Last week the paper put the Farm Side back on the pay page, so I didn't link.
However, this week it is on the free site again if you want to read it.
***Update: this is the second update. The first was eaten by a stupid pdf site locking up my computer. Have I mentioned that I hate pdf?
This week's column generated more controversy than any in recent months.
Years even!
Seems that some polling places had different details about the new machines than the one where we voted. The phone has been ringing all day with folks calling me about the time it takes to vote and all. Some were in my corner. Some not so much.
It never fails to boggle my mind...I will write something that I consider to be wildly controversial. I will wait nervously for Friday expecting to get it in the neck.
Not a word.
Then I will write something like this mildly tongue-in-cheek diatribe about the changing of NY's voting system to the new, poorly-regarded electronic ones and things go crazy! I am hoping I didn't generate a rash of letters to the editor or get anything started.
It has happened before..... when I least expect it. I once wrote about thousands of crows and starlings and hundreds of turkeys and ducks making a lunch counter out of the feed in one of our ag bags. I called them nuisance wildlife...mostly because they sure seemed like a nuisance to me. A lady wrote a letter to my editorial boss accusing me of wanting to take out little old ladies ...and not to lunch either. It took me several months to even think of a reply to her and I am sure my boss got a good chuckle out of it... all I wanted to do was write about how funny Mike's reaction was when I took him up there in a snow storm to herd them away. He is a dog who thought nothing of hanging off a bull's nose until it went where he wanted it to, but he was plumb scared of all that poultry.
Anyhow, time factors aside, and all kidding aside, there is good reason to be concerned about the new electronic voting machines.
Here is one story.
Here is another.
And another.
And more.
Yet another
Another
Still more
More
And I still can't find the article I used for my research. That will teach me to delete bookmarks!
About Me
- threecollie
- Embracing agricultural diversity, one species at a time. All rights reserved
Well. Please keep us in the know about how to go about keeping our voting standards in NYS.
ReplyDelete~Joce
Joce, I hope there is something that can be done, although I am afraid it is too late. The mean green machines are not infallible either, as it is easy to set the votes back when they are being tallied, but I think the new electronic ones are going to bring a lot of grief. They have certainly caused problems in a number of other states.
ReplyDeleteYou are so funny! Not knowing what will spark response from readers is the story of my life. I've written such funny stuff...as far as I was concerned and some readers didn't get the joke and read me the riot act. Then other times I've be outraged and written something....not a word for anyone! People are so strange. My best controversial columns have been on stay at home moms, gay cowboys, coyote hunters, President Bush and llamas. Who would ever guess? They say controversy is good for columnist....I don't like it though!
ReplyDeleteMelissa, thanks for leaving a comment on this. Glad I am not the only one. I hate to get anything started and end up on the defensive, but I am opinionated as all get out. Still the ones that get people all fired up are never the ones I expect to. I am hoping the phone doesn't ring any more. lol
ReplyDeleteAnd Llamas! Who would ever think that would cause problems?