I was disappointed by the overwhelmingly positive bi-partisan coverage of George H W Bush last week. I know we are not supposed to speak ill of the dead. And, since I didn’t know the guy personally, I will agree that he was a nice guy and a loving family man. For all I know he’s in heaven right now, chatting with the angels about why the Astros couldn’t get the 3rd out in some of those key innings of the ALCS. But he was a lousy president. George H W Bush was a one-term president who got 37.7% of the popular vote when he ran for reelection. He left office with the country mired in a recession. Pat Buchanan was the undisputed intellectual champion of the Republican Primary - succe…

By Todd Washburne Snow, snow! How lovely to watch the flakes Softly hitting the ground. I love the snow of the trees As the sun glitters on the tree limbs, It looks and sparkles as if it was touched By a family of fairies But, beneath this facade of beauty There lurks danger. The branches get too heavy and fall. Sometimes, on you, or your car or Even your home. The specter of death lies in wait. So enjoy the beauty And look the other way So you don’y think about the dark side.

By G. E. Shuman Only weeks ago we climbed the stairs, To the attic, behind the old door. And went to the corner, where Christmasʼ is kept, In boxes stacked high on the floor. We brought the stack down to the living room, Two flights from its cold storage spot. And opened it up, just like every year, Quite amazed at all weʼd forgot. The boxes held ornaments, bound for the tree, And garlands and wreath bows and wire. Most things quite familiar from years of use, Like the stockings we hang by the fire. We opened up memories, box after box, But some things I could barely recall. Did we use these lights on the tree last year, Or the archways in the…

Public Utilities Commission Approves Sale of Vermont Yankee In response to the Vermont Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approval of the sale of Vermont Yankee to NorthStar, Guy Page, Communications Director for the Vermont Energy Partnership, said: “Today’s decision is a tremendous opportunity for the Town of Vernon and for Vermont. After two years of regulatory negotiations, Vermont Yankee will be transferred to NorthStar for decommissioning, and Windham County can enjoy the benefits of a restored site decades ahead of the original timeline. “This agreement was endorsed by many local and state government and non-governmental partners that recognized the benefits of an accelerated…

At its 205th annual meeting, the 2000-plus members of the Vermont Medical Society (VMS) passed a resolution opposing the commercialization of non-medical marijuana in Vermont. Smart Approaches to Marijuana–Vermont applauds the resolution, which cites the “decades of litigation regarding tobacco control efforts” and the “safety risks and negative health impact of marijuana on the health of children, adolescents and families” among its reasons for opposition. First and foremost, the VMS resolution describes how a commercialized retail system puts profit over public health, quoting senate finance committee testimony by Beau Kilmer of the RAND Corporation: “Daily and near daily users account…

Hollywood has been making dumb movies about race for a long time. From “To Kill A Mockingbird” to “Mississippi Burning” to “The Help,” they’re all dumb is same way. In Hollywood’s self-righteous fantasyland, white people are the saviors who swoop in and bravely save black people from Jim Crow. And in these movies, black characters are written as saints, not as actual people. In contrast to hateful white racist villains, the black people in the Hollywood version of the Civil Rights era are inhumanly patient and forgiving. I don’t know what is going on in the guilt-ridden minds of white directors that makes them want to pretend that black people of the 1950s and 60s were not subject to the…

To The Editor, Washington County Mental Health (WCMHS) hosted the Me2/Orchestra at the Barre Opera House on Sunday, November 11. The event was a celebration of creativity and possibility, regardless of the challenges someone may face in their life. All proceeds will go to the Zero Suicide initiative at WCMHS, a nationally recognized model of care, which will help improve our ability to support individuals who are at risk for suicide. Me2/ (“me, too”) is the world’s only classical music organization created for musicians living with mental illness and addiction challenges as well as individuals who support them. The 50+ members of the Me2/Orchestra, under the leadership of conductor Ron…

By G. E. Shuman I’ll tell you a story, in Seussical rhymes Of a family decision, made one Christmastime To do something different when they got together To celebrate Christmas, in snow-stormy weather. For so many years, they had worried and stressed To find just which presents would be simply best For nephews and nieces and parents and others Who gathered together with sisters and brothers. For one final time of more presents and cheer Before the first day of the brand-new new year. They’d all had their own family day to get things That parents and siblings and Santa’s sleigh brings. This ‘Christmas’ was ‘extra’, and always so stressful And costly an…

Dear Editor: The fall and winter can be a busy time full of fun activities and travel, but the same activities that bring joy can also negatively impact patients in need of lifesaving transfusions. In fact, right now, the American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage and has issued an urgent call for eligible donors of all blood types to give now and avoid delays in medical care for patients. Right now, blood donations are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in. Volunteer blood drive sponsors are also critically needed to host drives in December, January and February to prevent the shortage from continuing throughout the winter. Fewer groups signin…

To The Editor, I am one of the signatories on the petition filed with the Montpelier Development Review Board (DRB) for party status on their soon-to-be-issued decision on the Capital City public parking garage. Nineteen residents signed this petition listing concerns about the project which combines the proposed 348 space parking garage with the Bashara family’s 81-room Hampton Inn and Suites project. Since our filing, a number of us have been met with derision and suggestions that our action was in fact a method to derail the Bashara project and oppose downtown development. Whether or not some of us may personally oppose the project per se, such opposition is not the reason or basis for…