I read the news today oh boy! Page 1,911

Quote: fopdoodle @ 23rd April 2017, 7:20 AM

If one is confident one is mentally stable, why not volunteer?

Because of Randle Patrick McMurphy. Let's be honest: diagnosing maladies or conditions is the bread and butter of psychiatrists, marriage guidance counselors and others of that irksome ilk. You'll need a long and costly treatment of sessions/medication, perhaps even a lifetime subscription to lithium and weekly meetings. Marriage advice can be simply condensed to "be nice and be prepared for mutual respect/compromise -- or if it's unbearable, get a divorce". And hokey psychiatric advice boils down to: "You have demons that can be battled only by making me and the pharmaceutical companies rich for the rest of your days."
That'll be $200,000, thank you.
Yes, Trump is a clown. If you're worried he's gonna press the button that starts a nuclear war, take some solace by watching Britain's Got World's Wildest Celebrity Chef Home Makeovers on Ice. Then greet the new day and carry on.

Quote: Kenneth @ 23rd April 2017, 9:43 AM

Let's be honest: diagnosing maladies or conditions is the bread and butter of psychiatrists, marriage guidance counselors and others of that irksome ilk. You'll need a long and costly treatment of sessions/medication, perhaps even a lifetime subscription to lithium and weekly meetings.
Yes, Trump is a clown. If you're worried he's gonna press the button that starts a nuclear war, take some solace by watching Britain's Got World's Wildest Celebrity Chef Home Makeovers on Ice. Then greet the new day and carry on.

I am currently wearing an oversize shirt that I put on after the monthly bath I have whether I need it or not (I know that joke's not really funny, but it still tickles me) that reads "I'm not crazy, I've been tested" and I bought it because it's true (& to prove I'm not making the slogan up, you can buy them here: http://www.bejealous.com/liza-batwing-sleeves-printed-hilo-top.html).

I was sent to a psychiatrist as a child as I was always distracted in class if not interested in subject - long story short I was diagnosed with an overactive imagination (which is a thing - but a condition that just makes you hyper creative with a tendency to daydream) and sent home.

There was no further therapy, and is not compulsory anyway - but if Trump was found to have something serious that jeopardises the lives of countless people, I don't see any argument against him undergoing a simple assessment, let alone justifying and supporting his reasons for refusing.

Quote: fopdoodle @ 23rd April 2017, 11:04 AM

I was sent to a psychiatrist as a child as I was always distracted in class if not interested in subject - long story short I was diagnosed with an overactive imagination (which is a thing - but a condition that just makes you hyper creative with a tendency to daydream).

You and every other kid who's ever attended school.

I am confident that every person on this planet could be diagnosed with one or more psychiatric/mental disorder. I don't truck with psychiatrists who say "you have this special condition, so here's your costly prescription for dealing with it". Just creates a culture of drug dependency and "Hey, I suffer, so I'm special, and I can get benefits without having to work". The human brain is amazing and can be trained. We can be masters of our "demons". Although I do self-medicate the condition of "life" with reading and occasional drinks. Sure, a certain percentage of the elderly will have neurodegenerative disorders, and some unfortunates are afflicted by various forms of mental retardation that render them unable to work or live without care. But I won't be visiting a psychiatrist until the day I start drinking paint and wearing live cats as slippers.

If you want to lock someone up just because they are a dick or have different political views, then North Korea beckons. Trump would be better off having quiet talks with China and South Korea to decide if they want to go through the very expensive task of bringing North Korea into the realm of normal. But there's not much macho mileage in behind-the-scenes diplomacy.

Quote: fopdoodle @ 23rd April 2017, 7:20 AM

If one is confident one is mentally stable, why not volunteer?

What could possibly go wrong if a sitting president were to undergo a mental health evaluation? Surely the headlines would be fair and supportive and his bleating detractors would cease their bleating.

Quote: fopdoodle @ 23rd April 2017, 7:20 AM

You'd also show your tax returns if you had nothing to hide.

President Obama refused to release his university transcripts and test scores, while President Bush's test score and transcripts were leaked by the press. President Bush scored in the 95th percentile, yet we were constantly told how dumb he was. President Obama refused to release his scores, yet we were told again and again that he was brilliant.

Politics and the media are poisoned by partisanship.

I'm as sane as the next man but that last can of paint took some getting down.
If I could just keep my live slippers quiet I'd be a happy man.

I find mixing the paint with a bit of turps or thinner helps it to go down more smoothly and also gives it a stronger kick. Also alleviates the stress endured by wearing the mewling moggie moccasins (actually Siamese slippers),

What has Trump actually achieved in first 100 days? All he seems to be doing now is trying to deflect focus from 'virtually nothing' by constantly boasting about his ratings and popularity. There may have been very high viewing figures for a talk show, but that's because we are embracing our inner victorian and watching a lunatic in the asylum - and don't bring 9/11 into a sentence about your ego because that's beyond disgusting.

To contradict himself further . . . he continues to refuse to release tax returns because the 'election is over' yet he is holding another rally on Saturday, but the election is over, Donald, so people don't need to be bombarded with more words that are backed up with nothing. Do something for the people that isn't about you, and I will be the first to shut the hell up.

You're just nosey - you want to see how much brass he addles.

Quote: fopdoodle @ 25th April 2017, 10:39 AM

What has Trump actually achieved in first 100 days?

Trump has dropped the "Mother of all bombs." and sent his Navy to provoke the world's most dangerous Sociopath. Why ? It's North Korea's neighbours that will take the retaliation and fall out. Just as Europe is taking the fall out from America's wars in the Middle East. Mr Trump, kick ass in your own back yard. Oh I forgot, his first move was to blocked entry to that.

Leading psychiatrists have gone on record stating Trump is text book NPD (Narcisstic Personality Disorder). Everyone from Stephen Hawking to medical experts have stated that a lack of empathy (e.g. NPD) presents the biggest known danger to mankind. Hence why he was listed as one of the biggest threats to world peace, before even being elected.

Quote: Firkin @ 25th April 2017, 1:32 PM

Trump has dropped the "Mother of all bombs." and sent his Navy to provoke the world's most dangerous Sociopath. Why ? It's North Korea's neighbours that will take the retaliation and fall out. Just as Europe is taking the fall out from America's wars in the Middle East. Mr Trump, kick ass in your own back yard. Oh I forgot, his first move was to blocked entry to that.

Leading psychiatrists have gone on record stating Trump is text book NPD (Narcisstic Personality Disorder). Everyone from Stephen Hawking to medical experts have stated that a lack of empathy (e.g. NPD) presents the biggest known danger to mankind. Hence why he was listed as one of the biggest threats to world peace, before even being elected.

I should have said what has he done that's POSITIVE in first 100 days.

But everything continues to be about Donald Trump, and it's befuddling to me how so many don't even see that yet.

Was reading an article about him being asked specific questions in an interview, and they included his thought processes, as he seemed to have same answer regardless of subject (dodging question, obviously), but to summarise, and to put very crudely: 'authorising bomb, hmm? power, big, me, popular, crowd size, win margin, best, better than everyone else in history'.

And this sums him up.

He is all about posturing than for the greater good, so can't ever 'solve the problem' which is North Korea by waving a bigger stick at them. Nobody would argue against the fact that something needs to happen to change relations there, but threatening such a country, even just with sanctions poses a huge risk for retaliation and therefore to the people he was appointed to look after.

I'm beginning to think you don't like him
And there is a hint of 'us fools' are blind.

Quote: fopdoodle @ 25th April 2017, 2:37 PM

Nobody would argue against the fact that something needs to happen to change relations there, but threatening such a country, even just with sanctions poses a huge risk for retaliation and therefore to the people he was appointed to look after.

In case you've missed it, for the last several weeks the North Koreans have threatened to nuke the United States and sink our aircraft carriers, all to the accompaniment of videos showing America being consumed by a nuclear firestorm. I think that surpasses the implied threat of sanctions by quite a large margin.

As it stands, the North Koreans pose only a minuscule threat to the United States. They could inflict some serious damage to Seoul, but they can't reach the United States at this time. But that will all change as they continue to make advances in miniaturizing their nuclear warheads and building long-range missiles. There isn't a chance in hell that they could beat us in a fight, but even a single nuclear strike against the United States would be catastrophic. Someday soon they will have the capability, so when should the United States do something about the threat? Now, or after they have deliverable nuclear warheads?

My point is that though there's no reasoning with a madman, if you rattle him he'll almost inevitably come out fighting, whereas if you don't poke at him, he may get bored and leave well alone.

They will never stop increasing their weaponry stockpile, but North Koreans pose more of a threat now since Trump was elected (despite poking the US for a long time), because he hasn't a clue how to deal with people on any political level.

Chances are North Korea will do nothing and posturing from US may actually work as deterrent given real risk to own people, but he needs to understand he has to give such potential actions considerable thought first as his predecessors have done, upon realising that it's fundamentally about proving which country has most powerful arsenal rather than having any intention to actually use them.

Kim Jon Un must have been rubbing his hands when Trump got in, thinking "I could have a little fun here" . . . and just like a schoolboy, he's taking the bait.

Quote: fopdoodle @ 26th April 2017, 9:55 AM

My point is that though there's no reasoning with a madman, if you rattle him he'll almost inevitably come out fighting, whereas if you don't poke at him, he may get bored and leave well alone.

Yes, that worked with Osama bin Laden. I imagine Kim Jong-Un will be content to play chess and paint watercolors of ducks for the rest of his days, if only Trump would stop mentioning "North Korea".

Quote: fopdoodle @ 26th April 2017, 9:55 AM

North Koreans pose more of a threat now since Trump was elected (despite poking the US for a long time), because he hasn't a clue how to deal with people on any political level.

Disagree. And appeasement is not always a winning solution.

Quote: fopdoodle @ 26th April 2017, 9:55 AM

Chances are North Korea will do nothing

Chances are that Kim Jong-Un will paint on a moustache, start smoking cigars and do a Groucho Marx tribute show. Not a very high chance, but still a chance. Be interesting to see who will succeed him. Hope to Christ he doesn't do a Castro in terms of longevity.

Quote: Kenneth @ 26th April 2017, 10:19 AM

Yes, that worked with Osama bin Laden.

Different kind of monster and therefore different strategy used. Circumstances so different it's almost ludicrous to compare the two.

Quote: Kenneth @ 26th April 2017, 10:19 AM

Disagree. And appeasement is not always a winning solution.

Of course it isn't always, but Trump will always have no clue on how to deal with people, and anyone who thinks he does is also crazy.