“It’s Just What They Do !”

On Sundays I give praise to someone who has acted courageously or acted on principle. However, different from a typical Sunday piece, today’s piece is about individuals whose names I do not know.
From Epoch Bright:
Back on May 14, 2024 bystanders at the 3 Avenue-149 Street subway station saw the man disabled and in distress. Prone on his back, the distressed man was “experiencing a seizure” and “had fallen onto the subway tracks.”
At around 5:30 pm, the bystanders flagged down help from NYPD officers of the 47th Precinct assigned to the turnstiles at the northbound platform.
The man had fallen onto the subway tracks, and was only inches away from the third rail, with an oncoming train rapidly approaching the station. Despite the imminent dangers, the officers sprang into action & without hesitation pulled him off the tracks.
Footage from the scene posted to X by the NYPD shows the officers springing into action to assist the male, seen lying across the tracks immobile. One officer gained access to the subway via an emergency exit opened by a bystander; another was seen hopping the turnstile.
Despite the imminent danger of the incoming train, the department tells the newspaper, the “officers quickly jumped to the roadbed and with help from MTA security personnel and good Samaritans, safely rescued the male back to safety.”
Pedestrians at the station aided them in getting the fallen man back onto the platform. One of the officers nimbly made it back up himself, but another is seen in the footage making several attempts to no avail. NYPD told us his “gun belt kept getting stuck on the edge of the platform preventing him from climbing back up.” With the help of his partner and bystanders, he soon successfully climbed out of harm’s way.
The man who had fallen and suffered a medical emergency was taken by emergency medical services to Health + Hospitals/Lincoln and, according to police, is in stable condition.

Meanwhile, over 70,000 viewers witnessed the rescue on X. Many heaped praise on the officers involved.
One comment on X summed it up nicely, “Unbelievable how they put their lives on the line everyday… like it’s nothing… it’s just what they do.”
Congrats to the officers of the 47th precinct.

7/7/24

Two Pieces of Advice …’Nuff Said

Yesterday two separate interviews happened., and I have some advice for each interviewee.
First:
While Donald Trump was caught on camera while seated in his golf cart when someone asked him about Biden and Kamala Harris. Donald, being his usual self, did not hold back by describing Biden as an “old, broken-down pile of crap.”
“He just quit, you know. He’s quitting the race,” Trump predicted. “I got him out of the race, and that means we have Kamala. I think she’s gonna be better. She’s so bad. She’s so pathetic. She’s so f***ing bad. Can you imagine that guy dealing with Putin and the president of China, who’s a fierce person? He’s a fierce man. Very tough guy.”
Even though I suspect that this Trump interview was surreptitiously obtained, my advice to DJT, “Be much more circumspect when you say anything. While I agree with you that Kamala would be no match for Putin or Xi Jinping, do not be brash when talking about either Biden or Kamala. Independents may be the key to this upcoming election, and some will not vote for you if you act like a bully. … ‘Nuff said.
The second interview was George Stephanopoulos’s interview of Joe Biden on ABC. No, I do not typically watch ABC unless there happens to be a sporting event that I wish to watch. And no, I did not watch this Biden interview live.
Stephanopoulos appeared to ask reasonable questions concerning Biden’s mental state, and he even tried to force our President into agreeing to a neurological evaluation. To this Biden wisely responded, “I get a full neurological every day.”
On follow-up Stephanopoulos then asked, “Have you had specific cognitive tests, and had a specialist evaluate you?”
To that Biden responded, “No one said I had to.”
My advice to JB, “Do not let anyone bully you into getting any tests. Stand firm! The American people have no right to more information. … ‘Nuff said.

7/6/24
www.californiacontrarian.com

“And the Beat Goes On”

After looking at some of things that Joe Biden has said since his disastrous debate performance, I thought, “And The Beat Goes On.” As some of you may recall “The Beat Goes On” is a song written and composed by Sonny Bono and recorded by Sonny & Cher back in 1966. Subsequently it entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart on January 14, 1967, peaking at number six. (Those not quite as old as myself may remember a remake by the Whisperers in 1979.)
Be that as it may, read some of the chaotic word salad that our President has said just over the past few days, and then tell me that he is the one that should be leading the country.
At a Fourth of July gathering at the White House for military families Biden said the following:
“One last thing, about congestion on the highways. There’s no congestion anymore! No, we go out on the highways, there’s no congestion! And so the way they’ll get me to stop talking, they’ll say ‘we just shut down all the roads, Mr. President, you’re going to lose all the votes if you don’t get in,’ but anyway, I’ll be back out.”
“And the Beat Goes On.”

Then there is this from a recent Philadelphia radio station interview.
From Townhall:
The president’s interview on Philadelphia radio was a mixture of sadness and his usual half-brain-dead self: he described himself as a black woman: “By the way, I’m proud to be, as I said, the first Vice President, the first black woman, to serve with a black president.”
Huh?? … “And the Beat Goes On!”

From Twitter:
In one of his only interviews since the debate (a radio interview), Biden says: “I’m the first president that got elected statewide in the state of Delaware when I was a kid.”
Huh!! Huh?? … “And the Beat Goes On!”

After reading these nonsensical utterings, my feeling that Joe Biden should be the Democrat’s presidential nominee has only been reenforced.

7/5/24
www.californiacontrarian.com

“All-in”

Some, but not neatly all Democrats are all-in Joe Biden.
On 7/3/24, 24 Democratic governors and the Democratic mayor of Washington D.C. met with President Biden and Kamala Harris at the White House. After the meeting three… 3 … III … of these governors came out to speak to the press in support of Biden. Granted not all of the Democratic governors were physically present at the White House, but while nearly a dozen of the state leaders attended the meeting in person … only THREE spoke with reporters afterwards. To me what that implies is that only three of the twelve that were present had the wherewithal to stand up and speak to the press. If there was agreement and real support for Joe B., all of those present at the meeting would have been standing behind the governors of New York, Maryland, and Minnesota and nodding their collective heads in agreement. Bit only THREE spoke in support of Biden.
Now do not get me wrong … I want Joe Biden to be the nominee. The fact that three misguided governors said that they were behind J.B., good for them, and I hope that a lot of Americans were listening to their attempt at gaslighting.
From Reuters:
“California Governor Gavin Newsom, who participated in person, posted his reaction on social platform X: ‘I heard three words from the President tonight — he’s all in. And so am I.’”
Well, bully for you, Gavin! Why weren’t you out there speaking to the press?
This might be the one time that I can agree with California’s termed-out governor, as I also hope that Biden is “all in!”

www.californiacontrarian.com
7/4/24

IFB … Not Just An Anagram Of FBI !

By this time everyone is aware that Joe Biden did very poorly in the recent Trump-Biden debate. I watched the entire thing. Biden’s initial old man shuffle to the podium was merely a prelude of the disaster that was to come.
The one thing that I noticed and could not figure out was Biden repeatedly going to his right ear with his right hand. Could it be that Biden was having some difficulty with his IFB — interruptible foldback, which is an ear-prompter, a tiny device that sits invisibly in the ear canal. They’re readily available online.
From BlazeMedia:
There’s an IFB called Ovation, and the complete wireless package, which includes a recorder to hold prepared comments, costs around $1,000. Such a unit, properly modified, could provide direct radio access for instant communication.
IFBs transmit on radio frequencies, and those frequencies can be easily intercepted and jammed. A Trump campaign staffer would need a scanner. If Biden was using an IFB, the frequency wouldn’t be difficult to locate, unless he is using a more sophisticated device that hops frequencies.
Once located, it could be jammed — or taken over.”

Could it be that this is what happened during the recent debate?
Of course team Biden could not accuse team Trump of resorting to the chicanery of jamming Biden’s IFB frequency, because doing that would be admitting to having an illegal IFB earpiece in the first place!

From BlazeMedia:
“Of course, this isn’t the first time the idea of Biden using an earpiece has come up. In 2020, the Trump campaign complained that Biden’s camp first agreed to an inspection for illicit devices and then reneged at the last minute. A Biden spokesman denied the charge. Naturally, the unquestioning press accepted the spokesman’s statement and dismissed Trump’s claims as just another “conspiracy theory.”
Hmmm!

7/3/24
www.californiacontrarian.com

Our Father

While I do say the Our Father prayer, this piece is not about a prayer or the benefits thereof. It is about recent data that confirms what a lot of us have thought all along, namely that having a father is good for a child.
The ‘growing minority’ of ‘floundering’ young men is in large part due to a rising number of fatherless or non-intact families, according to recent findings that the Institute for Family Studies published on June 13, 2024.

Citing data from two nationally representative studies, the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1997) and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, researchers found that young men raised by their two married biological parents are nearly 20 percentage points more likely to attend college rather than to end up in jail compared with respondents from non-intact families.
“Strikingly,” the researchers note, “this is the only group where graduating college is more likely than prison/jail.” 

The researchers also accounted for factors such as race and age when collecting data. However, they found that “family structure is more strongly associated with incarceration and college graduation than race for young men across both datasets.”
Beyond graduation or incarceration, the researchers note that family structure contributes to a number of other life outcomes, such as personality differences or even income.
“In a world where young men are increasingly failing to thrive,” the researchers emphasized the importance of family structures, concluding that “any effort to revive the failing fortunes of young men should put family at the forefront.”

What I found to be especially interesting is that the above referenced study specifically did not find any correlation to race. For as long as I can remember, I have rejected race as a predictor of success, and rather have preached that the quality of the elementary/high schools attended is a much better predictor of a child’s ultimate success as an adult.

In the studies referenced here two extremes are compared … incarceration vs. graduating college. Certainly one can be successful in life without going to college, and similarly adults can have a basically unfulfilling life without going to jail.

In my opinion, children raised by two married biological parents are more likely to themselves enter into a traditional marriage, and so their children are thus more likely to go to and graduate from college.
For those multitudes of children not raised by two married biological parents, it seems that their only hope is to attend good el/high schools. So why are “those that know best” not working on achieving that goal?

7/2/24
www.californiacontrarian.com

Next Debate …Spin!

Rumor has it that the White House wants the next debate which is scheduled for September 10, to be held in the early afternoon. The spin coming from the White House is that it important to hold the coming debate at a time when those Americans who go to bed early can view it in its entirety. For instance, if the September debate is held at 1 pm EDT, then those on the west coast can watch it at 10 am. Even in Hawaii it would come on TV at 7am, and according to the White House, this means that everyone across the U.S. will be able to watch it.
Keep in mind that the same people who are trying to move the debate to a midday time, are the same ones who kept telling us that Joe Biden’s mental status was fine!
From the Daily Caller:
“Sources told Axios that the president is “dependably engaged” between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. but is susceptible to “verbal miscues” and fatigue outside that time frame.
“The behavior the Biden aides described can be compared to a symptom of dementia called ‘sundowning.’ The term ‘sundowning’ references ‘a state of confusion’ that affects elders, particularly those with Alzheimer’s disease or types of dementia, during the evening or as the sun is beginning to set, according to the Mayo Clinic. More extreme cases of ‘sundowning’ result in anxiety, aggression, pacing, wandering and even hallucinations and trouble sleeping, the Mayo Clinic states.”

Of course from a contrarian’s viewpoint, perhaps the reason for the White House suggesting a midday debate is so that much less people will watch it!
Hmmm!
7/1/24
www.californiacontrarian.com

An Amateur vs. A Pro

While Putin was amassing troops along the Ukrainian border, and Joe Biden was doing nothing, on 2/24/22, I wrote the following on my blog:

“What we basically have here is an amateur trying to match wits with a professional. Putin, the professional, has been planning his “invasion” into Ukraine for months. Who could ever think that Putin was doing this just for fun? Who could possibly fantasize that Putin was bluffing? Furthermore, who could convince himself that this Russian troop buildup was anything but the real deal. Only a rank amateur, and for all of you voted for J.B., let me break it to you gently … J.B. is a rank amateur – as rank as they come.

There is no way in hell that Biden has a chance against Putin, and soon, if not already, every rational person will realize this. At this point my hope is that Biden can find some way to save face without getting any Americans killed.”

Back then some RINOs castigated me for being too harsh on Joe Biden. However look at what we have today. It’s been over two years and actually what we have today is a “Biden-mess,” when we look at world affairs.

How do I define a “Biden-mess?”
Let’s look at the following.

Recently there have been Russian warships in Cuba.
Headline from the Miami Herald:

Biden’s response … nothing!

Likewise we have Putin visiting North Korea where the Russian President Vladimir Putin and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a new pact that includes a pledge of mutual defense if either is attacked.

Biden’s response … nothing!

Similarly, the Middle East is a “Biden mess.” Whereas , prior to Biden’s meddling Russia and Israel were on cordial terms, and now Putin is courting Iran, the arch-enemy of Israel.
Biden’s ineptitude of trying not to offend some voters in Michigan, is leading to a gradual separation of the longstanding Israel-US alliance.
Another “Biden-mess!”

And to top it off the Ukraine war is still ongoing. Putin and Russians have proposed conditions for peace. Biden’s response … zippo.

Now back to my comments of February 2022. Can anybody argue that Biden, the amateur, has been totally one-upped by Putin, the professional?
Hmmm!

The First Round Went To …

Last night I watched the entire debate from stem to stern, and did not watch any of the post-debate hoopla.
First, I must say that CNN did an admirable job with the questions as well as with the general format. In addition, I would add that each of the candidates did an admirable job of not answering the questions that were asked. To me the entire debate came down to speech clarity, body language, and facial expression.
Right from the beginning how each one approached the podium was somewhat of an indicator of how the night was going to go. Joe Biden shuffled on to the stage with what I would call an “old man’s gait,” while Donald Trump briskly walked to his podium.
Many times during the debate Joe Biden looked like a deer caught in headlights … looking dazed, standing immobile without facial expression, while blankly staring straight ahead. Even though Donald Trump smirked a few times, for the most part he appeared to be in control of his emotions, and was focused on what President Biden was saying. The threat to Trump was that he would be nasty and condescending … neither of which he was. On the other hand President Biden appeared to lose his temper and raise his voice a few times … not very presidential.
Donald Trump spoke clearly and at an even pace, whereas Joe Biden often spoke rapidly and more than a few times seemingly slurred his words, enough so that I could not understand what he was saying. Biden also got confused occasionally with numbers … “millions, err billions” … “billions, err trillions.”
Finally, in my opinion, the tipping point … the thing that gave Trump the victory … was his tie – tied in a Windsor knot, whereas Biden’s tie was in a hackneyed half-Windsor.
In conclusion, the first round went to … DJT.
6/28/24

www.californiacontrarian.com

“Coincidence!”

If you know who anyone believes that the timing of all of these anti-Trump lawsuits is purely coincidence, you might want to try to sell them a bridge! It has always been my suspicion that the timing all of these simultaneous lawsuits has been a coordinated effort … but by whom?
From the Daily Caller:
“The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has sent millions of dollars to law firms that are intimately involved in an ‘unprecedented lawfare’ campaign against former President Donald Trump, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records reviewed by the Daily Caller.”

(Hmmm! Could it be that the same DNC who was behind the anti-Trump Russian collusion propaganda has had their fingers in the present lawfare?)

“The DNC has paid close to $2 million since August of 2021 to Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP for “legal services,” according to the DNC’s FEC filings. Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP founding partner Roberta A. Kaplan represented E. Jean Carroll in her sexual assault and defamation suits against Trump.
The DNC did not pay the firm for any services from its founding in 2017 until August of 2021.”

The DNC has also paid Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP several million dollars for “legal services” since 2021, according to FEC filings. ABC News previously reported the firm has “represented the DNC for a long time.” Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale And Dorr LLP has filed numerous Amicus briefs in the United States v. Donald Trump case, which concerns Trump’s potential criminal liability for actions related to the 2020 election and Jan. 6, and currently sits before the Supreme Court.
Several alumni from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr have ended up with major roles in the Biden administration, including Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar. Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller is also a WilmerHale alumnus.
(Perhaps, an example of ‘you scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours’?)

“There is now clear and explosive evidence that the Biden DNC is paying Democrat law firms to engage in in this unprecedented lawfare and election interference against President Trump,” Mike Davis, a legal adviser to Trump and the founder and president of the Article III Project, told the Caller.”

So to me it is all becoming clearer. Since the public would not believe another Russian interference brouhaha, years ago the DNC decided that they might as well try to sell the American public another far out yarn. After all if fabrications and deception worked once, why not try something similar again?
6/27/24
www.californiacontrarian.com