'resin', 'risen'. Yet, how many times have those letters appeared and I've got three of the words but, frustratingly, taking forever to remember the fourth! Then there is 'tire' and 'tier', simple common letters in the game that I should get almost first up but, invariably, I'm close to my target before I see them. Happens time and again. One more (there are a number) - saved by that irritatingly and annoying skin condition, 'tinea'. Close to the target before that glaringly obvious combination of letters becomes glaring!!!

Like mkenuk, I too wonder what do they call stand-in doctors on the other side (for me) of the Pacific?

It would be interesting to know what percentage of the western population (global, even) would be taking statins daily for hypercholesteraemia. It would be significant, I fancy.

I'm sure, Morbius, you use the word 'hate' loosely and hypothetically. I can get just as frustrated as the next person with the vagaries of this game and my own inadequacies, but I do remind myself that it is JUST a game. I'm also keenly aware that my intellect, whilst still pretty good, isn't quite as much as it has been. Ageing, loss of grey matter (normal with maturing years!!!) and chemical changes (also normal) help me not to get too despondent by not hitting a target. But, hopefully, such things as Chihuahua, Sudoku, reading, and physical activity (in my case, gardening) are slowing the natural processes.