Why the name Ranch Chimp? it was in humour because, science says that humans have similar DNA to a chimpanzee,so I felt some way related biologically to a chimpanzee. 2nd, everytime I was out of Texas on a vacation or for whatever reason I’m always asked things like, do I live on a ranch?,or have cattle? so I commonly call Dallas the Ranch. "Politically Depressed" was also humour inspired by the 1993- 2002 Bill Maher TV/ tele show "Politically Incorrect".
This entry into the music/ arts honour roll society of this journal/ blog, will be to feature some of the cuts from The Punkles out of Hamburg, Germany. Although I followed much punk for years, I never heard of this band until on YouTube, back about 8 years ago ... and don't recall anyone off hand in those circles of punk ever mentioning them. But I sure would have loved to see this crew live somewhere. When I first heard this crew, if I wasn't looking at a video or reading anything about them, only listening to audio, I probably would have thought, they were the Ramones covering a couple Beatles songs. This crew started up in 1998 and disbanded 2006 ... but those years they were around, I read, they were really doing well in Europe and Japan ... then just disappeared ... but they could probably sell out shows all over if they done a reunion tour. Nothing stands out special of this crew either, they do have some good harmonizing and guitar work though ... they simply do the same lyrics and music on these tunes as they were originally wrote/ recorded, they just add that punk style twist to them. But if you liked some of the classic stuff from The Beatles, and liked the Ramones punk style, you will probably like this crew and these cuts ... they just plain kick ass, too ... they really put out a good sound on these. Thanx to these guys for the music they left us with. Enjoy! ....
The Punkles- Magical Mystery Tour ... Thanx to jamesosterberg
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***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL "WELCOME" POST
***** "THE RESISTANCE | PERILS OF THE POWER POSSE" ... ( a 2 part futuristic Ranch Chimp Journal dream to dream on )
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This posting will be Part 2 of "Covid-19 | Coronavirus 2020", Part 12 of "Neoliberalism", and Part 4 of the "Naomi Klein" series of this journal/ blog. This stuff is changing by the day, so again, this will be outdated as I post it. But I wanted to have some of this recorded in this journal/ blog, which changes faster than I can keep up with ... and there is already so much info out there, as it is ... every newspaper, and other media source is saturated with coronavirus, much is the doom and gloom talk, like a blues song, with death and infection figures posted hourly. They also hope to make people try to take this seriously, because too many have a "don't give a shit" attitude ... you don't need to become delirious and freaked out, but need to be serious about taking safeguards, and following some basic rules. Much of this is just simple common sense ... sure, many don't like it, but it's importante to take these steps for safety, for yourselves and others around you ... so it's not that difficult or complicated. I follow the rules, and still go outside daily, but changed how I do it and mingle, avoiding much that I usually do. Takes a bit of getting used to, but it's not that bad or difficult, wash hands alot, and follow recommended guidelines, etc. Many in the political arena haven't a clue what's up, they too are playing it by ear. The President saying that we should be up and running with business, back to work, etc, by Easter Sunday ... is just sales talk, anyone in the medical/ science fields would agree, that's too quick due to circumstances. Sure, it's good to be optimistic, but he should be a little more realistic, because it can backfire on him, and us. Understand the kind of environment the President came out of before being President ... he sells everything as "beautiful" and a "great deal" ... that's what he done his whole life ... he sells confidence to folks to invest in his ideas and projects, etc, he's a hustler ... same as any hustler selling you on the street, just bigger game. Plus you have this political season, so him and all the rest of them are looking to score public approval points, on mostly "talking" points. It's not all beautiful, but it's not all doom and gloom either ... so avoid too much political talk, or just miserable people that like to dwell on misery and fear ... that will just make you think like them and more miserable ... think straight and strategic.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick sayz that he and other seniors are willing to die, to save the economy (YouTube), as is, that all America loves, for our grandchildren, etc ... as if it's patriotic, again, trying to incorporate patriotism and "thinking of children", paying dues, or sacrificing for Wall Street. First place, many Americans do not think too highly of this newest neoliberal economics model, it's approval or popularity, would be about as popular as our Congress would be to most ... "rock bottom", which has failure after failure, and has to be fed with the Federal Government giving it unlimited welfare, to a bunch of gambling addicted hoarding type investors, who don't have any allegiance to ANY country, and destroy damn near everything in their path. Even WITHOUT this serious COVID-19, we have to constantly feed this vermin class, if it weren't for our taxes, workers/ consumers, and government socialism/ corporate welfare feeding them monthly, they would fail overnight. If you (Patrick) want to die for them, that's your choice, but don't speak for the rest of us ... I guess some of these folks would put bags of money in their caskets too. I understand what Lt. Gov. Patrick is trying to say, or the sentiment, patriotic feeling, or what have you ... but the idea that folks should put their lives on the line to save Wall Street, or some other casino is downright silly, no need for all that, which I'll explain below. I was browsing some videos and articles/ newsead, so I selected some below for this posting, to take a look at the overall crisis we're in, some mainstream, some not so mainstream. But there are a few positive things that came out of this too, and good food for thought. So, I wanted to open below with Naomi Klein, and her views/ assessments, and Thanx to Naomi for the Milton Friedman quote posted at the heading. I also wanted to close with Dylan Ratigan being interviewed by Jimmy Dore, to get into detail about trying to avoid a financial crisis, as a 4th crisis, since we already have 3 to work on, being biological, economic, and social (we also have extreme weather due to climate change). Dylan explains "why" so much is having to be shelled out to the banks, much more than we realize, so I linked the PBS/ AP news piece Dylan is talking about first. At the bottom, I'll add a few more words/ views of my own.
"Coronavirus Capitalism": Naomi Klein's Case for Transformative Change Amid Coronavirus Pandemic ... Thanx to Democracy Now!
U.S. Pumps $14 TRILLION Into Economy! ... Thanx to The Jimmy Dore Show **** Dylan reconfigurated and explained his $14 Trillion figures in a later interview, so $14 Trillion the way he estimated it, is not accurate, or a fixed figure. But the substance here is importante, set aside figures, which are never what they appear at first anywayz, but key to understanding how some of this works.
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Thomas Hudson Pickering/ Ranch Chimp (1982 photo)
As far as the news on China having the virus contained and their figures ... I myself don't trust those figures so quickly, I know China, as well as other major countries will want to go back to business and getting the economic machine in motion ASAP. Why I hesitate on ANY figures right now, whether from China or anyone else, is because it's too early. It makes sense too, that even if we feel that we have this contained, the fact is, that there is still the virus out there and millions of carriers, many we don't even know of. Starting getting back to routine too casually and quickly, can easily spread a 2nd epidemic surge ... I mean, we don't like to think that, but medical science shows this would likely be a problem. In the U.S. for example, we're a little slow at catching the boat ... much credit to all the folks in the medical fields and everyone else who put their necks on the line everyday ... but our government has been slow (or they would say "cautious", I guess) to get a decent handle on this. And we need much more as far as medical equipment and personel, we are pushing these workers to the limits as it is, without adequate equipment and supplies. And this state to state thing, in my view, don't cut it. New York has the strongest lockdown measures I figure, but this needs to be nationwide. From what I see, we need more strict lockdown/ restrictions, at least during the start of this, and more testing, much more of everything. But at least we are learning how unprepared we are, and what we need to do ... plus there are so many in science/ medicine working to find medicines, vaccines, or whatever needed. Sadly our government/ Fed, and the executive and legislative branches are under total control of the markets/ corporations/ banks/ investors. I mean, we are praising politicians that done the $2 Trillion stimulus, which is really good, but understand, that this was pushed mostly by the big money entities, to get a people/ workers stimulus through so quickly. Wall Street knows our Congress is incapable of getting much done for the people/ workers, because of the constant left- right bickering ... so they say ... push it, and get it done! As far as Texas Lt. Gov. Patrick telling us it's patriotic for us to work and die of coronavirus, if necessary, as our sacrifice to save this cesspool of financial misery he thinks everyone loves ... don't be silly, no need to do a thing, except get the Fed to pump billions more into society, as they do for all the corporations/ banks. Where does the money come from? ... it's called the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (Prof. Richard Wolff).
In Texas, our methods from testing to quarantine are flexible, Dallas County has the tightest lockdown rules in the DFW Metroplex, but surrounding counties are slow to get on board. A couple weeks ago, they ordered all bars, restaurants, churches, etc closed ... so folks who wanted to party, just went to Fort Worth, Addison, or other suburban cities to party or whatever. Slowly, other suburban cities/ counties starting getting on board. You still have considerable traffic in this town, much more than a town like NYC. And that is because you have what's considered as "essential businesses" in Dallas and Texas, that have to stay open, such as pharma stores, groceries, construction related, hospitals/ clinics, emergency services, etc. You can get food delivered here, from restaurants, grocers, you can go up to restaurants, go inside and order, but not sit or dine- in, or have them bring the food out to you ... but, what is open and closed is so confusing to keep up with ... and quite a bit is open, but with many restrictions. At first Dallas closed all gun stores, there was a big surge in gun sales (as well as San Francisco, which is a bit unusual) ... folks couldn't buy them in Dallas City, so they went to suburban towns/ counties to buy ... not sure where it stands today, I haven't done any firearms shopping. My daughter and her husband, said the best time to go to Target store, is early in the morning when they first open, because they restock early before opening, there are limits on things like paper towels, for example, 1 pack per customer, you can buy a dozen rolls or so in a pack, max. But most items been restocking/ replenishing okay, considering the condition. But everything you touch you have to basically disinfect, remove packaging, discarding it properly, and importantly, washing hands after you touch it, and not touching your face. Example, I got a large Listerine Mint antiseptic mouthwash the other day, I wiped down the bottle entirely, and also washed my hands immediately after, for a good 20- 30 seconds. We are at a point now in America, to where we think too much about markets and money over anything else, including our lives. We don't like trillions going to banks and corporations, and every time we have a crisis, we get soaked for billions/ trillions by these entities, to keep us scrounging, dependent, and in debt and servitude to them. As Dylan Ratigan said in the video above, this was the easiest fix they could do fast, but it doesn't make significant beneficial changes for all in the financial system, just sustains everything we have, including the problems within it ... which also means, extracting anything we have of value, including "rights".
When we get a better handle and control on this virus, I don't think we should jump right back to business as usual, but move with high caution, you don't want to jump start another wave of it. Looking at this right now, I'm expecting quite a bit of economic trouble to follow. I also am expecting an uprise of angry citizens after this smooths out, right now, we're locked down because of the virus, but once the financial misery sets in later, people will have resentment, and this resentment will also be targeted at politicians too. This also makes us think twice about expanding our political choices, and possibly starting a new 3rd party that represents the majority of people. Sure, the $2 trillion is great and a big help, and Thanx to the pressure from Wall Street to make this happen. But you already have apartments in Dallas that are giving out eviction alert letters (and I'm sure in other cities coast to coast), although, no Dallas courts will sign any eviction notices, and it would be a few months before any could get signed off legally. Apartments are calling it a warning, and denying when asked, that they are evicting anyone, but look to get big late fees and such, and many folks will use credit cards, small loans or whatever, when money runs slim. Small business needs to pay rent/ mortgages, sure they'll get some help, but how long will it last? Folks are going to have to lay off/ cut employees, regardless of what the President sayz about business will be booming through the roof ... I see several complications coming, on that end. Also, some of your biggest investors, are going to be looking for a big home foreclosure amount to come ... and they know it, because they want to buy up as much as possible dirt cheap ... remember, even in a recession, while most lose ... few gain big profits ... this is America, to not expect these things, would be foolish. These temporary orders to not evict, foreclose, etc ... will run out after awhile, and will have to be extended or some new policies worked out, money gets folks desperate, desperation leads to extreme greed ... as soon as any of these protections run out, and a green light turns on, the vultures will come out of the woodwork. Right now, even several places are offering advances, on the stimulus checks that you haven't received yet, they will charge fees for an advance, like these tax prep services do, if you don't put limits on those fees, they could go through the roof. I could go on and on ... expect alot of game to be played, because there are many with scams and wayz to capitalize off this ... plan a strategy ahead of time.
As far as the $2 Trillion stimulus, and the generosity of it, don't be so quick to give credit to simply politicians, bipartisan love, or whatever ... this was mandatory, even your biggest of banks pushed for this. This is to basically protect the country from going in the shitter, this virus hit everyone unexpectedly, and hit market hard, everyone been scrambling. This is why I also put this in the "Neoliberalism" series. Even some airlines within the last year, before this crisis, claimed they could survive any recession, they are crying now for bailouts. The $2 trillion given to keep us hanging on, was because many trillions will go to the top players/ corporations/ investment banks, etc ... they realize they need to give some socialism, because they are taking so much. This talk of no stock buybacks and excessive CEO pay or whatever, may not last long, unless it's solid in law, and even then, the lobbyists/ lawyers make loopholes, changes, etc ... the Coronavirus Relief Bill is nearly 900 pages. See "Motley Fool" link above, on how importante stock buybacks were to generating large wealth expansion for big players. Good thing is, this makes even the wealthiest and everyone else see the importance of social safety nets, and trying to do something about out of control healthcare costs, we will probably need more stimulus before we have a good handle on this. The importance from a wealthy investor perspective, is to maintain social order and the flow of business ... leaving the workers/ consumers taking too much burden, can backfire with mass civil disobedience and even out of control pockets of anarchy, so this also makes people top to bottom, even think twice about things like UBI (universal basic income). This new stimulus/ bailout, will also contribute to fulfilling the global neoliberal goal, it's going to make these too big to fail entities of wealth, even that much larger, and more powerful ... basically what we once called democracy, will never be the same. It's already to the point where corporate neoliberalism are controlling ALL establishment politics in this country, and have politicians in fear of challenging them. This will bring more privatization of anything or assets that the public has remaining, with wealthy investors buying everything up ... that's why the wealthy are more than happy to throw us billions, while they milk us/ government for trillions. Do not pay atencion to those politician's statements like "where will the money come from", "we have too much debt", we need to pay down debt", etc, etc ... thinking about debt is silly, and they (politicians) know it, we would never even be able to pay down a fraction of the interest. This shows you, how over the last decade, the Fed just pumps endless money into the banking system, that we supposedly don't have ... and can suddenly drop a couple trillion as well, in a heartbeat. Whether it's 9/11 and following war in Iraq, the 2007-2008 Great Recession, or the Coronavirus crisis, the money alwayz appears somehow, and we take one further step in privatizing democracy and our government, and becoming more dependent on the oligarchs.
This entry into the music/ arts honour roll society of this journal/ blog, will be to showcase some of the music of the "Tuba Skinny" band of New Orleans. This group really sounds good, and captures the nostalgia of the great swing, blues, ragtime, and jazz of the 1920s/ 1930s, I've alwayz loved the music from then, and alwayz looked at it as good inspiration and ideas for incorporating it into upbeat heavy rock and punk music too, since I love both, as well. It's also the main ingredient for some of the great Electro Swing of today, such as groups like "Caravan Palace" and "Diablo Swing Orchestra". The members of Tuba Skinny have all different roots as far as music/ art backgrounds, from jazz, to blues, swing, punk, and more ... and they are all from other parts than New Orleans. They met on the streets of New Orleans, prior to Hurricane Katrina ... the group started to slowly evolve piece by piece between 2003 to 2009, to become where they are today. This group, even though they are a favourite local street busking crew of the French Quarter in New Orleans, are known all over the world, by musicians and a spread out global fan base, and have received a number of awards ... yet still continue their street performances, and put out 10 full albums between 2009 and 2019. I love the vocal work and style of Erika Lewis, I could listen to her sing all day long ... many times on the street, she uses no mic. Even playing on the street at times, when the group is mostly free of any electronic equipment/ amplification, they still produce a powerful sound ... so I wanted to highlight some of that stuff here. This is the kind of group that will make folks just want to get up and dance, great stuff! There is so much more about this band, so I'll let the links handle that. I wanted to open below with a favourite of mine from years back ... "Yes Sir That's My Baby", that has been played by so many since around 1925 ... and some others follow. I also included a video at the very bottom of the posting, of an interview with the group, where they introduce themselves, and answer questions about their music, backgrounds, and much else. Wishing them the best and more ... and Thanx for doing such a great job at reviving and preserving these classic sounds. ... Enjoy!
Tuba Skinny- "Yes Sir That's My Baby"- Tip the band at Venmo.com. More at Digitalalexa channel ... Thanx to digitalalexa
Tuba Skinny- "What's the Matter with the Mill"- Tip the band at Venmo.com. More at Digitalalexa channel ... Thanx to digitalalexa
Tuba Skinny (3) Lyon, France 03 juil 2019- Tellin' You 'Bout It ... Thanx to Michel Miconnet
Tuba Skinny- "Interview"- Ogden Museum 4/17/14- MORE at DIGITALALEXA channel ... Thanx to digitalalexa
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***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL "WELCOME" POST
***** "THE RESISTANCE | PERILS OF THE POWER POSSE" ... ( a 2 part futuristic Ranch Chimp Journal dream to dream on )
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This posting will be to examine the Coronavirus, it will also be Part 62 of the "Global War'n'ing" series of this journal/ blog, because, as I point out throughout the series, I suspect that the global warming/ climate change will contribute to a new line of diseases, viruses and related, some that will hit us where we have almost zero knowledge of the roots, to evolve and spread. This will also be Part 17 of the "American Exceptionalism" series, since America is an exceptional country on many avenues, including our unique broken healthcare system. I take this Coronavirus seriously, unlike how I covered the Ebola Crisis in 2014, this is a whole different ballgame. During the Dallas Ebola Crisis, I was not only in the neighbourhood (northeast Dallas "Five Points"), where Mr. Duncan lived in, and several feet from the apartment complex that was quarantined, but even at the train station (public transit) outside the hospital he was at ... and had minimal concern. Why?, because the Ebola deal was so contained, and we already had years of work worldwide with it, knew so much about it, etc. COVID-19 is just that, newly discovered in 2019 ... we're still trying to figure out all how it is spread for that matter, and it has moved rapidly, right now, it is on every continent besides Antarctica, which has a population smaller than my neighbourhood in Dallas. So this is nothing to take lightly, and even as I post this, it will be outdated the next day, because this is how fast updates on this are coming out. I hope to see AI (artificial intelligence shine in all this, as far as utilizing AI), we will need all the help we can get ... and this includes world participation, and trying to keep as much politics out of it as possible, and all the whiny petty bitch fighting/ arguing, religious cult stuff, etc ... I know that's asking alot, especially in America, but it's needed. But there is plenty of info going around out there to help folks with learning about this, and steps to take to be safer. We have a President and White House, that has put VP Pence, for oversight? ... we need experts in this field, people of medicine and science ... not politically slanted views and assessments. And the primary reason for that, was to censor info that comes to the public, to avoid panic, for Trump's re- election, and to keep people spending. It's not about health and safety, as much as it's about markets and politics ... yet should be, because without safety and health, all rest will go down. Hopefully we'll get a better handle on this soon.
In the U.S. we may have some problems with this if it becomes too widepread, I figure, just looking at our unique situation ... so maybe they will have to change a few things here, to help, regardless of the money, politics, or whatever else gets in the way. Right now, they tell folks to stay home if sick, some they may ask to stay home for a couple weeks ... this is America, we have millions upon millions here that live from paycheck to paycheck, many with little or no paid leave, and apartments that won't want to wait for their rent payments, millions could get evicted, plus that damages their credit scores. Everything in this country, including our lives, is ran on the markets/ money too, and if older folks who don't have time for their 401(k) to bounce back, decide they want to take their money out, lobbyists may try to stop them, maybe limit bank withdrawals, etc. We already seen the markets panic, with only this small amount of cases found, so you don't want it to get too widespread. Mega investors in the market are like drug addicts when they panic, like when a drug addict calls their line or goes to the dopehouse, only to find that they're dry (out of supply). We depend on consumption/ consumers to spend 24/ 7/ 365, we're like at the top worldwide on how much we spend ... if a situation comes up, that folks feel uncomfortable to go to stores, public, travel, or to even spend ... you have another problem. You have hundreds of thousands of homeless people in urban areas, that only have public restrooms and some shelters to possibly get a shower or clean up, overpopulated jails (mass incarceration), folks in rural areas (and cities) that don't have access to healthcare, or clean environment conditions. Some may say ... "well, they're the worthless poor, or criminals, or uneducated, etc" ... but they all have contact with overall society and public places, and right now, it's people that actually have decent jobs, education, and are considered as productive in society that been diagnosed with this. And the working poor makes this machine work in large part, and serve those with more money, meaning, contact. Currently, we are still learning new things daily about this, we are not even dead sure of all the wayz of transmission ... it's all new to us, so far. And hopefully, the U.S. will listen to scientists, and importantly, cooperate with the global community, and the President, not use this to start global fighting/ bickering ... having his little temper tantrums.
The U.S. don't have a national healthcare system, healthcare here is basically big business, with out of control rates and gouging. If this gets any more widespread in the U.S., how will all the different insurance companies plans and supplements handle this? Or all the for profit hospitals? Will they pay for testing?, will they pay for drugs?, what will the healthcare stock shareholders want and demand? Usually costs and premiums skyrocket, since we have no limits, and allow the markets to run everything ... at the least little discomfort to shareholders, this happens. Do we even have enough facilities to quarantine if needed, in a widespread situation? When money is needed and for government to step in, will they find the funds, like they do for big banks and corporations, and/ or just print up billions to bail us out like those? When funding comes up in the House and Senate between the 2 parties (democrats and republicans), will they play the usual back and forth bickering, and try to cut other things to pay for it?, and if/ when spending is passed, how much more will we have to give to billionaires, tax cuts or otherwise, and corporate subsidies, just to get it through, where both sides reach an agreement? ... I mean, recent history shows they never give nothing without taking from us, even if it is mostly our money, taxes, and consumption that generated it. Congress usually has no problem passing legislation to give trillions to billionaires, corporations, banks, and for wars ... but ask for a few billion for the public's own good, and they all start whining in chorus, like they're ordered to do by the wealthy and their lobbyists. What if they tell us what they usually tell us, like, "where will the money come from?" ... "It's all pie in the sky, pipe dreams, it can't be done", and the usual talk we hear? I've heard doctors/ scientists a couple months back, say they think this will become a pandemic of magnitude, although contained at some point ... why may they think that? ... they have reason to. Our President sayz it's all under control, "beautiful" testing methods, control, healthcare system, and containment, etc, but he changes day to day ... if something goes wrong on his actions, instead of looking at his own incompetence, he may blame China or the Democrats, probably ... and turn a serious health concern into a political bitch/ Twitter fight, because looking at his history, he's been quick to run his mouth (Tweets), forgets and contradicts what he sayz from one day to the next, and blames everyone but himself. I could go on and on, but, as you can see, I have alot of questions. Some more below, and stay cautious, at least follow the basics for safety, etc.
This posting will be Part 16 of the "Black History | Harmon Loft" series of this journal/ blog ... to highlight the life and court cases of Dred Scott (wikipedia), and his wife, Harriet, they were American slaves. This story and case in history, should be an inspiration to people of all races today, let it be a lesson of sort, if anything, if you are a working class person. Because slavery has alwayz been a part of our system, in some form, just like racism still is, and bigger than ever today, it's just cleverly repackaged and redesigned, to be larger and broader than anything of past ... today more subtle and sugarcoated. Again, for the viewer that never been to this journal/ series ... it is in memory and totally inspired by my friend, Harmon Loft ... he was the black history buff, and known for it in his New York community, back in the 1960s/ 1970s. If you had a question about related history ... you could ask this guy, I was only a teen at the time, never knew any of this, or history for that matter, and listening to his stories were interesting. I believe Harmon (aka "Red" to most), may have been originally from Chicago, not sure, he told me things about being a kid on the West Side of Chicago, he didn't really know his dad, who he heard was an alcoholic, so Harmon and his kid sister were raised by mom basically. His mom had some disease called sarcoidosis, she died, him and his sister was sent to their auntie's place in Harlem/ NYC, where he lived his latter teen years in the area of 123rd St & Lenox Ave, he was at least 25 years older than me, and like a mentor to me ... he helped me when in trouble, let me set up a shoe- shine stand in his pool/ billiards hall, and treated me like a son (he never had kids or married that I knew of ... but had some close female companions), taught me some things, and how to make money.
The life of Dred Scott was interesting ... I guess back then, it depended on who was your owner, to the slave, of what you could do or not, or what kind of duties/ chores you were assigned. I figured the least you could hope for, is having a master/ owner as lenient as possible, because you had nothing else, period ... but to be pushed around, used, raped, sold/ traded/ leased out, punished/ beaten, killed, or whatever. Scott was a hustler though, and considered as a "skilled slave", and had some situations, where he was able to use his head and take advantage of, to at least try to make what life he had less miserable. When he seen opportunity, he jumped all over it, including escaping slavery, if he could, and was savvy enough to lease out his services while still being owned, and pocketing all the money, even attempting to buy his freedom ... and sharp enough to legally challenge the crummy system. Historically, there were thousands of slaves actually, that were bucking slavery all over the place, while some others, just decided to submit, and accept it as the only way to live ... folks like Dred were a bolt of revolt, and you had many of them. The Dred Scott case was so well known, because it involved the US Supreme Court, and Chief Justice R.B. Taney, decided that a slave can never be a citizen, or qualify legally, for any rights, freedom whatsoever, etc. Between court cases from lower courts to the top, Dred went from slave to free, and back to slave, then back to free, depending on which territory he was taken to by his owners. But moving around like that also had its advantages, and gave opportunity, instead of just spending decades on some plantation, and experiencing or seeing nothing different. And just like the past, aligning yourself with thinkers and doers, that have that bolt in them, is a plus, Dred's wife, Harriet, was one like that too.
The reason this Supreme Court case was so importante, is because of the amount of rage it inspired, and contributed to making the Civil War get on the road. Even though Scott lost this case, the nation won, in that respect, because any rights past due to come about, started taking shape then and there. Scott didn't die on his knees or at the end of a rope, he died from tuberculosis, which was common in those dayz, and he lived his life making decisions for himself. He also never gave up on taking cases to the courts, and had a friendship with the kids of his former owner/ master, who were his age, that those kids ended up funding his legal case expenses, and inspiring abolition to the new blood/ generation. Dred was gonna make it either way, he's tasted half assed freedom and full slavery, both ... him and Harriet were doing it mostly for their 2 daughters, to try to bring better times for them. He tried to purchase freedom for their girls/ kids mainly, from Mrs. Emerson, their owner, and widow of US Army surgeon, Dr. John Emerson. Mrs. Emerson was still leasing Dred and Harriet out as slaves, even though they were no longer in prime age, to try to milk every nickel she could out of them, and Dred and Harriet knew, she looked at their daughters as commodity/ asset money makers. Eventually, at the end, a couple years before Dred's death, he managed to buy him and his wife and daughters freedom. This is the same way all working classes are looked at today by the usual extreme capitalists and oligarchs ... it's still the same master/ slave mentality today, as back then ... this mentality abuses all working classes of today, unjustly incarcerates the poor, and uses them through prison labour, and endless debt, etc, as well as all their family members. The point is, looking at all we are facing in 2020, revolt on a large scale is way past due. If we do not challenge what we are facing now, our children will get trampled on more than we are, to come ... this is why Scott's life and cases, including things like the Civil War, are a good lesson.
Some read and video below. First video is a brief clip, to introduce the great- great- granddaughter of Dred and Harriet, today ... Lynne M. Jackson. I also chose a video below that of a known expert in race relations, criminal/ civil procedure, constitutional law, and civil rights ... to review Scott's Supreme Court case, out of several I reviewed, from Professor of Law @ The George Washington University Law School, Christopher A. Bracey ... I thought he done a great job reviewing the case, Scott family, and condition. Importantly in the 2nd half of the video, Bracey points out so many legal flaws with the court/ Taney's decision, none was based on case/ precedent/ law, but opinion/ view only. Basically you had a Supreme Court, that was ignoring law and the Constitution.
Word Out ....
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**** Early voting is underway in Texas now through the 28th of February, for the March 3rd primary season voting ... GET OUT TO VOTE, regardless of how much impact you feel your vote has ... you can bet Dred and Harriet Scott would have loved to had the chance to vote ... it's one of the few rights you still have. I'm out on my way after I post this, to vote for Senator Elizabeth Warren, for the Democratic Presidential nomination, even though I know she is trailing Senator Bernie Sanders, and I love Bernie Sanders, voted for Bernie in the 2016 primary season, but been waiting for Warren to run for years, because of her unique skills/ background. I committed to voting Warren, if she ran, and she did, before Bernie even announced he's running for 2020 nomination, so I done what I promised. And I will be first in line to vote for Bernie in November, if he gets the nomination, for sure. Even if Bernie has 90%+ of voters, understand, that Wall St/ banks/ corporations, the establishment of the Democratic Party, and their Superdelegates, corporate media, smear and fear ads, and others, may/ will all try to interfere with him getting the nomination, so the voters need to stand strong, and pound and push very very hard. Bernie is despised by big money and the establishment, and they will encourage other candidates to stay in the race long as possible, and have as many as they can in the race, just to try to lessen the amount of votes Bernie gets, if anything.
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**** Photo to the right is Lynne M. Jackson ... in front of the statue outside the St. Louis old courthouse, of her great- great- grandparents, Dred & Harriet Scott
This will be part 12 of the "Helluva F'n Day" series of this journal/ blog, for a little humour. Early sunday morning (yesterday), a demolition crew was hired to take down some building on the east side of Uptown Dallas, to make way for a new complex to be developed ... well, they done a half assed job, and this is the result. You boyz ought to be ashamed of yourselves ... I know damn well if it was up to me to hire a reputable demolition crew to take down a city building ... I'd call Al- Qaeda, Inc. ... at least they won't ask for a tax write- off, and give me a better rate ... they take pride in their work.
Leaning Tower of Dallas still standsmore than 12 hours after scheduled implosion ... Thanx to WFAA
This posting will serve the "Poverty & Despair" and "Neoliberalism" series of this journal/ blog. What inspired the posting, is the widening poverty and the historically unprecedented wealth, as well as several people that I have talked to over the last several years, that simply thought that all these folks with the largest wealth, are patriotic heroes of sort, for all that they contribute through their foundations/ charities and investments, for all the regular people/ working classes, to the poor and overall society. So I went seaching for some articles and video to help make my point, and include them below. Each of the 2 videos are 42 minutes long, that look at low end poverty to high end wealth, to show the contrast, and Thanx to DW Documentary. I opened below with a couple articles I found, that explains what all this philanthropic stuff is really about, which is also importante ... I have talked to several folks, that had no bloody idea, on how these are used as tax shelters, is why ... some folks may think that's just a cynical view. But this posting or links, is not to be cynical or unfair, it's about questioning and using common sense and reason ... after all, it's senseless and pointless to worship that, that has no consideration for you, eh? At the bottom, I'll add a few of my views/ opinion.
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Thomas Hudson Pickering/ Ranch Chimp
With all the new housing/ office/ commercial development, all the new millionaires, high numbers of people taken out of extreme poverty in a country like China, the endless media of the bustling markets, and the most robust market and economy in history, and even all the well paying tech jobs and new middle class in America ... you may think that we are in paradise ... and some folks are. But most of what we see force-fed to us through media, just shows/ sells the glamour ... same as all the prime time tele commercials (approx every 6-7 minutes of programme airtime), showing all the pharma commercials, insurance company comedy skit commercials, to those of the financial/ retirement investors, with all the happy clients and families incorporated. But at the same time, the inequality gap between the wealth and poor is growing, and those extremes are beginning to clash, as well ... you can fudge figures any way you like, for whatever purpose or agenda. But you still can't miss the reality you see every day in our cities to rural areas, and that reality is expanding quickly ... overriding all the glamour that you are fed, whether by politicians, corporations, or Hollywood celebrities. More often, when we are shown homelessness in most cases, it is the worst of such, such as the Central City East area of downtown LA, which has been saturated for years and years ... yet now, just in the last few years, has nearly doubled. Rents have been becoming so expensive, and so restricted as far as who can lease/ rent, folks can't afford it ... even folks up in the Silicon Valley area, that have decent paying tech jobs, now have a growing amount of employees, using cars, vans, to used U- Haul trucks they buy to live in.
Over the last several years, you have seen a growing homeless population of working class, some are people that were able to afford to keep a car, and use their cars as their home. Those in San Diego, as you see in the first video, who have a vehicle, are lucky enough that they were provided a place to cook, and get water, or whatever ... and the reason they are more likely to help those, is because they see those as more valued homeless, because they work and spend more. The more extreme impoverished, like the skid- row types, aren't of the same value, besides to lock them up through criminalizing homelessness, and if they're healthy enough to work, they work them while incarcerated, for a company, or for the city/ county/ state, or whatever else they can use them for, it's actually a similar mentality in America today, as the former Nazi era of Germany. More like a corporate type fascism, even incorporating religion/ church, waving flags demanding patriotism to it, invading and occupying foreign lands, using economics, militarizing police forces, ignoring the rights of people and Constitution, creating more Gestapo type methods of policing, and criminalizing the poor, immigrants, mentally ill, etc ... similar in design to what Adolf Hitler done in Nazi Germany. Those homeless/ impoverished that are convicted on something like petty drug offenses, and are not an escape risk or danger to anyone, they make profits for investors through the private prison industry off state/ county taxes, free to buck ($1) a day labour, and/ or offer them to fight forest fires for $2 per day and a $1/ buck an hour (CNBC). This is how to make everything, including human life, a commodity in a market ran society.
One of the things that some may get mixed up here, is the "real economy" and "financial economy" ... and what we have been experiencing over the last several years, is how neoliberal economics been working fine in the financial economy, to where it's much stronger in growth and numbers, than the real economy. Even any economy booming off the charts, one bad hard hit to it, say a recession with huge stock losses (Seeking Alpha), mega investors take advantage ... while most consumers/ workers hurt and lose, the top wealth can/ will buy up whatever at bargain basement prices ... even a recession creates millions/ billions for few ... money/ capital doesn't disappear, it changes hands. We as workers and consumers are in a tighter regulated atmosphere, in our individual countries, like US, England, Germany, Italy, etc ... the financial economy, that also interacts with the real economy, good or bad, is swallowing us, and overpowering us, neoliberal economics is designed to simply grow wealth, then the trickle down theory is supposed to kick in ... been in the works for decades. As far as the explosion of wealth of the top 1/ 10th of a percent and the financial economy, it can be of little significance to our real economy, yet really hurt us in bad times and crashes. The wealth explosion basically comes from investing only, and the return they get from those investments, these are all your big money players, and the personal high paid investors that work for them, planning their strategies. These investment strategists (for the wealthy, not the same kind for the working classes, like retirement investors), use computer algorithms that invest for short term quick and mass investments, and to also shelter the money from governments and taxation, for wealthy individuals, families, and connected foundations/ groups. These investments are pretty much worthless for the 99%, they create nothing, they are simply wayz to generate large amounts of money quickly, for a very few.
If a country has forest land, or any natural resource that become available (through pre- paid legislation/ bought politicians) for purchase, even public land/ assets, because of the desperate need and scramble for money, you'll have 50 investors lined up to buy immediately, and interest rates being low, with tax loopholes and shelters, makes it more attractive. So it's basically like a board game of buy, sell, trade, and make all the money you can, while building private power ... not by producing or developing anything, but just personal interests. Many have so much money, that they are running out of places to invest, because all the wealth is buying up everything they can find, and trying to beat each other to it. That end of the economy is strong, and powerful enough to drain governments, milk taxes, and dictate public policies/ legislation, and big banks help to impose austerity, to influencing our campaign financing in America, and increasingly in EU countries. Much of the homes/ apartment/ commercial private investing, we are likely to tax subsidize, cloaking it as public/ private partnerships, but the public loses on it. And many of your bad investments, maybe too risky or simply bad planning, to unethical politicians ... it may be tax subsidized and failed to pay off, the public ends up shelling out through tax revenues for losses, like with much else. None of these homes/ apartments become affordable for working classes, until maybe 20+ years ... after the property/ asset been sold multiple times, and requires improvements/ maintenance, etc. New places go up in Dallas faster than seasons change, they are all higher priced leasing/ buying when new. Investors are for short term, after 5 years or less, as repairs become needed, they sell, then it gets sold again, again, etc ... eventually after a couple decades or so, the development/ asset devalues, these places are nice, but not built like those for the upscale buyers/ leasees, nor to retain value.
Like the Public/ Private Partnership scam, all these other deals that they create through legislation, directed by private money influence, are all designed to take, and give nothing ... and the public loses, from tax revenues, publicly owned assets and institutions, to anything of actual value. This is also the case with these mega philanthropies, which is why I included the articles on them. For years I have criticized them, some folks think I was unfair to criticize those that do so much for arts, charity, or whatever else. What we are doing by allowing these philanthropies to remain "as is", is basically letting all the wealthiest people decide what our revenues/ taxes are spent on. That multimillionaire/ billionaire not only gets a tax haven to hide money, they decide who makes the list for help, and what they require those to do, to get help. Pay taxes like the rest of us do, and "let us" decide what we do and help with our own tax/ fees revenue intake, stay the Hell out of our business ... you are not our partners, or even our friends. In fact, stay out of everything that don't involve you ... you have your business to care for, we have ours, and it is none of yours ... be grateful that we even consume, manufacture, and contribute to your success. Nor do you create any significant job growth, the majority of jobs in this country are created by consumer demand and the smaller companies. Take away their tax shelter, see how fast they change. We can give tax incentives to those with wealth that are drafted by us, we have our own advisors, that are in our interests, and fair to the corporation at the same time. They want to destroy and replace our social services with private charities approved by them, then they take all the public's funds/ taxes/ assets ... we don't need your help, we can do for ourselves, with our own money, and not by giving most to you.
Some same people of mega wealth, demonize taxation ... yet indirectly use our taxes to feed and subsidize them with welfare for the wealthy and corporations. They say they want to abolish taxation, yet are first in line to take all our taxes they can, and by spending them for us. They try to make us believe that government and taxation are the ultimate evil ... but understand, besides things like the power of the vote (which they want to eliminate and rig, too), these institutions from education, to environmental protection, to social safety nets, etc, etc, are all that we have in a system of capitalism designed like this, to support and secure our interests. I seen Bill Gates in a recent tele interview, say that Presidential candidate, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, would want to impose a tax, if President, that would take 90%, of his $106/ $107 billion in taxes, and leave him with a measly $10 billion or whatever. This is all a LIE, and to try to scare the public like this through mainsteam media corporate controlled news, is shameful misinformation, trying to make the average working people think, that 90% of their paychecks would go to taxes, if she was voted in as President. And Gates knows it, and knows how ridiculous that statement was ... that is NOT how even the percentages of taxation worx, and never did. These folks of high wealth should be grateful that we pass their legislation, to have the general publics taxes help generate, maintain, and sustain their wealth, and bail them out every time they fail ... in a more sane society, they may have some of their ridiculous privileges revoked, and rightfully so. I myself am all for tax breaks, but within reason, nor do I give any praise or worship to which is not deserving, nor do I feel we should all be financially equal, in this type system, reward creates incentive and strengthens innovation. In the type of healthy and robust economy that we've had, with expanded safeguards for market failure, by any math, should not create more poverty.
Some of the extreme wealth, not all, are even getting more cocky and bold, and want to penalize or punish the 99%, saying that they're being attacked unfairly by working classes, who they look at, like an inferior species, ignoring all that those working classes contributed to their wealth and success. People around the globe rebel for a reason, many top wealth, have chosen to make enemies with us, and corrupt our economies, societies, rights, and goverments. These hoarders and manipulators of wealth, governments, and markets, are basically useless to us/ society ... they're "elite"? ... no, they're more like a household "pest", and about as useless to us as tits would be to a bull ... we do everything, why in Hell would we need them? Rebellion/ civil disobedience, in just about any form, is in order and justified, including violence. This has happened time and again throughout history for the same reasons, when they step on society the way they do, and slap the hand that feeds ... this time we have far more people with far better strategies, and weapons/ tools to fight back. Much top wealth, on the other hand, are concerned, and worried ... they know that we have big- big problems concerning inequality, and is a top growing issue at the Davos World Economic Forum year after year, to the World Bank, and several top figures even want change. They also have a slew of other problems that came from this neoliberal economics model, which also created the environmental problems and global warming, to the concerns of war activity, mass rebellion, to higher market volatility, etc, etc They're increasingly having to build luxury bunkers, increasing their security whenever in public, and trying to rathole all wealth and assets possible, to buy and secure more protection, because of their uncertainty, of what may come. You can bet, that even some top world leaders and financial institutions are going to propose modifications to this neoliberal economic model of current. Economic models come and go ... below, I added a short video of an alternative economic model.
Word Out ....
Introduction to a Resource Based Economy ... Thanx to The Venus Project
Grand Funk Railroad concert @ Shea Stadium, NYC, 09 July 1971 **** Grand Funk sold out this concert in 72 hours ... taking the previous sellout concert at this stadium in 1965, of The Beatles, weeks to sell it out.
This entry into the music/ arts honour roll society of this journal/ blog, will feature the original Grand Funk Railroad/ Grand Funk (wikipedia) out of Flint, MI, who I been wanting in this journal for some time now. The history of this band with the ups and downs, such as legal disputes/ lawsuits, along with break ups and make ups, multiple producers, which included well known artists such as Todd Rundgren (wikipedia), and Frank Zappa, is very lengthy, so I'll let the link handle most of that. I wondered, why this band didn't make it already into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? (although they did, only locally in Michigan), as tens of thousands of others wondered. I mean, the R&R Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH, features one of Mark Farner's guitars, yet not the band ... a petition been floating around for folks demanding that they be included. Much speculation surrounds on why they didn't make it in there ... but I won't speculate, because I still feel they will one day be inducted into it ... there are several other artists/ crews, that I wonder why they're not in there too. What was surprising to many about the original GFRR 3 member lineup, is how fast they went from a garage band, to a mega headliner, selling out arenas/ stadiums ... I mean, this is a crew that was rehearsing in a farm house, and then suddenly filling a slot months later at the 1969 Atlanta International Pop Festival ... which made Capitol Records want to sign them. Frankly, it was the exposure and public demand, they had a sound and lyrics that related to so many, this crew was opening for large acts such as Led Zeppelin, yet getting standing ovations as a warm up crew ... yet all your big music media critics downplayed the group ... it was word of mouth among concert goers, and the will of the people, that boosted them. GFRR had all the chemistry of a mega arena hard rock crew ... they were good at being naturally themselves, with explosive raw sound and performance, and that relates to concert goers. I will give some credit here to their first manager/ producer, Terry Knight, simply because he recommended that they bring in Mel Schacher to play bass guitar, and Terry done well at promoting them. Keyboardist Craig Frost also came later as a fourth member, adding a new dimension to their sound, Craig is also keyboardist for Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band. Don (drummer) and Mark (songwriter/ guitar/ vocalist), were previously with another crew, called "Terry Knight and The Pack". Also, Terry being an ex radio DJ, and singer, really had a knack for marketing, and the Capitol Records connection. On the other hand, I have plenty of criticism for Terry Knight, and glad that Grand Funk dumped him, he was shortchanging the shit out of these guys, who were about 20 yrs old, and didn't look at contracts closely, screwing them out of millions, which includes bad and unauthorized investments of earnings through GFRR as a corporation ... but I'll just leave that there.
Grand Funk Railroad's name changed to Grand Funk, then back to GFRR, around when Mark and Don dumped Terry, and then the problems started over rights of song ownership, etc. Capitol Records, because of original contract, could not deal directly with the band, they had to go through Terry. Terry came back suing GFRR for over $50+ million for breach of contract, which both parties agreed to a settlement ... but this also created conflict in the band, and by another contract, Don and Mel ended up voting Mark out of the band. Today GF still puts out music, with 3 new members, besides Mel and Don, but for me, GF is not GF without Mark Farner, and Mark wrote most of the music, Mark was also a great frontman, and a multi- instrumentalist. Mark Farner has his own solo project and crew, both groups play newer materials, as well as GFRR classics on their tours, and they have had reunion shows too. I found a YouTube video I included below, of a song called "Black Brass", I never heard of it, so looked it up, and nothing on it ever being published as a song, I read it was just some piece they done for some "In Concert" series special, it was intense, especially the keyboards work that Craig done in it, and the drumming by Don, Mark also played drums with Don on it. I opened below with "Inside Looking Out" from the early dayz, which was a favourite of mine (this was first done by Eric Burdon and The Animals, out of Newcastle, England, 1966, YouTube) ... Mark added slight modifications to lyrics and instrumental, and one of the first hard rock songs I learned as a kid/ teen. In particular, the intense and soulful vocal work on it by Mark, and alwayz loved the bass that Mel does on this, but overall I really liked Mel's bass guitar work alot, period. After Todd Rundgren started producing with the band, and the addition of Craig on keyboards, they started to play a more pop sounding music, which also turned over well, giving them some top chart hits. The music overall (early 1970s), especially in hard rock music, started expanding into other areas, and you also had the new disco, glam, and pop music that was growing at the time, so a growing demand for more pop rock leaning stuff as well. You could clearly see this in "The Loco- Motion" (originally wrote by Gerry Goffin and Carole King in 1962, and recorded by pop singer Little Eva, YouTube), along with other later songs, as far as comparing to the structure they started with on songs like "I'm Your Captain" or "Heartbreaker". I also included the classic hit, "We're an American Band", along with a Mark Farner interview at the bottom, where Mark talks about some of his gear, the band, and working with producers Frank Zappa and Todd Rundgren. Interesting, was the part about the incorrect accidental wiring of Dave West's "West" amplifiers, that Mark ended up wanting to buy, because that unintentional wiring when building that amp, is what gave Mark the guitar sound he was looking for. Thanks to these guys for all the great music and inspiration ... Enjoy!
GRAND FUNK RAILROAD- Inside Looking Out 1969 ... Thanx to The 1 stGunner **** this is Live from West Palm Beach, FL 1970
Grand Funk Railroad- We're An American Band ... Thanx to TurnItUp **** this was Live @ The Forum in LA, 1974
Grand Funk Railroad- Black Brass- MSG 12/23/72 ... Thanx to T.J. Ash
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