Monday, June 27, 2016

Booze, fun and sobriety



WITHOUT THE LAMPSHADE-How I Learned to Love my Brown Martini has just been published and is available at Amazon.com. You can enjoy it in both Kindle and the paperback edition.

During the period covered in my new memoir of some crazy drinking days, my expectations were that I would not live past the age of fifty-five based on the amount of booze I drank and the number of cigarettes I smoked. When I shared this with friends and relatives, and they saw me in action, they agreed. Somehow I made it to eighty-four and decided I was meant to chronicle these hilarious years of inebriation. 

If you are looking for a few hours of laughs (incidents like, after boozing all night waking up under a chicken coop covered with overnight droppings) with a vignette here and there of sheer reality, take a look at, WITHOUT THE LAMPSHADE-How I Learned to Love my Brown Martini. Buy it at Amazon.com

Thanks for reading!

Monday, June 20, 2016

Letter to the President on gun control






Barack Obama
The White House
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. President:

You have tried to stop gun violence on several occasions and I realize you have combated a GOP Congress that vowed from the beginning of your first term in office to stop any legislation you proposed. Any legislation. That in itself proves that you are dealing with a group of individuals that have put their ideologies, and I must sorrowfully say, Mr. President, their hate for you, before their country. You have always placed our country first and most of us appreciate that.

It seems to me that to deal with this kind of mentality you must prove to the American public, and those who would block this legislation, the nature of those who are against reasonable gun laws, those who put guns before the safety of innocent victims. I think the way to do this, and, it is my wife's idea by the way, is to lower all U.S. flags to half-mast at government facilities around the world and keep them there until Congress passes meaningful laws for gun control.

Then you, Mr. President, can be instrumental in convincing large and small business, plus individuals who fly the flag, to lower their flags to half-staff until Congress addresses and does something about gun violence. When American citizens realize the reason for doing this, and the fact that it is an on-going event, hopefully that will make them better comprehend the gun slaughter that takes place on American streets every day.

I thank you for your consideration, Mr. President, and my wife and I stand ready to help in any way we can in this matter.

Jack and Barbara Dunning
Cave Creek, AZ



Saturday, June 18, 2016

Flags at half-mast until more gun control



Yesterday I introduced the concept of lowering all the flags to half-staff until the U.S. Congress addresses the problem of gun violence. On government facilities, private residences, commercial buildings, just anywhere that flies the American flag. Right through the evening hours,all the next day and on and on and on. Until we get acceptable gun legislation that will stop these mass gun killings and all the day to day bloodshed.

The Orlando LGBT club is only the latest of a string of mass murders by guns which already numbers 141 just in 2016. I read the comment just after the Florida devastation that from Sandy Hook (where 20 children age 6 were slaughtered with an assault rifle) to Orlando, the public's attitude toward more gun control has not changed measurably. They're still against it which is completely dumbfounding to me.

This can all be traced back to the cowards in Congress (Democrats and Republicans) who refuse to pass the reasonable gun control bills that would have saved many of the lives in those 141 mass shooting, and the day to day shootings on the streets. And this can be attributed to Congress' fear of retaliation from the National Rifle Assn. (NRA) and its head gun nut, Wayne LaPierre. Grown men who allow this sleaze bag to run their lives.

It's pathetic but if people woke up each day looking at flags everywhere at half-mast, after a while maybe this whole dilemma could be solved.

Think about it.

Friday, June 17, 2016

Here's an idea to make the gun control issue work



Fly the American flag at half-staff until Congress passes new gun control laws that will help curtail gun violence. This is not my idea. It is my wife's idea and she isn't even as close to the gun control movement as I am. But it is time that we realized the current loose gun laws and open availability of any kind of weapon that anyone wants is not working.

The National Rifle Assn.'s head, Wayne LaPierre, and his NRA minions can spout off their mouths all they want about the 2nd Amendment, but it is clear that their way has failed miserably. There have been 141 mass shootings in 2016. With 6,171 total deaths, 1,577 of them under the age of seventeen, 260 under eleven. If the American public can't understand this, there must be something wrong with their priorities.

So, how about lowering the flag to half-mast and leaving it there until we get some results on gun control legislation. I have researched this and it is legal to fly the flag at night as long as it is illuminated. The President can order this for government facilities but I am also talking about all those flags that are on display around the country, commercial and private, and around the world at other U.S. possessions. If we lead this movement here, maybe other countries hopefully will join in the cause and lower their flags to half-staff.

The purpose is to shame Congress into doing something about gun violence. So think about this over the weekend and follow my blog for more information. And please leave your comments that can be shared with others, particularly if your home or business agrees with the idea.













Friday, April 22, 2016

Bernie Sanders Sayings

Donald Trump


I think Donald Trump’s views on immigration and his slurring of the Latino community is not something that should be going on in the year 2015, and it’s to me an embarrassment for our country.

Why Clinton should not be Democratic nominee


Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Huff Post has come up with a list of a 10-point plan being executed by the Democratic Party to lose the 2016 Presidential election. I would like to cover them a couple at a time.

Number one: Assume that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee, when it is clear he will not. There's some pretty good reasoning and not too shabby math in this conclusion but Trump, like Bernie Sanders, has had his share of surprises in this race that has kept the former in the lead and the latter in a very strong contender's position.

Number two: The Dems attempt to nominate the only one of the two Democratic candidates who is almost guaranteed to reunite the Republican Party. You think Mitch McConnell hates Barack Obama, there is nothing that will bring the GOP together quicker than its hatred of the Clintons. Huff Post says, "Hillary Clinton is one of the least popular major-party politicians in America, and her disapproval rating is not just sky-high among Republicans..."

We can thank Debbie Wasserman Schultz for the direction of the Democratic nominating process, something she has clearly steered to favor Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders. Sanders ratings against Trump and Cruz are better than Clinton's but due to Schultz' close ties with her and the fact that the Bern is an Independent, the DNC Chair is hell-bent on pushing him out of the race. 

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Bernie Sanders Sayings


Do the elected officials in Washington stand with ordinary Americans - working families, children, the elderly, the poor - or will the extraordinary power of billionaire campaign contributors and Big Money prevail? The American people, by the millions, must send Congress the answer to that question.

Clinton campaign whines on and on and on...




Hillary Clinton had just won 58% of the New York Primary vote to Bernie Sanders 42% when the Clinton talking heads started grumbling over the fact that Bernie is not playing fair. Seems that at the time exit polls gleaned from respondents that 46% felt the Clinton campaign was more unfair, only 34% for Sanders. In added comments, "...66% of Democrats said the primary contest is 'energizing' the party," according to CNN.

Chief whiner, Jennifer Palmieri, Clinton's communications director, says that "...the Sanders campaign 'has been destructive' to that point that he is 'not productive to Democrats' and is 'not productive for the country.'" What she is really saying is that the Bern is an Independent, not a Democrat, and the fact that he has won so many primaries against Hillary is embarrassing the party. What she fails to mention is the fact that Bernie Sanders is consistently committed.

But the numbers are that Sanders won 106 delegates in New York to Clinton's 139 for a total of 1,199 pledged to 1,452 respectively. Clinton has 489 superdelegates to Sanders 41, a hefty lead that could be whittled down with the upcoming primaries. Bernie's position, and it is a reasonable one, is that superdelegates will start changing their mind if he continues strong in future primaries, starting with Connecticut on April 26.

Another superdelegate factor includes states whose delegates have voted for Clinton where Sanders was the choice of the popular vote. Sanders adviser Tad Devine said, referring to the Clinton campaign whining, "I hear what they're saying, but what they're saying is being refuted by the voters themselves." One thing is clear, Bernie Sanders has started a revolution that the American public has connected with, and it has upset the Democratic Party process.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Bernie Sanders Sayings


Here is what the practical impact of Citizens United means. What Citizens United means is that corporations call hundreds of millions of dollars into television ads, radio ads, and other forms of advertising to defeat those candidates who stand up and take them on.

Clinton favorability the pits and polls show it


The latest Huff Pollster national poll shows Bernie Sanders has shot northward to 45.4% while Hillary Clinton has gone south to 48.3%. She was at 52.2% on March 6, Bernie at 39.7%. And on April 9, Ipsos/Reuters found the Bern ahead at 49%, Clinton 48%. Go figure, because these differences prove that polling hasn't yet reached a scientific or technological level where it can't be challenged. But there is one poll that should be confusing to any Bernie Sanders supporter.

Favorability. How is it that Hillary Clinton with a net favorability rating of -24--higher than Ted Cruz at -23--is ahead in national polls when Bernie Sanders' net favorability is a +9? That's a spread of 32 points and a significant number which may turn  superdelegate heads even more toward the Bern, especially if he does well in New York. A lot of people don't like the candidate they vote for but do so because he or she is best qualified. Bernie is well liked and he's qualified.

I detest mentioning the name but a Republican candidate with the initials DT is a poll of another color. Since these pollsters are the same ones that do all the polls, you have to wonder if the whole thing is actually a colossal sham...or could it just be  the stupidity of the American conservative public?

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Bernie Sanders Sayings



Let us wage a moral and political war against the billionaires and corporate leaders, on Wall Street and elsewhere, whose policies and greed are destroying the middle class of America.

Bernie Sanders withing 2 points of Clinton latest national poll




In a brand-new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, Bernie Sanders has romped to within two points of Hillary Clinton, 50% to 48%, on the eve of the New York Primary. Clinton has been favored in Gotham, but the Bern has steadily chipped away at that lead, reducing it from 48 points to only 6. The national 2 point lead is down from Clinton's 9 points a month ago. It is this brand of consistent momentum we have experienced from the beginning of Bernie's campaign.

What we have to consider is that we are in the second half of the primary races; every pledged delegate counts. Perhaps oversimplified, but indicative that we can't take even the smallest states that are left for granted like Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island or Indiana. A major win in these states, plus New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania, should help convince superdelegates who are supporting Clinton to take another look at what their constituency wants.

More important facts for Bernie Sanders: He leads 15 points among women (57 percent to 42 percent); Clinton's lead among minorities drops from 59 percent to 41 percent; Sanders leads among men by 17 points (58 percent to 41 percent), whites (53 percent to 44 percent) and those ages 18 to 49 (66 percent to 34 percent). These are all meaningful numbers and trends that, by experience, we can be assured will only improve the Bern's chances for the nomination.




Monday, April 18, 2016

George Clooney trashes money raised for Hillary Clinton




Would you pay $353,000 to sit at a table with George Clooney at a Hillary Clinton fundraiser? Even Clooney himself thought it was "ridiculous." This is his comment:
"It is an obscene amount of money, the Sanders campaign when they talk about it is absolutely right. It’s ridiculous that we have this kind of money in politics."
Bernie Sanders, of course, agrees, and has been pointing out this fact since he started his run for the Presidency, that big money owns politicians and why would the wealthy and large corporations contribute such enormous sums if they didn't expect something for it. George Clooney probably doesn't expect anything from Clinton, I suspect. After all, what could he need? My gut tells me, he is like most of the rest of us; he just doesn't want a Republican in the White House.

Bernie Sanders surges to within 6 points in New York




After a 48 point deficit in the New York Primary from only one month ago, the polls now show Bernie Sanders at 47% and Hillary Clinton 53%. This is the way it always happens, folks, and just keeps getting better. The Bern's team has set up an optimistic goal for 15,000 volunteers making two calls each in New York. You can volunteer here. Now keep in mind that he doesn't have to win, just pick up a sizable amount of delegates. So please do your part today. 

Monday, April 4, 2016

Bernie Sanders sayings


If we are serious about moving toward energy independence in a cost-effective way, we should invest in solar energy. If we are serious about cutting air and water pollution and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we should invest in solar energy.

Bernie sander's track record going into Wisconsin Primary




As we approach the important Wisconsin primary tomorrow, below is a reminder of Bernie Sander's recent track record. These are not only wins, they are significant wins that should illustrate to the political community just how important this Progressive's candidacy is in the Presidential race. Wisconsin is the gateway to the New York Primary on Tuesday, April 19, followed by other big states like Pennsylvania, California and New Jersey. Here are the recent ones.

Democrats Abroad - 3/21
Bernie Sanders: 69% (9 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 31% (4 delegates)

Idaho - 3/22
Bernie Sanders: 78% (17 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 21% (5 delegates)

Utah - 3/22
Bernie Sanders: 79% (26 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 20% (6 delegates)

Alaska - 3/26
Bernie Sanders: 82% (13 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 18% (3 delegates)

Hawaii - 3/26
Bernie Sanders: 70% (17 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 30% (8 delegates)

Washington - 3/26
Bernie Sanders: 73% (74 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 27% (27 delegates)

The latest Wisconsin RealClearPolitics poll shows the Bern 2.2 points ahead of Clinton (47.5 to 45). Public Policy Polling has Bernie at 49%, Hillary at 43%. There are 86 pledged delegates in Wisconsin, 10 superdelegates. Should Bernie Sanders continue this succession of picking up the majority of delegates, it is doubtful that Hillary Clinton can arrive at a pledged majority before the convention without depending on superdelegates. 

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio begs for money


Sheriff Joe Arpaio
A local newspaper (small conservative rag) in the Phoenix area has published an editorial--sounds like a desperate plea--from Joe Arpaio, known nationally as "America's toughest Sheriff." Arpaio is vain enough to think that Bernie Sanders has spent any amount of time even thinking about him, other than an afterthought from Bernie's wife, Jane's visit to tent city. She thinks the place is inhumane, and it is considering the 100+ summers we have here.

The inmates live in tents in the desert without any air conditioning and where the temperature has registered as high as 122 degrees in the past. I live in Phoenix and have witnessed Joe Arpaio's antics which include the harassment of the Hispanic community, for which the feds have him in court. Yes, big talking Joe is desperate for contributions because he knows that most of Arizona is fed up with him and will probably put him out to pasture. It'll be a good thing. 

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Bernie Sanders surges again in Wisconsin




The latest polls now have Bernie Sanders at 49% in Wisconsin to Hillary Clinton's 43%.  There are 86 delegates to be had and the more votes the Bern gets, the more delegates. All you Wisconsin Progressives, and also those of you on the fence, put next Tuesday on your calendar and make sure to vote!

For those of you on the fence for Bernie Sanders...




The must-win Wisconsin primary is coming up next Tuesday and this state is an example of how people have come to know and believe in Bernie Sanders giving him the momentum he needs to win the Democratic primary. Once proudly liberal, the Koch Bros.-driven Scott Walker has brought the state to one marred by deteriorating job growth whose middle class has declined more than almost any other state in the nation. This according to Pew Research Center.

But help is on the way and the folks of Wisconsin seem ready to replace Walker's backward conservatism with a new Progressive Revolution. Bernie Sanders trailed Hillary Clinton by as much as 53 points back in October. Today a Marquette University Law School poll shows him ahead of Clinton by 4.3 points (49.2-44.9). That's an uncanny 57 percent surge in just six months. So, for those of you on the edge, come on over.


Friday, April 1, 2016

FLASH: Bernie Sanders raises biggest amount of dollars in March




Bernie Sanders has hit a new high in his campaign for fundraising in the month of March setting a record of $44 million raised. It came from more than 1.7 million individual contributions from working Americans; it was the most successful fundraising month of the campaign. The public is not only changing its view of the political landscape, it is slowly deciding to become a part of the Bern's Revolution.

Each month donations increase--he has beat Hillary Clinton and her PACs for the last three months. It is also showing in the polls where he jumped again recently to within six points of Clinton. If you are looking at the race an either undecided or not sure if Hillary Clinton is the right candidate, you can look at where Bernie stands on all the issues here. If that doesn't make up your mind, check out this selection of Bernie Sanders posts from my blog.

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