Checks and Balances, Nukes – A Radiolab Podcast

The best way to tease you to listen to this podcast is their tease:

“President Richard Nixon once boasted that at any moment he could pick up a telephone and – in 20 minutes – kill 60 million people.  Such is the power of the US President over the nation’s nuclear arsenal.  But what if you were the military officer on the receiving end of that phone call? Could you refuse the order?

This episode, we profile one Air Force Major who asked that question back in the 1970s and learn how the very act of asking it was so dangerous it derailed his career.”

The officer profiled in this story was going through the Air Force training to be a Continue reading “Checks and Balances, Nukes – A Radiolab Podcast”

Trump Pencil Holder

I saw the figurine below on the Da’ Net.  It is supposed to be Effingham Trump, but for all the world it looks like a young Bill Clinton to me.  I  thought perhaps they had some figurines laying around and just re-purposed them.  I sent it to a friend and I thought his comment was spot on:

“They’re probably using the same mold, just adding the MAGA cap. Should have a woman standing over him, peeing, it would be a Yuuuge seller.”

If you are so inclined, it can be purchased on the web…just not here.

EPA website removes climate science site from public view after two decades

Apparently anything that gets in the way of immediate profit is to verboten , no matter the future consequences.  Almost every time I look at a news site my stomach does a flip-flop over some new piece of idiocy.   Trump and his administration’s world view is totally incomprehensible to me.  The best I can figure these people have absolute no social conscience and probably no conscience at all…sick, sick, sick.

EPA website removes climate science site from public view after two decades

Trump executive order aims to allow Arctic drilling

Donald Trump has ‘dangerous mental illness’, say psychiatry experts at Yale conference

What a strange pass we have come to in this country. I’m just a lay person in this field, and it has looked to me for a while that being in touch with reality is not  one of effingham Trump’s traits.

From the article on http://www.independent.co.uk/us:

“Donald Trump has a “dangerous mental illness” and is not fit to lead the US, a group of psychiatrists has warned during a conference at Yale University.

Mental health experts claimed the President was “paranoid and delusional”, and said it was their “ethical responsibility” to warn the American public about the “dangers” Mr Trump’s psychological state poses to the country.”

Here is the link to the article: Donald Trump has ‘dangerous mental illness’, say psychiatry experts at Yale conference

Our Dishonest President – Link to LA Time Editorial

It is amazing that one of our major newspapers would be writing an article like this and calling for demonstrations.  What is even more amazing is that they are only speaking the truth.

“But if it is to do so, those who oppose the new president’s reckless and heartless agenda must make their voices heard. Protesters must raise their banners. Voters must turn out for elections. Members of Congress — including and especially Republicans — must find the political courage to stand up to Trump. Courts must safeguard the Constitution. State legislators must pass laws to protect their citizens and their policies from federal meddling. All of us who are in the business of holding leaders accountable must redouble our efforts to defend the truth from his cynical assaults.”  from the editorial

I always hate saying this, but it is a short read.  And it is worth your time.

Link to article: Our Dishonest President

How do we get Trump to IKEA?

We had a small gathering at our house the other night in celebration of Robin achieving another year around the sun.  As sometimes happens the conversation turned to politics.  At least in our circle, these conversations never last a long time as we are all in consensus in being appalled and distressed at the current state of the country and the country’s politics.

I made the comment that Trump had started me praying again, a funny thing for an agnostic to do.  I do pray sometime, but I look at it as a way of focusing on what is upmost on my worry prone brain.  I elaborated by explaining that I pray every day that  Donald Trump Continue reading “How do we get Trump to IKEA?”