A fight for revenues

Massachusetts legislators smell gold in what some critics refer to as a blood sport. The state senate recently passed a bill (34-1) that would regulate Mixed Martial Arts events more popularly known as 'Ultimate Fighting' And they of course, want a piece of the action.

UFC 101 sold out in Philadelphia last week--a notoriously loyal boxing city--drawing 17,411 spectators for a total gate of $3.55 million.

UFC President Dana White, a Connecticut resident but former Boston area gym rat and avowed Red Sex fan, is already talking about a UFC promotion at Fenway Park next year where upwards of 40,000 could be seated or possibly twice the total gate of the recent Philly event.

The state would get a 4% tax on total ticket sales and an additional 2% tax on TV revenues (capped at $75,000.)

Massachusetts lately has been getting more aggressive about regulating commercial physical activities: from Personal Trainers at health clubs to massage therapy licenses and now martial arts.

While I'm a BIG fan of President Reagan's small-government-is-good government paradigm, I still think when it comes to health and safety a little government regulation is a good thing.

The smoking ban in the workplace, legalizing abortion, and probably someday the marketing of marijuana, just to name a few.

Show me the money!

Click to enlarge/read but not if you are the PVPC guy.

So I often wonder about how effective orchestrated letter writing or mass email campaigns are when the target of such stunts may actually see the media story encouraging folks to complain.

After Town Meeting gave Atkins Farm Market a tax break for new construction and over $200,000 in paving via the DPW for a land swap it now looks like the Federal money may not be forthcoming. Seems like Amherst is certainly not getting its share of stimulus.

And in North Amherst business mogul Paul Jones is asking folks to write to the Amherst Postmaster to complain about the North Amherst Post Office closing even though it is not scheduled to close (considering Mr. Jones has rented to them for a generation or two apparently he's not taking chances.)

Although I'm sure the Postmaster will appreciate the use of first class stamps.

The Bully reports:

I hear a train a comin'

Ungated High Street

So the Internet was abuzz last week when some nitwit Amherst teenage girl played chicken with an Amtrak train in Cushman Center (North Amherst) while her nitwit sister took a picture. Gotta love somebody near the train aficionados video camera exclaim "what the fuck" as the girl first enters the frame and ambles to the center of the tracks and then sprints back.

Of course if that crossing had gates chances are the girl would not have done the deed. Although certainly not guaranteed prevention as evidenced by last month's horrific accident that claimed the lives of five teenagers where the driver decided to race an Amtrak train and went around the gates.Station Road with gates

The Railroad closed off Railroad Street, where Amtrak's historic brick train station is located, after a car train mishap a few years back. Apparently they own the north side of the street and it's not a public way (although open to thru traffic for over 200 years) so they simply decided only trains would have the right of way.Barricaded Railroad Street

But now I'm wondering why the town had to repave the railroad crossing on Strong Street (and any cyclist would agree it was L-O-N-G past due) where gates used to exist but seemed to have disappeared recently.Formerly gated and now repaved Strong Street.

I'm told that Cushman Center is slated for gates, but who knows when (he called it "railroad time"). Maybe after the next time a kid plays chicken--and loses.Ungated Cushman Center.

Butterflies Are Free

And so are the two journalists.

Having just visited Korea--the good side--I kind of knew that if anybody could free those two young women Bill Clinton could. His wife Hillary exchanged name calling with their dictator recently (not a good idea with somebody who normally does not have to hear such criticism--mainly because critics are killed.)

But as today's Wall Street Journal points out, you wonder what Slick Willy promised them on nuclear disarmament issues. And what about the thousand or so Japanese and South Korean hostages (some held since the the Korean Conflict was a shooting war) ?

Since the media outlet they represented is led by Al Gore, maybe the two just did it as a PR stunt. Perhaps Air America should send Rachel Maddow over the border.

And another, and another and another

"Officer down!" is perhaps the most chilling dispatch fellow officers can hear crackling over their radio or cell phone. In Amherst, the town force is now down another three officers as a Federal grant failed to materialize that would have paid salaries and benefits for three officers over three years.

Now this is not three additional officers to our beleaguered force; it would simply have maintained three officers in a roster already downsized by two last year.

Town Meeting approved a Public Safety budget with funding for the three officers contingent on the grant. This way Town Meeting washed their hands of the cuts and can now point the finger at the Feds.

Good game bureaucrats big-and-small seem to excel at: cover your ass, find somebody else to blame.

All the news...

So I'm trying to figure out how the DA can complete an investigation in 6.5 months where a man is shot by two different people, the second one--a police officer--killing him (and I agree it was justifiable) but still has not released her findings on the terrible, terrible bus accident that claimed a 2-year-old in North Amherst last October.

My reliable sources tell me the State Police accident reconstruction investigation team concluded it was an awful accident.

The Springfield Republican reports


The Bully reported (way back then)

A somber but proud position

UPDATE (Sunday morning): So if I were the President I would order the flags down to half staff to remember Captain Michael "Scott" Speicher; and hoist a beer to remember his sacrifice.
A long lost pilot will be coming home

Big Y, Amherst
Amherst College (that majestic flag high on a hill.)
Hadley Town Hall
Amherst Town Hall
Amherst Post Office (University Drive)
Amherst Post Office (Town Center)

Of course the Feds are not subject to state law. But only the Federal Government can send our troops to war.

-----Original Message-----
From: State House Events (BSB)
Sent: Wed, Jul 29, 2009 1:10 pm
Subject: Half Staff Notification for Friday, July 31, 2009

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Governor Patrick is ordering the American and Commonwealth Flags lowered to half-staff on Friday, July 31st from sunrise until sunset for Corporal Nicholas Xiarhos who was killed in action.

Pursuant to gubernatorial protocol which states,

"The U.S. flag shall be flown at half-staff at all state buildings from sunrise until sunset on the day of interment of any soldier from Massachusetts who is killed in action in a war zone while on active duty,”

Please be advised that Governor Patrick has ordered that the United States flag and the Commonwealth flag be lowered to half-staff at all state buildings from sunrise until sunset on Friday, July 31, 2009, in honor of Corporal Nicholas Xiarhos of Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts who was killed in action in Afghanistan on July 23, 2009.

Suzzette
State House Event Coordinator