The Boy or the Gorilla: A No Brainer

Officials of the Cincinnati Zoo had an easy, but difficult, choice Saturday. They would have liked to save Harambe, the beloved 17 year old Western Lowland Gorilla, but the life of a three year old boy was at risk. The zoo had no choice. They could not let the boy die. Whatever uproar exists now over the shooting of Harambe is as naught compared to the uproar that would have arisen had they let the gorilla intentionally, or unintentionally, killed the child. Animal rights cannot trump human life, especially that of a child. The child invaded Harambe’s home, such as it is. The gorilla did nothing to entice the three year old to disobey his mother, climb a three foot railing, walkthrough bushes, and then fall 15’ into a shallow moat. The gorilla did nothing wrong. He was acting on instinct. The initial video showed him holding the child. That seemed a warm, loving act. Then the crowd started yelling and screaming. Harambe apparently started to panic. He brusquely dragged the boy through the water. The full video showed it all. The bot’s life was at stake! Even if the mother were neglectful, which I doubt, the boy’s life was at stake. Even if the zoo’s enclosure was inadequate, the boy’s life was at stake. Even if we shouldn’t have zoos, or aquariums, or animal circus acts, the boy’s life was at stake. The zoo had no choice. Even if the 17 year old Harambe was not yet in the prime of his life, the boy’s life was at stake. The zoo had no choice. Even if Michael A. Budkie of Cincinnati’s Stop Animal Exploitation Now is right claiming the zoo violated the Animal Welfare Act, the boy’s life was at stake. The zoo had no choice. Even if almost 100,000 persons signed a “Justice for Harambe” petition in less than 24 hours, the boy’s life was at stake. The police are now investigating the child’s parents for possible criminal violations, presumably “child endangerment.” That investigation will go nowhere. By all witness accounts, the mother was momentarily distracted, the mother was not neglectful. Parents know that in the split second a parent’s attention can be distracted the little “angel” will find mischief. Parents, no matter how careful, cannot watch their children 86,400 seconds a day, every day, every week, every month. The zoo had no choice. No gorilla whisperer existed. Tranquilizers would have taken too long. Harambe was agitated. The zoo had no rational choice. “Justice for Harmbe” sounds like a cry for “justice’ by those with prejudged views about what the outcome should be. That’s not justice. Harambe’s genes will live on. His sperm had been harvested to be placed in a gorilla sperm bank. The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden had no more choice than the san Francisco Zoo on December 25, 2007. Three young men under the influence of marijuana having also drank alcohol and entered the San Francisco Zoo near closing time. 9/11 calls soon came in that a tiger was loose in the Zoo. Tatiana, a 4 year old Siberian Tiger had attacked the three, killing one and clutching a second. The police had no choice but to shoot Tatiana. Although not definitely proven, strong evidence existed that the three youths, aged 17, 19, and 23, had taunted the tiger. Pine cones and sticks were found in the tiger pen. They did not get there through natural forces. Tatiana was apparently upset. The necropsy showed concrete chippings under her paw. She apparently climbed out of the pen. Perhaps the Cincinnati Zoo had an insufficient barrier. The San Francisco Zoo’s moot wall was inadequate. The standards of the American Zoological Association called for a 16.5’ high wall. The Zoo initially claimed the tiger wall was 18’ high. Investigation showed that it was only12.5’ high. The Zoo settled with the surviving brothers for $900,000 and then with the family of the deceased for an undisclosed sum. If the Cincinnati Zoo’s barrier is proven to have been deficient under professional standards, then a settlement might also be reached if the parents bring a lawsuit. Zoos may have to reassess their barriers, but will probably not return to the earlier days when the animals were kept in small metal, brick or concrete cages. Today’s zoos aim to present a more natural environ for the animals. The tradeoff is less safety. Nothing will bring Harambe back, but the boy lives.

The New York Times Did Hit Pieces on Sheldon Adelson, Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, et al.

Always remember the New York Times motto: “All the News That’s Fit to Print.” The New York Times did a hit piece on Sheldon Adelson last Monday, “Adelson’s Era: Do Billions Erode Press Freedom?” The allegation is that Sheldon Adelson, who purchased the Las Vegas Review-Journal six months ago for $140 million, was interfering with the journalistic integrity of the newspaper. Mr. Adelson made his fortune by tearing down the old Sands Hotel and replacing it with The Venetian and Palazzo in Las Vegas and building a new Sands in Macao. Reporters had been investigating his Macao financial dealings when Mr. Adelson acquired the hometown Press-Journal. Mr. Adelson replaced top editors when he assumed ownership. There has also been the resignations or firings of about 12 reporters and editors, with others looking to leave. New owners usually engage in a degree of housecleaning. Mark Sullivan once said: "A newspaper,as reflects its fundamental character, is one of the least permanent institutions ... It can change ownership overnight." The New York Times problem with Sheldon Adelson is not because he is exercising directly, or indirectly, control over his investment. The underlying reason for the hit piece is because Adelson is a large multi-million dollar backer of Republican candidates and will back Donald Trump. It’s political. The Times has not said anything about the hundreds laid off, fired, or bought out since 2008 by the Times. The Times is silent about the November 2015 firing of two assistant editors with 16 and 20 years of experience. It has not discussed the surprise firing of Jill Abramson, the Times Executive Editor, on May 14, 2014. The New York Times is in no position to argue for journalist integrity after its two hit pieces on Senator Marco Rubio, and its hit piece on Donald Trump a week earlier. The June 5 front page article attacked the Rubios for acquiring 17 speeding tickets over 18 years. Only 4 were by the Senator – 4 tickets in 18 years. The other 13 were by his wife. That is front page news on the New York Times during the Presidential Election? Of course, Secretary Clinton had no speeding tickets during this period because she hasn’t driven a car in 20 years. The chauffeur-driven Hillary professes to represent the people. The paper followed up on June 9 with another front page expose on Senator Rubio. This one stated the Senator was ‘bedeviled by financial problems” with student loans and a mortgage. The New York Times in 2008 failed to report on the student loans of the Obamas and Michele Obama’s 2005 $316,962 salary from the University of Chicago Hospital, the Obamas sweetheart housing deal or Hillary Clinton’s $10,000+ cattle futures profits. “All the News That’s Fit to Print” “All the News the New York Times decides is Fit to Print” The article also claimed that the Senator took out a home equity loan and then purchased a $80,000 on a 24’ luxury speedboat. The Senator had actually purchased an offshore fishing boat after receiving a $800,000 book advance. The New York Times quoted a financial expert who turned out to be an Obama donor. Yesterday’s Sunday New York Times approached the tabloids in its front page article positing that the rise of Donald trump and the conservative movement in Europe signals a return to Fascism. The paper did another hit job on Donald Trump on Sunday, May 15 when it attacked his behavior to women. He allegedly crossed the line in his private conversations with women. The women quoted immediately claimed the paper took their remarks out of context and misquoted them. They had praise for Donald Trump. Be that as it may, the younger trump may have hustled women, but unlike President Clinton, he was never accused of rape, an accusation currently ignored by the Times. This Trump article, the June 9 Rubio financial article, and a 2012 Governor Mitt Romney hit piece were written by the same New York Times reporter, Michael Barbaro. The New York Times should go back to real journalism rather than Tabloid Journalism or Yellow Journalism. The Times said not a word about the student debts of the Obamas, or the sweetheart deal they got on their Chicago house, or Michelle’s $316,962 position at the University of Chicago Hospital in 2005. The Times has not said a word about Hillary Clinton’s lack of speeding tickets because the self-proclaimed candidate of the people hasn’t driven a car in over 20 years. Some of the Times' coverage is sloppy. For example, columnist Gail Collinsin a February 13, 2015 column criticized Governor Scott walker of Wisconsin for teacher layoffs in 2010. Governor Walker did not take office until 2011. The publisher and CEO of the New York Times is Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr., commonly referred to as “Pinch” in contrast to his dad known as “Punch.” Pinch is not the smartest publisher in the history of the New York Times. He graduated from Tufts, a good school, after being denied admissions to both Harvard and Columbia, a legacy. The rumors are that his SAT scores were poor. He is presiding over a financially declining newspaper in a declining industry, a difficult challenge. He has to transform the paper in the digital age as traditional circulation and advertising plummets. Google is the future; print is passé. The Wall Street Journal under Rupert Murdock ownership is successfully navigating through the change. Business Week under Bloomberg has been resuscitated. It can be done. But not by Pinch! Instead of broadening the paper’s base, he is shrinking it to the progressive left. It’s no longer “All the News That’s Fit to Print” The New York Times is also no longer “The Newspaper of record.”

Budweiser Was Sold to Inbev of Belgium, and Now Wants to Call Itself America: So Much is American No More

Budweiser Sells Out to the Belgiums; now wants to Call Itself America. Who Else is No Longer American? “Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose” Gertrude Stein “What’s in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet;” Shakespeare Americans who sold out to foreign companies are no longer American, regardless of what they call themselves. Anheuser Busch, due to incompetent management, sold out to ImBev, a Belgium brewer in 2008. Budweiser, the top selling American beer, wants to rename itself “America” through the November election. Drink a Bud/America while you watch more of America move overseas. America is for sale! Miller Brewing was sold to SAB (South African Breweries) in 2002. AMC Cinemas was acquired IN 2012 By Dalian Wanda Group, a Chinese company. AMC is now in the process of acquiring Cinemark. Smithfield Foods (Armour, Carando’s, Eckrich, Gwaltney’s, and John Morrell) are now part of China’s Shuanghui Group Nestles, the Swiss food company, now owns the following, once American brands Dreyers Edys Haagen Dazs Hot Pockets Lean Cuisine Bottled Waters Arrowhead Calistoga Deer Park Ice Mountain Ozarka Poland Springs Zephyrhills Frozen Foods DiGiorno Pizzas Hot Pockets Lean Cuisine Stouffer’s Tombstone Pizza Other Once American Companies Carnation] Gerber’s Goobers Libby Animal Foods Alpo Friskies Purina Unilever, the British-Dutch food conglomerate Best Foods Cutex Helene Curtis Hellmans Jif Pepsodent Ponds Q-Tips Vaseline Ice Cream Ben and Jerrys Breyers Fudgsicle Klondike Popsicle Sealtest Let us not forget Forbes Magazine, “The Capitalist Tool,” was sold in 2014 to Hong Kong investors. Chatten, manufacturer of ACT, Allegra, Gold Bond, Cortizone-10, Kaopectate, Dexatrim, Aspercreme, Selsum Blue, Nasacort, Unisom was acquired by Sanofi, a French company, in 2010. Henkel of Germany owns Dial Soap Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep are owned by Fiat, an Italian company. Mack Trucks are part of Volvo as are White Trucks and GMC Heavy Duty Trucks. Freightliner is owned by Mercedes Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue are owned by the Canadian Hudson Bay Company CITGO, the oil giant, is owned by the Venezuela National Oil Company British Petroleum (BP) acquired SOHIO, Amoco, and ARCO Michelin, the French tire company, owns B.F. Goodrich and Uniroyal Tires while Firestone is part of the Japanese Bridgestone Tire Company Trader Joes is owned by Aldi of Germany Giant Supermarkets and Stop & Shop are part of Royal Ahold of Sweden Holiday Inn was founded in Memphis, but now answers to British Inter Continental Hotels Caribou Coffee and Churchill’s Chicken are now out of Bahrain Drink Jim Beam, courtesy of Japan’s Suntory 7 Eleven is now also out of Japan Speedy Alka-Seltzer is part of Bayer Aspirin Electrolux of Sweden owns the American appliance makers Frigidaire, Gibson, Kelvinator, Tappan, White-Westinghouse Phillips of France owns Magnavox, Philco and Sylvania LG of South Korea acquired Zenith All American no more. Just don’t call yourself America or American

Feel the Bern! Get the Bern! Here's What to Look Forward To

Venezuela Puerto Rico Greece Detroit Flint Hartford San Bernardino South Bronx Baltimore California Illinois Veterans Administration ObamaCare TSA Post Office DC Metro Public Education Roads and Highways Deferred Maintenance in our public institutions of Higher Education Slight possibility of free college tuition, but a high probability of no job upon graduation High taxes, low services The more government offers, the less it can deliver The Constitution simply as a historical anomaly Senator Sanders feels the Bern while China, India, Vietnam, and Eastern Europe are turning to capitalism What do the formerly Communist countries know that the Senator Sanders of the 1960’s never learned? Socialism fails. It deadens human initiative It deadens the soul An oppressive bureaucracy Shortages Corruption Socialism impoverishes all but a few politically connected Equality, equality of poverty

President Obama and the Gospel of Ignorance

President Obama delivered the Commencement Address at Rutgers yesterday. He warned against ignorance: “In politics and in life, ignorance is not a virtue. It’s not cool to not know what you’re talking about. That’s not keeping t real or telling it like it is.” That is rich. The community organizer came into office ignorant of economics, but well versed in Liberation Theology. He is still economically ignorant. An ironic remark by the President or either was ignorant of what was in his ObamaCare bill, or lied to the American people, a far worse trait than ignorance. Remember, “If you like your insurance plan, you can keep it?” Remember, “If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor?” How ignorant was he of his Stimulus Bill when he told the American people “shovel-ready” jobs were waiting for the Bill, but then a few years later joked “I guess they weren’’t so shovel ready after all.” Which time was he ignorant of his Bill? An ignorance prat from the candidate who said he campaigned in all 57 states with one or two remaining. The President entered office ignorant of foreign policy, but believing America is an oppressor nation. Thus, he began his Administration with an apology tour and will end it in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In between he failed to understand Russia, China, Iran, and ISIS. He unilaterally yanked the anti-missile defense system out of Czechoslovakia and Poland. All he got was Putin was contempt. He is truly ignorant of The Art of the Deal as proven by his negotiations with Cuba and Iran. He gave up much and got so little in return. He also warned a few weeks ago that we need to get along better in politics. Yet he started his Administration by stiff-arming the Republicans on the Stimulus Bill. He unleased Senator Harry Reid, then Senate Majority Leader, to stiff arm the Republicans. How ignorant is a President who refuses to recognize Islamic terrorism for what it is: “Radical Islamic terrorism.” Indeed, he will not use the name because he is ignorant of Islam other than the peaceful Islam he knew as a child in Indonesia. Ignorance and the failure to learn are the hallmarks of this Administration. How ignorant can you be when you are ignorant of your own ignorance?

70 Years Old; 70 Years of Music

Well, I’ve done it. Reached 70 today. Who would have thunk it? It’s time to reflect, and I’ll like to indulge you and me with thoughts about music over 7 decades. I have seen the changes from 78’s to 33 1/3’s, regular LP’s to the revolutionary Hi Fi, and stereo. Along came reel to reel, 8 tracks, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, ITunes, YouTube, and even the partial rebirth of albums. YouTube makes it easy today. Watch one music video, and YouTube throws scores of related ones at you. Some nights I spend hours listening and watching songs on YouTube. It’s addictive. First, we start with the popular music of the 1950’s with such classic songs as “How much is that doggy in the window?” Patty Page, “Mack the Knife (Bobby Darin), “Town Without Pity” (Gene Pitney), Tony Bennett, and Elvis. But then several genres developed in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. First up was the Folk Music boom, led by the Kingston Trio, the Limeliters, the Smothers Brothers, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul and Mary on AM. FM Radio entered the scene with “underground” music, such as Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, etc., switching into Rock. We had the surfing sound, Jan and Dean and the Beach Boys. Rock emerged, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis. Sun Records, Chess Records, MoTown. Then came the British Invasion led by the Beatles Glen Campbell had a string of geographic hits in the late 60’s:” Galveston,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Wichita Lineman” John Denver was the star of the 1970’s Elton John soared in the 1970’s Classical and Country were always in the background. Comedians made their names off LP sales. Bubble Gum music never left. The first country western song I remember is still one of the best, Marty Robbins, “El Paso” The juke box at the University of San Francisco was stuck on three songs: Johnny Cash, “Folsom Prison Blues,” Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Waters,” and, of course, The Mamas and Papas with “California Dreaming.” Of course, we’ll in California. It’s not a Dream – the Haight-Asbury during the Summer of Love. My favorite San Francisco song therefore is Scott McKenzie’s “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair).” (Watch the YouTube video with the Flower Children). That replaces “San Francisco: Open Your Golder Gate” by Jeanette MacDonald. Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” never did it for me. And yet, the car radio played “California Dreaming” as I drove to Bradley Airport in 1994 to catch a flight to Orange County for a job interview at Chapman University. It was a sign. The juke box at the Northern Freeze in Ada, Ohio kept playing Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s “Four Dead in Ohio.” As for Michigan, there is no great song. Simon and Garfunkel in “America” sang “It took four days to hitchhike from Saginaw.” A sad song for Michigan is Golden Lightfoot’s “Black Day in July,” about the riots in Detroit Speaking of Michigan, John Phillips Souza once said Michigan’s “The Victors” was the greatest college fight song. I’m biased so I agree, but the Notre Dame Fight song and USC’s Fight On are right up there. I had plenty of time to catch the music of the time, as well as complete my dissertation, between 1972 and 1975 when I taught at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. I could stack the turntable with LP’s. So here’s my list. It is highly personal and difficult. There were so many great musicians and music that it’s tough to decide. Most beautiful voice with a great song: Judy Collins and “Amazing Grace” A modern runner up to Judy Collins would be Celtic Woman’s “Amazing Grace” on their Songs from the Heart Live Album Best album, Carol King, Tapestry Best retro soundtrack, Forrest Gump The song which touches me after my personal diaspora from San Francisco was Neil Diamond’s “I Am, I Said:” “L.A.’s fine, but it ain’t home, New York’s home, but it ain’t mine no more.” I’m back in California, but the OC is not San Francisco. Political song for all ages: The Who, “Won’t Get Fooled Again” Best IRS song, George Harrison, “The Tax Man” Best environmental song: Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi, “They paved paradise to put up a parking lot,” was a major hit, but I favor John Prine’s “Paradise,” dealing with Peabody Coal’s strip mining of Paradise, Kentucky. Randy Newman’s “Burn On, Big River, Burn On’ is worth listening to about the Cuyahoga River catching on fire. Best idealistic song, John Lennon, “Imagine” Best railroad song: Arlo Guthrie’s “City of New Orleans,” was also a big hit, but my favorite is Gordon Lightfoot’s “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” Best airplane song, Peter, Paul and Mary, “Leaving on a Jet Plane” or Gordon Lightfoot, “Early Morning Rain” Best anti-war song, The Kingston Trio, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” Best Canadian commentary, The Guess Who, “American Woman” Best New Orleans Song: Eric Burdon and the Animals, “The House of the Rising Sun” I once found a souvenir shop named The House of the Rising Sun on Bourbon Street) Best one hit wonder, Zager & Evans, “In the Year 2525” Best song of seduction, Limeliters, “Have Some Madeira, M’ Dear?” Best weather song, The Beatles, “Here Comes the Sun” Most memorable concert: The Allman Brothers at the Lenox Music Inn (since defunct) in August 1979 - my first date with my wife Apocalyptical song, Barry McGuire, “The Eve of Destruction” Alaska song, Johnny Horton, “North to Alaska” Colorado song, John Denver, “Rocky Mountain High” Massachusetts song: The Bee Gees, “Massachusetts” New York, Frank Sinatra, “New York, New York” Tacoma, Washington, no song, but watch the video on Galloping Gertie Washington State, Woodie Guthrie, “Roll On, Columbia, Roll On” West Virginia, John Denver, “Take Me Home Country Roads” Southern California song, Albert Hammond, “It Never Rains in Sunny Southern California” Food song, Larry Groce, “Junk Food, Junkie” Best Elvis song: “In the Ghetto” (just as poignant today) My favorite Woody Guthrie tune, “This Land is Your Land” Pete Seeger’s greatest, “Turn, Turn, Turn” Favorite Rolling Stones song, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” Most cryptic song, Don McLean “American Pie” Song for women, Helen Reddy, “I Am Woman” Favorite Beach Boys Song: “California Saga” Favorite Woodie Guthrie song, “This Land is Your Land” Song I cited twice in law review articles, Simon and Garfunkel, “The Sound of Silence” – “People hearing without listening” Theme songs that define and make a movie: The first I remember is Tex Ritter, “Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’,” in High Noon. Others are the Theme from the Magnificent Seven, which also became the song of the Marlboro Man commercials (check the videos) Vangelis for “Chariots of Fire.” Check out the combined “Chariots of Slumdog” on YouTube Great movie songs at the end of the movie: “Up Where We Belong” by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes in An Officer and a Gentleman, and Irene Cara’s “What a Feeling” in Flashdance Favorite Country-Western videos: “Even God-Fearin’ Women Get the Blues” and Independence Day” by Martini McBride and “How Do You Like Me Now” by Toby Keith. Best group: The Beatles Best duo: Simon and Garfunkel Favorite Canadian singer: Gordon Lightfoot Thanks for indulging me.

Massachusetts Wants to Create a Eastern Timber Rattlesnake Sanctuary

Massachusetts wants to Create a New Eastern Timber Rattlesnake island The world has some amazing islands. We have the explosive Bikini Island, which is still too radioactive for human habitation. Then there’ the Farallon Islands 25 miles off san Francisco. The Farallons served as a nuclear waste dump decades ago and now host giant, mutant sponges. Then there’s Rat Island, Goat Island, Deer Island, and the Canary Islands, not to mention Easter and Christmas Islands. Fiji Island gives us high priced water. The Pacific also has Pitcairn Island, refuge of Fletcher Christian and the other mutineers on Captain Bligh’s Bounty. Two more islands of mention are IIha de Queimada Grande, the home to snakes so poisonous that the Brazil Navy has ruled it off limits to humans, and Deer Island, the remote refuge of Yale’s Skull and Bones, who are not on Skull Island. Massachusetts thinks America needs a Eastern Rattlesnake Island. The Eastern Timber rattlesnake is on the endangered species list. It has disappeared from Maine and Rhode Island, except in a Rhode Island Zoo where baby rattlers are being bred for Massachusetts. Its numbers have been shrinking in Massachusetts to 200 in five populations. The Commonwealth’s Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has been clandestinely studying for two years a means to repopulate Massachusetts with poisonous snakes. The idea of spending money to restore rattlesnake populations explains why they planned in secret. They sprang their plan on the public a few months ago. The proposal is to introduce the Rhode Island vipers as a colony on Mt. Zion Island in Quabbin Reservoir in Western Massachusetts. Only Massachusetts can move the viper from the Garden of Eden to Mt. Zion. Where is Quabbln? It’s near Ware. Ware is where. There, I’ve wanted to say that for decades. Ware is the gateway to Quabbin and the teeming metropolis of Belchertown. The locals are unhappy. The not-so-brilliant bureaucrats figure the rattlers will remain isolated on an island, closed to humans. Three flaws exist with the proposal. First, the island is not an island; a causeway connects it to the mainland. The off-limits island has porta johns on it for the humans who are on/not on the island. Humans don’t always read No Trespassing signs while snakes don’t read at all. Second, rattlesnakes can, and will, swim to land for food and mating purposes. Once they’ve been to Ware and Belchertown, they won’t go back. Third, Quabbin periodically incurs a drought. Lower water levels will facilitate the trip to the mainland. The agency says the snakes will have GPS trackers and will be apprehended if they try to flee the Island, just like Patrick McGoohan as The Prisoner five decades ago. Quabbin is an artificial lake created in the 1930’s to supply water to Boston 90 miles east. The state has been successful in recent decades with populating Quabbin with breeding pairs of bald eagles. The eagles are salivating at their beaks. Rattlesnakes are a bald eagle delicacy. The snakes like to feast on white footed mice and eastern chip monks. Say goodbye to Chip and Dale, who will become munchies to crotalus horridus. Crotalus horridus, the scientific name for the eastern rattler seems to say it all. The phrase looks like “horrible creature.” Massachusetts wants the rattlesnake colonies to rival in significance and fame its earlier colonies of Pilgrims and Puritans. The Tea Party should support introducing Rhode Island vipers into Massachusetts because the Tea Party’s preferred flag is the famous 1775 Gadsden “DON’T TREAD ON ME” flag. The eastern timber rattler is the coiled snake on the flag. Don’t tread on an eastern timber rattlesnake. Many voters would prefer planting the snake colony 90 miles east in the Statehouse. Let the vipers mix with their cousins, the legislators. The Legislature will hold a public hearing at 11:00am tomorrow in nearby Athol (sometimes pronounced with a Boston accent as “Asshole”)