Pretty in Pink
High Five!
Live Fast - Die Young
SUENOSDEUOMI'S RUMINATIONS AND PERSPECTIVE
I Stand With Authentic Passion And Outrage
I stand with authentic passion and outrage, and with cutting through the bullshit to focus on what really matters, rather then polished 'politiking'. I loved Bernie's zooming in on the real issues right from the start, rather then pandering to American family values by reciting boring personal facts.
I stand with Bernie's decency in citing the best line of the night in blasting the media's attention on those "damn e-mails." Check out the edited version versus the original version on The Intercept and regain a new appreciation for how the media spins the news it feed us! Yes, we are sick and tired of hearing about it. Yes, let's talk about Citizen United and how to get money out of politics. I don't care about Hillary's e-mails, but I do care about her hawkish stances in foreign affairs.
I don't mind Bernie's shouting one bit, we all should be getting angry and should be objecting to the obscenities of politics these days. I take shouting any time over threatening with the imposition of guns (Tea Party.) In conversation with Rachel Maddow, a friendly interviewer, right after the Republican debate, we can clearly recognize Bernie's depth and thoughtfulness:
I stand with Bernie on the de-criminalization of dope and the taking back of prisons and jails from private enterprise. Support of medical marijhuana is not good enough, the evidence is in, give it up already, enough is enough. This coming from a non-smoker, non-drug user of any kind (illegal, legal or pharmaceutical.)
I stand with Bernie on recognizing the importance of Snowden and believe he would be sacrificed if he did what Hillary said and "faced the music." I must admit that personally I am unsure about the NSA surveillance, on what collection of data may be appropriate and what not.
I stand with Bernie in pointing out the absolute immorality of the 1% paying less tax on their profits then the average American while lobbying Congress and buying legislation to their benefit with their influence. Yes, Bernie has it right and really should know more so then anyone, Congress is bought!
I stand with Bernie in his refusal of corporate money, but his being powered by the people with average donations of $30! Bernie raised a phenomenal $3.2 million in the week of the debate! True to character though Bernie refused the $2,700 donated to his campaign from Shkreli, the pharma poster boy of outrageous price hikes and greed of pharmaceutical companies. The money will be donated to health clinic and the Shkreli will not get his desired meeting with Bernie, the presidential hopeful. An obscene amount of money is now needed to take part in the debates, something I abhor, as we all know how many are in such dire financial need, even here in the US. Therefor Bernie's decision to work from the grass roots up with individual donations, rather then top down with super pacs deserves our support.
I stand with Bernie in the belief that we need a revolution, one happening at the polls, with our voting, with real discussions around real issues, not weapons.
Hillary never looked or sounded better then last night during the 1. Democratic Presidential Debate. As a woman close to Hillary's age I surprise myself in not embracing whole heartedly a vision of a first woman president for 2016. But being a woman in and of itself is not enough.
Hillary's support of medical marijuana alone is not good enough, the evidence is in, give it up already, enough is enough. This coming from a non-smoker, non-drug user of any kind (illegal, legal or pharmaceutical.)
Hillary's connection and I suppose support of Monsanto, their products such as genetically modified seeds and the Round Up pesticide as well Monsanto's business practices that are horrible to those farmers not willing to go along are abhorrent and an absolute deal breaker to me.
Hillary's support of Israel with no mention of the Palestinian plight is unacceptable, business as usual as expected. Actually the debate was mum on this issue, but I assume it will come up in the future.
Hillary's support from corporate sources are well known and to my mind absolutely obscene and unsupportable. It alone should sway us to look the other way. Money can not be allowed to dominate our political choices, much less agenda. For more on Hillary's stance on the banking industry check out Matt Taibbi's latest in Rolling Stone.
This is a draft that likely will undergo still some changes, thanks for reading, your comments are welcome.
I Stand For The Strictest Possible Gun Control
Learned last night via twitter that someone I know was killed, seemingly randomly, in what usually is a peaceful community, Marin County in California. I believe this is the first victim of a homicide that I know personally. I am shocked and saddened about the senseless loss of very special, peaceful loving man that travelled the country, maybe the globe to teach us on how to open our hearts. Steven and his wife, Lokita, had been long time residents and therapists of the community at Harbin Hot Springs, but had left the community to follow their own dream before it had burned down last month. They had come back to Marin for treatment of Lokita's cancer, so the loss of Lokita's husband and main support will be all the harder. I was not friends with the couple, but I had shared the same waters, we had soaked in the same pool for countless times. I knew them, liked them and know of no one holding a grudge toward them.
If it was up to me, yes, we would amend the second amendment, originally designed to resist a government gone rogue.
If it was up to me, we would update our constitution to reflect our modern times.
The muskets used in the days of the creation of the second amendment were cumbersome. They took time to load and made for a very different mode of engagement from what is possible these days.
If it was up to me, since no guns of any kind will be able to resist a government that has the potential to use targeted drones from a serious distance, not to mention nuclear weapons, we would no longer allow the endangerment of civilians by other civilians carrying assault style weapons, who are we kidding!
If it was up to me, I would ban all assault weapons from possessions of civilians.
If it was up to me, I would impose very strict background checks with a suitable waiting periods on any purchase of guns.
If it was up to me, I would demand extensive and expensive training, certification and recertification for the ability to possess a gun.
If it was up to me, I would impose liability insurance on gun owners just as we are required to have for owning (not even driving) vehicles.
If it was up to me, guns would not be allowed in public places, except for extensively trained police and security force.
If it was up to me, every gun owner would be required to have martial arts training and non-violent conflict resolution training under their (black) belts.
If it was up to me, the possession of guns would be made so expensive and troublesome that like in Japan barely anyone would want to bother with it.
If it was up to me, finally, I would find it only appropriate for gun owners to pass through a crowd of protesters, kinda like pregnant women have to when they visit clinics that provide abortions.
If it was up to me, we would do everything possible to stop this madness of deaths by gun violence, by civilians (adults and children) as well as due to police brutality.
Mark Manson amplifies a seeming lack of compassion and interaction with mass shooters prior to their heinous acts, when they expressed troubling ideas no body cared to take seriously, something that has been on my mind too.
Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times argues with his usual eloquence and intelligence that we are all crazy for not at the very least take modest steps toward curbing the carnage that leaves America resembling a battlefield.
Jim Jefferies, the Australian stand up comedian says it best still, check him out for much needed laughs around this damn issue of gun control.
Sign this Move On petition or this petition of an attempt to ban assault weapons or any other you can support and contact your representatives and take whatever steps you can to prevent more violence.
Check on Nicholas Kristof's a lot more balanced Inconvenient Gun Facts in the New York Times on January 16th, 2016.
Check on Nicholas Kristof's a lot more balanced Inconvenient Gun Facts in the New York Times on January 16th, 2016.
On A Path Less Travelled
My one winter boot was rubbing my one ankle the wrong way while my Nikon camera held a dead battery and I had forgotten to bring along a jacket to keep warm enough above 8,000 feet, so my enthusiasm waned for a hike up to to the top of the mountain. Instead, once again, we took the road, or rather trails less travelled, more like deserted, and we had a wonderful afternoon among the splendor of an already peaked fall display. Loved the Aspen leaves not only turn golden, but orange, glorious. My pocket size Canon S90 camera had to suffice for the taking of these photos.
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