spellcheckman's Blog

Watching the news Sunday about the icy overpass on 69hwy around I-35 in Johnson County, and all the cars that had run in to each other, including the Lenexa police car.

The newscasters, along with the Police because one of their own was involved, came to the conclusion that the ice caused the wreck, and they needed to shut the hwy down for a while till the salt trucks came along. 

The ice doesn't cause wrecks.  People driving too fast for conditions are the cause of wrecks.  They won't slow down because it is an overpass and it is icy, because it is..........Johnson County and they've got places to be.  People don't drive like that in Minnesota or North Dakota  on country roads and bridges that haven't been salted.  They're just as slick, too.

Rain doesn't cause wrecks either.  It is the same co-efficient of friction for everyone when it comes to rubber against the road.  Tread depth may be a variable, but it is slick none the less.  Hydro-planeing cars are the result of driving too fast over water.  Drive slower and you won't hydroplane. 

Darkness.............overdrive past the view of your headlights and you may not make that turn.  So darkness caused the wreck?

The train hit the car---------trains never hit cars.  It would imply they have an alternate route, or they have the opportunity to stop for the car.  Cars hit trains.  Think about it, you can't very well go home to the wife and say, honey I hit that train that had no place else to go and couldn't stop!  Your Acura is really messed up! 

When is it going to be reported by these traffic reporters that driving too fast for conditions cause wrecks? 

All it really does is give the motorists a dumb azz excuse for their bad driving. 

For both sides.   The Buffalo QB couldn't hit a wide open receiver on 3rd and one.  Kawika Mitchell, rather than tackle Thigpen in the endzone for a 2 pt safety, pushed him out of the way.

The chiefs, well they were the chiefs.

As Bob Stepanich reports, hunting "accidents" are increasing.  Seems the deer are coming out on top against the humans in this hunting thing going on.

And rightfully so.  Stupidity has no limits.  Take a gun or hunting class, or even a conceal and carry class, and you'll quickly realize there is no such thing as an accident. 

Guns malfunction all the time, but it is no accident that they kill.  Drop them on the floor, yes, they will go off.  Don't put yourself in a position to drop them, secure them.  Put them under your car seat and brake real hard and watch them fly all over the car.  Store them pointing at you, or within reach of an 8 year old. 

Put them in your purse, your pant pocket, whatever, and try to grab them real quick, by the trigger and see what happens.  That kid shot himself last week in his car in the upper thigh "adjusting" his gun.  Hilarious!  

Put your finger on the trigger when you have your target in sight.  Other than that, put your finger on the frame of the gun.

Hunters kill each other ALL the time.  "Oh I thought he was a deer!"  People don't look anything like a deer, even the humans wearing the puffy white tail hats!   Those hunters need to apply for the NFL school of officiating, instant replay division.  Because even with instant replay, and time to review, and ask your buddies, they still can't get it right.   Those mistaken identities aren't accidents,  even if the humans were  wearing a 4 legged deer outfit and got shot it wouldn't be an accident. 

Bottom line, a gun is a tool, as is a welder or acetylene torch, used wrong, without the safety rules, or by the untrained, and there will be a bit of grief.

Signs don't seem to work either.  Columbine, Omaha Mall, Post Offices, Virginia Tech, all had signs for the criminals NOT to bring their guns.   They might work great for the law abiding, but the spree shooters know they won't be stopped in such a venue, until they take out as many as they intended to. 

 

As Bob Stepanich reports, hunting "accidents" are increasing.  Seems the deer are coming out on top against the humans in this hunting thing going on.

And rightfully so.  Stupidity has no limits.  Take a gun or hunting class, or even a conceal and carry class, and you'll quickly realize there is no such thing as an accident. 

Guns malfunction all the time, but it is no accident that they kill.  Drop them on the floor, yes, they will go off.  Don't put yourself in a position to drop them, secure them.  Put them under your car seat and brake real hard and watch them fly all over the car.  Store them pointing at you, or within reach of an 8 year old. 

Put them in your purse, your pant pocket, whatever, and try to grab them real quick, by the trigger and see what happens.  That kid shot himself last week in his car in the upper thigh "adjusting" his gun.  Hilarious!  

Put your finger on the trigger when you have your target in sight.  Other than that, put your finger on the frame of the gun.

Hunters kill each other ALL the time.  "Oh I thought he was a deer!"  People don't look anything like a deer, even the humans wearing the puffy white tail hats!   Those hunters need to apply for the NFL school of officiating, instant replay division.  Because even with instant replay, and time to review, and ask your buddies, they still can't get it right.   Those mistaken identities aren't accidents,  even if the humans were  wearing a 4 legged deer outfit and got shot it wouldn't be an accident. 

Bottom line, a gun is a tool, as is a welder or acetylene torch, used wrong, without the safety rules, or by the untrained, and there will be a bit of grief.

Signs don't seem to work either.  Columbine, Omaha Mall, Post Offices, Virginia Tech, all had signs for the criminals NOT to bring their guns.   They might work great for the law abiding, but the spree shooters know they won't be stopped in such a venue, until they take out as many as they intended to. 

 

Osama bin Laden talking to his inner circle (all named mohammed btw) 

Yo Moha, I don't like the Great Satan, the U.S. so much anymore, this new leader, Bush, is just like his father.  He's going to invade our bro's in Iran because of that Kuwait thing.   How do we bring the USA to their knees?

Mohammad:   I don't know,

Mohammad:  Don't look at me, that's Mohammad's job.

Mohammad:  I thought terrorism planning was Mohammad job.

Mohammad:  I'll look into it.     

2 months later:  Mohammad to Osama, Ok I got it, we hijack a bunch of their planes and run them into 4 or five targets, tall bldgs, the pentagon, the white house, .

Osama:  Do it.  But I don't see how this is  going to bring them to their knees.  Knocking over a few buildings? I don't get it.

Mohammad:  Trust me it will work. It may take 8 or nine years but it will work.  You can count on Bush. 

Fast forward to today:   Bush picks a war on the wrong country.  4733 American servicemen are killed, the country is trillions of dollars in debt, millions of Americans have lost their homes, the auto industry is in shambles, unemployment is at historic highs, and they now have a clueless President elect. 

Osama  to Mohammad:  How did you know?    Easy, sometimes you have to outdumb them, not outsmart them.  Look who their President was.

 

 

 

About the 700b bailout that is.  Today, 11/12, Henry Paulson,  Federal Reserve Director announced that  they would NOT be buying illiquid assets from banks as a result of toxic mortgages, for which it was originally intended for.

And voted for by the majority at that time.   Nancy Pelosi is thinking about giving away 25b or so to the Big 3  carmakers.   So they can lose it all that much more quicker  on the same models GM is losing 2billion a month on.   Ford is right behind them and I don't know what Daimler-Chrysler is doing.   Studebaker, American Motors, and Packard, long dead horses have also applied for the free government give-aways. (not really)  But American Express, the credit card company will be turning itself into a holding bank so it can get in on the bail out bucks.  Really, no joke here! 

To qualify for mortgage help some of the rules there are:  1) owner occupied,  2) 90 days in arrears on the mortgage, upside down or underwater in the mortgage, and payment not to exceed 38% of  gross income.  Well, if it's that bad, you've got one foot hanging over the edge and the other on a banana peel! 

So, as it turns out, they voted themselves a 700b or 850b bailout, because they had to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING, to make themselves feel good, and no idea on how to administer the program or who to administer it to.   And there was all that relief after it was voted in approval.  Why? 

All those reps and Senators who voted for this fiasco have some explaining to do to their constituents, all those voting against...kudos.    If only the voting public could remember which is which.

It is still not to late to sell.  It's going down further.  660pts since Monday!

This Friday the consumer sales activity for October will be released.  It is going to be a bad one causing huge losses, or actually, more huge losses in the Stock Market and related funds.

Yes,  it can go lower.   Selling may lock in your losses but also can prevent further losses.

No one is buying cars, 1.2 million jobs lost since Nov. 1.  and since then nearly 50,000 more jobs lost.  Xmas season is already predicted as dismal--Circuit City already pulling out before their busy season starts, same with DHL express, slashing 9500 jobs. 

Another $1800 or $2k check......will only delay the inevitable for most. 

Chiefs not the Titans.......5 years ago to this day, they were 9-0.    Those were the days of Trent Green, Tony  Gonzalez, Priest Holmes, Willie Roaf, Brian Waters, John Tait, Dick Vermeil, Casey Weigman, Will Shields.  Of course with that offensive line, they could run over anyone and offer up pass protection to pass all day.....without killing 2 QB's a day.

They were selling the stadium out then as they are today.   They didn't look like empty seats come game day!

Seems like they're stuck in reverse ever since then.

Nebraska's drop off law extends to 18 years old.  Brilliant!   So now they have seen  parents dropping off 17 year olds with impunity at the hospital or fire station.

And they're driving a long way to boot.  One mother from Detroit, another from the Atlanta area.  One father dropped his entire family off. 

Of course they'll reduce the age limit because in the lawmakers infinite wisdom they have miscalculated the  parents resolve in "raising" their children.

I do wonder though.....what do you suppose the parent(s) are saying to missy and junior in the car as they make the long car trek to:  Lincoln, Omaha, Grand Island, etc.?

How do they trick them into going, and STAYING at the Hospital and fire station?  Final goodbye's?  Good Riddance?  CYA!  I told You So?  You should have listened? 

So, in the interest of gun safety, since there's one out in the open at all times in the high chance carjack vehicle, the one with the really nice chrome wheels, I take my 17 year old princess to the bullet hole in OP on Robinson. 

And I bring the Colt revolver and semi-auto 7 shot 9mm conceal and carry Kahr PM9.

And she says:   Dad, aren't you going to lock up the Ferrari, someone could mess with it.   Nah, did you forget,  everyone's packing around here.  This place never gets robbed, either!

So I tell princess:  "I'm really not trying to hold your hand or anything but just so it doesn't get away from you, since you've never shot, I really don't want you trying to hold on and shoot while you're trying to get a grip as it gets away from you."   And of course, I warn her about the flying shells coming at your eyes!  So that's what the eye protection is for, she mutters!  

Yesterday, in Massachussetts.  That exact thing happened.  An 8 year old has an Uzi no less, get away from him and as he's trying to get a grip--it shoots away even more, and the weapon travels up and shoots him in the head.   Under adult supervision!   WTF!  Beer included in this outing?   Can't imagine going home to the wife after that father-son adventure.

 

 

A while back I asked the question:  when is it legal for a citizen to shoot in self defense?  I could count on the typical blogger answers but  a recent case in Mo. has shed an enormous amount of light on the question.

Mr Saldiva, from Iowa goes to a bar, gets rowdy, announces to everyone he has a gun.  It must be concealed because no one can see it.   One of the patrons tells him "he really doesn't have to be that way or behave like that." 
This agitates Mr. Saldiva and he threatens to shoot this patron.  Reaches into his trousers where this gun might be and is shot and killed by this patron as he reaches for his weapon.  The patron has a conceal and carry permit.
The County prosecutor in this case rules self defense, on the basis that anyone who believes deadly force will be used has a right to defend himself and will not prosecute for murder.

The dead man's wife is upset because she now believes someone got away with murder and is looking toward other legal circles and opinions to seek justice.

Clearly these points are raised:  Announcing you have a gun in a bar which turns out to be concealed puts you in grave danger.   It also labels you a moron.

Threatening someone after making such an announcement is tantamount to suicide.  A cop would have done the same thing and it is commonly referred to as suicide by cop.

In the past 2 weeks a local guy was followed back from the casino and robbed in his garage at 126th and Nall, and at 79th & I-35 @ the Q-Trip someone else really wanted that Tahoe with the chrome 22's.  I brought these instances up to a cop hanging at the liquor store Tuesday  and asked him:  If I carry  my loaded Glock 9mm on a holster on the passenger console of that Ferrari 512 with the really nice wheels outside, can I be tagged for a weapons violation.  And he said no you cannot.  The statute reads concealed.  You can wear it out in the open if you want to.  You should not be a convicted felon btw.  Once you procure your conceal and carry you can hide it anywhere. 

Clearly an incentive to burn off a Saturday for the 8 hour class in today's times. 

3 bodies dead in the street over the last two evenings in the KCMO midtown area.   Around 105 murders for the year in KC for the year.   Not much prevention by the police, and by this I mean randomly stopping citizens walking, driving down those very streets.  Granted it's dangerous work and they ALL have guns.  But what else to do?  Clean up the carnage?

Makes you want to go to Westport or the super safe P&L district, where shootings are at a minimum, and have no chance of leaking over from the rest of the city.

Thoughts on the bailout.

700 billion, then another 250 billion for the banks 10 days later, because Europe rescued their banks.  That's about a trillion borrowed bucks.

The people voting for the bailout  could not have read and understood everything in it.  It is several inches thick of paper, and there aren't very many pictures!  They were under the impression they had to do "something,anything!"

Why not let the instituionalized banks fail like personal bankruptcies, and use the trillion to start over with new banks and personnel managing them.  It's like going back to the same plastic surgeon to fix his screw up.  If he was trying real hard the first time, why would the second visit have a better outcome.  Same thing here.

Still no mention of the 53 trillion in unfunded Federal liabilities, a prime reason the bailout will fail.

The aforementioned 1 trillion bailout was to  help free up the credit markets.  Somethings wrong here.  They want people to BORROW  more money they don't have to get the economy going?   The only thing that could possibly lead to is more foreclosings and personal bankruptcies. 

The stock market is down another 300 points today, largely on news on the decline on consumer consumption.   Not only are the consumers tapped out, and their 401k's beaten down, there is no confidence either.   Paul Volcker has determined the U.S. is in a recession.  About 5 months too late!  Next will come inflation because of the soon to be devalued dollars.  Inflation rate of 1982 soon to follow

The next president will be a one-term President because of all this.  I don't care who it is, it really won't make a difference.  Florida votes, as usual, won't count in this election this time around either.  

Buy land.

 

 

Referring to the $700b bailout.  A very sad bi-partisan effort to do something, anything, based on fear warnings sent by the wallstreet physicists that no one understands.

After watching "60 minutes" dissect the problem last night, it could very well fail based on two key points.  1)  the total exposure could be as high as 11 trillion dollars, and if so, the 700b won't come close to touching the problem.  2)  The total figure IS unknown because of  "swap" policies  sold to back up the toxic mortgages acting as insurance for these securities but couldn't officially be called insurance because then it would be regulated.

So the unregulated "swap" policies could bring the financial houses down even further.

The LIBOR index,  currently an unknown acronym for most, will move to the forefront of American conscience.

IF the bailout was a serious effort, it wouldn't be laden with pork.   100 million for Nascar tracks, 60 mill for the wooden arrow industry, and 220 million for the Valdez Alaska affected by the Exxon oil spill.  What a joke.

Those of us in recession proof jobs:   utilites, government, health care, energy, oil, infrastructure power plants, maintenance,  defense, some landlords with paid off rental houses, the food industry, and others, should be ok in the current recession, it is the recession affected jobs where the most misery will be affected:  new auto sales,  retail, clothing, etc.

Shottenheimer, whoever he broadcasts for, predicted a Chiefs loss because of  no QB and no run defense.

The KCStar got it right, the highlight of the game was the flyover.

Jack Harry, NBC, outright called the Chiefs liars on Huard's "injury."    It took them way past the half to think of something to tell the rest of the media.

Herm panicked by taking Huard out.  He concluded they needed someone, anyone, who could try to outrun the pass rush.  3 QB's in the 1st quarter signifies panic mode.

If you don't have a QB by the 2nd game of the season, what is training camp, the draft, and preseason for?  Finding your QB off your neighbors, (Minn.) practice squad, shows how much in disarray the organization is.   The five year (20yr) plan is on target because of this.

LJ wants out because there's no offensive line and he's largely a straight up runner.  Croyle will eventually return, but any of those hits the other QB's took will surely make for a short return before the brittle one breaks again.

Jamarcus Russel  6'6" 230lbs=durability.  Passing ability needs a bit of work though.

I lost $5 because I thought Huard would play the whole game!

At least it wasn't the price of a ticket, $22.00 to park the car, and $8.00/a beer!  I don't think traffic would have been a problem because the stadium sure did clear out by mid 3rd qtr.