Future Perfect Progressive

What should I do with my life?

2011-01-23T13:14:00.004-05:00

This is not an uncommon question for young people who are weighing career choices. People contemplating changing careers often face the same dilemma. Recently I had an exchange with a Facebook friend who was struggling with just this issue. That it is very common is of little help when you are personally dealing with it.

Most people have similar fears. What if I start classes and I hate what I have chosen? What if I choose something I like but there is no demand for the degree I finally earn?

The first question is why we have liberal arts colleges that require that courses be taken in a wide variety of subject areas. Lots of students complain about these required courses and just want to focus on a narrow field. This is bad for two reasons. First, you may just discover something you are passionate about that you were never aware of before. Second, and I believe most important, we should not restrict ourselves as human beings. We live in a society right now that looks upon students as computers to be programmed to perform certain functions. We should not go willingly down that road. Everyone can strike a blow against that machine. If you’re a poetry spouting auto mechanic, you gum up the machine. Do it. Again and again.

There is nothing wrong with changing your mind. Even if all you ever wanted to be since you can remember is a proctologist, you may discover urology more to your liking; you may want to escape that realm altogether and become a psychiatrist or a podiatrist. It is far worse being stuck in a career you hate than it is to change your mind.

I am at 300 words here, and experience tells me I better wrap this up. If you are trying to figure out what your best plan is for the future, or if you know of someone who is, I want to give you one free, online resource with which to start. It is the Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-2011 at the Bureau of Labor Statistics which is a division of the United States Department of Labor.

This handbook will give you information about job prospects for almost any area you can think of; it also suggest jobs that are related to ones in which you might be interested. For each job, there is an explanation of what learning you will need. This handbook is for the college bound and non-college bound. It is for anyone and everyone.

Government web sites are notoriously hard to navigate, so I advise that you bookmark the following link:

Occupational Outlook Handbook

I believe that this resource is the best place to start, and I truly hope it helps each and every one of you. Good luck!

©2011
The Massachusetts Observer

Scandal hits Charlton, Mass

2011-01-21T12:03:00.002-05:00

People never cease being bothered by Samuel Clemens, aka, Mark Twain. This time it’s the ridiculous notion to print a version of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn minus what has now come to be called the “n” word. Now the ignorant appellation “nigger” is one I believe is best reserved for the dustbin of history; we don’t need it, and we never did. But it certainly was part of the history and culture of America and trying to erase it from memory will not change that. We ought to be grown up enough to understand historical context, and we should be capable enough to teach that concept to our children. But I digress. The Mark Twain /Charlton Public Library scandal was very real.

Apparently a batch of books arrived at the Charlton Public Library and among them was an illustrated copy of Mark Twain’s Eve’s Diary. The artist’s depiction of Adam and Eve had them fitly attired for the Garden of Eden- naked as jaybirds. Now it’s not as if the illustrator did not give a fig; he surely did. The dispute was over whether or not the artist gave enough of a fig. And some of the gentlemen in the town of Charlton needed to study on that.

No less prestigious a newspaper than The New York Times covered the story or the uncovered. Here is an excerpt:

Who would think it would happen in Charlton? A library Trustee has “uncovered” a book containing pictures that have no business being on the shelves. It has the provocative name of Eve’s Diary.

The book came in an order of 100 titles purchased by the library. When she looked at it, librarian Mrs. H. L. Carpenter “had her doubts” and showed it to Frank G. Wakefield, one of the library’s Trustees. He barred it from being placed on the shelves and into circulation. The other two Trustees, the Reverend G. O. Jenness and Lewis A. McIntyre, agreed. The other ninety-nine books were also perused. They were found acceptable.

In the objectionable book, there are pictures on every left hand page, 50 in all, depicting Eve in summer costume cut “Garden of Eden style.” One of the pictures shows Eve skipping through the bushes “unrestrained and not at all afraid.” The placement of the bushes in the picture is insufficient in covering the view of Eve.

“After looking long and earnestly at one picture depicting Eve pensively reclining on a rock, Mr. Wakefield decided to act.”

A reporter, seeking comment of the author of the book informed him of the actions of the Trustees. The author, Samuel Clemens who writes under the pseudonym Mark Twain, stated that the action of the Charlton library was not of the slightest interest to him.

The New York Times November 24, 1906

So, there you have it. Perhaps you would like to form your own opinion about the suitability of Twain’s book. As luck would have it, we have the book in question (intact and illustrated). Grab your detective’s magnifying glass and make your own investigation. Happy hunting.

Eve’s Diary

©2011

The Massachusetts Observer

Union 61 video "Running & Falling"

2011-01-16T17:05:00.012-05:00

It seems that there is an overload of rap artists in the musical scene. In order to rise above the rest, a band has to be exceptionally talented. Such a group can be found right here in Central Massachusetts. You will be hearing more and more from Union 61. For now just look, listen, and enjoy.

Oh, and one more thing: Spread the news- link to this page. Your friends will thank you.

©2011
The Union 61 page on The Massachusetts Observer

Now we know even more

2010-12-15T13:35:00.008-05:00

The United States Senate has just finished taking several votes. As expected, the President's Tax Bill got overwhelming support, passing 81 for and 19 against. No surprises there.

I believe, though, that what is most revealing about Senators and where they stand occurred with the amendment offered by Bernie Sanders (I-VT). The Sanders' Amendment would have changed the Tax Bill to keep the tax cuts for the bottom 98% of Americans. It would not continue the cuts for the upper 2%.

The amendment required 67 votes, so it was doomed from the start. However, with 58 Democrats ( 56 plus Independents Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman) every one of them could have voted for the Sanders' amendment. A statement could have been made, and the Republicans would have solidly and solely been responsible for killing the Sanders' Amendment.

Instead 15 Democrats voted against the Sanders' Amendment. Clearly these are the Democrats who may just as well be Republicans. These are the ones that Progressives should try to defeat in the next election.

At this writing the roll call vote has not yet been posted. When it is, we will know just who those "Democrats" are.

UPDATE: Democrats Voting against the Sanders' Amendment:
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bennet (D-CO)
Casey (D-PA)
Hagan (D-NC)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Manchin (D-WV)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Udall (D-CO)
Webb (D-VA)

The Massachusetts Observer

How secure is your social security?

2010-12-09T06:33:00.003-05:00

My German friend, who writes as the Gutenberg Connection, sent me a link to one of the latest offerings by the web site "The Young Turks." The reporting done by this site is excellent.

Many people feel that their social security is, well, secure. In this clip, the Young Turks explain how the Obama tax bill threatens social security. Check it out, and listen to how they carefully source their argument.

Do you still believe that Obama's tax plan benefits the "middle class?"

A George Carlin Re-run: None too soon.

2010-12-03T13:37:00.001-05:00

I wonder if anyone can match the acerbic wit of the late George Carlin. Though he has been gone since June of 2008, many of his biting commentaries could have been written today. His take on corporate control of Washington is spot on. See for yourself. Just a note: George Carlin used all words in the language, specializing in the 4-letter variety. The following clip is not censored, so if coarse language bothers you, perhaps you should skip it.

Here is some background information on the corporate plot to take over the government:

Coup deferred?

Harvest of Shame

2010-11-21T13:05:00.003-05:00

It’s hard to remember a specific episode of a television program from a week ago, so recalling a program that aired 50 years ago this week means that the show had a powerful impact on me. This was an episode of “CBS Reports” by famed newsman Edward R. Murrow called “Harvest of Shame.”

Thanksgiving week was chosen as the time to air “Harvest of Shame” because of the impact it would have. Food and Thanksgiving naturally go together, but a third element is also necessary — the migrant worker. The people Murrow showed were not what we think of now as undocumented workers. These were for the most part African American citizens of the United States who lived and worked in some of the most squalid conditions so that the rest of America could enjoy Thanksgiving bounty.

It occurred to me recently that this type of reporting is practically non-existent in our present time. Granted, Murrow had an advantage back in 1960 when television choices were few; basically CBS, ABC, and NBC. Today there are so many media clamoring for our attention that the impact of one TV program is vastly reduced. That in itself is a “shame” because there are people in our nation facing major obstacles in their day-to-day lives that rival and sometimes exceed those of the 1960s migrant worker.

I propose that the “Big Three” network news channels — CBS, ABC, and NBC — boldly reclaim their influence by collaborating on documentaries like “Harvest of Shame.” Focus on the plight of the poor and the middle class in America and air these periodically on all networks simultaneously in prime time. Be once again the watchdogs that Democracy demands of the press. Shine a light on the darkness. Americans will become informed, and the networks will be seen as legitimate sources of news.

Finally, let’s look at some excerpts from Murrow’s “Harvest of Shame” of 50 years ago. Perhaps it will inspire a demand for this type of reporting once again, and maybe NBC, ABC, and CBS will be led to restore this greatness to our air waves.

©2010

The Massachusetts Observer

Bush tax cuts

2010-11-14T12:06:00.002-05:00

Don’t you get sick of the word games the politicians play? There is no end to the attempts to confuse the public with slick rhetoric. Let’s break this down.

1. The so-called Bush tax cuts were enacted in June 2001. The actual name for the legislation is the “Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001.” This was the result of the usual Republican mantra that the federal government taxes people too much. Some of the provisions were to be phased in gradually.

2. Because the Bush tax cuts were not paid for, that they would add to the deficit, they came up against the Byrd rule named after the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd. No legislation that is part of a budget reconciliation bill could be permanent if it would raise the deficit without a corresponding plan to pay for it within a certain time span. To get past the Byrd rule, the Bush tax cuts contained a sunset provision stating that they would automatically expire after 10 years unless they were paid for. The 10 years is up as of January 1, 2011.

3. Another Bush Tax Cut bill was passed in May 2003. This was designed to speed up the provisions of the first tax cut bill. It’s known as the “Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003.” This was set to expire at the same time as the first tax cut bill.

4. We have now reached the end of the line on the Bush tax cuts. Unless Congress acts, they will expire and taxation rates will return to what they were before the tax cuts were enacted. This will happen on January 1, 2011.

5. Republicans are saying that all Bush tax cuts should be extended permanently. Democrats are saying that the tax cuts on the wealthy should expire, but the tax cuts that affect the middle class should be made permanent. Neither action conforms to the Byrd rule, and the deficit would be increased by trillions.

6. As you listen to the debate, focus on that word “permanent.” President Obama is stating that the country can make the middle class tax cuts permanent but that it cannot afford to make the tax cuts for the wealthy permanent.

7. That does not preclude extending the tax cuts “temporarily.” Republicans and Democrats are indicating that there may be room to compromise. They could extend all the tax cuts for 2 years. This still ignores the Byrd Rule because it will greatly add to the deficit. What this really amounts to is the process known as “kicking it down the road.” Deal with it later.

8. Realistically, the country can’t afford continuing any of the tax cuts. If Congress does nothing, the tax cuts will expire.

9. We need Congress to do what it does best.

10. Do nothing. Yes, you can.

©2010

The Massachusetts Observer

What Roosevelt did

2010-11-10T13:23:00.006-05:00

The parallels between the Franklin Roosevelt Administration and the Barack Obama Administration can't be denied. Roosevelt had to deal with the conflicts between labor and management. Roosevelt came down on the side of labor. Here is an excerpt from a speech he gave in 1934. Liberals need to hear Barack Obama speaking the same way.

Connect the dots

The Hindu : Business / Industry : Indian IT industry hails Obama's outsourcing stand

2010-11-10T11:29:00.001-05:00

The Hindu : Business / Industry : Indian IT industry hails Obama's outsourcing stand

The resilient Indian IT industry Wednesday lauded US President Barack Obama for terming those against outsourcing as holding onto old stereotypes and for committing to do away with protectionism.

“Obama did a great job for our industry by terming them (anti-outsourcing lobbies) as stereotypes. I think his administration will also do a great job in terms of changing those stereotypes,” IT industry lobby Nasscom president Som Mittal told reporters here.

For positioning India as the market for US businesses and declaring that India was no longer emerging but had emerged, the US administration’s efforts to change the stereotypes would get support of the industry, Mittal said.

“I think we too have to do our job to change those stereotypes and ensure there is a much larger community that understands our business model that we are part of the solution rather than creating the problem itself,” Mittal said on the margins of Nasscom’s annual Product Conclave & Expo 2010.

Expressing the industry’s satisfaction over the outsourcing issue figuring at the discussions between Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday, Mittal said that both the governments were committed to do away with protectionism.

“Obama and Singh have said that (against protectionism and curbs on outsourcing). It was part of their discussions. Both the governments have committed to protectionism not being the way forward. It is the open markets that are going to lead to this,” Mittal asserted.

Recalling the prime minister’s assertion at the joint press conference with Obama in New Delhi Monday that India was not in the business of stealing American jobs, Mittal said the Indian IT industry was actually adding value to the US corporations.

“General Electric (GE) chairman Jeffery R. Immelt and United Technologies chairman Louis Chenvert said at the India-US Business Council summit in Mumbai Saturday how they are winning export deals from the world over and creating jobs in the US because they are able to do design work in India and be able to shorten the product cycle,” Mittal noted.

Admitting that the rhetoric against outsourcing was a sentiment, driven because of high job losses in the US, Mittal said both the governments had assured the industry that its perspectives were understood.

“We hope this message is carried back to the US people by its administration and the media. We also hope that the US Congress will understand our industry’s business model. It is a different matter that those job losses happened to be in manufacturing, retail and construction. In fact, there is net hiring going on in the services if we go by the US labour statistics,” Mittal added.

Time for the Fairness Doctrine again

2010-11-07T13:08:00.006-05:00

The current suspension of Keith Olbermann from MSNBC is symptomatic of a much larger and more serious problem. We are seeing that corporate ownership of media outlets coupled with a decreased number of owners through monopolies is threatening to restrict the public airways to one message. Opposing viewpoints are unwelcome.

Democracy cannot withstand a restriction of free speech. The United States should not model totalitarian regimes that control the press, but that is exactly what is occurring.

I wrote about this back in January, and the situation has only gotten worse. It is time to act. It is time to restore fairness to the airwaves.

Talk Radio

©2010

Politically incorrect and the sanity rally

2010-10-30T16:02:00.003-04:00

I thought I would just go ahead and name this piece what too many on the left will call it. I know that as a liberal, I should say how much I liked Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert’s Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, but I can’t.

There was nothing wrong with the rally. It simply lacked substance. I believe that Stewart has greatly missed the mood of the country. It’s quite surprising because he does understand the issues.

When Barack Obama appeared on his program, there was clearly a tension between them. The President resented some of Jon Stewart’s satire as of late. Stewart’s suggestion that he was “timid” greatly rankled the President. Many of us on the left agree with that characterization. Stewart, out of respect or timidity, backed off.

This rally ironically showed Stewart taking a page out of the President’s handbook. The attempt to find middle ground by both rejecting and equating the “far left” and the “far right” was much the same as the way the President and his Administration insulted the Progressives who were responsible for his election. Progressives voted for a Barack Obama who was much different as a candidate than he has been as President. The Stewart rally did the same thing. The Jon Stewart who soared to popularity because of the liberal, progressive wing of the Democratic Party has devolved into someone who calls Bill O’Reilly “reasonable.”

I, like many Progressives, will vote the Democratic ticket on November 2 because the Republican alternative is ghastly. But we will remember those who sold us out, who talked one talk, but walked a different walk.

©2010

Southbridge and Beyond

The upper crust

2010-10-27T17:33:00.004-04:00

I once heard “the upper crust” defined as a few crumbs held together with a lot of dough. It was a clever knock at the very rich, but clearly such a generalization is both unfair and untrue. Among the wealthy is a host of personality types, just as there are in any group sorted according to the amount of money they have. Each group contains the miserly and the generous, for example. People’s innate qualities are not purchasable.

What then do we make of the often-quoted Bible verse 1Timothy 6:10? “Money is the root of all evil.” If money is evil, how can having a lot of it be good?

First, we have to recognize that the quote from Timothy is, in fact, incorrect. Often those trying to prove a point only quote a portion of the whole. They then can make the Bible, in this case, say anything they want it to say. The full quotation greatly changes the meaning.

1Timothy 6:10
“For the love of money is the root of all evil.” To me this means that it is not the money that is evil, but the way in which it is used. People can use their wealth for good or evil.

The so-called class warfare that is going on in this country at this election time is all about money. Are those who have the great wealth using it for good purposes or bad purposes? I don’t think this question requires much thought. It just requires people to be observant. Those few with the greatest wealth are using it to purchase influence and power. They are “purchasing” people to do their bidding. They are buying the United States of America to remake it in their image. This will result in adding much to their already overflowing coffers, giving them more money to love.

Both Sharron Angle, Republican candidate for United States Senate in Arizona, and Christine O'Donnell, Republican candidate for United States Senate in Delaware, stated this week that God is leading them to run for public office. Both candidates are being heavily financed by anonymous wealthy donors and corporations. In exchange for this money, Angle and O’Donnell are speaking the message their corporate sponsors want them to speak. Is this where God has led them?

For those of you who are in concert with the Angles and O’Donnells of this world, for those who think that your involvement in the Tea Party movement is God’s will, for those of you who are willingly or unwittingly serving the cause of the rich lovers of money, consider this Bible verse that is often overlooked.

“Matthew 6:24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (money, wealth).

And one more:
“…choose you this day whom ye will serve.” Joshua 24:15

©2010

Southbridge and Beyond

Beck, the Tea Party, and the snake

2010-10-19T16:31:00.007-04:00

Recently I wrote about the Tea Party and its adoption the Gadsden flag as a symbol. I was making the observation that The Tea Party’s number one symbol is a flag of the American Revolution and as such could be construed as treasonous. I received a number of comments.

Then a regular reader sent me this message:
Brent,
I saw a very telling picture on a tea party site on the internet the other day. It was a photograph of the United States Capitol dome with a huge snake winding itself around it. Perhaps a tea party person could explain what appears to be a picture of a snake attempting to choke the life out of our government?
Maple Leaf

I followed the link that the reader sent me, and I thought readers here might find it interesting. The picture described above is on Glenn Beck’s 9/12 Project site.

While most Tea Partiers deny a connection with larger groups such as the 9/12 Project, it is a fact that a great deal of money to large gatherings of the Tea Party comes from some very wealthy people through their organizations.

Some chief supporters supplying cash to drive the Tea Party agenda, in addition to the “9/12 Project,” are “FreedomWorks” and “Americans for Prosperity.”

Check out the graphic used on Beck’s 9/12 web site.

Symbol on Beck’s site

What message do you think Glenn Beck is sending?

Southbridge and Beyond

©2010

Repeal the New Deal

2010-10-13T20:36:00.003-04:00

Make no mistake about it. The Republican Tea Party is determined to eliminate all the gains made by labor since the New Deal of FDR. I was told that at the recent Tea Party Rally in Sturbridge Democratic candidates were invited to attend. Were they welcome?

A Tea Party video produced by those in charge of the Rally fails to show the anti-Democratic signs that were quite prevalent. This was a Republican crowd without question. I took a few pictures at the Rally also. I offer it without further commentary except to say that I have placed some background music and a selection of a speech from Franklin D. Roosevelt. He too was dealing with tremendous unemployment, and he was dealing with opponents who wanted him to fail.

FDR saw the shrinking middle class in his day, and he was determined to stop it. I believe that we are at an equally critical point in our country today.

©2010

Can Notre Dame Church be saved?

2010-10-02T08:05:00.005-04:00

I have indicated previously that this blog, Future Perfect Progressive, is a forum I use for brief entries on a variety of subjects. This is one of those.

I am not a member of Notre Dame Church, located on Route 131 in Centre Village in Southbridge. In fact, I do not consider myself religious, so this concern does not come from that point of view. That being said, I believe it would be a travesty to raze a church that is so much a part of the history of Southbridge.

Southbridge is a blue collar town, and much of the labor that worked the jobs that built the factories came from the French Canadians who early on made Southbridge their home. Notre Dame Church was always known as the French church because it was built from the hopes and efforts and dreams of the French Canadians. Masses were conducted in French. Choral music was performed in French. This church gave French Canadians a sense of belonging in the community.

Of course, as the French Canadians assimilated to their new home and as generations passed, the emphasis on the French language lessened, and today parishioners come from diverse backgrounds. The Roman Catholic Church has experienced a loss of membership overall, and it has been determined that 4 churches in Southbridge is more than is needed. Notre Dame and the other “French parish,” Sacred Heart, have been yoked together. The Diocese seems to be leaning toward keeping Sacred Heart open and closing Notre Dame. I have had family that called both of these churches their home parish at one time or another, and I would guess that many others in Southbridge could say the same thing.

There is no easy answer, and I have none to offer. I cannot imagine Main Street without the majestic edifice at the top of the hill. I have prepared a simple page on my website that can help those who carry out their vigil to save Notre Dame Church. I believe that those of us who are not part of the Parish need to be aware of the struggle taking place.

Please take time to visit the page, and if you are so inclined, leave a message in the guest book. Thank you.

A Vigil for Notre Dame Church, Route 131, Main Street, Centre Village, Southbridge

©2010 The Massachusetts Observer

Stress Test

2010-10-01T06:36:00.003-04:00

It’s been a few years now since I had an angioplasty and the placement of a stent to keep an artery open. As with any operation, some anxiety is to be expected, and I had some of that. No matter how much you’re reassured that the operation is “routine,” it’s easy to focus on that small percentage that is not without complications.

It was around that time that I heard a Christian comedian named Carl Hurley. Now, don’t get the wrong idea. Hurley is not a “preachy” comedian. This set, emanating from his true experience, is very, very funny. I’m no doctor, but I suggest that every cardiologist prescribe this short video for anyone facing this operation. Enjoy!

©2010 The Massachusetts Observer

Yabba-Dabba Do!

2010-09-30T11:59:00.003-04:00

Can it really be that The Flintstones television show is 50 years old? Amazing! I certainly remember its first television run. There were few channels at the time, and “The Flintstones” was prime time TV.

The popularity of Jackie Gleason’s, “The Honeymooners,” certainly added to the popularity of “The Flintstones. “ People had no difficulty equating Fred with Ralph Kramden or Barney Rubble with Ed Norton.

While “The Flintstones” seems today like a children’s program, that was not its original intended audience. “The Flintstones” was a comedy cartoon for adults. No better proof of this can be found than in the sponsorship of the program — Winston cigarettes.

Long before Joe Camel, there was Fred and Wilma Flintstone and Barney and Betty Rubble. Have a look. Happy 50th birthday, Flintstones!

©2010 The Massachusetts Observer

Municipal websites

2010-09-20T16:42:00.004-04:00

In this information age, many cities and towns have developed an internet presence. Unfortunately, the standards vary widely. Some towns have no site at all, while others have a confusing hodge-podge of information.

Southbridge is clearly a town in need of a vision for its website. It needs to define its purpose. Fortunately, an organization right here in Massachusetts, the local Chapter of Common Cause, has been tracking and evaluating municipal websites across the Commonwealth. In doing so, they have developed some criteria for good municipal websites. They present the towns that meet the criteria yearly awards.

The latest study was done in March. Locally, a town receiving Common Cause’s highest award is the town of Charlton.

Any town that is interested in providing the most useful, helpful website for its citizens should start with the Common Cause report.

Links

Common Cause Report: Transparency in Massachusetts Municipal Websites. This is a pdf file.

Town of Southbridge Website

Town of Charlton Website

Common Cause of Massachusetts

©2010 The Massachusetts Observer

It will kill you or cure you

2010-09-16T07:52:00.004-04:00

I have written about the legal drug pushers before. These are the pharmaceutical companies that advertise incessantly on TV. No people watching, other than a physician, can purchase the product for themselves. These are prescription only drugs, so the ads are meant to encourage people to pressure their doctors into prescribing them.

By law, companies must clearly state the possible side effects of the advertized drug. The pictures accompanying those warnings, however, are incongruous to the seriousness of the potential side effects. People have become so used to these warnings, I believe, that they no longer pay attention to them. The warnings are taken as much for granted as the small-print and virtually unreadable messages contained in other ads.

One of the current ads playing is for a drug to help people stop smoking. The ad shows people who have kicked the habit without any adverse reactions. They are success stories.

But the side effects are real as the U. S. Food and Drug Administration reports. Some people taking these smoking-cessation drugs have experienced changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts and behavior, and have attempted suicide.

There is lots of information available to the public beyond those glitzy commercials. Before looking for a quick cure from the doctor, check it out.

What about the habit that the drugs are meant to cure — tobacco use? Warnings on cigarette packages have been required since 1966; that’s 44 years! Here is a timeline:

• Caution: Cigarette Smoking May be Hazardous to Your Health (1966–1970)
• Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined that Cigarette Smoking is Dangerous to Your Health (1970–1985)
• SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy. (1985-)
• SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health. (1985-)
• SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Smoking By Pregnant Women May Result in Fetal Injury, Premature Birth, And Low Birth Weight. (1985-)
• SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide. (1985-)

Changes in warning labels will take place in the near future.

Clearly people who don’t smoke or breathe in second-hand smoke have no reason to worry. But what does the smoker do? Risk the habit or risk the cure?

©2010

What a difference an “-ic” makes

2010-09-13T03:22:00.006-04:00

Student Looking in Vain for Democrat used as an Adjective

There are two major political parties in the United States — the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. For a few years now, some have taken to referring to the Democratic Party as the Democrat Party. This use of a noun (Democrat) in the adjective position is a deliberate act concocted by Republicans and their wordsmith Frank Luntz. They determined that they did not want the word Democratic to be thought of as the opposite of Republican. You would be hard-pressed to find a Republican who has not adopted this scheme. Some members of the media have just gone along with this.

Yesterday, I found this use of Democrat as an adjective in a very surprising place. But more about that in a moment. Here is what I wrote on this subject when I first addressed it two years ago. The newspaper I was referring to was the Telegram and Gazette.

***
What’s an “-ic?” you ask. In linguistic terms it is a syllable, part of a word. It is used as the suffix of a word to indicate that a word is an adjective.

This construction can be seen in the word Democrat. Without the –ic, it is a noun. Add the –ic, and it becomes an adjective. Use the word Democrat as if it were an adjective, and you have political bias.

The two major political parties in the United States are the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. These are the official names. It has been a practice over the years for Republicans to drop the suffix –ic when referring to the party, thus coming up with the awkward and inaccurate construction Democrat Party. They do this to indicate that Republican is not the opposite of Democratic. It also has the advantage of both angering Democrats and signaling the speaker’s political persuasion.

Speeches given by the President of the United States are provided to members of the press beforehand. In one of these speeches, President George W. Bush makes reference to the Democratic Party. When he delivered the speech, the phrase became Democrat Party.

You may think that this is trivial until you learn that former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Republican of Georgia, on advice of Republican pollster Frank Luntz urged all members of the Republican Party to use the term. It became a way to show derision toward Democrats. It is still widely used in this way.

What, then, do we make of editorials that use the term Democrat Party? Does it signal a newspaper’s political bias?

Many commenters in this newspaper accuse it of a liberal bias. Others say it is conservative. Perhaps the question can be decided with today’s (August 26, 2008) editorial titled Drama in Denver. The editorial writer takes great pains to avoid saying Democratic Party, opting instead for such constructions as Democrats’ party and Democrats’ party platform. In only one place does the editorial refer to Democratic-leaning independents. In light of the rest of the editorial, shouldn’t that be Democrat-leaning independents?

That the editorial positions of this newspaper are decidedly Conservative and Republican is no mystery to most Democrats. Perhaps this editorial can serve to convince others as well.

***
Now for the present. I looked on the web site of William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Election Division has information for voters, and there is material about the upcoming primary on Tuesday, September 14th. Those who plan to vote in the primary will find a link to the ballots that voters will receive according to their respective parties. Here is what it says on the site:

Who is on My Ballot? [Click the appropriate link]

My Democrat Ballot

My Republican Ballot

Libertarian - There are no Candidates for the September 14, 2010 Primary

I have just one question, Mr. Secretary. Where is the ballot for my party, the Democratic Party?

UPDATE: THE WEBSITE OF THE SECRETARY HAS BEEN CORRECTED TO REFLECT THE PROPER CONSTRUCTION, "DEMOCRATIC BALLOT." THANK YOU, MR. SECRETARY.

©2008, 2010

Glenn Beck’s Crusade

2010-08-28T17:16:00.005-04:00

The story goes that Evangelist Billy Graham’s rise to prominence began in Los Angeles in 1949. He had scheduled some revival meetings held as they often were in tents. A powerful newspaper man, William Randolph Hearst, it was said, saw in Graham the potential to persuade an audience. Hearst believed Billy Graham’s patriotism and appeal to youth could be useful in advancing Hearst’s conservative anti-communist views. He had a 2-word message for the editors of all of his holdings: “Puff Graham.” Billy Graham’s religious meetings were written about prominently, and the rest is history. From that time until now, Graham has been dubbed America’s preacher.

Graham’s reign has been a long one, but at the age of 91 and in ill health, a void has been created. Glenn Beck can fill that void. It wouldn’t hurt either if today’s Hearst, Rupert Murdoch, would utter similar words to those editors in his empire: Puff Beck.

Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor Rally” in front of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 2010, had all the components of a revival meeting. It was not unlike a Billy Graham Crusade.

Unlike Graham, Beck has a clear political agenda, though he claims his Restoring Honor Rally was non-political. The very name of the event belies that because it implies that the country has become dishonorable. Beck has made it clear on many occasions that he believes that the country dishonored itself when it elected Barack Obama as President of the United States.

Those who watched Beck’s rally got a first-hand look at the manipulative techniques used in religious revivals. There was an abundance of patriotism and prayer. There was music to punctuate the message. There was the often-repeated mantra that the United States is a Christian nation. If everyone will carry that message, all Americans will come to realize that Jesus is the only way, the only truth, the only life.

And there was preaching by a few, but none matched the skill exhibited by Glenn Beck. He is a better preacher than Billy Graham. Beck is practiced at projection and inflection. He plays his voice like a fine instrument. And he can cry quite convincingly on cue.

Perhaps Beck is showing good business sense. Find a void and fill it. Jerry Falwell, who was far too overtly political, is gone. Pat Robertson and James Dobson are past it. Graham’s son, Franklin, lacks the talent. Other evangelists who may have laid claim to the title have been marred by scandal.

Glenn Beck has made a conscious decision to retool and repackage himself as a man of God. It’s a gutsy move because now everything he says must filter through his avowed beliefs. He will be expected to act like a man of God. Every action will be scrutinized and made to pass through that prism.

Will Beck be able to sustain this persona he has created for himself? Only time will tell. But I can’t help thinking that we are witnessing the second coming of Elmer Gantry.

©2010 The Massachusetts Observer

The Republican News Corporation

2010-08-21T11:18:00.005-04:00

With his one-million dollar donation to the Republican Party from News Corp, Rupert Murdoch has declared an open bias toward the conservative right wing. He is the final arbiter of all that is produced through News Corp and its massive number of subsidiaries, so it behooves those of us looking for legitimate news coverage to know what companies fall under the News Corp umbrella.

Fox News is just the tip of a very large iceberg. If you are sailing in a sea of media, it is something you want to avoid because no matter which part of the iceberg you hit, great damage can occur.

People seeking the truth are looking for all sides of an issue. From now on, anything produced by News Corp and its subsidiaries must be viewed as skewed.

Check out the list. Become informed.

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation’s Subsidiaries

The Massachusetts Observer

©2010

Teaching: a noble profession

2010-08-17T11:06:00.005-04:00

This morning I read about the passing of Paul Sturgis of Auburn. Mr. Sturgis was a teacher of mine in the Southbridge Public Schools. I had him for 7th grade science and 9th grade science. I also found myself spending some time with him when he became assistant principal at Southbridge High School! Occasionally I needed “correction.”

I sometimes wonder what made me want to become a teacher. As I look back, I realize that I owe much to the teachers that taught me in the Southbridge Public Schools.

After all these years I can still recall the teachers I had in elementary school, and I can remember the warmth of their classrooms. There was Mrs. Josette Dupuis, Mrs. Anita Sfreddo, Miss Julia C. Morrill, Mrs. Florida Tarquinio, and Miss Laurenda Boyer. Those, in order, were my teachers for grades one through five. I could not have had a more solid start. I was truly prepared for junior high.

The teachers that I remember particularly at Mary E. Wells Junior High are Mrs. Celestine Sweet, Mr. Peter Teguis, Mr. Paul Sturgis, Mr. Robert Windheim, Mr. Raymond Renaud, Mr. Donald Xenos, and Mrs. Claire Kirk.

When I think of Southbridge High School, I remember that I was lucky enough to have Mr. Sturgis and Mr. Teguis again as both had transferred from the Junior High. Other teachers that come to mind when I recall high school are Mr. Roger Giroux, Mr. Roland Varin, Mr. James Flannery, Mr. Walter Gosk, Mr. Francis J Convy, Miss Beverly Policks, Mr. N. Richard Leduc, Mr. Donald Marino, Mr. Richard Moore, and Mr. Milton C. Davis. (Some might not remember that Mr. Davis was the lone African-American teacher who stayed only a short while. Mr. Sturgis replaced him in the science department).

These teachers were certainly not all alike. Their teaching styles were often very different from one another as were their personalities. But they all brought something special and unique into their classrooms that encouraged and sustained me through the years. I was lucky to have these teachers.

And I thank them.

The Massachusetts Observer

Willy Quibble meets The King

2010-08-14T17:00:00.000-04:00

Elvis Presley

It has been one hot and humid summer, and the lazy hazy days of August are slow. With no holidays in August, the month should be uneventful. Or so I thought. Then I ran into my old friend, Willy Quibble. He seemed awfully nervous, but I could tell he had something on his mind. I had the time, so I offered to buy him a cup of coffee. As we sat at the table, I said my usual sentence, one I knew would be my last for quite a while: “How’s it going, Willy?”

Brent, I gotta tell you something, but I don’t want you to think I’m nuts or anything like that. I think I might have been dreaming, but I’m not sure.

I was watching one of those programs where people go around looking for ghosts. I love watching them even though they’re creepy sometimes, you know. Well, it was a pitch black night out, and as you know I live alone with no neighbors nearby.

Out of nowhere, I hear this knock on the door. Now, I didn’t hear no car drive up, and no one would be walking, but I went to the door. I turned on the porch light and looked through the peephole. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I opened the door.

“Is, is that really you?” I asked. He nodded and I said to come in.

“Thank you. Thank you very much,” he said. “I was wondering. Are you lonesome, tonight?” I was, and I told him so. That’s when I noticed he had a dog with him.

“He doesn’t bite, does he?”

“No, this here’s old Shep. Ain’t nothing but a hound dog. Crying all the time.”

Somehow I was unafraid. I asked him to sit down. “Elvis, why are you here?” He gave his explanation.

“Once a year, on the anniversary of my ‘death’ on August 16, 1977, I’m allowed to return to earth and tell my tale about how I was betrayed by a hard-headed woman.”

I did a quick calculation and determined that on August 16, 2010, Elvis will be or would have been 75 years old. It depends on whether or not you are a believer in those Elvis sightings.

“When I first met her, it was all good. She’d say, ‘Love me tender,’ and I’d say ‘I just want to be your teddy bear. I can’t help falling in love with you.’ But things began to change. She got jealous, and we said some mean things. I felt like I was caught in a trap.

“You’re the devil in disguise,” I said, and she shouted, “Don’t be cruel!” Then she left me. I was all shook up.

“I got back to my senses and I tried to call her. No answer. I knocked on her door. No answer. Finally, I decided to write her a letter. I wrote, ‘I want you. I need you. I love you. Please forgive a fool such as I.’ I sent it Special D. It came back with the words ‘Return to Sender’ written on it.

“Everything went downhill for me then. I took a room at that flop house, Heartbreak Hotel, you know, the one in the ghetto. I got in trouble with the law, and they threw me in jail. It was there I turned my life around. The warden was great In fact, one time the warden threw a party in the county jail. The prison band was there, and they began to wail. The band was jumping, and the joint began to swing. You should’ve heard those knocked out jailbirds sing: ‘Let’s rock, everybody, let’s rock.’ Everybody in the whole cell block was dancing to the jailhouse rock.

“Shortly after I got out, my life was ended, and I found peace in the valley. My mission is to tell people not to despair. That’s my story.”

“Thanks, Elvis, for sharing that story with me. But no one will believe me. Could you do me a favor and record something so I can play it as proof?” He took out his guitar, and I recorded what he played. I saw scenes of his life passing by. I swear I could almost hear a heavenly choir in the background. When he finished, he said he had to go.

“Elvis, rock and roll will never die, and you are still the King.

“Thank you. Thank you very much,” he said. Then he disappeared into the blackness of the night.

***

Willy finished his story and looked at me. “Am I crazy, Brent?”

“Not you, Willy. Never. Let’s hear that song you recorded.”

The Massachusetts Observer

©2010

If I owned the “Southbridge Evening News”

2010-08-04T16:46:00.003-04:00

First of all, no one asked me my opinion, and I wouldn’t expect anyone to do so. Second, I am not a business person, so anything I say has to be taken in that context.

Southbridge needs an informative, timely daily newspaper. The Southbridge News has had a long tradition of being just that — until recently. It is still a daily, but timely it is not. Perhaps it was worth the experiment to use the United States Post Office to deliver the newspaper, but it is time to declare that experiment a failure. That is no fault of the Post Office. Simply put, by the time the “news” arrives, it is no longer new. People have already moved on to the next cycle.

As most people know, The Southbridge Evening News is just one in a series of newspapers that make up the Stonebridge Press. There are 7 other Massachusetts weeklies and 4 Connecticut weeklies. All these are mailed, I believe. I would discontinue all of them.

The Southbridge Evening News should remain a daily focusing on Southbridge and the contiguous towns of Sturbridge, Charlton, Dudley, and Woodstock. Additionally, Webster should be added. That’s it. The daily paper serves that population.

Same day home delivery would be available in Southbridge. The deliveries can once again be made by newsboys and girls. Billing would be done by mail or internet. Kids would not have to handle money. The “News” can pay boys and girls according to the number of newspapers they deliver with some adjustments made for those whose routes cover a larger area.

The newspaper in the surrounding towns will be available at convenience stores, supermarkets, and conveniently placed vending machines. The price would be cheaper than home delivery.

There would be an interactive website for the newspaper. It would be free to those receiving home delivery. People in the other towns could pay for the online newspaper at a price that is roughly half that of home delivery. Again, all billing will be done by mail or online.

All reporters would work out of the Southbridge office so that they would be available for special assignments or to switch off if necessary. The newsroom would not close. Ever.

I am sure that there may be plenty of things impractical about my modest proposals. What do you think?

©2010

Our town cemetery

2010-07-31T07:58:00.003-04:00

As I walked through Southbridge’s Oak Ridge Cemetery observing its latest assault by vandals, I was reminded of a scene in Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” his Pulitzer Prize-winning play about life in a small New England town.

At the beginning of the third act, titled “Death and Eternity,” the narrator walks through the fictional Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire Cemetery pointing out some of the graves along the way. In the old section are early founders of the town and soldiers who fought in the Civil War. The new section of the cemetery has the graves of several people we met earlier in the play. The cemetery was very much connected to the town.

I experienced much the same feelings as I walked through Oak Ridge Cemetery. I read some of the names on the toppled gravestones. They were familiar names, early Southbridge names.

I don’t think any people with solid roots in the town of Southbridge could carry out the destruction I observed. I was grateful as I checked my own personal connections to the cemetery that they were spared the acts of vandalism, the acts of hate. There was the grave of my great grandmother, Caroline. Over there were my maternal grandparents, Tom and Emma, and my paternal grandparents, Frank and Nettie. Here were the great aunts Fannie and Janie and Clara. Second cousins Walter and Alden and Raymond are buried here. There is the grave of my Aunt Edna, who died of tuberculosis before I could meet her. Not far away are the graves of Auntie Irene and Uncle Les. Here at a stone marked “Abrahamson” are my father and mother, Stanley and Anita.

Those who would desecrate a cemetery must feel very disconnected, very angry, very unloved. I hope that, if the vandals are identified, part of their punishment will be an understanding, a beyond-a- doubt true understanding of just how much pain their senseless actions have caused.

***
What follows is a scene from the 1940 version of “Our Town.” While the quality is less than perfect, the message is clear. After the scene, I have placed a few photos of the Oak Ridge Cemetery destruction along with a final message.

©2010

Fear and race: two of the most powerful cards in the deck

2010-07-24T12:28:00.006-04:00

If you want to win the game, play the fear card or the race card. If you can play both cards, you can’t lose. Others will concede the victory.

Those who are attuned to politics on the national scene can’t miss the exploitation of fear and race. Those who would resort to such measures hit the jackpot when the country elected an African American as President of the United States. Those who are in a position to command the attention of the American people constantly use fear and race as stumbling blocks to progress.

It is not a current propaganda agenda, however, that is my motivation for writing about this topic. It is an article that appears today (Saturday, July 24, 2010) on the telegram.com web site. Titled VA easing rules for medical marijuana users, it states that “The Department of Veterans Affairs will formally allow patients treated at its hospitals and clinics to use medical marijuana in states where it is legal…”

How did it become illegal? The campaign against marijuana exploited fear and race even as it purported to be purely altruistic.

To understand how marijuana became demonized, we must be familiar with the names William Randolph Hearst, famed newspaper publisher and the DuPont family, owners of DuPont Chemicals.

Hearst and DuPont started the fear campaign in the mid to late 1930s. The claim was made that marijuana had severe effects on the user and that the youth of America were being exploited by sellers of marijuana. It was pointed out that jazz musicians (who were mostly African-American) used marijuana heavily. The Mexicans, they claimed, were enabling the marijuana trade.

Politicians who were favorites of big business, got into the game with such quotes as

*“When some beet field peon takes a few traces of this stuff… he thinks he has just been elected president of Mexico, so he starts out to execute all his political enemies.”

*“All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff [marijuana] is what makes them crazy.”

*“Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men’s shadows and look at a white woman twice.”

The constant barrage along with the making of a drug exploitation film in 1936, “Reefer Madness,” led the United States Congress to pass the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 leading to the criminalization of marijuana.
It turns out, though, that saving the public from the horrible weed was not the real purpose of this anti-marijuana crusade. No, it was business, money, and greed.

The cannabis plant is also the source of industrial strength hemp, a very useful raw material that has multiple uses among which is the making of paper and plastics. William Randolph Hearst had significant financial interests in the timber industry, and in 1938, DuPont patented the processes for creating plastics from coal and oil and a new process for creating paper from wood pulp.

Thus Hearst, DuPont, and their friends in government created a fear of marijuana in order to carry out their real motive: to crush the hemp industry, their competition. That it was an effective campaign is clear. Hemp and marijuana carry the same manufactured stigma today.

***
When Hearst and DuPont decided to carry out their fear campaign against marijuana, jazz musicians unwittingly aided them. The subject of marijuana was often the topic of a song. The following video, which I produced, presents a typical song of an earlier time.

The Massachusetts Observer
©2010

Emma Lazarus

2010-07-22T22:08:00.004-04:00

Emma Lazarus, born on July 22, 1849, may have gone through life like most of us—anonymously. That is, if she had not written one famous sonnet in 1883 called “The New Colossus.” She had other writing to be sure, but the bronze plaque affixed to the base of The Statue of Liberty with her poem and her name assures her place among famous and influential Americans.

It seems appropriate to recognize her near the anniversary of her birth. As I write, there is much ado in the state of Arizona about its new immigration law.

I won’t get into the debate about illegal vs. legal immigrants. I do understand both sides. I just want to remember a time when people sailed into the New York Harbor out of hardship and into a new beginning in the United States of America. I am sure that a lot of readers have relatives who made that journey.

I have chosen an unusual way to commemorate this time by using a silent film produced by the Thomas Edison Company in 1903. I have added a background of an unknown chorus singing part of “The New Colossus” sung to music by another immigrant, Irving Berlin.

I believe we all need a reminder occasionally of what America stands for.

The Massachusetts Observer

©2010

The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Emma Lazarus, 1883

Sunset at Dresser Hill

2010-07-18T21:44:00.006-04:00

Sunset from Dresser Hill Road in Charlton- July 18, 2010
I suppose lots of people have their favorite spots to watch the setting sun. For me, it is at the top of Dresser Hill in Charlton where there is a spectacular view of the valley that is my town of Southbridge. I watched the splendid show along with several people who had gathered for the same purpose. There was a hushed atmosphere, almost churchlike.

As I watched, I was reminded of an Army story my late father told me. First, though, some background is necessary.

When my father was growing up in Southbridge during the 1920s and 30s, the Church was a very important part of family life. My father recalled that many of his Catholic friends remarked about how lucky he was because he didn’t have to go to church. This always made my father laugh because as a member of the First Methodist Church, he probably logged in more Sunday church hours than any of his Catholic buddies. There was Sunday school, a morning worship service, the Epworth League, and an evening service.

Methodists are a singing people, and there are lots of hymns. Many of these hymns reflect the time of day. For example, a popular hymn for the morning service is “When Morning Gilds the Skies.” But it is one of the evening hymns written in 1880 by a Methodist, Mary Ann Lathbury, that is the subject of my father’s story.

Often an evening church service, referred to by many as evening Vespers, would include the hymn “Day is Dying in the West.” As he was growing up, my father heard that song countless times. He had no idea at the time that the hymn would become special in his life.

Fast-forward a few years to a time when my father was in the Army during World War II. Far away from home and facing combat, he recalled the old hymn. On one occasion as night was falling, he sang that song aloud. Now, my father was not blessed with a great singing voice, but the words had a calming and peaceful effect on his buddies who listened. Thereafter, at many similar and fearful times, someone would say to him, “Abe, sing that song.” My father would oblige:

Day is dying in the west;
Heav’n is touching earth with rest;
Wait and worship while the night
Sets her evening lamps alight
Through all the sky.

Refrain
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts!
Heav’n and earth are full of Thee!
Heav’n and earth are praising Thee,
O Lord most high!

Yes, that beautiful Dresser Hill sunset worked its magic once again.

©2010

This Bud’s for you

2010-07-12T18:43:00.003-04:00

I received a wonderful note on my YouTube channel today:

THANK YOU so much for putting this on youtube! My Irish uncle used to play this at his cottage for us when we were young and it made me cry to hear it again! I have been looking for it since he passed and haven't been able to find it until now- THANK YOU!!

To which video was the commenter referring? More about that in a moment.

I have about 50+ videos posted on YouTube, and I have to say that they are quite an assortment. I have a great many interests, and the videos reflect that. I have some political ones, of course. By far the most popular in that category is Franklin Roosevelt’s “Second Bill of Rights.”

One surprising video that has tremendous appeal is one of an old, old song “School Days.” Often people search for “Hickory Stick” or some other combination and end up on my blog entry titled “Taught to the tune of a hickory stick.” It’s about corporal punishment, but so many people end up on that page looking for the song that I placed it at the top of the page.

One of my favorite topics for YouTube is old songs, often novelty songs. This brings me back to my commenter. She was responding to my video of a song from 1907 sung by Billy Murray and the Haydn Quartet titled “Budweiser’s a Friend of Mine.” It produced a happy memory for her. I am thrilled about that!

Perhaps something on my YouTube channel will strike your fancy as well.

Visit my YouTube Channel.

©2010

Time for a refresher course

2010-07-08T09:35:00.006-04:00

Now, I know that this bit of whimsy has been around for a while, and perhaps many of you have seen it. I think it’s time to look at these again. Since Memorial Day weekend when I last commented on the driving habits of my fellow citizens, Road Rant, things have hardly improved. They may even have gotten worse.

It is not surprising that so many of these “You know you’re from Massachusetts if” examples deal with driving. Lately, I have noticed this one more and more: *Stop signs mean slow down a little, but only if you feel like it. Allow me to add one more.

You know you’re from Massachusetts if you think Yield signs only apply to the other drivers.

Enjoy these, and if you have one to add, let me know.

You know you're from Massachusetts if...

*Khakis are something you start the car with.

*You think crosswalks are for wimps.

*You think if someone's nice to you, they either want something or they are from out of town and probably lost.

*You know how to cross 4 lanes of traffic in 5 seconds.

*You are amazed when traveling out of town that people who work at McDonald's actually speak English.

*You think it's not actually tailgating unless your bumper is touching the car in front of you.

*You know that a yellow light means at least 5 more cars can get through ... and that a red light means 2 more can.

*A Crown Victoria = Undercover Cop.

*The transportation system is known as the "T."

*Subway is a fast food place.

*You could own a small town in Iowa for the cost of your house.

*There are 24 Dunkin Donuts shops within 15 minutes of your house.

*When people talk about the "curse of the Bambino," you know exactly what they are talking about, and you believe in it, too.

*You think of Rhode Island as the "deep South."

*Anything past Worcester is "the middle of nowhere." (if you live in Boston.)

*You believe using a turn signal gives away your plan to the enemy.

*If you stay on the same road long enough, it will eventually have 3 or more different names.

*Someone has honked at you because you didn't peel out the second the light turned green.

*You've honked at someone because they didn't peel out the second the light turned green.

*All the potholes just add excitement to your driving experience.

*Stop signs mean slow down a little, but only if you feel like it.

*Six inches of snow is considered a "dusting."

*Three days of 90+ heat is definitely a "heat wave" ... and 63° weather is "on the warm side."

*$15 to park is a bargain.

*You cringe every time you hear some actor/actress imitate the "Boston accent" on TV or in a movie. If you don't have it, you're never going to get it right ... even if you were born here.

*At the ice cream shop, you call chocolate sprinkles "Jimmies."

*You can go from one side of your hometown to the other in less than 15 minutes and see at least 15 losers you graduated with doing the same exact same thing they were doing the last time you saw them.

©2010

Exercise your tongue

2010-07-04T11:32:00.000-04:00

We’ve all heard about the so-called obesity epidemic in the United States. We are all being encouraged to eat right and exercise. Exercise for the tongue has been greatly overlooked, and it is time to remedy that. Test your tongue fitness. Read each of these 3 times fast. Give yourself one point for each one you manage to say without a mistake.

1. We surely shall see the sun shine soon.

2. Twelve twins twirled twelve twigs

3. She sells sea shells on the seashore.
The seashells she sells are seashells she is sure.

4. A noise annoys an oyster, but a noisy noise annoys an oyster more!

Caution! The following are for the tongue-fit only. If you try them, you could end up saying something quite rude. Proceed at your own risk!

5. One smart fellow; he felt smart.
Two smart fellows; they felt smart.
Three smart fellows; they all felt smart.

6. I am not the pheasant plucker,
I'm the pheasant plucker's mate.
I am only plucking pheasants
Because the pheasant plucker's late.

7. I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit;
and on the slitted sheet I sit.

8. I'm not the fig plucker,
Nor the fig pluckers' son,
But I'll pluck figs
Till the fig plucker comes.

9. Six stick shifts stuck shut.

10. Silly Simon's sitting in a shoe shine shop.
Where he sits he shines, and where he shines he sits.

Score:

9-10 points= You are a champion tonguer!
7-8 points= You have good tongue control
5-6 points= You have neglected your tongue
3-4 points= You deserve a tongue-lashing
0-2 points= You should hold your tongue (Try saying them that way)

Good luck.

©2010

Radio is not dead

2010-06-29T17:11:00.002-04:00

In this age of burgeoning technology, radio seems like a medium whose time has come and gone. Actually, because of the internet and live-streaming, there are more options than ever. The problem is in knowing where to find what you want.

That’s why I want to call your attention to a terrific web site called “radiotime.” This project by highly skillful developers opens up a world of listening experiences. They have found the stations and categorized them. Who could ask for anything more?

Here are some major genres you can bring right to your internet device.

Featured Talk
Sports Talk, Business, Conservative, Entertainment, News, Progressive, Public/NPR, Religious, Specialty Talk, Technology

Featured Music
Adult Contemporary, Alt. Rock, Best Bets, Blues, Children's, Classic Rock, Classical, Country, Decades, Electronic, Hip-Hop, Internet Only, Jazz/New Age, Latin, Local Music, Shows, Oldies, R & B, Religious, Rock/Metal, Specialty, Top 40/Pop, World

Featured Sports
College, World Series, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, MLS, NASCAR, Sports, Sports Talk, World Cup

Happy surfing!

radiotime

©2010

This is why I’m seldom without a camera

2010-06-25T04:11:00.003-04:00

Whenever I leave the house, I take my camera along. I figure you never know when you’ll come across something interesting or unusual. I rarely do, but today was an exception.

I was driving down Main Street in Southbridge when something caught my eye in front of the Post Office. At first I thought it was somebody getting in some last-minute campaigning before the local elections. When I saw the picture of President Obama in which he is depicted as Hitler, I knew I had to stop. I had to take a picture, and I had to find out who was behind this.

I am glad that these were not Southbridge residents. They were members of the Lyndon LaRouche movement stumping for a candidate to oppose Barney Frank in the November election. The LaRouche Democrat is Rachel Brown. Her web site, with its errors in grammar and spelling, speaks for itself. They seem to have a problem with dates as well since at least 2 items are dated July 22, 2010. Perhaps this indicates a forward-looking candidate with clairvoyant premonitions of life on Mars.

I spoke with the 2 young guys who told me that they were there to educate the public. They tried to catch the attention of passersby, but post office patrons would have none of it. They just kept going. I suggested to these two guys that they might have better luck engaging people in conversation if they didn’t portray the president as Adolf Hitler. They also didn’t seem to get the irony of putting “Adolf” Obama and Barney Frank, Jewish and gay, on the same team! As self-described educators, they were finally convinced that I was uneducable. They gave me up as hopeless.

I have to admit something in all fairness. When I saw the Obama poster, I assumed I was going to find members of the Tea Party, but these were specimens of a liberal loony leftist cult. I wasn’t completely disappointed, however. When I first approached them, one person was engaged in amiable conversation with them. When I inquired, he told me that he was a leader of a Tea Party group in another town. After telling me that the government should stay out of our lives and assuring me that Barack Obama could stop the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico if he wanted to, he went on his way. My 2 “teachers” made it clear to me that I was dismissed.

It goes to show you that the farther you go to the outer fringes of the political spectrum the more alike these people become. Nutso is nutso.

As I walked back to my car, it occurred to me that it is only fair that the cultish loony left should have some kind of label that describes them. After all, the Tea Partiers have to endure all the double entendre that comes with their association with tea bags. Shouldn’t these cultish lefties have a similarly descriptive term? Perhaps we can find a rhyme for LaRouche bags.

©2010

The Sunday Ride

2010-06-22T14:45:00.004-04:00

That was the tradition years ago. My family would get up on Sunday morning for church. We would get dressed in our Sunday best. My mother also put a roast in a pan and set the oven on “low.” This was before crock pots. The roast, beef or pork usually, would cook while we were at church.

When church was over just before noon, we would first head to Puritan Bakery on Worcester Street for bread still warm from the oven. We usually got something sweet for dessert, too. If it was a Sunday when we weren’t cooking a roast, we would often head next to Skaranis’ Market for barbecued chicken. Then it was home to dinner.

After dinner, we would go for a ride in the car. Early on, we visited relatives. My paternal grandmother had us visit two elderly aunts in North Grosvenordale, Connecticut. When I say elderly, I mean old. They were us kids’ great, great aunts and my father’s great aunts. So they were actually my grandfather’s aunts. My brother, sister, and I remember that there was nothing for kids to do. We weren’t encouraged to play in the back yard where we might fall into the French River. Inside the house, it was hot enough to grow tomatoes. Oh, and they had one of those toilets with a chain.

Sometimes, we’d go all the way to Newport, Rhode Island, to visit my grandmother’s sister, Mary. One fun part was taking the ferry. Newport then was full of sailors everywhere. Aunt Mary was a gentle old soul and always insisted on cooking for us. She was a good cook, but we never got used to Newport drinking water.

My grandmother had another sister on Snow Street in Southbridge, so if we didn’t want to go too far, we visited Aunt Clara.

Sometimes we didn’t have a particular destination. We just rode around taking in the scenery. A favorite route was through Woodstock, Connecticut. From the relatively crowded city-like atmosphere of Southbridge, it was quite a transition to ride through the rural roads of Woodstock.

Almost always we had our Sunday supper out. Some of the places were Mom’s Kitchen in Dudley, Dwyer’s in Dudley, Leona’s Restaurant in Southbridge, now the Knight’s of Columbus, Deary Brothers in Dudley or Sturbridge, or a little trailer near the center of Thompson. I don’t remember the name, but I can still taste those wonderful clam cakes!

Sundays were simple times back then. Going shopping was not an option. Sunday Blue Laws kept the stores closed. Large trailer trucks were not permitted to use the roads on Sunday. Cars and families owned the road. At the end of the day, you felt ready to meet the challenges of the week ahead.

©2008, 2010

Visit my web site, The Massachusetts Observer

Don't know much about history

2010-06-16T17:11:00.003-04:00

It is surprising how often people say that their least favorite subject in school was history. I guess I can understand it when it comes to studying ancient history. But American history? That should be of interest to everyone.

When I was in college, I had a professor who taught American literature. When I met him again a few years later in graduate school, he was teaching history. When I asked him the reason, he told me that he could not stand the fact that his literature students had no clue about the allusions (references to events in history) that were abundant in the prose and poetry of America. Lack of this prior knowledge kept the students from fully appreciating the literature beyond a superficial understanding.

Today, some people almost boast that they never read or listen to the news. They have no time. It’s too depressing. Whatever. It occurs to me that they quite literally don’t know what they are missing.

Many TV shows deal with topical humor. They rely on people’s knowledge of current events so that they can “get” the jokes. People who lack knowledge of current events can’t fully appreciate Jay Leno, David Letterman, Jon Stewart, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Bill Maher, Dennis Miller or any other comedians that specialize in topical humor. They expect that their audience members bring something to the monologues. Those that aren’t attuned to what’s happening in the world probably pass up these comedians for less erudite humor. Perhaps “Saturday Night Live” has lost the level of popularity it had in its early days because the audience that can understand its topical references has shrunk.

Lots of older sit-coms avoided social commentary, and they continue to have high popular appeal. “I Love Lucy,” “The Andy Griffith Show,” “The Dick van Dyke Show,” “The Bob Newhart Show;” these and countless other shows from the 1950s and ‘60s such as “The Donna Reed Show,” “Father Knows Best,” and “Leave it to Beaver” demand little of their viewers except to sit and watch.

Many of the best sit-coms of the 1960s and ‘70s used the then current events as catalysts for laughs. Just recently I was reading an article stating that these once great shows are dated, passé. That’s true for those who lack understanding of historical references.

People without knowledge of historical context can’t fully enjoy “All in the Family,” without knowing of the divisions in the country regarding the Vietnam War. How can they fully appreciate “Maude” if they know nothing about the woman’s lib movement? “The Jeffersons?” “Barney Miller?” Other shows that commented on the times were “Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In,” “That Was the Week that Was,” and “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.”

That last show, “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” was steeped in controversy in its time. The network wanted a simple, non-controversial, feel-good show with two popular folk singers. As the Vietnam War intensified, one part of the duo, Tommy Smothers, wanted the program to comment about the issues of the day. The topical humor was unequivocally liberal and the sponsors got worried when people with other political persuasions complained. The complaints worked, and the program left the air, but was reinstated when howls of protest came from fans of the show. The censorship battle continued with producers frequently removing material from the scripts before air time.

We have a great resource in the archived shows. Beyond a paragraph or two in a static textbook, the mood of the country can be experienced virtually first-hand by watching these sit-coms with their contemporaneous commentary. The total effect is lost, however, in viewers decidedly lacking in knowledge of American history.

©2009, 2010

This clip from “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” has a genuine feel to it. A very young looking Peter, Paul, and Mary join the Smothers brothers and others in singing “Day is Done” by Peter Yarrow. There is a contemporaneous message to this early 1970s performance that I believe may be best summed up with this verse:

Do you ask why I'm sighing, my son?
You shall inherit what mankind has done.
In a world filled with sorrow and woe
If you ask me why this is so, I really don't know.

Grandmaster Flash vs minstrels for cash

2010-06-15T12:22:00.003-04:00

I suppose what I know about rap or hip hop wouldn’t fill a thimble. That means I don't know a lot.

That being said, I do know the difference between old school rap and sell-out rap crap. One is genuine, and the other is pleasing the white man for cash. [I’ll bet there’s a term for that; hmmm… “pleasing a white man for cash”]

Lots of times I see quotes posted on Facebook, lyrics from rap songs that white boys approve of. That’s where the money is made.

I could go on and on, but then you would stop reading, so I will conclude with a simple fact.

Old school rap delivered an authentic message that the rapper wanted to tell. Today’s sell-out rap delivers the message that white guys want to hear. Whoring pays lots more than true artistry. And as an old song says, “Ain’t that a shame?”

©2010

A Civics Lesson

2010-06-14T19:13:00.001-04:00

Years ago when I was a student at Southbridge High School, I had a class called Civics. In this class the students learned the workings of the local government. It was meant to prepare us to become active citizens in participatory democracy as it was carried out in the town of Southbridge.

As one requirement of the course, students attended a Town Meeting. This was before the Town Charter, Town Councilors, or a Town Manager. The town was run by a Board of Selectmen, and the voting up or down of proposals or the spending of money was left to those registered voters of the town who showed up to the Town Meeting. The meeting was overseen by the Town Moderator.

The meeting had an agenda and, as each item came up, people were invited to speak on the particular issue. I wish I could tell you any of the agenda items, but I can’t. Like lots of my fellow inmates I was trapped in a place I would rather not have been. Hey, we were in high school.

What impressed me most that night that is still memorable were those people who got up to speak. They were a study in personalities.

One guy got up to speak on every question. He knew all the answers and was amazed at how ignorant people were who couldn’t see it his way. Another guy seemed always to get up after him to second what he said.

As often happens, there was another guy who knew all the answers, too, but his answers were different from the first guy. Clearly, they despised each other, but we had to listen to both of them debate. One of them ultimately left with a public show of disgust. Meanwhile, everyone else had to decide which way to vote.

Then there were a couple of people interspersed within the speakers who, unbeknownst to them, provided some comic relief. Including them, we were unanimous in having no idea what they were talking about.

Then there were the speakers who seemed to oppose every spending bill. “We can’t afford this.” “People in this town pay too much as it is.” “That school was good enough for us.” There seemed to be a lot of these people. It was almost as if they had all planned to be there, a coalition so to speak.

The Board of Selectmen was in for its share of criticism from the speakers. The moderator had to warn some of the people that they were out of line. Some were accused of being self-serving. Others heard, “Just wait until the next election!” “They were there to serve the people, not the other way around.”

There were speakers who were truly interested and informed. Unfortunately, they tended to get over-shadowed by the others.

A final incident impressed me at that meeting. For one of the agenda items a well-respected expert, who was not a resident of the town, was brought in to give his thoughts. Because he was a non-resident, he had to have permission to speak. If there were any objection, he could not. One person rose from his seat and made his way to the microphone. People pleaded with him not to object, but he was not dissuaded. I remember what he said was made more memorable by his accent. “If we can’t run de town of Sou’bridge by ourselves, we might as well close it down.” With that he objected, and the expert was not allowed to speak.

Well, a few years later Southbridge changed its form of government. We adopted a city model, but we insist that the State call us a town. The State says officially that we’re a city, but they’ll unofficially call us a town if we want.

Now there are no Town Meetings in the former sense of the term. We have a Town Manager, who acts as the Board of Selectmen, and a Town Council that acts as representatives of the townspeople. Thank goodness we have gotten away from those old Town Meeting days of personal agendas and coalitions and naysayers and self-aggrandizers. That’s all over. Isn’t it?

©2007, 2010

Judy Garland

2010-06-10T14:26:00.010-04:00

Judy Garland (June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969)
If someone were to ask about great talents of the 20th century, it would not be possible to name them without including Judy Garland near the top of the list. She brought both a genuineness and a pathos to her music that was borne of a charmed albeit tragic life.

People, of course, remember her as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, and Somewhere, Over the Rainbow was her signature song. When she gave a stage performance, she gave all that she had.

Her life was marred by years of addiction to prescription drugs, a sad reality that victimized child stars when film studios gave the drugs to them when they needed to be wide awake to perform or they needed to be sedated to sleep.

There are many books and media presentations about Judy Garland's life, so I won't attempt to go into that here.

One of her many talents was as a movie star. As she got older, her addiction made her unreliable. In her younger years, she made a number of films with Mickey Rooney. These were his Andy Hardy films which usually ended up with the gang putting on a show. Babes on Broadway was one such film.

One scene in the film shows Judy singing live on radio. It is during World War II and the Blitz was on in London. There was great devastation, and families were split up. Some English children were sent to the United States so that they would be safe from the German attack on London. The scene from the movie shows the children standing and singing with Judy. They are singing the song Chin Up, Cheerio, Carry On. It addresses the British soldiers who were sometimes referred to as Tommy Atkins.

A few years ago, I placed this song in a video in which I tried to show some of the devastation but also the resolve of the British people. So here is Judy Garland from Babes on Broadway.

Hamilton Street- Southbridge

2010-06-05T18:17:00.002-04:00

A couple of years ago, I shot some pictures around the town of Southbridge, Massachusetts. I was more optimistic then about the economy than I am now. In just those two years, things have changed on Hamilton Street, and some of the stores depicted in the video have closed. It is said that the failure rate for new businesses is quite high. Still, it’s a bit discouraging to see the empty storefronts again.

Here is Hamilton Street in Southbridge as it was 2 summers ago.

©2010

Southbridge, Superblue, and soca

2010-06-04T19:21:00.002-04:00

Lately I have been re-watching some of the videos I made a couple of years ago in my town of Southbridge, Massachusetts. I had used “Only You” by the Platters and its Spanish version, “Solo Tú,” by Trío Los Panchos as a soundtrack. It was okay with YouTube a couple of years ago, but this time they sent an email stating that copyrights were owned by a third party. That meant I had to look for another soundtrack. I used YouTube’s “Audioswap” to search for a replacement.

Now, quite frankly my initial reason for using the video again was to show how many businesses that were part of my video two years ago are now no longer in business. Southbridge, like so many other localities, is seeing more and more empty storefronts. There may be some hopeful signs in the economy, but unemployment is still very real.

I found that when I placed a new soundtrack to the video, it was impossible to write a “downer” blog entry. I am sure that others have heard this type of music, but it’s new to me. The song is called “Dancing for Romance” and it is sung by Superblue whose real name is Austin Lyons. He is from Trinidad, and the song style is called “soca.”

So my purpose has changed. Instead of focusing on a problem, I want to share something that lifted my spirits. I hope it does the same for you.

©2010

It was the third of June

2010-06-02T11:16:00.003-04:00

People seem to have one thing in common: they need to know the answer. Maybe it has to do with a sense of completion, something as satisfying as knowing that 2+2=? has a definitive answer.

Fiction is not always so neatly packaged. There are some stories that assure us that all those involved “lived happily ever after.” Those that leave the reader to supply some details that are left out in the story can be frustrating.

As a teacher, I read many short stories with my students. One classic short story never failed to spark discussion, even if the discussion arose out of frustration. The story is Frank Stockton’s The Lady, or the Tiger?. It’s a story well worth reading, and I don’t want to spoil it for you if you have never read it. Suffice it to say that the five words in the title are also the last five words in the story.

I am reminded today of a song that is much like these puzzling pieces of prose and poetry. Some of you may recall that it was the third of June when Billy Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge. Since Bobbie Gentry released this song in 1967, people have had two questions in mind: Why did Billy Joe commit suicide? What were Billy Joe and the narrator of the story throwing off the Tallahatchie Bridge when they were spotted by the young preacher? If you haven’t heard the song, or if you have forgotten the words, here’s the story:

Ode to Billie Joe
1967: written and recorded by Bobbie Gentry
It was the third of June,
another sleepy, dusty Delta day.
I was out choppin' cotton
and my brother was balin' hay.
And at dinner time we stopped,
and we walked back to the house to eat.
And mama hollered at the back door
"y'all remember to wipe your feet."
And then she said she got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Ridge
Today Billy Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge.

Papa said to mama as he passed around the blackeyed peas,
"Well, Billy Joe never had a lick of sense,
pass the biscuits, please."
"There's five more acres in the lower forty I've got to plow."
Mama said it was shame about Billy Joe, anyhow.
Seems like nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge,
And now Billy Joe MacAllister's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge

And brother said he recollected when he and Tom and Billy Joe
Put a frog down my back at the Carroll County picture show.
And wasn't I talkin' to him after church last Sunday night?
"I'll have another piece of apple pie, you know it don't seem right.
I saw him at the sawmill yesterday on Choctaw Ridge,
And now you tell me Billy Joe's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge."

Mama said to me "Child, what's happened to your appetite?
I've been cookin' all morning and you haven't touched a single bite.
That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped by today,
Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday. Oh, by the way,
He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge
And she and Billy Joe was throwing somethin' off the Tallahatchie Bridge."

A year has come 'n' gone since we heard the news 'bout Billy Joe.
Brother married Becky Thompson, they bought a store in Tupelo.
There was a virus going 'round, papa caught it and he died last spring,
And now mama doesn't seem to wanna do much of anything.
And me, I spend a lot of time pickin' flowers up on Choctaw Ridge,
And drop them into the muddy water off the Tallahatchie Bridge.

There’s been lots of speculation about this haunting song over the past 42 years. Here’s a few scenarios:

*Billy Joe and the narrator were in love, but Billy Joe was poor and the narrator’s father would not let her see him. So he killed himself.

* Billy Joe and the narrator were in love, but they were not of the same race. She told Billy Joe, who was black, that she could no longer see him.

* Billy Joe and the narrator were in love. She became pregnant. They were throwing the still-born or aborted baby from the bridge. Billy Joe was grief-stricken and killed himself.

* According to the movie (which I haven’t seen) Billy Joe kills himself after a drunken homosexual experience, and the object thrown from the bridge is the narrator's rag doll.

Well, there you have it. It could be one of the above or none of the above. What do you think on this fine June day? Why did Billy Joe MacAllister jump? What were they throwing from the bridge?

Listening to the song may spark your imagination:

©2010

Rebels without a cause

2010-05-25T11:13:00.002-04:00

There is an interesting story in the The Boston Globe today. It involves the town of Walpole, Massachusetts, and the nickname for its teams. In the mid 1960s the team changed its nickname from the Walpole Hilltoppers to the Walpole Rebels. This change marked the start of a series of other changes.

In 1968, a football coach named John Lee was hired, and the local press started referring to the team as “General Lee’s Rebels.” When that designation stuck, a main symbol of the Confederacy, the Confederate Flag, began to be used by the fans of the team to show their support. After a while, the Confederate symbol became intertwined with the Rebel nickname and support for the team. The symbol could be seen in a number of places.

As the significance of the Confederate flag became more and more a symbol of divisiveness, the school formally dropped its association with its teams. That was in 1994. As is often the case, some people did not like the change. And among a very few, the battle still goes on.

One person engaged in the battle is a homeowner whose property abuts the field where the Walpole Rebels play their games. An alumnus of Walpole High, the homeowner had placed on his property, in full view of the field, a replica of the Confederate flag. This has so bothered school officials that before every game an announcement is made that the flag is on private property, and it in no way reflects any beliefs of the school system.

No one can doubt the homeowner’s right under the First Amendment to display the Confederate flag on his own property. However, as a graduate of Walpole, he should have enough respect for his alma mater to take it down. The Confederate flag has become symbolic of racism. Perhaps the owner is a racist, I don’t know. I do know that he risks smearing the whole school and it students with that label. That is just unfair.

There are some implications for other schools that have fields that abut private property. People living adjacent to the field could display any images they want. The political messages of some of the most ardent tea partiers could appear. Other racist symbols and messages might pop up.

Some students at Walpole have produced an excellent video about this conflict. Watch it and consider how you feel about this issue.

©2010

Confederate Flag: Appropriate for Walpole High? from whstherebellion on Vimeo.

Memorial Day

2010-05-22T17:23:00.009-04:00

A couple of years ago I did some walking through the towns of Brimfield, Brookfield, Holland, Sturbridge, Wales, and Southbridge. I wanted to capture some of the flavor of each town. For most towns I went around Memorial Day. We really do have some nice spots around these parts. I am posting the links for each town. Perhaps they might be especially appreciated by veterans who can’t get around too well. I hope they might be appreciated also by residents or former residents of the various towns.

Recently I heard from a former citizen of Southbridge who now resides in California. She was very happy to discover the video on YouTube.

I hope you will enjoy them, too.

A Brief Stroll through Brimfield

Passing through Brookfield

Strolling Through Holland

A Stroll around the Sturbridge Common

A Stroll Through Wales

Please visit my web site, The Massachusetts Observer

©2010

I'm shocked. Shocked! Casinos in the Bay State?

2010-05-20T05:15:00.002-04:00

You may recognize my allusion to Captain Renault in the movie "Casablanca." Whenever something happens, he begins his investigation with the words "Round up the usual suspects." And, when ordered by the German officer to shut down Rick's Café Américain, he says, "I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!" That fact was the worst-kept secret in all of Casablanca.

The big talk currently in our state is the push toward allowing the building of casinos. Governor Patrick strongly favors this proposal as a means of infusing the state's coffers with revenue. There are many passionate arguments pro and con.

History shows that the subject of gambling has been one that the people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have engaged in for a very long time. Here in Central Massachusetts, gambling has a strong tradition as well.

***

History tells us that gambling has been part of Massachusetts since before the United States became a country. Lotteries were considered legitimate ways of raising money for particular needs. Look at these words from a wonderful old book published in 1886 called "Curiosities of the Old Lottery:"

"People of the present generation [1886] who look over files of old newspapers are filled with astonishment to see the great number of lotteries which are advertised, for many years, down to as late a period as the year 1826. The Faneuil Hall Lottery, the Harvard College Lottery, the Rhode Island College Lottery, the Massachusetts State Lottery, and lotteries for a bridge over the River Parker, for Marblehead, for the Williamstown Free school, for Episcopal and Congregational Churches, were all advertised, with numerous other projects. A lottery was proposed for the purpose of finishing Bunker Hill Monument, although the scheme was not carried out... Some of the best men in the community were interested in recommending the various schemes, and members of churches, men in high repute, bought and sold the tickets... Indeed, it was generally thought to be just as respectable to sell lottery-tickets as to sell Bibles; and we have seen them classed together in the same advertisement.

["The Olden Time Series" "Curiosities of the Old Lottery" By Henry M. Brooks: Emerson Boston Ticknor and Company 1886]

***

Horse racing as a form of gambling has been practiced for many years in the Bay State. If you were living in the 1880s, you could pick up a copy of "Wallace's Year-book of Trotting and Pacing." In it you could read about the entire horse racing that took place the previous year. Included in the information was everything a betting person would want to know including track locations. The Sturbridge Fair Grounds is among the listings.

***

Religious revival had a great deal to do with attitudes towards gambling. Revival was very strong here in New England in the early to mid 1800s. The book, "Historical Sketch of Sturbridge and Southbridge" by George Davis, 1856, is essentially a history book. However, when it comes to describing gambling practices of an earlier generation, it takes on a decidedly moral tone:

"A very great portion of our public houses, which were formerly numerous, had their recesses for gamblers. Gentlemen, who claimed an elevated standing, had their private retreats for gambling. Gatherings, for this purpose, were not only occasional, but almost nightly. They embraced large numbers of the legal and medical professions. After the Court had adjourned for the day, many of its ministerial officers were spell-bound to the card table during the night... Gambling was the broad road, in which many a young man, on whom rested parental affection and hopes, travelled to ruin. We have known men who have devoted their whole time to this pernicious practice, travelling even throughout the States, and rifling men of their money, whenever fit subjects to be cheated could be found. They made for a while, a display of wealth and ostentation, but most of them died in poverty. The curse of Heaven blasted their hopes. This evil was not prevalent to any considerable extent among the farming class of the community. Their exemption from it is ascribed in no small degree to their retiring and industrious habits. Gambling, cheating and excessive drinking, are generally leagued together. Such a triple alliance is always arrayed against the best interests of society. A blessed change has succeeded. Men of respectable standing who occasionally indulged in the practice, realizing its pernicious effects have entirely abandoned it. Their example has exerted a powerful influence in suppressing the evil. The practice is now almost exclusively confined to those who have no claims to respectability."

***

Finally, there is this anecdote about a very early family in Sturbridge, the Wight family. In 1796, David Wight 2nd accompanied his father to Boston. The senior Mr. Wight was meeting a Mr. Brattle to pay the money he owed him for his Sturbridge land. The transaction was interrupted by the Revolutionary War. Before the War, Mr. Wight had moved his family from Medway to Sturbridge. He had planned to use the money from the sale of his house in Medway to pay for his Sturbridge land. With depreciation of currency after the War, Mr. Wight had lost the equivalent of two thousand dollars. Nevertheless he was going to pay his bill to Mr. Brattle in full.

While in Boston, David Wight 2nd on a hunch decided to play the Harvard College Lottery. Tickets sold for ten dollars. He was a winner. He won five thousand dollars. He gave his father two thousand dollars and with the remaining three thousand he bought more land from his father. David the 2nd was able to pay off any bills he owed and started the year 1797 debt free.
***
Isn't history a wonderful thing?

©2010

It is never too soon for a hardy harvest moon

2010-05-16T13:45:00.003-04:00

As perhaps the eldest citizen among my Facebook friends, I am sure that my status updates can be as confusing to them as theirs is to me. I sometimes reference things that occurred many years before they were born. Sometimes I will do this on purpose to see if anyone gets it.

At this writing, for example, my status says “Brent Abrahamson hopes that the laurel is hardy this year.” Now you will probably only get that if you are as old as I am or if you are a fan of vintage comedy teams. I refer, of course, to the wonderful Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy duo. I still find them highly entertaining.

In real life, Stan Laurel was the astute businessman, and Oliver Hardy was happy to let him make all the decisions. They really were good friends. In the movies, though, it was Ollie who was the boss forever blaming Stanley for “another fine mess you’ve gotten me in to.”

One aspect of their films that I particularly appreciate is times when they break into a song and dance routine. It may have nothing at all to do with the plot, but you know it’s got to come. Both men were good dancers, and Oliver Hardy was, in fact, a trained singer.

Who else but Laurel and Hardy could find time to stop for a musical number when they are attempting to get away from the commitment they made with the French Foreign Legion? And who else could find a most unusual band playing their song? I hope you enjoy it!

Visit my web site, The Massachusetts Observer

©2010

Viper!

2010-05-15T15:52:00.006-04:00

I had some great feedback on my last blog entry about teaching history through music. I had been researching about the history and politics of the cannabis plant in the United States, and I came across some early examples of songs that were about smoking marijuana. This pre- “Reefer Madness” propaganda era music lends some insight into certain cultural mores regarding marijuana use.

My blog runs on the The Smirking Chimp web site, and a poster who uses the screen name MizzGrizz asked if I had ever heard of the song ''Youse Is a Viper'' by Stuff Smith. I hadn’t, but I was curious to check it out. This turned out to be far more difficult than I had imagined.

There is so much confusion as to the writer of the song. There is even disagreement as to the title. There are a few recorded versions, and though the lyrics are similar, no two versions are alike. Did Stuff Smith write “If Youse a Viper” and then record it with his Onyx Club Boys? Was it penned by Fats Waller? If so, why did he record a version with the title “Reefer Song”?

And how about spelling? Is it “youse,” or “you’se?” If it’s the contraction for “you is,” why isn’t it spelled “you’s?” Sometimes it is simply stated as “you’re.” Some lyrics web sites do the inevitable and make it “your.” The mistakes on these lyric web sites are repeated many times over on other sites.

Part of the problem is “jive talk” or “hep talk” of the 1920s and ‘30s that has passed from common usage. Indeed, the word “viper” as a slang expression for a marijuana user has been abandoned. Some other lines from this “viper” song that are obscure today but very familiar in the day:

*“Mighty Mezz but not too strong”

“Mezz” refers to Mezz Mezzrow, a white jazz musician who was less known for his music than he was for his “product.”

*“Light a tee and let it be” a marijuana cigarette (sometimes spelled “tea”)

*“Bust your conk on peppermint candy” -Blow your top, Blow your mind, Bust your mouth

Of the many fine versions of this song, I have chosen one by Bob Howard, a musician deserving of far more attention than jazz history has paid him. Enjoy!

©2010

History set to music

2010-05-13T13:12:00.005-04:00

I have a great interest in American history, and I have a great interest in music. Although as a teacher I was licensed in both history and music, I never taught either. I majored in English and spent 31 years teaching it in the public schools.

I always thought, though, that if I were to teach American history, a subject that many students insist bores them, I would want to use contemporaneous music as a way to understand a particular period. People do connect through music. Plus, it beats the all-too-often practiced teaching method of “read the chapter and answer the questions at the end.” That, indeed, is boring.

I like to find representative songs and make my own videos. I have done some work with songs of the Prohibition era, and I will get back to that. I recently learned about a number of songs from early in the last century that spoke sometimes quite openly about marijuana use. I made a video about one of them which I included with my last blog entry. I have completed another.

This one is called “Save the Roach” and it’s sung by Buck Washington.

I will conclude by repeating something that I have said before. My interest in these songs is from an historical perspective. I am not advocating the use of any drug.

©2010

Visit my web site, The Massachusetts Observer

Cannabis conclusion: Massachusetts can lead the way

2010-05-12T13:25:00.002-04:00

With the last few entries of this blog, I have shared some things as I looked at the history and politics of the cannabis plant. I have tried to seek an answer to the question concerning why the plant has been subject to so much restriction. Here are some things I have concluded.

First, cannabis cultivated as industrial hemp was the real target. The rich and powerful who were heavily invested in forests and land wanted to eliminate hemp as a competitive material used to manufacture things that could also be made from wood pulp.

An all-out propaganda campaign was launched by individuals and corporations to emphasize the by-product of marijuana which is also processed by the cannabis plant. By ignoring the references to industrial hemp and focusing on marijuana, the propagandists were able to get restrictions to growing cannabis to the extent that it was unprofitable. The industrial hemp industry was thus put out of business.

The very effective tactics of fear and xenophobia were the methods used by the corporations to get laws passed to cease cultivation of the cannabis plant. Mexicans and African Americans were targeted. Exploitation movies such as “Reefer Madness” were produced to frighten the populace. These methods worked as they usually do. With the cooperation of government officials and corporate-bought politicians, the rich and powerful prevailed. Cannabis is still not grown extensively in The United States.

Massachusetts, like many other states, is experiencing economic hardships. New revenue is needed. Consideration is being given to casino gambling as a revenue stream. I think this is a mistake.

I believe that Massachusetts should legalize marijuana, and the state should also resume the production and processing of industrial hemp. With the many fine agricultural schools in the Commonwealth, certainly a profitable strain of cannabis can be developed for industrial hemp. Growing and farming methods can be revisited and improved. Along with the growing of cannabis for industrial hemp will be the development of factories to manufacture new products. Many of the products which are now petroleum-based can be made more cheaply with hemp. The change in environmental impact is obvious.

Some of the world’s finest colleges are located in Massachusetts, bringing an influx of students from around the world. In addition, Massachusetts is a progressive state. Growing, processing, and manufacturing marijuana would bring in large revenues. Regulating the product and taxing it would assure that profits went to the state and not to an illicit underground as is now the case. The state would save money in anti-drug enforcement and officials could concentrate on truly harmful drugs.

Finally, every day television watchers are bombarded with advertisements for legal drugs. The possible side effects that are listed are frightening. It is time that moneyed interests take a back seat to common sense.

Visit my web site, The Massachusetts Observer.

©2010

Reefer and race

2010-05-10T02:01:00.003-04:00

If anyone has been following this blog, then you know that I have been researching the politics of cannabis. As I learn things, I write about them.

The progression of my entries has been like this: First I suggested that legalizing marijuana would be a better option for raising revenue in Massachusetts than the proposal to allow casino gambling. Then I wondered why the growing of cannabis was halted in the first place. I found that it really was political rather than medical. Rich and powerful individuals wanted to eliminate industrial hemp as competition in manufacturing because they had their money in lumber, coal, and oil. They did this by engaging in a scare campaign conflating cannabis grown for industrial hemp and cannabis grown as marijuana, a drug. By demonizing the plant as dangerous to society in general and youth in particular, they were able to convince the government to restrict the growing of cannabis to the extent that it became unprofitable.

The propaganda merchants had an easy time because they used two tactics that continue to work to this day: xenophobia and racism. Mexicans who came across the border were bringing marijuana, long used in their culture, into the United States. In New Orleans, marijuana became popular with African-American jazz musicians. From there, it spread to anywhere jazz was heard, making its way north and east and growing in popularity in black areas such as Harlem.

Politicians favored by corporations joined in the campaign. Some reported quotes by members of legislative bodies say all that needs to be said:

*“When some beet field peon takes a few traces of this stuff… he thinks he has just been elected president of Mexico, so he starts out to execute all his political enemies.”

*“All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff [marijuana] is what makes them crazy.”

*“Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men’s shadows and look at a white woman twice.”

Corporations had vast sums of money to spend on propaganda and to grease the palms of many politicians. That they have been successful in this is evident to our present time.

That marijuana was a big part of the jazz culture is revealed in a great deal of early music. Sometimes the pro marijuana message was hidden; sometimes it was clear. One such song is called “Smokin’ Reefers” and was sung by Larry Adler. It was originally part of a 1932 Broadway show called "Flying Colors". This was before the propaganda push began.

©2010

I can see clearly now

2010-05-09T14:00:00.002-04:00

When I started blogging about the history of the cannabis plant in the United States, I said that I had little knowledge of the politics involved. My initial thought was that the legalization of marijuana in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts would yield a great deal more than the plan to legalize and promote casino gambling. I still believe that to be true. I wondered why marijuana had been made illegal in the first place, and my reading so far has been revealing.

First of all, the plant can be cultivated and indeed was used in the United States for many years as industrial hemp. When it is grown as such, it is with only minimum traces of any THC, the psychoactive property that produces the “high” that results from smoking marijuana. Industrial hemp emphasizes the plant’s fibrous qualities. These fibers are used effectively in a number of products that we use today. The United States is the world’s largest importer of hemp made products, yet it is not grown here. Why?

This is where politics plays a role, and a crafty one at that. While most countries differentiate between cannabis cultivated for industrial hemp and cannabis cultivated for its drug-like effects, the United States does not. There is a great economic benefit to the rich and powerful to avoid that distinction.

Industrial hemp can be used in many ways that other substances are used. For example, paper can be made from hemp or wood pulp. In the 1930s newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst had large investments in the timber industry. DuPont, the American chemical company was working on the processes for making plastics from coal and oil and for producing newsprint from wood pulp. Hemp was seen as competition that needed to be eliminated. Hearst and DuPont started a scare campaign against the cannabis plant based on its cultivation for industrial hemp. By demonizing the plant as something only used for getting high, they were able to persuade the country to severely restrict the growing of the plant for any use.

The rich and powerful had another connection. As Wikipedia reports, Andrew Mellon of the Mellon Bank was DuPont's chief financial backer and was also the Secretary of the Treasury under the Hoover administration. Mellon appointed Harry J. Anslinger, who later became his nephew-in-law, as the head of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (FBNDD) and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN), where Anslinger stayed until 1962.

With Hearst, DuPont, and Anslinger working together, they were able to convince Congress to pass the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act. This required anyone who wanted to grow cannabis to wade through a complex set of rules. That plus the taxes levied made producing the crop economically unfeasible. In addition, failure to follow the rules correctly could land someone significant jail time. The problem of competition for the rich and powerful was solved. These restrictive laws are still in effect in the United States. Organized crime makes the profits in the illicit drug trade.

It is no coincidence that the next year, 1938, DuPont patented its process for making plastics from coal and oil and making newsprint from wood pulp.

How did the powerful convince a nation to essentially ban an agricultural product? I’ll be writing more on this, but the method used is a familiar one. They appealed to fear and racism. It’s a sinister combination that continues to work quite well.

Visit my website, The Massachusetts Observer

©2010

A brief history of weed

2010-05-05T15:00:00.006-04:00

Some of you may be familiar with "WEEDS" a program on Showtime. It is a quirky but well-done show. This timeline is from Showtime. It is relevant to the history of cannabis that I have been blogging about.

Please note that other blog entries concerning hemp and marijuana can be accessed by clicking on titles to the right. Most of them are in the Month of May, with one or two in April.

Thoughts during an oil spill

2010-05-02T13:23:00.033-04:00

As the Gulf of Mexico experiences what may well be the largest oil spill in American history, I can’t help thinking about the politics that have led to the country’s dependence on oil for so many things. I mentioned in my last entry how the rich and powerful demonized the hemp plant with its association with marijuana.

I admit to being woefully ignorant of this type of history. It’s quite a revelation. I am sharing what I learn as I learn it. Surely some readers are much more versed in the subject than I am. As always I welcome any corrections or additions.

Apparently the hemp plant can be cultivated to contain very low levels of the drug effects of marijuana. As such, it has many uses. It can be used to make cordage (rope), it can be used to make paper, and it can be used as fuel. Imagine if the family farms were allowed to grow it, and factories were allowed to process it. It would seem that thousands of jobs would be created. New industries would emerge.

One reason given for its continued ban in the United States is that drug enforcement agents in helicopters can’t distinguish the hemp grown for industrial purposes from marijuana plants. Legalizing the growing of industrial hemp, they reason, would exacerbate the drug trade.

This was not an issue during World War II, however. Farmers were encouraged to grow hemp when foreign supplies were unavailable. A movie produced in 1942 by the United States Government called “Hemp for Victory” was used to show farmers how to handle a crop. Subsequently, the movie disappeared for many years and even its existence was denied by the United States Department of Agriculture. It is now available in the public domain and so it is available here. It is about 15 minutes long.

Please click here for more columns about cannabis legalization:

The history and politics of the cannabis plant

©2010

The politics of it all

2010-04-30T00:19:00.006-04:00

Recently I wrote about the legalization of marijuana, and my reading in preparation led to an epiphany. I came to the realization that there is an unmistakable aspect that has to be taken into account with most anything in history — the politics behind it. The history of something or the science of something — even the legality of something has at its core a political cause. I want to explore in greater depth the historical and sociological story of marijuana as it has been influenced by politics.

Usually, I have found that marijuana has been considered from a scientific standpoint. The internet has all manner of conflicting scientific information about the physiological aspects of the drug. I think that the politics of marijuana is much more revealing. Here is one example of what I mean.

Consider hemp for example. The timeline to the criminalization of cannabis can’t be written without including the names William Randolph Hearst, DuPont Chemicals, Andrew Mellon, and Harry J. Anslinger. Consider this item from Wikipedia:

The decision of the United States Congress to pass the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 was based on hearings, reports and in part on testimony derived from articles in newspapers owned by William Randolph Hearst, who had significant financial interests in the timber industry, which manufactured his newsprint.

Cannabis activist Jack Herer has researched DuPont and in his 1985 book The Emperor Wears No Clothes, Herer concluded DuPont played a large role in the criminalization of cannabis. In 1938, DuPont patented the processes for creating plastics from coal and oil and a new process for creating paper from wood pulp. If hemp had been largely exploited, Herer believes it would have likely been used to make paper and plastic (nylon), and may have hurt DuPont's profits. Andrew Mellon of the Mellon Bank was DuPont's chief financial backer and was also the Secretary of the Treasury under the Hoover administration. Mellon appointed Harry J. Anslinger, who later became his nephew-in-law, as the head of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (FBNDD) and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN), where Anslinger stayed until 1962.

Here again, as has become so apparent in 2010, it is a rich vs. poor class war. The rich manipulate the science and use their positions to effect laws that serve to protect their financial interests. One more factoid before I end this. The year 1938 when DuPont patented the process for creating paper from wood pulp, a far more expensive process than using hemp, the movie Reefer Madness appeared in the movie theaters. This over-the-top exploitation film purported to show the devastating effects of marijuana and the pushers who were ensnaring the youth of the nation into its clutches. With people sufficiently afraid, DuPont had a clear and profitable route to riches.

Unbelievable!

©2010

Slot or pot?

2010-04-25T14:54:00.006-04:00

First let me say that I do not gamble, nor do I use marijuana. If the Commonwealth of Massachusetts tried to make any money from me for either activity, they’d be out of luck. Nevertheless, there is talk of a new revenue source for the state — casino gambling. Does this really make sense?

The state needs to take in more money. No one really disputes that. Raising existing taxes during this recession should be out of the question. Something has to be done.

Placing a couple of casinos in the state might draw some business to certain locales, but would not help all areas in need. Very few towns are faring better than the state. Yes, a casino could create new jobs of a sort. Those jobs would not be marked “Massachusetts residents only.” Also, those jobs would be localized causing a spike in population for certain towns and cities. Chances are good that people moving to these towns would be renters, not home-owners. Services in these cities and towns would become over-burdened, resulting in a curtailment of certain services or an increase in property taxes to pay for them.

Casinos also take business away from existing businesses. Restaurants suffer. Theaters suffer. No doubt many would be forced to close. The economic picture would be worse than it was before. So what’s the answer?

Clearly the time has come to legalize marijuana. This has been part of the underground culture for decades. A great deal of money is spent by those who use marijuana, and that money goes to illicit providers that the state spends enormous amounts to catch, prosecute, and often imprison. It is an unwinnable war, and one that can no longer be justified.

Regulating and taxing marijuana sales would benefit the entire state. The market is already there. Commercial production would produce jobs. Perhaps there would be a decrease in alcohol consumption.

I am sure studies have been done or could be done regarding the two possible addictions — gambling and marijuana. I believe that there would be no comparison to the effects gambling addiction has compared to using marijuana. Additionally, I have not heard of any possible health benefits to gambling. The possible health benefits to marijuana use have seen promising results.

So, Massachusetts, once again we can lead the way if we have what it takes. Or, for the sake of revenue, we can inflict more pain on a struggling population. Seems like an easy choice.

Note: I have looked at this subject recently. I found some amazing stuff on the history and politics of cannabis. Here are some of my other posts.
Cannabis

©2010

Edit this!

2010-04-21T05:36:00.003-04:00

Recently I posted my final column for the Southbridge Evening News. Due to its substance, the editor, Walter Bird, felt the need to insert an editorial comment. That is also included with my posting. I won’t rehash any of the controversy here despite the fact that I was the subject of two columns since then, one by Bird and one by regular contributor, Mark Ashton. I want to focus on one line that editor Bird wrote:

This newspaper does not select which material should be published and which shouldn’t based on political or ideological views.

This statement simply cannot be true for any editor of any newspaper. Because newspaper space is finite, decisions have to be made. The selection of material has to be based on something. That’s just common sense.

Consider, for instance, the selection of a political cartoon. Unless there is one cartoonist who is exclusive to the newspaper such as the Worcester T&G’s David Hitch, the editor selects the political cartoon. Hitch’s cartoons are from a conservative perspective reflecting a long-held conservative view of the newspaper itself. The Editorial page editor, Christopher Sinacola, was a columnist for the T&G prior to assuming his current position. His columns were decidedly conservative in perspective.

Most newspapers subscribe to a syndicate that provides comics, political cartoons, columnists, and other features. A leader in this is United Media which syndicates via the United Feature Syndicate and the Newspaper Enterprise Association. All material available to subscribers will not make it into the local newspaper. Selections must be made. A local editor picks and chooses what to use. It is two sides of the same coin that when some things are selected for their content, others are rejected for their content. If the choice is made to use a political cartoon penned by a Boston Herald cartoonist, for example, the selection would generally be considered a conservative one. The editor of the local paper selects which messages will be communicated to the readers.

There are other places where things may be selected for content by an editor. If there is a quotation of the day, for example, an editor decides the message. The political bent of the editor can determine the content.

Does knowing an editor’s perspective inform the reader? It can. The reader has to make that decision.

Some years ago a column appeared regularly by a religion writer who was from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Would knowing that the editor who chose the column was a Mormon make a difference? Again, that is something a reader has to determine.

Every day we all make choices. That’s true for you, for me, and, yes, even an editor. We bring to our choices our own biases and life experiences. This is not a fault. It helps define who we are. It is human.

©2010

Try this, Bill Maher

2010-04-17T20:13:00.002-04:00

I was watching Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday night, and thoughts of “I feel your pain” filled my head. Bill was lamenting that, try as he might, he simply could not understand the financial crisis. One economist on the program tried to explain, and Maher stopped him in exasperation. It was no use. It was meant to be confusing to most of us.

I confess that I don’t entirely “get it” either. Here’s how I have tried to understand at least some of the scheme. Maybe it will help. Hear me out, Bill. If I can get it, you can.

First, pretend you are a banker. The housing market is booming, and lots of people are applying for loans. It gets more and more evident that many applying will never be able to pay back their loans and will have to default. But with this housing boom, you want to make all the money you can. You also know that the housing boom won’t last forever.

You have an idea. Make the loans but sell the right to collect the repayment of the loans to someone else. To make things tempting, package several of these loans together, and sell them as one package. You could put hundreds of these loans together. Use connections to make sure that your new package deal has a high rating like AAA. This says that they are a good investment.

Now you are into a money-making scheme. You can make these mortgage loans and sell them. That way if the person taking the loan can’t pay, it will be someone else’s problem. Now that you have a course of action, you make loans like crazy. You don’t care if the people coming to you can pay the loan back or not. You even fudge the paperwork so that the people seeking the loan appear more able to pay than they really are. You convince borrowers that taking a loan is a good idea. When you get enough of these loans together, you sell them to eager buyers. They are eager because what they are buying has a triple A rating.

You have your scheme going. You know that in the long run people will default on these loans, but that won’t affect you in the least. Then you get a brilliant idea to add to your scheme. Knowing that these packages that you’re selling will fail eventually, you buy insurance. If those packages fail (and you know they will) an insurance policy will pay you. You don’t actually have to own the things that fail to insure against their failure. This gives you greater incentive to make bad loans because when they fail you will collect the insurance.

Here’s the recap. Get this and you’ve got the basics.

You make bad loans to people that will not be able to pay them back. You package lots of them together and sell them for big bucks. You are making money here. You take out insurance on these packages (even though you no longer own them) and when they fail, you collect the insurance money.

That’s the scheme. Making money with no risks involved.
Eventually, this house of cards comes tumbling down, and many institutions are holding on to virtually worthless pieces of paper. To keep them solvent, the taxpayers bail them out.

©2010

Obama admits to alien love child

2010-04-16T12:37:00.004-04:00

Okay, the headline is a cheap shot, but you’ve all seen them. They are the supermarket tabloids. There they are at the checkout counter, with headlines and photographs designed to arouse interest. Where did the secret UFO land? Why the cover-up? Elvis is spotted in Boise. Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, has shown herself again. Bigfoot sighted.

In newspaper terms, this is called yellow journalism. It is designed to suck you in.

The First Amendment would have allowed me to write the entire story about Obama’s alien love child. I could have written it as a straight news story. Most people would peg me as a wacko. A frightening number of people would believe every word I wrote. And it would be repeated. And emailed. And it would take on a life of its own.

Because I take blogging seriously, I would never engage in yellow journalism. I want to be seen as a thoughtful writer who bases his opinions on facts. I have a progressive bias to be sure, and I expect people to disagree. I would hope that the disagreement would come from a fact-based reasoning as well. If I have my facts wrong, I welcome people to point them out. I am happy to learn and rethink.

Just as I would not engage in yellow journalism, neither would reputable newspapers. If you saw such fantastic headlines at the checkout counter coming from the Boston Globe or the Boston Herald, you would soon regard them as no better than the other supermarket tabloids.

If an overly zealous editor at the Globe or the Herald made a decision to adopt any sort of yellow journalism, they would hear very quickly from the owners. The reputation of any serious newspaper is paramount. They would not abide it even if it increased readership.

Unfortunately we are in a period when yellow journalism is strong. Fox News and many other elements of News Corp. are major players. The venue includes television, radio stations, and, yes, newspapers.

There are still excellent newspapers out there. If you are serious about news, look for them. If you find that a newspaper you are reading is engaging in yellow journalism, take action. Place it in the circular file. Then move on.

©2010

A hate-filled column

2010-04-14T08:44:00.007-04:00

Each week I ask myself two questions when I am considering a topic for my column. Should I write about this, or should I not? I weigh the pros and cons. I make the decision, and for better or worse, I give my opinion. Some people agree, and some disagree quite strongly. That’s the nature of the opinion page.

This week was a bit different, though. In addition to the usual two questions, I grappled with a third: How can I not write about this? By “this” I am referring to Walter Bird’s column of Friday, April 9th titled “Obama’s silence deafening.” It was such an egregious attack on the president that it cannot be allowed to stand unchallenged.

Bird’s point, hardly disguised, is that Barack Obama is a racist. Like so many on the extreme fringe of conservative thought, Walter Bird sees his point of view as simple as black and white. The president is a racist, and anyone should be able to see that. Bird can. Can you? He tells his readers that they can make up their own minds, and I have. Some people have such a hatred for the president that they will go to any length to discredit him. No vitriol is off the table when it comes to criticizing Barack Obama, the first African-American President of the United States.

In advancing his accusatory view of Obama, Bird cites two events and the way the president reacted to each of them. In a stretch that strains credulity, Bird compares an incident from July 2009 concerning the Cambridge police and Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates with the recent suicide of Phoebe Prince, a victim of bullying at South Hadley High School. Because the president commented publicly about the Gates situation and did not comment about the Prince suicide, Bird takes the president to task. He insinuates that the president was moved to comment about Gates, a black man, but felt no such obligation to comment about Phoebe Prince, a white girl. That is outrageous.

I do not begrudge Bird his opinions, no matter how farfetched they may be. It must be kept in mind, however, that Bird is also the editor of the Southbridge Evening News. As such, he has a special obligation to assure that his opinions stem from accurate reporting. This column fails that test.

In his assertion that Obama “jumped into the controversy” and “inserted himself” into the story concerning Professor Gates, Bird neglects to mention that Obama was responding to a reporter’s question. The president may not have answered the question to Bird’s liking. In fact, on reflection the president himself felt that his answer could have been better stated. If answering a question from a reporter is the equivalent to jumping into a controversy as Bird asserts, it would be wise for people to refuse to answer any questions coming from Southbridge Evening News reporters.

The obvious question for Bird regarding Obama’s silence on the Phoebe Prince story is this: “Did you seek comment from President Obama?” As the editor of a Massachusetts newspaper, you are in a unique position to contact the White House for a reaction. That is journalism.

Columnist Bird goes back to an incident that occurred in July of 2009 to make a dubious parallel between the Gates incident and the Prince tragedy. Had he gone back just a bit further to April 2009, he would have had an exact parallel. On the 6th of that month, a 12-year-old African-American boy named Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover of Springfield, Massachusetts, took his own life because of excessive bullying in school. With the exception of a brief mention in an editorial (written while Bird was on vacation) and my column about Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, reference to the incident in the Southbridge Evening News was scant at best. There was no indication that Barack Obama commented on the incident even though it received national attention.

Had Obama commented, Bird may have accused him of giving some preferential treatment toward a black child’s tragedy. By not commenting, Obama could be accused of being uncaring, unfeeling. In Bird’s world, Obama can’t win.

We have seen an increase in overt racism as of late. Some opposed to the health care bill have taken to shouting anti-black and anti-gay epithets at legislators. Some threatening telephone messages to African-American Congressmen and women are vile. The right-wing pundits like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh have been stirring up their followers with rabble-rousing and often racist rhetoric. Fox News is a de facto arm of the Tea Party Movement. Rupert Murdoch’s empire is strong.

To be sure, any president is fair game for criticism. A community newspaper should reflect a diversity of views. The editor of a small-town newspaper has a great deal of power. He or she determines what goes into the paper and what does not. Indeed, my own column about bullying spurred by the Phoebe Prince tragedy was rejected at the prerogative of Editor Bird. Friday’s piece by Columnist Bird should have been rejected by Editor Bird as well.

Time for a break

2010-04-12T20:05:00.001-04:00

Taking a little break. See you soon.

Titillating tourism can turn the tide

2010-04-09T08:01:00.003-04:00

Yes, as a country we are hurting economically. There may just be a solution, though. If states can market themselves thematically, there are billions to be made. I call this the Southern economic strategy because it has the potential to revive the South and the Republican Party simultaneously. I will start the process by suggesting actual towns to visit in each state. I leave it to the entrepreneurs to supply a titillating tourist-enticing theme.

Now, as I have noted, some parts of the country seem void of fodder for titillating tourism. New England is a section that so suffers. In liberal Massachusetts, for example, the pickings are slim. Perhaps a Beer Fest can be offered in Belchertown. Or something can be done with Athol (please). A festival might be held jointly between Provincetown and Gay Head, but it’s a stretch. We have to head south for more fruitful ground.

There is no question that the South, now a Republican stronghold, has the advantage when it comes to titillating tourism. The Republicans have a great opportunity to lead the way with their own economic stimulus package.

* Tennessee: Good Old Country Living
Here are the towns to visit: Cherry, Finger, Guys, Love Lady, Sweet Lips

*Texas: Where Everything’s Bigger
Here are the towns to visit: Bushland, Comfort, Coy City, Ding Dong, Friendship, Grow, Gun Barrel City, Happy, Honey Island, Lolita, Lovelady, Needmore, Study Butte, Wink

*Alabama: Southern Hospitality
Here are the towns to visit: Active, Graball, Hopeful, Hurtsboro, Intercourse, Jumbo, Needmore, Nymph, Pansey, Rabbittown, Rainbow City, Rash, Screamer

*Arkansas: Still Clintonville
Here are the towns to visit: Blue Ball, Dickey Junction, Fannie, Hooker, Point Peter, Promise Land, Three Way, Weiner, Wild Cherry

*Georgia: Peachy Perfect
Here are the towns to visit: Boneville, BraSwell, Butts, Climax, Cumming, Experiment, Gay, Hopeulikit,

*Kentucky: Kick Back in Kentucky
Here are the towns to visit: Beaver Lick, Big Bone Lick State Park, Big Beaver Lick, Black Bottom, Black Hawk, Dykes, Gays Creek, Knob Lick,

*Virginia: Still for Lovers
Here are the towns to visit: Bumpass, Butts, Fourway, Goochland, Hurt, Lipps, Moon, Nuttsville, Onancock, Short Pump, Threeway

There will no doubt be some liberal Blue States that will want to present their own packages. Let them. They can’t hold a candle to the Southern Red State Republicans. Remember our motto:

Southern States are really great for those who want to stimulate (or any other “-ate” you can think of).

As a bonus, see how Great Britain is poised for similar growth.

No Snickering: That Road Sign Means Something Else

©2010

Sgt. Schultz Syndrome

2010-03-31T17:17:00.002-04:00

For those of you who may have forgotten or are too young to remember, Sgt. Schultz was a character in a sitcom called “Hogan’s Heroes.” The dreadful premise for this program was the antics of American United States Army Air Force Colonel Robert E. Hogan commander of a group of captured POWs who were using the camp as a cover for their espionage. Sgt. Schultz was the inept German Sergeant of the Guard. He tried to avoid any trouble and a one-way ticket to the Russian Front by ignoring the actions of Col. Hogan and his men. When Schultz saw something out of the ordinary, he would exclaim, "I hear nothing, I see nothing, I know nothing!" Hogan and his men went on with their plans unhindered.

Perhaps there was some humor in the behavior of the fictitious Schultz in a sitcom, but in real life Sgt. Schultz Syndrome can have disastrous results. Sometimes the results are deadly.

We have all been shocked by yet another senseless suicide in South Hadley Massachusetts. A young lady who had been bullied in school to the point of utter despair decided that the only escape was in death. Once again we ask the question, “How could this happen?” And once again there are calls to take action to eliminate the bullying. The problem is front and center… for now. How long will it be before we settle back into the same routine?

There is no doubt in my mind that there are many Sgt. Schultzes in the schools. Too often it is the teachers who are afflicted with the Syndrome. When it comes to bullying, they hear nothing, they see nothing, and they know nothing. The reasons for this condition are varied, however. Sgt. Schultz Syndrome can have several causes.

Certainly some teachers in school insist that their job is to teach subject matter. They profess no interest whatsoever in the students aside from their academic performance. These are the teachers who are never in the corridors when students are passing from one class to another. If they have lunch duty, they are merely a presence; that is, if they show up. They have cultivated a persona of being above the mundane. Their busyness is assumed to be caused by their high academic standards. This is a ruse. Furthermore, some of the greatest amount of bullying occurs between classes and in the cafeteria. These teachers are never in a place to observe it or stop it.

Some teachers who have Sgt. Schultz Syndrome are the good old boys (add some girls to that too). They are late to their classes because they are busy re-telling that joke in the teachers’ room. They are excused because that’s just who they are. Often they are coaches who have to be assigned classes in order to be kept around. They won’t see the bullying. Too often they are bullies themselves.

I know how difficult it is to interest people in focusing on school bullying. I tried for years to get my school to observe No Name-Calling Week. This is an annual event aimed at bringing attention to bullying. It grew out of a semi-autobiographical novel by James Howe. I never managed to get the whole school involved. Too many teachers did not want to take any time away from subject matter to deal with bullying.

The worst and most pervasive cause of Sgt. Schultz Syndrome is the school administration. If the building principal or the school superintendent will not address the problem, it will not be solved. Teachers learn that their survival depends on hearing nothing, seeing nothing, and knowing nothing. They tacitly agree with the Administration that there is no problem. Then the Administration can publicly present the image that their schools are well run.

Some teachers do not compromise. The ill treatment that the Administration inflicts on them keeps the others in line.

The Massachusetts Legislature is considering a bill to crack down on school bullying. Here is some advice I have for them. If you really are serious about this, you will make the principals, guidance councilors, school psychologists, and superintendents of school legally liable. If their willful disregard for the welfare of the students leads to a tragedy, they should be prosecuted.

Additionally, there must be a whistleblower hot line. People must be able to report malfeasance without fear of retribution.

Bullying in school amongst students is a very real problem. It will never be solved if adult bullies are in charge.

Other bullying columns

©2010

No room for racism

2010-03-24T10:27:00.010-04:00

It is evident that many people associated with the Tea Party movement are racists. It is no longer enough for some people, particularly those leaders in the Republican Party, to call these incidents isolated. There is a pattern of them now.

Republicans will be painted with this broad brush unless they speak out against this vile return to a shameful part of our nation's history. We will not return to those days.

By courting some of the basest elements in our society, the Republican Party has brought us to a far more dangerous place than any terrorist threats from without can pose. The purveyors of this abhorrent behavior and those who encourage and exploit it tear at the very fabric that weaves us together as a nation. Fear of that is a rational reaction.

The following video is something I put together. It contains very little commentary. I believe it speaks for itself.

Norman Goldman: a true Progressive Voice

2010-03-17T17:34:00.012-04:00

There is a split in the Democratic Party, that's for sure. The Health Care Bill has found some Democrats ready to settle for anything that will pass; others see the President's Bill as more benefits for the insurance companies.

Lots of so-called progressive talk show hosts have simply abandoned those principles to support a bad bill. They have devoted much air time to this. Norman Goldman is different.

The only way you can know that, is to listen to his radio show. Here are some links:

The Norman Goldman Show

Norm can be heard Monday through Friday on a live stream. In the eastern time zone his show airs from 6 pm to 9 pm.

Here is the link: Listen Live to Norman Goldman

If you miss a live show, you can listen to free podcasts located on the site.

If you are a Progressive who does not feel represented in the national dialog, I urge you to listen to Norman Goldman. You'll be glad you did!

Leap of Faith? Like Hell!

2010-03-12T19:51:00.005-05:00

We have a problem of trust between the House of Representatives and the U. S. Senate. Nancy Pelosi will not include a public option under reconciliation. Senator Durbin says he will push any public option that the House sends to him, but that he will oppose any motion from the Senate floor to add a public option. This is a conundrum with no way out. Right?

Bull!

The Senate can right now schedule a vote on a non-binding simple resolution. This is a simple up or down vote that can put the Senators on record as opposed to or in favor of a public option or even a single-payer system. The House can decide whether to “trust” the Senate based on this non-binding vote. Republicans should not object to the vote. There is no reason to. If any Democrats object, they will cement their positions as the ones who favor the corporations over their constituents who want a public option. If the vote takes place, 51 voting “aye” will commit them morally to the House of Representatives. Then the House can add a public option to the bill before sending it on to the Senate.

Here is the wording from the Senate Rules:

Simple Resolutions
Simple resolutions are designated H.Res. and S.Res., followed by a number. A simple resolution addresses matters entirely within the prerogative of one house, such as revising the standing rules of one Chamber. Simple resolutions are also used to express the sentiments of a single house, such as offering condolences to the family of a deceased member of Congress, or it may give "advice" on foreign policy or other executive business. Simple resolutions do not require the approval of the other house nor the signature of the President, and they do not have the force of law.

Step up to the plate, Democrats. Declare where you stand.

©2010

40 and counting

2010-03-09T21:48:00.004-05:00

The public option for health insurance is in our grasp. Forty United States senators have indicated that they will vote for the public option if it is added to the Health Care Bill through reconciliation. 51 votes will do it. We can’t give up.

This video is a tribute to those senators who have chosen the people over the corporations. Thank you, Senators.

Almost There: Public Option Update

2010-03-08T18:26:00.005-05:00

Don’t count out the public option for the Health Care Bill. At this time 40 Democratic senators have committed to voting for the public option under reconciliation. We need 10 more. Check to see who is still holding out. Please encourage their votes.

Unemployed? A message from Mr. Bunning et al

2010-03-03T06:43:00.004-05:00

Pass/Fail

2010-03-01T08:22:00.005-05:00

The concept of pass/fail is one that is easily understood by everyone. While sometimes used as a grading alternative in high school and college courses, it is and has always been the norm for passing legislation in the United States Senate. We can all recall from any basic class in civics that the voting among the 100 members in the Senate requires 51 votes to pass a bill. In the case of a tie, the vice-President, in his capacity of President of the Senate, casts the deciding vote. A bill passes or fails by a simple majority of 51 votes.

At one time we all knew this. The spin masters have succeeded in making the threshold 60 votes to pass a bill. How have they done this?

There is a provision in the Senate Rules that is designed to protect the rights of whichever political party is in the minority at the time. It is also available to any Senator who opposes any bill. It’s called the filibuster. Any Senator may gain the floor and speak for any period of time, without interruption, against the pending legislation. The Senator is filibustering when he or she refuses to yield the floor.

Rarely has the filibuster been used. The record is held by the late Strom Thurmond of South Carolina who held the floor for 24 hours and 18 minutes in opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Ultimately the filibuster failed and the bill was passed.

A filibuster can be brought to an end by a cloture vote. It is here that 60 votes are required. If 60 senators vote for cloture, the filibuster is broken and a vote must occur after 30 additional hours of debate.

Our Senate is unable to get anything done at the present time because of the threat of a filibuster. The process has been circumvented and if 60 votes are not committed to ending a hypothetical filibuster, a bill is not brought up.

The solution is obvious. Make those who threaten a filibuster actually filibuster. Make them talk around the clock. Let the nation see who is impeding the work of the Senate. The way it is carried out now just avoids the inconvenience of a filibuster. Those who would block progress must be made to follow the process that such a drastic move demands.

Reconciliation is NOT the Nuclear Option

2010-02-28T18:06:00.004-05:00

Republicans are once again trying to confuse the issue. They are lying. Reconciliation and the Nuclear Option are two different things as this clip shows.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Bonus Clip Deep thoughts from Sarah Palin

A Public Service- The Republican Plan

2010-02-25T23:54:00.006-05:00

I realize that people are pressed for time, so there is clearly a need to present in a concise format the Republican Health Care Plan. I believe I have succeeded in doing this in a presentation that is under 5 minutes.

I start with Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Florida) who gives a brief comparison of the Republican and Democratic Plans. Then I have shown two well-respected businessmen who have most influenced Republicans in their governing philosophy.

Throughout I have a Republican Senator from the past who gives answers to a couple of questions.

Lots of people could not watch the Health Care Summit. I hope this synthesis will help inform them.

A powerful commentary

2010-02-25T05:37:00.003-05:00

Oh, I know that for some people Keith Olbermann is a person they love to hate. And there are times when he has gone "over the top." I hope that regardless of how you feel about Olbermann, you take the time to listen to this heart-felt message.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Must we beg?

2010-02-23T16:53:00.005-05:00

To the Democratic Senators who have not yet signed the letter written by Sen. Michael Bennet to Majority Leader Harry Reid:

We need a public option for health insurance. The insurance companies are running amok and something must be done to make them compete. Please add your names to the request for a vote on the public option under reconciliation.

Please do the right thing.

Time to Act

2010-02-17T18:08:00.020-05:00

U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) has sent a letter to Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid requesting a vote on a public health insurance option under budget reconciliation rules. This means that the public option can be restored to the health care bill with a simple majority of 51 votes. Ten Democratic Senators have signed this letter so far (February 17, 2010). If your Democratic Senator has not yet signed on, it’s time to put the pressure on. Contact your senator at

www.whipcongress.com

.

Let’s get this done.

This video is a tribute to those Democratic Senators and one independent Senator who have signed the letter so far. It gives a brief explanation of the letter which is printed in full below. It will be updated as more Senators add their names.

LETTER FROM SENATE DEMOCRATS TO LEADER REID

Dear Leader Reid:

We respectfully ask that you bring for a vote before the full Senate a public health insurance option under budget reconciliation rules.

There are four fundamental reasons why we support this approach – its potential for billions of dollars in cost savings; the growing need to increase competition and lower costs for the consumer; the history of using reconciliation for significant pieces of health care legislation; and the continued public support for a public option.

A Public Option Is an Important Tool for Restoring Fiscal Discipline.
As Democrats, we pledged that the Senate health care reform package would address skyrocketing health care costs and relieve overburdened American families and small businesses from annual double-digit health care cost increases. And that it would do so without adding a dime to the national debt.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) determined that the Senate health reform bill is actually better than deficit neutral. It would reduce the deficit by over $130 billion in the first ten years and up to $1 trillion in the first 20 years.

These cost savings are an important start. But a strong public option can be the centerpiece of an even better package of cost saving measures. CBO estimated that various public option proposals in the House save at least $25 billion. Even $1 billion in savings would qualify it for consideration under reconciliation.
Put simply, including a strong public option is one of the best, most fiscally responsible ways to reform our health insurance system.

A Public Option Would Provide Americans with a Low-Cost Alternative and Improve Market Competitiveness.

A strong public option would create better competition in our health insurance markets. Many Americans have no or little real choice of health insurance provider. Far too often, it’s “take it or leave it” for families and small businesses. This lack of competition drives up costs and leaves private health insurance companies with little incentive to provide quality customer service.

A recent Health Care for America Now report on private insurance companies found that the largest five for-profit health insurance providers made $12 billion in profits last year, yet they actually dropped 2.7 million people from coverage. Private insurance – by gouging the public even during a severe economic recession – has shown it cannot function in the public’s interest without a public alternative. Americans have nowhere to turn. That is not healthy market competition, and it is not good for the public.

If families or individuals like their current coverage through a private insurance company, then they can keep that coverage. And in some markets where consumers have many alternatives, a public option may be less necessary. But many local markets have broken down, with only one or two insurance providers available to consumers. Each and every health insurance market should have real choices for consumers.

There is a history of using reconciliation for significant pieces of health care legislation.

There is substantial Senate precedent for using reconciliation to enact important health care policies. The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare Advantage, and the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA), which actually contains the term ‘reconciliation’ in its title, were all enacted under reconciliation.

The American Enterprise Institute’s Norman Ornstein and Brookings’ Thomas Mann and Molly Reynolds jointly wrote, “Are Democrats making an egregious power grab by sidestepping the filibuster? Hardly.” They continued that the precedent for using reconciliation to enact major policy changes is “much more extensive . . . than Senate Republicans are willing to admit these days.”

There is strong public support for a public option, across party lines.
The overwhelming majority of Americans want a public option. The latest New York Times poll on this issue, in December, shows that despite the attacks of recent months Americans support the public option 59% to 29%. Support includes 80% of Democrats, 59% of Independents, and even 33% of Republicans.

Much of the public identifies a public option as the key component of health care reform -- and as the best thing we can do to stand up for regular people against big insurance companies. In fact, overall support for health care reform declined steadily as the public option was removed from reform legislation.

Although we strongly support the important reforms made by the Senate-passed health reform package, including a strong public option would improve both its substance and the public’s perception of it. The Senate has an obligation to reform our unworkable health insurance market -- both to reduce costs and to give consumers more choices. A strong public option is the best way to deliver on both of these goals, and we urge its consideration under reconciliation rules.

Respectfully,

Michael Bennet (D-CO), U.S. Senator
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), U.S. Senator
Jeff Merkley (D-OR), U.S. Senator
Sherrod Brown (D-OH), U.S. Senator

Stephen Colbert, meet Will Rogers

2010-02-16T15:24:00.008-05:00

Will Rogers

Few people will ever forget the stir caused by the address Stephen Colbert delivered at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. This social event mixing politicians and reporters includes speakers who “roast” one another, caustically poking fun. With President George W. Bush sitting close to the podium, Colbert delivered a bitingly satirical speech. Here is one sample of Colbert’s wit:

“I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound—with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world.”

The audience reacted nervously, and some later wrote that Colbert used poor taste. As it turned out, most of the public loved the satire. Early criticisms were forgotten. Colbert’s fan base was stronger than ever.

People may not realize it. Perhaps even Stephen Colbert is not aware that 80 years earlier humorist Will Rogers also brought his satire directly to those he was skewering. In this rather rare audio clip, Rogers recorded the words he spoke to the annual bankers’ convention. Except for the sound quality that belies the age of the recording, Rogers’ remarks could have been delivered today.

Stephen Colbert, meet Will Rogers.

Loan sharks and interest hounds—I have addressed every form of organized graft in the United States, excepting Congress, so it’s naturally a pleasure for me to appear before the biggest. You are without a doubt the most disgustingly rich audience I ever talked to, with the possible exception of the bootleggers’ union, Local No. 1, combined with the enforcement officers.

Now, I understand that you hold this convention every year to announce what the annual gyp will be. I have often wondered where the depositors hold their convention. I had an account in the bank once, and the banker, he asked me to withdraw it. He said I had used up more red ink than the account was worth.
I see where your wives come with you. You notice I say “come” not “were brought.”

I see where your convention was opened by a prayer; you had to send outside your ranks to get somebody that knew how to pray. You should have had one creditor there; he’d have shown you how to pray. I noticed in the prayer the clergyman announced to the Almighty that the bankers were here. Well, it wasn’t exactly an announcement. It was more in the nature of a warning. He didn’t tell the devil, as he figured he knew where you all were all the time anyhow.

I see by your speeches that you’re very optimistic of the business conditions of the coming year. Boy, I don’t blame you. If I had your dough, I’d be optimistic too.

Will you please tell me what you all do with the vice presidents the bank has? I guess that’s to get anybody more discouraged before they can see the main guy. Why, the United States is the biggest business institution in the world. They got only one vice president. Nobody’s ever found anything for him to do.

I’ve met most of you as I’ve come out the stage door of the Follies every night. I want to tell you, any of you that are capitalized at under a million dollars needn’t hang around there. Our girls may not know their Latin and Greek, but they certainly know their Dun and Bradstreet.

You have a wonderful organization. I understand you have 10,000 here, and what you have in federal prisons brings your membership up to around 30,000. So goodbye, paupers. You’re the finest bunch of shylocks that ever foreclosed a mortgage on a widow’s home.

Foxy ABC News

2010-02-15T07:19:00.004-05:00

It’s Sweeps time for television. Four times each year Nielsen Media Research collects its data to determine the size and composition of TV programs. These Nielsen Ratings can determine which shows stay on the air. They are used to help set advertising rates. Knowing which people are watching a show (male, female, age group) and how many people are watching allows advertisers to target their audience, to promote their products to the desired demographics.

It’s also possible to learn which guests on shows and which topics on shows generate the most traffic. Shows can then adapt by avoiding less popular guests and avoiding topics which tend to turn off a large number of viewers. Turned off viewers means turned off shows leading to lower profits. The corporate owners of the networks take the Nielsen Ratings very seriously.

I am sure we have all had the experience of seeing a favorite TV show get canceled due to low ratings. We may not like it, but if it isn’t generating profits, it’s history. Give the people what they want. It’s simple supply and demand capitalism.

When it comes to the news, I think it’s an entirely different matter. News programs should not be in competition for ratings, but they are. Big time. The conflict in this should be clear. Straight news should not be subjected to the Nielsen Ratings because these programs should not be tailored in any way to appeal to certain audiences. Furthermore, advertising should not be sold during the news. It should be sponsor-free.

I was thinking about this on Sunday when the former vice-president, Dick Cheney, once again took to the airwaves to continue his assault on the Obama Administration. Cheney has been a controversial figure and I am sure will be a ratings booster during the February Sweeps. People will watch because they see Cheney as either an outspoken hero on the one hand or on the other as someone who should be under investigation for possibly indictable acts committed while he was part of the Bush Administration. The point is that no one turned in to ABCs This Week with any expectation of learning anything new, which at one time was the definition of the word “news.”

Cheney was given a forum on ABC to criticize President Barack Obama, and his statements went virtually unchallenged. Jonathan Karl, ABCs senior Congressional correspondent, allegedly interviewed Cheney. Karl has his own wish for high ratings. He’s in line as a possible permanent host of This Week. No doubt the words This Week with Jonathan Karl ring like heady wine. Cheney was also given the chance to “debate” current vice-president, Joseph Biden. Biden was a guest on two other Sunday shows, and Cheney responded to Biden’s taped remarks. This gave Cheney the last word on every point. I have no doubt that ABC will defend the interview as being fair. Fair and balanced.

The paradigm for success in the ratings war for viewers for news is Fox. They have sold their brand as “fair and balanced” to a large number of people. To those who are not disciples, Fox News is anything but fair and balanced. They don’t have to be. They only have to convince people that they are. They do that by giving their audience what they want and assuring them that they are more intelligent than people who watch the competition. Truth is relative. Nevertheless, no one can deny that Fox News has successfully marketed itself and enjoys the success that all advertisers seek. Fox News is a lucrative venture.

Because the news is subject to ratings and because high ratings equal dollars, it is inevitable that other news outlets will seek to copy the Fox News recipe for success. That’s good for business but bad for Democracy. A knowledgeable citizenry is vital to participatory government. The more the message gets muddled by those trusted to report on the actions of our elected officials, the easier it becomes to dismantle the underpinnings of a free America.

ABC News took a step toward the Fox News paradigm on Sunday. As others look to the Fox formula to increase viewership, the ratings war will only become more intense. In this type of war, one network will always be a winner. American Democracy, with its reliance on an informed people, will always lose.

©2010

Business Buys Bipartisanship

2010-02-12T04:42:00.008-05:00

Retiring Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Democrat of North Dakota, has fought consistently for the middle class. He has tried to hold businesses accountable for shipping jobs overseas and for using loopholes to avoid taxes.

The high cost of prescription drugs has been a steady target for Senator Dorgan, and he has filed legislation to allow for the importation of prescription drugs. The latest attempt by Senator Dorgan was an amendment he offered in December, 2009. While the amendment passed 51-48, it failed because it did not meet the required 60-vote mark.

Many Democrats voted against the Dorgan Amendment helping to defeat it. Some were pressured by the White House to vote against the amendment because of a back-door deal that had been struck with the pharmaceutical companies. Other Democrats who voted against the Dorgan Amendment have received generous donations from the drug makers.

Several Republicans voted against the amendment and many voted in favor of it; therefore, this could be seen as a bipartisan vote. Here is the irony. In the seemingly endless quest for bipartisanship, it should be noted that corporations can purchase it by giving money to both parties. Let’s not be drawn in by this version of both sides working together.

We Democrats must hold our own Party accountable.

Here are some of the Democrats who voted against the Dorgan Amendment on December 15,2009 and received money from the pharmaceutical companies in 2010:

Here is a related story from today's

New York Times.

Bipartisan? Without a doubt

2010-02-10T16:33:00.003-05:00

Let’s face it. Many Republicans and Democrats have found common ground. Both sides accept huge amounts of money from HMOs and pharmaceutical companies. The rhetoric coming from prominent members of both parties helps divert our attention from the real situation: They both are singing the same tune— We’re in the Money.

Check out my newest YouTube video. Can we really expect reform?

Sarah Palin in 2012?

2010-02-08T16:01:00.005-05:00

It looks as though the Republicans’ and the Tea Party’s favorite candidate, Sarah Palin, is taking steps to become more nationally known. First she formed a political action committee. Then she resigned as the governor of Alaska. Now she is making campaign-like speeches and is a Fox News commentator.

When one considers the millions of dollars it costs to run for public office, the frugally minded ought to consider some past campaigns from which to borrow. In plain terms, metaphorically speaking, Sarah Palin should not seek a tailor-made original; instead she should buy one off the rack.

Fortunately, there is such a campaign. With just a bit of tweaking, the Gracie Allen for President Campaign of 1940 could become the Sarah Palin campaign of 2012. Everything needed for an effective campaign – slogans, buttons, platform – is provided.

If a third political party is desired. Gracie’s campaign is perfect for this also. Gracie ran on the Surprise Party ticket. Why not keep that name?

A most important element of any campaign is the campaign song. Recent elections have shied away from these. That’s a mistake. Gracie knew that much could be communicated in a campaign ditty. So here is the first element of the campaign for Sarah to consider. Gracie Allen sings her own campaign song – Vote for Gracie.

Here are some lyrics to help you sing along. Use the words in brackets as substitutes:

Vote for Gracie, [Sarah]
Vote for Gracie, [Sarah]
She's the best little skipper in the land.
Vote for Gracie, [Sarah]
Vote for Gracie, [Sarah]
Won't you please give this little girl a hand?
Even big politicians don't know what to do,
Gracie [Sarah] doesn't know either, but neither do you,
So vote for Gracie, [Sarah]
To win the Presidential racie [all you people near and far-ah]
A hundred million strong.
That's right, you can't go wrong.
Vote for Gracie, [Sarah] keep voting all day long!

Keep voting all day long!
Keep voting all day long!
Fill up the ballot box.
Keep voting all day long!

Gracie! [Sarah] Gracie! [Sarah] Rah! Rah! Rah!

Vote for Gracie, [Sarah]
Vote for Gracie, [Sarah]
She's the best little skipper in the land.
Vote for Gracie, [Sarah]
Gracie Wacie, [Sarah Palin]
Won’t you please give this little girl a hand?
She’ll bring honor and fame to the feminine sex.
If you can’t write your name, you can vote with an X.
Vote for Gracie, [Sarah]
Spelled G-R-A-C-I-E. [Spelled S-A-R-A-H Rah Rah].
Accept no substitute.
She’s pretty, and she’s cute.
Vote for Gracie, [Sarah]
A rooty tooty toot.

Vote for Gracie, [Sarah] Yes! Yes!
Vote for Gracie, [Sarah] Yes! Yes!
If the country’s going Gracie, [Sarah] so can you.
Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote!
Uncle Sam, let me paddle your canoe.
I’m just like Joan of Arc. I hear destiny call.
It’s the call to the ballparks to throw out the ball.
Vote for Gracie, [Sarah]
To win the Presidential racie [all you people near and far-ah]
A hundred million strong.
That's right, you can't go wrong.
Vote for Gracie, [Sarah] keep voting all day long!

Circle of Racism

2010-02-06T13:46:00.007-05:00

Former Republican representative and Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo addressed the Tea Party Convention in Nashville on Friday, February 5, 2010. His use of language that mocked voting rights was further proof of racism in the Republican Party and the Tea Party Movement.

Racism is here to stay as long as it is an effective political tool. This and other attitudes toward the poor and needy in our country are deplorable.

The BS just keeps rolling along

2010-02-05T16:35:00.006-05:00

How soon we forget what John McCain and the Republicans were telling us about the economy. There are those who are still in denial. When video records history, it can certainly be inconvenient to Republican talking points. The BS, though, just keeps rolling along.

1936 vs 2010

2010-02-03T17:34:00.007-05:00

Franklin Roosevelt knew the deceptive and deplorable tactics that were being used to prevent his political agenda.

He makes clear what Republicans were really saying about the poor and jobless.

Roosevelt also points out that Republicans were stirring people up, using them for personal gain and against the people's own interest.

We can see this in the opposition today. Dirty politics works, but those who practice it should not go unchallenged.

The editor's cut: Fair and Balanced?

2010-02-01T07:50:00.005-05:00

Anyone who watched President Obama's interaction with the Republican conference on Friday, January 29, 2010, would hardly conclude that the President was rendered speechless. That is certainly not the impression that Fox News gives in the opening coverage of this story. This is not one of Fox's opinion shows. It is a news report.

Barack Obama and Scott Brown are related!

2010-01-29T14:40:00.003-05:00

What a conundrum! What will the Obama haters do?

BOSTON — Genealogists said today that President Barack Obama and newly elected Massachusetts senator Scott Brown are 10th cousins.

Read the rest at the Telegram and Gazette

Obama and Brown related

The Myth of the Fiscally Responsible Republican

2010-01-29T08:52:00.003-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Worcester Teabag and GOP Republican [the T&G]

2010-01-27T13:14:00.003-05:00

I was thinking recently that perhaps another newspaper could be started in Central Massachusetts. I think it’s important to have the right name; that’s essential. When people turn to a newspaper, they want to know what’s inside. The Worcester Teabag and GOP Republican is unambiguous.

I want my newspaper to be the “go to” source for news you can trust. The editorial page should not be taken lightly. I would choose someone as far to the right as I could, and the editorials would reflect the point of view of Republicans, particularly the Teabag constituency. Every editorial cartoon would represent a conservative message.

I would make sure that “news” items would receive headlines so that the proper right-wing slant would be assigned.

People would be encouraged to write comments, but they would be strictly monitored. Comments that challenge the newspaper’s theme would be deleted. Certain posters who can be relied on to stir people up would never be censored.

Well, that’s just what I’ve been thinking. The Worcester Teabag and GOP Republican. Sounds good. I suppose people might abbreviate it to the Worcester T & G, but that’s okay. Everyone will know what it stands for.

Now, all I have to do is see if there is any competition.

Compassionate Conservatism

2010-01-26T11:36:00.000-05:00

Lying comes so easily to them!

2010-01-25T20:35:00.002-05:00

Teabaggers or Tea Partiers?

2010-01-23T11:46:00.003-05:00

Much has been made of the use of the term “Teabaggers” to refer to the so-called grass roots movement that has been so much in the news. While it is true that the term emanated from the protest group itself, they have distanced themselves from it when it was pointed out that “teabagging” is a slang term for a sexual act.

Recently I was taken to task for using the term “Teabagger” in a blog post. While I generally have avoided the terminology, I did indeed use it. I should not have because its use takes away from the seriousness of purpose of this group. The Tea Partiers take their name from the American Revolution.

So let me set the record straight unequivocally.

The Tea Partiers are mad.

The Tea Partiers are revolting.

I trust this clears things up.

Glenn Beck is creeped out by Scott Brown

2010-01-22T10:55:00.003-05:00

You will probably never see this on the Conservative blogs where people worship at the feet of Glenn Beck. Today, he is backtracking saying he was "Only kidding." Jay Severin reported that Scott Brown was deeply angered by Beck's comments. Beck is going on Severin's show to do damage control.

He was not kidding, and this video proves it. So, Conservatives, does he get a pass?

Yes, we do have looney lefties

2010-01-22T08:48:00.000-05:00

But we call them out

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I want my country back!

2010-01-22T03:39:00.006-05:00

You've heard it from the tea baggers who are so scared that Barack Obama and his administration are stealing the country. Pity them! While their eyes are watching Obama, they can't see the real danger right under their noses. The Corporations are stealing the country aided by the Republicans and the U. S. Supreme Court.

The Court in 2000 gave the election to George W. Bush. During the Bush Administration the corporations secured their hold on the Treasury. Obama provides the perfect unknowing foil for the plot. While the deluded are focused on how "dangerous" he is, the Supreme Court hands the corporations the keys to the kingdom. These large corporations in this new Orwellian State can now spend as much as they want to ensure that they have the Congress they want. The money from the corporations dwarfs anything that any other individual or entity can match.

The moneyed Republican hierarchy has succeeded in its plot. Democracy is on its death bed.

Not much more can be said until the eulogy.

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Medicine for Democrats

2010-01-20T17:01:00.000-05:00

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