Open Thread - Tuesday, October 11, 2016

open thread.jpg

After taking a short hiatus from posting, like a bad penny, I am back. This election season has really stressed me out because it is simply apocalyptic in that we have no palatable choice before us from either of the two major parties. While my vote will be cast outside of the duopoly, I am realistic enough to recognize that my vote will not be for whomever ultimately becomes the next President.

As a result, I have been spending more time off line, some of which has been trying to get into better physical condition and some of which is entertaining out of town company. It is a beautiful time of year here in western North Carolina. While the trees have not changed here in town, leaf peepers are already visiting the area. This is good for the local economy as there is very little industry in this town outside of tourism and the arts.

I walk nearly every morning with a neighbor who lives around the corner from me. On our walks we have seen the good and the bad. There are a lot of sidewalks here which makes it easy to walk safely. There is even a bike/walking path that connects the downtown with the Pisgah National Forest.

The city just finished installing a sidewalk that connects the downtown with the Brevard Music Center. We now have added a route that takes us to the Music Center and through a portion of the campus. It is one of my favorite routes because it is so beautiful.

The Brevard Music Center is an internationally recognized music camp that runs for seven weeks each summer, attracting students from all over the world. Every student who attends the music camp is a prodigy. The students and some faculty live in rustic cabins on the campus site. The artistic director of the Brevard Music Center is Keith Lockhart, who is an alumnus of the music camp.

Performances are held in a 1,800 seat ampitheater on the site. There is also additional seating on the lawn outside the ampitheater. Most major artists sell out with attendees coming from all over the region. Internationally acclaimed artists, such as Yo Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman come here to perform. There are also opera performances and other non-classical artists such as Amy Grant and banjoists Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn.

During the rest of the year, a portion of the campus is occupied by Mountain Sun Montessorie school. Other parts of the campus are rented out for other events, most notably the Mountain Song Festival which was founded by the Steep Canyon Rangers as a fund raiser for the local boys and girls clubs. Performers are well known bluegrass artists in addition to the Steep Canyon Rangers. And Steve Martin has often sat in with them in the past. The late mother of Woody Platt (lead singer and guitarist for the Steep Canyon Rangers) was the major force in establishing the local boys and girls clubs. Three of the six members of the Steep Canyon Rangers are from Brevard.

A couple of songs for your listening pleasure. First the Steep Canyon Rangers jamming with the legendary Jerry Douglas on dobro from this year's Mountain Song Festival..

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t07OqV4r_8o]

And then I came across this video of the Steep Canyon Rangers at another festival featuring the incomparable Bela Fleck on the banjo. As a bonus, they were planning one of my favorite Rangers' songs, Knob Creek written by Mike Giuggino, the mandolin player.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND471WriSto]

Finally the Steep Canyon Rangers playing again with Jerry Douglas in Asheville last year. The song is Daimonds in the Dust.

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

This is an Open Thread, so feel free to post whatever is on your mind this morning. I will be on my morning walk but will check back later this morning to see what you have to say.

Share
up
0 users have voted.

Comments

Mr is up north closing up the lake house for the winter. I am making great progress cleaning out my clothes closet. I can't believe how merciless I was. It is practically empty. When cooking and questioning quantity to cook, we have a saying in our house that we use as we throw extra into the pot. "Throw it away cooked, throw it away raw." Well that is exactly what I held in mind as I kept stuffing clothes into the goodwill bag.

Glad you got some time off and are back to AM OT. Enjoy your walk. You are an inspiration to us all. I picked up my new walking shoes and plan to join you hopefully next week. I wish I meant that literally.

up
0 users have voted.

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

gulfgal98's picture

When I retired, I got rid of nearly all my work clothes, including all my suits. My closest friend was still working and she wore about the same size, so she got a lot of my clothes. The rest I donated. My closet is still groaning from overload though. I still have hung to clothing from my running days when I was much thinner. I will never run again nor do I want to be that thin, so I need to let them go. We have a wonderful place here in town where I can donate them for a good cause. It is definitely time to let go. It is funny how hard it is to start cleaning out and then once you get going, it is almost addictive. Good for you, dk! Good

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Shahryar's picture

Don't wear suits often but thinking about my closet reminds me I've got a few. Better wear them before the moths get 'em.

up
0 users have voted.

at the l.l. Bean pavillion10 yrs. ago. Everyone expected bluegrass and he came out with his space jam/jazz set. WOW! Can that man Play!?! He lost half the crowd, though. Me and my buddy laughed cause we had been stuck either off to the side, or all the way in back. Crowd left, we had center aisle,five rows back. Beautiful!
Welcome back, GREAT Music, gg. Thanks.

peace

up
0 users have voted.

Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .

Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .

If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march

lotlizard's picture

at Madison Square Garden, which experience led him to write the song “Garden Party” (lyric: If memories are all I sang I’d rather drive a truck).

Artists always risk disappointing their fans when they choose to evolve and change.

up
0 users have voted.
gulfgal98's picture

He can go classical too. I bet you saw him playing with the Flecktones. It is a totally different sound which is awesome.

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Bisbonian's picture

up
0 users have voted.

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

WaterLily's picture

Great post.

I feel just as you do, and have been trying to spend quality time offline. Yesterday, a blazingly sunny, crisp day in Burlington, I intentionally spent the day outside installing two new rhododendrun bushes (to replace a giant cedar tree that fell apart in a wind storm and needed to be removed) and cleaning up my (first ever!) vegetable garden. We had our first frost advisory last night, so I wanted to be sure I harvested as much as I could. As a result, I'm trying a new experiment: ripening a huge bunch of green tomatoes in cardboard boxes. Should be interesting!

Also got a garlic crop planted.

I really love this gardening thing. Makes me wish I could work less, in order to "homestead" more.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a good, sane Tuesday.

(Is hecate on vacation?)

up
0 users have voted.
gulfgal98's picture

You are very fortunate to have space for a vegetable garden. I hope you are enjoying the fruits and veggies of your labor!

We have so many trees around us, many of which are not on our property, so we do not get enough continuous sunlight for growing veggies. I have a small plot next to the carport where I have some herbs and peppers in pots. But that is about it.

The last two mornings here have been in the upper 30's, but then after the morning fog burns off, the days are still in the upper 60's and even lower 70's. Beautiful time of year. Smile

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

GreatLakeSailor's picture

The last two mornings here have been in the upper 30's...

We're in southeastern Wisconsin and the lowest we've had is about 57. We are close to Lake Michigan - cooler by the lake (summer)/warmer by the lake (winter). What's the elevation there?

up
0 users have voted.

Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.

gulfgal98's picture

of the mountains here. Often at this time of year it will be cooler in town than up on the surrounding mountains. We have been getting a heavy early morning fog on days like today which makes it feel a lot cooler too. Our elevation in town is 2200 feet.

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

GreatLakeSailor's picture

Combining elevation and the Lake makes sense.

up
0 users have voted.

Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.

In with them, something about the offgases interact to help ripen them quicker. We do it with pears, kiwi and tomatoes. Works great. Don't do them all at once though!

up
0 users have voted.

Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .

Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .

If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march

ginseng in nearby woods this AM. After reading "Prodigal Spring", which was centered in your part of the country, I do the right thing and pull the leaves off and plant the berries so patches of ginseng will be replenished. I also might happen along a hen of the woods mushroom - that would be nice. Is pretty dry here in SE IL. so I probably won't find any. Yesterday, I didn't have any ticks crawling on me so a trip to the woods will be most pleasant. The dogs love the outing and are so excited when they figure out where I am heading - they can go anytime but don't go into the woods alone - afraid of cayotes, I suppose. Leaves here are just barely starting to turn - my garden is finished except for some late zucchini. I tell myself no need to get busy with washing windows as the crops are still out and it is too dusty. Looking forward to the day as I hope you are as well.

up
0 users have voted.
kharma's picture

I watch this show called "Appalachian Outlaws" and it's about Ginseng and shroom hunters. Interesting show.

up
0 users have voted.

There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties.. This...is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.--John Adams

GreatLakeSailor's picture

I was talking to a friend that grew up in northern Wisconsin. We were talking mushrooms. I had "my kind" and she had "her kind". Then a quick check of the google machine it turns out we were talking about the same ones.

You (and the google): hen-of-the-woods
Her (and the google): ram's head
Me (and not the google): cauliflower mushroom

up
0 users have voted.

Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.

gulfgal98's picture

We have a neighbor who is a real mushroom expert who has cooked them for us in the past. Very good. I am not sure I would trust my own judgment as to whether or not a mushroom is edible.

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

GreatLakeSailor's picture

The rule is: Only eat the mushrooms you know.

To the best of my knowledge the most poisonous 'shrooms in my neck of the woods that could conceivably be mistaken for another, edible one will give you gastrointestinal distress. If you eat enough of them, you might end up in the hospital due to dehydration, but they ain't gonna kill you.

Shaggy Manes (Coprinus comatus - do NOT drink beer/alcohol when eating shaggies!!), Fairy-Rings (Marasmius Oreades), Morrels, Sulfur Shelves (chicken-of-the-woods?), Puff Balls, Cauliflower are all very easy to recognize.

up
0 users have voted.

Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.

When I lived in VT in the 70's the only time we locked our car doors was in late zucchini season. If you forgot, you would find a grocery bag full of whale zukes waiting for you upon your return.

Vermont, just might have to go back and finish out my time there. I loved the place!

up
0 users have voted.

Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all."
- John Maynard Keynes

gulfgal98's picture

Many years ago, my husband planted zucchini and squash and we were eating that stuff every night. I never fixed squash in so many ways. Finally, one day, I went on a squash strike because I was sick of eating it. He never got tired of it. I swear zucchini can grow a foot in one day too! Biggrin

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

shaharazade's picture

as I have a small yard which it basically ate. Once you pick early tender zucchinis you end up with a vine from hell and squash that quickly turn into elongated football sized fruit and then on to zeppelin's. This year I tried planting patty pan summer squash in big pots but due to the freaky growing/planting season they did not take off and produce any thing but pretty blossoms. I also as a late spring after thought planted butternut squash plant in the veggie beds back corner at the base of a bamboo trellis I leaned on the back fence. It's a thing of beauty and has gorgeous big winter squash that are almost ripe. I cook a lot of dishes and soups using butternut squash. Winter squash keeps pretty well after you pick them.

up
0 users have voted.

squash is so good - didn't get any planted this year and miss not having it. Will be getting mine at the store for some soup. Yum.

up
0 users have voted.
lotlizard's picture

Invasion of the Bodysnatchers !!

up
0 users have voted.

Look at the time and placement of your OT. Weird. The scheduler?

up
0 users have voted.

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

gulfgal98's picture

I did not use the scheduler this morning, but prepped this yesterday and held it as a draft. I overslept this morning and barely made it in time to meet my walking partner, so I did not notice that when I hit "publish," it must have used the time of my last update as the publish time. Hmmm... I wonder if I unpublish and then re-publish, would that help or will we lose the comments already made?

This is exactly what happens when JtC lets a totally untechnical person (me) play with publishing here. LOL Blush

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

not your fault.

Sometimes when an essay is published as a draft it posts with the date that it was created. It's not supposed to do that but still does it occasionally. Anywho, I changed the date for you and got it to the top of the CC list.

up
0 users have voted.
gulfgal98's picture

I was afraid to unpublish for fear I would lose the comment already made here. It was in the right hand sidebar, so I figured I would leave well enough alone. Thank you again. You are the best! Good

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Since it is pinned, it probably doesn't matter. It was just strange, and me who notices nothing happened to see it.

up
0 users have voted.

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

lotlizard's picture

For me the timestamp is showing as 3:07 am Wednesday, October 12th, Central European Summer Time.

up
0 users have voted.
k9disc's picture

up
0 users have voted.

“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

gulfgal98's picture

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

k9disc's picture

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS5P_LAqiVg

Completely amazing. Especially if you dig 80s culture and film.

It's only a 1/2 hour, so check it out.

up
0 users have voted.

“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

skod's picture

I present Oingo Boingo and "Only a Lad". I need something uptempo this morning, after my rehearsal last night ran several hours longer than planned (sorting out new horn charts always makes for a long night for the drummer). And this election season has put a little more edge on me than any level with which I'm altogether comfortable.

It's definitely not Bela Fleck... Oh, well: go get 'em, Danny!

up
0 users have voted.

up
0 users have voted.
Hillbilly Dem's picture

and raise you a tune from a Danny Elfman score:

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyCDLW7n53A]

up
0 users have voted.

"Just call me Hillbilly Dem(exit)."
-H/T to Wavey Davey

skod's picture

has been nothing short of stellar, for sure: http://www.ranker.com/list/danny-elfman-movie-soundtracks-and-film-score... .

You can always recognize his work within the first 16 or so bars: he has this selection of bass figures that always seem to appear, while always still sounding fresh. John Williams with an edge on!

up
0 users have voted.
shaharazade's picture

and raise you a Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo

Featuring Danny Elfman as Satan.

up
0 users have voted.

Thought I could just "ignore" it. Only way to avoid it is to stay away from most of the people I know. The arguments get fierce, so unproductive. Accepting there is nothing we can do, makes me feel even worse.
I'm 71 years young - and this is the worst I've ever felt about the state of our world. Especially what the USA is doing to world.
The wikileaks emails, the scheming, conniving, how people have been used, all for the political position of one person. Lying about everything, and getting a pass on everything she has ever said or done.

Also find it sickening, how much worse I think Her Heinious is than Trump.

Hoping Alligator Ed is correct, only hopeful thought!

up
0 users have voted.

yea its messed up, both these candidates are atrocious

I agree Her Heinous is worse because with her, we don't even know how far the rabbit hole goes. Every day we learn more and more about her secretive lies. Every day we learn more and more about how disgusting her actual thoughts and opinions are of working class Americans, including black and brown people that she uses for her selfish greed. Don't be fooled, she has nothing but contempt for black and brown people. she sees them as sheep that she can use and manipulate for votes. Everything she says in speeches and on the campaign trail is written by her 900+ campaign staff. Whenever they catch her at a fundraiser, talking crap about millenials and Bernie supporters-those are actually her real thoughts and not written speeches.

That's why we are voting for Jill

up
0 users have voted.
riverlover's picture

Strange to wake up to. Late wakeup after going back to bed about the time the sky was brightening.

up
0 users have voted.

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Cachola's picture

And adoring fans are being treated by the media to slide shows of the loving couple. Prominent is a photo of the middle aged pair in bathing suits. I remember that photo well. It is from a staged photo op when the Clintons were trying to tamp down the vast right wing conspiracy instigated allegations that the president was having his knob polished by an intern and he was finding new uses for tobacco. Awwwwww

up
0 users have voted.

Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur.

lotlizard's picture

Back at the end of February when Gabbard resigned from the DNC to go work for Bernie:
http://pic.twitter.com/Yq3F6epZOq

— via JackPine Radicals
http://jackpineradicals.com/boards/topic/tulsi-gabbard-strongarmed-by-cl...

up
0 users have voted.
lotlizard's picture

Acting head of the Democratic National Committee Donna Brazile said Sunday that she urged every DNC employee not to read the hacked Hillary Clinton campaign emails released by WikiLeaks Friday, because they were “postmarked from Russia.”

Wow, talk about doin’ the old Joe McCarthy tapdance . . . or was that soft-shoe?

up
0 users have voted.
flowerfarmer's picture

How frightened are they that we peons will finally wake up!

Gonna tweet the hell out of this embarrassing vid!

up
0 users have voted.

Donna Brazile, Debra Wasserman Schultz, these DNC "leaders" are the shadiest, most scheming, dirty liars and crooks. They are so scared of Americans reading the leaked emails and learning the truth, that they are blaming the whole thing on "Russian hackers" in an attempt to discredit the information. The Hillary Machine pays the mainsteam media (CNN, Fox, MSNBC, HuffPost) to spin these lies. "Russian hackers" yea right. FBI themselves said it is unlikely to be Russian Hackers. DNC is scared and they will keep on lying to keep their power.

Jill Stein for President!

up
0 users have voted.
mimi's picture

up
0 users have voted.
riverlover's picture

Look, and you shall see. And I have antivirus scans running before opening, no problemo.

up
0 users have voted.

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Alligator Ed's picture

Yeah, Donna, you have raised the standard of denying evidence because "it is postmarked from Russia". How the Hell does she know that? Nobody has yet proven it, including the multitudinous "security agencies".

Then, fact-twister Brazile goes on with a classic combination non-sequitur and lie: HRC did not release her Wall Street speeches because Trump didn't reveal his taxes. How are these things equivalent? Furthermore the speech-release demands were initially raised by Bernie in late 2015.

up
0 users have voted.

daily because the DNC is venal daily.

I will be looking to see if any of our "free press" calls out Brazile for this misrepresentation and overt bullying.

up
0 users have voted.

"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

shaharazade's picture

don't open them there pure evil, says this Democratic hack. Postmarked from Russia? lol. So surreal. I don't know how anyone can believe any of this is real. This election is nothing but divide and conquer and the crazy part is it's working.

up
0 users have voted.
riverlover's picture

NYT is reporting that early voting (?) may decise the election before Voting day. SO those who can, vote now.

up
0 users have voted.

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

gulfgal98's picture

The same old establishment shit in a more sophisticated looking package. These people are so entitled.

If Donna really thinks that the Russian are the real problem here, then I have a bridge I want to sell her.

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

MsGrin's picture

up
0 users have voted.

'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member

The purple haired lady says nothing about whether the content is true or not, because we know it is.
But she's worried about the source...

Funniest one so far, Podesta telling the team NOT to press for Bernie medical records - uz of course they can't release the one's Alligator Ed wants to read Smile

up
0 users have voted.

because she actually supports working-class people and the policies that will help us, rather than those at the top

Trump and Hillary are both part of the super-rich club, and are both going to support policies that help their super-rich friends. Hillary just has 900+ campaign staffers that she pays to come up with ways to brainwash Americans into thinking she will help them, and convincing people to vote for her, against their own interests

up
0 users have voted.
Lily O Lady's picture

widened so much that they cannot imagine what our lives are really like. That doesn't stop them from telling us what to think and how to behave. The arrogance of the 1% is stupefying and they are so closed minded that they'll never understand how truly ignorant of our lives they are.

up
0 users have voted.

"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

you must be, or have been, because poverty is equated with moral laxity. (I think that's the way the Wealthers put it.)

up
0 users have voted.

"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

gulfgal98's picture

The meritocracy believes themselves above the rest of us due to their own moral superiority (in their own minds only).

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

he was selling was so much snake oil...Now the sophisticates are just so many Rev. Ikes except that Ike wasn't condescending in his scam like the Clintons and those they front for.

up
0 users have voted.

"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

gulfgal98's picture

I am dating myself here, but I do remember him. He was the first public purveyor of trickle down economics. Wink

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

lotlizard's picture

With the rigged Democratic primary, I’m not sure what people got for their $27. A “prayer provisional ballot,” maybe.

up
0 users have voted.
shaharazade's picture

do not want people to read the Wikileak speeches. Look a racist p##*y grabbing woman hater may win if you don't support a racist, warmongering, austerity loving female psycho who has no love or compassion for women, children aor any humans. It's worth it whatever it takes says Killary from the church of The Family. It's really tearing all people apart and playing on fear and hate.

Don't read them say the Democratic established powers that be. You might figure out what she and the Dems. are really about. If you do read them your aiding and abetting both the Russians and the racist, misogynist pig and that would be a crime against the 1% global state. If fear is your only motivation for voting why vote for The Mad Bomber or the abomination of The Hairball?

Either way you vote your going to get bloody endless global war against terra along with the racist police Stasi state and austerity for the losers in their sick Brave New World. Read the Democratic damn e-mails and weep because it's good to know what your giving your consent to.

up
0 users have voted.
gulfgal98's picture

for the Democratic party to implode and take the Clintons and all their Turd Way sycophants with them. They cannot be gone soon enough.

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Azazello's picture

up
0 users have voted.

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

ggersh's picture

I saw this comment over at NC and since I couldn't state it any better

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2016/10/links-101116.html

Katniss Everdeen
October 11, 2016 at 10:00 am

It’s high time we stop calling these headlines “stupid” and start calling them what they are–OMINOUS–as David Stockman does in the link above.

There is a reason the stalwarts of america–media, fbi, “intelligence” community, doj, congress, the “supreme” court and even the executive branch–have blatantly abandoned any shred of integrity and credibility they had left in the desperate attempt to install the nakedly corrupt and dishonest clinton into the presidency.

And it should scare the shit out of every citizen of the planet.

But on a lighter note it's been a beautiful autumn here in Chicago so far, with just some minor changes in the color of the leaves. Autumn has always been my favorite season.

up
0 users have voted.

I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

skod's picture

and I see that I am indeed still registered as Green here in Colorado, and that my county will be mailing my ballot to me on 10/17/16. So I haven't been purged as punishment for my #DemExit (yet, anyway). I'll recheck next Monday, and then again the Monday after that (although by then I will have voted, assuming that the USPS doesn't somehow lose my ballot).

I'd highly recommend that everyone else recheck their status as well, since this election cycle has already featured its share of caging, purges, and other blatant mockeries-of-the-system. There will be more: you can count upon it.

http://www.canivote.org/ , https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/ , https://www.pollvault.com/ , and others can be used to help, if you can't find the information at the Secretary of State web site for your state. Please do this, so that you aren't surprised on November 8th. We've already seen purges happen *to people who are active here on this site*, and it is relatively easy to check in most states: it should be a trivial effort. Forewarned is forearmed!

up
0 users have voted.
thanatokephaloides's picture

(although by then I will have voted, assuming that the USPS doesn't somehow lose my ballot)

In Colorado, Counties are required to maintain secure ballot drop boxes for the mail ballots. I use mine in El Paso County (there are 10 locations IIRC), and I strongly recommend you use yours for this exact reason.

Smile

up
0 users have voted.

"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

skod's picture

at the dropbox in person. Used to do it at the Douglas Country building in Castle Rock, but now do it at the Parker police station dropbox, unless I have to go south for some other reason.

The "USPS losing my ballot" issue I mentioned was in getting the ballot to me initially, not in getting it back to the county folk once executed...

So, T: whaddaya think? Turnout over 50% or under 50% here in CO? I'm thinking that it'll barely break 40% nationally...

Breaking out the tinfoil here, but I can't help it. With all of the MSM polls dutifully reporting that Stein is barely at 2%, the media and their corporate masters have beautifully set up expectations just right to cover up a _massive_ national theft of Green votes, haven't they? I know that among my fellow #DemExit people, and my old Sanders supporter buddies, there'll be a lot of stink raised if she somehow only gets 1.5% or something. She ought to be much closer to parity to Johnson... Too bad that there'll be no exit polling to compare to.

up
0 users have voted.
thanatokephaloides's picture

So, T: whaddaya think? Turnout over 50% or under 50% here in CO? I'm thinking that it'll barely break 40% nationally...

I think we'll break over 50%. Mail balloting being available to everyone helps -- a lot. Disabled people like me get to vote, reliably. That wasn't available before universal mail balloting. I remember the first couple of elections I voted in after my knees went; it was a genuine pain in the ass. (And the knees.) Mailed ballots are much easier for me.

Smile

up
0 users have voted.

"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

shaharazade's picture

I'm also having a hard time spending much time online as it's really depressing and frightening to boot. It's not just the electoral politics it's whats going on in the world behind the smokescreen of this wrestlin' match. None of the establishment politicians including Bernie or my so called progressive Dem. senator Merkley are pushing back on the empires war on terra or the global fascistic takeover by the 1% owners of the place.

It's alarming to watch people I know respect and like a lot falling for this insane story line and spreading fear and loathing all over the place. It's painful for all people of good spirit to witness. Symbolic false identity politics seems to be all that's left after the duopolies assault on reason and humanism. The net is painful as it's all binary. People are freaked out and in denial.

Two old friend of ours from college/hippie days got into a debate on fb. about who Trump was more like, Putin or Kim Jong Un. Jeez is just crazy time. Eek a mouse! When did the Clinton's become champions of poc, women, children, justice or the common good. Peace? Lordy what is wrong with people who still think it's a Red vs.Blue world.

Do they really believe that the Democrats are more socially liberal or progressive? Ruth Bader Ginsberg with her admonishments about athlete's protesting killer cops? Of course they should not be arrested. What a weird scary thing for a 'liberal' justice to say. Cat Food Commission is making a comeback and Donna Brazille say don't open the wikileaks as you might just learn something.

I'm trying to lay low and stay off the net. It's hard as I'm a hard core political junkie. Thanks you gulfgal for the sane OT. Everyone have a good day and maybe follow GG's example and take a walk. I'm going to harvest the last of my garden. Green beans, heirloom tomatoes, broccoli, kale and one lonely red cabbage are calling me out to play on this sunny cold day. Maybe I'll plant some winter food like winter greens bok choy, overwintering cauliflower and leeks.

The plants do not argue lesser evils. They silently cry for relief from the evils that are being perpetuated by global warming and the Monsanto style bombardment of chemicals and Frankenscience. On this cheerful note I am getting off but wish you all a good day. See you guys on Thursday.

up
0 users have voted.
gulfgal98's picture

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy