Things in the Way

February 1, 2010 | 2 Comments

So I was getting ready to work this morning. It’s Monday and all. Stuff to do, for sure. And after putting on my various high-tech shiny undergarments (too much information?), layers of wool, and looking like a guy who fell out of the Tractor Supply sale flyer, I ventured to the barn to get the horse ready.

But I couldn’t, for the life of me, remember if it’s “the cart before the horse” or the “horse before the cart.” I know it’s important, too. That’s why they say the “don’t” in front of the one that’s incorrect.

“Fuck it,” I said to myself, expecting a bit of an argument and all. “I’m not working the horse today.”

And so it’s been.

Instead, I’m home pondering all the things that J.D. Salinger would do while he hid in the woods. Until, that is, I remember that he made all his money BEFORE moving to the woods. And if I could remember if it’s the cart or the horse that goes first, I bet I could use that saying here.

I need to get this checked.

Posted by M. Colby | Filed Under blog

Friday Music Potion #9

January 29, 2010 | Leave a Comment

Hello weekend. Nice to meet you. I wish Montpelier would hurt my ears tonight. Pariah Beat? Are you up for it? See you there.

Until then, warm up the ears with this:

Posted by M. Colby | Filed Under blog

Economic Update

January 29, 2010 | Leave a Comment

Today’s headline: Economy growing but no jobs.
Translation: Working man, you’re fucked.

Posted by M. Colby | Filed Under blog

And What Did You Do Today?

January 28, 2010 | Leave a Comment

Posted by M. Colby | Filed Under blog

Howard Zinn, R.I.P.

January 28, 2010 | 2 Comments

I’ll join the chorus of radicals who are taking a moment to acknowledge the death of Howard Zinn yesterday. Zinn lived a long, amazing, committed and principled life. His words and work have pulled me out of many activist funks. Zinn was simply inspiring by, as Thoreau counseled, using “his life as a counter friction to stop the machine.”

“If you want to end terrorism, you have to stop being terrorists, which is what war is.”
— Howard Zinn

From the Boston Globe obituary:

On his last day at Boston University, Dr. Zinn ended class 30 minutes early so he could join a picket line and urged the 500 students attending his lecture to come along. A hundred did so.

Rest in Peace, Howard. You earned it.

Posted by M. Colby | Filed Under blog

Music Break (Wednesday Edition)

January 27, 2010 | Leave a Comment

Lame video. Great song. Turn away and turn it up.

Posted by M. Colby | Filed Under blog

Farm Show Tales

January 27, 2010 | 1 Comment

It was fieldtrip day in homeschooling land – again.

Yesterday: The Vermont Farm Show.
Mission: Maple sugaring education.
Reason: Dreams.
No, Reason!: Habits.

That’s better.

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Besides walking into the Barre Auditorium to the sight of Governor Jim Douglas and Lt. Governor Brian Dubie bowing to the just-arriving Maple Princess and saying, “we’re not worthy, we’re not worthy,” the Farm Show was as expected: Carhart & wool plaid, baby. And little animals and even littler – yeah littler – samples of farm goods for show. Say that fast. Nevermind.

I needed catalogues and contacts for a proposed new maple sugaring adventure (read: oh no). And being the sly entrepreneur I decided a day marked “maple day” at the Vermont Farm Show would be a good place to be. I’m smart that way.

While I got want I wanted (read: confusion), I also got entertained by my daughter, Bel, who called out from a booth deep within the auditorium masses: “Dad, look! The ATV-riders club! And stickers!”

Ah, a chip off the old block. Sarcasm rocks. Unless, of course, it doesn’t.

Bel plastered the refrigerator with the ATV magnets she took (as offered) at the ATV-riders’ table. She also provided me with a copy of the “holiday edition” of the club’s newsletter.

Taste this little nugget that was inside from the column, “From Our Vice President…”:

How about the guy at ANR’s Proposed ATV Rule meeting that brought his chainsaw, then fired it up? Now that was different. I’ve been involved in many meetings during my time with [riders’ clubs], and not once has someone fired up the Husky at one. That was truly a proud moment in anti-ATV history, NOT!!

Cool. Thanks for the plug. Because it was, indeed, a proud moment. You know, what they used to call “democracy.”

But thanks for the magnets.

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On Being Deb Markowitz: I like Deb Markowitz. For non-Vermonters, she’s the Secretary of State, a Democrat who is now seeking the governor’s office.

I like her because that’s what you have to do when you live in small-town Vermont and you know her and her family because of the not-so-strange fact that you, too, are a living, breathing person occupying Central Vermont. It’s just because of that. No more.

But her politics? Milquetoast liberal, at best.

And in a Democratic primary filled with fellow milquetoasters, Markowitz has got to up her feistiness quotient when it comes to the core liberal issues. Markowitz did just that yesterday by publishing an op/ed calling for a “no” vote on the re-licensing of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant – this session. As in: Now.

Good for her. Now let’s see her lobby for it and turn her grassroots “donors” into grassroots activists.

It’s not lost on this writer that Markowitz is playing a not-so-veiled game of hot potato with the Vermont Yankee issue. By calling for a vote “now,” Markowitz is throwing it into the laps of three of her primary challengers: The three who are members and leaders in Vermont’s Senate (Peter Shumlin, Susan Bartlett and Doug Racine).

Of course, Shumlin, Bartlett and/or Racine could take the lead on making such a vote actually happen this session. Imagine that. And, by so doing, they could also declare to Democratic primary voters that they’ve demonstrated an ability to lead on a very important issue in Vermont.

But then I remember this: They’re all Democrats.

Drats. Foiled again.

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But all I really wanted to say about Markowitz was this: Why did she involve herself in a back-and-forth with Peter Buknatski via the comments section at Green Mountain Daily. In terms of trying to show gubernatorial judgment, that’s a certain disqualifier. Let’s hope the Secretary of State and gubernatorial-wannabe learns to use her time more wisely in the future.

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The right-wing wields teabaggers. The left-wing coddles milquetoasters. And so it goes.

Posted by M. Colby | Filed Under blog

Busy Enough For This

January 26, 2010 | 1 Comment

Posted by M. Colby | Filed Under blog

All These Things (Monday Edition)

January 25, 2010 | 2 Comments

It was a moment not unlike many others. Wait. That’s too wordy. I could also say it was a common moment. But that’s boring. And short. Worse, it would lead to the necessity of even more words so as to get closer to the goal: Novel.

Good luck with that.

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There’s nothing like a cold rainy day in January while being held hostage by a barnyard of animals demanding your attention.

Make. It. Disappear.

All of it.

–

Memo to Vermont Democrats: Ask your gubernatorial wannabes to produce something tangible from their currents seats of power before offering an ounce of support to their campaigns. This is especially true for the three candidates who have powerful positions in the Vermont Senate: Peter Shumlin (President), Doug Racine (Chairperson, Health Committee) and Susan Bartlett (Chairperson, Appropriations Committee).

If Shumlin, Racine and Bartlett want us to believe that they’re great leaders, let’s see some political leadership during this current session. Shumlin, for example, should be putting his Senate leadership to use by calling for a vote this session on whether or not to re0license Vermont’s 40-year old nuclear power plant – Vermont Yankee. Shumlin’s rhetoric has been great on this issue of late, even declaring that “if the vote was held today, he’d vote ‘no’ on relicensing.”

Okay, Mr. Senate President, let’s see the vote. As the leader of that particular political body, Shumlin can make that vote happen. And Vermont Democrats should demand that he orchestrate such a vote THIS SESSION to prove that he is, indeed, a leader.

Similarly, Racine – as the Health Care Committee’s chairman – should produce by stewarding through some meaningful health-care legislation through his committee. Racine-the-candidate likes to say he’s for universal health coverage. Well, let’s see Racine-the-committee-chair produce it. Because if you can’t lead a committee, how can we trust you to lead a state?

The same, of course, goes for Bartlett, the leader of the Senate’s Appropriations Committee. Vermont Democrats should be demanding that Bartlett use her powerful position to bring forward and usher through some progressive budgetary measures. Bartlett could, for example, champion the obvious need to raise taxes on the wealthiest Vermonters so that they, too, could “partake in the pain” of this recession. Bartlett is in the perfect position to bring some justice – and sanity – to the right-wing drumbeat of “cut taxes,” “cut services,” and kill (government) jobs as “the only” solution to our economic woes.

Bartlett-the-candidate wants us to believe that she’s a “real Vermonter” who understands the challenges facing Vermonters – real and unreal alike. Well, let’s see Bartlett-the-budget-leader use her current powerful political position to champion economic justice by putting tax increases on the same table that “tax cuts,” “service cuts,” and “job cuts” have been on for years.

The message from Vermont Democrats should be clear: Show us the leadership now, or get out of the race.

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Oh wait, I forgot, it’s all Nader’s fault.

Fucker.

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Oh wait, that was in 2000.

Still a fucker.

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The liberal’s communion: The Body of Nader. Amen.

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Next year, let’s knit.

All kinds of things. Just all over the place.

Almost recklessly.

So as to gain the attention of the knitters.

And all that.

–

I turned on a Sunday talk show long enough to hear a pundit declare that Obama’s political troubles were the result of his “clinging to a far-left agenda.” And there was no laughter afterward, just pensive looks of agreement as they nodded and noted their positions of power. They must somehow keep pumping life into the charade of a two-party government, so as to occupy the minds and time of those predisposed to rooting for “teams.” Groupthink: The necessary ingredient for manipulation. And when it’s bad, it’s really bad with a group. Or state. Or nation.

Or team: Go JETS.

Bastards.

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You seem different.

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Is that a new haircut?

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Here’s a link to a New York Times article on Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens. A good read, but frightening to realize how far to the right the court has swung. Surprise, surprise.

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And, finally, another link that might help explain my whereabouts last Friday.

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But this has nothing to do with my whereabouts: