Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Video Bar & Grill

Disclaimer: This is an article about lack of community support, and is in no way intended to insult, upset or offend Ms. Clark. It is in no way a personal attack. I wish she'd shown support to our Neighborhood and our cause, as she has so admirably shown support to others in need or in dire circumstance. I do not blame her personally even though the newspaper affects public opinion, and therefore we suffered rather than triumphed under her pen. (I do blame Kevin Anderson, however, who sided with NEXUS against We the People. That, I take, is his personal attack against us.)

Vivian Clark is a real journalist who writes for a real newspaper - the Mille Lacs Messenger. Personally, I like her. Generally I enjoy reading her, but in her latest blog Christmas magic , I became a bit peeved reading about a recent area arson where one angry woman (no it wasn't me) allegedly threw a burning diaper into someone's house, intentionally burning it to the ground as an apparent personal vendetta. (Welcome to the fine folks of Mille Lacs County....) Oh don't get me wrong. I agree with Vivian that the arson was a most terrible thing. What irked me is her selective sympathy. Vivian's reported on the events (which I call "Crimbs of Passion") perpetrated by the Onamia City Council and the Evil Empire NEXUS without one iota of compassion towards the brave Bradbury property owners fighting the corporate fire. Yes, maybe our houses haven't actually been french-fried, but they just as well could have. Our HOMES certainly have been ruined. The lives of our long term residents are shattered by what NEXUS and the government have done to us. And vendetta or not, IT WAS INTENTIONAL!


BUT, you ask: How dare Hannabelle compare the forced entry of 94 sex offenders to a real fire that left real charcoal? Because we are also victims - of an intentional political "arson" and we FEEL very burnt indeed. But where was Vivian throughout our ordeal? She was reporting about the building site "beyond the distant treeline"... as if our good Neighbors were over-reacting to 94 sex offenders moving next door to their twelve year old daughter. She presented us all in a negative light, portraying us as wimpy little scaredycats, hysterical, over-reacting idiots filled with FEAR AND IGNORANCE FEAR AND IGNORANCE FEAR AND IGNORANCE as she quoted John Varner THREE times in one paragraph... instead of defining us as good, upstanding, BRAVE citizens, worthy of RESPECT - as we opposed a defective leadership - a bad government misbehaving with uncivil disobedience.

We've done the homework. We found out things that nobody will acknowledge - not the Messenger, not the county commissioners, and especially not the Onamia city council - because what we have discovered casts aspersions upon NEXUS - and of course, this is Nexusville now. All Hail!

Vivian remained loyal to former Mess editor Kevin Anderson's agenda, and there's something to say about loyalty. (However, it is something Bradburians have not had the luxury of experiencing from their community - loyalty). And to her credit, Vivian showed true compassion towards the one and two year boys whose Christmas ended up in ashes. She certainly showed no indignation about how our Christmas have been affected... didn't even mention it, actually. (My family didn't have Christmas this year, and I doubt whether we ever will again.) Looking back, there has only been one article in the Mille Lacs Messenger which even half presented our side and showed us any degree of sympathy, and she didn't write it.

And I ask you: Where was our "Benefit Dance and Pancake Breakfast for Bradbury" to replace lost property values, not to mention the lawyer fees we've incurred while fighting for our rights (your rights) as American Citizens? No support in our community for We the People.... No outrage that the city council, rather than follow the rule of law, is actually changing the R2 zoning ordinance so that EVERYONE next to a R2 zone can now have their own sex offender treatment center in their backyard. (Shhhh. Let's not mention that in the Messenger! Local readers might actually pull their heads out of their asses and see what's being done to us, ALL OF US... Instead, let them eat cake. More fluff! More fluff! We need more fluff!)

One good thing about Viv's blog is that it points out that some in the community did NOT support the arson victims. What she doesn't say but is obvious to us locals is that one reason this particular family was not supported was because they were Native Americans. Oh yes. Onamia plays favorites, that's for sure. Accolades for the Warrior Princess, zilch for the Warrior Queen... Both struggling to stay alive. One championed with generosity, the other left out on the ice to perish or not. Whatever.

Yes. We lost this war due to lack of community support. Can we really be proud of this community? They are selective in their support, bigoted and biased, self-important and unaware.... Look at Dan Reiner, CEO of the Mille Lacs Health System. He was more than willing to "sacrifice" us for a few jobs. All of the community leaders chose to support NEXUS' sex offenders rather than advocate a different location, (which was certainly available) that would have saved our neighborhood. They were also protective as they supported the "God-fearing Christian" couple who showed us no mercy but took the money and stayed put. Hey! What about the Bradburians? We've got Christians over here too, Bucko. And I'll argue that ours are a whole heck of a lot better than those hypocritical sell-outs favored east of the Rum.

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We are victims of political arson. Our lives up in smoke. Toast.

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And the townsfolks... Not only did they neglect to support us, many actually turned against us as if we were covered in penguin dust or had green feet. The rest were complacent and didn't want to get involved. Or were afraid. As Maxine said, "I don't know if we want to risk our necks" and "We have to stay on good terms with the Village [Onamia]. What if there's a fire?" The implication is that if we displease the city officials, no firetrucks for us. Arson by default. Who are they afraid of?

See the video bar at the top of the column to your right?

I've been meaning to share this video with you for a long time. It is quite graphic and I found it difficult to watch. But it is symbolic of what has happened to us, and I'd like you to see it. Here, the water buffalo represents the people in our community. The calf is symbolic of our Bradbury Neighborhood. The lions are the Onamia City Council, and the crocodile is Nexus. However, in our case, the herd of buffalo did not come to the calf's rescue, but actually joined in the attack of the calf. It just goes to show you that animals are better "people" than the "people" in our Mille Lacs community.





How I wish that Vivian could see and understand the injustices imposed upon us by NEXUS, the local and county governments, and her own Mille Lacs Messenger... She's doing her job. She's reporting the local news. But maybe the news here was not about sex offenders, but about political offenders who have abused their power. She could have told the story well. How I wish her indignation towards the wrongs of the world might have included her neighbors in Bradbury Township. Maybe then our Christmas could have been saved and we could enjoy a good cry with her over "Miracle on 54th Street" instead of a bad cry without her over "Tyranny on 130th Avenue".

A toast to the Ghost of Christmas Past

Scrooge has grown rich selling Tiny Tim's blood.









Monday, December 24, 2007

One Small Step for Mankind

All is not lost. Most. But not all.

At the city council "public you-can-talk-but-we're-not-listening", I had quite a chat with Jim D'Angelo, the now supposedly former CEO of NEXUS. I say "supposedly" because D'Angelo told me that December 19th was his last day with NEXUS, but then was quoted the next day as still being the sex offenders' CEO in an article by MPR on the 20th (about non-profits in tax court trying to get tax exemption), so there you go.... you can't even trust him to tell the truth about leaving. In my opinion...

Maybe he isn't done until the end of the month. Who knows? Who cares?But no matter when he is departing, D'Angelo said his goodbyes to me on the 19th. I told him it wasn't the end, that I'd see him in court. He said he doubted it, because he thought I would "find that its not worth it". Now what kind of threat is that? I should have asked. Is he planning to wipe me out financially - sort of a Death by Lawyer Fees? or is he going to sick the McColleys on me again in an attempt to intimidate me into disappearing - or perhaps actually disappearing me - sort of a Death by hit-MLA employee's spouse et al? (Hi Randy, Hi Carmen, Hi Dennis aka Psychodad!) or is he going to drop the law suit because its not worth it to D'Angelo, as it might interfere with his vacation plans in Palm Springs and Italy? Now, I must say that I don't know for a fact that D'Angelo is going to Palm Springs and Italy. (That's just what he told Larry.) But as I told D'Angelo himself, I don't trust a word that passes his lips. I've witnessed too many lies already.

But speaking of lying... I myself don't want to be miscontrued. I said something to D'Angelo which I'm ultimately ashamed of saying and since I can't unsay it, I would like to set the record straight, if I may. During the city council meeting, the council evacuated the hall to have a closed-door private meeting in the back room. They were supposedly looking up some city ordinances back there. That left the "audience" alone. During our vignettes of conversation, I told Jim D'Angelo that if it weren't for this, we'd be friends. Yes! I said it, but I realized later that he may have missed my sarcasm and thought I was serious. Yikes! (I could NEVER be friends with someone like him!) Anyway, he said he had listened to my music and told me I was good. Of course, I may also have missed his sarcasm!

He told me that I had been a "worthy adversary", a "formidible opponent". I told him "Its not a game. Its our LIVES." But to illustrate the nature of this CEO whose organization claims to operate on the premise of compassion, he also said that I was the cause of my mother's stress-induced perforated ulcer. That's right. Does he mean that without NEXUS, whom my mother herself blames for her present dilema, she would still be in bad shape because of ME??? Wow. (And when I called him "cold-blooded" he got upset enough to sue me for defamation? I think I should maybe sue HIM for defamation. hmmm. What do you think?)

Imagine it. He insists on tearing down the corner, erecting five massive buildings, paving paradise to put up a parking lot, bringing in 94 sex offenders and 120 some employees, uprooting our quiet lives, instigating a situation where we lose our Constitutional Rights and cannot even defend or protect ourselves from the space invaders, forcing in 94 convicted sex offenders just four doors down from my mom - a sweet, 84 year old widow in fragile health and D'Angelo shirks his responsibility and blames ME for causing my mom's stress-induced ulcer... Doesn't he get it that I'm the one whose trying to protect my mom and trying to save her farm???Eight months of UTTER HELL they have caused all of us! My mom has been devastated. And that he SUED her daughter for calling him "arrogant".... that had nothing to do with what happened to her? Geez!

"But Hannabelle," you say. "How can you DARE write about Poopsie? You're even using his NAME? Won't you get into trouble?"

Probably. However, I have always told the Truth. And as Bill Hill said when he was busily destroying our rights as property owners and American Citizens, (totally abusing his power as a city councilman), I have a right to my OPINION. And I have a very low opinion of this bunch of clowns who have attacked and victimized this Neighborhood. They might be clowns - putting on a good circus, (such a circus that they can sell popcorn and balloons on the sidewalk, as Larry Milton likes to say) but they are Killer Clowns from Outerspace, abusing their undeserved power. That is my opinion.

And the First Amendment gives me the RIGHT to talk about and write about and express my opinion. (Free speech may not be free, but you can still rent it, as long as you're willing to pay the price.) D'Angelo and his conspiring cronies have stripped us of most of our rights. They can't take away this one. So sue me, you bastards! Hannabelle cannot be intimidated. I will fight against your Talibanic Tyranny Forever! (Someone has to...)
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The First Amendment
One Giant Leap for Hannabelle, One Small Step For Mankind.
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Mr. Manderfeld, please note that I'll be reposting "Can You Hear Me Now?", the article on which you have primarily based your bogus law suit. Yes, you kicked me when I was down... when I was in the hospital. I further weakened under the duress of my mother's three major surgeries in a row, including the stress-induced perforated ulcer which nearly killed her. She's not out of the woods yet. Well, actually, she is.... Now she is in a nursing home. Your client may shuck any responsibility, but WE THE PEOPLE know the TRUTH. Jim D'Angelo has shown no mercy to the innocent victims in our Neighborhood. Not one shred of compassion. Hannabelle will take that into consideration.
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Compassion is the basis of morality.
Arnold Schopenhauer

Saturday, December 15, 2007

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

(oo) What you want
(oo) Baby, I got
(oo) What you need
(oo) Do you know I got it?
(oo) All I'm askin'
(oo) Is for a little respect
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
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At the last Onamia city council meeting, I finally met and spoke with Paul Smith, the new Executive Administrator at Mille Lacs Academy. I hadn't been avoiding him. I'd just been so busy with other crap. Besides, I figured in the grand scheme of things, he's pretty insignificant. So we finally met. I was even less impressed than I'd expected.
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Paul Smith is the one who rallied MLA employees and MLA supporters to flood Stephanie Nyhus at the Minnesota Department of Revenue with harassing telephone calls to pressure her into granting them property tax exemption. That was a really stupid move on his part. (You can read his letter on the Mille Lacs News website). The tax exemption is determined by whether Nexus qualified under the law, not by how many people "vote" for it. And of course, Nexus DID NOT qualify for exemption.
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So I admit that before I even met him, my opinion of Paul Smith was that he is a not-too-bright player wannabe, hoping to advance himself by serving his corporate master, using their code of non-ethics of course. Certainly not the kind of professional I would choose to run an institution for PTBs. But then, I'm not the idiot in charge... This was my opinion of Paul Smith BEFORE I actually met him. It was all downhill from there.
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"Respect goes both ways," Paul Smith told me. According to him, Nexus CEO Jim D'Angelo had been willing to work with the community at first. But he changed his mind after I wouldn't accept his "right" to move into my neighborhood. His RIGHT? I still don't accept that he has any right to come here! (Not unless he wants to build a single family dwelling.) WE HAD LAWS to stop this atrocity from happening! Of course, Lucky Larry and the Merry Mob got rid of those pesky little inconveniences by "amending" the city ordinances to include juvenile sex offender treatment facilities as part of the R2 zoning classification...
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Oh (sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me)
A little respect (sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me)
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So I was to understand that Jim D'Angelo was miffed at me because I did not give him the proper R-E-S-P-E-C-T he thinks he's entitled to. What a spoiled brat! That is why D'Angelo refused to answer my emails or return my phone call? One call. MNDOR Call Sheet Author Paul Smith mentioned that with what seemed like unbelieving indignation. YOU CALLED HIM AT HIS HOME!!! What? He's moving 94 sex offenders and 120 employees next to my home without R-E-S-P-E-C-T-ing my R-I-G-H-T-S. I phone him ONCE and I'm out of line? Yep. I admit it. Guilty as charged, I did phone him AT HIS HOME! (how DARE I!) After D'Angelo stood up at a public meeting and promised to work with me and my neighbors, promised we could help design the buildings, promised we could help decide the landscaping, etc. etc. he disappeared for awhile. Nobody contacted us. He didn't answer me when I attempted to contact him. And after he told me that he wouldn't "give [me] the satisfaction" by answering my emails, I did call him at home ONCE. (I thought he'd be more comfortable talking rather than writing.) I got his answering machine. I identified myself, asked him to call me back, and left my phone number. Of course he never called me back. None of THEM ever do. "Respect goes both ways," said Paul Smith.
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Whoa, babe (just a little bit)
A little respect (just a little bit)
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Nobody warned us THEY were coming. Nobody asked our permission. Nobody asked us how we felt about having sex offenders next to elderly widows, day care, chronically ill and disabled folks. THEY came with great force. THEY maligned us to the community. THEY stripped us of our Voice. THEY stripped us of our Dignity. THEY robbed us of our Due Process. THEY took away our Rights. Nobody said THEY were sorry about how THEY hurt us and destroyed the lives we had been living. Nobody ever showed us an ounce of
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(re, re, re, re) 'spect
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Talking to dorks brings out the worst in me. Especially insensitive sadistic dorks who take advantage of good people who don't deserve to be victimized. The Marquis de Smith showed me no sympathy. Nuh-uh. On the contrary. When I asked him why he rented in Foley instead of living in the Onamia community, he smiled and really rubbed my nose in it by saying,
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"I don't want to live by a ........ school.
I prefer to live in the country."
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Yeah baby (re, re, re ,re)
Whip it to me (respect, just a little bit)
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Paul Smith granted me permission to write about him, by the way. He said he's a "Big Boy" and he can "take it". Yeah. All those Nexus folks are good at taking it. Taking it ALL. The only thing they have no chance in hell of ever winning is our
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R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
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I get tired (just a little bit)
Keep on tryin' (just a little bit)
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Thursday, December 13, 2007

Games People Play

We The People.... remember that one? Back in the old days it was something to be proud of. No more. It doesn't exist. Now it is - We The Invisible.... We the Insignificant.... We the Non-people.... and its They The Corporate Dictators.... They the Fascist Government... The New Gods... How I hate Them!
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I just forfeited my First Amendment Rights (which no longer exist for any of us, by the way.) I deleted the blog entry for which Poopsie D'Evilo is suing me. It was entitled, "Can You Hear Me Now?" and was a true story about my reaction to hearing a false (unfortunately) report that the CEO of Next-to-us had committed suicide. This is my personal blog. I relayed a personal story. During the course of the true story, I talked about our reaction to the news, including speculating upon reasons why someone like D'Evilo would off himself. As I said, it was a true story and there was nothing defamatory about it. So why did I delete it? Why? Because D'Evilo owns me. He owns everyone here in Nexusville, including the county commissioners, the Onamia mayor and city council, and of course - all of you. Freedom of Speech isn't free. (I received the bill in the mail today...)
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"Game over. You lost," D'Evilo told my neighbor after the county bored of commissioners steamrolled We the Muted at the December 4th "Public Hearing" and unanimously passed a seven year tax abatement for Nexus, even though it was the wrong thing to do.

Hey Kev - is it true that some people fear public listening more than death?

We asked the commissioners for a delay in the tax abatement giveaway because 1) We had just received their point worksheet and there were discrepancies in real numbers and numbers Nexus had reported; and 2) our representative was absent. Chairman Phil Peterson gave us each one minute to speak, with no further comments allowed, closing the "Public Hearing" faster than the wind can blow a door shut. Due Process is as dead as Free Speech. (And you still think this is all about those poor troubled boys and retaining a few low paying jobs .... tsk tsk...)
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Let me share with you what it means to be an American citizen in Nexusville. It means that They the Powerful can destroy your neighborhood, your home, your happiness, and your life and there is nothing you can do to stop Them. Oh poor pitiful me? Nuh-uh. Make that oh poor pitiful U.S. because They can do the same thing to you. And eventually, They will. Because that's the way They play The Game. The Game isn't over until They have won it all. Where were you, by the way, when our neighborhood needed your help and support to combat this tyranny? Too busy sending me death threats to look around at the Big Picture, too busy yelling at me for not wanting sex offenders down my street. Didn't want to get involved.... just another annexation.... just another NIMBY.... "In three years we'll all wonder what all the fuss was about..."
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I'm surprised that Poopsie D'Evilo didn't approach me in order to gloat about winning The Game, but then, he's not through destroying me yet. The Game isn't over between us. (I'm still alive.) Besides, now the goal is for his lawyers to beat my lawyers. (Side bets?) The thing he can't understand is that to me, it is not a game. It never has been. This is Life. Our lives. He has no right to our lives, just like he has no right to our privacy, our neighborhood... And apparently I have no right to say anything about it. (Just add this to the lawsuit, Mr. Kahoney. Ka-ching!)
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The interesting thing about bullies is that they always pick on someone weaker than they are. For instance, I am a chronically ill, disabled woman on a fixed income. Not much of a contest, I'd say. Do I want to win this Game? Get real. I never had a chance! But it is my home, my hopes, my dreams he is stealing from me and I can't say that what has happened here is okay when its not.
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All I've done is to tell him "No. You're wrong." I dared to cross him.
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He can build his sex offender palace here. I can't stop him. (Nobody can.) I realized he'd beaten me back on April 18, 2007. I told Poncho that day, "Its all over", and I meant it. The Evil Red Eye of Mordor had spied us. The Ring Wraiths were on their way. It was a Done Deal and there was nothing we could do about it. Our lives were over.
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But taking away my Freedom of Speech.... That's too bad. It was all I had left to defend myself with. But I can't deal with the injustices in Nexusville right now. I have more important concerns.
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On Monday, my mom - who as you know has been hospitalized since November 16, suffered a catastrophic event requiring another emergency surgery. This is her third major surgery in less than a month. They discovered a perforated ulcer. The doctor said it was caused by serious stress and worry. He said it had been building up for a long time. Probably since April 18, don'tcha think? She's 84 years old, frail, very weak... (just the way THEY like 'em), but as you know, she's a fighter. (Right after the last surgery, she asked if she'd be well in time to attend the December 19th Zoning Public Farcery and Constitution Fry.) We don't think she'll be there... Its touchy right now. Perhaps she'll have to wait for the burning of the Bill of Rights...
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But I wonder - if she doesn't make it, if she dies - will D'Evilo smile smugly and say
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"Game Over. She lost."

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Bullies for You

Some people are born animal-lovers. I’m one of those people. I have early memories of knocking at our next door neighbors’ house in St. Louis Park, and waiting for that door to open - just enough for an out-stretched arm to hand me a thick leather leash. After looping the end around my wrist, the door flung wide and Judy, the exuberant Boxer wiggled and leaped into my custody. It was our time! Not so much of a “walk” as it was a “drag”, we’d travel up and down the block, until eventually it was time to go back - Judy’s energy level down .0015 % and me with skunned knees and dislocated arms, both of us grinning like fools as I reluctantly passed the leash back to the kind, grandmotherly next-door woman who said knowingly, “See you tomorrow.”

Throughout the dog-less years of my childhood I cultivated friendships with other people’s pets, grateful to anyone who would give me a few minutes of their dog’s time. Besides Judy the Boxer, there was Polly the Beagle, Pierre the Pomeranian, Jack the Collie, and Bismarck the black and tan Dachshund. I visited them all regularly. But there was one dog in the St. Louis Park neighborhood that I never approached: Karl the German Shepherd. Karl was mean. Chained out by the garage occasionally, I made sure to cross the street whenever Karl was outside. He growled angrily at any passerby, displaying his sharp the-better-to-bite-you-with teeth. Karl hopped on three legs, his right hind leg useless. His disability made him seem even more formidable, somehow. I was scared of Karl and carefully kept my distance.

One summer day there appeared some new kids on the block. They were the visiting cousins of some neighbor kid. I’d begun hanging out with them when they noticed Karl. They began to tease Karl. They yelled at him, called him names, and harassed him by running towards him, then retreating. Karl was terribly upset. He hopped back and forth, and pursued them until the end of the chain jerked him backwards. The three boys giggled hysterically at their prank. Again and again I watched them, trying to stop them, not knowing how to stop them. Things escalated. The boys began picking up rocks to hurl at the chained three-legged dog. They pelted him. Karl yelped as a big rock hit him in the head. I was horrified. Karl’s pain excited the boys. As they were grabbing more rocks to throw at the dog, Hannabelle appeared for the first time. Hannabelle stepped between the boys and the abused dog, putting her life on the line to protect Karl, knowing that she was about to be beaten up by the eleven year old and two eight year old boys who started aiming their rocks at her. There was no contest. I was just a little girl - only four years old. I accepted my fate and prepared to die.

As I foolishly took my stand against the older and larger bullies, suddenly they turned tail and ran away. It wasn’t me. Being cowards, they fled when Karl’s owner came charging out of the house meaning some business. I was so scared that I started to run too. But he called me back. He’d watched me trying to defend Karl against the big boys. He was a nice man. He explained that Karl had been crippled after being hit by a car and was terrified of strangers. Karl wasn’t mean at all. I was delighted when he introduced me to Karl and instead of biting me, Karl wagged his tail and gently licked my hand. It seemed that Karl knew I was different from the other kids. Karl and I became friends that day. Of course, I had to cross the street to avoid the visiting cousins whenever they were in town, but then I didn’t mind. They were cruel boys and I didn’t want to play with anybody like them. They were mean. Karl was a much better person than they would ever be.

And Hannabelle? She’s been defending three-legged underdogs and fighting rock-throwing bullies ever since. I wouldn’t have it any other way.





Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Infested

"Among the oldest known parasites, tapeworms are considered humanity's largest intestinal inhabitant. They each have a scolex (head) that attaches to the intestinal wall. As long as the head remains attached to the intestinal mucosa, a new worm can grow from it. Tapeworms do not contain [their own] digestive tracts but get their nourishment by absorbing partially digested substances from the host. They are whitish in color, flat, and ribbon-like, with a covering that is a transparent skin-like layer."
NEXUS received 7 years tax abatement from the County of Mille Lacs today.
Nuff said.

Monday, December 3, 2007

Nightmare on 100 N Elm Street

Probably everybody has experienced a scary nightmare. So you might be able to relate to this. I had one heck of a doozy last night, well... early this morning. I guess it woke me up. I don't remember much about it except that it was a horrible "pursuit" nightmare where I was being chased by someone or something - and that it would be best if he/it didn't catch me. A paranoid nightmare... Hmmm. That reminds me of the old saying: "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you." But fortunately my nightmare dissolved into morning- a vague memory. "Freddy Kruger" went back to Elm Street.
All should have been well and good ... except... my night-time nightmare pales in comparison to my day-time full-time real-time nightmare. Now I day-dream that this day-time nightmare will go away soon.... back to 100 N Elm Street where it came from.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

The Christmas Puzzle

Kids today can't hardly imagine what life would be like without computers, Nintendo and Playstations. Not only can I imagine, I remember. When I was growing up, we had to entertain ourselves non-electronically. My sister and I rode horses, trained and showed dogs, ice-skated and skied in the winter and went swimming and biking in the summer. Everyone read books constantly. We played music and painted pictures. My family also loved to play games. We'd play cards and all the traditional old board games such as Sorry, Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit. Boggle was a family favorite. My father and I played lots and lots of chess. But one of my fondest memories was when the four of us would gather around the table to put together a great big brand new jig-saw puzzle, the more pieces the better. I can still hear my dad: "If you have to use a hammer, it doesn't fit."



If you have to use a hammer, it doesn't fit.



Of course, Dear Readers, you know what brought this to mind. For the past eight months, we've all watched as the Onamia City Council have picked up their hammers and pounded relentlessly at the NEXUS relocation to the 38.81 acres. They've pounded and pounded and pounded some more. And still... it doesn't fit.



The 38.81 wasn't for sale. pound pound pound! They had to convince Steve Bye to sell it.
Get Bill Hill's kid to write up a purchase agreement. pound pound pound! It was faulty and would have to be done over - (twice).
Steve didn't own the land. pound pound pound! They had to get the signatures of the owners in Massachusetts.
There was evidence of tax fraud on the property. No pounding here. Just ignore that piece.



The 38.81 wasn't in Onamia City Limits. pound pound pound! They had to annex it from Bradbury Township.
We the People opposed the location and petitioned against their forced invasion. pound pound pound! They made their own counter-petition, collecting signatures from Ringers from far away places.....
Their petition is bogus.
We the People protest and oppose at every "public hearing". Throw that piece away. aye aye aye aye aye
Wetlands. pound pound pound! Adjust the building plans, tear down the forest. The annexation was faulty and had to be done over. pound pound pound! And now, spot zoning! POUND, POUND, POUND!


Oh it just goes on and on and on. This has been a faulty puzzle from the beginning. I remember a prank my uncle pulled on us one Christmas, years ago. He had himself put a puzzle together, then removed every other piece and mailed them to us. No two pieces fit! Without the original box, we had no idea of what the picture was even supposed to look like.

Well, unlike the Onamia City Council, we quickly realized that the puzzle couldn't be solved. We didn't use a hammer to try to put it together. Being bright people, we realized it was a joke. When Nexus didn't fit into our neighborhood, the city council just pounded harder and harder until finally they have forced most of the pieces together. Certain pieces of the puzzle, like OUR RIGHTS, have fallen to the floor, to be left out of the picture. So you might imagine how the picture is turning out - ugly, bent, and making no sense.

But they're proud of "solving" this puzzle.... (sigh)

What's wrong with this picture? If you need a hammer, it doesn't fit.

Friday, November 30, 2007

Whack and Sack

Oh how I hated having to attend the Well-Isn't-That-Special Meeting at City Hall on Wednesday. I wanted to be at the hospital where my mom was undergoing emergency surgery, but as Maxine pointed out to me: You don't always get what you want. In my case its more like: You never get what you want. (I should have been born a sex offender facility. They always get what they want.) What kind of daughter would be 60 miles away at a city council meeting rather than in the hospital waiting room during such a traumatic time? One whose mother strongly commanded in a tiny weak voice, "Go to that meeting! Save our farm!" What could I do? I've tried to explain to Mother that Milton's Mob condemned us to suffer the Sex Invaders and our former freedom is forever fucked. But my mother is an Optimist. She still thinks we can stop them because she still believes in the Power of Good triumphing over Evil. Under the circumstances, you have to admire her spunk.

Before the meeting, Onamia City Councilman Mark Loch surprised me by asking about my mom, sympathetically wishing her well. That act of kindness nearly bucked me off my high horse, except that he turned right around and made a motion to give NEXUS the sun, the moon, the stars; whatever it is they want today - and then voted "AYE" to fifteen years of tax abatement. So virtually, he voted to enable the company that's hellbent on taking away Mom's reason for living. (I wonder if he would do the same to his own mother.) I'm not over-dramatizing here. That is how we feel. We don't want the government forcing sex offenders upon us. It is horrible! We don't even want to live here anymore. We don't want to live with people who are capable of doing what they are doing to us. Our lives are ruined. But we can't pick up and leave either. Its taken thirty years to get the farm the way we want it. It cannot be replaced. We're too old to start over again. Besides, like NEXUS, we have no other place to go.

So, although I was almost moved by Mark Loch's concern for my mom (almost fooled), it seemed to me like somebody commenting "Oh look at that poor old dog" just before they run it over with their car. Let's face it - Mark has never ever even remotely tried to swerve... He's aimed his car at us poor old dogs each and every time.

After the council finished kneeling before NEXUS and performing service for Poopsie, negotiations began on the Corporation's purchase of the 38.81. They dickered a little about the $10,000 building permit and other little odds and ends. The question of water and sewer hookup was raised. Its a pricey proposition for anybody to hook up. And for the Largest Building Project in Onamia's History, there's a lot of money at stake. The City wanted NEXUS to pay for WAC & SAC. Poopsie wanted The City to pay for SAC & WAC. I'm pretty sure that they're talking about Water Availability Charge and Sewer Availability Charge ... (how much it costs to hook up to city water and sewer.) But which came first? The water or the sewer? Is it WAC & SAC? Or is it SAC & WAC? (If we could vote, I'd pick WAC & SAC. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?)

Here is a perfect example of how Poopsie deceives - IN MY OPINION, MR. MANDERFELD. (You were there. You witnessed it. ) Poopsie indicated that there would be no further strain on the Onamia sewer system since they were only transferring shit from one location to another. (Yes, I'm exercising artistic license by PARAphrasing...) Shit from one location to another.

But here again, what Poopsie said is NOT TRUE. It might be, if Crosier were to close its toilet lids forever, but they aren't doing that. For all we know, Crosier could replace 94 juvenile sex offenders with 94 Catholic priests. There's no way of knowing what the future will bring. It could be double the shit. Also, at the new NIMBY location, Poopsie promised a whole lot of extra brand SPANKING new employees. More shit.

Can Onamia handle all of this shit?

The current sewer system may not be capable. And then you also have to consider the Ball Park housing development, as well as private homes being built next to Bill Hill's house. They're talking a bunch of shit.

It would be pretty funny if after everything we have done to try to stop the Space Invaders it screeched to a halt because of WAC & SAC. But this is no laughing matter... The city of Garrison had to place a moratorium on building because of its out-com-moded sewer system. Maybe Onamia will have to consider more than who pays for the $14 million dollar academy's WAC & SAC and consider who will pay to upgrade the entire sewer system for the entire town. (Oh oh oh! I know I know!!!! It will be We the Taxpayers! How much you wanna bet???)

So much for tax abatement... NEXUS scores again! Do you see why we need a PLANNING commission in Onamia? We need to PLAN. Because, let's face it folks, we can't handle much more of NEXUS and their shit.
WAC & SAC or SAC & WAC.... When it comes to Water And Sewer Hookup, its all a WASH.
***********************************************
I heard that Poopsie is spending January in Palm Springs...
Then he IS retiring from NEXUS?
Don't know. You can never get a straight story from those NEXUS people.
But he's spending a month in Palm Springs?
And then in March he's going to Italy.
Italy! How nice for him.... After ruining everything for Hannabelle, her family, and all the Neighbors, he pulls out his Golden Parachute and just sails happily off into the sunset...
Yeah, leaving them with his shit!
That's not very nice of him.
Yeah. What an asshole!
Shhhh. Careful. He'll sue you!
In my opinion, Poopsie is an asshole. Will that do ye?
That will do me just fine. Thankee sai. Although I might dare to argue that it is a fact...

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Through the Night

I can't sleep. My mom is going back under the knife tomorrow. Things haven't gone well for her and another surgery is necessary to correct some complications... Isn't that how they always put it? Complications from surgery... I'm worried sick. My mom is a sweetheart. The first thing she said to me after waking up from the Grand Filet (her last surgery) was, "Hi. How are you?" The last thing she said to me tonight was, "Take care of yourself." She isn't from the "Me Generation".

*

I've been trying to rest because tomorrow will be another very hard day and I'll need to be strong. But I keep thinking about my mom - and my anger towards the Hegemonists is a level ten on the old Loath-o-meter. (If that Pronexus goon who keeps threatening me were here right now, I'd invite him to "go ahead and make my day..." I'm in a mood!) And I keep thinking back to my first conversation with Poopsie when he used several tactics to try to manipulate me. I think I wrote about that previously. He used the "Friendly Approach", the "Fatherly Approach", the "Flattery Approach", etc. But he also said some pretty nasty things, including "There must be really BAD PEOPLE in your neighborhood!" .... Yeah right. Why? Because we fight against Space Invaders who don't abide by the rules as they force themselves down our deep throats? That makes us "BAD PEOPLE"? Well, I'm not overly fond of all of my neighbors, but I don't think there's a sex offender in the bunch and to my knowledge everyone PAYS THEIR TAXES, so I think that's a little Pot calling the Kettle black, don't you? In psychology 101, the term for this particular defense mechanism is "Projection". Look in the mirror. The fact is: WE DON'T WANT BAD PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!!! That's why we certainly didn't invite you.
*

My mom and I disagree about the sex offenders. I actually think they need some sort of treatment - just not in my backyard. Not here! She thinks they should be punished for the harm they have caused their victims. They are convicted sex offenders, after all. She doesn't think they deserve a $14 million dollar facility. (She's sweet, but not one to coddle.) I'm starting to be swayed to her way of thinking. To tell you the truth (and I always do), I don't think NEXUS or its sex offenders deserve anything but a boot in the butt, a foot in the fanny, a kick out of the county.
*

It makes me so mad when the Pronexus try to pass off the PTBs as "normal" kids. Do you know what the difference is between a normal, curious (horny) adolescent experimenting with his up-and-coming sexuality and these sex offenders? The offender has caused harm to someone he has victimized. This is not a case of "you show me yours and I'll show you mine." The sex offender HURTS people! The offender usually realizes what he is doing is wrong. He forces himself on his victims for his own gratification without consideration for his victims' feelings. Rape isn't about sex, its about Power. He lacks empathy for his victims. He doesn't accept responsibility for his actions, or he justifies his crimes. He might even blame the victim. Or he might bribe and manipulate his victims. He may use the same tactics Poopsie tried to use on me during that famous first conversation... (Not that Poopsie tried to bribe me. No new truck here...) The offender gets off on being in Control. And very often, he threatens his victims with: "If you tell, I'll sue you!"

No wait. That's NEXUS that does that.

The sex offender often threatens: "If you tell, I'll KILL you!"

No wait. NEXUS does that too!

[WHOOP! WHOOP! LAW SUIT ALERT! LAW SUIT ALERT! I'm not saying NEXUS threatened to kill me. Let me clarify... Its the relatives of a NEXUS employee who have been threatening and harassing me. I just wanted to make that perfectly clear. Okay, Mr. Manderfeld?]
*
The question is, did NEXUS learn its abusive tactics and harmful strategies from the very convicted clients they purport to help? You have to admit that their methods carry a similar odor. For the past going on eight months, NEXUS has been brutally forcing itself on its Bradbury victims. There has been no empathy whatsoever for us. They are only interested in their own gratification. Its all about THEM. Its about Power and Control. And its all about Money... And what they are doing is worse than the crimes of their sex offenders because NEXUS' offenses are not only condoned but whole-heartedly supported by our government. Our innocent neighborhood has been kidnapped, held hostage and is being GANG RAPED by a bunch of bullies!!! And I can say from personal experience that if we tell we get sued and we get death-threats. Instead of getting STDs, we get PTSDs. But then, maybe I'm just "over-reacting", right Poopsie?
*

This is the company our government is keeping. It intends to keep it no matter what. Tomorrow the Onamia City Council will approve tax abatement for this Corporation which has a $38 million dollar annual budget and made over $4 million dollars in profits last year. The City of Onamia will complete the purchase of the property and start working on altering and destroying our city ordinances in order to make the rape of our neighborhood legal. (Currently it is not.) In essence, the government is holding us down to enable the corporate rape. They might make it legal, but it is not consensual. I assure you, it never will be. This institution's abuse will be continuous and ongoing. It will never end. No Social Services will save us. The calvary ain't coming. And this makes our situation all the more tragic. No one cares about us victims. You know what? If given the choice between what NEXUS has done to me or being anally raped with a broomhandle with country music playing in the background, there wouldn't be much of a contest. Broom. Sweep me up Scotty. I know the damage NEXUS can do. I've experienced their torture for eight months. It is destroying me. It had better not destroy my mom.
*
I can't blame my mom's health crisis on NEXUS, but I know that because of the situation we're in, it is greatly interfering with her recovery. She was happy with her life in Onamia before NEXUS started crowding her. She loved it here. Now everything is ruined. It can never be the same. We will never be the same. Poopsie was right. Soon, there MUST BE SOME BAD PEOPLE in our neighborhood. There WILL be. They're coming here and we can't stop them.
*
Yuck. I feel so violated. So dirty. I think I'll go take a shower now.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Fathers Knows Best

When our Founding Fathers formed this great country called the United States of America, they really knew what they were doing. Those guys were sharp. They understood human nature. They were planners. They wrote a Constitution and a Bill of Rights - complete with safeguards, checks and balances, and so cleverly devised and written that one would think it infallible. Yes, we tagged on a few amendments, some really good ones in fact, but the basic concepts of the Fathers haven't changed in over 200 years - well, until recently...

Whether you favor the Sex Offenders or are for the Neighbors, I'm stunned that there isn't a huge outcry against the city, county, and state governments as well as the NEXUS corporate administration. They have taken a firm, unwavering stance that the "Common Good of the Community" overrides the rights of the Individual. That's right... our government and NEXUS support COMMUNISM. And that is Anti-American. Its bullshit.
Yet, nobody's talking about that crucial point. They only want to talk about how mean we are to the PTBs (Poor Troubled Boys) and the MLA employees whose jobs are more important to the Government than people! A business is more important than our individual lives! If you'd stop and think about it, they don't care about the individual who has the job either. The presence of the Job is all they are concerned with, not the individual person who has it.

What I'm saying is: You Pronexus people think that the Government cares about you? Think again. The Government doesn't care about YOU. It cares only about your job. YOU can be replaced. As can we all... even the Government. Wait until the next election if you don't believe me now.

What has happened to us in our neighborhood will one day happen to you. Maybe they won't dump 94 sex offenders on your doorstep, but rest assured that by giving them this inch, they will eventually take your mile... in some shape or form. So if we lose to city hall, it isn't confined to Bradbury residents and surrounding property owners. Let's put it this way: If NEXUS wins, we ALL LOSE. The Government has overstepped its boundaries - both literally and figuratively. Instead of protecting its citizens, it has decided that All Men (and Women) Are NOT Created Equal after all. They have stripped us of our individual identities. We have been collectively labeled the "Bradbury Idiots" not because we're stupid, but because we are CHALLENGING them as we fight for our rights - rights bestowed upon us by the Founding Fathers who knew a bit more than the shortsighted unimaginative Onamia mayor and his brown-nosing Yes-men.
Is anyone FREE in Onamia? Nope. Some of us are exceptionally oppressed. Others may not be free, but may possibly be purchased - when the price is right.....

Our Founding Fathers foresaw problems with government because they understood that: Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. They planned ways to keep Bad Individuals from gaining too much Power as well as ways to stop the abuse or misuse of that Power. The three branches of our government kept a Balance of Power. A representative government of the People, by the People, and for the People with periodic elections kept Bad Individuals from taking over our country. But there's something else. Something really important which many of us tend to forget... Who is responsible for safeguarding our Democracy? Who is in charge of making Government tow the line? Why - We the People! That's who! And we'd better make darn sure that we do a good job of watch-dogging. Its important.

So anyone who wants to support the sex offenders at Mille Lacs Academy should be scrambling like mad to keep this out-of-control malignant local town mayor and city council from Doning this Deal in this way. Support your sex offenders, but don't forfeit your Constitutional rights to do so. For by forfeiting our rights, you are forfeiting your own. Folks - what has been done here is WRONG! It is Un-American. If you don't speak out against our fascist local government now, when they are changing the ordinances to allow a commercial institution into a residential neighborhood which opposes this travesty... if you don't stop them when they have a hundred sex offenders in their hands, how will you stop them when they decide to dump nuclear waste in your back yard? If we can't stop them now, you won't be able to stop them tomorrow - when its YOUR turn... And then it might be too late for you. Hannabelle? Hannabelle? We NEED you Hannabelle! I might not be able to hear you from my 80 acre wilderness retreat in Somewhere, Canada.

Think about it.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Talking To Turkeys

It's Thanksgiving! What are you thankful for?
New cars? New carpets? New liquor licenses? Money in your Swiss bank account? New paint jobs, snow jobs, blow jobs, your new teaching-to-go job? Sweet deals? Big meals? Land sales, annexation, tax abatement? The new school referendum? Higher taxes? So much time, so much money! Are you thankful just to be alive? Are you thankful for not getting caught yet? So much for you to be thankful for!

We might be surrounded by a lot of turkeys in Onamia, but THANKS to Nexus, the Onamia City Council, Steve and Loretta, and the Pronexus, nope - there's no Thanksgiving at Hannabelle's house this year. All we have to "celebrate" are sex offenders, Loss of Liberty and a whole lot of agony.

And to that we say "No Thanks".

Monday, November 19, 2007

Trump

Shut up and Deal...
Once again the deck was stacked with MLA jokers at City Hall last Wednesday as we sadly witnessed Lady Liberty take another brutal whipping. The Nexus City Council "Public Hearing" was a mere formality, as has become standard policy in Nexusville. Intending to provide what amounts to infinite tax abatement to his Lord and Master, the Nexusville mayor had already made up his mind long ago to toss people's hard-earned tax money into the ever deepening pockets of the corporation he serves. He had already made up the minds of the Nexusville City Council as well.

"We can vote you out!" shouted one outraged citizen. That's more than we can shout here in Bradbury Township. We don't have voting rights over the local government in charge of replacing our democracy with financial fascism, trading the public welfare for corporate welfare, sacrificing citizens - not for the good of the community, but for the good of their own wallets. The faces of the Nexusville City Council will change after the election in 2008. Of this there is no doubt. But once Nexus CGO Milton (Chief Government Official) erects the sex offender's facility, the irreparable damage will be a Done Deal There's Nothing You Can Do About It. If We The People allow them to do this to us, we are handing them a Permission Slip - It says: Here. Do what you will to us. We don't care.
I care.
Poopsie showed up at the Public I-Can't-Hear-You, pulling Aces out of his sleeves as usual. But he didn't fool We The People, at least most of us. Several times he was publicly called out for cheating. But that was to be expected... We The People are quite unbamboozleable by now. We're on to their tricks.

Para Deuces
There were two Nexus employees who spoke at the meeting. What really sickened me, was when one of them, a MLA teacher used her allotted five minutes to try to enlighten us as to the wonderfulness of Nexus, her employer, (which probably made quite a few points with Poopsie... if it do ya fine). While she spoke about not minding the daily commute from Brainerd to work with those poor troubled leaf-rakers, and blah blah blah, I looked around the room, studying the forlorn faces of my good neighbors.

As you know by now, I've lived here for almost thirty years - longer than the young MLA teacher has been alive. One neighbor has lived here for forty years. She is 82. They plan to put violent sex offenders right next door to her regardless of how frail and anxious she might be. Another neighbor has lived in Onamia since 1946 - over sixty years. He and his wife, another life-long Onamian raised their family in Onamia (long before it became Nexusville). Not only does their property abut the building site, so does their daughter's home. The Nexusville mayor disregards their opposition to having 94 sex offenders next door. I saw another neighbor who was born and raised here some five-plus decades ago... His Just-Say-No has been ignored. And yet another set of neighbors who have been here since long before I arrived. Their feelings are insignificant to the Nexus Regime. None of us matter. Period.
$$$
Between us we've accumulated hundreds of years in Onamia!
But we don't have an annual budget of $38 million between us...
$$$

This Nexus spokesperson, who was trying to make a case as to why her job was more important than our lives, our memories, our homes.... well, she started with Nexus this fall. She'd been enjoying her new job at the Academy for just over two months..... and she doesn't even live in Onamia. The President of the Teachers Union had never heard of her, which was.... weird.
$$$
The Nexus City Council in Nexusville seems to forget that we have lived and worked in this community most of, if not all of our lives. Long enough to retire here... We have all contributed to the community - paid our dues and paid our taxes... There is an old movie starring Anthony Quinn called "Nanook of the North." In it, the Eskimos put an old lady out on the ice, leaving her to die. Sound cruel? Onamia puts sex offenders next to our old ladies. Do they seek the same results?
$$$
What do you think? Why should this Brainerd girl's new job trump the rights of good local citizens who have spent their lives in Onamia?
$$$
Why aren't our seniors receiving seniority?
$$$

Could this be a crooked game using a stacked deck with each fixed hand being dealt by Poopsie? What is the name of the game? Minnesota Hold 'Em? Crazy Eights? Go Fish? Fortune 500? War? OLD MAID???
No matter the name of the game, we all know who will win the pot...

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Like Daughter, Like Mother

My mom is a lot tougher than she looks. She sailed through the surgery and is on the mend. Although she's still in intensive care, she is expected to move to a regular room soon and will come home next week sometime - if everything continues to go well.

Thank you to everyone who expressed concern through comments, emails, e-cards, and phone calls. Who knows - Maybe Nexus saved my mom's life... Nexus has turned us all into fighters. Before her operation she said that she needed to survive this surgery because she wanted "to live to see NEXUS go away!"

So her new name is "Strongheart the Warrior Queen". We are so relieved that she is still with us. Of course, it would be a mistake to underestimate this itty bitty little old lady. She's my mom. :)

Thank you again!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

When it Rains

Dear Readers,

I feel lucky that I got so sick last month and ended up in the hospital. Why? Because that was then and this is now - and although I'm not yet up to 100% of my 58%, I am recovered sufficiently to take care of the business - Family Business which has suddenly befallen us. Things would be unbearable if I had my crisis now - because now it is my mom's turn...

I'm posting this here because I'm not sure what will happen over the next few days and if I disappear, you might think that either the NEXUS lawyers or Larry's goons got me. I'd actually prefer that to this... Mom is having triple arterial bypass surgery tomorrow morning, and at her age (84) and in her condition (frail), it is pretty terrifying. I know its going to be rough on Poncho and me.... I can't even begin to imagine how rough it will be for my poor mom! Its not an easy surgery. While she faces this so bravely, my courage has gone AWOL.

For all of you Hannabelle Fans (the Oregonians, Team Hannabelle and all), please think good thoughts for my mom. For all of you Hannabelle Haters (MLA supporters, the anonymice and all), please think good thoughts for my mom. If the spirit moves - and ya feel like praying something nice for her, I guess it wouldn't hurt... During this unexpected and unwanted sabbatical, who knows, I might write up a storm during the next few days - or I might not. But I will try to keep you posted here. Wish us luck!

Thanks,
Hannabelle

P.S. Keep the comments coming. I'll do my best to keep up.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Deja Vous All Over Again

How well I remember that cold, cloudy day six and a half months ago - April 18, 2007. I was out by the pond, looking at the stream outlet, which flowed heavily with the spring thaw. I was in the process of choosing a few more rocks for the beautiful little waterfall when I saw Poncho approaching from the house, his face grim. He shared bad news that NEXUS was coming our way. The academy would be built down our street. I listened to his horrifying report. "Its all over", was my reaction. Its all over.

This is not the first time I've gone through this. I grew up on 5 acres abutting the building site of Armstrong High School in Plymouth, Minnesota. They built the school and parking lot along the back fence, reaching beyond the length of our property. We lost our view of the woods, with Medicine Lake in the distance. Not one of the magnificent old oak trees was left standing. The new school left a huge footprint on the landscape, and an even bigger one on me.


I fought them then, as best I could. But what can an angry, broken-hearted fourteen year old girl do to stop "Progress"? About as much as an angry, broken-hearted fifty-three year old woman, I guess. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Back in 1968, I tried going through the system, but then as now, you can't stop Goliath if you don't have at least 38 million dollars of stones for your sling. At fourteen, I didn't have enough stones to build a small beautiful waterfall. Fearlessly, I stood in front of bulldozers daring them to run me over. You probably know how effective THAT was... Like now, there was no way to stop the destruction. At fourteen, I learned a lot about people and power. I learned that I didn't care much for people in general, and I certainly had no power at all. That hasn't changed much either.

Back then, I watched helplessly as backhoes and bulldozers clear-cut the woods I'd loved; where I'd spent so much of my childhood riding ponies and horses, playing with my friends, studying nature and learning about wildlife. Soon I will watch the similar demise of the Grosslein/Bye woods as they clear-cut and destroy that beautiful chunk of heaven. I watched-will watch the land be flattened into a desert of brown mud. I heard-will hear the noise. I smelled-will smell the dust and fumes and smoke of the burning trees. I cried-will cry the tears. Tears of my youth spilling down my much older face. "Its all over." My heart broke-will break once again.

New roads will be built or widened and paved to accommodate the huge increase in traffic. Stop lights, turn lanes and speed limits will be added. Changes will all happen faster than you can imagine. Someone will manage to buy and annex land west of town to build a gas station and convenience store to cater to MLA employees who commute from Little Falls and Pierz. (You know, all those MLA employees who spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on gas and groceries in Onamia...) To escape, as D'Angelo described as "the traffic, the noise, and the boys", long time locals will probably try to sell their land. In this case, however, who will buy it? Some people may like living close to their kid's school, but nobody wants to live next to sex offenders (except in Onamia, of course). So forget about this remaining residential in the future with the academy here. But perhaps it will work out for Mike and Larry and Bill to build double-wides and trailer houses and more low-income housing after all, along with their industrial park and possibly a commercial district as well.

With my own eyes, I have seen such rapid changes. In Plymouth, however, they built pretty expensive homes and condos instead of what Onamia will build. Onamia is a Title IV place with Title IV dreams. We're not exactly "high acheivers" here. I strongly recommend that everyone in Onamia, especially those who support building the academy west of the Rum, take a "field-trip" to Armstrong High School to see for yourselves. (Of course there are no actual fields left there anymore.) Take 169 all the way to 36th Avenue North. Turn right. Go 1/2 mile. You'll see it on your left. Come home and take a look at the Grossein/Bye property. Imagine it. If you'd rather have Plymouth, either move there or wait four years. You won't recognize this place. A few of us moved here to escape the cities, the suburbs, the traffic, the noise, the too-many people. We love nature and cherish our privacy. We are being denied the choice to sustain our neighborhood the way we prefer. Our rights are clearly being violated by those who do not share our vision. However, it is not THEIR right to ruin things for us. As bad as it was in Plymouth, at least they didn't cheat.

Up until now, the destruction of my childhood neighborhood was one of the major life-altering experiences of my life. And adding insult to that injury, I had to cut through my own pasture to attend the hateful school; that building which shattered my youthful idealism and shaped who I am today. Proponents of that "Progress" which forever ruined THAT rural residential neighborhood, embedded an angry rebelliousness within my heart which has never since seen enough human kindness to counteract the effects; an act so devastating to young Hannabelle, its damage cut a wound in my heart which is probably too deep to ever heal. The wound is wide open now. And of course, I gush freely...

Back then, there were no personal computers and not even Al Gore had thought about the Internet. No one to talk my troubles to. No NEXUS lawyers getting paid to read my blog. So what did young Hannabelle do then? Retreat from society as much as possible. I struggled. It has been a struggle ever since. At age 17 I took off to look for America. I hitchhiked across the country. Between the age of 17 and 24, I made four such trips across the States and Canada. In June of 1973 I caught a ride - just outside of Denver - with the notorious serial killer Ted Bundy. Its a true story best left for another day. I often think of him these days - when I'm being challenged by the Intimidators who harass and threaten me. It gives me strength to say "Ted's dead, but even after all I've been through, I'm still here."

When I was twenty-four, I moved to my current home to begin the Onamia chapter of my life. Of course, that's a thirty year long story. I came here alone and made a life for myself. Onamia became my home. I thought that what happened to me in Plymouth could never happen to me in Onamia. I thought I would be safe here. They say that "Lightning Doesn't Strike Twice."

But its Deja Vous All Over Again!
I feel so young...
I feel fourteen once more.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Her Golden Years, His Golden Parachute

The other day I sent an email to Janet Benway, chairman of the Nexus Board of Directors, pleading with her to consider my mom and how badly all of this is affecting her. My mom is 84 years old. She moved up to Onamia a few years ago to be near us. Mom was happy here, in spite of health problems that cause her a great deal of pain. Now Nexus has given her a different kind of pain. The kind that causes constant anxiety and emotional distress. So much for her "Golden Years".

Today I noticed that Mahoney Law firm was on the Mille Lacs News website again, which can only mean that either they got hooked on it while Nexus was paying them to read it and they just can't stop! Or it means that they are proceeding with suing me. What do you think?

My guess would be that D'Angelo won't be satisfied until I'm dead. Do you think he cares about his sex offenders? Its difficult for me to believe that anyone connected with Nexus cares a hoot about helping boys when they obviously have no qualms about picking on little old ladies needlessly. They don't have to, you know. Doesn't anyone at Nexus care about how they are hurting people? I get vicious hate-mail from MLA employees on the one hand and harsh criticism for not supporting them on the other. Not one MLA employee has shown me a lick of respect or sympathy. Only scorn and contempt in a situation they imposed upon me. The City has no right to annex the property to build a sex offender facility there, and because I have protested, they smear my name in town. They make life as hard as possible for me. Nobody has even said they were sorry about the pain they are causing. They get really mad at me every time I say "Ouch!" It makes you wonder about people...

I'm reminded of something I saw on news awhile back - one of those "caught on tape" things, where we actually saw an armed bandit burst into a store to rob it. The store owner overpowered the thief, trouncing him with a baseball bat he kept under the counter. The end result was that the thief sued the proprietor for assault.

This is how I see Nexus. They trespassed into my "store" to steal my stuff - my safety, security, happiness, privacy, peace and quiet, my LIFE, to threaten my family, run down my property values, ruin my reputation, destroy old friendships, MAKE ME SUFFER and when I trounce them a little, they sicc their lawyers on me and sue me.

So sue me. Frankly, I'm surprised you're not suing the old ladies and the neighborhood children while you're at it. Nobody here has anything good to say about Nexus. Its not just me. Nobody here wants you. But really, I hope that you will leave them alone. I know you will show me no mercy, but please don't hurt the others anymore than you already have. Since you can't seem to fathom that all of this is YOUR OWN doing, blame it all on me. You can stand before the judge and say, HANNABELLE SHOUTED THIEF WHEN I WAS ROBBING HER! THAT'S NOT FAIR!

Will the people of Onamia support the corporation going after one of their own? Hey, they already have. How dare you sit in your house writing about a building you've never been in! How dare you come to my house univited, MLA BITCH. Onamians are willing to pay higher taxes so Nexus won't have to pay any. They're willing to provide D'Angelo with a nice fat paycheck and a big comfy retirement - a Golden Parachute. How stupid can it get in Onamia? How mean and nasty? How cold can it get? Not as cold as D'Angelo's heart. See you in court.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Follow the Leader?

One has to wonder who is running the show in Mille Lacs County. We've already seen that Nexus is in charge of the city of Onamia. D'Angelo says: JUMP! and Larry Milton asks: How high? Bob Mickus asks: How far? Jerome Kryzer asks: Do you want one jump or two? Mark Loch asks: You want fries with that? And Bill Hill: First let me kiss your royal ass Mr. D'Angelo before I jump from here to eternity in order to serve you. Yes. We have certainly seen the city officials turn over their power, (as if being president of a company makes him dictator of our town.) Some people would say that the mayor and city council have "sold out". I just think it makes them look weak and foolish. They embarrass me.

But will the County Commissioners succumb to the pressures imposed by this offensive multi-million dollar corporation as well? Will they cave in to the sex offenders? Will Nexus succeed in bamboozling them too? Or do they have the balls to stand up for our citizens... We shall have to wait and see. They do not have to give NEXUS anything. The tax abatement policy states that the commission retains the right to reject any application. They should reject this one.

I've heard that both the city and the county board are afraid that if NEXUS doesn't get tax abatement that they will leave the county. They actually think that it would be a "Bad Thing" if the sex offenders split. (After getting to know the NEXUS folks, I have no qualms in saying that THEY are the Bad Things. These people are unscrupulous. They are using and abusing us. But that's just my educated opinion...) Anyway, when told that NEXUS WILL NOT LEAVE NO MATTER WHAT, the officials have said, "You don't know that!"

Yes. I do. Its pretty obvious.

If NEXUS had somewhere else to go, wouldn't they be flaunting it? Its not the kind of thing they'd keep secret. They are players. They would be using it as a bargaining tool, just like they did when they were playing Brainerd and Onamia against each other. (Brainerd won. Onamia lost. We're stuck with the perverts. We're also stuck with the sex offenders...) No. NEXUS has no place to go. Nobody wants them. So what does all of this tough talk mean?

Its the Mille Lacs County World Series of Poker and NEXUS is BLUFFING! Larry Milton and the city council have all folded. Will the County Commissioners call? If I were Queen, I would recommend raising. Make them pay their property taxes AND donate a city swimming pool to the school. Make them earn their keep. Why? Because they have millions of dollars of chips - and they don't have a winning hand. Not even ace high. That's why.

D'Angelo should be asking Mayor Milton what NEXUS can do for the town of Onamia. They should be jumping at the opportunity to support the town - starting with paying their damn taxes! They should be proving to the community that they are worth the space they take up, the air that they breathe. They should be asking how high WE require THEM to jump in order for us to allow them to remain in our community, making their millions here.
Its hard to understand why Mille Lacs County and the City of Onamia would just passively push all their chips into NEXUS' huge stack without even making them show their cards, especially considering that if NEXUS goes all in and loses, there's always another player ready to sit down at the table. We don't need NEXUS in our game. NEXUS needs us. Nobody else will play with them. (Maybe because they cheat...) Its too bad that we lack the strong, smart, BRAVE leaders to stand up to NEXUS and insist that they play honest, that they play fair, and that they play for the good of our community.
___________________________________________________________________

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Smoke and Mirrors




Do you believe in magic?


In the six months that I've spent studying our upcoming sex offenders - (brought to you by "Nex-t0-us", The Sex Offender Company), I've been truly amazed at their unabashed use of "smoke and mirrors" techniques to manipulate any number of people and situations. One can almost imagine Poopsie on stage, dressed to the metrosexual nines, so debonair in a tuxedo and black silk top hat, waving his magic wand with the practiced flare of an experienced showman. Nothing up my sleeve... Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat! Abracadabra! Alakazam! Poof. Smoke.



But where's the rabbit? Oops. Well, I guess that's part of the trick. If you wanna actually see the rabbit, you'd better hop on down to the pet store, purchase one and donate it to Nex-to-us because according to Poopsie, they can't afford to buy their own rabbits.


Wait. I think he was really referring to property taxes. Yes. That's it. Nex-to-us, The "nonprofit" Sex-Offender Company that made well over FOUR million dollars in profits last year doesn't want to spend their money on something as mundane as taxes. They'd rather spend our money... And they already do. Who pays for Nex-to-us' sex offenders in the first place? We do! TAXPAYERS! Who will end up making up the loss of revenue for Nex-to-us' tax abatement? We will! TAXPAYERS! For Nex-to-us, Double-Dipping is a way of life. And apparently they have a very gullible audience. For Nex-to-us, The Sex Offender Company, that's the best kind!



One example of their slight-of-hand techniques is how they have managed to trick people into thinking that the sex offenders (who have been convicted for committing sexual crimes which have caused harm to others) aren't dangerous is to portray them as poor, troubled boys attending an "academy". Of course, not all of the sex offenders are a danger to the community, and some are more dangerous than others, but for the sake of PUBLIC RELATIONS, we have heard that none of the "boys" are dangerous at all. They are just sad and confused. Huh?



One of the MLA employees (one of the angry paras) said that they don't know which "kids" are HIV positive and which are not - so they just treat them all as if they have the AIDS virus. YIKES! So... if these employees are not told vital information about something as important to their own safety as knowing if the disturbed individual in their care is HIV positive, do you really think these employees are going to be told that little Johnny forced a seven year old boy to perform oral sex on him? That one of the little angels gang-banged twelve year old girls? Anally raped a toddler? Guns? Weapons? Assault? Do the "caregivers" hear case histories? Please.... somebody tell us. Other than psychiatric professionals, do the employees KNOW what they are dealing with? Or are they also experiencing Nex-to-us Smoke and Mirrors?



Yes. I'm playing the Safety Card. Go to the Mille Lacs News and read the case histories of some of the former MLA inmates. But more important than that some of them are dangerous, is the absence of public information that people are entitled to. Its kind of like we've been lied to... (your Honor).
Smoke and Mirrors.
*
Mickey: Hey Larry! Watch me pull an R2 zoning out of my ass!
Larry: Heh, heh, heh. Slipped another one by... AYE!
Bill: In my opinion, I question whatever the question is but will agree with whatever answer you come up with, whatever it is. AYE!
Mark: Yeah. Whatever. AYE
Bob: (I sure hope Hannabelle doesn't write about me......) AYE!
Jerome: THEY ARE NOT PRESTIDIGIWHATSIS! AYE!
Jim: (Hook, line and sinker... How could they be so EASY!)

Saturday, October 20, 2007

A Foot in the Stirrup

Dear Readers,

You may have noticed that I haven't been around much lately. This has not been my choice, I assure you. The MLA Hannabelle-Hate Club will be delighted to know that I've been seriously ill, but they will be disappointed to hear that I am probably going to live. I'm out of the hospital and back home. I'm not back in the saddle yet, but I do have one foot in the stirrup.

I don't know who or what the Hannabelle-Haters think I am... some kind of monster who is mean to poor, troubled boys? Wants to destroy the town? Some nasty bitch causing trouble for MLA employees? The ridiculous accusations and irrational hatred towards me - just because I don't want a sex offender institution in my neighborhood - still amazes me. I'm just a solitary disabled old lady who doesn't give a hoot about your sex offenders or small town politics or the stupidity of the city council. The world is absurd. I want no part of it. I'm a hermit. Really, I just want to be left alone. Keep in mind: They invaded my space. I didn't intrude upon them.

Eleven years ago I had a life-threatening health crisis which terminated my life as it was. I lost everything - my health, my career, my "bright future" - and "retired" to my little farm outside of Onamia. During what I call my "internship" at the Mayo Clinic, I learned that when the end comes, as it will come to everyone, all that matters is biology. When you are struggling to stay alive, I mean REALLY struggling, nothing else matters except staying alive. You'd be surprised how little most anything matters in the end. Biology and your loved ones. That's it. All those little things that you've worried about all your life just disappear. Poof. Gone. Insignificant. When the end comes, I can guarantee that Nexus won't matter to any of us. Those sex offenders won't matter. You won't be thinking about the next presidential election. Is it raining? (who cares). What's for dinner? What is Brittany doing today? ... None of it matters. For me, the only thing that mattered was my next breath and that my family was with me. And I survived - with a new perspective. Someday you'll probably understand what I mean.

Larry Milton doesn't realize these things yet. But I'm sure he will find out for himself. Everybody does. Whatever Larry's reasons for doing this to me - yes - to me... I take this extremely personally.... he will find out that the kind of crap he's pulling is meaningless in the grand scheme of things. People speak about making their mark, making a difference, leaving a legacy, etc. I used to call it "peeing on your tree". But you know, it always rains eventually and your mark usually gets washed away faster than you'd have thought possible. All of us will die and almost all of us will be forgotten.

Last week, after being in remission for the last ten years, I had a relapse. I really do blame it on what the city council and Nexus has put me through these past six months. I've been unable to rest. The constant stress of fighting these bullies, of trying to save my neighborhood finally caught up with me, wreaking havoc with my health until finally I ended up in the Emergency Room. Maybe my anger just overpercolated until I blew some internal gaskets! I dunno! But being so sick, I was reminded once again what is important. To me, what matters (beyond biology and loved ones) is that we conduct ourselves with integrity, stand up for our principles, mind our own business and be kind as often as possible. Life isn't about fame or fortune or who has the most toys. Life isn't about "winning". To me, Life is precious and fragile and should be treated as such. Being a good person is what counts.

Nexus, in my opinion, has not treated the people of Onamia with respect or with dignity or as if we are even human beings worthy of acknowledgement. They are rich, arrogant elitists who think they reign over the common little "hicks" in Onamia. They think they can take what they want from us. They feel superior and therefore entitled. They look down upon all of us. Jim D'Angelo told me that the people in my neighborhood are "bad people". That's what he said. The upper echelon at Nexus all think they are better than us. Not just me.... all of us.

Nexus came into my life uninvited. They have threatened to ruin my life, have ruined my life, and there is nothing I can do to stop them. While I was in the hospital, I got a letter from Nexus' lawyers. Nexus intends to sue me for the newspaper and this blog. That's right. Sue Hannabelle for telling the Truth. When I saw them stealing, I pointed and shouted "THIEF!" They didn't like that, did they? So.... look at them. See them for what they are. See their true colors. And pay their taxes for them if they've convinced you that you need them. (They don't want you to see that they need us!)

I have a lot of catching up to do on the Mille Lacs News. I'm the only webmaster. But please be aware that Nexus can't intimidate me into silence. They created a desperate situation with a person who really has nothing left to lose. What are they going to take from me? My oxygen tank? I bet that they would too! I hope they do sue me. I can't wait to go to court with them and let everyone see the big multi-million dollar corporation bully the disabled musician whose trying to protect her 84 year old mother and save their homes. That would be quite a show, wouldn't it? That will be something to live for....

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

What Have You Done For Us Lately?

"Nexus is a source of employment."

Oh really?

Not really.... at least not in our community.
Jobs Schmobs - Just Propaganda
Sure, a handful of low-paying minimal requirements (must be able to life 50 pounds - while wrestling a hefty teenage sex offender to the ground). The job issue has long been disproved and should be discounted. In the Job/Employment criteria - NEXUS DOESN'T QUALIFY. Don't fall for this silly nonsense. It is nothing but one of a few red herrings.



"Nexus spends money in the community."

Oh really?



Not really....
The Shopping Myth
The majority of Nexus employees commute from distant communities. Get real, folks - Would YOU buy groceries at Mr. Hats' in Onamia on your way home to St. Cloud? Or are you going to wait until you reach the Land of Plenty, shopping at Cashwise, or Coborns, or Cub?



So if Nexus doesn't contribute much to the community by way of employment or spending money here, what exactly has Nexus done for us lately? They are a multi-million dollar corporation. The "bosses" all make six figure salaries. They make over a million dollars of PROFIT per year. And for the past 17 years, they have not paid their proper share of taxes (they've already had a 17 year quasi-tax abatement) So.........................



Where is "The Nexus Community Swimming Pool"?

Where is "The Nexus Community Library"?

Where is "The Nexus Trail Center"?

Where is "The Nexus Sports Medicine Clinic?"

Where is "The Nexus Youth Center"?

Where is "The Nexus High School Track"?

Where is "The Nexus Ball Field"?

Where is "The Mille Lacs Health System STD Treatment Wing" donated by Nexus?



Onamia doesn't even have an honorary
"Jim D'Angelo Park Bench"



None of these things exist because
NEXUS HAS GIVEN THIS TOWN NOTHING!!!!



nothing.
17 years of nothing.



But they sure know how to beg. And they sure know how to take. And they sure know how to manipulate people who are foolish enough to buy into the con. How can I say this? Well, because Nexus has not paid its fair share at any time in Onamia. If I'm wrong, SHOW ME THE MONEY, and I will retract my statement. But after 6 months of researching, I can find NOTHING that Nexus has contributed to the community. No wonder the town is falling apart. No wonder good people don't want to move here. No wonder good citizens won't stay. No wonder the school is suffering.
NEXUS HAS NEVER PAID ITS FAIR SHARE OF TAXES.
IF JIM D'ANGELO AND LARRY MILTON HAVE THEIR WAY,
THEY NEVER WILL.



NOBODY WANTS TO LIVE WITH SEX OFFENDERS!

Who are they trying to kid? Nexus has no place to go. They won't leave.

Why give them tax abatement???



EVERY TAXPAYER IN ONAMIA WILL PAY APPROXIMATELY $78 EXTRA PER YEAR IN TAXES - SO THAT A FEW POOR TROUBLED BOYS ARE AVAILABLE TO RAKE LEAVES FOR A FEW SENIOR CITIZENS.
Nexus Immigration
Raking the leaves that your kids won't rake.


The Einsteins at City Hall have set the "tax abatement policy" so that you are eligible to apply as long as your business creates ONE new job.

That's right. One new job = NO MORE TAXES!!!!!!

I encourage you all to apply.

But while you watch the town crash and burn in the next few years, wondering how in the world things could get so bad ... don't you dare come crying to Hannabelle. Don't blame me.... I tried to warn you.