pianogonzology: February 2018

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

In Short . . .

(from https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trump-s-first-state-union-was-classic-reality-tv-who-ncna843351)

". . . business career was . . . a long list of bankruptcies, defaults and alleged dalliances with organized crime . . . rebranded as a towering tycoon through his reality TV show . . . could be the person he had always pretended to be: a Manhattan behemoth whose decisions were obeyed and feared without question. . . What was the worst that could happen?. . . went on to parlay his newfound celebrity into becoming America’s most unpopular first-year president ever. . . first State of the Union address. . . bore little resemblance to the reality America has endured over the past year. . . spoke of unity, (yet) there was no mention of last August’s white supremacist rally in Charlottesville . . . later stated that some white supremacists in attendance were “very fine people.” . . . claim(ed) that he was not interested in using nuclear weapons despite threatening North Korea for a year with talk of pre-emptive strikes and “fire and fury”. . . while remaining unaccountable to the American public about his own myriad scandals involving everything from his finances to allegations of sexual misconduct. . . despite steady public condemnation of . . . racism, cruelty and incompetence, conservative politicians and some pundits will likely spend the next few days once again proclaiming that the president has miraculously “pivoted” to become “presidential.” (If and when this temporary delusion occurs, ignore it.). . .Indeed, Republicans have already begun to praise him like apparatchiks of an autocrat. This is not helped by select journalists who have helped perpetuate an echo chamber of his own narcissism. . ."

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Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Thoughts . . .

and prayers. . .

(from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/04/opinion/thoughts-prayers-nra-funding-senators.html)

Below are the top 10 career recipients of N.R.A. funding – through donations or spending to benefit the candidate – among both current House and Senate members, along with their statements about the Las Vegas massacre. These representatives have a lot to say about it. All the while, they refuse to do anything to avoid the next massacre.

Senate

1.	John McCain Ariz.	“Cindy & I are praying for the victims of the terrible #LasVegasShooting & their families.”	$7,740,521 FROM THE N.R.A.
2.	Richard Burr N.C.	“My heart is with the people of Las Vegas and their first responders today. This morning’s tragic violence has absolutely no place here in America.”	$6,986,620 FROM THE N.R.A.
3.	Roy Blunt Mo.	“Saddened by the tragic loss of life in #LasVegas. My thoughts are with all of the families affected by this horrific attack.”	$4,551,146 FROM THE N.R.A.
4.	Thom Tillis N.C.	“Susan and I send our deepest condolences and prayers to the families of the victims of this horrific and senseless tragedy in Las Vegas.”	$4,418,012 FROM THE N.R.A.
5.	Cory Gardner Co.	“My family and I are praying for the families of those injured and killed in Las Vegas last night.”	$3,879,064 FROM THE N.R.A.
6.	Marco Rubio Fla.	“I’m praying for all the victims, their families, and our first responders in the #LasVegas #MandalayBay shooting.”	$3,303,355 FROM THE N.R.A.
7.	Joni Ernst Iowa	“My prayers are with all of the victims in Las Vegas, and their loved ones affected by this senseless act of violence.”	$3,124,273 FROM THE N.R.A.
8.	Rob Portman Ohio	“Jane & I mourn the loss of innocent lives in this horrific attack in Las Vegas last night. We are praying for those taken from us, their families & all those injured in this attack.”	$3,061,941 FROM THE N.R.A.
9.	Todd Young Ind.	“We must offer our full support to the victims and their families as our nation mourns.”	$2,896,732 FROM THE N.R.A.
10.	Bill Cassidy La.	“Following closely the horrendous act of violence in Las Vegas. Our prayers are with those who were injured, killed and their families.”	$2,861,047 FROM THE N.R.A.

House

1.	French Hill Ark.	“Martha and I are praying for the families and victims of this senseless act of evil. […] We must continue to work together to stop this kind of terror.”	$1,089,477 FROM THE N.R.A.
2.	Ken Buck Co.	“I'm praying for all of those impacted by the evil events in Las Vegas last night. Our country must stand together in support of the families of the victims and the community.”	$800,544 FROM THE N.R.A.
3.	David Young Iowa	“My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and friends of the horrific and evil tragedy in Las Vegas.”	$707,662 FROM THE N.R.A.
4.	Mike Simpson Idaho	“Though no words can heal our hurt, and no explanation will ever feel sufficient, I pray that all involved may find comfort as we process this devastating tragedy.”	$385,731 FROM THE N.R.A.
5.	Greg Gianforte Mont.	No statement released.	$344,630 FROM THE N.R.A.
6.	Don Young Alaska	“Anne and I are praying for all those involved or impacted by this heinous act of violence.”	$245,720 FROM THE N.R.A.
7.	Lloyd Smucker Pa.	“Horrific act of violence in Las Vegas. Cindy and I pray for the victims, their families, and the first responders.”	$221,736 FROM THE N.R.A.
8.	Bruce Poliquin Maine	“My thoughts are with all those effected in the horrifying attacks in Las Vegas. The nation is with you.”	$201,398 FROM THE N.R.A.
9.	Pete Sessions Tex.	“My deepest sympathies are with all who were harmed by this horrific tragedy.”	$158,111 FROM THE N.R.A.
10.	Barbara Comstock Va.	“I am heartbroken by the mass murder that took place last night in Las Vegas and I am praying for the victims, families, and first responders.”	$137,232 FROM THE N.R.A.

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Monday, February 26, 2018

Parties . . .

The stars lay
In a blanket above
The gentle breeze
Blowing in from the sea
The last light flickers
From one lonely candle
Never before
Was a night half as perfect
For you and me

But there was a party last night
Yeah there was a party next door
Cause there's a boy sleeping on the back porch

You would have
Noticed a pin drop that evening
The peace and calm
When romance fills the air
Ambience flowing
From Coltrane and Hartman
But barely twenty feet away
We'd no clue what was
Happening there

But there was a party last night
Yeah there was a party next door
Cause there's a boy sleeping on the back porch

No blaring rockn' roll
No bottles on the walk
No screaming shouting
And no fights
Nobody called the law
No sirens in the night
Just one young man
Stretched out on a chaise
Sleeping it off

Occasions
Such as this should be savored
The combination of circumstance rare
You may just be
The true love that I've searched for
I think though
That the folks in the house that's next door
Just don't care

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Sunday, February 25, 2018

Smart . . .

. . . and trustworthy . . .

When I was a kid, I thought adults were smart and trustworthy. Now that I'm an adult, I realize that kids are actually smart and trustworthy.

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Saturday, February 24, 2018

Reflecting . . .

. . . on others' reflections . . .

(from http://web.mit.edu/gtmarx/www/hitherthither.html by Gary T. Marx)

". . . There are many reasons for reflecting back on one’s life. The pleasures of good memories and nostalgia; revisiting people and places that were formative in one’s development; musing about roads not taken and imagining what might have happened if they had been; answering the question who am I now and how does that connect with who I was at the beginning of a career; finding the knowledge (or perhaps just new beliefs and interpretations) that can emerge from straining a career through five decades of experience; and channeling one’s lingering narcissistic needs into a socially acceptable form under the rationale of leaving a record for family, friends and fellow travelers. Furthermore, if it is correct as Eli Wiesel observes in Night that we are our memories then involvement with them is fundamental to our sense of self. . . Such reflections are like reversing the vista of a telescope by looking in the wrong end,—taking in the width of a life and narrowing it to one’s present. We can’t with much certitude turn to an unknown future. But the cornucopia of a lifetime’s memories, however blurry, faded and selective are there to be worked with. . ."

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Friday, February 23, 2018

We Could . . .

(from https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/02/the-nras-plan-to-harden-schools-is-terrifying/)

". . . harden . . . (our) schools.” . . . Before schools start lining up to take advantage of (NRA CEO Wayne) LaPierre’s generosity, it’s worth revisiting exactly what the NRA means when it calls for measures to “harden” a school.

. . . A big fence. . . that “clearly demonstrates territorial ownership,” as the “first physical and psychological barrier that a violent individual must overcome.” . . . like. . .(a) prison yard-style fence

. . . No trees . . . trees and bushes on school grounds should instead be viewed as major security threats. . . too many opportunities for a shooter to stash weapons and hide from surveillance cameras. . . (instead) the NRA recommends very kid-friendly “thorn-bearing and sharp-leaved plant species to create natural physical barriers to deter aggressors.” The report does urge school leaders to keep in mind that such prickly barriers might also prevent people from escaping a mad shooter. . .

. . . No parking lots . . . vehicles can provide potential attackers with a means of concealing and transporting weapons, can be used as a tool in overpowering physical security infrastructure, and can even serve as weapons in and of themselves,”

. . . Entrapment areas. . . the task force recommends that school front offices be protected with two sets of automatically locking doors, preferably constructed with “ballistic protective glass” like the neighborhood liquor store. Such a set up will allow the front office staff to safely trap a potential shooter like a bug in a window screen until help arrives. The report recommends reinforcing the front desk and side wall with “ballistic steel plating” that employees could hide behind should the shooter get past the entrapment area.

. . . No windows. . . 1970s-era post-riots urban architecture. Windows, if allowed at all, should be designed solely with surveillance in mind. . .

Not mentioning making teachers train with and carry guns and essentially serve as armed forces.

OR

We could exercise some form of GUN CONTROL!

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Thursday, February 22, 2018

Conviction . . .

(or lack thereof) . . . and (NRA) money . . .

. . . mixed together make a strange soup . . .

Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Crooked Hillary said that I want guns brought into the school classroom. Wrong!

10:55 PM - May 21, 2016
25.2K
21.8K people are talking about this

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Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Beneficial . . .

(from http://www.globaltrademag.com/in-the-news/nafta-negotiations-restart-today)
". . . A Trade Partnership Worldwide for the Business Roundtable report concludes that a termination of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) would have significant negative impacts on the economy and employment in the U.S. High tariffs would be reimposed on U.S. exports and imports, which would reduce competitiveness both domestically and abroad. U.S. exports would drop, to Canada, Mexico and globally, as U.S. output becomes more expensive. Foreign purchasers would shift away from U.S. goods and services in favor of lower-cost goods and services made elsewhere. Lower output will translate to less employment: 1.8 million workers would lose their jobs in the first year. . ."

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Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Feet . . .

. . . In from the rain
Out of breath from the chase
Reflection of lights
Shining bright on the street
At last finding comfort
All three feet

Pursued by many
Over stretches of time
Never quite to some standard
Not clear, hard to meet
Determined to cover
All three feet

Ambitious or not
You can think what you will
Is there measure attainment
Do requirements I meet
Spite of peculiarities
All three feet . . .

All Three Feet
©2017 Raymond M. Jozwiak

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Monday, February 19, 2018

A Little . . .

. . . Money

Advance toward days of meaning
Seriously living at a different pace
Time will not wait nor stand still
Spend it wisely in spite of
Its tremendous value
Bet minuscule cost

Translate withdrawals
Devising a higher relief
Choose when
Follow through
What made the happy ones happy

Lucky enough make your choice
Connections sharpen
Isolation dulls
Always learn
Pursue your passions

A Little Money
©2017 Raymond M. Jozwiak

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