Zzzzzzz
Carol Gray awake (sort of)It was 2:10 AM her time but only 7:10 PM our time when (Mother) Mary Streeter fired up her Macbook Pro laptop in the Jones Library Trustees Room to synch with Carol Gray via Skype W-A-Y over there in Egypt.
So yeah, I suppose it's understandable Ms Gray was sound asleep in the seated position.
Ms Streeter took umbrage at my attempt to photograph Library Trustee Gray looking like a zombie and quickly covered the screen with a sheet of paper.
Gotta wonder how alert and worthwhile Ms. Gray will be in future Library meetings if the Attorney General decides it is okay for her to remotely participate via Skype.
And let's hope she doesn't snore.
Spectators who did not hide from the camera.UPDATE: 9:45 PM Meeting must be over as somebody from Cairo, Egypt just arrived via a google search for Larry Kelly blog (sic)
26 comments:
that is so obnoxious to cover the screen! taking a picture of it is no different than taking one of anyone else at the meeting. does she cover their faces too? really, if its covered, what is the purpose of it being skype? might as well be a conference call.
If the AG hasn't yet decided if remote participation is allowed, why is she being allowed to participate remotely?
Yeah, reminded me of the "Perp walk" where cops trot out a high profile offender to their booking and the dutiful layer covers their head with newspaper or a brown paper bag.
That takes the place of a burka.
When in Rome...
I don't believe she did participate, only observed (that is, when she was awake)
And it is probably okay for her to participate during "public comment" as she is still a member of the general public, albeit it a disembodied one.
Dear Friends (that includes you too Larry),
Just to clarify, I was awake through every minute of the Board meeting tonight. In fact, I'm still awake and meeting ended 40 minutes ago. (I'm a bit of a night owl I'm afraid.) At a few points, I was looking up things online related to something the Board was discussing, so the screen was tilted. (E.g., I looked up one thing during the geothermal discussion, looked up the Open Meeting Law guidelines as they were discussing that law in relation to setting up the task force to deal with new carpetting, and another issue earlier in the meeting.) When the computer is tilted and I'm reading, it skews the angle and I don't see the photo of myself since the skype view is off the screen, but I can always hear (which is what is required for the proposed new Open Meeting Law). I would be happy to talk to anyone about the substance of what happened throughout the meeting if anyone would like to talk to speak to me. You can email me at carolgray_2000@yahoo.com and I can either email you back or you can leave me your number and I can call you via Skype (even if it's a landline) to talk to you in more detail.
Sincerely,
Carol Gray
ps- for the person who asked about the legality of me observing, I have spoken with the AG's office and they said there would not be a problem with me observing and listening as a member of the public.
Another ps: Maybe it's idealistic of me, but I want to live in an Amherst where people of different views can discuss and debate, and hopefully in a friendly and respectful way. We are neighbors, after all, in the broadest sense, aren't we?
Darn, now I wished I had stayed for the entire meeting so I could quiz you.
But it's getting late back here in the good old People's Republic of Amherst, so I'm off to bed.
Maybe it's idealistic of me, but I was hoping for a Library Trustee who was actually physically at the meetings.
Or a Library Trustee who wasn't so attached to power, and not so convinced that she was indispensable, that she resigned her seat when other personal priorities took her out of the country for an academic year.
No need to throw the "b" word around here. I like the more gender neutral "e" word: egomaniac.
Another Magic Mary Streeter Moment in the History of Amherst Politics.
Whether she's on Larkspur Road or somewhere downtown, she is the center of our universe, and the rest of us are merely in orbit around her.
Whether it's worrying about the traffic on Larkspur, or protecting her good buddy Carol, whatever Mary thinks or feels at any moment is what should deeply concern all of us, too.
Totally ridiculous to let this person be a trustee of the library from a distance. Absolutely ridicuous. Couldn't say it better Larry, Only in The Republic of Amherst.
If she was awake, why didn't she ask her pal to take the piece of paper off the screen????????
The valley gets EXACTLY what it deserves.
Incubated in Amherst, infecting the world.
Gazette headline:
"Mother Mary Streeter goes out in a blaze of clogged arteries".
It turns out my computer froze right after I logged onto Skype with an image of Carol either reading or blinking. The paper was covering the screen for only a few seconds. I figure Larry could wait a minute or so until I picked up an agenda and restarted the computer. After I did that everything was fine. Larry could have taken lots of photos if he wanted. An alert Carol could see and hear and be seen. She did not “participate” in the meeting, I had the sound turned off – she just wanted to keep up to date.
To the anons: If you care about the town, why not run for office or otherwise step up to “improve” the things that you think are so wrong? Unfortunately, I didn't catch your name so I won't know to vote for you. Or maybe you can take your computer to a public place and let people photograph what’s on your screen whenever they feel like it. I'm sure you wouldn't cover your screen -- that would be obnoxious, wouldn't it. But then you don’t need to be concerned with what I think or feel any more than I am concerned with what you think.
To Larry: Cute title. Have you tried Skype? It really is a great FREE way to stay in touch with people near and far. I hear many in the business community find it useful too.
Mary Streeter
Yes Mary, I discovered Skype many years ago as my wife in now in China (her 14th job related trip to Asia these past few years) and we use it twice per day: 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM our time.
And since China is exactly 12 hours ahead, it makes it pretty easy for both of us--and more especially our two children.
The photo I did take showing Carol uncovered was taken a few minutes after you removed the sheet of paper so presumably your computer and the feed was not frozen.
And if folks click on the photo it enlarges and they can judge for themselves how, umm, alert she looks.
Yes, if somebody brings a computer to a PUBLIC MEETING in a PUBLIC BUILDING in order for somebody else to participate in that meeting--even in a passive way--then they damn well better get used to the idea that ANYBODY can take a photo of what's on the screen.
You've got to be kidding Mary. Who on earth would want to deal with the likes of you and Carol. No one. So you get your way, ruin the library and alientate everyone. Good for you.
Be careful, Mary's a heavy weight in Amherst.
FYI.
Literally.
Not surprised that Ms. Streeter hasn't changed a bit since her days at Crocker Farm. Ugh.
I was hoping that we wouldn't sink to the level of name calling.
I wasn't able to go to the meeting. Somebody told me that they want the carpets changed NOW -- but didn't decide on what to put in place of the grubby carpets.
Oh, just grow up, please....
hey larry....how about a story on the condition of the roads in amherst?
i was in north amherst the other day and noticed every road is in a serious stage of decay. cowls road, for instance, has 8 inch deep potholes, and the whole lengths of pine and meadow streets are simply out of control. why is this....how can such a "wealthy" town with the likes of world renowned amherst college, can have roads that are like backwoods kentucky. the noise polution that results lessons greatly peoples' quality of life, so i have heard.
Yet, the town has plenty of money to redo the tennis court in mill river rec area. How is it that the roads are crumbling and you are rebuilding tennis courts?
i did notice sand hill getting worked on, ten years late.
Looks like you just did the story.
Our taxes at work. Not.
My thought is most people resort to name calling after exhaustive attempts to expose some instances that seem ridiculous in nature, that some individuals try to cover up with even more ridiculous excuses. In this case, what was so offensive or embarrassing on the monitor that Ms. Streeter felt it needed to be covered with a sheet of paper. Does it make the computer unlock faster if you tape a piece of paper over the monitor? Maybe Mary's onto something and I need to consult her on this "pulp fiction" IT work. Mary cut the BS everyone here is an adult (well most are LOL) and will rise to how they are treated. When you treat them like idiots they will respond like idiots. Don't sit there and tell everyone Carol was not sleeping (which it was 2am so I probably would have been) and you just covered it up because it was locked up. It only makes you look like an fool in front of everyone.
Amherst politics are so entertaining,
Daler
This is beyond belief....
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