"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." - Amendment I, U.S. Constitution
This past weekend marks a sad day in American history. People all over the country got together to "petition the government for a redress of grievances." Primarily, they were protesting the death of George Floyd, who died when in the custody of the Minneapolis police. However, many of those protests shifted from "peaceably" to violent; including destruction of property and looting.
These types of protests need to stop.
Here are a few considerations:
Every person needs to register prior to attending any protest.
Every person needs to publicly display their name on their clothing during the protest.
No wearing of black clothing and NO hoodies allowed.
Every person will go through a checkpoint prior to attending the protest.
If you fail to comply with the above you will be arrested and removed from the assembly.
Now, let me address the whys:
Many of the reports I read and videos I saw were concerning hooded individuals initiating the violence, destruction of property, and looting (what does the looting of a Target have to do with #BlackLivesMatter I have no idea). In Cleveland, over 60 people were arrested for aggravated rioting, vandalism, disorderly conduct and curfew violations. Some of those individuals were not from Cleveland. If every person is registered, publicly wearing their name, and are not hidden behind dark clothing and hoods, the chances of someone starting a riot are greatly diminished. And the checkpoints will guarantee no one is carrying a weapon or clothing they can use to disguise their identities (you have to go through checkpoints to get into Cleveland Indians games after all).
"But J.P., don't you know that we have a right to protest? It's in the 1st Amendment that you posted at the top of this article."
Read it again. It says you have the right to PEACEABLY assemble. Not riot. Not destroy property. Not bludgeon people with two-by-fours (yes, I saw that video too). PEACEABLY assemble.
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." - Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
As the preamble above shows, the concept of the Constitution, and the Amendments contained therein, are based on the intention of a CIVILIZED SOCIETY. IF you choose to behave uncivilized, you LOSE that right.
Don't agree? Go commit a felony, go to jail, serve your time, and try to vote. Why can't a felon vote? Because the act of the felony (an uncivilized act) DISQUALIFIES the person from the rights of a citizen in a civilized society. You know, part of the "domestic Tranquility".
When the violence and destruction become the news, the meaning of your protest is no longer the news. So, if you therefore have no desire for your message to be heard, you don't protest.
If you can't act like adults, you should be treated as the unruly children you are.
©Emittravel 2020
Monday, June 1, 2020
Sunday, April 19, 2020
If Everything Is A Crisis . . .
What do all of these have in common?
Global Cooling
H1N1
Swine Flu
Killer Bees
Avian Flu
Y2K
SARS
Global Warming a.k.a. Man-Made Climate Change a.k.a. Climate Change a.k.a. Climate Crisis
2012 (Mayan Calendar)
MERS
Donald Trump and the 2016 Presidential Election
Ready? Oh, this is so easy that you're gonna kick yourself if you missed it: According to the media (and our political "leaders"), we were all GONNA DIE!!
That's right. The above list is just a sampling of the things that the media cried over. And to show just how intellectual the elite media are, they would use (and still use) a word coined in 1475 to label anyone who would not whole-hardheartedly agree with them: denier.
Today we are in the midst of a real pandemic. One not seen here in the United States since 1918. And it may actually be serious. Oh, I'm not being a "denier" of the coronavirus. Not in the least. But, I'm wondering HOW serious it might actually be. As of today, the stats are as follows:
The first case reported in the US: 1/22/2020
February 1: 8
March 1: 42 (2 deaths)
April 1: 212,747 (4,746 deaths)
April 18: 724,895 (34,178 deaths)
As an Ohioan, the first three cases were reported on 3/9/2020
April 1: 2,547 (65 deaths)
April 18: 10,222 (451 deaths)
Looking at the stats, things seem quite grim. The numbers are exponentially rising when it comes to confirmed cases and especially deaths. And yet, both President Trump and Governor DeWine (and I'm sure many others) are looking at slowly lifting the quarantines that have been slowing the spread of the disease. I can't talk about the impact upon the economy at an individual level, as my wife is a public school teacher working from home and I work in a company that supports the telecommunications industry (therefore, "essential"), so we are both working (thank you Lord). However, on the macro level, the impact has been substantial. Yet, after only about a month of quarantine (here in Ohio), is it really advisable to start lifting it? Can the hospitals handle the possible increase in cases? Do we have the supplies? Are people willing to keep their distance and wear masks? How serious is this?
Now, the media has been ever vigilant in their reporting of how terrible a job President Trump has done when it comes to this. Mainly, because he was a "denier" initially. To be honest, I don't blame him.
Please scroll back to the top and review that list.
Now, take a deep breath.
Let it out slowly.
I blame the media. It is their fault and they should be held responsible for every occurrence and EVERY DEATH from this pandemic. And here's why:
I'm a big fan of two Microsoft Office Suite products: OneNote and Outlook (the desktop version). When writing an email in Outlook, you can choose the priority of the message as High, Normal, and Low. All emails are Normal by default. I had a coworker that would send every email as High priority. Do you know what happens when all emails are sent as High priority? NONE of them are High priority.
That's our media. Everything is a crisis and we should pay attention to them because they are more knowledgeable than you and therefore are the arbiters of truth. Horsepuckies!
To be more accurate, they are more like the "The Boy Who Cried Wolf".
They have always been more concerned with selling advertising dollars than reporting the news. And because everything has been a crisis, nothing is a crisis. And they are surprised when people are not listening when there is a REAL "wolf"?!?
I'm no expert. This is nothing but My Humble But Accurate Opinion. And yet, maybe, just maybe, we should keep our distance for a bit longer.
And stop listening to the media when they cry, "Wolf!"
©Emittravel 2020
Global Cooling
H1N1
Swine Flu
Killer Bees
Avian Flu
Y2K
SARS
Global Warming a.k.a. Man-Made Climate Change a.k.a. Climate Change a.k.a. Climate Crisis
2012 (Mayan Calendar)
MERS
Donald Trump and the 2016 Presidential Election
Ready? Oh, this is so easy that you're gonna kick yourself if you missed it: According to the media (and our political "leaders"), we were all GONNA DIE!!
That's right. The above list is just a sampling of the things that the media cried over. And to show just how intellectual the elite media are, they would use (and still use) a word coined in 1475 to label anyone who would not whole-hardheartedly agree with them: denier.
Today we are in the midst of a real pandemic. One not seen here in the United States since 1918. And it may actually be serious. Oh, I'm not being a "denier" of the coronavirus. Not in the least. But, I'm wondering HOW serious it might actually be. As of today, the stats are as follows:
The first case reported in the US: 1/22/2020
February 1: 8
March 1: 42 (2 deaths)
April 1: 212,747 (4,746 deaths)
April 18: 724,895 (34,178 deaths)
As an Ohioan, the first three cases were reported on 3/9/2020
April 1: 2,547 (65 deaths)
April 18: 10,222 (451 deaths)
Looking at the stats, things seem quite grim. The numbers are exponentially rising when it comes to confirmed cases and especially deaths. And yet, both President Trump and Governor DeWine (and I'm sure many others) are looking at slowly lifting the quarantines that have been slowing the spread of the disease. I can't talk about the impact upon the economy at an individual level, as my wife is a public school teacher working from home and I work in a company that supports the telecommunications industry (therefore, "essential"), so we are both working (thank you Lord). However, on the macro level, the impact has been substantial. Yet, after only about a month of quarantine (here in Ohio), is it really advisable to start lifting it? Can the hospitals handle the possible increase in cases? Do we have the supplies? Are people willing to keep their distance and wear masks? How serious is this?
Now, the media has been ever vigilant in their reporting of how terrible a job President Trump has done when it comes to this. Mainly, because he was a "denier" initially. To be honest, I don't blame him.
Please scroll back to the top and review that list.
Now, take a deep breath.
Let it out slowly.
I blame the media. It is their fault and they should be held responsible for every occurrence and EVERY DEATH from this pandemic. And here's why:
I'm a big fan of two Microsoft Office Suite products: OneNote and Outlook (the desktop version). When writing an email in Outlook, you can choose the priority of the message as High, Normal, and Low. All emails are Normal by default. I had a coworker that would send every email as High priority. Do you know what happens when all emails are sent as High priority? NONE of them are High priority.
That's our media. Everything is a crisis and we should pay attention to them because they are more knowledgeable than you and therefore are the arbiters of truth. Horsepuckies!
To be more accurate, they are more like the "The Boy Who Cried Wolf".
They have always been more concerned with selling advertising dollars than reporting the news. And because everything has been a crisis, nothing is a crisis. And they are surprised when people are not listening when there is a REAL "wolf"?!?
I'm no expert. This is nothing but My Humble But Accurate Opinion. And yet, maybe, just maybe, we should keep our distance for a bit longer.
And stop listening to the media when they cry, "Wolf!"
©Emittravel 2020
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Kill The Goose
According to Douglas Adams, the answer to "Life, The Universe, And Everything" is "42". But, according to the MLB, 42 is also the answer to "death": as in the number of Minor League teams on the chopping block.
As I write this, my wife and I are recovering from hosting our 5th annual "Pitchers & Catchers Report Party": a celebration of the start of a new season of baseball, and a chance for family and friends to get together and gab and eat summer food on a below-freezing day. With her parents recent return to Ohio, this was a fun time for both sets of parents to hang out as well.
During the party, along with food, we had a game from September playing in the background. At one point I was called over by both dads who told me that they would be enjoying future ball games right here. They said that there was good food, great parking, and great seats to watch the game.
I think they had something there.
Have you ever heard the story of the goose that laid the golden eggs? The farmer found he had a goose that would lay one golden egg every day. Due to his greed, he cut the goose open to get all the eggs at once - effectively killing the goose.
That farmer and the MLB have something in common.
I read a recent article that made the argument that the MLB needed not only a new Commissioner of Baseball, but a new commissioner like the old commissioners. Back in 1921, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis became the first commissioner. He was brought in partially due to what become the "Black Sox Scandal", where he banned eight ballplayers from the game for life!
"Regardless of the verdict of juries, no player who throws a ballgame, no player that undertakes or promises to throw a ballgame, no player that sits in conference with a bunch of crooked players and gamblers where the ways and means of throwing a game are discussed and does not promptly tell his club about it, will ever play professional baseball."
That action, though harsh, helped keep the game respectable, and helped the game to continue to grow.
Landis' focus was for the good of the game. He balanced the interest of players, owners, and fans to the best of his ability. That was a trait that followed for commissioners after him.
Current commissioners however, especially the last two, have focused on what is best for the owners exclusively. Okay, maybe they haven't kicked the players out, but they sure have left the fans out in the rain.
One of the things that has been proposed by the current commissioner (Robert Manfred) is the elimination of 42 Minor League clubs, with the hopes of expanding the Major League clubs by two. The reason? Money, of course. And by money, I mean money for the owners of the Major League clubs.
Lest you think I'm rambling here, let me tie all these threads together.
According to our dads, access to games, good food, great seats, and easy parking all add up to a great baseball experience. You know what that sounds like to me? They aren't talking about going to a Major League park! Sounds like a Minor League experience to me! You know, where you don't have to fight traffic, all seats are good (even the "nosebleed"), the parking is easy, and you don't have to take out a loan to go! And according to Mr. Manfred, there will be 42 less places for people to enjoy that kind of baseball.
For some people, a Minor League park is the only way they can take their family to a game. Partly due to finances; partly due to inaccessibility to Major League ballparks.
In 2019, my wife and I attended four Major League games (one at home and three in Canada while on vacation). In comparison, we went to six Minor League games. I can guarantee you, we spent far less money, and had JUST as good a time, at the six Minor League games than we did at the four Major League games. And those Minor League players played the game just as hard and with just as much passion as their Major League affiliates. And that means, in 2020, we plan on going to even MORE Minor League games.
The MLB owners are so money focused that they are willing to kill 42 geese. That's a lot of golden eggs they are throwing away, all for greed.
Let's not dash the dreams of multitudes of children to one day step up to the batters' box by keeping them from enjoying the game. Especially ones they and their families can actually attend!
©Emittravel 2020
As I write this, my wife and I are recovering from hosting our 5th annual "Pitchers & Catchers Report Party": a celebration of the start of a new season of baseball, and a chance for family and friends to get together and gab and eat summer food on a below-freezing day. With her parents recent return to Ohio, this was a fun time for both sets of parents to hang out as well.
During the party, along with food, we had a game from September playing in the background. At one point I was called over by both dads who told me that they would be enjoying future ball games right here. They said that there was good food, great parking, and great seats to watch the game.
I think they had something there.
Have you ever heard the story of the goose that laid the golden eggs? The farmer found he had a goose that would lay one golden egg every day. Due to his greed, he cut the goose open to get all the eggs at once - effectively killing the goose.
That farmer and the MLB have something in common.
I read a recent article that made the argument that the MLB needed not only a new Commissioner of Baseball, but a new commissioner like the old commissioners. Back in 1921, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis became the first commissioner. He was brought in partially due to what become the "Black Sox Scandal", where he banned eight ballplayers from the game for life!
"Regardless of the verdict of juries, no player who throws a ballgame, no player that undertakes or promises to throw a ballgame, no player that sits in conference with a bunch of crooked players and gamblers where the ways and means of throwing a game are discussed and does not promptly tell his club about it, will ever play professional baseball."
That action, though harsh, helped keep the game respectable, and helped the game to continue to grow.
Landis' focus was for the good of the game. He balanced the interest of players, owners, and fans to the best of his ability. That was a trait that followed for commissioners after him.
Current commissioners however, especially the last two, have focused on what is best for the owners exclusively. Okay, maybe they haven't kicked the players out, but they sure have left the fans out in the rain.
One of the things that has been proposed by the current commissioner (Robert Manfred) is the elimination of 42 Minor League clubs, with the hopes of expanding the Major League clubs by two. The reason? Money, of course. And by money, I mean money for the owners of the Major League clubs.
Lest you think I'm rambling here, let me tie all these threads together.
According to our dads, access to games, good food, great seats, and easy parking all add up to a great baseball experience. You know what that sounds like to me? They aren't talking about going to a Major League park! Sounds like a Minor League experience to me! You know, where you don't have to fight traffic, all seats are good (even the "nosebleed"), the parking is easy, and you don't have to take out a loan to go! And according to Mr. Manfred, there will be 42 less places for people to enjoy that kind of baseball.
For some people, a Minor League park is the only way they can take their family to a game. Partly due to finances; partly due to inaccessibility to Major League ballparks.
In 2019, my wife and I attended four Major League games (one at home and three in Canada while on vacation). In comparison, we went to six Minor League games. I can guarantee you, we spent far less money, and had JUST as good a time, at the six Minor League games than we did at the four Major League games. And those Minor League players played the game just as hard and with just as much passion as their Major League affiliates. And that means, in 2020, we plan on going to even MORE Minor League games.
The MLB owners are so money focused that they are willing to kill 42 geese. That's a lot of golden eggs they are throwing away, all for greed.
Let's not dash the dreams of multitudes of children to one day step up to the batters' box by keeping them from enjoying the game. Especially ones they and their families can actually attend!
©Emittravel 2020
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Major League - With a Minor in Marketing
On December 28, 2019, Paul J. Caputo - a.k.a. "Baseball and Ice Cream" on Twitter - posted the following tweet:
"It's the #BaseballSolstice, friends! We're exactly halfway from the last out of the World Series to the first pitch of Spring Training games. WE'RE DOING THIS!"
For lovers of baseball, this kind of thing brings a rush to the bloodstream. And it got me curious as to what changes the MLB has in store in its efforts to bring more fans to the game. So I did a little interwebs walking and found out a few things. Here are a couple of the highlights:
Again, I'm looking at these as changes that will bring more into the fandom of baseball. You see, some folks in the MLB organization think that the game is too slow for today's fans, and young folk are not interested in the game. I think they are missing the point.
Lets look at the first one: this one effects the Cubs and White Sox broadcasting. What this does is give special licensing rights (also known as $$$ to the MLB) to a certain network.
And here is the other: A pitcher must face at least three batters, unless the inning ends or the pitcher is injured.
As Cleveland Indians fans are aware, there is a strategy that coaches like Terry Francona like to employ, and that is using your bullpen to compete against the opposing team's lineup; which sometimes means bringing in a particular pitcher to face a particular batter - and changing them out afterwards.
The idea for the change is that every time you change a pitcher the game slows down. And nothing is more important than speeding up the game.
Now, both of these changes are going to have the OPPOSITE effect than planned. And here is why:
There are several age groups of fans: kids (brought to games by or watching on TV with their parents), adults (with or without kids), and older - retired - fans. The one group I didn't list was the young adults in or just graduating from college. These are the "cream" that the MLB is trying to get interested in the game. The problem is that the majority of these young adults are not dropping money into a cable subscription. Which means, they either watch the games on local TV (just eliminated for Cubs and White Sox fans) or by paying for special app access to those networks that do broadcast the games (which, from what I've experienced, need a cable subscription to login).
The other issue is the cost of the games to attend. The ticket prices are so expensive, that unless you want the "nosebleed" section - where it's better to stay home and watch if you want to SEE anything - you are dropping quite a bit of cash. Add to that concessions and perhaps parking, and it's an expensive night on the town.
So, what should the MLB do? Well, for starters, since they have stated that money is not an issue, they should be able to lower those ticket prices. Where do I get that? Well, every time I'm in my living room watching a game and there is a pitching change they go to a commercial break. Since they are eliminating how often a pitching change can take place, they are stating that they DON'T NEED THOSE ADVERTISING DOLLARS. That eliminates one barrier for young folk to get to the game.
The other thing they can do is eliminate all of those exclusive broadcasting rights (a.k.a. "blackout conditions"). I was foolish one year and purchased the MLB Regular Season Package. What did that give me? Access to regular season games via online streaming (phone, tablet, Roku, etc.) EXCEPT for the Cleveland Indians (my home team). Those games were unavailable due to blackout conditions. Which means that I wasn't able to watch them without a cable subscription.
Every time a game is available only on a special network, you eliminate eyes from watching the game AND missed eyes to watch those precious advertisements. Of course, the idea of the blackout is to encourage people to come to the ballpark . . . if they can afford the ticket price . . .
The MLB needs to reevaluate their marketing. If they really want to get more fans interested in the game, and keep them interested for years to come, they need to be less penny wise and dollar foolish. They are so desperate for those pennies now that they are losing the many dollars of the future.
But then again, maybe that 20-second pitch clock is the solution . . .
©Emittravel 2019
"It's the #BaseballSolstice, friends! We're exactly halfway from the last out of the World Series to the first pitch of Spring Training games. WE'RE DOING THIS!"
For lovers of baseball, this kind of thing brings a rush to the bloodstream. And it got me curious as to what changes the MLB has in store in its efforts to bring more fans to the game. So I did a little interwebs walking and found out a few things. Here are a couple of the highlights:
- This will be the first season since the 1940s that WGN-TV will neither broadcast Chicago Cubs nor White Sox games, along with both teams not having local free over-the-air broadcasters. Cubs games will exclusively be televised on the Marquee Sports Network, while White Sox games will air exclusively on NBC Sports Chicago. WFLD will continue to broadcast any national games from Fox involving either or both teams.
- A pitcher must face at least three batters, unless the inning ends or the pitcher is injured.
Again, I'm looking at these as changes that will bring more into the fandom of baseball. You see, some folks in the MLB organization think that the game is too slow for today's fans, and young folk are not interested in the game. I think they are missing the point.
Lets look at the first one: this one effects the Cubs and White Sox broadcasting. What this does is give special licensing rights (also known as $$$ to the MLB) to a certain network.
And here is the other: A pitcher must face at least three batters, unless the inning ends or the pitcher is injured.
As Cleveland Indians fans are aware, there is a strategy that coaches like Terry Francona like to employ, and that is using your bullpen to compete against the opposing team's lineup; which sometimes means bringing in a particular pitcher to face a particular batter - and changing them out afterwards.
The idea for the change is that every time you change a pitcher the game slows down. And nothing is more important than speeding up the game.
Now, both of these changes are going to have the OPPOSITE effect than planned. And here is why:
There are several age groups of fans: kids (brought to games by or watching on TV with their parents), adults (with or without kids), and older - retired - fans. The one group I didn't list was the young adults in or just graduating from college. These are the "cream" that the MLB is trying to get interested in the game. The problem is that the majority of these young adults are not dropping money into a cable subscription. Which means, they either watch the games on local TV (just eliminated for Cubs and White Sox fans) or by paying for special app access to those networks that do broadcast the games (which, from what I've experienced, need a cable subscription to login).
The other issue is the cost of the games to attend. The ticket prices are so expensive, that unless you want the "nosebleed" section - where it's better to stay home and watch if you want to SEE anything - you are dropping quite a bit of cash. Add to that concessions and perhaps parking, and it's an expensive night on the town.
So, what should the MLB do? Well, for starters, since they have stated that money is not an issue, they should be able to lower those ticket prices. Where do I get that? Well, every time I'm in my living room watching a game and there is a pitching change they go to a commercial break. Since they are eliminating how often a pitching change can take place, they are stating that they DON'T NEED THOSE ADVERTISING DOLLARS. That eliminates one barrier for young folk to get to the game.
The other thing they can do is eliminate all of those exclusive broadcasting rights (a.k.a. "blackout conditions"). I was foolish one year and purchased the MLB Regular Season Package. What did that give me? Access to regular season games via online streaming (phone, tablet, Roku, etc.) EXCEPT for the Cleveland Indians (my home team). Those games were unavailable due to blackout conditions. Which means that I wasn't able to watch them without a cable subscription.
Every time a game is available only on a special network, you eliminate eyes from watching the game AND missed eyes to watch those precious advertisements. Of course, the idea of the blackout is to encourage people to come to the ballpark . . . if they can afford the ticket price . . .
The MLB needs to reevaluate their marketing. If they really want to get more fans interested in the game, and keep them interested for years to come, they need to be less penny wise and dollar foolish. They are so desperate for those pennies now that they are losing the many dollars of the future.
But then again, maybe that 20-second pitch clock is the solution . . .
©Emittravel 2019
Sunday, October 6, 2019
"Don't Panic!" - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Every issue facing the world can be directly linked to climate change (crisis) and the timeline seems to keep getting shorter for the end of the world.
"We only have 11 years to cut our emissions in half." - Elizabeth Warren - September 5, 2019 Climate Town Hall
I remember in the 1970s that we were doomed due to the impact of global COOLING. If we didn't change our ways immediately (changes which always seemed connected to redistributing wealth from one group to another) we would be thrust into another ice age!
"There's one issue that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other, and that is the urgent threat of a changing climate." - Barack Obama
It seems that everywhere you turn you hear people crying that the world is about to end and it is our fault. Unless we make drastic changes we are all going to die!
"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" - Chicken Little
Did you know that the world was going to end by a great flood? That was predicted to take place on February 25, 1524, when the planets would be in alignment.
The world was going to end in 1843. This was predicted by William Miller in 1831. When it didn't happen, he recalculated and determined it to take place in 1844. No dice.
In 1910, Halley's comet was to pass earth in such close proximity that it was believed that it would destroy the planet. "Comet May Kill All Earth Life, Says Scientist."
How about when Harold Camping "accurately" predicted the end times - 12 times. Never happened, but he did sell a lot of books.
And of course, we can't forget when John Cusack and a few daring individuals helped save a large number of people when the Mayan Calendar marked the end of the world on December 21, 2012. Oh wait. That was a movie.
We humorously dismiss the above because they were mostly the rantings of the religious - not the true believers we have today in science. But my question is, should we?
In a landmark United States Supreme Court case concerning the enforcement of the Espionage Act of 1917 (Schenck v. United States), Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. gave us the famous quote concerning shouting fire in a crowded theater. It is thought to be one of the first opinions that directly limited the 1st Amendment's "freedom of speech" clause to not allow people to cause panic.
Maybe we need to implement that and make people responsible for the things they say.
For instance: if a person gets placed on parole and then goes out and commits a crime, the people on the parole board should be held accountable. After all, by letting the person out of prison they are stating that they believe the public is in no danger. Is that a stretch? Well, look at it this way: aren't they accomplices to a crime?
What if it was made clear that if anyone - politicians included - were to make statements, especially those that create panic (see those at the top of this article for examples), they will be held responsible if they DON'T come to pass?
The Bible tells us that you can tell a false prophet by the fact that what they profess does not come to pass (and therefore should be punished - see Jeremiah 14:15)
And that includes the panic induced behind the statements of climate change criers.
Oh, and to correctly quote Justice Holmes, Jr.: "The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man FALSELY shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic. [...] The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger . . . "
To all of you Chicken Littles out there: be warned. Your #MeToo-type moment is coming!
©Emittravel 2019
"We only have 11 years to cut our emissions in half." - Elizabeth Warren - September 5, 2019 Climate Town Hall
I remember in the 1970s that we were doomed due to the impact of global COOLING. If we didn't change our ways immediately (changes which always seemed connected to redistributing wealth from one group to another) we would be thrust into another ice age!
"There's one issue that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other, and that is the urgent threat of a changing climate." - Barack Obama
It seems that everywhere you turn you hear people crying that the world is about to end and it is our fault. Unless we make drastic changes we are all going to die!
"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" - Chicken Little
Did you know that the world was going to end by a great flood? That was predicted to take place on February 25, 1524, when the planets would be in alignment.
The world was going to end in 1843. This was predicted by William Miller in 1831. When it didn't happen, he recalculated and determined it to take place in 1844. No dice.
In 1910, Halley's comet was to pass earth in such close proximity that it was believed that it would destroy the planet. "Comet May Kill All Earth Life, Says Scientist."
How about when Harold Camping "accurately" predicted the end times - 12 times. Never happened, but he did sell a lot of books.
And of course, we can't forget when John Cusack and a few daring individuals helped save a large number of people when the Mayan Calendar marked the end of the world on December 21, 2012. Oh wait. That was a movie.
We humorously dismiss the above because they were mostly the rantings of the religious - not the true believers we have today in science. But my question is, should we?
In a landmark United States Supreme Court case concerning the enforcement of the Espionage Act of 1917 (Schenck v. United States), Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. gave us the famous quote concerning shouting fire in a crowded theater. It is thought to be one of the first opinions that directly limited the 1st Amendment's "freedom of speech" clause to not allow people to cause panic.
Maybe we need to implement that and make people responsible for the things they say.
For instance: if a person gets placed on parole and then goes out and commits a crime, the people on the parole board should be held accountable. After all, by letting the person out of prison they are stating that they believe the public is in no danger. Is that a stretch? Well, look at it this way: aren't they accomplices to a crime?
What if it was made clear that if anyone - politicians included - were to make statements, especially those that create panic (see those at the top of this article for examples), they will be held responsible if they DON'T come to pass?
The Bible tells us that you can tell a false prophet by the fact that what they profess does not come to pass (and therefore should be punished - see Jeremiah 14:15)
And that includes the panic induced behind the statements of climate change criers.
Oh, and to correctly quote Justice Holmes, Jr.: "The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man FALSELY shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic. [...] The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger . . . "
To all of you Chicken Littles out there: be warned. Your #MeToo-type moment is coming!
©Emittravel 2019
Sunday, September 8, 2019
It Ain't Illegal If I Don't Get Caught
What do the following words have in common:
Gay
Terrible
Ejaculate
Bad
Sick
Congressman
Each of the above originally had a different meaning/usage than it does today. "Gay" used to mean "happy", "terrible" used to mean "awe inspiring", and "ejaculate" meant "exclaim". You get the idea.
The title of this post is an expression that basically means, "if a law is not enforced, it isn't a law". Ever catch someone go through a red traffic light and don't get stopped? Did they break the law? Sure they did. But, since it wasn't enforced, it "really" wasn't broken was it? Or, if you read my last post, "Quit Playing With Yourself and Drive!!", driving while on your cellphone is not really illegal either - if it isn't enforced.
There is another level that I think needs addressed: If a law does not apply equally, it is not a law.
Every couple of years I read through the Federalist Papers. Not an exciting read, but worthwhile nonetheless. In Federalist LVII "The Alleged Tendency of the New Plan to Elevate the Few at the Expense of the Many", I read the following:
"If this spirit shall ever be so far debased as to tolerate a law not obligatory on the Legislature, as well as on the People, the People will be prepared to tolerate anything but liberty."
The argument was that if the Legislature were to make laws that did not apply to themselves, the people would not stand for it. Sorry to say that that turned out to be false.
There are many laws that Congress has passed that they have exempted themselves from. Here are a few:
"Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970" - this applies to "any person engaged in a business affecting commerce who has employees". Under the acts definitions, the term employer "does not include the United States" - which means Congress. Too bad if you get hurt on the job.
"Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)" - this provides a statutory right of access to a wide range of government information to allow citizens to be informed of government affairs. The House and Senate stand by certain "privileges" that have roots in the Constitution, which allows them to not have to disclose certain things to the public.
"18 U.S. Code 208" - The principal financial conflict of interest law for Federal employees - prohibits officers and employees of the executive branch from taking any official action on something that would provide personal financial gain. This does NOT apply to any elected officials of the Federal Government - so Congress, the President, the Vice President, and Federal judges are exempt. Since Martha Stewart was not one of the above, she went to jail for insider trading.
(The above examples were pulled from https://archives-democrats-rules.house.gov/Archives/jcoc2ai.htm)
Reminds me of the bonehead from "Lethal Weapon II" shouting "Diplomatic immunity" whenever he broke the law.
Where am I going with all of this? According to the U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 9: "No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."
If you apply privileges of royalty onto an existing title, doesn't that equal the granting of a title of nobility?
Calling someone "Congressman" - with all of their privileges and exemptions - like "gay", "terrible", and "ejaculate" - no longer fits the original definition and should be held accountable.
©Emittravel 2019
Gay
Terrible
Ejaculate
Bad
Sick
Congressman
Each of the above originally had a different meaning/usage than it does today. "Gay" used to mean "happy", "terrible" used to mean "awe inspiring", and "ejaculate" meant "exclaim". You get the idea.
The title of this post is an expression that basically means, "if a law is not enforced, it isn't a law". Ever catch someone go through a red traffic light and don't get stopped? Did they break the law? Sure they did. But, since it wasn't enforced, it "really" wasn't broken was it? Or, if you read my last post, "Quit Playing With Yourself and Drive!!", driving while on your cellphone is not really illegal either - if it isn't enforced.
There is another level that I think needs addressed: If a law does not apply equally, it is not a law.
Every couple of years I read through the Federalist Papers. Not an exciting read, but worthwhile nonetheless. In Federalist LVII "The Alleged Tendency of the New Plan to Elevate the Few at the Expense of the Many", I read the following:
"If this spirit shall ever be so far debased as to tolerate a law not obligatory on the Legislature, as well as on the People, the People will be prepared to tolerate anything but liberty."
The argument was that if the Legislature were to make laws that did not apply to themselves, the people would not stand for it. Sorry to say that that turned out to be false.
There are many laws that Congress has passed that they have exempted themselves from. Here are a few:
"Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970" - this applies to "any person engaged in a business affecting commerce who has employees". Under the acts definitions, the term employer "does not include the United States" - which means Congress. Too bad if you get hurt on the job.
"Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)" - this provides a statutory right of access to a wide range of government information to allow citizens to be informed of government affairs. The House and Senate stand by certain "privileges" that have roots in the Constitution, which allows them to not have to disclose certain things to the public.
"18 U.S. Code 208" - The principal financial conflict of interest law for Federal employees - prohibits officers and employees of the executive branch from taking any official action on something that would provide personal financial gain. This does NOT apply to any elected officials of the Federal Government - so Congress, the President, the Vice President, and Federal judges are exempt. Since Martha Stewart was not one of the above, she went to jail for insider trading.
(The above examples were pulled from https://archives-democrats-rules.house.gov/Archives/jcoc2ai.htm)
Reminds me of the bonehead from "Lethal Weapon II" shouting "Diplomatic immunity" whenever he broke the law.
Where am I going with all of this? According to the U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 9: "No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."
If you apply privileges of royalty onto an existing title, doesn't that equal the granting of a title of nobility?
Calling someone "Congressman" - with all of their privileges and exemptions - like "gay", "terrible", and "ejaculate" - no longer fits the original definition and should be held accountable.
©Emittravel 2019
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Quit Playing With Yourself and Drive!!
Not sure about you, but as I traverse the highways and biways of our great land, I notice that more and more people are driving with one hand on the steering wheel and their eyes focused on their laps.
I ride a motorcycle (as much as Ohio weather permits). Seeing the above has the unfortunate result of my butt cheeks firmly grasping the seat.
Did you know that all citizens of Israel have to spend approximately two years in national military service? Not only does that provide support for the security of the country, but it also provides some great skills: weapons handling, critical thinking, and a better sense of alertness for life happening around you.
Makes me think that everyone should be required to obtain a motorcycle license and drive one before/along with an automobile license. This would provide some great skills as well. Primarily, an alertness for life happening around you and a RESPECT for others on the road. As a rider, you are very alert of those around you who are not.
Officer: I pulled you over because you are driving recklessly. You are sitting at traffic lights after they go green so long that cars behind you are honking. That increases road rage, which leads to accidents. You are also drifting outside of your lane and not maintaining an assured clear distance from the car in front of you. Also, it is illegal to drive while texting, surfing the internet, checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
Driver: But officer. I wasn't on my phone. Seriously. I would never drive illegally.
Officer: Okay. Then if you must play with yourself, please pull over. Don't drive distracted.
Because, you know, if you are driving with one hand on the steering wheel and the other is in your lap, and your attention is focused on that hand in said lap, you are either on your phone or playing with yourself.
Do us a favor: If you are doing either, please pull over and finish. Your vehicle weighs (on average) between 2,979 and 4,366 pounds (1,354 and 1,985 kilograms). If you are driving 40 mph (since I'm sure 35 mph is just a suggested speed limit) (oh, and this stat comes from www.driveandstayalive.com), it will take about 120 FEET to come to a complete stop on DRY pavement (that includes 40 feet just thinking about stopping - when you ARE paying attention).
Please don't be an idiot or a pervert. Drive!
©Emittravel 2019
I ride a motorcycle (as much as Ohio weather permits). Seeing the above has the unfortunate result of my butt cheeks firmly grasping the seat.
Did you know that all citizens of Israel have to spend approximately two years in national military service? Not only does that provide support for the security of the country, but it also provides some great skills: weapons handling, critical thinking, and a better sense of alertness for life happening around you.
Makes me think that everyone should be required to obtain a motorcycle license and drive one before/along with an automobile license. This would provide some great skills as well. Primarily, an alertness for life happening around you and a RESPECT for others on the road. As a rider, you are very alert of those around you who are not.
Officer: I pulled you over because you are driving recklessly. You are sitting at traffic lights after they go green so long that cars behind you are honking. That increases road rage, which leads to accidents. You are also drifting outside of your lane and not maintaining an assured clear distance from the car in front of you. Also, it is illegal to drive while texting, surfing the internet, checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
Driver: But officer. I wasn't on my phone. Seriously. I would never drive illegally.
Officer: Okay. Then if you must play with yourself, please pull over. Don't drive distracted.
Because, you know, if you are driving with one hand on the steering wheel and the other is in your lap, and your attention is focused on that hand in said lap, you are either on your phone or playing with yourself.
Do us a favor: If you are doing either, please pull over and finish. Your vehicle weighs (on average) between 2,979 and 4,366 pounds (1,354 and 1,985 kilograms). If you are driving 40 mph (since I'm sure 35 mph is just a suggested speed limit) (oh, and this stat comes from www.driveandstayalive.com), it will take about 120 FEET to come to a complete stop on DRY pavement (that includes 40 feet just thinking about stopping - when you ARE paying attention).
Please don't be an idiot or a pervert. Drive!
©Emittravel 2019
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