pianogonzology: media

Showing posts with label media. Show all posts

Friday, January 1, 2016

Ah . . .

. . . satire . . .

(from http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/12/1/1455773/-To-Bernie-Sanders-Supporters-From-The-Establishment-DNC)
". . . It has come to our attention that a few of you have been wandering outside of our giant, multicultural, comfortable tent. This comes as a complete surprise to us, because we have done everything imaginable to keep you complacent open our hearts and minds to your concerns and build a corporate funded oligarchy nationwide coalition of status quo responsible Democrats. . . Our success has been bought and paid for, and we’ll change our views faster than a Kama Sutra flipbook in order to keep it that way. . . Senator Obama was right in 2004 when he said there isn’t a Red or Blue America. There’s only a money fucking green America, and we have most of it. At least, on “our” side, we have most of it. . . No one is going to vote for some really, really, really old socialist Jew from a state that doesn’t even have a professional football team. Political revolution by raising awareness and the general collective consciousness of the American people goes over like a fart in church when facing a well-established...erm...establishment. . . While you’re out there working your asses off, we’re still cashing checks and rigging both the media and the terms of the debates. . . And we’re literally banking on Bernie Sanders losing the primary so you’ll become just as jaded as we are. Best Wishes, Hillary Clinton and the DNC . . ."

What do you think?
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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:
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Sunday, November 29, 2015

Human? . . .

. . . jury may still be out . . .

(from http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/amid-latest-controversy-trump-claims-worlds-greatest-memory-n468621)
Truth or lie, supporters lining up for Monday's rally told NBC News it didn't matter. "The only thing I can say and I don't think its bad because it is a human trait, there might have been a slight exaggeration," said Richard Snowden of Nashville, TN who travelled to Ohio to see Trump for the 9th time this political season. "For the most part I don't think it's a criminal offense."Michaelene Clevenger of Columbus also admitted Trump may "bend the truth" and that there are things about him that she wished he wouldn't say, "but the bottom line is he will get American great again."
Chuckling to himself, Rick Spring explained he was laughing "because when the media asks questions about him [Trump] bending the truth" he thinks about Washington, D.C.

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

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Behind . . .

. . . the facade . . . a 'friend' of the USA? . . .

(from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/09/17/for-wife-of-imprisoned-saudi-blogger-raif-badawi-its-a-life-of-waiting/)
". . . “It’s a life of waiting,” said Ensaf Haidar, whose husband, Raif Badawi, a blogger who has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for almost four years. . . lives in exile in Canada with their three young children . . . is in Washington this week, meeting with members of Congress and officials at the State Department trying to persuade the U.S. government to put more effort into seeking her husband’s release. . . Badawi . . . was sentenced in 2014 to ten years in prison and 1,000 lashes, along with a fine of more than $250,000, for criticizing Saudi Arabia’s powerful religious and political leaders on his Saudi Liberal Network Web site. “He is just a blogger,” said Haidar . . . a tiny woman whose speech is careful and contained, and without any trace of anger. “He has been away from his kids and his family for four years, and there is no valid reason for that. He’s just a very peaceful writer.” Badawi received the first 50 of his lashes in January in a public square outside a mosque in the port city of Jiddah. A video posted on YouTube showed him standing silently as a police officer struck his back and legs with a wooden cane and onlookers cheered “Allahu akbar,” or “God is great.” Saudi officials said the lashings would continue, 50 every Friday for the following 19 weeks. . . Saudi officials have told rights groups to back off. Some, including Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, the former longtime Saudi ambassador to the United States, have criticized “outside interference” by rights groups and the media in the Badawi case. . . "

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

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Read . . .

. . . ALL you can before you vote. . .

(from https://books.google.com/books?id=Q6u5ADXTpR4C&pg=PA162&lpg=PA162&dq=elections+decided+by+the+media&source=bl&ots=WkzXDdA4WQ&sig=eo8GUygJ8hMV_MS4KcOjgdBHfEs&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CD0Q6AEwBWoVChMIrZrX5r3BxwIVzGg-Ch3usgGS#v=onepage&q=elections%20decided%20by%20the%20media&f=false)
". . . 'Floating Voters' . . . who are less politically active, informed, and partisan . . . (have) become the focus of a number of studies. Findings, however, have been inconsistent on this point. Converse (1962) contended that uninvolved voters, who are likely to be weak partisans, have the potential to be greatly influenced by short-term electoral forces, particularly information flow, provided that the messages reach them. . . Information gained from the mass media tends to reinforce partisan stability, even among less involved voters. . . Voters who have decided early . . . will be more likely to find that the media satisfy their campaign involvement needs. . . "

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Unfortunately . . .

The media . . .

. . . is (still) the message . . .

(from http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/01/30/hillary-clinton-is-the-biggest-frontrunner-for-the-democratic-presidential-nomination-ever-yes-ever/)
". . . Hillary Rodham Clinton's 61-point edge over Joe Biden in new Washington Post-ABC News polling makes her the single biggest frontrunner for a Democratic presidential nomination . . . "

(http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/poll-hillary-clinton-early-2016-frontrunner-barely-n269601)
". . . half of American voters - 50 percent - saying they could see themselves supporting her if she runs for the White House in 2016, while 48 percent oppose her. . . "

(from http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-hillary-clinton-2016-analysis-20150410-story.html)
". . . Clinton will enter the 2016 Democratic presidential race — finally, officially — as the most commanding front-runner in generations.

(http://observer.com/2015/06/berniemania-why-socialist-bernie-sanders-is-the-sensation-of-the-presidential-race/)
YET, . . . IN SPITE OF THE FACTS:
". . . Yet Mr. (Bernie) Sanders, with his slight stoop and cloud of white hair flaring off his ruddy scalp, sometimes suffers on the stump. Later that day in a rec hall across the border in Keene, N.H., packed with about 700 people, some wearing homemade T-shirts Magic Markered with “Bernie 2016,” he lamented the plight of a young teacher he had just met. “Obviously in our society we desperately need teachers,” Mr. Sanders said to his audience. “And her crime for wanting to get a master’s degree was that she is now $200,000 in debt and paying interest rates between 6 and 9 percent. … All of this stuff is crazy stuff.” If the country does not reform its environmental policies, he said a grim fate awaits: “more drought, more famine, more rising sea levels, more floods, more ocean acidification, more extreme weather disturbances, more disease and more human suffering.” . . . "

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Sincerity . . .

Saw a lot of social media talk the other day about 'all lives matter', white racism, etc. etc. and rightly so. This is a good thing. As long as we talk. As long as we are sincere. And as long as we LISTEN. We must listen to each other. Let us all enter the discussion with open minds and hearts. Preconceived notions and know-it-alls are NOT welcome here. I grew up with racism. While not defending it, I can recognize the source of it. . . and as they say, acknowledging the problem is the first step in resolving it. It's not easy and it's not simple. Still, I believe it is noble and worth working toward. Like campaign reform and redistribution of wealth, it probably won't be accomplished in my lifetime. But it will be accomplished.

So let's be careful to avoid generalizations. People are people, and much like music, there are only two kinds. . . good and bad. Be sincere.

Sunday, May 24, 2015

News . . .

. . . outlets. . .

(from 935 Lies; The Future of Truth and the Decline of America's Moral Integrity by Charles Lewis)
". . . But here's what troubles (Jane) Kirtley: "I fear that 'big media' are becoming increasingly irrelevant in this equation. . . You know as well as I do that the big First Amendment cases of the 1960s through '80s were mostly fought and won by the 'legacy press.' I am not at all sure that will continue to be the case. And this is significant because if the legacy media don't do it, I'm not sure who will step in." The reality, she added, is that if today's news media owners "don't see that the First Amendment is the prerequisite to making money, then they won't" take risks, publish, and defend their legal right to do so later in court. "The legions of bloggers are good at making noise, but I'm not sure they'll join forces to litigate-assuming that, as a group, they'd have enough money to do it.". . . "

Monday, May 11, 2015

Repression . . .

(from http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-28583669)
". . . It means bloggers with more than 3,000 daily readers must register with the mass media regulator, Roskomnadzor, and conform to the regulations that govern the country's larger media outlets. Internet companies will also be required to allow Russian authorities access to users' information. One human rights group called the move "draconian". The internet is the last island of free expression in Russia, says Hugh Williamson, Human Rights Watch. The law was approved by Russia's upper house of parliament in April. It includes measures to ensure that bloggers cannot remain anonymous, and states that social networks must maintain six months of data on its users.
The information must be stored on servers based in Russian territory, so that government authorities can gain access. . ."

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

Friday, May 1, 2015

A Little . . .

. . . Smugly delivered, yet amusing . . .

(from http://townhall.com/columnists/derekhunter/2015/04/16/hillary-is-right-the-deck-is-stacked-n1985712/page/2)
". . . her bio reads like a love letter to a mirror, omitting facts, glossing over reality and claiming credit for everything short of the sunrise. That’s the Z of campaign she’s going to run, and that’s the kind of garbage the media will shovel out of their newscasts and onto their pages. . .“Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times, but the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top,” she said. And she’s right. At least partially. “The deck is stacked against you” is an awful message that tells people not to bother trying because no matter how hard they work, they’ll never get ahead. . . it’s futile for anyone to expect a fair shake from the media for someone whose main accomplishment in life is having married Bill Clinton (then spent the next 40 years looking the other way) . . . a life-long enabler of a sexual predator who traded whatever integrity she had for power and money. She’s a bored has-been with a sense of entitlement unrivaled in American public life who can’t bring herself to leave the national stage. . . "

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Art . . .

(from http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-art-of-billie-holidays-life)
" . . . Some biographies of artists take in the whole life—preferably with equal attention to the work, and integrating the two elements to the extent that the work invites it. Others offer a bio-slice or synecdoche, centered on one particular period, relationship, or field of activity to provide an exemplary angle on the life and work. John Szwed’s brief but revelatory new book, “Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth” (Viking), which comes out this week—just under the wire for her centenary (Holiday was born April 7, 1915)—is in another category. It’s a meta-biography, about the creation of Holiday’s public image in media of all sorts: print, television, movies, and, of course, her recordings, but with special attention to the composition of her autobiography, “Lady Sings the Blues,” which was published in 1956. . ."

What do you think?

Monday, March 9, 2015

Smart . . .

. . . phones . . .

. . . are honestly and truthfully a wonderfully convenient and efficient tool. Not only communication via the internet, phone service and email but all the computing capabilities all at your fingertips any time of day (or night). Magnificent.

But I don't have one. At least not yet. I most certainly have no quarrel with the power and convenience these devices provide.

Back around 2003, when I established my 'Gonzo' brand of independent music, I forced myself to explore marketing possibilities on the web from websites to social media to all the free (and some paid) music promotion and distribution services. More than ten years later, I am still exploring. Not only is there a wealth of potential to explore, new opportunities become available almost hourly.

So, you may be thinking, all the more reason to have a smart phone to enable yourself to access this wealth any and all times. Well . . . yes. But, in truth, I most certainly am not a 'gadget' guy and do not need to own the latest and greatest of all tech things available at any given time. I do, in fact, spend more hours on the laptop than many people with whom I have much in common. And I don't need to resolve questions or uncertainties regarding topics of conversation with others instantaneously. I still am able to research such things at a later time.

I don't intend to discontinue explore web potential to market music. But once I close the laptop, I don't feel the need to have all that capability in my back pocket for instant access. When I need to make a phone call, I simply pull out my ancient Samsung fliptop and make one. No need for a smart phone. . .

. . . at least not yet.

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 offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music will be released April 7, 2014 Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Fail . . .

NPR, of all media outlets, the very one frequently held as the gold standard of electronic journalism, has failed us. . . and this is not the first time. According to NPR, Hilary Clinton is the only 'household' name Democrat considering a run for the presidency. There you have it. Case closed. Over-simplified? Yes! True though? Yes!

But there are other, (and yes, possibly BETTER-qualified) well-suited candidates which NPR has failed to tell us about. Not only have they failed, they have subliminally told their audience that there is virtually no choice. Is that what NPR is SUPPOSED to tell us???

One of the (many) problems with our electoral system is the media's heavy influence over it. A candidate is not serious if he can't afford the millions it takes to wage a campaign, which includes paying the media for the exposure it provides.

In spite of what NPR or any other 'news' outlet tells you, there truly ARE other potential Democratic candidates such as Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Luiz Gutierrez, Al Franken, Tim Kaine & John Kerry. . .and don't forget, independent ones either.

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 offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music will be released April 7, 2014 Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Marc J. Randazza, a Las Vegas-based First Amendment attorney and managing partner of the Randazza Legal Group, has in interesting take on the recent media storm NBA Clippers' owner Donald Sterling.

First, many have questioned whether or not Sterling's First Amendment rights were violated. Randazza says his First Amendment rights remain intact. The First Amendment protects you from punishment by the government because of your speech. The NBA is a private club, and it can discipline Sterling all it wants. The government is not imposing the punishment in this situation. Neither does the First Amendment insulate you from criticism. In fact, that's the First Amendment in action.

Going one further though, Randazza says that what happened to Sterling may have been illegal and was morally wrong. In California, you can't record a conversation without the knowledge or consent of both parties. The recording featuring Sterling and V. Stiviano may be the result of a crime. We all say things in private that we might not say in public. Conversely, Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy made his own stupid and bigoted statements to the world by choice. He deserves every ounce of obloquy heaped upon him. Complain about the National Security Agency spying on all of us yet we condone giving our closest friends the ability to do worse.

"The Sterling story is about how there is no more privacy. We live in a world where you can share your intimate photos with your lover, and they will wind up on a "revenge porn" website.

We live in a world where our intimate conversations will be recorded and blasted to billions of listeners. We live in a world where, say a gold digger can spy on her sugar daddy, and the world says that the creepy old guy is the bad guy."

(source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/30/opinion/randazza-sterling-privacy/index.html?hpt=hp_c2)

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

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