My View. . .

I could be wrong, and I certainly am no lawyer, but it seems to me that in the George Zimmerman  murder trial,  some of the defense's arguments are just plain missing the point.  If Trayvon Martin  actually texted someone in the past about purchasing a weapon, does that mean he deserved to die?
If Trayvon Martin actually had traces of marijuana in his system, does that mean he deserved to die?  If Trayvon Martin was on top of George Zimmerman at some point in the scuffle, does that mean he deserved to die?  George Zimmerman was intentionally following Trayvon Martin for a period of time.  When the two finally clashed, Trayvon Martin actually put up a fight. Does that mean Trayvon Martin deserved to die?

In many photos of George Zimmerman, he appears to be introspective to the point of remorse.  The entire situation was most certainly unfortunate, to say the least.  Maybe the prosecution was overzealous in seeking a second-degree murder charge?

And without a doubt in my mind, Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' (or as I prefer 'The Cowboy Law') is one of the most stupid laws of which I have EVER heard!

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Our own. . .

. . . creations. . .

(from The Fourth Gospel:  Tales of a Jewish Mystic by John Shelby Spong)
". . . How difficult it is for religious people to embrace an unbounded God.  We have through our history sought to define God as a particular being, albeit one possessing supernatural power.  With God defined as a being, we then had to locate God in a place.  Ultimately that place was thought to be somewhere above the sky in a three-tiered universe.  Then we had to build for this God earthly dwelling places that we called "houses of worship."

Next, we began to assert that God's very words were captured in the words of our sacred scriptures.  Then we convinced ourselves that God's very nature could be defined in our creeds, doctrines and dogmas.  We then built mythologies around each of these human creations, assuring ourselves that God was content to live within our developed theological and liturgical limits. 

When these "sacred idols" began to be destroyed by the expansion of human knowledge, we acted as if God had died.  The God who lived above the sky was rendered homeless when we began to embrace the infinity of space; yet we continued to address God as "our Father who art in heaven."  Next, the scriptures, which we once thought of as God's literal words, began to be understood as tribal tales and as human interpretations; but when we read then in public worship, we still asserted that "this is the word of the Lord."  Then the creeds, the doctrines and the dogmas-which, we asserted, had captured God's revelation-began to be understood as political and cultural compromises; but we, in our fear, had in the past invested these human forms with such authority that those who questioned them were burned at the stake as heretics, and we claimed the word "orthodox" for our own human formulations. . ."

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Kids!!!. . .

. . . play nice!


(from http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/05/19304066-white-house-hails-june-jobs-report-gop-searches-for-flaws?lite)
". . . According to the latest jobs report, the US economy added 195,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate holds at 7.6 percent...The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.6 percent, though the report was highlighted by the jobs figure, which outpaced most forecasters’ estimates...the report on Friday offered a modest political boon to President Barack Obama. Despite dire warnings about the effect of the ongoing sequester – the automatic, indiscriminate cuts to federal spending that were enacted earlier this year – the economy continues to add jobs, though not at the type of robust pace that would be needed to further reduce the unemployment rate.

But Republicans seized on some indicators of persistent economic weakness in the jobs report, namely a surge in part-time workers reflected in the statistics, and an uptick in the U-6 unemployment rate from 13.8 percent in May to 14.3 percent in June. The U-6 rate is a broader measure of unemployment, which includes discouraged workers and the underemployed.

“There’s some good news in this report, but economic growth is still tepid, the unemployment rate is far too high, and the president continues to promote policies that undermine robust job creation,” said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, in a statement..."

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Dream . . .

This is the kind of bull-pucky that our 'friends' in the media provide daily; a recent article about 'The American Dream', chock full of what they produce best - NOTHING!!!

This little gem begins by reminding us that we too can achieve success.  Then they promptly tell us the definition of success,  "The big home in the suburbs, the luxury cars in the garage, the kids off to a good college and the retirement in a sunny locale."  Funny how Merriam-Webster views success in  more spiritual, less-tawdry and materialistic terms as "favorable or desired outcome; also : the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence". 

From the stock, bullshit 'American Dream' teaser and half-assed success definitions, this fine piece of writing moves on to another constantly and frequently misrepresented concept, the economy, and says that the weak job market is thwarting the best efforts of good honest folk (like you and me) to 'get ahead', by which I PRESUME they mean attain the aforementioned (theirs, not Merriam-Webster's) 'success'.  Now I'm not unrealistic or particularly cold-hearted about the job situation and the difficulties some people are currently experiencing with employment and lack thereof.  But somehow I think that our journalistic scribes are providing us with third-grade-level oversimplifications of the situation.

The particular tome that provoked my ire went on to, in short, states that although many present-day citizens truly believe that Americans all have an  equal ability to achieve success if they merely (and that's a BIG merely) work hard.  It does not venture (at least I did not detect it) into any possibility that there exist many additional factors in education, employment, the economy and geography that exert substantial influence in the seeking, achievement and  maintenance of something called success.

The best, and most intellectually substantial,  part of the article was a quote from the academic world that, in summary, stated possibly Americans need to rethink the definition of the American Dream, putting less focus on having a huge house and lots of cars and more focus on building successful communities. Whiles supporting our families is certainly important, “we need to scale back what the American Dream means to us.” 

And may I add, we must be more critical of what we read in the news and not be so childishly willing to accept everything in print as true and factual.

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Ocean. . .

. . . City


O - C - E - A - N   C - I - T-Y   
O - C - E - A - N   C - I - T-Y
On your mark get set
Disconnect that internet
Every girl and boy
Breathing in the joy
Not a care at last
Sit outside and bask
In rays of summer's bliss 

Crabs and fish and shells
Feel your tension spell
Fries and pizza pie
Smiles won't be denied
Everything is cool
in 2 1 8 4 2
Feel the sparkle in your eyes

Catch a wave and ride
Cars and motorbikes
Bikini babes in the sand
Vibin' to rockin' bands
Ocean City

From Memorial to Labor Day
We beckon you to play
To a boardwalk beat
Miles and miles of beach
Your memories to take
Currents dance and sway
leave your footprints in the sand

Fireworks at night
Give your love a kiss
Sail and fish the sea
Here life is a beach
in Ocean City

Now is the time that's right
For you only live once
Time does drag when it's all work and no fun
The ocean gateway calls you
Sport your shorts and shades
It's so divine to dine at life's buffet
It's almost heaven and
There's so much more we can say

Catch a wave and ride
Cool cars and motorbikes
Bikinis on the sand
Dance to rockin' bands
Ocean City


Ocean City Ditty
written by John P. Graboski
© Copyright 2012 OHO Music
performed by Oho (rehearsal recording)





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Silliness. . .

. . . for a good cause. . .


(from http://www.today.com/entertainment/mick-jaggers-hair-sells-6-000-auction-6C10547234)
An anonymous buyer snapped up a lock of Mick Jagger's hair for $6,000 after bidders pushed the price to double its pre-sale estimate, auction house Bonhams said. The clump of hair was sold by the Rolling Stone's former girlfriend Chrissie Shrimpton, who is also the sister of 1960s English model Jean Shrimpton and first met Jagger when he was still an unknown student at the London School of Economics. The hair, which comes in an envelope bearing the message "Mick Jagger's hair after being washed + trimmed by Chris at Rose Hill Farm," was sold on Wednesday to raise money for the Changing Faces charity, which works with people who have suffered facial disfigurements.

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Just a Game?. . .

. . . dare I?. . .

. . . dare you? . . .

30th Annual MASC Accepting Entries
with Early Bird Prizes for Entering by July 15th!

GRAND PRIZE WINNER  $1000 + more
Second Prize  $500 + more
Third Prize  $250 + more
Category Gold  $100 + more
BMI Songwriter Award  $300
Director's Choice Award
Young Artist Award (21 & under!)  $100 + more

Awarding Prizes in 11 categories
Adult Contemporary * Children's * Country/Bluegrass * Folk/Acoustic
  Gospel/Inspirational/Christian * Instrumental (all genres) * Open
Pop * R&B/Hip Hop/Urban * Rock/Alternative * Vocal Jazz & Blues
 
EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: July 15, 2013
FINAL POSTMARK DEADLINE: September 15, 2013

EARLY BIRD PRIZES:  A $50 Gift Card and a 2-year SAW Memberships
will be given to two Winners drawn from all entries submitted by July 15th.
Enter 3 Ways:
Online at  www.saw.org
Sonicbids at  www.sonicbids.com
Mail on an Official Entry Form
(pdf available at  www.saw.org)

See complete list of Prizes and Rules at  https://masc.saw.org
Entries accepted from around the World.

                              SAW Member Rates         Non-Member Rates
1 - 5 Songs            $22 per song                     $26 per song
6 - 10 Songs           $20 per song                     $24 per song
11 - 15 Songs         $18 per song                     $20 per song

Presented by the Songwriters Association of Washington
Prize Sponsors: BMI, Mary Cliff’s “Traditions", NERFA, SERFA, FARM, Bias Studios
Cue Recording, Recording Arts, Institute of Musical Traditions, FrameYourCD,
Oasis Disc Manufacturing, Sonicbids

What do you think?
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My latest release, Black & White Then Back,
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(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
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