Today as people in my neighboring state of New Hampshire head to the poles, in the countries first Primary, I though it was a good time to get a couple of things off my chest. First being from Vermont I know that what I think matters very little to any one running for a National office. By the time our little state holds its primary on March 4th, the whole thing will be pretty well over, but for the party http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P08/events.phtml?format=chronological That doesn’t mean that we don’t take an interest, up here in this little state, that it sometimes seems no one has heard of.
[Joke: There is a reporter standing in St Johnsbury VT with a well worn New Hampshire state map in his hand looking really confused. A local asks the reporter if he needs help, seeing that the guy is quite distressed. The reporter say yes he has been trying to find this St Johnsbury town on his map, and it just isn’t there. The reporter looks up at the local and says, “I don’t know how I could have done it, but I think I must have crossed the border into Canada.” The local stands there a few minute, smiles, and says, “Yupe; looks like that’s just what you did.” {disclaimer: if you’re from VT and still living here that made you smile. If you moved away from VT, and have asked “what state is VT in”, you’re laughing your head off right now. If going I don’t get it, it’s because you’re not from Vermont…we’re sorry}]
Anyhow back to what is bothering me about this race, and no it’s not that the world doesn’t care what we think here in little VT. My trouble is the rather racist attitude we are letting the press impose on us the voters. I am talking of the spoken belief of many a talk news person, that all women will either vote for Hillary because she is a woman, or we won’t for vote for her for the same reason. Because after all, it is well known that the average American woman of voting age cares nothing about policy, or issues. This is right up there with thought that women voted for Hillary’s husband back in the 80’s because he was good looking. Think about the fact that the biggest news out of Mrs. Clinton’s campaign this week is that she almost cried when asked about her feelings in a dinner in NH http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/Vote2008/story?id=4102187&page=1 I don’t remember people making a fuss when Bill teared up. Come on people this thinking that as a woman I’m going to vote one way or the other because of the sex of a candidate is just like the people who tried to keep the Vote from women, by saying that we would only vote the way our husband’s told us to.
And while I’m complaining, how about the media’s take that all black’s will vote for Obama. Please, give people some credit for the ability to think. Perhaps if people support Mr. Obama it is because they like his idea, and feel that he could make this country a good leader. I haven’t even heard what a black woman is supposed to do when she goes to vote.
I can only guess that these views come out of the Democratic party, who has spent the last forty some years telling America they aren’t smart enough to vote right [the last few elections where it has been applied that half of Americans who voted for George Bush aren’t well educated enough to know how to vote], that we can’t have school choice because we wouldn’t know how pick a good a school for our children, and that we are much better off relying on the Federal Government to fix all our problem, than on our selves. So maybe as much as I hate to think it, perhaps America has been reduced to voting for President not on issues and policy, but on who is the best looking, the right sex, the right religion, the right skin color, the nicest sounding speaking voice. I sure hope that’s not the case. As for me, not that anyone really cares what I think, but come Nov this white republican woman from the little state of Vermont will be voting for the best…candidate.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Winter Weather
Out side my window today is a dreary damp much to spring like day for the first part of January. Vermont like, I believe most anywhere on earth, can throw all sorts of weather at you. We are known to have as much as a fifty degree change in temps, with in twenty-four hours. I am however a fan of a good old hard winter, and this don’t look like that.
Ten years ago today [7 Jan 1998] we had here in New England a plain old January thaw. http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wice98.htm The difference being that the weather was just cold enough to cause a heavy ice build up in VT from Addison county north. Down here in little Bennington Co, we watched as all our snow melted away, and mud appeared everywhere. Much like this year we had, had a good snow pack, and it was looking like a nice winter, than in a blink all was washed away by a warm rain. For someone who gets truly depressed every spring when winter comes to an end, stuck in a little trailer with two young boys, I couldn’t have been any unhappier. I was than, and now thankful of the fact that we weren’t covered by the sheet of ice to the north of us.
However, to get back to today’s weather and our temp changes, I would hold up the difference four days can make. Back on the 3rd of this month we had a chilly below zero day, and two sub-zero nights. Oh to me, with a good a snow pack and snow shoes to be used, what happiness this sort of forecast creates I can’t begin to express. The only thing that would have made me happier was if snow had been coming. Now here I sit, with big green patches showing up in my lawn, and balmy 53 degrees. Heck you don’t even need a coat, I could have been out in short shelves [really I’m not kidding a t-shirt would be fine].
I know there are perks to these thaws and breaks in the winter snow and cold. It gave me a chance this morning to clean up the walkway of any ice that had built up, and to get rid of the snow that slid off the roof. The snow banks from plowing, which were shrinking my driveway have receded enough, that I can now see missing pieces of lawns which will have to put back in back in place in April or May. Also considering the high cost of heating our homes, this warm spell will cut the bill a tiny bit [although I contended that it is colder in the house, when it’s warmer outside during the winter].
I can’t however stop thinking about the cold temp, when the snow squeaks under your boots. I want a fresh clean snow pack to enjoy playing on. I love the feel of a biting wind on my face. I’m sorry that everyone doesn’t know how to enjoy a good old fashioned Vermont winter http://gonewengland.about.com/library/users/ucvtmoon.htm. If you don’t like winter, well that’s why God made FL. As for me I’ll try to take consultation in the fact that statistically January thaws don’t last all that long, and around here winter doesn’t really get rolling until February and March.
Ten years ago today [7 Jan 1998] we had here in New England a plain old January thaw. http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wice98.htm The difference being that the weather was just cold enough to cause a heavy ice build up in VT from Addison county north. Down here in little Bennington Co, we watched as all our snow melted away, and mud appeared everywhere. Much like this year we had, had a good snow pack, and it was looking like a nice winter, than in a blink all was washed away by a warm rain. For someone who gets truly depressed every spring when winter comes to an end, stuck in a little trailer with two young boys, I couldn’t have been any unhappier. I was than, and now thankful of the fact that we weren’t covered by the sheet of ice to the north of us.
However, to get back to today’s weather and our temp changes, I would hold up the difference four days can make. Back on the 3rd of this month we had a chilly below zero day, and two sub-zero nights. Oh to me, with a good a snow pack and snow shoes to be used, what happiness this sort of forecast creates I can’t begin to express. The only thing that would have made me happier was if snow had been coming. Now here I sit, with big green patches showing up in my lawn, and balmy 53 degrees. Heck you don’t even need a coat, I could have been out in short shelves [really I’m not kidding a t-shirt would be fine].
I know there are perks to these thaws and breaks in the winter snow and cold. It gave me a chance this morning to clean up the walkway of any ice that had built up, and to get rid of the snow that slid off the roof. The snow banks from plowing, which were shrinking my driveway have receded enough, that I can now see missing pieces of lawns which will have to put back in back in place in April or May. Also considering the high cost of heating our homes, this warm spell will cut the bill a tiny bit [although I contended that it is colder in the house, when it’s warmer outside during the winter].
I can’t however stop thinking about the cold temp, when the snow squeaks under your boots. I want a fresh clean snow pack to enjoy playing on. I love the feel of a biting wind on my face. I’m sorry that everyone doesn’t know how to enjoy a good old fashioned Vermont winter http://gonewengland.about.com/library/users/ucvtmoon.htm. If you don’t like winter, well that’s why God made FL. As for me I’ll try to take consultation in the fact that statistically January thaws don’t last all that long, and around here winter doesn’t really get rolling until February and March.
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