View Full Version : Maybe there really is no hope.....
gimmethesimplelife
3-17-23, 10:11am
I am really busy these days and have not kept up with much news other than the banking crisis. Until yesterday. Apparently 7 police officers in Virginia suffocated an African American 28 year old innocent man. OTOH, these murderous sociopathic criminals hiding behind a badge were indeed charged with 2nd degree murder.
OTOH, is there really any hope for this.country going forward? Is living in.the United States so great that we are supposed to normalize being vulnerable to sociopathic criminals masquerading as law enforcement? I just don't get it. And doubt I ever will. I really am ashamed of the United States today - especially as this is a. Systemic and B. Continuing. Rob
iris lilies
3-17-23, 10:41am
The murderous sociopathic police officers in Hermann were shot by a lone gunmen and this made international news because our friends said they saw it reported in the UK’s Daily Mail. That wiped out 50% of our police force. But carry-on cherry picking the news Rob, continue to ask your faux deep philosophical questions which masquerade as one more opportunity to ride your hobby horse. You do you.
Meanwhile, in my old home town, murderers won’t even get to court, there is no one to prosecute them. The prosecutor’s office is decimated by incompetence and concern of sending black men to prison. We do not like jailing minority persons even when they kill. Relieving the community from rampaging assholes with illegally obtained guns just is not our city prosecutor’s priority.
What ever happened with the Kim Gardner kerfuffle? It seems to have dropped off the radar.
iris lilies
3-17-23, 12:45pm
What ever happened with the Kim Gardner kerfuffle? It seems to have dropped off the radar.
City Prosecutor Kim Gardener’s focus is now hiring and working with her defense attorney to stop the State from removing her from office.
Prosecute criminals? She aint got time for that.
Meanwhile in Chicago, there are two black guys who were tortured into confessing to a murder in the early 90s. There was a Chicago cop who apparently encouraged this by his underlings. Anyway, they were released after 25ish years in prison, convictions overthrown, and are now waiting on their certificates of innocence. For some reason, Kim Foxx’s office is dragging their feet on something involved with issuing them.
iris lilies
3-17-23, 1:25pm
Meanwhile in Chicago, there are two black guys who were tortured into confessing to a murder in the early 90s. There was a Chicago cop who apparently encouraged this by his underlings. Anyway, they were released after 25ish years in prison, convictions overthrown, and are now waiting on their certificates of innocence. For some reason, Kim Foxx’s office is dragging their feet on something involved with issuing them.
Those cases now coming forward like these are important. I am glad these guys got out, and sorry that they were railroaded.
gimmethesimplelife
3-17-23, 2:13pm
The murderous sociopathic police officers in Hermann were shot by a lone gunmen and this made international news because our friends said they saw it reported in the UK’s Daily Mail. That wiped out 50% of our police force. But carry-on cherry picking the news Rob, continue to ask your faux deep philosophical questions which masquerade as one more opportunity to ride your hobby horse. You do you.
Meanwhile, in my old home town, murderers won’t even get to court, there is no one to prosecute them. The prosecutor’s office is decimated by incompetence and concern of sending black men to prison. We do not like jailing minority persons even when they kill. Relieving the community from rampaging assholes with illegally obtained guns just is not our city prosecutor’s priority.It's not cherry picking to be aghast and to give up on this country. There is no excuse whatsoever that this happened in the first place. I have every right to call this for the sheer evil it truly is. Rob
iris lilies
3-17-23, 3:22pm
It's not cherry picking to be aghast and to give up on this country. There is no excuse whatsoever that this happened in the first place. I have every right to call this for the sheer evil it truly is. Rob
You falsely conflate two issues.
You can be aghast. You can be sad, mad, bad, or glad about any incident in the America you scorn. You are free to feel and think that way and express it because ya know, the First Amendment supports you in that.
But yeah, it is IMO cherry picking news events to feed your unrelenting focus on “America Bad” that you have. And then, dropping in here to blast it.
In my circles we call that “mental masturbation” and I recognize it ‘cause I go around in those circles as well (cough cough see Iris and her pet Drag Shows.)
Rob, everyone is outraged when a police officer, hired to serve, engages in ANY inappropriate actions, just like everyone is saddened when a police officer, hired to serve, is killed in that service. I see it as two sides of the same coin and each is abhorrent.
One solution to regain hope--stop watching the news. They have their own brand of cherry picking. I'm not suggesting you shut your eyes to evil or injustice--just don't let it take you down the black hole of this country is going to hell in a hand basket. The media sets us all up for bias, and not in a good way.
An example is, if you see enough news items about children who accidentally shoot their friend or sibling or parent, you come to the conclusion that no parent should keep a gun in the house and if they do, they are exposing their child to all kinds of danger.
Would you say the same about parents who have swimming pools in their backyards? Probably not. But the fact is that there are far more children killed in swimming pools than by "friendly fire" at home. But you never hear about those incidents in the news. I'm not making this up.
https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/leading_causes_injury_deaths_age_group_highlightin g_violence-related-injury_deaths_us_2009-a.pdf
ETA: Oh, well. Checking my figures and as it turns out, children are now much more likely to die from gunfire than anything else according to the most recent statistics.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmc2201761
But I still maintain the point that the news will drive you crazy if you watch too much of it.
iris lilies
3-17-23, 6:44pm
One solution to regain hope--stop watching the news. They have their own brand of cherry picking. I'm not suggesting you shut your eyes to evil or injustice--just don't let it take you down the black hole of this country is going to hell in a hand basket. The media sets us all up for bias, and not in a good way.
An example is, if you see enough news items about children who accidentally shoot their friend or sibling or parent, you come to the conclusion that no parent should keep a gun in the house and if they do, they are exposing their child to all kinds of danger.
Would you say the same about parents who have swimming pools in their backyards? Probably not. But the fact is that there are far more children killed in swimming pools than by "friendly fire" at home. But you never hear about those incidents in the news. I'm not making this up.
https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/leading_causes_injury_deaths_age_group_highlightin g_violence-related-injury_deaths_us_2009-a.pdf
ETA: Oh, well. Checking my figures and as it turns out, children are now much more likely to die from gunfire than anything else according to the most recent statistics.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmc2201761
But I still maintain the point that the news will drive you crazy if you watch too much of it.
More younger kids die in drowning accidents than in gun deaths, so you are partially right. When they start running the streets gun deaths in their age group increase. We see that in St. Louis.
frugal-one
3-17-23, 9:10pm
The major cause of death in children IS firearms!
https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/politifact/2022/06/07/fact-check-firearms-leading-cause-death-children/7529783001/
iris lilies
3-17-23, 10:12pm
The major cause of death in children IS firearms!
https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/politifact/2022/06/07/fact-check-firearms-leading-cause-death-children/7529783001/
maybe. The link you show does not break data down by age range of “ children” that I can see.The article you link hedges its report by saying “depending on [how] you define children” which is why I suspect they’re using ages up to 24 in their definition of “children” since that is what the CDC used in the chart shown by catherine.
There are many firearm deaths in the chart Catherine showed for youth ages 15-24 and for that group, the leading cause of death is firearms. The deaths in that age range skews the total of all children’s death by firearms in all age ranges.
For those under 15 there were more drownings deaths than firearm deaths in 2009.
That is all data from the year 2009, but that was the chart we were talking about. I would like to see exactly the same breakdown for the year 2022 since it’s entirely possible those categories of death for children have changed in 13 years.
24. The average age of an Army Ranger is 24. Children.
24. The average age of an Army Ranger is 24. Children.
I understand something like 70% of young Americans are unfit for military service due to obesity, addiction, mental illness and inadequate educational status. The percentage capable of training as elite light infantry must be minuscule.
That worries me more than rogue cops.
I understand something like 70% of young Americans are unfit for military service due to obesity, addiction, mental illness and inadequate educational status. The percentage capable of training as elite light infantry must be minuscule.
That worries me more than rogue cops.
A friend runs a warehouse. Every employee has to be able to run a forklift, which means you have to pass pre-employment and occasional drug tests. He says something like 85% of applicants fail the pre-employment drug test. He’s had issue with others coming to work smelling like alcohol and/or pot.
frugal-one
3-18-23, 3:18pm
maybe. The link you show does not break data down by age range of “ children” that I can see.The article you link hedges its report by saying “depending on [how] you define children” which is why I suspect they’re using ages up to 24 in their definition of “children” since that is what the CDC used in the chart shown by catherine.
There are many firearm deaths in the chart Catherine showed for youth ages 15-24 and for that group, the leading cause of death is firearms. The deaths in that age range skews the total of all children’s death by firearms in all age ranges.
For those under 15 there were more drownings deaths than firearm deaths in 2009.
That is all data from the year 2009, but that was the chart we were talking about. I would like to see exactly the same breakdown for the year 2022 since it’s entirely possible those categories of death for children have changed in 13 years.
Per article… under age 19… age of children. Where are you getting data for drowning deaths?
gimmethesimplelife
3-18-23, 8:56pm
You falsely conflate two issues.
You can be aghast. You can be sad, mad, bad, or glad about any incident in the America you scorn. You are free to feel and think that way and express it because ya know, the First Amendment supports you in that.
But yeah, it is IMO cherry picking news events to feed your unrelenting focus on “America Bad” that you have. And then, dropping in here to blast it.
In my circles we call that “mental masturbation” and I recognize it ‘cause I go around in those circles as well (cough cough see Iris and her pet Drag Shows.)
Rob, everyone is outraged when a police officer, hired to serve, engages in ANY inappropriate actions, just like everyone is saddened when a police officer, hired to serve, is killed in that service. I see it as two sides of the same coin and each is abhorrent.Don't drop dead of shock, IL, but I completely agree with your last paragraph. As you know I focus on illegal misdeeds by police - but I honestly don't want them dead. I'd much prefer that certain calls with high murder by the police ratios - such as mental illness issues, be handled by someone else other than law enforcement.
I do see common ground with you here. Rob
iris lilies
3-19-23, 8:39am
Per article… under age 19… age of children. Where are you getting data for drowning deaths?
Per article, 5th paragraph…”gun violence was the leading cause of death among children, teens, and young adults under age 25”
Deaths by drowning…per chart in message #9.
iris lilies
3-19-23, 8:48am
Don't drop dead of shock, IL, but I completely agree with your last paragraph. As you know I focus on illegal misdeeds by police - but I honestly don't want them dead. I'd much prefer that certain calls with high murder by the police ratios - such as mental illness issues, be handled by someone else other than law enforcement.
I do see common ground with you here. Rob
That’s good. I always think reasonable people can find common ground.
iris lilies
3-19-23, 8:51am
The gun deaths numbers are abhorrant, true. The gun death numbers are skewed by youthful criminals, though.
iris lilies
3-19-23, 10:34am
A friend runs a warehouse. Every employee has to be able to run a forklift, which means you have to pass pre-employment and occasional drug tests. He says something like 85% of applicants fail the pre-employment drug test. He’s had issue with others coming to work smelling like alcohol and/or pot.
that was true in the plant care industry as well. DH worked for a tree company for more than a decade and high percentage of their employees failed initial employment drug tests, or the random after-employment test they were required to give by DOT regulations because these guys drove big heavy trucks.
I sometimes wonder if the marijuana restriction is too stringent or maybe the test just can’t distinguish between” currently under the influence” versus “smoked weed three days ago”
We have a ways to go to get away from the failed war on drugs and the Reefer Madness mentality. Marijuana is certainly a drug that can impair judgement and safety. Cigarettes are a drug, caffeine is a drug, but alcohol is the most damaging and widely used drug of our culture. Families are ruined, people are killed in traffic accidents, it is the fuel for domestic violence, and personal health can be destroyed. But it's socially and culturally accepted to a degree. Minor marijuana convictions are still overcrowding jails in some areas and drug screening is focused on pot but not alcohol are totally myopic. Of course there are other harder drugs of much more concern.
I'm over much interest in anything but my daily evening beer and a morning cup of coffee, but we need to focus more on evidence based decisions and less on primitive social norms.
frugal-one
3-19-23, 12:30pm
Per article, 5th paragraph…”gun violence was the leading cause of death among children, teens, and young adults under age 25”
Deaths by drowning…per chart in message #9.
Obviously we are not looking at the same article!
We have a ways to go to get away from the failed war on drugs and the Reefer Madness mentality. Marijuana is certainly a drug that can impair judgement and safety. Cigarettes are a drug, caffeine is a drug, but alcohol is the most damaging and widely used drug of our culture. Families are ruined, people are killed in traffic accidents, it is the fuel for domestic violence, and personal health can be destroyed. But it's socially and culturally accepted to a degree. Minor marijuana convictions are still overcrowding jails in some areas and drug screening is focused on pot but not alcohol are totally myopic. Of course there are other harder drugs of much more concern.
I'm over much interest in anything but my daily evening beer and a morning cup of coffee, but we need to focus more on evidence based decisions and less on primitive social norms.
Hear, hear! Not only does alcohol use contribute to all the above, it's a potent carcinogen of which some have said there's no safe dose. In contrast, cannabis is pretty mild. (Note: I'm not a teetotaler; I may have had a brandy last year...:~))
Hear, hear! Not only does alcohol use contribute to all the above, it's a potent carcinogen of which some have said there's no safe dose. In contrast, cannabis is pretty mild. (Note: I'm not a teetotaler; I may have had a brandy last year...:~))
I wouldn’t want either a drunk or a stoner on my general liability policy.
I wouldn’t want either a drunk or a stoner on my general liability policy.
Yup, me neither. But there are some places where alcohol use or abuse is tolerated but not pot. A strong case of double standards not based on evidence.
Hopefully there will also be more research in the use of psychedelics to treat mental disorders, too. It's legal for that purpose here now, but I doubt the red states will ever catch up with the cutting edge. It's time to crawl out of the Regan/Nixon dark ages.
ApatheticNoMore
3-19-23, 1:28pm
Hear, hear! Not only does alcohol use contribute to all the above, it's a potent carcinogen of which some have said there's no safe dose. In contrast, cannabis is pretty mild. (Note: I'm not a teetotaler; I may have had a brandy last year...)
+1 especially if it's not smoked as there is probably some health consequence with smoking.
How does anyone distinguish stoners from those using marijuana medically just by a test anyway?
At a certain point I would not want someone who got a poor nights sleep operating heavy machinery either but ... good luck enforcing that one. Maybe there will eventually be ways to test for sleep deprivation but I can't see it being done and enforced much, and maybe eventually they will be able to distinguish actively stoned right now on the job from using marijuana at leisure.
We have a ways to go to get away from the failed war on drugs and the Reefer Madness mentality. Marijuana is certainly a drug that can impair judgement and safety. Cigarettes are a drug, caffeine is a drug, but alcohol is the most damaging and widely used drug of our culture. Families are ruined, people are killed in traffic accidents, it is the fuel for domestic violence, and personal health can be destroyed. But it's socially and culturally accepted to a degree. Minor marijuana convictions are still overcrowding jails in some areas and drug screening is focused on pot but not alcohol are totally myopic. Of course there are other harder drugs of much more concern.
I'm over much interest in anything but my daily evening beer and a morning cup of coffee, but we need to focus more on evidence based decisions and less on primitive social norms.
Absolutely. I think the social biases against pot are ridiculous considering the harm potential of everyone's favorite liquid escape. I don't smoke pot because I hate its effect on me, but I think it is a real hypocrisy to talk about how "bad" marijuana is when alcohol is the only drug that people have to justify NOT taking and which causes so much death and devastation.
And I also agree that psychedelics hold promise in some areas where other treatments have failed.
happystuff
3-19-23, 6:55pm
Absolutely. I think the social biases against pot are ridiculous considering the harm potential of everyone's favorite liquid escape. I don't smoke pot because I hate its effect on me, but I think it is a real hypocrisy to talk about how "bad" marijuana is when alcohol is the only drug that people have to justify NOT taking and which causes so much death and devastation.
And I also agree that psychedelics hold promise in some areas where other treatments have failed.
I totally agree about the hypocrisy around alcohol.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.