BSO

BSO

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Extrava


This Dann Vazquez portrait of Northampton was symbolically true yesterday.


That's because yesterday was the psychedelically themed Extravaganza which is put on each year by the UMass Cannabis Coalition as a celebration of the virtues of marijuana in particular and high culture in general. I took the bus there, and soon encountered a terrible traffic jam at the Calvin Coolidge Bridge coming into Hamp from Amherst.


The traffic was crawling along so slowly, that I and a bunch of other people on the bus decided to just get off the bus and walk across the bridge. While on one side of me as I crossed was the impenetrable traffic jam, as long as I just kept gazing in the opposite direction, then I saw only transcendent beauty.


At last we arrived at our destination, where the traffic jam continued on the street leading into the fair grounds itself.


There was security at the gate, but it wasn't particularly intrusive, in fact, they practically just waved me through. But maybe that was because I purposely did not bring a knapsack and probably looked like some harmless old coot. One of the few advantages I find with advancing years is that I'm often mistaken as much more respectable and much less subversive than I really am. Once inside, old glory greeted the revelers.


The place was really crowded.


When I was younger I used to love crowds, going to concerts running all around shouting "Yahoo!" I no longer do the substances that used to encourage the yahooing, and find that I now appreciate mankind more in the abstract than when they are swarming all around me.

The star of the event was there, actual marijuana plants that you could buy. While purchasing marijuana in a store is not possible until July 1st, it is already legal to grow your own.


I got there just in time for the Terry Franklin & Dick Evans Show.


Conspicuous in their absence were any local politicians, including sorta-Senator Stan Rosenberg and State Rep. Solomon Goldstein-Rose, both of whom face potentially tough re-election races this year and could've used the goodwill their attendance would have generated.

What I also didn't hear, in the ninety minutes or so I was there, was any live music being played. Later I heard that a few bands got stuck on the highway and missed their own gig. In compensation, here's something from the golden age of psychedelia.



My verdict: A good time was had by all

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Wintry


Doyle Twig Paintings on the wall.


A noble cause.


For one fleeting day, the temperature around here was almost spring-like.


It's time to plan a trip to a sugar-shack.


The geese were honking their love for academia.


Momma and Poppa Duck were out with the ducklings by the campus pond.


Then, of course, it had to go and snow for the fourth time this April.


Hopefully the weather will improve for the Extravaganja this Saturday. With legalization beginning on July 1st, this may be the last one. Here's a cool song from yesteryear.



Be There or Be Square!

Saturday, April 7, 2018

City Clowncil



I'm dismayed, if not particularly surprised, by the irresponsible actions of the Springfield City Council in trying to prevent law enforcement from attempting to remove a person who is in the country illegally and currently attempting to escape justice by seeking refuge in a local church. A group of foolhardy councilors will try to bring a resolution next week before the council in an attempt to offer the fugitive that body's official support.

What are the esteemed councilors thinking? Do they think the immigration laws should not be enforced? Do they think that people should be allowed to sneak into the country without any consequences? Do they feel that new comers should not be medically examined to see if they are carrying infectious diseases? Do they feel they should not have their background checked to see if they have a criminal record, such as a history of violence or pedophilia? Do the esteemed councilors feel they should not be checked to see if they have ties to criminal gangs or terrorist groups? Because these are the very checks that do not occur whenever people sneak into the country illegally. When someone like the criminal alien hiding in the Springfield church are supported in their efforts, and by public officials no less, it only encourages others to try to sneak in as well.

It is also an insult to every American immigrant who entered this country through legal channels, and who went through the long and demanding process to legally obtain citizenship, for the councilors to suggest, as they do by their actions, that the standard should be simply that if you can get here than you can stay here. I'm especially disappointed in Councilors Tim Ryan and Mike Fenton, who once had reputations for having some commonsense, an appraisal that must now be downgraded in light of their participation in this current foolishness.


It snowed on Monday.


Then it snowed again on Friday.


WILL WINTER EVER END?

This week the UMass Library had their Edible Book Festival. I think the Forbes in Northampton has had similar events.


Here's a tasty biography of Vincent Van Gogh.


Of course Springfield's Dr. Seuss had to be included, although The Lorax was not one of his better books.


Let's end with something a little thermonuclear. Observe former Pine Pointer Karl Mayfield at around 1:25.


Sunday, April 1, 2018

Easter Fools


Greetings and Salutations upon the Feast of Fools.


I can't recall Easter and April Fools falling on the same day before. This was created by Massachusetts painter Norman Rockwell in 1959.


Poor Sorta-Senator Stanley Rosenberg of Northampton continues to hit new lows in the aftermath of his husband's scandalous behavior.


Here's an old, poor quality pic I came across recently of the house that once stood next door to the old Pine Point Library on Boston Road. I took the picture in 1969.


Here's the house as it was thirty years earlier, in 1939.


UMass ducks have so lost their fear of humans, due to all the students walking around, that they were just casually sitting by the entrance way to the UMass Library the other day.


A walk to lunch at UMass.



Don't get April Fooled on Easter Sunday!