tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75429291191726695222024-03-12T22:41:11.809-07:00Valley DudeValley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-52826397526377466042018-06-03T13:33:00.003-07:002018-06-03T13:33:31.005-07:00New Website and URL for Valley DudeI am excited to announce that Valley Dude has its own new website here at <a href="https://valleydude70.com/">https://valleydude70.com</a>!! I will be keeping this site up as an archive for previous posts. It is still a work in progress, but I hope you enjoy the new website as much as I do.Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-31258068269102767302018-05-25T15:09:00.000-07:002018-05-25T15:09:30.861-07:00June 5 - Primary Election Ballot RecommendationsHi all - yes, once again it is time for my ballot recommendations. For convenience, I have attached a link to the California Voter Information Guide <a href="http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/pdf/complete-vig.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>, which gives a summary of the statewide initiatives on this ballot. <br />
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Whatever you do, please be sure to exercise our precious right to vote. No matter how much money or power public officials have, we can each exercise our franchise the best way we see fit. <br />
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<u>Elected offices</u>:<br />
<ul>
<li>Governor - Delaine Eastin</li>
<li>Lt. Governor - Gayle McLaughlin </li>
<li>Secretary of State - Alex Padilla</li>
<li>Attorney General - Xavier Becerra</li>
<li>Treasurer - Visak Viswanathan</li>
<li>CA State Senator 18th District - Bob Hertzberg</li>
<li>CA State Assembly 46th District - Adrin Nazarian </li>
<li>U.S. Senator - Pat Harris</li>
<li>U.S. Representative 30th District - Brad Sherman</li>
</ul>
<u>State Measures</u><br />
<ul>
<li>Proposition 68 - YES. This is a $4 billion bond dedicated to parks, natural resources, climate change adaptation, water quality and flood protection. </li>
<li>Proposition 69 - NO. This requires that certain revenues from a 2017 transporatation law only be used for transportation. Sounds good in theory except this is a <u>constitutional amendment</u>. I generally oppose ballot box budgeting, but even when it does make sense it should not be via an amendment to the state constitution. Lawmakers can fix this through standard legislation - this is a ridiculous proposition.</li>
<li>Proposition 70 - NO. This would require a super majority vote to spend cap and trade funds beginning in 2024, which would make it very difficult to appropriate funds. I think this is a bad idea.</li>
<li>Proposition 71 - YES. Gives 5 days to count the vote before a ballot initiative becomes becomes law. </li>
<li>Proposition 72 - YES. This excludes newly constructed rain capture systems from property tax reassesments. Normally I would say no to this kind of thing, but anything we can do to preserve our precious resource of water is a must. </li>
</ul>
Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-6604252665506072852018-05-19T13:53:00.000-07:002018-05-19T13:53:03.842-07:00What do we do now?As our country processes yet another devastating <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/19/us/texas-santa-fe-school-shooting.html?login=email&auth=login-email" target="_blank">school shooting</a>, I came across this rather shocking <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/05/18/2018-has-been-deadlier-for-schoolchildren-than-service-members/?utm_term=.badeb5e5359f" target="_blank">statistic</a> from the Washington Post - there have been more students killed in 2018 than U.S. Service members. As my mind reeled about the continued inability for Congress to do something - anything - in response to an accelerating crisis, I realized our problems are so much deeper than just tightening access to guns (which still needs to happen). Unlike the Parkland shooting, in this instance the killer <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/05/18/gun-used-texas-shooting-explosives/623202002/" target="_blank">used</a> a shotgun and a .38 revolver that he obtained from his father.<br />
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I can imagine folks who oppose sensible gun control measures will point to this tragedy as a continued reason to do nothing - after all, an assault weapons ban and background checks would likely not have been a factor in preventing this terrible incident. That's a little like saying requiring seat belts don't prevent all deaths so why bother to have seat belts at all. Let's not forget an AR-15 was used at Parkland. And if "smart" technology were required on guns (i.e., a gun only can fire when it recognizes the biometrics of its registered owner), then it's possible the shooter may not have been able to carry out his plan with his father's weapons. It's possible that none of that may have helped. But we need to try.<br />
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My point is not just to say we need sensible action on guns - we do - but we need to change our national dialogue to recognize the humanity in each other. Our response needs to not just come from Congress and statehouses, but our national consciousness. How does a 17 year old high school student become a killer anyway? What happened along the way that detached him so much from those around him? If we only focus on guns than we are missing the deeper strains on how we support our children and each other. Lack of investment in education, health care, economic growth and labor make it easier for hate and blame to seep its way into our being. Easier for adults to dehumanize and berate people who are not quite like them. These threads of thought and the broader deterioration of civility make their way to our children, and not necessarily from parents. I will say however having unlocked guns in the house implicates a lack of gravity and understanding - or even sympathy - about what these weapons can do to our fellow human beings. <br />
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As these tragedies increase, the absence of leadership across the spectrum in declaring that the United States is in crisis leads to an acceptance that this is the new "normal". <br />
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We can blame Donald Trump for exacerbating and normalizing it through the power of the White House, and that much is true. But this has been going on for a long time. <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/a-look-back-sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting/" target="_blank">Sandy Hook</a> happened in 2012. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2013/09/18/us/columbine-high-school-shootings-fast-facts/index.html" target="_blank">Columbine</a> happened in 1999. Since Columbine, 141 children have been <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/local/school-shootings-database/?utm_term=.27873729f47c" target="_blank">killed</a> and 284 have been injured. Over 200,000 kids have been exposed to school shootings. This is the 16th school shooting in 2018. Let's also not forget the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/national/police-shootings-2018/?utm_term=.eb6599d5cf58" target="_blank">400 people</a> that have been shot and killed so far by police in 2018. Why is there not uniform and sustained outrage? How is this now normal? <br />
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I will say it. The United States is in an existential crisis. I can think of a gazillion things that might be helpful in terms of public policy. And we should do some of them. But the first step in all of this is we must recognize that we are all human, and we all need each other. The values we hold with each other are the values that we pass to our children. We need to start here.<br />
Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-87309588306307368602017-10-20T15:29:00.002-07:002017-10-20T15:31:19.787-07:00Book Review - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline<i>Ready Player One</i> came out years ago - 2011 - and I've long wanted to read it. Not too long after it came out I picked up the book, the real kind with pages, not the Kindle version I usually read these days, and it has been sitting in my house for years, including through two moves across the country. Still in perfect shape. There's a movie coming out next year that's based on the book, and me being me I wanted to read it before the movie came out. But that wasn't what ultimately got me off of (or rather forced me to sit on) my duff and read the book. Rather, I had just finished reading <i>Version Control</i> by Dexter Palmer, a slightly mind bending exploration set in the future about the nature of reality and spacetime. And I really liked that book. All of a sudden I heard <i>Ready Player One</i> calling my name, beckoning me into its own version of the future, with its attendant lookback into the 80's culture I was steeped in as a teenager. <br />
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The book opens in Oklahoma City, where our hero, Wade Watts, is living in what is known as "the stacks". We quickly find out that the stacks are towers of mobile homes "stacked" on top of each other, held up by scaffolding and platforms that provide access to each trailer, which essentially is a "floor". The stacks serve as a symbol for the widespread and systemic decay that has hit the United States, where fuel and energy are incredibly scarce, jobs are few and far between, and infrastructure is crumbling. Wade's only escape is into a fantastical immersive virtual reality simulation, known as the OASIS, coded by one James Halliday. The OASIS consists of worlds, starships, realms, you name it - all populated by anyone having access to the tools needed to enter into it - essentially a VR visor and sensory gloves. A user of the OASIS creates an avatar, and Wade names his "Parzival". Wade even attends school in the OASIS, where he logs in from his hideout in an abandoned van in a junkyard. Wade has no friends in reality, and only one friend in the OASIS.<br />
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When James Halliday dies, he leaves behind a will that creates a contest - a contest that is essentially a treasure hunt through the OASIS in which the contestants are looking for an "egg". The one who finds the egg will inherit Halliday's fortune. The thing about the contest is James Halliday was also an obsessive 80's culture geek, and the contest as you might expect requires a good deal of knowledge about the 80's (Fun!). And Wade, growing up, made it his business to study James Halliday, and becomes obsessed with finding the egg as a way out of his meager circumstances, along with hordes of other egg hunters called "gunters". As you might expect, bad guys are also interested in Halliday's fortune, including the corporate behemoth known as IOI.<br />
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The contest quickly becomes an interesting play on the nature of relationships in the virtual world and the meaning of those relationships - including Parzival's relationship with "Art3mis", the book's heroine, other friends he meets along the way, and the interaction with the bad guys through the story. These relationships and interplay make the <i>Ready Player One</i> <i></i> highly entertaining and a quick read. I also very much enjoyed the 80's geekiness throughout the book (maybe you won't but I absolutely loved it).<br />
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If you would like a combo of action, sci fi, fantasy, and a healthy dollop of 80's game and movie culture thrown in, I would <i>highly</i> recommend this book. <br />
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<br />Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-1480222929323378612017-10-07T11:19:00.002-07:002017-10-07T11:19:31.569-07:00Coldplay at the Rose Bowl!<br />
Gorgeous night at the Rose Bowl - Coldplay put on a fun and energetic show. Opening act was Tove Lo, who wound up sitting a few seats down from us once Coldplay went on stage! More pictures after the jump.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMt2YBLwqCqNWVUzXXVxyZ7vys4B7raRbprNnc6rkVmqw1H0aCkpArdMz2OI-rHofkUHUY20BMluhE5sRkGu4_6HsOipmcZ-sliViycGjEwprg7tmBd0Y6nVtrb6054xnQHbc_BdyB_U/s1600/IMG_9673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMt2YBLwqCqNWVUzXXVxyZ7vys4B7raRbprNnc6rkVmqw1H0aCkpArdMz2OI-rHofkUHUY20BMluhE5sRkGu4_6HsOipmcZ-sliViycGjEwprg7tmBd0Y6nVtrb6054xnQHbc_BdyB_U/s320/IMG_9673.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the main stage, full moon visible at top of picture</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catwalk in the middle of stadium</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjRCvJTYlN5uL4u9XNmOMhg9wIcBpHDGxsmqRaI_ZPhNYwBM3wvAbALNNHvuM8VuakLJ2PJMnIgtHRz8-A2bpKQiLobFRtNiGboNMx6Jq9HdMHnGLNzkSWCt6BgctdX66JkWphuy3hH0/s1600/IMG_9686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjRCvJTYlN5uL4u9XNmOMhg9wIcBpHDGxsmqRaI_ZPhNYwBM3wvAbALNNHvuM8VuakLJ2PJMnIgtHRz8-A2bpKQiLobFRtNiGboNMx6Jq9HdMHnGLNzkSWCt6BgctdX66JkWphuy3hH0/s320/IMG_9686.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At end of catwalk</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Singing Everglow in memory of Tom Petty and Las Vegas victims</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixPOIqTr_VQnH2iPpgZDZ57oNNWyf8NLRh1QrhaJ-VccsxBgYRPfMq4H0ljsdIU2xoEOxgKYbyFpmf1IcN6liG2aP5e9b_H7smDZgUum4PcFgOUn-KlLoqENGhhle_bruO1J2HnPq4uMo/s1600/Coldplay.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1226" data-original-width="692" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixPOIqTr_VQnH2iPpgZDZ57oNNWyf8NLRh1QrhaJ-VccsxBgYRPfMq4H0ljsdIU2xoEOxgKYbyFpmf1IcN6liG2aP5e9b_H7smDZgUum4PcFgOUn-KlLoqENGhhle_bruO1J2HnPq4uMo/s320/Coldplay.png" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fireworks</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5WPEsp6zigdSM8u8wwpIWHRebeS8PV6KX6gL8CCkshyu-jQ004IrFdbz6fb2cMPezeO1K4NiX6VqZjdOkI-_Fc8p8uAGlGEt82pDOceZCCtdYBnVc-rikKnviwPwZy416k8WHQMU8c8/s1600/Coldplay+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1222" data-original-width="689" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5WPEsp6zigdSM8u8wwpIWHRebeS8PV6KX6gL8CCkshyu-jQ004IrFdbz6fb2cMPezeO1K4NiX6VqZjdOkI-_Fc8p8uAGlGEt82pDOceZCCtdYBnVc-rikKnviwPwZy416k8WHQMU8c8/s320/Coldplay+2.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhceTtc56eKTpo1A1Ra0k-TlHPBQ9Rbl03I-OLOHIRiV-BDDwPdW39vOj5-ZMN7YhJN7oUOZUJ8EpdxkCaR2k6rE3n3wS446dLVXL-TTufUxYN1yGUGatwGJPBAZpfGYpW8yI7K-eXd-VU/s1600/Coldplay+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="1017" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhceTtc56eKTpo1A1Ra0k-TlHPBQ9Rbl03I-OLOHIRiV-BDDwPdW39vOj5-ZMN7YhJN7oUOZUJ8EpdxkCaR2k6rE3n3wS446dLVXL-TTufUxYN1yGUGatwGJPBAZpfGYpW8yI7K-eXd-VU/s320/Coldplay+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stage during Clocks</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tove Lo visible behind man bun boyfriend</td></tr>
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<br />Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-29387761139081462732017-10-04T20:39:00.000-07:002017-10-04T20:39:51.490-07:00In The Name Of CivilityI'm simply at a loss these last couple of days. I feel like our fragile bond of civility is careening towards a cliff, intentionally being driven there by both public and private actors, accelerating faster with each month. The tragic <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/03/us/las-vegas-gunman.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=span-abc-region&region=span-abc-region&WT.nav=span-abc-region&_r=0" target="_blank">shooting</a> in Las Vegas is simultaneously one of disbelief, sadness and outrage. It is not just disturbing in its scope, terror and senselessness - it feels like it is part of a broader pattern of collective madness that has gripped our country, coupled with a sense of powerlessness to do anything about it.<br />
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I struggle with the fact that Congress is <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/las-vegas-shooting/silencers-armor-piercing-bullets-congress-looks-rollback-gun-laws-n806881" target="_blank">poised to pass a bill</a> actually loosening restrictions on gun silencers and the sale of armor piercing bullets.<br />
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I struggle with the reactionary anger over NFL players protesting - peacefully - the epidemic of violence and incarceration in our justice system that is impacting African American communities. The protest is about <u>civil rights</u>, not vets, the military, the flag, or the anthem (although you may not know that there is a verse of the Star Spangled Banner that <a href="https://theintercept.com/2016/08/28/colin-kaepernick-is-righter-than-you-know-the-national-anthem-is-a-celebration-of-slavery/" target="_blank">celebrated</a> the capture and killing of slaves. If you don't believe me the full text is <a href="http://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/the-lyrics.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>). <br />
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I struggle with the fact that the President <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-s-roll-puerto-rico-n807216" target="_blank">threw</a> paper towels at hurricane victims in Puerto Rico, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/30/politics/trump-tweets-puerto-rico-mayor/index.html" target="_blank">told</a> the mayor of San Juan that the people of Puerto Rico are not doing enough to help themselves, suggested that hurricane Maria <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/03/politics/trump-puerto-rico/index.html" target="_blank">was not a real disaster</a> like Katrina. <br />
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I struggle with the fact that 9 million children just lost healthcare as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/10/01/9-million-kids-get-health-insurance-under-chip-congress-just-let-it-expire/?utm_term=.adb8d4ecefca" target="_blank">Congress</a> let CHIP - the Children’s Health Insurance Program - expire. CHIP provides funding to provide insurance to children, reducing the uninsured rate of kids to 5%. A bipartisan approach was generally agreed upon until the last GOP push to kill the ACA got in the way and failed, which derailed the CHIP renewal.<br />
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I struggle with the Commander in Chief <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/01/us/politics/trump-tillerson-north-korea.html" target="_blank">undercutting</a> his own Secretary of State’s efforts to diffuse the situation with North Korea. This guy wants a war.<br />
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I struggle with Trump and the GOP trying to push through tax cuts that <a href="http://www.npr.org/2017/10/04/555433641/who-will-benefit-most-from-gop-tax-plan-early-report-suggests-the-wealthy" target="_blank">benefit</a> the wealthiest Americans, including the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/27/us/politics/trump-tax-plan-wealthy-middle-class-poor.html" target="_blank">Trump family</a>.<br />
<br />
I struggle with Trump <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/trump-defends-white-nationalist-protesters-some-very-fine-people-on-both-sides/537012/" target="_blank">referencing</a> some of the white nationalist marchers in Charlottesville as "very fine people". <br />
<br />
I struggle with the fact that I didn't even know we had U.S. Special Forces in Niger until we just found out three of them were <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2017/10/04/u-s-troops-take-hostile-fire-in-niger/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_usniger-750pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.74bdef51ea79" target="_blank">killed</a>.<br />
<br />
I struggle with the knowledge that the Trump campaign may have assisted the Russians in <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/03/politics/russian-facebook-ads-michigan-wisconsin/index.html" target="_blank">targeting</a> of Facebook ads in key swing districts.<br />
<br />
I could go on. Bill O'Reilly called the Las Vegas shootings the "price of freedom". No really, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-las-vegas-shooting-live-updates-bill-o-reilly-calls-mass-shootings-the-1506980448-htmlstory.html" target="_blank">he said it</a>. The White House said <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/02/white-house-trump-las-vegas-gun-debate-243371" target="_blank">"now is not the time"</a> to have a gun debate. <br />
<br />
Are we really powerless to stop this madness? Madmen gain power when we feel powerless. But it doesn't have to be this way. Yes, Donald Trump sits in the highest office in the land. But he is still a small, insecure bully who thrives off of fear and division. When we begin to listen to each other, respect each other, care for each other, when we can <u>see</u> each other - we can begin to heal ourselves and our civility. Donald Trump and the nationalistic crazies only have as much power as we are willing to give them. <br />
<br />
John F. Kennedy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXRG7yiqR3I" target="_blank">said </a>"Those who make peaceful revolution possible will make violent revolution inevitable". Let us begin our peaceful revolution, one based in love of our fellow human beings. As Americans, it is our duty to uphold the ideals that, while we have traveled a long way towards reaching, still require us to reach ever further to fulfill. Let us, We the People, <span class="_Tgc">form a more perfect Union, establish
Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence,
promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to
ourselves and our Posterity, fulfill the promise of the Constitution for the United States of America.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-35278102281431907462017-08-14T22:32:00.000-07:002017-10-05T11:44:32.720-07:00The real meaning of "heritage"Josh Marshall gives some very good <a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/some-thoughts-on-public-memory" target="_blank">context</a> for the "heritage" of the
statue of Robert E. Lee the white supremacist march in Charlottesville
was trying to save. These are bad people. They came ready to fight
with guns, shields, knives and a philosophy of segregation and racial
supremacy. Anyone willing to drive a car into a crowd of people is no
better than ISIS planting a car bomb in a crowd of people.
Addtionally, David Duke and others praising Trump's response in the
aftermath of Charlottesville speaks for itself. There is no ambiguity
here - we have a president supported by white supremacists, and his base is more
energized than ever. Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-85665645725107805912017-08-09T20:22:00.000-07:002017-08-09T20:22:38.277-07:00All Politics is Local - the GOP purge of voting rolls continuesThe fundamental premise of a democratic (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/05/13/is-the-united-states-of-america-a-republic-or-a-democracy/?utm_term=.66afb6b7092b" target="_blank">representive democracy</a>?) form of governance is the right to vote. I've long been frustrated as to why this nation doesn't celebrate voting in any formal manner. Such as making Election Day a national holiday. That would be great, wouldn't it? Ballots. BBQ and beer!! And not necessarily in that order. Yes, I know not everyone gets a federal holiday off. And it may not be a pancea for voter turnout in all areas. But making it easier to vote and celebrating the franchise so many have fought for seems like a good idea right? <br />
<br />
Turns out Ohio and the Feds have a the opposite idea - Ohio is <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/08/trump-administration-on-the-right-to-vote-use-it-or-lose-it/" target="_blank">kicking folks</a> off the voting rolls if someone hasn't voted in six years, and the Feds, reversing course from the Obama administration, are backing the Ohio effort. <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-votingrights-ohio-insight-idUSKCN0YO19D" target="_blank">2 million</a> voters have been purged from the Ohio rolls between 2011 and 2016. To top it off, if you have been removed, you have to re-register 30 days before the next election. So if the election is coming up and you find out you've been booted off the rolls, if you're within a month of the election you can't vote.<br />
<br />
Justification for this and <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/trump-administration-voter-fraud-popular-vote-638034" target="_blank">other efforts</a> to restrict ease and access for voting comes in the myth of "widespread voter fraud". There's no <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/debunking-voter-fraud-myth" target="_blank">evidence</a> that voter fraud on any scale exists. In fact, there's more evidence that our elections were <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/who-won-election-nsa-report-suggests-russia-might-have-hacked-voting-system-621213" target="_blank">tampered</a> with by a hostile foriegn government, not some mythical horde of non-citizen voters. So why would someone go through the trouble of making it harder to vote?<br />
<br />
This is not a new dilemma. Our history has been one of voter supression since the very beginnings of our nation. Lest we forget, "We the People" of the original Constitution actually meant that white, male, property owning people had the right to vote. Heck, New Jersey actually took the vote away from women in 1807 - property holding women had the right to vote in NJ between 1776-1807. The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, guaranteed the right to vote regardless of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude". However, it wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that people of color truly had a chance at exercising the franchise that should be available to all citizens. The 19th amendment, ratified in 1920, guaranteed women the right to vote. Prior to that, half the population, regardless of any kind of socioeconomic status, was automatically denied the right to vote.<br />
<br />
We are stronger as a nation when we all have a say in its future. The social conract of a democracy requires buy-in from the people -- our country was founded in no large measure due to the lack of proper representation in Parliament ("<i>Taxation without representation is tyranny</i>"). Measures that make it harder to vote, or kicking voters off the rolls is fundamentally un-American, and contrary to the stated premise (actual practice notwithstanding) of the American Revolution.<br />
<br />
This is why the 2018 electios across the board - local, state and federal - are so important. Voting policies are set at the state and county level, not the federal level. However federal officials are critical to oversight and enforcement of civil rights protections. We must remain vigilant and support candidates comitted to each and every citizen's right to vote. Without this, the idea of Democrats and Republicans just don't matter. We are all Americans first and party members second.<br />
<br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<br />Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-4557961051524094852017-06-23T23:25:00.000-07:002017-06-23T23:25:39.572-07:00Lost in the noise - the Senate is close to repealing ObamacareIf you haven't noticed by now the Senate is trying to pass a repeal of the Affordable Care Act (a/k/a "Obamacare") that looks a lot like the House bill that passed - which is estimated to kick <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/24/us/politics/cbo-congressional-budget-office-health-care.html" target="_blank">23 million</a> people off of insurance if enacted.<br />
<br />
Let's not forget there are a lot of people who <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/331730-schumer-house-obamacare-repeal-bill-cant-pass-senate" target="_blank">thought</a> "Hey, the Senate just won't pass a bill like that". I know more than a few of them. However, the GOP is trying to use a "budget reconciliaton" maneuver that would only require 50 votes plus Pence, and avoid a filibuster avoiding 60 votes. The Senate parlimentarian has not yet <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senate-health-care-bill/story?id=48213630" target="_blank">ruled</a> on the merits of this maneuver. The thing is, the GOP is scary close to passing it if it can use reconciliation. The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/22/us/senate-health-care-bill.html?action=click&contentCollection=The%20Upshot&module=RelatedCoverage&region=EndOfArticle&pgtype=article" target="_blank">Times</a> has a good overview of what the bill is all about, as does <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/06/22/533942041/who-wins-who-loses-with-senate-health-care-bill" target="_blank">NPR</a>. Here's just a few highlights of what happens under the bill:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Medicaid funding is dramatically <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/upshot/gop-health-plan-is-really-a-rollback-of-medicaid.html" target="_blank">reduced</a>, and not just for states that expanded coverage. </b>Almost 40% of all U.S. children are currently covered by Medicaid, and 76% of poor children rely on it. Half of all births are covered by Medicaid, and 40% of poor adults rely on it.</li>
<li><b>Repeals low-income subsidies to help pay for health care</b>, including for premiums and deductibles.</li>
<li><b>Pre-existing conditions would likely be impacted. </b>States could apply to waive mandatory coverage requirements, like maternity benefits, prescription drugs or addiction treatment. This means some items that would otherwise be subject to the "can't deny insurance for pre-existing condition" rule might simply just not be covered by insurance.</li>
<li><b>Medicare would no longer be required to cover mental health. </b></li>
<li><b>Insurers could charge older Americans 5 times more than younger ones</b>.</li>
<li><b>Planned Parenthood would be blocked from being reimbursed, even for routine health care.</b></li>
<li><b><b>Repeal of Obamacare taxes on incomes over $200k</b>,<b> as well as taxes on medical devices, prescription drugs and indoor tanning. </b>
These taxes were in part used to help fund the expansion of Medicaid, a
huge factor in driving down the number of uninsured Americans. </b></li>
</ul>
There's more - I haven't even gotten into what happens to the ban on lifetime coverage caps, the impact to people with disabilities, people in nursing homes, and so on. Read the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/22/us/senate-health-care-bill.html?action=click&contentCollection=The%20Upshot&module=RelatedCoverage&region=EndOfArticle&pgtype=article" target="_blank">Times</a> article and the <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/06/22/533942041/who-wins-who-loses-with-senate-health-care-bill" target="_blank">NPR</a> article for a full picture.<b> </b><br />
<br />
You don't need a CBO score to know that lots of people will lose insurance under this bill, and it is the most poor and vulnerable who get hit the hardest, with higher income earners getting tax cuts and increases in ability to put money into HSAs. And it's just a mean, selfish bill.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/22/us/politics/senate-health-care-whip-count.html" target="_blank">Here's</a> a rundown of where each GOP Senator stands on the bill. Let's make our voices heard in opposition to this terrible bill, and let's support single payer in California.Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-51082011349580044122017-05-30T22:12:00.002-07:002017-05-30T22:12:20.711-07:00The Permanence of Hope
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Permanence of Hope</i></div>
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There was a day</div>
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When we held each other up</div>
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And shared the value of civility</div>
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Reaching out to each other</div>
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Regardless of belief and faith</div>
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<br /></div>
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There was also a day</div>
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When we held each other down</div>
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In a way not so civil</div>
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Fraying the bonds to each other</div>
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Based on belief and faith</div>
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<br /></div>
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Our shared history </div>
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Has moved us between both days</div>
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Fighting for and against freedom</div>
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In the name of the same Nation</div>
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<br /></div>
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And yet the permanence of hope</div>
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Has led us down the path of progress</div>
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On more days than not</div>
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Where we find </div>
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Air and simple gifts</div>
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Build our shared values</div>
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<br /></div>
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We again face the choice</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We hold these truths
to be self evident</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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JS</div>
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May 25, 2017</div>
Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-292404073429766092017-03-25T20:28:00.003-07:002017-03-25T20:28:37.547-07:00Thoughts on Health Care<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been giving some thought to the defeat of the
GOP plan to overturn the Affordable Care Act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And it is interesting – I am most definitely happy that that effort
failed in the House this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I don’t
really feel a sense of joy, rather relief for now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because the defeat really happened for an odd
reason – some portions of the bill were so malicious – pulling the requirements
for coverage of pre-natal care, emergency care, penalizing customers a 30%
premium for switching insurance companies - among others – that certain
congressional Republicans could not stomach voting for the bill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as widely noted, the Republican “Freedom
Caucus” thought it didn’t pull enough benefits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Think about that for a moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
sizable chunk of these guys didn’t think it went far enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had they thought “we’ll take this and fight
for more repeals on the next major bill that needs to pass” then the country
would be on the path to deconstructing the ACA, which helps tens of millions of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
that’s still a little scary.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Oddly enough I would guess – it’s hard to know –
but I would venture to agree with the speculation that Trump doesn’t want to
deal with health care anymore and wants to move on. My hope anyway is that Trump is of the
mindset of “I gave you your chance and you blew it, so I’m moving onto stuff
that I care about.” In that sense to me
that there’s a good shot Obamacare lasts through the midterm elections. As it should.</span><!--EndFragment-->
<br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Keep speaking out on what's important. Sometimes it makes a difference.</span>Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-44273759779230898012017-02-26T21:33:00.000-08:002017-02-26T21:33:21.065-08:00Don't miss what's behind the all the Trump noiseI probably don't have to cite all the<i> sturm und drang </i>surrounding all of Trump's tweets, executive orders, disenfranchising speech, attacks on the media, and his general sucking all of the air out of the room of public debate. But we also can't take our eye off the ball about what the current GOP controlled Congress may be doing behind the curtain of all the noise. You may already know that The Trump administration <a href="http://www.vox.com/2017/2/2/14488448/stream-protection-rule" target="_blank">repealed</a> an EPA rule requiring coal mining companies to clean up water polluted by mountain top mining, or that it <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-02-14/trump-repeal-of-energy-anti-corruption-rule-signals-coming-wave" target="_blank">repealed</a> an SEC rule requiring oil, gas and mining companies to disclose payments to foreign governments. Or that it plans to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/energyinnovation/2017/02/23/clean-power-plan-repeal-would-cost-america-600-billion-cause-120000-premature-deaths/#3038512b3b78" target="_blank">gut</a> EPA rules regulating CO2 emissions.<br />
<br />
What you may not yet know about is the introduction of H.R. bill 610, which would repeal a bedrock Federal educational law - the ESEA act of 1965, which among other things, establishes programs for special needs learners, AP classes, ESL classes, funding for low income schools, among other things - and replaces it in its entirety with block grants to states for voucher programs. Additionally, the bill voids nutritional requirements for meals provided to children in schools. <br />
<br />
Here's the section on repeal of the 1965 ESEA act - the enitre thing is repealed in one sentence:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span class=" lbexSectionlevelOLC">SEC. 102. </span><span class=" lbexSectionlevelOLC"> <span class="lbexAllcap">Repeal of Elementary and Secondary Education Act and limitation on secretarial authority</span>.</span></i><br />
<div class="lbexIndent" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><i>(a) <span class="lbexSectionLevelOLCnuclear">Repeal</span>.—The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (<a href="http://uscode.house.gov/quicksearch/get.plx?title=20&section=6301">20 U.S.C. 6301</a> et seq.) is repealed.</i></span></div>
<div class="lbexIndent" style="text-align: left;">
<i>(b) <span class="lbexSectionLevelOLCnuclear">Limitation on secretarial authority</span>.—The
authority of the Secretary under this title is limited to evaluating
State applications under section 104 and making payments to States under
section 103. The Secretary shall not impose any further requirements on
States with respect to elementary and secondary education beyond the
requirements of this title.</i></div>
</blockquote>
Next the bill takes whatever funding was allocated under ESEA and block grants it to states for voucher programs. Any payments not made to states from existing appropriations go to deficit reduction. Here's the relevant section:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span class=" lbexSectionlevelOLC">SEC. 103. </span><span class=" lbexSectionlevelOLC"> <span class="lbexAllcap">Block grants to states</span>.</span></i><br />
<div class="lbexIndent" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><i>(a) <span class="lbexSectionLevelOLCnuclear">Grants to states</span>.—From
amounts appropriated to carry out this title for a fiscal year, the
Secretary shall award grants (from allotments made under subsection (b))
to qualified States to enable such States to carry out an education
voucher program under section 105.</i></span></div>
<i>[...]</i><br />
<div class="lbexIndent" style="text-align: left;">
<i>(d) <span class="lbexSectionLevelOLCnuclear">Deficit reduction</span>.—Any
amounts remaining after allotments are made under subsection (c) for a
fiscal year shall not be available for any purpose other than deficit
reduction.</i></div>
</blockquote>
Section 105 essentially sets up the authority to block grant funds to states. You can read the text of 105 (and the rest of the bill, it's pretty short) <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/610/text" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Here's the text voiding nutritional requirements - they actually have the audacity to call it the "No Hungry Kids Act":<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span class=" lbexSectionlevelOLC">SEC. 201. </span><span class=" lbexSectionlevelOLC"> <span class="lbexAllcap">Short title</span>.</span></i><br />
<div class="lbexIndent" style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>This title may be cited as the “No Hungry Kids Act”.</i></div>
</div>
<div class="lbexHangWithMargin" style="text-align: left;">
<i><span class=" lbexSectionlevelOLC">SEC. 202. </span><span class=" lbexSectionlevelOLC"> <span class="lbexAllcap">Repeal of rule</span>.</span></i></div>
<div class="lbexIndent" style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><i>The
rule prescribed by the Food and Nutrition Service of the Department of
Agriculture relating to nutrition standards in the national school lunch
and school breakfast programs published on January 26, 2012 (77 Fed.
Reg. 4088 et seq.), and revising parts 210 and 220 of title 7, Code of
Federal Regulations, shall have no force or effect.</i></span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
Whatever you think of the efficacy of these programs, a LOT of kids are impacted by and benefit from ESEA, and this is the kind of thing that should be debated in public. I do have mixed feelings about educational requirments being uniformly imposed by Washington, D.C., but just blindly granting states Federal taxpayer money to do with as they wish - with no minimal requirements, no assurances for special needs children, no provisions for low income families, etc. - seems like poor policy. Indeed, with 33 Republican governors and 32 state legislatures controlled by Republicans, it's not a stretch to think that a good amount of taxpayer funds will go to subsdize private, for-profit educational institutions, with much less accountability than public ones.<br />
<br />
We need to keep our eye on the ball with all of the craziness hitting our public discourse. <br />
<br />Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-7571393795828274962017-02-08T20:23:00.000-08:002017-02-08T20:23:55.444-08:00Trump's Toxic Politics<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_16">
Another
personal story exemplifying the toxic atmosphere Trump’s politics have
created in this country – I have received permission to identify this
person relaying this story to me. Today, my friend and colleague at
CBS, Joanna Fenton, boarded a crowded B train headed towards Brighton
Beach, at 7:00 p.m. She sat next to a woman wearing a hijab, as well as
a young man. All three have dark skin. The woman with the hijab was
sitting in the seat closest to the door of the train.<br />
<br />
At Atlantic
Avenue, a white man with what seemed to be a Russian accent boarded the
train which at this point, as is usual for this time, was very crowded.
He elbowed his way to the space where Joanna and her seat-mates were,
and shoved his elbow into the head of the woman wearing the hijab.<br />
<br />
The woman said to the man, “Your elbow is in my temple”.<br />
<br />
The man said “So what?”<br />
<br />
Joanna and the young man told the Russian sounding man “Excuse me?" <br />
<br />
The Russian sounding man said “Trump was right – you are all animals!
You need to go back to where you came from!! No one wants you here!”<br />
<br />
The young man tried to get up to confront the Russian sounding man –
but Joanna and the woman wearing the hijab held him back, fearful for
his safety. Seeing this, the Russian sounding man said “Trump is
president, I can do what I want!!” And proceeded to continue to insult
them through the train ride. Not one person – on a very crowded train
– said anything.<br />
<br />
The woman who was wearing the hijab told Joanna
that she deals with this type of behavior on a daily basis, and that
her sisters have given up wearing their hijabs due to their experiencing
continued harassment. She told Joanna that she was born in Brooklyn
and is a lifelong New Yorker. All three – Joanna, the young man and the
woman are American citizens.<br />
<br />
Joanna got off the train at Newkirk
Avenue, and the young man moved to sit in-between the Russian sounding
man and the woman wearing the hijab as the woman was fearful for her
safety.<br />
<br />
Joanna called me at 8:15 p.m. tonight her time – 5:15
p.m. my time, and I have never heard her so upset. She was angry,
fearful, in tears and told me “I had not thought this would happen to or
around me, and also thought that if it did happen, that it wouldn’t
hurt as bad as it does. This is America, we are citizens, and – this is
New York!! Supposedly one of the most liberal places in America!! I
didn’t know it would hurt so much.”<br />
<br />
I have relayed this story as
Joanna has told it to me. She and I trust each other on a daily basis
where team members have to deeply trust and rely on each other to get
our jobs done. This is why I am telling you this story – the scariest
part for me was not just what happened, but that no one on the train
stepped up and came to their defense. <br />
<br />
Dr. Martin Luther King
said<i> "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of
comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and
controversy".</i><br />
<br />
Where do we stand at this time of challenge and controversy? Where do you stand?<br />
<br />
<br />
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Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-58368057548137251972016-11-06T18:35:00.001-08:002016-11-06T18:35:45.707-08:00A Few Final Thoughts Before Election Day
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I get if you don’t like the status quo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heck, I voted for Bernie Sanders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However I still wonder how people can pull
the lever for a man like Donald Trump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The primary reasons I hear – that Hillary is corrupt, she is not
trustworthy, that she will be bad for the economy – are the same things that
can be said about Donald Trump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Trump happens to make his living by playing shell games with
other people’s money and leaving small businesses and taxpayers holding the
bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m unclear on why people think
Trump will be “good for the economy” when he leaves a trail of bankruptcies and
unpaid businesses in his wake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And oh by the way Donald Trump has zero experience in governance. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s not forget that it was a Barack Obama administration that
spearheaded the rescue of the U.S. automotive industry and fended off an
existential economic crisis, or that Bill Clinton’s economy ran a surplus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course they’re far from perfect, but
Democrats have proven they can <u>govern</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have no doubt that Hillary Clinton will be an equally, if not more
capable chief executive than her predecessors.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that’s before we get into Trump’s comments on anyone
else who doesn’t share his worldview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Donald
Trump has overtly courted racist support, has demonized immigrants, used
anti-Semitic themes and images in social media, and let’s not forget his
treatment of women through his entire life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Make no mistake - a vote for Donald Trump is a vote to
legitimize all of these messages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
can say to yourself that “well that’s not why I’M voting for him” but that
doesn’t really matter because in fact <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>a vote for Trump is a vote for this kind of leader.</u></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you don’t like Hillary <u>that much</u> then you really
need to ask yourself why that’s the case, and if that reason really overrides
empowering a demagogue like Trump. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each
of us is responsible for how we exercise our vote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we are all collectively responsible for
the governance of our country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
choices matter, and so do the consequences of those choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you haven’t voted yet and are thinking
about voting for Donald Trump, I would say think carefully about what your vote
supports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if you choose to opt out of voting altogether,
then you are opting out of our future and the direction of this country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For all these reasons and more, I support a vote for Hillary
Clinton. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>As we must account for every idle word, so must we account for every idle silence.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i> - Benjamin Franklin </i></div>
Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-87482143789786509062016-10-22T19:33:00.000-07:002016-10-22T19:38:50.062-07:00November 8, 2016 Election EndorsementsGreetings all. The Valley Dude is back in the Valley. It's great to be back in one of the greatest places in the world to chill, work, play and dine. And of course that means it is time for the Valley Dude's ballot recommendations - a full rundown of the state ballot measures follows below after the candidate endorsements.<br />
<br />
<b>President of the United States</b>: Hillary Clinton<br />
<b>U.S. Senator:</b> Kamala Harris<br />
<b>U.S. Representative 30th District: </b>Brad Sherman<br />
<b>CA State Assembly 46th District: </b>Angela Rupert<br />
<br />
<u><b>CA statewide Propositions: </b></u><br />
<br />
You can look at the ballot summaries for the propositions <a href="http://vig.cdn.sos.ca.gov/2016/general/en/pdf/complete-vig.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>:<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 51 - YES</b>. $9 billion bond for K-12 school consturction and improvement. We have every reason to fund additional schools, improve existing ones, and help our innovative Charter schools. This is EXACTLY the type of public investment bonds are designed to support. A wholehearted YES endorsement for proposition 51.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 52 - YES.</b> 13 million Californians rely on Medi-Cal for health benefits. This is an <b><u>astounding 33% - yes, 33%</u></b> - of the population of California who need assistance with prevenative care visits, prescription drugs, surgery and ER visits. Another remarkable statistic - 4 in 10, that is not a typo - 4 in 10 Californians live in or near <a href="http://www.ppic.org/main/publication_show.asp?i=261" target="_blank">poverty</a>. This proposition extends fees on hospitals that support Medi-Cal programs.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 53 - NO</b>. This is a ridiculous proposition. This prohibits localities from issuing revenue bonds over $2 billion for infrastructure projects and requires statewinde voter approval for such. I really do believe in the importance of local governance, and not having to go to the voters for every single infrastructure project. NO on 53. <br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 54 - YES.</b> Requires legislative bills to be in print and online 72 hours before a vote. Requires AV recordings of legislative proceedings, and access of such via the internet. YES for transparency in governance!!<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 55 - YES.</b> Extends current tax on income over $250,000 for single filers, $500,000 for joint filers, for funding of K-12 schools and community colleges. Without this funding, up to $4 billion - yes, $4 billion - of cuts hit K-12 and community colleges. If you value our children's public education, this is a must-pass measure.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 56 - YES.</b> $2 excise tax increase on cigarettes. Anything that makes it harder to smoke cigarettes, including excise taxes on them, should pass. Tobacco is a blight on our society - ravaging health effects, secondhand smoke, and pollutants, cigarette butts. There is no reason cigs should be easy or cheap to obtain.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 57 - YES.</b> Authorizes parole consideration for nonviolent inmates, expands rehab and education, and gives judges, not prosecutors, the power on whether juveniles should be tried as adults.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 58 - YES.</b> I can't say I'm an expert in bi-lingual education. What this measure appears to do is remove requirements that kids are taught in English only classrooms unless parents object. Rather, it reverses that paradigm - it permits schools to offer bi-lingual classes, and provides for parental input. This seems like a good idea.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 59 - YES.</b> Proposes that California's elected officials use their authority to propose and ratify an amendment to the U.S. Constitution overterning the <i>Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission</i> decision. The <i>Citizens United</i> decision has had a direct and negative effect on the insane amount of political money and the increased influence such dollars bring. We should do everything in our power to overturn this decision. Corporations are not people -- people are people. We need to get corrosive big money out of politics. YES on 59.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 60 - NO.</b> This is an odd proposition - it gives any California resident the right to sue adult film producers or those with a fiancial interest in the film for alleged workplace violations. Huh??? This seems like a kooky measure.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 61 - NO but I don't blame you if you vote YES. </b>This measure says the state won't pay more for drungs than the VA pays. This one seems like a good idea, but this is exactly the kind of thing the legislature should be overseeing. There's a couple things that ultimately bring me to the NO position - 1) the cap doesn't apply to 75% of Medi-Cal enrollees for some reason and 2) drug companies can figure out strategies to work around these caps. For instance, they may raise prices on the VA. The measure also doesn't require manufacturers to offer the state VA pricing - in which case the state would not be able to purchase the drug. This measure is just more evidence of the need for a single payor health care system, and I don't think this will fix it.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 62 - YES.</b> Repeals the death penalty in California. I am a steadfast opponent of the death penalty - it is wrong, brutal, disproportionately impacts non-whites, and subject to wrongful conviction. Vote YES on bringing California back to the Age of Enlightenment.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 63 - YES.</b> Requires background checks to purchase ammunition. Prohibits large capacity ammunition magazines and requires their disposal. Ammo sales must be made through licensed vendors. People convicted of stealing firearms may not possess them. Vote YES on making California a leader in sensible gun safety laws.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 64 - YES. </b>Legalizes marijuana under state law for adults 21 or older. Establishes excise tax of 15% on retail sales, and additional taxes on cultivation of marijuana. Establishes packaging, labeling, advertising and marketing standards and restrictions for marijuana products. Allows local regulation and taxation of marijuana. Enough is enough. It's time to stop wasting law enforcement resources, dollars and prisons on smoking pot. Colorado and Washington are doing just fine. Some things - such as heroin, meth, cocaine, speed - are truly public health threats. Pot is not. Now, let's be clear - pot, like alcohol, is not good for developing brains in children and teens. But throwing everyone in jail for some weed is an overreaction. If anything, pot is less corrosive than alcohol and just about every other vice. Except maybe coffee. Vote yes on Prop 64 and then put on some Bob Marley. Everyone will be just fine. <b> </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Proposition 65 - NO. </b>May void existing plastic bag ban. Why mess with a good thing - vote no.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 66 - NO. </b>Changes existing state death penalty procedures. I have no idea whether this will be ok or not - however, I support the total repeal of the death penalty, and strongly urge a yes vote on Proposition 62.<br />
<br />
<b>Proposition 67 - YES. </b>Affirms ban on single use plastic bags.<br />
<br />
City of LA and LA County ballot measures - my friends at the Pacific Palisades Democratic Club have a rundown here, and I agree with those recommendations. In fact, my recommendations generally match theirs overall but we differ a bit on Prop 61. Link to their analysis is <a href="http://www.palisadesdemclub.org/endorsements.php" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
<br />
Above all else, please excercise our civic duty to participate in our great American experiment of representative democracy. We still, with all the problems affecting the United States, have the power of the vote. Use it. Let's all take steps to reach the ideals that our country strives to achieve. <br />
<br />
<br />Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-52340250399911669202015-08-02T04:29:00.000-07:002015-08-02T04:29:03.340-07:00The U.S. EconomyIn the category of things most of us probably already know, I'm still amazed by just how much of the U.S. economy is driven by housing, financial services, health care and something called "other services". These categories dwarf the durable goods sector. NPR's planet money has a good overview & breakdown of the various components of the U.S. economy <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2012/07/27/157444854/the-u-s-gdp-sliced-and-diced-in-two-graphics" target="_blank">here</a>, and the graphic chart is more readable <a href="http://www.npr.org/news/graphics/2012/07/pm-gdp/gr-pm-gdpbreakdown-462.gif" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-81126777071363357902014-05-24T08:21:00.000-07:002014-05-24T08:23:16.355-07:00Lightning strikes on One World Trade Center<a href="http://gothamist.com/2014/05/24/photo_videos_lightning_strikes_worl.php">Lightning!</a><br />
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Via <a href="https://twitter.com/insiderimages/status/470014445029453824/photo/1">Insider Images</a>Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-1696117383058821252014-05-18T17:20:00.000-07:002014-05-18T17:20:18.558-07:00NYC springtime<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the George Washington Bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headed West on the GW Bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Virginia St., Tenafly, NJ</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqWu7GfVg4_GiCDCXKphbczBBow6zB-MDWHcdg0bN5TpLEBGH_wjP1rXUpaXUBgDiHDoJTcEUl_MxS6vMuSjf8paLDjbO5z7pi9n4X_uDy2H1pdiCTFH9oyc8WbuusX_UsrL8Wm_mzk0/s1600/2014-04-26+13.05.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqWu7GfVg4_GiCDCXKphbczBBow6zB-MDWHcdg0bN5TpLEBGH_wjP1rXUpaXUBgDiHDoJTcEUl_MxS6vMuSjf8paLDjbO5z7pi9n4X_uDy2H1pdiCTFH9oyc8WbuusX_UsrL8Wm_mzk0/s1600/2014-04-26+13.05.32.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous afternoon at Yankee Stadium</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDCHCCwku3v4Meih3uy6bkHBJHT3tk3I24I8Ow8WmE0NyCEfP7geV_rWHqiLKxuomP0RKAC5igNj_azOzZEkmdR1cCtc5hK06-CU9RMttFj4MxdmllG6aVY7sR9bwIdJsLSSfSrqIbkAU/s1600/IMG_0591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDCHCCwku3v4Meih3uy6bkHBJHT3tk3I24I8Ow8WmE0NyCEfP7geV_rWHqiLKxuomP0RKAC5igNj_azOzZEkmdR1cCtc5hK06-CU9RMttFj4MxdmllG6aVY7sR9bwIdJsLSSfSrqIbkAU/s1600/IMG_0591.jpg" height="185" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">51st Street, around 9th-10th Ave.</td></tr>
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<br />Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-58827747441372629142011-09-17T21:07:00.000-07:002011-09-17T21:07:51.018-07:00I love LAI love it when people <a href="http://blogging.la/2011/09/16/weird-weather/">accept</a> that it just really is nice living here.Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-82770626220022857652011-07-29T19:12:00.001-07:002011-07-29T19:12:49.514-07:00L.A. historical transit systemVia Curbed LA, the attached <a href="http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/07/unearthed_1906_map_shows_transit_system_la_abandoned.php">link</a> shows a map of the transit system L.A. abandoned in favor of freeways. That turned out well....Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-10847731900507589382011-07-15T23:13:00.000-07:002011-07-15T23:13:05.330-07:00Well said - my feelings about Carmageddon exactlyFrom the <a href="http://militantangeleno.blogspot.com/2011/07/carmageddon-it-on-this-weekend.html">Militant Angeleno</a>. (Although, unlike the Militant I do like the Valley-centricness of it.... :-)Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-61341567948746509012011-07-03T06:41:00.000-07:002011-07-03T06:41:51.487-07:00Blade Runner location video<a href="http://blogging.la/2011/07/02/a-blade-runner-video-to-un-jade-the-jaded/comment-page-1/#comment-109242">This</a> is pretty cool - a 10 minute video juxtaposing scenes from Blade Runner with views of the actual locations.Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-88568045505350255612011-07-03T06:17:00.000-07:002011-07-03T06:25:40.135-07:00Philippe the OriginalJJ had the great idea of going down to the California Science Center today, and we had a great time. I didn't get too many pictures (a couple are in the slideshow of one of the outer structures). But afterwards, we decided to go to Philippe's for lunch. I hadn't been there in a long time, my dad & my grandpa used to like to go there. For those of you who don't know, the restaurant has been around since 1908 and Philippe supposedly invented the French Dip sandwich. Whether he did or not it's the same as it ever was and Philippe's is the best. We also ordered lemonade, potato salad, and boysenberry pie. I wasn't thinking about pie, but literally almost every person in front of me ordered a piece of pie, which made me think "Well, looks like I need to order some pie". I've never been there when the place wasn't jammed. Mini slideshow after the jump. And yes, that is indeed the famed SR-71 Blackbird sitting outside the Science Center. What an impressive piece of machinery - my dad and I saw it flying at an air show a long time ago, and it is one of the coolest memories I have from childhood.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_XMsJnS0dAyK4Du6nwDplMmrx1twR88mxFvLN9SKGCEaz-Z7d3eH-0Po4-LFpU3XTrWKlD3QJWXyQabvtd_Uw-yMFHGmWOTwz1Vx9nAn1HXpZG6UY0jOkxVO96LROfSG0TItxF01D-8/s1600/IMG_0820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="300" width="400"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fvalleydude70%2Fsets%2F72157626978100463%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fvalleydude70%2Fsets%2F72157626978100463%2F&set_id=72157626978100463&jump_to="></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=104087"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=104087" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fvalleydude70%2Fsets%2F72157626978100463%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fvalleydude70%2Fsets%2F72157626978100463%2F&set_id=72157626978100463&jump_to=" width="400" height="300"></embed></object></div>Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-48895952092975156432011-06-17T22:51:00.000-07:002011-06-17T22:52:05.626-07:00Valley Dude in the Second City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B_atTVMKmpKccmutUU9IDjPDGj-UO3YbvFvPB0Qjj-ONZgHIH5kcP8ryDPtWAC_qNWDeL0fx5KO9NaoQUhvnthkvjdePI9bryBXKSxlm9jPx6ojnRecYhjIzDWIOrlmQ_74Zl1wSfxk/s1600/IMG_0697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>I was in Chicago on business, and on my last day there I was scheduled to be on a late flight (like 8:15 p.m.) to L.A. Well turned out I didn't need to leave that late and could have left hours earlier, except American Airlines now has a NO STANDBY policy for non-elite flyers (meaning any change costs at least $150, even if you want to try to stand by - and that's before the fare change). BOOOO. So I had some time to spend after my last meeting, and took a walk through Millennium Park and visited the Art Institute of Chicago. I was blown away by the stunningly beautiful architecture surrounding the Park and the pre-eminence of the Art Institute. I had also experienced sheer awe at being on a rooftop next to Wrigley Field earlier in the week. I guess I can't be all that mad at American Airlines now :-) The pictures of the buildings and art don't do either justice, in fact some of the pix of the art downright suck (except maybe the ones of Seurat's <i>Sunday Afternoon</i>). Still, I can't help but share as they'll give you some teensy little idea of where I was. Slideshow after the jump.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B_atTVMKmpKccmutUU9IDjPDGj-UO3YbvFvPB0Qjj-ONZgHIH5kcP8ryDPtWAC_qNWDeL0fx5KO9NaoQUhvnthkvjdePI9bryBXKSxlm9jPx6ojnRecYhjIzDWIOrlmQ_74Zl1wSfxk/s1600/IMG_0697.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B_atTVMKmpKccmutUU9IDjPDGj-UO3YbvFvPB0Qjj-ONZgHIH5kcP8ryDPtWAC_qNWDeL0fx5KO9NaoQUhvnthkvjdePI9bryBXKSxlm9jPx6ojnRecYhjIzDWIOrlmQ_74Zl1wSfxk/s320/IMG_0697.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Cloud Gate (a/k/a "The Bean")</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="300" width="400"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fvalleydude70%2Fsets%2F72157626862161465%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fvalleydude70%2Fsets%2F72157626862161465%2F&set_id=72157626862161465&jump_to="></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=104087"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=104087" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fvalleydude70%2Fsets%2F72157626862161465%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fvalleydude70%2Fsets%2F72157626862161465%2F&set_id=72157626862161465&jump_to=" width="400" height="300"></embed></object></div>Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542929119172669522.post-21309910928491437392011-06-12T18:55:00.000-07:002011-06-12T18:56:36.903-07:00Mulholland Drive Bridge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the weekend of July 16-17, half of the Mulholland Drive Bridge (the bridge that spans the I-405 at the Sepulveda Pass) will be demolished and then rebuilt to accommodate plans for a wider freeway. The other half will be demolished and rebuilt next year. I thought I would snap a few pictures before the bridge, as I've known it my whole life, goes away. Unfortunately I couldn't get close to the bridge for a long shot as the embankments above the 405 were fenced off for construction equipment. A nice little history, along with some pretty cool photos of the bridge when it was brand new are at the Metro's website <a href="http://www.metro.net/projects/I-405/how-mulholland-dr-bridge-was-constructed/">here</a>. More photos below the jump.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQJ61XjhVF2-CZ7P1mA48DoDnIaYx4jub4HxEUAbnWii15di4eV4teiQW3ZOJFbecTsKA_SNSJhOrLPYGQXRGjQWUJ03KzbzFjy0Vf1Ie7gF8jLT0xJWz2xRCZQt-ur7g53usLUCQh7Y/s1600/IMG_0617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrYvoyO82BmVlcaUJAt8r5mQ7kMxn2F1_FSOoRp1T_Jx9ulfR-_ZuQPhS-ty_-WRpD8bE3tG6NbcQs4QiHodudMMuLHSZ_tb8iIzA-tNlbndgQ0pzHWRm35_70UGqPPVZXxLzRiedAts/s1600/IMG_0626.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrYvoyO82BmVlcaUJAt8r5mQ7kMxn2F1_FSOoRp1T_Jx9ulfR-_ZuQPhS-ty_-WRpD8bE3tG6NbcQs4QiHodudMMuLHSZ_tb8iIzA-tNlbndgQ0pzHWRm35_70UGqPPVZXxLzRiedAts/s320/IMG_0626.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">View of the I-405 looking north towards the Valley, taken from the bridge</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQJ61XjhVF2-CZ7P1mA48DoDnIaYx4jub4HxEUAbnWii15di4eV4teiQW3ZOJFbecTsKA_SNSJhOrLPYGQXRGjQWUJ03KzbzFjy0Vf1Ie7gF8jLT0xJWz2xRCZQt-ur7g53usLUCQh7Y/s1600/IMG_0617.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQJ61XjhVF2-CZ7P1mA48DoDnIaYx4jub4HxEUAbnWii15di4eV4teiQW3ZOJFbecTsKA_SNSJhOrLPYGQXRGjQWUJ03KzbzFjy0Vf1Ie7gF8jLT0xJWz2xRCZQt-ur7g53usLUCQh7Y/s320/IMG_0617.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Westward view of the bridge </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPs0sQmoExDUV57OlR4SediHFsDbwFjtCkyH7_JeSe6ROmc8v-htNHPiBPTmmProyk1IPL0pc5M9fOA-Q8Z8yJHj83hGxFPFkR1CmfeO7eSCY9AiLUirhYmAldEwGfcQcfW1VvooCDHzw/s1600/IMG_0619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPs0sQmoExDUV57OlR4SediHFsDbwFjtCkyH7_JeSe6ROmc8v-htNHPiBPTmmProyk1IPL0pc5M9fOA-Q8Z8yJHj83hGxFPFkR1CmfeO7eSCY9AiLUirhYmAldEwGfcQcfW1VvooCDHzw/s320/IMG_0619.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Another north-facing shot of the 405 </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOaVG9xjzn04DtpvUA6gzX9Z5xxHqH0hQMf4lCfx9SXq_-KQM6ZIFY6AuF7-s3g-mj8svhWCbRBhb9ynogxAy46tdCiRw-U7VS8chCjeQ9WiMcJ-3GMaWgOQbVXpq8MAd5GDgOKaSJ5M/s1600/IMG_0622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOaVG9xjzn04DtpvUA6gzX9Z5xxHqH0hQMf4lCfx9SXq_-KQM6ZIFY6AuF7-s3g-mj8svhWCbRBhb9ynogxAy46tdCiRw-U7VS8chCjeQ9WiMcJ-3GMaWgOQbVXpq8MAd5GDgOKaSJ5M/s320/IMG_0622.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">West facing view </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUVqrD-FH0J9PaOZaiBrj9c-Y53cn3T_kY6jxo_BDCaxe2bsSWDwI0phaChiV73vD8n2Dedm2mfGrsXc8DtmTpzRQpRkPSD-PqMBih2vbYbPJoaedpoEJWEqvYFhvFdgkPznfWs5XN6EE/s1600/IMG_0623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUVqrD-FH0J9PaOZaiBrj9c-Y53cn3T_kY6jxo_BDCaxe2bsSWDwI0phaChiV73vD8n2Dedm2mfGrsXc8DtmTpzRQpRkPSD-PqMBih2vbYbPJoaedpoEJWEqvYFhvFdgkPznfWs5XN6EE/s320/IMG_0623.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> More Valley views</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrYvoyO82BmVlcaUJAt8r5mQ7kMxn2F1_FSOoRp1T_Jx9ulfR-_ZuQPhS-ty_-WRpD8bE3tG6NbcQs4QiHodudMMuLHSZ_tb8iIzA-tNlbndgQ0pzHWRm35_70UGqPPVZXxLzRiedAts/s1600/IMG_0626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirryM_RFriymoGw-DPrmh9GQaA3v9QYTEz8xWpDlt5PAwdXW6dLXoHRt7J_0Cc7jD2p4qokBmNnXaY3kehNapqQgSw3TG5R97cZsc0QU1G-UNQY6FaKG3LT0THHamk1sQmQfUo_QdM0TM/s1600/IMG_0628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirryM_RFriymoGw-DPrmh9GQaA3v9QYTEz8xWpDlt5PAwdXW6dLXoHRt7J_0Cc7jD2p4qokBmNnXaY3kehNapqQgSw3TG5R97cZsc0QU1G-UNQY6FaKG3LT0THHamk1sQmQfUo_QdM0TM/s320/IMG_0628.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Facing East </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyq7Deqn06EZ73pR8wV3aQ6yRJ6uaBtOwzfdRvTR663boV0X3cDNiAkD3F7gNw7OpzIpdWDm4gV95QARjJchNz5Bb3AmtOxNbjgQBhKu1wEQ3gqSbcp9H6A4VZqPGOPPOKj87ojptOFKA/s1600/IMG_0630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyq7Deqn06EZ73pR8wV3aQ6yRJ6uaBtOwzfdRvTR663boV0X3cDNiAkD3F7gNw7OpzIpdWDm4gV95QARjJchNz5Bb3AmtOxNbjgQBhKu1wEQ3gqSbcp9H6A4VZqPGOPPOKj87ojptOFKA/s320/IMG_0630.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Long shot of the bridge - note the fence and construction equipment, I couldn't get in there</div>Valley Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408884651975955897noreply@blogger.com0