The 2024 A to Z mash-up part one

 

Every year, blogger Arlee Bird heads up the A to Z blogging challenge- the challenge being to post a "A" themed post on April 1st, a "B" post on the second, etc.  Due to laziness and not wanting to stomp my regular feature, I ofttimes do what I call a mash-up- A-through-L mini-bits at the middle of the month, and M-through-Z at the end.  This time, after skipping last year due to not having any idea what to do  lack of inspiration, I'm doing something old, something new.  The New: Posting on the 1st and 15th rather than middle and end.  The Old:  Once again, I'm going to have fun with the plethora of candidates who have registered to run for President this fall.  My intent was to do individuals with double initials (AA, BB, etc), and for the most part I was able- but because some candidates were so obscure, either I had to resort to other names or really hoped that Google led me to the RIGHT candidate instead of someone with a similar name.  All that said finally, let's see what I found.

A is for Aaron Avouris.  He was one of those real challenges, although I DID find a picture...

...and found that apparently his qualifications is that he is currently a Walgreens store manager in Macomb, Michigan.  Claims to be a Libertarian.

B is for Bruce Burbridge

Bruce is an independent, and is relatively easy to find, as he has a website.  Said, website, however, has not been populated with much useful info, including who he is, where he's from, or anything but the most general info about what he stands for.  Depending, that may be a good thing...

C is for Chad J Clawitter

You Watergate 'never forgetters' will be less than comforted to know Clawitter is from San Clemente.  I found a ton about him- basically from the pages of lawsuits he's filed.  An alleged Christian Evangelical and Author (though all I really saw was collections of seemingly random Bible verses), He was also a high school teacher until he discerned a conspiracy in the school that certain teachers were (I guess) working with North Korea to discredit other teachers, and they were being supported politically by future Vice President Kamala Harris.  The whole thing made my head hurt after a while; I suspect a tinfoil hat might have helped.

D is for Danielle Delouise Dixon David "Time Traveller" Dunlap

I was attempting to get the first one because of the triple D, but Google kept sending me to some marine biologist (whose last name was spelled differently) who was being discredited for some academic fooferal.  But I found even better with David, who actually goes by "Time Traveller" and a support site on FB has Captain Kirk on his header.

(This would have been much better if the webpage would have just let me steal it...)

He claims to be a) Libertarian; b) homeless since 2017 (but is not using his campaign to try and solicit donations, wink wink).  He wants to shut down the Fed and switch us to an all-digital currency.  And his website looks to be a closeup of a vinyl records grooves.

E is for Emmanuel Antoine Hemphill

Plenty of stuff about him on the web, mostly about his 2016 conviction for possession of crack with intent to distribute.

F is for Franklin Deleno Rutherford III  Frankie Lozado

Obviously, you can see why I wanted to go with that first name; just as obviously, you can guess that Google only wanted to direct me to some bum named Roosevelt.  His backup is a legit Democrat with a legit website.  A Puerto-Rican/American from Queens, he has advocated at the border for families and abandoned kids trying to get asylum, and thinks that solving poverty is the key to solving everything.  If you are a Dem (which I am not), he wouldn't be your worst alternative to Uncle Joe.

G is for Gott Lally

I just love that name!  Gott Johan Josephe Lally.  Google did not; it asked me if I meant "Scott Lally", "Matt Lally", "Gotti Bully", or "Goth Loli".  Eventually, I forced it to spit out that the gentleman was from Vermont, but that was it.

H is for Howie Hawkins

Supposedly the father of the Green New Deal, Howie is a "green ecosocialist"; his running mate, I guess, calls herself "a Fred Hampton, Assata Shakur socialist", whatever that means.    He is a big name in the Green Party, and may have the best name recognition on my list.  Certainly has the best website.

I is for Ivory Patton

Ivory was relatively easy to find on social media, especially Tik-Tok.  Does that make him a Chinese agent? Seems to have been a disappointed former Trump supporter; his campaign announcement mumbled something about "the children are not prepared for the issues",  but I couldn't maintain attention through the "umm"s to find out for sure which issues (other than Jim Crow laws) these were.  He also produces music, and his FB shows him as the leader of the People's Majority Party.

J is for Jason John Juarez

Gunny Juarez (USMC Gunnery Sergeant, retired) has worked both the military and government side of the USMC.  Other than that, he seems more sane than the other Jarhead upcoming....

K is for Kurios I

Yes, Kurios the first.  "Gardiner, dancer, healer", former USMC, with a BS in Computer Engineering from Texas A&M, and MOST importantly, "Leader of the sunworshipers".  Also receiving votes from me:  Krystal Khali, a "multi-instrumentalist who toured with bluesman Guitar Shorty", recently announcing she was trying to fool AI into believing she's "the most famous woman in the world" (which, I assume, is why she registered to run); and a character only named as "Kin".

L is for Luis Alberto Lavin

Well, first Google took me to a Luis A Lavin who was a judge on the California Court of Appeals, and I thought, "This guy is boring..."

That was NOT my guy.

My guy is from NYC, and apparently is CEO of the First National Bank of Lavin and Rodrigues.  What is this, you ask?  Well, apparently it's a money making scam.  From his FB page:

I ALMOST OPEN MY FINANCIAL INSTITUTION.

IF YOU NEED PAPER MONEY, OPEN YOUR OWN BANK

"Open your own bank..." he says.  And how does one do that?  Well again from his FB...

IM HAVING $500 MILLION DOLLARS THAT I HAVE TO SPEND.

TRUMP GAVE THEM TO ME AND THAT'S IT.

$500 MILLION DOLLARS

IM WAITING TO SEE HOW MUCH BIDEN OFFERS ME LOL

And with that, we'll see you mid month!