And The Keynote Speaker At MCLA's Graduation Is....

Se. Kennedy Inspects MCLA's Quad Area







....Senator Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy. Yep, my fave liberal. I'm being punished for all those shirtless photos. A big thanks to arpee (I owe you one) for alerting me to the announcement. Thanks, friend, thanks. From Vice President Steve Green:

To the campus community:
I am pleased to let you know the slate of distinguished individuals who will be recognized with Honorary Degrees at this year’s Commencement Exercises – May 13, 2006.
First, we are deeply honored that Senator Edward Kennedy has agreed to join us to deliver our keynote address. We have received many requests to have Senator Kennedy serve in this important role, and we are delighted that his schedule will allow him to participate in this year’s celebration. Senator Kennedy will receive a Doctor of Laws in recognition of his distinguished career spanning four decades serving as a U.S. Senator representing Massachusetts. Senator Kennedy was first elected in 1962 to finish the final two years of the Senate term of his brother, Senator John F. Kennedy, who was elected President in 1960. ~~Since then, Kennedy has been re-elected to seven full terms, and is now the second most senior member of the Senate. Throughout his career, Kennedy has advocated for issues that benefit the citizens of Massachusetts and the nation – including health care, education, the environment and many others.~Kennedy is currently the senior Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in the Senate. He also serves on the Judiciary Committee, where he is the senior Democrat on the Immigration Subcommittee, and on the Armed Services Committee, where he is the senior Democrat on the Seapower Subcommittee.~ He is also a member of the Congressional Joint Economic Committee, the Congressional Friends of Ireland, and a trustee of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Also receiving Honorary Degrees will be Ella Baff, the Executive Director of Jacob’s Pillow, Alumnus Educator, Dr. Edward Lawton, and James W. Zilinski, retired president of Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America.

President Bush Says Just No To Speedo

President Bush is headed to Cancun for a couple of days of meetings, with Mexican President Vicente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He has vowed not to wear a Speedo. No such luck for graduates at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, where Keynote Speaker Senator Edward Kennedy has refused to take the same vow.

Romney to Card: "Come Home And Run"

Not quite the scenario called by chbpod, but Governor Mitt Romney has reportedly told former White House Chief of Staff, Holbrook, Ma Selectman, State Rep. and GM Vice President of Government Relations Andy Card to come on home and run.....for U.S. Senator against Ted Kennedy. What, you were expecting Governor? Romney is trying to get his girl Kerry Healey elected. I like Andy Card as Governor (not as much as Deval Patrick yet), but it would be interesting, don't you think? We have seen this before with the Republicans--bringing in a guy (Read:Romney) who hasn't really been involved in this state for a long time --all because they are afraid of taking a chance on a woman (Read:Swift). And that ain't happening here. Yet.

Husband On Strike Blog

James Wilson of Redford, Michigan, has had enough, I guess. He's gone public with his wife's lack of "Adult Evening Activities", if you get what I mean. So what do you do in a case like this? Create a blog, what else? His blog profile says it all: "Welcome to the home of America's Most Desperate Husband! I'm on strike because my wife has allowed our children to turn our bedroom into a dungeon of diapers and toys."

Congresswoman Allegedly Punches Cop

According to sources on Capitol Hill, U.S. Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) punched a Capitol police officer on Wednesday afternoon after he mistakenly pursued her for failing to pass through a metal detector. Members of Congress do not have to pass through the detectors, but apparently the officer didn't recognize her, and chased her down. McKinney is turning it into a racial incident, accusing white officers of consistently harassing her. Hmmm. McKinney, McKinney...Oh yeah, she's the one who asked Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff why he should not be charged with negligent homicide because of the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. McKinney, McKinney......Oh, she's the congresswoman who was fined $33,000 and must reimburse as much as $72,000 to political donors after accepting excessive contributions in the 2002 election.Hmm...what else...oh, her father, state representative Billy McKinney, submitted her name as a write-in candidate for a Georgia state house district that she had never lived in back in 1986, despite the fact that she was actually living in Jamaica at the time. She got like 40% of the vote when she wasn't there. Let's see...Hmm..NPR reported that McKinney implied that the Bush Administration knew in advance about September 11 and deliberately held back the information. To go further, The New York Times Lynette Clemetson revealed her comments went even further over the edge: Ms. McKinney suggested that President Bush might have known about the September 11 attacks but did nothing so his supporters could make money in a war. Yep, she qualifies as a moonbat.

Hooters Air Goes Bust, Cites Sagging Revenues

After a three-year run, Myrtle Beach's homegrown airline,Hooters Air ,is bowing out of regularly scheduled air service. The airline will cease its public charter flights April 17 and will run only private charters out of Winston Salem, N.C.

(I wrote that headline, really)

Google Patents Free WiFi

The search-engine giant has developed three technologies for offering wireless Internet access, and advertising, free of charge.

Capeless Challenger Emerges

Knight
"Stasher Kyle"
Defense attorney Judith C. Knight of Great Barrington, who successfully defended admitted marijuana user and keeper of a "personal stash," 17 yr-old Kyle Sawin, emerged as a challenger to incumbent Berkshire District Attorney David F. Capeless yesterday, saying she opposes his "inflexible" prosecution of first-time drug offenders. Do you remember Kyle? He was plastered on the front page with his smiling parents. Knight expressed distaste for the school-zone law and other minimum mandatory sentences. Imagine that, a DISTASTE for DRUG LAWS!She also said she would advocate for changing the law if elected as the county's district attorney. She also said she would enforce the school-zone law according to her discretion. Isn't that what our D.A. is currently doing? Do we want someone who is tough on drug laws, or someone with a bleeding heart towards dealers? One item of note, to the Eagle: Under her photo, you have her name as "Judith Light." That's the name of the mom on "Who's the Boss?" Or is it Point Judith Light, RI?
Judith Light
Point Judith Light

Casper Weinberger, 1917-2006

Just saw the news that Cap Weinberger, Ronald Reagan's Secretary of Defense, has passed on. No story yet, but here's his bio.

Joe Manning's New Website

Adopted son Joe Manning has created a new website, featuring a collection of his articles, stories, commentary, poems and photographs of the city and similar former mill towns, including Turners Falls, and Bellows Falls and Springfield in Vermont.Mornings on Maple Street is up and running. Check it out. As always, a permanent link will be added in the left column.

Local Teens Ticketed For Underage Drinking

With prom season upon us, local authorities are stepping up investigation of tips on underage drinking and parties. Case in point: over the weekend, 8 local teens got busted for a party in Stamford.

Andy Card Resigns

Andrew Card, President Bush's Chief of Staff, has resigned after 5 and a half years with the administration to return "to private life." OK, let's have all the lefties post about another staff member jumping a sinking ship...

Today's Cool Picture

Butterflies with transparent wings. Click to enlarge.

Big Hurricane Could Hit New England

Duct tape your windows! Get those unused FEMA trailers up here! Sandbag your homes! Meteorologists say conditions _ including warmer temperatures in the Atlantic Basin and cooler temperatures in the Pacific Ocean _ are ripe for the Northeast coast to be hit by a whopper of a hurricane this season.

A Little Self-Congratulatory Post

My official letters, confirming that upon successful completion of the current semester, I can graduate. Yippee!! Click on the letters to enlarge them.

Mass. Teen Driving Proposal Strictest In The U.S.

Massachusetts legislators are considering raising the legal driving age to 17 1/2 -- which would be the highest in the nation -- as they venture into uncharted territory. Most states are thinking about requiring an adult be present in the vehicle for a longer period of time instead of delaying the age at which a teen can get a license. The gentleman from North Adams(Dan), any more info you can give?

The Blazer Blog's "Book of the Month" Club

Here's April's recommended reading

North Adams To Be Spotlighted Wednesday

North Adams gets the spotlight on Wednesday night, as WCVB's (Channel 5) "Chronicle" takes a look at North Adams and its resurgence at 7:30pm. Hey, you can watch that, and then 90 minutes later at 9:00pm on Cable 15, watch "Think About It" with Clark Billings. Sure beats "Deal or No Deal" and reruns of "Law & Order:SVU."

Professor Bilks Students

A professor of real estate(?) bilked students and fellow professors for over $1.5 million dollars. Sounds to me like he should be taking a course in "What Bubba Wants, Bubba Takes" before he heads to prison.

John Kerrys' Rider

In the spirit of bi-partisan fairness, I give you the "tour" rider for John Kerry. Who knew he hated celery??

Woman With Perfect Memory

I forgot to run this when I first saw it. A woman apparently remembers every detail about her life. I know my wife never lets me forget anything, so maybe this isn't all that amazing...

What's Next?

Pittsfield had their sheep, Bennington their Moose, and now Dublin, Ohio has 100 sculptures of...corn.

Wow. George Mason 86, Connecticut 84

That's all I can say. Wow.

Immigration Marches

I don't know what to make of these "immigration marches" happening all over the country. On the one hand, every one of us is here because someone emigrated to this land, whether it was crossing over an ice bridge in the Bering Strait (yes, I consider American Indians immigrants, also, they just have seniority) or arriving on a boat to Ellis Island, or taking a jet to the U.S., or crossing a border. But there have to be laws in p[lace, or this country will be overrun with people arriving here, with no work, and we will be responsible to care for them until they do find work. Then there is the language barrier. The U. S. is now the 5th largest Spanish speaking country. It makes it difficult when a person doesn't know Spanish, or an immigrant refuses to learn English. What's your opinion?

Illinois Man Fined For Piggybacking Wi-Fi Service

An Illinois man was fined $250 and given a years' court supervision after pleading guilty to remotely accessing someone else's computer system without permission.

*thanks to chbpod for the heads-up on this story.

Buck Owens, 1929 - 2006

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Singer Buck Owens, the flashy rhinestone cowboy who shaped the sound of country music with hits like "Act Naturally" and brought the genre to TV on the long-running "Hee Haw," died yesterday. He was 76.

Owens died at his home, said family spokesman Jim Shaw. The cause of death was not immediately known. Owens had undergone throat cancer surgery in 1993 and was hospitalized with pneumonia in 1997.

His career was one of the most phenomenal in country music, with a string of more than 20 No. 1 records, most released from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s.

They were recorded with a honky-tonk twang that came to be known throughout California as the "Bakersfield Sound," named for the town 100 miles north of Los Angeles that Owens called home.

"I think the reason he was so well known and respected by a younger generation of country musicians was because he was an innovator and rebel," said Shaw, who played keyboards in Owens' band, the Buckaroos. "He did it out of the Nashville establishment. He had a raw edge."

Owens was modest when describing his aspirations.

"I'd like to be remembered as a guy that came along and did his music, did his best and showed up on time, clean and ready to do the job, wrote a few songs and had a hell of a time," he said in 1992.

An indefatigable performer, Owens played a red, white and blue guitar with fireball fervor. He and the Buckaroos wore flashy rhinestone suits in an era when flash was as important to country music as fiddles.

Pirzls Back in The News

You remember the Pirzls, don't you? I featured them on the blog on March 12, 2 short weeks ago. Back then, they had had two vehicles break through the ice on Pontoosuc Lake while ice fishing. Well, this family of fun has made the news again. Seems Herbert Pirzl III and his son, Herbert Pirzl IV were both arraigned and released on personal recognizance in Central Berkshire District Court yesterday on disorderly conduct charges. HerbIII pleaded not guilty to single counts of disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace, while chip off the old block HerbIV pleaded not guilty to single counts of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Both will appear in court on May 9 for a pretrial hearing.
According to state police, the wife of HerbIII reported that her husband had arrived home drunk, yelling and throwing things around their home. She also expressed fear of him, state police reported.
When two state troopers arrived at the house, HerbIII repeatedly screamed at them to leave and they eventually took him into custody. HerbIV also emerged from the basement of the house and yelled at the troopers to leave. He engaged in a scuffle with them before they also arrested him.
Stayed tuned for the next episode of "Those Wacky Pirzls."

Berkshire Share

Berkshire Share is a non-profit organization operating out of the basement of St. John's Church in North Adams providing food packages, called “bundles,” to about 150 Northern Berkshire region families and about 400 individuals. Berkshire Share is not a free food program. It is part of the larger Serve New England program. Participants must agree to devote two hours of community service a month to qualify for food packages that are sold at prices 40 to 50 percent below supermarket prices. Food packs are designed for a family of four, and one bundle contains four or five kinds of meat, 5 lbs. of potatoes, 1 lb. of onions, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Her's April's "bundle":

1 lb of Chopped Beef Steak
18ozs of Skinless Pollock Fillets
2 lbs Pork Tenderloin Tips
1lb of Cooked Swedish Meatballs
5 lbs of Potatoes
1.5 lbs of Onions
1 lb of Carrots
5 Apples
5 Bananas
4 Pears
4 Oranges
9ozs Frozen French Style Green Beans
10oz bag of Fresh Spinach

You get all that for $20! There is also a free for the taking area, where fruits, vegetables, and baked goods are brought in throughout the morning, and are distributed at no additional cost. This really is a great program. It is all "Brand Name" food, not government handouts or surplus. Information about Berkshire Share is available by calling the office at 413-664-7400 on Thursdays between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Thanks, greg, for the story idea.

Today...

It's been a long day. Got up early, went and gave my parents a ride home from the Berkshire Share project, went to Clarksburg to get water, had to get Emily to her hair appointment, Barb went to the church to conduct interviews for the Camp Ashmere staff this summer, picked up Emily, Barb stayed at church to prepare tonight's' Beach Party, went to the Beach Party, had a very good time. The Christian contemporary band "Unity" played after the barbecue. It was a fun evening. Well, I've bored you with my day. Let's see what's happening in the world...

Seth's 18th...

We finally got the photos from the Great College Tour of 2005 developed, and here are a couple of my son, the goof, when the Hooter Girls sang happy birthday to him, and made him dance with them. We gave him the choice of any restaurant in Myrtle Beach, and he chose Hooters. Good boy!

Frozen In Time WWII Airman To Get Proper Burial

A World War II airman whose body was found frozen in a glacier last fall was to be buried in his hometown Friday, six decades after his plane crashed in the Sierra Nevada.

"South Park" Exacts Revenge On Chef

South Park has exacted revenge on its former star Isaac Hayes by turning his character Chef into a pedophile and seeming to kill him off.

Vandal Desecrates Petithory Sign

A sign placed on the Ashuwillticook Trail in memory of U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel H. Petithory of Cheshire was vandalized with anti-war graffiti recently. This is below a classless act. Regardless of your feelings about the war, you just don't vandalize a memorial to someone, anyone, but this man gave his life doing what he believed in. I hope the vandal is caught, and if there is a maximum penalty, give them it.

Dick Cheney's Hotel Rider

The Smoking Gun has aquired a copy of Vice President Cheney's "downtime" rider. In the spirit of the moment, I've created my own "rider."

The Blazer Blog's Downtime Rider:

1) Room to be set to 67 degrees
2) Beverages: 2-12 packs of Fresca Black Cherry Citrus, in 12oz cans, Room Temp.
1-12 pack Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Diet Coke in 12oz cans, " "
3) Computer w/ high-speed internet connection.
Real leather high-back "Executive" style desk chair
4) Assorted Snack-size Fruit Pies
5) Full-size bed
6) 4 Hot Dogs w/ everything, 2 double cheeseburgers, cheese fries from Jack's
7) Female Masseuse, age 18-25
8) Bose Wave sound system, tuned to a seventies station
9) 4 rolls of toilet paper, the tougher the better
10) 3 televisions, tuned to "The History Channel," "Comedy Central," & "Fox News"
11) Hamburger, sausage, onions, mushrooms, & xtra cheese, from Village Pizza

New Rankings Are Out

Hey, "The Blazer Blog has attained its highest ranking ever on the TTLB system. I'm up to #360 !

Whiny Kids Make Conservative Adults

UC Berkeley (a school full of confident, self-assured kids) professor Jack Block has concluded after a study that those whiny kids you see everywhere grow up to be conservatives, while confident, self-assured kids end up as liberals. Oh, I found this story on the NPR website. That's the radio network of confident, self-assured kids.

UPDATE:

Here's the study, from Michelle Malkin's blog. Get a load of the "fair & balanced" study. Thanks, Michelle...

You Sell Drugs, You Go To Jail

An 18-year-old Otis man received two years behind bars yesterday after a jury found him guilty of selling 1.12 grams of marijuana near a Great Barrington preschool during a controversial drug probe in 2004.Mitchell Lawrence received the mandatory sentence in Berkshire Superior Court yesterday. I still applaud D.A. David Capeless for prosecuting every one of the arrested individuals in this case. "The dogged prosecution of the school-zone charge in this case illustrates the danger and unfairness of mandatory sentencing," defense attorney Richard Simons said. If I vote for a D.A., I would be happy there was "dogged prosecution" of any drug case. Have a nice time in jail, Mitchell. Your buddy and co-dealer Kyle Sawin should be there with you, also. He was just luckier, I guess. He's still at home, with his "personal stash" safe in his room.

Note:

My apologies to all the regular readers here. I was struck down by a combination of "blog-out" and "concentration-deprivation" and did not post anything substantial over the last couple of days. Things should pick up today.

Scorecard Changes

The Berkshire Senate race scorecard has changed a bit. Now in, Margie Ware, Gerry Doyle, Peter Larkin, Chris Hodgekins, Ben Downing, and Wendy Jones (??) on the democratic side, and Jay Lukkarilla on the Republican side. Out of the race, Sarah Hathaway and Matt Kerwood, and on the fence, Rhonda Serre and Matt Kinnaman. Adjust your cards, and wait for the next update...

Senate Race Field Gets Crowded Quick

Hodgekins



Larkin



Doyle



Hathaway



Serre



Ware



Kerwood





In addition to Margie Ware and Gerald Doyle, it looks like former Rep. Chris Hodgkins, former Hodgkins aide and current John Olver staffer Rhonda Serre, Former Pittsfield Mayor and Nuciforo staffer Sarah Hathaway, former Rep. Peter Larkin, and son of the late D.A. Gerry Downing and Olver staffer, Ben Downing are mentioned as candidates at this time. On the Republican side, we have Pittsfield City Councilor Matt Kerwood as the only person expressing interest so far.

How To Tell If Your Are From Massachusetts...

A friend of mine e-mailed this to me today, so I'm passing it on via blog.

You think if someone is nice to you they either want something or
they are from out of town.

The public transportation system is known as the "T" and you'd rather
drive in bumper to bumper traffic for 4 hours to get to Boston than be
caught dead on the "Orange Line."

You could own a small town in Iowa for the cost of your house.

There are 24 Dunkin Donuts shops within 15 minutes of your house
and that is how you give directions.

If you stay on the same road long enough it eventually has three
different names.

53 degrees is "on the warm side."

You've walked to Brigham's for an ice cream cone "to go" in the snow.

You cringe every time you hear some actor/actress imitate
the"Boston Accent" on TV.

You call chocolate sprinkles "jimmies."

A water fountain is called a bubbler. Say it " bubbla".

You can go from one side of town to the other in less than
fifteen minutes.

You know how to pronounce towns like Worcester, Haverhill, Peabody,
Scituate, Chatham, and Leominster.

You know what they sell at a "packie."

You keep an ice scraper in your car all year round.

Paranoia sets in when you can't see a Dunkin Donuts, ATM or CVS.

You've pulled out of a side street and used your car to block
oncoming traffic so you can make a left.

You've bragged about saving money at The Christmas Tree Shop.

You know what a "regular coffee" is!

You can navigate a rotary without a problem.

You use the words "wicked" "pissa" and "good" in the same sentence.

You know what a frappe is.

Saint Patrick's Day is your second favorite holiday.

You drink tonic and would never consider using it on your hair.

You never say "Cape Cod" you say "The Cape."

You went to Old Sturbridge Village and Plymouth Plantation at
least once, in elementary school, but never to Bunka Hill.

You know the Mass Pike and 495 create some sort of strange
weather dividing line.

China Bans Weird Baby Names

Already only allowed to have one child, Chinese parents may now face restrictions on what name they can give their baby. Perhaps we Americans could take a lesson from them here. Not the one baby thing (except in a case like the Duggars from Arkansas), but the weird name thing. Especially in Hollywood and the entertainment industry.

New Link

In a life is better than fiction moment, I have added "Small Town Misfit" to my favorite links. It's a compilation of police blotters from around the country.

Susan Sarandon To Play Mother Sheehan In Movie

Mother
Fromme
Cromwell
Fields

About as ridiculous as Ice-Cube playing Mr. Kotter, Susan Sarandon is cast to play Cindy Sheehan in a new movie biopic about her. I think we need to find a more look-a-like actress...I think perhaps Manson Family member and Gerald Ford shooter Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme could use the work...so could James Cromwell (who already starred in one porcine project, "Babe") or if he wasn't dead, W.C. Fields might have liked the part...

Small Crowds The Norm At USA-wide Protests

The protests, like those held to mark each of the two previous anniversaries of the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, were vigorous and peaceful but far smaller than the large-scale marches that preceded the war, despite polls showing lower public support for the war than in years past and anemic approval ratings for President Bush, himself a focus of many of the protesters.

Cherry Industry Challenges FDA

I guess the latest "healthy" food to eat is a cherry. Try not to make any innuendo-filled jokes, or off-the-cuff- remarks. I'm a big fan of black cherries....

I Know The Difference

With thanks to John Mitchell over at "Last Visible Blog" and Allen Lulu's "Watch That Step," I now know the difference between us Republicans and those darn Democrats.

Candidates Appearing Already

Doyle
Ware
Some names confirmed to be running for the State Senate seat held by Andy Nuciforo include former Pittsfield Mayor Gerald Doyle, and former Williamstown Select Board member Margie Ware. The Ware candidacy should be an interesting look at a blog of a candidate, in a bigger election than a local seat. Any North Adams candidates out there??

Happy 45th Birthday, Poppin' Fresh !

Born this day in 1961....

Many Massachusetts Communities Have No Web Presence

More than one-third of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts have little or no Web presence and don't post key forms and documents online, according to a survey by Common Cause-Massachusetts. I guess it's not just North Adams, eh? Although we are the largest community in the state with out a presence, other Berkshire neighbors Cheshire, Clarksburg, Great Barrington, Hancock, Mount Washington, New Ashford, Otis, Peru, Sandisfield, Tyringham, Washington and Windsor have no sites, also, and Alford, Florida, Richmond and Savoy each had a Web site, but did not post any of the six "essential records" as determined by Common Cause - agendas, meeting minutes, fiscal year 2006 budget information, the bylaws, code or ordinances, and the town meeting warrant and town meeting results.

Hot Selling Wines Have "Critter" Labels, Except For Old Skunk Crotch Merlot, Whose Sales Are Disappointing

Apparently, in the super-competitive business of selling wine, animals give new brands an edge. When a beast is on the label, Americans buy a new wine twice as often as the competition, according to the marketing information company ACNielsen. And the French say we have no idea what makes a "good wine."

Confirmed: Nuciforo Not Running For Re-Election

The full story from the Berkshire Eagle.

Nuciforo Not Running?

A reliable source on Beacon Hill has told me that State Senator Andrea Nuciforo will be announcing today he won't be seeking re-election. I was subbing today, and that's why I was a little late getting this on. Anyone else hear the same?

Bill Clinton Fights Hunger with Heifer

I saw this headline, and at first, I thought he had taken old friend Monica Lewinsky out to dinner, but I was wrong.

FEC Delays Decision On "Poliblogging."

The Federal Election Commission has postponed a long-anticipated decision on whether to apply the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law to political speech on the Internet.

7-Year-Old Recites White Nationalism Poem

Autum Ashante, a 7-year-old black girl, caused a stir at two Westchester County schools by reciting a poem she wrote about white nationalism. But her words and her actions are earning high praise from some city leaders. Accompanied by Councilman Charles Barron, a former Black Panther himself, Autum told white students at the Peekskill High School assembly who stood with black students "to sit down." When asked how much help she received to write the poem, she replied, "My dad helped with spelling and pronunciation." Dad should learn to spell "Autumn" first, methinks. And I think he helped her with the ideaology, too.

You Know It's A Slow News Day...

Mount Angel, Oregon is planning on building a 49-ft tall glockenspiel. That's right, A 49-ft TALL GLOCKENSPEIL.

And The Problem With This Is What?

I guess Jessica Simpson put politics above fundraising for her charity the other night. She turned down an invitation to dine at a politico-filled dinner in Washington, because it was a Republican sponsored dinner, and she "didn't want to send the wrong message." Any time you get a chance to rub elbows with people who can get you donations, you put politics aside. Not too bright, Jessica. But don't take my word for it. Look at the picture, look away, look at the picture, look away...

Sign # 38 That The Apocalypse Is Upon Us

Rapper/Actor Ice Cube (not to be confused with Ice-T, Vanilla Ice, Ice Cream, Iced Coffee, or Ice Fishing) will star in the lead role of a movie version of "Welcome Back, Kotter."

Local Car Salesman, Former Trailer Dealer, Off To Prison

Rodney Guetti, 48, of Bennington, who was Sales Manager at Ronnie's Used Auto, and most recently at Alcaro Motors in Williamstown, was sentenced to two years in jail, three years probation and ordered to pay more than $400,000 in restitution on Tuesday. Judge William K. Sessions III imposed the sentence in U.S. District Court in Burlington.

Minority Money Now Available To White Students

Facing threats of litigation and pressure from the Feds, colleges and universities nationwide are opening to white students hundreds of thousands of dollars in fellowships, scholarships and other programs previously aimed at minorities.

Africa Splitting; New Ocean Forming

A new ocean is forming with staggering speed -- at least by geological standards near the Afar Triangle near the Horn of Africa. Africa will eventually lose its horn they say. Stay tuned.

Somedays, The News Headlines Just Strike Me Funny

I know, I'm a sick, sick individual. Sometimes I read the headlines, and I just find myself chuckling in a sick sense of humor. Take today, for instance:
Report: Antiperspirants May Boost Cancer Risks This won't affect the French much.

Depression Can Signal Impending Senility Oh, great. One more thing to go wrong. No wonder I'm depressed.

Madonna Touting Hillary for President She lives in England, for God's sake. Why should we listen to her? And her music stinks.

Miss Deaf Texas struck by train, killed I know this is sad, but why would a deaf person walk on railroad tracks?

Human Rights Court Tosses Saddam's Lawsuit That speaks for itself.

Adams Advised To Revote

The Town Counsel in Adams has advised the Selectmen to vacate a disputed decision the board made during a Feb. 22 meeting in which a new member of the Conservation Commission was appointed. Apparently, a quorum of Select Board members meeting in a hallway for 5 minutes might be a bit too close to a violation of the Open Meeting Law, a popular topic here at the Blazer Blog.

Feingold Calls For Bush Censure

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) said Sunday that Congress needs to censure President Bush as a possible first step towards impeachment for authorizing the wiretapping of terrorists based in America, adding that Bush's alleged lawbreaking was "much more serious, clearly, than anything Bill Clinton ever did." You know where this came from. There is talk of Feingold seeking the Democratic Party's Presidential or Vice-Presidential nomination in 2008. Back in December 2004, a website urging Feingold to run for president was created, followed by others. In addition to these sites, there are numerous state blogs appearing at an encouraging pace, such as California for Feingold '08. In late January 2005, Feingold told the Tiger Bay Club of Volusia County, Florida that he intended to travel around the country before deciding whether or not to run in 2008. In March 2005, his senate campaign registered the domain www.russfeingold.com, as well as the .org and .net versions; Feingold will not face reelection to the Senate until the 2010 election. On June 1, Feingold launched a political action committee, the Progressive Patriots Fund. Launching a PAC is an important step in running for President. So, we have a guy "exploring" a White House run, calling for censure. Time to be in the headlines again, eh Russ? Two liabilities for Feingold: He's Jewish, and twice-divorced. I'm not saying that as an anti-Semitic remark or a family values remark. Whether or not we want to believe it, people will hold those against him, and not just us right-wing radical Republicans.

Time For A "Hero" Heading

Jeremy Staat, roommate of the late Pat Tillman at Arizona State, a former defensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers and St. Louis Rams of the NFL and Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League, graduated from the San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Friday. This is the kind of person kids need to look up to, not whiners like Terrell Owens, steroid-poppers like Bonds, Canseco, and McGuire, or criminals like Allen Iverson.

More Trucks Sink Through Ice

As temperatures rose this week, IQ's went down at a faster rate. One family had TWO vehicles break through the ice on Pontoosuc Lake. A Dodge Durango and a Ford F-350 four-by-four, owned by the Pirzl family of Lanesborough are the latest to make the break. Asked about the incident at the scene, Shanna Pirzl, who was driving the Durango, said "It just went in. It was safe enough when we got out there in the morning." You can insert your own "duhs", "errs", and "ums" where you feel necessary.

Open Meeting/Public Access Laws Protect Citizens

Recent incidents in Adams and Clarksburg magnify the importance of the states' laws concerning keeping the public informed. Believe me, in especially one of the towns mentioned, decisions are made long before meetings are held.

City Native Continues Music Career

"The Nashville Star" television program's Internet web site has added a feature called "Cutting Room Floor" that includes a video of Lita Williams' Jan. 6 semi-finalist performance at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville. The site also includes the performances of several other performers.
Williams, 21, is a former North Adams resident and a graduate of Drury High School. She moved to Nashville after high school graduation to pursue a career in music after achieving success as a regional singer/songwriter and a 2003 "CountryFest" country music concert appearance.
Williams is now working with the band "Ghetto Cowboys" and manager Del Miller, the CEO of Shadow Publishing Co. and the president of Star Power Management. Williams' new web site is up at www.litawilliams.com

Scrap The Mohawk & Colonial Projects

Circa 1996

David Fehr of Williamstown writes in this weeks' Advocate, advocating the end to the Mohawk Theater and Colonial Theater restoration projects here and in Pittsfield. He also recommends steering the city money involved in the Mohawk towards the deficit being run at Northern Berkshire Health Systems. My opinion, if they can raise the money to build the Taj Mahal currently appearing on Hospital Hill, create Sweetwood, and the beautiful building on Curran Highway for the VNA, surely they can raise private funds to help pay the bills. They sure enough don't spend it on hiring help or paying decent wages to the entry level staff.

Sloby, We Hardly Knew You...

We somehow seemed to believe that the world would never tolerate another Hitler. This is, of course, dead wrong. Since Hitler, the world has tolerated dozens of Hitlers, all approximately as bad as the first, although none quite as successful.
One of these little Hitlers had the funny name of Slobodan Milosevic. He was the former Yugoslav leader who orchestrated the Balkan wars of the 1990s and was on trial for war crimes. Good news. He was found dead in his prison cell at the U.N. detention center near The Hague, the U.N. tribunal said Saturday. He was 65. Sloby, had a name that seemed like it ought to be a vaudevillian evil landlord. In actuality, he was indeed an evil landlord; he just wasn't very funny. (But then, neither was vaudeville.)

Mitt's Message Getting Out

In an innovative way to cut down on campaign spending, Governor Mitt Romney is going to take the lead of 13-year-old Genevieve Hernandez of Lynn, and hopefully get his nickel deposit back also.

Yo Quiero Ratón

There is no way Speedy Gonzales would ever let himself get caught in a predicament like this...

Bush Concerned Over Dubai Port Deal Termination

President Bush on Friday said he's worried that this week's meltdown of a U.S. ports deal with a United Arab Emirates-owned company could send the wrong message to important allies in the Middle East. Yeah, it sends the wrong message to important allies in the Middle East, but from what I understand, Halliburton is the company that Dubai Port is sending the port deal to. That's pretty convenient, isn't it...

Spring Break!!

Yeah, that's right baby, Spring Break 2006 is officially here. My big plans? Hanging a towel bar, cataloging Professor Jones-Sneed's books, getting DSL on the 17th (don't get me started on that one), blogging, and getting a new tattoo. The excitement level is off the scale....

I'm Heading To Blell

That's Blogger Hell, for your information. Sam at Samamntha's Rants has compiled Sam's 10 Commandments Of Blogging, and I'm breaking a couple a day.

Newfane, VT Votes To Impeach President

Newfane, VT, a town of 1,600 nestled in the woods along Route 30 between Manchester and Brattleboro best known for its flea market, has voted at the annual Town Meeting to instruct Congressman Bernie "I'm not a Communist, I'm a Socialist" Sanders to file articles of impeachment against the President, alleging that Bush misled the nation into the Iraq war and engaged in illegal domestic spying. In a move seen by me as the smartest thing done in Bennington since Carol Channing strolled the campus of Bennington College (She's Class of 1942, you know), in a 33-18 vote, Democratic Party members Barbara MacIntyre and Judy Murphy resolution calling for President George W. Bush to be charged with "high crimes and misdemeanors" and impeached went down in defeat. Just for your information, 51 votes is 0.0053125 % of the town's roughly 9,600 voters.

Interview With A Self-Made Man

A snippett from Alan Chartock's column, his opinion of Deval Patrick:

For weeks, I had been getting calls from people begging me to interview Deval Patrick, a candidate for governor. Most of the folks who had been calling might be characterized as from the moderate to the more left position on the political spectrum. I was quite concerned that I would have another Ralph Nader on my hands. Nader I do not like. Considering the spate of Republican governors and the sad state of the Democratic Party in Massachusetts, I was interested in what Patrick would have to say.

We spoke for an hour on the radio, and I was blown away by the guy. As a top Justice Department official in the Clinton administration and a self-made man with every educational achievement you might imagine, he is one attractive candidate. It also doesn't hurt that he is building a house here in the Berkshires. He was a scholarship student at the prestigious Milton Academy; he was the first in his family to go to college, and that college was Harvard. He was a senior vice president at Coca-Cola, and he has a million passionate, good ideas about how to make things better for the voters in Massachusetts. These include a more equitable tax structure and doing better for our children who need state colleges to give them a leg up at life. He makes a very interesting point that those who go to state colleges are far more likely to stay in Massachusetts than to leave the way a higher proportion of private college people do. And by the way, the man is African-American and, having come from relatively poor circumstances, has proved what the American dream is all about. An awful lot of people are talking about this guy, and they should be. Let no one make the assumption that he can't win.

Healey To Pick Hillman As Running Mate

(Disclosure--I'm still going with Deval Patrick)





Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey has selected Reed V. Hillman, a former State Police colonel and state representative from Sturbridge, to be her running mate in this year's governor's race, according to a top campaign official.
Healey will make the formal announcement early tomorrow afternoon, the official said.
Hillman, 57, was appointed by former governor William Weld to head the State Police in 1996 after a long career with the agency. He later served most of three terms in the Massachusetts House, leaving in 2004. Healey picked Hillman to be her lieutenant governor candidate over two other finalists, state Senator Scott P. Brown of Wrentham and US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan.
Hillman's law enforcement background will help Healey highlight her criminal justice agenda as she tries to succeed Governor Mitt Romney in the Corner Office.
Four Democrats have also entered the race for lieutenant governor, though neither of the party's gubernatorial candidates, Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly or former US Justice Department official Deval L Patrick, have picked one of them as a running mate. Christy Mihos, a Republican running for governor as an independent, is so far not running as a ticket with anyone, either.
On the other side of the aisle, four Democrats are vying for lieutenant governor: Mayor Tim Murray of Worcester; Deborah Goldberg, a former Brookline select woman whose family founded Stop & Shop; Andrea Silbert of Harwich, the cofounder of a nonprofit training center for entrepreneurs; and a Cohasset psychiatrist, Sam Kelley.

~Boston.com~

North Adams One Of "50 Best"

Take that, Jim Connah! Men's Journal has listed North Adams in the "Comebacks" catergory in its "50 Best Places to Live" survey. The only other Massachusetts city listed was Martha's Vineyard, in the "Islands" catergory. Pat yourself on the back, North Adams!

Man Faces Jail Time For Selling Crack

The Suspect??








You can't make this stuff up...I guess he must not be baron-administrator of Cloud City anymore...

A City of Poughkeepsie, NY man faces a stint in jail for dealing crack in the city last year. Landocalrissian Butler, 25, of Winnikee Avenue, entered a guilty plea Tuesday in Dutchess County Court to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony. Butler told Judge Thomas J. Dolan he had five small bags of crack in his pocket Dec. 22 when police arrested him on Morgan Avenue. He said he intended to sell the drugs.
In exchange for his plea, Butler was promised a sentence of six months in jail and five years on probation. He will also be required to forfeit a cell phone and $432 police said he obtained through illegal drug sales.
Butler remains jailed pending his sentencing, scheduled for April 4.

Iran Threatens U.S. With "Harm and Pain"

In a statement reminiscent of a professional wrestling threat, Iran threatened the United States with "harm and pain" Wednesday for its role in hauling Tehran before the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program.

Woman To Sue Walgreens Over Prescription Comments

A woman sufering from depression filed suit Tuesday against Illinois-based Walgreen Co., accusing the nationwide retail chain of defamation, negligent supervision and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Comments were made on prescription printouts calling her "craZy" and "She's really a psycho!!!". On a side note, those are still nicer than the things I've been called...

Spring Break Warning: Be Careful, Ladies

The AMA is warning girls not to go wild during spring break. All but confirming what goes on in those "Girls Gone Wild" videos, 83 percent of college women and graduates surveyed by the AMA said spring break involves heavier-than-usual drinking, and 74 percent said the break results in increased sexual activity. Except for 41 year-old male non-traditional students.

A Sad, Sad Life

First of all, no one should have to die violently like this. But what a sad, sad life this woman created for herself and her children. Different fathers, violence, restraining orders, drug convictions, Social Service seizure of her kids, unemployed. A sad end to a sad life. And what of the alleged murderer? A violent history, gun charges, drugs, aliases, now a murder rap. And who picks "Rohan Davies" for an alias? Wasn't that a take on "Rohan Davey", former back-up quarterback of the New England Patriots?

Dana Reeve Dies at 44

Dana Reeve, who fought for better treatments and possible cures for paralysis through the Christopher Reeve Foundation, named for her late actor-husband, has died. She was 44.

Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett Dead At 44

Shocking news from the baseball world. Minnesota Twins centerfielder Kirby Puckett, who had his Hall of Fame career cut short by glaucoma, has died from a stroke at age 44.

"Smart" People Prefer "Prettier" Campuses??

A letter to the editor of the Transcript today by part-time resident of Florida, MA Jim Connah makes the statement that "smart" people do not come to the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts because it is "not Pretty enough." A little background on Jim. He spends the winters in Sandy Springs, GA, writing letters to papers in the Berkshire region complaining about everything here, and when he is up here, he writes to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, complaining about Georgia. His argument, that it is the look of MCLA and North Adams in general that keeps away "Smart" people, is assinine. Well, Jim, welcome to the dumbasses, since you come here every year. Maybe he would like to personally fund a study to see exactly how much the "smartness ratio" would go up if the city and college tore down some more blighted buildings, and painted a few houses, and created more greenspace. He must be able to see his own esophogus, because his head is so far up his butt. Just a few facts, Jimbo...

MCLA is-

Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of “ America’s Best Colleges”

Noted by Newsweek as a “ Hot College” in the category “Most for Your Money”

Faculty to student ratio of 1:13 & an average class size of 18 students

College wide Honors Program

Cross enrollment with our neighboring institution, Williams College

When you get back up here, Jimmy, stop by the campus and point out EXACTLY which buildings need to be razed, where and what to plant, and who to hide when "smart" people come to tour the campus. Fellow students, faculty, staff, alumni, and city residents, the floor is open for "Jim Bashing."

Clinton Heckled At Speech: In a Seemingly Unrelated Story...

Former President Bill Clinton was heckled by two students during a speech at Pace University's Pleasantville campus on Sunday. In a completely unrelated story, Bill's wife, New York junior Senator Hillary Clinton, now says she had no clue about her husbands ties to the United Arab Emirates (to the tune of $450,000 in speech giving payments, and a half to one million dollar donation to his Presidential Library) including the fact that two weeks ago, he was on the phone with the UAE giving advice on how to handle the backlash from the Dubai World Ports deal. Mrs. Clinton is a major opponent of the deal.

Boomer Wants To Stay In Boston

In a 360 degree turnabout, David Wells has told Theo Epstein that he wants to stay in Boston, where he feels he has "the best chance of going out on top."

Babar Strikes Back

Saying she wanted to play with the elephant, a woman in Waco, TX (appropriately) climbed over a 3-feet-high wood-and-wire fence, scaled an 8-foot-tall artificial rock structure and bypassed an electric wire before jumping into the elephant
exhibit, where she was greeted by the 6,000-pound pachyderm with a smack that knocked her to the ground.

Fill' er Up, And Wash Off My Boots

Scientists in Japan have announced that they have found a new source of motor fuel - cattle dung. In a separate experiment revealing another unusual business potential for cow dung, another group of researchers has extracted an aromatic ingredient of vanilla from cattle dung, to be used in perfumes and shampoos. Those wacky Japanese...

John, Where Did You Go Wrong?

This is just a post regarding John Mitchell's post over on "Last Visible Blog". I cropped the photo to make it a bit more pallitable for the readers:

Jennifer


This is the real thing

Jury Still Out On Diet Soda, Weight Control

I've always been a spouter of the fact that if you have a Jim Dandy at Friendly's, along with a Diet Coke, you get half the calories. (1,130 calories in a Jim Dandy, 0 calories in Diet Coke = 565 calories apiece---half the calories.)

New Target? Stay In North Adams To Shop

Took a ride to Lanesboro yesterday, in search of curtain rods and blinds. Decided to go into the new Target store in the Berkshire Mall. I was not impressed. Size-wise, it looks to be double the old Hills store that was there, but the problem with it is that it has a ton of stuff, just not a great variety of that stuff. Curtain rods were sold out (@ .99) and there were only white blinds, in 3 sizes. The rest of the store was pretty much the same. Great quanties, no variety. We found curtain rods at Big Lots just down the road in Allendale (@ $1.89 for a package of two) and beige blinds at Home Goods across the street by T.J. Maxx. We tried our local Wal-Mart, but they were sold out of rods, also.

Blatant Commercial Advertising

I have to do this. I sit at my computer, and the first thing I do is link up to CRIK-FM, out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. You have your choice of Disco (my favorite), Retro 80's, Classic Rock, and Classic Hits. Makes the time zip by. And there is nothing funnier than a chubby 41-year-old singing "Stayin' Alive".

Show Me Where It States That, Please

More Letters to the Editor. This one from "Maureen" in North Adams, concerns the placing of children with same-sex couples. That's not the issue with me. The issue is the myth that the Constitution of the United States has in it an Amendment that guarantees "the separation of Church and State." She writes that Catholic social service agencies should be exempt from any regulations because it would "...deny their freedom to practice their religion, and conflict with separation of church and state." The words: "separation", "church", and "state" do not even appear in any amendment. The first amendment reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
The statement about a wall of separation between church and state was made in a letter on January 1, 1802, by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut. The congregation heard a widespread rumor that the Congregationalists, another denomination, were to become the national religion. This was very alarming to people who knew about religious persecution in England by the state established church. Jefferson made it clear in his letter to the Danbury Congregation that the separation was to be that government would not establish a national religion or dictate to men how to worship God. Jefferson's letter from which the phrase "separation of church and state" was taken affirmed first amendment rights. Jefferson wrote:

"I contemplate with solemn reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church and State."

The reason Jefferson choose the expression "separation of church and state" was because he was addressing a Baptist congregation; a denomination of which he was not a member. Jefferson wanted to remove all fears that the state would make dictates to the church. He was establishing common ground with the Baptists by borrowing the words of Roger Williams, one of the Baptist's own prominent preachers.

Gringo's, Cinema 6 To Reopen Tonight

Both businesses in the North Adams Plaza received permission to reopen from city officials around 4:40 p.m. Thursday. Both were shut down around 4 p.m. last Friday. I'm glad to see this.

Report: Former Soviet Union Behind John Paul II Shooting In '81

An Italian parliamentary commission has concluded ''beyond any reasonable doubt'' that the Soviet Union was behind the 1981 shooting of Pope John Paul II, the first time an official body has blamed the Kremlin for the failed assassination. In the words of Larry, The Cable Guy, "What the hell is this, Russia?"

Smoke Dope Much, Sam?

"Sam" from Sheffield writes to the Eagle today on less-punitive marijuana laws. Well, he actually only gets about 4 sentences written before he forgot what he was writing about, and went to the kitchen and ate 7 bags of Cheetos. Of course, he spouts the NORML crowds' latest arguement, that pot is better than alcohol, because you don't beat up people when you are smoking pot, making it "the less violent drug." Less violent? I guess he hasn't been to the Mexican border recently, and seen the violence ongoing over the trafficking of pot. Now, I'm certainly not one to throw stones here, but as a parent, I wouldn't want my kids to choose pot over Southern Comfort, if they feel the need to indulge. Here are some facts, Stoned Sammy:

Classed as a mild hallucinogen, marijuana has some of alcohol’s depressant and disinhibiting properties. User reaction, however, is heavily influenced by expectations and past experience, and many first-time users feel nothing at all.
Effects of smoking are generally felt within a few minutes and peak in 10 to 30 minutes. They include dry mouth and throat, increased heart rate, impaired coordination and balance, delayed reaction time, and diminished short-term memory. Moderate doses tend to induce a sense of well-being and a dreamy state of relaxation that encourages fantasies, renders some users highly suggestible, and distorts perception (making it dangerous to operate machinery, drive a car or boat, or ride a bicycle). Stronger doses prompt more intense and often disturbing reactions including paranoia and hallucinations.

Most of marijuana’s short-term effects wear off within two or three hours. The drug itself, however, tends to linger on. THC is a fat-soluble substance and will accumulate in fatty tissues in the liver, lungs, testes, and other organs. Two days after smoking marijuana, one-quarter of the THC content may still be retained. It will show up in urine tests three days after use, and traces may be picked up by sensitive blood tests two to four weeks later.Marijuana use reduces learning ability. Research has been piling up of late demonstrating clearly that marijuana limits the capacity to absorb and retain information. A 1995 study of college students discovered that the inability of heavy marijuana users to focus, sustain attention, and organize data persists for as long as 24 hours after their last use of the drug. Earlier research, comparing cognitive abilities of adult marijuana users with non-using adults, found that users fall short on memory as well as math and verbal skills. Although it has yet to be proven conclusively that heavy marijuana use can cause irreversible loss of intellectual capacity, animal studies have shown marijuana-induced structural damage to portions of the brain essential to memory and learning. Chronic marijuana smokers are prey to chest colds, bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma. Persistent use will damage lungs and airways and raise the risk of cancer. There is just as much exposure to cancer-causing chemicals from smoking one marijuana joint as smoking five tobacco cigarettes. And there is evidence that marijuana may limit the ability of the immune system to fight infection and disease.

Marijuana also affects hormones. Regular use can delay the onset of puberty in young men and reduce sperm production. For women, regular use may disrupt normal monthly menstrual cycles and inhibit ovulation. When pregnant women use marijuana, they run the risk of having smaller babies with lower birth weights, who are more likely than other babies to develop health problems. Some studies have also found indications of developmental delays in children exposed to marijuana before birth.

So, to review, since Sammy forgot what I just said:

Marijuana Dangers

Impaired perception
Diminished short-term memory
Loss of concentration and coordination
Impaired judgement
Increased risk of accidents
Loss of motivation
Diminished inhibitions
Increased heart rate
Anxiety, panic attacks, and paranoia
Hallucinations
Damage to the respiratory, reproductive, and immune systems
Increased risk of cancer
Psychological dependency

So, reduce those laws for Sammy. At least he won't beat anyone up.

A Win For The Blog Guys (and Gals)

I am very glad to see that the City Solicitor, John DeRosa, has determined that blogging by councilors does not violate the Open Meeting Law, as long as there is no attempt to deliberate any city issue.

The Best Comment In Months

A comment received from "arpee" is probably the funniest thing I have seen in a long, long time. Instead of just okaying the comment, I had to make this a regular post. I burst out laughing at this.

"You seem to be obsessed with our senior senator!

Here's a link to a picture that would seem to evoke the old "people in glass houses" saying...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v25/rp5678/new-ted.jpg

Enjoy!"

V

V

V
The "New" Ted

The Beacon Is At It Again, At Least Online

Two stories off the front page of this weeks "Beacon" leave me puzzled. The first, a story about TWO MCLA students who were honored by the Hall of Black Achievement. One is Meghann Rosales, who graduated in December, and the other is....is...is...Hmmm. I can't seem to find out anything about the second student, not even a name.

The second story is about an MCLA transfer student, Brad Kera, who was arrested after a search of his room discovered evidence to warrant an arrest on charges of manufacturing, distributing, dispensing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense a controlled substance in Class B (Opium poppy, cocaine, codeine, methadone, amphetamines, speed, phencyclidine (PCP, "angel dust")Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), methaqualone), and manufacturing, distributing, dispensing or cultivating, or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute, dispense or cultivate a controlled substance in Class D (Marijuana, Barbital, phenobarbital). We don't know which drugs he allegedly had, because they weren't reported. The kicker of the story is that a little over half of it is about NCAA drug testing and soccer recruiting. The headline would lead you to believe that testing had something to do with this, but it never says anywhere that testing was involved. From his own statements to the paper, Kera sounds to me like he will be pleading guilty.

Pittsfield Native Wins Art Directors' Guild Award

Set Designer John Sabato of MadTv, a Pittsfield native, has won an Art Directors' Guild Excellence in Production Design Award. He was also nominated for an Emmy in 2005.

More Ted

A request for a couple of more "Teddy" pictures...

Saddam Had WMD's

I cannot believe I missed this one. Lucky for me, John Mitchell at "Last Visible Blog" pick up the ball for me and ran it. Here's my link, a day late. Thanks, John... Ok lefties, bash away at W on this one...

MCLA Name Change A Positive One

Despite the public outcry in 1997, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is apparently thriving according to college officials. As for me, I don't care what the name is as long as they award me a diploma May 13th.

Some Answers For Ray

I'm going to answer a couple of questions posed by Ray Warner of Williamstown in today's Eagle. 1) Why isn't Amherst like Williams? Two different schools with different Public Safety policies. 2) Why don't Williams officials — administrative or athletic — respond to written comments about these situations? Because the only one complaining about them and sending them letters is you, Ray. Man, I only gots me an MCLA education, but I figgered 'em out...