High Truths and Low Lies

My Highlights for the Week

October 8, 2023

“A good story is often spoiled by the arrival of an eyewitness.” M. Twain

Hamas is a Palestinian terrorist group. This week they launched a surprise rocket attack on southern Israel, firing 5,000 rockets into civilian areas. 300 people were killed and another 1,600 injured.

Hezbollah, another terrorist group based in Lebanon also fired rockets into the northern areas of Israel. Israel PM Netanyahu says his country is at war.

The US is sending a carrier group to the Middle East to support Israel. I hope Biden has a plan.

In the US, House Republicans ousted Speaker McCarthy. All Democrats and 8 Republicans voted for his removal. Madness!

Democrats now control the FCC. Their plan is to use Federal tax $$$$’s to put Wi-Fi on school buses. They claim students will have more time for homework. Their plan is so stupid, I don’t have the time/space to explain why!

Finally, a famous and award-winning movie director, Martin Scorsese has spoken out against all the “comic book” movies. He claims these movies have a negative impact on today’s youth. I agree.

A group of protesters in NC is calling for an end to evictions. They claim housing is a Human Right. It is not. Housing is purchased or rented. Biden has doubled the mortgage interest rate to near 8%. And landlords have much higher expenses. If people do not pay their rent, then landlords have no choice to evict. Sad but true.

Henry Rogers (aka Ibram X. Kendi)

October 6, 2023

See quote to the left. What the hell does this mean????

Henry Rogers grew up in NYC. His mother and father were well educated. Henry attended private school early in life and graduated HS in Manassas, Va.

Henry went to college at Florida A and M University (HBCU) and majored in African American Studies and magazine production? His out of state tuition was $35-$45K per year.

In 2006 to 2010 Henry attended Temple University (private school) and earned an MA and PhD in African Studies. Temple tuition is about $60K/$70 per year.

I wonder how Henry Rogers paid for all his college education.

For about 10 years Rogers taught African Studies in NY and Fl. During that time, he married a doctor and changed his name to Ibram X. Kendi. The wedding ceremony was in Jamacia.

Kendi has written many essays, articles and books about America’s racism. He is a racial activist. One of his most outrageous quotes is below:

No Bail in Illinois!

October 1, 2023

On September 18, 2023, the State of Illinois became America’s first state to completely ban cash bail. No incarcerations. Criminals will not spend any time in jail after arrest. See list above. A person may be charged with aggravated battery if he/she intentionally causes serious bodily injury, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement. This person is released.

Police will arrest murders, kidnappers, robbers, arsonists, and those threatening public officials but those arrested will not spend a day in jail. In one incidence, about 12 people arrested for possession of illegal guns were not jailed. One man threatened to “shoot everyone” in the store he was looting! Another man pepper sprayed a police officer.

Chicago is one of the most dangerous cities in the US. In 2022, Chicago had 695 homicides. And Chicago had 2600 shootings last year, an average of 7.2 each day.

Chicago is in Cooke County. The Chief Prosecutor is Kim Foxx. Her election was funded by George Soros. She is a far left liberal and her office has been investigated many times. This summer the police were called to her home to investigate a domestic violence charge by her husband. He claimed she got physical and slapped him in the face. No charges were filed.

FILE- In this Feb. 23, 2019, file photo, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx speaks to reporters at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago. A grand jury revived criminal charges against Jussie Smollett on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020, just weeks before an election in which Foxx’s opponents are using her handling of the Smollett case against her. (Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP, File)

The goal for the police and the criminal justice system in Illinois is to protect the people. No cash bail will not serve that goal. The no bail system has already been tried in parts of NY and crime levels rose. Crime will get much worse in Illinois.

My comments for the Week

September 27, 2023

President Joe Biden joins striking United Auto Workers on the picket line, in Van Buren Township, Mich. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The United Auto Workers are striking 38 auto production facilities. Biden joined the picket line and condemned Wall Street. Biden is a fool. His job is to help mediate the labor dispute. A sitting president never “takes sides!”

Note to Biden-“For as long as it takes,” is not a strategy. US support to Ukraine is now $113 Billion. Joe-what’s the plan???

Got my annual insurance enrollment package this week. My prescription plan “annual notice of changes” is available in 16 languages: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, French, Vietnamese, German, Korean, Russian, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, French Creole (really), Polish, and Japanese. Can you imagine what this costs?

Senator Menendez (D/New Jersey) Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has been indicted on bribery charges. Police found $500,000 in cash stuffed into his clothing at home along with gold bars. His wife is also charged.

Coach Prime’s Colorado Buffaloes lost 42-6 to Oregon. Deion Sanders (Prime) is a world-class ” showboat” but he delivers. I like him and wish him well.

Taylor Swift at KC Chiefs game sitting with the Kelce family. Rumors are flying. I wish Travis luck.

Target announced the closing of 9 stores. One in Harlem, 2 in Seattle, 3 in Portland, and 3 in San Francisco/Oakland. Company cites organized retail theft and employee safety as the reason for the closures. Too bad!

Equal Pay Myth

September 24, 2023

Salaries and hourly wages are determined by many factors. These include: industry, location, function, experience, education, scope and complexity of job, performance, potential, and the financial strength of the organization. Please note that gender and race are not on the list.

Many companies have pay/salary bands and wage classifications. These are used for hiring and progressions and work well. But the aforementioned factors play the dominate role. You never want to work for an organization where everyone is paid the same. Just ask teachers. Many teachers have complained to me that strict adherence to pay bands leads to demoralization. Art teachers and gym teachers make the same pay as English teachers and math teachers, but do not have the homework and often tests to grade.

Equal pay for equal work is a myth. With the exception of the lower skilled hourly jobs, there is no such thing as equal work. Two accountants hired on the same day might begin work with roughly the same pay, but over time their pay will differ based on performance, job complexity, potential. etc.

Some studies have shown that men are paid slightly higher than women. But those studies do not reveal the reasons for that pay difference. Here are those reasons:

Men often work in the more dangerous and physically demanding industries like logging, energy, mining, construction, heavy manufacturing, steel, road and bridge construction, trucking, HVAC tech, etc.

Vultures and Diclofenac

September 21, 2023

Vultures are a protected species. They clean up dead animal carcasses. A group of vultures, which is called a “wake” can completely devour a dead cow in 40 minutes. In most countries vultures are considered a “keystone species,” one with significant impact on the ecosystem. Vultures have a highly acidic digestive tract which kills most germs left on dead meat.

However, in India as far back as the 1990’s cattle farmers were using the drug diclofenac (OTC called Voltaren) to treat cows. Diclofenac is a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug poisonous to vultures (and other birds) and as a result the vulture population declined by 90%. Rotting carcasses were left to rats and feral dogs which spread diseases to humans. And the dead remains also leached into the water supply. The loss of human life in India approximated 500,000.

Vultures are very large birds with wing spans of 6-8 feet. They have very strong beaks to tear meat from bones. For most people, vultures appear to be nasty, smelly birds, but for our environment, they serve a very important purpose. They must be protected.

More Madness in Chicago-21,000 Stolen cars

September 18, 2023

The city of Chicago is suing the car makers Kia and Hyundai. In the lawsuit, Chicago alleges that cars made by Kia and Hyundai are “easy to steal.”

In 2022, the city of Chicago reported 21,000 stolen cars. Approximately 40% were cars manufactured by Kia and Hyundai. A TikTok video shows exactly how to break into the vehicles, partially destroy the steering column, and then jam a screwdriver into the ignition switch to turn on the car. So, the fools in Chicago blame the car manufacturer.

It gets worse. The leaders of Chicago claim these stolen cars are often used during the commission of crimes like drive by shootings and armed robberies. One expert says “you can’t do drive-bys without a car. ” Thus, the stolen cars are the “cause” of the recent rise in crime. These fools also argue that stealing a car can lead juveniles into a path of “criminology.”

Chicago had 797 murders in 2021. In 2022, Chicago had 2,600 shootings, an average of 7 each day and resulted in 695 murders. Chicago has a very serious crime problem.

Leaders are blaming Kia and Hyundai. More madness in Chicago!

Diversity in the Military

September 4, 2023

Biden wants promotions in the US military to be based on gender and race. So sorry for the experienced White servicemen. Whites make up 58% of the US. military, men equal 85% of the military.

Gender and race are not qualifications. Experience, knowledge, education and training are solid qualifications. In the military, physical fitness and strength are also required, especially in combat roles.

Diversity will always conflict with merit. I support equal opportunity for every qualified person to serve, but I will never support promotions based on gender and race.

Activists claim a diverse team makes better decisions. Better than what? There is no empirical evidence that shows this. Does an all-women team need a man? Does an NBA team need more Whites? Do all Black businesses perform better? Of course, this is nonsense.

If you are the leader of a start-up, international business, and you have invested a large part of your wealth, you should select people based on experience, knowledge and intelligence. I think you can find such people among Blacks, women, Hispanics, etc. No doubt. But race and gender should not be the goal. There is no evidence that women think different or better than men.

Do you want to have heart surgery performed by a Black surgeon? Or a woman? Perhaps, but only if that doctor is the most qualified and experienced. I would never select a doctor based on race. I saw a posting on social media from a small group of Black med students that claim White doctors discriminate against Blacks patients. It is true that Blacks have lesser health outcomes, but that stems from unhealthy lifestyles and perhaps lack of access to medical services. But not from racist doctors! Shame on these privileged Black med students.

Our US. military is a “force for good” and serves the world. It must remain a meritocracy.

My Weekly Highlights!

September 1, 2023

Visited a “weed dispensary” this week in Maryland. Quite an experience. Parking lot was jammed. Security everywhere. Had to wait under large tent just to get into the small building. Once inside, Line 1 was for advice/ordering. Huge selection. Line 2 was for paying and receiving little white bag. Total time was 1 hour 40 minutes! I observed 2 kinds of customers-about 1/3 senior citizens, 2/3 low income, poorly dressed “characters.”

Biden’s electric bus company, Proterra, filed for bankruptcy, after receiving millions from Biden. US Energy Secretary Granholm was a Proterra Board member prior to serving in Biden’s cabinet. She sold her stock 2 years ago, netting millions. Overall, buses did not work. The filing left 135 transport agencies with contracts not met.

Credit card debt in US has reached historical record of $1.1 trillion. Biden claims his economic policies are working.

Guidance to parents-closely monitor your children’s schooling. Radical concepts being pushed everywhere. Also, “Set the table. Eat at the table” as a family, not on the couch in front of the TV.

Some recent facts about California- population 41 million, 14 million on Medi-Cal costing state $35 billion, an increase of $8 billion from last year. Sanctuary state with 45% Hispanic. Highest gas prices in US. Contruction costs 8X the national average. School test scores ranked 45th of 50 states. One half of US homeless live in California. One third of US welfare recipients live in California. Very high crime rates in most cities. Democrats control State Legislation, Senate, and Governorship.

Biden is sending Cluster Bombs to Ukraine!

August 22, 2023

Our NATO allies are speaking out against the US. sending cluster bombs to the Ukraine. 120 countries have banned the use of cluster bombs. These bombs are dangerous to civilian populations. The “bomblets” hit the ground in wide areas and often explode well after impact, thus becoming land mines.

The detonation rate is about 70-80%, thus leaving as many as 40-50 bomblets hitting the ground and often exploding if stepped on or moved.

I can’t think of any reason why the US. would provide these bombs to Ukraine. Many countries consider cluster bombs as “morally inhumane.”

Biden’s decision is horribly wrong!

Additional news item-Chicago had 40 people shot last weekend, 7 died.