December 29, 2016

It's one of the oldest cons...

Small wonder Trump likes it.

His own history is, of course, of a man who was born into wealth. Trump personally believes this makes him superior to just about everyone else, and no doubt he believes poor people are poor by their own fault; even though his own riches initially had little to do with his own worth as a human.

Let us not forget Trump's downfall in the early 1990's, when his profligate spending and poor business decisions nearly made him bankrupt.

The hypocrisy of someone who claims to be a Christian pastor while equating wealth with God's love is stunning:

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

- Mark 10:25

December 29, 2016

Shady Pastor to Pray With Trump At Inauguration

Folks, can't make this stuff up.

From the sound of this, we are headed to a new (old) era of divine right Presidencies...

Shady Pastor to Pray With Trump At Inauguration

In 2007, TV preacher Paula White got investigated by the U.S. Senate for her shady fundraising practices.
Ten years later, she will pray at Trump’s inauguration. Yes, really. White is a televangelist with a huge audience and a knack for stirring controversy. She’s been a Trump booster for years, and she helped organize a summit for him in the early days of his presidential campaign with other televangelists. Her presence at the inauguration is a very strong indicator that Trump’s White House will be a safe space for the Christian right’s most controversial characters.

Think of Paula White’s ministry as the church version of Trump University. She preaches the prosperity gospel, an approach to Christianity that is, shall we say, unorthodox. Prosperity gospel preachers teach that God wants people to be rich, and that he makes them wealthy as a sign of his blessing and favor; the richer you are, the more God loves you.

Because, you know, Jesus wore wingtips and a Rolex. These preachers also teach that the way to become wealthy is—you guessed it!—by giving them money. If you make a so-called “seed offering”—and the bigger the better—then preachers like White say the Lord will repay your generosity with bounteous riches. White’s website promises that such seed offerings will help givers get immediate word from God. “When we receive your seed we have a very powerful Word from the Lord that we will send to you,” the site says. “We want to show our Gratitude to you and to help you grow in your Attitude of Gratitude.” The Word from the Lord, in this case, is delivered via internet download, unless your seed is $50 or more, in which case you’ll get your Word of the Lord in the form of five DVDs....

December 29, 2016

Lawsuit: East Bay Versace store had code for black customers

This is more than just "Cleanup on Aisle 4"...

Lawsuit: East Bay Versace store had ‘code’ for black customers

An ex-employee of an East Bay Versace outlet store filed a discrimination lawsuit alleging he was instructed by his boss to use a code word to alert co-workers when an African American person entered the business.
In the Alameda County Superior Court lawsuit seeking class-action status, Christopher Sampino, 23, says he was fired in early October after working at the Versace USA store at the San Francisco Premium Outlets in Livermore for just two weeks. He said he was let go after he informed his boss that he is African American.
During Sampino’s second shift at the high-end global fashion retailer, a training manager — who apparently was unaware Sampino is African American — asked him if he knew about the “D410” code, otherwise known as the alert that a “black person is in the store,” the lawsuit charges.

December 28, 2016

Troubling Signs for Science under Trump

Troubling Signs for Science under Trump

We're getting a clearer picture of how science in America will be treated under Trump. It's horrifying. Our scientific endeavors are under severe threat, as is our environment. Scientists and those who support science have every reason to be concerned about the next several years. Here's a small taste of what we're dealing with under Trump.

I’m a scientist who has gotten death threats. I fear what may happen under Trump.... With his climate denying cabinet—including Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State, Rick Perry for Secretary of Energy, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers or U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-MT, in the running for Secretary of Interior—and a fossil-fuel friendly U.S. House and Senate, it is no understatement to say the Trump is preparing a fossil fuel takeover of the U.S. economy. But the economy won't be the only thing that's taken over. Our public lands, clean air and clean water will face a withering assault..... So when I say that Trump’s adviser Anthony Scaramucci just let loose one of the more asinine streams of anti-science garbage I’ve heard, you must appreciate the scale of what I mean.... Even if we give Scaramucci the benefit of the doubt here, the context is important; when discussing science and Trump it's important to understand that Trump has enveloped himself in people who are creationists as well as climate change deniers; VP Mike Pence is one, Rick Perry appointed creationists to the Texas State School Board over and again, and Ben Carson said evolution is satanic and the Big Bang is a fairy tale....

December 28, 2016

Will Don don the skinhead look to match his agenda?

Donald promises America a new 'do' if it makes him president: Trump reveals he will ditch his infamous hair style in the White House - because comb-over takes too much time to maintain

Promises, promises...

Donald Trump may be standing firm in his political convictions as he attempts to secure the Republican nomination for president, but there is one thing he has revealed he will be changing if elected - his hair. Trump appeared at a dinner in Iowa on Saturday night and told those in attendance that his carefully crafted coif would be no more if he lands in the White House. His reasoning for the big change is that the look simply takes too long.

Squirrel Lives Matter!!!!

December 28, 2016

Get ready for an unpressidented violation of the First Amendment under Trump...

Trump Promises Harsh Media Criticism of Him Will Be ILLEGAL If He’s President

Have you ever made fun of Donald Trump? Have you ever read an editorial that really lays into him with criticisms of his proposed policies, or even his hair?

Well if Trump becomes president, he promises that things will change, and these sorts of critiques will no longer be legal. It almost sounds like satire, but during a speech in Texas on Friday morning, the Republican candidate and frontrunner, Donald Trump said he wants to sue news outlets if they negative stories about him....

“One of the things I’m gonna do, and this is only gonna make it tougher for me, and I’ve never said this before, but one of the things I’m gonna do if I win… is I’m gonna open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money. We’re gonna open up those libel laws.”

He went even further and made it clear what he meant, saying, “We’re gonna open up those libel laws, folks, and we’re gonna have people sue you like you never get sued before.”

Can he do it? Will the GOP Congress meekly go along with this unpressidented violation of the First Amendment?

What do you think?