Hoka Hey, 2013—Wolakota

Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

H Hey1  Let’s ride!

Wolakota translates as Walk in Peace.

Hoka Hey is a motorcycle challenge   7,000 miles of pure adrenaline.

The toughest ride and the toughest riders for sure.

When:    June 23, 2013

Where:   From the heart of the Seneca Nation  Irving, New York

To be recognized as a Hoka Hey challenger riders ae required to complete the entire 7,000 miles.

Apply HERE.  Entry fee is $1,000

What to see what Hoka Hey is all about??  check out the stories from 2010 and 2011.

The Annual Pony Express “Re-Ride”

Pony Express Statue (Photo credit: Frank Reese)

Each year the original Pony Express ride  from Sacramento, California to Saint Joseph, Missouri is traveled once again by courageous men and women on horseback.The Pony Express agents first saddled up and rode their horses along this route in 1860/1861, now a century and a half later modern riders volunteer to do the same, recreating the original Pony Express ride along the same route with some of the original challenges of the ride.

The heat, the sun, the night time rides, the bugs—all of those things that can make a nearly 1,966-mile journey on horseback torturous recreating that first  mail delivery company and ride.

The original ride has Pony Express “stations”  at least a mile and a half to four miles along that route where riders could stop, stretch water and feed their horses and themselves.  ”Nighttime and mountain rides are harder, and combinations of the two make for the most demanding treks. That means California riders have the biggest challenge going over uneven Sierra trails without the sun to guide them.”

Every other year the re-ride begins at the Pony Express Plaza in Old Sacramento and this year it ”kicked off at the plaza, headed toward Missouri. At the pre-ride ceremony, the first riders were sworn in using most of the original Pony Express oath. The riders promised not to “use profane language,” to “drink no intoxicating liquors,” and not to “quarrel or fight with any other associate.”

 Sacramento has a Pony Express statue in Old Sacramento as well as being the annual starting or stopping point for the ride recreating the mail delivery.  Why is the Pony Express so important to Sacramento?  Sacramento was the Western Terminus of the Pony Express and because of the Gold Rush there were so many men in the hills above Sacramento, far from their families,  and the Pony Express provided them with their link to their past.

They wrote letters or found someone to write letters for them and shared their letters from home with the other miners.

So the Pony Express provided that link to their families and entertainment.  And, with security, also moved money along the same route.

Now the Pony Express trail is a National Historic Route.  “It is hard to believe that young men once rode horses to carry mail from Missouri to California in the unprecedented time of only 10 days. This relay system along the Pony Express National Historic Trail in eight states was the most direct and practical means of east-west communications before the telegraph”

The Pony Express and the annual re-ride is just as important in St. Joseph, Missouri as it is in Sacramento, California.

Related articles

• Top 150 Things To Do in Austin, Nevada, Celebrating 150 Years – All Located in the Pony Express Territory (prweb.com)
• The Pony Express (pgdp.net)
• The Prostate Cancer Pony Express now has 77 official riders (prostatecancerponyexpress.wordpress.com)

2012 Summer Music Festival Seaon

The 2012 Summer Music Festival Season is almost upon us!!!

Are you ready?  Do you know where you will be going?  And who you will be listening to?? Do you even care this summer???

I LOVE the summer music season…usually!  This year maybe not so much.

“Summer outdoor music festivals offer plentiful listening opportunities, fresh air and a chance to catch up with festival-only friends.

You know, festival-only friends. They are like childhood summer camp friends, but with more facial hair.

“The idea of being able to camp and share an experience, and a living environment – you end up creating these friendships that are very intense,” said Dan DeWayne, co-founder of the 16-year-old California WorldFest in Grass Valley. “You spend more time (with festival friends) than with your best friend.”

A festival friendship “is very leveling,” DeWayne added. “No one cares what you do with your outside life – what car you drive or what you do for a living.”

At festivals, musical affinity and/or discovering new acts matter more.”

Related articles

• Where do music festival vendors find good help? (ask.metafilter.com)
• 25 Pretty, Cool Summer Music Festival Style Ideas (bellasugar.com)
• Jay-Z announces Philly music festival (upi.com)

May Day—Call To Action On May 1st, 2012

We have a Call To Action on May 1, 2012.

May Day!

@OWSMayDay

May Day Meetings:

Wednesdays 6:00pm

at 33 West 14th St Saturdays 1:00pm

at Judson Church, 239 Thompson St in NYC

Saturdays

at 1:00pm

at 55 Washington Square South NYC

The meeting minutes to date have been posted online

.

What is #M1GS Occupy May 1st?

“In most European countries, May 1st is traditionally a ‘Workers’ day – a day of Labor Solidarity, and a public holiday. In Los

Angeles, it’s a day to celebrate and march in support of im/migrant rights. In protest against the corruption of the worldwide

marketplace, which has led to illegal foreclosures, mass unemployment, low wages, high taxes and a penalization of all those who do

not own the ‘99%’ of the world’s resources, and in solidarity with the im/migrant movements of May 1st, OLA decided to declare

May 1st, 2012 a People’s General Strike. Instead of calling upon unionized Labor to make a specific demand (illegal under Taft-

Hartley), OLA is calling upon the people of Los Angeles and the United States of America to take this day away from school and the

workplace, so that their absence makes their displeasure with this corrupt system be known.”

@OccupyMay1st

The 32nd Annual Sweetheart Run

Image via Wikipedia

On February 12th, the 32nd Annual Sweetheart Run exploded thru the hills aove Sacramento.  Different types of motorcycles were seen and heard as riders participated in the Annual Valentines run.

The link aove will take you to some great photos in the Sacramento Bee.  You can buy individual photos from the Bee.

That’s a beautiful Indian!!

Hundreds of motorcycle riders took part in the run from Auburn with a ride to Georgetown and to Coloma.  This ride through California‘s gold country is beautiful even on a foggy winter day.

Riders were encouraged to ring or sign Valentines which will go to veterans at the Reno VA Hospital, Mather VA Hospital and Auburn VA Clinic.

Valentines will also e included in packages being mailed to active-duty service members in Afghanistan.

The Sweetheart run egan in 1989 with just 7 riders.  Last year 2,000 participated.

Sacramento Classic Car & Parts Swap Meet

Sacramento Classic Car & Parts Swap Meet

When:          Sunday, April 22nd, 2012

Where:         Power Balance Arena (Formerly known as “ARCO Arena“)

Pre-registration deadline is April 6th

Information:   916-955-8777

Flier with site map and vendor application is HERE

The Particulars

Sacramento Swap Meet

P.O. Box 670, Folsom, CA 95763

916-955-8777 Fax 916-933-4791

email: cruzerdog@mac.com

           info(a)sacramentoswapmeet.com

www.SacramentoSwapMeet.com

Admission:                                                    $6 with FREE parking

Automotive Swap Meet spaces:                   $20

Commercial Automotive Vendor spaces:   $30

Non-Automotive Vendor spaces:                 $60

Car Corral spaces for 1972 & older:            $30

Car Corral spaces for 1973 & newer:           $40

Sellers:  Spaces are available at the gate.  No one will be turned away!!

RV spaces (spectators & vendors):                $30

The Swap Meet Guide is HERE

Swamp Meet map of Power Balance Arena (formerly ARCO Arena):

PHOTOS here of the last great Swap Meet.

Have you been to the Reno Swap Meet?

Well, it is now the Sacramento Swap Meet…so, come on down!!

Make sure you come visit Sacramento this spring and summer.  Help to fill up the Sacramento Swap Meet.

Remember:  the Pre-registration deadline is April 6th.  Don’t let it pass you by.

Spring meet:          April 22nd

Summer meet:       August 5th

The First Ammendment to the U.S. Constitution

In part, the 1st Ammendment to the Constitution of the United States of America reads:

“Congress shall make no law—abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble“

The amendment is part of the original Bill of Rights for the American people.  it is a vital piece of who we are and what we have fought for.

What we yearn to preserve.

Often it seems that we ask our local police to enforce local ordinances, charters etc that politicians have implemented in trying to get around this very critical piece of our 1st Ammendment.

The 1st Ammendment not only guarantees our right to speak and assemble freely, it REQUIRES our governments not to pass any law that conflicts with that right.

If I want to assemble with like-minded people at noon on Monday or at 4 am on Friday, under the Constitution I can do so.

Yet, many jurisdictions have passed local laws saying that I cannot.  And then they pay their police to enforce these unconstitutional pieces of crap local ordinances.

We, the people, must tell our federal politicians that we will remove them from office if they fail to do their job and enforce our 1st Ammendment rights.

Occupy The Highway—The Walk from NYC To Washington DC

Folks started walking from New York City to Washington DC beginning November 9th as part of the “Occupy” movement.

The walk is called Occupy The Highway.

The March on Washington started today with a small group of occupiers walking from New York City into Washington DC.  At some 20 miles each day they should arrive about November 23rd in time for the Congressional Super Committee meeting about our nations debt ceiling.

You remember the debt ceiling?  A long long time ago (like in July 2011) the Republicans decided to hold our nation hostage because they did not want the debt ceiling raised.

And so we got right down to the final final last minute.

And then our nations credit worthiness was downgraded.

And then the price of money went up and the price of every goods and service went up, and we may never in our lifetime regain our stellar credit rating.

And because the Republicans so much want to regain the Whitehouse in 2012, they refused to increase the debt ceiling through the end of 2012, which would have  removed it from the discussions that either party has during the Presidential election cycle.

Instead, here we are beginning to talk about it again.

And I know the Occupy groups want to remain apolitical, but this is my blog.

And I say the Republicans and any Democrat who stood with them during the summer on the issue of the debt ceiling are utter assholes.  You sold my great-grandchildren, who are yet to be born, down the fucking proverbial river.

November 10th

Day 2 brings the group into New Brunswick, New Hampshire as darkness falls.

The photo below shows a lot of folks in the streets of New Brunswick doesn’t it??

My understanding is that the walking group has spots to stay each night.  I hope so because I am sure it is mighty cold!!

The Call To Action—November 17th

A Call To Action

November 17, 2011

10 am- 11:30 am

Resist austerity. Reclaim the economy. Recreate our democracy.

New York City Schedule of events–

—Check Back at the link, It Will Be Updated!!!

• Wall Street-  7:00 am: Resist austerity!                                        SHUT DOWN WALL STREET
• All Five Boroughs-  2:30 pm: Reclaim our democracy!          OCCUPY THE SUBWAYS
• Foley square- 5 pm-: Rebuild our economy!                                TAKE THE SQUARE

November 17th:

Don’t believe the media hype trying to sell you on the idea that the protestors are bad people doing bad things–living in their own feces and crap like that repeated on your TV over & over.

November 17th was an Historic Day of Action Nationwide

—check this article out

On November 17th, during this Call to Action, among the arrested are:

Retired Philadelphia Police Captain Ray Lewis

City Council Member Melissa Mark Viverito

City Council Member Jumaane Williams

Workers United International Vice President Wilfredo Larancuent

SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry

SEIU 1199 President George Gresham

CWA Vice President Chris Shelton

CWA Vice President , Fr. Luis Barrios of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization-IFCO

City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, who has been supportive of the Occupy movement, was among those arrested outside of the park. Police Commission(er) Ray Kelly said Rodriguez was trying to get through police lines to reach the protesters.

“All the cops are just workers for the one percent, and they don’t even realize they’re being exploited,” retired Police Captain Ray Lewis said. “As soon as I’m let out of jail, I’ll be right back here and they’ll have to arrest me again.”

“The law that created Zuccotti Park required that it be open for the public to enjoy for passive recreation 24 hours a day,” Bloomberg said. “Ever since the occupation began, that law has not been complied with, as the park has been taken over by protesters, making it unavailable to anyone else.”

The Wall Street march today in NYC:

From Shen Tong:  Police barricade park now – won’t allow people to leave. un-confirmed report: beating of people in zuccotti park by police

A number of folks have been reporting the same activities this morning.

And not just in NYC as this Day of… has reached nationwide.

And there are an awful lot of cops in NYC:

These officers are watching over the tents???

The NYC Subway system will be occupied today!!!

• 3:00 pm: OCCUPY THE SUBWAYS RECLAIM our democracy! Throughout the boroughs, we will gather at 7 central subway hubs, to listen to a singular story from one of our hardest-hit and most inspirational neighbors. Bronx: Fordham Rd, and 3rd Ave/138th Brooklyn: Broadway Junction, and Borough Hall Queens: Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Ave, and Jamaica Center Parsons Archer Manhattan: 125th st, and Union Square Staten Island: St George/Staten Island Ferry
• Bronx: Fordham Rd, and 3rd Ave/138th
• Brooklyn: Broadway Junction, and Borough Hall
• Queens: Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Ave, and Jamaica Center Parsons Archer
• Manhattan: 125th st, and Union Square
• Staten Island: St George/Staten Island Ferry
• Then we will take our own stories to the trains, using the “People’s Mic”. We will rise up from the underground to join thousands of others gathered in the light of day, at Foley Square.

Then we will take our own stories to the trains, using the “People’s Mic”. We will rise up from the underground to join thousands of others gathered in the light of day, at Foley Square.

From: https://www.facebook.com/events/241419422582978/

Reporters from the Daily Caller have been beten by police during actions today.  The Daily Caller is a right-wing news organization and website.

Above is Meichelle Fields, a reporter for the Daily Caller who was beaten by NYC police and helped by the protestors on Nov 17th.

Meichelle states that “Direna had a camera in her hand and I had a microphone, and we were being hit,” she said. “When I fell to the ground I said at one point, ‘I’m just covering this! I’m covering this!’  And the officer just said, ‘Come on, get up, get up,’ before pulling me up by my jacket.’” “The protesters came up to me right away and asked if I needed any medical assistance. They were actually very kind and helpful. It was the police officers who were very aggressive,” Fields added.”

The bold is from the article, and you can read more at the link above the photo.

A group also marched to Union Square in NYC.

Sign this petition and help shame NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who seems to be shameless.

  On this Day of Action, while the Brooklyn Bridge is an Occupied in NYC and some 276 people have been arrested in New York by 4 pm PT.

Earlier today a Restraining Order was filed in San Diego by the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) against both the City and the San Diego Police Department.  The NLG has said:

“The SDPD are currently arbitrarily telling people who walk through the Civic Center that if they set down anything—their purse, their bag, a chair, or in one case even a tomato plant—, they will be arrested,” said attorney Bryan Pease.

“The First Amendment guarantees the right to free speech and the right to peacefully assemble—municipal code section 54.010 and how it is being enforced by the SDPD is unconstitutional… Even if the court does not grant the TRO because they want to allow the city time to prep their arguments, this is a text book case of unconstitutional enforcement of a municipal code and I believe we will be successful at the preliminary injunction hearing.”

More at the above link.

At 8:15 pm ET there are helicopters, NYPD & news, overhead.

The Brooklyn Bridge is now home to a marching band, a People’s Library and a projector!!  Someone adds “Let’s set up a kitchen!”.  Great idea.

Before the march began from Foley Square, the NYPD could be seen futzing with their kettleing nets.

Demonstrations, protests and March in NYC, Washington DC, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas, Sacramento and so many cities in between.

And we in America care about the protestors in Syria who yearn to be free enough to protest without fear of arrest or injury. 

The photo below is from a protest in @OccupySeattle today:

Because some people, like Dennis Gartman in Forbes Magazine, actually celebrates income inequality.  How can you celebrate that shit and look your mother in the eye?  How can you celebrate that shit and kiss your children in the morning??  I do not understand…

“We celebrate income disparity and we applaud the growing margins between the bottom 20% of American society and the upper 20% for it is evidence of what has made America a great country. It is the chance to have a huge income… to make something of one’s self; to begin a business and become a millionaire legally and on one’s own that separates the US from most other nations of the world. Do we feel bad for the growing gap between the rich and the poor in the US? Of course not; we celebrate it…”

Move Your Money Day, Change Your Bank Day

So today is our very first Move Your Money Day or Change Your Bank Day.

Just a few days before this post was written an article appeared that showed more than 650,000 people and families have closed their major bank accounts over the previous four weeks and moved their money into credit union accounts.

“Also during that time, CUNA estimates that credit unions have added $4.5 billion in new savings accounts, likely from the new members and existing members shifting their funds.”

There is a bit more in the article at the link above.

If you are still banking in one of the big USA banks like Bank Of America, Citi Bank, Wells Fargo, Chase Bank or others, today is a good day to take your money out.  Close your account and move your money to a smaller credit union or to a small community bank.

The “Bank Transfer Day” Facebook page attracted 81,900 RSVPs up to the “move” day.  (Not me, I don’t facebook.  I keep thinking I should sign up when something like this comes along, but….)

Check the Mashable article at the link above.

Did you see the report showing that five of the largest banks (Wall Street them all) actually got away with paying zero in taxes during a period when they received hefty bail-outs from  the Feds (the TARP)??  Check the Moral Outrage view of it HERE

The iWatch News analysis of the report is HERE and really worth reading, especially if you remain “on the fence” about moving your money.

“Wells Fargo & Co., Goldman Sachs Group, PNC Financial Services Group, Capital One Financial Inc. and State Street Corp. were among 78 of America’s largest and most profitable corporations that managed to avoid paying income tax in at least one of those years (2008-2010).”

Most worksites are connected to a credit union and they would be happy to have your business.

Most larger towns and cities have community banks and they will also be happy to hold your money and give you quality customer support.

None of this $5.00 fee just to use your card and access the money you have in your account.  An account that the bank, the financial institution, is making money off of.

Don’t allow them to abuse you.  There are other institutions that will support you and will be more likely to lend you money when you need it to buy a car or a house or finance your sons or daughters college or their wedding.

And community banks are focused on putting the money they earn right back into the community in the form of housing loans and business loans.

Did you watch your local news or your Twitter account and see the number of large banks (Wave your hand Bank of America)  who thought they could just turn customers down and say “no” when they asked to close their account?  Maybe you got away with it a few times BofA.  Maybe you made a few bucks.  But everyone will out you.   Everyone will tell the people that it is wrong.

And tomorrow will be an even bigger day.

For those who got their money out today…way to go!

You have had HUGE successes this week:

• you shut down the 5th busiest port in the United States of America (Oakland, California)
• you shut down a full six busy city intersections in Washington DC as part of the Occupy the City Center of our nations Capitoil
• One million people moved their money OUT of the biggest banks in the nation DESPITE the banks attempts to keep you there, charging you ten dollars to close your account, harassing you and arresting you just because you wanted to close your bank account

Congratulations to the American people for having the grit and determination to get the job done!!!

November 6th:

Didn’t get a chance to move your money yesterday?

Don’t worry about it.  I reopened my checking account at a credit union about 6 weeks ago after @Chase charged me more than $50 for two books of checks.

I am in a wheelchair and have my pension on direct deposit so I can’t afford to screw the money up.

So instead the deposit goes into Chase.  Then I write myself a check and move the money into my credit union.

It costs me a couple of days and a bit of hassle but I think it may actually be better.

I’m figuring Chase gets my money and says “Oh, goody!!” and then it disappears before they can even count it.

This may cost them a few bucks, but hey.  I banked there for more than 30 years before Chase took it over maybe a year ago.  It has had takovers before, the last was @WashingtonMutual a big bank but I came to like them.  But my point is the checks NEVER cost me any money.  NEVER means NEVER!  Pissed me off…

Plus all the little pissant charges they have hit me with.

My mother uses the same bank and I told her she needs to do like me and write a check, move the money over to the credit union.

Anyway, end of my rant today.

 Move your money next month on the 5th of December, if you missed yesterday.  The reason to do it on a coordinated day is to hit them with something like one million withdrawals.

Make them notice.  Cause them some pain.

No one notices me moving my money except me.

The bank doesn’t even scratch that itch.  Dammit.

To me, The Primary Purpose of moving your money from the BIG Banks to smaller community banks or credit unions is to:

 GET the $$$$ off of Wall Street.

So when you close your account and move your own dollars out of BofA or Citi Bank or Chase or Wells Fargo or some other big bank and millions of others do the same thing ALL IN ONE DAY we take big American bucks off of Wall Street.

They cannot put that money in their pockets.

When people tell us “Oh, the American economy lost $100 Billion or lost $4 Trillion” or whatever, we need to ask “where did that fucking money go?”.  Because it went somewhere.

And if we move it, if it lives on Main Street and not on Wall Street, at least the assholes on Wall Street, the Mega Mega rich cannot pocket it.

Rich people still might do it, I’m not stupid enough to believe the money is safe.

But if just ordinary rich peeps steal it I say “OK, at least the Mega Megas Rich bastards did not get it this time.”

Check out how the folks in SanFrancisco handled their Bank Transfer Day HERE.  Excellent day people!!  News anchors and comedians laugh about San Francisco, the people that live there, things that happen there…but this was a thoughful well prepared and executed action plan.  And it worked!  Congrats to @OccupySF  @OccupySanFrancisco for an excellent day.

“They marched on Chase , Wells Fargo and Bank of America with a police escort . At each bank Occupy protesters sat down in the street and listened to different speakers. They discussed the problems with the Federal bank bail out and toxic loans. A high light of the march was  Brenda Reed a Vietnam war widow who was arrested previously for contesting her foreclose with Chase Bank. “

Read more at link above plus lots og great photos of the day.

But just WHY should I move my money out of my bank?  Why should I be unhappy with them?  I’ve been banking there for years!!

Just educate yourself a little.  They hide all the really important stuff that would make our blood boil and make us grab the closest machete’ if we only knew.

Like this from a Mother Jones article:

“After Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley announced hefty profits in the fall of 2009, the Obama administration’s pay czar said that he’d cap pay at Citigroup, Bank of America, and five other bailed-out companies. The move was largely symbolic: It capped salaries for only 25 executives, kept big stock bonuses in place, and did nothing to address the culture of rewarding folks who sowed our economic destruction.”

But the best part of the article is the actual list of the Wall Street “players who made out like bandits”, the guys that received the very biggest payouts.  How many are on Wall Street?  And how many represent the very big banks??  And how many also show up on that previous list of bankers who actually paid ZERO in income taxes from 2008-2010???  The answer for almost each of those questions would be “Nearly all,  if not all”.

Check it out.  I’m telling ya, it will make your blood boil.

Machete’ anyone?

November 8th:

And beware:

Many Credit Unions rival large banks in their size.  And if you are concerned about the pay of CEOs or bonuses for Executives, do some research before you select a CU.  high salaries on their own may not be a no-go for you, but make sure you don’t get surprised later.

In California many Executives of Credit Unions make annual salaries of more than $600,000 per year.  God knows what (or if) the taxes paid by some turn out to be.

Check at the link for California CU CEO salaries.

November 9th:

Guess How Much $$$ Was Moved On Nov 5th???

$4.5 Billion with a “B”.  That is major money for a “minor” movement.

Some 650,000 new accounts were opened at Credit Union.

Wow, wow WOW!

November 10th:

I really like this article from @OccupyReno about their effort in Reno closing accounts, moving money and causing a little chaos.  “Piece of Cake” they call it.

Things went smoothly in Reno and the Credit Unions did well.

“The city’s credit unions made out like bandits. While Heritage Bank of Nevada and Frontier Financial Credit Union are always closed on Saturday, some credit unions were open late specifically to take advantage of Bank Transfer Day. Great Basin Federal Credit Union stayed open four extra hours. The break in routine paid off, said Elisabeth Hadler, marketing manager for Great Basin Credit Union.

“Just on Saturday, we opened 18 new accounts, and six existing members came in to open up checking accounts,” she said. “That’s on top of the 18 brand new accounts. Since Sept. 29 of this year [through Nov. 5], we’ve opened 239 accounts. Last year in that same period, we opened 97.”

Considering the total eclipse of the economy, there was plenty of wealth to spread around.”

 

Related articles

• Stunning Number: Big Banks Set To Lose 70,000 Accounts On Move Your Money Day (lucas2012infos.wordpress.com)
• ‘Move Your Money’ demonstrators march through downtown Saturday with support of Occupy Portland (oregonlive.com)
• Van Jones: Stunning Number: Big Banks Set to Lose 70,000 Accounts on Move Your Money Day (rajcairnsreport.wordpress.com)
• Bank dumping day begins – Nov. 4, 2011 (mbcalyn.com)
• Stop Funding the Enemy – Move Your Money (wordsnotbullets.com)
• Move Your Money Activists Prepare For Bank Transfer Day On Nov. 5 (huffingtonpost.com)
• Happy Bank Transfer Day! (slog.thestranger.com)