BSO

BSO

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

TV Polls

The Mayoral Races

 



WGGB-TV runs a poll every day on a subject related to the news. They are unscientific polls because the people who participate are self selected. However they are not completely unenlightening, since people participate who may never otherwise be contacted by a pollster. There is also software in place to prevent people from voting more than once from the same computer. Lately, they have been running polls on local mayoral races, with some interesting results. For example, here's the totals for their poll on the Springfield mayoral race between incumbent Dom Sarno and challenger Bud Williams. 





Sarno - 59%
Williams - 20%
Other - 31%



Not exactly encouraging news for City Councilor Williams. What is interesting is that a third of the voters appear to wish that they had a third alternative, suggesting that many people would prefer someone to vote for other than the two candidates actually running.

A similar poll was held this week for the hotly contested mayoral race in Northampton. However the results suggest that a landslide defeat is in store for incumbent M. Clare Higgins.





Higgins - 27%
Bardsley - 59%
Other - 14%


Although the Channel 40 polls do provide fun fuel for speculation, ultimately the only poll that matters is on Election Day. Personally, I never forgave Channel 40 for cancelling the Admiral and Swabby Show







The Future Predicted

 



Cool Local Advertisements

A corny but cute ad for Northampton's Turn It Up.





 

Here's a better one, featuring a Rod Stewart album I used to own as well as someone I was in rehab with. 





 

Hamp Hike

I got to the bus stop today just as the bus to Amherst was pulling away! Oh well, all that did was give me a half hour to take a little walk down the street. Camera in hand, I headed towards Smith College.





There I saw this clever definition of Smith.





As well as these sidewalk guilt monsters. 





Heading into the heart of town, I checked out the newly painted mural on Kirkland Avenue, othewise universally known as "the ally behind Thornes."





Turtle-like beings now climb the fire escape. 





A psychedelic owl gazes down upon all.





Less artistic scrawlings adorn the opposite wall, the better to go with the sewer motif. 





This is the kind of sign you only see in New England.

 



A parking meter expresses a preference. 





Finally the next bus arrives, I climb onboard and later I snap this pic out the window as we cross the mighty Connecticut.

 



Today's Video

Another lost masterpiece resurfaces:

Paul Kantner : Guitar, vocals,
Grace Slick : Piano, vocals
Jack Casady : Bass
Jerry Garcia : Lead Guitar
Bill Kreutzmann: Drums
David Crosby : Guitar,vocals
Graham Nash : Vocals

No light shines on the mind protected
No light shines on the fangs neglected.



3 comments:

Unknown said...

hard to believe that Bud got 20%, that seems pretty high, kind of like his constituents.

Mary E.Carey said...

Great post. I like that Turn it Up video and all the graffiti.

Anonymous said...

Swabby used to be from Hamp. Lived across from CDH.

I remember his son's used to be real pranksters. One time they reset the church bells to go off in the middle of Mass on Father Russo.

They were a great family once you got to know them.