Seems like the age should be older than seven

TCA Code 55-10-803 (a) It is an offense for a person responsible for a child younger than seven (7) years of age to knowingly leave that child in a motor vehicle located on public property or while on the premises of any shopping center, trailer park, or any apartment house complex, or any other premises that is generally frequented by the public at large without being supervised in the motor vehicle by a person who is at least thirteen (13) years of age, if:

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Long-term exposure to air pollution, especially ground-level ozone, is like smoking about a pack of cigarettes a day for many years, a new study says, and like smoking, it can can lead to emphysema.

Exposure to polluted air is like smoking a pack a day, study says

"Republicans aren't going to run stupid people."

Uh, Marsha Blackburn?

Maybe the next Mayor could invite the Chinese to reopen local factories. Imagine locally-produced jeans ...

Real estate ...

President Donald Trump has on multiple occasions brought up buying Greenland from the Danish government and the White House counsel's office has looked into the possibility...

Trump has asked aides if it's possible to buy Greenland, sources say

The City of Knoxville's Community Development Department is holding six public meetings in August and September to seek public input on "prioritizing the community’s need for affordable housing and services for homeless people, veterans, single mothers and other groups." There is also an online survey.

More info in the City press release after the break...

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Through Tuesday, 8/13/2019, 3,383 ballots have been cast in the Knox County election (2,953 early voters, 430 absentee ballots). That is less than 500 early voter ballots a day (6 days).

The Downtown West voting location has the most early voters at 1,234. New Harvest is second with 715 ballots. The South location has the least ballots at 241. The South location may be the worst location of the five.

Let's hope more voters show up for this important election.

What: Second Bell Festival Saturday at Suttree Landing
When: Saturday, August 17, 2019 - 12:00pm
Where: Suttree Landing Park, Waterfront Drive, South Knoxville

The second annual Second Bell Festival is on for Saturday, Aug. 17th at Suttree Landing Park in South Knoxville. The festival features local and regional musicians, comedy and more. Tickets are $30 for the all day festival, $75 VIP tickets are also available. Read more...

SEE ALSO: Website, Lineup, Schedule, Tickets

What: Suttree Landing pavilion and kayak launch ribbon cutting ceremony Friday
When: Friday, August 16, 2019 - 4:00pm
Where: Suttree Landing Park, Waterfront Drive, South Knoxville

Construction of the new pavilion and kayak launch at Suttree Landing Park on the South Waterfront is finally complete. The City is having a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday Aug. 16 at 4 p.m. at the park.

The $2 million project includes a new pavilion, kayak launch, floating dock, sidewalks, picnic tables, restrooms and the first City-owned ADA-accessible kayak launch system.

CNBC: The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note on Wednesday broke below the 2-year rate, an odd bond market phenomenon that has been a reliable, albeit early, indicator for economic recessions.

Or, is he slyer than a fox?

Donald Trump has insisted that China is “paying for” the tariffs he has placed on their exports: “We’re [currently] collecting 25% on $250 billion [worth of Chinese products], and China is paying for it … Don’t let anyone tell you that we’re paying. We’re not paying.”

...on Tuesday, the White House thought better of it and dropped all those items [i.e. video-game consoles, computer monitors, clothing, footwear, toys, and miscellaneous electronics.] from its list. “We’re doing this for the Christmas season,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “Just in case some of the tariffs would have an impact on U.S. customers.”

China's paying the tariffs? We're paying the tariffs? What an idiot. On the other hand, any people privy to his change in policy ahead of the change could make good money in the stock market. It's almost as if.... Nah, couldn't be.

From the Not-So-Farfetched File:

It has been a summer of Trump Administration confusion regarding foreign policy basics—things like place names and recent history. Presidential adviser Ivanka Trump outdid her father’s creation of the country of Nambia by congratulating Boris Johnson on leading the United Kingston.

President Trump then offered U. S. aid to Russia to fight Siberian forest fires—not suggesting better raking as he did for California. Confused as Trump is after conversations with Vladimir Putin, Trump also suggested the Soviet Union dissolution was a rebranding effort.

I spent part of this summer in Prague, vainly seeking Michael Cohen’s cell phone. At one point, however, I was whisked away for a secret meeting. Norwegian spymaster Kjell Slartibartfast met me at an Oslo café across from his cover office at the Fjord Foundation. The smell of lutefisk hung in the air as Kjell said, “Mark, he outed us masterfully.”

Slartibartfast was referencing earlier this summer when ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos pressed President Trump about future foreign interference in our elections, and Trump’s mind crisply went to the most likely culprit, Norway.

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Apparently there are areas in San Francisco where a person has to dodge human waste along the sidewalks. "The city received nearly 27,000 requests for feces removal in the most recent fiscal year, although not all are human."

"San Francisco started its "Pit Stop" program in July 2014 with public toilets in the city's homeless-heavy Tenderloin, after children complained of dodging human waste on their way to school. "

"Advocates say steam cleaning requests have dropped in areas surrounding some of the public toilets. The mayor signed a budget Thursday that includes more than $9 million for the Pit Stop toilets this year, up from $5 million last fiscal year. San Francisco will add seven new bathrooms in a city where a one-night count of homeless people grew 17% in the past two years."

$9 million dollars for public toilets for the homeless?!?!? Yes, it is good that the city is doing something. But, wow, they must really have a homeless problem and it does not appear to be getting any better.

University of Tennessee Assistant Chief Keith Lambert pulls a gun on residents when he went to what he thought was his house, but it was not his house. According to the report KCSO released on Thursday, the resident "told Lambert that he was at the wrong home, at which point she said he pulled a gun from his waistband and told her, 'I'm a cop, get out of my house.'"

A spokesperson for the Knox County District Attorney's Office said in a text message to WVLT News that "We declined prosecution and sent the case file investigating University of Tennessee Police Department assistant chief Keith Lambert back to the Knox County Sheriff's Office.

UTPD told WVLT News that Lambert remains on paid administrative leave and the agency is continuing its internal investigation.

Some neighbors are now on edge in the Hardin Valley neighborhood.

"What if he decides to flip again and hears my dogs bark and decides to shoot them?" Hicks asked. "Or my children screaming because they're 15-months-old and kids cry. Something switches and he pulls his gun and starts shooting?"

Sheesh. Is this one of those cases where the person should not be allowed to own a gun, much less work at a police department?

Today I have a column in The Daily Times (Maryville/Blount County). It's the first of what I hope will be many. I'm scheduled to appear every Second Sunday of the month.

Here it is

Brooks claims to provide "a resentment-free assessment of the boomers, conducted by a trained pop sociologist with no ax to grind." Can't say I agree with his entire assessment, but have to like and laugh at some.

He gives Baby Boomer politics a C-. But, then he starts with Bill Clinton. I guess I get it, Clinton was the first Baby Boomer president. But, many of us Baby Boomers have been pretty heavily involved in politics since 1972, way before Clinton's presidency.

He says, "Baby boomers have been unable to match that level of talent." It could be all that early sex, drugs, rock and roll eliminated some of the "talent" because they were afraid of the morality test (Manners and Morals).:)

His overall grade for Baby Boomers is a B. In four out of seven categories he gives a score of A- to A (Social Movements, Popular Culture, Technology and Innovation, Lifestyle), the remaining three are C- to C (Manners and Morals, High Culture, and Politics). A little harsh on some of the Cs, but oh well.

Nine Democratic presidential hopefuls have qualified for the Fall debates, Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, O’Rourke, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Andrew Yang.

Beto O'Rourke has fallen behind, maybe he needs to promise that $1,000/month plan Yang is promising.

Qualification for the September debate closes on Aug. 28. Candidates who qualify for the September debate are automatically in the October debate, unless they drop out of the race. And any candidate who misses the September debate has more time to receive new donations or score 2 percent in the polls.

Most people are figuring out that they shouldn't answer calls from unknown numbers because 90%+ of the time they are spam or scams.

The same applies to online surveys, polls, questionnaires, quizzes, etc. They are harvesting more personal info about you and your personality to round out their profile on you or worse. Does Cambridge Analytica ring a bell?

P.S. If it's a political campaign's poll, survey or whatever, they don't really care what you think. They just want your email, phone number and mailing address. And a donation.

What: Broadway Corridor Improvement Study Open House
When: Wednesday, August 14, 2019 - 6:30pm
Where: St. James Episcopal Church, 1101 N. Broadway

City press release...

Who: Jon Livengood, City Alternative Transportation Engineer, City Engineering staff and other City of Knoxville representatives

The City of Knoxville will hold an interactive open house on Aug. 14 that focuses on potential upgrades for the North Broadway Corridor from Glenwood Avenue to McCroskey Avenue.

The public is invited to drop in from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and recommend ideas to make North Broadway more inviting and accessible to all users.

Additionally, a study will be completed by February 2020 that will look at alternative options for the Hall of Fame Drive intersection and North Broadway up to Cecil Avenue. The study will determine a better functioning roadway for pedestrians, motor vehicles and bicyclists.

“This study will determine alternative designs for the Hall of Fame intersection for all modes of transportation to travel in a more efficient and safe manner,” said Jon Livengood, the City’s Alternative Transportation Engineer.

“The existing intersection works for people who are coming from the north, but those who are approaching from the south have no options to get on Hall of Fame or get off and then proceed southbound on Broadway. It’s also extremely uncomfortable to travel by foot or bicycle. We will determine a context sensitive design that functions well and is no longer a barrier that divides the surrounding neighborhoods.”