Comment

Wisdom of a 10-year old

There is much joy in raising a 10-year old who understands the geek culture.  Josh loves to think in hashtags (#crazycat) and understands the general basics on how the operating system works.  Today, coming back from the store he puts up this gem:

"Donald Trump is speaking:  brain.exe has stopped responding.  Click OK to restart brain.exe with /dumbmode: on."

He then follows this up with the following.  brain.exe has obtained a virus.  Click OK to terminate brain.exe.  I told him that it was ironic that he was talking about brain and computer virus in the same context because one of the first computer viruses that existed that affected PCs in the 80's.  His genuine interest both tickles my fancy and slightly scares me (no working for Russian mafia for you).

Comment

Comment

John Oliver and Donald Trump

The video speaks for itself (and mirrors many of the things I mention in my previous post).

Our main story was about Donald Trump. We can't believe we're saying that either. Connect with Last Week Tonight online...

Comment

Social Media and Moral Self-Licensing

Comment

Social Media and Moral Self-Licensing

When did posting to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like become equated to a social consciousness?  We have another tragedy involving terrorism and I see people changing their icons or profile photo to show support for the offended.  But honestly, what does it really do?  For most people that do this, the icon changing is all they do.  It lets them feel like they are off the hook because they changed it to say they did something, when in reality, you likely did nothing.   It gives you a moral self-license to say you do something and makes you feel better.

So those that choose not to change their icons or profile pictures, does it mean they are not offended or fail to show support for the cause d'jour?  Most likely not.  Perhaps those individuals have contributed to an aid fund without making the fanfare about it.  Perhaps they are helping people in the community affected.  Who knows?  If you are basing your opinion on whether someone has superficially expressed an opinion on a social media platform, then perhaps you might be spending way too much time on those platforms.

Now, for the crisis at hand.  How many people realized that Paris was not the city where terrorists attacks occurred.  Beirut had a terrorist attack attributed to ISIS, as a state allied with Iran, which is fighting ISIS in Iraq.  Turkey, a NATO ally and the base of Syrian anti-ISIS actions, thwarted supposedly an attack on the same day as the Paris attacks.  Remember the possible terrorist bombing of the Russian airline 2 weeks ago?  Another Syrian ally fighting ISIS in Syria...Where is the outrage and the support for those victims?  Why are we more aware and supportive for the Paris victims than for the other terrorist attacks?  (Rhetorical question).  

How many people were aware of migrant crisis in Europe before the attacks?  The civil war in Syria has flooded emigrants to other countries.  Not only is ther about 1.5 million refugees over the past 2 years in Europe, another 2 million have emigrated to Turkey, 1 million to Lebanon, 650 thousand to Jordan, and another 150 thousand to Egypt. Syria is a complete mess and ISIS (Da'esh) has taken advantage of this vacuum of power in this 3 way civil war.   The world has a mortal enemy now, and ISIS (Da'esh) needs to be taken care soon as a world, no matte what race, creed, or citizenship.  

 

Comment

Political Insanity Project

Comment

Political Insanity Project

Either I am clinically insane or am a glutton for punishment, but I am working on a thought project where I have registered an email address with each of the "major" party remaining campaigns as a supporter.  Now I am ready for the messages from Hillary, Bernie, Jeb!, the Donald, Marco, and the host of other characters that will be thanking me for my support and how I can help each of their campaigns achieve their goal of being leader of your "Fine Federal Government"....or at least until I am fed up with the whole project and delete the bs mailbox.  :)

I also am hoping to track how the various campaigns sell "my" information throughout the campaign and what other political ads I receive.  I fully expect by the end, the box will be inundated with Republican and Democratic propaganda on why I should support the ultimate candidate.

Comment

Political Slogans for the "Major" Party Candidates

Comment

Political Slogans for the "Major" Party Candidates

Update 10.24/15 with latest dropouts and choices

Update 1/26/16 with current candidates

Update 2/1 with Iowa fallout

Update 2/4 with additional GOP drops

Update 2/10 with New Hampshire fallout

Update 2/12 with the Gilmore dropout

With a little more than a year to go to the general elections, maybe it is time to correct political nicknames or slogans?

Democrats

Confirmed

  • Bernie Sanders  - "Feel the Money Bern" 
  • Hilary Clinton - "I did what to my mail server? "

Maybes

Maybe Nots

  • Elizabeth Warren - "I'd rather be the puppet master" 
  • Joe  Biden - "3rd Time is a Charm"

See You Later

  • Jim Webb - "Thank me for my service, but I know I have no chance at the nomination"
  • Lincoln Chafee - " What party am I today?"
  • Lawrence Lessig - "The Referendum President?" 
  • Martin O'Malley - "Can I get a debate please @DWStweets?" "Mr. 0.6%" - Dropped 2/1

Republicans

Confirmed

  • Donald Trump - "My tongue is sponsored by Dr. Scholl's"
  • Jeb Bush - "Need a Bush in the White House about every 8 years, right?"
  • Marco Rubio - "You have heard my immigrant's son story, right?"
  • John Kaisch - "Republicans can't win without Ohio.  I am from Ohio, pick me."
  • Ted Cruz - "Tea Party is still relevant, right?"
  • Ben Carson - "Proof that intelligences does not equal common sense"

See You Later

  • Rick Perry - "Adios, MoFos"
  • Scott Walker - "Come on Iowa, you know I am governor right next door.  Wisconsin isn't that bad, is it?"
  • Bobby Jindal - "Why do I sound like Kermit the Frog when I debate?" - Dropped Dec 2015
  • Lindsay Graham - "Bomb them, Bomb them, and Bomb them again" - Dropped Dec 2015
  • George Pataki - "Still making Rudy Giuliani look like a more viable candidate from New York" - Dropped Dec 2015
  • Mike Huckabee - "I too was born in Hope, Arkansas.  Worked once" - Dropped 2/1/16
  • Rand Paul - "Why do libertarians like my daddy more than me?" -Dropped 2/3/16
  • Rick Santorum - "I haven't changed positions since 2008...worked for me then, right?" - Dropped 2/3/16
  • Carly Fiorina - "Who wouldn't love this face, now sponsored by the Military Industrial Complex" - Dropped 2/10/16
  • Chris Christie - "I would have to think if Congress outlawed Krispy Kremes if I would enforce that law with troops" - Dropped 2/10/16
  • Jim Gilmore - "Must be in the witness protection program for Presidential candidates" - Dropped 2/12/16

Libertarians

Confirmed

  • Gary Johnson - "Can you take me higher?"
  • John McAfee - "I wrote antivirus program and I am crazy...might make me qualified."
  • Austin Peterson
  • 9 others that have no chance

Green

Confirmed

  • Jill Stein

Comment