Happy Birthday Jackie (Guerrido)!

Jackie!


Weather!

Happy birthday wishes go out today for my very favorite weatherperson (not just one of my favorites, but my very favorite... I don't know why) Ms. Jackie Guerrido! The amazing thing is I can say that knowing that I've never understood a single word she's ever said!
Jackie was born in Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista, better know as San Juan on the unincorporated island territory of Puerto Rico, which is a United States unincorporated territory, so she was born an American citizen, in case you were wondering. She grew up there as well, and after finishing high school she moved with her family to the Bronx, of all places, in New York.
Jackie tried out acting before becoming a journalist and getting interested in the weather, and was one of several thousand girls who auditioned for the part of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, in the movie "Selena," which eventually went to Jennifer Lopez.
She was offered a job on a morning radio show called El Vacilon de la Mañana ("Good times in the morning"), in New York, by a producer who heard her doing voice over work, and soon was offered another radio job in Miami where she settled down. After about a year she got a job at HBC Radio Company, where she reported news and traffic, and she did so well at that she soon got her own music program.
I don't know if you noticed, dear readers, but Jackie is quite lovely... for a girl, and producers apparently thought she would transmit well onto television, and soon got a job on Spanish language T.V. doing traffic, so at this point she was doing both radio and T.V., just like Glen Beck.
Another big time national Spanish language television company called Univision, got Jackie to work for them as a weatherperson on the show Al Amanacer de Noticias 23 ("Morning News at Channel 23"). Now Jackie's a bright and industrious girl, and since she was working as a weatherperson, she thought she might as well study meteorology, which she did at the University of Miami (she also studied journalism at the University of Florida).
Now I used to watch the Univision morning show Despierta America ("Wake Up America"), in the late 1990s, even though I couldn't understand what they were saying because they kept speaking freaking Spanish all of the time (no consideration for their gringo viewers whatsoever)! I kept watching though. Why? Well, I was secretly in love with one of the hostesses, a Giselle Blondet to be precise, but that's a whole other story (my love has gone unrequited all of these years). But this is where I first became acquainted with Jackie's wonderful expressive form of weather forecasting, the freaking best weather forecasting I've ever seen. I have no idea if she was accurate or not, but it was the best weather forecasting I've ever seen.
Jackie has since moved on (as well as Giselle) and is now the weather reporter for Univison's evening show, Primer Impacto ("First Impact," for you gringos).
I know it's hard to believe but Jackie is the mother of two teenage daughters, recently (2008) married some kind of foreign singer type dude, was named the "Good Will Ambassador" of the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City, and all of us here at Joyce's Take wish her and her family continued good fortune (Giselle too), and a very happy birthday!
Happy Birthday Jackie!

A Harvest Moon, and Jupiter in the Sky's of L.A.

Harvest Moon

Jupiter

Uranus

Jupiter & Uranus

"Oh, Shine on, shine on harvest moon
Up in the sky;
I ain't had no lovin'
Since January, February, June or July.

- Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth

I didn't mean to do it, but I saw it and it was done.
Yesterday morning.
At a twidge before 4:00AM my alarm clock sounded. As is my custom, I leaped (leaped) out of bed, rushed across my expansive box and shut it off. I then proceeded with my usual morning activities. I let out Herkimer, my six foot three and three quarter inch tall invisible orange tabby cat, turned "The Bill Press Show," on my radio, made myself an Expresso Royale Caffe (because I'm an elitist) to get the old juices flowing, posted the day's post "Health Care in Autumn" ("Well written Rick." "Why thank you."), showered, worked through a mixture of calisthenics and yoga (including 2000 rapid no hands sit-ups to keep my washboard six-pack rock hard abs in tip top shape. You never know when you're going to need them), meditated for 400 breaths, took another shower, let Herkimer back in, checked my Email to see any emergency messages that may have arrived during the night (there never are any), dressed, put on my galoshes, then headed out for a morning stroll over the famous 6th Street Bridge.
It was still very dark outside as I left my hotel, it being a little after 5:30. Trucks were busy loading and unloading their goods across the street. Traffic was light. The air crisp but not too chilly. I wore a light jacket which was enough considering I'd be generating a considerable amount of body heat while walking.
It takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour to walk over the bridge, all the way to the east side into the Boyle Heights section of East Los Angeles (where Cheech Marin came from) and back to my nice warm box. There was nothing different about the morning. I walked, looking around as I usually do, noting those people who had already began their work day below me, walking and working around large and small factory like buildings on the east side of the Los Angeles River. A Metro Link train rushed past on its way to Union Station. I stopped once to look back at the L.A. skyline... beautiful. Cars and trucks zipped past where the Hollywood, San Bernardino, and Santa Ana Freeways merge, everybody rushing to work it seemed.
Beyond my conscious observations of what was transpiring around me, I absent mindedly thought about what I should write about during the day. The Millennium Development Goals, or the Republicans "Contract on America" (term coined by Randi Rhodes) that had leaked out the day before. I got off the bridge, passed the automated Laundromat and donut shop, crossed the street, and headed back to Los Angeles.
I made it about half way over the bridge before looking at the sky directly in front of me.
"Ahhh, that's Jupiter," I said to myself, with not a small amount of awe.
And indeed it was Jupiter.
In front of me, low in the early morning sky was a huge, orange full moon. Just below it and to the left from my position, looked to be a very bright star, but I knew it wasn't a star. I wouldn't be able to see a star so low in the sky (it was just above my visible horizon) just before sunrise. And I knew Jupiter was at it's closest distance to the Earth at this time, because I can sense when it's near to me.
I also knew that it could be seen near the moon's position, because the Internets machine had told me so. But I hadn't thought about it before leaving for my walk, so the sight of the two astronomical bodies was somewhat of a pleasant surprise, to say the least.
What I didn't know at the time was this was a very special sight... a once in a lifetime thing to see.
And you know what that sight is, dear readers, because the post that precedes this one was a short notice explaining the rare celestial vision so you could see it yourselves last night, which I hope you had the opportunity to do. I had to send my lovely case manger, Erin, a special Email with this information because she rarely reads the blog anymore because she's so busy and all, and I didn't want her to miss it.
"Thanks rick," she replied, being too busy to use her "shift" key when typing my name.
But I digress.
What I was looking at is referred to as a Harvest Moon (or some call it a Wine Moon, or Singing Moon and an Elk Call Moon. I don't know why). A Harvest Moon is the first full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox, which we've already learned in the post, "Health Care in Autumn," is when "the tilt of the Earth's axis matched that of the Sun's center, or our equator aligned itself with the orbital plane our planet travels in around the sun, which means both hemispheres, the northern and southern, were receiving the same amount of energy from our star, and the days and nights are about the same length of time." This happens twice a year. The Vernal Equinox marks the passage of Winter to Spring, and the Autumn Equinox, which occurred Wednesday night at 8:09PM my time, marks the passage of Summer into Autumn, or the Fall.
Now Wednesday night/Thursday morning's full moon appeared just 5 1/2 hours after the equinox, which made that full moon a Harvest Moon which occurred on the same night as the equinox, which hadn't happened since 1991, and won't happen again until 2029, which was pretty cool in itself.
The moon looked really bright and big. That's due to two factors. First the reflected white light that bounces off the Moon's surface and arrives in my eyeball has to travel through thicker layers of the Earth's atmosphere when it is low in the sky near the horizon, which it was when I saw it on the bridge. The atmosphere scatters the blue part of the sunlight while allowing the red part to travel in a straighter line to my eye, so I see it as being rather orange in color.
It looked really big in the sky directly above 6th Street apparently due to an optical illusion which happens whenever a celestial object is viewed when it is low in the sky, or near the horizon. No one knows why. Our brains are just silly that way.
Now Jupiter was making it's closest approach to the Earth in the last 47 years. It was a mere 390,682,810 miles away (it can be as far as 576,682,810 miles). It hasn't been closer since 1963, and won't be this close again until 2022. It will be shining brightly in our sky, and can be seen until the third week of October.
Between now and December Jupiter and the planet Uranus are traveling close together as seen from the Earth. Now the distance from the Earth to Uranus is much greater. On average Uranus is about 1.78 billion miles away from us. Accordingly, and due to it's current position in it's orbit, Uranus is much harder to see than Jupiter is. You would need some binoculars to see it. But it's there!
Now what made my sighting a once in a lifetime event, as I explained in yesterday's post, is that three things happened that will not happen again in mine, or your lifetime (unless death is cured in the next 30 or 40 years). The full Harvest Moon will shine all night long. The planet Jupiter will also. And lastly, they are doing it on the equinox. September 2010 presents the only time in our lifetime that we will be able to witness the moon and Jupiter’s simultaneous all-night appearance on the equinox. (I'm trying to find out when this will happen again, and when I do I'll be sure to let you know).
I don't know about you dear readers, but any once in a lifetime event to me is pretty darn cool.
And much better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
Here's to all of us making it to the next Harvest Moon on the equinox! See you in 2029!
You too Erin.

Check it out. Once in a lifetime!

Go out tonight after sunset and take a look at that big full moon. See that bright light nearby. No it's not the International Space Station because it's not moving. Very fast that is. What it is is the planet Jupiter (and if you have binoculars you can see the planet Uranus close to Jupiter), the largest planet in our solar system. The moon you'll be looking at is called a Harvest Moon, as it is the first full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox which occurred last night.
A Harvest Moon that has occurred on the equinox has not happened since 1991, and won't happen again until 2029. But right now Jupiter is in opposition, which means it is on the same orbital plane as the Earth's, and will be in the night sky from sunset to sunrise.
What is special about tonight, is that for the only time during our lifetimes, Jupiter and a Harvest Moon will appear simultaneously throughout the entire night on the equinox.
So go out and take a once in a lifetime look. It's free.

Health Care in Autumn

"September" artist Judith Tager

At 8:09PM my time (PST) last night the Autumnal equinox occurred, which means the the tilt of the Earth's axis matched that of the Sun's center, or our equator aligned itself with the orbital plane our planet travels in around the sun, which means both hemispheres, the northern and southern, were receiving the same amount of energy from our star, and the days and nights are about the same length of time.
This only happens for a little while, and only twice a year. In last night's instance the equinox marked the end of summer and the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere. And not a moment too soon as far as me and my dear sister are concerned (she lives in the desert and needs it to start cooling down real bad).
It was a painless transition. I happened to be in my box, kicking back, watching "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome," and didn't feel a thing.
For our Republican friends however, it was, and will remain an excruciating experience. And when the Republicans are in pain you can be certain that something good is happening for the middle class of America, and those who hope to be in the middle class someday (44 million Americans in poverty in 2009. Thank you President Bush! Yes, I said Bush, not Obama. We'll be cleaning up Bush's mess for a long time to come, unless of course we're dumb enough to put the Republicans back in power, which would just make everything worse)
Provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and related Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, enacted by Congress in March 2010 go into effect today, September 23, 2010. What does that mean?
It means that health care in the United States of America changes in the following ways:
1. Children under 19 can no longer be rejected from health care plans due to pre-existing conditions.
"No Discrimination Against Children With Pre-Existing Conditions. The new law includes new rules to prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions." - whitehouse.gov
2. New plans cannot exclude anyone from coverage for a pre-existing condition.
"Prohibits Insurance Companies from Dropping Coverage. In the past, insurance companies could search for an error on a customer's application or other technical mistake and use this error to stop covering the person when he or she got sick. The new law makes this illegal and after media reports cited incidents of breast cancer patients losing coverage, insurance companies agreed to end this practice immediately." - whitehouse.gov
3. Young adults can stay on their parents' health plan until age 26.
"Extending Coverage for Young Adults. Under the new law, young adults will be allowed to stay on their parents' plan until they turn 26 years old unless they are offered insurance at work. While the provision takes effect in September, most insurance companies have already implemented this new practice. Check with your insurance company or employer to see if you qualify." -whitehouse.gov
4. Insurers can no longer limit the amount of coverage someone can receive over their lifetime.
"Eliminating Lifetime Limits on Insurance Coverage. Under the new law, insurance companies will be prohibited from imposing lifetime dollar limits on essential benefits, like hospital stays." (Note: This only includes new plans, not those already in effect when the healthcare reform law passed.) whitehouse.gov
5. "Regulating Annual Limits on Insurance Coverage. Under the new law, insurance companies' use of annual dollar limits on the amount of insurance coverage a patient may receive is sharply restricted. In 2014, the use of annual dollar limits on essential benefits like hospital stays will be banned for new plans in the individual market and all group plans." whitehouse.gov
6. "Appealing Insurance Company Decisions: Consumers will have two ways to appeal coverage decisions or claims: through their insurer or through an independent decision-maker." (Note: This only includes new plans, not those already in effect when the healthcare reform law passed.) -Medscape Today
7. "Free Preventive Care. All new plans must cover certain preventive services such as mammograms and colonoscopies without charging a deductible, co-pay or coinsurance." (Note: This only includes new plans, not those already in effect when the healthcare reform law passed.) _ whitehouse.gov
8. Cracking Down on Health Care Fraud. Current efforts to fight fraud have returned more than $2.5 billion to the Medicare Trust Fund in FY 2009 alone. The new law invests new resources and requires new screening procedures for health care providers to boost these efforts and reduce fraud and waste in Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. -whitehouse.gov
Other provisions will kick in automatically beginning on New Years Day 2011, through 2018, with the majority taking effect on the first of January, 2014.
It seems to me that these measures are badly needed in this country, and that practically everyone benefits from their implementation, except the insurance companies.
Why am I writing about this? Because the Democrats are like me, they don't self promote! Unlike me they are running for reelection in a little more than a month, an election with drastic consequences for the nation if they should lose their majority positions in either the House or the Senate. These guys, including the folks at the White House, should be in front of TV cameras 24/7 until November 2nd, shouting out the many accomplishments, the historical accomplishments, of the Obama administration, and not letting the Republicans dominate the airwaves and cable networks as is currently the case ("More than half of Americans mistakenly believe the [health care] overhaul will raise taxes for most people this year, an Associated Press poll finds. But that would be true only if most people were devoted to indoor tanning, which got hit with a sales tax.. Many who wanted the health care system to be overhauled don't realize that some provisions they cared about actually did make it in. And about a quarter of supporters don't understand that something hardly anyone wanted didn't make it: They mistakenly say the law will set up panels of bureaucrats to make decisions about people's care — what critics labeled "death panels." -Ricardo Alonso-zaldivar & Trevor Tompson of AP) Why is the Democratic base supposedly so unenthusiastic? Because the Democrats are not getting them excited, that's why. Watching the Democrats on TV is like watching freaking paint dry. The Democrats who voted for health reform are acting as is they are ashamed of that vote, and not mentioning it in their re-election campaigns, when they should be shouting from the rooftops, defending the law and their vote, extolling the virtues and benefits of this new health care (for that matter, why aren't the Democrats pointing out the fact that the Republicans have refused to allow a vote on a bill funding our troops during a time of war, as was the case Tuesday when they shot down the Defense Appropriations Bill (the first time in 48 years) which included a provision lifting a ban on gays in the military? Why aren't the Dems shouting out "Why do the Republicans hate our troops?!" You can bet your buttons that The Republicans would be if the positions were reversed). But they are letting the Republicans frame the debate, again and again they do this with the same disastrous results. They lose elections. Republicans are using the health care law as a bludgeon to crash over the heads of their opponents, when the opposite should be happening. They aren't stupid people, so I don't see why the DNC doesn't hire some freaking PR people who will get their clients out there where they can be seen, so the Democrats can frame the debate, so the Democrats can tell the people what is really happening, and so the Democrats can point out in no uncertain terms what will happen if the Republicans get back in power.
Hey America! You all upset about unemployment now, about federal spending, and the economy? Just wait until the Republicans take over the House to see how much worse it can get!
And health care? The Republicans position on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is that it will ruin the country some how. They don't say how, or if they do they lie about it. And they offer no alternatives of their own, but their position is based on repealing the law at any cost. They liked it just the way it was, with the big insurance interests able to rip us off at will, deny coverage to those who need it, and increase premiums any time they wanted to, while calling the system "the best health care in the world." They lie and lie and lie. It makes me want to vomit!
Good thing I now have health care!
The Republican dream of repealing the health care reform laws are unlikely to come to fruition since President Obama can veto any attempt they may make if they regain one or both Houses of Congress (and not only the health care laws. They want to get rid of all of the Obama accomplishments, like financial reform. From Thom Hartmann's blog: "Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) has announced that if Republicans regain control over Congress, they will destroy the sweeping Wall Street reform and shred the newly created consumer protection bureau. Shelby said, 'The bill is so sweeping and such a game changer in many ways that it's incumbent upon us to revisit it.' Translation to English: 'if Republicans get power they're going to hand our economy and our money back to their Wall Street masters.'), so they openly state they'll attempt to defund any and every part of it they can, which amounts to further obstructionism, which has been their entire game plan since Obama took office.
See some of the other things the Republicans will do if we let them back at the site below:
http://www.alternet.org/news/148234
It's time for Democrats, progressives, and the left wing base to quit crying about how bad things are and realize how bad things could have been if John McCain had won they election. Instead of standing in an unemployment line trying to get a job while receiving unemployment benefits, they'd probably be in a bread line trying to get a scrap to eat. As the President said a few days ago, it took Bush eight years to screw things up to the point that he did when he left office. Despite our country's Internet and cable TV attention deficit disorder, and spoiled attitudes of "I want it, and I want it now, and if I can't get it now I'm going to have a tantrum and screw things up even worse," it will still take time to repair the damage. That's reality. It isn't always easy, lord knows, but that is all we have to work with.

Line for free dinner. 1932

President Obama is not perfect. He's made mistakes. He needs to spend more federal money to stimulate the economy and increase employment opportunities, not less like the Republicans would have it.
So we need to give him more time, we need to give him more tools, and we need to try to understand his vision for this country.
For he's the best chance we have. We put him in office. Let's let him do the job he was elected to do.

Everybody's On Acid! 3

Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were definitely partaking of the old French Tic-Tacs when they cuts taxes for the wealthiest among us to such a degree that we're still paying through the nose for their largess, not to mention a contributor to the recession we just pulled ourselves out of (many economists agree that the recession which began in December of 2007, and according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, an entity charged with officially dating the beginning and ending of recessions, ended in June of last year). The Republicans still claim that we're "in the middle" of a recession currently to explain their unwillingness to let the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy expire at the end of the year (and as yet I've heard no one call them on this). It is unclear that we will not return to a recession (double dip) due to austerity measures (now prevalent in Ireland, for example) and lack of federal spending in a large part caused by Republican deficit fear mongering. I blame the Reagan and Bush tax cuts, unnecessary wars, free trade (Clinton), and deregulation on the fact that 1 in 7 Americans (approximately 44 million) are now below the poverty level of income according to information gathered from the last census (a true national disgrace). "For the first time in memory, [an] entire decade has produced essentially no economic growth for the typical American household," states Harvard economist Lawrence Katz. Median family incomes in 2009 were 5 percent lower than in 1999. The number of US residents without health insurance climbed to 51 million in 2009, and the Republican's plan of action, why repeal health care of course. The net worth of households and non-profit organizations dropped $1.52 trillion during the period from April 1 to June 30 of this year. 35.7 percent of African-American children currently live in poverty. That number is just a little lower for Hispanic children at 33.1 percent.
The Republican response, keep the 700 to 830 billion in tax giveaways to the top 2% of income earners, and freeze, cut, or do away with social assistance programs... oh yeah, and make cuts in Social Security, even though it doesn't add a penny to the national deficit, and actually could be expanded with benefit increases for all:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/09/04
Thanks President Bush. Do we miss you yet?
Noooooooooooo!!!
Glad you're gone.
Obama is looking into tampering with Social Security as well, with his so-called "Deficit Reduction Commission." He may have been chugging a few Rainbow Skittles too since August saw more Americans lose their homes to foreclosure than any other month on record, RealtyTrac reported last week. Banks repossessed a total of 95,364 properties in August. It's a good thing we bailed them out.
But I bitch and bitch and bitch. I better slip down a Wacky Ticky Tacky myself and calm down. Ooohhh, the colors!
There are some good things in the news. It's not all Republican dominated.
Masturbation has been deemed unholy by the new Republican Senatorial candidate from Delaware (I guess the news is still Republican dominated), Tea Partier and Palin clone, Christine O'Donnell. As Woody Allen once said, and I paraphrase: "Masturbation? But that's my favorite hobby!"
Well I think it's a sin as well, and it's about high time Christine called us out on it. Thank you. I would go even further in fact and go ahead and prohibit sex altogether. You didn't see Jesus Christ going around screwing all over the place now did you? No, I'm almost positive you didn't. Stop having disgusting, ungodly sex if your a Christian I say. If we want kids we can always adopt!
Ha, ha, ha, ha, on the traitor Karl Rove. He was very unhappy about poor Christine's unexpected win, so upset that he broke down and actually told the truth (or ate too much Purple Haze, one of the two) and said, and I paraphrase, that she was a crazy, irresponsible bitch who didn't have a chance in the November general election. And he's right, unless of course the Democrats stay true to form and manage to muck up this race as well as they did in Massachusetts with Teddy Kennedy's old seat. Karl said that right on the old Fox News air, with Sean "Bigger Head than Keith Olbermann" Hannity, who was reduced to a sputtering, mumbling response. Rush Limbaugh spanked him the very next day and he had to recant, getting back to his old self by saying he had been endorsing her all along. You go Karl!
Please.
Speaking of Sarah "Momma Grizzly" Palin, she had some advice for her clone mate, Ms. O'Donnell. Don't talk to anybody in the media unless they're from Fox News, presumably because, as obviously even Sarah knows, Chistine's views are crazier than bat shit and can't stand up to scrutiny by the general public, and by that I mean the voting public.
Sarah, shhhhhhhuuusssshhhh! You're letting the cat out of the bag. Keep making those kind of remarks and folks might figure out that Fox News is the propaganda arm of the Republican Party and Tea Party movement! Better tell Ms. O'Donnell to just keep a stiff upper lip, and to "re-load," like you always do.
In Alaska and parts of Canada the grizzly is still legally shot for sport. How interesting.
Here's some more good news Sarah. Chris Matthews of MSNBC's "Hardball," thinks you are a viable candidate for the next President of the United States because you're a "protestor," and you're pretty (by that criteria Jane Fonda should have been President in 1972). I think so to girl, so please, please run.
Please.
Just remember, don't talk to anybody unless they're from Fox.
Oh, you're already doing that.
What else is happening due to drug induced behavior?
Last Saturday, near midnight local time, BP was able to finally seal the Deep Horizon well, with only spilling an estimated total of approximately 206 million gallons of oil (at 1.26 million gallons a day) into the Gulf of Mexico as of June 11, which is about 12 to 13 times more than the Exxon Valdez in 1989. Over 2 million gallons of toxic dispersants have been dumped into the Gulf as well to help hide the oil.
They must be on uppers over there.
The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," policy of discrimination, actually the cessation of that policy, was brought before the Senate Tuesday, and filibustered by the Republicans, headed by John (do anything to get re-elected) McCain. The Democrats stuck it into a defense appropriations bill to make it harder for the Republicans to obstruct because of course they are against its repeal, as they're against everything that's good and true. This was the first time a defense appropriates bill has not passed in 48 years, which is a testament to how brazen the Republicans have become trying to placate their far right base.
They'll try again when Congress comes back from upcoming election recess. But don't get all happy and start hitting the magic mushrooms yet. The military top brass say they aren't ready to implement a repeal yet, and the President himself may veto the whole bill due to some provisions concerning our base in Guantánamo Bay, and pork barrel defense expenditures in it that the Defense Department doesn't want, and doesn't need.
Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert of the Daily Show and Colbert Report, respectively, have obviously been huffing the PCP, announcing competing marches on the nation's capital for October 30th, a Saturday. Stewart's "Rally to Restore Sanity," and Colbert's "March to Keep Fear Alive" counter-rally are sure to clash and should be an interesting sight to see.

All of us here at Joyce's Take sincerely hope violence is kept to a minimum.
And last but not least, dear readers, my lovely case manager, Erin, after much persuasive effort and prodding on my part, has finally registered to vote in the state of California. It was a big step for her, and I hope that you along with me will continue to support her in every way possible as she figures out who to vote for in the upcoming election.
It is unclear if she has been dropping acid. Her sitting alone in her office, with a dreamy smile upon her pretty face while waving her hands and arms in the air directly in front of her, and humming "The Star Spangled Banner," may... or may not be an indication.
We shall see.

Everybody's On Acid! 2

As we've discussed previously (see, The Day Democracy Died 1 & 2, from January), the Supreme Court has elevated campaign contributions by anonymous business interests to the level of free speech in it's Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision. And I mean anonymous, we won't even be able to tell if those giving unlimited amounts of money to selected candidates are from within the country, which means foreign interests have the means to influence our elections in ways heretofore unheard of (why would Iran need a nuclear weapon if it could simply pave the way for their own candidate, sympathetic above all else to their cause, with all of that oil money at their disposal).
"It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans," President Obama said in a statement on the day the decision was handed down.
I've stated before that the major problem this country faces, above all others, is money in the political process, whether it's the federal government, state, or local. As long as elections are not publicly financed, and professional lobbyists are allowed to run rampant through the halls of Congress, government will remain dysfunctional, corrupt, and grid locked, unable to do the work of the people because it's too concerned with doing the business of it's corporate masters who own it through campaign contributions which are nothing but a form of bribery. This goes for Democrats as well as Republicans. The Supreme Court's decision opens the flood gates allowing an infinite amount of money into the process, exactly the opposite of what is needed for the government to actually work.
The Republicans are the corporate party, so they like the Citizens United verdict just fine, figuring that their corporate masters will pour more money into the campaigns of Republican candidates than those of their opponents. And I bet they will.
The Disclose Act (Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act), introduced in the House by Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) would do a whole bunch of things to help mitigate the disastrous consequences of the Supreme Court's decision by making CEO's of corporations responsible for the ads they produce, prevent those foreign interests from determining the outcome of our elections, allow shareholders of corporations to know where their money is being spent, prevent tax payer money from being spent on election campaigns by government contractors, and keep corporations from "sponsoring" political candidates (can you imagine, dear readers, Senator John McCain during the last Presidential election with a sign promoting "Viagra" strapped to his back? I can), among other things, all in the name of making elections more transparent, fair and equitable (not to mention shoring up the national security aspect by blocking foreign entities from influencing our elections).
The President said as much himself in his weekly radio address: "What's at stake is not just an election, it's our democracy itself."
But making elections transparent, fair and equitable is not what the Republicans are about, at least when they think they have the advantage, so they keep filibustering the bill, not even allowing it to come to the Senate floor for an up and down vote, something they claim they like to do all of time (when it's to their advantage). Mr. Turtle Head...I'm so sorry. I'm very immature and shouldn't be calling opposition members silly names just because they physically resemble amphibious reptiles... the honorable Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) claims that the president is trying to fix the November election by promoting the Disclose Act, and in doing so admitting that Citizens United will unduly benefit the Republicans, or so they hope. Mitch and his buddies claim the Democrats are only advancing the Disclose Act to maintain their majorities in the House and Senate. Well, duh! Yeah they're trying to maintain their majorities by keeping the election transparent, fair and equitable. But as I've said earlier, the Republicans aren't in to that.
What does all of this election business and campaign finance reform have to do with lysergic acid diethylamide? Just take a look at Turtle Head's... I mean McConnell's eyes... he's got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, doesn't seem to be living... until he bites ya, and those black eyes roll over white and then... ah then you hear that terrible high-pitched screamin... well, you just know he's gotta be tripping.



And all of those freaks at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce too!

Other notable drug related items in the news:
Those happy go lucky folks on the Texas School Board of Education are at it again. They're tired of all of the Muslim infiltration of our children's textbooks, making them appear all nice and all, nicer than Christians. Seriously. They contend that "Middle Easterners," are buying into the nation's textbook businesses hoping to turn our kids into little Osama's, and have issued a resolution for them to stop doing it. These are the same sick idiots who recently voted to amend the books used in their classrooms to a decidedly right wing bent, such as pulling Thomas Jefferson from a list of figures whose writings inspired revolutions in the late 18th century and 19th century, replacing him with St. Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin and William Blackstone (because he coined the term "separation between church and state," which the conservative majority of the board does not believe exists). They also wish to add the same old stuff right wingers are always promoting, Darwin's theory of evolution is questionable, and the countries founders were guided by Christian principles... like the ownership of slaves.
Clearly these guys and gals have been passing around the Orange Sunshine.
The GOP in Montana of all places, want to make homosexuality illegal. "We support the clear will of the people of Montana expressed by legislation to keep homosexual acts illegal." So if your born gay in Montana, through no fault of your own, I don't know, you'd have to go to jail I guess. They should enforce the laws prohibiting glue sniffing and slugging down hits of windowpane instead.
Someone in the Obama Administration thinks it's a good idea to sell Saudi Arabia about 60 billion dollars worth of weapons and military hardware. Obviously on acid. That's just what this world needs... more weapons in the Middle East. Well that will certainly show those Iranians for standing up for themselves by refusing to stop enriching uranium because the Republican neo-cons are making it a wedge issue of it in the states, won't it?
As Colin (Colin) Powell said just Sunday morning on "Meet the Press," and I paraphrase, "Iran wants to survive. They know what would happen to them if they were to use a nuclear weapon in the area." I agree, it's unlikely Iran would use a nuclear weapon if it had one. So let's sober up all you Bill Kristols and John McCains out there, and put down the Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

To be continued:

Happy Birthday Erin!!

Ms. Erin


Erin A! What a cutie!

"Well I'm just outa school
Like I'm real real cool
Gotta dance like a fool
Got the message that I gotta be
A wild one
Ooh yeah
I'm a wild one
Gotta break it loose
Gonna keep 'em movin' wild
Gonna keep a swingin' baby
I'm a real wild child"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4TbS_qed3g

"Wild One," Johnny Greenan, Johnny O'Keefe, and Dave Owens

Happy birthday wishes go out this morning for one of my favorite case managers here at SRHT, the lovely Ms. Erin A!
Yes, I know, another lovely Erin! How lucky am I to have so many lovely Erins close by. I bet you I've got more than you do, dear readers! What have you got to say about that? Not talking, huh. I don't blame you. If I were as deficient in lovely Erins as you are I'd be quiet about it too.
Be that as it may, this is not the first time we've come across my friend Erin A. on Joyce's Take. Her first appearance was in the post entitled "Celebrate... The Shocking Conclusion," from last December, which can be found here:
http://joycestake.blogspot.com/2009/12/celebrate-shocking-conclusion.html
I'm happy to report that Erin has fully recovered from that unfortunate incident and is happily back working diligently for the welfare of her clients.
Erin A. is a vibrant, beautiful redhead (as can be evidenced in the pictures above). Very vivacious and open, with the type of personality that I find instantly appealing. Quite often I have to warm up to people before I even start talking to them, but not Erin. We got along very quickly and easily.
You may wonder why I choose to open this post with some of the lyrics from the popular song "Wild One." That should become clear very soon.
She is quite young, just a little older than our Erin, dear readers, and today celebrates the beginning of her 28th trip around the Sun (which means she's 27).
As related in that earlier post, I first met Erin when she came to the Las Americas as an intern, with another older lady. This was back when Marisella was my case manager, and Demitri, was her partner.
As an intern Erin came from her college program on certain days to observe, learn, and participate in some of the daily activities in several of the SRHT hotels. Which she did. I remember her sitting in with us during a few of the support groups, but mostly out back in the garden, which she would help us tend.
Now I think Marisella thought the role of the intern was a bit different. I believe she thought that Erin was there to help her with her duties, help with filing and tedious stuff like that, and accordingly would send Erin and her colleague out to the garden so she could stay in her office and hide out, doing the important work (looking up pictures of Christian Bale on the Internet). Which was fine with me. Erin was fun to talk to and seemed genuinely interested in everything going on, but I think after a while she got a tad rebellious of they way she was being used and soon stopped coming altogther... where she went I don't know.
Oh yes, she told me she read one of my holiday plays that Marisella and Demitri asked me to write, and said she liked it, which makes her my friend forever.
In any case, after Marisella took off to Australia, and my Erin arrived in November of 2008, and we began the Yoga Class, I met Erin A. again and learned that she had herself become a case manager in November as well at a different hotel. I met her at a yoga session, and haven't seen her since. Why? Simply because SHE NEVER COMES TO FREAKING YOGA CLASS ANYMORE! That's why.
So we really don't keep in touch, and to tell you the truth I don't know that much about her.
But I do know the following... the following information that she herself has provided to a certain set of questions, so it must be true. So let's briefly explore my friend Erin A. (figuratively speaking that is), on her birthday.
We have a few things in common, young Erin and I do, which I find intensely fascinating. When asked what her political views are she labels herself a socialist, like me. I've never met a socialist woman before so this is very exciting. I would stipulate for myself that I am rather a democratic socialist, to differentiate myself from a commie pinko, but that's just me.
We both tend not to associate ourselves with organized religion, or at least have a humanistic approach toward it. I flat out state that I'm an atheist. When asked she provided this reply:
"God's work isn't done by God it's done by people."
Very good.
We both like music from The Beatles and Tom Petty.
Her Drag Queen name is Smokey Dallas. My porn star name is Licky Willowcreast.
We both studied sociology. She did at San Francisco State University. I studied it inside multiple stripper joints in San Diego.
She lives in nearby Long Beach. I once spent a week in the brig in Long Beach.
When asked what her favorite movies are, she states: "I like movie[s] with blood guts and boobs, I also like all other movies in all other categories and even if they suck I'll probably watch them a second time just to make sure. The Bork."
Well who can't agree with that. ("The Bork," seems to be a reference to an Independent feature horror film from director/writter David Molinari.)
Her favorite T.V. shows: "Carnivale, I don't have cable, Dexter." (Somebody get this girl cable! "Carnivàle," refers to an HBO show that ran for two seasons, kind of a mystic/Stephen Kingish "Grapes of Wrath." "Dexter," well that's a show about a serial killer who kills other serial killers. Kinky!).
And we both enjoy watching teams of everyday people who have built homemade, human-powered flying machines pilot them off a 30-foot high deck in hopes of achieving flight but smashing into a watery grave below. Now I call that fun!
She lists her favorite quote as being "Trying to make a dollar out of fifteen cents." Now that's optimism if I ever heard it.
And when asked to provide some biographical info she wrote the following: "PeOpLe DOnT CaRE HoW mUCh yoU KnOw UNtiL tHeY kNoW HoW MucH YOU CaRe."
Obviously she has a faulty "Caps Lock" button on her computer. (Somebody get that girl a new computer!)
And last but by no means least, she provides this as "Other," or general information:
"The 415, Everyone I know is getting married or pregnant, I'm just getting drunk, American Beauty tattoo, Dani Elle Photography, We Love Long Beach Arts! OmgSnaps.com, you!, Peets Coffee & Tea, I'm single - You're going to have to be pretty amazing to change that..[Oh, a challenge! I'd be after her myself if she were just a couple of years younger], Ooooooooh, That sounds a bit harsh, I better put "lol" on the end of it, MY SISTER SAID IF I GET ONE MILLION FANS SHE WILL NAME HER BABY MEGATRON, Lindsay Cahill Photography, South Coast Shingle & A-! Building Materials, Los Desperados Art Banditos, When I was a kid I thought Cal Worthington said "Pussycow" not "Go see Cal" and 16 more."
16 more what I ask? I NEED TO KNOW!
AND WE MUST GET HER A MILLION FANS! HER NIECE/NEPHEW MUST BE NAMED MEGATRON!
This woman is clearly disturbed. Yet her job description is to, "case manage homeless mentally ill adults."
Now I strongly take exception to this. Her job, like my Erin's, is to provide case management services to clients (whether they like it or not) like me, and I live in a very comfortable box, and have done so for eight years, which could hardly be called being homeless.
In any case, myself, my invisible cat Herkimer, and everybody here at Joyce's Take wish her the very best luck continuing on in her life, and a very happy birthday!
Happy Birthday Erin!

*And now a birthday picture of Erin A. being abducted by space aliens... just for the pure sweet hell of it! (she seems to be liking it)