"The Daily Show": Week of 7/20/15

[attica]

Never been to Catholic school, have you?  Even years later, the nuns will find out...

 

I have often used a nun's habit as a Halloween costume. The treatment I get from people in the street when so dressed is A.Maz.Ing. I almost feel sorry for people who think they are getting Purgatorial Brownie Points by being deferential to me, or worse, who do so out of reflex. (Almost, not quite.) 

[iMonrey]

All these years I never realized Jon was left-handed. Or maybe I did and forgot. Anyway, being a lefty myself, I've never had any problem with it. In this country, outside of religious schools perhaps, they stopped trying to force left-handed children to write with their right hand because they found out a lot of times that caused the children to develop all sorts of behavioral problems and speech problems like stuttering and stammering.

 

I did go to a Ukranian tailor once and she asked me if they tried to "correct" my left-handedness in school. So I know in a lot of foreign cultures it's still considered "wrong."

 

Is Jake Gyllenhaal a werewolf? He looks like he could be.

[futurechemist]

I thought it was amusing that when they showed the clip of Trump revealing Lindsay Graham's cell phone number, the audio bleeped out the final 4 digits, but the closed captioning included the full number.  I'm torn.  I don't like Trump, and I want to stop hearing about him.  But part of me wants him to win the primary so that he can be trounced by any Democrat.  I also remember that last year, pretty much every Republican candidate led the primary polls at least once, so Trump leading now doesn't mean much.

 

In my Chem class, we talk about left and right handed molecules, and how their abbreviations are R (rectus = proper) and S (sinister).  I also mention about how that means left-handed people were thought to be evil, including my Eastern European grandmother's sister holding a butcher's knife and threatening to chop off her left hand if she wrote with it.  Also compare ambidextrous (skilled with both hands, literally means "both like the right) vs. ambisinistrous (clumsy, literally means "both like the left")

[iMonrey]

 

I also remember that last year, pretty much every Republican candidate led the primary polls at least once, so Trump leading now doesn't mean much.

 

(Assuming you meant last presidential election cycle) - except that those candidates imploded after saying much less offensive things or doing much less outrageous things than Trump has already done, yet he remains at the top of several polls. I mean, the media and the talk shows maybe weren't hanging on every word Michelle Bachman or Hermain Cain said and did - they were joked about then quickly forgotten, yet somehow Trump remains in the spotlight. Probably because he was already a "star" before he was ever a candidate. That would explain the media coverage anyway, although not necessarily how he remains at the top of the polls.

 

I think what it comes down to is that he's genuinely the hero of the worst of the conservative base. Yeah, I'd love it if he somehow won the Republican nomination. 

[ChelseaNH]

There's this part of my brain that wants Trump to be elected so that we can witness what happens when he's confronted with the realities of the office.  But then there's another part of my brain that recoils in horror and disgust, so now I am conflicted.

[attica]

Since he's already making noises about a 3rd party run because the RNC isn't sucking up to him, I think we can deduce that Trump's actual interest in the job is not very high. At least I hope so. For the sake of humanity, non-humanity, the very rocks and crust of the earth. And Jupiter to boot.

[ABay]

As I understand it, few left-handed people (i.e. people who write with their left) are completely left-handed. My grandmother once bought me left-handed scissors and I had to remind her that I use my right hand for scissors. I also throw with my right but bat left. And so on.

 

I am tired of Trump.

[possibilities]

I can't tell whether Trump really believes in his own greatness and suitability for office, or if he's just enjoying the attention and gets off on doing provocative theater. But either way, if he runs as a "third party" candidate, he could split the Republican vote and help the Dems, so that could possibly be okay with me on a practical level.

 

However, speaking purely on the level of ideology, I don't understand why his multiple bankruptcies don't dent his popularity, even if his bigoted batshittery do not. I suppose people just see his wealth and don't care if he lost a few battles, since he's still "on top" despite this-- though why someone isn't making an example of him as being like the bankers everyone hates for getting bailed out, and being 1%ers who wantonly caused the economy to fail and got off without consequences, I don't know. Maybe that will happen if he actually sustains momentum long enough. The possibility that he's a role model or hero for a large voting bloc really does scare me, because I think if he gets a substantial number of votes, it will encourage the Republicans to get even more insane, and possibly the Dems as well.

 

Jon talking about being shamed into changing (at the beginning of last night's show) demonstrates that he's still paying attention to some degree, but this does not apply to the demagogue class. So all bets are off on where the Trump phenomenon is heading, as far as I'm concerned. It's only funny if it's a sideshow, and barely even then. If it actually continues, and has momentum? It's just not funny anymore, on any level.

 

I love cursive. It's so much faster to write that way. But I'm right-handed. I am trying to remember if any left-handed people I've known (and I seem to run into a very high number, percentage-wise, probably at least 1/4 to 1/3 of the pple I meet) have ever used it. I"m not sure they have.

 

But I had a right-handed friend growing up, who used "the hook," I remember because one day she had to stay home "and practice my question marks" before she could come outside and play like we usually did, and her mom let me come inside and wait, and watch her practice. Apparently policing handwriting techniques was still a big deal in the USA in the 1970s. I wonder if it fell off not only because of discoveries about developmental impact but also because keyboarding became much more of a way of life.

[DXD526]

Interesting factoid on handedness: In 1992, the three presidential candidates - incumbent George H. W. Bush and challengers Bill Clinton and Ross Perot - were all lefties.

 

I do almost everything lefty, except write. Can't write a lick with the left hand, it's exhausting to even try. I've always found the subject of handedness to be fascinating. 

[Crs97]

I have a left-handed friend who writes in cursive, but she only uses a special brand of pen. I offered her mine once when hers ran out, and she explained the smudge problem to me. One sister is ambidextrous, but writes mostly with left. She has a cursive-print hybrid that is beautiful and never mentioned smudging. She doesn't have the hook or claw grip either. I don't know how she does it.

[dubbel zout]

I can't tell whether Trump really believes in his own greatness and suitability for office, or if he's just enjoying the attention

 

Both, I'd say. His ego knows no bounds, so of course he thinks he'd be an amazing president, but he also knows the limitations of the office aren't for him. Officially running gives him more attention than he's ever had.

 

She has a cursive-print hybrid

 

That's what I use these days, not because of smudging (that happens pretty much no matter what) but because I find it faster than either method by itself. I'm losing practice at cursive. I don't write enough. It's kind of sad.

 

I'm pretty evenly split between right- and left-hand usage, but there's no rhyme or reason: I use my right hand for stuff like tennis and bowling, but I'm a lefthanded batter and golfer. And lefty scissors don't work for me at all.

 

I think most lefties use their right hand more than righties use their left hand. We have to adjust to a righthanded world.

[ganesh]

Many appliances, etc., are made for right handed people. No one uses left-handed scissors because they don't work. So you have to learn the other way. 

 

My new desk set up is great, but it's a right handed set up. So the drawers are on the wrong side. 

 

I don't think Trump is serious. I think this is an investment to expand his brand. He knows he's not going to be elected, so he'll say what he wants and bow out on his own terms. I think most of the candidates aren't serious. 

[annabel]

I don't read HuffPo unless a link directs me there, but I did read that they have moved their coverage of Trump from Politics to Entertainment, saying that that's where his campaign belonged.

[Victor the Crab]

Jon's obsession with Donald Trump's candidacy is like someone admitting they're a cocaine addict but still want to do coke because they love it and won't stop.

 

The question still needs to be asked. Chuck Schumer, what are you doing here?

 

I didn't know who Ta-Nehisi Coates was before. But after his interview with Jon, wow what strong points he makes about lives of African Americans. the phrase Black Lives Matter exists for a reason.

[Bastet]

I didn't know who Ta-Nehisi Coates was before.

 

His words feature prominently in the "racism" section of my ever-expanding Quotes file.

[Wax Lion]

How many news programs thought to interview the MIT physicist to explain the Iran deal? President Obama is right; Jon is a gift to the country. I will miss them both.

 

I think Rachel Maddow has interviewed him twice about the deal but she definitely comes out of the movement that Jon started.

 

And again, yes, it delays Iran's efforts for getting nuclear material for 10-15 years. It's not like it's going to be "deal's up!" And they have 24 kg of plutonium by the end of the week. Like, when the 12th or 13th year rolls around, the current Administration isn't going to propose a renewal of the deal, or extension, etc.? I mean, come on. Who knows what the world is going to be like in 10 years?

 

Yeah but think about it from the Republicans' perspective. They regularly put off funding measures until there's a countdown clock on CNN because they hate government. If they're in power, they'll put re-negotiating until too late because refusing to deal with other countries is strenght. If they're not in power they'll undermine the President until it's too late just so they can us it as a campaign issue. At least, I figure that's probably how the current batch of rRepubicans see it.

 

I had a teacher who used left handedness as a simple way of explaining privilege. If you're left handed a lot of things aren't designed to work comfortably for you. She used ladles as an example, pointing out that left handed kids at a party are more likely to end up spilling punch on themselves... but everyone doesn't realize its because they're left-handed but, thinking it's because they're clumsy and don't know how to do something that easy and simple as pouring punch.

 

And I'm a bit odd in my left -handedness. I don't write with a hook and I learned to use a lot of things from a right-handed perspective before I was given left-handed versions so things like scissors feel uncomfortable to me no matter which hand I use.

[attica]

I didn't know who Ta-Nehisi Coates was before. But after his interview with Jon, wow what strong points he makes about lives of African Americans. the phrase Black Lives Matter exists for a reason.

 

Ohhh, he's a gorgeous writer. (and not a bad looking fellow) He blogs at the Atlantic. It's always fun when he takes on critics of his pieces; they have no idea they're fighting a gatling gun with a spork.

 

One of the things I admire about him is his stated desire to not be a tv-talking head. He does very little tv, even though he's good-looking, at ease on camera, and has interesting things to say. But he knows that being a talking head is the short path to being stupider and he wants not to be stupider. Obviously, he's out on the hustings to sell the book, which gives him the opportunity to amplify the ideas in his writing, but that's different from being on every cable news show's booker's rolodex. 

 

I got a little verklempt seeing "Stu Liebovitz" get the clip-package this week.

[bluepiano]

As much as I'll miss Jon after the final ten episodes, I'm really going to miss Obama once he leaves the White House.

 

What struck me during that interview is that Obama is the only President in my lifetime (and I've lived through a lot of them) who could sit across from an interviewer and casually converse like a real human being, instead of some demi-God cloaked in the mantel of being "Mr. President." It's one of the things that makes him very special, and I don't know if we'll ever see that again. (Unless Bernie Sanders gets elected, but not much chance of that)

 

It's especially remarkable considering all the abuse and personal insults he's had to endure since taking office. Somehow he's managed to not become defensive and guarded. I see that defensiveness in Hillary, who clearly views herself as a victim of the media. If anyone has a right to see themselves as a victim it's Obama, but somehow he's managed to rise above that.

 

He hasn't been perfect as a President, but overall (and certainly compared to his predecessors) he's done a very good job. And I think had he not had a Congress that fought him at every turn for political reasons, he could've been one of our greatest Presidents ever.

 

And also, how nice to have a President who never once was tainted by scandal, either personal or professional. And Marco Rubio said he has no class? What an asshole.

Edited July 24, 2015 by bluepiano

[ganesh]

He hasn't been perfect but he still got a lot done. This presidency has the potential to generate a real political realignment in the way that people said Reagan did back in the 80s.

[iMonrey]

Yet another opening segment devoted to Trump. Ugh, I get it, he's comedy gold, but this is exactly what I complained about at the beginning of the week. We've only got two more weeks of Jon Stewart. I hope he's not going to fritter away what little time he has left on Trump every night. It's way too cheap and easy.

Edited July 24, 2015 by iMonrey

[fastiller]

I love cursive. It's so much faster to write that way. But I'm right-handed. I am trying to remember if any left-handed people I've known (and I seem to run into a very high number, percentage-wise, probably at least 1/4 to 1/3 of the pple I meet) have ever used it. I"m not sure they have.f life.

 

 

 a cursive-print hybrid.

 

Crs97 - this is me too (lefty).  It is much faster as possibilities notes and does look nice. Another benefit is that I can do all-out cursive or all out print.

 

fighting a gatling gun with a spork.

 

I'm so stealing this one!

[The Luvly Junkie]

Yet another opening segment devoted to Trump. Ugh, I get it, he's comedy gold, but this is exactly what I complained about at the beginning of the week. We've only got two more weeks of Jon Stewart. I hope he's not going to fritter away what little time he has left on Trump every night. It's way too cheap and easy.

        iMonrey, I feel like you I share the same thoughts about Jon's obsession with Donald Trump, and that he is taking the safer departure by calling out his absurdities and the reactions of his opponents. But now that I think about it, perhaps Jon's obsession reflects why the media is attracted to "shiny things", and why decency is less significant. It kinda reminds me of something shiny, diamonds; the "cleaner and bigger" the gem, the brighter it reflects on those attracted to its value. Trump's "larger than life, no-holds-back" ego is considered a diamond journalists yearn to stuff into their pockets, a rival to his opponents' past absurdities, and irony for Jon as the complete foil to Trump. Jon's obsession reminds me that outside all the talk shows and media outlets, there are people who are reasonably decent and even though they don't shine brightly as Trump nor are they hungry for attention, they are called by their passions and beliefs to make a difference. Perhaps that is one factor that Jon has decided to retire and work in an animal shelter/farm. Charitable foundations and special programs do not attract the media's attention frequently, but you don't need the media to tell you that there is charity and decency present in society. 

 

          That is why I'm frustrated the media (and I guess Jon but he's in Trump ecstasy) doesn't spotlight enough on people who do make decent, reasonable points without the spotlight overwhelming their ideals. For people like Park Yeon Mi, a North Korean defector and human activist, or even Sandra Bland, an African-American woman trying to norm with society, they deserve to have their stories heard, but we can't depend on the media to tell us to. This is also why I'm glad they brought Ta-Nehisi Coates on to the show. He made some good points on his argument about racism and subjugation, and even though I didn't always agree about everything he said, I can acknowledge his decency and passion about his experiences. So I say to you, iMonrey as well as everyone who is sick of Jon covering Trump's absurdities, lighten up. I know we can't force Jon to cover repetitive, socially-norming issues like gun shootings, race, even the presidential campaigns, but hopefully we can acknowledge that outside the news networks, society is normalizing decency and we have the task of looking deeper for the real, genuine diamonds. 

 

           I hope that makes any sense. :P

[Morrigan2575]

I have a left-handed friend who writes in cursive, but she only uses a special brand of pen. I offered her mine once when hers ran out, and she explained the smudge problem to me. One sister is ambidextrous, but writes mostly with left. She has a cursive-print hybrid that is beautiful and never mentioned smudging. She doesn't have the hook or claw grip either. I don't know how she does it.

Not to get too off topic but I'm a lefty and know quite a few lefties that write with the hook/claw grip.  I think it was the way we were taught.  The nuns at my school taught me to turn the paper not my hand.  I also use that Cursive/print Hybrid not that it matters much, cursive isn't even being taught to kids now a days...will soon disappear altogether.  

 

Back to Stewart and Trump, I'm from NJ and HATE Trump and but I love Stewart's continued ragging on Trump. I personally have no problem with Stewart spending the next 11-12 episodes opening with  Trump.

[redfish]

The Trump's jokes are funny, but I'm worried that people are going to underestimate him like people did with George W. He was considered a joke candidate and then he "won" the Republican primary and then "won" the election and the joke was on the public.

[shok]

Yet another opening segment devoted to Trump. Ugh, I get it, he's comedy gold, but this is exactly what I complained about at the beginning of the week. We've only got two more weeks of Jon Stewart. I hope he's not going to fritter away what little time he has left on Trump every night. It's way too cheap and easy.

 

I was coming on to post something like this but you said it better than I would have so I'll just say amen to your post.

[Judois]

I was here to say the same thing. It's getting tiresome. And I didn't like the nice Democrat candidate getting made fun of when he was saying some really good things.

[ganesh]

I don't think Trump would actually get the nod because the party establishment won't let him. 

[walnutqueen]

Me, I'm random-handed (some things righty, some lefty, some ambi), which pissed off my granny fiercely. She often scolded my mom about correcting my "wrong-handed" use of cutlery. Happily for everyone, my mom ignored her.

 

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

[ganesh]

I'm actually quite good writing with my right hand standing up at the board. It's quite useful because you want to write on the board while facing the class at the same time and not be in the way. You can't quite do it left because you're pushing, and if it's a whiteboard, you smear everything. It's awkward to write over the top and still be out of the way and face the class. 

[trow125]

Ohhh, he's a gorgeous writer. (and not a bad looking fellow) He blogs at the Atlantic. It's always fun when he takes on critics of his pieces; they have no idea they're fighting a gatling gun with a spork.

I follow TNC on Twitter, and he has taken on a lot of his critics on that platform (and occasionally in the Atlantic blog), but... he hasn't said anything about the David Brooks piece about his book, has he? (I'm not going to link to the piece itself because I don't want to responsible for giving Brooks any more clicks.) Maybe it's too fish-in-a-barrel?

[attica]

trow, you know Lewis's law? ("The comments on any article about feminism justify feminism.") I sorta think there's a Brooksian corollary: Any criticism by Brooks of a thing justifies the thing. 

 

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

 

But then you'd only have one! [/old Arthur joke] 

Edited July 26, 2015 by attica

[Ruby25]

I don't think Trump would actually get the nod because the party establishment won't let him. 

He won't get the nomination but I would SO love it if he ran as a third party. It would devastate the Republicans chances, imo. And you know Trump doesn't give a shit about that, so he'd do it without a second thought.

[Gulftastic]

I'm a lefty, and never had any pressure to change, but because of how PC's are set up, I've always used the mouse with my right hand, and attempts to use my left are almost comically bad. The same PC set up and a previous inputting job mean that with my right hand I am lighting fast on the number pad. This makes me think it if they had tried to force a change in my youth, it may have stuck.

 

I always notice if someone is a lefty.

[attica]

People know that computer mice are easily reconfigured for left-hand use, right? Your control panel can swap out right-click/left-click functions. I get that most tutorials don't alter instructions that call for right-clicking (which they totally should), and a sharing a computer with a righty would require consciousness of that, but: easy!

[ganesh]

I use the mouse on the left, but I don't reconfigure it. 

[possibilities]

If you did want to reconfigure the mouse, but don't because you share it with a righty, you could use a Y adapter, plug in two mice, and have one be lefty and one righty. It would be easy to mark them or get them in different colors or something like that, to make it clear which is which.

[formerlyfreedom]

Let's take any further left-handed discussion over to the Small Talk topic, please and thank you!

[Hanahope]

And also, how nice to have a President who never once was tainted by scandal, either personal or professional.

 

I think the GoP could have made a big scandal over Benghazi and allowing Clinton to have her own email server with Obama as well, but given he's on the way out and they need to fight Clinton for the next election, they choose to try and stick those scandals only on her.

 

What's annoying is not only did they fight Barack on pretty much everything he did, but they did it to Michelle as well.  I mean really, they found a way to oppose healthy eating and exercise.  I don't recall there ever being such a fight against prior first lady's projects.

Edited August 13, 2015 by Hanahope