How to deprogram Dump voters

Good article by a brain scientist on the topic. Numerous reliable fact check orgs have proven without doubt that Dump is by far the Biggest Liar. So why do Dumpsters believe him and how do we deprogram that false belief? The scientist said supporters are manipulated by the  "illusory truth effect, a thinking error in our minds that happens when false statements are repeated many times and we begin to see them as true. In other words, just because something is stated several times, we perceive it as more accurate."

It plays on our emotions, as we get comfortable with repeated things. Our automatic emotional system is activated, a more ancient brain network. It's a fast response system to protect us from immanent threat. But that automatic system is not well suited to more slow, deliberate considerations necessary for living in a more complex society. The former system feeds our preconceptions and elicits more comfortable feelings.

So more specialized and targeted media like Fox feeds those preconceptions by triggering the fight or flight response and then reinforces repeatedly comforting lies and misrepresentations. It is intentionally directed at the automatic response system. Dump and the Russians take advantage of this by calling "fake news" anything factual that counters their lies and followers eat it up like candy on Halloween.

So it takes the slow, deliberate and reflective thinking brain to counter this. But this must be done via the automatic system.

Fact check on Popadopolous' Russian role in the Dump campaign

Now that Poppie is spilling the beans on Russian collusion, Dump and the Dumpsters are trying to say Pop had a very limited role as a volunteer in the campaign. Factcheck.org provides the reality, which is that Pop "was in communications with senior members of the Trump campaign." He as also  "one of only a few members of the campaign’s foreign policy team," and Dump is quoted as saying: “George Papadopoulos. He’s an oil and energy consultant. Excellent guy." The linked article also has dates when Pop met or communicated with Russians, and his communications about that with the campaign. The toxic Dump isn't going to wiggle out of this one. The end is near for the treasonous ones.

Team Phantom of the Ballroom

Their team dance also got a perfect score.

Frankie & Witney on DWTS

Dance of the night getting the only individual perfect score.

It's Mueller Time

Trevor Noah covers the indictments. While it's true that there is no direct connection with the Dump campaign and collusion with the Russians in the Manafort indictment, there certainly is in the Popadopolous guilty plea. Funny how the Dumpsters are avoiding that story.

Colbert: Tis the season for treason

Colbert comments on the latest Russia revelations from Mueller.

Buddhist philosophy is sexist

Continuing the last post, there is a long tradition of sexism that is being slowly reformed by some like Ven. Karma Lekshe Tsomo:

"What misconceptions exist about women in Buddhism?

In Buddhist texts and traditions, we find stereotypes of women as jealous, gossipy, sexually uncontrollable, overly emotional, and so on. Many people, including some women, accept these stereotypes. Even in the West, we often find women ignored, excluded, or talked over. If a woman speaks out, she may be considered arrogant or aggressive, whereas a man will be seen as confident and assertive. Western feminists are sometimes accused of exaggerating gender inequalities, but we cannot ignore the discrimination we face. Asian women certainly notice gender discrimination. They joke about it all the time."

Western philosophy is racist

So claims this article. And it is well supported by citations of western philosophers. E.g.:

"Kant himself was notoriously racist. He treated race as a scientific category (which it is not), correlated it with the ability for abstract thought, and – theorising on the destiny of races in lectures to students – arranged them in a hierarchical order:

1. ‘The race of the whites contains all talents and motives in itself.’

2. ‘The Hindus … have a strong degree of calm, and all look like philosophers. That notwithstanding, they are much inclined to anger and love. They thus are educable in the highest degree, but only to the arts and not to the sciences. They will never achieve abstract concepts. [Kant ranks the Chinese with East Indians, and claims that they are] static … for their history books show that they do not know more now than they have long known.’

3. ‘The race of Negroes … [is] full of affect and passion, very lively, chatty and vain. It can be educated, but only to the education of servants, ie, they can be trained.’

4. ‘The [Indigenous] American people are uneducable; for they lack affect and passion. They are not amorous, and so are not fertile. They speak hardly at all, … care for nothing and are lazy.’"

US support of Nazism

This video is when 22,000 Americans gathered in Madison Square Garden in 1939 in support of Nazism. It was billed as a pro-American rally, complete with the Pledge of Allegiance, the Star Spangled Banner, flag waving, white supremacy, and beating a protester. It reminds me of Dump rallies today.

Dump's lying defense of indicted Manafort

So Dump is claiming all of Manafort's misadventures occurred before he came on the campaign. It's a lie: The indictment is clear that Manfort's and Gates' illegal activities continued while they were working on the campaign. And Gates continued to work for the campaign and the Administration well after Manafort left.

Lakoff on the Democratic civil war

He addresses this in his FB post today. (It's also on his blog for those that don't subscribe to Facef*ck.) The DNC recently removed some progressives and installed some corporatists. It highlights the internecine battles going on within the Party, the progressives thinking the Party should not accept corporate donations. It's also that progressives think the Party needs to return to the issues upon which the Party was founded: "It’s time for the Democratic Party to examine its soul and remember why it’s the only major political party that reflects the progressive idea of our nation – a government of, by, and for the People." That includes the notion that the federal government provides protections for all people, not just the wealthy. It's about the government building the necessary infrastructure that enables business and workers to achieve a livable wage. And unfortunately we the people have been abandoned by the Party that sucks up to the wealthy for its money.

The counts against Manafort

Dump's former foreign policy adviser pleads guilty

To lying to the FBI in the Mueller investigation. Papadopolous also admits trying to set up meetings between the Dump campaign and Russians. The noose is tightening.

Manafort and Dump aide charged in the Mueller investigation

The beginning of the end for Dump and his Dumpsters.

What is Brand New Congress?

This video gives a quick summary of the organization. You can learn more at their website. The blurb from the platform follows. See it for specific issues:

"We, the American people, have everything we need to reverse our economic decline and achieve prosperity for all our citizens; we have 320 million amazing people, vast natural resources, the best universities in the world, and an economy abundant with capital and innovation. The only thing standing in our way is the corrupt and complacent political establishment. Once we elect a Brand New Congress, we know that America can finally do what is necessary to bring about true liberty and justice for all: reinvest in American industry, repair our crumbling infrastructure, rekindle our struggling schools, build an all-renewable energy system, eliminate burdensome regulations, rebuild our broken healthcare system, reform our unjust criminal justice system and restore the promise of democracy."

Tax breaks for the rich eliminate jobs

Always have, always will. The only ones benefiting from these tax breaks are the big companies who can afford to buy Congresspeople.

North America prior to illegal immigration

I guess we forgot about that part of history, where Europeans came here and took the country by force from the natives.

Ivanka Dump loves American workers

Or so she says. She and her Dump father though still produce their clothing lines from overseas workers. Watch not what they say but what they do.

Dump's rigged system in Puerto Rico

So Whitefish Energy gets the no-bid contract to repair damage in Puerto Rico, only because its related to one of the Dumpsters. And this is what they're getting paid. No union pays that sort of wage, so what is the real problem here?

Halle Berry beats James Corden in rap battle

Tom Steyer: Need to impeach

Following up on the last post, Tom Steyer's letter on impeachment follows. Go to needtoimpeach.com to sign the petition.

"Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Dear Elected Official,

This is not a time for “patience” — Donald Trump is not fit for office. It is evident that there is zero reason to believe “he can be a good president.”

Whether by the nature of Mr. Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin and Russia, his willingness to exploit the office of the Presidency for his personal gain and treat the government like a family enterprise, his conduct during Charlottesville, his decision to pull out of the Paris climate accords, or his seeming determination to take the nation to war, he has violated the Constitution, the office of the Presidency, and the trust of the public. He is a clear and present danger to the United States of America.

Republican Senator Bob Corker, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, referred to the Trump White House as a day care center, and observed that this president has put us “on the path to World War III.” This comes following reports that Trump’s own Secretary of State referred to him as a “moron” and that Chief of Staff John Kelly and Secretary of Defense James Mattis have an agreement not to leave Trump home alone for fear of what he could do. And we have seen other Republican Senators, including Senators Sasse and Flake, express their own profound concerns.

If Trump has lost the trust of the members of his own administration and leading members of his own party, surely it is time to act.

Dump impeachment ad runs on Fox & Friends

I love it. How this happened I have no idea but it did. In the video below the ad follows right after Fox & Friends make a few comments before the commercial break. Check it out and go to needtoimpeach.com to sign the petition.

First charges filed in Mueller investigation

We don't know yet against whom, or what the charge are. But a federal grand jury approved those charges yesterday. I guess we'll find out soon enough and I'll report on it then.

Joy Behar is right: Go for the jugular

Maher and her discuss that liberals are too nice and they need to learn how to fight. When they go low we need to go lower. And skip the wonky shit; speak plainly and offensively. She and Maher are absolutely right. Hence this blog.

Colbert makes fun of Paltrow's Goop magazine again

Once again he satirizes Paltrow's New Age Goop.

Dr. Phil on Dump's mental disability

Colbert interviews Dr. Phil, and after the sexual harassment incidents they then discuss (around 5:00) Dump through a 'hypothetical' situation obviously pointed directly at the Presidunce. He tells us that a pathological liar like Dump is beyond treatment and repair. He then encourages us to do something about a situation we don't like, like get politically involved.

Fetish patriotism

Maher's new rule on how conservatives only express their snowflake patriotism through fetishes while avoiding true patriotism, like standing up for free speech. The latter must be eliminated if it challenges those empty fetishes through which they are so easily and intentionally manipulated.

Maher's monologue

He covers the LA heat wave, the sexual harassment cases, Senator Flake speaking up on Dump, and how even Flake and other Repugnantans then turn around and vote with Dump and against the American people.

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Crapitalism will continue until its victims rise up

Here's Hartmann's interview with Richard Wolff on the fall of capitalism. That capitalism is about the rich taking all the pie is incontestable, as is that capitalism destroys democracy. But it won't change until its victims rise up to do something about it. He's not suggesting violent revolt but rather the victims getting politically involved and forcing government to create limiting regulations aka public protections.

This of course requires voting in candidates that represent the people, not the oligarchy. Which of course requires civic responsibility to keep well informed on the facts of their representatives. Which of course requires a lot of effort time and effort that many don't have given their circumstances are deliberately created by the oligarchic for the very purpose of keeping them disengaged in the political process. But that is when people must rise up, when they've been abused to their last straw, and finally take a stand. Will they?

Dump thinks Repugnantan Senators love him

Amidst some Repugnantans growing a spine and openly criticizing Dump, the Presidunce thinks they are anomalies and that most of them adore him. His proof? They stand up and clap when he enters the room.  The idiot doesn't even realize that is standard protocol for any President. To the contrary, most Repugnantan Senators are well aware of this childish buffoon in the Blight House but just lack the spine to say or do anything about it because they want him to sign their legislation.

Colbert's midnight confessions

The latest installment of his popular series:

Colbert makes fun of Ivanka Dump's poor language skills

Just like her father, she not only does not have the best words but she can't even use ordinary words properly.

Dan Brown is more realistic than Ken Wilber

So says Andrea Diem-Lane in her Integral World article on Dan Brown's latest novel Origin. An excerpt:

"[It] struck me as quite ironic that the fictional Edmond Kirsch's speculative theories on life's origin and future trajectory was much more evidential and persuasive than Ken Wilber's Eros theory about the cosmos. To put this into sharper relief, the novelistic truth embedded in Origin sheds a clearer light than the supposedly 'non-fictional' metaphysics espoused in Integral Theory. The science in Dan Brown's fiction, in other words, is more properly grounded and carries more weight than most of what one finds in Wilber's later tomes. This may come as no surprise to his many critics, but it is disconcerting when one finds greater insight in Dan Brown's latest novel than in Ken Wilber's attempts at Integral science."

Another view of social evolution

From this blog post. See it for more.

"According to my review of history and theory, four forms of organization — and evidently only four — lie behind the governance and evolution of all societies across the ages:

• The tribal form was the first to emerge and mature, beginning thousands of years ago. Its main dynamic is kinship, which gives people a distinct sense of identity and belonging — the basic elements of culture, as manifested still today in matters ranging from nationalism to fan clubs.
• The institutional form was the second to emerge. Emphasizing hierarchy, it led to the development of the state and the military, as epitomized initially by the Roman Empire, not to mention the Catholic papacy and other corporate enterprises.
• The market form, the third form of organization to take hold, enables people to excel at openly competitive, free, and fair economic exchanges. Although present in ancient times, it did not gain sway until the 19th century, at first mainly in England.
• The network form, the fourth to mature, serves to connect dispersed groups and individuals so that they may coordinate and act conjointly. Enabled by the digital information-technology revolution, this form is only now coming into its own, so far strengthening civil society more than other realms." 

Senator Warren challenges Dump on his word

Continuing this post, Senator Warren now challenges the Presidunce to live up to his word about fighting Wall Street. The Senate passed a Bill that takes away consumer protections and instead protects big banks from responsibility. Warren challenges him to live up to his word. Will he? Of course he won't. His word is worthless and by now that should be obvious to everyone.

Colbert: Dump is an old man yelling on this lawn

He addresses this in his monologue last night.

Corker, Flake & McCain turn around and back Dump

Yeah, all that rhetoric about how Dump needs to be removed and then these 3 Senators turn around and vote to back Dump's agenda to remove consumer protections. And that's exactly what they did. As the old saying goes, look not to what I say but to what I do. And these 3, as well as Senators Collins and Murkowsky (who previously voted against Dump and their Party), also voted to expose Americans to Wall Street greed.

What the majority of Americans think of Dump

The majority think Dump is reckless, dishonest and unstable. So why the f*ck did you vote for him then? You could not have possibly not known all this before you voted, so what then should we think of those Americans who voted for him? You don't want us to judge you but then you do things like this that endanger all of our lives, including your own. Seriously, if you don't want to be called an idiot then quit f*cking being one.

Majority of Democrats want the Party to be more progressive

So said this Harvard-Harris poll. "The majority of Democrats think their party should be embracing grassroots movements, ditching its current leadership, and moving to the left." Which poll also showed that Sanders is by far the most popular politician in the country. Funny how the Party is not listening to their own voters but only to their wealthy donors. No, not funny at all.

Rickey Gervais hates humanity

He's right about all of this, and funny. His rant against humanity starts around 2:45.

Why: Sabrina Carpenter

I guess we don't really need to know why for everything. Nice west coast swing dance beat.

Senator Warren: Senate vote reduces consumer protections

Here's her speech before the vote. The Senate then voted to take away consumer protections, like the right to join in class action lawsuits against corrupt banks, or even to sue them individually. And this after the banks have proven time and again that they are out to screw us to the point of poverty and even death for their own enrichment. I'm pretty sure hard-working Americans of any political persuasion did not vote for this sort of thing.

Quote of the day

And in fact the effort has always failed, instead substituting a continuing series of spurious rationalizations based solely on an ideology unconnected to empirical reality.

Illusory pattern perception

This article discusses a new paper in the European Journal of Social Psychology that shows our brain's penchant for seeing patterns can go awry. Illusory pattern perception is displayed for example in climate science denial, 9/11 truthers, Pizzagate etc. This phenomenon correlates with irrational beliefs that connect dots that aren't there. We all have this tendency to confirm our biases. However training in critical thinking can reduce the effects of this syndrome.

Colbert fixes CNN's apple ad

Continuing this post, Colbert thinks the ad needs to be more specific so he changed it.

Colbert on Corker and Flake

His humorous commentary on more Republicans growing a spine and a conscience.

Battles in real time trump abstract game plans

Continuing the last post, I started a FB IPS discussion  thread on this.

Lincoln said: Lorca might be an interesting captain eventually, but they need to settle down a little and get to know the characters and the depth of their Federation ideals. Lorca's transgressiveness only registers because we know how a Starfleet captain is supposed to act from other shows. They are trying to jump directly into the compromising depths of the Dominion War from DS9 without earning it.

I replied:  Good point. But in the first 3 episodes they have established that in war the exigencies on the ground (or in space) often don't mesh with universal ideals. That has been explored in the other series in that the prime directive is often being stretched if not outright broken depending on the circumstances. So I like that in this series a main theme is that contextual circumstances in real time will often trump universal principles in abstract time. And that the latter are often ill-equipped for the former and needs constant revision thereby.

E.g., seeing the value in a mutineer, that takes some serious perspective. It's kind of like how a few academics in the integral movement can see the value of some of us internet trolls. For many though we're just angry Klingons out to destroy their abstract Federation. 

"Universal law is for lackeys;

Context is for Kings." So sayeth Captain Lorca in episode 3 of Star Trek Discovery. Ponder that for a while.

Flake summarizes Dump in a nutshell

Continuing this post, a succinct summary:

Southern Gothic

As performed by Tyminski on Colbert last night. Good insight into this demographic. Lyrics are here.

Shania Twain performs on DWTS

Her moving performance of Soldier, accompanied by some of the pro dancers.

Colbert on cowardly Dump

Dumpsters are wrong about Dump. He did everything possible to avoid serving in the military. He is a coward that runs from any danger to protect himself and could not give a damn about this country that made him rich.

Republican Jeff Flake is leaving the Senate over Dump

Yes, I'm calling him a Republican (instead of a Repugnantan) because unlike his brethren in the Senate, Flake has some authentic core values. And those values led him to say this:

"I will not be complicit or silent. I've decided to better represent the people of Arizona and to better serve my country and conscience by freeing myself of the political consideration that consumed far too much bandwidth and cause me to compromise too many principles."


"If I have been critical, it is not because I relish criticizing the behavior of the president of the United States.  If I have been critical, it is because I believe it is my obligation to do so and as a matter of duty and conscience, the notion that one should stay silent and as the norms and values that keep America strong are undermined and as alliances and agreements that ensure the stability of the entire world are routinely threatened by the level of thought that goes into 140 characters, the notion that we should say or do nothing in the face of such mercurial behavior is a historic and profoundly misguided."

Hartmann on Hitler and the fake news narrative

Hartmann explores how Dump is trying to convince us that what is real is fake, and that his lies are what's real. He discusses a recent article on the comparison of Dump and Hitler on lying, in that Hitler said this in Mein Kampf. Sound at all familiar?

"In the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility, because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature then consciously or voluntarily. And thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they fall more readily to the big lie than the small one, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods. It would never come into their minds to fabricate colossal untruths, and they could not believe that others would have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so is brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and think that there must be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it's been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and who conspire together in the art of lying."

Colbert: Dump takes credit for something he had nothing to do with

Nothing new there. Colbert elaborates on Dump taking credit for releasing the JFK assassination file when it was long ago scheduled for release. I also like his comments about interviewer Bartiromo's sycophantic fawning.

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

And while I'm on Lindsey Stirling, here's a new release from her holiday CD. She adds new twists and turns to this classic.

Lindsey & Mark on DWTS

She got her first perfect score last night. And well deserved. Awesome performance.

This is an apple, not a banana

Here's CNN's video making the point that facts are facts and no amount of lying or calling them fake is going to change the facts.

If lying is heartfelt then it is ok

According to the Blight House Press Secretary. That was actually her defense of  the Blight House Chief of Staff lying about the Congresswoman who reported on Dump's callous comments to a war widow. He was sincere and honestly felt if was true, so therefore we have to accept it as true. Wow, we truly have entered an alternate unreality.

Commissioner of the NFL comments on kneeling players

And it defies and contradicts Dump and the conservative narrative on the kneeling. That is, it is factually accurate and true.

Hermeneutics: Facts and Interpretation in the Age of Information

New book by John Caputo. The blurb:

"Is anything ever not an interpretation? Does interpretation go all the way down? Is there such a thing as a pure fact that is interpretation-free? If not, how are we supposed to know what to think and do?

"These tantalizing questions are tackled by renowned American thinker John D Caputo in this wide-reaching exploration of what the traditional term 'hermeneutics' can mean in a postmodern, twenty-first century world. As a contemporary of Derrida's and longstanding champion of rethinking the disciplines of theology and philosophy, for decades Caputo has been forming alliances across disciplines and drawing in readers with his compelling approach to what he calls "radical hermeneutics." In this new introduction, drawing upon a range of thinkers from Heidegger to the Parisian "1968ers" and beyond, he raises a series of probing questions about the challenges of life in the postmodern and maybe soon to be 'post-human' world.'"

Morning Joe on Dump's Gold Star failure

Continuing this post, Morning Joe discusses the Biggest Liar and the Most Callous Presidunce ever who is running our country into the ground.

Session's Justice Dept. says employees can discriminate

Specifically, they can refuse to service social security benefits to someone who is LBGT due to religious objections. What isn't clear to me is whether they can also determine social security eligibility based on their religious objections, or if their refusal to service that applicant must then be then transferred to another federal employee with no such objections to determine eligibility.

Widow of sodier killed in Niger confirms Dump is a liar

See the story here. The widow said Dump couldn't remember the soldier's name and that Dump told her that her husband "knew what he was getting into." Dump lied about both of those things again just today. If you still trust the Biggest Liar then please seek professional help.

Cub Scout kicked out for asking a legitimate gun question

Amazing story. Colorado Cub Scout Ames Mayfield was given an assignment to research and ask a question on an issue that impacts his community. During a Q&A with CO State Senator Vicki Marble he asked: "An issue that I’m concerned about is common sense gun control. I was shocked that you co-sponsored a bill to allow domestic violence offender to continue to own a gun. ... Why on Earth would you want somebody who beats their wife to have access to a gun?”

And his Cub Scout troop kicked him out for being disrespectful! Never mind that it's disrespectful to all the women murdered by abusive husbands because they continue to have legal access to guns. And it's more than disrespectful to them; it's criminal to allow such known abusers access to a gun. Fortunately not all Scout troops are so regressively and inhumanely ideological. The kid was invited to join another Boy Scout troop.

A fanatical religious terrorist is a terrorist no matter the religion

George Monbiot interview

With truthout. The blurb:

"The idea that human nature is inherently competitive and individualistic isn't just harmful, argues George Monbiot in his new book. It's also contradicted by psychology, neuroscience and evolutionary biology. Out of the Wreckage: A New Politics for an Age of Crisis provides a compelling argument for how we can reorganize our world for the better from the bottom up."

And a key point:

"Every generation or so, political stories need to be refreshed or replaced, partly because the politics they seed runs out of steam or becomes corrupted or weakened by attacks, partly because people become bored and complacent. This is the grand mistake that those of us who want a generous and inclusive politics have made: We have failed to produce a new, well-developed political story since John Maynard Keynes wrote his General Theory in 1936. Our failure to do so is a formula for eventual collapse."

German researchers resign from Elsevier journals

And push for nationwide open access. Just one more example of capitalism being overcome by the emerging collaborative commons.

"Five leading German scientists have resigned from their editorial positions at journals published by Elsevier, the latest step in a battle over open-access and subscription policies between the Dutch publishing giant and a consortium of German libraries, universities, and research institutes."

Senator McConnell set straight on Social Security and Medicare

My guess is he knows full well this is true, and that he is just a despicable liar.

Who benefits from trickle down?

It isn't we the workers, that's for sure.

Our own EPA is poisoning us for profit

Here's Robert Reich on this article. The Environmental (and Human) Destruction Agency is easing restrictions on toxic chemicals. For example: "Perfluorooctanoic acid, an industrial chemical linked to kidney cancer, birth defects, and immune system disorders; Chlorpyrifos, a commercial pesticide that can cause developmental disabilities in children; Methylene chloride, a common ingredient in paint strippers connected to dozens of deaths; Trichloroethylene, an industrial solvent linked to cancer and heart defects." This destruction of public protections comes at the hands of "Nancy Beck, the new head of the toxic chemical unit. Her qualifications? Beck was previously an executive at the American Chemical Council, where she represented some of the biggest polluters in the country." WTF?

Trickle down Halloween

It's never worked and it never will. Especially since those who hoard wealth have always been, and will forever be, children.

Listen, Liberal

From the archives: Hartmann interviews Thomas Frank on the downfall of the Democratic Party. At the end Frank is sure the Dimocrapic Party will not change. Hartmann thinks it is already shifting back to progressives. Frank was right about that one, so I hope Hartmann can come around to that reality.

Blight House: It's unpatriotic to point out lies

It's another way of framing that anyone who exposes the facts about the Dumpsters is fake news. This time Borowitz pokes fun about the Press Secretary claiming we're not allowed to even question the Chief of Staff's proven lie.

White House Says It Is Unpatriotic to Offer Irrefutable Video Evidence That a General Lied 

By Andy Borowitz

October 20, 2017

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—In a stirring defense of Donald Trump’s chief of staff, General John Kelly, the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said on Friday that it was “unpatriotic in the extreme” to offer irrefutable video proof that a four-star general lied.

“It is unpatriotic enough to accuse a four-star general of lying,” Sanders told the White House press corps. “But to make available a video that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that that general lied is unpatriotic bordering on treasonous.”

Warming to her subject, Sanders said that any American who sees undeniable video evidence that a general lied and chooses to believe the video “shows disrespect for our country and hatred for our flag.”

“General Kelly has served our country with courage and valor,” she said. “He has earned the right to lie without fear of being contradicted by the facts.”

Minutes after Sanders concluded her remarks, Kelly also received a vote of confidence from Trump, who called his chief of staff “a good liar, for a beginner.”

Maher: How Russia manipulated us through Facebook

His New Rule on the topic. He reports on the Russian troll army haunting our social media, pretending to be Americans with the expressed intent of destroying our democracy. In particular, their infiltration of Facebook with virtually no filtering. You know, "the place where thinking went to die," with mindless sharing of anything in the moment to bolster one's ego. The Russians took full advantage to this culture of narcissism to spread their deception and the self-involved dolts bred by this media source unconsciously shared it. The very concept of sharing has been degraded from giving of oneself to inflating oneself and the Russians knew just what to do with it.

Maher's monologue

As usual, he helps us laugh in these dire times of Dumpy the Presidunce. He exposes Dump's technique of bluff, lie, attack in Niger-gate and his callous remarks to one of the widows. And then General Kelly's inept, lying defense of his odious boss. He continues with other news of the week.

Some of Dump's "good people"

Meaning, of course, Nazis. After the Nazi rally in Gainesville FL these 3 not only harassed some protesters but fired a weapon at them. They've been found, arrested and charged with attempted murder. They are a fine example of Dump's "good people" on the Nazi side of the debate, since we have to give their point of view equal time as a valid expression of freedom. Not!

Jon Stewart surprises Kimmel

Not really, as it was obviously staged. Still, entertaining with a promo for their charity.

Blight House chief of staff tells a bold-faced lie

And one easily disproved. It started when the mother of a killed soldier in Niger was 'consoled' by the Presidunce who told her that her son knew what he was getting into. I know, such compassion and genuine human emotion. That story was reveled by Rep. Frederica Wilson, a witness who was present. Wilson's version has been backed up by another witness, the soldier's mother. Dump denies it happened.

So chief of staff Kelly went on the attack, trying to paint Wilson as an unreliable witness claiming that Wilson took credit for getting the funding for an FBI office in Miramar, Florida. However that too was  a bold-faced lie as proven here by factcheck.org. What may have been some previously honest, decent people are having to turn into liars to protect their boss, and thereby their own assess, in this criminal conspiracy knows as the Dump Presiduncy.

The new, socially acceptable KKK hood

Humanity's changing metaphors of nature

Continuing this post, Lent explores the significance of metaphors and how those have changed regarding nature with the implications thereof. Not surprisingly, Lakoff's work is referenced.

The Young Turks on the DNC purge

Continuing this post, TYT examine the DNC's progressive purge from its ranks.

Progressive Caucus budget reveals its values too

Compare and contrast the Repugnantan values with those exemplified in this budget.Which is more in line with your values? E.g., from the Executive Summary:

Invest In America

● Invests $2 trillion to transition to a 21^st Century Infrastructure to transform our energy, water and transportation systems

● Closes loopholes so our government agencies use materials made in America

● Expands our commitment to efficient renewable energy and green jobs

● Invest $100 billion to increase access to reliable, high-speed internet

Affordable Health Care

● Maintains critical coverage gains under Affordable Care Act

● Lowers costs of prescription drugs

● Allows states to transition to single-payer health care systems

● Expands access to mental health care and treatments for opioid and heroin addiction

● Repeals excise tax on high-priced health care plans for workers and replaces with public option

Fair Tax System for Working Families

● Ends corporate tax break for offshoring American jobs and profits

● Stops companies from renouncing their American citizenship to dodge U.S. taxes

● Closes wasteful corporate tax loopholes that cost billions of dollars

● Taxes Wall Street to fund Main Street

● Ensures profits from investments are finally taxed at the same rate as income taxes

● Raises revenue from the wealthiest few who can afford to pay more

● Expands the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Care Credit

Justice and Fair Elections

● Ensures the justice system is fair and effective for all Americans by increasing funding for voter protection and legal assistance programs

● Rebuilds trust in the justice system by developing community oriented policing reforms

● Protects American election systems from any interference and increases

protections for voting rights by strengthening key election reforms

● Funds public financing of campaigns to curb special interest influence in politics

● Supports policies and initiatives to significantly reduce gun violence

Senator Warren: Repugnantan budget reveals their true values

She tells us just what it will do, and it takes from working families and gives to the rich. See this clip for the factual details. As she so rightly notes, it is about values, and just what Repugnatans actually value despite their lying spin.

Solar is the cheapest electricity ever in any technology

And this is the unsubsidized version.

"In April 2016, Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) reported that the record low unsubsidized solar energy price was 3.6 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), in a March 2016 contract in Mexico. This month, every single bid that Saudi Arabia received for its 300-Megawatt (MW) Sakaka solar project was cheaper than that. The lowest bid price was 1.79 cents/kWh. For context, the average residential price for electricity in the United States is more than six times that, 12 cents/kWh."

DNC ousts Sanders supporters

According to this story, the Democratic National Committee has kicked out some Sanders supporters because they are critical of DNC chair Perez, himself the epitome of the corporatist wing of the Party. "Among those ousted was James Zogby, head of the Arab American Institute and prominent Sanders supporter, and Barbra Casbar Siperstein, the first transgender member of the DNC." Does Sanders (and Hartmann) really think the DNC is going to reform back into a Party of the people? They are just appeasing the Sanders wing, meanwhile neutering them or outright kicking them out. Also see this story.

Word of the day: Perlocutionary

From dictionary.com. It's what I hope to achieve with this blog.

adjective
1.	Philosophy, Linguistics. (of a speech act) producing an effect upon the listener, as in persuading, frightening, amusing, or causing the listener to act.

What can each of us do to change the system?

Individually we can recognize the dominant narrative and not participate. We can refuse to mass consume and live more simply. We can choose to buy those products that mesh with a sustainable view. But we also have to get involved in changing the overall political infrastructure, the dominant narrative. We can support candidates that enact those values in their own lives so we can trust they will do so in government. We can propagate said values in mass social media, strengthening that meme until it becomes the dominant narrative. And we organize via that media so that we each do our own passionate part in that larger organized effort.

Senator Sanders gives Senator Cruz a dose of reality

Cruz makes a speech full of lies about the estate tax and how it hurts employees and small employers. Sanders then gives the facts and quotes the sources. The estate tax only affect the top two-tenths of the 1% and has no effect on everyone else. It's a tax break for the very rich and nothing else.

Even Dubya Bush thinks Dump is the Biggest Loser

Dubya gave a speech at the Spirit of Liberty forum in NYC and, while not naming Dump, made it clear he rejected everything the latter is doing to our country. Bush condemned nativism, protectionism, anti-immigrant rhetoric, bigotry, bullying, prejudice, white supremacy, conspiracy theories and outright lies, all things where Dump is King. You know things are dire in the US when ever Dubya is critical of our Presidunce and his dumpsters.

The myth of the selfish gene

Continuing this post:

Kimmel interviews Howard Stern

On the show last night. Very entertaining.

Borowitz on Dump and devolution

Borowitz speaks at the New York Society for Ethical Culture on Nazis, Dump and impeachment, and starting his own movement, élitism. Yes, elitism is good and we should be proud of it, for that is exactly what we need in a President and representatives.

Reich polls Dump voters in TN and KY

Granted the sample is small but interesting nonetheless. I hope enough of the Dumpsters feel this way to vote Dump out next time around, if he gets that far. From his FB post:

"Kentucky and Tennessee voted for Trump. In my free-floating focus group over the last couple of days in both state I’ve spoken with nearly 20 people who said they voted for Trump. Almost all of them told me this:

1. The reason they voted for Trump is they “hated Hillary” or “wanted to shake things up” in Washington, or "I thought we needed a businessman."

2. They don’t like the job Trump is doing as president. (“He’s embarrassing,” “makes me ashamed,” “behaving like a child,” "chronic liar.")

3. Every one of them told me they regret voting for him (“never would have if I’d have known what an as*hole he is,” one told me).

4. They said their own personal economic position hasn’t changed from what it was last year, and Trump’s policies favor the rich (“he just cares about wealthy folk,” “said he’d drain the swamp and the swamp is worse.”)

5. Most are worried about Trump's mental capacity (“I don’t think the man has all his marbles,” “he could get is into a goddamn nuclear war,” "weird as hell,” “crazy as a loon.”)

Senator Warren questions Big Pharma

In this clip she asks why, if Pharma wants market solutions, that they instead resist two effective market solutions: Importing drugs from Canada to create competition and allowing the US government to negotiate lower bulk prices. Seems Pharma isn't really interested in market solutions after all but prefers monopolies.

Sanders on what the people want via polls

And what the Repugnantans give them, the complete opposite. Once again this is proof positive that the Repugnantans don't give a shit about the majority of people but are the just lap dogs of the wealthy who literally buy them. And that's the facts, not at all hyperbole.

Even Dump said so during the campaign, although he is himself one of those oligarchs and was lying when he said he'd change it. Again, the facts of his own tax proposal, as well as everything he's done since in office, speak plainly to which side he's on. And it ain't we the people.

David Letterman on the Kimmel Show last night

Letterman gives us an update on what he's been up to since retiring.

Jeremy Lent interview

Continuing the last post, this interview covers some of the broad strokes of Lent's new book. Particularly that climate change is driven by the current core metaphor that human flourishing means growth and consumption.

Review of The Patterning Instinct

A member of this  FB IPS forum, Wayne Lewis reviews Jeremy Lent's book The Pattering Instinct. It has convinced me this book is a must read. A teaser:

"In The Patterning Instinct, Jeremy Lent begins with a simple observation: Root metaphors combine to create a cultural worldview that shapes societal values, and these values shape history. He attempts (quite successfully) to answer the question: If the confluence of our core metaphors constrain the way we see the world and the paths we follow, is it the case that to change the disastrous direction of our society we must change these core metaphors? But if we hope to change them, we must both identify their essence and understand how they have evolved. With an understanding of the evolution of root metaphors, and how they constrain societal directions we may hope to change the direction of history before it is too late."

Several interviews with him are here. Here's a link to his articles. 

Poor understanding correlates with religious/supernatural beliefs

According to this article in Applied Cognitive Psychology. The summary follows. The entire article can be accessed at Sci-Hub.

"Although supernatural beliefs often paint a peculiar picture about the physical world, the possibility that the beliefs might be based on inadequate understanding of the non-social world has not received research attention. In this study (N = 258), we therefore examined how physical-world skills and knowledge predict religious and paranormal beliefs. The results showed that supernatural beliefs correlated with all variables that were included, namely, with low systemizing, poor intuitive physics skills, poor mechanical ability, poor mental rotation, low school grades in mathematics and physics, poor common knowledge about physical and biological phenomena, intuitive and analytical thinking styles, and in particular, with assigning mentality to non-mental phenomena. Regression analyses indicated that the strongest predictors of the beliefs were overall physical capability (a factor representing most physical skills, interests, and knowledge) and intuitive thinking style."

While California burns

Dump chips in a bottle of water. Such a compassionate, kind, caring Presidunce.

McCain criticizes Dump, again

Thanks to this Republican who speaks truth to power. McCain said this during the ceremony to receive the Liberty Medal Award:

"To fear the world we have organized and led for three-quarters of a century, to abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership and our duty to remain ‘the last best hope of Earth’ for the sake of some half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history.”

Spurs coach Popovich on Dump

He says what we all know:

"This man in the Oval Office is a soulless coward who thinks that he can only become large by belittling others. This has of course been a common practice of his, but to do it in this manner—and to lie about how previous Presidents responded to the deaths of soldiers—is as low as it gets.  We have a pathological liar in the White House: unfit intellectually, emotionally, and psychologically to hold this office and the whole world knows it, especially those around him every day. The people who work with this President should be ashamed because they know it better than anyone just how unfit he is, and yet they choose to do nothing about it. This is their shame most of all."

Psychedelics reboot the brain

So says this Science Alert article, examining a study in Scientific Reports. "Several of our patients described feeling 'reset' after the treatment and often used computer analogies. For example, one said he felt like his brain had been 'defragged' like a computer hard drive, and another said he felt 'rebooted'."

Supreme Corp is allergic to science and math

Funny, but aren't conservatives always harping on how we need to dump the liberal arts and focus on science, technology, engineering and math? And yet the conservative justices on the Corp refuse to accept the math in the gerrymandering case. Instead they want what they claim to despise in other cases: Cultural relativism in that their ideology has equal if not predominant say over science and facts. Underlying all this is the fact that they want elections to be rigged so will strain any and all credibility in order to achieve it.

SNL: Last call with Larry David

Funny skit.

Amy Schumer with Kimmel

Her tampon story (7:20) is LOL funny.

Frankie & Whitney

And a close 2nd place with a score of 29. If Argentine tango was danced like this socially I'd do it; but compared to this social tango is tame and lame.

Jordan & Lindsay

On DWTS last night got the first perfect score of the seasons 10s from all 3 judges.

Factcheck.org on healthcare cost-sharing subsidies

The video below first describes what they are. Then they provide the facts on what will happen because Dump said he's eliminating them. According to the CBO this will require insurers to raise premiums by 20% next year. See the CBO report here.

What have liberals and conservatives done for us?

Hartmann runs down the list and then debates a conservative about it.

The NRA is a domestic terrorist organization

Let's call it what it is, since it has sacrificed over 3000 children under 18 this year so far to its religious jihad.

Trickle down economics is a failure

Robert Reich lays down the facts. It's a failed ideology in denial of reality because if true it would destroy one of the prevailing myths Repugnantans believe, causing their entire house of cards to crumble. Thing is, that house has fallen into ruin a long time ago and they refuse to see what's in front of their apparently lying eyes.

This is why NFL players kneel

And this sort of shit happens on a regular basis. So how is it possibly right to not only kill black men for no reason but then get away with it? Isn't that something that should be protested? This sort of thing is the stated reason for the NFL protest. It has nothing to do with dishonoring our country or flag. Those who claim the latter do not get to frame the real and legitimate reason for the protest. #kneelwiththeNFL.

Dump budget cuts $300 million from firefighter programs

It's right there in his 2018 budget. California is still burning out of control and the Biggest Joke wants to cut this money from the US Forest Service? And nary a word of concern or help from that stinking pile of Dump? Time to wake up and smell the shit for you Dumpsters.

How America came apart

Van Jones explains that both Parties colluded on trade deals that decimated our industrial base, as well as Wall Street deregulation that destroyed our financial system. Both supported privatizing prisons which just exacerbated the problem and both supported endless war that killed our and other populations and enriched the war machine. Hence the rebellions in both Parties via Sanders and Dump, the former promoting that we support each other, the latter that we turn on each other. The former makes America great again, the latter tears it apart.

He's also critical of the elitist Democrats who have abandoned the white working class. They've turned to elite professionals for their money and support and no longer promote the working class as did Sanders. And it's not only Sander's message framing but his history of sincerity and authenticity of fighting for the working class that is needed to bring those oppressed white working class back into the progressive fold instead of the false profit Dump.

Government is a public service

Excellent blog post by Lakoff on shifting the metaphorical frame from President as our nation to government officials as public servants. We must hammer home that their job is to serve the public, not the President. And when the President only serves himself and his oligarchic buddies, which is always, we must continue to hammer incessantly that Repugnantans have to choose between the country, i.e. we the people, over a greedy and mentally ill President. If they don't then we will not choose them again to serve us.

Dump and ALEC

Birds of a feather. More like turds of a toilet.

Asimov on the cult of ignorance

It's always been there. But now it's been elevated to new heights and power.

US has regressed to feudalism

Excellent editorial by Thom Hartmann in today's Alternet. He provides ample evidence that what's left of democracy in the US is merely a shell game. That we've been taken over by the oligarchy, aka neo-feudalism or fascism. And that we citizens are in a state of denial, for to admit it implies that we've sat idly by and enabled it. So we must first admit it in order to change it, then fight like hell to overcome it. That is, if we really want our freedom? Or are you comfortable in your slavery, getting whipped daily by the grind of oppression?

DNC picks anti-$15 minimum wage guy for finance post

And corporate Dims and their lackeys wonder why we still don't trust the DNC? Seriously? Daniel Halprin was chosen by DNC chair Tim Perez to be one of the Deputy Finance Chairs and Halprin was head of an anti-minimum wage lobbying group. So is the DNC really in favor of not raising the minimum wage to a living wage? Then WTF is up with this choice?

Bannon: Dump ended healthcare subsidies to destroy Obamacare

Yep, even Steve Bannon, former Trump adviser pulling puppet Dump's strings, admits it. Dump will no longer pay insurance companies the subsidies for those who cannot afford to pay for health insurance. And it's intention is specifically to get those companies to raise premiums beyond most people's reach or leave the market.

Climate change denier named to head White House’s Council on Environmental Quality

It's true. And in keeping with all the other Toxic Dump appointments.

"Hartnett White has argued that carbon dioxide levels are good for life on Earth, the shift to renewable energy amounts to “green folly” and “a false hope,” and that “carbon dioxide has none of the attributes of a pollutant.” She lambasted the Obama administration’s environmental policies as a “deluded and illegitimate battle against climate change,” railed against the Paris climate agreement and attacked Pope Francis’ stance on global warming."

The origin of terrorism

Well, one of them anyway.

The Metaphorical Brain

An open access ebook edited by Seana Coulson and Vicky T. Lai, published by Frontiers Media SA in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (March, 2016). The blurb:

Metaphor has been an issue of intense research and debate for decades (see, for example [1]). Researchers in various disciplines, including linguistics, psychology, computer science, education, and philosophy have developed a variety of theories, and much progress has been made [2]. For one, metaphor is no longer considered a rhetorical flourish that is found mainly in literary texts. Rather, linguists have shown that metaphor is a pervasive phenomenon in everyday language, a major force in the development of new word meanings, and the source of at least some grammatical function words [3]. Indeed, one of the most influential theories of metaphor involves the suggestion that the frequency of metaphoric language results because cross-domain mappings are a major determinant in the organization of semantic memory, as cognitive and neural resources for dealing with concrete domains are recruited for the conceptualization of more abstract ones [4]. Researchers in cognitive neuroscience have explored whether particular kinds of brain damage are associated with metaphor production and comprehension deficits, and whether similar brain regions are recruited when healthy adults understand the literal and metaphorical meanings of the same words (see [5] for a review).

Seth Myers gives his fans the Eminem ultimatum

He discusses Eminem's rap against Dump and gives his own fans the same ultimatum. Something tells me that there already were zero Dump fans in Meyer's camp.

Kellywise on SNL

Funny skit of McKinnon playing Kellyann Conway as the clown from the movie It interacting with Anderson Cooper.

Baldwin plays Dump again on SNL

He covers Dump at the trucker convention, as well as his feuds with Corker and Tillerson, the rap battle with Eminem and Pence's lack of any spine.

Tax cuts for the rich are stupid

Billionaire Steyer gives us an Economics 101 (introductory) lesson. It's a lesson Repugnantans have yet to learn. You know, that elite education stuff and all. Think is, this is just common sense.

Puerto Rican Congresswoman reams Dump

Dump gets a well deserved spanking for his inhumane (and inhuman) comments.

Olbermann on Mueller researching limits to Dump's pardon power

In addition, he gives an update on the latest developments in Mueller's investigation.

Dump and Tillerson enter the Thunderdome

Colbert jokes about Dump's challenging Tillerson to an IQ test.

Charlie Puth: Attention

This song is hot on the west coast swing dance circuit. Here's the live performance on The Late Late Show last recently.

Sanders on Dump's and Repugnantans' budget proposals

To paraphrase Dump himself: The Biggest Disaster in the modern history of our country. Only unlike Dump this isn't hyperbole. In the next decade nearly 80% of the tax benefits go to the top 1%, about $2 trillion. Repealing the estate tax would give $269 billion in tax breaks to the top two-tenths of the 1%. And how do they 'balance' this? Massive cuts ($5 trillion) in healthcare, education, nutrition, housing and environmental protection: They steal from the poor and working families to give to the rich. See the clip below for the very specific details. Again, it's reality and right in their budget, not hyperbole.

The X-Files Season 11

Coming in 2018.

Uber for potheads

Kimmel discusses how on January 1 recreational pot will be legal in CA, with new rules on pot delivery.

Police thwart white terrorist attack

TYT gives us the story, one which got nary a peep from corporate media? Why? It was a white terrorist, not a Muslim.

Renewal energy is affordable

Here's atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe debunking the myths of fossil fuels and providing the facts on the cost of renewal energy sources. E.g., the cost of solar without subsidies has dropped below that of fossil fuels. In some countries bids for solar are around 3 cents per kilowatt hour. And when the sun isn't shining or the wind blowing? She discusses various energy storage methods, with new ones developing rapidly. She also dispels other myths.

How Americans lost touch with reality

This short video provides a chronology of magical thinking in the US. It was there since the beginning, including distrust of the intellectual elite. The 60s promoted 'do your own thing' multi-culturalism and the internet provided a global forum for everyone to espouse their own truth, despite its relationship to reality. America then became a culture of celebrity, meaning not necessarily about earning fame through achievement but just being famous without the merit. It was more about the fantasy and illusion celebrity, which 'reality' TV shows exploited. All of which set the stage for Dump: The magical illusion of celebrity while the reality is, as Secretary of State Tillerson so aptly noted, a f*cking moron.

Colbert: Dump's tax plan will help truckers

But only about 30 trucking companies out of 186,000, that is, 0.016%. You know, 1% of the top 1%. This is referring to the elimination of the estate tax, which applies only to individuals worth more than $5.5 million, and couples worth more than $11 million. As you can see, this benefits only the wealthiest trucking companies, not truckers per se.

Mark Johnson on language and the embodied mind

In this lecture he brings in his interpretation of aesthetics: "Aesthetics concerns everything that goes into our ability to grasp the meaning and significance of any aspect of our experience. And so it involved form and structure, the qualities that define a situation, our felt sense of the meaning of things, our rhythmic engagement with our surroundings, our embodied interactions, and so forth."