Hey, welcome to the website.

If you're new here, take a few minutes to go back and look through the "Archives" and see what this is all about. There are a few FREE music downloads, a few political cartoons. (I posted a new one recently.) There are some Photoshop things. In fact, if you click on this year-end update, you'll get a quick idea.

And, please... if you ever wanna email me personally about anything at all, just hit the "Contact" button over there. There is no way in hell I can answer all the email I get, but I promise I eventually read every single one, okay?

There's also a "Forum" (message board) for you guys to hang out and kick things around.

And, thanks to everyone who is throwing a few bucks at this year's Permit Fund over there on the right... either through PayPal or Amazon. (With fees and whatnot, I figure it costs me about $100 a day to get out there each weekend.) I've always done it on my own, but it's a whole lot easier with you guys. It's just us.

We'll be out in the park again before you know it.

Thanks.

The flood gates are about to open again. Got a whole lotta songs backed up, waiting to land like planes circling an airport.

I always say, songs are like "base hits" and "bananas"... they come in bunches.

Damn! I love making music.

I hafta tell you. Here's my thought for today.

We're living through some really, really strange days, indeed.

I recently went away... out of the country to an island in the French West Indies for about a week. No television. No newspapers. No computer.

Coming back to this country... y'know what?

Holy smokes!!! This country is wacked! I mean it! I turned the TV on for 15 minutes... watched C-Span for a bit. Took in the so-called "news" channels.

Wacked! Insane! Beyond reason. Culturally, politically, principally.

The unacceptable has become completely acceptable.

I don't think we notice that kind of thing when we're in the middle of it. Y'know? Whether it's in our own personal lives or on a national or global scale, very often the insidious changes and corruptions are so gradual that it goes unnoticed until we get a chance to step back... step back and look at the whole picture. Take in the reality of the picture.... the beauty and Goodness, as well as the insanity.

I'm gonna be writing more about that in the next few days. Because it's something that is moving my spirit in a very profound and Good way.

A bit of my quiet outrage seems to have subsided, and a welcomed clarity has taken it's place for the most part.

But, like I said... I'll be writing more about that in the next few days.

But, THIS just came in from Guantanemo Bay, or "Gitmo"... the prison where prisoners numbering about 500 are being held without trial in direct disregard for the Geneva Conventions and truly American principle. Torture may be common and due process is absent.

These aren't my conclusions. They are those of a recent United Nations inspection team that spent 18 months investigating conditions at Gitmo. But, it's hard to see how shutting down Gitmo would make the Bush administration any more amenable to respecting human rights and international conventions against torture. It's become impossible to deny that the prison and any debate... any debate... about the acceptance of human torture, in any circumstance... is anything but an outrage and embarrassment that does the U.S. more harm than good in any fight against global terrorism.

We are supposed to be the "Good Guys"

We don't do that!

In the America I love, the one the Bush administration does not have even a nodding aquaintance with... there are moral absolutes.

Americans don't torture people... under any circumstances. America doesn't pre-emptively invade another country, no matter how corrupt, on the fear that they might pose a threat to us... someday. We are supposed to be "The Home of the Brave".

(What the hell happened to that thought!?)

However... once again I hafta stand behind Dick Cheney's tough-guy stance over the weekend.

One cannot be too careful when it comes to poultry.

This freedom-hating quail was spotted escaping from Gitmo.

.

.

I thank the moon somebody like Dick is protecting the homeland. He shoots birds... and, maybe an occasional friend... with a shotgun.

What a man!

(I hope Mr. Whittington comes through okay.)

I'll be back tomorrow.

Oh hey! I'm gonna make a few more songs available as FREE downloads very soon. So, keep checking back, okay?

Thanks again.