Dr. Insane and Meshuggenah Island

So I want you to know that there is a very thin line between fantasy and reality. 

There are those who want you to not only question reality, but also to accept alternative deceptions. 

They want to substitute fantasy and conspiracy and their version of "truth" for what is happening and real or intentionally phony. 

But (more) fake news and lies are not real news and truth. 

They ask questions, and they provide "answers."

But the answers are more often contrived to make you think they are a reality when they are brainwashing and mindf*cking you. 

They show you maps and pictures--it is nothing but entertainment to sow fear and for mass hysteria and distortion. 

Dr. Insane is running her own Meshuganah Island. 

You can easily get caught up in it. 

But I caution you that there is a thin, thin line between fantasy and reality. 

It's not a game.

The game and joke are on you. 

Misinformation, psychological operations throw you off track. 

Yes, there are secrets--there have to be. 

Not everything is for everyone to know at the moment.

But the world is not run on: I say, he says, she says. 

There is power. There are plans. There is execution. 

Randomness sometimes. 

Intent sometimes. 

Corruption all too often. 

You can't really know. 

Were we smart or just plain lucky?

Someday, the unknown becomes known, but not on rants and raves. 

Follow the data carefully and question it to make sure. 

In the end, the King of Kings is guiding everything and therefore there is no reason to fear. 

The world is going according to plan.

Fear leads to you wanting to gain control. 

Some people want to vent or to pretend they know something when they don't. 

There is no reason to conjecture and cross with Dr. Insane into Meshuganah Island.

Making things up makes things worse.

What we do have to do is to keep good winning over evil with truth. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Dr. Insane and Meshuggenah Island

Iran--and Obama--Lied

The Iranian Nuclear Deal has been definitively proven to be based on lies and deception. 

G-d has once again helped Israel achieve a miraculous intelligence coup against Axis of Evil, Iran!

The real proof is in the archive (not the fake news echo chamber).

Iran has a clear path to nukes, and they have been working feverishly towards this maniacal end for decades!

This has put Western Civilization at grave risk at the hands of the fanatical Mullahs who endlessly call for death to America, Israel, and even Sunni civilization. 

The only thing the Iranian deal was good for was as a deceptive political ploy by Obama to gain a fake win and to support dangerous Iranian global terrorism, extremism, human rights violations, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. 

Now we know the real reason certain people couldn't say the words "Islamic Terrorism."

Iran lied, but so did Obama. 

I can hear our bombers revving their engines and see the smart bombs being loaded into their bays.

It's well past time to make things right and conduct the necessary preemptive strike to foil their evil plans and destroy their wicked weapons of mass destruction before they can use them on you know who. ;-)

Iran--and Obama--Lied

Good Face, Ugly Mask

So many faces, so much phoniness. 

Why can't we just deal with genuine people?

Not like the dummies in this picture. 

Everyone seems to put on a face. 

One person comes in the room, puts on a big smile and then drops it like you do your pants in the bathroom (excuse the comparison).

But it's just so wax!

Another person is talking it up, but you can see just under the thin veneer, they are a boiling powder keg ready to go off. 

Faces are for expression--to feel and to share. 

However, they are used to deceive and fool the world around them.  

Is it a face or a mask.

What's behind it--good or evil?

If you don't look past the superficial then you are the real dummy.  ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Good Face, Ugly Mask

White Lie, Black Truth

No this is not another civil or human rights post, although I like writing those as well. 

Rather, this is about how we use our words to help and not hurt others. 

"White Lie, 

Black Truth"

Yes, we all know that it's wrong to lie (it's even in the 10 Commandments). 

Except, of course, when we need to tell a "white lie" in order to keep someone's feelings from getting hurt.

For example, I may not like your new haircut, but when you ask me glowingly what I think, instead of telling you how it's too short or whatever, I tell you, "Yeah, it looks great!"

Then, there is the "black truth."

That's when we swallow hard and tell the  truth to someone, even though it may hurt their feelings, it's ultimately for their good. 

For example, your child may be going of course with their lives, and while you don't want to hurt their feelings, you know you need to tell them the truth in order to help them course-correct.

Telling lies or truth can be hurtful to people, but a white lie isn't really bad, because it's used to protect someone's feeling, the black truth, is also not so dark and foreboding, because there are times when you need to get past the superficial, be real with someone, and tell them the hard truth in order to help them in a very practical sense. 

That's one of life's most difficult lessons, that not everything is black or white. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

White Lie, Black Truth

Another Nothing Burger

So I've noticed that not only in politics--but in life--people are want to throw around a lot of nothing burgers.

This happens when they make vague accusations--incriminating people or groups--but without substantiating what they are saying. 

It's a way of bullying, discriminating, and hating on others. 

Creating doubt about your victim--keep saying those derogatory, demeaning, and hateful stories--it tarnishes the other person's image, reputation, and credibility.

Creating an endless aura of fallibility on the other person's part. 

Here, we go...they screwed up again!

It's death by a thousand cuts of insults, pot shots, and sucker punches.

It's a definite form of verbal and emotional abuse and violence. 

Sometimes, there may be something to it--in which case the party that screwed up should take responsibility, correct their mistakes, and commit to sincerely doing better in the future. 

But often, there is nothing there!

And the false accusations are merely a way to cover up (management) incompetency or bias by the accusers themselves. 

It's a great way to dominate the conversation, but really the people making the stink are simply acting out--and not too flattering as the whiners and complainers.

They point fingers at others, but there are three fingers pointing back at themselves!

Why?

Because it's another nothing burger meant to deceive, discredit, and retard and take the focus off their own meatless patties!  

Where's the beef?

The liars and deceivers and propagandists are using you for their own means.

Another nothing burger in the oven and it ain't kosher! ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Another Nothing Burger

The Nails Exploded!

So it continues to be amazingly sad how there can be a large terror attack in the UK yesterday, but still many of our weak politicians and fake news media can’t readily admit the simple truth about the war with radical Islamic terrorism.

A nail bomb goes off at a concert in one of the largest arenas in Europe killing at least 22 and wounding 59 mainly teenagers attending a rock concert, and the headline is:

“Suspected Terror Attack”

Uh, who would’ve suspected that?

Perhaps it could have just been a large pile of nails lying around exploding at the box office and killing people?

Stupid, stupid, stupid…

Shameful, shameful, shameful

We live amidst brazen lies to the people, grotesque political correctness, and unbelievable media spin.

And yes, that’s how we might end up losing a big one someday. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Nails Exploded!

Fake News CNN and Failing NYT

The Failing New York Times and Fake News CNN...

Have become virtually unwatchable. 

Aside from their relentless bias, they are so endlessly the negative Nellies and depressing!

How about reporting the news instead of trying to direct it?  

On the positive side of things, I heard that FOX news is turning even more mainstream.

And a new conservative network news channel is in the making to balance out the other news lineup already out there. 

Thank G-d, we have choices and they can be more truthful, more fair and balanced, and more spirited and enjoyable to read and watch. 

It doesn't matter what your political leaning is--we value them all as long as we respect everyone and have a honest debate of ideas--and not 24/7 mind control and a media brainwashing session over the masses. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Fake News CNN and Failing NYT

Media Is Becoming The Biggest Loser

So this is an interesting poll from Emerson College:

"49% of U.S. voters believe that the Trump administration is truthful, while only 39% feel that way about the news media."

Growing up, I never thought or felt the media was biasing the news.

Frankly, it never would have occurred to me. 

Maybe, I was too innocent or naive. 

But I always thought the media's job was to "tell it the way it is."

The media's job, I understood was to be a honest broker, investigate, report, and tell all sides of the issues to help inform and educate. 

What people then did with that information was up to them. 

They would be free in a democracy to form their own opinions and see things that were presented to them through their experiences and sense of identity and justice.
But now, the world is upside down, and bias, bigotry, and prejudice is embedded in the media news itself. 

The same story on a deportation case today can be told by CNN as one of racism and cruelty to immigrants for deporting a mother of two who was "a threat to nobody" or by FOX news as one of enforcing the laws and security against an undocumented immigrant with a felony conviction for social security fraud. 

It depends what colored glasses your looking through and how you want to influence or control what the masses think and do about it. 

No wonder, people don't trust the media!

Not only were the projections based on garbage polling completely wrong in terms of who would win the election, but the reporting out of daily events is done through one-sided reporting, "alternative facts," and "fake news."

The Democrats and Republicans are duking it out, but it's the media that it getting the biggest black eye on honesty and credibility, and losing the fight for influence over the American people. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Media Is Becoming The Biggest Loser

Lies, Injustice, and the New "(Un)American Way"

Superman and all the American heroes have been so great because they represented the fight of good over evil.

And...with the principles always of "Truth and Justice."

We were proud to be Americans because we were a free democracy and we fought for freedom and human rights everywhere. 

Truth and justice in the world meant something; it meant everything to us. 

It was part of our Judeo-Christian faith and who were were as people and as a nation. 

We defeated colonial rule, slavery, Hitler, Communism, and even put a man on the moon while heralding in suffrage and equal rights irrespective of color, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and more. 

The truth was sought out no matter where it was to be found, and justice needed be done to satisfy the courts below and the Heaven above. 

But it seems that a lot has changed, hasn't it?

Right is no longer right, but rather politics makes right. 

From smear campaigns, secret dossiers, exaggerations and fairy tales to name-calling, hate speech, cyber attacks, and marketing and branding to undo the opposition. 

From secret email servers, foundation pay-to-play, and pizzagate to claims of Russian campaign ties. 

From a Snowden surveillance state to stolen questions from election debates. 

From abstention at hateful, bigoted UN resolutions to deals with terrorist Iranian mullahs.

From honors at the White House for Army deserter Bergdahl to injustices meted out against the opposition party by unscrupulous political appointees. 

From fake news to the abandonment of investigative journalism with now one-sided bias and trash talking journalists and even SNL "comedians."

From the reversal of dry-foot wet-foot immigration for Cubans (what ever happened to helping refugees in need and danger?) to watching 500,000 dead in Syria from the sidelines of violated red lines. 

From a purge of 36,000 after a Turkey coup to the rise of competing ISIS and Iranian terror caliphates across Asia and the Middle East. 

From nukes on NATO's borders to Russia's annexation of Crimea and invasion of Georgia and from China's buildout in the South China Sea and threatening of its neighbors and freedom of navigation of the seas to North Korea developing and tests ballistic missiles and nukes. 

From shootings of African Americans to "revenge killings" against police officers and the demise of inner-city America with skyrocketing crime and the long misery of poverty and homelessness.

From decrepit U.S. infrastructure, jobs going overseas, a widening trade deficit, and an overwhelming national debt. 

From rose-colored glasses, half-baked statistics, and selling bogus ideas to the "media echo chamber."

From abandonment of allies and friends to embracing terrorist murders and the inability to say "radical Islamist."

From campaigning from within the White House on the taxpayer dime to attacking Bernie Sanders for his faith to steer the primary to Hillary. 

From secret meetings on airplanes with the Attorney General while in the middle of an investigation to lies about videos being the cause of an attack on our Benghazi mission and the murder of an American Ambassador. 

From prosecuting some for mishandling government classified information to letting others go who were "grossly negligent" endangering national security.

From divisiveness and "resistance" to creating an inability to get anything done. 

From sit-ins and walk-outs and from disrespectful "peaceful" demonstrations to violent protests, and from loose-mouths to paid operatives to disrupt lawful campaign rallies. 

From "Not my president" to how dare anyone question the legitimacy of our elections. 

From breaking glass ceilings to creating new barriers between peoples and races across the spectrum. 

From broken healthcare to bankrupt social security, and from failing education to trailing life expectancy. 

From a decrepit nuclear triad "deterrent" to a weakening of the global order, including Brexit. 

From terrorism and war to genocide, refugees, and human rights violations. 

So as lies and corruption run rampant and we are aghast with mouths open wide at how far things can fall...we recognize when power itself becomes the end rather than the means, and wielding it becomes more important than any truth and any justice, and that is fundamentally how totally unAmerican things have become, indeed. 

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Lies, Injustice, and the New "(Un)American Way"

Hope vs. Change

So we were promised hope and change, but what's the difference?

Daniel Henninger in the Wall Street Journal says, "Hope is the helium -filled ballon of politics. Governing in office is the gravity that pulls it back down to earth."

Many politicians are giving the false impression that "giving people the rhetoric of hope, lifting them with words, is more important than delivering results, which some might call change."

Despair is when we are told that there is hope and promise, but we don't get meaningful, impactful, and lasting positive change.

The hard work of leadership is not just providing a beautiful Garden of Eden vision for people to salivate over and to get their votes, but rather it is making something REAL happen that makes people's lives and the world better. 

As they say is plain english, "Words are cheap!"

We don't need any more fancy oratory skills--Hitler had those too and it led to the murderous genocidal Holocaust and disaster of World War II. 

Time for some elbow grease and some results that aren't fake like the news we've been getting. 

We've heard too many lies, too much spin, and been subjected to language control of the "media echo chamber."

Just one prominent example has been regarding terrorism and radical Islam which is not and never has been "workplace violence" and traffic accidents. 

Who is the President of the U.S. fooling when he says that theres been "no foreign-planned terror attacks in 8 years."

Gee, ISIS and their numerous terror supporters seem to violently disagree about the many terrorist attacks we indeed did have on U.S. soil in the last 8-years, including Orlando, Garland, Fort Hood, San Bernardino, Minnesota, Ohio University, and many more.  

It's time that we stop being fed a bunch of false hope and political malarkey and instead we get some genuine change, improvement, and progress in our lives and the nation. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Hope vs. Change

A Failed Presidency?

Every day we are reminded about the dysfunctional state of our national affairs.

The dictum of the Hippocratic Oath of" first do no harm" that medical students are taught is the very minimum expectation, but has even this been met?

The Promise vs. The Delivery

1) Promised reset with Russia - Delivered a resurgent Russia in Ukraine, Syria, the Baltics, cybersecurity, and more.

2) Promised red lines in Syria - Delivered more than 5-year and counting deadly civil war with chemical weapons, more than 500,000 dead, and millions wounded, displaced, and fleeing as refugees.

3) Promised end of war in Iraq and Afghanistan - Delivered continued troops and war in both with not an end in sight. 

4) Promised good deal with a moderating Iran - Delivered bad deal with continued aggressive Iran violating the agreement and on the path to reaching nuclear weapons.

5) Promised easing of ties with an opening of Cuba - Delivered one-sided deal and a continued hard-line communist Cuba abusing political opponents and human rights.

6) Promised defeat of ISIS terrorism - Delivered continued ISIS global terror (and it's not workplace violence).

7) Promised closing of GITMO - Delivered GIMTO still open for business with dozens of dangerous terrorists. 

8) Promised a more unified America - Delivered a more divisive nation with raging inner city violence and civilian and police shootings.

9) Promised Obamacare affordable health insurance - Delivered unsustainable double digit premium growth and pending repeal and replacement.

10) Promised Dodd-Frank improved accountability financial reform - Delivered burdensome highly-regulated financial system stifling banking and lending leading to either significant scale back or complete repeal and replacement. 

11) Promised peace in the Middle East--Delivered a barrage of missiles, terror tunnels, shootings, stabbings, vehicular attacks, and arson for our friend and ally, Israel.

12) Promised government transparency to the American people - Delivered obscurity to the "media echo chamber" and devastating political email scandal and Benghazi fiasco. 

13) Promised fiscal and budgetary responsibility via Sequestration - Delivered a doubling of the national debt in 8 years to 20 trillion dollars! ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal via USA Today)

A Failed Presidency?

Who You Gonna Trust?

We start out life as innocent children with inherent trust in those that care for us. 

It is nice to feel safe, loved, and cared for by people who dote over your every gurgle, smirk, fart, and spaghetti sauce smear on the face. 

As people grow older and have negative experiences however, they become more guarded and jaded by what they learn about other people's motives and agendas and how vulnerable and hurt they can get. 

Unfortunately, these days kids have to fear from pedophiles, parents that are addicts and wildly abusive, and teachers that let out their emotional problems on children that look up to them for guidance and education. 

As we get older, there are bullies in school and thugs on the street. 

And even in the office, there are those that abuse their positions of power and can make life miserable for the regular hard-working Joes not looking for any problems.

In relationships, spouses that cheat on one another and the resulting breakups have heart-wrenching effects on families. 

But perhaps, what is even worse than individual people that can hurt us are when the very institutions that are the bedrock of our society become corrupt and abusive of their authority and result in our loss of trust in them.

Already in 2010, trust in government was reaching new lows of 19%.

By 2014, trust in corporate America had eroded to just 36%.

Similarly, in 2016, trust in the news media fell to all time lows of 32%.

Reading about the clutching unto power of Fidel Castro's dictatorship for half a century in Cuba did not seem that far a stretch after seeing the powerful and dangerous political machine here in our own U.S.A. working to keep people in the seat of power almost at any cost to the country and the people. 

What was good for people was clearly last place to what was good for the ruling elites not just in Cuba anymore!

Similarly, the notion of a fair and balanced media went out the window with this last election, where investigative journalism became an oxymoronic term and idea. 

As for corporate America, outsourcing, shoddy goods, inflated advertising, short-term profiteering, rigged governance, and oversized pay packages to the C-suite left a handful of socially-conscious corporations stranded on a desert island of greed and raw capitalism.

Neither children nor adults are victims or sheep to be bullied or manipulated by abusers and manipulators in society. 

A free press so needed to keep corruption in check in the rest of public and private sector society has itself been infected by the bug of bias, bigotry, and personal agendas. 

Who can we trust when evil can overtake good temporarily to break bodies and souls of it's victims?

Ultimately, the people have the final say in keeping the wrongs in society from taking deep root and not letting nasty "big brothers" do the really bad things and take us down the wrong paths.

There are good people with integrity that we can trust, maybe just not everyone we'd like to. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Who You Gonna Trust?

After The Election Hypocrisy

So after the election yesterday, once the results were in, the after shocks were apparent in downtown, Washington DC and across the nation.

- There were quiet spaces set up for people to "console" themselves and each other. 

- There were signs like this to change the rules and the system, and abolish the electoral college.

- There were more nasty grams between family, friends, colleagues, and strangers on Facebook and Twitter.

- There were protests and riots.

- There was American flag burning.

- There was yelling, cursing, and crying.

Of course, I understand that the election was an upset to half the population (actually, maybe over half of the popular vote).

And I certainly agree with people who are against bigotry and racism--these are things that should ALWAYS be condemned in no uncertain terms!

However, while trying to take the moral high ground, there is plenty of bigotry and hate to go around--such as branding other people as racists (even if they are not so), calling tens of millions of people "deplorables," and stating that they are unequivocally "unredeemable." 

Similarly, while attacking one candidate for his sexual banter and (possibly) conduct, the husband of the other candidate was himself impeached from the presidency for his infidelities.  

And no matter how big a feminist our beliefs, rather than falsely blaming an unjust "glass ceiling," in her concession speech yesterday, the candidate should have done a mea culpa and acknowledged perhaps a very understandable "corruption ceiling" that put the brakes on her own trust, likability and electability.

Reminiscent to condemning the violence at the Trump rallies, the hypocrisy of it all, was when it become known that the operatives of the DCN themselves, in Project Veritas, were the ones actually sparking and doing the violence.

Further, one candidate was ruthlessly denigrated for even suggesting that there was election fraud going on, even while indeed town hall questions were being passed from the media by the DNC's own chairperson to the other candidate and the prior chairperson was fired from the DNC's actions in their rigging the primary against Bernie Sanders who would have had a decent chance at actually winning "the whole enchilada."

But what happened to everyone committing to accepting the results of a free and fair election in a democracy--is that only if YOUR candidate wins?

Whether it's with hate, name-calling, violence, and sore losing...maybe there is a lot of bad behavior along with "calling the tea kettle black" going on. 

While we call for the "orderly transitions" of power in Egypt, for Britain with Brexit, and elsewhere in the world, perhaps our leaders should hold ourselves to similar standards of conduct here. 

It's time to STOP the HATE, BIGOTRY, AND VIOLENCE on all sides, and come together to do something positive for this country.

The national security and welfare of the country is at stake, but even more so, the soul of it is still mired in corruption and lies of a very ugly election. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

After The Election Hypocrisy

14 Lessons Learned from the Political Process

So here are some things that I learned from this awful, drawn out election:

1) Keep it positive - Negativity, divisiveness, and hate hurt you more than it does anyone else.

2) Don't play the *ism card - Using racism, religion, gender, and sexual orientation to divide people and get what you want from them is dirty politics and empty promises for votes; stick to the facts and the issues. 

3) Focus on service to others - "Public service" is about service to others, not self service; it is more important to give than to receive any of the fame, fortune, and favors. 

4) No one is above the law - Corruption, collusion, and cover-ups are a boomerang that eventually come back to hit you in the proverbial head.

5) Action speaks louder than words -- What you actually did, accomplished, and how you behaved is the much louder message than what you say you did or claim you will do. 

6) People are not sheep - Regardless of how strong and biased a position the media and others take, hammering and hammering away, in the end people are not sheep and can and do think for themselves. 

7) Polls, statistics, position papers, conventions, and debates - There are many tools for manipulating the masses and they, like the people who prepare and administer them, have biases and lie. 

8) Branding yourself and others - Creating an image for yourself and others by weaving a tall tale narrative only goes so far unless the words and deeds are consistent and ring truth. 

9) Speak from the heart - Preparation and practice make perfect, but a perfect what?  Prepared lines and zingers are great sound bites, but speaking from the heart goes to the heart. 

10) Moral high ground - Just saying you are taking the moral high ground does not make it so; you actually have to have integrity to stand that ground. 

11) The political machine - Politics and the money and operatives behind it, are very strong and dangerous, and those that wield it can and will do anything to gain and stay in the much coveted positions of power. 

12) Don't think you're so deserving - Be humble and compassionate on others, instead of believing you are so great and the world owes it to; the more you run after something, the more it tends to elude you.

13) Listen to your gut - There are great orators, writers and influencers out there, but you've got to listen more to your gut and moral compass than to anyone else trying to bend your mind and will. 

14) Star power - Bringing out the big gun superstars to speak, sing, and endorse you is some nice added glitz, but the real superpower is the one Almighty who ultimately decides who wins and loses. 

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

14 Lessons Learned from the Political Process

To BE Corruption FREE

Amazing, they were advertising this in downtown Washington, D.C.:

"A Government Free of Corruption"

Wouldn't this just be completely miraculous!

WE HAVE A DREAM:

- No lies and spin

- No deception and manipulation

- No public and private faces

- No collusion and cheating

- No hidden agendas and backroom dealings

- No hate, bias, and divisiveness

- No denigrating, name-calling, and character assassination

- No bribery and pay to play

- No intimidation, payback, and shadow government

- No self entitlement and self enrichment

- No fraud, waste, and abuse

Imagine instead, if integrity was the essence of good leadership.

Today, in synagogue, the weekly Torah portion was Genesis--where as we all know, G-d created the heavens and the earth. 

Genesis 1:2 "Now the earth was chaos and void" (in Hebrew "tohu va-bohu").

The bar-mitzvah boy, in his speech, joked about how his first 13-years of life growing up was very much tohu va-bohu (chaos), but he was hopeful that with his wonderful parents guiding him, he would get on track and pay more attention to his schoolwork, all the details, and not rush through things. 

I thought to myself, there are probably a lot of people even in their 30s, 40, and 50's whose life was still tohu va-bohu, but that doesn't mean we can't emulate G-d and still create something wonderful from all the chaos, right? 

Similarly in the tohu va-bohu chaos of Washington politics, where nearly 80% of the electorate believe that we are going in the wrong direction, it's not too late to continue make something great that we can all be proud of.

In the Wall Street Journal today, Peggy Noonan described a recent focus group led by Democratic pollster, Peter Hart, where all 12 voters (Democrats, Republicans, and Independents) unanimously and sadly agreed that "America was off track." 

In fact, one person wisely intimated that things seemed to go off track with 9/11 and "never quite recovered."  Unfortunately, more than the World Trade Center came down in America that fateful day. 

But it's not the first time in history that things have been tohu va-bohu, and perhaps it's okay...that why G-d teaches us things can change for the better...order and sense and progress can be made to rise from all the chaos.

The good news is still out there, "And G-d said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

To BE Corruption FREE

Abraham Lincoln And Election IT Scandals

This just seemed like such a fascinating photo.

Abraham Lincoln on a tie juxtaposed next to the guy using his smartphone and email.

This election cycle has been plagued with scandals from private email servers, "extremely reckless" handling of emails, Wikileaks disclosures of corruption and collusion from hacked emails, crude denigrating language online, politicians claims of they can't recall and IT professionals pleading the fifth, and an overall lack of transparency to the American people and Congress.

Yet, isn't this the diametric opposite of what our esteemed President Lincoln was all about in terms of being "a man of profound feelings, just and firm principles, and incorruptible integrity."

Is it now the technology that somehow has caused us to perform questionable deeds or is it just an enabler of what is in people's hearts and souls?

As the man holding and controlling what he does with the smartphone in the photo, it is we who control our actions with technology and what we chose to do with it.

If we use technology for good or for evil...for raising up and helping people or insulting and hurting people...for lies and deception or for truth and transparency...for communicating principles and directives that are just and upright or for selfish and corrupt ends...these are choices of integrity that we alone control.

Lincoln fought for the democracy and freedom for all Americans and the end of slavery, and to that moral end, for whoever wins the election, we should continue towards using technology as a means to extend justice and freedom for all and not for operatives and operations that can jeopardize it's meaning and integrity for America. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Abraham Lincoln And Election IT Scandals

Election Disillusionment

So invariably you hear these days from those that dislike one or the other candidate running for President, that if he/she wins, they are moving out of this country. 

That is apparently how strong people feel in terms of dislike for the candidates--in fact, the most disliked candidates in American history!

Well, I ran into this couple in the Metro.

They were from New Jersey and visiting Washington, D.C. with their daughter. 

They were wearing matching t-shirts that said:

"Election 2016: Time To Move To Mars"

Now moving from the USA is not far enough away for people to get from the horrible politics and/or politicians that they can't seem to stand...so next stop is Mars!

As a big time proponents for colonization of other planets, I think this may actually be one of the best things to come out of this election cycle. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Election Disillusionment

Keeping Organized

So I'm in this clothing store...

And behind the cash register is this closet. 

The cashier goes to the closet to get something and leaves the door open. 

The closet, especially compared with the rest of the upscale clothing store, is really a mess. 

But at the top, hanging is a yellow sticky note.

And the note says, "Keep Organized".

The first shelf with some binders isn't too bad.

But then as you get further away form the reminder to keep organized, it gets worse and worse. 

Office supplies, hand creams, napkins, sprayers, and more, all sort of thrown in there. 

I was surprised not to see someone's leftovers from lunch. (lol)

And then on the door itself are all these taped up reminder papers and old used tape with papers long torn off still hanging there.

I don't think this is the image or brand this store wants to convey. 

The funny thing is that out on the floor, the salespeople were working on all the fancy displays and using these corporate design books that show them exactly what to lay out, where, and how. 

Then again, what's visible and skin deep doesn't always represent what's beneath the surface. 

Like politics, if you knew how the sausage was made, you'd probably never eat it. 

Maybe some things are better left behind closed doors. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Keeping Organized

One Nasty Election

This is one nasty election. 

Forget about getting any real answers to questions of the economy, national security, healthcare, education, the environment, and so on. 

No, instead we have candidates down in the dirty disparaging each other, fighting about what they said about the former Miss Universe and the like. 

This is beyond utterly ridiculous!

While integrity and character of the utmost importance in choosing our elected officials and leaders, I think we need to differentiate between the life of reality television and an election. 

The level of smear campaign, pulling out all the stops, seems to have never been greater. 

The greed and lust for power has taken over all sensibilities, and the people of this country see it and are disgusted by it. 

And to the rest of world, we must look like a complete bunch of imbeciles here.

Power has infected and corrupted our leaders and system putting them above the people and nation they govern rather than for them. 

As to whether there is the slightest genuine concern for the welfare and future of the citizens of this great country--that is a complete roar of utter laughter and despair. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

One Nasty Election

Left or Right?

This sign from yesterday reminded me of the debates last night. 

Arguments, attacks, and counterpunchs between the candidates (and the parties they represent).

But in the end, the sign is pointing us in the wrong direction anyway. 

While we keep hitting each other up for getting and maintaining the awesome scepter of American power, our competitors on the international stage are moving on with their personal and national agendas, and we are in seemingly perpetual gridlock. 

The big problems that we face are not going away, and declaring who is the winner of the showtime debates, daily rallies, and witty sound bites, may feel good from the standpoint of whether our candidate is winning or not, but frankly is not solving any of our problems either.

A good fight is spectacular to watch, but we can be our own worst enemies as we are lost in shallow policy and rhetoric debates amidst leadership confusion, indecision, and (un)popularity contests, and even the winner may take home nothing but the rights to hoist another upside down sign.

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Left or Right?