Is Trump doing a good job?

[flyingpylon]

Not to mention the copyright violations!

[Cortopassi]

tech,

I don't understand your attitude. I'm pretty sure you've put at least one other on ignore for being anti-Trump, and you've also suggested you'd maybe put me on ignore.

I would never consider putting you on ignore. My beliefs can be swayed, and if you look at my posts, you see that it happens, in both directions. Why would you want to make this an echo chamber for yourself where you only hear the side you want and aren't exposed to what others feel and believe?

Just curious.

[doodle]

tech,

I don't understand your attitude. I'm pretty sure you've put at least one other on ignore for being anti-Trump, and you've also suggested you'd maybe put me on ignore.

I would never consider putting you on ignore. My beliefs can be swayed, and if you look at my posts, you see that it happens, in both directions. Why would you want to make this an echo chamber for yourself where you only hear the side you want and aren't exposed to what others feel and believe?

Just curious.

As long as I think that there is a possibility of convincing you, and you aren't just posting fake news consisting of Trump bashing or otherwise being too obnoxious, I won't put you on ignore.

Could you give me an example of where your beliefs have been swayed? For example, have your beliefs about the veracity of the mainstream media been swayed after I demonstrated that they have been continually lying to you about the "fine people" hoax? If not, why not?

The mainstream media, or just media in general in this country is a disgrace. They have absolutely neglected their duty to provide fair and accurate information to the public and have been totally co-opted by respective political parties. However, if one is going to call bullshit on media then one must consistently apply that critique to the president who has also shown himself to be incapable of keeping to the truth.

[Cortopassi]

Tech,

What doodle said. I have no problem yelling at the TV news. Last night for example, NBC pointing out the spike in cases, and the big problem the Trump rally is going to be, followed up by a glowing story of all the Juneteenth marches that had no people limits or distancing.

As I’ve also said many times, Trump is his own worst enemy. The mainstream media crucifies him, because most times he makes it too easy.

[WiseOne]

Yes Cortopassi, when Trump speaks off the cuff he just makes it all up and gets into trouble with that. That is a legit observation. It's that 20% of the time that the media's interpretation of a Trump sound bite is correct. It's the other 80%, in which the narrative is a complete fiction, that bothers me.

regarding masks....I think the protests have demonstrated quite conclusively that it's very difficult to catch coronavirus in an outdoor contact. I wear a mask when I'm indoors, and at times outdoors only because other people get uncomfortable if I don't. Mostly I take it off and just steer clear of other people.

Doodle it is not correct to state that coronavirus is more contagious than the flu. The above demonstrates quite effectively that it's less contagious. One of the biggest outbreaks of the 1918 flu occurred in Philadelphia following an outdoor parade. And the number of flu cases in the US every year is a substantial fraction of the entire population. There's no numbers because no one's studied the question, but just look around at people you know, and you realize that probably half of them come down with flu every year. It's that the mortality of coronavirus is higher in vulnerable populations, generally the same ones that are vulnerable to flu. The problem is that with the flu, you have not only a vaccine but also partial immunity due to past annual exposures to similar flu viruses - and the older you are, the more of that partial immunity you're likely to have since you've been exposed to more varieties of the flu virus. With COVID, there's no such partial immunity. Once there is a COVID vaccine it will become a lot less of a problem, depending on how effective the vaccine is and how many people get it.

[pp4me]

Yes Cortopassi, when Trump speaks off the cuff he just makes it all up and gets into trouble with that. That is a legit observation. It's that 20% of the time that the media's interpretation of a Trump sound bite is correct. It's the other 80%, in which the narrative is a complete fiction, that bothers me.

regarding masks....I think the protests have demonstrated quite conclusively that it's very difficult to catch coronavirus in an outdoor contact. I wear a mask when I'm indoors, and at times outdoors only because other people get uncomfortable if I don't. Mostly I take it off and just steer clear of other people.

Doodle it is not correct to state that coronavirus is more contagious than the flu. The above demonstrates quite effectively that it's less contagious. One of the biggest outbreaks of the 1918 flu occurred in Philadelphia following an outdoor parade. And the number of flu cases in the US every year is a substantial fraction of the entire population. There's no numbers because no one's studied the question, but just look around at people you know, and you realize that probably half of them come down with flu every year. It's that the mortality of coronavirus is higher in vulnerable populations, generally the same ones that are vulnerable to flu. The problem is that with the flu, you have not only a vaccine but also partial immunity due to past annual exposures to similar flu viruses - and the older you are, the more of that partial immunity you're likely to have since you've been exposed to more varieties of the flu virus. With COVID, there's no such partial immunity. Once there is a COVID vaccine it will become a lot less of a problem, depending on how effective the vaccine is and how many people get it.

I'm glad to hear somebody who knows what they are talking about state that COVID is not more contagious than the flu because we have been hearing that from the beginning.

I think the major difference between COVID and the flu is that we've never before been bombarded by the media with constant statistics about the number of new cases of the flu. Here in Pinellas County Florida we are supposedly experiencing a "surge" in new cases since the lockdowns were lifted which is probably going to result in mandatory wearing of face masks (as it already did in the city of Tampa). I think this is really weird because another thing they have been saying from the beginning is that "we need more testing". Well, testing is now free in Pinellas county with or without symptoms so why should anybody be surprised that this would result in a so-called "surge" in the numbers.

[pp4me]

My psychological diagnosis of Donald Trump, based on my successful career as a computer programmer, is that he suffers from an inferiority complex.

[Cortopassi]

Tech,

What doodle said. I have no problem yelling at the TV news. Last night for example, NBC pointing out the spike in cases, and the big problem the Trump rally is going to be, followed up by a glowing story of all the Juneteenth marches that had no people limits or distancing.

As I’ve also said many times, Trump is his own worst enemy. The mainstream media crucifies him, because most times he makes it too easy.

I'm not going to stop asking you about the "very fine people" hoax until you tell me how that affects your opinion of the mainstream media.

There is no disputing that they have been lying about what he said. Why do they have to do that if he makes it so easy?

My answer would be, from the clips I saw he meant it about both sides there, not about the monuments controversy.

If that was intentional by the media, they got me.

If you are telling me that if I watched the whole press conference he did where the statement was made and there's no way I could have inferred what the media ended up portraying, then that was wrong on their part

If instead it took other parties scrambling to come up with an alternative reason, to the words as spoken then ?

If I were his advisor, I would tell him those levels of speeches need to be written and put on a teleprompter, not off the cuff.

[Cortopassi]

tech,

I watched the video. I agree with you. The press covered it completely wrong and should be held accountable.

I also watched the rally last night. Some thoughts:

--Trump would probably make a good standup comic. The whole West Point ramp thing was pretty funny.
--Trump continues on an us and them divisive mode.
--Trump's statement on asking his people to slow down testing was immediately spun as a joke. I listened. It sure didn't sound like a joke. Chris Wallace and others also said it sure didn't sound like a joke. (I bet you though it was a joke... :-))
--Trump's statement on one year in jail for burning or desecrating the flag. Red meat for some people. Terribly anti-American for others (like me).
--Trump's multiple statements on putting down protests, unrest, cleaning up that Seattle enclave, in less than an hour. What I am supposed to infer from that? Central American type strongman going in with guns blazing killing people is what I get.

Fox News this morning sounded more like Meet the Press. Trump is probably not a happy camper this morning.

**I see TikTok users might have been the source of all the supposed tickets sales and no-shows. Hah!

[vnatale]

tech,

I watched the video. I agree with you. The press covered it completely wrong and should be held accountable.

I also watched the rally last night. Some thoughts:

--Trump would probably make a good standup comic. The whole West Point ramp thing was pretty funny.
--Trump continues on an us and them divisive mode.
--Trump's statement on asking his people to slow down testing was immediately spun as a joke. I listened. It sure didn't sound like a joke. Chris Wallace and others also said it sure didn't sound like a joke. (I bet you though it was a joke... :-))
--Trump's statement on one year in jail for burning or desecrating the flag. Red meat for some people. Terribly anti-American for others (like me).
--Trump's multiple statements on putting down protests, unrest, cleaning up that Seattle enclave, in less than an hour. What I am supposed to infer from that? Central American type strongman going in with guns blazing killing people is what I get.

Fox News this morning sounded more like Meet the Press. Trump is probably not a happy camper this morning.

**I see TikTok users might have been the source of all the supposed tickets sales and no-shows. Hah!

By the way, in case anyone is interested, the rally is again being shown on C-Span and will probably end at noon. Also, I'm almost 100% certain you can go to the C-Span web site and watch it again in full at any time.

Vinny

[I Shrugged]

Tech, this is the internet. You’re not going to convince anyone.

[Libertarian666]

Tech, this is the internet. You’re not going to convince anyone.

I realize that it's pretty unusual to change someone's mind on the internet but it isn't absolutely unheard of.
Of course the main audience for the debate is for onlookers, not the disputants.

[Cortopassi]

But they aren't going to be, as they haven't been for the dozens of other similar incidents.
So the question is whether you will believe anything they tell you in the future.

No clear answer for that. Kind of goes back to Clinton and defining the word "is"

I do not believe most reputable media are in general purposely writing and reporting lies. I do believe they have a slant, which can be very strong, depending on who they are.

I can see their side, where every time they report something negative, they get hit with the "fake news" label and other derogatory comments.

I can also see Trump's side where I'm sure he feels he can't catch a break from any of these outlets, ever.

No one forced him to take this job. It is what it is. It's not like the media suddenly turned liberal. He brings a lot on himself with his off the cuff comments.

This was an especially bad weekend for him. Poor rally showing, Bolton, bad poll numbers, getting hit on all sides, including Fox.

I still don't understand why anyone wants the job!

[Cortopassi]

Please name the reputable media you are referring to.

If you find a media outlet stretching the truth, or outright lying, purposely, or accidentally, are you saying that's it, they are blacklisted from ever being able to be believed again?

Pretty sure that would include every single outlet that exists.

So much is open to some level of interpretation and viewpoint that what one side is convinced is a lie, the other side is convinced is the truth. Like the "joke" about wanting to do less testing.

I try to be neutral, but I do swing left, mainly (maybe it is my teenage kids?) and I don't give Trump the benefit of the doubt much anymore because his conduct makes it hard for me to. I am trying to be honest here.

You'll vote for Trump, I will not. Remember, though, I did in 2016. I hope that at least somewhat proves I am not set in my ways. If Biden does something totally stupid, or it becomes obvious he has mental difficulties, I may switch back for that reason.

God I wish I had another choice.

[pp4me]

Please name the reputable media you are referring to.

If you find a media outlet stretching the truth, or outright lying, purposely, or accidentally, are you saying that's it, they are blacklisted from ever being able to be believed again?

Pretty sure that would include every single outlet that exists.

So much is open to some level of interpretation and viewpoint that what one side is convinced is a lie, the other side is convinced is the truth. Like the "joke" about wanting to do less testing.

I try to be neutral, but I do swing left, mainly (maybe it is my teenage kids?) and I don't give Trump the benefit of the doubt much anymore because his conduct makes it hard for me to. I am trying to be honest here.

You'll vote for Trump, I will not. Remember, though, I did in 2016. I hope that at least somewhat proves I am not set in my ways. If Biden does something totally stupid, or it becomes obvious he has mental difficulties, I may switch back for that reason.

God I wish I had another choice.

There are some news outlets I never listen to or click on any of their links because I know that even if their stories are completely factual it's part of an overall agenda, aka "propaganda". Among these are CNN, MSNBC, NBC, and the NY Times. I might occasionally listen to something on NPR, CBS, or ABC but I don't stay very long if the bias gets overwhelming. Case in point - a CNN piece (I think) with a headline of "Drug touted by Trump banned by FDA". I already knew the drug was Hydroxycholorquine without reading the article and expected they were probably misinterpreting what the FDA actually said about it which turned out to be true when I tuned into Laura Ingraham and listened to medical experts on Fox News.

I doubt CNN would have even run with that article if they couldn't tie it to Donald Trump somehow.

[pp4me]

Please name the reputable media you are referring to.

If you find a media outlet stretching the truth, or outright lying, purposely, or accidentally, are you saying that's it, they are blacklisted from ever being able to be believed again?

Pretty sure that would include every single outlet that exists.

So much is open to some level of interpretation and viewpoint that what one side is convinced is a lie, the other side is convinced is the truth. Like the "joke" about wanting to do less testing.

I try to be neutral, but I do swing left, mainly (maybe it is my teenage kids?) and I don't give Trump the benefit of the doubt much anymore because his conduct makes it hard for me to. I am trying to be honest here.

You'll vote for Trump, I will not. Remember, though, I did in 2016. I hope that at least somewhat proves I am not set in my ways. If Biden does something totally stupid, or it becomes obvious he has mental difficulties, I may switch back for that reason.

God I wish I had another choice.

There are some news outlets I never listen to or click on any of their links because I know that even if their stories are completely factual it's part of an overall agenda, aka "propaganda". Among these are CNN, MSNBC, NBC, and the NY Times. I might occasionally listen to something on NPR, CBS, or ABC but I don't stay very long if the bias gets overwhelming. Case in point - a CNN piece (I think) with a headline of "Drug touted by Trump banned by FDA". I already knew the drug was Hydroxycholorquine without reading the article and expected they were probably misinterpreting what the FDA actually said about it which turned out to be true when I tuned into Laura Ingraham and listened to medical experts on Fox News.

I doubt CNN would have even run with that article if they couldn't tie it to Donald Trump somehow.

I haven't found that NPR, CBS, or ABC are any more reliable than CNN.

I should have said PBS instead of NPR but they seem like the same thing to me since both involve some government funding. Occasionally I do watch Frontline and the American Experience among others on PBS because the liberal propaganda isn't quite so thick all the time and those shows can sometimes be informative.

As for CBS, I'm talking 60 minutes but I'm less trusting than I am of PBS.

ABC, not sure why I even included them. I guess because I couldn't think of an egregious example of bias.

[vnatale]

Why is no one watching C-Span, where you can see all the source directly, "unfiltered" and in full?

Vinny

[boglerdude]

https://old.reddit.com/r/TrumpCriticize ... =top&t=all

[Cortopassi]

https://old.reddit.com/r/TrumpCriticize ... =top&t=all

Await the wrath of tech! (I am JOKING!) Joking, just like Trump was when he said he wants to slow down testing.

But hey, the good thing is we are writing in non-investment categories a lot more, because everything just keeps on going up!

[vnatale]

I have a friend who seems to read a book a day.

Oftentimes he'll send me excerpts from the book as he is reading the book. Sometimes he'll also send comments.

He's an Elizabeth Warren liberal.

He obtained and started reading the Bolton book today. Here are some of his selected emails to me while reading that book. I hope you find them as humorous as I did!

Vinny

1) Mr. Book is about to start Bolton's book.

I view this the same way a prosecutor views criminals who turn state's evidence. Bolton is one of the worst people ever to work in the White House in this century. I don't want to quibble over the order, but the top 5 would probably include the liar in chief, the idiot in chief, Cheney, Bolton and someone else (exact selection not relevant to the discussion at hand)

Bolton's value comes from the fact that, even with all of his flaws, lying has never been one of them. He has been always been very credible, in the sense that when he says something you know you can take it at face value.

2) First chapter was anti-Trump. Now it's turned into a self-serving look at how I was at trying to enact my sickening policies. I think this is going to end up being the rare book in which all of the good stuff just comes out via the media and it's not worth reading it on your end.

It's hard to avoid the feeling of buyers remorse at this point.

3) I don't know why this author is making any mention of the minor character named Trump. How does he fit into the narrative of the greatness of John Bolton?

4) I guess he's Bolton's sidekick.

5) Now I know who this Trump guy is. He's a golfer. I wonder how many PGA tournaments he's won.

We stayed at Turnberry until Sunday, Trump played golf, and we had several calls with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

6) After reading the first seven chapters, Mr. Book gives up. He knows he didn't get to the scandalous material yet, but that's fine. The news accounts are good enough. He has no interest in reading anything else this egomaniac has to say.

[Cortopassi]

https://old.reddit.com/r/TrumpCriticize ... =top&t=all

Await the wrath of tech! (I am JOKING!) Joking, just like Trump was when he said he wants to slow down testing.

But hey, the good thing is we are writing in non-investment categories a lot more, because everything just keeps on going up!

If that's all you have, I'm satisfied.

Actually, since he said it again in AZ, I do have one more. Sadly, this time it was in front of a bunch of younger adults, who all still got a big laugh of him calling it "Kung Flu." Chinese virus, or Wuhan virus is one thing. Kung Flu is a 100% bigoted response.

If it came from Italy, would it be the Dago flu? Poland, Pollock flu? And so on.

Just an absolute uncaring jerk. I don't know what the makeup of the crown was at the church, but if there were any Asians there, I sure hope he lost their vote.

[Xan]

https://old.reddit.com/r/TrumpCriticize ... =top&t=all

Await the wrath of tech! (I am JOKING!) Joking, just like Trump was when he said he wants to slow down testing.

But hey, the good thing is we are writing in non-investment categories a lot more, because everything just keeps on going up!

If that's all you have, I'm satisfied.

Actually, since he said it again in AZ, I do have one more. Sadly, this time it was in front of a bunch of younger adults, who all still got a big laugh of him calling it "Kung Flu." Chinese virus, or Wuhan virus is one thing. Kung Flu is a 100% bigoted response.

If it came from Italy, would it be the Dago flu? Poland, Pollock flu? And so on.

Just an absolute uncaring jerk. I don't know what the makeup of the crown was at the church, but if there were any Asians there, I sure hope he lost their vote.

Dago and Polack are derogatory terms for those people. (Although I'm not sure that Polack isn't simply descriptive...) I'm not aware of Kung Fu being a derogatory term for Chinese people. Is it?

[Kriegsspiel]

Kung flu is funny, because it's a good pun, and it originated in China. It almost wrote itself. There might be a good name for a disease from Poland or Italy, but I can't think of any.

If something ever comes out of Switzerland, I'm going with the Geneva Feva.

[Mountaineer]

Kung flu is funny, because it's a good pun, and it originated in China. It almost wrote itself. There might be a good name for a disease from Poland or Italy, but I can't think of any.

If something ever comes out of Switzerland, I'm going with the Geneva Feva.

Perhaps Polover for a potato vodka hangover?

Perhaps Italian Stallion Disease for a Rocky (Viagra lasted more than 4 hours)?

[Cortopassi]

Is it really derogatory? If you have to ask that question, I think you have to look at yourself and figure out why you think it isn't.

I asked my wife, Chinese, and my kids, half Italian, half Chinese. What do you think their responses were? Of course it's derogatory.

Is there a Chinese city or region called Kung? I don't think there is. I took anthropology in college, and studied the !Kung people in Africa, that's all I am aware of.

Kung Flu is a good pun? Is there not some line the president shouldn't cross when people are still dying from it daily?

And worst of all, the kids were laughing their asses off at it. The kids I volunteer with at the local high school, at best they would groan loudly at the term, at worst they would boo and leave. Of course the majority wouldn't be at a Trump rally anyway. That's a big thing that got me, that these young people, when most are at their most socially liberal peak of their lives, are at a rally listening to a bigoted old man.

Xan, is your screenname Xan because you are Asian? If yes, you don't find it derogatory?