Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City and champion of stop and frisk as a legitimate tactic to fight the hordes of brown people overrunning our country, confirmed this week that if Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump win their respective nominations, or if Ted Cruz takes the republican crown, that he just might have to enter the race. And that he'd be willing to spend a billion dollars of his own money on his election run.
Because, you know, nothing--absolutely nothing--says "man of the people" quite like a man who doesn't have the courage to enter the race for the long haul, acts like a petty child when someone he doesn't like wins the nomination, and then vows to spend a billion dollars of his own money to secure his election to the highest office in the land even though he doesn't have a pot to piss in when it comes to domestic policy initiatives or foreign policy chops.
And I can guarantee you that the last thing America needs is another namby-pamby arrogant rich prick telling us what's best for us.
Peace,
emaycee
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Monday, February 8, 2016
Who else do they have?
Despite the fact that Marco Rubio did his best Wall-E imitation in last Saturday's republican debate in New Hampshire, I really have to wonder who else the republican establishment is going to rally behind. Considering that they hate Trump and Cruz, that leaves Chris Christie, who is too much of an asshole to ever get elected President, John Kasich, who probably bores his own family, and Jeb! Bush, who has proven to be a miracle worker in that his campaign has been so inept he's made his big brother look like FDR.
I still think it's more likely that either Trump or Cruz win the republican nomination, but it's hard to see that if republicans go for the establishment candidate again this year how it can he anyone other than Rubio.
He may be a lightweight, but it's not as if Mitt Romney or John McCain could have given Plato a run for his money intellectually.
Peace,
emaycee
I still think it's more likely that either Trump or Cruz win the republican nomination, but it's hard to see that if republicans go for the establishment candidate again this year how it can he anyone other than Rubio.
He may be a lightweight, but it's not as if Mitt Romney or John McCain could have given Plato a run for his money intellectually.
Peace,
emaycee
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Where's the love?
You'll often hear republicans say they're going to Washington or their respective state capital to do the work of the American people. And God knows they control both houses of Congress at the national level and a vast majority at the state level.
I mention this because I read a piece this week about how wage theft has become an epidemic in America, and I think we can all agree that if an employer tells you they'll pay you X amount of dollars for your time that they'll actually pay you X amount of dollars for your time. Or if they ask you to work eight hours in a day and you work those eight hours, they'll pay you eight hours in wages. But in many workplaces this isn't happening.
Has anybody heard of any republicans starting committees, at either the state or national level, to look into wage theft? I mean they seem to have all kinds of committees for defunding Planned Parenthood, or repealing Obamacare, or about Benghazi, or to get concealed carry laws passed--wouldn't you think people getting paid the wages they've earned would be important, too? Wouldn't you think it was the work of the American people?
It would be easy--they could start by lifting that Bible they're so fond of and looking up that part about "Thou shalt not steal" and then skewering the rat prick bastard employers who are screwing working class Americans out of their earned wages.
Of course, that would involve actually working for the American people, and not so much their wealthy benefactors in the business world.
Not that republicans would care, but I'm pretty sure there's something in that Bible of theirs about caring for your fellow man, too.
Peace,
emaycee
I mention this because I read a piece this week about how wage theft has become an epidemic in America, and I think we can all agree that if an employer tells you they'll pay you X amount of dollars for your time that they'll actually pay you X amount of dollars for your time. Or if they ask you to work eight hours in a day and you work those eight hours, they'll pay you eight hours in wages. But in many workplaces this isn't happening.
Has anybody heard of any republicans starting committees, at either the state or national level, to look into wage theft? I mean they seem to have all kinds of committees for defunding Planned Parenthood, or repealing Obamacare, or about Benghazi, or to get concealed carry laws passed--wouldn't you think people getting paid the wages they've earned would be important, too? Wouldn't you think it was the work of the American people?
It would be easy--they could start by lifting that Bible they're so fond of and looking up that part about "Thou shalt not steal" and then skewering the rat prick bastard employers who are screwing working class Americans out of their earned wages.
Of course, that would involve actually working for the American people, and not so much their wealthy benefactors in the business world.
Not that republicans would care, but I'm pretty sure there's something in that Bible of theirs about caring for your fellow man, too.
Peace,
emaycee
And I'm supposed to give a fuck because?
Now I fully understand that AOL News is to journalism what hopscotch is to baseball, but apparently someone at AOL News thought that our election season wouldn't be complete if they didn't inform us of what Mark Cuban thought of the current republican campaigns for the Presidency. Now I appreciate that Cuban is a billionaire and that he has a lame ass TV show, but whereas other billionaires like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates or Warren Buffet have spent their time after becoming wealthy trying to make the world a better place or improving upon their brand, Cuban has spent his time becoming a first class buffoon.
All of which leaves me wondering: If most of us don't care what Bozo the Clown or the village idiot thinks of the republican candidates, what nitwit at AOL News thought we'd give a fuck what Mark Cuban thinks?
I mean I know that today is a slow news day but give me a fucking break.
Peace,
emaycee
All of which leaves me wondering: If most of us don't care what Bozo the Clown or the village idiot thinks of the republican candidates, what nitwit at AOL News thought we'd give a fuck what Mark Cuban thinks?
I mean I know that today is a slow news day but give me a fucking break.
Peace,
emaycee
Friday, February 5, 2016
Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. LVIII--Gordon Lightfoot: Carefree Highway
Must be something about Canada--much like the Barenaked Ladies (though a completely different style of music), Gordon Lightfoot has long been comfort music for me. Whether it's a good day or a bad day, I can put on his greatest hits and it's always a little bit better of a day.
For those not familiar, Gordon Lightfoot is Canada's Bob Dylan (not an exaggeration--Dylan himself is a big fan as well, once saying that when he listened to Lightfoot he wished his songs would never end). Throughout the sixties and seventies Lightfoot won sixteen Juno Awards (Canada's equivalent of our Grammy Awards). He's been inducted into just about every Canadian Hall of Fame that exists, and still tours there extensively. Now I know this is sounding a bit like one of those "my girlfriend who lives in Canada" stories, but Lightfoot is truly an icon in the Great White North. He had his heyday here in the states from about the mid sixties to the mid seventies, but had just one single chart on the Billboard Hot 100 since 1978. He also isn't the most prolific of singer songwriters--in his more than 45 year career he's released just 19 albums--hell, I'd be willing to bet Dylan had nineteen albums released by the time the sixties alone had ended.
The second single from his Sundown LP (the title track--a fine song itself--is Lightfoot's only #1 single in America on the Billboard Hot 100) "Carefree Highway" would hit #10 (with a bullet!), but the really cool thing about the song is that there really is a carefree highway. Yessir, Arizona State Route 74 is actually called "Carefree Highway" and it provided the title as well as the inspiration for the song. Having been to Arizona, I can tell you that it's probably not worth a special trip just to see a highway, but if you happen to be in the Phoenix area it might be worth your time to cruise its thirty miles just to say you've known the rock and roll thrill of songwriting inspiration.
And then again, maybe not.
As Lightfoot drove Arizona State Route 74 many moons ago, a woman that he'd once thought was the one but who eventually left him in a "it's been fun, babe!" kind of way came to mind and his thoughts as he drove that night eventually would become "Carefree Highway." I'd like to tell you there's something earth shattering about the song that made it my favorite Lightfoot song, but the truth is, much like Lightfoot (and I'd be willing to bet, Canada) it's a very workmanlike song. Lighfoot's vocals have always been perfectly understated and they may be about as breezy as he's going to get here. The melody is catchy as all hell, and Lightfoot utilizes an absolute emaycee fave, the repetition of the chorus numerous times, to give the song its pop music chops. The best thing, though, is that every time I hear it it feels like I'm driving down some highway on a warm day, with the windows down and the wind whipping through my hair, alone with my thoughts of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and even thought there's plenty of sorrow in all three, there's more good and all is right with the world.
Live and learn and all that.
Once again, truer words: "Carefree highway, let me slip away on you...."
Enjoy:
Peace,
emaycee
For those not familiar, Gordon Lightfoot is Canada's Bob Dylan (not an exaggeration--Dylan himself is a big fan as well, once saying that when he listened to Lightfoot he wished his songs would never end). Throughout the sixties and seventies Lightfoot won sixteen Juno Awards (Canada's equivalent of our Grammy Awards). He's been inducted into just about every Canadian Hall of Fame that exists, and still tours there extensively. Now I know this is sounding a bit like one of those "my girlfriend who lives in Canada" stories, but Lightfoot is truly an icon in the Great White North. He had his heyday here in the states from about the mid sixties to the mid seventies, but had just one single chart on the Billboard Hot 100 since 1978. He also isn't the most prolific of singer songwriters--in his more than 45 year career he's released just 19 albums--hell, I'd be willing to bet Dylan had nineteen albums released by the time the sixties alone had ended.
The second single from his Sundown LP (the title track--a fine song itself--is Lightfoot's only #1 single in America on the Billboard Hot 100) "Carefree Highway" would hit #10 (with a bullet!), but the really cool thing about the song is that there really is a carefree highway. Yessir, Arizona State Route 74 is actually called "Carefree Highway" and it provided the title as well as the inspiration for the song. Having been to Arizona, I can tell you that it's probably not worth a special trip just to see a highway, but if you happen to be in the Phoenix area it might be worth your time to cruise its thirty miles just to say you've known the rock and roll thrill of songwriting inspiration.
And then again, maybe not.
As Lightfoot drove Arizona State Route 74 many moons ago, a woman that he'd once thought was the one but who eventually left him in a "it's been fun, babe!" kind of way came to mind and his thoughts as he drove that night eventually would become "Carefree Highway." I'd like to tell you there's something earth shattering about the song that made it my favorite Lightfoot song, but the truth is, much like Lightfoot (and I'd be willing to bet, Canada) it's a very workmanlike song. Lighfoot's vocals have always been perfectly understated and they may be about as breezy as he's going to get here. The melody is catchy as all hell, and Lightfoot utilizes an absolute emaycee fave, the repetition of the chorus numerous times, to give the song its pop music chops. The best thing, though, is that every time I hear it it feels like I'm driving down some highway on a warm day, with the windows down and the wind whipping through my hair, alone with my thoughts of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and even thought there's plenty of sorrow in all three, there's more good and all is right with the world.
Live and learn and all that.
Once again, truer words: "Carefree highway, let me slip away on you...."
Enjoy:
Peace,
emaycee
Thursday, February 4, 2016
The road to revolution...
...is paved with disenfranchisement.
I mention this because Ruth Bader Ginsburg this past week warned American consumers and workers about the growing trend in U.S. companies to force them into arbitration agreements, which, in a nutshell, are most certainly not in their best interests. As the Economic Policy Institute shows, when you take an employer or service provider to court, you have a 36% chance of winning with a median settlement of $176,000; in arbitration, you have a 21% chance of winning with a median settlement of $36,500. What's worse is that since the 1980s, courts in the U.S. have allowed companies to flat refuse to hire you or use their services if you don't agree to arbitration, [As an aside, I had this happen to me just last week--I applied for a job online and after answering a couple of questions had a box pop-up that said I must agree now to arbitration or they would not consider hiring me.]
Further, a new study by the University of California and Bucknell University shows that the republican voter suppression tactic of requiring picture I.D.s have dropped Democratic turnout by 8.8% and republican turnout by only 3.6%.
When the powers that be take away a people's right to restitution and their right to change such rules through their vote, eventually you end up with a people that has nothing to lose. And people that have nothing to lose don't always act as rational as they might.
Just ask King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
Peace,
emaycee
I mention this because Ruth Bader Ginsburg this past week warned American consumers and workers about the growing trend in U.S. companies to force them into arbitration agreements, which, in a nutshell, are most certainly not in their best interests. As the Economic Policy Institute shows, when you take an employer or service provider to court, you have a 36% chance of winning with a median settlement of $176,000; in arbitration, you have a 21% chance of winning with a median settlement of $36,500. What's worse is that since the 1980s, courts in the U.S. have allowed companies to flat refuse to hire you or use their services if you don't agree to arbitration, [As an aside, I had this happen to me just last week--I applied for a job online and after answering a couple of questions had a box pop-up that said I must agree now to arbitration or they would not consider hiring me.]
Further, a new study by the University of California and Bucknell University shows that the republican voter suppression tactic of requiring picture I.D.s have dropped Democratic turnout by 8.8% and republican turnout by only 3.6%.
When the powers that be take away a people's right to restitution and their right to change such rules through their vote, eventually you end up with a people that has nothing to lose. And people that have nothing to lose don't always act as rational as they might.
Just ask King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
Peace,
emaycee
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Victory lap...
,,,sort of.
Democrats
Nailed it--Clinton won over Sanders in a squeaker and O'Malley has pulled out of the race.
For what it's worth, I'm really beginning to believe Sanders can win the nomination.
Republicans
Can't win 'em all--Cruz ended up topping Trump, but I got Rubio in third (where pretty much every poll had him finishing--can't say I'm a science denier!). Huckabee, Paul, and Santorum have all ceased their campaigns as I predicted. Jim Gilmore, on the other hand, told Rachel Maddow that if he got one vote, one stinking vote, he'd consider it a victory. He got 12 (!) so one supposes he feels he's cruising to the nomination now. It remains to be seen if he can top that total in New Hampshire.
Not sure if Trump's campaign implodes at this point or passes its first gut check, though if I had to bet a dollar on it I'd put it on an implosion.
Not sure if I'd rather face Cruz or Rubio in November--Cruz is a little more cutthroat, but Rubio's got the traditional media believing he's a credible candidate instead of the lightweight he actually is.
Either way, I still think it's the Democrats race to lose.
Peace,
emaycee
Democrats
Nailed it--Clinton won over Sanders in a squeaker and O'Malley has pulled out of the race.
For what it's worth, I'm really beginning to believe Sanders can win the nomination.
Republicans
Can't win 'em all--Cruz ended up topping Trump, but I got Rubio in third (where pretty much every poll had him finishing--can't say I'm a science denier!). Huckabee, Paul, and Santorum have all ceased their campaigns as I predicted. Jim Gilmore, on the other hand, told Rachel Maddow that if he got one vote, one stinking vote, he'd consider it a victory. He got 12 (!) so one supposes he feels he's cruising to the nomination now. It remains to be seen if he can top that total in New Hampshire.
Not sure if Trump's campaign implodes at this point or passes its first gut check, though if I had to bet a dollar on it I'd put it on an implosion.
Not sure if I'd rather face Cruz or Rubio in November--Cruz is a little more cutthroat, but Rubio's got the traditional media believing he's a credible candidate instead of the lightweight he actually is.
Either way, I still think it's the Democrats race to lose.
Peace,
emaycee
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