Amherst Life Blog

Business Folk: Free tips!

2009-06-02T11:51:00.003-04:00

OK, you might ask, "what's in it for you?" Our response: a more dynamic town and more places for the non-binge drinking inclined. So, for what it's worth, we'd like to give entrepreneurs a few tips:

In Amherst, one kind of business thrives: the cafe/restaurant. Yes, that is it. There are multiple, but none of them have concocted the "perfect" mix of cheap food, good coffee, nice & clean space, and good MUSIC on Friday's and Saturday's. This is not rocket science but for some reason, nobody around here can put it into action. Amherst needs a cafe with god rice and beans, hummus and pita, coffee and tea, basic vegetarian (and well-done) grilled vegetables, some "top picks" books for sale (cheap), some good prints for sale (artwork), weekly music (quality, please, don't be cheap or we will trash you forever!). So there you have it: trust us. You will make a lot of money here and you will improve our lives. Donations accepted.

Holyoke PVTA!

2009-06-02T11:45:00.002-04:00

We would like to propose an express bus route from Holyoke Center (not the mall) to UMass-Amherst. There are thousands of students and faculty-members who live in Holyoke and commute to Amherst, and Holyoke is the only affordable place to live in the area. You open a bus route, Holyoke gets more students, that means more money flowing into the city, that means more life in the city, that means grad students can actually live without going to the local church for free food. We would like to hear your ideas about an express bus route. Please post them below.

Cultural Bazaar in Amherst

2009-06-02T11:42:00.003-04:00

Could someone please explain what does not count for "indigenous" cultural objects, please? We went to the bazaar, and (though many folks came in the interest of cross-cultural exchange), there were some vendors selling mass-produced products. So, is a factory-produced mask an "indigenous" cultural representation. Probably. But that forces the "real" vendors -- those who are crafting by hand -- to lower their prices and not get the money that their work deserves. You comments are welcome!

Unethical landlords!

2009-06-02T11:38:00.002-04:00

Ok, this is not the space to trash your landlord! This is the space, however, to get even! If your landlord has been unethical and you have the documentation to prove it, post your case and let the public know! We do not want made-up stories! We want real cases that have legal documentation so that us renters know what we are getting into! Posts can be posted below.

Translating architectural forms: more for you housing seekers!

2009-06-02T11:33:00.005-04:00

This is another piece of advice that international students and folks from warmer climes often forget to consider....

If you are interested in a 1st floor apartment (ground floor) always ask if there is a basement or if the apartment is right on the cold earth! If you have a basement, heating prices can be affordable. Sometimes there is even a furnace beneath the unit (and that is good!). However, if your unit is not above a basement and rests upon a slab of concrete that is right on the ground, you can expect to pay HIGH prices for heating in the winter. Around 150/month, at least...

So, something to consider! We believe the first floor apartments at Colonial Village are an example of units without a basement below... We have to confirm that, though... Someone let us know!

Housing in Amherst

2009-06-02T11:23:00.002-04:00

We know... the UMass housing page is down and now you are limited to "craigslist western mass." But that makes the search a little easier, and hopefully the people who post on UMass will realize that a "vacant" 1-bedroom apartment is not a room in a private home! We are so tired of these people! So, for the record, and for all of the landlords out there, a room in an apartment or home is just that: a room! Wow.

We have also come across multiple scams that out-of-town folk should know about.

1) Be weary of craigslist ads that use "Western Massachusetts" as a town name. Western Mass. is a huge area and there are probably 40 towns and cities in this part of the state.

2) If you are renting a "room" or a vacant apartment that includes heat, you should ask WHO controls the heat. You will be surprised (or maybe you won't...) that some of the landlords in the happy valley keep daytime heat regulated at 68 degrees in the winter months. That may not sound cold to you, but think about the cold winter draft that may enter your abode at night. Something to consider.

3) Beware of folks who say they will pay the agency fee on the apartment you are about to lease! They might say that they will cover the fee, which is nice, but get the money in cash then!

4) Check the PVTA schedule and call PVTA for bus route info. Some landlords are calling a 2 mile walk "close" to the major bus stops. That is good for exercise-sake, but not so good when you have to get to campus in a hurry.

5) We'll keep posting! Come back. And tell us your stories as apartment searchers!

Our intention is to make the move into the area smooth and to do that we like to keep landlords and homeowners in check! This is your space to keep the pressure on and to let us all know about unethical landlord practices. So, post away below!

Jason Vassell Meeting Tomorrow

2008-11-23T22:49:00.002-05:00

This just in...

We are writing to remind you of the community-wide organizing meeting that
is taking place tomorrow, Monday, November 24th, at 6 PM. It will be held in
the lower level meeting room of the Bangs Community Center. The Bangs
Community Center is located at 70 Boltwood Walk in Amherst, behind Rao's
Coffee.

Our rally last week was very successful. Despite the freezing temperatures,
several hundred supporters came to voice their support. We presented over
4500 petition signatures to District Attorney Scheibel's office. We received
favorable coverage in all of the major local newspapers and on all of the
local TV channels. The newly formed Western Massachusetts Coalition for
Justice for Jason is growing by the day. We are gaining momentum."

Your attendance is needed!

Art Exhibit at UMass -- "In Other's Words"

2008-11-20T13:46:00.001-05:00

An interesting exhibit by students at UMass-Amherst.

"The Student Union Art Gallery, located in the Student Union Building at UMass Amherst, presents "In Other's Words," curated by farm members Susie Nielsen, Claudia Middendorf, and Christine Gallagher. The exhibition is about the power and reinvention of language, defined as a pattern used by a particular group within a community (usually occupational) or a special pattern created for communication: "a body of words and the systems for their common use." What happens when you take one language and ask it to describe, unite, react or interact with another?

The show dates are November 12 through December 5. The opening reception will be held on November 20 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Gallery hours are Mondays-Thursdays 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Fridays 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. For more information, call (413) 545-0792.

Directions & Parking

Located on the 2nd floor of the Student Union building. Parking is available in the Campus Center Parking Garage located next to the Campus Center with a passageway leading directly from the garage on the 2nd floor."

More Info @:
http://umass.edu/umhome/events/articles/80675.php

Bush Risks Endangered Animals

2008-11-19T21:26:00.002-05:00

This just in from Yahoo news: "Animals and plants in danger of becoming extinct could lose the protection of government experts who make sure that dams, highways and other projects don't pose a threat, under a regulation the Bush administration is set to put in place before President-elect Obama can reverse them. The rules must be published Friday to take effect before Obama is sworn in Jan. 20. Otherwise, he can undo them with the stroke of a pen."

What other things can the man do before he leaves office? S

Jason Vassell Trail

2008-11-19T19:48:00.003-05:00

Northampton, MA -- A crowd of approximately 80 students, professors, community activists and members rallied outside of the Northampton District Attorney's office in support of Jason Vassell, who will face trial for events that occurred last February when he was attacked by two white men at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. After being verbally threatened and physically beaten, Vassell allegedly defended himself against his white attackers with a knife, injuring one. Though it seems to be a case of clear self-defense, our justice system has turned the star student and community member into a felon who is now facing thirty years in jail. His white attackers face 1.5 years in jail, and the other, none. The difference in the sentences speak volumes. We would like to encourage all of you to write letters to international and national newspapers, columnists, news centers, alternative news organizations, and civil rights organizations. The word has to get around and out of the community!

Rally for Jason Vassell

2008-11-19T10:31:00.000-05:00

TODAY: JASON FACES A MAXIMUM OF 3O YEARS IN PRISON, BOWES FACES A MAXIMUM OF 1.5 YEARS AND BOSSE FACES 0 YEARS

*COME MARCH WITH US TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TODAY*

On Wednesday, November 19, at 3:30pm,
we will be meeting with supporters of Justice for Jason at Pulaski
Park in Downtown Northampton. We will then march together to the
District Attorney's office demanding Justice for Jason. Thousands of
petition signatures, statements of support from community
organizations, and letters from concerned supporters will be submitted
to her. The more supporters present the less she can ignore us!

JOIN US IN THIS EFFORT BEFORE JASON GOES TO TRIAL

**SIGN THE PETITION**

http://www.ipetitions.com/ petition/ J4JDismissalofcharges/

**SEND A LETTER TO THE DA**

Elizabeth Scheibel
1 Gleason Plaza
Northampton, MA 01060

CARPOOLS WILL BE LEAVING UMASS AT 2:30-EMAIL US IF YOU WISH TO JOIN!

THANKS AND HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

We're back!

2008-11-19T02:34:00.002-05:00

It's been a while, but we read a post on the (UMass Journalism blog and were inspired to get back at it! Thanks!

So, first thing: YES WE CAN!!!! Amherst cars were beeping, people were running in the streets, a whole crew from Amherst College rushed the center in celebration, and folks were happy! There is hope!

Second: You must hit la noche latina at the Iron Horse on Tuesday nights at aroud 10:30pm -- great latin music, people dancing, nice crowd.

Third: Amherst Town Management has still done nothing about on-street parking for handicapped & elderly folks who live on Amity street and other areas where there are apartment buildings that do not allow for on-site (driveway) parking. That is a big issue for people who have to move their automobiles all over the town in search for a space. And when it gets icy, it is dangerous for many. So, put some pressure on this rich-serving town hall and tell them that their b.s. has gone on long enough. Would you like your grandmother going in and out of her nice apartment to move a car in the middle of the winter, and then walk back 30 minutes through the snow. We think not. Speak up. These people in town hall have been notified for years now.

Fourth: We need reviews on the new Vietnamese restaurant in Amherst center. And whatis happening with the Souper Bowl? Can someone get the word out that the owner needs to have some live music at night? He has a great spot for dancing. A bar. And what do they do? Soup. And crackers. Not cutting it! You have a great space -- use it!

Fifth: Raos employees need a serious overview of cleaning procedures that should begin with sponges. More precisely, employees need to know that MULTIPLE/Different sponges are used for different surfaces. You don't use the same sponge for every surface. You see them doing that, let the manager know or post a comment.

Sixth: UMass continues to abuse it's email system by allowing vendors to sell their goods to students via the college email account. Some corrupt official/administrator is making a killing on commissions. We have to speak up about this!

Seventh: Thanks for reading and sorry for the long hiatus!

Welcome Back Students!!!

2008-08-27T12:56:00.003-04:00

We just wanted to welcome back students and families to the area. The town is in full-transition and it is exciting to see!

We also wanted to remind folks to buy local! You think you might save by shopping for back-to-school stuff at Walmart, Target, CVS, and Staples, but we have done our math and all of the paper supplies and office supplies are cheaper at Hastings in downtown Amherst. You just have to fnd it and it's not hard. Be adventurous! Hastings is just 1 block from the main intersection in the center of town (where Main Street crosses Pleasant St.). They have everything you need and more. And cheap! And not in huge bulks that people end up throwing away anyways.

Also, consider shopping at Maple Farms in Hadley and at Atkins Farms in Amherst-- better food, better quality, better prices too, and you are supporting local business-owners. Stop and Shop, Big Y, and Whole Foods are overrun with customers anyways.

So, have a good transition, check out local goods, and post here with other local-business recommendations!

Music Festival in Holyoke! Saturday the 23rd!

2008-08-19T17:05:00.002-04:00

This is going to be a great event! Check it out in Holyoke, only a 20 minute ride from Amherst!

2nd Annual Pioneer Valley Latin Jazz Festival

"Saturday, August 23, 2008 • 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
La Finca
24 Jones Ferry Road/Main Street
Holyoke, MA
Handicap access available
Directions & Parking
Admission: Donation $10
Event web site
Contact: Yvonne Mendez, pvlatinjazz@gmail.com, 413-218-1353
Music, as a universal language can bring together cultures and generations in celebration and appreciation. The 2nd Annual Pioneer Valley Latin Jazz Festival presents the best of latin jazz and supports local artists in the Valley.

Featured performers include Arturo O'Farrill, Jose Gonzalez, Markamusic and Conjunto de Bomba.

This event takes place at the 30 acre river front Nuestras Raíces Farms - a "green-friendly" community farm-home to locally-grown foods, produce store, a new restaurant, horse rides, and an outdoor stage. The PV Latin Jazz Festival offers a family-friendly space, good music, in a natural environment - offering world renowned entertainment while supporting the local community of the Main Street corridor in Holyoke.

Presented by CENA-Centro de Artes, in collaboration with Nuestras Raices Inc, El Festival de la Familia Hispana, Massachusetts Cultural Council, WEIB 106.3 Smooth FM, Mount Holyoke College, and the UMass Amherst Fine Arts Center."

Tourism Boom in Amherst?

2008-08-04T13:01:00.002-04:00

Our writers have been around for quite some time now and never have we seen such an active summer in Amherst. Gas prices leading to more local vacation trips? Better marketing of Amherst sites, Amherst things to do, Amherst culture? Eco-friendly business ventures? What is it? We want to know!! We see entire families going to Judie's restaurant (an Amherst Life pick), Freshside Cafe is booming (we recommend the outside seats to "people-watch" -- almost a Southern France vibe... Montpellier style...), and the local coffee shops (Rao's and Amherst Coffee) seem to be bustling with conversation, hard-working bloggers, writers, professors, film-makers and much more.

Thouhg we do not know the cause of this boom (post comments if you know any reasons please!), we thought we'd recommend a few places off the beaten path that visitors might like (Amherst sites to see, Amherst rivers, Amherst mountains, and much more)

So here it is:

Check out "the Notch" -- a beautiful mountain that overlooks the whole valley (you can stop at Atkin's Farms on the way -- great local food, sandwiches, groceries, best cinnamon donuts and pies on earth!). Yes, we reserve the right to exaggerate slightly. Just take 116 South and you'll get there.

Check out the Robert Frost Trail -- take Main street down the hill, heading towards Pelham. Beautiful rivers and woods and walking trails. Dog-friendly.

Take a ride into farm-country in Hadley -- beautiful mountain views, Connecticut river (yes, you can rent a canoe there, just go down route 9, next to the bridge, close to the i-91 ramps). Just take a ride and get lost, heading south, especially around Atkin's Farms...

Check out the great views from the beautiful campus of Amherst College -- it overlooks the mountains and is a great place to walk around

Check out Puffer's Pond! Head to the North Amherst lights, take a right, and then follow Pine Street all the way in to the Pond area. Very nice, though we are not sure if swimming is recommended in August (lots of bodies, small body of water...)

And let us know what you think! Any suggestions, feel free to post!

Best Massage in Amherst, MA

2008-08-04T12:07:00.004-04:00

This just in... We have reports of a thriving little massage center run by Susan Zarchin, right here in Amherst and close enough to the center of town to go for a nice walk down the hill -- a meander down historic Main street and you'll be there in 10 minutes or less.

Susan Zarchin :: 592 Main Street :: 413-253-5476

And a great consultant for "alternative medicine": homeopathic remedies, especially!

Here is the link with a map: http://www.amherstarea.com/business/index.cfm/fa/showBusiness/CompanyID/863.cfm

Send her our regards!

Amherst's Center for Cross Cultural Study

2008-07-25T16:56:00.003-04:00

Who knew that there was such a thing called the “Center for Cross-Cultural Study” right here in Amherst, MA? Yes, there is indeed, and they offer study abroad programs in Spain and Argentina. But why does the community not know about the center? Perhaps because the center does not actively promote their programs to students at UMass. Perhaps because their target audience and ideal client is not the working-class students of public universities, much less the public university that has shaped this town. We ask one simple question: why? How committed to “cross-cultural” study is a center who’s student-participants come from mainly middle to upper class backgrounds? Why is a center for cross-cultural study not actively engaged with the community? We would like to promote a center that proposes to study multiple cultures, languages, histories, and ways of viewing those histories, but until we hear some answers and until the community begins to actually learn about the center, our promotion only falls in the realm of questions. We welcome any answers and hope that you post them as comments.

Baku's African Restaurant :: Amherst

2008-07-25T13:53:00.003-04:00

Occasionally we are so impressed by a local restaurant that the Amherst Life Crew cannot escape the temptation to write about it. This time, our topic is Baku's African Restaurant, owned by Pat Ononibaku and located in the center of Amherst (check out the website for specifics: http://www.bakusafricanrestaurant.com/). And she runs, by far, the best local catering service too!

The quality of the food is superb in every way, the owner does not cut a single corner, the staff is excellent, and the music is jumping. The restaurant is easily overlooked, but keep a close eye once you pass the Loose Goose Cafe and Zana Clothing Store (depending on your direction) as you walk or drive on N. Pleasant St. -- you will be grateful! We recommend the jolloff rice with black eyed peas on the side, an order of plantains, and the curry chicken, all superbly prepared by the owner-cook). And if you forget our recommendation, don't worry, all of the dishes are excellent -- we have tried most!

Thanks to Pat and the Baku's crew for your great food and service! As the Chef's Bio page on the wesbsite says,

"Pat's interest in food was influenced by watching her mother prepare elaborate delicious feasts effortless (without recipes) and her generosity to entertain guests during family meals. Food was always plentiful in the house. Food symbolized love, enjoyment and fun, friendship, entertainment, family pride, etc."

Baku's continues in that line of generosity and the tradition of celebrating all of those elements -- fun, friendship, pride, love -- that food carries.

Enjoy your meal!

UMass Abuses its Email System (again)

2008-05-28T10:11:00.004-04:00

This morning the following email was sent out to what appears to be every graduate and undergraduate student at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst:

May 28, 2008

OFFER ENDING NEXT FRIDAY

This is your last chance to take advantage of the 20% discount available for the new 8gb Apple iPod nano video. Orders will be accepted at this special price until next Friday. Shipments can be delivered to either your home or school address. You also have the option to have this product sent as a gift to friends or family members. Orders are limited to 3 iPods per person. Please visit the online shopping system below before next Friday if you wish to take advantage of this offer. Have a great summer!

Sincerely,

Carly R.
Student Rep

Our first question is, WHO ALLOWS THIS TYPE OF MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO FIND ITS WAY INTO OUR UMASS EMAIL ACCOUNTS?

The ANSWER: whoever is getting paid to allow it, whoever is getting a commission based on clicks to the site ("Carly R." had a url address under "her" name that we decided to not include ), whoever is getting a commission on the total sales. Are we really to believe that UMass officials are simply "looking out for the students"?

--Mr. D, look, what a great deal on ipods! We should just let the students know so they can get that great deal. Oh how they love their ipods so! Such a beautiful discount to mark the beginning of their summer.

--Mr. Y [excuse the gender construct], why, what a thoughtful idea. Splendid indeed. They will adore it!

WE THINK NOT. Rather, we think it goes something like:

--Mr. D, if we disseminate this information to 35,000 people and make sure that the email arrives in their INBOX and not their SPAM folders that are designed to catch this kind of sleezy marketing strategy (imagine "Carly R." doesn't even get a last-name!!) we have the possibility of earning 10% on sales, $2/click to "Carly R.'s" webpage, and we can track who clicks when so we know who to send future ads to. That's nearly a million dollars in revenue.

THAT'S MORE LIKE IT.

So who is to blame for this? Someone high up at UMass. Who is making the money? Obviously not some "Carly R." (and could they at least have the decency to give "her" a last name?) By not giving her a last name they are announcing to the student body that folks on our campus are stupid -- not only are they covering up some UMass scam (we'd be willing to bet that someone in OIT designed the ipod page that "Carly R." represents), we the students are dumb enough to think that 1.) "Carly R." exists, 2.) that "Carly R." is the sleezy marketing trickster who somehow got approved by UMass officials to be able to send out a massive email, 3.) that "Carly R." isn't really "The People in Power at UMass-Amherst"

To summarize: those in power are making money off of the students AND calling them dumb. What should we do about this?

Best Summer Spanish Course Around!!!

2008-05-22T20:18:00.003-04:00

Here's your chance to take a course with one of the top language instructors from the UMass Languages. Literatures, and Cultures Department. It is run through Continuing Education at UMass-Amherst.

Learn Spanish and have fun!
Intermediate Spanish I

The Spanish instructor, Carmen Cosme, is
promising a Summer class full of colors and fla-
vors with less book assessments and more real
life situation activities to get you ready for the
real Spanish speaking world. You will learn cul-
ture from the Caribbean and the rest of hispanic
countries. Expect a lot of Music, short films,
games, food and dance.

What: Spanish 230-Session I
Class number: 60745
When: June 2 to July 10
Where: Herter Hall 206-UMass-Amherst
Time: MTUWTHF 9:30 -11:00 AM
Enroll now:
https://www.umassulearn.net/

Things to do in Amherst

2008-05-22T20:14:00.002-04:00

If you are here for the summer or passing through, here is a list of things to do:

--Robert Frost Trail
--Emily Dickinson Museum
--Amherst Historical Society
--Take the Bike Trail to the Connecticut River
--Jazz on Thursday's at Amherst Coffee
--Tuesday Night Salsa, Merengue, Bachata at the Iron Horse in Northampton
--Friday night Salsa, Merengue, Bachata at the Veteran's Club in Hadley on Route 9
--Puffers Pond

Let us know your favorite spots and hang-outs by posting comments below!

Islam in Amherst

2008-05-22T20:05:00.006-04:00

Seeking the Face of Islam in Amherst
by Niina Heikkinen

Sometimes I wonder if I have an FBI file. I wonder if someone monitors my phone and Internet conversations to evaluate how I as a female, 20 year old Catholic college student could be a threat to this nation. You may think that I am having delusions of grandeur. Well, you might be right. But what if I told you that every day I talk online with Muslim friends from Afghanistan? That changes things, doesn’t it? Bring up the words Muslim or Islam in this country and you will get a variety of reactions. Some people will immediately think of war, extremism, terrorists.

For others, these words provide images of comfort, faith and community. I fell somewhere in the middle, slightly wary of a religion in which women appeared to exist in a second tier, but knowing that extremism is exactly that--an extreme part of religion which emphasizes the importance of peace and non-violence.

My own exploration of Islam started on the bookshelves of the Jones Library. I read: My name is Iran, Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Bliss, and Prisoner of Tehran. I plodded through a dense book on early Islamic history to learn about Mohammed, his first followers and to understand the difference between being Sunni or Shia. My reading was eclectic and not strictly about religion. Yet through the stories, both real and fictional I started to build a new picture of what it means to be Muslim.

There is only so much that you can learn from books. I needed to experience Islam. An opportunity to do this presented itself in the middle of October when the Muslim Students Association hosted an Eid celebration at the UMass campus center. Eid marks the end of Ramadan’s forty days of fasting: during Eid, Muslims break their fast together, celebrate with friends and family, and reflect on how the lessons of Ramadan can be carried out throughout the year. Sitting at a candlelit table with a group of Muslim women, I had the unusual feeling of being a minority, this is what it must be like to be Muslim in Christian America.

One day, one of the officers of the Muslim Students Association invited me to attend one of the Friday prayer services that are hosted by the club. What better way to learn about Islam? I felt like I was doing something elicit as I headed to the basement of the campus center. I found the prayer room easily but then I stood frozen for ten minutes before I gathered the courage to go in.

The first thing I noticed as I walked in was the set-up of the room. Men prayed in the front, sitting, standing or kneeling on long strips of white cloth, arranged at a diagonal so that they would be praying east, towards Mecca. I counted thirty men altogether. There were two rows set up towards the back of the room for the eight women present, but most chose to sit against the back wall. Part of the prayer was in Arabic, but everything is translated into English so I could follow what was happening. If I closed my eyes I could imagine myself sitting in the Newman Center, listening to Catholic priest instead of a Muslim student leading the prayer.

Islam is not nearly as foreign as I expected. Attending the Muslim prayer service, I felt the same calm that I do when I attend Mass. How do I reconcile this feeling with the suspicion that Islam generates in this country? My search for the true face of Islam continues.
----------------------------
Niina Heikkinen is a student in the Commonwealth College Honor's Program at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. We are grateful for her contribution to the Amherst Life Blog and look forward to reading more of her work. Please post any comments or questions for Ninna below.

Tai Chi in Amherst!

2008-05-22T20:00:00.002-04:00

inner arts
Tai Chi
Internal Kung Fu for Health & Self-Defense
with Jeff Felberbaum

Ongoing classes in Amherst & Hadley
Group & private instruction
Discount for UMass students & employees.
Sliding scale available

(413) 210-0999
www.innerartstaichi.com

inner peace inner strength vibrant health

A need for smaller shuttles in Amherst

2008-05-22T19:47:00.002-04:00

We've been away for some time now, but Amherst Life is back and writing. Today's post is about the need for more local transportation: shuttles, affordable taxis, and carpool boards. We need it. Gas is about to hit $4/gallon and will go up during the summer, we are contaminating our air and water supply at an alarming rate, and it is time to make some changes.

We propose the following: cut PVTA service and use the money to invest in hybrid vans. Far too often we see two or three students in one of the enormous PVTA busses.

Some hard-working soul could find funds to subsidize an affordable taxi service so that people don't even NEED to own cars in the Valley.

And last, carpooling boards could go up on masslive and umass sites (end even here on amherst life). The trick is to work in familiar networks so rider safety does not become an issue.

Well, we hope our ideas will help. As always, we welcome your comments!

Words Can Trigger Change: Reader's Comments on Racism

2008-03-02T17:16:00.005-05:00

We'd like to thank one of our reader's for the following comment:

"I am glad to see that SOMEONE is putting this incident into perspective, citing all the reasons why self-defense is normal, particularly in an environment such as this one. Racism is rampant on campus(es) and it is rampant in the community at large--regularly and frequently practiced not only by "hicks" but by so-called "educated" professionals--doctors (especially), proprietors, landlords/"ladies" (particularly), "human" service agencies and on and on. In fact, I wonder sometimes if some of these very same people aren't active members of the KKK chapter you refer to. There is a goulash of bigotry, with the some of the same bigots showing up in different capacities (sometimes where there is a direct conflict of interest. This is why the problem of racism is never really addressed in earnest in the Pioneer? Valley, despite the false perpetuation of the area as, per capita, one of the most progressive, intellectual, intelligent enclave of thinking and community-minded individuals. Hah!

Hampshire county is the only place where I have been called a nigger to my face (twice); it is the only place where I had a doctor repeatedly use a perjorative term designed to defend during a visit and laughed with delight when I let on that I was onto what he was doing? it is the only place where I have been repeatedly attacked, trounced and trashed, i.e. libel, 5th degree verbal assault by an MD, verbal assault by two officers on two different occasions (with other bigots "hungry for my head" as well in attendance as well). For all their progressive IDEAS and declarations, residents of the Valley are remarkably silent when it comes to really championing civil rights or human rights.

I think the arrest and charging of Mr. Vassell with the crime of self-defense the SAME public outcry and outrage that the attack involving the Jena Six in Lousiana sparked, followed by the support of THOUSANDS marching for all over the country. I don't see or hear anything from Al Sharpton. THE INSANITY IN THIS VALLEY HAS GOT TO STOP. People here have got to stop letting those who perpetuate racism and racist acts blow their own horn about how progressive, tolerant and educated (and all the other euphemisms used) while the casualties keep piling up.Maybe the "sleeping giants" at the NAACP can be roused to action. And what action or involvement has the Human Rights Commission taken to date? Are they just puppets and handmaidens of the ones crowing about how "tolerant" they are? Dr. Martin Luther King--who daughters atteneded college in this area-- would backflip in his grave if he knew how lazy and lackadaisical the "talented tenth" are in this bastion of education--as would Dr. DuBois. MAKE MORE NOISE!!! The spotlight on civil and human rights crimes is regularly shone on every other place--Darfur, Kosovo, So Africa, Holyoke, Springfield--EXCEPT HERE."

Let's keep this dialogue going. NAACP. Human Rights Comission, and other organizations should be contacted and activated. They will be more inclined to do so if there is more public outcry and more written from the perspective of Mr. Jason Vassell. Public gatherings are powerful tools and words can be as well. Keep the pressure on!