More of the Same . . .

. . . stuff . . .


Now the pitifully, most-likely Democratic Presidential candidate has, as she and her former-President 'mate' seem always to have had, more scandal with which to contend.  Foreign money and secret emails are the latest of more-of-the-same for this 'principled' 'family' of public 'servants.' She tried to defuse the latest controversy with a late-night tweet short after the email problem surfaced that, like all Clinton responses to confrontation, fell far short of effective.

It's difficult to find a vocal Republican with whom I am likely to agree, but Republican Party spokesman Michael Short, who said “Hillary Clinton must think we’re all suckers. The fact Hillary Clinton set up a ‘homebrewed’ email system in her house to skirt federal record-keeping regulations is a pretty good indicator of just how transparent she’s interested in being,” may just be one.
(source:  http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2015/03/05/258816/a-clinton-candidacy-is-weakened.html#storylink=cpy)

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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

(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)

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Solutions. . .

"This too shall pass."
- probably Medieval Persian Sufi poets


“Being a solution and not a problem proves progression.”
― Unarine Ramaru


“Solving problems is better than forgetting them otherwise you will be reminded of them at a bad time.”
― Auliq Ice


“We’ll never solve the problems we don’t talk about.”
― Justin Young


“a recurring problem is a neglected solution.Ponder to wonder”
― Ernest Agyemang Yeboah


Determine the thing that can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way.
- Abraham Lincoln


Intellectuals solve problems; geniuses prevent them.
- Albert Einstein

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

(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

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Scrooge . . .

. . . in real life . . .


(from http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/americas-working-poor-face-pervasive-wage-theft-report-n261546)
". . . Between 3.5 percent and 6.5 percent of workers in New York and California — and between 11 percent and 12 percent of low-wage workers — are victims of wage theft when employers violate minimum wage laws, a newreport commissioned by the Department of Labor says. Workers in service industries fare the worst, and the report calls the problem "pervasive." The report estimates that violations cost workers in these two states between $20 million and $29 million in lost weekly income. This missing money makes a big difference in the lives and finances of workers, pushing 15,000 families below the poverty line. These findings come on the heels of a study conducted by the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute, which found that lawyers and regulators recovered nearly $1 billion that workers never received because of wage and hour violations in 2012. American taxpayers also pay the price, since wages that aren't paid don't contribute to tax revenues, and cheated workers rely more heavily on public assistance like food stamps. The report comes as union-backed protesters are staging strikes and rallies in 190 cities to advocate for a $15 hourly wage for fast food workers. . . "

What do you think?
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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:
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Unequal . . .

(from http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2014/09/republicans-dismiss-equal-pay-and-abortions-for-rape-as-minor-issues-dems-pounce.html/) [GOP lieutenant governor candidate Dan] Patrick was asked about the problem of unequal pay for women at a public forum and responded, “I don’t think it is a problem.”

“I don’t think government should tell businesses how to pay their staff,” he said.

On the equal pay issue, Texas Democratic Party spokeswoman Lisa Paul said Patrick’s dismissal shows that he is out-of-touch with the realities that women face in the workplace.

“Despite Dan Patrick’s nonchalance and insensitivity, Texas women know they deserve equal pay for equal work,” she said, citing statistics that show that Texas women make 79 cents on the dollar for the same work as men.

“If Dan Patrick wants to lead Texas he should be ready to tell our young women that if they work hard, they can expect a fair paycheck and equality in the workplace. Instead he plans to sit by and pretend this is not an issue that affects every family in Texas,” Paul said.

What do you think?
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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)

Also, be sure to visit:
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Cute Little Female . . .

. . . voice

So the cute, little female voice listens to my problem attentively and asks me very politely to hold on while she finds out exactly who will be able to help me. My problem is, in brief, that the rain gutter on my house was damaged by the roofing firm (where the cute, little female voice works) when they replace the roof on the house to our immediate right for the former owner.  Our row-homes are, needless to say, connected. So after a reasonable, yet not extremely short, time another voice, female-but this time not so cute or little, joins the line and says to me, "can I help you."  Since I had just explained quite succinctly, the details of my dilemma to the previously-mentioned cute, little female voice, the entire situation, I responded to the effect of 'didn't the prior representative tell you the nature of my situation or must I begin afresh?'  (Can you detect a certain 'attitude' exuding from the second person?  I DID!) She admitted that she was familiar with my situation, but in keeping with her general demeanor, she was sure to ask certain questions which prompted a repeat of the general story anyway, to which she responded in a tone of, 'what is it exactly that you are asking' and when told an insignificant (to a roofing contractor) $200 to repair the gutter that employees of her firm damaged. In keeping with her 'professional' (i.e. money-grubbing) disposition she then informed me that since the house next door was sold by the previous owner, who contracted the replacement roof, the life-time warranty so generously provided him was now null and void- a fact in which I have no (or at least very little) interest in relation to the reason I had called.  Then the kind soul berated me for the delay between the time the work was done and the time I contacted her [the roofer] to which I wish I had responded, "If only your workmen had left me a note informing me that they damaged my gutter system and specified the exact location and extent of the damage, I most certainly would have contacted you much sooner."

What do you think?
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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)

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

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Have kids . . .

. . . today lost all respect for their elders?  Is this REALLY the major problems with the world today?  I don't think they all have.  And, I don't think so (in that order) . . .


(http://history1900s.about.com/od/worldwari/p/World-War-I.htm)
The spark that started World War I was the assassination of Austria's Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. The assassination occurred on June 28, 1914 while Ferdinand was visiting the city of Sarajevo in the Austro-Hungarian province of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Although Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the nephew of Austria's emperor and heir-apparent to the throne, was not very well liked by most, his assassination by a Serb nationalist was viewed as a great excuse to attack Austria-Hungary's troublesome neighbor, Serbia.

However, instead of reacting quickly to the incident, Austria-Hungary made sure they had the backing of Germany, with whom they had a treaty, before they proceeded. This gave Serbia time to get the backing of Russia, with whom they had a treaty.

The calls for back-up didn't end there. Russia also had a treaty with France and Britain.

This meant that by the time Austria-Hungary officially declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, an entire month after the assassination, much of Europe had already become entangled in the dispute.

What do you think?
Tell me at
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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' 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

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New Stuff . . .

. . . April 8th . . .

Fifteen minutes of glory, maybe less
What I wouldn't give for the chance to confess
All my intimate secrets
All my hopes and my desires
I don't care just how valid you think that they are
They've been mine for a long long while
And I'm not ashamed of them

Shut up Joe
How do you really know what's going down
How can you tell if there's a problem somewhere to be found
We all need to gather round
To help everybody else to see
That running your mouth aloud
Makes it that much more difficult
For you and me and our integrity

Went to work at the factory at fourteen
Thought I'd finish my schooling sometime in between
Drunken weekends and futile street fights
And the visits to my best girl
But the time slipped away
I've got bills here to pay
I've got small ones depending on me
My vision is limited

Shut up Joe
How do you really know what's going down
How can you tell if there's a problem somewhere to be found
We all need to gather round
To help everybody else to see
That running your mouth aloud
Makes it that much more difficult
For you and me and our integrity

All my life I've known I'd want to say
Something to my fellow man today
Couldn't let the facts get in the way

We weren't that well acquainted never were
An occasional run-in we preferred
There's one thing that we both believe in
Heard it over and over again
It was something about all the fondness we felt
How the heart can't miss what's not around
If the mind doesn't value it

Shut up Joe
How do you really know what's going down
How can you tell if there's a problem somewhere to be found
We all need to gather round
To help everybody else to see
That running your mouth aloud
Makes it that much more difficult
For you and me and our integrity


Integrity
©2013 Raymond M. Jozwiak
(Instrumental Version) from '2014'
available April 8, 2014 at http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak




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)

Coming April 8, 2014  - '2014' by Ray Jozwiak
at http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak
Pre-order your copy of "2014" at the iTunes Store NOW

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

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
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Easy. . .

. . . to verify. . .

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.'

Want facts?  They're everywhere. . .
Hepburn, Lisa M. and David Hemenway. “Firearm availability and homicide: A review of the literature.” Aggression and Violent Behavior. Vol. 9, 2004: 417-440.
National Research Council of the National Academies, Committee on Law and Justice. “Firearms and Violence: A Critical Review.” The National Academies Press: Washington, D.C., 2004.
Average civilian ownership data for 178 countries: Small Arms Survey 2007, Chapter 2, Annexe 4.
UNODC Homicide Statistics. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Annual Firearms Manufacturers And Export Report. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Report years 1998-2011.
Total NCIS Background Checks, Nov. 30, 1998 to Nov. 30, 2012. Federal Bureau of Investigations. accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Hemenway, David. Director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center. Phone interview with FactCheck.org. 18 Dec 2012.
Wellford, Charles F. Professor, University of Maryland Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Phone interview with FactCheck.org. 18 Dec 2012.
Wintemute, Garen. Director of the Violence Prevention Research Program, University of California-Davis. Phone interview with FactCheck.org. 18 Dec 2012.
Robertson, Lori. “Violent Crimes and Handgun Ownership.” FactCheck.org. 6 Mar 2008.
Face the Nation. Transcript. CBS News. 16 Dec 2012.
“Facts: Gun Violence.” Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Fatal Injury Reports, 1999-2010. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Undated accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Injury Mortality Reports, 1981-1998. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Undated accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Murder Victim, by Weapon. 2011 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Definitions for WISQARS Fatal. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Undated accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Murder Victim, by Weapon. 2006 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Table 15. Crime Trends: Additional Information About Selected Offenses. 2007 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Table 15. Crime Trends: Additional Information About Selected Offenses. 2009 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Table 15. Crime Trends: Additional Information About Selected Offenses. 2011 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Nonfatal Injury Reports, 1999-2011. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Undated accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Nonfatal firearm-related violent crimes, 1993-2009. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Department of Justice. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Transcript. ABC News. 16 Dec 2012.
“Major School Shootings in the United States Since 1997.” Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.

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AMBIENCE & WINE

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