Carrie's Bar & Grill

RIP, Whitney - Tonight's Grammy's Will Be All About You

2012-02-12T16:14:00.000-08:00

I remember the first time I ever heard Whitney Houston on the radio. I was just back to Los Angeles, after having lived for a few years in the Portland, Oregon area. I was driving up Laurel Canyon in my Honda Quaalude (LOL), with the moon-roof open, and "Saving All My Love For You" came on. I got chills and the hair on my arms just stood up. That voice was just unbelievably unique.

Her follow-up hit, "How Will I Know" was pop and bouncy, and I truly loved the song, especially dancing to it.

I totally enjoyed, as well, her followup album, which included "I Wanna Dance With Somebody."

Of course, one of her biggest hits was an old Dolly Parton song, which I actually enjoyed Dolly's version when she had recorded it, but Whitney's version is by far, a standard.

To me, her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner at the Superbowl halftime show, during the Gulf War, was the version for all to aspire to.

Rest in peace, baby. Your life somehow had the demons, and you have left us way to soon.

Sharon Kips - What A Fool Believes

2012-02-10T20:05:00.001-08:00

DJ Rix had this song on his blog, and it really struck a chord with me that I actually purchased the song (ok, for 99 cents) so that I could share it!

Enjoy ... Sharon Kips

What A Fool Believes

You Just Never Know What Star Is Sitting Next To You In Hollywood

2012-02-09T20:52:00.000-08:00

I did a post a while back about true angelenos that included a bit about the nonchalance with respect to famous stars. True angelenos would not go all Lucy Ricardo on the star, and at best, they would just say ... "I love your work."

So tonight, it was like older ladies at the bar, and this tall blonde dude at the end, very unassuming. We were having a great discussion about Vegas, when two women of my age sat in between us, and at some point, one of them said to the blonde dude, "I love your work." I was like ... who is that? I thought he was just some business dude, who I see all the time at my watering hole.

Lo and behold, it was Ken Howard! Once I realized that (noticing that tonight we were watching basketball on the big screen at the bar and he made some comment about the white players on the team which to him, meant the teams were from the midwest, and he was right ... and still I did not make the connect) he was THE Ken Howard from The White Shadow, which I have to admit, I watched religiously ... I was so impressed by his charisma and his lack of "look at me, I am a famous person" while we still traded "name dropping" in our respective stories about entertainment.

And this man is the president of the Screen Actors Guild. Damn ... ya never know who is sitting next to you in Hollywood!

At Least The Giants Won

2012-02-07T09:31:00.000-08:00

I cannot stand Tom Brady. It's not personal, though. It started a few years back when the Chargers had to get past Tom to get to the Super Bowl. And all I heard for days and days was "Brady" this and "Brady" that. I got so sick and tired of hearing just how much better Brady is/was than Phil Rivers that I just grew to hate the guy.

I also won a few bucks at the local watering hole's pick a square pool. Although I didn't win as much as I bet (lost $25 on the overall squares picked), it was still fun to be, again, a winner in the bar's football pool.

I guess it's back to hockey now.

Planned Parenthood's Donations Up Since Susan G. Komen (think "pink") Organization's Decision To Defund PP

2012-02-01T18:30:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: 2/7/12:

Karen Handel resigns from Komen for the Cure:

Karen Handel, the former GOP candidate for governor, just announced her resignation as a senior vice president for public policy of Susan G. Komen for the Cure – one week after the breast cancer charity reversed itself on a decision to sever financial ties with Planned Parenthood.

Read her letter of resignation here. The bitch is so full of herself, and you can tell. This story just keeps getting better and better. Not quite full blow red in the face yet, but enough pink to see it coming!

-------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE: 2/3/12

Did SGK just blink? (H/T to Crooks and Liars)

We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women's lives.

The events of this week have been deeply unsettling for our supporters, partners and friends and all of us at Susan G. Komen. We have been distressed at the presumption that the changes made to our funding criteria were done for political reasons or to specifically penalize Planned Parenthood. They were not.

Our original desire was to fulfill our fiduciary duty to our donors by not funding grant applications made by organizations under investigation. We will amend the criteria to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political. That is what is right and fair.

Our only goal for our granting process is to support women and families in the fight against breast cancer. Amending our criteria will ensure that politics has no place in our grant process. We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities.

Well, according to that statement (and a post at AMERICAblog), SGK isn't really backing down, because the grants already approved for PP will still go through, despite their decision not to give any MORE grants. And the statement above does not change that. SGK is STILL reserving the right not to approve any future grants.

So, we have SGK first saying they will no longer fund PP because it is under "investigation." Then last night on their website, they claim it wasn't because they were under investigation, but because PP uses what is termed "pass through" grants, i.e., allegedly PP does not do direct mammograms, but "refers" them out (not sure if that is entirely true of the all of PP locations). And now, today, they change the story again and say that they have revised their internal rules so that any refusal based on any investigations will have to be a "criminal" and credible investigation.

Keep stepping in the doo doo. The smell is going to take a long time to go away, and those pink ribbons are not looking so hot right now.

----------------------------------------------

Unbelievable! All the press action today over the Susan G. Komen's organization's decision to defund Planned Parenthood!

First, in case you do not know what the SGK Organization is famous for, think "pink," as in breast cancer awareness PINK. Didn't we just have to go through a month of watching NFL players wear pink shoes, gloves and towels, etc. in support of SKG? And what about the "Race For The Cure" that SGK sponsor's annually? Guess you won't see too many liberals, dems and independents supporting SGK, wear pink ribbons, eat Yoplait yogurt, or sign up and/or donate to the Race.

And now that there are serious concerns as to whether the Race for the Cure and its founder are simply an arm of the anti-abortion wing of the Republican party, it's hard to imagine any Democrats or Independents wanting to be a part of that fundraiser any more - unless of course it's to protest it.

Let this be a case study in how to destroy an amazing brand in just 24 hours.

On the upside, Planned Parenthood received upwards of $400,000 today since the news of SGK's decision to defund breast cancer screenings.

This is all to say that perhaps the Planned Parenthood decision isn't all that big of a surprise, given the politics of people involved with Komen. The flap might end up benefiting Planned Parenthood in the end, however. The group has raised more than $400,000 since the news broke, a spokesman said Wednesday afternoon.

UPDATE:

It appears that a couple of SGK statewide affiliates are breaking ranks with the main SGK organization and will continue to support Planned Parenthood.

While the national Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation announced its organization will no longer partner with Planned Parenthood, the group’s local affiliate in Denver is breaking from the rest of the Komen organization. The Denver affiliate announced today that the national organization granted it an exception to continue funding Planned Parenthood.

[snip]

The Connecticut affiliate withdrew its support for the national Susan G. Komen organization, and the group wrote on its Facebook page that it enjoys a great partnership with Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. “We understand, and share, in the frustration around this situation,” the group wrote.

If You're Going To Drug Test, Test Everyone

2012-02-01T09:34:00.000-08:00

A Republican member of the Indiana General Assembly withdrew his bill to create a pilot program for drug testing welfare applicants Friday after one of his Democratic colleagues amended the measure to require drug testing for lawmakers.

Hee haw.

Recess Appointment Invalid? Give Me A Break!

2012-02-01T09:26:00.000-08:00

"I can't imagine how anybody could maintain under the circumstances that your appointment and your service is valid," Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) told Cordray at Tuesday's hearing. "And I can't imagine then … how the actions you are taking will be upheld, and I think that's a very, very serious consequence for our nation."

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said: "There's no question there's going to be constitutional challenges" to Cordray's appointment.

Cordray said he and his staff have discussed the potential for legal challenges to the appointment by businesses affected by any new rules. But Cordray said it wasn't clear whether those challenges would succeed and that he believed the appointment was valid.

"I have been appointed as director," Cordray said. "There may be issues about that … but I now have legal obligations I'm supposed to carry out for this bureau. I'm going to do that."

The Republicans are all up in arms about this particular recess appointment. I find their complaints to be incredibly bogus when one first considers how many recess appointments Bush made, and second, how we had endure the fucking idiocy of John Bolton's recess appointment as the American representative to the United Nations. The man with the most reckless mouth in history at the UN (shaking head).

Republicans need to shut the fuck up. They are running in circles nowadays, and quite frankly, the rhetoric is just not convincing too many outside of the viewers of Fox News (all three million of them, in a country of 350 million people). Yawn .....

Ooops ... Guess Shutting Down Megaupload Has Other Consequences For Our Government

2012-01-31T18:41:00.000-08:00

You know, if any of you out there really still believes that America is a democratically run country/government, I swear I will sell you the Brooklyn Bridge, damn it.

US prosecutors have said that data belonging to Megaupload users and stored by third parties could be deleted as soon as Thursday.

Users have been unable to access data since the file-sharing service was raided.

The warning was made in a letter filed by the US Attorney's Office.

Megaupload's lawyer Ira Rothken told the Associated Press that at least 50 million users had data which could be deleted.

This is data that has absolutely zero to do with any DCMA infringement. After the internet blackout to oppose the tyranny of the bills that were being bandied about in trying to stifle/control the internet, the American government shuts down a site, in New Zealand that affects millions of users, with probably only a small percentage of them subject to a real DCMA take down (as I have already had one on my blog, so I know what they can do).

China is looking awfully good as a new place to live.

Lego's In Outer Space!!!

2012-01-31T18:34:00.001-08:00

How cool is THAT?

OK, technically, Lego Man didn't get into space.

But that doesn't make this $400 science project by two Canadian teens any less cool.
Mathew Ho and Asad Muhammad, a couple of 17-year olds, sent their Canadian flag-toting Lego figure aloft beneath a weather balloon they bought online for $85.
The packed a Styrofoam box with some gel hand warmers to keep three point-and-shoot cameras and a video camera (bought used on Craigslist) functioning at the below -4 F (-20 C) temperatures. They also put a cellphone with GPS aboard to track it. And they stitched together a parachute (on Muhammad's mom's sewing machine) to bring their Legonaut and their cameras safely back to Earth.

Click on the link on the heading and go view the video and everything else. Way fucking cool. And Lego, to boot! Love me some Legos.

Want Viagra? Get A Rectal Exam First, Damn It!

2012-01-31T18:10:00.001-08:00

The level of assault on women's reproductive rights is so substantial (see this piece on how a high level cancer organization Susan G. Komen known primarily for the Race for the Cure, the best-funded breast cancer organization and known internationally for the pink ribbon, and their choice to now defund Planned Parenthood's breast cancer screenings) I thought that it was funny in Virginia, with the ultra Republican bill making women hear fetal sounds, etc. before having an abortion, that state Sen. Janet Howell (D) has decided to "level the playing field."

On Monday Howell expressed her disdain for legislation requiring the ultrasound by proposing an amendment she described as a simple matter of fairness. Her amendment said that before being treated for erectile dysfunction, a man would have to undergo a digital rectal exam and a cardiac stress test.

“We should just have a little gender equity here,” Howell said.

High five, sista!!!! It's about time the men start having to take responsibility for their impregnation of women, voluntarily or not.

Even Castro Thinks Repugs Are Idiots!

2012-01-25T21:30:00.000-08:00

AP:
"The selection of a Republican candidate for the presidency of this globalized and expansive empire is — and I mean this seriously — the greatest competition of idiocy and ignorance that has ever been."

Shit like this just comes naturally, know what I mean? Republican odor is detectable most anywhere !!!!

H/T AMERICAblog

UC Prez Checking Out My Site! Is That Cool ... Or Not?

2012-01-24T21:20:00.000-08:00

Ok, not the clearest screen capture, but hey, what is someone from the "office of the president" of the "University of California" doing looking at my blog?

Yeah, Rix, call me paranoid? Not.

I'm Not Dead Politically

2012-01-24T19:04:00.000-08:00

First off, I AM curious as to how many of you that belong to Move On, got their e-mail about the possibility of YOU running for an office in in your city/county/state, etc.? If I did not have a "history" that would "out me" in more ways than Gingrich has been BBQ'd in this primary, I would have given the e-mail consideration.

With many of the bigger blogs covering the stupidity that has become to be known as Republican Debates, one can only hope that in the end, it's Gingrich. He's such a stupid man that even if half of the Democrats in this country don't show up at the polls, Obama still wins. I find that creepily eerie. And a reason I don't expand on the regular big blogs' views. At the moment, with stupidity abundant, it is redundant of me to repeat what has already been opined.

This interesting statement from David Atkins at Digby's site:

The part of me that wants to see an easier win in November desperately wants Gingrich to win the nomination.

But the fighter in me wants to see Romney win this nomination so that we can have the tax the rich conversation undistracted all through November. Sadly, I don't get to choose. That's for the crazies on the other side to decide.

I didn't watch the SOTU address this evening. I haven't watched this Prez on TV in about two years, as he creates in me the same desires to smash my television and throw shit at it like Dubya used to bring out in me!

I thought this ad was funny. Courtesy of Romney Gekko 2012.

Another tidbit, worthy of its own post, but I might not get to it, is one of the nominations as Best Actor Nominee (Oscar) in a major motion picture, Demián Bichir. His role is a day laborer in the film A Better Life.

Now, the take down of the Mega whatever site (which, personally, I actually have to say I have never heard of it, yet alone use it ... but then again, I'm not a big fan of having the very first viewing of anything, be it sports, television, movies or music). But found this interesting link to what is supposedly behind the whole shebang and the DOJ's long arm. I will do a separate post about my feelings, though. Some other MPAA and Hollywood shenanigans. Didn't take long for the "pinko, commie leftist hippies" in Hollywood to figure out how to use Citizens United like tactics to move along their agenda. Nothing talks as much as bullshit walks ... but when there is money, hey, you know the "line!"

Well, when I have some more time ... I'll write something relevant. For now, work, family and "you know what" is still Occupying ME! LOL!

Gong Xi Fa Ca

2012-01-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

First off -- HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

It's the year of the Dragon, the water dragon to be more specific. I was born under the sign of the water dragon.

Water has a calming effect on the Dragon's fearless temperament. Water allows the Dragon to re-direct its enthusiasm, and makes him more perceptive of others. These Dragons are better equipped to take a step back to re-evaluate a situation because they understand the art of patience and do not desire the spotlight like other Dragons. Therefore, they make smart decisions and are able to see eye-to-eye with other people. However, their actions can go wrong if they do not research or if they do not finish one project before starting another.

[snip]

ARIES DRAGON
Aries Dragons tend to have good luck. With a passionate drive they fill their days to the brim with activity. They are upwardly mobile people so they usually get what they want.

This is a great site about Chinese astrology. Lot's of good information.

Happy New Year!

(A pix of one of my own dragon tattoo's, this one was done around 1989). Although one can see it as either being on my leg or my arm, it is actually on my left forearm, and I am taking the picture with my arm stretched upward.

Giants YAY!

2012-01-22T19:35:00.000-08:00

My second favorite NFL team are the Giants, which is weird considering the fact that Eli was initially drafted by the Chargers but refused to play for them on the advice of his father. That begat the Chargers Philip Rivers, who is my FAVE at the moment! So, I am glad for the trade. However, the Chargers still just do not quite get there, year after year ...

Anyway, Super Bowl match up -- Giants vs. New England.

RIP Etta James

2012-01-20T17:17:00.000-08:00

This song seems to be jammed for some reason and won't play past 20 seconds. I am working on it. Until I can get the live version up, this You Tube should do for now.

Riffing off of a DJ Rix post about Etta James, the song above is entitled "Baby, What You Want Me To Do?" and is from a live album recorded in 1964 called Etta James Rocks The House. The song is hilarious to me, and one of my absolute favorite. The sexual innuendo was palatable!

I have 65 song titles by Etta, so, obviously, I do not fall into the category that Rick describes in his post. I believe I first became familiar with Etta when I was a teenager, and she had a tune that was playing on the radio, both the soul station and the pop station, entitled "Tell Mama."

Another song that had sexual overtones that I liked, "Roll With Me Henry" actually later on had the name changed to "Dance With Me Henry" to avoid censors. She recorded this song in 1955, but co-authored it in 1954 with Johnny Otis (who passed away three days before Etta died).

The B side to the 1961 single "At Last" had this memorable song"I Just Want To Make Love To You."

Obviously, I could put up a lot more songs given the large catalog I have of her tunes, but I will close out the evening on Etta with the song she has been mostly associated with her entire life, as a fitting tribute, "At Last."

UPDATE: Since Rix gave me a shout out for a "small but choice tribute," I am adding some more songs! Can't stick with small, but choice works for me.

"A Sunday Kind Of Love"
"Money"
"Hoochie Coochie Gal"
"Trust In Me"

You and Otis ... what were the chances, eh? Make some good music up there.

The Bar Is Open Again

2012-01-18T18:01:00.000-08:00

I did my part!

Carrie's Bar Will Be Closed Tomorrow In Solidarity With Others Against SOPA And PIPA

2012-01-17T00:14:00.000-08:00

ALL SITES AND PEOPLE TO GO OUT AGAINST SOPA AND PIPA RIGHT NOW FOR 150 SECONDS

Internet Goes On Strike

ALL SITES AND PEOPLE TO GO OUT

Major sites all over the internet have gone on strike due to SOPA and PIPA, the hot-button anti-piracy legislation. Experts expect strike to last 150 seconds, and agree this is a "near eternity" in internet time. Congress is about to pass what has been called the internet censorship bill, even though the vast majority of Americans are opposed. The Senate is scheduled to vote on its version of the internet censorship bill on Tuesday, January 24th, and unless there are 41 senators to voice their opposition to allowing the bill to proceed, it is expected to pass. Legislation called the PROTECT-IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House are purported to be a way to crack down on online copyright infringement. In reality the bill is much broader. It would empower governments and corporations to take down virtually any website, create new liabilities and uncertainties for web innovators, and make the web less safe. According to the varied and multitudinous reasons large numbers of sites and individuals are opposed to the bill, it betrays basic American tenets, such as free speech, prosperity, and national security. On top of all that, cybersecurity experts say it wouldn't stop copyright infringement. The legislation is backed and largely written by the MPAA, as they have said in media reports. They have also spent millions in lobbying dollars to pass this legislation.

http://is.gd/wuZp2S and http://maplight.org/content/72896

To see the bills, go here: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s968/show http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h3261/show

THIS SITE IS ON STRIKE TO STOP SOPA.

NOW, IT'S YOUR TURN TO TELL CONGRESS NO TO WEB CENSORSHIP:

CALL (202) 224-3121

WHAT'S WRONG WITH SOPA / PIPA?

Free Speech

Takes down hosts of content and legitimate free speech. The legislation is overly broad and could block some of our favorite websites to Americans only over just one claim to an infringing link posted by users.

The Economy

Creates massive new legal uncertainties and liabilities for web startups, stifling job creation in our most vibrant sector. As 54 leading tech venture capitalists wrote to Congress, the censorship bills would, "stifle investments in internet services, throttle innovation, and hurt American competitiveness."

Security / Privacy

A web security initiative that has been in development for more than a decade and is just beginning to be implemented, DNSSEC, would be illegal under

the bill. The DNS filtering and anti-circumvention provisions in the bill would force a huge step backwards for securing critical national infrastructure from cyberattacks, preventing online identity theft, and stopping the spread of malware.

Copyright Infringement

People that want to share copyrighted content online would still be able to. To get around DNS blocking, all you have to do is enter the IP address of a website into your browser's url bar.

Learn more:

americancensorship.org is supported by Public Knowledge, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Free Press, Wikipedia, Creative Commons, Fight for the Future, Participatory Politics Foundation / Open Congress, Center for Democracy and Technology,

MoveOn, Cato Institute, Don't Censor the Net, Urban Dictionary, 4chan, Wikimedia Foundation, Mozilla, Demand Progress, Free Software Foundation, and see more at americancensorship.org/supporters.html

The bill is opposed by:

CEO's of Huffington Post, Google, Twitter, and thousands and thousands more. To see a full list, go here: https://www.cdt.org/report/list-organizations-and-individuals-opposing-sopa

Sites participating in strike:

SOPA becoming election liability for backers

To the ranks of same-sex marriage, tax cuts and illegal immigration, add this to the list of polarizing political issues of Election 2012: the Stop Online Piracy Act.

The hot-button anti-piracy legislation that sparked a revolt online is starting to become a political liability for some of SOPA’s major backers. Fueled by Web activists and online fundraising tools, challengers are using the bill to tag its congressional supporters as backers of Big Government — and raise campaign cash while they’re at it.

Among the fattest targets: SOPA’s lead author, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), and two of its most vocal co-sponsors, Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has also felt the wrath of SOPA opponents.

Even GOP presidential contenders Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum were asked by voters recently to weigh in on the bill (neither gave definitive answers, though activists have interpreted Santorum’s response as more sympathetic to SOPA than Romney’s).

KEY POINTS ABOUT SOPA / PIPA

1. Leading constitutional scholar Laurence Tribe and internet law expert Marvin Ammori have argued that the bill violates the First Amendment because they would restrict considerable speech by people who are not engaging in infringement, either directly or indirectly.

2. 54 leading internet venture capitalists have signed a letter stating that legal uncertainties under PROTECT-IP would "stifle investment in Internet services, throttle innovation, and hurt American competitiveness."

3. Contrary to its supporters' claims, the bill will affect domestic websites. Any site that can be shown to enable circumvention of website blocking under the bill would face penalties. This could include sites where users have posted links to IP addresses or new domains for sites that have been blocked.

4. The bill would use DNS filtering to block sites, which is the same technique used for web censorship in China and Iran. The U.S. will no longer have a moral high ground when talking about protecting internet freedom globally.

5. An internet security initiative that has been in the works for more than a decade and is just starting to be implement, DNSSEC, would be considered an illegal circumvention tool under the bill. The DNS filtering and anti-circumvention provisions in the bill would force a huge step backwards for securing critical infrastructure, preventing identity theft, and stopping malware.

6. The bill has not received sufficient committee work and is not ready for floor action. The bill did not receive a single hearing and the mark-up session held by the Judiciary Committee on May 26th lasted less than 8 minutes and featured no amendments and no substantial debate.

Published by internet sites around the world. to get more involved see americancensorship.org and sopacountdown.org

See Ya Tebow, Stone Cold Steve Austin Can Keep His 3:16

2012-01-15T11:35:00.000-08:00

FINALLY, no more Tebow! It was bad enough when last week he threw for 316 yards with an average completion of 31.6 yards, given his favorite Bible verse is John 3:16. Take that, Steve Austin! And here's what Austin had to say about Tebow:

However, after the win over Pittsburgh, Austin talked about Tebow and the Bible verse. See, not only did Tebow win the game in overtime, but he threw for 316 yards in the game. Since he only completed ten passes on the day, his average per completion was 3.16 yards. Did I mention that Tebow's favorite receiver, Demaryius Thomas was born on Christmas Day?

How about the fact that the overtime television rating was 31.6? Or the fact that the only interception Ben Roethlisberger threw in the game was on 3rd-and-16?

All that is freaky enough but it all is probably just coincidence. Austin is betting his cash cow on that as well.

"I'm no football analyst or a real religious person, but I think he's a great role model for young kids and I wish him the best," Austin said. "So yeah, if he can throw for another 316 yards and beat the New England Patriots, the '3:16' is all his."

See ya!!! I guess "god" did not want you to win this week. :(

“Who gives a crap about some imbecile?" Home Depot Founder's Comment On The Occupy Movement

2012-01-10T18:48:00.000-08:00

Some of the 1%'s opinion of the Occupy movement:

– HOME DEPOT CO-FOUNDER BERNIE MARCUS: “Who gives a crap about some imbecile? Are you kidding me?”

– HOME DEPOT CO-FOUNDER KEN LANGONE: “I am a fat cat, I’m not ashamed…If you mean by fat cat that I’ve succeeded, yeah, then I’m a fat cat. I stand guilty of being a fat cat.”

– FORMER BB&T BANK CEO JOHN ALLISON: “Instead of an attack on the 1 percent, let’s call it an attack on the very productive. This attack is destructive.”

– PAYCHECX INC. FOUNDER TOM GOLISANO: “If I hear a politician use the term ‘paying your fair share’ one more time, I’m going to vomit.“

Courtesy of Think Progress. It's a good thing I don't do my own home repairs. I already won't patronize Lowe's and now I have a reason not to patronize Home Depot.

Now Cupcakes Are A Terrorist Threat!

2012-01-10T18:44:00.000-08:00

A Massachusetts woman who flew home from Las Vegas this week says an airport security officer took her frosted cupcake because he thought its vanilla-bourbon icing could be a “security risk.”

Rebecca Hains told ABCNews.com today that a Transportation Security Administration agent at Las Vegas- McCarran International Airport confiscated her cupcake, saying the frosting sitting atop the red velvet cake was gel-like enough to violate regulations.

How about we just be allowed to fly, but can't take anything with us? Will that work? Sheesh. Frosting. Terrorist threat. I've stopped banging my head on the keyboard a year ago. Things in this country are so totally bullshit and batshit crazy that it's not worth the headache.

Sing The National Anthem "Wrong" Get A Fine!

2012-01-10T18:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, who does not find this not only funny, but totally ridiculous?

INDIANAPOLIS — Oh, say can you . . . sing?
And, more importantly, can you sing it the "right" way -- the way one Indiana lawmaker thinks the national anthem should be sung?
Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, has introduced a bill that would set specific "performance standards" for singing and playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at any event sponsored by public schools and state universities.
The law also would cover private schools receiving state or local scholarship funds, including vouchers.
Performers would have to sign a contract agreeing to follow the guidelines. Musicians -- whether amateur or professional -- would be fined $25 if it were deemed they failed to meet the appropriate standards.

As if there weren't more important things for this country to focus on, like JOBS? Who the hell gives a fucking god damn shit whether one sings the anthem "correctly?" And, more to the point, who decides what is correct? Would Jimi Hendrix's version qualify as not correct, despite it being one of the classics? How about Marvin Gaye's famous version? Would that be correct?

You decide!

Jimi Hendrix

Marvin Gaye

Labor News

2012-01-10T18:29:00.000-08:00

Just going to give the link to Crooks and Liars, as they have linked to many articles relating to labor news this past year. I believe it's worth a look. Some very interesting stuff, like the story about the outsourcing of the music by Lionsgate for the movie, The Hunger Games, despite having received $2 billion in OUR government subsidies.

Money, money, money, greed, greed, greed. Sad, sad, sad state of affairs. The world is collapsing, and America is just fine with going along for the ride. Step right up and join us in taking taxpayer money and fucking the taxpayer. I am so sick of this shit.

What Is Up With All This Sports Violence By Fans?

2012-01-10T18:20:00.000-08:00

I have been a sports pig since the 1960's when as a teenager I was very much into the Los Angeles Dodgers. As I got older, and lived for a few years in San Diego, I also became a Charger football fan, and my secondary baseball team became the Padres (thanks to the work of Dick Williams as the manager, who took the Padres to their only World Series). Then, after I bought season tickets to the Kings hockey team, my girlfriends and I used to travel all across the States and Canada to go to games. Sometimes we'd wear our home jerseys, sometimes we'd wear a different team jersey. We did not always go to see the Kings play. For example, every October we would go to New York and see the Rangers, the Devils and the Islanders. It did not matter who they were playing. And it never really mattered what jersey we would wear to the games.

After the beatdown on the Giants fan at the opening season of last year's Dodger game, I thought perhaps this type of thing would lessen given all the attention to the poor guy that was thugged. But now, there's this:

It turns out that the Rangers fan who was pummeled by Flyers fans after Monday's NHL Winter Classic game in Philadelphia was an off-duty police officer and a decorated veteran of the Iraq War.

NBC New York reports that Neal Auricchio, 30, was beaten so badly he was hospitalized with a concussion. He is a former Marine who earned a Purple Heart in Iraq, and then returned for a second tour of duty. Auricchio currently is a police officer in New Jersey with the Woodbridge Police Department.

In 20 years of being a hockey fan, I have never ever witnessed a real "fight" between fans. Yeah, a lot of heckling, yelling and taunting, but nothing close to a beatdown of a fan of the other team.

More reminders of the state of decay this country is in.

Facing Life In Jail For Protesting OC Your City

2012-01-10T18:13:00.000-08:00

The threat of life imprisonment looms for Occupy Oakland activist Marcel Johnson - better known by his alias, Khali - after a third-strike arrest during the demonstration.

Read the rest. It's like the guy in Cali that was facing his third strike for stealing a slice of pizza. The third strike felony law was supposed to be for those that are a danger to society and commit a third DANGEROUS felony, like armed robbery, murder, etc. Not for some misdemeanor like protesting or stealing a slice of pizza.

Don't blink. If you do, you might not realize you are still living in the United States and not some third world dictatorship. Oh, my bad, we are living in a third world dictatorship!

H/T to Crooks and Liars.

It's 2012!

2011-12-31T21:01:00.000-08:00

Those that know me are aware that I enjoy live streaming New Year's Eve in Times Square. So, here I am about to celebrate at 9:00 p.m. my time.

Enjoy the pictures!

Ball color when Lady Gaga songs were playing!

Ten Minutes to Go ...

Five Minutes to Go ...

Imagine ....

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Every Visit Comes To An End, Ciao Zaire, Until Next Time

2011-12-30T17:19:00.000-08:00

Well, my grandson is on a plane back to Chicago. I got a text from my daughter that the pilot sent to her. He took a picture of Zaire in the cockpit! As soon as I can get it downloaded, I will put it up on the blog. But, come on, how cool is that? The pilot takes a picture of Zaire on his cell phone, and then sends it via text to his mother? Way fracking cool!

We had a great week with Zaire. He spent Christmas Eve with his best friend, Eli and their family. He spent Christmas day at my house with his mother, and later we went to a friend's house to share Christmas dinner with their family and ours. Monday, Zaire and I pulled out all of the Hot Wheels collections he has (probably about 13 different connecting sets) and played. Then we went to the Petersen Auto Museum to see more Hot Wheels, and view the Pixar "Cars" movie collection of die cast cars. We had lunch at Johnnie Rockets like old times!

Thursday, a few of us gathered at my watering hole (which is also a restaurant) and we hung out and had dinner, (and drinks for we adults) with Zaire. It was fabulous having him meet some of my friends that have heard so much about him over the past year.

Anyway, here are a few pictures.

This is at the opening of the Hot Wheels exhibit. Once you walk under this section, all the lights go on, and cars make sounds, etc. We bought two more additions to add to the Hot Wheels sets we already have. And it was fun to watch all the cars hit their mark.

I got Zaire these blow up balloons that can be crafted into objects, animals, etc. I made a poodle, and Zaire made a hat for him. He also made a hat for me.

This is Zaire opening up his presents. This one is a book by accomplished author John Grisham, who has written two books for children. Since Zaire has obviously been schooled by the father as to what is going on (don't ask, won't tell), I figured he needed a book about a kid who's father is a lawyer! LOL!

This is Zaire at the interactive part of the museum. There are many cars and motorcycles and other things that they let the people (especially children) play with. How does he look like a cop? Yeah, me too .... NOT!

OMG! My NYT Subscription Cancelled!

2011-12-28T20:19:00.000-08:00

I guess I was one of the, oh, eight million people that got an email from the NYT that said my subscription was cancelled. Unfortunately, I do not have a NYT subscription. I gave information on the web years ago to access the FREE online NYT (which is no longer free), but I never had a "subscription."

The New York Times mistakenly sent an e-mail on Wednesday to more than eight million people who had shared their information with the company, erroneously informing them that they had canceled home delivery of the newspaper.

Plus, I do believe I have already reached my "maximum" free views allowed.

Honoring Dino

2011-12-25T22:35:00.000-08:00

Dino passed away in 1995 on Christmas day. What a day to die!

I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm

Let It Snow (brought me some corn for popping!)

Baby, It's Cold Outside (yeah, with those Gold Diggers from your old TV show!)

Merry Christmas, Part Two

2011-12-25T22:02:00.000-08:00

It was a great Christmas. I will post pictures tomorrow. We did our family celebration (mom, Zaire and me) in the early afternoon, then went to a family friend's house where we had Christmas dinner (turkey, greens, mac/cheese, yams with brown sugar, and cornbread stuffing) and wine. We were so stuffed no one actually ate dessert! And here I made two pecan pies. I took one home and left one for the other family.

THEN we played Scrabble! I came in second, but I might have won if I didn't challenge the word "qi" which although was not in the official Scrabble dictionary, which was old, it was on the online Scrabble dictionary, so I lost a turn. Oh well. But I told everyone I play a mean fucking Scrabble game!

Zaire had a lot of fun and like I said, there are tons of pictures.

I hope everyone had a wonderful day today. We are home now, and mom has gone off to her friend's house. Zaire will spend the night and tomorrow with me. We will be going to the Petersen Auto Museum to see the Disney Pixar "Cars" exhibit, and eat at our favorite diner, Johnny Rockets. It doesn't get much better than that!

Bryan Adams - Run Rudolph Run

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T16:21:00.000-08:00

Web shot of Zaire and me on Christmas!

My Top Ten Countdown To Christmas Songs

2011-12-24T20:08:00.001-08:00

I love anything Bing Crosby sang for the holidays, and boy, he has a large and popular catalog. But this one with Judy Garland is a favorite of mine, for its fun and upbeat tone.

Bing Crosby/Judy Garland - Rudolph

I like Martina's version of this song, probably because I sing in the same key as she does, so I can belt this song out! LOL.

M. McBride - O Holy Night

Growing up in a music family, I have a unique talent to be able to tell the difference in singing styles of such artists such as Jack Jones, Steve Lawrence, Vic Damone, et al. But Steve and Eydie Gorme (she of "Blame It On The Bossa Nova" hit) doing "Sleigh Ride" was and is one of my all time faves. Eydie sang slightly on the "sharp" side of the notes (as opposed to being "flat" which is what Randy and others always called "pitchy" on that Idol show) but accompanied with Steve, they hit a nice combo. Enjoy.

Steve and Eydie - Sleigh Ride

You know, it's not often in one's lifetime that a "song" becomes what is known in the music business as a classic. But that is exactly what Feliz Navidad became, back when I was a young adult. I just love this song.

Jose Feliciano - Feliz Navidad

Another song that became a "standard" was the "Do They Know It's Christmas" sung by a group of 1980's musical talents calling themselves Band Aid. It was aired in July as a special called Live Aid to provide famine relief for Ethiopia. Bob Geldof was the spear head of this movement. I still get goose bumps when I hear this song.

Do They Know It's Christmas

I don't think any of us that saw the first Charlie Brown Christmas special ever forgot the memorable music by Vince Guaraldi. Of course, Cyrus Chestnut has taken over the mantle of this show and the songs, but the original was done by Vince.

Christmas Time Is Here

Then, of course, comes some of the songs made famous in the 1980's, like the Wilson sisters of Heart fame.

Blue Christmas

OK, time for some standards! Mel Torme wrote the song, but it was made famous by Nat King Cole ...

The Christmas Song

Of course, what would Christmas be without the Beach Boys, right? Especially for those of us on the West Coast with surfboards and all that.

Little Saint Nick

Ok, so closing out this top ten with the Bing. Songs back in the day had a "verse" and a "refrain." In White Christmas, this was the "verse," as written by Mr. Irving Berlin while in Beverly Hills, which one does not hear on the universal release of White Christmas by der Bingle:

The sun is shining, the grass is green
The orange and palm trees sway
There's never been such a day
In Beverly Hills, L.A.

But it's December the 24th
And I'm longing to be up North...

White Christmas

Riffing Off Of Rix's Post

2011-12-24T19:43:00.000-08:00

I think I believed in Santa until I was about seven years old. I totally remember "hearing" the bells and sled and hooves on my roof one night! I also remember one night constantly getting out of bed to check out if Santa had come (only to find out later my mom was pissed off because she was trying to "assemble" two bikes for my sister and me, and I kept interrupting her!). After the last of the little ones in my family were over Santa, we didn't celebrate Christmas (as we were not really Christians, hence the religious part of Christmas was not what we adults or older children were into). Also, my mom did the decoration thing to the max. Way over the top for me. Even in her old age, she still hired someone to set up all of her decorations ... plastic sleigh with Santa and reindeer, lights everywhere, tree way over decorated, the whole shebang.

Like Bob, I too, had a mom that imbibed a bit too much. Actually, my mom was a complete drunk, and there were several Christmas occasions when I was older, but there were still some little ones, that my mom completely ruined the entire evening. Once she tipped over the tree. Once she never even bought a tree (when she got mad, she got mad). Once she pee'd in the refrigerator vegetable drawer .... both my sister and I never ate anything stored in that drawer again!

I was glad when I left that house and moved in with my aunt, uncle and cousins. No more drunks and no more beatings that usually accompany the drunken episodes.

But, somewhere when I was in my 30's, I re-discovered Christmas. Not in the religious sense, but it was born when my ex was fighting me for custody over my then 7 year old daughter, and claiming "Christmas" and my lack of doing anything during this time was somehow evidence I was a bad parent. So, I went out and got a tree and silly me, bought my first ever ornaments and lights. Man that was a costly adventure, close to $1,000 back then. But, since I actually LOVE CHRISTMAS music, it was an excuse to play songs, FINALLY! And, I found out that when I took the religion out of the holiday, I actually enjoyed it more as an adult.

I had one interesting holiday when I lived in Portland during the divorce period, and my daughter was 2 or 3 (the fight when she was 7 was his second attempt to get custody), and we were so poor we made all our own ornaments, and we actually cut our own tree from a local tree farm. Maybe next year, I will scan some of my Christmas pictures over the years.

I think my saddest Christmas was when my sister and I were sent to live with my grandparents for a year when we were 5 and 6 respectively (I was older), and we didn't see my mom for a year. She came to Baltimore, where we were living, for Christmas (bringing my baby cousin, Kelly, who was barely six months old) and stayed for a week. I cried for days when she left.

But, that was when I grew up when I should not have had to. I realized I didn't have a mom that was capable of taking care of me, and I had to take care of myself. Harsh reality at such an early age.

Anyway ... I am sure I will end this evening with some more posts that are more upbeat!!!!

Searching The Web On The Job! Naughty Sheriff

2011-12-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

Looks like someone in the Jacksonville's Sheriff's office was browsing the web looking for Christmas songs!

Home For The Holidays

2011-12-23T19:36:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of things I want to post about, but I will leave those for the days after Christmas before the New Year. For now, I am in the Christmas spirit and going to stay there. As I type, the grandson should be on the glide path toward landing at LAX, and he will be HOME for the holidays!

Carpenters - Home For The Holidays

"Where Everybody Knows Your Name"

2011-12-22T20:42:00.000-08:00

There are those days that you just want to be at the local watering hole "where everybody knows your name." Today was one of those days.

As soon as I get the text confirming my grandson is on the plane to Los Angeles, I will be able to relax. Nerves got the best of me when I was suddenly confronted with the fact that neither father nor mother had a birth certificate of the kid so he could board the plane (he's flying alone) and it made me mad, especially since I bought the ticket weeks ago and TOLD the mother MAKE SURE DAD HAS THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE. Although the kid was born in Los Angeles and I knew that I could send mom down to the county recorder's office to get a certified copy of the damn birth certificate, I was pissed that they BOTH waited until two days before he was supposed to fly here to suddenly realize neither of them actually had his birth certificate. Dummies.

Anyway, I told the mom to ask the dad how he enrolled the kid in school without a birth certificate, dooooaaah. So, dad was able to get a copy of the birth certificate, and I made mom confirm with the airline that a "copy" was ok. Whew.

So, here's my song for the night, as I had to go to a place to get some comfort!

Was It's "God's Will" That Sophie Win Survivor?

2011-12-19T09:55:00.000-08:00

Well, another boring Survivor season ends, with an undeserving Sophie winning the million dollars. It hasn't been interesting since Russell Hanz was a participant, and if it becomes any more like being at a Christian church revival, I will not be watching this game anymore.

As I have posted many times before, I just do not understand some Christians' mentality when they "thank God" for a win, whether it be in sports, television, music, or otherwise. But it has been especially obnoxious the past couple of seasons of Survivor where there has been an uptake in the number of people quoting scripture and saying's "if it's God's will, I will win this." So not fucking true.

If you believe in a God (and I do), why in the world would you think he/she/it gives two cents whether you win a baseball/football/basketball/whatever game? Why would God want one person to win an Oscar over another person? What makes you so special that God's will was that you win something? And, as one person pointed out, what about the blaming of God because you LOST? Where's the bitterness? Do you just bury it inside you and stay angry at God? Do you pray your anger away?

I tell you, if next season's Survivor starts off with a group prayer, I'm turning off the show, and after 23 seasons of watching every single episode, I will be dropping another thing I like from my list.

By the way, Ozzie played the best game and Coach should have brought him to the final three. Coach was going to lose anyway, but to bring slimy Albert instead of Ozzy will go down as "god's retribution" on Coach. LOL!

Rock And Roll, Christmas Style

2011-12-18T23:33:00.000-08:00

So, NOT all Christmas songs are essentially, square (as in 1960's parlance)

Canned Heat - Christmas Blues

Korn

Pearl Jam - Christmas Time

Sex Pistols - Punk Rock Christmas

Vandals - Christmas Time For My Penis

Ok, if you made it to this last song, you are probably ready for bed!

"Porn and pornography, your special time ..."

Ok, So Everyone Vote "Me Out" For This Song

2011-12-18T23:14:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that the "Band Aid" concert in the 1980's affected me. Even though there are parts of the song that irritate me, overall, it's a staple of my play list.

Dido, Barenaked Ladies, et al.

Original

Cheech & Chong Santa Song!

2011-12-17T23:06:00.000-08:00

This was funnier than shit when it first came out, and it still is funny. Closing out tonight with the comic duo's famous "Santa" song.

'Round Midnight - Various Versions

2011-12-17T22:37:00.000-08:00

Thelonious Monk's song, done by various artists.

Wes Montgomery

The Monk

Randy Brecker (Loved the Brecker Brothers ... RIP Michael Brecker)

Ella Fitzgerald

Amy Winehouse

Rebecca Ferguson

2011-12-17T22:26:00.000-08:00

I was watching The Graham Norton Show tonight, and they had this singer on that I had never heard of, Rebecca Ferguson. After doing some research I discovered she was part of that X Factor show (which I don't watch, puuuulllleeeezzzzeee, American Idol rejects, boredom at this stage of my life). But before I did research on her, I listened to her performance, and quite frankly, she reminded me, based on that one song, of a sober Amy Winehouse. I miss Amy, but hope you like this song.

Rebecca Ferguson - Nothing's Real But Love

P.S., the show was seriously funny, having one of my fave comic/actors on, Eddie Izzard, not to mention Robert Downey, Jr. and Judd Law pimping their Sherlock Holmes sequel.

Tuba Thefts In Los Angeles Linked To L.A. Banda Bands

2011-12-15T00:40:00.000-08:00

As Southern California awoke to the wreckage from a recent massive windstorm, music teacher Ruben Gonzalez Jr. was assessing a different sort of devastation in his band room at South Gate High School.
Thieves had pried open a door and torn the room apart while hunting for a specific instrument. "All they took were tubas," Gonzalez said. Losses included an upright concert tuba and a silver sousaphone — or marching-band tuba — worth a combined $13,000.
[snip]
Those are just the latest in what police and music instructors are describing as a rash of unsolved tuba thefts at high schools in southeast Los Angeles County. The thefts, according to band leaders, were probably spurred by Southern California's banda music craze, as well as the high prices the brass instruments fetch on the black market. A high-quality tuba can cost well more than $5,000, but even an old, dented tuba can sell for as much as $2,000, music teachers say.
How many of us have been there?

Los Tigres Del Note

[Note - Tubas not on video, but, duh, anyone that can HEAR, hears the tubas in the video!]

Just examples of the "la banda" scenario, where the damn tubas are prominent. Educate and learn da music. Por que? BECAUSE.

Counting Down The Days To Christmas With Grandson

2011-12-14T19:36:00.000-08:00

My tree is up, presents are under the tree, stockings are filled (even though I believe Zaire has finally come to the conclusion Santa does not exist, especially since he is 9 years old now - but hey, let's fill those damn stockings, right?), the parties are planned and I just cannot wait to have my wonderful little bundle of joy back home!

Alvin & The Chipmunks

My Google Page Ranking Went Up A Notch!

2011-12-14T18:54:00.000-08:00

I first learned about the Googlebot in March of this year. I posted about it here. I was getting an unusually high number of hits (based on a reading from SiteMeter) from Mountain View, California. I didn't pay attention to the Goggle ISP reference or the "Googlebot" identity, until I actually Googled Googlebot (LOL).

While SiteMeter is an easy way to find information as to who is viewing your pages, it has become apparent to me that the algorithm used by Googlebot has a fascination for my site, since it spends hours every day on my page where it caches my posts. This helps when anyone Googles a subject that I've written about, because if it is cached by Google, then it will show up in their search engine. And since I have over 2,000 posts, I am sure it will take a while to cache all of them.

I like SiteMeter better for understanding who REALLY is reading my site, because unlike StatCounter, SiteMeter recognizes the bots and so it does not count them in the evaluation of who is reading the blog. Consequently in some ways, the StatCounter artificially inflates my "hits" because it is "counted" whereas SiteMeter gives me more detailed information. SiteMeter tells me the ISP address, how many times that address has visited my site (and trust me, some are in the 100's of times visiting my site), what pages they view, how long they are on my site and a whole host of other interesting news about the viewer, including the referring URL, the search request, and sometimes even the name of the website that the viewer is using, which I can then backclick on. Quite fascinating information to me.

Anyway, back to Google page rankings. They go from 1 to 10, 10 being the highest. My little blog is now up to a 4 in the rankings, which if you consider the millions of blogs that are up and running, to even get a ranking, let alone a fucking 4, is awesome! On SiteMeter, it actually gives me, on some hits that were part of a Google search, how that particular page ranked. Overall, my blog ranks at 4, but some of my posts have ranked as high as an 8. Damn!!!!!!

Not too shabby, even if I do say so myself!

Twelve Days Till Christmas ... Don't Make Me Play That Song!

2011-12-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

Beavis & Butthead - Twelve Boobs of Christmas

Pure Heart (Hawai'ian) The Twelve Days Of Christmas

Perry Como (traditional) Twelve Days Of Christmas

Jeff Foxworthy - Redneck Twelve Days of Christmas

Dinah Shore (more traditional, again) Twelve Days of Christmas

Closing out with the McKenzie Brothers! Beer and Donuts, eh?

A Message To John Aravosis, You Suck

2011-12-13T20:25:00.000-08:00

You know what John, you are sometimes really an ass when you pontificate your preferred opinion on your blog. I know it's your blog, so it's your platform, but just because some Occupy the port information didn't pan out to be true, doesn't mean you are the god of all that is left wing liberalism internalized.

The Occupy Seattle team is claiming that the union employees at the port didn't lose their pay. In fact, according to the Stranger, they did.

[snip]

Some folks got upset when I wrote yesterday that this port action was giving me pause. It seems I had a point. Fancy that.

Yeah, fancy your ass, that. Let me give you a lollipop to shove up your ass. You missed the total point of that port shutdown, and you continually (lately) miss the total point of the Occupy movement. Perhaps you should just concentrate on your little pictures of your dog, and the like.

You are becoming quite a disappointment to me and many of my ilk.

Why The Occupy Movement Matters Re Port Stoppage

2011-12-13T19:48:00.000-08:00

I didn't go to work yesterday, and I meant to post, but it was seriously very cold here, and I finally had to turn the heater on because my toes were frozen, my legs frozen, and my fingers frozen!

With all the brouha concerning the Occupy The Ports yesterday, I wanted to put up this link and part of this post from America's Port Drivers regarding their opinion about the occupation of the ports.

We are the front-line workers who haul container rigs full of imported and exported goods to and from the docks and warehouses every day.

We have been elected by committees of our co-workers at the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma, New York and New Jersey to tell our collective story. We have accepted the honor to speak up for our brothers and sisters about our working conditions despite the risk of retaliation we face. One of us is a mother, the rest of us fathers. Between the five of us we have 11children and one more baby on the way. We have a combined 46 years of experience driving cargo from our shores for America’s stores.

We are inspired that a non-violent democratic movement that insists on basic economic fairness is capturing the hearts and minds of so many working people. Thank you “99 Percenters” for hearing our call for justice. We are humbled and overwhelmed by recent attention. Normally we are invisible.

You MUST read the rest of this post. It is positively riveting in the description of the despicable conditions that are part of the "drivers" that haul the goods from the ports. Yes, many of the "drivers" complained that they were losing a days wages from the stoppage, but most of them were not telling the public that their lost wages were not from any corporation or job that employed them, because most of them are considered "independent contractors" and by that definition, get 1099's instead of W-2s, and they, therefore, lack health care, and basic benefits they would have if they were actually "employed" by someone. So, yeah, the truckers lost a day's wages, but those wages emphasized the exact point of the protest ... hitting the corporations where they hurt most, their bottom line. If the truckers don't move the goods, then they are not delivered timely to their destination, and their destinations are the big corporate owners, such as Wal-Mart, Target, etc.

Don't be fooled by reading just the headlines. Get to the bottom of the 99%/Occupy movement, and get engaged and enlightened ... and help.

12/8/11 - 31 Years Later, Still Mourning Lennon

2011-12-08T20:39:00.000-08:00

John Lennon - Happy Christmas, War Is Over

Just thinking about you, bro.

70 Years Later, Or How America Ended Up In WWII

2011-12-07T19:18:00.000-08:00

Two words -- Pearl Harbor.

As one that lived in Hawai'i, and who has been to Pearl Harbor dozens of time, I can attest to the rather overpowering images that sit to this day in homage to those that lost their lives on this day in 1941.

From Wikipedia:

The base was attacked by 353^[10] Japanese fighters, bombers and torpedo planes in two waves, launched from six aircraft carriers.^[10] All eight U.S. Navy battleships were damaged, with four being sunk. Of the eight damaged, six were raised, repaired and returned to service later in the war. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship,^{[nb 2]} and one minelayer. 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed; 2,402 Americans were killed^[12] and 1,282 wounded. The power station, shipyard, maintenance, and fuel and torpedo storage facilities, as well as the submarine piers and headquarters building (also home of the intelligence section) were not attacked. Japanese losses were light: 29 aircraft and five midget submarines lost, and 65 servicemen killed or wounded. One Japanese sailor was captured.

The attack came as a profound shock to the American people and led directly to the American entry into World War II in both the Pacific and European theaters. The following day (December 8) the United States declared war on Japan. Domestic support for isolationism, which had been strong^{[citation needed]}, disappeared. Clandestine support of Britain (for example the Neutrality Patrol) was replaced by active alliance. Subsequent operations by the U.S. prompted Germany and Italy to declare war on the U.S. on December 11, which was reciprocated by the U.S. the same day.

Memorial to the Battleship Arizona, which I have visited numerous times, still gives me the shivers and goose bumps.

Large Corporate Taxes Paid Vs. Lobby Expenses!

2011-12-07T19:11:00.000-08:00

Interesting post over at Think Progress regarding the top corporations taxes paid compared to what they paid for lobbying of Congress.

(shaking head) And you have to constantly ask me the stupid question of why the Occupy movement exists?

Obama Administration Fucks Women Over, Again

2011-12-07T19:05:00.000-08:00

Just when Obama was beginning to sound and act like a progressive president, he goes and does this.

Today the FDA announced the Secretary of Health and Human Services – for the first time ever – has invoked her authority to overrule the agency’s decision to approve the emergency contraceptive pill Plan B One-Step for full over-the-counter sale, which would have removed what was widely recognized to be a politically motivated age restriction on its access. This is the first time in history the Health Secretary has ever used this power to overrule an FDA decision. Had the FDA decision gone into effect, women of all ages would have been able to purchase this back-up birth control method without a prescription and without delays at the pharmacy counter.

“This is a deeply disappointing betrayal from an Administration that had pledged to promote the health and well-being of women and families and be guided by science and medicine,” said Andrea Miller, President of NARAL Pro-Choice New York. “The evidence is clear, the FDA has done more than its due diligence, and women across the nation deserve ready access to a safe, effective second chance to prevent an unintended pregnancy. The decision to overrule the FDA is reminiscent of a troubling era, when the Bush Administration routinely allowed politics to trump science, especially in its interference with the FDA’s deliberations over this product.”

I hate to quote Sarah Palin, but how is that hopey changey thing working out for you?

Anyone Remember How To Pass A Bill?

2011-12-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

Comedy or truth? You decide.

Tennessee Firefighters Are Lowlifes ... Tommy Gavin Fans Rise Up

2011-12-06T23:52:00.000-08:00

It's stuff like this that will continue to feed the fire of the Occupy/99% movement. I cannot think of anything more crass than fireman (regardless of whether they are on the payroll or volunteers) just standing around and watching a house burn down because someone didn't pay $75 bucks for a "fee" for the service of these firemen. SHAME ON YOU.

October 2010 firefighters refuse to assist video:

Current video of firefighters again watching a home burn down over $75 dollars.

Heartless bastards. This is the Republican answer. Austerity on the backs of the least likely to handle it. You can bet your bottom dollar that the 1% have their own controlled firefighters ... a profession one used to be proud of, now bought and paid for.

Wonder how that would have been portrayed on "Rescue Me." Would Tommy Gavin let a measly $75 stop him from saving a house from being burnt down? Yeah, we all know THAT answer .... NOT!

Stupid people.

How The Joneses (Or Randy) Does The Keeping Up Of Appearances

2011-12-06T22:58:00.000-08:00

This is funny! Link to Randy's site, here. Click on the link under the heading to get to the picture.

Have A Holly, Jolly Christmas!

So, Is A Tent An Outfit? Can Police Disrobe You If You Are Wearing A Tent?

2011-12-06T22:53:00.000-08:00

This may not rank among the most despicable conduct of police against the Occupy movement, but still ... cutting off the woman's clothes because she was wearing an improvised "tent?" Where in the stupid people's mind is that really a reasonable act?

Alabama And Georgia - Dumbest States

2011-12-06T21:29:00.000-08:00

Both states, with agriculture dependent upon the immigrant population, naturally pass laws that result in the mass exodus of the immigrant population such that farmers and others are suffering, crops are rotting, the meme of the Republicans that if you get rid of the immigrants, regular Americans will do the work in the fields, have found this to be UNTRUE!

So much untrue that these states are now looking to PRISONERS to work for almost free to try and save the agricultural losses that are being incurred in both of these states. Yeah, right. Stupid idiots.

ThinkProgress has been reporting on the catastrophic economic consequences of Alabama’s harshest-in-the-nation immigration law. Undocumented workers are the backbone of Alabama’s agriculture industry, and their exodus has already created a labor shortage in the state. Farmers say crops are rotting in the field and they are in danger of losing their farms by next season.
GOP politicians have crowed that driving immigrants out of the state will reduce unemployment by letting native citizens fill those jobs. But they’ve quickly discovered that Americans are simply unwilling to do the back-breaking labor of harvesting crops.

To stave off the disastrous collapse of state agriculture, Alabama officials are seriously considering replacing immigrant workers with prison laborers who they could perhaps pay even less than immigrants. Earlier this year, the head of Alabama’s agriculture department floated this idea. Now, the department is actively promoting it to the state’s farmers:

Alabama agriculture officials are considering whether prisoners can fill a labor shortage the agency blames on the new state law against illegal immigration.

The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries is meeting with south Alabama farmers and businesses in Mobile on Tuesday. Deputy commissioner Brett Hall says the agenda includes a presentation on whether work-release inmates could help fill jobs once held by immigrants.

Georgia implemented a similar scheme to deal with its post-immigration-law exodus, but the program had mixed results, with many inmates walking off the job early. In fact, some in Georgia were amazed Alabama did not learn from their mistakes before implementing an immigration law that jeopardized agricultural and construction industries. “It was like, ‘Good Lord, you people can’t be helped. Have you all not been paying attention?’” said Bryan Tolar, president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council.

No, they have not been paying attention. They are the stupid people!

H/T to Think Progress.

Christmas Tree Update!

2011-12-04T18:52:00.001-08:00

Cell Phone Picture

Digital camera picture.

It is tough to take a picture of your tree in the dark so that the lights can be seen properly, not to mention having an unstable hand in using my flash camera LOL! But, here is the tree decorated, and lit. Pictures taken during the day dilute the actual colors of the lights and bulbs. In real life, the tree looks a hell of a lot better than this picture!

Benny Goodman - Jingle Bells

Christmas Shopping

2011-12-03T17:08:00.000-08:00

Usually, by this time, I am completely done with the shopping and the presents are already wrapped and under my tree. I have always enjoyed the visual for the three weeks before it all gets ripped up and then there's nothing under the tree!

This year, however, due to legal bills in the fight over my grandson, I am a little short on extra cash, and have not been able to get the whole shopping done early. It felt weird going out today for the first day of shopping. It wasn't as crowded as I had expected, and I was able to cross off half a dozen people from my list. But, at this rate, I will be shopping as we get too close to Christmas, and the crowds will begin to swell. Fortunately, I don't drive, so I don't have to deal with the drama that is called "parking" during this time of the year.

I also put up the lights and decorations on the tree, and tomorrow, I will wrap the first batch of gifts and put them under the tree.

Brian Setzer Orchestra - The Man With The Bag

Kids, Santa Claus, And Assault Rifles, Merry Christmas!

2011-12-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

Great! Guns and Santa Claus. This is just not the image I want in my head for Christmas.

Don't get me wrong. Although I am not a proponent of liberal gun laws, in fact I think they should be outlawed, I have to admit that as a child I played cops and robbers and cowboys and Indians just like the rest of my generation. And I also admit that I have bought play rifles and pistols for my grandson, although I always tell him to NEVER ever point the play guns at anyone's face. I'd teach him not to point it at a person, but the whole point of buying him a toy gun is for us to shoot each other !

Still, for the Arizona Gun Club to invite children to take pictures with Santa with an array of assault weapons ... that just churns my stomach. Something is just inherently wrong with this picture.

The Vandals - A Gun For Christmas

More Occupy Stuff

2011-12-03T16:41:00.000-08:00

These newly elected Republican governors are seriously disturbed people. Now Scott Walker, not content with his attempts to dismantle the public sector as we know it, and already having seen some of his fellow Republicans recalled, AND being on the hot seat himself with his recall), has decided he's going to "bill" the Occupy movement for police services and other things. Isn't that just peachy!

Madison - Gov. Scott Walker's administration could hold demonstrators at the Capitol liable for the cost of extra police or cleanup and repairs after protests, under a new policy unveiled Thursday.

The rules, which several legal experts said raised serious free speech concerns, seemed likely to add to the controversy that has simmered all year over demonstrations in the state's seat of government.

The policy, which also requires permits for events at the statehouse and other state buildings, took effect Thursday and will be phased in by Dec. 16. Walker administration officials contend the policy simply clarifies existing rules.

State law already says public officials may issue permits for the use of state facilities, and applicants "shall be liable to the state . . . for any expense arising out of any such use and for such sum as the managing authority may charge for such use."

But Edward Fallone, an associate professor at Marquette University Law School, said the possibility of charging demonstrators for police costs might be problematic because some groups might not be able to afford to pay.
"I'm a little skeptical about charging people to express their First Amendment opinion," he said. "You can't really put a price tag on the First Amendment."

Although the state Department of General Services billed Occupy Nashville $1,045 to provide two troopers for security the night before they began arresting the protesters and clearing their encampment, if you read the full article it appears the Occupy Nashville group agreed to being charged for services provided by the city and the police (although it is unclear if they actually paid the bill). Of course, this is in the city where a judge has already ruled that the police have to stop arresting the protestors!

For those that have been constantly bombarded by the "media's meme" that they don't know what the Occupy movement wants, you can check their new declaration here.

We are assembled because…

It is absurd that the 1 percent has taken 40 percent of the nation’s wealth through exploiting labor, outsourcing jobs, and manipulating the tax code to their benefit through special capital tax rates and loopholes. The system is rigged in their favor, yet they cry foul when anyone even dares to question their relentless class warfare.
Candidates in our electoral system require huge sums of money to be competitive. These contributions from multi-national corporations and wealthy individuals destroy responsive representative governance. A system of backroom deals, kickbacks, bribes, and dirty politics overrides the will of the people. The rotation of decision makers between the public and private sectors cultivates a network of public officials, lobbyists, and executives whose aligned interests do not serve the American people.
The entrenched two-party system overlooks public interests by pursuing narrow political goals. This climate encourages candidates to polarize voters for individual power and personal gain. Citizens’ meaningful input has been compromised by gerrymandering, voter disenfranchisement, and unresponsive politicians. Residents of Washington, D.C., continue to lack autonomy and legislative representation.
The 1 percent benefits from economic, political, and legal structures that oppress communities long targeted by displacement, denial of sovereignty, slavery, and other injustices. These persecuted but resilient communities continue to suffer through generations of disproportionately higher rates of unemployment, poverty, criminalization, and homelessness. Facets of the 1 percent campaign to blame these groups for these problems while obstructing healing and restoration.
Those with power have divided us from working in solidarity by perpetuating historical prejudices and discrimination based on perceived race, religion, immigrant or indigenous status, income, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability, among other things. These divisions have inhibited our ability to work in solidarity, though today we recognize the power of uniting as the 99 percent.
Financial institutions gambled with our savings, homes, and economy. They collapsed the financial system and needed the public to bail them out of their failures yet deny any responsibility and continue to fight oversight. Corporations loot from those whose labor creates society’s prosperity, while the government allows them to privatize profits and socialize risk.
Corporate interests threaten life on Earth by extracting and burning fossil fuels and resisting the necessary transition to renewable energy. Their drilling, mining, clear-cutting, overfishing, and factory farming destroys the land, jeopardizes our food and water, and poisons the soil with near impunity. They privilege polluters over people by subsidizing fossil fuels, blocking investments in clean energy and efficient transportation, and hiding environmental destruction from public oversight.
Private corporations, with the government’s support, use common resources and infrastructure for short-term personal profit, while stifling efforts to invest in public goods.
The U.S. government engages in drawn-out, costly conflicts abroad. Numerous acts of conquest have been, and continue to be, pursued to control resources, overthrow foreign governments, and install subservient regimes. These wars destroy the lives of innocent civilians and American soldiers, many of whom suffer adverse effects throughout life. These operations are a blank check to divert money from domestic priorities.
Government authorities cultivate a culture of fear to invade our privacy, limit assembly, restrict speech, and deny due process. They have failed in their duty to protect our rights. Exacerbated by profiteering interests, the criminal justice system has unfairly targeted underprivileged communities and outspoken groups for prosecution rather than protection.
Corporatized culture warps our perception of reality. It cheapens and mocks the beauty of human thought and experience while promoting excessive materialism as the path to happiness. The corporate news media furthers the interests of the very wealthy, distorts and disregards the truth, and confines our imagination of what is possible for ourselves and society.
Leaders are trading our access to basic needs in exchange for handouts to the ultra-wealthy. Our rights to healthcare, education, food, water, and housing are sacrificed to profit-driven market forces. They are attacking unemployment insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, creating an uncertain future for us all.*

Tree Time!

2011-12-01T20:09:00.000-08:00

Just got my tree today!

Let's Get This Christmas Party Started

2011-11-30T19:03:00.000-08:00

You all know of my love of all things Amy Winehouse. Dug up this Christmas song from 2008. Hope you like it. It is live, so you know Amy's been on the bottle a wee bit!

I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus

The Vigilante Gardner

2011-11-30T18:15:00.000-08:00

This is a cool piece, in two parts. H/T to AMERICAblog.

Part 1

Part 2

Don't Mock, You Rock, Miley Cyrus

2011-11-28T20:18:00.000-08:00

Just imagine how many young people this video reaches out to.

Freddie Mercury, 20 Years And We Still Miss You

2011-11-25T18:57:00.000-08:00

I cried when Freddie died, 20 years ago yesterday. I remember where exactly I was when I heard it on the car radio, and had to pull over and just ball my eyes out.

When I first heard Killer Queen, I was hooked on this band. Went out and bought the "album" and even made a reel-to-reel recording of it for posterity!

The band who became known for probably the most stadium anthems across the board for all sports. How fitting.

I still love you, Freddie, and play your music not often enough, damn it!

Fat Bottom Girls

Radio Gaga

Going to leave you with probably one of their most famous pieces - Bohemian Rhapsody.

What Are You Thankful For?

2011-11-24T11:57:00.000-08:00

Fitting comic metaphor for the state of our country this Thanksgiving.

What I am thankful for, after the past year of drama?

First on my list, is the fact that I will see my grandson this Christmas, and he will be home for a week. Although he is staying at the moment in Chicago, let's be clear that he calls where his mom lives "home."

Second, I am thankful for being gainfully employed, and our prospects for the future do not have "closure" of our firm as an option. So, I will not be joining the ranks of the unemployed in the near future. Very much thankful for that.

Third, I am thankful that I earn sufficiently to have a roof over my head and put food on the table. With the rate of poverty, homelessness and hunger at an all time high in this country, which weighs heavy on my heart, I am thankful that I am capable of taking care of myself and my family.

Fourth, I am thankful that I can help others through my non profit charity, Santa's Elves. Although initially envisioned to help underprivileged families by providing them with refurbished electronics, we as an organization have shifted to providing this equipment to shelters. I have an abundance of cell phones that we will be donating to women's shelters, as obviously, the first thing the abusive partner takes away from the woman is her ability to communicate. These phones when we clean them up (remove old SIM cards, delete memories, check batteries, etc.) are a gateway for the women to contact loved ones and not feel so alone. In addition, we refurbish DVD players, sound systems (Ipods and other CD players) televisions, computers (laptops and PC's). All of these products are helpful to those operating all the various types of shelters in Los Angeles, from domestic abuse and family shelters, to homeless shelters. People are generous with food, clothes and toys at Christmas time, but there is a dramatic need for cell phones, computers, televisions and other assorted electronics to assist not only the shelters in their day-to-day business, but also to be used as learning tools for those needing to acquire skills, i.e. computer! I am proud to have thought of this idea, and am thankful for my partners in this venture, and that we can give back to the community in this fashion.

I am thankful for my belief in God. Without that, I do not think, given what I have gone through this past year, coupled with the direction the world is going, (and my age), I would feel like "waking" up every day. Without faith and belief, what else is left in today's world?

Last, but certainly not least, I am thankful for my family and friends. Family have been supportive in the dispute over my grandson such that the days of constant crying are almost a distant memory. I am thankful that I had a wonderful eight and one-half years to become very close to my grandson, such that nothing that occurs in Chicago will have any impact on my relationship with him. I am thankful for my daughter's success at school, and her drive to be a better person. It has manifested itself in better communication between us, and our ability to actually be in the same room for longer than 15 minutes without fighting (LOL, but true!)

I hope that each and every one of you who read my blog have a truly drama free Thanksgiving day today, and take the time out to appreciate what you have.

Shepard Fairey's New Hope Poster

2011-11-22T20:24:00.000-08:00

Final version.

Original version before input.

For those not familiar with Mr. Fairey, he became associated with the famous 2008 Obama Hope poster.

Occupy LA Wins Concessions From City Council - Or Not?

2011-11-22T20:19:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: 9/24/11

It appears that the Los Angeles City Council and Mayor Villaraigosa have gone back on their word to the Occuply LA group, and now plan to evict them within the next 72 hours.

Los Angeles officials want Occupy L.A. protesters to ditch their City Hall encampment by next week so the city can begin restoring the 1.7-acre park where the group has been living for nearly two months.

An aide to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa would not say what day the city plans to close the park — or exactly how much warning protesters will be given. But during a meeting Wednesday with several protesters, the aide, Deputy Chief of Staff Matt Szabo, said they would receive "ample notice."

[snip]

Officials earlier this week offered the protesters work space in a city building, along with a package of other incentives to encourage them to peacefully abandon their camp, according to [Jim] Lafferty. But he said city officials wavered on that offer Tuesday.

So, now what?

This from Crooks and Liars:

LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa ran virtually unopposed for his second term and still only got 55 percent of the vote. Between a sex scandal involving a member of the press - to wide reports of his all around hesitancy to do actual work - he's not well liked in Los Angeles. In fact, just the most basic tiny improvements to the city like planting a million trees or making a major thoroughfare a one-way during rush hour have failed during his tenure. Politically it's the end for Mayor V, he's not going to run for higher office. He's done.
So now as he's really accomplished little in his two terms to help a city whose unemployment is 12.2 percent - whose crumbling infrastructure is highlighted in car commercials as an obstacle course - Villaraigosa's next move is to give the boot to Occupy LA.

Yeah, as an aside, that "iconic" bridge that is featured in just about every car commercial made, is to be no longer. They are not even going to attempt to create a structure that resembles this bridge. It is simply going to be torn down and replaced with a 21st century designed bridge. Sad.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We don’t hear a whole lot about #OccupyLA because the City Council has been so cool about it. But now, after nearly two months of the City Hall lawn being used as a campground, the city leaders would like to politely move the protest off the grounds while also supporting its continued work.
The solution, which has yet to be accepted but which we think is genius for all involved, is to “rent” some downtown office space the city has (10,000 square feet) to #OccupyLA for a ceremonial $1 per year. (The huge commercial space is in something called the “Los Angeles Mall” literally next door to City Hall.) And all the homeless who have come to the camp recently? They will be provided with housing. Oh yeah, and farmland will be provided to the group, so that it can be self-sufficient as far as growing food.
With an office space connected to public transit and near to City Hall, the protest movement can become a full-time revolutionary council. It can advocate for the homeless, for the people facing eviction, for those being pushed out by property speculators, for the unemployed and underemployed, for the whole 99%. Actions can be arranged against the corporations, against the military, against all the evildoers.

Read the rest here. And for all you OTHER Occupy cities contemplating what to do, take note of how Los Angeles is treating this movement.

Poop Flinging Monkeys, Pepper Spray And Megyn Kelly

2011-11-22T20:04:00.001-08:00

There has been a lot of dismissive talk on the television as of late regarding the "pepper spraying" incident at UC Davis. In fact, the cop has become a famous meme now!

A lot has taken off from the now infamous Megyn Kelly Fox News program statement that "pepper spray" is essentially a "food product."

However, this piece from Daily Kos caught my eye, with this funny analogy.

Fox's Megyn Kelly has been taking some heat (hi-yo!) for what looks like her dismissal of the seriousness of the UC Davis pepper spraying incident and other similar incidents around the country by asserting that pepper spray, "is a food product, essentially." And that's undoubtedly an idea that deserves to be slapped down, so it's no surprise that it has been, with actual science, no less.
The ridicule has been plentiful, of course. (Mustard gas is a condiment! Bullets are nutritional supplements!) But if you watch the entire video, Kelly actually comes off as being at least within spitting distance of reasonable. Though it should be said that a poop-flinging monkey could likely do the same if he was sitting opposite Bill O'Reilly, who goes out of his way to imply both that the pepper spraying is OK because UC Davis is a liberal campus, and that say that people "don't... have the right to Monday morning quarterback the police." [my emphasis]

Read the rest here.

11/22/63

2011-11-22T08:37:00.000-08:00

48 years ago, we lost a president to a bullet. In hindsight, many controversies have arisen, not only as to how and by whom he was killed, but whether he was, or could have been, the greatest president ever.

Writer Robert Stein has this to say on his blog today:

After November 22, 1963 I wrote an editorial attempting to define the deep grief over his shocking death-—that beyond his attractiveness and intelligence, there was the loss of a leader “who was still growing—-in understanding, in skill, in compassion, in commitment."

Today's contenders for the Presidency are, in contrast, overwhelmed by challenges. For all our sakes, we can only hope that whoever wins next year can attain ultimately the stature John F. Kennedy did in the thousand days he spent in the White House.

Another Example Of The 1% Gig

2011-11-22T08:06:00.000-08:00

When Pfizer cut its research budget this year and laid off 1,100 employees, it was not because the company needed to save money.

In fact, the drug maker had so much cash left over, it decided to buy back an additional $5 billion worth of stock on top of the $4 billion already earmarked for repurchases in 2011 and beyond.
The moves, announced on the same day, might seem at odds with each other, but they represent an increasingly common pattern among American corporations, which are sitting on record amounts of cash but insist that growth opportunities are hard to find.
[snip]
There has been a steady drumbeat of other companies laying off workers even as they have disclosed plans to buy back more stock. On June 23, Campbell Soup said it would buy back $1 billion in stock; five days later it announced plans to eliminate 770 jobs. Hewlett-Packard announced a $10 billion stock repurchase in July, and jettisoned 500 jobs in September after it discontinued its TouchPad and smartphone product lines.

Read more here. So, if you are wondering why the Occupy movement is so concentrated on the 1%, stories like this should jog your brain a bit. It also helps identify certain products not to buy anymore, like Campbell's soup! Spending one billion dollars in stock buy backs for its shareholders and officers, at the expense of 770 real people who no longer have a job with that company, now there's a grand American gesture, and a lesson in how the rich stay rich.

And, in another bit of irony, the law firm that became famous over Halloween for their office party (the firm specialized in foreclosures, and the theme of the office party was, well, being homeless after you lost your house in foreclosure) had to close their doors thanks to all the fun publicity!

A law firm that had become a lightning rod in the controversy over mortgage-foreclosure practices has shut down, costing 89 employees their jobs.
The Steven J. Baum P.C. law firm, which has offices in Amherst, N.Y., and Westbury, N.Y., has filed papers with government agencies notifying them that it plans to close. It made the filings under a federal law requiring employers to provide notice before mass layoffs.

[snip]

...the firm’s fortunes worsened this month after The New York Times published photos of a Halloween party at the Baum firm showing employees wearing costumes mocking people who had lost their homes.
After those photos surfaced, the mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae cut off the Baum firm, forbidding servicers of their mortgages from using Mr. Baum and his colleagues. That effectively served as the firm’s death knell.

For more pictures, see here.

And you wonder why the 99% are angry? You still think this class war thing is non-existent? What mentality has to prevail such that a firm that makes its living out of kicking people off their property, hosts a party whose theme is to mock the very people they've made homeless? Apparently, in an email to the guy at the NYT that broke the story, Mr. Baum himself had this to say:

“Mr. Nocera — You have destroyed everything and everyone related to Steven J. Baum PC,” said the letter. “It took 40 years to build this firm and three weeks to tear down.”

Bravo!

"I'll Be Home For Christmas" Grandson Style!

2011-11-21T21:36:00.000-08:00

It won't be in our dreams! My grandson will be coming home for Christmas (huge smile)! Tree, presents, ornaments, stockings, candles, love and friends, just like it should be. My grandson wants to come HOME for Christmas, and fortunately, he is getting his way.

Police Brutality Toward The Occupy Movement Picks Up Speed On University Campuses

2011-11-20T12:46:00.000-08:00

I've written a few posts here and here about OWS/Occupy Your City, police brutality and the reaction of the 1%.

Now that the movement has taken hold on university campuses, campus police are at the forefront of the "beat the shit out of the protesters," bringing to mind the police and college police actions toward protestors of the Viet Nam war (my era).

When a 70 year old, former Poet Laureate (Robert Hass) and his wife get billy clubbed by the campus police at UC Berkeley's Occupy, especially since he was there just as an observer and not even a participant, you know the U.S. is seriously a police state, no better than Libya, Syria and others.

LIFE, I found myself thinking as a line of Alameda County deputy sheriffs in Darth Vader riot gear formed a cordon in front of me on a recent night on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley, is full of strange contingencies. The deputy sheriffs, all white men, except for one young woman, perhaps Filipino, who was trying to look severe but looked terrified, had black truncheons in their gloved hands that reporters later called batons and that were known, in the movies of my childhood, as billy clubs.

[snip]

Once the cordon formed, the deputy sheriffs pointed their truncheons toward the crowd. It looked like the oldest of military maneuvers, a phalanx out of the Trojan War, but with billy clubs instead of spears. The students were wearing scarves for the first time that year, their cheeks rosy with the first bite of real cold after the long Californian Indian summer. The billy clubs were about the size of a boy’s Little League baseball bat. My wife was speaking to the young deputies about the importance of nonviolence and explaining why they should be at home reading to their children, when one of the deputies reached out, shoved my wife in the chest and knocked her down.

[snip]

My wife bounced nimbly to her feet. I tripped and almost fell over her trying to help her up, and at that moment the deputies in the cordon surged forward and, using their clubs as battering rams, began to hammer at the bodies of the line of students. It was stunning to see. They swung hard into their chests and bellies. Particularly shocking to me — it must be a generational reaction — was that they assaulted both the young men and the young women with the same indiscriminate force. If the students turned away, they pounded their ribs. If they turned further away to escape, they hit them on their spines.

NONE of the police officers invited us to disperse or gave any warning. We couldn’t have dispersed if we’d wanted to because the crowd behind us was pushing forward to see what was going on. The descriptor for what I tried to do is “remonstrate.” I screamed at the deputy who had knocked down my wife, “You just knocked down my wife, for Christ’s sake!” A couple of students had pushed forward in the excitement and the deputies grabbed them, pulled them to the ground and cudgeled them, raising the clubs above their heads and swinging. The line surged. I got whacked hard in the ribs twice and once across the forearm. Some of the deputies used their truncheons as bars and seemed to be trying to use minimum force to get people to move. And then, suddenly, they stopped, on some signal, and reformed their line. Apparently a group of deputies had beaten their way to the Occupy tents and taken them down. They stood, again immobile, clubs held across their chests, eyes carefully meeting no one’s eyes, faces impassive. I imagined that their adrenaline was surging as much as mine.

I suggest reading the entire piece.

An ugly picture, to say the least:

This video is difficult to watch. It starts off with one officer full on spraying the handful of protestors just sitting and doing nothing. In the end of the video, the police finally leave, but not before they actually aim guns at the crowd, and one officer has two cans of pepper spray that he keeps shaking (I guess to get it up to snuff) as if he's going to simply spray it into the crowd (this is after they had already taken away the ten or so protesters that were originally sprayed). This is at UC Davis.

In New York, this is actually quite astonishing. Two churches have offered a place for the OWS group to stay and have shelter. Now, generally, churches are a sanctuary for just about anyone. But not in New York! Bloomberg and his goons keep sending in plain clothes police officers (which, by the way, have not fooled anyone, church personnel nor the protestors), but come on! Infiltrating churches now?

With Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I) ratcheting up police crackdowns on Occupy Wall Street this week, the New York Times reports that several churches in New York City are sheltering protesters who can no longer stay in Zucotti Park. About 46 protesters spent Wednesday night in the United Methodist Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew. However, instead of respecting the sanctuary, police in plainclothes are entering churches to monitor their conduct.

According to church officials, two police officers (one later identified as belonging to the intelligence division) asked to use the bathroom but instead “entered the sanctuary, one remaining near the door while the other advanced down the aisle, apparently counting the demonstrators in the pews.” Then, one officer went downstairs to a homeless women’s shelter and “asked for information about who was sleeping there” without identifying himself or showing his badge. The church’s Rev. James Karpen called the police actions “invasive.”

Read more at Think Progress.

Another from Think Progress, regarding police and their attempt to use undercover officers to infiltrate the Occupy movement, as if they will uncover come dirty secret, much like the right wingers and their news machines (yeah, FOX, I'm pointing my finger at you) that the Occupy movement is a liberal, Democratic organized movement, funded by, you guessed it, George Soros! Yeah, right. (shaking head)

Across the country, police have used undercover and/or plainsclothed police officers to monitor occupations and protests that are a part of the 99 Percent Movement. Earlier today, the Tennessean published excerpts from emails sent by the Tennessee Highway Patrol that confirmed not only that police were infiltrating Occupy Nashville but that they were hoping for the movement’s demise.

In a video released last month, Oakland Police Officer Fred Shavies was outed as one of these plainsclothed officers at Occupy Oakland.

SHAVIES: I’m a police officer. I’m part of the 99 percent. [...] In the ’60s when people would protest, would gather in order to bring about change, right? Those protests were nonviolent they were peaceful assemblies. They were broken up with dogs, hoses, sticks. [...] It looks like there was a square, and police shot tear gas. That could be the photograph or the video for our generation. That’s our Birmingham. So, twenty years from now this movement could be the turning point, the tipping point, right. It’s about time your generation stood up for something. It’s about time young people are in the streets. [...] Ya’ll don’t need to throw gas canisters into a group of people occupying an intersection.

At least one politician in Washington is paying attention:

“No matter how long protesters camp out across America, big banks will continue to pour money into shadow groups promoting candidates more likely to slash Medicaid for poor children than help families facing foreclosure,” said Deutch in a statement provided to ThinkProgress. “No matter how strongly Ohio families fight for basic fairness for workers, the Koch Brothers will continue to pour millions into campaigns aimed at protecting the wealthiest 1%. No matter how fed up seniors in South Florida are with an agenda that puts oil subsidies ahead of Social Security and Medicare, corporations will continue to fund massive publicity campaigns and malicious attack ads against the public interest. Americans of all stripes agree that for far too long, corporations have occupied Washington and drowned out the voices of the people. I introduced the OCCUPIED Amendment because the days of corporate control of our democracy. It is time to return the nation’s capital and our democracy to the people.”

Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL), has introduced a bill (cute acronym) called Outlawing Corporate Cash Undermining The Public Interest in our Elections and Democracy (OCCUPIED). This is a push back against the Citizens United decision.

In a memo from a prominent corporate lobbying firm to the American Bankers Association, it appears Wall Street, and Republicans are now afraid that some Democrats might benefit from the Occupy movement.

The memo was authored by lobbyists at the firm Clark Lytle Geduldig Cranford — and there are two key takeaways. The first is that some allies of Wall Street firms see Occupy Wall Street as a potential long term political threat. The second is that they see the Democratic strategy of embracing the populist message of the protests as something that could work, rather than something that is an automatic negative for Dems, as conservatives keep proclaiming is the case.

Read more here.

As we head into the Thanksgiving Holidays, this is an interesting idea from Working America. It's a challenge to "talk turkey" about the Occupy movement.

What's your favorite part of the holidays? Big meals? Mashed potatoes and gravy? Cranberry sauce? Sleeping off your meal over the big football game? How about those never-ending discussions with your family about everything from Dancing with the Stars to Congress?

Well, this holiday season, Working America invites you to embrace that quality family time as an opportunity to help Uncle Dave and Aunt Maggie make sense of what it means to be a part of the 99 percent. We're calling it "Turkey Talk."

How can you take on the "Turkey Talk" Holiday Family Challenge to talk with friends and family in a way that draws out the real issues? Here are some basic strategies and advice, along with some substantive facts and answers that will clear up myths, confusion or spin coming from the 1 percent.

Have A Howling Happy Birthday, Rix!

2011-11-11T10:32:00.000-08:00

11/11/11

Let's Really Honor The Vets This Year - Donate

2011-11-11T09:57:00.000-08:00

As we remember the fallen veterans that have served this country over the years, let us not forget what the Bush administration has done to our current set of vets coming back from "the war on terror."

The Dover Air Force Base mortuary for years disposed of portions of troops’ remains by cremating them and dumping the ashes in a Virginia landfill, a practice that officials have since abandoned in favor of burial at sea.

The mortuary in Delaware, the main point of entry for the nation’s war dead and the target of federal investigations of alleged mishandling of remains, engaged in the practice from 2003 to 2008, according to Air Force officials. The manner of disposal was not disclosed to relatives of fallen service members.

Courtesy of The Washington Post.

Thousands of veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are finding a grim job market. Veterans who served since 9/11 experience a 12.1% unemployment rate, which is higher than the national average, while one in three male veterans are jobless.

Courtesy of Think Progress.

Let's keep Iraq war veteran Scott Olsen in our minds this day, as we begin to understand why the many veterans of Bush's "war on terror" support the Occupy movement.

"Enough Of This Bull" (shit)

2011-11-10T22:15:00.001-08:00

And now for something more fun from OWS!

Because It Is Funnier Than Shit - Mike Tyson As Herman Cain!

2011-11-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

Herman Cain Sings 'Imagine There's No Pizza' from Mike Tyson

It Was A Good Day At The Polls Yesterday

2011-11-09T09:27:00.000-08:00

When Democrats refused to vote in 2010, the result was a landslide victory in many states electing Republican governors, who promptly went about dismantling the public sector, and enacting laws (many of them illegal). We saw what happened in Wisconsin with the recalls and the Solidarity movement which begat the OWS/99% (and the recall of Walker has started, although a bogus group that supports Walker filed 11/4, while the real group was ready to roll out their petition on 11/15 - the fake group did this so that Walker could start raising unlimited funding for his recall election opposition).

In Ohio, the voters struck down Gov. Kasich's anti-union stripping of collective bargaining by repealing Senate Bill 5 through a voter referendum (Issue 2 on the ballot) by a 2-1 margin. BTW, that appears to be the first time a governor has seen signature piece of legislation rejected by voters in a governor's first year.

In Maine, voters struck down the proposal to end same day registration, which was repealed as soon as their Republican governor Paul LePage and his Republican state congress were in power. Maine has had same day registration for voting for a long time, and this move (as with many other Republican governor's moves) have been a concerted effort to attempt to disenfranchise voters in areas that generally vote Democratic. Glad to see that one go down in flames.

Now, in Mississippi, the "personhood" amendment also went down, and that is especially telling since this state is extremely anti-abortion, and even the right wingers didn't like this bill (which defined that a person starts at the fertilization of the egg). 58% voted that one down.

Many more voting events made news. It's good to see a "fire in the belly" of the electorate pushing back against the Koch controlled governors and their efforts to continue to keep the 1% in control and lock out the 99%.

Obama Is Wall Street

2011-11-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

For those that think we should just vote in Obama for a second term, and either hold our noses or point out the old cliche of "who else is there," one really needs to read this, and take it ALL IN CAREFULLY.

The largest banks are larger than they were when Obama took office and are nearing the level of profits they were making before the depths of the financial crisis in 2008, according to government data.
Wall Street firms — independent companies and the securities-trading arms of banks — are doing even better. They earned more in the first 2¹ / ₂years of the Obama administration than they did during the eight years of the George W. Bush administration, industry data show.

Please continue your support for Occupy Wall Street.

For more in-depth coverage of this issue, read Think Progress' take here.

Fuck Me Once, BP, Fuck Me Twice, U.S. Government

2011-11-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

US District court has dismissed over 100,000 lawsuits brought against BP And Transocean to pay for oil spill clean up costs and environmental damages caused to the Gulf of Mexico from the BP Gulf Oil Spill. The court ruled that injury stopped the moment the well was sealed and the Federal Government, aka The US Taxpayer, is now liable for clean up costs along with any damages caused by deficiencies of the cleanup of the Gulf Of Mexico.

Read the rest of the piece here.

Hey, it's not like any of us were fooled into actually believing that BP would be responsible for the damage done to the ecosystem or the lives of those that live in the Gulf Coast region, right?

Just another example of how the 1% get to screw over the 99%, as usual.

Best Band Ever - Beatles or Fleetwood Mac?

2011-11-05T21:05:00.000-07:00

That is really a hard choice. The Beatles left behind a catalogue of music, but the Mac, damn, they lived their music!

We most remember this in the Clinton era, as their theme song, presidential wise.

Newer version of " Don't Stop."

This is a band that was as good as their individuals as they were as their combined components!

Tusk, circa The Dance album.

An epic song ... Go Your Own Way

This was a band with a history that just transcends most bands. Shit, Mick Fleetwood on the drums was awesome. Everyone in that band had mad skills.

Over My Head - Christine McVie

Stevie Nicks

Eva Cassidy ...2-2-63/11-2-96

2011-11-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

Very few artists impact me. Eva most certainly did. Get her music, share it, download it, embrace it.

Over The Rainbow

Gutsy Move By Anonymous

2011-11-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: 11/5/11

According to New York Daily News:

The hacktavist collective Anonymous has cancelled Operation Cartel after a member that was allegedly abducted by a Mexican drug cartel was released Thursday, the group's longtime public face announced in an online post.

WOW ... that's some fucking power!
- - - - - - - -

"You made a huge mistake by taking one of us. Release him," says a masked man in a video posted online on behalf of the group, Anonymous.

"We cannot defend ourselves with a weapon … but we can do this with their cars, homes, bars, brothels and everything else in their possession," says the man, who is wearing a suit and tie.

"It won't be difficult; we all know who they are and where they are located," says the man, who underlines the group's international ties by speaking Spanish with the accent of a Spaniard while using Mexican slang.

Apparently, Anonymous is not taking the kidnapping of one of their own lying down.

Earlier today, [Barrett] Brown tweeted: "Just hours into gathering secondary intel, we have the name of a U.S. DA and evidence of his involvement." That was followed by "Requesting the assistance of any journalist who is willing to look into a DA with potential ties to organized crime."

From CNET.

Move Your Money

2011-11-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

I don't have a bank account, and haven't in almost ten years. I won't give them the satisfaction of using my money. But for those of you that do, tomorrow is "Move Your Money" day. Just click on the link above for more information.

Tammy Baldwin, My New Hero

2011-11-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

Finally, someone with "balls" ready to sock it to the banking industry that has fucked the 99%. H/T to AMERICAblog.

Baldwin's resolution states that any settlement should follow three guidelines: 1) Banks that engaged in fraudulent behavior "should not be granted criminal or civil immunity for potential wrongdoing related to illegal mortgage and foreclosure practices," 2) the federal government and state AGs should "proceed with full investigations into claims of fraudulent behavior by mortgage servicers" and 3) any monetary sum paid by the banks should "appropriately compensate for, and accurately reflect, the extent of harm to all victims."

"We have to do the best we can to make innocent victims whole. But secondly, especially in light of the taxpayer bailout of the biggest banks, we owe taxpayers a solemn effort to do everything we can do to uncover what went wrong and whether laws were broken," Baldwin said in an interview with The Huffington Post. "Part of that is to make certain this won't happen again. That, to me, is one of the most basic responsibilities we have."

Top 30 Corporations That Paid Zero Income Taxes

2011-11-03T08:44:00.000-07:00

H/T to Think Progress.

And Now For Something Completely Different Re OWS

2011-11-03T08:40:00.000-07:00

The video speaks for itself.

What Is Up With The Police?

2011-11-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

I swear, I am having deja vu moments daily reading about the police beating up the OWS/99% protesters across this country. Back in the Vietnam protest era, it was mostly a generational gap argument. But these current protests span age, gender, race and creed. And the police unions are part of the target of elimination by the 1%, so it is really, really difficult for me to understand the police "rage" that is apparent and directed at the protesters.

Courtesy of the Milwaukee-Wisconsin JS:

Photographer Kristyna Wentz-Graff was covering the rally, which began at noon in a plaza beside UWM's student center. The group left campus on E. Kenwood Blvd., marching westbound in the street and on the sidewalk, chanting and carrying signs.

[snip]

"I can tell you that no one at MPD had any idea (Wentz-Graff) was a journalist until she arrived here at the police station," Schwartz said. "She never identified herself as a journalist to officers."

[snip]

"At no time did Kristyna Wentz-Graff ignore any commands by any officer," Kaiser said. "She came upon the scene to do her job as a photojournalist. She was clearly not part of the protest. She was wearing her Journal Sentinel photo press credential. She was carrying photography equipment while taking photographs of police making arrests when she was grabbed by a police officer and handcuffed. Her arrest was completely uncalled for and violates the First Amendment. No reason for her arrest has been provided."

Then there is this from the San Francisco Chronicle:

A car struck two Occupy Oakland protesters tonight as they marched with a crowd along Broadway, and an angry mob surrounded the car as emergency workers tended to the injured.
The driver, who was not identified, sat in his silver Mercedes-Benz sedan after the 7:30 p.m. incident while hundreds of people screamed at him through his closed windows.

BART police officers who were guarding nearby transit stations responded, questioned the driver and several witnesses, then let the driver leave the scene at 11th Street and Broadway in his car.

Although the tone of violence has lessened since the Oakland police shot a projectile and dramatically injured Iraq Veteran Scott Thomas Olsen, (see video here), I still have no understanding of the police, part of the 99%, and their anger at the 99%.

Be Safe, And Have A Happy Halloween

2011-10-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

Last Halloween, my grandson was "on restriction" but we had a great time, carving a pumpkin, he had a costume, I bought candy and let him run around the apartment building pretending he was trick or treating (no one in my neighborhood actually trick or treats, and most buildings are security coded, so in my 16 years of living here, I've never had a trick or treater), and I'd let him knock on my door, express surprise, and let him grab some candy I had in a bowl.

For the rest of you, hope you have a fun Halloween tomorrow!

Never Leave A Baseball Game Early!

2011-10-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

I was watching the game at my local watering hole, and when the Rangers went ahead toward the end of the game, I just figured it was done, paid my bill, talked to the piano player, and went home. I didn't even turn on the TV, just sort of kicked it for a few and went to bed (I've been nursing a toothache for a few days anyway).

I wake up this morning only to find out that not only did the game get tied by the Cards, they won it in overtime, in the 11th inning! One thing, though, if I HAD stayed at the bar to watch the game, I might not have been sober enough to even walk home! Still, I hate to miss thrilling baseball games, and am bummed I didn't at least put the TV on when I got home!

Goldman Sachs Backs Out Of Event Because Occupy Chicago Being Honored!

2011-10-23T17:51:00.001-07:00

Courtesy of Think Progress:

Earlier this month, the Lower East Side People’s Federal Credit Union in New York City held a fundraiser to celebrate its 25th anniversary. It just so happened that this the credit union many of the protesters at Occupy Wall Street (OWS) were using to store funds — and the protest group became an honoree at the dinner. When Goldman Sachs found out that OWS would be at the dinner, it pulled out of the event, along with its $5,000 donation. Despite the threat from the mega-bank to pull its money if OWS would be honored, event organizers decided to go ahead anyway. “Their money was welcome, but not at the price of giving up what we believe in,” said Pablo DeFilippi, associate director of member development at the National Federal of Community Development Credit Unions. “We lost their $5,000, but we have our principles.”

Pix From Chicago Trip

2011-10-15T23:02:00.000-07:00

Some pictures of Zaire and I in Chicago.

It was really special to know that Zaire said that the best part of the "visitation" with him was going to the Baha'i House Of Worship. (Sigh)

Times Square Webcam-View OCW Protestors

2011-10-15T16:38:00.000-07:00

Now that the OWS protestors have moved up to Times Square, there is a fabulous series of webcams posted throughout that area. I generally like to watch the New Year's Eve broadcasts live at 9 p.m. my time, in New York, rather than wait until the overly hyped, fully commercialized television crap that runs on at midnight my time!

Here are some screen captures I just took (it's about 7:30 p.m. their time).

Occupy Wall Street #2

2011-10-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

Bumped and updated 10/15/11.

First off, there were so many stories in so many forums, of the protesting all across the globe that it will be hard to attribute some of the numbers and cities to the articles where they came from. But, I will do my best.

From Los Angeles:

Marchers carried signs reading "Corporations are not people" and "Trickledown made us pee-ons."

LOL. That last one is funny!

Courtesy of CBS News:

In Frankfurt, continental Europe's financial hub, some 5,000 people protested at the European Central Bank, and some were setting up a tent camp aiming at permanently occupying the green space in front of the ECB building.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange spoke to about 500 demonstrators outside St. Paul's cathedral in London, calling the international banking system a "recipient of corrupt money."

U.K. police contained most London demonstrators in the streets around the cathedral, near the city's financial district. Protesters erected tents and asked supporters to bring them blankets, food and water as they settled down for the evening.

Several hundreds more marched in the German cities of Berlin, Cologne and Munich and the Austrian capital of Vienna, while protesters in Zurich, Switzerland's financial hub, carried banners reading "We won't bail you out yet again" and "We are the 99 percent."

Protests were held in Helsinki, Madrid, Lisbon, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Berlin, Zurich, Hamburg, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Athens, London ....

This from Reuters:

In Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, 3,000 people chanted and banged drums, denouncing corporate greed.
About 200 gathered in the capital Wellington and 50 in a park in the earthquake-hit southern city of Christchurch.
In Sydney, about 2,000 people, including representatives of Aboriginal groups, communists and trade unionists, protested outside the central Reserve Bank of Australia.
Hundreds marched in Tokyo, including anti-nuclear protesters. In Manila a few dozen marched on the U.S. embassy waving banners reading: "Down with U.S. imperialism" and "Philippines not for sale."
More than 100 people gathered at the Taipei stock exchange, chanting "we are Taiwan's 99 percent," and saying economic growth had only benefited companies while middle-class salaries barely covered soaring housing, education and health care costs.
[snip]
In Paris protests coincided with the G20 finance chiefs' meeting there. In the working class neighborhood of Belleville, drummers, trumpeters and a tuba revved up a crowd of a few hundred that began to march to the city hall.

From NY Daily News:

Solidarity hero Lech Walesa is flying to New York to show his support for the Occupy Wall Street protesters.

"How could I not respond," Walesa told a Polish newspaper Wednesday. "The thousands of people gathered near Wall Street are worried about the fate of their future, the fate of their country. This is something I understand."

A former shipyard worker who led Poland's successful revolt against Soviet communism, Walesa said "capitalism is in crisis" and not just in America.

"This is a worldwide problem," he told the Lublin-based Dziennik Wschodni newspaper. "The Wall Street protesters have focused a magnifying glass on the problem."

But, we are still dealing with the police run amok over these protests.

From AmericaBlog:

On the other hand, corporate America is going to be bombarded in another way, by a new site called Occupy the Board Room.

Today, you, the 99%, can make your voice heard directly to the Wall Street elites who wrecked the economy and made the rest of us pay. Find a pen pal below and tell them a story that explains why they need to listen to you after acting for so many years like your words don't matter.

--------
Rather than bumping my older post to the front page and adding the new stuff, you can read the older post by clicking to it, and I'll add my updates to this part two.

When this thing started out in New York on Wall Street, it was a rag tag group of people that, seriously, many on the left through their blogs, were quite skeptical of. Only a few hundred people, no real manifesto so to speak, blah, blah, blah. A lot of liberals had grown tired of the demonstrating the past few years as (1) media never covered it and (2) nothing was ever accomplished.

I don't know if I was ever in that group. I've always been supportive or protesting, even if it goes nowhere. Yes, there is the disappointment that after all that work, you go home and are depressed, but persistence pays off, and for the most part, over the last couple of years, there has been a lack of persistence with respect to protesting.

We saw a difference in Wisconsin, where persistence was beginning to pay off. In the end, Walker still passed his laws, but what followed were the recall elections (and Walker is still waiting for his). Court challenges followed. There was a bit of change in what Walker thought was going to be a cakewalk of dismantling the public sector and replacing it with his own private cronies. And Walker was but one of many governors that followed an eerily similar blueprint that was obviously orchestrated by people like the Koch brothers and others that are part of the 1%.

Occupy Wall Street morphed into Occupy Your Street (insert town) to the 99%. They are one in the same in that the protestors are the 99% that have been left out of any profits earned in the last few years, are part of the people fired by the 1% that kept making money by the firing, are part of the college graduates that are up to their ears in debt but can't get a job because of the 1% only paying shit wages so they can keep more of their 1%, and they are the millions who have lost their homes thanks to the 1% (some of whom not only profited by creating the housing bubble, but have actually picked up foreclosed homes and gloated about it, including one of the Republican candidates for POTUS job). For far too long this has been going on, and because our politicians are the puppets whose strings have been being pulled by the 1%, including both parties, but now even more so thanks to the SCOTUS' Citizens United ruling, you'd have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to see something like Occupy Wall Street happen. When even Obama refuses to prosecute the bad guys (well, who couldn't see that coming when he refused to prosecute the bad guys from the Bush administration over the two wars we are in, the unlawful surveillance of American citizens, etc. - hell, Obama agrees with the Bush administration's practices as we have all found out by now), and kept throwing good money at bad money, the 99% finally found their voice.

The big news of course, has been the police brutality all across the nation, attacking the protestors with their batons and spraying them with tear gas. Never mind the fact that there are videos of this everywhere, as usual, the press (which are owned by the 1%) gloss over it, make light of it, blame the protestors as being hippie, 1960's anti-war like, (and that's the mild stuff, because they are also being called anti-American and a lot of disgusting untrue analogous references to the Vietnam era protestors), thus resulting in a "movement" that has no cohesion, therefore is deserving of the dismissive attitude by media.

The line being drawn in the sand was supposed to be Friday's clearing out of the Zuccotti Park by Mayor Bloomberg, ostensibly to "clean it up" but we all knew it was to get a foothold into the park and thereby not allow the people back in. They (the owners of the park and Bloomberg) have backed down it seems. This from AmericaBlog:

Late last night, New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Brookfield Properties, the owners of Zuccotti Park, backed down from their attempt to evict #OccupyWallStreet. MoveOn shot a great video of the protesters getting the news and their reaction.

I was in Chicago on Monday and although did not see the protests on Sunday, I saw the Robin Hood protestors in their boats going up the river with their signs. Also, being in Los Angeles, our mayor has even issued a proclamation allowing the protestors here to remain on city property, and there have been no arrests or beatings like in New York, Portland and other areas. I'm not a fan of our mayor, but at least he's got some sense of what is going on across the country and he's not about to get besmirched by reacting negatively.

Here's how the police do it in Seattle:

SEATTLE - Police experimented with a new tactic Friday night as they responded to a weeklong Occupy Seattle demonstration at Westlake Park - ticketing drivers who honked in support of protesters.

Yeah, that will stop the protestors, you morons. Honking in support of protestors is what people who drive by in their cars have done since I can remember! But now, that's a ticket, a tactic that these boneheads think will thwart support for OWS! And just what do the police anywhere think is wrong with OWS anyway? They are most certainly not part of the 1% and don't they realize that this movement represents THEM as well?

San Francisco police join in the fray.

Still, it doesn't seem like the police are handling these protests very well. Not to mention, when the Teabaggers were just as belligerent during the Democratic health care town halls - and mind you, there were members of Congress present - the cops never reacted like this.

Occupy Wall Street is like the kid in the fairy story saying what everyone knows but is afraid to say: the emperor has no clothes. The system is broken. Think about the promise of global market capitalism. If we let the system work, if we let the rich get richer, if we let corporations focus on profit, if we let pollution go unpriced and unchecked, then we will all be better off. It may not be equally distributed, but the poor will get less poor, those who work hard will get jobs, those who study hard will get better jobs and we’ll have enough wealth to fix the environment.

“What we now have — most extremely in the U.S. but pretty much everywhere — is the mother of all broken promises,” Gilding adds. “Yes, the rich are getting richer and the corporations are making profits — with their executives richly rewarded. But, meanwhile, the people are getting worse off — drowning in housing debt and/or tuition debt — many who worked hard are unemployed; many who studied hard are unable to get good work; the environment is getting more and more damaged; and people are realizing their kids will be even worse off than they are. This particular round of protests may build or may not, but what will not go away is the broad coalition of those to whom the system lied and who have now woken up. It’s not just the environmentalists, or the poor, or the unemployed. It’s most people, including the highly educated middle class, who are feeling the results of a system that saw all the growth of the last three decades go to the top 1 percent.”

Courtesy of Thomas L. Friedman's OpEd piece, There's Something Happening Here.

More On AG Settlement With Banks

2011-10-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

I first posted on this subject here on August 22, 2011. Here's a little tidbit from Matt Taibbi's blog about this, with a very interesting point.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris sent a letter to state and federal regulators explaining that she pulled out because the proposed settlement amount for banks guilty of bad securitization practices leading up to the mortgage crisis – said to be in the $20 billion range – was too small.

[snip]

I’m convinced that the deal will eventually go through, however, after some further concessions are made. Certainly the absence of both New York (whose Attorney General Eric Schneiderman gamely started this mess by refusing to sign on or abandon his own investigation into corrupt securitization practices) and California will make it difficult for the banks to do any kind of a deal. But there is such an awesome amount of political will to get this deal done in Washington that it almost has to happen before the presidential election season really gets going.

If it does get done, expect a great deal of public debate over whether or not the size of the settlement was sufficient. Did the banks pay enough? Should they have paid ten billion more? Twenty? Even I engaged in a little bit of that some weeks ago.

But if and when that debate takes place, it will actually obscure the real issue, because this settlement is not about getting money from the banks. The deal being contemplated is actually the opposite: a giant bailout.

In fact, any federal foreclosure settlement along the lines of what’s been proposed will amount to a last round of post-2008-crisis bailouts. I talked to one foreclosure activist over the weekend who put it this way: “[The AG settlement] will be a bigger bailout than TARP.”

Another bailout. More giveaways to the 1%. Nothing fair to the 99%. And media keeps asking what is the point of OWS? Open your eyes, stupid people!

Still Think Obama's Administration Is On The Regular Person's Side?

2011-10-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

Two senior Treasury officials said Friday that they had never seen a loan restructuring similar to an Energy Department loan to a failed solar panel maker.

The half-billion dollar loan to Solyndra Inc. was restructured earlier this year so that private investors moved ahead of taxpayers for repayment on part of the loan in case of a default.

You read that right. The loan was restructured so that private investors will get their money before the TAXPAYERS!

And you wonder why OWS exists???????

"Deadbeat Illinois"

2011-10-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

Great title (from this article). On the way back to O'Hare, there was a sign facing those leaving O'Hare going into Chicago that, I paraphrase, said Welcome to Chicago, We're Broke. It was a bit longer in phrase, but I really can't remember it other than it struck me odd as a "welcome to my city" type sign, because of its rather blatant slap. Most "welcome to my city" signs are upbeat, and if it has something important, it is usually highlighted in the welcome sign.

Drowning in deficits, Illinois has turned to a deliberate policy of not paying billions of dollars in bills for months at a time, creating a cycle of hardship and sacrifice for residents and businesses helping the state carry out some of the most important government tasks.