Friday, November 08, 2024

Thoughts about the 2024 election

 Watch Out for the Coming Political Tsunami

I am going to write some snippets about my takeaways from the election: 

1.  There was too much to overcome for Kamala Harris.  An abbreviated campaign, being put in charge of immigration earlier in the Biden term, and most of all, inflation occurring.  Inflation cannot be overemphasized!  The economy is what won elections for the Democratic candidates for president in 1992, 1996, 2008, 2012 and 2020 when the economy was devastated by COVID.  It's clear to me that Americans hate inflation far more than they have contempt for Trump's 91 counts of felony that he was convicted for this past summer.   

2.  Judges like Aileen Cannon (the political hack that has given no justice in Trump's document scandal) will be far more commonplace as Trump fills more judicial vacancies.  

3.  Project 2025 will occur.  With it is the mindset to "drill, bably, drill" for oil.  Alternative, renewable energy will be suffering a major setback these next 4 years. What local and state governments can do to foster renewable energy growth is anyone's guess.

4.  Ukraine's prospect of winning against the Russians is very slim. The US was the major arms supplier to Ukraine by a wide margin.  Trump will NOT give Zelenskyy any military or any other type of aid.  It is well known how much Trump admires Vladimir Putin. 

5. The lawyers for liberal causes better be ready to do all they can to sue Trump's administration for failure to enforce environmental, racial and many other types of federal safeguards.  Also, the time for President Biden to pass federal orders to hinder Trump's administration is NOW.

6.   This next idea could be easy to misunderstand but shouldn't be.  Democrats have supported the rights of Blacks, Latinos, and the LGBTQ community.  We still need to do that.  However, there has to be some effort to try and win over whites, especially white males.   Part of this may be as easy as being the party of sound fiscal policy.   However, it is going to go deeper than that.  Again, I am not advocating for Democrats forsaking the minorities.  

7.   I am so damn tired of hearing political pundits saying the Republican party is crumbling.  If your dominates most of the statehouses, numerous local governments, has a very sympathetic Supreme Court helping you, that's not a party that's imploding anytime soon!!!!!!!!

Anytime there's a fight, a 1 on 1 match up or the political contests that make up elections, the cardinal rule should always be never underestimate your opponent, never, ever!!!  Now, I don't think Vice President Harris and her team did that.  I am more disgusted with the political commentators.   I think there needed to be more discussion about how hard this was going to be to beat Trump. 

Also, I understand the point of view that if it wasn't for Trump the Republicans would not be as successful.  That's true to a certain degree.  But I reject that Republicans are merely a cult group.  What people who are liberal and wondering what went wrong need to do is ask why is Trump so popular with large swaths of the population, why is his hold on the South so rock solid,  why did Vice President Harris basically lose every single "battleground state" (Wisconsin, Michigan, PENNSYLVANIA, Georgia and North Carolina are examples).  Is there anything more to his victory other than immigration and the economy?  He takes  racist, homophobic points of view and turns them into votes.  That doesn't help the Dems win, because that's obviously not a strategy we should follow.  

8.  Look at how Trump handles Cabinet-level departments.  Watch what happens if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. does become a cabinet secretary.  How much of the FDA will be weakened?  Will the Department of Education be eliminated?  Last time Trump was in power, many of the embassies around the world were not even staffed!!!  Watch for this to happen again.  

9.  The election of 2024 showed the triumph of half-baked emotional accusations over facts and reason.  The whole premise starts with the notion that the USA is in terrible shape and we need to take a wrecking ball to the federal government to improve it.  So many false statements!  Haitians are eating pets.  Windmills cause autism.  

The most egregious harm was after Hurrican Milton struck, Trump convinced poor people severely affected, suffering from the effects of the hurricane to reject FEMA aid!!  Trump literally hurt and made worse the lives of people in his own base.  The ones who elected and re-elected him he hurt in this instance.  


The key now is to look where there is hope.  Find instances of optimism that occur.  There will be plenty of bad news in the next 4 years to make us all feel rotten, but we need to find hope where we can find it.  

 


Sunday, February 11, 2024

the game I'll never forget-Barneveld vs. the Bulldogs

 In the fall of 1979, we beat Barneveld.  Schmitz said at the Labor Day Picnic, "you'll win."  We knew we had a very good passing attack.  Barneveld was  known for a brutal tornado, thru the years.  In 1979, Barneveld was beaten by the Bulldogs when Dean passed  to Miller and others went for over 200 years.   Bulldogs win on the road 

It was our non-conference game of the season.  I was playing both defensive end and tight end.   In the 1st half,  I ran a post pattern, Miller was covered, and there was the ball.  Caught it; secured the ball, put my head down when I was covered; 
slammed into the cornerback and went another few yards for the first down. 
Later in the game, Miller collapsed the pocket batted the ball, I was going after the QB.  
As the ball went end over end, I knew it was mine.  I intercepted it;  ran it, drove a few yards until I was brought down.  The crowd in Ithaca was on fire.  This was the 1st game I got rid of sport goggles and went with my contact lens.   

Coach thought let's get someone who runs like a deer.  He replaced me with Steve 
They knew MIller was an excellent receiver, but Barneveld didn't pay attention to the substitution.  Dean to Steve for a TOUCHDOWN.  

Barneveld wanted it more than us.  
They passed; they completed.  Their offense scored again.  The 2nd half belonged to Barneveld.  

There's a moment that stands crystal clear.  I was defensive end.  I saw on TV; I saw teams against the Bulldogs.  IF THE DEFENSE END DOESN'T HAVE OUTSIDE CONTAINMENT, RBs & QBs  score quick running down the sideline.  I saw that happen over and over again.  

There was the QB  12 feet away.  Do I run fast as I can and sack him?  No, who runs like a deer.  I didn't.  

The QB threw for a big gain maybe even a touchdown!

I contained but didn't sack him.

Barneveld beats the Bulldogs.  I wore #80.  The whole team was upset.  

Next 2 weeks, we beat Wauzeka and LaFarge (both conference games in the Ridge and Valley conference. The Bulldogs in the past 4 seasons won 2 games.  We won those 2 games.  But, it was simply 3 games to build on for future football players.  

SUPER BOWL! YOU DON'T NEED PICTURES TO FIGURE OUT THE SUPER BOWL!!!

 THE GUIDE

FOR SUPER BOWL  LVIII

I would love to include Swifties in the conversation

 

Guide

I     Basics

Offense   Center hikes it to Quarterback

Offense has 4 chances to make 1st downs. 

You must have enough of the 11 on the line of scrimmage to start the play.  This is  basic you can find out how many if you want to. 

Defense – it’s an eleven on eleven match up.  IT STARTS WITH THE LINE.   Who really controls the line of scrimmage??  That’s the indication-at whoever wins that quarter or that half or that game! 

The line of scrimmage is usually 1 center, 2 guards, 2 tackles. 

The defensive line is either a 3-4 defense or a 4-3 defense. 
The 4 named players of the defense is defensive tackles & DE s  find out what Def E.  is if you’re curious about it. 

Can the offense run the ball? 
If the offense can, that team will usually win. 
 

How does the KC Chiefs run the ball against the 49ers.     How does the 49ers run against the Chiefs? 

 

If they control the line of scrimmage, then they can run inside both sidelines keep the clock running indefinitely.  The can keep it running usually over a  ½  of quarter which is 15 minutes.  There are 4 quarters in a game. 

If the 49ers or Chiefs, don’t make it on 3 downs, they will punt.  Usually 50 to 60  yards on a punt is the tops.  So when you see that your team is on the 30  or even 35 yard line inside opponent’s territory there’s a good chance

 

The ball is advanced by lateral, passing and rushing by the offense. 

Usually, the quickest way is to have the QB  behind the line of scrimmage, and pass it to a wide receiver, TE  or split end to catch it. 

Hybrids -  TE  like Travis Kelce is difficult for a defense to handle   He can block, go in motion, run the ball and catch a pass. 

Travis Kelce has more speed than most tight ends. Ron Kronkowski was another outstanding TE that retired.  Can you name the tragic TE who he played with who was convicted of murder?  Yes, Hernandez

 

49ers linebackers and secondary  versus  Chiefs offense. 

Chiefs linebackers and secondary vs. 49ers RBs, wide receivers and tight end. 

When the offense passes, the receivers who catch the pass will either catch or drop the ball.  If they drop the ball, then clock stops.  If they catch it and run, then they will advance faster down the field. 

Turnovers- how many times does  Mahomes and Purdy get intercepted?  How many times do the running backs fumble the ball? How many receivers, after catching the ball, will fumble the ball? 

Prediction:
The 49ers will score 3 field goals and 3 TDs.  The FG kicker must kick it from the follwing equation: 
line of scrimmage + 10 yards as the goal post is 10 yards behind the end zone line.

The KC Chiefs will score 5 times.  2 TDs and 3 FGs.  

How bad do you want to predict the game? 
All other guidelines to football are for you to find out or UNDERSTAND BETTER. 

 

 

doing well

 I hope things continue to go well


I hope things can stay the way they are for a long while.  


I need that. 

Wednesday, February 07, 2024

reposting my favorite post

 



The winged feet are to show that I invented and wanted to share with you a speedy version of Monopoly.  You know how Monopoly can go on 6 hours  OR MORE!!! Now, some people don't have 6 hours or 5 or however long it takes for you to spare time playing the fun game.  So, I invented a game that shaves time off of Monopoly.  The best aspect of my invention is that Monopoly gets a lot more interesting when there are actually players with MONOPOLIES!  Before that it's not all that eventful.  So here is what you do.  Players (whether you have 3-5 players) get properties at the beginning of the game as follows:  

3 players Monopoly Portfolios




Portfolio 1
Purple monopoly (eg. has Baltic & Mediterranean)
Orange monopoly (eg. has New York and others that are orange)
Park Place
Get Out of Jail Free card
$2,800


Portfolio 2
Baby Blue monopoly (e.g. has Oriental)
Violet monopoly (eg. has States )
Boardwalk
N. Carolina Avenue
$2500


Portfolio 3
Red monopoly
Yellow Monopoly
Pacific and Penn. Aves.
$2200


4 players Monopoly portfolios (EVERYONE GETS $2,500)

Portfolio 1
Purple monopoly
Boardwalk
Marvin Gardens
2 RR2s (1st & 2nd side)


Portfolio 2
Violet Monopoly
Park Place
Ventor & Atlantic Avenues
2 Railroads (3rd & 4th sides)


Portfolio 3
Baby blue Monopoly
N. Carolina Ave
NY & St. James Aves.

Portfolio 4
Red monopoly
Pacific & Penn Ave
Tennesse Ave.


5 players portfolio

Portfolio 1
Purple monopoly
Boardwalk
Marvin Gardens
$2,400
Portfolio 2
Violet monopoly
4 Railroads
$2800



Portfolio 3
Baby blue monopoly
Park Place
Atlantic & Ventor Aves.
$2,200


Portfolio 4
Red monopoly
Utilities
N. Carolina
$2,400

Portfolio 5
Orange monopoly

Pacific & Penn Aves.

$2500


Rules
1. The Sky is the Limit” as far as how many hotels you put on a . You get to put as many hotels as you want.

2. Corollary to Rule 2 You cannot buy 2 hotels (on 1 piece of property) until every player has passed GO once. You cannot buy 3 hotels (on 1 piece of property) until ever player has gone GO twice. Once that has occurred, Rule 2, above, applies

3 “You snooze you lose!” If someone lands on property you own, if you don’t ask for rent he/she doesn’t have to pay.

Monopoly trivia:  Over 30 years ago, those who lived in the former Soviet Union (what is now Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhistan, and other areas), were forbidden to play Monopoly as it was against the values of that Communist society.

Would you make your own rules. 

Tuesday, February 06, 2024

the shoe & the stick

They hadn't gotten along well since before Thanksgiving.  Their relationship worsened; there were more fights, more times that Calvin had no interest in sleeping in the same bedroom.  There were times that he slept in a nearby motel.  Half-hearted attempts were made to reconcile (there was no make-up sex),   

One afternoon, after he had gone to the motel, she asked him if he slept with another woman.  "No," he calmly replied.  She knew that already; that Sunday night she had called the motel.  She asked the owner if there was anyone "who was a guest to Calvin when he slept that night."

"There was no one with him.  When he comes to the motel, he asks to take the furthest room away from other people at the motel," the owner explained, "he comes in pretty quiet; he leaves quieter." 

"Did he leave the motel without paying?" she asked. 
"He always pays." 

 Calvin & Veronica decided to go camping. The idea sprung up like the leaf of garlic that sprouts on a messy kitchen table.  They wanted to go to California.  Then, they went through Nebraska and lost the muffler.  There,   Calvin & Veronica decided to go camping. The idea sprung up like the leaf of garlic that sprouts on a messy kitchen table.  They wanted to go to California.  Then, they went through Nebraska and lost the muffler.  The smelt a faint oder as the camper sounded much louder than before. Would they get stopped by the police? Veronica had the idea of taking some minor roads, then the muffler wouldn't sound as loud.  Calvin guided her with his downloaded map. They both laughed and smiled at each other when they saw that there were vehicles that looked and sounded just badly as theirs sounded.  They saw no police.

They sighed; they settled on a state park in Nebraska. They got their camper parked.  They decided to camp 3 football fields away from the camper.  

They gave the relationship one last chance.  They agreed that they were working "too hard" at their daily activities.   They started smiling back at each other as they parked the 14-year-old, unreliable camper.    She  was retiring in a few months.  He was more than 5 yrs from retiring from his job. 

First, it was Calvin, but Veronica sung in unison the next second. 

"Hey! You're leavin' tongue marks on the carpet
I know what you're lookin' at
You would walk on your lips through busted glass
If you could get next to that

You think this is love?
Your education starts today
So you think this is love?
So tell me, How bad do you want it?"

Don Henley's song "How Bad do you Want it" from his solo album in the 80s. 

"You're going, North, Veronica.  You said you would go south!"

"But that town is South!"

They smiled when they heard the song on Surrealistic Pillow

"Do away with people blowin' my mind
Do away with people wastin' my precious time
Take me to a simple place
Where I can easily see my face
Maybe baby, I'll see that you were kind
Know I love you baby, yes I do

Do away with people laughin' at my hair
Do away with people frownin' on my precious cares
Take me to a circus tent
Where I can easily pay my rent
And all the other freaks will share my cares
Know I love you baby, yes I do

Do away with things that come on obscene
Like hot rods, pre-cleaned real fine nicotine
Sometimes the price is sixty-five dollars prices like that make a grown man holler!
'Specially when it's sold by a kid who's only fifteen!
Know I love you baby, yes I do
Know I love you baby, yes I do

3/5ths of a Mile in 10 Seconds!!!!!!!!!!!"


They had been eating tomato soup mixed with barley soup like something concocted 9 years ago.  The best was the ranch dressing.

They kept driving stakes into the ground as they put up their tent.  They started looking for the fire to grill the sirloin.  

"I'll eat this sirloin raw if you don't find those fuckin' matches!" shouted Calvin.  

She mocked him all the way to the camper. She mocked him all the back, too.  

"When are you starting the fire?"  he asked. 

She took out the black lucky shoe that his maternal grandfather had.  

Where are the matches, Cal?  

"In my back pocket." 

I thought you said I had it.  

But I had them, she replied.  

 No, a stick match was struck by Veronica and failed. 

No

No 

No
No

No!

Match to the shoe, she struck the fire  They had some sticks in the oversized black tray.  They threw the match in the pan without even looking.  The fire started, and they wondered if the meat would start getting hot. 

They didn't even look as the fire started in the pan.  He started whistling the song "Miracles" released in 1975, by Jefferson Starship as her eyes lit up. 

He whistled  every note of the organ part  before Martin Balin (who wrote the song)  started singing...

"If only you believe like I believe, baby We'd get byyyyyyyy......"

"If only you believe in miracles (if only you believed in miracles so would I)If only you believe like I believe, baby (if only you believe like I believe)We'd get byIf only you believe in miracles (if only you believed in miracles so would I)
........  He sang the first stanza flawlessly.  
Then she responded, " might have to move Heaven and Earth to prove it to you, baby (baby)So we're making love, you feel the power,  and I feel the powerAnd there's really nothing we can't do."
-----------
"Drink the water, Veronica."  They did as they stared at each other.  They ate the 12 gran bread and drank the rest of the soup cold.  
"I told you to get rid of all the Nine Inch Nails CDs."
"I did!" 
"No you didn't,"
"Yes, I did," Calvin said smugly, "I smashed The Fragile over my toolbox." 
"Yeah?" 
"Yeaaahhh???,"  she said,  "I still have NIN 
With Teeth.Well I'm going to tell you a little secret...........but she fell on him.
That's not a secret;  I heard that CD over and over 
  They started frenching & they rolled around, but never near the fire.Again, Jefferson Starship's "Miracles"
You know we could,
All we got to do is get a little faith in you
I've been so many places I've seen some things  (yes I have)Keeps holding this world together Ain't nothing better?  repeat
"And all the answers to our prayers     Hell, it's the same everywhere Nothing ever breaks up the heart... .Only your tears give you away 
I can hear windmills and rainbows whenever you talkin' to me
(Never say never)I feel like swirling and dancing whenever you walk in with me You ripple like the river when I touch youThen I pluck your body like a string Then I start dancing inside you 
I love you so
I love you so  I love you so 
I love you soOhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Oh yeah, ALL RIGHT !!!!! Baby, we're sure doin' it tonight 
Every time you come by let me try (come on by)Pretty please, with sugar on it, that's how I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
I can't even believe it with you it's like.........."

They both stood up.  They got cold.  But they were too stubborn and circled each other around the inside of the tent.  
She got up and dumped out the sirloin JUICE  on his coat.      wtf?  
He dove on her (as she fell softer than you might expect), and they got the rest of their clothes off.  
Breasts
right sock touching his dick
love is the perfect drug  
You said... 
NO, you DID.  
After their sex and they caught their breath.......
She grabbed the gray part of the meat.  Calvin grabbed the raw.  
They spent an hour eating the meat, STARING at each other. 
Sometime later.................. they fell asleep in an awkward position Hours later,  it got more awkward

Don Henley's song started playing again.

"So you, you put a hold on happiness
A day, a week, a year
You got to bring somethin' to this party."

===================

"Calvin, the camper isn't starting."
He said nothing.  He got into one of his icy moods where he stopped talking. 
"Calvin!!!"

I got it fixed," he laconically replied. 

"But you went to 1 of the cheaper places in town to get it repaired!  I burned your New Yorker magazines....all of them!" she said.

"After 30 yrs., I got rid of the subscription last summer," he replied. 

No you didn't !

Yes, I did
But I was reading the articles on your computer

"It was yours.  You read them on your computer," he stood and got up.  

His voice got lower as they got near.  They were standing chest to chest...holding their shoulders,  "that will be the last damn time you read my 10 New Yorker magazines!"

"You shoved them into my trunk in June," she replied, "STOP watching the movie Easy Rider." 

"You need to stop reading Drugstore Cowboy at 1:30 am!!!!!!!!"

"You mean one of the 1st big movies Heather Graham was in? 

They kept walking away.  "Why did that fuckin camper not start?"  he was wondering. 

Her high pitch asked, "What''s that blood all over your hand." They were kneeling face to face and started crying a few feet from the asphalt street.   

"You really do have a short memory, don't you, and stop drinking and start listening more!!!  You don't even remember shoving my hand into the tent stake, do you? 


"But you hurt my back!"  She started singing, and they started again.  

The sun was up.  
"What animal was out there when you went to the camper?"

Well, Cal, you really shouldn't give a fiddler's fuck, b/c I made it back to the tent, didn't I?"  She paused, "You didn't even ask me what animal it was at the time."  


"That's because I don't want to go around,"  he was panting & wondering what to say,  "in circles anymore. These days I'd rather work, then be with you anyway!" He started walking and following the road.  She ran past him.  

"Why did we even go to The West in the first place?"

"Because, you said, "there's global warming and we get to make our own rules"  He thought he saw his white Cutlass Ciera and ran 100 feet past her.  
"You made the Christmas of 2023 the worst FUCKING CHRISTMAS I EVER HAD!!!! SHE SHREIKED.  


He got into the Oldsmobile.  She got into the Chevy Cavalier.  They never spoke to each other again.  

Back at the tent, the deer heard the 7th track of Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow.
The buck heard the next track, "How do you feel?" 

The farmer heard the same album on his radio;  "DCBA" was the song.  

The moral of the   story. 

Believe in Global Warming
Look at 
 Great Pacific Plastic Patch 

Believe in GOD

Don't get into a relationship too fast. 

The Trace of King Lear

Why did the Fool disappear in the middle of Shakespeare's play?
Because, King Lear became the critic of himself while the Fool left. He slenderly knew himself.  He certainly knew his weaknesses after the jester left.    

What was played in the last minute or so (give or take) of "I'm the Walrus?"

King Lear

Some people were reciting lines from during and after 1 of the villains died.  

Friday, February 02, 2024

my night prayer

 




In the name of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit, 


Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

Bless this bed that I lay on

 Four corners around my bed, angels around my bed

1 to watch

1 to  pray

2 to guide me on my way. 

I go by sea; I go by land

The LORD made me with his right hand

If any danger comes to me, sweet Jesus Christ deliver me

He's the branch, and I'm the flower

Pray God send me a happy hour

If I should die before I wake

I pray that my soul he takes

GOD BLESS:                 


  the names of my 6 siblings

the names of my 3 children 

the names of 3 women



I pray for priests, seminarians, missionaries, the clergy and Pope Francis I

I pray for the sick, the lonely and the homeless
I pray for Ukraine
I pray for the oppressed in Iran and the Middle East

Bless family, friends, nieces and nephews, relatives and in-laws.

AMEN

            coming next - romance in the 60s








 


Saturday, January 20, 2024

Life is for the living

After the cold, after the week's worth of work.  I read the lyrics and played the song, "Ten Years Gone"  by Led Zeppelin 


I love this song for the 1st stanza of this song, "And though the course may change sometimes rivers always reach the sea” It means STOP REGRETTING!!!!

Don't regret not doing enough when you met your 1st love - because all rivers reach the see (for billions of us that means going to Heaven) Don't regret not dating enough in your 20s because you met a special woman who made 1993 your favorite year. Don't regret the divorce and wish you were dead, b/c she loves you platonically now and the relationship is the best its been IN YEARS. Don't regret losing the career you had years ago, b/c part of it was your abusive boss' s fault by being so cruel to you . Stop wishing you were dead and live! Life is for the living!! Even if you don't believe in God all rivers reach the sea. You didn't exist before you were born, and tomorrow you're 1 day closer to death. So, what will you do now? Did you help? Did you love??

Thursday, January 18, 2024

CHANGE

 After giving this a lot of thought, I decided not to do anymore stories like I wrote from January 13 to the 17th.  

I wanted to help loving, long-term couples renew their interest in the powerful force that is within them.  I think I have.  

Who was exploited in my stories?   They had the choice; they had their circumstances..  

How were the women depicted in the stories?  Definitely more street-smart than the men.  

You decide if it was a good choice that the couples engaged in from the fiction I wrote.  

I have other things to do:

Work hard at my job

Get my corporation with my son, Qualityservice44 to do well.  Not much in the store. That's the point. I need to be doing more with the store. 
I'm going to add a quarter that commemorates Washington, the patriots crossing the Delaware/winning the Battle of  Trenton.  

Clean & organize my home

Be a very good father (I get complements about how good of a Dad I am)  

.  FOLLOW THE PRINCIPLES OF PRIMER-MICHAELS

Worship God