Starving artist indeed

I was in the North Amherst area at high noon so I did a "drive by" to the auction of artist John Sendelbach's quaint home located next to "The Harp" Irish bar (damn, if I did not already have a home in South Amherst you can't beat that location.)

"Mr. Sendelbach--who previously did public art for Amherst--blames his economic woes on the Amherst 250 Anniversary Celebration Committee, suggesting they led him along and had him do 150 hours of unpaid design development for an art project in town center and then blew him off.

UPDATE: 2:35 PM
So I biked back to get a better picture. When I did the drive by (and did not stop because my young daughter was in the back seat) that stupid car got in the way and blocked the American flag.
UPDATE: 2:45 PM
So I could tell by my sitemeter I suddenly got a bunch of hits from an Ebay discussion site (I'm a former Ebay Powerseller but never used them). Traced the hits and found this from Mr. Sendelbach:

success can be measured on many levels...including successfully squeeking by...the sale went down, a nice couple got it, turns out we share certain circles of friends.

the bank got what they need and probably won't come for more, which is not much...so i am free.

the new owners are being very cool and letting me take my time moving.

forward we go...thank you all for being so kind and generous with your thoughts.

Then what will you protest?

UPDATE: 2:30 PM. The anti-war sign is already gone as I just biked by. I didn't do it...honest (although Mr. Weiss will probably contact Amherst PD to try to have me arrested)

9:30 AM (Original post)
Since His Lordship spanked the DPW for retrieving PC signs from town property last Fall it’s a safe bet this anti-war sign will stay in town center until it turns to dust (which should not be too long since it’s plain copy paper).

Although…the juxtaposition with the Red Cross sandwich board sign is thought provoking.

I have said many times that if I were President we would not have gone into Iraq; I should also state that if I inherited the mess a couple years ago I would have strongly supported “the surge”. And that now seems to have worked.

His Lordship's front lawn last winter:

And yeah, I biked by about an hour ago and it's still there.

Mid afternoon updates

(3:30 PM) I'm sitting here in the middle of yet another thunderstorm and the sun is out so I'm hoping for a rainbow. Who doesn't like rainbows?

I was pulled over by Amherst PD about an hour ago for a minor auto thing and they were as professional as could be (as always). Oddly enough, I was in town center to use the free wireless. I love the idea that I can lance the boil known as Amherst Town Government while using their very own assets.

Gotta check out Select Person Stephanie's blog Comments (scroll way down) His Lordship Chair Gerry Weiss gives her a directive via the 'Comments' feature to post a long ago legal document, figuring it would somehow bolster his case for delaying the election to replace X-Czar Awad. Gotta wonder if he actually read the brief. But it is kinda fun to call him a "ninny" on a blog operated by his subordinate.

Only in Amherst!

Misty Mountain

9:15 AM


An hour later:

Bully watch (No, not His Lordship)

10:45 AM. Okay I called it, again. Town Manager must have bought the editor a beer for that silly headline. Gotta wonder how they went from “Long Trek Expected In Effort To Merge Parades” to the optimistic, syrupy (Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow) headline “Parade Unity Possible”?

(6:38 AM) At the July 28 Select Board meeting His Lordship Mr. Weiss made the news by attempting to scold me for “driving” Ms Awad to South Hadley (even though she drove herself—or maybe Mr. Hubley drove her—way back in April). Chairman Weiss even went so far as to scold the media for giving me ink on this residency debacle. So it all made good copy in the next weekly Amherst Bulletin

This past Monday our illustrious Select Board did not meet, one of only about a dozen Monday’s of the year that happens. And as a result, no opportunity for those priceless ‘Only In Amherst’ news nuggets.

So then, what will the Bully put on the Front Page later today? Well, the July 4’Th Parade article in yesterday’s Gazette was really nothing new thus you can tell they like the story. Hmmm…could be the lead story. Let’s call it a “contenda.”

The Zoning Board of Appeals failed to vote on Scott Nielson’s much maligned, NIMBY-magnet development on South East Street, down from 24 units to 17. So that would have been a guaranteed above-the-fold story (and will be soon).

The Regional School Committee met Tuesday but nothing much seemed to happen (maybe Ms. Sanderson will revive her blog to let us know).

I’m actually surprised a certain twitchy Committee member did not use the 'Public Comment' opportunity to lambaste the Pioneer Valley Chinese Charter School for daring to win that $1.5 million Federal Education grant (last week's front page).

Maybe because PVCIC was the ONLY Charter School in the nation to be so honored, he thought better of it.

Okay, I’ll go with the July 4’Th Parade update.

Surrender, by any other name...

What with the new baby and all, I completely forgot to cover the July 4?Th Parade Committee meeting last Friday at the VFW. The headline in today’s Gazette indicates that the Committee made no decision on the Town Manager’s offer/bribe to provide insurance and police security for free (about 10% total overhead) in exchange for allowing protesters.

If I were still a committee member resignation post my immediate response would be --excuse the military metaphor--“NUTS!” Especially after I found out on my return from China about the despicable display of non-veteran protesters infiltrating behind the “Iraq Veterans Against The War” banner.

Would the town really run its own July 4TH Parade next year (and would any spectators come?) if the private Committee sticks to their guns? Hell no!

The Town Manager, at ACLU urging, already backed off his April 23 declaration that the private committee could not hold a July 4th parade on July 4 so when the ACLU also threatens a federal lawsuit for not giving them the time slot held for seven straight years he will also cave.

And we saw most recently how lawsuit-shy the Select Board is even after the BIG CITY town attorney told them they had nothing to worry about over scheduling the election to replace X-Czar Awad on September 16 thus disenfranchising Umass students from running for the office.

Yesterday’s Republican article suggests the town’s 250 Anniversary Parade is in trouble. Chairman Barry Roberts candidly admits they “ can use a lot of help and money with the parade.” Well maybe they ought to solicit the protesters at $500 per placard.

And if the town is now struggling with this once in 250 years Parade how are they going to deal with promoting two? Obviously two Select Board members—Brewer and O’Keeffe will not support that, and patriotically-challenged Awad is gone as of 8/31, so the Town Manager had better start watching his back.

I hope the Committee comes to a clear, decisive decision soon.

Just another day

Somewhat South Amherst 3:00 PM