Norfolknet Politics, Opinions, and Rants of a Relevant Nature as Deemed by the Webmaster

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  • 12/11 9:32pm   Greetings. We [the Town of Norfolk] have organized a Study Group to look at other towns that have greater participation at Town Meeting than Norfolk to see if there are best practices that might make sense to adopt for our town. To help guide the Study Group, please take a moment to answer this short survey: Click Here to take survey
    Thanks!
    - DBW

    [Update 12/12 4:36pm: As of mid-afternoon [12/12], 47 people had responded to the Town Meeting informal survey. Thanks for your comments and suggestions for improving Town Meeting as well as future versions of the survey. To view the results, please click on this link: [click for page] - DBW]

  • 11/30 6:22pm   Re The more I hear and read about the Muslim religion the more I have to question whether as a community and a country it should be allowed to practice here in the US.
    What? I think you must be kidding or just starting trouble. Wm, I wish you a Happy Holiday, whatever that holiday may be. By the way... I am going to try a get a bill passed that every adult should get a good spank in the a** once a week (...except for the ones that would enjoy it).
    - DV

  • 11/30 5:14pm   The more I hear and read about the Christian religion the more I have to question whether as a community and a country it should be allowed to practice here in the US. The stories about the Westboro Baptist Church protesting at the funerals of soldiers has to make you wonder what type of people/government/religion would feel that such behavior is appropriate. Is our country prepared for these types of beliefs or should something be done to help stop this type of insanity from spreading within our borders? Do I raise a good point or should I stop listening to the president and the justices?
    - AL

  • 11/30 3:06pm   The more I hear and read about the Muslim religion the more I have to question whether as a community and a country it should be allowed to practice here in the US. The story about the school teacher teaching in Sudan has to make you wonder what type of people/government/religion would feel that such a punishment is warranted. Is our country prepared for these types of beliefs or should something be done to help stop this type of insanity from spreading within our borders? Do I raise a good point or should I stop listening to AM talk radio and the Savage Nation?
    - DF

  • 11/17 3:06pm   LS, So big deal they trumpet the fact. Correct me if I am wrong but do heterosexual teachers talk about their spouses, kids etc? Any gay teacher should also be allowed to speak about his/her partner, kids, life etc.
    - DWL

  • 11/17 3:03pm   JC - You're right, its a bit of a strong statement to say "vast majority," but bottom line is a teacher's lifestyle should not define them as a teacher. Have a good weekend.
    - LS

  • 11/17 9:56am   LS: The plain fact is that a vast majority of gay teachers trumpet that fact.
    Do they really? A vast majority? Wow! I've worked in public schools for the past 30 years, and I've never heard any trumpeting there. I guess I'll have to pay closer attention.
    - JC

  • 11/17 8:41am   DV - The plain fact is that a vast majority of gay teachers trumpet that fact. Just shut up and be gay (and teach) and no one could care less. I could care less if all my kids teachers are gay but don't stand up on a pulpit and preach about it. Period. The same way I have no idea about my kids current teachers' status; i.e. married, single, divorced, gay, hetero, bi. It has never come up because its a non-issue as it relates to being a good teacher.
    - LS

  • 11/16 7:17pm   DM: Pro reasons: gay teachers know what it is like to be bullied, and would be great at the grade school level. They most likely will not leave due to pregnancy half way though the year. Because of the way the world treats them, "they" are usually very artistic or smart. Gay people today are the most confidant people I know because they are finally standing up for themselves. Thank God - oopppps, maybe I should leave God out of this. The fact that a parent would bring up a teacher's sex life is more upsetting to me than the teacher's sex life. I often wonder why it is that people even bring up the gay teacher issue. And what is the issue?? what does what they teach in class have to do with who they want in their bed.
    - DV

  • 11/16 4:22pm   DM, Gay marriage is legal in this state. Therefore no one should have a problem with gay teachers who are open. There is no difference between a heterosexual teacher and a gay teacher. If you do have a problem with it then you are living in the wrong state. All teachers are teachers first and that should be it. Sexual preference is just sexual preference.
    - DWL

  • 10/25 8:36pm   I agree that Parker Sanitary Services is a top notch pumping service - I heard that they were called in to clean up the verbal effluent produced by Gov. Patrick and Senator Obama at the rally on the Boston Common the other day.
    - DA

  • 10/25 8:34pm   It would appear that my less than laudatory comments about the Obama rally on Boston Common have some grounding - see Joan Vennochi's editorial "Hoping for Change" in today's Globe. Dishing out nebulous platitudes like Governor Patrick did in his successful bid for governor will not play on the national stage. Charisma alone isn't enough to address the difficult issues facing the nation (issues that make our casino quandry look quite small). The senator's lack of experience (to be fair there is dearth of experience in the other top tier candidates - Edwards is no longer a sitting solon and Clinton's record of legislative leadership pales in comparison to say Dodd or Biden) has to be a serious factor in voters' minds as we enter primary season. Kennedyesque catch phrases may win over a few hearts of the fringe faithful but certainly not the minds of savvy voters who seek substance over appearance.
    - DA

  • 10/22 3:03pm   Not to criticize the current President, but as one of the 67 percent who's deeply unhappy with the direction our country has taken under his stewardship, here's a bit of what's making me unhappy --
    I'm unhappy that the President and his staff lied to trick me into agreeing to attack what was an impotent tin-pot dictatorship. I'm unhappy about being the cause of 750,000 needless violent deaths and creating 4,000,000 refugees who no longer have a place to return to. I'm unhappy at having destroyed a country and the settled lives of many millions for no reason. I'm unhappy that hundreds of people are getting killed every day in my name, and I'm unhappy that I can't voice my unhappiness without being accused of not "supporting the troops."
    I'm unhappy the way the Constitution and the rule of law are bypassed by this president. I'm unhappy that he actively supports despicable acts like kidnapping, imprisonment without charges, torture and extraordinary rendition. I'm unhappy at the martial law powers that he claims under the "Unending War" that he started. I'm unhappy at the national identification papers that he's mandating the states to require. I'm unhappy at the way he's muzzled our scientists, outsourced warfare to mercenaries, privatized our government's decision-making and looted our national resources.
    There was a time when I could proudly look foreigners in the eye in the knowledge that mine is an upstanding, honorable country. I'm unhappy and ashamed that I can no longer do so. I guess I'm even unhappy at plays for support of the administration on the basis of minor daily comforts while glossing over the eroding of our principles of truth and justice and honor. If all there was to life was a job, house, family, electricity, water and air conditioning, most Iraqis had that under Saddam.
    These are all deliberate, calculated acts of this administration, not media fabrication. And yes, small material comforts notwithstanding, these alterations to the fabric of our society, the breach of the agreement between the rulers and the governed - they make me unhappy.
    - AR

  • 10/22 1:55pm   DWL - You are correct in saying I am not a registered Democrat. However, neither am I a registered Republican. Rather I am an unenrolled/Independent voter with conservative leanings, especially in the area of fiscal management. I stand by the content and tone of my post. I don't feel that Obama's campaign offers any substance or experience; in that sense it's very reminiscent of Gov. Patrick's "Together We Can" campaign. Furthermore, I don't feel that any of the big 3 Democratic contenders offer what it takes to guide the country through the tough domestic and foreign relations matters in the years ahead. (That's not to say that others in the primary race don't have more to offer - for example, Biden or Dodd. Yet, they don't stand a chance because of the moonbat mentality that has gripped the Democrat party - the Howard Dean/MoveOn.org acolytes who have poisoned the party's core. Hence, my purple Kool-Aid reference.) So, if you want to attend the rally tomorrow on the Common, feel free to. Ironcially though, isn't this the same venue for the Hemp Fest? Both movements seem to be high on hope, but lack a grounding in reality.
    - DA

  • 10/19 5:56pm   I don't send this as a defense for our current President, I don't agree with much he does, but more for the idea of focusing less on the negative and more on the positive as a good fundamental principle on which to work.
    [Craig R. Smith] wrote this; it's [an attitude] we don't often see....

    "The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?

    The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

    So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ''What we are so unhappy about?''

    Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

    Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

    I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

    Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings.

    Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

    How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

    Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

    I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?

    The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

    Think about it.....are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the "Media" told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

    Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go.

    They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

    So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by "justifying" them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!

    Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

    [Craig R. Smith]

    Hope some of the frequent negative contributors to Norfolknet look at themselves when they read this, and take it to heart.
    - BGG

    [The above essay is commonly mis-attributed to Jay Leno. It was in fact written by Craig R. Smith around Thanksgiving in 2006; the original is at WorldNetDaily.com. See snopes.com for the history of this version. - Wm.]

  • 10/15 11:17pm   Just to rehash an old discussion -
    "But it's not just the ultra-rich who are abandoning Republicans. CNN's exit poll last fall showed that voters in the East making between $150,000 and $200,000 favored Democratic candidates by a 63-37 majority. Since 2004, the percentage of professionals identifying themselves as Republicans fell from 44 percent to 37 percent, according to a September Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll."
    See [CEOs for Clinton - Even the ultra-rich are abandoning the Republicans, Slate.com]
    - KL

  • 10/12 11:30am   Interesting article in USA Today Online this morning:
    MEXICALI, Mexico - New Mexican discount airlines are using rock-bottom fares to cater to legal and illegal migrants heading for the USA.

    The airlines - known among fliers as Aeromigrante, or "Migrant Air" - take passengers from central or southern Mexico to cities along the northern border such as Tijuana and Mexicali. From there, customers make their way across the U.S. border.

    The flights are part of a booming services industry for the estimated 13 million Mexican and Central American migrants who reside in the USA. Passengers who used to make bus trips of several days can arrive at the border well-rested for the often dangerous crossing.
    [ref]

    - JPB

    [Update 2:06pm: missed the intro sentence, my bad - Wm.]

  • 9/28 11:43am   I found this topic intriguing and opted to watch the entire series of videos on YouTube. I found them sometimes crass, but extrememly enlightening . A real glimpse of the mining industry as told by some real WV miners. I am not sure how accurate this filmaker's viewpoint is,I am not really interested in the politics involved..or playing the blame game. But I was enthralled with the series and it gave me lots to think about. There are discussion boards right on the site where people can offer their thoughts. Many people from WV commented on the film. I found it educational. If you like catching glimpses into regional life outside of New England, this was a good one to watch...Anyone interested can simply type in "Toxic West Virginia" in the search box and all the episodes will come up.
    - MW

  • 9/28 2:46pm   Excellent piece, MW! Thank you for bringing it to our attention. Although it is perfectly understandable why our webmaster feels it should be relegated to a back page, the continuing tragedy is that virtually all of our major media sources are doing the same thing: either ignoring such issues completely or banishing them to a back page.
    - TEM

  • 9/28 11:43am   While looking for a friend's movie on youtube, I came across this disturbing piece. "Toxic West Virginia: mountaintop removal"... This is not aimed at MON in any way! It just happens to be about WV. It is about a method that the coal mining industry is using that has a huge impact on the enviroment. I thought it was worth the watch. I had no idea this was going on in our country. [youtube link]
    - MW

  • 9/28 11:33am  

    Time to End the Killing!

    - PRR

  • 9/20 7:46am   Re: 9/18 8:14am JC: The good news is that you do not need an excuse to hunt. It's both legal and ethical. The irony is that many (not all) of the same folks who are against legal hunting, have no problem with the notion of killing an innocent baby while it rests peacefully in it's mother's womb. - JPB
    It seems to me that these two subjects, legal hunting of an animal, and termination of growth of a human pregnancy in the first trimester, are mutually exclusive and as such are not ironic. I believe that the Supreme Court has addressed the matter of ending the growth of a human fetus in some detail and they have ruled that it is legal under certain conditions. Some people may not agree with Supreme Court decisions, but those decisions dictate the law under our Constitution.
    - RH

  • 9/18 8:14am   JC: The good news is that you do not need an excuse to hunt. It's both legal and ethical.
    The irony is that     many (not all) of the same folks who are against legal hunting, have no problem with the notion of killing an innocent baby while it rests peacefully in it's mother's womb.
    - JPB

  • 7/29 6:55pm   RH - Gov. Patrick should Volunteer to leave!!
    - WC

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