The Freethinkers

 

When my friend asked me if I wanted to go to a meeting of the Pioneer Valley Freethinkers, of course I had to attend, if only to see what is considered a free thinker. I mean, is there anyone who does NOT consider themselves a free thinker?

"Excuse me, but are you a free thinker?"

"No, I'm rigid in my thoughts, close minded and I hate new ideas."

It's sort of like a sense of humor, no one will admit to not having one, yet at the same time we all know people who are pretty humorless. In the same way, everyone is a free thinker - until the thoughts get a little too free.

So I went out of curiosity, but also because it was being held at a place with a great caffeine reputation, Shelburne Falls Roasters Coffee Shop on Route Nine. 

As you can see it has won numerous Valley Advocate awards. 

A little late, I entered the room where the liberated minds had already gathered. 

They were a friendly enough bunch, these free thinkers. They were also primarily atheists, and I soon discovered that this was the topic they mostly talk about. At points when the discussion drifted to other topics, the conversation was pretty much orthodox lefty Valley talk.

However, atheism is indeed a radical concept in this country where about 90% of people in public opinion polls say they believe in God. It would have been helpful however, had some hapless Christian wandered into the discussion to spice things up with some opposition. Frankly, a radical idea loses a bit of its punch in a room where everyone agrees with it.

Oh well, it was still a fun and interesting time listening to people discuss ideas, even if there was no debating. 

 
Hey, next time you're zooming around on the Norwottock Trail, don't forget to stop in at Grey Matter Books. It's good for your grey matter. J. Wesley Miller was a fan of the joint.

Then go next door and check out Troubador Books.

 

Advice scrawled on the Norwottock Trail. 

Around about 1979 I used to get stoned and go to Bart's Ice Cream, at that time located in Northampton. We could never have imagined that there would one day be solar powered Bart's Ice Cream stands like this one in Amherst. 

Daniel Platt has an article in the Valley Advocate on this year's Western Mass Republican picnic, the most publicity that affair has received since Dan Yorke broadcast live from the event back in 1995. (click to enlarge) 

Things were much weirder at the Big Fruity Picnic in Easthampton. 

An orange resident of Ashfield, Massachusetts by Tony Mateus. 

Southwick Boatride

 

Hey everybody, I was floating around on Congamond Lake recently. A lot of people seem to do that, taking it easy on the water.

  

Easy, the way life's supposed to be.

  

Congamond actually consists of several bodies of water, connected by tunnels.

 

 

There are strange sights on the shore. 

 

 

The strangest things of all go on in the non-stop party zone called Louie B's. 

 

 

There was a band playing called Mass-Conn Fusion. 

  

When I first heard the name I thought it meant 'Massachusetts Confusion' which is pretty funny, but I later learned that it refers to how the band consists of a fusion of Massachusetts and Connecticut players. Not a bad band, whatever their name.

 

 I often cross these railroad tracks in Northampton, yet never saw a train on it. Therefore I began to think the tracks were abandoned.

  

Then yesterday I found out I was wrong. 

  

I wonder what these symbols mean that somebody painted on the bike path. 

  

My friend bought a cool shower curtain. 

  

Connecticut River Explorer by Robert Genest. 

 

Another Letter

Springfield City Councilor John Lysak

Good evening, Tom.

First, I would like to thank you for publishing my letter on your website. I know that you took a lot of heat for putting that out there, and I appreciate you giving me the chance to tell a small portion of my story.

Secondly, John is aware of the letter, and has responded to me, via a letter from his attorney Thomas Kenefick. The following is a quote from the letter:

"My client [John] has advised that your client has increased her virulent campaign against him in a number of ridiculous websites, viz, Tony Devine's Cosmos Report or Astronauts in Space. Apart from the bizarre nature of the website to which your client seems oddly attracted, she has made it her campaign to ventilate and/or publish my client's alleged abusive behavior towards her and the children (keeping in mind the parties have been separated for over a year) in the hope of causing him embarrassment and humiliation in the public sector. While I question the intellectual calculus of anyone who visits these blogs, nevertheless, it is embarrassing to my client not only because of its falsity but because of the continued vindictiveness and animus of your client towards mine which obviously must have an adverse impact on the children."

Tom, I'm telling you this because it was bloggers like you, Heather Brandon, and Bill Dusty that helped John's political career. He would be nowhere without the bloggers! When the mainstream media ignored our press releases, the bloggers were the only ones who would interview him and take his candidacy seriously. You (the bloggers and yourself) were the only ones to talk him up to the voters. I'm astounded that he would allow his attorney to say these things about people who were his friends. It was terribly unfair of John and his friends to criticize you. I imagine that one of those people was Peter Lyons, as he made nasty comments about me, and then also made nasty comments to my sister when she defended me.

Peter Lyons has to support John, because it was through his work on John's campaign that Peter became friends with Chris Asselin. Yes, John and Chris are good friends, and Peter currently works with Chris thanks to John's connection. In fact, my kids tell me how much they enjoy swimming in Chris's pool with the water slide. The very same pool that was partially funded by stolen monies from city residents. The whole thing is disgusting.

The rest of the letter is concerning John's wedding band. He gave it to my oldest daughter to wear on a necklace. She fell asleep on my bed while wearing it, and I asked her to take it off while she slept as I worried that she would choke on it (I do this myself). She has misplaced it. John's attorney is convinced that I stole it from her and pawned it for money. It's not true of course.

In another letter, John's attorney tries to say that I should lose custody because he believes that I'm practicing witchcraft, which is not condoned by John's conservative Pentecostal Christian faith. Well, more has happened. One of my kids has said that John has been molesting them since they were 9 years old. I immediately called the police and DCF. On Monday, I got restraining orders for me and all 4 of the kids. He cannot see or speak to them or to me. Also, the Springfield Special Victims Unit is investigating. I am so sick and upset from all of this. I never would have thought that he is capable of this, even given his violent history. I'm looking to move to a nearby suburb, and my child wants to press charges and bring him to justice. It's going to be a long road for us. I will keep you updated.

Thanks again for being willing to speak with me about this.

This is just a sampling of what I've been through and am going through with this man. This is the sort of person who wants the voters in Ward 8 to trust him? If he will treat his wife, his children, and his friends in this manner, then there really is no one that he won't betray in his desire for political power. I hope that the voters in Ward 8 learn this before it is too late.

Sincerely,
Priscilla Lysak

A neighbor's mailbox.

Norwottock Trail party invitation. 

Amherst bloglord Larry Kelley in Amherst Town Hall. 

Out the window of the UMass library. 

Waiting for the bus at UMass. 

Shiny Happy People at the Amherst Survival Center.

By the Calvin Coolidge Bridge by Nathan Gregory.

Simple Gifts Farm

 

This week I paid a visit to the Simple Gifts Farm in Amherst. It's a beautiful place.

 

Farmers have a sense of humor, as evidenced by this sign regarding the famous mystery about chickens and roads. 

Some of the farming is done in homemade hothouses.

This allows for a faster growing cycle, resulting in perfect red tomatoes weeks ahead of the normal harvest. 

If you want you can go online and buy into a portion of the harvest.

When it comes to the porkshares, they are presently still very much alive and living in houses painted by human children.

.



Yikes! Here comes mother and child to check out the visitors! Baby pigs sure are cute, but that cuteness factor fades considerably once they put on 500 pounds. 

At the end of our little tour we were served snacks of healthy organic produce and homemade dip.

Pretty neat place, I'll try to come back and explore the farm again around harvest time.

Meanwhile, the heatwave that's been gripping the country finally hit New England this week, as you can see from the fiery sun setting over the mighty Connecticut yesterday. 

A hot show in Hamp.

Cool in the pool. 

 



The better to see.

Conserving Fitzgerald

 

The 633 acre Fitzgerald Lake Conservation area is the largest conservation area in Northampton, yet I'd never been there until recently. It's a hidden gem. 

 

 

It's a really cool place, with clearly defined paths reinforced by either wood or stone.

 

 

Not surprisingly, all paths lead to Fitzgerald Lake, which is absolutely gorgeous and looks like a great place to fish.

 

  

For more information about how to get there and what to do click here. 

 

 Legendary Valley street singer Motown Bennie Johnson got the coverboy treatment from the Valley Advocate this week. 

 

 

At downtown Amherst's Kendrick Park there is this display called "Amherst Truths" where local folk are photographed holding signs saying what feels true to them.

  

A big photography convention at UMass has these shutterbugs swarming over this hot woman with her hot car out by the campus pond. 

 

 

Oops! Somebody was going way too fast in the rotary and took down this sign by the UMass Grad Research Center. 

 

 

"Former mob boss and longtime federal fugitive Whitey Bulger's brother was a politician. So one brother was operating in a world with no morals, dealing with the lowest of the low, and the other one was a mobster." -- Howie Carr. 

 

 I love this brilliant new libertarian songwriter Lindy Vopnfjord. 

 

 "

Last night's sunset on the Connecticut River.