the alberton papers

Name:
Location: alberton, mt., United States

I am a retired steamfitter and vocational instructor, Current member, alberton town council, having served two terms previously, several years ago. Resident of alberton almost 28 years. I am fiscally conservative and socially progressive, a free thinker and an advocate of good, responsive, honest government.

Sunday, December 31, 2006

the new year

The Alberton Papers, Vol. III, #10
By Dick Darne 12-31-06
Tonight, on this last day of the year, I was reflecting on this year and all the things that didn’t get done, but will for sure this coming year. Here they are:
1) The usual stuff, like clean my room, organize my junk, learn computer skills, kill all the weeds, organize my tools, recycle etc., sure, but don’t hold your breath.
2)Take several serious bike trips. At least one camping out. At least one over 100 miles. Anyone interested in joining is welcome. Suggestions for routes welcome. Sag vehicle driver/cook welcome.
3)Hike to top of LoLo peak. Should go before fire season and before the jerk below it ruins it even more.
4) Get the Gravely Mountain Boys, Bluegrass Band Extraordinaire, back up and running. We haven’t sung all our songs yet.
5) Collect the stories and accumulated wisdom of the old timers around here. If we don’t, they will for sure take it with them.
6)Help a stranger, without him knowing about it.
7)Fix stuff that needs fixing.
8)Help a friend sneak a new tool or toy home.
9)Buy a book, read it and give it away.
10) Most important, practice democracy and citizenship. Contact my elected officials. Question authority. Read budgets. Ask why. Petition my government. Don’t give up a single right. Don’t look for the leader on the white horse, he can lead us into trouble as easily as out of it. "They" is me. And YOU.
"Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship"
Harry Truman 33rd president of the U.S. dd

Monday, December 25, 2006

The Gravely Institute of the Rockies

The Alberton Papers, Vol. III, #9
By Dick Darne 12-25-06
It’s a great day to be alive and well, this Christmas day in beautiful downtown Alberton. I would like to thank all my faithful readers for your interest and support this year. In the coming year, I will utilize the underutilized services of "The Gravely Institute Of The Rockies", a prestigious think tank, located in the heart of the rockies, right here in Alberton. This is where the wisest of the wise, the most experienced, smartest, best educated, manliest of men come together to share our brains. We will convene as necessary to think about stuff. The most brilliant musings will appear in the Alberton Papers, but we can think on request. Of course, being a not-for-profit, we can only accept compensation in the form of pies. This will contribute to our piety. If someone has a particular problem that requires some serious thinking, or just some "allowing", drop us a line. For a confidential reply, send a self addressed, stamped envelope and no one will ever know. Our expert thinkers are eagerly waiting to serve you. Our range of thoughts extend from foreign policy ( ex. Q. What about Red China? A. Should be set on a white tablecloth.) To down to earth, (ex. Q. What’s the white stuff in chicken dung? A. It’s chicken dung also). For your love life, be sure to include all details, as it helps with the thought process. Standing by to assist us are our consultants in North Dakota, at the Nodak Institute of Financial and Musical Technology, (NIFMUT).
Keep those cards and letters coming in. dd

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

heroes, scoundrels and charlatans

The Alberton Papers Vol. III, #8
By Dick Darne 12-19-06
Heroes, Scoundrels and Charlatans
".....while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free....." Eugene Debs, addressing the court at his sentencing to prison for speaking out against the "War to end all Wars", 1918.
The hero is Debs, by now an old man, who had fought his battles and sung his song. But there was one more song to sing, to defy the Sedition Act, be arrested, tried, convicted and sent to prison for ten years. While in prison he ran for President and received a million votes.
For the scoundrel, take your pick: J.P.Morgan, who had loaned France and England millions of dollars and whose money was more important than the American people; or Woodrow Wilson, who was elected to keep us out of war, but bowed to the House of Morgan; or Congress, who passed the Sedition Laws; or any number of death merchants who stood to profit. Lets not forget George Creel, the "father of propaganda", which is what it was called then, but later "public information".( the dirty commie Ruskies did propaganda).
For the charlatan, fast forward to today, and I give you Newt Gingrich. Nobody in their right mind would even consider him for President, but he blathers on about limiting free speech as per the wishes of the moneyed elite. This award should be shared with certain pundits and blowhards in the mainstream media who give him a platform. Every freedom loving American should take a solemn vow to kick his butt, on sight, into the next county. That goes for Limbaugh, O’Reilly, Hannity, Coulter, Broder, Novak and the rest of the enemies of freedom.
Listen, Learn, Think! dd

Monday, December 11, 2006

heptad of sins

The Alberton Papers, Vol III, # 7
By Dick Darne 12-11-06
"The unexamined life is not worth living" Socrates.
To examine life one may start with all the things one should do and must do, but first let’s examine things one shouldn’t do or better not do. We can start with the Seven Deadly Sins. Nice and handy, and already listed. Not complete, but a starting point.
The first of the heptad is Lust. Since little children may read this, I will refer the reader to the daytime soaps or most modern sit-coms or other drivel that passes for entertainment. Still a no-no unless it is lust for tools, which has been proven to be harmless.
Next is Gluttony, which I have always figured to be when someone else does it, when I do it it is "a hearty appetite". Could also apply to tools. It must be a rather low ranking sin, some French chef appealed to the Pope to have it removed from the list.
Greed and Avarice. To quote Shakespeare: " See, sons, what things you are, How quickly nature falls into revolt When gold becomes her object". We have been in the "Age of Greed" for quite a few years now, lots of corrupt politicians, who besides grabbing all the boodle they can, have worked tirelessly to make it legal. Our business schools and law schools are in it up to their eyeballs. Diogenes is still looking for someone to hold his lamp.
Sloth. Now what’s wrong with an afternoon nap, or fishing, or just sitting around B.S.ing? Or after 40 years of 40 hrs a week, doing whatever you want to? Or for that matter is it your business who does what as long as you don’t have to support him? But there is a time when Sloth is bad. When everybody does it, to quote Thomas Pynchon: " Sloth is the failure of Public Will, allowing the introduction of evil policies and the rise of evil regimes". In recent memory: Fascists of the 20's & 30's, Vietnam, Reagan- Bush, the Neo-Cons and the boy king of today.
Envy, (jealousy & malice) Nothing wrong with being a little jealous of those of us who have nice tools, but buying up at all the yard sales and outbidding at auctions may be going a little too far. Also "ratting" your buddy out for trying to sneak a tool home is the ultimate no-no.
Wrath. (Anger, hatred, prejudice, discrimination). These things can get you in a lot of trouble. Maybe a ride on the lightning express. Really bad in the wrong hands. Best to keep a short list and just imagine them boiling in oil, or something like that. Does wonders for your relationships with people not on the list. Just the threat of being put on the list keeps ‘em in line.
Pride/Hubris (vanity, narcissism) . Really, really bad in the wrong hands. Custer got his comeuppance, but at least he didn’t have his finger on the "nuklar- trigger". Not so today. "Mission Accomplished", "Bring-em-on", "Axis of Evil". Our reputation shot. Treasury emptied. Children and grandchildren in hock forever. Nice work. Should earn the whole bunch a ride on the "Big Lightning Express".
As one can see, most of the really bad stuff can be prevented if we can eliminate Slothfulness of the Public. Think! Question! Learn! dd

Monday, December 04, 2006

scoundrels and heroes

The Alberton Papers Vol III, #6
By Dick Darne 12- 5 -06
"Solidarnosk" Lech Walesa
The "Evil Empire" was not defeated by Ronald Reagan and "Morning in America Again", but by a Polish Union Electrician and Solidarity. The victories are few and far apart, but this was a big one. Let’s go back to the thrilling days of yesteryear and examine one scoundrel and one hero.
The scoundrel is none other than the infamous detective agency, The Pinkertons.
Besides supplying perjurers as told about in a previous story, they were suppliers of scabs, strikebreakers and goons to American industry, big business tycoons and robber barons. After the Wagner act was passed in 1935, protecting the working man’s right to organize, the Pinkertons’ product became a little more subtle. They sent spies to join unions, infiltrate and cause as much mischief as possible. Almost all large corporations utilized this except Henry Ford. He had his own secret police, and simply didn’t need them.
The hero is Robert LaFollette, son of "Fighting Bob LaFollette", (hero in his own right), both progressive republicans and two of the best friends of the working man we have ever seen. Bob jr. chaired the LaFollette civil liberties committee in congress in the late thirties, which exposed the scoundrels’ activities. Alas, Bob was one of the first victims of a then up-and-coming scoundrel, (Senator Joe McCarthy, another story), and committed suicide in 1953.
Mr Pinkerton, you sang off-key. Bob, you sang like a meadowlark while it lasted. If we could award burning fires or angel wings, it would be a no-brainer as to who gets what.
Where are today’s great republicans? The best defense against injustice is long memories. dd