Posted by “Brendan Melican” on radioball.net

Looks like Massachusetts is warming up to join the growing list of states in the US to move Salvia divinorum to it’s list of controlled substances. On 9/29/2008 legislation (H 4434) proposed by Reps Vinny deMacedo (R) and Daniel Webster (R) of Plymouth County got one step closer to a Senate vote after deMacedo agreed to strip language that would classify blunt wrappers as drug paraphernalia from the year and a half old bill. If there is anything interesting about this legislation it’s the motivation behind the move.

Youtube killed this buzz. Seriously. Debating the need to ban Salvia would certainly be an effort in futility; conversion to the team that believes prohibition in any form is bush league public policy happens on its own schedule, but does Vinny really think banning this particular substance is going to protect Plymouth County kids from their worst enemy, themselves? Anyone who has tried Salvia knows it poses no threat to ones health simply because it makes doing anything at all nearly impossible for it’s meager but awe inspiring 20 minute duration. Impossible to the degree that Salvia is the running gag in one comedians online series:
Gardening on Salvia
Driving On Salvia
Writing A Letter To Congress on Salvia

The point is, concerned parents, banning salvia wont make your kids any less dumb. Your daughter is still going to have compromising camera phone pics taken of her at some point and chances are 50/50 your son has pictures of him circulating school passed out, drunk and covered in permanent marker. They’ll do these things for the whole world to enjoy and then act shocked when the admissions officer at the Ivy League school of his/her choice knows they did these things. And guess what? Salvia, alcohol, weed, soda, video games, porn and religion are not to blame. Kids are stupid you see, and while it’s our job as adults to help them with that, simply trying to remove all the sharp corners from their lives only means they’ll grow up to bruise easy. If you want to ban something it should be access to anything that would allow them to add to their “permanent record”.

I’d suggest if you really want to keep your kids from doing salvia, let them try it. In fact I’ll bet you one, nearly worthless American Dollar it’ll be the first and last time. Wade Davis, author of Serpent and the Rainbow once described hallucinogens of the caliber of Salvia as “… rather like being shot out of a rifle barrel lined with baroque paintings and landing on a sea of electricity” and trust me on this one folks, that’s not how you describe the next big party drug. So while your local law enforcement officer will be likely to categorize Salvia as analogous to LSD or mushrooms, lets be honest, they’re no more well informed than your kids who are putting videos of themselves getting high online.

Posted by “Cassavettes” on cassavettesband.blogspot.com
Well, we certainly didn’t see this coming. Last night’s show in Worcester was, hands down, AWESOME. We played at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute for their annual pep rally, which, from the looks when we arrived, was going to be a few people at best. But by sundown, these crazy Worcester-dwelling kids were out in full force on the quad, looking to party and get free swag. We gave away a lot of stuff, but it all balanced out, really.

College shows are sweet for a couple reasons: 1) good money and 2) enthusiastic folks. Number 2, however, should be amended to say SOMETIMES. In this case, these kids were all about having a good time. They pressed right up on the big, well-lit stage we had and danced, did the wave, cheered for the goat/engineering mascot and a lion (for some reason), showed us their unique talents for free shirts, waved their rally flags, whatever. It was really cool. Not only that, but the school gave us a nice green room, free food and drinks and what not. Talk about hospitality. I hope pictures surface!

Posted by “4rilla” on 4rilla.blogspot.com

The fact that they were holding an Obama rally was the perfect opportunity for Crystal and I to walk down there this weekend and partake in the festivities and check out the lounge for the first time. The Crescent Cafe is a hop skip and a jump away from our building and sits on Canterbury street pretty much sandwiched by a defunct and dilapidated Crompton and Knowles mill to one side and a defunct and dilapidated Standard Foundry building on the other. This is certainly the heart of Main South. As Crystal and I walked up to the cafe there was good crowd of 40 or so people on the corners of Canterbury and Gardner street holding signs and chanting to passing vehicles. Right away I was happy that me made our way down the block to show our support.

We made our way inside and ordered a couple beers. We then made our way over to the information table and signed in with email addresses and contact info. Overall they were organizing for everything from bus trips to New Hampshire to phone banking to rallies, recruitment and voter registration right in Worcester. Before I knew it the crowd had moved inside so we could get down to the business of the night. Gladys Rodriguez-Parker who organized the event spoke about what everyone can do to help effect the change that we want to see by getting Obama elected thru phone banks, door knocking, NH trips etc. Next up was Stacey Luster who owns the Crescent Cafe with her husband, she proclaimed how very proud she was of the turnout and every one in the room and made a very thought provoking point of how she does not think the corner of Gardner and Canterbury streets has ever been the site of such a big sign holding event as it was this evening.

Stacey then introduced Congressman Jim McGovern who was fresh off a plane from Washington after voting yes to the bailout package. I give Congressman McGovern all the kudos in the world for coming deep into the District 4 hood on what has probably been one of the most hectic weeks of his political career in order to motivate folks to get out the vote for Obama. McGovern stood on top of a barstool, and addressed the 80 or so folks who were in attendance. McGovern did not hold back, calling George Bush “terrible” and “the worst President this country has ever seen”. McGovern echoed how each one of us can make a difference even if we can change just one voter’s mind, whether it is here in Mass or the battleground state of New Hampshire.

Posted by “Bill Randell” on worcesterma.blogspot.com
Our Chamber of Commerce is very weak and does nothing to support business in the City of Worcester. Our Chamber of Commerce does three things per year:
• business after hours
• once per year regarding the dual taxes
• promoting our sports teams (Tordanoes and Sharks)
These three things are not bad things, but a strong Chamber of Commerce should be doing a whole lot more then that. Can I ask readers of this blog it they are members, why? If they are not, why not. We personally are not..
Anyone hear anything from Destination Worcester or Choose Worcester? My business is one block from all three of these organizations, I have no idea who they are, what they do or what they do for businesses in the City of Worcester.
Imagine if all of these groups were effective as the Research Bureau?

      

Shrewsbury couple showers attention on iconic cars

WORCESTER - A fast-response vehicle that the state Department of Environmental Protection rolled out in Danvers last month rolled into the Central Region office on Main Street last week, showing off its ability to rapidly test for air, water and soil contaminants during public emergencies.

The attorney general's office has filed a civil lawsuit against a former Shrewsbury dentist and 14 other people and corporations, alleging that they operated high-volume dental clinics through a web of corporate fronts to exploit patients and get money from finance companies and insurers.

WORCESTER - Unlike many Northeasterners who are dreading their heating bill this winter, some homeowners hope going green will save some green.

LEOMINSTER - In an effort to gauge public response to a proposed 25-cent increase in the cost of school lunches, the School Committee waited three weeks before putting it to a vote. That meeting will be held tonight.

SHREWSBURY - A legal battle over whether the son of former Fire Chief Gerald LaFlamme lived in town when he took the firefighters exam two years ago continues, as the town filed a complaint in court recently.

LEICESTER - The injection of the pesticide imidacloprid into healthy maples near those infested by the Asian longhorned beetle may be welcome news to shade tree lovers, but Worcester beekeepers are worried and some are planning on moving their hives from "ground zero."

WORCESTER - Dark storm clouds quickly gathered over lower Providence Street yesterday morning just as some members of the former St. Casimir Church began a prayer vigil to protest the Diocese of Worcester's decision to close their 114-year-old parish last summer.

WORCESTER - The Worcester Regional Transit Authority's Northwest Flex Route has added two hours to its schedule each weekday.

WORCESTER - A 28-year-old Southbridge man was in fair condition at a Worcester hospital after being shot in the thigh early last night.

When Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin gave a shout out to some Alaskan third-graders during her debate with Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden Thursday night, no one could have guessed the impact that moment would have on the impressionable minds of the nation's young people.

The Department of Public Works advises motorists that there will be traffic delays at the following locations where resurfacing and sewer-related construction activity will take place this week:

SPENCER -- Four people were injured after a local man apparently fell asleep at the wheel and his car crossed the center lane and struck another car head on at Main and Bell Streets shortly before 5 p.m. yesterday.

Say this about Worcester's municipal retirees: They are a relentless group.

College Town extends its condolences to the family and friends of Becker student William L. Smith, who was killed during a recent off-campus party.

PRINCETON - Wachusett Wildlife Sanctuary is "calling all barn lovers" to help with efforts to restore one of the oldest barns in the area to make it safe and accessible for the public.

Born March 7, 1849, in Lancaster (his original home is now part of the Devens firing range); died April 11, 1926, in California of heart attack complications. He is buried on his farm in California. Mr. Burbank married twice and had no children.

FITCHBURG - Gardner High junior Timothy Gamache isn't the type of kid you'd expect to see hanging around outside a liquor store.

Tony Scola's defense lawyers were in fine fettle last week when asked about the grand jury that's hearing evidence in a murder case involving their client.