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DUFFY'S CULTURAL COUTURE
Monday, 19 April 2021
The Hunterdon Art Tour scheduled for May 1 and 2
Topic: ART NEWS


 

 
 
The Hunterdon Art Tour (THAT), a self-guided tour showcasing the studios and exhibition spaces of more than 60 artists living and working in Hunterdon County, is set for Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2. THAT artists also will be featured in a special exhibition at the Hunterdon Art Museum (HAM) in Clinton.

The festivities kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 30 with a virtual opening live streamed by Todd Lambrix and Terri McNamara, hosts of The Large Glass, a weekly show focusing on conversations about artists and art. Those interested can connect via Twitch to meet the artists and see their work.

This year, HATS! (Hunterdon Art Teachers & Students) is exhibiting as part of THAT in the River Gallery at HAM. This show “celebrates the powerful and important relationship between student and teacher.”

Sarah Ruppert, an art teacher at Delaware Valley Regional High School said, “Each of us, informs, grows, and learns from the other. And when it works well, it truly is symbiotic. We believe that being a good teacher is an art form in and of itself. But each of us is dedicated to being a teaching artist. We question, explore, interpret, and sometimes just make. Our art informs our teaching in a way that no textbook can.”

THAT also will partner with WhittemoreCCC in Oldwick for the weekend, which will include an exhibit of works by the Tri-county Artists en Plein Air (TAPA); the unveiling of “Skyhook” by local sculptor Jeff Mase on Saturday (rain date is Sunday); and opportunities to engage with in-house photographer Sandy Ross about “capturing the beauty of the surrounding landscape,” and David Horowitz, director and curator The Sculpture Garden, about creating one-of-a-kind environmental works.

Artists’ studios and partner events at more than 30 locations will be open to the public during varying hours. Artist and partner addresses can be found on TheHunterdonArtTour.com, where there is an artist and partner directory, interactive map and updates. Masks and social distancing required at all locations.

THAT was founded in 2016 by a volunteer group of artists and longtime Hunterdon County residents. THAT works to cultivate awareness of and build connections within Hunterdon County’s creative community and increase recognition for the county as a home and destination for the arts.


Posted by tammyduffy at 9:20 PM EDT
The Hunterdon Art Tour scheduled for May 1 and 2
Topic: ART NEWS


 

 
 
The Hunterdon Art Tour (THAT), a self-guided tour showcasing the studios and exhibition spaces of more than 60 artists living and working in Hunterdon County, is set for Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2. THAT artists also will be featured in a special exhibition at the Hunterdon Art Museum (HAM) in Clinton.

The festivities kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 30 with a virtual opening live streamed by Todd Lambrix and Terri McNamara, hosts of The Large Glass, a weekly show focusing on conversations about artists and art. Those interested can connect via Twitch to meet the artists and see their work.

This year, HATS! (Hunterdon Art Teachers & Students) is exhibiting as part of THAT in the River Gallery at HAM. This show “celebrates the powerful and important relationship between student and teacher.”

Sarah Ruppert, an art teacher at Delaware Valley Regional High School said, “Each of us, informs, grows, and learns from the other. And when it works well, it truly is symbiotic. We believe that being a good teacher is an art form in and of itself. But each of us is dedicated to being a teaching artist. We question, explore, interpret, and sometimes just make. Our art informs our teaching in a way that no textbook can.”

THAT also will partner with WhittemoreCCC in Oldwick for the weekend, which will include an exhibit of works by the Tri-county Artists en Plein Air (TAPA); the unveiling of “Skyhook” by local sculptor Jeff Mase on Saturday (rain date is Sunday); and opportunities to engage with in-house photographer Sandy Ross about “capturing the beauty of the surrounding landscape,” and David Horowitz, director and curator The Sculpture Garden, about creating one-of-a-kind environmental works.

Artists’ studios and partner events at more than 30 locations will be open to the public during varying hours. Artist and partner addresses can be found on TheHunterdonArtTour.com, where there is an artist and partner directory, interactive map and updates. Masks and social distancing required at all locations.

THAT was founded in 2016 by a volunteer group of artists and longtime Hunterdon County residents. THAT works to cultivate awareness of and build connections within Hunterdon County’s creative community and increase recognition for the county as a home and destination for the arts.


Posted by tammyduffy at 9:20 PM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 20 April 2021 1:26 AM EDT
Thursday, 14 January 2021
Hunterdon Art Museum To Open Three New Exhibitions *** Exhibitions to Open In-Person, Available Virtually
Topic: ART NEWS

Hunterdon Art Museum To Open Three New Exhibitions

***

Exhibitions to Open In-Person, Available Virtually 

 


 

 



CLINTON, NJ (January 2021) -- Hunterdon Art Museum will open three new exhibitions Sun., Jan. 24: “Glass in the Expanded Field;” “Architectonic: Bruce Dehnert Sculptural Ceramics;” and “Laura Moriarty: Resurfacing.” The museum will make its new exhibitions available virtually mid-February as part of its ongoing effort to bring contemporary art to underserved communities and those affected by COVID-19. 


A virtual opening for the new exhibitions will take place Sat., Jan. 23 from 7 - 8 p.m. and can be attended by registering for free here


Glass in the Expanded Field


“Glass in the Expanded Field,” curated by Caitlin Vitalo, highlights the complexity and versatility of glass art and the glassmaking community through the work of 17 artists. In the first half of the twentieth century, American glassmaking was limited primarily to factories where workers produced multiples of the same object. Then in the 1960s, the American studio glass movement was born. Focusing on one of a kind objects that highlighted the unique qualities of glass, the early years of the movement set the tone for creative exploration of the material and its artistic capabilities.  


The modern studio glass movement now consists of a diverse grouping of people and perspectives that is the antithesis of the traditional factory production system. Embracing a medium that is defined by opposing terms – hot and cold; liquid and solid; strong and fragile; transparent and opaque – and showcasing work by 17 artists of different backgrounds, “Glass in the Expanded Field” celebrates the complementary nature of opposites.


Architectonic: Bruce Dehnert Sculptural Ceramics


“Architectonic: Bruce Dehnert Sculptural Ceramics,” curated by Ingrid Renard and Hildreth York, focuses on Dehnert’s use of geometries as primary elements where semi-abstracted sculptures are supported on armatures of clay units. 


Dehnert has lived, worked, exhibited, curated, and taught in several parts of the world. He is also a master kiln builder, responsible for the rebuilding of the noborigama kiln at Peters Valley School of Craft where he heads the Ceramics Program.


Laura Moriarty: Resurfacing


“Laura Moriarty: Resurfacing,” curated by the Hunterdon Art Museum’s Exhibitions Committee, highlights works whose forms, colors, textures, and patterns result from processes similar to those that shape and reshape the earth: heating and cooling; erosion; subduction; friction; enfolding; weathering; and slippage. Sculptures and two-dimensional works are included in the exhibition.


The encaustic monotypes featured in this show are an ongoing project of Moriarty’s studio work in which she uses a heated metal plate to erode and shape sculptural paintings, and carefully off-set the trails and spillways left behind onto paper as another way of capturing time. 


###



About the Hunterdon Art Museum

The Hunterdon Art Museum presents changing exhibitions of contemporary art, craft, and design in a 19th century stone mill listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Founded in 1952, the Museum is a landmark regional art center showcasing works by established and emerging contemporary artists. It also offers a dynamic schedule of art classes and workshops for children and adults.

 

Programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Holt Charitable Foundation, Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission, The Large Foundation, and other corporations, foundations, and individuals. The Hunterdon Art Museum is a wheelchair accessible space. Publications are available in large print. Patrons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired may contact the Museum through the New Jersey Relay Service at (TTY) 1 (800) 852-7899.


“Glass in the Expanded Field” is made possible in part by the generous sponsorship of Basil Bandwagon.


Posted by tammyduffy at 7:22 PM EST
Sunday, 20 December 2020
Rainbow In the Dark
Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST

 

 

 

Live Stream From SSE Arena, Wembley


 

 Virtual Concert: Boy George, Culture Club


For over an hour yesterday, we forgot there was a pandemic. We were blessed to listen to the melodious sounds of Culture Club, led by Boy George.

 

The last time I saw Boy George was at the Stony Pony in NJ. The concert was amazing as he and Culture Club were teamed up with the Thompson Twins. What a night that was! 

 

In 1984, Boy George won his first Grammy as Best New Artist. He has won several other grammy's, a Tony for his music and lyrics for the play Taboo (which I LOVED) and MTV awards. He is well on his way acheiving the label of EGOT. (Winner of Emmy, Grammy. Tony, and Oscar). Let's get Boy George a show and a movie!!

  

There is not a country in the world that doesn’t know the names of Boy George and Culture Club. The Grammy Award winners have sold in excess of 100 million singles and over 50 million albums, making it as one of the biggest pop bands of the 1980s. They achieved seven straight Top 10 hits in the UK, had number 1 singles in over a dozen countries and multi platinum album sales across the world, and were first group since The Beatles to have three Top Ten hits in America from a debut album. They were also the first group in music history to have an album certified diamond in Canada.

 

 Boy George needs little introduction. With a career spanning over 30 years he first shot to international stardom in the 1980s as the front man of one of the UK's biggest exports - Culture Club - and had continued success as a solo artist. He has sold over 150 million records with top 10 hits in every country, including classics such as 'Karma Chameleon' and 'Do You Really Want To Hurt Me'. Boy George is also a hugely respected house DJ and continues to DJ successfully in clubs all over the globe. There are few artists who's careers have spanned so many decades. He has had an amazing career, personal triumphs. 

 

Last night's performance was filled with his famous hits as well as new arrangements. One sound resonated with lyrics, "every breath I take feels like freedom." This song was so beautiful it put tears into all of our eyes.  Boy George stated that he was sent three chords, that drove him to write the entire song. That is raw talent to be able to do that. The new songs that Boy George has written during the pandemic, should win him a new Grammy. The raw talent, the brass and woodwinds and back up vocals that included Adam Lambert....SIMPLY SMASHING last night during this virtual concert! 

 

This virtual experience production was THE best I have seen done by any music group during the pandemic. He gave us over an hour of top notch entertainment that made you feel like you were live in front of him. The way the cameras were positioned at every moment during the performance did that for you. The ocular bobbling one does during a concert was captured in a perfect manner to intensify the experience. BRAVO!  Add another feather to your hat!

 

We are so grateful for the amazing talent and excellent virtual concert last night by Boy George, Culture Club.  Eventually, as we migrate out of this pandemic in Q3 of 2021, we hope that these virtual experiences never end. The virtual concerts, events, have brought us all such peace and tranquility during a time that significantly lacks that. It has been an amazing part of the pandemic that has helped us heal.

 

 

 

Posted by tammyduffy at 10:00 AM EST
Updated: Sunday, 20 December 2020 10:12 AM EST
Sunday, 22 December 2019
See Something Say Something
Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST

DUFFY’S CULTURAL COUTURE (DCC)  REPORTS

 

A simple walk for a Hamilton resident in Veteran’s park turns into a heroic moment

 

photo by Andrea Michele Herrick

 

 

See Something Say Something……the Hamilton residents since the epic shenanigans of the outgoing administration are on shenanigan alert. The residents do not want another administration that ignores public health and the environment.  But there are times that things may turn out to be ok, but the public was not made aware of what was going on and that my friends is just as bad. 

 

Government needs to be open, honest and forthright with their residents, the people they work for. They need to make residents aware when possible unique testing is being done so they do not alert residents.

 

A Hamilton resident posted some photos yesterday of Veteran’s park.  These were the photos that Andrea Michele Herrick took while she was walking through the park.  These photos sparked the environmentalists and activists in Hamilton is wing into gear.  There were calls made to the DEP, emails sent to DEP, Tweets sent to DEP, text messages sent to Dave Kenny: Business Administrator for Hamilton and other modes of communication to alert authorities on what was observed in Veteran’s Park.  The residents got zero response. They had no idea what the real answer was. This article is being posted at 11:15am on Dec 22, 2019 and there is still no response from anyone in a position of leadership.

 

                                      photo by Andrea Michele Herrick

 

 

DCC sent up an OPRA request to the township, but it will take 7 days to get a response. Here is what they requested. So, we ask that others in the township do not send up another request to clog the system. We really want to get a response to the residents in a swift and timely manner.

 

OPRA REQUEST….

 

“We are requesting copies of all work orders, contracts, for work to be performed and was performed in Veterans Park on the following dates for the calendar year of 2019. Please also include all documents that refer to investigative work on Dam Site #8 in Veteran's Park as well.

Friday Dec 20

Saturday Dec 21

Monday Dec 22

Tues Dec 23

 

On Sunday at 7AM, DCC editor, Tammy Duffy went to the park to validate the photo’s and speak to daily walkers in the park. As she parked her car, she ran into a Hamilton resident. A resident who was walking their dog. She warned them of the “green” water and to be careful walking their dog.  When Duffy asked if they knew anything about the green water the resident then said, “Yes, the Hamilton workers/hired contractor in the park yesterday poured antifreeze into the holes they dug. They were doing what looked like core sampling. To ensure the holes did not freeze over they poured antifreeze into them but as they poured the antifreeze it leaked out of the holes, they poured more to “freeze” it and the situation got worse. “The “green antifreeze” as seen in the photos obtained by Hamilton resident Andrea Michele Herrick.

 

However, as we began digging further, there is a question as to whether this is antifreeze or not. As many know during St Patrick’s day in Chicago, they turn the Chicago river green.  It’s a harmless dye that they use.

 

There are also other materials out there that are used for lake testing.  Here is a link to one such company and what their materials are used for.

http://www.keycolour.net/product-inquiry/tracing-dyes/

 

As DCC dug further they learned that the township has been lowering the level of the lake to do investigative work evidently on Dam #8 in Veteran’s park. If this is indeed the case and why residents saw the shamrock water, why did they not post signs on every entrance of the park to alert residents? That would have been very easy to do. This was not the case.  There was zero signage up in the park alerting residents of any such testing of Dam #8.

 

So, did the administration create a situation and alarmed residents for no reason? The OPRA response and any response from the township administration will optimize the confusion. DCC also learned that this coming week there will be boats in the lake to sample the lakes water quality, etc.  An eyewitness’s assessment was that antifreeze was being poured into the lake may not be correct, or is it? If no one responds, it leaves everything open to ones own interpretation.

 

If the green water is just a representation of a water tracer dye, that is completely safe and non-toxic to the environment. These tracers are used to determine the direction and rate of water flow in a system. The tracer dissolves in the water, producing a vivid Chicago River like appearance on St has Patty’s day. This is used to test the diffusion and dispersion patterns. The way the dispersion of these products work does not appear to be in line with what is being seen in the Veterans Park lake. A simple response from the township could clear all of this up.  Signage being put up in the park prior to the injection of a possible testing product could have also alleviate concern by residents.  When there is military testing being done at Joint Base, they always send out a public notice a few days before that you are going to hear extra booms, see extra planes, etc. They care about their impact on a community and do not want to alert any resident unnecessarily.  Hamilton could possibly learn a thing or two from the military, if indeed this is the case with the mystery green water.

 

In the event, it is not from any type of investigative work on Dam #8, then, Houston….we have a problem and it needs to cleaned up pronto.  Antifreeze can pollute groundwater, surface water, and drinking water supplies if dumped, spilled or leaked, and is harmful to marine and aquatic life. While in an engine, antifreeze can become contaminated with lead or fuel to the point where it must be managed as a hazardous waste.

 

Here is a link to photos the the editor of DCC took today, Dec 22, 2019 at 7am. These were taken in the space spot as those by Andrea Michele Herrick yesterday.  The green definately has dispersed through the lake. Is it ok, or not, we await a response from the Hamilton officials and the OPRA request.  

 

https://www.facebook.com/Duffyculturalcourture/posts/1546677865494778?__xts__[0]=68.ARAu_PIINrFVS-qPEkNQpb6Ht7hax1Gy_PxMu99Nbau10Ye5_nL9qfyzHis2lrhf9T4-nm8Ix-hhk3opUPEy-5of8O0JUEYSk2Uhv4HIDDpwoTWPukcFeMJ6m1uydirab6KRi-oUON5mMgAzBQyH41WoQE1q13VnAGv5BL0RllBeezBVnSIcrFcJiQhnHXq6b_XXQ0sjAcMPbk5O6Pq9fbjsaSdoJtXDpj2k7TgT_ssk65NvueUh4lvsEi75aQCBo0EZENHt-w8t3Sx-BOhbBZBCrfJc9-qatgpbzfTXQeNZSl72rq3ymxNAR6f0IlD8R9Ci2PColuYtPfYqgIvwzpOjUA&__tn__=-R

 

 

 

 

Antifreeze is made of either ethylene glycol or propylene glycol. They are similar chemicals, but propylene glycol is significantly less toxic. Antifreeze spills should be cleaned up as fast as possible. Though propylene glycol is less toxic, ingestion of a small amount of antifreeze can damage the central nervous system, even causing death in some cases. Its bright green color and sweet taste can be deceptively attractive to those who don't know it is poisonous, like animals and small children. An estimated 10,000 cats and dogs are accidentally poisoned by antifreeze annually through ingestion. Antifreeze spills on lawns will kill the grass if not cleaned up immediately. Ethylene glycol antifreeze doesn't evaporate. Ethylene glycol in air will break down in about 10 days. Water and soil: ethylene glycol in water and in soil breaks will breakdown within several days to a few weeks. 

 

Over time, antifreeze will break down and form acids that corrode the inside of the automobile's cooling system. In doing this, the antifreeze becomes contaminated with heavy metals, fuel and other grit from the engine. These include lead, tin, copper, zinc, iron and benzene -- some toxic. These substances, carried and deposited by antifreeze, can contaminate soil and water, poisoning organisms and damaging habitat.  The heavy metals and other contaminants still pose a serious environmental risk. If antifreeze leaks out of engines or storage containers or spills on grass, it is often toxic and can hinder lawn and plant growth or kill plants outright.

 

Antifreeze may cause the water to change color, for example—there are secondary effects. Anything that gets into water undergoes a degradation process. This degradation depletes oxygen levels in the lake, leaving less for the aquatic life. It would be frightening if antifreeze was used in a project yesterday. 

 

The potential Environmental Impacts from antifreeze are quite large. It can pollute groundwater, surface water, and drinking water supplies if dumped, spilled or leaked, and is harmful to marine and aquatic life. While in an engine, antifreeze can become contaminated with lead or fuel to the point where it must be managed as a hazardous waste.

 

So, Hamilton leadership…….do we have a problem or not?  Please respond to residents. In the event there is not an issue, please put up signage in the future to alert those in the park that they will see this and not to be alarmed. There is an amazing sign shop that residents pay for in Hamilton, they could have made amazing signs for this. There are numerous ways residents can get communication if indeed this is a simple testing issue. The township webpage, an email, signage, use your tools. 


Posted by tammyduffy at 11:19 AM EST
Updated: Sunday, 22 December 2019 11:23 AM EST
Sunday, 15 December 2019
Why More and More People Are Buying Online

 

 

 

Why More and More People Are Buying Online

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When digital marketing first started in the mid 1990’s many, including myself ignored it. We could not dream of not going to the mall, outlet stores and the like to make our purchases.  During the past two days I spent time beating the path in the retail world, which is a very rare occurrence for me. I have zero time to shop and Amazon is my go-to retailer. Today, purchasing online is accepted by many, but if you look across categories of purchase, there are some sectors where there is still reluctance to buy online, so online retailers still need to work on their tactics to encourage online conversion and multichannel tactics to encourage offline purchase in-store.

 

As I ended my weekend of visiting the brick and mortar……I quickly realized….. I am an online shopping gal. I can find all the odd stuff I use for hiking, electronics, etc. online with ease vs going to store to store to be disappointed with the lack out outcome.  Let me share a few of the experiences I had this weekend.

 

I visited the Jackson outlet mall in New Jersey to possible do some holiday shopping. The plan was to walk from one end to the other, hitting every store, starting at Nike ending at Carters. What I found in every store, were unhappy salespeople (except for the gals in the Van Heusen store), rude parents and kids completely out of control. The biggest frustration I have going into any brick and mortar establishment is staff’s inability to count change. You make a purchase, and they stare in terror at the register as it pops open. Many cannot do the arithmetic that 2 nickels are equal 10 cents.  This is no exaggeration; this is the norm vs. the exception. 

 

Upon entering one of name brand clothing stores, I was immediately ram rodded by a young male, approximate age 18 years. He was going through the entire store ramming into people with full force. My first reaction was that of startlement and I thought, the child may have a deficiency that is causing him to act in this manner.  Yet, as I watched the child move swiftly through the entire store, doing the same thing to all women he encountered. I started to hear laughter from a corner of the store. This laughter was coming from the child’s father.  He stood there laughing at what his kid was doing in the store. Even if the child has an issue, I cannot imagine a person who would call themselves a parent would laugh about what was occuring in the store.  I left the store as quickly as I entered buying nothing.

 

Another store I went into sold high end crystals and their store is jampacked. The aisles are very tiny, only large enough for one person be in at a time. I was looking at a possible gift for my mother and all the sudden I felt a large shove to my lower legs. A mother with her baby carriage rammed her baby carriage into my lower legs and then had the audacity to yell at me to move out of her way. She could have easily turned her carriage down another aisle but felt the need to ram be like a couch and she was the vacuum.  Who does that? I looked at her and said, “Are you kidding me with the battery ramming of my legs with your carriage?  Her response, “Get out of my way NOW!”  she said this in a tone that resembled Regan from the Exorcist. This person was obviously out of their mind, so I just moved out of the way and left that store buying nothing.

 

In the Coach store, I listened to millennials who were shopping there ask, “How much will this cost with 25% off?” The millennial clerk responded with, “I am not sure, they will ring it up at the register.”  The quality of the bags, wallets, etc. in the store were nothing like when Coach first came to market.  The poor quality of the customer experience equaled the poor quality of the merchandise. However, the prices, did not reflect all this poorness.  I left that store buying nothing.

 

The children that were left to run through stores unsupervised also turned off my shopping experience. How is it that parents today allow this level of disgraceful behavior of their kids in public?  I never would have done that as a kid, my parents would have knocked my block off and I would have deserved it.  Those stores with the wild child’s running amok, I bought nothing in them either.

 

The only store I did buy anything in was a Christmas Craft shop. Each little stand was manned by the owners of the little shops. They all took pride in their product, could count change and had smiles on their faces that were like a Cheshire cat. There is something to be said for buying local…….forget the retailers……the customer experience does not drive you to be a customer.

 

The final stop of the day was at Costco. It was a complete zoo with hundreds of people with huge carts ram ridding each other in the aisles. Many were grossly discourteous and could care less about anyone but themselves. The kids in this store were better behaved than the adults.  I could not wait to get the hell out of there. At least the check out clerks there are always so nice and helpful, which closes the purchases you made on a positive note. Once you leave the store at night, its quite busy in the lot and a gal in her care sideswiped my cart with her car. She was traveling at a high rate of speed in the lot. She and her daughter had the nerve to scream obscenities at me, like it was my fault. They sped off into the night. I was happy I had the cart, or it would have been my body that got hit.

 

I came home and purchased a few things online to finalize my needs for holiday gifts.  Sunday I was on a quest for garland, after hitting 5 stores and coming up empty handed. I came home and hit my go to online shop and got what I needed.  The free shipping online entities offer makes it very tolerable to purchase online.  So off to Amazon I go……I do not have to deal with anyone who cannot count change, any rude people ramming me with their baby strollers, any deficient parents condoning their kids bad behaviors….I just get what I need, put it in my cart, pay and rest.  This is why Amazon does so well…….because so much of the brick and mortar out there are just like these experiences I shared.

 


Posted by tammyduffy at 4:14 PM EST
Three New Exhibitions to Open in January at Hunterdon Art Museum
Topic: ART NEWS

 

 

 

Three New Exhibitions to Open in January at Hunterdon Art Museum

 

 

 

 

CLINTON, NJ (Dec. 13, 2019) – The Hunterdon Art Museum ushers in 2020 with three exhibitions on Sunday, Jan. 12. An opening reception will be celebrated on Sunday, Jan. 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. that’s free and open to all. Refreshments will be served.

 

Explorations in Felt

Discover some of the most innovative and beautiful works created with felt in a new exhibition at the Hunterdon Art Museum.

Explorations in Felt features 29 diverse works created by 25 artists from around the world. The exhibition had unique origins. The Fiber Art Network and Fiber Art Now magazine approached the Hunterdon Art Museum about hosting an exhibition as a companion to their print exhibition Felt: Fiber Transformed.

Artists with work in the HAM exhibition also include: Jacobo Alonso, Ellen Bakker, Kim Buchheit, Eva Camacho-Sanchez, Chantal Cardinal, Kristin Colombano, Heike Fink, Anna Goransson, Sugandha Gupta, Linda Hirschman, Shelley Jones, Hyunsoo Kim, Ryan Lytle, Pamela MacGregor, Katherine McClelland, Margaret-Ann Miller, Rachel Montroy, Kim Paxson, Kimberly Pulli, Teresa Shields, Becky Stevens, Karen Thurman, Cathy Vigor, Dawn Waters and Cynthia Zyzda.

 

Gloria Ortiz Hernàndez & Lorraine Kisly: Art + Design

Art + Design explores the drawings of Gloria Ortiz-Hernández, the ceramics of Lorraine Kisly, and the furniture designs that emerge from their collaborative vision.

Ortiz-Hernández works with a variety of materials including pencil, colored pencil and charcoal. Her drawings on paper in the exhibition and her steel sculptures all have clear references in the design work.

Kisly works in high-fire stoneware, using both the wheel and hand-building techniques, and her work explores themes of openness, receptivity, containment and compression.

The two artists began collaborating on furniture design when a specific need arose in a studio/living space in Bogota, Colombia. Creating the first piece ignited both artists’ creativity, and other works quickly followed. Their furniture, while uncompromisingly functional, reflects the same aesthetic concerns that inform their art.

 

Emily Squires Levine: Embracing Color/Polymer Clay

Small colorful boxes and bowls have attracted artist Emily Squires Levine for as long as she can remember.

One of her first memories is of a colorful embroidered fabric oval box, a gift from an aunt who traveled to the sunny shores of the Algarve in Portugal. She has kept this precious memento her entire life. Other fond recollections include a mother-of-pearl box and a small bowl from Turkey which held tiny seashells.

This lifelong love for colorful vessels has deeply influenced her art. Levine works with polymer clay, creating bowls, vases and other items that entice the eye with their vibrant colors and diverse patterns.

Explorations in Felt and Gloria Ortiz Hernàndez & Lorraine Kisly: Art + Design run until April 19. Emily Squires Levine: Embracing Color/Polymer Clay closes on March 1.

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC

The Museum is at 7 Lower Center St. in Clinton, New Jersey, 08809. Our website is www.hunterdonartmuseum.org and our telephone number is 908-735-8415. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 am – 5 pm. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and students; children under 12 is free.

ABOUT THE HUNTERDON ART MUSEUM

The Hunterdon Art Museum presents changing exhibitions of contemporary art, craft and design in a 19th century stone mill that is on the National Register of Historic Places.  Founded in 1952, the Museum is a landmark regional art center showcasing works by established and emerging contemporary artists. It also offers a dynamic schedule of art classes and workshops for children and adults.

Programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission, Investors Foundation, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, The Large Foundation, Unity Bank, and corporations, foundations, and individuals. The Hunterdon Art Museum is a wheelchair accessible space. Publications are available in large print. Patrons who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired may contact the Museum through the New Jersey Relay Service at (TTY) 1 (800) 852-7899.


Posted by tammyduffy at 2:58 PM EST
Sunday, 10 November 2019
A New Hamilton
Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST

 


Photo by T. Duffy Corner of Sandalwood and Sweetbriar after Yaede political sign is removed

 
 
 

It’s over…..the animals and residents have spoken in Mercer County and the election is complete. Incumbents were removed from office and a new team will take their place in January 2020. The new teams have a lot to do, clean up, course correct and prove their dedication to the residents they have signed up to serve.

 

A very wise man just said………..John Edward Barrett, CFO of Hamilton township.

 

“This has been a crazy week. I hope your candidate won. We hear the story of the worker who was entrusted with the boss’s affairs. As the story goes, he was not responsible for the master’s well-being. When confronted by the boss, he starts to scramble around to cover up for his misdeeds. One can only imagine what was going through his head, realizing that he was caught. As the story goes, he starts to cover up his crimes to hide the financial impact of his actions. Many of us remember the story of Martha Stewart and the sale of her Inclone stock.  Martha went to jail, not for the sale of the stock, but the coverup of the stock. She probably would have never spent a day in jail, if she would have admitted to what she did. When a man is confronted, instead of coming clean with his loss, he makes it worse by trying to hide the magnitude of his misdeeds. We have seen this too many times. Is doing the right thing a choice? I do not believe it is not a choice. Each of us may at some time be faced with an issue and we know the right thing to do. It’s clear, it’s a no brainer. When we are in a position, when no one else is looking are we willing to compromise our integrity or do the right thing? Doing the right thing is not a choice. Rather, doing the opposite is a choice.  Our reputation and integrity must come first. “

 

The residents cannot wait for him to come back to fix the mess that has been made since his removal by the mayor. However, this past week during the election was not without shenanigans.  In one township in Mercer County, there was a record number of provisional ballots, almost 500. In one polling place, a couple came in to vote. In the book it demonstrated they had done a mail in ballot; their claim was they had not. During the process of finalizing their provisional ballots the husband said to the wife, “How did ______ (they stated the name of a mayor in a town in mercer county) know who we wanted to vote for?”  The wife responded with…  “Shhhhh.”  They handed in their provisional ballots and off they went.  The incident was reported to the master board workers and the board of elections. The board of elections does a honorable job trying to weed out the cheaters. But the cheaters will always cheat.

 

Another candidate in Mercer County;  felt compelled to put their signs up in a neighborhood illegally. They attached them to stop signs, arrow signs, dog waste signs (which we found rather poetic) and numerous other illegal places. There were 37 illegal signs put up in a neighborhood where a 24-year-old youth was recently killed on his bike.  Traffic signage and lights in this neighborhood are very poor. It was a great tragedy that this young man died. The residents in that sector of the township have been asking for optimization to street signage, to date, no signage has been installed to correct the unsafe area.  They had a supporter, Thorazine, who's "words of wisdom"  for "her honor" have been flushed down the toilet along with the landslide loss. 

 

So, one must wonder, who in their right mind would purposely install double the amount of signage illegally in a neighborhood where a youth just died? Did the candidate feel they were above the law to do this?  Did this candidate lack a moral compass that drives them to want to deliberately hurt the residents they are supposed to be serving? When residents brought attention to the administration about this issue with the illegal signs, the candidate’s response was to more than double the signage that was put up. How would you view this, especially knowing the person who did it, is the public safety director for the town? Is this the act of a leader? The residents are saying no. Their comments have been…….” This is this the act of an immature, spiteful, childish, self-indulgent, lack of concern for public safety being” . Additional comments included, “ All the signs in the world were not going to get this candidate elected, they are as corrupt as Al Capone”. More comments, “ The toxic culture they created in the town will be removed in January and the residents are singing, “Hallelujah, rejoice the king!” 

Another resident sent a text message. ONE OF THE WIVES of Hamilton (we believe there is a HULU series in the works on this story)of Hamilton

 

 

 

During the election, in Hamilton, there was a letter that came from the Republican Chairman to the Mercer County Chairperson. The letter was a cry for help as it pertained to financial support for the chair’s choice of candidate. The response by the county chair was spot on. There was a statement made that focused on the candidate ability to help Lisa Wu with the distribution of signs.  There appeared to be a nope….we are not helping her attitude. Well, that did not end after the election. A resident who was outside mowing their lawn personally witnessed the removal of a Yaede campaign sign. This sign was placed on the corner of Sandalwood and Sweetbriar Ave. The gentleman who came to remove it had dickens of a time getting it out of the ground. It took him a good 8 minutes to get the sign out of the ground.  Adjacent to the Team Yaede sign were two other female candidate signs. The Yaede sign remover did not take the Lisa Wu signs down. The resident mowing their lawn said, “OMG, can you be pettier? It took that muscular guy 8 minutes to remove the Yaede sign (they know that for they had mowed half of their lawn) and he could not lift the other two out of the ground. Which he could have done with one finger because they are just wired signs. What asshole would direct their people to do that, well we know who did that? We also guess the next time the township chair goes crying to the county chair for support, she will remember this as well as all the other shenanigans by the candidate who lost the election by a landslide. Let’s talk about the animal shelter……that was just criminal.”

 

It’s time for Hamilton to heal. For the residents to embrace the new leadership, whether they are Dems or Reps. We owe it to the residents to make it work to make the new leadership accountable and work for the residents, not just their own family and close inner circle. 

 

IF.....and only IF....... she would have just spoke to the residents and admitted her team failed, she probably would have won the election even with everything going on. It’s the lying that the residents could not tolerate anymore.

 

 

 


Posted by tammyduffy at 11:30 AM EST
Updated: Sunday, 10 November 2019 11:36 AM EST
Sunday, 27 October 2019
WHEN REALITY HITS……. When A Town Has A Broken Moral Compass
Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST

WHEN REALITY HITS…….

 

When A Town Has A Broken Moral Compass

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s look at the public health issues that have resulted in unnecessary deaths in Hamilton, Mercer County. At a recent forum, candidates were asked how they would be proactive in running the township. After reading these issues below, ask yourself this question. Is the current administration focused on public health, safety and performing their roles in a proactive nature?

 

1.  2014: EVD68, Eli, a 4-year-old Hamilton resident dies from the disease.  The Public, health director and entire administrative staff, reported at a town hall that they were  unaware of a Nationwide epidemic going on. The team of politicians stood up town halls and openly admitted to the fact they had no idea what the disease was. There is video content on YouTube, supporting this.  An OPRA request also demonstrated that prior to the death of a 4-year-old, no SOP's existing in the schools in Hamilton to manage dealing with outbreaks. This was demonstrated from an OPRA request. It was not until there was a death in town that they learned about the epidemic that the administration, addressed the public demonstrating they had no idea what the disease was. One might question if they misled the public by stating they were rewriting the SOP's. The SOP's at that time never existed. 

2.  In 2019, Legionnaires cases and a death in Hamilton. To date, there has been no information shared on the township website. Other municipalities in NJ, that have had this unfortunate event as well, all have been forthcoming with residents.  The administration of Hamilton, Mercer County, stated that the state is responsible for telling residents.  The township Health department never let the BOH know this was happening.

3.  Director of Health department gets indicted for numerous issues. DOH states they are in process of revoking his license. No public announcement from the Public Safety Director on this issue. When she was approached by residents, she ignored all of them as well as councils’ requests for a town hall. 

4. For 7 years, residents in the Cornell Heights area have contacted the current Mayor on traffic issues. They have been ignored for 7 years by the Mayor, even though she claims she has an opened door policy.  In July 2019, a 24-year-old boy was killed on the corner of Sandalwood and Carlisle  Ave. while riding his bike. The township officials the next day had an emergency meeting to finally approve signage to stop the use of trucks on the streets. Again, it takes another death before the leadership responded.

5. Currently there is a Hepatitis A outbreak in NJ. This is a disease that is very contagious. There are 361 cases on record, 19 of which are in Mercer County. Yet, again there is zero information of focus on community education on this issue from the Public Safety Director: Mayor Yaede or anyone on her staff. They again are obtusely unaware of this epidemic.  The Director of Public Health for Hamilton who is also the Mayor, must be waiting for a death or two to happen before alerting the residents of this epidemic. 

6.  Youth Suicide Epidemic. Statistics show that Mercer, Warren, and Ocean counties have the three highest rates of suicide attempts and self-inflicted injuries in the Garden State, which has 21 counties overall.

7. Animal Shelter Issues. Authorities said they found that between Jan. 1, 2016, and Oct. 1, 2018, about 236 cats and 93 dogs were illegally euthanized at the shelter before holding the animals or offering them for adoption for the seven days required by state law. These animals were euthanized without sedation utilizing cardiac sticks. A DOH report exposed the following…..

 

Among the more than two dozen deficiencies  at the animal shelter, the DOH uncovered in their investigations:

— Staff administering euthanasia were not certified by a licensed veterinarian. Plunkett on Wednesday said the animal control officers have received the proper training since the inspection report.

— Animals were not being weighed, and there was no scale, in order to determine the correct dosage for euthanasia. The inspectors found evidence of numerous possible miscalculations. For example, an owner surrendered a dog reported to be 120 pounds, but the euthanasia log says it was 80 pounds. The dog was given 10 mL of euthanasia solution rather than the minimum of 12 mL required for a 120-pound dog.

— Euthanasia records do not match. A cat was recorded euthanized but then reclaimed. Another cat was recorded as euthanized and then adopted. Another cat was reportedly euthanized twice – once on May 9 and again Aug. 24, 2017.

— About 67 mL of euthanasia solution was unaccounted for. Was never found.

— There were no prescription labels, instructions, dosage calculations for the euthanizing drugs, which were not stored in refrigerator or dated.

— Cat vomit was on several surfaces.

— The kitten isolation room was not ventilated or air conditioned during a 90-degree day.

— Food and water bowls were not being disinfected daily.

— Small animal cages were not being cleaned and disinfected regularly. Staff did not know the last time they had been cleaned.

— Dog food was spilled on the floor.

— The shelter had no veterinarian-written or supervised disease control and health care program.

— There were no medical records, treatment orders, or medication logs. Treatment documents were not available for killed animals.

— Some medication had expired five years ago.

— Prescribed medication had not been administered.

— Medicine was lying around with no labels or instructions.

— There was no isolation room for sick dogs.

— An isolation room for cats was connected to the central air system.

— Animals are supposed to be scanned for ID chip three times – when they are captured by an officer, during intake and again upon release or euthanasia. The state said the shelter only scanned animals’ intake.

-Animals that were terminally ill were never seen by a vet.

-Volunteers were intimidated to remain quite or fired if they asked questions.

-Animals were euthanized by untrained staff using expired drugs and unapproved methods. This was exposed in two different investigations.

-Strays and surrendered animals were euthanized swiftly and did not wait the required 7 days. The administration received an order by the State to stop this behavior immediately once it was officially discovered by the authorities.

-The shelter expansion cost taxpayers over $1.4 million and during testimonies none of the directors took ownership on the issues at the shelter.

-No grooming area was apparent or a larger medical area

-The state inspection exposed the real conditions and required renovations. The costs were never shared on the optimization

-The amount of euthanasia increased after the expansion. The purpose of the expansion was to decrease the number of euthanasia.

-Under oath the Dir of the Shelter testified that they had never in their 40-year career on the job, ever inspected the shelter and SOP’s did not exist.

Two of the employees have been charged with animal cruelty at the shelter.  In a Trentonian article, …https://www.trentonian.com/news/newly-released-hamilton-animal-shelter-report-exposes-troubled-facility-s/article_7a847364-7113-11e9-9eb3-53550fe57a2c.html additional information was reported as well.

 

 

“The response by the mayor and her administration was initially to deny the findings, attack the credibility of the state inspectors and to attack the credibility of the members of council who voiced concerns on this matter on behalf of the members of the public,” the report said.  As it pertained to the animal shelter inspections.

 

Is there a trend to pivot blame, attack the credibility of authorities, residents, CFO’s etc. in Hamilton? Would a true leader not take ownership of the issues? Do residents feel that the current administration has done so?   Residents need to ask themselves who are the leaders in Hamilton right now. Is it the current administration or the competition that proclaims promise of change?  m so sorry this horrid woman did what she did to you guys. We pray she goes away after Nov

So, what is the current administration doing about these atrocities that occurred to the animal residents of Hamilton?  Have they had the time to address these animal atrocities or have they been distracted by other entities over the years?

 

Let’s pivot……

 

E.L. James is out of business. For those who do not know, she was the infamous author of the Fifty Shades of Grey series. There is prose out there written by a politician that warrants a cold shower and time in the red room.  

 

It has been exposed that more than one man in the township has been pursued by the acting administration. For example, there is evidence of 39 Facetimes in one day, text messaging went on for years at all hours of the night and day.  In one month for example, there were 418 text messages sent between the two parties, another month 648 were sent. During a 24-hour period one day, 24 text messages were sent. One day, from 7pm to 9AM 38 text messages were sent.  From 2:47pm to 12:23am, 24 text messages were sent on top of the facetimes between the politician and the husbands of interest.  This cannot be denied, it’s plain as day in the phone records that have gone public. We are not showing them to protect the people involved from further harassment by the politician.

 

 

This article is not about the text messages. However, the time of day that they occurred is a concern. As a journalist, we do not care about the sex part of these text messages, Facetimes, etc. What we want to educate the residents on is the appearance of a possible abuse of power that is represented by these text messages. When a politician uses their seat in public office to abuse the residents, gross intimidation of residents by using the power of office, that is a large problem. When this is occuring, resident can instill change during elections, or impeachments.  

 

What any politician does during work hours, and their days never ends. It is important to the general public. Unfortunately for them, everything they do matters. They must withhold a high level of integrity, behavior, and mannerisms in order to uphold the public’s trust. This amount of time being spent by any politician text messaging an interest, distracts them from their public duties. When the distraction is so great, that they become unable to perform their duties, it’s time for change. One man we interviewed said, “I do not think men see married women as “more” attractive”.  

 

It's called Vag-power. “They want to prove that they can get anything they want, especially another women’s man, because they have  Vag-power! But they don’t want anything long term, just want to prove they can!  Some may even say that they would never be second to any man and that is all these adulteresses are, used seconds.”

 

Imagine you are one of the women whose husband is pursued by a politician. They learn of it and instantly go into save my family mode.  The disruption to the family unit is never the same and the women involved are forever scarred. The kids are affected and that must matter. The families want to move on and try to rebuild their family unit. The pursuer has not a care in the world as to the effect they have on that unit.

 

 

On Feb 16,1999, NJ Transit opened a new station in Hamilton, NJ. It’s rather poetic that NJ transit-built a train station in Hamilton, they never knew the town would become a train wreck on Dec 10, 2013 when a new administration was sworn in by Senator Jennifer Beck. An exercise that residents are sure that the dear Senator regrets;  that Judge Alito regrets. We sent them messages in the past on this topic and await their response.  

 

 

There is a lot of tension in Hamilton township, Mercer County.  The issues are massive; the suspension of the CFO, the large illegal issues at the animal shelter, the sewer issues with Robbinsville, a health director indicted, an ACO indicted, the list goes on and on. The leadership refuses to meet with the public to discuss the issues; even though they have been contacted by residents, by council and concerned friends. Their unified silence is deafening.  The leadership has failed its residents.  What is next for Hamilton? Only a select few; who have been performing an extensive investigation of the town, know the real answer to that question.

 

History will expose why this leadership has done what they have done and the motivations behind their decisions and behaviors. It also appears from the conversations on the street, instant retirements, the end is near for the shenanigans and a cure for the residents. There have been numerous interviews of both township employees, residents and the like over what has transpired over the last 18 months. Many were done under oath by different agencies.  It’s a trying time for the town and its residents.  The residents are looking forward to healing. They will Vote on Nov 5th for the next phase of Hamilton.

 

When an administration’s strategy is to point the finger and take zero accountability, that is a problem for a town.  In Hamilton, the mayor of the town, being the first female mayor has missed the opportunity of a lifetime. She has done zero to help the female population in the town, as it pertains to inspiring them, holding them up when they needed assistance, and driving positivity with the youth.  Some of her supporters have posted photos of the mayor with other women. A photo does not represent any program, any focus to put other women on a permanent pedestal in Hamilton. Photos do not represent permanent programs that have been executed, sustained to achieve a difference for the female population of a town.  They are just photos. It is our understanding the person posting these photos has been promised a job to be an executive assistant to the administration. 

When any politician choses to put themselves first, the residents are an afterthought at best.  In the event, a Public Safety Director, has zero interest in the safety of the public,  and only in themselves, the residents suffer. These types of politicians lack the resilience that is needed in leaders to drive teams to success; in the face of unforeseen circumstances.  When this happens, residents have one choice, they can VOTE FOR CHANGE or accept the status quo.  

In  a recent released audio, from a GALRE class,  the Mayor of Hamilton stated if the students listened to other GALRE presentations, they would have learned more. Yet, a tweet by another student below demonstrates how they felt after a presentation early in the same year. In March of this year, the mayor visited one of the schools (7th and 8th graders) in the township. The Mayor started the conversation with the students, “I am here to talk about how the fact that I am so pretty and how that affects my ability to be mayor.”  She went on to say to the students that people told her that she was too pretty to ever achieve anything.  Did the mayor miss the memo on how to motivate children and do public speaking? The school system has now implemented a new policy on how these interactions can happen with the students after the released audio.  

 

 

Below is the audio from the GALRE Class at Hamilton West presentation

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvla1dNg3oc&t=45s

 

 

 

 

 

 

The council special committee to date still has not been able to get an update from the shelter on optimization. The administration refuses to come and talk even though they have been given subpoenas. Residents have given donations to the shelter and the shelter still to this day gives no receipt of the donation.   The administration claims the animal shelter is world class. If that is indeed the case, those evaluating this issue would think they would want to toot their flugelhorns like Chuck Mangione to share the world class process and procedures they have implemented.

 

During a recent political forum a politician was asked this…..: you have years of time on the job with years on the school board, council and now mayor, there is an audio clip floating around town on social media and around town of a 37 minute speech that was delivered to a group of students at Hamilton West High School. The moderator of the forum said, “I personally listened to the clip and you spent a considerable amount of time discussing your Republican primary opponent, who you already defeated, Mr. Martin and others that were personal attacks and inappropriate to say in front of a group of high school students. Do you believe your presentation was representative of an educational experience for the children present? Do you feel it demonstrated a mature, seasoned community leader like your resume reflects?......”

 

The politician’s response….”In going into the GALRE classes, I found it amazing that one person recorded one of the sessions. It is unfortunate because if they would have listened to the several others they would have heard where I have been called names. My family has been also been called names and harassed. Those questions were asked in the prior class and that is what I thought of that. The ugliest of politics has come to Hamilton.  People expect me to be the Mayor, but they also expect me, when I must defend myself, that will happen. People want a leader that will defend themselves.  In that, my conversations have not changed since day one with the GALRE classes."

 

Below is the excerpt from the forum

 

https://www.facebook.com/steve.clegg.7773/videos/vb.100000402647220/2646780558678673/?type=2&theater

 

Did the Mayor answer the moderator? Did they take ownership for what they did at the GALRE class? 

 

Residents are feeling frustrated. One stated, “ I have never seen public officials or the taxpayer salaried individuals, like those in Hamilton right now, who behave in such a demeaning, sarcastic and offensive manner towards the residents they serve.  Maybe they believe they are Pappa Roy, from the hit show, Succession and just want to tell us all to Fuck off.”

 

 

 

 

But where are the residents of Hamilton getting their strength and stamina from, each other. Through all this they have developed a strong team spirit and sense of community. The residents do not want their leadership calling them racist or other names. They want the leadership to lead and not abuse their power to intimidate and harrass residents. One resident said,” We want our leadership in Hamilton to stop engaging in policies that negatively impact communities of color and/or stop ignoring the needs of the neighborhoods west of Quakerbridge, it’s not that hard.” Another said,” Stop threatening us.”

 

You cannot empower or inspire anyone when your main goal in life is to rub everyone’s nose in your title. When politicians lack the fortitude to have a diverse administration, everyone loses. One politician was heard saying one day during a meeting, ” I do not care what their qualifications are, I need a woman.” Leaders who hire beating hearts and not the right qualified person have nowhere to go but down.

 

We wanted to take this story a bit further as it pertains to missteps in politics in the USA.  There are many examples.  We reached out to numerous men and women throughout the United States, to better understand why they think women pursue married men. Why do they feel the need to destroy families with their behavior? The women and men I asked were from all stretches of society, throughout the world, different educational backgrounds, type of work they did and socioeconomic status. You will see their comments throughout this article, all their comments are in italics. They also shared their personal experiences with politicians in the past, those interactions and episodes are shared as well.

 

The truth of the matter is, any flavor of cheating relationships destroys families. Sometimes they heal, or appear to be healed, but the underlying distrust does not go away. It’s imbedded in the souls of the those involved forever.  “When a predator sees a man with a wife and family, and they do not have the same in their lives, they feel that others should not have the happiness they have. Destroying a family by seducing a husband is the thrill of the games. Once the game is dead, they then move onto another man.”  This comment is very interesting due to the fact there are other examples that were shared from another interviewee about specific behavior of a politician. They align.

 

 

Here is that example of the alignment….

 

“A politician was in the wedding of a friend, a friend that worked in their administration. But the nanosecond this employee had a baby they were demoted to secretary because the politician was jealous.  Other people’s happiness bought vindictive behavior to the highest level by this politician. “

 

More comments made by those we interviewed. 

 

"They hid behind a cloak of commitment. It is easier to be with someone who is already taken. It is not a relationship built on truth; it may be exciting for a little bit. But reality will always hit. "

 

There are scientific studies out there that focus on this behavior and why it happens. The science states that this is a biological process that exists across species. That females are more attracted to males based on the endorsement of a third party; they call it mate-choice copying.

 

A man on his first marriage is much more attractive to an adulteress than a man on his fifth marriage.  The study went on to say that younger and less experienced women are more likely attracted to married men. They view married men as “safe”. However, the study also demonstrated that mature women never go after married men. This is due to the fact they have more sophisticated ways of assessing potential mates. The ultimate irony of mate-choice copying, the moment you cash in on the boost and cheat, you instantly become less safe and less attractive. So, the post-marital attention is what it is, a small confidence boost to your Dad bod, Nothing more.” 

 

Some women chase married men habitually because they are looking for financial security. Especially, if the married man is successful. However, men do it because at a certain age, they too go through menopause or some type of age crisis. If their personal romantic situation, in their own minds, they feel their wife is not taking care of them, they cheat to fill that void.”

 

“They’re trying to take something from another woman. I guess first, there’s that adrenaline rush and thrill of doing something bad. It’s also a controlled relationship. Very private and secret, and time together is limited, like dating. So, its is almost like everyone is looking their best and on their best behavior, none of the drudgery.”

 

"It's like buying a car. But you do not have to test drive it, someone else already has. Plus it feels good to know you are good enough to temp or take a man away from another woman."

 

"Some women love the challenge of a married man, it gives them the opportunity to possibly show they are better, they are intrigued by married men." 

 

“Some women can be wicked. They want to prove that they can get anything they want, especially another women’s man, because they have the, excuse my French, Vag-power! But they don’t want anything long term, just want to prove they can!  Some may even say that they would never be second to any man and that is all these adulteresses are, used seconds.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all remember the story of Anthony Weiner who in May of this year was released from prison due to his text messages. During the interview when he was released this is what he said,” I am feeling relieved to be getting back to my family, to be able to live a life of integrity and service. I am glad this chapter of my life is behind me.”  He and his wife live on the same floor in a NYC apartment building, but not together as they continue to heal as a family.

 

So, what drives someone to these behaviors, whether they are a politician or a non-politician? One of our interviewees said, “ I do not think single women go after married men. I think men lie to women and women get caught up in a relationship thinking that it’s a good and equitable relationship only to find out later its not. I believe at that point, the women are put in a difficult position, or throw away something they enjoy and built or weighing the pain she has caused another woman and/or family while continuing the relationship. These women are not innocent and nor are the men. Why do people cheat? That is another question.

 

 

So, the age-old question, why do politicians lie? They lie to exploit the ignorance of the public and to facilitate deals. Why do people make such poor decisions in politics? Why are they so often distracted by lies, irrelevant alternatives and specious arguments?

In politics, hypocrisy and doublespeak are tools. They can be used nefariously, illegally or for personal gain, as when President Richard M. Nixon denied Watergate complicity, but they can also be used for legitimate public purposes, such as trying to prevent a civil war, as in Lincoln’s case, or trying to protect American prestige and security, as when President Dwight D. Eisenhower denied that the Soviet Union had shot down a United States spy plane, or when a Mayor says crime is down by 17% but the State Police crime data does not support that…. They are betting the public won’t fact check them.

 

Politicians use and abuse statistics and fabricate when it suits their purposes. Nobel Laureate Herbert Simon  said it best.  He said, “Politicians use something called “bounded rationality.” “Bounded rationality” is about being influenced by emotions, preconceived notions and things I may think I know but really don’t. “

What’s more, political figures can get away with saying things that don’t square with the facts, because it would take too much effort for the average person to fact-check everything for accuracy. People with lesser abilities tend to overstate their level of knowledge and understanding. If I see a bad call by a football referee, my first reaction might be to say that I could have gotten that call right, but I’m totally not trained as a referee and wouldn’t have a clue about what call to make on most plays.

This perception of illusory superiority comes from people not being equipped to realize that they don’t know what they don’t know. That in turn makes it more difficult to separate out “fake news” from reality. The residents of towns live in the reality. The reality that they need change.

The interviewees also shared stories of interactions with politicians throughout the United States. Some of the stories were quite incredible. We share those as well below. 

 

There was an episode, prior to being elected that an interviewee shared, “ Where a politician was found sucking their thumb, rocking back and forth in a chair in a catatonic state. This was due to the fact they were concerned about a new role they took were they felt they were not the center of attention. It was not the pedestal that they thought it would be.”

 

This was a very sad story, for mental illness is a large issue in America. We can only hope this politician gets the help they desperately need. Do you feel that people who do this are capable of being in public office? Should there be a required mental health test done of elected officials to ensure they have what it takes to do the job. This ensures the safety of a community and themselves. In the USA, we do this for driver licenses in many states to ensure as we all age, we are still acute enough to deal with the difficulties of the roads we drive on.

 

Another story focused on the fear of a suicide attempt of a politician. It was shared, “When this politician does not get their way, and the personal pedestal they have placed themselves on the collapse; they crash. The family of this politican is always very worried when their political child crashes.  A job transition occurred for this politician in the past where they thought they were going to be the face of  an institution and turned out that did not happen. Extremely sadness took over this politician and a member of the family called another friend to ask if they should remove the guns from the home in fear that something bad would happen.

 

 This is a very sad state of affairs as well. We repeat what we said above.  We can only hope this politician gets the help they desperately need. Do you feel that people who do this are capable of being in public office? Should there be required mental health tests done of elected officials to ensure they have what it takes to do the job. This ensures the safety of a community and themselves. In the USA we do this for driver licenses in many states to ensure as we all age, we are still acute enough to deal with the difficulties of the roads we drive on.

 

 

“Some politicians are obsessed with titles. As a leader they will show they drive all the rules and do not dare try to interrupt that. If you do, look out.  Maybe a dead deer or religious propaganda  or high levels of intimidation will end up on your doorstep to show you who is boss. You cannot ask questions; they won’t get answered. They only can direct the questions, even if you ask. Even if you were to ask some politicians, what color shirt are you wearing, they won’t answer the question. They must direct all questions.

 

A politician that will never answer residents or council because they are demanding a response will also do this.  No one can demand anything from them.  Residents beware.”

 

Another political story shared focused on stalking. “Why would someone have such an obsession with stalking? That they are being followed? It is because they believe everyone wants them. That they believe they are so popular that they feel they are being hunted. But this is not the case. They believe that  they cannot get through a day because everyone wants them and won’t leave them alone.  They believe in their own fantasy that the paparazzi want them 24/7. But it is just that, a complete fantasy.  The paparazzi has no interest in focusing their lenses on them. In this story a politician said that a stalker left flowers on their car. The politician kept the flowers in a vase in their bedroom.  When this politician got a new lover and the threw the flowers away, the politician went ballistic and screamed, “They are evidence.”  This politician kept the flowers in their bedroom as if they were a prize.”  

 

Another political story shared…. The interviewee stated, “The politician would go to Florida every year to unwind after a hard election. The politician would brag about how they would go out at night picking up potential suitors at bars. Together they would go back to the politician’s home they were staying in and the bar pick up could never perform. The reason they could not perform according to the politician was because they were appealing, and the bar pick up had never seen anyone that appealing.”

 

 

 

 

 

We will end this article here, to allow you to digest all the information and make an informed decision about politics in the USA. Not all politicians act in this manner. There are some amazing people in politics doing amazing things for their constituents. When residents vote, they get what they asked for.  If you vote, you play an important part in the process. If you are informed during the process, an even bigger part. If you choose to not vote, you gave those the right to stack up against you. Vote for what is best for you and your family. Corruption is not what Hamilton is all about. Don’t help the rest of the world believe that we are.

 

 

 

 


Posted by tammyduffy at 1:41 PM EDT
Updated: Monday, 28 October 2019 7:58 AM EDT
Sunday, 13 October 2019
1:59:40 A Marathon Record is Broken
Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST

 
 1:59:40 A Marathon Record is Broken
 


Getty images 

 
 

On Oct 12 in the early morning, in a misty park in Vienna, Eliud Kipchoge ran a marathon in less than two hours. His time, 1:59:40, is the fastest any runner has ever covered 26.2 miles.

Eliud, a four-time London marathon winner, was accompanied by 41 pacemakers, which included the world’s top athletes. However, the unofficial  marathon attempt will not be recognized by the IAAF due to the various controls that were utilized to hit the record time.  These 41 men helped push Eluid, shield him from the elements and follow a green laser that always kept them aware of 20 seconds below 2 hours.

The pacemakers ran in a formation to protect Kipochoge from the elements. A green laser also was projected onto the ground to alert the team where 20 seconds below the 2 hour time was indicated.

Kipohoge’s level of motivation, mental and physical discipline and consistency is unrivalled. Under the long-term guidance of coach, mentor and friend Patrick Sang, Eliud first burst on the senior international scene as a teenager defeating track icons Hicham El Guerrouj and Kenenisa Bekele to 5000m gold at the 2003 World Championships.

Eluid then went on to enjoy a distinguished track career, winning 5000m bronze and silver medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, respectively. He also won World 5000m silver in 2007 and his 5000m PB of 12:46.53 sits number six on the all-time lists.

After missing out on qualification for the London 2012 Olympics on the track, Eliud and his coach, Patrick Sang, opted to switch to the marathon – it has been an inspired decision.

During an unmatched marathon career, Eliud has claimed victory in ten out of 11 marathons, racking up an unprecedented nine successive victories over the 42.2km distance. Besides taking the Olympic marathon title in 2016, the Kenyan’s ground-breaking performance as part of the Nike Breaking 2 project – when running 2:00:25 - suggests he is on the verge of the history-defining achievement. 

Following Breaking2 and after also memorably destroying the world marathon record in Berlin last year by 78 seconds - courtesy of his stunning 2:01:39 mark – and running the second fastest marathon time in London this year, Eliud believes the time was right for him to prove no human is limited but also inspire future generations.

Born the youngest of four siblings in Kapsisiywa in the Nandi District of the Kenyan Highlands, Eliud’s father died when he was a young boy and he was raised by his mother, a kindergarten teacher.

Inspired to run by his neighbor, the former World and Olympic steeplechase silver medalist Patrick Sang, the then teenage Eliud approached Patrick – who had started life as a coach – for a training program. 

The gregarious and generous coach agreed and so began a hugely successful 18-year coach-athlete relationship in which Patrick has handed down his principles of hard-work, patience and discipline to his protégé.

A loyal and devoted family man, married to Grace and with three children, Lynne, Griffin and Jordon, Eliud acknowledges the inspirational role his family play in his life terming them affectionately as his “ignition key.”

Naturally curious in nature and possessing a clear, analytical mind – Eliud has a thirst for knowledge and is a voracious reader of self-help books.

Known as “The Philosopher” for his carefully considered quotes he is always willing to share his wisdom to all those at his training base in Kaptagat where he is termed the “boss man” for his inspirational role as the de-facto camp leader.

Humble and caring he currently serves as an ambassador of WildAid and recently became a Daily Mile Ambassador, an initiative supported by INEOS aimed at improving the health and well-being of children.

Possessing exemplary principles and a moral code for living which inspires, Eliud is not only a very special athlete but also a very special human being. 

Great moments in history are never achieved alone and this event was no exception. There were 41 amazing athletes that ran with Eluid. They allowed him to cross the finish line at a time that no man has ever done. Watching the video of the finish one sees how these incredible men push aside to allow Eluid to cross the finish as a solo runner, a solo record breaker. 

The 41 amazing men who were the pacemakers were: Thomas Ayeko of Uganda, Joel Ayeko of Uganda, Selemon Barega of Ethiopia, Emmanuel Bett of Kenya, Hillary Bor of USA, Mande Bushendich of Uganda, Matthew Centrowitz of USA (MD), Paul Cheimo of USA (U.S. Army under its World Class Athlete Program), Augistine Choge of Kenya, Victor Chumo of Kenya, Filip Ingebrigtsen of Norway, Henrik Ingenbrigtsen of Norway, Jacob Ingebrigtsen of Norway, Philemon Kacheran of Kenya, Stanely Kebenei of USA(Arkansas)  Justus Kimutai of Kenya, Shadrack Kipchirchir of USA, Noah Kipemboi of Kenya, Gideon Kipketer of Kenya, Jacob Kipilmo of Uganda, Marius Kipserem of Kenya, Eric Kiptanui of Kenya, Moses Koech of Kenya, Shadrack Koech of Kazakhstan, Micah Kogo of Kenya, Alex Korio of Kenya, Jonathan Korir of Kenya, Ronald Kwemoi of Kenya, Bernard Lagat of USA (WA), Lopez Lomong of USA (Arizona, Abdallah Mande of Uganda, Stewart Mcsweun of Australia, Kota Murayama of Japan, Ronald Musagala of Uganda, Kaan Kigen Ozbilen of Turkey, Jack Rayner of Australia, Chala Regasa of Ethiopia, Brett Robinson or Australia, Nicholas Rotich of Kenya, Patrick Tiernan of Australia, Timothy Toroitich of Uganda, Julien Wander of Switzerland.

Interesting enough, there were a set of 3 brothers who ran, they’re running out of words to describe the youngest of the three Ingebrigtsen brothers – who at just 18 has already won what no other man, woman or boy could win in the long history of European distance running.  Jakob came to Berlin off the back of a demanding schedule at the World Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland where he picked up a silver medal in the 1,500m and bronze in the 5,000m. “It’s quite ridiculous that he’s won, he’s only 17 years old, that’s madness,” the father did admit. Henrik’s personal record is unique too: 1,500m gold in 2012, silver in 2014, bronze in 2016, and now a fourth place.

 

 

 

 

The two older Ingebrigtsen brothers (Henrik, now 28, and Filip, now 26) played soccer and competed in cross-country skiing as youngsters. They didn’t focus on running until about 17. At that point, they gradually increased their training to 90- to 100-miles per week, all under the watchful eye of their father, Gert. In particular, he monitored the heart rate of all training sessions, and the blood lactate accumulation of interval workouts on the track.

 

Jakob (now 19) joined a track club at 7, participating in sprints, hurdles, and jumps. At 10, he ran an 8.2K cross-country course at sub-6:00/mile. He also skied competitively until he was 12, but quit the sport much earlier than his brothers. They were more sport generalists for many years, while Jakob became a specialist in his early teens. He saw his brothers success in distance running, and decided he wanted to follow in their footsteps.

 

The Ingebrightsen brothers appear to do one type of training in a manner different from many other runners. They don’t do continuous tempo runs on their own. Rather, they run track intervals of 2000- to 3000-meters with their father taking lactate levels. This may prevent them from going too hard in such workouts—a trap that’s easy to fall into.

 

The Ingebrigtsen’s do a relatively high percent of their weekly miles (23- to 25-percent) running these long repeats at a slowest interval pace, about 82- to 92-percent of their maximal heart rate. With Dad nearby and measuring everything, they don’t overcook the long intervals.

Dad isn’t the only important parent. Their mother has always been an extremely important part of the family team. She always had food ready when we came home from training, and she has washed thousands of kilos of sweaty training clothes.  She is also a runner.

 

“There are no limits for the 3 brothers.  They have another brother who is turning five years old, and soon can join the team. In two years’, time, we will be back to win four medals, not just three.   Indeed, all three brothers have now each won the European 1,500m title, helping to prove as well that the old blue-ribbon event still hasn’t lost all of its luster. Better. Smarter. More dedicated. The Ingebrigtsen mantra might be relentless, but it is propelling this family to greatness. Great teams can achieve what no human alone could ever achieve. 


Posted by tammyduffy at 7:27 PM EDT

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