Nature's Beauty...

Once again my sincere apologies regarding the party.  I had a bunch of stuff that I asked someone to bring over - and that apparently didn't make it either : (

Taking care of me.

Regrets...

Maybe Next Year...

I have to bow out - due to medical advice - of my part in the Neighborhood Celebration. I wish this were different. But it is what it is. [Jen, I just sent you a more detailed email...] I hope it is a beautiful day and that all goes well.

"He Ain't Heavy..." The Hollies and "If I Could" Barbra [or Barbara?] Streisdan You Tube Videos

Photo by NS

A Candle for My Brother, Who Passed Away 4 Years Ago This Month

I Love You Bro!

["The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (1993) "; as submitted to You Tube by ForCertainBecause

on 1/6, 2009]

For My Children and Grandchildren (With Hope, Pride and Love)::

["Barbra" {or Barbara} Streisand - 'If I Could'"; as submitted to You Tube by AsylumDeneye on 7/25/08]

Please ignore any ads or promos that come up whilst watching these videos. These ads and/or promos are NOT endorsed by me / the blog host.

Kingston Neighborhood Celebration...

Alderman Jen Fuentes Flyer

Click For Larger Image

A Couple of Interesting You Tube Videos... The Other 98%... MoveOn Rally... Max for Congress... Mass

["The Other 98% Takes Wall Street"; as submitted to You Tube by theother98 on May 3, 2010]

["MoveOn Rally on the Boston Common"; as submitted to You Tube by
Mac4Congress2010 on August 11, 2010]

Pertinent Link: http://www.fightwashingtoncorruption.com/

Pics, Thoughts, Thank Yous and Personal Reflections Re the Last KNY City Council Meeting

For those that are perhaps wondering - I did attend the last City of Kingston Council Meeting - I did take a bunch of photos - I did speak during the open session - and I did take notes...

I simply haven't been up to writing a comprehensive report - like I sometimes do - and much has been covered anyhow, in other ways and other places.

I was glad to see a number of people turn out to voice thier support for a comprehensive plan (vote and grant dependent / vote passed...) for the City of Kingston. 

I was happy to hear a number of people speak with significant respect about the works of the still relatively new Ward 9 Alderman, Hayes Clement.

I was happy to be able to speak favorably about Ward Five's still relatively new Ward 5

Alderman Jen Fuentes.

I was happy to read parts of - and pass on a letter from Jeanne  Edwards (Ward 4) - that was written from the heart of Kingston to the heart of Kingston.

For, all in all, I appear to be a person that pretty much liked (past tense) --- and continues to like (present tense) --- most of our representatives on the Common Council. 

Which I guess is somewhat (lol) unusual...

As this includes (I seem to be leaning towards the Working Families Party and the Democratic Party...) a couple of Republican Council representatives [Alderman Turco-Levin (also relatively new) and Alderman Ron Pollaco (sp?), in particular] --- as well.

Maybe a "comprehensive plan" (if the funding is secured) for the City of Kingson will help us get

stronger "at the broken places..." [the latter part is from the title of a book]

One can hope.

Thank you to those that showed up to speak.

Thank you, Jeanne, for permission to read and submit your letter.

Thank you, KNY Council Members for "hanging in there" and/or "jumping in there" during some very difficult socio-eonomic times...

I might be viewed as one of the "resident nuts" for all I know...

But hey - the world - minus a few "nuts" - would be pretty boring, wouldn't it?

I wasn't raised in a "box."  I don't live in a "box."  I couldn't breathe in a "box."  I don't "think in a 'box.'"

Thank goodness!

[Oh yeah, a second Thank You to Alderman Clement for turning around to face the attendees!  This has been requested (although I'm not sure this request was put forth formally?) - in the past - by a man with a hearing impairment - and it is sometimes difficult, even with reasonably good hearing, to make out all of what is being said at the podium or by (when they do speak) the Council members]

Peace

Flooding Issue... KNY

Part of Summer Street - by the YMCA Park - During Heavy Rainfalls

"Destry Rides Again..." You Tube Video Original Motion Picture Clip... "Destry Rides Again" Soundtrack... Ebay Auction

[ "YouTube - Destry Rides Again Bar Scene"; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By48VYXP16s ]

If this hasn't closed out yet [Ebay] - it will be soon.  I happen to love this album and video clip though - so I'm going to leave the post up.

Thank You Alderman Jen Fuentes... Neighborhood Party

Alderman Jen Fuentes Neighborhood Party Flyer

Updates [It keeps getting better and better...] Pending

(Click on Flyer to Enlarge)

I would like to thank Alderman Jen Fuentes for all of the work she is putting into her position on behalf of the people in Ward 5.  She has been active in the Kingston Citizens online group.  She has been involved with the Kingston Neighborhood Watch.  She has held Ward 5 meetings on a regular basis at City Hall.  She has been responsive to any issues I have brought to her, which seems to be the case with other folks in the ward, as well...  And she even goes outside the Ward to participate in advocacy, activities and such.  Alderman Fuentes has gained my respect across the board; and I hope folks in Ward 5 show up for the upcoming Neighborhood Party in recognition of (at least in part) Alderman Fuentes --- who has personally done the fundraising and organizing for this event] --- honorable [and I don't use that word lightly...] efforts! 

Stock Photo of Flowers at City Hall [NS]

Thank You Alderman Fuentes!

Link to Chips'NDips Entertainment Blog:  http://wwwchipsndipsentertainment.blogspot.com/

Garden Pics...

My Wildflower + Garden

Special Treat

It's a Watermelon!

No Tomato Blight Yet - Just a Wierd Photo : )

Neighbor's Roses

Neighbor's Rose of Sharon Bush

Wild Wild Flowers [No Bob, They Are NOT Weeds!]

"Kingston Neighborhood Celebration" Flyer by Alderman Jen Fuentes

Click on Photo to Enlarge

Thank you Jen!

Powerful Speech by Rep Alan Grayson... Unemployment Issue... Other Rep Alan Grayson Speeches and You Tube Videos

Powerful Speech by Alan Grayson / You Tube Video:

["Alan Grayson Crushes GOP On Unemployment Benefits"; You Tube; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIkAHO5zkoI&feature=player_embedded]

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Hey!  A little bit of research and [thus far...] I think I really LIKE this guy!

["Rep. Alan Grayson on The Christian Right's Pact With The Devil!";  "JesusSavesAtCitibank"; You Tube; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jZK78ryCBs&feature=related ]

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Yes indeed....  Great discovery!

["Rep. Alan Grayson Discusses Wall Street Pay with Joe Stiglitz and Nell Minow"; RepAlanGrayson; You Tube; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lomfyIE60I8&feature=related ]

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I'm burnt out at the moment... but here is a link to Rep Alan Grayson's You Tube Channel:  http://www.youtube.com/user/RepAlanGrayson

I know I intend to do some more research and pay attention to what this guy has to say!

Light in the Darkness... Serious Business... Some Issues to Ponder...

I don't know how or why an NPR broadcast [ http://www.npr.org/ ] that I listened to a while back is coming on automatically when one logs in... [or how long this will last] but I'm going to leave it that way [at least until I can figure out how to correct it...] for right now.  It is an interesting [The music can be turned off in the sidebar.] "touch."

I have stayed away - at least in regard to this blog - from the political scene for a while...  but the world continues to turn...  and there is (as per usual) a lot of good...  and a lot of "not so..." going on.

I've made no secret of the fact that one of the big mistakes (in my opinion) that President Obama has made is the continuation of the Office of Faith Based Initiatives (renamed, at this point, I believe) - and the continued funding  - via that office - of whatever religious initiatives [I haven't researched this, of late...] that office [which, at this point, if I understand it right, also oversees other forms of community initiatives] sees fit...

I personally consider this a violation of "Separation of Church and State" - and as another reason [other than rampant corporate corruption and such] that our nation is going "down the tubes..."

Be that what it may... there are other issues weighing BIG on my mind today... having to do with the following articles:

"'Vatican defends revised abuse rules' - Road Runner":  http://www.rr.com/news/topic/article/rr/9000/16330530/Vatican_defends_revised_abuse_rules

"'Vatican Revises Abuse Process, but Causes Stir' - NYTimes.com":  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/16/world/europe/16vatican.html

"'Vatican to court Priests are not our staff' - Europe- msnbc.com":  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37182162/ns/world_news-europe

"'News Women Priests as Bad As Pesophiles' FFRF":  http://ffrf.org/news/releases/catholic-statement-today-caricatures-itself/

"[E]xclusive Religious group calls out Glenn Beck’s ‘warped gospel’, launches ad campaign Raw Story":  http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0719/exclusive-christian-group-calls-glenn-beck-attacks-faith/

"Sharron Angle Would Legislate Biblical Law":  http://www.care2.com/causes/politics/blog/sharron-angle-would-legislate-biblical-law/

"'Prison sex party for teen killers alarms state' - The Daily Freeman News Serving the Hudson Valley since 1871(DailyFreeman.com)":  http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2010/07/17/news/doc4c413ec28e584406848870.txt

"Investigation confirms sex party for murderers at Goshen Secure Youth Facility":  http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2010/July/17/GSYF_orgy_inv-17Jul10.html

The Ordination of women as Catholic Priests would be as "bad" as pedophilia ?????  [THINK ABOUT IT!]

Catholics Priests aren't "employed" [Are they slaves?] by the Vatican?  [Who indoctrinates them into the faith?  Who sends them to school?  Who sends them on "missions"?  Who sends them to different parishes?  Who provides their food and shelter?  Who provides their transportation?  Who (ahem) has been known to cover up their crimes....?]

Is the Office of Children and Family Services [Do I have this right?] in the habit [Should other such places (i.e., this atrocity in Goshen...) be investigated accordingly?] of supplying teenage girls and women [whether hookers or no] to convicted felons, murderers, etc?  [Just how far HAS our society degenerated?????]

With the Pat Robertsons, Glen Becks, Sharron Angles and similar evangelists (Appropriate word?) "out there" - and the Vatican equating the ordination of women priests with pedophilia --- it would seem that some basic human rights education --- and advocacy --- from the atheist, agnostic and more balanced spiritual and religious folks (irregardless of religious leanings) would be a breath of fresh air!

Check out the articles...

Do some research...

Check out the "Lady Blogga" [He or she provides a lot of information that I sometimes agree with and sometimes do not...] link in the sidebar...

And THINK.

Photos of the Garden at the YMCA and Photos of a Deer By My Moms House...

Spider Web.... 4AM Popcorn and Coffee Musings... Another Sleepless Night...

Spider Web - Photo [modified] My Mom Gave Me

I haven't been inspired to write much of late...  Too much heat and humidity...  Too many entanglements that are complex, depressing and sticky... 

"Too much... [as the song goes] too little...  too late?"

Aging isn't fun... 

Mistakes tend to haunt one... 

The future [aging parents / our own mortality] becomes daunting... 

The day becomes a battleground of responsibility versus "hey, I might not be here tomorrow..."

It seems, sometimes, like there have been "traps" laid everywhere.

Even for butterflies.

Especially for butterflies?

The "World Wide Web" is aptly named - is it not?

From the "personal to the political" (a play off an old feminist saying) one could easily get lost in this alternative universe where it is sometimes as hard to sort out the good from the not so... as it is in real life.

Sincere "voices" park right beside the cynics, the comics and the master manipulators...

Whilst "Miss Muffett" hums her innocent timeless tune...

Eats her gruel

Enjoys the summer breeze...

And takes time to analyze spiders...

Stomping [the organic cure] her feet

As necessary.

Happy Independence Day...

Vine Update... Best Tomato Plant So Far... Roses, Roses...

These are a couple of the vines I was inquiring about.

Invasive vines... Any suggestions...?

Has anyone noticed some of the aggressive vines growing around here?  I'm relatively new to gardening, so maybe they have always been an issue, but yousa...  There is a vine in the neighbor's back yard (bordering on our back yard) that is actually reaching up, up, up... and strangling a beautiful maple tree...  And another one (it looks like a wild grape vine, but it is fuzzy) that keeps popping up as quick as I tear it down.  Suggestions anyone?

"Dogville" Movie Promo and Snippets - You Tube - Graphic Content - Adults Only

["Dogville Trailer"; You Tube Video; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rPllm4WEXw ]

Note:  This movie has actually been out for a long time now - but may be hard to locate.  If interested, my best guess is to try an internet search or a library.

["Gathering - Dogville"; You Tube Video; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLEPyg3eoog&feature=related ]

This movie gets off to a very slow start - and it is entirely different than the majority of movies I have seen in my lifetime...

Still - traumatic as the movie is [and for me it was very...] I think every adult should see it and think about the implications. 

This world will not - in my opinion - change for the better - until we hold perpetrators - at all levels - accountable [penal system wise; financially; etc.] for their actions.

I also believe every fine collected for an offense perpetrated against humanity, be it targeting one person or a nation - should be put into a victims [and their families] legal fund. 

Why should low income perps get free legal counsel - and thier victims have to [this, if they even can...] pay full pop for legal representation?

This movie is a powerful thought-provoker.  It is also heartrending enough that it made me physically sick.