I woke up with the mournful words from Steven Stills' "Find the Cost of Freedom" playing in my mind...As I got out of bed, I started intoning them...and sang them as I drove from home to Hempstead Lake State Park for today's Tuesday Tai Chi class with friends... "Find the cost of Freedom buried in the ground... Mother Earth will swallow you... Lay your body down..." Find The Cost of Freedom - Cover by École FACE, Montréal (03:54) "How many deaths will it take... ...before we know that too many people have died..."? Singer, poet and prophet Bob Dylan raises this question in "Blowin' in the Wind." Blowin' in the Wind (Lyrics) by Bob Dylan (02:42) I had several ideas for this second in this Independence Day series. As I sat, asked for inspiration and followed some initial ideas...I kept coming back to this... ...Children as Victims of War "I see all of Southeast Asia I can see El Salvador I hear the cries of children And the other songs of war It's like a mighty melody That rings down from the sky Standing here upon the moon I watch it all roll by - all roll by" --"Standing on the Moon" - Grateful Dead "Children" - Sadly, they are also to be counted among the casualties of war...whether directly, as in their deaths...or, indirectly, in the deaths of their parents and other caregivers...Read on... Is this your Dad or mine? Molly Tuttle - Standing On The Moon (Grateful Dead Cover - Official Music Video) (04:59) I used Molly's song in yesterday's "Lunar See..." post. As I listened again today, I posted these comments to her musical ode on the casualties of war and hate: Thank you for this mournful warning about the effects of war and hate. I've used it in two posts - including one for today - American Independence Day. As I listened now, I heard the "I'd rather be with you..." as spoken by the victims of war to those they left behind. These victims are men, women and, YES, children. Also, hearing you - a woman - sing it amplifies the effect...as women first labored and birthed these now-dead lives into being. Jerry is also smiling down. Gratefully, a 75-year young Deadhead. Ukraine's childrens' lost childhood... "War is not the answer...Only love can conquer hate..." - Marvin Gaye (03:59) The historical record is replete with records of men harming their fellow men...NOW, due to modern technology, we can actually view horrific images of carnage and hear first-hand stories from the victims - many of them children. Children of war: Ukraine’s families torn apart by Russia’s invasion (06:51) The old spiritual "Down by the Riverside" intones: "Ain't gonna study war no more..." - Playing for Change (04:00) Yet, in the "Children of war" video and the following photos from it, we hear the children of Ukraine, though displaced from their regular classroom studies by the war, are learning field lessons in STUDYING WAR, such as how to safely handle munitions. "Price of Freedom" - Zakhar Valaha Music (05:06) --a moving instrumental with accompanying images of the victims of war, including the young...and elderly... One year under siege in Ukraine, Part 1: Children of the war | Nightline (13:51) includes these scenes... Out of the mouths of children.... WAR ON TERROR Let the video tell the story...link follows these images... Over There Theme Song (02:32) The Children´s War Victims Monument Website An academic sculptor professor Marie Uchytilová was deeply touched by the tragedy of the crime in Lidice, Czechoslovakia. In 1969 she decided to create bronze monument of Lidice children that should be also understood as A Monument of children’s war victims. (see next link for more about this tragedy) SOURCE SOURCE Lidice was a small Czech town located about 12 miles (20 km) from Prague. In June 1942, German forces annihilated Lidice. They razed the town to the ground and murdered or deported its residents. The annihilation of Lidice was an act of revenge for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, a prominent Nazi official. Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum For Further Reflection Six grave violations against children in times of war - UNICEF June 4, 2023 --How children have become frontline targets in armed conflicts. [from intro - lots more in the article] From widespread killing, maiming, abduction and sexual violence to recruitment into armed groups and strikes on schools and hospitals, as well as essential water facilities – children living in conflict zones around the world continue to come under attack on a shocking scale. To better monitor, prevent, and end these attacks, the United Nations Security Council has identified and condemned six grave violations against children in times of war: Killing and maiming of children; recruitment or use of children in armed forces and armed groups; attacks on schools or hospitals; rape or other grave sexual violence; abduction of children; and denial of humanitarian access for children. Armed forces and armed groups are required by international humanitarian law to take measures to protect civilians, including children, who are particularly vulnerable during times of war. Children in War and Conflict - UNICEF [from beginning of article] In war, children suffer most... Over 400 million children live in countries where there is war or other violent conflicts. Often forced to flee their homes in search of safety, many remain displaced for extended periods of time. Some are orphaned or separated from parents and caregivers. Over half of all civilians killed by landmines and explosive remnants of war are children. Verified attacks on children have tripled since 2010. UNICEF is meeting urgent needs of children impacted by wars in Syria, Ukraine and Yemen. Recurring violence also endangers children in Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria, South Sudan and Sudan. Boko Haram, a violent Islamist insurgency, has terrorized communities around West Africa's Lake Chad Basin for years. In all of these countries and regions, UNICEF is there, delivering lifesaving support. Children are especially vulnerable to abuse, exploitation and trafficking during emergencies and armed conflicts. And as violence against children increases, perpetrators are rarely held accountable for the killing, maiming, sexual violence, abductions and armed recruitment of children, or for attacks on schools and hospitals. The Annotated "Standing On the Moon" An installment in The Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics. By David Dodd 1997-98 Research Associate, Music Dept., Univ. of California at Santa Cruz David is my SME for all things Dead. Check out this post from yesterday for more about this song: Join Me for some LUNAR SEE that's sure to leave us HOWLIN' at the Moon... Refer to my blog for others in this series. As of 7/5/23 there are 2 more. #music #war #children #UNICEF #Ukraine #Lidice #MollyTuttle #GratefulDead #DavidDodd #BobDylan #ZakharValahaMusic #PlayingForChange #MarvinGaye #Iraq #WarOnTerror

As I took in last evening’s annual Macy’s 4th of July Parade, I wasn’t TAKEN IN by the festivities excitement… Rather, I was…and still AM…deeply disappointed that the hopeful messages that WE THE PEOPLE were given, amidst fanfare and fireworks… Sadly, ain’t a reality for many in our nation...As the old song goes: "It ain't necessarily so..." We saw a colorful palette of presenters and participants on and off the staged event. Maybe someday what those Harlem children and others sang about will actually be a reality… I was especially saddened that the young members on the television and those in the home audiences were NOT shown the harsh truth of how work still needs to be done to FORM the more perfect union that was alluded to. Sadly, I expect that many ordinary people are still very uninFORMed about this truth. At the same time, I AM encouraged that I’m fortunate to be among people who ARE working diligently to bring this more perfect union into FORMation… On a positive note, my favorite part of the evening’s festivities was the MOTOWN REVIEW. The performers‘ energy actually got me to move away from my writing desk, and I got up and began to “Dance to the Music”…Here's a teaser... Sly & The Family Stone "Everyday People & Dance To The Music" on The Ed Sullivan Show (01:33) Just what the truth is...We can't tell anymore...SO... ...Let's tell it from the mountain...from sea to shining sea... Higher Ground (Stevie Wonder) | Playing For Change | Song Around the World (04:53) Here's the TRUTH: We gotta wake the sleepers...beginning with OURSELVES... Let's find ways to work together to remove the bottlenecks to peace and harmony among all peoples...EXCEPT, the bottlenecks on our weapons of change: Our GUITARS: Viewer Discretion Advised: If there isn't any "FUN" in your FUNdamentalism, you probably won't like this next parody and consider their "scat" as "scatological" because it's not "theological"...their version, that is... Some have seen this song as controversial...and an equal opportunity offender... Nat King Cole and Cab Calloway "Ain't Necessarily So" (05:16) Imagine with me that this next song is a wake up call... Sadly, in the Blue Brothers movie scene that features this number, fullback Jim Brown leaves the playing field and Aretha to hang out with his buddies...BUT... They're on a mission from G-d...AND...They, as WE THE PEOPLE do...We never ask questions when G-d's on our side... THINK - Aretha Franklin (1968) (02:27) For God and Country: Mixing Politics and Religion is an often toxic combination for WE the ORDINARY people… Last night's songs included some lyrics that mentioned G-d's blessings on our land...Slippery slope...Let's take a further look...BUT, let's watch our steps as this is definitely NOT Higher Ground... Don't be afraid...there's more TRUTH inside... With G-d on our Side: The Doctrine of Discovery, unHoly Roman Empire & other matters... Jan. 2023 Refer to my blog for others in this series. As of 7/5/23 there are 2 more. #music #humor #Macys #parade #discrimination #SlyFamilyStone #ArethaFranklin #NatKingCole #CabCalloway #BluesBrothers #StevieWonder #PlayingForChange

UPDATED 7/3/23 8:30 pm ET Was just outside in the field - nothing yet.While there, I met guy who saw last night's big orange Moon and said he saw it about 9-9:30. EXTRA...EXTRA: TONIGHT'S the night to view the first of several 2023 SUPERMOONS WHEN TO VIEW: TODAY JULY 3 - look towards the southeast after sunset to watch it rise up into the evening sky. Find sunset (and sunrise) for your Zip code Livestream link from above - Click here July's full moon coming this holiday weekend — and it's a supermoon - USA Today (July 2, 2023) [from article] July’s full moon, a.k.a, "SUPER MOON," BUCK MOON," and "BLUE MOON," will be biggest on the nights of Sunday July 2 and Monday July 3. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the moon will hit its peak illumination at 7:39 a.m. on Monday July 3. It will be below the horizon at that precise moment, the Almanac said, so plan to look towards the southeast after sunset to watch it rise up into the evening sky. 4 Supermoons, 1 Blue Supermoon on 2023 Lunar Calendar Now on with today's MUSIC-FILLED show...Soooo many orbits...paths to take...mellow...raucous... First up is a country tune I heard after I'd written the post. It contains such simple and profound wisdom, great finger pickin' and cool animation...that I'm leading off with it... Howlin' at the Moon - Runaway Express (03:49) How 'bout startin' with a "SINthesis"? Moons, Wolves, Blues, Grateful Dead... This first song was part of an email exchange with my friend Steve who lives out at the end of this island. I've mentioned him before...A fellow surfer...was part of our expedition to Callie in 1969...the one where we and other friends watched the first landin' on the Moon in a Sir George's Smorgasbord restaurant near the Pacific Coast Highway...A fellow V-Duber (he had a Beetle, I a Bus), Steve introduced me to the art of what he liked to call "playing with cars"...This became my career path...I still have my first automotive Bible (C below). THANKS, FRIEND!!! In this musical exchange between two "Friends of Jerry," Steve introduced me to two new songs that our band covered and performed: "Werewolves of London" and "Smokestack Lightning." As part of my "job," I love learning about the history and backstories of both the music and the artists who created the tunes. Howlin' Wolf - "Smokestack Lightning" Live 1964 (Reelin' In The Years Archives) (05:49) Where a Wolf??? EVERYWHERE from the UK to the USA Werewolves of London ☮ Grateful Dead, 4/24/78 - HD/HQ (07:37) Bit of a werewolf fest with the Grateful Dead....This YouTuber ALWAYS delivers!!! See how many TV shows and films you can find among his CREATUREtivity... (Here are some hints...) ...AND laffs GORE lore... The SHE Wolf's got you under her thumb... Dylan Tom Thumb Blues Sweet Melinda The peasants call her the goddess of gloom She speaks good English And she invites you up into her room And you're so kind And careful not to go to her too soon And she takes your voice And leaves you howling at the moon. Tom Thumb's Blues w/lyrics illustrated - sung by Jim Byrnes (04:57) --Ramblin' Jack, Judy Collins, Neil Young, Grateful Dead, Nina Simone, Linda Ronstadt, Bryan Ferry and Jim Byrnes are just a few of the artists who have covered this Bob Dylan song. "Hears" this ode sung with a woman's voice... Crowes Pasture duo covers Bob Dylan's "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" (05:06) As I listened again to these words, "I'm going back to New York City...I do believe I've had enough..." I was reminded of my 1975 decision to leave a good-paying state job in California and move back to New York. See, I went there as part of my attempts to "find myself"...Seems, what I was looking for, wasn't there. Although, I was able to complete my undergraduate education...3 colleges and 10 years later... What I didn't know...was that this decision would lead to a most important one - to join my hands and heart to Eileen. Later, she would say that she KNEW I'd be back for her. Though we had dated prior to leaving for the Coast, I didn't know... The "I do believe" was transformed into a mutual exchange of rings and "I DO's" Children's Bedtime Stories Goodnight Moon – 🌕 Read aloud of classic kids book with music in fullscreen HD (02:53) Eileen and I always enjoyed reading this with John. Part of the fun was trying the find the mouse on each page... As I watched again, I can see what as a "friend of Jerry" I saw connections to the animal lore in our tribe...For starters, there are the three little bears...Next, there's artist Stanley Mouse...AND, there's even a white rabbit... I chose this clip from his tale because of my surfin' safari years. It also reminded me of the Moondoggie character from the 1959 film Gidget. Yusuf / Cat Stevens – Moonshadow (Animated Short Film) (05:35) Let's Change our Vantage Point...Astronauts...Earthrise... The Story Behind Apollo 8's Famous Earthrise Photo - NASA --includes 6:46 video taken from that historic flight Be sure to EXPAND the video for maximum impace On December 24, 1968, Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders became the first humans to witness the Earth rising above the moon's barren surface. Now we can relive the astronauts' experience, thanks to data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. In the audio track from this voyage, the words "far side of the Moon" were mentioned. Here's a fitting song...You're on your own for Pink Floyd's space adventures... Tinashe - Far Side Of The Moon (04:26) Let's Change our Vantage Point...CosmicNauts... ...the Dark Side of the Grateful Dead Moon... "Standing on the Moon" The best, most affecting song from what proved to be the Dead’s final studio album, this gentle ballad features perhaps Garcia’s finest latter-day vocal. In his memoir, Lesh noted, “Jerry … had started using again” during the Built to Last sessions, which he called “a brier patch of egotistical contention.” But Garcia, working from a sensitive Hunter lyric about a homesick space traveler, transcended — or utilized — those troubles to sing with heartbreaking poignancy. In concert, he’d repeat the line “be with you” with sacred fervor, summoning a strength that was in sadly short supply elsewhere in his life. SOURCE: RollingStone (Aug. 6, 2020 - part of the annual Jerry Garcia Week celebrations) Standing On The Moon was first performed by the Grateful Dead on February 5, 1989. It was then played regularly through to the last performance of the song in June 1995. In total the song was played just over 50 times. Robert Hunter commented on the creation of Standing On The Moon in an interview with Steve Silberman; Standing On The Moon was one of those neat, sweet, quick things, like It Must Have Been The Roses, where the whole picture just came to me, and I grabbed a piece of paper and got it down. No changes, no nothin'. Out of the head of Zeus, full-born and clad in armor. Jerry Garcia spoke about Standing On The Moon in an interview with Blair Jackson in 1989; .... it's one of those thing where I don't know what it is I like about it, but there's something I like about it very much. It's an emotional reality; it isn't linguistics. It's something about that moment of the soul. To have those words coming out of my mouth puts me in a very specific place, and there's a certain authenticity there that I didn't want to disturb. By keeping it simple it allows what actually produced the song to be visible as possible to the listener, so just the song is there. SOURCE: DeadDisc.com Grateful Dead Pittsburgh 6-30-95 Three Rivers Stadium (2:12:52) - go to 1:54:00 (ending at 2:04:12) to hear his last performance of Standing on the Moon...a moon-ful...mournful tune... - I chose it because it's a live performance...Jerry would leave Earth in just a few short weeks..."Who knows where the time goes?" IF we can do amazing feats like stand on the Moon, WHY can't we live IN PEACE with one another here on Earth??? Jerry, a few years earlier... Grateful Dead - Standing On The Moon 7-7-89 (08:11) Now, let's switch the singer's gender... Molly Tuttle - Standing On The Moon (Grateful Dead Cover - Official Music Video) (04:59) There are so many other covers...BUT, I fell under the spell of the graphics in this one...Ahh...Ooooo!!! "It's the same story the CROW told me..." "Blue Moon Revisited" - Cowboy Junkies (04:23) From my license plate collection... DIRE WOLF (Can't-make-this-stuff-up department and NO it's not in the inside after-show gift shop...or the outside one (parking lot)... The dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus[10]/iːˈnɒsaɪ.ɒnˈdaɪrəs/) is an extinct canine. It is one of the most famous prehistoric carnivores in North America, along with its extinct competitor Smilodon. The dire wolf lived in the Americas and eastern Asia during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene epochs (125,000–9,500 years ago). The species was named in 1858, four years after the first specimen had been found. Two subspecies are recognized: Aenocyon dirus guildayi and Aenocyon dirus dirus. The largest collection of its fossils has been obtained from the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. SOURCE: Wikipedia His descendants have been seen lurking around LA's club scene... Next, also from my license plate collection Dire Wolf - The Grateful Dead Live at Winterland- 12/23/70 HD (03:59) Let's Climb a Little Higher to the Mountains of the Moon Grateful Dead "Mountains Of The Moon" Playboy After Dark (05:51) --While their acoustic musicianship is "Grate," I couldn't help be disturbed by the predatory nature of the business that hosted them...Yet another example of night club wolves...these dressed in tuxedos... "It's a buck dancer's choice my friend..." Just 'cause the word "buck" appears in the lyrics... Uncle John's Band Jimmy Buffett 6/20/2009 (04:45) Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band plays a Grateful Dead cover "Uncle John's Band" live at Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ on 6/20/2009. Stay til the end for his comments...That party was JUST gettin' started... Mellow...Yellow...BLUE... Just because... Donovan - Mellow Yellow (Live Royal Variety Performance 1981) Rare Footage (03:22) LIFTOFF... Gonna send us off...with a favorite artist playing a favorite instrument of transformation - the HANDPAN. I'm drafting a post now that's dedicated to this amazing tool. I've been using it during my kundalini yoga practices...I do these at hOMMMMe... I imagine our indigenous ancestors playing similarly as they marveled at the heavenly light displays... FYI - If reversed, the didgeridoo can be used as a telescope... The didgeridoo is a wind instrument, played with vibrating lips to produce a continuous drone while using a special breathing technique called circular breathing. The didgeridoo was developed by Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia at least 1,000 years ago, and is now in use around the world, though still most strongly associated with Indigenous Australian music.Wikipedia Blue Moon | Yatao | Handpan & Didgeridoo (06:17) Malte Marten on the pan & Alexander Mercks on the "tube"...Collectively, they're know as "Yatao." Grateful Dead...After Hours "I see all of Southeast Asia I can see El Salvador I hear the cries of children And the other songs of war It's like a mighty melody That rings down from the sky Standing here upon the moon I watch it all roll by - all roll by" --"Standing on the Moon" "Children" - Sadly, they are also to be counted among the casualties of war...whether directly, as in their deaths...or, indirectly, in the deaths of their parents and other caregivers... As Dylan laments in "Blowin' in the Wind", "How many deaths will it take til we know that too many people have died...?" #music #humor #children #NASA #GratefulDead #MollyTuttle #Yatao #MalteMarten #AlexanderMercks #Donovan #JimmyBuffett #CowboyJunkies #HowlinWolf #BobDylan #CrowesPasture #YusufCatStevens #Tinashe #RunawayExpress

For all my vegan & vegetarian friends at Witches Brew Coffee House (West Hempstead)...Thanks...for your great offerings - even DESSERTS (spelled with 2 s's 'cause you'll always want seconds!) First...the disclaimer: In the making of this post... FLESH EATERS, PREPARE TO "MEAT" YOUR MAKER... Colonel Sandurz (below right) couldn't get past the Pearly Gate - so he is destined to drift forever through time and space...in this craft... SPACEBALLS Clip - "Mr. Coffee" (1987) Rick Moranis (06:26) HAVE FUN STORMING THE CASTLE... The name of this establishment served up this classic scene from one of my favorite flics: The Princess Bride Blu-ray CLIP - Have Fun Storming The Castle (2012) - Cary Elwes Movie HD (02:12) ...and the reference to "mostly dead" combined with Billy Crystal's closing comments...put this tune on the turntable: For A.J. and other members of the Gratefully Dead tribe...feel free to join the audience for the call and response fun... Dr. Bob is our lead miracle worker... Grateful Dead [4K Remaster] - I Need A Miracle - The Closing Of Winterland - 1978 - 12 - 31 [SBD] (11:19) SEE HOW THEY LOVE...TO DEVOUR ONE OTHER... Ronald McDonalds Take Over KFC (00:39) Heath's image reminded me of Jack's and another, yet departed, half-assed (fast food) "food" establishment: CLOWN GETS THE AXE... Jack in the Box "Jack Explodes" commercial from 1980 (00:27) --and look who's his executioner? Chucky...nah, not that Chucky...Chuck McCann... Uhh...I'm not making fun of this next restaurateur...His hands are faster and deadlier than his food... FREE PRIZE...GAME....IN EVERY BAG ...Act now while supplies last...AND, you're still ALIVE... RONALD MCDONALD VIDEO GAME: KILL HIM BEFORE HE KILLS(POISONS) YOU (07:38) FOR THOSE LIKE ME WHO ARE ALREADY "CHOCK FULL O'NUTS ...and love the many alternatives... Hmmm...??? Here's some advice...so we don't... The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again (Shepperton Studios / 1978) (09:09) The song's anti-war messages inspired these thoughts... The setting for this song - possibly an underground coffee house - is the type of place frequently associated with a long history of brewing change...revolution... "I ain't gonna study war no more Study war no more Ain't gonna study war no more" The Seekers Study War No More 1967 (01:36) The American Civil Rights movement applied this version of the original 1918 hymn: "Down By the Riverside" (Study War No More) (04:45) TAKE A GANDER AT THEIR IMPROPER GANDA... McDonald's Hamburgers - "Our Kind of Place" (Commercial, 1967) (01:01) THIS NEXT MEME THORLY NEEDS A CAPTION...GOT ONE? "GOD" IS "DOG" SPELLED BACKWARDS SURPRISE!!! BACON YER PARDON...I'M NOT YET FULLY CONVERTED... NO MATTER...WE CAN ALL AGREE ON THE MERITS OF THIS HEAVENLY BEVERAGE ...and it gets even sweeter... FOR RICHIE AND MY OTHERS FRIENDS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT Uh...will this next meme...mean I'll have to return the PBA cards? A PERSON'S BEST FRIEND ...time to pull the covers off my sleepy caretaker... LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE These previous images brought this classic song to mind...As I listened, I remembered hearing some folks talk about how people that follow the vegan and vegetarian lifestyles tend to resonate with those who attempt to BE peace-filled and bring PEACE to our shared world...Hear our prayers... Crosby, Stills, Nash (& Young) || Woodstock (We Are Stardust) (04:25) Note: I chose this video for it's depictions of the heavens...FYI - On July 3 pour planet will experience a SUPER MOON...Stay tuned to my channel for a cool post that's developing... "FOOD" FOR THOUGHT... And, as the warning notes in the image... if you ARE trying to conceive...don't be a dick... DINING DISCOGRAPHY Dis kid need an agent...His message is good...but the delivery... I'M VEGAN!!! DIE, MEAT-EATERS!!! SONG by MISHA (01:40) Ahh...Dis guy and da next mon...got da reggae vibe...smooth delivery...Jah know what I mean? King Bach - Vegan (Official Video) (02:33) Chezidek - Vegan Style [Official Video 2019] (03:35) Next on the Menu My sister Peggy unknowingly contributed some funny memes that led to a sequel... Vegan Leftovers - coming soon to an eatery near you... #music #humor #WitchesBrewCoffeeHouse #vegan #vegetarian ##McDonalds #RonaldMcDonald #BurgerKing #WhiteCastle #Wendys #ColonelSanders #KentuckyFriedChicken #JackInTheBox #Spaceballs #PrincessBride #TheJoker #HeathLedger #JackNicholson #ChuckECheese #GratefulDead #TheWho #TheSeekers #KingBach #Chezidek #Misha #war #peace #pacificism #racism

CAPTAIN'S LOG: Star Date: 062723 Memo to Crew and Readers: TIME-SENSITIVE...For immediate attention!!! Through June 30, Prime is streaming free for members all 10 episodes of Season 1 "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds." After that, it will move to a new quadrant of our online galaxy: Paramount+ - which is already hosting Season 2. Captain out! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ On the recommendation of Michael, a good friend, Eileen and I have watched the first 8 episodes of Season 1. We are caught in its tractor beam...we love it. From the opening episode, it's addressing various forms of discrimination. Seems this ages-old practice is not limited to Earth. This new series does what some science fiction does - it uses its story lines and characters to serve as a mirror to our current civilization (or lack of civilization). If this kind of storytelling interests you, you can watch all 10 episodes of Season 1 for free on Prime UNTIL JUNE 30. Thereafter, Season 1 and 2 are moving to Paramount +. Season 2 just launched during Pride Month. If you’re concerned about time, each episode is about 45 minutes. You can save a little time by pressing the “skip intro” on-screen button. And, for those who don't like to waste time, here’s a place to deposit the time you’ve saved: Jim Croce - Time In A Bottle Lyrics-HQ Preparing for our Journey to the Stars...Ad astra... I selected this Salon article for its effective handling of various forms of discrimination as portrayed in the current and former versions of the Star Trek franchise. It'll help us appreciate what's being presented to us: past and present...and future... Captain's Personal Log: A friend recently remarked that my "Happy Further's Day" post seemed different from others. Here's the essence of my reply to him: Because of the subject matter, it was a very easy post to let channel through me. See, it originated from a text I had sent to our son that morning - in which I thanked him for all the ways he had helped me go further. Other posts, like those where I'm first a STUDENT of something I've not previously considered...with these, I often rely on others with more experience to say what I'm trying to say...and then build my post around their offerings. I'm doing that here by using the Salon.com piece to form my "warp core." I'm also recently practicing WAITING...WAITING...until the inspiration to continue drws me back to the keyboard... "Drawn...not driven..." How "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" uses Rebecca Romijn's Number One to place prejudice on trial - Salon.com (June 23, 2023) In her article, Ms. McFarland mentions this episode from year 3 of the original Star Trek series. It aired on Jan. 10, 1969. Let That Be Your Last Battlefield --In the episode, the Enterprise encounters two survivors of a war-torn planet, each half black and half white (though on opposite sides from each other), each committed to destroying the other. The episode guest-stars Lou Antonio and Frank Gorshin. Excerpts from Salon.com article (with some adds): Outdated Federation and Starfleet laws are called into question One element of recent "Star Trek" chapters that I've appreciated is their willingness to question the ways the Federation and Starfleet fail to live up to their vaunted utopian strivings. Inconsistent as "Picard" could be, it handles its hero's disillusionment with Starfleet's disinclination to take responsibility for massive moral failings, and his own, quite capably. It will be fascinating to see how "Ad Astra per Aspera" plays in the longer term. Within the wider "Star Trek" legacy, it continues Gene Roddenberry's tradition of holding a mirror to humanity in the present from the imagined perspective of our future selves. Pre-"Discovery," the franchise was hesitant to confront racism directly – which isn't to say its writers were capable of doing that particularly well. The original's famously maladroit "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield," with its adversaries whose faces were painted white and black on opposite sides, is kindly remembered as well-intentioned and poorly executed. Within the wider "Star Trek" legacy, "Ad Aspera per Aspera" continues Gene Roddenberry's tradition of holding a mirror to humanity in the present from the imagined perspective of our future selves. At least it tried. Among the second generation "Trek" titles, it fell to "Deep Space Nine" and Captain Benjamin Sisko, the first Black commanding officer to star in a "Star Trek" series, to specifically take on anti-Black discrimination with the sixth season episode "Far Beyond the Stars" in 1998. But the Brooks-directed "Far Beyond the Stars" doesn't veil its aims. Sisko hallucinates that he's a Black science fiction writer in 1953 named Benjamin Russell working for a magazine called Incredible Tales. He and a female staffer are discriminated against at work; among other slights, he's banned from taking part in a staff photo because, as his boss explains, "as far as our readers are concerned, Benny Russell is as white as they are." He's also harassed by white cops who later end u killing a friend of his and beating him. Eventually Benny Russell is fired for writing a story about Black space station captain – Sisko — triggering a nervous breakdown that snaps him back to the presumably more equitable 24th century. Remembering "Far Beyond The Stars" - Startrek.com --An extraordinary show, directed by Avery Brooks, it gave us a Prophets-inspired vision of 1950s science-fiction writer Benny Russell struggling to overcome racism and prejudice as he aspires to tell the adventures of Benjamin Sisko, who, centuries in the future, captains a certain space station. The episode works on so many levels. It’s pure science-fiction. It’s fantastic Star Trek. It’s a showcase for Brooks as both a performer and director. Episode can be rented on Vudu. Salon.com article excerpts continue... The Illyrians' struggles are similar to those contending with the material and psychological impact of anti-trans legislation, victims of antisemitic violence or families affected by the previous administration's Muslim bans, to cite three examples. Life in her childhood colony sounds a lot like the Jim Crow South, and the local government's solution is basically a resurrection of Apartheid. It can't be accidental that Neera and the other Illyrian in this episode (besides Una) are played by people of color. Or that two of the Starfleet personnel directly involved with the trial are portrayed by Black actors – Admiral Robert April (Adrian Holmes) and a Vulcan judge (Eugene Clark) sitting on the tribunal. These choices signal intent rather than specifically stating it. "Slavery was once legal. Apartheid was legal," Neera says in her opening statement. "Discrimination against people for how they worshipped, how they loved, their gender, color of their skin, all legal at one time or another." One gets the sense that we're not merely meant to absorb the surface meaning of those words. We're supposed to read the room where she cites these examples before arriving at her conclusion: A law does not make something just. "If a law is not just," she concludes, "then I ask: How are we to trust those who created that law to serve justice?" It will be fascinating to see how "Ad Astra per Aspera" plays in the longer term. Governments and systems, and the people who most benefit from those structures governing bodies put into place, do not easily yield to voices that question their rectitude, especially when those structures claim to represent equality and an ideal way of life. (end of salon.com excerpts) "...do not easily yield to voices that question their rectitude..." ...an old tale that's echoed in the classic "For What It's Worth"... Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth - Lyrics (02:49) "Per aspera ad astra" Also happens to be the state motto of Kansas... Music for Space Travel Gotta keep up my reputation for including tunes in my tales...So... Last night Eileen and I watched Episode 7. It featured space pirates. This morning, before I went to the lake for our Tuesday Tai Chi adventures, I had a fragment of a familiar song in mind and searched for a song with "space pirates". Fortunately, Obi-Wise (Guru Google) took command of my ship's search engine and redirected my course to "Space Cowboy"... ...same message as in this tale's title... ...Repeated in case we didn't get the message before... Space Cowboy - Steve Miller Band (04:59) ...Stay tuned in for these next installments...for "discriminating" audiences... Jews in Space - 1: Humorists Jews in Space - 2: Scientists & Musicians #music #humor #racism #discrimination #StarTrek #JimCroce #SteveMillerBand #saloncom #BuffaloSpringfield

Our children are sent here to stretch us…awaken us…bring us FURTHER…Regardless of the choices they make or don’t make… The ensuing reflections developed after I sent our son John an early morning text thanking him for his many invitations to me to go FURTHER...a few accompanied by heel marks… Rules for our Road Trip/Exploration into FURTHER 1. Let’s first notice and then put aside the DUALISTIC part of our rational minds: with its preference for black or white labels: good/bad, success/failure, forward/backward, pass/fail… 2. Next, instead of looking at our lives in a linear, straight line way, let’s try using a circular looking-glass method…like Alice… LAUNCH: Let’s leave the familiarity of the shore (what we know) with its solid ground… …and picture ourselves…on a boat on a river… Oops, imagine ourselves in the center of a circle and, as we go further from this center, experience that there isn’t any forward or backward, left or right… We’re simply RIPPLES radiating out from this center… TWO TALES ABOUT OUR CHILDREN'S CHOICES... SOWING In this next image I mused about the positioning of the crow with “the wayside.”. See, the wise crow speaks in some Grateful Dead tunes and some folks feel that those who follow this band – like me - are there…"wayward"... “Wayside” is not the same as “wayward”… It's the same story the crow told me It's the only one he know Like the morning sun you come And like the wind you go --Uncle John's Band FALLING...Prodigal Sons and Daughters… …Turning right and wrong and good and bad on its head… …┴nɹuᴉuƃ ɹᴉƃɥʇ ɐup ʍɹouƃ ɐup ƃoop ɐup qɐp ou ᴉʇs ɥǝɐp… We Learn by Doing It Wrong (3/27/23) Father Richard describes the futility of trying to “fix” ourselves: The genius of Twelve Step programs is that they situate powerlessness and surrender right where they belong—at the beginning. They teach how sin or addiction are overcome not through willpower or by control, but much more by recognizing that we are powerless to overcome them. For example, we don’t become charitable by willpower, by saying to ourselves, “Be charitable!” Rather, we recognize the moments when we were totally uncharitable, and we weep over them. That doesn’t feel like power at all, does it? No one wants to go there. Any talk of growth, achievement, climbing, improving, and progress highly appeals to the ego. But the only way we stay on the path with any authenticity is to constantly experience our incapacity to do it, our failure at doing it. That’s what makes us, to use my language, fall upward. Otherwise, we’re really not climbing; we’re just thinking we’re climbing by saying to ourselves, “Look, I’m better today. Look, I’m holier than I was last week. Look, my prayer is improving.” That really doesn’t teach us anything or lead us anywhere new. In contrast, it is recognizing, “Richard, you don’t know how to love at all” that keeps me on the path of love. Constant failure at loving is ironically and paradoxically what keeps us learning how to love. When we think we’re there, there’s nothing to learn. This is the genius of what Paul calls “the folly of the cross” (1 Corinthians 1:18), the folly of failure: that it doesn’t give us the satisfaction that our egos want. I don’t know if I am growing. I don’t know if I am “deepening my relationship with Jesus,” as Christians love to say. I hope I am, but any smug satisfaction in that is not going to do me or Jesus any good. But every day, knowing that I have not yet begun to love Jesus? That constant experience of littleness is the Franciscan way. It’s also the way of one of my other favorite saints, Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897). She called it her “Little Way.” She makes it very clear in small examples how it was failing to love every day that kept her on the path of love. She taught that remaining close to Jesus requires “bearing in peace the trial of not pleasing yourself.” [1] Who would have thought that? That is so counterintuitive! Yet what it reveals is that a lot of us Christians have sought—without knowing it—a certain self-satisfaction, a certain smugness. We think, “I’m a good Christian. I go to church on Sunday. I read the Bible. I love Jesus.” And that’s why we still have racism, sexism, homophobia, and classism at the highest levels. Christianity has too often shown itself to be well-disguised narcissism. I congratulate Bill Wilson and Twelve-Step spirituality, because just like Thérèse of Lisieux, they named it. They said powerlessness is the beginning of the spiritual journey. TEACH OUR CHILDREN... These lyrics contain instructions for BOTH parents AND their children…I was initially tempted to delineate their voices…but I’m leaving that to you… "Teach Your Children" You, who are on the road Must have a code That you can live by And so become yourself Because the past is just a goodbye Teach your children well Their father's hell Did slowly go by And feed them on your dreams The one they pick's The one you'll know by Don't you ever ask them, "Why?" If they told you, you would cry So, just look at them and sigh And know they love you And you of tender years (Can you hear and do you care) Can't know the fears (And can you see) That your elders grew by (We must be free) And so please help (To teach your children) Them with your youth (What you believe in) They seek the truth (Make a world) Before they can die (That we can live in) Teach your parents well Their children's hell Will slowly go by And feed them on your dreams The one they pick's The one you'll know by Don't you ever ask them, "Why?" If they told you, you would cry So, just look at them and sigh And know they love you Feed them on your dreams… Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Teach Your Children (Official Music Video) (02:54) REIMAGINING A CREATION STORY... One of my current perspectives on this tale… In the beginning, G-d was ONE…but felt alONE…so, THEY (another change) thought… ...let’s place ourselves into matter so WE can experience MORE…So...the whole material world was in-breathed with spirit... Note in this next graphic how the designer of this image left out Day 7. Probably, a “DOER” and didn’t want to intimate that G-d RESTED…The dude obviously doesn’t know that G-d is into the UNION business - as represented by the image of the TRINITY…and has …a day off WITH pay… Barbara H, John P and all present and former union members...I know you’ll enjoy this… Secret recipe ingredients… CIRCULARITY… “Little bit FURTHER than you gone before…” The Wheel Lyrics By: Robert Hunter Music By: Bill Kreutzmann The wheel is turning and you can't slow down You can't let go and you can't hold on You can't go back and you can't stand still If the thunder don't get you then the lightning will Won't you try just a little bit harder Couldn't you try just a little bit more Won't you try just a little bit harder Couldn't you try just a little bit more Round, round, Robin run around Gotta get back where you belong Little bit harder, just a little bit more Little bit further than you gone before Small wheel turning by the fire and rod Big wheel turning by the grace of God Every time that wheel turn round Bound to cover just a little more ground "The Wheel" - Jerry Garcia (04:02) "Ripple" w/Lyrics- The Grateful Dead (04:21) Grateful Dead - Ripple (Official Music Video) (04:24) Ripple - Karaoke with Lyrics - The Grateful Dead (04:18) ONE MORE SATURDAY NIGHT... For church goers, since this was posted on a Saturday night...singing this next tune will satisfy your Sunday obligation : ))) Note the visages on these rocking Saints... One More Saturday Night (Live at Jahrhundert Halle, Frankfurt, Germany, April 26, 1972) (05:44) Then God way up in heaven, for whatever it was worth Thought he'd have a big old party, thought he'd call it Planet Earth Don't worry about tomorrow, Lord, you'll know it when it comes When the rock and roll music meets the rising, shining sun Uh-huh, hey! Saturday night! One more Saturday night Hey, Saturday night! Uh-huh, hey! Saturday night! One more Saturday night Hey, Saturday night! MORE RIPPLES... FOR THOSE WHO ALSO FOLLOW RABBITS...OR LUCY... A truly Surrealistic pillow... Next tune is from the flip side of the album… When hearing these first two lines…recall what we said at the beginning about noticing then leaving behind our rational mind’s insistence on a world of black or white ORDER… When logic and proportion Have fallen sloppy dead And the White Knight is talking backwards And the Red Queen's off with her head Remember what the dormouse said Feed your head Feed your head While in a recent rabbit hole, I just discovered this band...let me know what you think...BUT, not with your rational mind... Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - White Rabbit (Live) (05:19) "Cirque Du Soleil Worlds Away" Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (02:34) FURTHER...FURTHUR...FATHER... Deserving a post of its own...the FURTHUR bus was part of Hippie History... Going Furthur Documentary Official Trailer (02:40) [from the description] Fifty years after the iconic first Trip, Ken Kesey’s son Zane took Furthur-and his father’s legacy-back on the road for its longest running tour in history. Armed with a new band of Merry Pranksters, the Furthur bus traveled over 15,000 miles in 75 days, riding into music festivals, community events, tribal gatherings and national landmarks. Get “On the Bus” as we experience first-hand the seeds sown by Ken and his crew, and how they’ve inspired a new generation. Through never-before-seen archive footage, as well as over 300 hours of film shot over the course of three months, Going Furthur will explore the roots of a culture birthed in the early sixties, and how the mission of those first few idealists have influenced the counterculture of today. Inspired by Furthur as a beacon of true American freedom, this will be an on-the-ground account of the massive potential we have in this generation to be the change we wish to see in the world. HOW WE'RE SPENDING FATHER'S DAY... ...at the Rock & Roll Playhouse... Celebrate Grateful Dad's/Father's Day "Course/Show" - 11 CEU's in Rock History - Port Washington, NY #music #humor #fathers #children #GratefulDead #JeffersonAirplane #MollyTuttle #GoldenHighway #Alice #SowerAndSeed #ProdigalSon #RichardRohr #CrosbyStillsNashYoung #creation #CirqueDeSoleil #HaileSelassie #RobertHunter #RockAndRollPlayhouse #LandmarkOnMainStreet #Furthur #MerryPranksters

Setting the stage (Start here): How flags unite (and divide) us | Michael Green - TED (15:18) - includes his full transcript Some of his points to consider [my added comments are in these square brackets]: Flags inherently create an IN group and one or more OUT groups So why, then, have all of these little laws [flag codes] around how we use our flag if you can't enforce them? And that's because a nation is a fragile collective idea. It only exists in our minds. Can I see this? Thank you. Sometimes a flag is the only tangible symbol of that idea. Right? Our unity is sometimes only held together by literal threads. And that's powerful. The flag code is meant to preserve and protect that fragile idea, while also protecting your right to break it. And that's what's special about the United States, right? And that's what's unique about our flag. Our flag is amazing. It has changed more than any other flag in the world. It's the flag code that says when a new state is created, a star shall be added to the union of the flag, and such addition shall take place on the fourth day of July. Our flag is unique because it is meant to grow as we grow. By design and by law, it is meant to change with us. It's a living symbol of our individuality, our diversity in the stars and our unity. We have a gift in the United States to have a flag that is inclusive. If the Nazi flag was an identity weapon, the United States flag, by design alone, stands in direct contrast. And I have to say, as a vexillologist [one who studies flags] in 2019, using this flag as an identity weapon against anyone disrespects it far more than letting it touch the ground or any one of the other little laws that we break every day. Right? This flag is a symbol of our unity. We should never use this as a weapon against someone else. I resonate so deeply with the person who wrote in Dread Scott's journal, "We should never value the symbol over the thing that it symbolizes. We should never value a piece of cloth over a human life." And if you're ever going to use a piece of cloth as a weapon, you should never use this one, not when it has always had room for more stars. Hopefully by now, you've felt the power of flags, and you can see what they can do. So what if we harnessed that power, and we used it to fight for something greater? This is the flag of Earth, designed by Oskar Pernefeldt of Sweden. [see next section for images from his TAD Talk] Just imagine with me for a second: What if we celebrated our humanity as much if not more than we celebrate our nationalities? As we become a spacefaring civilization and we go off into the stars, what do our nations mean anyway when you're standing on the surface of Mars or any other planet? And then of course, back here on Earth, as our planet is facing a climate crisis, as our climate could be unlivable in our children or grandchildren's lifetime, I believe we need a strong symbol, a flag, to unite us to fight, not just as nations, but as a species. The Flag of Earth Standing on the Moon... Michael Green's challenging closing remarks set the stage for the following personal comments. Before getting to these, please travel with me... Weir, Hornsby, and Marsalis Perform "Standing on the Moon" at Gathering of the Vibes 2012 (07:51) On July 21, 1969 my surfing friends and I were in a Sir George's Smorgasbord restaurant in Southern California for our weekly all-we-could-eat feast. The manager disliked us scarfing up his profits but the waitresses dug our tanned bodies, long hair and NY accents...It was here that we watched history in the making... As those who follow the band know (or are they following us???), the Dead were pioneering astronauts and hung out in space long before 1969. As an example, they had been to Mars. And while the album was released in 1974...they'd already been there and taken us with them... WANT MORE PROOF? Here's the flip side of the album: --one of many creations of Kelley/Mouse Studios. Read on... Artist's Success Story: Drop out... "In the tenth grade, Stanley did some graffiti on the high school hang out and was expelled from high school, the silver lining being that he then enrolled in art school." Here he combined his passion for muscle cars, rock music and monsters into an amazingly SUCCESSFUL career...More at the next link. Mouse Studios (Stanley Mouse) U. S. Blues (launches the "Mars Hotel" ship) Traveler: David Dodd is my subject matter expert for this band...and I'm forever Grateful... Greatest Stories Ever Told - "U.S. Blues" - David Dodd [from this article] It’s good for dancing, for singing along, and for setting the mind off on a variety of directions, largely through a wide range of lyrical allusions. Right off the bat, for instance, the listener gets the sense that this will be a rock and roll tune, since the reference to “Blue Suede Shoes” is unmistakable. So begins a lyric by Robert Hunter that went through a long evolutionary process, beginning as “Wave That Flag,” (see /song/wave-flag) and ending up as a collision of Americana from all directions, amazingly summarizing some things about our national character, if there is such a thing. Who would argue that we are a mish-mash of diverse cultures? This song refers to so much musical, theatrical, and political figures that we are left feeling both proud and somewhat bemused by our own past as a country. The Annotated "U.S. Blues" --An installment in The Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics. By David Dodd Grateful Dead - Drums/Space - 9/20/90 MSG (14:53) A Common Enemy Can Unite US... In the opening video, Michael Green's comments about uniting to protect our common home: Earth...inspired this section. How about banding together to protect our common home!!! Steve Forbert - "Good Planets Are Hard To Find" (Underground Garage Mix) (Lyric Video) (03:17) Extras Vexillology - Wikipedia --people who study the nature of flags. --Note the interconnected nature of the flag of the International Federation of Vexillological Associations What kind of tunes are we singing...Unity...or Division...??? Pink Floyd - Us And Them/Any Colour You Like/Brain Damage/Eclipse (15:49) Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon (Music Video) (14:27) Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth - Lyrics (02:49) I'm leaving us with HOPE and these "young people speaking their minds..." For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield Cover - Josh Turner Guitar (03:10) #music #humor #astronauts #MichaelGreen #GratefulDead #SirGeorgesSmorgasbord #moon #Mars #StanleyMouse #PinkFloyd #BuffaloSpringfield #Pogo #SteveForbert

UPDATED 6/17/23 My wife and I have lived in West Hempstead for over 25 years. We live on New York Avenue directly across from the George Washington Elementary School and love the multicultural nature of our neighborhood. Our son John attended school here from 5th through 12th grades, graduating in 2006. Besides his academic endeavors, he also enjoyed participating in music, playing trumpet and piano. NEVER cut funding for the arts!!! I walk around town every day...usually planning my route based on what plants are in bloom. Now 75, my day is complete if either of the following occurs: I get kissed by a dog...or I enjoy gazing back at a baby in a carriage. 6/17/23: Met these young activists earlier today at Stop & Shop taking things into their own hands and engaging shoppers and handing out information... ...Appears they got the memo about celebrating our town's diversity. ...with Mom...Teach your children well... 2023 School Budget Revote Info The re-vote is scheduled for Tuesday, June 20, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the West Hempstead Secondary School’s North Gym. The voter registration deadline is June 16. West Hempstead Secondary School 400 Nassau Blvd West Hempstead, NY 11552 Phone: (516) 390-3214 Fax: (516) 489-1769 Proposed 2023 Budget Details Celebrating West Hempstead's Multicultural Flavors Here's my contribution to our efforts to gather support for our school budget: Next time we vote on our budget, let's have signs in all the languages of our diverse town. I enjoy the wonderfully multicultural nature of our town...As I'm sitting here on my porch writing this, a young Sikh boy walked by wearing his traditional head covering like in this photo: Frequently, I see adult Sikh men meeting their children and grandchildren at school. As a longtime practitioner of kundalini yoga, seeing these folks adorned with their traditional turbans and beards right in my neighborhood makes me feel at home. None yet have showed up carrying guitars : ))) At the end, I've included a musical example from this tradition below. The guys in this next photo are part of the GuruGanesha Band that I've enjoyed in concert on Long Island. Occasionally, I'll notice women in saris. We also have a Chinese community, as well as Creoles from Jamaica…and many more folks from our global community. BTW - I've enjoyed meeting Martin - the GW security person who also hails from Bob Marley's homeland. Let's celebrate our diversity by showing our children that we can live and work together... Music Brings Us Together... Playing for Change is dedicated to uniting the world through music. As part of their mission, they've established a 501C3 Foundation that creates music programs, so children in under-served parts of our common home can experience the benefits of a musical education. Playing for Change Celebrating 10 Years of Positive Change Through Music | Playing For Change Foundation (01:54) 2023: NOW 15 years What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong) | Playing For Change | Song Around The World (03:40) Sikh...and you shall find...Joy... Two of my favorite musical artists from the Sikh tradition... GuruGanesha Band – Humee Hum Tumee Tum – Official Music Video (05:49) Snatam Kaur ~ Feeling Good Today (04:11) --I've enjoyed Snatum in concert and did a workshop with her in NYC She's done a lot more music featuring children. Here's her About page. Interested in learning more about multicultural opportunities??? Eileen and I are part of several groups on Long Island that meet regularly to celebrate our diversities...FOOD is often a favorite way...and a popular meeting spot for one group is among the trees in the Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park in Great River. Contact me if interested in learning more: ttittmann@icloud.com #music #humor #WestHempstead #budget #multicultural #diversity #PlayingForChange #GuruGaneshaBand #SnatumKaur #BayardCuttingArboretumStatePark

Dueling Saxophones, perfect NYC street music (04:06) Day job advice from the sages... Source: Franklin's Tower ☮ Grateful Dead, 5/9/77 (14:08) --consider this cool video as a vacation in nature AND a short course on the '60's... Glenn, blow your own horn...We love you... Feats of Sound Engineering How'd you like to program this baby? The Grateful Dead’s Wall of Sound - Happy Mag (02:47) The Sax is a DEAD instrument... Scouting around to find sax players who've sat in with the various incarnations of the Dead...I located these... ...Dave McMurray I found this guy - Dave McMurray - who just happens to be accompanied by another "Friend of Jerry" - Oteil Burbridge. Dave McMurray - Scarlet Begonias feat Oteil Burbridge (Official Video) (05:49) Dave's website ...Branford Marsalis Watch Branford Marsalis Make Grateful Dead Debut At Nassau Coliseum (contains video) (2:34:46) --Video of the entire 1990 Nassau Coliseum show. It has links to each of the 17 tracks so you can go right to "Bird Song" which is where Marsalis "gets on the bus"...According to this 2023 JamBase piece, he never got off... Black Death... Black Dead... Golden Rule: BREW unto others... Applies through the ages...Torah to modern times...from Israel to Massachusetts... --Leviticus 19:18 Glenn on keys at the Wachusett Brew Yard in Westminster, MA. And for the sober crowd...or the "mourning" after... After Hours...Comedy Club Monty Python-Bring out your dead! (01:55) Weekend Update: Emily Litella on Television Violins - SNL (01:20) Choose your closing vibe... A. Moody...mellow... Harlem Nocturne - Pete Thomas Taming The Saxophone (05:23) B. Soprano sax appeal... Yanni, Violin vs Saxophone HD (07:32) #music #humor #GlennDuffy #saxaphone #keyboard #GratefulDead #DaveMcMurray #BrandfordMarsalis #OteilBurbridge #WachusettBrewYard #Yanni #shofar

UPDATED: 6/11/23 (from original: Jan. 2022) Still not passed...let's hear from the CROW... It's the same story Jim Crow told me It's the only one he know When people of color move in The white folks are sure to go Ain't no time to hate Barely time to wait Whoa, oh, what I want to know Where does the time go? --First 4 lines are adaptations of the Grateful Dead's "Uncle John's Band". The second four are originals. See, there's no time to hate... 'cause we're only here a short time... ...these next verses are also from "Uncle John's Band" More fitting lyrics from this tune: Think this through with me Let me know your mind Whoa, oh, what I want to know Is are you kind? KINDNESS TRUMPS Parties, Genders, Races, Religions, Nationalities... ORIGINAL POST (Jan. 2022) Pass the Freedom to VOTE Act Listen: get UP…stand UP – Bob Marley (in Munich) Watch: Mark Ruffalo Stars In Parody Ad 'Electile Dysfunction' (uproxx.com) Act: Send a Message to your Elected Officials: Fix Electile Dysfunction (represent.us) Text "ED" to 35565 to see if the FTVA is right for you. * * The FTVA is only for republics healthy enough for democratic activity. For more information: End Corruption. Defend our Republic and Fix our Broken Elections (represent.us) Let’s get our limp government turned back ON Taking back OUR power may seem like a "monumental" task, but if we work together with similarly-minded folks...we can make a difference “I’d love to turn you ON” Click to turn ON --> A Day in the Life – The Beatles More Protest Songs for Manchin* [sic] in the Streets (yeah, you read it right!) * Feel free to substitute the names of other flaccid leaders…and the “hard-on’s” too – like McConnell FILIBUSTER - a Parody of Land Down Under | Don Caron ED is a worldwide phenomenon - as indicated by these songs from around the globe Protest Song – Neil Innes (Monty Python, The Rutles, The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band) Just Give Me the Truth – John Lennon --video shows that a shortage of truth is occurring everywhere Power to the People – John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band Power to the People – Curtis Mayfield And this piece on Curtis’ influence on the American civil rights movement. #music #humor #politics #racism #GratefulDead #JohnLewis #Manchin #McConnell #JimCrow

Grateful Grandfathers...Dads...Grandmas...Moms...Bring your younguns... They WON'T learn this history in their schools... Father's Day Sun. June 18th @ Landmark on Main Street in Port Washington, NY Doors open 11:30 AM...Show begins at 12:00 Noon...Info on the venue is at the end. FYI - Don't worry...if you're busy...or out of state...or out of mind...The Rock and Roll Playhouse has events like this and others covering the great bands we grew up with...all over the country...Rock and Roll Playhouse Before proceeding, check out this sample "course" offering from one of the 2019 shows: A Grateful Dead Father's Day at The Rock and Roll Playhouse | 6/16/19 (02:40) GET TICKETS (click here) I got one for me and one for my date (Eileen-my dancing partner of 45+ years around the sun). Speaking of "sons"...our musician son John had a bigger collection of music from "my generation" than I did. One reason was that at one point, I gave all my "vinyl" ("youngsters: see footnote) to my young nephew Paul when he was getting interested in music. Footnote: "Vinyl" does not refer to siding but to an early music delivery system. GETTING THERE... Easy...The Landmark is in a "Port" city, a terminus for the LIRR and is served by NICE bus routes (but only if "You're KIND). As a "Revere-d" American statesman said during the British invasion of the '60's: "One if by land...Two if by sea...Three if by air...Four...Head to the Underground..." By Rail: Tons of Steel (you can listen to Casey on your own...) By Bus: Greatest Tour Buses - FURTHUR (2004) (03:22) By Boat: Ship of Fools By Air: Bird Song Gimme Shelter UNDERGROUND: Grateful Dead-Iko Iko 3-18-90. NYC Subway Dance Party (08:07) For your "Furthur" Deadification First, get on the bus, Gus... REX Foundation (Wikipedia) On the flyer at the beginning of the post, there's mention that a portion of the proceeds will help support the mission of the REX Foundation - a charitable organization begun by members of the Grateful Dead and their friends. The Rex Foundation was created by "members of the Grateful Dead and Friends" in 1983 as a charitable non-profit organization to "proactively provide extensive community support to creative endeavors in the arts, sciences, and education." Mission The Rex Foundation's stated mission is "to help secure a healthy environment, promote individuality in the arts, provide support to critical and necessary social services, assist others less fortunate than ourselves, protect the rights of indigenous people and ensure their cultural survival, build a stronger community, and educate children and adults everywhere." REX Foundation (Facebook) Grandparents Rock Extra Sets: Kids Can't make this show? There are lots of others all around the USA. Rock and Roll Playhouse And, if you prefer to tutor your child/children in the privacy of your home school, here's a 2018 show from the Brooklyn Bowl: The Rock and Roll Playhouse's Music of The Grateful Dead for Kids :: Brooklyn Bowl :: 11/11/18 (1:03:04) --featured Austin, Texas's Barton Hills Choir that does lots of Dead and other bands...Staying Grateful!!! Barton Hills Choir - YouTube Channel What I love about my "job" is DISCovering new stuff like the following...Gives me HOPE that we WILL have a future where people are KIND...Enjoy these kids from East Providence, RI. A Kids Choir Sang The Grateful Dead's "Ripple" And It Was Fantastic [Watch] Kids Rock Chorus YouTube Channel Kids Sing/dance Grateful Dead (the Next Generation) - a Facebook place to post your favorites Extra Sets: Buses Tunes about the FURTHUR bus...and all such busses...My '65 VW Bus, my brother Mike's '61 Bus...and departed friend of the Dead - Chickie - and his "new" model - a '68... The Other One ☮ Grateful Dead, 1977The Other One ☮ Grateful Dead, 1977 (07:46) Grateful Dead - Cassidy - 10/31/1980 - Radio City Music Hall (06:06) 11th Hour Here's why "11 CEU's" in the title... Reason #1. "11" is a favorite number. For starters, it's my favorite of the 12 Steps of AA. Here, as in all prayer forms, feel free to change the gender...of the prayer's recipient... --Also known as the Prayer of St. Francis Reason #2. "11" is also a favorite Grateful Dead ode... The Eleven (Live at the Fillmore West, February 28, 1969) (15:12) The Eleven Lyrics By: Robert Hunter Music By: Phil Lesh No more time to tell how This is the season of what Now is the time of returning With our thought jewels polished and gleaming Now is the time past believing The child has relinquished the reign Now is the test of the boomerang Tossed in the night of redeeming Eight-sided whispering hallelujah hatrack Seven-faced marble eye transitory dream doll Six proud walkers on jingle-bell rainbow Five men writing in fingers of gold Four men tracking the great white sperm whale Three girls wait in a foreign dominion Ride in the whalebelly Fade away in moonlight Sink beneath the waters To the coral sands below Now is the time of returning Source: Dead.net Greatest Stories Ever Told - "The Eleven" - David Dodd (University of California Santa Cruz) The Venue: Landmark on Main Street HOME Page Organization Background Landmark on Main Street, Inc. is the product of more than ten years of visionary planning and dedicated work by the citizens of Port Washington. It developed out a commitment to preserve an historic landmark, the Main Street School, and to enhance community life. A unique model of community development, Landmark is a collaboration of civic-minded individuals, government, business, and not-for-profit organizations all sharing the belief that a community’s commitment to a richer cultural, recreational, civic, educational and social life and the celebration of diversity benefits the quality of life for all. Landmark on Main Street opened in November 1995. The 87-year-old former school was converted into 59 units of affordable senior housing, a two-acre Town Park and a 25,000 square foot Community Center. A complex mix of government and corporate funds augmented by private contributions financed the $11.5 million acquisition/renovation. The area’s limited rental market and high cost of construction jeopardized the existence of essential local service organizations and inhibited their expansion. The Community Center provides affordable space for not-for-profit organizations for both long-term and per-diem usage. Landmark’s centralized location and proximity to public transportation (on a major bus route and within walking distance of the railroad station) makes it accessible to teens, non-driving adults, seniors and visitors. Dead Post Office (related posts) What'll they think of next - Vaccinations for the DEAD??? YUP!!! August 20, 2021 --(hidden by my mask) this was a tongue-in-cheek look at a 2021 MANDATORY VACCINATION requirement to attend one of the Playhouse's Grateful Dead events Vaccinate Yourself with Music - June 23, 2021 --take as directed...and call me...walk me in the morning...dew... This next tune, while not among my previous posts, is a fun summer segue: "Ain't no time to hate Barely time to wait Whoa oh what I want to know Is are you KIND?" Haight Ashbury Grateful Dead Morning Dew (09:38) --Film Gene Anthony Photo Shoot summer Of 67? Haight Ashbury Panhandle park The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Bill Graham, Quicksilver Messenger Service, John Cipollina....... #music #humor #FathersDay #RockAndRollPlayhouse #GratefulDead #LandmarkOnMainStreet #BrooklynBowl #FurthurBus #BartonHillsChoir #KidsRockChorus #AA #Step11 #subway

Offering the thoughts and emotions in this virtual "letter" to all those who knew David Cole...Thanks so much for inviting me to his April 17 virtual "Viewneral." And, through your stories, tears and laughter...helping me "meet" David Cole...AND...helped me remember some of my own stories... These words come from the stories I heard that day...So, if they ramble or at times seem disjointed...consider them as good homemade "COLE" SLAW... : ))) Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart - People Get Ready (04:40) David, I heard that you liked to drum...to "beat" the odds... ...and this next musician was a favorite...Those who celebrated your life today in your send-off party mentioned this song - one I'd never before heard. Listening...I hear it now as your prayer...your desire...May you now find this peace in your new gig... S.P. (Script for this Post): As you'll see down below in the Time piece in the first Appendix, Carlos dug the Grateful Dead, so might have you... All the Love of the Universe - Santana (07:35) "All The Love Of The Universe" Oo, oo, do... New thoughts Will purify my mind and clean my body New lives will fall together like an endless story All the love of the universe will be shared by all that's living And I don't really care about tomorrow Today is all I really need to find the answers I'll find the constant flow of all the harmony Everybody needs a helpin' hand Everybody needs a helpin' hand RE-PERCUSSIONS: ROLE OF DRUMS IN MY PERSONAL MENTAL HEALTH THEN: BONGOS In September 1963, I had to leave high school for a year due to a rheumatic fever infection. By next Spring, I was cleared to leave my home...unaware that the inflammatory process that had affected my heart...was now living in my head...Years later, a health care provider termed it "rheumatic encephalopathy." Due to its effects in my brain, it caused numerous behavioral changes - with multiple periods of psychiatric hospitalization. To compound these, I was also beginning to feel my teenage hormonal oats... The bongos played a role in one of these hospitalizations. The incident occurred as I was in a car with another family member and we were being driven home by John - an older employee of the beachfront Rockaway Beach restaurant where we all worked. I was in the back seat and started playing my bongos...likely to relieve some on my teenage stress. Well, it must have transferred to John, who asked me - repeatedly - to stop. We ended up getting into a fight...and I was once again behind locked doors... NOW: HANDPAN For some time now the handpan has been a favorite musical companion. I frequently play instrumental songs that feature it during my kundalini yoga practices. I think David would have enjoyed Hang Massive - the handpan musicians who introduced me to this instrument - for both their sounds AND their choice of venues: Hang Massive - Beats for Your Feet 2012 (HD) (06:12) Like the Grateful Dead NYC Subway video later down in this post, "handpandlers" can be found in NYC's underground world along with panhandlers...Stay tuned...there's a post in the works. Sam Maher - New York Handpan 01 (05:10) --Take a moment to read the uploader's tale of his first encounter... Handpan & Guitar - Malte Marten & Fabba (55:13) --Check out Fabba's t shirt...and then allow this music to take you... COFFEE IS HEALTHCARE Heard today many times how much you enjoyed the Sacred Bean... Here's a recent entry into my iPhone's collection of messages I find...or that find me... on bumpers, license plates and their frames... New bedside delivery system... ...and one for those of us still on this side of the veil... COFFEE CAN GIVE US A SPORTIN' CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE...RIGHT WHERE WE ARE When he retired from breaking records and "barriers"...Jackie Robinson was hired by Chock Full o' Nuts owner William Black to be Vice-president of Personnel. Jackie Robinson and the Jews - Jewish Journal (March 2022) --article ends with: "At this year’s Passover Seders, it would be wise to remember Robinson’s heroism and courage, his close ties to the Jewish community, and his motto, carved on his gravestone," "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” Is there a better definition of tikkun olam? [From the article: The phrase “tikkun olam” remains connected with human responsibility for fixing what is wrong with the world.] TRADITION Among the memories shared was your love of, and at times, insistence on TRADITION...as a way of having some order in your day. So, here's a favorite tune about this: Fiddler on the Roof - Tradition (07:35) For some, TRADITION can be likened to having "ALL OUR DUCKS IN A ROW"...nothing out of place... Here's one of my top favorite funnymen...a purveyor of both chicken soup AND Duck Soup...For me, Jewish comedians are on the top shelf! David, I'll bet that at least once on his TV show, "TRADITION" was the magic word...I heard that it was also yours... ...All our ducks in a row... Marx Brothers Side Car Gag (Duck Soup) (02:06) DAVID'S IN THE BASEMENT MIXIN' UP HIS MEDICINE During today's memorial, mention was made of how David would retreat to the basement to listen to his favorite music - which was often that of the 60's and 70's. The mixture of the Jewish vibe in the service and the word "basement" immediately reminded me of a famous Jewish folk singer: ROBERT ZIMMERMAN (a.k.a., BOB DYLAN). Reading about the Dylan & The Band "Basement Tapes" project, Wikipedia notes that the "sessions that began at Dylan's house in Woodstock, New York, then moved to the basement of Big Pink." Source Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (Official HD Video) (02:15) DEALING WITH THE MEDICAL SYSTEM...Take 2 and call me in the morning...OR... David, on the other hand, knew better and he followed his own Rx math..."Take 5"... Note: My selection of this particular video is likely influenced by Peter Sellers, Glenn Duffy's love of the saxophone and David's interest in the colors of people's eyes... Take Five - The Dave Brubeck Quartet (05:24) WHAT'S YOUR WEIGHT??? I think it was nephew Michael who told the story of how David, in addition to noting eye colors, used to ask visitors how much they weighed and noted how Michael's Mom Deb used to try to sidestep this inquiry. Well, Mom really answered David's question by how she cared...how she advocated for his well-being...Oh, I was amazed...but not surprised that the video opens with a train scene... He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother - The Hollies lyrics (04:24) US vs THEM...Battles in Sports and Bands Pink Floyd - - - "Us And Them " Live @ Long Island New- York (07:26) --Another for nephew Glenn... I imagine that when David retreated to the comfort of his "basement tapes"...the music he put on brought him to a place beyond the duality of his ordinary mind with it's preferences for eye colors, foods, etc...to a place of expanded or UNITIVE consciousness...where he was able to be ONE with the ONE and experience all the colors of the rainbow for their unique BEAUTY...for they all are... born from the ONE LIGHT...Eden saw play... In among the Internet's sacred Torah scrolls, I found this 26-second video entitled "L'chaim". It's not hard to see a Pink Floyd influence...aided and abetted by some of Rabbi Tuckman's sacramental wine... L'chaim - LERIX (00:26) DEADheading: A railroad term [from this article (others also include a reference to the band)] "Without passing judgement on Grateful Dead fans (for more...see Appendix at the end - where else), deadheads are to be avoided as much as possible, but they can be hard to avoid in some cases, like (see article link for more...): Grateful Dead-Iko Iko 3-18-90. NYC Subway Dance Party (08:07) Grateful Dead - 9/19/90 - Madison Sq Garden, NYC - Complete show, Soundboard (2:43:47) --Enjoy the show or just laugh at these very cool "straphangers"... David, in another era, we might have shared a boxcar... David, when it comes to a love of trains...as you can see from what I've already penned...we both have a one-track mind. I enjoyed hearing your family recount your train adventures. Also learned that your nephew Michael's partner - Bri - also digs tracks... See, I grew up in the Richmond Hill neighborhood of Queens - right down the block (a NYC term : ))) from the Long Island Railroad's Brooklyn Branch on Atlantic Avenue and their Morris Park car repair shops and freight yards. We even had steam engines then. My friends and I would often play in and around the freight cars. I remember on one occasion telling a friend also named Tommy, that I wanted to be a train engineer. As I see it now, since I haven't yet GROWN UP...I still have a shot at fulfilling this boyhood dream... I grew up playing with Lionel .027 gauge trains and as a teen started building my own HO railroad and layouts. When our son John was young, I introduced him to my passion and we'd play for hours with Tomy's, wooden Brio's, Thomas the Tank Engine...often leaving the room-to-room layouts in our third-floor Queens Village apartment up for days... As part of introducing John to the world of trains, I'd take him to the LIRR station near our Queens Village apartment, where we'd do train spotting. Gradually, he learned to distinguish the electric-powered trains from their diesel counterparts by the configuration of their headlights. He had a preference for the electric's - as the diesel's noise frightened him. "Up on Daddy!" he'd plead and I'd bend down and cradle him safely in my arms while the diesel from Montauk Point would thunder through the station. See, the diesels had one large headlight, while the electric's had two. Might have been similar to David's preference for certain eyeball colors. This love/fear relation was ramped up when a consist with TWO DIESELS approached. "DOUBLE DIESEL!" John would exclaim as he reached for my outstretched arms. And how cool was this...that this guy was one of our conductors on Shining Time Station! AND...How 'bout this dude??? Why George Carlin is the Greatest Thomas Narrator (13:43) Another "I'm-amazed-but-not-surprised" moment is that he begins by telling us that he took this role as an opportunity to do something different...in his words, "to stretch his eyeballs..." Look TRADITION squarely in its face and challenge it... END OF THE LINE As I watched this video, I noted a few frames where there was a guitar placed in an empty chair. This immediately reminded me of a recent occurrence at my weekly AA meeting at the Witches Brew Coffee House AND a scene from Les Mis. As family and friends gather in the future, perhaps this could become a NEW TRADITION... The Traveling Wilburys - End Of The Line (Official Video) (03:25) AA: Angel - a longtime member of my home group (Witches Brew Coffee House Thursday's 11A-noon) - passed away after surviving living without alcohol for many years AND, along the way, a double lung transplant. At the first meeting after his death, one of the veterans suggested we leave his usual chair ("TRADITION") empty. Someone else placed a memorial Mass card on the empty chair. SENIORS: Has this been happening in your spheres of friends & families - Where we used to collect baseball cards...we're now collecting memorial/Mass cards??? Les Mis: Empty Chairs at Empty Tables (03:40) AFTER PAYING OUR RESPECTS... This year, I prepared two blog posts to help me learn a little more about my Dalton family and their Jewish tradition - one that birthed another tradition I was part of for many years. They are filled with the spirit of L'chaim! (to life!) Shul's out for the Summer PASSOVER 2023: Shalom Sesame APPENDIX: A "Dead" end...?...or portal to another dimension...? "You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Twilight Zone!" (one of several intros that were used to transport us...) OKAY, back to "the real world"... How Grateful Dead Fans Became Deadheads - Time (2015) "What do Al Gore, Whoopi Goldberg, Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin, Carlos Santana, Nancy Pelosi, Mario Batali, and yes, Ann Coulter have in common? Give up? They are all members of the inimitable community of Grateful Dead fans commonly and affectionately known as Deadheads." Grateful Dead with Carlos Santana - Bird Song - April 28, 1991 [1080p HD Remaster] Las Vegas, NV (18:33) --Check out his cool YELLOW duds... This Dead.net article offers this: (1) Robert Hunter originally wrote the song as a tribute for Janis Joplin. Phil Lesh now sings "All I know is something like a bird within him sang", transferring it Jerry Garcia instead A regular for the Dead, this was also performed by Jerry Garcia with John Kahn, and more recently by Bob Weir with Ratdog and by Phil Lesh & Friends. David, I'm inDEADed to you...because of your family's remembrances during your memorial, I learned of yet another musical connection...there are lots videos of Carlos and the Dead... APPENDIX C: Caffeinated Inspiration From Manic to Mindful Monday's-with a little "1 cup-at-a-time" help from our friends at Witches Brew (Jan. 2022) THE WICKEDly good WITCH OF THE WEST hempstead (Oct. 2022) ODE on a W. HEMPSTEAD URN: Celebrating Witches Brew’s 27 Years of Service to our Community (Apr. 2023) APPENDIX J: JEWS FOR JERRY Rabbi in Profile: The Frisco Kid, the Grateful Yid, The Rally Rabbi - Chabad Lubavitch Headquarters ("DEADquarters") March 2007 He hangs out with rock stars, cruises the city on a three-wheeled "Mitzvah Bike" and blows the shofar to rally crowds at major league ball games. It's all a far cry from Crown Heights, where this spiritual leader earned his rabbinic ordination. More at above link. #music #humor #DavidCole #Judaism #trains #GratefulDead #JerryGarcia #TravelingWilburys #JeffBeck #RodStewart #Santana #coffee #WitchesBrew #bongos #JackieRobinson #FiddlerOnTheRoof #MarxBrothers #GeorgeCarlin #RingoStarr #BobDylan #DaveBrubeckQuartet #TheHollies #PinkFloyd #LIRR #ThomasTheTankEngine #RallyRabbi #RabbiLanger #handpan #HangMassive #MalteMarten #Fabba #SamMaher #KundaliniYoga