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Post by professorx on Apr 4, 2012 20:39:38 GMT -5
I always find it fascinating when the argument is "it's unsafe and hence no one should do it" is given when the "unsafe" problem is the behavior of others that makes it so, rather than look for ways to discourage the people that are causing the problem. I guess though, since pedestrians get killed by cars that no one should ever walk outside, lest they get run down by some twiit texting and driving. Also, everyone driving should expect to get run over by a semi, since those drivers often face long hours and might fall asleep at the wheel, or text and drive, so actually maybe no one should leave the house at all. Calculating risks is something we all do every day. The comparison between walking and cycling is a good one. If I would not walk down a road, why should I feel safer biking down the same road? I've seen people cycling in some of the craziest places in Chattanooga. 1. The S curves in Riverview? Why? 2. The windy section of Gadd between Hixson and Red Bank? Again, Why? 3. 153. Really? 4. Dayton Blvd. 5. Ashland Terrace 6. Amnicola Hwy. Again, most people would not walk though any of these roads for exercise, then why is is safer to bike the same routes? It should not be illegal to do so, but how many people would recommend biking any of these roads? The only moderately safe places for bikes (in my opinion) are around Moccasin Bend and the VW greenway. Cars and non-cars do not mix. Laws will not change the behavior of motorists. People inadvertently drive in the direction of their focus. This is why so many state troopers, bikers, etc. die. "Oh look at the officer on the shoulder..." Bam... Throw in the unexpected while driving a country road and it screws drivers up. "Oh crap a pedestrian...." Driving is basically an subconscious activity. The majority of drivers cannot adapt to the unexpected. People should be able to climb Everest, walk a tight wire, go over Niagra in a barrel, but they should accept the inherent danger in their hobby. Driving defensively is the best bet and the best defense for the road is to have a steel cage and air bags around you. 8 pounds of titanium and a helmet made of the same stuff as a styrofoam cooler isn't much protection.
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Post by professorx on Mar 24, 2012 21:47:41 GMT -5
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Post by professorx on Mar 24, 2012 20:28:20 GMT -5
Or they all quit, en masse. The danger is not worth the money they get paid for doing it. ;D How much money makes the danger tolerable? That questions doesn't sound right. It does not sound correct to quantify a person's risk in employment. Its sounds like "blood money". "Well, Family of Officer X, sorry about your loss but the money we paid made it worth doing the job. We are squared away." Look at it this way. If they reduced the law enforcement pay by $5,000 no one would quit. If you raised the pay by $10,000 you'd attract riff-raff that are not interested in law enforcement, but only the cash incentives. If I were the King of Chattanooga, I would raise a million and a half with some sort of fees (parking fees downtown, etc) and either use it to hire new officers at the same pay, or not hire new officers and pay the existing ones an evenly distributed percentage in a salary wage. I don't know the numbers, but something like an additional .50 cents to pay for "after business hours" parking meters would collect how much money per year? If parking is now $1, it would be $1.50. $2, would be $2.50. The money would be used to patrol the tax generating parts of Chattanooga. People could go to the touristy areas without fear of violence. This would have the synergistic effect of: 1. 50 cents per parker for tourist area policing. 2. The would lead to more tourists spending more money generating more taxes that pay the police. If there were some similar type per use tax to fund security policing in the high crime touristy areas, I would be all for it.
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Post by professorx on Mar 22, 2012 20:22:56 GMT -5
She was an experienced rider. I doubt that she ran out of steam and toppled over. The clipless pedals have dropped me in the road more than once and I have no doubt they will do the same again but I don't see them being the problem you do. I know I love to make humor of these cycle type topics, but I am serious during this thread. You can find all sorts of car hits cyclists, cyclist dies news stories. You can find all sorts of cyclist his pedestrian, pedestrian killed stories. At a certain point you have to ask yourself "Is it worth it?" I would try to avoid biking where motorized vehicles were. AND if I am a pedestrian I try to avoid places that are heavily used by bikes. Equipment failures/misuse are not rare. Last year there were many exercise related deaths. Some people died in marathons, some people died in "mud runs", some people died swimming in marathons, etc. And of course some people died biking. At a certain point a person has to recognize they are engaging in a risky behavior and they bear the sole responsibility for their safety.
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Post by professorx on Mar 21, 2012 21:46:10 GMT -5
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Post by professorx on Mar 21, 2012 21:38:04 GMT -5
It's a good thing this story was prominently reported. Cyclists (and pedestrians) are killed on roads happen daily. I visited a big city a while back who set their city up to be bike friendly. About every other day a cyclist was hit. You could threaten to cut the motorist's balls off and it still want make an impact. As a cyclist I say, if you are going to be on the road have a steel safety cage around you. At a certain point, and after studying the actuary tables, you have to come to the conclusion that a horrific wreck is inevitable if you cycle on the roads regulary. Should cyclists have to pay more for insurance? The problem with cyclists is the clip in pedals. This poor lady was going up hill and very likely slowed and toppled over. I see it happen all the time. Cyclists are pushing the limits of their capibilities and using equimpment they are not "qualified" to use. Soon as they have to come to a stop, or go up hill and lose foreward momentum, they topple over. What's next hate crimes charges against people who injure cyclists? Laws no matter how punitative will bring a cyclist back to life. Study the odds, stay safe.
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Post by professorx on Mar 21, 2012 20:16:38 GMT -5
LOTS of societies have sent sheep to catch the wolves. The records were eaten and otherwise destroyed, but we hear they existed. It's how the Romans and the Ottoman's and the ... wait a minute, they all ended abruptly and in chaos. Let me get back to you. You left me hanging, I am waiting for the inevitable Training Day quote that generally follows a "wolves and sheep" analogy to law enforcement.
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Post by professorx on Mar 21, 2012 20:07:49 GMT -5
Only if we can also publish any venereal diseases men have and if they require "male enhancement" drugs to perform or are viril without medical intervention. If I read the story right they are only going to publish the doctor's information, not the patient's. Right or wrong, your analogy is a little off. This infomation is probably pretty easy to find already...
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Post by professorx on Mar 21, 2012 20:01:11 GMT -5
I hope more road rage drivers are indicted and if guilty, convicted, for their crimes against cyclists. Was it a road rage incident?
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Post by professorx on Mar 18, 2012 15:09:06 GMT -5
Well the Sergeant’s pay is not the only salary problem. Our wonderful process of pay increase or rather lack thereof has been exacerbated by the comp-ratio system. The poor schmucks who have been loyal enough to stick around the HCSO for 10 or more years get next to nothing if there is a pay increase while the newest employees get the lion’s share of any increase. You see the comp-ratio takes from the long timers and gives to the new comers! Great for the newcomers now but stick around 10 years and see where you are! If there is an approved 3% increase this year everyone should get it regardless. This time around if the comp-ratio hits the old-timers again…… stand by for the latest law suit! Wage compression is nothing unique to law enforcement. When the only raises people get are cost of living adjustments it raises the current officer's pay and the generally pay attributed to the rank. A LOT of places have done away with the cost of living adjustments, have furloughed officers, and are not hiring new ones. SO, a officer is making less and doing the jobs of what 2 or more officers used to do... Is this a smart idea in a public safety job? Of course not, but in the minds of administrators, a civil servant is a civil servant.
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Post by professorx on Mar 18, 2012 15:00:53 GMT -5
There are differences between a lie, a ruse and perjury.
Of course the author of this blog blurs the distinction.
Here is my favorite quote:
"Once the pretext stop was made, Reichert claimed that Zambrana and his passenger appeared “nervous” – which is an entirely understandable reaction to the presence of an armed stranger who considers himself entitled to kill you at his discretion."
Its hard to take these loonies seriously.
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Post by professorx on Mar 16, 2012 23:13:19 GMT -5
Well, he did invent the internet and the internet is full of pornography, so TN voted him down as a pornographer. And he and Tipper were the inspiration for Love Story. The man is a legend. The "right wing" is cited for wanting to censor, but Tipper set up some pretty McCarthy like censorship trials. Of course the young doe eyed new left have forgotten all about that. He should be persona non-grata in TN.
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Post by professorx on Mar 16, 2012 20:42:46 GMT -5
The most valuable education I ever got was from Bruce Geller, producer of the sixties hit series "Mission: IMPOSSIBLE", whose preamble featured the liturgy: "If you are captured or killed, the Secretary will disavow ANY knowledge of your actions. " Good Luck, Jim. You take my crude ideas and distill them into a precise, more entertaining and clear headed fashion. When it comes to articulation I'm Frankenstein, you are Oscar Wilde.
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Post by professorx on Mar 16, 2012 20:38:44 GMT -5
Others (ProfX) say we should be grateful to have jobs, and remain silent. Who could you complain to (as individuals or as a group) to make a difference?
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Post by professorx on Mar 15, 2012 20:34:06 GMT -5
Well, Gore did have some good ideas as a senator, but they were few and far between. Nevermind Florida, how many presidential canidates lose their home state? What does that say for him as a politican?
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Post by professorx on Mar 15, 2012 20:14:59 GMT -5
My dear Professor, You are so wrong on so many levels it boggles my poor limited brain. That you seem to hold Law Enforcement officers equal to someone occupying a window at the Tag & Title Office is so grossly demeaning to LE it is beyond any consideration. Do you have an occupation which could put you into the line of fire at anytime? If so, let us hear the details. I work at a little place called Noneyourgoddamnbusiness. The quote about civil servants was from a officer that worked at a department for 14 years. I saw the plaques, medals, etc., that he earned. He even had a permanent SWAT tattoo on his arm. When he made a mistake he was unceremoniously let go just like a court clerk. Again when it is all said and done any government employee is just a civil servant. Its not the way things should be, it is the way they are. Again, it is only a sign of maturity as an officer. The new guys who are full of piss and vinegar will say "I cannot be fucked over, I have made huge arrests this year. I'm golden... I am an integral part of this team." Famous last words... When they get pulled from the team and are assigned to something that is "bullshit" they falsely believe there is some sort of recourse for this injustice. Should I go on? I've seen variations on this theme over and over in real life. Recognizing that you are a civil servant is not a condemnation, but a key to happiness. You want fair, go to a carnival. You want a friend, buy a dog. A dangerous job, people with bars and rank have ended more careers than criminals with guns. Welcome to the Jungle, again. I don't agree with any of this, I am just a realist. Does this unboggle you brain?
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Post by professorx on Mar 15, 2012 19:03:38 GMT -5
Justin Thyme is more committed to "just quit" than I am to "weed is bad for you." In a shrinking job market everyone should be glad to have any kind of employment. "Its the new reality" that was voted in on a national level. Sgt Staff Bunny says she (assumption) works in Georgia, if she does and works for a sheriff's department there, ask her how bad county law enforcement is in GA. Lots of days off without pay, people who leave are not replaced, etc. If she makes $45,000, 45K in Atlanta is not the same as here. Arguing for more money will not gain much public sympathy right now. I am all for public safety, medical and teachers making more money, but the market will not support it right now... When people fight a battle destined to lose, they kind of look like whiners. An old timer once told me "Recognizing that you are merely a civil servant like any other is a sign of maturity in law enforcement. We are nothing above and beyond"... If there is anything "special" about the job, the rewards are not monetary. I would suppose the same would be true of any decent profession. The question is when a cop realizes he is merely a civil servant and not half james bond and half batman, he can either turn into a sluggish blob, stop lifting weights and let his ass weld itself to his desk chair or patrol vehicle seat OR he could continue to fight the good fight. To break it down in a quirky and semi-humorous summary "Welcome to the Jungle". Only stoners listen to Pink Floyd and I hate stoners. :-)
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Post by professorx on Mar 14, 2012 20:28:19 GMT -5
Then you are negotiating from a position of absolutely no strength at all. The courts may give an occasional victory as in this lawsuit but you will continue to be underpaid and shat upon by the government that hired you at every turn. Your only other option is to get honorable people elected who are willing to compensate the city and county employees properly. Let's see, you tried that with a sheriff a few years back, elected one of your own to turn things around. Where is that guy now? Quit. It's the only hammer you have. Its funny to read both extremes on this thread. One side is that cops are irreplacable warriors akin to the calvary, and the other side where all employees are super-star NBA type free agents and can easily move from employment to employment. "Call my manager!!!" :-)
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Post by professorx on Mar 14, 2012 20:24:44 GMT -5
'During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the internet.' How could anyone be confused over this quote?
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Post by professorx on Mar 11, 2012 0:48:08 GMT -5
JiT, You minimize the impact of Rush, Hannity, and Beck. That may be true for you, but they reach millions of people and they drive much of the narrative for the low information voter. I just think it's funny that this video was hyped so much, and it was essentially nothing. How have your low information sources such as Maher, Colbert, Stewart, MSNBC told you to react?
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Post by professorx on Mar 10, 2012 0:55:51 GMT -5
Sheriff Hammond’s Leadership Fail by Alex Teach, Columnist March 8, 2012
I can say that if I ran a business like he's running the Sheriff's department I would have a very difficult time keeping good employees. My counsel to the Sheriff's Deputies is to quit and find employment where someone will appreciate you and treat you fairly. Most private businesses have wild pay disparities. I am not sure he understands this concept "As it turns out, paying people more than one another for doing the same job for the same responsibility is “illegal” when done outside of the rules of a now-forgotten statute called “The Civil Rights Act of 1963.” The whole issue is being in a protective class, not merely someone else makes a different wage. He makes the danger argument, but that would be an hard argument to make. "The more dangerous the service, the higher the pay". I am not sure that the Seals, Delta, Force Recon types make substantially more than people in their same grade or rank. I am not sure how dangerous Donald Trump or Bill Gates' jobs are. It seems like the pay is in line with other similar departments in the area. It seems like most make around $45,000. That's not bad money in Chattanooga. According to salary surveys "Sergeants in the United States earned a national average salary of $39,000 per year". "A June 2011 Salary Expert report shows that average salaries for line sergeants fluctuate across different geographies. In the U.S., sergeants working in New York City reported earning an average salary of $49,125 yearly. Phoenix sergeants averaged $40,785 per year. In Orlando, sergeants reported an average salary of $41,359 per year. Sergeants employed in Charlotte, Miami and Los Angeles averaged salaries of $45,278, $42,476 and $40,415 respectively. Sergeants in Houston averaged salaries on par with New York City's Manhattan borough, earning $48,922 per year." Danger really doesn't set pay, it is what others doing the same job make...
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Post by professorx on Mar 1, 2012 18:12:21 GMT -5
Philosophers' claim over moral right to kill newborns sparks outrage www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/philosophers-claim-over-moral-right-to-kill-newborns-sparks-outrage-20120301-1u61l.htmlAlberto Giubilini, from Monash University, and Francesca Minerva, from the University of Melbourne, say a foetus and a newborn are equivalent in their lack of a sense of their own life and aspiration. They contend this justifies what they call ''after-birth abortion'' as long as it is painless, because the baby is not harmed by missing out on a life it cannot conceptualise. The academics call an infant, like a foetus, only a ''potential person'', but they do not define the point at which it gains human status, saying this depends on the baby's degree of self-awareness and is a matter for neurologists and psychologists. About a third of infants with Down syndrome are not diagnosed prenatally, Drs Giubilini and Minerva say, and mothers of children with serious abnormalities should have the chance to end the child's life after, as well as before, birth.
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Post by professorx on Feb 26, 2012 12:36:09 GMT -5
Officer Safety Uber Alles: The Coercion Cartel's Prime Directive The Minnesota state legislature is debating a measure that would amplify that state’s “Castle Doctrine” by recognizing that innocent people have no “duty to retreat” in the face of criminal aggression. This would expand existing legal protection for the defensive use of lethal force against home invaders -- including, where appropriate, the government-employed variety. That prospect is causing the local tax eaters’ guild to irrigate their skivvies. Dennis Flaherty, executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, complains that enactment of the measure “could result in dangerous situations for police officers, who regularly enter homes without permission,” reports Twin Cities ABC affiliate KSTP. “We’re fearful that people will react and shoot and our officers could be mistaken for someone that they believe is trying to jeopardize their safety,” simpers Flaherty. In encounters of the kind Flaherty describes, it would be more accurate to say that citizens would recognize police officers as people who “jeopardize their safety.” In an interview with Minnesota Public Radio, Flaherty stated the matter even more candidly: “Officer safety is the primary concern that we have about this bill…. [E]very day in the state of Minnesota, we have peace officers that are entering on somebody’s property – often times by stealth so that we have the element of surprise. We are extremely fearful that with this shoot-first-ask-questions-later mentality that this bill establishes, that we will have officers that will not only be in harm’s way, but in fact will be injured or perhaps killed.” Read more: Pro LibertateI am really skeptical about some "police" organizations lately. I use "police" in quotes, because some of them seem to go against what most police advocate. Dennis Flaherty, executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association feels that citizens under attack should have the duty to retreat because "[E]very day in the state of Minnesota, we have peace officers that are entering on somebody’s property – often times by stealth". I would imagine if the police in MN were to visit someone's property they would be there in uniform to talk to homeowner, or be in tactical gear with a battering ram. There would be no mistake in either case the police were there. I am not sure how stealthy either situation would be. So this guy, supposedly with a police association, feels: 1. Citizens should have a limited right to protect themselves. 2. The police commonly sneak around unmarked on people property. Again, I am skeptical. I am not sure the typical law enforcement officer is represented by this person.
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Post by professorx on Feb 25, 2012 20:34:10 GMT -5
And make no mistake: I AM a Tool. Thanks guys. MAJOR points on the MASH reference. MASH? I did read that book. I usually read books only after a TV show or movie expains the story to me. In this case I was very confused by the book.
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Post by professorx on Feb 21, 2012 14:02:36 GMT -5
Much like the COUNTLESS republican being outed as gay that previously railed until hoarse about the sins of homosexuality, could Billy Jr be a closeted Muslim? Food for thought... So if people are outspoken they secretly want to be a part of the group they are critical of? Using the same logic, that would make most of today's far left employed, southern baptist, and heterosexual. On both extremes, there is hypocrisy to spare...
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Post by professorx on Feb 21, 2012 13:52:35 GMT -5
OOoo! Literary reference! Horror show! A cinematic reference. Did anyone actually read the book?
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Post by professorx on Feb 20, 2012 11:49:21 GMT -5
My third annual commentary:
Radiohead - Cool if it were 1990 Red Hot Chili Peppers - See above Phish - Phorget it. Bon Iver - Ok. The Beach Boys (featuring Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks) - Wow. The Avett Brothers - Ok. The Shins - Ok. Foster the People - I hope they play their greatest Hit. Skrillex - I will be glad when this fad is over. Aziz Ansari - Who? Dispatch- Who? Feist- Who? The Roots - Bonaroo is getting as bad as Riverbend with the nostalgia. Alice Cooper - See above. Ben Folds Five -More nostalgia. Fitz & the Tantrums - Good. The Joy Formidable - Good
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Post by professorx on Feb 20, 2012 11:37:59 GMT -5
Or another classic: "If you are confused check with the sun Carry a compass to help you along Your feet are going to be on the ground Your head is there to move you around" Arizona is a mess right now... Sheriff Joe is having his problems, Babeau is having issues... The US attorney resigned... and all of this is very recent. Everything is happening very fast and furious in southern Arizona.
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Post by professorx on Feb 18, 2012 10:55:35 GMT -5
A New Sheriff Loses His Compass: Muslims Are Not the Enemy By Jim Cavanaugh on February 15, 2012 Let's see if I can diagram this: A media outlet quoting another media outlet quoting something that someone supposedly said... This is why I generally do not support the media. This opinion that the person supposedly said is not in any kind of context, even if it was said. Then the quoted fragment is used to discredit training that "reportedly" is happening, and to pass judgment on a third party (the Sheriff)?
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Post by professorx on Feb 9, 2012 20:45:25 GMT -5
Some folk take their Honey Buns very seriously Most people take their honey buns seriously.
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