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?”

THIS & THAT  #12

Olympic Moments to

Remember and Forget

The Olympics should be the epitome of nations gathering together in pure competition with rivals, without a hint of politics or animosity. Unfortunately this year the world witnessed all of that, from high-level officials who cheated and lied, and athletes who followed the example of those leaders.

At times, the Olympics are political, corrupt, and as dishonest as the current Presidential campaign. The purpose of both the Olympics and the race for the Presidency is simple — just win, and in too many instances, it’s winning at any cost.

The Games of the 31^st Olympiad concluded on August 21^st, and were filled with memorable moments, and moments that are best forgotten, both in competition and away from it.

Unforgettable – The Good

There were dazzling, uplifting and record-winning performances in track and field, gymnastics, and in the pool. There were also heartening performances by some athletes who didn’t win their event, but demonstrated that they had the true Olympic spirit.

In the Women’s 5,000-meter event, when a New Zealand runner fell during the race, and an American runner stopped and assisted her to her feet. The American then discovered that she, too, was injured. They bonded then, and perhaps forever, and crossed the finish line together. A committee awarded them the “Fair Play Award” as an example of selflessness and exemplary sportsmanship.

There were instances in the marathon near the finish line, when exhausted and out-of-contention runners encouraged and helped competitors to make it across the finish line.

Unforgettable – The Bad and the Ugly

No Hope for Her

Hope Solo, the goalie for the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team, must be a Republican, as she emulated Donald J. Trump’s innate ability to insert her foot in her mouth. After a disheartening shootout loss to Sweden in the quarterfinals, where Solo allowed the winning penalty kick, she blasted the winners saying, “They played like a bunch of cowards.” The “cowards” lost in the finals to Germany, and settled for the Silver Medal, while the US Team settled for extra time off.

“Some of My Best Friends Aren’t”

In judo competition, an Egyptian judoka fittingly named Islam, refused to shake hands following his defeat by his Israeli opponent. This is a big "no-no" in judo, where respect is a big part of the sport. A Saudi athlete forfeited a first-round judo match, when he allegedly dropped out to avoid facing an Israeli opponent in the second round.

When a bus destined for the Olympic venue pulled in front of the hotel where Israeli athletes were waiting to board, they were prevented to do so when the head of the Lebanese delegation blocked the entrance. The Lebanese official claimed that the bus had been reserved solely for his team, and while the International Olympic Committee reprimanded him for his actions, he was hailed as a “hero” back in Lebanon.

Is it any wonder why there’s still no peace in the Muddle East?

Olympic Leadership

Here are a few of the numerous incidences of how badly the leaders have led, beginning with how the awarding of the Olympics is fraught with tales of bribery. Along with all of the doping and the resultant disbarring of many Russian athletes, one Kenyan official hand carried the urination sample of one of his runners to the station to be checked. It turned out that the sample belonged to the official, and he was disbarred. The International Boxing Association dropped a number of judges and referees, when some of their decisions were quite questionable. 

Green with Envy

Ryan Lochte, the thirty-two-year-old juvenile swimmer, fittingly dyed his hair green for the Olympics. His tall tale of robbery at gunpoint, after a night of partying, has opened a future for him in presidential politics. After his embarrassing fabrication was revealed, his sponsors swam away, causing him well-earned financial distress. He lost the sponsorship of Speedo Swim Suits, Ralph Lauren, Airweave Mattress Company, and Syneron Candela, a company that sells hair-removal devices.

Speedo called his behavior “counter to the values this brand has long stood for,” Syneron declared, “We hold our employees to high standards, and we expect the same of our business partners.” His embarrassing story cost him lost green, but he could once more becomes the “star” of a failed reality show.

LATE NEWS FLASH: Friday, Aug. 26

Don’t Pine for Lochte As An

Opportunist Tries to Cash In

The world should be grateful for the munificent, generous, and purely unselfish actions of one company, who is trying to rescue Lochte from his self-inflicted injury to his reputation.

A Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops spokesperson said that people should be more understanding, so Lochte will be featured in advertisements that say the company’s product is “Forgiving on Your Throat.”

Doesn’t it sort of get you all chocked up, and want to do good in the world? However, as a bearded man who doesn’t swim, I will stick to Smith Bros. Cough Drops.

The Political Reality

Of the Olympics

The above instances were minor compared to Germany’s self promoting Nazism in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and the cow towing by the American Olympic chairperson, who forced two Jewish American runners to not run. In the 1968 Mexico City Olympics John Carlos and Tommy Smith won medals, and successfully protested inequality in America. In the 1972 Olympics in Munich, the Palestinian-led Black September Group massacred eleven Israeli team members. In 1980, after the Russians had invaded Afghanistan, President Carter had America boycott the Olympics in Moscow, and in retaliation, the Russians boycotted the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. These tales and others will be found in detail in the Ho-Ho-Kus Cogitator, Vol. 5, No. 3, coming out in October.

Don’t Table That Thought

The Ego of the Media “Star”

Sportscaster Bob Costas was scheduled to conduct an inspiring interview with sixteen-year-old Kanak Jha, the youngest member ever to play for the USA’s Men’s Table Tennis Team. Jha was the U.S. National Champion, and has been training with the coaches at the World Champion Table Tennis Academy (WCTTA) in Santa Clara County for more than eight years.

Costas “challenged” Jha to a match, and won convincingly in the video shown. However, you never saw Costas’ face as the ball whizzed by the stunned Jha. In reality, Kanak was playing against Timothy Wang, another member of the USA Table Tennis Team. Costas wasted Jha’s time, just to showcase the broadcasters own limited talents on the table, as well as his inability to conduct a professional interview.

Kanak did receive professional media coverage from both The New York Times shown here, and Sports Illustrated on line.

Jha Called for Help

From His Real Coach

Although Stefan Feth wasn’t selected as the US Men’s Table Tennis Coach at the Olympics, he should have been given that earned honor. Feth was one of the lead coaches at the WCTTA who trained Jha, and Kanak relied on Feth’s ability to coach him before any match, anywhere, and better prepare him to play his next opponent. Prior to the start of any Olympic match in Rio, Feth’s cell phone would ring. He’d politely excuse himself from any lesson he was giving in the WCTTA’s facility, and although they were thousand of miles and four time zones apart, Feth would provide Kanak with needed, welcomed, and asked-for advice.

THIS & THAT #11

The World Is Watching Cleveland

But Not for an NBA Championship

The Republican National Convention opens on July 18 in Cleveland, Ohio, and a June Pew Research Center poll found that nearly four-fifths of white evangelical voters plan to cast their ballots for Trump “despite his multiple marriages, lack of piety and inconsistency on the issues they care about most.”

White evangelicals make up about one-fifth of all registered voters and are a very important and coveted bloc who can turn out the vote through their churches and social networks.

The poll also revealed that Roman Catholics favored Clinton over Trump by seventeen percentage points, helped along by Hispanic Catholics who supported Clinton over Trump by a huge 77 to 16 margin.

Black Protestants favored Clinton, while white mainline Protestants were for Trump over Clinton, 50 to 39 percent.

Don’t Count Me In

In a nation of an estimated 324,232,589 American citizens, the largest religious groups were Christians that comprise 70.8% of that population. Evangelical Protestants make up 25.4%, Mainline Protestants 14.7%, and Historically Black Protestants total 6.5%. Among the remaining Christian groups are Catholics at 20.8%, followed by Mormons, Orthodox Christians, Jehovah’s Witness, and Other Christian groups.

Don’t Count Me Out

The survey did not show results for members of minority religious groups, like Buddhists, Hindus, Jews and Muslims, “because there were not enough of them in the poll.” It’s still thought by some that the United States is a Christian Nation.

A smaller numbers of groups fall under the broad category of Non-Christian Faiths, which comprise 5.9% of the religious total. Jews lead at 1.9%, followed by Muslims (0.9%), Buddhists and Hindus at 0.7%, Other World religions and Other Faiths.

Making up the second largest group are those who checked off “None” at 22.8%, including “Nothing In Particular” at 15%, Atheists, Agnostics, and the very honest who checked off “Don’t Know.”

Americans know very little Americans about the Baha’i Faith, which has a beautiful Temple in Haifa, Israel, as well as about Rastafarianism, Jainism or Taoism.

Whose Side Are They On?

Speaking of the Republican Convention, which we were some nine paragraphs ago, there are eighteen GOP Senators who won’t be able to make it, and some of the reasons why seem a bit dubious. Remember, our hardly working, do-very-little elected Congress and Senate people, just went on a seven-week summer vacation.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona will be visiting his state’s Grand Canyon, to be sure that it is still there. Arizona’s other Senator Jeff Flake, was quoted as saying, “I’ve got to mow my lawn.” Senator Steve Dalnes of Montana said, ”I’ll have my fly rod in my hand with my wife in Montana.”

Honesty Is the Best Policy

A spokesman for Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska said, “Senator Sasse will not be attending the convention and will instead take his kids to watch some dumpster fires across the state, all of which enjoy more popularity that the current front runners.”

Sasse has my vote if he ever runs for office in California.