Why does Trump want the presidency, anyway?

Last updated on: July 25, 2016 at 10:07 pm By Jane the Actuary

Some possible reasons: A. For his own personal financial enrichment. B. For the ability to wield power (never mind specific actions, just the desire to be that most powerful person). C. Relatedly, just, truly, simply, wanting to have the label “president” to prove you’re better than anyone else. D. Having specific policy goals and the conviction that, if these are implemented, the world (OK, country) would be a better place. E. Not really having any specific policies, but kinda sorta... Read more

What about a third-party vote?

Last updated on: July 25, 2016 at 6:28 pm By Jane the Actuary

Should I vote for this man? That’s Gary Johnson, of the Libertarian Party. Fellow blogger Jennifer Fitz wrote the other day, “Why You Should Vote 3rd Party This Year,” that is, rather than just not voting, the gist of her argument being, When you vote third party, you send a clear, unequivocal message that is formally recorded and measured. You indicate to the major parties, and to the rest of the citizenry, which way the reform needs to go in... Read more

Munich (the latest in the “pray for” series . . .) – with updates

Last updated on: July 23, 2016 at 6:23 pm By Jane the Actuary

From the Daily Mail (of course): “‘Several dead’ and 10 injured in shooting rampage inside a Munich shopping centre as police hunt gunman.” And: reports of a second shooting at Marienplatz. (Sky News; I could only find a twitter link.) According to the Express, the second shooting was actually at Karlsplatz, which isn’t the “main square” but at the other end of the pedestrianized shopping street. The whole mass transit system has also been shut down. (I’m plucking these links... Read more

J’accuse (#RNCinCLE)

Last updated on: July 22, 2016 at 9:59 am By Jane the Actuary

Jeb Bush. Marco Rubio. Ted Cruz. John Kasich. Chris Christie. And all their top-level donors, supporters, and influencers. Yes, a year ago, one could reasonably believe that Donald Trump’s campaign as a novelty, that he wouldn’t make it past the summer, that voters would turn their minds toward them, the Serious Candidates, once they started paying more attention to the news. In the fall, they could have told themselves that there’s simply no way that voters would actually select Trump, that... Read more

And when neither evil is “lesser”?

Last updated on: July 22, 2016 at 6:28 am By Jane the Actuary

After 5 weeks of travelling, staying in equally-many rental apartments, and dealing with jet lag as well, twice earlier this week I woke up at night trying to remember where I was, and it took me a few minutes to realize that I was actually in my own bed. Now the vacation’s over and we’re back to real life, a mountain of mail, work projects to settle back into — and the realization that Trump 2016 is unfortunately also a part... Read more

Slate author: no such thing as a “male body”

Last updated on: July 25, 2016 at 6:50 pm By Jane the Actuary

No surprise, I guess, but a Slate author, Chase Strangio, went further than I’ve yet seen towards making the assertion that whether one is male or female has only to do with how one identifies, and nothing at all to do with one’s physiology. Most insidious, we use the same language that opponents of transgender people use, carelessly referring to women who are trans as having “male genitals” or being “born with a male body” or being “anatomically male.” This language... Read more

Was the failed coup a Reichstag fire?

Last updated on: July 20, 2016 at 12:58 pm By Jane the Actuary

So I told you in my prior post that we drove to Lindau as one of our last activities on our vacation. And, since this was the day after the coup attempt in Turkey, we listened to the local news station on the radio as we drove, and I tried to follow along. Now I’m trying to play catch-up, especially with emerging reports that the coup itself was so badly managed that there’s speculation that Erdogan himself was behind it. Oh,... Read more

Munich

Last updated on: July 19, 2016 at 6:56 am By Jane the Actuary

It’s rainorama here. Or rainapalooza. Rain in the forecast as far as the eye can see. Monday evening we got into town just at dinnertime. We are staying at a rental in Gruenwald, just south of the city, very close to where we lived a decade ago, so we planned to go to our favorite biergarten just south, but, on the way there, the lightning chased us back and we ended up at the McDonald’s in town. Tuesday we took... Read more

Cardinal Marx is a d***ed fool

Last updated on: July 17, 2016 at 9:50 pm By Jane the Actuary

The latest stats are in — that is, those for the church withdrawals in Germany in 2015. This was reported at the Catholic News Agency yesterday, as linked to by Deacon Greg Kandra. This was also reported in the Muenchner Merkur that I read on the plane this morning (Lufthansa has free newspapers and, to be honest, I chose the Merkur over the Suendeutsche Zeitung because it’s easier to read). Here’s the context: in Germany, one registers as a given religion... Read more

So, is the Rainbow a permanent flag now?

Last updated on: July 15, 2016 at 10:02 am By Jane the Actuary

Two images from the U.S. Consulate in Munich today: Yes, if it’s not clear, the Consulate is flying five Rainbow flags. Here’s a close-up: So, apparently, given that LGBT Pride month ended half a month ago, the rainbow flag must be there for the long term, as befits the new State Religion. And, unlike the German flags at the nearby public buildings, these were decidedly not at half-mast in solidarity with the French. What about in the U.S. itself? Read more