Thursday, May 02, 2013

Kentucky Derby actually has a controversy this year. Baffert ain't in it and his horses have been dying.

By Ed Zieralski
7:42 P.M.APRIL 10, 2013
Updated7:57 P.M.

Reports (click here) have surfaced linking Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert to having as many as seven horses on a list of 36 horses that have died suddenly of cardiac arrest or aneurysms in the last two years in California....

...U-T San Diego also has requested necropsy information from all race horses that have died in the last 18 months in California. The CHRB reports that 19 horses died acutely from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. Baffert trained four of them. And thus far in the fiscal year that ends June 30, 17 horses have died suddenly. Baffert trained three of them, including a 5-year-old mare that died last month at Hollywood Park, according to the reports....

...Paulick didn’t name the trainers, but he said trainers “with more than 30 years of experience” told him they hadn’t lost more than three horses to sudden death in their entire careers....


Bob Baffert took Super Ninety Nine (click here) out of contention for the Kentucky Derby, thinking the horse isn't competitive enough.

Baffert had five potential horses for the Derby. They have all been pulled from the competition. Horses are known to run or work themselves to death. They don't have a good gauge to find their point of exhaustion until it is too late. They have strong muscles that can increase unrealistic on the heart. Equine collapse is a known problem when they are asked to out perform their capacity.

Kentucky Derby Rankings: (click here) Bob Baffert won’t have horse in field as Governor Charlie and Code West are withdrawn

Revolutionary still remains on top having worked well at Churchill Downs this week and will look to give jockey Calvin Borel his fourth career Derby winner.

By Jerry Bossert

April 30, 2013

...Govenor Charlie, who won the Sunland Derby on March 24 by five lengths, missed some training after coming up with a sore foot and will now be pointed for the May 18 Preakness, while Code West will be aimed for the June 8 Belmont Stakes....

It was about this time last year when an HBO Series was cancelled because horses were dying.



Updated 3/15/2012 12:39 PM
LOS ANGELES (AP) – The horse racing series Luck (click here) was canceled by HBO after a third thoroughbred died during production of the series starring Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte, the channel said Wednesday....

..."While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen and it is impossible to guarantee they won't in the future," the channel said. "Accordingly, we have reached this difficult decision."...

If I were doing the necropsies, I'd be looking for 'acquired' vs. 'genetic' cardiomyopathy, inbreeding, ratio of cardiac muscle to skeletal muscle, muscle maturity for age, over developed muscle (both cardiac and skeletal), hydration at time of death and drugs.



GOLDENCENTS GIVES O'NEILL GOOD FEELING FOR DERBY (click here)

GARY GRAVES AP Sports Writer Published: 
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Back at Churchill Downs for the first time since winning the Kentucky Derby with I'll Have Another, trainer Doug O'Neill is thinking about winning another one.
And why not?
This time around, the trainer has Goldencents, who like I'll Have Another, comes into the Saturday's Derby off a victory in the Santa Anita Derby.
"It's great to be back," O'Neill said. "It's wonderful looking at the twin spires and dreaming of what could be coming on May 4."
Goldencents has O'Neill looking forward to Saturday, especially after the 3-year-old colt took his first jog around the track. A day after making the cross-country flight from California, the colt co-owned by Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino jogged a leisurely mile with exercise rider Jonny Garcia aboard. Jockey Kevin Krigger looked on....


04/28/2013 6:38PM

Normandy Invasion gives Tapit solid Derby chance (click here)

Some of the Veteran suicide rate may be linked to a larger trend in the USA.


The graph compares 1999 to 2010. Those years were primarily dominated by a nation at war and economic hardship.

The nation's discourse also changed during that time. The 'tone' of the country because more harsh and heartless. The culture of fear and violence also has to be considered with this statistic. A culture of violence 'gives permission' for suicide.

By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer 
May 2, 2013
Updated: May 2, 2013 2:04pm

NEW YORK (AP) — The suicide rate among middle-aged Americans (click here) climbed a startling 28 percent in a decade, a period that included the recession and the mortgage crisis, the government reported Thursday.
The trend was most pronounced among white men and women in that age group. Their suicide rate jumped 40 percent between 1999 and 2010.
But the rates in younger and older people held steady. And there was little change among middle-aged blacks, Hispanics and most other racial and ethnic groups.
Why did so many middle-aged whites — that is, those who are 35 to 64 years old — take their own lives?...

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (click here)

CDC Statistics (click here)


Mortality

All suicides

  • Number of deaths: 38,364
  • Deaths per 100,000 population: 12.4
  • Cause of death rank: 10

Firearm suicides

  • Number of deaths: 19,392
  • Deaths per 100,000 population: 6.3

Suffocation suicides

  • Number of deaths: 9,493
  • Deaths per 100,000 population: 3.1

Poisoning suicides

  • Number of deaths: 6,599
  • Deaths per 100,000 population: 2.1

Just a word about GRANDFATHERING.

In the year 2013, it is about two aspects of the USA. Basically. 

The first is historic and can be deemed "The Right of Passage." Sentiment of generations. Heritage. Passing skill and understanding from generation to generation. Some of it is frivolous, some is for museums, some is structurally important to our nation.

The other is economy. Example:

Today the USA Congress passed a bill outlawing corporations to rid the country of the decision by the Supreme Court entitled, "Citizens United." The bill is being signed before midnight by the President and will go into effect immediately.

That is a huge leap and would have heavy impact on the USA economy, UNLESS, the existing corporations were 'grandfathered' by the legislation due to a constitutional amendment. 

The grandfathering would provide stability to the USA economy and it's allies and trade partners while the FUTURE was molded. 

Just food for thought.

More definitions to the Assault Weapons Ban Amendment.

Everyone knows Senator Tomey was more than correct when he stated there are federal legislators voting against laws and asking for 60 vote majorities because they hate the President. That isn't obvious. It is all too obvious. It is amazing to watch McConnell being lead around by the nose without a nose ring by the Tea Party. He is spineless.

There are modifications for handguns that can create a military style weapon:

Threaded barrels made to attach a barrel extender, handgrip or flash suppressor

A barrel shroud that can be used as a handhold

Weight of at least 50 oz. when unloaded (Weight helps stabilize the gun when firing rounds off rapidly.) 

To the right is an M60. It is the upper limits of the weight of a gun that can be carried. Needless to say the soldier is very 'fit' to carry out the defense of his country. But this weapon can be belt fed in an instance which give the gunman an advantage. When the gunman goes from standing to lying on the ground, the weight of the gun stabilizes his position and makes the gun a better weapon. When on the ground the gun literally can stand and operate on it's own with only a pull of the trigger by the gunman. A handgun, by design, cannot do that, but, can be manipulated to be an M60 through add-ons.

The point is why is a person purchasing the gun. That is what it comes down to when the sale is made. In the USA there is an understanding when a gun is being used in and appropriate and lawful ways. There just is and to realize a person purchases a gun from the manufacturer for a particular reason and then fashions it into something else is heinous. Most persons that try to do that don't do it well. 

``(41) The term `folding, telescoping (below), or detachable stock' means a stock that folds, telescopes, detaches or otherwise operates to reduce the length, size, or any other dimension, or otherwise enhances the concealability, of a firearm.


``(42) The term `forward grip' means a grip located forward of the trigger that functions as a pistol grip.

New - Lage Max-Pul Forward Grip Assembly for the AR15 (click here)



``(43) The term `rocket' means any simple or complex tubelike device containing combustibles that on being ignited liberate gases whose action propels the tube through the air and has a propellant charge of not more than 4 ounces.(Below is an air rifle. It is 'charged' with air or gas to operate the gun. This technology can be applied to semi-automatics to capture a portion of the exhaust gases from the munition explosion and propel ammunition. But, it is just another inappropriate application of science in the civilian realm. Such enhancements need to be limited to warfare to give soldiers a chance to survive the defense of their naition. If the bad guys with a gun, out gun the military, what then is the federal legislature doing to our national security? Click here.)
``(44) The term `grenade launcher or rocket launcher' means an attachment for use on a firearm that is designed to propel a grenade, rocket, or other similar destructive device.(Below - take your pick. I love choice in America, don't you? The one immediately below is a shotgun. Yes, it is. Those are not grenades in their truest sense.)






``(45) The term `permanently inoperable' means a firearm which is incapable of discharging a shot by means of an explosive and incapable of being readily restored to a firing condition.

That is just a definition. (Below is an incinerator. The final frontier for permanently inoperable.)


``(46) The term `pistol grip' means a grip, a thumbhole stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip.(Below - There is a reason why jargon calls them "Butt-stocks.")
``(47) The term `threaded barrel' means a feature or characteristic that is designed in such a manner to allow for the attachment of a device such as a firearm silencer or a flash suppressor.(below - click here for everything you wanted to know about "The Threaded Barrel" but was afraid to ask.) A simple screw and the variety of reigning death prevails. Those 'springy things' are RECOIL springs.


``(48) The term `qualified law enforcement officer' has the meaning given the term in section 926B of title 18, United States Code. (click here)

(b) This section shall not be construed to supersede or limit the laws of any State that—
(c) As used in this section, the term “qualified law enforcement officer” means an employee of a governmental agency who—
(1) is authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and has statutory powers of arrest or apprehension under section 807 (b) of title10, United States Code (article 7(b) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice);
(2) is authorized by the agency to carry a firearm;
(3) is not the subject of any disciplinary action by the agency which could result in suspension or loss of police powers;
(4) meets standards, if any, established by the agency which require the employee to regularly qualify in the use of a firearm;
(5) is not under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or substance; and
(6) is not prohibited by Federal law from receiving a firearm.
``(49) The term `grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon' means any semiautomatic assault weapon the importation, possession, sale, or transfer of which would be unlawful under section 922(v) but for the exception under paragraph (2) of such section.

"Slate" had an interesting critique of the Amendment. It does improve the restrictions and granted doesn't go as far as it should to many, but, in all honesty there is a limit to what is 'grandfathered.' It is called the Fifteenth Amendment to the USA Constitution. (click here for legal understanding) But, the article by Slate is more than interesting for a modern day perspective.

...What’s more, (click here) the bill grandfathered in every existing semi-automatic weapon “lawfully possessed at the date of the bill’s enactment.” That’s millions and millions of rifles and handguns. Granted, it would be impractical to try and confiscate millions of guns that have been legally purchased....

``(50) The term `belt-fed semiautomatic firearm' means any repeating firearm that--(below - meet Stan and George, the nice men at the York -Toyota Expo including the gun show) Kindly note the use of plastic belt loops. They are there to make the danger of the gun null and void. It is that simple to stop the misuse of a gun. Everyone knows how near impossible it is to remove these belt loops with a cutting tool. They are used in law enforcement to handcuff human beings. The guns are secured that easily without damage to the weapon. At this point anyone who has followed this reading of the law can identify the dangerous parts of these guns. It is all there. It is good legislation. The definitions are complete. Senator Feinstein is an excellent legislator.

I have to point out the gun at the end of the You Tube film loop. It is a 'dummy gun' according to George. "Anyone can buy this, you don't need ID, etc." That means dummy guns can be purchased by anyone, taken home or to the office or storage facility and then made less dum with modifications. The business end of the gun is intact. George and Stan know that. So, are they really nice men? Not in my definition. It lacks moral content.



``(A) utilizes a portion of the energy of a firing cartridge to extract the fired cartridge case and chamber the next round;

Guns don't fire without energy. Energy is POTENTIAL (stored) when they are assembled and there is KINETIC (motion) energy when the finger pulls the trigger. Definition of Potential and Kinetic energy, click here.

There are arts and science in construction of weapons. The ART is the understanding of the intangible. The SCIENCE is the application of the intangible to the tangible. These modifications are a bit of engineering, aren't they? All those dynamics have to be put into words to effect good and sufficient legislation.

``(B) requires a separate pull of the trigger to fire each cartridge; and

``(C) has the capacity to accept a belt ammunition feeding device.''.

This ends the section on definitions. The amendment tomorrow. Thank you for your interest.

Six year old human beings needs supervision. There is no way this shooting of a 2 year old was an accident, it was negligent homicide.

It is an act of negligence by the government to recognized unsupervised access to any gun by a child as an accident. This was not an accident.

Six year old children are not foals that walk in an hour after birth. They aren't weaned into autonomy at the age of one year old. This is parental indulgence that is deadly. There is not anything else to say. That gun, when unsupervised, should have been locked out of the reach of a six year old child; either by a cabinet with a lock or a gun lock. This is outrageous. Absolutely outrageous that the law allows such horrors in this society.

Above is a bicycle lock for guns. It doesn't get easier than this. A gun is locked to a secure object so it cannot be carried. It sells online for $13.95. If a parent can purchase or receive as a gift a "Cricket My First Gun" at the cost of $200.00 they can afford a lock to secure the gun when the child is not supervised. I don't care of the mother stepped outside for a moment, a lot can occur when a parent is not attentive for a moment, this is negligence to the highest degree by a parent.

The 5 or 6 year old will live with the knowledge he killed his sister the rest of his life. What does anyone think that is going to do to his life and the our society?
Behavior and Discipline
As 6-year-old children become more independent and increasingly begin to want more control over the things that affect them such as what they wear and eat or how they spend their time, behavior problems can sometimes surface. They may naturally try to test limits and boundaries as they explore their newly-developing identities as bigger kids. For parents, this can mean dealing more with typical 6-year-old behavior problems such as defiance or back talk.
At the same time, 6-year-olds are still young children who haven't yet left behaviors such as tantrums and whining behind them. Typical of this age, parents can expect to see some regressive behavior alternating with more "big-kid" abilities, such as being able to concentrate and listen quietly for a longer period of time at school or handling more complicated chores at home.
With love and consistent discipline and guidance, parents can help their 6-year-old child weather the changes that can affect behavior. By being patient and giving your child room to make mistakes even as you are clear about your expectations for good behavior, you will help your child overcome behavior problems at home and at school.