Month: June 2016

Michael F

Another Day…

mmferry1965

Another indication that the Traveling Train Wreck of the Trump Campaign is less Snake Oil/Medicine Show and more insult to that tradition…at least Medicine Shows worked at being, if not entertaining, original As with Trump University, the Trump Institute promised falsely that its teachers would be handpicked by Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump did little, interviews show, besides appear in an infomercial — one that promised customers access to his vast accumulated knowledge. “I put all of my concepts that have worked so well for me, new and old, into our seminar,” he said in the 2005 video, adding, “I’m teaching … Continue reading Another Day…

Athenae, Bigotry, Immigration, Immoral Values, Terrorism, Urban Hellhole

All the Times Nothing Happens

Allison Hantschel

I started a new job in April, one that necessitates my taking the L downtown each day. I’ve been riding the train off and on since we moved here, and never had a problem except when with out-of-town friends or family members who already think I am about to be raped and murdered every day here in the urban hellhole. Like I bring my mom on the very touristy Red Line, and of course that day there’s a guy peeing off the end of the platform and singing. Yesterday the train was crowded, rush hour bodies crammed next to one another … Continue reading All the Times Nothing Happens

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media2 Comments

Let’s Compromise on Compromise for Compromisers!

Allison Hantschel

One of the most satisfying consequences of the Trump defenestration in November will be the end of all these takes about how Trump just happened.  Over the past generation we have seen the rise of a group of people who are against politics. These groups — best exemplified by the Tea Party but not exclusive to the right — want to elect people who have no political experience. They want “outsiders.” They delegitimize compromise and deal-making. They’re willing to trample the customs and rules that give legitimacy to legislative decision-making if it helps them gain power. For example, they long … Continue reading Let’s Compromise on Compromise for Compromisers!

Campaign Notes, Political Crack, Tommy T1 Comment

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the DNC – unconventional edition

Tommy T

OK – I’m back – two broken-down cars and major recarpeting/flooding repair later.

So – instead of bitching and whining about politics on the Book Of Faces, I was actually doing something constructive.

Stop laughing.

Credentials

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View from my room of the (damn I hate saying this) Alamodome. Whoever picked this venue should have been played the Deguello.

 

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My district (SD12) was crammed into a cinderblock  brusebad –  I mean “meeting room”, and we proceeded to vote as if our very beings depended on it.

 

All of my candidates (save two) won their slots, and at least four of the votes were close enough to require runoffs, some being decided by one or two votes.

So not only did my vote count, you could say it was a tie-breaker.

So much for the “Oh, my vote doesn’t count” whine, eh?
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From the main floor – here’s something you don’t see very often – Mariachis For Hillary!
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For the A/V geeks among us – a view from the control center:
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Anywhoo, pretty standard rah-rah stuff on the convention floor – the real work is done in committee and in the voting blocs.
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Except…
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At the close of the convention, as people started leaving (there’s only so many 30-minute speeches people can handle at one sitting), some Sanders delegates tried to pull a fast one and do an end-run around the majority.
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How?  Follow below and find out.
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Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the DNC – unconventional edition”

Athenae, Education, Race, Stupid Republican Tricks3 Comments

GOP Governor Hates City Schools, Giant Surprise

Allison Hantschel

I have reached the stage of Bruce Rauner where I can’t even have a rational argument anymore. I just yell obscenities at the TV screen, which is one of many, MANY reasons I am no longer allowed to watch local news at home. (The major one being that when Kick was about 5 months old I was watching some local report on a child molestation case in which the criminal rapist was described as having “had sex” with his victim, and I yelled YOU MEAN HE FUCKING RAPED HER so loud I scared the baby. Also, nobody is transported to an area … Continue reading GOP Governor Hates City Schools, Giant Surprise

Athenae, Elections, So Called Liberal Media

This Has To Be Peak BOTH SIDES, Right? RIGHT??!

Allison Hantschel

Please tell me this is it:  Roughly two in three Americans say they think Trump is unqualified to lead the nation; are anxious about the idea of him as president; believe his comments about women, minorities and Muslims show an unfair bias; and see his attacks on a federal judge because of his Mexican American heritage as racist. A slimmer majority say they disapprove of the way Clinton has handled questions about her use of a personal email server while she was secretary of state, and half of Americans are anxious about the prospect of a Clinton presidency, underscoring the … Continue reading This Has To Be Peak BOTH SIDES, Right? RIGHT??!

Adrastos, Art, British Politics, Diary, Fog Of History, Food and Drink, Music, Odds & Sods

Saturday Odds & Sods: The Day I Get Home

Peter Adrastos Athas
economy-555x276
Economy of Grace by Kehinde Wiley.

It was a long ass road trip, y’all. Our first destination was Richmond, VA to attend our nephew Zachary’s high school graduation. He goes to a small public school for super smart-n-independent kids. There were 42 graduates, which meant that each of them got to say something. They even introduced the entire staff including the custodian. It’s a racially mixed class so, naturally, the black parents were loud and raucous whereas most of the white folks were polite and quiet. Boring. I tried to make up for that by whooping it up but I could not come close to the African-American mother who shouted out “Don’t you cry, baby girl” when her daughter approached the podium. It did not work. Profuse tears were shed.

Another highlight of the trip was seeing the Kehinde Wiley exhibit at the Virginia Museum of the Fine Arts. It’s entitled A New Republic and offers a fresh take on the masters by a talented black artist. If it comes to or near your town, check it out. Don’t tell them I sent you, they won’t give a shit.

We attended the Wiley exhibit the day after a horrible storm front blew through Richmond causing 150K power outages and general havoc. I’m not sure if General Havoc sided with the Union or the Confederacy. We had to drive through it but, much like the Rain Man, Dr. A is an excellent driver. Things were so hinky in Richmond that the museum alarm went off as I was looking at the VMFA’s fine collection of George Bellows’ work. It started bellowing so we exited, it had nothing to do with brexit. I’ll probably write something about that for Monday. I’m too pooped to mock Cameron, Corbyn, Farage, and Bozza right now. Note: the Johnson blond straw ‘do is real as you can see from this picture with his father:

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Photo via the Guardian.

Let’s move on to this week’s theme song. Thursday was actually the day I got home but what’s a bit of artistic license among friends? Artistic licentiousness is an altogether different matter. A musical highlight of the road trip was blasting a bootleg of a 1993 Squeeze show as we barreled through Birmingham, which according to Randy Newman is the greatest city in Alabam. Me, I prefer Mobile or the town in Alabama where the tusks are looser. The rim shot belong to Groucho Marx, not me, y’all.

Where the hell was I? Oh yeah, this week’s theme song. It’s The Day I Get Home by Difford and Tilbrook from the Play album. We have two versions for your listening pleasure; including one from the phenomenal 1993 Some Fantastic Place tour with Pete Thomas on drums and Paul Carrack on keys and vox:

After the break, I’ll post a few more trip tales as well as another homey/homely tune. Gotta stretch my legs, it was a long road trip.

Continue reading “Saturday Odds & Sods: The Day I Get Home”

Michael F1 Comment

Neo Con Artist

mmferry1965

So earlier this week we were treated to the revelation that The Donald’s been using his position as presumptive GOP nominee to do what he does best — grift — including funneling $35K to the amusingly named and for all practical purposes totally imaginary advertising firm “Draper Sterling” … which, on the one hand, as I said, is part and parcel to Trump’s real, um, talent … but also … kind of low ball, if you think of it. Only 35 thousand? Reminds me of a line from a different show “I don’t mind a parasite. I object to a … Continue reading Neo Con Artist

Athenae, Big Damn Heroes, Do Something, Political Crack1 Comment

It’s Only Poetry: #NoBillNoBreak, Gun Control, and What We’re About

Allison Hantschel

The concern troll fu was STRONG with the Internet today, as Democrats led by certified badass and current sex symbol of the Athenae household Rep. John Lewis said oh, you don’t want to vote on gun control legislation? OKAY. Watch this. Immediately other liberals and professional contrarians pointed out that the watchlist was garbage, itself a violation of all kinds of due process, and not something we should be in favor of making tougher. The Democratic proposal has been catch-phrased and hashtagged as “no fly, no buy,” because it would prevent people who end up on government terrorism watchlists, including … Continue reading It’s Only Poetry: #NoBillNoBreak, Gun Control, and What We’re About

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media4 Comments

Media Companies Hate News, the Internet, Employees and their Own Customers

Allison Hantschel

Or, as the Hip Happening Kids Today call it, #Tronc:  CasSelle: We produce tons of great content every single day. We’re really focused on how we we deliver it to people in a way they want to consume it more and more. Vasquez: One of the key ways we’re going to harness the power of our journalism is to have an optimization group. This Tronc team, will work with all of the local markets, to harness the power of our local journalism, feed it into a funnel, and then optimize it so we reach the biggest global audience possible. Yes, … Continue reading Media Companies Hate News, the Internet, Employees and their Own Customers

Athenae, Stupid Republican Tricks3 Comments

The Secret Language of Cucks

Allison Hantschel

Okay, I can’t, at this point:  A major rule with Men Going Their Own Way is that no women are allowed in the community—something that differs from MRAs. The group also has a penchant for anti-Big Government rhetoric, but, in all honesty, that isn’t the most surprising thing in the world. Also, one can’t simply proclaim to be a MGTOW. There are stages. In fact, numerous MGTOWs have proposed that members of the community can track their growth with something called “The Four Levels of MGTOW.” Level 0 – Situational Awareness: the member has “taken the red pill” and embraces … Continue reading The Secret Language of Cucks

Athenae, Race1 Comment

Where the Confederate Flag Is Now

Allison Hantschel

Not only have we not solved mass shootings, we haven’t even solved the Confederate flag thing:    Yet, one year later, the controversy around the symbols associated with slavery continue as some local governments refuse to abandon them. On Tuesday, to mark Flag Day, protesters gathered in Washington, D.C., to rally against the state of Mississippi’s decision to keep the battle flag emblem as part of its flag design. During the 2004 election (NO I’M NOT OVER IT) people asked when in American politics we’d be able to stop fighting the Vietnam War, and I remember quite a few people responding, … Continue reading Where the Confederate Flag Is Now

Current Affairs, Diary, Doc, Sports, Uncategorized3 Comments

Believeland

docphd

Four weeks ago, I used this space to ask God for something: Please, God, Just This Once… For one time, just ONE time, let my team win. Let my team be the champs. Let me have that moment that so many other people have had over their lifetimes. I wanted to say “Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA Champions.” My guys. The champs. Just once. After that, do with me what you will. And that got me two blowout losses and another “Here We Go Again” feeling. I had to let go. I understood a long time ago that God answers every prayer. … Continue reading Believeland

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media1 Comment

Magical Digital Paradigm Thinking

Allison Hantschel

So much stupid crap happened this week that I was completely unable to process this until now:  The news industry could use some inspiration from Disney. No. Just … no. Our industry is scared. We’re scared we won’t survive. We’re scared our sacred mission to serve the public is being corrupted by egos and falling into the wrong hands. We’re scared we value cheap clicks over substance. We got owned by a scumbag who gutted a profitable company, loaded us up with massive unnecessary debt, and then when the whole thing collapsed, we had to listen to ahistorical jackasses talk about how … Continue reading Magical Digital Paradigm Thinking

Big Damn Heroes, Current Affairs, Doc, Uncategorized3 Comments

Basic Human Decency

docphd

I woke up this morning to the sound of the garbage truck as it stopped in front of my house. Due to the recent purchase of another ridiculous vehicle (long story), I had two cars parked on the street, making the access to the can a bit of a maneuver for the garbage guy. In addition, due to The Midget cleaning her room, my mother-in-law emptying several bins in her room, the cleaning out of our refrigerator and my ongoing battle to refinish every piece of furniture, the rolling cart was overflowing with crap. The truck seemed to be taking … Continue reading Basic Human Decency