May 13th: So now the Republican incumbents in Washington are getting face time with Trump. Before I thought the Republicans were drinking the Trump kool aid, but now I realize that was just the public relations industry types. Now the Real Republicans are doing their part. Meanwhile, Bernie has won a couple more state primaries in a row so they can't count him out. I'm digging on this 50 state race strategy. Can California swing things his way? Gonna be tough. Saw a Bernie shirt on a nice woman earlier this evening. We'll see.

In other news, since SJBP's next ride is "The Purple Formal Ride", and this ribbon is purple, the plan is to wear it that Friday evening.

May 4th: Trump is now the "presumptive nominee" of the Republican Party. His opponents seem to have "suspended their campaigns". In other words, they admit they can't win and stop trying. California's primary is "irrelephant" (national GOP MIA) this year. Bernie did well in Indiana, so his outside shot at the nomination is still alive. It's like watching the Red Sox near the end of the season, when you can't give up until you're mathematically eliminated. #FeelTheBern!

May 2nd, 2016: Election day in Indiana tomorrow. The Republican story is that Trump could put it away this time. The Democrat story is that Bernie's fundraising is down from what it used to be. Seems like donor fatigue and the self fulfilling prophecies behind HRC have done damage to his path to the nomination. He's not doing himself any less, it's just that his campaign has become more of a volunteer opportunity for all involved. For me that means keep wearing my Bernie shirt whenever it's clean and I feel the urge.

In other news, I find this tidbit in Ballot Access News. Wow! That's a step up for the Green Party. Jill Stein continues to win primary after primary by a large margin. I expect her to get the nomination on the first ballot at the Green Party Convention.

April 26, 2016: Election day in the northeast. The big prize is Pennsylvania.

April 24, 2016: I'm hearing "New Jersey", "Connecticut", and a few other states on the radio. They're saying Bernie Sanders is still keeping hope alive, but after New York he's hanging by a rather slender safety margin. I'm still telling people "Bernie is the best Democrat since Carter." When they ask if I believe in him I tell them "I don't know if I believe in Bernie, but I know I believe in Vermont." The Republicans are clearly drinking the Trump Kool-Aid. Trump did very well in New York.

In other other news, I cooked and ate the rest of that cauliflower that night.

April 19, 2016: I'm hearing "New York" on the radio. They're quoting Bernie Sanders saying "This is a tough state for me." Then the announcer explained New York's ballot access laws lock out people that aren't already registered with a mainstream party from voting in the Republican and Democratic primaries. This locks out a lot of Bernie voters. I'm still telling people "Bernie is the best Democrat since Carter." The Republicans are still hoping for a brokered convention so they can get everybody excited about their dysfunctional process. Trump is saying "I'll get the nomination on the first ballot." New York can put it away for him. We'll see.

In other news, I harvested this four and a half pound cauliflower from my garden yesterday. It's the biggest one I've grown so far.

       

April 9, 2016: I'm hearing "New York" on the radio. They're saying Hillary Clinton needs to do well there to stay in the race. Bernie has won something like six states in a row. Hillary is still ahead in delegates, so it's still close and the suspense is still strong. Bernie is getting a lot of liberals excited. I myself am thinking "Bernie is the best Democrat since Carter." The Republicans are hoping for a brokered convention so they can get everybody excited about their dysfunctional process.

In other news, I got this award hung around my neck by Pearl at least a week ago. I'm still feeling very special about it...

March 31, 2016: I'm hearing "Wisconsin" on the radio some. They're talking about the Primary, which is happening next Tuesday. According to the media, the Democrats are going into it as a two "man" race, and the suspense is still strong. Bernie is getting a lot of liberals excited. I myself am thinking "Bernie is the best Democrat since Carter." The Republicans are adjusting to the fact that Trump is likely their standard bearer.

In other news, I found this summary of the third party contests of March on the back page of the April 1st issue of Ballot Access News. I find it fascinating how different parties are strong in different states.

     

Feb 26, 2016: I'm hearing "Super Tuesday" on the radio a lot. They're usually talking about the Primary, which is happening next week. The hyperbole is that it will be the end of the fringe candidacies for President. According to the media, the Democrats are going into it as a two "man" race, and will likely come out of it with one Candidate wounded by the inevitability of the other one. The Republicans are down to a five man race, and will likely come out of it with less candidates willing to continue the race. The rest of the parties? Not getting any air time on NPR.

In other news, I'm wondering if this is the "end times" Nostradamus was wondering about. For sure when I was growing up the clock never said "No time left!" It just went around and around and around...

March 14, 2016: I'm hearing "Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Missouri, and Florida" on the radio a lot. They're usually talking about the Primary, which is happening tomorrow. According to the media, the Democrats are going into it as a two "man" race, and expect to come out of it with one Candidate wounded by the inevitability of the other one. The Republicans are down to a three man race. If Kashich can't take Ohio he's toast. If Rubio can't take Florida he'll be toast. The rest of the parties? Not getting any air time on NPR.

In other news, I had to get salt this evening. I ran out yesterday, and food just tastes awful without a little of the stuff. Back before I started cooking at home a salt canister would last a decade or more. This time I got almost three years out of one.

March 20, 2016: I'm hearing "Arizona, Idaho, and Utah" on the radio some. I think the mainstream media is getting bored with covering the primaries. They're talking about the Primaries, which is happening the day after tomorrow. According to the media, the Democrats are going into it as a two "man" race, and expect to come out of it with one Candidate wounded by the inevitability of the other one. The Republicans are down to a two man race. Kasich vs. Trump. Rubio couldn't take Florida so he's toast. The rest of the parties? Not getting any air time on NPR.

In other news, I spent yesterday at the comic book convention in San Jose. Cost me $54 to get in. If I'd had my camera I could have taken a selfie with a very real looking Steve Jobs or Albert Einstein.  If you don't count the Starship Troopers movie swag, this is the closest thing to a Heinlein sighting there. This morning I had to get a new air filter. The box is the background for the picture. I found the two cents on Central Expressway going down to Home Depot to get the filter.

  

Feb 15, 2016: I'm hearing "South Carolina" on the radio a lot. They're usually talking about the Primary, which is happening tomorrow. I'm not paying that much attention. More interesting is this coin I found in my change yesterday. At the time I was buying Polly a cup of coffee in Los Altos. She told me "Coin collecting goes on, but stamp collecting is a historic oddity at this point." She found out when she tried to sell her old collection and there weren't any buyers. I've had a similar experience myself, so anecdotal evidence says neither of us can't find kids interested in the topic. I'm a bit sad about that.

In other news, that rear gear cassette just came off my usual bike. It doesn't look that worn, but it was bad enough that standing on the pedals would jump the chain off the teeth in my favorite gears. I'd had the problem with my red bike before, so I knew what to do. Went down to the bike shop and got a new one. Took about an hour to take the old one off and install a new one. Didn't need anything but the part. So happy I bought the tool last time I needed it!

Feb 9, 2016: I'm hearing "New Hampshire" on the radio a lot. They're usually talking about the New Hampshire Primary, which is happening today. It's the name of a place that is far away. Maybe I know someone from there, but I can't think of who. More important to me is the fact that Sunday's Super Bowl was at Levi's Stadium, but they didn't bring us in to do bike parking at it. Suddenly the NFL seems like a huge crew of stupid bullies intent on burning fossil fuels as if there was no tomorrow.

       

Jan 7, 2016: I'm hearing "Iowa" on the radio. The "Iowa" in my life is rolling over the "I"  and then rolling over the "A" riding in Sunnyvale's Evelyn bike lane.

Dec. 25th, 2015:  I got two of these stickers in my P.O. Box recently from a friend studying in Sweden.