The 21 most disturbing lines from Donald Trump's press conference with Vladimir Putin

(CNN)After meeting one-on-one for the better part of two hours in Helsinki, Finland, Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin made statements and then took a handful of questions from reporters. It was some kind of, um, performance, from Trump as he sought to cast Russia's meddling in the 2016 election as a "both sides" issue even while running down the US intelligence community.

My initial take on what was a disastrous and shameful performance is here. But I also went through the transcript of the press conference and pulled out the 21 most newsworthy and noteworthy lines from Trump. They're below.

1. "I'm here today to continue the proud tradition of bold American diplomacy. From the earliest days of our republic, American leaders have understood that diplomacy and engagement is preferable to conflict and hostility."

"Bold" doesn't mean what Trump appears to think it means. "Bold" is about taking strategic chances with a clear plan in mind. "Bold" is NOT about blaming America for Russia's meddling in the 2016 election. "Bold" is NOT suggesting that Russia would have no reason to interfere in the election. "Bold" is NOT refusing to stand with your friends against your enemies.

2. "But our relationship has never been worse than it is now. However, that changed as of about four hours ago. I really believe that."

This comment shows both Trump's tremendous faith in his own charisma and personal appeal as well as his massive capacity for exaggeration. Remember that, according to the intelligence community and the Senate Intelligence Committee, Russia not only meddled in our election but did so to benefit Trump and hurt Hillary Clinton. According to Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, Russia continues to conduct a cyber war against the US. Russia also invaded and annexed Crimea. And allegedly poisoned a former Russian spy on British soil. Despite all of that, Trump feels as though the relationship between these two massive -- and adversarial -- countries is now better because he sat in a room with Putin for a few hours.

So, OK.

3. "I would rather take a political risk in pursuit of peace than to risk peace in pursuit of politics."

This is Trump's best line in the speech -- a very nice piece of political rhetoric. Of course, when you go on to say that Russia and the US are equally to blame for Russia's election interference, a nice piece of political rhetoric gets buried.

4. "I addressed directly with President Putin the issue of Russian interference in our elections. I felt this was a message best delivered in person. Spent a great deal of time talking about it. And President Putin may very well want to address it, and very strongly, because he feels very strongly about it, and he has an interesting idea."

A sign of things to come in this press conference. Trump did, apparently, raise the allegations of election meddling. But he also seems to have taken Putin's word (again) that Russia wasn't involved. The "interesting idea"? Some sort of joint operation aimed at snuffing out cyber warfare between nations. Which is rich coming from Putin.

5. "Well actually, I called him a competitor. And a good competitor he is. And I think the word 'competitor' is a compliment."

Trump actually corrects a Russian reporter here after the reporter said that Trump had referred to Putin as an "adversary." Trump, here and elsewhere in this press conference (and in the run-up to it) seemed dead-set on making clear to Putin that he was a fan or, at least, a willing partner. Which is weird, because of that whole broadscale-meddling-in-our-election thing.

6. "But we have lots of sources now and the United States is much different than it was a number of years ago when we weren't unable to extract what we could extract today. So today we're number one in the world at that, and I think we'll be out there competing very strongly."

Uh, so, um, what?

7. "I hold both countries responsible. I think that the United States has been foolish. I think we've all been foolish. ... And I think we're all to blame."

This is a line that will live in infamy. Trump, asked directly, "Do you hold Russia at all accountable for anything in particular," responded with this there's-plenty-of-blame-to-go-around response. It's a stunning response to what should be a very straightforward answer: Yes, I believe our intelligence community and the Senate Intelligence Committee that Russia actively meddled in the election to help me, hurt Clinton and sow chaos. It's hard to properly contextualize what it means when the American president, standing beside the Russian president, says that he can't say whether Putin or the US intelligence apparatus is to be believed.

8. "There was no collusion at all. Everybody knows it. And people are being brought out to the fore. So far that I know, virtually none of it related to the campaign. And they're going to have to try really hard to find somebody that did relate to the campaign."

This is part of Trump's extended answer on the question of whether he holds Russia accountable "for anything in particular" in regard to the election meddling. To the extent I could make any sense out of Trump's defense here, it's clearly wrong. He says that the special counsel's office is "going to have to try really hard to find somebody that did relate to the campaign." But already, Trump's chief national security adviser in the campaign (Mike Flynn) and his deputy campaign chairman (Rick Gates) have pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, and are cooperating with Mueller's probe. So...

9. "That was a clean campaign. I beat Hillary Clinton easily. And, frankly, we beat her -- and I'm not even saying from the standpoint -- we won that race."

The election ended 615 days ago. You know, from that standpoint.

10. "As you know, the whole concept of that came up perhaps a little bit before, but it came out as a reason why the Democrats lost an election which, frankly, they should have been able to win, because the Electoral College is much more advantageous for Democrats, as you know, than it is to Republicans."

So many things here:

a) This was a question for Putin about why Americans should believe his denials about Russia meddling. Trump interrupted to give Putin a helping hand.

b) The Justice Department began looking into possible Russia interference in the 2016 election during the summer of 2016 -- and as a result of Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos telling an FBI informant that he was in contact with the Russians.

c) The Electoral College!!!

d) The election ended 615 days ago.

11. "We won the Electoral College by a lot: 306 to 223, I believe. And that was a well-fought -- that was a well-fought battle. We did a great job."

Sure, it makes total sense to talk about the specifics of your Electoral College victory while standing next to the president of Russia. This is fine! Also: Trump wants you to know that Trump did a great job in the 2016 campaign.

12. "But just to say it one time again -- and I say it all the time -- there was no collusion. I didn't know the president. There was nobody to collude with. There was no collusion with the campaign."

I'm not sure if Trump is doing this purposely or not but he is radically redefining what collusion means here. So it's only collusion, according to Trump, if he and Putin conspired to help him get elected? Answer: No. That Trump and Putin didn't even know one another is totally immaterial to the question of collusion. It's uniquely possible that someone other than Trump within his campaign colluded with the Russians to help the billionaire businessman to get elected. That, of course, might not be the case too! But the fact that Trump didn't even know Putin -- according to Trump -- doesn't disprove there was collusion.

13. "And every time you hear all of these, you know, 12 and 14 -- it's stuff that has nothing to do -- and, frankly, they admit these are not people involved in the campaign."

One word salad, coming up! If I had to guess, what Trump was going for here was his "13 Angry Democrats" attack on the Mueller probe. But that is a guess.

14. "We ran a brilliant campaign, and that's why I'm President."

"Brilliant campaign" > "great" campaign.

15. "One little thing I might add to that is the helping of people. Helping of people. Because you have such horrible -- if you see -- and I've seen reports, I've seen pictures, I've seen just about everything."

"Richard Gere's a real hero of mine. Sting. Sting would be another person who's a hero. The music he's created over the years, I don't really listen to it, but the fact that he's making it, I respect that. I care desperately about what I do. Do I know what product I'm selling? No. Do I know what I'm doing today? No. But I'm here, and I'm gonna give it my best shot." -- Hansel.

16. "Well, our militaries do get along. In fact, our militaries actually have gotten along probably better than our political leaders, for years."

I bet you didn't know that the Russian military and the US military get along really, really, ridiculously well. So now you do.

17. "So let me just say that we have two thoughts. You have groups that are wondering why the FBI never took the server -- haven't they taken the server. Why was the FBI told to leave the office of the Democratic National Committee?"

Trump's answer came in response to this question from the Associated Press' Jonathan Lemire: "Just now, President Putin denied having anything to do with the election interference in 2016. Every US intelligence agency has concluded that Russia did. What -- who -- my first question for you, sir, is who do you believe?"

The quote above is the first thing that Trump said after Lemire asked the question. And, yes, it is a total and complete non sequitur. The question is whether Trump believes that Russia meddled in the election (as the intelligence community said they did) or Putin (who says, "very strongly," that they didn't.) None of that has anything at all to do with the hacked email server at the Democratic National Committee. Nothing. (Read this from CNN's Katelyn Polantz to understand the whole hacked server mess.)

18. "My people came to me, Dan Coats came to me and some others, they said they think it's Russia. I have President Putin; he just said it's not Russia. I will say this: I don't see any reason why it would be."

Donald Trump believes the Russian president. And doesn't believe the US intelligence community. it's right there in those lines. Amazing. And terrifying.

19. "What happened to the servers of the Pakistani gentleman that worked on the DNC? Where are those servers? They're missing; where are they?"

This is Trump still answering Lemire's question! As to what ever happened to the "Pakistani gentleman:" His name is Imran Awan and he pleaded guilty earlier this month to making a false statement on a bank loan application. The government admitted as part of Awan's plea deal that he never stole information from the DNC servers or the servers themselves. The President of the United States is engaging in InfoWars-level conspiracy theories here.

20. "So I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today."

[narrator voice] He doesn't have any sort of confidence in his "intelligence people." If he did, he would believe their unanimous conclusion that Russia meddled in the 2016 election to help him and hurt Clinton. Instead, Trump chose to believe Putin.

21. "It would have been out long ago."

Trump's explanation for why Russia doesn't have any "Kompromat" on him is that it hasn't come out yet. Which is, um, an interesting way to dispute whether any such compromising information exists.

Going Off the Grid? 8 Things You Should Consider

 Are you considering going off the grid completely? If so, here are some tips to keep in mind for maximum success.

For many, going 100% off the grid is a dream come true. Not only that it could save you money, but it also can bring you that incredible feeling of satisfaction, knowing that you are doing everything you can for the environment.

To reach that goal, however, you have to keep in mind that you cannot do it overnight. In fact it is a continuous process, and the best thing to do in order to ensure that you do not 

sacrifice your personal needs, is to do it all gradually and think everything through. You have to consider carefully the location of your property, so that you can generate a maximum amount of renewable energy, and you will have to think of how to manage your water, drainage, and food supply, because yes, these are part of the “going off the grid” deal.

The best people to ask for advice on how to proceed and where to start are those, who have already walked the path and are now enjoying the benefits of a self-sufficient, sustainable living. Here is what they had to say:

1.  Realize what you are about to do.
Going completely off the grid means that you unplug from all the services that your home is connected to. These include not only the power grid, but also the water supply and community utilities, like garbage collection.

Having said that, nowadays there is nothing that can prevent you from having a comfortable yet sustainable and 100% off the grid lifestyle. Here is what modern technology has to offer:

Renewable energy is there for you- solar, wind and/or hydro power, even DIY biogas plants– everything is within your reach.
The market offers large, light and super easy to install water storage tanks.
Compost toilets and compost bins are much more trouble.
Satellite and wireless technology is always there to keep you connected with the world.
Tips on insulation and home designs for heating and cooling are available to you from everywhere.
2. The most important things to know in advance:
Summer is hot
Winter is cold
Nights are dark
Gardens need good soil
Water does not run uphill
Find a way to handle these and you will be just fine.

3. Know how to stay warm.
This is the most important and challenging point of all, because solar panels alone can hardly ever handle the whole burden. Here are a few extra tips:

Fit a slow-combustion wood fire in the main living area
Insulate all walls and ceiling
Make use of passive heating, such as placing large glass doors in kitchen to face positive sun direction
Consider the suitable home interior and exterior design, including window size, placement, and coverings.
Do not allow large trees  in the garden to block the incoming sun.
4.  What is ‘junk’ really?
Going off the grid makes you realize how many things around you are completely unnecessary, and the other way round- things that you thought are junk are in fact extremely useful. Take a good look at all these things that eat up energy, waste water, or simply block the incoming light- you will be amazed.

5. The sun is your new best friend.
And this is not only because it hits your solar panels or helps you heat up the house in winter. The most important solar-powered item you will need to put your hands on will be the solar water heater. Incoming solar light warms up the water in your existing water tanks without additional power usage, allowing you to have a nice hot shower even in the coldest winters.

6. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Going off the grid gives recycling a whole new meaning. As soon as you have something tat you want to dispose of, the first thing that crosses your mind is not whether it goes in the green bin, or the orange one. In fact, you ask yourself- “how else can I use it”.

Bio-waste goes in the compost bin, jars become glasses or flower pots, plastic bottles make a greenhouse, cans make a room heather– just allow your imagination to go crazy.

7. Choose your location carefully.
This is very essential. The chosen location should have suitable soil and climate so that you can do essential gardening and grow your fresh produce. In addition, you will need plenty of sunshine, good amount of rainfall, and of course pleasurable landscape that you can enjoy.

Yes, unfortunately, going 100% off-grid somehow means that you will have to leave your old neighborhood behind and move to the country.

8. Get familiar with the off-grid currency and the community.
Off-grid currency is something that you do not think of before you have to actually use it. That is, in fact, everything, from the organic produce in your garden, all the way to your DIY skills, streetlights, cleaning abilities, cooking abilities, sewing abilities, etc., etc..

Get to know your neighbors and your community. The best advice and help could come from the most unexpected places.

Of course, these are only tips collected from people who are already embracing a sustainable off-grid life. It is important to note that there is no single formula for reaching the goal, because it all depends on your personal needs, location, and will. You also have to make sure that you do not sacrifice safety, and you meet all the necessary sanitary requirements.

If you are really serious about it, then check out the official guide for going off the grid by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Good luck! Do not give up!

Image (c) Shutterstock

Is Trump mentally ill? Or is America? Psychiatrists weigh in.

Review of "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump" by Bandy X. Lee (ed.), "Twilight of American Sanity" by Allen Frances, and "Fantasyland" by Kurt Andersen.

Gone are the days when euphemisms about President Trump’s mental health insulated the man like so many padded walls. Erratic. Unpredictable. Unstable. Unmoored. Temperamentally unfit. This was what politicians and commentators said when they wished to question Trump’s state of mind but feared the consequences of a more colloquial assessment. Yet the deeper we plunge into this presidency, the more willing people become to call it like they see and hear it.

“I think he’s crazy,” Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) confided to his colleague Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) in a July exchange inadvertently caught on a microphone. (“I’m worried,” she replied.) CNN’s Don Lemon, flabbergasted after a Trump speech last month, concluded that “he’s unhinged. . . . There was no sanity there.” Even some Republicans have grown more blunt, with Sen. Bob Corker (Tenn.) recently suggesting that Trump “has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence” to succeed as president.

Now, some psychiatrists and other mental-health professionals are shedding long-held norms to argue that Trump’s condition presents risks to the nation and the world. “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump”features more than two dozen essays breaking down the president’s perceived traits, which the contributors find consistent with symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder, sociopathy and other maladies. “Collectively with our coauthors, we warn that anyone as mentally unstable as Mr. Trump simply should not be entrusted with the life-and-death powers of the presidency,” Judith Lewis Herman of Harvard Medical School and Bandy X. Lee of the Yale School of Medicine write in the book’s prologue.

If so, what should we make of the nation that entrusted him with precisely such powers? In his new book, “Twilight of American Sanity,” psychiatrist Allen Frances asserts that Trump is not mentally ill — we are. “Calling Trump crazy allows us to avoid confronting the craziness in our society,” he writes. “We can’t expect to change Trump, but we must work to undo the societal delusions that created him.” And those delusions, Kurt Andersen contends in “Fantasyland,” have been around for a long time. “People tend to regard the Trump moment — this post-truth, alternative facts moment — as some inexplicable and crazy new American phenomenon,” he writes. “In fact, what’s happening is just the ultimate extrapolation and expression of attitudes and instincts that have made America exceptional for its entire history.”

So, depending on which of these books you trust — and their persuasive powers vary considerably — you might conclude that Trump is of unsound mind, or that we’re the deranged ones for electing him, or that America has always been disturbed, with Trump’s presidency just the latest manifestation.

And here’s the really crazy thing: These options are not mutually exclusive.

***

Mental illness hardly disqualifies one from the presidency. Abraham Lincoln is thought to have suffered from severe depression, but he held himself together and the union, too. “Equating mental illness with incapacity merely stigmatizes the mentally ill,” clinical psychologist Craig Malkin writes in “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump.” But Malkin and other contributors argue that Trump’s behavior — his political statements and actions as well as his interviews, books and social-media activity — suggest more ominous possibilities.

Trump displays signs of “extreme present hedonism,” the tendency to live in the moment without considering consequences, seeking to bolster one’s self-esteem no matter the risk. Or he exhibits “narcissistic personality disorder,” which includes believing you’re better than others, exaggerating your achievements and expecting constant praise. Combine hedonism, narcissism and bullying, and you get “an impulsive, immature, incompetent person who, when in the position of ultimate power, easily slides into the role of the tyrant,” Philip Zimbardo (of the famous Stanford prison experiment) and Rosemary Sword write. Others suggest that Trump shows indications of sociopathy, including lack of empathy, absence of guilt and intentional ma­nipu­la­tion. Put it all together and you have “malignant narcissism,” which includes antisocial behavior, paranoid traits, even sadism.

“Mr. Trump’s sociopathic characteristics are undeniable,” retired Harvard psychiatry professor Lance Dodes concludes. “They create a profound danger for America’s democracy and safety. Over time these characteristics will only become worse, either because Mr. Trump will succeed in gaining more power and more grandiosity with less grasp on reality, or because he will engender more criticism producing more paranoia, more lies, and more enraged destruction.” And when the president stands before the U.N. General Assembly and threatens to “totally destroy” an enemy country of 25 million people, enraged destruction seems on point.

Full article at > https://tinyurl.com/ya2nf6ns

I scanned for tracking cookies and the results had me speechless

Have you noticed websites are telling you they use cookies and asking for permissions? A new consumer privacy protection law called GDRP forces them to tell you they are adding cookies to your computer's browser when you visit their website.

What are cookies?

Simply put, a cookie is a small snippet of code that is stored in your computer’s browser storage. Many companies add cookies to your browser when you visit a website and most are not harmful, however, some cookies can track you online.

What are Tracking Cookies?

Tracking cookies are very different from regular cookies, they are used to monitor, track and report your online activity to remote third party databases for further analysis. This means many companies and agencies are tracking your every movement online and reporting it to remote databases. The data is typically sold to advertising companies who use your private data to sell higher priced ads and make more money.

Click here to scan for tracking cookies.

How to tell if you are being tracked with tracking cookies

Have you ever noticed an ad following you around the Internet? As new ad technologies evolve, it is becoming increasingly common that an ad for a product or service you looked at previously will appear on an unrelated website hours or even days later. This is a prime example of tracking cookies are being used and how creepy, annoying, and invasive they can be.

How to block tracking cookies and protect your private information

The easiest way to protect your privacy and stop companies from using tracking cookies to track what you do online is to add a browser extension to your browser that blocks tracking cookies. We like one called Ad Removerbecause it will scan your browser and tell you if you have any current tracking cookies on it. Additionally, it blocks these tracking cookies and every type of online ad as well.

Ad Remover has tested their extension on the top 1800 websites and test results showed that by blocking tracking cookies and ads from loading, websites loaded 44% faster and used 19% less data on average.