Opinion

For opinion pieces on any topic.

World Cup Soccer Fun in a Moscow Targeted by Nuclear Missiles in US Silos, Submarines & Bombers

by jay janson | Op/Ed

Imagine before each match of the World Cup the FIFA World Soccer Federation making an appeal over the loud speaker asking all the fans in the name of the future of soccer to tell officials of their government to demand Americans stop threatening the future of the World Cup with nuclear war. Soccer stars President of Liberia & UN Good Will Ambassador George Weah and world #1 Diego Maradona to lead FIFA’s appeal.

The End of Two Eras: Plastic Bags and Pot Prohibition

by cgrotke | Op/Ed

Two things that have been with me all of my life are going away as July starts, and I’m happy to bid them adieu.

The first is plastic shopping bags. Brattleboro is banning single-use plastic bags (under 2.25 mil) as of July 1. In a world full of plastic bags, our impact may be like a small drop in a big pond, but our drop can cause ripples.

Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast ~ Democratic Primary Candidates for Governor

by RobertOeser | Politics

It all started when a supporter recently asked that a “candidate [running in the Democratic primary for Governor]… speak at the Brattleboro Senior Center. . . . [and added] …. I understand for equity all candidates must receive the same invitation”

All of the candidates in the Democratic Primary for Governor:
James Ehlers, Christine Hallquist, Brenda Siegel and Ethan Sonneborn have agreed to attend a Candidates’ Forum at the Gibson-Aiken Center, Senior Meals, on Friday, July 6th at 8:00am (as always, “doors open” at 7:30am for informal networking).

Open Letter to Town Manager Peter Elwell Regarding Rampant Theft in Brattleboro

by TechFan | Op/Ed

*Emailed him tonight, posting here to see if anyone else cares, or if it’s just me.

Dear Mr Elwell,

I’m a Brattleboro resident, and in the past week alone, have been the victim of three seperate thefts, two at my residence, one at my car while parked in the parking garage. After the first theft, I set up a security cam at my home to catch anyone stupid enough to try it again. My method was effective, caught a neighbor stealing from doorstep two hours after setting up the security cam in plain view at my door. I caught the entire theft and follow up confession in HD with audio, emailed all of the evidence to BPD, and despite all that, they won’t even issue a summons to the thief, who lives two apartments down from my in apt 306, at 9 Canal St here in Bratt.

Imperial Dreams

by tomaidh | Politics

Donald Trump is the smartest man in the world (just ask him!).
And his goal is to become Emperor of Earth (because he’s the only one smart enough to do it).
The bad news is that he’s well on his way.

Negotiations? 3rd World Nations Be Aware! Americans Napalmed & Bombed Out All 38 N.Korean Cities!

by jay janson | Op/Ed

The US Air Force bombed and napalmed cities, towns and villages across the North. Dean Rusk, a supporter of the war and later secretary of state, said the United States bombed “everything that moved in North Korea, every brick standing on top of another.” After running low on urban targets, U.S. bombers destroyed hydroelectric and irrigation dams in the later stages of the war, flooding farmland and destroying crops.

Selectboard to Consider Renewable Source Electricity per 350VT

by Kurt Daims | Op/Ed

After their state-wide resolution was widely approved on March 6 the 350VT central committee endorsed an advisory resolution in Brattleboro. Brattleboro residents should be aware and encourage the selectboard to put implement the popular environmental measure. That is, to make the 350 resolution real by enacting the local follow-up:

Whereas we have a moral duty to reduce the various pollutants that cause untold harm to people all over the world,

What Dead GIs Would Say To the World on Memorial Day About Being Praised As Heroes

by jay janson | Op/Ed

DESCRIPTION:
If they could speak from their graves, GIs who died shamefully killing, maiming and destroying within innocent populations would appeal to Majority Humanity in the ever targeted for plunder 3rd World to effect the same level of solidarity that the racist neocolonial investment banker driven imperialists of the 1st World of mostly Caucasian population display, and bring their five centuries of genocidal plunder to an end.

Special Legislative Session Part 2? Age Limit For Governor Candidates, Please!

by Cris Ericson | Politics

Special Legislative Session Part Two??? Age limit for governor candidates, please!!! We need an age limit for governor candidates, in my personal opinion.

I sent State Attorney General TJ Donovan an email about the idea that little boy minor child Ethan Sonneborn, then age 13, apparently now age 14 if the correct birthdate for the child was given on the internet as May 24, 2004, should not be allowed on the ballot because State and Federal Laws prohibit a minor child age 14 and under from working a full time job, and the job of Governor of Vermont is a full time job.

Bernie Sanders Running for Senator

by cgrotke | Politics

Bernie Sanders has announced his intention to run for Vermont Senator.

This young, new face may be unfamiliar to Vermonters, but readers may recall that he was one of the many candidates for President in 2016.

Gina Haspel Appointed to Head CIA By The Numbers

by Not Signed In | Politics

Gina Cheri Haspel=135 in English ordinal. She was nominated on 5/13. 5/13 in most of the world is expressed as 13/5 or 135. Central Intelligence Agency=135 in Reverse Reduction. Nominated on the 13th, CIA=13 in English Ordinal. Haspel=61 in English Ordinal. She is 61 years old. Born on 10/1. Haspel=101 in Reverse Ordinal. From her confirmation,May 17th, as head of the CIA to her birthday is 137 days. Government=137 in Reverse Ordinal. Authority=137 in English Ordinal. May 17th is the 137th day of the year.

Santa Fe, Texas Shooting

by tomaidh | Op/Ed

At least one gunman opened fire at a Houston-area high school Friday, killing eight to 10 people, most of them students, authorities said. It was the nation’s deadliest such attack since the massacre in Florida that gave rise to a campaign by teens for gun control.

The Testing of the Official Brattleboro Selectboard Emails

by cgrotke | Politics

Selectboard Chair Kate O’Connor recently announced during a Selectboard meeting that she didn’t read emails sent to her official email account. 

I decided to send a few questions to Town Manager Peter Elwell about this April 26. When did O’Connor stop reading her emails? How many emails piled up as unread? How many of them were from citizens and how many were spam? Which other Selectboard members don’t read their official email accounts? And how should citizens contact board members so that they know their comments will be read?

Hated Fairpoint?

by tomaidh | Op/Ed

You’re gonna just LO-O-O-O-OVE Consolidated!

My bill just jumped 54% in a month without any rational explanation (I only made 19 calls for a total of 58 minutes for a month – all local.

 A small part of the explanation was Federal fees and taxes which went up about a dollar.

Less Awful

by tomaidh | Op/Ed

Time Magazine reports that Attorney General Jeff Sessions believes marijuana is “only slightly less awful” than heroin. I’m glad somebody finally gets it!

Shall we look at some statistics?

Sara Coffey Running For State Representative for Vernon/Guilford

by cgrotke | Politics

Sara Coffey, founder and Director of Vermont Performance Lab, has indicated her desire to be the next representative from Vernon and Guilford.

” I believe that it’s through coming together and listening to each other that we can find creative solutions to help keep our small rural communities strong, healthy and vibrant.”

Scary Russian Hacking Report Shows… Nothing Happened

by cgrotke | Op/Ed
computer code

Arrrgh! I need to complain about the Senate Intelligence preliminary report on “Russian Targeting” and the inevitable media coverage to follow.

If you read the official narrative, it sounds ominous. Russians targeted U.S. election systems. Oooh, scary.

“Russian actors scanned databases for vulnerabilities, attempted intrusions, and in a small number of cases successfully penetrated a voter registration database.”

That sounds just horrible, doesn’t it? What does it mean?

Windham World Affairs Council Holds Talk on Iran Nuclear Deal on Eve of Trump’s Decision

by Not Signed In | Politics

On Friday, May 11, 2018 @7:00 pm the Windham World Affairs Council is presenting “Revisiting the Nuclear Agreement between Iran and the US, the JCPOA,” a major talk at a decisive moment for our country,  The talk, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the Sanctuary of the Centre Congregational Church, 193 Main St, Brattleboro, which has a large capacity and is handicapped-accessible.

WWAC announces this major talk at a decisive moment for our country as President Trump is getting ready to tell the world whether or not he will honor the agreement made by his predecessor with Iran and five other world powers and is also preparing for direct talks on denuclearization with North Korean leader Kim Jung-un.

Walking The Streets of Brattleboro

by Lise | Op/Ed, Opinion

In the last couple weeks, I’ve had many opportunities to experience Brattleboro as a homeless person. That’s, of course, an exaggeration.  I’m not homeless. I just had to get out of the apartment so our landlord could show the house to prospective buyers. Nor had one anyone asked me to leave — I left voluntarily because I felt uncomfortable being there. But still and all, there I was downtown, at all hours of the day, killing time and feeling a little unmoored from what I had become accustomed to thinking of as “home.”  The experience wasn’t fun, but it did give me an unusual perspective that proved to be educational.