The persistence of fluoride conspiracy theories — which emerged in the 1950s with claims that fluoridation was a communist plot to dumb down Americans...

Some argue that the government uses fluoride as a form of mind control; others believe it's designed to boost the sugar lobby by enabling people to eat more sweets without getting cavities; and still others believe that health officials are afraid to reverse course on fluoride after promoting it for decades.

Science says fluoride in water is good for kids. So why are these towns banning it?

Early voting starts today for the Nov. 6th mid-term elections.

Here are the Knox Co. times and locations.

Here are the Blount Co. times and locations.

Here is the Knox Co. sample ballot.

Here is the Blount Co. sample ballot.

Remember to bring an approved, government issued photo ID. Here are the acceptable forms of photo ID.

Oct. 30th is the last day to request an absentee ballot. Note that anyone age 60 or over can vote absentee, no other reason needed. Here's the Knox Co. absentee ballot request form. Here's the Blount Co. absentee ballot request form.

Here are your local Democrats running for office:

Gloria Johnson is runnning for State House District 13. (Facebook, website, donate)

Justin Davis is running for State House District 14. (Facebook, website, donate)

Rick Staples is running unopposed for State House District 15. (Facebook, website, donate)

Kate Trudell is running for State House District 16. (Facebook, website, donate)

Greg Mackay is running for State House District 18. (Facebook, website, donate)

Edward Nelson is running for State House District 19. (Facebook, website, donate)

Coleen Martinez is running for State House District 89. (Facebook, website, donate)

Jay Clark is running for State House District 8. (Facebook, website, donate)

Susan Sneed is running for State House District 20. (Facebook, website, donate)

Stuart Starr is running for State Senate District 5. (Facebook, website, donate)

Jamie Ballinger is running for State Senate District 7. (Facebook, website, donate)

Renee Hoyos is running for U.S. House of Representatives District 2. (Facebook, website, donate)

Karl Dean is running for governor. (Facebook, website, donate)

Phil Bredesen is running for U.S. Senate. (Facebook, website, donate)

October 15, 2018

Dear Michael,

Thank you for contacting me regarding the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. One of the best parts of our democracy is the ability of its citizens to freely express their opinions to their elected representatives, and I take your views and comments very seriously.

Knoxville SOUP is an exciting community-focused project and is open to all of Knoxville. It’s a project Celebrating and Supporting Creative Projects in Knoxville.

Prior to dinner, we showcase proposals highlighting projects that are going on in our city. During dinner, attendees discuss the projects and cast their vote for the project they would like to fund with the proceeds from the door.

Proposals can be for anything that will benefit the community or society in general. Past winning projects have improved greenways and nature trails, provided exercise equipment for seniors, funded back to school drives, supported other charitable endeavors and even launched a small business with a social focus. There are no hard and fast rules to what a proposal should be, only that someone envisions it, asks for it and the diners vote for it.

Read about the proposals to be presented at our October dinner after the jump...

Come support one of these worthy projects - $5 gets you soup, salad AND a vote!

Reminds me of a van with a shag rug ...

This is an actual painting on display in President Trump's White House

Microsoft co-founder dies at the age of 65. He was a pretty remarkable guy.

Coach Pruitt at today's presser: Against Alabama, I'm not sure how much we need to be working on our punt return unit. We probably need to be working more on our punt unit.

Knox County Public Library's Books Sandwiched In program will be a bit different this month. The Book to be presented is Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt by Michael Lewis. The presenter is Dr. Mark Littmann from the University of Tennessee. The program will be on Wednesday, October 24 at noon, in the East Tennessee History Center at 601 South Gay Street.

Here's the difference: any audience members who wish to, can participate in the program. "I've taken Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt, Michael Lewis's book about dishonesty in stock market trading, and converted it into the form of a play or movie script," Littmann says. "Audience members will all receive copies of the presentation, and those who are willing will read the dramatic script aloud in rotation." Active participation is not required, however. After the reading, Dr. Littmann will lead a discussion of Michael Lewis's book.

Sears files Chapter 11, America's worst CEO Eddie Lampert steps down but remains chairman, closing 142 more stores, arranges up to $600 million more in loans to keep remaining stores operating.

UPDATE: It appears the Sears at West Town is one of the stores being closed.

This week, the Supreme Court declined to overturn North Dakota's controversial voter ID law, which requires residents to show identification with a current street address. A P.O. box does not qualify.

Many Native American reservations, however, do not use physical street addresses. Native Americans are also overrepresented in the homeless population, according to the Urban Institute. As a result, Native residents often use P.O. boxes for their mailing addresses and may rely on tribal identification that doesn't list an address.

Many Native IDs Won't Be Accepted At North Dakota Polling Places

The Senate this term under McConnell has far surpassed the number of judicial confirmations of any Senate during the five past administrations: a total of 84 Trump appointees, including 29 to the circuit courts, 53 to district courts and two to the Supreme Court. Trump's nominees now fill a whopping 15 percent of the circuit court seats.

Behind the Senate deal to confirm scores of conservative judges

After the second and final U.S. Senate debate, Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Mary Mancini released the following statement:

“Governor Bredesen tonight reminded us exactly why Tennesseans have always favored his pragmatic, results-driven brand of leadership. His independent and objective disposition is what made him an effective mayor and governor, and in today’s political climate, is a breath of fresh air for Tennessee voters.

“Phil Bredesen worked with Democrats and Republicans in Tennessee to balance our state budget for eight consecutive years, foster 200,000 new jobs, and improve healthcare across our state, and he’ll take the same approach to the United States Senate. The reality is that Blackburn’s tax scam is currently driving up the deficit, her opioid bill continues to make the opioid crisis worse, and her countless ethics violations are an embarrassment to the Tennessee values that we all share.

“Marsha Blackburn’s extremism is indicative of someone who relies on sowing fear and division, and if elected, would continue to push her partisanship even further in the Senate. Tennesseans deserve better, and Phil Bredesen is simply the right person for the job.”

The notion that Trump is responsible for the stock market is strong, mostly because that claim has been hammered over and over—by Trump himself. Never mind that Trump has been president for fewer than two years of a nine-plus year bull market.
...
Now that the S&P has lost 7% in a little more than a week, Trump is no longer touting—or even doubting—the stock market. He’s passing the buck to the Fed. “The problem I have is with the Fed. The Fed is going wild,” Trump said on an interview with Fox News Thursday. “The Fed is going loco and there’s no reason for them to do it.” That followed comments at a Wednesday rally that the Fed was “crazy” and “making a mistake.”

What're you gonna do? The current president lies and it is apparently okay. It happens everyday and the current Congress controlled by the Republicans doesn't care.

Premiums for benchmark silver plans on the federal individual market exchanges will drop [1.5%] in 2019, marking the first decrease since the Affordable Care Act was implemented, CMS Administrator Seema Verma announced on Thursday.

According to this article, "Tennessee will see the sharpest premium decline, as average monthly premiums for silver plans fell more than 26% from more than $600 last year to $449. "

In August, Tennessee Dept. of Commerce and Insurance announced rate changes for Obamacare providers. BC BS TN proposed an average decrease of 14.8%, whereas Cigna proposed an average premium decrease of 12.9%.

Obamacare open enrollment this year for 2019 is from November 1 to December 15.

Note, The Trump administration plans to shut down the federal health insurance exchange for 12 hours during all but one Sunday in the upcoming open enrollment season. The shutdown will occur from 12 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET on every Sunday except Dec. 10.

Aerial view of devastation at #MexicoBeach, Fl caused by #HurricaneMichael

Courtesy LSM/Brandon Clement pic.twitter.com/hqHTdkOz2E

— ABC 33/40 News (@abc3340) October 11, 2018

Recode Knoxville: Accessory units could double density

Nick Della Volpe takes a look at Recode provisions for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). He says they would be allowed in any residential zoning and that this could "double the density with the stroke of a pen."

That last part is an exaggeration, because not everybody will build an ADU on their lot. But he does raise some interesting points, and he has some comparisons to ADU regulations in other jurisdictions.

National Hurricane Center...

Mandatory evacuations ordered...

Tennessean: A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper assigned to provide security for both gubernatorial candidates was removed from his post last month after violating a nondisclosure agreement by revealing details of Democrat Karl Dean’s schedule to Republican Bill Lee’s campaign.

Apparently, Lee's campaign wanted a photo of Dean at a mosque for a "Muslim event." Turns out the event was a meet and greet at Yassin's Falafel House in Knoxville.

NPR: Nikki Haley has resigned as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. It is not immediately clear what has prompted the move.

Regardless of the outcome, there's a Democrat on every ticket in Knox County and Blount County except one (State Senate District 2 in Blount County). We have more qualified Democrats running than we've had in a long time. Thanks to the party officials and volunteers and candidates for stepping up.