YADDA, YADDA, YADDA

     Ever have the experience where you sat in a room and listened to people just go on and on and actually say nothing? Course you have. We all have. It is neither pleasant nor pleasing nor useful to any degree at all, other than wasting time. But we have to talk, we must talk, we must share ideas and we must allow even the fools and liars to speak if we are to understand where they are standing and how we bypass their nonsense, their dangerous nonsense.
      It matters not on what level we are. There are wasters of time ranging from national, even international, down to the local group in your neighborhood. And it is aggravating! So how to overcome this? All we can do is try.
     Here in  the Village we are so tired of hearing about the "progress" under David Israel et al. This progress has led us to inadequate funding, overspending, wasting money on projects that simply do not work and/or are not necessary, and the neglect of things that must be taken care, replaced, repaired, advanced, and fixing the mistakes of his administration. I am hoping that this becomes even clearer today at the Forum. I hope there is freedom to ask whatever one wishes that refers to the necessities of this election campaign and for the improvement of this Village.
     I have made it clear whom I support and why. It is time for a change. Time to bring back the best of former officers and the best new blood, new officeholders. We need to bring in new faces to the committees and this will never happen under David Israel as he recycles his best buds, his sycophants and keeps others out. A new President will appoint new chairs, recycle where necessary and bring in others so we will not have the same people voting over and over again on the same issue. Once a person votes once - that should be it, not have a the same officers voting a zillion times for with their numbers they outvote all else. Time for a change and as the Brady Bunch song went - time to rearrange!
     This time to hear the truth has come to the nation as well. For how much longer are we to watch our kids die, be wounded, have lasting physical and emotional damage? We are to be ashamed at ourselves for our lack of action. We are to be ashamed at ourselves for allowing our representatives to be bought by the NRA. The Times had a listing of all Representatives and Senators who took money from them. Hello Rubio at over a million, A MILLION!! Hello Brian Mast! That guy is a definite weasel in training.
     The NRA has come out with opposition to the age limit on gun  purchase. OH, such a shock! NOT! They wrap themselves in the Constitution and claim Second Amendment danger. What hooey!!! We can have strict rules, safety rules and demands and yet allow hunting rifles, handguns. If one is a target shooting competitor and uses an AR-15, then it must be locked up under strong lock and key in unbreakable safes and only used for that purpose. To be honest I see no reason for that competition, but so be it. And safety first. Always.
     Yes, advance programs for mentally disturbed people and hey, there ya go, Donald old boy, but to propose locking them up and throwing away the key?! C'mon. People do get healed. Proper treatment, proper behavior, but the base of it all is the wild access to guns. Guns kill when a person pulls the trigger so people kill using this inanimate object. Limit access. Have coordinated background checks. And for Heaven's sake, arming teachers is a bad idea for many reasons. First of all, teachers signed up to teach, not to serve and protect in armed battles. There are people for that and if it takes hiring one or two per building then so be it. Government has no money for it - fine, bet the parents would pay for it and hey, cut down on Pruitt's travel and hey, there is the funding for it!!! Teachers are human too and what if one has a breakdown and breaks out his gun in school? Oops on that!! What if one is shot and his gun taken up by an accomplice of the shooter and wow, such a defense we have - increase the shooting power of the killer. Brilliant!!!
     I was a teacher and a principal and I dearly loved my educational kids, still keep in touch with many of them and I will tell you that a gun has no place in a school other than on a background checked security person. I spoke up for my kids, watched out for them on trips of varying durations but would I have the courage to stand in front of an assault rifle, know I would die and then the kids would be shot anyway? I believe I would rather think of ways to achieve safety and preferably prevent the shooter from getting in the building in the first place. Prevention is the answer. Always.
     Enough with the yadda, yadda, yadda. Enough with the repetition of 'strong' by Trump. His words and promises mean nothing, as much as the opioid programs he started. Oh, wait, no he did not. Only lies and lies and deflection. No assuming responsibility. He is in office now and it is time he realizes what he must do for the people. If he cannot do this - then get him gone. NOW!
     Time to join the kids in protests, in demonstrations nd in walkouts. There are many dates including April 20. Let us all make it very clear to our elected officials that if they are bought by private interest, we will turf them out of office.

BRING IT ON

     Once again we are at a turn in the road here in CVWPB. WE have a choice here. Either we say enough is enough and do not vote for this man so way beyond his sell by date or we allow this to continue via the apathy, the fear? that some have, the hunger for power, for placement, like the little fish who live off the shark. This administration is almost totally overdue for retirement.
     We have Joy Fossil, oops, Vestal, who has followed her leader right into the heart of the power grab. She has grabbed two positions, each of which should preclude the other, and using this power cuts people out of access to the Rag and then they wonder why the CV Messenger? Simply because it presents an open and   honest look at the Village. If there is too much negativity as the shill for David has written, well, that is perhaps because there is so much wrong with the Village and the way it is run. This paper is open for truth while the Rag shuts it out. Joy needs to retire from VP and stick to her paper and bring it back to a higher status rather than a glorified Pennysaver of the CVWPB.
     David has gone on the attack. He has rolled out his shill, Lanny Howe, and trying a new tactic. He is having Lanny write his praises while damning the opposition with faint praise and retractions in the very next sentence. Read the postings re David and Ed Black. Either we value knowledge or we do not. Either we realize that we need to insure honesty and straightforwardness or we do not. Either we value decency and kindness or we do not. Either we value free speech or we do not. Voting for David again makes a telling statement as to where one stands.
    Either of his opponents are capable people, have spent years in service to the Village and are not afraid to stand up for the truth, to get up there and put themselves out. My concern is like a prior election wherein David won under a split vote, won as a minority candidate, and we must stop that. I believe that Jack Adams would be a good President but there is too much concern over the plan for a manager and in the speed it would be tackled. Marcia knows UCO inside and out, has a great passion for the right thing, for doing the right thing, for pushing for the safety of the Village, for its betterment and is honest to the nth degree. We need to make a choice so the vote is not split. I think that is clear and the choice is clear as well.
     Who the hell is Louise Warner? 'Nuff said on that issue. Phyllis is the way to go. It is a clear and correct choice and the best one for the Village. She has the heart, the knowledge, the will and desire to do the best for the people of the Village, the stamina to do it, the honesty, and is just the way we need to go. And guess what? She actually thinks as a separate person and does not rely on Stewart to guide her as a dependent! Shame on you, David Israel, shame on you. And shame on those of you who parrot this ridiculous statement. One does not take the word of a life long bachelor, a lonely man, on the characteristics of a marriage!!!
     And now the case of the two Eds. Okay. Full disclosure. Ed B. has been helpful to some in some ways. Period. His otherwise dealings though have outweighed the good. He has lurked in the UCO office for years, without an elected office, without an elected positon. He glommed onto almost every opening in UCO, like an octopus with eight arms. He was and is the shadow behind the throne, the ominous one always ready to encourage shadowy dealings with our funds, the vagueness of one account for reserves, the actions that brought us to teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and saved only by the actions of Dorothy Tetro. He has engaged in bad deals such as the sloppy and poor paving, the messes by security until a new way was found and now I am hearing that there are more and more cars having trouble getting in using their car IDs. Yet another mess! We were promised cameras, they were forced upon us, and what do we have? A safer Village? Nope, we have one that is actually having more issues with that than before. Cameras before fixing fences. More flowers and more bushes but new fences along Haverhill? We now have two detectives assigned to the Village. Folks, that is not really a good sign.
     On the other hand we have Ed G. Can he be abrasive? Yes. Does he know his stuff? Oh yes indeed. Does he care for the Village? Have his suits, his arguments been for himself or for the Village. Has he been correct in his arguments? Was he correct about the paving, about the wasting of funds elsewhere, of new ways in which to generate funds? Has he been prescient re new awaiting debacles? Does he know accounting principles by both education and practice? Every answer is a big YES. Ed B. can remain in UCO on some committees. At least that is more than I get permission for!!! Right, David? 200 million readers, right? Delusions. But Ed G. is the way to go.
     Let us fix our wonderful home and keep it the great place it is to live. Let us oust people like Kelly with his motel that still exists, or with other people who buy and rent on weekly and daily leases. Where are the Boards and Officers to stop this? Why do they not get guidance and advice and why, why, do we allow this - ask Ed B.  about the guidance and aid he gave Kelly. Two mouths?
     Please, for the sake of us all, let us go down the right path this election. And please, I must get back to my primary target, the one who will destroy the whole country - Trump and his dishonesty, lack of decency, incompetence, lying and lying and lying and severe mental confusion. He shilly - shallys along and we are going down the drain, turning into a nation that will find it hard to become that nation once again. Enough. Vote the right way here in the Village and out there at election time. Aaahhh, wouldn't that be nice.

A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE

A Woman of Substance

What does it mean to known as a women of substance?  The dictionary lists a variety of meanings. One is “substantial or solid character or quality” . Based on this definition, a woman of character is consistent, has more to her than meets the eye and has a variety of interests outside and within her home and family. She is interesting to get to know; she possesses a depth of personality of character.

Beside virtue and other character qualities, a women of substance has knowledge. This type of women takes to the time to educate herself fully about the issues that she is involved in. She will know about the concerns of residents in her Village and will want to take action to do all she can to help.  She will be aware of and participate in the operations of UCO because that is what a dedicated women of substance would do.

These qualities are what Phyllis Richland, candidate for UCO V.P.  brings to our Village.  She knows the rules and regulations of condo living.  She knows the rules by which associations must conform.  She has been a VP for 5 UCO Administrations.  She has been an ardent advocate for the elderly.   Because of her ability to get to the heart of issues quickly and her ability to articulate difficult issues in language that is easily understood, she was appointed to the West Palm Beach Fire Department Advisory Board.

Phyllis Richland is of strong character, conviction, beauty of spirt, moral and principally strong, steadfast and humble.  What else is there to say, when you have a person of character such as Phyllis, your decision to who of vote for in the upcoming UCO election is a “no brainer.”

Muhammed Bello Usman wrote a poem entitled Women of Substance  I am sure that he had a women like Phyllis Richland in mind when he penned  the following:

Strong and Courageous

Focused and Determined

More of a leader than a follower

Bold and Firm

And leaves nothing to chance

She sets heroic goals as short term

Views it from the angle of infinite possibility

With courage and perseverance

She lays foundation upon the peak of an average man’s success

She lives by choice and not by chance

Vote for Phyllis Richland for UCO VicePresident

HONEST WORDS

Here is the response of Stewart Richland to the dastardly and cowardly words of David Israel and Barbara Cornish. Below this entry is my blog which I wrote about this and other issues of the election. Please read both for the information is important. Thamk you.
   

A mind is a very complicated organ.  We live in a world where there is so many things going on that its very difficult to absorb it all.  I believe that heredity and environment  interact constantly.  I was brought up in a home in which mother and father treated each other as equals.  Both of my parents respected each other’s opinions. They believed that even though a good marriage  works when  both parents agree on many issues, they are entitled to their own views and will act accordingly.  My parents were married for over 70 years, they struggled to make ends meet during the depression. In the post-WW II era they both worked in order to save money to buy a house.  Life in the Richland family was a partnership in all things.  My mother worked hard all her life.  What I learned from being part of the Richland family was that women were a powerful force.  They had brains and energy and most of all they were equal in all ways to men.

Fifty-two years ago, I was introduced to Phyllis by some of my high school  colleagues.  We went to the “Red Apples Rest”  on old route 17, and spent half the night talking about ourselves and our family and what we wanted out of life.  What impressed me most was the fact that Phyllis was then and still an independent person.  Phyllis was not a person to confine her self to making puddings and knitting stockings.  She was a person that always needed exercise for her faculties and a field for her efforts as much as men do.  Phyllis is a feminist.  Early on in our marriage  she was very active in the women’s “conscience raising” group.  She condemned those groups in our society that supported the idea that a women role is basically subservient to men.

I took great pride in the fact that when Phyllis joined the work force, in the construction industry which was dominated by men, her skills, ability and intellect provided her the opportunity to rise to a position as partner in a million dollar enterprise. 

When we moved to Century Village 22 years ago, Phyllis was asked to take over the presidency of our association.  She has held this position ever since.  It did not take Phyllis long to realize that she could make a contribution to life here in the Village.  She became a volunteer at UCO and then ran for V.P. and won.  Her record as a VP  was outstanding.  Very few people could ever come close to all of the great things she contributed to our way of life here in the Village. 

After a brief respite from Village activity, Phyllis decided to it was now time to toss her hat in the ring and run for UCO office.  After her formal announcement, some people voiced their displeasure about her decision to run because I was a sitting VP.  They said that this was morally wrong.  I disagree.  At a meeting I challenged this view and said that those people who feel this way really did not know Phyllis. Independent is her middle name along with character,  honesty and integrity. 

People who cast their vote for Phyllis, will do so because they feel that she is the most qualified person to hold that office, and those who choose someone else will do so, and not because of this bogus moral argument offered by some disgruntled villagers.

I was aghast at the comments that  President Dave Israel made on his blog  this afternoon.  Here is a man that has never been married making observations about married  couples. As I observed at the beginning of my article that a mind is a complicated organ and that many of our conclusions about the human condition is tempered by our life’s experience and environment .  His remarks clearly illustrate that he lacks any understanding of how most married couples interact. 

His blog comments are not only naive but lacks any understanding that two people could be married and not have differing views and still be civil to each other.  Does he think that if Phyllis and I disagree on an issue that we would  conduct ourselves in anything less then “good form?”

Then what is the real reason why Israel made those comments in his blog.  He is afraid of  strong women who have their own ideas and will disagree  and challenge him. This is exactly the type of person Dave fears, a person just like Phyllis Richland. She will not be intimidated by Israel and his antics and fight solely for what is good for the village.  This explains why so many women have been forced off committees at UCO.  Israel  cannot deal with any women that his a mind of her own and will not allow themselves to bullied.   This is what Israel is really afraid of. 

Phyllis Richland is a strong, tough person who has shown  over and over that she a perfect fit for UCO.  Her past achievements as a UCO officer should be her best recommend+3ation for our voting delegates.

Dave Israel’s comments is just a sad commentary about his lack of  understanding of women, marriage and independent  persons.  His attempt to denigrate Phyllis as a candidate is pathetic.   All those who know Phyllis will easily read between the lines of Israel’s  blog and realize that this is a man that is truly afraid of an intelligent and outspoken women.

I urge all to vote for Phyllis Richland for UCO Vice President.  In a Village which is going through so many changes we need quality persons in UCO.  Phyllis Richland is the only choice.

DIRTY POLITICS

  Nope, not talking about the national or state or even local levels, though the dirty politics abound there. I am talking about the politics right here in Century Village and guess who is at the head of it all. Right!!! David Israel.
     His opinion to the contrary, that he has been the savior, rather than the destroyer of the Village, of its whole gestalt, this is a man who attacks one and all who might appear to threaten his dominance and reign and cares naught who comes under his batteries of nasty words.
     His latest targets? The Richlands. Full disclosure - they are friends of ours and I admire them for the hard work they do and have done for the Village. Stewart puts time and effort into the job, often riding around the Village with the CAM, looking for areas of concern, answering questions and needs of the residents and moreover, does not crow about it all day long.
    Phyllis probably has done more for the personal lives of people in this Village. She is a long time member of a board that works with the Fire Department. She knows the system back and  forth and knows therefore how to advise our people as to where to go, where to turn for help in moments of need. As VP she spent more hours in that office than anyone I know, other than David who sits there all day long, into the night, holidays and workdays doing nothing but messing around on OUR computers, on our dime, looking for mischief to be done, snooping around and allegedly threatening all who oppose him or displease him with his "ability" to find and know all about them.
     The man has no life. He has no personality other than nasty. He has no clue as to how to properly relate to people. He exaggerates his prior life duties and his accomplishments here in the Village. Yes, he has given time to us, but what has he done with that time? Even assuming he has meant well in the beginning, it appears to have devolved into a desperate campaign for him to retain his throne, his 'power', rather than how to help the Village.  
     Thus we come to his dastardly attack on the Richlands. What? Why? Now, it appears that married couples have no independence of each other. It appears that they work out of one brain, one mind, and cannot function otherwise. Do not elect a married couple, he states. Well, we are not. Stewart is already in office and Phyllis is running as an independent woman, possessing a fine and independent mind. She ran her own business in her prior life, worked hard here in the Village, and has given much time and effort way above the call of duty to the people here and guess what? She did it without checking with Stewart as to how she should or does feel or how she should act.
     David has no life. He has no true friends other than the sycophants that suck up to him for a bit of supposed power. He has his co-partner in bad decisions, Ed Black, running for Treasurer, just another road to mismanaging our funds, messing up the Village  and that is all she wrote, folks.
     Dirty politics, attacking on a nebulous and faulty premise, denigrating a person's brain power without cause and, in my opinion, definitely letting his misogyny show through. Women, evidently, need to consult with husbands before making any decision. They must consult as to how they should think or vote or talk. Well, screw you, David, but this is not the case. Welcome to the 21st century. Women work independently and have done so for lo these many a year. And by the way, remember the famous couple, one a Republican and one a Democrat, working in Washington and remaining married and golly gee, working independently of each other.
     So you have thrown David Boas under the bus, now attack Phyllis and your best VP, Stewart, bring Barbara Cornish into the melee and she adds in her nasty two cents and may I ask, Barbara, when you were in UCO and Frank hung out there the whole time you were there, or even now - are you Frank's stooge? Is that the truth of it all? Is that why you wrote your nasty addition on the poisoned blog of David?
     This is the time to make a change. Unfortunately the lack of candidates this year is most telling of an apathy, of a who cares attitude, knowing that what the hey! David will just work with Ed and gin up some 'boards' which do not exist, get 'delegates' and have them vote for him. We have seen these dry and withered zombie delegates get off the bus, out of cars, go in and vote and leave. Time and time again and we cannot show which people are involved because guess who holds these papers and info tighter than Trump holds on to unwilling women?!
     The David slate? Feh!!! Just walk around the Village and notice the repairs to the sidewalks and now the perimeter road with a large section dug up and repaved. Ooops!!!! Thought this was supposed to last 30 years! Hmmm, as stable as the rest of his broken promises. So let us all wake up and do ourselves a favor. Vote the right way. 
      Marcia has given many years and much effort to this Village and so has Jack Adams. I just do not now if there is a realistic possibility to Jack's idea and wish to insure that we do not split the vote. VP - PHYLLIS!!! If a second one is wished for then David Boas, hoping he has learned how fickle David Israel is, especially if you do not give him what he wants. Treasurer - oohh, I shudder at the thought of Ed there , so close to the money again. He led us with his buddy into bankruptcy once before, has wasted our money in other ways , so please, vote for Ed Grossman who has spent years fighting the establishment of David Israel, taken a great deal of undeserved abuse and who knows his stuff.
     The Village needs this change. We need to retire those who do not have the best interests of the Village at heart and if you need more concrete proof of that - we are told that Atlantic is halfway there on its deadline of installation. Really? Could have fooled me. Anyone notice trucks, or flags for digging, or surveyors for it, or plans or any damn thing? I thought not. Yet another debacle from the hands of David. We are not in safe hands with him. Wonder what will happen when Comcast contract is over and Atlantic is nowhere around. Guess we will all have to gather around the radio once more. Ahh, nostalgia.
    Vote the right slate, not the old stale one.

WE DON'T NEED NO ........

     The song of rebellion continued with the word education, but today it is that very thing, education, that our young are trying to attain even as they are shot at, slaughtered in what should be a place of safety and security.
     But what can we expect in and from a country that appears to have been played as a fool, its democracy usurped by its long term enemy, and with a President who chooses to believe the man who instigated it all, Putin, over his own intelligence officers. And then proceeded to "call names" in a kindergarten manner to those who opposed him. What can we expect?
     Shamed enough to realize that he had better not play golf only miles away from the scene of the tragedy, Trump consulted with the arbiters of the country - the guests at Mar a Lago!! He needed their opinion on gun control! Truly. Guess all these lives that have been lost are not enough for him. Nor has he found it advisable  to chime in with a yes for a military funeral for JROTC Cadet Peter Wang who died as a hero.
     I believe that when the investigation is complete that Trump and his cohorts will be found guilty of collusion, knowing what they were doing or at the very least just being played the fool, but even if that is the case we do not need a fool  at the head of government. Nor do we need people who accept help from the enemy. Nor do we need people who do  not value our democracy and dignity. Nor do we need people who think their job and privilege in this administration is to live the high life at our expense and use their powers to enhance their bottom line.
     So, fool, or active co-partner in betraying our country, greedy, or choose your own adjective or noun, this  is distinctly not my president, nor yours, nor ours. There is no way that we can point to a specific measurement and say AHA! There it is, but we can certainly understand the total affect and its effect upon the election and its result. The actions of the Russians and  the actions of the Americans who joined these Russian trolls certainly had an effect. The divisions of the nation were exacerbated and now the result, the one which is continuing the destruction of all that America is and was and should be in the future.
     So what to do? March on the 24th of March. Join in with the walkout on the 17th of March for 17 minutes, a minute for each life of  Parkland. Tell Ryan to man up. Tell representatives in all governments that enough is enough and they need the education! Or  for G-ds sake stop those third graders in Missouri from raffling off an AR-15.
    Will  we never learn!

CRY THE BELOVED COUNTRY

     I have borrowed the title from Alan Paton who wrote the novel that goes with the title all so many years ago. He wrote of a South Africa that was being torn asunder with apartheid and hatred, prejudice and truly foolish decisions. And now it is our turn here in the States to cry for our beloved country.
     Land of the free. Home of the brave. Welcoming shores for the wretched of the world. Religious freedom and separation of church and state. Opportunities for all. Horatio Alger.
     And now? Now, where are we? What are we doing? What have we done? What have we allowed to happen? Quite frankly and simply, we have given away our country. The powers that be have betrayed us all in the name of power and wealth, of greed. They have sold their souls down the river, found their own personal Lola and in their twisted desires and ambitions have sold us all down the river.
     Cry, my country, cry. We have allowed a foreign country, a declared enemy, to gain entry into the very heart of us, free elections, honest elections, the heart of our democracy. We have allowed Russia to tinker and tamper with it all and look at the result. We have a buddy of our enemy and its leader, Putin, our own doofus of the nth degree, a nasty one at that. We are no longer an integral, intact country  for we have allowed our own sovereignty to be damaged.
     Cry, my country, for we have allowed our young to be slaughtered indiscriminately. Why? Again, all for the sake of money. Check how many of our elected representatives on all levels of government have accepted bribe money and yes, for that is what it is, accepted these dirty funds so they can get elected. How many of our spineless representatives truly care about the life damage they have done and continue to do. Very few.
     Oh, they will wring their hands, cry crocodile tears, and send their "thoughts and prayers" but they can take those and shove them you know where!! They mean nothing without action and yet they appear to be paralyzed. The Second Amendment can stand; people can own personal handguns, can engage in target shooting, can own rifles for hunting and competition, but no! They cannot own assault weapons. They must be vetted. They must pass tests, take safety lessons, repeat them at intervals, sign pledges, whatever it takes to keep our young safe. How many more scenes of bloodshed must we witness!!!
     So now our young are speaking for themselves. They are protesting, demanding answers and actions. We, the supposed adults, in this equation had better back them up. It is one thing to have drills for fire, for emergencies but why do all children now have to have active shooter drills. Why does my granddaughter have to learn how to safely exit via windows purposely designed for that. Why are new school buildings now being designed as fortresses instead of places of learning and growth. Why? Because we have lost our way and sacrificed the lives of our kids in the name of what some so selfishly want and in the weakness of others who have allowed this to happen.
     So cry, my country, cry, and cry. We have a President who is incapable of empathy, of understanding the pain of others for he is consumed with his own self So his idea of comforting victims is to take a pose with the first responders, do a two thumbs up with his typical smirk, and crow about it - "the 45th president of the United States." Feh!!!
     Cry, my country, for we have allowed a dangerous man to steer the ship of state. This man has sold us to our enemies and while he crows all day long about 'fake news' he cannot cry away the truth. It comes out. It takes precedence, even if delayed. It grows with more facts and the next step is the indictment of traitor Americans, right up to, I am afraid, yet convinced, right up to the very top. I am truly sorry for those who still hope this is not the case, but it is. All this cannot go on without the conceited head of it all knowing and perhaps even assigning and delegating.
     Cry, my so beloved country, that is so riven with hatred that false postings are put out about Black Panther showings. Cry we must. Cry that we have some souls who are out there, fighting, even a major Republican donor telling the party that his money stays with him unless there is major legislation regarding assault weapons. But where are the rest of us?
     So thank you, Alan Paton, for this oh so sadly relevant title. Cry, my own beloved country that has turned its back on its own essence, on its own citizens, on its future citizens and indeed, on its own future as a democracy. Cry not just for the Dreamers, but for the dream of America itself. Cry, my beloved country.

WHAT TO SAY

     More hand wringing. More "thoughts and prayers" and more useless hot air that means nothing. More children dead.
     What is there to say when a lesson of blood and tears is never learned. Why is it that a President who himself is allegedly mentally ill as determined by his behavior can repeat his thoughts and prayers meme, talk of the mentally ill and propose yet another program, one of his many that never seem to take off and it means nothing, less than nothing, worse than nothing. Words. Words that are empty. Words that further abrade the national psyche. Words that not only do not stop the carnage, but in fact, encourage more of it by refusing to face the truth.
     Assault weapons. Semi automatic assault weapons. Yes, needed for military and perhaps policing purposes but why should I or any other person be allowed to enter a gun store and buy one? Why should a semi be so easily adapted to become fully automatic? Why is the ammo so easily available?
     These are questions that have been asked and asked and asked and never have received a valid response. To flaunt the Second Amendment is not the answer. Yes, after thorough vetting and strict elimination of mentally ill candidates, violent offenders, domestic abusers, etc. people should be allowed to buy a handgun IF they qualify. They should not be allowed to buy off line at a gun show or in states with looser rules. A gun is a weapon. Period. It can be used for self defense. A rifle can be used for hunting. But why does any normal citizen need an assault weapon? There is only one answer to that and it is not acceptable. It is to kill. Period!
     Some claim it is fun to shoot. Maybe. I have no clue as I cannot even lift them and have no desire to either. But lift them and shoot them in a target range and leave them there. Why are they on the streets? Why are they so easily available to kill our children, our teachers who gave their lives for these children, to kill bystanders, to kill at all! Why must we see again and again the photos and videos of military looking police storming a building where the future is supposed to be getting educated and instead are getting shot. How many more photos of kids walking out with their hands up so they are distinguishable from the violators, the murderers?
    Are we not tired of this? I am. My heart breaks for the parents and families of these victims. A life has been wiped out. A future has been stolen. And more crocodile tears from the world, from the politicians, from NRA zealots.
     In a civilized world children are sacrosanct. They are the future of mankind. We have not been perfect in our treatment of children but we have made great strides and then this happens. Or we see the armies of stolen children forced into war in Africa and Asian countries at war with themselves. We have seen the young girls stolen and brutally enslaved,  serving as sex slaves in many cases. And here - we simply allow them to be killed.
     And you know, this whole DACA business is simply a sign of the crap that goes around. All proposals defeated, now there is one to basically sell them for $5 billion a year for "security" and they have to register every two years. So for money they can stay? Are they not contributing with their work, their taxes, their businesses? Why can they not become citizens of a country they love - until we force them otherwise with our stupidity.
     What is the matter with us? Why do we ignore the corrupt, the evil, the horrifying and stick to stupid and deadly actions or lack thereof? Why? What is there to say? What to say? Nothing. Nothing at all. Just mourn with the families and  call your representatives. Besiege the NRA with emails, with calls, with letters. Words. Words. What to say.
     May their memories be for a blessing and  may they rest eternally under the sheltering wings of G-d.

THE LADDER OF JACOB

   

     Jacob's ladder. Remember the Bible story? There are many interpretations, but I prefer to think of the struggle between Jacob and the angel as the fight for humans to live the right way, to be or attain the rank and aspects of angels, to fight for good and resist the temptation and ease, yes, ease, of living life the wrong way, immoral, evil, just plain nasty.

     Jacob won, but I fear that many of us have preferred not to take advantage of that victory and instead live life under the axiom of evil is as evil does. And that evil flows from the top right down to the little and minor minions of evil leaders.

     Yet another school shooting and 17 dead with others in danger of loss of life due to wounds. Already, in a year scarcely begun we have had EIGHTEEN school attacks and all we give the kids are crocodile tears, sympathy as such, while not doing a damn thing to limit the availability of AR-15s. Gun control? Nah!! Angels 0 Evil 1+.

     And who decides on this perverted policy? Why the political leaders who give in to pressure from gun nuts who cannot see the difference between a personal handgun allowed after a thorough background check and an assault rifle available to all, mentally ill as well. And so life continues - though not for so many kids and teachers.

    The lies among the ruling class and yes, I purposely use that word - ruling - for we are coming to that society where there is a distinct  separation of citizens of rank from the plebes. Anyway, they lie through their damned teeth with their forked tongues and bleed crocodile tears for those among us who need and deserve help. Their ladder only leads downwards, way down.

     So immigration compromises, bad in their own way, are reached, and yet some refuse to see the justice, refuse to look at others as fellow human beings, fail to understand that life is to attempt to climb that ladder, not slide down as quickly as one can. So Trump threatens and others cower and crap rains down on us all.

     Hypocrisy reigns. Immigrants are bad; they take the jobs of "Americans" - so tell me, why of 100 jobs at Trump properties were all foreign workers other than one given the jobs under the visa program. There goes that Trump and is that a tail I am seeing? Perhaps, but I do love the view of his bald head as the wind blows his pathetic hair apart! Small head, no brain room. Aha!!

     We have an administration where 100 staffers in the White House are still without permanent certification - all the better to accommodate the needs of Putin? Who the hell knows!! We have a lawyer who does what no other lawyer has done - supposedly pay $130,000 for a payoff because once again Trump cannot keep his zipper zipped - and never asked for a repayment! Believe that? Want the bridge or the tunnel?

     Yet another tell all book, this one by Reince Priebus and I salivate to read it. Each time the truth comes out we find that not only are we not climbing that ladder, but we have sawed off some rungs, making it even harder. We have a President now who has decided that in his madness of huge budget deficits he knows how to get money - and yes, it will hurt his unseeing base. Another 25 cents tax per gallon on fuel. So the poor dude or dudette trying to get to the low paying job will now have to pay a whole lot more to reach it - so just cut the food budget, I guess. We can all stand to lose a few pounds. And the kids going hungry? Oh, what a great story they will have to tell their kids. The sounds an empty stomach makes, the ache in the gut, the lack of fuel for the mind. But what the hey! Just another glorious day in the Trump reign.

     And the hypocrisy and uncaring continue into all levels of government. We have a particular problem here in CV WPB. We have a man who is under the delusion that some Being seems to have appointed him Leader for Life. Is he related to the Kims or other Leaders for Life? Who knows and what is more, who cares. All I know is that nasty is as nasty does and trust me, the nasty is here in huge amounts. 

     He claims the authorship of any and all advances made in the Village when so many others were the ones who suggested these changes and carried them out or got them started. Or prevented his disasters from fruition. He claims he benefitted the Village and yet here we are now cutting up large sections of the main road and having to repave them piecemeal, even as he denied through his lying teeth that the job stunk to the nth degree. So yup, more money down the toilet after we flushed $5 million plus down the toilet, a flush of Dave's instigation.

     We are supposedly 'halfway' done on an Atlantic Broadband installation yet no one has seen any work at all and the company needed a delay on a reporting session. Hmmm - yet another debacle for which we Villagers will have to pay the piper. I guess tough on those who are already squeezed. Just refer back to the previous paragraph of going hungry.

     He has taken credit for a clicker system that others pleaded for, suggested over and over again for years, but when the reality of the holes in the paper slip voting was too much to cover up anymore - now the clickers and now, without training for those zombie delegates who only attend the election assembly, for those who cannot figure out how to separate the voting for positions - suddenly it will be a clicker vote. Smell something? What about the timing? What about those people who sign in but then walk in a bit later to the assembly? Do they miss their vote? Is this done on purpose to cut out those Jews who are praying at that time and find it extremely difficult to make the timing? Hmmmm- David or G-d? David or G-d? Make your choice.

     He has  his stooge, Lanny, write whereof he knows not, just parroting what David tells him to write. We have the same kind of praise comments similar to Trump's adoring group of administrators. Guess the fear of losing a bit of power is universal. And then, any opponent or one who disagrees with his statements are blocked, yes BLOCKED, from a return comment. Oh, the fear that lives within the hearts of dictators. So the man writes a nasty, untrue large paragraph demeaning and insulting a candidate, Ed Grossman, who has committed the cardinal sin of calling David on the carpet myriad times and forced him to fix some of his egregious errors. For that, even as Ed climbs the ladder, he has earned the eternal hatred of David Israel and his coterie of hanger ons. And yes, full disclosure, David hates me too and has stated in open meetings that I may never fulfill my duties as a member of a committee for I spoke negatively about him and evidently he feels that 200 million people read about him on my blog. Wow!!! I do have foreign readers, though how they find me I know not, but 200 million! Wow!! Gotta tell my grandchildren. They will be so proud!!

     In any case, are we going to climb the ladder or block that climb for others or worse, go the other way. Did Jacob fight a pointless battle for humans or not? We see the glory of mankind in those who fight for the rights of others, in those who sacrifice for others, in the lives of the brave journalists who face prison and even death for their coverage of the truth, in the beauty of the German pair skating last night, in the love of a mother for her child ad her desperate situation as she is chased by those who hate her because of her religion or ethnicity.

     The ladder is there. WE need to make that choice. Now.

     

     

Ed Grossman for Treasurer

WHEN A LIAR LIES

     Weird title? What else does a liar do but lie? Well, think about it. What happens when a liar lies, when yet another bull**** story is concocted in order to explain away some one or another of gaffes that simply come  rolling down the line. In this case, it is not a 10 year old kid telling a lie about why his homework is non existent. Instead it is about a systemic series of liars and their lies and in this case, the damage is nationwide and even worldwide. It is a virus of contagion that seems to never end as each and every one of the top rungs of the administration fall to this virus - or perhaps even solicit the virus even as parents used to have chicken pox parties for their kids.
     It is one thing to do something bad or off or in error - if it is in error - and another to lie about it. It simply adds to the lack of moral character that this administration evidences and to their stupidity as lie after lie is refuted ad yet there they are, the kid with the cookie crumbs around his mouth and the chocolate stains on his hands, but nope, he did not take another cookie. Uh - uh, not him. 
     How are we supposed to function as a country when its very leader and cohorts lie as naturally as breathing. How are we to function when there is simply no more trust between leader and people. How are we to function when we are treated with contempt, as the liars think we will never uncover their lies and if we do - so what!!!
     So let us take a look at the latest lies, the most recent ones of a wacky and slimy 13 months of a Trumpian culture and of course the campaign. It is nigh onto impossible to document all his lies though the NY Times did give it a good try recently. 
so....
      1. The administration and Trump in particular are just shocked by the revelations about domestic abuser Rob Porter. They simply never knew this. Uh, Wray, the FBI Director under sworn testimony detailed the true timeline. Oops!
     2. Trump never abused anyone, and even if he did, they are still telling lies about him and his own voice confirming his sleaziness and possible criminal behavior - well, that is a lie too. Just ask him! So Summer Zervos is telling a lie I guess. And the $130,000 payment was made not by Trump or the campaign but evidently by his lawyer, Michael Cohen, who just threw himself under the wheels of the bus all for his boss to remain clean. Well, guess what. I do not believe him, nor does it explain away why there was a need to pay off, and nor does it take away from Trump's nauseating behavior and complete and total lack of decency and understanding of a moral life. Such is the realm of liars.
     3.The lies are catching. Even the wives or spouses are not immune. Louise Linton, the wife of Mnuchin, keeps opening mouth and inserting her foot as she tries to explain away her egregious behavior. So to do that she used visual aids and showed a picture of herself in a sexy kitten pose!! Just what the hell are these people thinking! Do they have any brains at all? What universe do they think they occupy? How much more contempt can they display towards the electorate?
     4. Russia, Best buddy, Putin. Did they or didn't they? This is not an old Clairol commercial. There is a huge backlog of proof about the Russian interference in 2016 and their continued interference and nefarious plans for 2018. Even the intel chiefs warn us about this. Their bots have been exposed. Their trolling has been exposed. But nope, Putin is like somebody's best bud, so no more sanctions, please. Lies, lies and more lies.
     5. Subtopic - the memo. The Democrat's memo tells the truth, presents all the facts and does not conveniently use lie telling via omission, leaving out all the telling and truth confirming details and they refuse to back down. Good for them. I just hope they maintain this moral backbone. Why should the lies of omission and commission of the Trumpian dynasty not be revealed. Why may we not finally have the opportunity to set the facts out and if Pence was involved as I am coming to believe more and more, then oust him as well.
     6. The lies in the behavior of his Secretaries. Huh!! They claim innocence from their outrageous first class flying bills - well, they certainly knew where their asses were, in what seat. How difficult is it to tell the organizer to book coach!! Lies yet again. And again. Even as they go about destroying the safety regulations and destroy our natural environment. Lies and lies.
     7. They love immigrants - if they are legal, right? Wrong. The roundups, the arbitrary grabbing of people off the streets, out of buildings, at court on other business, in front of families with no warning, not even a goodbye hug - these exist. These moral failings, this huge fault line in their values system exists and it is beyond morally chastising words. Thank the Lord there are lawyers fighting the battle and  one was saved right off the plane . But how many do we not hear about? How many deaths in the awful overcrowded detention ecnters? How many neglected minors? And selfishly, how much are we losing as a nation from the young and eager, the new thinking, the additional mix to our culture, our rich mix that has made the USA unique. How many more lies that rip people apart do we have to suffer?
     What happens when liars lie? Disaster that creeps upon us, sometimes faster and sometimes slower, but creeps it does. We are losing our souls even as the liar in chief keeps on going like an evil Energizer bunny. What happens when a liar lies. He takes other along with him and we are compromised as a people, as individuals and as a group, as we tolerate this.
     Liars are reprehensible and their lies harmful and morally so wrong. Time to get the liars out of town, out of Congress, out of the State houses, out of our lives.

ILLUSIONS AND DELUSIONS

     Over the past few weeks, and especially this last week, it has been my privilege to attend some wonderful performances. The talent, the cooperative spirit, the variety, the salad bowl of performers - wow. And perhaps it was a delusion, but it appeared to me to be a wonderful display of multi origined people coming together as one. The most striking and impressive performance was the African American singer presesnting a heart wrenching "Old Man River". Heart, soul, mind and body were all there. The standing ovation was simply automatic.
     So where is the place of illusions and delusions. It now feels as if the delusions and illusions are in the political world, rather than in the theatrical one. We simply cannot accept what DC says anymore. Truly, the supposedly drained swamp is now overflowing with garbage and yet, the delusion that it is not is believed by too many.
     And so, what the hell are we doing here in this country.  I saw a famous comedian strike out as he veered off path to political lecture and lies. We have Omarosa on TV talking of the dangers of the White House and the worse version awaiting in the wings should Trump be impeached. Pence, she says, thinks Jesus talks to him! Reminds me of the sentence on a church bulletin nearby. "G-d wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts." Oh, yes and that goes for all extremists no matter the religion.
     So we have weird things going on and one wonders if the White House is just another performance arena, demoted from a place of thought, of national care and concern, of deeper thinking and responsibility to the people. Never perfect, it now is a  perfect disaster.
     We have an administration of 34% turnover and that does not include the vacant positions that run a government. We have a President who is just a numbskull, changing his words and statements from minute to minute, literally, and has a memory like a sieve. One wonders if his brain is full of holes from whatever disease is affecting him for how else to explain him - but then again - how to explain those who shore him up, who lie thru their teeth, who stumble and fall in their eagerness to be his lapdogs. Who get kicked in the rear and then kneel and present themselves for another kick. 
     A budget of enormous additional debt, one that gives the man his military joys but cuts out the social safety net is prepared to leave the elderly, the poor, the sick, the needy all behind as these cuts are eagerly planned. We have a man who cherishes domestic abusers and sexual perverts - perhaps because he is a self admitted pervert though he now denies the tape of his own self talking. We have a budget that gives to the Fat Cats and takes from the rest, a reverse Robin Hood behavior. We have illusions of a caring budget even as the truth is that it is not and we will stand around and watch our country fall to pieces because the money is not there. Watch the debt grow, the social spending wind down and then - will it be delusional as we see people in the streets, hungry, sick with the air in a perpetual smog. Will we be deluded that we are still in the democratic country that America once was?  Illusions and delusions.
      We need to examine these illusions  and delusions, check their origin, their purpose and the harm they are doing to the country. Where does it end. We are in a war of words and weapons with North Korea. We now have killed Russian servicemen, put in a place where they do not belong and where we no longer belong either, if ever we did. We have deserted our allies. We present an illusion of being willing to cooperate on trade but actually are not willing at this point. We present a tormented illusion of what America is, what it was and what it is supposed to be.
     We are the country of the free, the brave, welcoming all to its shores and yet - our freedoms are being challenged as never before, our "welcomed" people are being hunted and chased down, thrown out of the country, ripped from their families, their jobs as teachers, nurses, students, repairmen, small business owners, parents, children - whatever -.
     To read a list of politicians who have accepted huge funds from oil companies now means one is to be dragged out of a public forum. To not show approval of Trump's speech is now considered "treasonous". And our children, the leaders of the future are confused. What is the illusion? What are the delusions? How do we separate them from reality, from eternal truth, from true national pride and history? How do we build a better world when the very leader of our country is just nuts and nasty!!
     Illusions and delusions. What a miserable situation.  

WHO THE HELL KNOWS!!

     Once again: who's on first? And with all due credit to Abbott and Costello - who the hell knows! At this point in time I do not believe that anyone in the current administration knows the answer to any question or any issue. It is even difficult to be sure exactly who is what and holding what position at any given moment.
     So is Kelly in or out - and frankly, who the hell cares. Will Mulvaney be the next Chief of Staff and oy vey for all of us if he is, a man with no heart and evidently no soul. Who will be the next sexual predator to be uncovered and exposed - and then praised - in our now scuzzy White House.  Guess it is a toss up. Why I have even heard that the President himself is a sexual predator - LOL.
     Do the Republicans really care about budget deficits or is it only if it is under a Democratic leader? Does it truly matter, especially now that we know how few morals and backbone the Party has? Nope, guess it does not.
     Does the true value of a person matter or is it judge by the nasties. Now here I am stuck. Rippon was verbally attacked by Pence and here he is shining in his performance for the USA at the skating finals. Hmmm. So, Pence, is he still bad because he is gay or is he good because of his skating - go ask your wife, I guess, and how does this apply to a Catholic first grade teacher kicked out of a seven year great job performance because she married her partner. Uh oh, not the right kind of Catholic I guess. But then again, I guess Trump is the right kind of sexual molester since he is remaining in his position. Unlike many others who resigned or were fired or ostracized. Who determines what? Who the hell knows and frankly it seems to be who the hell cares. Gillibrand does though as she wants Trump's resignation or Congressional hearings. Me too!!
    You know how we always wonder how a medical treatment request gets turned down? Well, here ya go!! A doctor in charge at Aetna in California says he never looks at the records, just signs off on a nurse's recommendation and decision. Knew something was off there and if one company does it what do you think? Do the other companies do it? Hmmmmm.
     Who the hell knows if we are even living in a democratic country anymore or if we have truly started down not the yellow brick road, but the dirty, filthy and nasty road to perdition, the one that leads to an autocratic America, a country where your color or religion or orientation or ethnicity or country of origin if not native, are all that matter. Who the hell knows? Nope, wrong question here, for any thinking person knows the answer to that. Yes, we have begun going down that road and if Trump has his way then we are doomed to be the generation that sends America to the penalty box never to come out.
     So what is the future of America the Beautiful, the country, the America, that we ask G-d to bless. The one with brotherhood and sisterhood? Who the hell knows and yet, we do know. We will turn into a nasty caricature of ourselves as we used to be, as we are supposed to be. And the scariest thing about this whole thing is that it is not only one person, me, writing about this, but lots of smarter and tuned in essayists and pundits and thinkers who are writing the same thing.
     Now I know that I taught my students that I was always right! And I taught the same thing to my family! LOL, but here is a situation where I hope that I am so wrong in my fears. Am I? What is the answer to the question : who the hell knows?