A lack of leadership

Apparently the leaders of the city of Baltimore did not learn the lessons of what went on in Ferguson, MO.  They were unprepared for the violence now running wild on their streets.  The mayor's initial response was woefully inadequate and as a result, things got worse very rapidly.

A church's newly constructed senior center is burning.  A CVS pharmacy was ransacked and is ablaze, probably a total loss.  Other locally owned businesses were looted and/or burned.  What possible benefit can this wanton destruction provide to those carrying it out?  This isn't about the death of yet another black man at the hands of the police.  This is about stealing stuff and acting out one's violent fantasies.  Those engaged in peaceful protest are just fine and should be encouraged to continue.  Those who are agitators from outside the area should be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest limit of the law.

Let's hope the arrival of National Guard forces and law enforcement personnel from other agencies can quickly quell the violence and restore order.

* * *

Fifteen video games have been announced as the finalists for enshrinement in the World Video Game Hall of Fame.  The nominees, listed by order of release are:

Pong - 1972
The Oregon Trail - 1974
Space Invaders - 1978
Pacman - 1980
Tetris - 1984
Super Mario Brothers - 1985
The Legend of Zelda - 1987
Sonic the Hedgehog - 1991
FIFA - 1993
Doom - 1993
Pokemon - 1996
The Sims - 2000
World of Warcraft - 2004
Angry Birds - 2009
Minecraft - 2009

I haven't played FIFA or any of the other games listed after 1993's Doom, which I have played.

The first six choices are all deserving of being in the Video Game Hall of Fame.  Same for Doom.  I'm not a big fan of the others that I have played and think there are a few other games worthy of consideration.

Either Kings Quest or Space Quest, from Sierra Entertainment should be on this list.  Both were major breakthroughs in gaming.  If you want to see how the technology was leaping forward, play the original Space Quest game, and then the revised version which had vastly improved graphics.

Either Centipede or Missile Command, both from 1980, are worthy of mention.  They were among the earliest video games that were a big hit that used the trackball technology.

Just the thoughts of a long-time video game player.

* * *

Let me be the first to welcome "Star Trek Into Darkness" actress Alice Eve into the club of famous folk who put their foot squarely in their mouth and then released a wholly insufficient apology.  Here is her reaction to the Diane Sawyer interview of Bruce Jenner from last week:

“Nope. If you were a woman no one would have heard of you because women can’t compete in the decathlon. You wouldn’t be a hero. You would be a frustrated young athlete who wasn’t given a chance. Until women are paid the same as men, then playing at being a ‘woman’ while retaining the benefits of being a man is unfair. Do you have a vagina? Are you paid less than men? Then, my friend, you are a woman.”

After the predictable backlash, she removed this from social media and released a statement saying:

“I deeply apologize for offending anyone. I support equal rights and equal dignity for all. I have deep compassion and support for Bruce Jenner.  My intention was not to offend. My intention was simply to express that, with the overdue and welcome acceptance of us all living on a gender spectrum, we must encourage equality for all.”

There was nothing either compassionate or supportive in her initial statement and to claim otherwise is a baldfaced backtracking falsehood.

But everyone will give her a pass on this, just like every other celebrity gets forgiven eventually for their social media gaffes.  Is this fair?  You tell me.

* * *

Random Ponderings:

Still can't figure out why when I'm lying on my bed to watch TV, I'm so uncomfortable trying to lay on my right side.

I wound up unfriending someone today on FB because of their really snarky reaction to something I posted. It wasn't someone I was close to anyway, and I'd muted their feed long ago because I'd grown tired of the political diatribes this person posted and his pretzel-logic defenses of those posts and positions.  I feel no sense of loss.  I'm not sure why.

Does CNN think the only news worthy of showing up on their network during the U. S. broadcast hours is currently in Baltimore.  While it is certainly the lead story in the U. S., they are completely ignoring the effort to aid the victims of the massive earthquake in Nepal.

I'm very saddened to hear that one of the giants and pioneers of the pro wrestling industry, Verne Gagne has passed.  A true visionary.  RIP.

How many gigantic diamond engagement rings will FHM's sexiest woman in the world, Michelle Keegan go through before finally marrying?  Current count is at least two.

I'm no fan of Senator Marco Rubio, but he has it right in calling for Japan's Prime Minister to apologize for the so-called "comfort women" from Korea and other Asian nations during WWII.

President Obama said that the rioters in Baltimore need to be treated as criminals.  They are criminals, Mr. President.

I think I'm going to be more strident in enforcing my ban on using cell phones during classes I teach during the upcoming academic cycle.  Set them to vibrate and if it buzzes, step out to look at it.



 

ZBT = ASS

Members of two chapters of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, one from Emory University and one from the University of Florida are in trouble for their actions at a weekend frat function in Tampa.  Allegedly they spit on, urinated on and otherwise insulted and disrespected some wounded warriors who were there having their own gathering.

"I am personally offended and disappointed by the behavior that has been described to me," University of Florida Student Affairs Vice President Dave Kratzer said. "This is not representative of our students or of the university."

Of course it is representative of your students.  They did it.  Like it or not, those are your students who couldn't hold their liquor and behave like men.  They had the unmitigated gall to disrespect the men and women who sacrificed much to give them the freedom to do the stupid things they do.  Mr. Kratzer has no business being their apologist or claiming they don't represent the bad behavior that seems to becoming more and more prevalent on college campuses.  Racism, sexism, sexual assault and the need to protect the college athletes who put dollars in the coffers and asses in the stadium seats have always been problems.  But at this point in a society that is allegedly growing in maturity and seeking higher standards of deportment, those trends should be on the decline, not rising.

How fortunate these frat-boy assholes were that the veterans who witnessed and suffered these indignities wisely chose not to respond or retaliate.  They might have been on the receiving end of the swift justice that might teach them a lesson.  Personally, I suspect the three jerks who were already booted from the U of F chapter of ZBT think of this as a badge of honor.  It is not.  It is a badge of shame.

They should be ashamed, not proud.  And their loved ones and those responsible for shepherding them through the halls of education shouldn't defend or apologize for them.  They need a swift kick in the ass, not hugs and counseling.

* * *

I just read a story about how a woman described as "Wanda M." is being persecuted by Walmart over two incidents involving allegations of shoplifting.  You can read the details here:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/al-norman/banned-from-4540-walmarts_b_7147414.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

It seems that retailers have found a new way to generate additional revenues in a very creative way.  They make money on items that are stolen and recovered in a condition good enough to still be sold.  They can collect from the shoplifter and from a new customer. 

It is so ingenious I'm wondering when local governments will find a way to use something like this to improve their "revenue enhancers."  Currently the city of Los Angeles is engaged in a crackdown on jaywalkers in the downtown area that isn't about promoting public safety.  It's all about the money.

You may not have known this, but once the green "walk" turns to a blinking red, stepping off the curb is a violation.  If you weren't in the crosswalk before the traffic signal's pedestrian indicator goes from green to red, you must wait.  Or you can take a chance, but considering the fine can range from $197 to more than $250, it may not be worth the risks. 

According to LAPD Traffic Division data, more than 17,000 citations have been issued for this infraction over a four year period in the downtown area.  Hmmmm..., 17,075 x $197 = over $3.3 million in revenues.  Not bad.  It won't balance the budget but when you add in parking fines, traffic violations and the like, I'm sure Mayor Garcetti is handing out the high-fives to the people enforcing these types of violations.

Speeders, people who fail to yield, or run red lights need to be brought to justice.  But someone stepping off a curb just as a green walk sign turns to a red don't walk sign, who still get across the intersection before the light itself changes isn't dangerous and it isn't worth someone being fined nearly $200.

* * *

Random Ponderings:

Ronda Rousey won't be wrestling against Stephanie McMahon in a WWE match anytime soon.  Good thing for Mrs. Triple H, because Rousey would make mincemeat out of her.

Should I be concerned that I've once again managed to climb to the highest level in Candy Crush Saga and must now wait for new levels to be written?  Probably.

Why should Bill Belichick be criticized for taking a good look at Chrissy Teigen?  It isn't like he was drooling or panting.

When her hubby Vladimir Klitschko was defending his boxing championship at the famed Madison Square Garden, I wonder if she shouted "finish him" like Brigitte Nielsen did in "Rocky IV."  She should have done it in a Russian accent.

Acts of violence by protestors in Baltimore does nothing to advance their cause of holding police accountable for their actions in the death of  Freddie Gray; and in general.  Their frustration is understandable.

Some of the anger being expressed by fans of "Grey's Anatomy" over the death of a major character is a bit over the top.

 Scott Disick not being at the family viewings of the Bruce Jenner special on Friday isn't surprising.  He's a major jerk.  But I guess he's good for ratings.

With Corinthian Colleges closing their remaining campuses, I'm surprised the commercials that are plastered all over daytime television continue to air.  But then again, the time was already paid for.

Why are the mutants in the X-Men films that don't look like ordinary humans always blue?  Why not green or orange?

My favorite morning news team blew another one, reporting on the trial of Aurora, CO shooter James Holmes.  They stated that the mass shooting was in 2013, not 2012.

Bruce Jenner has finally been heard from

In the DSM IV, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, it was defined as Gender Identity Disorder.  In the DSM V it is now known as Gender Dysphoria.  What makes it so much different from every other disorder listed in this gigantic collection of mental disorders is that it must be self-diagnosed.  Bruce Jenner has diagnosed himself as Gender Dysphoric, which is now known as being transgendered.  He identifies himself as a woman (we'll go with male pronouns since that is how he asked to be described in the Diane Sawyer special) and says that he is one for all intents and purposes.

It is an incredibly brave act to do what he has done.  No one as "famous" as Bruce Jenner has ever done this before.  Certainly not in the age of modern media, where every cellphone is still photo camera, video camera and sound recorder.  Jan Morris made her transition beginning in 1964, having the sexual reassignment surgery eight years later.  At the time she was a noted travel writer, who wrote under the male birth-name assigned when she was born, James Morris.  The reaction to her decision to transition was nowhere near as kind as most of the reaction to Bruce Jenner's transition has been.

I fully support the right of Bruce Jenner and anyone else to live their own live under their own terms.  I will admit to being confused about a couple of things.  One is that Bruce made it clear tonight that his gender identity is female and his gender preference is heterosexual.  Which stopped making sense when he made it clear he is physically attracted exclusively to females.  If Bruce is female and only attracted to females, how can that be described as heterosexual?

More importantly, is Bruce Jenner simply a fame whore, as he was labeled by talk-show icon Wendy Williams earlier this week?  I don't think so, but there is a simple way to prove that is not the case.  Bruce should donate most (if not all) of the compensation he is getting for the docuseries on the E! network to charity.  If his motives are pure and not about earning money and fame, this would prove that to be the truth.

It seems the negative response to the interview and what Bruce Jenner is doing comes from people who believe that the entire LGBT community is "wrong" somehow.  Intolerance and ignorance have no limits. I wish Bruce Jenner well on the journey that took another step forward with the announcement he made tonight.  Good luck.

* * *

That was a close one, let's go to the video

The current residents of an apartment in Santa Monica can't see that in the wall next to the fireplace, beneath decades of repainting, that wall had to be repaired when someone threw a bowling ball at it.  Or that the door to the bedroom closest to the street once had the handle of a hockey stick thrust through it.  I know about those things because I did them.  Long ago, when I was a teen, my temper and inability to control my emotions was a serious problem.  Thanks to people I encountered as I moved forward in life, I learned to take firm control of my emotions.  I don't break things in frustration.

ESPN correspondent Britt McHenry is on the sidelines for a week, and while a first glance at the video that went viral makes her look guilty, there is a problem here.  That video is clearly edited.  Heavily edited.  The thing is, even if this "Gina" had baited or been rude to Ms McHenry, that would not justify the rant we saw.  There was no need to edit the tape.  Or was there?

The Advanced Towing Company is where Ms McHenry went to retrieve her car.  They have horrible reviews on Yelp.  We must note that there aren't a whole lot of companies engaged in the business of towing people's vehicles without their consent that are favorably reviewed on Yelp; but the company's rating of F from the Better Business Bureau doesn't help.  Nor does the fact that of 40 complaints filed with the BBB, Advanced Towing failed to even respond to 37 of them.

Did Advanced Towing mistreat Ms McHenry?  Maybe, maybe not.  But she shouldn't have gone off on the lot attendant like that.  It accomplished nothing except perhaps to put her career in jeopardy.  We hear all the time about in vino veritas, Latin for "in wine there is truth" and it is valid.  There is also a lot of truth to be found in how people act when they lose control of their emotions.  Everyone has a side they don't want others to see and we got a glimpse of Ms McHenry's "other side."  The majority of the time the world sees her as an attractive, intelligent, well-educated and competent sports reporter.  Seeing her so angry and cruel did not jibe with what we're used to seeing and that is why it is so jarring.

Does she deserve to lose her job?  Probably not.  Is a week's suspension fair?  Sure.  ESPN has to do damage control.  Did she really learn a lesson?  Only time will tell.

* * *

In Chicago, it is set at 63.  In the state of Massachusetts, it is set at 50.  A report from the Federal Office of Personnel Management, published in July of 2004 said that the maximum retirement age for federal law enforcement officers should be raised from 55 to 57.

Tulsa reserve sheriff's deputy Robert Bates is 73 years old.  There is no good reason for anyone over the age of 70 to be an armed law enforcement officer outside of a time of severe crisis.  None.  Even if he had 30 years of training and experience, it is just too dangerous.  As proven by the fact that this "pay to play" cop killed a man because he didn't have the proper training and experience to distinguish between his firearm and his Taser.  It's tough enough for someone in their 30s or 40s to do this extremely dangerous job and get it right.  Lives are put at risk every single time an officer goes out on the street.

Ever wear the "gear" of a law enforcement officer (LEO).  I have.  One big thick leather belt, with a holster on one hip carrying a handgun.  Extra ammo in pouches or clips.  At least one and often two pairs of handcuffs.  In my days of being a LEO we didn't have Tasers.  We carried mace.  There was also a big metal flashlight and a "walkie-talkie" on my belt.  It wasn't overly burdensome but it wasn't lightweight either.  Had that can of mace been a Taser on my other hip, I'd have been constantly aware of the difference between the two.  Then again, my days of wearing that equipment ended before I turned 30.

Today I am 55 years of age.  Even if I did not have the various physical maladies that hamper my abilities, and even if I were in tip-top physical condition, I know I don't have the abilities I had in my 20s.  My reaction times are still excellent, but are they good enough to be a reserve cop?  Hell no.  Now Mr. Bates might be in better shape than me, but I have a lot more training and experience than he.  The difference is I wouldn't put the lives of others or myself at risk by taking on a task I'm not fully equipped to perform.

That's the problem here.  The sheriff who allowed this man to walk the streets and play at being a cop should have known better.  It was a bad decision to allow Robert Bates to do what he was doing and as a result someone is dead.  Mr. Bates should not be the only person held to answer for this totally avoidable tragedy.

* * *

Random Ponderings:

Every time I see clips of Hillary Clinton saying she wants to be the champion of the American people, I want to be able to show her this and ask her if she plans on being the champion of prevarication.  Her later claims of having "misspoke" and having been "sleep-deprived" are ridiculous.

Then again, it isn't like any other candidate for the presidency is a paragon of honesty either.

I may have to finally break down and pay for HBO if the deal to bring Whitney Cummings to the network goes through.  She's awesome.

There's no good reason for Michelle Bachmann to be trending on Yahoo or anywhere else. 

Tammy Baldwin is the junior U.S. Senator from Wisconsin and one of her former staffers has filed an ethics complaint against her.  Imagine, a Senator acting unethically.  LOL

Let's all send positive thoughts and energy to Mayor Tyus Byrd of Parma, MO.  Many city employees quit after her election, obviously due to the bigotry and racism of said employees.  The people elected her, she deserves everyone's support.

Kanye West has no room to be angry with Amy Schumer for upstaging him on the red carpet the other night.  Not after what he's done in the past to others.

A blast from the past

While it seems a lifetime ago, although that may be the result of too many consecutive days of overwork, I oversaw a financial aid program at a private school.  I was talking about that this evening with a good friend when I was reminded of one of the many letters I wrote to a parent.  This particular letter was written with the clear intent of never being seen by the person it was addressed to.  However, her request for financial aid was so outrageous that I simply couldn't not write something.  I no longer have a copy of the actual letter, but what follows is a pretty good approximation.

Dear ___________

I regret to inform you that the Financial Aid Committee is unable to grant you any financial aid for the upcoming school year for ________.  However, considering that you are sitting on savings that we estimate to be somewhere between $500,000 and $1.5 million, own a home worth more than $800,000 outright, and have an annual income in excess of $200,000, we feel you can afford to pay at least some tuition.  You wrote ZERO in all capital letters on your application for assistance when asked how much you could actually afford to pay for tuition.

It struck the members of the Financial Aid Committee as somewhat ironic that we considered another application for aid at the meeting where we reviewed your outrageous request.  This particular parent told us they could pay $5,000 per year toward their child's tuition on an annual income of only $18,000.  When we asked how this was possible, we learned that the significant other of this parent, who is not related to the student, would pay that much toward the tuition from their own somewhat limited income.  The disparity in what you claim to be able to afford and what this newly formed family unit is willing to pay made it clear which family makes education the priority.

So, in order to be able to provide funding to that family, for the difference between the tuition for next year and the $5,000 that they can contribute toward the child's education, we are adding the difference to your tuition bill.  In order for ___________ to be able to return this fall, you will have to pay the full tuition for her, as well as the aforementioned difference.

You will be pleased to know that the motion of one committee member to require you to also fund two week vacations to Aruba for the committee members like the one you took during the winter break failed to pass.  It was a close vote, but you escaped that one.

Again, sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

* * *

Watching the video of Hilary Rodham Clinton announcing her presidential campaign for the 2016 election reminded me of a 20 year old movie.  "The American President" had this great moment where candidate "Senator Bob Rumson" (played by Richard Dreyfuss) says "My name is Bob Rumson and I'm running for president."  At this point the incumbent, Andrew Sheppard (Michael Douglas) says back at his television set "Sure glad he cleared that up because that crowd was about to buy some Amway products."

There are now four candidates who have formally announced their intention to seek their party's nomination in that 2016 presidential election.  Senators Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and now Marco Rubio.  All four have carefully crafted messages about why they are the best choice and there isn't a shred of validity to any of them.

None of them are discussing the biggest problem our nation faces.  The vanishing middle class.  The growth rate in the inequality of income, as well as the inequity of wealth is downright frightening.  Will we wind up a dystopian society where the relatively small number of haves are served in luxury by a mass of have-nots who barely survive the squalor and pestilence of a meager existence?  It's been the subject of a number of recent films and more and more it seems like a realistic future if something isn't done.

The American Dream is still out there, but it is far less likely to be achieved by those who don't start out with a big lead through family wealth.  Aside from food and cars that don't sell well outside our nation, we produce little other than services.  We've allowed corporations to raise their profits by exporting jobs to nations that don't provide a minimum wage or any serious kinds of benefits.  How will the current generation of recent college grads and those just starting their journey through higher education ever achieve anything while burdened by billions in student loans they cannot repay.

In his announcement today, Senator Rubio criticized the candidacy of Secretary Clinton by saying she wants to go back to the past.  Well Senator, our past included a period where a student could get a strong college education without taking on a load of debt that will weigh them down for decades.  Our past included a proud tradition of manufacturing high quality products for which there were markets.  That past included the ability for those who didn't want to go to college to learn a skill or trade and become part of that vast middle class.  That past isn't such a bad thing and you sir have no idea how to take us into a future where that middle class can grow and thrive.  The middle class pays the taxes.  The middle class provides markets for goods and services.  That middle class is the key to a potentially potent United States economy and allowing the wealthy to continue to squeeze that middle class out of existence is a recipe for a dystopian disaster.

Wake up and smell the coffee before it is too late to stop the runaway train.

* * *

Random Ponderings:

Before investing $37,000 in a college education from a for-profit institution, perhaps a little research into whether or not the institution's graduates really can get jobs would be in order.

I don't agree with the judge's ruling that will force V. Stiviano to return the gifts she received from Donald Stirling back to Mrs. Stirling.  If half of everything they own is his and their net worth is billions, doesn't he have the right to give away part of his half?

If I were Michael Lohan, before wishing I'd never been born, I'd ask the court to appoint a guardian ad litem for the kids that entitle Dina Lohan to receive child support from Michael.  Then after paying the back support to the guardian, Michael can go back to trying to change his life.

Someone at TMZ has a serious leg fetish.

The people running Hilary Clinton's campaign shouldn't be allowing dumb moves like her Secret Service detail parking her van in a handicapped space.  It isn't a big deal, but the optics look like it is.

Even the fact this is ex-wife #2's birthday doesn't diminish my enjoyment of the fact it is April 16th and I did not do a single tax return all day.  Nor did I answer a single question about taxes.

I wonder if someday Sasha Baron Cohen's newborn son will watch the credits of "Borat" and see that someone got a credit for providing his father's film feces.

If ignorance is bliss, more people would be really happy.

A changing landscape

Ten years ago you bought a nice home in a quiet residential neighborhood.  On both sides of your new home were two similar houses.  You liked the neighborhood, you got along well with all of the neighbors and life was good.

Now in 2015 we stand on the sidewalk outside your home and look at the houses owned by you and your neighbor.  On your left is the home owned by the Smith family.  Five years ago they moved to a bigger, better house and rented out this one.  The tenant that moved in the month after the Smiths relocated is still living there. 

On your right is the house owned by the Jones family.  Like the other two, it is a three bedroom, three bathroom house.  But you never know from day to day who will be residing in this home because the Jones family moved out two years ago and turned their house into an Airbnb business.  They rent out all three bedrooms on a short-term basis, some rentals being for one night only.  They have a maintenance crew that comes in with each change of tenant to clean and prep for the next guest.  It gets loud, the visitors staying in the Jones Airbnb hotel aren't respectful of you or anyone else who lives in the neighborhood, and you're tired of the situation.

What are your rights?  Is it fair that you bought a home in a residential neighborhood, one that is not zoned for hotel/motel operations and yet this homeowner is running one anyway?  This is a growing problem in Los Angeles, particularly in the Venice and Silver Lake areas.

I think there is a simple answer to this problem.  Prohibit absentee landlord use of homes as facilities for short term rentals.  If you live in a house and you want to rent out a spare bedroom or two (or six if you have them), while you continue to reside there, go for it.  That is an example of true "sharing" as Airbnb calls it.  However, you must be regulated and taxed on the revenue.  Further, if the minimum wage in L. A. for hotel workers in facilities of all sizes rises to $15 an hour, the same must be applied to those who clean and maintain Airbnb rentals.

Fair is fair.  Businesses belong in areas zoned for business.

* * *

Former North Charleston, SC police officer Michael Slager appears to commit murder in the video of him firing eight shots at an unarmed man running away from him.  It seems clear that he attempts to cover up what happened by picking up the stun gun that fell to the ground right where he stood and shot at Walter Scott.  I'm sure there will be a long investigation and trial and am not 100% sure that Slager will be convicted of murdering Scott.  That's because Mr. Scott was an African-American and Mr. Slager was a white cop in the Deep South.

How is it possible that in the year 2015 a white cop thinks he can just execute a black man and get away with it by engaging in a little evidence tampering and a lot of baldfaced lies?  It is because had someone not bravely recorded this incident, we'd never know of Mr. Slager's actions and dishonesty.

Another example of why we must mount body cameras on all police officer that they cannot shut off, or tamper/alter in any way.

* * *

Random ponderings:

How do I unwatch the video of one Jenner sister groping another?

One of the most respected people in the news biz is retiring.  Bob Schieffer is a legend and rightly so.  I'd love to be his replacement but that will never happen .

I'm sure some idiotic conservatives will complain it isn't the job of the Secret Service to teach Malia Obama to drive.  I have no problem with it.  The agent who taught her was undoubtedly one of those who guards her.

There's something satisfying about the video of a bobcat snatching a shark from the water and carrying it off for a meal.

I happen to agree that the disparities in pricing between men's items/services and women's items/services are mostly wrong.  But is it possible that the large disparity in the average price of a haircut could be because on average women have a lot more hair on their heads than men do?

On a related note, as my hairline continues to retreat and the bald spot grows, maybe I deserve a discount.  I once met a woman with one arm who told me she asks for a 50% discount when she gets a manicure.

Perhaps true justice for the Dzhokhar Tsarnaev would be taking him out into a very large, empty field and setting off a powerful bomb right next to him?

Emotionally, the decision by a Santa Ana judge to sharply reduce the sentence of a convicted child molester from 25 years to life down to 15 years seems wrong.  Logically there may be a constitutionality issue that needs to be explored.  But the visceral reaction makes that very difficult.

I have no problem with Mary Kay Letourneau returning to teaching, as long as there are no children in her classroom.  She could teach people to drive 18 wheel trucks, or tutor adults to prepare them for their driver license exam.  But she has no business in a classroom with any child.

For what its worth

This is a United States nickel minted in 1917 at the San Francisco Mint.

Buying this nickel will set you back about $30.  Here's another 1917-S nickel.

This one is just a tad more expensive.  If you wanted to buy this nickel it would set you back nearly $5,700.  The question is, why?  They're both from the same mint, made in the same year.  The metal content is the same.  The only difference is wear and tear.  Their condition.

The point?  Value is established by those basic laws of economics.  Supply and demand.  Value in the marketplace.  So why is it that people think there is a correlation between how much a CEO is paid and how much the lowest level employees in the corporation are paid?  There is no comparison between the value of their respective labor to the company. 

Yet not all things are totally equal in this discussion.  Because Sam's Club pays its cashiers an average salary of less than $10 an hour.  Costco on the other hand pays its cashiers nearly $16 an hour.  With better benefits.  Cashiering isn't much different in one big box store than it is in another.  Why is it Costco is able to pay so much more?  Because they did the long-term analysis.  This is a company that did its homework.  They keep their employees longer.  Lower training costs from lower turnover.  They're making money.  Smart of them, eh?

* * *

Rolling Stone magazine screwed the pooch last November when it published a story about a rape that apparently never happened.  Now the magazine's managing editor has published another apology, the full text of that apology follows:

"Last November, we published a story, "A Rape on Campus" [RS 1223], that centered around a University of Virginia student's horrifying account of her alleged gang rape at a campus fraternity house. Within days, commentators started to question the veracity of our narrative. Then, when The Washington Post uncovered details suggesting that the assault could not have taken place the way we described it, the truth of the story became a subject of national controversy.

As we asked ourselves how we could have gotten the story wrong, we decided the only responsible and credible thing to do was to ask someone from outside the magazine to investigate any lapses in reporting, editing and fact-checking behind the story. We reached out to Steve Coll, dean of the Columbia School of Journalism, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter himself, who accepted our offer. We agreed that we would cooperate fully, that he and his team could take as much time as they needed and write whatever they wanted. They would receive no payment, and we promised to publish their report in full. (A condensed version of the report will appear in the next issue of the magazine, out April 8th.)

This report was painful reading, to me personally and to all of us at Rolling Stone. It is also, in its own way, a fascinating document -- a piece of journalism, as Coll describes it, about a failure of journalism. With its publication, we are officially retracting 'A Rape on Campus.' We are also committing ourselves to a series of recommendations about journalistic practices that are spelled out in the report. We would like to apologize to our readers and to all of those who were damaged by our story and the ensuing fallout, including members of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and UVA administrators and students. Sexual assault is a serious problem on college campuses, and it is important that rape victims feel comfortable stepping forward. It saddens us to think that their willingness to do so might be diminished by our failings."

The author of that now discredited article, Sabrina Rubin Erdley, also issued an apology:

"The past few months, since my Rolling Stone article “A Rape on Campus” was first called into question, have been among the most painful of my life. Reading the Columbia account of the mistakes and misjudgments in my reporting was a brutal and humbling experience. I want to offer my deepest apologies: to Rolling Stone’s readers, to my Rolling Stone editors and colleagues, to the U.V.A. community, and to any victims of sexual assault who may feel fearful as a result of my article.

 

“Over my 20 years of working as an investigative journalist — including at Rolling Stone, a magazine I grew up loving and am honored to work for — I have often dealt with sensitive topics and sources. In writing each of these stories I must weigh my compassion against my journalistic duty to find the truth. However, in the case of Jackie and her account of her traumatic rape, I did not go far enough to verify her story. I allowed my concern for Jackie’s well-being, my fear of re-traumatizing her, and my confidence in her credibility to take the place of more questioning and more facts. These are mistakes I will not make again.

“Reporting on rape has unique challenges, but the journalist still has the responsibility to get it right. I hope that my mistakes in reporting this story do not silence the voices of victims that need to be heard."

 

So why hasn't she been fired?  It isn't like this is her first offense of failing to fact-check.  Back in 2011 she wrote an article for Rolling Stone about a former altar boy who alleged that he had been subjected to child abuse during his childhood association with the Philadelphia Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church.  Her supposed compassion for the now adult victim kept her from verifying the veracity of his claims, where were called into question after her article was published.

 

One has to wonder why?  Why isn't Rolling Stone firing her, and others, who failed to prevent this most basic of journalistic failures??

 

* * *

 

Random Ponderings:

 

I'd just as soon see Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev get life without parole than the death penalty.  No endless appeals, no wasted money and he can spend decades wasting away in prison.

 

So it looks like April 24th is the day we begin referring to Bruce Jenner with feminine pronouns.  That's the date of the big interview with Diane Sawyer.  Meanwhile the media is obsessed with trying to get pictures of the results of rumored breast augmentation done on the Olympic Gold medal winner.  Living in a fish bowl must suck big time.

 

Giuliana Rancic writes that Jerry O'Connell cheated on her twice.  Another example of how once a cheater, ALMOST always a cheater thereafter.  Meaning, if someone leaves their partner for you when you cheated with them, most likely you'll be victimized in the same way in the future.

 

Would someone tell Yahoo Celebrity there is something wrong with this sentence:  "Neil Patrick Harris & David Burka with her children during Easter Sunday."  Hint, neither of these men is a her.

 

Dodgers winning on Opening Day was awesome!!

I'm not sure if John Daly is hocking his merchandise outside the Masters Championship because he's struggling financially or because he enjoys it.  Probably a bit of both.

I find this one fascinating.  FBI agents must pass a physical fitness test where men have to do more than 38 sit-ups in one minute, followed by a 300 meter sprint that must be completed in 52.4 seconds or faster, followed by at least 31 push-ups in one minute, followed by a 1.5 mile run that must be run in 12:24 or faster.  Air Force basic trainees on the other hand must do 50 sit-ups, 45 push-ups and finish the 1.5 mile run in 11:57.  They don't have to do a sprint.  So the Air Force now has more stringent physical fitness requirements than the FBI.  Never thought that possible.  When I was in, the passing time for the 1.5 mile run was 14:30.

Claudetteia Love is an honor student at a magnet program and about to graduate from the high school and go on to Jackson State on a full academic scholarship.  Her school is happy to trot her out to celebrate her achievements, but won't let her wear a tux to the prom.  That is just awful of her principal.  She's a great student, honest about her sexuality (she identifies as a lesbian) and she should be able to wear a tux if she wants to.

Anne Hathaway doing the Miley Cyrus song "Wrecking Ball" on Lip Sync Battle will be epic.

Is Disney trying to bury the X-Men franchise because the film rights belong to Fox?  Could be.

I guess if Fox 11 News is going to use articles from Sky News and give them credit, they don't need to remove the conversion of dollars to pounds in the article.

I can't think of a better way to improve an episode of Monday Night RAW than having Triple-H and Stephanie McMahon away on vacation and unreachable.  They should extend this vacation indefinitely.

After reading the disgusting anecdote about how Mindy Kaling's brother pretended to be black to get into medical school and then dropped out after two years, I wonder what happened to the applicant whose space he stole with his dishonesty.  Jerk!





 

 

 

To misquote the Jackson 5...

I'm not going back to Indiana. 

But not just Indiana after doing a bit of digging into this issue.  Here is a list of the 21 states that have Religious Freedom Restoration Acts:

Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
Connecticut
Florida
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
Missouri
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia

Of these states, I have no concerns about Connecticut, Illinois, New Mexico and Rhode Island.  That's because while those four states have RFRA laws on the books, they also have laws that make LGBT discrimination in public accommodations illegal.  As to the other 17 states, you won't see me again until you pass laws that ensure equal treatment.

If someone's religion, race, gender, age and other factors about them are not allowed to be used as the basis for discrimination in a public accommodation, then neither should someone's sexual preference or gender identity.  Do we go back to NINA (No Irish Need Apply) and White's Only signs?  These laws that allow someone to use their religion to make discriminatory behavior permissible are a step in the right direction.

Perhaps the Ku Klux Klan will declare itself a religion and in the states in the South where there are RFRA laws, begin excluding on the basis of race or faith.  Oh wait, laws prevent that.  And while there is a Federal RFRA, most of it was declared unconstitutional and it now only applies to the federal government itself. 

The notion of boycotting 17 states isn't easy.  But we must pressure them to pass LGBT anti-discrimination laws to counter their RFRA laws.

* * *

"I can't be overdrawn, I still have checks left." (we don't know for certain who first said this)

"How do I balance my checkbook?  I open the statement from the bank, and I write down what they say my balance is.  Then I get to writing checks." - an airman who came to me for personal financial counseling back in the day

"I'm so broke that if it cost a quarter to go around the world, I couldn't leave town." - Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway in "Heartbreak Ridge"

There is an editorial on the Los Angeles Times web site titled "The GOP's Budget gimmickry won't fix the deficit.  Be it budget gimmickry, voodoo economics or whatever, the labels used to describe the Machiavellian machinations (my label) of our government fail to fully explain what is the root cause of our busted budget.  Simply put, we've had decades where Congress spent more than it brought in.

For an individual it is a simple concept.  You can't spend more than you have, or can borrow.  For our government, one problem is that they can just keep on borrowing.  Imagine if you had a MasterCard and you could keep raising the limit.  Of course you can't, because the issuer of that card controls the limited amount of credit you have.  Congress passes a bill raising the amount of borrowing they can engage in and poof, their credit limit is increased.

We can talk about the problems of entitlements, mandated spending, corporate welfare and so on; however, in the end the situation must be addressed by recognizing a simple dictum.  You can either spend less or generate more revenue.  Those are the only two choices.

How can we generate more revenue without raising taxes?  By improving our economy.  How can we improve our economy?  By addressing the root cause of its ills.  The growing inequality of income.  The shrinking percentage of the labor pool who are working or seeking employment.  Those are the "big two."

Another issue that requires our attention is the growing influence of "secret" money in politics.  The answer to that is simple.  Eliminate the ability of any political entity to receive anonymous donations.  Require them all to publish donor lists that are open to the public.

* * *

Random Ponderings:

I think any video of the last moments of that Germanwings flight that crashed should not be released to the public.  Too horrifying.

Would someone let me know where in Santa Monica that woman from "Dance Moms" is opening her studio, so I can avoid it like the plague?

Apparently one NFL player who says he is bisexual and is remaining anonymous is taking Michael Sam to task for saying that the gay and bisexual men currently playing in the NFL "lack the courage to come out."  This player said "he has his own opinion but don't say we don't have the courage to come out."  Now this man has every right to keep his private life private.  However, it begs the question, if it isn't a lack of courage that keeps him from emerging from the closet, what is it keeping him inside of it?

A sitting United States senator is going to be indicted, and people are surprised he is proclaiming his innocence?  That's rich.

Who in the world would want a pizza place to cater a wedding of any kind???  Ridiculous!!

At the rate the drought is worsening in CA, the residents may need to learn the difference between a "Hollywood" shower and the normal shower one gets aboard a submarine.  Those kind might be in our collective futures.

McDonald's raising the minimum wage and adding benefits at their company owned stores is a really good decision.  It will pay for itself in improved employee longevity and lowered training costs.

On a related note, it was really weird last night to see an employee of the Baja Fresh wearing his uniform shirt, next door hiding in the corner at Panda Express, chowing down on chow mein.

Clearly, Todd Starnes is an idiot who doesn't understand how the military chaplain system works.