Unforgettable

No words necessary.

Except perhaps thanks to the hardy half-dozen or more who joined me in town center to mark the 106 or so momentous minutes, and thanks to the many many dozens who beeped their horns, raised their thumbs, waved or pulled over to say "thank you."

Of course it was indeed fitting that the last few moments of the AFD ceremony was interrupted by a call for help--and off they went, just as 343 of their compatriots did eight years ago today.

REMEMBER 9/11/01

It's been far too many beers, too many tears and not nearly enough years--as the pain is still palpable. But mostly on THAT anniversary, especially during THOSE morning hours when the September sun is usually bright against a clear blue sky and daily routine sets a seemingly safe steady course.

Where were you when you heard the news? And as bits and pieces of information first floated in, when did you figure it out? Did you worry about a friend or loved one now suddenly thrust in harms way? Did you wonder what landmark, loaded with innocent people, was next?

Eight years or eighty, we must never forget.


I will be standing silently in town center on the morning of 9/11 from 8:45 until 10:30 (also attending Amherst Fire Department ceremony in front of Central Station at 9:50) clutching an American flag and my two-year-old daughter. Feel free to join me, if only for a moment or two.

UPDATE: Thursday morning (9/10, The Eve of Destruction):

Good Morning Everyone,

Below you will find a Presidential Proclamation half staff notification for Friday, September 11th from sunrise until sunset. Also, attached to this is a gubernatorial protocol for Saturday, September 12th from sunrise until sunset in honor of Specialist Jordan M. Shay of Salisbury who was killed in action.

Below please find two separate announcements for flags for Friday, September 11 and Saturday, September 12, 2009.

Pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation for September 11, 2009, the American and Commonwealth Flags will be flown at half-staff at all state buildings from sunrise to sunset on Friday, September 11, 2009.

Additionally, 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 Saturday, September 12, 2009, in honor of Specialist Jordan M. Shay of Salisbury, Massachusetts who was killed in action in Iraq on September 3, 2009.

This gubernatorial order applies to:

1. The main or administration building of each public institution of the Commonwealth, e.g. Town and city halls

2. Other state-owned or state-controlled buildings

3. All state military installations

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you,

Suzzette



Suzzette Waters

State House Event Coordinator

Under cover of darkness

Click photo to enlarge/read

Now if the cowardly nitwits had stolen the cannon I'd be more impressed. Too bad we can't convince them to take the UN Flag in front of Town Hall.

The squeaky wheel...

So for the first time since Southwest Towers were rolling open fields, Lincoln Avenue is no longer an access route to venerable Umass, Amherst's #1 employer.

Although it looks to me like you could still drive a large truck bomb around the obstacles. UPDATE: 5:00 PM. I guess they were not quite done; now the barricades completely close off the street.

A brief, Labor Day, American, NY adventure

Twins for sure, but not quite the same.
Brazil Day on the Avenue of the Americas
Radio City Music Hall
"There's a place for us." Apparently not in the People's Republic of Amherst
Carnegie Hall. Gotta wonder about the cop smoking a cigarette.
Central Park. An Oasis among the concrete.

So my academic wife is involved with a Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Project that monitors worldwide business activity; and since most members are non-Americans, the Labor Day holiday means nothing. Thus she ended up having to attend an Executive Board Meeting this weekend in Manhattan, NY--our most beloved city.

And we enjoyed a $400 room...in the very heart of the greatest city in the greatest country on the greatest planet of the universe.

The London Hotel (Very nice--if you can afford it!)

Justice delayed...

So Northwestern District Attorney Betsy Scheibel, finally, got around to issuing a report concerning the horrific bus accident that claimed the life of two-year-old Abraham Espinoza almost one year ago.

Amherst PD quickly came to the conclusion it was a terrible, terrible accident and the State Police Reconstruction Team back in May concluded the same. I guess with the high-profile controversial cases like Pottygate and Justice For Jason still gnawing at her, the DA wanted to be ultra conservative with her findings on this tragic event.

Not that anybody will sleep better now.

The Blogger reported

Behold the power (and treat it with respect)

Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin
Public Records Division
McCormack Building, Room 1719
One Ashburton Place
Boston, MA 02108
9/4/09

I wish to file a complaint and request a formal ruling over Amherst Town Manager Larry Shaffer deleting/destroying my electronic comment to his blog, hosted on the official Amherst town taxpayer funded website (http://www.amherstma.gov/), concerning a controversial town owned golf course and the economic impact of recent operations.

‘A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law’ clearly states: “The statutory definition of “public records” does not distinguish between traditional paper records and records stored in the computer medium. Rather, it provides that all information made or received by a public entity, regardless of the manner in which it exists, constitutes “public records.”

My (attempted) Comment to Mr. Shaffer’s blog post was neither obscene nor factually incorrect; therefore he as a "custodian of a public record" had no right to delete/destroy it to prevent public disclosure.

Town Manager Shaffer's disingenuous closing paragraph declared:

“Cherry Hill Golf Course financial report for Fiscal Year 2009 is complete. Cherry Hill revenue for the period is $253, 725. and expenses for the same period are $210,611. Cherry Hill's operation has generated a surplus of close to $100,000. over the last two years. Much credit goes to Linda Chalfant and Barb Bilz for their work at Cherry Hill.”

My attempted response/rebuttal (automatically time/date stamped by Blogger software):

Blogger LarryK4 said...

“Yes Larry, but the purported "profit" does not include hidden costs like employee benefits, insurance, and capital improvements (underground storage tank, security fencing and greens mower) which combined come to over $100-K.”
August 27, 2009 9:46 PM

And while LarryK4 could appear to be an Anonymous source, if you click on the nickname/hotlink it brings you to my blogger Profile Page that clearly spells out my identity. Besides, Mr. Shaffer has previously published comments from me (under the nickname LarryK4) on his blog.

Mr. Shaffer did upload another post on August 29 and at that time would have discovered my Comment concerning his August 7 upload. His blog has “Moderation enabled” so that the blog owner gets to approve comments before publication. In this case he did not.

Since my tax dollars are involved I find that exceedingly unfair.

Over the past ten years the Internet has evolved from the Wild Wild West to standard operating procedure. Blogs are perhaps the most powerful tool for communication/activism spawned by this 21’st Century medium. And for the Town Manager (a public official) to abuse the town website for unfair advantage in Public Relations/Spin is blatantly unfair.

Larry Kelley (AKA: LarryK4)
Amherst Town Meeting Member
Amherst Redevelopment Authority
5th Generation Amherst resident
http://www.onlyintherepublicofamherst.blogspot.com/

The other Larry's Blog (note frequent updates and comments...not!)