Ax the Tax!

The Town Mangler’s bewilderingly bad decision to tax our Boy Scout's Christmas tree sales has most certainly taken on a life of its own and may prove a bonanza for the intrepid scouts. As first reported on this Blog (and the Crusty Gazette caught up today) the DPW is donating over $600 to the Boy Scouts. No strings attached.

And more than a few folks have stopped me in the Bricks and Mortar world to say they are going to drop in on the beleaguered tree encampment specifically to buy a Christmas tree they might have purchased elsewhere, or just going to give them a few bucks.

This phenomenon reminds me of the idiot teenaged gang (none of whom I bet were Boy Scouts) stealing the bright yellow-and-black, angry bumblebee “No More Overrides” lawn signs one night before the May 1’st tax Override. Now that was the PR gift that kept on giving.

Of course His Lordship Gerry Weiss is going to demand public action that could risk their charter: 'Before we go any further, I would want the local troop to distance themselves from the national organization's stance,' Weiss said. 'We can't allow groups that discriminate to use town property.'

Select board Chair Weiss also stated that Shaffer might make a statement during his Town Manager Report on Monday. Let’s hope the Pot Rally police fee for using the Town Common also comes up on Monday.

I would love to watch His Lordship look honest, law-abiding working-folks in the eye as he advocates for taxpayers to subsidize the rights of potheads over the rights of Boy Scouts. Only in Amherst!
UPDATE: 5:00 pm. So even though the Crusty Gazette takes a while to get to a "story" and publishes hardcopy before uploading on the Net, at least they allow cyber comments on their (snail-like) Internet edition. Funny stuff:
http://www.dailyhampshiregazette.com/storyComments.cfm?id_no=72186

Christmas at Camp David (the day after)

Well, the day after I shot the photo for the post below. What's wrong with this picture? Hint: No it's not a crop circle. At least the Christmas tree is still there (although the Town Mangler may impose a tax).

And the Walls...came tumbling down.

Even though today’s headline reads “Amherst Town Manager holds firm on Boy Scout tree sale policy,” let’s keeping blowing them horns folks as the Walls of Jericho are definitely starting to crack.

In the biggest understatement of his 1.5 year tenure the Town Mangler sagaciously observed to the Crusty Gazette: “It’s not been my most sterling moment in public relations.” Duh!

Christmas at Camp David (Keenan that is)

And I'm not even going to ask how a decorated illuminated Christmas tree managed to appear inside a condemned, sealed homestead.

Elves, perhaps?

The Grinch Gets (deservedly) Scrooged!

(6:10 am) So I guess this is what you call BUZZ (more like what the Brits called"Buzz Bombs"). Yikes! Remind me NEVER to do anything so stupid in public, private or even after I'm dead.

Of course the crusty Gazette was especially quick to publish these response Letters to Saturday's Front Page article, but you will still have to wait God knows how many hours to read them in the online edition (or you could click the photo to enlarge). UPDATE: the Gazette went cyber around 10:00 am.

Now the question of the day is will the Gazette do an editorial? At least we can tell whose side they're on.
UPDATE 9:42 pm (yeah, my bedtime). The cyber comments to the Letter section were also interesting: http://www.dailyhampshiregazette.com/storyComments.cfm?id_no=71575

Gremlin?

On Saturday folks who parked their cars next to Puffers Pond to watch church members jump into the icy water to protest Global Warming garnered a card under their wiper. On the back of his official Town Hall business card (who would have thought they get cards?) Select man Rob Kusner printed: "walk, bike, take the bus."

So when Kusner gets voted out of office this April 1'st (no foolin), does he have to turn in his remaining cards? And you have to wonder: were they printed on recycled cardstock?

Take that! (Sunday, 2:00 pm)

Forecast: Freezing Rain, Sleet, Snow, Locusts, Dead Fish and Frogs.

NO Green boxes distributed around town with sand/salt. NO sand left at the DPW. See what happens Amherst voters when you don't support the Override!

http://www.amherstbulletin.com/story/id/70863/

UPDATE 3:30 pm I'm not one of those who wish bad things to happen so you can say "I told you so", so I just called 911 to request they get ahold of SOMEBODY at the DPW to refill the sandpile. After all, if the forecast is correct they should have an army arriving about now.

UPDATE: 3:45 pm. Damn, that's what I love about our 911 emergency response professionals (and the DPW)! We now have a MOUNTAIN of sand available,so 'come on down' folks . Let is snow, let it snow, let it snow.


UPDATE: Monday 6:00 am. So I gave up counting after 100 the numbers of cars and trucks coming to get sand last night (my home/office overlooks the pile). Maybe the DPW should reconsider the ban on Green Sand Boxes around town?