Bloggeroid.

First post from the new Google Pixel phone. Not sure it's better than a keyboard. May need some
speech to text apps.

posted from Bloggeroid

Happy Thanksgiving

My advice for this holiday is to absorb as much t.v. as you can.

Secrecy and Disdain

Okay! So good to be back. After the unlikely and unpopular election of Donald Trump, I had to take some time off to regather my thoughts. Instead of taking to the blog instantaneously to rant about my obvious displeasure, I decided to sit back and soak in the fall out. No matter how appalled I am by the judgement of my fellow Americans, I have to accept the results as fair and true. I am not one to complain about the electoral college vs. popular vote results. In order to win the presidency, Trump had to received an absurd amount of votes. It's my opinion that any number of votes for this guy beyond his own single vote is an absurd amount.
I don't want to analyze the how's and why's of his ridiculous rise to power. There is a vast wealth of opinions and articles regarding this phenomenon. What I do want to say is that a vote for Trump requires ownership not just now, but in the future. When things start going south, as they already appear to be, today's proud Trump voter must also tomorrow admit to their choices.
So far, in just two weeks, Trump has already wrapped himself in secrecy, dodging press hounds to eat out, and calling reporters together only to be admonished, threatened, and insulted. No one can get any valuable information due to a lack of access coupled with outright disdain for reporters; all while an endless parade of kooky, unqualified conservatives are vetted for positions of power. Trump is doing nothing to project the image of a boss who promotes based on experience and merit. This is a president-elect who is showing no concern for job experience, with campaign loyalty being the only necessary qualification.
Right now it is looking like all the pieces are in place for the most secretive and untouchable presidency ever. As for his tax returns being disclosed, don't hold your breath.

I Voted Hillary Because Trump is "Just Such an Asshole", and Other Tweets

   Today is election day and finally we will have a release from this turmoil. If Trump loses and his minions decide to open fire on America, I hope they at least wait one day so we can all take a breather.
   I took to Twitter today, which you probably know was the Donald's favorite medium until his advisers took it away from him. I have to admit that every Twitter poll I participated in (at least a dozen) except for maybe two, were leaning heavily for Trump. I wasn't sure how to feel about that at first, but part of my brain says don't worry; Twitter is a bastion of trolls, and so it only makes sense that Trump would be rocking it there.
   I took a look at the pane of what's trending, and naturally there are several hashtags pertaining to the election. One was a simple #Ivoted, or something like that, so I tweeted that I voted Hillary because Trump is "just such an asshole". A rather obvious statement and easily defended. To my amazement I was instantly trolled by one of the Donald's fervent supporters (turns out this guy is an author). To his credit, he was nowhere near as nasty as some of the fuckwits I have sparred with on numerous Facebook posts. Haven't we all? He just replied to my tweet with,"So you'd vote for a criminal instead?!" attached to a cute GIF of Judge Judy giving an accentuated eye roll.
   I chuckled and replied, "Yes, a million times over."  I get a kick out of people that lean right, who think it is a foregone conclusion that Hillary is a crime boss, and cast about such reckless talk as though the world is in agreement. The Hillary for Prison crowd doesn't seem to be aware that it is they, and they only, who subscribe to such nonsense. They just can't figure out that they literally have nothing, and if you call them out the best they can do is say Wikileaks real fast, as if there is some kind of proof there. When put on the spot, and asked specifically what charge should be levied against her, the response is always something convoluted and ambiguous. So moving on.
   The guy criticizing me takes a sudden about face. Nothing a Twitter troll has ever done to me. He replied to my reply that he didn't like my position but respected it, and that what mattered most was that I participated in the process. I must admit that he bettered me, because I couldn't share the same sentiment with him. I'm not a Just Vote kind of guy. If I feel your vote is damaging I'm going to prefer you stay your ass home and play video games. So instead of falsely telling him that I thought it was great that he was casting a ballot, I politely thanked him for his recognition and told him he just picked up a follower. A Twitter follower that is.
   My takeaway from this is that after today, no matter who wins or loses, it really is about us the people. I'll be the first to say that sounds cheesy and corny, but it was refreshing to agree to disagree for once, instead of spinning wheels in the mud and nuking each other verbally. No one walked away mad.

@claystoke And a criminal is much better than an asshole, right? pic.twitter.com/ceJrb7vcVt

— Frank Anderson (@4FrankAnderson) November 8, 2016

@claystoke honestly, you know she is a criminal and you still chose her over the asshole? Well... thanks for being honest. pic.twitter.com/FwGnXOTIqf

— Frank Anderson (@4FrankAnderson) November 8, 2016

Three and Out

Day after the final debate and I am so glad it's over. Of the three I found it the most difficult to watch all the way through. Actually we didn't watch it all the way through. Erika and I agreed we had had enough near the end, and we went on to watch episodes of Ink Master. As debates and campaigns typically do near the end of their life cycle, it became a repetitious and redundant rehash of the first two debates. Neither candidate swung very hard at the other, or offered any new revelations to subvert the other's character. Still it had it's cringe worthy moments and at times fell into total disorder with the candidates and moderator all trying to be heard at once.
   Trump's opening comments were typical. He had to make a simple question regarding the nomination of supreme court justices into a dig at Justice Ginsberg, by claiming that she was unfair in her criticism of him, but she was made to apologize, and apologize she did. He literally took a simple question and morphed it into a fantasy of his ass being kissed by a judge. He made sure straight out of the gate that we knew what we were in for. Keep the bar really low.
   It didn't take very long to segue from nominating supreme court justices to discussing the second amendment, because as far as Trump is concerned that IS the constitution.  You would think that the second amendment is under constant attack, when in fact it is the most securely defended section of the constitution. If anything the right to bear arms has  been expanded in many states. But hell, must keep the paranoia levels up.
   Then the discussion moves on to abortion which is always a fun topic. Just minutes in and our imaginations are awash with babies just days from birth being literally ripped out of their mother's wombs. You can guess which candidate was painting this rosy scenario. When asked repeatedly if he would like to see Roe v Wade overturned the hapless billionaire could only say that if it happens it will become a states issue. Overturned-yes or no? States. Overturned- yes or no?! States! When Hillary was asked the same question she took a solid stand on her position, and shamelessly vowed to continue funding Planned Parenthood and support Roe v Wade. Nothing wishy washy about that.
   Moving on to the immigration problem, Trump used the opportunity to paint a dark and disturbing picture of a border less America that is over run with illegal criminal thugs. He went on to mention that he has met literally thousands of people who's families have been victimized by out of control illegal immigrants. Of course this could never be substantiated, since no statistic even remotely points to this being mathematically possible.  Then he went so far as to say that ICE endorsed him, when in fact ICE is a federal department and cannot endorse anyone for president. But it is Hillary that lies constantly, remember?  Hillary did put him on the spot when she brought up that he went to Mexico and didn't even mention the wall to the president's face. "He choked" is how she put it. I'd like to add that later that same day when he returned to the states to hold an evening rally he had no problem talking all about the wall and having Mexico pay for it. I think I'm going to choke.
   Unfortunately for the Hillary camp this all led to discussion of her leaked email which stated her wish for an open border, but after reading it myself it seems clear that it was a statement taken out of context with regards to open trade, which is also another weakness of her campaign. Either way, it puts ammo in the Donald's gun, and no one in his camp is going to verify a self serving misquote. As long as he can put the fear of a Meximerica into the minds of his supporters that's all he thinks he needs. Unfortunately for Trump this is where his inner asshole could no longer be restrained, and he began to nonsensically berate Mrs. Clinton and to maliciously insist that Putin has not respect for her or Obama, which may be true, but it was the tone and his demeanor which stood out sorely. From that point forward he became very undisciplined and insulting. Essentially his normal self.
   Later the issue of taxes came up, and this is where my interest began to fade. Two things about this. The tax code is not going to change in any significant way. The candidates have both done little to promote any kind of new tax policy. Fine. Leave it alone if anything. Second, if Donald Trump thinks he is going to manage to get elected without producing a tax return, he is on serious drugs. It may not mean much to him, but to me and many other voters, that's s total deal breaker.
   He falsely stated that Hillary Clinton lost six billion dollars while working for the State Department. Such an erroneous statement might be made by a hillbilly, but a presidential nominee ought to check his facts before spewing such b.s.  The truth is that the mismanagement of paperwork pertaining to projects in the department caused them to go missing. The projects totaled six billion dollars. The red tape was lost, not the actual money. Liar!
   Then there is the declaration that all his female accusers have been debunked. Total horse shit. He says Hillary Clinton created ISIS. Absolute dip shit statement based on....god he's stupid.  He said 100% of the donations to his charity go to other charities and a lot of military. But the only news I've seen is about him buying portraits of himself, and his charity not even being licensed correctly in order to solicit funds.
   There was plenty more to dissect, but why bother? There is so much misinformation coming from all sides, and it can be hard to care some times.  My takeaway from all this is how bizarre things have gotten. A bad dream that is truly real. It has to be mentioned that we have a candidate who can't believe in the American system that he wants to control. He has stated that the election is rigged, a logistical impossibility, and that he is being suppressed, all the while doing everything to be as repulsive and ugly and unpalatable as possible. He is predictable. If he were to win he would accept the results without any doubts. So what we have is a man child who wants it both ways. He claims to win at everything while simultaneously declaring everyone else is a cheat. Super Tuesday can't come fast enough.


  
 
 

Ventura Trip

Surfers waiting for something tasty 

I flew into Ventura on Friday afternoon. Was able to get out of work early. I had my first experience with traversing the newly renovated Sacramento Metropolitan airport. It is much larger now than it used to be. In the past when I would fly Southwest I could check in at the front and follow an escalator the security check point and then on to my gate. Now there is a huge front lobby that leads to a wide elevator, all with clear glass doors and shafts, so that you can see the inner mechanisms that lift the cars. Beyond this you reach a depot where a tram whisks  you away on a fast outer track to the wing which stations the gates. A much larger airport now than it was before.

   Of course with my disability this would not be possible. Fortunately the curbside check-in provides assistance for the disabled. I was sitting in a chair in minutes of arriving to the airport, and in no time a young gentleman was running me to my gate and short cutting me through the security line. It is customary to tip these guys five or ten bucks for their efforts and I found it well worth a few bucks to get such royal treatment.

   My stay was short but very enjoyable. Not to mention the bed in my mother's spare room is super comfortable. Hard to want to get out of in the morning. The view of the coast from her back patio is simply divine. We palled around with the dogs, ate excellent fish tacos at the local cantina, saw the movie 'Sully' in a theater of reclining chairs, and watched the S.F. Giants lose twice to the Cubs.

Punk Rock Girl

   For the trip back my parents hooked me up with some vinyl records courtesy of Jackomo Records. I left with copies of Rush's Moving Pictures and Permanent Waves, King Crimson's Lark's Tongues in Aspic, B.O.C.'s Mirrors, Queen's Sheer Heart Attack, and Frank Zappa's Roxy and Elsewhere. My mother also gave us a cool painting she did from a series of punk rock girls.

Below is me with Frieda, the house cutey. 

Frieda and yours truly

My Ongoing Bout With Gravity

The weather is changing and the days are getting shorter. An obvious observation I know. There just seems to be no gradualness to the changes in our weather patterns. We never seem to ease from high nineties temperatures into moderate eighties for a week and then seventies. Instead we suffer a late summer heat wave that lasts over a week, only to find ourselves shivering to low sixty degree temperatures in the space of literally just two days. No one knows what to dress for.
   We still don't turn the clocks back for about a month, and that's actually fine with me. I like gaining the extra hour, but the exchange is for very long days of darkness, seemingly night time when the work day has only just finished. Not great for a man who has been making a belated but hearty attempt to soak up more sun. Just have to wait it out, but unlike most seasons I think I will be looking forward to spring more so than usual. My skin was just starting to show real signs of darkening.
   I'm not totally sure about how beneficial all this added sun and vitamin D supplementation has been for me. I feel like I have more energy in the mornings and throughout the work day. What I don't know is if this is a direct result of my new Mega-D approach or just an upswing. An upswing is a period of time, usually short, where my MS symptoms seem minimal and I can say truthfully that I don't feel too shitty. With MS you're never totally out of the woods. There is always some sort of residual shittiness even on my best days. The unfortunate downside to all the sunning is it makes me hot which turns me into a weakling who can't stand up for more than a few moments. It's a serious disease. Sometimes I underestimate it's debilitating power, but when I do it promptly reminds me who's in charge. MS is an angry beast. The best way to tame it is to respect it, and not challenge it. Knowing the ways to limit it while not putting myself into bad situations.
   Such a situation arose last week. I tanned for 30 minutes which is my normal amount. Afterwards I went against my better judgement. I decided to take a midday shower even though my foot was numbing bad and my balance was very off. Once in the shower I got the sensation that my feet were slipping even though I was standing on a shower mat.  There isn't much to hold onto in there and I normally hold the edge of the window to keep steady while I soap up with my other hand. This time I never made it to the soap stage. The lack of sensation in my feet caused me to crouch to the floor of the tub, where I ended up getting stuck for about ten minutes. I was too scrunched to muster the strength to lift my body from the floor. Needless to say, it was a sobering moment. I have a new sense of my MS related limitations, and am now considering getting some more physical aids for around the house, such as a bath chair. I know better than to challenge this disease.

More Vitamin D and Sunshine Says Dr. Feelgood

Well this new tan is coming along nicely. I've been sitting out back in the yard nearly every day for half an hour after getting home from work. It takes a long time to turn a guy as white as myself toward any hint of a tan, but hours of daylight absorption is starting to show. I am doing this purely for the benefits associated with UV rays converted to vitamin D. As I've said before, MS is linked to vitamin D deficiencies, and I have difficulty getting my range into the normal or preferred percentage levels. I would be interested in taking a blood test in the near future to see what impact if any this sunning is doing for me, along with the gobs of vitamin D pills I take daily. I know one thing, my levels have never been alarmingly high, so I'm going for excess. 
   I just wish I could afford all the other vitamins I also need. I don't want to overlook the importance of B12, CoQ10, omega-3 fish oils, vitamins C and E. Not to mention zinc, and L-Citrulline, and the list goes on. All of it costing a pretty penny. Still the importance of it all makes me want to cut out other expenses to make room for these supplements. Unlike probably most people, I am very sensitive to the direct benefits I get from these, most often in the form of energy and mental well being, though libido and balance are also affected. Perhaps because having MS is like feeling shitty permanently, anything that alleviates that even just a little bit is noticeable, and desirable. On the logical and rational side, supplements are cheaper and more accessible than prescription drugs. 

Hair Battle 2016

So Saturday was the epic Hair Battle 2016 right here in Sacramento, featuring the top four salons that had won the competition in previous years. Erika's Hair Gone Wild was judged first place, and so all their hard work payed off. Erika and the rest of the girls had been working tirelessly for the last couple of weeks putting together the wardrobes, hair sculptures, and make-up, squeezing everything they could into each spare moment.
   The show its self was marred with technical difficulties from the d.j. to some cast not being ready, so unfortunately it ran long with big dead spaces of waiting for the show to begin again. Hair Gone Wild was the last to present, but it was worth the wait to see them accept the trophy. Congratulations to Toni and her whole team for exceeding expectations.
   Below is a clip of the award presentation.

Backyard Diddle

The first day of fall. I was in the mood for some Grateful Dead, so I cranked up a YouTube playlist and took a little after work excursion to the patio. I swept it, so I might as well use it. Dog monitoring and scheming.

Just Admit You Were Wrong

   Today Donald Trump admitted that Barack Obama was born in the United States. That's apparently a really big deal judging by today's standards. It takes a lot of guts to admit that  you were wrong. Oh wait, he never confessed to being wrong. He just admitted that the president was born in the states.
   It doesn't much matter to me what the plan is, when it's coming from a birther conspiracy theorist. There is a reason why credibility matters, and why you must protect your reputation. It was rather inconvenient for many people to have to endure Trump's baseless presumptions during the 2012 election cycle; that we needed to see a proof of Obama's birth. That Obama even produced it at all was a sad day in our history. The day a president gave lip service to an idiotic conspiracy theory generated by a glib actor playing the part of someone who cares.
   Fast forward to today and Donald expects us all to just move forward as though it never happened. But it did happen, so forget about us forgetting. It was important enough at the time that we had to hear about it every day for months. Words matter. And Trump's words are not carefully chosen. He ought to dig deep for the inner strength and intestinal fortitude to say, very carefully, "I was wrong. What I did was wrong."  Owning it is what a real man would do.

Beer Dawgs at Swabbi's

I originally didn't want to go, mainly because I hate the winding levee road called Garden Highway, which snakes it's way along the river for miles to the Swabbi's restaurant and bar, located just below the I-5 overpass near Woodland. I just hate that road with it's narrow lanes, and foot wide shoulders that pan off into the abyss. Not a place a like to travel to, or a road I like to travel on. I had little choice however as Erika informed me that I was going whether I wanted to or not.
   Still, we arrived without incident and even lucked into the only handicap parking space left. That was fortunate because the terrain is very uneven and challenging for a guy like me who is somewhere between being able to walk and needing a wheelchair. Swabbi's is a very enjoyable place to eat, drink, and enjoy live music. It's nestled right on the bank of the river, with shady trees, and grass on a wide open lot. Great beer and okay food.
   The Beer Dawgs are led by singer/guitarists Steve Wall and Bob Pearce, and joined by former bassist Joe Lev. Though not still together since Bob moved to Texas, they have been playing their home grown tunes mixed with some tasty covers in Sacramento for decades. They even played our wedding. So any time they get together locally, Erika makes sure to attend. She took a few clips of the gig, so I thought I'd share them here.
   After all, it was a successful outing, and we found a faster, less nerve racking route home that swings by the metropolitan airport. Would definitely do it again.

Rockin' and Rollin' and What Not

What a week it has been. After a great three day weekend, the shortened work week has passed by painlessly, and Friday is upon us. We are getting ever closer to the election, or what I call the end of it all. I thought it would never get so close, time wise and poll wise.  Yet here we are only six weeks out. My instincts say to bury my head in the sand, but we know that isn't possible. So instead I am going to embrace our national train wreck for it's pure entertainment value. Anything else is depressing, and to quote a friend, "Support is a strong word right now."

   Erika and I went to see a good suspense thriller called Don't Breathe, which started off as a mediocre, run of the mill, Netflix style sadist flick, but quickly evolved into a legit nail biter. I give it credit for being creative using highly played out scenarios. The book report is incomplete. Still plugging away at the Devil's Chessboard, and woefully short on details. I will definitely pass along anything earth quaking after digesting this CIA expose. I have finished the first of four parts of the audio book: Antiquities of the Jews, as told by Flavius Josephus. I recommend this to anyone who wants the Old Testament laid out in terms that are familiar, with emphasis on the morals to each story, which is lacking in the scriptures themselves. Librivox is a great source for such historical audio books for free. Look for the link in my other people's places section.
   I want to add that the current theory about Sandra Olsson being dead in Grease is poppycock. No sale on that fan theory. It says clearly in the first song that she was saved from drowning so yeah.

Sandy waves goodbye on her way to heaven

Mind Numbing Memes and Vitamin D

Checking in. Talking Vitamin D, book reports, dog farts, and a bit of reminiscing. Salutations and good day to Gene Wilder.

Heart and Joan Jett at Shoreline

We survived our Wednesday trek to Mountain View's Shoreline Amphitheater for a triple shot of Cheap Trick, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, followed by Heart as the headlining act. The experience was great, the traffic horrendous. This venue never seems to be prepared for the influx of attendees they get. Worst handicap parking situation I've seen anywhere. The lot is located over a steep hill that is only traversable by foot, and across the main road. But whatever, we managed. Erika captured a few songs from the gig on her phone, so here they are. The videos  are a bit washed out, but the sound is good. 

And from the Thunder Valley show two weeks prior

Purge

Hey, so good to be back. I was on a short hiatus from blogging because this last week was just too full of action. Last weekend Gordon treated Erika and I to a concert at the Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln, CA, which was a double shot of Cheap Trick and Joan Jett. I wasn't a fan of either but I enjoyed it and came away feeling like I was sufficiently rocked. Gordon hadn't intended to boot the show, but must have changed his mind last minute, which is fortunate because it provided more fodder for our Los Hermanos website. 
     On a more somber note, our neighbor of 17 years, Al Lara

had passed away earlier that week, and we attended his funeral on Tuesday. It was a good service filled with haunting mariachi music. I've heard mariachi music pouring through my dominantly Hispanic neighborhood for years. It is always festive and upbeat. But I had never heard funeral mariachi music. It was a rich blend of happy sounding melodies countered by foreboding undertones of sad and melancholy bass swells. The band was very classy and talented.  I had also never attended a military funeral before, and I was impressed by how dignified and noble  the procession was. Al had been a cook in the army many years ago, and was given the same treatment and respect as any soldier of war or peace. My breath was taken when the captain presented the American flag to his widow.  I know it sounds corny, but I actually felt a brief sensation of patriotism wave over me, and it tingled. I don't usually get choked up over such things, but it was a powerful moment.
     The next day was Wednesday, and we had scheduled our annual junk pick-up with the city of Sac. It was a lot of effort for Erika and I to purge the house of so much unwanted junk, but it left me with a feeling of great satisfaction to see it all go. We made a massive pile in the street, and poof, it was all gone the next day.

Tomorrow night we are heading to the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountainview for a repeat performance of Cheap Trick and Joan Jett, but this time Heart will be squeezed into the bill. What a summer. We'll see how it goes.

Say What?

I must apologize for not only the audio/video sync being way off in this clip, but also the lack of shirt on my being. I have no better excuse but to say that it was a hot August afternoon. Just my take on the current state of Trump and his campaign.

GIFt

I'm just posting this cause I thought it was cool

Vote for a Billionaire? Never

   

  I would never willingly vote for a billionaire. Billionaires hoard wealth and resources. Billionaires buy up the world's assets, and rent it back to us for profit. Billionaires contribute very little, if nothing at all, to the common good. Billionaires add no actual quality to the human condition, and they have the leverage needed to stagnate change and keep a rigged system in place. Billionaires simply do not carry the weight that they lay on the public body. To be a billionaire, one has to disconnect from the human race and embrace absolute greed as an identity of self.
   I am bashing the rich without a doubt, and rightfully so. To be a multi-billionaire, one must disengage from having a human soul completely. In short, being exceedingly rich causes unnecessary social imbalance. To be a multi-billionaire, a person must be determined to increase his own wealth astronomically beyond what would ever be necessary to spend in a lifetime, at a detriment to the rest of us. 
   Take this simple exercise. Imagine you are immortal (you have to or you won't live to the end of this experiment). Imagine on day 1 of the year 0001 a.d. you struck it rich somehow and became the recipient of one billion dollars. Now, suppose you spent $1,000 every single day, all through history to the present. How much money would you have left if any? You would still have $264,160,000. Here is the math: 365 days per year, multiplied by 2016 years, gives us  735,840 days. Multiply that amount by 1,000 dollars and we see the sum total spent as 735,840,000 dollars. Still over 264 million dollars left in the till.  
   Now I'm not sure about you, but my lifestyle doesn't cost anywhere near $1,000 per day, but that is the rate you would have to spend for 2,016 years straight just to reduce that lump of lettuce to a quarter of what it was. Knowing that, how on earth can you justify one person controlling multiple billions of dollars?                                  
   According to Forbes magazine, Donald Trump is worth 4.5 billion dollars. Let that sink in, and then ponder why you would vote for such a greedy pig to be the president of the United States. If Trump wanted to use his assets to do something positive, he has had over thirty years to demonstrate his willingness to help.
  You might opine that Hillary Clinton is also very wealthy, and she is. But her wealth is estimated to be roughly thirty million dollars, according to Forbes. Far less than what would be left over from the hypothetical daily thousand spent since day one. When you vote this fall, consider for yourself if voting for a multi-billionaire is a wise move. Ask yourself if this guy would help another human, or if he would just have his henchmen remove the riff-raff from the room.

All I Want for Christmas Is an NES Classic

This is what I want for Christmas. Perfect for an old guy who doesn't want to spend any money, and who also doesn't care that it is 2016.  I have slipped in and out of gaming since I was a young kid blowing his paper route money every week for a two hour arcade reality escape. Pac Man and Space Invaders were my faves, but I liked Defender, Asteroids, and Joust just the same. I liked them because I'm a simple guy, and I like simple games. I have been out of the gamer loop for many years now, which is fine since I don't have the physical dexterity to work a controller anymore. While graphics have gotten far better, it seems the games themselves aren't as fun as they used to be. Of course, I suppose a mid-forties man shouldn't find video games fun at all. But I think having an all-in-one retro gaming solution like the NES Classic, for only $60 is not only justifiable, but downright necessary. Santa, I know it's only July, but I've been very good this year so far.

Alex Jones is Whack, Yo (part II TYT style)

  File this under What the Fuck, as everyone's favorite antagonist Alex Jones and super creep Roger Stone crash the set of TYT during the RNC in Cleveland. Alex Jones doesn't understand it's not cool to invite yourself to someone else's party; and he has had his opportunity to plead his case as a guest on TYT already.
  If you ever thought for a moment that Alex Jones was a credible news source and respectable journalist, this will prove you wrong. The amount of support he gets for his antics from his fan base should be a solid sign of the impending apocalypse. If this is now considered acceptable behavior in today's news consuming environment, then our standards have bottomed out. But why should I continue on about this when Cenk Uygur can give his first hand rebuke of the event right here?

  As a side note, it's rather creepy how Alex Jones puts his hands on people he is accosting.  This is a man who would be quick to shoot anyone invading his personal space or walking in unexpectedly to his radio studio. Yet he feels it's perfectly fine to touch strangers and intimidate them in public while insulting them with lies and distortions. Watch him feeling up Karl Rove just days before at the airport, and notice the similarity to how he approaches Cenk Uygur.   Alex Jones actually used this footage on his program without realizing what an ass he makes of himself. Keep your hands to yourself, and don't pretend to be friendly when you're not.

Postmates

  I have seen an advertisement for an app called Postmates scroll across my newsfeed several times and so I thought I would look it up to see what it is all about. It turns out to be very similar to Uber, if you have ever used that. Instead of an app that summons a driver to take you where  you want to go with out exchanging actual currency, you are sending out for a courier who will bring you not just food, but almost anything you can think of within reason. The use of the app will drive up the cost of whatever it is that you are having delivered, but if you don't mind paying extra it is more than convenient when you absolutely don't want to leave the house.
  I have only used it one time but I was totally impressed. Erika and I were relaxing on the couch last Saturday night. It was after 11:00 p.m. Now who has never wished that McDonald's delivers? I downloaded the Postmates app, entered my payment information, selected what I want from the McDonald's menu, which is worked into the app, and in 45 minutes I had two double cheese burgers and a 20 piece McNugget delivered to my door, no need for cash. There is a delivery charge for the driver, a small service fee so Postmates gets a cut, and a tip which can be set for any percentage you feel is fair. So my $9 McDonald's meal ended up being about $17. Much more expensive, but if you're too lazy to leave the house, or stranded somewhere without wheels, this app is awesome. Like Uber it is based on a rating system so you and your courier should behave amicably. 
  To make things even better, they will do more than pick up your food. They will pick up items from the store for you, or prescriptions, or most anything you need. It's like having a personal assistant on demand. I have yet to use Postmates for anything else but my first experience with it was amazing. I think this is something that will really take off.

Settling In

After not  much time at all we are fully moved over to our new location. Now we need to settle in. Unpacking may not be as simple as last time. Even though there is much more space, there doesn't seem to be a very logical place to set up my junk. I'm far from any power source, and we still need to determine where to throw away the scrap metal that accumulates. For now we have set up my old banquet table work space but it needs some help for sure. Today should be spent mostly figuring out where to put things, and where those things even are. Until later...

Almost Out of Here

So there's not a whole lot to report on today. Just finishing up the big move into the next warehouse. Stacking pallets with junk is about the only thing going on. I'm essentially done for the day as far as standing and moving stuff. Look how empty this place is now.

 I'm good for a couple of hours and then it's MS time again. For me that is when my symptoms flare up, usually after small amounts of physical activity, which translates into burning feet, and wobbly balance. Once I sit for a few minutes I'm okay but my real strength doesn't fully return till after some sleep.  I have this situation in my right foot where my big toe curls up like a gorilla's toe-thumb. I have no control over it. It's like my body's natural way of  trying to turn my foot into a hand that can grasp the smooth surface I am standing on. It usually occurs when I am bare foot on a smooth floor, and is normally the end result of standing too long. Anymore than 5 to 10 minutes is the longest I can be upright. MS is a real mah fuckah. I'd like to snap a photo of my foot some time as it does look like a monkey foot when my toe does this.

I'm sort of shocked by how well the move has been going. I was not looking forward to it at all, but my co-workers have really gotten a jump on it, which is great considering I am too weak to engage in this sort of activity. We were actually held up for a couple of weeks while some repairs were being made to the next building. Not having a deadline to be out of the old building has made it a lot let stressful. Last year when we moved into the current building we had only a week, and it was much hotter then. This July has been the coolest in recent memory, and I thank the gods for their mercy.

Arky Melarkey

I had only heard recently that there is a $100 million replica of Noah's ark nearing completion in the great state of Kentucky. Apparently it was built to the exact specifications in the Old Testament, which in its self is rather dubious.
(below: a prehistoric crane and propane tank)

 I doubt that if three separate construction engineers were to take on the same task using their own interpretations from the good book's textual blueprints, they would achieve the same results. And setting aside the obvious observation (couldn't a hundred million dollars be better spent on something worthwhile?), my take on this is, if they wanted to build a monstrosity to prove the truth of the famous flood story, why didn't they go all the way and use the same number of people and types of materials as the bible claims were used?
(below: the bible didn't specify a concrete foundation)

 How am I going to be convinced that an old man with just a few helping hands could pull this off in a short period of time when modern man needed teams of construction workers, electricity, gas, industrial steel, polymer bonding and forming agents, cranes, hydraulic lifts, plywood, scaffolding, vehicles, and tons of money? Not to mention the impossible task of rounding up a pair of every species, acclimated or not, co-habitable or not (prey bunking with predator-how quaint), including dinosaurs.

(above: ancient steel scaffolding)
I'm not writing this because I think the Noah story needs debunking. I think it practically debunks its self. The whole thing requires a major suspension of belief and common sense. I'm more or less concerned about the total disregard for detail. If Ken Ham wants to provide us with Answers in Genesis, shouldn't he stick to the story, and avoid using modern tools and materials for his proof of the flood story's validity? I am hardly convinced.

(above: ancient battery powered portable drill)

She Was a 10 at 2, and a 2 at 10

Alex Jones Is Whack, Yo

Those eyes tell you everything you need to know. #RiggedSystem #HillaryForPrison https://t.co/OQtch0Lewb pic.twitter.com/OhEPrqtrTc

— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) July 5, 2016

@RealAlexJones These eyes tell me all I need to know, too pic.twitter.com/bXJbS9KS9h

— clay thomas (@claystoke) July 5, 2016

I used to listen to Alex Jones, a lot, taken with a large sprinkle of rock salt. I never jumped fully on to his total conspiracy views because everything always came back to, There comin' for yer guns! which wasn't something I was very concerned about. Like taking a burger from a vegan. Who cares? But I always liked his fervor and high energy when it came to attacking inconsistencies in the 9/11 tale. I was quickly turned off to Alex Jones after Obama was elected and he produced a crappy film called The Obama Deception which in it's self was obviously a deception. Then he made an ass of himself immediately after the Sandy Hook massacre and the Boston Marathon bombings, predictably labeling both events as hoaxes. No need to deconstruct Alex Jones's BS here, as most of his flaws are self evident, and magnified by his own unhinged personality. 
  He has been at it for many, many years. I remember when he was a reporter(?) on a show called Hard Copy, back in the late 1980's, and he was doing black-op helicopter and FEMA camp stories back then. Alex Jones has propagated paranoia and uncertainty for almost 30 years. There are volumes of bogus predictions too numerous to track, going back for years which should have clued in even the most dense of patriot movement dupes, that he is a fraud. It wouldn't matter at all if he was dismissed for the hack that he is, but instead dangerous and unbalanced individuals buy into his alarmist form of journalism. Gullible Americans actually change their living habits under this man's misguidance.
  I couldn't resist this tweet I saw on my feed today. I am not posting this here to defend Hillary in any way. I know as well as anyone that the Democratic primaries were rigged against Bernie Sanders. This is more about the stupidity of the tweet he posted. A photo of Hillary Clinton, taken easily over five years ago, smiling. Is this supposed to make me think? Oooh, just look at the evil in her eyes. That just says it all, doesn't it? What else do you need to know? Alex Jones is just too silly to be taken seriously any more. But if you do have a high tolerance for baseless journalism, visit his websites. You'll either laugh or cry, depending on your own level of gullibility.

Infowars

Prison Planet

Theme Update

I updated the theme to this blog. It was in dire need of  a wallpaper change. I never realized how poorly it was laid out before. The main column was too narrow and it was causing my posts to appear longer than they actually are, and keeping them hard to read at the same time. I'm liking the new look because it is more soothing to the eyes. I just  used a standard design template and color scheme. For once I am forgoing the customization process and handing it over to the design experts.

Jupiter Auroras

Jupiter is my favorite planet and now even more so. I'm guessing this is the first time the auroras have been observed. I had never heard of them before. The  pictures coming in from the Hubble are brilliant and clear. Blue lights occurring near the magnetic pole. Nature is beautiful.

Jupiter Auroras

What Is the Point

It has crossed my mind a time or two that this blog probably appears to serve no purpose. There is no consistent theme or subject, and my posts come off as random with no agenda or ultimate destination. That may lead someone to wonder what the point of my blog is, and ask themselves Why am I here? 
  The point is simple really. It leaves a trail to my past that I can't always remember  without jogging my brain, and it puts my memories into correct chronological order. I'm rather disappointed with myself for leaving such a huge gap of missing time in this blog, where many pertinent things occurred in my life. I had a writing teacher in community college who always insisted we just write down whatever we wanted to, but make sure to always write something. It doesn't matter if it seems like something relevant or even well worded. As long as you do it all the time, your ability to express yourself in a way people can understand and not misconstrue will improve.
  It is a bit curious to go back to some older posts and wonder at some phrases, How did that come out of me? But what little there is has been extremely useful in reminding me of people and situations that have come and gone. And what the hell, it's free. Motivation is key. Material practically produces its self. The true danger is not being long winded or too boring, and that is a challenge for a nine to fiver like myself.
  There will be enough mundane observations to come, but at least my blog's purpose is clear. It is for my own future entertainment. Thanks for stopping by.

Physical Therapy Follow Up

So it turns out that the physical therapy session planned for yesterday ended up being cancelled for the usual reason; I'm not wealthy. I have a new insurance plan provided under my employer's benefits package. It looks like they don't cover physical therapy until I reach my $1,500 deductible, and the co-pay is $50. That's too steep for my blood. By this method I would need to pay about $250 out of pocket for each of my first six visits, then $50 each visit after that. Once again I have fallen into the capitalist entrapment of our health care system, which is happening on a grand scale nationwide. This is the same reason I only take one of the four drugs prescribed by my neurologist. They are simply too expensive for an average citizen to afford, and insurance only covers one of my four treatments.
  Long story short, it is apparent to me from experience that most people with chronic health conditions go through daily life without the treatments their doctors order. They must, because if it is how I am going about things, then the same thing is obviously happening on an exponentially larger scale.
  We are living in a country where cures are common and access is nearly impossible. There are medications for everything but it is a totally unregulated market. Just as an example, my Gilenya comes at a hefty $5,500 price tag for a 28 day supply. The Modafinil I was prescribed runs about $450 for a 30 day bottle. Cialis or Viagra about $50 per pill. Ampyrin for gait in those with MS, about $3000 for a one month supply. Rest assured no insurance company will willingly cover any of these treatments. Combine that with the cost of starting physical therapy and clearly we can see that healthcare in America is for the wealthy only; not those on the lower or even mid rungs of the economic ladder.
  I am not speaking as an uninsured impoverished person. I am full-time employed with what is considered ample coverage provided by the company I work for. My point is and has been, that there are some industries of America that should not be for profit, because the profit driven aspect of these industries causes great harm to the integrity and strength of our culture. How can we be strong as a people when only the very rich can afford medicine? How can we be strong as a nation if there is a profit motive to incarcerate our citizenry?  How can we be informed as a nation when there is profit driven news media that only strives for the sensational? I like money. I like having stuff and being entertained. But we can't have a profit driven existence at every level and still expect to reach a quality standard of life. 
  We are starving in a sea of plenty, and it makes no sense. So I have a choice, based on the current for profit healthcare system that is in place. I can go without my treatments and enjoy the unfettered effects of my disease, or I can get involved in a really lucrative profession that pays outrageous amounts of money that can cover the absurd costs of medical attention. The latter sounds like more fun, so I'll try doing that. Because that is the simple truth; that our profit for everything world translates into If you need it badly enough you will find a way to make more money. Earn more money is the only solution Americans have for their health problems. 
  Below is a screen shot of how much I'd pay for my most important medication if purchased out of pocket, just to prove that the cost of medication is not exaggerated, it is hyper-inflated. 

Physical Therapy

Today I will be starting up physical therapy for my right shoulder. I should have began sooner, but I like to put things off a bit. I took a hard fall on the concrete sidewalk at K St. and 10th back on January 3rd. It was the worst fall I have ever had. 
  Gordon and I had parked at a nearby public garage and we walked a couple of blocks down K St. to the IMAX theater to see Star Wars in 3-D. That was all fun and happiness, but it was on the way back to the garage when I had my accident. It was wet and drizzle was in the air. I was wearing my new foot brace which is supposed to help with my drop-toe (M.S.  jargon for difficulty lifting your foot) which I hadn't become used to using. We were crossing along the intersection talking when my right foot with the brace stuck hard on the yellow, bumpy pads which are installed at every crosswalk. Ironic that the thing that is supposed to aid disabled people is what mainly contributed to my fall. I lost balance suddenly and completely. 
  I just remember how fast it happened, like I was hit by a surprise bus, in the form of a concrete sidewalk. I put my right arm forward naturally on my way down, and it's a miracle I didn't break something. But it jarred my shoulder hard. Real hard. It gave me a quick undersdtanding of what it might be like to fall from a building. My whole body locked up and I was unable to even try to move. I remember hearing a stranger yell, Oh shit! as it happened, and much to the merit of humanity two men came to assist. Gordon helped me roll over, and I was totally soaked and damaged. My shoulder felt like it had been inverted. I asked one of the gentlemen to pull my right arm to help me straighten it out. Finally after what seemed like a while these guys with Gordon got me too my feet. I'm a big, heavy guy and I was virtual dead weight with my legs freaking out on me. No way was it an easy feat.
   We eventually made it back to the car, and Gordon was given charge of driving. Since that day I have had very limited range of motion in my shoulder. I can't even soap under my left armpit or raise my arm over my head all the way. Hopefully this can be healed completely through therapy and not surgery. We shall see how it goes.

Looking Forward to the End (of it all)

I for one am looking forward to the end of President Obama's term, but not for the reasons most people do. I am more interested in watching the "American Right" adjust to their newfound position whether they come out of this in charge of the executive branch or not. For eight comfortable years conservatives have not had to perform any sort of conscious decision making. Every political point of action taken over the last two terms have been made from a default position, which is to oppose Obama no matter what, even at the cost of your own credibility and prosperity. No joke. Just look at how many cases pertinent to conservative ideals have fallen short in the courts because of their idiotic obstruction of something as important as an appointment of a Supreme Court Justice. It is actually more important to them, even after all the epic Republican failures to stop him, to appear steadfastly opposed to the President rather than do anything positive for the country. They are simply foolish idiots.
But all of this is coming to an end. Soon we will most likely have a Hillary Clinton presidency which I gain no excitement from, but the focus here is on right wing reaction. They will be forced to re-think (sic) their attack plan, which is probably no different than the current one in place; absolute obstruction. What makes it different this time is going to be their awkward inability to talk in public without sounding like what they are, which is disrespectful chauvinists. Most of the language of the right pertaining to Obama has been for the most part thinly disguised code for racism. Then they will typically complain that they are victims themselves of being unfairly targeted as racists, simply because people acknowledge their racism. "I just have a different opinion of his policies!" they cry out. But posting a meme on Facebook of two chimpanzees wearing royal garb with a caption eluding to Kenyan kings running the United States, well doesn't really illustrate that very well, does it Einstein? Now the old play book is going to have to be thrown out, since the treatment of women is far more scrutinized than the treatment of ethnicity. That is debatable, but is also my observation. People are more tolerant of racism than sexism, unless you're a conservative, in which you probably tolerate (propagate) both.
On the other hand, we may see a Trump administration that would flip the script even more dramatically. Imagine a president that has little to no support from his own party that has offered tepid reactions to his every misquote and back-step? That would be delicious and fun to watch, if not so perilous. The entire attack plan would have to change, naturally paving paths for newer, more innovative Republicans to rise to prominence. It's my opinion that anyone who votes for a billionaire is, well since pc is out, retarded. Billionaires hoard wealth. Why would you vote for someone who hoards wealth? Anyway, there's a billion reasons to not vote for Trump, and that's not what I'm here to do. All the info is available if anyone cares to check it out. Both candidates are very well known to most Americans. And since we've been sold a bill of goods regarding the primary process, I won't advocate for anyone. I'm just looking forward to a new tune from the right. The current song is so played.
Here, watch Mitch McConnel prove that the republican party is run by fools, and supported by gullible buffoons. 

Mitch McConnell showing you what idiocy looks like 

Gun-toting soccer mom found shot dead

Gun-toting soccer mom found shot dead

Does this actually surprise anyone? The people who we are told we should trust because they are the experts, they are trained, they are the 'good guys' are actually the people we should be concerned about. The fact that this woman thought she needed to brandish a glock at here daughter's soccer match is an indication of mental illness. As I said before in the assault weapons post, if you must openly carry a firearm, in this case to a children's sporting event, you are an unstable pussy. All the stats are once again supported by the incident. If you own a gun, you are more likely to be killed by a gun. Duh. If a woman is romantically involved with an owner of a gun, she is more likely to be killed by a gun. Did having a gun give her any kind of advantage against her attacker's strike first position? No. As a side note I find it ironic from the article that she was upset about her baby-sitting business being negatively impacted by the redemption of her right to carry the first time she was in trouble. What moron drops their kid off to be babysat by a woman wearing a holster? Is it that hard to see past the gun fetish, to be rational? It's very simple. If I have a foot fetish (not saying I do) but it is somehow negatively affecting my ability to have friends or say, live...then the fetish goes bye bye. Guns, like feet, were not intended to be jerk-off material. Keep your gun for your protection of your home. Fine. But if you have children, you keep it locked up and make sure they don't even know it exists. Instead we have gun-humping jackasses trying to teach their kids to shoot before they even know how to hold a match. Stupidity! We have people blowing off their own heads during selfies. We have dipshits carrying their guns into Wal-Mart solely because they can, although it causes massive social disruption. All to prove they have a right. Stupid!
It is not a toy, it is a tool, for killing. It's time for these clowns to take this right seriously. All rights come with great responsibility. But my original point was to say that the people most attracted to guns, are the ones who also can't wait to find a reason to use one. It is that simple. And like this woman, all the enthusiasm for firearms in the world isn't going to help you when your own husband turns the barrel to you. Just think of the peril her children lived in every day, and now their futures will be rocky at best.

Saturday and Sunday recall

The Rocky Horror picture show was a lot more fun this time around. I came armed with more material than I normally have, which came in handy during some parts of the flick where I managed to be the only person with a quip at certain moments. We took our niece home the next morning after sleeping in till almost noon, and followed by a large pancake breakfast at IHOP. It was shitty hot all day yesterday, so I  neglected to get my exercise routine out of the way. Instead I spent hours watching a long baseball game in which the Giants narrowly beat the Phillies with a ninth inning walk off RBI hit from Conor Gillaspie. Still trying to finish IT. Perhaps tonight. Only fifty or so pages left to go. Check my video dump page for a funny cartoon they ran before the picture show. Hilarious.

Neptune Sports Dark Vortex, Hubble Images Reveal

Powerful weather and a storm 3,000 miles wide is nothing to be concerned about from the comfort of my stool. 

Neptune Sports Dark Vortex, Hubble Images Reveal

Assault Weapons Ban Petition

Damn right I signed the petition. I've heard all the same tired gun-humper arguments everyone else has, and frankly it is all total bullshit. I and many, many others are absolutely sick of this insanity. This will not last forever. Eventually these weapons will be considered a public health crisis, and that is when real changes will take place. It is very clear that only one side of this argument is completely unwilling to budge, compromise a single point, or offer any kind of sane solution. Armed guards looming over students in school is not a sane solution.
I do not succumb to idiot fantasies of government insurrection. I do not worry that my home will be invaded. I am not afraid to go out in public without a semi-automatic boomstick in case someone asks me for directions. If you need to carry a fucking AR-15 with you when you leave the house then you are either a scared shitless pussy, or an ego-maniacal intimidating bully, which is really the same thing. If you need one of these to feel safe, you are a pussy.  Pussy!

No Chang, No Thang

Not too much happening today. We were going to BBQ at the warehouse, but that has been pushed back till tomorrow. We all are a bit dazed and confused for the usual reason. So no harm no foul.

Got a screaming deal on delivery MMJ. The guy couldn't make change so he gave me a twenty back. I almost felt bad, but he insisted it was cool, and knowing the quantities these guys see every day, I'm sure it was no biggie. Posted more to the website. Barely knee deep in it and I'm already making simple link and wrong file errors. So nice that everything is reversible. Unlike real life where second chances are the best you can hope for. 

Los Hermanos Foster Bootlegs

After just a few short days, I am proud to announce the release of the Foster bootlegs website. There is still a great deal of content to upload, but it is officially ready for roll out, with enough content to stay amused for at least a couple of hours. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Los Hermanos!

http://www.loshermanosfosterbootlegs.com

Rocky Horror Picture Show in Sacramento

I almost forgot that this was this weekend. I was reminded of it today via a Facebook post from the Sac Horror Film Festival. Fortunately I had enough money to purchase tickets, since we had been planning on going to this with our niece, Bella for a couple of months. I need to bone up on my trash talking. Last Halloween we took Bella to the RHPS at the same venue, and although it was well packed, not many people (myself included) were experts on audience participation. I intend to be better prepared this time around. It will be our niece's second show but she has seen the movie at home countless times, and knows all the songs.

Learning Word Press

So the site was looking good that I had been working on, but it was tedious, as any kind of coding from scratch can be. After getting two pages laid out and functioning I decided to chuck it all in exchange for the road more traveled. Its not that basic html isn't fun, but it is tiresome and prone to errors. I have decided to use the powers of Word Press to get this thing looking sharp, with the blogability I couldn't achieve with my knowledge level or experience (much less time to do it).
Building a site from template isn't as simple as it looks either. Especially when you want to tweak something specific like rollover actions. I haven't been working with it that much yet, but it's funny how online tutorials make things look so simple. Then when it comes my turn it's like, where was the first button he pushed? In the end it will be easier than attempting to create an interactive situation from code. That is a java script avenue unfamiliar to me.