To me, a total outsider retired and living on pennies below Mt Fuji, all seems hopeless. I read this in all that you wrote just now, and in countless other writers in the US. I cannot get over this abysmal feeling inside me that we are at the End of Time. I would like to subscribe, but there are so many others, and I just don't have enough pension money other than to keep living.
It's sure nice to see Cory Booker taking a stand in the Senate today. I was inspired enough to post a day earlier than usual at Postcards. Of course, him inviting Chuck Shumer to speak is a great illustration of who really runs the show. Thank you for being a truly independent voice, Chris, always.
Thank you Mr. Jones for another outstanding treatise on the lies and incompetence of the so called leaders here in Iowa, and the country as a whole. As an old boomer, and big classic rock fan, including a few lines of lyrics from "For What It's Worth" between your paragraphs was genius, and so spot on. It brought both chills and maybe a few tears.
A compelling, and exquisitely written, although thoroughly depressing piece. Thanks for speaking out Chris. Commonly seeing eagles today is reason for hope, but we need more than hope. We need political leadership with the courage to base policies on facts, respect hard-won expertise, and provide the resources to address the actual problems we have. Uttering the words “non-point source pollution” is NOT one of those problems.
Stephen Stills and Buffalo Springfield had it right in 1966. Those of us that were "eco-freaks" and environmentalists in the 70's saw what was facing us, and a few of us worked on some pretty good projects.
BUT - life comes at you fast. A house, a car, a job, maybe a family . . . and bills to pay. Insurance man to pay. Most of us lost our idealism and got with the program - joined the system and got down to hard work, a paycheck, and some good ol' consumerism. If we had done the really hard work 50+ years ago, we might be a bit better off today.
yes, most of us couldn't resist taking our place in the American machine so we could say TGIF once a week, buy some junk, and live our lives of quiet desperation.
Another great thorn in the side of “The Man,” in the 60s sense. For me, Dems need to own up to their abandonment of principles during the Reagan-Clinton years. They need to hammer on abuses of power, the distortions of the Bill of Rights, equal protection, something like the melting pot or salad bowl notion of societal diversity, the effects of capitalist redistribution of wealth, and more. Iowa has been trashed by all these: realpolitik in place of principles of liberty and fairness/equality, concentration of power instead of local decision making, erasure of Iowa’s history of race and gender rights, the decimation of smalltown economics, the conversion of soil and natural beauty into profits, the overbearing control of government by selfish interests that mainly want more power and wealth. All these led to the situation you so faithfully target in every article.
thank you Chris. Peaches - almost as good as apples. 45-ish years ago, Dad hauled several 100 pound sacks of potatoes and bushels of apples back from Gays Mills to re-sell from his store in Lamont. To barter, with the farm crisis under way. We butchered chickens, canned tomatoes. To get several families through the winter, some that lost everything. We can get through this.
Stellar, as always, compadre. What a lot of folks in the ag comm don't get is that practices that reduce soil loss and nutrient runoff are better for soils and, hence, farming in the long run.
What they don't want to get is that they are major causes of not only our evermore poisoned waterways, but the oceans our rivers flow into. Sadly, they've decided to suppress the truth instead of grappling with it.
Your words help prompt me to make my phone calls, send emails, post on social media, and continue protesting. April 5 is the next national day of protest. Many across Iowa. I will be there at on in our town.
I too have been planting trees, picking up trash, and giving blood. It's all that we can do to realize we're all connected. If papers and projects can't use all those words, can we at least hope the practitioners of the reports/research are smarter than the rule makers? Re: marketing and wordsmithing?
To me, a total outsider retired and living on pennies below Mt Fuji, all seems hopeless. I read this in all that you wrote just now, and in countless other writers in the US. I cannot get over this abysmal feeling inside me that we are at the End of Time. I would like to subscribe, but there are so many others, and I just don't have enough pension money other than to keep living.
I think you do know how to fight Chris, and your words are bearing witness. Thank you!
It's sure nice to see Cory Booker taking a stand in the Senate today. I was inspired enough to post a day earlier than usual at Postcards. Of course, him inviting Chuck Shumer to speak is a great illustration of who really runs the show. Thank you for being a truly independent voice, Chris, always.
thank you for your kind words Suzan.
Thank you Mr. Jones for another outstanding treatise on the lies and incompetence of the so called leaders here in Iowa, and the country as a whole. As an old boomer, and big classic rock fan, including a few lines of lyrics from "For What It's Worth" between your paragraphs was genius, and so spot on. It brought both chills and maybe a few tears.
Thanks (I think . . .) for the Buffalo Springfield nostalgia. I'm old enough to remember. I worry about what my grandkids will long for someday . . .
thanks (as always) for the insight and wisdon!
A compelling, and exquisitely written, although thoroughly depressing piece. Thanks for speaking out Chris. Commonly seeing eagles today is reason for hope, but we need more than hope. We need political leadership with the courage to base policies on facts, respect hard-won expertise, and provide the resources to address the actual problems we have. Uttering the words “non-point source pollution” is NOT one of those problems.
Long live words and oak trees!
And peach trees. 😊
Stephen Stills and Buffalo Springfield had it right in 1966. Those of us that were "eco-freaks" and environmentalists in the 70's saw what was facing us, and a few of us worked on some pretty good projects.
BUT - life comes at you fast. A house, a car, a job, maybe a family . . . and bills to pay. Insurance man to pay. Most of us lost our idealism and got with the program - joined the system and got down to hard work, a paycheck, and some good ol' consumerism. If we had done the really hard work 50+ years ago, we might be a bit better off today.
It's not like we didn't see it coming.
yes, most of us couldn't resist taking our place in the American machine so we could say TGIF once a week, buy some junk, and live our lives of quiet desperation.
Another great thorn in the side of “The Man,” in the 60s sense. For me, Dems need to own up to their abandonment of principles during the Reagan-Clinton years. They need to hammer on abuses of power, the distortions of the Bill of Rights, equal protection, something like the melting pot or salad bowl notion of societal diversity, the effects of capitalist redistribution of wealth, and more. Iowa has been trashed by all these: realpolitik in place of principles of liberty and fairness/equality, concentration of power instead of local decision making, erasure of Iowa’s history of race and gender rights, the decimation of smalltown economics, the conversion of soil and natural beauty into profits, the overbearing control of government by selfish interests that mainly want more power and wealth. All these led to the situation you so faithfully target in every article.
Right on Leland.
thank you Chris. Peaches - almost as good as apples. 45-ish years ago, Dad hauled several 100 pound sacks of potatoes and bushels of apples back from Gays Mills to re-sell from his store in Lamont. To barter, with the farm crisis under way. We butchered chickens, canned tomatoes. To get several families through the winter, some that lost everything. We can get through this.
Thanks Jim. You're right--you can't beat those Gays Mills apples.
Stellar, as always, compadre. What a lot of folks in the ag comm don't get is that practices that reduce soil loss and nutrient runoff are better for soils and, hence, farming in the long run.
What they don't want to get is that they are major causes of not only our evermore poisoned waterways, but the oceans our rivers flow into. Sadly, they've decided to suppress the truth instead of grappling with it.
Your words help prompt me to make my phone calls, send emails, post on social media, and continue protesting. April 5 is the next national day of protest. Many across Iowa. I will be there at on in our town.
thanks for your work Ralph!
Excellent Article Chris! Thank you!
I too have been planting trees, picking up trash, and giving blood. It's all that we can do to realize we're all connected. If papers and projects can't use all those words, can we at least hope the practitioners of the reports/research are smarter than the rule makers? Re: marketing and wordsmithing?
yes on the marketing and word smithing
When the "truth" is known to be lies...and all of the joy within you dies...