TODAY’S WORD, BOYS AND GIRLS, IS ‘DEMOCRACY’
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
Second of Two Parts
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY DEC. 1, 2021) — Getting all December on you, THE PLANET wraps up this two-part series on words by taking up our next one. And the words is …
Democracy.
A couple of quick hits. In Word Association, the first two things that come to THE PLANET upon hearing the word “democracy” is a derivation and a TV opening.
The words consists of two Greek words, “demos” for people and “crasis” for power. Literally, it means “people power.” As for TV, the opening sequence for The Defenders, a show that aired from 1961 to ’65. I remember the words, “Democracy is a very bad form of government, but all the others are so much worse.” E.G. Marshall and Robert Reid (before he became Pa Brady … to say nothing of Pat Brady) star as father-son defense lawyers.
From Wikipedia: “Lawrence Preston (Marshall) and Kenneth Preston (Reed) are father-and-son defense attorneys who specialized in legally complex cases, with defendants such as neo-Nazis, conscientious objectors, demonstrators of the Civil Rights Movement, a schoolteacher fired for being an atheist, an author accused of pornography, and a physician charged in a mercy killing.[1]” You can add abortion to that list.
———- ooo ———-
Back in the day, people held in esteem defending such unpopular causes. We saw it as a case of justice at work. Today, such trials become political before and above all else, or haven’t you heard of Derek Chauvin and Kyle Rittenhouse?
Then there’s the hackneyed observation (usually employed by people who feel the need to tell you how MUCH they know) that America is a republic, not a democracy. Democracy literally means one person, one vote. A republic handles this conundrum — for today, with populations in the billions and hundreds of millions, true democracy is an impossibility — by electing “representatives” according to population subsets.
People in a nation, state, city, town, borough, village, hamlet, or any other “community” are identified as a unit and, if large enough, divided into subunits. Tiny example: the City of Pittsfield consists of seven wards and 14 precincts. Each of the wards gets representation on the city council. Councilors “represent,” that is, stand-in by proxy, every person in the ward eligible to vote.
Works great in theory; not so in reality. In both Pittsfield and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, “representation” has broken down via hegemony — the domination by one political party of the others, resulting in executive, legislative, and judicial imbalance and injustice … what we can call totalitarianism.
For quotidian purposes, “democracy” and “republican” can be interchanged, but when the representative system is so out-of-whack, neither word fits what takes place. The reason, again, is one-party rule. Because no one possesses Divine Knowledge (on that, the Founding Fathers were correct), one-party rule must inevitably become corrupt for lack of vigorous, involved, rousing, and participatory opposition.
What’s the alternative? A case where two political powers are roughly divided 50-50? Okay, granted. What then?
Either you have dialog, cooperation, and true concern for the common good or you have head-butting, stagnation, hard lines, and gridlock — what we have today. The first only works with honest people in the system. Only a few rogues can criminalize the entire operation. The second only comes when “representation” embodies ideology opposed human beings. The first case we have in America. The second we have in Pittsfield and Massachusetts.
What does democracy mean to you?
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Recently, Chinese ambassador Qin Gang and Russian ambassador Anatoly Antonov cowrote an extraordinary editorial in light of the so-called “Democracy Summit” called by President Joe Biden for Dec. 9-10. The summit will be held via Zoom. The ambassadors cooperated on this piece after it was announced that the 110 countries invited did not include neither China nor Russia. Here’s a section of what they wrote:
Peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom are common values of humanity. Democracy is not a prerogative of a certain country or a group of countries, but a universal right of all peoples. It can be realized in multiple ways, and no model can fit all countries. Whether a country’s path works depends on whether it meets the country’s realities, follows the trend of the times, and brings about economic development, social stability and progress, and better lives for the people. Ultimately, it relies on the support of the people and will be proven by its contribution to human progress.
What China has is an extensive, whole-process socialist democracy. It reflects the people’s will, suits the country’s realities, and enjoys strong support from the people. In China, the people have the right to elections, and they can get deeply involved in national governance, exercising their power through the People’s Congresses at the national and other levels. China has eight non-Communist parties participating in governance, as well as a unique system and corresponding institutions of political consultation. On matters concerning people’s keen interests, there are broad-based and sufficient consultations and discussions before any decision is made. Policies and measures can only be introduced when there is a consensus that they are what the people want and will serve the people’s needs. It has been proved that the whole-process democracy works in China, and works very well. China calls for building a community with a shared future for mankind. As residents of the same global village, we should handle international affairs through consultation.
Democracy is not just about domestic governance; it should also be reflected in international relations. A truly democratic government will support democracy in international relations. It will not foster hegemony and division abroad while building democracy and unity at home. The path to prosperity of nations goes through respectful cooperation with each other, despite some differences in views on particular issues.
The sovereignty, security, and development interests of a country should not be violated. Interfering in other countries’ internal affairs—under the pretext of fighting corruption, promoting democratic values, or protecting human rights—hindering their development, wielding the big stick of sanctions, and even infringing on their sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity go against the UN Charter and other basic norms of international law and are obviously anti-democratic.
From Yahoo News:
China opposes “any official interaction between the US and China’s Taiwan region,” Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday, according to The Guardian.
China’s foreign ministry said it was “firmly opposed” to Taiwan’s participation in the summit.
“US actions only go to show democracy is just a cover and a tool for it to advance its geopolitical objectives, oppress other countries, divide the world and serve its own interests,” Zhao Lijian, a foreign ministry spokesperson, told reporters, per Reuters.
———- ooo ———-
China is right in both its characterization of the United states and in its position on Taiwan. The U.S. has used “democracy” in in a cynical fashion, not as an enlightening tool but as the medium through which it can impose its influence in areas where it has no business. As for Taiwan, we do not officially recognize Taiwan as a country, but in practical purposes we do, pretending we should have more “control” over an island 9,000 miles away than China does to that same place 90 miles offshore.
Meanwhile, China is led by the greatest head-of-state of any nation, Xi Jin-Ping. The U.S. has a confused president who has lost all sense of who he is, having been hijacked by the small band of pirates away from the Democratic Party’s center to the extreme left. China has unity. We have gridlock. In a few short years, it’s not even going to be close.
Such arrogance.
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“Whats’da matter with you, ya musclebound procupine?” – Moe Howard.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Re: Open letter to blogger Dan Valenti
November 30, 2021
Hello Mark Tully & Charles Kronick,
I agree with Mark Tully’s letter to the Editor of the Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) regarding Mayor Linda Tyer’s bizarre and out-of-touch statement that Pittsfield politics’ always predictable 5% municipal spending increase correlates with the added market value of residential homes. Mayor Linda Tyer lives in a millionaires-only Gated Community in far west Pittsfield past Berkshire Community College where she and her wealthy CPA husband Barry Clairmont both park their Lexus luxury cars at night. At Pittsfield City Hall, Mayor Linda Tyer is sitting on the biggest amount of cash in the history of Pittsfield politics. She is sitting on well over $20 million in Biden Bucks, as well as many millions of Slush Fund dollars via Matt Kerwood’s Creative Accounting Schemes.
The proverbial Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski family in Pittsfield Massachusetts always pays for higher municipal taxes, fees, public debts and other liabilities, and in return for their hard-earned money they get shafted with Level 5 inner city public schools, Pittsfield always being in the top 10 for violent crime in Massachusetts according to the FBI’s annual report, a 23-year-old mostly vacant and very polluted PEDA debacle that has many millions of dollars in growing unfunded liabilities, a distressed local economy with little to no living wage jobs for the average underclass and working class Pittsfield families, Pittsfield being one of the most economically unequal metro areas in the Commonwealth and nation, a state and local ruling elite group of insider political hacks who are totally disconnected from the people who they supposedly serve in government, a dangerous downtown that is sarcastically called “Social Services Alley” with “the Ring of Poverty” of poor neighborhoods that surround North Street, 50 years of losses in population and living wage jobs – a shrinking tax base – while the government has grown more and more expensive for the local taxpayers over the years/decades, and so on. I call that a very bad deal from Beacon Hill backbencher Berkshire state lawmakers and Pittsfield politicians!
In closing, when someone such as Mark Tully asks the age-old question, “Why?”, Mayor Linda Tyer and her mostly rubber-stamp City Councilors always continue on with “Business as usual” in Pittsfield politics.
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
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Letter: “Despite mayor’s dismissal, Pittsfield homeowners will still feel tax pinch”
The Berkshire Eagle, November 30, 2021
To the editor: There were many absurd statements made during Tuesday’s City Council debate on whether to use additional “free cash” to lower the tax burden. (“Tyer’s tax rate greenlit as Pittsfield council rejects using additional $1 million in free cash to reduce property tax bills,” Eagle, Nov. 23.)
I think the most absurd statement of the night, however, was by Mayor Linda Tyer. Mayor Tyer decided to educate the City Council on the benefits of the increase in home values such as adding equity, building borrowing power and personal wealth.
Mayor Tyer then stated, “For the average single-family home in Pittsfield, the increase in value equals $18,172 and I suggest that’s a decent value proposition for only $196 in new taxes.”
What does Mayor Tyer mean by that statement? Should I be grateful to the city for overvaluing my home and charging me $196 more? Does Mayor Tyer think a bank will appraise my home based on one year’s sales data and lend me $18,172 to help me pay my taxes?
Last year, we saw a 9 percent spike in single-family home sale prices due to demand driven by a pandemic and a limited supply of housing. This is not a trend. It is a spike and prices will adjust down. Will Mayor Tyer return the $196 when prices fall? I think not.
Mayor Tyer’s statement reminds me of Marie Antoinette’s alleged statement to the peasants during the bread famine: “Let them eat cake.”
Mark Tully, Pittsfield
—–
In most cities with normal mayoral function when you have the new growth Pittsfield is experiencing with Milltown and others you would expect to see taxes drop, not go up a lot. But in Mayor Tyers upside down, inside out world, she sees a cumulative $200 tax increase as a good thing. And apparently, financial types like Marchetti and that Barry fella as well as treasurers like Kufflinks think that is OK.
Someone please help. Someone has gone beserk on Allen street.
FIZZ
True. In Pittsfield, up is down, east is west, and tax reform = robotic tax hikes. But don’t wait the the revolution. In Pitts, those at the top are content. Those at the bottom are on the gravy train ($$$ for no work). Those who are young and willing have left. Those who are left are just trying to survive … yeah, what used to be the middle class. Democracy at work!
Check the assessments of the properties. The developer pays a residential tax rate for property which is advertised and leased commercially.
and then that rate is abated
That you consider living in Massachusetts akin to living in a totalitarian society is unhinged and is an insult to those who fought against actual totalitarianism.
He is correct. You are not as usual
You have no concept of what totalitarianism is, and neither does Dan. Massachusetts is not Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia. It is a ridiculous argument made by the uninformed and uneducated.
Its just as bad, without the shootings. Try to get a clue, we know what you are.
I’m not a knuckle dragging Trumper who hates his own country.
Insults are so impressive. Clearly i have won the argument
It’s more like being a Serf in a Fiefdom. Pittsfield is a fine example.
No one forces you to stay in Pittsfield. Don’t like it? Move.
like you moved from north adams. oh yea you were aske to leave.
Why do you bounce back and forth between names? How could possibly know where I live?
What are you talking about?. We all know.
I see enough just having to drive through The $hit.
And I do keep moving to avoid spending time there, even in transit.
Bottom feeders and criminals seem to thrive in Tyer Town.
Glad you have common ground with those……
So true,the increase is not warrented.In six years Tyer has not cut 1 penny in taxes.The water and sewar taxes have tripled
Thank you, Jonathan.
Letter: Pittsfield mayor’s tax comments are off-base
The Berkshire Eagle, December 2, 2021
To the editor: I don’t know if Linda Tyer is a Democrat or a Republican, but she sure sounds like a Trump Republican when at a recent City Council meeting she states that we should not be concerned with our new real estate tax hike, as our home values will increase substantially as well as our personal wealth. (“Tyer’s tax rate greenlit as Pittsfield council rejects using additional $1 million in free cash to reduce property tax bills,” Eagle, Nov. 23.)
Really? Voodoo economics for sure. Wake up, mayor.
Vic Ostellino, Pittsfield
Obviously more hate speech from the readers of the Eagle. Tyer is and has always been a Democrat. Why would a conservative raise taxes at least before cutting out the fat in the bloated government. Only Democrats like to raise taxes for no apparent reason except to give them more power. With the increase in assessed value tax rates should be lowered and the city could still bring in more taxes. If they cut the bloat they would save even more.
Many of the mayors prided toilet plungers on North street were plowed over and mangled during the recent snow storm. Guess no one could have seen that coming.
But Morales says that is not a problem.
Two words on his comment……Hoollleeee ssshhittt
The toilet plungers mangled? That makes our day!!
Even the Eagle thought it was worthy of pictures…bet they get a spanking from da mayor for that lack of discretion
That’s just it!, More spending for the next batch and taxpayers foot the bill and the vendor gets MORE CASH.
Morones should pay for them, or someone should glue them on City Hall walls so the building looks like a porcupine
It’s all part of the plan by the globalists to weaken America and they are using a feeble minded Joe Biden to do it. China talks about fairness and government representation of the people, but like everything else that comes from China, I’m not sure we can believe it. They want to take over America’s moral authority in the world so they are talking very high minded, but it’s all part of their goal of being the largest world power. I’m not sure where China fits in with the globalists though since the globalists seem to be simultaneously isolating China while at the same time making them the number one power. America has spent too much time trying to spread Democracy across the world which has created resentment, but American leadership is now partnering with globalists and their frightening goal of one world government. Our country seems lost because our leadership has lost sight of what America has always represented….freedom.
The countries that we have tried to spread democracy in usually are missing two key elements that help democracy work. Freedom and Liberty.
What ever the definition of democracy is – /not feeling it here, Dan! (There is a skewed falsified pretentious democracy in Berkshire County) perpetrated by the 3 branches
My opinion is that it’s not that the Chinese leader is so great, but that American leadership is so bad right now that the comparison between the two shows just how lost our country has become. We are now chasing after the vision of the globalists rather than having a vision of our own that emphasizes what has always been our greatest strength…freedom for our people. No question that Xi Jin-Ping is ambitious, but his leadership is all about power for himself and not about empowering the people of his country to live in freedom.
Xi is great because he has a plan, that “vision” thing, has assembled a structure conducive to the plan, and has taken action to see the plan through. His vision? Restore China, the world’s most populous country, to its place as the world’s #1 superpower. China has gone through three phases since 1949: Mao built the country through ruthlessness and revolution, almost destroying it in the process. Deng Xaoping introduced economic reform and liberalism. Xi is now taking Deng’s foundation and building upon it. if you look at how far China has come since Mao met Nixon in 1972, it takes one’s breath away. That ’72 summit was on the heels of the Cultural Revolution that nearly destroyed the country. Then came Deng, who is one of history’s most underrated great leaders. What Deng did has allowed Xi to bring back a different version of authoritarianism, one, ironically, more like the capitalistic democracy that the U.S. pretends to be.
You’re right Dan. What is the vision for America? Do we have one that doesn’t involve becoming part of some globalist oppressive group of countries that lords it over the people? That doesn’t involve giving all of our money over to a group of greedy elites while we live with “lowered expectations” and making “sacrifices for climate change”? No, the vision of our current leaders is a takedown of America to a place that most Americans do not want to go.
PAT
Not even globalism constitutes a “vision” for America. A true vision must be unfrgmented, solid (there’s a difference), forward looking, sincere, and as truthful as possible (which means developing plans pursuing action that brings the greatest good for a particular constituency). Xi has a Vision. It’s working miracles, flawed as it is. Biden has ocular degeneration caused by ideologues who fall in with the policies of The 5 Banshees. I’m afraid the time for centrism has passed us by, done in by many factors, none as culpable as the social media and 24/7 TV. The consequence is an America that’s going nowhere. I have seen the future, and it lies with the Pacific Rim.
If only Americans would wake up and elect leaders with a brain and a solid positive vision for this country. It may be too late, but I am forever hopeful that we can still turn this ship around from hitting the icebergs that are waiting just ahead due to this insane far left agenda.
Russia= Social media….FOX = Fascism…Trump kissing Putins ass and Kushner kissing Saudi Arabia ass…..Conservative are bought hook line and sinker…this board is a buyer of white is supreme.The billionaires are above you as you think your on the billionaires side…lol….Keep fighting that white supremacy war as you make them very happy..
Somewhere out there is a 2 year old girl.
Whose Mother is a stripper, Father is a crackhead, and Grandfather is the installed President.
The grandparents put six stockings on their fireplace for their 7 grandchildren. They won’t even give the 2 year old granddaughter, a lump of coal for Christmas. And Hunter won’t pay any child support.
Trumps plan was to give western Europe to Putin
The Bidens are not for sale!!!
The Chi-Coms already own them.
Traitor Joseph Stolen, opened up US strategic oil reserves under the ruse to help Americans with OUT OF CONTROL energy costs.
Truth is, the oil is all going to India and China, not to Americans.
Take your one vote and get rid of the Incomptetent DA. Another lost OUI case, another example of management incompetence. Of course the prosecution did try to throw a cop under the bus but we know who is really to blame for letting this case get so old in the first place.The buck stops at Andrea Harrington.
A 2017 OUI case in Pittsfield is dismissed after witnesses not notified about trialBy Amanda Burke, The Berkshire Eagle PITTSFIELD — The drunken-driving case brought against a city man nearly five years ago was dismissed Monday, after the prosecution said its witnesses had not been notified about the trial.
Judge Mark Pasquariello issued a written order about his decision to dismiss charges against Raphael Malafronte, 33, who had pleaded not guilty to driving on Route 8 in Hinsdale while under the influence of alcohol the afternoon of Jan. 13, 2017.
After multiple delays, including several because of COVID-19, Malafronte’s trial was scheduled to begin in Central Berkshire District Court on Monday. That morning, the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office indicated to the judge that prosecutors were not ready for trial, and requested a continuance.
“The commonwealth stated that it had not summonsed any witnesses for trial,” Pasquariello wrote.
Malafronte, the judge said in the order, was in the courtroom Monday with his defense attorney, Elizabeth Quigley, who, in the absence of prosecution witnesses, asked Pasquariello to dismiss the case. Pasquariello agreed to Quigley’s request, and he dismissed the case without prejudice, while declining to set a new trial date.
“I have taken into account the potential prejudice to the defendant, the interests of the parties in a speedy resolution of the matter and the basis for the Commonwealth’s request,” the judge wrote.
Assistant District Attorney Joseph Brava, in a motion dated Monday requesting the continuance, added that prosecutors had been ready to go forward Sept. 8, but ultimately agreed to Quigley’s request for a delay because of a scheduling conflict.
According to Pasquariello’s order, the age of the case didn’t help the prosecution. He wrote that the DA’s office said the investigating police officer did not have a “strong memory of events leading to the defendant’s arrest” in early 2017.
Malafronte had been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol, possessing an open container of alcohol and speeding. He was pulled over about 2:30 p.m. Jan. 13, 2017, by an officer with the Hinsdale Police Department who clocked him driving 12 miles an hour over the speed limit on Route 8 near Pittsfield Road, according to a police report.
The report states that Malafronte agreed to a Breathalyzer test, which showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.11 percent. Malafronte pleaded not guilty to the charges at his Jan. 17, 2017, arraignment.
Nothing in that report says he burned any hay bales. He did not cross that red line and therefore should be a free man, get his court costs back as well as lawyer expenses.
Honorable,
Woke Justice
At least they were able to prosecute. I remember coming home from work late at night a former police officer off duty I assume was drunker than a skunk and multiple cops at the scene. Never heard a peep about an arrest, never mind a trial. Another one was a head on collision not to long ago that could have killed many people,the driver was charged and sent to a rehab and subsequently received his license back. He was Court ordered and failed a court ordered blood Alchohol draw,nothing of it, still driving. The point is, avoiding prison time for these types of crimes is fine if you can help the defendants of these crimes. Places like Brien are needed but what is the success rate? Didn’t a drunk driver just get his 7th dui? Guess you have to kill someone before you get any kind of justice.
Nope. They were NOT able to prosecute. I don’t know what your random examples are but this is a real case the DA was not able to prosecute because the witnesses were not notified. This is a basic element of the prosecutors job. For example, if you went for surgery but no one arranged for the anesthesiologist. Any case that fails due to Harrington’s incompetence is made to seem like it is either the fault of the police or judges. Andrea Harrington is the one who fired competent attourneys and took the job despite no experience. Now the chaos in the DA’s office and the courts is making our streets less safe. I hope it is clear the lack of justice is the fault of the District Attorney.
She fired the competent victim advocates also. The ones left behind have skated through years of working there and doing nothing. The smart ones left. The new ones hired have no experience and some don’t have a degree. They are working with people in this community who have experienced some of the worst things they ever will. These advocates should have been in touch with victims and witnesses throughout COVID closures. They still had a job to do. They have a huge responsibility along with the ADA. They have let the community down.
Democracy is a form of religion. It is the worship of jackals by jackasses. -H.L.Mencken
Democracy: a festival of mediocrity. – E.M. Cioran
Democracy is the art of running the circus from the monkey cage. – H.L.Mencken, 1916
An honest politician is one who when bought will stay bought. – Simon Cameron, 1860
The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it. H.L. Mencken – 1956
The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later, in a dictatorship you don’t have to waste your time voting. – Charles Bukowski
On the subject of tyer’s choice of hynea ruffer to secretly manage the ARPA millions, the higher the monkey climbs the tree the more he shows his arse. So does hynea ruffer’s retirement mean that not only will she be collecting her taxpayer funded pension but she’ll also be pocketing taxpayer funded $$$$$$$ to secretly manage $41 Million $$$$$$$. No questions asked!
Love these quotes, especially Mencken, who was the greatest prose stylist of the 20th century. Thanks for the compilation, CITY.
Who better to trust to handle millions of dollars than someone who uses aliases in other states… Brilliant!!
Bet she does not like forensic audits either…..just a guess
Do you think she wants the Stanley Beacon forensic audit?
And in other News. Omicron contracted in California fully vaccinated victim to boot imagine the megabucks Nucleas fat man could have received?
Robertoo Girl.Comes and goes.
In this case it’s the fox guarding the hen hou$e.
A gathering of Baboons is known as a Congress. In Pittsfield it’s known as The City Council.
If you give an infinite number of Pittsfield politicians and infinite amount of time and an infinite number of keyboards, eventually they will come up with H. L. Mencken.
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/criminal-justice/berkshire-da-harrington-part-of-effort-to-shed-light-on-plea-deals/
The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, and intolerable. – H.L. Mencken
Mencken, along with Poe, Ambrose Bierce, and Gore Vidal, are in there as my literary progenitors. Probably H.L. occupies top spot, the Bierce.
My mentors for speaking were Peter Arlos and the great Guy Noto.
Who by the way never minced words ever.
I knew both men well. I went to school with Guy. He was a class behind. Lena and Josephine Noto were both in my class at Mt. Carmel. Peter the Great, the Aging Greek God, was, along with the late, great Mary Flynn of Stockbridge, was one of my political mentors. Both knew everything about policy, didn’t suffer fools, and knew where all the bodies were buried.
I never read anything by Vidal but he was a frequent guest on Johnny Carson. I thought he came off as a pompous ass.
When that imp optimism starts creeping about I immediately drag Henry or Ambrose “Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” that always makes me laugh, or Jonathan Swift “Live every day as your last, because one of these days, it will be.” and “Law are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies, but let wasps and hornets break through.” and “We have enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.” and “Politics, as the word is commonly understood, are nothing but corruptions.” off the bookshelf. If that doesn’t work, there’s always Diogenes. But things don’t usually get that bad. YIKES! Now that sounds optimistic.
“In a rich man’s house there is no place to spit but in his face.” – Diogenes
Your literary grasp is beginning to impress!
Stupid is as stupid does.
Forrest Gump
(and whomever did the bike lanes)
The credit goes to Ritardo.
Omnicornpop was a bad dude. I mean it. No Joke.
I preferred Tiny Tim. And has anyone seen the top ten mascot names for Taconic? Astros is terrible. How about the,….Contingencies…..love it !
The Dynamic Vibrators would be perfect.
The Plungers.
I love what someone else had: The Taconic Plungers.
How about, Wokies
The Taconic Taxes
Another disgraceful loss for the citizens of Berkshire County presented as a victory by our local media. DA Harrington has repeatedly pronounced she would “prioritize violent crime.” Yet this repeat violent offender has been allowed to plea to a second degree charge despite having video of an attack that violently and deliberately took a man’s life and despite First Assistant Karen Bell’s public pronouncements to the media that the defendant instigated the fight and that it was not a self-defense scenario.
Any reporter with an internet connection can google this information along with the fact that the convicted had at least two other violent cases pending. One involves stabbing a man twice in the abdomen during a dispute over the return of drugs and a firearm. You might think anyone with a moderate degree of curiosity would ask what has become of those cases. You might think anyone with a duty to the public would ask why second degree with the possibility of parole? You migh think this information would be in the media coverage. But you would be wrong. You read it here.
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/crime/jason-sefton-life-sentence-murder-pittsfield-barber-william-catalano/article_41c341e2-52af-11ec-b7bf-6703b34def44.htmland
Flash mobs are breaking out in cities that have these radical far left District Attorneys. It’s happening across the county. Decriminalize crime, impede police from arresting criminals, and make it easy for criminals to get out of jail. We saw a classic example of this recently with the man who ran over at least 50 people in the Christmas parade. He had been released on only $1,000 bail for a violent crime. George Soros has put these far left district attorneys in power who are refusing to keep criminals locked up. It’s all part of the far left plan to spread this chaos to every city across the country.
Exactly how are your Plungers attached to the road. I would think they need removing during plowing of roads? The Taconic Plungers is my vote.
They are screwed into the pavement. Can be removed easily, though it would be as time-consuming as the fastening. Another example of wasted time, expense, effort.
Agree Dan, not to mention the extra cost of City crews to shovel around all of Mayor Plungers white cones. Every single one, lots of tax dollars down the pooper. Cities flush with pot cash, Bumble Biden cash and of course our cash! Life’s good for the tax and spend political machine.
Hopefully not too many of them will et under the trucks and caught up in the brake lines. But I mean, who really cares?
Know ell know ell
We should organize our own flash mob. We’ll storm North Street with wrenches, remove the plungers, pick up all the trash, clean things up, and leave the place a little better than it is.
When do get to vote her ass out of office?
If there is still any of the covid millions left she make pull a trump like insurrection so she can stay till she can disperse it all. Something tells me money is king with this girl.
Call the FBI, they do that the most
Glenn Beck explains why our justice system is being infiltrated by these far left district attorneys because you can’t have a revolution unless there is chaos in the streets. The far left knows that people will be killed when criminals are released from jail, but they say that doesn’t make their mission any less important. Their agenda must go on. The news media is working with them in this country because the media is key to their revolutionary goals so the media stays silent and doesn’t report what is going on. Beck was banned from Berkshire County radio because he knows what the far left is doing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK61H_RZOnw
Did Mr Beck discuss how Jeffrey Epstein took a 14 year old girl to Maro Largo to meet Donald Trump? That is what the girl testified to in federal court yesterday. Did Mr Beck go over the testimony?
Annul not true. Get your fake stories straight. I do know 2 things that don’t hang them self, Sheetrock & Jeffrey Epstein!
And that’s exactly why Epstein was banned from MaraLago. Why not tell the WHOLE story AnalGas!
Uh, and so how did this girl then happen to wind up in one of Trumps teenage beauty pagenants? You know, the ones where he would walk unannounced into their dressing rooms.
Anul if the Moonbats crazy’s couldn’t find dirt on Trump and made up all of the Russian bullshit , still are trying to make up shit on him you eat that shit sandwich.
Dementia Joe showered with his teen daughter
When the ballot box and the jury box no longer ensure your freedoms and rights, it might be time to turn to the ammo box?
Woah. You are ON FIRE, TRAPPER.
Post of month!
Who ya gonna gun down MT? Is this going to happen before Christmas cuz I don’t want to buy presents for anybody who won’t be around to open them.
“The tree of liberty, must be refreshed with the blood of tyrants and patriots.”
A few more things….
As a youth, in the fall most of the boys brought their guns to school, hunting on the way (can you say we, got up WAY before the sun?), then hunting on the way home. Guns never got loaded, and some didn’t like the Principal, He never got shot, but he’d take guns for those who couldn’t lock them in car/trucks (yes this IS Berkshire County Ma schools liberals….).
Remember? The Berkshire Eagle, an award winning publication and bastion of journalism, which posted what lucky nimrods harvested a deer. Now we have, The Left Winged Parrot…..I won’t go there….
School days, school days, good old golden rule days (The Golden Rule is the principle of treating others as one wants to be treated)….
Reading and writing, arithmetic, taught by the song of the hickory stick (discipline)………
Well golden rule is done in schools, it’s CRT now!!! And discipline? Parents don’t even do that anymore!!!!
BTW, the 2nd amendment , wasn’t written in response to the 1775 cry: “The deer are coming!!!”
Has Karen Bell tried a single case on behalf of the citizens of Berkshire County? If not, why not? Hasn’t it been four years? Hasn’t she had a whole trial-free year of Covid to plot and plan her strategy? Couldn’t she have made a point with this murder case rather than plea to a lesser charge?
The DA did not fire Karen Bell though.
My friend was on a jury for an indecent assault case last month. The prosecutor did not know the names of the victim or defendant and had no understanding of the details of the case. Not guilty.
That put the victim in a pickle
Hopefully whomever is going to run against the current DA is documenting all this to be used during his or her campaign.
Planet Valenti has documented it.
Meanwhile today Harrington is putting out press releases promoting her non existent role in law enforcement at the annual vigil for victims of drunking driving. Her audacity to pull this bullspit off on an unsuspecting public knows no bounds. She is going to stand up and read victims’ names.
This week alone one oui case was dismissed out of sheer incomptence to pull together a case by the prosecugtor and in another a dangerous convict, flight risk and repeat oui offender was nearly let go by her office.
Amazing! Harrington can hold this vigil, inside, yet Lovely Linda will not allow the outdoor tree lighting in Park Square?!
That’s disgraceful
She has not tried a case and has plead out 2 maybe 3. I’m surprised she found her way to the courthouse. But then again when you’re working from your home in Springfield it’s hard to get to a Berkshire County court.
Check the date of the default warrant because the defendant was in the intensive care unit / condition declining – the cop served two summons in the ICU – then they held the defendant on a dangerousness hearing in jail – the defendant had leaking cerebrospinal fluid a broken spinal column in six places liver, lung & spleen rupture – is unconsciousness exculpatory because the cop definitely KNEW the defendant was in the ICU because that is where the summons was served ! Cop got fired, so the prosecutor allowed a different chief form a different town stand in as a false witness. Enjoy your f* gazebo – welcome to the real berkshire justice system I hope they play a Lotta good tunes in that gazebo for y’all. $30k is a small price to pay for destroying so many futures.
I don’t care who you are.
(No, I meant, I actually don’t care who you are.]
I jump up on a stage
And do my money dance
I throw some money up
And watch the money land
I do my, I do my, I do my money dance
I do my, I do my, I do my money dance
I jump up on a stage
And do my money dance
I throw some money up
And watch the money land
I do my, I do my, I do my money dance
I do my, I do my, I do my money dance
I jump up on a stage
And do my money dance
I throw some money up
And watch the money land
Is this Ruffers favorite karaoke song?
If not,it’s close.
So much for the “ land of the free” – House passes bill to fund federal vax database. We’re moving in the direction of Australia & Austria!
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/12/01/exclusive-tool-to-enforce-orwellian-rules-80-house-republicans-help-pass-bill-to-fund-federal-vaccination-database/
They can kiss my ass. No one will get my medical history. I don’t wear a face diaper because they don’t work. I haven’t been vaccinated because they don’t work. Already got Covid ( my sons best gift ever) I have no need for the useless jab.
Dude, confidentiality is a farce.
Development cronies
https://www.apartmentlist.com/ma/north-adams/77-hospital-avenue-109–1
(CNN)An Austrian court has fined a surgeon 2,700 euros ($3,050) for mistakenly amputating the wrong leg of a patient.
This guy has the qualifications to be Pittsfields next city council president.
One would assume on a misery loves company blog such as this the critics/cynics could appreciate the satirical wisdom of Swift, Mencken and Bierce. But I was wrong. So I won’t even dare subject the ignorami to Kafka, Nietzsche, Proust, Sartre, Camus or Trotsky.
“Somewhere out there, there is a tree, tirelessly producing oxygen so you can breath. I think you owe it an apology.” – House
The barber was murdered and the DA’s lazy dereliction of duty let him plead to second degree. Second degree would have been the worst verdict they could have expected by a divided jury. The DA does not want to do the job by going to trial because they are incompetent. They don’t see it as an obligation to us, the people of Berkshire County. If you are are not outraged I do not know what is wrong with you. Wakethe eff up Berkshire County, the bar is so low think this is a victory.
And the Pitts thinks THEIR bike lanes suck!!!!
https://www.wwlp.com/news/i-team/problematic-bike-lane-along-chestnut-street-in-springfield/
Why are liberals, terrified by the Omicron variant?
It’s symptoms are mild, like some soreness and exhaustion. The same you’d feel after a hard days work.
No wonder they are scared!!!
We also had a domestic terrorist and failed republican President try to stay in power by conspiring with a small close knit group to overthrow by violence out democratic election.Trump did not allow President Biden into the White House delaying the peaceful transfer of power.Americans elected Trump to transfer that power when the time came…Ignorance or denial of the most vile action of 1/6/2021 does not mean it did not happen.FOX media giant has never acknowledge it in their propaganda
Linda is in charge of 40,000,000 and she will pay Ruffer 50k part time approved by a city council that has no idea how to balance a checkbook….Brewers want to open a brewery but need 150k to buy the equipment and the city council sees nothing wrong with that.Not one city in America would do that.Lenox has tremendous investment and they do not buy pizza ovens for pizza shops…..Linda is on a spending spree with more money that she could ever dreamed of having .Her councilors can’t get her to sweep the leaves from the streets and the flooding continues.Taxes should have been cut 1%.Get rid of at large councilors ….