A daily series, Connect! Unite! Act! seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups regularly socialize but also get out the vote, support candidates and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers-that-be. Visit us every morning at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time to see how you can get involved. The comment thread is fun and light-hearted, but we're serious about moving the progressive political agenda forward.
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Did you ever get out of a ticket? Have cops ever given you a break?
I've never been given a break by law enforcement, but I'm a guy. I've never been pulled over and not received a ticket. My all time stunner was in November 2012 when I was driving home from my office in Chico, CA to my home in Paradise, CA. The name of the road is The Skyway. It is the safest road in Butte County. Highway 99, a four-lane highway with a center divide, runs through Chico. It has lots of side traffic entering and exiting the highway and a speed limit of 65 mph. Highway 32 is a two-lane highway with no center divide that goes up into the mountains from Chico to Forest Ranch, CA and ultimately the Chester, CA. It too has a speed limit of 65 mph. The Skyway is a four-lane highway with a large center divide and NO side traffic at all. It's speed limit is 55 mph.
I'm letting you know about the three highways that go through the area where we live. The Skyway is by far the safest due to it's structure and no side traffic entering or exiting. It was built for 70 mph traffic, but it's THE speed trap in our neck of the woods. There is absolutely no reason for it to have a 55 mph speed limit when Highway 32 has a 65 mph speed limit. There is no safety reason for this. It has a 55 mph speed limit specifically so the California Highway Patrol can write a bunch of tickets to make income. The CHP works The Skyway all the time, often in tandem. Everyone knows the speed limit on The Skyway is BS. We all know they have it that slow, even thought it's the safest highway anywhere around here so they can write tickets. I also know they do so on The Skyway because it's super safe to pull people over anywhere along it, since there is no side traffic.
On November 2, 2012, I was coming up The Skyway to Paradise when I was pulled over by the CHP. The trooper told me he was coming down the other way when his laser (they don't use radar anymore) told him I was travelling 60 mph for 422 feet. I asked him if I speeding before or after that 422 feet? He said, "No."
At 60 mph you travel one mile every minute, which is 5,280 feet. So, if I was going 60 mph for 422 feet that means I was speeding for just over 1/12th of a minute (5280 divided by 422). Sixty seconds divided by 12 = 5 seconds. SO, for going 5 mph over the speed limit for 5 seconds got me a ticket for speeding.
It wasn't cheap. It cost $322. I was eligible for "traffic school" and did so online. This way my speeding ticket wouldn't be recorded with my insurance company so my rates wouldn't increase. Traffic school online cost me $75 plus a "fee" of $50 to Butte County. It's supposed to be an 8 hour course. I did it in 5 1/2 hours. So I paid a grand total of $477 for going 60 mph in a 55 mph zone for 5 seconds = $95.40 per second Personally, I'd love to make that kind of money!
BTW, the most dangerous times to get a speeding ticket are the beginning of the month and the end of the month. They will swear up and down there are no quotas for how many tickets they write per month. That's rubbish. There are quotas. I know so due to being personal friends with a CHP guy at my gym. He told me there are definitely quotas. And he's the one that told me the first of the month and the last of the month are when you are more likely to get a speeding ticket. The reason is the real hot shots want to get their quotas out of the way, so they pull over a bunch of folks early in the month. Others are laggards. Once the last week of the month rolls around they suddenly have to fill their quota and so pull a bunch of folks over. So there.
I'm inserting an advert. right here in the middle of my diary for astronomy buffs. There will be a brand new meteor shower. It will occur for the first time ever on May 28th. Meteor showers occur when the earth travels through the dust left behind by comets. That's why they are cyclical every year. Well, we have a new comet tail our earth will be travelling through on May 28th. No one knows how many shooting stars there will be, but some believe it could peak at 1000 per hour. It will look as though it's coming from Polaris, the North Star. http://www.space.com/...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Smileycreek has been pulled over for speeding a few times. She's received NO tickets. One time we were both driving from where we live to the Bay Area. I was behind her. On a lonely stretch of Highway 505, which is just out in the middle of nowhere, she got pulled over. She was going 85 mph in a 65 mph zone. She got NO ticket. Another time she was pulled over for speeding on The Skyway going down to Chico. She had to get out of her car. The patrol man made her turn around then get back into her car. She was then free to go on her way.
One thing she's told me is, if your a women, you can get out of tickets by tearing up and being so very, very sorry for your transgression. It does absolutely work, but won't if you're a man.
Here is something kinda cool, but at the same time kinda scary for those that got pulled over. This happened in Quincy, CA where sidepocket's daughter lives. See what you think.
Have you ever gotten out of a ticket? Tell me how, if you have.
Latest Updates on Kossack Regional Meet-Up News Can Be Found Below the Orange Group Hug.
Let's Build Communities!
Our team is here to provide support and guidance to new and existing volunteer leaders of each regional and state group, helping them with recruiting, organizing and executing social and action events.
We invite you to join in this effort to build our community. There are many ways to pitch in.
If there isn't a group to join near you, please start one.
Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
List of All Existing Meatspace Groups
Where the Kogs Are: Index/Directory of the 130+ Localized Daily Kos Groups
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
by randallt ♥ for DKos Asheville
The Asheville Kossacks had another successful meet-up with excellent food supplied and prepared by Gordon20024. There's excellent food pr0n in the diary, btw. Steelergrrl brought tomato plants to give away. randallt handed out large Register to Vote signs along with information handouts on the new North Carolina voting law and a comprehensive guide to obtaining an ID for voting. Asheville Kossacks have been setting the example of GOTV for the rest of us. Kossack cultjake told an informative story on his new work on the precinct level of politics. randallt also made Asheville Kossack nametag lanyards for everyone. I'm impressed with all the ideas he's thought of to Connect, unite and activate his group.
See diary for identities
Please visit randallt's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can join DKos Asheville by sending a Kosmail to randallt.
by Dave in Northridge ♥ for Los Angeles Kossacks
On April 26, a number of us Los Angeles Kossacks assembled at Casey's Irish Pub in downtown Los Angeles for the first of THREE political events, each connected with the huge field of candidates running to replace Henry Waxman in the 33rd Congressional District, which covers the beach areas of Los Angeles from Malibu in the north to Palos Verdes in the south and swings inland to cover some of the more liberal bastions of the West Side. Our candidate today was David Kanuth, the youngest of the 18 candidates and, possibly significantly, the best fundraiser.
Please visit Dave in Northridge's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can join Los Angeles Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to Dave in Northridge.
by NinthElegy ♥ for DC Kossacks
NinthElegy held her inaugural meet-up for the new DC Kossacks on Saturday, April 19th. She packed her tony bamboo picnic hamper with a healthy salad and artisan triple-chocolate cupcakes garnished with Eastern Redbud blossoms from her neighborhood tree. Such lovely details to reward her attendees. The timing was perfect for a picnic among the cherry blossoms on the mall.
Some photos of the newly forming DC Kossacks:
L-R: webgenie, mimi & Sasha and Edward Adams
Please visit NinthElegy diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can join DC Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to NinthElegy.
Event Organizers! Please contact wink from Netrootsradio.com by KosMail to schedule airtime with them to live broadcast your Event. Wink & Justice will then promote it on The After Show radio program!
Thursday, May 8th
Silicon Valley Kossacks Protest KXL at Obama's Personal Appearance
TIME: 5:00 PM
LOCATION: Plaza De Cesar Chavez
170 S Market St • San Jose
President Obama is coming back into town on Thursday May 8th for a fundraiser in Mountain View. Join us and tell Obama to say NO to the Keystone Pipeline and keep your promises on climate!
ORGANIZER: Send Glen The Plumber a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. remembrance
2. Glen The Plumber
3. TLO™
4. navajo
5.
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Maybees:
Lusty
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Latest diary: Obama Returns to Silicon Valley - Meet us at the protest rally!
Saturday, May 10th
Kansas Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: Rudy's Pizza
704 Massachusetts St • Lawrence
ORGANIZER: Send tmservo433 a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. tmservo433
2.
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Kansas Kossack Gathering(s): May 10, May 17..
Saturday, May 17th
Kansas-Missouri Kossacks Attend the Moving Kansas Forward March & Rally for Progress at the Brown v. Board 60th Anniversary State-wide Event
TIME: March starts at 10:30 AM - Rally at State Capitol starts at 11:30 AM
LOCATION: Brown v. Board of Education Historic Site
1515 SE Monroe St. • Topeka
Schools still aren't equal in Kansas.
Busses are available that will transport people from: Salina, Hays, Pittsburg, Derby, Wichita, Kansas City with car pools from Lawrence, Manhattan and elsewhere. If you are in Kansas, we'll do anything possible to have you gather in Topeka to celebrate this important milestone.
ORGANIZER: Send tmservo433 a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. tmservo433
2.
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Kansas Kossack Gathering(s): May 10, May 17..
Saturday, May 10th
Boston Kossacks Attend
Singing for the Planet Concert
Tickets are $25; $20 students/seniors, proceeds benefit www.350MA.org
TIME: 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Emmanuel Church
15 Newbury Street • Boston
ORGANIZER: Send GreyHawk a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. GreyHawk
2. HawkWife
3. WarrenS
4. Knockbally
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Next BosKos Meetup - Sat 12 Apr at the Cafe Barada
Tuesday, May 13th
SFKossacks Roll Out the Red Carpet
for LeftOfYou & Expat Okie
TIME: 11:00 AM, Early lunch!
LOCATION: Yank Sing
Rincon Center, 101 Spear St. • San Francisco
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. navajo
2. LeftOfYou
3. Expat Okie
4. side pocket
5. Justice Putnam
6. dharmasyd
7. Lorikeet
8. jpmassar
9. maggiejean
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Maybees:
annieli
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Saturday, May 17th
DC Kossacks Potluck Picnic on the National Mall
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: National Mall • Washington, DC
Here is how to find the DC Kossacks picnic: take the Blue/Orange line to Smithsonian Metro Station. Exit the escalators and walk straight ahead across the first small lawn to the trees and grassy areas directly ahead. Look for a large plain orange cloth. That'll be us.
ORGANIZER: Send NinthElegy a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. NinthElegy
2. webgenie
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Saturday, June 28th
DC Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: TBD
TBD • Washington, DC
ORGANIZER: Send NinthElegy a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. NinthElegy
2. mdmslle
3. webgenie
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Saturday, May 24th
Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 - 3:00 PM
LOCATION: Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery & Restaurant
1201 First Avenue South • Seattle
ORGANIZER: Send John Crapper a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. John Crapper
2. bleeding blue
3. wise piper
4. flamingogirl
5. John Crapper's SO
6. Grey Fedora
7. TBoneApollo
8. N in Seattle
9. momomia
10. momomia's friend
11. Piren
12. Gemina13
13. cinnamon68
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Maybees:
LeftyCoaster
Eagle Keeper
oakroyd
wackoliberal
Penny GC
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Latest diary: Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks - Come Together!
Saturday, May 24th
LA Kossacks Meet-up with Guest Speaker:
Marianne Williamson, US Congress candidate
TIME: 2:00 PM
LOCATION: Casey's Irish Pub
613 S Grand Ave. • Los Angeles
ORGANIZER: Send Dave in Northridge a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. Shockwave
2. susans
3. Otoelbc
4. Lisa
5. Mr. Lisa
6. Lisa's Guest
7. Dave in Northridge
8. jakedog42
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Maybees:
Chiwere
714day
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Latest diary: LA Kossacks - Political Season Meetups II and III
Saturday, May 31st
LA Kossacks Meet-up with Guest Speakers:
Matt Miller, US Congress candidate for CA-33 and Sandra Fluke, California Senate candidate for the CA-05 Senate district. CA-05 Senate and CA-33 US Congress overlap 50%. Both candidates agreed to speak at the same meeting.
TIME: 2:00 PM
LOCATION: Casey's Irish Pub
613 S Grand Ave. • Los Angeles
ORGANIZER: Send Dave in Northridge a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. Shockwave
2. susans
3. Otoelbc
4. Mr. Lisa
5. jakedog42
6. Joe Bacon
7. tmservo433
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Maybees:
Chiwere
Lisa
714day
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Latest diary: CA-33; a record breaking and highly visible district
Saturday, June 14th
Inaugural New Jersey Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: Cranberry's Gourmet Cafe
10 Cedar Brook Drive, Cedar Brook Corporate Park • Cranbury
ORGANIZER: Send Avilyn a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. Avilyn
2. belinda ridgewood
3. zitherhamster
4. avamontez
3. Christin
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Maybees:
Trosk
profewalt
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Latest diary: First New Jersey Kossacks Meetup!
Wednesday, July 16th
Annual Cheers & Jeers Dinner to Kick-Off NN14, Kossacks Only
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: TBD
TDB • Detroit
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to RSVP.
RSVPs:
1. Common Sense Mainer
2. Bill in Portland Maine
3. smileycreek
4. paradise50
5. side pocket
6. Mrs. side pocket
7. norm
8. maggiejean
9. Shockwave
10. a gilas girl
11. susans
12. Sara R
13. belinda ridgewood
14. sidnora
15. Mr. sidnora
16. thankgodforairamerica
17. brillig
18. mik
19. K1
20. loggersbrat
21. Dave in Northridge
22. 714day
23. NormAl1792
24. texasmom
25. texasdad
26. a gilas girl
27. peregrine kate
28. provokingmeaning
29. justiceputnam
30. tmservo433
31. Mark E Andersen
32. Son of Mark E Andersen
33. winkk
34. theRoaringGirl
35. shermanesq
36. Doggie269
37. shanikka
38. jakedog42
39. ramara
40. skohayes
41. DebtorsPrison
42. gmats
43. Adam Blomeke
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Daily Kos Staff:
1. Markos Moulitsas
2. Susan Gardner
3. Will Rockafellow
4. Meteor Blades
5. Joan McCarter
6. Faith Gardner
7. Laura Clawson
8. Chris Bowers
9. navajo
10. Jen Hayden
11.
12.
44. LuLu
45. Chicklette
46. PerfectStormer
47. 4Freedom
48. DemSign
49. vicki
50. Cedwyn
51. jotter
52. aha aha
53. Dennis Shreefer
54. ohmydem
55. Brainwrap
56. Mrs. Brainwrap
57. Eclectablog aka Chris Savage
58. Anne Savage
59. BlueBarnStormer
Maybees: N in Seattle, Turbonerd, winifred3
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Latest diary: Connect! Unite! Act! ATTN: DC, Tucson & Seattle Meet-up Info! +Q: Roll Call, Are You Attending NN14?
Friday, July 18th
Daily Kos Detroit VA Hospital Service Project
Sara R delivers 65 quilts, hand knit scarves and hats, books, 65 teddy bears, hand made greeting cards, and phone cards from the DK Quilt Guild, WAYWO, the Readers & Book Lovers, IGTNT and individual Kossacks to the nursing home at the Detroit VA Hospital. This is a wonderful project that many people can be involved with even if they don't attend the convention. If you care about veterans in a nursing home this is your project. Please volunteer to help.
DELIVERY TIME: Noon
LOCATION: Volunteer Office of the Detroit VA Hospital
4646 John R St. • Detroit
ORGANIZER: Send Sara R a Kosmail to participate in making the gifts and/or deliver them.
RSVPs to help deliver gifts:
1. Sara R
2. NormAl1792
3. Winifred
4. Ninepatch
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: DK Quilt Guild: What Inspires You?
Plenary Session Tables during the rest of the Convention
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to have a seat reserved for you in the main ballroom of the convention center for the big events. These table will be there so we can all find each other as a group. The seating is not assigned. You can float from table to table. I'm counting to see how many tables I need to reserve.
Cheers & Jeers Table:
1. Common Sense Mainer
2. Bill in Portland Maine
3. brillig
4. mik
5. K1
6. loggersbrat
7. N in Seattle
8. vicki
9. Cedwyn
10.
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Motor City Kossacks:
1. peregrine kate
2. provokingmeaning
3. 4Freedom
4. Brainwrap
5. Mrs. Brainwrap
6. Eclectablog aka Chris Savage
7.
8.
9.
10.
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SFKossacks Table:
1. navajo
2. Meteor Blades
3. smileycreek
4. paradise50
5. side pocket
6. Mrs. side pocket
7. norm
8. maggiejean
9. Jeff in CA
10. Mrs. Jeff in CA
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SFKossacks Table II:
1. a gilas girl
2. justiceputnam
3. Sara R
4. DebtorsPrison
5. tmservo433
6. shanikka
7. Dragon5616
8. jotter
9. aha aha
10.
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Los Angeles Table:
1. Shockwave
2. susans
3. Dave in Northridge
4. gmats
5. 714day
6. jakedog42
7.
8.
9.
10.
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New York Table:
1. sidnora
2. Mr. sidnora
3. belinda ridgewood
4. thankgodforairamerica
5. Dee Oliver-Velez
6. hayden
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Maybees:
kjoftherock, angry marmot, boran2, Turbonerd, northerntier, northerntier's SO,
navajo maintains the above event list. Kosmail her if you have any diaries
about your event or if you have changes or additions.
EVERYONE is welcome, tell us what you're working on,
share your show and tell, vent, whatever you want.
This is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.