I long so much for the time before Coronavirus dominated all aspects of our lives

Posted: September 10, 2020 by Jon Fournier in Uncategorized
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This year will go down in history as the year that everything was either canceled or ruined.  Those that are uninformed, or have bought into the media coverage will blame the Coronavirus for the disruption of our lives and the US economy.  Those that really understand what is going on will rightly blame government overreaction to the Coronavirus as the true culprit causing so much misery.

This past weekend I would have attended the Woodstock Fair, however, like everything else fun, that was canceled.   The number of Coronavirus cases in the surrounding area is quite low along with hospitalizations and deaths.  The virus peaked way back in mid April.  The only reason virus cases show up at all is because so many asymptomatic individuals are being tested.

Life for school children has been turned completely upside down and it is all so unnecessary.  It has been reported so often that school aged children are barely affected by the virus.  Most schools will require students to wear masks full time.  Few ask whether this will be physically or mentally harmful to the children.  I fear it will be both.  Also schools will require that students maintain social distancing and not engage in any fun activities. 

Massachusetts still leads the nation in unemployment thanks to our governors disastrous business lockdown.  Restaurants can only operate at 25 percent capacity and all bars are still closed.  Wearing masks in restaurants when walking to tables and when servers are near is required.   Oh that is so much fun.

Concerts and other crowd intensive activities are still canceled in the State of Massachusetts.  Any type of gatherings in this state is limited to just 50 people,  The governor mandated that if you have ten or more in your own house or backyard everyone must wear masks.  I say bite me to that.

Even going to the library has been turned into a depressing experience.  Masks must be worn and social distancing is a must.  They take down your information for contact tracing reasons.

The only way life gets back to normal for all of us is if we stand up and say enough is enough in very loud clear voices.

Remember the Tea Party Non Riots, The last Straw in SF? History repeating itself, Eucharistic Processions on Oct 17th Please, and How Bad is the Trump Economy? VERY quick thoughts under the fedora

Posted: September 10, 2020 by datechguy in Always look at the bright side of Trump, business, catholic, Church doctrine, crime, culture, economy, education, politics
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Overslept today after putting in some extra time at work and I have to go in early today as well so no time to post so here are some very quick thoughts.

A Quick reminder, remember when the media was united in declaring the Tea Party and the various Tea Party protest a bunch dangerous violent agitators?

You can count the number of Tea Party events over the year that became riots d on the fingers of one hand, in fact you can likely do so on the thumb of one hand or no hands

I think the Nancy Pelosi Salon story combined with the news concerning city gyms in SF offer the best single chance for her GOP challenger in decades.

People don’t like be played for fools and even leftists know that if they punish her on election day they’ll get the seat back fairly quick.

When I was younger I was always amazed at the rise of the Nazi’s in Germany and the Communists in Russia (although less so the latter given serfdom and the Czars). After watching the left over the last several months and the reaction of the public I am much less amazed.

The smartest thing our enemies ever did was to go after our colleges. People are so much easier to buy.

If I was the Pope I would order a coordinated set of Eucharistic Processions led by the local Bishops or Cardinals of sees in October in Reparation for sins. I’d Choose Saturday October 17 the feast day of St. Ignatius.

Either we believe in the Power of Christ in the Eucharist or we don’t, if we do let’s not be shy about it.

Finally a reminder that tomorrow’s Podcast will be at 11 AM rather than at 3 PM.

This is because the Trump Economy is so bad that I have to work on my day off along with going in early yesterday and today to keep up with all the work we don’t have because the Trump economy is so bad

Programming Note Friday’s Podcast Livestream at 11 AM This week (and does anyone have a Pulse Board for a 1999 Buick LeSabre?)

Posted: September 9, 2020 by datechguy in Uncategorized

A quick program note. Because of work obligation this Friday’s livestream podcast will be at 11 AM EST rather than the normal 3 PM EST. due to work commitments.

Apparently that Trump Economy is so bad that we have to not only work this Friday but I’m going in early the next two days as well to keep up.

So watch for me at 11 AM EST rather than 3 PM because at three I’ll be on the road heading for work.

Speaking of being on the road I’m in a pickle.

I have a 1999 Buick LeSabre. About a month ago the wipers stopped resting in the well as they should. As it was NBD I let it go till I had time and my mechanic ordered a new wiper motor. Turned out the motor didn’t have the pulse board on it which regulates where the wipers stop.

He’s been unable to find one and thanks to the rules of inspection in MA unless I get that replaced by the end of next month my car will fail inspection.

I like Buick LeSabres. This is the 3rd one I’ve had in my life but they stopped making em in 2005, so if you have access to the pulse board for a 1999 Buick LeSabre or a working wiper motor for a 1999 Buick LeSabre with a pulse board on it I’d be very interested

Absence of malice?

Posted: September 8, 2020 by chrisharper in media

By Christopher Harper

After repeated examples of lousy journalism under cover of anonymous sources, it’s time to remove them from the reporter’s toolbox.

Here are some examples of false stories that came to you, the reader or viewer, as a result of anonymous sources:

—The New York Times and Judith Miller’s allegations that Saddam Hussein had vast caches of weapons of mass destruction

–The Rolling Stone “investigation” of rape on college campuses

–A New York Times story claiming that federal prosecutors were seeking a criminal investigation against Hillary Clinton for her private email accounts

–A CNN story that Congress was investigating a Russian investment fund with ties to Trump officials

–A Washington Post story that Russian hackers had penetrated the U.S. electrical grid

–An MSNBC report that Russian billionaires with ties to Vladimir Putin had co-signed a bank loan for President Trump

In these and many other cases, the prime motivation to use anonymous sources is because the reporter wanted the allegations to be true.

I worked in Washington, where I found the default is usually to promise anonymity because it usually serves the reporter and the source. At the end of the daily news cycle, it doesn’t matter whether the story was true. What counted was the number of eyeballs attracted to the story!

In a discussion on the recent Atlantic claims about Trump and the military, some of my former colleagues in journalism offered Watergate as the underlying justification for anonymous sources.

That was almost 50 years ago! For every good example of what has happened because of anonymous sources, how many bad examples have happened? It took me only a few minutes to recall the fake stories I listed at the top. Give me a few hours, and I’d come up with a basketful.

Oh, how about Dan Rather and Memogate? Maybe Little Jimmy and Janet Cook?

Moreover, news organizations rarely follow their guidelines on the use of anonymous sources. In most ethical codes, a reporter should ONLY use an unnamed source as a last resort. A senior editor usually has to approve the use, and a second source must corroborate the information.

I’ve served as an expert witness in half a dozen lawsuits where reporters and editors didn’t come close to following these guidelines and libeled innocent people.

I recommend that journalists watch Absence of Malice, the 1981 film that analyzes how the use of anonymous sources results in the death of one woman, the disgrace of local and federal prosecutors, and the end of a journalist’s career.

And I didn’t even have to mention the growing disbelief of the public toward journalists as a result of anonymous sources and other miscues.

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