Dr. X's Free Associations

The Fake News is saying that I am willing to meet with Iran, “No Conditions.” That is an incorrect statement (as usual!).

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2019

Wherever did they get such a ridiculous idea?

Move Along. Nothing to See Here

The Hill:

Four states are preparing to cancel their 2020 Republican nominating contests over the weekend, Politico reported, citing three sources.

The sources told the outlet that South Carolina, Nevada, Arizona and Kansas Republicans are reportedly slated to scrap their primaries and caucuses, in a move that would demonstrate President Trump's effort to shore up control over the GOP at the state level.

Psychologist Sentenced

Chicago Tribune: A psychologist with a practice in Glenview was sentenced Friday to six months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1.46 million in restitution for submitting false insurance claims to Medicare and four private companies, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago.

Our paths once crossed and I was not a fan, though I never imagined she'd do something like this.

Story continued.

Corruption out in the open

The VP is staying a 3 hour drive from Irish capital, necessitating costly helicopters, all so that his visit to Ireland can put cash in the boss’s pocket. Normal federal employees go to prison for such schemes

— David Frum (@davidfrum) September 2, 2019

Independent:

Mike Pence has chosen to stay at Donald Trump’s golf resort during a visit to Ireland, despite his official duties all taking place on the other side of the country in Dublin.

Critics accused the US vice president of corruption by electing to use public funds to enrich his boss’ private business, rather than use one of the hundreds of hotels in the Irish capital.

Mr Pence, who landed in Ireland on Monday following a trip to Poland, stayed the night at Trump International Golf Club in Doonbeg on the west coast of the country.

According to his public daily schedule, Mr Pence will fly on Air Force Two the 117 miles from Shannon airport to Dublin, where he will hold a series of meetings, before flying back and staying a second night at Mr Trump’s resort.

There is, of course, an entourage staying with the VP at Trump's resort.

So Donald Trump is proposing holding the next G-7 meeting at his own golf resort? The level of shamelessness in using the presidency to enrich himself is of course staggering. But the worst part of it is he probably really thinks it's a good idea.

— Dan Rather (@DanRather) August 26, 2019

Wannabe Dictator

Via Tweet Today:

"The vast amounts of money made and stolen by China from the United States, year after year, for decades, will and must STOP. Our great American companies are hereby ordered to immediately start looking for an alternative to China, including bringing your companies HOME and making your products in the USA."

Chaplin in The Great Dictator (1940)

10-second Review

I've enjoyed a number of TV shows in the new golden age of television, notably The Sopranos, The Wire, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Americans and the early years of Homeland. We finally caught the first episode of TNT's Animal Kingdom, four years after it premiered. Great cast, but disappointing. It tries too hard to be transgressive and in-your-face shocking, but it's fundamentally banal.

Calling Out Trump On His New Hampshire Election Fraud Lie

Coyote Rescue

Guy with thick chicago accent helps coyote pup pic.twitter.com/RJB9sqkrxl

— derek (@eedrk) August 15, 2019

What I'd like to know is how he got that pup into his truck.

Robocall Blocking

I've been averaging 5 or 6 robocalls a day on my office line, mostly from scam Google Business Listing services. Before deleting the messages, I have to at least listen to the beginning of every message to determine whether the call was from a patient or some other legit caller. I can block numbers, but the scammers spoof numbers so the numbers constantly change.

Two days ago I decided to try Nomorobo. Since our office lines are VOIP we can use Nomorobo for free. So far, it has blocked every robocall. The phone rings once, then Nomorobo picks up and hangs up and no message is left. I can see the scammer's number on caller ID, but I don't have to deal with sorting through messages.

Reviews on line are weighted toward the negative side, but so far I haven't had any of the problems some reviewers are reporting. We'll see. I hope this puts an end to these time-wasting messages.

A Dictator's View of the Office

TRUMP: "Then I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as president."

(Article 2 does not in fact empower the president to do whatever they want.) pic.twitter.com/qIFP1AbHw6

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 23, 2019

Heat Wave

I heard that this is our longest heatwave and hottest real feel temps in 7 years. Be careful out there, and don't forget about the dogs. Limit time outdoors and exercise, avoid hot pavement and makes sure they've got plenty of water. Be especially careful with fat dogs, older dogs and the short-snouted pups.

No, the FBI did not cut a plea deal with Jeffrey Epstein

Did you know:

The FBI, under Robert Mueller, let child predator Jeffrey Epstein off with a weak plea deal

Dozens of young girls accused him of assaulting them

Maybe Mueller should have gone after Epstein as hard as he went after our President

🤔

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) July 7, 2019

This is ridiculous. Neither police nor the FBI cut plea deals. Prosecutors cut plea deals with the defense, and we know exactly which prosecutor cut the deal with Epstein: Alex Acosta, who is now Trump's Labor Secretary.

Mad King Donald

Where does one begin?

Watching @FoxNews weekend anchors is worse than watching low ratings Fake News @CNN, or Lyin’ Brian Williams (remember when he totally fabricated a War Story trying to make himself into a hero, & got fired. A very dishonest journalist!) and the crew of degenerate......

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 7, 2019

.....Comcast (NBC/MSNBC) Trump haters, who do whatever Brian & Steve tell them to do. Like CNN, NBC is also way down in the ratings. But @FoxNews, who failed in getting the very BORING Dem debates, is now loading up with Democrats & even using Fake unsourced @nytimes as....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 7, 2019

...a “source” of information (ask the Times what they paid for the Boston Globe, & what they sold it for (lost 1.5 Billion Dollars), or their old headquarters building disaster, or their unfunded liability? @FoxNews is changing fast, but they forgot the people who got them there!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 7, 2019