December 22, 2017


News and Views


IN MY STRONGLY HELD OPINION, ROBERT MUELLER IS A HERO, AND NOT AN ENEMY OF WHAT AMERICA STANDS FOR. A REQUEST HAS BEEN MADE FOR US CITIZENS TO SPEAK UP AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS GROUPS TO URGE CONGRESS TO PROTECT THIS SERIOUSLY NEEDED INVESTIGATION RATHER THAN TRYING TO DESTROY IT. SO, LET’S JUMP ON THE NET AND BOMBARD CONGRESS WITH MESSAGES.

US LEGISLATORS CAN BE CONTACTED AT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative and https://www.senate.gov/senators/index.htm. I’VE DONE IT BEFORE SEVERAL TIMES. THERE IS USUALLY AN INTERACTIVE SECTION ON THE WEBSITE THAT MAKES IT ESPECIALLY EASY. I’M GOING TO DO IT BEFORE BED TONIGHT, AND PUT THIS CONTACT INFO ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE ALSO.

THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING TODAY SHOULDN’T BE LEFT UP TO SIMPLE PARTY LOYALTY. IT WOULD NOT ONLY BE UNFAIR TO A HIGHLY CREDITABLE MAN, MUELLER, BUT A DISASTER FOR OUR NATION IF WE SLID BACK IN TIME TO THE PRE-CIVIL RIGHTS ERA, OH YES, AND PRE-LEGAL ABORTION AS WELL. WHY NOT WOMAN’S SUFFRAGE, TOO, WHILE WE’RE AT IT? THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF PROGRESS IN MY 70 YEARS, AND WE NEED TO KEEP IT IN PLACE RATHER THAN DUMBLY WATCHING IT ERODE AWAY.

PS – THIS IS MY EMAIL THAT I JUST SENT TO SEN. BILL NELSON FL, AND IT DIDN’T TAKE ME 5 MINUTES TO WRITE.:
Subject: REPUBLICAN MOVE TO MEET SEPARATELY AND CREATE A DANGEROUS FORCE TO UNSEAT ROBERT MUELLER

MESSAGE:
PLEASE GET ALL DEMS TOGETHER AND STOP THIS UNDERHANDED ATTEMPT TO STOP MUELLER AND THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION. THE MOVES OF THE RIGHT TO TOTALLY TAKE OVER ARE NOT ONLY UNACCEPTABLE, THEY ARE DESTRUCTIVE TO OUR GOVERNMENT. IT'S NOT JUST THAT I DON'T LIKE DONALD TRUMP, BUT THAT I HATE WHAT HE AND HIS BREITBART FRIENDS ARE ALLIED WITH. THOSE HITLER SALUTES WERE TRULY SHOCKING TO ME. I'M NOT WILLING TO GO THERE WITHOUT A FIGHT, AND I HOPE SENATE DEMS AGREE. GO, TEAM!!.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-prosecutors-gop-officials-defend-mueller-in-letter/
AP December 22, 2017, 5:30 PM
Former prosecutors, GOP officials defend Mueller in letter

More than 40 former U.S. attorneys and Republican and conservative officials are pushing back against efforts to discredit the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election.

In a pair of letters, the groups say Robert Mueller and his team must be allowed to continue their work, unimpeded.

The 22 former U.S. attorneys, who served under presidents from Richard Nixon through Barack Obama, say it is "critical" to the "interests of justice and public trust to ensure that those charged with conducting complex investigations are allowed to do their jobs free from interference or fear of reprisal."

Seeking Mueller's removal "would have severe repercussions for Americans' sense of justice here at home and for our reputation for fairness around the world," they wrote in a letter to President Trump on Friday that was coordinated by Georgetown Law's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection.

Another letter signed by 20 former members of Congress — Republicans and conservatives — and other top U.S. officials says efforts to discredit Mueller's work "undermine the institutions that protect the rule of law and so our nation."

"We urge the administration, members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, and the American public, to support the work of Special Counsel Mueller to its conclusion, whatever it may be," reads the open letter signed by officials including former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, former State Department counselor Eliot Cohen and former George W. Bush administration ethics lawyer Richard Painter.

The letters come as Mueller's team is facing heightened scrutiny in recent weeks following reports that two FBI officials who would later be assigned to the special counsel's investigation called Mr. Trump an "idiot" and "loathsome human" in a series of text messages last year.

Peter Strzok, a veteran FBI counterintelligence agent, was removed from Mueller's team over the summer following the discovery of text messages exchanged with Lisa Page, an FBI lawyer who was also detailed this year to the group of agents and prosecutors investigating potential coordination between Russia and Trump's Republican campaign.

Allies of the president have seized on the messages and other details about Mueller's team to allege it is biased against Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly called investigations into his campaign a "witch hunt" fueled by Democrats still angry about his election win.

Still, Mr. Trump and White House officials have said recently that he has no intention of firing Mueller. That decision that would likely be up to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed the special counsel.

© 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



IT’S SO SAD TO SEE PEOPLE DIE NEEDLESSLY AS HAPPENED HERE. I THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN CONFUSION – THE ENGINEER DIDN’T REALIZE THAT THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM WASN’T OPERATIONAL YET, PERHAPS. I’M SURE THERE WILL BE MORE ABOUT THIS AS TIME GOES ON, SO I’LL TRY TO INSERT NEW INFORMATION HERE.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amtrak-derailment-dupont-washington-video-shows-crew-not-using-electronic-devices/
CBS/AP December 22, 2017, 12:48 PM
Amtrak engineer mentioned speed 6 seconds before crash, video shows

SEATTLE -- Federal investigators say video aboard the Amtrak train that derailed in Washington state shows crews weren't using personal electronic devices and that the engineer remarked about the speed six seconds before the train went off the tracks south of Seattle, killing three people.

The National Transportation Safety Board also said Friday that the inward-facing video with audio showed it did not appear that the engineer placed the brake handle in the emergency braking mode. The train was recorded at 78 mph -- more than double the posted speed limit.

The train derailment Monday spilled cars onto the highway and closed the southbound lanes of the state's main north-south arterial. Federal investigators trying to determine the cause of the wreck say their full investigation could take more than a year.

RELATED:
Third victim identified in Amtrak derailment
Amtrak derailment is latest in string of Amtrak accidents

CBS News transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave reports that scenario positive train control, or PTC*, could have prevented the deadly train derailment. Amtrak and all big passenger railroads were supposed to have it in place two years ago, but that didn't happen.

A deadly 2008 accident in California prompted Congress to mandate PTC by the end of 2015. But that year, just months after the Amtrak 188 derailment in Philadelphia, Congress voted to delay the deadline until 2018, Van Cleave reports.

Now, only about 40 percent of passenger locomotives have PTC installed.


© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.


POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL (PTC)*

THE USE OF THE WORD “SCENARIO” AS IF IT WERE PART OF THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM WAS PICKED UP BY THE CBS REPORTER ON TRANSPORTATION FROM SEVERAL OTHER ARTICLES ON THE SUBJECT, BUT IT IS NOT A NECESSARY DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM ITSELF. IT SEEMS, ON THOSE OTHER WEBSITES, TO MEAN NOTHING MORE THAN A WORD LIKE “SETTING,” JUST DESCRIBING HOW THE COMPONENTS FIT TOGETHER. MAYBE I’M WRONG, SO SEE IF YOU AGREE. THE NAME IS “POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL,” AND THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE TYPE. SEE WIKIPEDIA.

THIS LATIMES ARTICLE DESCRIBING HOW PTC WORKS IS SIMPLE, BUT A LITTLE TOO SIMPLE. WHEN I “READ AT” THE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE BELOW, THERE WAS MORE INFORMATION, BUT I’M NOT MECHANICALLY MINDED ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND IT ALL. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE, READ TO YOUR HEARTS’ CONTENT.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-me-g-positive-train-control-explainer-20171219-htmlstory.html
Could 'positive train control' have prevented the Washington Amtrak crash? Here's how it works
By L.A. Times graphics
December 19, 2017

READER: GO TO THE WEBSITE TO SEE THE INFORMATIONAL GRAPHICS.

Photograph -- An Amtrak high-speed train derailed from an overpass on Dec. 18, 2017, near Tacoma, Wash., killing multiple people and sending cars flying off a bridge and onto a busy interstate. (Kathryn Elsesser /AFP/Getty Images)

he Amtrak train that careened off an overpass south of Seattle on Monday, spilling three cars onto the highway below and killing at least three people, was traveling at 80 mph in a 30 mph zone, authorities said.

Positive train control — the technology that uses sophisticated electronics to monitor trains and take control of them if necessary to prevent collisions, derailments and other crashes — wasn’t in use on the stretch of track where the derailment occurred, Amtrak President Richard Anderson said.

In Southern California, Metrolink uses positive train control, or PTC, on all of its routes.

@latimesgraphics
How PTC works
Before a trip, data about speed limits, the track, construction zones, locations of other trains and additional information are loaded wirelessly.

@latimes graphics
En route, the train’s position and speed are tracked via GPS. Signal status, broken rails and curves are provided from wayside devices. Using such data, the system tells the engineer when to adjust the speed of the train.

@latimesgraphics
If the engineer doesn’t act, the system takes over, adjusts the speed of the train and, if necessary, brings it to a stop.

@latimesgraphics
Sources: Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Google Earth, Mapzen, OpenStreetMap, federal records and interviews with rail safety experts. Graphic is schematic.

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Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times


Positive train control
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Positive train control (PTC) is a system of functional requirements for monitoring and controlling train movements and is a type of train protection system. The term stems from control engineering. The train is only allowed to move in case of positive movement allowance. It generally improves the safety of railway traffic.

Overview[edit]

Train protection systems are used to control traffic movement by technical means. They are especially needed in cases of high speed transportation, dense traffic with short succession of trains and mixed type traffic at widely differing speeds. So the train protection systems were in practical testing at least since the beginning of the 1930s in Europe.

Stopping a running train is the main goal of any train protection system. This is most easily done with stop order, and without a special order the vehicle is allowed to run. A typical representative for this "negative train control" is Indusi. In contrary to this 'easy moving' a PTC restricts the train movement to an explicit allowance and it is stopped after invalidation.

After the decline of railway transit in the US after WWII, there was also less impetus for investments in train security. Toward the end of the 1980s, a search for solutions re-emerged together with an inventory of technical possibilities.

The main concept of PTC (as defined for North American Class I freight railroads) is that the train receives information about its location and where it is allowed to safely travel, also known as movement authorities. Equipment on board the train then enforces this, preventing unsafe movement. PTC systems may work in either dark territory or signaled territory, and may use GPS navigation to track train movements.



THIS IS A VERY GOOD NEWS INTERVIEW. I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ISSUES “WHOSE TIME HAS COME.” THE MALE ABUSE OF WOMEN IS THE SAME AS THAT OF WHITES ON ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR. IT IS MORE THAN JUST A DESPICABLE SEXUAL ACTION, ITS’ WORDS, JOB DISCRIMINATION, LEGAL STATUS IN MANY CASES, SCORN AND HATRED. WE TEACH OUR MEN THAT THEY ARE TO “BE A MAN,” BUT NOT HOW TO BE A CIVILIZED MAN. BEING GENTLE IS NOT NATURAL IN MANY CASES, IN BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. THE WORST OF THE PROBLEM, THOUGH, IS THAT IF A MAN DOES FOLLOW THROUGH AND RAPE THE WOMAN, AND THEN CALL IT CONSENSUAL SEX, ITS’ BEEN HARD IN THE PAST TO TOTALLY DISPROVE THAT.

WOMEN ARE AT A POINT NOW, THOUGH, AT WHICH THEY MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY WON’T JUST SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP ANYMORE, SO THINGS ARE CHANGING. WE WOMEN AND MEN MUST START OVER WITH THE WAY WE BRING UP BOYS AND GIRLS, AND INCLUDE RESPECT, GENTLENESS, CARING, AND THINGS LIKE THAT INTO THEIR UPBRINGING. IT HAS TO BE TAUGHT BY EXAMPLE.

#METOO IS ONE OF THE GREAT MOVEMENTS OF MY LIFE. IT SEEMS TO ME TO BE EFFECTIVELY CHANGING THE MINDS OF MANY MEN AS WELL AS WOMEN. I WILL ALSO MENTION THAT THESE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE ARE SEEING HAVE DIRECTLY TO DO WITH THE INTERNET. NOTHING HAPPENS WITHOUT COMMUNICATION AND ORGANIZATION. #METOO IS A WAY OF SAYING “THE EYES OF WOMEN ARE UPON YOU. WATCH WHAT YOU DO.”

THAT’S WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE WIDESPREAD FILMING OF POLICE BEHAVING BRUTALLY, AND WE’RE SEEING CHANGE THERE, TOO. THERE HAVE BEEN A MENTION OR TWO BY LEGISLATORS TO MAKE THAT FILMING ILLEGAL AND GROUNDS FOR ARREST. WATCH OUT TO SEE IF PRESIDENT TRUMP IS BEHIND THAT, AND BE PREPARED TO WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ON THAT ISSUE, ALSO.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-york-times-jodi-kantor-sexual-harassment-ford-auto-plants/
CBS NEWS December 22, 2017, 1:28 PM
How Ford's sexual harassment problem highlights the "systems that enable it"

Video – CBS news report

Allegations of sexual harassment have toppled powerful people from Hollywood to Capitol Hill this year, but a new investigation by the New York Times gives a voice to blue-collar workers. The article explores decades of sexual misconduct at two Ford auto plants in Chicago.

"This is some of the most flagrant behavior we've heard about in all of our investigation this year," said New York Times reporter and CBS News contributor Jodi Kantor.

Kantor has reported extensively on several harassment allegations including Harvey Weinstein, which many feel was the tipping point for the tidal wave of accusations that followed. Kantor's colleagues broke the story about harassment at Ford after talking to more than 100 current and former employees and industry experts.

"My colleagues Susan Chira and Catrin Einhorn spoke to many women who from the very first day of work encountered harassment. 'Fresh meat' was yelled out as they entered the factory, almost a signal of what to come. They were groped, they were propositioned. And work was used as leverage. One woman basically had to sleep with her supervisor, she says, in order to get the timetable she needed to make daycare arrangements," Kantor said.

In addition to the egregious behavior detailed by the women, what Kantor found "striking" was how the workers' union failed to address the complaints.

"What we've tried to do in our reporting this year is not only talk about the harassment but talk about the systems that enable it," she said. "The union became very divided in its mission because it seemed, according to the women, more concerned with protecting male workers who were accused of harassment."

The investigation also revealed that one of the union officials tasked with helping the women was accused of harassment himself.

"Ford knew what was happening, instituted new training that faded away. So as we head into 2018, what I think we're all thinking about is, how do we actually change the American workplace? Are we going to be sitting here this time next year having the exact same conversations or is there some sort of path forward?" Kantor said.

Ford CEO Jim Hackett has issued what Kantor called a "very powerful letter" addressing the allegations. In it, he promises "there will be no retaliation against anyone who speaks up." However, the letter does not specifically address how harassers will be held accountable.

"That was Ford's strongest signal to date," she said. "What we do not know, however, is what the accountability is for this happening because the sad truth that many people feel is that unless somebody can be fired for sexual harassment or face serious jobs consequences, nothing really changes."

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



THIS IS VERY ABNORMAL ANIMAL BEHAVIOR. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE BABY HAS HAD HER RABIES SHOTS. THERE ARE APPARENTLY ENOUGH RACCOONS TO TERRORIZE THE RESIDENTS, THOUGH, AND THE OWNER IS ONE OF THOSE TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE SLUMLORDS. HE HAS HAD CALLS FOR HELP IN THE PAST AND DONE NOTHING. HOPEFULLY THE CITY WILL GET INTO THIS AS WELL AS RESIDENTS. IT MIGHT HELP IF THE NEWS PUBLICIZED THE NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER AND BUSINESS NAME, SO PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET CAN JUMP ON HIS CASE. ANONYMOUS WOULD BE IDEAL FOR THAT. MAYBE EVEN THE NEWS AGENCIES WILL CAMP OUT ON HIS PROPERTY WITH THEIR CAMERA TRUCKS. THAT WILL RATTLE THE NERVES OF ANYBODY.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/raccoon-philadelphia-baby-attack/
CBS NEWS December 22, 2017, 7:20 AM
Raccoon attacks baby and drags her out of bed in Philadelphia, mom says

PHILADELPHIA — A baby had to undergo surgery after being attacked by a raccoon inside a North Philadelphia home earlier this week. CBS Philadelphia reports that four-month-old Journi Black is on a long road to recovery after a raccoon attacked her inside a home on the 2100 block of North 22nd Street on Wednesday night.

"It's just ridiculous," said Samuel Black, the girl's father. "My daughter could have lost her life."

baby-raccoon-anita-1.jpg
Journi Black underwent surgery at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children after being attacked by a raccoon. CBS PHILADELPHIA
Animal control officers set a trap for the raccoon to prevent this from happening again. Doctors told the family it will take at least a year for the baby to fully recover.

"My daughter was laying on the bed sleeping and I went to take my son to the bathroom. We heard a sound upstairs and we see a raccoon run down the steps," said Ashley Rodgers, the child's mother. "When I finally got to her, she was laying on the floor so it had dragged her off the bed, across the room, and she was bleeding and crying and her whole face was red."

It's been mere days since Rodgers moved into the home with her daughter and 6-year-old son, Jordan. Other tenants also reportedly rent rooms there, though no one inside would come to the door or speak on-camera.

A spokeswoman for the city's Licenses and Inspections Department tells Eyewitness News the homeowner, who purchased the property in May, does not have a rental license and that if he is renting rooms, he is doing so illegally.

"It needs to be shut down. Everybody needs to leave out of there," Rodgers said.

Rodgers says she contacted her landlord after the first raccoon sighting earlier in the evening, something neighbors say is common, especially with trash in the area.

"It's terrible around here with these raccoons, yes it is," said Barbara Butler.

Rodgers says her landlord told her he had chased the raccoon out. But after the raccoon attacked the baby, the landlord rushed her to the hospital. The family says it intends to pursue legal action.

"It is his responsibility. There's no reason an animal should have gotten into the house with minors," Black said.

CBS Philadelphia reached out to that landlord; he first hung up on us then called back to say everything has been resolved and to contact his lawyer. However, he would not provide his attorney's name or number. Meantime, the baby is still in recovery at St. Christopher's Hospital and has had her rabies shots.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



OUR SPACE EXPLORERS ARE QUIET HEROES, BUT HEROES NONETHELESS. IT TAKES FAITH AND COURAGE TO LEAVE THE EARTH AND RUN THE RISKS THAT THEY DO. I DO HOPE THE REPUBLICAN CONGRESS WON’T DEFUND NASA AS THERE WAS TALK OF DOING IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. I WANT US, OR SOME OTHER NATION, TO PUSH ON TO ANOTHER HABITABLE PLANET, BECAUSE IT IS MY FEAR THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED ANOTHER ONE. BESIDES, I’VE WATCHED TOO MANY STAR TREK SHOWS NOT TO WANT TO MEET AN ALIEN, OR AT LEAST SEE IT AND LEARN HOW IT LIVES. IF YOU HAVEN’T, WATCH SPIELBERG’S GREAT MOVIE (1977 VERSION) “CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.” THERE IS A NEW ONE OUT JUST THIS YEAR, BUT WATCH THE OLD ONE FIRST. IT WASN’T MERELY EXCITING. IT WAS HUMAN AND FUNNY. NOW, IF YOU WANT A REALLY EXCITING ONE, GO TO “INDEPENDENCE DAY.”

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bruce-mccandless-iconic-spacewalker-dies-at-80/
By WILLIAM HARWOOD CBS NEWS December 22, 2017, 3:38 PM
Bruce McCandless, iconic spacewalker, dies at 80

Photograph – Astronaut Bruce McCandless, testing NASA's Manned Maneuvering Unit backpack during a 1984 spacewalk. NASA
Photograph -- Bruce McCandless floats free of the shuttle Challenger in 1984 during the first untethered spacewalk, testing a gas-powered jetpack that he helped design. NASA

Former astronaut Bruce McCandless II, a retired Navy captain and son of a Medal of Honor recipient who joined NASA during the buildup to the Apollo program, served as capsule communicator when Neil Armstrong took his historic first step on the moon and later flew in space twice during the shuttle program, died Thursday, NASA said Friday. He was 80.

During his first space flight aboard the shuttle Challenger in February 1984, McCandless carried out the first untethered spacewalk, using a nitrogen gas-powered Manned Maneuvering Unit he helped design to fly well away from the orbiter for a series of tests.

Photos of McCandless, floating alone in the deep black of space above the brilliant limb of Earth became iconic emblems of the space shuttle program and among the most widely reproduced. The Challenger crew also launched two communications satellites before returning to Earth, making the program's first shuttle landing at the Kennedy Space Center.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bruce's family," Robert Lightfoot, NASA's acting administrator, said in a statement. "He will be always be known for his iconic photo flying the MMU."

122117-bruce2.jpg
Astronaut Bruce McCandless, testing NASA's Manned Maneuvering Unit backpack during a 1984 spacewalk. NASA
Ironically, MMUs would be used by two astronauts later in 1984 to retrieve the satellites McCandless' crew deployed after they were stranded in useless orbits due to problems with their booster rockets. The satellites were returned to Earth, repaired and eventually relaunched.

McCandless flew a second time in April 1990 to help launch the Hubble Space Telescope. He and astronaut Kathryn Sullivan donned spacesuits and were standing by in the shuttle Discovery's airlock for an emergency spacewalk if needed.

As it turned out, a spacewalk was not needed -- problems with the telescope's mirror were discovered later -- and Discovery's crew returned to Earth after a five-day mission. The flight boosted McCandless' total time in space to 13 days and 31 minutes.

Born in Boston on June 8, 1937, McCandless graduated second in his class at the U.S. Naval Academy and was designated a naval aviator in 1960. His father, Bruce McCandless, was a communications officer aboard the USS San Francisco who was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in the battle of Guadalcanal. He retired as a rear admiral.

McCandless II served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise during the Cuban missile crises and logged 5,000 hours flying time in jet aircraft.

He was one of 19 astronauts selected by NASA in 1966 to join the Apollo moon program. He served as capsule communicator, or CAPCOM, during the Apollo 11 mission when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface.

In 2015, recalling his famous MMU flight, McCandless said his wife was in mission control, "and there was quite a bit of apprehension. I wanted to say something similar to Neil when he landed on the moon, so I said, 'It may have been a small step for Neil, but it's a heck of a big leap for me.' That loosened the tension a bit."

McCandless served on the support crew for Apollo 14 and was the backup pilot for the first mission to the Skylab space station. He then transitioned to the space shuttle program.

He is survived by his wife, Ellen Shields McCandless, his son Bruce McCandless III, his daughter Tracy McCandless, two granddaughters, a brother and two sisters.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



SEX ED FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE HETEROSEXUAL AND THE TERRIBLE PROBLEM OF CYBERBULLYING (OR ANY KIND OF BULLYING) ARE FINALLY, IF TENTATIVELY, BEING ADDRESSED IN SCHOOLS. MOST THINGS OF THAT SORT WOULD SIMPLY NOT BE MENTIONED WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL. I WAS APPROACHED BY A FEMALE FRIEND WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, SO IT DEFINITELY DID OCCUR. I JUST SIMPLY TOLD HER THAT THOUGH I CARED ABOUT HER, WAS NOT GAY. THAT'S ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID IN MOST CASES. PARENTS TEND TO WANT THEIR PRETEEN AND TEEN KIDS TO BE “PROTECTED FROM BAD INFLUENCES,” WHICH MEANT THREATS AND HOLDING THE KIDS VERY CLOSELY WITHIN THE FAMILY SETTING.

THAT’S THE SAME KIND OF REASONING THAT CAUSED UNNECESSARY PREGNANCIES WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, AND ESPECIALLY EARLIER, BECAUSE PARENTS DIDN’T NECESSARILY TELL THEIR GIRL AND BOY CHILDREN “THE FACTS OF LIFE.” GIVEN THE WAYS OF HUMAN INSTINCT, THAT IS A RECIPE FOR TROUBLE. BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS ARE INTERESTED, AND MANY WILL EXPERIMENT. THE PARENTS DON’T SEEM TO REALIZE THAT, EVEN IF IT IS WISE TO WITHHOLD THAT INFORMATION IN THE FIRST FEW GRADES OF SCHOOL, SOME WILL BE COMING INTO PUBERTY BY THE TIME THEY ARE TEN YEARS OLD OR EVEN YOUNGER, SO IT’S HIGH TIME TO EDUCATE THEM, AND IN CLEAR DETAIL. KID'S HAVE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT CAUSES PREGNANCY.

AS FOR THE LGBTQ ISSUES, EVERY PERSON NEEDS TO KNOW TO BE KIND AND POLITE TO PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT THEIR SEXUAL IDENTITY AND ORIENTATIONS MAY BE. OUR EXTREMELY RELIGIOUSLY ORIENTED POINT OF VIEW HERE IS MORE OFTEN JUDGMENTAL AND HARSH ABOUT DIFFERENCES, THAN KIND. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT JESUS WAS TRYING TO TEACH KINDNESS AND NOT EXCLUSION. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO JUST WILL NOT, EITHER DUE TO THEIR NATURE OR THEIR OWN CHOICE, LEARN TO DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO CARE ABOUT OTHERS AND GIVE THEM SOME PERSONAL SPACE IN WHICH TO BE “DIFFERENT.”

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/eye-on-the-future-student-journalists-report-on-lgbtq-sex-ed-and-cyberbullying/
CBS NEWS December 22, 2017, 2:35 PM
"Eye On the Future": Student journalists report on LGBTQ sex ed and cyberbullying

Seven New York City high school students reported on stories that impact their community as part of a CBS journalism workshop called "Eye On the Future." The students who participated this year were chosen from the Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice in Brooklyn. With the help of 26 CBS News employees, the students learned to research, shoot and write stories over the course of nine Saturdays this fall. Watch their reports in the video player above.

LGBTQ Sex Education

Student reporters Naimah Muhammad, Hilda Sandoval, Josuel Santos and Anabia Alvi focused on a shortcoming of sex education programs that fail to address issues related to LGBTQ youth.

They report that more than 85 percent of parents support having LGBTQ sex education taught in schools, but less than 20 percent of students say they actually receive it.

"Some people might not feel like it's a necessity" since there's no risk of pregnancy, one student said.

Another girl suggested that certain family members might not be supportive. "I come from a Dominican background and I feel like the traditional side of my family, like the older — like in their 50s — would be against this," she said.

Studies show well-designed sex-ed classes can reduce teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, regardless of sexual orientation. So why aren't they more widely taught?

"We're not there yet, but we're working on it," said Lindsey Harr, executive director of school wellness programs for New York City public schools.

Asked about some students' concerns that there isn't enough representation of LGBTQ health issues, Harr replied, "I think you bring up a really good point, which is that the health education and sex education need to cover topics like gender identity, sexual orientation for all students, regardless of what their own identity and orientation are."

Harr said they're working to expand sex-ed programs, but with more than 1,800 public schools in the city, it's a challenge.

Because the New York City Department of Education does not track which sex-ed curriculums schools choose to follow, there's no way to know whether LGBTQ students are getting the attention they need.

Cyberbullying

Student reporters Andrea Hernandez, Aiden Hossanah and Seeya Mangra gathered a group of fellow students for a roundtable discussion on an issue that concerns kids, parents and educators alike: cyberbullying.

Though it happens online and after hours, schools across the country are experiencing the effects of cyberbullying. This year alone, New York City schools saw a 10 percent rise in bullying, the students report.

Participants in the roundtable point out that what happens at home almost never stays at home. Arguments that happen online or over the weekend escalate at school.

"A lot of stuff on social media always happens on a Sunday," one student observed. "It happens on Sunday because Monday we've got a full week."

Another student said it makes kids not want to come to school, or worse: "They might be hurt or they might want to do self-harm."

Every year, students at the school sign a pledge promising to use their cellphones and other technology responsibly. But those at the roundtable say it's ineffective, and they believe most bullying never gets reported to school faculty.

What is the Department of Education doing to help kids combat cyberbullying?

"We are spending about $47 million on school climate and mental health initiatives," said Lois Herrera, the head of the department's office of safety and youth development.

"We address cyberbullying in a number of ways. First and foremost, it's bullying. And so our discipline code views any type of incident of harassment, intimidation — whether it's electronic or in person — the same."

Child psychologist Darby Fox says students can also take action by being an "upstander" — someone who does not tolerate bullying when they see it.

"If they know the people, the perpetrators, they need to talk to them and just kind of give them a heads-up, 'Hey, that's not OK. That's not cool,'" she said.

But she also said that if bullying escalates, kids need to go talk to a parent or teacher because it can be very damaging.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



MADDOW NEWS

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/21/17
Report: Documents show W.H. lawyer told Trump Flynn broke law
Rachel Maddow shares a report from Foreign Policy that White House counsel Don McGahn informed Donald Trump that Mike Flynn had broken the law, though the official White House line was that McGahn had said the opposite. Duration: 25:21


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/21/17
Wyden emphasizes need to follow Trump money in Russia probe
Senator Ron Wyden talks with Rachel Maddow about why it's important for Trump Russia investigators to be able to follow Trump's money, and why the distraction of the holidays is reason to be vigilant for Trump sneakiness. Duration: 6:18


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/wyden-emphasizes-need-to-follow-trump-money-in-russia-probe-1122179651580
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/21/17
Wyden emphasizes need to follow Trump money in Russia probe
Senator Ron Wyden talks with Rachel Maddow about why it's important for Trump Russia investigators to be able to follow Trump's money, and why the distraction of the holidays is reason to be vigilant for Trump sneakiness. Duration: 6:18


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/21/17
Wait, did Rep. Adam Schiff just drop a big hint?
Rachel Maddow shares a piece of her interview with Rep. Adam Schiff in which he raises the question of whether Russians laundered money through the Trump Organization or guaranteed loans for the Trump Organization. Duration: 2:43


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/21/17
Trump appointee would force teen refugee to bear rapist's child
Brigitte Amiri, senior staff attorney at the ACLU's reproductive freedom project, talks with Rachel Maddow about the fight to defend the reproductive rights of undocumented teens from Trump-appointed anti-abortion zealots in the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Duration: 7:01


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/20/17
GOP group meeting in secret to undermine Trump investigation
Rachel Maddow relays details of a report by Politico that a subset of Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee have been meeting secretly to find a way to use committee documents to undermine Robert Mueller's Trump Russia investigation. Duration: 10:00


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/20/17
Schiff: Republicans will burn down the House to protect Trump
Congressman Adam Schiff talks with Rachel Maddow about a Politico report that a group of House Intel Republicans are meeting in secret to undermine the FBI investigation of Donald Trump, part of a broader Republican campaign. Duration: 9:08


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/20/17
GOP courts disaster, confusion with rush to implement tax bill
Bernie Becker, tax reporter for Politico, talks with Rachel Maddow about the practicalities for the IRS of trying to implement Republicans' sweeping tax changes in contrast with Republican eagerness to implement the changes almost immediately. Duration: 7:10