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Time Warner Personnel To Appear On Local Program
2007-02-15 01:39:00
Live Call-in With Time War ner PersonnelSnowy Screen Problems? Program Comments!For All Your Technical and Program QuestionsFriday, February 16Channel 178 to 9 p.m.This is your opportunity to talk with Time Warner ... tell your friends and family664-4408Gail will host this program with two Time Warner employees.If you have any question(s) and will not be able to call-in during the program time, please e-mail Gail. gcariddi@adelphia.net I will need questions by Thursday evening at 10 pm. We will try to get the answer(s) for you. The program will be played back several times. Hopefully, you will be able to see the playback. We will post playback times on the Channel 17 Bulletin board.
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Quick, To The Helicopter...
2007-02-14 02:26:00
Either unaware or unwilling to learn from past controversy involving the use of a state police helicopter, the spin doctors surrounding Governor Deval Patrick are playing down news of the use of such a chopper by the guv since his inauguration. This AP story comes from Boston.com...
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Ronald Reagan Day? Not Here, Says Patrick
2007-02-12 16:24:00
Governor Deval Patrick has decided not to sign a proclamation recognizing Feb. 6 as "Ronald Reagan Day" in Massachusetts. 33 other governors (20 Republican, 13 Democrat) have signed similar proclamations to recognize Reagan's birthday in their states.
More About: Rick , Trick , Ronald Reagan

Major Storm Headed Our Way? (this message brought to you by Wonder Bread &a
2007-02-11 20:11:00
Looks like they are calling for a hum-dinger of a storm Tuesday night into Wednesday. Why does everyone run to the store to stock up on bread and milk every time there is a storm warning? I would stock up on snack foods and Diet Coke.UPDATE:Well, WTEN and the National Weather Service have us under a Winter Storm Watch, so we will wait and see. I always tell people, weather forecasting is the only job you can be consistantly wrong and still get paid. (Please, no politician add-ons here)Ok, here's my official stock-up list.Diet Coke (either 6 2-liter bottles or 4 twelve packs, whichever's on sale)Fruit Snacks (Scooby-Doo and Spiderman are favorites)BuglesLittle Debbie assortmentBananas & Grapefruit (my usual breakfast)DotsUPDATE TO THE UPDATE: Derek Gentile and Jessica Willis from the Eagle are calling for 8 to 15 inches, depending on your location.
More About: Read , Essa , This , Message

The New "Abe Lincoln" Is Running
2007-02-11 13:54:00
U.S. Senator Barack Hussein Obama made it official this weekend - he's a candidate for President of the United States. Obama made his announcement on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois.
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Update
2007-02-11 13:51:00
Sorry about the lack of postings this week, readers. Work was a little overwhelming, with the spring "look" arriving at the store, and preparing for inventory this Friday. I've got the day off today, so hopefully some fresh postings will appear.
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Today in Civil War History
2007-02-06 16:39:00
Today marks the anniversary of the birth of James Ewell Brown Stuart, born on this day in 1833 at Laurel Hill, the Stuart family home located in the southwestern part of Patrick County, Virginia on the dividing line between the piedmont and the mountains and within sight of the boundary line of North Carolina and Virginia. He died May 12, 1864, the day after suffering wounds during the Battle of Yellow Tavern. A biography is available here.
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Slow News Day (So Far)
2007-02-05 21:17:00
Having bored myself on a rare full day off (no substitute teaching or anything!) I have completed some household chores that my wife has no idea I did today, including a full bathroom cleaning, so I was perusing through the news and find nothing of much interest, really. The Colts won last night (big deal, probably the worst played Super Bowl in history) and all anyone wants to converse about is how cold it is. Get over it, this is all part of global warming, I guess. I'll probaly find some lame stories to post later on, but for now, Zzzzzzzzz....
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Pelosi, The Travelocity Gnome
2007-02-03 14:25:00
Leave it to our new Democratic overlords to exploit a privilege into a new expanded social program. New House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has asked the government to grant her "carte blanche" for airline flights by military aircraft for not only herself and staff, much the way former Speaker Dennis Hastert did after 9/11 (well, his staff only traveled with him, not separately like Pelosi wants) but wants to include the entire California delegation, and Pelosi's relatives as well. I can see Pelosi now, in her best gnome voice, ..."I'm coming to enforce the guarantee..." The story is by Rowan Scarborough and appeared in the The Washington Times.UPDATE:"The Raw Story" is reporting today that the Department of Defense has granted Pelosi's request for a military jet "big enough to fly coast-to-coast. “The Department of Defense offered Speaker Pelosi the same aircraft” as the one used by (former Speaker of the House Dennis) Hastert, said one senior Republican who has spoken extensively wi...
More About: Travel , Rave , City , Elos

Happy Groundhog Day!
2007-02-02 13:43:00
A happy, happy Ground hog Day to all...I got caught in a surprise 13-hour day yesterday, and am only working a 9am-5pm day today...I'll be posting after I get home this evening...
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Councilor Sorts Out The Mess
2007-01-31 00:35:00
Councilor Dick Alcombright seems to sort out the story of the current situation in the North Adams Catholic community very well with his Opinion piece in today's Transcript.
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MCLA Van Makes It Home, Awaits Next Political Trip
2007-01-30 22:51:00
Well, this little blog made the paper today. Jennifer Huberdeau's story on the MCLA van excursion to the Anti-War, Anti-Troop rally in Washington, D.C. mentions "The Blazer Blog" in the context of the article. A great piece of journalism, but I take a couple of people to task here..."I'm not anti-patriotic," said Evan Herrmann, a senior at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, who organized the trip. "To stand up for what you believe in is being patriotic. It's what being an American is about. People criticize us for not supporting the troops. I do support the troops. I support getting them out of there — most of our troops don't want to be over there. Uh, Evan, have you spoken to many soldiers yourself? Take a gander at this quote from a CBS News (yes, THAT CBS News) story from Dave Price, the weather guy on "The Early Show," who went to Iraq with The Charlie Daniels Band to entertain our troops."One soldier told him (Price), "I'm the senior enlisted here, and not one time ...
More About: Political , Home , Politica , Next , Trip

Madman Bush must be stopped (Their headline, not mine)
2007-01-28 15:02:00
Here's a letter to the Editor of the Advocate. It's from Norman Burdick of Williamstown. I've known Mr. Burdick for a long, long time. He was my 6th grade teacher at the Williamstown Elementary Schools back in 1975-1976. I've always had the utmost respect for him, but this letter is another example of Anti-Bush propoganda with "facts" that just don't add up: To the editor: King George hasn't changed at all, and he never will. In his most recent display of stupidity, he says, "The Iraqi people owe the American people a huge debt of gratitude." How I wish it were true. Most Republicans, and many Democrats, aren't even trying to end this war. They don't have the backbone to stand up and impeach the war criminals running our country. Except for a few, they are good-for-nothing, incompetent and not worthy of governing this once-great and respected nation. The Republican Congress for the past 12 years has been a dysfunctional failure. The Democratic one now has a chance to begin ...
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Anti-War, Anti-Bush, Anti-Everything...
2007-01-28 14:40:00
A couple of stories caught my eye this morning from the Transcript and the Eagle. The first story, by Bonnie Obremski in the Transcript, is on the desire by a couple of Stamford, VT residents to get a petition to impeach President Bush on the town meeting warrant. Headlined "Stamford activists, Vietnam vet try to revive Bush impeachment," it makes me wonder if people think that because someone is a Vietnam-era veteran, it somehow legitimizes the stand the person has taken. Here's the headline without the reference: "Stamford activists try to revive Bush impeachment" Does it not seem legitimate to you now? Imagine for a moment, if you will, the same stress used in previous conflicts. From the War of 1812: "Stamford activists, Revolution vet try to revive Madison impeachment" From the Spanish-American War: "Stamford activists, Civil War vet try to revive McKinley impeachment" Does it really matter if you fought in a conflict? I served during a relatively peaceful time, but you will n...
More About: Anti-War , Everything , Ever

Time Warner Drops WBZ Locally
2007-01-25 16:10:01
Time War ner, the local cable supplier for the area, has announced plans to drop long time locally available channel WBZ out of Boston in favor of WFSB in Hartford, CT and Wllp out of Springfield, MA. This doesn't affect me, since I am a Dish Network subscriber, but what do you all think of the move? Here's the Transcript article by Jennifer Huberdeau.
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New Blogs Added
2007-01-25 16:10:01
I've added "Mortar Bend," a new blog by Tom Bernard of North Adams, and "Wooded Paths," a blog by DWPittelli from Adams. I try to give a link to each blog from the area, unless the go stagnant or just go. I was noticing, however, that there is not a reciprocal feeling among other local bloggers. My little blog appears in the link section of many, but is conspicuously absent from others. I know each blogger has the right to include whomever they want on their sites, but I was a bit disappointed to learn this fact. Maybe they just don't like me...Perhaps if the Dems push through the re-birth of the Fairness Doctrine, things will change....heeheehee...
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Governor Deval Patrick, in a speech to the Massachusetts Mun
2007-01-14 22:00:13
Governor Deval Patrick , in a speech to the Massachusetts Municipal Association meeting in Boston on Saturday, suggested that gambling and allowing local taxes on services and goods could be a way to reduce the budget deficit he projects to be $1 Billion Dollars. Your thoughts??...
More About: Rick , Trick , Governor

Big city problems continue to pop up in the Berkshires, as t
2007-01-14 22:00:13
Big city problems continue to pop up in the Berkshires, as the Massachusetts State Police are looking for a man wanted for questioning in a January 10th murder in Philadelphia, according to today's Berkshire Eagle. Naphece Ballard, 31, also known as Derek Johnson, is thought to be hiding out somewhere in North County. He is described as being a black male, aged 31, 6-foot-1, and around 190 pounds. He is to be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information is urged to call State Police in Cheshire at (413) 743-4700.
More About: Hire , Pop , Problems , City , Problem

Same-Sex Marriage Ban Moves Forward
2007-01-03 21:52:02
A proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Massachusetts moved forward yesterday, with the Massachusetts legislature finding enough votes to move to the next step in the process. Now, as for me, what you do in your private life and whether or not you are "married" to your homosexual or heterosexual partner does not affect what happens in my home, so who cares? My only issue is with the comment in the Berkshire Eagle article by Matt Murphy and Hillary Chabot of the Eagle's Boston Bureau (with some help from the AP) by Arline Isaacson, who is co-chairwoman of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus. The group claims to have the support of Gov.-elect Deval L. Patrick and House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi in their fight to keep this off the ballot. "This is devastatingly bad news for us. It's a travesty that legislators would vote to take away the rights of gay citizens and their families," Isaacson said." Well, what about the constitutional rights of the ...
More About: Marriage , War , Move , Same-Sex Marriage , Arri

Patrick's Pittsfield Event A Sell-Out
2007-01-03 21:52:02
The Eagle is reporting this morning that Governor-Elect Deval Patrick 's Berkshire County Inaugural Celebration is a sell-out. Damn, I waited too long to get a ticket. Hey (Special Advisor) Dan Bosley, can you see if you can get our new Governor to read "The Blazer Blog?"In other Massachusetts Inauguration news, the Eagle's Jessica Willis reports that incoming Attorney General Martha Coakley (a North Adams native) will be sworn in at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art on January 17th at 11am. The cost is free.
More About: Event , Rick , Trick , Sell

Amherst, Iran Exchange Love Notes
2007-01-03 21:52:02
Perusing around the Internet this morning, I found an interesting comment on Larry Kelley's "Amherst Town Meeting Minority Report." Apparently, the Town of Amherst has received a "letter of appreciation" from the Embassy of Pakistan Interests Section of Islamic Republic of Iran Director Mostafa Rahmani, who praised ?the courageousstance? of the Amherst Town Meeting for voting to urge the United States not to go to war with Iran, and noted that the petition was being forwarded to the Office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. You remember him, right? He's the guy who advocates "wiping Israel off the map," and believes the Holocaust never happened. He was also a part of the "students" who took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979. Of course, controversial stances are nothing new in Amherst. A UMass professor called the United States flag a "symbol of terrorism and death and fear and destruction and repression" on September 10th, 2001. The town w...
More About: Love , Change , Note , Exchange

What's Up In Clarksburg??
2006-12-31 21:50:05
I noticed a "Help Wanted" ad in the Advocate yesterday, advertising for a temporary Town Clerk in Clar ks burg until the election on May 7, 2007. Anybody heard anything? Did the Board of Selectman chase another competent employee away?
More About: What , Hat , Lark

Sawin Gets His Due
2006-12-31 21:50:05
Drug dealer Kyle Sawin got what he deserved from the judicial system on Thursday, when Berkshire Superior Court Judge John Agostini handed him a 2-year sentence for his guilty plea on 11 drug charges. I'd like to think that this might be a wake-up call for the bonehead, but his kind don't ever seem to learn their lesson. The Berkshire Eagle's Jack Dew writes about the verdict.
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Update
2006-12-28 09:48:01
Thanks to all who have either e-mailed, left messages here, or telephoned over the last few days. My dad is at home, recovering from a yet still undiagnosed ailment that caused his hospitalization last weekend. He is still weak, gets dizzy, and is pale, but the doctor's know best when to send someone home, right? Sometimes, I think the insurance companies make the call about how long you can remain in the hospital...On a side note, it never ceases to amaze me that although we bicker and throw pot-shots at each other in the blogging world, when one of us faces a crisis, we are all there to lend support and our thoughts and prayers to each other. My heartfelt thanks to all of you.
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No Post Today
2006-12-23 09:43:01
Sorry about no post today. I was heading to Drury to sub today when I got the call that my Dad was being taken to North Adams Regional Hospital with chest pains. I did remain at school for the day, but have spent the rest of the day back and forth between the hospital, getting my truck inspected, finishing shopping, and other real-life errands. My Dad remains at N.A.R.H. this evening in C.C.U., with no real conclusive answers to what's going on. I'll try to post in the morning.
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This One, I Just Do Not See...
2006-12-21 15:40:02
Selectman Joe Solomon of Adams, in his brief story about his decision to run in today's Eagle, tells reporter Christopher Marcisz that he was inspired by a so-called "Youth Movement," and by Ben Downing's "decisive" victory in the State Senate race. I don't think electing one person mandates a "youth movement," and I would by no means call Ben's win decisive, especially when you look a the primary election results. Pittsfield delivered the seat to Ben, and the overall vote totals was far from what one would call "decisive."
More About: Just , This

GOP Finds A Thin Playing Field
2006-12-20 21:39:05
Berkshire County has become tough terrain for Republicans, where neither Mitt Romney in 2002 nor Kerry Healey in 2006 carried a single community. And it is even tougher in North County, where the prospect of a special election to fill a soon-to-be vacant seat on Beacon Hill has failed to generate much enthusiasm.In other 1st Berkshire news, sources report that Selectman Joe Solomon of Adams has tossed his hat into the Democratic ring, and that perennial candidate for anything John Zelazo is also in, and that fellow PCA (Perennial Candidate for Anything) Jay Lukkarila is seriously considering ...
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Who Said This?
2006-12-20 03:37:04
Here's a trivia question for all you readers. Which announced candidate for Dan Bosley's seat in the House had this said about their future political ventures back in September, after finishing 3rd in the State Senate primary??"**** said she will return to her position at Serving Health Information Needs of the Elderly on Monday and that she does not plan on running for any office again.Not because she is afraid to run, she said, but because the job of senator is the only position she felt interested in pursuing."Bonnie Obremski, North Adams Transcript, September 22, 2006
More About: This , Said

AZ Daily Star May Pull Reader Comments
2006-12-20 03:37:04
Seven months after StarNet, the online forum of the Arizona Daily Star, launched a feature allowing readers to add comments to stories, Star editors are rethinking the whole idea because of the coarseness of those online postings.
More About: Men , Reader , Comments , Read

Ware, MacDonald In; Cariddi, Alcombright Considering
2006-12-19 15:37:02
Well, it didn't take long for area candidates to start lining up their ducks and start the special election campaign to fill Dan Bosley's seat in the 1st Berkshire District. Former Williamstown Selectwoman Margie War e, fresh off her 3rd place finish in the Berkshire Senate race, and Adams Selectman Ed Mac Donald threw their hats in before Dan's chair got cold. North Adams City Councilors Gailanne Cariddi and Dick Alcombright and Heath Select Chair Tom Lively are seriously considering runs for the seat. Now, here's a scenario for you. Let's say one of the North Adams Councilors gets the seat. That means that the City Council will need to fill the remaining term of whomever. That opens the door to a plethora of folks who either ran last time, or possibly a person who didn't run to fill the seat. Any ideas on that seat-filler?
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