Let my heart sing

Let My Heart Sing©

By Michael Casey

Let my heart sing

Let my smile shine

Let my laughter ring

Let my joy spread

Let my light fill my life

Let my words be wise

Let my ears never deaf to your needs

Let my eyes always see the good

Let my shoulders never buckle under any weight

Let my feet always bring me back home

Let my fingers never need to be crossed

Let there always be one thing to be remembered by

Love and Charity for Others, my sisters and brothers

So when I am dust, remember me for what I tried to be

A singer singing a song even though I always sung badly,

Because in my heart I  was Singing as we all should in Harmony.

Somebody else's words to end the year

In Trump's America, it's important to remember: this isn't normal

Michael H Fuchs

The breakdown of norms at home undermines democracy, in foreign affairs it undermines security. Americans must hold the president to account

Sun 30 Dec 2018 11.00 GMT Last modified on Sun 30 Dec 2018 11.01 GMT

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Donald Trump: this is not normal. Photograph: Carolyn Kaster/AP

This is not normal.
In the age of President Donald Trump, it is necessary to repeat this mantra constantly. The ways in which Trump breaks norms and shocks the conscience overwhelm America’s capacity to process each event with the appropriate level of outrage and accountability. America’s attention too often moves from one story to the next like sports highlights. Slowly, surely, America’s norms are stripped away.
The legal system is beginning to hold Trump and his associates accountable, evidenced by the guilty pleas, convictions and indictments emanating from the special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference in 2016. Other Trump actions and policies have sparked countless lawsuits, from those challenging emoluments to the travel and asylum bans. However imperfect the system, breaking the law can have consequences.

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The penalty for breaking norms, however, isn’t so simple. Presidents are not supposed to continue their private business while in office, attack the media as the “enemy of the people” or talk about throwing political opponents in jail. None of this is normal. But it’s not necessarily illegal.

Trump treats autocrats like friends, and friends like enemies

When it comes to national security, it is much easier to discard norms. There are laws governing the conduct of US national security policy, but norms are an essential part of the glue that keeps America safe. Trump has taken aim at those norms.
US foreign policy has long recognized that alliances with democracies advance US interests, and that grudging partnerships with autocracies are to be managed. But Trump treats autocrats like friends, and friends like enemies. He defends Russia’s President Vladimir Putin against the US intelligence community; defends the Saudi Arabian autocrat Mohammed bin Salman, who is accused of ordering the murder of a journalist; and defends the systematic human rights abuses of the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un, even saying he wishes the American people would treat Trump with the same deference the North Korean people are forced to show Kim. Meanwhile, Trump picks fights with the leaders of Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom.
This is not normal. America should debate how best to uphold its values in its foreign policy, not whether those values have a role to play.
Despite periods of xenophobia, America at its best is a country welcoming of foreigners – the Statue of Liberty greets immigrants with the words: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” But Trump is closing America to those yearning to breathe free. Trump has drastically reduced the number of refugees allowed to enter the US, imposed an arbitrary travel ban, is attempting to curb legal immigration, and sent the US military to the border with Mexico to respond to a group of desperate people fleeing violence and poverty.
This is not normal. America can debate the contours of the best immigration policy, but it should not undermine America’s spirit as a land of opportunity.
While climate change has become a partisan issue – with conservatives often denying its existence or extent – US policy should be driven by facts, and facts make clear that manmade climate change is imperiling life on earth. The entire world agrees – except for Trump. Climate change is one of the only existential threats the world faces, and Trump is actively working to make it worse.

America has never had to question whether its president prioritized the country’s interests above all else

This is not normal. America should debate the best way to tackle climate change, not its existence.
America has never had to question whether its president prioritized the country’s interests above all else. But with Trump, it increasingly looks like the president is compromised by Russia. While laws may have been broken (Mueller is on the case), the very idea of a compromised president is shocking. We already know that: Trump asked Russia to find Hillary Clinton’s emails in 2016; Trump attempted to do business with Vladimir Putin during the campaign; Trump regularly takes Putin’s side over US intelligence agencies; a number of Trump’s senior aides are guilty of crimes related to dealings with Russia; and Trump regularly attacks US law enforcement for investigating Trump’s connections to Russia. Trump is acting like he is compromised.
This is not normal. America should debate the best way to protect itself from Russia – it should not have to debate whether the president is in Russia’s pocket.
And no national security decisions should be made on the fly by tweet. Decisions about how to safeguard America require extensive deliberation within the US government and public. But Trump often makes major national security decisions – such as removing US troops from Syria or meeting with Kim – on a whim, surprising US officials and endangering US interests.

Why did Mattis resign? To issue a wake-up call to the world

Michael H Fuchs

Read more

This is not normal. America needs substantive debate about policies and should not have to wonder whether decisions are made on a whim by Trump’s “very, very large brain”.
American history is filled with dark periods, from the wars against Native Americans to slavery, the internment of Japanese Americans to the oppression of women and minorities. But America has also been a beacon to the world, as evidenced by the large numbers of people who have sacrificed much to come to these shores. America has continually worked to improve itself, over time building norms and laws that help protect this country.
The breakdown of norms at home undermines democracy. The breakdown of norms in foreign affairs undermines American security. That is why Americans must continue to remind themselves that what they are seeing right now is not normal and hold Trump to account with vigorous congressional oversight and vocal public pushback.
The breakdown of norms at home undermines democracy. The breakdown of norms in foreign affairs undermines American security. That is why Americans must continue to remind themselves that what they are seeing right now is not normal and hold Trump to account with vigorous congressional oversight and vocal public pushback.


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you can go directly to the Guardian to read this yourself. I read 3 newspapers, watch BBC and SKY, plus BBC Radio4 every day. Tweets should not rule us, and Facebook is not our master either. THINK FOR YOURSELF ….

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Circuit Training

Circuit Training ©

By

Michael Casey

So you expect me to talk about running around and lifting weights? I’m not the Rock, though I probably weight more than him, I just googled so we may actually be the same weight. Obviously I look so much better than him, with my silver hair, I only mentioned him because he was in the paper doing a Charity thing with kids. He really looked as if he was enjoying it, so God Bless him, and more power to his elbow as they say.

Now why mention him, because I was doing my circuit this morning, which does not involve throwing the Rock around the ring till he starts to cry because I’ve broken his best fingernail, the one he uses to scratch his scratch card with, to see has he won a few quid. My circuit is leaving the house and turning right, I cannot turn left ever since the accident.

The Zoolander accident so I just cannot turn left, that is left not Left, my Political persuasions are my own dirty secret. Though no Politician could ever persuade me, not unless it involved a lot of Cream, with a cherry on top. Just so you are not Confucius and it’s very easy to get Confucius, if the Rock throws you and you bang your head then you’ll certainly get a cherry on your top, or at least a black eye.

So where was, I let me be Blunt, Emily stop slapping the Rock we know you are Mary Poppins, but stop shoving him up the chimney, he’ll never master a Cockney accent like Dick did. He can listen to MY audio online then he’ll speak Posh Birmingham, and no don’t spray Old Spice on his bum either. I know the paper today said you did not get pay parity for your jungle film. But making a grown man cry is not the answer. He can play your Gay brother in your next film together, and you can get top billing, and he can get less dollars than you. Now I hope that has sorted everything for you.

I’m going around in circles, so is the Rock I stapled his foot to the canvas accidentally, while I was getting Emily’s autograph, I thought he was security, I didn’t even know who he was all dressed up in kinky black flight suit thingy, with Jason his best buddy. I knew who Jason was, now he IS security.

Where was I, yes here, but I need to go to the kitchen soon to get another drink, and steal what’s left of the Christmas chocolate. So I just turn right and at the end of the road I have to decide shall I nip into the woods, no not for a crafty pee, it would frighten walkers and squirrels alike. Shall I turn, no not back into Santa, I look like Santa as I’m dressed all in red, but with beard now shaved. Shall I turn this way or that, or just do a Margaret, the Lady is not for Turning, Margaret.

So I turn my other cheeks to the wind, this coat is a wee bit too short, Donald’s are much longer to hide his his his whatever. And then I walk down the hill to the shops. Now if I could go more than One Direction I’d be in a boy band, but turning left leads to another part of the woods and a bigger and steeper hill, I am a kind of Benny Hill already, well at least I have the same Twinkle, maybe one day I’ll be a star.  

As I walk down the less steep hill I observe all the houses, they could build an observatory here as it’s so dark at night, which sounds like some guilty chocolate pleasure. Please Yourselves, as Frankie Howerd might say, though you’re ahead of me already. So I truck down the hill singing an old 10cc song, concentrating on getting the words right.  Only at one corner somebody tries to kill me with his car, I’m bright red everywhere with silver hair on top. Sorry Mate, I didn’t see you he shouts as he continues on his way. It was Santa, a very drunk Santa on his way home after stopping in the woods to see Lech, Boris and Gregorgi, I’m sure he’s one of their relatives.

So I finally get to the shop and see the price of sausages. We love Richmond sausages, only my Shanghai wife does not know the difference between skinless sausages and the normal variety. So my daughter insisted I went out to get the proper Richmond sausage variety. This would aid her while she studies for her Mock A Levels. I also had to buy Chorizo and wraps, these are foods that feed Science brains.

Once I’d bought these I was able to finish my circuit by prancing onto a bus to take me up that hill, I am no Kate Bush after all, more of a Benny, without the woolly hat. I overshoot my road and then prance back down the hill again before turning again right  to get to the right road. I keep right on to the end of the road, because I am a Pilgrim Hippy after all, and Eric is always practicing up in his bedroom. Sometimes with the guitar, but mainly with Sally.

Luckily I can turn a deaf ear because I’ve still sot got over my ear infection. Through Eric has blind faith in his blinds, as he and Sally scale the heights with their Domino constructions. Which is something to do about making love on a mountain, though we are just a very steep hill, or it could have something to do with tops of wardrobes. But at least I have brought the frozen sausages home.

Cobwebs of Love

michaelgcasey wrote today at 7:47 AM  in Nov 2011,
something I read tonight reminded  me of this

Cobwebs of Love(c)
By Michael Casey

Kids need good parents, friends we choose for ourselves, your families you get anyway.
I'm lucky I had great parents. Faith does help, but kids get bigger and decide for themselves if their parents were talking rubbish or were worth listening too.
Kids travel and find their own way home to their faith and their families. Elastic is very important in relationships and faith. If you try to keep things set in stone then you will be in for a fall. Nothing is set in stone, friendships change and alter and our own understandings change and alter.
Have a bit of elastic in your life is my best advice. You are not in an army and getting up at 5am and doing all the marching and so forth. Yes have discipline and rules, but be aware IF you force somebody to do something when they have the chance to rebel then they will. You
cannot chain anybody to you or your faith, brainwashing is a bad idea, listen to the Genesis song Jesus we know him.......
So you bind your family and friends and faith to you by cobwebs of love and nothing stronger than cobwebs of love. Love should be like that its a cobweb of love, also be happy to have a Prodigal Son in your life, happy because you will always welcome them back. If you're lucky you'll never have any Prodigal sons
in your life but I already tell my kids I'll always love them and they can always come home, leave your doors open with cobwebs of love waiting there