June 11, 2016

Why go to a rally, then not vote?

I am not getting that. the rallies weren't anything special. The one I went to (Sacramento Cal Expo, Bonnie Field) was hard to be at (security was especially harsh) and it seemed to me that you really had to want to be there. Not much in the way of music, no fireworks, just Bernie and a two second Danny Glover appearance, yet there were 20K people there. There were countless people registering people to vote at the event and they were doing a very brisk business. The crowd hardly skewed young, seemed a nice cross section of people, with young kids, pre-teens, as well as senior citizens (myself) and all kinds of people.

But now they say that those people, "the young people" that support Bernie at the rallies didn't vote? I don't get it. Going to the event is far more hassle than voting, especially if absentee voting, where you don't even have to turn off the video games to vote.

June 9, 2016

USA TODAY exclusive: Hundreds allege Donald Trump doesn’t pay his bills

USA TODAY exclusive: Hundreds allege Donald Trump doesn’t pay his bills


During the Atlantic City casino boom in the 1980s, Philadelphia cabinet-builder Edward Friel Jr. landed a $400,000 contract to build the bases for slot machines, registration desks, bars and other cabinets at Harrah's at Trump Plaza.

The family cabinetry business, founded in the 1940s by Edward’s father, finished its work in 1984 and submitted its final bill to the general contractor for the Trump Organization, the resort’s builder.

Edward’s son, Paul, who was the firm’s accountant, still remembers the amount of that bill more than 30 years later: $83,600. The reason: the money never came. “That began the demise of the Edward J. Friel Company… which has been around since my grandfather,” he said.
Donald Trump often portrays himself as a savior of the working class who will "protect your job." But a USA TODAY NETWORK analysis found he has been involved in more than 3,500 lawsuits over the past three decades — and a large number of those involve ordinary Americans, like the Friels, who say Trump or his companies have refused to pay them.
At least 60 lawsuits, along with hundreds of liens, judgments, and other government filings reviewed by the USA TODAY NETWORK, document people who have accused Trump and his businesses of failing to pay them for their work. Among them: a dishwasher in Florida. A glass company in New Jersey. A carpet company. A plumber. Painters. Forty-eight waiters. Dozens of bartenders and other hourly workers at his resorts and clubs, coast to coast. Real estate brokers who sold his properties. And, ironically, several law firms that once represented him in these suits and others.



http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/06/09/donald-trump-unpaid-bills-republican-president-laswuits/85297274/

June 1, 2016

Tonight, Bernie, T rump or trivia. What do?

Bernie is going to be at UC Davis at the football stadium tonight. T rump is going to be at the airport tonight. Trivia at my favorite bar tonight and we usually win. (Free beer!)

All three are equidistant from where I am right now. I've already seen one Bernie show on this tour, I kind of know how it goes. I find the T rump phenomenon very interesting. And free beer is free beer.
Should I ask my friend to go to either? Great guy, good friend free market, ex military, sell IT systems to the government (all levels) never voted for a Democrat in his life kind of guy. He took me to UC Davis to see Ron Paul 4 years ago. Ask him to come to the Bernie event ( which I am sure he would decline)? Or should I surprise and ask him to go to the Trump event? (Not to protest, I think it would be interesting) or play trivia, my friend is also one of my trivia teammates.
I'm pretty sure that he would not go with me to the Bernie event, even though I did go to a Ron Paul event with him at his urging. He claims to hate T rump but I know that if that scenario came to play he would vote for him.

May 26, 2016

Music Festivals’ Glaring Woman Problem

Music Festivals’ Glaring Woman Problem

Music Festivals’ Glaring Woman Problem

Half of music festival attendees are women. But on stage, the numbers tell a different story.

Story by Alanna Vagianos
Graphics by Alissa Scheller
Wednesday, May 25, 2016, 1:00 PM EDT

It’s 2011 and I’m on a plane to Miami. I’m ready to soak up some sun and kick back at my sister’s apartment in South Beach. As an afterthought, I’ve agreed to go to one of the largest electronic music festivals in the world, Ultra, for the first time.

As I skim through the lineup — which included big names like Tiesto, Deadmau5 and David Guetta — I think to myself: Where are all the women?

I was about to fall deeply, madly in love with electronic music and the whole festival scene. But out of the dozens of festivals I went to after that first one, I never stopped asking the same question: Where are all the women?

HOW BAD IS THE GENDER BREAKDOWN, REALLY?

Move the sliders to pick what percentage you think each group makes up for all the 2016 festivals we looked at.

More here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/_

This is true in all music festivals and music in general outside of the pop realm, women face a hard time. All you have to do is read the TTB thread to see that many men have a problem with female musicians that can hang. Not many out there. Shame too, because I love women musicians. From Ruthie Underwood (who was the first woman I ever saw "get down&quot to Janis, to Bonnie Raitt to the T Sisters or Baskery, I've always dug it. Carolyn Wonderland, man, the most amazing spirit, great guitar player and a voice like Janis and Aretha on a five day bender. Ain't nothing better than that. Or Cindy Cashdollar (The Texas guitar women check em out sometime) the baddest ass steel guitar player ever. Dave Alvin's drummer, is amazing Lisa Pankraetz. Shit nails it to the floor.

But most festivals book dude heavy artists. It's tough to be a musical woman when it comes to booking. Emmylou does well, Mavis does well, Grace Potter is doing well (and don't get me started on the hate for that girl, always by guys), but not much more than that out of the pop realm.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/_

May 24, 2016

My friend who won't quit her abusive husband

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027646381
For context.

Tried to kill herself Saturday.pills. her now husband had beat her pretty severely last week. Black eye, serious bruising. I, like i have repeatedly, tried to get her to go to WEAVE, but she flaked about five sat night. Told me she was going somewhere, but instead went back to him. She emptied a bottle of pills, and her hubby finally called 911 Sunday morning.

The police have interviewed him but not arrested him, she was too out of it to be interviewed and probably would not press charges anyway. She will recover, but not for a few days.
Her parents tracked me down and told me the whole story a minute ago. He has her phone and apparently lost his temper at the hospital, so he is banned from there.

I am going to her job (bartender in a dive bar) to insure she keeps her job so at least she has that when she gets better. It has been suggested that she go to a mental health situation (not promised) for a month once she recovers her health. So I am going to have to explain that and I know her husband has already been to her job and told his story. I am going to at least try to salvage that so she has something.

This is killing me, I've tried to help her, but she just won't take that first step. I can only do so much, can't offer her alternatives really, and am at a complete nadir in my own life.

May 23, 2016

Family of Tony Gwynn suing tobacco companies for

Killing his ass

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/24/sports/baseball/tony-gwynn-family-sues-tobacco-altria-death.html?_r=0

Says they targeted him to encourage AA men to use dip. SKOAL specifically.

May 23, 2016

My congressional race. (CA7). How can I vote for the Democrat?

http://www.sacbee.com/news/investigations/the-public-eye/article78992527.html

Ami Bera? Guys supports TPP and his campaign is incredibly corrupt. Dad going to prison for campaign violations and the guy running against him is seriously flawed (Scott Jones, Sac county sheriff who gives out gun permits like they are candy).
I hate politics right now.

May 21, 2016

Is there a master list of T rump's lies, flip flops, exaggerations, bluster, buffoonery?

Sure would be nice to have them compiled in one place.

May 14, 2016

Will "Junk Checker" be a profession now?

Gotta make sure we don't get no trans,sexUALS, in the ladies room, fruitcake..........

Stand at the door and feel up all who enter.
"Just makin' sure maaaaam"

wonder if you would get many tips? Might this be a TSA job?

May 10, 2016

Says it all....