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

Cinderfella Just WON World Series

The Washington Nationals just won their first World Series of Baseball. Not since the San Francisco Giants Championship of 2014 has a wild card team won it all. Both teams seem to have had that same gutsy, grind it out style of players that led them to an improbable seven Game World Series win.

Most everyone gave the Houston Astros the series coming into tonight's deciding game. Seeing them take an early 2-0 lead and watching starting pitcher Zack Greinke allow only one hit through 6 innings, it looked a lock for the Astros.  But then in the top of the 7th the Senators remembered how to dance, scoring three runs off two homers to take a 3-2 lead. By the end of the 7th Greinke was gone and the Astros were never the same. 

The Senators added three more runs in closing out what was an exciting and competitive 2019 World Series. And to think that the visiting team won every game. The magic of sports is witnessing great moments while watching history in the making. 

Baseball is a beautiful game to behold. Cindefella never looked so good as when slipping into a Washington Nationals "World Series Champions" baseball cap.

Congratulations Nationals!

2019 World Series

Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals

Game 1: Nationals 5, Astros 4
Game 2: Nationals 12, Astros 3
Game 3: Astros 4, Nationals 1
Game 4:   Astros 8, Nationals 1
Game 5: Astros 7, Nationals 1
Game 6: Nationals 7, Astros 2
Game 7: Nationals 6, Astros 2

Tiger Still "Big in Japan"

Tiger Woods just won his 82nd PGA Tour victory at the Zozo Championship in Japan. This victory ties golfing legend Sam Snead on the list of most PGA Tour victories of all time. The legend of Tiger continues.....

I wasn't there, but from this Japanese fan collage you get the feeling that Tiger is still a sports sensation wherever there's fans who appreciate great golf.  Japan loves golf and still marvel at Tiger's game.



Congratulations Tiger on another impressive victory!

An Anti-War Story of Rediscovery

Dreaming A Soldier’s Nightmare

It is 3AM, and I have just awakened from a nightmare that was not of my own making. I found myself seperated from my touring group in a war torn foreign land, only to be attacked, despised and hounded like an enemy of the state. I resorted to being what any human being finding itself in such harsh conditions would  succumb to; nature’s animalistic survivor. I lived what seemed like a lifetime under primitive fear,fight and/or flight rules. Where faith and trust have left the building, replaced by suspicion and killer instincts. Its a condition that no civilized human being should be forced into. And yet I was projected into such an environment and somehow survived.

When I fought it was with abandon. No thoughts of consequences, no thoughts of a tomorrow. When I ran and/or hid there was no feeling of shame or sadness. I had become the ancient animal in me who’s bodily, mental and emotional functions were resharpened to do what homosapiens of eras past were bred to do; survive.

The fact that I was fighting off and running from other human beings and not carnivorous beasts did not lessen or alter my will to survive. I had stopped analyzing the danger to my being in order to become a beast of my own making; armed to the teeth with an aggressive kill and not be killed mindset. To all intents and purposes I was lost to the tenents of civil humanity, relying solely on animal instincts...

But for the grace of God, human civility in the form of a mother and child  found and offered me food, sanctuary and kindness even as I threatened to bring my living hell into their humble home. The fog of fear, anger and distrust was soon lifted and replaced with human acts of kindness.. Life began to feel humane again.

When finally, I was repatriated with my touring group I felt like a young wolf cub being reunited with the pack. But I wasn’t young anymore. As I locked in to those familiar eyes of one of my brothers, wet tears and choking cries began escaping us both as we grabbed each others faces and pressed out foreheads together. That moment of recognition, of knowing that another being shares with and understands the nightmares you suffered through, is one of the most human experiences I have ever had. To have walked in another man’s shoes and find him waiting at the end of your treacherous journey with arms open and eyes crying for you. Its enough to turn a savage into a saint. 

The blessing is not that you lost something and rediscovered it, but that what you rediscovered was greater than that which you lost. With great suffering comes even greater discovery, if we are strong and willing to survive the fear and pain. 

How much better a human being after suffering through crisis. War, poverty, disease, hunger, abuse, grief. What people deserving of being on this planet today did not sprout from ancestors who suffered together and survived to build a foundation for civil communion. We are all decendants of survivors who at some point had to look into the dark abyss of their animal instincts and learn what it means to be truly human. Enlightenment through contrasting perceptions. And if need be, to use our animal instincts without becoming our animal instincts. The warning is that there’s a fine line in being something and becoming something else.

Some crisis in life are natural disasters and unavoidable, and some like War and Abuse are of mankind’s making. The former we can expect civilization to live and die with. But the latter should never be allowed to exist in any society that sees another as his or her brother, sister, mother, father or child. We must slay that internal beast who is always chasing and attempting to plant fear and distrust in our being. For we as human beings are most beastly when we see others not as we see ourselves, and most beautiful when we see others as ourselves.

Privilege can be just as blinding as envy. 

Cabin Kids - Dinah

Dinah
Is there anyone finer
In the state of Carolina?
If there is and you know her
Show her to me

Dinah
Got those Dixie eyes blazin'
How I love to sit and gazin'
To the eyes of Dinah Lee

Every night why do I
Shake with fright?
Because my Dinah might
Change her mind about me

Bop, be-dee, Bop, Bo-bo-bo-bo

Dinah
Should she wander to China
I would hop an ocean liner
Just to be with Dinah Lee

With Dinah Lee...


"Dinah" is a popular song published in 1925 and introduced by Ethel Waters (Wikipedia)

What I didn't know was how popular singer, actress  Fannye Rose Shore identified so much with the song that she took her stage name from it: Dinah Shore 

Pink Lemonade [1936] - THE CABIN KIDS - YouTube

History of Cabin Kids singing group

Cabin Kids more info.

Yankees Clipped By Astros in ALCS

The Houston Astros are going to the 2019 World Series and it took a bottom of the 9th walk-off two run homer by ALCS MVP Jose Altuve to make the New York Yankees irrelevant.  Game 6 gave us big plays at big moments, but none was as big as the Altuve walk-off. And unfortunately for the Yankees and the kiss butt Yankees loving media, history will only recall that the Houston Astros won 107 games, were favored to win the 2019 American League Pennant, and went out and did it against the New York Yankees.

The Astros won it all two years ago against the L.A. Dodgers.  This coming Tuesday they will host the upstart Washington Nationals in game 1 of the World Series. New York and Los Angeles might not watch, but the rest of us baseball fans can’t wait to see a matchup where the media won’t have a dog in the fight.  When you love the game more than its big city market value, you watch and treasure any and every World Series; for the love of the game.

Congratulations Houston Astros on your second ALCS Championship in three years.

Final Score GM6 ALCS
Yankees 4
Astros 6

Judgment At Nuremberg - Lessons in Totalitarianism

Totalitarianism: A system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state.

In the year 2019 America has a leader in office that sees himself as dictators see themselves; above any criticism or accountability for their questionable actions. He would be untouchable if he were sitting on a throne as ruler of a monocratic kingdom. Problem is America is not a monocracy (governed by one), but a democracy governed by the people through elected officials. And he is an elected official.

I watched a 1961 courtroom drama film last night titled "Judgment at Nuremberg." It's an all-time favorite of mine that I hadn't seen in many years. The film follows the post-war trial of four German judges who served during the Nazi regime and are now facing a tribunal for charges of crimes against humanity.

Watching Judgment at Nuremberg this time around was a scary experience because it resembles the politics of today's dictatorial regimes. All but one of the men on trial, Ernst Janning, denied knowing about the atrocities their Nazi political party carried out under the leadership of Adolph Hitler. 

The defense attorney made a gallant effort in putting forward "alternative facts" to justify the actions of these men and their Nazi regime. He even went as far as charging the Vatican, foreign countries and foreign corporations in sharing in the blame of Nazi atrocities. 

And then there was at least one witness for the defense who during the war had given evidence that led to the arrest and death of a Jewish man, and the destruction of a young 16 year old girl's virgin reputation.  This witness represented the many subservient German citizens who felt obligated to report any crimes (real or imagined) against the state involving Jews or Jewish sympathizers, to the Nazi gestapo. The witness, an elderly female, left the stand discredited.

When Ernst Janning, the one defendant not in denial, chose to give his statement against the advice of the defense attorney, he literally blew away all defense testimony by admitting everyone knew what was going on in Germany and chose to go along with the Nazi plan. His performance on the stand was a highlight of the film. 

In delivering his indictment of the German peoples, Janning put the blame directly on the shoulders of good German citizens who cloaked themselves in Hitler's "make Germany great again" rhetoric. Germany was starving and barely surviving when Hitler came along and reminded them of how great they once were and could be again. He railed against the debts owed from WWI. Then he gave the German peoples a scapegoat in the Jews, and that's when the power of hate was ignited and began burning in full force.

What Judgment at Nuremberg warns against is not the Hitler type leaders of history making a modern day reappearance, but the wavering integrity of judges, doctors, lawyers, politicians and such. These oath pledging professionals know better than to conspire and participate in evil against the laws and peoples, or to turn a blind eye to it. They know the dangerous consequences a country in conflict with itself might suffer. Their complicity in allowing such evil actions to be carried out is what makes them guilty of a dictator's crimes. It is the duty of sworn in, learned and righteous citizens to protect their democracy against interlopers who come along and start tearing down democratic laws and institutions in an effort to dictate their own brand of government; a government that would normalize concentration camps, ethnic hatred and sterilization as well as ban freedoms of speech and such. 



One of my favorite quotes from the movie is in its final scene with the Judge and the main defendant Janning. The defendant wants the judge to know that he never knew it would come to millions of people dying. The Judge's reply was as follows: 

"Ernst Janning, It came to that the first time you sentenced a man to death you knew to be innocent."

Da’ Bums Blow it Again

Maybe Next Year"..............Maybe NOT

Its the sworn duty of every able-bodied San Francisco Giants fan to not only kick, but poke and humiliate a rival when they’re down.  Last night’s NLDS game between the visiting underdog Washington Nationals and Da’ Bums of Los Angeles gave us orange and black fans reason to kick and take potshots at our most hated rival. 

The Dodgers, a team that has been to four of the last six NLCS and represented the National League in the past two World Series, have been eliminated from the playoffs........Again.   They had the second best record in baseball with what looked like a dominant roster built for a championship run. And yet Da’ Bums blew it.  

Five outs away from moving on to their fourth straight NLCS and the Dodgers, with pitching ace Clayton Kershaw on the mound, gave up back-to-back homeruns that tied the game. Then, in the top of the tenth inning with the bases loaded, Nationals second baseman Howie Kendrick goes high and deep to thrust a dagger smack into the heart of Da’ Bums and their unbelieving blue-capped fans.  And that’s how the 2019 Dodgers baseball season ended, with a choke job that strangled the life out of Los Angeles on what turned out to be a cruel October evening.  

It couldn’t have happened to a better bunch of bums. Just who did they think they were anyway, the 2010 San Francisco Giants?

Final Score /10

Washington Nats 7

L.A. Dodgers 3

Raiders a .500 team so far

The NFL season has just completed a quarter of its regular season schedule and the Oakland Raiders seem to be a middle of the pack team. After losing Antonio Brown at the start of the season this might not be so bad. Players on both sides of the ball have stepped up. QB Derek Carr has had what I call a .500 season so far, a few bumpy outings mixed in with some great leadership.

With the questionable season long suspension handed down to LB Vontez Burfect this week, the team will need to continue with that next-man-up mentality. If coaches can utilize the strength of their players, (speed, size up front, power run game), we could see them in the playoff conversation come December. But that is a very optimistic could.  Until I see convincing back-to-back wins out of them I  can’t buy into the possibility of playoffs. Consistency is key to their success. The Raiders (2-2) face the (3-1) Chicago Bears in London this coming weekend. Let’s see if they can get their first back-to-back win under their belt. Maybe then we can start peeking into the future.  A game at a time men. 

Win, Lose or Tie!

Who's The Doss!

Two-time consensus All-American, Walter Payton Award finalist and Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year joins hometown team


Today's game against the Kansas City Chiefs should see rookie Raiders wide receiver Keelan Doss on the field. The young glimmer of promise in the preseason has yet to play in an NFL regular season football game. That changes today in week 2.

His early start to a professional football career has been interesting to say the least. With all the AB stuff we witnessed of late, its just fate that has brought Doss back to the Raiders from Jacksonville. In my opinion, he should've never been cut. Hopefully Gruden has learned his lesson.

Today we'll see if what the youngster did in the preseason can be duplicated in games that count. Because Today, Doss is ready for Launch in Oakland.

Welcome to the NFL Keelan Doss. Now show us What U Got...…….

Raiders Mourn Loss of Eddie Money. A Rocking Roll Raiders Fan!

Its Always About The Money - Raiders Release AB

Breaking News out of ALAMEDA, Calif. – The Raiders have released WR Antonio Brown from the team today.

And there ends the HBO mini-series about the troubled honeymoon of a proud sports franchise and its brief marriage to a diva athlete. This morning the marriage vows were rescinded and an annulment was granted. 

The franchise saves $29 million dollars and the diva gets to tempt another desperate eligible bachelor to put a ring on it. I'm sure after watching this roller-coaster mini-series that potential bachelors will only go courting this gold digger with a pre-nuptial agreement in hand, something the Raiders obviously were smart enough to do.

Raider Nation should be thankful that the team finally saw the writing on the wall and let go of their hyped highlight fantasies of the diva. Though his skills are undeniably extraordinary, everything else about him is unstable and unpredictable. And sooner or later the diva was going to do what divas do; display their narcissism and selfishness by holding out and/or not fulfilling their part of the contract. They basically take the money and run. "Well, not up in here!"

Congratulations Raiders on Moving On from the Diva!

You've got to know when to Hold'em

Know when to Fold'em

Know when to Walk Away

And Know when to Run

You never count your Money

When you're sittin' at the Table

There'll be time enough for Countin'

When the dealin's Done