Viewpoints - Marblehead Current

12Sep

By Betty BreuhausNo Comments

Art, Viewpoints, Views & Reviews

Missing Jimmy Buffett

Am I a Parrot Head? Do I drink margaritas? Jimmy Buffett No, those are not what define the depth of my reaction upon hearing of Jimmy Buffett’s passing. Although I never met the man, or even knew anyone who was personally acquainted, he has been a part of my life for almost 50 years. I grew up with him.Many of his songs are wildly playful, laced with an infectious, carefree attitude. What’s not to love about ballads to cheeseburgers and flip flops and Pop Tops! Always with punchlines: “If we weren’t all crazy we would go insane.” But it went beyond that … way beyond. For one thing, his play with words was genius. “If the phone doesn’t ring it’s me.” And, “We are the people our parents warned us about.” The imagery and poetry within his lyrics are beautifully po...

EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY: A majestic memorial

11Sep

By Virginia BuckinghamNo Comments

Viewpoints, Virginia Buckingham

EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY: A majestic memorial

Travel experts advise getting to the airport two hours before a domestic flight, three for an international one. I know it’s a lot to make happen, but on an upcoming trip, consider adding an hour more. There’s a place I’d like you to see at Logan Airport, and I’m guessing most of you have only glimpsed it from the roadway — not due to a lack of interest, but rather the difficult logistics of it all. The bit of extra time you’ll spend is worth it, I promise. Dedicated in 2008, the 9/11 memorial at Logan is breathtaking as a piece of public art, heart-wrenching as a gathering place of the names of the dead and reverential as a place to reflect on a world changed forever 22 years ago this week. Don’t look for it at Terminal A, B, C or E. Nor does this structure that is part elegy, part...

I BEG TO DIFFER: The erosion of ‘liberal’

6Sep

By Jo Ann Augeri SilvaNo Comments

Opinion, Viewpoints

I BEG TO DIFFER: The erosion of ‘liberal’

"If you’re a conservative at 20, you have no heart. If you’re a liberal at 40, you have no head.” In my early college days, this was an accepted truism. If we stick with that description, at nearly twice 40, I should be either headless or a rock-ribbed Republican. Surprise. I am neither. Jo Ann Augeri Silva I’ll say it loud and proud: I am a liberal. There are many definitions of the term, but if I tell you I’m a liberal, I guarantee you’ll have a preconceived interpretation of what I mean. That’s the context here. Not what I or you believe, what you or I stand for politically, culturally or spiritually, but the reactions we get to the words we use to describe those beliefs. In some circles, even liberal ones, the term “liberal” has acquired high-level insult status. The...

I BEG TO DIFFER: Deciphering parallel universes in modern media

9Aug

By Jo Ann Augeri SilvaNo Comments

Local News, Viewpoints, Views & Reviews

I BEG TO DIFFER: Deciphering parallel universes in modern media

“The media is not your enemy. The media is not your friend. Reporters [who cover the issue you care about] are doing their job. This is true whether they work for a local weekly newspaper or a cable news station [and everything in between]. Whether or not they seem sympathetic to your point of view does not, and should not, matter. The best reporters will tell both sides of every story fairly, whether they agree with one side and oppose the other, or not.” Jo Ann Augeri Silva I’m actually quoting myself here, from a book on self advocacy I wrote several years ago. If I edited the book today, I’d add this line: “When reporters don’t write what you want to read, that doesn’t make them wrong.” I’m writing this looking out at the ocean surrounding the small island where I’m learning ...

EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY: Whose truth is it anyway?

9Aug

By Virginia BuckinghamNo Comments

Viewpoints, Views & Reviews, Virginia Buckingham

EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY: Whose truth is it anyway?

Truth. It’s a loaded word these days. If aliens popped down to our planet — and according to recent congressional testimony they have — they might wonder what all the fuss is about. The truth is the truth, after all, so what’s the issue? And then there’s the new-agey, Oprah-inspired encouragement to “speak your truth.” Some might find it personally empowering to do so. But if it’s only your truth, by definition it’s not the truth. Truth doesn’t actually belong to anyone. It just is. Virginia Buckingham There are a couple of dynamics causing the truth fuss in my view. One, people are confusing fact with opinion. Two, people are cherry-picking facts that support their opinions. It was the late great U.S. Senator and statesman Daniel Patrick Moynihan who wrote in 1983, “Eve...

Letter to the editor: ‘Marblehead taxpayers are paying for other towns to use transfer station’

4Aug

By Letter to the editorNo Comments

LETTERS, Viewpoints

Letter to the editor: ‘Marblehead taxpayers are paying for other towns to use transfer station’

The frustration of Marblehead residents over our financial situation has been evident over the past few years. It has also been clear that the town does not trust leadership’s budgeting/spending with the rejection of the general overrides on the two most recent ballots. I’ll openly say that I voted “No” with the majority both years. I believe every department and board needs to take a closer look at how they are spending money to get these budgets back in order and regain the trust of the residents. I also think the Health Department, for which I am the newest board member of, has played a large role in this lack of trust. During this year’s State of the Town meeting when residents spoke up against the overrides, several times the money given to fund the Transfer Station project (whi...

LETTER: ‘Marbleheaders have long memories’

3Aug

By Letter to the editorNo Comments

LETTERS, Opinion, Viewpoints

LETTER: ‘Marbleheaders have long memories’

What has happened to democracy and caring in Marblehead? We have always taught our family and friends about how wonderful our town is, especially because our citizens care about our town and each other. Our school committee has just negated all our years of promoting Marblehead. Within days of their election,this new school committee put aside everything a democracy stands for and what they campaigned on transparency, fiscal responsibility and putting our children's educational needs in the forefront. Where is the transparency they promoted and promised? The School Committee did not think of the full picture or the future implications, both financially and educationally, for our children. They just had to act on personal agendas without caring about the town as a whole. An...

LETTER: ‘Collective break from civic rot that is social media’ proposed

28Jul

By Letter to the editorNo Comments

LETTERS, Opinion, Viewpoints

LETTER: ‘Collective break from civic rot that is social media’ proposed

To the editor: Last fall, I shared a conversation with my neighbor Alison Taylor in her driveway where she said, “I believe people can have differing opinions and beliefs, but we at least can show respect. This is our home.” That conversation meant a lot to me then and even more so now. It was a reminder that this town is something beautiful, special and a storied place to call home. In the spirit of that conversation, I am ashamed that someone thought it funny or appropriate to engage in such a lowbrow act of idiocy as to leave a balloon depicting a clown at her back steps. I am equally sorry that I did not get a chance to see who did it, nor that I could offer more than a “we will keep an eye out for you and [your child]” comfort. However, that is what neighbors do for each oth...

LETTER: As past mistake is repeated, voter feels ‘duped, angry’

27Jul

By Letter to the editorNo Comments

LETTERS, Opinion, Viewpoints, Views & Reviews

LETTER: As past mistake is repeated, voter feels ‘duped, angry’

To the editor: (This statement was prepared for public comment to Marblehead School Committee at the July 26 meeting, which was cancelled abruptly.) Because public comment period occurs at the beginning of the meeting, I am forced to guess at the purpose of an agenda item that says “Superintendent Contract — Early Termination Clause." Did something egregious happen between the superintendent’s May 15 evaluation where he was rated “proficient” (unanimously voted by all five school committee members) and this July 26, 2023 School Committee meeting? Or does this committee believe that removal of a superintendent on a whim, without a basis in performance, is just fine? (Something I would characterize as a $90,000 whim that the town/district will have to pay?) Several members of ...

SUSTAINABLE MARBLEHEAD: From sparking joy to igniting a waste-free lifestyle

21Jul

By Elaine LeahyNo Comments

Community resources, Environment, Opinion, Uncategorized, Viewpoints

SUSTAINABLE MARBLEHEAD: From sparking joy to igniting a waste-free lifestyle

A few years ago, the Netflix series "Sparking Joy" was a hit. Based on Marie Kondo's best-selling book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing," Kondo advised us to "keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy." Instead of simply discarding clothes and household goods that we no longer need or make us happy, what if we, as consumers, started the decision-making process at the beginning when we desire something new and then ask ourselves these questions: Do I really need this? Can I repurpose something I already own? Can I borrow this instead? Many other similar decision-making tools and tips are presented in the book, "The (Almost) Zero Waste Guide: 100+ Tips for Reducing Your Waste W...