Having watched many of Donald Trump's speeches and debate performances since last summer I've often found myself shaking my head and murmuring to myself things like '' ... how can this utter fool and massive liar get away with some of the crass nonsense he spews on every occasion possible ... ' . This bewilderment on my part is often elevated a few notches when, in the background behind his lectern, one can view the huge smiles, wild applause and tearful idolatry the crowd so obviously possess for him and his never-subtle 'Weltanschauung'.

And then this, in the Jan 14 version of The New Yorker. http://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-sh ... st-popular
Very funny, right on the mark, tagging the man's smarmy demagoguery to a tee. [I doubt The Crowd reads TNY].

Mrs. Abernathy called the roomful of eleven-year-olds to order and told them to open their math books to page thirty-one. Her eyes scanned the class and came to rest on a stocky boy beneath a dome of golden hair, who was making grotesque faces at a girl in leg braces.

тАЬDonald! What is the square root of a hundred and forty-four?тАЭ

The boy turned his attention to the teacher with sleepy-eyed indifference.

тАЬIтАЩm sorry, what did you say?тАЭ

тАЬWhat is the square root of a hundred and forty-four?тАЭ

тАЬDo I know the square root of a hundred and forty-four? Is that what youтАЩre asking me? Of course I do. ItтАЩs absurd that you would even ask me that.тАЭ

тАЬPlease tell the class what it is.тАЭ

тАЬYou want ME to tell the class? Excuse meтАФarenтАЩt you supposed to be the teacher? I think we can all agree that, if anyone around here is going to tell the class the square root of a hundred and forty-four, you should be the one to do it. If you even know the square root of a hundred and forty-fourтАФwhich, frankly, I have my doubts.тАЭ

This last phrase was delivered to three boys sitting across the aisle from the blond boy. They giggled.

тАЬDonald, go the blackboard.тАЭ

The boy registered astonishment. тАЬIтАЩm supposed to go to the blackboard?тАЭ

тАЬIf you do not, you will get an F.тАЭ

тАЬI donтАЩt think so.тАЭ

тАЬDo you know the answer, Donald?тАЭ

тАЬDo I know the answer? Lady, I am super-smart. My I.Q. is, like, many multiples of the square root of a hundred and forty-four. Beyond anything you have seen in this grammar school, believe me.тАЭ

тАЬThen you can tell us the square root of a hundred and forty-four.тАЭ

тАЬListen, I know the square root of a hundred and forty-four. I have known it for YEARS.тАЭ

тАЬWhat is it?тАЭ

тАЬI donтАЩt do hypotheticals.тАЭ

тАЬThe square root of a hundred and forty-four is not hypothetical.тАЭ

тАЬOh, really? Says who? You? Has anybody here ever seen a square root? No? I didnтАЩt think so. People, itтАЩs your parents, the taxpayers, who are paying this womanтАЩs salary. Money that could be going to you, personally, for Three Musketeers bars is lining the pocket of this person so that she can stand here asking me to do her job for her. May I be honest? It sickens me.тАЭ

тАЬDonald, would you like to go to the principalтАЩs office?тАЭ

тАЬLet me tell you something: the principal and I get along great. He respects me, the principal. We see eye to eye on many, many subjects. I wouldnтАЩt mind sitting down with the principal and discussing a few issues pertaining to how this class is being run. I think the principal would be very interested in what I would have to tell him.тАЭ

тАЬAre you threatening me, Donald?тАЭ

тАЬThreatening you? Whoa! Where did that come from?тАЭ Donald turned to the boys across the aisle and said, out of the side of his mouth, тАЬMust be somebodyтАЩs time of the month.тАЭ

тАЬDonald, what is the square root of a hundred and forty-four?тАЭ

тАЬYou keep asking the same question! WeтАЩve been over this and over this. IтАЩm starting to wonder if thereтАЩs something else going on here. IтАЩm wondering if perhaps someone is not properly accredited as a math teacher. ItтАЩs just a question.тАЭ

тАЬSit down, Donald. I am giving you an F.тАЭ

The boy did not sit. He turned to speak to the students seated behind him.

тАЬLook, I have demonstrated many, many times that I am a super math brain. I knew the square root of a hundred and forty-four before anybody was even talking about the square root of a hundred and forty-four.тАЭ

тАЬWhat is it?тАЭ the teacher asked.

тАЬDonтАЩt worry, Mrs. Abernathy. When you hear my answer, you are going to love it so much. You are going to be very, very happy.тАЭ

тАЬGood. What is your answer?тАЭ

тАЬTo what?тАЭ

тАЬThe square root of a hundred and forty-four.тАЭ

тАЬI am so sick of these gotcha questions.