Standing on the old bridge over one hundred feet above a ravine. Late afternoon and overhead a Cooper's Hawk glides away towards the setting sun. The blue sky taking on the warm glow of evening. The Hawk silhouetted as are the crows that are harrassing rentlessly the Hawks journey. The Hawk seems unusually stoic as he runs the gauntlet of attacks. They diminish in the distance
I turn around and look up the ravine. There, landing on a tall snag of a branch is a female Cooper's Hawk. She lands and her head immediately begins the stop/start scanning processes.
I get it. The husband draws away the crows and blackbirds while the wife glides stealthily in for a chance at an evening meal.
I watch her scan, look and reposition herself.
Unexpectedly the Husband comes in for a slightly unsteady perch right next to her. He looks a bit ruffled from his part of the ruse.
After steadying himself he turns his head and beak toward his wife and tilts his head. she turns to him and bobs her head.
I could see it right away.
He saying
"You haven't got anything? After the beating I took to give you a clear field to hunt?"
She saying,
"I just got here my self. It's not like there is something waiting to be eaten"
Then they turned and looked out at the expanse. Time passed and unceremoniously he leaned forward, wings spread and glided off. He caught a thermal and soon was a speck.
She left just a minute or two behind him and flew to another tree, waited and then glided off home.
Only the warm glow of the Sunset remained.

When I read that the news was considering torture as "harsh" I was appalled. Hard water is harsh, hard soap is harsh, swearing, grounded for a week is harsh.. Torture is cruel, life threatening, psychologically, spiritually and emotionally damaging. The rationale for torture is ALWAYS psycho-pathological and is encouraged by such and by sociopaths.
I have interviewed murders (while in the Military) they are generally lucid, chatty, often well read and the last person you would see as murder. (Heck, Ted Bundy was a Republican who attend the national convention in the past.)
It is a mental condition of the utmost depersonalization of seeing other humans as animals.
Some of the troops who have conducted these tortures are damaged for life...as damaged as those that were tortured...if they are not damaged by willful cruelty, then they are pathologically demented and are to be feared as any animal that would torture and kill for the sheer joy of torturing and killing.
Torture is never excusable and is a war crime under the Geneva convention which our country signed and prosecuted Nazis for violating..

Still a chill in the morning air. Soon the Sun is high in the sky peaking through the clouds. Warm Sunlight plays on opening blossoms. Kaleidoscope colors begin their arrival.
Time for a weekend walk through the woods, along the coast, down a suburban street, or in a city park. Time to witness nature's promise of life. Time to witness the renewal of life and see how, we too, are part of the grand plan. A plan the dwarfs the egos, petty tyrants,and crooked bureaucrats.
Let's enjoy the show of the Spring season, if only for a week or so before we resume the drama around us.

In a discussion with some folks they told me "What can we do to change things. We don't have any power"

In the a corporate run society People have the power..
The power is in the pocket book.
The power is in local economies.
The power is cutting off the life blood of the Dragon Corporations.
Don't drive if you can walk to the store..
Coordinate shopping with neighbors. Ride share.
Don't buy products that support what you don't like or agree with.
Does it work? Yup. We the people have made some corporations, like Mc Donald's stop their use of Genetically engineered potatoes.
See a program on television you don't like? Call, write, email the advertisers and let them know you are buying any of their products if they advertise on the Program is dislike..
Many companies are own by one large Corporation...Just tell them you aren't buying any of their products becuse they support something you don't like..
One can be many...let your friends and co workers know what your doing and act as a team.
Shop locally,,,,make change globally....It's the American way!!
Put "Free" back into "Freedom"
Have fun!

Calendar day with much about celebration, gifts and such.
Discussions of controversy and the like.
What does this day, this time of the year, this focus of attention mean?
Set it aside.

Do what you will, say what you will.
But now is a time when we can come together as friends, family, acquaintances, co-workers and members.
We come together and share company, food, laughter, conversation, and each others company. Some will come together in simple human communion.
Words need not be spoken for spirits and souls to resonate.
We simply feel the presence of our human community.
May your day be filled..