Green Mountain Meandering Missives

According to an article published by USA Today  on Tuesday (7/23/2024), here , the Internet is quite abuzz over a resurfaced archived video of an interview between Fox News Channel  (aka Fake News Channel ) commentator Tucker Carlson and, at the time, US Senate candidate JD Vance back in 2021 (image;screenshot via USA Today article). The article reports about how JD Vance was " criticizing Harris and other Democrats as 'childless cat ladies.'" One is left wondering, even if someone were a "childless cat lady", what is wrong with that (image; screenshot, taken from a post recently posted to Threads )? In addition, the article continues, " Vance also argued in the interview that people without children don't have a 'direct stake' in the future of this country." It seems odd that back in 2021, during the race for the US Senate, JD Vance basically ran against Kamala Harris as well as "childless cat ladies" or otherwise "peop

P hoto: Person living unhoused outdoors resting on a bench in Montpelier, the capital city of Vermont (photo shared with the direct consent of the person pictured; image credit: Morgan W. Brown).   Illegitimi Non Carborundum (mock-Latin aphorism; aka Dog Latin) (Mock Translated: “Don’t Let the Bastards Grind You Down”) Somewhat related quote (for the purposes of this particular essay): In human rights and peacemaking, it's really about having a solid concrete goal - the reduction of human suffering somewhere in the world - and then doing what is required to get that goal achieved.      – John Prendergast For those who are living unhoused outdoors (aka living homeless outdoors), as well as those who will soon be evicted from the state hotel/motel program or already have been, whether it is recognized and then acknowledged or not, a state of emergency has existed, with most having nowhere else to go for shelter (save for congregate shelters, where these might

Updated (view Update: P.S. below): P hoto: Person living unhoused outdoors resting on a bench in Montpelier, the capital city of Vermont (photo shared with the direct consent of the person pictured; image credit: Morgan W. Brown). This evening (July 17, 2024), the Montpelier City Council  will be taking up three different -- yet somewhat related -- items concerning homelessness and related matters (view meeting agenda, here ). The first item, which is within the consent agenda, concerns the Good Samaritan winter overflow shelter lease request for use of the former Country Club building as had been done last season. The second and third item s (number 6 and 7), regard the growing rates of people living unhoused within Montpelier in general and how best to address these and related matters (read related memo,  here ) as well as downtown business owners raising concerns about it [as well as their economic financial struggles related to other matters] (read related memo,  here ). In ad

Had recently considered selling the vintage two piece Italian-made black striped suit as well as vintage shoes, which I had purchased last year for the one and only marriage ceremony I had officiated in early June of 2023 when I was still a Justice of the Peace (JP), back to the Getup Vintage shop located in downtown Montpelier.  However, I have since decided to gift these items, including the black clip-on bowtie and also the Vermont lapel pin (am keeping the Italian-made straw boater hat for myself however), to someone who has been doing and continues to do advocacy work as well as public speaking and testifying on behalf of those most in need much along the lines of what I had previously done (prior to retiring), but at a higher and more effective level than myself over the years.  What they as well as others are doing along these lines is critically important work and, in my opinion (although they always are well dressed when doing it), they deserve to look like a million dollars