Politics

Earth Day 40 -- join the party!

I haven’t posted anything with a political slant in a while, so humor me for a little while. This is actually a repost from Avaaz.org. (It was meant to be an email, but I’m posting it here instead.) Hi, To mark the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, an unprecedented movement is coming together to demand Congress pass a climate bill this year. Sign the petition now, and your name will be…
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Important Stuff

Just in case

A few years ago Cheryl and I talked about moving to Vermont. It wasn’t serious talk, just two people inspired by pictures of my mother’s family home in a small town just south of the Canadian border. (Actually, my mother was born in Massachusetts, but both of her parents were from Vermont.) I’ve only been there once, when my grandmother died, but the place has a hold on me&#8230…
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Important Stuff

Forecast: It's going to be hot

I want to point you to a couple of links you should check out. They’re both on the same topic, but they’re both worth your time. Here, and here. I know what you’re thinking: “He’s tried this trick before. There’s no way in hell he knows what I’m thinking.” Fair enough. If I were you, I might be thinking: “I don’t do links. You’ve…
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BethImportant Stuff

Not afraid

Beth’s stubborn streak can drive me crazy sometimes, but I wouldn’t have her any other way. Her almost complete lack of fear to speak her convictions can push my patience to it’s absolute limit. At the same time, it’s a big part of why I’m so proud of her. (Probably at least in part because I had none of her inner strength when I was her age – which she finds…
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BethImportant Stuff

Listen to me?

At least the kids are listening. I’d swear I covered this a long time ago, but judging from Beth’s reaction to this telling, I’m guessing I didn’t. A couple months ago Beth asked me why we recycle. I told her. Now Beth wants to recycle everything she can. When she can’t, she wants a detailed explanation why not (which usually isn’t sufficient). She figured the…
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Important Stuff

Controlling the message

I received an email alert from wecansolveit.org, the site/campaign started by Al Gore to create the political will to tackle the climate crisis. We Can Solve It: ABC recently refused to run our Repower America ad, even though they run ads from oil companies that mislead the American people about the role fossil fuels play in the climate crisis. Ask ABC to reconsider their decision and air our…
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Important StuffPolitics

How not to be convincing

Here’s another neglected post – this one from June. Did you know I could stop writing for months and still have fresh material (sans editing) ready to go? Here’s my formula (re: the post’s title): 1. I get a little angry. 2. I make it personal. 3. I act like a jerk. I don’t know why it irritates me when people complain about the price of gasoline. It’s a…
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Important Stuff

Like father, like son

My earliest memories date back to sometime in the mid 1970s. No, I’m not pointing it out to taunt you, or complain my days of possibly being drafted by the Celtics are over. I assure you it’s just a little context, nothing more. I was sitting in my dad’s old VW Bug. It was cold winter day in New England. We were at a gas station and my father was jotting some figures down in a…
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