CHICKEN AND WAFFLES

In the past, I have suggested that the president is a wuss-and quite frankly, his foreign image was pretty much Mr. Stepinfetchit-so is any country on the map concerned about a threat of action from a lame duck known for his INaction?

And isn't it funny how his tune has changed in so short a time?

THEN...

...AND NOW

President Barack Obama on Thursday vowed to "take action" against Russia for the country's alleged meddling in the U.S. presidential election.

"I think there is no doubt that when any foreign government tries to impact the integrity of our elections … we need to take action," 

Obama said in an interview that aired Friday on NPR. "And we will – at a time and place of our own choosing. Some of it may be explicit and publicized; some of it may not be."

The comments are Obama's most candid yet on the issue, which gained momentum after Republican candidate Donald Trump won the presidency last month. Intelligence officials believe high-ranking Russian officials were involved in hacks into the private email of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's adviser, John Podesta, and the Democratic National Committee.

Authorities have not provided any evidence publicly to support the allegation and Russian officials have denied any involvement in the attacks.

Obama told NPR that he has ordered intelligence officials to review the cyberattacks and that he hopes to have a definitive White House report on the intrusions completed and released before Inauguration Day on Jan. 20.

The president-elect has consistently slammed the reports as partisan and fictitious...

...which is pretty much how the President was slamming them two short months ago!

I'd advise the soon-to-be Mr. Obama to stop whining, but that's pretty much all he has done for eight years anyway...

...and if something works, stick with it!

LOVE IN ACTION

More about the love our fellow Americans show to one another...

A Memphis woman was attacked at a Kroger grocery store by a man who said she was taking too long, police said.

The Memphis Police Department said Megan Wilson-Haislip was paying for her groceries with coupons at the store when the suspect became angry, police said.

Video of the assault was later released by Memphis police.

The MPD said the man got upset and started yelling at her her because she was holding up the line.

When she tried to leave, the suspect grabbed the woman by the back of her head and slammed her into the grocery cart.

"It wasn't like it was much," Wilson-Haislip said. "He just didn't want to wait."

The suspect fled in a blue Ford F150.

Police are reviewing surveillance cameras inside the store.

If anyone can identify the individual, they are asked to contact the Tillman Station General Investigation Bureau at 901-636-3214

You can't stop love in action...or is that love inaction?

But seriously-since I think we can all agree that president-elect Trump is obviously to blame for this-you gotta stop these people (and by "these people" I mean coupon shoppers) before things get out of hand.

Next, she'll want to pay by check.

OH CHRISTMAS TREE

An Indiana town was sued for a Christmas tree display.

According to WXIN, Joseph Tompkins, a resident of Knightstown, Indiana, enlisted the help of the American Civil Liberties Union to sue the town after it topped a public Christmas tree display with a cross instead of a star. The lawsuit claimed the topper was a violation of the First Amendment because it blurred the lines between separation of church and state.

"The cross is the best known symbol of Christianity and Knightstown's prominent display of this symbol represents an establishment of religion in violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution," the complaint said.

The lawsuit demanded that the town compensate Tompkins for being "forced to come into direct and unwelcome contact with the cross display" every day. Tompkins said he objected "to any of his tax dollars going to pay for the erection or maintenance of the display or the lighting of it," according to court documents.

But residents of the town opposed Tompkins' argument.

"Just because one person's offended, doesn't mean they have to take away one particular thing," resident Cynthia Sturgill told WXIN.

Other residents disagreed with Tompkins' claim and said that the display wasn't religious.

"To me, it's not a religious display," Sturgill told WXIN. "It's not all about just Christianity. It's about memorial, loss of family, loved ones, the veterans."

To combat the lawsuit, Knightstown resident Patricia Hutson crafted more than 200 wooden crosses to hand out for free to send a message. People also put crosses in their yards, stores, windows and cars, according to WXIN.

"I just thought we should rebel some way or let him know how we feel," Hutson told WXIN. "I hope they make people realize that we should speak up for what we believe in and stand up for it and not be pushed around."

A group gathered Sunday night to express support for the cross-topped tree Sunday night.

Monday morning, a Facebook page for the town announced the cross had been taken down.

"It is with regret and sadness that the Knightstown Town Council has had the cross removed from the Christmas tree on the town square and is expected to approve a resolution at the next council meeting stating they will not return the cross to the tree," the council said in a Facebook post."

Tompkins told WXIN he wasn't offended by the cross, but rather valued upholding the First Amendment.

Let me raise my hand to Tompkins, and both hands to the ACLU.

Here's why.

If his lawsuit was based soley on his (very common) misinterpretation of the first amendment, why is he not opposed to the tree?

A CHRISTmas tree is ALL ABOUT CHRISTianity....that's why it is called CHRISTmas. 

A couple of millennia ago, there was This Guy named CHRIST (no disrespect intended, Lord, please remember that I am trying to get through to an imbecile). 

CHRISTmas is the commemoration of His birthday, and CHRISTianity is the label assigned to the various religions that worship Him.

Clear enough for ya, Joey?

Also, the first amendment says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

Seems to me that Congress did not make the display, so where is the violation? 

I do not see where it says anything about what the Knightstown Town Council is allowed to do.

It also seems to me (and to some wiser than me) that what this amendment means is that Congress cannot implement a national religion. 

Remember, many of the initial European settlers of this continent resented what King Henry did with the Church of England and settled the colonies for the freedom to practice religion as they liked.

Which includes putting a cross on top of a tree if they feel like it.

Finally, do you see the words "separation of church and state" in the amendment, or, for that matter ANYWHERE in the Constitution?

Wanna know why?

They're NOT IN THERE!

Read a book called "Original Intent" by David Barton if you'd like to know more about this common misconception.

So, Joey, you are misinformed, uninformed and full of ka-ka. 

And I salute you with my middle finger as the frigging moron you are.

I hope your neighbors decorate your house with crosses and hold prayer vigils on the sidewalk in front of your home.

But most of all, I hope that by next Christmas, you have a freaking life.

KAEPERNICK DOESN'T MATTER

After his first notable protest against what last week he called the “systematic oppression” of minorities in the United States, and saying he wants “freedom for all people,” Colin Kaepernick put on a T-shirt that featured a supportive image of one of the 20th century’s most enduring oppressors, Fidel Castro.

Way to go, Colin, you've show that you are a clueless idiot.

And by the way, Kaepernick is just as pathetic on the field as he is in his role as freedom fighter.

With an 0-5 record, he is not making a difference on the field either.

TIS' THE SEASON

This is how Black Friday shoppers, obviously filled with the spirituality of the Christmas season, left a Nike factory store in Tulaip, Washington.

O come all ye faithful, indeed...

THE UNBIASED MEDIA?

Here is the headline I saw....

TRUMP SUPPORTER BLAMES SLOW STARBUCKS SERVICE ON 'ANTI-WHITE DISCRIMINATION'

And here is the actual story...(LINK HERE)

A man at a Florida Starbucks was caught on video yelling "Trump" and blaming "anti-white discrimination" for not getting his coffee more quickly on Wednesday.

The Miami Herald reported that Jorge de Cárdenas posted a video on Twitter at 5 p.m. Wednesday that showed a man at a Starbucks near the University of Miami yelling at an employee after he said his wait for his coffee was too long. During the 2-minute video, the man is seen asking for his money back before insulting the employee.

"You’re trash," he said to the female cashier, according to the Herald. "'Cause I voted for Trump. Trump. You lost, now give me my money back. You’re garbage. You’re complete trash."

Cárdenas told the Miami New Times that the man blamed the delayed coffee on "anti-white discrimination." "He said it was 'anti-white discrimination,'" he said. "So he started disparaging the staff. 

One patron called him an (expletive), so he said, '(Expletive) you, (expletive).' That's when I started filming."

Cárdenas said the other customer told the man that "there’s no need to talk like that" and said he should "take it outside," the New Times reported. Cárdenas said the two men "almost came to blows."

The Herald has since talked to the man, David Sanguesa, 53, who said he was having a bad day. The Herald noted that was just Sanguesa's latest bad day, writing that he had "one in 2008 when he was arrested on a DUI charge. The one a week later when he was again charged with DUI. And the day in 2014 in when he was charged with domestic violence, which was later dropped. And there were all those days, going back years, when he emailed the Miami Herald with rants against Cubans, women, immigrants, gays and lesbians, President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton."

Now here is why I object. If I were to publish this EXACT same story, but change the headline to read "Gay Man," "Lesbian Woman," "Black Man (or Woman)," "Transgender Man (or Woman)," or even "Muslim Man (or Woman)," I would get hate mail because the fact that the perpetrator was gay or lesbian or black or transgender or muslim has nothing to do with the event.

Yet what is going on here is indicative of a week and a half of media manipulation of the public to further undermine a Trump administration.

Do not misunderstand me-Mr. Sanguesa acted inappropriately (and that is putting it nicely), but his behavior really has nothing to do with his political leanings.

This "news" story has absolutely NOTHING to do with Donald Trump!

Don't get me wrong-Trump has given the media (and stand-up comedians) a boatload of material to work with, and I am not trying to liken this one story to an attempt at defaming Ghandi.

I am sick of the fact that all Trump voters are being portrayed as neo-Nazis.

Remember, the Palm Beach Post led with the word "Trump," implying that the story had more to do with the president-elect than it did the ravings of an (at least at that moment) unbalanced person.

What is funny is, Trump did appeal to a lot of people who might be broad brushed as narrow minded and possibly even jingoistic.

Want to know why I think that is?

For eight years, the supposedly "enlightened" and "inclusive" left treated that segment of the population like shit.

And guess what? 

They came out and voted for change, while the arrogant left stayed home thinking they had the election in the bag.

So today, my post is a hearty "Fuck You" to the media, and a heart-felt "Get Over Yourself" to the idiots still holding anti-Trump rallies.

My post is also a plea to the Trump voters.

You won. 

Be better than they are and stop rubbing it in. 

And be better than they were during the Kenyan years and remember that the country belongs to all of us, even though not everyone acts that way.

THE DEVIL MADE THEM DO IT

Proof of devil worship in Tempe, Arizona?

Organizers of an after-school Satan club at Point Defiance Elementary School in Tacoma, Washington, have the green light to proceed, according to the Tacoma News Tribune.

The club would be the first after-school Satan club in Washington state, according to Seattle chapter head Lilith Starr. An earlier request to start a club in Mount Vernon was withdrawn because of scheduling issues with the school district there, she said.

After-school Satan clubs are being formed in nine communities around the United States, Starr told the Tacoma News Tribune.

Pastors from all over the city packed Shiloh Baptist Church Tuesday night, frustrated that the Satanic Temple of Seattle is establishing the after-school program at Point Defiance Elementary.

"We want to cut this off and defeat it before it ever gets a chance to take root," said one pastor.

"We are the taxpayers here and we ought to stand up and let them know they are not welcome, they don’t pay taxes here," said another leader.

STS had targeted a school in Mount Vernon, but shifted focus to Point Defiance to provide a counterpoint to the school’s already established Christian-based Good News club.

The Satanists bill themselves as all about scientific and critical thinking, not as devil worshipers.

Religious leaders feel this attitude is a gateway to introduce anti-religious ideology.

The Satanic Temple is a national organization headquartered in Salem, Massachusetts.

Volunteers sponsored by The Satanic Temple of Seattle will host an open house for Point Defiance parents, students, teachers and staff members Dec. 14, two days before the start of winter break.

Two questions...

(1) How is it that children cannot even wear a cross to school due to the alleged "separation of church and state" in the Constitution, but Satanists are allowed to congregate on that same "state" property.

(2) What will be served at the open house? Blood and vomit?

Your public education dollars in action! And people made fun of my brother for home schooling his children so they'd be exposed to the right values!

It used to be I just hated Seattle because of the Seahawks...thank you STS for giving me a much better reason!

HOW I WON THE ELECTION FOR TRUMP

Over the past several days, there have been a lot of theories posted about how Donald Trump won the election-apparently it was all of the uneducated racist misogynistic blue collar louts who turned out in record numbers.

Or was it?

Here is a chart showing voter turnout for the last few presidential elections.

Doesn't seem like there were more voters out in 2016.

If you look at votes by party (graph is from HERE) it tells the story.

Republican turnout is essentially flat, but for Democrats, the turnout dipped drastically.

Trump did not win.

Clinton lost.

My theory is there were a couple of factors.

It seems that a lot of Democrats who turned out for Obama did do so for Clinton, which would seem to indicate that maybe Clinton did not appeal to the same block of voters that Obama did.

I had also commented to my girlfriend while watching the returns that I did not like that projections from the east were released while polls in the west were open, thinking that the feeble minded people in the west would go with the crowd (I'm in AZ-if you've been here, you get the joke).

A lot of people, myself included, were predicting Clinton would win big. For the record, I am happy I was wrong.

My theory is that a lot of Democrats stayed home, thinking it was in the bag.

To me, this election cycle told the story that Americans are sick of the same old crap. That is why Trump won the nomination, and why Bernie Sanders almost won his before the Clinton Machine put a stop to it.

And while the low Democratic turnout may not all have been dissatisfied voters, I believe much of it was.

People did not vote against Hilary because they are sexist-we voted against her because she is corrupt and scary.

Johnson and Stein did not cause Clinton to lose-my suspicion is that Johnson diverted far more votes from Trump, and Stein was far less of a factor.

Trump won in part because people wanted true change and that was worth the gamble in spite of his often damning sound bytes.

And mainly because prognosticators gave Democratic voters a false sense of security.

So because I have been saying for months that Clinton would win big, Trump won.

Doesn't that entitle me to a cabinet post?

SURRENDER TO THE VOID

IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME TO CAST YOUR VOTE FOR A THIRD PARTY...

THAT TIME IS NOW!

The media is trying to convince us that a vote for Johnson/Weld is a wasted vote.

That's not the truth. 

That's why just yesterday, Nate Silver and other notable data analysts warned the two parties: Don't rule out Johnson. 

Johnson is at 25% in New Mexico and tied with Clinton in Utah. He is surging in states like New Hampshire, Colorado, and Alaska.

Governor Gary Johnson’s economic policies worked for New Mexico, driving down unemployment and allowing the economy to grow. At the same time, they also drastically improved New Mexico’s schools and infrastructure. 

In 1992, Governor Bill Weld was rated the most fiscally conservative governor in the United States by the Wall Street Journal. More importantly, the unemployment rate in Massachusetts plummeted from the highest among the 11 industrialized states to the lowest by the end of his first term!

Can you name anything that Hillary Clinton has succeeded at?

EDITORIAL ENDORSEMENTS

The Chicago Tribune

A principled option for U.S. president: Endorsing Gary Johnson, Libertarian

We reject the cliche that a citizen who chooses a principled third-party candidate is squandering his or her vote. Look at the number of fed-up Americans telling pollsters they clamor for alternatives to Trump and Clinton. What we're recommending will appeal less to people who think tactically than to conscientious Americans so infuriated that they want to send a message about the failings of the major parties and their candidates. Put short:

We offer this endorsement to encourage voters who want to feel comfortable with their choice. Who want to vote for someone they can admire.

The Detroit News

Gary Johnson for President

Johnson is joined on the ticket by William Weld, the former Republican governor of Massachusetts, who likewise posted a record of good government and fiscal discipline. Johnson says he and Weld will govern as a team. That is encouraging. These are two honest, principled politicians who would put the interests of the nation first...

We anticipate our decision not to support either of the major party candidates will bring charges that we are throwing away our endorsement. Our contention is that an endorsement based on conscience is never wasted.

New Hampshire Union Leader

Johnson-Weld 2016: A better choice

This is the best chance for a third party ticket in more than a century. Johnson and Weld are on the ballot in all 50 states, and should have significant appeal to disaffected conservatives and liberals looking for a better option. They must be included in this fall’s presidential debate...

Don’t waste your vote on candidates who don’t deserve it. Gary Johnson and Bill Weld are the only choice for President and Vice President.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch

Richmond Times-Dispatch endorses Gary Johnson for president

He is, in every respect, a legitimate and reasonable contender for the presidency — but only if the voters give him a fair hearing. 

And that can happen only if he is allowed to participate in the presidential debates that begin on Sept. 26 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.

Winston-Salem Journal

Decision 2016: Gary Johnson for president

It would be wonderful for our democracy to have Johnson and Weld, two thoughtful statesmen, on the debate schedule, starting Sept. 26, to balance the mudslinging sure to emanate from the two major-party candidates. 

The inclusion of the Libertarians could set the stage for one of the most exciting races in our history, instead of one of our most depressing. 

This Libertarian ticket has the potential to transform this race from one about insults and scandals to one about issues and honor.

We endorse Gary Johnson for president

The Caledonian-Record

Vote Johnson

We think third-party candidate Gary Johnson is a viable option and worthy of your attention.

We like the Libertarian candidate across the board.

THE MEDIA'S CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT

I saw a news story over the weekend that college students were DISGUSTED by their presidential choices.

Why isn't everybody disgusted?

Why aren't people demanding that Gary Johnson (the Libertarian candidate) be included in the debate process?

Why do Americans let the news media decide their elections?

TODAY I AM A MAN!

He wasn't able to celebrate the religious coming-of-age ceremony Jewish boys go through at age 13 because his mother had died and his father had been drafted into the Russian army. 

Now, 100 years later, Yisrael Kristal will finally have his bar mitzvah.

He just turned 113 years old, and was recently named as the world's oldest man.

Apparently that tag must be changed to “oldest living person,” at least until later this month.

Kristal was born in 1903 in Poland and survived both World Wars and lived through the Holocaust, his family told BBC News. He and his family were sent to the Nazi death camp Auschwitz where his wife was murdered. His two children also died in the Holocaust.

Kristal emigrated to Israel in 1950 with his second wife and their son.

The bar mitzvah is set for later September with a ceremony in Haifa, Israel where he will be surrounded with family in friends. 

The date coincides with his birthday according to the Hebrew date.

His daughter, Shulamit Kuperstoch, told the BBC that his bar mitzvah will be a "corrective experience".

Kuperstoch says her father would perform the traditional bar mitzvah rituals, including putting on phylacteries (small boxes containing biblical verses worn on the head and arm) and saying blessings over the Torah (Jewish holy book).

"We are excited, we're happy, it is a great honour to celebrate his bar mitzvah. He has children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and cousins and everyone is coming," Kuperstoch said.

And finally, in the eyes of his faith, he will be able to call himself a man!

DON'T BOTHER GETTING UP, COLIN

GABBERT'S GOT YOUR JOB

THE NAME OF THE DISEASE

President Barack Obama now has a parasite named after him.

While that might not sound like the most flattering thing, the scientists who named the new flatworm said they went with the name because the parasite is unique.

Baracktrema obamai is found in Malaysian freshwater turtles. The parasitic flatworm infects their lungs and can be fatal.

Kind of like most of the president’s programs.

When it comes to the parasites, these namesakes might just seem like a really clever way to diss the commander in chief, but having an organism carry your name is actually a honor.

And what president has been more parasitic than Obama?

REMEMBERING THOSE WHO FELL

Whether it was a terror attack or a government conspiracy is not the point of this post today.

A lot of good (and innocent) people died that day.

This is for them.

I was too young to have the "where I was when Kennedy was shot" memory, but I will never forget how I felt on September 11, 2001.

My thoughts and prayers to the fallen and their loved ones.

THERE SHE IS...

The Miss America pageant has been around for close to a century, but this year's event is going to be a first for the organization.

The pageant's first openly gay contestant, Erin O'Flaherty from Missouri, is competing for the 2017 title.

The 23-year-old made national news when she was crowned Miss Missouri back in June, and speculation of some girl-on-girl action during the talent show is widespread.

OK, maybe I just made that up, sexist pig that I am. 

But all you guys were thinking it, you sexist bastiges.

And some of you gals were, too! 

And porn producers (cause you know you're already starting to shoot the film), remember, it was my idea! 

Contact this blog for direction on where to send the royalty checks!

How many of you bigots saw the picture and thought, “She doesn’t look gay?)

And while we're at it, how many of you guys are wondering if you can get her to switch teams?

While O'Flaherty is the first openly gay contestant to compete at Miss America, Sky News reported at least one other former contestant came out as a lesbian after competing in the pageant. It was Miss Kentucky 2010, Djuan Trent.

I kind of miss the days when this was the biggest Miss America surprise…

What I find most interesting is that this contest has been blasted by feminist groups as being demeaning towards women since it is based on looks.

Now it is being celebrated since a member of the LGBT community is free to demean herself just like her straight sisters.

Now that's progress!

JOSE, CAN YOU SEE?

When I saw the headline on ESPN reading KAEPERNICK CONTROVERSY, my assumption was that it was referring to his new head/hair look…I mean dude, really?

As it turns out, the headline refers to the quarterback’s refusal to stand for the national anthem prior to a preseason game on Friday.

As if preseason matters, right?

Kaepernick’s decision to bench himself is based on the United States oppression African Americans and other minorities.

While I am not sure I agree with his rationale-I am not sure the official position of the USA is that black lives do not matter-the fact that the media is all a buzz and a Twitter kind of amuses me.

After all, most people attack Kaepernick because his refusal to stand for the anthem is not showing his support for the troops, the “men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line for him,” as one tweet that rolled across the ESPN screen read.

First off, while there are undoubtedly exceptions (most notably Pat Tillman, the former NFL player who gave up a multi-million dollar career to join the army), most of our troops enlist because the armed forces are a better career option than they can get on the outside.

Tillman joined because he felt he needed to make a difference, but most of our troops are there to get their education paid for or to obtain a skill they can cash in on after they are discharged. 

The notion that everyone in uniform is "laying it all on the line for our freedom" simply is not a true statement. 

It’s a nice soundbyte, but it’s not the truth.

I do not want to make light of the risk our troops assume when in combat, and certainly intend no dishonor to those who have died in combat, but unless you're running for a public office, can we cut the propaganda from the discussion?

But you know what really makes me itch? 

This whole notion that anyone in American today is  “supporting the troops.”

Supporting the troops is something those of us under the age of 90 really know nothing about.

People who were of age during World War 2 know what “supporting the troops” means.

Their lives changed during the war.

They did without household items that were made with materials needed for the war effort. They saved household waste items that could be recycled for the war effort.

People volunteered to perform security functions that the National Guard (who had been deployed) would do.

The USO was formed, and many women who were homemakers volunteered.

Others took jobs in factories that directly supported the war effort.

What does our generation do?

A three dollar ribbon magnet and standing for the anthem at a ball game.

But don’t let me sell America short-we also remove our ball caps when we stand for the anthem. 

We're all in with our support!

So if you want to criticize Kaepernick, find a better soap box.

Yet those “men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line for him” did to so he would have the freedom to NOT STAND for the national anthem.

So maybe Kaepernick’s gesture, in exercising the freedom our armed forces "lay it on the line" to provide, can be construed as the ULTIMATE show of support.