Obama made a political decision not to hold accountable any of those involved in the torture program conducted during the Bush years but zealously prosecuted CIA veteran John Kiriakou under the Espionage Act for publicly revealing and condemning one of the most horrendous episodes in the nation’s history.

Kiriakou, destroyed professionally and financially for his efforts to hold the torturers accountable, plea-bargained for the 30-month sentence he is currently serving. Whistleblower Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning was given a far harsher sentence for revealing crimes in Iraq in a war that Hillary Clinton supported. If she asks for your vote, you might remind her of Kiriakou’s words before being imprisoned:

“The conviction of Bradley Manning under the 1917 Espionage Act and the US Justice Department’s decision to file espionage charges against NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden under the same act are yet further examples of the Obama administration’s policy of using an iron fist against human rights and civil liberties activists. President Obama has been unprecedented in his use of the Espionage Act to prosecute those whose whistleblowing he wants to curtail.

“The purpose of an Espionage Act prosecution, however, is not to punish a person spying for the enemy, selling secrets for personal gain, or trying to undermine our way of life. It is to ruin the whistleblower, personally, professionally and financially. It is meant to send a message to anybody else considering speaking truth to power: challenge us and we will destroy you.”

That is the message that Hillary Clinton seeks to send to Edward Snowden. Remind her of that when she asks for your vote.

I’m a retiree and depend on the internet for my part-time software development business. It is also my main source of news and technical documentation.

I pay for internet access. It is not cheap when compared to our phone or even gas bills. Because it is available 24×7, I am willing to pay a premium for that convenience and for “best in class” upload and download speed.

Nonetheless, I am not willing to absorb extra fees for “preferred” providers. Fees for content, as is the case with cable television, yes: I pay for content on two news sites, and that’s fine with me. Fees for delivery speed of that content, absolutely not.

The ability to retrieve from and send information to interested parties, regardless of their location or size, is an important part of my online experience. This is especially true for my software development business.

I rely a great deal on the technical community for advice. Slowing down my ability to solve problems for customers has the potential to impact my livelihood.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.

Easy: when you stack it with plastic and paper bags to be recycled or reused.

Decided last night that it was time to put in the bedroom a/c, which has been sitting in my closet for the past year.

It took Ron and hour and half to get it installed, but he persisted, and we had a decent night’s sleep as a result of his labors.

It wasn’t that hard, either, and cost a heck of a lot less than a car wash, even the self-service kind.

Ron’s continued to water today.  His chart is a great idea and has us organized.  The soakers give us a lot of flexibility.  I wish we’d get some rain.

We briefly enjoyed both the state and Popponessett beaches today.

I sprayed the roses, all of them.  Still pulling old leaves off the knock-outs.

Picked up baked goods at the Senior Center.  Dropped brush off at the transfer station.

Got less than an inch of rain from the “killer” storm, so we’ve been watering.

I finished mounting Ron’s dragon tapestry today.  Turned out quite well, I think.

Transferred Carbonite to the new PC.

Sauteed beet greens and Swiss chard today.  Tasted JUST like Nonna’s!  Instead of cooking over high heat, I kept everything at low heat until the onion carmelized.  Ron had a yen for salmon, so I baked it on the grill.

Not exactly Sundays but the days that we do the transfer station run, which usually happens on Sunday.

I’m starting to hate the transfer station runs because inevitably, Ron has some petty criticism of something I’ve done.

It starts with a drawn out “Uhhhh” followed by a “helpful” suggestion that implies a “better” or “more thought out” idea.

Now, I’m an old woman and as it turns out, have some physical issues that result in my tiring easily. Some days it’s enough to get my sorry self out of bed the morning, brush my teeth, comb my hair, and get dressed.

Meanwhile, I have gardens to tend to and other responsibilities, including bill-paying and cooking. I’ve recently finished a couple of pretty big software projects, too.

And being homely, I have to invest a lot of energy in interactions with other people, trying to be as careful as I can not to offend. There are no second chances when you’re homely.

So, when Ron winds up to point out a problem with something I’m doing, I don’t have the energy, either physical or psychic, to deal graciously with it.

If only he would learn to stop.

We just got back from this year’s Fourth of July waterfront fest.

I lost it this year and told the host how much I appreciate his hard work and expense in putting this shindig together, but it’s something that I don’t enjoy.

I’ve known this family for 23 years, and certain members still snub me and/or refuse to engage in conversation.

Family events are hard enough without trying to fit in at someone else’s.

Penstemon
Bee balm
Coreopsis
Coral Bells
Liatris
Stella d’Oro
Delphinium
Day Lily
Hosta
Larkspur
Lavender
Lily of the Valley
Yarrow
Japanese anemone
Roses
Iris
Tulips
Daffodils
Narcissus
Crocus
Hibiscus
Coneflowers
Joe-Pye Weed
Evening Primrose
Wood hyacinth
Blue eyed grass
Astilbe
Gaura
Lavender

Flowering Bushes
St. Johnswort
Hydrangea
Lilac
Potentilla
Montauk daisies
Azalea
Rhododendron
Wisteria