I trust you have all reconciled yourself to the fact that the clocks had to be moved ahead one hour last night. Personally, this changing the clock bit bugs me. It supposedly was instituted to help the farmers, who now have electricity, so why do we have to change things? I was just rejoicing in the fact that when I leave work it's not totally dark, and now it's all artificially light. Well, more light than it should be. Isn't Noon always at the same time? What is this nonsense exactly?
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I am distressed by the Blarney Blowout. Yesterday, due to excessive drinking, 58 college aged kids were arrested and more were summonsed (I think that means ticketed). As my friend, Ann, says: They have too much money and too much time on their hands.
She and I were reminiscing about out undergraduate days. I did as little studying as possible, but I did work part time and beer or alcohol wasn't really my bag (luckily). She, on the other hand, studied a lot and perhaps had a part time job too. But neither of us had enough money to buy a six pack, let alone buy drinks at a bar!
It was a gorgeous sunny day in the 50's and most kids went out to see and be seen and maybe have a beer or two. A few went to get so drunk that they couldn't walk. I was returning from Northampton around Noon and I saw two ambulances about 10 to 15 minutes apart going to the emergency room. There were already problems.
In the "old days," they called it Kegs and Eggs and we all said, "Ewww ... eggs and beer!" Some of the kids did indeed start that early, but it wasn't in any way as rowdy as this. I guess it's because everyone is texting everyone else and they are telling their friends where to go to meet up or witness one of the many fights.
Our police were criticized for using non lethal force -- pepper spray and smoke bombs -- to disperse the crowds. These are public safety officers, many in full riot gear, who were greeted with a hail of snow balls, ice chunks, full beer bottles and cans, etc. We still had four officers injured.
While I know the majority of UMass students were not participating, I think we all -- including current students and administrators -- need to figure out a way to stop this ridiculous disturbance. If it means closing all of the bars and liquor stores in Amherst on that day, let's do it. Let them buy their liquor in Hadley and bring it to their dorm room on campus.
Aftermath: About 100 students protested the "overexcessive use of force" by the Amherst Police. I guess they have never heard of Kent State (or seen the photo). Do you suppose they have heard of Rodney King? They don't know what excessive force is.
We protested the Viet Nam war and they protest when cops tell a drunken crowd to disperse.
I can barely swim, it's getting so shallow.
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Today is a day that you can really feel spring coming on. It's in the 40's and really sunny. The snow banks at the end of the driveways are down to 3 or 4 feet, the birds are chirping in the morning ... did someone send the birds a memo saying, "It's March, get your tail feathers out there in the a.m.!"? I heard birds singing as I went out to work the other morning and thought I had been transported to the town center and was hearing the audible crosswalk light in Town.
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March 19, 2014
As you may have guessed, the above was written the Sunday BEFORE March 17th. We've had more bitterly cold weather, but today was in the 40's and great ... for a ride to Charlestown. It only took me two and a half hours today but I can't figure out if it's because my new GPS sent me a different way or if it was because I left 15 minutes early. (Yes, of course I can figure it out by Googling the time for the different routes, but I'm too lazy.)
I know it's hard for you to believe, but my wheels started turning at 6:45 a.m. Luckily, for those at the union hall, the coffee was ready. I can't drink or eat anything before I leave. I can't imagine how bad it would be to be stuck in traffic in Framingham and have to go.
I got my usual dose of angst when someone, whose expertise in his job is almost nil, was disrespectful to me. This is a staff person no less. But he has kissed the correct asses and remains the golden boy. Actually, I think he has "the goods" on the people who insist on retaining him. Why do I persist? Why do I put up with this manure? (I actually need it for the garden.)
I just keep having this nagging feeling that I can effect change and make some things better with the union management. Today, however, I was reminded of the phrase: Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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I was reading the Deployment Health today (from Walter Reed -- it's online) and was grabbed by a picture of two Marines in an airplane grimacing in pain from wounds they received in Afghanistan. After that, I read the UMass Alumni News (also online) and read that the University received a grant of thousands of dollars to assist Afghan women get education. Irony.
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Heard in a local supermarket: Are these local asparagus? No ma'm. Why can't we have local asparagus?
BECAUSE THERE'S STILL TWO FREAKIN' FEET OF SNOW, YOU JERK. <-- That's me. Does she think the plants are pushing up through the snow? (BTW, there's less snow because it was warm today.) Does she think someone is growing greenhouse asparagus? Yeah, and selling it for $12 a spear. Sheesh.
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It was just sleeting a couple of hours ago. We went from sunny and in the high 40's to sleeting. Is it any wonder why I'm just a bit testy?
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So I went to the dentist ... again. Yes, another crown. I've paid enough in dental bills that I should get a real crown. Anyway, I'm in the chair bleeding like crazy and the dentist says, "That's some really angry tissue there." And I said to him, "Yeah, well, if you would stop poking sharp objects at it, it probably wouldn't be so angry." Bah humbug.
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