The Extravaganja

A Big Success

 



In recent years there seems to have been a jinx on the annual rally in Amherst for the legalization of marijuana, otherwise known as the Extravaganja. The weather always seems to be rainy, too cold, no sunshine or whatever the weather can do to discourage attendance. This year however, perhaps in deference to the decriminalization of marijuana possession by voters last year, Mother Nature smiled upon the rally with some absolutely gorgeous weather.

In the course of my travels today, I passed through the rally site three times. The first time was at ten o'clock this morning, when things were still being set up.

When I returned around one o'clock a serious crowd had gathered.

On my final visit at three o'clock the place was mobbed.

The Extravaganja was a wonderful economic windfall for downtown Amherst. I wanted to stop at Bart's Homemade Ice Cream but the place was packed with a line going out the door.

I didn't smoke anything myself, but the smell of reefer in the air was stronger than at any past Extravaganja I've attended, and I have attended nearly them all. No doubt decriminalization had something to do with that, and indeed the police appeared willing to let people do what they wanted as long as everything stayed mellow.

One of the most dynamic organizer of this year's rally was Heather McCormack, shown here second from left with her band.

The Amherst Common was transformed into a sea of tie dye.

All aspects of high society were represented, like these hula-hooping followers of the String Cheese Incident.

Of course smoking paraphernalia was for sale.

The music was extremely wide-ranging, like these folks playing weird instruments.

From the main stage crusading libertarian Terry Franklin urged the crowd to remember that as long as one person is still being arrested for marijuana, their work is incomplete.

I don't know how I didn't see this sooner, but here's a video of Franklin at the Justice for Michael Phelps rally held at UMass in February. 

Humanity Enslaved

Bad news folks - the human race has been conquered by brain eating hordes of zombie undead. At least that's what happened at UMass at the conclusion of the week-long human versus zombie war. Although I missed the climactic final battle, I arrived just in time to see women tending to the wounded and the humans surrendering to their zombie lords.

The weapons of the humans lie discarded in a pile as they were led away to become slaves to the undead.

I had to leave so I never found out what the zombies made their slaves do, but I'm sure it was something fun. 

"Mr. Clark, I have reviewed this case very carefully," the Divorce Court Judge said. "And I've decided to give your wife $775 a week."

"That's very fair, your honor," the husband said. "And every now and then I'll try to send her a few bucks myself."

 

This Bud's Not For You

 


 

I'm surprised to see that City Councilor Bud Williams (above) has made good on his threat to announce for mayor of Springfield. I'm surprised because I thought Williams had too much old baggage to mount a credible campaign, plus he's indicated a willingness to run in the past and nothing ever came of it.

Things are a little different this time. For one thing, there is ward representation for the first time since the 1950's, and the ward Bud is in already has a crowded field featuring early front-runner Claudio Concepcion. Bud would be strongest running citywide as he always has under the old system, but if that's the case then he might as well run for mayor as for an at-large Council seat. Actually that is an example of the first major weakness to surface regarding the new ward system, there is little incentive to run for the at-large seats, which come with no more power or pay than the ward seats but require much more expensive citywide campaigns to win.

I've always liked Bud on a personal level. He has never been as much of a fake as most others in Springfield politics. I remember back in the 90's when I first started hanging around the Springfield political scene Williams always made a point of saying hello to me whenever he saw me, despite the fact I didn't always say nice things about him in my zine. That was in contrast to many other pols who used to pretend they didn't know who I was, only to have Dan Yorke inform me that they had come up to him and asked questions about me. In a political scene dominated by plastic phonies and charming crooks, Williams has a certain refreshing down to earthness about him.

Yet despite the statement in William's announcement that "I've not played politics at all" the fact is Williams has always been a loyal foot soldier for the local political machine. It is hard to think of a single time he has challenged the status-quo on an issue that mattered, and like so many others, his reputation is tarnished by his close association with disgraced former Mayor Michael Albano. Can't Springfield find leaders anywhere except among the motley crew who stood by, as Williams did, defending the political establishment as the city swirled down the drain?

Fortunately Williams is not the only candidate on the field. Others may come forward, and incumbent Mayor Dom Sarno is expected to seek re-election. Nor is Williams the first to announce, that would be newcomer David Parkhurst, who is running an outsider campaign that is starting to look like a real breath of fresh air.

It might be that Bud Williams is not the worst person that could run for mayor, but Springfield could, and should, do better.

 

Tea Partying

I regret that I couldn't attend one of the "tea party" demonstrations today in protest of the soaring level of government intrusion into our lives. Here are pictures of some other famous tea parties.

The Original Boston Tea Party  

Alice's Tea Party

I'm delighted to see that the number and size of the protests were above and beyond anyone's expectations.  

 

Hamp Signs

In Northampton I saw this expression of anti-government sentiment this morning on a downtown mailbox, complete with a sledgehammer striking the statehouse - or is it the White House?

I was surprised to see this sign stuck to a tree in downtown Northampton. It says "Jesus is the King not the Latin Kings."

I hope that doesn't mean the Latin King gang is surfacing in Hamp. They've already done enough damage in Springfield.

 

UMass Today

A feminist group set up these red cutouts around campus today with stories attached to them about domestic violence. 

I hate domestic violence, but I'm not sure how much such displays are educational or just annoying.

These ladies were in the campus center today with a spotted cow wearing a UMass hat promoting this weekend's livestock show.

It is being held Saturday all day with free parking and free admission at the UMass Hadley Farm. If you're into farm stuff check it out.

Today was also the start of the annual Humans versus Zombies War. This well-armed humanity soldier was patrolling the campus center to protect the students from zombie attacks.



Today's Video



Jefferson Airplane was full of such talented people that not everyone noticed that Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Cassady were two of the greatest guitar players on the planet. When they went solo with their band Hot Tuna, they never gave a damn about commercial success and so got overlooked again. Hey, if you don't know Jorma you don't know Jack! Now they seem to be being rediscovered, with Jorma winning a Grammy award and Jack being praised as one of the greatest bass players of all time!

But a Hot Tuna karoake video?

It takes a long time to be free.