It has been a l-o-n-g time since I last posted, hasn't it?

Any idea where this image first appeared? -30-

I PREDICT ...

The first study of self-driving car accidents reported they were involved in accidents at a higher rate than conventional vehicles. 2-5 times as likely. This was based on the number of accidents per number of vehicles on the road. So, that was for 11 Google cars versus a gazillion regular ones.

A later study, looked at accidents per million miles driven. In this case, the self-driving cars came out ahead – 3.2 accidents per million miles versus 4.2 accidents per million miles for driver-driven cars.

In all cases, the self-driving cars were not at fault. And, there were only minor injuries.

But, the self-driving cars were not at fault. What if this continues?

Self-driving cars proliferate. They become 1% of the U.S. vehicles on the road. Then, 2% … 4% … 8%.

And, they continue to be involved in accidents not their fault.

The statistics may then be interpreted to indicate drivers are inadequately trained … I know you find that hard to believe but consider. If driver-driven cars continue to run into self-driving cars without the reverse taking place, how can we not reach the conclusion that driver-driven cars are, in fact, a hazard for self-driving cars?

What could possibly be done? More stringent driver licensing requirements? If alcohol or illicit drug use is a prevalent cause of such accident, shouldn’t testing devices be required for all driver-driven cars?

In truth, there are no “accidents” when considering vehicular traffic. They don’t just happen without reason or cause. Someone made a mistake, a misjudgment, took a chance, didn’t do their job right.

We have come to associate the word “accident” with the incidents of damage and/or injury involving driver-driven vehicles.
Consider the word “accidental” – happening by chance, unintentionally, or unexpectedly. You can stretch “unintentional” to mean “he didn’t intend to kill anyone when he drove drunk” but he did intend to drink.

Whoa … off on a tangent there … sorry.

So, what about self-driving vehicles?

I PREDICT: As they become more numerous and the incidents of them being hit by driver-driven vehicles continue and increase, the privilege of driving your own vehicle is likely to become more & more restricted.

What about insurance? Because they are likely to be hit with almost no chance of hitting, should users of self-driving vehicles pay higher rates? Higher rates because others hit them? Nay, nay, say I. Self-driving vehicles are safer and should, therefore, be entitled to much lower rates than those hitting them.

You read it here first.

I think ...

The "angry white male" by definition cannot be the "silent majority" as there are more women than men in every demographic.

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In the good old days, it was called "tell a lie" ...

When people distort, fabricate, prevaricate ... in the good old days, it was called "tell a lie" ... in order to strengthen their argument, they demonstrate their position cannot be based on truth.

Does repeating a lie render the person complicit in the lie? If the lie distorts public perception leading to actions that otherwise would not take place, an individual would still be responsible for whatever part played.

But if no harm comes from the lie, it cannot be “wrong,” i.e., “No harm, no foul.” An insidious fallacy as it will have the individual eventually disregard the unethical aspect of the lie. Said person would then look only to the results of the lie. Shortly, the individual has chosen “the ends justify the means” AKA “the terrorism standard.”

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"… Obama is a failure”

Obama is a failure because ...

• no guns have been seized from private citizens nor have any been declared illegal
• the Boy Scouts exist
• preachers continue to use radio & TV broadcasts
• students can pray, read religious texts, talk with willing others in school
• campus ministries exist
• pornography can be kept from children
• home schooling continues
• Al-qaida did not take over Iraq
• an Iranian nuclear bomb has not yet exploded in Tel Aviv
• there is no national, single-payer healthcare system
• healthcare has not been rationed
• there are no “death panels”
• tax rates have not increased
• income level subject to Social Security tax has not doubled
• oil drilling has not been restricted in the U.S. save from some offshore areas where the citizens don’t want it
• the global demand for oil is being met
• there are no periodic blackouts of electricity in the U.S. due to shortages
• conservative talk radio exists
• no Bush administration officials have been prosecuted from “war crimes” in Iraq, etc.

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Trump will deport 11 million undocumented immigrants in two years. Really?

On Monday, 12 May 2008, Postville, Iowa: ~900 agents from ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raided Agriprocessors Inc, the nation’s largest kosher slaughterhouse and meat packing facility. The raid – officials boasted – was “the largest single - site operation of its kind in American history.” The investigation preceding the raid required more than a year. Some 400 were arrested during the raid. About half were eventually deported.
-- www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/opinion/13sun2.html?_r=1
Time: more than one year before the raid.
Personnel: >1000 in the raid & processing thereafter
Result: around 200 deported.

Do the math.

A Fractured Fairy Tale ...

Large numbers of people are supporting Donald Trump for President because they feel betrayed by the current Republicans in leadership roles.  Those current Republican leaders promised to do something about immigration, undocumented aliens, the national debt, the budget deficit, the economy, and to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) AKA Obamacare among other items.

Donald Trump promises to change the way things are ... just as the current Republican leadership did when they campaigned for office.

If Donald should be elected President, what is likely to happen?  Let us imagine the scenario:


The Place:  The Oval Office
The Time:  the day after the inauguration
The Scene:  President Donald and his advisors

Donald: I would like to get started on my list of promises, gentlemen. And, I do mean "gentlemen" ... no bimbos here, right?

Advisors: Yes, sir.

D:  About that wall between us and those Mexicans ...

Advisor A: If I may, sir, initial cost estimates are way too high with the economy the way it is now.

D:  That shouldn't be a problem. Call the President of Mexico and ask when we can expect that check to pay for the wall.

A:  Sir, Mexico has broken off relations with us. We cannot call the President of Mexico anymore. In addition, Halliburton said they would not be able to hire enough cheap labor to do the work in that area anyway.

D:  Well, we will have to just manage that better, won't we?
Advisors: Yes, sir.

D:  What about deporting those brown people here in the country illegally?

Advisor B:  Sir. If we transport all the "illegal browns" to the nearest local airports that use only regional jets, it will require 95 years to move them all out of the country because their numbers will increase in the camps next to the local airports as they wait. IF we use major metropolitan airports with the larger aircraft, general business operations will slow to a crawl because CEO's will not be able to move around the country in their corporate jets as a result of the restricted airspace requirements to protect the "illegals" housed between the runways of the airports.

D: OK, let's hold on that one for a bit. Obamacare!  When can we get rid of that?

Advisor C:  Well, sir, the Speaker of the House and the Vice President on behalf of the Senate, both called to express their concern on that matter but not for release to the press, you must understand.  It turns out a majority of your supporters have actually signed up for Obamacare and, to the dismay of the Congressional Republican leadership, your supporters like having medical insurance after so many years without it.

D: No problem. We can just blame the Republicans for not getting rid of it sooner and then we will start calling it "TrumpCare"! Anything with my name on it will be OK with my followers.

Advisors: Yes, sir.

Advisor D: Sir, about the national debt?

D: Right! I have been thinking about that and, last night, it came to me! We will declare bankruptcy!  I know about bankruptcy since I've done it at least four times in the past.

Advisors:  GASP!

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