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Here is the link to the Annual Gun Law Scorecard on the Giffords Law Center website. My home state, California, scores an "A" . . . which perhaps translates to a "C" (because it's in the USA) when compared to China, Japan, and The Netherlands.

More than is capable of the human will, alas. An acquaintance of mine who is a self-described "flaming liberal" bought a gun after DJT was re-elected. "We have to be ready and prepared for the fascists," was her (to me, cockeyed) rationale. She took a firearms training class during which the instructor -- in all seriousness -- told students, "Y'know, back during the 'Wild West days' people were more respectful when everyone was armed." That's the type of mentality that anti-gun and gun control proponents are up against. Decades ago I was robbed at gunpoint. By a blessed miracle of fate, I was spared becoming a gun-violence statistic. Despite that experience, I was not, never have been, and never will be compelled to buy a gun.

I agree. Ad hominem attack ads are all too common and questionably effective, IMO. Hardcore DJT fanatics dismiss them. The Undecided? Based on Election 2024, other more important matters ("It's the economy, Stupid.") were on their minds and on their radar. Everyone who paid attention to news reports and who thrived during/survived DJT's first presidential term was hip about him and his game -- and still he "won" the election. Hopefully. During Barack Obama's terms, a popular refrain was "Obama is playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers." Well, regarding "The Donald," everyone else is playing checkers while he is playing "52 Pickup." Devil May Care Donnie goes about his merry way wreaking havoc and mayhem while The Media and Democrats scramble around every which way and pull out their hair in his wake. Ronald Reagan was "The Teflon President." Bill Clinton was "Slick Willie." DJT is "The Snake." Hit it, Al! See also the similarly pertinent Russian fable The Scorpion and the Frog.

I was totally unfamiliar with John Mayer. Thank you for the intro and the promo, Barbara Ellis. For those who were similarly clueless, here's the concert:

Welcome, glennlab! I hope that you find what you are looking for here on newBluePlanet. Regarding "a new home that is easy to navigate," the nBP layout is a challenge, IMO. But once you learn it, you'll get the hang of it, I reckon.

Americans are currently enrolled in a masterclass on one of the reasons why voting for president matters. Voters elect not only a president; they also "elect" Supreme Court justices nominated by the president. Disinterested and disaffected Americans with the blasé attitude "Why bother?" are being schooled on the penalties and consequences of their nonaction. Unfortunately, conscientious Progressives and Liberals who understand the importance and the stakes of voting are unfairly afflicted by the penalties and consequences justly deserved by The Apathetic and The Apostate.

I followed up One to One: John & Yoko by watching The Lost Weekend: A Love Story. For the benefit of the clueless: John and Yoko separated during 1973. Enter May Pang, who was their employee . . . and more. In this 2022 documentary, Pang vaingloriously "spills the tea" about how she became Lennon's side chick -- at the behest and command of Ono -- and enjoyed a whirlwind 18-month romance with John in El Lay. Poor Yoko Ono. Forever damned as the woman who "broke up The Beatles" . . . . . . her tarnished image is further sullied in TLWALS by the much younger Pang, who crafts Ono into a cool, calculating, inscrutable manipulator-cum-distaff pimp. The whole truth behind the odd, quasi-ménage à trois relationship of Lennon, Ono, and Pang is perhaps not to be found in TLWAS -- which is Pang's truth. Lennon is dead (45 years today) and Ono, it seems, remains mum about the documentary. But if it is anybody else's business -- and it isn't! -- nosy busybodies and insatiable Beatles fans will clamor, in the words of John Lennon: "All I want is the truth! Just gimme some truth!"

BobDylan, I don't know if you ever watched the 1960 NBC broadcast of Peter Pan when you were a kid. During a memorably involving moment when Tinkerbelle is dying (after drinking poison intended for Pan), Peter pleads with the children in the audience to clap their hands to bring "Tink" back to life. Needless to say, the kiddies come through and Tink lives. That's kinda what American citizens need to do to end Citizens United. Except instead of clapping hands, Americans need to "clap back" by contacting their elected representatives and urging them to heed and obey the will of We The People. So come on, Boys and Girls! Get clappin'! Do you believe?

Supplemental InformationLawmakers Propose Amendment to Overturn Citizens United The Corporate Power Reset That Makes Citizens United Irrelevant

An acquaintance of mine told me a simultaneously amusing and saddening anecdote involving Siri. One of her friends eagerly said to her, "Watch this!" Her friend spoke "I love you, Siri!" into her iPhone. "I love you, [her friend's name]!" replied Siri. "Isn't that neat?!" her friend squealed with delight. Not everyone is scared of or threatened by Artificial Intelligence it seems. Meanwhile back at The Lonelyhearts Club, see what the boys in the back room will have . . . Roll over, Julie Newmar, and tell The Stepford Wives the news!

From the 1968 futuristic satire Wild in the Streets, here is an anthem with a timeless, always relevant notice to a reactionary, constipated Establishment sorely in need of a systemic enema. Shape of Things to ComeComposers: Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil Performers: Actor Christopher Jones and Singer Harley Hatcher

Say what?!Entrepreneur and venture capitalist Peter Thiel warns "the Antichrist is alive and well and on Earth at this moment, and that the Antichrist is anybody who opposes the massive acceleration of capitalism and technology to make us a multi-planetary, AI-enhanced species that will allegedly live forever and find eternal life in the stars." A scary cult of "Silicon Valley" tech zillionaires ("The Network State") "have this very concentrated and focused idea about replacing democracy with what is essentially corporate autocracy," i.e., "tech fascism." A network state agenda involves investing in and building "freedom cities" ("independent, tech run corporate states" in Honduras, the Mediterranean, and California) that are compounds for wealthy tech entrepreneurs who believe that democracy will collapse in the future and these techno-corporate cities -- where things are safe and good and utopian while everything outside these havens falls apart -- will be needed. Journalist and founder of The Nerd Reich newsletter Gil Duran lays it all out in the December 1 broadcast of Forum.

Ever wonder how billionaires avoid paying taxes?

I get DvoraksKeyboard's P.O.V. But then, I live in a predominantly blue state stained by unsightly red blotches ("Calabama" is real, y'all!). To the nBP libs residing in red states, I feel your pain. Unless conservatives and liberals agree to be mutually respectful and "play nice" on nBP, any "common ground" established between "Us" and "Them" would be as solid as quicksand, IMO. To wit, the effort would be futile and pointless.

I don't entirely disagree with your stance. My retort is, if a bulk of the American electorate explicitly or tacitly accepts the 2024 election results and Democratic Party leaders refuse to challenge the election outcome, how are you going to convince them -- galvanize them -- to wake up, rise up, stand up, and fight for justice? "We accept the choice the country made." -- Joe Biden "When we lose an election, we accept the results." -- Kamala Harris "Not a single Democrat, as far as I can tell, challenged the certification, because we're not election deniers " -- Hakeem Jeffries.

TGMisfit, Thank you for the promotion of Election Truth Alliance. To anyone else interested in reading ETA's election analysis of Pennsylvania voting results, here is the link.

The quoted Facebook post seems to have been removed. I, at least, am unable to see it. Anyway, whether the 2024 election was stolen is, to me, a moot point. Unless there are -- first and foremost -- a significant public outcry and demand for the truth, followed by serious and thorough investigation of the possibility resulting in the prosecution of all malefactors, calls to arms such as the Facebook alarum amount to, in the words of Shakespeare: Again, first the American electorate must show an interest in wanting to know the truth. From my jaded standpoint, that requirement is a tough challenge. Too many Americans just don't care, IMO. Blissfully and blithely ignorant, contentedly apathetic, they are "rhapsodic Bohemians": Perhaps the poll question should be, Was election 2024 legitimate? SMART Legislation filed a lawsuit challenging the 2024 election. Whoopee! Unfortunately, the lawsuit case was dismissed. Feh!

Two sad notes about Anonymous Enlightening's Facebook post: AE must don a mask and hide behind a pseudonym to deliver his message. Those disguises don't negate and invalidate his message. However, some folks might dismiss it because, to them, AE appears ridiculous and cowardly. His message is old news. It is similar to, for one (and I have no doubt that, historically, there are multitudinous variations), the following line of dialogue in Blue Collar (1978), written and directed by Paul Schrader: Sic semper erat, et sic semper erit (thus has it always been, thus shall it always be).

Michele, Welcome! Check out the newBluePlanet "satellite" FAQ: Site Memberships.

Nailed it! Removing myself from the dating/mating game really is a public service. I don't want to disappoint and hurt anyone (been there, done that waaaaay too many times, alas). Thank you for the genuinely appreciated too kind words, BobDylan. Seems to me that you'd be a "prize catch," partner-wise.

Neurotic Alert! I get "triggered" by "we." I believe you can and should be open to change, Cap'n, because that is your nature. I bristle when folks tell everyone (especially me!) how they (I) should behave. . . . just an FYI and "Heads up!"

In all of my romantic relationships except the last one, politics was never a concern of mine. BobDylan, I privately shared the following anecdote with you, so please pardon the replay. I ended my last romance because the gal was a devout, unrepentant Trumper -- a tough call because she had great legs. I go stupid over great legs. Ultimately however, the lass' odious politics "trumped" her gorgeous gams. But, oh, you kid! These days politics getting in the way of romance is not at all a deal-breaker. I'm out of "the mating game." My domestic partner of 40 years died two years ago. Our relationship was platonic. But she was my closest, longest, and dearest companion. Not a day goes by that she is not in my thoughts, dreams, and memories. Two years later, I still grieve and mourn the loss of her company and friendship. Her demise was, to date, the latest in a traumatic series of losses during the past seven years: one coworker died after suffering a stroke, one coworker was brutally murdered, one friend died from cancer, and one friend committed suicide. Another loss -- simultaneously depressing and welcomed -- is the death of my libido. But, I'll pass on pill-popping Viagra, thank you very much. Emotionally, psychologically, figuratively, and literally, I can't get it up for Love -- and I'm not cryin' about it. Nothing lasts forever. Just as well because finding a "soulmate" and getting married were never on my Things to Do list. To me, marriage is a passion-killer -- the conjugal equivalent of a lobotomy. Spending my life day after day . . . week after week . . . month after month . . . year after year — until death! — with one woman . . . can't do it! Beyond my capability. Monogamy (meatloaf again?!) = Monotony, as far as I'm concerned. Sacre bleu! La variété! Eet eez ze spice of life, oui? So needless to say, I won't be joining the Liberal Hearts Club, which is no great loss --indeed, no loss at all -- for womankind.

I read a couple of the stories by folks who left MAGA. To me, the authors seemed sincere and genuine. So, I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, applaud them for "seeing the light," and not permanently "cancel" them. One MAGA escapee shared the following philosophy, which came from one of her employers, a "very wealthy" Republican. To me, it correlates with the belief "if you are not a liberal when you are young, you have no heart. If you are not a conservative when you are old, you have no brain."

The Body is the Stephen King novella that was adapted as the movie Stand by Me. I never read the story and never saw the movie. If you did see the movie, theoristima, what was your opinion of it?