The Question Thread

[O Really]

Depends on your side. Remember all the discussions in the media about what to call disgraced President Clinton after the impeachment? There were some wild ideas floated.
Remember that their were no discussions about trump. It's either ex or former President.

The bar for what might be considered "disgraced" was much lower back then. We need a new word for Trump.

As to Whelan, I don't necessarily ask that they call him a "disgraced Marine" but just drop the "Marine" part entirely. He was in Marine reserves for several years, then got a bad conduct discharge. That time of his life shouldn't be used to define him now 20 years later. Tonight, I heard him referred to as "businessman and former marine..." His background is suspect at best and the reasons for his numerous visits to Russia are a bit fuzzy. On this visit, he was supposed to be going to a wedding, and he, being familiar with Moscow, was "helping" the wedding party. OK. And he was head of "global security" for BorgWarner, who has no Russian operations. Again, not to unfairly cast aspersions, but I'll bet there are a thousand black guys in US prisons who were sent there with no more direct evidence that that.

[billy.pilgrim]

a thousand?

[O Really]

a thousand?

I don't know - I made that up. But there's a lot of them sitting there because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and no alibi. Not unlike Whelan in Russia.

[Vrede too]

a thousand?

10K? 100K? 1M?

[O Really]

a thousand?

10K? 100K? 1M?

If you believe Innocence Project numbers, there would be about 100,000, of which most are black. That's 5% of 2 million.

https://www.georgiainnocenceproject.org ... 20innocent.

[O Really]

It shouldn't surprise anyone that I'm interested in language, including regional accents, dialect and grammatical conventions. But I've never found a satisfactory answer to this:
Black people throughout the US use an accent/dialect that is similar across all regions. There may be some differences in a Black person's speech from Georgia and New York, but it's way more similar than white people from those areas. One might think it's more genetic than cultural, except that Black people in England and Bermuda speak proper English, without noticeable Black affect.

How do they maintain that cultural speech across regions and local influences?

[Vrede too]

It shouldn't surprise anyone that I'm interested in language, including regional accents, dialect and grammatical conventions. But I've never found a satisfactory answer to this:
Black people throughout the US use an accent/dialect that is similar across all regions. There may be some differences in a Black person's speech from Georgia and New York, but it's way more similar than white people from those areas. One might think it's more genetic than cultural, except that Black people in England and Bermuda speak proper English, without noticeable Black affect.

How do they maintain that cultural speech across regions and local influences?

Various discussions found at: us black dialect

One example, not necessarily the best:
African-American Vernacular English: Variation

Similar, but not uniform.

Social context

... There is near-uniformity of AAVE grammar, despite its vast geographic spread across the whole country. This may be due in part to relatively recent migrations of African Americans out of the American South (see Great Migration and Second Great Migration) as well as to long-term racial segregation that kept Black people living together in largely homogeneous communities.

Misconceptions about AAVE are, and have long been, common, and have stigmatized its use. One myth is that AAVE is grammatically "simple" or "sloppy". However, like all dialects, AAVE shows consistent internal logic and grammatical complexity, and is used naturally by a group of people to express thoughts and ideas. Prescriptively, attitudes about AAVE are often less positive; since AAVE deviates from the standard, its use is commonly misinterpreted as a sign of ignorance, laziness, or both. Perhaps because of this attitude (as well as similar attitudes among other Americans), most speakers of AAVE are bidialectal, being able to speak with more standard English features, and perhaps even a General American accent, as well as AAVE. Such linguistic adaptation in different environments is called code-switching—though Linnes (1998) argues that the situation is actually one of diglossia: each dialect, or code, is applied in different settings. Generally speaking, the degree of exclusive use of AAVE decreases with increasing socioeconomic status (although AAVE is still used by even well-educated African Americans).

Another misconception is that AAVE is the native dialect (or even more inaccurately, a linguistic fad) employed by all African Americans. Wheeler (1999) warns that "AAVE should not be thought of as the language of Black people in America. Many African Americans neither speak it nor know much about it".

Ogbu (1999) argues that the use of AAVE carries racially affirmative political undertones as its use allows African Americans to assert their cultural upbringing. Nevertheless, use of AAVE also carries strong social connotations ...

Is it like all country music sounding the same no matter who is writing/singing it?

[O Really]

The experts are kind. One of the characteristics of AAVE is dropping the last consonant in words and changing some d's to t's. I can accept that as a dialect of equal standing to any other. But the grammar variations, e.g. "that be the one", is just illiterate, even if it's intentional. I wonder if new mothers know that if they name their kid D'vinion and he speaks AAVE he'll have a 8 time chance of going to jail, 70% less lifetime earnings and 25 year lower life expectancy than if she named him James and he spoke standardish language.*

*(I guessed at the exact number from an article I read a couple of years ago, but the impact of the name and dialect is majorly substantial)

[Vrede too]

The experts are kind. One of the characteristics of AAVE is dropping the last consonant in words and changing some d's to t's. I can accept that as a dialect of equal standing to any other. But the grammar variations, e.g. "that be the one", is just illiterate, even if it's intentional. I wonder if new mothers know that if they name their kid D'vinion and he speaks AAVE he'll have a 8 time chance of going to jail, 70% less lifetime earnings and 25 year lower life expectancy than if she named him James and he spoke standardish language.*

*(I guessed at the exact number from an article I read a couple of years ago, but the impact of the name and dialect is majorly substantial)

O Really be a racist foo'.

[O Really]

The experts are kind. One of the characteristics of AAVE is dropping the last consonant in words and changing some d's to t's. I can accept that as a dialect of equal standing to any other. But the grammar variations, e.g. "that be the one", is just illiterate, even if it's intentional. I wonder if new mothers know that if they name their kid D'vinion and he speaks AAVE he'll have a 8 time chance of going to jail, 70% less lifetime earnings and 25 year lower life expectancy than if she named him James and he spoke standardish language.*

*(I guessed at the exact number from an article I read a couple of years ago, but the impact of the name and dialect is majorly substantial)

O Really be a racist foo'.

Maybe so, but the facts are what they are. Another study involved sending identical resumes out for job openings, with the only difference being the name. Guess what name got called in at a significantly higher rate.

[Vrede too]

O Really be a racist foo'.

Maybe so, but the facts are what they are. Another study involved sending identical resumes out for job openings, with the only difference being the name. Guess what name got called in at a significantly higher rate.

You know that I was just yanking your chain in dialect, don't you?

[O Really]

You know that I was just yanking your chain in dialect, don't you?

Of course. But sadly, my observations/comments really would be taken as "racist" by some. They would lecture me on cultural bias and the evils of forced assimilation, yada. And sure, everybody has a right to keep whatever cultural language/behaviour/appearance they want - just like Brinton. But if I'm a parent and I know that there are things that will help my kid have a better or worse life and I don't make an effort to teach him then I'm not a very good parent. I'd tell him yes I know it's not fair, it's racist, it's probably illegal but do. not. antagonize the white cop. And I wouldn't name him something that would add to the discrimination he'll face in a white-dominant world.

[Vrede too]

Of course. But sadly, my observations/comments really would be taken as "racist" by some. They would lecture me on cultural bias and the evils of forced assimilation, yada. And sure, everybody has a right to keep whatever cultural language/behaviour/appearance they want - just like Brinton. But if I'm a parent and I know that there are things that will help my kid have a better or worse life and I don't make an effort to teach him then I'm not a very good parent. I'd tell him yes I know it's not fair, it's racist, it's probably illegal but do. not. antagonize the white cop. And I wouldn't name him something that would add to the discrimination he'll face in a white-dominant world.

Might be best for some to grow up bi-dialect. There are likely communities/situations where it's disadvantageous to not understand/speak AAVE.

[billy.pilgrim]

Does this make sense?

Or did she do a few hits herself?

https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-cop- ... affic-stop

"Bannick said she discovered narcotics, which police said was believed to be fentanyl, on the passenger side of the vehicle during the stop, prompting her to take the passenger into custody. The officer began having difficulty breathing shortly after, with another officer at the scene saying it appeared Bannick was drifting in and out of consciousness."

[Vrede too]

Does this make sense?

Or did she do a few hits herself?

https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-cop- ... affic-stop

"Bannick said she discovered narcotics, which police said was believed to be fentanyl, on the passenger side of the vehicle during the stop, prompting her to take the passenger into custody. The officer began having difficulty breathing shortly after, with another officer at the scene saying it appeared Bannick was drifting in and out of consciousness."

I've read MDs strongly disputing it.
Some other toxin?
Panic attack?
Looking for PTO?
Aiming for permanent disability, including from PTSD?
Fake news put out by the PD?
Sampled the wares, as you say?

In my career I rarely saw an allergic reaction from handling legal drugs, but I never saw a high from handling or unintentionally inhaling any drugs.

[Vrede too]

Does this make sense?

Or did she do a few hits herself?

https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-cop- ... affic-stop

"Bannick said she discovered narcotics, which police said was believed to be fentanyl, on the passenger side of the vehicle during the stop, prompting her to take the passenger into custody. The officer began having difficulty breathing shortly after, with another officer at the scene saying it appeared Bannick was drifting in and out of consciousness."

As you suspect and I posted (along with other ideas):

Emergency Room physician reacts to body camera video of Tavares officer’s fentanyl exposure

... Emergency Medicine physician Dr. Rajiv Bahl reviewed the harrowing video. Bahl says it’s not likely for overdosing from exposure to fentanyl to occur simply from touching the drug. It would only happen as a result of unknowingly ingesting the drug....

“Some people ingest fentanyl through inhalation, but you have to have a large amount, and a very direct quantity,” Dr. Bahl said.

A spokesperson for the Tavares police Department said Bannick’s believed that, “between the wind and loose powder of the narcotic located, that she was exposed that way.”

According to the American Journal of Medical Toxicology, that’s not likely.

“If the wind blew strong enough, and it hit her strong enough, and she ingested enough through her nasal cavities, is it plausible? Is it likely? Probably not,” Dr. Bahl said....

[billy.pilgrim]

Does this make sense?

Or did she do a few hits herself?

https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-cop- ... affic-stop

"Bannick said she discovered narcotics, which police said was believed to be fentanyl, on the passenger side of the vehicle during the stop, prompting her to take the passenger into custody. The officer began having difficulty breathing shortly after, with another officer at the scene saying it appeared Bannick was drifting in and out of consciousness."

As you suspect and I posted (along with other ideas):

Emergency Room physician reacts to body camera video of Tavares officer’s fentanyl exposure

... Emergency Medicine physician Dr. Rajiv Bahl reviewed the harrowing video. Bahl says it’s not likely for overdosing from exposure to fentanyl to occur simply from touching the drug. It would only happen as a result of unknowingly ingesting the drug....

“Some people ingest fentanyl through inhalation, but you have to have a large amount, and a very direct quantity,” Dr. Bahl said.

A spokesperson for the Tavares police Department said Bannick’s believed that, “between the wind and loose powder of the narcotic located, that she was exposed that way.”

According to the American Journal of Medical Toxicology, that’s not likely.

“If the wind blew strong enough, and it hit her strong enough, and she ingested enough through her nasal cavities, is it plausible? Is it likely? Probably not,” Dr. Bahl said....

I used to use this site a lot. Any US address, any day, month etc. and find everything weather at the exact address, or general area broken down into 15 minute intervals.

I used wind speed a lot. It even has gust speed.

Lo and behold it was so easy 5 years ago. I could do it in 5 minutes, ain't gonna happen today, but the Easy Link is below.
A better man than me could as easily waste their time, or maybe even get the newer and better version to tell if there was any wind going on that day to bloster ger pleading for them to fire her. As she now says, "I'm in a constant swoon and am forced to retire and sue everybody"
And we get to pop a felony onto the driver.

https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cdo-web/cart


Edit: the way this site used to and it is probably better now, but I'm old and did a wake-n-bake of sorts.
Seems good for the RV types to use to check, What the Hell was that we went through last night and for the hiker to check the size of hail, inches of rain and wind speeds.

[Vrede too]

... A better man than me could as easily waste their time, or maybe even get the newer and better version to tell if there was any wind going on that day to bloster ger pleading for them to fire her. As she now says, "I'm in a constant swoon and am forced to retire and sue everybody"
And we get to pop a felony onto the driver.

https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cdo-web/cart ...

IMO the OD from wind-borne fentanyl theory is too silly to bother trying to further confirm or debunk.

[billy.pilgrim]

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/1 ... o-00074441

"Trump. He received a standing ovation after delivering an enthusiastic affirmation of gay rights not often heard in the GOP.

“We are fighting for the gay community, and we are fighting and fighting hard,” the former president and 2024 candidate said. “With the help of many of the people here tonight in recent years, our movement has taken incredible strides, the strides you’ve made here is incredible.”

Throughout the evening, speakers praised Trump for his embrace of the gay community. They credited him for his initiatives to combat the criminalization of homosexuality, "

[billy.pilgrim]

What happened to Q?