"NEW FLAG FOR THE VETS"

On the bright side of the news this morning, the Vietnam Veterans on River street will be getting a new American Flag on Monday, replacing the one that was stolen. Chris Tremblay has purchased, through the office of John Oliver, an American Flag that has flown over the Capital Building in Washington D.C. He will present it to the Vietnam Veterans Chapter in honor of those Vets from Berkshire County that lost their lives in Vietnam. Come help us Honor our local Veterans that made the ultimate sacrifice for us. The Flag will be raised at 12 noon on Monday, Memorial Day at the Vietnam Veterans Chapter on River Street in North Adams.

"SEND THEM ALL PACKING"

I just can't stand by any more, I gotta say sumptin! To you and I, average Joe Smuck Citizen, it is a clear cut black and white problem..... If you are an illegal immigrant then you are a law breaker and should be dealt with as such, whether you are hear for an hour or fifty years, you are breaking the law! Now in the fantasy land of politics those people seem to have a different reality...... "Why not say to those undocumented workers who are working the jobs that the rest of us refuse, come out from the shadows," said Arizona Republican John McCain. In the first place notice how he evades the the term "illegal". All you have to do is insert the term...." Undocumented" Some how that upgrades there status from criminal to normal worker but just not documented! Then pretend that we Americans don't want to do this work, he is correct but he doesn't finish the sentence...." At the wages they are paying"..... The bill "strengthens our security and reflects our humanity," said Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., McCain's partner in the Senate compromise. "It is intended to keep out those who would harm us and welcome those who contribute to our country." Mr. Kennedy would you care to elaborate? Just what the hell are you smoking:?.......... I won't go into the Bill in it's entirety because it is typical politico double speak and so full of holes it could allow the whole Chinese Army through. You read it and see for yourself!

President Bush stepped into the Justice Department's constitutional confrontation with Congress on Thursday and ordered that documents seized in a raid on a lawmaker's office be sealed for 45 days. Now here is an interesting news flash! Talk about protecting your own. Politico protecting politico. Is the Lord Almighty George buying time so he can erase any trace of his administrations involvement if any? I wonder?

OK people that is my rant for this morning.

"WHAT FUTURE?"

The Republicans are all kicked from office, King George is dethroned, we have some normalcy back in Government (whatever that is?) , now what? With all the damage done to our Constitutional Rights, separation of powers nothing but a gray area up for interpretation by those in control, foreign policy a total mess, the NSA checking each sheet of toilet paper you use for secret messages, and on and on it goes. My question today is "NOW WHAT?" you know whoever takes control will not be able to fix all the problems, and they may even be blamed for some of them. Have we entered a new era? Has the Republican Party and Their Contract With Corporate America doomed for evermore our system of government, never to return from the abyss? Have we been mortitly wounded? What do you think?

"MORE PRESS, LESS MESS"

Just a thought here! If we made "THE PRESS" an official branch of the Government with unfettered access to all governmental documents, a clearing house sorta speaking, the branch though which ALL documents must pass before they are secretetized and classified. With full top- top secrete clearances for there unopstructed preview. Wouldn't this put a stop to all this over classifying of documents just for political reasons? This would be an elected body of people serving a short term and unencumbered by any political enety. It would be the responsibility of the government to prove their case before these people that a document is indeed worthy of the "TOP SECRET" stamp. Everything else is public information and treated as such!

"THE OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY"

We seem to take for granted the fact that "THE PRESS" has evolved into almost part of our system of government. They are like the ultimate watchdog group. The safety valve that without, we would be kept in the dark to the goings on in our government. Politicos have a nasty habit of not informing or saying just what they have to. They don't like the idea of an informed public. It is a wonderful institution when the press can be used for their PR Spewage but when they find the dirt then they are traitors, anti American, leekers, and all sorts of negative things. I my self can't imagine our society without the PRESS. We would know absolutely nothing that went on in any government institution--- City (town), State, or Federal. But there is a problem..... When the same people that run the government run the Press you have nothing more than a PR outlet. Your big press operations and their CEO's are more inclined to be republicans because they are the party of profit and news is all about the profit. It is a good thing for us as a country that there are still some independent press people around that are not under the control of the government. I would just like to thank those that have the character to inform and report the news with out the influence of any politico or corporation. THANKS GUYS.......

"THE FACTS MA'AM, JUST THE FACTS"

As usual at last night's Council Meeting the mayor was true to form. No longer can he rely on a rubber stamp for anything he brings before the Council so he has reverted to trying to intimidate, threaten, scare, and lie to the members. He also shows his lack of respect for the Councils ability to comprehend the subject before them, he kept jumping up and saying "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Well I think they do understand all to well. Because the mayor can't control the retirement board and they don't do his bidding, he tries to paint them as a force that will bring down the City (town) to financial ruin and all the city employees will be on the unemployment line. Because they didn't take his advice it cost the City $70,000. Well that may be but Mr. Bloom was correct when he pointed out that when you are dealing with the stock market it is a crap shoot at best and the City could have lost a lot more. The Retirement board seems to be in the hands of an extremely knowledgeable person and they don't need the mayor sticking his nose in trying to take control. As for the Veterans Bill, I believe Mr. Billings was correct to ask for more clarification before voting on it. Although it seemed that the Council would have passed the first section with no problem. The Veterans of this City should get what is due them and I back the bill in its entirety. Mr. Mayor sit down and leave your pettiness at home, you can't control the whole world!

" WWlll "

After much thought of the world situation and all the forces tugging this way and that way, each seemingly to have some sort of hidden agenda. With sides clearly taking sometimes and sometimes hard to tell friend from foe. With every country involved in a struggle somewhere in the world, over something transparient or sometimes hidden away in the minds of those in power I have done the math and have concluded we are certaintly involved in WORLD WAR 3! Not the war of my fathers generation but a product of the forces of my generation. Just as the British Square, the horse charge of the calvery, or the storming the hill have all been replaced with more intricately layered centrailized command, insted of reporting to, they get orders from! A global agenda not fought over dirt or rightous beliefs or good v/s evil but over the planets resources by the shadow government trying to posess the wealth of the planet for their own financial gain. We the citizens of the world are nothing but cannon fodder for their greed.

"I BET YOU THOUGHT I WAS JUST JOKING.....DIDN'T YOU?"

Well I wasn't! How about some input from you people. It would be the greatest thing to hit this City (town) since "A BOULDER ON A STRING". I'm Looking for some serious input here.

Yup...I finally found the real answer to our dwindling population and low tourist attraction dilemma. It has been starring us right in the face the whole time. Turn the wasted swamp land that the Hoosic River South Branch meanders through into a great lake! Let me explain... Dam up the river at the point where the existing flood control begins, behind the radio tower. then on the other end...on the Adams - North Adams border build a retaining dyke across the low lying land. (to be a nice neighbor...ask Adams if they would like to join the endeavor, which would extend the Lake even further and cut them in on the action, but knowing their dislike for anything that even sounds like progress and development, I'm sure they would refuse) Moving on...being that all this land is low lying swamp you wouldn't have to do much but add some stones around the sides. The secret is to dredge out the swamp area to maybe a depth of 40 to 60 feet deep. Now some land will have to be taken by the mayor, for the good of the many, but that isn't a problem. Existing businesses on high ground would stay because they are above the lake level. On the outflow, dam side of the lake we will install several low flow electric generators, selling the power back to the electric company and the monies going directly to the residents of North Adams via a yearly check. Next, as part of the rejuvenation process, on the hill or mountain, depending on your perspective, on the westerly side of Rt. 8 across from the radio tower we will build a large multi function lodge. A low profile log building, so as to keep in step with the environment and the look of the mountain. the main access to the lodge will be a train trolley that will wind through the wooded area to the south of the mountain starting on Rt.8. The cars will be mostly clear plexie glass so as to afford the passengers an unobstructed view of the ride and also so as to be almost invisible from any observer. the tracks will be in the ground so you won't see them and the width of the train trolley will be 8 feet. There will have to be an access road to the lodge and that will be on the northernly side of the mountain. Again the mayor will have to exercise his "take um Daniel" stamp and take the parcel for parking and pickup of passengers that don't want to ride the train trolley. A shuttle buss will be used here and deliveries will have to be made. Their will be no parking or vehicles allowed on the mountain for obvious reasons. The lodge itself will be a lowprofile log building that will be mostly under ground with guest rooms and decks allowing for a view of the lake. Built into the environment. A first class restaurant over looking the lake with outside and inside dining, a banquet hall, rooms to rent, and a visitor center. This is just a rough draft and the details will be worked out at a later date...... So what do you think?

"IS THIS REALLY HELL ?"

Well today I am depressed. Seems everyday I'm depressed! Well can you blame me! My problem is that I read the News first thing in the morning then go on to read the Blogs then make the mistake and read Blog comments! We seem to be trapped in a big toilet bowl that someone just flushed. Seems all we can do is just.....nothing! Why is that? Why can't we be masters of all we perceive? Is this really HELL? We have no control over our Government, though they would like us to believe that we do. We purchase land with a home on it, but it isn't really ours. The Bank, Insurance Companies, City (town) State, national, environmental, and a plethora of Laws govern usage both outside and inside. We buy something from the store but it isn't really ours, we are only buying permission to use it under certain circumstances. ALL, and I stress here "ALL" our elected officials work harder at preserving their jobs than really doing something substantial to enhance our Health, protect us from the Greedy, keep the Wolf at bay as you were. This is truly what HELL is. You think you are FREE, but only free to exercise the freedoms that "THEY" allow. The DARK FORCE has indeed prevailed in the world....and yes Dorothy there is a Satin! And yes, we are in HELL! IT"S YOUR MELTED DIME!

"SOMETHING FOR A RAINY DAY"

Without getting all philosophical and long winded, I pose a question to you.....Who Is GOD?

"It's SPRING TIME, TIME TO PUT OUT THE BENCHES"

Yes Citizens it's finally Spring time in the little City (town) of North Adams. Time to start getting ready to plant our flowers downtown, fix up the roads, clean away the winter sand in the gutters, and put out the BENCHES for the people...... What do you mean there are no benches? Not this again! Maybe this year I'll write a nice letter to the major news outlets and in form them that the Mayor of the smallest City (town) in Mass. is trying to keep the elderly and handicapped from the downtown by not allowing BENCHES for them to rest on, (BENCHES that everyone wants), and making it impossible for local private businesses to do so by sending out his henchmen to harass them. Also by making up make believe concerns about structural soundness, (we all know that the Mayor is also an expert on bench construction and soundness) ...(just a thought here...I would suspect that the State safety laws already regulate BENCH safety and unless they pass State Standards they couldn't be sold in the State.) They like little news items like that. Of course they will want to check with the Mayor for his side of the story and take a few pictures and they may visit the elderly and ask them their opinion. Of course maybe I am jumping the gun here. The Mayor probably already has plans to allow Benches this year as a nice surprise for us. We'll just have to wait and see! IT's YOUR DIME!

"MAY DAY"

OK, Who is going to set up the MAY POLE?

Not going back to preChristion Rome or dancing to Goddess Flora, there is still some significance of MAY DAY, even today. The celebration of Spring and a hope in the coming season. We should set up a MAY POLE on the front lawn of every City Hall, State Capital, and The White House and all the People should dance around it. What you say...you nuts? It would show our unity as a people, that we are still in control, that we do believe in a better tomorrow...and demand it! It would show our desire for the fertility of the process to grow and become bountiful to our needs, not wither on the vine. A showing that we still do believe in the System and it can work for us, all we have to do is pick off the dead leaves and stems. Make MAY DAY a national holiday to remind those who we allow to govern that we expect the coming year to bring forth a bountiful harvest of laws designed to help John Doe Smuck Citizen. It would be a Celebration as well as a Warning!.....