With everyday bringing election time closer and closer, the spot light now has a permanent spot on Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
Which is giving BadLipReading even more fuel to work with for their ridiculous, obviously wrong lip syncing shenanigans.
Read more: http://www.viralviralvideos.com/2012/08/14/more-mitt-romney-bad-lip-reading/
Everybody dreams of winning the lottery, but most realize that it’s a fantasy that will never come true. Still, millions of people spend billions of dollars each year on lotto tickets chasing the idea of becoming a quick millionaire. That’s fine, but should the government really be in the gambling business, promoting the lottery as a positive force for the community? John Oliver doesn’t think so.
Read more: http://www.viralviralvideos.com/2014/11/10/john-oliver-discusses-the-lottery/
Seinfeld may have ended over fifteen years ago, but incredibly, it is still on the air. The Internet was only in its infant stage back in 1998, but Seinfeld still continues to seem relevant online. Now, this ridiculous spoof by Huw Parkinson is the latest Seinfeld video to go viral online. With hilarious editing, the Australian Parliament was transformed into a sitcom starring everyone’s favorite characters about nothing. Cue music.
Read more: http://www.viralviralvideos.com/2014/11/13/seinfeld-in-australian-parliament/
Barack Obama‘s victory for his second term as U.S. President sparked substantial social media reaction Tuesday night.
Among conservative users of Twitter, the news of Mitt Romney‘s defeat launched a great deal of chatter as well — some sympathetic, others angry.
Outspoken conservative commentator Ann Coulter expressed her sympathy for the Romney/Ryan campaign: “I feel so sorry for Mitt Romney, but sorrier for the country that will never have him as president.”
Former actress Victoria Jackson was a little more direct, tweeting that “America had died” and that she “couldn’t stop crying.” She took a stab at the Christian population, too, for not being present enough during the election:
Thanks a lot Christians, for not showing up.You disgust me.
— Victoria Jackson (@vicjackshow) November 7, 2012
The hashtag #tcot (top conservatives on Twitter) was also hot with disbelief:
I’m not “upset” Obama won. I just want knock half the country upside the head. #tcot
— Savannah (@thesavvy) November 7, 2012
Our country may not survive four more years of this man. May God be with us… #tcot #lnyhbt
— Michael A Nöthem (@mikandynothem) November 7, 2012
My entire life has been a trial by fire. If you think Barack Obama’s presidency will make me sit down, you have another thing coming. #tcot
— Amy Lutz (@amylutz4) November 7, 2012
I’m sad for future generations who will dine on the crumbs of despair never knowing the feast of freedom they could have had. #tcot
— gtrburn (@gtrburn) November 7, 2012
Among the #tcot posts, one Twitter user referred to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s collaboration work with — and later praise of — Barack Obama in superstorm Sandy’s cleanup as “treasonous” and unforgettable.
I’m not blaming @govchristie for the loss… I’m saying we won’t forget his treasonous behavior in the last few days of this race. #tcot
— NYCguy2012 (@NYCGuy2012) November 7, 2012
Others focused less on attacking, and instead on congratulating Mitt Romney for a hard-fought campaign.
Thank you @mittromney for all you and your family did to try to save this country. We appreciate it all tremendously. #tcot #RomneyRyan2012
— Sistervative (@Sistervative) November 7, 2012
Former General Electric CEO, and noted Republican, Jack Welch congratulated President Obama.
Congratulations to Pres Obama and his team on their terrific victory..
— Jack Welch (@jack_welch) November 7, 2012
Meghan McCain, blogger for the Daily Beast and daughter of Senator John McCain, said she was “heartbroken,” but added that the Republican party “has to evolve or it’s going to die.” She extended a congratulations to the Obama campaign as well.
Tough night for republicans, thanks to Mitt Romney for running hard and I give credit to President Obama for running a successful campaign.
— Meghan McCain (@McCainBlogette) November 7, 2012
Did you keep track of the election results through Twitter? What were some of the highlights you saw? Let us know.
Mashable composite: courtesy of Flickr, Winston Smith in America and whoohoo120
Yes, We GIFed: Obama’s Animated Election Victory Celebration
Donald Trump Freaks Out on Twitter After Obama Wins Election
A Look Inside the Obama and Romney Headquarters on Election Night [PICS]
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Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/11/07/conservatives-2012-election-twitter/
Wikipedia might be the key to predicting Mitt Romney’s pick for a running mate as the political world scrambles to figure out his nominee before the campaign’s official announcement, according to a new report.
Sarah Palin and Joe Biden, 2008’s VP nominees, both saw a considerable spike in the number of edits made to their Wikipedia pages in the hours before they were announced as the candidates. Micah Sifry, co-founder of the Personal Democracy Forum, wrote for TechPresident Monday reminding the political world of the hereunto mostly overlooked fact.
“Sarah Palin’s Wikipedia page was updated at least 68 times the day before John McCain announced her selection, with another 54 changes made in the five previous days previous,” wrote Sifry. “The same burst of last-minute editing appeared on Joe Biden’s Wikipedia page, Terry Gudaitis of Cyveillance, told the Washington Post.”
Essentially, Sifry is suggesting that political candidates’ staff are making these changes to Wikipedia pages in order to clean up the pages prior to the public unveiling of the VP pick.
That hasn’t been proven, but Wikipedia is a publicly-editable knowledge database that’s become a go-to source for information about almost any subject, political candidates included. Therefore, it makes sense that politicians’ staff would edit a possible VP’s page before the candidate is thrust into the public eye and millions visit the site for information about their history and political stances.
Mashable covered the “Wikipedia Effect” in politics earlier this year, finding that Mitt Romney’s page saw a considerable spike in edits just before, during and immediately after primary elections — a sign that Wikipedia users may have been trying to influence voters by changing details about Romney’s history on the site.
Does Wikipedia’s publicly-editable nature make it a less reliable source for information about current events, such as politics? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Image courtesy of Mitt Romney on Facebook
Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/08/07/wikipedia-romney-vice-president/
Dear Governor Rick Perry,
It’s admirable that you are concerned about the well-being of American citizens, particularly in regards to the threat terrorism poses to our safety. No one wants to see another 9/11 or Boston Marathon Bombing, as these were terrible tragedies that will forever haunt this country.
Accordingly, it’s important that we stay vigilant in order to prevent such attacks from occurring again. This is particularly true as the United States moves forward in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).
Likewise, it’s not that difficult to imagine a terrorist crossing the US border in order to plan and execute a terrorist attack. Drugs and guns cross that border frequently, and thousands of immigrants come across each month.
Simply put, immigration is a very serious issue in the United States, and one that requires immediate attention. Indeed, due to an inactive and obstinate Congress, President Obama will likely take executive action to address this problem.
Recently, you suggested that it’s a very “real possibility” that ISIS and other terrorist organizations are crossing the border through Mexico. Yet, even you admitted that there is no evidence to support this claim.
Moreover, the Pentagon immediately rejected your statements.
When you seem to make the false claim that a large number of terrorists are likely crossing the border, you generate fear and misconceptions among the populace. Yes, it is a possibility, but there is widespread evidence that this is not occurring.
As Joshua Keating of Slate puts it,
Intelligence officials have warned for some time that there’s a possibility of terrorists entering the US from Mexico, and there is indeed some evidence of groups like Hezbollah operating in South America.
It would be foolish, then, to completely rule out the possibility that terrorists have crossed into the United States from down Mexico way. But the frequent claims that this is already a major problem are, well, ridiculous.
Immigrants in the United States are already stigmatized enough, they do not need to be linked to the issue of terrorism.
Furthermore, the odds of an American dying in a terrorist attack is one in 20 million. There are a number of more sweeping issues we should be focusing on before terrorism.
This nation was founded and built by immigrants. We are all either recent immigrants or the descendants of people from somewhere else. “American” is not an ethnicity; it is an invention. Yet, new waves of immigrants have constantly been met with suspicion and animosity throughout the history of this country.
The truth is, the vast majority of immigrants coming into this country do so legally, but the word itself seems to imply the notion of illegality. With that said, no human being is illegal.
Likewise, there are a number of myths surrounding immigration that are perpetuated by the media and certain politicians, despite having no basis in reality. For example, many people seem to have the opinion that immigrants drain the economy, but the Council of Economic Advisors has shown that immigrants actually provide a huge boost to the economy.
If the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the US were granted legal status, it would would add a cumulative $1.5 trillion to the US gross domestic product over 10 years.
So, instead of focusing on unsubstantiated hypotheticals, why don’t you pressure Congress to do its job and address this pressing matter?
There is an astronomical number of children from Central America being held at the border and facing deportation at present. Most of these children do not have legal consul, which means they have no one to speak for them.
Their stories are heartbreaking, and the statistics are staggering. Please, concentrate on their well-being, not on generating fear by spreading unfounded rumors.
Thank you.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Read more: http://elitedaily.com/news/politics/rick-perry-terrorists-crossing-border/742492/
I wasn’t surprised to find so much reaction to the leaked Romney videos, being that they were so offensive, so factually incorrect, and so refreshingly honest. But I was really surprised to find this kind of reaction coming from these people.
“The overall impression of Romney at this event is of someone who overheard some conservative cocktail chatter and maybe read a conservative blog or two, and is thoughtlessly repeating back what he heard and read.” — Rich Lowry, National Review (conservative magazine)
“Who are these freeloaders? Is it the Iraq war veteran who goes to the V.A.? Is it the student getting a loan to go to college? Is it the retiree on Social Security or Medicare? … The people who receive the disproportionate share of government spending are not big-government lovers. They are Republicans. They are senior citizens. They are white men with high school degrees. ” — David Brooks (conservative columnist), New York Times
“It remains important for the country that Romney wins in November (unless he chooses to step down and we get the Ryan-Rubio ticket we deserve!). But that shouldn’t blind us to the fact that Romney’s comments … are stupid and arrogant.” — Bill Kristol, The Weekly Standard (conservative magazine)
“I found the presser not horrible, which is about as much praise as I can muster right now.” — Daniel Foster, National Review
“I disagree with Gov. Romney’s insinuation that 47 percent of Americans believe they are victims who must depend on the government for their care. … I know that the vast majority of those who rely on government are not in that situation because they want to be.” — Linda McMahon, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Connecticut
“He said he has a terrific campaign. Actually he doesn’t. He says that the campaign workers are working well together, well, actually, no, they’re not working well together, and that his campaign’s going in the right direction. No, it’s not. And this is not being said by liberals … these are conservatives. … Savannah, I’m going to go put a bag over my head now, so I will talk to you soon.” — Joe Scarborough, conservative pundit and former Republican congressman
Read more: http://upworthy.com/when-these-6-people-think-you-blew-it-you-know-your-campaign-is-in-trouble
Exactly 96 years ago today, World War I came to an end. With the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on November 11, 1918, the war was officially over. It culminated on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
Hence, Veterans Day is observed every year on November 11. It is the day upon which we commemorate the brave individuals who have served our country. Likewise, as President Abraham Lincoln once stated:
Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.
Veterans Day is meant to embody these sentiments, and rightfully so.
Yet, the sad truth is that this country has habitually failed its veterans. Thus, while President Lincoln’s words will always be appropriate, the tweet below more accurately encapsulates the current relationship between this country and its veterans.
Dear veterans: Thank you. It’s disgraceful that we, as a nation, don’t take better care of you after you’ve served our country.
— Wil Wheaton (@wilw) November 11, 2014
The United States was born out of conflict, and has been at war throughout much of its existence. It has a strong military tradition. Indeed, we should be proud of the selfless individuals who have risked life and limb to perpetuate our privileges and safety. At the same time, we should be ashamed of the way we have repaid their sacrifice.
Thus, it’s time for this country to be honest about the disgraceful way it treats its veterans. We have no right to call ourselves “the greatest country in the world” when we don’t fight for those who fight for us.
On any given night, there are 60,000 homeless veterans. To put this into perspective, around 60,000 Americans lost their lives in the Vietnam War.
Around 12 percent of the adult homeless population are veterans.
According to the National Coalition For Homeless Veterans:
The majority are single; live in urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders.
Approximately 9% are between the ages of 18 and 30, and 41% are between the ages of 31 and 50.
…America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF), and the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America.
A great deal of homeless veterans are Millennials who served in the War on Terror. The United States has spent over four trillion dollars on this conflict. If you’re going to spend that amount of money to send young people off to war, then you better be ready to take care of them when they come home.
In 2013 alone, 986,000 veterans under the age of 64 reported living in poverty. Correspondingly, millions of veterans are at risk of losing their homes.
Accordingly, it is not surprising that so many veterans are already living on the streets.
The Department for Veterans Affairs (VA) has committed to ending veteran homelessness by 2015. Yet, given the scale of the problem, this seems quite improbable.
The next time you pass by a homeless person on the street, consider the fact that there’s a good chance he or she fought for this country.
A large part of the reason so many veterans are homeless is due to the physical and mental health problems they’ve acquired as a consequence of war. Concurrently, due to the economic constraints that veterans face, they often experience severe mental stress when attempting to adjust back to civilian life.
Imagine coming home from war and having to deal with the trauma of that experience while also struggling to pay the bills. Around 77 percent of veterans have faced unemployment, and more than one out of four have faced job searches that last over a year.
Indeed, economic inequality is a huge factor when it comes to the mental health of veterans. More must be done to ease this burden.
Moreover, many vets are physically disabled and cannot work. Likewise, around 730,000 veterans suffer from a range of mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression.
The horrors of war are not easily forgotten.
What’s more, every single day, 22 veterans take their own lives. That means that every 65 minutes, an individual who has stood up in defense of this country commits suicide. Tragically, military suicides outnumber combat deaths two to one.
This is perhaps the most tragic and disheartening statistic surrounding those who have served. Furthermore, the detrimental impact this devastating trend is having on the families of these veterans is often overlooked.
Despite the vast number of veterans facing mental health problems, many aren’t receiving sufficient treatment. A whopping 70 percent of veterans with mental illness either don’t receive mental healthcare whatsoever or receive inadequate treatment.
Veterans are literally dying because of delays in diagnosis and treatment at VA hospitals. In a particularly despicable example earlier this year, CNN discovered that 40 veterans died while waiting for appointments at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care system.
The worst part of this was the fact that the VA officials at the Phoenix hospital attempted to cover all of this up, leading to a national scandal.
This is simply unacceptable. We can’t send people off to war and then abandon them upon their return.
The United States spends more than any other country in the world on defense.
Indeed, the US military is exceptionally impressive, and an extremely formidable force.
Yet, in spite of all the money this country spends on war, nearly 350,000 veterans of the War on Terror still have outstanding appeals on benefits they are entitled to. These benefits include everything from direct compensation, to pensions, to education.
If America is going to spend billions of dollars on the military every year, it goes without saying that a large portion of this money should be allocated to support the nation’s veterans.
This country is currently failing its veterans. There is so much more that we can do.
Firstly, we need to pressure the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve and expand its services. We can do this, in part, by reaching out to politicians and calling on them to continue to address this issue.
Likewise, it’s important that we provide support to the families of veterans within our communities. Additionally, we can volunteer with various veterans programs, such as TAPS and the Jericho Project, to name a few.
Finally, we need to stop labeling veterans as victims. Correspondingly, as Paul Rieckhoff, the executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, recently stated:
Veterans are very often stereotyped into two stock characters: the crying wounded or the guy who jumps the White House fence to get to the president.
Don’t treat us like victims. We’re not broken. We’ve been through a lot, but we’re rising out of it.
It’s true that veterans face a number of serious challenges, but it would be wrong to assume that they don’t possess the grit and optimism to overcome them. After all, many of these individuals have survived combat. If you can live through war, you can accomplish anything.
Thus, on this Veterans Day, remember the sacrifice of the countless men and women who have served this country.
Simultaneously, work toward spreading awareness of the many ways we can improve our treatment and reception of these courageous individuals. Start the conversation, this is the first step toward change.
Read more: http://elitedaily.com/news/world/the-disgraceful-treatment-of-american-veterans/845366/
War is abhorrent and painful to remember. Yet, this does not mean we can forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Today is Veterans Day, in which we recognize those who have served in the military. Exactly 96 years ago today, World War I came to an end on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the year.
Accordingly, we commemorate the sacrifice of those who have served on November 11 every single year.
At 5 PM (ET) today, MTV will premiere a new documentary entitled “MTV’s Got Your 6” in recognition of Veterans Day. It chronicles the journey of four Millennial veterans as they return home from active duty in Afghanistan.
These men are not even 30, and they have already seen combat, sustained wounds and lost friends in battle.
MTV has provided Elite Daily with an exclusive sneak peek of this amazing documentary (below), which features a 22-year-old soldier from California named Tim (TJ), who received a Purple Heart for injuries sustained in combat. TJ served in the army in Afghanistan.
This official sneak peek contains footage of an intense firefight between TJ’s platoon and the Taliban in which he was wounded. Luckily, TJ survived his injuries.
In the sneak peek, we also see TJ’s return home. It’s hard to imagine what it must be like to adjust back into civilian life after seeing combat, but this documentary provides us with important insights into that process.
Check out the sneak peek:
Millennials have grown up with the War on Terror. For most of us, 9/11 was an extremely formative event. As a consequence of the horrific events of that day, our country has been at war for most, if not all, of our lives.
The youngest members of this generation were born in 2000. A year later, their country would invade Afghanistan, sparking the longest conflict in the history of the United States.
Thirteen years after the invasion of Afghanistan, the war is still not fully over. Even after its official cessation at the end of this year, American troops will continue to reside in the country. Thus, it seems that the United States will be involved in the Middle East for many years to come.
The War on Terror has been long, costly and unpopular. Yet, regardless of our position on the conflict itself, we cannot forget to thank and commend those who have served.
The American military is comprised entirely of volunteers. These brave men and women have willingly risked life and limb in order to protect this country. Their selfless example cannot be forgotten. Our privileges and safety are a product of their sacrifice.
It’s easy to ignore something that feels distant and unfamiliar. For most of this generation, the War on Terror has been a series of images in the news. Yet, for those who have fought in it, it’s something they will never forget.
As the War in Afghanistan comes to a close, more and more soldiers will return home. Those who have never seen combat cannot truly understand what these individuals have been through. Regardless of your feelings on the War on Terror, or war in general, we must be there to support these men and women.
Moreover, it’s important that we don’t forget the sacrifice of those who served in the other wars this country has fought in.
Veterans Day is not about any single conflict, rather, it’s about recognizing all of those who have served.
Today, veterans continue to face many challenges. On any given night of the week, about 60,000 veterans are homeless.
As the National Coalition For Homeless Veterans notes, these homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF), and the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America.
Additionally, in 2013 more than 986,000 veterans under the age of 64 reported suffering from poverty.
There are also high rates of substance abuse and suicide among veterans. Likewise, many veterans suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and other mental health issues.
Tragically, 22 veterans take their own lives every single day. Concurrently, they are not offered adequate access to mental health services. Many veterans also face delays in disability claims.
There is no excuse for this. As a country, we must do more to support the brave individuals who stood up in defense of their nation. Every politician, family and community must be involved in this effort.
With that said, it’s important that we do not approach veterans with pity. Veterans are not broken; they don’t need to be treated as victims.
Rather, we must recognize how much they have done for this country and continue to do. Despite the challenges they face, veterans still have their whole lives ahead of them and are hopeful about the future.
Hence, on this Veterans Day, thank those who have served, remember their sacrifice and hope that future generations will never have to endure the horrors of war.
Read more: http://elitedaily.com/life/veterans-day-millennials/844686/
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