Monday, December 31, 2007

2007 Celebrity Deaths - A trip down memory lane

Every new year's eve, I like to do a New Year page, honoring the celebrities who have passed during that year. This year, instead of a webpage I did a video and uploaded it to youtube. Seeing the names of those who have died and are so much a part of our lives is sure an eye-opener to how short our time on this Earth really is. I hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane. thinkingblue
2007 Celebrity Deaths - A trip down memory lane.

We all must die, there is no escape. When viewing those who have made it to the top of the heap, only to pass on, you realize how short our time on this Earth really is. Let's take a quick trip down memory lane and revisit those who have made our lives a bit brighter or sadder during their lifetime. These are the ones who will forever have on the other side of their DASH the year 2007. Also visit 2006's celebrity loss page at: http://www.thethinkingblue.com/2006/celebritydeaths2007.html

For more on the 2007 list of celebrity deaths visit:
http://wcbstv.com/slideshows/deaths.celebrity.2007.20.414740.html?rid=23

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Friday, December 28, 2007

LAST EMAIL HOME


A friend of mine emailed me this:
This from my friend who is part
of Military Families Speak Out. M

Click for photosIraq from a Dead Soldier's View

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/dec/14/capt-adam-snyders-last-email-family-and-friends/


Capt. Adam Snyder of Port St. Lucie, Florida died on December 5 in Iraq. His family has released the e-mail below, his last correspondence to his family and friends before he died.

Things are going pretty well here. We actually find ourselves bored some days, because enemy activity has been low. This is a good thing, thought not much fun. It seems the new policies of reconciliation, working with local Iraqi leaders and empowering them to tackle the problems, is really paying off. The bottom line is that a victory is in site [sic]. Unfortunately, victory is two-fold. One, the nation must be secure from external enemies: foreign fighters from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, etc. This is the part we are doing well at. The second part is creating a self-sufficient Iraqi government. This is the part we seem to be failing quite exceptionally at. At every level of government, corruption is at a heinous level. I'm not sure what the answer is, but it will take a strong leader with an iron fist to stamp out this mess. The U.S. often forces the Iraqis to treat problems with a western mindset. Example, your Oil Ministry is corrupt. The Iraqi answer may be to execute the Oil Minister and his key allies, while imprisoning the rest. We do not allow that, and instead force the Iraqis government to move key officials, and issue them stern warnings, which does nothing.

One thing we must admit: Saddam ran a pretty tight ship. Things might not have been ultra-efficient, but things got done. The majority of the problems in Iraq now are our's the U.S. government's fault. It is utterly ridiculous to see so
many Senators and Representatives on the national news condemning the leaders of Iraq for their ineptitude. Where they really should point that figure is at themselves and their colleagues. I would be curious to see the results of a
basic quiz given to Congress. Name Iraq and all of its neighbors. Explain the difference between Sunni and Shia. Explain the formation of the nation of Iraq. Explain how Al Qaeda came to power.

I imagine these gentlemen would not attack Iraq with such zeal if the American public knew how little Congress knew about the matters they decide on. Yes, I am talking way above my pay grade, but the absurdity of our upper echelons of government is to an intolerable level, and I feel it is my job as an American citizen and a leader of its soldiers to educate the population, whose rights I purportedly protect. The approach of the election brings an opportunity to make change, both good and bad. Republican or Democrat, I don't care. It just takes an educated, experienced, moral person, who can be honest with themselves and their constituents. I know, I ask the impossible. I think it is appalling how few men of Congress, especially the Presidential candidates, have any military service, especially when the Iraq War and the War on Terror is the biggest focal point.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/dec/14/capt-adam-snyders-last-email-family-and-friends

~~~~~~~~~
The Iraq war has become a euphemism, it's now just that tired old Bush/Neocon war over in Iraq. It seems we've grown accustomed to the horrors of war, the politics, the oil, the meaninglessness, all have been relegated to the back of our minds. The mainstream media feeds us "good news" about how there are LESS deaths and injuries. Whoopee-do! As if numbers going down mean anything to a grieving family's loss.

The fact that it is still going on, is enough to make a Nation weep, but do we shed any tears? Nope, we are too busy buying the needless crap that China has oversold us.It's beyond disgusting and I am as guilty as the rest of you good little American consumers.

When a news article such as this sad "Read Capt. Adam Snyder's last e-mail home", comes our way, it's sort of like a resurrection to our collective conscience. It turns our thoughts back to the virtual Banging On The Doors of Our Leaders, to tell them, again, STOP THIS WAR AND BRING OUR TROOPS HOME. Why do we have to wait until Bozo the President is out of office? What kind of a game is this, they are playing? These are not rhetorical questions, they need answers. But do they even try to give us resolutions? Not as long as we continue to do as we are conditioned to do. That is, take our plastic FUNNYMONEY to the malls and buy the dangerous claptraps from China. They tell us, the war is doing well, so we need not worry! All the while, there are still young men and women dying in an illegal war. thinkingblue


This is a clip from the McLaughlin Group where the host John
McLaughlin makes what I believe are some poignant comments on the Iraq War. John McLaughlin was a Jesuit priest and left his order to go into journalism. He SUPPORTED the Vietnam War and opposes the Iraq War. This year has been the deadliest year of the war and the US has sacrificed over $1 trillion in opportunities for what?

~girldefense~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CLICK HERE TO READ "LAST EMAIL HOME"

Click to see photo gallery


CHENEY KNEW THE IRAQ WAR WOULD BE A MISTAKE IN '94

BRING THEM HOME NOW

CAROLYNCONNETION - I've got a mind and I'm going to use it!

thinkingBlue blogspot

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE - 1946

Click Here to Buy Colorized Version at AmazonA Holiday Feature Film
2 hr 10 min 24 sec

Often referred to as one of the best films ever made, this holiday classic is available for everyone to enjoy again and again. George Bailey spends his entire life giving up his big dreams for the good of his town, Bedford Falls, as we see in flashback. But in the present, on Christmas Eve, he is broken and suicidal over the misplacing of a loan and the machinations of the evil millionaire, Mr. Potter. His guardian angel, Clarence, falls to Earth, literally, and shows him how his town, family and friends would turn out if he had never been born. - Tommy Peter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I came across this full featured movie on Google. I thought this would be the best Holiday gift for sharing. Hope you have the time to watch this film, it's timeless. Happy Holidays from, thinkingblueSit Back, Relax and
Watch a Page Out of History
It's A Wonderful Life - 1946
Happy Holidays From thinkingblue

CLICK HERE TO GO TO MOVIE - IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.



See Movie On The Theater Page

Click here To Go To The Google Play.

CLICK TO SEE THE USA TOY INSPECTOR

A DOGGIE CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

COOKIES GALORE

CHRISTMAS MEMO

OLD GEEZER'S EYE TEST

FUNNY CHRISTMAS SONGS GALORE

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

Monday, December 17, 2007

A New Song For Florida?




~~You can click to stop music~~



SAY IT ISN'T SO! The leaders in Florida are going to replace the Florida State Song "OLD FOLKS AT HOME" with an antiquated, boring and rather tone-deaf one. The state of Florida will now be known for it's poor taste in music as well as being the crummy culprit who helped put one, GEORGE W BUSH into The Presidential Oval Office of the USA. thinkingblue


Old Folks at Home, Ethiopian Melody

As Sung by Christy's Minstrels,
Written and Composed by E. P. Christy.
(New York: Firth, Pond & Co., 1851)

Way down upon de Swanee ribber,
Far, far away,
Dere's wha my heart is turning ebber,
Dere's wha de old folks stay.

All up and down de whole creation,
Sadly I roam,
Still longing for de old plantation,
And for de old folks at home.

All de world am sad and dreary,
Ebry where I roam,
Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary,
Far from de old folks at home.

All round de little farm I wander'd
When I was young,
Den many happy days I squander'd,
Many de songs I sung.

When I was playing wid my brudder,
Happy was I,
Oh! take me to my kind old mudder,
Dere let me live and die.

All de world am sad and dreary,
Ebry where I roam,
Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary,
Far from de old folks at home.

One little hut among de bushes,
One dat I love,
Still sadly to my mem'ry rushes,
No matter where I rove.

When will I see de bees a humming,
All round de comb?
When will I hear de banjo tumming,
Down in my good ole home?

All de world am sad and dreary,
Ebry where I roam,
Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary,
Far from de old folks at home
.



HEAR THE NEW SONGS BEING CONSIDERED FOR FLORIDA


Florida - Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky - Hinton



Florida, My Home - Ashley




My Florida Home - Marshall


Perhaps, the "Old Folks At Home" song
should be replaced because it was not very realistic to imagine a victim of slavery, singing about the happy days of his childhood, down on the "Good Ole Plantation"... But please, couldn't they find a more upbeat replacement: I guess, considering the single-mindedness of those in High Places, there in the Sunshine State...


I Guess Not!!! thinkingblue

IF YOU BELIEVE ONE OF THESE OUTDATED, SILLY SONGS, SHOULD WIN AND BECOME FLORIDA'S STATE SONG - CLICK HERE TO VOTE




WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK THE TEMPTATIONS WHAT THE NEW SONG OF FLORIDA SHOULD BE? IF THEY HAD, THE STATE SONG WOULD HAVE BEEN "SWANEE, HOW I LOVE YA,HOW I LOVE YA, MY DEAR OLE SWANEE"

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

THE CIA GHOSTS OF TORTURE

In light of all this CIA illegal destruction of evidence on torture, I am once again clipping the youtube torture video with an update. For seven long years we have all been subjected to live in the Bush twilight zone and now this world of self-contained fantasy and horror is tossing us yet another eerie twist with this headline "CIA destroyed tapes despite court orders".

The 1959 Rod Serling, TV series appears similar to THE BUSH ZONE, with one exception. "The Twilight Zone" was suppose to be science fiction, but the show rarely offered scientific explanations. It often had a moral lesson that pertained to everyday life. The only lesson in the Bush Twilight Zone is LIE, CHEAT, MANIPULATE but if you get caught, concoct incompetence, for it's better to look naively ineffectual than expose what you really are, an unprincipled, power-hungry totalitarian!

Ya wanna bet, they'll get away with this one too! thinkingblue

Thursday, December 06, 2007

YOU CAN, TEAR DOWN GUANTANAMO BAY!

http://www.tearitdown.org/?tr=y&auid=3222660
"The America I believe in doesn't torture people or use cruel, inhuman treatment; doesn't hold people without charge, without fair trials, without hope, and without end; doesn't kidnap people off the street and ship them to nations known for their brutality; doesn't justify the use of secret prisons; and does not rob people of their basic dignity." http://thinkingblue.blogspot.com/
----------------------------------------
You did it. Thanks to your overwhelming response to our appeal last month, we're running a bright orange full-page ad in today's edition of the New York Times.

What's so important about today?

The Supreme Court will hear Bush administration lawyers attempt to defend the indefensible: that the President can hold people indefinitely, without charge and without question. With fundamental human rights principles on the line let's hope the Supreme Court rejects this lawlessness and demands an end to the injustice that flows from it.

A thousand miles from the Supreme Court steps, Amnesty International will be observing another crucial hearing today. This one will take place at Guantánamo Bay and while it will get less press attention, it is no less important.

While the Supreme Court considers whether or not Congress improperly took away the writ of habeas corpus from detainees in Guantánamo, a hearing will be convened to determine whether or not Salim Ahmed Hamdan is an "unlawful enemy combatant" and subject to trial by military commission. Under the Military Commissions Act, "unlawful enemy combatants" cannot challenge the evidence brought before them or object to being convicted on evidence obtained through brutal means.

The two hearings are not unrelated.

Both challenge the administration's attacks on our system of justice. Both challenge the assertion that fear, not freedom, guides our country. But even more important, both hearings present a clear opportunity to move our nation back on track -- to a place of respect for truth, justice and liberty. As four Supreme Court Justices put it, "[I]if this Nation is to remain true to the ideals symbolized by its flag, it must not wield the tools of tyrants even to resist an assault by the forces of tyranny."

With so much at stake, your support for our work has never been so important. Thank you for standing with us.

In solidarity,

Larry Cox
Executive Director

P.S. Be sure to tear down a piece of Guantánamo Bay, and if you already have, tell your friends and family to get their own piece.
http://www.tearitdown.org/?tr=y&auid=3222660
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Wednesday, December 05, 2007

THE POWER OF SONG

Jason Leopold Reviews "Pete Seeger: The Power of Song"
By Jason Leopold
t r u t h o u t Review

Tuesday 04 December 2007

One of the sad truths about the Bush administration's historic foreign policy failure, resulting in the occupation of Iraq and the numerous constitutional abuses that followed, is that it has not led to the type of artistry reminiscent of the Vietnam War era.

That's the feeling you're left with after watching "Pete Seeger: The Power of Song," an inspirational new documentary that pays tribute to the legendary folk singer and activist.

With all due respect to Neil Young and The Dixie Chicks, there hasn't been a single musical artist to emerge over the past five years who has displayed a passion and an urgency in using the power of song to rail against the social and political injustices and inspire a generation to rise up the way Seeger has done for more than half a century.

That is partly because record labels in this day and age frown upon that sort of dissent from its artist roster, fearing that it will negatively impact album sales. Moreover, corporations such as Clear Channel, which control playlists at thousands of radio stations across the country, have refused to air songs openly critical of the Bush administration's policies. In essence, there is no incentive for musicians to exercise their rights to free speech via songwriting when profits, first and foremost, trump the free form of expression.

Directed by Jim Brown, who manned the camera on the 1982 documentary "The Weavers: Wasn't That a Time," one of Seeger's early folk groups, the theatrical release of "The Power of Song" is timely given the current political climate and how polarized America has become.

The testimonials to Seeger's lyrical genius and devotion to social causes by such rock luminaries as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and the Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines is spread liberally throughout the 90-minute feature.

But what's truly fascinating about this documentary is that we're reminded that Seeger's songs, penned decades ago in response to issues such as union-busting, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam War, still have a timeless quality that resonates today. Seeger's arrangements of "This Little Light of Mine," "We Shall Overcome," or "Turn, Turn, Turn" sound just as fresh today.

The film opens with a virile Seeger, now 88, dressed in blue jeans and wearing hiking boots, venturing out to a wooded area in upstate New York to chop firewood. He wields an ax with the same energy he uses to pick the banjo, one of the instruments he's mastered in his lifetime, and returns to the log cabin in Hudson Valley, New York, that he and his wife of 63 years, Toshi, built with their bare hands some 40 years ago. Pete has brought back enough wood to keep the couple warm for the evening.

It was here, in 1969 where Seeger promised his young daughter that he would clean up the polluted Hudson River so she and other children could grow up one day and swim in the water. And much to his daughter's surprise that's exactly what Seeger did. Seeger founded The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater Inc., an organization that single-handedly rehabilitated the Hudson and is credited with spawning the grass-roots environmental movement.

Seeger's wife laments that "if only Pete chased women instead of chasing causes, I would have an excuse to leave him."

That's the underlying message in the documentary - Seeger very much walks the walk. He isn't some part-time activist or folk singer, and that's what sets him apart from today's musical artists.

Indeed, Seeger reveals that he resigned from The Weavers when the group's members licensed one of their hit folk songs for use in a cigarette commercial because the musicians were desperate for money.

"We didn't need the money that bad," Seeger recalls saying.

It was that sort of radical response that apparently made Seeger so dangerous to people in power. He paid for it by being hauled before the House Un-American Activities Committee to respond to charges that he was a communist sympathizer. Seeger, standing his ground, refused to answer the committee's questions about his personal political views and was held in contempt of Congress. For the next 17 years, Seeger was blacklisted from radio and television.

Recounting the episode and whether he was worried that he would be incarcerated, Seeger says, "I'm probably very stupid, but I'm not fearful."

That answer is perhaps the most inspirational moment in this film, which should serve as a wake-up call to journalists and musicians alike: speaking truth to power is the ultimate form of patriotism.

Seeger would find poetic justice many years later when then-President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Arts at the Kennedy Center in 1994.

"I really love this country," Seeger says in the final moments of the documentary. "If you love your country you'll find ways to speak out and do what you know is right."

Today, Seeger sometimes ventures out onto a street corner in upstate New York to join other activists protesting the occupation of Iraq.


Pete Seeger: Power of Song trailer
In PETE SEEGER: POWER OF SONG, the only authorized biography, Jim Brown
documents the life of one of the greatest American singer/songwriters of the
last century. Pete Seeger was the architect of the folk revival, writing some of
its' best known songs including "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," "Turn, Turn,
Turn" and "If I Had A Hammer." Largely misunderstood by his critics, including
the US government
for his views on peace, unionism, civil rights and ecology, Seeger was targeted
by the communist witch hunt of the Fifties. He was picketed, protested,
blacklisted, and, in spite of his enormous popularity, banned from American
television for more than 17 years.
PETE SEEGER: POWER OF SONG chronicles the life of this legendary artist and
political activist. The film serves as testament of Seeger's belief in the power
of song above all else and his conviction that individuals can make a
difference.
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