Sneakers Report

*Updated*

Nearly two weekends ago (it is still Friday and, although it is right close on the heels of this coming weekend, it does not count as the same however; ahh, I digress, anyway), I wrote and posted a poem about how I would soon become homeless once again, my dreading it and also -- quite literally -- about both the shape my sneakers are in as well as how yours truly would be in when I was living house-less once more, here [i.e., latest musings: homeless sneakers].

After I wrote it, I got to thinking about how to replace those old worn out sneakers, figuring it might be possible when my the smaller portion of my income arrived near or around the start of the month: i.e., if I could manage to find both they type, style and size I was in need of, something that is often difficult to locate these days.

Today I was able to do so and, truth be told, there is already a vast improvement being experienced. While I will have to break this new pair in a bit (i.e., Ozark Trail - Men's Tempe Low-Top Hiking Boot [via Wal-Mart]), the fact is they are bringing my feet relieve and, as a result, my feet are not hurting and are more comfortable.

Let me tell you, having the new pair helps a lot and makes more of a difference than one might think or believe. Only wish I could have done it sooner, as I was in a lot of pain much of the time, making it very hard to walk as was needed.

There was only one pair in my size of the ones I bought, yet there was actually a much better pair I wanted to get instead (Ozark Trail - Men's Peyton High-Top Hiking Boot [via Wal-Mart]), but this particular Wal-Mart store did not have them in my size (13). The other pair are far better, are high-tops (which I need for ankle support) and are more like light hiking boots, are water proof and only cost an additional two (2) dollars over the cost of the what I came away with. Plus I did not have to pay taxes on them, which was a helpful bonus as well.

In the following months I will be making a concerted effort to acquire a pair of the ones I want, as they are what is required, particularly during the rainier times as well as for milder Winter days, when boots are what is called for.

It always helps to have back ups, with more than one pair of footwear, rather than only having one pair to wear all the time -- especially when they get wet, etc.

All to say, every little bit helps.

Have a great weekend everyone!

*Update*: While the local Wal-Mart store in my area does not have my size (13) of the Ozark Trail - Men's Peyton High-Top Hiking Boot in stock and, the person there seemed to indicate they could not get it in for me, come to find out it can be obtained from Wal-Mart by ordering online instead.

(this post is being written on the quick and off the cuff, even more than is usual, so I may have to edit it a bit later when I have time and access; more later when and if I am able to do so)


*Note*: last updated on Sunday, July 2, 2006 at 11:00 PM [EDT]

George Washington University (GWU) Student Punished for Getting Help

[via Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law (here.)]

Student Punished for Getting Help

Jordan Nott was a straight-A sophomore at George Washington University (GWU) in the fall of 2004 when he sought emergency psychiatric care for depression. When they learned of Nott's hospitalization, university officials charged him with violating the school code of conduct, suspended him, evicted him from his dorm and threatened him with arrest for trespassing if he set foot on university property.

An editorial in the March 13, 2006 Washington Post asks, "Since when does being sick constitute a disciplinary problem?? The Bazelon Center considers the university’s actions to be discrimination based on the perception that Nott had a disability, and is representing him in a lawsuit claiming that GWU violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, the DC Human Rights Act, the Rehabilitation Act and the Fair Housing Act.

Situations like Nott’s are increasingly common in educational institutions around the country, as described in a March 13, 2006 article in Inside Higher Education. A fundamental problem is that, without considering students’ individual circumstances, disciplinary charges or mandatory leaves of absence are imposed on students who appear to have self-injurious behaviors or thoughts and/or seek psychiatric treatment. If students fear reprisal when their efforts to obtain help come to administrators’ attention, many will suffer in silence.

[...]

Read the entire Bazelon Newsroom article, here.

Additional information concerning the case: Complaint in Nott v. George Washington University [via Bazelon (PDF; Adobe Acrobat Reader required)].

802 Online: The Weekly Post: From Norsehorse's Home Turf; Seven Days

Within each week's print edition of Seven Days (7Days: Vermont's Alternative Weekly), there is a feature by 7Days writer and j-blogger Cathy Resmer (802 Online) called The Weekly Post (TWP: now located on the Letters to the Editor page, top, left hand column), in which she profiles a selected post from the blog of a Vermont-based blogger each week.

This week's (Wednesday, June 28, 2006) TWP featured an excerpted version of one of my posts from late last week (page 8A; print edition).

Read Cathy's blog post about it, here (which she blogs about particularly since the online edition of 7Days does not include the TWP feature, at least not that I could find anyway).

[Thank you Cathy! Much appreciated!]

*Listen Up!*: MindFreedom News Hour with David Oaks via Progressive Radio Network (PRN)

*Updated 2x*

New Free Weekly Internet Radio Show "... about a nonviolent revolution in the mental health system of human rights and alternatives, hosted by psychiatric rights activist David Oaks." [via Progressive Radio Network (PRN)]. Airs on Tuesday's at 10:00 AM (1:00 PM EST); shows are archived on PRN site.

In fact I am listening to this week's show at the moment, which just began about fifteen minutes or so ago. This is the first time I have been able to listen in to it.

July Is Mad Pride Month!

David Oaks just got done mentioning the upcoming Mad Pride Month Events being held across the U.S.A. as well as in locations around Canada as well as elsewhere in the world.

He also mentioned how people can hold a Normality Screening guerilla theater within their local area.

David then interviewed Krista Erickson (here [via MindFreedom Fast For Freedom Partipants Bio page]):

Krista a is a long-time advocate for human rights especially for the rights of people with disabilities. Currently employed in the Independent Living movement, she spends as much time as possible involved with systems advocacy work. Krista is a person with a visual disability and a psychiatric survivor.

For additional information, visit the MindFreedom Website.

Articles to read:

• Freeing Your Mind
  by Keith Goetzman, Utne Senior Editor
  Utne magazine
  May/June 2006 Issue



• Madness and the Mental Health System
  Psychiatric Survivors and Human Rights
  by David Oaks
  Spring 2006

P.S.

After about 18 minutes or so into the show, all of a sudden it was interrupted by a long strong of commercials, twice. It appears to have been due to technical difficulties. Bummer! However they have started re-airing the show over from the very beginning. Cool! [*Update 1*: a good portion of the end of the show got cut off, first with dead air and, then, with another long stream of commercials again. That happened around 12:54 PM or so. By the way, for some reason unknown to me, when I also try to access what I thought were archived files of the MindFreedom show, they do not work for me.]

*Update 2*: Since it is somewhat related, if you have not already come across it yet, make sure to read Liz Spikol's (The Trouble With Spikol) blog post concerning the controversy raised by the Open Forum article entitled Evolution of the Antipsychiatry Movement Into Mental Health Consumerism (Abstract version; Full version, requires subscription) featured within the June 2006 edition of Psychiatric Services), here.

fyi: Liz Spikol is managing editor of Philadelphia Weekly. She writes the award-winning column "The Trouble With Spikol," which began as a chronicle of her struggle with mental illness, and has since expanded into humorous musings on everything from graphic novels to how to use a mop. This blog is about mental illness—policy, news, personal journeys and more.


*Note*: last updated on Thursday, June 29, 2006 at 3:53 PM [EDT].

Old Stock (Poetry): dark days

Even though official Summer has only just begun and the region is experiencing the relative warmth that comes from this time of year, most days and nights anyway; since the references to certain weather related matters or conditions were of course just a convenient analogy or metaphor at the time when I originally penned the work, it seemed to me that the following old poem of mine would still be timely; particularly for those who are new to this blog or who have not otherwise surfed through my previous blogging and writing, especially when considering the context of both my current circumstances and frame of mind of late.

dark days


hard, lonely and long
moments happen
when eyes
fail to fall
upon anything much
more than what darkened
cloudy, colder, days allow

during the most difficult
times, such dank
chills, are found
far too despairing
faced alone

seconds quickly
slow down,
becoming years,
while nothing
good or promising
appears possible
any longer

unless one has enough
light, strength and warmth
stored within themselves,
or is otherwise shown these
from others, it ends up being
far easier to stop hoping,
trying and moving beyond

yet, no time gets worst endured,
except that spent with the soul
going untouched by thoughts,
feelings, words or deeds
blessed of a gentler,
kinder nature

not a brighter star or sun
does shine, which can so
deeply and plentifully
inspire, nurture and rekindle
aching, ailing or dying
spirits better; than those gifts
offered from compassion,
understanding and listening;
freely given and openly welcomed


by Morgan W. Brown
Montpelier, Vermont
Thursday, November 21, 2002
[originally posted, here [via Norsehorse (Old) Home Turf; November 21, 2002]

Yet Another Lively Night at the Langdon Street Cafe

Am online only for a short time on the public access computer at the Langdon Street Cafe, so this particular post will have to be brief. Could not get online elsewhere, so here I am.

Luckily they also have free wi-fi for those with laptops, so there is a little less demand for this computer for the moment. Did not bother bringing my laptop since I did not want to fuss with it as it has not been working well of late. Maybe next time, at least when I can afford to buy an ice coffee or whatever in order to stay for a while.

It is packed in here right now and the live band that is currently performing is in the middle of their second set. The crowd is rather lively, with an older couple dancing up a storm right nearby.

Only managed to get about five (5) hours sleep last night, waking really early and heading out early. It is not always easy to get a quality sleep, especially the first couple of nights out, with all the distractions and noises as well as being plain over tired. Felt pretty good this morning though and, relatively speaking, had a fairly good and busy day overall.

Am exhausted again, however hopefully I will sleep a little better this evening.

By the way, thank you for reading.

Tomorrow is a new day!

The Homeless Guy

*Updated 2x*

Yesterday Kevin Barbieux (The Homeless Guy) was among those mentioned within an article published by Wired magazine, here (Thursday, June 22, 2006).

Kevin blogged a post about it, which provides an update on certain details in the article about him, since there has been some changes between the time it went to press and present day, here.

This morning Kevin blogged a post directing his visitors to this blog of mine, here.

A hearty welcome to those new visitors who have come by way of The Homeless Guy!

*Update 1* [insert]: For those who may not be aware of it already, although I had known about blogs and blogging prior to having come across the first USA Today article concerning him as well as his blog (October 3, 2002 [archived via the Homeless People's Network (HPN) discussion list, here]), it was in fact Kevin who inspired me to finally try blogging back in October of 2002 [end of update insert].

To learn more about Kevin, his experiences and his blogging (besides making sure to read his blog of course), read Eric Janssen's interview with Kevin, here [via Webraw (March, 2003)]; and, the Associated Press (AP) article written by reporter Michael Luo that was picked up by newspapers worldwide, including USA Today, here (3/17/2003), as well as here [via the Portsmouth Herald on Sunday, March 16, 2003 (Portsmouth, New Hampshire)].

In addition, read the Salon article, here (October 14, 2002; two pages).

[Thank you Kevin. Much appreciated!]

*Update 2*: A mention about Kevin and his blog was posted on Digg (... a technology news website that combines social bookmarking, blogging, RSS, and non-hierarchical editorial control), which received quite a lot of varied comments, here.

In fact, Kevin posted his own reply in response to many of the comments, here.

*Notes*: the above two photo posters of Kevin (using an old photo of him snagged a while back from his blog) were created using tools available via FlagrantDisregard's Flickr Toys, here; replaced the captioned photo of Kevin with a slightly modified one; last updated on Sunday, June 25, 2006 at 8:52 PM [EDT].

blog Description, ...

Now that I am living homeless once more, I have changed the one line blog description, as well as resurrecting the lengthier version of it (with a link to it provided within the site links found in the right-hand side-column), here.

Since the context of the longer version is focused on the one line blog description (i.e., Living Homeless, Yet Never Hopeless), both of which I try to remember to make available on my blog whenever I am living homeless, during those times I am housed I eventually remove them, storing the blog post version within my drafts until the need arises to post it again.

Here is hoping as well as praying for the time when there ceases to be the need to continue doing so, if only ....

In Transit: Moving, Day 2

Only managed to get about six hours of sleep last night, waking early this morning and slowly went about my business.

Have finished moving out of the room and all my stuff is stored away, save the one day/evening backpack I have with me that includes most everything I have need of, including two days change of clothes (except for pants) and a rain coat. Anything else I need from among my stuff can be picked up easily enough whenever it is required.

It is probably due at least in part to lugging all that stuff of mine into town in two trips yesterday and one trip today as well as not getting enough sleep the last two evenings, yet whatever the actual cause may turn out to be however, the fact is that my legs, ankles and feet are aching really bad right now and it is hurting me to walk (of course these worn out footwear I have on does not help much either, as my feet seem to get sore anytime I wear them these days), but I have little choice in the matter; of course the weather could be a factor too, as it is supposed to be rainy here sometime today.

In addition to that, I am now *completely* exhausted, yet it is too early in the day to do anything much about it, especially as there is nowhere for me to steal a nap.

Am happy I made sure to eat a hearty meal last night (with leftovers enough to eat good this evening as well; the place I store my stuff at, has a little fridge the people there let me use to keep a few thing in when there is room).

It appears I will be able to sleep on a couch on an outside porch of a place in town I have permission to do so, at least if the couches are not already filled up with others by the time I make it over there. Late last Summer and much of the Autumn I slept on the same porch, until I moved indoors on October 22nd (2005).

While it is not always easy for me to get enough of a good quality sleep in such environs, relatively speaking, it is somewhat better than the alternative(s) -- of which there are not too many (i.e., good ones anyway).

If it comes down to it, my tent and camping gear is always at the ready, stored with the rest of my stuff, just in case it is ever needed; although having to resort to camping out typically requires a lot of energy and takes it toll on me.

As it is, energy is something I do not have a lot of most days, nor can readily afford to lose what little is within me on any given day. Thus, when I have to camp out for the sake of survival, I end up in even worse shape rather quickly.

It is a good thing I have a positive attitude about all this, because I would hate to envision what my perspective would be like if I did not.

In Transit: Moving, Day 1

Today was day one (1) of moving most of my belongings from where I have been living these past eight (8) months to the place I am able to store right downtown, within close walking distance to everything and also have ready access my stuff while living homeless.

It took two separate trips into town to get the bulk of my stuff moved, one this morning and the other this afternoon, both of which I did via the local public transit bus: Green Mountain Transit Agency (GMTA).

So far so good.

Am still in town at the moment, using one of the online public access computers at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

Once I am done here, I have a couple of errands to do before heading back, including going to the grocery store to buy something halfway decent to eat for supper to celebrate my last night of being housed for this go around.

An old friend is calling me tonight, something I look forward to as well.

Did not manage to sleep either well or much at all last night, so hopefully I will tonight, as it usually proves crucial for me to be as rested as is possible during such transitions. The good thing about yesterday (Tuesday), was that I stayed home and rested, sleeping in while I still could do so (which is probably at least part of the reason behind why I could not sleep last night).

Tomorrow (Thursday, June 22nd), when I leave the room in the late morning for the final time it will be with the last load of stuff in tow, which will be once again another trip by bus of course.


[Above photo: Green Mountain Transit Agency (GMTA) city route bus boarding in downtown Montpelier (taken by Morgan W. Brown; November 2005)]

Happy Summer!

Until Further Notice

Just wanted to let both regular readers as well as visitors know that if you do not hear from or of me for a little while (whether via e-mail or blog post), not to worry.

It will most likely be due to the fact that come Thursday morning (June 22, 2006) I am moving out of the temporary place I have been staying at these last eight months and will then be living homeless once again. In addition, my laptop is not working very well these days either.

As a result, my online time and access will most likely be very limited in both duration and frequency, thus it may take me time to begin to catch up as well.

Your understanding and patience is appreciated in this matter.

Thank you.

Morgan

One More Day ...

... to enjoy the quiet and privacy as well as everything else that has come from having been temporarily, yet gratefully, housed within this room of mine these past eight (8) months.

Just one more day, until I walk out the door with the last of my stuff for the final time late in the morning on Thursday (June 22nd), at least for this go around.

For those who have not come across it yet, read another recent post of mine concerning these and related matters: latest musings (poem: homeless sneakers).


*Note*: Had originally blogged this post up at 2:28 AM in the wee hours of Wednesday (June 21, 2006 - technically), however as I simply blogged in very brief fashion some of what had been on my mind much of that evening -- which was still Tuesday (June 20, 2006) then -- at least to me, to help avoid confusion some may have due to the title, the official date and the contents of the post when certain people may actually be reading it, it finally came to mind to take the liberty of rolling the clock by two and a half (2 1/2) hours in order to change the date and in this way help to clarify the context of the post a little better; last updated on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 1:13 PM [EDT].

Fresh Organic Pick Your Own (PYO) Strawberries: Full Moon Farm, Burlington (VT)

The following e-mail came in earlier this evening:

From: David Zuckerman
Date: Jun 18, 2006 7:46 PM
Subject: For Vermonters...Pick-Your Own Strawberries

Hello everyone-

I know that you are used to receiving political emails from me, but today is about farming and fresh tasty strawberries. For those of you out-of-state...well, this is just a reminder that Vermont is a great place to visit in late June!

For those of you who are local to Burlington, the PYO organic strawberry season has begun and with Sunday's hot weather there are a ton of great berries to pick. Our hours are Mon-Fri 10-7 and Sat and Sun 10-4.

You can always call our phone number (802) 863-2199 to get an update in case we are closing because of inclement weather.

Directions to the farm:

Get on Riverside Ave. in Burlington. At the intersection with Intervale Rd (and No. Prospect St.) turn to go down the hill (Intervale Road). This intersection has a Shell gas station on one corner and the Sugar Snap restaurant on another. From this corner it is a little over a mile to the farm.

Go down the hill, it will flatten out and then (just past the entrance to the power plant on your left) turn to a dirt road. Keep going straight. After about 1/2 mile you will come to an intersection with two instructional/directional signs for PYO berries. Our farm (Full Moon Farm) is to the left at this intersection. Go another 400 or so yards and you will come to our stand. We have plenty of parking (much of it in shade) and we have containers to pick into (unless you want to bring your own of course).

The berries are $2.75 per pound.

The season is short so don't miss it!

[...]

Thank you-

Dave Zuckerman

PS I have attached a photo to stimulate your appetite :)
DZ

Additional information about the Full Moon Farm and its various offerings, here [via LocalHarvest].

latest musings

*Updated*

homeless sneakers

restless thoughts
toss and turn,
without end
deep within
mind, body and soul
whether day or night,
about once again
becoming homeless

knowing the only
place to then call
home 24/7, will be
one pair of badly
worn out sneakers,
long overdue
for replacement

truth be told
however, those foul
footwear are in much
better shape, than the person
who will be barely
surviving inside them

whose remedy
will not be found
just by a new pair,
but within an abode
of their own,
one providing a permanent
roof and shelter,
under which to live
more restfully instead.


by Morgan W. Brown
Montpelier, Vermont
Sunday, June 18, 2006

*Update*: Read my Sneakers Report.


*Note*: last updated on Saturday, July 1, 2006 at 4:46 PM [EDT].

Food Fight Being Waged in Orlando, Florida

*Updated 3x*

Orlando Food Not Bombs (FNB) sharings (picnics)
at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando
[courtesy of Orlando FNB]

This morning John Scolaro (Professor of Humanities and Director of the Prometheus Project at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida) provided a heads up concerning an article within this morning's edition of the Orlando Sentinel regarding a proposed city ordinance that would pretty much stiffle free public feedings within city parks and other open public spaces of larger groups of people who live homeless as well as hungry others, here.

*Update 1*: Have come across a related article from earlier in the week, which is definitely worth the read, here [Controversy Over City Commissioner's "Homeless" Email; via WFTV - News 9; Orlando, Florida (Thursday, June 15, 2006); includes a link to an archived pdf version of the e-mail hosted on the news site (here)].

In addition, other bloggers have been picking up on the story and have blogged about it: e.g.,

• "No soup for you!"
  via Metroblogging Orlando (Friday, June 16, 2006; scroll down the post past the quoted material from Orlando Food Not Bombs (FNB) to read the bloggers own comments on the matter as well as the comments posted by both visitors and regular readers of the blog);


• Make a Non-profit Banner Link
  via Mandarin Design Daily: The Meg blog (Friday, June 16, 2006; scroll down the post to read the section titled: Food Not Bombs, as the entire post is actually focused on Orlando FNB and the proposed city ordinance concerning the free public feedings);


• The People of Orlando's Journal
  (various posts on this and related matters can also be found at this blog)

To help keep up with what other bloggers may be blogging concerning the matter, Google It! [via Google Blog Search; search terms: orlando "food not bombs" homeless].

In addition, the Orlando Sentinel also is reporting that Orlando FNB is planning a rally on Monday (June 19th) to protest the ordinance, here (Saturday, June 17, 2006).

*Update 2*: Follow-up article concerning the results of Monday's city council meeting as regards the ordinance in question, here [via Orlando Sentinel; Tuesday, June 20, 2006).

*Update 3*

Photo taken outside Orlando City Hall on June 19 at a protest
organized by Orlando Food Not Bombs.
[courtesy of Orlando FNB]

Orlando FNB provides the following update (here):

UPDATE: On June 19, by a 5-2 vote, the Orlando City Commission passed on first reading the ordinance that would stop groups such as Orlando Food Not Bombs from sharing food in city parks. Before it can go into effect, the ordinance must have a second reading and second vote, which will be held at the Council meeting scheduled for Monday, July 10. On June 20, the board of the Central Florida Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union voted unanimously to file a class-action lawsuit against the City of Orlando challenging the ordinance as unconstitutional. This lawsuit is expected to be filed within the next few days. Plaintiffs will include members of Orlando Food Not Bombs and other groups that share food in downtown Orlando. If you haven't already, please contact the Mayor of Orlando and its City Commissioners to express your opposition to the ordinance. (Their contact information can be found at the bottom of this page.) Orlando Food Not Bombs will issue a more detailed statement on this situation in a few days.

Read more information concerning the subject, here [via Orlando FNB].

For additional information, visit the following Websites or pages:

• City of Orlando, Florida


• Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan


• Orlando Food Not Bombs (FNB)


• Proposed City Ordinance Info page *Updated*
  [via Orlando FNB Website]


• Central Florida Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union


• The Ripple Effect


• The Prometheus Project, Valencia Community College Course in the Humanities

*Note*: last updated on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 10:46 PM [EDT].

Brief Situational Update

Today (Thursday, June 15, 2006) I am only one week (i.e., seven days) away from having to move out of the place I have been staying at through this past Winter and, without anywhere else to land, will once again be living homeless.

Even if it was only on a temporary basis, I have greatly enjoyed being housed these last eight months.

At least it is Summertime anyway.

VT Progressive Party Press Conference

Have just come away from attending the Vermont Progressive Party press conference held this morning in the Cedar Creek Room of the Vermont State House, during which I was merely a fly on the wall of course.

However, since I was only going to post a quick post about it at this time as I have to go to lunch as well as do some errands anyway and, in addition, have also been beat to the punch by Hall Monitor j-blogger Darren Allen (who skipped out of the press conference really early, probably so he could blog up his post), it is best to check out Darren's memo concerning it instead, here.

If Darren would have stuck around a while longer however, he would have caught Anthony Pollina's plug of Hall Monitor. Seven Days columnist Peter Freyne (Inside Track) had brought up the subject of blogs earlier, but raising again with Anthony, Peter asked him what he thought about the blogs -- especially those who had blogging the rumor of his supposedly moving to Chittenden County to run for a state senate seat there. Eventually Anthony simply said something along the lines of, if you want to find out what is going on, visit the Hall Monitor blog (sounds like an endorsement, at least of a sort, to me).

My only wish is that someone would have then followed it up by asking Anthony if that, within the Vermont blogosphere anyway, is where on the Internet he gets a lot of his information on what is going on in state politics, etc.

Progressive NIMBY Candidate for House: Vergennes Mayor April Jin

Filed Under: If Only Billboards Were Legal in Vermont *[1]

The above satirically doctored photo (i.e., the text overlay portions; with
apologies to the Vermont Guardian, source of the original photo, here; December 16, 2005) plastered upon a virtual billboard was at least partially inspired from a few different things, including by a particular quote found within a recent article from the VT News page of the Vermont Public Radio (VPR) Website concerning how the Vermont Progressive Party has announced their intention to focus on winning seats within the State's House of Representatives (here).

Quoting Vermont Progressive Party Chair Martha Abbott (excerpted):

[...]

... we want to run credible campaigns and we want to be realistic about what we can do and how we can get our message across.

[...]

Read the article in full, here (the archived MP3 audio file of the recent VPR Switchboard program mentioned with the article is available here [via VPR]).

Hmmm, the VT Progressives finally wanting to be a little more realistic for a change, how about that?!

If that is actually the case however, especially given Vergennes Mayor April Jin run as a Progressive candidate for one of the House seats to represent her district when considered versus her previous public stances and statements when it came to the mental health Community Recovery Residence facility that had formerly been proposed there, it seems at least to me somewhat ironic that the Progressives are saying they want to run credible campaigns and also how they are so concerned about getting their message across. Just exactly what message would that be anyway?

What is also odd is how the VT Progressives Party and some of their candidates for the Vermont House of Representatives are describing themselves as Independents in one fashion or another (not in actual non-party label of course, but sort of in name or spirit, etc.). Huh?! Wish they would make up our minds for us on the subject, because it is rather confusing.

Ahhh, political spin, don't ya just love it?! No wonder some might take the VT Progressives as being a whiny bunch of wanna be's and, as such, doomed as being merely a third rate party at best -- the way they keep operating anyway.

For additional information (including linkages to the same elsewhere), read an earlier blog post of mine on the subject, here.

By the way, for the last few days the VT Progressives have had April Jin's photo and the linkage to their archived reprint of the Vermont Guardian article featured prominently on the main page of their Website.


*[1: Not that I am advocating to legalize billboards in Vermont, because I am not]


*Note*: Virtual billboard created using the virtual Billboard Generator via FlagrantDisregard's Flickr Toys.

Brooke Ellison Running for NY State Senate Seat (2nd District)

This morning I ended up watching the television movie The Brooke Ellison Story on the A&E Channel. Actually this is the second time I watched it, having also done so several months ago.

This time around however I did an online search about Brooke Ellison and came upon her Website and found that she is running for the New York State Senate (2nd District). To learn more about Brooke as well as about her state senate campaign, check out her website.

In addition, read the New York Daily News article from late last month concerning Brooke and her state senate run, here (Saturday, May 27, 2006).

For those who may have missed it and, whose computers have the capability, make sure to watch the archived video of the recent NBC Today Show episode of the Katie Couric interview of Brooke (no download required, however one must use Internet Explorer browser to view it; length: 4 minutes, 59 seconds), here.

P.S.

Check out a review of the book the movie was based upon, here [includes an interview of the authors (here) as well as an excerpt from the book (here); via Bookreporter].

Our House - Hallmark Channel Movie: Re-Airing Tonight @ 9:00 PM [EDT]

When Ruth Galloway attempts suicide after the death of her husband, a chance encounter with Billy, a homeless woman who rescues Ruth from a pill overdose, helps each woman discover a life worth living.

Ruth is intrigued by Billy, whose life is vastly different from her own. Although Billy is at first resistant to accepting aid, she eventually opens up and helps Ruth understand — just as Goyen understood— that many of the homeless are regular people who merely have fallen on hard times or endured crippling personal tragedies. To the dismay of her daughter and neighbors, Ruth is inspired by Billy and opens up the mansion to many more who are homeless.

Stars: Doris Roberts and Judy Reyes

[via Hallmark Channel: Our House]

The original television movie Our House will re-air on the Hallmark Channel this evening (Tuesday, June 13, 2006) at 9:00 PM [EDT], as well as on Saturday, June 25th at 2:00 PM [EDT] and again at 1:00 AM that same evening.

For more information, check out a page dedicated to the movie (which also includes a link to my review of the film), here [via Patricia Heaton Online; Doris Roberts section].

My Priorities: 5 P's

Quite a while ago I quietly developed a list of basic, broad and general priorities and core values, which has of course evolved or grown somewhat over time.

This is just a list of priorities I established to guide myself in what I try to do and how I try to live my life, especially when it comes to the addressing of human needs, whether on a personal, social-wide or political level; at least it includes those ideals I personally aspire and strive toward anyway. Yet it is not something I impose on anyone else or otherwise expect others to live up to however.

My priorities include, in order of importance, especially when it comes to matters involving compromise:

• People & Planet*[1];


• Principles;


• Philosophy;


• Politics.

*[1: re: People & Planet, read: equally weighted and valued; re: Planet itself, read: everything else existing upon, within or in relation to the Earth and its air, oceans, waters as well as the very planet itself]

(it should be noted that each of the above priorities includes and involves spiritual matters and considerations as well, which also includes matters of social justice of course, at least in my book)

One reason I am finally stating these priorities of mine in this fashion is to help dispel certain misconceptions held by some that I am extremely passionate and concerned about politics (or am otherwise purely focused on issues), something from which such persons then sometimes incorrectly assume I value above much else, which is absolutely untrue since I actually loathe politics and always have.

Truth be told, the only reason why I ever became involved in political matters and process in the first place is due to what is actually my passion for priorities one through four (i.e., People & Planet, Principles, Philosophy); which is why politics is dead last on my list, due to my regarding it as being a necessary evil at times, one that is only justifiable for myself to engage in as long as it serves the other priorities and not the other way around.

The same goes for principles and philosophy of course, as I believe that these too must be in service to people and the planet as well, not the opposite; especially given that it is not mine nor anyone else's right to compromise what is other people's or the planet, among whom and in which we are dependent upon and therefore need to co-exist with.

Peace.

Progressive? You're kidding!

*Updated 3x*

Blogger Jack McCullough (Rational Resistance) blogged a post on the Green Mountain Daily blog (here), which he cross-posted to the Beyond Vermont State Hospital (VSH) blog (here), concerning the news about Vergennes Mayor April Jin's announcement that she is running for a state representative seat within her district as a Progressive candidate (here [via Vermont Guardian; 6/6/2006)].

As I recall from various news reports at the time, Mayor Jin was a vocal opponent of the attempt to locate the relatively small (formerly) proposed mental health Community Recovery Residence facility within Vergennes, even proclaiming on more than one occasion that she would lay down in the street in protest in order to block it.

This is a photocopy of the official resolution passed by the Vergennes City Council mentioned within Jack's blog post:

Additional information, including links to news articles can be found within a blog post of mine, here [via Beyond VSH blog (December 1, 2005)].

*Update 1*: Go Figure!

Looks like the VT Progressive Party is embracing Mayor April Jin as one of their own unquestioningly, as they have reprinted the Vermont Guardian article on their Website, here.

Must be that they are either completely oblivious to various matters of concern that exist regarding one of their latest candidates or else they are much more interested in political party building than they are about the issues and principles they say they are all about.

It should prove interesting how all this and related matters gets spun by them.

*Update 2*: curious

Without naming or otherwise identifying the sender, last evening I received an e-mail that included a question I believe would be much better answered if it were directly posed to Jack McCullough rather than myself, especially since Jack was actually the one raising the issue of bigotry concerning these matters within his blog post, not me.

Since the person may not have known how to contact Jack directly as well as just in case others have the same type of question, I am posting the relevant portion of their e-mail here and if Jack wants to answer the question himself, that will be up to him.

A curious reader wrote:

I have been working with April Jin a little bit as she's getting ready to run. I notice a few comments by you on a blog post about her candidacy and it's sparked a question.

Do you think there could be any possible reason that Vergennes might have been unwilling to accept the facility besides bigotry?

Of course, if anyone else is so inclined, others should feel free to chime in as well in helping to address the question in one fashion or another.

*Update 3*: Jack's Reply

Jack McCullough posted his reply to the above mentioned question to his blog post on the subject, here [via Green Mountain Daily].

Additional Candidate Info

The most recent edition of the Addison County Independent includes an article providing quite a bit of additional candidate background and other related information of possible interest regarding the race for the house seat Vergennes Mayor April Jin is running for, here (Monday, June 12, 2006).


*Note*: last updated on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 1:34 AM [EDT].

Join the 40x10 Club & Help Kevin Barbieux (The Homeless Guy blog) Obtain a Refurbished Laptop

*Updated 4x*: Mission Accomplished!

Read about it, here [via The Homeless Guy blog]. Details are spelled out within the comment posts on the subject, particularly those of mine.

To date it appears that only one other person, besides myself, has joined in this effort to help Kevin get his next laptop computer. For those who may not already know, it was in fact Kevin who inspired me to finally try blogging back in October of 2002.


It is my hope that those readers of this blog of mine who possibly have an extra $10.00 to spare and are so inclined, will accept my challenge and send it Kevin's way, either via Paypal or via mail using check or money order.

To learn more about Kevin, his experiences and his blogging, make sure to read his blog. In addition, read Eric Janssen's interview with Kevin, here [via Webraw (March, 2003)]; and, an article featured within USA Today, here (3/17/2003).

*Update 1*: Read the Salon article, here (October 14, 2002; two pages).

*Update 2* (Sunday, June 4th):

Kevin blogged a post about how, although it came about somewhat differently than initially proposed, the mission has been accomplished.

By the way, I made yet another poster (actually it is a captioned photo, using FD's Flickr Toys photo captioner, here) and here it is.

*Update 3* (Friday, June 9th):

Kevin has his new used laptop, using the same to blog about it, here.

The Mac Authority contacted him yesterday to tell him to come over to pick up the laptop, which they gave him for free and no strings attached.

Hence Kevin mentions that if anyone wants their contribution (they sent to him so he could purchase a laptop) returned, to let him know.

Otherwise he intends to use the funds for other computer stuff, including with which to buy a new DV Camera, as he would once again do video blogging.


*Note*: Changed the first photo poster to one with a white background, after having viewed the previous version using a different browser on a public access computer elsewhere and not liking the background color of it. On my laptop I usually use the Firefox 1.5+ browser; replaced the captioned photo of Kevin with a slightly modified one; last updated on Saturday, June 24, 2006 at 8:26 PM [EDT].

Must-Read!

If you have not already come across this particular blog as of yet, make certain to visit and read WanderingScribe.

While you are at it, be sure to click onto each of the links provided within the right-hand side-column of the blog, most especially the ones with which to read the news articles as well as listen to the archived audio of the New York Times interview.