QUOTE OF THE DAY

“A man needs to feel powerful and respected. Innately within us, as far back as we can remember, we have taught ourselves to grand stand in our abilities to be tough, to conquer, to impress and to win in all aspects of our lives in order to be validated by others and in doing so we have built our conceptual house of self on the sand of societal opinion. Yet, ironically, it’s only when a man finds his true strength in humility, in its purest sense, will he ever experience what genuine power and respect feels like. The man who builds his conceptual house of self on the rock of unpretentious decorum simply needs no validation outside of his creator. He is who he is…and for all intense and purposes that is the only respectable power any man should ever seek.”

Jason Versey, A Walk with Prudence

TWILIGHT

RIGHT IN-BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK. PRETTY MUCH RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE AT AGE 70. RIGHT BETWEEN BREATHING AND NOT-BREATHING. SOME DAYS LEANING MORE TOWARD NOT-BREATHING. DEATH IS NO BIG DEAL. PARTICULARLY FOR THE DEAD. THE DEAD DON'T CARE. AS FOR ME, THE HALF-DEAD, I THINK THE WHOLE THING IS MIND-BOGGLING. CONFUSING. PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN GOD SHOULDN'T MIND DYING. THEY ARE GETTING WHAT THEY WANT. A FACE TO FACE WITH GOD. HEAVENLY RICHES. NO MORE PAIN. SUFFERING. EVERYONE IS HAPPY AND CAREFREE. NO BAD STUFF. NO GUNS. NO RICH OR POOR. THE ONLY DOWN-SIDE: DEAD. HAPPY AND DEAD DON'T MIX IN MY WORLD. SHOOTING PEOPLE IN A WAFFLE HOUSE PUTS MY FAITH TO THE TEST. I LOVE THE WAFFLE HOUSE. GOOD COFFEE. GOOD SERVICE. AND UNPRETENTIOUS PEOPLE. THAT'S WHAT I CALL HEAVEN.

SOLVING THE UNSOLVABLE

If all of our billionaires went together and gave every adult American $1 million dollars, they basically would be out about $300 million dollars or so. This is about the interest they would make in 3 months. This would end poverty, at least until they stole it back by their capitalist con-jobs. A economic lesson from The Peever. Solving another of America's unsolvable problems. They can't possibly use the excuse we haven't earned it, because neither have they.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“A little stupid is like a little forest fire. If you happen upon some stupid, please stomp it out before it spreads.”
  Quentin R. Bufogle, Horse Latitudes

 

'Open and Flagrant Corruption': Mulvaney Admits to Bankers He Only Met With Lobbyists Who Gave Him Cash

'Open and Flagrant Corruption': Mulvaney Admits to Bankers He Only Met With Lobbyists Who Gave Him Cash



MORE OF THE SAME. A DISGRACE.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"A UNIONIZED PUBLIC EMPLOOYEE, A MEMBER OF THE TEA PARTY, AND A CEO ARE SITTING AT A TABLE. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE IS A PLATE WITH A DOZEN COOKIES ON IT. THE CEO REACHES ACROSS AND TAKES ELEVEN OF THE COOKIES, LOOKS AT THE TEA PARTYIER, AND SAYS, "lOOK OUT FOR THAT UNION GUY. HE WANTS A PIECE OF YOUR COOKIE."

HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE COMMUNITY MEETING

ANOTHER JOKE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S ON US. THE MANAGER AND DIRECTORS HEAR A LOT OF DISGRUNTLED RESIDENTS, AND PROCEED TO PASS EVERYTHING THEY HAVE ON THE AGENDA, REGARDLESS OF PUBLIC SENTIMENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. THE NEW MANAGER IS APPARENTLY PLAYING OUT A POWER GRAB STARTED BY THE PREVIOUS MANAGER, DAVID TWIGGS. HE HAND PICKED NALLEY TO BECOME OUR FIRST CEO, SIGNS THAT THEY INTEND ON RUNNING HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE AS A CORPORATION, NOT AS A COMMUNITY. THE CROWD WAS MOSTLY NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THEIR EFFORTS, BUT TO NO AVAIL. NALLEY CONTINUALLY CALLED THE MISTAKEN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, "MY PLAN." IN ACTUALITY, WE, THE RESIDENTS, PAID FOR IT. AND WE CLEARLY SUGGESTED TO HER THAT WE DIDN'T LIKE THE PRICE WE PAID, OR THE CONTENTS. NONE OF IT MATTERED. SHE AND THE DIRECTORS ARE GOING AHEAD WITH THE PLAN. OUR LEADERSHIP IS AS POOR AS THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, AND WHAT WE HAVE IN WASHINGTON. IN FACT, IT MIRRORS LEADERSHIP THAT IS INEPT AND MOVING TOWARD CORPORATE DOMINATION, LEAVING BEHIND ANY THOUGHTS OF DEMOCRACY. WELCOME TO HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE.

THE CONTINUING DANGERS OF LIVING STUPID

I RECENTLY READ OF A PRINCIPLE WANTING TO SUPPLY ALL THE TEACHERS WITH BASEBALL BATS. PRESUMABLY TO WARD OFF ANY WOULD-BE SHOOTER. THAT SEEMS LIKE QUITE THE IDEA. MY FIRST QUESTION IS: METAL OR WOOD BAT? MY SECOND QUESTION WOULD BE: HAS SHE OR HE BEEN FIRED YET? ANYONE SO STUPID SHOULD NOT BE IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION. I'M SURE I HAVE HEARD STUPIDER THINGS, BUT THEY PRESENTLY ARE NOT COMING TO MIND. I HOPE THEY ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BAT DOWN THE BULLETS? THAT WOULD BE ONE HELL OF A FASTBALL. ANYWAY, IT'S ALL ENTERTAINING. THEY COME UP WITH ANYTHING SHORT OF DOING AWAY WITH MOST GUNS. SO MUCH FOR EDUCATION MAKING PEOPLE WISER. IT DIDN'T SEEM TO HELP IN THIS CASE.

THE DANGERS OF LIVING STUPID

• STUPID CAN GET YOU KILLED.
• IF YOU THINK YOUR WAY IS THE ONLY WAY, YOU'RE STUPID.
• IF YOU THINK YOUR RELIGION IS THE ONLY LEGITIMATE RELIGION, EVEN GOD THINKS YOU'RE STUPID.
• GUNS IN THE HANDS OF EVERYONE IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. GOD TOLD ME. SHE KNOWS. SHE DOESN'T OWN ONE.
• STUPID IS MORE THAN SKIN DEEP. STUPID IS TRUMP DEEP.
• YOU CAN TRY TO IGNORE STUPID, BUT IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE WITHIN ARMS LENGTH.
• STUPID CAN SOMETIMES BE OVERCOME. IN ARKANSAS, THAT WOULD MEAN STAYING IN SCHOOL BEYOND THE FIFTH GRADE.
• IF YOU THINK PEOPLE LIKE BEING HOMELESS AND HUNGRY, YOU'RE NOT JUST STUPID, YOU'RE A JACKASS.
• WALLS HAVE NEVER PROTECTED PEOPLE FROM ANYTHING. THAT'S STUPID.
• STUPID IS WHAT STUPID DOES. HELLO, RIGHT-WING REPUBLICANS. IS STUPID THERE?

THE NEW BEATITUDES

• GOD COMES TO THE HUNGRY IN THE FORM OF FOOD.
• TO THE HOMELESS IN THE FORM OF SHELTER.
• TO THE SICK IN THE FORM OF HEALTHCARE.
• TO THE POOR IN THE FORM OF REBELLION.
• TO THE COWARD IN THE FORM OF COURAGE.
• TO THE LONELY IN THE FORM OF COMPANIONSHIP.
• TO THE GUN LOVER IN THE FORM OF NONVIOLENCE.
• TO RIGHT-WING CHRISTIANS IN THE FORM OF BIBLE STUDY.
• TO THE IGNORANT, IN THE FORM OF AWAKENING. (THANKS TRISH)

Cynthia Nixon Wins Endorsement of Progressive Working Families Party in New York Governor Race

Cynthia Nixon Wins Endorsement of Progressive Working Families Party in New York Governor Race



CORPORATE DEMOCRATS NEED TO JOIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY-WHERE THEY BELONG. 

AFTER TRUMP, HELL SHOULD BE EASY.

SEND HELP

FRIDAY THE 13th. OH CRAP.

THE DANGERS OF LIVING STUPID

• STUPID CAN GET YOU KILLED.
• IF YOU THINK YOUR WAY IS THE ONLY WAY, YOU'RE STUPID.
• IF YOU THINK YOUR RELIGION IS THE ONLY LEGITIMATE RELIGION, EVEN GOD THINKS YOU'RE STUPID.
• GUNS IN THE HANDS OF EVERYONE IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. GOD TOLD ME. SHE KNOWS. SHE DOESN'T OWN ONE.
• STUPID IS MORE THAN SKIN DEEP. STUPID IS TRUMP DEEP.
• YOU CAN TRY TO IGNORE STUPID, BUT IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE WITHIN ARMS LENGTH.
• STUPID CAN SOMETIMES BE OVERCOME. IN ARKANSAS, THAT WOULD MEAN STAYING IN SCHOOL BEYOND THE FIFTH GRADE.
• IF YOU THINK PEOPLE LIKE BEING HOMELESS AND HUNGRY, YOU'RE NOT JUST STUPID, YOU'RE A JACKASS.
• WALLS HAVE NEVER PROTECTED PEOPLE FROM ANYTHING. THAT'S STUPID.
• STUPID IS WHAT STUPID DOES. HELLO, RIGHT-WING REPUBLICANS. IS STUPID THERE?

PAYING TAXES FOR WAR

“There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him.”
Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

INCOME TAX DAY: APRIL 17

On this day of internal revenue
       some of us are paid up,
       some of us owe,
       some of us await a refund,
       some of us have no income to tax.

But all of us are taxed,
       by war,
       by violence,
       by anxiety,
       by deathliness.

And Caesar never gives any deep tax relief.

We render to Caesar....
       to some it feels like a grab,
       to some it is clearly a war tax,
       to some---some few---
               it is a way to contribute to the common good.

In any case we are haunted
                 by what we render to Caesar,
                 by what we might render to you,
                 by the way we invest our wealth and our lives,
                 when what you ask is an "easy yoke":
                                   to do justice
                                   to love mercy
                                   to walk humbly with you.

Give us courage for your easy burden, so to live untaxed lives.

Walter Brueggemann-Prayers for a Privileged People
                                 

SOULS COLLIDE

IT'S PROOF THEY EXIST. THE COLLISION PRODUCES LOVE. JOY. HAPPINESS. SOMETIMES DESPAIR AND DARKNESS. UNPREDICTABLE, THOSE SOULS. BUMPING INTO ONE ANOTHER LIKE THAT.

Critics Warn Any US Attack on Syria Ordered by Trump Would Be 'Reckless,' 'Dangerous,' and 'Illegal'

Critics Warn Any US Attack on Syria Ordered by Trump Would Be 'Reckless,' 'Dangerous,' and 'Illegal'



MANIAC ALERT!

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“To be GOVERNED is to be watched, inspected, spied upon, directed, law-driven, numbered, regulated, enrolled, indoctrinated, preached at, controlled, checked, estimated, valued, censured, commanded, by creatures who have neither the right nor the wisdom nor the virtue to do so. To be GOVERNED is to be at every operation, at every transaction noted, registered, counted, taxed, stamped, measured, numbered, assessed, licensed, authorized, admonished, prevented, forbidden, reformed, corrected, punished. It is, under pretext of public utility, and in the name of the general interest, to be place under contribution, drilled, fleeced, exploited, monopolized, extorted from, squeezed, hoaxed, robbed; then, at the slightest resistance, the first word of complaint, to be repressed, fined, vilified, harassed, hunted down, abused, clubbed, disarmed, bound, choked, imprisoned, judged, condemned, shot, deported, sacrificed, sold, betrayed; and to crown all, mocked, ridiculed, derided, outraged, dishonored. That is government; that is its justice; that is its morality."

 Pierre-Joseph Proudhon

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor: It has come to my attention that you no longer allow titles on “Letters to the Editor.” I have learned this through direct experience, having recently submitted numerous “Letters to the Editor.”  None of the titles were printed. They all originally had titles, and very good ones, I might add. This seems rather odd. Peculiar. Dumbfounding. I understand the previous editor dropped them. (Emphasis on previous). Every article in the Voice has titles. Each is followed by a story that relies on, plays on, explains, the title. When there is no title, but only “Letter to the Editor,” it doesn’t sound very interesting. Why would I write a “Letter to the Editor?” I don’t even know the editor. I’m writing a letter to the public. Something I see as unusual. Alarming. Perhaps a view opposite of the status-quo. A rebuttal. Maybe a plea: for justice. Fairness. Perhaps just a thought. Maybe a good deed has been done. Recognition.  Thankfulness. Magazine articles have titles; people have titles; movies have titles; newspaper articles have titles; books have titles. Most certainly “Letters to the Editor” should have titles. Something that draws attention. Captures the imagination. Informs the people in few words (300 is plenty). Something of which the body of the written work can dance around. Tease. Elevate. At the very least, explain.  Clearly, “Letter to the Editor” serves none of these purposes. I have not, however, let “No Title Allowed” deter me from my work, which is to CONSTANTLY STIR THE POT. This may ruffle some feathers. Upset some. Make people uncomfortable. But it’s all in good fun. A curmudgeons job. To be a cantankerous old codger. So please, let us put titles on our “Letters to the Editor”. Everything has a title.

APRIL FOOL'S QUOTE

“I like to schedule dentist appointments for March 32, otherwise known as April Fool’s Day.” 
 Jarod Kintz, $3.33

APRIL FOOLS

APRIL FOOL'S DAY. FUNNY IT SHOULD END UP ON EASTER. NOT SURE WHAT TO MAKE OF THAT.