Remember that Mad River Valley "Tweet Up" Round Barn chef Charlie Menard organized a few weeks ago?

The Phineas Gage Band wrote a little "Tweet Up" tune for the occasion.

And here it is, courtesy of MRVTV and Tony Italiano.

Thanks, Charlie, for a great event!

Check our Mad River Valley neighbor-rising pop star Grace Potter's acoustic version of "I Shall Be Released" at that little Tenessee music festival that begins with a B.

Courtesy of that oh-so-hip music magazine Paste. What a fabulous publication.

Thanks for the song, Grace!

Maybe it should be Vermont's new secession anthem.

Release me, oh U.S. Empire.

Ah, Mary.

Paul Starobin's excellent WSJ article on 21st century secession - an idea whose time has come.

 Corporate-politico school reform is worse than stealing ice cream from children.

Earl Morris begins an op ed blog in the New York Times by asking a rhetorical question: "Why do people believe in imaginary returns, frauds and fakes?

Bernard Madoff, A.I.G. , W.M.D.’s … How did this happen? Do we believe things because it is in our self-interest? Or is it because we can be manipulated by others? And, if so, under what circumstances?

Funny that the corporate takeover of the schools in the name of reform is never right up there with Madoff...

From the Twitterverse - some 140 character summaries of the Round Barn "Tweet Up" held last night. Thanks to Candace Page at the Burlington Free Press for her coverage, as well.

Signgal@roundbarnfarm Fantastic tweetup! I expected hors d oeuvres, you fed us dinner! With table linens and $1 ginger ales. Thank U!!!22 minutes ago from web

SigngalMet the @bobbin Mama's at @roundbarnfarm last night, too.They sew, they craft, they make shopping bags out of t-shirts. Terrific!12 minutes ago from web

likebeer@roundbarnfarm If you think you can help with our wedding you can DM or email me what you...

Rochester, Vermont's Marion Leonard turns 100 years old today.

In addition to being the oldest (and wisest) supporter of Vermont independence, she is a stunning example of someone who has lived a life devoted to citizen activism.

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I had the good fortune to interview her two summers ago for Vermont Commons.

Here's an excerpt:

 Rob: Do you think Vermont will ever secede from the United States and become its own independent republic?

Marion: I think the answer to that question...

A polarizing topic but one which requires Vermonters to come together: How can we best meet our energy needs in the future, and how much is that going to really cost? This is bound to be an interesting discussion at the Big Picture in Waitsfield. Wednesday, June 24 from 6-8pm Big Picture Theater, 48 Carroll Rd Waitsfield Free and open to the public Vermonters face a critical decision on our energy future: Vermont Yankee, the state’s sole nuclear power plant, is scheduled to close down on 2012. But the plant’s owners want to operate Vermont Yankee for 20 more years. What does this mean for Vermonters? Panelists will discuss the political, health, economic, and environmental implications of this decision. Adam Greshin, Washington-1...

Good news today.

Vermont Daily Briefing blogger and UVM English professor Philip Baruth announced he is running for a Chittenden County State Senate seat.

He's not a secessionist (at least, not yet) but he's an open, fair, smart, engaging, likeable fellow.

Unlike some other left-leaning bloggers who live in our once and future republic.

Read his blog at Vermont Daily Briefing.

And, by announcing this early, with 17 months to go, he's indicating that he's serious.

Maybe we'll even have our Vermont Independence...

Here's the trailer for "State of Play."

(Video disabled by request.)

First, a confession and a digression.

 I confess that I hated the ending to this film, an utterly unsatisfying conclusion that gives the phrase “cop out” a new and pathetic yardstick. If I weren’t committed to nonviolent secession, I’d suggest that the scriptwriter be water boarded by the same U.S. government officials who seem to continually advocate the practice for the “evil doers” here in what we call “real life.”

That said (and I now digress), you know a new Hollywood movie exploring the unfolding train wreck that is 21st century U.S. mainstream...