Dopes

Who are the dopes? Is it Canada and Mexico? Or is it the United States? In the very near future Canada will no longer have a prohibition on Pot. This could happen by 2018. Mexico is moving in that direction too. In late 2016 medical marijuana was approved for license and sale. And here we are in the United States a pickle in the middle. How can we a citizens continue to criminalize pot when our neighbors are realizing only criminals make pot criminal. Canada and Mexico will put a hurt on drug cartels when pot is legal. The U.S. looses as we remain a haven for criminal activity, mainly the gangs that shoot up our cities.

The prospect of stoner’s overrunning society is unfounded. Does the U.S. needlessly prohibit pot to protect citizens from ourselves? Or is the prohibition here to protect liquor interest? To protect pharmaceutical interest? To inflict punishment on certain groups in our society?

One day in the future the United States will wake up to an economic reality. The Wall that Trump promised will be nothing more than a sieve for drug travelers to Mexico. The open border with Canada will be like a freeway as vacation travel from the plains states and rust belt spurs pot commerce. The West Coast and the few states to legalize pot will prove that people left to their own will behave rationally.  We are surely the dope when we let our leadership tell us otherwise.

Blinded by Bright Lights

This post is a song inspired by Weird Al Yankovich. We all grew up with his humor. The song is sung to the tune. “I want to see the bright lights tonight” by Richard Thompson

 

I categorically do not support Donald Trump. 

words by the author of this blog and R.T. rights reserved. Open source ok

Blinded by Bright Lights

I’m so tired of hearing about Donald Trump all day

The media stupidly reports everything he says

If you got half a mind mister you’ll do all right

Donald Trump is blinding me with his bright lights

 

There’s crazy Trump supporters running all over town

Now their armed and dangerous marching up and down

The GOP has shredded and it ain’t tight

Trump is blinding me with his bright lights

 

Refrain

Meet me at the station don’t be late

I need to go to Cleveland and Demonstrate

Trump is a fraud and weak man, by all rights

He’s got his patsy’s blinding us with them bright lights

 

A couple of drunken Hicks rolling on the floor

Is just the kind of mess Trump is spoiling for

Those white boys are all itching for a fight

Trump is blinding all of them with his bright lights

 

Meet me at the station don’t be late

I need to go to Cleveland and Demonstrate

Trump is a fraud and weak man, by all rights

He’s got his patsy’s blinding us with them bright lights

 

Trump is a fraud and weak man, by all rights

He’s got his patsy’s blinding us with them bright lights

• Hope Hicks is Donald Trumps spokeswoman. Referenced here as Hicks a play on words for  Trump supporters

“What he thinks, What he says”

What he thinks and what he says is a curiosity for many doubters of Donald Trump. The true believer may consider the mind of Donald Trump to be sound but then consider the following satire. As a believer anything coming from this man just sets you on fire. Yes, the angrier the better of course. So where does Donald Trump come up with his precious simple message? Let’s take a look into the mind of Donald Trump and his beloved rhetoric.

This piece is an assemblage of quotes “What he thinks,” from “Naked Lunch” by William Burroughs and the assemblage of quotes “What he says,” by Donald Trump as reported by Noah Bierman of Tribune Washington Bureau. March 14, 2016 Text reference Noah Bierman

What he thinks: Referring to his claim of protesters he contends are linked to Bernie Sanders and suggest his supporters would be judged differently.”These citizens have engaged the services of a Brooklyn Jew who passes himself off as the second coming of Mohammed.”

What he says:  “You go to one of these rallies? “Oh, you’ll be in trouble, They’ll lock you up for the rest of your life. They’ll give you the electric chair.”

What he thinks: Referring again to protesters at his rallies. “I recall we was doing an Impersonation Act–very high class too in Sodom, and that is one cheap town…Strictly from hunger… Well, this citizen, this fucking Philistine wandered in from Podunk Baal or some place, called me a fucking fruit right on the floor.”

What he says:  “Sometimes we talk a little tough, When I see somebody out swinging his fists, I say,’Get’em the hell out of here.” We’re a little rough.”

What he thinks:  Referring to John Kasich assertion that he was not watching Trump’ rallies or news coverage of them. “Oh Christ what a scene is this! Can tongue or pen accommodate these scandals?”

What he says:  “I don’t want a guy that watches the Golf Channel and nothing else.”

What he thinks: Referring to unverified news sources when he repeated that a man who rushed the stage at one of his events in Ohio had ties to the Islamic State militants.”A beastly young hooligan has gouged out the eye of his confrere and fuck him in the brain. “This brain atrophy already, and dry as grandmother’s c..t.” PC police…

What he says: “All I know is what’s on the Internet”

What he thinks: Referring to his justification that he would pay legal fees for supporters who roughed up protesters. “A contingent of howling simopaths swing from chandeliers, balconies and trees, shitting and pissing on passers-by. ( A simopath-technical name for this disorder escapes me-is a citizen convinced he is an ape or other simian. It is a disorder peculiar to the army, and discharge cures it.)”

What he says: “If you get hit in the face with a tomato, let me tell you, with somebody with a strong arm, at least, let me tell you, it can be very damaging.”

What he thinks: Referring to a supporter who wore a homemade T-shirt that read “legal immigrants for Trump.” Trump invited the man to join him on stage. Then he pointed to the Secret Service officers who were guarding him. “What a boy hasta put up with in this business, Gawd! The propositions I get you wouldn’t believe it…They wanta play Latah, they wanta merge with my protoplasm, they wanta replica cutting, they wanta suck my orgones, they wanta take over my past experience and leave old memories that disgust me….”

What he says: “He knows if he makes a move, he’s going to get clobbered by these guys. Did you see these guys take the guy down yesterday? Man, they took him down.”

 

 

 

 

Once Upon a Time

Like once upon a time there was this place called main street. On it were shops and crowds of shoppers. People want to bring it back. Hollywood could reproduce main street like right now down to the last crack in the sidewalk. Because main street is fictional it hasn’t existed for 50 years and it isn’t coming  back. We got malls to replace main street. Oh and they aren’t doing so well either. People know things are real bad in this country. Ask me.

Dude says he can make America Great again. I haven’t met someone who knows how that is going to happen. It’s like saying. Dude, I’m bringing back main street. It’s going to be spectacular. I bet. I can picture it now. A few more Detroit’s and Gary’s. The dude has been yanking your chain. Angry are we? So if so, don’t you know, it’s a long time coming. And a long time maybe, if never, before some dude could ever sway the U.S. Government from the office of the presidency to do the shit that the dude says he will do. If it came to pass that any of the shit even remotely promised comes to the eyes and ears of the people the dude will find himself behind bars. Do you think that it is prudent for you to vote to put the dude in the white house? Put another way. Do you want to be an asshole? The dude has called many people just that. Assholes. Agreeing with the dude is your choice, a bad choice. The dude is lying like a steaming turd just ready to imbed his stinking shit into your soul. Or at least the soul of your shoe.

Judgements are standard fair on the right wing circuit. Alex Jones for one has a loud mouth spewing more vitriol per second than I believe possible. You got to watch a few minutes so you can judge for yourself the blather people are hearing on the right. Scary shit. Conspiracy shit. Rumors start somewhere. We have heard more hate from the dude than anyone person in an English speaking country. Maybe Hitler spoke with the same rhetoric? I don’t know. I can’t read or speak German. About that conspiracy theory. The dude is a shill for the Vice-Presidential candidate of his choice. Could it be his wife Melania? Then when he falls ill. She takes over the office only to be usurped by the speaker of the house. I like it. Believe it because you read it here.

Ron the Wino or Donald Trump 5 questions

What we know about Donald Trump, Presidential Candidate, is pretty much what he wants us to know. So why do so many people like Trump if all they know is the press coverage? What is it about HIM that he can count on those people who might vote for Trump to actually like HIM without knowing him. These five questions attempt to challenge your Trump knowledge to answer  based on what you know about Trump. To keep you guessing I want to introduce someone I know, a Wino called “Ron”, who is in his own way a lot like HIM. Can you guess who it is Don or Ron?

1. When he walks into a bank the people call him by his first name?

2. He has a driver take him wherever he wants to go in the city?

3. Prefers younger women?

4. Bully’s his rivals in negotiations?

5. Privately disdains anyone other than whites?

Here’s your answers. All of the above are Ron the Wino. And if you think voting for Trump is better than voting for Ron the Wino you don’t know Ron. Either way you loose.

The Third Way

The last week of March 2015 in the United States of America could be a scene from a movie called the “Rebirth of a Nation” for one Indiana Governor. The citizens of the state of Indiana were divided by legislatures and their fundamentalist bed partners with passage of a bigoted Religious Freedom Restoration Act. In doing so the best and worse intentions are playing out as April 2015 kicks off over the fight for the base Republican vote.  One week in the spotlight of social media both business and politics have wielded on one another, the center of outrage in the stomach churning events of the RFRA bill,  is the Governor of Indiana Mike Pence. Public appearances by the Governor in the week behind us have been cringe worthy. This is a man who cannot see there is a third way to resolution for many people. Mr. Pence may see only two options in that his own religious beliefs have instilled. Option one is to convert others to your beliefs. Option two is to put a bullet into your own head Mr. Pence if you can’t convert the heathens. Mr. Pence there is a third way. Option three is to not judge where it is no crime to love and no time to hate.  When will reflection enter the mind and soul for Pence as he has called out to Hoosiers and the nation for healing? He has failed the fundamentalist brethren whose ideology is at the heart of his beliefs. He has failed in his job while standing up for his beliefs and betrayed the citizens of Indiana and our nation. Mr. Pence is hurting right now. He is no doubt praying.

The public image of Mr. Pence is captured in many news worthy appearances and has dumbfounded reason as he brought disdain upon himself. One video clip is disturbing in that Mr. Pence is breathing heavily for many seconds before he makes his verbal address. The sound of his breaths are much like gasp of a dying man. The politics this man suffers is at the core of his beliefs and is reaching out more than his advisers and the public know. Mortal men as we are Pence is near the edge of mental instability. He has been called out for his capacity to govern. Maybe it is time to look at the third way Mr. Pence. Option one is no longer an option, you have not made any converts and Option two would be such a waste since your religion does not accept suicide and make martyrs saints. The third way is for Mr. Pence to step down and relinquish his elected office and get mental health care.  Call it being re-born again Mr. Pence and do it this time in the name of the Lord in the name of Love.

BooM and BusT

Read this passage in your mind with the voice of a Southern Baptist preacher with a booming baritone and periodic pause with long ending inflections

Intended as parody.

As news aggregators are awash with catchy headlines to lure the public reader into side alleyways to contemplate the moment, the next passing thought and to the affairs which the future of humanity hangs in the balance, the more immediate effect on the public reader is confusion and disillusion, rage and rampage, stomping brain cells flat-out like a puppy in a barn under the hoof of a Clydesdale leaving contusions of the mind to absorb the shock until there is nothing left of the muscle to regenerate an original thought, because the drone of public opinion has become nothing more than white noise playing in the background as, the soundtrack for a boom and bust world, whereas the natural world never before had such report, what was built, the record is lost of the builder, but what was killed in the name of the Lord is legend giving us the Holy Bible, the word, God in the image of man, who can be found in Killing Jesus by Bill O’Reilly in a string of Killing titles, to substantiate the new-found obsession with the violence we once associated with gangs and drugs, to the more biblical and garden variety more or less derived from The Titicut Follies that play out by mental cases and the authorities who shoot back or shoot first, whatever, shooting is involved, unlike at Bridgewater where neglect and physical restraint were the method for killing inmates, much different with true crime is the erasure of human instinct or to throw out all learned behavior from our environment so who wouldn’t be feeling like trash to pull a gun on some cops only to be gunned down in the process, if replacing gang on gang murder with the domestic psycho variety is booming in these United States, the insane are acting on their lethal tendencies, if people have any other options than to look for a cure or is that impossible, will this boom turn out to be a bust with over reporting, frightening us to the extent we need to isolate the public who won’t conceal and carry from those that do, protection from ourselves can be harmful in and of itself, do we all need to have ammunition at the ready for insurance against an angry family member and is this our modern species giving in to the loudest and most dangerous voices giving killing the household equivalent of Kleenex that changed everything we know in such a short time frame, what follows can’t come soon enough but, what that might be could be far worse than the killing boom times we now have.

The title BooM and BusT make note of the syllable sounds oo+us

IOmE

This being a blog about bicycles got off to a fast start in late 2010. Posting was often and the writing, well the writing evolved into a word count for many post. The subject matter veered off the wall, post were not very well-edited and were viewed by a few readers. I started writing as an exercise to do something creative and to express my passion for bicycling and love of photography. In April of 2014 after close to two years of sporadic posting I just quit writing. Well I’m back today with a post. I have strayed and played, and truth be known, the winter time is a good opportunity to start-up fresh.

The past couple years in my life have had no great shake ups. I’m settled in work and life in Duluth Minnesota. Same as two years ago. Family and friends are doing well, we are healthy! What has changed in my life could be described as a point where my future doesn’t just depend on me. It also depends on a whole lot of other people. And those people will in turn depend on me. A community of people connecting might be one way of looking at it but, this is not what I mean. I mean people depending on one another for the future to have an outcome that is their vision and not some other vision.

Special interest in this country are protecting the strong from the weak as elections ramp up and the economy stagnates. Now is the time to seek out good men and women who are ready to take this country forward in 2016. The Republican and Democratic leadership are all in the bag. They all owe someone.  Our leaders are clichés. Following the money is pretty easy these days. Koch Brothers and Davos! Great leadership will stay away from the money. Blogs and Twitter are free! The news aggregators that eventually pick up the buzz are free too! What I see in my world is a counter attack on the daily local and regional newspapers that have a narrow agenda.  These sources of news influence and divide citizens along patriotic and christian lines. You are either pro this or anti that. What if we thought of others like the characters in “The Interview” who said, “You hate us because you ain’t us?” Really shallow thinking for those that only want to be ourselves and nobody else. The time to depend on people who do what they say they will do is more important now than in recent memory. The big slide and divide has made it so.

It’s a wonderful thing to be charged about the fucked up situation in America, poor pay, student debt, foreign fear, civil rights, women’s rights, and any topic on the Jon Stewart Show. Where are those among us that can tear themselves away from the price of gas and the threat of weather? Take a step back. Write yourself an IOU. That is like IOmE. Because when you PAY attention to yourself and the shit around you, once and for all depending on people who are depending on you too. How do you know the camp you are in has a chance in hell to make right some of the shit going down in our country? Here are the 10 ways you know those in your camp. 1. You would vote to legalize pot now in your state if put to a vote. 2. A woman can get an abortion for whatever reason. 3. Mostly you identify as yourself. 4. War is not the answer. 5. You question authority. 6. You are fired up rather than fearful. 7. Big special interest are dangerous. 8. You know bull shit when you hear it. 9. Religion is no biggy. 10. Your aren’t trying to change anyone.

The momentum is here for our camp. The missing key is ambitious individuals that don’t turn out to be assholes that can lead this camp. We have unfortunate leaders in both parties at every level of government. It is our task to get involved with our candidates and let them know what we want. If they can’t deliver the goods let’s get them out of office. It may be a very interesting election cycle ahead. Let’s get involved now! You owe it to yourself and the ones you love.

Winter be Gone

It’s about time for the Winter of 2013-2014 to be gone. Here in Duluth MN we have been hit with another seasonal snow. For perspective the snows last April totaled four feet and we didn’t see the first signs of Spring until mid May. The positive spin on this April is we have already had 60 degree days. The town is buzzing with runners and bikers whenever the sun is shining. This will be my second Spring in Duluth. Natives say there is no Spring only mud. It’s best to leave your boots at the door. Our friends bring house slippers when visiting. This is the custom. Like a Siberian Holiday that has been going on since Thanksgiving, the snow is pretty today. Our memory of the record 40 plus continuous days when the temperature fell below zero have only hardened our resolve to get outdoors as much as we can while even the mud won’t stop us.

There was a time growing up in Indiana when I was the only person walking or biking on the street. What was this thing in my DNA for movement? It was lonely. Where were the other people? There was no mud, there was very little snow, it rained sometimes in the summer time and the fall was spectacular. But, where were the everyday people? If they didn’t have this movement gene, mythical gene, made up gene, then possibly, it was their local “custom” that prevented them from self-propelled movement. Because I still have family and friends in Indianapolis I don’t mean for them to take offense to this by saying, the custom at the time was being too busy with big Catholic families. Our times were spent at ice cream social and Monte Carlo nights, Midnight Mass. I don’t know of a family of 10-17 kids who could afford to outfit them with individual bikes. I’m not sure how you could get them to even walk down the sidewalk together without seeming like an evacuation or fire drill. Those were the times growing up. People, kids. big ass families. And never really seeing them outdoors. I longed for more human contact. And knew I had to go. Get out of there.

Doug Stanhope is a comedian who said in Harper’s May 2014 issue he has audiences that often complain about their lousy hometown. And reminds them, “you can leave.” I left Indianapolis a long time ago. My 25-year-old was born elsewhere if that tells you anything. Something I took with me and have carried all this time is knowing that people everywhere are generally no different at their very core than where we all come from. That is reassuring to know people can be counted on. Generic in a way. Normal sort of. But. There is always a but. You have to know when to leave. Or for that matter just to get out of the house. Restlessness is good for the soul of a place when trust and safety in our public places are central to our existence. I found this living in Puerto Rico at the beach, in the countryside, towns and city.

And in New England where it is a common expression “Wherever you are you are already there.” The reality is of moving within a place, with people about.  Walking or bicycling is the custom for billions of the earths inhabitants. To find this custom in America is a rare thing. Boston is a walkable city because you really don’t need a car. Indianapolis is not a walkable city because like L.A. the car is King and nobody walks in L.A.. A small city like Duluth is more walkable than you can imagine even though the town is built on a hillside. The custom is to walk in Duluth. There is even a place called the Lakewalk, a 6 mile linear park. Then there is the elevated indoor Skywalk System in Duluth connecting downtown with Canal Park and this system totals a couple of miles. Customs are changing for better or worse through out time. There is no more main street in America but even now that Phoenix may be rising from the ashes.

Let’s remember that Italians know something about customs. The Passeggiata is the slow walk taken after work and before dinner in the old town plazas, streets and parks of Italy. And it is every night of the week in Summer. You go to be seen. To share good times over an ice cream or coffee. To listen to music. Just to dress up a bit and live a little. So happy for the restless at heart in desire who walk.

 

 

We Can’t Eat Cake….

Eating in moderation or going through life and doing stuff in moderation is something my dad would say is a good rule to follow. I agree. Too much of a good thing can spoil it for you. On the other hand most of us smugly don’t think its anyone’s business but our own if we overindulged, puke and do it all over again. Super market snob can be an in your face kind of guy sometimes.  Dads’ advice about moderation goes completely out the door and when it comes to stepping over that boundary of decorum which, separates you and me in the grocery aisle. You want to hear how disastrous your eating is and then you yell at me for saying “moderation in  things in life” including eating. “We can’t have our cake and eat it to”.  That’s what this blog is all about isn’t it? So get over it and keep reading.

A family friend mentioned she wouldn’t mind living communally cooking and sharing other domestic chores. Instead of every household separated at meal time an entire block of people could  share a meal. In urban areas like-minded people buying houses on the same block is a great idea that is until they start to sleep with one another. Communes in the “olden days” that I am familiar with became cults or were disbanded when they became havens for free loaders. People can be idealistic fools to a point. It’s in our nature. These idealist become the people who get things done and the change that comes, come from the idealist or realist, whatever you want to call them. Not from the conformist or follower of trends or the herd.

It’s one of those weeks when both my wife and I are traveling and there are piles of food left from last weekend when we had house guests. I’ve invited my son over for dinner and hope to send him home with a care package. Whatever we don’t eat he is welcome to it.

Hummus is on the dinner menu tonight with our son. This is one of the left over dishes from the weekend. The dish is prepared fresh and easy with a blender or food processor. Super market snob did not prepare the suggested “kid friendly” version from the back of the garbonzo bean can. Which, is the crux of this blog post. Kids are people too. Get it. They eat the same food as you, the adult in the room or they don’t eat at all, at least to a point.

Plain Hummus is a delicious food. Kid friendly hummus is? I”ll let you decide. Here is the recipe.

Kid Friendly Hummus

1 can (15oz) Garbonzo Beans, 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese, 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt, 1 (1 ounce) packet ranch dip mix, 1 tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs chopped garlic,

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth.

Now, I must say Super market snob has had a revulsion to cottage cheese since early childhood. Vomit taste better! As a food Hummus traditionally is prepared with Tahini, ground sesame seeds. Add garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and maybe fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme. Fresh HERBS. That’s about it. Cut with a dash of water to smooth things out. Now why does the Kid Friendly version have all these other bullshit ingredients? Do kids nowadays love Ranch? Love cottage cheese? Love plain yogurt? And tell me what does this Kid Friendly version taste like? I will not even waste a good 77 cent can of garbonzos to find out. Believe me, Tahini is the dominant taste in this dish! Cooking 101 over and out……….

Will the student in the front row please stand up. Question? What is the taste in Kid Friendly Hummus? OK, ummmmhhhh, the teacher says that the taste is the packet of Ranch dip mix. So, what is in Ranch dip mix? First, let Super market snob remind readers that the packet weighs, 28 grams, 1 ounce. Remember from your drug studies that an ounce of marijuana is 28 grams, four fingers to the initiated. I digress. Let’s proceed. So, I looked up the ingredients of Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix and drum roll please………People complained first and foremost of the additives, primarily Monosodium Glutamate, MSG. Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix does not have any nutritional value what so ever. But, people will spend hard-earned cash on flavor? Arrrgh….Don’t we know better than to eat this stuff? Let’s feed it to the kids now and let them sort it out why mommy and daddy fed them this s$#t and not the simple traditional hummus. Can we not be honest to our kids at least? How long do we want them to believe in Santa, the Easter bunny or good health without trying? As adult eaters so many of us are lost and the best thing we can do for our kids it to not drag them down too. We can not have our cake and eat it too. Who said that?…………….old English proverb.