Author: Californiacontrarian

Yesterday morning I began to write about a dichotomy in Pennsylvania. As far as I can tell Pittsburgh (western Pa.) and Scranton (eastern Pa.) are in the same state. So why the following dichotomy?

From BlazeNews:

On April 18, student groups Intercollegiate Studies Institute and University of Pittsburgh’s College Republicans chapter hosted a moderated debate between the Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles and BASED Politics co-founder Brad Polumbo.

The University of Pittsburgh demanded that conservative students pay $18,734 in security and damage fees after a mob of 250 leftist protesters rioted at their scheduled event, according to a demand lettersubmitted to the school by Alliance Defending Freedom.

The debate was titled “Should Transgenderism Be Regulated by Law?” The event included an audience question-and-answer session and a meet-and-greet.

The College Republicans planned the event months in advance, following all university policies and procedures, according to the ADF.

A Theater Arts Professor urged students to attend “several events planned for Tuesday April 18 in response to Knowles’ unwelcome presence on campus.”

According to ADF hundreds of rioters filled the street “within striking distance of attendees.”

“This proximity allowed the mob to throw smoke bombs and other incendiary devices into the crowd, as well as using a road flare to burn an effigy of Knowles. That action prevented the police from keeping the O’Hara Student Center free of threats, and it ultimately caused Pitt police to urge ISI to end the event before it concluded because the situation was ‘deteriorating,'” ADF wrote in its demand letter to the university.

** None of protesters were arrested!

Whereas in eastern Pennsylvania a single protester, Damon Atkins, was arrested in Scranton was arrested while standing on a public sidewalk. 

What was the vicious crime for which he was arrested?

Cellphone video captured the moment when a man was arrested after trying to quote the Bible to Pride-rally attendees across the street from him in Reading, Pennsylvania, over the weekend.

Moments later when a handcuffed Atkins continues trying to speak to the Pride-rally attendees, the officer turns him around and walks him up against a building’s outer wall, and subsequently searches his backpack.

During this time, a Pride representative on a microphone mocks “protesters across the street” who managed to “get themselves in trouble with the police.”

The crowd loves it and begins cheering. The man on the mic then urges the protesters to get “some love into that heart of yours.”

**This single protester was arrested!

Like I noted above I wrote about this Pennsylvania dichotomy yesterday.

Today on BlazeNews I read the following headline:

“Charges dropped against man arrested after trying to quote Bible to Pride rally attendees; official reportedly says legal action may come against police.”

According to the Lancaster Patriot — which initially covered details of the arrest — an email from Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach said “from what I have seen thus far I believe this was an unlawful arrest and could open the City of Reading and their police department to legal action.”

** Legal action! Really! No duh!

It seems to me that Pennsylvania needs to get its act together as the laws   concerning who is allowed to protest and what constitutes an unlawful violent protest need to be the same in both western and eastern Pennsylvania!

6/8/23

Many years ago as my long-time readers are aware, I voiced my opposition to the legalization of marijuana. That opposition did not have anything to do with me being anti-libertarian, but rather was based on the fact that there was not, back then, and there still is not, a way to prove that someone is driving impaired. … under the influence of marijuana. Yes, evidence of marijuana usage can be tested for, but because of the long half-life of marijuana, a positive test cannot tell when the marijuana was imbibed or smoked.

Now there is accumulating evidence that marijuana is indeed harmful, but this has nothing to do with impaired driving.

From Jeff Childers:

“The New York Times published a triggering op-ed yesterday by conservative writer Ross Douthat headlined, “Legalizing Marijuana Is a Big Mistake.” The opinion piece, which Douthat presumably penned whilst stone-cold sober, cited several new negative studies:

• A new paper from the Journal of Health Economics finding that “legal medical marijuana, particularly when available through retail dispensaries, is associated with higher opioid mortality,” suggesting the natural pain killer did not have any effect on reducing opioid dependency, as advocates had claimed. 
• A new paper strengthening the existing link between heavy pot use and the onset of schizophrenia in some young men.
• A new study showing daily or near-daily marijuana use is up dramatically since legalization, with around 1‌‌6 million Americans (out of 50 million users) now suffering from what ‌‌is termed marijuana use disorder. 

Together, the three studies strongly suggest that legalization is not, as many advocates originally claimed, absolutely 100% harm-free. The debate now needs to how much harm is justified, acceptable, or tolerated compared to the benefits, given that blue states (and some red ones) are sprinting toward making the drug a freely-available recreational intoxicant.”

Wow! When the very liberal NYT starts to print anti-marijuana editorials, you can be sure that there is something there … “when there is smoke, there’s fire!”

So, to me, it seems that I have been right all along, albeit for a different reason. … Hmmm!

6/7/23

While EVs might be wonderful in places with a lot of sun and warm weather, they can certainly be a problem in places with very cold weather. Months ago I read an interesting piece. Is it true? … I do not know.

Could it be true? … Absolutely, especially in any cold state.

Electric Vehicle Knowledge

From an anonymous Wisconsin State trooper

I’m not a fan of all electric vehicles. Too many variables affecting

battery consumption. Definitely not suited for cold climates.

The following experience just cements my distaste for EV’s, especially

Teslas.

I get sent to a motorist assist the other day, at the start of our

snowstorm. Tesla on the side of the interstate, dead battery. So, I

arrive on scene and the occupants have the right-front door open.

They tell me that they can’t open any other doors, because the battery is

dead. Sure enough. Can’t open the doors from inside or outside. The

driver also can’t get her license out of the glove box where she put

it during their trip. Because the glovebox opens electronically… and

the battery is dead.

You actually have to use the computer in the center of the dash to open the glovebox.

They said they had 10% battery left, should’ve been plenty to get from

that location to the charging station nearby. Then all of a sudden,

the whole car shut off and they coasted to the shoulder.

So now I have to find them a tow. No one wants to tow EV’s. Finally

found one company to do it. 8-mile trip to the charging station in

Tomah. $1,000! Normal vehicle on the flatbed would’ve been $150.

So now we’re at the Tesla superchargers. Guess what. Can’t open the

charging port because the battery is dead!!! The ports open, you

guessed it, electronically!!! 🤦🏼‍♂️🤬. And we also can’t open the

doors now (had to close the one open door when it was loaded onto the

wrecker). The owner’s manual is in the on-board computer, but the

battery is dead.

I got the occupants to a store where they’d be warm while calling the

rental company to figure out how to charge this POS, so I’m not sure

of the outcome. I had to leave for a crash report.

EV’s may be the way, someday, but certainly not today!! I’ll stick

with my dinosaur burner.

6/6/23

As most of are aware on Sundays I pay tribute to someone who has demonstrated unusual personal fortitude or bravery. At the present time the names of minors are often withheld in news stories. Usually I do not disagree with this policy, but with regards to the following story, I wish that I knew the name of this Michigan minor.

From BlazeNews:

A Michigan boy is being heralded as a hero for allegedly using his slingshot to save his little sister from being abducted from their back yard, according to police.

The 8-year-old sister was reportedly hunting for mushrooms on Wednesday in the back yard of her home in Alpena, Michigan. Suddenly, a 17-year-old suspect emerged from the woods, covered the girl’s mouth, grabbed her around the waist, and attempted to drag her into the woods.

The girl’s 14-year-old brother was inside the family’s home when he witnessed the attempted abduction. The boy sprang into action by grabbing his slingshot and running outside.

“He was able to grab his slingshot and was able to slingshot something that hit the suspect right in the head. And that caused him to let go. The girl was able to struggle and get away, and he shot another one, hit the suspect in the chest, and then fled the scene,” said Alpena Post Commander Lt. John Grimshaw.

The Michigan State Police released a description of the suspect, and he was quickly located – hiding at a nearby gas station. The suspect had injuries on his head and chest, which authorities said helped confirm that he was the alleged kidnapper.

Grimshaw credited the brother’s heroic actions for saving the life of his sister.

“He really is the one that, I believe, saved his sister’s life or from having something seriously bad happening to her,” he stated. “For a 14-year-old to see that and to pop into action that quickly is extraordinary.”

Extraordinary, indeed! A true hero!

6/4/23

Today I read an article concerning the truthfulness of comments, and the success of restoring one’s reputation once it has been besmirched. If one’s reputation has been wrongly tarnished by a newspaper, then the newspaper might eventually issue a retraction. This “mea culpa” could  be buried on page 59, whereas the original untruths could have been on page 2. … Fair?  No, not in the least as the original damage to the person’s reputation  is what often mainly sticks in the reader’s head. Of course, the person whose good names was smeared can bring suit against the newspaper, and sometimes the newspaper will have to pay big bucks for the slanderous comments. e.g. the student from Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky)

However, what if the slander was not directed at a person? Is there a way to correct the damage that had been done? Realistically, no. Take for example, the drug, Hydroxychloroquine (HQ).

An investigation has found that among the hundreds of COVID-19 research papers that have been withdrawn, a retracted study linking the drug hydroxychloroquine to increased mortality was the most cited paper.

With 1,360 citations at the time of data extraction, researchers in the field were still referring to the paper “Hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine with or without a macrolide for treatment of COVID-19: a multinational registry analysis” long after it was retracted.

So as I see it, Hydroxychloroquine was in appropriately maligned. In large part this was because Donald Trump spoke glowingly of it, and from then on basically the liberal press maligned it. A subsequent paper came out which continued to malign HQ. This paper was retracted, but its memory lived on!

How many lives could have been saved if HQ was used to treat Covid?

How many lives could have been saved if the initial, subsequently retracted paper that falsely accused HQ, was rejected in the first place?

6/5/

I have always been interested in geography. Actually, probably not always, but at least since fourth grade. In fourth grade I had Ms. Conroy, who looked to be about eighty. Most likely she was not eighty because she was still teaching, but to a nine year old she looked very very old. In addition to looking ancient, her vision was not very good, and she never, ever got out of her desk chair. 

So what does this have to do with liking geography? In the beginning it was my fourth grade geography book that I liked a lot. It was a big rectangular book … tall enough that Ms. Conroy could not see the student  sitting behind the propped-up book at his desk. This unique combination allowed for uber chicanery in that classroom during Geography, as the boys, including yours truly, could leave their desks and crawl around on the floor to anywhere in that classroom. … Fourth grade Geography was so much fun!

Back to the real world geography. How many of you can tell me where Uganda is? Yes, it’s in Africa. But where? What about the capital of Uganda? 

FYI: Uganda is a landlocked country in eastern central Africa bordered by Kenya and South Sudan, and is on the north end of Lake Victoria. The capital is Kampala. After reading that you probably know more about Kenya than President Biden, who just spurted:

“This shameful act is the latest development in an alarming trend of human rights abuses and corruption in Uganda.”

Why this sudden interest in Uganda?

From Coffee and Covid:

On Monday, 5/29/23, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed some new laws including the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality,” which was defined as same-sex rape of a child. Biden somehow immediately issued a statement condemning Uganda’s new law and pledging strong sanctions against the small African country.

“And we are considering additional steps, including the application of sanctions and restriction of entry into the United States against anyone involved in serious human rights abuses or corruption,” said Biden, obviously meaning Ugandans. He also mentioned in his statement: canceling AIDS Relief money, deleting other foreign aid to Uganda, nixing Uganda’s eligibility for international programs promoting economic growth in Africa, and suspending travel visas for some or all Ugandans.”

Wow, this really has JB steamed!

One might ask where is the similar indignation when it comes to the other infamous ‘U’ … the Uyghurs in China.  As most are aware the  Chinese government has committed a series of ongoing human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities in Xinjiang that is often characterized as genocide. With reference to the Uyghurs, I have not heard him say: “This shameful act is the latest development in an alarming trend of human rights abuses and corruption …”

Whereas Uganda gets a ‘boom,” from J.B, China and the Uyghurs get the silent treatment. Does that have anything to do with geography?  No, more likely is it that the Uyghurs do not vote?!

6/3/23

After reading about what is happening both in the East and in the West, it is becoming apparent that this “trans” nonsense is slowly coming to a boil. It has been simmering for a while and now the heat is being turned up.

First from Vermont:

Last month, the girls’ varsity basketball team at Mid Vermont Christian School forfeited a playoff game rather than compete against Long Trail Mountain, a team that has a male player who claims to be female. Consequently,  the Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA) has decided to punish the Christian school as a result.

“If you don’t want to follow Vermont Principal Association’s  rules, that’s fine,” said Jay Nichols, the VPA’s executive director. “But then you’re just not a VPA member. It’s fairly simple. That’s really all we’re gonna really say about it.”

The “rules” to which Nichols referred are the VPA’s so-called “Best Practices for Schools Regarding Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students.” Those “best practices” demand that Christian schools jettison their religious beliefs and instead allow supposedly “transgender and gender nonconforming students … to participate in physical education and sports in accordance with the student’s gender identity.”

This dictum means that boy’s teams from Mid Vermont Christian School will also not be able to compete!

Common sense tells me that mandating confirmation against a school’s Christian beliefs will be found to be unconstitutional. In the end this will result in a lot of wasted money spent defending this arbitrary VPA “rule.”

Second from BlazeNews from Oregon:

Lakeridge High School students have apparently been removing tampon dispensers from the walls of boys’ bathrooms and depositing them in the toilet.

According to the Daily Caller, the school sent out an email about the issue and reportedly attached a photo of a dispenser in a boys’ restroom toilet.

Oregon state law requires public schools to supply free tampons and sanitary pads in bathroom dispensers, including in restrooms designated for males.

“Each time that the dispensers are taken down, the school needs to spend time and resources putting them back up in order to be compliant with House Bill 3294 [Menstrual Dignity Act],” the email noted, according to the Daily Caller.

“This is a perfect example of throwing away tax dollars in Oregon public schools,” vice president of Parents Defending Education Caroline Moore noted, according to the outlet. “This isn’t about vandalizing school property — we all know that is bad. The boys are signaling they are not girls and they want to be left alone. It is appalling that any school district is furthering the bizarre agenda from the left where they neglect science and believe men require tampons. Aren’t the teachers supposed to be teaching them elementary facts, like I don’t know, anatomy?”

Again, this will end up costing Oregon taxpayers a lot of money as this phenomenon of putting tampon dispensers in toilets will just continue, and will likely spread.

Mark my words, these two examples are just the beginning as this entire issue is slowly coming to a boil!

6/2/23

The following incredulous story was reported on multiple sites including The New York Post, Fox News, Yahoo News, the Insider, and undoubtedly many more. The reason that is was reported everywhere is because it is so unbelievable.

From PJMedia:

Rachel Rogers was employed as a sales associate at the Lululemon store in Peachtree Corners, Ga., for five years. But after the same group of looters attacked the store for the fourth or fifth time, making off with thousands of dollars in merchandise, she called 911.

Assistant Manager Jennifer Ferguson described the scene. “All of a sudden we see some gentlemen run into the store in masks and hoodies,” Ferguson said, “They swiped until they couldn’t hold any more product and ran out the door.”

Certainly one can understand a company directing employees not to interfere in a looting incident. But Rogers was fired for disobeying a company policy that prevented her from calling the police to the scene. As it was, the same group of thieves hit another Lululemon store in the area the next day and were caught.

The “no 911 call” policy was initiated to protect the company, said Ferguson.

A week later, Rogers was fired. She had apparently run afoul of a company policy that had a “zero tolerance” for calling 911.

Regional Manager for Lululemon openly questioned why they would call the police. Stating that it would “look bad for Lululemon to be the company calling the police”. 

. 

Understand that I have never set foot in any of the three Lululemon stores in the San Diego area, and probably never will especially after reading this story, which is absurd on so many levels that it’s hard to know where to start.

First of all: If the policy of Lululemon is just to allow shoplifters free reign, then it stands to reason that it’s prices must be way too high as the other Lululemon customers are, in essence, paying for all of the losses incurred because of the shoplifters.

Second: How many times should Lululemon just ignore the same brazen shoplifters?  One? Two? Three? This was the fourth or fifth time that these same shoplifters had victimized that same store! I cannot belief that this Lululemon store had allowed it to go on for so long.

Third: Once the word gets out that Lululemon is just going to look the other way when someone is robbing store A, then how long before these brazen thieves hit Lululemon stores B,C,etcetera? To me closing one’s eyes while sustaining losses in multiple stores, is not a good long term way to run a business.

Fourth: It’s amazing that two employees were fired because they were trying to look out for their employer. I sincerely doubt that there will be a line of people trying to work for a company that treats their employees this badly.

And finally: If the regional manager who fired the employees for calling 911, is still working for Lululemon, then Lululemon deserves all that it gets!

6/1/23

To be clear, as I have stated many times in the past, I grew up in a Ford family. Perhaps, better stated, my dad was a big time “Ford guy.” For whatever reason, he would only buy Ford cars, and so consequently I learned to drive on a Ford. For many years a Ford was the only car I knew.

I sometimes wonder if my dad is now flipping over in his grave, as the Ford Motor Company seems to be going the way of most of the other automobile manufacturers by going all-in with EVs.

FYI: Since 1985 I have been a “Toyota guy,” and have had no regrets.

However, for all of you who are still “Ford fans,” caution, as the following is not pretty.

From the Manhattan Contrarian on What’s Up With That:

“In March, Ford Motor Company announced that it lost $2.1 billion on its EV business last year. Those losses were double the losses it had on EVs in 2021. As I noted in a video I posted on TikTok on March 23, Ford made 61,575 EVs in 2022. Thus, the company lost about $34,000 on every EV it sold last year. I also noted that the costs of making EVs aren’t falling. Last year, the cost of battery packs for EVs went up by 7%. . . . Indeed, it appears Ford’s 2022 losses were only a warm-up lap. Yesterday afternoon, Ford reported a $722 million loss on its EV business over the first three months of 2023. During that span, Ford sold 10,866 EVs, meaning it lost $66,446 on every EV it sold.”

Now admittedly, I am no businessman, but losing a substantial amount of money on each EV built does not sound like a credible business plan! These losses are disastrous, and continuing to forge ahead without blinders is “looney tunes!”

5/30/23

As I predicted the new Mayor of Chicago’s “brilliant” plan to control violence in Chicago is off to a “good” start!

From BlazeNews:

Days earlier, the progressive Democrat mayor, Brandon Johnson, unveiled his plan to cut down on violence in Chicago.

“My administration’s top priority is making sure there is a comprehensive, whole of government strategy across our city and that its making people safe,” Johnson said at a news conference on Thursday, 5/25.

One person was reportedly shot and killed on Saturday less than two blocks from the West Side home of newly-elected Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

(How’s that strategy working out so far Mr. Mayor? A “good” start ?)

In a similar vein the Democratic Governor of Illinois chimed in with his new strategy. In anticipation of Memorial Day weekend violence, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced on Tuesday that there would be 30 “peacekeepers” to try to stop crime.

The initiative called the Citywide Crisis Prevention and Response Unit (CPRU) will send peacekeepers into Chicago streets to “provide essential assistance in de-escalation, conflict resolution, and crisis support across Chicago.”

Within hours of opening beaches in Chicago, the city was forced to shut down the popular North Avenue Beach after gunshots erupted when two groups of teens confronted each other.

‘HeyJackass.com’ a site dedicated to gun violence statistics in Chicago, reported that there were 10 people shot and killed in Chicago on Saturday. The site noted that in the more than 10 years of covering gun violence in Chicago, there were only three other days that tallied 10 or more homicides: 6/27/2020: 10 killed, 7/4/2020: 11 killed, 5/31/2020: 18 killed.

In total, Chicago suffered a bloody Memorial Day weekend with at least 51 people shot, including 12 who were fatally shot. The widespread gun violence occurred despite dozens of “peacekeepers’ patrolling the Windy City in an attempt to decrease bloodshed.

(How’s that “peacekeeper strategy” working out so far, Governor Pritzker?” A “good” start?”)

I’ll bet that those who live in Chicago can hardly wait for the heat of the summer when the Mayor’s plan and the Governor’s plan are in full swing. The July 4th long weekend should be a good test, depending on your definition of “good!”

5/29/23