AMY GOODMAN SPEAKS TRUTH TO POWER DEFENDING OUR 1ST AMENDMENT RIGHTS

Amy Goodman reporting on the Dakota Access Pipeline. (image: Democracy Now!

 

 "Any time someone carries a picket sign in front of the White House, that is the First Amendment in action" ~ Julian Bond

 

"The media is absolutely essential to the functioning of a democracy. It's not our job to cozy up to power. We're supposed to be the check and balance on government…We have to protect all journalists, and journalists have to be allowed to do their jobs…War coverage should be more than a parade of retired generals and retired government flacks posing as reporters"  These words spoken by Amy Goodman (Democracy Now) speak to the sanctity of our First Amendment which is now under attack at the North Dakota Access Pipeline and of course Amy still continues to speak truth to power at great risk to her personal safety as well as all truth tellers and citizen journalists committed to the truth: Allen L Roland, PhD

 

{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} First Amendment to the United States Congress

 

 

Officers Withdrawn from North Dakota Following Arrest of Madison Elected Official

Madison Common Council Alderperson Rebecca Kemble speaks out after her arrest while working as a legal observer during the growing resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline. What she describes is a militarized criminal justice system whose focus seems to be to intimidate and provoke even with a peaceful and lawful demonstrations.

 

The intent appears to be to treat innocent demonstrating participants as wild and lawless criminals which includes strip searches, food and clothing deprivation and humiliation ~ all of which has happened at Standing Rock.

The Real News Network reports ~ must see 16 minute video ~ https://youtu.be/5rBGHDdXdOA

 

Here Journalist Amy Goodman speaks out after her charges were dropped for covering the brutal repression of peaceful water protectors. See 16 minute video interview ~ https://youtu.be/z17xOYki0sU

 

In an exclusive interview, Democracy Now's Amy Goodman says she's turning herself to North Dakota authorities to defend the right of journalists everywhere to challenge power ~ and all citizen journalists, including myself, need to heed her words for the handwriting is on the wall for citizen truth tellers in our current war on terror for the first casualty of war is THE Truth.  8 minute video ~ https://youtu.be/4isZv59gmGw

 

Gary G. Kohls, MD , Transcend Media Service, mirrors my thoughts on this matter precisely when he wrote last week about the power of the alternative press ~
"I suspect that North Dakota’s plutocrats had no idea who or what they were dealing with. They probably hadn’t even heard about Democracy Now, since there are so few public radio stations in North Dakota and an even smaller number that host Goodman’s daily program.

…. And I suspect that that ignorance also holds true for North Dakota’s militarized police force, its National Guard troops, and ETP’s private security forces (and their vicious dogs), all of whom were embarrassingly armed to the teeth like Star Wars Stormtroopers, as they faced the small band of unarmed and nonviolent protectors

… And thus they misunderstood the soul force power wielded by the Standing Rock tribe and their supporters. The commanders of the armed forces at Standing Rock should be ashamed of themselves ~ and the elites behind the intimidation should be voted out of office this November."

See Kohl's article ~ https://www.transcend.org/tms/2016/10/energy-transfer-partners-black-snake-the-dakota-access-pipeline-is-at-risk-of-being-beheaded

 "Independent media can go to where the silence is and break the sound barrier, doing what the corporate networks refuse to do." ~ Amy Goodman

ONLY THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY

Allen L Roland, PhD

http://allenlrolandsweblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/amy-goodman-speaks-truth-to-power.html

 

 

Heart centered spiritual consultant and advisor Allen L Roland can be contacted at allen@allenroland.com Allen is also a lecturer and writer who shares a weekly political and social commentary on his web log and website allenroland.com. He is also featured columnist on Veterans Today and is a featured guest on many radio and Television programs.

FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS / SF GIANTS DYNASTY UNRAVELS WITH A WHIMPER

The Dynasty is over for the 2016 Giants who won the world Championship in 2010, 2012 and 2014 and were three outs from another playoff elimination game win over the Chicago Cubs on October 11th, a day after a sublime come from behind win against the Cubs. Then the piano fell on their collective heads as manager Bruce Bochy obviously over managed his team, killing the momentum by replacing Matt Moore for the ninth inning after pitching a two hitter for eight innings and opened the door for the Cubs to pummel the Giant's Achilles heel ~ a carousel of tired and shaky bullpen pitchers for four runs and then finally crush them to a whimper with Chapman's 100 mile an hour heat in relief. Thus the SF Giants went in one day from the sublime to the ridiculous with a humiliating six to five loss ~ which could have been avoided or perhaps postponed if Moore had been allowed to finish his pitching gem: Allen L Roland, PhD     

 

I'm an avid Giant baseball fan ever since I heard the shot heard around the world on October 3rd, 1951 when Bobby Thompson hit a homerun in the 9th inning to beat the Brooklyn Dodgers and win the Pennant. See video ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrI7dVj90zs

 

I was 17 years old at that time and living in Boston, Massachusetts but the Giants captured my young and exuberant heart.

 

I also remember well in 1962 when Willy McCovey smashed a bullet line drive into the Yankee's 2nd base Bobby Richardson's glove with two outs in the ninth inning of the World Series and the winning run at 2nd base. Over 50,000 fans fell into a shocked hushed silence including myself ~ I was 28 years old at that time, an active duty Navy carrier pilot and my beloved Giants had just moved to the West Coast. See video ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD1TPzwIG9I

 

Now I'm 82 years old and have celebrated and watched the Giants win the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014 under the brilliant guidance of Manager Bruce Botchy and now in 2016, they were seemingly on the verge of another playoff victory against the Chicago Cubs on October 11th at AT&T park.

On the mound was a determined Matt Moore who held the Cubs to two runs and two hits in eight innings, retiring his final nine batters.

 

He had thrown 120 pitches but he had thrown 133 pitches on August 25th when he one hit the Dodgers and he still felt strong ~ as confirmed by Buster Posey.

 

I was watching on TV and screamed to Bochy to leave Moore in along with thousands of Giant fans at the game "Don't take him out ."

 

Moore deserved at the very least a one batter curtain call for his incredible pitching effort ~ but it was not to be. The decision had already been made and it soon became a disaster.

 

The bubble burst when Moore walked into the dugout after the eighth inning, according to Steve Kroner, SF Chronicle , " I just went and talked to pitching coach Dave Righetti and he said, "that's it for tonight"  and after the TV commercial break ~ there was Derek Law on the mound ready to face Chicago in the ninth ~ the Cubs could smell the blood in the water and Giant fans, including myself, braced ourselves for the unknown ~ the feeding frenzy soon began and it was over in a few minutes.

Reliever Sergio Romo openly laughing into his glove after being relieved by Bochy in the tense ninth inning did not go unnoticed by many and speaks of player disunity in the Giant Bullpen. In mid-September, Romo was seen laughing after Bochy pulled him, showing up the manager, and Bochy said they met afterward ~ but this was totally inexcusable behavior considering the circumstances.

 

Bruce Jenkins ,SF Chronicle describes the carnage, ~ " On one of the most disastrous evenings in Giants franchise history, a 5-2 ninth inning lead became a four-run Chicago rally in what seemed like an instant.

Relievers came and went, desperation filled the air, and the Cubs were ruthless in their execution. Free of Matt Moore, the Giants left hander who pitched the game of his life ~ they were feasting without mercy."

As the seagulls settled into AT&T park ~ also feasting without mercy ~ the Achilles heel of the San Francisco giants had been fully exposed to a nationwide TV audience.

 

The Giants shaky and suspect bullpen had a disastrous roll call in the ninth inning of a must win game but it would have eventually been revealed later in the playoffs but hopefully not at the expense of a magnificent effort by Matt Moore that foggy and damp night in San Francisco ~ or in the eyes of thousands of fans, including myself, who trusted that moment in the ninth inning and screamed  "Don't take him out."  

 

Most certainly it still dwells in the mind of Bruce Bochy who was oblivious to the crowd's chant as well as the genuine optimism and momentum of his team, and instead played mix and match with his suspect Bullpen after he ignored the dominating performance of Moore, who was obviously his best pitching choice in that situation, and who also fully deserved the accolades of the crowd as well as his moment in Giant history ~ before they headed to Chicago for a decisive game five….. thus it was not meant to be, and only the Seagulls and Cub fans rejoiced at AT&T … but the CURSE awaits the Cubbies in Chicago versus Kershaw and the Dodgers.

 

Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too. Yogi Berra

 

Allen L Roland, PhD

http://allenlrolandsweblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/from-sublime-to-ridiculous-sf-giants.html

Heart centered spiritual consultant and advisor Allen L Roland can be contacted at allen@allenroland.com Allen is also a lecturer and writer who shares a weekly political and social commentary on his web log and website allenroland.com. He is also featured columnist on Veterans Today and is a featured guest on many radio and Television programs

THE KING IS DEAD BUT ARNOLD PALMER LEGEND LIVES ON

Arnold Palmer with ever present cigarette tossing ball to his caddy on practice tee.

 

Arnold Palmer was my hero in the 1960's for his swashbuckling style of play and willingness to take risks on the golf course endeared him to millions, including myself, who saw him as the king of the links and a man of the people. His passing on at 87 years old leaves golf with an unfillable void for he brought a country club sport to the masses with his hard charging style and friendly outgoing personality. Spurred on by his army of worshippers, including myself, Arnold's skills and gracious attitude endeared him to Presidents like Dwight Eisenhower as well as commoners and golf hackers like myself. He deeply loved the game of golf as well as his adoring and growing army and he became the stuff of legends in the process: Allen L Roland, PhD  

 

" It didn't matter if you cut the grass or you were a president. He was the same with everyone. He was just .. he was the man."   Ernie Els, on golf legend Arnold Palmer at his recent memorial service in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

 

 Arnold Palmer's swing and follow through was a pure power stroke as seen here at the Masters tournament, which he won four times 1958,'60,'62 and '64 as well as the US Open in 1960 and British Open in 1961 and '62.

 

Palmer had 62 PGA tour victories which is fifth all-time and I was a proud member of Arnie's army who not only followed him at many tournaments but patterned my swing and putting stroke on his as a 7 handicap club player.

 

 

And when I marched up the 18th fairway on the final round of my own club's first flight championship ~ I hitched up my pants just like Arnie and deliberately hunched over my winning putt before I drained it just like my hero did many times ~ except I had no cigarette to drop because I didn't smoke.

 

But to be a member of Arnie's army was also to also suffer great anguish as I did at the 1966 US Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco when Arnie blew a seven  stroke lead in the final round and settled for a tie on the last hole and lost to Billy Casper in the next day playoff. I was there that infamous Sunday and watched the slow collapse in disbelief.

 

 

 

Palmer's par saving putt on 18th hole at 1966 US Open / Olympic Club, San Francisco ~ I was in that crowd behind Arnold cheering him on as his lead evaporated.

 

Leading by seven shots entering the final nine holes, Arnold Palmer forgot the golfer's credo of "staying in the moment" and got ahead of himself.

 

Seeking to tie or break Ben Hogan's Open scoring mark of 276, Palmer continued to play aggressively.

 

Slowly the lead evaporated. Still, Palmer was six up with six to play and five up with four to play.

 

Firing at the flag on the par-3 15th, rather than playing a safe shot, Palmer found sand and a bogey and Casper drained a birdie to cut the lead to three strokes. The momentum shifted ~ that's when that reality hit Arnie and I could see it in his tightening face.

 

Suddenly Palmer realized his lead was shrinking and started to press, he duck hooked his drive into the trees on the 16th, trying to cut the corner of the long par five, and lost another stroke to par while Casper maintained par and Arnold was now up only one stroke but obviously struggling.

 

The wheels were coming off and Arnold would bogey 17 to drop into a tie and had to drain this putt on the 18th (see above photo) to save par as well as end in a tie with Billy Casper ~ and make Palmer the author of the biggest collapse in Open history.

 

But his blast out of the high rough on the 18th was pure Palmer and settled fifteen feet from the cup for an easy par save ~ but the blown win opportunity weighed on him and he lost decisively to Casper the next day in a playoff.

 

Here's a short two minute video clip of his amazing career and golf swing ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18Acj7vzkQE

 

 

To quote Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, " On the golf course, Mr. Palmer was an icon not only for how often he won, but the way he did it.

He would hitch up his pants, drop a cigarette and attack the flags.

With powerful hands wrapped around the golf club, Mr. Palmer would slash at the ball with all his might, then twist that muscular neck and squint to see where it went ~ " When he hits the ball, the earth shakes," Gene Little once said."

 

Arnie was the real thing in a world of golf pretenders so the next time you're ordering a drink, make it an Arnold Palmer (half Lemonade and ice tea) and salute the king whose legend still lives on ~ at least in my mind.

Allen L Roland, PhD

  http://allenlrolandsweblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-king-is-dead-but-arnold-palmer.html

Heart centered spiritual consultant and advisor Allen L Roland can be contacted at allen@allenroland.com Allen is also a lecturer and writer who shares a weekly political and social commentary on his web log and website allenroland.com. He is also featured columnist on Veterans Today and is a featured guest on many radio and Television programs