woody Archives - Good News!

Thought for the Day…10/30/25

Austin Tang — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:00:33 +0000

” IF GOD EXISTS, I HOPE HE HAS A GOOD EXCUSE.” WOODY ALLEN

#GOD #WoodyAllen #GoodExcuse #Hope

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Pete, Woody & Me, Volume I – Keep the Flame Alive

admin — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 18:44:19 +0000

After playing alongside Pete Seeger more than 50 times from 2003 to 2013, I am recording a CD and touring throughout the U.S., Canada, and other parts of the globe to share Pete’s songs, stories and message because I am determined to “KEEP THE FLAME ALIVE.” I need your help!
www.indiegogo.com/projects/pete-woody-me-volume-i-keep-the-flame-alive

A Shared Message
It may come as a surprise to those who know me and my mission that I knew very little about Pete Seeger before we met in 2003. I had heard his name and knew he had written “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” and “If I Had a Hammer,” but I had no idea what an amazing human being he was. After getting to know him, I agree with Harry Belafonte that Pete’s image should be carved into Mount Rushmore. Pete was as much the embodiment of the American Soul as the others represented there.

What got me most about Pete was his belief that we have all the tools we need to shape ourselves and our world into what we wish them to be. For some, these tools are within our grasp. For some, they are at arm’s length. And for others, they are just beyond arm’s length. But they are still attainable IF we work together. That belief – that message – was embedded in all of Pete’s songs and stories, all of his actions and in every interaction he had with others. I share that belief wholeheartedly. I feel it is so important that it MUST be made more present in our public consciousness. So, I set out shortly after Pete passed to share that message everywhere I go. It is the thread that holds the “Keep the Flame Alive” CD and the “Remembering Pete Seeger” World Tour together.

What is Crowdfunding? It is way for lots of people to make financial contributions – large or small – so artists can continue to make art in an economy that no longer supports them to do so. More and more, artists are finding it impossible to continue their work because of lack of funding. Some of them are quitting but some are turning to “crowdfunding” in order to survive.

People ask me all the time if I am making a living as a full time touring musician. I used to be too embarrassed to tell the truth. But the truth is that while my audiences are getting bigger, my gross income is lower than in was ten years ago. And my expenses have grown to the point where I really can’t continue touring without people helping out. This is because very few people pay for music anymore and funding for the arts has been drastically slashed. But I have chosen to take the proactive route and put together a crowdfunding campaign so I can continue my work.

Think of it as an Investment: If you believe, as I do, that Pete’s music and message need to be kept alive you can think of any contribution you make as in investment in making that happen.

How it works is simple. My friend Art helped me put together a website on Indiegogo.com. When you go to the page you can read about what I am doing and it will allow you to a contribution if you so choose. You can preview this page by clicking on this link: https://www.indiegogo.com/project/preview/e37c032d#/

As you will see, producing my CD will cost me over $33,000. I hope to raise $20,000 – $30,000 through the crowdfunding campaign. This will allow me to pay the bills I have accumulated recording the CD and continue bringing Pete’s music and message around the world. I will also be able to promote the CD the way it deserves to be promoted – starting with hiring a radio promoter to get it out to hundreds of radio stations.

The way the page is set up, people are welcome to make any level of contribution they wish – including nothing. But, at certain levels there are “Perks.” Most of the perks are unlimited – meaning no matter how many people choose that perk, they will get it. For instance, I will never run out of CDs to give as perks because I can always manufacture more. (And don’t worry, CDs will still be available for sale at gigs just like they always have been.)

There are a limited number of some Perks. For instance, one contributor will be the first to know the full story of how I got my name. Only one person can receive that perk. Only two people can choose to be “Executive Producer.” Other perks are also limited in number, too. On top of that, because of timing issues …

Certain perks need to be claimed by April 15: This is because these perks get your name in the CD credits. All of the text for the CD cover and booklet need to get to the CD manufacturer by April 15. So, the perks that involve getting your name in the CD credits need to be claimed by then.

I am telling you and a small number of others about the campaign before it officially launches on Monday, March 7, because you have been a tremendous supporter of mine over the years and I want you to have first dibs at the perks. You can look at the page now by clicking this link https://www.indiegogo.com/project/preview/e37c032d#/. This way you have time to decide if you want to participate and if you want a particular perk.

Some of the Perks are expensive, so there is no expectation that you or anyone else give anything at all. I understand that the time needs to be right for someone to donate to this campaign. So many people have already given and will continue to give me a lot of support in other ways. But for some people, the time is right and they might feel left out if I didn’t tell them about this.

You also have the option to Make up your own Perk. Let me know if you have something original in mind. If it makes sense, I’ll consider it.

THANKS YOU !! – Whether the time is right or not, whether you choose to contribute or not, I thank you for all the support you have given me over the years. Remembering you can contribute any amount including nothing, whether you choose a perk or not.

If you have any questions, let me know. My phone number is 732-418-1340 and my email is spook@spookhandy.com.

Pastures of Plenty!!

– Spook :->

CHECK OUT SPOOK’S CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN on Indiegogo.
(More info coming in the next day or two)
to support his new CD “Pete Woody and Me, Vol. I – Keep the Flame Alive”
and the “Remembering Pete Seeger” World Tour
of all 50 U.S. States, all 11 Canadian provinces, many other countries, all 21 NJ counties

Spook Handy
109 Nichol Ave # B
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
732-418-1340

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Todd Woody

admin — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 15:50:02 +0000

What’s Peace To You?

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Todd Woody

admin — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 15:43:22 +0000

Whats Your Good News?

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Your Pot Habit Is Contributing to a Guacamole Crisis

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 21:45:08 +0000

As California faces severe water shortages and farmers let their groves go fallow, a study finds that marijuana growers are sucking streams dry.
News on Wednesday that California’s snowpack has hit a record low of just 6 percent of normal means next-to-no spring runoff will flow into streams and reservoirs that supply water to the cities and farmers who feed much of the nation.
But before you light up a (legal) marijuana cigarette to take your mind off impending doom, consider this: With every puff you take, you could be making the epic drought even worse.
A new study finds that pot growers in the Northern California weed belt are diverting 100 percent of the water in some streams to irrigate their cash crops.
“Last summer, we went out and picked a handful of streams in the study area, and we looked at real-time stream flow,” said Scott Bauer, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Four out of those five streams went dry.”
A Humboldt County, California, pot farm.
That means no water for endangered salmon and other wildlife, not to mention people. Some avocado growers, for instance, are letting their groves go dry because of water shortages and the high price of irrigation. In other words, kiss your guacamole goodbye.
Agency scientists focused on illegal pot operations in Humboldt County, the epicenter of California’s marijuana industry. Greenhouses dot the hillsides, and the pot plants inside are thirsty: Each uses about six gallons of water per day, compared with the 3.3 gallons wine grapes consume.
Wildlife officials started receiving calls about stream diversion in 2009, said Bauer, who is based in the Humboldt town of Eureka. “A number of us started going out with game wardens called out to grow sites and our focus was to document the environmental damage,” he said.
The scientists noticed significant problems—stream diversion, hillsides graded to make level growing fields, and dirt being dumped into waterways.
“We started to realize this was a real problem,” said Bauer.
In 2012, as the drought began to take hold, the researchers used Google Earth to count all the plants and figure out how many are in greenhouses, and to compare the number of plants with stream flow data.
They chose four areas, all surrounded by forests, and all with streams containing endangered salmon. The scientists estimated that the growing operations were using between 138,200 and 191,265 gallons of water a day. People in Northern California, for comparison, use an average 172 gallons of water per day per person.
Marijuana growers were taking 100 percent from three of the streams studied and 25 percent of a fourth stream.
Those streams aren’t just picturesque—they’re critical to the survival of the coho and Chinook salmon and steelhead trout.
Will there be a movement for sustainably grown pot?
“I think if people understand what’s going on, hopefully they’ll asking questions about how green is their product,” Bauer said. “If they’re concerned about our state’s natural resources, they should be asking those questions. Is this something that isn’t harming California’s resources?”

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Ken Biberaj

editor — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:46:06 +0000

The iconic New York restaurant Have your Easter Dinner that you will never forget.

For more than eighty years, New York’s defining cultural moments have taken place at The Russian Tea Room.

Since being founded by members of the Russian Imperial Ballet in 1927, The Russian Tea Room has been a second home for boldface names and the intellectual elite – an exclusive enclave where actors, writers, politicians, and executives plan their next deals and celebrate their friends’ latest Carnegie Hall performances.

Countless guests visiting from around the globe walk through the antique revolving doors to catch a glimpse of the booth Dustin Hoffman sat in when filming Tootsie; to see the inspiration that Woody Allen found for the movie Manhattan; to walk past the coat check where Madonna worked before she found fame; or to try martinis like the cast of Gossip Girl recently did.

Today, The Russian Tea Room still captures modernist Russian style décor, hosting New York’s elite as a restaurant for continental fine dining, elegant high tea, the finest vodka selection and a stylish party venue.

We are 85 this year! Take advantage of our anniversary offer.

www.russiantearoomnyc.com

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Marc Taxiera

editor — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 18:58:55 +0000

The iconic New York restaurant Have your Easter Dinner that you will never forget.

For more than eighty years, New York’s defining cultural moments have taken place at The Russian Tea Room.

We are 85 this year! Take advantage of our anniversary offer.

www.russiantearoomnyc.com

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Russian Tea Room

editor — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 23:07:21 +0000

The iconic New York restaurant Have your Easter Dinner that you will never forget.

For more than eighty years, New York’s defining cultural moments have taken place at The Russian Tea Room.

We are 85 this year! Take advantage of our anniversary offer.

www.russiantearoomnyc.com

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