Stocks, Tar, and Feathers

Seriously.

Family of Justina Pelletier devastated after Mass. judge's ruling

The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families took emergency custody of Justina on Valentine’s Day 2013 after doctors at Tufts Medical Center, which had been treating her for a rare condition, and doctors as Boston Children’s Hospital, clashed over the cause of her medical problems, which included difficulty eating and walking.

 ...

Justina was taken by ambulance to Boston Children's Hospital because she was in a wheelchair at the time and a heavy snow storm was blanketing the region. Because she arrived by ambulance, she was taken directly into the hospital's emergency room, where a "resident refused to send her to Dr. Flores" and, "declared this was his case," according to Moran. He said the unnamed resident then called upon a psychologist who diagnosed Justina with somatoform disorder -- a mental condition in which a patient experiences symptoms that are real but have no physical or biological explanation. Justina was diagnosed with the disorder "within 25 minutes," Moran claims. 

‘Irresponsible’ and ‘Wrong’: Lawyer Hits Back at Judge’s Leaked Ruling That Includes Accusations Against Justina Pelletier’s Parents

There never seems to be any recourse with these bureaucrats in the legal system. They hide behind their walls of obfuscation and protectionism. Their agencies indemnify and fight their legal battles for them.

Perhaps, it's time that these people face their time in public humiliation at the hads of all those who've been wronged.

The Canal

From the Sandwich Jetty to the Sagamore Bridge, this piece of water occupied so much of my world growing up.

So many summers spent fishing, watching boats, and exploring the rocks along the jetty and rip-rap from that particular stretch of water... So many years that this was the dividing line between the constraints of childhood home and the greater world beyond. And, more than nineteen years later, it doesn't feel as large or mysterious as it all once did. 

This of all trips reminded me of that cliche that you can never truly go home again. Everything was smaller, quainter, even quieter and more laid back than I remembered. Yeah, it was the off-season and Tulip and I were spared the hordes of out-of-state plates choking the Mid-Cape Highway and Route 6A, acting like they owned the place and we were the seasonal help there only to fulfill their summer beach adventures.

And, don't get me going again on the politics of the area...

My parents are elderly (and all of us hate to admit it) and the lives of my siblings, nieces, nephew, and grand-niece are all rolling along back here without me. My brother's family is set to grow by one more next spring and I find an ache in my heart to think of another growing-up with the stories of crazy old uncle Pat lost up there in the wilds of Alaska; just another voice on the phone, late birthday card or quick text during any of the important games.

The distance seems as insurmountable as swimming those swift currents in the canal. My uncle had warned me about this so many years ago (he'd lived in Alaska since before statehood) and, in my immortal youth, had thought the price well worth it. For the first time in my life, I wonder if I now have a sort of buyer's remorse?

For the first time in so long, Tulip and I find we're not ready to head back to Juneau after a visit. For the first time in my life I find myself homesick.

Sighting-In: Yet Another Reason I Reject The Party of the Little Guy

Reading this article,Why are liberals so rude to the right? (H/T: Instapundit), made me think of a lot of encounters:

Liberals have no shame. A dinner guest in our home stood up at the table, clinked his wine glass and said, "It shows how stupid the American people are, they voted for Bush twice." He turned to me, smirking, and said, "I know you voted for him." A biochemist who had been too busy learning liberal doctrine instead of the basic manners of being a guest.

We also had dinner with a couple who spent the evening trashing Rudy Giulliani, claiming that the former mayor of New York had nothing to do with turning the city around, even though he took office in a crime-ridden city and stepped down when it was safe. It would have happened anyhow, they said. As we said goodnight in the driveway, one said with a grin, "We like you even if you are Republicans."

Upon proudly telling a good friend that I had just certified to teach NRA Basic Pistol, his immediate response was, "Oh, then I guess you'll be teaching the NRA's anti-Democrat agenda, as well." Thanks for the encouragement and way to sway me to your political side.

It really made me think back to an encounter my mother had during the 2004 election cycle.

She'd spent the morning back-road driving my sister, who no longer can drive and is terrified of highways, from Taunton into Boston for medical issues. She'd dropped Didda off at the entrance to the medical center and went out to find appropriate parking. Of course, my mom's ailing Rav-4 was sporting a Bush/Cheney 2004 bumper sticker.

As she was backing into a spot, she noticed a woman looking at her bumper sticker from the sidewalk. Steeling herself, my mom got out to feed the meter and the woman approached.

"I'm sure you don't mind that I spit on your sticker," she said.

My mom replied something along the lines of, "If that's what makes you happy, Toots."

The woman then proceeded to self-righteously lambast my mother as being some "...corporate wife, who's never had to work a day in her life!"

My mother was in her late 60s at the time, sported enough metal in one knee and shin to practically get her strip-searched by the TSA, raised 3 children (one of whom suffered a traumatic brain injury at age16, as a result of a nearly-blind elderly driver who never should've been on the road), helped put yours truly through college [note: I can never say thanks enough, mom & dad!], pretty much raised my sister's 3 children, continues to raise my sister in various ways, helps my eldest niece with the great-granddaughter, and continues to work as an ER nurse to this very day.

Look in the f#cking mirror, lady. Way to persuade my mom to your side of the argument, Toots.

Good Goal in the Bay State!

Caught this exciting event over at MArooned in Massachusetts:

Got an e-mail from GOAL yesterday. In light of the recent events in New York, they're ramping up their efforts to raise awareness of gun rights in Massachusetts by holding rallies across the state in support of the right to keep and bear arms.

...

They have some recommendations at the link, but it boils down to common sense. No profane/vulgar t-shirts, etc. and keep it clean and respectable. I'm sure I don't have to tell anyone here about that...

Hmm, sounds a little bit familiar...

We need much more of this everywhere, folks, and I am definitely proud of fellow gun owners* from my former homeland for organizing and getting this going!

Bay Stater or not, please go check it out and:

Be Seen. Be Heard. And Stand Firm.

*Something that had shocked me when I was back for my dad's 80th, last January, was how many people I was meeting and interacting with who had just received or, were in process of obtaining their CCW. I thought I was in the Twilight Zone when compared to all the times growing-up where I encountered so many righteous folks trying their damnedest to make me feel dirty, depraved, and unfit for otherwise proper society.

Sighting-In: the 2nd Shot from the Bench

I'm a good 11 days overdue from when I REALLY wanted to write this post. In retrospect, it's probably a good thing that I hadn't had the blog up and running. People who know me often don't realize I actually do have more than a touch of that cliched Irish temper. I've been pretty good at practicing something akin to the Buddhist "pause and breath", holding back for just a moment to put space around what has just triggered my emotions and allowing myself to cool down. It's probably kept me out of a lot of trouble throughout my 40-plus years.

Alaska being four hours behind the East Coast, I was watching an awful lot of the election results rolling-in, right there in prime time for me. Talk about losing your appetite for dinner!

Had I not had that enforced moment to "pause and breathe" as I reviewed the election results from the Scott Brown/Lizzie Warren race, I probably would've simply posted something aimed at those who either turned their backs or--especially-- those who entirely refused to show for Brown, along the lines of:

What the fuck were you thinking, you myopic morons?

Luckily, I've had time to cool down.

I'd followed Scott Brown's original campaign with a lot of excitement (and, dare I say, hope?) from up here in Alaska. It seemed miraculous that a [cue the sound of PDRM Party apparatchiks gagging--ed] Republican winning Ted's seat. Granted, I'd rate a PDRM Republican as somewhere equivalent to an Alaskan Democrat on the liberal-conservative spectrum; however, it seemed like the proles were finally waking-up and trying to leave the soviet. There appeared to be hope when it looked like we were plunging ever deeper...

I shared a lot of folk's trepidation when Senator Brown lived-up to his bipartisan promises, shall we say, a little more enthusiastically than most of us would've liked. I think he could've better picked a few battles and votes and I wholeheartedly agree he left many feeling like he may have turned his back on us.

You.Don't. Alienate.Your.Supporters!

I agree with feeling that you shouldn't continue to support someone who's left you feeling that all bets are off or has stabbed you in the back. Where I draw the line, though, is in refusing to show and letting the opposition run rough-shod. I can certainly understand doing this in cases where maybe the opponent was a worthwhile political investment but, come on folks, can you honestly say that about Fauxcahontus?

It was always "rumored" that a maternal great-grandfather of mine out in western Mass was native: he was left on a doorstep for adoption and was described as "looking like an indian and walking like an indian." My now Senator-elect Warren's genealogical analysis, I guess that should make me one-somethingorotherish part Native American and eligible for all that entails.

And. let's not forget her law practice. Professor Jacobson has done a phenomenal amount of research and expose in this matter and I would recommend checking out his articles over at his Legal Insurrection blog. As kind of a quick summary:

Warren represented not just Travelers, but numerous other companies starting in the late 1990s working out of and using her Harvard Law School office in Cambridge, which she listed as her office of record on briefs filed with various courts.  Warren, however, never has been licensed to practice law in Massachusetts.

Check him out. Good job, Professor Jacobson, Wish I could say more for PDRM voters.

I can understand this of the mindless Party proles.

If faced with an incumbent you can no longer support and, an ascending opponent that provides no viable options, you get out there and get involved. Volunteer with a party (more about that in a separate article, yet to come), get involved with organizing the base, and work it out in the primaries.

Don't.Refuse.To.Show. Silence is assent. If you don't participate, you can't complain. Falling into that later category, I think you can pretty well tell my opinion.

Luckily, I've calmed down a bit since the night of November 7th. And, in writing this article now, I can more politely rephrase my earlier knee-jerk reaction and summarize it as:

How could you be so selfish and misdirected, you myopic morons?

It's not just Massachusetts that I feel this attitude. I'm feeling it towards elements on the national stage, who may not have turned out because Romney wasn't X, Y, or Z enough. 

Don't disengage. Get active.

Sighting-In: The 1st Shot from the Bench

Um, yeah, okay...

As I get this thing up and running, all that I have to say for my first post is the fact that Massachusetts elected Lizzie Warren to the senate speaks volumes as to why I've considered myself an ex-pat from the People's Democratic Republic for the past 18-plus years.