Repeal & Replace the 2nd Amendment

After the Las Vegas mass shooting, I've had enough. I've been a member of the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence and Gabby Giffords' and Mark Kelly's Americans for Responsible Solutions, but I think it's time for more action.

JOIN me in a movement I'm starting today to repeal and replace the 2nd Amendment. We need a renewed ban on assault weapons, except at gun clubs, at minimum, and need a national commission to suggest a replacement amendment.

Contact all your governmental representatives and tell them that we've had enough of being held hostage by those who think the 2nd Amendment gives them the right to own ANY KIND OF GUN.

I suggest this FIVE-POINT PLAN to stop gun violence as much as possible without harming the ability of American citizens to defend themselves in their homes.

1. Repeal and replace the 2nd Amendment.

2. Urge your representatives to toughen gun control laws in the meantime.

3. Boycott gun stores selling assault-style rifles.

4. Boycott gun shows selling assault-style rifles.

5. Boycott manufacturers of assault-style rifles.

REPEAL AND REPLACE THE 2ND AMENDMENT!

Back in the saddle

Having returned from a week-long trip to the Midwest to see family and friends, as well as seeing the Cubs beat up on the Cards, 8-2, in Wrigley Field, I'm updating my Web site and blog today - National Cheese Day. Then, again, every day is Cheese Day for me! (Though, I know I should cut down on cheese intake.)

It was refreshing to take a break from the bleak news - hurricanes, earthquakes (I felt one here in L.A. Monday night), wildfires (I hear my Earthwatch research site may have burned in Canada), saber rattling with North Korea and Iran - but that news can't be ignored. What is particularly annoying is the ongoing climate warming denial waged by the current administration. Check out these two article in the New York Times this week. This one is a good primer on climate change: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/climate/what-is-climate-change.html?emc=edit_clim_20170919&nl=&nlid=14909781&te=1&_r=0 and the other one in the "Science Times" section Tuesday about human behavior towards climate change: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/18/climate/climate-change-denial.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=sectionfront

Another topic popped up on my radar this week, too - wildlife trophy hunting. I went to see the new, disturbing documentary, "Trophy," shown at the Laemmle Monica Film Center, the only one in the entire Greater L.A. area bold enough to show it. I will be reviewing that this week, so look for it at my Web site here. At the same time, my new print issue of

"National Geographic" magazine has an article about the trophy hunting debate, "Should We Kill Animals to Save Them?" That article is online at: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/10/trophy-hunting-killing-saving-animals/

I'm also in the midst of watching Ken Burns' and Lynn Novick's 10-part documentary, "The Vietnam War," being shown now on PBS. I'll be reviewing that soon, too. I'm fulfilling my promise to Ken to watch it after I briefly met him and others at a restaurant after hearing them talk about the documentary during a panel discussion and showing of excerpts in late July!

And I'll be updating "The Annoying List" this week!

Weathering the storms

It's been a time of natural disasters, hurricanes devastating the South and the Caribbean, with Florida next, and some 80 wildfires in the West, including the largest one ever in Los Angeles history, which I witnessed. And I just got word while writing this blog that a magnitude 8 hit Mexico.

While it may be too early to be sure, these hurricane and wildfire disasters appear to be at least exacerbated by climate change. Climate scientists are certain we're undergoing human-caused climate change. That is clear to any rational person. What is not clear is the paths to be taken to combat climate change. While the solutions proposed are usually on a governmental or national level, I will explore in these pages how consumers - you and me - should react.

Besides natural disasters, we have looming a possible war with North Korea. Let's hope that diplomacy works. There has been an increase in bomb shelter sales, a dismal development. I recall seeing my high school gym basement, which I will be visiting as part of a reunion,

used as a nuclear war bomb shelter filled with drums of water and crackers.

Another disturbing article I read was Rick Perlstein's in The Washington Spectator about "Project REDMAP," a plan that successfully redrew maps to favor Republicans in legislatures. "This isn’t democracy, where the party with the most votes is supposed to win," writes Perlstein. 'This,' a state legislator in Wisconsin explains, 'is an episode of The Sopranos.' ” Also disturbing is the Republican support to repeal the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, which enhanced representative democracy by changing to the direct election of Senators. https://washingtonspectator.org/perlstein-dark-money/

I'll be back in a week or so with my next blog. In the meantime, do support any of the many ways to donate to help disaster victims.

- Bob