‘You’re Crashing My Party!’ Congresswoman’s Facebook Page Gets Surprise Guests!

                                    Good Day World!

What if you had a party and the “wrong” people showed up?

You might ask Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers what to do.

She recently posted an attack on the Affordable Health Care Act’s 5th Anniversary and invited viewers to join her in slamming it.

The problem was, it was an open invite. Instead of getting horror stories about the ACA, she was deluged with positive comments about Obama’s signature healthcare act.

Can you imagine what she felt like?

As a rabid anti-ACA warrior, she must have been frothing at the mouth when confronted with the reality that millions of Americans really like it. A dose of reality is never easy to swallow for haters or Conservatives.

Below are a small sample of the comments constituents left on her page:

• My story is that I once knew 7 people who couldn't get health insurance. Now they all have it, thanks to the ACA and President Obama, and their plans are as good as the one my employer provides--and they pay less for them. Now, that's not the kind of story you want to hear. You want to hear made-up horror stories. I don't know anyone with one of those stories.

• I work for cancer care northwest. We actually have more patients with insurance and fewer having to choose treatment over bankruptcy. Cathy, I'm a die hard conservative and I'm asking you to stop just slamming Obamacare. Fix it, change it or come up with a better idea! Thanks

• With Obamacare, I saved 300 bucks a month premium.. I have more coverage.. I like ObamaCare and can't wait til we go to the next step... Medicare for ALL.

• And now my daughter, diagnosed with MS at age 22, can have insurance. What do you plan to do with her?

• My daughter is fighting for her life with stage 3 breast cancer! We are about to enter a second go round of diagnostic procedures and possibly more treatment after two full years of treatment! So yah! The ACA is more than helping! I resent that our rep thinks the only problems involve her personal story!

• My whole family now has coverage. The ACA is the cause for this, I work in health care, I have seen the increase in covered patients first hand. The next step is universal coverage, this will truly lower costs and provide the best care. Cathy, you barely work, spend most of your time catering to special interests so you can be re-elected.. All while receiving a large wage and the best health insurance and care. Stop telling us how it doesn't work while enjoying your tax payer funded care and life.

Jump below the fold to continue reading these heartfelt messages.

• And now my daughter, diagnosed with MS at age 22, can have insurance. What do you plan to do with her?

• My daughter is fighting for her life with stage 3 breast cancer! We are about to enter a second go round of diagnostic procedures and possibly more treatment after two full years of treatment! So yah! The ACA is more than helping! I resent that our rep thinks the only problems involve her personal story!

• My whole family now has coverage. The ACA is the cause for this, I work in health care, I have seen the increase in covered patients first hand. The next step is universal coverage, this will truly lower costs and provide the best care. Cathy, you barely work, spend most of your time catering to special interests so you can be re-elected.. All while receiving a large wage and the best health insurance and care. Stop telling us how it doesn't work while enjoying your tax payer funded care and life.

• Instead of trying to repeal it why don't you improve it? Our local rural clinics are packed daily with people who have needed healthcare for years!! it is a godsend. It is pitiful this nation does not have healthcare for all and that doesn't mean the EMERGENCY room!!

• Thanks to the ACA, my cousin was able to get affordable insurance despite her preexisting condition. So grateful.

• I think we should repeal Obamacare, and replace it … with universal socialized medicine - like the rest of the industrialized nations of the world.

• My plans are intact, premiums have increased as always, but what seems to be a lesser rate, my plan was not cancelled, I did not lose my doctor, I have not experienced reduced work hours, and it's actually freed me from the chains of employer based being the ONLY path to coverage. #FEARMONGER

Those are just a small sample of the hundreds or even thousands of comments left on her Facebook page.

It is damn clear that her constituents are loving the Affordable Care Act. Will she take their comments to heart and abandon attempts to take insurance coverage away from her constituents? (condensed version – article first appeared in the Daily Kos)

Stay tuned.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

Where Tobacco is Still King and 6-Year Olds Get as Addicted to Smoking as Adults

Good Day World!

I know where you can still get a pack of cigarettes for about a dollar.

Visit Indonesia.

While you’re there, don’t be surprised if you see six-year old boys chain-smoking cigarettes. In the past 20 years, 6-9 year-old smokers have tripled, according to the World Health Organization.

A few years back, a video of an Indonesian toddler smoking 40 cigarettes a day went viral worldwide, and prompted heartfelt official declarations in the country.

But not much has changed.

In fact, things are getting worse. Lisda Sundari, deputy director for education and advocacy at the local children NGO Lentera Anak, said the number of children aged 10 to 14 who smoke has doubled over the past 20 years.

Sixty-seven percent of Indonesian men and 41 percent of 13 to 15 year-old boys smoke. Indonesia is one of the few countries in the world that hasn’t signed the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

The ads are on Television, in newspapers and magazines, and plastered on trees lining the roads. Indonesian cities are choked with giant billboards promising “pleasure, style and confidence.”

Cigarette companies sponsor almost all of the country’s concerts and sports events, not to mention refugee camps.

While selling cigarettes to minors is officially forbidden, it’s never enforced.

About 240,000 people died in Indonesia in 2013 because of tobacco, meaning that 660 people died every day, or 27 people per hour.

Indonesia is one of the biggest tobacco markets in the word, cigarette companies are powerful, and politicians easily corruptible.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has launched a campaign against narcotics, and made the execution of drug dealers a priority.Since he arrived in power in October, Widodo has tirelessly repeated the claim that 40 to 50 people die every day because of drugs.

Compare that with 27 people dying every hour and you’ll understand why activists find the double standard hard to take.

As far as I know, no other country in the world allows children to smoke cigarettes so openly. Indonesia is a good example of government corruption endangering it’s people and future generations for the love of money.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Opps! Jeb Bush ‘unaware’ that he had secret email address

Good Day World!

Anyone that doesn’t think Jeb Bush is cut from the same cloth as his Dad and brother are either kidding themselves, are incredibly misinformed – or completely uninformed.

Take the recent email controversy over Hillary Clinton’s email server while she was in office. During the height of the contrived controversy she was was attacked by rabid Republicans demanding some sort of an accounting.

Jeb Bush was right their with the hounds, and at one point declared he’d shared all of his emails from the time he was in office. Like Daddy Bush and brother Bush, Jeb is a hypocrite and liar. 

When Bush released thousands of emails from his tenure as Florida's governor as part of his preparations to run for president next year, he did so from the email account he shared openly, jeb@jeb.org.

But those emails also include references to another secretive email address, jeb@gencom.net.

Bush said through a spokeswoman that he was unaware of the account, although records showed that people wrote to him there more than 400 times between 1999 and 2004.

Busted.

If Hillary did something wrong by having her own email server – and that hasn’t been determined yet – then how about Jeb’s gaffe? Not only did he have a “secret” email address, he claimed he didn’t even know it?

Related Stories

1. Jeb Bush Emails Detail Relationships With Top Donors Huffington Post
2. Jeb Bush used private email on sensitive issues AFP
3. Jeb Bush rejects Democratic claims he has Clinton-like email problem Reuters
4. Jeb Bush calls Clinton's State Department email storage 'baffling' Reuters
5. Hillary Not The Only 2016 Hopeful Ducking Scrutiny With Emails Huffington

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Research Shows Monsanto’s ‘Roundup’ Linked to Cancer

                                     Good Day World!

How can anybody trust Monsanto, the company that brought us Agent Orange (defoliant used in Vietnam)? Millions have died from the effects of that devil’s brew.

When I was in Vietnam (1970) I remember talking to two guys in the Air Force whose jobs were to spray Agent Orange all over the countryside. One vouched for it’s safe use, the other suspected it may present a problem someday.

As we all know, thanks to history, Agent Orange did become a problem. Monsanto lied through their teeth for years, claiming the toxic brew was safe to use.

One would think that a company as disgraced as Monsanto would have folded by now. Sadly enough, that’s hardly the case. As a matter of fact, Monsanto is back in the news with another lethal product.

The world's most widely used weed killer – Roundup - can "probably" cause cancer, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) in a recent press release.

The WHO's cancer arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, said glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, was "classified as probably carcinogenic to humans."

It also said there was "limited evidence" that glyphosate was carcinogenic in humans for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

In 2009, a French court found Monsanto guilty of lying; falsely advertising its Roundup herbicide as "biodegradable," "environmentally friendly" and claiming it "left the soil clean."

Mounting evidence now tells us just how false such statements are.

I don't believe that Monsanto is one of the most evil companies on the planet for nothing. The company has done absolutely nothing to improve their worldwide influence on human and environmental health.

The company will continue to stall and lie about the product’s safety until they are pinned down and forced to stop making it. With articles like the following, it won’t be long:

Monsanto’s Roundup Poison 125 Times More Dangerous than Regulators Admit

Monsanto Roundup: The Impacts of Glyphosate Herbicide on Human Health

Concerns about glyphosate on food have been a hot topic of debate in the United States recently, and contributed to the passage in Vermont last year of the country's first mandatory labeling law for foods that are genetically modified.

Why it took so long start taking action about the dangers of Roundup baffles me.

I can only attribute it to glib salesmen, greedy corporate drones, a good PR department, and a slew of lawyers turning back any challenges to the product.

The bottom line is going to be a growing amount of cancers directly attributed to Roundup.

At some point, a worldwide outcry will stop it’s production. But, just as in the case of Agent Orange, it’ll come too late, for too many people.

Time for me to walk on down the line…

 

Birthers unite! There’s a new fight…

NEWS UPDATE: 2:49 PST

“Famously anti-Obamacare Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is now signing up for health insurance on an Obamacare exchange, he confirmed Today.

“We will presumably go on the exchange and sign up for health care and we’re in the process of transitioning over to do that,” Cruz told the Des Moines Register.

Cruz, a vociferous opponent of Obamacare, led a filibuster against funding the health care law in 2013.”

How’s that for some raw meat Birthers and Conservatives everywhere?

OPEN LETTER TO BIRTHERS

Where have all the birthers gone?

Birthers unite! There’s a new fight…

Some Canadian-born rascal is running for president. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has announced he’s running for the presidency.

I just hope you “Birthers” are up to this challenge. You deviled Barrack Obama throughout his presidency, so I know you have the stubborn stamina it takes.

Most conservative officials, operatives, leaders and pundits don't take Cruz seriously. But he’s taking the evangelical/social conservative path where truth gives way to religious dogma – a popular route for extremists.

WHAT”S CRUZ KNOWN FOR?

Cruz is best known for his role in shutting down the federal government in October 2013, when he devised and executed a strategy of blocking any spending bill that included funds that would be used toward implementing the president’s health care law.

He talked House and Senate conservatives into keeping the government shuttered for more than two weeks. That stupid move cost the economy billions of dollars, according to the Office of Management of Budget, and angered fellow Republicans who saw no endgame in the strategy other than a dip in the party’s approval rating.

BORN IN CANADA

Meanwhile, the media is hardly talking about Cruz’s foreign birthplace and the fact that a US president must be a “natural born citizen.”

So, it’s up to you dedicated “Birthers” to take up your torches and light up Cruz’s life for as long as he’s in public office.

Obama is old news. Cruz is trying to pull a fast one, and it’s up to you guys to call him on it!

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Jerry Brown Would Make a Great President

Good Day World!

I’ve been thinking about the current Democratic darling for president, Hillary Clinton, and have come to the conclusion she might not be the best bet in 2016.

She’s carrying a lot of baggage – most recently the “email” controversy, and the Benghazi never-ending story.

I recall that she lost the 2008 race to a then practically unknown Obama – and there were questions about her memories (anyone remember the Tarmac story?)

I could go on, but you have the idea. There has to be another Democrat out there with the “chops” to run for the presidency. Yes, Elizabeth Warren comes to mind, but I don’t think she has a strong enough base yet to make the move.

I’ll tell you who should run – Gov. Jerry Brown.

Forget the fact that political pundits haven’t been fawning over Brown when the conversation turns to candidates for the presidency. All you have to do is look at Jerry Brown’s record.

Balancing California’s budget is just one of the reasons Brown looks good. He knows how to get things done. He’s also outspoken and mostly right-on when it comes to major topics like Global Warming.

California Governor Jerry Brown says Ted Cruz 'Unfit to Be Running' for President and gives a good example why.

Governor Jerry Brown calls Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's efforts to get governors to ignore EPA regulations "a disgrace."

BROWN RAN AGAINST BILL CLINTON IN 1992

Jerry Brown was a major threat to Boll Clinton when he eked out a narrow win in the bitterly fought Connecticut primary.

As the press focused on the primaries in New York and Wisconsin, which were both to be held on the same day, Brown, who had taken the lead in polls in both states, made a gaffe: he announced to an audience of various leaders of New York City's Jewish community that, if nominated, he would consider the Reverend Jesse Jackson as a vice-presidential candidate.

Jackson, who had made a pair of anti-semitic comments about Jews in general and New York City's Jews in particular while running for president in 1984, was still despised in Jewish communities. Jackson also had ties to Louis Farrakhan, infamous for his own anti-semitic statements, and with Yasir Arafat, the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Brown's polling numbers suffered. On April 7, he lost narrowly to Bill Clinton in Wisconsin (37%–34%), and dramatically in New York (41%–26%).

Although overwhelmingly outspent, Brown won upset victories in seven states and his votes won to money raised ratio was by far the best of any candidate in the race.

We’ll never know what would have happened if he would have picked a more popular vice-presidential candidate. Or, will we on a fast-forward?

Brown, who told host Chuck Todd that he would run if he were ten years younger (he is 76), said that the presidential candidates for 2016 must balance the federal budget; confront climate change, and fund science and education as part of a “positive” agenda.

I think they have to–you’ve got to get a budget that lives within its means, and you can’t spend 21 or 22% of the Gross Domestic product and only collect 18%. So you have to find some ways of getting some revenue, particularly on our roads and highways and transportation, trains and bridges. Pretty fundamental. Secondly, I think climate change is very important. And thirdly, we have to invest in science, in technology, in our universities–and that’s building for the future and not stealing from it. So I’d like to see a positive agenda, and not the mythology that somehow government can retract to where it was in 1929 under Calvin Coolidge…under [Herbert] Hoover.

Todd then asked Brown, point-blank: “If you were ten years younger, would you be running this year?” Brown replied, without hesitation: “Yes, I would.”

The NBC News panel raved over his performance in the interview. Former Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) suggested that Brown might not, after all, be too old to run – and that he was better now than in his first term as governor, some four decades ago.

“This is Jerry Brown reaching the gold standard,” she told the panel.

I have to agree.

This is one case where age has brought wisdom, and with it, the ability to take positive action. If he ever changes his mind about running, I’ll gladly vote for him!

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Reflections on Religion: East vs West, Disbelievers, and Extremism

Good Day World!

I have a few observations about religion today that may, or my not, surprise you.

For starters, Christians are murdered indiscriminately around the world everyday.

Example: Punjab province is home to the majority of Pakistan's four million Christians. A Christian couple were burned alive in an industrial kiln in Pakistan recently after being accused of setting fire to several verses of the Quran.

According to Mushtaq Gill, chief advocate at the Pakistani minority rights group Legal Evangelical Association Development (LEAD):

"A mob of several dozen attacked the building where they were.They broke their legs so they couldn't run and then threw them in the fire. Only some bones and hair were found at the site."

It’s simply not safe for Christians in Pakistan. The same goes for all the middle east and most Asian countries.

• Christian Mom to Appeal Death Sentence for Blasphemy
• Why It Feels Like a 'Crime' to Be Christian in Pakistan
• 'Blasphemy' Teen Flees Pakistan Amid Persecution of Christians

Islam and Christianity have always had problems co-existing.

At one time in history, Christians hunted down Muslims and slaughtered them, conquering their countries in the name of the Cross. The Muslims retuned the favor and conquered Christian countries and strongholds.

THE REALITY OF RELIGION IN THE 21st CENTURY

Islam has been perverted by extremists worldwide.

These extremists murder Christians and other Muslims (who don’t believe exactly like they do) somewhere in the world everyday. They call it Jihad. Jews and Christians are prime targets for these crazy Muslims whose beliefs violate the very Quran they profess to follow.

The world has not seen such brutality and savagery in modern times.

Horrible Stories were told about the Celts, the Aztecs and the Mongols; nevertheless they always remained stories of the remote past.

But what the militants of the so called “Islamic State in Iraq and Syria – ISIS” are doing is something else, what they are perpetrating defy any literary power to try and put it into words.

Driven by what they see as divine command and wreaking havoc and devastation only thought possible in Hollywood productions the Islamic militant group ISIS has pushed the definition of terrorism to a new and scary limit.

ARE AMERICANS BECOMING LESS RELIGIOUS?

“According to the Hartford Institute of Religion Research, more than 40 percent of Americans "say" they go to church weekly.

As it turns out, however, less than 20 percent are actually in church. In other words, more than 80 percent of Americans are finding more fulfilling things to do on weekends.

Furthermore, somewhere between 4,000 and 7,000 churches close their doors every year. Southern Baptist researcher, Thom Rainer, in a recent article entitled "13 Issues for Churches in 2013" puts the estimate higher. He says between 8,000 and 10,000 churches will likely close this year.” (Source)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

 

As soon as we get a woman president put her on the $20 bill

Good Day World?

There’s a lot of talk going around nowadays about putting a woman on our $20 bill, currently occupied by Andrew Jackson.

The "Women on 20s" movement is going viral, with 80,000 people heading online to pick from potential candidates like suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Congresswoman Patsy Mink, and abolitionist Sojourner Truth

The list of candidates at womenon20s.org will be winnowed down to four finalists. Then, the campaign will put together a petition in hopes of catching the attention of President Obama. If 100,000 people sign, the White House will have to respond.

"It's a small symbol, but there are millions of bills that are going from hand to hand every day," said campaign founder Barbara Ortiz Howard. She hopes to put a woman's portrait on the $20 by 2020 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women's right to vote.

That’s fine.

But what about tradition? We’ve always had presidents on our currency.

Now, because it’s viewed as politically correct, photos of women from housewives to politicians, are being considered.

It seems to me we’re losing too many traditions in this country.

Pretty soon we’ll start putting rock stars on 50-dollar bills. Sports figures will peek out at us from the $100 bill, and obscure politicians will be on the one-dollar bills. Five dollar bills will have photos of cartoon characters (from Porky Pig to Daffy Duck).

I’m just saying.

Of course, my humble opinion means nothing in this PC world we live in. But, I do have a solution that should be acceptable to both sides of the issue;

It’s simple; as soon as we get a woman president, we can place her face on the $20 bill.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

Lessons learned from Oliver, my blind cat

Good Day World!

My wife, and I, rescued two cats last year.

They’re brothers, and came as a set. One of them, Oliver, is blind. Tommy is sighted. They’re four-years old, and inseparable.

(left –Tommy – right Oliver)

From the start, I assumed that Oliver would have a lot of limitations because he couldn’t see. That assumption flew out the window like a bird in no time. Oliver stayed close to Tommy at first, following him like a dog on his tours of their new house.

I was amazed when Oliver quit following Tommy and struck out on his own within a couple of weeks. He seemed to magically avoid every obstacle that came into his path. Every now and then however, he would gently bump into something.

That misstep never set him back. He just changed course without a complaint. Not even a meow of irritation. The lesson; it made me realize how resilience and patience overcomes all obstacles.

When I watch Oliver play with his brother it’s apparent he enjoys life. He isn’t bothered by not being able to see. He was born blind, and doesn’t know any different. My concerns for him slowly dissipated as I watched how he handled the setbacks life had to offer.

That lesson hasn’t been lost on me.

When I see Oliver romping across the house in his peculiar panther-like style – he stays close to the ground – I have to smile.

Oliver is fearless. He stretches out to his full length to reach a window sill and chins himself up – claws sinking into the wood trim and leaving behind scars to show he was there before.

The lesson is obvious; don’t be afraid to reach out and embrace life.

The fact that Oliver has become more independent since he moved here – he seldom follows his brother (other than to play) and explores the house daily noting any changes that have occurred since the day before.

I think Oliver has a sixth sense. Or, radar. The way he avoids new obstacles – for instance, the ottoman in the living room constantly gets shifted from one side of the room to the other – is nothing short of uncanny.

When Oliver arrived he wasn’t wild about getting petted. Now, he loves having his little head stroked – especially under the chin. He’s gotten use to our touch and has become a loving member of the family.

By the way, Tommy is the Zen master. He’s doing great and fits right in – even with our pug Molly. The two play together now. Oliver is still standoffish with Molly, but the two have showed mutual respect and declared a truce.

Once again, Oliver had a lesson for me: “Life is too short to spend it fighting and mistrusting people”

Time for me to walk on down the road…   

 

Live Hard and Long! A Birthday Tribute to Bruce Willis

Happy Birthday!

Bruce Willis!

One of my favorite action heroes on the big screen is Bruce Willis.

Seeing as how this is his birthday, I thought it would be nice to pay him a small tribute by taking a look at some of his work via video clips and links.

Video clips

Best known for his role as John McClane in the "Die Hard" series. He has appeared in over 60 films, including "Pulp Fiction", "Armageddon", "The Sixth Sense", and "Sin City".

Walter Bruce Willis was born on March 19th, 1955.

You might be surprised to learn that he was born in Idar-Oberstein, West Germany. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California,

He’s married to model and actress Emma Heming (29). They got married in Turks and Caicos Islands, on March 21st, 2009.

For you astrology fans, Bruce is a Pisces

Historical Events in the Life of Bruce Willis

1985-03-03 - "Moonlighting" with Cybill Shepard & Bruce Willis premieres on ABC TV in the US
1987-09-20 - 39th Emmy Awards: LA Law, Bruce Willis & Sharon Gless win
1999-08-02 - "The Sixth Sense", starring Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, and Haley Joel Osment, premieres.

Achievements

Motion pictures featuring Willis have grossed US $2.64 billion to $3.05 billion at North American box offices, making him the eighth highest-grossing actor in a leading role and twelfth highest including supporting roles. He is a two-time Emmy Award–winning, Golden Globe Award–winning and four-time Saturn Award–nominated actor.

In 2013, Willis was promoted to the dignity of Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters on February 11, by French Minister of Culture Aurélie Filippetti.

Everything considered, Bruce Willis is an entertaining guy!

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

 

Everything you ever wanted to know about ‘Hump Day’

Good Day World!

Starting around 1965, Wednesday began being referred to as “hump day.”

Smack dab in the middle of the traditional work week, arriving at Wednesday symbolizes that we’ve made it over the hump and the weekend is in sight.

Did you know that the name Wednesday derives from two mighty but distinct gods?

The Old English word for Wednesday indicates that the day was named for the Germanic god Woden.

In Romance languages, the name is derived from the Roman god Mercury. (For example, Wednesday is mercredi in French and miercuri in Romanian.)

Woden (also known as Odin) and Mercury have  been associated since Scandinavian and Roman cultures crossed paths. Under Woden’s supervision, the earth and sky were created from the dead body of a giant named Ymir.

Woden also created the first man and woman from an ash tree and an alder. As if fashioning the human race wasn’t enough, Woden also established the laws of the universe.

Mercury was the messenger to the gods, along with being the patron of science, the arts, travelers and athletes.

Today, he is one of the most widely recognized gods. Usually, he’s depicted wearing a winged helmet and sandals.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

A leprechaun told me to wish you a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Aye, and it’s a fine day Lassies & Lads!

Every year on March 17, the Irish and the Irish-at-heart across the globe observe St. Patrick’s Day.

When Irish eyes are smiling,
Tis like a morn in spring.
With a lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing
When Irish hearts are happy
All the world is bright and gay
When Irish eyes are smiling
Sure, they steal your heart away.

NEWS

For the first time in its 115-year history, South Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade will include groups representing the LGBT community. 

HISTORY OF ST. PATRICK’S DAY VIDEOS

There are many good reasons for drinking,
One has just entered my head.
If a man doesn't drink when he's living,
How in the hell can he drink when he's dead?

St. Patrick: Why Green? Green was not the first color associated with St. Patrick, so just how did green come to represent this holiday?

10 Funny Irish Jokes

Video: Stories and poems attached to St. Patrick’s Day – told by an Irish poet

Go mbeannai Dia duit (May God Bless You)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

Senator/Soldier violates Iowa State Code of Military Justice

Good Day World!

There’s a senator who is also a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard who could, and should, be court-martialed for her seditious actions.

When Lt. Col. Joni Ernst, the junior senator from Iowa, joined 46 other treasonous senators in going over the president’s head and contacting Iran, she violated the Iowa State Code of Military Justice.

Her signing of the seditious letter to Iran is a clear and direct violation of Chapter 29B.85 of the Iowa State Code of Military Justice.

29B.85  CONTEMPT TOWARD OFFICIALS.
Any person subject to this code who uses contemptuous words against the president, the governor, or the governor of any other state, territory, commonwealth, or possession in which that person may be serving, shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

This is very serious infraction.  We are a nation governed by civilians.Our Commander-in-Chief is a civilian.The government officials that hold ultimate authority over our military are civilians. 

This is true at the federal level and the state level.This has always been the case since George Washington was president.He resigned his military commission to accept the position of president.

We have never in our history had a military ruler.Military obedience to civilian authority is critical and essential if we are to maintain the democracy we inherited.   That is why "contempt towards officials" is such a serious matter.

Lincoln enforced that discipline during the Civil War.Even with the imposition of martial law, Lincoln remained a civilian commander. Truman enforced the same discipline after WWII when he relieved Gen. MacArthur of his command.

Obama enforced the same discipline recently when Gen. McChrystal was relieved of his command.There is nothing anachronistic about this fundamental principle.

In the federal armed services, this is handled under Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

“Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.”

Reading the federal version, it is obvious where Iowa got the wording for its law.  It's not an accident or a coincidence.  The importance of enforcing the requirement for military obedience to civilian authority is universally applied at every level of governance, from the federal to the local level.

In the Open Letter to Iran, which Lt. Col. Joni Ernst freely signed,  it says:

“…we will consider any agreement regarding your nuclear-weapons program that is not approved by the Congress as nothing more than an executive agreement between President Obama and Ayatollah Khamenei.”

The fact of the matter is the president, under Article 2, section 2, has always been recognized as uniquely empowered to speak on behalf of the nation. After all, the president is the Chief Executive.

This principle has been in place for over 200 years.  Secretary of State Jefferson -- as instructed by President Washington -- made this point in writing to Edmond Genet in 1793, explaining that no one but the president could speak for this country.

“He being the only channel of communication between this country and foreign nations, it is from him alone that foreign nations or their agents are to learn what is or has been the will of the nation; and whatever he communicates as such, they have a right, and are bound to consider as the expression of the nation.”

That principle has been ratified numerous times across the centuries. Undermining that authority is sedition. Undermining the authority of the president while you are serving as an active duty officer in the Iowa State National Guard is clearly contemptuous.

At the federal level, an officer is in violation of this law (Article 88) if their behavior meets the following tests:

(1) That the accused was a commissioned officer of the United States armed forces;

(2) That the accused used certain words against an official or legislature named in the article;

(3) That by an act of the accused these words came to the knowledge of a person other than the accused; and

(4) That the words used were contemptuous, either in themselves or by virtue of the circumstances under which they were used.

This brings us to the case of Lt. Col. Joni Ernst. I assume the same elements, or similar elements, are used to determine compliance at the state level for Section 85 as they are at the federal level for Article 88.

In this case, Sen. Joni Ernst is a commissioned officer.(1)

She did use words against the president.(2)

These words were published to MANY people besides the president.(3)

The circumstances of these words are contemptuous of the president and his authority.(4)

That's four strikes.

By her behavior, Joni Ernst has disgraced her commission and tarnished the reputation of the Iowa National Guard.  Her behavior reflects poorly on her and her chain of command.  It also provides a poor example of leadership to those men and women entrusted to her command.

Because of her actions, Lt. Col. Joni Ernt appears to have willfully violated Iowa Code 29B.85. The only reasonable course of action is to subject Joni Ernst to court martial and punishment in proportion to the severity of her infraction. (this article first appeared in Alternet)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

When my time comes, celebrate my life in music

Good Day World!

We are born, and eventually we die.

What we do in-between defines us.

I’ve got 20 tunes that I’d like played when it comes time to bid adieu to my friends and family.

(Photo-The Love of my life, and wife, Shirley)

In that final celebration of my life let music tell my story:

The Animals were known for their gritty, bluesy sound and deep-voiced front man Eric Burdon. Three of their hits really spoke to me. They are:

"The House of the Rising Sun." "We Gotta Get out of This Place", and "It's My Life."

Another one of my favorite groups is The Doors.

From the Strange Days album (1967) I really related to “People Are Strange.” I also like, “Break on Through (To the Other Side)” from “The Doors” 1967 album.

One of those defining life moments for me happened when I was in a chopper flying to Cambodia. A boom box was playing “Paint It Black” while I wondered if I’d survive the incursion into another foreign country. It was upbeat and scary.

This anthem song “Where Have all the Flowers Gone: Eve of Destruction” by Barry McQuire is another song that has a lot of meaning to me. The music is highlighted with real films from the Vietnam war.

When it comes to Love Songs my favorite one is “Brown-Eyed Girl,” by Van Morrison, because it’s my song to Shirley – my wife, and love of my life.

One of my favorite singers is Joan Baez. Everything she’s done is magic. In particular I love “In The Quite Morning.”

Favorite traveling songs:“I’m On The Road Again” by the Canned Heat, and their classic “Going Up The Country.”

These musical hits all ring memory bells dear to me:

White Rabbit, by Grace Slick & The Jefferson Airplane.

That’ll Be The Day by Buddy Holly.

American Pie, by Don McLean

Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks (1974 – the year I got married)

Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce

Run Through the Jungle by Creedence Clearwater Revival

 

Someday Never Comes also by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Mercedes Benz by the great Janis Joplin.

I Did It My Way by Frank Sinatra

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

Staying Forever Young at Heart

Good Day World!

Let’s set the tune for today by listening to Forever Young by Joan Baez…

and by other artists such as

Bruce Springsteen, Pete Seeger, or The Band.

The lyrics to this song speak to me. It’ my life’s anthem.

I may be 64 years-old, but I don’t feel like an old man. I may look like one, but the “real me” is much younger.

I laugh easily. I love passionately. My sense of humor remains unmarred over the decades. I can still remember being five years-old.

When I look in the mirror that young man in my mind stares out from behind my wrinkles and silver mane. Yet youth, unlike one philosopher's suggestion that it’s wasted on the young – can be eternal…

in your mind, heart and actions. 

I am as curious today as I was 64 years ago. At times, I feel old when by body fails me. Then I remember; I chose to be

forever young!

Time for me to walk on down the road… 

 

Who said, ‘Help me?’ When 1st Responders Arrived at Accident

Good Day World!

I’ve run across many mysteries in my life, both personal experiences, and in news stories. I find them fascinating, and whenever I run across one I enjoy sharing it with my readers.

The most recent example of a mysterious story is about a car accident that happened recently outside Salt lake City, Utah.

For reasons unknown, Lynn Jennifer Groesbeck, 25, went off the road and crashed in the Spanish Fork River. She was killed (massive trauma), but her 18-month-old daughter, Lily was still alive in the back seat.

The car was upside down and partly submerged in the icy river when first responders arrived. As three police officers and two firemen surveyed the situation they heard a mysterious voice say, “Help me.”

Officers Tyler Beddoes, Jared Warner and Bryan Dewitt told Lt. Matt Johnson they heard an adult voice before being aware of the infant trapped upside in a car seat. Johnson relayed their report to ABC News.

He said the two firefighters, Paul Tomadakis and Lee Mecham, also heard the voice before realizing there was a toddler in the submerged car.

"To me, it was plain as day," Warner told KSL.com. "I remember hearing a voice that didn't sound like a child, just saying, 'Help me.'

Of course, the voice couldn’t have been Groesbeck – she was dead. But whose voice did the five men hear?

Some might say it was Lynn Groesbeck’s voice – coming from the other side to save her child. I don’t know. It’s an interest theory.

Who do you think the first responders heard?

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

Racist remarks, treason, and lack of class – GOP on a roll

                                           Good Day World!

You’d think that after last week’s controversial House speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who denounced the president’s negotiations with Iran, that Republicans would show a little class and get off Obama’s back.

You’d be wrong.

Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell (R) of Kentucky, tried to rush the bill to the floor but had to reverse course, after Democrats threatened to block the move.

This week, Republicans doubled down on their destructive rhetoric. 

Republican Sen. Michael Willette refused to resign over a series of offensive Facebook posts. In the posts he suggested President Barack Obama's family members are part of the Islamic State group.

When the Maine Democratic Party called on him to step down over what they described as a "prolific online history of racist and bigoted remarks," Willette backpedaled, said he was sorry, and that he won’t continue to post lies.

His history says otherwise.

Willette also posted a photo of Obama on Facebook pretending to use the president's words, saying of the Islamic State group, "I'll deal with them at the family reunion."

It’s more than not having any class that makes Willette a problem. He’s admitted having animosity toward Muslims and suggested that members of Obama's administration are part of the Muslim Brotherhood.

It’s apparent he hates the president, and that’s he’s graduated from hateful rhetoric to downright lies. Willette has gone too far this time.

Speaking of going too far..

More than 155,000 people have signed a petition to the White House (yesterday) urging charges be filed against 47 Republican senators who they say committed "treasonous" offenses by writing Iran's leaders about ongoing nuclear negotiations.”

When those 47 Republican senators sent  a letter to Iran’s leadership Monday warning them that an international nuclear deal with them could be scrapped if they didn’t like it, they went too far.

According to the petition, the 47 senators "committed a treasonous offense when they decided to violate the Logan Act, a 1799 law which forbids unauthorized citizens from negotiating with foreign governments."

Those 47 senators – including three potential Republican presidential candidates - broke the law, or at least violated the traditions of Congress, by directly engaging a foreign power on US foreign policy.

Even some Republicans realize that the letter went too far.

Negotiations with the Islamic republic "are tough enough here and I didn't think it was appropriate to add another element that makes it more difficult," Senate Republican Jeff Flake told National Public Radio.

In both cases, there’s a total lack of respect for the president of the United States.

Meanwhile, the world looks at the political dysfunction festering in Congress and wonders how united we really are.

Time for me to walk on down the road… 

 

Senators Introduce Amazing Bipartisan Bill To Legalize Marijuana

Good Day World!

Congress introduced the most comprehensive legislation on medical marijuana ever Tuesday.

And surprise…surprise…it was a bipartisan effort.

Will wonders ever cease?

The Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act would remove federal penalties and restrictions for producing, distributing and possessing marijuana for medical purposes, provided there is compliance with state law.

It would give military veterans access to medical marijuana in states where it is legal, and it would crucially allow financial institutions to provide banking services to marijuana businesses.

It would also reclassify marijuana from "Schedule I" to "Schedule II," eliminating current barriers to research and recognizing the acceptable medical use of the drug.

Let’s hope this groundbreaking legislation survives and becomes law. It would be the right thing to do.

Senate Bill Would Effectively End The Federal War On Medical Marijuana

Senate Bill Would Ease Federal Prohibition Of Medical Marijuana

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Republicans warn Iran not to make a deal with Obama

Good Day World!

Imagine if the Democrats would have tried to micro-manage the START talks in the 80s by sending an open letter to Gorbachev.

It just wouldn't have been viewed as an acceptable political move while the talks were still happening.

As the United States, western nations, China, and Russia are negotiating with Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions, 47 Senate Republicans led by freshman Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) have made an extraordinary -- if not unprecedented -- countermove:

They've sent an open letter to Iran to suggest they can undo whatever President Obama's administration agrees to.

"First, under our Constitution, while the president negotiates international agreements, Congress plays he significant role of ratifying them.

Second … President Obama will leave office in January 2017, while most of us will remain in office well beyond then—perhaps decades."

This is extraordinary, because for a GOP Congress that objects to Obama overstepping his bounds, the president is commander-in-chief and conducts the nation's foreign policy.

Just asking, but what countermove is more over the top -- Netanyahu's speech from last week, or this letter trying to scuttle a deal before it even happens?

Imagine how the world views this political drama. We are not a united country – especially in our government - and it’s obvious.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Congressional members don’t have the power to rule a presidential act unconstitutional

Good Day World!

It’s apparent that some Republicans in Congress weren’t as aware of the Constitution as they claimed to be.

What other reason would there be for challenging the president’s acts as unconstitutional?

A quick look at Constitutional Law shows that issue was decided over 100 years ago by the Supreme Court in 1803.

They never had a chance of prevailing over Obama and the Democrats in their attempt to condition funding for the Department of Homeland Security on a repeal of the administration's immigration directives. 

The bottom line:

However heartfelt the rhetoric, members of Congress don't have the power to rule a presidential act unconstitutional.

Only the courts can do that.

As Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho pointed out in a recent AP article, "When there are differences of opinion as to what is constitutional and what is not constitutional, a court makes that determination.”

Simpson was giving a gentle refresher course on the Constitution to those on his own side of the aisle.

The tea party-aligned, bitter-end Republican losers had outrage, and in the House, an unbending unwillingness to compromise that some of their own rank and file judged counterproductive.

The result was a rout.

Republicans can expect the same result the next time around if they try to bend (or willingly ignore) Constitutional Law. The irony, of course, is that those ultra conservative House members are always talking about upholding the Constitution.

Yet, when you look at – or research – the so-called tea party crowd’s twists on the Constitution, it’s obvious their interpretation is flawed and not the original intent of the Founding Fathers. 

Time for me to walk on down the road…