CONCUSSED!! Butt it’s your head…

by R. C. Danon | Jan 29, 2017 | Brokennews

Image of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. To learn more click here:

The 51ST SUPER BOWL will be played on Sunday, February 5, 2017…
What follows is a slightly altered memo I wrote to Chicago Tribune Sports Writer, John Kass, after reading his column on Concussions and the NFL, on January 10, 2016.

John- I just finished reading your column this morning and I only disagree with your statement regarding Will Smith’s performance…  I thought he was exceptional.

As for the movie, more importantly, the story… I never played any type of organized football other than touch or flag. I was a swimmer in high school and since the age of 50, some twenty years ago, I have been an avid sea kayaker… a much gentler sport for sure. And although friends have wondered and even criticized my two solo-paddles of some 250+ miles around parts of the island of Crete in 2007 & 2014, I hope to be doing a 300-350 mile solo paddle later this year. We shall see. Sea kayaking can be a wonderful and beautiful non-contact sport at any age.

As for football, l am a frustrated, longtime Bears fan. As a senior in high school, I was a vender at Wrigley, Comiskey, and the NFL College All-Star Football game, which was played at Soldier Field, back in the day. I have seen many games over the years, mostly professional.

I have watched and loved  pro-football since my pre-teen years. And on Dec.12, 1965, at age 20, while in the US Navy and stationed at Treasure Island, San Francisco, I remember watching Bear rookie Galye Sayers, on television, score 6 touchdowns, in the rain, in the mud, at Wrigley Field, against the Forty Niners. Easily and by far, the single greatest performance on a football field I have ever seen.

So when I watched “CONCUSSION” at the Evanston movie theatre on Jan. 01, 2016, with tears in my eyes for a good part of the movie, I knew I would never watch another football game again, at any level, as long as I lived.

A friend tried to joke saying- “Well you’re almost 71″, you won’t live that much longer anyway…” My response was short, simple and concise- “Well I have already lived quite a bit longer than Mike Webster (50) did, or Junior Seau (43) and Chicago’s own Dave Duerson (50), and many others who are already buried. Or soon will be. And isn’t that the point?

Dead and gone…

More on CTE click here:

I am a fan no longer and urge others to consider the same. And if enough people were to protest the continued atrocity, maybe we as a group, could deliver a financial CONCUSSION to the NFL. Thanx so much for your column today. It was outstanding…

I then copied several friends on what I had sent to John Kass at the Tribune. One friend, a highly respected, retired newspaper man said the following, “Great message, I think the debate over the morality of letting these guys risk brain damage in order to amuse us on Sunday afternoons is just starting. — J.

The bottom line…
On February 05, 2016, ESPN  Staff Writer Paul Gutierrez, wrote an article about NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Most of the article was about several NFL teams that wanted to move to other cities. The beginning of the article mentioned head injuries. What struck me the most was when Goodell said- “If I had a son, I’d love to have him play the game of football. I’d love to have him play the game of football because of the values you get.” He went on to say-  “There’s risk in life. There’s risk sitting on the couch. What we want to do is get people active. I want them to experience the game of football because the game of football will teach you the values … the discipline, the teamwork, the perseverance. Those are values and those are skills that will lead you through life, and I believe football is the best to teach that.”  Easy to say when you have twin 15 year old daughters, sitting on that couch.

So when Mr. Goodell speaks of the “values you get” I’m trying to figure out which “values” he is referring to, when one is putting there life on the line. I understand the value in team work. I understand the value in working hard to excel at whatever your endeavor might be. But to excel in covering up the various issues involving the way the NFL has dealt with head injuries, or the value in suicide. Give me a break!

Need I say more? YES!
You’ll find the entire article, which appears under the video of the ABC-TV, Robin Roberts interview with Roger Godell by clicking here:

And more…
To learn more about the NFL coverup- please read the October 08, 2013, Jon Terbush article in THE WEEK about concussions and the PBS Frontline documentary, click here:

And still more…
Wikipedia will give you the CTE story without the Roger Goodell, couch sitting, BS to read more click here:

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Peace. I am Bob Danon, and integrity does matter.

Trump lies will make AMERICA HATE AGAIN…

by R. C. Danon | Jan 25, 2017 | Brokennews

A missed opportunity?
Absolutely. In her January 21, 2017 column , Lynn Sweet opened with, “President Donald Trump’s inaugural address was a lost opportunity to be conciliatory…”   In her column Lynn wrote of Trump’s Senior White House Advisor, Kellyanne Conway’s comment about her boss’ “personally written” 16-minute speech: “You’re going to hear a man of action, a man of resolve … In what we all know is a divided country.”  You can read Lynn’s entire column here:

It’s pretty clear that “Don-Boy” did write many of the words that went into that speech. And then someone else went in and cleaned it up, probably quite a bit. The problem with the speech was, it was the same, ongoing problem with Trump … He just doesn’t get it. He’s been blabbing about the same old garbage for 15-18 months now. There’s nothing new! There are no new ideas! No plans, nothing explained in any detail. But the President did assure us that, “American carnage stops right here, right now…” Wow, I am so relieved.

So how long will it all last? In an earlier posting I speculated that The Trump would not fill out his 4-year term. On November 18, 2016, shortly after the election, I wrote, “We’re stuck with The Trump, at least for the time being. My gut tells me that Vice President Pence will fill out the term as President. I say that because of possible impeachment, quitting the gig out of boredom, or by way of glutinous suicide, by overeating when things don’t go exactly his way. It would appear his attention span is limited to 140 characters. There is very little intellect, or understanding of the world outside his 24-carat bathroom. Worse yet, the frosting on that cake is ignorance… Somewhat “vanilla” ignorance!”  To read the entire 11/18/16 post click here:

Briefcase used by the President of the United States to authorize a nuclear attack while away from fixed command centers.                  (Photo by Jamie Chung)

Observations and tidbits…
On the morning of the inauguration, “Don-Boy” will have “The Football” explained. And if he   missed the earlier briefing when “The Football” was probably     mentioned in some detail, his briefing on 01/20/17, on Nuclear weapons, codes, how and when, etc., etc., should have been rather sobering. Our worry as citizens of this already “great” country should be that “Don-Boy” just doesn’t seem to get much of anything. But get this, please — Don’t fire a nuke if someone  sends you a Tweet calling you a liar. You are a liar! Better you should learn to tell the truth. Playing with “The Football” is not going to go over well with the world community. As for “The Football” learn more here:

•  Please President-elect Trump, stop talking about your huge victory, enough of the “Wall” already, enough yak about Obamacare. Stop with the donor talk, stop with your Cabinet picks… Enough about the “crooked press…” Stop, stop, stop!! How about getting to work. And above all stop the damn lying. No one really cares about the number of people attending your big day?     Start paying attention “Don-Boy”, you’re in the BIG LEAGUES NOW!

• You and your team took over at 12:01 PM on Friday January 20th and you have almost no one in place with regard to Cabinet positions, security concerns, Whitehouse Staff, Defense Department, etc., etc.  No significant security transition has taken place. Very few security replacements, few if any clearances for those replacements … Nothing! Zip! Nada! You do realize I hope… Ivanka can’t do it all!

• For the Record — The press is not trying to “delegitimize this President or his Administration…” Trump and company are doing a fine job of that themselves. It’s about learning to tell the truth… My guess is that The President has been lying most of his adult life, if not longer. But when you send Sean Spicer out to blatantly lie for you, and then Kellyanne Conway to spew forth with “alternative facts…” well the lying gets a little deep. Spicer and Conway know they’re lying! And how they keep it up is beyond me. I keep wondering if and when some of your key players are going to quit, rather than tell that next great lie. Look Mr. President… UDo that, and the press and everyone else will have far less to criticize. Give it a try. You might even earn a little of the respect you so desperately want and need.

• On another topic to be mentioned now and discussed later- The “Women’s Marches” this past  weekend were just plain great. And we can only hope for more of the same, with even  more direction. But there is something missing, and it’s something of major importance. This movement needs a Voice and a Face. Who will that leader be? It can’t be Elizabeth Warren or anyone else in government. It must be an outsider. Someone to be looked up to and respected.

I’m a “Baby Boomer” a Veteran, and a product of the Vietnam War. We had faces and voices that helped bring an end to the Vietnam War. “The Chicago Seven” did a more than an admirable job in helping to bring attention to the likes of Presidents Johnson and Nixon, Cambodia, etc., etc., etc. This movement needs a leader and we must find that person and voice before all is lost.

The bottom line…
Almost every time “Don-Boy” speaks he gives us the “same-old, same-old” words, phrases and gestures we’ve been hearing for the last 15+ months. It never changes. Let us hope that the next 1-4 years improve on this TrumpTidbit- Life Accordion To Trump.

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Peace. I am Bob Danon, and integrity does matter.

Nothing but lies and insults. Yup! That’s our new POTUS…

by R. C. Danon | Jan 16, 2017 | Brokennews

Photo courtesy of: New York DAILY NEWS

And let us not forget ignorant, unknowing, and school yard bully…

This photo only sums up part of who our new President is. He most definitely comes across as a clown, and a clown of the worst sort. Historically children are afraid of clowns. Well, it would now seem we should all be very afraid of this particular clown.

I feel that in the coming months more and more will come out about President Trump. Even at this early stage, it’s convenient to say “nothing would surprise me…” but I’m not so sure anymore. My gut tells me that we will learn more about Trump’s relationship with Russia and Mr. Putin. We will learn more about his business dealings, his personal life, and maybe even his so-called “tax audit.” The point is, there is probably way more bad news to come, than good news. And the more his foul mouth lies are spit forth, the harder those that care — those journalists he continues to attack — will continue to dig deeper to find the truth.

Of course The Trump will label it all “Fake News,” and some of that might get through. But this apparent sociopath is an on-going accident waiting to happen. Let’s hope that accident isn’t the size and shape of a mushroom cloud. His oversized, unbending ego only sees himself as the all-knowing, omnipotent, savior of our country. He thinks he knows it all and that he can fix it all. He just doesn’t get it. He clearly thinks he is perfect, never wrong, and has no problem trying to besmirch or even destroy those who question or cross him.

The bottom line…
I think Mary Schmich, of the Chicago Tribune, always pretty much tells it like it is.

TrumPoem, the Press Conference

Fake fake fake fake fake fake fake      
Everything reporters make!
Don’t believe that Buzzfeed crap
Russia’s barely on my map!
Why do lib’rls pick on me?
Is this Nazi Germany?
I deny this lousy “leak”
No, no, no, I’m not a freak
All those claims, well, goodness gracious
They are very, um, salacious?
That’s the press’s prissy word
No, those things have not occurred!
CNN is full of worms!
Hey, I’m terrified of germs!
This is an abomination!
See you at my coronation!

This and other installments of TrumPoem can be found here:

And to read more of Mary’s columns click here:

Whatever your political beliefs are, one must respect good journalism and commentary, regardless. Its people like (in no particular order) Mary Schmich, Mary Mitchell, Maureen Dowd, Eric Zorn, Clarence Page, Carol Marin, Tim Novak, David Gergen, Rachel Maddow, Anderson Cooper, S.E. Cupp, Don Lemon, Lynn Sweet, Chris Cuomo, David Axelrod, Anna Navaro, Rick Telander, and so many others, who are our “checks and balances…”

       POTUS– Pea-brained, Oblivious, Thoughtless, Uncouth, & Sociopathetic

In the end, we must consider whatever information we take in, and decide for ourselves. And when the reporting is about a soon-to-be sworn in, President of the United States, who is a thin-skinned, ignorant, thug of a man who constantly lies, attacks the sometimes defenseless, and seems to have no respect for anyone, or anything… Well, what is one to think?   How about yes, clowns can be scary…

Peace. I am Bob Danon, and integrity does matter.

Yes, there appears to be a lack of “intelligence…”

by R. C. Danon | Jan 8, 2017 | Brokennews

I won BIG! I did, I did…

(Credit: Reuters/David Becker)

Well, he says he’s a smart guy. And he’s made it clear he neither needs or wants intelligence briefings on a daily basis. He apparently thinks he doesn’t need them. I think he doesn’t want the repetition of anything longer than 140 characters. A clear lack of intelligence seems to be the so-called order of the day. Yup, that’s Da Trump. So he has others do the listening…

How will a President Trump make reasonable decisions without being directly involved?

December 04, 2016, on FACE THE NATION, former Defense Secretary and former CIA Director, Leon Penetta said, “If you’re President of the United States, you better be in touch on a daily basis with your intelligence briefers,” Panetta went on, “so that you have an understanding as to what’s — what’s happening in the world, what are the crises you have to pay attention to, and what steps do you have to take in order to deal with those crises?”  Apparently the President-elect has his second, VP-elect Mike Pence, take some of the briefings. Penetta’s thinking on that — “The reality is, it is the president of the United States who has to make the final decision. And you can have a lot of bright people and [advisors] can present you a lot of options,” he said, “but unless you’ve taken the time as President to understand those issues, to read into those issues, to understand the consequences of those issues, you cannot just rely on others to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do. You’ve got to make the decision.”  To read more click here.

It staggers my mind to think this “Tweet of a man” will become our President in another week. It’s beyond comprehension!  These past few months  probably have given us some insight into how he runs his business empire. He may have the final word, but he seems to have mouthpieces out there running the show. His kids clearly are involved in the Trump businesses. But it was Michael Cohen, executive VP of the Trump organization, that made a lasting impression on me. I’ve seen him on CNN New Day several times, usually with Chris Cuomo. To me, Cohen comes across like a Trump with a brain, who has a toughness and abruptness similar to his boss. Watching him with Cuomo it was almost like watching a Trump interview, but with answers stated and explained.

Da Trump hasn’t come anywhere close to those around him, in almost every situation we’ve seen him in, when questions and answers are explored, discussed, or resolved, to any real degree of intelligence.  When he speaks at one of his so-called “rallies” he doesn’t  have much different to say than what  he was saying 15-18 months ago. With Da Trump, then and now, it’s all the same and I’m afraid it always will be. “I’m great, only I can fix it…” Yada, yada, yada.

The bottom line…
My observation is:  He who speaks from the bully-pulpit is usually the most insecure guy in the room. And that’s why Da Trump, and Kellyanne Conway and others continue to resist acknowledging that our President-elect is consumed by the idea that anything other than his greatness and the idea that he will “Make America Great Again” played into his election. The Russian hacking? Bah humbug! By the way, just a few hours before the President-Elect was to get his Intelligence Briefing this past Friday morning, 01/17, at 6:34 AM, he was Tweeting that he wasn’t impressed with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s performance on Celebrity Apprentice!!!!

So at this point, I would suggest that Jake Tapper, Chris Cuomo and others stop asking the “Russian hacking” questions. We all know they did it. They won’t get an honest answer from Team Trump. And at this point, who cares. Da Trump will be sworn in as President in another week, and it’s unlikely he’ll go after the Russians. He seems more interested in proving how poor intelligence caused numerous problems for the DNC, and that his election was not affected in any way. Click here to view the video. 

However the hacking played into the election, I believe that had Hillary done a more credible job of campaigning in the last 2 months, she might have pulled it off, just maybe. But she was not a great candidate. In fact, she was a terrible candidate, and Da Trump struck a nerve, and became the answer and conduit for change. And that’s what a “lack of intelligence” has left us with.

So to the President-Elect I say… Ok dude, you’re the Prez… So get on with it, and show us you’re better than your tweets would lead us to believe, please.

Peace. I am Bob Danon, and integrity does matter.

Happy New Year to all! I’m not so sure…

by R. C. Danon | Jan 3, 2017 | Brokennews

Photo courtesy of: Christianpost.com

On December 31, 2016, President-Elect Trump tweeted the following, “Happy New Year to all, including to my enemies and those who have fought me and lost so badly they just don’t know what to do. Love…” To me, that sort of sums it all up. Well maybe not all…

The more I hear this Trump guy speak, and the more I read his tweets, it becomes ever so noticeable that there is little thought that goes into his words. There is no eloquence or politeness in his words, ever. Only ruff, gruff, boastful, often lying, threatening words, that seem to come from an insecure state of mind. He is like a pre-teen, thin-skinned, school yard bully. And now he thinks he’s ready to take on the young bully in North Korea…

Trump’s 5:05 PM tweet on 01-02-2017 said- “North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the U.S. It won’t happen!” And about a year ago, candidate Trump suggested that China should be keeping tabs on their threatening neighbor. Read his comments here.

Now I do agree that China has a great deal of responsibility for keeping this seemingly mad-man in North Korea under control. But who will keep our often mad, thin-skinned and bullying President under control? What if Kim Jong-un orders his military to attack South Korea? What if he orders non-nuclear missiles to be fired at Japan? Worse yet, what if North Korea fires strategic, nuclear weapons at South Korea or Japan? And we know for sure what will happen if he fires one of those death-birds at the United States.

Will Trump and Kim exchange threatening tweets and if so, which one of these two wild-cards will make the first wrong move? One can almost bet on it happening. And if it does, what is to be gained?  One can only imagine what is to be lost. I do believe it would not take much for the United States to take out North Korea. But at what price?

Photo courtesy of: Nehanda Radio, International News

Is there any way to keep North Korea from continuing to build and perfect an intercontinental, nuclear-weapons, delivery system? I don’t know, and it scares me. But it would seem the answer lies with China, and how The Trump deals with, and speaks to, the Chinese.

The Bottom line…
Our new president must understand that using “ruff, gruff, boastful, threatening words, that seem to come from an insecure state of mind” is not going to impress anyone in China or Russia or Congress. And it sure as hell ain’t going to scare The Un. The Trump isn’t dealing with a disgruntled restaurant owner wanting to rent space in one of his buildings. He is not bullying or ripping-off some electrician who did work for him and is fighting to get paid. We’re talking about world-changing events and weapons that will change life on this planet as we know it, forever

I do not believe Putin of Russia or Xi Jinping of China are interested in war. There truly is too much to lose for every one. As for Kim Jong-un of North Korea, I’m not so sure. And for  President Trump, God only knows… maybe.

Peace. I am Bob Danon, and integrity does matter.