May 25, 2018

"There have been 23 school shootings where someone was hurt or killed so far this year." CNN:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/25/us/indiana-school-shots-fired/index.html

.....below the map of where Noblesville is, (at link) there are these three sentences:
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The shooting comes a week after 10 people were killed at a school in Santa Fe, Texas.

There have been 23 school shootings where someone was hurt or killed so far this year -- an average of more than one shooting a week.

Noblesville is about 25 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
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opinion...If the trend continues, there will be 20 to 25 more shootings at schools in the U.S.A. Maybe the trend will not continue. Maybe there will be fewer shootings, and no deaths. But if history teaches us anything at all, this trend is likely to continue. No changes have been recently made in gun laws.

May 24, 2018

Trump's pulling out of this summit suddenly is a mistake. Why?

This was a highly anticipated event. For over 6 weeks this event has been discussed as a major improvement in relations between the two countries. All over the world. This pulling out today, seems to have happened over the last 2 days. Clearly, Trump was upset with some of the language, but so what?..The last 16 months of language from North Korea has not been kind. Neither has the last 16 years worth of their language. What is the real reason for this?.. Was Trump afraid that he could be taken advantage of? I don't know..

May 24, 2018

If Cohen's partner has "flipped" then what happens next?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017493833

The above link discusses the "flip"

Will Cohen ..."flip?" Is that even possible?...But to add one more idea...How many of us thought any of this would be ...."possible"

May 23, 2018

Why the NFL Just Made an Epic Mistake..Bleacher Report and CNN:

Mike Freeman

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2777523-scared-nfl-makes-epic-mistake-with-anthem-policy?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial
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The NFL has gotten things wrong before, but in the recent history of this league, it has gotten fewer things more horribly, disgracefully, stupidly, terribly wrong than what it decided to do Wednesday in trying to half-heartedly stop players from protesting during the national anthem.

In a statement released by the league, team owners decided that starting this season, players can stay in the locker room during the anthem. If players take a knee to protest, say, unarmed black and brown people being unjustly shot by law enforcement, commissioner Roger Goodell can potentially fine both teams and players.

Essentially, the league is trying to shove the protests out of sight by putting them in the locker room. And by fining players who want to publicly protest, it is also trying to make this a financial decision for players.

"We want people to be respectful of the national anthem," Goodell said in a press conference. "We want people to stand—that's all personnel—and make sure they treat this moment in a respectful fashion. That's something we think we owe. [But] we were also very sensitive to give players choices."

But as protesters like Colin Kaepernick (who, along with Eric Reid, started the protests) have said, they are not protesting the anthem or the military; they are using the anthem to bring attention to racial injustice and the issue of police abuse of black and brown citizens.

Now, because of the NFL's ineptitude, the anthem controversy will be around a long time, and it will be messy, and ugly, and divisive. The union and the league will likely go to war, and swaths of America will fight over it.

May 23, 2018

5 Reasons to Boycott Publix...Miami New Times

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/five-other-reasons-to-boycottpublix-10373159

Two years later, New Times is still getting hate mail for telling Floridians in 2016 to "stop loving Publix." You all yelled at us then and called us "carpetbaggers" for pointing out that the beloved supermarket chain has abysmal politics. But now, after the Tampa Bay Times detailed the gobs of cash the company is throwing at NRA-loving gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam, an official #BoycottPublix movement is brewing, and, honestly, we're a little bitter. Now you all realize that Publix isn't the beloved, benevolent multi-billion-dollar corporation you thought it was?

The Times revealed Publix and others tied to the company have given $670,000 to Putnam in the past three years. Putnam is running a far-right campaign for governor complete with attacks on the so-called "fake news" media, cash from the state's hated utility and Big Sugar companies, and some terrifyingly white campaign ads. Importantly, Putnam said in 2017 he was a "proud NRA sellout" before shamefully trying to walk back that comment after the Parkland school shooting. After the Times article was published, several Parkland and Pulse shooting survivors, including David Hogg, demanded that people boycott the grocery chain until Publix stops funneling cash to Putnam.

Publix is now trying to fend off a swarm of horrible PR by insisting it somehow supports Putnam but not the NRA. Frankly, the chain should have faced this battle a long time ago. Farmworkers, for example, have routinely described Publix as indifferent to the dreadful conditions they face while picking produce. LGBTQ workers have accused the company repeatedly, over multiple years, of discrimination and harassment.

Here's a primer on why Putnam isn't the only reason to boycott Publix:
1. Publix refuses to join a program guaranteeing farmworkers better wages and protections from sexual harassment.

2. Its supermarkets have been repeatedly accused of being hostile places for LGBTQ employees.

(rest of story at link above...)

May 21, 2018

Nixon and his crowd lied a lot. Trump and his crowd lies a whole lot more.

Nixon's crowd went down. I think the same is happening to Trump's crowd. I recall one obvious trait that Nixon had, and Trump has: Arrogance. Total belief that they could get away with "anything." No major consequences. Nixon's people tried to intervene in Johnson's negotiations with Viet Nam. Trump has indeed intervened with Russia. The future is indeed hard to see. Hopefully, we will all see the end of this...relatively soon.

May 20, 2018

A security plan that works in a large public school system...(no shootings)

Here is a security system that works in the Chicago Public Schools. .NO SHOOTINGS THERE.. According to CNN there have bee 22 shootings this year in high schools. (none in Chicago Public Schools as of today)

... 10 years ago, , I was invited to judge, as a teacher at a program just like the "science fair" that everyone knows about..But it was a history fair for students who did research on Chicago and neighborhood history. So..I went to the high school for the day. I saw that all students had to enter through one entrance where they went through metal detectors and pat searches if necessary......
...This was a neighborhood school in the Chicago Public Schools.. not really a fancy school system. And I might add, in a good neighborhood, and a high quality school. (ten years ago)

Why?..This security system??...Columbine I suppose..but I am not sure if it was directly after that, or some years after another shooting. But it seems that many school systems instituted security systems to prevent shootings.. and funded it..(no it ain't cheap..not just one police officer..but a whole program of security).And the Chicago Public Schools is where one of those programs were set this up...Did so at great expense, and here is the key to the program...: ALL students must walk through metal detectors at the same entrance to enter the school. (there are many other doors to leave the school, if necessary, in emergency, but all students must enter through the same door.)
....But.in certain places many school boards did not think it was/is necessary to spend that kind of money on that kind of security.. Certain states might think they are "immune to this." Unfortunately, those states are learning the "hard way." Or maybe that kind of security "looks bad." to the community. But we now see that prevention is far more important than.."looks."

An ugly question to consider about very tight security....
....Can you get into Congress without being searched for security?..that is can you get into the office building or where they actually meet to hold votes?...Do you need to be searched to get in?.Do you need to go through a metal detector? I don't know for sure, cause I haven't been there lately...
... Does Congress take care of its own? actually, I think that the answer to the question... is yes. A person needs to got through a metal detector to get into Congress...

May 20, 2018

Texas Lt. Governor Blames Shooting on "Too Many School Doors" (very stupid statement)

https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/19/us/texas-school-shooting-exits-trnd/index.html


CNN) — Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick blamed Friday's massacre at a high school near Houston in part on "too many entrances and too many exits" on the campus, prompting some to mock his perspective as "door control."

"From what we know, this student walked in ... with a long coat and a shotgun under his coat," said Patrick, a Republican who has an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association. "It's 90 degrees. Had there been one single entrance possibly for every student, maybe he would have been stopped."

Patrick, who has previously pushed for open carry and concealed carry laws in Texas, made the comments during a news conference on the same day a 17-year-old student allegedly opened fire with a shotgun and a revolver at Santa Fe High School, killing 10 people and injuring at least 10 others. The firearms were owned by the suspect's father, Texas' governor has said

While Patrick also implored parents who own guns to lock them safely away, he focused his remarks not on weapons but on redesigning school entryways. In placing a focus on doors, Patrick seemingly fell in line with the powerful gun-lobbying group's strategy following school-shooting incidents of identifying possible ways -- apart from restricting firearms -- to make campuses safer.


Stupid is, what stupid is....read these stupid words..
"It's 90 degrees. Had there been one single entrance possibly for every student, maybe he would have been stopped.
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So let me explain why there are so many entrances and exists in a school......(in one sentence)....In case of fire, everyone can escape safely...
...one more for extreme clarity........ "If one or more is blocked by fire, then others would be available for escape.."
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This asshole is too stupid to understand this one idea. Fires have been far more likely than shooters. That is why there are so many exists. I was once in a school fire as a teacher...Yes, everyone escaped safely, the place had so many exists, and entrances..(on purpose) that when told to leave, a few wanted to stay and safely watch them put out the fire. ( it was in one classroom. the smoke was really bad, but that is all. Fire Department put it out quickly and safely..)

May 19, 2018

They were speaking Spanish in the restaurant, and some guy overheard them...

So..in order to get a smile, this guy tried to speak Spanish too. He said something like ...I heard you say..
por favor, (which means "please" to the chef) and I...... pienso que esto fue "muy bueno"...(which means...I thought that was very good to say.."please" "esta moy importante" (is very important) ... (in Spanish)..The waitress, smiled..at the Spanish..& then the fellow said, "I took Spanish 45 years ago, and still remembered some"..... The fellow was applauding her saying..."please"..
...She smiled again, and the fellow gave her a very large tip...The fellow got up to leave and thanked the manager for the fine service...and he said please come again.....Seems everyone was happy....How do I know about all this?....It was me, who tried to speak Spanish yesterday...not so good, but she said, "you are doing fine."...in English...
...You know...when I think about this, I smile..Never been in that restaurant. Maybe try it again sometime...
Yes, this really happened....I think this was a positive story about someone trying to speak Spanish.

May 18, 2018

Republicans don't give a s**t about school security..

If they did, they would fund extra federal money to prevent such shootings.. In a Republican state, then the state legislature has to commit funds. If the state legislature doesn't do it, then the local school district has to fess up extra money for security. Not one security guard. No enough security to check every student entering the school. All students through metal detectors or body searched....

Oh...you don't like it?...Well 10 years ago,..yes...that is not yesterday, I was invited to judge, as a teacher a program just like the "science fair" that everyone knows about..But it was a history fair for students who did research on Chicago and neighborhood history. So..I went to the high school for the day. I saw that all students had to enter through one entrance where they went through metal detectors and pat searches if necessary......
This was a neighborhood school in the Chicago Public Schools.. not really a fancy school system. And I might add, in a very good neighborhood, and a very high quality school. (ten years ago)

Why?........Columbine I suppose..but I am not sure if it was directly after that, or some years after another shooting. But it seems that many school systems instituted security systems to prevent this, and funded it..(no it ain't cheap..not just one police officer..but a whole program of security).And the Chicago Public Schools where one of those programs were set this up.....Did so at great expense.....
....But.in certain places many school boards did not think it was/is necessary to spend that kind of money on security..Perhaps that thinking will change. Maybe certain states will think they are "immune to this." Unfortunately, those states will learn the "hard way".........Oh by the way.......question for the crowd...

Can you get into Congress without being searched for security?..that is can you get into the office building or where they actually meet to hold votes?...Do you need to be searched to get in?...I don't know, cause I haven't been there lately... Do you know?...Does Congress take care of its own?