A Visit to St. Mike's

 

Well folks, here's yet another one of my cheerful cemetery posts! I was in Pine Point over the weekend, where I now know more residents under the ground than above it. Some of the underground ones I visited at Saint Michael's. However some of the more interesting tombstones in the place belong to people I never knew. For example by chance I stumbled upon the tragic grave of Conor Reynolds.

 

 

No doubt there are tragic stories behind many of these graves. This beautiful orb commemorates someone who died in the 1800's at only 26 years of age.

 

 

Here's something a little odd that someone placed on a grave - a lobster in a clear container! My mother was a big fan of Maine lobsters, but I'm not sure I'd put one on her grave. Oh well, there is no right or wrong to such things.

 

 

I remember reading once about some eccentric philosopher who used to walk around with a lobster on a leash. When asked why he was using a lobster to guide his way, he would reply, "Because it knows the deep." Soon I was back in Northampton, where there are no lobsters but where dragons lurk.

 

 

 

In recent weeks there have been protests and counter-protests in Northampton each weekend, where the participants are usually well behaved. But this week things got a little tense as you can see in this video.

 

    Upside down "open" sign on a Northampton headshop. 

Election Results 2010

Final Thoughts

This is the quaint New England polling place where I voted on Tuesday on my way to work. It was so early that it was still sorta dark out, yet eleven people had voted before me.

 



It was indeed a higher than expected turnout, a development I issued a warning about some weeks ago. Many pundits predicted a Republican tsunami, but in the end it was only a wave. In any case, the wave was sufficient to humble President Obama, in exactly the way I predicted over a year ago. That's the great thing about this blog, you get to read the news a year in advance!

However, that Republican wave mostly passed over New England, especially Massachusetts and Connecticut. The only exception was the State of Maine, which elected a Tea Party governor with a GOP takeover of both branches of their state legislature. Gee I guess that's what they mean by that old saying "As goes Maine, so goes the nation!"

Oh well, I'm glad that the elections are finally over, but before moving on let's have one last backward glance at what happened and how it all turned out.

 



Governor
Deval Patrick (48%) Charles Baker (42%) Timothy Cahill (8%)
Jill Stein (1%)
Patrick started 2010 with the lowest approval ratings of any governor in the country. Yet on Election Day it was he who had the last laugh, thanks to a dull GOP challenge from political unknown Charlie Baker, a spoiler campaign by opportunist Tim Cahill and a campaign by Jill Stein so looney left that even Massachusetts liberals found her too extreme. The downside for Deval is that now he has to govern through the major budget crisis that lies just around the corner.

 

Hampden County District Attorney
Mark Mastroianni (59%) Stephen Buoniconti (41%)
For decades Hampden County suffered through the rascal judicial leadership of Matty Ryan, who treated the District Attorney's office as his personal fiefdom. Then came the more competent Bill Bennett, but his tenure was marred by his stubborn blindspot to the local political corruption that was all around him. Voters wisely avoided a third tenure of folly by electing Mastroianni over the ethically challenged Steve Buoniconti, who seemed to be on friendly terms with every political crook in the Valley.

 

U.S. House - 1st Congressional
John Olver (60%) William Gunn (35%) Michael Engel (5%)
Bill Gunn exploded onto the Valley's political scene in the aftermath of his arrest in Washington D.C. for creating a disturbance in the halls of Congress during the healthcare debate. But that national exposure was basically all the attention he could muster in his penniless campaign. Given the always longshot chances he had in this very liberal district, Gunn's vote totals are actually pretty good. The debates in this race also showed the incumbent Olver coming across as old and spacy, fueling speculation that this win was Olver's last hurrah. Leftist Professor Engel's embarrassing showing proves that the radical Left is dead even in the Happy Valley.

 

U.S. House - 2nd Congressional
Richard Neal (57%) Thomas Wesley(43%)
This race was surprisingly close considering how entrenched Neal is and the fact that his challenger was a political unknown with no money. It makes you wonder what might have happened had Wesley's primary challenger Dr. Jay Fleitman been the nominee. Neal's weaker than expected showing all but guarantees that he will face a major challenge in 2012.

 

State Representative - 2nd Hampden
Brian Ashe (51%) Marie Angelides (49%)
Angelides shocked the Valley's political world with her upset primary win over the heavily favored Jack Villamaino, yet she narrowly failed at repeating her upset in the general election. Expect to see her resurface on the political scene.

 


State Representative - 3rd Hampden
Nicholas Boldyga (40%) Rosemary Sandlin (39%) Anthony Bonavita (21%)
A bitter split within the Democrat party allowed Boldyga to pull off the Valley's biggest political upset of 2010 by happily ousting the contemptible hack Sandlin. Now his task is to prove that he is not just a one term wonder.

 

State Representative - 6th Hampden
Michael Finn (55%) Gregory Neffinger (45%)
It is sad to see Neffinger lose to a hack like Finn, who has disturbing ties to the Petrolati gang.

 

State Representative - 9th Hampden
Sean Curran (80%) Robert Underwood (20%)
Curran was lucky in the opposition he faced this year in the primary against the hapless Chris Asselin and in the general against perennial candidate Underwood. But Curran should take this opportunity over the next two years to mend fences, because there is an undercurrent of dissatisfaction in that district that a stronger candidate might take advantage of in 2012.

 

State Representative - 12th Hampden
Angelo Puppolo Jr. (65%) Joshua Carpenter (35%)
It's no surprise that the popular moderate Puppolo easily won re-election, but his spirited young challenger has established himself even in defeat as someone worth watching in the future.

 

State Representative - 3rd Hampshire
Ellen Story (77%) Daniel Sandell (19%) Daniel Melick (4%)
Story humbled her challengers with her landslide win, but Dan Sandell ran an interesting, issues based campaign that makes one hope to see more of him. The same is true for challenger Melick, who was considered, fairly or not, as "the pot candidate." However, Melick already won on his key issue because during the course of the campaign Story actually changed her position and agreed to support legalization. Expect Amherst's many pot activists to hold her to her word.

 



State Senate - 1st Hampden & Hampshire
Gale Candaras (58%) Thomas McCarthy (42%)
Citizen/businessman McCarthy did surprisingly well against Candaras, who had powerful establishment backing. Let's see a rematch in 2012!

So dat's da way da ball bounced, and now we'll have to wait and see what the winners do once they're sworn in.

Hey, check out this funny political cartoon set in Springfield's Duggan Junior High School by clicking here.

Now let's turn to other compelling matters, like somebody getting jumped during a Halloween show in Northampton.

 

Election 2010 Prognostications

Boy, all the polls are unanimous in predicting bigtime victories for the Republicans in the national mid-term elections to be held on November 2nd. Some are predicting gains in the House of Representatives of as much as 80 or 90 seats, which would dwarf the Republican landslide of 1994 - the so-called "Gingrich Revolution" when 52 House seats were taken from the Democrats.

But the Republicans better be careful. No matter what the polls say now, no one can actually cast their vote in September. What counts is what people are feeling on Election Day! Back in 1948, all the polls were predicting that Republican presidential nominee Thomas Dewey was a shoo-in. However the effect of those polls was to cause Republican voters to become complacent, so that many stayed home on Election Day because they felt certain they would win. On the other hand the Democrats, frightened by the constant warnings of their impending doom, flocked to the polls. That was how Harry Truman got a second term that no one thought he could win.

Personally, I think a greater threat to the Republican's chances than complacency is the recent shift in their message away from the economy, where they have commonsense solutions for economic recovery, to social issues, where they sometimes come across as mean and hypocritical and just plain loony. 

In other words, it is time for the libertarians to take over the Republican Party.

Have you seen the new advertisement for south-Valley Congressman Richard Neal? It looks like Richie has got himself a new hair stylist!

 



 

However, he'll need more than a new haircut to favorably introduce himself to an electorate that hardly knows him anymore after term after term of automatic re-election. You gotta believe that there is no way that Neal would be hitting the airwaves this early unless he's bought some polling data that shows he's in trouble.

The Student Prince launched its always popular Oktoberfest festivities this week. A great time was had by all despite the attendance of certain undesirables, as captured in this photo by Richard Bulda of Springfield Mayor Dom Sarno and the controversial dealmaker Heriberto Flores. 

Meanwhile, here are some Jill Stein for Governor supporters last week at UMass. 

A poster on display the same day by the campus conservatives. 

Tea Party recruitment even in Northampton. 

Me at the monument for Dominic Daley and James Halligan, who were executed unjustly during a wave of anti-Irish hostility that swept Northampton in 1806. 

I stumbled upon this graffiti about Northampton Mayor Clare Higgins on the bike path through downtown. I'm not sure if it is intended to be a complement or an insult. 

A mud party at UMass. 

Last night's harvest moon over Holyoke by Greg Saulmon 

2010 Primary Results

 



Well, the people have spoken, God damn them. 

As usual, nearly all the candidates I endorsed went down to defeat, although there were a few bright spots. Perhaps brightest of all was the unexpected success of Worcester area Attorney James P. McKenna (above with family) who ran a sticker campaign to get on the ballot to challenge State Attorney General Martha "The Wicked Witch" Coakley, who was crushed in the Senate race last winter by the heroic Scott Brown. Coakley was left ripe for being removed from office altogether, but the pathetically inept Massachusetts Republican Party failed to field a candidate against her. Yet now against all expectations, Coakley has a challenger after all, proof that once again the Fells Acres Curse is still relentlessly pursuing justice.

Overall turnout sucked. In Springfield and Holyoke a measley 11% voted, leaving it a mystery how the other 89% felt. Democracy has essentially collapsed in those communities, which are now run almost entirely by corrupt political machines. Here are the candidates I endorsed, and the voter's mostly foolish choices, with an analysis of what went right or wrong. 

2nd Congressional District

Dr. Jay Fleitman

Dr. Fleitman was defeated by Tom Wesley (above) despite winning in most of the district's largest cities. However, the good Doctor was no match for Wesley's landslide victories in the small towns in the eastern part of the district. Actually that was how Scott Brown was able to carry the district back in January, and reveals the probable path to victory for Wesley in November - let Neal carry the big city machines and then cream him in the suburbs. But first the disappointed supporters of the good Doctor must quickly climb aboard the Wesley campaign. Sour grapes divisions are an unaffordable luxury in this noble quest to - as Wesley puts it in his campaign signs - Repeal Neal. Now is the time to unite and move forward. 

State Treasurer

Stephen J. Murphy

In this worthless race between the evil political boss Steve Grossman (the winner above) and Boston hack Murphy there could be no victory for the public - any way you look at it neither candidate deserves the office. Republican Karyn Polito is the only credible contender. 

State Auditor

Kamal Jain and Michael E. Lake

I believe libertarian Republican Kamal Jain (above) was the better candidate, but alas he had no money to get out his message. However the woman who beat him, Mary Z. Connaughton, is still far superior to the unqualified career politician chosen by the Democrats, Suzanne Bump. The Auditor's race is probably the Republican party's best chance at winning a statewide office this year. 

Hampden County District Attorney

Jim Goodhines

I said that Goodhines (above) deserved to win by a landslide margin, but instead he ended up finishing dead last in a field of five. What happened? Hard to say, but my impression is that many voters identified Goodhines with the regime of retiring D.A. Bill Bennett, which was not a plus in this anti-establishment year. The winner was the ethically challenged Steve Buoniconti, who reformers from across the political spectrum must now do everything possible to block. Finishing a distant third was Albano era flunkie Michael Kogut - and somewhere in heaven Gerry Daniele is smiling. 

Hampshire/Franklin District Attorney

David Sullivan

My guy won, but who really cares? This was the dullest, most over-rated race of the primary season. 

State Senate Hampden District

Kenneth G. Condon and Susan Dawson

Condon (above) was narrowly defeated by Agawam's Bob Magovern, who is still a much better choice than Democrat contender James Welch, who has failed to distinguish himself in any way during his time as a state representative. Why perpetuate the incompetence?

2nd Hampden House District

Enrico “Jack” Villamaino

I was shocked when voters failed to elect Villamaino (above with Scott Brown) and by all accounts Villamaino took the loss hard.  But the party stalwart who defeated him, Marie Angelides, comes with the highest recommendations and deserves to win in November against the do-nothing incumbent Ashe. 

Third Hampden House District

Mark A. Del Negro

Incumbent Rosemary Sandlin (above with the shady Buoniconti) has been a disappointment in every way. It's a mystery how challenger Del Negro could have lost.

6th Hampden House District

Dean C. Vogel

It's a shame that a candidate of Vogel's high caliber was defeated, but winner Gregory Neffinger is more than qualified to go on to victory in November. 

9th Hampden House District

Sean F. Curran

Hey, if Curran couldn't win against a convicted felon, who could he beat?

Well, moving on from politics here's a local example of truth in advertising. 

The other day I visited the site of the old Mount Tom Ski Resort in Holyoke that closed in 1998. Today the former ski slope is all overgrown. 

Here are the ruins of the resort as seen from the top of the slope.



Over the dozen years the resort has been closed all of the buildings have been vandalized. This abandoned swimming pool was installed as part of a futile attempt to keep the resort alive by having facilities that could be open in the summer.

Some of the vandals were conspiracy theorists. 

Speaking of the towers, Saturday was the day known by everyone simply as 9/11. A solemn silent vigil was held in front of Memorial Hall at UMass.

As usual, the town of Amherst made an ass of itself with a silly controversy over whether to fly flags today. Meanwhile the UMass Republican and Democrat Clubs united to turn the "Gossip Wall" (where students sit gossiping each day at lunch) into a sea of flags.

In Northampton there was a display of chalk art on the sidewalks downtown. Included was this flag tribute.

A very artistic dragon. 

And this being Northampton, not everyone used the chalk in service to art. 

 

 

Coen Vs. Franco

Over Beck Rally.

 



Springfield rates almost right smack in the middle of the 200 largest broadcasting markets in the USA. As a result, whenever someone of real talent appears in our Valley TV media they often quickly disappear to somewhere else, usually the Boston or Hartford area. However one first rate talent who has stuck around is WGGB-TV's Scott Coen. How long? Here's a video that has surfaced of Coen doing a West Springfield armwrestling story he reported on in 1993.

 

This is Coen as he looks today.

Coen in a playful mood.

Over the years Coen has evolved into a real multi-media artist, doing not just his TV gig but also doing sports updates on WHMP and ESPN. He has his own Masslive column My Wide World which is more or less about everything and anything Coen wants it to be about. Sometimes he strays into politics, such as these recent comments on today's conservative rally organized by TV host Glenn Beck.

I wasn't going to weigh in on Glenn Beck's 'Restoring Honor' rally, because for me, it was a no-win situation. But then, I changed my mind. I don't care for Glenn Beck very much. Actually I think he's an idiot, a race baiter, and represents everything that's gone wrong with the Fourth Estate. I feel the same way about the talking heads on both sides of the aisle. I just find Beck to be completely objectionable --- the others only sometimes.

Coen's putdown of Glenn Beck drew the ire of Governor's Council candidate Mike Franco. That's Franco on the right with Springfield City Councilor John Lysak. 

Franco put out a press release blasting Coen for his remarks:

Bizarre... Notice how liberal neophytes who have isolated themselves for years in their insular universe immediately stoop to name calling and nasty rhetoric. There is no time for concerned Americans to wait for them to understand the truth about the course of our government. We will act now, and we will not relent or shirk our duty.

Wow, pretty strong words on both sides! Hey maybe they ought to have a charity arm-wrestling event or something to settle their beef!

Meanwhile, someone in Northampton appears to be disillusioned with our Governor. 

North Valley congressional candidate Michael Engels openly declares himself a "democratic socialist" but at least he has a sense of humor, as evidenced by this anti-Olver graphic on his website.

The other candidate in the three-way race is local tea party hero Bill Gunn.

State Rep. candidate Dan Melick at UMass recently. 

 

Southwick's Congamond Lake where dinosaurs roam. 

I also went down to Bike Nite in Springfield on Thursday to see what's left of the 80's band Skid Row. They definitely appealed to the biker scene.

In Springfield they love hard rock, but Northampton likes to explore the bizarre.