High Truths and Low Lies

Paulette Dillard is the president of Shaw University. Recently, she claimed to be outraged when sheriff deputies in SC stopped an unmarked, private, charter bus with darken windows carrying Shaw students from Raleigh, NC to Atlanta. The stop occurred on Interstate 85. Dillard claimed the stop was racially motivated. She spoke without waiting for the facts. That makes her a race baiter!!

Here are the facts- Interstate 85 between Raleigh and Atlanta is a very dangerous stretch of highway, very crowded. and often the place for fatal accidents. That highway is also a known corridor for drug trafficking.

The county sheriffs near Spartanburg SC pulled together a task force called “Rolling Thunder” to more closely patrol that highway watching for speeding and dangerous driving especially bus traffic. Operation Rolling thunder is an annual event for about 5-7 days. This year, during that operation, the deputies stopped 144 buses. One of those buses was carrying Shaw students. There was absolutely no way the deputies could have known the bus was carrying students from Shaw. The bus was unmarked with blackened windows

The sheriff’s office released all the body and dashboard videos. I saw the tapes. The deputies acted with great professionalism.

This is another racial hoax. The president of Shaw University owes the sheriff of Spartanburg, Chuck Wright, an apology. She should personally call Sheriff Wright to apologize, and she should hold a press conference to correct her blunder.

And a final comment- Shaw University is a private, HBCU in Raleigh. The tuition, fees, room and board at Shaw are slightly higher than state schools like NCSU or UNC. Regrettably the six-year graduation rate at Shaw is 17% which is horrible. The national average is 64% in six years, 47% in four years. Can you imagine the student debt for Shaw students???? The student retention rate at Shaw is 66%. Also, well below normal. Shaw University is ranked in the bottom 25% among national universities. I suggest President Dillard work on these problems!!

Postscript-That stretch of Interstate 85 is a racetrack. I am glad law enforcement is patrolling it!

Here we go again!!!! Political groups are complaining about diversity in MLB. They claim there are not enough “native born” Blacks in MLB. This is a new race of people!!

Major League Baseball has the most diverse population of players than any other major US. professional sport.

MLB has players from over 30 countries. Here are the data for 2022:

Dominican Republic–448 players

Venezuela–254 players

Cuba–74 players

Japan –25

Puerto Rico–58

Mexico–46

South Korea–17

Canada–23

Panama–22

Curacao–6

Nicaragua–7

Australia–9

Brazil–5

Unites Arab Emirates–6

And many more players from 16 additional countries!!!

Yet, political activists are complaining about diversity. I guess it just means Black Americans?? I think MLB has done a suburb job in attracting a diverse set of players. Period!

South Carolina ranks 48th in the nation in education!!! The state’s school test scores and graduation rates are terrible! Only West Virginia and Mississippi are worse.

The average teacher’s pay in South Carolina is $53,000. The national average is $65,000.

Yet recently a survey in South Carolina revealed that 33+ high school football coaches are paid in excess of $112,000 annually. Of course, all are teachers, many with years of experience and some with AD (12 of 33) responsibility.

These facts are an excellent example of what is wrong with education in high schools. Paying a football coach about $40,000 to $50,000/year extra to coach a sport for 4 months is absurd. That’s $10,000/month!!

This does not include the salaries of the various assistant coaches!

I guess this means it is ok the have extremely low test scores in math and reading if you have a good football team. I think South Carolina has things backward. What benefit is it to the student body to have a good football team???

Having excellent math skills and reading skills is a benefit to all students, and to South Carolina. Ranking 48th of 50 states is awful! Period!

October 30, 2022

In the US. and most other countries there has long been a system of established qualifications for acceptance, approval, authorization, consideration, contracts, and receipt in many forms of transactions.

Examples of qualifications include age-to buy alcohol or cigarettes, to vote, to rent a car, to rent a hotel room, to join the military, etc. Age has much to do about wisdom and maturity. Education is a qualification for most jobs. Structural engineers have BS degrees. Doctors graduate medical school. Lawyers graduate law school and pass the Bar. BMW mechanics are certified through schooling. Nurses hold BSRN’s.

Experience is a qualification. Pilot training requires hours in the cockpit. Surgeons spend 3 to 5 years as residents learning their skills. Often, years of experience are stated in job postings because many job duties are complex and require accumulated knowledge. A plumber with 10 years of experience has more skill and job knowledge that a plumber with 2 years of experience.

Our world would not function and quite frankly would be dangerous if the above parameters were ignored or eliminated. Maturity, knowledge, wisdom, and skill are critical qualifications.

Race and gender are not qualifications for anything! Being a woman is not sufficient for acceptance, approval or authorization. Same with being Hispanic or Black. Being Black is not a skill. Being a woman is not a job-related experience.

Yet, the leaders in this country often use gender and race preemptively for acceptance or appointments. Our local “fishwrap” the Charlotte Observer stated a US. senatorial candidate is preferred because of race (Black) and gender (woman). How stupid is that?? Biden only considered women for the Supreme Court appointment. Again stupid!

Can you imagine American Airlines only accepting women pilots? Or medical schools only accepting Black applicants? Or a high school only hiring white men?

Using race and gender as criteria is legally wrong and extremely harmful to the country. When I see it, I will protest. I am asking my readers to do the same.

October 23, 2022

James Bouknight is a 22-year-old basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets. He was arrested last week for a DWI. Police found him at 2am. passed out in his car in a parking deck. Bouknight had a gun in the car. He was released from custody after posting a $2,500 bond.

Four days earlier, Bouknight was also arrested for driving 92mph in a 50mph zone. He was cited for speeding and reckless driving.

In February, Bouknight was also arrested for reckless driving.

And-Bouknight was arrested last November for driving 84mph in a 35mph zone. I had a friend who lost her license for 1 year for driving that fast! That is four arrests in 11 months!!!!!

Why does he still have a driver’s license? Perhaps he has privilege!

While a student at UConn, Bouknight was arrested for fleeing the scene of an accident!!!

Also, last February, the rookie Bouknight got into a verbal argument his coach, James Borrego. He had to be held back by an assistant coach. Bouknight was benched for the remaining games in the season. Two weeks later, Bouknight was ejected from a basketball game at UConn by a game official for standing on the floor while on his cell phone. He had to leave the gym but re-emerged by sneaking into the student’s section and causing a scene.

Bouknight is a reckless punk, with no respect for authority. Why are the Hornets allowing him to practice and play????

Bouknight should be suspended.

PS-Bouknight also has traffic violations in Cabarrus County-one involving driving at 107mph in a 65mph zone!!!!

Bouknight played one year in the NBA. He was drafted in the first round by the Charlotte Hornets. He signed for $4.25million.

Every single Democrat (House and Senate) voted for the bill that paid this terrorist $1,400!

In April of 2013 Tsarnaev and his brother denotated two bombs at the Boston Marathon that killed 3 people an injured 260. Seventeen people lost limbs!!The bombs were made from 6-quart pressure cookers filled with nails! He was convicted of that crime in 2015, got the death penalty and now is an inmate in a maximum-security prison in Colorado.

In June of 2021 this murderer received a $1,400 Covid Relief check from Biden and the Democrats. The Democrats felt that inmates were “entitled” to receive relief. Relief from what?

Not one Republican voted for the Covid Relief Stimulus Bill in 2021 as it was deemed to provide money to inappropriate people and to be inflationary. They were exactly right!!!

Why is Biden paying this terrorist $1,400??? Why did every Democrat vote for this bill? I cannot understand why any American citizen would vote for a Democrat. It’s madness!

Regrettably, Mecklenburg County, NC has a political hack as sheriff. He has issued new policies for his deputies regarding laws he will enforce and laws he will not enforce.

Here is an example:

McFadden’s new policy prohibits his deputies from stopping people for driving with revoked licenses, or expired insurance or burned-out headlights or brake lights. McFadden believes these are not safety items. Can you imagine allowing people to drive after a judge has revoked their license. Or following behind a car at 65mph without brake lights.

Why is a sheriff allowed to pick which laws to enforce???? His sworn duty is to enforce the laws. Period!

Of course, his stated reason is “racial justice!” and collapsing from pressure brought upon by a pollical group called “Forward Justice.” According to this group, Blacks are more likely to be stopped for revoked licenses, expired insurance and defective safety devices on their cars. McFadden’s logic (if any) is terribly flawed. Headlights and brake lights are important safety features on a car, same with valid driver’s incenses. Insurance coverage is the law for NC drivers. In 2020 there were 247,214 car crashes in NC. What about the rights of people in those accidents injured by others without insurance.

McFadden is not entitled to pick and choose laws to enforce. Period!!!!

Sheriff Garry McFadden is a political hack, bowing to the Black community that voted him into office. And- his policies are very dangerous to all the people of Mecklenburg County.

October 3, 2022

University of North Carolina-Charlotte had a dangerous incident last week. A male student was discovered sitting in the Student Union Bldg. wearing a turban and carrying a large knife called a “kirpan.” People near the student called 911.

Campus police showed up and asked the student to show the officer the knife. The student refused and a brief struggle ensued which of course was videoed and placed on the Internet. Apparently, the student was of the Sikh religion and the weapon was part of his religious garment.

And of course, the community cried foul. The campus police were accused of violating the student’s religious freedom. Hmmmm! I have family that attended UNC-C. I would have wanted that student to be questioned and perhaps had the kirpan examined. Why did the student not surrender the knife??? Let the police do their job and later resolve the situation.

In 2015, at Virginia Tech a female international student was decapitated by another international student with a knife while sitting at a campus cafe.

A large knife is a dangerous weapon!!! Period. I am glad the police approached the man. In 2020, the FBI reported 1,750 murders involving knives.

It was completely justified for the campus police to confront the man. Students were afraid and called 911. Was he a student? Was he dangerous? Why was he carrying a knife? Etc. Etc.

It is not ok for students to carry knives or other weapons on campus. Students caught with weapons must be stopped by the police. If the university makes an exception for the Sikhs, then so be it, but the campus police have the duty to question the practice. Student safety is the responsibility of the police. If that student was overlooked and later killed a student, the campus police would have been vilified

I support the actions taken by the UNC-Charlotte police.

I watch football. I usually tape a few games each week and watch at night. That way I do not have to watch the commercials and the non-play segments. The NFL is in the entertainment industry, and professional football is hugely watched. But I think the broadcasts can be improved. Here are my suggestions to improve the NFL telecasts:

1. Change out the broadcasters. I am very tired of hearing from Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Tony Dungy, Boomer Esiason, Rodney Harrison, Pam Oliver, Troy Aikman (boring), and all the rest. Announcers must use proper grammar. Pick ex-players that have keen insights into the game. And that have some enthusiasm for the game.
2. Halftime segments are boring and loaded with commercials. A good time to eat and pee! Can’t believe Jason Garrett is in the broadcast. Who hired him? Another boring commentator.
3. Huge mistake to move Thursday night broadcast to Prime streaming. Guess it was all about the $$$$’s.
4. Head coaches should look very professional. I want to see the head coaches in suit and tie. Currently many are shown being 30lbs overweight, and unshaven. They look like they slept in their cars. Matt Ruhle in an example.
5. Can the league teach players not to “hold?” Every broadcast there are 3-5 holding calls. Same with pass interference. This is sloppy football and slows down the game. Also, teach players about the “neutral zone.” I don’t want to see that penalty anymore.
6. The commercials are nauseating. I do not want to see that woman from Progressive Insurance ever again. Get some new ads and new sponsors. That damn lizard selling insurance makes me ill.
7. I don’t like the split screen, seems schizophrenic. I can’t really see either image.
8. On a positive note-really like Eli and Peyton. Both a smart and funny.
9. Lastly, I do not want to see any social or political messages on helmets. Just want to see high quality football.

We are decades away for eliminating fossil fuels. Here is just one reason why.

September 15, 2022

Wind turbines are part of the Green Party plan. The fools believe we can end our national reliance of fossil fuels in the near future. They say we should invest in wind power. Impossible!!

Wind turbines are 300 to 500 feet tall. The blades are 175 feet long. To construct one turbine requires 200 tons of concrete, 100 tons of steel and 1000’s of pounds of resin filled plastic (not recyclable).

Concrete is made of cement, aggregate and sand. Cement is made by clinkering limestone and other minerals in a super-heated rotary kiln. The kiln is heated with natural gas!!!! The minerals are mined using heavy equipment and large crushing machines powered by diesel fuel. It takes a tremendous amount of fossil fuels to make concrete.

This is a picture of a limestone mining operation!!! Can you imagine the environmental impact?

Steel is made from iron ore and carbon. The ore is melted in blast furnaces at a temperature of 2600 F. These blast furnaces are fueled with natural gas. The mining of iron ore is done using mega machines fueled by diesel oil. Then, the ore is transported, often across oceans, using super cargo ships. The ships are powered by diesel fuel.

All industrial plastic comes from oil and natural gas. Crude oil/natural gas is “cracked” into many different forms of ethylene or propylene. The “cracking” requires high temperatures and pressures. Heat for this process is often provided by natural gas.

Without fossil fuels wind turbines cannot be made. The US must have a domestic source of fossil fuels. We cannot rely on Russia, Saudia Arabia or China.

Mecklenburg County, NC would need 100+ wind turbines just for residential use. Where will they be located??? And-each turbine will cost about $3 million.

Footnote-Please explain this to AOC!