Yes, Putin took the Uranium deal - they had been after it all during the Obama administration. First Bill got a half a million dollar speaking engagement in Russia and Hillary made some deal along with Obama to receive billions in cash for 20% of our Uranium, which they smuggled through Canada. Oh...do you mean did Putin interfere in our election to try and help Donald Trump win? No. There is 0 evidence of that, but he did collude with Hillary and Obama to get our Uranium. Then Hillary and her group made up a fake dossier on Trump, which the median reported on as if it were real all to deflect on what Hillary the crook was really up to, with Obama never thinking for a minute Trump might win this thing and she would lose because she ran a lousy campaign. She's untrustworthy and it's always been thus. And so.
Yup, and since when did anyone try to tell me how to vote and succeed at that? The biggest joke in all of this, if you can call it that, is the insult against Americans because those of us who do vote in presidential elections don't get our beliefs and ideas about who we want to be president from facebook ads and other 2nd rate sources of political propaganda.
Right Anonymous, and we can no longer get it from the news networks, cable or otherwise. You have to vote your values. Find a candidate that most closely represents those values, and know that you aren't going to agree on everything, it's not all going to go your way. I wanted someone who was going to stand up against "business as usual," the status quo, and be straight. A strong, tough leader. There were other candidates on that primary stage I valued, but I knew only one would be able to withstand the onslaught that was to come.
I'm still waiting for more details on the uranium deal to emerge, so for the present I'm not assuming anything. While I am generally sympathetic with your viewpoint, Castor, I'm not as cynical as you, at least not yet. As I see it, the Dems have gotten themselves caught in a very common trap, based on wishful thinking and confirmation bias rather than out and out corruption. By the way, I highly recommend Camille Paglia's take on this issue. She's a long time Democrat who predicted Trump would win and is now castigating the Dems for their ridiculous over-reaction to the election results. I fully agree and I imagine you would too.
I'm not a conservative, though. But neither can I call myself a liberal anymore, after the outrageous behavior of so many liberals toward Trump, Putin and all the other hot button issues.
Illegal immigration has been a serious issue for many years and it's unfair to label Trump a racist because he wants us to make a real effort to control it, rather than just kicking the can down the road.
Similarly, the decision to cut back on immigration from countries that harbour terrorists might sound politically incorrect, but like it or not it is at least an attempt to actually deal with the problem rather than simply talk it to death.
Trump's problem with me is not his policies, which he has every right to espouse, but his inability to grasp the complexities of these policies and his willingness to leave crucial details to others. Could say a lot more on this but that's all I have time for now.
You are well thought out Doc. I think the main appeal of Trump was that he doesn't seem to really fit in the box of "liberal" or "conservative." Both parties have let us down. But where I may be cynical is I never had faith in the political system to begin with! I don't see the necessity for government meddling in anything other than what I believe they are elected to do, which is really quite simple based on what the Founding Fathers documented for us to adhere to. And so the job of the federal government is to preserve and defend the Constitution of the U.S., and keep us militarily ready and prepared. Period.
Camille Paglia is a very good resource. I will look into her writings again, thank you.
Trump is rough around the edges, he doesn't understand the complexities yes, I agree, he's an outsider, a businessman, who probably believes the country should be run like a business - you don't get yourself so far into debt that our great grandchildren will have to be taxed to death to pay it off so he has the right approach in many instances I would hope - but for instance now with his tax reform bill I have heard 0 about no further spending or at the very least, cutting back. I want to give The Donald every chance to succeed.
". . . the right approach", Castor? Four bankruptcies, every one for personal gain, and to the detriment of others? And you think this is a good qualification?
Yes CC, he has had his failures. I read "The Art of the Deal", a good indication of who he is. For me he's the opposite of what hasn't worked, the elite donor-funded candidates that pay homage to them, and not to the people who elected them to do the job they said they were going to do. My friends and family who voted for him are doctors, a few attorneys, military, musicians and artists - we are not a basket of deplorables. When I was building a sales career years ago the CEO of the company and founder said her knees were bloody from all of the times she fell down and the business was on the verge of collapse. But that she got back up, and that's what counts. Getting back up.
So Doc, I looked back after a brief vacation from this site, and see that you would like the left handed handwriting from Patsy and John as instructed by BPD, to use the words of the ransom note interwoven into a paragraph. I always had thought there would be a larger sample out there somewhere, and I wanted your opinion. As far as I know Cherokee doesn't even have it. What I was going to get around to before the "blow up" is that it doesn't look like John wrote the note with his left hand, but neither does it look like Patsy did as well. My hypothesis is if John's left handed sample was used to "rule him out" then was the same criterion used to keep Patsy ruled in - and what criterion was that? So yes, if you wish I will email you the samples and if you would post them we can all compare. Thanks.
I got it, Castor. Thanks. I'd seen John's sample before, as it was reproduced in Paula Woodward's book, but it didn't seem relevant to me so I didn't think to post it here. But now I will. Stay tuned.
Well said and absolutely right in regard to what's become of the Democratic party. As I said, it's unrecognizable to me. I've been a registered Democrat since I first voted which is a long time ago now, but as things stand today, I can't support or condone what they've done, and what they continue to do. They are no longer the people's party, as they've become a bunch of elite, corrupt super radical leftists with their own agendas which don't include the working middle class, the backbone of this country and with an ideology I cannot support or relate to.
Donald Trump spoke to the middle class, the forgotten people, the silent majority and they listened. They showed up to vote for him and he won. The Democrats are trying everything to get him impeached and cannot accept the fact that he is our President.
On the other hand, the Republicans are no better. They are torn in half over Trump's election as well and have paralyzed their own party. They are also interested in their own agendas and have stopped working for the people as well.
They've ALL become the ruling class and have forgotten that they work for us. Somewhere along the line that message got lost.
Wow, I am so thankful in?on?down on? the blog for you. It's uncanny, we're on the same page morally, intellectually, politically. I am passionate about politics. My mother was a college phD professor in Political Science, my father was Vice Consul of the US Embasssy in a foreign country. Back then I drank the kool aid of my generation as all 20 year olds did - then I came to my senses in 1980. No one cares about our personal stuff in here, but I do agree with you, some of these Republicans are no better, "the swamp." They have forgotten they are there for US, not themselves. They've made promises to get re elected and not done what they said they were going to do. Term Limits would be a good place to start. I'm a conservative first, a Republican second. How about instead of talking about a tax break we talk about cutting out spending?
Yes, Castor, we do seem to be on the same page in most instances. However, I've always considered myself a moderate. I don't believe in the far right or the far left and I agree wholeheartedly about the government being super involved in our lives and that's unacceptable to me.
However. many people became more dependent on government as more and more manufacturing jobs, customer service jobs, etc went overseas. Not everyone knows how or wants to work on a computer. If we don't build anything, there are fewer jobs for laborers and on and on.
Donald Trump spoke to those people. He hit a nerve. People were able to overlook the fact that he wasn't polished as they were more concerned, and rightfully so, with putting food on their table. People grew tired of the status quo the corrupt politicians who spoke beautifully and were cultured and well educated, but who were robbing us blind, totally corrupt and only looking out for their own welfare.
The fact that he was not a politician was to his benefit and a very big part of why he won the election.
Hi all, no one wants to discuss the release of some of the documents on the JFK assassination? I remember my dad talking to me when I was in elementary school about how he likely wouldn't be alive when the reports were unsealed, and my memory was they were to be sealed for 75 years or so, to surpass the expected lifetimes of the president's family. And my father did unexpectedly passed away in September. But I'd like to think he now knows all the answers to that and other mysteries.
Not much time to post lately but I have tried to keep up with the comments. I couldn't find a will so now it's looking like the state can take over all of my dad's homes so I spent the day removing as many of his helmets as I could manage. Could not bear to see his possessions end up at the dump so trying to prevent that. I did manage to sell a German newspaper clipping from 1916, a photo of WWII German infantry in the field with a creche during Christmas time as well as his civil defense radiation detection kit,because hey, doesn't every home need one. A few German canteens too at the gun show. I know I let the Afrika Corp helmet go too cheap, along with a double decal, but it's not like I'm an expert on this stuff. People, if you have heirs, please make your will an then let them know where you have it. Because where I live, the state can take it all per what the attorney told me Fri. Immediate possession and no chance of letting family get out belongings. (insert lots of cuss words, grumble, mutter)
On the topic of politics, I could never vote for Hillary, goes all the way back when she denigrated the women who spoke out about her husband, made ugly comments a about housewives, Betty Crocker...that was an insult to me, and my mother, and the generations of proud women in my family who did bake from scratch, washed diapers, and worked hard, stood in line for rations. And of course Hillary would still hate women like myself now, someone with a CCP.
Congrats to the Astros, the Tide Rolled and Go Chiefs!
You need a new probate attorney, Lil. Absent a valid will, your father's estate passes to his heirs under the laws of intestate succession - in most states, first (at least in part) to a surviving spouse, if any, then to any children. There are a number of variables, but I know of no state where real or personal property is forfeited.
Unless a person dies with no lineal descendants, no blood relatives of any kind and no surviving spouse. That's the only circumstance in which a decedent's estate escheats to the state - clearly not the case here.
My condolences as well, Lil. And may I just second her plea for everyone to have a valid and updated will. I know no one likes to think about it, but it's a gift to the people you leave behind.
Quite right, Canuck. Everyone should have a will, AND DON'T PUT IT IN A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX. Put it in a fireproof metal box in your home with your passport and other important papers - which I hope include what's called "health care documents" in my business - a durable power of attorney, a health care power of attorney, a living will and a HIPAA statement. And tell your kids where the metal box is.
It was remiss of me not to extend my condolences earlier, Lil. I remember your struggles - singlehandedly - with your father's health last year. My best.
A couple pieces of legal advice, gratis, to anyone interested: If you wish to avoid paying 200 bucks to a qualified estate planning/probate attorney to prepare a will, you can download one from the internet. Google "State of __________self-proving will" and take it from there. The self-proving part is critical; you'll need two witnesses and a notary to make it valid.
Google "State of ______" Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property", and search your name, or (in Lil's case), a relative's to find and claim monies escheated to your state - unearned insurance premiums, utility deposits, stock dividends...all kinds of things.
If you're ever up here in NYC, I owe you a cup of "cawfee". I went on that site you mentioned above and found some money due me from an old house insurance policy I had back when I sold my house in 2012. It's probably not much, but what the hell, it's still mine. :) Thanks again!
Thanks everyone so much, for the condolences and advice. I honored my dad at the visitation with music, had my hubby burn two cds of songs dad liked as well as some he used to play on guitar. So everything from Worried Man Blues, I Saw the Light, Yesterday When I Was Young, to the Wabash Cannonball, Spirit in the Sky, Puff the Magic Dragon, King of the Road, Counting Flowers on the Wall...it was a jam and a hoedown!
In his memory we stopped in the town he was born and married in, and visited the Russell Stover candy outlet. (His father had worked for the company in Kansas City). Dad spent a lot of time hunting morel mushrooms on his family's land, the only hunting he ever did.
The last day I saw him awake he asked me to get him a Cherry Mash. (candy from St Joseph, MO that I can find at Hobby Lobby). I ate one in his honor and put the empty wrapper in his casket, along with other mementos.
We couldn't afford to board our three dogs as well as my dad's three dogs while we made the drive up, so I had to relinquish his dogs to the Humane Society, which was already pretty full with rescues from the hurricane pets from Texas. So, I'm missing his dogs as well, hoping they got re-homed.
And CC, you're a real gem and Mrs Santa Claus, as I did do a search on the state's treasury, and while my deceased parents nor myself have anything unclaimed, turns out my in-laws do have over $500 owed to them from two different states and my husband is owed something as well! What a fortuitous suggestion! Hugs, handshakes and pats on the back for that!
For those missing your loved ones, eat or drink or dance or sing in their memory, of something they enjoyed while here on the earthly plane.
You're most welcome, Lil...but the real issue is the probate of your father's estate. It's terribly important that you not believe the attorney you saw last Friday. There is no state in the Union that takes a man's real or personal property. If you're still confused, e-mail me privately at oceanview2519@gmail.com, and I'll help you find a qualifed probate attorney in your area who can help you.
You're very generous with your knowledge, CC. I think it's fantastic that this online community Doc created is producing real-world benefits for some of its members.
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Your tribute to your father sounds heartfelt and fun, Lil. I'm sorry to hear his dogs had to be surrendered. Hopefully they can find a new home quickly.
I still remember the good old days when the crook Hillary presented the Russians with her 'reset' button, and Obama glibly mocked Romney for his outdated 80s cold-war views on Russia. And yet now Trump is virtually a traitor for not nuking Moscow, and Putin 'interfered' in the election, and in the Brexit vote here in the UK. How times change... I think Trump is an immature blowhard, and the current GOP are a bunch of creeps and cretins, but honestly give me Trump over that professional career criminal Hillary and her rapist husband any day. My biggest worry is that the GOP lack the balls to actually get anything meaningful done. They're scared of rocking the boat - another problem that fixed term limits would solve - politicians who have reelection to think of rarely take risks (as Obama said to the Russian foreign minister when he thought the mic was off - 'tell Vladimir I can be more flexible after the election'). Kisses to all.
This is really all you need to know about what Trump wants America to be:
Foreign man of color runs over 8 people = Trump calls him an animal and is tweeting about immigration reform and travel bans
Vegas shooter and church shooter kill 85 people = Trump says this isn't a gun problem, it's a mental health issue
The man is a coward and conned America. If you voted for him you should be livid with the lies this clown told you. He takes no ownership of ANYTHING bad by simply blaming Obama or Hillary. But anything positive he wants total credit for. He even praised himself as being the reason the stock market is up
Castor - Tell me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that there are zero background checks at gun shows. Thats a JOKE
If I liked bacon...ate bacon every day and collected anything bacon and then all of a sudden there were tons of bacon related deaths everywhere, I would find a new snack.
Agree that assault rifles ought to be more regulated. But J, the fact is, regardless of who is president, bad people are going to get guns whether they are outlawed or not, and regardless of how you want to label these people (mentally ill/deranged, terrorists, whatever - they are all bad in my terms.) Just like with illegal drugs - only bad people smuggle them, buy them, use them. Laws haven't really solved the drug problem either. In both cases, more monitoring is probably the best we can do. Do background checks on all assault rifle purchases, monitor the doctors that are freely prescribing opioids, and keep the smugglers out of the country as best we can.
Don't understand your remark about thoughts and prayers. I will always pray for comfort for the families of those whose lives were taken. Who said anyone thinks prayer is the "fix" the root cause of these problems? As for me, I don't own a gun. However, I want to be able to get one should I decide one day that I need it for my own protection.
As for Trump, agree that he's not PC. I really don't care what he labels all these characters as. I'm probably a harsher judge than he is, but my thoughts are private, I don't have platform, and I don't care if my opinions hurt anyone's feelings. After all, they are MY opinions. So, I'm gonna label them all "bad people." And yes, that includes the Vegas shooter. I'm sad that he had such a sick mind, and no one can explain why he was so sick. But still, he made a choice, a bad choice, and it was so bad that in my view he's a bad person.
Forget Trump....I am not putting this gun issue in his lap. He isn't the only problem we have. The FACT is that we have had 377 mass shootings this year and yet NOTHING is done about it. The Republicans have complete control and don't seem to care. Will gun control prevent everything? No, of course not. But, it will help limit these shootings. Though Trump labels this as a "Mental Health" issue and in his first few months in office he reversed a bill allowing people with mental health issues able to buy a gun. SMH
I am sick and tired of this "2nd Amendment" making all of this ok nonsense. I am pretty sure our forefathers didn't intend for this to be what would happen. What if all of us on here came up with a rule that people would obey 200 years from now. Would it still be relevant?
My comment on "thoughts and prayers not being enough" is simply that it has become something we just say. "Our thoughts and prayers go our to the victims and their families." Yes, it is a nice thing to say and I am not telling people to stop praying. However, thoughts and prayers aren't going to prevent these shootings, so how about enough of having to say it and DO SOMETHING.
--It obviously gets me heated because this conversation should have been over when Sandy Hook happened and yet here we are.
I'm with Canuck. Your stance on drug use is incredibly ignorant. Not all drug users are "bad people." If you walked into a rehab right now, you would find doctors, accountants, teachers, mothers and fathers. People probably much like yourself. Actually, you need not even look as far as a rehab. I'm willing to bet that you personally know someone who is either in active addiction or recovery and you just aren't aware. Many addicts are just ordinary people with a problem. Educate yourself.
Geez,people are so defensive these days. Were you unclear that I was talking about illegal, recreational use and selling of drugs, and doctors who over-prescribe? These are people who hurt themselves and others.
Yes, people tend to get defensive when someone makes a sweeping, offensive statement. No, I wasn't unclear on anything. Although, that sentence of yours is a bit unclear. Illegal drugs aren't just substances such as methamphetamine and cocaine. It is also illegal to take prescription drugs which weren't prescribed for you. Recreational use includes the use of any drug not medically necessary. Most alcohol consumption is recreational.
I'm with HKH on this one. Addiction (recreational, legal, illegal or otherwise) is not such a black and white issue, therefore it is not as simple as "drug addicts are bad". It is a very simplistic view you hold, and extremely narrow minded. But, you're entitled to it, of course, and it's a view shared by many, unfortunately.....I just don't agree with it. Drug addiction is an insidious disease, and one that no one - "good" or "bad" - believes will ever happen to them. There's a very fine line between "recreational use" (maybe a drink or two a day, or a couple of sleeping tablets before bed) and addiction, and no one is immune to it. It's not a weakness or lack of moral character, it's a disease.
Ms D, with all due respect because I like you, please understand my view. Of course I never said drug addicts are bad. People that illegally sell drugs, whether to addicts or anyone else are not just criminals, but bad people who don't care what harm comes to their client. Likewise, there are indeed bad doctors in America that dole out prescriptions and over prescribe. I know because a friend who became addicted to painkillers found more than one shady doctor to give him the drugs with no effort made to get the patient on a pain management program. So anyway, I didn't start this conversation to discuss addiction. I was making an analogy that when you outlaw harmful things (drugs, guns) then "bad" people outnumber the good in possession of said illegal item. If you are an otherwise upstanding person with an addiction problem, why would you buy drugs illegally? You would go to a reputable doctor and seek the proper care.
Drug addiction, and here's a novel idea, is a CHOICE, not a disease. But the medical, legal and governmental community classifies it as a disease so that you can use your insurance to get treatment. If we pass everything off as something we have no control about then we continue to be a society of victims. The doctor or dentist must assess their patients as someone with a high risk of dependency, before prescribing. People that abuse opioids in the first place may have obtained them from a physician to treat pain. If the doctor is over prescribing then yes, the medical community needs to establish a checks and balances situation, and penalize over-prescribing physicians within that community. And they do. Doctors affiliated with clinics now are not allowed (some of them) to even offer opioids as pain relievers. But I never, ever, think it's a good idea for the government to get involved. Case in point Prohibition. But once the government can figure out a way to profit on (tax) opioids it will fade into the distance as alcohol and marijuana have. Never really solving the problem, which comes back to personal choice.
Eagle Eyed Ms D will get me on banning movies now.:) It used to be that there were attendants at movie theaters that did not allow children in under a certain age if movies were deemed inappropriate. Then ratings were issued, and a watchful parent would look up the movies and if they were rated R for nudity, adult content and sex dad put his foot down and would not supply the money for the kids to see the movies. Family units have broken down in the last 30 years. The only hit Hollywood is going to take is if people stop paying to see violent movies. They still want to operate under the guise that "art imitates life" but aren't they CREATING the kind of life their movies are putting out there under the false impression that it's art?
People who buy and use drugs are all "bad people", Anonymous? Most people who buy and use drugs are recreational users. They're normal, everyday people with families and jobs. Only a minority of people who buy and use drugs actually become addicted to them. It's the same with people who use alcohol recreationally as opposed to those who become full-blown alcoholics.
The vast majority of people who become addicted to illicit drugs (or alcohol) are survivors of childhood physical/sexual abuse or other major childhood trauma. They are not all "bad people." Drug addiction can cause desperate individuals to commit crimes, certainly, and those actions are certainly wrong and should be punished, but not the addiction itself.
You also mention doctors who prescribe opioids. Again, you need to do some research instead of just making blanket generalizations. Most of the people prescribed opioids for pain never become addicted to them. (And do some research into the difference between addiction and dependence. They're very different animals.) The problem is when some people who become physically dependent on opioids are cut off with no legitimate options. The physical withdrawal can make them turn to street drugs that are cut with numerous impurities. Here in Canada, our fentanyl and carfentanil trades are propped up by smuggling from China. The drugs that flood our streets actually have very little to do with doctors prescribing painkillers.
Please consider reading "Chasing The Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs" by Johann Hari.
Even though I'm not American, I'm agree with your thoughts on your Second Amendment, J. The amendment says that people have the right to keep and bear arms as part of a "well regulated militia." It was never meant to be a free-for-all and you're absolutely correct that your founding fathers could never have foreseen today's weaponry.
Canuck, I don't concern myself with weed users, though the laced stuff is leading a good deal of unwary young people to harsher stuff. I have friends whose son died in college after going down that path. As for opioids, I think you know I'm talking docs that over prescribe, hence my comment about regulating the over-prescribing. I know a former pro athlete who is addicted because docs didn't insist on the right way to do pain management and just got out their Rx pad. He has ruined his life and the lives of his family. As I said, I'm a harsh judge toward those who wittingly make bad choices. I stand by my position. Buying illegal drugs is a fool's folly. Most people don't know what their getting and putting inside their bodies. But I'm all for legalizing weed so that those who want the pure stuff can get it. It's not for me... Makes ya lazy and unproductive!
It's not for me, either. I've never done an illegal drug in my life. It's a complicated problem that requires a comprehensive solution. Go ahead and stand by your position...just make sure that it's an informed position. No one chooses to become an addict. I'm very glad we're finally legalizing marijuana in Canada, but I don't think we're going far enough. I advocate for the decriminalization of all drugs. (One step at a time, though, of course.) We should look to Portugal as a model.
I'm sorry to hear about your athlete friend who became addicted, but there had to be some emotional pain/trauma going on in his life for him to go from physical dependence to full-blown, destructive addiction. As I mentioned before, the majority of patients who are given opioids for pain relief never become addicted to them.
Thank you Canuck, but no- my friend had no emotional issues that I'm aware of. He had several injuries to his neck and spine during his hockey career. He had constant pain and never got into a proper pain management program. He became addicted and kept bugging the doctor for more pills, and he got them. The things he did while addicted were harmful to his family and to himself. He's better now that he has some good doctors. His family was destroyed by this. In this case, I blame the docs who knew he had a problem and still kept giving him more.
I agree, prescribing doctors need to carefully manage their pain patients, and quick referrals to pain management programs are key. I’m no psychologist, but in terms of your friend, for him to go from fit, strong, and healthy to someone laid low by debilitating pain and injury was probably more than enough trauma for him to feel the need to dull the stress and anxiety with pain meds. He must have felt very unsure about his future and his ability to continue providing for his family. I’m glad to hear he’s on a better path now and has responsible health care providers. Addiction CAN be overcome.
According to wikipedia the federal assault weapons ban was enacted in 1994 - a prohibition on the manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms defined as assault weapons - and remained so for ten years. All constitutional challenges to the ban were rejected. None succeeded. But the word "certain" is disturbing. It gets me heated as well J. We want to take some kind of action every time there are these random acts of violence - do something - do anything and what is there to be done? Lock your doors, stay inside, arm yourself to the teeth? They are talking on the news about providing security for churches. That's no solution. After Columbine they were talking about metal detectors at the doors. Shall we post guards at kindergarten classes? My solution is to ban all violent movies and television shows. Let's go back to censuring. Right after the Las Vegas shooting I heard commercials on the radio for the latest Criminal Minds TV show, it was a father who was yelling at his daughter to get down, take cover with machine gun sounds in the background.
Castor, here in Australia we have just as much access to violent movies as you do in the U.S, yet gun violence is virtually unheard of here. Therefore I would argue that banning all violent movies/television shows will do squat in regards to reducing the frequency of America's mass shootings, and to suggest that censorship will somehow cure the U.S of it's obsession with firearms is extremely naive.
There is probably a correlation, however, between violent movies, television shows, and video games and impressionable young minds who see these things as entertainment, or fun - case in point the Columbine shooters who played games such as "Mortal Combat". I think it's naive to suggest that there is going to be a gun control law that is going to stop these people from shooting others. It's an evidence-less proposition. We already have the laws. Let's enforce them. And look for other solutions as well. Ask where the obsession with firearms comes from.
Well, all I know is that it only took ONE mass shooting to occur before Australia changed it's gun laws. Since then, mass shootings are virtually unheard of - but we play just as many violent video games and watch just as many violent television shows, so I think the solution is rather self evident.....the problem lies with your antiquated 2nd amendment, not your entertainment industry.
Assault rifles should be for military and LE use, only. PERIOD!
Why the hell does anyone need an assault rifle? I am all for the right to bear arms and I think it's important that every American has the right to do so for their personal protection, however assault rifles? Not just no, but hell no.
This guy fell through the cracks for sure. He isn't the first to do so, and won't be the last, unfortunately. However, if assault rifles were illegal to purchase and therefore unavailable to citizens, this wouldn't be happening. Or at the very least, not as often as we've been seeing it lately.
Notice EG it was a NRA-trained-instructor civilian who shot the guy and stopped him (after also chasing him down in his vehicle). I don't, however, know if he used an assault rifle.
Yes, Castor I saw that as well. Yep it's not the NRA members we have to worry about. Thank God those two men were brave enough to chase him down and had a gun to stop him. God knows where his next stop would have been.
As I said, I am all for people wanting a firearm for protection, but these assault rifles have to go.
You do make a good point regarding the violence we are all subjected to on a daily basis. Between television shows, computer games etc we are bombarded everyday with some form of violence. Just not sure about censorship being the answer. I am also curious if this guy was on any type of drug as he escaped or was released from a mental hospital at some point.
Yes, EG no necessity for assault weapons for civilians.
I'm lurking, hoping Doc will put together an interesting thread regarding the left handed samples taken from John and Patsy. Another way the police bungled the case was in not obtaining existing samples before the crime. John said he wrote something out for the police but he would have been able to disguise his handwriting right away. If they had gone to his office and gotten more samples I think it might have been obvious who wrote the note. imo
They did get pre-crime handwriting samples from both Ramseys; the BPD collected 11 pads/notepads from the house on 12/26 alone.
You do get that handwriting analysis is inadmissible in most courts because it isn't a science, is totally subjective, and that the "experts" have no uniform educational criteria, no standardized certification or methods?
Okay, thanks. Yes, I do get that - in this particular case they ruled John out and Patsy in so it would appear their only evidence was a biased perception that she wrote it, then saw what they wanted to see.
Hi Castor. This is an unusually busy time for me, which is why I haven't already posted the files you sent. If I thought they might make a difference I'd have posted them right away, regardless. Unfortunately there is nothing new there. John's sample was already reproduced in Woodward's book some time ago and I posted Patsy's sample on this blog over a year ago.
Nevertheless, I do plan to post them when I get some time.
Also I saw the front page of some weekly rag mag part one of two on Jonbenets killer at the checkout tonight. Didn't get a chance to glance thru it tho.
I'm so sorry to hear about your father. Your tribute to him was personal and thoughtful--a very nice way to honor his memory. I hope you were able to find a new attorney as CC advised. I'm sure it's hard to sort all of that out while you're grieving.
My thoughts, for what they are worth, on gun control and the drug problem:
Obviously the world would be a better place if access to guns were strictly controlled, and in the countries where such controls exist the incidence of mass murders and other forms of gun induced mayhem are relatively rare. As far as the USA is concerned, however, the opportunity for meaningful gun control has long since passed. We can complain as much as we like regarding the folly of allowing just about anyone to get hold of such lethal weapons, and I've been as loud a complainer as anyone -- and you can double that as far as automatic weapons are concerned, as the absence of controls on those items has always struck me as totally unjustifiable if not utterly insane.
However, the die has been cast on this issue I'm afraid, the Rubicon has been crossed, the cat has been let out of the bag, or whatever quaint metaphor you might want to apply. There are simply too many guns out there, including automatic weapons, for any law to make much of a difference at this point in time. And any attempt to invoke serious gun control laws might well precipitate a civil war, so attached are the gun nuts to their precious weapons and their absurd interpretation of their "constitutional rights," clearly a delusion.
So at this point, as I see it, gun control is essentially a "feel good" issue. If you're a liberal and you want to feel good about yourself you can campaign all you like for gun control and that will demonstrate to the world that you are a better person. But it won't make a difference, so as this particular liberal sees it: why bother?
As far as drugs are concerned, what I've learned from friends in the medical profession, long time use of certain opiates is not particularly harmful to one's health. Sure, one can easily get addicted, but one could identify lots of widely used medications that are "addictive" in the sense that they are necessary for the patient's well being.
Is someone with diabetes "addicted" to insulin? Is someone with high blood pressure "addicted" to blood pressure medication? What it boils down to is the issue of whether the "addiction" is or is not the result of one's own bad decisions in the past. So ultimately the difference hinges on a moral issue. If your need for a particular drug is self-induced then you are an "addict." If the need is not self-induced then you have a legit health issue.
Is this fair? Well, the time for worrying over fairness is long past. It's gone beyond fair and graduated to a national disaster. So as I see it, it's time to forget about the moral issue and simply treat addiction as any other health issue. If someone suffers from diabetes then he should be entitled to a prescription for insulin. If someone suffers from heroin addiction then he should be entitled to a prescription for heroin.
Absolutely, Doc. Well said. What you talk about is the difference between addiction and dependence. As I mentioned above, they're very different animals. That said, no one chooses to be an addict, so addiction can't really be called self-induced. The vast majority of people who make the "bad decision" to ingest an illegal drug will never become addicted. It has more to do with individual brain chemistry and the need to self-medicate, which mainly comes from physical and emotional trauma.
My province is finally starting a prescription heroin program to complement our wonderful safe-injection site(s). Decriminalization and harm reduction are the way to go.
The entire war was televised, bringing guns and violent death to the evening news night after night with glib, matter-of-fact discussions of "body counts". Footage of burning, napalmed children, piles of Vietnamese bodies, burning villages -carnage most Americans had never imagined - became routine, almost acceptable, expected.
GIs, most of whom after 1967-68 had been drafted, and did not want to be there, had a median age of 19. The military put guns in the hands of some 9 million children in total, and taught them to kill. At home, the country was torn in half, sometimes by violent protest on college campuses. At Kent State the National Guard killed 4 kids. The 1968 Democratic convention was protested in the surrounding streets, and the cops beat kids bloody with nightsticks. The Black Panthers were born, and The Weathermen. The social fabric of the country was torn, violence became acceptable - and it was all right there on TV.
Those same 9 million smoked pot, by 1968-69, almost to a man. Some smoked opium, and snorted or injected heroin to dull their senses and blot out some of the horror. They sent those cheap and easily available drugs home to their friends in packages, even in body bags with corpses, and when they got back to "the World" they sought and used drugs those drugs, doubling and then trebling the illicit drug trade.
The Vietnam War lasted a decade, and Americans lost their innocence about drugs and guns, and violence, and learned for the first time that our leaders in government lied to us, routinely.
Yes, Putin took the Uranium deal - they had been after it all during the Obama administration. First Bill got a half a million dollar speaking engagement in Russia and Hillary made some deal along with Obama to receive billions in cash for 20% of our Uranium, which they smuggled through Canada. Oh...do you mean did Putin interfere in our election to try and help Donald Trump win? No. There is 0 evidence of that, but he did collude with Hillary and Obama to get our Uranium. Then Hillary and her group made up a fake dossier on Trump, which the median reported on as if it were real all to deflect on what Hillary the crook was really up to, with Obama never thinking for a minute Trump might win this thing and she would lose because she ran a lousy campaign. She's untrustworthy and it's always been thus. And so.
ReplyDeleteYup, and since when did anyone try to tell me how to vote and succeed at that? The biggest joke in all of this, if you can call it that, is the insult against Americans because those of us who do vote in presidential elections don't get our beliefs and ideas about who we want to be president from facebook ads and other 2nd rate sources of political propaganda.
DeleteRight Anonymous, and we can no longer get it from the news networks, cable or otherwise. You have to vote your values. Find a candidate that most closely represents those values, and know that you aren't going to agree on everything, it's not all going to go your way. I wanted someone who was going to stand up against "business as usual," the status quo, and be straight. A strong, tough leader. There were other candidates on that primary stage I valued, but I knew only one would be able to withstand the onslaught that was to come.
DeleteI'm still waiting for more details on the uranium deal to emerge, so for the present I'm not assuming anything. While I am generally sympathetic with your viewpoint, Castor, I'm not as cynical as you, at least not yet. As I see it, the Dems have gotten themselves caught in a very common trap, based on wishful thinking and confirmation bias rather than out and out corruption. By the way, I highly recommend Camille Paglia's take on this issue. She's a long time Democrat who predicted Trump would win and is now castigating the Dems for their ridiculous over-reaction to the election results. I fully agree and I imagine you would too.
DeleteI'm not a conservative, though. But neither can I call myself a liberal anymore, after the outrageous behavior of so many liberals toward Trump, Putin and all the other hot button issues.
Illegal immigration has been a serious issue for many years and it's unfair to label Trump a racist because he wants us to make a real effort to control it, rather than just kicking the can down the road.
Similarly, the decision to cut back on immigration from countries that harbour terrorists might sound politically incorrect, but like it or not it is at least an attempt to actually deal with the problem rather than simply talk it to death.
Trump's problem with me is not his policies, which he has every right to espouse, but his inability to grasp the complexities of these policies and his willingness to leave crucial details to others. Could say a lot more on this but that's all I have time for now.
You are well thought out Doc. I think the main appeal of Trump was that he doesn't seem to really fit in the box of "liberal" or "conservative." Both parties have let us down. But where I may be cynical is I never had faith in the political system to begin with! I don't see the necessity for government meddling in anything other than what I believe they are elected to do, which is really quite simple based on what the Founding Fathers documented for us to adhere to. And so the job of the federal government is to preserve and defend the Constitution of the U.S., and keep us militarily ready and prepared. Period.
DeleteCamille Paglia is a very good resource. I will look into her writings again, thank you.
Trump is rough around the edges, he doesn't understand the complexities yes, I agree, he's an outsider, a businessman, who probably believes the country should be run like a business - you don't get yourself so far into debt that our great grandchildren will have to be taxed to death to pay it off so he has the right approach in many instances I would hope - but for instance now with his tax reform bill I have heard 0 about no further spending or at the very least, cutting back. I want to give The Donald every chance to succeed.
". . . the right approach", Castor? Four bankruptcies, every one for personal gain, and to the detriment of others? And you think this is a good qualification?
DeleteMy mistake:: SIX Chapter 11 bankruptcies! Trump says he considers "the first three as one".
DeleteYes CC, he has had his failures. I read "The Art of the Deal", a good indication of who he is. For me he's the opposite of what hasn't worked, the elite donor-funded candidates that pay homage to them, and not to the people who elected them to do the job they said they were going to do. My friends and family who voted for him are doctors, a few attorneys, military, musicians and artists - we are not a basket of deplorables. When I was building a sales career years ago the CEO of the company and founder said her knees were bloody from all of the times she fell down and the business was on the verge of collapse. But that she got back up, and that's what counts. Getting back up.
DeleteSo Doc, I looked back after a brief vacation from this site, and see that you would like the left handed handwriting from Patsy and John as instructed by BPD, to use the words of the ransom note interwoven into a paragraph. I always had thought there would be a larger sample out there somewhere, and I wanted your opinion. As far as I know Cherokee doesn't even have it. What I was going to get around to before the "blow up" is that it doesn't look like John wrote the note with his left hand, but neither does it look like Patsy did as well. My hypothesis is if John's left handed sample was used to "rule him out" then was the same criterion used to keep Patsy ruled in - and what criterion was that? So yes, if you wish I will email you the samples and if you would post them we can all compare. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYes, please send it.
DeleteI got it, Castor. Thanks. I'd seen John's sample before, as it was reproduced in Paula Woodward's book, but it didn't seem relevant to me so I didn't think to post it here. But now I will. Stay tuned.
DeleteGracias, Doc.
DeleteCastor,
ReplyDeleteWell said and absolutely right in regard to what's become of the Democratic party. As I said, it's unrecognizable to me. I've been a registered Democrat since I first voted which is a long time ago now, but as things stand today, I can't support or condone what they've done, and what they continue to do. They are no longer the people's party, as they've become a bunch of elite, corrupt super radical leftists with their own agendas which don't include the working middle class, the backbone of this country and with an ideology I cannot support or relate to.
Donald Trump spoke to the middle class, the forgotten people, the silent majority and they listened. They showed up to vote for him and he won. The Democrats are trying everything to get him impeached and cannot accept the fact that he is our President.
On the other hand, the Republicans are no better. They are torn in half over Trump's election as well and have paralyzed their own party. They are also interested in their own agendas and have stopped working for the people as well.
They've ALL become the ruling class and have forgotten that they work for us. Somewhere along the line that message got lost.
The answer: TERM LIMITS--IMHO
EG
Wow, I am so thankful in?on?down on? the blog for you. It's uncanny, we're on the same page morally, intellectually, politically. I am passionate about politics. My mother was a college phD professor in Political Science, my father was Vice Consul of the US Embasssy in a foreign country. Back then I drank the kool aid of my generation as all 20 year olds did - then I came to my senses in 1980. No one cares about our personal stuff in here, but I do agree with you, some of these Republicans are no better, "the swamp." They have forgotten they are there for US, not themselves. They've made promises to get re elected and not done what they said they were going to do. Term Limits would be a good place to start. I'm a conservative first, a Republican second. How about instead of talking about a tax break we talk about cutting out spending?
ReplyDeleteYes, Castor, we do seem to be on the same page in most instances. However, I've always considered myself a moderate. I don't believe in the far right or the far left and I agree wholeheartedly about the government being super involved in our lives and that's unacceptable to me.
DeleteHowever. many people became more dependent on government as more and more manufacturing jobs, customer service jobs, etc went overseas. Not everyone knows how or wants to work on a computer. If we don't build anything, there are fewer jobs for laborers and on and on.
Donald Trump spoke to those people. He hit a nerve. People were able to overlook the fact that he wasn't polished as they were more concerned, and rightfully so, with putting food on their table. People grew tired of the status quo the corrupt politicians who spoke beautifully and were cultured and well educated, but who were robbing us blind, totally corrupt and only looking out for their own welfare.
The fact that he was not a politician was to his benefit and a very big part of why he won the election.
EG
Hi all, no one wants to discuss the release of some of the documents on the JFK assassination? I remember my dad talking to me when I was in elementary school about how he likely wouldn't be alive when the reports were unsealed, and my memory was they were to be sealed for 75 years or so, to surpass the expected lifetimes of the president's family. And my father did unexpectedly passed away in September. But I'd like to think he now knows all the answers to that and other mysteries.
ReplyDeleteNot much time to post lately but I have tried to keep up with the comments. I couldn't find a will so now it's looking like the state can take over all of my dad's homes so I spent the day removing as many of his helmets as I could manage. Could not bear to see his possessions end up at the dump so trying to prevent that. I did manage to sell a German newspaper clipping from 1916, a photo of WWII German infantry in the field with a creche during Christmas time as well as his civil defense radiation detection kit,because hey, doesn't every home need one. A few German canteens too at the gun show. I know I let the Afrika Corp helmet go too cheap, along with a double decal, but it's not like I'm an expert on this stuff.
People, if you have heirs, please make your will an then let them know where you have it. Because where I live, the state can take it all per what the attorney told me Fri. Immediate possession and no chance of letting family get out belongings. (insert lots of cuss words, grumble, mutter)
On the topic of politics, I could never vote for Hillary, goes all the way back when she denigrated the women who spoke out about her husband, made ugly comments a about housewives, Betty Crocker...that was an insult to me, and my mother, and the generations of proud women in my family who did bake from scratch, washed diapers, and worked hard, stood in line for rations. And of course Hillary would still hate women like myself now, someone with a CCP.
Congrats to the Astros, the Tide Rolled and Go Chiefs!
You need a new probate attorney, Lil. Absent a valid will, your father's estate passes to his heirs under the laws of intestate succession - in most states, first (at least in part) to a surviving spouse, if any, then to any children. There are a number of variables, but I know of no state where real or personal property is forfeited.
DeleteUnless a person dies with no lineal descendants, no blood relatives of any kind and no surviving spouse. That's the only circumstance in which a decedent's estate escheats to the state - clearly not the case here.
DeleteSorry to hear of your father's passing, Lil.
DeleteYes, Lil. My sincere condolences. My father passed away six and a half years ago and I still miss him every day. Look after yourself. xx
DeleteLil,
DeleteSo sorry to hear that your dad has passed on. CC is absolutely right. You need to get a second opinion, as something doesn't sound right there.
EG
My condolences as well, Lil. And may I just second her plea for everyone to have a valid and updated will. I know no one likes to think about it, but it's a gift to the people you leave behind.
DeleteTake good care of yourself, Lil.
Quite right, Canuck. Everyone should have a will, AND DON'T PUT IT IN A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX. Put it in a fireproof metal box in your home with your passport and other important papers - which I hope include what's called "health care documents" in my business - a durable power of attorney, a health care power of attorney, a living will and a HIPAA statement. And tell your kids where the metal box is.
DeleteIt was remiss of me not to extend my condolences earlier, Lil. I remember your struggles - singlehandedly - with your father's health last year. My best.
A couple pieces of legal advice, gratis, to anyone interested: If you wish to avoid paying 200 bucks to a qualified estate planning/probate attorney to prepare a will, you can download one from the internet. Google "State of __________self-proving will" and take it from there. The self-proving part is critical; you'll need two witnesses and a notary to make it valid.
ReplyDeleteGoogle "State of ______" Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property", and search your name, or (in Lil's case), a relative's to find and claim monies escheated to your state - unearned insurance premiums, utility deposits, stock dividends...all kinds of things.
CC...
ReplyDeleteIf you're ever up here in NYC, I owe you a cup of "cawfee". I went on that site you mentioned above and found some money due me from an old house insurance policy I had back when I sold my house in 2012. It's probably not much, but what the hell, it's still mine. :) Thanks again!
EG
Always, E, with my best wishes .
DeleteThanks everyone so much, for the condolences and advice. I honored my dad at the visitation with music, had my hubby burn two cds of songs dad liked as well as some he used to play on guitar. So everything from Worried Man Blues, I Saw the Light, Yesterday When I Was Young, to the Wabash Cannonball, Spirit in the Sky, Puff the Magic Dragon, King of the Road, Counting Flowers on the Wall...it was a jam and a hoedown!
DeleteIn his memory we stopped in the town he was born and married in, and visited the Russell Stover candy outlet. (His father had worked for the company in Kansas City). Dad spent a lot of time hunting morel mushrooms on his family's land, the only hunting he ever did.
The last day I saw him awake he asked me to get him a Cherry Mash. (candy from St Joseph, MO that I can find at Hobby Lobby). I ate one in his honor and put the empty wrapper in his casket, along with other mementos.
We couldn't afford to board our three dogs as well as my dad's three dogs while we made the drive up, so I had to relinquish his dogs to the Humane Society, which was already pretty full with rescues from the hurricane pets from Texas. So, I'm missing his dogs as well, hoping they got re-homed.
And CC, you're a real gem and Mrs Santa Claus, as I did do a search on the state's treasury, and while my deceased parents nor myself have anything unclaimed, turns out my in-laws do have over $500 owed to them from two different states and my husband is owed something as well! What a fortuitous suggestion! Hugs, handshakes and pats on the back for that!
For those missing your loved ones, eat or drink or dance or sing in their memory, of something they enjoyed while here on the earthly plane.
You're most welcome, Lil...but the real issue is the probate of your father's estate. It's terribly important that you not believe the attorney you saw last Friday. There is no state in the Union that takes a man's real or personal property. If you're still confused, e-mail me privately at oceanview2519@gmail.com, and I'll help you find a qualifed probate attorney in your area who can help you.
DeleteWith apologies, Doc, for practicing law on your site.
DeleteYou're very generous with your knowledge, CC. I think it's fantastic that this online community Doc created is producing real-world benefits for some of its members.
Delete---
Your tribute to your father sounds heartfelt and fun, Lil. I'm sorry to hear his dogs had to be surrendered. Hopefully they can find a new home quickly.
No need to apologize, CC. So long as I get my cut. :-)
DeleteLil..
DeleteYou did your father proud, as it sounded like a wonderful send off and exactly what he would've wanted.
And thanks to CC, and to DocG for allowing us to go off topic for a bit, you and I are a little bit richer. :)
EG
You betcha, Doc. The check is in the mail.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYou can have your Trumpish social experiment and welcome, Doc - but not on the world stage. The twit tweets, and he's dangerous.
ReplyDeleteTrump wants to work with Putin, Hillary wanted to declare war on him. I'd say Trump is the less dangerous of the two.
DeleteRussia? I'm more concerned about North Korea, Iran and Syria.
DeleteI still remember the good old days when the crook Hillary presented the Russians with her 'reset' button, and Obama glibly mocked Romney for his outdated 80s cold-war views on Russia. And yet now Trump is virtually a traitor for not nuking Moscow, and Putin 'interfered' in the election, and in the Brexit vote here in the UK. How times change... I think Trump is an immature blowhard, and the current GOP are a bunch of creeps and cretins, but honestly give me Trump over that professional career criminal Hillary and her rapist husband any day. My biggest worry is that the GOP lack the balls to actually get anything meaningful done. They're scared of rocking the boat - another problem that fixed term limits would solve - politicians who have reelection to think of rarely take risks (as Obama said to the Russian foreign minister when he thought the mic was off - 'tell Vladimir I can be more flexible after the election'). Kisses to all.
DeleteThis is really all you need to know about what Trump wants America to be:
ReplyDeleteForeign man of color runs over 8 people = Trump calls him an animal and is tweeting about immigration reform and travel bans
Vegas shooter and church shooter kill 85 people = Trump says this isn't a gun problem, it's a mental health issue
The man is a coward and conned America. If you voted for him you should be livid with the lies this clown told you. He takes no ownership of ANYTHING bad by simply blaming Obama or Hillary. But anything positive he wants total credit for. He even praised himself as being the reason the stock market is up
Dear Robert Mueller,
Good luck, we are all counting on you
-J
OK J, we get where you're coming from. My question to you is how many of these "shooters" were members of the National Rifle Association?
ReplyDeleteNot the point. Both used assault rifles, though, as did the dude who killed 50 in an Orlando nightclub last year.
DeleteI'd really like an NRA member to explain why it's their god-given right to own an assault rifle. It's not as if they use them for hunting, after all.
Castor - Tell me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that there are zero background checks at gun shows. Thats a JOKE
DeleteIf I liked bacon...ate bacon every day and collected anything bacon and then all of a sudden there were tons of bacon related deaths everywhere, I would find a new snack.
Thoughts and prayers just aren't cutting it
-J
Agree that assault rifles ought to be more regulated. But J, the fact is, regardless of who is president, bad people are going to get guns whether they are outlawed or not, and regardless of how you want to label these people (mentally ill/deranged, terrorists, whatever - they are all bad in my terms.) Just like with illegal drugs - only bad people smuggle them, buy them, use them. Laws haven't really solved the drug problem either. In both cases, more monitoring is probably the best we can do. Do background checks on all assault rifle purchases, monitor the doctors that are freely prescribing opioids, and keep the smugglers out of the country as best we can.
DeleteDon't understand your remark about thoughts and prayers. I will always pray for comfort for the families of those whose lives were taken. Who said anyone thinks prayer is the "fix" the root cause of these problems? As for me, I don't own a gun. However, I want to be able to get one should I decide one day that I need it for my own protection.
As for Trump, agree that he's not PC. I really don't care what he labels all these characters as. I'm probably a harsher judge than he is, but my thoughts are private, I don't have platform, and I don't care if my opinions hurt anyone's feelings. After all, they are MY opinions. So, I'm gonna label them all "bad people." And yes, that includes the Vegas shooter. I'm sad that he had such a sick mind, and no one can explain why he was so sick. But still, he made a choice, a bad choice, and it was so bad that in my view he's a bad person.
Forget Trump....I am not putting this gun issue in his lap. He isn't the only problem we have. The FACT is that we have had 377 mass shootings this year and yet NOTHING is done about it. The Republicans have complete control and don't seem to care. Will gun control prevent everything? No, of course not. But, it will help limit these shootings. Though Trump labels this as a "Mental Health" issue and in his first few months in office he reversed a bill allowing people with mental health issues able to buy a gun. SMH
DeleteI am sick and tired of this "2nd Amendment" making all of this ok nonsense. I am pretty sure our forefathers didn't intend for this to be what would happen. What if all of us on here came up with a rule that people would obey 200 years from now. Would it still be relevant?
My comment on "thoughts and prayers not being enough" is simply that it has become something we just say. "Our thoughts and prayers go our to the victims and their families." Yes, it is a nice thing to say and I am not telling people to stop praying. However, thoughts and prayers aren't going to prevent these shootings, so how about enough of having to say it and DO SOMETHING.
--It obviously gets me heated because this conversation should have been over when Sandy Hook happened and yet here we are.
-J
"Thoughts and prayers just aren't cutting it"
DeleteJ, I couldn't agree more.....geez, it's not very often I hear myself saying those words to you!
LOL!!! See Ms D....we have made real progress. Now can you just repeat after me......Buuuuurrrrkkkkeeeee......diiiiiiiiidddddd......iiiiittttttttt :-)
Delete-J
Anonymous,
DeleteI'm with Canuck. Your stance on drug use is incredibly ignorant. Not all drug users are "bad people." If you walked into a rehab right now, you would find doctors, accountants, teachers, mothers and fathers. People probably much like yourself. Actually, you need not even look as far as a rehab. I'm willing to bet that you personally know someone who is either in active addiction or recovery and you just aren't aware. Many addicts are just ordinary people with a problem. Educate yourself.
Geez,people are so defensive these days. Were you unclear that I was talking about illegal, recreational use and selling of drugs, and doctors who over-prescribe? These are people who hurt themselves and others.
DeleteYes, people tend to get defensive when someone makes a sweeping, offensive statement. No, I wasn't unclear on anything. Although, that sentence of yours is a bit unclear. Illegal drugs aren't just substances such as methamphetamine and cocaine. It is also illegal to take prescription drugs which weren't prescribed for you. Recreational use includes the use of any drug not medically necessary. Most alcohol consumption is recreational.
DeleteI'm with HKH on this one.
DeleteAddiction (recreational, legal, illegal or otherwise) is not such a black and white issue, therefore it is not as simple as "drug addicts are bad". It is a very simplistic view you hold, and extremely narrow minded. But, you're entitled to it, of course, and it's a view shared by many, unfortunately.....I just don't agree with it. Drug addiction is an insidious disease, and one that no one - "good" or "bad" - believes will ever happen to them. There's a very fine line between "recreational use" (maybe a drink or two a day, or a couple of sleeping tablets before bed) and addiction, and no one is immune to it. It's not a weakness or lack of moral character, it's a disease.
Ms D, with all due respect because I like you, please understand my view. Of course I never said drug addicts are bad. People that illegally sell drugs, whether to addicts or anyone else are not just criminals, but bad people who don't care what harm comes to their client. Likewise, there are indeed bad doctors in America that dole out prescriptions and over prescribe. I know because a friend who became addicted to painkillers found more than one shady doctor to give him the drugs with no effort made to get the patient on a pain management program. So anyway, I didn't start this conversation to discuss addiction. I was making an analogy that when you outlaw harmful things (drugs, guns) then "bad" people outnumber the good in possession of said illegal item. If you are an otherwise upstanding person with an addiction problem, why would you buy drugs illegally? You would go to a reputable doctor and seek the proper care.
DeleteDrug addiction, and here's a novel idea, is a CHOICE, not a disease. But the medical, legal and governmental community classifies it as a disease so that you can use your insurance to get treatment. If we pass everything off as something we have no control about then we continue to be a society of victims. The doctor or dentist must assess their patients as someone with a high risk of dependency, before prescribing. People that abuse opioids in the first place may have obtained them from a physician to treat pain. If the doctor is over prescribing then yes, the medical community needs to establish a checks and balances situation, and penalize over-prescribing physicians within that community. And they do. Doctors affiliated with clinics now are not allowed (some of them) to even offer opioids as pain relievers. But I never, ever, think it's a good idea for the government to get involved. Case in point Prohibition. But once the government can figure out a way to profit on (tax) opioids it will fade into the distance as alcohol and marijuana have. Never really solving the problem, which comes back to personal choice.
DeleteEagle Eyed Ms D will get me on banning movies now.:) It used to be that there were attendants at movie theaters that did not allow children in under a certain age if movies were deemed inappropriate. Then ratings were issued, and a watchful parent would look up the movies and if they were rated R for nudity, adult content and sex dad put his foot down and would not supply the money for the kids to see the movies. Family units have broken down in the last 30 years. The only hit Hollywood is going to take is if people stop paying to see violent movies. They still want to operate under the guise that "art imitates life" but aren't they CREATING the kind of life their movies are putting out there under the false impression that it's art?
DeleteThank you, Castor. I agree!
DeletePeople who buy and use drugs are all "bad people", Anonymous? Most people who buy and use drugs are recreational users. They're normal, everyday people with families and jobs. Only a minority of people who buy and use drugs actually become addicted to them. It's the same with people who use alcohol recreationally as opposed to those who become full-blown alcoholics.
ReplyDeleteThe vast majority of people who become addicted to illicit drugs (or alcohol) are survivors of childhood physical/sexual abuse or other major childhood trauma. They are not all "bad people." Drug addiction can cause desperate individuals to commit crimes, certainly, and those actions are certainly wrong and should be punished, but not the addiction itself.
You also mention doctors who prescribe opioids. Again, you need to do some research instead of just making blanket generalizations. Most of the people prescribed opioids for pain never become addicted to them. (And do some research into the difference between addiction and dependence. They're very different animals.) The problem is when some people who become physically dependent on opioids are cut off with no legitimate options. The physical withdrawal can make them turn to street drugs that are cut with numerous impurities. Here in Canada, our fentanyl and carfentanil trades are propped up by smuggling from China. The drugs that flood our streets actually have very little to do with doctors prescribing painkillers.
Please consider reading "Chasing The Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs" by Johann Hari.
Even though I'm not American, I'm agree with your thoughts on your Second Amendment, J. The amendment says that people have the right to keep and bear arms as part of a "well regulated militia." It was never meant to be a free-for-all and you're absolutely correct that your founding fathers could never have foreseen today's weaponry.
Canuck, I don't concern myself with weed users, though the laced stuff is leading a good deal of unwary young people to harsher stuff. I have friends whose son died in college after going down that path. As for opioids, I think you know I'm talking docs that over prescribe, hence my comment about regulating the over-prescribing. I know a former pro athlete who is addicted because docs didn't insist on the right way to do pain management and just got out their Rx pad. He has ruined his life and the lives of his family. As I said, I'm a harsh judge toward those who wittingly make bad choices. I stand by my position. Buying illegal drugs is a fool's folly. Most people don't know what their getting and putting inside their bodies. But I'm all for legalizing weed so that those who want the pure stuff can get it. It's not for me... Makes ya lazy and unproductive!
DeleteIt's not for me, either. I've never done an illegal drug in my life. It's a complicated problem that requires a comprehensive solution. Go ahead and stand by your position...just make sure that it's an informed position. No one chooses to become an addict. I'm very glad we're finally legalizing marijuana in Canada, but I don't think we're going far enough. I advocate for the decriminalization of all drugs. (One step at a time, though, of course.) We should look to Portugal as a model.
DeleteI'm sorry to hear about your athlete friend who became addicted, but there had to be some emotional pain/trauma going on in his life for him to go from physical dependence to full-blown, destructive addiction. As I mentioned before, the majority of patients who are given opioids for pain relief never become addicted to them.
Thanks for replying. Take care.
Thank you Canuck, but no- my friend had no emotional issues that I'm aware of. He had several injuries to his neck and spine during his hockey career. He had constant pain and never got into a proper pain management program. He became addicted and kept bugging the doctor for more pills, and he got them. The things he did while addicted were harmful to his family and to himself. He's better now that he has some good doctors. His family was destroyed by this. In this case, I blame the docs who knew he had a problem and still kept giving him more.
DeleteI agree, prescribing doctors need to carefully manage their pain patients, and quick referrals to pain management programs are key. I’m no psychologist, but in terms of your friend, for him to go from fit, strong, and healthy to someone laid low by debilitating pain and injury was probably more than enough trauma for him to feel the need to dull the stress and anxiety with pain meds. He must have felt very unsure about his future and his ability to continue providing for his family. I’m glad to hear he’s on a better path now and has responsible health care providers. Addiction CAN be overcome.
DeleteAccording to wikipedia the federal assault weapons ban was enacted in 1994 - a prohibition on the manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms defined as assault weapons - and remained so for ten years. All constitutional challenges to the ban were rejected. None succeeded. But the word "certain" is disturbing. It gets me heated as well J. We want to take some kind of action every time there are these random acts of violence - do something - do anything and what is there to be done? Lock your doors, stay inside, arm yourself to the teeth? They are talking on the news about providing security for churches. That's no solution. After Columbine they were talking about metal detectors at the doors. Shall we post guards at kindergarten classes? My solution is to ban all violent movies and television shows. Let's go back to censuring. Right after the Las Vegas shooting I heard commercials on the radio for the latest Criminal Minds TV show, it was a father who was yelling at his daughter to get down, take cover with machine gun sounds in the background.
ReplyDeleteCastor, here in Australia we have just as much access to violent movies as you do in the U.S, yet gun violence is virtually unheard of here. Therefore I would argue that banning all violent movies/television shows will do squat in regards to reducing the frequency of America's mass shootings, and to suggest that censorship will somehow cure the U.S of it's obsession with firearms is extremely naive.
DeleteThere is probably a correlation, however, between violent movies, television shows, and video games and impressionable young minds who see these things as entertainment, or fun - case in point the Columbine shooters who played games such as "Mortal Combat". I think it's naive to suggest that there is going to be a gun control law that is going to stop these people from shooting others. It's an evidence-less proposition. We already have the laws. Let's enforce them. And look for other solutions as well. Ask where the obsession with firearms comes from.
DeleteMortal Kombat with a K
DeleteWell, all I know is that it only took ONE mass shooting to occur before Australia changed it's gun laws. Since then, mass shootings are virtually unheard of - but we play just as many violent video games and watch just as many violent television shows, so I think the solution is rather self evident.....the problem lies with your antiquated 2nd amendment, not your entertainment industry.
DeleteAssault rifles should be for military and LE use, only. PERIOD!
ReplyDeleteWhy the hell does anyone need an assault rifle? I am all for the right to bear arms and I think it's important that every American has the right to do so for their personal protection, however assault rifles? Not just no, but hell no.
This guy fell through the cracks for sure. He isn't the first to do so, and won't be the last, unfortunately. However, if assault rifles were illegal to purchase and therefore unavailable to citizens, this wouldn't be happening. Or at the very least, not as often as we've been seeing it lately.
EG
Notice EG it was a NRA-trained-instructor civilian who shot the guy and stopped him (after also chasing him down in his vehicle). I don't, however, know if he used an assault rifle.
DeleteYes, Castor I saw that as well. Yep it's not the NRA members we have to worry about. Thank God those two men were brave enough to chase him down and had a gun to stop him. God knows where his next stop would have been.
ReplyDeleteAs I said, I am all for people wanting a firearm for protection, but these assault rifles have to go.
You do make a good point regarding the violence we are all subjected to on a daily basis. Between television shows, computer games etc we are bombarded everyday with some form of violence. Just not sure about censorship being the answer. I am also curious if this guy was on any type of drug as he escaped or was released from a mental hospital at some point.
EG
Yes, EG no necessity for assault weapons for civilians.
ReplyDeleteI'm lurking, hoping Doc will put together an interesting thread regarding the left handed samples taken from John and Patsy. Another way the police bungled the case was in not obtaining existing samples before the crime. John said he wrote something out for the police but he would have been able to disguise his handwriting right away. If they had gone to his office and gotten more samples I think it might have been obvious who wrote the note. imo
They did get pre-crime handwriting samples from both Ramseys; the BPD collected 11 pads/notepads from the house on 12/26 alone.
DeleteYou do get that handwriting analysis is inadmissible in most courts because it isn't a science, is totally subjective, and that the "experts" have no uniform educational criteria, no standardized certification or methods?
Okay, thanks. Yes, I do get that - in this particular case they ruled John out and Patsy in so it would appear their only evidence was a biased perception that she wrote it, then saw what they wanted to see.
DeleteHi Castor. This is an unusually busy time for me, which is why I haven't already posted the files you sent. If I thought they might make a difference I'd have posted them right away, regardless. Unfortunately there is nothing new there. John's sample was already reproduced in Woodward's book some time ago and I posted Patsy's sample on this blog over a year ago.
DeleteNevertheless, I do plan to post them when I get some time.
No problem Doc!
DeleteNew film on Jonbenet and her tricycle.
ReplyDeletehttps://303magazine.com/2017/11/youll-another-chance-see-jonbenet-ramsey-tricycle-documentary-dff/
Also I saw the front page of some weekly rag mag part one of two on Jonbenets killer at the checkout tonight. Didn't get a chance to glance thru it tho.
Thanks for the info, Lil.
DeleteI'm so sorry to hear about your father. Your tribute to him was personal and thoughtful--a very nice way to honor his memory. I hope you were able to find a new attorney as CC advised. I'm sure it's hard to sort all of that out while you're grieving.
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DeleteMy thoughts, for what they are worth, on gun control and the drug problem:
ReplyDeleteObviously the world would be a better place if access to guns were strictly controlled, and in the countries where such controls exist the incidence of mass murders and other forms of gun induced mayhem are relatively rare. As far as the USA is concerned, however, the opportunity for meaningful gun control has long since passed. We can complain as much as we like regarding the folly of allowing just about anyone to get hold of such lethal weapons, and I've been as loud a complainer as anyone -- and you can double that as far as automatic weapons are concerned, as the absence of controls on those items has always struck me as totally unjustifiable if not utterly insane.
However, the die has been cast on this issue I'm afraid, the Rubicon has been crossed, the cat has been let out of the bag, or whatever quaint metaphor you might want to apply. There are simply too many guns out there, including automatic weapons, for any law to make much of a difference at this point in time. And any attempt to invoke serious gun control laws might well precipitate a civil war, so attached are the gun nuts to their precious weapons and their absurd interpretation of their "constitutional rights," clearly a delusion.
So at this point, as I see it, gun control is essentially a "feel good" issue. If you're a liberal and you want to feel good about yourself you can campaign all you like for gun control and that will demonstrate to the world that you are a better person. But it won't make a difference, so as this particular liberal sees it: why bother?
As far as drugs are concerned, what I've learned from friends in the medical profession, long time use of certain opiates is not particularly harmful to one's health. Sure, one can easily get addicted, but one could identify lots of widely used medications that are "addictive" in the sense that they are necessary for the patient's well being.
Is someone with diabetes "addicted" to insulin? Is someone with high blood pressure "addicted" to blood pressure medication? What it boils down to is the issue of whether the "addiction" is or is not the result of one's own bad decisions in the past. So ultimately the difference hinges on a moral issue. If your need for a particular drug is self-induced then you are an "addict." If the need is not self-induced then you have a legit health issue.
Is this fair? Well, the time for worrying over fairness is long past. It's gone beyond fair and graduated to a national disaster. So as I see it, it's time to forget about the moral issue and simply treat addiction as any other health issue. If someone suffers from diabetes then he should be entitled to a prescription for insulin. If someone suffers from heroin addiction then he should be entitled to a prescription for heroin.
Absolutely, Doc. Well said. What you talk about is the difference between addiction and dependence. As I mentioned above, they're very different animals. That said, no one chooses to be an addict, so addiction can't really be called self-induced. The vast majority of people who make the "bad decision" to ingest an illegal drug will never become addicted. It has more to do with individual brain chemistry and the need to self-medicate, which mainly comes from physical and emotional trauma.
DeleteMy province is finally starting a prescription heroin program to complement our wonderful safe-injection site(s). Decriminalization and harm reduction are the way to go.
CC has asked me to post this:
ReplyDeleteThe Vietnam War was the big game changer.
The entire war was televised, bringing guns and violent death to the evening news night after night with glib, matter-of-fact discussions of "body counts". Footage of burning, napalmed children, piles of Vietnamese bodies, burning villages -carnage most Americans had never imagined - became routine, almost acceptable, expected.
GIs, most of whom after 1967-68 had been drafted, and did not want to be there, had a median age of 19. The military put guns in the hands of some 9 million children in total, and taught them to kill. At home, the country was torn in half, sometimes by violent protest on college campuses. At Kent State the National Guard killed 4 kids. The 1968 Democratic convention was protested in the surrounding streets, and the cops beat kids bloody with nightsticks. The Black Panthers were born, and The Weathermen. The social fabric of the country was torn, violence became acceptable - and it was all right there on TV.
Those same 9 million smoked pot, by 1968-69, almost to a man. Some smoked opium, and snorted or injected heroin to dull their senses and blot out some of the horror. They sent those cheap and easily available drugs home to their friends in packages, even in body bags with corpses, and when they got back to "the World" they sought and used drugs those drugs, doubling and then trebling the illicit drug trade.
The Vietnam War lasted a decade, and Americans lost their innocence about drugs and guns, and violence, and learned for the first time that our leaders in government lied to us, routinely.
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ReplyDelete