Sunday Notes Jan 9th 2011
Posted: January 9, 2011 Filed under: Politics 7 Comments »
The Sun column is pretty quiet this week so if you haven’t read it, you did not miss anything.
A couple reminders for this coming week.
There is going to be a special meeting of the Centraville Neighborhood Assoc. Group at the Dom Polski club on Coburn St. @ 6:30 pm on Monday Jan 10th for the Varnum School proposal by the CBA. All who live in the neighborhood and who have an interest in seeing this building put to use should plan to attend.
The Lower Highlands Neighborhood Group encourages all concerned residents of the city to attend the City Council Public Safety Subcommittee meeting on Tuesday, January 11 from 5:00 – 6:30PM in the City Council Chamber at City Hall. The Lowell Police Superintendent and the Middlesex District Attorney have been requested to attend.
A few other notes…
Paul Belley officially announced his candidacy for the City Council this week joining perennial candidate Fred Doyle and newcomer Matt Vieira. Marty Lorrey a retiring Postal worker, tireless campaigner and member of a popular Lowell family is considering a run along with current School Committee member Dave Conway.Who else will join the race and what issue or issues will be the main focus?
I’ve only heard one official name for the Lowell School Committee race and that is fellow blogger Mario Boiardi who by the way is recovering well from his recent surgery.
For the Technical School, rumors have Mike Hayden considering a run though he did state on City Life he would not run against incumbents Mike Lenzi or Dave Laferriere. Mike would be a strong challenger having served on the committee in the past. I’m in and Erik Gitschier who graduated from the Greater Lowell Tech is also rumored to be considering a run.
Speaking of Paul, for all us Patriot fans he has “Get your Rings Tour” tee shirts L,XL,XXL for sale, contact Paul directly if you are interested.
Will the Arch St. Police Garage come up at this weeks Council meeting? I appreciate the Manager using this forum to respond to the Sun article.
The Sun ignored Fred Doyles’ commemnts on City Life this week, not even mentioning it in the Column. Did they miss it or are they just ignoring it?
Warren Shaw yesterday tossed out the possibility that former Selectman Jim O’Loughlin may be considering a run again for Dracut Selectman. That would make the election very interesting. Like him or not Jimmy O served the Dracut community for many years and would be considered a very strong challenger. Former Dracut Police officer Tony Archinski is also rumored to be considering entering the race. So far in the race are local businessman Ted Kosiavelon and Pete Wilde who ran last year along with incumbents Bobby Cox and John Zimini.
No official candidates yet for the Dracut School Committee. Incumbent and current chair Matt Sheehan is up this year.
Finally a personal note: In the last few months I have dealt with some health issues. I have a few more test this week but Thankfully it seems I will be fine. I am on some medicine for my breathing / lung issues and the growth/cyst on my spleen are not serious. It has given me some time to reflect on what is important and has made me more patient and tolerant.
This BLOG is just a hobby and not my life or livelihood. I put up this note the other day in response to a comment that I received but I want to be sure everyone reads it.
You are free and welcome to express your opinion and as I always tell people, I don’t force anyone to read the BLOG. If you choose to read it and find that picking apart my grammar and spelling makes you somehow feel better about yourself GREAT, I hope people find something they like in what I write and some people like to be critical of others so I serve a purpose for you and others like you. As my Nana used to say ” If they are bitching about you, they are leaving someone else alone.”
Never have I claimed to be a great writer, I do this as a part time hobby while working full time in the private sector and raising a family which I am very proud of. It is my way to react to the events of the day. I appreciate anyone who stops by to read or comment. Do I make mistakes, type to quick, make grammatical errors, YES. Does it bother me…NO, I do the best that I can and will never be perfect nor do I inspire to be a nationwide, statewide or citywide must read BLOG.
I never graduated college (attended the Seminary and took classes at Northern Essex) and was a typical average student who actually did well in school but never liked it to much. Graduated Lowell High in 1980 and had great teachers like Art Hickey, Scott Davis, and worked for sub-master Dan Sullivan and Helen Droney at the school.
My message to you all and to anyone else who wants to point out my grammatical errors and complain about my views is to go right ahead.
If you want great writing read the New York Times, Mark Twain or richardhowe.com. (Dick, Tony, Paul, Marie and company are top notch) you will not find it here.
If you want a native lowellian, working class stiffs view on the issues of the day, complete with some errors, humor and a personal viewpoint, stop by read and comment.
If you don’t like my writing, my face, my teeth, my weight, my hair, my views, don’t vote for me, don’t read the Blog , don’t watch City Life if I’m on and find something you do like. Why waste your time reading something that upsets you or that you think is wrong most of the time? Life is to short
That is what America is all about, the freedom of choice and the freedom to express your ideas and views.
God Bless and Thanks for reading.
Dear Jerry: Your self-effacement and humility represent a blunt honesty that is rare in these times. Giving credit where credit is due, your efforts evidence an uncanny sense that with First Amendment Rights come First Amendment Responsibility and a genuine pursuit of the Truth. Tobe perectly honest, you and Jim Buba are the first two people I would consider being permitted to post on http://www.brooksidetom.com if I could figure out how to do it. We are all human and very few of us are conversant with out own faults, but you should be proud of your work, continue it with vigor and never give up.
SEMPER VERITAS!
THOMAS A. WIRTANEN
Take care of yourself, first and foremost. Indeed you have missed nothing in the Sun recently. In fact, they are now just catching up with the events in Africa, for which I have written a number of entries dating back to early December. I guess some things are not important to many, including them.
This week’s meetings will be important and of high interest to everyone. This is made more special given the close-out of the Alan K issue as well as the impending doom of financial collapse of municipalities across the state and nation.
If you are looking for hints, you need to pay attention to the Chinese who have come away with commercial and profitable deals while making a whirlwind tour of the EU. Having stated support for the EU, in view of the impending collapse, the Chinese have taken to trade deals with the state-run organizations in lieu of bank loans. This is an important part of the big picture as the Chinese will now be able to take goods in lieu of payments and that is key since they are mobile enough to interdict what they believe is rightfully theirs.
While still a stretch, leave nothing to chance or imagination on the world stage of high finance. When it sours, the effects are far reaching. One need only look at the current state of affairs in Bangladesh, which to me represents a small re-distribution of wealth. All of it quite legal, though nobody really gives a rat’s butt about the small investor way over there.
Yet.
Gerry – Your website is on my must-read list everyday. You’re providing a great service to the community. Keep it up.
Good health to you first and foremost Gerry. If that permits, keep doing your blog. We may not always agree, but we need more varied blogger opinions in these parts. Too much one-sided blogging already exists. We need someone willing to upset both apple carts, which is something you do from time to time.
Besides, if we agreed on every single issue, we’d all be like the City Council puppets for the manager.
Jerry, I do admit to a certain “fingernails on the blackboard” reaction to many of your grammatical faux pas. At this point, I simply react with an internal shudder and a slight raising of my left eyebrow. I have come to terms with the situation and with your intractability on the issue.
So, with internal shudder and arching left brow let me say this……I don’t know any other local blogger who has worked so diligently to cover so many issues of local importance and to provide a forum for both citizens and the local political establishment to air their views and state their cases. You also have the audacity and impertinence to continually raise important questions concerning issues of public integrity and what’s really going on with our local politicians and our political process.
Please keep on doing exactly what you have been doing. I couldn’t imagine the local blog scene without your unique voice and thoroughly Lowellian perspective!
George M. Cohan sighs from the great beyond.
His name is Gerry.
I’ll just roll my eyes at the irony.
LOL, Jack!
I’ve got to embrace this…there is nothing else for me to do!
I certainly knew better, yet …there it is…brain gremlin, distraction, undigested bit of cheese, deep-seated psychological need (Sigmund, where are you when I need you)? Whatever…it’s an instant textbook classic.
And, Gerry, thanks for your forbearance.