Earth Day 2018 and an Update...

I haven't posted here for a while, partly due to a couple of medical issues -- and they work as a team :) Also, time seems to be flying by. But there is a good reason, too:  I've been working on two songs to record later this week. One is the '50s hit cover song "Only You"; the other is a re-make (and re-structured version) of one of my originals, "Conversation". Vastly different from each other in genre and mood, they do go well together in expressing the singularity and attributes of the emotion that goes with my desire to sing and play them. 

My dog, Ruby, is wonderful ... she is a darling, affectionate, and super intelligent being and is now also a service dog.

Today is Earth Day and my thoughts and feelings about it are hopeful, painful, fearful, and apologetic to our Earth Mother. Of course, humans are what have brought conditions to a woeful level for our planet, ourselves, and the myriad of non-human inhabitants. We've seen the widely circulated picture of polar bears in the ocean looking for ice floes that are no longer there. We've read about the plight of bumble and honey bees. There are so many other examples of animal suffering and exploitation, environmental destruction, and threats to our own existence, brought about by ignorance and apathy ... and corporate and political greed. Even so, I can make myself say "Happy Earth Day" because I know that there are a great many of us who care about our planet and fellow beings. Let's make our voices be heard in whatever ways we can!  And let's vote for our environment. Earth is our home, we need to protect it.

Please send comments to the blog rather than my email address so that others can see what you say. It's easy ... just click on "anonymous". I always like to hear from you.

Politics & My Perspective --

The political circus and its underpinnings and rigged formats clearly show why US citizens are divided, discouraged, and angry.  The system and some federal agencies are corrupt * (please read related new post on Animal Ministry Blog at http://animalministry.blogspot.com). To repair the system would take the cooperation and sincerity of both major parties. Super PACs, health insurance companies, big pharma, and other powerful industries and agencies are running things ... and have no conscience. Repairing the system will take a major and far-reaching effort.  Of all the candidates, the two "outsiders" are the most sincere.  I like Bernie Sanders, admire his honesty and intellect, and will vote for him in the primary.

Horses Need "Neigh" Votes!

At a time when our federal government is moving toward banning the shipment of U.S. horses across the borders to Canada and Mexico (where the horses are slaughtered in very inhumane, horrific ways for consumption in Europe, as a delicacy) ... and at a time when other states (most recently Florida) have made horse slaughter a felony, there are some greedy legislators with no scruples in the state of Tennessee who are pushing to establish horse slaughter houses here. The bill is scheduled to go up for a vote on Tuesday, in the Ways & Means department. If you thought the "road-kill" bill was an embarrassment, consider how seriously terrible it would be for our state to officially endorse the slaughter of horses. Please read my previous post which presents the facts about this and, if you live in Tennessee, please contact your representative and urge a "no" vote to HB 1428.

Why the U.S. Needs Obama as President --

I encourage you to vote and to vote early, avoid the election-day lines. I voted for Obama. I voted for Obama because I feel that those of us who didn’t put Bush into office deserve an intelligent and caring president who will try his utmost to give us a chance for economic, ethical, environmental, and health-care respite, restoration, and renewal. We need him to help us rise out of the quagmire (actually a hellish cesspool) that the present administration has sunk us into; eight years of horrible damage in every category. Actually, at this point, probably almost everybody in our country deserves a respite, restoration, and renewal. I say "almost" because I still see vehicles with the "W" bumper stickers on them. These next eleven days will probably see a lot of dirt flying out of the McCain camp, more phony stunts like Joe the plumber. It is sad that a significant number of our citizens seem to fall in line behind such gimmicks to manipulate the rank and file. It would be nice (and healthy) if each of us, as Americans, could and would raise his/her self-image as a person (and realize our individual and collective potential to be part of the process of making things better). If enough of us do that, together we really can have the vision of a better country and a better world.

National Health Care System

We need it – we need it – we need it!
Please vote with health-care in mind.