Thursday Thoughts

It is Thanksgiving.  I have a lot to be thankful for.  I'm alive.  Yeah, I'm in pain every day.  Yes, breathing is a struggle.  Right now I'm dealing with a higher level of fatigue because of my heart reverting to beating irregularly.  But I'm here.

* * *

Kellyanne Conway is here, in the White House, but once again showing that she isn't suited for it.

The problem with her little diatribe is that it may well have been a violation of The Hatch Act.  Here's the relevant section of Title 5, United States Code, Section 7323:

(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b), an employee may take an active part in political management or in political campaigns, except an employee may not—

(1)

use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election;

The White House has attempted to defend her actions.  Raj Shah, a WH spokesperson said, "Ms. Conway did not advocate for or against the election of a candidate, and specifically declined to encourage Alabamans to vote a certain way. She was speaking about issues and her support for the President's agenda. This election is for the people of Alabama to decide."

Sorry Raj, but those words were definitely an attempt to influence the voters of Alabama.  Posing in front of the White House, it highlights her official position as an employee of the Trump Administration.  This is wrong.  

* * *

Juwan Harris is a clerk at a Circle K convenience store in Raleigh, NC.  Or she was.  She got fired for pursuing an armed robber and subduing him with a baseball bat.  The robber was arrested and faces common law theft charges.  She faces the unemployment line.

The store's policy is that employees are not supposed to pursue robbers.  Give them the money and the merchandise and let them go.

The comments section of the story about Ms Harris is filled with people saying she deserves a promotion, a raise and accolades for her actions.  People are entitled to that opinion.  They're also entitled to believe that the reason that policy exists is so that the store won't be sued by the thief for the beating he took.  I don't buy that for a second.

Money can be replaced.  Merchandise can be replaced.  Life cannot be replaced.  Let trained law enforcement personnel engage armed thieves.

* * *

Edith Macias is a student at the University of California, Riverside.  Back in September at a training session for student organizations on campus, she allegedly stole a MAGA hat from the head of another student.  A video of their confrontation went viral.

Now the Riverside County District Attorney's office is pursuing grand theft charges against her.  Apparently, taking something off of another person's body is considered misdemeanor grand theft.  

Reporter's note:  Interesting to note that Breitbart, Fox News and other conservative-leaning media outlets are playing up this story, while more liberal-leaning media outlets appear to be ignoring it.

* * *

Apparently, the Republican members of the Virginia state assembly would rather change a rule that is more than 100 years old rather than have to address Danica Roem, the state's first transgender legislator as a woman.

The rules call for legislators to be referred to as "the gentleman" or "the gentlewoman" and the plan is to replace the term with "delegate."

Reporter's note:  Why do they care so much?

* * *

The title of an article appearing on Yahoo Style was "People Were Distracted by Tiffany Trump's bare legs at White House turkey pardon.  Here's the photo:

Distracting?  What do you think?

* * *

Multiple media outlets are reporting that the North Korean Army Border Guards at the DMZ who failed to prevent the defection of the soldier who ran to the South through the DMZ have all been "replaced."

Were they all summarily executed?  Perhaps.  A lot of people seem to believe that's what happened. 

Given the instability of the leader of the DPRK, seems very possible.

* * *