Whaddayaget? . . .

“In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed. They produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, five hundred years of democracy and peace. And what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.”
- Orson Welles (from The Third Man)

What do you think? Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html  or at
http://www.ohomusic.com 


Other Ray Jozwiak Offerings

(To Access all Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano music you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak)

For all things "Gonzo Piano" please visit:
Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano on CD Baby.com
The Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano Website
The Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano You Tube Channel

For all things "OHO" please visit:
The OHO CD Baby.com Website
OHO Music Website
The 'More OHO Music' You Tube Website
The 'Original' OHO Music You Tube Website

Tweet  

Follow me on Blogarama

Right? . . .

(from https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/america-must-take-trump-s-comments-about-foreign-election-interference-ncna1017836)

". . . Following the April release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, this hope seemed vaguely justifiable — at least for those who were desperate to feel it. Perhaps, Trump had learned from his brush with the law. Perhaps, if only for self-preservation, he wouldn’t again encourage, implicitly or explicitly, Russian interference that would distort the will of American voters. Perhaps in 2020, Trump would cease to be Trump. . . the president dispelled any such notion by declaring that if he was offered dirt on a Democratic opponent by a foreign agent, he would probably accept it. “I think I’d take it,” the president told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in an interview that aired on Wednesday. . . If Trump has learned anything since 2016, it’s that he can get away with almost anything, including working with a foreign adversary to influence an American election. Now that Mueller has completed his investigation, Congress continues to display limited willingness to act on his findings — mostly due to Republicans’ shameful betrayal of the Constitution and their oaths of office, in addition to naive caution among some Democrats. Is it any wonder that Trump believes himself to be above the law? . . ."

. . . and according to the behavior of Congressional Republicans . . . he's right!

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html  or at
http://www.ohomusic.com pianogonzology

Other Ray Jozwiak Offerings


(To Access all Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano music you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak)


For all things "Gonzo Piano" please visit:
Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano on CD Baby.com
The Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano Website
The Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano You Tube Channel

For all things "OHO" please visit:
The OHO CD Baby.com Website
OHO Music Website
The 'More OHO Music' You Tube Website
The 'Original' OHO Music You Tube Website

Tweet  

Follow me on Blogarama

Beginning . . .

(from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-democratic-house-wants-to-reform-democracy-its-not-a-panacea--but-its-a-start/2019/01/03/54a0cb54-0fa0-11e9-8938-5898adc28fa2_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.a48043b81dd1)

". . . THE NEW Democratic majority House gaveled in [in January] with reform on its agenda — not so much of policy but of democracy itself. Admirably, the majority aims both to repair House rules and to improve the functioning of democratic institutions more broadly. Given the coarsening discourse and widening polarization, the challenge is immense. . . [H.R. 1 addresses] campaign financing, voting rights, election cybersecurity and more. . . [and] mandate[s] that political action committees report their donors. It would mend the big hole that the Supreme Court ripped in the Voting Rights Act, which had guaranteed access to the voting booth to generations of minority Americans. It would help states replace old election equipment, curb extreme partisan gerrymandering and encourage small-dollar campaign donations. . . None of this is a panacea. H.R. 1 will be dead on arrival in Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) Senate. . . But all are worthwhile first steps — toward persuading the Senate to accept some of the House’s ideas, tightening ethics standards and encouraging bipartisan groups to exert more pressure when House leaders suppress majority bills. Especially measured against the last House’s early drive to destroy Obamacare and recklessly cut taxes, this is a welcome beginning. . . "

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html  or at
http://www.ohomusic.com 


Other Ray Jozwiak Offerings

(To Access all Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano music you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak)

Get your copy of OHO's  Where Words Do Not Reach now!
Watch The Ocean City Ditty Video on YouTube
Also, be sure to visit: www.rayjozwiak.com and www.ohomusic.com

Tweet  

Follow me on Blogarama

Respect . . .

(from https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/taking-a-knee-has-always-been-a-sign-of-reverence-not-disrespect/2017/09/28/8e91981e-a3c9-11e7-8cfe-d5b912fabc99_story.html?utm_term=.c27c87c109cc)
". . . Taking a knee (kneeling on one knee) has always been a sign of reverence, not disrespect. . . Biblically and historically, genuflecting symbolizes a plea for a new relationship . . . Going to church with my parents each Sunday as a child, I learned that posture and place matter. When the priest raised his hands over the bread and wine, that said one thing; when my dad raised his arms in the middle of a song, that meant another. And kneeling, whoever did it, was a sign of respect. It was veneration embodied. It declared that there was something beyond me, greater than me, that needed to be honored in the most obvious and straightforward way possible: by kneeling down. . . So it seems strange that those kneeling at football games are described as disrespectful. In the words of President Trump, they are disrespecting “our country, our flag, our national anthem.” . . . Kneeling as a sign of veneration is clearly not something Trump feels in his bones. . . many of those who side with Trump claim an affiliation with Christianity. Yet theologically, their criticism of the football players could not be more wrong. The posture of the players is an act of faithfulness. . .The act of kneeling in a stadium during the national anthem is, therefore, an act of good citizenship. Drawing on a rich Christian heritage, it venerates a foundational and transcendent good of democracy: the rule of law. Without the commitment that all be treated fairly before the law, whatever their color or creed, democratic citizenship is meaningless. If anyone is showing respect and deference to the American tradition, it is the players who have the courage to call on America to be all that it dreams it is. . . "

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html  or at
http://www.ohomusic.com 

My latest solo offering, No Frills, is now available at - No Frills

(To Access all Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano music you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak)

Get your copy of OHO's  Where Words Do Not Reach now!
The Ocean City Ditty Video is now on YouTube
Also, be sure to visit: www.rayjozwiak.com and www.ohomusic.com

Tweet  

Follow me on Blogarama

History . . .

(from http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-music-donald-trump-cant-hear?intcid=mod-latest)
". . . There’s no point in studying history if we do not take some lesson from it. The best way to be sure that 2017 is not 1934 is to act as though it were. We must learn and relearn that age’s necessary lessons: that meek submission is the most short-sighted of policies; that waiting for the other, more vulnerable group to protest first will only increase the isolation of us all. We must refuse to think that if we play nice and don’t make trouble, our group won’t be harmed. Calm but consistent opposition shared by a broad front of committed and constitutionally-minded protesters—it’s easy to say, fiendishly hard to do, and necessary to accomplish if we are to save the beautiful music of American democracy. . ."

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html  or at
http://www.ohomusic.com 

My latest solo offering, No Frills, is now available at - No Frills

(To Access all Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano music you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak)

Get your copy of OHO's  Where Words Do Not Reach now!
The Ocean City Ditty Video is now on YouTube
Also, be sure to visit: www.rayjozwiak.com and www.ohomusic.com

Tweet  

Follow me on Blogarama

Hindsight . . .

(from http://www.rense.com/demo.htm, Democracy In Distress By Philip James  The Guardian - UK 8-20-4)
 ". . . The recent recall election in Venezuela has given us a disturbing preview of what may be in store for the United States in November: an election result held in doubt by many of the voters that took part in it. A cloud hangs over Hugo Chavez's reaffirmation as Venezuela's president, despite a thumbs-up from international election observers. The source of the scepticism is a new technology that was supposed to take inaccuracies out of elections: touch-screen balloting. . . Even though the electronic equipment used for Venezuela's election was designed to leave a paper trail that could be audited, the opposition suspects some kind of electoral foul play may have been written into the system's software, limiting the number of "yes" votes on the recall. . . As far-fetched as this may sound, it underlines one thing: a democratic system is only as strong as its participants' belief in its validity. When voters' confidence in the accuracy or fairness of the system is eroded, the system itself is undermined. . ."


Hindsight
©2008 Raymond M. Jozwiak

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html  or at
http://www.ohomusic.com 

My latest solo offering, No Frills, is now available at - No Frills

(To Access all Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano music you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak)

Get your copy of OHO's  Where Words Do Not Reach now!
The Ocean City Ditty Video is now on YouTube
Also, be sure to visit: www.rayjozwiak.com and www.ohomusic.com

Tweet  

Follow me on Blogarama

Revealing . . .

. . . itself. . .

(from http://realprogress.online/2016/03/24/clinton-using-dirty-tactics-trick-washington-voters/)
". . . Denise Gibbs, a Washington resident who supports Bernie Sanders, posted on Facebook that she had received a letter from Hillary Clinton, informing her where and when she can caucus. However, that information was inaccurate. The caucus location on the letter was not her caucus location. The letter also stated to arrive just 30 minutes (early), which led Denise to speculate that, “she wants me to do that, so I would not have enough time to get to my correct caucus location before the doors closed.”. . . "

(from http://www.anonews.co/hillary-clintons-election-fraud-exposed/)
". . . Hillary’s plan to steal Arizona was remarkably simple: Suppress voting on election day, and rely on her large lead with early voters to secure a win. It was a perfectly executed heist. Here’s how she did it: Drastically reduce the number of polling locations to make voting nearly impossible
For starters, polling places were almost non-existent . . ."

(from http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/hillarys_corporate_democrats_taking_down_bernie_sanders_2016013)
". . .Bernie Sanders, however, does present a moral risk for the corrupt Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee, which are already turning on one of their own leading candidates. His years in politics so cleanly contrasts with the sordid, scandalized, cashing-in behavior of the Clintons. . . If and when Bernie Sanders is brought down by the very party he is championing, the millions of Bernie supporters, especially young voters, will have to consider breaking off into a new political party that will make American history. That means dissolving the dictatorial two-party duopoly and its ruinous, unpatriotic, democracy-destroying corporate paymasters. . ."

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html  or at
http://www.ohomusic.com 

Get your copy of OHO's  Where Words Do Not Reach now!

The Ocean City Ditty Video is now on YouTube

My latest solo offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music is now available at - Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

(To Access all Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano music you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

Tweet  

Greedy. . .

. . . Bastards Prevail . . .

I understand the principle of compromise and the importance of it in the contact of the legislative branch of government.  And I understand that if this bill does not pass it will be more difficult to arrive at a reasonable one with the new congress as it tilts further to the right. But politicians who are in the pockets of giant banks (or other corporations) have absolutely NO right to talk about the lack of compromise in our current congress when the only compromise they want to see is one that succumbs to the well-heeled lobbyists working for those banks and corporations.  Compromise is, and will always be necessary in the process of making laws. But the laws should be of benefit to all the people and not just to a privileged, monied few.

(from NBCNews.com)
". . . Taking to the Senate floor Wednesday afternoon, Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts urged those in her party to oppose the spending bill because of the financial policy language, calling it "a giveaway to most powerful banks in this country." "This is a democracy, and the American people didn't elect us to stand up for Citigroup, they elected us to stand up for all the people," she said. . . "

This bill is dangerous in loosening up on the giant Banks.  Have we all forgotten 2007-2008?  Our banks managed to bring down the entire global economy.  Do we want to see that AGAIN??!!

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html  or at
http://www.ohomusic.com 


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) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak.  Please Visit http://www.ohomusic.com 


My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

Tweet  

 

Machiavellian . . .

. . . terror



(from wikipedia.com)
"Machiavellianism", is a widely used negative term to characterize unscrupulous politicians of the sort Machiavelli described in The Prince. The book itself gained enormous notoriety and wide readership because the author seemed to be endorsing behavior often deemed as evil and immoral.


(from The Hidden History of 9-11, Edited by Paul Zarembka)
". . . It is vital in a democracy to question the state's own account of itself - to engage in what I call, oppositional theorizing.  Rather than accepting the official story of 9-11, which contains so many unsatisfactory elements, the left ought to theorize the attacks on New York and Washington from an oppositional standpoint. "Citizens are free . . . so long as nothing is hidden from them. Thus, they must watch, surveil, expose and reveal" (Dean, 2000, p. 16).  Sadly, the established left has done the opposite. Respected left commentators have embraced a radicalized version of the White House 9-11 account of September 11. (sic)  Claiming the attacks are payback for globalization exposes the left to charges of supporting terrorism.  Even while denying stereotyped views of Islam, the left hardly doubts bin Laden's "cartoonish parody ... [of] Muslims as angry and violent" (Gusterson, 2004, p. 144).

The left embraces a distorted notion of political violence that sees it as an understandable response of the weak to provocations of the powerful.  Yet, what I have called Machiavellian state terrorism is a common feature in history.  Acts of terror are vulnerable to manipulation, and far more likely to be a weapon of state rulers and their agents, than the oppressed masses.  As a legitimized protection racket, the state may be tempted to inflict harm secretly on its own citizens in order to achieve unpublicized but highly desired goals.  Rival power holders may find it inconvenient to confront lies which help maintain the current regime.  This is likely the case with September 11, which provided American power a convenient excuse to conduct ware on Afghanistan and Iraq that had been planned well before.  The left abjures conspiracy theory (while enabling the official bin Laden story) but oppositional theorizing - questioning government and looking for connections between events, perceiving the world "to be organized beneath the surface" (Sturken, 1997, p. 77) - is a critical feature of what it means to be vitally active in the political universe. . . "

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

My latest release, Black & White Then Back,
can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak3)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

Tweet

Shooting. . .

. . . ourselves. . . 

(from http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/18/opinion/brazile-democracy-in-danger/index.html?iid=article_sidebar) Donna Brazile says our democracy is endangered.  ". . . Not by the Russians, North Korea, the Iran regime, or even terrorists. To quote Pogo: "We have met the enemy and he is us. . . "

Knee-jerk partisanship rules. Abraham Lincoln said, "From whence shall we expect the approach of danger? Shall some trans-Atlantic military giant step the earth and crush us at a blow? Never...No, if destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we will live forever or die by suicide."

People must go back to talking to people. It's okay to disagree.  Just disagree civilly.  The IRS debacle, the Department of Justice's tapping of reporters' phones and the congressional investigation of Benghazi all illustrate the danger of NOT talking, really talking.

We all need to stay focused on facts, causes and solutions. The inspector general himself said that it was bureaucratic mismanagement and no evidence of any political motivation or influence from outside the IRS that brought about the first of the three.  The focus must shift to solutions.

Leaked White House e-mails allegedly showing a coverup of a terrorist attack in Benghazi were actually shown to be altered.

The Department of Justice secretly obtained phone records of reporters as the result of a serious security leak. In short, Obama is not in charge.

Both Democrats and Republicans have misused and abused their constitutional powers. In a nutshell, Donna Brazile says, in her quite convincing way, that we're shooting ourselves in the foot.

What do you think?
Tell me at  
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

My latest release, Black & White Then Back,
can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak3)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

Tweet

Old. . .

. . . but worth reflection . . .

(from The Nation, Ryan Devereaux, September 29, 2010. . . )

". . . As a candidate, Barack Obama opposed the Bush administration’s embrace of the state secrets privilege as tactic for deflecting litigation as part of his argument for greater transparency in Washington. He maintained the position, at least rhetorically, following his election. In a memo discussing the Freedom of Information Act in February 2009 the president wrote, “A democracy requires accountability, and accountability requires transparency.”

In an 18-month review of President Obama’s record on human rights, national security and civil liberties entitled “TheNewNormal,” Jaffer and Wizner praise the early accomplishments of the administration—including its release of crucial information regarding the Bush administration’s torture regime—but they also warn of a potential pitfall on the horizon. “There is a very real danger that the Obama administration will enshrine permanently within the law policies and practices that were widely considered extreme and unlawful during the Bush administration. There is a real danger, in other words, that the Obama administration will preside over the creation of a ‘new normal.’”

The Obama administration has invoked the state secrets privilege for the second time in less than a month—most recently in an effort to shut down discussion on the targeted killing of a US civilian who has not been charged of any crime—the new normal may have just arrived. . . "

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

Please visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

Tweet