Op/Ed

I’m going to try to contain my ranting (just imagine extra expletives as you read and you should get the gist) about the cyclists and skaters I have had the unfortunate experiences of this week.

To the skater who decided I was in his right of way as I drove south on Main St, intending to turn onto High St: No, actually, skating down the middle of the lane is actually not your prerogative. You don’t get to give me attitude, you need to get your helmetless self out of the way of my car.

DESCRIPTION:
As US threatens Syria – 2013 ‘I Have a Dream’ anniversary. No mention of the 1967 King, condemner of America’s ‘atrocity wars’, who belatedly wanted to include the poor being slaughtered overseas for US investment profits in his dream of a just America. War investor owned conglomerate media promotes a patriotic war disinterested King, continues black out martyred King’s fiery condemnation of atrocity wars for investments.

It’s time to say goodbye. For all the many people who have stood so strongly up against the big bad corporation cheer in full delight. Proudly many of them say what a wonderful thing they vainly say they helped to push the big bad corporation out of Vermont. Out of their area. They blew and they blew as hard and as long as they could. Feeling hopless and powerless as the bad bad business was standing it’s ground fighting to stay in business here in southern vermont.

You won. You won the war and now the doors are being closed as the days become numbered and the hours countable as to when it is official that the Vermont Yankess Nuclear Power plant makes ready to end this supply of costly electricity.

It is my opinion that directly telling people the truth does not work. The public is so naïve, so gullible, so committed to their belief in a principled country, with principled leaders, that even direct video quotes do not seem to matter. They watch their leaders lie repeatedly on video, yet they refuse to believe they saw them lie. It is simply unbelievable.

People do not want to look, confront or believe that they have been duped, that they are actually being manipulated by a tiny fraction of the world’s elite, the Old World Order, the ole boy network, the status quo, Club Elite. They do not want to face what answers to unanswered questions and unexplained coincidences might mean. Such an awareness might require them to look into the mirror and realize that their ignorance has contributed and enabled what, by any measure, is now an Evil Empire.

Chris Pratt
http://www.deceptionsusa.com

Looks like Cersosimo is big time making me cough. The factory is working 24/7 and now is making high pitched sound at night. Creates a sleepless resonant atmosphere for me.

I wonder who left a huge pile of partially formed excrement on Main Street Friday evening. I think it was near Fireworks. More importantly, though, it was in the middle of the sidewalk. It was presented to the town, I would guess, by either a big dog or a sick or inebriated human. Or by an individual with serious boundary issues.

I know about it because I stepped in it!

It fouled my almost brand new pair of shoes, which don’t feel new anymore. It caused a disgusting end to a pleasant evening out. And then, at home, I had to spend time and energy scrubbing the sole of the soiled shoe with a grout brush.

I just heard via “Live & Local” that Entergy has announced the Closure of Vermont Yankee.

Hallelujah!

…How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Spies

“Of Course this is a friendly call, Dimitri.”

I’ve been trying to sort out whether my dismay over the rising security state is based on a reverence for the constitution and respect for those who sacrificed greatly to establish a democracy, or whether it’s about something deeper, a primary human instinct. All people recognize, as artists and sages often point out, the essence of communication is trust.  If so, how can we not be appalled by the deception and venality, the corruptibility of government officials, and the gaming of the system. What we’re seeing is the emergence of a system of anti-checks and unbalances, designed to serve and protect those charged with supposedly protecting us.

Listening to President Obama’s statements about the NSA and spying on Americans over the past few weeks, I began wondering if he was outright lying to us, or if he was woefully ignorant of the subjects of which he spoke.

I’m not alone. if the President that he had no idea what is going on.   Some of the statements in question:

– the secret FISA court is “transparent” and that Congress has full oversight
– “We don’t have a domestic spying program.”
– “No one is listening to your phone calls.”

Although I am known for being opposed to medicalization of marijuana as prescriptive necessary for use, this article is worth noting because Dr. Sanjay Gupta is making his mea culpa for being wrong about marijuana’s therapeutic value. Whether he’ll come around to understanding and accepting social use of marijuana remains to be seen.

DESCRIPTION: 
“Obama calls Korean War a victory” 7/27/2013
He studied through a PhD in law at Harvard. Yet doesn’t know, or pretends not to know US history.
US bombed to death more than two million Koreans, men, women and children in their own beloved country,
many as often as not in their very own homes, many especially gross US atrocities only recently apologized for.
Author promises such upside down history will not wash much longer

It was depressing, but not unexpected, to read this morning that George Zimmerman was found not guilty.

The “Stand Your Ground” law allows people to use deadly force on someone, then claim self defense. In an ideal sense, the concept applies to defending one’s home from an intruder.

In Florida, it means you can kill a young black man if you find him suspicious.

Zimmerman was not defending his home or his property. There was no threat to him.

Many readers here have probably read the viewpoint column I wrote and the Commons printed in their current issue. If not, here is the .

The basic gist is that if we can at all afford 14.1 million dollars for the police and fire facilities we can get much more for our money if we scale that project back some (but retain its most important features) and use the savings for economic development.  The thrust of my views are that public safety is not a serious issue for now (tho it would be improved to a significant degree anyway under this plan) but the economy is.  I  will even argue that several million dollars poured into development and the creation of jobs will have greater and more salutary effect on public safety than an armored indoor loading dock for handling prisoners.

There is a political battle going on at the northern end of Vermont that could have an impact on those of us down here. The Air Force would like to use South Burlington as a base for an expensive, loud new plane: the F-35.

How loud? 400% as loud as the F-16.

Just about all the bad things our governments do are defended with the claim that they are legal.  But just because it is legal to do something, is it necessarily right?  Anything can be made legal, after all.

We usually think of murder as being fundamentally wrong and almost certainly illegal, but it can be made legal in certain circumstances — as, for instance, when a drone kills dozens of innocents along with its alleged terrorist targets.  

New Mexico, is one of the top ten states with the most
undocumented illegal immigrants.
 Governor Peter Shumlin, U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy
and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders  of Vermont
want illegal aliens in  Vermont and Governor
Peter Shumlin wants them to have drivers’
licenses.  THE PROBLEM  is now,
NEW MEXICO is  planning to allow the  SLAUGHTER
of HORSES for FOOD for HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

I started this letter last year, in a fit of pique at President Obama, who I perceived was moving in the wrong direction. Today, I finished it. Here’s what I wrote:

Dear President Obama,

All of your policies are wrong. Here are some things missing from your policies:

– heart
– soul
– beauty
– love
– joy

New Mexico, one of the top ten states with the most illegal immigrants (like Governor Peter Shumlin wants in Vermont) is now planning to SLAUGHTER HORSES for FOOD for HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

NSA whistleblower Russel Tice has told reporters examples of people the NSA was spying on prior to the PRISM program. Tice says these people were targeted for blackmail and other leverage over them.

:

• “Members of Congress, both Senate and the House, especially on the intelligence committees and on the armed services committees and some of the–and judicial”
• “One of the judges is now sitting on the Supreme Court”
• “Two … former FISA court judges”