News Talk for the week of Sept. 6

News Talk for the week of Sept. 6

Not too much to talk about this week – with Summer vacations coming to a close - the local politicians will be back and the rumors will start to fly around.  We managed to eek out a few things – and others that were too over the top (even for us).  As a reminder again to all that are interested in the MaxPac development - zoning changes should be sometime this month - we will find out what we can and oh yeah, that Rent Control, oops, we mean the Condo Conversion Ordinance is supposed to be making a comeback as well – we will get some dates so that the City won’t think we’re all asleep again.    

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It seems like those idiots – the Divestment People - are back and actually got enough signatures (only 200 were needed) to be on the ballot in November here in the City.  They only got it on the ballot in one State Rep District, and you probably won’t be surprised either to find out that it’s Denise Provost’s district.  Although it is a ballot question that the City of Somerville should divest funds from Israel, hopefully the residents of the district send these whackos a firm and resounding no.  Speaking of whackos – did you hear that major whacko – the President of Iran - is going to be a guest speaker at Harvard this month?  The world as we know it has officially gone to…                  
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Is anyone else offended by the free anatomy lesson the proprietor of Extreme Tanning is offering with his racy sidewalk advertisements? Somebody should remind this creep that children walk the streets too and may not be ready for the eyeful that he’s offering. And to anyone still willing to do business with this perv, we think he’s a deadbeat who doesn’t pay his bills. I mean come on, it’s one thing to be a creepy perv, but to go back on a deal? Come on buddy. We hear our favorite alderman Rebekah Gewirtz is going after this guy and we say good job Rebekah! Keep fighting the good fight.

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Some of us think there should be a boycott of Dunkin Donuts at McGrath & Broadway until such time that they clear out all those illegal aliens every morning out of the parking lot and even worse the contractors going in there to pick them up.  Reportedly the IRS and ICE are around but there seems to be more and more illegals out there every morning.  There will eventually be a serious accident and then maybe the owners of that Dunkin Donuts will smarten up when they have a lawsuit slapped on them – or is there one already in the works maybe?  What we would like to know is why the Somerville Police are just sitting there in the lot doing nothing but watching, maybe they’re taking down license plate numbers, or not?         
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This past week the former Mayor Larry Bretta passed away - he was a popular Mayor back in the 60’s - some who knew him said he was a good guy and that he will be missed.         
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The primary is coming up real fast and hopefully the people that usually stay home (and end up bitching the most) will come out - there really is a healthy choice for the Democratic nominee for Governor and Lt. Governor, amongst other offices.  It is our firm hope that the majority of Democrats come out and don’t leave the primary victor to the left-wingers and Progressives so that another Republican waltzes into the corner office on Beacon Hill.  We have a choice - lets elect the one that can beat back the past 16 years of Republican rule in the Governorship.  While we’re on the subject, some of us here are hoping that Connecticut Senator Joe Liberman wins his re-election bid hands down – he has a lot of support from Massachusetts residents (we like him) - funny how some of these PDS-type, so called Liberals eat their own isn’t it?         
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One election that we are very interested in is the race for Secretary of State - Bill Galvin has been a terrific Secretary of the Commonwealth - and his opponent, who is running on one issue, wants to register non-citizens to vote.  What is wrong with people?  Has everyone gone completely nuts?  We like Bill Galvin – make sure you vote for him.
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Seems the Boston Globe has been watching our paper here in Somerville and the website as well - we understand that the Globe is doing a couple of stories on local news we have been reporting.  Seems that that we also found out that the Herald is doing the same thing - apparently they don’t think much of the farm team’s local coverage - or do they?  But hey we’re biased and we are proud of it.  We hear the editor of the Farm Team here in Somerville is also the editor of the Farm Team in Cambridge, guess their budget is as tight as ours.
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To that Remax agent who sent that email to the office, yeah we are biased and one of the owners of the paper is the owner of ERA The Norton Group, so what?  We aren’t the New York Times and you know what – we’re proud of it - we are The Somerville News.  Apparently you must be a huge producer over there and your office is doing fine, that’s why you’re merging so you can pay the rent and other bills, or is it more than that?  We’ve told you before – we’re biased when it comes to Real Estate and Towing and we’re good at what we do - we don’t see a problem with it - when you’re good you’re good.  The best Real Estate company for 6 years now and the best Tow company for 3 years, great business sense to us - go ERA The Norton Group and Pat’s Tow - together they employ over 150 local residents - both new and old - can you say that?  We have ink by the barrels too - do you?      
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Congratulations to Billy Tauro for doing a great job as the head of King Solomon’s Lodge on Highland Avenue - Stephen Post will take over for next year this coming September 30th at his public installation.  At Somerville Lodge, another local favorite is Steve Dalrymple, who will be leaving office as well, with yet another local popular person - Donald Coutoumas - taking over for him on October 7th.  Together both Masonic lodges have a combined membership of almost 500 members here in Somerville - giving to various charities and to the local community each and every year.  If you want to find out more about what Masonry is, come to the Public Open House Saturday October 7th at 125 Highland Avenue.
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As we go to press this Tuesday (yesterday) our own Cam Toner is in MGH undergoing an operation that has been planned now for a few weeks - all our thoughts and prayers here at the paper are with her for a speedy recovery and hurry back to work, we need her here so that George is behaving himself along with the rest of the staff.    
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Neil McCabe - our favorite former Editor of The Somerville News - is doing well over there in Cambridge with his paper “The Alewife.”  We’ve missed him, so we asked him to come back and do some writing here in Somerville as well - hopefully you’ll see him sometime soon - but in the meantime if you want to check him out online go to his paper’s website www.thealwife.com.

Comments

[WTF?]

Is this a news or gossip colum? Is it a commentary? Editorial? Who is even writing this?

[Nice spelling]

you forgot the "e" in www.thealEwife.com

Quality job this week on reporting virtually nothing.

[Dr. Mrs. McCarthy]

Who the hell is playing with the color and display options for this site??????

Please change it quick. I can't read a freakin thing and it's making my eyes cross.

Ever yours,

Dr. Mrs. McCarthy

[Earl the Pearl says" I pronounce them Husband and Wife!]

I have learned that our own Register of Probate John Bounomo had the pleasure of pulling a special permit to become 'Justice of the peace for the day' about a week ago. He performed a marriage ceremony for a good friend of his in front of many wedding quests. John did a great job until it came to the end of the ceremony. He forgot to pronounce them as husband and wife. Hey John what ever you do, don't give up your day job!

[The Pie Man wants to pose nude in front of Extreme Tanning!]

Regarding the Moron proprietor of Extreme Tanning! Is he in anyway related to the dog groomer that has a mannequin of two dogs humping in the window? But this guy does give me the creeps every time I drive by his X-rated tanning salon! And of course "Whos throwing those pies"!

[DnDnINS]

"Some of us think there should be a boycott of Dunkin Donuts at McGrath & Broadway until such time that they clear out all those illegal aliens"

Some of us think it's a sad statement on the lack of enforcement of immigration law when you're relying on Dunkin' Donuts to enforce immigration law. Does this mean I can file next year's tax return at the Burger King? Then again, Dunkin Donuts is now owned in part by the Carlyle Group which is practically the government...

[Grand Total]

Lets face it! Illegal immigrants are great for the economy! I don't care how you slice it. Give me mine with butter on it. Lets get rid of the recent legal immigrants and keep the illegal ones. Here is what I mean, with the amount of illegal immigrants we have, we pretty much have our very own caste system just like they do in India. Hey, the rich can't really get richer if we can't make the poor get a whole poorer in the process. Sure it will make the wages of America's middle class and poor go even lower; but, I am the point that my 401k has enough money and I owe enough property that I don't really care about salaries. Everyone knows houseing prices won't go up if we don't keep em coming too, nothing like supply and demand is there.The more of these poor schleps that we can treat like dirt, and not worry about human rights while keeping their pay so low an ant can't crawl under it, the better off this country is for having them. Otherwise some other countries Rich people have an unfair advantage over our Rich people.

the bottom line here is that America needs a real caste system if we are going to compete in the Global economy. I don't know about you guys, but while that gap between rich and poor is dividing to grand canyon proportions I want to be on the Rich side and no condo ordinance is going to stop me! It is time for these poor bastards to pay their tabs at the company store so that I can retire early!

[The Mole]

Open the pocket books up my fellow citizens. The Mayor is about to roll out a new venture. Seems the city is taking over the newly renovated Dilboy Field from DCR. The move is right since DCR put in $2 Million to renovate it. But here is where WE pay for the ride.

New director of the Facility will probably be around $70,000. Add two custodians, why is beyond me, to a tune of about $28,000 EACH. Then add two maintenance workers for another $32,000 each, why, there is synthetic turf there isn’t there? What will they be cutting?

Added feature would benefit the new Director, RW, and Boss Hogg. You see, these two have been in business in the past when RW was in charge of the MDC skating rink on Somerville Ave. At that time there was a lot of ice being used in the wee hours of the night.

If some can remember, the SYH had the concession stand to boot. Had it, they ran it, Boss Hog and JF. I have heard when a comparison was done around the league comparing revenue, Somerville totals did not line up with the rest of the similar arenas. Who is to say, nothing came of it, RIGHT!

So we are to dig deep into our pockets when the Mayor presents his request to the BOA in the upcoming meetings for new lines items to fund for this venue. Once RW is appointed, FS moves to director of operations @ DPW leaving the door open for the gentlemen to return to his position of director of Veterans Affairs as it should have been years ago. Of Course, this will cost the City more money since he was awarded over $100,000 in lost wages.

Did someone say that the new stadium doesn’t have permits issued yet? How can this opening happen and have attendance there without certificate of occupancy permits? Oh, this is the Mayors gig I forgot. He will have GL issue those permits on a structure that is not fully completed. Why not!!!

The Mole

[Mole Fan]

What a joke, it looks like the City is heading for the good ole days full of deep pockets and sticky fingers !!

[Wondering...]

Is it possible that the city will be leasing out the facility to various uses that are non-city related (Youth Soccer, etc.) as a way to cover some of the costs of its operation. If that's the case, then it shouldn't be a problem to pay the wages of the director and staff if its a revenue-neutral situation.

One other thing........

GO HIGHLANDERS!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck kids!!!

[At long last, a HOME game.]

I bet that the costs of "maintainin" the old Dilboy Field were more than the $160K being proposed for the new facility, but you know something? Who the hell cares???

There's kids who are seniors that have suffered through 3 seasons of football and NEVER played a home game in SOMERVILLE.

Don't get me wrong. I'm glad there are people like the Mole who keep this stuff in the public light and hold these guys feet to te fire, but when all is said and done, the kids from the High School varsity deserve this; a nice, new, state-of-the-art facility. You can't put a price on PRIDE!!!

I'm a lifer and a former Highlander. I'm also a homeowner and taxpayer here and have been for many years. Getting this thing out from under the cloak of the state is huge as far as I'm concerned. So let's let some of this go for now and let these kids feel some Somerville pride. Please don't take that away from them. They, and we, deserve it. We can hash out the other BS with political hacks and the mayor stuffing jobs down there later. The weather's going to be nice, the lights are going to be on, and this Highlander squad is, I believe, going to have a successful outing and season. I just hope they get a desrved good turnout.

PRIDE... that is the main thing.

Go Highlanders!!!

[Boudreaux and Thibideaux]

What is the procedure for getting me some of that cheap labor at Dunkin Donuts? I am tired of paying premiums for work while some other middle man is getting rich with our new American Caste system.

Do I need a Van or can I just walk over there and hire a few gusy for the day? Also, how long can I string them along without pay, I bet you can string these guys along for months without pay.

[Watch for the next development]

I think this problem could really explode soon. I've talked to a Somerville family who have lots of 'immigrants' living next door to them, and they are picked up at the house at somewhere around 6 am and sometimes dropped off at 10 at night. They make lots of noise and wake up all the neighbors. Not too mention the other activities taking place there (throwing cigarettes from windows into neighbors' yards, kids hanging out windows without supervision, etc., etc.). People will really get angry when this illegal pick-up service gradually moves into the neighborhoods. And as soon as they get evicted from Foss Park and Dunkin Donuts (shouldn't they have a permit to congregate in such large numbers on state property? Just a thought.) they'll figure out which neighborhoods have the most 'immigrant labor' and start moving their service there. Then you'll start hearing some screaming - maybe even from elected officials who can't get a good nights' sleep, like my friends have gone through all summer.

[Boudreaux and Thibideaux]

I have absolutely no problem with imigrants coming to Soemrville or America to work. And I could/would never blame poor people who are working to send money back to their families in there home country. I can't blame them for coming here to find work. What I am against is people taking advantage of these folks. I am against the people that would hire an illegal immigrant so that they can pay them below the minimum wage and take these jobs away from legal workers and local people. I am against paying top dollar for repairs so that some middle man can get rich by not paying people who are willing to live in tents and go weeks on promises without pay.
People who hire illegal immigrants should be held extra accountable for the human rights violations that this practice causes and and they should be held responsible for raping the local economies and taking jobs away from long time Louisiana citizens. Lets not Blame the victims here. But lets lay the blame squarely on the cause of the problem (greed) and people who hire illegal immigrants. Lets hold our government responsible for solving this issue.

[Going to Die Here]

I'm sick of these immigrants too. Let's send all these papist pigs back to Italy and Ireland. Get back to the old Boston WASP's - the way it used to be.

Let's burn their convent down. Flush out the nuns and the rest of 'em will scatter like rats!

Sincerely,
Born Somewhere Else
(circa 1834 - deja vu, anyone?)

[Born Here]

Maybe this cheap labor can be hired to maintain the new Dilboy field. They would do a much better job than the Mayors picks.
The "Jobs for Joe" tour continues.

[Boudreaux and Thibideaux]

Forget the New England charm, forget the busy summer tourist season that fuels the local economy – a Cape Cod town council has declared its community is "not a sanctuary for illegal aliens" and has unanimously passed a bylaw to fine businesses $1,000 that employ undocumented workers and to revoke their licenses if they do it repeatedly.

The Sandwich, Mass., Board of Selectmen voted 5-to-0 Thursday evening to attempt to control the influx of illegal immigrants by penalizing the employers who hire them.

"It is very clear that our country is now in the midst of one of the greatest threats to its existence in our history," Selectman Douglas Dexter, who proposed the order, said. "There are millions of criminal aliens invading our cities and towns and destroying the social services and legal systems of our communities."

It is ashamed because what most people don't understand is that the majority of illegal immigrants are tricked into coming here by people who promise them work. When are are crack down on the people hiring and smuggleing these mostly good people?

Lawmakers have proposed a number of "solutions" to the problem of illegal immigration, from amnesty programs to mass deportations. But one conservative Republican says the key to discouraging illegal immigration is to hit the employers who hire them right where it counts: in the wallet.

In some ways, little has changed since Zoe Baird's nanny controversy cost her a chance to be U.S. attorney general eight years ago: People still hire maids and babysitters illegally and nobody is likely to notice unless the employer is nominated for a top political job.

It's a topic often lost in the heated battle over whether to add more border patrol agents, build a bigger fence, or deploy the US military along the border with Mexico. But in the end, most analysts agree, the United States can't stem the flow of illegal immigrants until it resolves to do one thing: punish employers who hire them.

[Who got guts?]

Would be nice to see our Alderman and Mayor have the guts to do something, especially the current wave of illegals in the city. Its not hard to see landlords taking advantage of them, charging for rooms and having 3-4 to room. Companies hring them and keeping the profits. Dam straight i will never go into Dunkin Donuts at McGrath again.
Lets see how our elected officials do and say to justify the massive illegal wave hitting somerville and taxing fire department, police department, schools. I say don't vote for any politician that allows this to go on.
By the way there already in the neighborhood, look at Temple Road & Msytic Avenue in the am and the massive amount of illegals sitting there waiting to be picked up.

[Boudreaux and Thibideaux]

Quit blaming the victims! A lot of these people are victims of human trafficking. They are not the Bad people here. The real criminals here are the people doing the illegal hiring and perpetuating the migrations. And until everyone is ready to face these facts the problem will go on unsolved forever! What is about people that allways blame the weakest and least influential people in society for their problems? What is wrong with you guys?

One local businessman, who wishes to remain anonymous, knows firsthand the weaknesses in the enforcement regime. He owned a large landscape business for more than two decades in which he employed up to 300 people at a time, most of whom were Latino immigrants.

His human resource department checked the documents of prospective employees and filled out the IRCA-required I-9 forms. "The quality of the documents varied quite a bit from being very, very good in terms of forgeries to the point of some pretty strange looking things, like misspelled names on social security cards," says the businessman. "The problem is where do you draw the line? And to what extent do we [employers] need to become experts in counterfeiting?"

He says the then Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) audited his business three times during the 1990s. Each time, he lost more than half his workforce, but never received a fine because "we did a good job of filling out all the paperwork."

"It became almost humorous that every time they came in, we knew we'd lose a bunch of people, but gradually we'd hire other ones, and that was just the way of doing business," he says.

The INS is now the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

"Everyone knew" some workers were illegal immigrants, says a young man who has supervised wait staffs at three Phoenix-area establishments. One had a bunkhouse where "no fewer than 10 illegal immigrants lived at a time."

So when the INS raided that establishment in the mid-1990s, "we lost over half the workers that night and had to close early," he says. "But within a week, they hired a whole new staff of illegals." There was no fine.

"The promise of IRCA was that with the penalization of employers there was an assumption the demand would dry up and that the pull factor would diminish," says Louis DeSipio, professor of Chicano/Latino studies at the University of California at Irvine. "But in practice it became evident by the late 1980s that the INS wasn't making interior enforcement too much of a priority, and employers frequently had a good excuse for violating the law because so many illegal documents became available."

Enforcement has fallen since '80s

In fact, the emphasis peaked in that period with the INS spending about 5 percent of its budget on work-site enforcement, says Mr. Rosenblum, then began to lag behind other priorities.

Since the 9/11 attacks, there has been even less focus on interior investigations. The government formed the Department of Homeland Security, which took in INS and made Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), responsible for interior investigations, but they've focused much more intently on border enforcement.) In fiscal 2004, ICE issued three notices of its intent to fine a business for hiring illegal immigrants - down from 417 five years earlier, according to a 2005 report by the Government Accountability Office.

But the bills currently wending their way through the Senate, and the one passed by the House, are likely to beef up work-site enforcement. Any final version is likely to make mandatory today's voluntary employment-verification program. Moreover, the bills call for an increase from 50 to up to 5,000 ICE agents who monitor work sites and significant increases in the fines, and perhaps jail time, for employers who break the law.

"I don't think employer enforcement alone will stop illegal immigration," says Dr. DeSipio. "But it will decrease the incentive for a new migrant who doesn't have family here. That person wouldn't take the risk if he/she didn't have the confidence that he/she could move directly into a job."

[Wake Up]

Hey Fred, So half of their taxes are unpaid? Who is footing that bill when they go to the hospital? Maybe the overly educated liberals can pitch in and pay for it! Or we can do something about this crap!

[ward 2]

No way! Somerville restaruants and Bars paying illegals cash so that they don't have to pay taxes? I can'nt believe it! When are we going to pass an ordinance against this and start taking licenses away from people who are TAKING MONEY OUT OF MY POCKETS AND RUINING MY NEIGBORHOOD? we know it is happening. No wonder you can't afford to build a school.

[Yorktown Street]

You're going to be sending a lot of people back to Ireland, then.

[ward 2]

Why, we are talking about the illegal hiring and paying. Are you saying only people from Ireland do this?

[James Norton]

Grand Total/Fred Sullivan/Boudreaux and Thibideaux -

Your posting regarding a local business with the little link in it was unpublished for two reasons - first, because you are well aware of our policy regarding links and second, I did it because it makes a serious accusation (without much proof or verification).

Your previous posting, the long drawn out and well written one - I decided to leave that one and make a comment about it.

Like you did not too long ago and as you have done other times in the past, you "lifted" this comment from another online publication and purported to be the original author here - which is a lie.

Thinking that I wouldn't catch it is silly. For those who dont know what I am talking about, the majority of the comment was lifted from the April 18, 2006 column titled "Employers risk little in hiring illegal labor" written by Faye Bowers of the Christian Science Monitor.

The next time you reprint something here without giving credit to where the comment originated, especially when it takes up that much space on this weblog, I will unpublish the comment and ban you. That's fair enough warning, I think.

JN

[BYE BYE]

I understand that there was a great effort put into getting Dilboy finished and handed over for us to run. Cant wait to see our Highlanders under Mayor Joe have a record season. I hope the concessions are up!
Its hard out there for a pimp!!

[Grand total]

JN ,When I link an article you take it out, then you tell me I can not cut and paste either. Which is what I have learned to do here when you don't allow a link. Anyway, check out number 11 by clicking here.

And Since when do allegations have to be substantiated? Maybe we can post that 'we hire aliens' link to the rumors section and let people look up places in Massachusetts? Besides, it ought to be easy enough to verify, if it is not true then no one is hurt by it right?

I bet it is just lot easier to pick on the helpless day laborers, after all, people who can't vote and are afraid to be deported won't fight back.

Bottom line is that I think the Liberals and Republicans have been blinded through so much polarization that you guys are not really ready to discuss the Illegal hiring issue and the fact that illegal hiring is the reason for the immigration problem in the first place. Instead you guys keep trying to treat the symptom and are afraid to talk about the real problem. Isn't that the real reason why you keep deleting my links and exposing my pastes?

[Dr. Mrs. McCarthy]

A random thought from the cells of Dr. Mrs. McCarthy,

"Freedom of speech isn't something somebody else gives you. That's something you give to yourself."(Kurt Vonnegut)

"And it's something if you abuse, there are consequences."(Dr. Mrs. McCarthy)

Watch the debate tonight. There will be a test in the morning.

Dr. Mrs. McCarthy

[James Norton]

Grand Total -

First - I understand the unique situation you are faced with - just make reference to where you lifted something, that will help solve the problem with posting a comment on here.

Second - We don't need you to send us links on how to write the news online. That's a sure fire way of pissing some of us off.

Third - That's a bunch of pure bullshit - we have never been afraid to talk about the issues, to take the unpopular stance, to bring up things like the illegal immigrants (did you not read newstalk ever or read my column this week?). So don't try peddling that crap about we are trying to stymie discussion and that's why your comments and links are erased and exposed.

I tell you what the problem is, I tell you how to get around the issue, and you still want to butt heads with me. The problem isn't me or us here at the paper - it's you.

JN

[Grand Total]

(did you not read newstalk ever or read my column this week?)

Yes, all you do is keep mentioning people at Dunkin Donuts and alluding to Feds, You never talk about the root of the problem or offer any real solutions. You just bring it up and wonder if cops are doing anything or if there is a law suit but then you, like everyone else are afraid to realy discuss it. YOu are afraid to admit that America can not make it in the Globaly economy without a caste system like the one in India.

What is the point in having an anonymous web-blog if not to just add transparecny to our government should we not also use it to also add tranparency to our community and society?

[James Norton]

Grand Total -

No, actually we report the news - this weblog is something we decided to try and do to MAKE a difference. It's something - and a lot more than most people have done. You're right, most of the shitty little things we bring up have deeper roots - systemic change IS needed on almost every subject - there is no doubt.

But at the end of the day, that isn't the role that we have (we meaning us here at the paper). At least we bring up the subjects and KEEP bringing them up until someone - hopefully more than one - starts talking about solutions.

If all we did was offer solutions to everything ailing the world, we wouldn't be a newspaper, we wouldn't be a conduit for discussion and we wouldn't be doing anything except force feeding our own, narrow minded (at times) opinions down peoples throats.

Try and open YOUR eyes and see what I am talking about and at least give some credit where credit is due. Your point is taken, but at least understand the position of this paper, what kinds of steps we have taken to open up discussion (more than any other local medium I would dare say) and the rules and guidelines we have to set here so that we don't get sued out of existence and be able to continue to offer this kind of opportunity for honest and open discussions.

We aren't looking for a pat on the back and a "job well done" - but by the same token we aren't looking to get our balls busted and accused of something that just isn't true by an elitest know it all asshole either. You want to be angry - fine, direct it at someone else - but not here. If you want to continue to be a nuisance, make wild accusations and absolutely refuse to follow what has to be the loosest set of rules I have ever seen in an open forum, then what can I tell ya - maybe this isn't the place for you.

You can't tell me I don't have a point.

JN

[blabiddy blah blah blahhhhhhh]

hey Grand Wizzard....Total.....whatever your name is at least Norton can formulate a sentence on his own you unoriginal bastard...boo flippin hoo you want to change the world by talking about the dark underbelly of the blahbiddity blah blah frickin hoohaaa problems of the world. give it a rest, you cant solve the problems of the planet by cutting and pasting and linking to someones elses thoughts and opinions either. and then you get pissy like prick i mean brick the other day because you werent coddled like your mommie did for ya when you were little.....but you have the solutions to the worlds problems and oh yeah they all start and end here in the wonderful city of somerville where life is perfect for the grand wizzard of cutting and pasting his or her way through life. not to copy something JN has said before but why dont you stop mentally masturbating yourself and try to grasp what others are trying to say before being so quick to blast them or maybe thats what youre into...hey maybe thats a new kind of fetish for this site, personally i want to go back to the foot fetish discussion or open it up to some other topics, but thats just me........
BB luvs RG out.

[Grand Total]

I don't understand what you are so mad about, I have not been calling anyone any names here. I am not asking questions to be accusatory to you and your blog; but for a lot of the same reasons that I suspect you bring up many issues. And while I throw some dogmatic opionion out there, it is less that I believe them then it is that I want to understand it better and expect a discussion to follow. As far as that business I mentioned, I don't know anything more about it from Adam except that it was there, at that website and that was written about it. It could be Dunkin donuts for all I know. Maybe I hit nerve and one of you are part owners or friends with the owner or something. That is part of the reason of citeing my points links. To explain that some points and information is not necessarilly coming from me, or only from me, in some cases.

And if you can get sued then I am sorry I completely did not understand that at all. I have not drawn any lines in the sand here but if you guys are really angry at me for that then say so and I won't come back.

[The Dark Shadow thinks Rebekahs Hot!]

Wow! I finally got a chance to meet alderwoman Rebekah Gewirtz in person tonight at the mayors Italian time up city hall, and I've got to admit that she looks even hotter in person! Also to my disappointment she wasn't wearing her flip flops! Oh well!

[Dr. Mrs. McCarthy]

Jamie,

The apple green is soooo last year. You know my favorite colour is blue. How about that lovely "Blue Savannah"?

What was the groups name that sang that song? My great-grand niece used to sing that so many times I was ready to ring her neck.

I've got the Blues and that ain't bad,

Dr. Mrs. McCarthy

[Snowflake likes it!]

James, don't listen to her, she's a bit under the weather tonight! I kinda think the green looks OK and streaming with character! It sort of takes me back to the Dick Van Dike days! It just makes me want to see Rob Petrey trip over the ottoman again!
Love,
Snowflake

[Bill Shelton]

To Grand Total,

A pencil is a great tool for writing, but not very effective in performing brain surgery. If you try to use it for the latter purpose, you will be disappointed with the results.

In the same sense, James Norton's comments make a lot of sense to me: "systemic change IS needed on almost every subject - there is no doubt. But at the end of the day, that isn't the role that we have. At least we bring up the subjects and KEEP bringing them up until someone - hopefully more than one - starts talking about solutions."

The more that the Somerville News advocates a particular position. the less effective it can be as a forum for anyone expressing any position. And if you want evidence that the Somerville News is such a forum, you need only consider this: they tolerate me.

You seriously undercut your credibilty by posting others' comments. Although what you have posted has largely been either your own sarcasm, or what others have written, it's clear to me that you care deeply about these issues. Why don't you speak from your heart? That's powerful stuff. If you feel that you need to back it up with evidence, then cite the sources. Many people who post here do neither, but we still read what they have to say.

To everyone else,

Persecution of immigrants has served as a safety valve for our economic institutions for a century and a half. In the past, the hatred was directed against the ancestors of those who today post the anti-immigrant sentiments.

I say "anti immigrant" instead of "anti illegal immigrant" because the distinction is mostly a distration. Historically, immigrants have been defined as "legal" or "illegal" depending on the needs of the economy and the needs of politicians of the day.

What it distracts from is systematic injustice. In the present moment, it distracts us from the fact that, in constant dollars, American working men make no more today than they did in 1973. (Yes, I meant to say "men.") Economists argue over whether illegal immigrants' impact on wages and prices is 4% or 8%. Compared to the fact that most of us are not making any more than folks did 33 years ago, while the wealthiest Americans are far more wealthy than they were then, the 4%-to-8% is a fart in the wind.

For now, please consider the following. Crime is disproportionately associated with poverty. Somerville's poverty rate is on a par with that of Boston and Cambridge, while its proportion of people on public assistance is less than either. Boston's crime rate is three times that of Somerville's. Cambridge's is twice ours.

I suggest that the reason for these difference is that Somerville's poor are disproportionately immigrants. They came here to work, rather than deal, steal, or collect public assistance.

Bill

[New in Somerville for 1 year]

Hello My name is David
and i am knew here in the city. i am wondering can someone answer my question about parking and reserved parking here in somerville, but note i do not have a car. I live up on Highland Avenue near American Legion Post 19. There is this church next door to American Legion Post 19 and today i had to wait on the street for my bus to come by because there was this huge bus blocking the bus stop in front of the church. i want to know is that right for taking up a parking spot to park a big bus like that at the bus stop? even yet readers it wasn't even a MBTA bus. that has happened quiet a few times, and also the have some kind of cones with rope holding that as a park spot. one of these days i might just cut the rope and throw it on the church lawn. i would like to see our local police dept or the mbta police to check it out and our alderman or 1 of 4 of our alderman at large or all 4 to check it out and get me a answer why do they get away with that parking if it was anyone else they would be towed and ticketed. plus when looking for the bus i almost got hit with and on coming car.
David Coulter Highland Resident
P.S. perhaps the somerville news snoops could go up there sometime and snap some of there photos at the bus stop.

[brickbottom]

To David Coulter,

If that's all you have to worry about in life then I wish I had your problems.

You better re-evaluate your life son.

[call them]

David, if you are for real then perhaps you should call the police directly when the bus is parked illegally instead of writing about it on this blog. If you want to have your alderman do something about it then you should call them directly rather than write in this blog.

[ward 2]

Bill,

Companies are now suing other companies because hiring illegal immigrants gives them an unfair advantage over companies that follow the law. Are these immigrants willing to suffer more and work harder than Americas? Yes, they are. They are willing to do things that Americans are not willing to do. They are ready to give up their basic human rights to work in sweat shops too. The choice we are making is deciding on whether we should continue to degrade Americans here at home by allowing underground hiring of immigrants or should we stop the illegal hiring practices here by standing up for basic human rights everywhere. The people who are doing the hiring and buying the services of cheap labor are the real criminals. And you can bet that they are cutting other corners, like not paying their share of taxes by paying cash and not reporting what they should. Honest people are going to pay for their taxes and suffer lower wages because of all of this. This is a fact but I am not blaming this on the immigrants. The blame goes to, A.) the people doing the hiring, and B.) the people blaming the immigrants.

[ward 2]

David,

I doubt posting on this website was your first attempt at getting an answer. I have been there. Besides calling your aldermen you can call the city's 311 service or open a ticket through the 311 service at the city's website. Just search for '311'.
That bus may be allowed to do that, especially if it is a communtiy or church bus; otherwise they should be able to tell you.

[legal vs. illegal?]

To Bill:
"I suggest that the reason for these difference is that Somerville's poor are disproportionately immigrants. They came here to work, rather than deal, steal, or collect public assistance." You're absolutely right - MS13 only wants to have a fair chance to start a new life here! Let's face it, the illegal immigration problem began in the 1960's when good ole Ted Kennedy (who people keep re-electing anyway) got his immigration bill passed. It opened the doors for immigration, which had been somewhat controlled before that. And the distiniction between 'legal' and 'illegal' is much more than a distraction - it's the law! That's like distinquishing between 'someone who makes a withdrawal at their bank' and 'a bank robber'! Are they the same thing? When my mother came to this country 50 years ago, she did so legally. She needed to have a sponsor, and to pledge that she would have a job and not be accepting government assistance. Her sponsor also had to pledge that they could support her if need be. Today, we are paying the price for out-of-control legal AND illegal immigration in education costs, health care costs, welfare and food stamp costs, and it goes on and on. And our government and corporations are helping the Spanish immigrants to NOT assimilate by presenting absolutely everything in Spanish. They no longer need to learn English and become 'American' to get by. That's the biggest problem, because they're creating their own sub-culture. And the city of Somerville is one of the offenders. I have been turned down for a number of jobs in the city in the last 4 years for which I was fully qualified, but they wanted to hire someone who spoke SPanish! It's this kind of thing that creates anti-immigrant (legal or illegal) sentiment.

[new in somerville 1 year]

Hi I am back again.
My friends to me i should go to this blog and kick up my heels and complain. my friends told me in the past when the moaned and groaned out here the city took action. i am hoping for the best. i have contacted the pd and my alderman. my alderman always has his answering machine on. i will just say this i am in ward 3. well my friends help out and like i said in my last blog do you actually want me to hit by a car.
David Coulter Highland Resident like in Highland Avenue

[boycott dunkins]

The Dunkin Donuts at McGrath & Broadway will never see me or my family again, the site there in the morning and traffic jam of illegal aliens and contractors is discusting. Remember lower wages, taxed Schools, Fire Departments, Police Department and hope you don't get hit by one that doesn't have a license. Where are our elected officials in this City? this is getting out of hand.

[Dr. Mrs. McCarthy]

God, whose law it is that he who learns must suffer.

And even in our sleep, pain, that cannot forget,
Falls drop by drop upon the heart,

And in our own despair, against our will,
Comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.

- Aeschylus

[Yorktown Street]

To "legal vs. illegal": Are you aware how arbitrary the rules are about how many people can come to the U.S. from which countries at which time? My grandparents came here legally, too, but if they'd applied a few years later, they might not have got in. The quota had changed. For this kind of bureaucratic nonsense, you want to call someone a criminal? I wouldn't.

[Ward 2]

Yorktown,

Maybe you can't just open the floodgates and let everyone in? And when you do, you have a choice to make. Think of America as the worlds's own private country club. Are we letting them in to just cut the grass, or are we letting them in to play golf and crowd the fairways too? The illegal ones are only allowed to cut the grass, how dare they acually play and get benifits. If we did not have that problem it would still be an exclusive club with a long waiting list.

[bull shit]

Illegal's don't contribute to the welfare of the state, don't pay taxes but cause the tax burdern to increase. Fire Deptartment, Police Department, School's, Hospitals & worst yet, they drive with fraud licenses, fake i.d.s -- if they get into and accident our rates go up. No one is against people coming here from other countries, but get in line and do it legally or do laws mean anything anymore? Its all bullshit, look out my window the house next door and see like 20 people coming and going into a small house here in East Somerville, wonder how much the owner is collecting, and not reporting.

[stop ILLEGAL immigration]

Bottom line is this....anything the government subsidizes or allows will create more of the same. They give free health care, school lunch, social security, tuition to illegal immigrants, they will have more illegal immigrants. No, the quotas don't make sense, but that doesn't mean you ignore the laws. Change them if that's the problem. I'm tired of spending my hard-earned money to support people who came here illegaly and are a drain on the system. My family is not getting all of the benefits that they get, simply because they're immigrants. And by the way, they are also 'minorities' so of course qualify for all of the other quotas, i.e. affirmative action, etc.!

[SEPTEMBER 11]

These comments go to show that we have learned absolutely nothing after 9/11! Let's look at those terrorists, and the terrorists who planned/executed the '93 WTC bombing! We need to control immigration for economic, cultural, and security reasons.