FAKE NEWS!

Webster defines "fake" as:  Not true, real, or genuine.

I'm sure over time many politicians, celebrities, and others have called unflattering stories written about them "fake".  Occasionally they were right, and they sued for defamation, and were awarded millions of dollars in damages.  National Enquirer-type grocery store tabloids are notorious for this.  Occasionally articles are published that are simply satirical.  Stories in The Onion fall into this category.  (Tom Cruise did not have a love child with a three-headed alien.)  The editorial page is by definition not news, but opinion.  The two should not be confused.  And occasionally photos are mislabeled....John D. Smith might be referred to as John B. Smith, and an apology and a correction are later published.  Mistakes happen....meh.
 
Today President Donald Trump has made "FAKE NEWS" his battle cry, and his supporters buy it, no questions asked. I contend there is virtually no fake news these days, but only slanted news.  If a media outlet such as FOX News on the right or MSNBC on the left uncovers 10 facts about someone, but only reports on the 5 that support their view, that doesn't make those 5 facts "fake".  You can't label what they report as not true, real, or genuine.  They just aren't reporting those facts that give credit to something that doesn't further their bias.  Their coverage is simply "slanted".

If the media makes up a story with no basis in fact, they can be sued and they'll lose their shirt.  That's why they corroborate everything they publish.  The next time you hear President Trump say a report about him is fake news, ask him why he doesn't file suit and make them prove what they say is true?  Put up or shut up.

I have great admiration in general for American journalism.  Without them and their investigative talents, evil-doers would run roughshod over us.  I might disagree with them sometime, but I respect them.

I guess you could say, ironically, that a blanket claim of "fake news" is itself fake news.  That's the "virtual" caveat I mentioned.  That's kinda funny, huh?

S

The streets are a dangerous place

Today the East Pittsburgh, PA officer who shot and killed Antwon Rose as he jumped out of a car and ran AWAY from police has been indicted for criminal manslaughter. This seems like a slam-dunk case to me since the unarmed teenager was shot in the back by the officer (on his very first day on the job), and it was all caught on cell phone video.  Mr Rose clearly never turned and confronted, or charged toward, the officer.  The officer was NOT threatened.  I can't imagine a remotely believable defense. 

But lets look deeper:  The next time you hear a politician say if elected he'll put another 50,000 or 100,000 police on the street to combat crime, call BS.  Truth is, it's hard to find people who want to be police officers these days. Your large cities especially have to cast a wide net, likely over several states, to find new recruits.  It takes a very special person to be a good police officer.  Just throwing more money at them won't make them any smarter.  I think the above officer is proof that not everyone can do it.  Few have the intelligence/judgement AND the physical attributes AND can pass an in-depth background check AND the psychological tests necessary to be a good cop.  It's a tough job, and it's getting tougher every day.

It also appears to me training standards are often being relaxed, too, maybe to accommodate the questionable quality of many of the recruits available these days.  I can't imagine how this officer, on his first day on the job, could exhibit such horribly bad judgement.  IMO it's a serious indictment of the training he received.  *shaking head*

And finally, why would a teenager jump out of a car and run away from the police?  Did he REALLY think he would be able to outrun them?  Did he REALLY think he could outrun a police radio, or a police helicopter?  Did he REALLY think his friends wouldn't rat him out and that he could escape?  I know that some will say an old white guy like me can't imagine the fear this black teenager must have felt, and they'd be right.  But I also don't think you have to be white to see that this young man checked every wrong box there is when he ran from the police.  Young people, of every color, need to learn to THINK!

While Mr Rose might or might not have deserved to be punished for some crime, he did NOT deserve to be shot in the back.  Nobody does.  Ever.  May he rest in peace.

S

Watch where you step....there are mines EVERYWHERE!

With immigration front and center again these days, we'd better be careful what we wish for.  There's a huge "unintended consequences" minefield out there.

I don't believe those who are saying we need to slam our borders shut and deport all illegals here now are thinking it through all the way.  If they get their wish, any nasty, dirty job that needs to be done, especially outdoors, might not get done.  Need to pour any concrete or spread any asphalt, put on a new roof, or have any landscape work done?  Haha....good luck!  Do you think your favorite restaurant can keep its doors open without them?  Farmers everywhere are already reporting they're having trouble finding seasonal help to get their crops harvested....much of it is now just being plowed back under.  (Wouldn't THIS be the ultimate "national security" crisis?)

What we need is an expedited method of vetting those who want to immigrate here, say within 2 or 3 months, vs the current 2+ years.  This long wait time is what drives many to just wade the river.  Let them apply at US embassies and consulates in their home countries and GET THEM AN ANSWER WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.  We need to bring illegals out of their thriving underground economy and make them full taxpayers.  Right now they pay little more than the sales taxes on their daily purchases.  Lets vet them, and if they're good people, welcome them and put them to work.  And if they aren't, turn them back / send them packing. 

Now, about those kids separated from their families....it's still wrong.  Why are we punishing the kids for the sins of their parents?  And I don't want to hear about what Obama or Dubya did.  Wrong was, is, and always will be WRONG!

S

"Thank you for your order. You should expect delivery in about 2 years."

I remember a number of years ago talking to a guy who worked at a local hardware store.  He was Hispanic, worked all day, and then went to evening classes at the local community college.  I was pretty impressed with him.  I asked him if he was here legally, and he said, yes, he was, and so were his parents, but his uncle was not.  I asked him why his uncle wasn't, and he said after waiting two years on his paperwork to be processed, he finally just gave up and waded the river to get here for a job.  

I've heard since that a 2+ year wait is not unusual.  My understanding is that both the Democrats and Republicans say they would welcome legal immigrants, but they had to go through the proper channels and jump through the proper hoops first.  Fair enough.  

So here's my question:  I googled "Samsung TV's" and it found 1,410,000,000 responses in .53 seconds. I can buy a gun and it takes the FBI about 15 minutes to do a background check on me to see if I qualify.  I can go through a fairly exhaustive Texas Dept of Public Safety background check in order to legally carry a firearm in about two months.  In this age of the internet, massively powerful computers, and nano-fast search engines, why should it take TWO YEARS to get a background check on some guy from Mexico?  And I checked....yes, they have computerized record keeping in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and elsewhere in Central America, too.

I also want strong borders.  I want to know who we're letting in.  I want to know they aren't felons, aren't currently wanted for a crime, etc.  But if we drag our feet for a ridiculous TWO YEARS and still can't complete a background check, why should we be shocked if they just sneak in?   It seems to me we could control our borders much better if we had the cooperation of a proud, secure, legal immigrant population.  

Or is there some other more sinister ulterior motive that explains why we throw up all these roadblocks?

S

Don't go lighting your cigars with $20 bills just yet

This morning while making my rounds I saw this on the front window of a Domino's Pizza store:

How can they pay "UP TO" $15 an hour "OR MORE"?  Which one is it?  I think I'd go for the "MORE".

The official US unemployment rate recently dropped to 3.9%, the lowest since the Pilgrims beached their boat in Massachusetts, before it was Massachusetts.  Historically the stats people say 4% is considered "full employment"....anyone who doesn't have a job now just doesn't want to work.

Here in my area of the northern DFW Metroplex (Plano, Frisco, McKinney, etc) they say the unemployment rate is somewhere down in the 2% range.  Pizza delivery drivers can get $15 an hour, and McDonald's is begging for help, even offering starting pay of $12+.

Yesterday I was talking with my steel fabrication vendor and he said it was just he and his son....they can't hire and keep help, and they pay very well!  My electrician has been trying to hire for 2 years with no luck.  Construction material prices are continuing to climb.  We try to buy 300 yards of concrete and can't get anyone's attention at the concrete plant....they're shipping tens of thousands of yards daily to commercial construction sites.  We're small fry!  Any materials with a petroleum base have gone up dramatically along with the recent increase in crude prices.  Talk of import tariffs isn't helping, either.

It wasn't long ago that the cost of living in my area was below the national average.  Now, according to one report I saw recently, the CoL in my immediate area has surpassed the national average.  Property tax bills are hitting homeowners hard after a few years in the doldrums.  Standard and Poor's Case Shiller home price index actually says our area's home prices today are OVER valued.

Where am I going with this?  "Make hay while the sun shines" as they say, but be cautious.  Make all you can while you can, as these good times will eventually go flat just as other overheated good times have in the past.  Just recognize where we are in the economic cycle and don't let yourself think this is the "new normal".  Remember what happened to those who got fat and sassy back in the run-up to 2008?

Let's all enjoy our good fortune today and be grateful, but not let it go to our head.  Been there, done that.

S

A somber Friday and a fun Saturday

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend a ceremony at the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery honoring my late friend Ted Short.  I had never been to this site before and I must say I was impressed.  

 

The facility was immaculately maintained and the service was attended to by US Army personnel and a local Korean War veterans group.  It was a fitting end of service for a good man.  The grounds absolutely felt as hallowed at those at Arlington National Cemetery, which, if you haven't been there in person, you have to see to understand and feel what I mean.

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Today, on a lighter note, the Ms, Jax, and I made a run to the McKinney Farmers Market for some fresh vine ripened tomatoes and some tamales.  No, I didn't know there was such a thing as a tamale farm either, but trust me, I've tasted their latest crop and they're delicious!

Then it was off to the Spoon Cafe in historic downtown McKinney for brunch, where Jax the One-Blue-Eyed-Wonder Dog stood guard to make sure no dropped morsels made it to the ground.  His perfect record is still in tact I'm happy to report.

Now it's back home for a siesta.  Maybe later when it's cooler I'll venture out to check on our neighborhood ladies bikini volleyball team.  (Or not, depending on whether the Ms reads this first.  ;)

S  

The American Dream....or is it?

For roughly 65% of Americans, owning a home means you've realized the American Dream.  Everyone has a vision of living on that picturesque tree-lined street with quaint homes and neatly manicured lawns.  That's what my generation, at least, was taught to aspire to, and there's nothing at all wrong with that.  If you have a young family (or nowadays grandkids living with you), or have a constant stream of out-of-town friends who come to visit, or if you just want bragging rights among your circle of friends, then by all means enjoy your American Dream home.

But frankly, home ownership isn't what it used to be. Things change, people change, and circumstances change. We were told owning a home brought with it huge tax benefits, and it still does....for about a third of us.  Sixty five percent of us own homes, and of those, half either have mortgages with so little balance left (or no mortgage at all) they miss out on the tax break. 

Many people naively think when they get their house paid for they'll be living virtually free.  Hardly!  In my area just the property taxes and homeowners insurance can easily be $1,000 a month on a middle class home.  Speaking of....yes, you can make a handsome profit due to appreciation, at least on paper, but the tax collector wants his money RIGHT NOW!  Rapidly increasing taxes are forcing some homeowners out of the homes they've lived in for decades.

Then there are the maintenance and repair costs.  Yikes!  Here in North Texas we used to have one damaging hail storm every seven years, on average.  Now we're having them yearly, including one just last night that will keep insurance adjusters and roofers busy for the next year.  Homes still need painting, and HVAC systems and water heaters and appliances still need to be repaired/replaced.  Carpets need to be cleaned and/or replaced, too, and wood floors need refinishing.  

And of course there's the lawn maintenance.  *cringe*  And here in termite country, those little bastards will eat your house out from under you if you don't stay ahead of 'em.  Oh, and "updating".  Remember that old fuzzy wallpaper?  Ewww.  Even if those old harvest gold appliances still work, they went out of style back in the Nixon administration.  Get out your wallet.

Even though my credit is primo and the banks say I can easily qualify for a modest home loan, I'm just not feeling it.  Years ago we parked ourselves in a nice apartment while I looked for a small lot to build a new home on.  It didn't take long to realize renting was actually, for me/us, a good alternative to owning.  I've had good neighbors (an OB/GYN, a respiratory therapist, a Realtor, etc), my car is in a secure, gated, concrete parking garage and safe from the weather (hail), and the mechanical units are somebody else's maintenance problem.  And every few years when a newer, nicer community opens up, I'm free to move.  

True, my rent goes up a bit yearly, but no more than my taxes would go up if I owned.  I feel no need to build a home to accommodate my furniture (I have no family heirlooms), I don't need a 3rd or 4th or 5th bedroom, and I jettisoned my ego years ago.  

There will always be quality builders and Realtors to cater to the 65% who want to be homeowners, but there's a lot to be said for nice upscale apartments, too.  The empty nester, downsized lifestyle is actually pretty sweet.   :)

S