From the field office, comes this weird one, as if many of you hadn’t already seen S. Fred Simmons’ most recent defacement.
What’s different this time is the vandal’s literacy. Supplanting the anarchy symbol and goofy, tagger-style lettering of the preceding spray-painting is a quote from Ayn Rand’s more obscure philosophical ramblings: “The law of identity does not permit you to have your cake and eat it too.” I suspect the vandal chose this quote because it sounds like something a bad sport would say to someone he or she had defeated in, say, a local election – or dodge ball.
Read in context, however, this cryptic quote means next to nothing unless you’re a member of the rarified, crusty, Randian faithful (Alan Greenspan is in this group, if that tells you anything). Some say it has tangential ties to Aristotle, but a cursory, meaningless Internet search for the nature of the great philosopher’s connection to this cursory, meaningless quote turned up little.
The thing that has us a bit puzzled on this one is, it takes some real moxie to climb up and deface a billboard that’s out in the open on Route 40, and has been tagged at least three times before. I’m picturing a middle-aged person, pulling his or her car over to the side of the road, and just going for it – or a young punk reading off a cheat sheet some middle-aged person gave him along with a $20 bill to carry out the misdemeanor.
At any rate, this detail comes to The Dagger from a local journalist, a friend of ours who notes, “The workman who was getting ready to cover up the latest mess told me it was the fourth time he’s replaced the billboard, so the State Farm ad was going to be moved to a higher billboard up in Churchville and a public service announcement put in its place.”
His nameplate removed from the dais, his big black truck no longer parked outside city hall, his 15-foot head no longer greeting travelers from the north, and his Wetlands annexation ally, Sam Smedley, arrested on gun charges, it seems that – for the moment – the only indelible mark Simmons has left on the city from his two years as mayor is the large bell hanging in the council chambers.
Isn't this what is written on the sign outside of Simmon's business?
Enough is enough. I can't stand by and watch this anymore. Why can't everyone get on with life and allow Fred the same courtesy? Fred Simmons has moved on so why can't the people?
Fred, if you're out there and reading this…………..Stay the course.
And guess what? I like Alan Greenspan! We should all take lessons.
Hasn't anyone been reading what O'Malley is doing? If not, pay attention before it's too late. He is hitting the taxpayers and hitting them BIG TIME.
Let's concentrate on Annapolis.
A10Sman
I don't know about you Ditto but I am ready to move to Delaware or PA. O'Malley is doing his best to put this state in a recession. Gee—–all we need now is Hillary.
Yes indeed..its down right depressing. I heard reports that things are unraveling in Annapolis at the moment…we could only wish it would!
(I will have nightmares about the Hillary reference now..ugh!)
I think every Maryland voter should write to their legislatures and tell THEM 'enough is enough.' We are taxed out, almost bleeding, and they want more. How much more is ENOUGH to fund their golden toilet seats?
O'Malley's going to put corporations out of business in the state because of the corporate tax. Next the trickle-effect-put people out of work and into the unemployment lines. Who cares BECAUSE we need more government programs.
Let's all move to Alaska! What do you think Ditto?
I think we should ask Delaware to annex us!!!
hey acrobat don't think that DE and PA aren't watching and wishing. Our loss and their gold.
Ditto,
Sure cold, lots of snow and 6 months of dark. Amuse me.
Hold both of your hands out in front of you. Now fill one up with 6 months of darkness and the other with MD taxes. Which better fits your wallet?
Rocky I tried holding the hands out, im goin for alaska. The taxes are too heavy to hold.
I could be mistaken, but isn't Ayn Rand a favorite of Mr. Simmons. I remember overhearing Mr. Simmons speak of Ayn Rand and following his or her philosophies. I know we should let it go, but…. Could Mr. Simmons have done this himself ( or paid someone to)?
Ayn Rand was a Russian born novelist and advocate for capitalism. I recall somewhere either in a post or in an article written by a dagger columnist of a tattoo that Fred Simmons showed them .It was his first and only. The tattoo was of atlas who Ayn Rand had written a book about called Atlas Shrugged.
A10Sman,
Well put. I wanted to post a similar message. Enough already. Fred accepted the voter’s decison with respect and left in a respectfully quiet manner. The continued vhenom towards him is undue and hateful.
Fred handled the defeat with dignity, but there are some who just cant let it go.
its sad.
Too cold there..and the six months of darkness wouldn’t work for me. 🙂
Everyone should right their legislators, and many have, but unfortunately they aren’t doing their job of representing the people very well. Seems the message is falling on deaf ears.
All said I love Maryland…just don’t like the political polices (and taxes of course!) I want to stay and fight..gotta get the mesage out for the next election cycle!
The vandal could have at least picked something a little more contemporary (and I mean a little). I'm partial to this little ditty from Mike Peters and "The Alarm", "How the Mighty Fall"–plus there's a gratuitous gun reference!
Once you held your finger on the trigger
Now the gun is pointing at your head
Once you reigned supreme
Over all that you could see
Now you walk on the other side of the street
How the mighty fall
Ive seen it all before
From the highest heights
To the lowest of lows
How the mighty fall
Once your words were the first and last on the subject
Now they hang like a noose around your neck
Once you held the light
That could be seen from near and far
Now you fall and stumble in the dark
(Refrain)
Once you held the secrets of the world within your hands
Now youre just another grain of sand
Once you were the first
Revered to the last
Now they talk about your fall from grace
(Refrain)
"His nameplate removed from the dais, his big black truck no longer parked outside city hall, his 15-foot head no longer greeting travelers from the north, and his Wetlands annexation ally, Sam Smedley, arrested on gun charges, it seems that – for the moment – the only indelible mark Simmons has left on the city from his two years as mayor is the large bell hanging in the council chambers."
I don't know Matt…I usually find your posts either annoying or humorous, but truthful at least. For the sake of dramatic flair, you used several images–none of which would have stricken me as an indelible mark on Aberdeen. Perhaps the indelible mark is that you are still writing about him, people are still defacing his billboards and thinking of Ayn Rand, and supporters and haters continue to fill your blogs well past election day??
And oh my god, Dell, the drama continues…gun to your head…reigning supreme…holding the secrets of the world in your hands…wow. He was the mayor of a small city in Maryland that people only recognize when I mention Ripken and APG. I hope it was a joke, but on these blogs, one can never be sure.
Anyway, I have a new one for you all:
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
S.Fred let it go,
and now you should too.
NSM,
It was meant to be a little tongue-in-cheek. But, selfishly, I can't help dropping "Alarm" references whenever I can.
They were a great band. "Rain In the Summertime" (their only song to chart in the US, in 1987)is one of the best, least known songs ever. Ditto "68 Guns."
Unfortunately for Mike Peters and the gang, they penned many songs about human rights and other social issues. They were constantly compared to both U2 and The Clash, two bands of the era who garnered much more commercial success. It seems the quartet was destined to forever remain in the shadow of those two seminal bands. Check out "Standards," released in 1990. Still rockin' my iPod to this day.
"When one enters any intellectual battle, big or small, public or private, one cannot seek, desire or expect the enemy's sanction. Truth or falsehood must be one's sole concern and sole criterion of judgment—not anyone's approval or disapproval; and, above all, not the approval of those whose standards are the opposite of one's own." –Ayn Rand
A is A – well put. I guess they did get the government they deserve.
Sure, let me know the time.
that slogan, was seen on one of fred's election sign's at. post rd bel air ave.prior to election. it was posted on paper and attached to the sign. lower aberdeen L / A. was'nt sad about seeing him go. I'am not sure why but the druggies feared him.
TCB–Atlas Shrugged isn't about Atlas.
Viet Vet–They feared him b/c he was tough on crime, specifically on gang and drug activity. Why would they be "sad" to see him go?
Another 80s politically active group I'm partial to is Austrailia's Midnight Oil. Take "One Country":
Whod like to change the world, who wants to shoot the curl
Who gets to work for bread, who wants to get ahead
Who hands out equal rights, who starts and ends that fight
And not not rant and rave, or end up a slave
Who can make hard won gains, fall like the summer rain
Now every man must be, what his life can be
So dont call, me, the tune, I will walk away
Their later work never measured up to the lyrical mastery of the tracks from "Blue Sky Mining."
Their commentary on Aboriginal rights really makes you think…
The quote is not obscure Ayn Rand at all, rather it is from one of her most famous passages: John Galt's speech at the end of Atlas Shrugged. To put it in context:
"The law of identity does not permit you to have your cake and eat it, too. The law of causality does not permit you to eat your cake before you have it … The law of causality is the law of identity applied to action. All actions are caused by entities. The nature of an action is caused and determined by the nature of the entities that act; a thing cannot act in contradiction to its nature."
It's not at all something that one would say to someone who he/she beat in an election. It's an expression of "I had to be me," or rather, "the people had to be the people."
You may know the old fable of the frog and scorpion. The scorpion desperately needs to get across the river and asks the frog for a ride on his back. After fervent promises that he won't sting the frog, the frog agrees to carry him. All is well until they reach the middle of the lake, and the scorpion stings the frog on the neck. Stunned that he would be killed doing a good deed for his perpetrator, and beginning to paralyze, the frog asks, "Why? Now we both will die." The scorpion answers, "I had to be me."
The people have spoken (or stung) and now we all go down together. The law of identity does not permit us to have our cake and eat it too. And so, as was said, the people get the government the people deserve.
Just for kicks Dell, and because you are on the music tip today…Strangely enough, Atlas Shrugged was also the name of a 90's punk band until they were sued by Leonard Peikoff (the guy who worked with Rand and became what they call his "intellectual heir").
they were very ' happy to see him go. what is of some concern is why aberdeen p.d. has to have incouragement to do there job. I have to admit he was working very' well as a judas goat. the p.d. catches it from all side's. the good & bad.if there is a morale problem at the p.d. it need's to be adressed.
judas goat???! what does that even mean?
ok got it. wikipedia works wonders. he didn't lead the police department to slaughter while his own life was spared. he was tough on crime, heightened safety levels in the city, and was ousted.
http://www.wheaton.edu/learnres/writectr/Resource…
Vet..
"what is of some concern is why aberdeen p.d. has to have incouragement to do there job"
I think you may have misunderstood some other posts on the blog about this, or maybe it asn't articulated clearly.
anyone who does the kind of work that has been done recently in Aberdeen to crack down on the 'druggies' has to be the caliber of person who just 'has it in them'. The difference Fred made was that he seemend to promote and support the tough tactics that so many on here disdainfully refer to as 'beat down squads'. The theme that is coming from the new mayor and others associated with him is one of a 'softer quieter' police strategy and implies a discontinuation of the proactive work that took place with such success under Fred's administration. THAT is what the druggies are likely celebrating and what the motivated officers may be unhappy about. Most of these guys really do want to make a difference and if the leadership does not support, but rather discourages proactive anti crime approach, their hands will be tied.
I hope I am wrong, but fear I am not.
clarifying,
Thanks. I meant the cover of the book by Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged had Atlas on it. Sorry for the mis-statement.
well aberdeen has had it's fair share of problem's with department. illegal drug raid's. no warrant's.under chief portor. officers still employed.officer mac mc cargo. murder's female secretary. no doubt a love traingle, but still murder. portor was quoted as saying' he could not control his officer's off duty.the girl had repeatedly ask for help to prevent his stalking. no stalking law's existed.but there is a law against a civilan carrying a gun on raid's who is not deputized. better known as a vigilante the rumor is.he supposedly was to have shot a pit bull on one of his raid's. if so' he was breaking the and should have been arrested.for dischargeing a fire arm in town limit's. reckless indangerment etc. you can bet if a citizen had done that he would be resting in the hotel hilton.( bel air jail)
A10Sman, Rocky, Acrobat, and Mr. Ditto –
Before you trot off to DE, PA, or AK, be reminded that the only reason law-makers are in Annapolis debating any tax increase at all is that FORMER Governor Erlich (aka "Bob" of the "Bob and Kendall" info-mercial) left Office and the citizens of the State of Md with a $1.7 billion budget deficit. He enjoyed his 4-year feast and left the tab to all of us – including the Party faithful.
Pluto I now know why you were voted off the galaxy –
Ehrilch did not leave MD with a $1.7 million dollar deficit. We are in this mess because Thorton was passed under Glendening without a funding source.
If O'Malley didn't want to increase spending on health care, instate tuition for illegal immigrants, and union subsidies the tax increases would not be necessary.
Answer this why is slots the answer under O'Malley but it wasn't under Ehrlich? The state would not be in this situation if slots had passed during Ehrlich's term.
Acrobat – so let me get the logic here – –
a) Thornton was passed under Glendening,
b) Nothing was done over the last 4 years (under Prince of Darkness' King Bob) to deal with it, so
c) You blame O'Malley for trying to mop-up the mess left by his predecessors.
Finally, slots went nowhere under King Bob because he was above negotiating and trying to strike a deal to win support. It was "my way or the highway," which fortunately led him right back to Arbutus. Remember when he got his feelings hurt and did a public pitty-pout by refusing to talk to the local press? Now, he's on info-mercials clawing his way back to the Office from which he was booted. Pretty bad when an incumbent is tossed.
(its Ms. Ditto BTW)
Glenn Denning and company created a time bomb (aka Thorton)
Ehrilic didn't 'do anything' about it because he couldn't do much with Democratic controlled Senate and House (in my opinion it was poor legislation to begin with and has had questionable if any real benefits – it needs to be undone and some fresh ideas about education need to be explored, but that is an whole pandora's box isn't it)
O'Malley's 'answer' is to raise taxes with an arm twisting, fast and furious 'Special Session' before an actual deficit has been illustrated by an actual 2008 budget, while at the same time raising even more taxes for his socialized health care 'program'
If taxes must be raised, they must be raised (hmm…the Aberdeen residents didn't seem to think so but somehow were justified for hating Simmons for it).
BUT how about some honesty and due process here. A Special Session shouldn't have been called. I am not saying I agree that the taxes are necessary, but what is being done doesn't allow the proper process and public discourse to occur to allow ALL interested parties (those with the cash and lobbying power and simple folks with families like me) to have input.
The final tax package that is emerging hits the poor and the middle class hard right in the face of a recession.
I am not leaving MD, as I said before, but I fear for the near future of this state. O'Malley and company do not seem to care about the long term consequences of the mess they are creating.
Of course maybe by then Ehrlic will be back in and they can once again 'blame it on Bob'
The tax increases are to support NEW SPENDING. Not sure how Bob Erlich is responsible for NEW SPENDING. Pick up a newspaper once in awhile and read something other than the comics.
You are absolutely correct Ms. Ditto! The entire special session is a sham. How can they recommend spending cuts and revenue streams for a budget that has not even been submitted by O'Malley.
Where is the money from the increase in the sales tax going from Jan 08 – July 08? It was not a part of the 07-08 budget. Answer that one Pluto
O'Malley is out in 2010
LTEC,
Sweet pickup on the "Atlas Shrugged" band connection(there also appears to be a garage band in Rockland NY who are currently using this name as well. Looks like they self produced a CD, and they're on MySpace)! One thing I forgot to put in my reply to NSM. Umm, see, music is made up of a lot of different things. Sometimes, a song is written that speaks to a specific event or social condition. The use of metaphors in music dates back as far a music itself.
See, "you're just another grain of sand…" doesn't imply that you are a microscopic silicate. Words can't litterally "hang like a noose" around one's neck. Metaphors. Or is that last one a simile? Dammit, I can never keep them things straight.
"the only indelible mark Simmons has left on the city from his two years as mayor is the large bell hanging in the council chambers."
I just read on another blog posted by "thumper" that the bell has been removed and the final coat of paint will be put on Monday.
Now the citizens of Aberdeen can come to meetings at 7:00 pm and not be reminded of Ruler Simmons. Nothing left…………………good!
He's gone. I wonder how many' sleepness night's fred bennett will have trying to straighten thing's out.
he can rest assured, he is in the spot light.and the eye of the people are watching.
a meeting with the auxiliary police ? sound's to me like he's all ready in trouble.
hopefully' someone will drop in and give us the scoop
No worries – the transition team has it all under control.
hmm…a meeting with the auxiliary police? Any insiders know if any meetings with the full time PD have occurred? Any verifiable activities of the "transition team" or any transition acitivities other than the removal of that bell?
Geeze..what are they waiting for? I thought Bennet (Art) had all the answers? I know he intends on being hands off and all, but wow, the only thing we have seen in week one is the removal of a bell and a rumored meeting with the aux police…
Any other Bennet or "Transition Team" sightings? I thought the papers would be filled with stuff after all the hype from the election…kind of anti climatic, don't ya think?
bennett better be.hand's on he has a depressed police department.more problems. than he can most like'ly handle.
irate resident's, watching his every move' expecting another tax or water bill increase. a council that is not likely' to agree on anything.
I see a lot of for sale' sign's in my area. think maybe there trying to convey' a message.
the haunting word's of fred.
the people only get the goverment they deserve.
What did they do with the bell?
Josh – After all the money spent, all the money in man power…I hear Bennett and groupies are having it removed. I won't be surprised if they don't replace the chairs next as it's obvious they want nothing to do with that S Fred had his hands or butt on. The bell was a nice touch…I hear it may be on EBAY soon.
Good riddance to the bell! Such a waste of taxpayers money in the first place.
I'll bid $1.00 for it on ebay!
Hey Ditto,
Hope you are still out there. You are the only one that is making sense.
A is A.
I'm impressed. I do believe that you have been a follower of Objectivism.
I am here. Just wallowing in disgust at the recent outcome in Annapolis. Complete disregard for the citizens or complete ignorance of economic principals..hard to tell which…possibly its both.
As for the original topic of this blog, and the recent revelations about the 'bell' I find its removal a petty waste of time and money just to make a statement about Fred's departure. You'd think there were better things to address as first order of business for a new mayor.
Polis is what it's about because only in polis is a mans nature realized. Only in political life is the good life for man achieved.
So what is the existence of Polis?
How is Polis an association?
Come on Ditto I have to believe thaqt you can answer this question. If not, then I am……….hmmmm.
Gee Ditto you're not on WIKI are you?
You got me. Polis is a term I have yet to come across. And of course me being me, will not be intellectually satisfied until I find out.
Hope your question wasn't some kind of dig..I don't presume to have endless knowledge, just a pasion for what I know and believe and a desire to learn more by engaging in debate and discussion.
Very cool Ditto. No digs-I promise. I'm just looking for someone who understands the theory of polis.
I too love a good debate or should I say discussion. I and I love talking to a person that agrees with me.
so do your research and check out 'polis.'
Will definately do that. A cursory search hasn't given me enough to go on, so a bit more comprehensive digging is in order.
to be continued… 🙂
A polis (?????) plural: poleis (??????) is a city, a city-state and also citizenship and body of citizens. When used to describe classical Athens and its contemporaries, polis is often translated as "city-state."
The word originates from the ancient Greek city-states, which developed during the Archaic period or they, the ancestor of city, state and citizenship, and persisted (though with decreasing influence) well into Roman times, when the equivalent Latin word was civitas, also meaning 'citizenhood', while municipium applied to a non-sovereign local entity. The term city-state which originated in English (alongside the German Stadtstaat) does not fully translate the Greek term. The poleis were not like other primordial ancient city-states like Tyre or Sidon, which were ruled by a king or a small oligarchy, but rather a political entity ruled by its body of citizens. The traditional view of archaeologists, that the appearance of urbanization at excavation sites could be read as a sufficient index for the development of a polis was criticised by François Polignac in 1984[1] and has not been taken for granted in recent decades: the polis of Sparta for example was established in a network of villages.The term polis which in archaic Greece meant city, changed with the development of the governance center in the city to indicate state (which included its surrounding villages), and finally with the emergence of a citizenship notion between the land owners it came to describe the entire body of citizens. The ancient Greeks didn't refer to Athens, Sparta, Thebes and other poleis as such; they rather spoke of the Athenians, Lacedaemonians, Thebans and so on. The body of citizens came to be the most important meaning of the term polis in ancient Greece.
The Ancient Greek term which specifically meant the totality of urban buildings and spaces was ????, asty.
Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Derived words
2.1 Names
3 Notes
4 Further reading
5 See also
[edit] History
The bounds of the ancient polis often centered around a citadel, called the acropolis, and would of necessity also have an agora (market) and typically one or more temples and a gymnasium. Note that many of a polis' citizens would have lived in the suburbs or countryside. The Greeks did not regard the polis as a territorial grouping so much as a religious and political association: while the polis would control territory and colonies beyond the city itself, the polis would not simply consist of a geographical area.
Each city was composed of several tribes or demes, which were in turn composed of phratries and finally gentes. Metics (resident foreigners) and slaves lay outside this organization. Birth typically determined citizenship. Each polis would also worship a number of patron deities for protection and kept its own particular festivals and customs.
In the East beyond Asia Minor a major instrument of hellenization by Alexander the Great was the polis. He is said to have founded no fewer than seventy cities, destined to become centers of Greek influence; and the great majority of these were in lands in which city-life was almost unknown. In this respect his example was emulated by his successors, the diadochi.
Polis was frequently divided into three types of inhabitants. The first, and highest, “group” of inhabitants are citizens with political rights. Then are the citizens without political rights. Lastly are the non-citizen.
[edit] Derived words
Derivatives of polis are common in many modern European languages. This is indicative of the influence of the polis-centred Hellenic world view. Derivative words in English include policy, polity, police and politics. In Greek, words deriving from polis include polit?s and politismos, whose exact equivalents in Latin, Romance and other European languages, respectively civis (citizen), civilisatio (civilization) etc are similarly derived.
A number of words end in the word "-polis". Most refer to a special kind of city and/or state. Some examples are:
Astropolis — star-scaled city/industry area; complex space station; a european star-related festival.
Cosmopolis — a large urban centre with a population comprised of many different cultural backgrounds; a novel written by Don DeLillo.
Ecumenopolis — a city that covers an entire planet, usually seen in science fiction
Megapolis, built by merging several cities and their suburbs.
Metropolis can refer to the mother city of a colony, the see of a metropolitan archbishop or a Metropolitan area — a major urban population centre.
Necropolis 'city of the dead' — a graveyard.
Technopolis — city with high-tech industry; room full of computers; the Internet.
Other refer to part of a city or a group of cities, such as:
Acropolis, 'high city' — upper part of a polis, often citadel and/or site of major temple(s).
Decapolis, a group of ten cities
Dodecapolis, a group of twelve cities
Pentapolis, a group of five cities
Tripolis, a group of three cities, retained in the names of a Tripoli in Libya and a namesake in Lebanon
[edit] Names
DITTO…A10SMAN…..POLIS…..
If you wish to discuss Ayn Rand then ask the dagger to write about her. Otherwise STICK to the subject!
A is A alright……..one a$$ to another.
Well, the billboard has been replaced. Think anyone has a ladder tall enough to get to the new one?