. . . to post serious, heart-wrenching items. . . but . . .THIS is relevant . . .
(from http://www.thewrap.com/ucsb-victims-father-denounces-nra-guns-politicians-after-latest-shooting-rampage/)
". . . The father of a UCSB shooting victim denounced the National Rifle Association and politicians in a heartfelt plea to “stop this madness” . . . after a shooting rampage left seven dead.
A visibly distraught Richard Martinez publicly mourned the loss of his son Christopher, 20, in a heartbreaking speech at a press conference on Saturday in Santa Barbara.
“Why did Chris die?” he asked. “Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights. What about Chris's right to live?” he pleaded.
Twenty-two-year-old Elliot Rodger, the son of “Hunger Games” assistant director Peter Rodger, is believed to have gone on a shooting rampage in the upscale, college neighborhood of Isla Vista, near University of California, Santa Barbara on Friday night, leaving six dead in addition to himself, and many others injured.
His full statement was: “Our son Chris Martinez and six others are dead,” Martinez said. “Our family has a message for every parent out there: You don't think it will happen to your child until it does.”
“Chris was a really great kid. Ask anyone who knew him. His death has left our family lost and broken.
“Why did Chris die? Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights. What about Chris's right to live?
“When will this insanity stop? When will enough people say, “Stop this madness!” Too many have died. We should say to ourselves, “Not one more!” . . . "
OHO's
"Ocean City Ditty," the
CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if
you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD)
My latest solo release, '2014', can be downloaded digitally at:
(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)
". . . He went on, “Do you and dad ever do it for that reason?”
“Most of the time we’ve done it or do it, it’s for pleasure, honey.” He looked a combination of fascinated and chagrined. “You know you were no accident. Before that, I went off birth control to get pregnant, and we were so happy when you came into our lives.”. . .
. . . He hemmed and hawed next, and I got the sense he wanted to know what I meant when I said it feels good. I asked him if he had that question. He said yes. So I said it was kind of like having someone scratch your back in a place that itched, and having them scratch it just right. I said that, after puberty, he’d know what the special itch felt like. He nodded. . .
. . . Our son asked why they didn’t tell him this stuff at school. The mate explained that adults stupidly think that if you [don't] keep the truth about sex from children, they’ll have sex earlier than they really should. He added that the evidence indicates otherwise. . . "
(excerpts from a blog by Alice Dreger [a breath of fresh air on the topic of sex education] - see http://www.alicedreger.com/home.html)
OHO's
"Ocean City Ditty," the
CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if
you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD)
My latest solo release, '2014', can be downloaded digitally at:
(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)
(from http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/19751-drone-strike-victims-tell-their-story-but-is-america-listening by Rania Khalek)
". . . Pakistani school teacher Rafiq ur Rehman traveled over 7,000 miles with his children - 13-year-old Zubair and 9-year-old Nabila - from a small, remote village in North Waziristan to tell lawmakers about the US drone strike that killed his 67-year-old mother, Mamana Bibi. It was a harrowing tale that brought many in the room to tears, including Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.), who was responsible for inviting the family to Capitol Hill for the briefing.
In the end, only five members of the US House of Representatives bothered to attend. Grayson was joined by Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D- Ill.), Rush Holt (D-NJ), John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Rick Nolan (D-Minn.).
Meanwhile, President Obama, according to his October 29 schedule, was meeting with the CEOs of Lockheed Martin and Northrup Grumman, both of which manufacture drones. More importantly, Lockheed Martin manufactures hellfire missiles, the very weapon fired from the drone that killed Mamana Bibi.
Though Obama did not publicly acknowledge the briefing, his actions the next day suggest he was either unmoved or did not tune in. . ."
McDonald's was fined by a consumer protection agency in Brazil for targeting children in advertisements for Happy Meals in the amount of 3.2 million reais (US $1.6 million). And though the amount may not make much of a dent in the fast food giant's pocketbook, the agency leveling the fine could issue additional citations should the firm persist in the offensive practices.
"There's no need to appeal as they do to children without the maturity or the rationality to enter the market as consumers," said an agency representative. The penalty is the latest in a series of increasingly aggressive tactics by Brazilian regulators, who recently have cracked down on large firms for perceived consumer abuses. In recent months, phone companies and private health plans have all been penalized for violation of consumers.
Here at home, a judge threw out a lawsuit against Happy Meal marketing. U.S. regulators have urged companies to voluntarily end food advertising to children unless they are promoting healthy fare, but typically, industry groups are putting up a fierce fight - Surprise! In calculated cooperation, McDonald's has added apples and reduced the amount of french fries in its children's Happy Meals, but insist on keeping the free toy. They also began listing calorie information on menus throughout the United States before the national rule requiring same.
(thanks to The American Journal of Transportation)
After so much talk about guns, school shootings, deaths, children, the constitution, 2nd amendment, rights, militia, concealed carry, assault guns, automatic and semi-automatic, I've come to a conclusion.
Anyone who takes either side of the debate, but refuses to engage in meaningful discussion about, is clearly part of the problem. They are part of the problem because they do not even want to begin to think about a solution. (And if they do not think a problem exists. . . well, that's an entirely different story.)
This rant is honestly inspired by the existence of too many cutesy, Fox-news-y, tough-guy, on-line posts on social media regarding the issue.
Personally, I find gratification in facts. Granted, one must always bear in mind the accuracy of the 'facts' they have received (in this on-line age this is all-too-easy) and verify same before actually BELIEVING them, let alone try to force them on all their social-networks 'friends.'
Cry for the cameras but put your conscience where your [fake?] tears are. Maybe after guns, we can discuss all the children (of other nations) that the U.S. has killed with drone strikes. True, outlawing guns won't completely get rid of the violence. It sure could help though. Isn't that a GOOD thing? And don't we have to start SOMEWHERE???
Is it me, or might what you see below be UNNECESSARY - not to mention criminal???
(from http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/recips.php?cycle=2012&id=D000000082)
National Rifle Assn: All Recipients
Name Office Total Contributions
Adams, Sandy (R-FL) House $2,000
Aderholt, Robert B (R-AL) House $1,000
Akin, Todd (R-MO) House $1,000
Alexander, Rodney (R-LA) House $2,000
Allen, George (R-VA) Senate $6,450
Altmire, Jason (D-PA) House $2,500
Altschuler, Randy (R-NY) House $2,500
Amodei, Mark (R-NV) House $4,000
Archer, John H Jr (R-IA) House $2,000
Austria, Steve (R-OH) House $1,000
Baca, Joe (D-CA) House $2,500
Bachmann, Michele (R-MN) House $1,000
Bachus, Spencer (R-AL) House $3,000
Barletta, Lou (R-PA) House $2,000
Barr, Andy (R-KY) House $2,500
Barrasso, John A (R-WY) Senate $5,308
Barrow, John (D-GA) House $4,950
Bartlett, Roscoe G (R-MD) House $4,000
Bass, Charles (R-NH) House $2,000
Benishek, Dan (R-MI) House $4,950
Berg, Rick (R-ND) House $7,450
Biggert, Judy (R-IL) House $2,000
Bilbray, Brian P (R-CA) House $2,500
Bilirakis, Gus (R-FL) House $1,000
Bishop, Rob (R-UT) House $1,000
Bishop, Sanford D Jr (D-GA) House $3,650
Black, Diane (R-TN) House $2,000
Blackburn, Marsha (R-TN) House $4,500
Boehner, John (R-OH) House $2,500
Bonner, Jo (R-AL) House $2,000
Bono Mack, Mary (R-CA) House $1,500
Boustany, Charles W Jr (R-LA) House $1,000
Brady, Kevin (R-TX) House $1,000
Brooks, Maggie (R-NY) House $1,000
Brooks, Mo (R-AL) House $2,000
Broun, Paul Jr (R-GA) House $2,000
Bruning, Jon (R-NE) Senate $1,000
Buchanan, Vernon (R-FL) House $1,000
Bucshon, Larry (R-IN) House $4,000
Buerkle, Ann Marie (R-NY) House $2,500
Burgess, Michael (R-TX) House $1,000
Burton, Dan (R-IN) House $2,000
Calvert, Ken (R-CA) House $2,000
Camp, Dave (R-MI) House $2,000
Campbell, John (R-CA) House $1,000
Canseco, Francisco (R-TX) House $4,950
Cantor, Eric (R-VA) House $7,450
Capito, Shelley Moore (R-WV) House $1,000
Cardoza, Dennis (D-CA) House $2,500
Carter, John (R-TX) House $6,950
Cassidy, Bill (R-LA) House $1,000
Chabot, Steve (R-OH) House $2,000
Chaffetz, Jason (R-UT) House $1,500
Chandler, Ben (D-KY) House $4,000
Coble, Howard (R-NC) House $4,000
Coffman, Mike (R-CO) House $7,450
Cole, Tom (R-OK) House $3,500
Conaway, Mike (R-TX) House $2,000
Cook, Paul (R-CA) House $1,000
Coors, Joe (R-CO) House $1,000
Corker, Bob (R-TN) Senate $4,950
Cornilles, Robert (R-OR) House $1,000
Cravaack, Chip (R-MN) House $2,000
Crawford, Rick (R-AR) House $2,000
Crenshaw, Ander (R-FL) House $2,000
Critz, Mark (D-PA) House $3,500
Cruz, Ted (R-TX) Senate $250
Cuellar, Henry (D-TX) House $2,000
Culberson, John (R-TX) House $1,650
Daines, Steven (R-MT) House $2,000
Davis, Geoff (R-KY) House $1,000
Davis, Rodney (R-IL) House $1,000
Delong, Gary (R-CA) House $2,000
Denham, Jeff (R-CA) House $3,000
Dent, Charlie (R-PA) House $1,500
Desjarlais, Scott (R-TN) House $2,000
Diaz-Balart, Mario (R-FL) House $1,000
Dingell, John D (D-MI) House $5,000
Duffy, Sean P (R-WI) House $3,500
Duncan, Jeff (R-SC) House $2,000
Duncan, John J Jr (R-TN) House $1,000
Ellmers, Renee (R-NC) House $3,000
Emerson, Jo Ann (R-MO) House $1,000
Farenthold, Blake (R-TX) House $2,000
Fincher, Steve (R-TN) House $9,900
Fischer, Deb (R-NE) Senate $3,000
Fitzpatrick, Michael G (R-PA) House $2,000
Flake, Jeff (R-AZ) House $2,000
Fleischmann, Chuck (R-TN) House $2,000
Fleming, John (R-LA) House $1,000
Flores, Bill (R-TX) House $4,500
Forbes, Randy (R-VA) House $2,000
Fortenberry, Jeff (R-NE) House $1,000
Foxx, Virginia (R-NC) House $2,000
Franks, Trent (R-AZ) House $2,500
Gardner, Cory (R-CO) House $1,000
Gerlach, Jim (R-PA) House $2,000
Gibbs, Bob (R-OH) House $3,000
Gibson, Chris (R-NY) House $2,500
Gill, Ricky (R-CA) House $2,000
Gingrey, Phil (R-GA) House $1,000
Goodlatte, Bob (R-VA) House $2,000
Gosar, Paul (R-AZ) House $5,950
Gowdy, Trey (R-SC) House $2,000
Granger, Kay (R-TX) House $3,500
Graves, Sam (R-MO) House $1,000
Graves, Tom (R-GA) House $3,000
Griffin, Tim (R-AR) House $4,000
Griffith, Morgan (R-VA) House $4,150
Grimm, Michael (R-NY) House $1,000
Guinta, Frank (R-NH) House $2,000
Guthrie, Brett (R-KY) House $2,500
Hall, Ralph M (R-TX) House $1,000
Hanna, Richard (R-NY) House $1,000
Harper, Gregg (R-MS) House $1,000
Harris, Andy (R-MD) House $3,000
Hartzler, Vicky (R-MO) House $2,000
Hastings, Doc (R-WA) House $2,000
Hatch, Orrin G (R-UT) Senate $5,000
Hayworth, Nan (R-NY) House $2,500
Heck, Joe (R-NV) House $2,500
Heller, Dean (R-NV) Senate $6,950
Hensarling, Jeb (R-TX) House $3,000
Herrera Beutler, Jaime (R-WA) House $2,000
Higgins, Brian M (D-NY) House $1,000
Hochul, Kathleen (D-NY) House $3,000
Holden, Tim (D-PA) House $4,950
Holding, George (R-NC) House $2,000
Huelskamp, Tim (R-KS) House $2,150
Huizenga, Bill (R-MI) House $3,000
Hultgren, Randy (R-IL) House $2,000
Hunter, Duncan D (R-CA) House $2,000
Hurt, Robert (R-VA) House $3,000
Issa, Darrell (R-CA) House $2,000
Jenkins, Lynn (R-KS) House $2,000
Johnson, Bill (R-OH) House $2,000
Johnson, Ron (R-WI) Senate $1,000
Johnson, Sam (R-TX) House $3,000
Johnson, Timothy (R-IL) House $4,000
Jones, Walter B Jr (R-NC) House $2,000
Jordan, James D (R-OH) House $2,000
Kelly, Jesse (R-AZ) House $2,500
Kelly, Mike (R-PA) House $2,000
Kind, Ron (D-WI) House $2,000
King, Steven A (R-IA) House $5,950
Kingston, Jack (R-GA) House $2,500
Kinzinger, Adam (R-IL) House $2,000
Kissell, Larry (D-NC) House $3,000
Kline, John (R-MN) House $2,500
Labrador, Raul (R-ID) House $7,100
LaMalfa, Doug (R-CA) House $2,000
Lamborn, Douglas L (R-CO) House $2,000
Lance, Leonard (R-NJ) House $1,000
Landry, Jeff (R-LA) House $1,000
Lankford, James (R-OK) House $2,000
Latham, Tom (R-IA) House $3,000
LaTourette, Steve (R-OH) House $3,000
Latta, Robert E (R-OH) House $2,150
Lewis, Jerry (R-CA) House $1,000
Lingle, Linda (R-HI) Senate $1,000
LoBiondo, Frank A (R-NJ) House $2,000
Long, Billy (R-MO) House $2,000
Lucas, Frank D (R-OK) House $2,000
Luetkemeyer, Blaine (R-MO) House $1,000
Lujan, Ben R (D-NM) House $1,000
Lummis, Cynthia Marie (R-WY) House $2,150
Lungren, Dan (R-CA) House $1,000
Manchin, Joe (D-WV) Senate $4,500
Mandel, Josh (R-OH) Senate $9,450
Manzullo, Don (R-IL) House $1,000
Marchant, Kenny (R-TX) House $2,500
Marino, Tom (R-PA) House $2,000
Massie, Thomas (R-KY) House $1,000
Matheson, Jim (D-UT) House $6,950
McCarthy, Kevin (R-CA) House $2,500
McCaul, Michael (R-TX) House $3,150
McClintock, Tom (R-CA) House $2,000
McCotter, Thaddeus G (R-MI) House $2,000
McHenry, Patrick (R-NC) House $1,000
McIntyre, Mike (D-NC) House $2,000
McKeon, Buck (R-CA) House $2,000
McKinley, David (R-WV) House $2,500
McMorris Rodgers, Cathy (R-WA) House $2,000
McSally, Martha (R-AZ) House $2,150
Meehan, Patrick (R-PA) House $1,000
Messer, Luke (R-IN) House $2,000
Mica, John L (R-FL) House $1,000
Michaud, Mike (D-ME) House $3,000
Miller, Candice S (R-MI) House $1,000
Miller, Gary (R-CA) House $2,500
Miller, Jeff (R-FL) House $4,000
Moran, Jerry (R-KS) Senate $3,000
Mourdock, Richard E (R-IN) Senate $4,950
Mulvaney, Mick (R-SC) House $1,000
Murphy, Tim (R-PA) House $5,000
Myrick, Sue (R-NC) House $1,000
Neugebauer, Randy (R-TX) House $2,000
Noem, Kristi (R-SD) House $2,000
Nugent, Richard (R-FL) House $138
Nunes, Devin Gerald (R-CA) House $2,500
Nunnelee, Alan (R-MS) House $3,150
Olson, Pete (R-TX) House $2,000
Owens, Bill (D-NY) House $1,000
Palazzo, Steven (R-MS) House $2,000
Paulsen, Erik (R-MN) House $2,250
Pawlenty, Tim (R) Pres $1,000
Pearce, Steve (R-NM) House $2,000
Perry, Rick (R) Pres $1,500
Perry, Scott (R-PA) House $3,000
Peterson, Collin C (D-MN) House $2,500
Petri, Tom (R-WI) House $1,000
Pittenger, Robert (R-NC) House $2,000
Pitts, Joe (R-PA) House $1,000
Poe, Ted (R-TX) House $2,000
Pompeo, Mike (R-KS) House $2,000
Posey, Bill (R-FL) House $1,000
Price, Tom (R-GA) House $1,000
Quayle, Ben (R-AZ) House $2,600
Rahall, Nick (D-WV) House $2,000
Reed, Tom (R-NY) House $1,000
Renacci, Jim (R-OH) House $9,900
Ribble, Reid (R-WI) House $3,000
Rigell, Scott (R-VA) House $4,950
Rivera, David (R-FL) House $1,000
Rogers, Hal (R-KY) House $5,000
Rogers, Mike (R-MI) House $2,500
Rogers, Mike D (R-AL) House $1,000
Rokita, Todd (R-IN) House $1,500
Romney, Mitt (R) Pres $5,850
Rooney, Tom (R-FL) House $1,000
Roskam, Peter (R-IL) House $3,000
Ross, Dennis (R-FL) House $2,000
Ross, Mike (D-AR) House $5,000
Royce, Ed (R-CA) House $1,000
Runyan, Jon (R-NJ) House $5,000
Ryan, Paul (R-WI) House $2,000
Ryan, Tim (D-OH) House $3,000
Scalise, Steve (R-LA) House $2,000
Schilling, Bobby (R-IL) House $3,500
Schmidt, Jean (R-OH) House $2,000
Schock, Aaron (R-IL) House $2,000
Schrader, Kurt (D-OR) House $3,000
Schweikert, David (R-AZ) House $2,000
Scott, Austin (R-GA) House
Scott, Tim (R-SC) House $2,000
Sensenbrenner, F James Jr (R-WI) House $2,000
Sessions, Pete (R-TX) House $4,950
Shimkus, John M (R-IL) House $2,000
Shuler, Heath (D-NC) House $4,950
Shuster, Bill (R-PA) House $1,000
Simpson, Mike (R-ID) House $5,000
Smith, Adrian (R-NE) House $1,000
Smith, Lamar (R-TX) House $4,500
Southerland, Steve (R-FL) House
Stearns, Cliff (R-FL) House $4,950
Stewart, Chris (R-UT) House $1,000
Stivers, Steve (R-OH) House $1,000
Strickland, Tony (R-CA) House $2,000
Stutzman, Marlin (R-IN) House $1,500
Sullivan, John (R-OK) House $3,000
Tavaglione, John F (R-CA) House $2,000
Terry, Lee (R-NE) House $4,500
Thompson, Glenn (R-PA) House $2,000
Thompson, Tommy G (R-WI) Senate $7,000
Thornberry, Mac (R-TX) House $2,000
Tipton, Scott (R-CO) House $4,500
Turner, Michael R (R-OH) House $1,000
Turner, Robert L (R-NY) House $1,000
Upton, Fred (R-MI) House $3,500
Valadao, David (R-CA) House $2,000
Wagner, Ann L (R-MO) House $2,000
Walberg, Tim (R-MI) House $2,000
Walden, Greg (R-OR) House $3,000
Walorski, Jackie (R-IN) House $3,500
Walsh, Joe (R-IL) House $2,000
Walz, Timothy J (D-MN) House $2,000
Webb-Edgington, Alecia (R-KY) House $1,000
Webster, Daniel (R-FL) House $1,000
Wenstrup, Brad (R-OH) House $2,000
West, Allen (R-FL) House $2,000
Westmoreland, Lynn A (R-GA) House $2,000
Whitfield, Ed (R-KY) House $1,000
Wicker, Roger (R-MS) Senate $4,950
Wilson, Joe (R-SC) House $1,000
Wittman, Rob (R-VA) House $2,000
Womack, Steve (R-AR) House $2,000
Yoder, Kevin (R-KS) House $4,000
Young, C W Bill (R-FL) House $1,000
Young, Don (R-AK) House $2,000
Young, Todd (R-IN) House $1,500
What
do YOU think?
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html
You can NOW download
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very own copy of Ray Jozwiak's
newest release:
AMBIENCE & WINE
(from God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens)
". . .Religion comes from the period of human prehistory where nobody—not even the mighty Democritus who concluded that all matter was made from atoms—had the smallest idea what was going on. It comes from the bawling and fearful infancy of our species, and is a babyish attempt to meet our inescapable demand for knowledge (as well as for comfort, reassurance, and other infantile needs). Today the least educated of my children knows much more about the natural order than any of the founders of religion. . ."
What
do YOU think?
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html
You can NOW download
your
very own copy of Ray Jozwiak's
newest release:
AMBIENCE & WINE