2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session arts arts and culture author ballot measures basketball bomb books boy scouts budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal college courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana marriage media medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes technology terrorism theater third parties transportation union university of oregon washington wildfire women

After my mother had ten children, she rented a piano and learned how to play it well. It may have been a link to keep sanity. I danced to How Much Is That Doggie in the Window, The Vienna Waltz, etc. When I became a mom myself, I bought a used player piano with 90+ rolls of music and loved the old songs like Blackbird, Always, Chattanooga Choo Choo, and The Blue Danube Waltz. I played the blues away and got into shape pumping the piano while the kids went off to bed, after the nightly chapter of Where the Red Fern Grows, etc. When I became a single mom of 7, I would go dancing for my own sanity. Music released troubles, and has a way of cutting through to the soul.

I discovered YouTube a short while ago, and learned I could find almost any song and artist. On my channel, Rare1walking, I began to create a Playlist of my favorite songs. Roy Orbison, Bobby McFerrin, Tom Jones song Sex Bomb ice-skated to by Plushenko, Annie by John Denver, Whitney Houston, and many more. Finding the old films like Flash Gordon, any of Bill Maher or Robin Williams' (Check out The Funeral with Robin and Carol Burnett) vids was really great, but music has always spoken to me. To be able to play a list of favorites in the background while I blog or work on the computer is pleasant. I don't have an IPod yet.

Current Events Comment: After this horrible period in our country with war, torture, loss of civil rights, utter corruption in the Justice system and Bush's wake of financial disaster, I'm not sure those losing their homes and jobs are singing much, even blues. It feels sort of like Rachel Carson's title, Silent Spring. Perhaps musical artists will be able to capture these times in their work and lead us in hopeful directions. Pamela Cohen

posted 4 years, 4 months ago
view in context

Congratulations on your win, Senator Merkley. How will you promote healthcare for all Americans? The drugging of our elderly, children, veterans, even those with Workman's Comp to 'comply' for benefits, has eroded our Constitutional rights, in the interest of maximizing profits for Big Pharma. My second grade teacher, 80+ yrs. old was drugged until she got a hole in her stomach, and died of sepsis, which is a horrible death. Hospice often maintains the level of drugging, even though the person cannot drink enough liquid, which demonstrates the length Big Pharma has gone, gaining medical and government approval to harm us all. Pharmaceutical euthanasia is the norm in many areas. ie: Mandatory flu shots for preschoolers in New Jersey when the mercury amount in vaccines are dangerous for even someone who is 550 lbs. Formaldehyde, aluminum and Propylene Glycol (antifreeze), 1/3 of many classrooms drugged, the continuous pushing of drugs in prisons, rest homes, etc. as named in my comment are all major concerns of mine. How will you respond and advocate for our human rights? Thank you.

posted 4 years, 6 months ago
view in context