Sunday, October 31, 2010

Manicato

Saw these guys open for OZOmatli recently. Boy did they ever rock the house!







rojo


rojo
Election Fears

This election scares me more than any I have seen in years. As an American, I am alarmed that we still have such a massive hole in our national security caused by our reliance on fossil fuel. In the Carter Era (remember him?), there was a huge oil crisis. He pledged that we would lower our reliance on foreign oil. Our addiction to foreign oil was cut by half in his term as President and there was a commitment to lowering it further. All of a sudden we bought 4.3 billion barrels of oil less than the previous four years. He lost to Reagan the next election and energy conservation became an afterthought. Cynically, I would say that some corporations were mad that they lost the profits from 4.3 billion barrels of oil and helped fund a change.

Reagan tore down the solar panels off the White House. We didn't need conservation anymore, because America had endless supplies and money. Greed became acceptable. Taxes were lowered. Restraints on the economy were released and the "free market", supply side economics and trickle down became the zeitgeist. "I am from the government and I am here to help" were identified as the scariest words in the American lexicon.

It worked so well that New Orleans was saved after the flood. And employment rose. Net worth rose! Oil use dropped so we did not have to rely on foreign interests anymore. Unbridled capitalism found its soul and there was greed as the disparity of income between poorer Americans and the richest declined. People could afford homes and bankers made a fortune.

What, only the last clause of the last statement was true? Deregulation did not make poor and rich America come closer and unions disappeared not because equity was provided, but jobs were SENT OVERSEAS so union workers could be crushed. No wonder America is angry.

More people live at the poverty line now than at any time in my lifetime (hey, only 6 decades, but...) College costs so much that an average American with a union job can't send children to college. The chance of advancement economically has been skewed so only the rich stay in their elite club. Yes, people are MAD.

What makes no sense is that this anger and yearning for a time of 50 years ago, where only the husband had to work, kids could go to college and bosses made normally no more than 20 times what an hourly worker made has found outlets. Think what caused those conditions--good paying union jobs, 95% tax on the richest, forcing them to reinvest in the business--that was their main tax break. this kept jobs here and paid for civil services like schools. Tax breaks and lower taxes did not work. So what is the remedy---NO MORE TAXES. Americans have had empirical evidence that this has never worked. Drill, baby, drill was a battle cry--keeping our reliance and addiction to foreign governments alive and well.

Yes, Americans should be mad that their dreams and aspirations have been shattered. But why are we as a general rule turning to those who caused the disparity? Tea partiers are angry and want a return to simpler times. It can't happen and by removing government influence we go back to an era where the Cuyahoga River repeatedly caught fire, where fish couldn't live and spawn for over 20 years. Where people of color had their own drinking fountains, where Hispanics had menial jobs. Is this really what we want for our childrens' future? Where robber barons flourished and child labor was not only allowed, but became the only way families could afford to eat.

Americans should be PISSED that all the family has to work at lower paying jobs to afford cars, housing and food and the family has disappeared to a certain extent. But encouraging political movements that want to do away with a minimum wage so that more people can work at cheaper jobs? Really? So we can all have 4 or 5 jobs to eat. Why not start looking at living wages, income disparity, lack of public higher education that is affordable? Start backing people with questions and solutions to these problems. These are complex issues that cannot be broken down into simplistic jingos like "No new taxes". I am not saying vote Democratic, Republican or Tea Party or Green Party. Who can give us solutions, even if they take some time and understanding.

Too often angry and simple wins. When I get angry I feel better at times if i yell to express my pent up rage. That is all good and well when working alone in a shop, but as a means of governance? and I am very afraid that if Cantor wins, if Miller wins, if Rand Paul wins than we have become a nation of police enforcement and fascism where peaceful dissent is beaten, kind of like Sharia law. We have become what we fear, except we will be god-fearing group of fundamentalists where gays will have to wear pink triangles like in Fascist Germany under Hitler.

Think before you vote and think long and hard.

rojo
Polka Sunday

Brings us gypsy punk. Great live shows if you have never seen them.




rojo

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Friday, October 29, 2010

Elections Matter

If the elections go the way people are picking, Joe "I apologize to BP for troubling them" Barton may end up running the House Energy Committee.

Also, why haven't charges been filed at the guy who foot stomped a woman at the Rand Paul Rally, the policeman who arrested the person who had the audacity to be a democrat at Cantor's rally or the secret police (excuse me, private security) who handcuffed a reporter and detained him at the Joe Miller rally?

Get out and vote!!!

Also, why are there now republicans whop don't live here registered at my house. I received their voter registration cards. I notified the Board of Elections and the Sacramento Bee that there may be possible fraud.

rojo

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Why Weren't my Drugs This Good in College?

I sit in astonishment as I hear things like this. This guy is the libertarian wet dream? Is 1984 here?

To anyone who loves the roots of America once you get past the we killed the Indians and stole their lands--the juxtaposition of the Statue of Liberty and the Berlin Wall is poignant.

The worst part is that there are candidates who are to the right of the John Birch Society who are going to get in to public office. And their idea of governance is to throw out the government. This si going to cause such a colossal effin' mess, it will take at least one-half of a century to fix.

rojo

Monday, October 11, 2010

Yay, Hungary!

I am so glad to see Hungary followed the lead of the US to try heads of corporations for the release of toxic compounds. It is just like the coal mine tailings that broke the levee and went into numerous creeks and rivers.

Wait, there were no arrest of Massey Energy executives for this or for the deaths at their mines? Kind of like BP at the Gulf oil leak.

Hello, Obama Adminstration, get a clue. These guys will take whatever they want and KILL people unless someone makes them pay.

rojo

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Water Stuff

Just a couple of items--Here is an interesting article that shows the lack of water. fisherman or farmers. and this is what happens when there are water shortages.

Most people cringe at the thought of drinking purified sewage, but it happens all the time. The Boulder CO Wastewater PLant discharge above the Lafayette and Louisville water plant influent structures. And really, the lower Mississippi has accepted sewage from all across the US. It really can be safe. I can think of many citites who receive drinking water from wells who are contaminated with Chromium, TCE, PCE, asbestos, nitrates, etc. but these are treated and removed before consumption. Not that big of a deal. IF DONE WELL.

rojo

Friday, October 01, 2010

Serious on a Friday, Why?

I am amazed that in the past week I have learned that Bechtel, the engineering giant, probably the largest construction company in the US, is considered a small business. So are many of the Koch Brothers' subsidiary network. The classification has to do with how they are organized and how they are owned. So they get small business tax breaks everywhere, if they pay taxes. I just read that McMahon's pro wrestling circus (you know, the one with all the insane ads on TV) is a small business. So maybe the claim that republican claims that small businesses that small businesses actually account of most of the employment in the US is true. Maybe small business needs to be redefined. Firms like my wife's medical transcription firm are small businesses. One, two, three employees. Bechtel--not a chance. What this tells me is that someone paid for a vote somewhere and now that graft is engraved in stone. How could a firm with 20,000 or more employees be a small business? The worst part about this is that most Americans don't know. Keith Olbermann--Yes, Komrade Keith, from whom we get marching orders nightly in secret code no less (decoder rings available for 4 box tops of any product purchased at your local co-op), ,did a great piece on this. 3% of small businesses account for 50% of the small business income in the country.

Also, I have seen where Senator Jim deMint of somewhere south of here has offered to personally block anything in the Senate he doesn't agree with to grind the government to a halt. By Senate rules he can do this. It is allowed. I have seen this over and over again. I have seem Jim Bunning (R, Senator, Kentucky) state the words made famous by Reagan-"the scariest words I have ever heard is I am from the government and and here to help..." If you are so afraid of governance, policy and politics as a form of compromise and policy, why do you run for government? If you don't want to govern, why take part in government? Governance is not easy work and gets dirty. You can't take your ball and go home. That is immature. A ploy by spoiled kids in palygrounds.

Oh right, I forgot about power and its subsequent adjunct, sex appeal. personal opinion is that deMint can't grow a chin, he better stay in government if he wants to get laid.

This is a question I have always had--drive to power to do nothing, why????? Is it a subconscious thing?

I don't get it and New Orleans still suffers because of it.

rojo