Jul 31, 2021

Olive and Mabel - The Long Walk



Seriously, if you've got Jesus and a German Shepherd you're one step ahead of the game.

Jul 28, 2021

Jul 21, 2021

The ‘Meltdown’ Over Ben & Jerry’s from J Street

 from J Street



The ‘Meltdown’ Over Ben & Jerry’s


I’m a simple guy with simple likes and dislikes.

I’m a huge fan of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Anything with chocolate.

I’ve had a lifelong love affair with Israel. My family’s from there. I’ve lived there. I’m proud of so much of what the country has accomplished.

And I can’t stand the occupation. It's just not right for Israel to rule over millions of Palestinians without full rights while it moves its own citizens onto land that one day must and should become the state of the Palestinian people.

My fondest hope is that Israel will be a secure, just, democratic national home for the Jewish people, something it can never be if it permanently holds the territory it occupied in 1967 without providing the people who live there with full and equal rights.

So when Ben & Jerry’s says it wants to sell ice cream in Israel but not in the settlements, that seems -- to me -- a rational and principled, even pro-Israel, position.

Click here to say American officials should protect -- not punish -- Ben & Jerry’s right to differentiate between Israel and the territory it occupies.

I’m blown away by the overreaction of those calling this decision “antisemitic.” Antisemitism is brutal and real. My family lost lives because of it. Jews around the world fear it on a daily basis.

Calling this decision “antisemitic” is absurd; in fact, it undermines and trivializes the critical fight against real antisemitism around the world.

And it’s equally inconceivable to me that people are calling for the company to face governmental retaliation for this decision.

J Street and I oppose the Global BDS Movement, which doesn’t recognize the state of Israel or the Jewish people’s right to a national homeland. But when a company says it will do business in Israel -- that’s not a boycott of Israel. 

Sharon, the over-the-top response to this decision (you might call it a 'meltdown’) is unwarrented and harmful.

Ben & Jerry’s decision is a legitimate, peaceful protest against the systemic injustice of occupation and a reminder that the settlements are, in fact, illegal under international law.

It’s a line in the sand between Israel and the occupation that ought to make sense to the overwhelming majority of Jewish Americans who support a two-state solution and oppose settlement expansion.

Our work at J Street is to make sure that the voice of this majority is heard loud and clear in moments like this.

That’s why we’d be grateful if you added your name to our petition.

And, by the way, if you’re going to buy a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, try my two favorite flavors together: Netflix & Chilled combined with Chunky Monkey.

Thank you for all you do,

Jeremy

Jeremy Ben-Ami
President, J Street

Jul 15, 2021

The Owl: Discovery Park Seattle

 Walking at Discovery Park yesterday.......





Wondering if there was a youngster nearby.



A fellow walker recently spoke of being attacked by an owl at Discovery on more than one occasion.


About 20 feet from this imposing individual, thank you for the photo op, we will be on our way.


















May 2, 2021

Lisa Talks Coast to Coast Am, Ian Punnett and the current state of talk radio.

 Lisa Talks Ian Punnett, Late Night Radio and The Pros and Cons of Coast to Coast AM


Thank you and appreciation to long time radio listener, Lisa, for taking time to chat about the current state of late night radio talk shows.


Trying to answer the question of what makes a good talk radio show and what things make the show successful and entertaining.


Lisa shared insights about one of the best radio talk show hosts out there, Ian Punnett.  


The talented hosts can make an entertaining show just with their own input and knowledge.  


When everything fails, the guest can't make it and you're left on your own you still have to make a good show.  Ian has said this many times and used it as an example when callers have asked him how to get into radio.


Ian definitely falls into this category.


Please join us for an informative podcast on late night talk radio.







Agree or disagree, please share your thoughts on the current state of talk radio.  Do you think the radio station has any obligation to promote the truth?


Thank you for listening and reading.







Apr 11, 2021

Cycling The Countryside of Palestine, Finding Homes for Dogs and Getting The Word Out on The Radio

Cycling the countryside of The West Bank through history, politics, religion, architectural ruins and a food paradise--that is Bike Palestine.


Visited out of curiosity and ended up falling in love with the place.

About 25 were in our group the first time and 7 the second--made up of folks from the UK and the US.   George Snow, who founded Bike Palestine is originally from London but now resides in Italy.  Some participants go strictly for the biking.  

The results are an extremely different and fun type of vacation.  Somewhere one often hears about but rarely visits. Jerusalem is impressive.  We are walking where Jesus walked.

People from around the world visit Jericho to be baptized in The Jordan River.  


But why are all of these dogs just hanging out...


Always on the tail end of the bike group one cannot help but notice all of the dogs just hanging around.

On the second tour after researching the issue I found Diana George Babish.

She has created a dog shelter in Beit Sahour about 5 minutes outside of Bethlehem.  On a side trip to visit her shelter she chatted about her efforts to find homes for dogs.  They find homes for their dogs around the world.  They are challenged by political and physical isolation.  They are always trying to get the word out.

My girl, Coco Lou, is from Tijuana.  There are many groups in San Diego who make the 30 minute trip across the border to rehome stray dogs.

Negar, who runs Paws 4 Thought Rescue out of Chula Vista said this is basically the same thing.  

I get dogs from Iran all of the time.  My mom brings 3 dogs back every time she goes over there to visit family.

When I go to London, with my husband, to visit his family, I go on a television and radio show and talk about the dog rescue.  

Of course, we always need donations but we also need traveling buddies and foster homes.


All of the radio talk shows and internet radio talk shows are always looking for a new guest.  Why not hook them up with George Snow who is always looking for new riders.

Getting the word out about Palestine, Bike Palestine and finding homes for dogs.

Let's see if this will work.




All of the photos are courtesy of Chloe Louise at chloe.louise.langendorf.louis@gmail.com--copyright free.

Apr 5, 2021

Honoring the Police: Well Done Seattle Police Department

 Honoring the Police:  Well Done Seattle Police Department


Honoring the police.


In this day and age of the atrocity against George Floyd shall we still honor the police.

A big shout out and thank you to the Seattle Police Department for helping me yesterday afternoon in Lower Queen Anne.

Could not go out the door with the individual in the alley shouting and arguing with a non-existent person in a tone no less frightening than the demon in the Exorcist.

Yelling, throwing their fists towards no one, smoking a substance from a pipe, seriously, for a long time--I was scared to death.

Unending low and guttural tone, flinging their arms around--the dog would freak--there is no way to avoid or ignore this obstacle.

I'll wait...waited...waited...nothing changed--not knowing what to do I called the police.

What are we going to do in these situations?

The person on the phone was kind on the non-emer number, asked questions to carefully evaluate the situation and they were there right away.

They had back up and patience for the individual in question.

Who are we going to call--what are we going to do without the police?

The person was dangerous potentially to me and to themselves--at one point it looked as if they were going to pass out.

I am glad I am not a police person these days--not knowing what to think--do people hate me or like me.

Let us honor the police and raise their pay, give them benefits, give them housing discounts from the city.  Let's give their kids a discount for college.  Let's give them every kind of training they can possibly need so they can do their job without ridicule.

Why not elevate their position with education.


Have plenty of citizen committees to evaluate what they do and constantly improve our city and the police and homeless situation.

The first one to call out the police and the first one to call the police.

We will make them so beautiful just like our city.  The Seattle Police Department will be an example for other cities to follow.

Why not--what have we got to lose.  Is there a better alternative.

We will keep talking about it until we get it right.

Thank you to the Seattle Police department for helping me yesterday and treating me and the offending individual with kindness and patience.

Well done, Seattle.



Apr 1, 2021

Let CBS come forward with all of the facts if they want to be a trusted news outlet.

CBS Should Have Done An Investigation of The Facts Prior to Airing the Prince Harry Meghan Markle Interview.

 

My question is this.

Why didn't CBS or Oprah or Gayle King check the facts before they put out the interview.

CBS is a news station along with entertainment and I thought they were obligated to vet the story before they ran with it.

CBS is gaining from the sensationalism of the story without bothering to do any investigation.

What was the whole purpose of the interview in the first place.

Doesn't CBS have some sort of obligation before they go out and slander the head of state or monarch or another country who is our good friend?

Seriously, this whole thing does not make any sense to me.

The thing is being misinterpreted for ratings.

The other question that is disturbing is why Harry did not jump in and set things straight.

He obviously knows how the monarchy works and he stated that more than one time in the interview.

He could have said, Yes, Meghan you are making some points but here is the base for what is going on.

It seems like Harry is angry with his family for all of the reasons he has often stated like having to walk behind the funeral parade of his mother when he was a child which seemed so nice and respectful to the rest of us but was very offensive to him, apparently, and he is using this opportunity to lash out at his family, the world and the press to avenge his mother's death.

He may have been angry but Meghan seems to have capitalized on his resentfulness for her own gain.

There was really no point of the interview other than to cause harm--irrepairable harm to the royal family and to the nations they associate with and to the world, really.

I just do not see why Harry or CBS did not think this thing through.

The implications of the interview are terrible and somewhat created for sensationalism.

CBS is really obligated at this point to go forward with a through investigation of all of the facts.

Everyone is so afraid to say anything.

There is a difference between truth in journalism and racism.

Let all of the facts come out.

Meghan is an artist at vilifying others for her own gain.

Let CBS bother to air the fact that Piers Morgan was actually correct about gun control in America.

We have just had two big mass shootings again.

I do not think you have that kind of thing in the UK but when those facts are mentioned here folks just will not believe it.

Honestly, I am sad and disturbed about the whole thing.

Meghan did not have anything to lose.

Harry has lost a lot of things he may never get back and caused a lot of pain on a world stage.

He should have thought two times.

He seems like he is mad at his dad and he is going to make him pay.

We cannot blame his for being sad about his mom but he went way overboard.

Gayle King went out this morning on her show with a story about the nations of the Commonwealth considering leaving the UK after the airing of the story, never mentioning that the facts were slanted.

Like all individuals involved with treachery and narcissism there is always a grain of truth in the piece but then it is twisted to make the point of the narrator.

Calling out CBS and Oprah to get the facts straight and go forward with the rest of the story.




Discovery Park Seattle Wa

Mar 28, 2021

CNN Inconsistencies Sussex Oprah



Well done on sharing this video. There are too many questions. Why is Meghan speaking as if she is an authority figure on the way the monarchy works, that is how she comes off, but in fact, ,many of her facts are incorrect. Oprah or CBS should have gotten the facts straight before they put it out there or at least given a counter story form a trusted, non-biased source. The other problem I have with the interview is that Meghan is the only one speaking and the only source and it is also presented as if it is absolute fact, without any validation. The network, Oprah, CBS basically lambasted the royal family without doing any research before presenting a story. Now, no one, apparently CNN also, can say anything because it will appear as racism. It was poor journalism on the part of a major American network and it really raked in the ratings. They are presenting something as fact when it is actually sensationalism which sells. The other thing that is terribly annoying is that Harry jumps in once in a while to give us tell-tale hints that he actually knows the ropes very well. So my question is why does he let her go on like that without clarifying the issues. It seems like Harry may be very angry with the world and his family for all of the unfortunate things that have happened with his mom and things he has felt resentful about for a long time and voiced his ideas about and just sat there while bombs were dropped. We all have issues in our families and one can see Harry's side of things but the way he handled it was so disrespectful and hurtful to watch. They should have mentioned Charles bought her wedding dress and in several news clips one can easily see the happiness of the family on the wedding day as mentioned in this CNN vid. They vilified the whole family so they could gain attention. Again, what was the purpose of the interview if it was not treachery and attention. They say they want to be regular but by doing the interview they gained world attention. Finding your voice and one-sided journalism are two different things.

Mar 23, 2021

The Big Interview with Gary Anderson from Night Dreams Talk Radio Part 2

 


The Big Interview with Gary Anderson from Night Dreams Talk Radio Part 2


Recently had the pleasure of chatting with Gary Anderson host of Night Dreams Talk Radio and his producer James Creachbaum.

Listening to talk radio forever, and mainly Coast to Coast AM, it was informative to hear Gary's take on how the talk radio business works.

He started in talk radio after his military career where he listened to a show called Nightcap where they talked about anything and everything all  night long.

After the service he followed his dream into commercial broadcasting.  His plan to spin Top 40 abruptly ended when his station was changed to news/talk after one day of employment.  

Nevertheless, Gary found the paranormal as a topic and this has worked for him for 46 years.


One of the very cool things about his career is that he became friends with Art Bell and I think we could say that Art was sort of his mentor, also.

He made many trips to Art Bell's studio in Pahrump, Nevada.  They had many things in common including paranormal talk shows and they both were Ham radio operators.

They both had strong feelings about having a certain respect for the guest and the audience.

I learned that from Art--I never talk down to the guest or use swear words and I try to maintain a certain respect for the audience.  I do not insult the audience.  I do not like that.

I treat the guest I am interviewing as if they were sitting on my couch in my living room.  I want them to feel comfortable and relaxed and I think it makes for a better interview and therefore it is better for the listener.  It is a better show.

They have respect for the audience.

The show is free.

They are not offensive and  there is not swearing.

Gary Anderson's respect for the show, the guest, the audience, the topic come through loud and clear.  His zeal for what he does is the take-away from my conversation with him.  

It was actually uplifting and I would like to convey that in this report.

Gary Anderson is happy to tell people about his radio show and that is admirable in this day and age.

I interview somebody as if they were sitting in my living room.  I want them to know I am paying attention and interested in what they are saying.

Seriously, when you are chatting with him on the phone, he does make you feel like you are the most important person in the world.

He is good.  He is a good interviewer.  I was interviewing him--he was actually better at interviewing me--he is that good.  He is interested in what you say.  Gary has that lovely radio voice and the ability to ask questions.  He brings the best out of the person he is talking to.

I take and old school attitude on the interview with the guest!

I talk to the person like they are sitting in my living room on the couch.  


I pretend they are right there with me and not on the internet.   I am not about making money.  I am not selling dating.  My old shows do not cost money to listen to and they are not going to--I strongly believe in that--I am not going to charge somebody to listen to my old shows.

I am not selling dating and I am not selling vitamins


To be continued.........

Part 3 of my interview with Gary Anderson is coming up with more fascinating facts about his life, his career and his radio show.

Thank you, Gary

Thank you, James



Listen to Gary Anderson on his website:


or

Google Play, I Heart Radio, I Tunes, and many other radio and internet channels.

You will find many ways to listen on his website or just do a quick Google Search and plenty of selections come up.


................................


Love just listening to the radio in the night after being on the comp, all day, but nevertheless, so happy to find a new station and choices.


Big Lou


Mar 22, 2021

The Big Interview with Gary Anderson

 The Big Interview with Gary Anderson




So honored to speak with Gary Anderson host of Night Dreams Talk Radio.

Listening to night time talk radio forever and finally getting a handle on how it works.

Talking to Gary one gets the impression he is excited about his show, the guests and telling everyone about the 

upcoming shows.

He has made a success of his night time talk show based on the paranormal--he loves it and he loves sharing it.

It comes through in his voice--his enthusiasm is genuine.




Gary explained he has been a big talker from the get go.  It would not be unusual for his teachers to ask his parents to try and keep him quiet.

After his stint in the service and becoming proficient as a CB radio operator he decided to follow his dreams and attended a Seattle trade school.  

The goal was to follow his idol, Top 40 Spinner Doc Maynard.  

Unfortunately, the day after he landed his first position in Big Ground, Washington near Vancouver he was informed the station had changed the format to news/talk.

Gary Anderson searched the newspaper for an interesting chat subject, finding an article about abduction. His audience latched on to the subject--that was in the 70's--and he has been talking about the same thing ever since.

I have always been infatuated with the radio since I was a little kid.  I have been in this business for 46 years.



Two Big Talkers--Gary Anderson became Friends With Art Bell

They both were into paranormal radio chat shows and they both were proficient ham radio operators.  A few times a year Gary would make the trip to Nevada to visit his friend Art Bell.  Everyone knows Art Bell from the original Coast to Coast AM radio show that went on for several years, very successfully.

Art's show was entertaining, easy listening and interesting.  Yes, the subject matter was paranormal but at some point one can only listen to so much news or music and a good story works well for the long haul in the  night or for those who cannot sleep.


Art and Gary Anderson have many of the same qualities. 

They do not shout at the guest or talk down to the callers.  They are not offensive and they have respect for the audience.  The show is free.  There is not swearing on the show.

I learned from Art to buy the best equipment.  Spend the money and it is better for the listeners.  I have better equipment now here in my studio in Washington than some radio stations do.  I am independent.



To be continued.......

The Big Interview with Gary Anderson Part 1



You can listen to Gary Anderson on his website:




You can also listen on Google Play

I Heart Radio

Tune In 

and many other stations, traditional radio stations and internet stations.


There are several ways to listen on the website and he is easy to find on a Google search.



Stay tuned to find out more about his exciting life, his current shows and interesting facts about the radio.

Gary and Producer James, thank you for taking time to chat with me on the phone.




photos:  from that little beach under the Magnolia Bridge