Winter Solstice Greetings Earthlings. The Return of the Light starts on December 21st at 4.02am here in the eastern U.S. You may not be up at that hour but we see there are celebrations at other times. Wiccan priestess, Laura Wildman-Hanlon returns to the show to share with us. Also, Cecelia Doucette, Director, Massachusetts for Safe Technology returns to discuss electromagnetic pollution and what that means to us and all the critters out there. Also, you can take action HERE in support of a bill on Beacon Hill to opt out on this in your home. As always, we will also introduce you to this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and Those Whose Brains Were small" along with our "...of the Week" segments, but first it's time for...... Revenge of the Critters! Maybe don't let the kids see this? Santa attacked by reindeer?? Nah! Fake news.
This week's Fool-on-the- Hill is yet another repeat offender. MAGA walking freakshow Rep. Paul Gosar is at it again in The War Against Nature. Our friends at The Center for Biological Diversity told us: "The most extreme, anti-conservation Republicans in Congress just launched a sham investigation into the Center for Biological Diversity. Why? Because we’ve been an outspoken — and successful — force against a massive foreign-owned mine that threatens the pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness...This “investigation” by Reps. Pete Stauber and Paul Gosar is an alarming abuse of power..The representatives claim to be seeking evidence of “collusion” between us and the Biden administration to reintroduce a ban on mining within the same watershed as the Boundary Waters." Actually, Gosar may be blowing smoke trying to cover for yet another Repugnican scandal. Check it out HERE.
Our Doublespeak of the Week is given to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's remark during an absurd suck-up session at a Cabinet meeting last week: "As the president appeared to be frequently closing his eyes, his secretaries showered him with compliments on everything from his "sacrifices" for the American people to his apparent influence on the weather. "Sir, you made it through hurricane season without a hurricane," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, "Even you kept the hurricanes away. We appreciate that," she continued. 😏 We, on the other hand, would like to see him impeached....again. You?
Their Brains Were small and They Died segment this week goes to former Maine governor Paul LePage and anyone who still supports him. Why, you may ask? How about this from the Progressive Reform Network: "LePage called for gruesome public executions by guillotine, gleefully encouraging guesses on “which hole” severed heads would fall in. LePage told a state lawmaker, “I wish it were 1825 … and we would have a duel,” threatening to put a gun “right between his eyes.” LePage said he wanted to “find the Press Herald building and blow it up”, and that he wanted to “shoot” a cartoonist for the Bangor Daily News." Those with long memories know such comments from LePage are nothing new, what is surprising is that dinos like him are still among us. Also, "Paul LePage — the man who bragged he was “Trump before Trump” — is trying to march straight into Congress through ME-02. And if we let him, we are inviting four-alarm, hellfire-level chaos into the House." Go HERE.
We're willing to bet Paul LePage refuses to believe "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" That said, are we to believe everyone at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency believes it, even though the Administration "has removed all references to human-caused climate change from Environmental Protection Agency webpages, as well as large amounts of data showing the dramatic warming of the climate over recent decades and the resulting risks." Dropping science down His Malignancy's memory hole doesn't make it disappear. In fact, the very act of doing that is a red flag to wave for some in the growing opposition to His Malignancy. He's even losing support in Congress these days. Additionally, the Administration's embrace of AI would be a BIG problem if the bubble bursts. Actually, it would be a problem for most everyone as "More than 200 environmental groups demand halt to new US data centers". The groups "urged members of Congress halt the proliferation of energy-hungry data centers, accusing them of causing planet-heating emissions, sucking up vast amounts of water and for exacerbating electricity bill increases that have hit Americans this year." Stay tuned.
Enough monsters. Let's spread some Solstice joy with our Critter of the Week, Doves. Chirp informs us: "Doves, like pigeons, are a member of the Columbidae bird family, which includes over 300 species. We have at least 15 types of doves in North America, including the rock pigeon and the mourning dove. Typically, doves as a whole are docile creatures with incredible intelligence." You may be seeing a lot of White Doves this Holiday session and for good reason: "Doves are mentioned many times in the [Bible], from the baptism of Jesus to after the flood, when Noah sent out a dove and it returned with an olive branch (a sign of dry land nearby). As such, a dove came to represent peace....But the Christians weren’t the only ones that assign meaning to doves. Many Native American stories feature the delicate white bird in their folklore. The Blackfoot tribe assigned the dove as protector of their warriors, ensuring that they would return unharmed after a battle. And the Aztec and Mexican Indian tribes would use doves in their wedding rituals, seeing doves as symbols of love. In Greek mythology, the dove symbolizes Aphrodite, the goddess of love. This coincides with Mesopotamian myth, which touts doves as conduits of carnal love, sexuality, and war. In the Islam religion, doves hold a special significance, as they were said to have assisted the prophet Muhammed." Presumably Doves don't know or care anything about all that but we do know they care about where they are or getting back to where they were and most of us humans can pretty much relate to that.
Let's end on that note and our Quote of the Week:
“...This is the solstice, the still point of the sun, its cusp and midnight, the year’s threshold and unlocking, where the past lets go and becomes the future."
- Margaret Atwood
After our guests have spoken it's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:
Weekly. Here's what appears to be Indivisible Northampton — Swing Left Western Mass's complete daily listing of all the pro-democracy events in WMass: https://in-slwm.org/wp-content/uploads/Calendar/cal.html. If you're looking for an easy weekday way to jump into the climate movement, you'll love the State House Stand Out! We gather at the Massachusetts State House between 10 am and 2 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Volunteers stand together for 2-hour "shifts," either outside or inside depending on weather, and talk with visitors and State House staff about the Climate Crisis. And This: Western Mass General Strike is hosting drop-in sessions on Wednesdays, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Hadley Public Library for conversation and networking around general strikes and other forms of economic resistance. If you would like to get involved in organizing prior to that, contact us at wmgeneralstrike@proton.me. And This: Every Wednesday, 11am-1pm | Bearing Witness to ICE, Burlington, MA. Stand in solidarity outside the ICE Enforcement & Removal Operations Office. Together, we can show love and support for immigrants, express our shame at ICE, and bear witness to the cruel and unconstitutional actions of our government. Info/Sign Up. Fridays , 11:30 AM – 1 PM thru Nov 21: Stop Citizens Bank From Financing Private ICE Prison Standouts. At Public sidewalks on King Street in Northampton, in front of Stop and Shop Plaza (Citizens Bank has a branch inside Stop and Shop). Register HERE. Fridays 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Overpasses for Democracy Coordinated Visibility Standout, Wisdom Way Overpass on I-91, Greenfield. Join us for a coordinated event where Indivisible chapters across Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut stage a massive bridge overpass banner event. Register here on Mobilize.us. ALSO: De-ICE Hanscom is excited to announce weekly afternoon standouts will take place every Friday from 1:30pm to 3:00pm at the Hanscom Rotary. The Hanscom Rotary is at the intersection of Hanscom Dr. and Old Bedford Rd. in Lincoln, MA. Please park along Old Bedford Road or Hanscom Drive without impeding traffic or blocking bike lanes. Folks can sign up for De-ICE Hanscom's contact list at this link. Every Monday, 11:30am. -12:30pm. Join us each Monday at the VA Medical Center to show your support for our veterans and federal workers. All the cars honking will brighten your day, too! Bring flags, signs, and friends! VA Medical Ctr, 421 N Main St, Route 9, Leeds, MA. Park in the VA Visitor lot or, if you have a sticker or are a Veteran, park in Look Park. Register here. Saturdays: Noon to 2pm. Weekly Standout at Pride for Migrant Workers, Sidewalk in front of Pride gas station, intersection of Routes 9 and Bay Road in Hadley, 25 Russell St. Hadley, MA 01035. & 2 to 4pm Peaceful Protest, Granby, MA Town Green, U.S. 202 & Connecticut 20, Granby. Go HERE
Monday, December 15, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Via Zoom MA State Senator Jo Comerford will offer timely updates, and there will be ample time to hear your feedback and answer questions. Registration is required — sign up here. A reminder to keep hold of the registration confirmation email — it contains your unique link to join the Zoom on December 15. Since we last connected in a Town Hall a little over a year ago, much has changed — in our communities, our Commonwealth, and our nation.
Sunday December 21, 3pm. New Moon in the Valley Winter Solstice Celebration Common Hall, 34 Main Street, Montague, MA 01351-8928. Come join with community in celebration of the longest night and the return of the sun! 12/21/25 at the Montague Common Hall, Montague, MA 3:00 PM. Sponsored by New Moon in the Valley. Bring snacks (ingredients clearly marked) to share after the ritual. Also, in the spirit of Community, we are collecting non-perishable goods for the local food bank.
That's all for another Winter Solstice except to remember to listen to your Mother.
