2016 Thank God it's gone

Looking back on the year just past the big thing of course was the election, which Trump won even with only about twenty-five percent of the American citizens voting for him. Now contrary to what most people believe the United States of America is not a democratic country it is a Republic in which the elite Corporate leaders select the President, and Senators. This year there was a little twist the Russian elite helped the American elite select our new President Trump.

          The people that did vote for Trump were fewer, but in the right places. Now I had thought that they were all voting for Trump for just White superiority and that was a big part of it following our first black President. When talking to some of Trump supporters most of them say they voted for Trump because he spoke his mind, but that they didn’t believe he meant what he was saying. So all you have to do to get their vote is say nutty things with a strong voice.       

          The Media especially the twenty-four-hour news networks put on Trump contently which went along way into making 2016 annoying year. The Media did a lot to get Trump elected and the fact that the media is owned by the Corporate elite is very telling.     

          Other than politics there seems to be a lot of Celebrities that died including Carrie Fisher with her mother dying just one day after her, so you can die of a broken heart    

Working together or not!

There seems to me to be two basic systems of human society, first one is where the many work to benefit the few. The other is where we all work to benefit the whole society. I know that is way over simplified, but as I said that is only the basic principal. One of the problems of people working together for the benefit of the whole is that people are not born equal some have more talent than others. So, the question most asked is “Why should I work for the benefit of someone that does less” that is a good question.

The way most societies have answered that question is by going with the first option, most people working of the benefit of Royalty with just enough to keep the rest happy enough to keep benefit Royalty. Now the Corporate elite have replaced Royalty, but the effect is the same give the people just enough to survive and direct the blame for their plight on others that are different than them.

The second option is not perfect either, but it benefits more of Society so I think it is the better of the two options. One thing people don’t like about the second option is that it comes with Rules, lots of Rules. Rules to govern human behavior which has we said is not perfect. Everyone must be made to contribute per their talents and everyone gets the benefit of the whole work force. Now no one has come up with a system yet that will not work without leaders to directed it, that is another reason for rules passed by a consent of the majority.   

Trump is just another bump in the road forward

The discussion among leaders of the later part of the eighteenth century was between one-person rule or some form of democracy would work. They all agreed that in the past there were some great rulers and that letting the people rule would end up in chaos. So, they came up with a plan of pretend Democracy which would still be rule by an elite class, but let the people think that they have a voice, that is the Republic system we live under today.

Maybe this was in response to what was happening in France in the early days of our republic where they ended up with Napoleon. When Germany finally got a democracy, they voted for Hitler in the 1933 elections. So, turning people against their own interest is quite easy like Hermann Goering once said “Naturally, the common people don’t want war, neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood, but the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy, all you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.”

I am still optimistic that democracy can work, but it won’t be easy for we must get it through to all people on this planet that they all belong to the same race, humanity. This is not a new idea humans have been trying to make it happen since we came out of the caves. Those attempts were usually along the lines of if only everyone had the same beliefs there would be peace in the world, that is where the universal church idea came from or for others just through power like the Roman empire today I am hopeful that communications between people have improved to the point the in a few generations the people of this planet may come to understand one another.  

  We are entering a new dark age in that the working class has been told to blame and fear the workers from other countries and that they need their rich masters to tell them what to do about it. All Trump told his followers is to fear Mexicans, Muslims, Gays and that the “others” are taken over their country and he will make America White again. The Progressive movement must organize to fight this backward movement. Then move forward with Public Education from Kindergarten to two years of college, Socialized Medicine, reorganize unions to be more effective against the modern global corporate world.      

Babylon Long Island in 2012 Photos

Babylon Long Island

by Richard Boyle

Babylon was named after the ancient city of Babylon in the middle east in 1803 by Nathaniel Conklin. Babylon became a town in 1872 and is one of the five towns in Suffolk county New York.

Montauk Highway 27A is called Main Street as it runs through Babylon village with its littles shops it is one of long Island's nicest places to visit.

Presbyterian Church of Babylon on Main Street Built in 1839

Yorkshire puppy in the Window of one of Babylon's Main Street shops

 The main intersection of the Babylon Village in Main Street 27A and Deer Park Ave

 The Tidewaters Tavern on the corner of Main Street Route 27A and Deer Park Ave Babylon

Deer Park Ave in Babylon Village Photo taken in 2012

 Looking down Fire Island Ave from Montauk Highway (Main Street) 27A Babylon

Movie house in Babylon with price like $8 for Adults, $7 for Seniors and $6 for Children

The Old Town Hall for Babylon Township before it was moved to Sunrise Highway (27)

 The Chase Bank in Babylon Long Island

 Movie house in Babylon with price like $8 for Adults, $7 for Seniors and $6 for Children

 Babylon Main Street Dinner turned Asian restaurant.

 Babylon Village Historical Society Building on Main Street

 Babylon Village Historical Society Building on Main Street

 Babylon Municipal Building on Main Street Route 27A

The Coldwell Banker Building on the corner of South Carll Ave and Main Street (27A) Babylon

A Statue of Robert Moses Who did a lot for Long Island like building State Parks with Parkway leading to them 

 Flower Bed near the Babylon Municipal Building on Main Street in the Village of Babylon

 Flower garden of the Babylon Municipal Building on Main Street (27A) in Babylon Village

 The Astoria Savings Bank of Babylon on Main Street

Babylon Villiage Memorial Garden for the people who died in the Attacks of 9/11/01 

Babylon Village Memorial to the People who died in the Attack on the World Trade Center in Manhattan

 Revolutionary War Memorial for Capt. Joel  Dook in Argyle Park Babylon

Argyle Park with Argyle Lake and mini waterfalls in Babylon 

Another view of the Argyle Park with Argyle Lake and mini waterfalls in Babylon 

 Mini waterfalls from Argyle Lake Park in Long Island Village of Babylon

 beautiful home that boarder the Argyle Lake and Park in Babylon Village NY

 Across Montauk Highway (27A) from Argyle Lake Park  is a Canal going out to the Great South Bay

Argyle Lake with play grounds along its eastern shore line.

 The western shore of Argyle Lake Park has beautiful homes of the more fortunate Babylon citizens.

Pathway around the beautiful Argyle Lake Park in Babylon Village Long Island 

 A Swan likes the beautiful back yards of the Argyle Lake homes in Babylon Village.

 There are little narrow streets on the western shores of Argyle Lake with some nice homes

 along the narrow streets of Argyle some of the home have beautiful gardens

Spring is a colorful time among the Argyle Lake homes of Babylon NY

 New York Telephone (Verizon) Company's Central Office providing phone service to the Babylon area.

 Another View of the Verizon's New York Telephone Company Babylon Central Office which provides phone service to the Babylon area

 The old New York Public Works Building is the home of the Greeman Pederson Inc in 2012

The First Baptist Church on Montauk Highway (27A) 

 Outdoor concert area across from Argyle Lake Park in Babylon Village NY

 There are some beautiful tree lining Montauk Highway/Main Street (27A) in Babylon Village NY

 The beautiful Mini Waterfall have become a symbol of Babylon Village

 An old store on one of Babylon's side streets, Looks abandoned, but hopefully someone will restore it to its former glory

 Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church and School in the Village of Babylon Long island NY

 Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in the Village of Babylon Long Island

 The Babylon High School in downtown Babylon Village Long Island.

 Deer Park Ave Babylon with the shops open for business

 Looking North on Deer Park Ave Babylon Village Long Island NY.

Looking South on Deer Park Ave Babylon Village Long Island NY

Amityville Long Island in 2004 Photos

2004 Photos of Amityville Long Island

by Richard Boyle

Park North School in 2004

 I believe it was built around 1898 and once served as K to 12 for the Surrounding area as far away as Seaford. When I went there 1947 to about 1951 it held the First to third grades. I remember the there was a little gym with a stage on the second floor. The building had a fire sometime in the late 1950’s and the fire door automatically closed limiting the fire damage, amazing everyone for the doors were installed fifty years earlier. I remember having to go down the basement of the building where they looked at our head with a blue light.

Park Central School in the year 2004

Park South School as of 2004 Which was Amityville High School from 1932 to 1953

Amityvlle High School as of 2004 has been the High School since 1953

Amityvlle High School as of 2004 has been the High School since 1953

This building was once called Losi's Corner Grocery Store

The Triangle Building has long been the symbol of the Village of Amityville.  it is between Broadway (Rt. 110), Park Ave and Ireland Place. It houses mostly Lawyers offices and the like.

The Triangle Building between Broadway as of 2004 and Park Avenue Amityville

The five and Ten cent store was always one of my favorite Store when I was a kid I Knew right where they kept to toys. It was probably never a good as I remembered it.

The Security National Bank was a Long Island Bank brought by Chemical Bank which Merged with Chase Bank which it is now.

The Bank of Amityville on the corner of Ireland Place and Broadway became the Franklyn Bank and is now the Amityville Historical Museum

The Village Clock is still there as of 2004

The Village Clock erected in memory of the Amityville Citizens lost in World War One, whose names are on the sides of the clock, which has been a village landmark ever since.

Saint Martin of Tours RC Church as of 2004

The New Amityville Public Library as of 2004

The New Amityville Public Library as of 2004

James A Caples Park near Amityville Beach

Amityville Beach as of 2004 popular beach for generation of Amityville residents.

Amityville Beach as of 2004 popular beach for generation of Amityville residents.

Great South Bay from Richmond Ave Dock as of 2004 The dock at the end of Richmond Ave Amityville was a public dock when I was growing up in the 1940’s & 50’s where Amityville resident would go fishing and Crabbing.

Photo taken in 2004 from the Dock at the end of Richmond Ave and Ocean Avenues in Amityville.