Charlie's Books

Charlie's Books
Buon Giorno, Amici!

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Leave the (political) party. Take the cannoli.

"It always seems impossible until it's done." Nelson Mandela

Right now 6 Stella crime novels are available on Kindle for just $.99 ... Eddie's World has been reprinted and is also available from Stark House Press (Gat Books).

Friday, December 18, 2015

The Putin Factor … Book Review: John Crow’s Devil … Stamkos to Toronto? ... BERNIE OR BUST!

Amici:
The Putin Factor … bet yous thought this was about Donald Trump, huh? Well, it may well be in the end, but it’s not for this post. This is about how the corruption of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and her rule of the Democratic National Committee (hereinafter referred to as the “DNC”) have gone the one extra inch it took to sway all those voters in Casa Stella to swing from extreme left to whatever knucklehead the GOP manages to nominate. The DNC can consider it a protest vote against their corrupt management of what is supposed to be a democratic process. Bad enough that in 2015, when we’re supposed to be the model for democracy around the world, we still have closed primaries, effectively shutting out at least half the voting public, but now that WE THE PEOPLE (Democrat and Republican alike) allow a former co-chair of one candidate to rule the roost over the entire process, going so far as to eliminate 19 debates (as compared to the last Democratic primary, when Obama vs. Hillary saw 25 debates), cutting it down to just 6 (with 3 of the 6 being held on Saturday nights during football/playoff season) [with a threat to eliminate candidates from the DNC debates should they decide to debate on their own], now the DNC Head Gestapo in charge of blatant corruption is threatening to bounce Bernie’s campaign from access to … well, here’s how one online news source (usuncut.com) that isn’t tied directly to the DNC put it: “The DNC hires a group to manage their database and firewall between the campaigns. They screw up and some low level Sanders staffer sees and reports it. Nothing is saved or printed out and now the DNC is withholding crucial access to voter data until the Sanders campaign can prove it doesn’t have the data from the Clinton campaign and won’t release access to voter data unless somehow the Sanders campaign can prove a negative – that they have destroyed data they don’t have. Which is impossible.”
 
 
So, for those democrats still shitting their pants over the possibility of a Republican winning the Presidency, here’s what’s going to happen at Casa Stella (plus some other family members). I was going to vote for Jill Stein when the DNC finished sabotaging Bernie’s campaign, but now that they’ve clearly showed themselves for the corrupt pool of political skanks they are, the DNC can count on at least 4 votes going directly against the DNC coronation queen over to the GOP candidate (no matter which lunatic they nominate).
 
So, for the loyal democrats who thought they were being so clever by asking me if I could live with a President Trump, Cruz, Fiorina, et al … here’s your answer: GO GOP, GO!
 
The left could’ve learned a valuable lesson from the tea party by forming its own coalition (no matter how much scared shitless Bill Maher advised against it). Look at how further to the right the GOP has been moved by the teabaggers (and thus dragged the Democrats along with them). Hillary is a progressive and I’m a skinny motherfucker.
 
But loyal Democrats tend to shit their pantaloons when it comes to their never-ending whining about “the lesser of two evils” … they accept the disgrace Hillary Clinton has been her entire political career. No matter she’s a hawk. No matter she’s a corporate sellout. No matter she’s been involved in one scandal after another. She’s the lesser of two evils.
 
Here’s my advice to loyal Dems. Grow a fucking pair already. You’re not being afraid of ISIS is a good thing, but then you ruin it by being afraid of a potential GOP president and therefore won’t send a collective message to the DNC that would alert them to the fact that they don’t get to ignore you anymore. Now they’ve gone one further. At the first “hint” of a possible political revolution within their loyal ranks (Bernie Sanders), they turn into a politburo.
 
Fine, as soon as Hillary secures her corrupt crown, I’ll be doing my best to register as many independents as I can and/or sway as many liberals as I can to protest what Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and the DNC have done to democracy. I’ll do my best to get them to vote for whichever lunatic is running against the DNC’s Queen of corruption.
 
Now, hopefully the backlash from this absolutely disgraceful DNC maneuver will be so strong, more Democrats will protest come the primaries and vote for Bernie Sanders instead of the corporate shill/war hawk (and mother of all no-shamers), Hillary Clinton.
 
 
John Crow’s Devil, by Marlon James.

Although this novel takes place during the 1950’s on the island of Jamaica, it seems more fitting today than may be comfortable. It’s a good vs. evil tale of two preachers, but even the good one has issues (he’s a drunk). Hector Bligh is the Rum Preacher who was kind of put into his position in a plantation environment’s by the plantation owner. When a fire and brimstone preacher, Apostle York, arrives in town one day, everything changes. The fire and brimstone version of a preacher has more severe issues than Bligh, although they’re revealed over time.
 
After York beats Bligh to a pulp and sends him on his way, the Apostle wants to know “Who’s ready to be violent for the Lord?”
 
While Bligh soaks his head and heals his wounds in the home (and later arms) of a widow, York takes control of the town’s parishioners. A gang of five becomes York’s muscle. One of the five becomes something else for York. The common thread between both preachers seems to be guilt over sexual inclinations, a fitting touch considering men of the cloth are supposed to be above the common fray. There’s always a form of witchcraft (or maybe it is witchcraft and/or delusion) alongside the appearance of birds, but ultimately it is an adherence to religious beliefs and the manipulation of those beliefs which relate to the insanity of today’s world; the self-righteous manipulation of people to stand on one side or the other.
 
 
Stamkos to Toronto? … He’s an NHL superstar who most often plays 110 MPH, but is known (at least to my eyes) to do some pretty stupid shit at times (i.e., trying to split defenders, sometimes as many as three, while on a rush), toss a puck out in front of the net while in the defensive zone … hog pucks for shots when there are better options.
 
Look, there’s no denying his speed and aggressiveness. I stipulate he’s world class, and his slap shot is as good as any in the game, including Ovechkin’s. The problem with Steven Stamkos, as I’m seeing it, is not that he wants more money. Hell, the owners aren’t putting their health at risk. In most cases, an NHL player’s shelf life is very short, and even for those who go on to have longer careers, they’ll be fortunate to walk without limps (never mind talk with their original teeth). The bottom line is that all the hype and praise thrown Stamkos’ way seems to have affected his attitude within the organization. I don’t blame the man if he has a problem with the front office and/or the coach, so if he wants out, good luck to him. The recent tweets and all the other negotiating gamesmanship, whether his agent suggested it or not, none of it helps the team. I’d like to believe Stamkos is still a team player.
 
But what if he leaves? I think Kucherov will fill his shoes just fine, and we can always use another solid defenseman (should we manage a deal). We’re still young and talented enough to be a force in the league, maybe enough to catch a break and find our way back to the tournament … and if not this season, then the next for sure. I’ll take a topline defenseman and a first round draft pick and thank Mr. Stamkos for all his efforts thus far. I’ll even wish him luck, but if he’s going to play tweeter-war with the front office, I’d rather he just upped and left, but not for the front office’s sake (I’ll RARELY take their side) … it’s all about your teammates, Steven. Always.
 
 
Bernie or Bust! … Amici: I’m starting a new political movement: F the DNC!
 
Please feel free to join the party. Simply put, this is our mantra: Bernie or Bust!
 
Bernie supporters have had to put up with nothing but corruption from the DNC. The time has come to push back and PUSH BACK HARD.
 
We all know who the co-chair for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s run against Barack Obama was in 2008 – Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. So how fair can it be that Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is now running the DNC? Does anyone not see the obvious conflict of interest?
 
Well, it’s too late to do anything about Schultz now, but let’s take a look-see back to 2008, when there were 25 debates amongst the Democratic candidates. That was a good thing, a very good thing. Voters had the chance to see and hear their candidates 25 times. But now that Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is running interference for her BFF, there are only 6 debates, 3 of which were scheduled for Saturday nights during college and professional football seasons (the last of those 3 during the NFL playoffs). And this week’s debate occurs on the same opening weekend as Star Wars.
 
Coincidence or a kick in Bernie’s ass?
 
Everyone knows how the corporate controlled media has completely ignored Bernie’s campaign regarding coverage, right? And isn’t it curious (at least) how Bernie refuses corporate coin and Hillary can’t live without it? Maybe there’s another conflict of interest? Just maybe?
 
So here’s the deal. We’re sending a message to the DNC: It’s BERNIE OR BUST! 
 
Once again, simply put, if the DNC doesn’t take back this absurd suspension of Bernie’s right to Democratic voter id’s (something the DNC’s own vendor is responsible for), if the DNC gets their wish and THEIR nominee wins the primary and is the Democrat nominee for President, Bernie supporters will do one of the following come election night 2016:
 
1) Write-in Bernie’s name with their vote.
 
2) Go see a Star Wars movie 
 
3) Watch a replay of the playoff games scheduled for the 5th debate.
 
4) Vote for Jill Stein
 
5) Vote for whichever lunatic the GOP nominates
 
The thing not to do is fall in line with gutless Democratic voters to reward the DNC’s corruption. Hillary Clinton is not worthy of voters selling out for the lesser of two evils. She is and always has been a corporate shill, a liar, and a hawk. Bernie Sanders is the ONLY full-out honest candidate in MY lifetime. He’s also the ONLY candidate to ever represent the poor and middle classes with total and absolute integrity.
 
Amici: Join the movement. BERNIE OR BUST! And F the DNC!
 
—Knucks