Still Think the Republican Party Isn't Self-Destructing?

If anyone out there isn't convinced the Republican Party isn't in full-on self-destruct mode, check out these few headlines from yesterday afternoon---one day--alone. This first one knocked me out.

GOP Campaigns Will Reportedly Meet to Discuss Taking Debates Out of RNC Control

Read that again. Then think about it.

The GOP---the Republicans--are apparently going to have a meeting to discuss taking the organization and control of the presidential debates out of the control of the Republican National Committee.

Folks, that is stunning. And they can't blame it on having a token black man at the head of the RNC any more, either.

That is incredible, by itself. But there's more.

Mark Levin Trashes 'Incompetent' Reince Priebus: 'Should Be Fired!'

This has been going on for some time and I've noted and written on this before. The Right Wingers, whether in religion or Christianity or politics and government have to increasingly prove themselves the most extreme, the "furthest right/Right", the most fervent, the "closest to God."

It's disgusting. It's crazy and they "out crazy" each other doing it.

I show this next one because it shows how really awful the Republican candidates for the highest office in the nation and arguably the most powerful nation in the world really are.

Trump on Future Debates: 'Maybe Every Moderator Should Show That They Vote Republican'

And even Republicans are aware of how badly Republicans are doing and how they're handling their own campaigns for the White House.

Lindsey Graham on RNC's Handling of Debates: 'This Is Getting Pretty Bad'

This last one isn't from yesterday but it shows where we, as a nation, have been going in recent years. And thank goodness.

Fewer People Identify As Republicans Now

It's enough to give a person hope.

Entertainment Overnight -- Back in Bach

Magnificent

Just a Few of the Things We Need to Change in America

We have big and small issues in America now that certainly need addressing but if you just look at the following facts, it's obvious we have things we badly, sorely need to address and fix.

Just a few of them:

--Most expensive health care in the world

--Worst mortality rates, in spite of what we pay, out of the top 17 industrialized nations

--Spending more on defense, again, far and away, than any other nation in the world

--More people shot and killed by weapons, by a huge measure, than any other nation in the world

--Longest election seasons of any nation in the world

--More paid for those elections, by any measure, than any other nation

--Wages in the nation have stagnated for not just years but for many years and so,

--America's middle class is shrinking

--More paid to government representatives and candidates for office than any other nation since we legalized bribery and call it "campaign contributions

These 9 things alone show we have huge problems in our nation.


Oh, yeah, we have things we need to change. Absolutely. And we need to get started.

#FeeltheBern

Bernie Sanders For President

A Big Day

Yes sir, it's a big day. Besides being the day before Hallowe'en, it's also

National Candy Corn Day

and then it's also

National Frankenstein Friday

Have a good weekend and enjoy.

Entertainment Overnight -- A Republican Debate

With these people, these things seem possible.

Entertainment Overnight -- Classical Competition

Beauty on beauty.

TODAY IS WHAT DAY??

And here are some deals and freebies.

So get out there...

AND IT'S THE ROYALS!!!

To all the non-believers and haters out there!!

In Which We Give David Glass His Due

A few years ago, when the Kansas City Royals were continually losing at baseball and the owner, David Glass, was spending very little on the team and being ranked one of the 3 worst Major League Baseball owners, I and a lot of others spoke ill of Mr. Glass and his ownership and managerial skills.

That was then.

Since that time, Mr. Glass has begun spending more on the the team and putting the right people in place to make things happen, in positive ways, for those same Royals, our own Kansas City Royals.

So here we are, the 2nd time the team is in the playoffs for the World Series--and won. So Tuesday, as the entire city and state and region and heck, the nation, knows, the Kansas City Royals are World Series bound.

So here's to you, Mr. Glass. We disparaged both your spending and managerial work. It's only fitting that we now, when they're winning, honestly praise him for getting the team where they are now.

Kudos to you, Mr. Glass.

And thank you.

Now, please keep it going, long as possible.

The John Ellis Bush Presidential Candidate Theme Song

"...when everything is handed to you

It's only worth as much as the time put in

It all just seems so good the way we had it

Back before everything became automatic

Automatic"

Yeah.

That pretty much says it all right there.

On Donald Trump, Our National Politics and All of Us

Just the average statements and opinions of Donald Trump alone show it all to be an indictment, not just of his ignorance and crudeness but yes, of our political system and so many of us, honestly, who would support this man for the highest leadership position of the nation.

To Any and All Kansas City Sports Naysayers!

Suck it, haters!

Royals clinch second straight AL pennant, beat Blue Jays 4-3 to advance to World Series

Big Republican Problems Today, After Their 11 Hour Fiasco Yesterday

Republicans, today, this morning, don't just have one problem because yesterday's Benghazi interrogation/investigation/committee went badly. They have at least a few.  And they're not small.

The first is this--this poll came out just as yesterday's interrogation went down:

Poll: 3-in-4 say Benghazi panel politically motivated

Second, both Congressmen Trey Gowdy and Jim Jordan, at minimum, came across as attacking, impatient, rude people who then appeared slanted, biased, one-sided, negative and just ugly.

Next, what the media thinks and ends up saying will also make a difference. Last evening, reporter Carl Bernstein, of the Watergate Woodward/Bernstein crew, said last evening on CNN that this investigation of Benghazi today has become as abusive as Joe McCarthy and his McCarthy hearings, all those decades ago.

Fourth, the fact that this interrogation of former Secretary Clinton took 11 full hours yesterday will, I think, hurt the Republicans, since no new material was covered, factually. In fact, Congressman Gowdy said nothing new came from this 11 hours of interrogation, once it was over. All that and nothing new. If that doesn't spell waste of time and energy and, worst of all, money, nothing does.

Then there is the point I made here last evening---

According to PBS NewsHour last evening, there have been 22 individual hearings on Benghazi. For a sharp comparison, there were 21 hearings on the 9/11 tragedy. That's a lot of wasted time. And worse, money. Our government tax money.

Then there's this, for anyone who might think or say this isn't a political witch hunt:

Finally, this may be the most damaging, for the Republicans, of all, out of yesterday's hearings. Instead of hurting Secretary Clinton---

Fox's Ed Henry: Clinton "Did Look Presidential, She Did Look In Command Today, Just Like She Did At That Last Debate"

Besides finding nothing new and instead of hurting former Secretary Clinton/candidate Clinton, it likely, apparently helped, even strengthened her.

Ironically, even wonderfully, the Republicans were nearly immediately being pilloried in the media even during the hearings, let alone after, for this Benghazi grilling, ongoing and ugly as it is.

Followed, this week by last week's inability to even come up with a Speaker of the House quickly and easily, it's obvious, very obvious, the Republican Party is in worse shape internally and externally, both, than they ever imagined possible.

2016 looks better and better, doesn't it?

This Very Wasteful Republican Congress

Check this out.

According to PBS NewsHour this evening, there have been 22 individual hearings on Benghazi.

For a sharp comparison, there were 21 hearings on the 9/11 tragedy.

They also held more than 50 attempts to overturn Obamacare.

I'm glad this Republican Congress has its priorities straight and that they're not wasting time and tax money.

How long are we going to put up with this hugely wasteful, very political nonsense, America?

Links:  Where the Benghazi Committee Went Wrong

Republicans still trying and failing to break Hillary Clinton on Benghazi

The Truth About the Democratic Candidates for President 2016

The fact is, the truth is, of the Democratic candidates for president this go 'round, for 2016, there is Bernie Sanders....    and then there is everybody else.

Senator Sanders has been fighting for most of America---the middle-, lower- and working-classes---for years and speaking up for and about us.

Everyone else in their campaigns just try to mouth more of the same things, just weaker. The best examples of this is in the front-runner, to date, Hillary Clinton, followed closely--in talking points only, not popularity--by Martin O'Malley.

Whenever I hear one of these candidates talking about supporting the middle class and fighting the wealthy gaining any more money, all I can hear is the essence of what Senator Sanders has been talking about for years and with far more conviction and original ideas.

Entertainment Overnight -- America

Blues. With the incomparable Keb Mo.  Backstage at the White House.


America, the beautiful.

What We Didn't Hear At the Democratic Debate

Check out what MSNBC cut out of the Democratic Debate a few weeks ago.



Senator Sanders, talking about the poor job the media is doing and that we're falling into oligarchy.

Imagine that.

An Extremely Worthwhile, Educational Eleven Minutes

Following is eleven minutes and 9 seconds of rather important information,  I think, that unfortunately, most Americans won't see.

Please enjoy.



And what are we going to do about it? All of it?

Happy National Seafood Bisque Day!

Yes, indeed! Happy National Seafood Bisque Day!

Creamy Seafood Bisque Recipe photo by Taste of Home

What are you waiting for? Go! Enjoy!

And have a great week, y'all.

Side note: If you want to see something odd, on Google images, search "seafood bisque." Check out all the nearly endless different types they show.

Links:  Bisque (food) - Wikipedia

National Seafood Bisque Day - Punchbowl

National Seafood Bisque Day, October 19 - Food.com

National Seafood Bisque Day - The Daily Grid

RAH Food - Happy National Seafood Bisque Day!

Crock Pot Girl - Today is National Seafood Bisque Day!

The US and Where the Republican Party Wants to Take Us (Guest Post)

Great questions--and facts--on our United States today, from one Wayne Stiles  out on Facebook earlier.

Since when did it become acceptable in this country to toss the weakest of us overboard?

There is a political party dedicated to castrating the poorest among us.

It started out by refusing to extend unemployment benefits at a time when we were hemorrhaging 800,000 jobs a month.

Then it was cutting off food stamps to these same families. Taking food off the tables of the hungriest and poorest families.

Then the GOP showed how truly despicable they were.

Laws were passed to keep people from feeding the homeless. People were being arrested for feeding homeless families.

Laws passed to make it illegal to sleep ANYWHERE outside. Homeless people were being arrested.

Then the GOP sank to its lowest depths.

It began cutting off help to our veterans and seniors.

Veterans committing suicide at a rate of 200,000 a year. Seniors deciding whether to eat or pay bills. Denying healthcare to them all.

But the worst atrocity is while doing this, the GOP is taking that money and giving it away wholesale to the wealthiest.

Do we change this or not?

The Possible Incredibility of Our American Presidency

Sure, I'd prefer Senator Sanders to win not just the Democratic nomination but presidency but.....

but think of this.

If the first black President the Democrats gave the United States was followed by the first female president...

Who then also gave us the first Hispanic vice president....

Clinton-Castro Appearance in San Antonio

But think about it. Think about this 2016 presidential race. 

It looks very like a Democrat will win the whole thing.

When you look at the Republican candidates, it seems clear their candidates are, honestly, far too extreme, at the very least, to be elected, if not just downright.....   well.....  dumb.  Honestly. Legitimately.

So, truth be told, again, we're going to go from the first black president to either the first female...

Or the first, oldest, Jewish president in the nation's history.

Fantastic times, ladies and gentlemen.

Fantastic times.

Most People Don't Recognize the Bizarro Election World We've Stepped Into

I don't think most Americans recognize how truly unprecedented and even, honestly, bizarre a world we've entered now, this go 'round with our 2016 presidential election cycle. And it's this headline, last evening, that brought it home to me:

It Looks Like Jeb Bush is About To 

Drop Out

Mind you, it's speculation but between John Ellis' popularity--and lack of it--and so, the corresponding lack of money (see headline, below), it does at least look bad for him, if not politically fatal.  This is from none other than what should be his own people, the Wall Street Journal, last evening:

Jeb Bush Has $10.3 Million on Hand, as Fundraising Slowed

I won't get into the details of his money, any reader can do that on their own. The fact is, if, in this mish-mash of Republican candidates, the "chosen one" of the big money Republicans and traditionalists not only can't make it but is over-run by the likes of the very misogynist and racist Donald Trump and the extremely simplistic, even empty Dr. Ben Carson, well, folks, it means very, very bad things for this nation.

Mind you, it should be clear from this writer and blogger and blog that the last thing I'd personally or politically want is for a Republican of the last 30 years, at least, to win any presidential--or even Congressional--race in our country. But the fact is, if more middle-of-the-road, mainstream---however dumbed-down---John Ellis Bush can't make it in a campaign with the likes of his competition, it bodes badly, very badly for the race itself but for the nation at large. 

Again, from last evening, look at what his toughest competition are doing in the last 24 hours:

Trump, Carson threaten to boycott next GOP debate

Yes. They're running to be president of the United States yet they're threatening to boycott the only debates the party has scheduled. Check that out:

(CNN) Republican front-runners Donald Trump and Ben Carson are threatening to pull out of the next Republican primary debate if the hosts don't agree to their demands.

In a letter to CNBC, which is hosting the next debate, the two candidates said they would not participate in the Oct. 28 debate "if it is longer than 120 minutes including commercials and does not include opening and closing statements."

Facebook political/social satirist Kona Lowell  said it very well last evening:

So Trump and Carson demand that the next debate last only two hours. Fine. Let's analyze this. That's 120 minutes. There are 13 candidates. That means each candidate would get 9.2 minutes. Subtract time for commercials. Include an opening/closing statement for each candidate. That leaves just enough time for Trump to call someone a loser and Carson to compare lowering student loan debt to the Holocaust.

And unfortunately, in America, things are ranked, and often won, simply by how much money one has. With our Citizens United rules from the Supreme Court and very legal campaign contributions--what would be, in the rest of the world, bribes--government representatives win and lose, live and die by how much money they take in.

So John Ellis has 10.3 million dollars on hand.

Very scary Ted Cruz has 13.5 million.

Kooky Ben Carson has nearly the same as John Ellis at 11 million.

Everyone else in this money race is an "also ran" and so, irrelevant.

I'm telling you, folks, this Republican presidential race for 2016 was bad and is getting worse and worse all the time. John Ellis Bush was more of a moderate who tried to be extreme Right Wing, by voice only, in order to get votes and win.

That Donald Trump and Ben Carson are leading the pack, leading this field of candidates both in money and popularity should scare anyone who knows what's good for most all of America, and so, the entire nation.

Link: Who's winning the 2016 GOP money race?

On Guns

Then and now.

Entertainment Overnight -- Singin' In the Rain

Entertainment Overnight -- It's Coming Back Around Again

Daylight Saving Time



Saturday night, October 31, coincidentally, if not also rather ironically.

The Solution to the Middle East

I figured it out.

I figured out a way to end the violence and fighting between the Israelis and Arabs and all others in the Middle East.

We--the world community--give each side one nuclear warhead with the requirement that we--that same world community---shoot off those 2 warheads at precisely the same time, at the other side.

Problem solved.

Peace in the Middle East, at long last.

On This Day, 1948, From Our Very Own President Harry Truman

This speech was given October 13, 1948 in St. Paul, Minnesota. It's sad to see we've been fighting the exact same battles for all these 70 years. I recommend reading the entire speech but here is an excerpt:

'Today the forces of liberalism face a crisis. The people of the United States must make a choice between two ways of living--a decision, which will affect us the rest of our lives and our children and our grandchildren after us.

On the other side, there is the Wall Street way of life and politics. Trust the leader! Let big business take care of prices and profits! Measure all things by money! That is the philosophy of the masters of the Republican Party.

Well, I have been studying the Republican Party for over 12 years at close hand in the Capital of the United States. And by this time, I have discovered where the Republicans stand on most of the major issues.

Since they won't tell you themselves, I am going to tell you.

They approve of the American farmer-but they are willing to help him go broke.

They stand four-square for the American home--but not for housing.

They are strong for labor--but they are stronger for restricting labor's rights.

They favor a minimum wage--the smaller the minimum the better.

They indorse educational opportunity for all--but they won't spend money for teachers or for schools.

They think modern medical care and hospitals are fine--for people who can afford them.

They approve of social security benefits-so much so that they took them away from almost a million people.

They believe in international trade--so much so that they crippled our reciprocal trade program, and killed our International Wheat Agreement.

They favor the admission of displaced persons--but only within shameful racial and religious limitations.

They consider electric power a great blessing-but only when the private power companies get their rake-off.

They say TVA is wonderful--but we ought never to try it again.

They condemn "cruelly high prices"--but fight to the death every effort to bring them down.

They think the American standard of living is a fine thing--so long as it doesn't spread to all the people.

And they admire the Government of the United States so much that they would like to buy it.

Now, my friends, that is the Wall Street Republican way of life. But there is another way--there is another way--the Democratic way, the way of the Democratic Party.

Of course, the Democratic Party is not perfect. Nobody ever said it was. But the Democratic Party believes in the people. It believes in freedom and progress, and it is fighting for its beliefs right now.

In the Democratic Party, you won't find the kind of unity where everybody thinks what the boss tells him to think, and nothing else.

But you will find an overriding purpose to work for the good of mankind. And you will find a program--a concrete, realistic, and practical program that is worth believing in and fighting for.

Now, I call on all liberals and progressives to stand up and be counted for democracy in this great battle. I call on the old Farmer-Labor Party, the old Wisconsin Progressives, the Non-Partisan Leaguers, and the New Dealers to stand up and be counted in this fight.

This is one fight you must get in, and get in with every ounce of strength you have. After November 2d, it will be too late. It will do no good to change your mind on November 3d. The decision is right here and flow.

Against us we have the best propaganda campaign that money can buy.

But we are bound to win--and we are going to win, because we are right! I am here to tell you that in this fight, the people are with us.

With a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress, you will have the right kind of unity in this country.

We will be unified once more on the great program of social advance, which the Democratic Party pioneered in 1933.

We will be unified in support of farm cooperatives, rural electrification, and soil conservation.

We will be unified behind a housing program.

We will be unified on the question of the rights of labor and collective bargaining.

We will be unified for the expansion of social security, the improvement of our educational system, and the expansion of medical aid.

Moreover, we will be unified in our efforts to preserve our prosperity and to spread its benefits equally to all groups in the Nation.

Now, my friends, with such unity as this, we can secure the blessings of freedom for ourselves and our children.

With such unity as this, we can fulfill our God-given responsibility in leading the world to a lasting peace.'

Link: Harry S. Truman: Address in St. Paul

Happy Columbus Day

AK Press

It seems there are still some people out there who celebrate Columbus Day. If you happen to know any of them, please share this description from Bartolome de las Casas of the sort of civilized and heroic behavior Columbus brought to the "new" world:

"And the Christians, with their horses and swords and pikes began to carry out massacres and strange cruelties against them. They attacked the towns and spared neither the children nor the aged nor pregnant women nor women in childbed, not only stabbing them and dismembering them but cutting them to pieces as if dealing with sheep in the slaughter house. They laid bets as to who, with one stroke of the sword, could split a man in two or could cut off his head or spill out his entrails with a single stroke of the pike. They took infants from their mothers' breasts, snatching them by the legs and pitching them headfirst against the crags or snatched them by the arms and threw them into the rivers, roaring with laughter and saying as the babies fell into the water, 'Boil there, you offspring of the devil!' Other infants they put to the sword along with their mothers and anyone else who happened to be nearby. They made some low wide gallows on which the hanged victim's feet almost touched the ground, stringing up their victims in lots of thirteen, in memory of Our Redeemer and His twelve Apostles, then set burning wood at their feet and thus burned them alive. To others they attached straw or wrapped their whole bodies in straw and set them afire. With still others, all those they wanted to capture alive, they cut off their hands and hung them round the victim's neck, saying, "Go now, carry the message," meaning, Take the news to the Indians who have fled to the mountains. They usually dealt with the chieftains and nobles in the following way: they made a grid of rods which they placed on forked sticks, then lashed the victims to the grid and lighted a smoldering fire underneath, so that little by little, as those captives screamed in despair and torment, their souls would leave them...."

Kansas City Royals 2015 Postseason Video

"People will come, Ray. People will most definitely come."



I would have left out the part where he said "People will just hand over their money without even thinking about it." 

That was tacky. Extremely tacky. Otherwise....

Go Royals!

Amy Schumer and SNL Take On 'Merika and Our Guns

More people need to do this. More people need to publicly come out and mock America and Americans on our guns---the quantity and widespread, rather insane use of them in this country.

The Way Republicans Used to Think and Be

Long, long ago, they used to be for the nation, as a whole, not just for the advancement of their own political party.

It would be nice if we---they---could get back to this.

Entertainment Overnight -- Librarian Rhapsody

From Facebook and YouTube, of course.

Health Care in America

From the New Zealand Nurses Organisation on Facebook. 

An American in our health care industry visits that country.

What We've Done to Teaching and "Education" in America

The Fellowship for Putting Stupid Theories into Schools

We’re known by many names across the spectrum left to right

Promoting fear and ostracism, ignorance and blight,

We promise health and happiness in dimly distant days

And ask your current sacrifice to give ourselves a raise.

We don’t get caught because we’ve got new education rules

As one by one we take away our children’s thinking tools

The Fellowship for Putting Stupid Theories into Schools.

It’s awkward when our kids come home with something they have learned

That would have in the good old days have got us staked and burned.

They question blind authority as if that were old hat,

They judge our bland hypocrisy – and we’ll have none of that!

They’ve even said that we should have alternative energy fuels!

But we’ll stop that: we’ll take away their critical thinking tools,

The Fellowship for Putting Stupid Theories into Schools.

Postmodernist, conservative, we’re pretty much on par

We undermine enlightenment embracing the bizarre.

Oh, nothing good will come of it if children learn to think --

They’ll realize we’ve left them at and teetering on the brink.

Our only hope’s to rot their brains and turn them into fools

By teaching tests instead of teaching critical thinking tools.

The Fellowship for Putting Stupid Theories into Schools.

Whenever you have heard a child say something really dumb,

Or seen adults enamored with what art has now become,

Or read about the legislature’s vote to buy a tank

Instead of raising teachers’ pay, it’s us you have to thank –

It isn’t just by accident our citizens are fools --

For we’re the ones who give the zealous ignorant their tools:

The Fellowship for Putting Stupid Theories into Schools.

-- Marcus Bales

Entertainment Overnight -- Reasons Why

Standing on a darkened stage
Stumbling through the lines
Others have excuses
But I have my reasons why

Kansas City All Over Late Night Last Evening

Kansas City, through Eric Stonestreet  and our own Kansas City Royals  figured rather prominently on Jimmy Kimmel Live  last evening:


LET'S GO ROYALS!!

National Do Something Nice Day!

Happy National Do Something Nice Day!

Now, you know what to do---get out there and...

The NRA and Gun Lovers, In a Nutshell

Face it, Archie had the NRA's and gun lover's position down pat when he spewed these gems.


True then, all those years ago. Certainly still true today. They haven't budged a bit. Nothing's changed in any way.

"MORE GUNS!"

Guns In America, III

What's the difference? Exactly?

Entertainment Overnight -- Sunday Edition

America and All Her Guns, Satirized

Expletives included, of course, it's Chris Rock, after all, but this is from years ago.


This rings as true now as if he only wrote and performed it last night, after this Oregon shooting.

If only it were funny.

Fantastic, Thoughtful, Generous Idea From Terrific Local Artist

Check out what Kansas City's own Michael Savage is doing. He posted this today on his Facebook page.

Took a day off…don’t know what to do?!

So I was thinking….always a dangerous thing, I know. And I thought, it’s time for a new “contest” for art! (don’t mind all the commas, not a wordsmith like someone I know)

Here it is! Every month I am going to give a piece of art work, of my choice, away, duh, to one lucky (presumptuous?) and creative person.

Now the the deal. In the wake of so much sadness and craziness these days, and I’ll leave it at that, all I ask is for you, to enter, is to take a pic or record one random act of kindness ( or more) that you yourself instigate. Don’t plan on it, let it happen naturally. I know you have to have your camera ready, but isn’t it always!? Ha! And keep it simple. Example. Help the little old lady across the street. Help change someone’s tire. Buy someone a coke or coffee, hug a sad person, put a new roll of toilet paper on the dispenser when you empty it, cook some food for a needy family, pick a worm up after a heavy rain and set him in the grass, help someone move (well maybe not go that far). Make it fun, charitable, difficult, easy….it doesn’t matter. The point is to be kindand do it with a happy face. No smile, no win. I know most of us do this already, but I think it would be cool at the end of the month to see all the great heartfelt examples captured.

I believe we can have fun and share with our friends on this site. Because you wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think we could be friends. Goofy? Yes I am, but I want to show that we as humans are good and fun and happy. Please don’t feel obliged, but do feel free at the end of each month to participate in looking at the entries, commenting and going away happier.

So….start thinking or preferably not, and just remember to keep that camera ready! And don’t try too hard….it’ll just happen. Thanks and I hope you like the idea. I’ll throw some in there too!

Oh, and if you prefer not to post on this thread (I’ll keep reminding us throughout each month). Feel free to message me. And If you win, I’ll ask you first if you want to be known. And if you don’t I’ll just describe it. Cool? Good luck MY friends. We can change the world.

Especially for free art? Sav

What a cool thing, right?

Virtually any Kansas Citian knows his work, I think, either because of him or because of his fantastic style. For instance, here's one of his takes on our own Country Club Plaza.

Kansas City is so very fortunate to have artists--and people--like Michael living and creating right here in the city. (Charlie Podrebarac, too, I think and all the others, far too many to mention).

So there you are, Kansas City! Go out there and keep doing those nice things for others. For at least a while here, once a month, you'll get a huge reward for it, too! And thank you very much, Michael!

Hillary on Hillary

First Bill and now Hillary. Both.

Smart, funny, and good for the nation.


Everything Republicans aren't.



Enjoy your Sunday, y'all.

Happy National Taco Day!

National Taco Day 2015: Deals, Freebies

The Truth About Guns in America -- Hard Data

Here, ladies and gentlemen, is the truth, the ugly, raw truth of it all--guns in America:

"This is why we have the headlines all wrong: Guns are not being abused or wielded incorrectly in America. They are not “falling into the wrong hands,” ill-begotten by “evil people” and “crazies” and “psychopaths.” This is not true in the slightest.

Just the opposite, actually. When yet another mass killing occurs, when another woman is murdered by her ex-husband (which happens every single day in America, BTW), when another despondent teen kills herself with her dad’s gun (ditto), when more males – and it is almost always males – shoot each other in the street, when more schoolchildren die at the hands of effortlessly well-armed adults, these are not tragedies. It’s exactly what we expect to happen.

The guns are, in a very real way, just fulfilling the destiny we instilled into them. They are doing exactly what we designed them to do, what we demand they do, as physical extensions of our fear and rage. You can’t shove 10 billion tons of carcinogens into the atmosphere and not expect massive outbreaks of cancer. You can’t put 300 million precision tools of death into the culture and not expect their latent, intrinsic objective to be realized, every single day.

This is why all religious and spiritual traditions the world over agree: Guns are for cowards. They provide only the thinnest illusion of authority, the ugliest veneer of control, the most artificial aspect of authentic manhood.

Proof? Simple: Just remove any gun fetishist’s (or terrorist’s, or mass shooter’s) stockpile of weapons, and watch what happens. They are instantly deflated, lost, rendered vulgar and human. All illusions of power and machismo vaporize, leaving only the base energies of hate and fear they often don’t understand, much less know how to transmute into something like kindness and love."

Link:  Shooting up America: Guns are a national disgrace 

Guns in America III

Let's do this.

Guns In America

Some statistics. Some facts.

America has six times as many firearm homicides as Canada, and 15 times as many as Germany.

America has 4.4 percent of the world's population, but almost half of the civilian-owned guns around the world.

This makes no sense whatever, none of it.

There is a mass shooting in America nearly every day.

States with more guns have more gun deaths.

Consistent with this, above, developed nations with more guns also have more gun homicides.

America's biggest gun problem is suicide.

And again, consistently, the states with the most guns report the most suicides.

More guns equals suicides. Reported suicides between 2001 and 2005:

 "Guns and Suicide in the United States"

Guns allow people to kill themselves much more easily.

In states with more guns, more police officers are also killed on duty.

"Firearm Prevalence and Homicides of Law Enforcement Officers in the United States"

Then there are these facts (with links).

1. There's roughly one gun for every person in America
2. Gun crime is more prevalent in the US than in other rich countries
3. Gun homicides (like all homicides) are declining
4. Places with more guns have more homicides
5. There are more gun suicides than gun homicides in America
6. Suicide is more common in places with more guns
7. Living in a house with a gun increases your odds of death
8. Guns contribute to domestic violence
9. Mass shootings aren't getting more common — and are a tiny share of all shootings
10. A tiny fraction of gun violence is committed by the mentally ill
11. Gun control is popular but getting less so

And finally, to give us some hope, there is a great deal of support in America for gun policy proposals.

From the full article over at Vox:

Gun violence in America, in 17 maps and charts

More links:  11 essential facts about guns and mass shootings in America

Twelve facts about guns and mass shootings in the United

About Gun Violence