And what is wrong with this picture?

Amherst Center High Noon

UPDATE: 5:35 PM

On Feb 19, 2009, at 3:53:00 PM, "State House Events (BSB)" wrote:
From: "State House Events (BSB)"
Subject: RE: Half Staff Notification. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.....
Date: February 19, 2009 3:53:00 PM EST
To: amherstac@aol.com

Hey Larry,

The Bureau has setup on our website a flag status page you
can find it at www.mass.gov/bsb on the
right side of the page currently it has “flags at half staff” when they are not
it says “flag status” I don’t know if that helps, but you can always find
information about the flags there.

I am currently working on sending out a clarification
email because we have a lot of people in the Commonwealth who are being “difficult”
and I hope to clear up a lot of stuff. Keep an eye out tomorrow for it.

I hope this helps in some way,

Suzzette

On Feb 19, 2009, at 5:28:48 PM, amherstac@aol.com wrote:
From: amherstac@aol.com
Subject: Re: Half Staff Notification. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.....
Date: February 19, 2009 5:28:48 PM EST
To: Sh.Events@state.ma.us

Hey Suzzette,

Yes it does!

Just that fact that someone in state government cares...that helps.

And obviously your ultimate boss the Governor (who I voted against) DOES CARE, otherwise he would not have taken the time to issue the order in the first place to bring down the flags for 12 hours today.

For those "difficult" nitwits, you should remind them that Jonathan R. Roberge of Leominster, Massachusetts who died Monday, February 9, 2009 in Iraq was only 22 years old! He had a long life ahead of him--especially if he decided to work at McDonald's rather than enlist.
He was not even supposed to be on duty that day, as he was covering for a fellow soldier who asked him to fill in.

AGAIN: we need to do a better job! Your doing your job for sure
(thank you) but can we get a few more folks to do theirs?
Larry
#################################################################

UPDATE: 2:45 PM

-----Original Message-----
From: amherstac@aol.com [mailto:amherstac@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 1:14 PM
To: Events, Sh (BSB)
Subject: Re: Half Staff Notification. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.....

Hey Suzzette,

So I still can't figure out why the People's Republic of Amherst
figured it out on Tuesday but not today. As I say in this most recent
post: there'e got to be a better way! Every town/city in the state
should direct somebody to subscribe to your half staff email service;
but until then the Governor might want to issue a hard-copy press
release to all the major media. This man gave his life, can't we make
an extra effort to remember that?

Larry

http://onlyintherepublicofamherst.blogspot.com/2009/02/and-what-is-wrong-with-this-picture.html



-----Original Message-----
From: State House Events (BSB)
To: amherstac@aol.com
Sent: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 2:05 pm
Subject: RE: Half Staff Notification. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.....

Larry,

I feel your pain! I am going to forward your email to the Governor's Office and
ask if it would be possible for a press release to go out. Keep in mind,
sometimes we get the confirmations very last minute.

Thanks,
Suzzette

State House Events
Bureau of State Office Buildings
State House, Room 1
Boston, MA 02133
617-727-1100 x35532
617-727-7700
sh.events@state.ma.us

Sent: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 2:37 pm
Subject: RE: Half Staff Notification. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.....

Hey Suzzette,

I appreciate that. But WAY more importantly, so will the families
living in our Commonwealth who have to deal with an infinitely bigger
bigger pain.

I called the Public Safety line a moment after emailing you and they
just called back and said the flags are now at half-staff. Better late
than never I guess.


Larry
###########################################################

ORIGINAL POST: HIGH NOON'ish

The Governor ordered all state and local flags to half-staff on this day to honor and remember the ultimate sacrifice paid by Jonathan R. Roberge on Feburary 9 in the far off land known as Iraq.

Umass got it right. Amherst College, Big-Y (my favorite flag because it is so BIG) and even Police, Fire, and Schools did not.

Come on folks, there's got to be a better way. The bricks-and-mortar media on the day before Daylight Savings goes into or out of effect always puts on the Front Page "remember to reset your clocks".

Because yeah, if every worker in America was an hour late for work how much would that cost the economy? But then six months later if they arrived an hour early it probably would be a wash.

Can't we get a little news blip saying: the Governor has ordered all flags that he controls at half staff, and maybe--just maybe--everybody else would join in? I'm sure if they knew about it they would.

This man gave his life to protect our way of life. REMEMBER THAT!

What's wrong with this picture? Let me count the ways. Click to enlarge, but even then--since it is LIMP (a perfect metaphor)and Soooooo faded, you many not be able to figure out that this is the UN Flag--also at full staff.