Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The saga continues. . .
. . . Keith, our guitarist and one of the founding members, had by this time decided to leave the band, an event that was somewhat bittersweet in that at time we sometimes longed for a guitarist with a different style. But he certainly had many good points, was reliable and, not infrequently, added musicality. Jeff had oft-times mentioned his seminary-educated, guitar-playing brother Jay who was also a founding member of a different music-playing organization of much loftier goal and intent (in my opinion, as I hardly wrote anything at the time and greatly admired local, original musicians for their chutzpah) called OHO. The name, now a brand, was an acronym incorporating the last names of three of the other founders, but failed to include Jay's. [I always thought they should have been called GOHO.] Jeff indicated that Jay would be interested in joining our combo in order to make some money because then, as now, local, original musicians weren't reaping great sums playing their own compositions. I had no inkling at the time that this event would influence my music, work ethic, and the better part of my life, but it has. And I would be willing to wager that Jay has had that affect on many other people as well.
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
Sunday, September 25, 2011
If you're in . . .
. . . the Frederick, MD area tonight,September 26, 2011. . .
Enjoy Yourself at The Monday Night Songwriters Showcase
This Week Featuring
David LaFleur
plus
piano prelude by Ray Jozwiak (Gonzo Piano) Three-song cameos by Laurie Marie – all the way from San Antonio, Simone Sattler, F.A.M.E. president and multi-instrumentalist) Rick Hill, AND showcase regulars, including poet John Holly, Tomy Wright and Todd C. Walker and possibly an appearance by Mister Ron Goad
Monday Night Songwriters Showcaseat Brewer's Alley Restaurant & Brewery(take the elevator on the right to the 2nd floor) 124 North Market Street Frederick, MD 21701 Telephone: 301-631-0089 Fax: 301-631-1874
http://www.brewers-alley.com/
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
Enjoy Yourself at The Monday Night Songwriters Showcase
This Week Featuring
David LaFleur
plus
piano prelude by Ray Jozwiak (Gonzo Piano) Three-song cameos by Laurie Marie – all the way from San Antonio, Simone Sattler, F.A.M.E. president and multi-instrumentalist) Rick Hill, AND showcase regulars, including poet John Holly, Tomy Wright and Todd C. Walker and possibly an appearance by Mister Ron Goad
Monday Night Songwriters Showcaseat Brewer's Alley Restaurant & Brewery(take the elevator on the right to the 2nd floor) 124 North Market Street Frederick, MD 21701 Telephone: 301-631-0089 Fax: 301-631-1874
http://www.brewers-alley.com/
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
Unavoidable, that's what it is. . .
The fifth definition of 'politics' at http://www.merriam-webster.com is, "the total complex of relations between people living in society" of which I believe many people are not aware. The preceding four all involve government and governing. I don't know the chronology of the development of the word, but it seems to me that the former probably foreshadowed the latter and the subsequent evolution of the workings of government, specifically in view the behaviors of members of the legislative and executive branches of our government since the administration of Ronald Reagan, have been adversely affected by the mere presence of the phenomenon defined in the former definition, and that's a shame.
In pondering this, I recall a conversation with a friend recently about the probability of the re-election of our current president for a second term. Be clear that my perception is that the man is by no means perfect. He most certainly has made some mistakes. I do not agree with everything he has done but in most cases, I understand why he has done them. But as my friend said and with which I agree, beneath it all, the president is a 'principle-driven' individual. And with regard to the question of his, as some perceive, unlikely re-election, I offer you the following by author Derrick Dickey. . .
The New York Times declared, “Thomas E. Dewey’s Election as President is a Foregone Conclusion.” Top pollsters predicted a Dewey win, as did leading national political writers. In fact, with the exception of Truman, everyone else was certain Dewey would be elected. Months before the election, Life ran a cover of a picture of Dewey with a caption that read, “The Next President of the United States.” Headline after headline screamed Dewey as President.
Truman, for his part, appeared to be running a campaign more against the Eightieth Congress than against Dewey. Truman presented a proposal to the Congress in February before the election that would guarantee the rights of blacks. This created conflict among the Democratic Party. At the convention, all of the Mississippi and half of the Alabama delegates walked out, for a total of 35, when Truman was praised for his “courageous stand on civil rights.” This lead to the split of the Party and the emergence of the Dixiecrats. South Carolina Governor Strom Thurmond ran on the Party’s ticket. The Dixiecrats hoped to cause enough split in order to throw the election into the House, and therefore the South could prevent a civil-rights supporter from being elected. Many within the party were dissatisfied with Truman’s running mate, Senate Majority Leader Alben W. Barkley. Once again, there was defection, which lead to the announcement of Henry Wallace and running mate Senator Glen Taylor (ID-Dem.) on the Progressive ticket. New York Times stated, “The [Democratic] Party might as well immediately concede the election to Dewey and save the wear and tear of campaigning.” With so much discontent going on within the party, the media hounded on the latest polls. A Gallup poll in 1948 reported that only 36% of the people thought that Truman was doing a good job as President. The nation was discontented with high taxes, rising cost of living, labor strife, and the Cold War that was brought on with the end of World War II.
Truman needed to turn the direction of the election around quickly. He revealed he would call the Congress back on July 26, just a few months shy of the election, to ask for legislation to slow rising prices, aid for education, a national health plan, civil rights legislation, public power, and cheap electricity. The media charged Truman with using cheap politics. Truman responded, “What that worst Eightieth Congress does in its special session will be the test. The American people will decide on the rest.”
While Truman was personable and feisty, Dewey appeared stuffy. The media referred to him as “the only man they knew who could strut sitting down.” Richard Rovere, of New Yorker, said, “he comes out like a man who has been mounted on casters and given a tremendous shove from behind” at rallies. He ended sentences with “period”, and was fond of phrases such as “Oh, Lord” and “Good Gracious.” With Truman behind in the polls, and public discontent with Truman, the Dewey campaign was laid-back and mild. Dewey’s running mate, Earl Warren, got so frustrated with the low-key campaign, that he commented to the media, “I wish just once I could call somebody an S.O.B.!”
Dewey had numerous faux pas in the campaign. At one stop, Dewey commented that it was nice to see so many children, and that they should be lucky he got them a day off from school. One kid yelled, “It’s Saturday.” At another speech in Illinois, Dewey was speaking from the rear platform of a train, which started backing up. No one was injured, but Dewey declared, the engineer “should probably be shot at sunrise, but we’ll let him off this time since no one was hurt.” Truman took full advantage of this, and announced that there were great train crews all across the nation, “they are all Democrats. Dewey objects to having engineers back up. He doesn’t mention that under that great engineer, Hoover, we backed up into the worst depression in history.”
Not only did the Truman campaign take full advantage of Dewey’s low-key campaign, but also the Democrats lack of funds. The party was often so low on funds that the President was cut off during the middle of his speeches. Louis Johnson, his fund-raiser, let the networks cut him off mid-speech to dramatize the financial plight. Once, when a station manager told him unless he coughed up more money, the President would be cut off, Jack Redding told him to, “Cut him off on a high note,” and in a loud voice stated, “The networks won’t let the President of the United States finish his speech!” This brought reporters running, stories in the newspapers the next day, and tons of indignant letters to the editors, as well as contributions to the Party.
As the election wore on, Truman gained the following of the people. While the press discounted him up to the end, the polls showed that the voters were starting to come around. Truman was still trailing Dewey, but he had closed the gap. The media refused to acknowledge it. Roper declared in September that he had such faith in his previous polls, that he would not issue a new one. As the reports filtered in the night of the election, Truman was ahead in the popular votes, but the newscasters still believed Truman did not have a chance.
The Election of 1948 had many milestones. The Republican Convention of 1948 was the first ever to be televised. The Truman upset caused pollsters, such as Gallup, Roper, and Crossley, to investigate where they went wrong. Columnists, reporters, and editorial writers blamed themselves for relying too much on the polls. Marquis Childs, a columnist, wrote, “We were wrong, all of us, completely and entirely, the commentators, the political editors, the politicians-except for Harry S. Truman, and no one believed him. The fatal flaw was the reliance on the public opinion polls.”
The legend of “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!” was born. Harry S. Truman had fought the media, the commentators, and everyone else, and won the election. One of the most famous pictures is of Truman holding the Chicago Daily Tribune, with a headline that reads, “Dewey Defeats Truman.” The 1948 Election shows the agenda of the media, how it conflicts with that of the American people. In his final campaign speech, Truman said, “The smart boys say we can’t win. They tried to bluff us with a propaganda blitz, but we called their bluff, we told the people the truth. And the people are with us. The tide is rolling. All over the country. I have seen it in the people’s faces. The people are going to win this election.
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
In pondering this, I recall a conversation with a friend recently about the probability of the re-election of our current president for a second term. Be clear that my perception is that the man is by no means perfect. He most certainly has made some mistakes. I do not agree with everything he has done but in most cases, I understand why he has done them. But as my friend said and with which I agree, beneath it all, the president is a 'principle-driven' individual. And with regard to the question of his, as some perceive, unlikely re-election, I offer you the following by author Derrick Dickey. . .
The New York Times declared, “Thomas E. Dewey’s Election as President is a Foregone Conclusion.” Top pollsters predicted a Dewey win, as did leading national political writers. In fact, with the exception of Truman, everyone else was certain Dewey would be elected. Months before the election, Life ran a cover of a picture of Dewey with a caption that read, “The Next President of the United States.” Headline after headline screamed Dewey as President.
Truman, for his part, appeared to be running a campaign more against the Eightieth Congress than against Dewey. Truman presented a proposal to the Congress in February before the election that would guarantee the rights of blacks. This created conflict among the Democratic Party. At the convention, all of the Mississippi and half of the Alabama delegates walked out, for a total of 35, when Truman was praised for his “courageous stand on civil rights.” This lead to the split of the Party and the emergence of the Dixiecrats. South Carolina Governor Strom Thurmond ran on the Party’s ticket. The Dixiecrats hoped to cause enough split in order to throw the election into the House, and therefore the South could prevent a civil-rights supporter from being elected. Many within the party were dissatisfied with Truman’s running mate, Senate Majority Leader Alben W. Barkley. Once again, there was defection, which lead to the announcement of Henry Wallace and running mate Senator Glen Taylor (ID-Dem.) on the Progressive ticket. New York Times stated, “The [Democratic] Party might as well immediately concede the election to Dewey and save the wear and tear of campaigning.” With so much discontent going on within the party, the media hounded on the latest polls. A Gallup poll in 1948 reported that only 36% of the people thought that Truman was doing a good job as President. The nation was discontented with high taxes, rising cost of living, labor strife, and the Cold War that was brought on with the end of World War II.
Truman needed to turn the direction of the election around quickly. He revealed he would call the Congress back on July 26, just a few months shy of the election, to ask for legislation to slow rising prices, aid for education, a national health plan, civil rights legislation, public power, and cheap electricity. The media charged Truman with using cheap politics. Truman responded, “What that worst Eightieth Congress does in its special session will be the test. The American people will decide on the rest.”
While Truman was personable and feisty, Dewey appeared stuffy. The media referred to him as “the only man they knew who could strut sitting down.” Richard Rovere, of New Yorker, said, “he comes out like a man who has been mounted on casters and given a tremendous shove from behind” at rallies. He ended sentences with “period”, and was fond of phrases such as “Oh, Lord” and “Good Gracious.” With Truman behind in the polls, and public discontent with Truman, the Dewey campaign was laid-back and mild. Dewey’s running mate, Earl Warren, got so frustrated with the low-key campaign, that he commented to the media, “I wish just once I could call somebody an S.O.B.!”
Dewey had numerous faux pas in the campaign. At one stop, Dewey commented that it was nice to see so many children, and that they should be lucky he got them a day off from school. One kid yelled, “It’s Saturday.” At another speech in Illinois, Dewey was speaking from the rear platform of a train, which started backing up. No one was injured, but Dewey declared, the engineer “should probably be shot at sunrise, but we’ll let him off this time since no one was hurt.” Truman took full advantage of this, and announced that there were great train crews all across the nation, “they are all Democrats. Dewey objects to having engineers back up. He doesn’t mention that under that great engineer, Hoover, we backed up into the worst depression in history.”
Not only did the Truman campaign take full advantage of Dewey’s low-key campaign, but also the Democrats lack of funds. The party was often so low on funds that the President was cut off during the middle of his speeches. Louis Johnson, his fund-raiser, let the networks cut him off mid-speech to dramatize the financial plight. Once, when a station manager told him unless he coughed up more money, the President would be cut off, Jack Redding told him to, “Cut him off on a high note,” and in a loud voice stated, “The networks won’t let the President of the United States finish his speech!” This brought reporters running, stories in the newspapers the next day, and tons of indignant letters to the editors, as well as contributions to the Party.
As the election wore on, Truman gained the following of the people. While the press discounted him up to the end, the polls showed that the voters were starting to come around. Truman was still trailing Dewey, but he had closed the gap. The media refused to acknowledge it. Roper declared in September that he had such faith in his previous polls, that he would not issue a new one. As the reports filtered in the night of the election, Truman was ahead in the popular votes, but the newscasters still believed Truman did not have a chance.
The Election of 1948 had many milestones. The Republican Convention of 1948 was the first ever to be televised. The Truman upset caused pollsters, such as Gallup, Roper, and Crossley, to investigate where they went wrong. Columnists, reporters, and editorial writers blamed themselves for relying too much on the polls. Marquis Childs, a columnist, wrote, “We were wrong, all of us, completely and entirely, the commentators, the political editors, the politicians-except for Harry S. Truman, and no one believed him. The fatal flaw was the reliance on the public opinion polls.”
The legend of “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!” was born. Harry S. Truman had fought the media, the commentators, and everyone else, and won the election. One of the most famous pictures is of Truman holding the Chicago Daily Tribune, with a headline that reads, “Dewey Defeats Truman.” The 1948 Election shows the agenda of the media, how it conflicts with that of the American people. In his final campaign speech, Truman said, “The smart boys say we can’t win. They tried to bluff us with a propaganda blitz, but we called their bluff, we told the people the truth. And the people are with us. The tide is rolling. All over the country. I have seen it in the people’s faces. The people are going to win this election.
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
Friday, September 23, 2011
Where it's at is here with you. . .
. . . Where it's at is here with you. . .
I've never been one to follow trends. I won't be with the crowd when they round the bend. But I'll be with you until the very end cause, where it's at is here with you. Fancy parties leave me cold and drained. Discos crowds and posturing in vain only feeds some silly appetite unnamed. Where it's at is here with you.
I don't want to see the moon. Fly to Paris May or June. I just want a one-way-fare to any place where you'll be there.
I don't need gold or precious things; fancy clothes or even diamond rings. I only need the thrill that being with you brings. Where it's at is here with you. For fame or power I have no desire. I don't crave acceptance or to be admired. I'm just happy sitting with you by the fire. Where it's at is here with you.
I don't want to see the moon. Fly to Paris May or June. I just want a one-way-fare to any place where you'll be there.
HERE WITH YOU
©1998 Raymond M. Jozwiak
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
I've never been one to follow trends. I won't be with the crowd when they round the bend. But I'll be with you until the very end cause, where it's at is here with you. Fancy parties leave me cold and drained. Discos crowds and posturing in vain only feeds some silly appetite unnamed. Where it's at is here with you.
I don't want to see the moon. Fly to Paris May or June. I just want a one-way-fare to any place where you'll be there.
I don't need gold or precious things; fancy clothes or even diamond rings. I only need the thrill that being with you brings. Where it's at is here with you. For fame or power I have no desire. I don't crave acceptance or to be admired. I'm just happy sitting with you by the fire. Where it's at is here with you.
I don't want to see the moon. Fly to Paris May or June. I just want a one-way-fare to any place where you'll be there.
HERE WITH YOU
©1998 Raymond M. Jozwiak
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
I have never been. . .
. . . good at any sport. PERIOD.
Expanding upon that, nor have I ever been any good at anything remotely competitive. For some reason competition always brings out the worst in me. I'm not sure if it involves some type of pressure, subconscious or otherwise or if in truth, I am just plain lousy at EVERYTHING. And this unique distinction of being the world's worst everything translates to cards. [and pool, bowling, tiddlywinks, jacks, old maid, hopscotch, marbles, you name it) or any type of card game, if I apply myself enough to learn it, is always a total disaster for me. And in addition, I shuffle and deal cards like I'm from Mars. Wait a minute, I'll bet even beings from Mars are better at cards (and competition) than me!
This accounts for my reluctance to enter songwriting competitions. Although in this area, I do feel that I possess some semblance of talent, if you will. And since all of my compositions are my 'children', I love them and I view them for what they are with all their warts but with their good qualities shining through.
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
Expanding upon that, nor have I ever been any good at anything remotely competitive. For some reason competition always brings out the worst in me. I'm not sure if it involves some type of pressure, subconscious or otherwise or if in truth, I am just plain lousy at EVERYTHING. And this unique distinction of being the world's worst everything translates to cards. [and pool, bowling, tiddlywinks, jacks, old maid, hopscotch, marbles, you name it) or any type of card game, if I apply myself enough to learn it, is always a total disaster for me. And in addition, I shuffle and deal cards like I'm from Mars. Wait a minute, I'll bet even beings from Mars are better at cards (and competition) than me!
This accounts for my reluctance to enter songwriting competitions. Although in this area, I do feel that I possess some semblance of talent, if you will. And since all of my compositions are my 'children', I love them and I view them for what they are with all their warts but with their good qualities shining through.
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Shame. . .
. . . on US. The American way!!!????? DEMOCRACY????!!!!!
Was this Really the RIGHT thing to do?????
Rest in piece Mr. Troy Davis.
Can we live with ourselves after this????
And me, here in Texas. The capital punishment capital of the world.
I am ashamed of my species.
Someone yesterday posted: "He is not set to die, he is set to be killed. There's a difference. "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind"."
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
Was this Really the RIGHT thing to do?????
Rest in piece Mr. Troy Davis.
Can we live with ourselves after this????
And me, here in Texas. The capital punishment capital of the world.
I am ashamed of my species.
Someone yesterday posted: "He is not set to die, he is set to be killed. There's a difference. "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind"."
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
Monday, September 19, 2011
Come again. . .
. . . House Speaker John Boehner says, "This administration's insistence on raising taxes on job creators and its reluctance to take the steps necessary to strengthen our entitlement programs are the reasons the president and I were not able to reach an agreement previously, and it is evident today that these barriers remain."
So why the f*#k aren't Boehner's "job creators" creating jobs RIGHT NOW while there are no additional taxes imposed upon them??? WHY???
Sorry. These people just PISS ME OFF!!!!!
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
So why the f*#k aren't Boehner's "job creators" creating jobs RIGHT NOW while there are no additional taxes imposed upon them??? WHY???
Sorry. These people just PISS ME OFF!!!!!
Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
Tweet
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)