10.08.18- Stifling Stupid Voters
It happens in several forms in every election season. One group or another will begin trying to tamper with the vote by fooling voters into thinking they need to do something different.
This one is interesting: robocalls from an RPOF number telling Democrats they need to return their mail ballots to the Democratic Party.
Now, if anyone does this, they deserve to not have a ballot in the first place. But, the parties should unite in denouncing actions like this and vowing to do all they can to prevent their representatives from engaging in such shameful tactics.
In fact, we as voters have unique opportunity in these stupid acts along with those acts of candidates that conflict with the values we hold.
When it’s found that a party or candidate participates in such stupidity and deception we voters should hold the candidate responsible and withhold our votes.
It’s one way the message will be received!
10.09.18- Preparing for Disappointment and Failure
I thought college was to prep kids to be ready to deal with the real world. I was wrong.
The example is the University of Manchester in England. There, the student’s union voted to ban clapping at events for fear the applause would trigger those who are not as socially adjusted as most.
These are young adults about to embark on the real world which, like it or not, can be cruel and indifferent to individual needs or quirks. The successful adult makes adjustments and moves on rather than trying to modify otherwise socially acceptable behavior.
Then there is baseball announcer Ron Darling who used the phrase “A chink in his armor” in reference to a NY Yankees pitcher. The pitcher happened to be Asian. So what? The political pressure on Darling (or maybe a producer of the broadcast) caused Darling to apologize for his political misstep, except that it wasn’t.
The phrase refers to actual armor and has been used since the 1400’s. There is no racial connotation at all!
I hope we start teaching folks to grow up before we can’t talk or clap anywhere!
10.10.18- Underestimating the Internet
It may be difficult to believe these days, but some people still underestimate the power of the internet.
Celebrities, sports figures and politicians may be the most noted of those who are captured by the power of instant communication, but it happens to everyday folks, too.
Take for example London’s Dale Leeks who decided for fun to sell his girlfriend on the internet. No, he wasn’t pimping her out, it was a joke. Girlfriend Kelly saw the post, thought it was funny and went along, saying she thought nobody would see it.
And there is the underestimation.
The couple went to dinner that evening and Dale’s phone blew up with bids for his dinner companion. Bids went as high as $119,000.
Tempted? Don’t be. e-Bay shot the offering down for violating policy.
The couple took it all well; Dale saying he would not have sold Kelly, but if he had the new sports car would have helped him. Kelly said if the buyer could afford her, she’d have had a better life.
So, no it isn’t and hasn’t happened…
Well, not yet, anyway!
10.11.18- Florida Hit by a Cat 4
Brevard’s been lucky. Yes, we have had our share of hurricanes and we have seen our share of devastation. It’s been isolated in pockets around the county and for those that suffered it the fact that we were only brushed by a category 1 storm doesn’t really matter.
And that’s another part of the problem. These storms are unpredictable as to path and landfall intensity. Because historically our storms have been cat 1 or 2 as they approach, ordered evacuations have been ignored.
The same thing happened in the panhandle this week as Hurricane Michael, a cat 4, was heading their way. Folks stayed in evacuation zones and may pay dearly for it. Michael made landfall as a cat 4 storm. It was devastating.
Elliot Abrams was on with me this week and when asked to describe the difference between a cat 1 brush by and a cat 4 direct hit, he said it was the difference in a firecracker and a bomb.
The panhandle got a bomb and those folks need our help and our prayers. Then again, don’t we all?
10.12.18- The Republican Senate Sprint
Usually a campaign is a long slog. Candidates spend months preparing for the run for office and then many more months actually campaigning through a primary election and, if they are successful, the general.
Plans and strategies are methodically made and executed based on a number of factors. Not this time, not in the Florida Senate district 14 race.
Incumbent Senator Dorothy Hukill passed away suddenly. The party was left to name a replacement even though it’s Hukill’s name that is on the ballot.
That replacement is Tom Wright, a New Smyrna Beach businessman. Wright is apparently wealthy and able to finance his own campaign. That could be a prime factor in his selection as this new candidate who did not anticipate running has only 3 weeks before Election Day and ballots (the ones without his name on them) are already in people’s hands.
Four weeks would have been better, but three is what he has..
Let’s hope he can at least get his message out!