Sunday, March 8, 2009

OPEN POSTS WEEK SIXTEEN

America once had tribes and those tribes numbered in the hundreds and with their sub groups the thousands and one stands out - the Cherokee. This tribe recognized the relentless expansion of the Europeans/Americans and that their technology and numbers were far superior to that of The People. They reasoned that the only possible path to survival was to adopt the ways of the invaders as repugnant as that may me. The People created their own written language, adapted the dress and customs of the invaders, lived in towns and built schools as they did everything possible to emulate their soon to be oppressors. The lands were coveted by the invaders and eventually The People were placed on a force march and sent hundreds of miles for their home. A Bataan Death March for the Cherokee.

What happened to the Cherokee is a song written in many histories but a tune played most vocally on our continent. Let’s just bypass the Spanish and concentrate on the Europeans and later the new nation - The United States. Westward expansion is a constant theme in our history for once even Middleboro or the outskirts of Plymouth was considered the frontier. The biggest obstacle to expansion was the native population and that was solved by systematic exploitation and what in their histories is described as a genocide. In our histories we term it the “Indian Wars” but as reflection and revisionism becomes more of our history the truth is being written and recorded and it sadly parallels their interpretation.

President WOW has managed to oversee the worse drop in indexes any incoming president has faced. In the last six weeks alone the DOW has shrunk another 25% and some financial pundits not aligned with either stagnant party have forecast a DOW at 2,000 by year end. There Is only one person to blame. Just one. Not the Republicans, Democrats , Rush or anyone else this is squarely the responsibility of Obama. The credit bubble and housing mess are at the vortex of it all and little has been done. Sure there was a few American Gothic photo ops of Ma and Pa before their three bedroom slab ranch getting some type of assistance but not once has the nuts and bolts of how to handle the banking crisis been detailed. Nothing, really. A few or more than a few who may not even be called wing nuts have suggested this is deliberate - make things so piss poor that the fast track for cradle to grave socialism will be wide open. I just dismiss that for I go for the Occam’s Razor approach of a simple explanation. IMO they are totally baffled about what to do. The problem is simply so difficult that the previous remedies - bailouts, stimulus, more bailouts, more stimulus and capped off with rhetoric just are not working. No details simply because they have no plan hence no details. The financial markets will continue to erode and your investments by year end will be twenty cents on the dollar versus 2007. Remember - I told you so…or, hopefully, I’ll visit the Crow Mart for a double helping.

The casino is big news as usual and at the center is the proposal for slot parlors. I have no problem with that as long as the décor has the appropriate tackiness. I’d like some velvet paintings of dogs playing poker, 20 pound over weight women stuffed into cocktail dresses, watered down drinks - you get the idea. It’s all about the ambience to me and all about the money to others I.E. - our nearly bankrupt state.

Interesting discussions last week on impact of bloggers upon the casino issue. As with any issue feel free to carry it forward.

OK...too much political babble.

Post away.

243 comments:

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Suo Mynona said...

Is there a problem in this town with people taking themselves way too seriously?

skeptical not cynical said...

Yes, Suo, you need to get over yourself. Just kidding. LOL

Hal Brown said...

Rocky, mildly and suo,

Juice preferences: I have no problem in anybody finding a particular discussion boring or irrelevant to them, but following several posts about a topic at least one, and in this case possibly several, of us takes seriously is in my opinion dismissive and disrespectful.

anonymous said...

Blankets

bogofree said...

I like PED and especially HGH since it works for "The Texas Con Man," Bonds, A-Rot and a few others.

drive-by said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
skeptical not cynical said...

My ex-husband is drive-by, thus the deletion. I'm using his PC and didn't realize his account was still open to this blog. My apologies to Hal for offending him.

anonymous said...

"This is what I think. People who are in favor of the casino are uneducated and ill informed. Go pay for the override, an extra $50 a month, and then our schools will be okay. Have Oak Point residents pay real estate taxes, then things will be okay. Have competent selectmen and women lead our community, then we will be okay"

bogofree said...

Mildly

Do you have a slight mole on the inside of your left knee? If so, I was once married to you. No...wait....that was Suo.

Hal Brown said...

Dear ass backward anonymous:

Is there a problem anywhere with people taking themselves way too seriously?

Asked and answered "yes" when you preface the question with "way too".

But on the other side there's also a problem with people taking themselves way too lightly. People like that tend to take other people and their feelings too lightly as well.

This manifests itself in a phenomenon we all see in our friends, families, co-workers and acquaintances ( offline and online in blogs ) which boils down to a lack of empathy.

Empathy is a high level positive personality characteristic. It doesn't mean you agree with someone, that you think their feelings are consistent with the cause, and it especially doesn't mean what many people presume it does, that you have sympathy for them.

Empathy means being able to sense at a deep level, sometime almost intuitive, how someone else is feeling. Sometimes it is described as being able to walk in another person's shoes but it's really much more than that.

The deeper ones empathic (alternately empathetic) ability goes the more of a complete sense they have for the experiential world of someone else, particularly someone very different than they are.

Okay, now have at it and attack the crap out of me for the lecture.

skeptical not cynical said...

test

skeptical not cynical said...

thanks hal.....it works

Rocky said...

Now I thought I was funny.

Rocky said...

Where was that quote from Anon?

The town can tax all they want. I pay the same every year.

Suo Mynona said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Suo Mynona said...

Calling me names like bass akwards. I need an empath.

I still don't get this blogging stuff. Just when you thought it was safe to type again (Jaws music please) someone wants to have in-depth gut spilling on line. No thanks, not my cup o' tea.

Remember that guy in the movie "Airplane" that was telling his life story to everyone on the jet?

Rocky said...

Surely you don't mean

Hal Brown said...

suo,

I meant no disrespect, your name is an ass backwards spelling of anonymous. I hardly think ass backwards is an insult used in the context of my post.

It's bogo's blog and if he doesn't want me to occasionally post (cue the finale of Mahler's sixth symphony) serious comments he knows where to find me.

If I offend someone let me know.

Hal Brown said...

Empath is a word from science fiction, not psychology. For example, Kathryn Hays (picture) play the empath Gem in the Star Trek episode "The Empath".

However as portrayed she doesn't even deomnstrate empathy, quite the contrary. She absorbs the pain of the crew members.

Someone who has empathy has a profound sense of the feelings of another, but they do not actually feel it themselves. That would be more like sympathy.

Those with natural empathy need to maintain their psychological boundaries lest they become overwhelmed by the distress of others.

On the other hand maybe you were trying to be funny by making light of a somewhat serious topic.

I find that some people who do that on fairly trivial matters also may do it on something another person takes seriously. I hope that isn't you.

The Easter Bunny said...

From MR's blog:
Anonymous said...
"How inappropriate was Hal's question targeted at Roger Haber?
Must see tv to see how demented and uninformed Hal is."

Friday, 13 March, 2009

Of course I suspect that all her anonymous comments are written by that blog owner. MR has a writing style that's about as disguiseable as LL's. "Uninformed" is one of her trademark words. Unlikely that she'll ever really change. That woman's got a real mean streak in her.

Hal Brown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Suo Mynona said...

Hal I am wounded. Putting a*s in front of backwards was in your words "dismissive and disrespectful"

Are you "looking for any excuse (you) can find to attack me. Could it be simply because you dislike me"?
"Whether what you wrote was meant to be" an insult "I have no idea. But sensitivity towards anonymous bloggers "doesn't seem too much to ask."

I could go on and on with your words. I gusess it depends on which side of the comment you fall. Sort of like being a 3rd rate....

Hal have poking at me. In all honesty I think it is humorous.

Hal Brown said...

Whoever wrote this on Jessie Powell's blog ought to ask Rev. Haber if he thought my question was inappropriate, uninformed or demented. His email is HERE. Whoever wrote this or anybody else like Betty or Don or Jeanine who thought my question was out of line might want to check it out.

I emailed him when I got home and thanked him for his candid answer. He emailed me back right after the meeting telling me that my question was "very appropriate" and that it was one he'd been "waiting three years for someone to ask".

(Prior post deleted because I thought the comment was put online by Jessie Powell rather than one of her commenters.)

anonymous said...

Jessie
has
a
way
of
stuffing
her
foot
in
her
big
fat
mouth

Hal Brown said...

It was not meant to be disrespectful. If you don't believe me, if you say I am lying, fine. That's up to you. If you want to cite chapter and verse of where you judge me to be dismissive or disrespectful go ahead.

I have no idea who you are except someone who spells anonymous backwards. Ass backwards in the context I used it was not meant to be an insult. Look it up. I meant it to be humorous.

If my using that term actually made you feel wounded I am sorry. It was not my intention.

I have mixed feelings about your posts but honestly haven't followed them closely enough to reach any conclusion as to where you are coming from since sometimes I don't know whether you are being facetious or serious.

I do get the impression that you, among others who post here, look for any excuse they can come up with the mock me or worse. No doubt I bring some of that on myself.

So be it.

As long as I find reading and posting here reasonably entertaining, and bogo doesn't hand me my walking papers, you'll continue to have me to kick around.

By the way, I'm not glued to a computer. I happen to have a desktop and two laptops, so I check bogo when I have a free moment and sometimes fire off a comment (often without checking my spelling as you may notice).

Anonymous said...

Good Morning Middleboro....
I see we are all bright and happy this morning.

bogofree said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
bogofree said...

Had to delete previous post. My bad.

A tower and two laptops? Geez, Hal, that is over tech. Two hands and three keyboards. How do you use all three at once? OMG! Not what I think...I am thinking of a line from Blazing Saddles "Ess true...ess true"

I don't hand out walking papers for if I did I'd be the first out the door. Open forum and Hal can handle himself and I think he has seen right through the scurrilous attempts by Suo to provoke Hal. Suo is a bully, Hal, so I’d pay the provocateur no heed. He’s just bored since BB finally wrote a column that made sense so he is searching for a close facsimile. Oops…did I just write what I think I wrote? See…that Suo is a nasty influence.

Hal’s question seems to have provoke some interest here, there and everywhere. Hal - nothing personal but just an observation. You, MR, MT, BB, AB and a few others fall into that category of people some love to hate. To once again quote my departed mother - hope the heat is not tough on her - “Some people could s**t ice cream any they wouldn’t make them happy.” If any of those mentioned I do have a fondness for butter pecan and rum raisin just incase you do have those capabilities. But back to the question.

Prefacing your religious affiliation seemed to tick some off the wrong way. Now should you have mentioned that? I’m actually firmly planted on that fence I so often sit upon meaning I don’t give a you know what. The rest of the question I thought was somewhat appropriate considering how curriculum issues have often surfaced in context with religious beliefs. IMO in our humble and highly unemployed town I really consider it somewhat of a moot issue (on the fence again) since it just won’t fly - meaning some type of born again intelligent design based curricula unless it becomes part of the real GOD - MCAS!

Anonymous said...

Senate hearing on land-into-trust set for April 2


The Senate Indian Affairs Committee has scheduled a hearing on April 2 to address the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar.

The court ruled that the land-into-trust provisions of the Indian Reorganization Act only apply to tribes that were "under federal jurisdiction" in 1934. Tribes want Congress to amend the law to ensure all tribes can benefit.

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota), the chairman of the committee, said he will be meeting with tribes and tribal organizations in advance of the hearing to discuss the decision.

But..But! they are saying its all over.. The parrot seems to be getting a pulse again...

North Slope Rigger said...

Thank goodness I am totally apathetic on most issues. I do know that as a flaming "wing nut" I am totally behind Rush in that I want this administration to go down in flames. Don't need the moonbats in control.

Bogo I see you managed to get three Yankee fans over the edge this week. Nice work.

I'll leave you people with these thoughts.

Get me a casino close to home.

Keep your nose out of how I wish to spend my money.

The politicans in this state are thieves.

Hal, don't take no sheet from no one.

Obama is shown to be a liar after only six weeks. Bushie took at least three months.

Hal Brown said...

Scurrilous attempts to provoke me and bullying on Bogo, and here I thought I might be imagining it.

It must be my sterling personality attracting such acidic attention.

I wrote before but will repeat for those who are loathe to read any post of mine in its entirety.

I prefaced my question to Rev. Haber by saying I was apprehensive in asking it. By way of explanation I said that I was Jewish.

I don't know if I was the only Jewish person in the room, but there's a good chance I was.

It should go without say that asking a question about religious beliefs influencing one's decisions on a school committee of a pastor in such a public form may not be taken well by some in the audience.

Even one of the candidates, Jeanine Martin, seemed taken aback by it.

No questions should be off limits if they are important to a resident and presented respectfully at the appropriate time and place.

By the way, not having heard back from Jeanine Martin after giving her a note to contact me for an explanation for her remark, I plan to vote for Rev. Haber.

chica said...

I have just spent some time reading through the comments and will have to view the proceedings to see just went on with the question that provoked such responses. I am of the opinion it was not so much about the question as about who delivered it.

Hal I have a question on the board you created. Why so little traffic? The board has a significant amount of information and just a tiny fraction is devoted to the casino and most of it reads like the Gazette. Plenty of local connections.

Hal Brown said...

I haven't been updating Middleboro Matters, it may evolve on its own, who knows.

As the weather gets nicer I may feel like taking more photos as I see one of the features it has and other sites don't is having lots of photographs, vintage and current of Middleboro.

It also has the message board which enables anybody to put their own photos on.

Speaking of photos, the one at the left (you have to click to post to see it from the main page) is related to the outhouse discussion we had last week.

This is the oldest outhouse we had on the bogs. I took it this morning when we were out running with the dogs. It dates back to the late 1930's.

I think you can enlarge it by clicking on it and then clicking to see it full size.

anonymous said...

Rullo
McKinnon
Habner
Martin

My vote at this point.

Hal Brown said...

The next election Bogo and I, pictured on right, will run together as one candidate.

drive-by said...

Bogo and Hal:

The ex and I will be taking out papers to run against you on "The
Beat Goes On" platform. Of course, I expect her present spouse, the Hulk, to heckle the h*ll out of me on debate night. Brain dead!

Bogo, I don't even want to know how you knew about that mole! What did you think about her intertwined snakes tatoo? LMAO

bogofree said...

Well....Hal certainly found a more appropriate picture than BB did. Figure I'd beat a few to the punch on that one.

I remember that great line in an old episode of the Simpson’s where a man wakes up from a coma and they tell him Cher won an Oscar and Sonny is in Congress and he goes back into a coma.

I knew about that mole when you entertained the 3rd armored division that night.

drive-by said...

LOL, bogo! Hard to one up you. BTW, ask mildly what a nurse's "Yuck Factor" is? Or their creative uses of nitro patches with male patients who irritate them? Never mind, the answers break even your liberal posting rules. LMAO

drive-by said...

Day dream car of the month....'57 Bentley

Suo Mynona said...

To be clear I hate no one. That is such a strong word.
-----
Hal rest assured you were not the only person in the room that was Jewish. I am surprised you did not know that. If I offended you with responses I apologize. I was not bullying, just goofing around. That is the problem with blogs, people cannot hear inflection of voice. I thought it was reasonable to respond to posts made in the manner I felt appropo -- a person's religous affiliation is of no consequence to my opinion their status as an individual.

I have studied comparativ religion and personally believe they are BASED with the same basic tenents.

I back to enjoying, and giving thanks for, this glorious day.

Suo Mynona said...

Drrive By
My present dream car is Spyker convertible. I just saw it in a movie and had no idea of existence.

anonymous said...

I see JL posted on BB's blog to give him an atta boy on what some have pronounced a worthy column. Of course based on the rubbish he has already created anything may constitute a step up. Speaking of taking a step up maybe JL can post here? I wonder if she even knows about this site? JL did post on Limo's wreck and did post on Nemasket.

Hal Brown said...

Thanks for the clarification suo.

For those who aren't as old as dirt like bogo and I, and remember the world famous Siamese twins Chang and Eng, here's an earlier picture from about 1836.

They were part of the P.T. Barnum circus. Supposedly they were from Thailand, called Siam at the time, which is where the term came from.

Today they could easily have been separated as infants the way Bogo and I were.

My goddaughter used to be a legislative aide in the House (before she went on to the Senate when her boss got elected as a Senator). She told me that poor Sonny Bono was in so far over his head in that body, not always known for the lofty intellects of all their members, that he had to have words of more than two syllables explained to him.

Still of course his untimely death was tragic. He was known as a well meaning decent guy who just didn't have a clue.

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