Cyclist death rate highest in Florida

“The Most Dangerous Place to Bicycle in America. Pinellas County, Fla., has the highest cyclist death rate in the Tampa Bay metro area—which has the highest rate of any metro region in the U.S. “ according to the Wall Street Journal.

It’s the word “rate” that bothers me.  The rest of the article seems to use numbers and percentages.  We have more people, more vehicles and more cyclists than in previous years. However, for Florida, it has both the highest rate per capita and the highest number. The lowest rates are all in states that have considerable snow and weather not conducive to biking.

“…The number of cyclists killed in motor-vehicle crashes nationwide hit 840 in 2016—the most recent data available—according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That was the most since 1991 and a 35% jump from 2010. A range of likely reasons explains the rise in deaths, including more overall vehicular traffic and driver distractions, according to people who track transportation trends. Texting by drivers remains a big problem, said Deborah Hersman, chief executive of the nonprofit National Safety Council.

“Almost every state in the country has a texting ban, but we still find drivers are texting behind the wheel,” she said. Alcohol is a factor. In 2015, 22% of fatally injured cyclists, and 12% of drivers in these crashes, had a blood-alcohol content level of at least 0.08, the legal limit for motorists in most states, according to the nonprofit Governors Highway Safety Association.  While cyclist death rates have risen in many states since 2010, the three with the most fatalities since then—Florida, California and Texas—account for about 40% of all cyclist deaths, according to NHTSA, despite having 27% of the nation’s population…”

A female attorney leaves Democrat party after the Kavanaugh travesty

“Dr. Ford is believable, inasmuch as I think something happened to her, but she is being used in a craven and contemptuous manner by her party. Her lawyers never even told her that all of this could have been done privately in her home. And while all of this is happening my lovely senator, Kamala Harris who got her start in politics by sleeping with Willie Brown, is fundraising. And Dianne Feinstein, who I used to respect, has turned into a senile party hack who will do anything to keep her job.”

Deborah Nagano, California

Electric Mirror company is Christian and Pro-life

https://www.electricmirror.com/

I was watching a program on how a family owned business (7 years in the garage) can thrive and succeed with Christian values. I've never seen this product, although I haven't been looking. Made in America, Christian, pro-life. I found 2 locations that sell this in Columbus. Wish I needed a mirror! The Mischels filed an Amicus Brief in support of Hobby Lobby. They adopted their son Aaron whose 14 year old mother had been raped (her own mother attempted to get an abortion for her). Aaron is part of the business. No one could call him an unwanted child.

https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publications/supreme_court_preview/briefs-v3/13-354-13-356_amcu_em-etal.authcheckdam.pdf

https://www.electricmirror.com/american-story-sharing-american-dream/

“Over the years, President Jim Mischel, Executive Vice President Aaron Mischel and the Mischel family have chosen a variety of not-for-profit organizations to be recipients of financial support from Electric Mirror. These vital groups focus on health and wellness for people with serious diseases; provide food and shelter to orphans and widows; rescue victims of sex trafficking; foster stability and prosperity for the poor and homeless; and help those hit hardest by natural disasters.”

The New Me, a new meme—going around the internet

THE NEW ME

I used to think I was just a regular guy, but I was born white, which now, whether I like it or not, makes me a racist & responsible for slavery.

I am a fiscal & moral conservative, which by today’s standards, makes me a fascist because I plan & support myself.

I went to HS, worked through college, got a degree & have held a job, & am here not because I earned it but because I was advantaged.

I am heterosexual, which according to gay folks, now makes me a homophobe.

I am non-union, which makes me a traitor to the working class & ally of big business.

I am not a Muslim, which now labels me as an infidel.

I believe in the 2nd Amendment, which makes me a member of the vast NRA gun lobby.

I am older than 65 & retired, making me a useless old man who doesn't understand Facebook.

I think & I reason, so I doubt what main stream media tells me, which must make me a reactionary.

I am proud of my heritage & our inclusive American culture, making me a xenophobe.

I value my safety & that of my family, & I appreciate the police & the legal system, making me a right-wing, cop loving extremist.

I believe in hard work, fair play, & fair compensation according to each individual's merits, which today makes me an anti-socialist.

I believe our system guarantees freedom of effort - not freedom of outcome or subsidies which must make me a borderline sociopath.

I believe in the defense & protection of America for & by all citizens, now making me a militant.

I am proud of our flag, what it stands for, & the many who died to let it fly so I stand & salute during our National Anthem, taking me back where I started - I must be a racist.

Please help me come to terms with the new me because I'm just not sure who I am anymore!

I thank my friends for sticking with me through these abrupt, new found changes to my thinking!

I just can't imagine or understand what's happened to me so quickly!

Funny - it all took place over the last 7 or 8 years!

If all this nonsense wasn't enough to deal with, I don't know which restroom to use, & I gotta go!!!

VDH explains why and how Trump won in 2016

If you listen to even 10 minutes of Victor Davis Hanson you'll have a better understanding of why Trump won and why (if you are a Democrat) you are still so puzzled and so angry. California professor Victor Davis Hanson and Canadian professor Jordan Peterson seem like brothers to me--anyone else see that? Erudite, calm, sensible, practical, rural backgrounds. If you are a conservative, you'll get a lot from the Q & A; but it would make the liberals squeamish. Being a classicist, VDH has a great sweep of history. And being a farmer in California, he has some interesting input on illegal immigration.

I don't see a date for this speech, but it was before Trump’s inauguration, and everything he cites that he expects Democrats to do, they did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YtzgA310t0

A WalkAway testimony—interesting perspective from a Bangladeshi-Canadian

“I've lived in Canada for 6.5 years, and though it has nothing to do with US politics, but their politics(say in terms of Liberalism, Conservatism, etc..) is quite similar to American politics. I was a Liberal/Lefty once back in 2012 and onwards(up until the end of 2015) but in today's political discourse (this coming from a Bangladeshi again), I see no point embracing the American Left at all. They have lost civility, respect for their citizens, and they're even ready to cause trouble in their own communities too. The list goes on. Political correctness is a serious problem in North America. What I've experienced (PC culture I mean) in Canada was/is awful.

After my red pill moment [this means changing beliefs from liberal to conservative], I began to recognize the ugliness around me at the time. I rather be friends with Conservatives than Liberals now. No, I'm not saying all Liberals are evil, vengeful, nor I'm saying all Conservatives are always good, right, moral and righteous, but most of my friends are Polish, Irish, English Catholics, and they're wonderful human beings. I used to believe that all Conservatives are terrible human beings because I was brainwashed into thinking so(and if I've made rude, crass comments on YouTube, and without social media but in general, then I apologize). Just because I wouldn't support Hillary Clinton, I lost friends and was branded as a racist, traitor, etc. I sometimes ask, "Where's the tolerance and civility at?" You can agree to disagree, disagree to agree, or both, or none, but the harshest thing you can do is call anyone racist. Hence, these never-ending ideological or theological grievances and differences.

Liberals like, say, Bill Maher, late George Carlin and others were very politically incorrect. Now, the current students, SJWs, professors, feminists in college/university campuses, media, etc. are spinning out of control as Conservatives have become transparent, honest, and non-PC. A total 180 u-turn, IMO. Terms like equality and feminism are always pretty, nice, romantic words but in practice and reality, it isn't so. And should anyone have different opinions with someone, or with a group of people, then they're met with open hostility. I don't like how that goes. I, too, have experienced such hostility.

America is without a question the greatest country in the world. This country is the last country on earth for freedom, liberty, justice, yes equality when we can find some common grounds (not the Left's version of equality when it doesn't make much sense as it always ends with antagonistic clashes due to lack of civility and civil discourse). Where I come from, I'm not susceptible to such monumental idiocies that comes from the Left. You know what I'm talking about; PC culture, gender pronouns, trigger warnings, microaggressions, toxic masculinity, on and on. I'd like to learn a lot from you as I'm always open to learn and I hope you all will teach me a thing or two about America. Let's join and talk through tolerance and civility (especially from 13,247 kilometers, 8,231 miles. miles away lol).

Thank you and good night.”

My thoughts on Kavanaugh hearings—-guest blogger Nancy

Kavanaugh is one of the most qualified judges to ever be appointed to the Supreme Court. He has years of judicial experience in several courts. He clerked for a Supreme Court Justice. He had over 300 judicial decisions that were available for scrutiny. The ABA gave him their highest rating. I like what has been described as his judicial philosophy:  Constitutionalist, original intent - NOT “living” and relying on other countries’ documents and popular culture.

The anger. He showed no anger until yesterday’s hearing. I would be angry, too, at this point. I cannot imagine what he and his family feel like now at the prospect of another week of this! 

Dr. Ford’s testimony. She seems to have many issues. She fears flying but flies frequently on business and pleasure. I know she claims this happened when she was 15, but  according to her story, she wasn’t raped. Her level of emotional trauma seems overblown to me. Possibly something else happening to her before or since then. ( I had my own near- rape experience). Not one of the people who she said were there backs her story.

The Democrats. They have behaved horribly from well before Kavanaugh was even nominated. They were going to oppose anyone that this President nominated. Di-Fi  should have turned Dr. Ford’s letter over to Grassley in July. A full FBI investigation could have been done confidentially before the hearings began. She never asked Kavanaugh about the accusation even in her private meeting with him. Then as the hearings close and they are ready to vote she brings it up. Sure stinks of delay tactics!  Then we need another week before Miss I-fear-flying who also wasn’t aware that the committee offered to come to her, can testify. Why did she take a lie detector test in August if she wasn’t planning on going public?  Now we have another delay. Face it, the Democrats will not be happy about this no matter how long or how thorough the investigation is. BTW, they could have been investigating this past week like the Republicans were. They did not.

I keep thinking about what Harry Reid said during a TV interview after Romney lost. He was asked about the lie he told saying with certainty that Romney had not paid taxes in 10 years. Reid’s reply was “He lost, didn’t he?!”  The Democrat party has been that party ever since.

How the Democrats ruin lives—guest blogger Jennifer

Actually, pay attention people. Stop listening to the spin and look at the facts and how this entire allegation SHOULD have been handled!

It's the Dems who are ruining these lives. They had her letter (Feinstein and two others) since early July. Ford wanted to remain anonymous and all they had to do was turn it over to the FBI, which they did anonymously and they looked at it but didn't go too far because it was anonymous.

So the next step would have been to get Ford to privately deal with the FBI on this and NOT make it public. The FBI would have looked into her allegations, her witnesses, and everything else and would have no doubt deemed that her story had too many holes, none of her witnesses agreed, and most likely it was a case of mistaken identity. NONE of it would have been public. IT would have saved both the Ford and Kavanaugh families from this character assassination.

But the Dems wanted to use it politically, so they wanted to stall and they wanted to make it public despite the lives they ruined in the process. The goal is to stop his confirmation hoping in November they can gain control of the house and stop him being on the SCOTUS.

There are actual ethics issues involved here. So put blame where it belongs. Kavanaugh didn't do this, per Ford's own witnesses and good friend, and she is apparently mentally unstable and being made worse as a political pawn and expendable tool of the left. She did not want this public but the cold hearted left didn't care about her. They cared about partisan politics and getting their agenda done in any underhanded way they can.

The law should have been followed correctly, but the left is being very underhanded. Shame on them for what they are doing to both of these families!!!

Remember, some Dems swore they would block any SCOTUS nominee before Kavanaugh was even on the short list. They are doing exactly what they said and they have no ethics or scruples in how they do it. The bad ones seem to truly believe the ends justify the means. The politics of personal destruction and collateral damage means nothing to some of these people. Ford was used and destroyed by the people she trusted. Is nothing sacred anymore?

U Got This

“U Got This,” is beginning today at Ohio State University.  “ To advance a culture of respect and care for others, the university is launching mandatory online sexual misconduct prevention education for all faculty, staff and students.”

Am I the only one who finds “culture of respect” and “mandatory education” for adults in the same sentence sort of off putting?  Plus, if the unit or department already has something in place, like diversity training or toxic masculinity workshops, that doesn’t get the student out of the pan-university requirement.

If the student is also a university employee, he/she gets to take it twice and it’s required every year.  According to the web page, they haven’t yet come up with discipline (aka punishment) if a student blows this off.

The production company is called Catharsis Productions and was created about 20 years ago by Dr. Gail Stern and Christian Murphy. This Atlantic article is about 4 years old, but skimming it, I think is lines up with other things I’ve read. Considered innovative, entertaining and funny, after 20 years shouldn’t we be seeing fewer assaults and bullying by now?

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/06/teaching-sexual-assault-prevention-through-comedy/371433/

I checked out “U Got This” reeducation camps and they are already offered on many campuses, so Ohio State is sort of late to the party. https://titleix.osu.edu/navigation/prevention/training.html?

Of course, re-education camps come in many sizes and countries.

“Vast swathes of the Uighur population in China’s western region of Xinjiang — as well as Kazakhs, Kyrgyz and other ethnic minorities — are being detained to undergo what the state calls “transformation through education.” Many tens of thousands of them have been locked up in new thought-control camps with barbed wire, bombproof surfaces, reinforced doors and guard rooms. “https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/15/opinion/china-re-education-camps.html

How Google controls your information

90% of internet searches use Google, and 95% of searchers drop out after the second page.  I began blogging in 2003 and remember when my blog entries came up within the first or second page.  In the code, bloggers/web page designers put in tags that describe the most typical topics and your search picks up on that. With Google’s manipulation of search results that could never happen today.  I’m a big believer in capitalism, and the founders of Google, one of which is a Russian immigrant, have done a good job for the investors in their company.  That said, when successful companies get too cozy with the government, it’s called crony capitalism.  That’s how legislators get rich and CEOs beat back the competition by getting what looks like stiff controls, but only they are wealthy enough to meet the standards.  Any search that involves any information about the government or President Trump will bring up pages of New York Times, Washington Post (owned by another tech giant, Jeff Bezos, the wealthiest man in the country), Daily Beast, Huffington Post, and other far left media sources. This results in an informed public that has read/heard only part of the story. The conservatives then flee to other sources and also risk knowing only part of the information. When I log in, I automatically get Google News, which always leans left.  Sometimes I do click on a story, especially  if it’s none political, but then may just encourage the bias by taking the bait.

https://pjmedia.com/trending/google-search-results-show-pervasive-anti-trump-anti-conservative-bias/

https://pjmedia.com/trending/facebook-censors-articles-from-salena-zito-jenna-lynn-ellis-saying-they-look-like-spam/

If you search anything about Trump on Google you’ll probably get referred to CNN, which falls far behind Fox in popularity and viewership. And if you are in an airport, exercise facility, or doctor’s office, good luck seeing anything other than CNN.

As expected, NYT denies any bias with Google, and instead accuses Google of different biases. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/30/technology/bias-google-trump.html

https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/july-2018-ratings-fox-news-marks-25-consecutive-months-as-most-watched-cable-network-in-total-day/372050

https://www.mrc.org/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/2014/MBB2014.pdf

Thoughts on she said/he said

I made it through high school, college and grad school without once attending a drinking party. As an adult I’ve attend hundreds of social events and only seen a drunk man once. (I’ve seen more tipsy women than men, actually.) We’re almost 50 years into this current women’s movement with consciousness raising groups, special workshops to catch up, leadership grants, and for 2 decades now women have outnumbered the men enrolling in college, and for a decade in the cities have out earned men of the same age and education. How much time do we women need to “recover” from a trauma? I know women who have survived 3 kinds of cancer, the deaths of children and husband, horrid auto accidents, career losses.  We are not wimps!!

Just stop it all of you claiming Ford wouldn’t lie, or doesn’t have any reason to do this!  You’re returning women to an 18^th century shrinking violet era.  Yes women lie, and they lie about sex too—maybe not as much as the guys, but they do.  And they can be mean and nasty and yes, do willingly put themselves out there for 10 minutes of fame. Fame is power, and heady stuff.  Millions were watching on TV.   Anita Hill made a fortune and a career by being the accuser of Clarence Thomas. 

Are women so pure and stupid they didn’t notice?

Who is safe? Not your son or brother.

Some women aren’t to be believed

Jaunita Broaddrick is at the Senate today for the Kavanaugh hearing.

She tells The Daily Caller, "I have twenty times more evidence for my rape by Bill Clinton than Dr. Ford has against Kavanaugh. Democrats turned their backs on me. All women are to be believed as long as they're not conservatives -- and as long as the assault was not done by Democrats."

https://dailycaller.com/2018/09/27/juanita-broaddrick-kavanaugh-hypocrits/

Keith Ellison’s abused girlfriend also has evidence, but he’s a Democrat and she’s out to lunch.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/09/21/keith-ellison-accused-by-former-girlfriend-emotional-physical-abuse-what-to-know.html

So now he’s asking for an investigation of her—because, well, you can’t always believe a woman.

Buck Sexton comments on Kavanaugh

Lily’s Leukemia battle

I’ve had a stiff back for 2 days—this should put it into perspective—Lily’s battle with Leukemia.

She relapsed after years of having her cancer under control and was doing the normal activities of teen-agers.  I’ve been following her grandmother and mother for years on blogs and Facebook.  Here’s what Larissa (m0m) wrote as Lily took her last med in this round.

In no particular order—

2 years of treatment
20 doses of Vincristine
15 doses of 6TG
15 spinal taps with Methotrexate
20 doses of ARA-C
2 doses Intermediate PO Methotrexate
2 doses of Pegaspagase (discontinued due to anaphylaxis shock)
9 doses of cyclophosphamide
2 doses mitoxantrone (big blue)
6 doses Erwinia (discontinued—blood clots)
36 hrs high dose Methotrexate
9 doses Etoposide
84 days Blincyto
56 doses of PO Methotrexate
415 doses of 6MP
170 days Dexamethasone

And with one gulp she is done!

More He said/She said

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/26/ex-boyfriend-filed-restraining-order-against-kavanaugh-accuser-845348?

A former boyfriend of Julie Swetnick, the woman accusing Brett Kavanaugh of organizing gang rapes as a teen, says that he attempted to file a restraining order against her after she allegedly threatened his wife and baby. “She’s not credible at all,” the Miami man, a registered Democrat, told Politico. “Not at all.”

And she’s represented by the crazy porn star lawyer who is addicted to being on TV chatting with anti-Trump MSM “journalists.”

The resegregation of America’s universities in the name of diversity

Walter Williams writes: “I am a professor of economics at George Mason University. A few readers have asked me about “Black Freshmen Orientation,” held Aug. 25 and advertised as an opportunity for students to learn more about the black community at George Mason University. GMU is not alone in promoting separation in the name of diversity and inclusion. Harvard, Yale, UCLA and many other universities, including GMU, have black graduation ceremonies. Racial segregation goes beyond graduation ceremonies. Cal State Los Angeles, the University of Connecticut, UC Davis and UC Berkeley, among others, offer racially segregated housing for black students.”

And there’s much more about university corruption. https://patriotpost.us/opinion/58461-university-corruption

This sort of resegregation is not new.  Manchester College (now university) where I attended in the 1950s created a “safe” place for black students in 1971 (fewer than 10, I think).  It was the opposite of what Martin Luther King stood for and died for, yet it was supposedly to honor his memory.  Now Manchester University has  broken ground for a new center.

https://www.perutribune.com/news/news.php?ID=1248

The Kavanaugh case

The new morality scolds and new witches

"The ultimate in irony is that the same people who campaign on OTC birth control for kids, abortion on demand and preventing parents from being told about it, promotion of all kinds of sexual deviancy, scream about "slut shaming" of promiscuous, libertine women, wear vagina costumes and hats shaped like genitalia and think VP Pence is weird for not attending events where other women are present without his wife have now turned into Puritanical moral scolds." (Michael Smith)

The links from feminism, to the MeToo movement, to hatred for President Trump, to witch craft and casting spells.

Hocus Pocus, Bogus Focus.

https://qz.com/1172432/you-cant-control-the-government-but-you-can-hex-it/

Class of 1957 has another mini-reunion

On September 22 at 9 a.m. in the Campus Cafe, a few members of the Mt. Morris Class of 1957 met for breakfast. Marion, Ebba, Nancy K, Moe, Lynne, David, Sylvia, Norma, Mary Jane, Nancy F., Jean, Greeley. This class is fortunate to have a very active local committee—this was the third get-together in 2018.