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...

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.  

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

Political thought of the day

You know, Bernie Sanders supporters in the Democrat Party and the Donald Trump supporters in the Republican Party, it is very cute that you get excited about their rise in the polls.  There is almost zero chance that either one of them will be the nominee in their respective parties. The powers at be in both  of the parties will see that the establishment candidates of Clinton and likely Bush will be the candidates.  The Donald may run as an independent candidate a la Ross Perot in 92, but the oligarchy of having a Bush or Clinton in the senior levels of government since 1980 with the exception of the last 2+ years will probably lend to another Bush-Clinton election cycle. 

Just sit back and grab the popcorn and see how much laying to waste the darlings will do before the party leaders will step in and tell them where they stand.  

Indiana's RFRA and Walkerton, IN

So, it has been nearly a week since this pizza place (Memories Pizza) in Walkerton, IN that raised all sorts of stink about saying they would not cater a gay wedding if someone wanted them to.  Just some points:

• There was very little chance of them every catering a gay wedding in Walkerton. There is not a large gay population in Walkerton (if any).
• No self respecting gay couple would cater their wedding with pizza.
• The ultra nut jobs from the left and right have predictable gone off the deep end with their threats, diatribes, and support of the crazies on their side.

School mist guilt trip?

Tonight was my youngest child's open house at school with the rigamarole that goes with it, including signing multiple forms (for Title I, allowed pickups, etc,), and were sent home the annual flu mist consent form.  This program has been voluntary in our school system for several years, but the pressure to get the students to get the forms filled out (preferably with a yes) has increased greatly over the past several years (even bribing kids with extra credit) in order to get 100% form return (and 100% participation).  The form this year (which I will get to later) differs subtly from the previous year, and in a somewhat manipulative way.

First, here is one of the original forms

2008-2009 Flu Mist Form

2011-2012 Flu Mist Form

2012-2013 Flu Mist Form

2013-2014 Flu Mist Program

Now we come up to this year's form:

2013-2014 Flu Mist Form

You see that subtle change?  Let me highlight it for you:

Ah...add this social responsibility guilt factor.  Yes, I want to be a good guy and save everyone or No, I want to be a selfish bastard and not have my kids immunized.  Maybe that is what it will say next year.