Energize Yourself. Energize Your Spirit.

Are you tired of the same old dull, pale, boring life???

In writing that, I am actually thinking of that of which I just read - and that is this:

Have you ever notice that your life has become bland? Colorless? Drab?

That is just the beginning of an interesting blog entry by Nina Amir of Pure Spirit Creations. I highly recommend you click on over to read Is Your Life Colorful or Colorless? posted on the wonderful blog As the Spirit Moves Me.

Hypocrite Republican Governors Jan Brewer, John Kasich, and Rick Scott Advocate Obamacare

Do you remember last year when the Republican Governors boo-hooed, decried, bemoaned, and vociferously proclaimed they would oppose all attempts to implement the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare?

WELL --- So much for all their big talk!!!

More and more, members of the GOP and more specifically the Republican Governors, who are not much more than loud-mouthed, stinking, lying, two-faced, hypocritical, political opportunists, have become advocates for expanding Medicaid in their states. Their present day words and actions are diametrically opposed to that of their vehement opposition of a year ago.

You know what? The heck with all my crapola about this stuff. You can read the articles contained in each of the following embedded links for yourself. After you have done so, then you let me know what you think about it all.

GOP governors stand ground against ObamaCare despite ruling

Conservative Governors Remain Opposed to Obamacare's Medicaid Expansion
15 Governors express opposition to participating in the Medicaid expansion under Obamacare. 7 Governors vow to reject participation outright.

Jan Brewer, Arizona Governor, Rejects Obamacare Health Insurance Exchange

Medicaid Expansion Is Delicate Maneuver for Arizona’s Republican Governor

Gov. Jan Brewer faces fight to expand Medicaid in Arizona

Kasich Joins Five GOP Governors that have Surrendered to Obamacare

ObamaCare's 'Baby Elephant'
John Kasich says Valerie Jarrett promised, and other Medicaid tales.

Florida governor backs Medicaid expansion under ‘ObamaCare’

Come on! Did you really, really read all that?
If you did, then tell me: Did I or did I not write the truth about these yo-yo, double-speak, backstabbing, jabberjaw Republican Politicians???

Fort McDowell Casino - Unethical, Irresponsible?

If you recall (or even if you do not), awhile back on August 17, 2012, I scribed the Roland Hansen Commentary Hollywood Casino Toledo Is Irresponsible! You may wish to click onto the embedded link in the preceding sentence in order to read that piece.

Well, in another instance of what I consider irresponsible behavior and perhaps even unethical behavior by a casino, I draw your attention to Fort McDowell Casino in the metroploitan area of Phoenix, Arizona.

Rather than re-phrasing and re-writing much of what my wife, Judy, and I have already written on Facebook, I am just going to copy and paste what we have already written about it all along with the comments of others on Facebook.

First off, here is what has been written on Judy's Facebook wall throughout the day of February 4, 2013:

Judy Rosenberg Hansen:
I just posted this on The Fort FB page, but they will most likely delete it, they don't like negative comments, TOO BAD, here it is! Super Bowl $$$ drawing every quarter!
One unhappy lady got her name drawn but didn't get the money because she didn't have a picture ID with her! It was in the hotel room and they wouldn't give her time to go and get it! She was know by Casino Boss but even that didn't help her! WTH is wrong with this, everything!!!! Shame on The Fort!!!!
Roland Louis Hansen:
Hey, Judy! The Fort took your comment off their Facebook page already.
Roland Louis Hansen:
Incidentally, The Fort also put a few photos on their Facebook wall of people in the food line and at the slot machines. I wrote under one of those photos, "I wonder if the people in the photos have given permission to The Fort to have their pictures made public." That also was removed by The Fort within minutes.
Judy Rosenberg Hansen:
I knew they would do that!
Roland Louis Hansen:
I just wrote another comment under the same photo on the Facebook wall of The Fort.
It reads: "Why has my comment under this photo been removed??? All I did was to write "I wonder if the people in the photos have given permission to The Fort to have their pictures made public." Apparently, the Fort practices censorship of comments with which they disagree. My wife and and have been regulars at The Fort for many years. That is not good public relations. If The Fort fears negative publicity, it needs to respond constructively not with ignoring legitimate criticism and removing legitimate comments. If this censorship continues, we will consider the possibility of no longer going to The Fort; and we may even write about this censorship on our blogs. Oh heck, we may even bring it to the attention of the mass media of television, radio, newspapers."
I will go back to see how long that one stays there.
Judy Rosenberg Hansen:
Oh No, they just tagged my Club card, Darn! No more Fort McDowell for me!!!!!
Roland Louis Hansen:
Well, The Fort Facebook people have already removed my comment and have removed my ability to make comments on their wall.
Nara Goldman Dedrick:
that is terrible that they did that
Judy Rosenberg Hansen:
I can't comment either! Just wait until they see what and where I post it next!
Roland Louis Hansen:
I just wrote something on the wall of 3TV Phoenix. It is as follows:
I wonder if 3TV Phoenix will allow this comment of mine on their Facebook wall. I wonder if 3TV Phoenix will consider the possibility of an investigative report on the use (or misuse) of Facebook by businesses who manipulate and censor the stories on Facebook pages. So, here is my story:
My wife wrote a comment on the Facebook wall of Fort McDowell Casino that was removed by whoever manages the Facebook page of Fort McDowell Casino. I had written on my wife's FB wall this comment: "Incidentally, The Fort also put a few photos on their Facebook wall of people in the food line and at the slot machines. I wrote under one of those photos, "I wonder if the people in the photos have given permission to The Fort to have their pictures made public." That also was removed by The Fort within minutes. I then wrote on the Facebook wall of Fort McDowell, ""Why has my comment under this photo been removed??? All I did was to write "I wonder if the people in the photos have given permission to The Fort to have their pictures made public." Apparently, the Fort practices censorship of comments with which they disagree. My wife and and have been regulars at The Fort for many years. That is not good public relations. If The Fort fears negative publicity, it needs to respond constructively not with ignoring legitimate criticism and removing legitimate comments. If this censorship continues, we will consider the possibility of no longer going to The Fort; and we may even write about this censorship on our blogs. Oh heck, we may even bring it to the attention of the mass media of television, radio, newspapers." That comment was also removed and my ability to make further comments has been blocked.
Dianna-Sis L Kamper:
Wow that's crazy. She should have gotten her prize fair and square. Maybe it's time someone stands up to them, but boy did they mess with the wrong ones
Nara Goldman Dedrick:
can't believe that. They are obviously afraid of something
Alyce Segall:
i would boycott the fort since there are so many other casinos to visit

And here is an exchange that appears on the Facebook page of 3TV Phoenix (beginning on the morning of February 4, 2013 through the morning of February 6, 2013 and up until the writing of this Roland Hansen Commentary in the mid-afternoon):

Roland Louis Hansen:
I wonder if 3TV Phoenix will allow this comment of mine on their Facebook wall. I wonder if 3TV Phoenix will consider the possibility of an investigative report on the use (or misuse) of Facebook by businesses who manipulate and censor the stories on Facebook pages. So, here is my story:
My wife wrote a comment on the Facebook wall of Fort McDowell Casino that was removed by whoever manages the Facebook page of Fort McDowell Casino. I had written on my wife's FB wall this comment: "Incidentally, The Fort also put a few photos on their Facebook wall of people in the food line and at the slot machines. I wrote under one of those photos, "I wonder if the people in the photos have given permission to The Fort to have their pictures made public." That also was removed by The Fort within minutes. I then wrote on the Facebook wall of Fort McDowell, "Why has my comment under this photo been removed??? All I did was to write 'I wonder if the people in the photos have given permission to The Fort to have their pictures made public.' Apparently, the Fort practices censorship of comments with which they disagree. My wife and and have been regulars at The Fort for many years. That is not good public relations. If The Fort fears negative publicity, it needs to respond constructively not with ignoring legitimate criticism and removing legitimate comments. If this censorship continues, we will consider the possibility of no longer going to The Fort; and we may even write about this censorship on our blogs. Oh heck, we may even bring it to the attention of the mass media of television, radio, newspapers." That comment was also removed and my ability to make further comments has been blocked.
Thomas Smythe:
It's their page, they have the right to remove whatever they darn well please. If you don't like it, you don't have to post there. And if you keep trying to post things that they don't want you to, they have the right to block you. Just like they apparently did.
Next time, don't turn such a simple thing into such a crusade. Oh, and threaten to not return all you want....financially, your absence won't even TOUCH the casino's income.
Roland Louis Hansen:
To Thomas Smythe: Thank you for your kind comments. You seem to have considered all the factors involved prior to reaching your well thought out conclusions. Yep, I am sure everyone wishes to have their photos on Facebook without necessarily having given permission to do so. And, I suppose you are also correct, Thomas Smythe, in your perspective that ignoring and/or censoring the expression of customer concerns are good, sound, positive, public relations business practices. And, of course, Thomas, you must be correct that people should just keep silent rather than voicing concerns about possible injustices or mistreatment. Your approach reminds me of the following quotation that has been attributed to Martin Niemoeller: “First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.”
Tom Nowel:
Write a letter to the editor of the Republic and find another casino.
Hal HalYes Yaffe:
Your comments could have been answered rather than edited or removed. This is a fair question. However, i think you "allow" the casino rights to your pictures simply by being on their property. Do they have a stated policy at their location?
Thomas Smythe:
Honey, I don't need your quotes, I'm quite aware of that one; and it doesn't even come close to applying in this instance. You sure do a good job of making yourself sound repressed, though! You really should be a speechwriter; some of these politicians could use such skill. Because just like with the politicians, you just made a whole lot of nothing at least SOUND like something.
You didn't "out" them for doing something wrong; I guarantee you'll find wording in the small print of the forms that you filled out for those silly little gambler's cards that says they have the right to use your image. What more likely happened was you didn't enter the comment correctly, then went on some crusade when you didn't find it later, thinking that they deleted it. And when you made a spectacle of yourself, they got rid of the problem. Either way, you went nuts about it trying to take them to task; so much so that when they had enough of you and banned you, you ran out to a news page and not only wrote a novel about it, but threatened to write some silly little blog about it. And even if they DID delete your original comment, it's not like they were covering up some huge conspiracy. They could have simply been erasing nit-picking that they felt was not conducive to the enjoyment of other customers....which, again, is their right. It's THEIR timeline, you have your OWN for a reason. Grow up and get over it already.
Roland Louis Hansen:
Aw, gee, Thomas Smythe, again I thank you for your perspective. I simply disagree with your blind devotion to and adamant defense of Fort McDowell and its questionable practices in the area of business ethics and public relations. On the other hand, I believe the public has a right to know and I would be remiss if I did not share the information about Fort McDowell and any other businesses that employ questionable business practices; the phrase "caveat emptor" may be apropos with the full and complete disclosure of such businesses.
Roland Louis Hansen:
Thank you, Hal HalYes Yaffe. Your perspective that the spokesperson for Fort McDowell Casino could have answered my concern rather than delete my comments on their Facebook page is reflective of my thoughts on the matter. I do not know whether or not Fort McDowell Casino has a stated policy posted at their premises on their use of photos of customers without the customers written consent; I have never noticed such a posted policy if one does exist. None-the-less, it seems to me that the administrator of the Fort McDowell Casino Facebook page could have provided a reply to my expressed concern rather than deleting it.

So, there you have it. First, it was Hollywood Casino Toledo; and now, it is Fort McDowell Casino.

I guess the casino business just does not have any business scruples or morals. We all know the odds are in favor of the house and that the casinos make millions upon millions of dollars in profits. So, why, oh why, do the casinos need to stoop to immoral, unethical, irresponsible, unscrupulous business practices??!!!!

But, that is just my opinion.

What are your thoughts on this?

National Rifle Association: The NRA is Full of Idiots

The NRA (National Rifle Association) wants to put guns in schools. I kid you not. Dumbass NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre gave the speech proposing the lamest excuse of an idea for putting our children within in the scope of gun sights.

Here, listen to the idiot President of National Rifle Association David Keene introduction and the speech given by the other crazy idiot Wayne LaPierre for yourself:



As reported in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, NRA President David Keene has been quoted as stating, "The real question that needs to be addressed is not what we do about guns, but what we do to make our schools safer."

Prior to President Barack Obama unveiling sweeping proposed measures to help reduce gun violence in America, the National Rifle Association went on the offensive. See and hear for yourself by clicking to NRA Unleashes The Hounds As Gun Control Fight Gets Real brought to you by Talking Points Memo (TPM).

Then, after President Barack Obama made his announcement of proposed measures to help prevent gun violence, the National Rifle Association accused the President of "attacking firearms and ignoring children." Click over to read the Christina Wilkie Huffington Post article along with its embedded videos, NRA Slams Obama Gun Control Proposal.

Now I respectfully request that you click on over to read Judy Hansen Commentary, The Lives They Lived..............

John Boehner is a Bonehead!

One of my more politically conservative friends wrote the following on Facebook:
"(name redacted) .... is thinking that now that John Boehner has been re-elected as Speaker of the House, that he should take a fact finding trip to France. The fact to find: which will surrender first ..."

To which I responded:
"John Boehner - All American and a True Representative of The People ... ??? !!!"
Politico: John Boehner Told Harry Reid To Go F*** Himself

to which my friend responded:
"@ Roland - after some of the recent statement Harry has made about his counterpart 'in the spirit of compromise', one might consider such behavior 'restrained'. The only thing worse than a poor loser is a worse winner."

to which I responded:
"With all due respect (name redacted), regardless of political party affiliation or 'what the other guy said', there is NO EXCUSE for such behavior by a 'leader' or a 'representative' in an elected position of government.
My (other) friend (name redacted) wrote the following on his Facebook wall:
'As a former chief negotiator for a union, I have been in some of the most contentious negotiations one could imagine including some difficult and bitter strikes. During my 30 years years, my adversarial counterparts have never told me to f myself and I never said this across the table. And we had some difficult discussions and fierce arguments. There is no need for this gutter behavior. This guy Boehner, the leader of the United States House of Representatives is a disgrace to our nation. The term statesman is no longer in the vocabulary.' "

to which my friend responded:
"When I hear equal castigation of Harry Reid for his remarks (which to date, I have heard from no one) I will accept condemnation of Boehner. I'm not trying to justify the use of such language, which is far too prevalent in all situations these days; but what one said was on the floor of the Senate and for the record, what the other said was in relative privacy and overheard by the media. Besides which, I doubt that we have all the information here about what's gone on behind closed doors.
I too have sat in Union negotiations over the years, and I have had those very words thrown in my direction when discussion got heated and left fact for emotion."

to which I responded:
"Well, (name redacted), it appears that you and I have two different perspectives on assessing John Boehner's behavior. Rather than getting into a "he said this, he said that" style discussion and rather than getting into a strawman discourse, I will simply repeat my self with "there is NO EXCUSE for such behavior by a "leader" or a "representative" in an elected position of government."

That's it. There was no more.
It is my opinion that:

JOHN BOEHNER IS A BONEHEAD.

But wait! There is more.

Bonehead has been re-elected by his own political party to another term as Speaker of the House. Yes, the Republican Party majority in the United States House of Representatives believes that Bonehead John Boehner (aka "the Boner") has all the leadership and personal qualifications of negotiation, conciliation, problem solving, and communication skills to be the Speaker of the lower chamber of Congress and for the American people.

And all that even though "The Boner" Bonehead John Boener does not even treat Republican members of the House with respect or gives the GOP House members sufficient opportunity for dialogue.
As an example, I suggest that you click on over to read the two following articles:
John Boehner Yelled At Frank LoBiondo Over Sandy Aid
The Republican Identity Crisis

Keep in mind that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is third in succession to the Presidency and becomes President of the United States of American should both the President and the Vice President be unable to serve either through death or disability.


John Boehner is no more fitting to serve as Speaker of the House than is Al Bundy.

Christmas. Bah, Humbug!

People who know me are aware that I follow the Jewish religion. Consequently, I do not observe or celebrate Christmas. I was raised by my mother in a single-parent household. My mother, who had fled Eastern Europe as a young girl, raised me in the religion of her birth and upbringing, i.e. Judaism. While I examined many, many other religions during my adolescent years and in my early college years, I chose to maintain my Judaism throughout all the years right up to this very day.

None-the-less, I do have a Christmas connection.

My paternal lineage is Danish; and, the paternal side of my family followed Lutheranism. My father and paternal grandparents did celebrate Christmas. I did attend paternal family Christmas Eve gatherings in the home of my grandparents as a very young child and later on as a young adult in the home of my father until his death in 1984. I have seven siblings, and not all have followed the Jewish religion as I do; in fact, several of them and their immediate families follow various Christian denominations, observing and celebrating the Christian holidays, Christmas included.

So, while I proudly profess my Judaism and cling preciously to my Jewish identity, I also recognize and appreciate the spirit of Christmas. In keeping with that perspective, I wish the very best to all my goyishe friends, especially to my four dearest internet friends in the blogosphere who incidentally are not only of different religious faiths than me but also are of very different political beliefs than me. I am making reference to Chris, mi amigo Tim, CW, and Dave the authors of:
Chili Dog Blog
Just Blowing Smoke
Tilting at Windmills
Hooda Thunkit's Therapy Blog (now defunct)
To these four very special persons, I write a shout-out of:
Merry CHRISTmas, my friends. I love you each like the brothers you have become to me.

And to everyone else, I say:


Oh, alright, in the further spirit of Christmas, please click onto the following embedded link for my final reference to Bah, Humbug!

Traditional Mass Media aka The News Now Is Trash Media Renamed as The Rumor Mill by Roland Louis Hansen

For a long, long time now, I have asserted that the traditional mass media are not the professional organizations they once were. Instead, the traditional print and broadcast mass media would rather sensationalize people and trivialize issues, as I have written before. And, as I have also previously stated, television news broadcasts go on and on and on about what they they will be telling us if we just stay tuned into their station --- and, then, when they finally report on whatever it was they said they would report on, there is nothing any more of substance than that which was contained within their ad infinitum lead-in teasers.

Another big problem with those traditional mass broadcast news media is that in their rush to be the first to inform, in their scurry to get the scoop, in their clamoring desire to boost audience, they neglect to get the facts before "informing" the public. That all leads to an extremely large volume of misinformation being spread to the masses with lightning speed giving rise to the fastest moving source of rumors that have ever existed on Planet Earth.

One of the latest most blatant examples of irresponsible, rumor-mongering journalism involves yet another tragedy of mass killings; this time involving young elementary school children and educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

Chris "CW" Martin has written an excellent piece that exemplifies some of that which causes me concern and alarm. Please, please click on over to read:
Tilting at Windmills: The bigger issue here...

To me, the Mass Media is Trash Media.
I have now decided to rename The News to The Rumor Mill.
It does seem to be more fitting of their stature nowadays.

Xenophobia Runs Rampart In the U.S.A. Xenophobic Americans Are Not Good Americans!

Getting a job as a greeter with the United Nations is probably not the best career option for someone who suffers from xenophobia ....
Read more from Vocabulary.com.

To quote The Free Dictionary By Farlex:

xenophobe, n.
A person unduly fearful or contemptuous of that which is foreign, especially of strangers or foreign peoples.
xenophobia, n.
hatred or fear of foreigners or strangers or of their politics or culture
[Thesaurus] xenophobia
noun || racism, nationalism, bigotry, isolationism, racial hatred, ethnocentrism, jingoism, racialism, racial intolerance, ethnocentricity a wave of xenophobia
ref: The Free Dictionary / Xenophobia

Then, there is the Xenophobia article in Wikipedia that opens with this: "Xenophobia is a dislike or fear of people from other countries or of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange. Some definitions suggest xenophobia as arising from irrationality or unreason."
Read the entire Wikipedia Xenophobia article.

It seems to me that many people in the United States of America today have an unhealthy attitude of others who are not WASP Americans. These so-called self-proclaimed American patriots (people like the ones associated with Alliance of American Patriots and other similar dunderheads) have a chronic case of xenophobia. Among the many descriptions of xenophobia found in the Urban Dictionary is this one:

The belief that your country is the best and no other compares.
This is often due to ignorance and stereotypes.
ref: 6. xenophobia, Urban Dictionary

Having pride in one's country is one thing; but, xenophobia has absolutely nothing to do with being proud.

In my opinion, there are far too many xenophobes in America today.
It seems to me that xenophobia is running rampant in the U.S.A. Furthermore, it is my perspective that xenophobic Americans are not good Americans!

Bland Boobs

So, there are boobs; and then, there are boobs.

Some boobs even have boobs, such as (WARNING: Adult Content NSFW) this.

I don't know if there can be boobs that are bland; but, I have read about Bland Boobs, as I first wrote in an entry of Roland's Ramblings back on January 30, 2012 and that of which is reproduced below.

Have you read the story about Karina Bland's breasts? Heck, do not look at me that way! The story was written by Karina Bland herself. Do you even know who Karina Bland is or what Karina Bland looks like? Karina Bland is a journalist who is presently writing for The Arizona Republic.

Well, you can connect with Karina Bland on several internet places, such as:
Karina Bland on Twitter
Karina Bland on Facebook
azcentral.com Arizona's Home Page on Facebook in which Karina Bland contributes with comments
Karina Bland on LinkedIn

What? You want to read the story about Karina Bland's breasts? Okay, click on over to:
Time to heave this bosom into the right bra
[As an aside, you already know I have my own thoughts about adult women and their breasts, that is, if you have already read what I wrote about female breasts.]

What? You want to know what any of this about Karina Bland has to do with priest sex abuse? Well, the answer to that lies within the following embedded link to:
Priest Sex Abuse: Wwmd?
[Hint - Read the line that immediately follows the title in the embedded link.}

ref:  Karina Bland, Breasts, Priest Sex Abuse

Please do not put me into a booby hutch in order to transport me and to place me into the booby hatch. I think this booby trap of a Roland Hansen Commentary (and, that is The Straight Dope about booby trap) qualifies for the top honors of a booby prize. Don't you?

Thanksgiving à la Roland Louis Hansen

No Thanksgiving Dinner for me this year of 2012; because, my wife, Judy, and I are on the road driving the southern route to our second home in the 55+ community of Dreamland Villa in the Valley Of The Sun, Arizona.

For a few Thanksgiving remembrances, please click onto each of the following:

Turkey, posted November 27, 2008 on Roland's Ramblings.
The Time Is Now To Tell Others You Love Them, posted November 13, 2010 on Roland's Ramblings.
John Hanson, First President of the United States, established Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.A., posted August 22, 2011 on Roland's Ramblings.
WKRP in Cincinnati, posted September 18, 2008 on Roland's Ramblings.
WKRP in Cincinnati: Turkeys Away, courtesy of TV Rage.
WKRP "As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly" Thanksgiving, the YouTube video.

A Thanksgiving Message From Roland Louis Hansen, posted November 24, 2011 on Roland Hansen Commentary.So, now, as I am driving somewhere in between Texas and New Mexico on this 2012 Thanksgiving Day en route to my Arizona home (well, actually I am composing this the day before and scheduling it to be published on T-Day), I wish you and yours:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!