October 31, 2016 Open Thread; Samhain (north)/ Beltane (south) / Halloween (sundry)

October 31 is the 304th day of the year. There are 61 days left.

Winter's Eve.

Today's number is 31

31 is a prime, and a mersenne prime at that
31 is gallium
M31 is the Andromeda Galaxy
31 Flavors is Baskin Robbins
31 is untrustworthy - Weinberg's dictum

Title 31 of the US Code is MONEY AND FINANCE

31 BCE was the Year of the Consulship of Antonius and Octavianus
The Battle of Actium occurred

31 CE was the Year of the Consulship of Tiberius and Sejanus
One of the various years in which Jesus might or might not have been executed on April 6 or some other day.

On this day in:
0683 -- The Kaaba suffered severe fire damage.
1517 -- Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to a church door.
1822 -- Emperor Iturbide tried to dissolve the Mexican Empire's congress.
1863 -- General Duncan Cameron's troops started the Invasion of the Waikato.
1913 -- The first automobile highway across the US was dedicated
1922 -- Mussolini became Prime Minister
1941 -- They finally finished Mount Rushmore
1941 -- The Reuben James became the first U.S. Navy vessel sunk by the enemy in WWII.
1956 -- France and the UK started bombing Egypt to make them reopen the Suez Canal because "all your canal are belong to us"
1984 -- Indira Gandhi was assassinated
2000 -- The first resident crew was ferried to the ISS by the dirty Russkies
2011 -- The human population hit seven billion

Born this day in:
1711 -- Laura Bassi, physician, physicist, and academic who achieved many firsts for a woman in Europe
1795 -- John Keats, poet who famously looked into Chapman's Homer
1835 -- Adolf von Baeyer, chemist and academic, synthesized Indigo
1848 -- Boston Custer, soldier, died with his brother George
1860 -- Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the US Girl Scouts
1876 -- Natalie Clifford Barney, poet and playwright
1883 -- Marie Laurencin, painter and illustrator associated with cubists
1887 -- Chiang Kai-shek, president of the island of Taiwan, erroneously called the ROC
1892 -- Alexander Alekhine, chess player and author
1895 -- B. H. Liddell Hart, soldier, historian, and theorist, advocated mobile warfare
1896 -- Ethel Waters, singer and actress
1902 -- Julia Lee, blues singer, songwriter and pianist
1908 -- Muriel Duckworth, feminist, peacenik, activist
1912 -- Dale Evans, singer, songwriter and actress
1922 -- John Baptiste Illinois-Jacquet, saxophonist and composer
1922 -- Norodom Sihanouk, politician, replaced with fascist pig Lon Nol by US for being neutral
1930 -- Booker Ervin, saxophonist
1937 -- Tom Paxton, singer, songwriter and guitarist
1939 -- Ali Farka Toure, singer, songwriter and guitarist
1945 -- Russ Ballard, singer, songwriter and guitarist (Argent)
1961 -- Larry Mullen, Jr., drummer and songwriter
1962 -- Raphael Rabello, guitarist and composer

Died this day in:
1723 -- Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, meh
1879 -- Joseph Hooker, general whose name became a slang term for certain camp followers
1926 -- Harry Houdini, a veritable Houdini
1984 -- Indira Gandhi, politician
1993 -- Federico Fellini, director and screenwriter, easily an 8.5
2000 -- Ring Lardner, Jr., journalist and screenwriter, blacklistee
2008 -- Studs Terkel, historian and author
2013 -- Bobby Parker, singer, songwriter and guitarist

Holidays, Holy Days, Festivals, Feast Days and such:
First day of the Day of the Dead
Samhain
Hop-tu-Naa

So, for music we gots:
The Reuben James
Adolf von Baeyer
Boston Custer
Ethel Waters
Julia Lee
Dale Evans
John Baptiste Illinois-Jacquet
Booker Ervin
Tom Paxton
Ali Farka Toure
Russ Ballard
Larry Mullen Jr.
Raphael Rabello
Joseph Hooker
Bobby Parker

The Reuben James

Adolf von Baeyer

Boston Custer

Ethel Waters

Julia Lee

Dale Evans (heh)

John Baptiste Illinois-Jacquet

Booker Ervin (dada mix???)

Tom Paxton

Ali Farka Toure

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with Ryland Cooder

Russ Ballard

Larry Mullen Jr.

Raphael Rabello

Joseph Hooker

Bobby Parker

Oh yeah, Halloween --

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OK, what's on your minds?

Just for grins:

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Comments

Yep, old Martin nailed those 95 Theses up on the door on this day back in 1517.

So if you'll indulge me, here's that Reformation classic, penned by Luther himself, "A Mighty Fortress." With a tip of the hat to Bisbonian, it's a banjo rendition of what I call the "syncopated" version of the hymn:

[video:https://youtu.be/rUpSpOegx5o]

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enhydra lutris's picture

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Bisbonian's picture

You knew I am a banjo player, but I'll bet you didn't know that I am a recovering Lutheran (Missouri Synod), and that my mother is still a church organist. Nice take on a fine old hymn.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

We'll just say they're extensive. Wink

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Bisbonian's picture

in Grand Forks, ND, I was driving up I-29 near the Minnesota border, and there was a billboard: Welcome to Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes (and 40,000 swamps).

A few miles later, there was another billboard: Within 100 miles of this sign, there are 40,000 Lutherans. Come join us! (and I quickly mentally added, "...in the swamp."

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

like Jerry wants. And then deport the greedy f*cks, starting with his own fine self. This is my "representative" in the state senate. Citing marijuana ‘mess,’ Sen. Mike McGuire opposes California’s faulty Proposition 64

As one of the authors of the landmark medical cannabis law approved last year and scheduled for implementation in 2018, McGuire said he will vote against Proposition 64. He favors legalization, but said the proposed law is coming before the state has a handle on medical cannabis. He also faulted it for allowing marijuana gardens of unlimited size, starting in 2023.

That would “blow the lid off” protections for the small, family pot farmers who make up the backbone of the North Coast industry, McGuire said. The medical cannabis law limits outdoor grows to one acre.

The proposition’s 15 percent sales tax on marijuana will pour hundreds of millions of dollars into a state fund, but includes no direct revenue stream to local government, McGuire said. North Coast cities and counties will be at a disadvantage competing with larger jurisdictions for grants from the fund, he said.

Same as it ever was. Little people get the shaft, albeit medicated, BIG corp. wins. Every fucking time. Aargh! Newsflash: Wine-grapes have already "blown the lid off", there is very little environmental or labor regulation imposed upon the industry around here. It is actively depleting and polluting the watershed and it is not food. Neither is cannabis and they want to do the same again? FTS. Why is non-food considered agriculture? Because money and corrupt politicians say so that's why. Should I vote for this shitty bill? Why?

Peace

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Lookout's picture

grows pot in CA. He is against the bill...claims it sets up corporations to take over production. I guess from his view McGuire is right.

Wow el...what a music selection today. No tricks just treats?

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

Seemed obvious to me that legalization was only being allowed b/c corporate thought they could take over marijuana production

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Parker Go back to Virginia! Feh.
We used to have a really obnoxious saying "Welcome to California, now go home!" How did I get here?

Afro LOVE
So many stoners want me to vote for this bill, I still might. Or abstain, I don't know. Afraid "no" will not send the message I want. Greens say "yes" but why? What is their justification for such a bad piece of legislation sponsored by outside BIG money? Seriously, I view Prop 64, and Prop 8Hate the same. Outsiders begone!

Peace

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enhydra lutris's picture

position that everybody should be allowed to consume pot, sort of like the repeal of prohibition.
Right now, only a few are allowed to legally consume this substance, and there is no legitimate basis for that restriction.

If I read your statements above correctly, small growers currently have a monopoly on providing legal pot. It would appear that you feel that preserving that monopoly is more important than letting everybody consume weed, even though the legal market would then be much greater, and, presumably the current growers could, in addition to their plots of medical pot, also raise large crops of recreational pot. That is all well and good for those growing medical pot and those consuming it, but it pretty much screws everybody else unless they wish to move to Colorado or Amsterdam.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

We had a proposition on the ballot in Ohio last year that was "sponsored" by a consortium of would-be growers. They bankrolled the expenses of circulating the petition and some modest advertising prior to the election.

The bill provided for:

1) medical use;

2) recreational use; and

3) a pretty liberal home-grow provision.

It would have limited the commercial growing to a small, specific geographic area that was already owned by this consortium.

NORML and some other pro-legalization organizations opposed it on grounds that it granted a monopoly.

It failed, and we still have absolutely nothing.

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That was intended to be a 99% snarky question I think. Yet another money trail blog: http://theweedlynews.com/2016/08/28/when-you-follow-the-money/

Notice that familiar, evil face in the left lower corner of the above chart from the Sacramento Bee? Can it be — no, not really? Yes, it’s George Soros, a major shareholder in Monsanto. This chart (thanks, Nathaniel Levine and Jim Miller of the Sacramento Bee!) should put a hole in the boat that Chris Conrad and Bill Panzer are trying to float to “prove” that Ellen Brown’s two-part article about the link between Prop. 64 and Soros and Monsanto is wrong. See WEB OF DEBT BLOG on WordPress.com

I read this other article by Dennis Peron, and he was the guy I supported in my active days when I could tolerate such things. And we got 215 passed, for Compassionate Use: Within Your Own Heart. He is sad, and opposed.

This is how I really feelz: Welcome to Zion, You are Awake Now

[...] So here we are at another government election, full of Matrix style propaganda, the sheep, mostly young rebels, believe they are fighting the war against them by using the limited set of tools they are allowed to use, but not seeing the deeper reality that they are exchanging one form of control, namely prohibition, for another useless form of control, hyper-regulation.

The boot is still on their neck. To be completely free, the Cannabis plant must be treated like a plant, without any penalty or restriction. The Only laws required already exist. If I injure you due to my actions, I need to make you whole. If I steal from you I must be dealt with.

But hyper regulation, controls and taxes on a beneficial plant do nothing to protect my individual rights and freedoms from being trampled by another. They are designed to protect Me from Myself. And until we eliminate that design flaw from this or any future regulation, especially one voted on by the people, we cannot have true personal freedom. [...]

Thanks a lot for the discourse. Wow I do believe it will take me 'til election day to decide all my ballot choices the rabbit holes go on forever. Who has time? Thanks a lot everyone, keep going.

Peace

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enhydra lutris's picture

1) Lotsa wealthy folks gave to support 64
2) Monsanto will come in with GMO pot (And what? Make it mandatory to grow it? They're gonna send out thugs to kneecap people who don't use GMO pot?))

Only one of those statements is known to be true.

It still comes down to people saying that keeping pot illegal for all but a few is preferable to legal pot if the law will eventually allow larger farms and will impose a tax on pot. Sure, it would be fine to just treat pot like barley or oats or something, but, that too allows farms greater than 1 acre. I'm really at a loss to see what the "no on 64" campaign is about, except for those who think it is evil or dangerous.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

enhydra lutris's picture

Q: Should millions of ordinary Californians, not qualifying to use medical marijuana, be allowed to smoke, procure and possess pot, and maybe even grow a little pot for personal use on their premises, without fear of arrest, fines, jail, seizure of property and all that stuff that keeps them from so-doing or makes them paranoid about so doing?

A: Not if the bulk of the profits from legal commercial grows can go to the wrong people.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

small pot farmers will end up facing the exact same problems all other small farmers everywhere face, and most of them will probably lose their farms.

I'm just sayin', the corporations don't suddenly become something other than what they are because it's pot.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

enhydra lutris's picture

"corporate control". It appears that because it permits unlimited size farms in 2023, it is assumed that "corporations", meaning Monsanto or such, will take over and force everybody else out.

Here's the thing - pot is now illegal. Do we keep it that way? Do we hope that if we do, someday there will be a law legalizing it but limiting farms to 1/4 acre? So I form 100 corporations, each a separate legal entity and have each farm 1/4 acre and nothing is accomplished anyway.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

You convinced me.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

31st Rule of Acquisition: don't make fun of a Ferengi's mother.

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There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.

May 27, 1994: Clinton Grants China MFN, Reversing Campaign Pledge

My bold because there is a clue what is coming to rest of world via WTO and their strong arm IMF.
Now TPP attempts to impose some labor and enviro regulation on Asia? LOL twenty years too late!
I heard the Brooklyn Bridge was for sale again, contact your nearest free trader. Probably a Democrat.
China CO2 emission in millions of tonnes

blessed mother earth
Peace & Love

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enhydra lutris's picture

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

May we live to see another.

"At year's end, we counted the number of us left alive, and celebrated our good fortune!"

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DziRyepLpQ0]

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Azazello's picture

I just finished reading Death in the Sahara. It's about the 1881 massacre of a French expedition to Timbuktu. The French wanted to build a Trans-Saharan Railway but the Tuareg wouldn't co-operate.

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We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.

enhydra lutris's picture

a socio-economic & political perspective.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

skod's picture

web site to reconfirm that my voter registration status had not been changed. And indeed, it had not: I was still registered Green. But one very worthwhile additional bit of information had been added:

Your county accepted your ballot, and it will be counted.

And there you have it. My vote, and my wife's vote as well since I checked for her, have been logged as "received" by the SOS after we dropped them off at the box at the Parker cop shop last week. That's all that can be done now- it is in the hands of the counting machines. And that also means that the SOS will have realtime stats of how many registered r's, d's, Greens, and independents have voted, even if not _how_ they voted (since they count all at once on election day).

Wonder if they'll ever release those early vote numbers? It's a mystery...

One last time, as we come into this last week: check your status before you go to your polling place, just to make sure that there are no surprises. In most states, that will be the Secretary of State web site- but there are also national resources to check, such as http://www.canivote.org/ , https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote , https://www.rockthevote.com , and no doubt others. Get informed, get prepared, and then go do it (if you haven't already). If a problem arises, you may still be able to fix it if you check now. That can't be overemphasized.

Check early, check often. As Heinlein's character Lazarus Long said: "Certainly the game is rigged. But don't let that stop you- if you don't bet, you can't win!".

And I'll close with a little slammin' Pete Townshend from White City, with Simon Phillips working up a righteous sweat, just because.

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enhydra lutris's picture

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

skod's picture

Tony Levin and Liquid Tension Experiment doing a version of "Rhapsody in Blue" that I had not encountered before.... More and different things to do with a Chapman Stick. Jordan Rudess, Mike Portnoy, and John Petrucci from Dream Theater complete the lineup.

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enhydra lutris's picture

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Shahryar's picture

Bobby Parker! This is supposedly the source for the John Lennon riff in I Feel Fine. Sure sounds like Bobby liked Ray Charles.

and one that Russ Ballard played on. He wasn't in the actual group at the time...but later joined!

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enhydra lutris's picture

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

enhydra lutris's picture

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

skod's picture

Rhapsody done by Ambiance, the 1986 Sweet Adelines International Quartet Champions (the 1986 Queens of Harmony, thus the Shiny Hats). This'll let me do a tip of the hat to my wife, who is currently in recovery after a 20+ year career in the Sweet Adelines, and getting back to singing rock and jazz... It is unfortunately a flawed dub of an old tape, with some dropouts and other annoyances, but it is still amazing what you can do with 4 voices and bad intentions!

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enhydra lutris's picture

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Raggedy Ann's picture

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GOOD FRIEND! Drinks

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

divineorder's picture

across these guys and had a laugh.

IMG_4594 (800x533).jpg

Happy Halloween Smile

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A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

enhydra lutris's picture

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --