Saturday, February 27, 2016

New Lego Figurines I'd Like To See!

Good Day World!

Have you heard about the latest Lego figurines

They're a politically correct trio.

There's a hipster stay-at-home dad in plaid, his professional working wife, and a kid in a wheelchair.

Boring.

Here's some new Lego figurines I'd like to see:

1) Presidential Candidates from both parties.
Can you imagine the fun Trump followers will have using their hero to build giant Lego wall's for America's Mexican and Canadian borders.

2) Ethnic Figurines: Muslims. Mexicans. Asians and African-Americans. These sets/segments of society are handy if you have the Trump Lego set, the Cruz Lego Set, or the Rubio Lego set.

3) Gangster Figurines: With over 33,000 violent street gangs to choice from only hard-core Lego collectors will ever get this whole set.

I have many more ideas, but I think the three above are enough for one day.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Friday, February 26, 2016

Trump-Clinton Election Would Feature The Most Unpopular Candidates Competition Ever!

Good Day World!

Calling all history professors and students! 

I'd really like to know if there's ever been a presidential election (American) as weird as this one is shaping up to be?

I know there were some real nasty presidential elections in our history with the dirtiest one probably being the Andrew Jackson/John Quincy Adams contest of 1828. 

One example: Adams accused Jackson of adultery and living in sin and claimed his wife Rachel was a bigamist. Talk about fighting words!

Bombastic, and egotistical presidential Republican front runner, Donald Trump, has easily set back the art of civility a 100 years. He's rude and proud of it. 

However, political pundits are starting to think Trump may be the GOP nominee and he'll face Hillary Clinton. Clinton brings enough baggage to sink a ship, but has somehow forged her way into being the front running Democratic nominee.  

Now get this: if Trump and Clinton do match up it's going to be a first for a really weird reason. In a Trump-Clinton election you'll have both political parties picking their MOST UNPOPULAR candidates!

That's right.

A recent NBC/WSJ general election poll showed Trump with an un-favorabilty rating of 59%, and Clinton with an un-favorability rating of 50%. That's insane!

With both parties unleashing Pandora's Box by selecting the most unpopular and polarizing figures we can expect to see the most divisive and scorched earth style election ever!

Now, I could be wrong. That's where I need a history professor, or student to set me straight.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Thursday, February 25, 2016

50 Years Ago This Month: Death in the Smog Bowl

Good Day World!

We referred to where we lived as the Smog Bowl in 1966.
(Photo-San Gabriel foothills. Note: See A painted in white. Wikipedia Commons)

Azusa was a sleepy little town. I remember going to the In and Out Burger on Azusa Avenue and pigging out on their great hamburgers and fries.

The San Gabriel Foothills near Azusa sported a large letter A which could be seen from the high school campus on clear days - which were few and far between back then.

The smog was so bad we had regular health alerts. But on the clear days it was beautiful area, and the view from the foothills was spectacular.

I use to hike up to those hills regularly and sat down more than once by that A to rest. I'd hike along the narrow trail at the top of the foothills enjoying the solitude, shade from nearby trees, and the views.

Then one day I invited a couple of friends to go with me. They were city boys and never did any climbing or hiking so I thought it would be a good experience for them.

It was a decision that I still rue today. 

Simply put, we ran out of water on a very hot and windy day. Looking down one side of the hills we could see the river running below.

It was so windy we could barely hear each other. Maybe 35 to 40 mph gusts at times. I took their canteens and headed down to the river below.

I asked them to stay and wait for me. They didn't. I don't know how long it was after I left before they followed me.

Minutes stretched into hours as I eased down the hillside when suddenly I found myself in dangerous position. I had came upon a sheer drop-off about 100-feet straight down!

Sinking my fingers into the loose shale I was faced with a choice - climb back up, or die below. I was tired and all of my muscles ached, but fear was a great motivator and I managed to reverse course and climb back up to the top.

That's when I realized my friends didn't wait for me. As fast as I could (I was exhausted and running on adrenaline) I made my way down the narrow trail and to a dairy farm nearby and called my Dad.

Those were the days before dialing 911 for help. You called someone you knew. I called my Dad and he contacted the police and the local Search and Rescue unit, then drove to the canyon entrance where I was waiting for him.

We found them an hour later. It was getting dark. Chuck had fallen and laid broken on some rocks. Dying. John was stranded in a tree that had broken his fall about halfway down the 100-foot drop.

I heard Chuck murmer his brother's name as the paramedics worked on him. Then he was gone. Search and Rescue got John down. He had a broken leg and arm, but had survived the fall.

I was fifteen-years old when all of this happened. Never went back up to those foothills again. Sometimes, on really windy days when I'm outside, I hear Chuck calling for his brother.  

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

When Rudeness Becomes 'Telling It Like It Is' You Know We're In Trouble

Good Day World!

One of my earliest life lessons was learning not to be rude.

If I was, I knew I was taking a chance of getting smacked by the nearest adult!

That's the way it was in the 1950s. 

Most children today - if teleported back in time till then - would be getting slapped so often they'd be afraid of opening their mouths (without thinking) and would lose their rude habits quickly.

Somehow being rude in the 21st Century has not only become acceptable, it's construed as being honest (!!) and telling it like it is among many Americans.

Yes. I'm talking about people who want Donald Trump to be our next president of the United States. These same followers are totally unconcerned when Trump gets caught lying.

In what I'm sure will go down as the most bizarre presidential election ever, Trump has opened the floodgates on rude public speaking without fear of reprisals.

He confidently tells listeners he can walk down the streets of New York and people wouldn't care if he killed someone. He's that sure there's enough rude Americans to win the election.

I know people want change. Our politicians suck. But putting an egotistical, narcissistic, bully, racist, and reality star in charge is NOT the answer. 

In a recent rally Trump barked at a protestor and said he'd like to punch him in the face! 

It's just too bad Mama Trump didn't slap him in the face repeatedly when he was rude while growing up! At least it would be easier on our ears today when listening to his lies...

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Why This Inventor Wishes He'd Never Created Coffee Pods

Good Day World!

Fact: they're expensive, and really bad for the environment.

But coffee pods are a worldwide billion-dollar industry that aren't showing signs of slowing down.

( Illustration-Loskutnikov/RobHainer/WarrenPrice/littleny/Shutterstock/TheAtlantic)

When John Sylvan invented the Keurig Coffee Maker he never guessed that he'd be sorry for creating it.
Since then he's apologized numerous times to the public for bringing it into their homes, and to trash dumps worldwide. 

When Sylvan came up with the idea of a single serving smart coffee pot he thought it would be okay for offices (which is what he had in mind).

He never suspected that his idea would blow up and become global, or that he would feel guilty for creating an environmental disaster.

A year ago Germany's second largest city launched a green initiative that included a ban on single-use coffee makers in government buildings.

Hamburg officials based the ban on the fact that coffee pods "cause unnecessary resource consumption and waste generation."

The big problem is the pods are almost impossible to recycle because they're made of a combination of plastic and aluminium.

Last year The Atlantic reported that if you lined up all the used Keurig pods sold in 2014 they would encircle the globe a dozen times. Imagine what that number is now.

Sylvan also has one more regret; Keurig Green Mountain (who Sylvan co-founded with his college roommate Peter Dragone) made nearly $9 billion in revenue last year - more than five times what the company made five years ago when Sylvan was forced out and sold his shares for a measly $50,000!

So not only has Sylvan become partially responsible for an environmental disaster globally, he's left to wonder how much money he would have made if he hadn't been so adament in not wanting to be told what to do.

Ironic aside: Keurig means excellence in Dutch. 

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Monday, February 22, 2016

Reclaiming The Streets: Here's How (video) To Deal With Gangsters


                                  Good Day World!

It's about time.

I've written - and will continue to write about - the problem with gangsters in America for over 25 years. I always read people's articles addressing our national gang problem with great interest.

But it's a recent viral video that really impressed me. 

The best thing I've seen yet on the subject is this video. It's a direct challenge to a street gang called The Gremlins in Louisiana.

Imagine if every city in the country took on gangs like this! Both city leaders and law enforcement teaming up to call out the punks and to let them know they're taking back their streets.

It's about right versus wrong. That simple.

Let's reclaim all of our streets throughout America by taking a pro-active approach like seen in the video. Name the gangsters and take them down.

It's time.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Sunday, February 21, 2016

'Whiteness History Month' - A Constructive or Destructive Discussion?

Good Day World!

What's the best way to talk about race and racism in America?

If I knew that answer I'd probably win all kinds of prizes, but the fact is there is no definitive way to talk about race without getting someones hackles up before the conversation even starts.

Have you ever read, or heard, comments by white people who question why this country has to have "Black Awareness Days" or "Black History" Months?"

The conversation gets salty and goes south fast. I live in Oregon where another controversy on race is brewing like the fine craft beers the state is known for.

How do you think a "Whiteness History Month" is going to go over with people? Portland Community College (PCC) has designated April for the new initiative.

"Whiteness History Month" is about the study of whiteness, it's origins as a social construct, and it's impact on society, according to the project's website. The project has already become controversial online.

It's biggest critics are calling the endeavor an attack on white people and white culture. Dave Blount at Right Wing News said the program was all about "dismantling whiteness."

The American Conservative called the project "Hate Whitey Month," and said it was "plainly designed to convince students to despise themselves and their culture."

I can't see many, if any (I hope you went to the project's website with the link I provided earlier to determine for yourself) real benefits coming from this project.

Just more racial divide.

Maybe I'm wrong. I'm no professor of sociology, or expert on society's ills. Let's see how wrong I am at the end of April.

Time for me to walk on down the road... 

Blog Break Until Presidential Election is Over

I finally hit the wall today. I can't think of what to say about all of the madness going on in this country right now. I'm a writer...