Friday, March 28, 2014

Due Process, What Due Process?

Residing in Fresno these days, makes a person wonder if he's living in the USof A, or has he timewarped into another place at another moment in history. It's been almost 20 years since California was the first state in the union to legalize marijuana for medicinal use, allowing patients to grow their own medicine. Now the county of Fresno is actively working to obstruct the law that we citizens enacted.

The County and City of Fresno have conjured up a mythical marijuana growing ban in direct contravention of the peoples wishes and Prop 215. Taxpayers who defy this illegal action will not have their cases heard in a court of law, but rather before the board of supervisors who ramrodded this highly questionable bit of legislation through. Conflict of interest much Fresno?
This my friends is a direct attack on your Bill of Rights. As guaranteed by this hallowed document, no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or PROPERTY, without due process of law.


In the simplest terms possible, just for you Chief Jerry Dyer, Sheriff Maggie Mims, and the Stooges who sit on the board: You cannot take peoples property unless you charge them with a crime in court, and they are found guilty. Unless you're the IRS, they're omnipotent.

These are the same fools who decided it was in the county's best interest to steal the belongings of the city's homeless people, remember the outcome of that debacle?
Fresno city and county ended up paying millions to the agencies supplying shopping carts to these citizens, as well as compensating individuals for their lost belongings.

In essence what we have running this community are a group of Nazi's whose only wish is to run rough shod over your rights.

Law enforcement in Fresno acts as if all the crime they fight is rooted in pot; that if there were no marijuana grows, they would be living in fat city. Reality is, crime was rampant before, still is, and has little or nothing to do with marijuana growing. Or when it does, the authorities just want to cast a harsh light on pot as the cause. "This house would have never been targeted if not for the grow activity..."
What about home invasions that have nothing to do with weed? Car thefts? Murder?
When did crime with a hint of herbal essence become so much worse than the ones that just stink?

Don't people who live and work in the community, also pay taxes that support law enforcement? Even if they grow weed, legally? In other more simplistic terms, one more time so the meaning stays at the level this team works on; just go do the jobs you're paid to do. If a perp does a B&E on a grow house, that crime scene should be treated as any other. Arrest the aggressor, return the property to it's owner, and move on to the next case.

People of Fresno, the hardest working, straightest talking folks I've ever known; whether or not you support medicinal marijuana in your town; you have to ask yourselves a few questions.
With the rest of the nation now following, and in some cases surpassing California's lead on the issue; of course we're talking about straight up legalization in Colorado and Washington:
Are we willing to allow our elected leaders to sink our city/county in yet another ACLU law suit?
Wouldn't it just be better to follow Colorado's lead, and start making money; rather than flushing it down Maggie and Jerry's enforcement toilet?
Do we really prosper as a community with leadership that lives in the last century?

Think about it Fresno.

Friday, March 21, 2014

Putin, Erdogan Two Leaders Two Losers

Haven't weighed in on Turkey before, but now it's just too tempting with Erdogan's Twitter ban.
Getting the opportunity to skewer two losers in one colummn, fucking priceless.

Just as was witnessed in the years leading up to WWI; two backward looking leaders treading the loose soils of barely there nations, Russia and Turkey, have jumped to the fore of states teetering on the brink of anarchy. Of course we don't count Africa, North Africa, or Egypt in the group, because even in the best of times anarchy reigns in these basket cases.

Sultan Erdogan, 'er I mean Prime Minister, you've been caught with your sticky little hand in the baklava tray, your son, your cronies and their kids, are all circling the bowl in the final flush. Ergenekon is crashing around you like the waves that took the Titanic, and recorded calls between you and your son detailing your profligate corruption, fascinating in the extreme.

Equally fascinating, that you head a party founded on the precepts of integrity, and truth. Yet when the harsh light of day shines on that truth, you turn to the mechanisms of the police state to repress those who would hold you accountable. Then hamhanded in the way of Putin, you attempt to shut down dissent along with Twitter.

What is it with you tiny little trolls? It would seem the old saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely, should have your's and Vlad's photo's in the tome next to the definition.
You two are just this years faces, we try to keep them current. The space where the American Presidents face would be; that's an avatar with the caption"insert photo here".

Ceasefire!

Wow that was quick Vlad, stopping the sanctions fire the way you did, is it because you want to work things out? Or is that sinking realization hitting you, that whatever sanctions your ginormous backwater of a fourth world nation can issue, may only effect other fourth world economies like yours?

Vlad Russia needs the rest of the world badly, the rest of the world can do nicely without Russia, if nothing else the Cold War proved that. But you know what they say Vlad, the definition of insanity is to repeat bad behaviours, and expect a different outcome each time. You Vlad meet this axiom head on.

Given your career in the KGB during the collapse of the former empire, one would think that perhaps you might try something new, rather than repeating the same mistakes that lead to the demise of the USSR. Clearly that's not the case, instead your improv act on the world stage just copies the same sorry, lack of imagination and intelligence of your predecessors.

Your act is old Vlad, freshen that shit up a bit, bring something relevant to the game. I mean really, don't you have the slightest capacity for original thought? You're as tired and worn as Hollywood's endless remakes of past films, with the resulting product a mere shadow of what came before.

In other words, as much as you want to be, you're not Stalin Vlad, nor do your people venerate, or fear you in the same way. Perceptions around the world are of a miniature megalomaniac, beady little eyes so close together you're practically a midget cyclops, with stubby little fingers poised on the launch button of a nuclear arsenal so poorly built and maintained; that should you push that button, no one really knows what to expect.

One thing's for certain, push that button, and your fourth world last century, pile of bullshit country will die with you at the head of the pack.
Vladhole.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Vlad's Last Gasp, or the U.V.M.S Union of Vlad's Mafiosi States

Yeah the title's a bit premature, but a guy can dream right?
Talking about the last gasp part, not the U.V.M.S. The U.V.M.S portion is all too real, and all too scary for the real world, the one Vlad apparently vacated a few years ago.
Is anybody really grasping the fact that Vladhole is risking WWIII, because his crumbled empire really really doesn't want to be pieced back together again?
Vlad, the former USSR is Humpty Fucking Dumpty.

All your Russian biker gangs, and military without insignia, can never ever reassemble the omelette of your youth. That egg dish was consumed a lifetime ago, unfortunately not your lifetime.

Around the world, everybody 's scratching their heads wondering what's your next Darwin Award winning move.
From where I'm sitting, it's quite clear, you're next move is the attempted annexation of the entirety of eastern Ukraine. Another ridiculous referendum, directed by "patriots" flown in for the event courtesy of Poopin Airways, you know their slogan "Wherever we fly you're gonna die".
They bring ballots with two choices, the first and most obvious is to accept your very loving and kind offer of Russian affiliation. The second choice, and clearly the one most would prefer, is to be left alone.
But we all know that's not a choice is it Vlad?

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

$25 Hot Dogs and a Circus too

Is it any wonder that the announcement of the worlds most expensive hot dog, comes from Major League Baseball? That it's home is Chase Field? The tickets are probably $25 each, beer another $12, parking unless you took the bus is another $20, souvenir ball cap another $30...by the time your family of four leaves the park, a weeks' wages have evaporated from your wallet. You're seriously lucky if you can staunch the hemorrhage there.

Meanwhile the guys you're paying to entertain you are making millions...and those are just the scrubs sitting on the bench. The real players are making tens to hundreds of millions to play a game. As they gripe and groan about a scratch to one their four or five Bentley's; you get to worry about putting $4 a gallon gas in your 12 year old Chevy, work a real job that hasn't seen a significant growth in wages since the mid '80's, and pay a mortgage that Chase and friends are fucking you on. This is true for all American's, unless of course you're a ballplayer then your pay has gone through the roof, or if you're a government trough feeder, then your wages have stayed current with inflation. The rest of us who actually build, and make things for society are not so lucky.

The American worker has been devalued by our oligarchy to the point of near serfdom, and they could not have done so without our government making it possible. Nor would it be possible without the willingness of our citizenry to be anesthetized with sport, and circus.

So if you live in Phoenix, and go to Chase Field to watch the Dbacks, take loads of cash, credit cards, and perhaps take out a home equity loan. You don't want to hear those poor ballplayers crying about having to sacrifice a Bentley do you? Do you know how much it cost Chase to get the naming rights on that stadium?
Wonder why your rates are so high at Chase bank; why they're lobbying Congress to make Credit Unions obsolete? You need wonder no more, this shit ain't cheap, and neither are crooks like Chase CEO Jamie Dimon

Monday, March 17, 2014

Vlad Blocked Me

Surprise, surprise, surprise!! Gomer Pyle, er I mean Vlad the Inhaler has blocked the American Reality Party in Russia. Let's all say it together: " Huh?"

If I get 150 views a  month, it's a big deal, a really big deal to me personally; but insomuch as having influence, I daresay there is none. Over the past couple of years we did see quite a few readers, and even one or two comments from Russia. Haven't had one in months, not since my posts regarding the Pussy Riot debacle.

So why are you blocking me Vlad?

Is it possible your paranoia is reaching Stalinesque levels? Clearly your ego found that ground long ago; can't be long until the rest of your sociopathic personality reveals itself in full bloom. After all spring is in the air, and like a pollen based allergy, you Vlad are a nuisance to those with a penchant for breathing freely.

In fact this worldwide reaction to Putin, analogous to an allergen entering the body, is beyond apropos.
Vlad, you may think you're the antihistamine to my allergy, but it is the opposite I'm afraid.
It won't be long now before your people expel you with the force of a great and wonderful sinus clearing sneeze. Freeing the airways for the Russian and Ukrainian people to finally for once breathe free air.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Invasion Time

It's on now, the full fledged invasion of Ukraine is now fact. Vlad has no intention whatsoever of backing down. Kerry, you're wasting your breath with Lavrov, or just killing time while NATO gears up for the big stare down.

Something tells me that Vlad's been pining for this day, since he was strutting around in loaded diapers.
Raised on the valiant stories of Soviet success in defeating the Nazi's; he's been handed an opportunity in adulthood, to prove that he too, should be added to the pantheon of great leaders.

Problem is, he's dealing with a whole new reality that he has surely not grasped.
First, the nations he's lining up as foes, are his main trading partners. Not the brightest bulb in the shop Vlad.
In regimes past, the USSR, nor the czarists were as financially intertwined with the rest of the world as Russia is today.

Second, after years of mafiosi cronyism in government, and little real investment in modernizing the armed forces; you're setting yourself up for the big fail Vladdy boy. Your army could no sooner stand up to NATO, than a Boy Scout troop.

Third and not least, is the fact that truly great leadership as demonstrated by the likes of Churchill, Roosevelt, and even Stalin after the Nazi double cross of WWII, was the fact that these men rallied their people against an invasion, and the defeat of evil. They had the balls to join together two disparate antagonistic forms of government, into a formidable military alliance.

You Vlad offer just the opposite, you have no allies to your evil. Even your own oligarchy are now casting wary eyes on this folly as they fall victim to travel restrictions, freezing out of financial markets.
This is your reality Russia; Vladdy boy is leading you down a well worn path to the pits of hell, from which you will have to dig your sorry third world country out of, once again.

Haven't the past 400 years or so taught you people anything?

Friday, March 7, 2014

Vlad's Right About One Thing

While we all sit around waiting to see what Vlad will do next, kinda like ghoulishly watching a car race with the intent of seeing a crash; let's talk about why he's doing it, and why he couldn't give a rats ass about what Barry has to say.

Vlad's following a well worn script, he's smart, but he didn't write this scenario all by himself. He's simply doing what the czars did before him, he's giving Russia strategic breathing room. Difference is, the czars already colonized Crimea, and eastern Ukraine, Vlad's just reasserting those claims in areas heavily populated wth the descendants of those colonists.

Why could he give two shits if Barry and the EU condemn him?
In his mind, he's doing what's in his nations best interest, as the US does all around the globe.
One word justifies all his actions in Russia, even to those who don't agree with him, hypocrisy.

American hypocrisy, to be exact. Barry stands at the bully pulpit of the American Presidency proclaiming Putin a criminal, while the US pulls the trigger on many more illegal incursions in sovereign states. Iraq, just because Bush had a grudge, Afghanistan and Pakistan because we can, our continued occupation of Japan, Germany, England, Italy...we have bases everywhere.
What other nation has military bases in the numbers we do around the globe?
None. Not even remotely close.

Reality is America, we are not the beloved white knights of democracy and freedom around the world that our government has worked so hard to plant into your minds. Our global fight is not against terrorism or hunger, illiteracy, or even despots like Vlad. No we are hegemonists, with the sole intent of keeping our military/industrial mastery of the Earth intact.

9-11 didn't happen because everybody loves us. It happened because our government champions the oppression of other nations at the behest of our corporate elite. America didn't write the script for hegemony, we just perfected it.

So as Vlad stands before the world justifying his atrocious behavior, you have to recognize the fact that he's right, in the sense that Russia is only doing what we do, taking what we want, when we want it, from whomever has it.

That's the American Way.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Crimea River

I know the title's lame, and altogether too obvious...but then why shouldn't it be when we're discussing "Vladimir's Folly".
Clearly we were not far off the mark in our last post where we accused Vlad of slicing off a chunk of Ukraine for Mother Russia, annexation of Crimea is now a foregone conclusion. With Donetsk and Kharkiv awaiting their warm embrace from Vlad.

Speaking solely for myself, the mental image of Vlad embracing anyone makes me want to hurl.
Could it be I'm not alone?

Here's our reality America, other than sanctioning Russia diplomatically, our only recourse is to sink the Russian state economically. We did it before, and we're in a very unique position to do so again.
Given Vlad's penchant for stripping his nation of it's natural resources, and his neglect of anything remotely resembling real industry; his vulnerability is a clear and fortuitous target.

Namely, natural gas; we the US of A, sit on more gas than we can use. Pretty much more than any other country on Earth. Given a substantial joint effort of government, industry and environmentalists, we could very easily disrupt or even destroy Russia's chokehold on Europe through natural gas sales.

Think of all the gas that's just being burned off in North Dakota right now, more than one million dollars worth per day, because we did not have the foresight to build infrastructure capable of exporting that asset. As that asset goes up in smoke, so does our best weapon for putting Putin out of power.

Vlad, how long can you hold out if we suddenly flood the market with cheap gas?

I keep hearing an old Mellencamp tune in my head: "The walls, keep tumblin' down, the walls..."





Monday, March 3, 2014

Ukraine III

I knew you wouldn't let us down Vlad; that phony pretext of Russian's being threatened by Ukrainian mobs is straight out of Hitler 101. Or is it Stalin 101, maybe it's just despot 101. No real difference evil is evil anyway you slice it. The country Vlad, the way you slice the country.

Donetsk, Kharkiv... where exactly will you draw the new boundary? So exciting, sitting in the Kremlin redrawing maps at your whim. What it must be like to play king... with so many inconsequential serfs to grind to dust.

So what's your next genius move? Cut off gas to the western portion of Ukraine? Can't do that, unless you want to cut off your cash cow in the rest of Europe; you know that growing list of nations lining up to sanction you and your capos. Yes the same countries who have been supporting your regime through the trade of stolen Yukos natural gas; those same countries are looking like they may finally nut up and face you down.

Today the list of economic and political sanctions at the disposal of your trading partners far surpass those at the hands of 1930's Europe, and perhaps these same countries will finally exhibit a proactive will to prevent further episodes of "Vladimir's Folly". Point is Vlad, you're treading on thin ice, your stock market is in freefall, the ruble rumbling down the slope of equity to it's lowest point in years. All the while, you fiddle while Kiev burns.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Ukraine II

Putin, you're as predictable as the sun rising. Russian troops, and your own personal biker gang demarcating the boundaries of the new East Ukraine, was as easy to foresee as your next shirtless anti gay rant.
But really what sets you apart now is your disavowal of those forces being yours , then having a biker gang come in and announce that they represent the new boundary of Russia. Thug life much Vlad?
What's the point? You're constantly trying to portray yourself as a badass, why not wear your thuggery with the pride of a bikers colors?

Russia, what's it like to have a latter day Al Capone running your country? Hell we get lied to on a daily basis here; but you guys are expected to swallow delusional bullshit on a scale I thought was reserved for North Korea. Are you really that brainwashed, or just cowed? Either way, it's not showing you folks in the most positive light.

Reality was and remains, that Russia and the West will always be at odds; our way of life imbues our leaders with the understanding that ultimately they serve at our whim. Whilst in Russia the opposite is historically true, the people live at the whim of their dictator, be they titled czar or comrade.