How To Closeout A Hearing: For Dummies

This clip of Adam Schiff's closing statement on the final day of Impeachment Hearings would make any sensible person conclude that Impeachment of the president is a wrap. It states in clear American lingo that Yes, the president did it - Yes, he got caught - and Yes, he is unfit to serve as President of the United States of America. 

After seeing the truth about corrupt American politics and foreign policy, we await what our elected officials decide to do about it all.  The choice made will reverberate down through the annals of American history for as long as freedoms of information and press are provided to its citizens.  

America is facing a constitutional crisis. Republicans can continue to play the partisan game by choosing to ignore the substantial evidence against the president, or they can act patriotic with bi-partisan strength to identify and remove a cancerous tumor that's infected our country and laying waste to our constitution. Time is of the essence. There is more at stake than we could ever imagine. It may not be Armageddon on the horizon, but when laws governing the land are boldly broken by those who've taken oaths to uphold the law, a bleak future for democracy is cast. 

"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." (a line borrowed from Charles Baudelaire)

There's none so blind as those who will not see.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” 
― Christina Dalcher, Vox

Raiders Share Best Record In Division

After the Oakland Raiders won their third straight home game today, I'm left with mixed feelings about this season. The good is that they're playing strong enough to beat the teams they're supposed to beat. The bad is that they struggle doing it and have yet to show they can dominate throughout an entire game. But as the post-game chant today went; "a win is a win, we'll take it!"

I try not to torture myself with the what ifs. Like, what if we didn't have season ending injuries to key players like Karl Joseph, Johnathan Abram and Arden Key. What if Vontaze Burfict didn't get suspended for the remainder of the season. And of course, what if Antonio Brown didn't lose his mind and turn into a basket case. 

But for these What Ifs, the Raiders might be a real contender for this season's NFL crown. But for these What Ifs, I'd be more cocky and comfortable talking about their division leading record. However, I accept the fact that the Raiders team I saw out their struggling to put away an 0-9 bottom-feeder today, will likely get exploited by any playoff caliber team they face. 

The Raiders are just not consistent enough in executing and making the plays that score points and stop opponent drives. Actually, the defense did get to the quarterback today (Madd Maxx Crosby - 4 sacks), causing turnovers and getting off the field on third downs. But it takes a team playing consistently great in all phases of the game for four quarters if you wanna wear the league crown, or even be in position to contend for it. The Raiders just aren't there yet, but they have one helluva young player foundation for getting there.

The final good news is that the Raiders will only face one team with a winning record in their remaining six matchups. The one being that tomahawk chopping rival from the midwest that currently has a piece of our division lead. If the Raiders can close out this season with a 5-1 record, they would finish at 11-5, almost guaranteeing them a playoff spot. That, at least for this this season of rebuilding and growth, we Raiders fans will take!

Win, Lose or Tie!

Final Score
Bengals 10
Raiders 17



A Change is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke 1963

Raiders vs Chargers TNF A Blast

Raiders safety Erik Harris (25) during the regular season game against the Los Angeles Chargers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.    Matt Aguirre/Oakland Raiders

It was the best of times, it was the Best of Times. Thursday Night Football turned in a winning game under the evening lights of Oakland Coliseum. The Raiders hosted the San Diego Chargers, and if you were there you witnessed a bone chilling classic performance by both teams.

When you take two old football rivals with similar records, suit them up in classic throwback uniforms and let them loose on each other in a Prime Time week night game, you've got magic in a bottle. We Raiders fans drank up all the magic that was last night as our team showed the grit and glory of what it means to be a Raider.

The night didn't go perfectly for them though. Philip Rivers, a good veteran quarterback, along with Melvin Gordon and company made big offensive plays early and late. But it was that attacking Raiders defense that put a stamp on this game with two early interceptions by safety Erik Harris, one returned for a touchdown. The defensive line had five sacks, 2.5 by rookie DE Clelin Ferrell, and was the threat behind Rivers hurried and inaccurate passes.

The Raiders celebrate during the regular season game against the Los Angeles Chargers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.  Matt Aguirre/Oakland Raiders 

And yes, the defensive backs also stepped up their game against Rivers, intercepting him in the final minute to secure the victory; a victory that almost wasn't because of a Raiders missed point-after attempt. We also learned that safety Karl Joseph definitely knows how to blitz and lay the boom.

These Raiders are a young team still learning the ropes of what it takes to win close games. If I were grading them on their last two games, both victories, I give them a B+. They still have work to do but from last night's on field successes I'd say they're heading in the right direction. What team with RB Josh Jacobs wouldn't have a future upside. (Roll Tide)

Two things the Coliseum did right last night. They highlighted players from the 1981 Super Bowl team with a creative championship big play reenactment featuring young high school players from Tennyson High School (Hayward, Ca.). And they had Oakland native Montell Jordan ("This Is How We Do It') sing the national anthem. Oakland and the Raiders should be proud of the silver & black image they broadcast for the national football world to see.  And those of us who were at the game have new Raiders memories that will last for generations to come; This Is How We Do It!!!!

Where were you when the Oakland Raiders played their last Prime Time game in Oakland?  I was at the Coliseum, where else would I have wanted to be!

Final Score

Chargers 24

Raiders 26

Faking News Never Looked So Good!

Breaking News

While looking for online satire on the congressional crisis facing the president, I came across this shocking piece of political news. No, the president has not stepped down, and No he has not been removed from office by impeachment as of yet. This creative front page news was an activist resistance statement that purportedly came out on January 16, 2019.  

Below is the backstory to the above Breaking News Headline:

Update from “The Desk of the Yes Men”:

“Early this morning, thousands of commuters in Washington, D.C. were handed a spitting image of the Washington Post. But this one was dated May 1, 2019 — and in lieu of the Post’s usual tagline, “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” the phrase “Democracy Awakens in Action” appeared at the top. The paper’s lead headline: “Unpresidented: Trump Hastily Departs White House, Ending Crisis.” (An online version of the paper has also been making the rounds, at my-washingtonpost.com and democracyawakensinaction.com, complete with PDF of the print version.)

A scan of the paper’s front page offers up a compelling backstory for Trump’s flight: a women-led, multi-racial grassroots resistance. Their winning strategy is borrowed from other movements against authoritarian rulers: target those who support the tyrant, rather than the tyrant himself.

That strategy has also led to growing support for a package of groundbreaking progressive legislation known as the “Bundle”: 64 bills sure to be popular across the political spectrum, including some — the Green New Deal bills, Medicare for All, the H.R. 1 election reform bill — that already are.

“The story this paper tells is more reasonable than our current reality,” says author Onnesha Roychoudhuri, who created the paper together with author L.A. Kauffman and trickster activist collective the Yes Men. “And it’s anything but far-fetched. We’re already seeing unprecedented levels of protest and resistance. Now we just need to ask ourselves: What’s next? This paper offers a blueprint to help us reclaim our democracy.”

Also included in the paper is an action guide, “Bye-Bye 45: A Guide to Bringing Him Down,” in which leading strategists outline ways to bring about the paper’s ambitious vision.

The special Post edition outlines other elements of this very possible near-future: Mike Pence is sworn in for a “clipped-duck” term–held in check by the millions of Americans who have mobilized, protested, occupied their elected officials’ offices, and otherwise thrown sand in the gears of his predecessor’s tyrannical presidency. The “actions that turned the tide,” according to the paper, are diverse and colorful, and include widespread, everyday resistance like ride-share drivers refusing to pick up Trump administration officials. Larger-scale actions include sticky and rambunctious “sippy-cup sit-ins,” in which mothers with young children occupy their representatives’ offices until they agree to stop cooperating with Trump. And there’s also a “wall of floof,” in which young women in quinceañera gowns use their layers of taffeta to blockade a government building.
“This newspaper is a fantasy,” says Kauffman, “but it’s rooted in both reality and scholarship. Our stories build on real-world resistance to Trump and insights about how ordinary people can dislodge an unfit leader.”

Raiders Come Home to "Just WIn Baby"

WR Hunter Renfrow tightrope, toe-tapping touchdown

Its been seven weeks since the Raiders have played a game in Oakland. Their win over the Detroit Lions was a homecoming in the making. The atmosphere in the Coliseum was electric and the team put on quite a show. No, they didn't exactly dominate the Lions, but they competed as if they were the prodigal son returning with something to prove. And prove to the maddening crowd they did.

Rookie Josh Jacobs became the franchise leading rookie rusher (640 yds) through his first eight games, overtaking Marcus Allen. He was already voted league "Rookie of the Month" for October. Hunter Renfrow had six catches for 54 yds and a toe-tapping touchdown. The defense was spotty but came up big when they needed to, ending the game with a Karl Joseph pass breakup in the endzone. Cornerback Daryl Worley had an amazing one-handed interception in a winning battle in the endzone. Yes, the Raiders gave us much to cheer about today, with Derek Carr finding his passing rhythm with receiver Tyrelle Williams.

It was a glorious Raiders day that included a pre-game flyover and a halftime tribute to the recently departed former Oakland HOF wide-receiver Willie Brown. The tribute brought home a host of former Raiders the likes of Fred Biletnikoff, Art Shell, and many others. Old #24 was given a classy final standing ovation for his contributions to the game.

The Raiders won't be able to sit on this win for long. An upcoming Thursday night game has them at home against division rival L.A. Chargers, who beat up on the Green Bay Packers today.  It'll likely be the last Raiders Night Game in Oakland.

Win, Lose or Tie!

Final Score
Lions 24
Raiders 31