Monday, October 31, 2016

PARTISAN POLITICS

The "unprecedented and unheard of" actions of FBI Director Comey, in what many believe to be partisan interference in an election, is not really without precedence in a previous case.  When Mr. Comey announced that the FBI had found no grounds on which to proceed legally against Hillary Clinton, he interjected a partisan opinion that Clinton had been "careless", in the handling of supposedly classified materials.

Despite the lack of a legal definition of "careless handling" and the absence of a law making it a crime or misdemeanor, by gratuitously offering his opinion, he was engaging in partisan politics.  In effect, he was throwing out a piece of raw meat, to compensate for his inability to do the bidding, to "lock her up", of his party's base.

In my opinion, the second incident, shows a pattern of behavior that disqualifies Comey as a free, impartial and independent Director and, therefore, really should resign his post. 

Sunday, October 30, 2016

PALING IN COMPARISON

The fact that one of the Presidential candidates, in the forthcoming election, is facing a criminal trial, in November, for fraud, and another, in December, for rape of a minor, pales in comparison to the possibility that emails, found on someone else's computer, whose contents are unknown, might somehow involve, the mentioned candidate's opponent in the race.  It would appear that actual criminal trials, whose dockets have been published, are less important than some nebulous, unknown and possibly unfounded conjecture about emails not yet read or analyzed.

It is possible that our electorate will give the former candidate a pass, and penalize the latter, his female opponent, which, indeed would be a travesty.  



  

GUEST POST

New post on The Octogenarians

Women And The Future: Survival When Referees Teke Sides

by daedal2207
Recent work with the skeletal remains of an archaic species Homo Nalidi,as reported by Carolyn Von Sickle Visiting Asst.Professor of Anthropology at Bryn Mawr,in the Nov-Dec 2016 issue of American Scientist,indicate a complex relationship between nutrition,social cooperation and the shape of the hominid pelvis.Apparently archaic traits and more modern traits are often intermixed in the hominid story.As best as I can understand,lacking knowledge in paleoanthropology,the bowl-shaped pelvis of the female hominid including homo sapiens(us) is needed to allow passage of a big brained fetus through the birth canal.The posture and ground covering capability associated seem linked more firmly than to predation and hunting.Paleoanthropology seems to suggest that the salience of homo depended on female pelvic adaptation.
In the same issue American Scientist Susan C.Alberts,Robert F Durden Professor of Biology and Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke U. Discusses the survival of wild infant baboons in the Amboselli basin of Southern Kenya.In this environment there is some possibility of survival for orphaned infants.S he points out that the availability of a lactating surrogate with enough milk for her own offspring as well as the orphan is unlikely and seems to require the assistance of a protective male.This complicated by the use of lower status males to use infants to deflect the hostility of other,often higher ranking males.This use adds to infant mortality and removes the protective behavior from confusion with human altruism.Again my apologies for ignorance about ethology and evolutionary anthropology!,but it appears that the survival of the most marginal and weakest members of baboon society is dependent on the females.(Sometimes resulting in their injury or death)
Switching(not pivoting)to the affairs of men and my presumption that Homo Sapiens is engaged in a struggle for survival against overpopulation,global warming,terrorism,and nuclear extinction.On this blog it has been suggested that female leadership may be the key to our survival on the planet.If models of governance ,reflecting national character,are competing to define the future.There appears to be little question that capitalism is the best way to make a bigger pie;within what framework is the competition issue.our bid is constitutional democracy.It is the opinion of most of our contributors that Hillary is our best bet to carry us forward.It is ironic but far from accidental that the abusive conduct of three men vis-a-vis women are bedevilling her candidacy.Those three are her opponent a self-confessed serial abuser,her husband,a charming philanderer,and a disgraced former representative an admitted exhibitionist and pedophile.
The release of information ( first to republicans) that examination of the email issue would be resumed on the basis of a computer shared by a top aide with her husband(Wiener)10 days before the election,and under scrutiny for his perverse content and incidentally to contain some emails sent to her server,is the reification of innuendo and surmise cannot be defended.A full disclosure of what is in FBI possession and what has been done with it is essential to Hillary and the rest of us.In the meantime the most vociferous of the innuendo accusers turn out to be men who have conducted themselves in less than chivalrous fashion with multiple ex wives two of whom were plagued with terminal illnesses.(Gingrich,Giuliani.)

Thursday, October 27, 2016

GUEST POST

New post on The Octogenarians

Serial Offender or Serially Lied About

by daedal2207
One doesn't need a degree in medicine or psychology to decide about the Trumpeter.He is condemned by his own words.Even a superficial reading of De Sade identifies the fascination with nubile feminine charms and the accompanying disgust and punitive rage when the call of nature has to be obeyed by the lust objects in De Sade's garden.Trump was "disgusted "by Hilary's ablutions and "not impressed" when she walked in front of him.His own wife identifies his talk as boy talk at an adolescent level.His problem is that he can't control the behavior.The puerile threat to sue the women who are pouring forth with accusations may be the equivalent of Sade's imprecations and abuse. Misogyny may be at an all time high as well as bigotry and hate crime.Assange's leaks about the deleted messsages can't compare despite the party rrhetoric
daedal2207 | October 25, 2016 at 11:20 pm | Categories: Uncategorized | URL:http://wp.me/p4Gt4f-eX
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Friday, October 21, 2016

PERNICIOUSNESS OR PATHOLOGY?

On watching Trump leaving the Al Smith dinner, after he was openly jeered during his speech, I could not help but feel some pity for him.  My mind went to recent memes which showed him denying that he had said certain things that videos, taken even just days before, proved otherwise.  Indeed, during the debate with Hillary, everything that Trump declared was "wrong" when he interrupted her speech, was  contradicted, subsequently, by videos of his saying the very things which he claimed was wrong.

I can not ignore the possibility that he has early onset of dementia with short term memory loss, in which case, mocking his disability would be just as wrong as his mocking a disabled person, and which he denies despite video evidence to the contrary.




Thursday, October 20, 2016

LACK OF STAMINA

Pundits have remarked that Trump appears to be "Presidential", in all of the debates, for the first 30 minutes, after which he appears to fade, becoming less and less Presidential, for the last hour of the debate.  

His critics should make allowances for the difference, in age, between Trump and Hillary.  Additionally, Hillary has not had to handle three spouses, in her shorter life time, which should account for something in judging their respective staminas.


Tuesday, October 18, 2016

RIGGING THE ELECTION

Under  the Electoral College system, as prescribed by the Constitution, the Presidential election is on a state by state basis.  Presidential elections are governed by each State and not by the Federal Government.  In order to "rig" the Presidential election, it would have to be done by somehow taking over the election process of  most of the governments of 50 different States.

Since most of the State governments are in the hands of Republican governors, when Trump complains that the election has been rigged against him, he is, in effect, indicting his own Party.

Since the Democrats have no dog in that fight, they should just butt out and leave the fight to Trump and  Priebus.   

Monday, October 17, 2016

COMPELLING ARGUMENT

There may be a compelling argument, in favor of the claim, that the media may be rigged against the G.O.P..  After all, it was the media that provided over a billion dollars in free air time, during the Primaries, that propelled Donald Trump to the candidacy of the Republican Party.

Sunday, October 16, 2016

PREDATOR OR PREVARICATOR?

Under questioning, about the 2005 Trump tape, by Anderson Cooper, Donald Trump has revealed the fundamental flaw in his character.  By denying that he ever did those things he boasted of, he leaves us with having to decide whether he is a serial sexual predator or a serious serial prevaricator.

Friday, October 14, 2016

"TALKING THE TALK"

At the last debate, under intense questioning of the moderator, Anderson Cooper,  Donald Trump admitted that whereas he, using locker room words, boasted of improper treatment of women, BUT unlike Bill Clinton, who actually acted improperly, he, Trump had never actually done any of the things he said.

In effect, the Donald said that while he 'talked the talk", only Bill Clinton actually "walked the walk".  Those macho white men looking for a "real man" to take over the Presidency, according to Donald, missed the boat in the 90s, when Bill Clinton was in power.  I wonder if Trump will apologize to that large group of his supporters who must be devastated by the news.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

PUERILITY IN THE NARCISSISTIC

Yes, I have heard "locker room talk", but only among adolescents, rarely, if ever,  from a mature adult.  There certainly aren't many 60 year old men who engage in gossip about romantic conquests; those that do are usually demonstrating one of the symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, in that it appears as if their development was arrested in their teens.

All of us will be well served if we are spared the Administration of a narcissist. 

Sunday, October 9, 2016

CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK

If, as Donald Trump's tweets portend, he will make an issue of Bill Clinton's affairs, at the 2nd Debate, it will certainly be beyond my comprehension, as to logic.

If the import of Trump's comments on Bill Clinton are that Bill was a good President despite being a predator, Hillary Clinton will be able to say: "Donald, I know Bill Clinton; Donald, you're no Bill Clinton."

If Trump tries to impugn Hillary's character because of what Bill did, she can just say that Bill's name is not on the ballot and Trump is free to vote against Bill if he chooses.  She can also state she didn't approve of Bill's behavior any more than she does his.

If Trump says that she, Hillary, acted improperly towards Bill's "victims" she can assure Trump that she promises not to act badly towards Trump's victims, besides, "tomorrow morning, the fact-checkers may be advising you, once again, that the allegation is false".

Perhaps, someone will warn Trump that the pot takes its chances when calling the kettle black.





Saturday, October 8, 2016

LIBERAL BIAS OF THE PRESS

Nothing demonstrates the liberal bias of the press as much as as the current situation where the press chooses to highlight a twelve year old incident, that has just come to light, about the Republican Presidential candidate, instead of concentrating on, previously well publicized, 20 year old events that occurred in the life of the spouse of the present Democratic candidate.

The seriousness of the problem is further aggravated by the seeming  reluctance, of the press, to accept the fact that the 20 year old events exculpate those of the twelve year old event.  How biased can you get? 

Friday, October 7, 2016

TRUMPS LEAKED TAX RETURN

Sorry, but I believe that Trump's leaked tax return was leaked by the Trump campaign, itself, not to damage Trump, but as a red herring to relieve the pressure being exerted to release his tax returns.

Not only was the, supposedly, anonymously donated return incomplete with important pages omitted, but because it allegedly showed almost a $1 billion loss, an amount that only a tremendously wealthy businessman could sustain, which would fit into the persona that Trump tries to portray.  The other pages of the return might have revealed information less flattering to Mr. Trump.
                                                                                                            I have a sneaking suspicion that the results of the audit on this return might be of even greater interest than the partial return.









DISSENSION IN THE RANKS

Much dissension, in the ranks of Trump supporters, has been sown by Trump having used the wrong pronunciation, according to local usage, the name of the State of Nevada.  While both sides of the dispute agree that it is the fault of Hillary Clinton, they disagree on how she was able to accomplish the feat, some claiming supernatural powers and the other side saying she caused it through chemical means.  A resolution is expected prior to election day unless Hillary successfully blocks their efforts.

Monday, October 3, 2016

INDEMNIFYING BILLIONAIRES AGAINST LOSSES

Yes, by allowing a billionaire to deduct 100% of his losses from his income taxes, our taxpayers are, in effect, indemnifying him from any losses he may suffer, but what's the fuss?  

In 2008 we indemnified a whole group of billionaires from losses amounting to almost $1 trillion, and did it in one fell swoop so as not to inconvenience them by having to miss out on Winter vacations or Christmas bonuses.

This is what makes America great, again.

Sunday, October 2, 2016

WHAT WOULD THE HEBREW SAGES THINK?

What would the Hebrew sages have thought about the spectacle of three serial philanderers attacking the morals of a fourth?  If the women involved were not married at the time, why it would not be a sin, at all, not subject to any penalty.  On the other hand, for implying, without proof, that Hillary committed adultery, thereby violating the 8th Commandment, Trump would be considered among the vilest of people worthy of stoning to death.  Now if we can only find people without sin for the task. 

GAMING THE SYSTEM

It never fails to surprise me, that people who are proud of not paying taxes are, nevertheless, quick to make full use of services that are paid for through taxes.  Donald Trump, perhaps the most litigious person in our History, taking pride in his ability to avoid paying taxes, keeps the courts busy filing law suits against his adversaries, many of whom, do pay the taxes that maintains the very courts which Trump uses against them.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

COUNTER TO THE SPIRIT OF THE ADA

There is something disconcerting in Hillary's campaign against Trump , in that she is exploiting some of his weaknesses so effectively against him.  Knowing that the Donald shows signs of having a personality disorder, she has enlisted the assistance of psychologists to help plan her campaign.  

Now, while it may be meritorious to try to prevent such a person from  ever taking over the powers of the President, somehow it feels to be counter to the spirit of  the Americans with Disabilities Act.