Disturbed To Hear That These ABQ Murals Were Defaced

Mural at 2nd Street SW, in the alley between Central and Gold Avenues.

Ditto.

Gipsy Kings "A Mi Manera"

A beautiful tribute to Frank Sinatra. Used in colorful "Better Call Saul" music interlude (Season 2, episode 5, "Rebecca").

Does This Start the Unlikeliest of Wars?

Argentina vs. China:

Buenos Aires (CNN)Argentina's coast guard says it sank a Chinese fishing vessel that was fishing in a restricted area off the South American country's coast.

The Argentine Naval Prefecture chased and eventually sank the Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010 vessel after detecting it illegally fishing within the country's exclusive economic zone, officials said Tuesday.

First, according to a statement from the Argentine coast guard, warning shots were fired. The Chinese vessel, Argentine authorities said, responded by turning off its lights and deliberately trying to crash.

"On distinct occasions, the offending boat realized maneuvers aimed at colliding with the coast guard, putting not only its own crew at risk, but also the personnel of the coast guard," the statement said.

That's why the coast guard opened fire, Argentine officials said.

The vessel sank, and four people on board -- three crew members and the captain -- were rescued by Argentina's coast guard.

I Love This GIF!

Link:

via GIPHY

A "Normal" Rainy Season

Sacramento Executive Airport is now at 99.32% of normal precipitation amount for the season. This season may be so damned "normal" people will soon forget all about it.

A Very-Diverse Coalition of 18-and-19 Year Olds

Trump's Achilles Heel

The Achilles heel of Trump's violence-provoking campaign is that, unlike the European fascists of the 20's and 30's, he doesn't have an organized corps of Brown Shirts. He can't control his own rallies. Now he's threatening violence against Sanders' rallies, but can he follow through with the threats without that organized corps? Will volunteers fill that gap, or just create a PR mess? It's a conundrum. Soon we'll see muscle gangs of 'Apprentices', in appealing business wear, at his rallies. They will invite protesters to personalized interviews in the 'Board Room', featuring good old-fashioned boards. It will be a good-ol' hoe down at the Fascist Farm.

Gabriel points out an article in the New Yorker comparing the Trump campaign's chaotic rally in Chicago with the troubled Democratic convention in that town in 1968. The article's analogy seemed forced, but it started me thinking about the polarized era of Vietnam protests with today's polarized era. Polarization makes it very easy for rabble-rousers on either side to cynically spark confrontations that lead to the creation of martyrs. It's a contest to see who might be the most clever.

In Godfrey Hodgson's 1976 contemporary history "America in Our Time", he discusses the People's Park controversy in Berkeley, California, in July, 1969:

"For while in all innocence people turned up to build the park, somebody thought of turning that lot into People's Park. And whoever thought of it knew very well that the university could not give up its title. ... [T]hey knew how the police would respond. ... [T]hen it was all the more certain that people would be hurt."

More than just hurt. Alameda County Sheriffs killed one student with a shotgun blast. And it was a confrontation set up by the very clever people who posted a little newspaper ad in April, 1969 that dubbed the lot "People's Park". Such an innocent, pleasant-sounding name. And the battle simply drove people farther apart than ever.

Trump has been willing to allow protesters into his rallies, knowing they make for good theater for his own people, but the situation is spiraling out of control. How does he reassert control? Will he figure out how to bait the protesters? Or will the protesters bait him? Clever people are thinking! And someone will get hurt.

Dinosaur's Didn't Read

Spring Cleaning

Starting spring cleaning! I need to recycle these old medications. The expiration dates are a bit daunting. October, 1989. Hmmm.... Wonder how effective these meds are?

Decided to clean the kitchen. Cut my finger and I'm bleeding on everything I touch. It figures!

Close Encounters In The Dark

Creeping through the inky blackness of the Sacramento night last night near 19th and W Streets, I spied one raccoon skipping through an apartment complex gate. Bella didn't notice it. Whew! But then, a second raccoon followed. Bella caught that movement with her laser vision, and got very excited, lunging at the gate, and nearly ripping the leash from my hands. I dragged her to the street corner.

Suddenly, I heard a voice from a vehicle signaling to turn onto W Street. It was Andres Barreto! "Marc! What are you doing? Are you walking a dog? At this hour??!!!" I replied, "Yes, this is when I normally walk my dog." He was all smh. Nightclubs were already closed and some of the sturdiest patrons were already to bed. But thems the best walking hours!

Pepper Brought Flowers!

So happy that Sadie and Pepper saw "Man of La Mancha". Nan is coming tonight.

Sadie liked the Spanish guard costume. And Pepper brought flowers! Flowers! I am so honored!

(Pictures by Sadie and Anthony)

Back On Track With The Rain

Nice! 0.84" of rain fell at Sacramento Executive Airport over the last day (March 12).

As of yesterday, the rainy season was back on track after a rotten February, with rainfall amounts for this season 92% of normal. Since the rains will continue for a few days, we will, in a few days, for the first time this season, and really, for the first time in years, finally reach rainfall amounts that are considered "normal" for the season at Sacramento Executive Airport.

Hillary's Face Plant Over AIDS

I'm mystified why Hillary decided to make an unforced error and alienate the entire LGBT community in one stroke. Did she forget about the Act Up days? Maybe she never knew? Was she channeling Colbert? Was she pandering, or fantasizing? Dunno. No way to walk it back either:

It’s almost tempting to interpret this as withering, devastating sarcasm—the Reagans “started a national conversation about AIDS” in the same sense that George W. Bush “started a national conversation” about Iraq.

In reality, the Reagans were infamously, disastrously silent on AIDS—as President, Ronald Reagan spoke more about UFOs than HIV, and didn’t even say the word in a public address until 1987, by which point it had killed tens of thousands of Americans. The virus was quite literally a joke inside the Reagan White House. Whatever “advocacy” of Nancy’s Clinton is dreaming up here must’ve been low-key to the point of non-existence—just last year it was reported that she ignored her Hollywood friend Rock Hudson’s pleas for help as he himself died from AIDS. It’s hard for one ugly episode to stand out among so many ugly aspects of the Reagan administration, but Nancy and Ronald’s deliberate silence on one of the defining public health crises of the era is surely near the top of any list. What Clinton is saying isn’t just untrue, but erases the deadly legacy of the Reagan era.

RIP, Keith Emerson

This takes me right back to high school!

Adele - Remedy - Auburn Road Cover

The girls will be performing on March 20th at Husick's Country Store in Clarksburg !

Once Again, The Mussolini Analogy

Yup. Mussolini is the best historical analogue to Trump. How much is America like post-WWI Italy?

The anti-intellectualism of Trump has also been a long time in the making. It was the Republican establishment that has for decades refused to even consider the science of climate change and has through local education boards strove to prevent the teaching of evolution. Although not as explicit as the Fascists were in their efforts to use the woman’s body for reproducing the nation, the Republican attempts at restricting abortion rights, and women access to healthcare in general have often been designed with the same purpose in mind. Of course American historians have pointed to this larger strand of anti-intellectualism in American politics, but what is different about this moment is that Trump has successfully wedded this anti-Enlightenment mood with the anti-political rage of the Republican base.

Recurring Dream Theme

Puzzling new recurring dream theme. Large insects encased within my teeth. Where's the night brain going with this concept?

The Stakes Are High This Election Year.

Bella's Toll

Bella's toll on tonight's walk:

Cats that were forced to flee: 2
Cats that stood their ground: 2

Sauron Goes All-In For Trump

The Dark Lord sees his chance:

The Dark Lord is currently not powerful enough to assume a physical form, but still has the presence of mind to follow the Republican presidential primaries.

“Donald Trump is the only candidate who can fulfill my vision for the future,” Sauron said Saturday night in an omnipresent, ethereal whisper. “Just as I spread darkness and suffering across Middle-Earth, so shall Trump bring darkness to Middle America.”

An Ironic Note As The GOP Self-Destructs

The Heisenbern T-Shirt

T-Shirts arrived from Chandra ChannyCozy in Los Angeles, expressing our love for all things Bernie Sanders and "Breaking Bad". (Photos courtesy of Adam Sartain.)

Texas Politics

Texas politics. The office of Texas' longest-serving State Senator (and opponent of open carry laws) shot up with bullets:

A gunman opened fire on the Heights office of one of the state's most powerful lawmakers early Thursday, spraying the stately wood structure with bullets but not injuring anyone.

Whitmire said his staff noticed the Yale Street office had been damaged when they arrived Thursday morning and first blamed the overnight storms. When a maintenance worker tried to stop a leak on the side of the house, they realized it was a bullet hole, then discovered several others.

"When you look at the damage, and start tracing it, there are bullet holes here in the office, and at least four slugs... a couple of them ricocheted around," Whitmire said, adding that police told they believe the bullets had been shot from an AR-15 rifle. "There are bullet slugs everywhere. One lodged in a framed picture. It's pretty amazing."

Awkward Metal Band Photos

I especially like the one with the accordion.

The Early Bird Gets The Worm

The Penguin Who Wants To Remain Friends

This is precious:

Garner Ted Armstrong, 1964

Here's a piece of (for me) 1964 nostalgia - How Would Jesus Vote? Garner Ted Armstrong's program was as inescapable in the 60's as Rush Limbaugh's was in the 90's.

Confession of a Republican (1964)

This campaign ad from the 1960's is going viral

This "Confessions of a Republican" ad from the 1964 presidential election is going viral, thanks to its uncanny relevance to the 2016 presidential election.

Posted by Quartz on Tuesday, March 8, 2016