Vaping as of 9/11/2019

So I have hit my wits end – I work in the Vape industry and am tired of all the headline reporting by so many outlets – my own favorite local radio station WRNN Hot Talk 99.5 in Myrtle Beach included – reporting that all vaping is the cause of the recent deaths and illnesses.  These are fake news – the FDC has found that Vitamin E acetate may be the cause of this epidemic.  Vitamin E acetate is an chemical agent that is used as a thickener to help dilute THC in some cartridges that have been sold in the underground market.  The reason that I am so upset is that this morning (September 10, 2019) the morning show on WRNN stated that “vaping was causing these illnesses” and that one “boy’s lungs exploded”.  Nowhere in my searches today that I have been doing ever since I heard this, have I found anything that even remotely resembles lungs “exploding.”  I am not disputing that people have gotten sick and unfortunately as of my writing this, 6 have died, but research must be done before you report on any subject.  Even CNN reported on September 5 that the focus is now being turned towards Vitamin E acetate ( https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/05/health/vaping-chemical-new-york-investigation-bn/index.html ) and I found that on my first search.  There are many more reports from fact-checked sites that report the same.

By stating “Vaping is causing deaths” without research, causes people to over-react.  Michigan has banned flavors for 6 months, New York’s Governor is trying to ban vaping  entirely (https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-gov-cuomo-ecigarettes-terpenes-thickening-agents-honey-cut-juul-20190910-abru2hkxzbglzb6mdwfu2vhu2e-story.html ), an Alabama school has removed bathroom stall doors to easier catch kids vaping ( https://www.wafb.com/2019/09/09/north-alabama-school-removes-bathroom-stall-doors-combat-vaping/ ), and many municipalities are trying to ban flavored e-liquids because “only kids like flavors” - which is so false I can’t even say it without laughing – 2 of my favorite flavors are Pimpin’ Pancakes & Cinnamon Sweet Sugar Cookie and my kids aren’t even kids any more.  I’m sure the list is longer – but just researching it raises my blood pressure.

I was a 35 year smoker until I walked into a vape store in Myrtle Beach (that as of 4 months ago,  I now proudly work for) and talked with the employees about vaping and what the dangers were.  I totally understand the age requirements on vaping, nicotine is addictive and can inhibit proper learning and mental abilities in developing teenagers.  But before you condemn an entire industry, do your research about the developing problems and report them properly.  There are many people who listen to what you report – and believe it is fact.  As Dave Priest from WRNN has said many times about the national talk shows on after his morning show – some people get their news and information from just them.  Please – use Google, use Siri, use Cortana, use Bing – use something – but make sure you are stating facts or at least what is considered the facts at the time.

How you can win my vote…..

I understand that we are 21 months from our next Presidential Election – but I thought I would let the candidates know how they could win my vote.  I live in a state where you decide which primary you want to vote in – so even though I am an independent I can vote for anyone if I feel strongly about them.  So here is a list of every issue that I have an opinion on – some of them have no impact on my life – but I feel so strongly about.

1.       I have a fence around my property so that I can control who and what comes in and who and what goes out – we need the same for our country.

2.       I believe that a child is no more than a parasite in the body of a woman – but some parasites are beneficial – no abortions for birth control.

·         If abortions do exist for birth control – first trimester only

·         If abortions do exist for birth control – men should also have the right to “opt-out” – the same period of time that a woman has to choose to abort

·         If “Opt-out” does exist – men lose permanent rights if they “opt-out” – no coming back later and deciding to be “Daddy”

3.       Taxes should be the same percentage for everyone – i.e. 10% = if you make a dollar – you pay 10 cents – no exceptions – no tax shelters

4.       If you want to make a single payer healthcare program – i.e. Obamacare – then States should be required to increase their Medicaid coverage to the federal limits & insurances should be mandated as to what must be covered – and the payments should be based on the persons ability to pay – again – a percentage of income

5.       Education must be improved – students rely too much on their devices to solve problems – a Life Skills course should be included teaching how to cook, balance a checkbook, fill out an envelope for mailing, build a basic shelf from scratch, how to check their oil in their car – things that are needed to be an adult.

6.       If you promise something during your campaign – try to keep that promise – not just forget it after being elected.

7.       Once in office – stay on the same course – if you are for something – stay for it – or explain to us why you change your mind – and just because your opponent is for it isn’t a good enough reason to change, maybe that is what we need – both sides agreeing on something.

8.       I do believe in gun control – but not gun restriction – ballistic reports should be preformed on each firearm and a record of it should follow its serial number similar to a person’s fingerprint.  Stop trying to take away guns all the while you have personal security & Capital Police & Secret Service protecting you and your property with said weapons.

9.       Stop wasting our time with Collusion Trials or Hillary Trials – neither will amount to anything – even though I feel HRC should have been arrested in an FBI raid – it is far too late for that…

10.   Stop trying to convince me that the only people who are racist, homophobic, xenophobic and violent are white.  Really read and watch the news and listen to EVERYONE – you will find racist, homophobic, xenophobic and violent people of all walks of life.

11.   Let’s pay less attention to what is happening in other countries and more attention to our own.  We have people starving, freezing on the streets – dying because they can’t afford “affordable” healthcare – Bridges and roads crumbling – schools over-crowded – we have fixed unemployment – now let’s fix some of our other problems.

12.   An Immigrant is great – join the group and merge into our Melting Pot – Illegal immigrant is just that – illegal – Sanctuary cities and states are ridiculous – they are blatantly breaking the federal law and said lawmakers should be arrested and jailed for harboring known criminals – because illegal is illegal – and illegal is not “oops – my visa expired last week” – but it is “Oops – my visa expired last year”

I am not hard to get along with – in most cases I just want candidates to tell me how they feel & what their belief system is – not quote the Party lines – I have felt for years that the 2-party system is the biggest problem in our country.  Trump is not really a Republican – but had he ran Democrat or Independent – he most assuredly would have lost the election – so like so many things – he cheated the system.  He no more “colluded” with a foreign entity then any other candidate – how much did Hillary get in money from other countries???  And how can so many people say we need term limits on Congress but yet continue to elect the same people over and over again.  How can my generation and every generation after vote for people who have been in office since I started voting???  By the way – I will be voting 35 years in 2020.  There are 16 in office for over 30 years – 79 since Bill Clinton’s first term – this is really our problem.  What is worse – without mentioning names, we are now electing people into office who have no clue how our country works – how the Government works – or even what makes up our Government…  How can we expect anything to change??  No matter who is president – no change will ever take hold until we all go to the ballot box and vote out the incumbents – I personally like my current representation for my state in Washington – but that doesn’t mean I think we shouldn’t vote them all out…  Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell, Diane Feinstein, John Boehner, Chuck Schumer, etc. are so out of touch with the normal American – it is just sad.

OK – Ranted enough for today – but have already started on the next one (was originally part of this one – but was making it WAY TOO long)

B