CDC calls racism a public health matter

 Racism is a problem, no doubt about it. It is an unpleasant way of looking at things, a belief that your race is better than other races, and you are entitled to special treatment, and those other races can be dumped on.  

CDC was on TV today calling racism a public health matter.  I don't go along with that.  Racism is not something that medical science can cure.  No vaccination, no clever drugs, no surgery can deal with it.  Racism is a moral problem, and/or a political problem.  It is a failure of our deepest beliefs such as "all men are created equal" .  

CDC ought to concentrate on curing disease.  Dealing with racism is a matter for our religious communities, and our politicians.  

Sorry to hear of Prince Phillip's death at 99

 He married into the British royal family.  He supported Britain all the way.  He supported the family he married into all the way.  As royal consort he attended innumerable functions, he visited all over the world, he worked hard.  We ought to admire the British royal family for the support and good feeling they have drawn out of us Americans.  For example, during the Falklands crisis, when the Americans did not want to offend every Spaniard in all of South America, the Brits were able to get air to air refueling support, satellite intel, and a general helpful attitude from the Yankees, partly, perhaps largely, because of the glamour and pizzaz shown by the Royals.  Stuff like that is worth the relatively minor expense of operating the royal family.  The royals cost less than an aircraft carrier or an infantry division and they can be very effective.  

   Phillip did his duty, all the way, and we will miss him. 

Biden on Gun Control

 Biden was on TV this morning pushing his gun control ideas.  He opened by talking about "ghost guns" by which we think he means home made guns that lack serial numbers.  The makers have not filled out the pounds and pounds of paperwork imposed upon gun manufacturers.  I don't think this is a serious issue.  I never heard of anyone having a home made gun and using it for crime.  This will be a PITA for the few hobbyists that actually make guns as a hobby, but I cannot imagine it doing anything to reduce "gun violence".  

   Then he went on to a measure to outlaw pistols with add on stocks.  He would reclassify these as "short barreled rifles", and regulate them as harshly as machine guns, in effect banning them.  

Finally he is publishing a model "red flag" law which states could adopt if they cared to.  "Red Flag" laws allow anyone, wives, ex-wives, live in girl friends, and just about anyone else to petition a judge to have the cops confiscate someone' guns because he might be a danger to himself or to others.  I am not in favor.  If  we really believe someone is a danger to himself or to others, we ought to involuntarily commit them to a mental hospital for treatment. 

George Floyd Trial

 A lotta talk about just what Floyd died of.  He had been doing fentanyl.  Had a history of heart problems.  The Chauvin defense is claiming that one or more of these killed Floyd.  And Chauvin's putting his boot to Floyd's neck, while Floyd was handcuffed, flat on the ground, underneath a police cruiser, had nothing to do with it.  I think that treatment would terrify me, or any other sentient being.  And terror makes the adrenaline come quicker, the heart beat faster.  Could have aggravated any one of those other conditions to the point of death.  

Another way of looking at the case.  If someone dies when your client has his boot on the victim's throat,  your client is guilty of killing the victim.  Lawyers can pull down billable hours quibbling over whether it was man slaughter, or some brand of murder up to murder 1, but the plain fact is, Chauvin killed Floyd.

The Untouchables 1987

 Chicago of Al Capone’s time.  Gung ho Treasury agent, Elliot Ness. played by Keviin Costner,  sent to Chicago to take out Capone,  and Malone, old Chicago beat cop, played by Sean Connery.  After a failed raid, Malone straightens Ness out and they begin to score against Capone.  Cool scene where a shipment (many truckloads) of Canadian booze is met by Capone’s people, driving nice limousines and bringing money, meet at the Canadian border.  Elliot and Malone’s people shoot down Capone’s people so hard core than a Canadian officer calls them out on it.  To which Ness replies, “We are from Chicago.”.  The 1930’s interiors, wood trim, wall paper, kitchen stoves, and other stuff looked just like it did in my childhood.  Some good lines like “Bring a knife to a gun fight” from Malone as he pulls a sawed off 12 gauge out of his Victrola to take down a Capone assassin.   Robert De Niro plays a nasty and murderous Al Capone.  A good watch.

 

Craig Valdez is running for US House of Representatives.

 

Voting, the right and the wrong.

Ideally everyone would vote on election day, at the polls in their town.  The poll workers get to see a real live person carrying a real photo ID.  They can check to see if the photo ID matches the smiling face in front of them.  You can't do that with a mail in ballot.  If this creates a backup at the polls, open more polling places.  

    We don't want to support early voting because last minute changes in a candidate's position can make voters bitterly regret the vote the cast some days before.  We want to limit voting to real live people, people who live in the town they are voting in. We do this by insisting that voters register in person, at town hall BEFORE election day and show some documentation to the election officials.  To be a real New Hampshire resident, you have to have a New Hampshire driver's license and New Hampshire plates on the car.  If you carry some outta-state license and have outta-state plates, you are a resident from outta-state and you need to vote there, not in New Hampshire.  

   We need an absentee ballot procedure for people who simply cannot make it to the polls on election day, such as members of the armed forces stationed overseas.  We have that, although I have never used it and don't know just how it works.  We should never mail out ballots to people who have not requested them.  Absentee ballots should only be issued to people who have a good reason to need them.  Fear of catching Corona virus at the polls is not a good reason.  Going to vote is no more likely to infect one than going to the grocery store, and everyone still goes to the grocery store.  Absentee ballots must arrive by US mail, with a cancelled stamp, and must be in before the end of election day.  After the polls close on election day no more absentee ballots will be accepted.