neglect

I've been neglecting this place. Get ready for a deluge of post.

protests

I find it interesting how people think a petition is going to make a difference. Petitions are ignored. Letters, yes, handwritten letters get attention. Phone calls get attention. Protests get attention, especially when you make people uncomfortable.

professional protestors

I've taken training in non violent civil disobedience. That was during the civil rights era of the sixties. I got additional training during anti war protests of the 70's. I learned a lot from German students while stationed in Berlin. I've read the writings of Che Guevara. I own a copy of the Anarchist's Cookbook. I was given training on the Geneva convention while in the military. Would that make me a professional protestors?

Christian Nation - NO!

Some Christians seem to see the election as a chance to become more powerful. They don't look at Trump as anything more than a useful idiot for their man Pence to make their "Christian" nation. They long for a theocracy. I'm Christian but I don't want that. Freedom of religion was part of what this country was founded for. But the part they fail to understand that freedom of religion also means freedom from religion. I firmly believe that religion should not be part of any government. Not now. Not ever.

the election

In some respects this election is good. It got people to think. A lot if people are going to have regrets. Before the election fear was "false evidence appearing real". Now the evidence is real, the fear is real. Where are we going next? Fascism? Apartheid? Theocracy? Or are we going to get a mix? Internment camps? Consider this, internment camps were done by executive order.

I find it is easier to identify like minded people and also identify those I see as a threat to America. I've discovered that many evangelicals are closet racists. I can clearly see the hypocrits.

I'm Christian but not religious. I have a problem with religion. Religion is the imposition of some leaders dogma on others. It is a method of control. It is usually fear driven. Jesus did not advocate for one religion. He advocated moral principles that would guide man to be like him and his father. One thing I'd really like to know is that people learned something from Jesus. I am disappointed that many religious people have not.

Trump

We needed Trump. We needed to upset enough people and to instill true fear about Americas future. Trump did us a favor. He destroyed the Republican Party. He destroyed the Democratic Party. He is getting people angry, angry enough to get off their fat asses and into action. It's still not bad enough yet but I'm sure that Trump will help with that. Like anything there are the distractions. We are not paying attention to Standing Rock. We are not paying attention to wars. No, we are in the middle of the transition. All hell breaks loose after the inauguration. I see 2017 as a watershed year. The Republicans learn to live with Trump. The Democrats either change or form a new party. Corporations take over the world. We bend over and get screwed. Let's hope we survive.

expect this

Expect an American version of Kristalnacht. Expect a false flag crisis after the inauguration. Hitler burned the Reichstag. Watch out Congress. Is the fire insurance paid up?

retirement

Oh, if you were thinking about retirement down the road forget about having medicare. Seems Paul Ryan and his cohorts think it needs major changes. They want to give you a voucher so you can purchase "private" insurance. Good luck with that. Of course when you give one party power then you chance all kinds of surprises await. Want jobs? Don't hold your breath. Low interest rates? Forget that. The rising interest rates are going to kill the housing market. The new tax plan proposed saves me nothing, in fact it might cost me more with the loss of deductions. Rich get richer and everyone else gets screwed. Do people really think a rich man cares about you? If you do you are a bigger fool than I thought you were.

prep for 2017

The more I find out that the police are playing with (military grade hardware) I guess its time to go shopping.

First, I need to ear protectors for cancelling out any LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Devices) sounds, then I need military grade anti laser goggles (I know these exist, I've seen them). I need to purchase a good gas mask (I saw some Israeli models in surplus) and fashion some sort of shield material to protect me from their microwave heat weapon. Only then will I be prepared to exercise my First Amendment rights to protest. If all this sounds alarming to some people, wake up! We now live in a police state. Yes, a fascist police state. And George Soros isn't paying demonstrators you dumb shits.

medicare

Medicare is the target. If you got it fine. But if you want to enroll in 2017 you will get something else. The usual excuse is used. According to Ryan medicare is going broke. Utter bullshit. So if you are nearing retirement you have just got shafted.

the next few years

The next year is going to be revolutionary. The right wing nuts are blaming Soros but the same anger they felt is now reflected back at them. I'll be a participant but I'm not being paid. How do you get noticed? You disrupt, you get loud, you boycott, you march. I'm awaiting the moment when people become aware their social security is being cut. Or when they are told they are losing their medicare. I anticipate a real million senior march on Congress. People are not aware but when they realize what is happening even republicans will be marching. Fascism is moving quickly to make America a police state. Newt has proposed bring back the House Unamerican Activities Committee. McCartyism reborn. Trump appoints a white supremacist to be his cheif strategist. A man with strong anti-Semitic feelings. History is repeating itself but the uneducated are blinded by their own bigotry and hate. Don't say it can't happen here because it is. Watch for diversions. Watch the lies. The demagogue and his minions are hard at work. Be aware.

my life experince

I'm a "boomer". I was born in 1947. I first attended school in 1955-56. I remember the "I like Like" buttons. I remember when coins had silver in them. My parents built their first house. I remember riding in my dad's 1940 Chevy coupe. I remember penny candy and cokes for a dime. I remember when made in Japan was junk by another name. I remember my uncle Doug and his Crosley he drove, one of America's first small cars.

I remember the move to California. My first exposure to racial segregation was in Baltimore Maryland. I remember seeing segregation at its ugliest in Meridian Mississippi. I saw another form of racism in Texas. I saw it again in California. At twelve I clearly understood what I saw and knew it was wrong.

In California I recall my first smoggy day. It was a thick brown fog. Your lungs hurt. Your eyes burned. I will never let us go back to that.

As a family we drove back to Maine a few years later (1961). It seemed so backward. Driving cross country was in my blood. In 1969 I drove coast to coast. I was in the military and was deploying to Europe. I visited Maine. I visited my relatives. I flew down to New York. I missed Woodstock by a matter of days. The first day of Woodstock I was at JFK airport. The second day I was drinking a pilsner in a sidewalk cafe in Berlin.

I returned to the United States in January of 1972. I flew on to Los Angeles. It was a day with the Santana winds blowing, it was 80 degrees. I was home. I was back driving my VW bug. I went to the beach the next day.

I have lived through various transitions of our government. I met Nixon. I met LBJ. I met Kennedy. I hated Reagan even when he was governor. I once liked Republicans. I even once voted Republican. I liked Governor Deukmrjian. I was his neighbor.

I have lived in Haight Ashbury. I lived in Berlin Germany. I lived in Franklin Maine. I lived in Orange California. I lived in Long Beach California. I now live in Anza. I have been many places. I've met many people. I've been a hippy. I am a veteran. I have travelled the blue highways of America. I have been middle class with a home in the suburbs, two nice cars in the garage and membership in a private lake club. I remember filing taxes on me and my wife's income and bring shocked at seeing six figures as adjusted gross income. I was union for over twenty years. Those were good years. I walked my first picket line with my dad. I walked many more times as a union brother.

I've demonstrated against a few wars. I marched against the Vietnam war as a veteran. I marched against the Iraq war both one and two. I've marched for civil rights. As we enter a new era I see myself in the street again. I'll march for equality. I'll march for justice. I'll march to protest what Trump plans to do to Social Security. I'll march for clean air and clean water.

I need to get a new gas mask. I need my ear plugs. I need to remember how we made crude body armor we wore under our sweatshirts. We used to pack a bottle of vinegar and a linen napkim to ward off test gas. I'll pack my nomex glove to pick up and throw back year gas cannisters. Got to pack my pocket Constitution and be ready to write the national lawyers guild phone number on my forearm. I'm almost 69 years old. I fought for my country to defend it against enemies both foreign and domestic. I took that oath. I am still willing to fight for freedom and justice. I will not go quietly.

God

The God of Abraham. That is the God worshipped by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Christians and Muslims both recognize Jesus. Christians see him as the messiah, Muslims see him as a prophet. We need to respect our differences. Religion is a personal thing. It is something, a bond between you are your creator. No one religion is supreme. That is not a call that man can make. Freedom of religion also includes freedom from religion. As Americans we decided long ago that there should be a separation of church (religion) and state (governing). This needs to be preserved otherwise religion ceases to religion and is replaced with dogma