I know you might be reading this in another part of the country or another part of the world. But, here in New York City, we woke up to heavy rain and booming thunder this morning. (Kinda cool.) Lookin' like a possibility for popcorn thunderstorms all over the northeast this afternoon. But, I AM gonna head down to Pier 45 with "Dodger" for the very first "Sunset Concert" of the season. (Sometimes, unsettled weather like this makes for a spectacular sunset. We'll see.)

Bring something dry to sit on, because I think we're gonna have rain around 5:00 or 5:30... and, then it will be okay for the music between 7 and 9.

I have a feeling tomorrow actually lookin' good for a great day in Central Park. So, if you are staying in town this weekend, why don't you come out to "The Hill" and hang out, either in the Sun or under one of those great elm trees.

We're gonna have wonderful summer of music. I wrote a bunch of new songs over the winter. And, this year I'm planning to cover a few more songs by female artists.

Y'know, we're gonna sing and have a lot of laughs like we always do. And, this year I hope we're also gonna do some real Good, too. (I'll explain more in a little bit.)

Okay... time for one of my favorite subjects. (This next section actually took me an hour to write, because I had to monitor CNN for a full hour.)

The American television news media. TODAY! THIS MORNING! Top of the hour... CNN.

Bill Hemmer, Carol Costello, Jack Cafferty

Bill Hemmer

What's news?

Tropical Storm Arlene in the Gulf of Mexico...missing teenager in Aruba... THEN, 10 minutes of air time on Michael Jackson, (even though there's nothing happening) including a 3 minute story about a fight that broke out between the German and American fans outside the courthouse over "who loves Michael Jackson more". (I'm serious... CNN and they did these stories with their best "Talking-head-reporter-straight-faces.) Then, a 5 minute story on teens drinking, boxing and mud wrestling on a homemade DVD in Arkansas, stories about a woman who donates furniture to Cuban refugees, algae that's killing shellfish in Massachusettes... then at the bottom of the hour, a half hour later... a quick-mention of the U.S. intelligence failures that might have caught two of the 9-11 hijackers.

Then, a reporter, y'know, like an idiot standing on a windy beach in Miami... y'know, the tropical storm story again. Then, stories about a pop singer who has a single about single mom's, the real estate bubble might burst, there are more millionaires in this country while there are more poor at the same time...

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But, not ONE story about the war in Iraq.

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not one

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(How did we come to this?)

Okay now, for all the bluster about, y'know... "Supporting the Troops" and all those hollow words we've heard for the past 3 years... if you want to stay aware of the reality of the War that we started in IRAQ, here at this website we will update the news from Iraq with at least one story every day. I know it's not much, but it's something. For cryin' outloud... I'm a singer/songwriter!

Ignoring the troops is a funny way of "supporting" them... ya think?

And, to help the ordinary people... the fathers and mothers and daughters and sons, the children and babies who are taking the brunt of a war in a country that is now gripped by violence and fear, we are going to try to pout together a really special event.

Yes.... there is a war going on. And, the brunt of the casualties is being borne by ordinary people.

Yes. 80 more American soldiers died in Iraq last month alone. 19 in the first 10 days of June. But, some estimates report that over 800 Iraqis were killed in May.

So, along with some good, good friends and a growing circle of colleagues and other ordinary people, I'm working on putting together a benefit concert, hopefully a really special event in the Fall sometime, to raise awareness and a whole lotta money to help those people directly.

Regardless of your politics, I'm gonna be asking for help from oridnary people like you. Y'know? The overwhelming number of civilians who are being killed, horribly wounded and orphaned is morally obscene and unconscienable. I hoping this concert we're planning will be an evening of wonderful music, smiles, tears... but, above all, a chance for us to make a direct difference in their lives.

(I'm also hoping to ask a lot of genuinely wonderful artists to help out.)

No... this is NOT about politics. In fact, NO politicians of ANY stripe will be invited to publically lend their support. (We will, of course, accept their money as private citizens!) But, no one will be permitted to make any hay with this effort. This will be about ordinary peoople like you and me... helping people who need help.

(Look, if you supported this war... it's my sincere feeling that you should be first in line. Yeah, I know you all disappeared from the message board (Forum) here at this website. But, I'm talking to you, now. We're going to be asking for your help, too.)

I will be letting you all know how you can help as this thing progresses. Right now, we're looking to raise money for one or two NGOs that help civilians directly... maybe CIVIC, or Gary sinise's OIC (Operation Iraqi Children) We'll see what develops.

But, these people need help... desperately.

Maybe it's time for the rest of us ordinary people in America to do something extraordinary for those people.

Gotta run right now. I'll probably stop in the "Forum" later. Maybe I'll see you in there. Maybe I'll see you on Pier 45 in the Village this evening. Maybe I'll see you in Central Park tomorrow.

Thanks for everything.