A very absurd issue

Absurd: stupid and unreasonable, or silly in a humorous way:

What an absurd thing to say!
Don’t be so absurd! Of course I want you to come.
It’s an absurd situation – neither of them will talk to the other.
Do I look absurd in this hat?

Cambridge Dictionary

The “Post Office Wrongful Conviction Scandal” is for instance the context of “A very absurd issue”.

The “Post Office Wrongful Conviction Scandal” refers to a series of events in the United Kingdom in which numerous subpostmasters and subpostmistresses were wrongfully accused of fraud and theft by the Post Office. The Post Office is a government-owned organization responsible for providing postal services in the UK.

Starting in the late 1990s, the Post Office introduced a new computer system called Horizon, which was used to manage its network of sub-post offices. However, the system was flawed and often generated errors and discrepancies in accounting, which the Post Office blamed on subpostmasters and subpostmistresses.

As a result, many of these individuals were accused of stealing money from the Post Office and were prosecuted, convicted, and even jailed. Some lost their homes and livelihoods as a result of the false accusations.

However, in 2021, the Court of Appeal overturned 39 wrongful convictions, finding that the Horizon system was “not robust enough” to be used as evidence in criminal trials. The scandal has led to calls for reform and compensation for those affected.

Another exemple of a very absurd issue

Raphael Rowe is a British journalist and television presenter who was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1990 and spent 12 years in prison before being exonerated. Some of the key points of his wrongful conviction include:

  1. Lack of credible evidence: The case against Rowe was based on circumstantial evidence and testimony from witnesses who were later discredited.

  2. Police misconduct: There were allegations of police misconduct, including the use of physical force to extract false confessions from Rowe and his co-defendants.

  3. Racial bias: Rowe, who is Black, and his co-defendants were convicted by an all-white jury in a case that was widely seen as being influenced by racial bias.

  4. Flawed legal system: The British legal system at the time of Rowe’s conviction did not allow for the introduction of new evidence after a trial had ended, which made it difficult for Rowe to prove his innocence.

  5. Inadequate legal representation: Rowe and his co-defendants were represented by inexperienced and overworked legal aid lawyers who did not adequately prepare for the trial or challenge the prosecution’s case.

Overall, Raphael Rowe’s wrongful conviction highlights the flaws and biases that can exist within the criminal justice system and the importance of ensuring fair trials and due process for all defendants.

1 After Trump Lost Election, See How He’s Losing In Court | The Beat With Ari Melber | MSNBC

12 nov. 2020

In a special report, MSNBC’s Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber debunks Trump’s voter “fraud” claims with the facts and the judges’ own words from court. Melber highlights the fact that Trump’s own lawyer admitted there’s no evidence of voter fraud under oath and that Trump’s own aides are privately acknowledging they’re aware this legal fight is “unsustainable.” Aired on 11/12/2020.
 
About The Beat with Ari Melber: Former lawyer Ari Melber leads this show that provides in-depth analysis of the day’s biggest news stories. “The Beat” features guest interviews in addition to reporting on stories from across the country. The stories that are covered span across the political spectrum. In addition to his law background, Melber is a former Senate staffer, giving him a unique perspective to share on the political happenings coming out of Washington, D.C.
 
MSNBC delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis of politics headlines, as well as commentary and informed perspectives. Find video clips and segments from The Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, Meet the Press Daily, The Beat with Ari Melber, Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace, Hardball, All In, Last Word, 11th Hour, and more.

2 Obama Blasts Republicans Refusing To Accept Biden’s Win Over Trump | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

13 nov. 2020

Trump is silent on Covid-19 and conceding to Joe Biden as Barack Obama blasts Republicans who refused to acknowledge publicly that Joe Biden will be the next U.S. president. Aired on 11/13/2020
 

About The 11th Hour with Brian Williams: Brian Williams delivers the latest updates on evolving news stories and places the major political events of the day into context for viewers. Broadcast live from New York, Williams’ show convenes a dynamic panel of guests to offer a forward-thinking look at the critical stories that are expected to drive the conversation the following morning. Williams has also anchored MSNBC’s special coverage around key political events and major breaking news stories as they occur domestically and around the world.

MSNBC delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis of politics headlines, as well as commentary and informed perspectives. Find video clips and segments from The Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, Meet the Press Daily, The Beat with Ari Melber, Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace, Hardball, All In, Last Word, 11th Hour, and more.

3 Rudy Giuliani gets angry when challenged with his own words

18 mei 2018

 
President Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani gets angry with CNN’s Chris Cuomo after Cuomo played a 1998 clip of him saying that presidents must comply with subpoenas to testify.

4 David Frum: The Corruption Of American Democracy

Live gestreamd op 5 feb. 2018

While much of the country has been focused on the Trump–Russia investigation, conservative author David Frum has been monitoring the strain the new president is placing on the traditional limits of the Oval Office. During his own White House tenure as George W. Bush’s speechwriter, Frum witnessed the ways the presidency is limited not by law but by tradition, propriety and public outcry.
 
Frum argues the traditional limits of the Oval Office have been weakened. In his new book, Trumpocracy, Frum outlines how he thinks President Trump could push America toward illiberalism, what the consequences could be for our nation and our everyday lives, and what we can do to prevent it. Join one of America’s leading conservative pundits for a conversation about our changing democracy and where the country is heading.

5 Trump Hasn’t Produced ‘An Ounce Of Evidence’ Of Election Fraud, Chuck Todd Says | TODAY

13 nov. 2020

Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd tells TODAY that the 2020 electoral map shows that Georgia and Arizona are “the future battleground of American politics.” He says President Trump has “nothing tangible” in his legal challenges to the vote count and “has yet to produce an ounce of evidence” of his election fraud claims.
 
About: TODAY brings you the latest headlines and expert tips on money, health and parenting. We wake up every morning to give you and your family all you need to start your day. If it matters to you, it matters to us. We are in the people business

6 Trump’s Election Lawsuits Backfire On Him

14 nov. 2020

Trump’s legal team is abandoning him. Adrienne Lawrence breaks it down. Follow Adrienne on

7 Noam Chomsky on the new Trump era | UpFront special

25 nov. 2016

“The most predictable aspect of Trump is unpredictability. I think it’s dangerous, very dangerous,” says Noam Chomsky.

In a special UpFront interview, renowned US academic and public intellectual Noam Chomsky sits down with Mehdi Hasan to discuss the implications of a Donald Trump presidency, on both domestic and global issues.

“He certainly is off the spectrum. There’s never been anything like him,” says Chomsky, an award-winning author, who is witnessing the 16th president over the course of his lifetime.

“He has no background at all in any political activities. Never held office, been interested in office. He has no known political positions,” says Chomsky. “He’s basically a showman.”

Chomsky, who has spent decades critiquing US presidents, calls Trump an “ignorant, thin-skinned megalomaniac” and a “greater evil” than Hillary Clinton.

“Do you vote against the greater evil if you don’t happen to like the other candidate? The answer to that is yes,” says Chomsky, on Americans who cast their votes for third party candidates or simply stayed home on election day.

“If you have any moral understanding, you want to keep the greater evil out,” says Chomsky. “I didn’t like Clinton at all, but her positions are much better than Trump’s on every issue I can think of.”

In this interview, Mehdi Hasan and Chomsky talk Trump.

Reality Check – Did racism Trump economic anxiety in US election?

Before people took to the polls to elect a new president, analysts predicted that Hillary Clinton would win by a landslide. But in a shocking turn of events, Donald Trump nabbed the top spot.

How did Trump manage to win? Was it a boost from the economically “left-behind”, as many seem to think, or did racism play a larger role?

In this week’s Reality Check, Mehdi Hasan shows how it wasn’t just economic concerns that drove voters into Trump’s hands, but mostly racial resentment.

8 Republican Physician On Why Trump Is So Dangerous

3 nov. 2020

“As a physician, I was at first dumbfounded by Trump’s dismissal of the coronavirus pandemic and then enraged by his refusal to accept any responsibility for his role in managing or mismanaging the crisis.” 
Hear more testimonials from all over the United States here: 

9 The Secret History of Donald Trump: An Indictment of His Business Practices and Creative Accounting

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1 mei 2018

David Cay Boyle Johnston (born ember 24, 1948) is an American investigative journalist and author, a specialist in economics and tax issues, and winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Beat. 
 
In his detailed account of Donald Trumps astonishing political success, Johnston, an award-winning New York Times investigative journalist. 
 
Excerpts of a lecture by David Cay Johnston, author of the bestselling book, The Making of Donald Trump. 
 
David Cay Boyle Johnston (born ember 24, 1948) is an American investigative journalist and author, a specialist in economics and tax issues, and winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Beat.
 
 

13 aug. 2017

David Cay Boyle Johnston (born December 24, 1948) is an American investigative journalist and author, a specialist in economics and tax issues, and winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting. About the book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/161…

From 2009 to 2014 he was a Distinguished Visiting Lecturer who taught the tax, property, and regulatory law of the ancient world at Syracuse University College of Law and the Whitman School of Management. From July 2011 until September 2012 he was a columnist for Reuters, writing, and producing video commentaries, on worldwide issues of tax, accounting, economics, public finance and business. Johnston is the board president of Investigative Reporters and Editors. He has also written for Al Jazeera English and America in recent years.

Johnston covered “student radicals, black politics and development” at the San Jose Mercury News from 1968 to 1973.[3] Although he “earned enough credits for at least one master’s degree,” his formal educational credentials are limited to a “night high school diploma” as he “skipped most general education requirements in favor of upper division and graduate study at seven schools,” including San Francisco State University (1972), the University of Chicago (where he studied under a five-month fellowship in 1973) and Michigan State University (1973-1975).[4][3] At Michigan State, he wrote an internal textbook (A Guide to Public Records) for the University’s journalism department.[4] From 1973 to 1976, he was an investigative reporter at the Detroit Free Press in its Lansing bureau. In 1976, he joined the Los Angeles Times, where he remained until 1988. Johnston subsequently worked as a reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer from 1988 to 1995. He joined The New York Times in February 1995.

As a reporter Johnston investigated Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) political spying and other abuses, the hotelier Barron Hilton, misuse of charitable funds at United Way, news manipulation at WJIM-TV in Lansing, Michigan, and Donald Trump’s financial dealings.

Johnston has been critical of news media coverage of the 2008 $700 billion bailout of Wall Street. In a letter to American journalist and blogger Jim Romenesko, Johnston wrote, “In covering the proposed $700 billion bailout of Wall Street don’t repeat the failed lapdog practices that so damaged our reputations in the rush to war in Iraq and the adoption of the Patriot Act. Don’t assume that Congress must act instantly, as so many news stories state as if it was an immutable fact. Don’t assume there is a case just because officials say there is.” Johnston has been cited favorably by Glenn Greenwald as well as other bailout critics.

Johnston is the author of best-selling books on tax and economic policy. Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense and Stick You With The Bill, is about hidden subsidies, rigged markets, and corporate socialism. It follows his earlier book Perfectly Legal: The Covert Campaign to Rig Our Tax System to Benefit the Super Rich—and Cheat Everybody Else, a New York Times bestseller[16] on the U.S. tax system that won the Investigative Reporters and Editors 2003 Book of the Year award.

Johnston’s first book, the 1992 Temples of Chance: How America Inc. Bought Out Murder Inc. to Win Control of the Casino Business is an account of how the junk-bond kings usurped mob control of the casino industry in the 1980s. The book discusses corruption in the industry and the role of the federal and state governments in that corruption.

In 2014 Cay Johnston released Divided: The Perils of Our Growing Inequality. Cay Johnston shows most Americans, in inflation-adjusted terms, are now back to the average income of 1966. Post-recession (from 2009 to 2011) the top 1 percent of households took in 121% of the income gains while the bottom 99% saw their income actually fall.

In 2016, Johnston released The Making of Donald Trump, a journalistic account of the rise of businessperson-turned-presidential candidate Donald Trump, with Melville House Publishing.[17] At the time he wrote the book, Johnston had known Trump for 28 years. The book soon became a New York Times bestseller.

IMPORTANT CONTENT

10 Trump: What’s The Deal? Full Documentary (1991)

Back to menu

28 sep. 2020

Donald Trump is one of the richest and most famous men in America, but on what foundation has his success been built? From accusations of harassment to repeated flirtations with bankruptcy, his very public business career has been one of artifice and intrigue; a Machiavellian performance played out before the American media. Originally produced in 1991, Donald Trump: What’s the Deal? investigates the unscrupulous reality behind this most public of figures.
 
 

30 sep. 2017

Trump: The Art of the Deal is a 1987 book credited to businessman Donald Trump and journalist Tony Schwartz. Part memoir and part business-advice book, it was the first book published by Trump, and helped to make him a “household name.” It reached number 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list, stayed there for 13 weeks, and altogether held a position on the list for 48 weeks.

The book received additional attention during Trump’s 2016 campaign for the presidency of the United States. He cited it as one of his proudest accomplishments and his second-favorite book after the Bible. Schwartz expressed regrets about his involvement and he and the book’s publisher, Howard Kaminsky, asserted that Trump had played no role in the actual writing of the book. Trump has given conflicting accounts on the question of authorship.

At the time of publication, Publishers Weekly called it a “boastful, boyishly disarming, thoroughly engaging personal history”.[19] People magazine gave it a mixed review.[1]

In 1988, Trump and Ted Turner announced plans for a television-film based on the book.[20] The plans had been largely abandoned by 1991.[21]

Three years later, journalist John Tierney noted Trump “appears to have ignored some of his own advice” in the book due to “well-publicized problems with his banks.”[22] Trump’s self-promotion, best-selling book and media celebrity status led one commentator in 2006 to call him “a poster-child for the ‘greed is good’ 1980s”.[23] (The phrase “Greed is good” was from the movie Wall Street which was released a month after The Art of the Deal.)

Jim Geraghty in the National Review said in 2015 that the book showed “a much softer, warmer, and probably happier figure than the man dominating the airwaves today.”[5]

John Paul Rollert, an ethicist writing about the book in The Atlantic in 2016, says Trump sees capitalism not as an economic system but a morality play.[24]

The book coined the phrase “truthful hyperbole” describing “an innocent form of exaggeration—and… a very effective form of promotion”. Schwartz said Trump loved that phrase.[25][26] In January 2017, the phrase was noted for its similarity to the phrase “alternative facts” coined by Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway when she defended White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s false statements about the attendance at Trump’s inauguration as President of the United States.[27][28][29]

Aspects of the book were used as the basis for the 2016 parody film, Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal: The Movie.

11 Language Expert: Donald Trump’s Way Of Speaking Is ‘Oddly Adolescent’ | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

16 sep. 2017

Columbia University professor of linguistics John McWhorter joins to discuss the unique way Donald Trump speaks which is unlike any president America’s had before.
 
IMPORTANT CONTENT
 
PLEASE ENJOY

12 Ron Perlman Talks President Donald Trump Speech Patterns | AM Joy | MSNBC

24 jul. 2017

Joy Reid is joined by actor and author Ron Perlman, and Columbia University professor of linguistics John McWhorter, on the bombshell statements and run-on sentences from Donald Trump’s recent New York Times interview.
 
PLEASE ENJOY

13 Language Expert: Trump Is A Truly Inferior Person To Be Leading A Nation | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

24 dec. 2019

Scholar and linguist John McWhorter joins to discuss what we can learn from all the President’s words. Aired on 12/23/19.

14 Linguist Expert: President Donald Trump Sounds Like Your Beer-Swilling Uncle | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

8 sep. 2018

John McWhorter, a professor at Columbia University and a contributor at the Atlantic, breaks down the language of the president which is unlike any other who came before him.

15 Lexicographer John McWhorter Uses Words To Explain Words

28 feb. 2018

‘Lexicon Valley’ host John McWhorter shares his expertise on something we use every day: words.

16 John McWhorter: Txtng is killing language. JK!!!

22 apr. 2013

 
Does texting mean the death of good writing skills? John McWhorter posits that there’s much more to texting — linguistically, culturally — than it seems, and it’s all good news.
 
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more.
Find closed captions and translated subtitles in many languages at http://www.ted.com/translate

17 John McWhorter on “Bad” Grammar

25 jul. 2016

Extra footage from Grammar Revolution

18 As Lawyers Flee, Trump’s Floundering Legal Quest Falls To Familiar Hands | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

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19 ‘Dunces’: Trump Losing And Admitting Defeat In 2020 Cases As Giuliani Implodes

17 nov. 2020

MSNBC’s Ari Melber provides an update on Trump’s ongoing legal battle to overturn the results of the election and traces how Rudy Giuliani seems to only cause him even more problems in court. Former SDNY prosecutor John Flannery weighs in and slams Giuliani for “distorting” and “misrepresenting” the electoral process. (This interview is from MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber, a news show covering politics, law and culture airing nightly at 6pm ET on MSNBC. http://www.thebeatwithari.com). Aired on 11/16/2020.
 

About The Beat with Ari Melber: Former lawyer Ari Melber leads this show that provides in-depth analysis of the day’s biggest news stories. “The Beat” features guest interviews in addition to reporting on stories from across the country. The stories that are covered span across the political spectrum. In addition to his law background, Melber is a former Senate staffer, giving him a unique perspective to share on the political happenings coming out of Washington, D.C. 

MSNBC delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis of politics headlines, as well as commentary and informed perspectives. Find video clips and segments from The Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, Meet the Press Daily, The Beat with Ari Melber, Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace, Hardball, All In, Last Word, 11th Hour, and more.

20 Woodward: Mattis’ Mom Asks Him ‘How Can You Work For This Man?’ | Morning Joe | MSNBC

16 sep. 2020

Bob Woodward discusses the way in which President Trump diminished fmr. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and fmr. DNI Dan Coats and why he thinks Mattis and Coats have not publicly spoken about the president. Aired on 09/16/2020.

21 How The President Donald Trump WH Uses Lying As A Strategy | Morning Joe | MSNBC

16 sep. 2020

Bob Woodward discusses the president’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner and the strategy of lying and how the administration views controversy as a way to elevate a message. Aired on 09/16/2020.

22 President Trump a “threat to the national security”

 

14 sep. 2020

Bob Woodward tells 60 Minutes who from the administration said the president is dangerous — and which defense decision was “felony stupid.”

23 ‘He was living in his own fantasy’: Hear from the attorney going head-to-head with Rudy Giuliani

18 nov. 2020

 
Mark Aronchick, the lawyer who is arguing against Rudy Giuliani on behalf of several Pennsylvania county election boards, describes the scene in the courtroom in recent days.

24 What if Trump Refuses To Give Up Power? – Authoritarian America?

22 mei 2019

What happens if Trump is defeated in the 2020 elections, but refuses to leave the Whitehouse?
 
IMPORTANT CONTENT

25 Trump Lawyer Giuliani Lies And Sweats Through Chaotic Presser | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

20 nov. 2020

While Trump continues to block the Biden transition, his attorney Rudy Giuliani gave a wild and chaotic press conference making fabrications about the election from GOP headquarters in Washington. Ashley Parker reacts. Aired on 11/19/2020.
 
About The 11th Hour with Brian Williams: Brian Williams delivers the latest updates on evolving news stories and places the major political events of the day into context for viewers. Broadcast live from New York, Williams’ show convenes a dynamic panel of guests to offer a forward-thinking look at the critical stories that are expected to drive the conversation the following morning. Williams has also anchored MSNBC’s special coverage around key political events and major breaking news stories as they occur domestically and around the world.
 
MSNBC delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis of politics headlines, as well as commentary and informed perspectives. Find video clips and segments from The Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, Meet the Press Daily, The Beat with Ari Melber, Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace, Hardball, All In, Last Word, 11th Hour, and more.

26 David Cay Johnston: Living In Trump’s America

 

3 feb. 2018

While Twitter feuds and Russian hackers dominate news headlines, President Donald Trump’s administration is radically changing the policies and programs that define the American way of life. In their first year, the Trump administration’s efforts to defund Obamacare, repeal LGBT protections in the workplace, impose tax cuts and deport undocumented immigrants have significantly impacted millions of Americans, all while the mainstream media has struggled to keep up. Beyond the tweets, firings, scandals and indictments, how will Trump’s policy agenda continue to affect our daily lives? 
 
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Cay Johnston says he has the answers. Since 1988, Johnston has been chronicling Trump’s personal life and business dealings—from his casinos to his marriages and beyond. In his new book, It’s Even Worse Than You Think, Johnston is going where the media won’t—into the weeds—to shed new light on the Trump administration’s policies and bureaucratic choices and how they will change America. Join Johnston for a revealing conversation about the Trump administration’s impact on our finances, health care, safety and much, much more.

27 Stealing Customers’ Grocery Bags Prank!

10 mei 2016

You’d be surprised how fast people are to accuse others of stealing their stuff…
 
Welcome to the world-famous Just for Laughs Gags channel, where we pull public pranks on unsuspecting Montreal residents and tourists.