Come gather 'round people Can we save ourselves in time? "The times they are a-changin'," said Bob Dylan in 1963. Could he have foreseen that US citizens would lose their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms before his life was through? Can we honor John Lennon's legacy and "Give Peace a Chance?" It's up to us to fight for our rights and for what is right. Here you'll find political commentary, activism opportunities, views on news and more — all served with a twist, a song and a smile. Subscribe for free to our daily blog ezine of all the day's posts from this blog Enter your email address below to subscribe to A-Changin' Times blog ezine! Powered by Bloglet About A-Changin' Times I'm just sittin here watchin' the wheels go 'round and 'round. I really love to watch 'em roll. No longer riding on that merry-go-round, I just had to let it go. John Lennon Yep. That's me, too. Watchin' the wheels and singin' outta tune. No wonder I'm dizzy most of the time! The wheels in the world are seemingly spinning out of control. We see exponential growth in some areas, a winding down in others. There are war and hate in one arena, love and unity in another — all born of one event. Astounding fortunes made by some, mean staggering losses for others — within all industries — all at the same time. Earth changes are quaking the very ground beneath our feet while the sun is wreaking havoc with the weather. This is our opportunity to change our outlook and move forward in a new way, with a willingness to release previously held ideas, let go and to open to possibilities we might not have considered before. We will be required to use creatively what we already have in new ways, and, even if we have to "fake it 'til we make it," it's an opportunity to learn. And it's an opportunity to take action — to let our voices be heard to make a difference, to find solutions, to make a change. There is another way of looking at things and A-Changin' Times will provide support as we all make our way through this labyrinthine new world. Love, peace and clarity, Veralynne I GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS: The ACTivists, our fellow bloggers, the readers, the contributors. ACT has gathered a group of like-minded people without whom this venture would be a lonely chore. Thanks for your contributions, all; Bill, Colleen, Leo, Raff, Johanne, all the rest and those to come, your submissions and enthusiasm are invaluable. Bloggers, your blogs and links are inspiring. Readers, your links and referrals to and recommendations of ACT to friends and family are priceless. We all know folks who could benefit from "another way of looking at things." ACT NOW to open minds and hearts during these A-Changin' Times! ACT's philosophy is not to serve as strictly a news source, but to alert, awaken, inspire and motivate readers to exercise their rights and participate in creating positive change for people everywhere. Meet the ACTivists Lisa contributes to ACT from her base on the East Coast of the U.S. While her "Giftedly Outspoken" tagline may have started as a joke, it has proven to be valid! Her dedication to the philosophy of living simply and leaving no footprints on the Earth will reveal itself concerning consumer and health issues, employment crises, environmental activism, animal rights and much more. Lisa is learning to live the "cultural creative" lifestyle which will become more of a necessity for our survival in the days to come. In the meantime, her knowledge of bringing issues to light for grassroots activism will serve to accomplish our goals of making required changes in Washington. DUG is our West Coast U.S. correspondent. A long-time supporter of ACT's goals, DUG is a prolific researcher and sharer of news and views from off the beaten track. He's seen the writing on the wall for a long time and his caring and altruistic nature motivates him to make every effort to help people understand what's going on under the mainstream media radar. DUG's progressive views and nose for progressive news is much appreciated here. Blog on, DUG! Working his universal magic from a beach base in Australia, Pip's motto, Carpe Diem or "Seize the Day!", has served him well in approaching and accomplishing his goals of reaching other people. Pip's big heart drives him to research and present information that piques the curiosity, soothes the soul, and motivates those he touches to live life fully. Often entertaining and always informative his own weblog, Wilson's Blogmanac, is a daily "must visit" for thousands around the world. We at ACT are very fortunate to have his interest and caring mastery of the blogging art, for his technical as well as spiritual support and friendship. Also from Australia, Lucy mentors, facilitates workshops and teaches in the field of personal and spiritual growth. Drawing on Buddhist, Christian and Hindu spiritualities, her website, Inspired Presence, is a creative presentation of her influences, artistic and spiritual. Lucy has recently started working with intuitive tools such as the Mythical Tarot and the Tao Oracle to assist people along their life journeys. Lucy brings to this service poetry's powerful use of symbolism and metaphor -- hence, The Lyrical Oracle, speaking with refreshing beauty and timeless truth, offering you insight, choice and power. Lucy's background provides experience and understanding which she uses in her inspired communication of the wisdom of the cards. A motorcycle mama, a rock and roller and a true cultural creative, Jeannine (J-9), from the heart of America, brings a brilliant sense of humor to ACT, along with her sense of justice, peace and environmental devotion. J-9 is currently facing a health challenge, and we're looking forward to her great attitude and strength bringing her back to her giving, activist self in short order. J-9 shares Veralynne's enthusiasm for using music and the "hippie" philosophy of minimal consumerism and giving, in revealing the truth and in encouraging the healing of the planet and its global rifts among nations and people. Tell J-9 You've Read It! Veralynne may be Owner/Editor of ACT, but she's merely the ringleader, having been blessed with the voluntary efforts of a group of very different yet like-minded people with gifts to share. Veralynne fancies herself a proud dilettante and "hippie wannabe," reaching back into America's wealth of wisdom from our recent history for philosophy and guidelines to deal with today's issues of war and peace, injustice and lack of love for our mother planet. It's very easy to be cynical these days, but with ACT, Veralynne hopes to temper the pain and confusion we feel with music, creativity, progressive participation in the political process and sharing of ideas, attitudes and ACTions. BLOG ENTRY CATEGORY AND COLUMN HEADINGS MONEY. IT'S NOT JUST FOR BREAKFAST ANYMORE* — Lisa's finger on the Pulse of America and Its Actions in the World THINGS DUG UP BY DUG — His News and Views From Here and There THE LYRICAL ORACLE — Poetic Interpretations of Events and Issues by Lucy Lopez LOVE KNOWS — Remembering and Reflecting Hidden Wisdom of Our Forgotten True Nature by Lucy Lopez I'N'I — INVESTIGATING THE NEW IMPERIALISM — From William Bowles WHAT WOULD YOU THINK IF I SANG OUT OF TUNE? — Stream-of-Consciousness Essays by Veralynne SOMETHIN'S HAPPENIN' HERE — World or U.S. News or Commentary RIGHTS AND WRONGS — Government Takeover of American Freedom, Media and Elections BATTLE LINES BEIN' DRAWN — War and Peace POLITICS OF FEAR VS. DEMOCRACY — The Campaign to Oust Bush and the Progressive Movement to Regain our Country BORN YESTERDAY...NOT! — Orwell Himself Couldn't Have Imagined This Bullshit! CROSSTOWN TRAFFIC — Readers Write CAN MUSIC SAVE YOUR MORTAL SOUL? — Old Hippies Breaking New Ground, New Hippies Treading Old Ground, and Everything Musically Relevant in Between. C'MON PEOPLE NOW, SMILE ON YOUR BROTHER! — Cultural Creativity, Pop Culture, Art Culture, Lifestyle, Including The Cultural Creatives, The Creative Class, The Hippies and Simple Living HACKERS, CRACKERS, WEBLOG YAKKERS — The Internet, Privacy, Security, etc. FLORA AND FAUNA — Environment and Health THE MEDICINE CABINET — Negotiating a Peace Treaty in the War on Drugs FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH — Actions to Take to Make a Difference STOP, PEOPLE! WHAT'S THAT SOUND? — Ev'rybody Look What's Goin' Down: Recommended Books, Movies, Music, Websites, Blogs, etc. WORDS AND WORKS — Poetry, Prose, Letters, Essays, Quotes and Quips ONWARD AND UPWARD! — Motivation and Inspiration Not by our hands. Not by our will. Not in our name. KEEP PLAYIN' THOSE MIND GAMES FOREVER For a brain teaser, make a list of all the things that affect your life that are NOT political. Share your list or your comments by email. A quiz for a personal political profile: From Political Sushi: Politics In The Raw The Advocates for Self-Government have provided The World's Smallest Political Quiz — see where YOU fit on the political map * "Food" for Thought From Lisa: "Only when the last tree has died and The last river has been poisoned and The last fish has been caught, Will we realise that We cannot eat money." 19th Century Cree Indian "The rich would have to eat money if the poor did not provide food." Russian proverb ACT! Sign petitions, make phone calls, write letters, send emails and faxes! Contact your Congressperson about your interest or concern: Senator: Contact Representative: Contact Or call the US Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 (toll free 1-800-839-5276) which will connect you with the office of whomever you wish to speak to. Keep an eye on ACT to learn about the issues. Bloggers Parliament Members' Blogs Deborama Rook's Rant CoPensar Networking For A Better Future Voice of Humanity Blaugustine The Fulcrum Robert Paterson's Weblog Guild of Ghostwriters Todo lo solido eCuaderno DOHIYI MIR United Diversity(Click "Joseph") Sandhill Trek Open Source Ethics London and The North Practical Metaphors Cancer Giggles Hear Willie's new peace song "Whatever Happened to Peace On Earth" here. OUR SPONSOR'S URGENT MESSAGE How can we expect to heal the planet if we cannot heal ourselves? Bring out your inner light and make a difference from the inside out. Stress is a fact of life these days. Causes include financial insecurity, war, GM foods, dirty air, limited income, fat, the PATRIOT Act, sunspots, war, higher prices, anthrax, unemployment, war, debt, obesity, terrorists, layoffs, war, in-laws, Bush, bad drinking water, taxes, chemtrails, war, education expenses, solar flares, junk food, retirement, crazy weather, war, overweight, the stock market, Rx drugs, traffic, airport security, maverick asteroids, new car cost, health insurance, war, job retraining, utility costs, children's future, war, desire for your own home or to pay one off, four more years of Bush, war, etc. Whew! Invest in yourself and your family today. Overcome threats of the current economy, job loss and job interviews. Visit our websites for the plan you need to survive these trying times. Do you want control of your future? Earn lifetime residual income while helping others save money. Deliver on the promise to yourself and your loved ones.