Moody's blog

Death Defiant

RJ Moody 2009

The Iron Latch

RJ Moody 2009

Yes “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but in truth any similar sized hard object when thrown correctly can repel a doctor. Apple growers don’t want you to know this little secret, but a rock a day will work just as well, if not better.

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came Wallenda,
With a different agenda
And they still talk about it today

Now you know the true story.

The Great Wallenda

RJ Moody 2009

HFBWrap®

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RJ Moody 2009

The Last Witness

RJ Moody 2009

For better or worse? I don't know.

Below the Sawmill

RJ Moody 2009

Below the Sawmill

RJ Moody 2009

I answered another one of those idiotic Facebook poles today, and the question was: Do You Believe in the Right to Bear Arms? I answered YES, but unlike the other 99% of the 92% who also clicked the YES box, I scrawled a comment in the comment section. If you don't read it who will?

Comment: I own a gun and I believe in the ENTIRE second amendment as written (“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”) including the well REGULATED part!!! Remember folks the second amendment was written with the idea that we would NOT maintain a permanent standing army and that in times of war EVERY man from 17 to 47 would report to his local militia to fight for his country. Funny how the gun nuts forget that part. Actually looking at their collective IQ’s I’m sure most of them never knew it in the first place, and their “smarter” Bible thumping corporate pumping right wing media talking heads suffer from a selective memory disorder so unwavering that the stupidity of the masses is now a diagnosable permanent condition. A terminal tumor on the brain of America. The “shoot first and ask questions later” crowd is now just the “shoot first crowd.” They no longer even ask questions.

RJ Moody 2009

Cadence Clearwater Revival had a better beat than their rival revival. (Recently discovered recordings lend creedence to this claim.)

Once upon a time the average American family would pack up the car each summer and go on vacation. They would travel the interstate highway system to such great places as The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Knott's Berry Farm, or even Disneyland! During the last quarter of the twentieth century Americans often flew to far away places like Hawaii, Mexico, The Bahamas, or even Europe! These vacations which once occurred annually usually lasted a full week or two. This was the reward for eleven plus months of working the All-American forty hour work week. Recently however the annual weeklong vacation seems to have gone out of style around here. The travel ads of yesteryear have all but disappeared from my newspapers, magazines, and billboards. In their place I’ve noticed a new phenomenon with all new terms.

Well, all this writing and dreaming of foreign travel has me worn out. I think I’ll go take a nap now. No, on second thought I think I’ll take a thirty minute “laycation.”

RJ Moody 2009

The U.S. Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy without any reference to God, but in 1954 Reverend George Docherty convinced President Eisenhower and the U.S. Congress to insert the words ''under God'' into the Pledge during the anti-Communist fervor of the McCarthy era (during the black-listings of teachers, professors, actors, writers, etc. who Joe McCarthy and his ilk deemed to be communists.) The change was made to link religion with patriotism and to separate us from the “Godless” Soviet Union.

It’s too bad Eisenhower (I like Ike) didn’t realize that telling people to disavow God as the Soviet government did, and telling people to pledge to a nation “under God” as the U.S. government did, were BOTH acts of governments telling people how to think about God. What business is that of ANY government?! I know Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Taliban, etc. will be furious at me for saying that, but they can go to hell for all I care. I’d rather my government worshipped FREEDOM, and let me worship my religion (or not) as an individual. -Amen

RJ Moody 2009

I answered a poll today that asked if I thought my president was doing a good job or not, so I marked the "YES" box, and in the comment section I wrote:

RJ Moody 2009

A Dozen bits of Wizdum

Someday

RJ Moody 2009

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RJ Moody 2009

RJ Moody 2009

In 2003 I attended my first Oregon Country Fair. I walked in with little idea of what to expect, and immediately became lost among the many paths winding through the trees. The woods of the fair grounds were filled with stages, booths, and eateries, occupied by an eclectic variety of performers, artisans, and cooks. The first performer I happened upon was a gray bearded folk singer sporting a wry smile and worn out blue jeans. He was surveying the crowd through piercing gray eyes from beneath the brim of his tan panama hat. The black guitar case that lay on the ground in front of him contained a few CD’s and his morning’s earnings. Several stickers adorned the case, but one in particular stood out from the others. It was a large black and white bumper sticker that read simply “IMPEACH BUSH.”

If the bumper sticker seemed bold, the songs were even bolder. Songs like Doin' the Perp Walk, and Raise Your Ass, Raise Your Bail told us all what he thought of our presiding administration. They called for the impeachment and arrest of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft, and the rest of the gang who were running the country into the ground at the time. This guy with the rosy red cheeks and glinting eyes may have looked Santa Claws, but he was angry. Not angry at life in general, or at the people around him. His smile and kind nature let everyone know he was a gentle man, and his irreverent humor made us all laugh. His anger was an intense anger at injustice and greed. An anger at people so greedy that they’re willing to send other peoples children to die just to increase their own fortunes. As I learned during the show, he was one of those sent to die some three decades earlier.

His Name was Jim Hinde, a proud but disillusioned American Veteran of the Vietnam War. I watched Jim perform again later that same day, and I’ve returned to The Oregon Country Fair every year since to watch him perform his songs of peace and defiance. I’ve purchased every CD Jim ever made (some of them twice) and played them repeatedly to keep my sanity during the “Bush years.” As cowards like Bush and Cheney played army with the lives of millions, Jim Hinde sang his songs of true patriotism, and sought to change his country for the better.

The song Frank Dennis and Me tells the story of survival, sorrow and lies that tens of thousands of Vietnam Veteran’s experienced. Songs like The Dance, Shout Down the Wind, and A Mighty Sad Song, give you further glimpses into life of this remarkable man. The song They’ll Have to Kill Me Down the Road reflects his determination to never compromise. The song Freedom Road was the gift he wanted to give all of us. And after the songs were done, Jim’s willingness to talk to each and every fan who wanted to get an autograph, or share a story showed his genuine humanity.

Jim Hinde was one of my greatest heroes. A man who fought for his country and was nearly destroyed by the Vietnam War. A man who spent the rest of his life fighting his own demons and fighting for peace until his death in 2008 at age 56. May you at last rest in peace Jim.

A memorial tribute performed by folk singer-songwriter Jim Page and others was held for Jim Hinde at the 2008 Oregon Country Fair. Jim’s songs were sung by several of his musician brothers and sisters, as a life sized rainbow colored silhouette of Jim with his guitar stood at the edge of the stage. His tan Panama hat rested on a stool beside it.

RJ Moody 2009