July 17, 2024

Open Questions to the Democratic Leadership....

Very politely - what is going on that you don't want us to know?
I'm asking this because....
I've heard what Donors and fundraisers are saying. There's a hostile Media (and punditry) and Biden is old has a speech impediment that causes gaffs. He's always had that speech impediment, the Media and punditry has been hostile since Rupert Murdoch moved in. However, Donors and Media aren't the voters, and they can be allayed by the fact that voters and more importantly, delegates are not abandoning Biden.
The strategy in this case would be to do the same thing you did with Obama (you know - that community organizer with little experience who would put off the White Working Class racist wing of the Democratic party?) - coalesce a unity envelope around him, and push back at the Media.

Standard politics. I've some background in history, I've seen how it works. So why aren't you doing it?

Do you want a landslide? Ain't going to happen. You have a Hostile Media that is run for infotainment, outrage and clicks, and you know that. They made bank during the last Trump Administration, and Biden is boring.
Don't know why you think there would ever be a landslide.

Are you afraid of the Supreme Court handing it over to Trump because Biden...what? If the Supreme Court was going to do that for Trump, it wouldn't matter who you ran. Stick with the guy what brought you.

Is there something wrong with Biden you don't want to talk about and you don't think he'll make it to December without embarrassment or ending up hospitalized? Well, you're already embarrassing him, which would make him fight harder. Basic psychology. You're also embarrassing yourselves to the voters because they can't see any change in Biden other than he's older. They frankly see y'all as stabbing him in the back, not a good look if you are running a campaign for yourself. Makes them wonder if you're going to stab them in the back for donors or the Media as well.
If there's nothing wrong with him, put that unity envelope around him and carry on. If there's something wrong with him, make your backup plans while you put that unity envelope around him.

But for the sake of the good Lord above, be honest with both us and yourselves, and don't play could-a, would-a, should-a games this late in the game.

Count your states and the ballot requirements for the General in November at the least. I know if you change the ballot now, you've just lost Nevada in the Electoral college. There's probably other states you'll lose; even if they're polling 65% GOP per the polls now, they're still somewhat in play in November.
I don't know if he steps down for health reasons and Harris goes to top of ticket that might change the rules somewhat, but you can't hound him out.

And please, treat the voters with as much respect as you treat the donors. So far, it doesn't seem like you're actually listening, you're making decisions behind closed doors. And that will depress voter turnout far worse than being honest and working out whatever your apparently sudden problem with Biden is.
He hasn't lost any delegates, and he's doing better as he's fighting. Please don't treat us like we're Q-Anon or MAGA, willing to blindly follow without question.

Yours,
Dawn.S.D, USN (CPO, Retired) AKA Haele on DU

P.S. (Because I'm old school) If you're going to replace Biden, who will you put in Harris' place? If you're going to replace him, you're guaranteed a loss if it's not with Harris. Just my observation as a long time Democratic voter.

July 16, 2024

Question - Could it be Democratic donors, pols and punditry want a landslide winner?

They are afraid of a second Trump Presidency and want reassurance they have an easy landslide winner?
Unfortunately, there is none. And it seems that "though their heart is in the right place", they don't have the stomach for the real fight to protect what they've taken for granted. Because Democracy made it easier to get where they are, they expect their opponents are on the same page they are.

After all, everyone believes Democracy and a robust Social Contact is beneficial to everyone, right? Autocracy limits the opportunities and freedom of the majority of people, creating rigid class structures and forcing almost everyone into a subservient position to a few.

Project 2025 is so hugely outrageous, it only benefits few dozen people and corporations.

There can't be tens of millions of people who would give up most of their freedom and any opportunity to live comfortably into old age just to strike out at an existential fear, could there?

Why aren't our Candidates doing better? It should be a landslide by now. Did we pick the right people? Why aren't they working harder to get the word out?

Because those who have it easy, who have money, who are moving in the "polite circles" or isolated business circles; who aren't already working in the campaigns on the deck plates, as it were, don't understand how, when and where the population, especially the working population, in general are getting their news and opinions. You can talk troll farms and panic politics all you want. They pique the interest of those who already are living with issues that are hard to solve, that seem overwhelming.

But mass media buys don't count as much as neighborhood projects, meet and greets, and town halls. Which also means panicked politicians will cause more problems than their "propositions" will solve

The Media is owned by the few who think they will make out under an authorization regime; those few cannot win unless our Democratic Representatives fall into line with that media and let them. Because honestly, what average voter cares what a wealthy donor or elitist pundit thinks?
I know Elon Musk or Jimmie Dimon are going to back the "team" that can make them richer My neighbors and I care about the team that makes sure they have jobs, health care, and security available. It should be a landslide, but realistically, as the old saying goes "familiarity breeds contempt", and for the past 70 years, the liberal, progressive, tolerant, or whatever you want to call it movements that drive the modern difference between Democrat and Republican has been too complacent standing by watching the other team get taken over by an anti-Democratic agendas.

Stand together and show me Democracy counts, Democrats.
Keep your panic or resentment that your sparkle pony isn't important enough to yourself, grow the f*** up and get to work. You've got 70 years of squabbling, vanity, hand wringing, and procrastinating to make up for in (checks calendar) three months.
Or you ain't going to get a second chance. Ever.

Haele

July 12, 2024

What forcing a Presidential candidate who won their primary means to the general voters.

1. It removes confidence in the entire representative process. We Democrats voted for Old Man Biden for President with Kamala Harris as his VP and backstop should something happen to him.

2. IT REMOVES CONFIDENCE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, BECAUSE IT HAS BECOME OBVIOUS THERE IS AN ELITE CLASS RUNNING THE US THAT CALLS THE SHOTS. THEY DIDN'T RUN THEIR CANDIDATE SO WE DON'T KNOW WHO THEY REALLY WANT TO RULE US.

3. Can I shout this any louder? Those Democratic "Elite" pushing Joe Biden is too old (like we didn't know that when we voted for him in the primary) are showing We The People that our vote doesn't matter, and they aren't any better that the Elite of the Republican Party, just less cruel.
They're just as carelessly Evil. We The People means little to them, we don't belong to their clubs and aren't invited to their parties as equals. Our concerns don't matter.
They believe that throwing money at whatever they break fixed the problem after they walk away.

Here's the problem they ignore. We don't have a say, and THE MEDIA AND MONEY PEOPLE HAVE JUST TOLD US OUR VOTE DOESN'T COUNT. DEMOCRACY IS A GAME THAT DOESN'T MATTER.
Way to depress the Democratic vote and ensure a Trump win.

Way to ensure no average citizen will ever trust the paternalistic elite who have shown they don't give a spit about the Democratic process, and apparently view Citizenship is transactional; the average citizen is just a consumer whose rights and representation is equivalent to what they can afford to buy.

The Republican cult members will always come out to vote. They don't care, so long as their Masters give them the crumbs they want.

If Biden is driven off the ticket this close to election just because he's "old", people will stop voting. Now and in the future.
It's not like he was a candidate that was found out to be - IDK - a convicted felon and discovering he hangs out with sex traffickers, financial criminals and dictators.

Haele

July 6, 2024

The sad state of infotainment, access journalism, and media conglomerations....

Journalists at best have become the equivalent of junkyard dogs, running back and forth behind the fence, yapping at whatever walks by without any reason other that it's there in front of them.
At worse, they're brainless yappers focused on appeasement and performing tricks for their masters to get treats and playtime with toys.

There are very few independently minded, thoughtful journalists interested in getting facts before dipping that quill into the inkwell or opening their mouths to report an important situation. Likewise, there are very few news outlets independent enough to care about presenting actual facts that might just be dull or unpopular to the wealthy and "influential". Most outlets (even "neutral" ones) seem to need the eyeballs, the outrage, and most importantly, the access to juicy gossip.
Yah, I've gotten caught up in it, before I had to step back and think about what I'm actually seeing from the "reporters".

Just making an observation here.

Haele

June 14, 2024

Banned in Denmark for being too spicy....

Buldak Spicy Chicken Nuclear (2x) ramen at 10,000 scovill units....
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/samyang-ramen-noodles-recalled-too-spicy-rcna156847
And Laz has been getting these in his monthly Weee ramen order for 6 months now, along with spicy Jin, beef marrow, miso, various seafood mixes, and black sesame oil w/ spicy garlic sauce ramens. They're easy "light dinners" for him when no one else wants to do more than fried egg and cheese or leftover soup.
He says it's really tasty as well as hot, rather like a roasted garlic chicken wing coated in a spicy Tabasco sauce. We didn't know they also have a 3x. We might have to get some, but I think it can only be bought directly from Korea.
Certainly not from Denmark anymore.

Haele

May 11, 2024

The historic town of Campo in CA is for sale for $6.6 million

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/campo-east-county-sale-new-price-tag/509-ebb31ff0-ce1e-4d30-b187-00e55e2150f5

It sounds as if what is for sale is what was originally the historic Ft. Lockett site, home of the Buffalo Soldiers. Campo is a 30 minute drive from San Diego up in high desert; has one of the longest thermometer climate environments, regularly a 40 degree swing, and occasionally up to a 60 degree swing, between day and night temperatures.

There are private homeowner residents around there, plus a historic railroad museum with weekend train trips in season.

Campo residents I've met tend to embrace the history side of the region as a draw for the local economy, and aren't too keen about becoming another suburb or middle class retirement hub of/for San Diego.

I think it would be great for a heritage minded black celebrity to purchase and develop as a historic/cultural site, keeping a lot of the local "feel" that is important to both history and the locals.

On edit- the reason I'm thinking a celebrity should get involved is that I think a trust to maintain the historical site would be preferable to having some land development consortium turn the town into another gated spa getaway for rich folks and foreign investment.

Haele

April 18, 2024

Found on Reddit -Recruiting ad for the Coast Guard...

Sorry, don't have an Instagram to post this on, so here's the text from gocoastguard.gov...

" Think you're too old or out of shape for the Coast Guard? Think again. Discover what you can be when you find your grit..."

Laz wonders if they'll take a 58 year old with arthritis and Long Covid. He's found his grit already, and he's qualified to get into comms or networking...



Haele

April 18, 2024

Example of cross border crime - burglary rings using tourist visas...

Sorry for pretty much just the link, but I'm posting from my phone.
Burglary crews have been coming to the US from Ecuador, Chile, and Brazil on tourist visas, hitting wealthy residential areas over a period of a week or so, then move on to other cities until their visas run out. And I'm sure they're not the only criminal gangs from other countries doing this.
Part of the problem is that the vetting for tourist visas into the US belongs to the country of origin. And I'm pretty sure some of these countries aren't too careful - basically "has the application been found guilty of a violent crime?", and that's the extent of it.

Yeah, those poor folks crossing without documents to get jobs to support their families or fleeing gangs are causing all the immigrant crime in the US. Not foreigners coming over regularly through airports on tourist visas.

Haele

[link:https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/burglary-tourism-foreign-organized-crime-groups-are-targeting-san-diego-homes-da-stephan-says/3490647/https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/burglary-tourism-foreign-organized-crime-groups-are-targeting-san-diego-homes-da-stephan-says/3490647/|

April 17, 2024

Possible Meteor sighting in San Diego -

At 2000 PDT (8:00 pm Pacific for you non military clock readers) pretty much on the dot, we were driving facing pretty much directly east when this ball of green came straight down from about 60 degrees above the horizon to about 10 degrees above the horizon. It was either splitting up as it was coming down into a main and a smaller one, or it was two rocks.
Pretty big, too. So it was either small and close or middling and higher up/further away.
But it was definitely green, whatever it was. Laz and I said it at the same time.
So...be careful buying succulent plants over the next couple weeks.

Haele

March 25, 2024

Border Policy affects? San Diego Binational Half Marathon -

A friend of mine passed this on; quite a few military members intend to sign up, and their waiting on legal to okay the route and event. This event allows runners to register in both the US and Mexico.

Prior to 2001, this would not be a problem. The only issue would have been the border crossing area. Which, as one local pundit proclaimed, might take twice as long as the race to get across...

I'm hoping they will have a fast track line at the border, and that the runners coming up from Mexico won't get hassled.

[link:https://binationalrace.com/|

Haele