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Ronnie 'the limo driver' Mund angry cursing soundboard
Its Ronnie the limo driver sound board. This guy can curse up a storm. He is very angy Its Howard Sterns head of security.
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Vermont inn-to-inn hikes - the way to go
Lincoln , Vt. -- The young female backpacker reached the top of Mount Abraham just as we were getting ready to head down. Mount Abraham is hardly a mountain by Sierra standards - it's just 4,006 feet high - but it has a jaw-dropping, 360-degree view that stretches across the Green Mountains of Vermont, Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.
And it's a challenging hike, with patches of mud from the rain, no switchbacks, and the final quarter-mile a scramble over big rocks.
The young woman looked beat. She was hiking the entire Long Trail of Vermont by herself, and had already slogged through rain and hail. Now she was at the top, but we could all see more rain clouds moving in. She had another 5 miles to go to reach a shelter where she could throw her sleeping bag onto a wooden platform for the night. "Might you have a small piece of chocolate you could give me for energy?" she asked us.
That's one way to do Vermont's Long Trail.
We had another.
Three hours later, my husband, Sam, was napping in a comfy bed at a bed and breakfast called the Inn at Baldwin Creek. I had taken a hot bath in the big claw-foot tub and was reading in an Adirondack chair in the garden. Then we both went in for a cocktail and a gourmet dinner at Mary's, the restaurant run by the inn's owners.
Welcome to Vermont hiking, inn-to-inn style.
Europeans have a long tradition of inn-to-inn walking, from tromping between lodges in the Swiss Alps to doing what the British call rambling between cottages in England's Lake District.
Inn-to-inn hiking allows you to immerse yourself in nature and see the countryside in a much slower, more intimate way than sightseeing from a car or a train. But unlike backpacking, you don't have to carry your clothes, sleeping gear and food with you all day. And when evening comes, you can count on hot showers, freshly made beds and all the other comforts of civilization.
A network of country inns Lincoln , Vt. -- The young female backpacker reached the top of Mount Abraham just as we were getting ready to head down. Mount Abraha... more -
Leaf-peeping in Vermont: An expert's guide
An expert's guide for having a great time in the Green Mountain State
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Micro Hydro Turbines and Systems – Rediscovering Water and Hydro Power
From the front, the old brick mill in Middlebury, Vt., looks like any of the other quaint buildings lining the town’s main street. But inside, through yawning gaps in a patchwork floor of long, narrow planks, the gray-green waters of Otter Creek can be seen churning toward a 23-ft. waterfall. Anchored to a stone bridge above the river, the building once had a mill wheel that drove wool-processing equipment; later, a penstock carried water to a turbine, generating electricity for the town’s streetlights.
For the past 42 years, the power of the river has gone untapped—the turbine is long since dismantled—and Middlebury’s electricity now comes from the grid. The only sign of the penstock, the pipe that funneled water to the powerhouse, is a crumbling concrete frame, and the sluice gate that controlled the river diversion is missing its metal plate. Local resident Anders Holm plans to change that.
An ear, nose and throat specialist who grew up in town, Holm was born a few years after the hydropower system was retired. His father purchased the mill in the 1980s and rented it out as commercial space. But changing times—particularly the events of Sept. 11, 2001—convinced Holm to reduce his dependence on foreign oil. He covered his home with solar panels. Then he and his brother, Erik, decided to restore both the mill and the hydropower.
“Our original plan was to make power for our own property,” Holm says. “We didn’t intend to sell it. But then we realized the enormous power potential and knew we had to do more.” Unlike the old system, the new one will take advantage of every inch of head—the water pressure exerted by gravity—and will use a modern 1-megawatt turbine. Under ideal conditions, it will generate enough electricity for about 1000 homes, or most of downtown Middlebury.
Of course, reviving aging infrastructure is no small task. Holm, who recently built a mahogany deck at his home using only hand tools, didn’t shy away from the challenge. Instead he took two months off from his surgical practice to work on the project full-time. His first task: Reduce the flow of the river under the building’s northwest corner to a mere gurgle so that the foundation could be repaired. From the front, the old brick mill in Middlebury, Vt., looks like any of the other quaint buildings lining the town’s main street. But... more -
Vermont Candidate to prosecute Bush if elected
BURLINGTON, Vt. - Lots of political candidates make campaign promises. But not like Charlotte Dennett's.
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Dennett, 61, the Progressive Party's candidate for Vermont Attorney General, said Thursday she will prosecute President Bush for murder if she's elected Nov. 4.
Dennett, an attorney and investigative journalist, says Bush must be held accountable for the deaths of thousands of people in Iraq — U.S. soldiers and Iraqi civilians. She believes the Vermont attorney general would have jurisdiction to do so.
She also said she would appoint a special prosecutor and already knows who that should be: former Los Angeles prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, the author of "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder," a new book.
"Someone has to step forward," said Dennett, flanked by Bugliosi at a news conference announcing her plan. "Someone has to say we cannot put up with this lack of accountability any more."
Dennett and two others are challenging incumbent Attorney General William Sorrell, a Democrat, in the Nov. 4 election.
Bugliosi, 74, who gained fame as the prosecutor of killer Charles Manson, said any state attorney general would have jurisdiction since Bush committed "overt acts" including the military's recruitment of soldiers in Vermont and allegedly lying about the threat posed by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in speeches that were aired in Vermont and elsewhere.
(more at link) BURLINGTON, Vt. - Lots of political candidates make campaign promises. But not like Charlotte Dennett's. ADVERTISEMENT ... more -
Vermont candidate to prosecute Bush if she wins
BURLINGTON, Vt. - Lots of political candidates make campaign promises. But not like Charlotte Dennett's.
ADVERTISEMENT
Dennett, 61, the Progressive Party's candidate for Vermont Attorney General, said Thursday she will prosecute President Bush for murder if she's elected Nov. 4.
Dennett, an attorney and investigative journalist, says Bush must be held accountable for the deaths of thousands of people in Iraq — U.S. soldiers and Iraqi civilians. She believes the Vermont attorney general would have jurisdiction to do so.
She also said she would appoint a special prosecutor and already knows who that should be: former Los Angeles prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, the author of "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder," a new book.
"Someone has to step forward," said Dennett, flanked by Bugliosi at a news conference announcing her plan. "Someone has to say we cannot put up with this lack of accountability any more."
Dennett and two others are challenging incumbent Attorney General William Sorrell, a Democrat, in the Nov. 4 election.
Bugliosi, 74, who gained fame as the prosecutor of killer Charles Manson, said any state attorney general would have jurisdiction since Bush committed "overt acts" including the military's recruitment of soldiers in Vermont and allegedly lying about the threat posed by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in speeches that were aired in Vermont and elsewhere.
"No man, even the president of the United States, is above the law," said Bugliosi.
The White House press office didn't respond to a request for comment Thursday. But Republican National Committee spokesman Blair Latoff denounced Dennett.
"It's extremely disappointing that a candidate for state attorney general is more concerned with radical left-wing provocation than upholding the law of Vermont," Latoff said. "These incendiary suggestions may score points among the most fringe elements of American society, but can't be settling for anyone looking for an attorney general."
Anti-Bush sentiment runs deep in Vermont. It's the only state Bush hasn't visited as president, and one whose liberal tendencies make it unlikely he will.
In 2007, the state Senate adopted a resolution calling for Congress to begin impeachment proceedings against Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
Last March, the towns of Brattleboro and Marlboro voted to seek indictments against Bush and Cheney over the war, and dozens of other towns voted at town meetings to call for his impeachment.
Sorrell, who is seeking a sixth term, said he doesn't believe a Vermont attorney general would have the authority to charge Bush.
"The reality is, in my view, that unless the crime takes place in Vermont, then I as the attorney general have no authority under Vermont law to be prosecuting the president," Sorrell said. BURLINGTON, Vt. - Lots of political candidates make campaign promises. But not like Charlotte Dennett's. ADVERTISEMENT ... more -
Free Vermont!
The movement to make Vermont it's own country.
Vermont has a history of trying to make a difference despite it being so small: from trying to lower the drinking age, to pushing for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly world, to a call to indict Bush and Cheney for war crimes and many others.
Just goes to show you even the few can make a difference and stand up to the powers that be.
(for more information on the movement visit the website: http://www.vermontrepublic.org/) The movement to make Vermont it's own country. ... more -
The American secessionist streak
In a recent poll, one in five agreed that states have the right to peacefully secede from the Union. After centuries of Unionist propaganda, lots of Americans still believe in freedom. In a recent poll, one in five agreed that states have the right to peacefully secede from the Union. After centuries of Unionist propa... more
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Canadian Border No Longer Invisible in Vermont
The changes started coming slowly to this small town where the U.S. border with Canada runs across sleepy streets, through houses and families, and smack down the middle of the shared local library.
First was the white, painted lettering on the pavement on three little side streets - “Canada” on one side, “U.S.A.” on the other. Then came the white pylons denoting which side of the border was which. After that, signboards were erected on some streets, ordering drivers to turn back and use an officially designated entry point.
And along with the signposts came an influx of American Border Patrol agents, cruising through the town in their sport-utility vehicles with sirens, chasing down cars and mopeds that ignored the posted warnings.
For longtime residents accustomed to a simpler life that flowed freely across a largely invisible border, the final shock - and what made most people really take notice - was a proposal by the border agents last year to erect fences on the small streets to officially barricade Derby Line from Stanstead, Quebec, and neighbor from neighbor.
“They’re stirring up a little hate and discontent with that deal,” said Claire Currier, who grew up in this border area and works at Brown’s Drug Store, which has operated on the same spot since 1884. “We’ve all intermingled for years.”
For the Department of Homeland Security, the changes are part of a gradual fortification of America’s northern border that began shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and has accelerated in recent years.
The hardening of the northern frontier is unsettling to many in the small towns along the border. For as long as most of these people can remember, the line between the United States and Canada has been little more than a historic curiosity, rather than the hard and fast demarcation that is America’s southern border.
Named the Secure Border Initiative, the project calls for more than tripling the number of agents along the northern border, adding boats and helicopters, and deploying sophisticated new technology including hundreds of millions of dollars in new communications equipment, radiation detectors and three different types of camera-mounted sensors in the uninhabited wooded areas.
“It was freer before, but we live in a different world now,” said agent Mark Henry, the operations officer at the Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector, headquartered in Swanton, Vt. The sector encompasses about 24,000 square miles, extending from the town of Champlain, in upstate New York, on the east all the way across to the border with Maine. The sector now has 250 agents, up from 180 three years ago, and the number is scheduled to reach 300 next year. In 2001, there were 340 agents along the entire border with Canada.
“9/11 changed everything,” said Border Patrol agent Fernando Beltran, the operations chief for Swanton Sector’s Newport station, which includes Derby Line. “This may have been Mayberry before, but it’s not anymore.”
Residents of this town of 776 understand the need for enhanced security. They also wistfully remember a time when neighbors easily crossed into another country to visit neighbors. People went to church and to school on either side of the line. Members of the same family lived on either side. Some streets, an old factory, the local library and opera house, and a few houses straddle the line.
“I have one brother - he’s American. He was born on the U.S. side. I was born on the Canadian side,” said Arthur Brewer, who is 76. “It was like there was no border.”
Townsfolk are concerned about practical issues with fences. The two sides share a water system, a sewer system and snow-removal services. For years, the fire departments of both sides have helped each other without regard to a border, and fences, they fear, might disrupt travel routes for emergency vehicles. The changes started coming slowly to this small town where the U.S. border with Canada runs across sleepy streets, through houses and ... more -
Hong Kong emigrant's death attracts scrutiny of U.S. detention system
Hiu Lui Ng, a computer science engineer who worked in New York for the Empire State Building, died two days after his 34th birthday in custody at Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a Rhode Island hospital. His death was an unexpected final stop after consulting with officials about his green card with immigration officials last summer in New York, although his visa had lapsed years ago, and he was subsequently jailed and held in detention ever since.
Reporter Nina Bernstein, in her contribution to the International Herald Tribune ("Hong Kong emigrant's death attracts scrutiny of U.S. detention system", August 13, 2008) writes about the investigation surrounding Ng's death -- his body "riddled with cancer" untreated and undiagnosed for months, and a spine fracture which he suffered from in July before his death. His attorneys have initialized a criminal investigation in a letter to U.S. and state prosecutors in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, and the Department of Homeland Security. Court affidavits say, Bernstein writers, that "guards at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, Rhode Island, dragged him from his bed on July 30, carried him in shackles to a car, bruising his arms and legs, and drove him two hours to a U.S. government lockup in Hartford, Connecticut, where an immigration officer pressured him to withdraw all pending appeals of his case and accept deportation."
Photo: Rhode Island Hospital where Hiu Lui Ng died after being diagnosed with cancer and a spinal fracture. Credit: Steven Senne/AP, image courtesy of findingdulcinea.com. Hiu Lui Ng, a computer science engineer who worked in New York for the Empire State Building, died two days after his 34th birthday in... more -
Making moonshine from marijuana: Vermont state House approves hemp cultivation for...
In Vermont, the state House has approved a measure that would permit the cultivation of hemp in the state, subject to federal approval. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration regards hemp and marijuana as the same plant, although bill supporters say that the active element in marijuana can be reduced nearly to zero in industrial hemp.
Hemp can be used as an ethanol feedstock, raising the possibility that, in the future, biofuels could be made from dope using a fermentation process also used to make moonshine whiskey.
North Dakota has a similar law on the books, but farmers are not permitted by the DEA to cultivate hemp.
The state of Vermont has been working hard on taking a leading role in biofuels development. The Vermont Economic Progress Council awarded $1.7 million in job creation incentives to Mascoma to induce the company to relocate to the state. The introduction of hemp would certainly raise awareness of Vermont within the biofuels industry, although not perhaps a positive awareness in all corners.
Among the known feedstocks for ethanol, hemp is easily the most controversial because of the psychotropic properties of THC, a chemical found in all plants of the hemp (cannabis) family. Critics of DEA policy, which forbids the cultivation of hemp, point out that THC concentrations in industrial hemp are not sufficient for drug use.
Hemp is used throughout the world for paper, health foods, and rope, among other products. It is a fast growing plant, grows naturally in many parts of the US with no fertilizer or water inputs, and has a good energy returned on energy invested (EROEI) ratio.
In the United States, feral hemp, or “ditchweed”, continues to grow in at least 21 states where the DEA has eradication programs in place. The feral hemp is descended from plantings that date to the World War II “Hemp for Victory” program, when a shortage of raw materials led to a relaxation in the prohibition against hemp cultivation.
Henry Ford, in 1941, built a car out of 70 percent hemp fiber and powered it on hemp ethanol. Here is a YouTube video of the car in action.
hemp car
Above: Henry Ford’s 1941 Hemp Car, which was constructed from hemp fiber and ran on hemp ethanol.
In the US, ethanol must be “de-natured”, or mixed with a small amount of gasoline, to make it undrinkable. In its pure form, ethanol is 200 proof alcohol and is also popularly known as “moonshine”, especially in regions such as Appalachia where it continues to be made by home brewers.
“Moonshiners” would often put their own product into their cars to make them run faster, one of the earliest known usages of ethanol as an automotive fuel. The sport of stock car racing evolved from races between “moonshiners”, which perhaps explains why the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has been more reluctant to embrace ethanol as a racing fuel. The Indy Racing League runs its cars on E100.
A modern-day Hemp Car toured the United States between July 4 and October 2, 2001, racking up 10,000 miles of travel in the process, and promoting the use of industrial hemp. The Mercedez Benz vehicle used hemp-based biodiesel as a fuel.
hemp car 2001
Above: The 2001 Hemp Car, which traveled 10,000 miles in 2001 across the United States promoting the use of industrial hemp. In Vermont, the state House has approved a measure that would permit the cultivation of hemp in the state, subject to federal approval... more -
that monster should pay for what he did!
Her own uncle killed her.. what a...
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Child Sex Ring Discovered Along with Missing Girl's Body
"BURLINGTON, Vermont (AP) -- Vermont State Police say they have found a body believed to be that of a missing 12-year-old girl.
According to an affidavit, a 14-year-old witness told investigators that Brooke's uncle brought Brooke to his home to initiate her into a child sex ring the day she disappeared." "BURLINGTON, Vermont (AP) -- Vermont State Police say they have found a body believed to be that of a missing 12-year-old girl. ... more -
what a monster!!
how can someone do this to their own family??? makes me sick!
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Vermont OKs the Creation of Virtual Corporations
Ah Vermont, that lovely New England state known for its maple syrup, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream…and now, limited liability corporations that only exist online. Ah Vermont, that lovely New England state known for its maple syrup, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream…and now, limited liability corporatio... more
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Hemp for Vermont Bill Becomes Law
State Wants Federal Permission for Farmers to Grow Hemp
The US is the only industrialized nation that bans hemp farming
Vote Hemp, a grassroots advocacy organization working to give farmers the right to grow non-drug industrial hemp, is extremely pleased that Vermont Governor Jim Douglas allowed H.267, the Hemp for Vermont Bill, to become law without his signature May 29th. The bill overwhelmingly passed both the House (126 to 9) and the Senate (25 to 1). The new law sets up a state-regulated program for farmers to grow non-drug industrial hemp, which is used in a wide variety of products, including nutritious foods, cosmetics, body care, clothing, tree-free paper, auto parts, building materials and much more.
Smart and effective grassroots organizing by Vote Hemp and the Vermont-based advocacy group Rural Vermont mobilized farmers and local businesses, many of which pledged to buy their hemp raw materials in-state if they have the opportunity. Rural Vermont Director Amy Shollenberger says that "the Hemp for Vermont bill is another step toward legalizing this important crop for farmers. The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world that doesn't allow this crop to be grown. Looking at the Canadian experience, hemp provides a good return for the farmer. It's a high-yield crop and a great crop to mix in with corn."
Vermont grows an average of 90,000 acres of corn per year, a small amount compared to Midwest states; however, the need for a good rotation crop exists nationwide. From candle makers to dairymen to retailers, Vermont voters strongly support hemp farming. Admittedly a niche market now, hemp is becoming more common in stores and products across the country every day. Over the past ten years, farmers in Canada have grown an average of 16,500 acres of hemp per year, primarily for use in food products. In Vermont, the interest in hemp includes for use in food products, as well as in quality and affordable animal bedding for the state's estimated 140,000 cows.
"Vermont's federal delegation can now take this law to the U.S. Congress and call for a fix to this problem of farmers missing out on a very useful and profitable crop," comments Eric Steenstra, President of Vote Hemp. "North Dakota farmers who want to grow hemp per state law are currently appealing their lawsuit in the federal courts. The real question is whether these hemp-friendly state congressional delegations feel compelled to act," adds Steenstra.
Rural Vermont's Shollenberger states that "the Vermont law is significant for two reasons. First, no other state until now has followed North Dakota's lead by creating real-world regulations for farmers to grow industrial hemp. Second, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont is Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, as well as a member of the Committee on Agriculture -- relevant committees that could consider legislation. We also have a friend at the USDA in new Secretary Ed Schaffer who signed North Dakota's hemp bill as Governor. I plan to visit Washington, DC and try to figure out what Congress and the Administration intend to do."
Support Vote Hemp
Vote Hemp depends on your support to do the work we do. You know we are effective and get things done. Your donation will go a long way. Help us bring Vermont and North Dakota farmers to Washington, DC to lobby their delegations. It's time to ratchet up the pressure! Please make a donation today!
About Vote Hemp
Vote Hemp is a national, single-issue, non-profit organization dedicated to the acceptance of and a free market for low-THC industrial hemp and to changes in current law to allow U.S. farmers to once again grow this agricultural crop. More information about hemp legislation and the crop's many uses may be found at www.VoteHemp.com and www.HempIndustries.org State Wants Federal Permission for Farmers to Grow Hemp The US is the only industrialized nation that bans hemp farming ... more -
Grace Potter's Politics
Grace Potter gives the Daily Fix her explanation of her band's latest single "Ah Mary" off her new album.
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What a nascent police state sounds like | NPR
Skip to 34:45. Bob Ginsberg is a lawyer for one of the people in Guantanamo. The funny bit is how incompetent the tap is. :)
Bob Gensburg is a lawyer in rural Vermont who represents a Guantanamo detainee, Abdul Zahir. Bob says that as he started to build his case, strange things began happening: his wife picked up their home phone and overheard him talking, but Bob wasn't at home or on his cell phone - he was using the land line at work. Bob also says that his word processing folder, which archives his case for Mr. Zahir, has disappeared from his desktop several times. Bob has spoken with forensic detectives, and believes his phone is tapped and his work is being monitored because he's representing Mr. Zahir. Skip to 34:45. Bob Ginsberg is a lawyer for one of the people in Guantanamo. The funny bit is how incompetent the tap is. :) ... more -
Soldiers can’t get home from Iraq
Some Vermont soldiers who have completed their tours of duty in Iraq cannot get home because of flight delays caused in part by the recent bankruptcy of ATA Airlines, the Vermont congressional delegation said Wednesday.
“After completing their service to our country overseas, our men and women deserve a safe return home without delays,” the delegation wrote Tuesday in a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
“As a result of the troop surge, many of the service members participating in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom have had their deployments extended from 12 to 15 months,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Gates.
“Ask any of these men and women when they are going home and most can give you a precise day and time. The same is true of their families who have been eagerly anticipating the return of their loved one. To be told within days of shipping out that your trip home has been delayed until a date uncertain is demoralizing,” the letter said. Some Vermont soldiers who have completed their tours of duty in Iraq cannot get home because of flight delays caused in part by the re... more -
Bush & Cheney To Be Arrested?!
People in Bardoburg Vermont are having a vote saying that if Bush or Cheney ever come to their town, they will be arrested for war crimes. They say that they probably don't have the power to arrest them, but they are taking a stand.
Penn Jillette explains. People in Bardoburg Vermont are having a vote saying that if Bush or Cheney ever come to their town, they will be arrested for war cri... more
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