(from a multitude of sources)
The Senate Committee on Homeland Security is inviting comment and COUNTING CALLS before it decides whether to approve Steve Bannon's appointment to the National Security Council: 202-224-4751. . . You don't have to talk to anyone - just leave a message. Here's a sample script: "I don't need a call back. I'm calling to say that I strongly believe Steve Bannon does NOT belong on the National Security Council and I'm urging you to vote against his being included. Thank you for your time."
Please copy and paste on your page.
. . . 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.” . . . "
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
(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)
The term Merry Christmas doesn’t have any religious bias and is often used by people of all races and religious backgrounds, during Christmas time. It reflects that messages of love, joy and well wishes can be communicated irrespective of belief systems. It’s a greeting that makes total strangers make instant connection. It’s a message that dissolves anger. It’s a message that evaporates misunderstanding between loved ones and creates a bridge to the beginning of a new relationship. It’s amazing that these two simple words “Merry Christmas” can have this profound effect. In some places, people use a slight variation of the term “Merry Christmas.” In Ireland and Great Britain, some people prefer using “Happy Christmas” instead. However, the power and significance of the phrase is not diminished at all because of a difference in phraseology, because the intent of love and well being remains the same, no matter which phrase is used.
The phrase “Happy Christmas” was used by Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and proceeded to gain popularity in that part of the world. In fact, in the concluding lines of his now famous “A visit from St. Nicholas”, Clement Moore actually used “Happy Christmas.” But “Merry Christmas” remains a very popular term in countries with large Christian population, like the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Australia. Other terms that are used around the same time of the year as a means of greeting are “Happy holidays”, “Seasons Greetings” and, of course, “Happy Christmas.”
There are groups of people who are opposed to the use of “Merry Christmas” and would prefer something more general term like the “Happy Christmas.” However, it’s interesting to note that in 2005 a survey discovered that more consumers used “Merry Christmas” than “Happy Christmas”, primarily in the message of greeting cards.
The fact remains that no matter what term you use, it’s the intent that matters. Use of words is merely an audible method of sending a message. Words have no meaning in themselves, other than the one perceived by the person who hears it. And when we are using something like “Merry Christmas”, is there any doubt about our intentions?
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)
(from http://fox2now.com/2014/08/27/4-year-old-expelled-from-pre-school-for-moms-facebook-post/)
A Florida mom says her four-year-old was expelled from his preschool over a message she posted on her personal Facebook page. Ashley Habat says she and her son will were running late for school. It was picture day at Sonshine Christian Academy. “The administrator of the preschool checking him in she’s like “Well it’s picture day Will are you excited?” and you know he of course just went on to class but I had mentioned that they didn’t give enough notice. And she’s like, “Well we put it in his folder last week.” said Ashley Habat. So Habat says she took to Facebook, saying she just wanted to vent her frustrations. She also never thought the school would ever see her post. “They couldn’t see it, it was private to my friends only.” said Ashley Habat. The post read, “Why is it that every single day there is something new I dislike about Will’s school? Are my standards really too high or are people working in the education field really just that ignorant.” She tagged the school in the post. The next morning she received a call asking her to stop by when she drops off her son. “They just felt like we weren’t the right fit of parent relationship with the school and that they didn’t want him as a student anymore. He had done nothing wrong.” said Ashley Habat. According to the letter of dismissal, “Your relationship with Sonshine did not get off to a very good start the first day of school. You utilized social media to call into question not only the integrity but the intelligence of our staff. These actions are also consistent with sowing discord which is spoken of in the handbook you signed. “I was in shock. Why would you expel a 4-year-old over something his mom posts on her private Facebook page only people on her friends list can see.” said Ashley Habat. . .
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
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)
(Thanks to http://www.hoax-slayer.com/why-hoaxes.html)
Spreading viral hoax emails is essentially cyber graffiti. Is it a cheap thrill or revenge against society in general?
In some cases, a newly created hoax message might spread a lot further than the author originally intended. Some hoaxes start out as just a practical joke aimed squarely at a select group of friends. But the friends send it to their friends and, in short order, the message has irretrievably escaped into the wilds of Cyberspace. Some time back, a widely distributed hoax message about a group of Cambodian midgets fighting a lion started in exactly this way.
Sometimes the author misinterpreted something and genuinely felt compelled to let others know about it. For example, the infamous "Bonsai Kittens" website appears to have prompted one outraged visitor to create and send out an email petition calling for authorities to close down the site. However, the creator of the email petition apparently did not realize that the site was just a joke. In spite of the fact that nobody is really making Bonsai Kittens, this misguided petition continues to circulate and collect email addresses years after it was first launched.
Some say spammers deliberately create hoax emails as a way of subsequently collecting email addresses. Certainly, messages that get forwarded many times can accumulate a great many email addresses and spammers may well harvest these addresses for use on spam lists. For such an exercise to be successful (from the spammer's point of view), he or she would have to set up a mechanism by which the hoax messages were eventually returned after they had accumulated a large number of email addresses. Typically, email hoaxes do not have any such mechanism. If they did, it would perhaps make it possible to identify the original author.
Hoaxbusters.org says there are 5 tell-tale signs that an email is a hoax:
1. It clearly conveys urgency through capitalization and/or many exclamation points
2. The importance of the message is stressed telling you to share by sending it to as many others as you possibly can
3. It states that it is NOT a hoax. It may even contain a disclaimer such as, 'This came from my neighbor who works for Microsoft so I know it's true'
or even a link to Snopes (which most people will not bother to follow)
4. "Dire Consequences" will result if you do not act
5. Many >>>>> marks appear in the left margin indicating many forwardings
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)
. . . or NOT? (not to be confused with 'Black & White Then Back' [see below])
. . . all the hubbub about the smug Fox News reporter who said that both Jesus and Santa Claus were white would be laughable IF IT DIDN'T BECOME THE NEWS ITSELF! (Yes Virginia, Marshall McLuhan was right- the media HAS become the message.
Personally, I don't put ANY stock in television news at all - let alone Fox News. Nor does watching pretty, smug and snooty little egocentric blond girls on television do anything at all for me.
BUT, SANTA CLAUS. Give me (I was gonna say effin', but will refrain) a BREAK!! Adults, in the year 2013, are actually spending valuable time thinking about, listening to, watching television programs or debating the skin color of a mythical figure based upon a 13th century religious figure??
I have a day-to-day calendar called "S is for Stupid" by Leland Gregory which displays one factual and truly stupid fact for each day of the year. Very amusing. Sometimes controversial. ALWAYS stupid.
While driving home from an Oho rehearsal the other night, I spotted something that could very well qualify for the cover of the day-to-day calendar "S is for Stupid". At least it appeared stupid to me in its imprecision as well as its chauvinism. I really don't know what the man was trying to tell me. I also do not believe he is a member of the Green or the Justice political parties.
I don't recall the exact punctuation, but the message, appearing on the spare-tire cover mounted at the rear of an SUV stated:
"Women, Guns, Freedom - America"
I believe I will be writing to Leland Gregory very soon.
. . . NOT ONLY the message. I think its safe to say that the media manufactures the message.
The message, designed for the public in general, is now a 'one-size-fits-all' (or as they say in Texas, "One-size-fits-y'all") message. This 'new' gospel is foisted upon us by a media so large and powerful, both physically and fiscally, that the preponderance of the general population happily and readily accepts it without qualm.
Rest assured, the doctor is NOT ALWAYS RIGHT and the priest, minister, rabbi or reverend is NOT ALWAYS HOLY.
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
. . . I have to mention Michelle Bachmann again, and I realize it's old news, but. . .
Let me get this straight. 'GOD' is sending us a message? An earthquake and a hurricane are (separately, or as a 'package'?) a message from 'GOD' that we, as a nation, are spending too much? That's CLEAR! Isn't it????
The bigger question here is, was she really joking as her campaign spokesperson said? Or was that a bit of damage control after the fact. (Were she and her husband joking as well when speaking of their efforts to 'convert' gays to heterosexuality?) One commentator stated that Bachmann does not let criticism of these gaffes get to her. She does not respond or retaliate, like a Sarah Palin, when the press latches on to her outrageous outbursts. The commentator says this is how a 'seasoned' politician behaves. For Bachmann, that's good. Right?
I say to that commentator, and to the press at large, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE cover the news. ASK Michelle Bachmann if she was joking. Give us the real Michelle Bachmann. Is she, in fact, Michelle Bachmann- sophisticated, urbane wit? Or is she Michelle Bachmann- hayseed, fundamentalist, tribal, pre-scientific rube?
I really want to know.
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
. . . do not always arrive in optimal fashion. The news media, in particular, have evolved over the past thirty years, but not necessarily for the better. And our 'leaders', well, they're even worse. (Fortunately, our current president is head and shoulders above his predecessor in this regard. We do, however, need a better class of 'leaders', in general.)
First, the media. . . From "America- Our Next Chapter" by Chuck Hagel, Republican (yes, Republican) Senator from Nebraska. . . "Right alongside them (legislators), kind of like backup singers in a rock group, we have the pundits. They are supposed to be sage fonts of political wisdom; just ask them. When they are not shouting at one another, they are little more than partisan mouthpieces who have learned their talking points by rote. Collectively these "chattering classes" create a hostile, venomous atmosphere, raising the temperature until any politician with a sense of moderation and balance risks appearing as a wimp next to these high-octane blowhards. But reasonableness doesn't push ratings and low ratings hurt the bottom line of the media corporations.
Then, the message. . . Again, from "America- Our Next Chapter" by Chuck Hagel, Republican (yes, Republican) Senator from Nebraska. . . "America has always gravitated toward leaders who talk straight, who refuse to constantly calibrate their responses based on the advice of political handlers, polling, and focus groups. Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan were leaders who simply and straightforwardly spoke the facts as they saw them. . . We need leaders who can articulate a vision of where we want to take this nation and then lead us there; honest, competent, accountable leadership is what has always mattered most."
download your very own copy of ANOTHER SHOT by Ray Jozwiak
small.jpg)
