♫ Another Day In Paradise ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music, Social commentary

Some nights I have a song in my head, or one pops into my head while I’m in the shower (the only place I’m allowed to sing … even my car doesn’t tolerate my warbling!!), and other nights I start with a blank slate and sift through the archives.  Tonight is the latter, and I decided I was in the mood for some Phil Collins, so I went in search of and found this … a song with meaning and Phil’s exquisite voice as an added bonus!

The song, published in 1989, is about the consequences of ignoring the needy and homeless.  According to Collins …

“It was begun at the piano. I started playing and put it down on a tape so I wouldn’t forget it. Then I decided to see what would happen when I started singing. When I began, the words just came out, ‘She calls out to the man on the street.’ I didn’t set out to write a song about the homeless. Those were just the words I happened to sing. It was only then that I decided that was what the song would be about.”

This song was Collins’ seventh and final Billboard Hot 100 #1 single, the last #1 single of the 1980s and the first #1 single of the 1990s. It was also a worldwide success, eventually becoming one of the most successful songs of his solo career. It won Collins and co-producer Hugh Padgham the Grammy Award for Record of the Year at the 1991 awards ceremony, while it was also nominated for Song of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male and Best Music Video, Short Form. Another Day in Paradise also won an award for British Single at the 1990 Brit Awards.

Despite the awards gained following its release, the song also generated some controversy over its subject matter and has received a largely negative reaction from music critics.  Singer-songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg was scathing of the song.

“Phil Collins might write a song about the homeless, but if he doesn’t have the action to go with it he’s just exploiting that for a subject.”

Andrew Collins described the song as a “bland redress” for the subject of homelessness.  Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian dismissed the track in 2007 as “a song that addressed the issue of homelessness with the same insight as Sporty Spice’s ‘If That Were Me'”.  David Sheppard described the song’s lyrics as “cringe-worthy” and gave it as an example of Collins “painting the bull’s-eye on his own forehead” when it came to his negative status with music critics.  Hugh Wilson contrasted Collins’ concern for the homeless in the song with his concern as a multimillionaire at the prospect of the UK’s election of a tax-raising socialist government.  (Sound familiar?)

Despite all that criticism, the fact remains that this song was a hit in many countries from Australia to Zimbabwe!  It reached #1 in both Canada and the U.S., and #2 in the UK.

Another Day in Paradise
Phil Collins

She calls out to the man on the street
‘Sir, can you help me?
It’s cold and I’ve nowhere to sleep,
Is there somewhere you can tell me?’

He walks on, doesn’t look back
He pretends he can’t hear her
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there

Oh think twice, it’s another day for you and me in paradise
Oh think twice, ’cause it’s just another day for you,
You and me in paradise, think about it

She calls out to the man on the street
He can see she’s been crying
She’s got blisters on the soles of her feet
She can’t walk but she’s trying

Oh think twice, ’cause it’s another day for you and me in paradise
Oh think twice, it’s just another day for you,
You and me in paradise, think about it

Oh Lord, is there nothing more anybody can do
Oh Lord, there must be something you can say

You can tell from the lines on her face
You can see that she’s been there
Probably been moved on from every place
Cause she didn’t fit in there

Oh think twice, ’cause another day for you and me in paradise
Oh think twice, it’s just another day for you,
You and me in paradise, just think about it, think about it

It’s just another day for you and me in paradise
It’s just another day for you and me in paradise, paradise
It’s just another day for you and me in paradise
It’s just another day for you and me in paradise, paradise
It’s just another day for you and me
It’s just another day for you and me
It’s just another day for you and me in paradise
In paradise

Songwriters: Phil Collins
Another Day in Paradise lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Concord Music Publishing LLC

Another Call to Arms? I Hope NOT!

Posted on by under History, Law and justice, Political commentary, Social commentary

It seems there is only one major thing in the news this weekend, the anticipated indictment of Donald Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.  The potential indictment is a result of the $130,000 in hush money that Trump paid to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election to ensure her silence about their earlier affair.  I had not intended to write about this prematurely, until it actually comes to pass, but there is so much smoke blowing – toxic smoke – that I thought it required a bit of dissection.

First, let me just say that while his affair with Ms. Daniels and then his attempt to pay more money than most of us will ever see in one place at one time to buy her silence are terrible.  The affair itself is an indicator of a person without morals or values, the hush money may be a violation of Federal Election Commission rules.  That is not for us to decide.  That said, it is interesting and disappointing that this is the first potential indictment Trump will face, for while it is terrible, there are numerous other crimes he has committed that are far more horrible on a far larger scale.  I would much rather see pending indictments for his role in plotting the attempted coup on January 6th 2021, and for his theft of classified documents upon leaving the White House, and for his recorded effort to coerce Georgia officials to change the vote count.  These are all definite crimes that there is no doubt he committed.  And those may yet come, however first there is this case brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

The rhetoric surrounding the case is what’s keeping it in the headlines.  Here are a few examples:

  • “The idea of indicting a president of the United States is deeply troubling to me as it is to tens of millions of Americans – and particularly happening in what appears to be a politically charged environment in New York where the attorney general and other elected officials literally campaigned on a pledge to prosecute the former president.” – Former VP Mike Pence who was the main target of the January 6th insurrection
    • I would respond to Mr. Pence that as a citizen, it is ‘deeply troubling’ to have had a president who lied to us, cheated us, and conned us for four years!
  • “This is unAmerican and the radical Left has reached a dangerous new low of Third World countries. Knowing they cannot beat President Trump [sic] at the ballot box the Radical Left will now follow the lead of Socialist dictators and reportedly arrest President Trump [sic], the leading Republican candidate for President of the United States.” – Representative Elise Stefanik (New York)
  • “This is a personal sexual situation. What about Bill Clinton? That wasn’t worse? This guy allegedly – and I’m telling you it’s untrue. As his personal friend, I’m going to tell you categorically she’s lying. Categorically. And I know I say that all the time. I can tell you personally why I know that. She’s a damn liar! Manhattan has suffered unbelievable levels of crime under this incompetent and communist – this Soros paid for piece of I don’t know what.” – Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani
  • “If the Manhattan DA indicts President Trump, he will ultimately win even bigger than he is already going to win. And those Republicans that stand by and cheer for his persecution or do nothing to stop it will be exposed to the people and will be remembered, scorned, and punished by the base. President Trump did nothing wrong and has always fought for the American people, and we all know it, which is why we love him.” Representative Marge Greene (Georgia)

And then, as if the voices weren’t already causing our ears to ring and making us feel ill, Kevin McCarthy steps in and says …

“Here we go again — an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk as he pursues political vengeance against President Trump. I’m directing relevant committees to immediately investigate if federal funds are being used to subvert our democracy by interfering in elections with politically motivated prosecutions.”

This from the man who is the leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, hired to represent the people of this nation, not to defend a lying criminal!  Thus far, all his ‘investigations’ have been a waste of taxpayer dollars, as this one will be also.  I guess he needs to do this to stay on the good side of Trump, though.

But the one thing that concerns me most over this is the potential for violence.  All the above voices are enough to bring out the die-hard trumpists, but to throw a can of fuel on the fire, Trump himself had to jump into the fray with one of his ALL CAPS rants that is eerily reminiscent of his “Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!” on December 19th, 2020 …

“THE FAR & AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!”

We saw the results on January 6th of his tweet, and my concern is that we will see similar results this week when and if he is indicted in Manhattan.  Mind you, that is NOT a reason for the prosecution to back off, not a reason for any of the cases against Trump to be halted or slowed, but it is a very real possibility that must be considered.

And it is being considered.  I understand that meetings have been going on throughout the week among city, state and federal law enforcement agencies in New York City about security preparations for a possible indictment of Trump.  Let us hope that lessons were learned by the events of January 6th and that law enforcement will be far better prepared this time.

While there may be an indictment, and there may be a fine, I do not operate under any illusions that Trump will be arrested or see the inside of a jail cell, so you can put that dream to bed right now.  Again, this is not even the most important case pending against him … I almost think this is something of a trial balloon, testing the waters for future cases on more important issues.

You Aren’t In Kansas Any More …

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, Economic issues, education, Environmental Issues, guns, History, Social commentary

I left this world back in 2023, and I said at the time, rather tongue-in-cheek, that I’d like to return in 100 years and see what my country and the rest of the world would look like then.  In 2023, the United States was in turmoil, stopping just short of complete chaos, but certainly not far from it.  There was a group in Congress calling themselves the “Freedom Caucus” who stood for everything BUT freedom.  The right-wing Republican Party had strayed so far from any sense of humanitarian values that I believed they were on a collision course. Guns were more plentiful than people and violence was always right around the next corner.  And around the globe, troubles were brewing.  An arrogant Russian dictator, Vladimir Putin had invaded Ukraine and was trying to expand Russian territory in hopes of building an empire.  Democracies ‘round the globe were being challenged.  Climate change, coupled with massive deforestation was a significant threat to the environment that few were taking seriously.  And so naturally I wondered what the next century would bring.

It is now, as I have just learned, 102 years later, the year is 2125.  One minute I was living happily within my wolf pack, and then I found myself here, on a street corner in a city I almost, but not quite recognize, scratching my head and wondering WTF happened.  Well, might as well make the most of it, take a look around, and see what the world has turned into in my absence.  The first thing I notice is that there are no trees, no flowers, nothing I would define as nature at all.  And very few people …

I find a wallet in my pocket with $215 in it … enough for some breakfast, at any rate.  Now to find a coffee shop … a Starbucks or something.  Let me just ask this lady wearing a mask and waiting for her bus …

Me:  Excuse me, ma’am?

She:  Don’t you dare come near me … I have a gun and I’m not afraid to use it!

(Okay, one question is answered … the gun culture is still alive and well in the U.S.)

Me:  No worries, ma’am … I was just wondering if you could tell me where the nearest Starbucks is?

She:  Starbucks???  I have no idea what you’re asking.

(Another question answered … Starbucks didn’t survive into the 22nd century)

Me:  Where is the nearest restaurant where I might get a bit of breakfast?

She:  Two blocks down and on the left, there’s a Trump diner.

Me:  Is there any other restaurant in the vicinity?  I’m not a fan of anything with the name “Trump”.

She:  Where are you from, anyway?  Outer space?

Me:  I’m from out west, ma’am, and I haven’t been on the East Coast for over 100 … er … for several years.

She (slowly backing away and reaching into her coat pocket):  Go!  I’ll buzz for the police … you’re that escaped lunatic they’ve been talking about on the news, aren’t you???  That’s why you look like you belong in a pack of wild animals!

Well, that certainly went well.  I moseyed on my way before she had a chance to sic the police on me, but already I was getting some answers about the state of affairs here.  I needed coffee, food, and a newspaper in that order!  I started walking, and eventually came upon a little café that serves sandwiches and hot coffee, so I ordered an egg & cheese sandwich and a large coffee.  The tab came to $14.  Another question answered.

I found a day-old newspaper on one of the empty tables and snatched it up to peruse while munching on my sandwich.  The headline read:

President John White to Meet with Congress Regarding Debt Ceiling

Some things never change.  Reading on …

Russian Troops Near French Border

WHOA!!!  Last I knew, Vladimir Putin’s Russia was still fighting to take Ukraine!  Reading on, it appears that what were once Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Austria, Germany and Italy are now all a part of the ‘Russian Union’.  No … this can’t be right!

I look around the small café … there are only three other patrons, all wearing masks that they pull down to take a bite of food or a sip of their drink.  Finished with my tasteless sandwich and weak coffee, I leave a $1 tip and exit the café.  I notice there are few people on what was once a bustling street.  I also notice they are all wearing masks, walking in a strange way, almost as if they are afraid … of what?  Has there been another pandemic like the one we had back in 2020?

There is a strange scent to the air, rather like dirty laundry.  I see a man who looks friendly enough, so I approach … with caution.

Me:  Sir?  Excuse me, but I’m from … er, out of town … and I was wondering if you might be able to help me …

Him:  What do you want?  I have a gun and I will use it.

Me:  No no … I mean no harm, but I’m a bit lost and wondered if you could tell me how to get to the nearest library?

Him:  What?  Library?  There are no libraries here!  The last one closed when I was a child.  What do you want it for?

(Knowing it will sound weird if I tell him I want to see what has happened in the world over the past century, I try to think of a reasonable answer, but this is a new world to me …)

Me:  I just hoped to find a new book to read, that’s all.

Him:  Book???  (He laughs maniacally)  What, are you from the 21st century? (more laughter) Books are illegal … I think you should move on now … get away from me before you get us both arrested!

I resume my walk down the street, take a right at the next corner, and suddenly I hear a booming electronic voice booming from all directions, echoes bouncing off the buildings …

ATTENTION!  Curfew is in one hour!  Anybody caught outside after 6:00 will be arrested on sight!  I repeat, curfew is in one hour!  GO HOME!

Oh how I wish I could go home, back to my pack where life was simple and relatively safe.

(To be continued … maybe)

♫ Sweet Baby James ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

The other night when I played another James Taylor song, David mentioned this one, Sweet Baby James, as being one of his favourites and I promised to play it, since I’m still in James Taylor mode for the moment.  I learned some interesting things while researching this song, such as that Taylor Swift was named after James Taylor!  But more interesting is the background of the song.  This is one of his most popular songs, although it did not chart anywhere, and has been played at almost every James Taylor concert since its release in 1970!  According to SongFacts …

James Taylor is not singing about himself in this song, but about the child who was named in his honor. Taylor wrote the song in 1969, when he drove on his way to Richmond, Virginia to see his older brother, the late Alex Taylor. James had recently returned to America after recording his first album in England, and he was shocked to learn that Alex had become a father for the first time in his absence.

Alex and his wife, Brent Taylor, had given birth to their first child, a baby son, which Brent wanted to name Richmond, after the city in which he was born. However, Alex wanted to name the child James, after his younger brother. So after a few arguments, the couple named the boy James Richmond Taylor. James was elated to discover that he had a new baby nephew, also named James. So the title can be a little confusing, since both the singer and his nephew are named James. The singer is James Vernon Taylor, while his nephew is James Richmond Taylor.

This song is a soft lullaby that tells the story of a young cowboy who spends his lonely nights in the canyons, with nothing to keep him company but his horse and his cattle – he occupies his long and lonely hours of darkness singing himself to sleep.

There are some ways this song associates with its writer. As a young child, James Taylor, along with his siblings, often sang each other to sleep at night. The story goes that James couldn’t stand it when his mother sang, because she only sang opera. And because James’ mother was a lyric soprano, she never sang lullabies. James’ father never sang lullabies either, because he didn’t exactly have the knack for music.

So when he was a little boy, the young James Taylor was often put in the position of having to sing himself to sleep each night, hence the line, “Singin’ works just fine for me.”

In a 2018 Songfacts interview, James’ brother, Livingston Taylor, gave his take on this song: “James is a good writer. James is not a great pop writer. Both James and I, particularly early in our careers, because of the lack of input and the lack of structure around us, tended to write with initial kernels that were great but without terribly much follow through. So, for example, ‘Sweet Baby James’ has an unbelievable first verse and chorus – it’s as good as it gets in terms of character development, in terms of setting the stage. But after that, no bridge, not terrific development in the second verse. It lacks balance. As contrasted with James’ first #1 song ‘You’ve Got A Friend,’ written by Carole King. That is an exceptionally crafted song, as are most of Carole’s songs. They’re balanced beginning to end.”

And now, let the music play …

Sweet Baby James

James Taylor

There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range
His horse and his cattle are his only companions
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons
Waiting for summer, his pastures to change

And as the moon rises, he sits by his fire
Thinkin’ about women and glasses of beer
Reclosing his eyes as the doggies retire
He sings out a song which is soft, but it’s clear
As if maybe someone could hear

Goodnight, you moonlight ladies
Rockabye, sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won’t you let me go down in my dreams?
And rockabye, sweet baby James

Now, the first of December was covered with snow
So was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston
Though the Berkshires seemed dreamlike on account of that frostin’
With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go

There’s a song that they sing when they take to the highway
A song that they sing when they take to the sea
Song that they sing of their home in the sky
Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep
But singing works just fine for me

So goodnight, you moonlight ladies
Rockabye, sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won’t you let me go down in my dreams?
And rockabye, sweet baby James

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: James Taylor

Sweet Baby James lyrics © Emi Blackwood Music Inc., Country Road Music

Saturday Surprise — Tats!

Posted on by under animals, Bits 'n Pieces, Humour, Random, Saturday Surprise

I’ve never gotten a tattoo in my life … mostly because I’m not a fan of pain.  Being a lifelong diabetic, I already stick needles into my body multiple times every day, so I’ve never had the desire to have someone put hundreds of little needles into my body at once.  However, at nearly 72 years of age, I’m re-thinking this!  When I came across a post on Bored Panda yesterday, saw some of these absolutely beautiful, whimsical tattoos, I’m thinking about getting one!  Just a small one for starters, but who knows?  The sky (or rather the square inches of available skin) is the limit!

Seriously, though, I really do think these designs are beautiful and certainly unique.  I wonder how much time some of the more detailed ones take?  Take a look at this sampling, and if you want more, head over to Bored Panda where there are many, many more!  And have a great weekend ahead, dear friends!

The shadow is part of the tattoo!!!

This is the one I want!

What do you think, David?

Time For ‘Toons!

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, Election 2024, Free Press Issues, Global Issues, History, Humour, Political commentary, Social commentary

The time has come to share some of the political cartoons from the past week with you guys.  I must say that as much as we are bombarded with political drama, environmental crises, social disruption, it is a boon for the political cartoonists who NEVER have to go digging for a topic these days!  Oh, if only I had some artistic talent!  But alas … a five-year-old child can draw better than I can!  These ‘toons and artists show that we CAN find humour, even in the darkest of times.

♫ You’ve Got A Friend ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

After playing James Taylor last night, I was fully in James Taylor mode, so expect to see/hear him here for a few more times this week!  David requested one that I haven’t done before, “Sweet Baby James”, and I was planning to play that tonight, but this one just wouldn’t get out of my head long enough to allow me to do a bit of research.  So, as often happens, I let the music lead me!  Don’t worry, David … I haven’t forgotten … just a slight delay!

This song was written by Carole King during the January 1971 recording sessions for her album Tapestry. According to King …

“The song was as close to pure inspiration as I’ve ever experienced. The song wrote itself. It was written by something outside myself, through me.”

She also said that the inspiration for the song was a line from Taylor’s song, Fire and Rain … “I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend.” When the song was released in 1971, James Taylor was only 23 years old, and the song would go on to be his only #1 U.S. hit.  But now for the really interesting history …

James Taylor sang this after the January 2015 Charlie Hebdo murders in France at a rally in Paris, which Secretary of State John Kerry attended. He explained to Billboard magazine how that performance came about:

“At the time of the attacks, my wife and I were in Switzerland, taking vacation time before I went to Paris to do press for a tour of Europe. John and Teresa Kerry are, I would say, our good friends. Kim was texting him after the attacks and said, ‘John, I think you need to go to Paris.’ They were having a solidarity march two days after the attack. But John had to be in Peshawar, for a secret meeting. He said, ‘I’ll be there as soon as I can.’

When he came to Paris, we had dinner and he said, “I’m giving a speech with the mayor tomorrow. James, will you sing ‘You’ve Got a Friend’?” It was done at the drop of a hat. When I stood up to sing, my guitar wasn’t working. So the mayor [Anne Hidalgo] came over and held her mic in front of my guitar.”

I’m including something new this time ’round … a short clip from a CNN interview from 2020 with both Taylor and King … I think you’ll enjoy it … I did!

You’ve Got a Friend
James Taylor

When you’re down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I’ll come running, oh yeah baby, to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you’ve got to do is call
And I’ll be there, ye, ye, ye
You’ve got a friend

If the sky above you
Should turn dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep you head together
And call my name out loud now
Soon you’ll hear me knocking at you door

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I’ll come running, oh yes I will, to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall, ye
All you have to do is call
And I’ll be there, ye, ye, yeah

Ain’t it good to know that you’ve got a friend
When people can be so cold
They’ll hurt you, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them, oh yeah, don’t you let ’em now

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I’ll come running to see you again, oh baby, don’t you know
Winter, spring, summer or fall
Hey now, all you have to do is call
And I’ll be there, yes I will
You’ve got a friend
You’ve got a friend, yeah

Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend
Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend

Oh, ye yeah, you’ve got a friend

Songwriters: Carole King
You’ve Got a Friend lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Have They Even Read The Constitution???

Posted on by under education, Free Press Issues, guns, History, Law and justice, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Social commentary

All members of the United States Congress, as well as all state governors and legislators are required, before taking their seat, to swear an oath to the Constitution of the United States.  Now, if I’m going to swear an oath to something, then I am damn sure going to be clear on exactly what it is I’m swearing an oath to.  I take such things seriously.  I’ve never been elected to office, so have never had to swear an oath to the Constitution, but I have studied Constitutional Law at length and have read the full document numerous times.  I keep a pocket Constitution on the table next to me and have another in the drawer in my nightstand.  Apparently, that is not the case for some of the people who have sworn an oath to the document.

My jaw dropped yesterday when I read that Kentucky lawmakers have passed a bill that would make the state a so-called “Second Amendment sanctuary,” prohibiting local law enforcement from enforcing federal firearm bans.  Say WHAT???

The US Supremacy Clause, found in Article VI is a provision in the US Constitution that states that the Constitution and the laws and treaties of the federal government are the supreme law of the land. The clause ensures that federal laws and regulations take precedence over any state or local laws that may conflict with them.

The state of Missouri tried the same crap last year when Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed into law the Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA), which declared that limitations on gun transfers, firearm registrations and other federal regulations are unconstitutional.  A federal judge struck down the law earlier this month, saying …

“While purporting to protect citizens, SAPA exposes citizens to greater harm by interfering with the Federal Government’s ability to enforce lawfully enacted firearms regulations designed by Congress for the purpose of protecting citizens within the limits of the Constitution.”

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has appealed the decision.

What part of the Constitution do the lawmakers in Missouri and Kentucky fail to understand?  It’s plain as day!  It’s written in English, not Swahili, the language is purposefully kept simple so that anybody, regardless of level of education, could understand it, and yet we have highly paid elected officials who either have not bothered to read it, else are not bright enough to understand it!

Kentucky’s bill passed the state House in a 78-19 vote last month, and cleared the state Senate on Wednesday 27-9.  Apparently there are more than just a few dumb asses in the Kentucky legislature!

Those who represent the people of any state need to understand that this is a nation, the United States of America, and that we stand together, we have federal laws that supersede any and all state or local laws, that have been deemed to be in the best interest of the nation.  We cannot have state after state simply decide which laws they will abide by and which they will override.  That’s NOT how it works!

I sincerely hope the court system sends these bills to the shredder as fast as it can, and sends a loud and clear message to other states that might be considering similar actions.  My concern, naturally, is that when one of these cases works its way up to the Supreme Court, the compromised court may fail to do the right thing, as they have done numerous times in the past year.

If the laws in Missouri and Kentucky are ultimately upheld by the highest Court, then think about the consequences …

  • A six-year-old kid walks into a gun store … as long as he’s got the money, he walks out with a gun
  • A drunk staggers into a gun shop, tells the clerk “Gimme the biggest gun you got … I’m gonna kill that bitch.” As long as he’s got the money, he walks out with a gun.
  • A woman gets out of prison after serving five years for attempting to kill her spouse. Her first stop is the gun shop, and as long as she’s got the money, she walks out with a gun.

Guns are not toys, and I am horrified that gun ownership is more highly cherished than the lives of the children of this nation.  But if states are allowed to override federal laws, it could well get even worse.  What’s next?  Do some states write laws to disregard the 19th Amendment that makes it illegal to deny the right to vote to any citizen based on their sex?  Or the 15th Amendment that makes it illegal to deny the right to vote to any citizen based on their race?  Or perhaps the 13th Amendment that abolished slavery?

People … it’s on US to ensure that the people we vote for are qualified, that they fully understand the Constitution to which they will be swearing an oath, and that they respect the people of this nation enough to follow the laws of the land, not to be wasting their time scheming for ways to uproot the safety and cohesion of the nation.

We are a nation, not just 50 states, but ONE NATION.  The “UNITED” States of America.

Open Letter To ALL Elected Republicans

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, Economic issues, education, Environmental Issues, guns, History, Law and justice, Political commentary, Rants, voting rights

Sometimes the angst builds and one just has to let off a bit of steam.  This is one of those times.  This letter is intended for Republican members of Congress, but also governors, state legislators, and ALL elected representatives who are failing us.

It’s sad that so many people have put their lives in your hands, yet you are playing Russian roulette with them.  You have betrayed the people you claim to represent, worse yet you have betrayed this nation while convincing the masses that you are acting on their behalf while filling your own coffers and laughing all the way to the bank.

Voting rights … as a citizen and taxpayer I demand the two bills that failed last year be re-visited and passed.  You say unfettered gun ownership is a constitutional right?  I SAY voting is a much more important constitutional right!!!  Those guns you are so damn protective of have killed 8,607 people so far this year, more than 300 of them children under the age of 17, and yet you say this is the “price we must pay for freedom”.  Bullshit!

You roll back regulations designed to save lives AND the environment, and then you point the finger of blame everywhere but at yourself when a train carrying deadly chemicals derails or a bank goes under because of a lack of oversight.  Look in the mirror!!!  Therein lies the blame!  Regulations on business exist because people are greedy and the more they have, the more they want and when they want more, they don’t give a damn who they step on to get it.  THIS is part of the purpose of government, but you shirk your duty in the interest of your own bank account!

Too many people in power don’t give one damn about the people of this country.

You can dye your hair, but eventually your roots will start to show.  You can whitewash history, but our roots will out.  American history IS Black history.  The U.S. didn’t exist as an entity until 1776, but African slaves were brought here and put to work as early as 1619, more than a century earlier.  They were beaten, starved, their children taken from them and sold to the highest bidder to be worked literally to death, but today we are supposed to turn a blind eye, to pretend it never happened???

The joke’s on us … on me … on every person in this country who isn’t wealthy.  NO, DAMMIT … Trickle Down economics is a myth, a fairy tale, it DOES NOT WORK!!!  And yet, once again, that is what we are being told.  “Oh, just put more money into the hands of the wealthy corporations and it will trickle down and fill your pot!”  NO, IT WON’T.  It never has and it never will.  WHEN will we stop being told this mythical lie???  WHEN will you politicians realize that we’re smarter than you give us credit for being?  Meanwhile, your pots are overflowing with donations from the likes of Charles Koch, Bernie Marcus, Paul Singer, the DeVos family and more.  Rather reminiscent of that fable that Marie Antoinette once said, when told that people were starving and couldn’t afford bread, “Let them eat cake!”

And then you blame everything that goes wrong on those of us who have compassion, empathy, who care about such things as human lives, the planet, other species – you call us ‘woke’ and make it sound like the dirtiest word in the English language.

You would take away the rights of women, of Black and Asian people, of Jews & Muslims, of any and all who do not fall into that “white, Christian, male” category and turn this nation into something ugly.  Well, if you succeed, you can have your damn country, for I want no part of it!  I don’t share your vision, and neither do the majority of people in this country, but in your eyes, we are naught but tools to be used, manipulated, then thrown away when we are no longer of use to you.  Beware, for when people have nothing left to lose, they fight.  That fight will come and it will be on your shoulders.

♫ Shower The People ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music, Social commentary

Someone — I think it was Clive — mentioned James Taylor in a comment yesterday and ever since then I’ve had a literal craving for a James Taylor song!  This may not have been one of his most popular songs, but I think it’s a great one and looking back at the comments from when I last played it in 2020, others did too!

Released in June 1976, this is not one of Taylor’s most popular songs, reaching only #22 in the U.S., not even making the top 40 in Canada, and as far as I can tell it didn’t chart anywhere else.  I suppose it is for that reason that I cannot find much in the way of background information about the song and its origins.  I did learn something that I, the cultural throwback, did not know … James Taylor was married to Carly Simon, who did the backing vocals for the recorded version of this song, from 1972 – 1983!  Who knew?  Okay, yeah, probably everyone in the world but me.  🙄

It may not have been wildly popular, but I like the song, like the message …

Shower The People
James Taylor

You can play the game and you can act out the part,
Even though you know it wasn’t written for you.
Tell me, how can you stand there with
Your broken heart ashamed of playing the fool?
One thing can lead to another; it doesn’t take any sacrifice.
Oh, father and mother,
Sister and brother, if it feels nice, don’t think twice,
Just shower the people you love with
Love, show them the way that you feel.
Things are gonna work out fine if you only will do as I say, just
Shower the people you love with love, show them the way you feel.
Things are gonna be much better if you only will.

You can run but you cannot hide, this is widely known.
Tell me, what you plan to do with your
Foolish pride when you’re all by yourself, alone.
Once you tell somebody the way that you
Feel, you can feel it beginning to ease.
I think it’s true what they say about
The squeaky wheel always getting the grease.
Better to shower the people you love
With love, show them the way that you feel.
Things are gonna be just fine if you
Only will what I’d like to do to you.
Shower the people you love with love, show them the way that you feel.
Things are gonna be much better if you only will.

Shower the people you love with love, show them the way that you feel.
You’ll feel better right away.
Don’t take much to do, sell you pride.
They say in every life,
They say the rain must fall, just like pouring rain, make it rain.
Make it rain, love, love, love is sunshine, oh yes,
Make it rain, love, love, love is sunshine. Everybody, everybody.

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Taylor James V
Shower The People lyrics © Country Road Music, Country Road Music Inc