A colleague's hurtful comments over the JFK assassination: The pain continues

As most of you know, I rarely talk about President Kennedy's assassination. It totally traumatized me as a young boy of nine. I must share this now: This was the singly most traumatic event of my childhood, even more traumatic than when I was very ill as a kid, or when I was in an emergency landing of a fiery airliner at age twelve. 

My internal trauma

 

I was totally traumatized and horrified over the JFK assassination. I was glued to the television for 4 days straight. I cried and pounded the floor repeatedly. I was in as much of a grieving state as possible for a little boy anywhere in America. 

Suddenly this man, who was only a little older than my father and who had given me so much hope, had been murdered by a madman in a city called Dallas and in a state called Texas that was southeast of my home state of California.

A colleague's hurtful comment

Years later I was siting in the faculty room at the school where I was an educator. A woman who was at least 12 years older than me started talking about the assassination of President Kennedy. She mentioned that she was in college at the time. I stated that I was in fourth grade at the time and that I was very adversely affected and traumatized by the event. She very cruelly stated: "Oh no Kevin. You don't remember that. You were too young at that time."

I do remember

 

To my colleague who knows who she is but who will remain nameless: I DO remember the assassination of President Kennedy and I was totally traumatized and mortified by this event. Not only do I remember this horrible event, but I lived through it and I will never forget! I stayed up all night for four nights. I saw tens of thousands of people pass by the President's casket in the Capitol Rotunda. I saw the First Lady and daughter Caroline kneel at the coffin. I saw Caroline step back to get John-John to bring him to the coffin as well. I saw Oswald get shot live by Jack Ruby. I watched every single second of the President's funeral. I saw Mrs. Kennedy walking with her blood stained dress. I saw John-John salute his father's horse drawn caisson as it went by and I saw it live! And I cried. And I cried. And I cried until there was nothing left for me to do but to keep crying, and then cry even more.

And the pain continues to this day and it will never end, not ever!

Never underestimate the trauma of major events on children. Never.

How dare you!

 

Don't ever tell me what I do or do not remember about a tragedy in my childhood. To my former colleague: How dare you ever judge what does or does not affect me, or what I remember from my childhood. How DARE YOU!! John F. Kennedy was the singly most inspirational and hopeful leader of my lifetime. Colleague: You will never take that away from me! Worry about your own memory. If it is as lacking as your compassion for others, there is nothing there!!

The downfall of impeachment: Trump's base will mobilize; Dems face an uphill battle; Impeach anyway

Some respondents to my articles have suggested that after Donald Trump either resigns or is removed from office by the Senate, that Nancy Pelosi should go after Pence and force him out of office. Perhaps so but that will not happen. I can 100% assure you that if Trump leaves office early for whatever reason, that Nancy will not pursue this matter any further. She will let it go after Trump leaves office. I know how she operates. After she scores a major victory, she does not gloat and she moves on. 

 

Senate won't remove

 

Move on. That is exactly what Nancy Pelosi will do if we manage to get Trump out before his term is over. However. we all know that the Senate will not vote to remove Trump. The votes simply are not there. He will be impeached and that is as far as it will go. 

Trump will be the 2020 GOP Nominee 

 

Unfortunately, Trump will be the GOP nominee again and the impeachment will infuriate his base to no end. And he will be able to raise a lot more money than he would have been able to raise had he not been impeached. 

Democrats are in deep trouble 

 

The failed impeachment is going to make the 2020 Presidential race a lot harder for the Democrats than it would have been otherwise. We had D... well nominate someone who can win and who will win because this is going to be the toughest Presidential race in history for the Democrats. I am sorry to say it but it is the sober truth. We are up against a very steep incline and we are climbing it with only 2 cylinders and no All Wheel Drive. We are in trouble for 2020, deep, deep trouble. 

Impeachment must be done nevertheless

 

Despite the fact the impeachment effort will fail and that Trump will be one formidable GOP nominee in 2020, the Democratic House of Representatives still must impeach Trump. The evidence that Trump abused power, solicited a bribe, committed obstruction of justice and lied to Congress is overwhelming and totally convincing and irrefutable. Therefore, it is the incumbent responsibility of the House to pursue this matter and to vote to impeach Donald Trump for "High crimes and misdemeanors."  

Evidence at hand

The decision of the House to impeach or not impeach needs to be based on the evidence at hand, not the predetermined outcome of the impeachment, which will be acquittal by the Senate and a very tough Presidential race for the Democrats in 2020, no matter who the Democratic nominee turns out to be. 

Sometimes you have to stand for what is right no matter the projected outcome of your actions. This is one of those times. Impeach Trump anyway!

Assemblyman Adam Gray supports UC Med Center campus for Fresno; not sure of what to do for Modesto.

I attended a meeting of the Latino Democrats of Stanislaus County on Thursday, September 26, 2019. I got a chance to talk to Assemblyman Adam Gray, (D). Gray was saying that he is working on establishing a U.C. Med Center extension of UCSF Medical Center in Fresno to provide UC medical services to the Valley. I asked him why he is not working on establishing it in Modesto since it is closer to the Bay Area and it is in the center of the Valley and of California. He stated that he is seeking to establish it in Fresno because the infrastructure for such a campus already exists in Fresno. 

100 miles from Modesto

I pointed out that the UC Med Center in Fresno still would be 100 miles from Modesto as is the one in San Francisco (actually we are only 90 miles from San Francisco, 100 miles from Fresno). He nodded his head, "Yes." He did not offer any suggestions about this dichotomy, but did acknowledge that this is a problem: Although the UC Med Center in Fresno would provide UC professional quality services to the Valley, it would do little or nothing for Modesto. Modestans would have a choice of driving 90 miles west to UCSF in San Francisco or 100 miles south to UCSF Fresno. As I recently discovered on a trip to Fresno during commute hours, Fresno also has commute issues and metered lanes and traffic jams, just like the Bay Area does.

 

What to do for Modesto

I then asked him what he plans to do for Modesto itself because it always ends up being the "lost stepchild" when it comes to services and special, innovative facilities, such as a UC Med Center. He then asked me to tell him if I have any ideas for Modesto. He did indicate that he had been instrumental in securing the ACE Train for Valley commuters to the Bay Area. Assemblyman Gray is to be commended for his efforts towards this end. 

Modesto the medical mecca

As I see it, Modesto can be quite a spectacular medical mecca for Central California. Modesto already has the Valley Children's Center which opened just a few months ago. It also has a state of the art Kaiser Hospital, Memorial Hospital with a Cancer Center, Doctors Hospital with a Cardiac Center, a Veterans' Clinic, a Same Day Surgical Center, and a new Alzheimer's Hospital. 

With all of those things going for it already, it seems to me that Modesto is the perfect site for a UC Med Center campus. It is in the center of both California and the Valley and is close to the Bay Area. Fresno may have the infrastructure for a UC Med Center campus; but Modesto has the town, the proximity and the ambiance to be a medical mecca that includes a UC Med Center. 

As Sacramento sees it

The fact remains that no matter how much Modesto has going for it, and no matter how much we aspire to build a great future for Modesto, Modesto's future depends largely on how Sacramento envisions it. That is why we must talk with our local Valley Assembly members like Adam Gray and Heath Flora. Let them know what you're thinking. They can't represent you if you don't let them know how you feel about the issues. Assemblyman Gray can be contacted at: (209) 726-5465. Heath Flora can be contacted at: (209)-599-2112. Go Modesto!

Eliminate the salary for the Mayor and City Council: Attract those who want to make a difference instead of career politicians

In an effort to reduce the attractiveness of running for the Modesto City Council/Mayor to career politicians, I am proposing some fundamental changes. Modesto City Council members currently are paid $24,000 annually. The Mayor is paid $42,000 annually. Plus the Mayor and Council members are provided a credit card on which they can charge hotel rooms, restaurant tabs, travel expenses, gas, etc.. To curb the enticement to professional politicians to run for the Council for personal enrichment, I propose that we allow Council members to retain the credit card with very strict limitations, but that we curtail their salaries. I propose that we pay the Mayor a stipend of $1000 per year plus a $200 per diem for attending City Council meetings but no salary. I propose that we pay City Council members a per diem of $100 per meeting attended but no salary. 

A call to public service

Serving as Mayor or a City Council member is supposed to be public service. It is not supposed to be a source of income or a "living" for its members. Additionally, I propose that we suspend the credit cards for any members of the City Council, including the Mayor, who have filed their candidacy for another office while in office. That way, we can be sure that the City is not paying the campaign or special event expenses of those candidates. 

Get rid of term limits

Finally, I propose that we get rid of term limits for members of the City Council, including the Mayor. That way, the Council members and Mayor are much less likely to spend their time in office running for other offices instead of tending to City business. 

 

Original purpose of the Modesto City Council

The Modesto City Council was designed to be a place where public minded, dedicated, sincere, self-sufficient or gainfully employed or retired people could serve and make a difference for Modesto. It was not intended as a main income source or stopping point from which to launch a political career. 

Attracting civic minded people to run for office in Modesto

If we implement the changes that I have proposed in this article, we will attract the kinds of people who want to be on the Council to make a difference and help improve the quality of life in Modesto. The changes that I have proposed here will mitigate the attractiveness of running for the City Council/Mayor to professional politicians and to those who have personal gain and enrichment in mind instead of quality public service to one's community. Make these changes and you will see more public-spirited, civic minded people running for office in Modesto instead of career politicians. And the quality of life in Modesto will improve significantly.

California Assembly passes bill to classify GIG workers as employees; Uber and Lyft drivers, Doordash and Grubhub workers and others affected.

Under a bill that passed the California State Assembly on Wednesday, AB5, GIG workers such as Uber and Lyft drivers, Grubhub and Doordash food delivery workers, Amazon document delivery  workers and others, will be considered employees rather than independent contractors. Currently, GIG workers, who rely heavily on tips to make ends meet, are considered independent contractors. As such, GIG workers are responsible for all the costs associated with the upkeep of their vehicles and other equipment necessary for performing their duties.

Benefits for workers

As independent contractors, GIG workers are not entitled to benefits exclusive to employees, such as unemployment benefits, Workman's Compensation, overtime pay, and medical benefits. Additionally, GIG workers do not have payroll deduction charges for Social Security, which means that they do not accrue Social Security benefits from the money that they earn. 

Parent companies escape all commensurate charges

As things stand currently, the parent companies for which the GIG workers are providing services as independent contractors, do not have to pay the fees that normally are paid by employers, such as Workman's Compensation, Unemployment insurance, health insurance, Social Security deductions, and federal and state tax deductions. If AB5 passes the State Senate and is signed into law by Governor Newsom, the free ride for parent companies, including Uber, Lyft, Doordash and others, will be over.

A spokesperson for Uber stated that AB5 potentially would seriously affect its business model and ultimately change the services that it offers to the public. The company suddenly would be responsible not only for paying all of the aforementioned benefits and deductions, but would be forced to pay a $12.00 per hour minimum wage and to provide break times and meal times.

It is unclear whether or not the parent companies would have to pay for the maintenance of the driver owned vehicles that their service drivers currently operate. As it stands now, the drivers are totally responsible for such costs.

The ABC test

AB5 extends the 2018 Supreme Court ruling known as Dynamex. Under that ruling, the ABC test is applied to determine if a worker is an employee rather than an independent contractor. According to the ABC test, the following three parameters are required for a worker to be considered an independent contractor: 1) The worker must be free from the control of the companies for which they work, 2) The work conducted by the independent contractors must not be central to the company's business, and 3) The workers must have their own independent businesses in the industries of the companies for which they are providing services.

It goes without saying that companies such as Uber, Lyft, Grubhub, Doordash and others would not pass the ABC test for hiring independent contractors. The services provided by such workers are central to the companies for which they work and most if not all of their workers do not have their own independent businesses in their industries.

Increased costs to consumers

The ultimate outcome of AB5 is unknown at this time. Most likely it will pass the Democratic controlled State Senate without difficulty. However, the bill's fate once it lands on the Governor's desk remains a mystery for two reasons: 1) The Governor could veto the bill outright and 2) The Governor could use his "Line item veto" power and change the bill before signing it.

The one thing that is certain is that if AB5 passes and is signed into law as it is currently written, the increased costs of doing business to the parent companies will be passed onto the consumers. Prices will go up which will reduce the competitiveness of the parent companies and the services that they provide. As with all industries, the increased costs of doing business are always passed onto consumers. Buyer beware.

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Woman falls to her death near Tahoe while reaching for a branch

A 35 year-old mother of two boys aged 12 and 14 fell to her death at Eagle Falls within Emerald Bay State Park, just north of Lake Tahoe, California, while reaching for a tree branch, on Friday, May 31, 2019. The victim, Stephanie Williams, had lost her footing atop the waterfall after taking a selfie. Williams reached out for the tree branch after she lost her footing and fell to her death.

Williams remembered

Williams has been portrayed by her survivors as a motherly person who was loving, supportive and nurturing to those she encountered. Her younger brother described Williams as more a "mother" to him than an older sibling. Williams, who worked as an an esthetician, was one of nine children growing up, eight of whom were girls.

Dangers of waterfalls

Waterfalls can be dangerous to people within the vicinity of their summits. The soil around waterfalls can be very slippery and the fast moving water can cause people to lose their footing very quickly. It is highly recommended that people heed warning signs near waterfalls and that they exercise reasonable caution. It also is recommended that people wear footwear that provides the wearer a firm footing on the ground and is as slip resistant as possible. Sporting goods stores, Army surplus stores and uniform stores are good retail sources for this kind of footwear.

Emerald Bay State Park

Emerald Bay State Park is a 1533 acre park that is famous for a 38 room Scandinavian mansion that was designed by the famous architect Laura Knight. In 1994, the park was extended to include Emerald Bay. This enabled underwater collections, including sunken boats, to be protected. In the winter, Emerald Bay sometimes freezes over.

Could Trump be hoping for impeachment to avoid federal prosecution?

Amidst all of the clamor over a possible impeachment effort by the House of Representatives against President Trump, an interesting question has arisen: Could President Trump actually be hoping to be impeached and then exonerated by the Senate to avoid federal prosecution after his Presidency is over? If so, would this explain his multiple orders to his staff, including Justice Department officials, not to testify before Congress and to ignore Congressional subpoenas?

The impeachment scenario

Here is how the scenario could be played out, at least in Trump's mind, if he is hoping to be impeached and then exonerated: If he is not impeached and is allowed to serve out his term of office, he most likely will not be re-elected in 2020 (All poll numbers currently are indicating that Joe Biden would easily defeat Trump, "hands down"). Trump would be subject to federal prosecution for collusion with the Russians, cover-ups and tax evasion on January 21, 2021, the first day that he is once again a private citizen at the end of his Presidency. It is very likely that prosecution of "private citizen" Trump would be swift and relentless.

Trump may be thinking that his only hope of avoiding federal prosecution is to be impeached by the House and then exonerated by the Senate while he still is President.

Why no prosecution?

The question arises: Why would a failed impeachment lessen the likelihood of a federal prosecution of Trump after his Presidency is over? The truthful answer is that it would not do so; however, Trump may be hoping that it would and that it is his only hope. Trump may be thinking that federal prosecutors would lay off and scale back their investigations and prosecution efforts if he had been impeached and then exonerated by the Republican led Senate. He may be thinking that prosecutors would take a look at the situation and say to themselves, "Why bother?;  He is not going to be convicted anyway."

The political will for prosecution

Trump also may be thinking that after a long, dragged out and laborious impeachment process that ended up in his being acquitted, that the political will for a federal prosecution of him as a private citizen simply would not be there. Prosecutions do not occur in vacuums. They are influenced by public opinion.  Juries are not supposed to be influenced by public opinion, and federal prosecutors are not supposed to be so influenced either. But when the political will of the People is adamantly against pursuing a prosecution, it makes it difficult for prosecutors to subpoena witnesses who are willing to cooperate or to conduct needed investigations.

Avoiding prison time

Trump may be hoping that the best way for him to avoid prison time is to wear out the investigatory process to the point that prosecutors are unable to proceed any further. The best way to win a race is to wear out the other guy's horse before the race even starts. What better way to wear out the horse is there than through a failed impeachment effort? Therein lies Trump's possible motive for his "face off" with Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats, his orders to his subordinates to disobey their subpoenas and his refusal to release his tax records.

Will Trump be impeached?

In this commentator's opinion, Trump most likely will not be impeached. Certainly articles of impeachment will be introduced and some House members from Progressive districts will strongly advocate for impeachment. However, impeachment is a political process and is governed by political realities. The fact of the matter is that although he could be impeached by the House, Trump would not be convicted by the Senate. It would be a failed impeachment effort. And the Democratic Congress that impeached Trump, not the Senate that acquitted him, would suffer the political losses in the 2020 elections. Nancy Pelosi is well aware of this which is why she is holding the reins on impeachment so tightly.

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Man arrested for threatening to kill President Trump

A Connecticut man in his fifties has been arrested after making threats to kill President Trump and claiming to have sent letters to Trump contaminated with Anthrax. The subject, 51 year-old Gary Joseph Gravelle of New Haven, Connecticut, has been charged on two felony counts: Conveying false information about an explosive device and making threats against the President of the Untied States, according to ABC News, on May 12, 2019. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/connecticut-man-accused-threatening-kill-trump-62991441

Bomb threats

The explosive device charge against Gravalle pertains to bomb threats that he sent to the White House addressed to President Trump and to the Islamic Center of New London. The threatening letters allegedly stated, "You die" and were laced with baby powder that easily could have been mistaken for Anthrax.

What is Anthrax?

Anthrax is a deadly bacterial disease that is caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis and afflicts cattle and sheep. It can be spread to humans. Cattle and sheep that are afflicted with the disease have to be destroyed because there is no known cure for the disease; although human victims of the deadly disease have been treated with the antibiotics doxycycline and ciprofloxacin with limited success.

Anthrax has been used as a weapon by terrorists. Baby powder, which looks like the white, powdery substance that contains Anthrax, sometimes is used by terrorists to incite fear in threatening letters. In this case, one such intended recipient of a baby powder/Anthrax hoax was President Trump.

Gravelle's prior conviction

Gravelle was convicted of sending threatening letters in 2013. More recently, he has been in custody since September 2018 for violating the terms of his probation.

Seriousness of threatening the President

Threatening the President of the United States, or a candidate for President, is a federal felony violation under the United States Code Title 18, Section 871. The key to conviction is whether the subject "knowingly and willfully" made such threats. Such threats are investigated by the Secret Service and are classified as political offenses. Subjects who are convicted under Title 18, Section 871 can look forward to many years or even decades of incarceration in federal prison.

-Kevin McClarty, Political Issues Forum 2019

Could Modesto have a Shriner's Hospital? Something special for Central California?

Modesto's new Valley Children's Hospital provides services for children who are suffering from a wide variety of serious illnesses, including cancer, leukemia, heart disease, neurological illnesses, blood diseases and more. We are very glad to have Valley Children's Hospital, which is on Pelandale Avenue, in Modesto. Many observers, including this commentator, believe that such a hospital is long overdue for Modesto and the Valley.

As the Valley Children's Hospital opens up, the question arises as to what other kinds of services for children potentially could be offered in Modesto. What could Modesto do to ensure that children with orthopedic diseases and injuries could be provided services, as well as children with cleft palates, burns, and spinal cord injuries? Could Modesto see to it that such services are provided to children regardless of ability to pay?

A Shriner's Hospital for Modesto

As many readers already know, there is a hospital that can provide such services, and for free to the parents of children who cannot afford to pay for them or who lack adequate health insurance. It is called Shriner's Hospital and it is run by the 149 year old Shriner's International. The closest Shriner's Hospital to Modesto is in Sacramento and that is fine for children in Northern California from Stockton to the Oregon border.

But how about Central California, from Modesto to Visalia? Shouldn't children from this area have a Shriner's Hospital of their own? Shouldn't the children of Central California be able to seek services in a city that is much closer to their local area?

What could the City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors do to entice Shriner's International to build a hospital in Modesto?

Fund raising

Of course, if Modesto is going to request that Shriner's International build a hospital in Modesto, it is going to have to demonstrate that funds can be raised for the project. Funds can be raised in a variety of ways: concerts, Executive dinners, the internet, auctions, radio and television advertising, art shows, car shows, etc.. Also, benefactors can be contacted, including major local employers and manufacturers.

Of course, it goes without saying that Modesto would not have to raise all of the money for the construction of a Shriner's Hospital in Modesto. But if Modesto were to take the initiative and demonstrate that sizable amounts of money can be raised for the project, Shriner's International most likely would be agreeable to building a hospital here. With that in mind, this commentator is suggesting that the City get started on the fund raising project right away to demonstrate that money can be raised for the construction of the hospital.

A Central California gem

To this observer, it appears that Modesto's future entails being a Central California gem in the middle of the state. By virtue of its location in the center of the state, Modesto should be someplace very special, and it should stand out. And it should have a Shriner's Hospital.

Other cities like Stockton and Sacramento are special because of their proximity to major waterways. But Modesto is special too by virtue of its location. As this commentator has stated before, Modesto very desperately needs to attract airline service as well. It is not that difficult to envision that once Modesto again has reliable airline service, that it will be in a position to attract major medical facilities like Shriner's Hospital or even a University of California (UC) Medical Center.

This dream is possible and it is within our reach. We simply need some high-spirited, motivated and committed Modestans to work diligently to bring it to fruition. Do you have any spare time on your hands? Go Shriner's!

Driving on black ice: Safety tips and advice

OK, now that the snow, sleet and rain are temporarily gone, it is time to review how to drive on black ice. Black ice, which actually is not black but transparent, is a very thin but dangerous coating of ice that forms on the surfaces of roads at night and in the early morning when the temperatures are most likely below freezing.

Black ice can form after a rainstorm just as easily as it can after a snowstorm or sleet storm. All that is necessary for it to form is that the ground is below freezing, and that is not at all unlikely this time of year. There usually is no way that you can spot black ice visually or ahead of time; although sometimes it can appear as a "sheet of glass" at night in the moonlight. You usually don't know that black ice is there until you come upon it and your car spins, slides or does a 180 degree, "doughnut spin."

So what are the black ice rules of the road?

First of all, drive slowly if you suspect black ice is on the roadway. (If it is below freezing after a snowstorm, rain storm or sleet storm, or even during a foggy evening or morning, there most likely is black ice on the roadway).

Secondly, drive at a safe distance from the car in front of you. Remember to slowly count to 10 as you pace your distance and then stay at that distance as you drive. (You can do this by starting to count as the car in front of you passes a road sign. You should not come to that sign for at least 10 seconds or more after the car in front of you passes that sign. If you come across it sooner, then slow down and pace your distance again).

Thirdly, do not pump your brakes, especially if you have antilock brakes. Depress your brake pedal and hold it down. The antilock braking system will pump the brakes for you, and much more safely than you can do it. (If you do not have antilock brakes, consult your driving manual for advice on braking in black ice conditions).

Fourth, do not turn opposite a skid. If your car skids, slowly turn your vehicle in the direction of the skid and wait for your car to regain traction. Once it does, you can steer your car the opposite direction and resume driving straight.

Fifth, if you can, pull over and wait for the sun to melt the black ice in the morning. Listen to the Road Conditions FM radio stations that broadcast road and weather conditions 24 hours a day. Follow the advice provided by those stations.

Sixth, keep the air in your tires to manufacturers' specifications. Regularly rotate your tires and be sure that the tires have enough tread on them to attain adequate traction on the roadways.  
Carry these things with you in winter conditions:

1) Chains, even if you have an all-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive vehicle.

2) Extra sweaters, jackets, gloves, blankets and ear muffs in case you have to spend time outside in the elements because of a breakdown or accident.

3) Bottled water in case you are "snowed in" or stranded on the roadway or the side of the road.

4) A tire iron in case your car ends up submerged in water and you have to break the windows to get out of the car.

5) A flashlight with extra batteries.

6) A fully charged cell phone. Remember to set your "Location" to the "On" position in case you are lost so that the rangers and state troopers can find you!!!!

7) A fully packed First Aid kit in case of injury.

8) A working jack in the event of a flat tire. A universal jack is best in most cases.

9) A shovel in the event that you have to dig yourself and/or your car out of the snow.

10) Your common sense and good judgment. Don't ever leave those at home or you can have real problems!.

Remember that winter driving is very dangerous, even for the most experienced and professional drivers. Do not drive in black ice conditions or in bad snowstorms or rainstorms when you are in a hurry or under the influence of alcohol. It simply is not worth the risk.

You can pick up brochures on winter driving at most California Highway Patrol offices or at some State Park and National Park ranger stations. Drive safely, give yourself plenty of time, don't speed in black ice conditions, and remember this: Only you are responsible for your own driving!