To the Editor:

The daily struggles of living in a world of duality. It seems we have an opportunity to polarize or harmonize based on emotions or science. You sparked a memory of mine from what seems like lifetimes ago when Swami Kripaluvanadaji was speaking to ashram residents, he spoke of the world of duality and how we are mired in a space of struggle and fleeting moments of happiness. He articulated it much better than I can remember. What I recall was he believed that there were only two kinds of always happy people in the world, the Enlightened Master or the Complete Fool. I suppose this can be called Purgatory. I admire the depth you write from, you wear the title Doctor well. Excuse my musings!

Moose (Kevin “Moose” Foran)

Carole:

Well done. You should teach a course on citizens’ role in government 101. This (SU) is a good starting point. Bring in Michael (Canales) at some point to talk. It should be called “How to build a strong local government in a time of change”

Having information about, and understanding of the roles, is important. For instance, the Finance Committee will begin their meetings soon. This is a chance to understand the budget process.

Christine Rasnussen

To the editor:

The world that White House adviser Stephen Miller is describing by recasting our world role in “who has the power” terms is the same three-state world that George Orwell wrote about in “1984.”There is a certain symmetry, too, in the current administration’s attitude toward truth.

Is anyone else among us fearing the arrival of artificial intelligence-generated videos showing the car actually being steered toward the ICE agent (as Donald Trump apparently insisted had happened in front of journalists after watching with them the video showing it to be a lie)?

Truth is going to be increasingly hard for us to come by in the face of what AI can generate as apparent reality.

In New York recently, I discovered the the Paley Center for Media on West 52nd Street between 6th and 5th. Admission, well worth the price, gives one unlimited access to archives full of recordings of CBS and other radio and TV events. I watched Edward R. Murrow’s “See It Now” broadcast about Sen. Joe McCarthy. It was totally scripted and full of tapes of McCarthy speaking (and Roy Cohn whispering in his ear).

It was chilling — McCarthy was only a senator.

I then watched the second part of the PBS “American Masters” show about Murrow. It began with accounts of a pre-broadcast weekend meeting with CBS executives to be sure they knew about the possible explosions the broadcast might cause and give them a chance to object.

That included a segment in which Fred Friendly, the show’s producer and for a long time a summer resident in the Berkshires, said he had asked whether anyone present had personal vulnerabilities McCarthy might be able to exploit in a counterattack.

One high executive responded that in the 1930s his wife had been a communist — not he and, soon after, no longer she. Morrow’s forceful response to this was to insist that the show would go forward, as the next day it did.

What a disgusting, alarming contrast lives in what has gone on at CBS recently.

Peter Strauss

Editor’s note: Peter requested that SU add this – “You could perhaps add as a comment of yours or reporting a conversation with me that this letter was written before the recent events in Minnesota [the death of Alex Pretti, Critical Care Nurse, Veteran’s Administration] and they have made me the more upset and pessimistic.”

Hi Carole,

I am trying to sign up for Stockbridge Updates, but the automatic system is not going through. If you can sign me up, that would be great and I would really appreciate it.

Best,
Leslie Beal

Leslie,

Thank you for reminding us all, that to sign up, avoid the sign up page, and email me at carole@stockbridgeupdates.com

We are working on the broken sign-up, but it is taking a minute

Thanks Carole

Carole:

I hope all is well and you will stay warm. As per usual, I enjoyed your commentary. 🙂 I took quasi-serious comfort in knowing The Berkshires has a history of self-government (and can do it again if necessary?)

Best to you.
Andy Weiss

Dear Carole,

As far as what’s planned for me this year:

I have an exciting project planned with Chesterwood called “Revolutionary Tea Pots” in honor of the anniversary of the signing or the Declaration of Independence. It will be juried by Lesley Ferrin a renown national ceramic gallerist and sponsored by Harneys Tea, we hope and will include local artists as well as national artists..

I will be curating a show in August at the Gallery on Main in West Stockbridge that will include 4 artists,2 from Miami, 1 NYC and the Berkshires called Here and There.

I hope to be in a group show in October at Chesterwood.

– In addition I have submitted work to the Guild of Berkshire Artists Show at the Botanical Garden in February/ March. That show is also a juried show.

Thank you for all you do for us.EEven Even

With best regards,
Anne Ferril

Editor’s note: Anne is Co-chair of the Stockbridge Cultural Council and an excellent potter – don’t miss seeing her work

To the many who asked how to Place an article on the Town Meeting Warrant Watching our Town government at work, it might appear that only the SB prepares the Town Warrant and places articles on it, but there is another way. Even before there was a USA, there were town meetings and there was the “Power of Ten.” An article may be included in the Annual Town Meeting Warrant by petition of ten or more registered voters (MGL c. 39 §10). The Select Board determines the deadline for submission of warrant articles for the Annual Town Meeting. It is usually on a date in April before a May Annual Meeting. Write the article (check wording with a lawyer), collect signatures (more that 10 so enough are certified) and submit to the Town Clerk to certify. She will pass to the SB. The Clerk or Town Counsel can reject it if not enough legal names or wording somehow improper, but the SB cannot turn it down