For whom the teachers toil?

Polly Smrcka (yes, that’s spelled correctly), is a lovely nonagenarian who has written several charming books about growing up in pre-electrified, early 20^th century rural Northwestern Pennsylvania. My favorite is “Hatch Hollow Tomboy”, in which the extraordinarily unfeminine yet adorable young Polly regales us with tales of catching bullfrogs in the summer and milking obstinate dairy cows by kerosene lantern in the deep winter darkness.

She also describes the one room school house with “Old Baldy” the teacher managing all grades K-12. Mr. Summerton had been hired directly by a committee of parents and did their bidding in the education of their children.

Contrast that to the Swampscott MA school district that, famously and notoriously, recently ordered all parents to a mandatory meeting during which they were forbidden to speak. It seems that our government funded and staffed schools have forgotten for whom they toil. It is the citizens and parents who pay the bills and fund the schools. There is no “government money” that does not originate from the taxpayer. Somehow the reporting relationship has become twisted and fouled. It is time for the belabored Swampscott citizens to reclaim control. A broader lesson for us all.

Individual mandate fantasies

Nationally syndicated columnist Froma Harrop credits Massachusetts’ individual mandate with having caused health insurance premiums to decline 40% since 2006 (http://www.creators.com/liberal/froma-harrop/so-you-thought-health-care-was-fixed.html).

I don’t know in which alternate universe she is living, but Governor Deval Patrick fervently wishes to join her there. Unfortunately, he can’t and is dealing with seriously escalating premiums.

The Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance and Policy (DHCFP) reports that “average monthly health insurance premiums increased 12% from 2006 to 2008.” And 2009 and 2010 offered no relief with significant premium increases continuing, bedeviling the governor and his administration.

DHFCP laments that “…personal health spending per capita is higher in Massachusetts relative to the nation and continues to rise.”

Contrary to Ms. Harrop’s fantasy, the Massachusetts individual mandate did not result in a reduction in premiums. Wishing it so is not enough; Governor Patrick is wishing mightily to no effect.

Remembering a legend

We recently watched the “The Last Waltz” for the umpteenth time. It has been termed “the most beautiful rock film ever made.” Directed by Martin Scorsese, the movie features “The Band” (Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, and Robbie Robertson) with guest appearances by Paul Butterfield, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Ronnie Hawkins, Dr. John, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Muddy Waters, Ronnie Wood, and Neil Young. Holy cow – if you have an affinity for the roots of rock and blues and jazz, how could you resist?

You may be aware that “The Band” was , for a time, Bob Dylan’s backup band, were active from 1964 to 1999, and are considered extremely influential in rock, country, roots rock, Americana, and blues rock.

We were particularly taken by Rick Danko, a Canadian singer and bass and keyboard player who worked with Dylan both in “The Hawks” and “The Band”. He died far too young in 1999.

We met Rick in 1994 thanks to our friend Tony Medeiros, the leader of a popular New England blues and jazz band “The Chili Brothers”. Rick was in town to perform at a speakeasy (well, it felt like one) out in the deep woods of southern Rhode Island not far from URI. It was a favorite haunt of students and was full of them chatting and flirting and smoking and drinking and playing pool. Tony and the Chili Brothers were Rick’s backup band and he performed a wide variety of music, many of them classics. During the performance, the crowd of students continued chatting and flirting and smoking and drinking and playing pool – they didn’t pay him a bit of attention.

What a loss for them. They were in the presence of a true musical legend and completely squandered the opportunity. Such is the naïvité of youth.

We sat with Rick and Tony at the bar and chatted before and after the performance. Rick was gracious and humble; an easy and entertaining conversationalist. Those kids’ loss was our gain; since they were ignoring us we had Rick to ourselves. A fabulous evening thus passed, brushing with musical fame and genius in the wilds of South County, Rhode Island. Rick Danko will be always be fondly remembered and deeply missed in our home.

How to buy firewood

Those Amish folks in northwestern Pennsylvania really had me spoiled. When you purchased a cord of firewood from them, it was a true cord (4’ x 4’ x 8’), clean and seasoned, all hardwood with plenty of heating power.

Unlike a nearby Massachusetts town, were a roadside pile of split firewood looked very attractive, but there must have been another pile in the back that they used for chumps like me. When delivered, it was dirty and wormy and split small with lots of odd 8” chunks, far short of a full cord. Yuck.

Maybe the difference is that the Amish around Spartansburg, PA, believe in the ethical dictum of value offered for value received. Whatever the case, we must be more careful here. And for once the Commonwealth is on your side.

Massachusetts General Law Chapter 94, Section 298, controls the sale of firewood and prescribes the standard units of measure to be used for advertising and sale. (If your state doesn't have a law like this, perhaps it should).

There is a lot of confusion in terminology regarding firewood. A full cord is 128 cubic feet, measured as a closely stacked pile four feet high by four feet wide by eight feet long (4'x4'x8'). A face or stove or furnace cord is 4’ x 8’, but less than 4’ wide. Because of the potential confusion, MGL 94.298 requires that firewood be advertised and sold only in cubic feet, not in any variety of cord. In fact, the law specifically requires that “the terms ‘cord’, ‘face cord’, ‘pile’, ‘truckload’ or terms of similar import shall not be used in the advertising and sale of cordwood or firewood.”

Further, Massachusetts requires that firewood be “sold only in terms of cubic feet or cubic meters which will be construed as indicating the closely stacked cubic foot or cubic meter content to be delivered to the purchaser.” When you see an advertisement for a cord or half-cord of wood, it is unlawful in Massachusetts. Even when specified in terms of cubic feet, a description of “bulk loaded” violates the “closely stacked” requirement.

So what’s the poor consumer to do? Here are a few suggestions.

• To optimize the heating value of your wood, request seasoned hardwood (typically oak).
• Require a written receipt giving the following information:
  

a. Name and address of seller and purchaser
b. Date of Delivery
c. Quantity in terms of cubic feet
d. Price of quantity delivered

• Write down the license number of the delivery vehicle.
• Stack the wood closely – cross-stacking is not acceptable for determining the quantity delivered. If it measures less than the contracted amount, contact the seller before burning any of it.
• If the seller does not make good on the shortage, contact the Massachusetts Division of Standards:

Division of Standards
One Ashburton Place, Room 1115
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 727-3480

There is nothing more comforting than a crackling fire in your fireplace or woodstove, especially when a blizzard has knocked out your furnace. But please make sure that you got what you paid for.

It's all in the phrase

“Happy as a clam.”

We’ve all heard it, but what the heck does it mean? Clams have, after all, very little to be happy about. In warmer times and at low tide, the sandbar extending east from Conimicut Point is crowded with boats and waders all digging for clams. The seagulls are clamoring over the mud flats and plucking out clams to be dropped and burst open on docks and parking lots and unfortunate automobiles.

The entire phrase is “happy as a clam at high tide.” Now, that makes sense, as they are then protected from their ravenous pursuers by an extra four feet of water. We are often fooled by incomplete phrases such as this.

How about “Republicans are obstructionists,” one we have heard a lot lately. This Democratic meme depicts the Republicans as mean-spirited, stubborn, obdurate – standing in the way of the people’s business. A meme is created by constant repetition and reinforcement. We hear this complaint echoed by our elected Democratic representatives, Democratic committee members, political reporters, and all variety of liberal cheerleaders.

But they all misrepresent the truth – the entire phrase is “Republicans are obstructionists of the liberal agenda.” And can you blame them? The Democratic philosophy of large and ever growing government is diametrically opposed to Republican principles. And as witnessed by the recent outcome of the Congressional midterm elections, a majority of Americans agree.

The media will continue to portray Republicans as obstructionists, but will not report that they attempted to present many alternatives to health care and economic stimulus and immigration reform. Republican ideas and legislation and amendments were not permitted onto the floors of Congress and were not considered as alternatives – the unfortunate outcome of single-party rule. And with zero Republican content in any of the legislation so advanced, who can blame them for voting nay?

Next time you hear or read that phrase, “Republicans are obstructionists,” just remember to complete it – “…of the liberal agenda.”

Equal pay for equal work

Massachustetts Senator Scott Brown has been criticized for his role in blocking the “Paycheck Fairness Act.” What is interesting and perhaps more instructive are the votes of Maine Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins.

Here are some facts:
• Snowe and Collins are both moderate Republicans who often disappoint their party by voting with the Democrats,
• Snowe and Collins are both female and support the moral imperative of equal pay for equal work, and;
• Snowe and Collins both voted to block the “Paycheck Fairness Act.”

How can this be?

Olympia Snowe had problems with the scope of the bill, terming it “unprecedented,” and observed that it would provide unlimited monetary damages making it nearly impossible to get insurance to cover claims. Collins had similar reservations, stating that now is not the time to add significant legal costs to small businesses struggling in the current recession.

Snowe and Collins also both agreed that existing remedies in the Equal Pay Act, the Civil Rights Act, and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 provide strong protections.

As for me, I think a lot of political posturing is accomplished by the titles dreamed up for various bills. What if the headlines had read “Brown helps block the Job Suppression and Trial Lawyer Charity Act of 2010?”

A trial separation

An open letter to the president of WGBH:






Mr. Jonathan C. Abbott
President and Chief Executive Officer
WGBH
One Guest Street
Boston, MA 02135

Dear Mr. Abbott:

I am a long time supporter of WGBH having made frequent contributions since 1986. However, recent events have caused me to question my loyalty.

1. On October 20, Juan Williams was fired from NPR. Although I don’t blame you directly for this, I was distressed by his summary dismissal. I believe that political correctness is a scourge that inhibits open, honest debate and impedes social maturation and progress. WGBH radio certainly didn’t come to Mr. Williams defense and commentators on your airwaves rationalized and defended his firing. For shame.

2. On October 29, just prior to the election, “Diane Rehm Show” guest-host Steve Roberts and his panelists decried the Supreme Court’s “Citizen’s United” ruling and hysterically condemned massive corporate donations to the conservative cause. No mention was made that outside spending was roughly equal in support of both Democratic and Republican campaigns and that the single largest source of cash came from the AFSMCE union ($90 million to the Democrats). What about a modicum of truth and balance?

3. On Monday November 8th, Ron Hockenberry, hosting “The Takeaway,” branded George W. Bush as stupid. In an aside while mentioning Mr. Bush’s new book “Decision Point”, Mr. Hockenberry snarkily remarks “George Bush can think?” Funny stuff to a member of the intelligentsia, but insulting and disrespectful to a former President and the many millions of citizens who supported him.

Any one of these events probably would not have ignited my passions. But their combination and proximity have pushed me to my limit. Here’s what I think we should do -- we need a time-out, a trial separation for a year. Go to your corner and think about it and then send me another solicitation in January, 2012. We’ll reassess our relationship then.

Sincerely;