I used to talk a blue streak on politics.  In fact, I was a die-hard political activist and heavily involved with local issues and politics for a long time.  I am not so much for the time being.  However, this doesn't mean I turn a blind eye, nor have I not been sickened and disgusted by the Bush/Cheney reign over our disintegrating beloved America in the last few years. 

All for that, and now for this.  I am not going to preach here.  Just do one big favor, review your homework well and vote very carefully.  It's no coincidence that American's are starting to lose footing in their longtime comfort zone through loss of jobs, homes, American soldiers still dying every day in an unfounded war still raging, rising healthcare costs, environmental decline with no end in sight, all while many of us desperately hope for a mild winter so we can afford to pay for skyrocketing fuel costs to keep our homes reasonably warm. 

If you are not up on what's where and who's who, here in a bullet, is a run-down of Alaskan Governer Sarah Palin.  Do the math and figure out for yourself if things will get better with the McCain/Palin team in The White House.

Who is Sarah Palin? Here's some basic background:

• She was elected Alaska 's governor a little over a year and a half ago. Her previous office was mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside Anchorage. She has no foreign policy experience.¹
  
• Palin is strongly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in the case of rape or incest.²
  
• She supported right-wing extremist Pat Buchanan for president in 2000. ³
  
• Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools.⁴
  
• She's doesn't think humans are the cause of climate change.⁵
  
• She's solidly in line with John McCain's "Big Oil first" energy policy. She's pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won't be ready for years. She also sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species—she was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.⁶
• How closely did John McCain vet this choice? He met Sarah Palin once at a meeting. They spoke a second time, last Sunday, when he called her about being vice-president. Then he offered her the position.⁷

I have found over the years that most people see themselves as open-minded and accepting.  Yet, some will somehow find a safe platform from which to judge and speak out against things of a personal nature that is really none of their fucking business.   

These alleged "nice" people will spout off against inter-racial marriage (often using the innocent and victimized offspring defense), gay marriage (often resorting to religious reasons), combined religion marriage, etc. Basically anything that does not fit neatly and snugly within the confines of their own personal comfort zone.  They tend to be the inquisitive ones who constantly inquire about class background, religion, sexual orientation, heritage, age, and the list goes on. 

If you even suspect you may be one of them, and can't change, please do both of us a favor and remove yourself from my friends list. And, obviously, please do not request a friends invite to my page.  I already have more than enough friends here, and will not miss you. 

I was checking out her Myspace page and something she said made me spit coffee across the desk (yay me).  Her music is a great as her personality.  Go girl!  LOL.  Now I'm gonna be her friend.

Here's the quote: "Caitlin has a vivid memory of the night "Please Break My Heart" sprang to life. "Thad came into the bar where I was bartending, and we got into a conversation about how it's really hard to write songs when you're happy. I think I said something like, 'I wish somebody would break my heart, just for a minute, so I could get five good songs out of it, and then I'd be OK again'—which women also say about weight loss," she quips. Thad said that sounded like a great idea for a song. He went home, wrote it and brought it to me for tweaking." Caitlin Cary

I love this place!

You just can’t beat sitting at the first ever live cam set on a watering hole in the middle of South Africa watching animals in their most natural state.  No safari jeeps to distract them.  Nothing human to interfere with what they do best, struggle to survive in their habitat.  And, it’s entirely FREE to all viewers!

Africam.com needs money to keep the cams rolling and provide more nighttime zooming coverage. Extra money also means ongoing improvements for viewing and, possibly around the clock cam zoomers.
I plan to do some music benefits to raise money to keep those cams running and improve the site*.  

Go ahead and check it out.  Peel the kids out from in front of the TV and watch them squeal with excitement when they see their first lions.  Enjoy the quiet or rukus at the watering hole.  And most of all, savor the opportunity to view the African bush from the comfort of your own home.  Such a gift!  Have fun. 

Here are some pics I took from both their Nkorho Pan and Elephant Plains cams.  They aren’t the greatest, but you’ll get the pic, lol:

Mike and I went up to our friend Asa's place in the White Mountains this weekend for some fun, frolic, good friends, food, and music, and, of course, relaxation. It was a success.

However, after dark we headed up to the barn to hear some live music and indulge in whatever it was we pleased. Good times. We usually stand outside the barn door for a while and chat up with folks before the music begins. So here I am with my camera taking leisurely pictures with my flash on in the pitch black on what seems to be as crystal clear brisk evening under the stars.

If I'm idly standing around, I generally like to take a look at each one after I shoot. All the shots are coming out great in the pitch black. In fact, I didn't even know it was my friend Linda in the first pic below until I looked at the shot after I probably blinded her with light. A few seconds after Linda walked past, I took another lone shot of the manniquin I've named "the barn guard" and notice this weird cloudy stuff around her after I look at the pic. Lest you ask what and who was around, I will state now that nobody in the vicinity, including myself, was smoking anything outside at this time. Nobody!  In fact, I was standing there by myself.  At first I thought it might be fog, but I can see none through the lights coming from the barn. It seems a totally clear night. Again, I take a pic of the barn entrance and it's there again. Creepyola!

When we get home and look at them more closely, Michael notices eyes in the barn entrance shot in front of the car. I have no idea what it is, but it is the strangest thing I've ever seen. The pics are posted below and you can judge for yourself what you think. I honestly don't know what to think.

Linda walking by the "barn guard":


A couple of seconds later an other shot of the barn guard:



This is the weirdest. Can you see what looks like a distinct eye in the top left corner of the foggy stuff?

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

— John Hancock

New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

This past Sunday night, when Robin Lane co-hosted my weekly local music show on WAAF, she inspired me to privately share with her (off-air), an on-going creative block I've been suffering for quite some time.  It has had a totally negative effect on getting even the simplest things accomplished in my spare time.

 After the show, Robin, Liz Borden, and I, spoke more about creative blocks and went on to discuss one of Robin's favorite books, 'The Artists Way'. Robin had mentioned this book a few years back, but I never got around to reading it. This time I am.

The book has provided an oasis in my stifling desert. A breath of fresh creative air. It now makes perfect sense that Robin would tell me this book has changed her life for the better.  The best part is, Robin teaches a course on it. Robin lives an hour and a half out of Boston. She said if enough people signed up for the course, she would be able to drive into town once a week for a 12 week seminar.

The 12 week course costs $200.00 per person and requires weekly assignments, which means you've got to do some work to make it work. If you are interested, please let me know. The sooner, the better.

Here's a link to Robin's website.  Please see more information below with regard to The Artists Way:

Join us for a 12-week course on the groundbreaking book The Artists Way by Julia Cameron. Discover and recover your creative self from a variety of blocks, including limiting beliefs, fear, self-sabotage, jealousy, guilt, addictions, and other inhibiting forces, and to replace them with artistic confidence and productivity.

Stop telling yourself "It's too late"; stop waiting until you make enough money to do something you love; stop thinking it's just your ego whenever you yearn for a more creative life. Release the beliefs that dreams don't matter, that your family and friends will think you're crazy, or that creativity is a luxury you can't afford.

From the instructor: When I began teaching the Artist's Way, I had no idea how the course would take shape. In the six years I have taught the class I'm always surprised…magic happens. The Artist's Way is about allowing your spirit to change and grow. You are painting a new picture of who you are and who you wish to be. It is spiritual growth guided, through creativity, which allows you to plug into the abundance of the world. My intention is to provide a safe and nurturing space where you can become stronger and more effective in life. It's important that we access our creativity, our god given gifts …writers, songwriter, singers, dancers, painters, cooks, homemakers. Robin Lane

Tonight, people.  Tonight.  Wednesday, April 18th at 7 PM.  It will be held at Irish Times in Worcester.  I have no idea how to get there but do know how to use mapquest.  Pulse Magazine is presenting.  I will be hosting.  There will be awards presented.  There will be performances.  There will be lots of people.  Some people will be getting drunk and some not.  There will fun to be had.  I will try to not fall off the stage.

Oooh, yin and yang... coming off a great party into a grueling battle with the flu.  I am sitting at work today with all my meds because I couldn't stand staying home  under the covers feeling filthy and delirious for even one more minute.  Under the circumstance, I plead guilty of feeling like a zombie, therefore, am not to be held responsible for any of actions.  Enter at your own risk.