This blog is an offshoot of my previous blog, Spreading Our Wings... http://www.spreadingourwings.blogspot.com.
As before, this blog is personal and political... serious and sometimes silly...
My goal is to relay what I deem to be important information, express some of my viewpoints, engage in some online creativity - and find out (please comment appropriately) what others are thinking, as well!
["Inspirational Song - You're Unstoppable"; as submitted to You Tube by motivationalpower; http://youtu.be/3GRtq3proKk]
I'm not sure, at this moment, if I will really get this blog active again - start up another blog - or call it (regarding blogging) quits.
For now, I just want to say congratulations to our new City of Kingston Mayor, Shayne Gallo - and say thank you to all of those who have served and have recently been elected to serve.
Many of the links on this blog are still active and viable; but some are not - so "take what you want and leave the rest."
Life calls upon all of us now - to the degree we are able - to be "unstoppable."
It has been a while since I wrote anything here. Since then, in part due to corporate and politcal greed and unethical behaviors (my opinion) - along with some assistance from Hurricane Irene - many a life and home has been wrecked. A fragile infrastructure has been given one, two, three or more new whacks. The economy has continued to shake the change (if we have any) out of our pockets. And many of us have been left with some serious concerns about our future; the future of our children; the future of our grandchildren...
The political climate is currently charged up like the "engergizer bunny" on methamphetamines. Some of our banks (or, at least the Bank of America...) are being picketed and boycotted. Wall street is under a peaceful seige (that sometimes involves not-so-peaceful interactions with the authorities) by a number of like-minded citizen and union protesters...
And the rain just keeps falling and falling and falling...
I will edit these four recent posts (as needed) over the next few days. For now though, I just wanted a collective place to post my more recent pics - and get this "show" (my blog) on the road again!
I attended a Metro-Community Party today and hope to add some pics [I did not take these ones; so permissions are hopefully pending] from that.
I also need to update the links in the sidebar; so for now, if you utilize them, please note that they might be out of date.
I guess it is pretty ironic that someone that has been such a disaster as a parent would even begin to address issues having to do with preventing teen pregnancy; preventing / addressing addiction problems early on; the prevention of youth violence and such - but it is that very fact (my admitted failure as a parent) - that inspires me (my children are now grown, with children of thier own) to try.
See, generational poverty; generational neglect; generational psychological, emotional, mental, verbal, physical and sexual abuse - with these traumas having been compounded, far too often, by perpetrators from outside the family that have likewise preyed on our psyches, minds and/or bodies - have had thier way with many of the individuals in my family; and I am one of few people - from my generation - that is willing or able to talk about it.
Is there a caste system in America? Are there - as in India - "untouchables" - in America? If not, how do children like me; my brothers; my sisters; my cousins; my children (as children) fall through crack after crack after crack after crack in a system that is supposed to make sure children are safe and provided for?
How did it come to be that my "step-mother" (one of a few / unofficial cohabitations...) died traumatically - out in the woods - with barely a squeak in the (other than local and perhaps slanted) press? How did my half-sister (at around the age of 5 months) die of exposure and starvation with barely a squeak (comparitive to what "does" make the news...) in the (other than the local and perhaps slanted...) press?
How did men that battered and terrorized woman after woman after woman... child after child after child... spend barely any time - if any time at all - in jail for those particular reasons? Why has woman after woman after woman in my family been diagnosed with this or that or the other thing - and - all too often - been revictimized by the psychiatric field - the medical field - the pharmaceutical industry - and even employers?
Why did accused sex offenders - sometimes allegedly having preyed upon child after child after child in my family - never have to face a jury for these alleged [1+1+1+1+1+1+..............] offenses? Most of them (these "alleged" perps) going on (at this point) to a natural death - with thier victims showing up to listen to the whitewash and outright lies told at thier (yep; I have to use the word "alleged") perpetrators funerals?
Why did the schools - the teachers / employees at the schools (speaking of my generation) - not notice and/or not report the frequent absences? All of the homework that was not turned in? That sometimes report cards were being signed by the children themselves? The fact that a child obviously hadn't been to a doctor; hadn't had a bath or a shower...; hadn't had thier teeth brushed (or been to a dentist); hadn't had thier hair shampooed and brushed (in how long?) - thier clothes washed - etc?
Why did the schools - the teachers / employees at the schools (speaking of my childrens experiences) not notice or report some of the (poverty, trauma and addiction having thier way...) "same?" Or report this sort of thing - to no avail - because the end result of that reporting was further abuse by the system and/or perpetrators within the system?
What purpose does "out of school" suspension serve in a family riddled with obvious problems? What purpose does Family Court serve when they send a child from a family riddled with obvious problems to an institution that has perpetrators of mental, emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse on the (all too frequent, my dear "friends") staff.
What purpose does a police officer serve when all he or she knows is to slap the cuffs on one of these kids - throw them in one of the institutions noted above - throw them in jail (where more perpetrators lurk) or shoot them?
What were our inherent rights?
What are our inherent rights now?
Why did the local paper refuse to print my story - or even discuss printing my story (this, in the early 1980s) - of the ritualistic, cultic, psychological, mental, physical and sexual abuse of a number of children / youths in the City of Kingston? Why? Wouldn't the public want to know? Wouldn't they WANT the public to know so that the public could protect other children??? Why? When some of the facts had already been printed. When all of this (what I had to say) was backed up by a variety of people and a variety of documents that went through Family Court and/or Criminal Court - ending up with the conviction (after one police officer had even refused to investigate...) of one (probably of a few...) perpetrator?
Why did the parole board let that perp out of prison and allow him (after he had stalked us for years prior...) to move up the road from us?
Why did the Family Court, in another case I'm aware of, put an "in house 'order of protection'" against a man that had allegedly sexually abused a very young child? Why did the lawyer that I paid $2,500.00 to - for representation of the child in that case - take the case to the wrong court [Family court versus Criminal Court] - with the case being thrown out as a result and no return on the money...........................????????????
Yep.
Why did they scare that little child so bad that she wouldn't say a peep in court? How could she say a peep when she had been sent back to LIVE WITH HER ALLEGED ABUSER?
Yep. I'm a "bad parent." My son, the child's father, broke that assholes jaw - and I was happy about it.
"Shame" [yep folks, my son got arrested and paid the price plus "applejacks..."] "on" (excuse my sarcasm) "me."
I could go on and on; but consider this part one...
And tell me:
Does it make you happy to read about a woman that was terrorized by men her entire life; abused by men her entire life; scared to look, see, speak, breathe...
"Ulster County study favors merging Departments of Health, Mental Health"; DailyFreeman.com ; http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2011/07/10/news/doc4e188c87caec0358682293.txt Local blogger seeking input from youth, young adults and parents that have grown up in the City of Kingston and would like (for whatever reason) their voice to be heard.
If you had problems in the school or in the community:
1. What do you think contributed to those problems?
2. What school policies do you think worked in your best interest?
3. What school policies do you feel worked against you?
4. What were your interactions with the City of Kingston police department (if any) like?
5. If you are a parent with children in the City of Kingston school district, what issues have concerned you in the last year?
6. In general, what changes [City of Kingston; on behalf of our youth] would you like to see in the coming year?
7. Do you have any specific compaints?
8. Do you have any positive input, suggestions, constructive solution-oriented ideas?
Please comment here - or send your answers to these questions, with your name, age and address or City Ward number - and I will see that this information [in print / documented] get passed on to pertinent parties. Just put "save our children" in the subject line, so that I can identify your response in my email inbox.
BTW, I recieved an email from Alderman Jen Fuentes, advising that the Ward meeting had been canceled due to the Childrens Parade - and asking that folks instead show up / "participate" in the "special forum on youth crime [as noted in one of the links up above] to be held WED JULY 13 at 4:00pm, Boys and Girls Club".
Note: The passing on of various links to articles does not imply that this blogger is or is not in agreement with what has been written - although some of my own interests / opinions are reflected in some of the suggested links.
I have taken a break for a bit - but I'm back with what I think are some important article links and petition links that in a collective way seem to (my opinion) say it (Here is a test; can you read between the lines?) all:
Is this (a quote from the article above) even legal????
"[Rick] Santorum received roughly half a million dollars in cash and stock options for his services on the UHS board... In 2010 Santorum took home a substantial windfall: $168,069. And on Jan. 19, 2011, he received stock options valued at $174,126, Securities and Exchange records show. The company and its CEO have also contributed thousands to Santorum's political action committee and his campaigns over the years..." [Santorum has since resigned from the UHS board - and is a candidate in the running for the US presidency...]
The article links are simply being passed on. If you are concerned about thier legitimacy, please do further research and form your own conclusions. The majority of the photos are by NS. If not, permission to publish the photos here has been obtained. If any errors are noted, please let me know, and the appropriate corrections (as called for) will be made. Thank You.
Pic (by NS) from a 98% (the majority of the people)
Rally associated with MoveOn.org
Of the two serious Democratic candidates for City of Kingston Mayor, Shayne Gallo and Hayes Clement, I have sided with Mr. Gallo due to his roots here, his knowlege of the area, his working relationship with the unions and working-class people, the message he has consistantly put out and the persona of kindness (I think that is the best way to put it) that surrounds him.
I have nothing personal against Mr. Clement. In fact, I do not know Mr. Clement at all.
I do take issue with what I perceive (my blog; my impressions...) as Mr. Clement's arrogant stance; and I "was" upset this week by a little blip I caught in this weeks "Kingston Times" - a paper I generally have tremendous respect for.
I quote (from Hugh Reynolds Article; "Andi Rules"; "Kingston Times"; 6/9/11; bottom of page 26 and top of page 27]:
"Here's a vignette [My words inside brackets...] that may say something about Clement's style. After the Democratic convention, Gallo, festering [Fact or perception?] over Clement's overwhelming win [Democratic endorsement...], indicated [To whom?] he might not be joining fellow Democrats at a post-convention party... [which Mr. Gallo apparently did attend]...
"Gallo, Gartenstein and [another person] took a booth at the restaurant away from the crowd and ordered drinks...
'These drinks are on Mr. Clement", the waiter advised, as Gallo reached for his wallet."
A "vignette" - described in psychological terms (reflecting this blogger's educational background) - is described in "Wikipedia" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vignette) as: "... a short description of an event, behavior or person used in a psychology experiment to control information provided to participants."
Which is (utilizing the description given above) one of the questions that I am have with this supposedly friendly competition between two Democratic candidates for Mayor...
Uncensored.
Unknown.
A Question...
Whom (if this applies to anyone) is buying what and why?
Backtracking a bit...
I am one of the people that attended Civil Right's Attorney Sussman's open meeting a while back, where "entrenched" (so to speak) families were criticized (by some) and "new blood" (so to speak) was hailed(by some) as the answer to Kingston's problems.
I took this into consideration - and it probably does apply (I really do not know.) in some cases.
However, I can tell you that my husband, who grew up here in the City of Kingston, knows the streets of this City inside and out; knows the history of this City inside and out; and knows the personalities and issues associated with this City inside and out - in a way that I (having moved here about 20 years ago) probably couldn't begin to assimilate [I have been focusing on just getting to know my Ward and Legislative District] - in total - EVER.
So, for sure, there "are" benefits (for everyone) to having a "home-grown" Mayoral Candidate that is able to tell you (physically and metaphorically) how to get there ["Bottoms up!"] from here.
--------------------------------------------
IMPORTANT NOTE:
The combination of the chosen photograph and this blog entry is NOT meant to suggest that Mr. Gallo has the blessings (I would not know either way...) of MoveOn.org. It is only this bloggers opinion that there might be - in this local competition - some common elements at "play."
I'm happy to say that I know a few folks that have done just that.
Photo by NS
There are some funky internet problems going on at the moment... including ads where they shouldn't be and spam sneaking through the filters. I just removed the KingstonCitizens.org link (Heads up Rebecca... Ward 5) from my blog link list (I hope this is temporary.) because there was some innappropriate (my opinion) stuff coming through [I also had this come through on my email].
Furthermore, just so ya' know, I did not download the advertisement that keeps coming through on my music link - nor do I approve it. I just haven't figured out - yet - how to get rid of it.
That said, I'm having to take it easy due to some medical issues right now - so maybe I'll have a new posting up in a little while.
Maybe it is just a temporary glitch, but my music has decided to do its own thing right now, and I don't have the info on me to change it. Please know that if it sounds whacked it is not my doing. Just turn it off. Reparations are pending. Thank You.
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