Support the Daily Mael Roadtrip!

*** UPDATE ***
I leave Friday, and even though I met my goal of $100 in donations, that only covers my first 3 travel days - ANY pledge helps! Thank you again for your help, it's GREAT that people have come to my blog and decided to help out...
DM


OK - Here goes...
I tried this once on my last blog (to help support my annual blog fees) and actually got some help from readers. However, I didn't feel as strongly about that site as I do this new one. This site certainly doesn't have much of a fanbase, but give it some time. It is growing. Meanwhile, help a brother out by reading the following outline and make a choice.

From Dec. 5th - Dec. 14th I'll be on a roadtrip hitting on 8 different states.

California to NV to Utah to Colorado to Oklahoma to Texas to New Mexico and back through Arizona and homeward.

The route me & Absurd selected is voted amongst the best drives in America, and I'll be bringing updates on THIS blog - real time! I can't promise exactly how many updates I'll be offering up along the trip, it depends on where I can get i-net access for the laptop. But you will be on my mind for most of the trip. :X For those of you who don't know me, when I go on a trip, I talk to locals, I eat their food, I look at their surrounding beauty and admire it with respect. I want to write while doing this, and since I want to have the best trip I want to make sure I can do this with some added inspiration - YOU!

I'm working on a shoe-string budget and would like to ask anyone feeling in the holiday spirit to donate via Paypal if you are so inclined. Any and all donors will get publicity from Daily Mael in the form of links in future posts and big, big props from yours truly.

My goal is very modest, so even if you have 2 dollars to donate - by all means, it's the same as getting a larger donation - fully accepted and well-received.

So - I have a goal of raising $100 bucks - which will cover motel costs for three of my nights on the road. So like I said - every penny makes a difference and it will be going to a great cause - ROAD TRIPPING.

You don't owe me a dime, and I'll love you all just the same if I don't get any donations - but keep in mind that I certainly wouldn't ask if I didn't feel that the cause was worthy.

Goodbye Lil

Lil was a little like my own grandmother
Actually, she was more like my only grandmother

I remember the smell of her apartment
Back when Sol would tell us boxing stories & sing us songs he sang when he was in the war
While she cooked a strictly Kosher meal
Sol was the greatest old guy you'd ever want to meet

Lil was my best friend's grandma
Since all of my grandparents were gone even before I came around
I don't know if she knew, or if she just sensed that I could use her humanity in my life
But she took me in as a regular part of the family
She loved me, and my parents were good friends with her
Sol passed away many years ago, maybe 10 or so years at least
For as great of a man Sol was, it says so much for the strength of Lil for all she weathered since
She passed away yesterday and I just found out, have a great Thanksgiving

Then in a conversation later...
Daily: So i have a funeral to attend Sunday "blech", not a big fan of the funeral
Absurd: Think the Irish have the best idea - have a wake and celebrate the good times
Daily: Ahh ... right.. I like that. We Jews are OK with it... particularly helps that she was 96. There will be an awesome deli spread there, no-doubt though for me, it brings up a lot of memories... I'm sad, but it'll be a funeral to go and celebrate some of those memories with friends and family. I guess the difference there is there won't be any kegs of beer.. but rather - if they have any sense - wine.

The whole emotional scene today reminded me of a poem I read by a rather unknown poet:

Departure

William Stafford radiated peace and love,
sweetly stirred up others
suddenly departed from this sphere
without the clamor of the press
or the gong of his acclaim.

The news reached me when the heat of his August death
had turned into November chill,
but I buried him in my hearth on some lofty mound
where I knew his words would not end like the seasons.

by: Marilyn Hochheiser (undated)

Whaaaaa?

Easily the worst news of the day is my car needs fixin'. But in the meanwhile I can't wait until Turkey. Yes, loads of Turkey. And sleep. Lots of sleep.

Just found this trailer, looks SPOOKY...

Apparently, 2012 stars John Cusack and Amanda Peet cast in lead roles. This was also rumored to have been the biggest deal to come across after the writer's strike ended.

I have to admit though - this trailer is eerily similar to Day After Tomorrow, Independence Day, Apocalypto, War of the Worlds and Armageddon all mixed into one. Oh yeah, don't forget 10,000 BC. Spoilers Here. I read the spoilers, and I will give you my review now. Save your 10 bucks and apply it to the costs of digging a deep hole in your backyard. Then jump in the hole after you are finished and have your neighbor dump all the dirt on your head. There, you are now safe to go about your business.

Nic Harcourt Walks Away From 118k

KCRW's DJ Nic Harcourt is leaving public radio. As he puts it: "The bottome line is I've been in public radio for 10 years, and regardless of how great my job is, I make public radio money, and I have two 5 year-olds. I have to think about their future... I'm going to be busy. I'm looking forward to building some equity"

read more | digg story

The 16th Amendment

This is from US Constitution dot Net:

16th Amendment
In 1895, in the Supreme Court case of Pollock v Farmer's Loan and Trust (157 U.S. 429), the Court disallowed a federal tax on income from real property. The tax was designed to be an indirect tax, which would mean that states need not contribute portions of a whole relative to its census figures. The Court, however, ruled that the tax was a direct tax and subject to apportionment. This was the last in a series of conflicting court decisions dating back to the Civil War. Between 1895 and 1909, when the amendment was passed by Congress, the Court began to back down on its position, as it became clear not only to accountants but to everyone that the solvency of the nation was in jeopardy. In a series of cases, the definition of "direct tax" was modified, bent, twisted, and coaxed to allow more taxation efforts that approached an income tax.

Finally, with the ratification of the 16th Amendment, any doubt was removed. The text of the Amendment makes it clear that though the categories of direct and indirect taxation still exist, any determination that income tax is a direct tax will be irrelevant, because taxes on incomes, from salary or from real estate, are explicitly to be treated as indirect. The Congress passed the Amendment on July 12, 1909, and it was ratified on February 3, 1913 (1,302 days).

Today is End The Fed day in Downtown L.A. I'll try to snap a few pictures and pass out copies of the new Republic magazine. I have about 70 issues left for passing out to the crowd + 2 for me + 3 for my mom (one for each of her bathrooms).

Today also happens to be the anniversary of JFK's assassination.

The Mask Class

This past weekend I was part of a mask making class for children with varying degrees of autism. I met a lot of good people that day. I networked a little bit - but this was a small part of the events - which included helping Spavs with setting up, instructing, painting, cutting, prodding, smiling, and telling the story behind the masks, and then finally, we cleaned up and left.

The idea was for each family to interact and develop a mask that was representative of aspects of their life. With the different formulas for making the masks, needless to say, no two came close to looking alike. After making the masks, everyone ate (we kept working) and then to finish it off, each family got an opportunity to tell everyone else the meanings behind the details on their family mask. It was a super feel-good moment and it didn't feel like work at all.



The macaroni n cheese at the pot-luck looked amazing, but we held out (attempting to stay professional) and wound up getting fancy salads at some place in Westwood... I then took the opportunity to introduce Spavs to Diddy Reese. Hellooooooo cookies.

Ford IS Trying

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 13, 2008 – Ford Motor Company garnered two “Best of What’s New for 2008” awards today from Popular Science, the world’s largest science and technology magazine. Ford’s new EcoBoost engines and the industry-exclusive Easy Fuel capless fuel filler both won awards in the automotive category.

Last Week I Gave the Top 20 Best-Selling Automobiles

And since Ford was at the top of the list (F-150), somehow managing 4 cars in that list, production has slowed significantly to the point where they may need a bailout. People might call California as a Bell Tower for the country, but clearly Michigan is what they mean. Michigan has set a lot of precedents the country uses as a barometer, from the failing auto industry to cities formerly as prosperous as any other now kicked as low and dirty as possible.

But Fordism is not done. I don't believe it should be bailed out - I feel there is a steady trend for a possible comeback and all it takes is one strong idea. Something that CAN beat out the Smart car...

Here's a Classic Henry Ford quote Hunter S. Thompson used in his book Kingdom of Fear that will or should give the reader pause. Michigan has always had it's finger on the pulse of how America operates:

"A campaign for war is made upon as definite lines as a campaign for any other purpose. First, the people are worked upon. By clever tales the people's suspicions are aroused toward the nation against whom war is desired. Make the nation suspicious; make the other nation suspicious. All you need for this is a few agents with some cleverness and no conscious (sic)and a press whose interest is locked up with the interests that will be benefited by war. Then the "overt act" will soon appear. It is no trick at all to get an "overt act" once you work the hatred of two nations up to the proper pitch."

How L.A. and Surrounding Cities Voted on Prop 8

One of the architects of Google Search Engine has helped the launch of the new search engine Cuil earlier this year.

Our Philosophy
The Internet is getting bigger and more disorganized every day. Cuil’s goal is to solve the two great problems of search: how to index the whole Internet—not just part of it—and how to analyze and sort out its pages so you get relevant results.

Cuil’s founders worked with other search engines and knew that tinkering with old systems wouldn’t work. A fundamentally different approach was needed. So we’ve developed new architecture and algorithms that can handle the exponential growth of the Internet and organize results that reflect its enormous complexity.

Cuil believes:

Who cares what they believe? Nobody has even mentioned this site since summer - could this be Google manipulating? Nahh.. I'm going to give it a try, but it never looks cool trying to look cool. I'm just looking for the Google alternative and Dogpile is too slow.


On another topic- this is the only Gilmore Girls I have ever watched - but it's pretty fun...

November 10th: Today In History 1898

Alfred Waddell, the Wilmington firebrand, told his listeners the night before the election in 1898, "If you find the Negro out voting, tell him to leave the polls, and if he refuses, kill him, shoot him down in his tracks. We shall win tomorrow if we have to do it with guns" (Outlook, November 19 1898).

Aka: Wilmington Insurrection of 1898, The Wilmington Race Riot occurred when white Democrats overthrow Wilmington's elected Republican government. The coup d'état resulted in the burning and destruction of the Daily Record, an African American newspaper, 14 blacks killed (# varies depending on the source), 25 blacks wounded, and three white men killed.

This horrific blemish on American policy - which called for resignation of many Republicans and the implementation of a white supremacist city government - was formally renounced by the S. Carolina Democratic party in January 2007, about the same time Barack Obama was becoming a more well-known name.

This has been the only recorded incident of a municipal government being overthrown in American history. But there are many facts on this incident that are kept alive by pastors and public persona to help recount details of this story so to avoid exaggerations or deletion of the details.

Considering the current political state of affairs, it gives rise to the hopes and changes offered by our presidential elect. After 100 years +, this is one event that must be passed down to all generations, particularly if you were like me and didn't pay attention to your high school history teachers. I only vaguely remember learning about this event, but it's amazing to see how times have changed - of course McCain was still a 54% winner in South Carolina (McCain also won his homestate of Arizona with a 54%-47% margin).

Speaking of Max Bialystock...

And while we are on the video run (2-block November video month!) I thought I might add in one of, if not the most, disturbing videos of all-time. I'm convinced this video was made to bomb but completely backfired when KROQ propelled it to one of their most-played songs of 1981.

Viewer discretion is advised...

I'm guessing you can figure out the title to this song...

Here Comes Another Article! Issue #10 of REPUBLIC

ISSUE #10 :: NEW!! - Grand Theft America

"This special issue of Republic exposes the scam behind the Senate's failed bailout plan and its ties to the corruption in Washington and the FED. Features include: Birth of the Beast - G. Edward Griffin, Interview with a Bankster - G. Franchi, Consequences of Greed and Uncontrolled Power - M. Lemieux, Lipstick on a Bailout - Ron Paul, How to Maintain Prosperity in These Hard Economic Times - P. Mottahedah, Surviving Martial Law - H. Williams, Hard Drives and Lost Lives - J. Mael, Restoring the Republic - L.B. Bork, End the Fed Action(11/22/08) - G. Franchi, Monthly Paul:The Morality Hazard of the Fed - M. Nystrom, Senate Shennanigans - M. Badnarik, Grand Theft America - M. Vonasten, Tough Times Present Tough Choices - T. Cryer, Special Report:100 Items to Disappear First in a Calamity."

I'm hoping everyone orders their copy of this issue, it's important, Mr. Ron Paul wrote a great piece for this issue and my editor, Gary Franchi, has done another amazingly great job to get this issue out. I'm glad to be part of this growing publication; support the growth of Republic Magazine by ordering a copy now!

Sometimes a Blog Can Be Your Best (online) Friend

I'm now a blogger of 6 years, sometimes my blog is the only place I can turn when I feel like "getting it out", though I have learned sometimes it is best to channel this energy into something I find more worthwhile than the typical whining and bitching.

Maybe I'm from a different school from most of my writer heroes, maybe I just don't get it yet. I'm old, but not too old to think I know it all. I was never a solid student, I'm not the brightest fantasy sports manager in the world. But I know a lot.

I possess a confidence that even I don't understand sometimes, but I don't question it. I have a big picture view of the world, and to get to that pic picture view, there are many tiers of, shall I call it, experiences that make up this rhythmic set of circumstances.

For beginners, I'm a blogger and I tried fooling myself into believing I was a Citizen Journalist. As change sweeps the nation, a world looks on, possibly in disbelief, but overall, the world is going to improve.

I'm glad it's over - but I didn't go out to celebrate though I easily could have. I'm happy we got a very intellectual "visionary" in place to take over for a totally chaotic schema. Or is it? Damn it is so confusing to tell what is best anymore.

Obama says he's willing to work with those who oppose him. If there is a problem, everyone will be all over it, but hopefully it will be his success that goes along with his future legacy. It felt like the 80s waiting in line to vote. It was actually a good line to be in and I met a lot of my neighbors. It made me want to move to be honest, but maybe because I know that is just an inevitability. Right. Well, I completely lost focus on what I really wanted to say, but I felt it was time for me to say a little something about my feelings today. It's been one emotional ride, a historical one - and hopefully we are not as doomed as a lot of people tried to make us feel today. While I haven't been on the Obama ticket entirely, it is going to be an interesting four years. Let us ride, and hope other countries begin to reassess what America is about while we recover here at home from a long, drawn-out election process. 2008 is history in the making. I also happen to be 8-1 in one of my fantasy football team, an awesome first that I'm working hard on every week. Let's ride!

Exercise your rights today...

One girl I know says "what about my right NOT to vote?"

I said "That is perfectly fine... USE your right. Exercise your freedom to NOT vote. But remember how local the voting process really is."

She said "What does that mean?"

I took this opportunity to seize the moment:

"Look - I understand you don't want Coke and you don't want Pepsi. I get it. But voting is a numbers GAME, and it starts right there in that Santa Monica voting booth. NOT voting, yeah, that is your right. Don't expect to hear any commercials sponsored by the people who want to exercise their right to not vote. The past two elections, the % of people who voted was low and I remember hearing the #s at polling places was the lowest in memory, maybe the lowest ever. That apathy is what the Republicans took to their advantage. Things got so strange, they were shuttling hoards of handicapped to vote in those Red states - it ended strange in 2000 with the whole Florida crap, and then nobody took to Kerry in 2004 which led us to the point we at now.

After talking to Frank about creating gridlock, I realized a lot. Gridlock will come in the form of increased %s county by county. This is of course you can't stomach a vote for Obama. He's clearly going to take California, but by what percentage? It appears there's a landslide in the making this time because we're hearing about all the people that never cared, caring. And they are caring because they know what has happened has sucked. With so many people who actually say this election matters, it's going to be an interesting ride. I don't want to be that guy at the party who eat mushrooms when everyone else had just taken lsd. Not tomorrow. Obama, McCain or a gridlocker. Not voting got the country nowhere."

I don't think she was expecting that response. For a minute there I think she actually believed I had a clue about what I was talking about so she said she would vote. But like the clever pigeon she is, she would not tell me who she would actually sink her marker in to. They still use those poke things right? I really don't want to vote in a booth that looks like an ATM machine. But I do want to get some free coffee.

Best Selling Cars 2008

Nov 3 (Reuters) - The following are the 20 top-selling vehicles in the U.S.
through October of 2008 as reported by the automakers.

Total sales of the top 20 vehicles fell 9 percent or -437,401 units to
4,443,849.

Following is a list of the top-20 selling vehicles, ranked by total units.
RANK VEHICLE 2008 2007 '07 RANK % Chng
1 Ford F-Series P/U 436,022 588,952 1 -26.0
2 Chevy Silverado-C/K P/U 402,191 526,575 2 -23.6
3 Toyota Camry 386,118 398,868 3 -3.2
4 Honda Accord 333,011 332,815 6 +0.1
5 Toyota Corolla 307,071 317,796 4 -3.4
6 Honda Civic 304,297 278,764 8 +9.2
7 Nissan Altima 241,529 239,800 9 +0.7
8 Chevrolet Impala 231,841 270,504 7 -14.3
9 Dodge Ram P/U 213,684 301,689 5 -29.2
10 Ford Focus 175,958 145,977 15 +20.5
11 Honda CR-V 171,193 184,003 11 -7.0
12 Chevrolet Cobalt 168,940 169,400 14 -0.3
13 Chevrolet Malibu 151,429 108,930 26 +39.0
14 GMC Sierra P/U 145,067 174,621 12 -16.9
15 Toyota Prius 142,365 150,572 16 -5.5
16 Ford Escape 135,558 139,911 17 -3.1
17 Ford Fusion 128,381 123,729 20 +3.8
18 GM Pontiac G6 126,494 121,278 28 +4.3
19 Toyota Tundra 121,451 162,348 23 -25.2
20 Honda Odyssey 121,249 144,718 21 -16.2

Fun Link

I found this on a website today, and I regret to tell you I forgot the url...

But the link is so damn good.

Paint like Jackson Pollock.

Living What You Love

It's been an almost overwhelming month.

Now it is Sunday, only hours away from the 10am NFL kickoff. But it's also a brand new month, but October 08 will go down as one of the most interesting of the year. I was busy, not particularly with writing, but I was out and about. I was just awoken from my slumber from the drippity drips of rain. Pitter patter. I should be sleeping but I can help but stop for a moment to ponder on this October.


I did so many things this month, met a bunch of folks and I had a lot of fun. Not to brag, but I played basketball every Sunday this month, I have two decent fantasy football teams and today I'm drafting my 2nd fantasy basketball team, though I doubt I'll have a whole lot of time to manage either team. I was busy working (love the job), working on my car, planning a class (will explain when done...), going to art shows, trippin the light fantastic, reading an amazing book (review coming) and watched the kickoff to a new NBA season. The Clippers are already screwed.

Oktoberfest was AMAZING. I'm including several pictures from that night on this post (two weeks after the fact) and I will have a good story about a local civil battle between one of my neighbors and his attached neighbor. Spoooooky.

Oktoberfest is an event that happens at Alpine Village annually, and it's an incredibly large event (in L.A. terms... ) with very large lines to get beer. If you get lucky, sometimes the girls in line will show you their boobs just for the hell of it because that is the atmosphere this event promotes.

October - so full of surprises; women dressed like sexy nurses and AP even grew a goatee. Oh well, I don't know why I felt like getting all cheesed out on this post - but there you have it. Some Oktoberfest love. I know... I have to get more animated when I take pictures...

I hate being in pictures!