Time for another 80's replay!
This time, it's the original MTV nerd-core pioneer himself, Thomas Dolby!
Here's his minor hit "Europa and the Pirate Twins".
Enjoy it in all it's synthesized glory!
BONUS TRACK!!!!!
I just came across this amazing performance of NRBQ from 1992 on the Dennis Miller show (from before he lost his senses and became a cheerleader for the extreme right) playing "Over My Head". Check out Al Anderson's incredible guitar playing in this frenetic song!
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Thursday, December 24, 2015
¿Dónde Está Santa Claus?
Merry Christmas!
And here's a little New York scenery, from last weekend's visit:
And here's a little New York scenery, from last weekend's visit:
Thursday, December 03, 2015
Let's just pretend this never happens
I have said it all before
People won't listen
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Freedom fries
So.
Here's another new horror we have to process.
ISIS terrorists attacking hundreds of innocent civilians.
For absolutely no good reason.
I don't want to seem anti-religion, but for fuck's sake, John Lennon really DID get it right.
"Imagine there's no heaven. It's easy if you try.
Nothing to kill or die for. Above us only sky.
Imagine all the people, Living for today..."
There would still be problems in the world, no doubt. But I'm convinced that it would eliminate SO many of the excuses people use to hate each other.
The problem of terrorism isn't going away soon. And as the terrorists become more clever, the ways they'll hurt us will become more and more complex. And horrific.
I don't KNOW the answer to this problem.
There IS no simple answer.
We are now involved in a period of history that will be known as "Endless War Era". Because since 2001, there has been a state of non-stop war. There are teenagers in high school who have NEVER known a world where we weren't at war.
Much like the Cold War always hung over the heads of people my age (I remember "duck and cover" nuclear attack drills in school) there is now a generation of Americans growing up that have terrorism hanging over their heads on a daily basis.
Paris, we share your grief.
Well, maybe not so much among the G.W. Bush supporters in Congress who started calling french fries "freedom fries" in the Capitol cafeteria because the French government had the intelligence and foresight to NOT become involved in Bush's illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003. Oh sure, you guys really loved slamming France for that one!
I bet those very same people are publicly bloviating about the terrible attacks today. I'd like to think they've grown as people and learned to accept differing opinions, but more than likely they're just delighted that they'll likely have to chance to vote for escalating American involvement in the Middle East.
Freedom fries.
I've never been more embarrassed by the actions of our elected officials than at that moment.
Thursday, November 05, 2015
And the winners are...
The Democrats had a good night, other than the City Clerk's office, and also they tied on the Board of Education. But they have the Mayor's office and the BOA, so we expect to see more great things for our little city on the Sound.
Congrats to all the winners!
Following is the list of winners in the Tuesday election in Milford (via Jill Dion of the Milford Mirror):
Mayoral: Benjamin Blake (D)
City Clerk: Joanne M. Rohrig (R)
Board of Aldermen
Anthony Giannattasio (R) – 1st District
Ellen Beatty (D)- 1st District
Brian Bier (R)- 1st District
Jeremy Grant (R)- 2nd District
Nick Veccharelli (D)– 2nd District
Janet A. Golden (D) – 2nd District
Michael Casey (R) – 3rd District
Frank Smith (D) – 3rd District
Martin Hardiman (D) – 3rd District
Dan German (R) – 4th District
Philip J. Vetro (D) – 4th District
Susan Shaw (D)- 4th District
Raymond G. Vitali (R)– 5th District
Bryan Anderson (D)- 5th District
Bill Bevan (R) – 5th District
Board of Education:
John DeRosa (R) – 1st District
Michael DeGrego (R) – 1st District
Susan Glennon (D) – 2nd District
Jennifer Federico (D) – 2nd District
Thomas A. Jagodzinski (R) – 3rd District
Susan C. Krushinsky (R) – 3rd District
Earl Whiskeyman (D) – 4th District
Jess Gregory (D) – 4th District
Suzanne DiBiase (R) – 5th District
Claire Casey (D) – 5th District
Planning & Zoning
Thomas P. Panzella (R) – 1st District
Scott F. Marlow (R) – 2nd District
Edward D. Mead (R) – 3rd District
Richard Lutz (D) – 4 th District
John L. Grant (R) – 5th District
Constables
Linda Hardiman (D) Shirley Serrano (R) George Marshall (R) Steven T. Visconti (R) Peter Smith (D) Joan Rousseau (D) John Moffitt (D)
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Reelect Ben Blake for Milford mayor
The City of Milford is doing well under Blake's leadership, and I'd like to continue to read stories like the one below (via the Milford Patch):
For the fourth consecutive year, the City of Milford has ended the fiscal year with a multi-million dollar surplus.
While official numbers will not be available until the end of the calendar year, the unaudited budgetary surplus for the 2014-15 fiscal year is expected to be $4.3 million, according to Finance Director Peter Erodici.
“Our enviable total fund balance now stands at $24 million following four consecutive budget surpluses,” continued Erodici in a prepared statement released by the Mayor’s office. “I am very pleased with the progress the City has made to reach this superior level fiscal responsibility.”
I have to say, having a surplus that large will absolutely convince me that taxes won't be going up next year or likely the one after. This is the sort of leadership that makes sense!
Vote for Ben Blake, and all the Milford Democrats, to ensure we keep going in such a positive direction!
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Primaries matter
Earlier this week Secretary of State Denise Merrill ruled that Bridgeport mayor Bill Finch was not eligible for a ballot spot with the "Job Creation Party" because they didn't meet the September 2nd deadline to submit a letter of endorsement for their candidate.
In other words, in order for Finch to appear on the November ballot, the party would have had to endorse him in writing before the September 16th mayoral primary.
This is a requirement that was likely put in effect some time after the 2006 Senate race here in Connecticut, when Sen. Joe Lieberman was allowed to register as an independent candidate AFTER losing the primary election. Drawing nearly 70% of the Republican vote due to the Connecticut Republican Party refusing to campaign for their endorsed candidate Alan Schlesinger (and thusly reaching an apogee of hypocrisy not matched since) Lieberman rode to a decisive win in the general election over Democratic upstart candidate Ned Lamont. Schlesinger only received about 10% of the popular vote, which is completely unheard of in Connecticut history. Even that piece of shit Philip Giordano got about a third of the vote in the 2000 senate race. So for the Republicans to turn their back on their own candidate in 2006 was totally unprecedented.
And then Lieberman went on to inflict as much damage to the Democratic party as possible when he spent all of 2008 vigorously campaigning for John McCain and criticizing Barack Obama.
Primaries should matter!
And now, they do.
I think it's reprehensible that a felon convicted of corruption won the mayoral primary. But the voters in Bridgeport made their choice. And losing fair and square is a thing. Finch lost fair and square. He should step back, admit defeat, and work on winning his next contest.
Because in Bridgeport, old mayors never fade away...they always seem to come back.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
GOPers exercising their right to be idiots
In yet another round of colossal stupidity, Senate Republicans have again tried to block President Obama's Iran nuclear deal.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican majority leader, had called for a second vote despite protests from Democrats that it was a waste of time!
The Dems have a solid block of 42 senators, which is enough to prevent a vote on the deal. Yes, Senate Democrats have learned the lessons of our stonewalling Republican brothers very well! But rather than simply accepting defeat on this matter and moving on to, you know, legislating important shit, McConnell is stubbornly and mindlessly flogging a horse that's not only dead, but also attracting flies and vultures!
Still, with next year's election already looming large in the puny little minds of fearful Republicans, they continue to grandstand and waste valuable time on an issue that's already been settled.
Hey guys, how about you set up another vote on Obamacare?
Morons.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican majority leader, had called for a second vote despite protests from Democrats that it was a waste of time!
The Dems have a solid block of 42 senators, which is enough to prevent a vote on the deal. Yes, Senate Democrats have learned the lessons of our stonewalling Republican brothers very well! But rather than simply accepting defeat on this matter and moving on to, you know, legislating important shit, McConnell is stubbornly and mindlessly flogging a horse that's not only dead, but also attracting flies and vultures!
Still, with next year's election already looming large in the puny little minds of fearful Republicans, they continue to grandstand and waste valuable time on an issue that's already been settled.
Hey guys, how about you set up another vote on Obamacare?
Morons.
Tuesday, September 08, 2015
Blumenthal to announce decision on Iran deal today
10:30 AM; in 30 minutes Sen. Richard Blumenthal will announce his support or opposition to the Iran nuclear deal.
Who cares?
The Democrats already have the votes to prevent a challenge. His vote essentially means nothing.
I hope he sides against it.
At least that way, he won't look like a bandwagon jumper, who safely decided to vote AFTER the deal was settled.
UPDATE to follow.
11:10 AM; he decided to support it. When I clicked on his link to the press release to explain his reasoning, it came up to a blank page. His website has a sense of irony.
The thing is, he could have supported it weeks ago when it would have done some good. By waiting until there were enough Senate votes to prevent an override, his support means almost nothing. If they get a few more votes, they can prevent the need for a veto, but regardless, a vote of support earlier would have carried much more weight. Slightly disappointing.
Who cares?
The Democrats already have the votes to prevent a challenge. His vote essentially means nothing.
I hope he sides against it.
At least that way, he won't look like a bandwagon jumper, who safely decided to vote AFTER the deal was settled.
UPDATE to follow.
11:10 AM; he decided to support it. When I clicked on his link to the press release to explain his reasoning, it came up to a blank page. His website has a sense of irony.
The thing is, he could have supported it weeks ago when it would have done some good. By waiting until there were enough Senate votes to prevent an override, his support means almost nothing. If they get a few more votes, they can prevent the need for a veto, but regardless, a vote of support earlier would have carried much more weight. Slightly disappointing.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Ned Lamont urges Blumenthal to support Iran deal
Former Senate candidate Ned Lamont has called for Sen. Richard Blumenthal to vote in favor of the multi-national, nuclear non-proliferation agreement that’s been struck with the government of Iran. All the other members of Connecticut's Washington delegation have voiced support of the deal.
Lamont posted advertisements online urging Sen. Blumenthal, the one holdout, to pledge his support of the agreement. This is obviously a difficult issue for the senator, and according to a story in CT News Junkie, "...the state’s senior senator wouldn’t say whether his Jewish heritage would play a part in his own decision to support or oppose the deal."
Not surprisingly, neo-con chickenhawk Joe Lieberman is actively campaigning against the deal. Lieberman has proven himself to be one of the biggest obstacles to a lasting peace in the region, and it doesn't take a political genius to figure out where AIPAC-Joe gets his bread buttered!
Lieberman is taking over as the head of an advocacy group, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), trying to kill the nuclear deal with Iran after a former executive decided to embrace the agreement. Former group president Gary Samore — the White House’s former top arms control adviser — is being replaced since he does not want to have the agreement blocked. It says something when the head of an organization devoted to killing the deal changes his mind after reading and reflecting on the agreement. It cost him the job, but obviously it was that important to him.
Congress is expected to vote on the resolution by September 17th.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
2016 Primary Calendar
Here we go again!
This list of primaries is reposted in its entirety from Frontloading HQ, please go there for current updates because they're doing the actual work! Although, the graphical image below can definitely use a little jazzing up...
Also, I'm still STRONGLY in favor of establishing regional primaries, to allow the candidates to visit states in a small area and getting more voters to actually SEE and HEAR the candidates. Divide the nation into four quarters, and have primaries run in February through May over four weeks in each month. Rotate the months so if the Northeast gets February, the next year they go on in May, and each year rotate closer to the top. Within each region the states can work out what weeks they get, and set up a rotation within their region.
It's totally fair to everyone, which means it will be opposed by pretty much every state!
2016 Presidential Primary Calendar
January
Monday, January 18:
Iowa caucuses1 (***tentative placement given current incomplete information***)
[NOTE: Both the Democratic and Republican parties in Iowa are currently planning on February 1 caucuses at this time, but are likely to move if other states keep, settle on or move into February positions on the calendar (see Colorado).]
Tuesday, January 26:
New Hampshire (***tentative placement given current incomplete information***)
February
Tuesday, February 2:
Colorado caucuses2
(2015 Legislation: March primary -- Died in Committee)
Saturday, February 20:
Nevada Democratic caucuses (***tentative placement given current incomplete information***)
[NOTE: Nevada Democrats are planning on February 20 caucuses. Republicans in the Silver state will make firmer their plans for 2016 during an August 29 state central committee meeting. (see also Colorado).]
South Carolina Republican primary (***tentative placement given current incomplete information***)
[NOTE: The South Carolina Republican primary is subject to change depending on the resolution of the North Carolina presidential primary scheduling.]
Tuesday, February 23:
North Carolina3 (***tentative placement given current incomplete information***)
(2015 Legislation: March 8 primary; March 15 primary)
Saturday, February 27:
South Carolina Democratic primary (***tentative placement given current incomplete information***)
[NOTE: South Carolina Democrats are planning to hold a February 27 presidential primary. It is unclear whether the North Carolina primary situation will impact this scheduling.]
March
Tuesday, March 1:
Alabama
(2015 Legislation: March 1 primary -- Became Law -- became law 5/28/15 without
gubernatorial signature)
[+7]
Arkansas
(2015 Legislation: separate March presidential primary; consolidated March primary -- both
Died at end of session)
(2015 Special Session Legislation: earlier May primary -- Died in Committee; March 1 primary:
House -- House version Died in Senate Committee]/Senate -- [Senate version Signed into Law
-- signed 5/29/15])
[+84]
Colorado Democratic caucuses2
(2015 Legislation: March primary -- Died in Committee)
(tentatively set on May 4, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Massachusetts
(2013 Legislation: consolidated June primary -- Died at end of session)
(2015 Legislation: consolidated June primary)
Minnesota caucuses
(Caucuses date set on 2/14/15)
(2015 Legislation: last Tuesday in March primary: House/Senate)
[-28]4
Oklahoma
(2015 Legislation: move primary to fourth Tuesday in March)
Tennessee
Texas
(2013 Legislation: Saturday primary, February primary -- all Died in Committee)
(2015 Legislation: January primary -- Died in Committee)
Vermont
(2015 Legislation: Primary same date as New Hampshire primary: Senate/House -- Dead for 2015
but carries over to 2016 session)
Virginia
Saturday, March 5:
Louisiana
(2014 legislation: earlier March primary -- Signed into Law -- signed 6/19/14)
[+14]
Kentucky Republican caucuses
(2015 action: date set on August 22, 2015 following central committee vote)
[+73]
Kansas Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on May 2, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Kansas Republican caucuses
(tentatively set on January 31, 2015 at state convention)
Nebraska Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 31, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Sunday, March 6:
Maine Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 31, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Tuesday, March 8:
Hawaii Republican caucuses
Idaho (Republicans only)
(2015 Legislation: second Tuesday in March primary (I) -- Died at end of session, second
Tuesday in March primary (II) -- Signed into Law -- signed 4/9/15, 2016 presidential
primary funding -- Signed into Law -- signed 4/10/15)
[-7]
Michigan
(2014 Legislation: March primary -- Died at end of session)
(2015 Legislation: March primary -- Signed into Law -- signed 2/20/15)
[-14]
Mississippi
(2015 Legislation: March 1 primary: House/Senate -- Senate bill died in Conference)
Sunday, March 13:
Puerto Rico (Republicans)
Tuesday, March 15:
Florida
(2013 Legislation: March primary -- Died in Committee; Primary on first unpenalized date --
Signed into Law -- 5/21/13)
(2015 Legislation: March 15 primary -- House/Senate -- House version signed into Law -- signed
3/19/15)
[-49]5
Illinois
(2013 Legislation: June primary -- Died in Committee)
(2015 Legislation: June primary, July primary)
Missouri
(2013 Legislation: March primary: House/Senate, April primary -- all Died in Committee)
(2014 Legislation: March primary: House/Senate -- Senate committee substitute Signed into
Law -- signed 6/4/14)
[-42]
Ohio
(2015 Legislation: March 15 primary -- Signed into Law -- signed 6/10/15)
[-7]
Tuesday, March 22:
Idaho Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 30, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Arizona
(2013 Legislation: Fix primary date to date of Iowa caucuses -- Died at end of session)
(2014 Legislation: move the primary to the Tuesday after March 15 -- Signed into Law --
signed 4/16/14)
(2015 Legislation: Fix primary date to date of Iowa caucuses -- Died at end of session)
[-28]
Utah Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on April 30, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Utah Republican caucuses (online voting begins March 15)
(set at State Central Committee meeting -- 5/30/15)
(2015 Changes: Utah Republican Party votes to switch to caucuses. -- 3/7/15)
Saturday, March 26:
Alaska Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 17, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Hawaii Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on April 3, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Washington Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 16, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
April
Tuesday, April 5:
Wisconsin6
(2015 Legislation: February primary)
Saturday, April 9:
Wyoming Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 23, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Tuesday, April 19:
New York
(2015 Legislation: April 19 primary, April 26 primary -- April 19 bill signed into Law -- signed
7/23/15)
[-77]7
Tuesday, April 26:
Connecticut
(2015 Legislation: Thursday Republican primary, March primary -- both Died at end of
session)
Delaware
Maryland
(2015 Legislation: later April primary -- Senate version signed into Law -- signed
5/12/15)
[-21]
Pennsylvania
(2015 Legislation: third Tuesday in March primary)
Rhode Island
(2015 Legislation: fourth Tuesday in March primary -- Died in committee at end of
session)
May
Tuesday, May 3:
Indiana
Tuesday, May 10:
Nebraska
West Virginia
Tuesday, May 17:
Kentucky (Democrats only)
Oregon
(2015 Legislation: separate presidential, other primaries)
Tuesday, May 24:
Washington8
(2015 Legislation: March primary: House/Senate; cancel 2016 primary -- all Died at end of
session); primary funding bill: signed into Law -- signed June 30, 2015)
June
Tuesday, June 7:
California
Montana
(2013 Legislation: May primary -- Died in Committee)
(2015 Legislation: August primary -- appears Dead in Committee)
New Jersey
New Mexico
(2015 Legislation: March primary -- Died in Committee)
North Dakota Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 27, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
South Dakota
Tuesday, June 14:
Washington, DC
(2013 Legislation: June primary) -- Signed into Law -- cleared congressional review 5/2/15)
[-70]
Tuesday, June 28:
Utah9
(2013 Legislation: Primary funding -- Signed into Law)
(2014 Legislation: Primary before Iowa/New Hampshire -- Died in state Senate)
(2015 Legislation: March primary -- Died at end of session)
--
Primary states with no specified date:
Georgia
Kansas10
(2015 Legislation: cancel 2016 presidential primary: House/Senate, omnibus elections package --
Signed into Law -- signed 6/8/15)
[Primary cancelled]
Maine
(2013 Legislation: establish primary -- Died in Committee)
Nevada
(2013 Legislation: January primary -- Died in Committee)
(2015 Legislation: January February primary: Assembly/Senate -- both
Died at end of session)
New Hampshire
North Carolina3
(2013 Legislation: Move primary to Tuesday after South Carolina primary if South Carolina
is before March 15 -- Signed into Law -- signed 8/12/13)
(2015 Legislation: March primary)
South Carolina
(2012 Legislation: codify first in the South status -- Died in Committee)
(2014 Legislation: Primary funding -- Signed into Law -- signed 6/6/14)
--
Caucuses states with no specified date (NOTE: Dates may be different across parties within one state):
Alaska Republican caucuses
Maine Republican caucuses
North Dakota Republican caucuses
Washington Republican caucuses
Wyoming Republican caucuses
--
1 This date does conflict with the Martin Luther King Day holiday in 2016. As John Deeth points out in the comments section that is an issue that was a source of some discontent among Iowa Democrats when the caucuses and holiday overlapped in 2004. If that is an issue again in 2016, it may affect the date of the caucuses above. Moving it up further would perhaps push the envelope a bit too much, but the state parties may opt to hold the caucuses on a Tuesday -- a week before New Hampshire on January 19 -- as they did in 2012.
2 The state parties in Colorado have the option of choosing either the first Tuesday in March date called for in the statute or moving up to the first Tuesday in February.
3 The North Carolina primary is now scheduled for the Tuesday following the South Carolina primary if the South Carolina contest is prior to March 15. Given the protected status South Carolina enjoys with the national parties, a primary prior to March 15 is a certainty for both parties in the Palmetto state. The link to the North Carolina statute does not yet reflect the change made to the presidential primary law. Language laying out the parameters for the primary can be found in the bill (HB 589) signed into law in summer 2013.
4 The Minnesota state parties must agree on a date on which to hold caucuses by March 1 in the year prior to a presidential election. If no agreement is reached, the caucuses are set for the first Tuesday in February. So, while Minnesota technically had no date until February 14, 2015, and thus no real movement on the calendar, FHQ will include the fact that the Minnesota caucuses date moved back 28 days relative to their position in 2012.
5 The 2011 law granted the primary date setting authority in Florida to a committee for the 2012 cycle. That basically allowed Florida to reset to no date after the presidential primary until the Presidential Preference Primary Date Selection Committee met to set the date for the next subsequent cycle. That law was amended in 2013, eliminating the PPPDSC and setting the date of the Florida presidential primary for the earliest date not penalized by the delegate selection rules of the national parties. That law, too, kept the date of the 2016 primary in doubt. The Republican National Committee has rules penalizing both the timing of a primary and the delegate allocation based on the results of said primary. That, in turn, essentially ceded the decision on the date of the presidential primary to the Republican Party of Florida. If the state party opted for a winner-take-all delegate allocation, then the primary would be on March 15. However, opting into a proportional allocation plan would place the primary on March 1. The Republican Party of Florida had signaled, but not officially set/changed the allocation rules for 2016. As such (because of the PPPDSC reset and the 2013 law not being fully realized before it too was changed), Florida did not technically move any on the calendar (see Minnesota situation above). Yet, based on Florida's position on the last Tuesday in January in 2012, the 2016 primary will be seven weeks later.
6 See definition of "Spring election" for clause dealing with the timing of the presidential primary.
7 The New York primary was moved to April for the 2012 cycle by legislation passed in 2011. That legislation expired at the end of 2012 which brought the New York primary back to February.
8 The Washington presidential primary is scheduled for the fourth Tuesday in May by law. Current legislation would shift that date into March. However, neither state party in Washington has ever committed to using the primary election for the allocation of delegates to the national conventions long term. Washington, then, appears on the map as either March or May, but given the uncertainty over whether the parties will adopt the primary or use caucuses, FHQ also includes a gray "No Date" signifier.
9 The Western States Presidential Primary in Utah is scheduled for the first Tuesday in February, but the contest will only be held on that date if the state legislature decides to allocate funds for the primary. If (and only if) there is no Western States Presidential Primary (i.e.: the legislature does not fund the February contest) will the fourth Tuesday in June primary for other offices be an option available to the Utah parties according to the state law. However, the fourth Tuesday in June option is too late to comply with either national party's delegate selection rules for 2016. That would officially force the state parties to adopt a caucuses/convention process on a date of their choosing.
10 Kansas has not held a presidential primary since 1992. Funds have not been appropriated by the legislature for the primary since that time. That said, there are laws in place providing for a presidential preference primary. Assuming funding, the Kansas secretary of state has the option of choosing a date -- on or before November 1 in the year preceding the presidential election -- that either coincides with at least 5 other states' delegate selection events or is on the first Tuesday in April or before.
--
Update Chronology:
8/22/15 (Kentucky Republican caucuses added to the calendar following state central committee vote in favor of March 5 caucuses on Saturday, August 22, 2015.)
8/14/15 (Notes added for clarification of current carve-out state positioning on the calendar)
7/23/15 (New York presidential primary bill signed into law. Primary date moved from February 2 to April 19 on the calendar.)
7/20/15 (North Carolina March 15 primary bill added to the calendar.)
6/30/15 (Washington state primary locked in with funding included in 2015-17 budget. Other bills to reschedule or cancel the primary died at the conclusion of the third special session.)
6/29/15 (Rhode Island reshaded on the map after March primary bill died with the legislature's adjournment.)
6/24/15 (Kansas Republican caucus date added to the calendar and reshaded on the map. The date decision was made at the 2015 state convention on January 31.)
6/16/15 (New York presidential primary bill setting election for April 26 added to the calendar. New York is also reshaded on the map.)
6/10/15 (Pennsylvania bill to move presidential primary from April to the third Tuesday in March added to the calendar and reshaded on the map.)
6/10/15 (Ohio presidential primary moved to March 15 on the calendar after Governor Kasich signed HB 153.)
6/10/15 (Colorado Democratic caucuses added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
6/9/15 (Alabama SEC primary bill becomes law without gubernatorial signature, changing Alabama's position on the calendar.)
6/8/15 (Kansas bill canceling presidential primary signed into law changing Kansas on the calendar.)
6/4/15 (Both Connecticut presidential primary bills died at the close of 2015 legislative session. Connecticut is changed on the calendar and reshaded on map.)
6/3/15 (Utah Republican caucuses set after the Utah Republican Party State Central Committee meeting on May 30, 2015. Added to the calendar and reshaded on map.)
6/2/15 (Nevada and Texas primary bills died at conclusion of legislative sessions. Both were reshaded on map.)
5/29/15 (Arkansas primary date changed to March 1 (SEC primary date) on the calendar and reshaded on the map after Governor Hutchinson signed primary bill into law.)
5/26/15 (Arkansas special session presidential primary bills added to the calendar and reshaded on the map. One House bill would shift the consolidated primary up to the first Tuesday in May and create a study committee to examine the benefits of calendar positioning. Identical House and Senate versions of a consolidated primary scheduled for March 1 (SEC primary date) were also introduced.)
5/13/15 (Omnibus elections bill to cancel Kansas presidential primary added to the calendar.)
5/12/15 (Maryland presidential primary moved back on the calendar after Senate bill signed by Governor Hogan.)
5/8/15 (Kansas Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
5/6/15 (Utah Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
5/5/15 (The Colorado presidential primary bill died in committee. That change is reflected on the calendar the state was reshaded on map.)
5/4/15 (Washington, DC presidential primary moved on the calendar from the first Tuesday in April to the second Tuesday in June and reshaded on map.)
4/30/15 (Colorado presidential primary bill to reestablish a primary during the first half of March is added to the calendar and reshaded on map.)
4/29/15 (Puerto Rico presidential primary added to the calendar and reshaded on map.)
4/22/15 (Arkansas presidential primary legislation died in committee at the end of the 2015 regular session and reshaded on map.)
4/13/15 (Ohio legislation to move presidential primary back a week to March 15 added to the calendar.)
4/13/15 (Rhode Island bill to move the primary from the fourth Tuesday in April to the fourth Tuesday in March added to the calendar and reshaded on the map.)
4/13/15 (Nevada reshaded on the map to reflect amended legislation calling for various February presidential primary option.)
4/11/15 (Idaho March 8 primary date added to the calendar and reshaded on the map after the primary bill was signed into law.)
4/8/15 (Maine Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/7/15 (Idaho Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/7/15 (Alaska Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/6/15 (Hawaii Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/6/15 (Washington Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/5/15 (North Dakota Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/5/15 (Nebraska Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/4/15 (Arizona first in the nation presidential primary bill dies at the end of the 2015 state legislative session and is reshaded on the map.)
4/3/15 (Wyoming Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/1/15 (North Carolina March presidential primary bill added to the calendar and reshaded on the map)
3/30/15 (Mississippi SEC presidential primary bill died in conference, locking the state into a March 8 primary date.)
3/29/15 (Nevada state Senate bill to create a presidential primary added to the calendar.)
3/19/15 (Florida presidential primary is date set on the calendar.)
3/18/15 (Alabama SEC primary bill -- to move the primary to March 1 -- added to calendar)
3/14/15 (Nevada primary bill to create a presidential primary and consolidate it with other primaries on the Tuesday before the last Tuesday of January added to calendar and reshaded on the map.)
3/13/15 (Utah primary bill dies at end of the 2015 legislative session, eliminating February primary option for 2016. Both parties will hold caucuses because the June primary option is too late to comply with national party delegate selection rules.)
3/11/15 (Massachusetts bill to consolidate primaries in June added to the calendar and reshaded on the map. Minnesota House bill to establish a presidential primary added to the calendar.)
3/10/15 (Arkansas bill to move consolidated primary from May to March added to the calendar.)
3/9/15 (Wisconsin bill moving the primary to February added to the calendar and reshaded on map. Kansas House bill to cancel 2016 presidential primary added to the calendar.)
3/8/15 (New Mexico March primary bill died in committee and reshaded on map. Utah Republican caucuses added to Caucuses States with no specified date list and reshaded on the map.)
3/4/15 (Washington bill to cancel the 2016 presidential primary added to the calendar.)
3/3/15 (Illinois legislation to move primary to July added to the calendar.)
3/2/15 (Florida House legislation to more officially schedule the presidential primary for the third Tuesday in March added to the calendar.)
2/27/15 (Minnesota legislation creating a last Tuesday in March primary added to the calendar.)
2/27/15 (Florida legislation to more officially schedule the presidential primary for March 15 added to the calendar. Given the Republican Party of Florida signal that it intends to keep a winner-take-all allocation and how the current law is worded, FHQ has made the decision to shift Florida to March 15 on the calendar (even with out passage of this legislation).)
2/24/15 (Vermont legislation to move presidential primary to same date as New Hampshire added to the calendar)
2/23/15 (Montana legislation pushing primary back to August added to the calendar.)
2/21/15 (Washington state House legislation to move the presidential primary to March 8 added to the calendar)
2/20/15 (Michigan moved to March 8 on the calendar and reshaded on the map after the primary bill was signed into law. Maryland legislation to move the primary back a week added to the calendar.)
2/18/15 (Kansas bill to cancel 2016 presidential primary added to the calendar)
2/17/15 (Arkansas bill to move primary from May to March to join the SEC primary added to the calendar, reshaded on the map)
2/16/15 (Washington state bill to move the presidential primary from May to March added to the calendar and reshaded on the map. Second Idaho March primary bill added to the calendar.)
2/15/15 (Minnesota caucuses date set and changed on the calendar. )
2/13/15 (Utah bill to move Western States Presidential Primary from the first Tuesday in February to the fourth Tuesday in March added to the calendar.)
2/11/15 (Vermont bill to move presidential primary to same date as New Hampshire added to calendar and reshaded on the map)
2/10/15 (Texas bill moving all primaries from the first Tuesday in March to the fourth Tuesday in January added to the calendar and reshaded on the map.)
2/8/15 (New Mexico bill to shift all primaries from the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June to the third Tuesday in March -- a potential Western regional primary date -- added to the calendar and reshaded on the map.)
2/6/15 (Legislation reestablishing an Idaho presidential primary and scheduling it for the second Tuesday in March added to the calendar and map.)
1/28/15 (Legislation moving the Michigan primary from February to March added to calendar and map.)
1/27/15 (Illinois bill moving the primary from the third Tuesday in March to the fourth Tuesday in June added to the calendar, reshaded on the map.)
1/23/15 (Connecticut bills for first Thursday in March Republican primary and March 1 primary added to calendar, reshaded on the map.)
1/22/15 (Mississippi legislation moving the presidential primary up one week to March added to the calendar)
1/20/15 (Arizona legislation anchoring presidential primary to Iowa added to the calendar and state reshaded on the map. Also proposed 2013 legislation from Illinois -- moving presidential primary to June -- added to calendar. Bill died in committee at the end of the 2014 state legislative session.)
1/8/15 (Changes made to the calendar and map to account for the end of 2014 legislative sessions. Michigan and Massachusetts primary bills expired at the adjournment of legislative sessions.)
12/13/14 (Legislation moving the Michigan primary from February to March added to calendar and map.)
9/12/14 (New York shifted up on the calendar to reflect sunset provision in 2011 law that expired at the end of 2012. The entire 2011 bill -- including setting the presidential primary date for April 24, 2012 -- was repealed at that time.)
8/26/14 (Arizona moved on the calendar after amended House bill was signed, shifting the primary from the fourth Tuesday in February to the Tuesday after March 15 in a presidential election year. The change officially occurred on April 16, 2014 when Governor Brewer signed the legislation into law.)
6/19/14 (Louisiana moved on the calendar after House bill moving primary from third Saturday after the first Tuesday in March to the first Saturday in March signed into law.)
6/4/14 (Missouri moved on the calendar and reshaded on the map after Senate bill signed into law. Law now calls for primary to be held on second Tuesday after the first Monday in March.)
5/31/14 (Louisiana legislation added to the calendar. Bill would move primary to first Saturday of March.)
3/28/14 (Missouri reshaded on the map to reflect both Senate and House primary bills calling for move to March)
3/14/14 (Utah reshaded on the map to reflect first in the nation presidential primary bill dying in committee)
3/9/14 (Missouri [April presidential primary bill]; Utah [first in the nation presidential primary] bills added to calendar)
8/13/13 (North Carolina presidential primary law anchoring contest to South Carolina presidential primary date added to the calendar, reshaded on the map)
6/13/13 (DC June presidential primary bill added to calendar, reshaded on the map; Missouri reshaded on the map to reflect presidential primary bills dying at the conclusion of the legislative session, Nevada reshaded on the map to reflect January primary bill dying in committee)
3/13/13 (Montana May consolidated primary bill added to the calendar, reshaded on the map)
3/5/13 (Florida March presidential primary bill added to the calendar, reshaded on the map)
3/4/13 (Nevada January presidential primary bill added, reshaded on the map)
2/28/13 (Massachusetts June presidential primary bill added, reshaded on the map)
1/6/12 (2016 presidential primary calendar first posted)
This list of primaries is reposted in its entirety from Frontloading HQ, please go there for current updates because they're doing the actual work! Although, the graphical image below can definitely use a little jazzing up...
Also, I'm still STRONGLY in favor of establishing regional primaries, to allow the candidates to visit states in a small area and getting more voters to actually SEE and HEAR the candidates. Divide the nation into four quarters, and have primaries run in February through May over four weeks in each month. Rotate the months so if the Northeast gets February, the next year they go on in May, and each year rotate closer to the top. Within each region the states can work out what weeks they get, and set up a rotation within their region.
It's totally fair to everyone, which means it will be opposed by pretty much every state!
2016 Presidential Primary Calendar
January
Monday, January 18:
Iowa caucuses1 (***tentative placement given current incomplete information***)
[NOTE: Both the Democratic and Republican parties in Iowa are currently planning on February 1 caucuses at this time, but are likely to move if other states keep, settle on or move into February positions on the calendar (see Colorado).]
Tuesday, January 26:
New Hampshire (***tentative placement given current incomplete information***)
February
Tuesday, February 2:
Colorado caucuses2
(2015 Legislation: March primary -- Died in Committee)
Saturday, February 20:
Nevada Democratic caucuses (***tentative placement given current incomplete information***)
[NOTE: Nevada Democrats are planning on February 20 caucuses. Republicans in the Silver state will make firmer their plans for 2016 during an August 29 state central committee meeting. (see also Colorado).]
South Carolina Republican primary (***tentative placement given current incomplete information***)
[NOTE: The South Carolina Republican primary is subject to change depending on the resolution of the North Carolina presidential primary scheduling.]
Tuesday, February 23:
North Carolina3 (***tentative placement given current incomplete information***)
(2015 Legislation: March 8 primary; March 15 primary)
Saturday, February 27:
South Carolina Democratic primary (***tentative placement given current incomplete information***)
[NOTE: South Carolina Democrats are planning to hold a February 27 presidential primary. It is unclear whether the North Carolina primary situation will impact this scheduling.]
March
Tuesday, March 1:
Alabama
(2015 Legislation: March 1 primary -- Became Law -- became law 5/28/15 without
gubernatorial signature)
[+7]
Arkansas
(2015 Legislation: separate March presidential primary; consolidated March primary -- both
Died at end of session)
(2015 Special Session Legislation: earlier May primary -- Died in Committee; March 1 primary:
House -- House version Died in Senate Committee]/Senate -- [Senate version Signed into Law
-- signed 5/29/15])
[+84]
Colorado Democratic caucuses2
(2015 Legislation: March primary -- Died in Committee)
(tentatively set on May 4, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Massachusetts
(2013 Legislation: consolidated June primary -- Died at end of session)
(2015 Legislation: consolidated June primary)
Minnesota caucuses
(Caucuses date set on 2/14/15)
(2015 Legislation: last Tuesday in March primary: House/Senate)
[-28]4
Oklahoma
(2015 Legislation: move primary to fourth Tuesday in March)
Tennessee
Texas
(2013 Legislation: Saturday primary, February primary -- all Died in Committee)
(2015 Legislation: January primary -- Died in Committee)
Vermont
(2015 Legislation: Primary same date as New Hampshire primary: Senate/House -- Dead for 2015
but carries over to 2016 session)
Virginia
Saturday, March 5:
Louisiana
(2014 legislation: earlier March primary -- Signed into Law -- signed 6/19/14)
[+14]
Kentucky Republican caucuses
(2015 action: date set on August 22, 2015 following central committee vote)
[+73]
Kansas Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on May 2, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Kansas Republican caucuses
(tentatively set on January 31, 2015 at state convention)
Nebraska Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 31, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Sunday, March 6:
Maine Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 31, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Tuesday, March 8:
Hawaii Republican caucuses
Idaho (Republicans only)
(2015 Legislation: second Tuesday in March primary (I) -- Died at end of session, second
Tuesday in March primary (II) -- Signed into Law -- signed 4/9/15, 2016 presidential
primary funding -- Signed into Law -- signed 4/10/15)
[-7]
Michigan
(2014 Legislation: March primary -- Died at end of session)
(2015 Legislation: March primary -- Signed into Law -- signed 2/20/15)
[-14]
Mississippi
(2015 Legislation: March 1 primary: House/Senate -- Senate bill died in Conference)
Sunday, March 13:
Puerto Rico (Republicans)
Tuesday, March 15:
Florida
(2013 Legislation: March primary -- Died in Committee; Primary on first unpenalized date --
Signed into Law -- 5/21/13)
(2015 Legislation: March 15 primary -- House/Senate -- House version signed into Law -- signed
3/19/15)
[-49]5
Illinois
(2013 Legislation: June primary -- Died in Committee)
(2015 Legislation: June primary, July primary)
Missouri
(2013 Legislation: March primary: House/Senate, April primary -- all Died in Committee)
(2014 Legislation: March primary: House/Senate -- Senate committee substitute Signed into
Law -- signed 6/4/14)
[-42]
Ohio
(2015 Legislation: March 15 primary -- Signed into Law -- signed 6/10/15)
[-7]
Tuesday, March 22:
Idaho Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 30, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Arizona
(2013 Legislation: Fix primary date to date of Iowa caucuses -- Died at end of session)
(2014 Legislation: move the primary to the Tuesday after March 15 -- Signed into Law --
signed 4/16/14)
(2015 Legislation: Fix primary date to date of Iowa caucuses -- Died at end of session)
[-28]
Utah Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on April 30, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Utah Republican caucuses (online voting begins March 15)
(set at State Central Committee meeting -- 5/30/15)
(2015 Changes: Utah Republican Party votes to switch to caucuses. -- 3/7/15)
Saturday, March 26:
Alaska Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 17, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Hawaii Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on April 3, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Washington Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 16, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
April
Tuesday, April 5:
Wisconsin6
(2015 Legislation: February primary)
Saturday, April 9:
Wyoming Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 23, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
Tuesday, April 19:
New York
(2015 Legislation: April 19 primary, April 26 primary -- April 19 bill signed into Law -- signed
7/23/15)
[-77]7
Tuesday, April 26:
Connecticut
(2015 Legislation: Thursday Republican primary, March primary -- both Died at end of
session)
Delaware
Maryland
(2015 Legislation: later April primary -- Senate version signed into Law -- signed
5/12/15)
[-21]
Pennsylvania
(2015 Legislation: third Tuesday in March primary)
Rhode Island
(2015 Legislation: fourth Tuesday in March primary -- Died in committee at end of
session)
May
Tuesday, May 3:
Indiana
Tuesday, May 10:
Nebraska
West Virginia
Tuesday, May 17:
Kentucky (Democrats only)
Oregon
(2015 Legislation: separate presidential, other primaries)
Tuesday, May 24:
Washington8
(2015 Legislation: March primary: House/Senate; cancel 2016 primary -- all Died at end of
session); primary funding bill: signed into Law -- signed June 30, 2015)
June
Tuesday, June 7:
California
Montana
(2013 Legislation: May primary -- Died in Committee)
(2015 Legislation: August primary -- appears Dead in Committee)
New Jersey
New Mexico
(2015 Legislation: March primary -- Died in Committee)
North Dakota Democratic caucuses
(tentatively set on March 27, 2015 based on draft delegate selection plan)
South Dakota
Tuesday, June 14:
Washington, DC
(2013 Legislation: June primary) -- Signed into Law -- cleared congressional review 5/2/15)
[-70]
Tuesday, June 28:
Utah9
(2013 Legislation: Primary funding -- Signed into Law)
(2014 Legislation: Primary before Iowa/New Hampshire -- Died in state Senate)
(2015 Legislation: March primary -- Died at end of session)
--
Primary states with no specified date:
Georgia
Kansas10
(2015 Legislation: cancel 2016 presidential primary: House/Senate, omnibus elections package --
Signed into Law -- signed 6/8/15)
[Primary cancelled]
Maine
(2013 Legislation: establish primary -- Died in Committee)
Nevada
(2013 Legislation: January primary -- Died in Committee)
(2015 Legislation: January February primary: Assembly/Senate -- both
Died at end of session)
New Hampshire
North Carolina3
(2013 Legislation: Move primary to Tuesday after South Carolina primary if South Carolina
is before March 15 -- Signed into Law -- signed 8/12/13)
(2015 Legislation: March primary)
South Carolina
(2012 Legislation: codify first in the South status -- Died in Committee)
(2014 Legislation: Primary funding -- Signed into Law -- signed 6/6/14)
--
Caucuses states with no specified date (NOTE: Dates may be different across parties within one state):
Alaska Republican caucuses
Maine Republican caucuses
North Dakota Republican caucuses
Washington Republican caucuses
Wyoming Republican caucuses
--
1 This date does conflict with the Martin Luther King Day holiday in 2016. As John Deeth points out in the comments section that is an issue that was a source of some discontent among Iowa Democrats when the caucuses and holiday overlapped in 2004. If that is an issue again in 2016, it may affect the date of the caucuses above. Moving it up further would perhaps push the envelope a bit too much, but the state parties may opt to hold the caucuses on a Tuesday -- a week before New Hampshire on January 19 -- as they did in 2012.
2 The state parties in Colorado have the option of choosing either the first Tuesday in March date called for in the statute or moving up to the first Tuesday in February.
3 The North Carolina primary is now scheduled for the Tuesday following the South Carolina primary if the South Carolina contest is prior to March 15. Given the protected status South Carolina enjoys with the national parties, a primary prior to March 15 is a certainty for both parties in the Palmetto state. The link to the North Carolina statute does not yet reflect the change made to the presidential primary law. Language laying out the parameters for the primary can be found in the bill (HB 589) signed into law in summer 2013.
4 The Minnesota state parties must agree on a date on which to hold caucuses by March 1 in the year prior to a presidential election. If no agreement is reached, the caucuses are set for the first Tuesday in February. So, while Minnesota technically had no date until February 14, 2015, and thus no real movement on the calendar, FHQ will include the fact that the Minnesota caucuses date moved back 28 days relative to their position in 2012.
5 The 2011 law granted the primary date setting authority in Florida to a committee for the 2012 cycle. That basically allowed Florida to reset to no date after the presidential primary until the Presidential Preference Primary Date Selection Committee met to set the date for the next subsequent cycle. That law was amended in 2013, eliminating the PPPDSC and setting the date of the Florida presidential primary for the earliest date not penalized by the delegate selection rules of the national parties. That law, too, kept the date of the 2016 primary in doubt. The Republican National Committee has rules penalizing both the timing of a primary and the delegate allocation based on the results of said primary. That, in turn, essentially ceded the decision on the date of the presidential primary to the Republican Party of Florida. If the state party opted for a winner-take-all delegate allocation, then the primary would be on March 15. However, opting into a proportional allocation plan would place the primary on March 1. The Republican Party of Florida had signaled, but not officially set/changed the allocation rules for 2016. As such (because of the PPPDSC reset and the 2013 law not being fully realized before it too was changed), Florida did not technically move any on the calendar (see Minnesota situation above). Yet, based on Florida's position on the last Tuesday in January in 2012, the 2016 primary will be seven weeks later.
6 See definition of "Spring election" for clause dealing with the timing of the presidential primary.
7 The New York primary was moved to April for the 2012 cycle by legislation passed in 2011. That legislation expired at the end of 2012 which brought the New York primary back to February.
8 The Washington presidential primary is scheduled for the fourth Tuesday in May by law. Current legislation would shift that date into March. However, neither state party in Washington has ever committed to using the primary election for the allocation of delegates to the national conventions long term. Washington, then, appears on the map as either March or May, but given the uncertainty over whether the parties will adopt the primary or use caucuses, FHQ also includes a gray "No Date" signifier.
9 The Western States Presidential Primary in Utah is scheduled for the first Tuesday in February, but the contest will only be held on that date if the state legislature decides to allocate funds for the primary. If (and only if) there is no Western States Presidential Primary (i.e.: the legislature does not fund the February contest) will the fourth Tuesday in June primary for other offices be an option available to the Utah parties according to the state law. However, the fourth Tuesday in June option is too late to comply with either national party's delegate selection rules for 2016. That would officially force the state parties to adopt a caucuses/convention process on a date of their choosing.
10 Kansas has not held a presidential primary since 1992. Funds have not been appropriated by the legislature for the primary since that time. That said, there are laws in place providing for a presidential preference primary. Assuming funding, the Kansas secretary of state has the option of choosing a date -- on or before November 1 in the year preceding the presidential election -- that either coincides with at least 5 other states' delegate selection events or is on the first Tuesday in April or before.
--
Update Chronology:
8/22/15 (Kentucky Republican caucuses added to the calendar following state central committee vote in favor of March 5 caucuses on Saturday, August 22, 2015.)
8/14/15 (Notes added for clarification of current carve-out state positioning on the calendar)
7/23/15 (New York presidential primary bill signed into law. Primary date moved from February 2 to April 19 on the calendar.)
7/20/15 (North Carolina March 15 primary bill added to the calendar.)
6/30/15 (Washington state primary locked in with funding included in 2015-17 budget. Other bills to reschedule or cancel the primary died at the conclusion of the third special session.)
6/29/15 (Rhode Island reshaded on the map after March primary bill died with the legislature's adjournment.)
6/24/15 (Kansas Republican caucus date added to the calendar and reshaded on the map. The date decision was made at the 2015 state convention on January 31.)
6/16/15 (New York presidential primary bill setting election for April 26 added to the calendar. New York is also reshaded on the map.)
6/10/15 (Pennsylvania bill to move presidential primary from April to the third Tuesday in March added to the calendar and reshaded on the map.)
6/10/15 (Ohio presidential primary moved to March 15 on the calendar after Governor Kasich signed HB 153.)
6/10/15 (Colorado Democratic caucuses added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
6/9/15 (Alabama SEC primary bill becomes law without gubernatorial signature, changing Alabama's position on the calendar.)
6/8/15 (Kansas bill canceling presidential primary signed into law changing Kansas on the calendar.)
6/4/15 (Both Connecticut presidential primary bills died at the close of 2015 legislative session. Connecticut is changed on the calendar and reshaded on map.)
6/3/15 (Utah Republican caucuses set after the Utah Republican Party State Central Committee meeting on May 30, 2015. Added to the calendar and reshaded on map.)
6/2/15 (Nevada and Texas primary bills died at conclusion of legislative sessions. Both were reshaded on map.)
5/29/15 (Arkansas primary date changed to March 1 (SEC primary date) on the calendar and reshaded on the map after Governor Hutchinson signed primary bill into law.)
5/26/15 (Arkansas special session presidential primary bills added to the calendar and reshaded on the map. One House bill would shift the consolidated primary up to the first Tuesday in May and create a study committee to examine the benefits of calendar positioning. Identical House and Senate versions of a consolidated primary scheduled for March 1 (SEC primary date) were also introduced.)
5/13/15 (Omnibus elections bill to cancel Kansas presidential primary added to the calendar.)
5/12/15 (Maryland presidential primary moved back on the calendar after Senate bill signed by Governor Hogan.)
5/8/15 (Kansas Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
5/6/15 (Utah Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
5/5/15 (The Colorado presidential primary bill died in committee. That change is reflected on the calendar the state was reshaded on map.)
5/4/15 (Washington, DC presidential primary moved on the calendar from the first Tuesday in April to the second Tuesday in June and reshaded on map.)
4/30/15 (Colorado presidential primary bill to reestablish a primary during the first half of March is added to the calendar and reshaded on map.)
4/29/15 (Puerto Rico presidential primary added to the calendar and reshaded on map.)
4/22/15 (Arkansas presidential primary legislation died in committee at the end of the 2015 regular session and reshaded on map.)
4/13/15 (Ohio legislation to move presidential primary back a week to March 15 added to the calendar.)
4/13/15 (Rhode Island bill to move the primary from the fourth Tuesday in April to the fourth Tuesday in March added to the calendar and reshaded on the map.)
4/13/15 (Nevada reshaded on the map to reflect amended legislation calling for various February presidential primary option.)
4/11/15 (Idaho March 8 primary date added to the calendar and reshaded on the map after the primary bill was signed into law.)
4/8/15 (Maine Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/7/15 (Idaho Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/7/15 (Alaska Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/6/15 (Hawaii Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/6/15 (Washington Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/5/15 (North Dakota Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/5/15 (Nebraska Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/4/15 (Arizona first in the nation presidential primary bill dies at the end of the 2015 state legislative session and is reshaded on the map.)
4/3/15 (Wyoming Democratic caucuses tentatively added to the calendar and reshaded on the map based on the release of the state party's draft 2016 delegate selection plan.)
4/1/15 (North Carolina March presidential primary bill added to the calendar and reshaded on the map)
3/30/15 (Mississippi SEC presidential primary bill died in conference, locking the state into a March 8 primary date.)
3/29/15 (Nevada state Senate bill to create a presidential primary added to the calendar.)
3/19/15 (Florida presidential primary is date set on the calendar.)
3/18/15 (Alabama SEC primary bill -- to move the primary to March 1 -- added to calendar)
3/14/15 (Nevada primary bill to create a presidential primary and consolidate it with other primaries on the Tuesday before the last Tuesday of January added to calendar and reshaded on the map.)
3/13/15 (Utah primary bill dies at end of the 2015 legislative session, eliminating February primary option for 2016. Both parties will hold caucuses because the June primary option is too late to comply with national party delegate selection rules.)
3/11/15 (Massachusetts bill to consolidate primaries in June added to the calendar and reshaded on the map. Minnesota House bill to establish a presidential primary added to the calendar.)
3/10/15 (Arkansas bill to move consolidated primary from May to March added to the calendar.)
3/9/15 (Wisconsin bill moving the primary to February added to the calendar and reshaded on map. Kansas House bill to cancel 2016 presidential primary added to the calendar.)
3/8/15 (New Mexico March primary bill died in committee and reshaded on map. Utah Republican caucuses added to Caucuses States with no specified date list and reshaded on the map.)
3/4/15 (Washington bill to cancel the 2016 presidential primary added to the calendar.)
3/3/15 (Illinois legislation to move primary to July added to the calendar.)
3/2/15 (Florida House legislation to more officially schedule the presidential primary for the third Tuesday in March added to the calendar.)
2/27/15 (Minnesota legislation creating a last Tuesday in March primary added to the calendar.)
2/27/15 (Florida legislation to more officially schedule the presidential primary for March 15 added to the calendar. Given the Republican Party of Florida signal that it intends to keep a winner-take-all allocation and how the current law is worded, FHQ has made the decision to shift Florida to March 15 on the calendar (even with out passage of this legislation).)
2/24/15 (Vermont legislation to move presidential primary to same date as New Hampshire added to the calendar)
2/23/15 (Montana legislation pushing primary back to August added to the calendar.)
2/21/15 (Washington state House legislation to move the presidential primary to March 8 added to the calendar)
2/20/15 (Michigan moved to March 8 on the calendar and reshaded on the map after the primary bill was signed into law. Maryland legislation to move the primary back a week added to the calendar.)
2/18/15 (Kansas bill to cancel 2016 presidential primary added to the calendar)
2/17/15 (Arkansas bill to move primary from May to March to join the SEC primary added to the calendar, reshaded on the map)
2/16/15 (Washington state bill to move the presidential primary from May to March added to the calendar and reshaded on the map. Second Idaho March primary bill added to the calendar.)
2/15/15 (Minnesota caucuses date set and changed on the calendar. )
2/13/15 (Utah bill to move Western States Presidential Primary from the first Tuesday in February to the fourth Tuesday in March added to the calendar.)
2/11/15 (Vermont bill to move presidential primary to same date as New Hampshire added to calendar and reshaded on the map)
2/10/15 (Texas bill moving all primaries from the first Tuesday in March to the fourth Tuesday in January added to the calendar and reshaded on the map.)
2/8/15 (New Mexico bill to shift all primaries from the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June to the third Tuesday in March -- a potential Western regional primary date -- added to the calendar and reshaded on the map.)
2/6/15 (Legislation reestablishing an Idaho presidential primary and scheduling it for the second Tuesday in March added to the calendar and map.)
1/28/15 (Legislation moving the Michigan primary from February to March added to calendar and map.)
1/27/15 (Illinois bill moving the primary from the third Tuesday in March to the fourth Tuesday in June added to the calendar, reshaded on the map.)
1/23/15 (Connecticut bills for first Thursday in March Republican primary and March 1 primary added to calendar, reshaded on the map.)
1/22/15 (Mississippi legislation moving the presidential primary up one week to March added to the calendar)
1/20/15 (Arizona legislation anchoring presidential primary to Iowa added to the calendar and state reshaded on the map. Also proposed 2013 legislation from Illinois -- moving presidential primary to June -- added to calendar. Bill died in committee at the end of the 2014 state legislative session.)
1/8/15 (Changes made to the calendar and map to account for the end of 2014 legislative sessions. Michigan and Massachusetts primary bills expired at the adjournment of legislative sessions.)
12/13/14 (Legislation moving the Michigan primary from February to March added to calendar and map.)
9/12/14 (New York shifted up on the calendar to reflect sunset provision in 2011 law that expired at the end of 2012. The entire 2011 bill -- including setting the presidential primary date for April 24, 2012 -- was repealed at that time.)
8/26/14 (Arizona moved on the calendar after amended House bill was signed, shifting the primary from the fourth Tuesday in February to the Tuesday after March 15 in a presidential election year. The change officially occurred on April 16, 2014 when Governor Brewer signed the legislation into law.)
6/19/14 (Louisiana moved on the calendar after House bill moving primary from third Saturday after the first Tuesday in March to the first Saturday in March signed into law.)
6/4/14 (Missouri moved on the calendar and reshaded on the map after Senate bill signed into law. Law now calls for primary to be held on second Tuesday after the first Monday in March.)
5/31/14 (Louisiana legislation added to the calendar. Bill would move primary to first Saturday of March.)
3/28/14 (Missouri reshaded on the map to reflect both Senate and House primary bills calling for move to March)
3/14/14 (Utah reshaded on the map to reflect first in the nation presidential primary bill dying in committee)
3/9/14 (Missouri [April presidential primary bill]; Utah [first in the nation presidential primary] bills added to calendar)
8/13/13 (North Carolina presidential primary law anchoring contest to South Carolina presidential primary date added to the calendar, reshaded on the map)
6/13/13 (DC June presidential primary bill added to calendar, reshaded on the map; Missouri reshaded on the map to reflect presidential primary bills dying at the conclusion of the legislative session, Nevada reshaded on the map to reflect January primary bill dying in committee)
3/13/13 (Montana May consolidated primary bill added to the calendar, reshaded on the map)
3/5/13 (Florida March presidential primary bill added to the calendar, reshaded on the map)
3/4/13 (Nevada January presidential primary bill added, reshaded on the map)
2/28/13 (Massachusetts June presidential primary bill added, reshaded on the map)
1/6/12 (2016 presidential primary calendar first posted)
Sunday, August 02, 2015
Sunday Night Music Club v.40
Amanda Fucking Palmer.
Yes, she's often referred to herself that way.
"Runs In The Family" is a track off her 2008 album, "Who Killed Amanda Palmer?", a play on the mystery of the classic TV show "Twin Peaks", where a major plot point was a murder of character Laura Palmer. Also featured on the album is the always awesome Ben Folds.
Runs In The Family addresses the struggle of people with genetic illnesses, whether physical or mental. Although, based on Palmer's frenetic performance, I'd guess she was focusing more on mental illness.
Amanda Palmer also happens to be married to famed author Neil Gaiman (...and when are they going to finally make a movie out of "American Gods?"). And she wrote a book called "The Art of Asking", which I recently read and highly recommend, and that led me to watch her memorable TED talk that spawned the book. Very much worth a viewing.
Yes, she's often referred to herself that way.
"Runs In The Family" is a track off her 2008 album, "Who Killed Amanda Palmer?", a play on the mystery of the classic TV show "Twin Peaks", where a major plot point was a murder of character Laura Palmer. Also featured on the album is the always awesome Ben Folds.
Runs In The Family addresses the struggle of people with genetic illnesses, whether physical or mental. Although, based on Palmer's frenetic performance, I'd guess she was focusing more on mental illness.
Amanda Palmer also happens to be married to famed author Neil Gaiman (...and when are they going to finally make a movie out of "American Gods?"). And she wrote a book called "The Art of Asking", which I recently read and highly recommend, and that led me to watch her memorable TED talk that spawned the book. Very much worth a viewing.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Jefferson, Jackson...Washington?
The Connecticut Democratic Party recently decided to drop two of the names on it's biggest annual fundraising event, the Jefferson Jackson Bailey Dinner, or the "JJB" in common parlance.
Thomas Jefferson was a slave owner, and he also (let's face it) repeatedly raped at least one of his slaves (because consent cannot be given when someone is incarcerated or directly under complete control of another).
Andrew Jackson worked against the abolitionists and sided with the South on the issue of slavery, along with being responsible for the slaughter of countless Native Americans.
So that leaves state political operative John Moran Bailey as the only remaining name currently attached to Connecticut's Democratic dinner. I don't know if he did anything wrong, but I'd be willing to bet he doesn't approach the other two in notoriety.
I don't have much of an opinion either way about the name change. I guess I'm in favor of acknowledging the wrongful acts they committed, and if part of that acknowledgment means their names being dropped from the dinner, I'm fine with it.
But in all the articles I've read about this topic, there's one name that hasn't really come up. This person of course isn't named in the JJB, but he has always been honored and revered in this country since it was founded.
I'm talking about George Washington.
The Father of our Country.
The First President.
And, a person who owned slaves. At times, well over 100 slaves.
If we are seriously discussing scrubbing Jefferson and Jackson's name off of high-profile political events, shouldn't we also take a closer look at George's dealings in the slave trade?
There are apologists for Washington and Jefferson, who say that they were simply citizens of their time, and they were born into a society where is was considered acceptable for a wealthy landowner to own slaves.
True, Washington was the only founding father who freed his slaves upon his death, he attempted to keep slave families together, and he agonized over the issue of slavery.
While still owning and working his slaves.
Sounds like a bit of a disconnect there, right?
Then again, when one of the slaves, Oney Judge, a personal attendant to Martha, escaped to the north, ol' George didn't hesitate to send agents to attempt to capture her and return her to slavery. By the way, there's an episode of Drunk History where comic Jen Kirkman hilariously narrates the Oney Judge story after drinking too much wine.
The point I'm making is, why hasn't anyone brought up the discussion that George Washington was just as guilty of the crime of slavery as Jefferson?
The answer, I think, is because Washington enjoys a status far above any other other person in American history. He is simultaneously a great leader, a hallowed saint, and a true visionary. He essentially IS the American ideal. But he also owned slaves. It would be very uncomfortable for everyone to start a conversation along those lines.
It is inevitable that this will become a topic that will have to be addressed.
How the discussion goes will say a lot about America and it's people.
Thomas Jefferson was a slave owner, and he also (let's face it) repeatedly raped at least one of his slaves (because consent cannot be given when someone is incarcerated or directly under complete control of another).
Andrew Jackson worked against the abolitionists and sided with the South on the issue of slavery, along with being responsible for the slaughter of countless Native Americans.
So that leaves state political operative John Moran Bailey as the only remaining name currently attached to Connecticut's Democratic dinner. I don't know if he did anything wrong, but I'd be willing to bet he doesn't approach the other two in notoriety.
I don't have much of an opinion either way about the name change. I guess I'm in favor of acknowledging the wrongful acts they committed, and if part of that acknowledgment means their names being dropped from the dinner, I'm fine with it.
But in all the articles I've read about this topic, there's one name that hasn't really come up. This person of course isn't named in the JJB, but he has always been honored and revered in this country since it was founded.
I'm talking about George Washington.
The Father of our Country.
The First President.
And, a person who owned slaves. At times, well over 100 slaves.
If we are seriously discussing scrubbing Jefferson and Jackson's name off of high-profile political events, shouldn't we also take a closer look at George's dealings in the slave trade?
There are apologists for Washington and Jefferson, who say that they were simply citizens of their time, and they were born into a society where is was considered acceptable for a wealthy landowner to own slaves.
True, Washington was the only founding father who freed his slaves upon his death, he attempted to keep slave families together, and he agonized over the issue of slavery.
While still owning and working his slaves.
Sounds like a bit of a disconnect there, right?
Then again, when one of the slaves, Oney Judge, a personal attendant to Martha, escaped to the north, ol' George didn't hesitate to send agents to attempt to capture her and return her to slavery. By the way, there's an episode of Drunk History where comic Jen Kirkman hilariously narrates the Oney Judge story after drinking too much wine.
The point I'm making is, why hasn't anyone brought up the discussion that George Washington was just as guilty of the crime of slavery as Jefferson?
The answer, I think, is because Washington enjoys a status far above any other other person in American history. He is simultaneously a great leader, a hallowed saint, and a true visionary. He essentially IS the American ideal. But he also owned slaves. It would be very uncomfortable for everyone to start a conversation along those lines.
It is inevitable that this will become a topic that will have to be addressed.
How the discussion goes will say a lot about America and it's people.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
What a bunch of dopes
I really wanted to title this post "What A Bunch Of Colossal Assholes", but I figured the NSFW headline might appear on people's news feeds, and I didn't want anyone to have an issue at work.
Once again, the Republicans are stopping progress on a necessary bill for bullshit politicking and lame posturing.
I can only hope that voters in the 2016 election will take the power out of these destructive idiot's hands and allow the adults to run the country for a while.
Confederate Flag Amendment
House Republican leadership pulled the fiscal year 2016 Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill from the floor after several members voiced opposition to an amendment that would have allowed Confederate flag paraphernalia to be sold at national parks and displayed on graves at National Park Service-run cemeteries.
Once again, the Republicans are stopping progress on a necessary bill for bullshit politicking and lame posturing.
I can only hope that voters in the 2016 election will take the power out of these destructive idiot's hands and allow the adults to run the country for a while.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Former Speaker Amann steps down from Milford DTC
Former House Speaker James Amann has recently announced his resignation from the Milford Democratic Town Committee. He was on the DTC for 33 years, and even though he reportedly hasn't attended any meetings since his abortive 2010 run for Governor, he feels that he needs to step down and allow others to lead.
Yes, I'm fully aware of the irony in that last sentence.
Amann currently heads Milford-based International Government Strategies, a lobbying firm described in media as "a governmental affairs consulting firm".
Which is long for "lobbying firm".
I'm speculating that he stepped down because his firm likely "consults" with members of various political parties, and he probably doesn't want to look biased by being a current member of the DTC.
Which is fine with me, more power to him. He's certainly entitled to all the success he can get.
Full disclosure (although why I think it's necessary, I don't know): I've been a mostly non-involved member of the Milford DTC for several years, although I still do proudly display lawn signs for our party's candidates every fall.
Yes, I'm fully aware of the irony in that last sentence.
Amann currently heads Milford-based International Government Strategies, a lobbying firm described in media as "a governmental affairs consulting firm".
Which is long for "lobbying firm".
I'm speculating that he stepped down because his firm likely "consults" with members of various political parties, and he probably doesn't want to look biased by being a current member of the DTC.
Which is fine with me, more power to him. He's certainly entitled to all the success he can get.
Full disclosure (although why I think it's necessary, I don't know): I've been a mostly non-involved member of the Milford DTC for several years, although I still do proudly display lawn signs for our party's candidates every fall.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
The Supreme Court actually had a good week
Yeah, I know. I'm surprised too.
First, the Court upheld the Affordable Care Act yet again (commonly known as "Obamacare"). Justice Roberts states:
Then there's the gay marriage decision:
So yeah, I'd say that was a pretty good week there.
First, the Court upheld the Affordable Care Act yet again (commonly known as "Obamacare"). Justice Roberts states:
Then there's the gay marriage decision:
“It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.” –Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the majority
So yeah, I'd say that was a pretty good week there.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
They say all publicity is good publicity
But in this case, I'm sure Gold's Gym would prefer to stay out of the limelight.
Hey look, there's the South Carolina we-love-slavery flag! Woohoo!
Hey look, there's the South Carolina we-love-slavery flag! Woohoo!
Thursday, June 18, 2015
It's been over 150 years
How's about letting go of that fucking offensive flag, you ignorant racist shitdip inbred peckerwood rednecks?
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Donald Trump throws his hair into the ring
Thank you Mr. Trump, for making my blog easy to write.
Friday, May 29, 2015
Dennis Hastert indicted
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was indicted yesterday for allegedly trying to conceal around $3.5 million in "hush money" to an unknown person who was threatening to expose something obviously hideous and probably disgusting about him.
That's $3,500,000 to keep a dirty little secret.
Or, more probably, a career-ruining, headline-blaring, fodder for late-night talk shows kind of secret.
(Dennis Hastert on left as Bush signs bill)
Hastert was instrumental is helping pass a bill that George W. Bush gleefully signed into law that restricted the rights of women to seek a certain type of abortion. This was just a step in the direction of stripping those rights entirely from women.
Karma can often be a bitch, and something tells me that she's mad as hell and is gonna land a big fucking hammer on ol' Denny's head.
I'll watch for updates, and will likely post them here. Gleefully.
UPDATE: I can't resist posting my video of Joe "Bush's Lapdog" Lieberman lying to my face about Dennis Hastert covering up the investigation of Mark Foley's "misconduct" with some young Congressional pages and their naughty bits, as it eventually was proven.
That's $3,500,000 to keep a dirty little secret.
Or, more probably, a career-ruining, headline-blaring, fodder for late-night talk shows kind of secret.
Hastert was instrumental is helping pass a bill that George W. Bush gleefully signed into law that restricted the rights of women to seek a certain type of abortion. This was just a step in the direction of stripping those rights entirely from women.
Karma can often be a bitch, and something tells me that she's mad as hell and is gonna land a big fucking hammer on ol' Denny's head.
I'll watch for updates, and will likely post them here. Gleefully.
UPDATE: I can't resist posting my video of Joe "Bush's Lapdog" Lieberman lying to my face about Dennis Hastert covering up the investigation of Mark Foley's "misconduct" with some young Congressional pages and their naughty bits, as it eventually was proven.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Sunday Night Music Club v.39
Frank Zappa and Steve Vai have a memorable guitar dual in 1982. Rome, I think. Wow!
Friday, February 20, 2015
I was almost killed in a terrorist attack!
More or less...
Bill O'Reilly has been taken to task for "exaggerating" his role in reporting from the Falkland Islands during the shooting war between Great Britain and Argentina, while he was actually 1,200 miles away safely ensconced in Buenos Aires. He claimed he was reporting from a "war zone".
Hmmm...
I guess if I use his journalistic guidelines, I can report that I was mere feet from a terrorist bomb that exploded in Times Square back in 2008.
It's true. I was "feet" away from the small backpack IED that was placed at the famous Army recruitment office in the island on Broadway and 7th Ave. on March 6th, 2008, and exploded with minimal property damage and no injuries.
It was the morning after several important primaries between Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama. I watched the results until sometime after midnight, and then fell into a deep sleep in my incredibly comfortable king sized bed.
I was probably about 1,000 feet away, sleeping up on the 35th floor of the W Times Square Hotel overlooking the area. I was jarred awake by a loud bang around 4AM, and after a minute or two of wondering if I should get up and look out the window, I rolled over and went back to sleep.
But, technically speaking, I was "feet" away from the blast, and in fact could possibly have been killed if was was maybe 990 of them closer.
Just like Bill O'Reilly could have been in the "war zone" that he was some miles away from, but only if he were about 1,150 of them closer.
And like a dutiful journalist, I reported on the attack that I was definitely, without a doubt, very almost somewhat nearly involved in!
Initial report:
http://ctbob.blogspot.com/2008/03/times-square-blast.html
Follow up report:
http://ctbob.blogspot.com/2008/03/more-pictures-from-times-square.html
Sunday, February 08, 2015
Sunday Night Music Club v.38
There's a very good concert film/documentary about the English band Portishead on Youtube. The concert was filmed at Roseland in 1998. The band was backed by an orchestra, helping make this a memorable show.
Just one thing...I really wish singer Beth Gibbons wouldn't smoke so much! She is rarely seen without a cigarette in her hand. I only hope that in the intervening 17 years she managed to kick that nasty habit!
Oh well, it obviously hasn't hurt Keith Richards much, so maybe rock stars are more resistant to the damaging results of smoking than the rest of us mere mortals.
Portishead, Roseland NYC, 1998
Just one thing...I really wish singer Beth Gibbons wouldn't smoke so much! She is rarely seen without a cigarette in her hand. I only hope that in the intervening 17 years she managed to kick that nasty habit!
Oh well, it obviously hasn't hurt Keith Richards much, so maybe rock stars are more resistant to the damaging results of smoking than the rest of us mere mortals.
Portishead, Roseland NYC, 1998
Friday, January 30, 2015
The KGB Spy and me
So I was in Washington DC this week to celebrate my birthday and to have an excuse for Joyce & me to get away for a few days, and we got tickets to a really cool event.
"Really cool" if you're as geeky as I am about spy stuff and cold war thrillers, that is.
The International Spy Museum hosted a free preview screening of the new NBC spy series Allegiance, which airs Thursday, February 5th. The drama is about a family of post Soviet-era Russian spies who live in the U.S. as a sort of inactive sleeper cell. And the producers insist it's absolutely nothing like that other series "The Americans" (unless you've seen it; then there are some striking similarities).
The had a nice reception in the lobby of the museum, with appetizers and free drinks. We positioned ourselves near the hallway where the servers came out with their trays of goodies, so we had first dibs from each tray that was carried by; yes, I'm sneaky that way!
We struck up a conversation with a woman who turned out to be a blogger. She runs a lifestyle and entertainment blog called The Bobby Pen (thebobbypen.com). Then, a guy came up to us and joined the conversation. It turns out he was also a blogger! I guess we just sort of gravitate toward each other. His is an entertainment blog called The Rogers Review (therogersreview.com).
My biggest question for them is how do they manage to successfully monetize their blogs, while I'm still doing it pro bono?
The answer being, probably, is mostly my inherent laziness but also a desire to keep my amateur standing as a hack writer and journalistic dilettante. If I started doing this for money, I'd probably have to work at it! Fuck that!!!
One of the bartenders looked eerily like Sean Connery; so much so that I mentioned it to the people I was with and they agreed with me. I was going to order a vodka martini, shaken not stirred, but I was afraid he'd hit me. So I had a beer instead. I wish I'd snapped a photo of him though. He looks just like this guy:
I took the drinks back to Joyce, but just then they announced they were seating for the screening, and no drinks were allowed. Joyce said "There's no way I can finish this," and she took a sip and put her wine glass on a nearby table. I hefted my glass filled with ice-cold Heineken, and after a moment's hesitation, I slammed it down in two healthy gulps. I clunked the empty glass on the table and said "Just like when I was in high school!" A security guard nearby laughed and slapped me on the back as I climbed the stairs. Nothing like a little liquid courage in the tank for what came later!
So the screened the show and it was pretty much what they said it would be. I'll probably watch it when it airs (I'm really not a very good reviewer most of the time). After the screening they had a panel discussion, featuring Peter Earnest, former CIA operative & SPY Museum Executive Director, Oleg Kalugin, former KGB clandestine operative, and Mark Stout, former CIA intelligence analyst.
The two former CIA officers (one of them looked and sounded exactly like Hal Holbrook) had some interesting things to say. But Oleg Kalugin stole the show with his stories and observations. There was a moment early in the TV show (not really a spoiler here) where they depict an out-of-favor agent being fed into a furnace as punishment for some wrongdoing. Kalugin was asked about that scene, and he answered that they never did anything that intricate to kill someone, and that Polonium was a simpler way to dispatch a troublesome person! It got some knowing laughs, but definitely chilled those who know the case he was referring to.
In case you forgot, about 10 years ago a Russian dissident named Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned with extremely lethal and radioactive Polonium, apparently murdered by former KGB agents working for the Russian government.
Kalugin is the real thing. He's been active in the U.S. during the cold war years, and was a Maj. Gen. in the KGB in charge of Counterintelligence. He's a stone-cold badass of epic proportions, but he was also funny and charming and he told a lot of tales about the old days of Spy v. Spy. He never defected from the USSR; he was fired by the post-Soviet government for criticizing them. Today he's a naturalized U.S. citizen and is frequently critical of Vladimir Putin's government.
I decided I absolutely had to get a photo with this guy!
Immediately after the Q&A ended I walked up to the side of the stage. Some museum handlers were gathering local VIPs for a photo with Kalugin, but I intercepted him just as he stepped off the stage and asked him if it was OK to take a photo with him. Not only did he agree, but he hammed it up a bit as I took the photo! He was making faces at the phone, but I only had time for a quick photo before one of the CIA guys was gonna snap my neck (or I imagined that might happen). I thanked him, shook his hand, and said that his talk was both very interesting and entertaining.
Joyce was impressed that I got the picture so quickly, but after years of blogging and shooting videos, often with politicians who sometimes don't like me much, I've become shameless about getting selfies with people when I want to.
Hey, the worst he could have done was say no, right?
Unless he had an umbrella with a Ricin-filled tip handy. I'm pretty glad I didn't find that out the hard way!
"Really cool" if you're as geeky as I am about spy stuff and cold war thrillers, that is.
We struck up a conversation with a woman who turned out to be a blogger. She runs a lifestyle and entertainment blog called The Bobby Pen (thebobbypen.com). Then, a guy came up to us and joined the conversation. It turns out he was also a blogger! I guess we just sort of gravitate toward each other. His is an entertainment blog called The Rogers Review (therogersreview.com).
My biggest question for them is how do they manage to successfully monetize their blogs, while I'm still doing it pro bono?
The answer being, probably, is mostly my inherent laziness but also a desire to keep my amateur standing as a hack writer and journalistic dilettante. If I started doing this for money, I'd probably have to work at it! Fuck that!!!
One of the bartenders looked eerily like Sean Connery; so much so that I mentioned it to the people I was with and they agreed with me. I was going to order a vodka martini, shaken not stirred, but I was afraid he'd hit me. So I had a beer instead. I wish I'd snapped a photo of him though. He looks just like this guy:
So the screened the show and it was pretty much what they said it would be. I'll probably watch it when it airs (I'm really not a very good reviewer most of the time). After the screening they had a panel discussion, featuring Peter Earnest, former CIA operative & SPY Museum Executive Director, Oleg Kalugin, former KGB clandestine operative, and Mark Stout, former CIA intelligence analyst.
The two former CIA officers (one of them looked and sounded exactly like Hal Holbrook) had some interesting things to say. But Oleg Kalugin stole the show with his stories and observations. There was a moment early in the TV show (not really a spoiler here) where they depict an out-of-favor agent being fed into a furnace as punishment for some wrongdoing. Kalugin was asked about that scene, and he answered that they never did anything that intricate to kill someone, and that Polonium was a simpler way to dispatch a troublesome person! It got some knowing laughs, but definitely chilled those who know the case he was referring to.
In case you forgot, about 10 years ago a Russian dissident named Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned with extremely lethal and radioactive Polonium, apparently murdered by former KGB agents working for the Russian government.
Kalugin is the real thing. He's been active in the U.S. during the cold war years, and was a Maj. Gen. in the KGB in charge of Counterintelligence. He's a stone-cold badass of epic proportions, but he was also funny and charming and he told a lot of tales about the old days of Spy v. Spy. He never defected from the USSR; he was fired by the post-Soviet government for criticizing them. Today he's a naturalized U.S. citizen and is frequently critical of Vladimir Putin's government.
I decided I absolutely had to get a photo with this guy!
Immediately after the Q&A ended I walked up to the side of the stage. Some museum handlers were gathering local VIPs for a photo with Kalugin, but I intercepted him just as he stepped off the stage and asked him if it was OK to take a photo with him. Not only did he agree, but he hammed it up a bit as I took the photo! He was making faces at the phone, but I only had time for a quick photo before one of the CIA guys was gonna snap my neck (or I imagined that might happen). I thanked him, shook his hand, and said that his talk was both very interesting and entertaining.
Hey, the worst he could have done was say no, right?
Unless he had an umbrella with a Ricin-filled tip handy. I'm pretty glad I didn't find that out the hard way!
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