There's an app for that.

I've been busy on other projects today, just now finding a little time to put a cheating, half-assed entry together before midnight, 15 minutes before, but it's still BEFORE.  Six days to make it a full six months.  WOOT!!!

Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan turned off the House cameras that C-Span gets the feed from.  Because, you know, House Republicans, a lack of transparency and of course Americans don't have a right to know.  House Dems decided to stage a "Publicity Stunt" (Ryan's words, not mine), sit-in demanding a vote on No Fly, No Buy.   Ah, thankfully we live in the 21st century and technology such as Periscope and Twitter have allowed us in.  Take that, you NRA meat puppets.

The Grand Old Tea Party, the proponents of the Constitution.  Well, except for that First one thing. 

The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

As a publicity stunt, it's working. ‪#‎NoBillNoBreak‬ is getting a lot of positive publicity tonight.  For the NRA meat puppets of the GOP, ummm, not so much...

‪#‎StayTheFloor‬ ‪#‎MakeAmericaSafeAgain‬

Thanks for coming.

See you tomorrow.

Heavy heart.

After the near disasters of close calls last week and only 14 to go before I hit that magic six-month mark, I thought I could get a couple of entries ready and get a jump start on next week.  Then I slacked off completely on Friday.  Yesterday, I mostly slacked off, only writing one short paragraph, which on Sunday I promptly deleted.

Today, Sunday, June 11th, 2016.  Outraged and saddened I published a short entry.  I have nothing left to post at Midnight.  Nothing, save this.  I don't feel like trying to be funny, or thoughtful, or poignant.  I don't feel like posting an angry, railing diatribe.  I feel nothing but a great sadness today. 

This may very well be the end of the Ramble.  

 ...Peace...

Numbers to Ponder.

It's Thursday at both ends of this entry, it will publish on the 11th of February and I'm writing it on December 3rd, 2015.  More on that later.

I've mostly taken the past two days off from trying to produce content, mostly.  There was a feeble, half-assed entry I wrote on Tuesday evening.  It may or may not be revised before today, (your today, not mine).  I did write and publish a little something  yesterday.  December 2nd, 2015.  The 336th day of the year 2015, the same day that the U.S.A. experienced it's 355th mass shooting of the year. 2015 mass killings.  A mass shooting is defined here as incidents excluding domestic and gang related violence, when at least four people are killed or wounded and may include the gunman.

Think about that a minute, in 336 days, there have been 355 incidents of gun related violence in which at least four persons were killed or injured.   As of today, that's 462 persons killed and another 1312 wounded.  That's more than five persons per day.   As of today; I don't have the news on.  As far as I know number 356 could be ongoing as I write.

As I write this there have been more than 12,000 firearm related fatalities in the USA in 2015.  This includes all sources; homicide, suicide, accidental, self-defense and officer involved law enforcement.  As of October 1st, 2015 more than 48,331 have been injured.  Source Gun Violence Archive.   

Let's put that in perspective, during the three peak years of the Vietnam War, 1967-1969 American casualties numbered more than 40,000.  Only 1968 produced more fatalities. 16,899.   In 2015 there have been more firearm fatalities in the U.S than were suffered by American forces in Southeast Asia in either 1967 (11,363) or 1969 (11,780).  Source National Archives.

Now, before you get your panties in a wad, I'm pro 2nd Amendment, always have been.  But. responsible firearm owners, you need to step up to the table, put aside the NRA, gun lobby rhetoric and sit down and start a conversation.  The tide of public opinion turns against us.  If we don't open a dialogue we will lose the war, and if it comes down to it, they will pry your guns from your cold dead fingers.

I'm not talking about taking your hunting rifles, shotguns and most handguns,  I'm talking about high-capacity magazines, better mental health screening, closing loop holes...sensible regulation.

I know it's wishful thinking, but maybe, just maybe we can get through the rest of  the year without hearing about

Another Goddamned Mass Shooting.

I'm going to close a little differently than normal... 

 


...Peace...