If you are from Minnesota you know
Jacob. Twenty seven years ago Jacob Wetterling, his brother Trevor,
and his friend Aaron, were riding their bikes home after visiting a
convenience store to rent a movie. That was the last time Jacob was
seen alive. He was abducted by a masked man at gunpoint. For twenty
seven years Jacob's family have lived in a hell of somebody else's
making. This past week because of a tip from “a person of
interest” Jacob's remains were found, just thirty miles from his
parent's home. It has brought closure, yes, but it has also opened a
wound again to fresh grief.
Because of the selfishness of another
this boy will not live to be a man, raise a family, or enjoy a life
of possibilities. But, while his time on this earth was short, his
life had a meaning that will live beyond him. Because of the
circumstances of his disappearance, and the dedication of his
parents, we now have laws put in place to register sex offenders.
This at least gives people a heads up that there may be a greater
risk to their children than there normally would be. It also raised
awareness of the issue of missing children.
Jacob, your light will never die.
***
A few weeks ago there was a story out
of Syria about a boy. He was pulled from the rubble of a destroyed
building. His picture was splashed across mainstream and social
media. We saw him sitting dazed and still with the dust of his home
sprinkled in his hair. A sad testimony to the failings of adults to
protect and nurture the best hope of our future.
So why am I talking about two seemingly
diverse stories?
Unfortunately, bad things happen to
good people. It is what we do with those experiences, as bad as they
are, that will determine who we become.
The children are our future.
45 comments:
First
Trump ahead again (among likely voters):
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/poll-trump-clinton-who-is-winning-227751
"Donald Trump has a two-point edge over Hillary Clinton in the latest CNN/ORC national survey of likely voters out Tuesday, as the Democratic nominee's post-convention lead has largely evaporated.
Among those likely to vote in two months, Trump took 45 percent to Clinton's 43 percent, while Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson earned 7 percent and Green Party nominee Jill Stein had 2 percent. But among all registered voters surveyed, Clinton leads by 3 points, 44 percent to 41 percent, while Johnson took 9 percent and Stein 3 percent."
Hi Zeyad. Have you closed down the old blog? I was looking in the other day to see if there were any updates and got a message it was open to invited readers only.
First
Huh! About time there was a life sign.
But among all registered voters surveyed, Clinton leads by 3 points, 44 percent to 41 percent, while Johnson took 9 percent and Stein 3 percent."
Hmmm...sounds like we need to get out the vote.
Don't worry ‘bout it. He's just grabbed an outlier to wave around for reaction. You need to pay more attention to the aggregation averages of those web sites with a decent track record for the aggregation. (Surprisingly, Huffington Post is actually pretty good at this, but the best known and probably best record belongs to Real Clear Politics.)
Hillary's actually been off the campaign trail this last month (interesting, maybe a touch risky, strategy behind that). She has been rackin’ up the political contributions which she'll be spending on a major ‘get out the vote’ program in important and influential states with important and influential voter demographics. It's gonna swap anything Trump and the Republicans can hope to come up with. (But, you may want to keep your eyes open for a chance to volunteer what little free time you might have when the time comes.)
NBC claims to have examined the data behind that CNN poll that Marcus was touting, and to have discovered an error in ‘weighting’ the respondents. According to NBC, the data actually shows Hillary four (4) points ahead instead of two points behind. PoliticsUSA.com (It even has a video link to Chuck Todd explaining things (which I did not watch), and a reminder from Nate Silver to not pay too much attention to any one poll--should be watching the aggregated averages at this point in the process.)
Lee:
"He's just grabbed an outlier to wave around for reaction."
and:
"NBC claims to have examined the data behind that CNN poll that Marcus was touting, and to have discovered an error in ‘weighting’ the respondents."
I didn't pick an outlier to "wave around" at all. It so happens that I'm not following the polls nearly as close as you seem to do, and that I just relay what makes news over here. This CNN poll, being from CNN, and being a break from other polls, and giving the "ghastly" Trump an edge, made news. And so I relayed it.
It might well be an outlier but I'm not as sure of that as you seem to be. I think Trump is in a better position than you seem to think. But I base that on a theory that I admit might not be applicable to the USA - the "shame factor".
Over here a vote and the polls preceding it does come with a "shame factor", at least recently. That's where the media/establishment disliked choice polls lower than the actual outcome for that disliked choice, because some portion of the populace is reluctant to admit to favour the disliked party in surveys.
I can't say this is true for the US. I have said before that I think your country is better than many (maybe all) others when it comes down to respecting individuals' own opinions, given your history of free speach being almost paramount. The shame factor might not be a big deal in the US.
Still, in the current climate I do think some Trump supporters might be hiding their opinions up until they enter the voting booth. Which is why I think there could be a surprise for the rest of ya'll coming. Or I am wrong about that and the shame factor is non existent in the US. We'll see.
But you just go ahead Lee and continue to shill for your beloved asthma victim Commander in Chief who dodged imaginary bullets in Kosovo and once at home accidently tripped and fell on the erase button sending 30K emails into oblivion and who'se been bought and paid for by the KSA and Goldman Sachs. Yeah, that'll work out just fine. Have you dug your bomb shelter yet? (actually I woudn't be surprised if you had)
"…I just relay what makes news over here."
I suppose that's a plausible theory, something you can convince yourself of anyway. Although I think you bring that data here specifically because Trump has the fascist tendencies you seem to approve of, and you know that I do not so approve (not to mention Lynnette).
"But I base that on…the ‘shame factor’."
It's called the ‘Bradley Effect’ over here, and it does exist among some elements of the electorate, but it usually doesn't apply to the right wing crazies, most of whom are immune to being shamed--witness their continued, unflagging support of Trump through all of his shifting political positions.
"But you just go ahead Lee and continue to shill for Hillary."
You will be hard-pressed to find me saying anything nice about Hillary, other than that I was impressed with her work ethic when she was Secretary of State. She put her nose to the grindstone and worked hard for Obama's agenda, and I do not blame the lack of progress on that agenda on her--more on the agenda, and on Obama himself. But, I was impressed by her work ethic, and my opinion of her went up a few points with that. I've said that before, and I'll stand by it. Other than that, you will be hard pressed to find me saying nice things about Hillary.
I've had the bomb shelter in place for years now, dug but not fully stocked. We called ‘em ‘root cellars' from the times before the nukes needed to be considered, and they double at need as shelter from tornadoes, and would serve as a bomb shelter as well, in case of need.
Shoulda put that in brackets, like so…"…to shill for [Hillary]."
And, long as I'm here…. root cellar
Obama has nominated a Muslim for the position of District Judge for the Washington D.C. Circuit. WaPo This is an historical first. Let the hyperventilating begin.
@ Lynnette:
Matt Lauer is moderating an hour long special on NBC tonight (7:00 pm on my station) with Hillary for a half hour and Donald for the other half hour. On CinC and defense issues and before an audience composed of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. Questions by the audience.
I managed to get otherwise occupied, and missed most of Hillary's session. Trump managed to not hurt himself I believe. But then, the bar for him is pretty low. If he manages to get through an appearance dedicated to national security without explicitly offering to blow up the entire world his supporters will cheer him as obviously brilliant.
Lee: "It's called the ‘Bradley Effect’ over here, and it does exist among some elements of the electorate, but it usually doesn't apply to the right wing crazies, most of whom are immune to being shamed"
Of course. But I'm not thinking about the folks in the fly-over states who go to rallies in an "I support Trump" T-shirt. I'm thinking about the kindergarden teacher in Georgetown who secretly roots for Trump but could never say so on account of her employment and social circles.
Granted, there may be few of those, but there are bound to be some. And how many we'll not see until the real elections, because those folks typically lie in polls too. At least here they do.
"I'm thinking about the kindergarden teacher in Georgetown who
secretly roots for Trump but could never say so on account of her
employment and social circles."
Again I will make the point that people who root for Trump are fairly immune to being shamed. They may not talk about it at work or in their social circles, but it's not out of a sense of shame, it's because they don't want the hassles.
In a nation where polling is ubiquitous they generally have no problem telling a pollster about their inclinations, in fact, they're often eager to be able to tell somebody finally.
It may be different in tiny countries like Sweden. But there's been no statistical evidence so far of a secret ‘shamed’ set of Trump supporters in any of the Republican primaries.
Mind you, with a hundred and forty million or so registered voters, there will be a few like you describe, but not enough to make a statistical difference.
And, now that I think about it, for several years now, pushing decades now, the right-wingers haven't been interested in talking about politics outside their own circles.
They do not appreciate being told by liberals that there is actually evidence that the dinosaurs didn't coexist with Neandertals and that global warming is real, and that trickle down economics originated in the Heritage Foundation to make Republican political goals seem palatable and did not originate at the Chicago School of Economics.
The rank and file just don't talk to people about politics anymore, not outside of their own closed echo chambers. Been that way for years now. But, they do answer anonymous polls.
The poor, poor victims of Brexit in Britain will lose out on EU Regulation 2016/425 where the unelected bureaucrats in Brussels who know so much more than ordinary simple serfs declare oven-mitts to be "personal safety equipment" and decide rules for their design:
http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article23480250.ab
How on earth will the poor Brits survive and not burn their hands and die from it?!?
I for one am glad to see the billions we pour into Brussels being put to good use.
Seriously?
If we elect Trump then we really deserve our fate.
Matt Lauer is moderating an hour long special on NBC tonight
I missed most of it. I only saw bits on CNN after. I'll have to see if any of it was posted on YouTube.
Trump managed to not hurt himself I believe.
Sad to say, but you might be right. Even if he at one point said he'd see if the military leadership had any (new, I assume) ideas on getting rid of Daesh and then the next minute he basically said he was considering sacking the current roster of generals.
Or even if he basically praised a leader (Putin) who has set himself up as our opponent in many ways and dissed our current sitting President.
The first makes him look schizophrenic and the second makes him look like a shill for Putin.
As I said, if we elect Trump we deserve our fate.
"The first makes him look schizophrenic and the second makes him
look like a shill for Putin."
Neither of which will turn off the almost 40% who'll vote for him. (Won't faze Marcus either.) On the bright side, 40% ain't enough.
It looks like Trump isn't the only one who is crazy for walls.
Work is about to begin on “a big, new wall” in Calais as the latest attempt to prevent refugees and migrants jumping aboard lorries heading for the Channel port, the UK’s immigration minister has confirmed.
Robert Goodwill told MPs on Tuesday that the four-metre high wall was part of a £17m package of joint Anglo-French security measures to tighten precautions at the port.
“People are still getting through,” he said. “We have done the fences. Now we are doing the wall,” the new immigration minister told the Commons home affairs committee.
Be interesting to see how that works for them.
Neither of which will turn off the almost 40% who'll vote for him.
Yeah, that's the sad part.
"Yeah, that's the sad part."
On a brighter note: That 40% have marched themselves into a political dead end. The Republican ‘Establishment’, that is, the Wall Street Republicans and the Country Club Republicans can no longer maintain the pretense that their political agenda is good for their voting base, nor that they have anything but contempt for the Bible Thumpers. The Republican Party is going to come apart after this. So, that 40% will havta rethink their dead end positions in the near future--next couple of presidential elections will see it through. And that 40% will havta rethink the the faerie tales they've been sold on by that Republican Establishment in order to find a party they can support. And, since they will have to do that, they finally will do that.
The current sorry state of affairs in the Republican Party will soon remedy itself (probably by the dissolution of that party; maybe reformation, but it'll probably just come apart.)
"Be interesting to see how that works for them."
Ladders are cheaper than walls, and easy ‘nuff to hide.
Lol! Yup. And, depending on where that wall is, there are always tunnels. The Israelis have certainly found them to be rather annoying.
"Top GOP lawmakers [in both the House and the Senate] are
vowing that their investigations of Hillary Clinton will continue even if
[especially if] she wins the White House in November.
"Indeed, the FBI wrapped up its investigation of Hillary Clinton’s use of
a private email server this summer, but congressional Republicans say
they’re just getting started."
Politico.com
They had eight (8) separate congressional investigations on the attack on the CIA outpost in Benghazi. Looks like they're likely to have at least that many investigations into Hillary's e-mail set up.
Fairly long piece for The Guardian (but short by The Atlantic standards; this is not one of those really long ones I sometimes find) tells us that Da’esh is planning to retreat from Raqqah to Western Europe.
Will have to read that later, got errands to run. But it kind of goes with one of the headlines on CNN this morning about the threat to Western Europe from Daesh becoming higher.
Good article Lee. I read a couple of the related articles also and they too were interesting.
Not that any of it was anything new to me. I've been aware for quite some time that once the "Caliphate" collapses it might usher in a wave of terrorism in Europe.
IMO border controls and effective policing at home are the only ways to mitigate this in the short term. In the long term it's about winning the ideological battle and stifling would be jihadists - or doing it the hard way and getting rid of the would be candidates through mass-expulsions (not likely - yet). And we're unlikely to prevent every single would be attacker. So there will undoubtedly be some attacks happening.
Funny story. Talked to my jewish aunt yesterday and her family in Florida are split with most of 'em going to vote for Trump. Of the 8 folks in her immediate family 5 are voting Trump, one Hillary and 2 will probably not vote at all because they dislike both candidates.
The reason? It's a family that collectively runs several small businesses and feel they're getting killed by competitors hiring illegals for abysmal wages.
#JewsForTrump
LOL
Trump himself is famous for hiring immigrants, many of them undoubtedly illegals. So, of course they're voting for Trump.
Before you ask, this one's down there in Florida with your Jewish aunt and the rest: LINK
Black guy speaks out in favour of Trump:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_47-epAfUKE
We've done this one before, last time you paraded this guy before us. The black guy's clueless. Very first supposed "fact" out of his mouth--supposedly 60% of white people voted for Obama. Wrong. Obama got something like 39% of the white vote and then 43% of the white vote, in 2008 and 2012 (or maybe it was the other way ‘round; didn't get nowhere near 60% either time). And he don't get any better as he goes along.
Trump himself is famous for hiring immigrants, many of them undoubtedly illegals. So, of course they're voting for Trump.
That falls under the "don't let facts get in the way of your thinking" category.
The Guardian article was good. I think there has always been a fear that after Daesh started to lose ground in the ME it would find other places to take root.
"I think there has always been a fear that after Daesh started to
lose ground in the ME it would find other places to take root."
I think it's more than a fear; it's a foregone conclusion. The question is more where than whether. If they get beaten badly enough to lose some of their luster then they'll change names too. In any case, the jihadi threat will simply move on after Da’esh is beaten down in its current incarnation; the question is more where than whether.
What is deplorable?
It is deplorable to undermine the credibility of a federal judge based on his Mexican heritage.
It is deplorable to demean a Gold Star family and propose to ban all Muslims from entering the United States.
It is deplorable for a candidate for president of a major party to kick off his campaign by labeling most Mexicans as rapists and murderers.
It is deplorable when the Justice Department feels it has to sue you a second time for racial discrimination because you didn't get the hint the first time.
Before people get upset about what Hillary Clinton said about Trump supporters, and I realize she exaggerated the numbers, they should consider Trump's rhetoric, and stated policy goals, and understand the kind of people some of that would appeal to. No, not everyone is a racist or xenophobic, etc., but they are out there, and they do seem to be attracted to Trump.
I realize that Hillary has her failings, but even if she were Bernie Maddoff in drag I'd still prefer her to Trump and his hate filled rants. We can get beyond Hillary, but I'm not so sure about Trump.
"Before people get upset about what Hillary Clinton said about Trump supporters…"
Trump won't be able to capitalize on it. He doesn't want to get into a discussion about what exact percentage among his followers are members of the ‘lock her up’ crowd, or what exact percentage favor banning Muslims from America, or whatever…. This is not a winner for him. He can't really use this.
On the other hand, Hillary appears to have come close to collapsing in public today while attending a 09/11 ceremony in NYC. A solid argument that she's physically unfit to withstand the pressures of the job could do her some serious damage. link
Appears Hillary is suffering a bout of bacterial pneumonia. I've been there; it can sneak up ya.
Pneumonia is treatable. My dad's had it multiple times. She probably hasn't been getting enough rest to recuperate. The press is making a big deal out of her not mentioning it earlier, though. That doesn't really bother me.
Post a Comment