THIS & THAT #14

GRUMPY OBNOXIOUS POLITICIANS

AKA the GOP, The Republican Party

The GOP is now the “in-party” that will be attempting to save multinational American corporations millions in taxes, while preventing the billionaire class from becoming extinct,

We haven’t yet heard even a benign utterance from the previous groveling Mitch McConnell, on how he plans to derail whatever Donald J. will be proposing to make America great again.

One half of those who voted in 2016 will be constantly kvetching during the Trump years if they don’t get their way (and they won’t). They may be joined by some of the 95,899,115 who were eligible to vote (41.4 percent), who did not bother to do so.

That includes, among others, Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers quarterback, and social activist, who doesn’t fully realize his basic responsibility as a sell-proclaimed leader.

There were numerous California ballot measures on important issues to his people that   he could have voted on including healthcare, pricing standards for drug purchases, the death penalty, firearms sales, criminal sentences for juveniles, and marijuana legislation.

GROUCHY OBTREPEROUS POOPS

This GOP faction is lead by Mitch McConnell, who is still the Senate’s Majority Leader. He proclaimed in 2010, “The single most important thing we (the GOP) want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.”

Mitch continued his willingness to listen to all points of view when he gave an August 2016 speech in Kentucky, in which he said, “One of my proudest moments was when I looked Barack Obama in the eye and I said. “Mr. President, you will not fill the Supreme Court vacancy.’”

Interestingly, when he was elected Senator in the 1984 race, he won by only 5,200 votes out of more the 1.8 million cast. Colin, who says that their vote doesn’t count?

Perhaps that’s why Mitch strongly opposes more enforcement on the right to vote, and with an estimated net worth of $22,841,026, he also strongly opposes higher taxes on the wealthy. He strongly favors never legalizing marijuana anywhere, especially in a state like Kentucky known for its production of alcoholic beverages.

MITCH AIN’T ALONE

The GOP seems united in doing whatever benefits themselves and their sponsors, which sounds like what the Democrats were doing when they were in power.

On December 16, an Oklahoma GOP lawmaker abandoned a measure that would have required public bathrooms display anti-abortion signs, but only after an outcry from business and health providers. They were concerned because of the estimated cost.

In North Carolina, the GOP legislature was upset that their sitting governor was beaten in a run-off with an opponent who was a “Democrat.”  So, in a last minute, year-end special session, lawmakers passed a bill on December 16, that will give the Republicans control of the State Board of Elections during election years. They also passed several other bills that will limit the new governor’s power.

Was there ever power to the people, or only to the people in power?

When you look at al of the changes in our once civil society, you must be aware that you should enjoy where we are, for this is the best it’s going to be.

THIS & THAT #13

THE IMPORTANCE OF YAHOO 
NEWS IN THE AGE OF TRUMP

Whenever I open my email account, I am immediately confronted by Yahoo News stories of great significance to my life, to the lives of countless others embedded in the Trump nation, and minions from around the globe, who are anxiously awaiting the important stories of our time.

Here is a small, selected sample of some of those fascinating stories and their headlines that I was fortunate enough to read about today.

“Zoa’s sheer gown relies on strategic patches.”

Ah ha, finally in this politically charged country, strategy is being employed. Wonder if Trump’s generals were consulted?

“Proof Ashley Graham loves see-through clothes.”

That’s what we need more of — transparency.

“Why Carey always chooses this side in photos.”

No reason was given, but it probably sent millions of people to find the accurate, factual answer on Google.

“School to build first on-campus firing range.”

On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry was quoted as saying, “Give me liberty or give me death.” The school with the first on-campus firing range is Liberty University, founded by Jerry Falwell in 1967. He also organized the Moral Majority in 1979, and its most famous bumper sticker read, “The Moral Majority is neither.” A lead story in the November 1983 issue of Hustler magazine ran a parody advertisement, which claimed that Falwell had a drunken, incestuous relationship with his mother in an outhouse. The ad carried a disclaimer in small print at the bottom of the page that said, "ad parody—not to be taken seriously", and the magazine's table of contents also listed the ad as: "Fiction; Ad and Personality Parody.

Falwell sued Flynt and Hustler for damages for libel, invasion of privacy (vs. invasion of privy-see), and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The District Court jury awarded Falwell $150,000 in damages for emotional distress. Hustler appealed, and in a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled, “First Amendment free speech guarantees protect parodies of public figures from being civilly liable for intentionally inflicted emotional distress.” Perhaps Trump will appoint Jerry Falwell Jr., the current president of Liberty U., to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court and help reverse that decision. It was alleged that Junior killed an anti-Trump story in the university’s newspaper.

Jerry Falwell Jr. recently said that he turned down Trump’s offer to become our country’s education secretary. Shoot, this is actually a meaningful story. Thank ewe, Yahoo.

“Stunning and simple — winter hair and makeup.”

Provides interested readers (and who isn’t intensely interested) in finding dynamic information on bombshell curls and red lips?

“Jennifer Lawrence Apologizes for Offending With Butt-Scratching Story”

While filming in Hawaii, Jenny had an annoying itch in her crotch, and used a sacred ancestral stone to relieve herself. The culturally-aware actress described the scene,  “It was this huge dramatic deal, and all the Hawaiians were like, ‘Oh, my God. It’s the curse!’ … and I’m over in the corner going, ‘I’m your curse. I wedged it loose with my ass.’” That appears to be quite a sincere apology for her.

Now that we have briefly covered Yahoo’s most important stories, let’s move on to real news on Yahoo. Readers discover important geo-political news headlines that will affect all of us, and two stories centered on the names of leaders of two of the most-powerful nations in the world.

FROM THE EAST

“Putin splurges on daughter’s favorite sport.”

Russia is building a $30 million complex for acrobatic rock 'n' roll, a niche sport in which President Vladimir Putin's youngest daughter is a leading dancer and has a senior role for development. Why not? Cheerleading will soon be introduced as an Olympic sport, followed by the three-point shot put event.

FROM THE WEST

“The KKK doesn’t like the term white supremacist.”

Standing on a muddy dirt road in the dead of night near the North Carolina-Virginia border, masked Ku Klux Klan members claimed Donald Trump's election as president proves whites are taking back America from blacks, immigrants, Jews and other groups they describe as criminals and freeloaders. America was founded by and for whites, they say, and only whites can run a peaceful, productive society.

The question now facing the nation, “Will Donald duck this connection?”

With God on Their Side

It seems that members of all religions call on God (or G-D), when there is a need to reinforce their beliefs. In doing so, at times, there may be a conflict between the words from their higher authority, and the rules for whomever they either work for are doing business with.

PROBLEM ONE:

Kim Davis is a Democrat who last fall was first elected clerk of Rowan County, Kentucky, and has been on the job since January. She makes $80,000 a year in a county where one-fourth of the residents live in poverty. Mrs. Davis worked 27 years for her mother, who held the same position for 37 years, and Mrs. Davis’s son Nathan now works as a deputy clerk.

In June, when the Supreme Court recognized the legality of gay marriage, Davis refused to issue licenses to gay couples, saying it goes against her Apostolic Christian faith, which she converted to four years ago. Even when she received a court order to issue such licenses, she refused, and was sentenced to serve time in jail. Mrs. Davis is familiar with marriage licenses since she has been married four times, including twice to the same man. She was released from jail on September 8, but it was not known whether she would allow five deputy clerks to issue licenses to gay couples. The sixth deputy, Nathan, will have to decide whether or not he believe in the court, his mother, or a greater power.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:

(1) Do the job you were elected to do, i.e. issuing marriage licenses to all within the law, (2) take an extended leave, (3) find another job with the county that doesn’t challenge the tenets of your faith, (4) retire, (5) resign, (6) change your religion, or (7) run for a higher office. Many of her faith at rallies carried wooden crosses and signs reading “Kim Davis for President.”

PROBLEM TWO:

ExpressJet operates scheduled flights to more than 180 cities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas as a regional carrier for American, Delta and United Airlines. There’s a Flight Attendant description and duties on its website, that includes making passengers feel comfortable and providing beverage and snack services.

Charee Stanley, a recently converted Muslim flight attendant based in Detroit, was suspended because she refused to serve alcohol to passengers, citing her religious beliefs.

While the Qur’an forbids the use of alcohol, it doesn’t specifically state that an individual can’t serve such beverages. The holy book was written in the 7^th century CE, before there were any full-service airlines. Apparently Ms. Stanley had worked out an accommodation with other flight attendants regarding serving alcoholic beverages. An attorney for the Council of American Islamic Relations Michigan (CAIR) notified the airline, while Ms. Stanley filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission. “I don’t think that I should have to choose between practicing my religion properly or earning a living, they are both important.”

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS: (1) Convert to Catholicism where drinking is not only legal but on St. Patrick’s Day, it’s an acceptable tradition, (2) get a position with another transportation company where alcoholic beverages are not served, such as on a Greyhound bus, (3) read the job description before you apply for any position, or (4) stay at your present job, but practicing spilling all alcoholic drinks on your passenger’s laps. You may get promoted and become a pilot, and there is a dire need for non-alcoholic pilots.

PROBLEM THREE:

The religious beliefs of many ultra-orthodox Jews, prohibits a male from touching a woman who is not a family member, regardless of how religious she may be. Accordingly, when an ultra-orthodox man travels to Israel by air, it would be an unpardonable shanda (sin) for him to sit next to any woman other than his wife or his female offspring.

Far too many flights from the USA to Israel have been delayed because an ultra-orthodox male demanded a seat that had been bought and was sat upon by a woman that was not his own. Some ultra-religious men complain loudly to attendants, and/or refuse to sit down until they get their way. In some instances, the flight would be delayed to the inconvenience of all passengers not dressed in black.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS: (1) Let the ultra-religious buy an entire section of a scheduled airline flight to the Holy Land, and have it roped off, or (2) better yet, have them start their own airline with strictly kosher seating arrangements. They could reverently name their airline, “God’s Orthodox Daveners, “ who are those who pray religiously.