Showing posts with label Seattle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seattle. Show all posts

We had a lot of Optimism growing up in the Sixties. There was Hope for the Future. President Kennedy Challenged us to Land a Man on the Moon and the school systems started training us all to become engineers, rocket scientists.

 In the late sixties Millions of people ate LSD and that opened up an entirely new way to look at life. Maybe we could build a better world... Sadly, some people did not "Drink the Kool Aid."

Corporate Greed Freaks took over most businesses in the USA and used their Wealth to Buy Politicians who would do what they were told to do. Bribery became Totally Legal... Laws were passed to help the Super Rich Get More Money. More, More, More... More, More, More... More, More, More... Insanity... It's Called the Compulsive Hoarding of Money Syndrome. 




Peace and Love: 
Not Just a Good Idea but 
a Practical Way of Life...
Peace Sign Two-Tone Coffee Mug

by gregvan

I see that the rate of Americans having Children has gone down recently. I understand. Why would anyone want to curse a child with the type of world we are going to experience in the coming years. It's pretty obvious that we will have MORE forest fires, MORE Hurricanes, MORE Tornadoes and MORE FLOODS and DROUGHTS... More plastics Polluting the Ocean, More Toxic Waste in our water and air... More Poverty, Starvation and more Billionaires... There will come a point when JUST TURNING UP THE AIR CONDITIONER WILL NOT SOLVE GLOBAL WARMING. Sure, everyone can Move to Canada, Alaska and Siberia but... that plan only works for about twenty years. 

Currently New York City is building DIKES all around Lower Manhattan to prevent the Ocean from Flooding Wall Street... The Big "U" goes from Harlem to Battery Park... But that does nothing for Queens, The Bronx or Brooklyn... Or New Jersey... Even the Super Rich were "Inconvenienced" when Hurricane Sandy flooded the Subways and the Underground Telephone lines... Computers could not communicate and that REALLY screwed up the Stock Market. You can't be "Limo Man" on a Flooded Street... 


Vision Quest Poster (29" x 32") For Sale...
Plenty of room to write a Slogan, Poem, Joke, Mantra or Manifesto! GO WILD!
Vision Quest Poster

by gregvan

New Orleans is Flooded again... 5/17/2019 It's Underwater because it rained really hard in the Middle of the USA. The Mississippi drains land a Thousand Miles Wide and Two thousand Miles Tall. 

Yep, it looks pretty bleak for people living in the future. Thankfully, I'm 65 years old and will be dead soon. There is NO real effort to stop driving cars all over everywhere polluting the air. What will life be like after a few billion people starve to death? We already see thousands of People fleeing Central America and Walking North... and Boat people crossing the Mediterranian... and Migration North from Iran and Syria... 


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and then a friend posted this rant on Facebook. 
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I’m sorry but the following has turned into a rant (and was a reply I made to another post from a Facebook friend), “but hey, this is America”.....
I remember in high school and coming of age in the 60’s and 70’s, the feeling that the United States was progressively overcoming inherit problems like the lack of equal rights, the rights of all minorities, the rights of workers, the rights of women, the rights of all Americans and the hard working middle class realizing the dream of economic freedom. The rising of the American middle class was the awakening of free people everywhere. 
There were no handouts!
We Americans earned this freedom and progressed, through our taxes, the retirement benefits of Social Security and Medicare and, through a joint commitment of our whole society, realized the benefits of these and other programs that inspired other free democratic peoples to enact similar programs & in many cases surpass them in their own countries. The problem in this country was we didn’t keep going, we didn’t keep working on problems that still existed, that we can always keep improving. 
I am so disillusioned at our present state in this country. I have grandkids that will soon have to learn how to handle shootings in their own schools, a place of refuge & hope and learning for Christ’s sake!
Our Founding Fathers created a system that would enable future members of our society to always progress further to take on future problems and to become even more free while maintaining a strong vibrant country. Who the hell wants to return to some imaginary paradise time span? What would that be the 50’s, the 60’s, 1812, 1920, 1944 ad nauseum....
I’m sorry, but Newt Gingrich FU, Mitch McConnell FU, Paul Ryan FU, Donald Trump FU, people like you FU....
The American people are inherently good people, the polls on almost every issue show that Americans want to keep progressing to more equality, that we value diversity, that we want the best for each and every one of us, that we are compassionate towards our fellow Americans and people of other countries, that we value the natural beauty and wonder of the world we live in. It’s time we got back to the dreams of our Founders and continue to realize our potential!

Whew, sorry for the rant, “but hey, this is America”!!

Photos of an Amtrak Train Trip from Martinez to Berkeley to Oakland to San Jose, CA. Along the shoreline of the San Francisco Bay. It was a Wonderful Ride All the Way from Eureka by Bus to Martinez and then Train to San Jose.

But First... American History Mural in Berkeley, CA
Painted on the Side of AMOEBA MUSIC, Telegraph Ave.
NOW, ON TO THE TRAIN RIDE!

All aboard AMTRAK. You get to see locations that are not visible by CAR as there are no roads there... 
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
Conductor at Martinez Station
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
Train heading to Sacramento
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
Train heading to San Jose
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan

Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
Carquinez Bridge, Vallejo
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
Boat at Oil Refinery
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
click on the pictures to see them bigger
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
Oakland Stadium: Home of the Raiders and the A's
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
Fans leaving the game
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
Freeway Construction
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
A Pond in Oakland.
The opposite of the urban blight Oakland is famous for.
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
San Francisco in the distance...
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
Cranes at the Port of Oakland.
They look like they're from Star Wars
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
Miles of graffiti along the train tracks in Oakland... Solid Paintings...
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
...Someone... thinks this is a good idea...
Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
San Jose Arena


And then when I actually arrived, I visited my dad in Los Gatos, California... There are recreations of the Famous Cats
That Live on Highway 17 as you travel towards Santa Cruz... 
Now someone made exact copies and planted them in a Shopping Center on North Santa Cruz Avenue at Highway #9.


CAT Sculptures in Los Gatos - Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
The Cats Sculptures in Los Gatos, CA
Los Gatos Library - Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
New Los Gatos Library on Main Street
Los Gatos Library - Photographs of my Amtrak Train trip from Martinez to San Jose along the East side of the SF Bay - gvan42 Gregory Vanderlaan
Los Gatos Library Interior-Mac Computers
Photo looking down on the Paul Masson Winery in Saratoga, California from Apollo Heights Road
Looking down on Paul Masson Winery (and concerts)
from Apollo Heights, Saratoga.
Santa Clara Historic Train Station AMTRAK Voyage
Santa Clara Train Station
Looking over the salt flats at Moffett Field in the distance - San Francisco Bay
Moffett Field and Salt Flats
Satellite Photo showing South San Francisco Bay and Train Tracks
Satellite Photo of South Bay showing the train tracks.
You cannot drive a car on this route.
The train trip gives you a totally different view of the Bay Area.
Salt Flats on San Francisco Bay only visible from the Amtrak Train
Salt Factory near San Jose, CA
Cranes and Train tracks in Oakland -  only visible from the Amtrak Train
Cranes at the Port of Oakland
Apartment Buildings in Oakland -  only visible from the Amtrak Train
Apartment Buildings in Oakland
UC Berkeley Train Station -  only visible from the Amtrak Train or BART
UC Berkeley Train Station
UC Berkeley Train Station -  only visible from the Amtrak Train or BART
UC Berkeley in the distance

Amoeba Music Record Store on Telegraph Ave

Sore Window of Amoeba Music

BART Train -  visible from the Amtrak Train ride from San Jose to Martinez
Bay Area Rapid Transit
McMansions in North Berkeley -  visible from the Amtrak Train ride from San Jose to Martinez
McMansions in North Berkeley
My Bus that Takes me Back to Eureka, California  at the Amtrak Train Station in Martinez
My Bus to Eureka
I do remember that on my way Home to Eureka, I was sitting up close to the Driver of the Bus and... I asked if he could drop me off at the Exit near my House... Since I had no Luggage in the Underneath Compartment and since we had become friends chatting with the other passengers... he said Yes! and POOF! I Walked Home... That's the Unexpected High Quality Service that you just don't get in the City... Since Eureka is a Small Town, We Get Small Town Hospitality!

Another Fabulous Train Ride by Amtrak was to Seattle, Washington... then Transfer to the Monorail so I could Visit the Space Needle Park... My ultimate goal of that trip was the EXPERIENCE MUSIC PAVILION. 
Dedicated to Jimi Hendrix and Curt Cobain. 

I ate TWO Marijuana Cookies, Drank a Cup of Very Strong Coffee and Just FLEW to that Museum. Out front there was a Musical Instrument Toy designed to be played by random Visitors. It was a Chromatic series of Tubular Bells that were whacked by a pool ball strung on a taught wire. Most of the other players were elementary school children so the sound was RATHER CHAOTIC but It was the High Point of that Trip. The inside of the Museum was not that great... although they had a sculpture that looked like a tornado made out of musical instruments... Guitars, Drums, Trumpets... 

However, on such a High Dose of Marijuana, I was more interested in Observing the Beautiful Women Tourists than any of the Exhibits. 

Later that Day I ended up in the Downtown Business District at Quitting time on a Friday Afternoon in the Springtime. There was a Band Playing GRUNGE Music in the Park and the Office Workers were Exploding out of their Cubicles and Making Plans to go Swimming, Boating and Camping... The sheer JOY of Freedom was Powerful... Secretaries and Men in Suits RIPPING OFF THE NECKTIE... and Cheering! 

anyway... GO TO SEATTLE! The Monorail Ride is EPIC.
I did not go up in the Space Needle because there was a LONG LINE and I was Having fun on the Ground... Listening to a Live Peruvian Flute Band with Guitars playing INCA Songs.
and eating a Astonishing Kraut Dog with Mustard...

If you can't go in person to Seattle, there is a Great Elvis Presley Movie called "It Happened at the World's Fair" that allows you to see all the sights and sounds 
AS THEY WERE IN 1963. And He Sings...
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1ojY5XLxnE

and YET another train ride... this time I also used the Light Rail in Santa Clara County... Riding the Train after Grateful Dead Concert in Santa Clara 6-28-2015 - Jerry Garcia's Ghost Visited us...


You may use the links below to visit pages about similar subjects.

KEEP ABORTION LEGAL- We need a Million People in the Streets of Washington DC. DAYS OF RAGE

If you can't go to DC, walk in to any government office anywhere and let your voice be heard. Or Just Take to the Streets Anywhere that is Highly Visible... Freeway Footbridges with a BIG SIGN, In Front of City Hall... OCCUPY!

KEEP ABORTION LEGAL - Nationwide Protest March on Tuesday - Join Us. 
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/stop-the-bans-abortion-protests_n_5cdf8acce4b09e05780422da?guccounter=1

https://thehill.com/homenews/news/444368-aclu-womens-march-and-other-womens-groups-to-hold-nationwide-protests-over


https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/05/17/nationwide-protests-and-state-boycotts-planned-amid-wave-gop-attacks-abortion-rights


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American History: Seattle WTO Protest 1999 - This is What Democracy Looks Like - Documentary Movie - Protest Against the World Trade Organization WAS SUCCESSFUL... 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_Seattle_WTO_protests

American History: Chicago 1968 - "The Whole World is Watching" chanted the Yippies as "The Pigs" started a Police Riot at the Democratic Convention... President Lyndon Johnson decided to NOT RUN for reelection... and then he went back to Texas and Drank Himself to Death... 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Democratic_National_Convention_protest_activity
a secret sign that's impossible for a computer to read... a message for humans only

Great TV Show: "Pirate Television" from Seattle, Washington - an alternative to Corporate Media - Often has Activists and Authors Speaking...

http://www.edmaysproductions.net/ Broadcast on Free Speech TV - no commercials - just content. Hundreds of shows... they have been on the air for 20 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEJCPyGEPzo&feature=youtu.be
Daniel Ellsberg - Author of The Pentagon Papers.

This weeks broadcast... Bill Moyers and the Backbone Campaign.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8UVeVhiZcE&feature=youtu.be
Bill Moyer is a fourth-generation Washingtonian who lives with his wife and daughter in the woods of Vashon Island in the Salish Sea near Seattle. He co-founded the Backbone Campaign and has served as its executive director since 2004. A leader in the theory and practice of artful activism, Backbone combines lessons of the performing arts with grand strategic principles from the Art of War to invigorate nonviolent social change movements.
https://www.backbonecampaign.org/

Marijuana Tourism - my trip to Washington State, The Space Needle, The Experience Music Pavilion and then Oregon

As legalization spread across the USA I wanted to experience LEGAL weed as soon as possible. When I retired from work I did a lot of driving around sleeping in the back of my VAN... I was like a turtle with my home on my back. First I drove to Utah with my friend Mike Jensen to attend the Rainbow Gathering...

After we were done with that I took a drive to Washington State to experience the Legal Weed. On the first visit I was unable to find any... I asked some local kids and asked for directions but there were very few stores and they were often closed...

On the Second Trip I picked up a hitchhiker who had some hash oil and he gave me some as a thank you gift for picking him up in the rain... Later I decided to go home and attend the Kinetic Sculpture Race at home but... and this is a big but... I smoked some hash oil... then I got onto Highway #5 and   I accidentally put the van into gear #2 and turned on the radio... When I hit 70 miles per hour the transmission exploded and then the engine caught fire... OOPS! I pulled over to the side of the freeway and said the Serenity prayer... I walked down the freeway and over to a Lumber Mill. The security guard called me a tow truck and I was towed to a motel...

I had the van towed to an auto repair place where they said it would cost $8,000 to repair my Ford Windstar. I paid $3,000 to buy it used so I decided it was Uneconomical to repair... Eventually I gave it to the Humane Society as a donation to help animals.

I did not allow this disaster to interfere with my vacation. I rode the AMTRAK to Seattle, Bought and ate TWO Marijuana Cookies, drank some of that rocket fuel coffee and rode the Monorail to the Space Needle and the Jimi Hendrix Experience Music Pavilion. (also a Nirvana Museum) Both musicians lived near Seattle. They had a musical instrument for tourists to play... It was 20 Tubular Bells that random people could whack with pool balls hung from a wire. VERY popular with children. I loved it too.

Then I rode the Monorail to downtown Seattle Business District and arrived at Quitting Time on a Sunny Friday afternoon. The first big weekend of Spring. I was impressed with the JOY of the office workers and the BEAUTY of the Secretaries. One effect of a heavy Cannabis Dose is that it makes women appear more beautiful... I really had to piss and was in the center of the city with no public bathrooms... so I peed my pants... I didn't care.

I stayed at motels for a few weeks and walked, rode the train, rode the bus and taxi and eventually got home. Quite a tricky walkabout. I enjoyed the friendship of kids in Centrailia, Washington... Great People! Then I bought another Van for $3,000...

I wanted to not only experience LEGAL WEED but I wanted to Vote with my Money and reward Washington State politicians who voted for Legal weed. The next year Oregon legalized Marijuana, Then Nevada and California... Soon... the entire USA.


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