Author: Michael A. Ventrella

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Support your local blogger (Sherlock edition)

There are many bloggers out there vying for your attention, and most of them have a little “donate” button on the side so that they can continue to provide you with information and entertainment. Or maybe they’ll do kickstarter campaigns for people. Or have a Patreon page. Or sell ads on their blog.91vpPELXg-L

It’s not a bad idea — and it’s nice when people who create things can get compensated for their work.

I don’t do that. (The ads you see here are placed by WordPress, because I’m not paying them to host this blog.)

Still, for the blogger, it’s nice to be appreciated — to know that the people who enjoy reading the blog understand the work that goes into it.

So if you’d like to thank me for my posts and show your support for this blog, how about a donation of, oh, about $8?

You see, you can buy my latest e-book for that amount. The e-book is available from my publisher Diversion Books. If you’d prefer it on kindle or nook, you could do that, too. Or if you like having a paperback, that’s also available everywhere (please ask your local small bookstore to order it — they appreciate your support). There’s also an audio book.

What if Sherlock Holmes was born in a different body in a different time and place? In Baker Street Irregulars, New York Times Bestselling Author Jonathan Maberry and I invited others to speculate as to what that might be! Contributors include such bestselling and award-winning authors as David Gerrold, Heidi McLaughlin, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Jody Lynn Nye, Gail Z. Martin, Ryk Spoor, and others!

Buying a book is even better than just donating something. We both win! I get a few bucks in my next royalty check, and you get a great new book.

More details about this (and my other books) are here.

Thanks for your support!

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Editorial cartoons: Obstruction

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David Fitzsimmons

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“We must have universal healthcare”

With Democrats once more calling for a “medicare for all” plan instead of the terrible Trumpcare plan, one turns to the words of a famous politician — clearly, a socialist — who said this in one of his books:

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Man, I bet Trump must hate this person, with those liberal views. Who would dare argue that universal healthcare is necessary? Hmmm.  It seems that this is from a best-seller called “The America We Deserve” by that radical socialist Donald Trump.

The moral of this story isn’t that Trump actually feels this way. It’s that he has no positions whatsoever, says whatever gets him the most attention, and lies constantly.

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Editorial cartoon: Clarifications

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Kevin Siers

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Sean Spicer’s Training

“Mr. Spicer: As the President’s Press Secretary, what you say carries a lot of weight. So let’s try this again.  Just read the release.”

“President Trump’s budget proposal cuts funding for Meals on Wheels. Muahahahaha!”

“Right, but remember what I said — please try to read this without adding the evil laughter at the end.”Badman

“Okay, I’ll try again. Hmmm. President Trump’s budget proposal cuts funding for Meals on Wheels.  Hrmmmmm. How was that?”

“Better, but the wringing of your hands and the hunched over posture don’t really convey trust. Here — stand up straight, don’t laugh, and try putting it into your own words.”

“Thanks to President Trump, we will no longer help starving poor old ladies since there is no financial benefit to us in return.”

“Yes. Well. That certainly summarizes the Trump position perfectly, but maybe we should move on. Go to the next talking point.”

“All right. Let’s see.  Funding for the Arts has been reduced as well as funding for PBS. How was that?”

“When did you grow a mustache?”

“The Environmental Protection Agency’s budget will be cut by almost a third, effectively killing its power to accomplish anything.”

“And the top hat?  Where did that come from?”

“Education funding is slashed unless you’re a rich kid going to a private school in which case we’re going to give all sorts of tax credits to your rich parents.”

“Stop twirling your mustache while you talk!”

“No more science! Cut! Transit? Forget it. Anything that helps people who aren’t already rich? Muhahahaha! Deal with it, suckers! We know you didn’t vote for us, but we don’t give a shit! Widows, orphans, the sick? When was the last time you contributed to the Republican party? Fools! Feel our wrath!”

“You’re really freaking me out now! I’m out of here. This isn’t working. Oh, but one final comment.”

“Yes?”

“At least you’re finally being truthful.”

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Editorial cartoon: Pooka Pooka

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Clay Jones

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iPhones, Insurance, and Republican cluelessness

Jason Chaffetz recently blamed poor people who can’t afford health care, saying that they need to choose between health care or a new iPhone.

Because he thinks you can get great health care for $700 a year. (You can hardly even get it for $700 a month!)iphone-medical-id

“The real problem is he’s talking to the American people like he’s talking to his own kids,” said comedian James Corden. “‘Well, maybe if you mowed lawns over the summer like I told you, you could afford that new kidney that you wanted.'”

Health care costs are outrageous and you don’t have to be poor to need help. The GOP plan where we can set aside money for our own health care is ridiculous. The money has to come from somewhere — it doesn’t magically appear when you open a “health care account.”

Even rich people have trouble with health care costs when an emergency happens. Vice President Joe Biden (who, admittedly, is not “rich” by some standards) even considered selling his house when his son got cancer a few years ago. That’s outrageous, and should make all Americans upset. Imagine that happening to a family not as well off as the Bidens.

But you see, this is the problem with most Republicans — they think “poor” means homeless. They get upset when the find out that a poor person has a refrigerator or a microwave (seriously). How dare you not be poor enough for them!

They also have this idea that people are poor by choice, which is frankly insulting.

And to make it worse, there are idiots like Ben Carson who grew up poor, was able to make it because of welfare and student aid and food stamps, and who now says things like “I made it on my own” and wants to deny people the same benefits that helped him get out of poverty.

It comes down to basic selfishness, I think, which is at the core of most conservative and libertarian thought.

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Editorial cartoon: What smell?

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Tim Eagan

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Can Obama sue Trump?

Trump is usually the one randomly suing everyone, but lately people have been asking if Obama can sue Trump for the lies he’s been telling about him.

The short answer is “No.”

The long answer is “Noooooooooooooooooo.”

Defamation includes libel (written) and slander (spoken). In order to win a case, you have to prove three things:

First, that the statement was false. This is usually the easiest thing to prove, but sometimes the thing being said is merely an opinion. trump-liar“Joe is a jerk” is not true or false. “Joe is a pedophile” is a lie.

But there’s even more to it than that — you have to show that the person who made the statement knew that it was false or said it with reckless disregard as to whether it was true. (If it actually was true, then we stop there. Truth is always a defense against libel and slander).

In this case, the argument would be that no matter how much Trump believes it to be true, it just isn’t. Just like his belief that Obama wasn’t born in America, or that millions of people voted illegally, or practically anything else that pops into his brain that he tweets out that have no correlation to reality. Trump has a reckless disregard for the truth, and that means that he can’t use as a defense that he reasonably thought it was true.

And to make it even more difficult, the standard for celebrities and politicians is even higher than it is for a private citizen. You have to show that not only was the statement false and that the person knew it was false, but that they said it with malicious intent — they wanted to harm the other person, and weren’t just repeating some rumor or something. (Since almost everything Trump says has malicious intent, this requirement may be meant.)

So if you can show that the statement was a lie, you still have a ways to go.

The second thing is to show that other people believed it. If someone calls you a martian, then that’s clearly a lie. But if no one believes them, then what’s the point? The lie has to be believed by others, and by lots of others. The fact that a bunch of idiots who watch Fox News believe a lie doesn’t mean much — those people believe anything.

Finally, you have to show that you were seriously harmed in some way and not just insulted. You need to show that because of the lie, you lost your job and people are throwing bricks at your house and spitting on you as you walk down the street. You have to prove damage.

So if someone says “Joe is gay” and it’s not true and the person who said it knows that it’s not true, you’ve met the first burden. If everyone believes it, then you’ve met the second burden. But if no one cares and you aren’t harmed in the slightest other than perhaps being upset or embarrassed or insulted, then you have no case.

I don’t think Obama was harmed in the slightest by the latest Trump lie. The people who hate Obama still do, and those of us who have a brain still don’t believe anything Trump says.

So let me clarify:  Can Obama sue trump? Sure, anyone can sue anyone. Does he have a chance of winning?  Nah.

 

 

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Editorial cartoon: Prints charming

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Clay Bennett