Experts Predict That Firearms Deaths Will Surpass Vehicle Deaths

Firearms deaths in Missouri in 2013, the most recent federal data available, surpassed vehicle deaths and significantly, 880 to 781. Unfortunately, this trend is also prevalent in 17 additional states. A Kansas City mom asks, “How did we as a community get to this point and everybody still be OK with it?” This was following the death of her 26-year-old son who was shot and killed in his K.C. apartment. But the scary part is that this is a trend and some experts "predict that for the first time in decades, firearms will kill more people nationwide this year than motor vehicles." Gun deaths are down about 15 percent from their 1990s peak, however there is a slow growth of firearm deaths nationwide over the last decade. Over the years from 1972 to 2013 vehicle deaths dropped to 35,612 from 54,589. This was due to consumer highway campaigns to make the driving experience safer. Sadly, today's gun culture refuses to take a lesson from this success.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article9311399.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article9311399.html#storylink=cpy

Tea Party Says Gay Marriage Goal to Eradicate Christianity

The Tea Party crazies are at it again. This time it's one of the top conservative fruitcakes, Phyllis Schlafly, saying that gay marriage advocates are targeting Christian businesses to "wipe out" the Christian religion. As reported in the Tea Party Newsletter, these Christian businesses are the objective of gays but not Muslims, Hindus and businesses of other faiths. Could it be that these other faiths don't have the big mouths that Christianity, backed by the blowhard Tea Party and various radicals on the religious right? People want their rights and the LGBT community is willing to go after them, and I feel sure most of the American public agrees, it isn't right to not to sell a wedding cake to a couple just because they are gay.

Can a Hacker Take Over Control of a Plane?

A cyber-security consultant by the name of Chris Roberts says he could have taken over the controls on a United Airlines flight from Denver to Chicago but didn't. Apparently "Roberts had posted tweets in the past about hacking into the plane he was traveling on and possibly activating the emergency passenger oxygen masks." It would appear that Roberts might have tampered with electronic control boxes under his seat and the seat in front of him connecting to in-flight entertainment systems to do his hacking. But Boeing quickly commented that these systems are isolated from flight and navigation systems.

Roberts claims to have done this 15 to 20 times between 2011 and 2014, and FBI experts think he both had the ability and equipment to get into the planes' flight control systems. He alleges that he "caused one of the airplane engines to climb resulting in a lateral or sideways movement of the plane during one of these flights." Roberts says he used a modified Ethernet cable to connect his laptop to the entertainment flight system electronic control boxes under his seat. The point here is that, if Roberts can do it, terrorists can do it, and it's a given they won't just wave the wings around for show and tell. The plane will end up smashing into a building, or the side of a mountain or at the bottom of the ocean.

Computer security experts have been warning of this possibility for years but, as usual, the business community refuses to act until an incident such as this forces them to, and on many occasions the delays have resulted in death. Unfortunately, it all continues to stem from the bottom line.

BRADY CENTER: GUNS IN HOMES INCREASE CHILDREN DEATHS

In a February report from the Brady Center, they found that suicide by firearm increased among American adolescents for the third consecutive year. Before you gun nuts question the figures, it comes from the latest fatal injury data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You remember the CDC don't you, the organization that has been compiling information on gun violence for years that the National Rifle Assn. would not allow to be released. Well it's out there now and the numbers are appalling. In 2013, suicide by firearm claimed 876 lives among adolescents ages 10 to 19, the highest level since 2001. Most of these youth suicides occur with a gun belonging to a family member, usually a parent. And therein lays the problem: irresponsible parents leaving firearms unsecured so the kids can just fetch them up and blow theirs or their brother or sister's brains all over the couch.

Brady says that parents who think having a gun in the house is a safeguard are missing the point entirely because the CDC data says that having a gun in the home dramatically increases the danger that a child will be shot and killed. Further, the same holds true for preventable accidents and school shootings, including the tragedy at Sandy Hook. It’s usually a gun that belonged to a parent or a relative. This might give some credence to what the NRA is constantly flashing in the face of gun control advocates, that "Guns don't kill, people do."
In this case guns don't kill, feckless gun-owning parents do.

The Brady Center’s analysis of the latest CDC fatal injury data shows:

• States with the most gun deaths (Alaska, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Wyoming) had high rates of gun ownership. Conversely, states with the fewest gun deaths (Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) had low rates of gun ownership.
• In 2013, firearm-related injuries were the second most common cause of death for children and teens ages 1-19. Only motor vehicles were responsible for more deaths among this age group.
• Following a decrease in 2012, the unintentional gun death rate for children and teens rose 15% in 2013.

It's hard to argue with these cold facts but I am sure the gun nuts will.

MOST AGREE THE TIME FOR LEGALIZING MARIJUANA HAS COME

Back as early as 2013, 58% of the public approved of legalizing marijuana. In 2015, Pew Research says 53% favor with 44% against. The question now is what new Atty. General Loretta Lynch will do in response to the urging of the Supreme Court for the Justice Dept. to take a position. Eric Holder before her exclaimed that he wouldn't challenge the states with legal marijuana. But Lynch, in her confirmation hearings, expressed strong views in favor of upholding the federal ban on marijuana. However, she didn't agree with Obama that it was more dangerous than alcohol. In Slate's examination of the first year of legalization (medical and recreational) apparently state teens did not increase their use as predicted. Number of drug related crimes remained steady or dropped. And a significant increase in highway fatalities due to drug us never happened as opponents prophesied. "Retail and medical weed generated more than $60 million in tax and licensing revenue for the state in 2014," much of which went to schools and the regulatory system. So what's the problem and that is something Loretta Lynch will have help decide.

BERNIE SANDERS TAKES EARLY POSITION WITH HILLARY CLINTON

Bernie Sanders has made a strong point in his fight against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. He calls her a newbie when it comes to the left's fight against income inequality. Is that true? Well about a year ago she did come down hard against it at the New American Foundation. She brought it up again this past April. In June of 2014, The Guardian reported that Clinton herself had an income problem and it started with her own income. Recently, the Clintons have reportedly made $30 million on their speeches since the beginning of 2014. It would appear that her populist approach is recent, at least in relation to income inequality, and Bernie Sanders is correct in his portrayal of her as a "newcomer." She, like her husband, Bill Clinton, has mostly chosen the middle of the road position before. In the past that path would most likely lead to getting one elected but this new Progressive awakening makes that need passé.

FINALLY LIBERAL RADIO HAS ITS PUNDIT

Watch out because Bernie Sanders, who for years has graced the airways of the liberal left, has now become a stronger voice due to throwing his hat in the ring for the Democratic nomination for President. It is time someone did battle with the conservative right blowhards, most of which are suffering significant declines in ratings. As an example, Rush Limbaugh has fallen to a dismal 22nd place in New York, 37th in Los Angeles. Sanders says his core audience is, of course, the Democratic Party and he is very consistent in making his point. According to Michael Harrison, editor and publisher of Talkers Magazine, there are some 20 million listeners to Progressive radio and experts say conditions are perfect for Bernie Sanders to get his message out since he is considered Mr. Progressive. Harrison says radio speaks to the grassroots audience and is now "trending back towards 'independent and populist talk.'" Boston-based radio host Jeff Santos said, “It has been 99% a love affair between Bernie Sanders and my audience.” With those numbers, how can you lose?