Kinkikali

Pak it in

Earlier this summer, the US  Secretary of State Hillary R Clinton tripped over to Pakistan.  She came loaded down with gifts for Pakistan.  These gifts, worth hundreds of millions, are to keep Pakistan in line and on our side.  Much of it was and is for “water projects”.  Given the arid state of Pakistan, “water projects” have a useful ring to it.  But just this week, the weather turned rough and the rains came.  Pakistan now sits in deep flood.  It is kind of interesting that one day “water projects” are announced and then within an omen’s twist “water projects” are all down stream, all under the bridge.

The Four Fems

No matter what your viewpoint is of the political process, the November 2010 Mid-term elections should be a hoot and a holler, with hopefully a minimum of gunfire.  Here in NH, there are plenty of races worth watching.

And I think NH will soon have an all female delegation…

Below are my predictions, with the usual mushy commentary…

House 1:  I give Carol-Shea another term.  Her original campaign was the original tea-party type–fired up about Hurricane Katrina and party underdog.  She has made no big whoops.  And she has made getting veterans local health care her flagship cause.  Any Republican/Conservative picking a fight with her will have to put up or shut up on supporting our dear suffering veterans.

House 2:  With an open seat this will be like  playing hockey and basketball on the same field. Katrina Swett will put up a feisty and smart campaign.  She will face Jennifer Horn who will beat Charlie Bass.  Not that she strays beyond the talking points, but because she is newer and fresh.  Charlie has had too much time in congress to get another chance.  Katrina v. Jennifer ought to full of fury and foam.  Jennifer will win by having never set foot in DC.

Senior Senator: I know Jeanne Shaheen is not up for re-election, but she will have a split delegation—all filled with strong willed women.  Tragically will alone does not bring back Happy Times.  I hope she can bring unity because unity comes in awful handy in awful times.

Junior Senator: Paul Hodes will be the sacrificial goat for the sins of Obama.  Meanwhile Kelly Ayotte will beat her male opponents after a bruising, hurting, and wearing race. But she will be the “establishment” pick with an anti-establishment mandate.  She will have the courage to blow the whistle on her fellow Republicans/Conservatives when they engage or had engaged in the same behavior they complain about.  She will resign within a year saying (about Congress) “They no longer do the people’s business, but business’s business…and they have lobbyists for that”

November Revolution

Since 2001, national politics has become progressively more contentious and complex.  The coming mid-term elections are already described in “line in the sand” terms.  Unfortunately there is no national consensus—just groups of hell for leather and bunker mentality interests.  Trust exists only within “the tribe”.

And there is zero patience.  So the Democrats get the proverbial boot.  Republicans take over, but then what?  Will they stand by their promises or will hopes be burst like plenty of recent bubbles.

Voters will stew knowing nothing has changed in the positive direction.  There are vague alternatives–but again can bravado translate to practical solutions.  Our troubles, especially financial, are too deep and widespread.  It has taken decades to degrade the low and middle class.  They are stripped of all but defiance and anger.

This leads to long term questions about democracy competency. 

Unfortunately institutions in America are pretty well sullied and younger generations are none to pleased with current and especially future state of affairs.  There are some ok folks running for office, but the prospects don’t look good.  Many candidates are so virulently “anti-government” that one wonders why they are running for something they hate.

Since severe financial disruptions has left so much in the air, now would be the time to deep think how to re-arrange the things we once considered permanent, before they are thrust upon us by those who find elections no longer enough to sustain democracy.

Continuing Decline

Despite more good news on the economic front, bad news just comes in bigger mobs.  Recent notes, the Ginger House, a local restaurant with sushi service, is dropping its sushi.  This regressives sushi to Peterborough and Concord, a bummer.

Irving Oil/Shaw’s is cutting back on their groceries for gas.  It used to be $50 in groceries got you $.10 off per gallon at the pump.  Now it is $.05.

Public Right/Private Right: SeaWorld or SeeWorld

Earlier this year, a trainer got killed at SeaWorld with cameras rolling.  This tragic accident took a turn when the family of the trainer wanted the video footage sealed, citing privacy.

This brings up the question of privacy versus public right to know.  Do we all have the right to control our image?  Who decides what images are public domain or private propriety?  What about retroactively gaining ownership of  “public images”?

Public record (of the image variety) is so important for the public good.  Going in the opposite direction is only fair if it is all or nothing.  Giving certain groups the advantage to “cover up” is wrong and wrong.  And that is where the SeaWorld case is so important. Being in public means being the public…subject to the eyes and the lenses therein.

Monkey Business

The recent Gulf Coast disaster brought up the spector of monkey business.  Remember a few years back, the mere threat of a potential hurricane in the Gulf sent oil prices spiking.  Then a few weeks ago,  a rig explodes, burns, and sinks in the Gulf.  And the prices just sail on unchanged.

The economy, like politics, has become a crap shoot.  Reasoning does not necessarily apply. So many principals and assumptions to which we have anchored our beliefs on seem to have become just so unstable.

April 10

Every April 10th that comes around reminds me of an incident from years ago.  I was at UNH, my freshman year.  Amongst my friends was one Glenn David Hayes, a youthful, upbeat, and happy with the world soul from Bartlett NH.  He mixed easy and sat behind me in an Intro to Geography class. In the spring of 1983 he came to visit Richardson House, my dorm,  He was interested in transferring.  Glenn was also deep into Crew.  Early in April he hit me up for a fundraiser for Crew team.  I gladly sponsored him on that Thursday as he had great dedication to Crew.

A few days later (Saturday) the day was raw and ugly–rain and wind, gusty and gloomy.  I gave little thought to Glenn or to the fundraiser.  Japanese class had a field trip to Japanese restaurant in Amherst NH.  This was at a time when Japanese food was unheard of in NH.  The trip, despite the length, was a rousing success.

But when I got back to Richardson early that evening the usual casual and light hearted Saturday was cold and still.  My gut told me something was terribly wrong.  The day at the Midori Restaurant was pushed aside as a tearful Teresa Leavitt (who went to high school in the Conway area) came up to me and said “Glenn is dead!”.

There had been a freak wind on Great Bay.  The shells were swamped.  Glenn tried to make it ashore.  Other stayed with their boats.  They were rescued.  It was on the news.

Of course back in THOSE days we had no cell phones and no Internet.  But the shock lasted for years.  Three years before a buddy from Spring Street, Dennis Quinn, died in a motorbike accident back down by “The Tracks” (where B & M railroad ran).

April 1st

On or about November 1st of each year I plug in the heat tape to keep the water inflow pipe from freezing during the winter.  Each April 1st I unplug the thing–having spent electricity and money for my Cardboard Castle (being polite).  Not only does my electricity bill drop, but I go on to the most welcome Lava Lamp Mode. 

I have a cheap lava lamp that is better quality then the house it resides in.  It stays off all during the long, cold winter.  Last night I turned the sucker on.  The furnace off, the heat tape unplugged, but the lava lamp bright and all right, I enjoyed, no savored, the start of warm days ahead.

The lava lamp relighting tied with the last of the ice off Emerald Lake.  Four tiny pathetic “piles” of snow remain at Wooglin.  None is left on Melody Lane.  And to add the glee, PSNH is scheduled to take down a tree that has been a bother since the day I purchased my little piece of…

Spring is here and most welcome.  Please stay warm weather.  Global warming is most welcome too.

Firestarters

The recent healthcare debate was fiery.  There was a vocal conservative side of politics that kept calling for stopping the democratic monster at “any and all costs”.  Media commentaters fed off the this and added fuel to the flames.  Then the “masses” got involved stoking politicans and commentaters.  Pretty soon the firestorm built—feeding off each other in frenzy.

Now there is a lull.

Some are calling for “pulling back from radicalism”.  But I have heard few of the commenataters step back and APOLOGIZE for encouraging “any cost”.  It is nice to be impassioned, committed to one’s cause.  But commentaters have RESPONSIBILITIES (Bulldog and Jack).

Back in 2001 the conservative movement was all out for blood “to avenge” Chandra Levy.  All summer that was the focus.  Then while the Republicans were setting the grill up for Congressman Condit a few dozen Arabs decided the friendly sky.  What was worse than witchhunting for the people’s visit was how quickly Chandra Levy was dropped as Golden Victim on 9/12.

Wars start because of emotions run wild.  Genocides are perpetrated because moderate thought gets left in the gutter–dead.  Word has it that the Rwanda genocides were in a large part because of local media firebranding.

“At all costs”, political revenge, holier than thou attitude…nice paved highways to hell folks.  It just seems the two sides of political aisle are raising the stakes—at great cost to country and dignity.  Meanwhile the masses simmer in their discontent. Slippery slopes people.  If you hate your fellow Americans than you hate your “enemies” than we all fall down.

Cash-out

The difficult times we are in manifest themselves in many ways.  One noticeable example of desperate times and the people caught within is the proliferation in media advertising of “sell gold for money”.  Not that it is illegal or immoral to pawn away your savings—there is an ongoing demand for suchstuff.  But what if the recovery is not.  Blowing the last of your assets means more critical mass of desperate and demoralized.  Our leaders tell us NOW is NOT the time to panic.  So be it.  But cashing out is one step shy of giving up followed by getting even.  And pray it does not come to that.  Otherwise I won’t wait for the “go ahead” on panic.