A Knoxville Planned Parenthood clinic was totally destroyed by an early morning fire on Friday. No one was injured.

 Rod's Comment:

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New Year's Eve driving tips from the Rod Williams School of Drunk Driving.

by Rod Williams, Dec. 28, 2021 - New Year's Eve is right around the corner, the number one day of the year for people driving while intoxicated. Many of these people will be people who only occasionally drink and rarely get drunk, so they will not have developed good drunk driving skills.  

This guide from the Rod Williams School of Drunk Driving is provided to help you improve your drunk driving skills or think about alternatives to drinking and driving. 

(1) Don't Drive drunk. That is the number one tip: don't do it. Getting arrested for drunk driving is only one reason not to drive drunk.  The most important reason is you could kill yourself or someone else.  If you are lucky and don't kill someone else or yourself, getting arrested for drunk driving could cost you your job, your election, your social standing, custody of your children or visitation rights, a lot of money, and maybe your marriage.

If you overindulge, there are alternatives to driving drunk. Take a taxi, get a hotel room, call a friend or family member and ask them to come get you. If at a friend's house and you have had too much to drink, stay the night.  

Use ride-sharing services like Lyft and Uber. These services are cheap, fast, and convenient.  By now most people who live an active life have probably used one of these services. To use these services you page a ride using your phone. To do that you must first download an app. Don't wait until you're drunk to try to download the app. Here is a link to the Uber app.

(2) Pick the designated driver before you start drinking.  If you are not going to rely on a commercial service such as a cab or Uber, and you know you are going to be drinking and you are going with other people, then have a designated driver. I prefer being the designated drinker, but someone needs to be the designated driver.
 
Despite the above advice I know there will be times when a person will have had too much to drink and not think they are too drunk to drive but will have had a sufficient amount of adult beverage that they could register drunk even though they don’t think they are drunk. I myself have probably driven many times when I would have registered drunk had I been stopped. I am not by any means advocating driving drunk, but if you are possibly driving impaired I am providing these below tips to help you increase your chances of getting home safely without getting arrested.

(3) Know that you don’t have to be “drunk” to register DUI. You do not have to be sloppy, falling down drunk to register as DUI. If you think you should not drive then by all means don’t. See the above tips. Often you will not know if you are drunk or not, so unless you know exactly how much you have had to drink and whether or not that would constitute drunk driving, then assume you are technically drunk. You do not have to appear intoxicated or have any of the symptoms that we think of as “drunk” to have a Blood Alcohol Content that legally makes you guilty of Driving Under the Influence. If you drink and you drive you have probably driven “drunk.”

(4) Track your consumption and don’t have “one for the road.” That is what often happens. If during the evening you are having dinner with friends and you have a pre-dinner cocktail and wine with dinner and an after-dinner liquor with coffee, and a champagne toast, you might register drunk. Try to keep your alcohol consumption to a level that falls below the BAC limit.

On occasion, but not as often as I would like and certainly not as often as when I younger, I like to go to Lower Broadway to listen to live music and party. If I have 8, 12-ounce beers in a four-hour period I should have a BAC of about .068, however, if I have 9 beers in four hours that means I have a BAC of .085 and am legally drunk. “One for the road” could put me over the limit. Actually, I seldom have eight in a four-hour period, but it has happened.

A female can drink less than a male and a slender person can drink less than a heavy person. For a 115 pound female, three glasses of wine in two hours is drunk. Don’t try to keep up with the other people in your party. Know your limit. Skip a round. Drink slower. Some people assume that wine is less inebriating than tequila shots. That is not so. A 12-ounce beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 ounce of 100 proof distilled spirits have the same impact on an individual's BAC level.

Here is a calculator that will give you guidance on how much alcohol you can consume and an estimate of BAC. Please be aware that this is only a guide. If you are drinking on an empty stomach, your BAC may be higher than indicated in the calculator.

(5)  Point your car in the direction of home.  Plan your trip. A good car should be able to find its way home, with a little help.  Avoid places where the police might see you. In the days before Uber and when you could still park on Broadway, I would visit the honkytonk strip of Lower Broad. I never would park on Broadway, however. I live on the south side of town, so I would park a block or two south of Broadway on one of the one-way streets heading south. That meant I did not have to circle a block and be concerned about traffic lights and stop signs. The less exposed one is to the police the less chance one has of getting caught. It is worth parking four or five blocks away to reduce your exposure.

(6) Be aware that you are impaired. If you didn’t keep track of how much you drank then assume you are may have had enough to register drunk and use your best drunk-driving skills. "Thinking" skills, like perceiving and evaluating risks, or processing information are not easily visible to outside observers, but they are the first skills to be adversely affected by alcohol. Be aware of this.

(7) Stop the Party. You are having a good time. You are joking and singing and laughing. You hate to end the party, but if there is any chance that you are driving with an elevated BAC, then stop the party. Say, “OK folks, we need to straighten up. I need your help in getting us home.” Don’t sing or engage in distracting conversation. Turn off the radio. Don’t talk on the cell phone. Give driving your undivided attention. Don’t let anyone in the car have an open container. You may be perfectly capable of driving, but if a drunk passenger is yelling out the window, the police may stop the car and give you a drunk driving test. The moment you get in the car the party is over.

(8) Check the checklist. Have a mental checklist. You don’t want to get stopped because you failed to use your turn signal. I was once stopped by the police on lower Broadway and forced to take a Breathalyzer. I knew I had only had two beers in a two-hour period so I was not concerned. The reason they stopped me is that I had not turned on my headlights as I pulled out into the street. This was in a previous car, years ago when headlights did not turn on automatically. The downtown area is well lit and this was just an oversight. The police are looking for excuses to stop you; don’t give them one. Seat belts? Check. Adjust the mirror? Check. Turn off the radio? Check. Turn on the headlights? Check.

(9)  One crime at a time! Do not commit other crimes while driving drunk. If stopped for suspicion of drunk driving, don't compound your problems by being arrested for drunk driving and somethings else.  Don't smoke dope while driving drunk. Don't get arrested for drunk driving and for speeding, or possession of a controlled substance, or contributing to the delinquency of a minor, or soliciting prostitution.

(10) Concentrate; pay attention. Be aware of your driving. Don’t relax. Keep both hands on the wheel. Don’t be distracted. Don't answer the phone. If you feel you must answer the phone, safely pull off the road. Don't even engage in conversation.  Make sure you do not weave. Are you staying within the lines? Drive just below the speed limit. Don’t tailgate. Pay attention to the car in front of you. If they put on their brakes, notice it. If you are approaching an intersection with a traffic light, pay close attention. Plan that traffic light stop. Don’t run a yellow light.


(11) Use your co-pilot. Ask the person in the passenger's seat to help you drive. Ask them to tell you if you weave or tailgate or go too fast. Make them pay attention to your driving.

(12) If you get stopped. Unless you are certain that you have had less than the number of drinks it would take to raise your BAC level to the .08 level, then common wisdom holds that it is a good idea to refuse the breathalyzer test. It generally is more difficult to convict a driver of drunk driving if no chemical tests are taken.

(13) Don't sleep it off in the car.  Should you find yourself drunk and think a nap will revive you or that you may just spend the night in your car, don't do it. Even if you are not driving, if you are in your car drunk, you can be charged with DUI.  See the guidelines above about alternatives to driving drunk. If you can't take a ride-share or call a friend, and you do end up drunk, it would be better to sleep it off in a doorway or park bench than in your car. 

Rep. Bill Beck

(14) Use your influence to get the charge thrown out. Be a State Representative or other person (link) with important friends who can get a judge to throw out the charge based on lack of probable cause for making the stop. Despite the police seeing you drive with wheels over the lane line and observing the smell of alcohol, slurred speech, and inability to walk straight and a despite the arresting officer saying you were "absolutely hammered," the judge may rule the arresting officer did not have probable cause for making the stop.

(15) Pray. It can't hurt.

(16) Your not a kid anymore. As you age, your reaction times can slow down, you can lose the ability to effectively divide your attention between multiple activities. Aging tends to result in a reduction of strength, coordination, and flexibility. Face, there are some things you cannot do as well when you are old as you could when you were young.  You may not be safely able to drink as much and drive.

This is an additional tip suggested by a student of the Rod Williams School of Drunk Driving.

(16) If you are seeing double, close one eye. 

I have never been arrested for drunk driving but I admit I have been guilty of it. I guess I have been lucky. As a young adult, I was more often guilty of it than I have been as an older adult. Nevertheless, from time to time, I still have probably technically met the blood alcohol level for being drunk.

Stay safe. Don't drive drunk. Drive careful. 

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Law-abiding gun owners arm 1,287 criminals this year in Nashville

December 30, 2021, Metro Nashville press release -The MNPD strongly encourages Nashvillians to lock their automobile doors, secure any valuables---especially guns, and REMOVE THE KEYS.

So far this year, 1,287 guns have been stolen from vehicles in Nashville. More than 70% of ALL guns reported stolen in 2021 (1,825) were taken from vehicles. Last week, 27 guns were stolen from cars and trucks. Just yesterday, East Precinct community engagement officers recovered two guns in the possession of two male teens, ages 13 & 16. Both guns had been stolen from vehicles.

Going hand in hand with vehicle burglaries is vehicle theft. A review of last week’s stolen vehicle reports in Nashville shows that 70% of the automobiles taken (33 of 47) were easy targets because the keys were left inside or made available to thieves. Three of the 47 vehicles stolen were left running without the driver present.

Just like guns taken from vehicles, these stolen autos are also routinely involved in criminal activities, including carjackings and robberies.

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Gideon's Army 'violence interrupter' pleads guilty, faces four years in federal prison for firearms charges

by Rod Williams, Dec. 30, 2021- Charles Brooks, convicted in 2006 on state charges for voluntary

manslaughter, employed by Gideon's Army as a "violence interrupter,"  is facing four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to firearms charges as a result of his role in a shootout in a North Nashville public housing project in April of this year.

The shoot-out occurred at the Cumberland View public housing project where Gideon's Army was supposedly working to end violence.  This housing project has long had a reputation as one of the worst and is sometimes referred to as "Dodge City," or at least it used to be referred to by that name back some years ago when I working as a social worker in the area. My understanding is that it has continued to be a violent neighborhood. Gideon's Army had claimed it had completely eliminated violence in the neighborhood before the shoot-out involving their 'violence interrupter' occurred. 

Gideon's Army is a favored political activist organization among Nashville's progressive elites. Despite exaggerating their success in ending violence and despite anti-White racism rhetoric and calling Meharry College president a "house nigger," the white-guilt-ridden progressive of our city love them.  They have received city funding and their views are taken seriously. As this incident was unfolding the organization was mounting a public-relations campaign to get over $1 million in Metro funding included in the city's 2021-2022 budget for violence interruption.  I will not be surprised if they still do not get funded.

The above story comes from Channel 5 reporting by Phil Williams. Thank you Phil Williams for bringing this to light.  To see a video and read more follow this and this link. 

Below is a previous blog post on Gideon's Army.

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Tax payer funded Gideon's Army leaders voice controversial views on race, police, even respected Meharry president, calling him a "house nigger."

link

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Gideon's Army tells the public that it's all about justice, peace and harmony. But, buried among social media posts by some of the group's front-line leaders, NewsChannel 5 Investigates discovered a controversial side of the politically connected group that most of the public has never seen. 

Those posts include descriptions of white people as being a "pestilence" accidentally unleashed on the world by an ancient scientist, suggestions that police should be made to fear going into Black neighborhoods, even descriptions of Meharry Medical College's highly respected president, Dr. James Hildreth, as a "house n****r." (Read more) 

Related: 

• Gideon's Army exaggerates success in reducing violent crime 
• Video shows Gideon's Army employee toting 'AK-47 style weapon' 
• Gideon's Army gets tax dollars to work with police, but says 'we don't work with the police'

Many may be mystified that white and middle or upper-class people kowtow, romanticize, and fund radical violent activists, racist thugs. This is nothing new.  The current era is much like the era of the mid 60's to mid 70's.  At that time Hollywood elites and other hip new leftists, what we would now call progressives, did the same thing.  The radical Black Panther Party was a favorite of that era's new leftist.  For an interesting and entertaining work addressing this phenomenon read  Radical Chic and Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers by Tom Wolfe.

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Metro Council looks at helping stabilize and sustain businesses that COVID has impacted, but not for White people.

City council members looking to help minority-owned businesses keep their doors open

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At least President Biden didn't revive Pajama Boy.

by Rod Williams, Dec. 27, 2021- Say what you want to about Joe Biden, and there is plenty bad to say,
but at least he did not bring out pajama boy to ruin your holiday.  Remember pajama boy?  

As if we were not polarized enough already, in 2013 President Obama introduced pajama boy who, on Christmas mourning, was supposed to educate his ignorant backward parents on the virtues of socialized medicine.

It is hard enough these days to have a family get-together and avoid the landmines of politics without the president of the United States inciting family squabbles.  One must be careful in even talking sports or the weather.  Don't talk cars, for sure.

The Biden Administration is sometimes called Obama's third term.  Well, as a person, I don't think Biden is as bad as Obama. President Biden could have brought out pajama boy as a model for educating your dumb Republican uncle on the advantages of Build Back Better.  He didn't.  Biden may be bad, but he could be worst.  He is just wrong and has some cognitive ability issues but he is not evil. Obama set out to ruin your holiday and cause family conflict; Biden didn't.  

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Rand Paul's "Festivus Report" reveals over $52.6 billion in government waste.

Press release,  December 22, 2021, WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight (ETSO) Subcommittee for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), released his 2021 “Festivus” Report, totaling over $52,598,515,585 billion in government waste.

This marks Dr. Paul’s and the subcommittee’s seventh edition of the Festivus Report as he continues working to alert the American people to how their federal government uses their hard-earned money. 

Sections are broken down into COVID-19 spending, Afghanistan, and Miscellaneous.

You can find Dr. Paul’s 2021 Festivus Report HERE.

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Expect to hear the term "budget equity" a lot this year when Metro develops a budget. What is it?

by Rod Williams, Dec. 28, 2021 - Progressives have a new tool to use at the local level to redistribute income, slip in Critical Race Theory indoctrination, and impose more progressive policies on their citizens.  This new term and tool are being adopted by progressive cities across America.  

It appears that Budgeting for Equity was a project of Bloomberg Philanthropies and was launched in 2020.  Initially, 30 cities participated in a training session to learn the concept and use of the tool.  "The 30 cities that have been selected to participate in the program, which will run through December 2021, are: Akron (OH), Austin (TX), Birmingham (AL), Chattanooga (TN), Chula Vista (CA), Columbia (SC), Columbus (OH), Denver (CO), Durham (NC), Fort Collins (CO), Knoxville (TN), Lincoln (NE), Madison (WI), New Orleans (LA), Oakland (CA), Peoria (IL), Philadelphia (PA), Providence (RI), Pueblo (CO), Rochester (NY), Salt Lake City (UT), Savannah (GA), Seattle (WA), Springfield (IL), Stockton (CA), Syracuse (NY), Tacoma (WA), Tampa (FL), Toledo (OH), West Palm Beach (FL)." (link)

Note that Nashville was not one of the original 30, but since the launch of "Budgeting for Equity," by Bloomberg, this concept has spread rapidly beyond the original thirty participating cities. Numerous cities are now incorporating "budget equity" in their budgeting process.

Here is some of what I gleaned about the "budget equity" movement from reading various sources and included are some snippets of the rhetoric. One can expect this to be repeated in Nashville.

• A BUDGET IS A MORAL DOCUMENT AS WELL AS A FINANCIAL ONE

• BE SPECIFIC. “Equity” can sound like a broad term. Identify the inequity or disparity you wish to address and how you will address it.  'Our department will create a performance goal for each employee to attend at least 2 equity, diversity, and inclusion related training per year." 

• Budget Equity Tool (BET) is designed to integrate explicit considerations of racial and economic equity into decisions, including policies, practices, programs and ultimately, the  Departmental budgets.

• Systemic inequities are entrenched in local governments. And the sheer pervasiveness can make it hard for city leaders to know where to start when making structural changes to how services are delivered or programs are designed. Many local leaders are now looking at their budgets—a city’s most important annual statement about its values and priorities—to address long-standing issues of racial injustice.

For more on the topic see these link, link, link, and link.

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At Gov. Lee's request, Nashville submits bid to host 2024 Republican National Convention

Dec. 26—NASHVILLE — Tennessee Republicans have high hopes the city of Nashville can win a bid to host their party's national convention here in 2024.

The city is among a group of states now under consideration by the Republican National Committee for the convention, according to Republicans here.

"Stay tuned," Beth Campbell, a Republican National Committee member from Nashville, told executive committee members during a Dec. 4 meeting in Brentwood. "We have a very, very strong chance of securing this convention."

Cautioning that it was "a tall order," Campbell told executive committee members "You know what? We can do this in Tennessee. It's going to be good for the whole state, it's not just Metro Nashville." (read more)

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