Slave Labor is the Reason for Illegal Weed

During this clip from THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH, Jeff Sessions opposition to legal cannabis is brought up. Let me clue you in to why Mr. Sessions might be opposed. In a word, slavery.

THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH

That's right, slavery is alive and well in Alabama. Mr. Sessions was elected Attorney General of Alabama in 1996, being re-elected in 2002, 2008, and 2014. Alabama has a long history of prison slave labor. There was even a strike by prisoners to protest the practice. Council, one of the founders of the Free Alabama Movement, said "We will not work for free anymore. All the work in prisons, from cleaning to cutting grass to working in the kitchen, is done by inmate labor. Almost no prisoner in Alabama is paid. Without us the prisons, which are slave empires, cannot function. Prisons, at the same time, charge us a variety of fees, such as for our identification cards or wrist bracelets, and impose numerous fines, especially for possession of contraband. They charge us high phone and commissary prices. Prisons each year are taking larger and larger sums of money from the inmates and their families. The state gets from us millions of dollars in free labor and then imposes fees and fines. You have prisoners that work in kitchens 12 to 15 hours a day and have done this for years and have never been paid.”
http://www.truthdig.com/…/it…/americas_slave_empire_20150621

Alabama has private prisons too. So there is a corporate profit motive going on. So you get corporations making money off slaves and from running private prisons. There are corporations that exploit prison labor and finance the school-to-prison pipeline. McDonald’s is reported to use prisoners to process beef for patties and package bread, milk, chicken products. Mr. Sessions history of being from Alabama and his job as Attorney General points to him being neck deep in this problem of prison slave labor.

Which brings us back to the issue of legalized marijuana. Who better to have as slaves than nonviolent pot smokers? Everyone who knows the issues know that illegal weed has been used for decades as a reason to lock people up. The state has been profiting on marijuana by it being illegal, and that's the reason Jeff Sessions wants to keep it that way.

Indiana is also a private prison state. The Vice President is from Indiana.

O'Really Shake Up at Fake News Makes Me Happy.

Any time there is a shakeup at Fake News I am glad. I think there is going to be some other people though who aren't going to be so glad. Those people are the smart mouthed people who rely on Bill O'Really for material. They already lost out earlier when they found out that Alex Jones was only doing "performance art" when they thought his rantings were the real deal.

O'Really, You're Fired!

They still have people like Rush Lamebrain to go to for smart mouthed fake news. The list grows shorter as time goes by. You can't be a public figure and keep your dirty deeds secret forever. They may think they can do anything they want because they are a star, but it catches up to them.

Wait a minute. Those words "do anything they want because they are a star" sound hauntingly familiar! Who said something like that and was caught on tape saying it? Oh yeah! It was none other than the biggest faker of them all, trump.

I bet this is a real blow to his fake news fueled policy pipeline. O'Really and trump were pals! Two peas in a pod were they. The trump even said O'Really was an okay guy. I guess two dirty birds of a feather are going to think they are in the company of okay guys if they think alike, (grab, grab, leer, leer).

Old TV Shows and Lost Expectations

As I sit here watching this old TV show I wonder, what the hell happened to America? I'm watching The Time Tunnel. It was made in the 1960's, during one of the greatest technological, and exploration era of human kind. An era when we had a deep fascination, acceptance of technology, assurance of where we were going, and expectations of our future. Then it all failed.

The Time Tunnel

Now our civilization is stuck in a quagmire of fundamentalist dogma, and fear of technology. No longer does our nation have the confidence in our future we had then. No longer can we look for ever increasing advancement, but rather we are retrograde in our expectations. It seems like we're just waiting around for the end of us.

We need to recapture that vigor of the Apollo era. That expectation of off world colonies and exploration. Of ever increasing advancement. We must do it before we are no longer capable of it because of the decay of our civilizations base. Because of a greedy few who only want to grab every thing they can, without regard for humanities future.

Trump Has it Wrong About His Tax Returns

Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
"Someone should look into who paid for the small organized rallies yesterday. The election is over!"

This comment by trump that "The election is over!" shows how much out of touch he is with the American psyche, and politics. He must believe that the only reason anyone mentioned it during the campaign running up to the election was an effort to hurt his chances. He must believe that the only reason the people still want to know is to hurt his presidency. WRONG!

His tax returns were mentioned because the American people want to make sure we don't have a crook, or much worse a traitor, in the White House. The contents of his tax returns were relevant then, and they are relevant now. The American people wanted to know what kind of people trump was dealing with then, and they really, REALLY still want to know that vital information.

This isn't about holding some kind of grudge. This isn't about election politics. This is about integrity. This is about honesty and trust. This is about the people having faith in our president. So Mr. trump shouldn't be poo-pooing the people's desire to know.

He should give in to the people's demands and release those tax returns. If he did, that would go a long way in repairing the damage he himself has done to his own reputation. He might EARN some trust.

Mars: Penny Wise and Pound Foolish

This article I've posted a link to below is the kind of stuff that bugs me to no end. The penny pinching, shortsightedness of it all. The penny wise and pound foolishness. The lack of vision, and unwillingness to take a chance.

I'll bring it up again like I have so many times before. Remember the bubble that burst and $16 trillion it cost to repair the financial damages in 2008? Please consider the fact that $16 trillion is enough money to fund 91 Apollo missions all at the same time and from start to finish. But these guys are going to throw out a scary figure to crush hopes at $450 billion.

The Journey to Mars has a price tag, and it will give Congress sticker shock

At the lowest price, $450 billion, NASA would get only "austere" missions.

I wonder if 91 Apollo sized projects all combined into one would be enough effort to get Humans well on their way to moon colonization? There are plans for putting solar panels going around the equator of the moon so that we may beam solar energy from the moon to earth, thus solving our power needs and the fossil fuels caused greenhouse catastrophe. We might want to build a colony on the moon for just that purpose.

What about all them multi trillion dollar platinum asteroids floating around in space? While we're at it, why not go for broke and try for real riches! Do you think 91 Apollo missions going at the same time could do that? I kind of do! I think it would create jobs out the wazoo too! After all, you have to have skilled hands to build all that stuff. You have to have educated people to go there and work in space doing all that stuff. I think all them highly educated, high paid people would be buying all kinds of goods and services too! Jobs! Shall I say it again? JOBS!

The bail out was enough to fund 32+ Mars missions of the type they talk of in this downer of a killjoy article. I think if we went all out, and did the bold thing, colonizing the moon, building the lunar solar collecting grid and mining it and the asteroids, we would launch our civilization into a new era. A golden era like never seen in the history of humanity.

The thing is, you have to have guts to do it. You have to be willing to take a chance. You have to be willing to gamble it all, and have the confidence to see it through. I'm starting to think Humans don't have what it takes. All these alien movies with monsters and boogy man have scared them so much they poop in their diaper at the thought of really going to colonize another planet, much less the moon. All the big shots with their billions of dollars and all powerful attitude would quake in their silk lined shoes if they ever really took a gamble. They only want to bet on a sure winner, so they rig things here on Earth.

What a bunch of short sighted fools. The real winning bet is right outside our atmosphere. The payoff will take time to mature, but what a payoff. All the banks would have deposits like crazy! There would be a housing boom like no tomorrow. No wonder too! Space is unlimited, so that means unlimited space to colonize and have for humanity. People would be walking around with coins made of asteroid platinum in their pockets instead of the copper and nickel clad zinc debased junk we have now.

We would get better and better at it all the time too! Look at how many times SpaceX had to try, and failed, before they successfully landed a booster rocket standing on end on a barge at sea. I seen them blowing up, just like when our nation first started out building rockets. Now they land them suckers successfully all the time. They are getting better at it, just like we would with all of our endeavours in space.

The thing is, we have to go for it. Time is running out too! Time for the human race on this planet is getting short unless we do something bold. We are on a cosmic merrygoround, and the brass ring is within our grasp. We have to reach out and boldly grab it before the merrygoround stops. If we wait till it stops, we all are going to be dead, all of us. Every last man, woman and child on this planet will have a hard time getting along, then oblivion.

So let's not do that! Let us humans be bold and reach out for the stars. 91 Apollo missions style. The big gamble style. Really, "What the hell do you have to lose?"

Trump Executive Order Hurts Aviation Safety and Jobs

The trump is trampling on ground that is near and dear to my heart, commercial aircraft safety. I was an aircraft professional for over 35 years. Safety is something the vast majority of aircraft professionals take seriously, damn seriously. We know what's at stake. Remember that time half the roof of a Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 737 ripped off, sucking a stewardess out to never be seen again, and causing the aircraft to make an emergency landing? An airworthiness directive was initiated.

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 737 

How about the time an Alaska Airlines MD-83 crashed into the Pacific Ocean about 2.7 miles (4.3 km) north of Anacapa Island, California, after suffering a catastrophic loss of pitch control. An airworthiness directive was initiated. Those are just two examples of when an airworthiness directive was initiated because of an unknown design flaw or other problem being discovered the hard way. Many times An airworthiness directive is initiated because a mechanic, pilot or other professional aircraft personal discover a problem before it takes anyone's life.

People who work on aircraft have a saying. "You do your job in such a way that you would have no fear if your own mother were on board that craft." Safety is the #1 concern, then everything else comes next. That not only goes for the person with hands on the aircraft, but the people who are on the ground too. That brings to mind Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) Flight 182 that collided with a private Cessna 172 over San Diego. Both aircraft crashed into North Park, a San Diego neighborhood. Flight 182 impacted just north of the intersection of Dwight and Nile, killing all 135 people aboard the aircraft and seven people on the ground in houses, including two children. I remember that because I was in college there and seen the smoke billowing up. My brother and I rushed from school because we thought it crashed into our house! It didn't, but never the less we seen the aftermath. Let me tell you something. It's not something you ever want to see. At the time it was the deadliest plane crash in U.S. aviation history. When is the last time you looked up and seen a commercial aircraft flying over your head?

Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) Flight 182 

My specialty was aircraft structures. I was even honored with the post of Chairman of the Department Safety Committee when working for Lockheed. I take this very personally. The trump is not only endangering all of us with his idiotic and unthinking action, he is effecting jobs in the aviation industry too! Take the example of the Alaska Airlines MD-83 that crashed into the Pacific Ocean. That was caused by the jack screw in the tail of the aircraft. Every last MD-83 in the fleet was required to have work done to it to correct the problem due to the issuance of an airworthiness directive. The same goes for the Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 737 I mentioned. All Boeing 737's were required to undergo an extensive structural modification to correct the problem. All of that means people are working fixing the problem. I myself worked much overtime on Boeing 737's doing the modification. We were saving people's lives and making a living at the same time.

You know what the trump said about the "so-called" judge who blocked his emigration order. He said that if anyone is hurt because of it to blame the judge. I say the same of trump. If one drop of precious Human blood is shed because of an airworthiness directive not issued, that blood is on his hands. The terrible truth of the matter is, that blood could be your own mother's blood.

The trump is a fool! Me MUST be removed before he causes the death of many people. #trumpmustberemoved

We Must Have Uniform Party Rules and Election Laws

Some Democrats believe that Bernie Sanders "should never have been allowed to run for the democratic party nomination". I disagree with that notion. Any person who registers with a political party has a right to run for any government office or party position from day one, and that should never be disallowed. If the voters don't want them, they will not vote for them. It should never be up to party officials to dictate who may or may not run for a post. That should be left up to the people the party serves.

Which brings up a point about how the political parties are run. After every election the parties rules committees meet and tweek their rules in an effort to gain advantage over the other. They gerrymander using positions of power gained and scheme trying their best to either maintain an advantage or create advantage over the other parties. In the end it is the voter who really loses out.

I understand the people's anxieties about the election process. The process doesn't serve them very well, so why should they get all excited about it? The process is rigged from the start. No wonder too. The same criminal politicians who are funded by rogue corporations are the same people who write the rules of the game.

One major reason, other than gaining advantage over the opposing political parties, is to keep the voter from gaining any political power in the party. They must only be allowed to vote for the candidate of the parties choice, nothing more.

The Democratic Party failed the people when they tried to shove Clinton down people's throats, and lost the whole thing because of it. I seen the shoving down our throats and scheming when I was a delegate in the Democratic Party of New Mexico. So that's what happens when a political party does not heed the wishes of the people. People stay home and don't vote, or they break ranks and vote outside their party because of apathy, mistrust, anger or other things that indicate a basic lack of trust in our democratic system.

There is only one thing that will restore trust in our system. We must dismantle that system, and replace it with one that serves the people and not just industry, corporations and the wealthy elite. The way to do that is to take away the power to make party rules from the political parties. Take away the power from the states to make election laws. Turn over these powers over to the federal government, namely the Federal Election Commission.

The states and the political parties have proven they can not be trusted with these vital functions. Time and again their malfeasance has shown through in spectacular fashion, and to the detriment of the avarage citizen. Allow the FEC the power to enforce uniform party rules and uniform election laws. Throw out the various party rule books, and replace them all with one rule book that all parties must follow. Disallow the states making election laws, and have uniform election laws that all states must follow. That is the only way to restore faith in the system. There was a time when the avarage citizen wasn't even allowed to vote for the president at all. The political parties have tried to keep it that way through all the scheming.

There is precedence for such actions as taking away the power of these parties and the states. Up until recently all former Confederate States had to have all election laws reviewed before they were instituted to insure they did not violate the Constitution. Once that provision was thrown out, malfeasance became rampant. Vote tampering, suppression and other tactics designed to give power over to some at the expense of others became the new norm, or should I say the old way restored. So people stayed home.

Our nation's people should void these party rule books in favor of one designed to be uniform across all parties, and that book must truly be one that hands all power over to the masses. Then our people will have power over the parties, and not the other way around. "People before Party" should be the new norm. The people should rule the parties, and not the other way around.