Molten Java Jazz Jam - cool jazz, hot coffee!

What a great night. I ducked out a bit early from Wed Poetry at the Blue Z in Newtown, (where a cool and crowded "Found Poem" workshop was in progress) and stopped at our old venue Molten Java (102 Greenwood Ave, in Bethel) which now has a Jazz Jam every wednesday night.  The music was great. It made me forget my worries, kept me tapping my foot. There were lots and lots of very talented folks of varying ages who took their turns playing sax, guitar, standup bass, drums and a keyboard player too. The pics represent just a few of the many players who shared their musical gifts!

Could psychic powers could help find the injured in Haiti? (if psychicpowers existed)

Ben Radford - a paranormal investigator who says he has yet to find a "real" psychic, has issued a plea for psychics to step forward and help find the injured in earthquak-stricken Haiti.

You would think some would have made news already doing this. After all, we see psychics and mediums constantly both on talk shows and TV dramas. This would be show so much "love" to the world and they seem to talk about this a lot. What better way to help the helpless, prove your claims are true and save lives in the process.

 So, if you are a "real" psychic, please read this article. Ben's story is at:

http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blogs/entry/a_plea_for_any_real_psychics_to_help_haiti/

Perhaps a financial contribution to Doctors without Borders would be a bit more realistic....

"Our Place in the Cosmos" a music remix from Symphony of Science.com

I am hooked on the concept of setting science to a beat with gorgeous pictures. Here is another video "remix" from http://SymphonyofScience.com 

"We Are All Connected" - a music remix from SymphonyofScience.com

This is a part of a series of videos from http://SymphonyofScience.com - watch the video and checkout their website. I will post more of this series here also.

Poetry: Polly Brody's latest arcs with the trajectory of living

After hearing a reading from Polly Brody's new book, Stirring Shadows, (from Antrim House), you would never conclude there was anything remotely Pollyanna-ish about her views.  This excellent book looks at the darkness of human nature, seguays to the rich beauty and ferocity of nature, then to  the ultimate leveler of mortality, and to the hope of new generations.  The works are gorgeous, and her well-attended reading last Sunday at the Cyrus Booth Library in Newtown, was evocative. Click to read some sample poems.

U.S. has class system: Bankers are sacred. Soldiers are ignored.

You can tell there is an unspoken caste system in the United States. Here is how you can tell: When the economy took a dive and the feds had to bail out so many giant financial corporations, the lobbies and lawyers screamed that contracts including big bonuses had to be honored. Start breaking contracts and Western civilization would crumble, according to the bankers and their lackies in government.  When the fed finally got busy and put some restrictions on bonuses - the banks couldn't pay the TARP back fast enough.

WHAT ABOUT OUR SOLDIERS WHO SIGN A ONE YEAR CONTRACT for military service - but then the U.S. engages its "STOP LOSS" program and they aren't allowed to leave, sometimes having to serve a second or third term against their will. Their contracts are broken, and they have no legal recourse. So a contract with a banker is sacred. A contract between the Federal Government and a soldier isn't worth the paper its written on..... Of course the Indians could have told us this.....

So according to U.S. practice -- If you are a well-connected banker the government will go broke to protect you and your contracts are sacred.(Unless of course there is a populist outcry of VOTE THE BUMS OUT!) If you are just a foot soldier, or an Indian Tribe, historically the government says, screw you. Obama may have fixed the first part - but he hasn't gotten around to the second part yet....

Check out this NPR story about a  soldier the army wouldn't let go --  who is going to get a court marshal because he wrote and sang a song protesting the Stoploss program. The military actions against this soldier are unAmerican.

Case of the disappearing O's & quote for the day

"Have you ever tried to CRUSH a Cheerio?"

This was  not Genghis Khan nor Sally Sour speaking. It was not a sardonic Brit, who couldn't get the last word as an opponent left the argument.  It was a hungry, white-haired elder trying out a Stop and Shop muffin recipe that called for this odd ingredient: X amount of crushed Cheerios.   A Cheerio, being so little and round, and good-natured, might sound like an easy target. Guess not.  She said  that when a large spoon was applied, the little buggers just leaped out from between the spoon and the breadboard.  I suggested a paper bag and a sledge hammer or the hopelessly modern device: the food processor. Both suggestions were booed.

The baker, not to be derailed from baking, put the Cheerios in the muffin batter whole. Guess what? Not one whole or partial Cheerio was found in the tasty finished muffins.  Despite the ignored instructions of the marketing department, the laws of physics triumph once again.....