Saturday, March 13, 2010

"Morning Papers" - Its Origins



The Rooster

"Okeydoke"

The American Road is sadly out of control. How peole know they dan lose the license going 20 mph over the speed limit in many states?

If the States are to afford drivers the privilege of seeking a return of their driver's license after having been permanently revoked, they have to give them a fighting chance.

The American Road has become a vastly more dangerous method of transportation than was ever bargained for by the public.

How many people actually stop to realize that if for some reason their speeding car isn't impervious to a crash, the actual damage that will occur could be the loss of their lives. How careless have we become when we don't value our own lives over the speed of the cars we are driving? Or value the lives to the children that are passengers.

When did a speed limit of 65 mph actually mean it is 'legally' safe to travel up to 70 mph without attracting attention? When did a road speed of less than 15 mph become okay so long as it doesn't add points to the 'insurance' after all a driver can sustain 12 points before they have to get serious about their driving privilege.

Why is it the drivers traveling the speed limit are an annoyance? Why are the legal drivers always found it the 'slow lane?'

When does a barreling truck mean 'get out of the way' to allow their progress, rather than calling 911 for an out of control roadway?


Just because the economy has provided record television audiences for the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards, doesn't mean the accident rate has improved because the drivers are handling their vehicles more safely. It might actually mean that the cost of gasoline is simply so outrageous for today's domestic budget, people are actually driving less.

My experience on the open road is no different today than recent years past. The On Ramp is a game of acceleration to find 'an in,' the Middle Lane is the traveling lane and it requires at least 5 MPH faster than the posted speed limit and the Fast Lane is Dead Man's Passing Zone.

The On Ramp is suppose to be the lane to accelerate enough to make it safely into traffic that is probably slower than the posted speed limit. The Middle Lane is for passing the drivers that aren't doing the speed limit and the 'Fast Lane' is suppose to be for doing the speed limit.

NOW.

What exactly seems to be the problem and why are returning drivers feeling defeated before they get started. All they have to do is occur 3 points to their license by going one mile per hour over the speed limit and they AGAIN lose the privilege to drive. It is very easy to lose one's place in 'the speed limit' when the pressure is on to move more quickly down the road.

Obeying the laws of the road, respecting the engineering purchased by the taxpayers and living to see old age should have a higher priority than speeding to the SECOND or THIRD JOB when one might not live to see their paycheck.

Enough.

Lack of enforcement provides permission for more than just speeding.


Insurance commissioner Steve Poizner, who's running for the Republican nomination for governor of California, announced over the weekend that 21-year-old Jay Xi Chen and 29-year-old sister, Tracy Chen Chen, have been charged by the San Bernardino County District Attorney's office with six counts and one count respectively of filing false claims.

Speeding may be to blame for deadly St. Louis accident - click here

Enforcement in School Zones should be by Camera. Texting not allowed.



The attention to driving isn't with the driver anymore. It is more important to be multi-tasking rather than paying attention to the road. There are flashing lights at traffic signs when school is in session and children can be around, there should be traffic cams to accompany the flashing lights.

Drivers have lost their 'presence of mind' when it comes to speed laws.



It is the driver's responsibility to be aware of the posted speed limit. (click title to entry - thank you) The maximum speed limit is 65 miles per hour on rural interstates, 55 miles per hour on interstate highways near or in major cities and on other highways, and 30 miles per hour in an urban area unless some other speed restriction is established. The maximum speed limit outside an urban district for a house car, camper, private living coach, vehicle licensed as a recreational vehicle, any vehicle towing any other vehicle, and vehicles of the second division designed or used for the carrying of a gross weight of 8,001 pounds or more, is 55 miles per hour....

Highway On Ramps are supposed to be a test of an engine from 0 to 60 mph



And an Off Ramp isn't suppose to be a testing ground for brake systems.

How much do these measures word and how often are they applied?



While it is the responsibility for police to enforce the law, why waste their valuable time and endanger their lives on routine traffic stops for speeding? Why aren't their automatic speed monitors along all the highways of the USA? If weigh stations can use radar to detect issues with trucks and 'weigh as they go' there is no reason why radar can't be used to monitor speeds on highways.

The income to the State and Local governments would be helpful and effortless. The traffic cams can send the tickets and the maintenance can do regular calibration tests. What is everyone waiting for? These should be high priority projects and more than shovel ready. It expands the tax base as well as enforcing the laws.

Road designs and engineering do not accommodate excess speed over the limit.




Much road engineering and speed limit design refers to the "85th percentile of vehicle speed". What does it mean and why is it important? (click title to entry - thank you)

Since when do speed limits only apply to 'the slow lane.'



...Nearly every highway in the world has a posted speed limit. (click title to entry - thank you) However, anyone who drives a car knows that the posted speed limits are ignored by a large number of drivers. These speeding drivers often drive recklessly at a speed well over the posted speed limit. These speeding drivers are the cause of countless accidents each year, resulting in a substantial number of injuries and fatalities. The only system in place today to catch or stop such speeding drivers is the presence of police officers, whether on the highway in their cars, overhead in helicopters or in some countries, the use of fixed cameras or the like. The police often use doppler radar or laser guns to check the speed of cars. However, the number of speeding drivers far outnumber the number of law enforcement officials dedicated to enforcing the posted speed limits. Furthermore, the speeders are often equipped with laser or doppler radar detectors, and are thus often able to evade police detection....

For the drivers that are asking for a second chance to restore their 'priviledge' under the law....



...the driving conditions on the roads of the nation are hostile to their best outcomes.

The restoration laws of Michigan which appear below are simply an example. Every State in the country of the USA needs to enforce their speed limits and give those seeking restoration a chance to succeed.

The pressure to exceed the speed limit on the roads of the USA is very high. It is time to SLOW them down.

...Under MCL 257.323(4), habitual offender license revocations can be set aside by the Circuit Court only if the petitioner's substantial rights had been prejudiced because the Departmental determination was:

  • In violation of the Constitution of the United States, the State constitution of 1963, or a statute.
  • In excess of the Secretary of State's statutory authority or jurisdiction.
  • Made upon unlawful procedure resulting in material prejudice to the petitioner.
  • Not supported by competent, material, and substantial evidence on the whole record.
  • Arbitrary, capricious, or clearly an abuse, or unwarranted exercise, of discretion.
  • Affected by other substantial and material error of law.

As can be seen, the intent is to make offenders exhaust their administrative remedies. The Circuit Court must affirm the action of the agency or grant full license restoration. MCL 257.323(4) makes clear that restricted driving privileges are not available from the Circuit Court...

The nation's speed limits are not being enforced.



Since when, in the USA, does everyone have their own lane?


Abstract (click title to entry - thank you)
The relationship between free travelling speed and the risk of involvement in a casualty crash in a 60 km/h speed limit zone was quantified using a case control study design. The 151 case vehicles were passenger cars involved in crashes in the Adelaide metropolitan area which were investigated at the scene by the NHMRC Road Accident Research Unit and reconstructed using the latest computer aided crash reconstruction techniques. The 604 control vehicles were passenger cars matched to the cases by location, direction of travel, time of day, and day of week and their speeds were measured with a laser speed gun. It was found that the risk of involvement in a casualty crash doubled with each 5 km/h increase in free travelling speed above 60 km/h. Hypothetical speed reductions applied to the case vehicles indicated large potential safety benefits from even small reductions in travelling speed, particularly on arterial roads.



It's Saturday Night

"Speed Trap" by Hoyt Axton

I'm the cop in a little bitty town and i don't get much pay
Oh but i caught seventeen out of state cars and four of my friends today
Yeah i let the hometown boys go home they paid five dollars bail
Oh but all the drivers in the out of state cars had to go to jail

Well they hollered and they moaned and they cried and they groaned
They all swore that they'd sue
But the judge was high and so was i and we needed the money too

Yeah the judge and me got a deal you see we split the money fair
Except for thirty percent to the county seat to keep the law out of our hair

And old charlie's working out real good
Down at the corner store where the red light is
He sees them out of state plates two blocks away
And when they get right up on top of that green light
Old charlie pushes that secret button underneath the corner drugstore counter
That yellow light only lasts for a tenth of a second

Oh the county pays me about forty a week ain't that the living end
If it wasn't for them tourists in them out of state cars i'd have no look to spend
But the way it stands this year so far i've made a hundred thou
For a high school dropout i'm a doin' fine
I make more than the president now
Of course he's honest

So if you're driving down the road and flashing lights you see
If they're on a top of a red rolls royce you can bet your boots it's me
Cause i'm the cop in a little bitty town and i'd sure like to see
All the drivers in them out of state cars try to get by me

The problem with the lack of movement in the Senate is NOT the Constitution. It is weakened and ineffective Ethics Rules.

Below is the bigoted response of the jerks in the country that will use every available form of infrastructure to try to destroy the USA Constitution and the people that love it the most.

The Senate and House Ethics Committees are supposed to uphold the integrity of the USA Constitution as it defines the role of elected officials.

When people are elected to office they are suppose to be in DC to do the work of the people. When that doesn't happen it is not entirely up to the electorate to be able to police their own representatives. After the election they are mostly out of reach of the control of the people. At least for the term they are elected.

The electorate are suppose to vote in elections and have peace of mind to their best interests as being addressed. By allowing the Ethic's panels' back bone to slip too much, the definition of the role of elected officials has been eroded. Missing votes and basically using the office for the purpose of power plays to accumulate wealth is not the purpose of government.

Currently, the 'integrity' of the vote is being undermined by obstructionists that don't want to address the needs and impending emergency of the people.

The Ethics Committees have lost their clout to enforce the integrity of 'the vote' and 'the office.' They seek to penalize charges that which are criminal and not just negligent.

When obstructionists are the rule of the day, the Treasury of the people is being wasted and the timeliness of legislation is being circumvented for minority domination of the process. That is grossly negligent of the office of which they were elected and the country of which they took an oath.

If the Congress can't police itself to the 'integrity' of its function, then the USA Constitution does not have a good defender. It is time to look at 'ethics' the way ethics is suppose to be applied. Ethics is not a court of law and while criminality has its place within the ethics process, the 'purpose' of the ethics panels far exceeds that of criminal behavior. Ethics is suppose to defend the dignity of the USA Constitution and how the provisions within that document are upheld to serve the best interest of the people.

In the years 2006 and 2008 the Legislature and Executive Branch received a mandate from the people of the USA to proceed with changing the face of the fabric of the USA as it relates to the economy. That does not only mean controlling the private sector 'enough' to prevent damage to the sovereignty of the country, but, also to be sure the private sector SERVES the best interest of the people. There is no reason to have a private sector if it does not provide 'goods and services' to the people and provide a contribution to the tax base of the USA.

If the Legislative Branch of the government is not serving the people as it should and protecting the people even from toxic propaganda, the USA Constitution is not being defended in way that matters. It is up to the Legislative Branch of the USA government to police the dignity of the USA Constitution when it comes to the members that serve the people. I believe there are rules that need to be reviewed to facilitate that process.



Judge rejects Montco lawyer's bid to have Obama removed from ballot (click title to entry - thank you)

continued...

The White House needs feedback on the COBRA provision of ARRA



The Health Care Industry as well as citizens need to let the President and their Senators and Representatives how it is going with the COBRA subsidy and extension.

Because, I am not hearing any complaints.

It has been over a year since ARRA has been assisting Americans to keep their health care insurance. There are millions of adults and children benefiting from that. That means there are hospitals and providers, including physicians, that have not gone into bankruptcy after the economic collapse and have been receiving revenues even if those covered haven't been able to pay all their co-pays and deductibles.

And how about the Governors of the States? Are they finding relief in knowing their citizens have been able to maintain their insurance rather than enrolling in subsidized health care.

This effort by the Obama Administration and the Democratic House and Senate has saved the nation a great deal of trouble. They have saved families from falling 'outside' the health care system and subscribing to voodoo for their health care coverage.

SO.

How is everyone doing? I think it is time to hear from those that received the benefit either directly or indirectly.

I might add, the EXTENSION was necessary because the House and Senate didn't complete the bill by the requested dates of the President. He simply hates for people to suffer unduly because folks in the Legislature are OBSTRUCTED from carrying forward much needed reform for the nation.

Nancy Pelosi is doing a great job. Is the current health care bill before the House too centrist?

The current bill before the House is actually far more Right than even Centrist. The House should pass the bill. There is nothing to be lost by passing the Senate Health Care bill.

If I may?

If anyone believes the current Senate Bill is a far Left bill, then they have been listening to too much propaganda. The bill is very conservative. The reason it is conservative is because the Chair of the Senate Finance Committee worked closely with the Republicans on his committee and brought forward a bill that could be passed.

Senator Baucus stated at the presentation of the Senate Finance Health Care Bill that the bill was a bill that would pass, not necessarily satisfy any philosophy. As time wore on in the Senate after his bill was presented he realized he was played for a fool. There is a lot for the Senate to consider when Reconciliation (click title to entry - thank you) comes around this time.



...“The Senate (click here) may have to figure out whether it wants its abortion position or if it wants a health care bill," Doerflinger said in a recent interview. "That’s the difficult decision (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi made, and she chose a health care bill. The Senate decided it could have its cake and eat it, too. That is no longer true. Something’s going to have to give.”...

The abortion aspect of the bill, even if passed, will hurt the Anti-Abortion Lobby and they simply don't realize it. The Stupack-Pitts Amendment (click here) was very poorly crafted. Pass the bill, as is.

All the so-called Chicago Style Politics that have been affectionately named as The Corn Husker Kick Back, the Louisiana Purchase and the Gatorade Amendment were written because the people that were opposed to the bill had to come up with a way to 'embarrass' the Democrats enough to keep their seats in the House and they won't be back anyway.

The 'politicians' that insisted on the increase in federal support for Medicaid and the exclusion of eliminating Medicare Advantage from Florida had to 'come up' with a reason why they opposed the bill in order to save their careers currently and 'reserve' the possibility the bill would not pass. There is no reason to oppose a health care bill, it is irresponsible for any Senator or House Representative to oppose sincere and well written health care reform. They could be impeachable or in violation of ethics rules if they refuse to do their jobs.

Chicago Style Politics isn't about corruption, it is about finding out what the issue is that is preventing people from voting for VITAL legislation. No one in either party can state and haven't stated that reform is not necessary. Both majority parties ADMIT health care is long overdue for an overhaul. With that settled there is no COMPETENT reason to oppose well written and thoughtful legislation.

We have witnessed the Republican members of the Senate Finance Committee stab Senator Baucus in the back while Joe Lieberman acted in protectionism of the Insurance Companies in his state. The problems with the Health Care Reform Bill is not about its content or necessity, it is about the 'gaming' that is occurring while political 'hay' is being made with it.

This bill eliminates corruption by eliminating Medicare Advantage. One of the most corrupt States in the lower 48 when it comes to legal actions against Medicare Advantage is Florida. Whomever is demanding it remain for that State is trying to obstruct the bill.

There are NO Back Room Deals. I think we all know what is going on quite frankly.

The Emergency Amendment requested is not a bad idea, however, it is in the "W"rong place. It belongs with Homeland Security under a separate bill that empowers FEMA to perform the necessary measures as outlined in the amendment.

At this point, I am going to coin a phrase from Former President Bill Clinton, "I choose to not be helpful." The House needs to listen to their Speaker and pass the bill. I'll be happy to critique it after the President signs it.

Adults behaving badly. There are children involved. I don't believe any tape is going to serve the purpose of upholding their integrity.

The truth of the matter is evasive and at this point there is no real truth that will hold water. Why the tape in the first place and why was it left conveniently behind by Hunter? The 'threat' of any tape looms large to realize John Edwards was a Presidential hopeful and if elected would carry a lot of leverage in ways that only the imagination holds domaine.

The FACT is that there are children as innocent bystanders and they need protection from irresponsible adults that saw dollar signs, power and prestige as the reward at the end of the rainbow. I am afraid THAT fact speaks more loudly about the American 'social condition' than one wants to admit.

If there is any nobility to be reaped out of these taudry circumstances, it is the court has an obligation to protect the innocent and shield the children from a reputation harmed by the actions of greed by the adult participants.


Andrew Young, former aide to former Senator John Edwards (click title to entry - thank you), and his wife Cheri Young listen to the prosecutions' arguments during a hearing at the Chatham County Superior Court House in Pittsboro, N.C., Tuesday, March 9, 2010. (AP Photo/Sara D. Davis)