Saturday, January 14, 2017

'Who Am I?'

Good Day World!

Feeling playful today? 

Just for fun, try to guess who this poem is about. 

I suspect you'll know who it is after reading the first four lines...




WHO AM I?

Some say I'm a fruitcake
on the take
A political snake
whose tweets take the cake
when it comes to being fake
My lies will give you a headache
I'm anything but opaque
I take what I can take
and I don't give others a break
I consider myself a sexy rake
responsible for many a heartbreak
and I seldom make a mistake
on the uptake
because I'm always awake
ready to seal a deal with a handshake
and a Twitter outbreak
I don't need intake
I'm too smart to partake
in an ethics earthquake
give me fake
that's all it will take
for a world remake

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Friday, January 13, 2017

Political Puke Watch: Latest Vomit-Worthy Stories

Good Day World!

Okay people...it's time to grab your barf bag and to pull up a chair while we go on a whirlwind tour of observations that might make you hurl.

The Trump saga continues to sicken ethics experts after they listened to his first press release where he claimed he'd solved all conflicts of interest between his new job as POTUS and his old career of being a billionaire con man.

The headline: Trump's Conflict-of-Interest Plan Won't Prevent Conflicts of Interest

Watching Ben Carson whisper his answers during his confirmation hearing for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development made me wonder why he ever went into politics?

This is the man who said the Pyramids were built to store grain. He's never handled a budget of $48 million dollars and never worked in a managerial position with Federal employees.

Headline: Ben Carson Doesn't Rule Out Trump Benefiting From HUD Money  

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency accused Fiat Chrysler of using software that allowed excess diesel emissions in about 104,000 vehicles.

That's corruption coming from the top, but what's really sickening is the people responsible for creating the deceptive software (and for perpetrating the lie) will only get a fine and a pat on the hand.

Headline: Fiat Chrysler Shares Plunge 12 Percent After EPA Accuses of Using Deceptive Software

Rosie O'Donnell, a Trump nemesis, says that she'd support "martial law" in order to delay Trump's inauguration.

A Watchdog organization is going to investigate the department of Justice and the FBI regarding their actions before the election.

That's probably enough for one sitting. Don't forget to take Tums or some other anti-acid for your queasy stomach.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Thursday, January 12, 2017

First For-Profit President: 'Oh come on...what did expect?'

Good Day World!

Don't act surprised.

You voted for him. 

When president-elect Trump announced yesterday that he was getting rid of any conflicts of interest between his new job and Trump enterprises, it was a puppet show worthy of the late Jim Henson.

The lead puppet, culled from Chump's army of personal lawyers, did a razzel dazzle presentation for the press (did you see that pile of folders?) designed to ease Americans ethics concerns.

In a show David Copperfield would be proud of, Trump's lawyer, Sheri Dillon, did a little dance and said "Now you see it, now you don't!" 

Watch the bouncing ball...Trump.. is.. no.. longer.. going .. to run.. his.. business. 

Don't lose sight of it now. There it is. 

The ball finally settled and reality set in after the announcement; Trump's boys will run the show with his blessings and will continue to take covert orders from their thin-skinned parent.

It doesn't matter that people like Constitutional law professor, Laurence Tribe, have slammed Trump's tricky plan as a "totally fraudulent workaround." 

The majority of constitutional ethics experts agree with him.

"John Wonderlich, who oversees the pro-transparency Sunlight Foundation, said Trump's approach to "governance and ethics repudiates decades of accepted norms for modern democratic accountability" and said his presidency likely will be "mired in litigation, doubt, scandal, and crisis" as a result." (Via USA Today)


This should not have come as a surprise to you. 

I also don't want to hear you whine about that Wall Trump promised Mexico would pay for. I know. Now you have to pay for it.

It's only going to get worse in the next four years. If you're a religious person perhaps you could do penance for your stupidity for voting Herr Trump into the Oval Office.

Hopefully God will forgive you. There's millions of Americans who probably won't.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Confirmation Hearings: The Best Reality Show In Town


                                           Good Day World!

Watching the confirmation hearing for Alabama Sen. Session in the staged reality session on TV last night was like taking a walk through the Twilight Zone.

I'm reminded of the 1976 Moody Blues album; "Every Good Boy Deserves a Favor," as another Trump Lap Dog performed for goodies.

One side called Sen. Session out on a number of issues and about the fact that he's a racist and that's why he didn't get a judicial position in 1986. 

The other side smiled, and assured them they "knew" good ol' Sessions for decades and that we (the people) shouldn't worry about him doing a good job at Making America Great Again.

How have these clowns stayed in Congress for decades when most Americans loath Congress? I don't get it.

The song goes on. The people get screwed.

It's apparent to a one-eyed dog that every one of Trump's picks will be approved. Not sure why they even bother with the dog and pony show.

I know. It has to have the elements of a good reality show. Trump loves that kind of crap.

Fact. The Republicans outnumber the Democrats. 
Fact: It will be a partisan vote.
Fact: Trump and minions can install Daffy Duck in charge of Wildlife and Game if they feel like it.

Watching Session's lie and smile (that's his tell when he's fibbing) was like watching a shark swim around in a dough boy-sized pool with minnows.

Like his master Trump, he'll tell you whatever you want to hear. But after he's confirmed it'll be a different story. 

He'll be part of the Trump puppet show that will be performing in Washington soon. 

Stay tuned for the confirmation hearings for more of Trump puppets pretending they care about the American people. 

It's the best reality show in town. Even though we all know it's staged.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Hackers Using Ransomware To Rip You Off - What You Can Do

Good Day World!

Every time you log onto your computer there's a chance some form of malware will be waiting for you like a cobra ambushing a mongoose.

Trending in the malware community is the latest weapon called ransomware. 

What is ransomware? It's a family of malware cobbled together to block access to your PC, server or mobile device. It also encrypts all the data you have stored.

You get the nasty-ass bug via malicious emails or infected third-party websites. Once you're in the hacker's clutches the only way you get back your data (and unfreeze your PC) is to pay a ransom.

The bad guys lurking behind computers throughout the world have figured out that ransomware is the most lucrative way to get money from victims directly.

You either pay a ransom, or never use your PC again. By the way, the hackers usually want paid in bitcoin. This hack is unstoppable. 

Removing the malware doesn't solve the problem. The hacker still has your software key and is in command.

Big businesses, ranging from hospitals to banks, have been victimized. What we have is extortion of the masses on the scale of a massive gold rush.

Digital security experts warn that the problem with ransomware is only going to get worse. It's like watching an impending train wreck and not being able to do anything about it.

Fact: Individual users are the most likely victims because they tend to have less robust security.

That means you should be doing everything you can to protect your computer. 

Anyone hit by ransomware should file a report via the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. The FBI also has tips for protecting yourself and your organization.

It's dangerous to surf in cyberspace these days. The World Wide Web is not as welcoming as it once was.

Related: What is ransomware and 15 easy steps to keep your system protected (updated)

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Monday, January 9, 2017

2023: Trump Museum Opens In Moscow


                                          Good Day World!

When Trump was kicked out of the White House for corruption in 2018, he was determined to leave his own version of a presidential legacy by building a museum.

As you can imagine, he had a problem raising funds for the project in the United States. A museum featuring a corrupt president is the last thing Americans wanted after nearly two years of putting up with Don the Con.

The #ForgetTrump hashtag went viral for several years after he was unceremoniously kicked out of Washington DC.

So Trump did the next best thing. He called his bro Vladimir Putin and asked if Moscow would like having a museum dedicated to Russia's favorite American president?


Vlad was ecstatic with the idea and quickly promised forced labor to help keep construction costs down.

Because Trump had established a dozen new businesses in Russia he was able to draw upon them to complete the project.

When the museum opened on January 20th, 2023, it was an immediate success with the Russian people. 

The main exhibit features the 2016 Presidential Election. 

Interactive displays show how Russia successfully influenced the election in Trump's favor.

Profiles of Russian state hackers describe how each contributed to Hillary Clinton's downfall. All were awarded Russia's top honor - Hero of the Russian Federation - and given Gold Star medals.

One of the most popular exhibits was a video of Putin appointing Trump's cabinet while spanking him. 

Now Trump spends his days divided between Trump Tower in New York and Trump Tower in Moscow that has a secret underground tunnel that leads to Vladimir's bedroom in the Kremlin.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Trump Transition Team Tries To Slip Unvetted Nominees Past Office of Government Ethics


                                          Good Day World!

Donald Trump's refusal to release his tax records throughout the presidential campaign set a terrible example that has carried over to his cabinet appointments.

Alarms are ringing at the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) about upcoming confirmation hearings proceeding without the candidates being properly vetted financially.

In a recent NPR article OGE Director Walter Shaub said, "the announced hearing schedule for several nominees who have not completed the ethics review process is of great concern to me" and that the current schedule "has created undue pressure on OGE's staff and agency ethic officials to rush through these important reviews."

For the record, OGE was created 40 years ago and this is the first time there's been a problem with completing the vetting process in time.

As soon as Trump is sworn in (Jan.20th) the following eight appointees will go before the senate for confirmation.

(In order of appearance starting Jan. 24th)
1) Jeff Sessions for Attorney General.
2) Retired Gen. John Kelly for Homeland Security chief.
3) Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State.
4 Betsy DeVos for Education Secretary.
5)Elaine Chao for Transportation Secretary.
6)Ben Carson for Housing and Urban Development Secretary.
7) Wilbur Ross for Commerce Secretary.
8) Retired Marine Gen. James Mattis for Defense Secretary.

Thus far we know there's nominees listed above that have not been vetted because they don't want to reveal their financials.

We know that Trump's transition team has been in collusion with Senate Republicans to jam through these Cabinet nominees before they've been thoroughly vetted.

Trump has set the bar for corruption, and his minions are happily following his example.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Blog Break Until Presidential Election is Over

I finally hit the wall today. I can't think of what to say about all of the madness going on in this country right now. I'm a writer...