Town Creates Magna Carta for Animals, Giving Them Rights

Good Day World!

Big news today for animals.

And animal lovers.

Trigueros del Valle, a small town in Spain, has voted to give dogs and cats the same rights as their human owners. The town is the first in the world to extend such rights to animals.

The bill also bans bull fighting, and “any action that causes the mutilation or death of a non-human resident.” Bull fighting has long been a hot topic in Spain amongst animal rights activists and there is hope that this landmark ruling could spread to other towns.

MEANWHILE BACK IN THE USA

For the first time in US history, a judge has decreed that a pair of chimpanzees held at a university research facility are covered by the same laws that govern the detention of humans, effectively rendering the animals as legal "people" in the eyes of the law.

New York Supreme Court Justice Barbara Jaffe said that the apes, held at Stony Brook University for research purposes, are covered by a writ of habeas corpus — a basic legal principle that lets people challenge the validity of their detention.

According to Science, the judge who said that a pair of chimpanzees were covered by a writ of habeas corpus has amended her court order to remove that wording.

The chimps fate awaits a final ruling.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Something New to Worry About When You Get in Your Car

                                         Good Day World!

I never thought I’d see the day when I would have to worry about traveling in a car.

I’ve been driving for 50 years and always considered it the best way to travel. There’s a lot of good memories gathered on road trips across America.

Frankly, I’ve always loved cars. They meant freedom to see new places. Drive-In theaters were the best places for cars to gather when I was growing up.

So it’s sad for me to admit that I’m concerned about some new vehicle technologies. They pose hazards you should be aware of.  

What’s happening is automakers are adding new technologies to their vehicles at a prodigious pace, everything from radar-controlled collision warning to advanced infotainment systems.

They're also opening up a number of new channels into the vehicle, “noted Saar Dickman, CEO of TowerSec, an Israeli-based firm developing automotive security technology.” (source)

Experts point to the new 4G LTE systems offering cellular connectivity that Chevrolet, Audi, Chrysler and other manufacturers are adding.

Then there are channels normally open to satellite radio broadcasts that could be hacked. Even the tire pressure monitoring systems now required for all new cars potentially could be used to gain entry into a car's complex computer network.

DID YOU SEE THIS?

The risk was highlighted last week when hackers gained access to a 2014 Jeep Cherokee driven by a reporter for Wired magazine.

WHAT’S BEING DONE?

If vehicle security followed the conventional path, motorists would have to sign up for anti-spam and anti-virus software similar to on their desktops, laptops, and even tablets and smartphones.

But as recent hack attacks on online retailers like Target and even seemingly "hardened" systems like the Pentagon have shown, that approach is less and less effective.

Several alternative security systems are under development. But as of this time, there’s nothing to be done – with the exception of vehicle recalls like Chrysler had to do with 1.4 million Jeeps after that reporter from Wired magazine exposed their vulnerability. 

I can’t help but feeling uneasy with the dangerous possibilities these new innovations are bringing to my driving experience.

Related:

Senators Introduce Bill to Protect Connected Cars from Hackers

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Let’ Share – What Are Some of Your Daily Rituals?

                                     Good Day World!

I have daily rituals.

You may relate to this one:

One of the first things I do when I wake up is to put on a pot of coffee.

Without my morning caffeine fix my brain stays stuck in first gear. It takes two cups of Joe to facilitate the transformation from near zombie to a functioning person.

I think, in all fairness, what I have is an addiction and a ritual.

Rituals are a feature of all known human societies.

They include not only the worship rites and sacraments of organized religions and cults, but also rites of passage, atonement and purification rites, oaths of allegiance, dedication ceremonies, coronations and presidential inaugurations, marriages and funerals, school "rush" traditions and graduations, club meetings, sporting events, Halloween parties, veterans parades, Christmas shopping and more. (source)

Another ritual I have:

When watching my favorite pro basketball team, The Los Angeles Lakers, I do this little thing with my hands to jinx the opposition when they’re taking free throws. Just before the shooter releases the ball, I shake my hands violently (in fantasy theory distracting him).

The crazy thing is I try not to overuse this tactic because if it comes to crunch time I want my mojo to be strong!

So what daily rituals do you have? C’mon…we all have them.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Coming Soon: Wal Mart Shoppers in Texas Openly Carrying Weapons

Good Day World!

Call me silly, but I’m just not comfortable sitting in a restaurant with people openly displaying pistols and assault-rifles.

When I think about how easy open-carry laws make it for nuts of all kinds to shoot people, I have to cringe. Someone as crazy as a loon can buy a weapon and walk around with it in public places now in Texas.

Please don’t tell me loons don’t “legally’ buy weapons. Happens every day. Especially in Texas, a mecca for anti-government and general conspiracy theories where backround checks to buy weapons are a joke.

The loons had to hide their weapons before. Now Texas has made it that much easier for wack jobs to “off” people in public settings by overturning a 145 years-old law.

That prohibition ended last month when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill that made it legal to openly carry weapons on the streets of the nation's second most-populous state.

Some hailed the new law (fringe elements), and others (the general population) are simply not comfortable with it.

That’s the reason why an iconic Texas restaurant chain will not allow the open carrying of guns on its properties when the law goes into effect next January.

Whataburger — with some 780 locations in 10 states – president and CEO Preston Atkinson said many employees and customers are "uncomfortable being around someone with a visible firearm."

Duh…no kidding. Not too many people enjoy eating in a room full of weapons on display. Doesn’t do much for anyone’s digestion.

Especially when some pro-open carry advocates bring military-style assault rifles into businesses to make a point. That action prompted the Chipotle restaurant chain to discourage firearms on their premises.

Whataburger's decision is expected to pave the way for other restaurants to enact similar policies that will further limit where gun owners can openly carrying their beloved firearms.

But what about other private businesses? Imagine people strolling through Sears carrying semi-automatic rifles?

You want scary? Imagine armed Wal Mart shoppers!

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Mean memes, Propaganda Memes and Funny Memes

Good Day World!

Not all memes are created equal.

A meme a day won’t keep the doctor away.

Great memes don’t all think alike.

Funny memes make us laugh (see photo of 2 dogs).

Propaganda memes reflect the worst in our society by spreading lies. For example I found one meme floating around on Facebook that was totally faked and full of hate. It centers around the Benghazi  controversy and the murder of J. Christopher Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya.

The meme on the right is one of many particularly vicious one’s regarding the ambassador’s death. It is also completely FAKE.

He was overcome with smoke inhalation while trying to flee the burning compound and was discovered by some civilians who took him to Benghazi Medical Center where he suffered a cardiac arrest and doctors were unable to revive him.

His body was never desecrated and was shipped back to the states where an autopsy was performed before being turned over to his family.

****

Then there are mean memes. This one of an overweight little boy is just one example of what’s being thrown about in social media sites.

Overweight people are a common target for mean memes.

Political memes can also be extremely mean and have become a common fixture in any election. It seems being mean is very popular.

Time for me to walk on down the road… 

Suffer the Children: 10,000 Kids Killed or Injured Every Year With Guns

                                            Good Day World!

America’s children have become victims of politics. 

Injuries from firearms send an estimated 7,000 kids to the ER every year, and an additional 3,000 children die from gunshot wounds before they can get to a hospital, according to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics.

Doctors are pointing to the new data as further evidence of the serious public health toll that gun violence takes on America’s youth.

That should come as no surprise. The United States’ rate of mortality from firearms is about ten times higher than the rates in other wealthy nations.

The National Rifle Association’s assault on any gun laws have subdued Congress and destroyed every legislative attempt to correct the situation.

The results are scary.

The number of kids being killed by guns in the U.S. has been steadily rising over the past several decades, and the issue has captured headlines as the number of school shootings has intensified.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) estimates that firearms are one of the top three causes of death among children, killing twice as many kids as cancer does.

What can be done about this problem?

Some legal experts have suggested raising the legal age to purchase a handgun to 21, since research has demonstrated that there’s a peak in gun violence among youth between the ages of 18 and 20.

The AAP has also pushed for expanded background checks and safe storage to ensure that guns aren’t falling into the wrong hands. And more states could move to make adults criminally liable for allowing kids to have access to guns.

These are a few ideas that would help. There has to be other things that can be done to save our children from guns.

Our federal government, and state governments, need to put more emphasis on this problem. Children need to be more of a priority in American. Both their safety and education should be a national priority.

Sadly, that’s not the case. One can only hope we wake up in time to stem this deadly tide.

Time for me to walk on down the road…  

 

Rest in Peace ‘Red Dog’ – I’m Going to Miss You

A dear friend of mine, Robert Cunningham aka “Red Dog” passed away yesterday (photo). I feel like I lost a brother. There were five of us, all high school buddies who stayed in contact these past 50 years.

Now there’s only four. Tom, Larry, Ernie, and me.

I want you to know that Red Dog was very intelligent and a compassionate man. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and espoused passionate beliefs throughout his life.

He was also a loyal friend who was at my side during many important times in my life.

He was at Shirley and I’s wedding 41 years ago this August. At one point I came up to him and patted him on the back. He responded by throwing up on the table! I never let him forget that embarrassing moment – and he owned it in many conversations afterward.

Red Dog went to all three of my sons high school graduations, and their marriages. He was always there for important events in my life.

I don’t know how many times we went to wineries and restaurants as a group and had a fantastic time. Wine, love, laughter. Good times. Wonderful memories. Red Dog cracking us all up with his quick wit.

Red Dog was an independent person, unencumbered by many of societies rules. He was never afraid to speak his mind. And he had a lot of friends. It was an honor to be one of them.

I grieve for his passing. Just another sign of my mortality. He was younger than me. He was going to retire this year. He had the whole world ahead of him.

His big heart gave out yesterday. It’s hard to believe. Just a few days ago we were joking about a portable sauna that you can take camping. He said a luxury like that wasn’t really camping.

Red Dog knew about camping, daily walks, and hiking. He explored many beautiful national parks and especially loved Yosemite. He went on the harrowing 14-mile hike up Half Dome at least twice.

He was careful about the food he ate, always conscious of his weight and health.

Yet, Red Dog isn’t here today. I sure hope he’s in a place that allows dogs because he loved them dearly!

Good bye old Buddy…Cheers! 

I’ll see you down the line.

 

How Much For That Politician in the Window?

    Good Day World!

It’s easy to openly buy our politicians these days because of the corruption in both our government and the Supreme Court.

Illustration by Steve Brodner

The days of funneling money to politicians secretly are gone and forgotten. And why not? In today’s political climate there are no limits to how much money can be donated to buy influence.

In recent years, federal courts have knocked down barriers against the practice. A series of decisions, most notably the Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in the Citizens United case, now effectively allows people and companies to spend as much as they like.

Perhaps the last bastion of restraint fell on April 2, 2014.

News item:

“Everyone knows that money talks. But today, the Supreme Court made it official: political donations are speech. Therefore, they ruled, the right to free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment applies to them too. And that means removing the limits.”

So how can you buy a politician? I’m glad you asked. Check this video out:

How to Buy a Politician

Now let’s look at:

Who wants to buy a Politician?

Okay, now that you know how to buy a pol of your very own are you wondering What do people "buy" with the money they give to politicians?

I leave you with an article that’s five years-old, but still rings true today:

Who Owns Congress?

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

 

Jellyfish Stings, Muscle Cars, Tweeting Nazis, and More

Good Day World!

It’s my sad duty to report that urine doesn’t help with jellyfish stings. I don’t care what old wives tale you’ve been told, it’s actually the worse thing you could use!

Beach-goers on both coasts should know this. Perhaps what’s needed are additional signs – WARNING – PEE ON YOUR JELLYFISH STING AT YOUR OWN PERIL!

I grew up in the era of Muscle Cars, but cars today make them look slow. You can buy a car (street legal mind you) that rockets from 0-60 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds with the press of a button!

We all have our heroes. In politics the names of famous statesmen get bantered about during election campaigns. Presidential candidates like to shamelessly throw out names of people who are also in the public eye.

On a scale of 1 to 10 for bad names to banter about, Ted Cruz easily earns a solid minus one! Why? Remember how important the Hispanic vote is to Ted? Guess who says he’s a big fan of Donald Trump!! Yep! Ted.

A clever campaigner…or just plain stupid? Your call.

Speaking of The Donald…

Trump campaign mistakenly tweets star-spangled Nazis

This story sounds like it could have been a fictional children’s book, but it’s true:

Police in Colorado say a stuffed toy helped save a 5-year-old girl's life after she fell out of a third-story apartment window.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Have You ever known a Hero?

                                        Good Day World!

Simply defined, a hero is a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal.

My definition of a hero has evolved over the span of sixty-four years.

My earliest hero was Davy Crockett, as portrayed by Fess Parker on the Walt Disney Show. My Dad bought me a coonskin hat and a wooden replica of a cap-and-ball pistol that was the hot seller in toy stores in the early 1950s.

It wasn’t long before Davy was replaced with Audie Murphy, a WW II hero that went into the movies after the war was over. He was the most decorated combat veteran in the war.

Up until I was about 10 years-old, my hero’s all centered around WW II. My dad was a Marine stationed in the Pacific theater. My uncle was killed fighting in the Philippines. But it was the Hollywood hero's who captured my attention.

As I struggled through my preteens, my hero’s were baseball, basketball, and football players. Mickey Mantle and Jerry West weren’t just hero’s, they were gods.

When I entered my teens the world was reshaped. My new hero’s were Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix. Credence Clearwater Revival and The Animals along with other fantastic rock groups also became my hero’s.

I wanted to be the next Bob Dylan or Woodie Gruthrie.

Then I turned 19 and went to Vietnam. Fighting for survival left me little time for hero’s. My best friend and I were ambushed in Cambodia in May of 1970. He was killed and I survived. Rogers was a hero. He always had my back.

After getting married in 1974 and having kids, I didn’t have time to ponder on who my hero’s were.

When my three sons grew up and went about their lives I began reflecting on all of my life experiences – and discovered something special:

My hero is/and always was my Dad. I just finally figured it out.

After raising three sons I understand him now better than ever. His good heart, intelligence, ability to adapt to any situation, and unconditional love makes him a real hero in my book.

Time for me to walk on down the road…