Bloomberg Wants Large Soda Drinks Made Illegal in NYC. What’s Next? (Draft)

May 31^st, 2012

As reported this morning on CNN News Room (at about 0915 Central Time), Mayor Bloomberg is attempting to restrict the public’s access to large soda drinks – in a stated attack on the problem of obesity.  The reported story spoke of how Bloomberg is trying to get restaurants in NYC to stop serving large soda drinks – through legislation if possible.  Additionally, Bloomberg is also attempting to have state food subsidies that are given to ‘poor’ folks not be allowed to be utilized to purchase soda drinks. 

So, it appears that the fascist-like efforts to ban smoking in NYC was, in fact, only the beginning of the fascists’ parade on free-will of the public.  Such efforts would be in keeping with the warnings given by the pro-smoking forces as smoking cigarettes was essentially made illegal in the City of New York – and likely soon to be also illegal in the State of New York. 

So, one has to wonder, after the fascist-types successfully make large soda drinks illegal, what will they go after next?  Maybe a ban on the sale of meat?  Freedom of expression and the pursuit of happiness are basic building blocks of our way of life in the United States.  The government is surely beyond its scope of power when it tells people what they can and can not legally do (when harming no one else).  When individuals are not injuring others, they are not committing any crime or infraction.  I look forward to making these claims in a Court of Law in the future.  It is odd though, that as the populace becomes more tolerant as a whole, our governments seem to be becoming more and more fascist with every passing day. 

Let’s see:  NYC supposedly has the toughest anti-gun laws, the toughest anti-smoking laws, and now/soon the toughest anti-large soda drink laws.  One can only wonder what is next on the NYC fascists’ list of things to outlaw regarding freedom of choice?    Also worth pondering, in what country is the government of NYC located or in what country does it wish to be located, might be a better question? 

AVT 

See:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants large sodas banned in New York

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120531/large-sodas-banned-new-york-mayor-michael-bloomberg

City looks to ban large, sugary drinks in obesity fight

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_york&id=8682797

The 500,000 Mile Compression Test

See:

http://theultimateroadtripamericac2c.blogspot.com/2012/05/500000-mile-compression-test.html

Dissident Chen Guangcheng Sent Back – No Assylum in U.S.! (Not Yet Anyhow)

May 4^th, 2012

The Chinese political dissenter and human rights activist/lawyer in mainland communist China, Chen Guangcheng's had escaped and was given refuge by the U.S. Embassy after traveling several hundred miles to get there.  (Note: Chinese Dissident Chen Guangcheng's Daring Escape, http://abcnews.go.com/International/chinese-dissident-chen-guangchengs-daring-escape/story?id=16241439.)  His escape was even more remarkable when noting the fact that he is blind, reportedly was guarded by a force of 100 soldiers, and in spite of the fact that he was repeatedly beaten by his guards during his captivity.  Chen had been under guarded house arrest in mainland China for almost two years after being imprisoned for seven years. 

Chen’s crimes against the State of mainland China reportedly consist of his efforts in opposition of state mandated abortions and sterilizations used to control the population growth in China (as couples are allowed to have only one child).

It was widely reported yesterday that a deal had been struck whereby Chen would be returned to the Chinese authorities, much to the chagrin of this blogger.  However, after being returned to the Chinese, Chen reportedly said to an Associated Press reporter during a telephone interview that he had been pressured into agreeing to the deal as a result of threats to his family.  The cover story of the LA Times yesterday said he was told that his wife would be beaten to death if he did not return.  (See: Pall cast over U.S.-China deal over Chinese dissident http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/02/world/la-fg-china-clinton-chen-20120503.) As to whether he is better to further his cause by staying in China or emigrating to the United States seems to be a source of debate.  The reports started to say that Chen would be allowed to study at the Chinese University of his choice.  However, of late the reports are saying that Chen will be allowed to leave China for the U.S. 

Either way:

After being returned to the Chinese authorities – who reportedly believe the U.S. to be meddling in their domestic affairs, Chen was reportedly taken to some type of ‘hospital.’  As reported on CBS and ABC evening news, when U.S. authorities attempted to visit Chen in the hospital, the U.S. authorities were denied entry and turned away.

So, in essence, we have a prominent Chinese dissident who escaped from political incarceration and sought refuge from the United States.  The United States then promptly returned him to the Chinese authorities who were his captures.  Say what?  Obviously, the U.S. didn’t want to jeopardize any relations with the Chinese, because where else can we get our stuff made so cheaply by workers willing to work for slave wages? 

The whole situation now seems to be confused.  But would we really expect it to be any other way, given dealings with a fascist government concerning an individual who potentially speaks poorly of those same fascists?   What is their incentive to set him free?  As a country that had no problem executing its children and students in Tienanmen Square and apparently continues to force abortions upon pregnant women in its citizenry, what is the death/disappearance of one more?  Is the U.S. policy merely to turn a blind eye to the fascists that comprise the Communist party in China?  Is the U.S. policy merely one of denial?  It surely appears so to this blogger!!

I would hope if a day ever materialized whereby I escaped captivity resulting from my political viewpoints and sought political asylum in another nation, that whatever nation to which I applied for refuge might have more fortitude than displayed by ours/the U.S. displayed in this situation with Chen.  Of course, the Chinese could prove to be truthful and allow Chen his freedom – and our current administration would then appear vindicated and all would be well.  But at this moment it seems more likely that Chen would have been better served to apply to another nation for asylum (say Canada or the U.K).  He could then hope that the nation from which he sought asylum might care more for freedom and human rights than cheap slave labor – as the U.S. administration has seemed to care about cheap labor more than freedom in this situation.     

Well, the majority did vote for "Change" in the presidential election of 2008…but where is it?  Is this the "Change"?  Would prior administrations have also sent Chen Guangcheng back to such an uncertain fate?  That is to say, would the other Presidents have also sent Chen back to an uncertain and possibly unjust fate which rests merely on the whim of a historically ruthless regime as the one that currently seems to exist within the People's Republic of China?

Adam Trotter

After thought, August 7th, 2013:

Well, it appears the dissident is still alive and well for now.

Taiwan

Chinese Dissident Chen Guangcheng on Freedom, Surveillance and Speaking Out

http://world.time.com/2013/06/25/chinese-dissident-chen-guangcheng-on-freedom-surveillance-and-speaking-out/

 

The Dolphin Inside the Break.

May 2^nd, 2012

With all the dolphin excitement of late in Bolsa Chica, I recall the story of the only time I ever remember being inside the break (inside of the wave’s breaking point) with a dolphin even further inside of me at the same time.  This occurred a few years ago when I spent a lot of time in the Pacific Ocean.

While body-surfing one afternoon in a sea of average to decent sized waves, I had just caught a left on about a head-high wave with inviting (but walled-up) shape.  I remember seeing my friend going down the wave to my right, so I split-out to the left. After getting some tube and as the ride was coming to an end, I was quickly approaching a wading swimmer at about ten/twenty feet in front of me.  I then did my favorite summersault flip while sort-of going over what was left of the falls at the end of the ride to land on my feet and to have the remaining energy of the wave push me up on to my feet.  At which point I was directly facing the beach in less than waist deep water.  As I regained myself, I remember seeing my friend about forty feet down-beach to my right.   The wading swimmer in thigh deep water was about ten/fifteen feet away at a ten o’clock directional vector from my location.

I then realized that another creature must have been riding that same wave toward the beach.  Because, I immediately noticed a fairly large grey mass under about knee-deep water and almost directly in front of me and nearly right next to the wading swimmer.  After my natural and initial alarm, I immediately realized it was a dolphin.  I figured it must have been a young one playing around because it was only about five feet long and I had never seen one of the larger ones come so close to shore in such shallow water.  Often I had been in the vicinity of seals and sea lions that were hangin’ on the inside, but never had I seen a dolphin even faced with the possibility of being beached as such appeared at that moment – not to mention the creature was then nearly surrounded by humans in shallow water.

That’s when the sea mammal apparently decided to have some more fun at the expense of me and the oblivious swimmer wading right next to it.  It seemed to me that the dolphin at this point realized how close it had come to being beached as a result of body surfing the wave with me and my friend – needless to say it got a longer ride than the two of us.  Because, the very next thing after I recognized its presence there was a loud smacking/popping sound as it smacked its good-sized tail against the surface of the water and did so right in the face of the unaware swimmer wading immediately next to it.  One could say the wading swimmer appeared somewhat startled by the unexpected noise of the tail impacting the water. 

Now here’s where I come in.  From a dead stop at about ten+ feet away and in a depth of about two feet of water, the dolphin turned and was beginning to head back to sea.  However, much to my dismay, at that moment I was immediately outside the critter and I was blocking its straight shot back to the break.  Within fractions of a second it was now heading directly at me as it began to pick up speed in its race to return to the outside.  From a dead stop of about ten+ feet away to where it was merely about two feet in front of me, it was moving so fast that I barely had time to become alarmed.  Again, it was moving so fast that I instantly realized I was about to get hammered by the creature and t‘weren’t nothing I was 'gonna be able to do ‘bout it 'neither!  I was starting to hope that it didn’t dislocate my knee or hip or anything else upon impact.  As I began to brace for the impending and imminent collision and when it appeared as though it was within a foot of slamming me, the dolphin maneuvered around me better than a hot knife through butter and went on its way without even slowing down.  I saw it looking at me and it seemed like it was sort-of smiling and I'll always remember making eye contact with the critter as it went by on its way back out to sea. 

It was all pretty funny.  The wading swimmer, trying to regain his obviously shattered-cool, says, ‘hmmm, frisky one!’  He got out of the water within moments afterwards.  Here, I almost got slammed by the creature and this other guy was still trying to regain his composure from being splashed by the dolphin’s tail.  I was chuckling to myself as I swam back to the outside to wait for another ride on another wave.   :)

Adam T.



Follow-on note (June 2020) :  A few years ago, I rewrote this blog entry for an admissions essay.  I somewhat cleaned it up grammatically, and added some more emphasis here and there.  I suppose the school liked it because I was admitted as a student.  However, as I rarely change my blog entries after the fact, it is unlikely I will post the rewritten version.  If nothing else, I suppose, maybe I'm loyal to a cause.  The subject for the admissions essay:  Describe an activity in your life you wish you could be doing again now.  My answer was that I would prefer to be body-surfing with my friend again.  Subsequent to this story, he died of cancer.  But on a happier note, I'm sure he would agree that body surfing the walled-up waves of Redondo Beach are among some of the best times in a life for which one could hope.

A Note / Disclaimer on Mainland China

May 1st, 2012

Lest we not forget:  Just as assuredly as the French and the U.K. would likely be speaking German today, if it were not for the U.S.A. and its “Greatest Generation” along with some help from the U.K., the Australians, native resistance forces, and others, of course, the majority of China would certainly be speaking Japanese today as well.  This is not meant as any derogatory statement to the Chinese people.  It’s just a pure statement of facts, albeit in retrospect.

For sure…, I took lasting memories from the large exhibit displaying the “Rape of Nanking” replete with graphic photographs, all of which was conveniently placed at the top of the wharf apparently for the ease of our viewing.  This, when I rode-along with the Admiral’s boat and it docked in Hong Kong for a shopping excursion and to show the flag – with the sojourn occurring after the departure of the Brits around Y2K.  The “Rape of Nanking” goes to my point in the paragraph above herein.    (See: Nanking Massacre,  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanking_Massacre.)  This photo was mild compared to most that were on display for us.

For also sure…:  I additionally remember Tiananmen Square in the late 1980s – and it’s not likely that I will ever forget that either.  This was their children in that Square.  Many of those children were merely students demonstrating for freedom, from what we in the West were told anyhow.  Upon subsequent conviction and lethal execution for many of those in the Square, insult was added to injury and the executed student’s family was forced to pay for the bullet used in the execution; or so we were also told.  (See: Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_Square_protests_of_1989. )

Adam Trotter

P.S.  For whatever such might be worth, depending on the totality of the circumstances of any given situation of course, I will nearly always consider forgiveness for the wrongdoings of others, but I never forget any malicious or reckless intent which may have accompanied the wrongful act in question.

May Day: The High-Holy Day for Communists Everywhere.

May 1^st, 2012

On this May Day, the high-holy day for communists everywhere, it is worth a moment to catalogue an apparent and recent communist success story.  For the communists and would be communists among us domestically (see: LAUSD: How Many Likely Communist/Socialist Revolutionaries Are Teaching Kids In Your Schools At Tax-Payer Expense? ), and of course relevant to the communist and would-be communists residing on our southern border and their difficulties (see: No, No, Mi Amigo! No, Presidente Calderone…, You Should Be Thanking Arizona, Not Pointing Accusatory Fingers of Blame!!! ), it seems to be worth one’s time to take note of this recent communist success story. 

It has been widely reported yesterday evening that a Chinese political dissenter and human rights activist/lawyer in mainland communist China, Chen Guangcheng's  – a dissenter who had been under guarded house arrest in mainland china for almost two years -  has escaped.  It is said that the dissenter currently is being given refuge by a U.S. Embassy concern in mainland China.  (Note: Chinese Dissident Chen Guangcheng's Daring Escape, http://abcnews.go.com/International/chinese-dissident-chen-guangchengs-daring-escape/story?id=16241439.)  His escape is even more remarkable when noting the fact that he is blind, was guarded by a force of 100 soldiers, and in light of the reported fact that he was repeatedly beaten by his guards during his captivity.

Of course, as average Americans we have no verification of the real truth of the matter except for what is reported and we are well aware that there surely exists no right to freedom of the press in mainland communist China.  Nevertheless, if the communist Chinese government was, in deed, gracious enough to allow the dissenter to go free or if in fact he did escape, such seems beneficial and a success for the followers of the communist dogma everywhere – as well as also being a cause for hope for the remainder of us who believe that freedom of thought and expression is far more important than the proliferation of a failed fascist dogma and its associated form of government.  Moreover, such an escape also lends itself to the benefit of the untold numbers of other Chinese dissenters that sit neglected in Chinese prisons throughout that nation.

Might I suggest to our U.S. government:  DON’T RETURN CHEN GUANGCHENG TO THE CUSTODY OF THE FACIST COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT IN MAINLAND CHINA!!  It would likely be murder if you were to return him to the fascist communists!

Let’s see…: 

Typically widespread incarceration for those who oppose the failed communistic, repressive, and facist dogma that rules a modern nation?  Boy there’s a reason to get out and celebrate on this May Day.  (Not!)  And such stories of oppression seem typical with every example of communistic governments in recent world history.  In reality, I see no cause for celebration nor any cause for proliferation of a system of government which appears only worthy for the nearest trash bin.  It is rather humorous, though, how our domestic communists have apparently attempted to intertwine themselves with the ‘Occupy Wall Street movement’ and now represent themselves as part of the “99%.”

Given all the recent cheery developments regarding the history of communist governments around the world, the only circumstances under which the high-holy communist day could have greater reason for celebration is if Chairman Mao, himself, was still alive to come and join in our American May Day festivals across the nation; maybe as sort of a Grand Marshall of the proceedings, huh?  A final point - if necessary, to the modern domestic communists and would-be communists who don’t know (or are too young to know) who Chairman Mao was:  it's time for you to start a worthwhile learning process, and the sooner the better.  Then again, maybe you could just return south of the border and shout for a communist state there?

AVT

BOYCOTT PRODUCTS FROM COMMUNIST CHINA!!!

Mainland/Communist China Should Become Part of Taiwan! Taiwan Should Not Become Part of Mainland China!

Jessamine.

A Just Government Fears Not…