Where did our society go so wrong???

I sit here at a computer in the Springfield Public Library and am wondering where our society went so wrong?

I ask this because values today seem completely abandoned. people we could trust are now suspect and we struggle to do what is right when everyone, or nearly everyone who is successful is a crook in some regard.

When did mothers and Sisters become Sex Objects?  I do not know and I remember growing up that, one would never think of a friends mom in a sexual way, it just wasn't done.

But now we have teachers who become sexually involved with students, priests who violate their celibacy with children.  The list goes on.

We need to stop sexualizing everyone and everything.  Sex is a special sharing between two people who love each other deeply, not just something that people do to feel good.

Maybe it is my age, but I feel that this trend has gone way too far and needs to STOP and STOP NOW.

I am not a God and I am not a religious leader, just a Man who is tired and sad at the world we live in and would like to see common decency come back into fashion.

Boldly Going... In a new direction

It has been a lifetime since I last posted here, and I mean that literally.

For those of you who do not follow me on Facebook you are unaware that I spent a month in inpatient therapy and am now living in Springfield Missouri in a mens shelter.

This has all been life changing for me.  To live for a month in such a controlled environment is different and now I am living in an environment where I have to find work, not just dilly dally.  

Public transit is available and affordable.

I have no idea where I will end up, but I will keep you all posted as I move forward.

We had a Job to do a review

Recently I read a book on World War Two, this is nothing unusual for me since I have had a fascination with this period of history since I was six years old,

I have read many books, from biographies to books that covered events and battles of the war.  

So I  was looking forward to reading We Had A Job To Do,  Especially because the description on the cover states that this is a basic history of world war two as seen through the eyes of those who served,

When I  read that this would be through the eyes of those who served, I was excited, I expected a lot of first-hand eyewitness  accounts from the men who fought the war.

Instead I got a lot of  cut and paste quotes from the brass in most cases, a lot of history of those who went to war, what they had done before going to war and very brief and descriptions of the battles themselves.

There are errors in dates such as the Potsdam conference pre-D-Day when this conference was in 1945.  The book is written in broken segments and is extremely dry.

There is nothing that makes this a must-read book, if anything it is bland and boring,  Save your money this is not the book that you are looking for on World War Two.

***

Mondays's Music Moves Me Some of the best of Broadway 1976

Since the 1970's I have been a huge fan of Hal Linden, not just as the actor who played Barney Miller for 7 seasons, but for his talent as a singer as well.

I remember seeing him on Merve Griffin, and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, to name a few, where he would sing as well as use his comedic wit.

Here is a special I found by accident last week, I hope you take the time to enjoy it.  

From the 1976 Tony Awards not just Hal Linden but Leslie Uggams and a few other surprising singers.  This is only part 1 of the program, perhaps I will be able to find the rest.
Enjoy this musical spectacular.

For those interested, here are the complete tony awards for 1976 not just the segment from the awards.  Enjoy and just remember the sweat, perseverance and dedication it takes to work to be a success on broadway.

This is for everyone who had that dream and found a way to make it happen.

Mondays Music Moves Me Musical Memories

When I was in high school I had the chance to be in the Chorus of a rather amazing musical called THE ME NOBODY KNOWS.  The music was written and originally performed by students in New Yorks' public school system.  It went onto to be an off Broadway hit.  The 5th Dimension did the following piece from THE ME NOBODY KNOWS in 1971

One of my favorite songs from a favorite musical, is What I did for Love from a Chorus Line, this is a very good arrangement done by a surprising individual.

Last a song made famous n=by one of Andrew Lloyd Webers  longest running plays, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

Hope you enjoy this musical journey

What were the Salem Witch Trials

This is a well written and researched book, that works to explain why the Salem Witch Trials came to be, and why they ended so rapidly. Joan Holub does a remarkable job of taking the reader back to 1692 and the farming community of Salem.  Each page takes the reader deeper into this time so long ago and so strange to us today.  One of the first things we come to understand is how people were so concerned about their spiritual path, people lived in fear of any one who was not of their way of believing and the people of Salem were very tightly knit to their belief in God and Christ.

Holub explains the world of the Puritans, every father was supposed to be able to heal his family from illness, if not then the local minister of the faith, when this could not happen it was obviously the work of the Devil and his kind, Witches.

It is in this setting that the story of the Witch Hunts begin, because of two young girls who suddenly begin to have fits and speak of strange things and speak strangely;  Fear takes over and rational and logical thought go out the window.

The girls are asked to name who the witches are, and after a period of time, they name three people.
This is just the beginning.

Famous ministers of the day, Increase and Cotton Mather are mentioned, how are they involved and what leads to the final end of the Trials?

The answer to these questions can be found in this fast paced book, that will provide new insight no matter your age.

The book has great illustrations done by  Dede  Putra and also has reproductions of illustrations from the time at the back of the book.  There is also a complete timeline showing the events as they happened between January 1692 to October 1693.

Overall this is a great book and is another success for Joan Holub,  ****

Cotton Mather Puritan Minister and strong believer that Witches existed and need not live.

Title page of Cotton Mather's Book.

From the heart

Night has come, the secadas make their chirping that slices through the silence.

Stars and the moon, the only immediate light, the apartments near by are dark, do people live here really or is it abandoned?

Music plays on the stereo and the air conditioner hums keeping our apartment cool as an ice cube.

Only our trustworthy watch cat sits atop a crate with mysteries to be revealed.

Night has come to our humble abode here in Branson and tomorrow will bring another sunrise another day

A Cats life

Meow mew merew meeow 

these are the words my cat says, I am not sure what she means.  She sits looking at me,, sometimes she purrs and sometimes she just curls up and falls asleep.  What a life she has.

A Cats life, from the  Cat

Why don't you pay attemtion to me?

I want  food... Now!

Oh that feels good, but I still need food.  Oh okay you are off the hook.  That feels so good.

I think I will go over here and sleep for 20 hours.  Or at least until you feed me,..