By Brett Matthew West
"You Didn't Ask...But"
INT. FLORIDA. MORNING.
FADE IN
Narrator
Did you know the State Attorney for Orange-Osceola County Florida, which services the Orlando metropolitan area, declared she would not seek the death penalty against anybody? Allow me to restate that ANYBODY! No matter how heinous their crime?
State Attorney
There is no justice in death.
Narrator
Justice in death? That is a laugh! What about the justice for the victim in the murder? Of course, in your book they are the obvious forgotten element in this scenario most of the time.
State Attorney
The goal of justice is equity.
Narrator
Equity, such as in you killed the person why shouldn't you suffer the same fate? Did you allow them the opportunity to seek justice before you slaughtered them? No. You took it upon yourself to be their judge, jury, and executioner although they did no wrong. Somebody please explain to me why a person who commits this type of crime should be made out to be the "good guy" and be freely housed, clothed, fed, and provided medical care for the rest of their life in some prison cell. Where is the equity for the one they denied this for?
State Attorney
A top priority as state attorney is the safety and wellbeing of the communities I serve.
Narrator
Excuse me, Miss State Attorney. You seem to be omitting the very fact that your philosophy does not apply to ALL members of the communities you serve with your stance on the death penalty, only the killers. Otherwise, you would want justice for them as well.
State Attorney
There is no evidence that shows the death penalty makes us safer or is an effective deterrent against violent crimes.
Narrator
Do you want to know how to make the death penalty a very effective deterrent for those who commit these crimes, Miss State Attorney? Eliminate their being much better off rotting away in a prison cell than they were on the streets. A deterrent would be something more along these lines: however you kill somebody is how you are executed. And, I don't mean decades later. I mean upon being found guilty you are taken out of the courtroom and the process is completed immediately. How's that for making somebody think before they commit a murder and a deterrent, Miss State Attorney? Until the next time.
FADE OUT
| Author Notes |
The death penalty is a very hot button item. Of that, there is no doubt. One point of view is provided in this script.
Grace, by Photowhisper, selected to complement my script. So, thanks Photowhisper, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my script. |
By Brett Matthew West
"Gun Control"
INT. GUNSHOP. DAY
FADE IN
Narrator
Did you know a recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll claims a majority of Americans favor stricter gun laws. There goes the 2nd Amendment right out the window. However, let's more closely examine what this poll attempts to imply.
Pollster
Sixty-seven percent of Americans support making US gun laws stricter.
Narrator
One built-in bias of this statistic remains this poll was conducted mainly after the New Zealand mosques shootings. Very tragic! But, had this poll been taken prior to these events, and people outraged over them, the question becomes how many Americans would then support stricter gun control laws?
Pollster
Many Americans would prefer military-style semi-automatic weapons and high capacity magazines be more stringently controlled.
Narrator
This point we can agree on up to the extent tighter controls on these types of weapons could well lead to less mass shootings because fewer people with that ill intent on their minds would have harder access in obtaining them. A universal background check, and permitting courts to deny those considered dangerous to arm themselves, would also aid in this. However, that opens another can of worms regarding who, and what, determines the criteria for such decisions.
Pollster
Few national gun control restrictions have been enacted in the United States recently.
Narrator
That's because the right to bear arms is written into the US Constitution. Furthermore, approximately seventy-five percent of American gun owners, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center poll, feel a right to own a gun is essential to their sense of freedom.
Pollster
The strength of gun control restrictions being imposed appears highest after mass shootings occur.
Narrator
Soon thereafter, the ebb of that support fades into oblivion. So does the number of people who claim gun laws should be much stricter. Here's the point to ponder about all this: no gun picks itself up and fires at anyone. It's the hand that gun is in that kills. Until the next time.
FADE OUT
| Author Notes |
I'll Shoot Ya, by Mr Jones, selected to complement my script.
So, thanks Mr Jones, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my script. NOTE: Mr Jones is not a nit. He did not place a period after "Mr" so I did not either. |
By Brett Matthew West
"National Women's History Month"
INT. ROUNDTABLE. DAY
FADE IN
Narrator
Did you know March is considered Women's History Month? Bet you don't know how this celebration originated, do you? Let's go all the way back to 1972 and a Northern California high school classroom. There a student asks:
Student
What is the Women's Movement?
Narrator
At that time, little information was known about the history of half the population. Oh, Gloria Steinem and Dorothy Pitman Hughes launched their Ms. magazine and Shirley Chisholm had become the first Black American woman to seek a major party's Presidential nomination. Enter Molly MacGregor, an 11th-grade history teacher with a curious student.
Molly MacGregor
What was significant to me was that I had never asked my mother, who was dead at that time, about her own life.
Narrator
Molly MacGregor's 1972 experience, in a roundabout manner, led to the creation of Women's History Month after a series of chance encounters with four other Sonoma County women. Together, they established a school curriculum on women's history. Next, they founded a nonprofit organization, and even persuaded the United States President to recognize the role of women every year.
Molly MacGregor
My whole life has been about promoting women.
Narrator
In 1974, while a graduate student at Sonoma State University, Molly MacGregor met Paula Hammett and Bette Morgan. Paula Hammett created a presentation about women's history that would be shown in classrooms, nursing homes, and union halls.
Paula Hammett
We were trying to tell the stories that at that point very few people knew or remembered.
Narrator
In 1977, Molly MacGregor, Paula Hammett, Maria Cuevas, and Bette Morgan, while working with the Sonoma County Education Task Force met Mary Ruthsdotter. This was where the four women developed Women's History Week.
Molly MacGregor
We were starting from ground zero and didn't know it.
Narrator
The women decided their theme week would coincide with March 8, which is regarded as International Women's Day. This occurrence was first established in 1911. With the assistance of a federal grant through the Women's Educational Equity Act, they expanded their mission and their Sonoma County Women's History Week grew into a parade through downtown Santa Rosa in 1979. National Women's History Week would follow after Molly MacGregor promoted her work at a women's symposium at Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, New York.
Molly MacGregor
We kept at our goal.
Narrator
In 1980 the group formed the National Women's History Project. This became the National Women's History Alliance and Molly MacGregor received a telephone call from the White House from Sarah Weddington, who represented Norma McCorvey, as "Jane Roe" in the famous Us Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade. Sarah Weddington told Molly MacGregor that President Jimmy Carter wanted to have a national Women's History Week in March.
In 1987, Congress officially designated March as Women's History Month. As Paul Harvey himself would say, "Now you know the rest of the story." Until the next time.
FADE OUT
| Author Notes |
Friends, by MKFlood, selected to complement my script.
So, Thanks MKFlood, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my script. |
By Brett Matthew West
"Fly Boy"
EXT. AIRPLANE. DAY.
FADE IN
Narrator
Did you know the United States is facing a potentially critical shortage in its number of certified commercial airplane pilots? And, an estimated 1.3 new pilots are required to fly current, as well as new, fleets for Boeing and Airbus, the country's two largest jet manufacturers. This shortage is expected to drive ticket prices up and increase seat demand on those planes with certified pilots.
Pilot
If the current trend continues it may affect passengers because there will be less aircraft in the air transporting them.
Narrator
One of the major issues with the lesser number of certified commercial pilots is the starting wage for the field is considerably low and ranges between $20,000 to $40,000 annually. Another is the FAA's mandate that First Officers and co-pilots get 1,500 hours of flight time to become certified pilots. This alone more than triples the cost of pilot training.
Pilot
In order to provide more certified airplane pilots the Federal Aviation Administration raised the mandatory retirement age from 60 to 65.
Narrator
However, co-pilots with military experience and a college degree from a recognized institution, require less than this 1,500 hour mandate of flight time. They need to possess 1,000 hours.
Pilot
The career path for most commercial pilots starts with training in smaller aircraft before they qualify to fly multiengine passenger planes. Typically, these positions are with regional carriers. In turn, regional airlines lose many pilots to major airlines such as Delta, United, and American because of higher wages and preferred routes.
Narrator
The problem of how to attract more certified commercial airline pilots starts long before they are offered their first job. It remains the cost of training, which is estimated to range approximately $100,000. In addition, this training is tough for obvious reasons. Many would-be pilots begin the training, realize how difficult it is, and don't continue. This training also does not include the high costs associated with their college degrees.
Pilot
Some pilots lower these costs by having a family member qualified to train pilots train them or by becoming flight instructors.
Narrator
The demand for certified commercial pilots is so large its affecting the military, who is becoming in need of approximately 2,000 pilots to shore up their active and reserve pilots requirements. Why has this problem blossomed? Because private sector salaries are higher than military pay and many military pilots leave the service for better civilian opportunities. In Part Two we will examine the effects pilot shortages could potentially place on airline operations. Until the next time.
FADE OUT
| Author Notes |
Landing Zone, by pfemd, selected to complement my script.
So, thanks pfemd, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my script. |
By Brett Matthew West
"Fly Boy Part 2"
EXT. PLANE. DAY.
FADE IN
Narrator
Effects of the critical number of certified commercial pilots leads to many of them receiving emails offering generous incentives to work unscheduled shifts.
Pilot
This has become a revolving door. Regional airlines struggle to maintain the number of certified pilots they currently have. Many lose them to JetBlue, United, and other major carriers. This leads to some airlines having to cut the number of flights they provide.
Narrator
A Seattle Times newspaper article from 2017 announced the regional airline for Alaska Air was forced to cancel 318 flights that summer because there weren't enough pilots to fly the airplanes. Douglass Kidd, the President of the National Associate of Airline Passengers remarked about canceled flights this way:
Douglass Kidd
My main concern is that they're {experts of the subject of the shortage of certified commercial pilots} taking a look at this looming pilot shortage and saying, "Wow, this is a good time to automate. What do we need all these pilots for anyway? That's the thing that scares me."
Narrator
Unmanned drones are a reality. And, technology for self-driving cars is already being tested by Tesla, Mercedes, and Lexus. On that topic, Boeing Executive Steve Nordlund stated:
Steve Nordlund
I expect to see more automation and aiding in the cockpit, maybe a change in the crew number up in the cockpit.
Narrator
Aviation is a very complex system of systems. You have the airplane, the pilot, air-traffic controllers, the ground system, the catering system, and the feeding system. All of these come into play to just get the airplane from one point to another. In Part Three we will discuss possible solutions to the critical shortage of commercial pilots. Until the next time.
| Author Notes |
This is Part 2 of this script. So, you may wish to read Part 1 as well.
Landing Zone, by pfemd, selected to complement my script. So, thanks pfemd, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my script. |
By Brett Matthew West
(This is an Op-Ed)
Why does the federal government always do favors for multi-millionaires with connections, but next to nothing for everyone else?
Proposing legislation to strengthen banking regulations, Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, stated, "It's not a bailout as happened in 2008"
That was one of the worst years average American citizens were stuck for highly unpopular bailouts of large financial institutions, not to mention how those failures tanked the economy.
Blumenthal further stated, "It is [and here is the key point] in effect, protection of depositors and a preventive measure to stop a run on other banks all around the country."
The Collin's dictionary defines the word bailout to mean "banks use money from depositors to help avoid failure and bankruptcy."
Can you smell bailout?
While in the short term taxpayers may not bear any direct costs for the failure of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, which happen to be the second and third largest bank failures in US history, in the long run the higher costs banks that help defray the expenses of covering uninsured deposits of these two failed banks will inevitably be passed on to those helper banks' customers. This will force the average American citizens to pay more for those banks' services.
Sugar-coat the wording any way Blumenthal wishes, the end result is once again "can you smell bailout?"
According to the Federal Reserve, helper banks have already borrowed more than $300 billion in emergency funds. Half of that has gone to holding companies of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank to pay their depositors. This is money the helper banks are required to repay the Federal Reserve.
Though it could take several months to be fully felt, the average American citizens' bailout of these two failed banks has already commenced.
According to the FDIC, the Federal Reserve, and the Department of the Treasury, "The insurance fund [that reimburses depositors for up to $250,000 per account with fees paid by other banks] will be replenished by a "special assessment".
The costs associated with that assessment will ultimately be borne by those helper banks' customers. It is not clear at the moment how much money could be involved.
Let's all say the word together, "bailout."
The FDIC, the Federal Reserve, and the Department of the Treasury issued this joint statement, "No losses associated with the resolution of Silicon Valley Bank will be borne by the taxpayers."
Conspicuously absent was any statement about those losses associated with Signature Bank's failure.
Just where do the FDIC, the Federal Reserve, and the Department of the Treasury think this money for these bailouts will eventually come from? Perhaps magically grow on trees? Santy Clause? No, do not fool yourself, it will come from where it always does, the pockets of the average American citizens.
Isn't good financial management of banking institutions about doing whatever is required to stop the kinds of pestilences that sank Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank before the average American citizens are forced to bail them out?
You didn't ask...but.
| Author Notes | You Dirty Rat!, by ChuckWaxman, selected to complement my opinion piece. |
By Brett Matthew West
(This is a true life case featured on the Law and Crime television network that contains graphic violence.)
You know what really burns my butt? A candle, about three feet high, especially one emblazoned by headlines on the front page of a newspaper or one on a site like yahoo.com.
Let me ask you this. How many years do you think 114 knife stabs, at least 49 of them defensive, are worth?
In the case of Aiden Fucci, a now 16-year old monster from Jacksonville, Florida, they should be worth at least forty years to life. That is precisely what this youthful terror, tried as an adult, is facing for the brutalized murder of his 13-year old classmate, and popular cheerleader, Tristyn Bailey. I, for one, have no sympathy for him or his kind.
Fucci was fourteen years of age when he committed this murder in a fit of rage, an act he often fantasized about. He attempted to justify his attack by stating Tristyn Bailey had grabbed his male organ. Known to draw pictures of mutilated bodies, Fucci claimed to hear voices in his head telling him to kill. He also used dark fantasies to cope with his turbulent home life. Little Mister Thinks He Is A Billy Badass has a lot to learn, and he will when he goes to play with the big boys in the steel garden.
Fucci and Bailey were observed about 1am, on May 9, 2021, during Mother's Day weekend, walking in their Durbin Crossing neighborhood. The area is a tranquil residential setting in Northwest St. John's County, and is the heart of the county. The Durbin Crossing neighborhood is surrounded by nature preserves, lake views, and picturesque panoramas. What are children that young doing roaming the streets in the wee hours of the morning? Lack of parental supervision, perhaps? Bailey was found later that day in nearby woods.
Fucci was well known to be fascinated by his two pet knives "Poker" and "Picker." He often showed them off to his best friend and his girlfriend.
In the back of the patrol car after his arrest, Fucci sent a Snapchat message asking, "Hey guys, anybody seen Tristyn Bailey lately?" His mother and step-father prepped him on how to answer detectives' questions when they interviewed him.
Fucci's unnamed girlfriend stated, "He thought it would be satisfying to slit someone's throat and watch the blood drain out."
She further stated, "Fucci warned her to expect him to kill someone that month," "It seemed like he rehearsed it in his head," and "If he does it, it will be planned."
His teachers noted Fucci to have what they referred to as "academic difficulties, particularly in math and reading," a "punk who always looked for a fight," and "lacked motivation."
Dr. Gregory Pritchard (Psycologist), stated he saw Fucci's chances of getting better as "at this point, I would say his prognosis for rehabilitation is poor."
Is it worth noting Dr. Pritchard's opinion in court was based on the fact he did not personally evaluate Fucci but based his decision on what he said was "access to a lot of information to draw conclusions"?
To emphasize how many times Fucci stabbed his victim, at the sentencing phase of his trial Bailey's oldest sister Alexis dropped 114 teal stones into a glass jar one at a time. The shade being Tristyn Bailey's favorite color.
The killer has reveled in the attention he received from fellow jailmates after committing the murder. In addition, Fucci has repeatedly extorted commissary items from other incarcerated juvenile transgressors, and threatened them, as he did jail staffers. On multiple occasions, Fucci has been cited for misconduct while he has been detained.
A wise adage states "the apple never falls far from the tree." This appears to hold forth in Fucci's case because his mother was arrested for tampering with evidence by trying to wash the hapless Bailey's blood out of his gore-infested jeans after he killed her. If she was going to do that, why stop there? Maybe she should have thought what to do with his Nike shoes and white t-shirt that had Bailey's blood on them?
Please do not try to justify Fucci's slaughter of Bailey with the same old worn out excuses some involved in this crime have. They do not wash with me. In my book, too youthful for the death penalty, though in this case it is more than warranted, Fucci deserves every single second of confinement time he is sentenced to and a ton more.
What in the world is going on with some of today's youth? I have answers for that question, but better leave them for another piece.
Oh, by the way, perhaps not so inconcievably, Fucci pled guilty to the murder before his trial began. That may be his only longshot chance of ever walking out of prison again.
Can I get an Amen?
You didn't ask...but.
| Author Notes | Light Reading Before Bedtime, by meg119, selected to complement my post. |
By Brett Matthew West
(Let's get the bad news out of the way. This may well be my final FanStory post??? Thus, should it be, I used the ONLY picture I would consider for such a post. My renewal is due, and while I certainly have the money to renew my subscription, I am not sure I want to shell out $99 for another year. My initial reaction to that fee is it seems to be a rather steep increase from previous years. Have asked Tom how long I have to make a final decision. He has granted me until April 8th. I ask that you do not offer to pay for this renewal, or graciously gift it. There are some things I have not finished on FanStory, such as my autobiography Unwanted Dog. Therefore, I am going to take some time to think about what I am going to do. I just wanted to let my readers know the situation in case I "mysteriously" disappeared one day.)
(Now on to a more cheerier note. This posting is a follow up to my You Didn't Ask...But #7-Knifed post. To read that one, which you probably will need to do for this one to make clear sense, click on the blue 7 at the top of the page. I penned this posting because a long time ago I heard it said in some cases inquiring minds do want to know.)
Deborah Spiwak, told Judge R. Lee Smith she knew her grandson "had to be punished for his actions," but pleaded, "please don't take him out of our lives forever-I know there's some good in Aiden."
Some good? I suppose it becomes a grandparent's obligation to stand by their grandchild even if he is a confessed, first degree, premediated, cold-blooded, killer. Conspicuously absent from his sentencing were any comments of support from Fucci's mother or his step-father. While there is no justification for Fucci's actions, how many volumes does that speak?
Judge Smith responded, "Heinous, atrocious and cruel."
That's how he described Fucci's murder orchestrated for only one reason. Fucci wanted to feel what it was like to kill someone. This became the predominant factor in his sentence.
Judge Smith ruled, "It {Fucci's crime} was committed in a cold, calculated and premeditated manner without any pretense for moral or legal justification."
114 stab wounds, 49 of them defensive, and 6 lethal, in Bailey's head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, and back led to Judge Smith stating, "She {Tristyn Bailey} suffered a painful, horrifying death from someone she trusted. There was a heightened level of premeditation in this case."
Though considered, Fucci's age, mental capacity, background, effect of his crime on the victim's family, and possibility of rehabilitation did not sway the judge's decision. He also reviewed Fucci's fairly normal home environment, his acknowledged learning and discipline school issues, and the Defense Attorney's claim Fucci heard voices in his head telling him to kill. Likewise, they did not sway the judge's decision.
Judge Smith sentenced Fucci to the maximum of life in prison. Under Florida statute, Fucci will {though this writer does not feel this benefit is warranted} receive an automatic review of his sentence after he serves 25 years in prison. However, 40 years is the minimum amount of time he will serve.
The judge said, "I would submit this case was the most difficult and shocking that this county has dealt with."
Upon being sentenced to life in prison, Fucci's response was to display little reaction.
The victim's father, Forrest Bailey, spoke about the dangers of children involved in social media and technology. He said the Fucci's felt "insincerity" in their apologies and should start to accept more responsibility. However, he also stated they should not be mistreated because of what Fucci did on his own. Not sure that would be my sentiment in this situation.
Why has it become young people have lost all respect for life and living? Aiden Fucci certainly did. Now, he gets to spend the rest of his life {perhaps short as it may be} in the one place he belongs...the confines of a maximum security prison.
A timeline of Tristyn Bailey's murder:
On Saturday, May 8, 2021, at 1145pm, the Bailey family returned home after an evening out. Around midnight, Tristyn Bailey's sister saw her for the last time. Tristyn was supposed to be in bed sleeping, which means she snuck out of the house to meet Fucci. A home video camera placed the two of them walking together on Saddlestone Drive at 1230am, on Sunday, May 9, 2021.
At 3:30am, on Sunday, May 9, video from that same residence showed Fucci walking alone in the opposite direction he and Tristyn Bailey traveled earlier.
At 6:06pm, on Sunday, May 9, a local resident found Bailey's dead body in woods east of a cul-de-sac on Saddlestone Drive.
At 12:44am, (44 minutes after midnight), on Monday, May 10, police found a knife sheath, wet white Nike shoes with blood on them, a t-shirt with blood on it, a pair of jeans with blood on them in a laundry basket, and a piece of paper with handwriting, and blood, on it in the Fucci residence. Found at the crime scene, a knife that belonged to Fucci was linked to a fragment in Tristyn Bailey's murder.
At 11:30am, on Monday, May 10, Fucci was arrested and charged with second degree murder. Two weeks later, the charge was upgraded to first degree murder.
As Paul Harvey famously proclaimed, "Now, you know the rest of the story."
You didn't ask...but!
| Author Notes | This is Evan, by Lilibug6, selected to complement my posting. |
By Brett Matthew West
(I could not allow this incident to occur and not provide my less than two cents worth of comments regarding the matter.)
Would a cup of morning java at the Roze Pony catch your interest? Perhaps you would prefer to feast on tacos from the world famous Bluebird Cafe? Several Hit recordings have been penned over the years at that locale, but heed this word of caution should you encounter a Country music writer hard at work crafting a new song there, uninterrupted silence is the golden rule. I have found myself in the middle of both of these scenarios many times over the years.
Maybe even a fine experience at the Pineapple Room of the Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, with its noted 650-piece silver collection from the 18th to the 20th Centuries, the third-largest Worcester porcelain gathering in the country, and vast array of works from several well known artists would be more up your alley?
These are a small sampling of the entertainment options nearby the Covenant Presbytarian School in the Burton Hills neighborhood of Music City, the unfortunate scene of the latest school shooting in the United States.
Cycles of condolences. Calls to action. Open-ended questions. These equal more rhetoric. After the school shooting on Monday, March 27, 2023 in my hometown, as well as the confirmed 74 dead or injured by such auspicious happenings in American schools this year, I ask you when is enough going to be more than enough? In my book, there's been way too many already.
The perp in this tragedy was a 28-year-old named Audrey Hale, a female with known mental issues, who identified herself using male pronouns such as "he" and "him".
"Its" motive for the bloodshed has not been determined with clear certainty. What has become established is Hale was once a student at the school and left behind her predetermined:
-manifesto
-a map of the school
-details about how she would gain entry
-how she would carry out the massacre
No evidence has been found Hale targeted specific victims for her melee. The six who died apparently found themselves in the wrong place at the most inopportune time.
Nashville Police Spokesperson Don Aaron stated, "This school---this church building---was a target of the shooter. But we have no information at present to indicate that the shooter was targeting any one of the six individuals who were murdered."
What a pity Hale did not simply slaughter herself and leave the victims alone to go back home where they belonged when the school day ended. Explain that event to the young siblings of the three nine- year-old students who perished in Hale's onslaught. I will wait until you are finished with that herculean task. Oh, by the way. One of them is now an only child. Talk about altered family dynamics.
The Nashville Police Department, and the FBI, are working together to attempt to determine if this shooting was a hate crime. Since there are no living suspects, or accomplices to charge with this school shooting, the crime would primarily be designated a hate crime by authorities for data-reporting purposes only.
Statistically, about 14% of hate crimes are linked to religion nationwide. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 130 tracked mass shootings in the United States in 2023. Did you hear that staggering number? 130 tracked mass shootings in the United States in 2023.
What can be documented is Hale legally purchased seven guns, from five local gun shops, before her hail of bullets rang out at the school. Three of these firearms, including two assault-style weapons, were utilized in her attack.
Although Hale was under a doctor's care for an "emotional disorder," law enforcement was unaware of, her parents now make the claim they thought she had, previous to the attack of course, sold the only gun she kept at home. I have my opinions about that blatant "misconception".
Here in Tennessee, police can confiscate someone's weapons only if:
-a court decides that person is mentally incompetent
-they have been ruled judicially committed to a mental institute
-they have been placed under a conservatorship
Tennessee laws only prohibit the sale of guns to individuals found by a court to pose a danger to themselves or someone else. Being under a doctor's care alone did not prohibit the sale of weapons to Hale. Police could have attempted to retrieve her weapons had they received a report that Hale was suicidal or threatened to kill another person.
Suppose it should be noted while Nashville mourned this attack a federal judge lowered the age in which Tennessee residents can carry handguns in public from 21 to 18. Go figure! Are some lessons never learned?
Just one question on this topic. Why didn't that judge ask Hale's victims what they thought about his decision? He will never be able to query:
-Katherine Koonce, age 60, School Administrator
-Cynthia Peak, age 61, Substitute Teacher
-Mike Hill, age 61, School Custodian
-William Kinney, age 9, Student
-Evelyn Dieckhaus, age 9, Student
-Hallie Scruggs, age 9, Student
They're all dead.
You didn't ask...but.
| Author Notes | Night Of The Monsters, by helvi2, selected to complement my Commentary. |
By Brett Matthew West
While the Christian festival, and cultural holiday, known as Easter 2023 is over, the actual Eastertide season extends fifty days to Pentecost. The Israelites would refrain from eating eggs during the forty day Passover Fast. This has been extended to include the recently new, three week long, Daniel Fast that eliminates meat, dairy, alcohol, and other "rich" foods in favor of eating vegetables.
There have been several times in my life, especially when I was a pre-pubescent living on the cold streets of Nashville, when I had no idea where my next meal was coming from. People do like to eat, myself included. So, I thought why not take an up close gander at one of the most popular foods associated with Easter, the simple, or perhaps I should more correctly say, the not so simple Easter, or Paschal, egg?
Many customs around the world have long used Easter eggs symbolically. Therefore, the question you may have at the moment is how do some civilizations utilize eggs to symbolize the Christian religion's Easter celebration?
To many Christians, Easter eggs have a Trinitarian symbolism. For instance, the eggshell depicts the opening of Jesus' tomb. The egg white represents Jesus' burial shroud. And, the egg yolk stands for Jesus, the source of life. Were you aware of these representations?
In general, eggs have long been associated with fertility and rebirth. Through the Orthodox Christian churches, this practice can be traced back at least to Mesopotamia, then to Russia, Eastern Europe, and on to Siberia. The early Christians of Mesopotamia also stained Easter eggs green and yellow. Catholic and Protestant churches brought Easter eggs to Europe.
In Modern times, real eggs are often substituted with chocolate eggs wrapped in colored foil, hand-carved wooden eggs, or plastic eggs filled with confectionaries. Ah, the commercialization of another Christian tradition.
Some of the oldest decorated eggs were engraved ostrich eggs found in Africa, Crete, and the pre-dynastic period of Egypt. These were associated with death, rebirth, as well as Sumarian and Egyptian kingships.
Christian Easter eggs may have derived from the Persian Nowruz tradition. Still celebrated in Iran, the Middle East, and portions of Asia, Nowruz is the Persian New Year. This occurrence symbolizes revival and renewal. The Christian church officially adopted Easter eggs with the Roman Ritual, one of the official liturgical books of the Latin Church of Catholism.
Easter eggs have been known about at least as far back as the 13th Century A.D. Although eating eggs was prohibited during the season of Lent, Christians would color, and otherwise decorate them, in homage of Lent's ending.
Easter eggs are dyed red in Orthodox Christianity to represent Jesus' blood shed at His crucifixion. There are those in Greek Orthodoxy who believe the practice of Easter eggs represents a story of Mary Magdalene bringing cooked eggs to share during a vigil at Jesus' tomb. (See Luke 24:1-12). According to this tale her eggs turned red when the group learned Jesus had risen.
There are egg hunts in the United States. Egg rolling down hillsides in England, Germany, and other countries is a preferred pasttime, as is egg tapping. Played in England, this game involves contestents hitting their opponents' eggs with theirs. The winner is determined by who possesses the last unbroken egg. Perhaps egg dances, or Easter Egg Plays, would be more up your alley?
Anyway, can you see why the Easter egg is not necessarily so simple?
You didn't ask...but.
| Author Notes | Is an Egg Art?, by avmurray, selected to complement my posting. |
By Brett Matthew West
(I encountered this information while conducting research and it grabbed my curiosity. I listed this posting as Non-Fiction though have not found sufficient supporting evidence to be 100 percent convinced it is.)
Commonly referred to in some circles as the "Lance of St. Maurice," as well as the "Spear of Destiny," and the "Holy Spear," the Roman spear used to pierce Jesus' side as He hung on the cross, as depicted in John 19:34, apparently has many stories associated with it.
Though unauthenticated, there are supposed to be three relics of this spear that carries fame. Encyclopedia Britannica records one piece of the javelin, allegedly a spearpoint fragment, can be discovered in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. This item has been rumored to have been gifted to Pope Innocent VIII after the vanquish of Constantinople by the Turks in 1492. Hey, wasn't that the year Columbus sailed the ocean blue?
The other two pieces are reportedly in the Manoogian Museum in Vagharshapat, Armenia and the Imperial Treasury at the Hafburg Palace in Vienna, Austria.
Rumored to be named after the Roman soldier who speared Jesus, the "Lance of Longinus" has this story associated with it. Legend tells how the nearly blind Longinus had his eyesight restored by the blood and water that ran from Jesus' side after He was speared. They are claimed to have sprayed Longinus in the face. Thereafter, Longinus converted to Christianity, was martyred, and became the Catholic patron saint of the blind.
Perhaps the earliest recording of the name "Longinus" derived from the Rabbula Gospels, which were conserved in the Laurentine Library in Florence, Italy, and illustrated by Rabbula in 586AD. The name is written in Greek above the head of the centurion shown thrusting his spear into Jesus' side. Completed at the Monastery of St. John of Zagla in Ancient Syria, the Rabbula Gospels are one of the first Byzantine books produced in Asia. The Rabbula Gospels is also one of the earliest Christian manuscripts with large miniatures.
Another source listed Longinus' name as first being mentioned in the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus/Acts of Pilate. In the Gospel of John, Nicodemus is said to be an associate of Jesus. Derived from an original Hebrew writing by Nicodemus, the Gospel of Nicodemus/Acts of Pilate are thought to date to the 4th or 5th Centuries A.D.
The Gospel of Nicodemus/Acts of Pilate is broken down into two sections. One covers the trial of Jesus and an account of the Resurrection. The other contains the Harrowing of Hell in which Leucius and Charinus are raised from the dead after Jesus' crucifixion. They relate to the Sanhedrin Jesus' descent into Hell and the deliverances of the Old Testament patriarchs. The salvation of Saint Dismas, the pentitant thief, is also portrayed in the Gospel of Nicodemus/Acts of Pilate.
Longinus, or the centurion at the cross if that was his name, called Jesus the "Son of God." Longinus is considered by some sources as one of the first Christian and Roman converts. Mainly the Roman Catholic church, the Eastern Orthodox church, and the Armenian Apostolic church, along with some Christian churches, venerate Longinus as a saint.
Now, here arise some questions.
-No reliable authority has been found to verify Longinus' martyrdom.
-His blindness, or eye problem, is not mentioned prior to the 10th Century A.D.
Legend has it Longinus' body was lost twice. The second time it was recovered was in 1304AD at Montua in Lombardy, Italy, along with the Holy Sponge stained with Jesus' blood. It is further claimed Longinus helped clean Jesus' body when He was removed from the cross.
Greek sources profess Longinus was martyred in Gabada, Coppadocia in Central Anatolia, Turkey.
You didn't ask...but this time I did. While it is not my intention to debate religion, I am open-minded enough to listen to various views on most topics in that realm, then form my own conclusions. Therefore, should any member who may have any information about this spear, and be willing to pass it on, Catholics particularly, though I am not Catholic, would appreciate it. PMs welcomed. Thanks in advance.
| Author Notes | This Joker isn't a Joke, by Bill Bistak, selected to complement my posting. |
By Brett Matthew West
Infatuation is best defined as an intense passion, or admiration, for something. In this case, the 2nd Amendment's right to bear arms.
According to the Associated Press and USA Today, in conjunction with Northeastern University, 2,842 citizens of the United States have been murdered in mass shootings since 2006.
AP/USA Today statistics demonstrate these horrific events are currently happening on an average pace of every 6.53 days. In other words, that makes them take place about once a week. I wonder, have they not penetrated the American psyche yet?
A particular reason 2023 stands out compared to other years since data has been compiled on mass shootings is one-third of the way through the calendar year there have been 17 of these nightmares that have occurred.
In half of the years since statistics have been maintained on the subject of mass shootings (2006 to 2023) there have been 30 or fewer mass killings that took place each year. So far in 2023 mass shootings have occurred over a period of 111 days and taken 88 lives that can never be returned. This puts the United States on a record pace for mass killings. Don't get me wrong, because I believe each lost life snuffed out in mass shootings is indeed a tragedy.
Some of the 2023 mass shootings include:
-January 23, at Half Moon Bay, 7 farmworkers were killed in Northern California over a workplace grudge
-April 15, dancers at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio outside Los Angeles, California were massacred as they celebrated the Lunar New Year
-March 27, six children at the Covenant School, in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee. Being from Nashville, and not all that far from this locale, this event hit home for me, so much so I wrote about that day of gloom in You Didn't Ask...But #9-Covenant.
-April 1, at a Sweet 16 celebration in Dadeville, Alabama in which four partiers were killed, and 52 others injured
-April 18, in Bowdoin, Maine, committed by a felon just released from prison, who killed four people, including his own parents, then opened fire on motorists on Interstate 295 in Yarmouth
-April 10, in Louisville, Kentucky where 5 were killed, and 8 wounded, at the Old National Bank
Among the states where mass shootings have occurred over the years are Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Hawaii, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Indiana, New Jersey, Florida, South Carolina, Louisiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Tennessee. That is 29 out of 50. Toss in Washington, D.C., and it begins to sound similar to a broken record doesn't it?
Perhaps no one should be surprised by these mass killings, that appear to have become a way of life for the fabric of the United States, and may have made Americans immune to them. Or should people be very much concerned about them? If they are, isn't it significantly time something was done to eliminate their occurrences?
The AP, the USA Today, and the FBI, classify mass killings as four or more victims not including the perpetrator of the crime. There are other variables factored into these counts as well. Among them, the FBI considers mental illness, the use of an assault weapon or magazine, and whether or not the gun possessor was prohibited from possessing the weapon.
A wide variety of reasons are presented for mass killings including:
-domestic violence
-gang retaliation
-murder/suicide
-workplace violence
-school shooting
While the incidences of mass shootings continue, so do barriers to preventing them. Two of the biggest ones are:
-Congress's reinstating a ban on semi-automatic rifles remains far away
-new standards established by the United States Supreme Court for reviewing gun laws and calling into question national firearms restrictions
The yearly average of mass killings since statistics began being recorded in 2006 is 31.1 incidents and 162 deceased. 2019 saw 45 mass shootings, the most in one year. In 2017 there were 60 people slaughtered when a gunman opened fire on a Country music festival on the Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. This remains the mass shooting with the highest number of fatalities in Modern American history.
The reality appears to be if someone is bent on committing a mass shooting they will discover a method to carry the deed's butchery out. Is it not the role of American society to place obstacles and barriers in the path of these people to make their horrendous crimes much more difficult to fulfill?
Without making this political, which is a topic for another day, if this be true explain to me why, with a handful of exceptions, very few major policy changes on all sides of the house are on the near horizon at either the state or the federal level?
I'll wait for responses to this inquiry from the powers that be. But, don't hold your breath. The answers to that question may be too far off, and too slow coming, which would then propose perhaps those powers need to be replaced in order to create barriers against mass shootings?
Some states attempting to combat mass shootings are taking steps like:
-more gun control within the borders of those states
-mandated criminal background checks to purchase shotguns and rifles
-bans placed on various types of semi-automatic weapons
-background checks for the youngest purchasers of guns
-keeping guns from domestic violence offenders
-red flag laws to remove guns from people that demonstrate signals they could be violent
Red flag laws do not allow a person to be arrested if they have not committed a crime. Additionally, red flag laws do not prevent a person from purchasing a gun if they do not require a mental health hold or qualify for one.
I do not profess to have the answers to stopping mass shootings. I will submit shouldn't the United States be much more alarmed by these shootings? Have these bouts of insanity become nothing more than another ingrained practice in America's conscious?
One opponent to more gun control stated, "Just a handful of people each year, in a nation of approximately 335 million people, carry them out. Therefore, mass shootings are actually rare."
Isn't one person who carries out a mass shooting too many?
I say it is all in the numbers. They do not lie. Something should be immediately done to correct this issue. Personally, I am not opposed to gun ownership, and I know there are those who will not agree with that statement. Furthermore, I do not believe guns are inherently bad, or that they kill people. I have never seen, or heard of, a gun that picked itself up, pointed at someone, and shot them. It is people who kill people, and, that is what drastically needs to be changed.
You didn't ask...but.
| Author Notes | Concentration II, by avmurray, selected to complement my commentary. |
By Brett Matthew West
No doubt everyone has heard about the fake charities who call non-stop, the grandson is in some foreign country jail, and a myriad of other such quackeries.
What about that prize you won, but you must wire money by Western Union right away, or those gift cards you go to Walmart and purchase, only to read the numbers on the backs of them to some unidentified fraudster on the other end of your telephone?
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE IS A SCAM!!! And, there are plenty more where they came from. Do youself a major favor and do not become victimized by these deceivers. Don't fall for them.
Senior citizens are the primary targets of scammers for one main reason. Look at the situation from the crook's point of view for a moment and answer this question. Who is the better target, a broke young person struggling financially, in many cases because of student loans, or a senior with retirement assets? Scammers will attack the senior citizen at nearly every opportunity they get.
Here are some statistics provided by the Federal Trade Commission, senior citizens aged 60 and older filed a whopping 467,340 fraud reports two years ago. Although this same age group is less likely to report the loss of money to scammers than those of the younger generations, at this same time, they did report approximately a billion dollars in total losses to scam artists. That is $1,000,000,000! According to the FTC, seniors also had the highest median monetary loss of all age groups at an average of $1,500.
Some of the scams seniors lose the most money to include tech support, sweepstakes, lotteries, prizes, and family/friend impersonations. Some steps that can be taken to help seniors avoid becoming victims of scammers include:
-talking about them because everyone at some time or another is approached by scammers
-listening to trending news that places information about scammers out there online, over the radio, and on the television
-have someone explain scams to them. Statistics indicate this action alone enables senior citizens to avoid being scammed up to 80% less often than those who do not have scams explained to them.
-anti-fraud tools such as setting phones to send unknown numbers to voice mail
-credit freezes
-strict privacy controls on social media outlets
-sign up for financial account monitoring to receive alerts for transactions
On the legal side of the house a durable power of attorney, guardianship, and revocable trust can all be most effective to keep senior citizens' money away from scammers. Do whatever is required to avoid the pitfalls of being scammed.
A senior citizen who suddenly becomes hesitant to talk about their finances, or has trouble paying their everyday bills when they did not previously, or receives frequent incoming phone calls or text messages, may have been a victim of a scam.
Incredibly inventive, with methods that constantly evolve, scammers regularly use a false high sense of urgency, or tell their victims they must send funds immediately, to avoid having the police, the IRS, or some other authority come get them and put them in jail. Artificial intelligence used to mimic human voices is a recent stunt scammers have taken to using.
Should you, or someone you know, fall victim to a scammer, you can assist the law in tracking and prosecuting scammers by reporting the incident to them. If this occurs you should notify such organizations as:
-local police department
-the FTC's online reporting portal
-AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline
-
You are welcome.
You didn't ask...but.
| Author Notes |
Tardis?, by Chuck Waxman, selected to complement my commentary.
***NOTE: Due to my cancer taking another turn for the worse, with three new tumors (which give me a total now of 17 of these critters), and 2 surgeries upcoming, my participation in FanStory may slow down for a short period of time. |
By Brett Matthew West
Have you ever received ultra-annoying telephone contacts about airbag recalls? Are they truly hoaxes? While I personally will not entertain those not-so crispy critters myself with the benefit of a response, I will leave how individuals choose to reply to them up to that person.
There apparently is an ongoing dispute concerning airbags in which some thirty million American drivers may be at a potential danger. Allegedly, only a few of these vehicle operators are even aware of this risk.
In a much ballyhooed game of "No It Isn't" the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has demanded the ARC Automotive Company of Knoxville, Tennesse recall 67 million airbag inflators. These apparatuses are rumored by the automobile industry watchdog to be able to explode with enough force to blow metal containers apart and expel shrapnel doing so.
For their part of this who-has-the-responsibility-for-this-recall contest, ARC has refused to conduct the recall. Because of the company's uncooperativeness, a possible court of law battle with the NHTSA looms.
The NHTSA justified the recall since two cases of people being killed in collisions involving them have been documented, as have seven instances of drivers being injured. The explosions first happened in 2009 and potentially could continue to this day. The NHTSA's investigation about these airbags has spanned at least an eight year period.
Their documentation reflected ARC had made the airbag inflators from about the 2002 model year vehicles to at least January 2018. It was then ARC installed equipment on the company's lines of manufacturing to detect this potential safety problem.
The case in point cited by the NHTSA involved Marlene Beaudoin. She was a mother of ten children who lived in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She was struck by metal fragments when her 2015 SUV, a Chevrolet Traverse, was involved in a minor crash about two years ago in 2021. On a family outing to get ice cream, four of her sons were in the SUV with her. They were not harmed. Are two fatalities enough for the NHTSA to persist in their efforts to mandate this recall? If not, how many deaths will be required before the recall occurs?
ARC insisted the NHTSA's demand for this airbag recall is not based on any technical conclusion, but a hypothesis. ARC also stated the NHTSA has no legal authority to order a parts manufacturer to conduct recalls. Additionally, ARC contended recalls are the responsibilities of automobile makers.
Going so far as to send the NHTSA a letter that claimed no automakers have found any originating defects common to the 67 million inflators the company has manufactured over the years, ARC also said in that letter no contingent problem had been noted in the ruptures of their inflators.
The ARC letter further elaborated the ruptures involving their inflators were what the manufacturer referred to as unrepeatable irregularities properly addressed by automobile makers through specific recalls.
The NHTSA's response to the letter received from ARC was that both ARC and car builders are liable for this recall. The NHTSA also said it does possess the authority to seek recalls from parts makers.
Though they did not inform when, or even if, any actions would be taken to enforce ARC to conduct this debated airbag recall, the next steps for the NHTSA to consider include:
-issue a final ruling on whether they find the ARC airbag inflators defective
-hold a public hearing about the matter
-take ARC to court to seek an order for the recall
Where does all this interaction leave multiple brands of Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Stellantis, Toyota, BMW, Audi, Kia, Volkswagen, Hyundai, and Porsche car owners? Perhaps to ponder if their cars contain front passenger, driver, or maybe both sides, airbag inflators as some vehicles do.
Another issue included ARC inflators could be discovered in other manufacturers' airbags. This factor makes it all the more difficult for car owners to determine if the inflators found in their vehicle's airbags were built by ARC. A third bafflement is no automobile manufacturer, ARC, or the NHTSA have released a comprehensive list of car models subject to being affected by a potential ARC airbag inflator recall.
Because of the NHTSA and ARC detachment over the possible recall, automakers appeared to struggle to learn how many of their vehicles acquired ARC airbag inflators. Knowing some of their models affected by the ARC airbag inflators, car makers have begun asking the NHTSA whether or not they have to start conducting recalls.
The costs for ARC associated with this recall could be prohibitive. Is this just another situation where a federal regulator simply over-reached? So often they are known to commit that very infraction. Because of the dispute between the two entities the result of this conflict is likely not to be resolved any time soon. There you have the scoop.
You didn't ask...but.
| Author Notes | The New Car, by cleo85, selected to complement my commentary. |
By Brett Matthew West
Forget eating free-range yardbirds. That is SO yesterday. Lab-grown poultry will soon become all the rage. Look out restaurants and grocery stores, here comes the newest fad in Modern chicken. Proponents claim it tastes just like the fowl you grew up on. I say a resounding BS to the max!
About a week ago, the US Agriculture Department actually approved for everyone's dining pleasures the sale of designer chicken constructed from animal cells. Moreover, all you fine connoisseurs of delectable favors, they allowed two companies in California to provide this "unique" production. These manufacturers are Good Meat and Upside Foods.
What is being considered "cell-cultivated," or simply "cultivated," meat does not originate from slaughtered animals anymore than the grass grown outside does. Why is meat seemingly headed in the direction of being "cultivated"? The two excuses presented to date are to reduce the environmental impact of grazing animals, as well as to eliminate the need for land to grow feed for them on. True repercussions for American farmers to follow, no doubt.
Joshua Tetrick is the co-founder and CEO of Eat Just, the corporation that operates Good Meat. Federal inspectors granted approval for Eat Just to sell "cultivated" poultry in the United States. The FDA, in its shining glory, decided such "luxuries" are safe for human consumption. How would they come to that conclusion, or know what the long-term results of consuming such, for a lack of a better connotation, "delacacies" will be? There remains no data to base their verdict upon. Another meat manufacturer, with the fancy schmancy moniker of Joinn Biologics, was additionally authorized to produce these "cell-cultivated" meats.
All this excitement may lead you to wonder how "cultivated" meat is grown? Try in steel tanks, using cells from live donors, or a fertilized egg, or perhaps even stored cell banks. The meat comes out in large, oversized, sheets. These are formed into shapes that are supposed to be similar to cutlets, nuggets, shredded meats, sausages, and satays. This fancified word describes a Southwest Asian food dish that contains small pieces of meat grilled on a skewer and served with a spiced sauce full of peanuts. FYI, did you know Singapore was the world's first country to allow "cultivated" meat sales?
Fortunately, "cultivated" meat is not expected to be available in US grocery stores anytime soon in the foreseeable future. This is mainly because it is much more expensive than meat from reliable sources, such as animals raised for that purpose. And, "cultivated" meat can not be mass produced on the same required scale as traditional meat.
So, where do these "cultivated" meat makers plan to serve their creations? In exclusive restaurants to begin with. Though I myself will avoid these enterprises, those in San Fransisco are more than welcomed to devour them to their hearts' content at Bar Crenn. This establishment bills the eatery to be "inspired by a Japanese-style listening bar." Meanwhile, Good Meat's offerings will be available in a Washington, D.C. restaurant. Another one I shall make a concerted effort to refrain from gracing the locality with my presence.
Currently, there are about 150 companies around the globe we reside on that focus on meat from cells. To date, this includes fish, beef, lamb, chicken, and pork. Once cooked, "cultivated" chicken is claimed to be a slightly paler shade than meat from live animal versions. It is also rumored to cook, smell, and taste like pan-fried poultry. Is that discovered in someone's imagination? Just asking.
When a recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs research poll was conducted, of the consumers asked, more than 50 percent of respondents answered they were unlikely to proceed and eat "cultivated" meats. Their most frequently provided reaction was the same as mine when I first encountered this unorthodoxy. The "ICK Factor" abounded.
You didn't ask...but.
| Author Notes | Framed Hen, by avmurray, selected to complement my posting. |
By Brett Matthew West
Would you be prone to sign any waiver that said "May be subject to extreme pressure. And any failure of the vessel could cause severe injury or death?"
What if the waiver went on to state, "I will be exposed to risks associated with high pressure gases, pure oxygen, and high voltage systems which could lead to injury, disability and death?"
Finally, what if the waiver stated, "If I am injured, I may not receive immediate medical attention?"
Not saying these were the waivers those aboard the Titan submersible had to sign but they were ones Mike Reiss, one of the writers for "The Simpsons" television show signed in order to go on a Titanic expedition with OceanGate back in 2022.
The Titan was not a registered vessel with the United States or any international agency that regulates safety. For that matter, no maritime industry groups who set standards on such trivial pursuits, as oh let's say things like hull construction requirements, had the Titan registered with them either.
When the Titan submersible dove into the North Atlantic it plunged deep into the shadowy regulated waters of deep-sea exploration. Not only that, but in an area where laws are frequently side-stepped by high-risk entrepreneurs as well as wealthy tourists in search of big adventures.
Are these thrills worth the inherent dangers? Currently, most experts on the topic would tend to estimate submersibles operating in deep oceans can be likened to the earliest stages of aviation in the beginning portions of the 1900s. Back in those days, that field was in its infancy and several disasters transpired prior to decisions concerning aviation became laws.
The question remains will there come a time when people will not have to consider twice about getting inside a submersible and going down into water which may range up to 15,000 feet or more? Submersibles are nowhere near that level yet.
The five deaths inside the Titan submersible have drawn attraction to how these forms of expeditions should be regulated. Are you aware that today these excursions are regulated even less than those that launch private citizens into space? Think Elon Musk. What is the primary purpose for this lack of regulation? Because these excursions are performed in international waters and remain far outside the reach of the laws of nations.
Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, had been quoted to boldly reiterate, "I do not want to be bogged down by such standards."
He no longer needs to concern himself with that matter as Rush was one of the five who perished inside the Titan submersible. Was this perchance an instance of the captain sinking with his ship?
In a blog post on OceanGate's company webpage, Rush wrote, "Bringing an outside entity up to speed on every innovation before it is put into real-world testing is anathema."
This was Rush's fancified word for saying it was something he vehemently disliked the notion of doing. Perhaps Rush should have rethought his likes? You think?
The Titan was permitted to be transported over the road since it could be launched from another ship, namely the Polar Prince, a Canadian Icebreaker. For regulatory purposes, the highway patrol apparently had jurisdiction over the vehicle that towed the Titan, and its trailer. However, the law enforcement agency held no sway over the boat, which was considered cargo.
While lawsuits for wrongful death and negligence could be filed in this case, any legal actions will probably face various kinds of challenges because of the waivers the deceased passengers no doubt signed prior to their departure. Unquestionably, these waivers must have warned them of the many means in which they could die along the voyage. Their families may not be able to recoup damages in light of these waivers. Suppose time will decipher those issues.
What is more likely to occur is OceanGate may experience several negative repercussions under the passenger Vessel Safety Act of 1993. Rush had previously stated OceanGate Expeditions, the arm of the company that led dives to the Titanic, was based in the Bahamas. In addition, the question about whether the Titan was insured or not remains unresolved.
The Titan submersible's explosion may well lead the US to tighten regulations of these vessels, though not all experts are onboard that they should be, nor does the International Maritime organization have any authority to impose its will on the matter.
In 2021, a documentary cameraman for the Discovery channel's "Expedition Unknown," by the name of Brian Weed, rode a test-dive on the Titan submersible. Weed claimed Stockton Rush got, in Weed's word, "flustered" when the Titan's communications and propulsion systems malfunctioned during a trial dive in May of that year. Weed further claimed these failures occurred somewhere around the shallow 100-foot depth level. Additionally, Weed claimed he refused a full dive in the Titan mainly because of concerns about its carbon-fiber hull.
Weed was quoted as saying, "I felt like every time the vessel goes down, it's going to get weaker and weaker. And, that's a little bit like playing Russian roulette [with the lives of passengers]."
Its future uncertain, and "all scheduled dives to the Titanic have been rescinded," according to the New York Post, OceanGate's company website lists two eight-day excursions to the Titanic during 2024. Is it not peculiar they have not yet removed these voyages, even though what is being classified as "presumed human remains" from the imploded Titan have begun to surface from off the seafloor according to the US Coast Guard?
Suppose a question could be proposed are these "presumed human remains" OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush? British Billionaire Hamish Harding? French diving expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet? Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood? His 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood? Or perhaps some combination(s) thereof?
As of July 3, 2023, OceanGate's website contained this information in regards to the two aforementioned Titanic expeditions listed for June 12-20, 2024 and June 21-29, 2024.
"Follow in Jacques Cousteau's footsteps and become an underwater explorer - beginning with a dive to the wreck of the RMS Titanic. This is your chance to step outside of everyday life and discover something truly extraordinary."
Isn't there only one slight problem with that invitation? OceanGate no longer has the Titan submersible. It went KER-BOOM!
All-in-all, when everything is said and done, and the media attention of this event subsides, nothing of significant substance is likely to change.
You didn't ask...but.
| Author Notes | Caught in the Storm, by MoonWillow, selected to complement my Commentary. |
By Brett Matthew West
Let me talk to you.
Not much more frosts my butt than scammers. I detest everything about these lowlife scumbags. One of the most recent scams to surface is being labeled "Whole Pig Butchering". This deceit involves cryptocurrency, Microsoft and the world of us senior citizens. Sometimes these vermin scammers achieve swiping a geriatic's entire life's savings. Should you have the interest, I previously talked about scammers in Chapter 13 of this book that I called Scams. Check it out if you so desire.
I do not use cryptocurrency myself. If you do the information contained in this commentary may be something you might want to be alerted to. Are you aware one Bitcoin equates to approximately 31008.10 US dollars (as of July 4, 2023)? Yes, you read that correctly and this figure comes from the Forbes currency conversion rates. As you can deduce, cryptocurrency is a Big Money investment. New tricks and technologies are the tools most often employed by scammers in various charades to drain victims of their bank accounts. In some instances, entire life's savings.
Here is how these travesties often go. They start with the scammer succeeding in locking their victim's computer up. Considering you can be anybody in the world you desire to become if you know the right three keystrokes it takes to do so (a scary proposition, isn't it?), locking another person's computer is much easier to do than many users may be aware of.
Soon after this occurs, the victim receives a warm-hearted and friendly message from the scammer (do not believe a word of it]. That message informs the intended martyr they need to contact Microsoft in an urgent, expeditious manner. Pure poppycock! Microsoft states on their website they never include telephone numbers to call with any of their error or alert messages sent to customers.
In addition, Microsoft never asks for customers to pay them in cryptocurrency and advises them to be wary of downloading anything from third-party websites. Those third-party websites are where scammers usually lurk..hiding...waiting. if you find yourself in this position, and have not already rebooted your computer, you are begging for whatever befalls you going forward in this scam.
In case you are not aware, cryptocurrency is digital money. There are several forms of it speculators dabble in. The purchasing, selling and exchanging of Bitcoin has become a popular pastime for many people.
Let's return back to cryptocurrency scam pawns. The scammer, posing as a Microsoft representative, advises their pigeon a diagnostic test indicates their bank account has been hacked. The scammer inquires the name of who the victim banks with, and informs them they should be transferred to the fraud department. Scammers may add layers such as telling the poor sap being deceived they need to obtain a new Social Security number. They may demand to know the dupe's monetary account numbers and how many funds are sustained in each one of them.
A ruse scammers may use is to tell their patsy the Social Security Administration will transfer their funds into a cryptocurrency account. Money laundering is frequently the scammer's motive for this requirement. Also, transferring US dollars into cryptocurrency is much faster than the scammer demanding gift cards or money from their unsuspecting sap.
Most cryptocurrency exchanges are located in China. However, a cryptocurrency computer scam has been linked to Poland, and another to Belarus. Some of these exchanges open branches in places like the Cayman Islands.
The transactions of legitimate crypto trading firms are public and observable online. Here is how they function. The company provides traders a "key," or a personal account number. Scammers operate by not only these means, but at the same time their scapegoat is conducting the transaction the scammer creates another account that is unknown to their bait. Once funds are verified, the dollars are converted into cryptocurrency and fly the coop into the scammer's possession.
Here is another known method of conducting a cryptocurrency scam. The theft often begins when the scammer transmits their intended victim an email somewhere along the lines of informing them "it was great catching up with you yesterday, (or the other day, or whatever way the scammer words the notation)." Once the receiver responds to that message, if only to tell the scammer they emailed the wrong person, the scammer plunges into attempting to build a trusting relationship with the soon-to-be scammed.
Eventually, the scammer mentions good investments, or may refer their puppet to a valid website to check the opportunities out for themself. In this case, what the scammer has actually accomplished is to send the stooge to a site or app where all funds are drained blood-dry by the scammer. This triggers the "whole pig butchery" as the scammer's intent is going for the entire hog, enchilada, or whatever fancified term one may choose to state, to describe snatching the entire wealth their unhappy quest has. To sweeten the enticement, the scammer may even allow their prey to withdraw a small sum before closing in for the slaughter.
Didn't someone once say if something sounds too good to be true it probably isn't, or words to that effect?
Cryptocurrency provides new wrinkles for many unsuspecting people, with senior citizens among the chief vulnerable. Do yourself a major favor, learn what you need to know to avoid these predicaments.
Just wondering, did I casually mention how much I detest scammers? I think I came right out and said so. Hate scammers!
You didn't ask...but.
| Author Notes | Mara's portrait, by supergold, selected to complement my commentary. |
By Brett Matthew West
Okay. Fess up. Where were you in August of 1969? I remember my whereabouts well. I was a whopping ten years old, and probably getting my tail feathers lashed severely by King Tubbo's not-so-vaunted leather castigator Big Bertha. I depicted some of those horrors in my autobiography Unwanted Dog.
What other earth-shattering events occurred in 1969? The Concorde test flight in France was one feature of that time. About 400,000 music fans flocking to Woodstock was another. Some people will even tell you Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. I will not offer my opinion of that storied occurrence because I have my doubts. They are some of the same ones astronaut Buzz Aldrin, of the Apollo 11 mission, raised. So, I will let that rest where it is at. Oh yea, and, the Charles Manson morons murdered nine innocent victims on August 9 and 10, 1969. They were suspected in about twelve others as well.
Today is July 10, 2023. Let's go back to the 7th of July, this past Friday, for a moment. That was when Gavin Newsom, the somewhat controversial Governor of California, stated he would not ask that state's Supreme Court to block the parole of Leslie Van Houten. Although she had been recommended for parole five times since 2016, he and Jerry Browne, the Governor before him, had rejected all those recommendations.
Governor Newsome did claim to be disappointed in the approved parole and released a statement that read in part, "More than 50 years after the Manson cult committed these brutal killings, the victims' families still feel the impact."
Then, why in the hell is he not contending Van Houten's parole?
Governor Newsome's piss poor decision has paved the way for this cold-blooded killer, and disciple of Charles Manson, to be freed from prison after serving 53 years where she belongs for the savage slaughter of the Los Angeles grocer Leno LaBianca, and his wife Rosemary, for no apparent reason.
These two infamous butcherings rocked the United States and left open wounds remaining on LaBianca family members, who have not had them in their lives all these years. Guess Van Houten's parole has become another prime example of bleeding hearts gaining her freedom at the expense of her victims' relatives still suffering from her atrocious actions.
According to her attorney Nancy Tetreault, Van Houten could be freed from prison in as little as two weeks. All that appears in her way is for the parole board to review her record and process the paperwork for her release from the California Institution for Women in Corona.
A California state appeals court ruled in May of 2023 to release Van Houten based on what they called, "her extraordinary rehabilitative efforts, insight, remorse, realistic parole plans, support from family and friends, and favorable behavior reports while in prison."
In regards to the parole board's ruling, in her attorny Tetreault's words, "She's [Van Houten] thrilled and she's overwhelmed. She's just grateful that people are recognizing that she's not the same person that she was when she committed the murders.
Don't all convicted criminals attempt to pass these lies to whoever's ears they think will believe them? That, and the claim they are innocent of the crimes they were convicted of. Give me a frigging break!
Here is exactly how Leslie Van Houten remains to this day. Not once did she take her trial seriously. She admitted to being on LSD during the legal proceedings. She laughed out loud during testimony about the murders. She confessed to committing the killings. And, when asked if she felt any remorse at all about the murders her response was a curt:
"Sorry is only a five-letter word."
She said nothing more and nothing less. Still the parole board approved her for release?
Obviously pleased by what she had partaken in, Van Houten aggressively implicated herself during her trial. She went so far as to be gleeful about snapping Rosemary LaBianca's spine. For her actions, Van Houten was originally sentenced to death. An imposition that should have been fulfilled. Twenty years old at the time of her sentencing, Van Houten became the youngest woman ever condemned to death in California. Because there was no Death Row for women in the state at that time, a special unit was constructed to accommodate her for that purpose. And, this wildebeest is being uncaged?
Somehow, do believe there is something dramatically incorrect about the parole board's decision. Moreover, Van Houten held a pillowcase over Rosemary LaBianca's head as others involved in the attack stabbed the defenseless victim. Not satisfied with that, Van Houten stabbed Rosemary LaBianca more than a dozen times herself. Can somebody say overkill? When they finished the executions, Van Houten and her co-killers wrote such things as "PIGS!" and "HELTER-SKELTER!" on the walls inside the LaBianca house.
In a telephone interview, Leno LaBianca's daughter Cory said, "My family and I are heartbroken because we're once again reminded of all the years that we have not had my father and my stepmother with us. My children and my grandchildren never got an opportunity to get to know either of them, which has been a huge void for my family."
Typical story isn't it? The victims of these types of murders continue to constantly suffer. Does the parole board seem to give one iota of rat's caca how crimes affect these victims? I will let you draw your own conclusion on that issue.
According to Tetreault, after Van Houten is released she is expected to spend almost a year in a halfway house where she will have to learn basic life skills like get a debit card and go to a grocery store. Perhaps she will not find her next victim in the first one she enters. Time will answer that question.
Tetreault further claimed, "She's been in prison for 53 years. She just needs to learn how to use an ATM machine, let alone a cellphone, let alone a computer."
Oh, boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Cry me a freaking river!
The only thing Leslie Van Houten needs to fill every single second of the rest of her worthless life with is being thankful she got released from where she belongs forever through the ignorance of the parole board. And, the fact she was not barbecued for her crimes.
You didn't ask...but!
| Author Notes | the guillotine, by supergold, selected to complement my commentary. |
By Brett Matthew West
Here are three hypothetical questions for you to ponder:
-would you rather be murdered by a stranger or someone who is supposed to be a loved one?
-slaughtered in a big city or a small town?
-inside your own home or in broad daylight?
All of these situations have transpired. Yes, I have posted about a current blight plaguing the United States before. No doubt, I will write about this topic again for at least one of the websites I pen postings for.
Are you aware the first 180 days of 2023 make the first half of this calendar year the deadliest in the regard I am writing about since statistics have been maintained on the subject beginning in 2006?
Twenty-eight mass killings have occurred in the US during the first 180 days of 2023. All but one have been by gunfire. The other? A case of arson in which four people died in a home in Monroe, Louisiana on March 31, 2023. These mass slaughterings remain a constant cycle of unparalleled violence in the country's history. Their combined victim count? 140 deceased, to date.
How often have you heard these words spoken before, "Something must be done to get guns out of the hands of people who might become violent and dangerous?"
I am solidly of the notion guns, which are inanimate objects unable to do anything by themselves, do not kill people. Nor are they inherently bad. (Boy, the differing opinions those comments are sure to generate.) It is the hand that gun is in that murders. I am not aware of any documented instances where a gun picked itself up, aimed itself at somebody, and fired its trigger to kill that person. However, I totally agree that some course(s) of action need to be adhered to in order to cease these senseless slaughters.
Perhaps it was having the innocent blood of three children, and three adults, shed at the private Covenant Presbytarian School in Burton Hills, a neighborhood not too far from where I reside in Nashville, an occasion I detailed in You Didn't Ask...But-#9-Covenant, that has hit the closest to home for me? It is rather difficult to wrap one's mental faculties around these mass murder events.
Mass murders are defined as the killing of four or more victims, not including the slayer(s), within a 24-hour period of time. The Associated Press, which granted often much of what they say must be taken with a certain grain of salt, and the USA Today, partnered with Northeastern University, tracks the database for mass killings.
A combined 65 occurrences of these grievous deeds have happened between the second half of 2022 and the first half of 2023. Still, mass killings are considered rare in the United States and represent only a fractional portion of America's overall gun violence epidemic. Mass murders just grab the loudest headlines.
The National Rifle Association continues to maintain fierce opposition to firearms regulating, particularly against AR-15-style rifles, and similar weapons, which tend to be used frequently in mass shootings.
NRA Spokesman Billy McLaughlin said in a recent statement, "Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' constant efforts to gut the Second Amendment will not usher in safety for Americans. Instead, it will only embolden criminals. That is why the NRA continues our fight for self-defense laws. Rest assured, we will never bow, we will never retreat, and we will never apologize for championing the self-defense rights of law-abiding Americans." I suppose somebody has to.
While law-abiding Americans do have the right to self-defense, the only way mass shootings will be curtailed is to keep guns out of the hands of would-be killers. Banning guns is not a viable option, nor is it one that will ever take place. Most people are at least somewhat familiar with both sides of this issue, but what should prevail?
I do not profess to possess the solution to that more than $64 million dollar question.
You didn't ask...but.
| Author Notes | Concentration II, by avmurray, selected to complement my Commentary. |
By Brett Matthew West
Are you aware the Feds have ramped up a new campaign known as Operation Stop Scam Calls? Their intent under this crackdown is to make it more difficult for scammers, robocallers, fraudsters, and their ilk to even be able to contact everyday American people. I, for one, can agree with those efforts.
Accussed of pilfering millions of dollars through illegal robocalls and telemarketing schemes that distributed, or assisted the distribution of illegal telemarketing calls, five companies have already felt the sting of these procedures according to the Federal Trade Commission. These so called organizations have been fined, to the tune of 18 million dollars, and have been banned from making future calls to consumers.
At a news conference held in Chicago, Illinois on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, Samuel Levine, the FTC's Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, said, "We are taking action against those who trick people into phony consent to receive these calls and those who make it easy and cheap to place these calls. The FTC and its law enforcement partners will not rest in the fight against illegal telemarketing."
How out of hand are scam robocalls? Try 33 million a day according to the National Consumer Law Center and the Electronic Privacy Information Center. These robocalls frequently attack the most vulnerable, with Social Security fraud against seniors one of their preferred rip-offs. Drawing Social Security myself, I sure would not desire to have some moron try to swindle it out of me. Statistics indicated in 2021 alone, some 30 billion dollars were swiped through scam calls.
A stated goal of the FTC's Operation Stop Scam Calls campaign is to crack down on what they referenced as "lead-generation consent farms." These crooks often try to trick consumers by offering free prizes, potential job leads, rewards, and other perks in exchange for the victim's personal information. That granted consent is then sold to telemarketers, which results in unwanted robocalls.
Let's examine some stats about the Do Not Call Registry, which unfortunately is not always as airtight against robocalls and telemarketers as perchance it should be. This Registry was designed to allow users to place their telephone numbers on it to stop unwanted sales calls from legitimate companies. Currently, more than 240 million active American telephone numbers are contained on that Registry.
In excess of 2 million complaints have been lodged in the past 8 years or so with the Consumer Help Center from the Federal Communications Commission, who handles a vast array of telecommunications service and billing concerns. The singlemost source of these unwanted calls? You guessed correctly if you said approximately 55% of reports filed with the FCC relate to unwanted telemarketing and robocalls.
Some of the underhanded stunts these illegal telephone scammers resort to include using multiple company names to make unlawful telemarketing calls. Making them to Arizona residents landed the New Jersey-based Vision Solar to stiff penalties under the FTC's Operation Stop Scam Calls campaign.
How did the New York City-based company Fluent wind up there? They tricked consumers into possible employment possibilities, or free items that included $1000 Walmart gift cards. Fluent also sold more than 620 million telemarketing leads to other companies. This violated multiple Federal laws. Fluent was fined $2.5 million dollars and banned from making any future robocalls.
Protect yourself and don't fall into these sorts of traps. If you are not 100 percent certain who you are talking to on the telephone, and that they are on the level, NEVER, EVER, EVER give anyone your personal information over no blooming telephone. In fact, never granting your personal information over the telephone regardless of who you are talking to, is probably the safest route to travel.
You didn't ask...but!
| Author Notes | Red Telephone Boxes, by avmurray, selected to complement my Commentary. |
By Brett Matthew West
I do not believe in UFOs, or little green space critters for that matter.
Take former military officers, Congress, the Pentagon, a House Oversight Committee's subcommittee, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, as well as the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office and what do you get?
When they convened on Wednesday, July 23, 2023 to discuss close encounters with UFOs, a topic, which of course, remains unverifiable, nothing but a gigantic bowl of conspiracy theory hogwash resulted.
Let's look a little closer at some sources related to this event:
-Ryan Graves, a former F-18 Navy pilot
-David Fravor, a retired Navy Commander
-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
-Tennessee Republican House of Representatives member Tim Burchett
-David Grusch, claimed he spent 14 years as an intelligence officer for the Air Force and worked for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
-Susan Gough, Pentagon Spokeswoman
-Garrett Graff, author of the book UFO: The inside Story of the US Government's Search For Alien Life Here -- and Out There. Did not attend the hearing
-Sean Kirkpatrick, Director of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office
RYAN GRAVES' CLAIMS (for what they are worth):
Former military officers claimed at this hearing to have encountered unexplained flying objects. One went so far as to state the United States government is secretly holding on to extraterrestrial wreckage. Perhaps to be expected, the Pentagon denied they destroyed any alien spacecraft.
Ryan Graves claimed, "The sightings were so frequent that they became part of daily briefs." He elaborated, "Military and civilian air crews are making "credible reports" of "unidentified objects" in US airspace with regularity."
Additionally, Graves urged the US government to stop hiding such reports through what he termed "excessive classification" and to disclose what it knows about these UFOs. Could it be Graves flew too many missions?
Regardless, the Senate is considering a bipartisan measure, proposed by Chuck Schumer, and others, to force the government to divulge reported UFO sightings and what the government learns about them. Should this law be passed it would become an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act and declassify government records pertaining to unidentified aerial objects.
Tim Burchett proclaimed, "We're going to uncover the cover-up."
TIC TAC (but no toe):
David Fravor detailed an encounter he said he experienced once with what he called a "white Tic Tac-shaped object." He alleged this incident occurred after he launched his fighter jet from the aircraft carrier the USS Nimitz. How come nobody else came forward to collaborate his tale?
In Fravor's own words, "There were no rotors, no rotor washes, or any visible flight control surfaces like wings." Indicating he felt this "Tic Tac" posed a security threat to the United States, he further stated "The technology that we faced is far superior to anything we had."
REVERSE ENGINEERING CLAIM:
David Grusch provided written testimony, part of which included his belief "The government is running a secret program to assess UFO wreckage. I was informed, in the course of my official duties, of a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse engineering program."
In 2022, the US Department of Defense created the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office to investigate and keep records of any UFO sightings. To date, this office has not, according to Susan Gough in an email, "discovered any verifiable information to substantiate Grusch's, [or anyone else's for that matter's], allegations of extraterrestrial materials existing in the past or at present."
NO EXTRATERRESTRIAL ORIGINS:
Informed of Graves, Fravor, and Grusch's comments, Garrett Graff responded, "There is an increasingly concerted effort by the military and federal government to identify these suspicious [UFOs] sightings and try to figure out what they are. It is unlikely items found on Earth are derived by intelligent beings on other planets."
Graff considered the obvious that any such unidentified objects would be man-made. He admitted, "There are UFOs and UAPs in that the US government has no idea what they are." Graff believes, as most sane experts on the subject do, that these UFOs originated from "China, Russia, or Iran," and are "advanced military technology being tested around the borders of the US," much like the two recently shot down Chinese balloons were. Remember those "UFOs"?
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REPORTS:
As of August 2022, these are compiled Defense Department reports:
-510 UFOs/UAPs (of which)
-163 balloons
-26 drones
-6 birds/litter/weather events
-171 require additional research to identify them and are currently considered "unattributed"
AARO STATEMENT:
Sean Kirkpatrick said, "The All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office actively pursues reports." He went on to comment, "I should state clearly for the record that in our research AARO has found no credible evidence thus far of extraterrestrial activity, off-world technology, or objects that defy the known laws of physics."
THE BIG UFO HOGWASH:
One of the main reasons I do not believe in UFOs, or little green men, can be summed up as Garrett Graff explained: "Across the last 75 years there's just not a lot of evidence to me that the government could have kept that secret that long, either on purpose or by accident."
Was there ever a secret the US government could keep for any length of time?
UFOs? Hogwash!
| Author Notes | They're Here, by Artistic Chick, selected to complement my Commentary. |
By Brett Matthew West
Let me talk to you.
In the context of an old-fashioned traditionalist, maybe I am just a fuddy duddy. However, I am also a cancer patient who is not sure how comfortable I would feel with my oncologist relying on Artificial Intelligence to determine the treatment plan for my ailment. In addition, recent poll numbers indicate a majority of patients agree with that assessment. The unfortunate truth remains most people who receive medical treatment already have encountered Artificial Intelligence in places such as their doctor's office, or perhaps in their pharmacy of choice.
MEET SOME OF THE PLAYERS INVOLVED IN THIS COMMENTARY:
-Lloyd B. Minor - Dean of the Stanford University School of Medicine
-Fei-Fei Li - Co-Director of Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence
-Sonoo Thadaney Israni - Ex Co-Chair of the Working Group of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for the National Academy of Medicine
-World Health Organization
Lloyd B. Minor stated, "[The true extent of Artificial Intelligence's use in medicine] is a bit dependent on how one defines AI. But, some uses have been around for years."
I, for one, would desire more of an accurate depiction of this topic than Lloyd Minor offered with his statement.
AUTOMATED HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS:
The vast majority of major healthcare providers currently use automated systems to perform such tasks as to verify the dosage amounts for dispensed medications and to flag possible drug interactions.
Minor praised these achievements when he stated, "There's no question that has reduced medication errors, because of the checking that goes on in the background through applications of AI and machine learning."
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGIES:
That may be well and good. However, those are not the only ways Artificial Intelligence affects healthcare. Mostly in the fields of cardiology and radiology, and approved by the Food and Drug Administration, there are several hundred medical devices with AI technologies that demonstrate the potential to detect abnormalities and early signs of disease through X-rays and other diagnostic scans.
One thing patients do not need to be concerned about at the present is the science fiction future of robot medical practitioners taking their vital signs and diagnosing them. Don't misunderstand, these features are touted with regularity as to one day actually occurring. Let's hope not, because that is where major issues can easily develop.
ETHICAL USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN HEALTHCARE:
Now that the general public is becoming familiar with how Artificial Intelligence technologies might work, a buzz is arising surrounding how healthcare can ethically, let alone safely, employ AI.
Fei-Fei Li commented, "It's very obvious health and medicine is one of the key areas that AI can make a huge contribution to."
Is that so? At least Li's group has joined with the Stanford School of Medicine to launch what they refer to as RAISE-Health. This new initiative, known as Responsible AI for Safe and Equitable Health, is alleged to be designed to guide the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence across biomedical research, education, and patient care.
SOME CONCERNS ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE'S INVASION INTO HEALTHCARE:
One of the biggest problems of Artificial Intelligence's invasion into healthcare was asked by Minor when he proposed, "[AI and algorithms] could replicate and amplify disparities ... unless they're recognized and responsibly addressed."
Hystorically-speaking, data groups the FDA typically utilizes to approve drugs have been mostly Whites of European ancestry.
Minor voiced his concern about this tidbit when he explained, "If you train AI on a narrow demographic group, you are going to get results that really only apply to that narrow group."
Minor's comment makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? One of the reasons this Commentary involves many sources at least somewhat associated with Stanford is because for multiple years that prestigious university has been battling the challenges of Artificial Intelligence's uses in healthcare. Stanford has also been at the forefront of those discussions for a long period of time.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN HEALTHCARE: THE HOPE, THE HYPE, THE PROMISE, THE PERIL:
This 2019 report was published by the Working Group of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for the National Academy of Medicine when Sonoo Thadaney Israni was the group's Co-Chair. Four main areas this report converged on were:
-critically access the opportunities for AI in healthcare
-evaluate AI in healthcare
-AI solutions in healthcare
-build frameworks for creating and testing AI in healthcare
Israni, and her colleagues wrote, "The wisest guidance for AI is to start with real problems in healthcare, like the lack of access to providers for the poor and uninsured, or the ballooning costs of care."
Sounds like a reasonable place for Artificial Intelligence in healthcare to begin.
Israni also posed several key questions about using Artificial Intelligence in healthcare. She wanted to know will using AI provide better health, lower costs, improve patients' experiences in healthcare, affect the well-being of doctors, and promote equity in healthcare?
CENTRAL REGULATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN HEALTHCARE:
At the present there is no central regulatory body overseeing AI. As the World Health Organization pointed out, the laws and policies around using Artificial Intelligence in healthcare are both limited and fragmented at best.
Perhaps Israni stated it properly when she proclaimed, "The real question becomes not what should be the regulation, but what should be the values underlying those regulations?"
CONCLUSION:
Artificial Intelligence in healthcare? In this case, though I lean opposed for the most part, the jury is still deliberating.
You didn't ask...but.
| Author Notes | Robby Robot, by eileen0204, selected to complement my Commentary. |
By Brett Matthew West
Are you one of those who this Christmas are hoping Santa Clause shoves a new electric vehicle down your chimney, and under your tree, as your special treat? You may want to reconsider your request before it is too late. A recent Consumer Reports evaluation of these, certainly non-main attraction, EV's found:
-models from 2021 through 2023 encountered 80% more problems than did internal combustion (gasoline powered) vehicles, particularly in the very things that are supposed to make EV's operate: batteries and charging systems
-flaws in how the body parts, and the interior parts, of EV's join together
-EV manufacturers are still learning how to construct completely new power systems
And, you say you still want an EV for Christmas?
Jake Fisher, the Senior Director of Auto Testing at Consumer Reports, stated, "This story is really one of growing pains. It's a story of just working out the bugs and the kinks of new technology."
He doesn't say? May it be highly recommended while EV manufacturers attempt to improve those above stated issues, perhaps they better concentrate on how to make these other problems better as well:
-consumer concerns about the overall reliability of EV's
-the high expenses associated with EV's
-too few charging stations for EV's
Since 2022, those, and other matters, have slowed the growth rate of EV sales way down to less than a newborn infant's crawl. In June of that year, the sales rate of EV's topped out at 90% year over year. However, one year later, in June of 2023 to be exact, EV sales rates had fallen off dramatically to about 50%. This is a rate automakers of EV's expect to continue to decline.
These same EV automakers are so worried about the less than stellar quality of their products, the non-popular EV's, 3900 automakers sent JoJo Biden a love letter in which they expressed there is no way they can meet the fuel economy, and the emissions requirements of EV's, to reach the mandated 67% of all US vehicle sales by near the end of the next decade, in 2032. Why is this? Simply stated, wise consumers do not want the pieces of crap known as EV's.
Neither government incentives, manufacturer incentives, nor deep price cuts have proven of much value in trying to pawn off EV's onto savvy consumers, most of who do not desire EV's. C'est la vie!
On the same note, Consumer Reports further stated plug-in hybrids, which travel on battery power prior to a gas-electric powertrain kicking in to propel them, are even more problematic than full EV's. Proven issues with hybrids involve:
-they contain two complex power systems in which the opportunities for multiple glitches can more readily occur
-hybrid brands are even less reliable than full EV's. Jeep and Volvo are two of the largest manufacturers of hybrid vehicles.
Overall, EV's from the 2021 and 2022 model years had more than twice the problem rates of gasoline-powered vehicles. In addition, 2023 model EV's had 21% more of these problems. Even more wonderful news for EV's is Consumer Reports expects the problem rates of 2023 model EV's to rise significantly as the vehicles age. Wunderbar! (Which is German for wonderful. Except, EV's aren't. That presents quite a conundrum, doesn't it?)
So, if you are of the ilk of one of the aforementioned ones above pining for a new vehicle for Christmas, go ahead and ask Santa Baby if you still desire. But, you better think at least twice about making it an EV. Those craprods remain on the Naughty List.
You didn't ask...but!
| Author Notes | The CrapRod, by MKFlood, selected to complement my posting. |
By Brett Matthew West
Previously, I have posted other pieces concerning something I despise passionately. SCAMMERS! We all know there are more than plenty of them out there just waiting to pounce on any target stupid enough, yes I said stupid enough, to fall for their gaudy antics.
Let me ask you a question. How familiar are you with Giving Tuesday? This day, the first Tuesday following Thanksgiving, begins for many the celebration of generosity that follows Turkey Day, and is further fueled by the strong desire to deduct charitable contributions by the end of the year. In this case, 2023. Alas, this sentiment can be an overdriven affair for those prone for such activities.
Many state and federal consumer watchdogs recommend a person wishing to make charitable donations, particularly at this time of year, use routine precautions with easily completed research to avoid being scammed.
Technological gaps may be an easy trap for older contributors to fall to the clutches of fake charities. Some warning signs one is dealing with a scammer, or scam charities for that matter, when contributing to a charity include the famous trio of:
-wiring money (typically by Western Union)
-donating cash
-donating by gift cards (the numbers on the backs of said gift cards)
If a charity, or anyone else, demands you contribute in any of these three mannerisms -- RUN! (Away from them as fast as you can, of course.)
Scam charities may begin their pitches by saying something along the lines of, "Thanks for your past support."
This may leave you wondering, "What past support?"
If you cannot recall any such donations, you can almost assuredly bet your Christmas presents you're about to be scammed. Stay away from those chunks of coal.
Another ploy scam charities often attempt to use to steal money is to guarantee you will win a prize in exchange for your donation. You sure will...you win the top prize for putting cashola into a scammer's pockets. Congratulations! Not!
Keep in mind no legitimate charity makes this promise of you winning a prize in exchange for your contribution. Why? Well, simply stated they are illegal.
And, don't fall for, "It's urgent you send your money pronto!"
While these are standard scammer words, a legitimate charity will wait for donors to check their legality out. If you do not do so, and you get scammed, WAAH! WAAH! WAAH! That is on you, amigo.
Remember, scammers of any ilk can change telephone numbers to appear on Caller ID, yours included, to make the number seem to be a local one.
Regardless of these precautions, you are still going to make those charitable contributions. Well, hell's bells, impressive sounding charity names, and ones sounding similar to popular established charities, do not make them legit.
Use your web browser to perform a reverse image search of any photographs used on crowdfunding pages claimed to belong to a charity. If those pictures do not match the places, events, and people the crowdfunding campaign claims they represent. Hello! You are being scammed.
Yes, it is Christmastime. When it comes to charitable contributions, whoop-de-and do! Don't be swayed by sensational or sentimental appeals for your money. Do ask the charity precisely what your contribution will be used for.
Did you know nasconet.org, the website for the National Association of State Charity Officials, will allow you to find charity regulators for all 50 states? You may want to use this website prior to parting with your dollars.
Here you go. Check these out:
-if a charity provides "thank you" gifts for your donation those add to their fund-raising costs. Might be better to donate directly to the charity and forego their offered gift.
-if you are being solicited by telephone, that is almost certainly a paid telemarketer. Another expensive form of fund-raising for charities.
-if a charity uses a 900 telephone number to contact you for a donation, guess what? That expensive telephone transmission is automatically billed to -- tada --- YOU!
If tax deductions for charity are your bag, not all charities are eligible to receive deductible donations even though a scam charity may claim they are. Wanna check the charity out to see if they qualify to receive deductible donations? Go to the IRS website. Their Tax Exempt Organization search tool will confirm your desired information.
Keep a written copy of your donation, or a receipt showing the amount contributed, and review your bank or credit card statement, to verify the charity only took the agreed upon amount and also did not create a recurring donation.
Have I even begun to tell you how much I absolutely despise ALL SCAMMERS?
A word to the wise if I may. Scammers, and scam charities, abound out there in mortified droves. We all know they do. Blatant buttholes! Do not allow them to ruin your Christmas.
You are welcome.
| Author Notes | Santa's Vacation, by cleo85, selected to complement my posting. |
By Brett Matthew West
I have said it before and I will say it again.
I DESPISE ALL FORMS OF SCAMS!!!
In an unanimous vote on Thursday, February 8, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission outlawed telephone calls made by using artificial intelligence-generated voices.
Prompted by an AI-generated telephone message in January of 2024 that used Joe Biden's voice to encourage New Hampshire voters to skip that state's Primary, this measure prohibits some robocalls under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act...to an extent. One that does not travel anywhere near far enough. Of course, the New Hampshire Attorney General's office is probing this call as an attempt at voter suppression. Rightfully so.
In reference to this particular AI-generated robocall, Jessica Rosenworcel, the Chairwoman of the FCC, stated, "Bad actors are using AI-generated voices in unsolicited robocalls to extort vulnerable family members, imitate celebrities, and misinform voters. We're putting the fraudsters behind these robocalls on notice. State Attorney Generals will now have new tools to crack down on these scams and ensure the public is protected from fraud and misinformation."
Technology must shoulder much of the blame for these unwanted AI-generated robocalls that have continued to increase with each recent passing year. In addition, many of the perpetrators of these calls have previously been accused of various crimes.
In regards to the aforementioned AI-generated robocall to thousands of New Hampshire voters, that state's Attorney General John Formella stated investigators traced the call to the Texas-based Life Corp, and its owner Walter Monk. Both of these entities, as well as the Texas-based Lingo Telecom, have received cease-and-desist orders and subpoenas.
Robert Weissman, the President of the consumer advocacy group known as Public Citizen, stated, "Thank you, FCC, for today's desperately needed rule outlawing AI voice-generated robocalls. This rule will meaningfully protect consumers from rapidly spreading AI scams and deceptions. Every agency should follow suit and apply the tools and laws at their disposal to regulate AI."
I could not agree more.
However, in a follow-up email on the same subject, Weissman elaborated, "The terms of the underlying statute have limitations. Election-related groups and nonprofits can still make AI-generated robocalls to landline telephones,"
While the action by the FCC makes using AI to generate the voice in robocalls illegal in some situations, here is where the FCC's ruling fails miserably:
-Commercial or not, AI-generated robocalls are still allowed to be made to landline telephones by auto-dialers or prerecorded artificial voices as long as the call is not about an emergency situation.
-The FCC ruling does not apply to AI-generated robocalls made to wireless telephones.
Under the FCC's newest ruling, AI-generated robocalls can no longer be made to emergency lines, hospitals, or healthcare facilities. Further, the ruling limits non-commercial calls, and those from nonprofit organizations, to residential lines to no more than three calls within a 30-day consecutive period. Callers must also honor consumer opt-out requests for future calls. Now, let's just see how well these rulings are actually enforced.
Not intending to turn this Commentary political, but tend to lean towards what Representative Yvette Clark (D-NY) said about the necessities for Congressional interventions pertaining to AI-generated robocalls.
She stated, "We all know how destructive robocalls can be, and this decision {by the FCC} as amazing as it is, won't stop bad actors from trying to scam everyday Americans or eliminate their attempts to undermine our elections. So, the next step is for Congress to act - and fast. I believe Democrats and Republicans can agree that AI-generated content used to deceive people is a bad thing, and we need to work together to help folks have the tools necessary to help discern what's real and what isn't."
Did I casually mention how much I DESPISE ALL SCAMS?
| Author Notes | Robby Robot, by eileen0204, selected to complement my posting. |
By Brett Matthew West
(This article is follow-up to my Here We Go Again commentary posted on February 12, 2024. You may wish to read that piece to better comprehend what this posting is in reference to. In order to read the first Commentary, click on the blue 25 in the middle of the top of this post.)
On Thursday, February 8, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission outlawed robocalls containing voices generated by Artificial Intelligence. Their decision was intended to send a clear message that exploiting the technology used to scam people will not be permitted under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. This 1991 law restricted junk calls using AI and prerecorded voice messages. I do not know about your thoughts on that subject, but I tend to believe the 1991 law was more or less a massive failure.
Effective immediately, if not sooner, the FCC's new regulation permits the FCC to fine companies who incorporate AI-generated voices in their robocalls, and the regulation blocks service providers who carry these robocalls. Under this regulation, lawsuits can be filed by call recipients against companies which employ AI-generated robocalls. In addition, the regulation allows State Attorney Generals to crack down on violators of this law.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said, "It {Ai-generated robocalls} seems like something from the far-off future, but this threat is already here. All of us could be on the receiving end of these faked calls, so that's why we {the FCC} felt the time to act was now."
The FCC's consumer protection law is designed to prevent telemarketers from generally using automated dialers, and artificial or prerecorded voice messages, to robocall cellphones and landline telephones without prior written consent from the call recipients.
Lawbreakers of this new FCC regulation can be fined more than $23,000 a call. Those who interfere in elections can be fined in excess of $5 million. Call recipients can sue these violators for up to $1,500 for each unwanted AI-generated robocall received.
Now for the pessimistic side of the coin.
Josh Lawson, is the current Director of AI and Democracy of the Aspen Institute. The Aspen Institute states on its webpage its purpose is to "Drive change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the greatest challenges of our time."
Anyway, Josh Lawson said, "Even with the FCC's ruling, citizens should prepare themselves for personalized spam to target them by phone, text and social media."
Isn't that a smelly crock of crap?
It is also the way many sources feel AI-generated robocallers will attempt to skirt around this new FCC ruling. Thus, the battle rages on.
Lawson further stated, "The true dark hats tend to disregard the {high} stakes and they know what they're doing is unlawful. We have to understand bad actors are going to continue to rattle the cages and push the limits."
What else is new?
In the words of Kathleen Carley, a Carnegie Mellon professor who specializes in computational disinformation, "In order to detect AI abuse of voice technology, one needs to be able to clearly identify that the audio was AI generated."
Some tools that produce AI-generated robocalls include voice-cloning softwares, image generators, AI-generated audio and imagery, as well as chatboxes.
The more one can learn to best defend themselves against AI-generated robocalls, the better off they become.
Have I stated lately how much I DESPISE ALL SCAMS?
| Author Notes | Robby Robot, by eileen0204, selected to complement my Commentary. |
By Brett Matthew West
What pray tell, could possibly be very wrong with this picture?
On February 8, 2024, Google introduced a free AI app that will enable people to rely on technology instead of their own brains to write, interpret what they are reading and deal with a variety of other tasks in their lives.
HINT: The first word in the correct answer is "their" and the last word in the correct answer is "brains."
Do you see a focus here where eventually people may well lose their abilities all together, and may even become subjugated to a machine powered by AI dictating the entirety of their lifes and making them repressed subserviants? Many people the world over do.
Why did Google create this AI? The answer to the much maligned question will be provided for your consideration momentarily. For now, ponder this. The newly released Google app has been labeled "Gemini." You are correct. It was named for an AI project Google unveiled in 2023. Known as "Bard," Google tossed their chatbox right out the proverbial window in a mad dash desire to catch up with the Microsoft-backed OpenAI's CHATGPT unleashed on humanity in 2022.
In the prevailing moment, the standalone Gemini app is for smartphones which operate on Google's Android software. However, in a few short weeks, Google intends to place Gemini into its iPhone search app. This, Google claimed, would allow Gemini to compete with Apple's Siri voice assistant for completing a wide variety of tasks.
Google's intention, as most of AI's appears to be, is for the masses to lose their cognitive abilities to plan, create, and even attempt to think for themselves. Several experts familiar with these apps are on record as saying "Gemini marks Google's latest foray down the potentially perilous road of organizing the world's information."
Sissie Hsiao, a Vice President of Google, as well as the Google General Manager overseeing Gemini, seemed to confirm this concern when she stated, "We {Google} think this is one of the most profound ways we are going to advance our mission."
Gemini was originally released in the United States in the English language. Within a couple short weeks, Google plans to release Gemini in the Asia-Pacific region, with versions in Korean and Japanese.
On top of the free version of Gemini, Google will be selling one containing advanced services. This version will be available for $20 a month. I, for one, say they can keep both versions and use them to wipe their asses with after they take a crap!
The Gemini Advanced option will be powered by AI technology dubbed "Ultra 1.0." Google plans to attempt to build upon the nearly 100 million worldwide subscribers they claim are attracted to this "nightmare-waiting-to-happen" Google possesses. Many of these subscribers, who obviously do not realize the dangers of AI, currently pay anywhere from $2 to $10 a month to allow Google AI to decree their existence.
Google is currently offering a free two-month trial of Gemini in a concerted effort to lure customers in. Then, they intend to slap these same buyers with the additional $20 a month fee.
Google admitted they are trying to escalate AI to get the upper hand with technology they believe, in their own words, will "reshape humanity itself."
The ongoing battle between Microsoft and Google's corporate parent company, known as Alphabet Inc., has already increased the two corporations' market value by 2 trillion dollars since the end of 2022.
Pichal Sundararajan, who is also known as Sundar Pichai, is the CEO of Google. He stated in a blog post, "AI technology of Gemini Advanced will be able to outthink even the smartest people."
If that notion is not mind boggling, tell me what you think is.
Pichai also stated, "Ultra 1.0 has already outperformed human experts on 57 subjects including Math, physics, laws, and ethics."
The list goes on.
Worldwide distrust of AI has prompted rules designed to police the use of AI in Europe. Similar efforts are underway in the United States. Some of these concerns are rightfully:
-technology malfunctions of AI on its own
-AI manipulated by people for sinister purposes. (You mean you do not believe AI has already reached that prospect?)
-misinformation concerning AI being widely dissiminated
A word to the wise: Many more precautions had better be adhered to where AI is involved.
| Author Notes | Snake dragon doodle, by Brendaartwork18, selected to complement my Commentary. |
By Brett Matthew West
Do you waste all your time alone? Would you admit you just can not find that extra-special certain someone you pine to share your life with? Well, do not fret any longer. You are in luck, because according to multiple AI companies, and their companion bots, your whole trouble is resolved and you can cease searching in all the wrong places as you have been.
One such app is Luka Inc.'s Replika. Like other AI garbage (my own personal opinion of all AI, of course), their chatbox is programmed to form a "love" relationship with the human (gullible enough) it talks to. Could that foreseeably be lonesome usted (the formal Spanish word for you).
Released in 2017, Replika is the current most prominent generative AI companion app on the market today.
Like all AI endeavors, these companion chatboxes begin with infatuation. Some romantic notions soon settle in. Better watch out though, and not tell anyone about your new enamorado (Spanish word for lover). Would not want to become the brunt of their snide jokes, would you?
Paradot is another one of these AI companion bot companies. This one advertises its products as being able to make users feel understood, cared for and loved.
You may wonder how these worthless AI bots function. They use vast amounts of data to mimic human languages. They also come complete with voice calls and emotional exchanges that permit them to form deeper connections with humans. In addition, they provide picture exchanges. Users simply pick the avatar of their desire, then voila! Have at it.
What appears to be fueling this attraction to these AI companion bots? Widespread social isolation coupled by a growing number of AI start-up companies and their tantalizing advertisements. These promise virtual characters who will provide unconditional acceptance of their users.
On Valentine Wednesday, February 14, 2024, the Mozilla Foundation, a global nonprofit dedicated to keeping the internet a global public resource open and accessible to everyone, released a report.
In this packet they indicated every AI companion app company sells user data, employs it for targeted advertising and lacks adequate information concerning what they do with their users' personal data in their privacy policies. How do you like them bananas?
Security vulnerabilities, marketing practices of these AI companion companies and other issues were also called out in the Mozilla Foundation's report.
If one could bring themselves to believe them (which I, myself, seriously doubt) Replika stated its data collection activities followed "industry standards." Don't all companies, regardless of what they hock, make this declaration? The question remains, do these so called AI companion companies provide sufficient "industry standards?" What do you truly believe in your heart of hearts?
One AI companion company went as far as to make the wild assertion their app could help users solve their mental health problems. Should you ask me, I would invariably state one would have to have serious mental health problems to get involved romantically, or not, with any AI bot, companion app or otherwise.
Oh, by the way. The same AI company that made this far-fetched, deceitful, claim about how their app could help users solve their mental health problems distanced itself as far as they felt they could safely escape from their stated claim in their fine print. Companies attempt to get away from that one every time, don't they?
Better read all fine print with a magnifying glass. That remains one trick companies use to avoid standing behind their products after someone purchases them and realizes the buyer did not receive what the company promised.
The lack of legal and ethical frameworks for AI companion companies that encourage bonds with their products are driven by those same companies seeking only one thing...it is green, and it is made of paper. Did you guess what these companies want? You are correctomundo. A monetary profit from users.
Here are two other concerns with AI companion apps. First, the existential threat of an AI companion bot's relationship displacing human relationships. And, secondly, the unrealistic expectations AI bots provide human users by always leaning towards agreeableness.
Perhaps Dorothy Leidner, a business ethics professor at the University of Virginia said it spot on when she explained, "(When you chose to be in a relationship with an AI companion bot) you, as the individual, aren't learning to deal with basic things that humans need to learn to deal with since our inception. How to deal with conflict, how to get along with people that are different from us. And so, all these aspects of what it means to grow as a person, and what it means to learn in a relationship, you're missing."
If you desire the emotional tolls these AI bots produce, and the challenges thereof, go ahead and rid yourself of those feelings of loneliness. An AI companion bot awaits you. Loving a dern bot.
What is this AI-infested world coming to?
| Author Notes | Cupid, by Jesuel, selected to complement my posting. |
By Brett Matthew West
Have I mentioned lately how much I DESPISE ALL SCAMMERS!
No, I will not keep quiet about that fact.
According to the Federal Trade Commission the numbers are in. They do not reflect well. Ten billion dollars. Nationwide, that is the staggering amount of money victims lost to scammers in 2023. Read the facts and weep!
There were 2.6 million reports of scams forwarded to the FTC in 2023. Government imposter scams led the way. These were followed in order by:
-online shopping scams
-prize winning scams
-sweepstakes scams
-lottery scams
-investment scams
-business/job opportunity scams
Get the picture yet?
With a whopping 4.6 billion dollars lost, investment scams scorched victims more than any other form. Wouldn't you just love to whop scammers upside their heads? At 2.7 billion dollars, government imposter scams came in second in the most money lost category.
Statistically-speaking, in 2023 there were 1 in 5 people who lost money to government imposter scammers. Were you one of them? No need to answer said question. If you did, just ponder the not-so-awesome news you were not alone.
The median amount of money lost in 2023 to government imposter scams ranged from:
-500 dollars for victims in the age range of 20-29
-803 dollars for senior citizens (the highest median amount of money lost. Sadly, isn't this sort of statistic true for those ages 70-79 almost all the time?)
Delaware, the smallest state in the country, led the way in the most government imposter complaints to the FTC about those ever popular Do Not Call violations by robocallers. And, some people with less than stellar IQ's actually believe Artificial Intelligence has any positive benefits associated with the nonsense? (However, I will allow that sentiment to be fodder for future articles.)
Other forms of complaints about these scam calls nationally included:
-medical scams
-prescription scams
-debt reduction scams
-energy scams
-solar scams
-utilities scams
-warranty and protection scams
According to the Social Security Administration, 228,282 government employee imposter scam calls were reported in 2023. These involved morons making calls to potential victims and claiming to be from:
-Social Security Administration
-US Department of Health and Human Services
-Medicare
-US Customs
-Border Patrol
-US Postal Service
-FTC
These scams were executed by:
-phone calls
-emails
-texts
-postal mail
-social media
Here is a Tip: Ensure an email address is legitimate to avoid possibly falling victim to a phishing scam. In clearer words, do not click on any email address you are not familiar with. You may well regret doing so.
Here are some ways to avoid being scammed by government imposter scams: Always report government imposter scams to reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/.
-never pay with gift cards or wire transfers
-government agencies never call people out of the blue with threats or promises of money
-legitimate government agencies ALWAYS conduct business through the US mail
-check with the real government agency if you have questions about correspondence no matter what form that correspondence is received in
-do not trust Caller ID. It is simple for scammers to make phone numbers look authentic and/or local.
To better avoid being a victim of a scammer:
-be skeptical
-trust your instincts
-never believe an offer that sounds too good to be true. 99.99% (or more of the time) they are.
Consider these warning signs of scammers:
-threats of being arrested, harmed or having benefits canceled. (BS)
-asking for payment in gift cards, wire transfers or crytocurrencies (#1 way scammers demand payment)
-high pressure to make an immediate decision
-unknown phone number
-unknown email address
-unsolicited sales calls
-awards of free vacations
-never date anyone online, that includes falling in love with some AI app. (Seems there are now several of them to select from.)
-claims you won a lottery, or anything else, you did not enter or do not remember entering.
Have I mentioned lately how much I DESPISE ALL SCAMMERS!
| Author Notes | No Money Orbit, by werolewithbrass, selected to complement my posting. |
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