It’s the 2nd day of early voting in Southold town. About 1000 people have voted on each day. These are record numbers. The poll workers explained: “People are really into politics these days.”

OK: it is an “off off” year. Based on past results we can expect about 25% of voters will come to the polls. Only the so-called “base”. Those of us who are really upset. So here is why that might include YOU.

1. Are we heading into a major conflict in the Middle East?
2. Should we continue to fund Ukraine‘s struggle against the Russian invaders?
3. Does the election of MAGA firebrand Mike Johnson light your fire?
   • A Man of the Right: Johnson, who until he emerged as the leading candidate for speaker was best known for leading congressional efforts to overturn the 2020 election, may be the most conservative speaker in U.S. history.
   • 2024 Presidential Election: The speakership comes with broad powers. Could Johnson’s elevation to the role allow him to succeed in 2024 where he failed the last time?
   • A Champion of Fossil Fuels: The new House speaker has questioned climate science, opposed clean energy and received more campaign contributions from oil and gas companies than from any other industry in 2022.
   • The Trump Test: The developments that led to Johnson’s election underscored the extent to which loyalty to former President Donald Trump has become a prerequisite to taking power in today’s Republican Party.
   • BTW our congressman LaLota voted for Johnson…and you can do something about that in 2024
4. What about inflation?
5. What about women’s control of their own bodies? (see next post)
6. What about climate change: Over 200 health journals call on the United Nations, political leaders, and health professionals to recognize… a global health emergency.

The list goes on…

These questions are existential. Therefore we all want and need to, weigh in. We need to VOTE! Even if it is an “off-off” year and even though you might ask yourself whether local officials really matter? They do. Just consider local MAGA Republican, Manny Vilar, running for the position of Bridget Fleming, as a county legislator. Choose Ann Welker instead.

OK OK. Just VOTE! 🙂

From: Sarah Hunnewell

I don’t know if you all know this, but the “new” Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill uses vastly more electricity than any other building on the East End of Long Island. 

You all know that it has a vast roof!

Years ago, when we learned of the Parrish’s energy use (based on a meeting with GreenLogic Solar and representatives of the Parrish), and we tried to convince the museum to install solar on that roof but got nowhere because, apparently, the trustees and architect objected to the effect solar panels would have on the building’s aesthetic.

Well, the Parrish now has a new director and we have decided it’s time to try this again.  This time, though, we’d like to have as much community support behind us as possible.  I will send a letter to the new director below, requesting a meeting to discuss the solar possibilities.  Will you agree to be a signatory to this letter?  We would love to gather as many signatures as possible – from museum members and patrons, artists and architects, and community members in general.  (You wouldn’t need to physically sign anything.  I would just add your name to the list.)   Also, if you agree, will you forward this request to everyone you know on the East End who might be sympathetic?

Respond to Sarah Hunnewell <shunnew@gmail.com>

On Mon, Jan 16, 2023 at 2:20 PM James Ewing <jhewing4@gmail.com> wrote:

On Mon, Jan 16, 2023 at 2:20 PM James Ewing <jhewing4@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello all. This is a general missive I am forwarding in our efforts requesting the new Parish Art Museum in Southsmpton to install s solar array on their huge southern roofs. Currently they consume @ 2 Megawatts of power which is @ 25% of the total electricity shortfall East of the Hampton Bays Canal– @8 Megawatts shortfall. If interested please consider contacting myself or Sarah H. and simply tell us if you are willing to add your name to our letter below  to the museum. We will include it in our letter.

And please feel free to forward this off to anyone you think might be interested.

We hope for a minimum of 100 signees.

Thanks everyone.

James E

Gov. Kathy Hochul said she nominated Judge Hector LaSalle to become the state’s top judge because he was the right person to “bring a fractured court together.”Credit…Hans Pennink/Associated Press https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/nyregion/hector-lasalle-chief-judge.html

From: Peter Martin <pmartin@communityalternatives.org>

Dear allies,

As many of you know, yesterday Gov. Hochul nominated Justice Hector LaSalle, one of the most conservative judges in New York, to be the state’s next Chief Judge—and the backlash was swift and powerful. In under a day, eight Democratic senators had already announced their public opposition, the AFL-CIO and CWA had put out statements of opposition, and many other organizations did the same, including the Working Families Party.

We have an incredible opportunity to block this awful nomination within the next few days. Please join us in the fight by taking the following actions today:

1. Ask all elected officials and organizations that you have relationships with to put out statements of opposition to LaSalle immediately.
   1. You can scroll CCA’s Twitter feed for statements that have already been released, as examples.
   2. While only state senators will get to vote on the nomination, statements of opposition from other elected officials are also helpful—as are statements by any organizations. 
   3. If you’d like more information on LaSalle’s record, see pages 12-14 of this factsheet.
2. Direct as much outreach as you can today to all senators who have not yet announced public opposition to LaSalle, demanding that they state their opposition—publicly and immediately.
   1. As of right now, the senators who have publicly announced opposition are Rivera, Jackson, May, Salazar, Brouk, Brisport, Hinchey, and Gonzalez. Several other senators have told us privately that they are opposed. We do not doubt their sentiments, but what is needed right now are public commitments that put them on record and help convince others to come forward too.
   2. Every other senator should receive overwhelming outreach ASAP—until they put out a public statement of opposition.
   3. To contact your senator and Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, you can use this tool or call/email/tweet at them directly. This tracker document lists phone numbers and Twitter handles, and email addresses are listed at nysenate.gov.
3. Pass along this information and these requests to anyone else who can take these actions and help put out the call to action.

Let me know if you have any questions, and thank you all for all your support in this

Peter F. Martin 

Director of Judicial Accountability | Center for Community Alternatives, Inc.

25 Chapel Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 | communityalternatives.org

pmartin@communityalternatives.org | 917-558-1479 | @peter_f_martin

www.Newhourforwomen.org

We used to have weekly lunch meetings for R&R folks. With soup! Then came Covid. Today my friend Bob treated me to homemade lentil soup at his place. We discussed the state of the world! Are we heading towards armageddon? Nuclear war? What about the political swings to the far right wing? It seems to be happening globally. So, I wanted to share a couple of thoughts.

(1) Wars and conflict have shaped human history for a long time: War: How Conflict Shaped Us, By Margaret McMillan. Scholars debate whether war is part of human nature: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/war-is-not-part-of-human-nature/

But in spite of this mankind has grown exponentially:

Life expectancy rocketed after about 1800 with the industrial revolution: from about 30 years to over 75 years. And that is in spite of 2 world wars. But, the rate of population growth is now declining:

https://ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth

There have of course been huge strides in healthcare, nutrition, sanitation and science. In spite of wars and violence and periods of “the dark ages”, mankind has survived. Now, however, with the nuclear option, the outcome may be less certain.

(2) “Progress is bumpy” This was a frequent thought in Obama’s speeches. And I went back to check:

https://www.facebook.com/ObamaWhiteHouse/videos/10154367851754238/

Importantly, he says that we can “bend the arc of progress” by activism. That is phone-banking and canvassing! And that is where we come in. I have been canvassing in the Springs with my friend Peggy and it has been a very positive experience. Contact one of these folks for a list of voters and instructions:

David Cable david@bridgetforcongress.com Anna Skrenta annaskrenta@mac.com

(3) another topic of conversation was Lee Zeldin, a perennial bad weed that can not be exterminated it seems, he is now running for Governor of NY State! My friend asked for a LIST of Lee Zeldin’s votes and why he would be a disaster for all of us. It is the sort of thing you might want to give to an interested voter:

https://www.leezeldinrecord.com/

https://www.gothamgazette.com/state/11561-zeldin-congressional-votes-new-york-public-opinion

(4) What’s with the distrust of experts? Why is it that so many folks distrust scientists? Some folks even slander real super-experts, like Tony Fauci! Overnight (it seems) these lay persons become experts on vaccines or they become anti-vaxxers. No one distrusts their auto-mechanic when they are told that their car needs a new alternator or another part, for example. I am puzzled and I don’t have a good answer.

Weddings are well-known high-risk events for Covid. Guests schmooze, they laugh (emitting microdroplets), they kiss.. contacts are often prolonged, longer than required for transmission of SARS CoV2 (10 min). The newest Omicron variants are even more infectious than their precursors. With meals pre-wedding, at the wedding, and post-wedding, and guests necessarily unmasked, the risk is obvious. Add singing in a church or otherwise…more microdroplets.

No wonder weddings have been canceled at high rates during the pandemic. But they are coming back. As a younger relative explained to me, the best remedy was alcohol, especially Scottish Whiskey! Yes you guessed right, I attended the wedding of my nephew in Edinburgh. In a Scottish castle!

We tested for Covid by PCR prior to getting on the flights from the US and from other European countries. All were negative. Then there were daily parties: (1) an indoor cocktail party to introduce the families, no masks, (2) a romantic outdoor party around a bonfire, no masks, (3) a formal dinner at the castle, hosted by the grooms family, no masks, (4) the chapel service, the wedding dinner, and dance party, no masks, and (5) post-wedding brunch and parties, no masks.

The first of us with symptoms, including high fever, became sick the night of the wedding. In rapid succession 4 others became sick. 4/5 had sat and dined at the same table, not once but twice! One had shared the backseat of a car for 45 min while on our way to a hiking destination.

While it seemed pretty clear how the virus had spread within the wedding party, no one knew where it had come from. The overnight Delta flight from New York to Edinburgh? Any of the numerous persons serving and preparing for the wedding events? The possibilities and wild theories abounded!

Of course, we went into quarantine (5 days minimum). Thank you so much to my brother and sister-in-law for hosting us! Their home became a Covid sick ward. Flights were canceled and rebooked at considerable costs. Job-related meetings were canceled. Etc.

In hindsight, I ask, what would I do differently?

1. MASK, MASK, MASK
2. Avoid in-flight meals
3. Avoid all indoor wedding events or at least attend heavily MASKED – no indoor dining events…. that is a hard one to impose on the wedding couple.

PS1: this was my 2nd bout with Covid and far worse than the first one. Like all of us who got this virus in Scotland, I was fully vaccinated and boosted although not yet with the latest Omicron vaccine which we could not get scheduled in time for the wedding.

PS2: on our way home via Toronto on West Jet, a Canadian company, the attendant happily announced that Canada was canceling their on-flight compulsory MASK policy as of Nov 1, 2022. The cabin erupted in applause. I am genuinely nervous about the upcoming winter season for Flu and Covid.