So Far, With This Trump Administration

It's only been 6 weeks today into this new Trump Presidential administration and just to keep you up to date, here's a list of what's happened so far, some of what he's done.

Trump Repeats Lie About Popular Vote 

in Meeting With Lawmakers

Donald Trump Says He Doesn't Need 

Daily Intelligence Briefings 

Trump Picks Scott Pruitt, Climate Change 

Denialist, to Lead EPA

Trump Picks Opponent Of Higher 

Minimum Wage For Labor Department

Donald Trump is aggressively provoking China

Donald Trump declares 

'Let it be a nuclear arms race' with Russia

Outrage After Trump Insults 

Civil Rights Icon John Lewis

Donald Trump immediately attacks 

U.S. intelligence community

Trump Hires Son-in-Law Jared Kushner 

as White House Adviser

Trump tells German paper: 

NATO is 'obsolete'

Sean Spicer told at least 

5 untruths in 5 minutes

Trump threatens to withhold 

federal funds from California

Isolationist Trump and GOP threaten 

to cut funding to the United Nations

Trump undertakes most ambitious 

regulatory rollback since Reagan

Trump to Begin Dodd-Frank Rollback 

With Executive Order

Trump plans executive actions 

for ObamaCare repeal

Donald Trump's Cabinet-in-waiting: 

What we know so far

Trump Attacks The Media As 'Dishonest'

'Alternative Facts': The Needless Lies 

of the Trump Administration

The First 100 Lies: The Trump Team's 

Flurry Of Falsehoods

Michael Flynn resigns 

as national security adviser

Trump just gave a weapons-grade crazy 

press conference

11 Crazy Quotes From Donald Trump's 

Press Conference Quotes

Trump's press conference should make 

Wall Street afraid

Report: Trump lashes out at Australian PM 

on phone call

Donald Trump Warns Mexico He May Send 

U.S. Troops

Donald Trump: Maybe I'll Invade Chicago

Trump implied Frederick Douglass 

was alive

Trump attacks Nordstrom over 

daughter's clothing line

Trump told FBI to knock down 

Russian stories and they refused

Not Even Andrew Jackson Went as Far as Trump 

in Attacking the Courts

The 3 Trump-Russia scandals, explained

Jeff Sessions 'did not reveal 

Russia envoy meetings'

Jeff Sessions Recuses Himself 

From Russia Inquiry

135 Congressional Democrats call on 

Attorney General to resign

And this, frankly, is just a partial list of what he's done in these last 6, dizzying weeks since his inauguration. There are more here.  If you can stomach it all.

A List of Everything Trump Has Done 

So Far As President

As I have said and as I keep saying...

God help us all.

That Wall On the Mexico Border?

On that wall President Trump wants to build.

And why it's not likely.


If not actually, totally downright, out and out stupid.

And impossible.

More:

Head Of Border Patrol Union Weighs In On Trump's Wall Plans

Border Wall Would Cut Across Land Sacred To Native Tribe

Landowners Likely To Bring More Lawsuits As Trump Moves 

On Border Wall

Southern Border Wall: Campaign Slogan Meets Reality

The Environmental Consequences Of A Wall On The U.S.-Mexico Border

Entertainment Overnight -- St Paul and the Broken Bones

On Being A Progressive

From a document in 1912, for pity's sake. And we're still fighting for lots of, most of these things.

I'm a "Progressive" and this is what we stand for (from a 1912 document)

-Effective legislation looking to the prevention of industrial accidents, occupational diseases, overwork, involuntary unemployment, and other injurious effects incident to modern industry;

-The fixing of minimum safety and health standards for the various occupations, and the exercise of the public authority of State and Nation, including the Federal Control over interstate commerce, and the taxing power, to maintain such standards;

-The prohibition of child labor;

-Minimum wage standards for working women, to provide a “living wage” in all industrial occupations;

-The general prohibition of night work for women and the establishment of an eight hour day for women and young persons;

-One day’s rest in seven for all wage workers;

-The eight hour day in continuous twenty-four hour industries;

-The abolition of the convict contract labor system;

-Standards of compensation for death by industrial accident and injury and trade disease which will transfer the burden of lost earnings from the families of working people to the industry, and thus to the community;

-The protection of home life against the hazards of sickness, irregular employment and old age through the adoption of a system of social insurance adapted to American use;

-The development of the creative labor power of America by lifting the last load of illiteracy from American youth and establishing continuation schools for industrial education under public control and encouraging agricultural education and demonstration in rural schools;

-We favor the organization of the workers, men and women, as a means of protecting their interests and of promoting their progress.

How long, America? How long?

Republicans? The question to you, specifically.

Technology Today - Incredible

You should see this technology, this new robot from Boston Dynamics. Forget walking, the thing can jump. It can and does jump stairs, if it so wishes.

Boston Dynamics' Newest Robot Moves Like a Donkey on Rollerblades

This is, at once, fascinating and beautiful and wondrous and terrifying. Humankind will clearly rush, headlong into AI, artificial intelligence, in spite of the best, brightest minds of our time, warning us.

Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and 

Bill Gates Warn About Artificial Intelligence

Stephen Hawking warns artificial 

intelligence could end mankind 

Whither next?

I don't think anyone can say.

Quote of the Day -- Then and Now

“The age of chivalry is past. Bores have succeeded to dragons.” 

--Charles Dickens

The Complete, Total, Even Outrageous Hypocrisy of This Donald J. Trump

You can't really comprehend the really complete and total, utter hypocrisy and even stupidity of Trump's "Muslim ban"--because that's what it is, let's face it--until you see this very brief (3 minutes, 36 seconds) video from Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times.



And besides his grandfather, think, too, of Mr. Trump's wife.

Besides being a nearly unimaginable hypocrite, the man doesn't know America's own history.

"Bring me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free..."

Kudos to The New York Times: "The Truth Is Hard"

The New York Times today ran a full page ad in their paper on "the truth." As with so much at The Times, it's intelligent and simple and correct. It's even strong. And we need it now, especially with this obfuscator/hypocrite/redefiner of the truth in the White House. The paper is also doing this, tonight:

Truth Is Hard,' Says New York Times' First-Ever Oscars Ad

Seems they're also going to hit The Orange One where it hurts--on one of the most-watched nights of television in the year. Here's the ad:

So good for them. Good for The Times and good for us. Great for us. We need to hold this man accountable, to all of us. We need to hold him accountable to, yes, the truth but to justice and equality and a host of other things that, from anyone else, we could assume.

Quote of the Day -- Sunday Edition

Mardi Gras Weekend!

It's Mardi Gras weekend, y'all, no matter where you live! Go get some red beans and rice or jambalaya or crawfish etoufee' or gumbo or a po' boy or SOMETHING!!

Laissez les bons temps rouler!!

An Un-Constitutional, Un-American President and His Political Party

Starting with their President, Trump, some very un-Constitutional and un-American acts this week. He did this, yesterday.

White House blocks CNN, New York Times from press briefing hours after Trump slams media

Now, today, he did this. He's gone international with his press ban.

Donald Trump press ban: BBC, CNN and Guardian denied access to briefing

And lest we think he's alone in this, in his actions, perish the thought. His very Right Wing, Republican cohorts are doing much the same, state to state, across the nation. They don't want to hear from us, from you, Mr. and Mrs. America.

Republican lawmakers introduce bills to curb protesting in at least 18 states

Let's be clear, here, ladies and gentlemen, Americans. This is not only a narcissistic, insecure man but a dangerous one and he's going against everything we think we are about, everything we've "been about" for the last few hundred years.

Not to be done there, check out what the Kuwaiti government did last month.

Kuwait Celebration At Trump Hotel Raises Conflict Of Interest Questions

They switched a 600 room reservation from the Four Seasons Hotel in New York to the Trump Hotel.

Conflict of interest much?

Can you imagine if the last President had done anything, anything remotely similar? 

Can you imagine the uproar? The outcry? The investigations?

The Weekly KCPT "White Watch"

I think I've decided I'm going to post out here, weekly, who, precisely, is included and excluded on our local PBS station, KCPT's two weekly news shows as to who is on it and who is off. I've pointed out here, several times, how few minorities are included on the shows. And the shows are "Ruckus" and "Kansas City Week In Review."

Normally, weekly, it is virtually always, as I've shown, merely and only, singularly, white people. Maybe one woman, one white woman but that's it. No Blacks. No Hispanics. No Asians. No one else but white people as though we are some Northeast United States, completely white society and any input from anyone else is unnecessary.

This week, a small gain was made in that "Kansas City Week In Review' with Nick Haines had---count 'em!---one "person of color." They included one, one Black man, God love 'em.

But check this out.

For that one Black person, that one Black person in the chair this week?

The female got bumped.

Apparently, on this show, if not on KCPT, period, they can only allow one minority. One minority at a time.

Isn't that wonderful?

Meanwhile, back on "Ruckus"?

Lily white.

Once again, one more time, the "Ruckus" show had nothing but middle-aged--or older--white males. And yes, they included, on this program, one white woman.

Bless their little hearts.

KCPT and PBS does so much good otherwise and gives us such great programming otherwise but on these two weekly news programs?

They fail the city greatly.

Entertainment Overnight -- Is It a Crime?

This may come, come as a surprise..



but I still want you...

If I Did Advertising/Marketing For Yellow Cab

Seems everyone wants to get into the Yellow Cab, "I need a ride" business.

There's Uber and Lyft, Sidecar, Curb, Hailo and I don't know how many others (see link below). All of them want to do the same thing. That is, give us a ride, give you a ride but at a lower price for you and all because THEY DON'T HAVE ANY (or many) EMPLOYEES. They don't have steady, ongoing, official employees they have to pay wages or benefits.

Yes, isn't that a wonderful thing?

Those pesky things, employees, what with their need for wages and maybe a pension plan for when they inevitably get old and health insurance and all that.  What nerve.

And who's taking it on the chin?

Well, Yellow Cab companies and all like them, first of all, but more than that, of course, but, again, those pesky employees. Of Yellow Cab.

And that's not Yellow Cab's only problem, either. Technology will also be throwing this little, soon to be huge, problem at them, too:

Autonomous Vehicles 

Will Replace Taxi Drivers

I got to thinking about this.

If I were the owner of a large Yellow Cab franchise, I think I came up with the perfect way to "fight back", Capitalism style, with advertising. Here's what I'd do.

I'd run TV ads, at least pointing out the benefits of cabs over these "ride sharing" programs.

What benefits, you might ask? The ad would be something like this:

 Need a ride? 

 Call Yellow Cab, for all the benefits! 

 No additional "up-front" fees to "join"! 

 No membership to purchase! 

 No app to download! 

 No information (of yours) to share (with us)! 

 No information of yours sold (by us) to other companies! 

  Just one flat fee, as you know, per mile, with a friendly face at the wheel! 

 So, next time you need a ride, keep it simple and SAVE! 

 CALL YELLOW CAB!! 

Then, I'd get with my fellow Yellow Cab company operators, coast to coast, and make the ads available to them and at a terrific, low price, strength being in numbers and all. I'd also pitch the program to Labor Unions. No group understands standing together better than Unions. Heck, I'd even let my drivers and the employees unionize.

The owners of all those cabs have to know their ridership and so, profits are down. They also need to know they need to both stand together, as a group, but also have people "in their corner", so to speak and no one could do that better for them, being "in their corner", supporting them than Unions of all kinds, coast to coast.

All the cab companies better realize it's a changing, vastly changing world out there. They need to respond to it or they're going to go the way of the wagon train.

Link:

Looking for a Ride? Here's a List of Uber Alternatives

American History for Black History Month from 1965

I wasn't aware of this debate or film clip until last evening. I didn't know James Baldwin debated the very Right Wing, Conservative William F. Buckley at all, on any subject, let alone this one. And the topic was "Is the American Dream at the expense of the American Negro?"

My response is that not only is and has the American Dream been at the expense of the American "Negro", the African-Americans, the Blacks, but it has been built on their backs, figuratively and literally.

Historic debate between James Baldwin v. William F. Buckley Jr. at Cambridge University.


Far too few Americans have seen this video or know of this debate. Far too will, I feel sure, sadly and unfortunately.

It Keeps Getting Worse For The Trumpster, Too

This broke two days ago.

Quinnipiac poll: Trump approval hits new low

A bit from the article:

President Trump's approval rating has slipped to 38 percent, a new national poll finds.

The Quinnipiac University survey released on Wednesday says that only 38 percent of Americans approve of Trump's job performance, while 55 percent disapprove.

According to Quinnipiac, the 17-point difference in Trump's approval rating is the worst he's fared in a poll since taking office in January.

An earlier survey from the pollster this month registered Trump with 42 percent approval and 51 percent disapproval.

“President Trump’s popularity is sinking like a rock," Tim Malloy, the assistant director of the poll, said in a statement announcing the findings.

"He gets slammed on honesty, empathy, level-headedness and the ability to unite. And two of his strong points, leadership and intelligence, are sinking to new lows. This is a terrible survey one month in.”

Again, this is unprecedented, making for an unprecedented presidency. 

We are right at 5 weeks into this administration and when this man and his people should be, traditionally, historically, enjoying high approval ratings, the first 100 days, this guy is, instead, at historic lows.

Does that tell you much, Republicans? Americans?

And wait. It gets better, too.

Americans Trust Media More Than Trump

BWAHAHAHAHAHA

God, I love it.

What isn't to hate of this man and his administration--or fear, for our nation--is to love.

Think happy, positive thoughts, campers.

Entertainment Overnight -- New

Saw these guys on TV tonight for the first time and liked what I heard.


Thanks, once again, KCPT and PBS.

America, Who You Are, In Three Statistics

America, I don't think you know who you are.

Oh, sure, you kind of know but I don't think you're really looking at yourself and seeing who and what you are.

So with that in mind, America, Americans, I give you three--just three--statistics, just three facts that really show who you are, what you support and what you're about. Forsooth:

Number one.  Health care.

Once again, U.S. has most expensive, least effective health care

US Spends More on Health Care Than Other High-Income Nations But  Has Lower Life Expectancy, Worse Health

U.S. Healthcare: Most Expensive and Worst Performing

Our health care and health care system is, far and away, the most expensive health care system in the world, bar none.

For all we pay, we have lousy health and even extremely poor health outcomes.

Of the top 17 industrialized nations, we have the worst mortality rates. Translation: We die sooner than the 16 nations before us on that list.

Second, number two of our statistics, on top of all that spending and costs, we are ranked number 31, in 31st place in life expectancy, internationally. Check it out.

List of countries by life expectancy

Of the 30 nations ahead of us on this list of life expectancy, all have universal health care. Imagine that. Oh, yeah, and most are---GASP--SOCIALIST nations. Heaven forbid, right?

Third and finally, there is this statistic and fact, America. Again, this is who you are.

U.S. Military Spending Dwarfs Rest of World

US Spends More on Military Than Next Seven Countries Combined

How Military and Education Spending Compare in America

US spends more on military than next 8 nations combined

These, my fellow Americans, are your--our--priorities.

Sure, we bemoan our students and schools failing and sure, we lament our health care is outrageously high--so high we can't afford it and that it's also the number one cause of bankruptcy in the nation. And yes, we don't have enough money, we think and say, for our roads and bridges and highways and sewers and airports and infrastructure or anything else, really, but BY GOD, WE HAVE BILLIONS AND TRILLIONS FOR "DEFENSE"! Nobody has more money for bombs and jets and warships or blows things up better than us.

So there you go, America. In three quick little "nutshells", so to speak, this is who and what you are.

Apparently, you think this is all not just a good idea but that it's also somehow sustainable.

Links:  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy

Gross, wasteful defense spending

The 10 Most Blatantly Wasteful Defense Items

Our Obscene, Huge, Immoral Defense Spending

Pentagon buries evidence of $125 billion 

in bureaucratic waste

The Pentagon Could Reach a Historic Level 

of Wasteful Spending

5 Insanely Wasteful Projects the Pentagon 

is Spending Your Money

Our Obscene, Huge, Immoral Defense Spending

Nearly half of states are facing budget shortfalls. 

Here’s why that matters.

On Republicans and Hypocrisy

Bill Maher, from his show, "Real Time with Bill Maher." As ever, expletives included.


They've got hypocrisy down pat.

Links:

Republicans reach staggering new heights of hypocrisy

Two-faced hypocrisy of Republican religious freedom

Republican Hypocrisy on Trump's Nominees

Republicans: You're Not Pro-Life, You're Hypocrites

Exposing 5 of the Biggest Republican Hypocrisies

GOP's Constitution hypocrisy: Supreme Court drama

12 Examples of Stunning Hypocrisy from 

Tea Party Republicans

How Actually Bad This Trump Presidency Is

The again, unprecedented Presidency of this Donald J. Trump. A foreign nation and actually close ally is, right at this moment--has to--debate whether you should even be allowed to visit.

UK Parliament debates Trump visit

Shame on you, America. This is where you are now. This is what he's done to you. This is what he's doing. This is how bad it is just now, all due to this one short-sighted, ugly, ignorant, racist, sexist, misogynist.

Not only is this unprecedented, that a close US ally, actually, easily arguably our closest ally, is, at this moment, debating a state visit by an American President is, by itself, new, negative, breaking ground and territory, of course. That it is also being done in the FIRST 5 WEEKS of this presidency, in his first 100 days when he would normally be, in any other administration, at his most popular is just stunning and again, never before experienced.

A sad, sad day for you, America.

Link:

Thousands expected to attend 'Not My Presidents Day' rallies across the country