GETTING THERE IS NOT HALF THE FUN

Last night three friends and I went to Dodger Stadium to see the Dodgers lose again. But we enjoy being under the stars and munching our hot dogs, so even if they lose we win. We arrived at the gate, showed the attendant our electronic parking pass and proceeded into the stadium area. That was exactly three minutes to seven. We had 13 minutes to get to our seats. In fact, we could see our seats from the parking lot. They were behind home plate but way above the plate area, yes, nose bleed seats.

We proceeded to get into the traffic that would take us to the lot were needed to get to. Lot P. Normally, we would just drive around the park, pull into Lot P and walk into the stadium down a very steep set of stairs to our seats. Of course there would be a stop to get Dodger Dogs as walking up the stairs to get them would be a cardiac adventure. So, in addition to the Dodger Dogs a pit stop was in order. Simple, yes! Except that we spent an hour in traffic, in the park, to get to Lot P. It was 8:04 pm when we entered The ticket gate.  We missed the first three innings and the first four runs that the Dodgers had score in some time.

It was fireworks night so they blocked off two or three large parking lots.  As a result there was intense grid lock in the park. Like the Dodgers didn’t know that there would be a lot of people coming to the game. The Dodgers were taken by surprise. The organization that boasts the largest attendance of any major league team was not prepared – or they didn’t give a crap as long as you paid outlandish ticket costs, and parking cost that compare with your mortgage payments. The game was a sellout which they knew long in advance. So, they decided to reduce the parking capacity. What! planning? They had traffic going in every direction but the one direction that would take you to your lot.

I have a new car and enjoy riding in it. “Riding” being the operative word  - not standing still for an hour or worse,  not seeing the game I paid to see and not enjoying the brief success that the Dodgers had while inching along, while the whirling Darvish tried in vain to pitch a winning game.

When we finally got into the stadium I went to Fan Services and they gave me a form to fill out that would have taken 30 minutes. So, I opted to take the form with me and send it in after I get home except they don’t have where to submit the form on the form. They really don’t want to hear any criticism after all, they are the Dodgers.

We missed a third of the game and as it turned out to be the best third of a game in some time. For most Angelenos, there is no TV coverage, no Vin and an organization that doesn’t care enough to prepare.  When you decide to come to the park, pay the outrageous ticket price, the $7 for a coke, $7.50 for a bottle of water and $12.00 for a beer, you would think that the Dodgers would prepare to accommodate their fans. The expression that a fool and his/her money are soon parted must be the mantra for the Dodgers.

It took more than 30 minutes to get from the freeway to stadium gate and an hour in the parking areas to get to the lot where we would have access to our seats. What fun – NOT!

Our seats were near the bottom of the section – good seats except if we wanted a drink during the game it was like climbing Mount Everest to get to the concession stands, or the rest rooms.  The whole six innings (what was the remainder of the game) not one vendor came into this section. There was an exception, the fifty/fifty guy pedaling tickets. It appears that some form of gambling is allowed at the stadium, but the biggest gamble is parking.

Two weeks ago I was in New York for the US Open. We took the US Open shuttle from Central Park to Flushing Queens  - a notoriously crowded route under the East River. We did It in less than an hour. Good thing the Dodgers were not playing there we would have missed the first round.  If you care and you plan you can accommodate the anticipated crowds. Obviously the Dodger don’t  give a rat’s ass about the fan.

A few years ago the Dodgers were floundering. Loved it.  There were less people at the park, shorter food lines. – much more fun.  Half price Wednesdays made taking the grandkids to a game was not going to be a life changing financial experience.

My point is that going to a game should be a fun experience. Yell at the umps. Boo the players state your opinions as to who should be in the lineup and cheer the good moments like the one we missed when Turner hit the home run. Not getting aggravated standing still in a road way to get to a parking lot. Not having a kid tell you that you can’t park there, or having no one try to sell you an ice cream bar because vendors don’t go to the “cheap seats”.

The Dodgers have found a way to take the pleasure out of what should be a fun experience.

That is my take  - you decide!

 

OH SHIT - I MAY NEVER FLY AGAIN!

This morning I heard the disgusting sound of Trump’s voice saying and explaining why he was privatizing Air Traffic Control in the United States. Holy shit!  Does he have any idea of what he may be doing? Does this idiot have any idea of the consequences of this move? This was not a campaign promise, so why is he being so reckless with our lives?

The United State government is in business for one reason: to keep the population safe. Even from ourselves. The US government is not a profit making venture nor was it ever intended to be one. That is why it CANNOT be run as a business. (Has anyone counted Trump’s failure in business? I need to have a drink but won’t drink Trump Vodka – it is bankrupt). It is there to provide for the general welfare and in that effort to keep planes from hitting the ground.

By privatizing he will violate the principle that keeping planes flying safe is not based on a profit motive. Here is what I see: Trump Traffic Control, Inc. (no such entity, yet) takes over the obligation to keep airplanes flying.

He says we will be safer: How if there is no control of the hiring process? No control of the training process. Private businesses are “for profit.” So, the quicker that trainee is “ready” to assume the responsibility of the job the better for the company. So, they took a few training short cuts.  But, there is a body on front of the screen. The TTCI is in compliance with their contract. The bodies are there. They may be under qualified, less than bright, but they are “trained“ and they are on the job. How will TTTCI vent their applicants? Which agency will do the background checks – not the FBI.  He doesn’t trust the FBI and they do not trust him.

OK, the privately hired controllers are in place and there is a snow storm. TTCI get rated on the number of aircraft they let take off. Not so much how many land safely. In spite of the storm the TTCI people allow planes to take off. But because of the weather, the let more than the usual number  of them head into the wild blue blunder. Oy!

According to his comments he believes planes are late and are grounded because the rules and regulations are not what he thinks they need to be. These TTCI controllers will let the planes crash on time.  By the way, Trump airlines failed miserably..

I am also confident that he will indemnify the TTCI, so if you lost a loved one in a crash due to TTCI’s poor performance, TTCI will be in the clear and will continue to protect profits or non-profits as the case may be. It is supposed to be a joint effort with the government and the airlines.

If it is a joint effort who is in charge? The CEO of the airline you happen to be flying or Trump? This is a formula for disaster. Put your thumb and index finger together with palms out and say “dizzazztah!” You heard it here first.

There is no doubt that the air traffic control system needs to be updated. It is my understanding that this is being done, albeit slowly. Who will pay for the upgrades? If the airlines are not going profit from this then the government will have to step in. Has Trump redlined this yet?

Six years ago (April 11, 2011) I wrote a blog entitled WHO SAYS GOVERNMENT CAN’ T DO A GOOD JOB, THAT PRIVATE COMPANIES CAN DO IT BETTER? Try privatizing police, fire, emergency services, army, navy, air force, coast guard, IRS, FBI, CIA, NSA, FEMA, FDIC, etc.

I am not aware that the air traffic controllers are not doing their best to get you to the destination of your choice.

Our government is becoming understaffed and blatantly incompetent. Do we want to give our air safety to people like that? Not I, said me.

We just elected a member of the business sector. Look what we got in just four months: International intrigue like we never had before, a president who may be brought up on criminal charges for obstruction of justice, legislation that at best, is also “criminal,” a family run government who doesn’t have the skills or experience to run a nation, the most incompetent cabinet ever, I mean ever, a laughing stock among nations that no longer see the US as a leader. Should I go on?

Be sure that when you fly to pray. When you land kiss the ground and if you need some medical attention, well that will be problematic, too.

This is our new United States of America.

That is my take, you decide.

 

WHERE DO I START – AND WHERE DOES THIS THING END?

I haven’t written anything in more than two months. Why? I didn’t know where to start and on what subject to write? These are the questions I asked myself. Yes, I am concernded, Yes, I am afraid.  We have a president that likes to play “Who Has  Got The Bigger Dick.” And every day, in some way, he whips it out. Comey firing.  Sending an aIrcraft carrier the wrong way, at first. Fifty nine missiles to create pot holes on a Syrian runway. A Seal attack in Yemen that got us no Intel but did get a Seal killed. He has been whipping it out repeatedly but it is so limp as to be ineffective. But he does brag about his accomplishments. He knows how to open a can, but it is a can of worms.

You fire a missile, I will send an aircraft carrier. You got spies, I got better spies. You got intel, look at the intel I got! You got generals , I got more generals and they blindly obey me. You got oppressive laws, wait till you see what I do.

What is this “teenager” trying to prove? Even his wife will not be by his side. She probably does not want to be part of the threesome. Donald, Ivanka and Melania. She has distanced herself from Donald as many GOP lawmakers have. She is in New York,, the lawmakers are just down the 95. He is too far away to do to Melania  what he does to his GOP legislators and his team..

Putin gets on the phone and tells Donny to get Labrov and the ambassador into the oval office. So, the Tas photographer can take photos and /or plant bugs. No problem for Donny. He just kissed the ass of his biggest adversary.

It is still all about him. He is pissed that the three million illegals (that never voted and don’t exist) didn’t vote for him.

(Please note that the ties he wears always point to his biggest dick).

The biggest dick now belongs to Mueller.  Trump is the biggest dick, Mueller has the biggest dick. So, when the testimony starts, the papers come in –Trump will be toast. The best cottage industry right now is securing lawyers for the Trump team for a percentage.

I found the following essay on Facebook and I believe that is worth sharing – even with those supporters that say give him a chance. I would normally do that except for a few things:

I don’t know , it’s hard for me to see any U.S. ties to Russia…except for the Flynn thing and the Manafort thing
and the Tillerson thing
and the Sessions thing
and the Kushner thing
and the Carter Page thing
and the Roger Stone thing
and the Felix Sater thing
and the Boris Ephsteyn thing
and the Rosneft thing
and the Gazprom thing
and the Sergey Gorkov banker thing
and the Azerbajain thing
and the “I love Putin” thing
and the Donald Trump, Jr. thing
and the Sergey Kislyak thing
and the Russian Affiliated Interests thing
and the Russian Business Interests thing
and the Emoluments Clause thing
and the Alex Schnaider thing
and the hack of the DNC thing
and the Guccifer 2.0 thing
and the Mike Pence “I don’t know anything” thing
and the Russians mysteriously dying thing
and Trump’s public request to Russia to hack Hillary’s email thing
and the Trump house sale for $100 million at the bottom of the housing bust to the Russian fertilizer king thing
and the Russian fertilizer king’s plane showing up in Concord, NC during Trump rally campaign thing
and the Nunes sudden flight to the White House in the night thing
and the Nunes personal investments in the Russian winery thing
and the Cyprus bank thing
and Trump not releasing his tax returns thing
and the Republican Party’s rejection of an amendment to require Trump to show his taxes thing
and the election hacking thing
and the GOP platform change to the Ukraine thing
and the Steele Dossier thing
and the Leninist Bannon thing
and the Sally Yates can’t testify thing
and the intelligence community’s investigative reports thing
and the Trump reassurance that the Russian connection is all “fake news” thing
and the Spicer’s Russian Dressing “nothing’s wrong” thing
and the Chaffetz not willing to start an investigation thing
and the Chaffetz suddenly deciding to go back to private life in the middle of an investigation thing
and the The Lead DOJ Investigator Mary McCord SUDDENLY in the middle of the investigation decides to resign thing
and the appointment of Pam Bondi who was bribed by Trump in the Trump university scandal appointed to head the investigation thing
and the The White House going into full-on cover-up mode, refusing to turn over the documents related to the hiring and subsequent firing of Flynn thing
and the Chaffetz and White House blaming the poor vetting of Flynn on Obama thing
and the Poland and British intelligence gave information regarding the hacking back in 2015 to Paul Ryan and he didn't do anything thing
and the Agent M16 following the money thing
and the Trump team KNOWING about Flynn's involvement but hired him anyway thing
and The Corey Lewendowski thing
and the Preet Bharara firing thing but before he left he transferred evidence against Trump to a state level Schneiderman thing
and the Betsy Devos' Brother thing
and the Sebastian Gorka thing
and the Greg Gianforte from Montana thing
and the Pence actually was warned about Flynn before he was hired thing
and the Pence and Manafort connection thing
and the 7 Allies coming forward with audio of Trump's associates in an incidental wire tapping thing
and the Carter Page defying the Senate's order to hand over his Russian contact list
and the Trump wants to VETO Sally Yates' testimony thing
and the Trump trying to discredit Yates thing
and the Obama told Trump personally about Flynn thing
and the COMEY thing
and the meeting with Russian foreign minister upon the order of Putin thing
and the sharing of highly classified top secret information to Russian Foreign minister thing
and the invitation and hosting of Turkey's dictator thing
SO yeah there’s probably nothing there!

This is a copy and paste that says it all. The Donald is in big trouble and his ego is eating him up. He'll resign before he "looses". Only took 120 days to destroy his place in American History!


That is my take - you decide.

 

 

FACEBOOK: A NEW WAY TO CRY WOLF - AND OTHER NEEDY THINGS!

Last week I got a call from my dentist.  She was really pissed off. Someone posted on Facebook, “Share if you love your dentist.” I didn’t share. She thinks I don’t love her. I guess showing up for appointments in time, paying my bill on time and not asking for parking stamps is not a display of love. While my dentist is a lovely looking lady with great skills, I do not love her. I am sure her husband feels secure in that knowledge.

I get a lot of information on Facebook but also so much crap. It is filled with GINGO.  Garbage In and Garbage Out. Here is a list of things I did not share:

Love my son
Love my daughter
Love my dog (I don’t have one)
Love my refrigerator (That one I have)
Love my son-in-law
Love my daughter-in-law
Love my grandchildren, both sexes
Love my synagogue/church

Also share if you agree with:

Weekend voting
Abortion rights
No abortion rights
You have the greatest bakery
You have the best grocery store
The best plastic surgeon.
The worst plastic surgeon

. . .  and on and on.

Facebook is a good idea but some people need it to fulfill their need to be loved or admired. I had one ex-friend that filled my screen with how her elderly father is wonderful. He had two whole bowel movements today – the best father in the world. How do I know, she posted more than100 times before I shut her off. How about the posting about a favorite grandchild just peed in the toilet. (He is 20) Then you get to comment on the posting. Depending on the number and tone of the comments, you will know if you are loved, believed, admired or people will think you are full of shit.

Then you get, “Agree if you support . . .”  that is playing to your emotions. If you don’t agree then you support child beating, breast  cancer, colon cancer, skin cancer and any other malady that some one has and wants you to know they have it so you can feel bad for them. I do feel bad for them, even if I don’t know them. They do not have to advertise or get “likes.” What about that is there to like?

Last week I got  a blurb from a lifelong friend about having cancer. I just read the first sentence and I was on the phone looking for her. She told me to read the whole thing. I don’t want to read the whole thing, the first sentence was enough. She was passing on a note someone else wrote, who, by the way did not have cancer to encourage people to have empathy for those that have breast cancer. I do and I don’t need to be alarmed and scared to acquire that empathy. This crying wolf crap got to stop. Stop sharing the bull shit. No, you are not a good friend when you do that.

Stop helping bad dudes who want to steal your stuff. There has been a marked increase of burglaries due to the increasing need to tell people where you are. Especially if you are not home. “I am sitting at Moscow International Airport waiting for Uber.”

The bad dudes go to Bing and get your address. That is all it takes. You can be cleaned out. They scroll down your page and read about your new Audi. You use Uber so the car should be at home. Got my drift? If your spouse and your kids are at home they are also in jeopardy thanks to your ego.

“Friending” and old friend you hadn’t seen since the 4th grade. Then you go to their page and discover that nothing has changed. They are still idiots. And still fat. There are stories of people reuniting and it changed their lives. That does happen and that is good.

Yes, Facebook is great for disseminating some important information. This blog and other news items are posted there. During the last election cycle many, no, most people got their news on line. I learn about new products. New government programs and I get to enjoy the fact that my friend is also growing older. And I get to mourn their loss. That is what the FB is all about.

Actually, I will share articles that are time sensitive and socially sensitive because I do believe that healthcare is a right and not a privilege. I do believe that the ability to vote is also a right. Yes, Facebook can be a great asset in our lives, just use it as it was intended, a means of communication not a tool of self -promotion.  Or self- aggrandizement, or a  tool to make me guilty for not sharing your guilt.

Share if you agree.

That is my take – you decide.

 

HOW YOU START IS HOW YOU FINISH

We are in for a very rough ride for the next four years because of the rough start that the Trump administration generated. WOW! Who could have predicted that he would throw the world and our country into chaos in just seven days?  The Donald is just another, bigger version of Dennis the Menace.

He bans people from countries that have done us no harm and welcomes people from the countries that did do us harm. They are countries where Trump has large business interests. No conflict there, right?

He sees himself as a “strong man” in the images of Stalin, Putin, Batista, Castro, and some of the Eastern European leaders and Central and South American leaders of yesteryear. He is Nixon with much less sophistication.  All that is wrong and all that is bad in a leader resides in that orange cocoon.  I see him as a virus with no antibiotic that can neutralize it. He truly believes in doubling down – make it bad now and worse later.

He thrives on incompetence. Look at the cabinet appointments. They are all inept at running the agency to which they are appointed. One such example is Rick Perry. OK, another is Betsy diVoss.  Out of 14 appointments not one is capable of running their agency.  NOT ONE. This come from the top as Trump is inept at running the country.

Like Nixon, he is a crook. Steals from his sub-contractors, pays no taxes. When George W. Bush said running the country would be easier if he was a dictator, Trump heard him. So, the Constitution be damned, executive orders are the law of the land now.

Will our elected representatives speak up – hell no, if they are on the right. They want a white America. Trump is helping them get there. They want an oligarchy, Trump is helping get that – just look at the Cabinet  - Goldman Sachs is well represented.  Women’s rights are in jeopardy. Check the Supreme Court nominees. Look at his advisors, hate is well represented.  How do we keep America safe – from Trump? I am not sure that we can right now.

In just one week, OK, ten days, he has showed us the way an American dictator works. That is how he is starting. How will it be in four years when he finishes? Tyranny comes to mind.

He thinks he has a mandate. His mandate is a kiss with O’Bannon. The three million votes he didn’t get really irks him.  The lack of a decent crowd at the inauguration also irks him. No A list celebrities also just stuck in his craw. He will try to find a way to get even.

World leaders are nice to him now (except for Pena). Wait! They will turn him inside out. I believe that even Putin at some point, will do him some bad turns. Trump is scared Sh---tless of Putin and will try to macho up to him. Putin, I believe, like others thinks he is a fool.

NATO and other alliances are in jeopardy. NATO is weak, Trump is strong. According to Trump. The countries have to pay up like he does with his taxes! Oh, I forgot, he pays no taxes.

So, domestic policy is a weak point as is Foreign Policy. That is how he is starting. How will he finish? Will he get us into a war? He could and probably will. Will he create an economic meltdown, he could and probably will. The people who created the 2008 recession are back in charge. Eliminate the regulatory safeguards is their mantra and they have a Howdy Doody (also a red head) in the White House. Who will be pulling Trump’s strings?

Extreme vetting! What we should have done with him. Not one of the Syrian refugees has been involved with any act of terrorism. The countries that have produced domestic terrorists are not on his list. He is targeting a religious group rather people of a national origins that we know did perpetrate domestic terror. So, he is a bigot, too.

It appears that he also got another message from Nixon. “If the President does it, it is not illegal.” We know Trump’s penchant for Nixonian actions and ideas. The only questions are which ideas, which actions, which one will get him impeached or jailed? Do we have the guts to follow through and insist that Congress take action?  I am not confident that they do have the guts.

 

That is my take – you decide!

THE DONALD WAS RIGHT

The election was rigged. But how was it rigged? Not sure, but there is no way he won. I have asked so many people, did you vote for Trump? The answer was always ,”NO!” So who did cast their vote for him? Actually more people voted for Hillary than Trump. She won the popular vote.

Why did those people who ignored the 70% of lies he told vote for him? Why did they ignore the misogyny , even those that had wives, sisters and daughters? Why did they ignore the antisemitism? Why did they ignore the xenophobia about Hispanics and Asians? Why did they ignore the anti- black sentiments (even African-Americans)? Why was his failures, and there were many, ignored? Why was his dubious business practices ignored? He pays no taxes and is proud of it.

I don’t really have any answers for any of these questions. It defies logic and common sense. I do believe that some people actually had faith in his message. But they were so few and far between, that I have to believe that his messages pierced their psyches where idiotic reasoning resided. He tapped into their hates and prejudices and made it alright to have them. That is scary – frightening, in fact. These are my suppositions, not answers because these suppositions add some terrible thoughts to my mind regarding some people I had admired and respected.

“I could not vote for Hillary!” That was I heard so you voted for the devil incarnate instead? He just tweets, no e-mails. She had 30 more years of experience and understood how the word worked. But you wanted “change” so you replaced her with an idiot. Not even an idiot savant, just plain idiot. Actually, that begs the question, who is the idiot here? Thanks, now he is my idiot president!

I cannot figure this out and I am not alone in that quandary.  He had nothing positive to say – about anything – except himself. I guess people like gloom and doom. When the fact checkers checked he failed at veracity and his lack of any was ignored. “I can’t trust Hillary!” “She lied about her e-mails.” Trump lied about everything! The only time he wasn’t lying is when his mouth was not moving. Or his when his hands were in his pocket!

The military is not depleted. I know he doesn’t know more about ISIS than the generals. I know he does not know all of the trade treaties. I know he has no knowledge of the Iran nuclear deal. Some said he is a voracious reader . How is that possible when he just tweets? And after reading his tweets I see how he has little command of the English language.

It has been reported that 49 million people did not vote.  I always admonish people that did not vote, “Didn’t vote, don’t complain!’ I did vote and I am complaining. It will get worse as time goes on. Based on what I hear about his nominees for positions in his administration, we are in for a rough ride.

With the entire government swaying to the right, they don’t have to rig it, it already is rigged. With a campaign like that who would want to run except for people in need of adoration, power and attention – the wrong people will run as we have seen on the Right.

When Trump reported many years ago, that is he ever ran he would run as a Republican. Why? Because of Fox News. They say anything, lie, distort and demean and their audience eats it up. They believe anything. He got that right, too. He is the world’s biggest and greatest con man. He did a magnificent job conning his supporters.  It was something to behold and it continues on. The establishment he railed against is in the Transition Team. So much for outsiders! Ok, you trump supporters check your wallets and your brains, you have just been picked clean. The Donald was right!

In the words of Vincente Fox , “I am not going to pay for that f----king wall.” The deportation squads reminiscent of Nazi Germany are waiting to be formed. Replacing the AFHCA with something “terrific” is a reality check. For more than 70 years the Republicans offered no health care reforms of their own and now suddenly Trump has something terrific.  He said he knows more about Isis than the Generals. WOW, that is chutzpah. If he is so good at military solutions why was ISIS celebrating his election?

He wants to unite America.  With Steve Bannon? The Alt Right demagogue? The anti -everyone except whites? Ivanka should invite him for Passover, not.

Yes, Trump got it right! They say you can’t bet against him after defeating so many candidates and the former Secretary of State.  I truly believe that the Donald has reached his level of incompetence and the country will pay a price for that. As a relative of mine reminded me recently, you cannot believe anything that he says or his people say.  He is so right. Just today Trump said the transition is going smoothly when the world knows the transition is in chaos.

Hopefully, we will not be screwed over by the Con Man in Chief. Lets’ wait and see but also be vigilant. The person he deports could be you.

That is my take – you decide.

 

Please note that this is my 100^th blog. I would have really loved to write something positive, but the world is becoming a scarier place. He wants to give his kids TOP SECRET clearances. So much for blind trusts. The only trust that was blind was that of his supporters.