Well, I am not in the business of fishing for compliments, congratulations, or similar trivialities, but today is not only Stephen Hawking‘s and David Bowie‘s birthday, but also that of yours truly – a little younger, though, than my fellow birthday celebrants. Time for a little review…

Just the other day I found a quote, “I learned from my mistakes, and I intend to make a few more in my life,” and that, pretty much, is my view on life. One of the biggest mistakes in my life was that I hadn’t left my native country, Germany, sooner. Yes, I was born and raised in Germany, and at some time during my professional life I was temporarily transferred to my employer’s US branch in Enfield, Connecticut. That “temporary” assignment was to last for eight months, and that was twenty-two years ago. Since then, I have lived in New England, got married to an Irish-American red-haired woman, and in 2007 we were blessed with the arrival of our son Patrick (who is, of course, an American citizen). And by the way, the business I worked for, including its American branch, doesn’t exist anymore…

Since it is my birthday, I will take the liberty of addressing some American oddities that, despite a twenty-two-year involvement, linger in my mind. First of all, though, let me express my gratitude to the most-appreciated American contributions to my life: Duct tape and WD-40! Without these items, it would almost be impossible to maintain proper living standards in the United States of America. However…

• I still cringe when I am forced to eat hot dogs – poor animals! Unfortunately, it’s a staple at each and every social occasion, paired with original American dressing (= ketchup).
• I love football. American football, that is. I do not refer to original football, commonly known as “soccer.” So, I do understand the enthusiasm, and I understand that Joe Montana was more than just an extraordinary quarterback. But, really, was it necessary to name an entire state after him?
• I still have a problem with gift stores. “Gift” is the German word for “poison” – and I kid you not.
• I hate.. let me emphasize that… I HATE frosting! Artificial colors paired with extreme sweetness. Hello, obesity and welcome, heart-attack! Well, my son has a habit of eating the frosting off a cup-cake (without using his hands) and leaving the actual cake section alone. On the other hand, when given the choice between a cookie or a carrot, he goes for the carrot. He also loves broccoli. These were his own choices, meaning we are not vegetarians or health-freaks who force an innocent child to eat healthy.
• I have been driving in rush hour traffic in Rome, Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Stockholm, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Hongkong, Melbourne, Sidney, Dublin, Amsterdam, and many more big cities, but, without an iota of a doubt, the worst drivers in the world come from Greenfield, Massachusetts (Take a wild guess where I currently live…).
• Here comes the worse… American “beer,” designed not for taste but to support an efficient manufacturing process, which includes using the cheapest ingredients (for instance, rice instead of barley). Just be aware, an ice-cold beer literally numbs the taste buds (and that’s no joke), so the taste of the “beer” doesn’t really apply. And yes, there are a great number of micro breweries in the country, and, whenever presented with the opportunity, I do enjoy them. When offered a Budweiser, Coors, Miller, or any other soda water filled with all kinds of chemicals (= preservatives), I opt for a good wine.

Now that these concerns are out of my system, it’s time to mail my application for American citizenship…

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THE BLEEDING HILLS
A Novel by Wilfried F. Voss

I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.
- 2 Timothy iv. 7

The Irish War is officially a part of history, but not for Finnean Whelan, an IRA veteran of almost 40 years. British Intelligence has produced evidence that he is the mastermind behind a conspiracy to assassinate the First Minister of Northern Ireland. For Whelan this is not only a mission of revenge, but marks the beginning of a journey into the past and the return to the one true love: Ireland. [More...]

The Bleeding Hills is available at Amazon.Com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Nobel, and any other good bookstore.

The following is an excerpt from my next book Cemetery Polka And Other Stories From The Dark Side. For more information please see my section on this website or sign up to my Facebook Page.

I live in Greenfield, Massachusetts. I observe. I get annoyed. And I write. And that, in very few words, is my excuse for writing Cemetery Polka And Other Stories From The Dark Side. Just as a hint, the picture to the left (in your mind, remove the title and the author) was taken at the “Poets’ Seat” in Greenfield, Massachusetts.

This next story We Live To Love Another Day was inspired by a local columnist who, after knowing his sister for almost thirty years, learned that she was gay, and it was the invitation to her wedding with her longtime girlfriend that gave it away.

I understand, these things happen, but he, the hardcore Republican who joked about Lesbians in one of his articles, had the guts to write about it in another column, adding what he had learned (probably through the FOX News channel, his main source of all information) about the “hardship” of being gay these days. Well, I have met a number of gay people in my life, and they all appeared to be happy. In my personal opinion, a hardship comes only with a family’s lack of tolerance.

And, finally, here is the unedited version of:

We Live To Love Another Day

An Excerpt from “Cemetery Polka And Other Stories From The Dark Side” by Wilfried F. Voss

I want freedom for the full expression of my personality.
- Mahatma Gandhi

Where do I begin to tell the story… Oh God! Now I sound like Eric Segal and his “Love Story.” Well, it is a love story… sort of… Anyways…

It was just a few months ago that my Frederick and I went to the local department store to buy him some new sneakers. I mean, it was time. You know, he wears the same pair every single day, and I try to tell him to wear some other pairs. He has enough, believe me. But he doesn’t listen, oh no. Well, unless we go to church, you know. Then I put my foot down. Otherwise, he looks at me with his absolutely gorgeous blue eyes, and says, “Pleeeeease!” and I just can’t deny him any wish. Anyways…

So, we went to the local department store, Frederick hopping in front of me, yelling, “I am Thomas, the steam engine. I am a very useful engine!”

He looked so cute in his khaki shorts and the yellow polo shirt with the writing “Duck, Duck, Moose” on it. You get it? Duck, Duck, Moose. Not Duck, Duck, Goose. We got that one in New Hampshire. Anyways…

“Psst!” I told him. “Keep it down a little bit, honey.”

But he just went on, when he noticed the two women behind the cosmetics counter, you know the type of woman, those stuffy wallflowers with their 1950s-inspired hairstyle and almost colorless clothes from the same period, those women that young men with an otherwise promising future were forced to marry as part of a business agreement between the parents. Absolutely boring attire, you know, unless you use them for Halloween. Now, there is an idea… Anyways…

So Frederick turned to them and yelled, “I need a lot of water, you know. To make steam!”

“It all goes down into my belly,” he explained, pointing to his stomach area. The two ladies looked somewhat consternated. Maybe they never had children, I thought. I mean, he does have an outgoing personality, and that’s not everybody’s cup of tea… Anyways…

“You wanna see?” Frederick asked them, and, to my dismay, he pulled up his shirt all the way and showed them his bare belly.

“Frederick!” I yelled at him. “Pull your shirt down! Such a behavior is not acceptable, young man!”

“Okay,” he pouted, pulled down the shirt, and went on a bit more quietly.

The two ladies, however, watched us with disapproving, darkening faces, and the elder one of them picked up the phone. To cut things short, soon thereafter, we were approached by the store manager who asked us in a firm but polite tone to, please, leave the premises. He didn’t offer any explanation, but I tell you, I was in tears all day about this unbelievable lack of tolerance. I know, my Frederick can be somewhat overbearing, but that was too much. Anyways…

Frederick was very sweet, though, and he was so cute when he tried to console me. I went through his wonderful blond hair with my hand and dried my tears.

“I love you, honey,” I told him, and I blew my nose. Then the sweetest thing happened. He gave me a big bear hug, and said, “I love you, too. I love you to the moon and back!”

You know, it’s this kind of love that makes me think that I can’t stand the thought of ever being apart from my little boy. But in my heart I knew, I had to do something about his outgoing behavior before we got into more trouble. That night, literally, I cried myself to sleep.

I can tell you right here and now, things are fine with us now, and, while the solution was so obvious and simple, I am still in shock and beside myself, I mean, like full of joy. Anyways…

I had talked to some friends from out-of-town, and they recommended consulting a professional, somebody specialized in behavioral problems. At first, I was troubled by the thought, but the incident at the department store was only one in a long line of similar, unpleasant experiences with the local population. My friends recommended, though, not going to local doctor. Apparently, the only solution these guys have is prescribing drugs, rather than actual treatment, to control the problem. You know, it’s a well known, but accepted problem with businesses and services around here. They all want to make a quick buck, but when it comes to put in some serious work, they butt out. Anyways…

“Go to somebody in Boston,” a friend recommended. “The big city guys are much more open-minded.”

And that we did. Dr. Webster was very friendly, and he insisted talking to Frederick alone before offering a diagnosis. I felt a little uneasy, because, really, I hardly ever leave my little Frederick alone with somebody we don’t know, but the doctor assured me, it was all right. Frederick was okay with it, too, and that helped to ease the pain of separation. I had told him that we were going to Sesame Street to see Mr. Noodles, because Mr. Noodles always knows what to do. Okay, it might take him a few tries, but in the end he gets it right. So, Dr. Webster was not surprised when I introduced him as Mr. Noodles to Frederick, and then the two of them disappeared into the doctor’s examination room. Frederick was so cute. He had his Elmo tucked under his arm, because you need Elmo when you visit Mr. Noodles, and he threw me a kiss before the door closed.

I couldn’t help it and started crying again, but the very nice nurse at the reception was very understanding, and she handed me a box of tissues. Anyways…

About thirty minutes later – It felt like an eternity to me – they both came out of the room, and the doctor said he wanted to talk to me next. I knew Frederick would be fine in the reception area, because they had a large train table in one corner for the kids to play with, and Frederick loves trains. Anyways…

“Well, Mr. Johnson,” the doctor started, “before I discuss Frederick’s condition and a possible treatment with you, why don’t you tell me your story from the beginning.”

“From the beginning?” I asked sheepishly, and the doctor nodded.

“Well,” I said, “Frederick and I are partners for almost forty years now. Oh, my God! Is it already forty years? I mean, time goes by so fast. Anyways…”

I sighed.

“You see, Frederick and I first met in San Francisco. I was a student at the University of Southern California, and he was a German exchange student. I mean, it was literally love at first sight.”

Well, I gave him my whole life story, how I had to move back to Grand Fenwick…

“Grand Fenwick?” the doctor asked. “Where exactly is that?”

“Grand Fenwick, Massachusetts,” I explained, but he still looked confused. But then I remembered that we were in Boston, and Bostonians are unable to comprehend the concept of a Central or, God forbid, a Western Massachusetts.

“That’s west of I-495,” I explained. He still looked confused, but he nodded and encouraged me to go on with my story. So, I continued telling him about taking over the landscaping business from my father, and how I introduced Frederick as my partner – business partner that is. Neither my parents nor my sisters and brothers ever suspected anything but a professional relationship between the two of us. They were all delighted, and all this time they assumed we were just exceptionally close friends, who lived together, traveled together, and enjoyed working together. Anyways…

“And how did your life develop in Grand Fenway?” Dr. Webster asked.

“Fenwick,” I corrected him. “Grand Fenwick.”

The doctor didn’t seem to care and encouraged me to go on.

“Well,” I said, “living in a closet all these years takes a toll on you. We’ve had our problems, you know, but we were able to work it out.”

“However,” I sighed, “people in Grand Fenwick tend to be… let me put that very diplomatically… somewhat narrow-minded. The idea of gays among them doesn’t sit well with them. We had to be very cautious.”

“But your family, neighbors, friends… they never suspected anything?”

I shook my head.

“Not a clue, doctor.”

The doctor nodded.

“Mr. Johnson,” he said, “talking to Frederick was a pleasant experience. He is very intelligent and knowledgeable.”

You may imagine how pleased I was to hear that.

“What’s wrong with him, doctor?” I asked, and he shook his head.

“To be honest,” he continued, “I am not quite sure, but I do have a suggestion…”

“No drugs, doctor. Please!”

He looked at me, somewhat irritated.

“Only an incompetent fool prescribes drugs in such a case. No, my solution is much simpler than that.”

“Frederick hasn’t shown any signs of violence since he started to change his behavioral pattern, right?” he asked.

I shook my head, no.

“Then, in my professional opinion, there is no need to institutionalize him,” Dr.Webster said.

Institutionalize my Frederick, I thought. I can’t live without my Frederick!

The doctor noticed my face filled with shock, and he took my hand and looked at me with a comforting smile.

“If life in Grand Fenway is not treating you well,” he said, “why don’t you just move back to San Francisco? The way I see it, you are in or at least close to retirement age. Make yourself and, after all, Frederick a great life rather than living in a cave with these Neanderthals.”

What a wonderful idea, I thought, and I couldn’t help it but start crying again. Anyways…

As they say, the rest is history. Frederick and I found a very nice apartment near Polk Street in San Francisco, and we are having a blast every single day. Yesterday, we went to the bank for a deposit. Frederick calls it the “lollipop bank,” because, as you may have already guessed, they pass out lollipops to kids. That also means, we can’t use the drive through, but that’s all right with me. We don’t have a car, anyways. I mean, we live in San Francisco. Anyways…

“Do you want a purple one or a green one?” the very nice woman behind the counter asked, after Frederick, in his most polite behavior, requested a lollipop.

“I’d like the yellow one,” he told her with a smile from ear to ear.

“Yes, you can have the yellow one,” she responded, “but I found that most kids don’t like lemon. How about, I give you a purple, a green, and a yellow one? Then you can decide what you like best and let me know the next time you come by.”

“Can I?” Frederick looked at me, and I nodded, yes. Frederick was so excited, and I realized with joy that life was good. Anyways…

I need a tissue.

Advertisement

THE BLEEDING HILLS
A Novel by Wilfried F. Voss

I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.
- 2 Timothy iv. 7

The Irish War is officially a part of history, but not for Finnean Whelan, an IRA veteran of almost 40 years. British Intelligence has produced evidence that he is the mastermind behind a conspiracy to assassinate the First Minister of Northern Ireland. For Whelan this is not only a mission of revenge, but marks the beginning of a journey into the past and the return to the one true love: Ireland. [More...]

The Bleeding Hills is available at Amazon.Com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Nobel, and any other good bookstore.

This is an invitation to join us for a:

Traditional Choral Evensong

at the historic Saint James Episcopal Church in Greenfield, Massachusetts – celebrating 200 years of ministry in 2012 – at the corner of Federal & Church Street.

For driving instructions see the Saint James website.

The concert will take place on

Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 4 p.m.

In celebration of All Saints’ Sunday.

Dr. Mary Murrell Faulkner, Organist

Dr. Quentin Faulkner, Choral Director

The Reverend Dr. Joh Cerrato, Officiant

Including Magnificat & Nunc dimittis by Ralph Vaughan Williams

The anthem “Open our Eyes” by Will C. Macfarlane

Organ: Cantabile by Franck, Fugue in E-flat by Saint Saëns

Choristers & singers of other churches are invited to sing!

THE PUBLIC IS CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND.

For more information: http://www.saintjamesgreenfield.org/

Quentin Faulkner, Larson Professor Emeritus of Organ and Music Theory/History at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, holds the degrees B.Mus. cum laudefrom Westminster Choir College, M.S.M. and M.Th. from Southern Methodist University, and S.M.D. from Union Theological Seminary. He also holds the Associate Degree in the American Guild of Organists, and has done post-graduate study, first in Renaissance music in a 1977 NEH Summer Seminar at Columbia University, and then in Gregorian Chant in a 1982 NEH Summer Seminar at Catholic University.

In 1997 Union Seminary honored him with its Unitas (distinguished alumnus) award, and in 1998 Westminster Choir College conferred on him a Distinguished Alumnus award. During the winter semester 1998-9 he was Fulbright Guest Professor at the Evangelische Hochschule für Kirchenmusik, Halle/Saale, Germany. Before going to Nebraska in 1974, Dr. Faulkner served for three years as Assistant Organist of the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, New York City.

In addition to teaching organ at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he developed a series of courses in church music, and served as co-founder and co-coordinator of the nationally acclaimed UN-L Organ Conference.  In 1992 the University honored him with an award for distinguished teaching.

Dr. Faulkner has presented numerous organ recitals throughout the U.S. and in Europe (in particular, on historically significant organs), and together with his wife, Mary Murrell Faulkner, has recorded Duetto – Early Music for Keyboard-Four Hands (Pro Organo CD 7049).

He has written articles on various aspects of church music that have appeared in The American Organist, The Diapason, The Christian Ministry and Liturgy.  From 1984-86 he served as National Councilor for Education in the American Guild of Organists.  Following a l986-87 sabbatical year in Munich, West Germany, he completed an annotated English translation of Jacob Adlung’s Musica mechanica organœdi, as well as a book, Wiser than Despair (Greenwood Press, 1996) on the history of ideas in church music.  A recent area of interest is the interrelationship of religion, culture, and the arts; an article on that topic, “Cult and Culture at the Millenium,” appeared in the Fall/Winter 1996 issue of the interdisciplinary journal Soundings.

Dr. Faulkner has done extensive research into the keyboard technique and organ registration of J.S. Bach, culminating in articles on these subjects in The Diapason, The American Organist, theNewsletter of the Westfield Center for Early Keyboard Studies, and the Bach-Jahrbuch.  He has published J.S. Bach’s Keyboard Technique:  A Historical Introduction (Concordia, 1984) and The Registration of J.S. Bach’s Organ Works (Wayne Leupold Editions, 2008), and is the editor of Basic Bach (Wayne Leupold Editions, 1997), a volume containing the Orgelbüchlein and three free works, all supplied with fingerings.  In 1980 he performed Bach’s Art of Fugue at the University of Kansas and at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California.  In 1982 he was invited to present a paper on early keyboard performance practices at the American Guild of Organists Seminar on Organ Pedagogy in Washington, D.C., and he served as a consultant to the Bach Tercentenary publishing project undertaken by Concordia Publishing House.  In 1990 he was invited to present a paper, “Jacob Adlung’s Musica mechanica organœdi and the ‘Bach Organ’” in conjunction with a Bach organ study tour of Thuringia and Saxony, Germany.

From 2000-6 Dr. Faulkner and his wife, Dr. Mary Murrell Faulkner, served together as musicians for Saint Mark’s-on-the-Campus Episcopal Church in Lincoln.  In the fall of 2006 they returned to Halle, Germany, where they served as Guest Professors at the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik during the academic year 2006-7.

In 2009, he and Mary Murrell became the Parish Musicians of Saint James Church. In the summer of 2010 they led a tour of the Bach organs in Germany.

Mary Murrell Faulkner holds the degree B.Mus. magna cum laude from Westminster Choir College, the M.M. and M.S.M. degrees from Southern Methodist University, and the D.M.A. degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  She also holds the Colleague Certificate from the American Guild of Organists and the Zertifikat Deutsch als Fremdsprache from the Goethe Institute.  She has done post-graduate study at Teachers College of Columbia University in New York City.

Before going to Nebraska in 1974, Dr. Faulkner served for three years as Music Assistant at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, New York City, where she was a frequent recitalist.

From 2000 to 2006, Dr. Faulkner was Organist and Director of Music at Saint Mark’s-on-the-Campus Episcopal Church, Lincoln, Nebraska, where she was responsible for all services and events that required music.  During the summer of 2001 she served, together with her husband, Dr. Quentin Faulkner, as organist and organ recitalist for the United Methodist Music and Liturgical Arts Week at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.

From 1974-1990 she was Organist and Parish Musician at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln.  In 1989, while holding that position, she planned and directed the Cathedral choir’s pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi, during which the choir sang and she played the organ at Sunday High Mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Dr. Faulkner was Visiting Instructor in organ at Union College, Lincoln, Nebraska, from 1980-85, and Visiting Assistant Professor of Organ at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1977, 1980, and 1982; she also served as Instructor in the UNL Church Organist Training Program.  During the academic year 2006-7, she served as Guest Professor of Organ at the Protestant College of Church Music in Halle/Saale, Germany.

In the autumn of 2008, Mary Murrell served as a supply organist in Saint James Church. At the beginning of 2009, she and Quentin became our Parish Musicians.

The Faulkners live in Amherst and enjoy visiting their children and grandchildren in Massachusetts and Texas.

The Greenfielder

First of all, before you continue reading, please consider the location that this disturbing news stems from: Greenfield, Massachusetts. Greenfield, while located in a state that includes Harvard University and MIT, is not blessed with great educational demographics. Greenfield, Massachusetts still acts primarily as a farmers’ community, and I go with the German proverb “What the farmer doesn’t know, he won’t eat.” And, as far as my experience of living here goes, there is a lot that the typical Greenfielder doesn’t know.

Let me add a few more facts about life in Greenfield, Massachusetts: We have a right-wing columnist writing for the local newspaper, The Recorder, who declares women as acceptable as long as they can cook and change diapers. He writes, it has to do with “gender equity.” I kid you not, he wrote it, and I have the clips to prove it. The Recorder used to have an image of being liberal, and I suspect that the editor hired the man to prove a hard-core Republican’s incompetence. However, that is pure speculation on my part.

Add to the picture our local KKK rep (well, not really, but he should be) whose letters to the editor are being published on a regular basis. His writings are also evidence that the concept of fair sampling of opinions went down the toilet. This person hates our Governor Duval Patrick (who happens to be African-American), football star Michael Vick (who happens to be African-American), our President (who happens to be African-American), and “our uppity First Lady” (who happens to be African-American). And yes, he wrote (and The Recorder published) the phrase “our uppity First Lady,” and, yet again, I have the clip to prove it. As a side information, the word “uppity” was used in Southern States in combination with the “N” word.

Sometimes I wish a large meteor would hit Greenfield, Massachusetts (while my family and I are out of town) and, yet again, rid us of the dinosaurs.

Now, in time for the 4th of July weekend, there was another letter to the editor by Ernest B. LaPlante of Greenfield, Massachusetts. He had received a “disturbing” email from “a friend,” but he is not sure whether this “friend” is male or female.

I have just received an email from a friend and while I cannot guarantee the veracity of the email, I am deeply disturbed if the subject of the email is true. The author of the email tells of the changes that have occurred in the White House since the time of occupancy by our current President. According to him or her, the Oval Office has been redecorated and stripped of the traditional red, white and blue and replaced with middle east wallpaper, drapes and decor. The hallway where the President meets with the press now contains middle east furniture and drapes and when he speaks from the White House the only thing behind him is a yellow drape with Arabic symbols.

If this were in his private home, I would believe he [h]as the right to hang anything that pleased him. However, it is my firm belief the White House belongs to America. That’s you and me and millions like us and as such should display things that show our history, philosophy and ideology, things that say loud and clear THIS IS AMERICA. I can’t believe that our forefathers fought and died for our freedom so that someone could hang anything other than things representative of America in the White House.

Now I would think that Mr. Obama should be given the opportunity to remove all material from the White House that is not American and be allowed to place it in or on his personal property and then if not removed, the material should be placed on the front lawn of the White House and burned. And our President should decide whether he wishes to be Christian American or middle east Muslim.

Ernest B. LaPlante, Greenfield – Letter to the Editor, The Recorder,  July 2, 2011

The letter was followed by an editor’s note. stating that the information contained in the e-mail – one of a long series of anti-Obama propaganda pieces created by his political enemies – is wrong. The President has not changed the decor of the Oval Office. Nor was it red, white, and blue under George W. Bush, or, in fact, the “traditional” color scheme. The drapes in his office were there previously and contain no “Arabic” symbols.

While I applaud the editor’s effort, The Recorder should have applied some dignity and compassion and spare Mr. LaPlante the embarrassment by not publishing the letter.

My turn on the matter is: There is a great number of residents in this country who were not born with the privilege of US citizenship. They need to apply for it. In order to deserve US citizenship they must, among other requirements, pass a test to prove their knowledge not only of US history but also current events and circumstances. I, personally, doubt that Mr. LaPLante would stand a chance to pass that test.

The fact remains, US citizenship is a privilege. Every US citizen has the indisputable right to be proud of being an American. However, American citizenship also includes a responsibility, and that responsibility is to know what you are proud of. Familiarize yourself with the facts. Read books. Read newspapers. Watch the news on TV. Ignorance is poison to everything that the forefathers fought and died for.

A Happy 4th of July To All Of You!

Wilfried F. Voss is the editor of FrogenYozurt.Com and a Greenfield, Massachusetts resident. The opinions stated here are of mere personal nature and may not necessarily be shared by others.

Abutters to a large discount store project in Greenfield, Massachusetts and their consultant, Al Norman (a.k.a. the Walmart sprawl-buster), have filed an appeal to stop the project. They did so at the last possible moment, i.e. late Monday afternoon, indicating their intention to delay the project as much as possible.

Five of the overall seven abutters were asked for comment and declined to give one. Two others could not be reached for comment. Their legal representative, Thomas Lesser of Lesser, Newman and Lasser LLC of Northampton, declined comment as well. Yes, they have the right to decline comment, but Al Norman should also be aware that he, in fact, withholds information to the people he claims to represent, the residents of Greenfield, Massachusetts.

As a matter of fact, Al Norman himself could not be a formal part of the appeal. According to state law only abutters of the project may file. In order to continue his fight against an imaginary Walmart (in fact, nobody knows who might or might not come to town) Norman may have done his best to convince the abutters to name him as their “consultant.”

And this is the point where the “lying games” continue in the Town of Greenfield. Since the beginning of the discussion, pro or con big box store, Al Norman and his followers have modified their opinion multiple times to match the current challenge. The question arises, at what point is a modified opinion not an opinion, but a mere lie? There is no clear-cut answer to that question. I believe, this is a matter of personal integrity, and I, in my very personal view, seriously challenge Norman’s integrity.

Let me emphasize, I am not trying to make a point pro big box store. That decision has already been made by the town’s zoning board. I did not feel inclined to comment here on the decision, because, after all, I was hopeful that the opponents’ nasty and counterproductive campaign – driven and inspired by Al Norman – was finally over.

This last step – filing at court – is, in fact, just another recipe out of Al Norman’s cook book of destruction. That man is fighting to revive his reputation and, in my personal opinion, uses galleon figures to reach a personal goal. The well-being of his hometown of Greenfield, Massachusetts is not (and never has been) his concern in this scenario. The negative side effect is that he continues to poison the town’s atmosphere, but, again, that has never been his concern. The poor soul is desperate.

Supplement June 9, 2011

Right in time after the filing, Al Norman wrote a letter to the editor of the Greenfield Recorder titled, “Walmart no ‘cure.’” Without referring to his argumentation – it’s simply no use – the mere existence of the letter plus the title speak volumes.

First, as I noted before, nobody knows whether or not a Walmart comes to town. It could be a Kohl’s, a Target, or any other discount store, maybe even another home improvement store. It appears that Norman, yet again, is having a little problem with sticking to the facts.

Secondly, Norman, by timing the letter with the court filing, is aware that he is drawing the anger of Greenfield residents by unnecessarily prolonging a futile attempt to stop the project. Let’s call it damage control. He probably copied and pasted from an older article – too hastily, I may add. What’s it called? Water under the bridge? Last year’s snow? Somebody should take poor Mr. Quixote by the shoulder and calmly explain that it’s time to retire.

My conclusions are: Al Norman is desperate – well, that is not new. Secondly, Al Norman’s interest is fighting Walmart; his interest is not with Greenfield, Massachusetts – well, that is not new, either.

The opinion stated here is of mere personal nature and may not necessarily be shared by others.

Before you start blogging, have a long talk with your favorite shrink or best friend.

Honestly, I just need to vent. I had written a number of posts about dealing with comments on your blog, but it still gets to me when people try to pull me into a – excuse the French – “pissing contest.”

Just for the record, I do understand that we all have the right to disagree on topics, and, honestly, I do appreciate comments even when they disagree with my view or even better, when they contribute valuable information that I was not aware of. That additional information might even prove me wrong. That’s a blogger’s life, and I can live with that.

Nevertheless, most comments I receive are friendly and, after all, fair. Those who do not agree with my view are, however, mostly aggressive. As a blogger you might make the mistake of striking back with full force, because it’s easy to do just that without facing your opponent. I did it, too, but I have also learned that it’s a waste of time. It doesn’t help anybody.

In general, it is my blogging policy to NOT block comments, unless they are scam (i.e. useless content not related to the post, but pointing to dubious websites). As of lately I have added another condition to block comments: Insulting comments. And yes, in some cases my posts are designed to provoke – that is in the nature of the business – but I won’t engage into fruitless fights.

Let me just refer to the most recent incidents:

I had started (and posted) research on the topic of the Irish Troubles, specifically the events of Bloody Sunday. During that research I became aware of one British officer, who, according to numerous reports in English and Irish resources, engaged into killing sprees all over Northern Ireland, shooting at Protestants and Catholics alike. His partner-in-crime was another British officer who was described as “a nasty bit of work — a psychotic … He bit his fingernails down to the white half-moons and was living on his nerves continually, possibly taking drugs.” That quote came from an article in an Irish newspaper, and the reporter, in turn, quoted yet another British officer. And yes, I did reference the article. It is available online.

Understandably, I received some heat from people in the United Kingdom, specifically from the daughter of the so-called “psychotic.” The comments I received were insulting- and I mean each of them – and I made the mistake of striking back (without returning any insults, though). Again, it was a mistake fueled by the impression that such a dialog might direct more attention to my website. First of all, it doesn’t. Secondly, all comments that were written back and forth did not add any additional value. The thought of disabling comments on the topic came to mind, but that didn’t seem right, so I didn’t.

The other recent case involved a post I had written about moving my blog to a new server, which turned out to be a negative experience. My blog (this very website, FrogenYozurt.Com) started to crash frequently, and it was time to switch to a more advanced server, which also invokes higher costs. One person, apparently an engineer who worked 20+ years as a service technician, took offense on my conclusion that the new server was better suited to manage my website (which it does. Really!). In his view, I was looking down on everybody who can only afford a low-cost server. All I intended was sharing my experience and conclusions, because, as I found out through extensive research, many website owners experience exactly the same problem as I did. Initially, I answered the comment starting with a “I am in the programming business since 1980…” (which is the truth and nothing but the truth), but his next entry started with a “I don’t know where you get your information from…” That was the point where I removed his and my comments on the subject.

Many bloggers will recognize the pattern, and everybody will probably handle the negative-comment-scenario differently. I, personally, am just tired of the aggressiveness, and, ergo, I will not allow any more. I can do that. It’s my blog.

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I found the following on the website of the Cornell University Law School:

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include—

(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;

(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;

(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and

(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.

Source: Cornell University Law School

Note that I included a hyperlink and referenced the source.

Images

As a blogger you should know better than scraping images from other websites. If you write an article on a specific topic try to find proper images through free resources such as Google or Wikipedia, who include proper copyright information. I, personally, get many of my images through bigstockphoto.com. Yes, it does cost me roughly a Dollar or two per image, but it comes with a piece of mind.

Articles

Let me just produce another example of what I understand as fair use:

Enforcing Copyrights Online, for a Profit

The New York Times – May 2, 2011 (Excerpt)

DENVER — When Brian Hill, a 20-year-old blogger from North Carolina, posted on his Web site last December a photograph of an airport security officer conducting a pat-down, a legal battle was the last thing he imagined.

A month later, Mr. Hill received an e-mail from a reporter for The Las Vegas Sun who was looking into a Nevada company that files copyright lawsuits for newspapers. The e-mail informed Mr. Hill that he was one of those that the company, Righthaven, was suing. Though the airport photo had gone viral before Mr. Hill plucked it off the Web, it belonged to The Denver Post, where it first appeared on Nov. 18.

Mr. Hill took down the photo. He was too late. A summons was delivered to his house. The lawsuit sought statutory damages. It did not name a figure, but accused Mr. Hill of “willful” infringement, and under federal copyright law up to $150,000 can be awarded in such cases.

“I was shocked,” Mr. Hill said. “I thought maybe it was a joke or something to scare me. I didn’t know the picture was copyrighted.”

Over the last year, as newspapers continue to grapple with how to protect their online content, Righthaven has filed more than 200 similar federal lawsuits in Colorado and Nevada over material posted without permission from The Denver Post or The Las Vegas Review-Journal. [Read the full article...]

Note that I included a hyperlink and made clear that this is only an excerpt from a New York Times article.

Nevertheless, as the New York Times article proves, fair use is not a protection against some ruthless sharks in the business. After reading the article I amended my disclaimer on the bottom to:

All content on this website has been posted under the impression that they do not infringe any copyrights. However, if this site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner, we believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. Should you suspect a copyright infringement or any other legal issues with posts on this website, please contact the editor through the contact form as indicated on the top navigation bar, and we will remove the post immediately. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

If you are a blogger, please feel free to copy my version of a disclaimer. However – and there are many “howevers” – the disclaimer as shown does not guarantee full protection from law suits, and it does definitely not protect you from ruthless copying and pasting. As a blogger you must always be double cautious when it comes to citing external resources. There is no secret formula to protect you 100%.

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Vampire Ascending is now available at Amazon.Com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble, and any other good bookstore.

The idea of a Gay Pride Parade marching through the streets of Greenfield, Massachusetts might not sit well with some of its residents, but a less accepting setting may be exactly what the organizers had in mind when they developed the proposal.

Meet Andrew Beckett and his partner Miguel Álvarez. Becket, until recently, was employed as a senior associate at one of the largest corporate law firms in Philadelphia. Beckett currently sues his former employer for unfair dismissal, and that the firing was, in fact, a result of his diagnosis with AIDS. Álvarez calls himself a Stay-At-Home-Husband (SAHH). The couple got married last fall in Barnstable, Massachusetts, where they now live and raise two daughters.

Asked about the aspect of potential resistance among Greenfield residents, Beckett only smiles.

“For us it didn’t make much sense choosing an easy-going venue like Boston, Northampton, or Provincetown,” Álvarez explains in his place. “The goal of the proposed festival and parade is to generate maximum press exposure weeks or even months prior to the actual date. You don’t get that in Boston, Northampton, or Provincetown.”

“Yes,” Beckett adds, “I understand the proposal may be provocative, but in the end it will further the acceptance of the LGBT community.”

Pride parades for the LGBT community (also known as gay pride parades, pride events and pride festivals) are events celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) culture. The events at times serve also as demonstrations for legal rights such as same-sex marriage. Most pride events occur annually, and many take place around June to commemorate the Stonewall riots, a pivotal moment in the modern LGBT rights movement.

The festival, if approved by the authorities, will start off with a parade through downtown Greenfield. Depending on the number of attendees the parade will start at the Yetter Center on Bernardston Road or, in case more space is required, adjacent at the Stoneleigh-Burnham School. From there participants will continue on Federal Street, crossing Main Street, and proceed to the Greenfield fairgrounds where the festival will start with speeches and musical performances by local bands and singers.

Beckett and Álvarez hope to organize at least 2,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender residents from all over the Commonwealth. However, they emphasize, this is not a closed event reserved for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender participants. The organizers encourage the public to join and celebrate with them. They hope to take on a festive or even Mardi Gras-like character. Large parades often involve floats, dancers, drag queens, and amplified music. But even such celebratory parades usually include political and educational contingents, such as local politicians and marching groups from LGBT institutions of various kinds.

But it seems that not everybody in town is thrilled.

“I don’t care what these guys do behind closed curtains,” argues Greenfield resident Kenneth Killcoyne. “I am more concerned about increased traffic on High Street. Several thousands of people walking toward the fairgrounds will create a serious traffic problem, and the only solution will be diverting automobile traffic to High Street.”

He points to the Baystate Franklin Medical Center, which is located on High Street, and the possible restricted access for emergency vehicles.

“There are also environmental concerns,” Killcoyne continues. “I would like to see some adjustments, provided the town approves the plan. These adjustments include reducing the hours of the festival, limiting the amount of alcoholic beverages that can be sold, limiting the size of the parade, and requiring the organizers to restore the streets to pre-parade conditions.”

His neighbor, Belinda Conine, agrees. “Yes, I do have some questions,” she says. “What will the impact of additional traffic be on our most family-friendly neighborhood? What impact will the parade have on our downtown stores? Will the parade complement growth or will it destroy it? I strongly believe, before any decision, we should initiate a community impact assessment.”

Bob Seidman, a Shelburne Falls resident, expresses his opinion bluntly. “In my personal opinion, this is just another diversion by local liberal loudmouths. They spent most of last year calling Republicans a bunch of racists. Turns out, one of these lefties was a recruiter for the KKK. Liberals always defend abortion and gay rights. We the people, and I mean the real people, do not agree.”

Meanwhile, unimpressed by local opinions, Andrew Beckett and his partner Miguel Álvarez continue with their plans. They are currently contacting the Peter Pan bus lines in Springfield, Massachusetts as well as local transportation providers to organize bus rides from Provincetown and Northampton.

What is your view on a potential Gay Pride Festival in Greenfield? I would like to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.

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This article has been posted under the category “Satire.” Its content is based solely on the author’s imagination and should not be taken seriously. Names and events are fictional and do not depict any living person or real event in the past or present. Information on gay pride parades was retrieved through wikipedia.com. The author fully supports the rights of the LGBT community. The owners and writers of FrogenYozurt.Com are not responsible for erroneous interpretation of the content.

My Two Cents

Frankly, I get tired of my writing the day after pieces are published.
- Ben S. Clarke

Honestly, I had given up reading Ben S. Clarke’s column in the Greenfield Recorder. In my personal opinion, he would be better off writing a book in the range of “All I Really Need To Know I Learn By Watching FOX News.” That’s what it is. His writing is lightyears away from being original. I, the unapologetic liberal, and my wife, the registered Republican, have more intriguing discussions about US politics. Heck, even my almost-four-year-old, who doesn’t have a clue about politics, is more challenging.

Let me distort a line by Lowell Mather, a character from my all-time favorite TV comedy Wings: Ben S. Clarke, I have only two words for your writing: Bor Ring!

I am wondering if Tim Blagg, editor at the Greenfield Recorder, had a more sinister plan in mind when he asked Ben S. Clarke to write for the Greenfield Recorder, a small newspaper widely considered as leaning toward liberal views. His official turn – and I am guessing here – might be the “fair sampling of political opinions.” Maybe – and yet again I am guessing – his real intention was to demonstrate to the public the incompetence of hardcore Republicans. I may be wrong, though.

So, you may ask, what was the reason that I read his column again? The answer is easy: After having had a few dialogs with Ben S. Clarke through this website, I have learned a few things about Ben S. Clarke. First, there is his almost embarrassing inability to maintain a rational discussion when he is being criticized – Charlie Sheen comes to mind when looking at Ben S. Clarke’s irrational rants. Secondly, whenever he writes his “column,” he never fails to fail as if attempting to confirm that my comparison with Cliff Claven (See my post Cheers, Ben S. Clarke, For An Enjoyable Cliff Claven Performance) actually makes sense. Ergo, I decided to have some fun. After all, Cliff Claven, the mail delivery man in Cheers, is a lovable character.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind Ben S. Clarke bashing President Obama or Democrats in general (I am referring here to his “column” in the April 13, 2011 edition). We all have the right to disagree, and I am all for a good and challenging discussion. But here is a young man with no authority or experience (other than watching FOX News), and he dares to lecture the President of the United States on getting a “real world lesson.”

To Ben S. Clarke’s credit, he spent six months in a foreign country (Germany) where he learned – and eventually forgot – to write and speak the language. One might think, Ben S. Clarke had learned a lesson or two on foreign relationships, but, unfortunately, he didn’t. I can tell. I spent my first thirty-four years in Germany.

Talking about experience, in his last “column” he plays the expert on all things Gitmo and foreigners who hate Americans.

Well, welcome to the real world, Mr. President. Once again. These radicals do not hate us because of what we do; they hate us because of WHO WE ARE. We – the infidels – treat women as equals. Shame on us.
- Source: The Greenfield Recorder, April 13, 2011

There is much to say about this comment, which is just a mere copy out of “The Conservative Republican’s Cookbook of Clichés,” but that’s not my point. What caught my attention was the line “We treat woman as equals.” Why? Let me cite another quote out of Ben S. Clarke’s “real world”:

I have a strict policy about changing diapers: I don’t. It has something to do with gender equity and division of infant labor duties.
- Source: The Greenfield Recorder, September 29, 2010

In his first contribution to the Greenfield Recorder he addressed the cooking issue:

I am not proposing we amend the Constitution and smuggle in an undocumented lesbian from Honduras to run for President. But I would at least hear her out. Assuming she could cook.
- Source: The Greenfield Recorder, March 3, 2010

Well, Ben S. Clarke, explain to me and the residents of Franklin County your view of treating women as equals. In your “column” you verify President Obama’s promises with the results as you see them, without any intention of ever substantiating your claims. Now it’s time that somebody verifies your statements.

Damn! One little misstep, and your credibility goes down the toilet!

Welcome to the real world, Ben S. Clarke.

Note: You can comment on a piece by sending an e-mail to benclarkeopinoin@gmail.com.

Time: Saturday, April 9 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm

Location: St. James Coffeehouse, 8 Church St., Greenfield, Massachusetts

More Info: Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Music starts at 7:30. Tickets are $18.00 in advance, $20.00 at the door. Advance tickets at World Eye Bookshop in Greenfield. For reservations or more info, please call 413 772-2213. As always, refreshments will be available.

For more information on future Saint James Coffeehouse events see the Saint James Website or the Facebook Account.

The night’s concert brings original songwriters who work within deep traditions of place and song. One of a pair of brothers who spearheaded a tremendous renaissance in Canadian songwriting in the 1970s and 1980s, Garnet Rogers tells detailed stories of people from all walks of life and their small, everyday victories. He can shift from seriousness to razor-sharp wit in a heartbeat, and no two of his shows are the same. Says Dirty Linen: “He knows and captures what is real and lasting–the joyous, contradictory poetry of living,” and Canada’s Kitchener Record praises his “visionary songs of haunting and mysterious power.” Scottish folk master Archie Fisher is well known all over the British Isles as host of his own BBC radio show, but his appearances stateside are to be cherished. He’s just released new collection of songs, “Windward Away,” on which he’s been working for more than ten years. It’s a haunting collection of introspective ballads, evoking the wild and rough beauty of the Scottish Border country.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

DIRECTIONS

to Saint James Episcopal Church, Federal & Church Streets, Greenfield, Massachusetts

FROM THE SOUTH take Interstate Route 91 North to Exit 26 (Greenfield). From the stop sign at the end of the exit ramp, turn right onto Main Street. Proceed one mile through town to the second light (at the town green). Turn left onto Federal Street (Route 5 North), between the Greenfield Savings Bank and the Pushkin Gallery. Go one block to Church Street. Saint James is to the right at the corner of Federal and Church. Parking is available on Federal Street, Church Street, and Franklin Street, as well as in the Parking Lots behind the church, accessible by turning right off Church Street at Saint James Court (just behind the Parish Hall).

FROM THE NORTH take Interstate Route 91 South to Exit 26 (Greenfield). From the stop sign at the end of the exit ramp, proceed around the traffic circle (under the overpass bridge) and turn right onto Main Street (Greenfield). Proceed one mile through town to the second light (at the town green). Turn left onto Federal Street (Route 5 North), between the Greenfield Savings Bank and the Pushkin Gallery. Go one block to Church Street. Saint James is to the right at the corner of Federal and Church. Parking is available on Federal Street, Church Street, and Franklin Street, as well as in the Parking Lots behind the church, accessible by turning right off Church Street at Saint James Court (just behind the Parish Hall).

My Two Cents

Frankly, I get tired of my writing the day after pieces are published.
- Ben S. Clarke

It seems that Ben S. Clarke, a regular contributor to the Greenfield, Massachusetts newspaper – The Recorder, is still on the search of his own identity. He started off as a Washington-DC-based speech writer, but after George 43 his employment choices were virtually non-existent.

Once back in his home town he started off as a Rush-Limbaugh-wannabe. That didn’t work out, either. Perhaps he finally realized that Massachusetts is… well, liberal. Then, in an apparent attempt to appeal to fellow Greenfield residents, he showed interest in writing about local politics, but being away from home for roughly ten years and not reading the local newspaper proved to be an educational disadvantage. Rants about his personal life like his diaper-changing-phobia and dating problems did not help to further a reputation as a writer – Sorry, he writes opinions. In my world, the term “journalist” implies research of a topic and objective presentation of the facts, skills that escape Ben S. Clarke.

For a while thereafter it seemed the bulldog had been leashed. My assumption is that somebody at the Recorder, namely the dork who hired him, told Ben S. Clarke to concentrate on topics where he possesses the necessary knowledge – National politics. I also believe that the Recorder came under some scrutiny and pressure from readers who felt offended. I may be wrong, and this is only a guess on my part.

However, the lack of journalistic skills still shows with every Ben S. Clarke article the Recorder posts. Writing from the belly without substantiating facts not only calls for rebuking responses by people familiar with the subject. In the long run it will damage the reputation of an otherwise well-respected newspaper. And yes, I still would like to talk to the dork who gave in to Ben S. Clarke’s mother and hired a speech-writer with no journalistic background. Even a reputable newspaper like the Recorder will eventually suffer from the impact of nepotism.

Ben S. Clarke reminds me of the Cheers character Cliff Claven, you know, the mail man lacking any background information, yet still able to explain everything. The difference being that Cliff Claven is a likable character, while both, Cliff Claven as well as Ben S. Clarke, are vying for attention through means of highly questionable rants. And that is why I thank Ben S. Clarke for his frequent comedic performances.

Honestly, I learned not to read his blubbering, and fool if you do. I am more amused by the comments of those people who, unlike Ben S. Clarke, actually have the competence to address topics that Ben S. Clarke writes about. That also means, I don’t have to prove my point of Ben S. Clarke’s incompetence. I just quote.

Ben Clarke states that he has “scant understanding of the true intricacies of collective bargaining.” That was probably the only thing he got right in his entire column.

He goes on to union bash and cite lots of statistics to back his anti-union rhetoric. The problem is, his statistics have no source and most of his statements just are not true.

:

I work as a lead organizer for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Unions CANNOT use dues for political campaigns. Members can voluntarily give money to the union for its Political Action Committee. That’s it.

And unions have a process by which they choose political candidates to support. It’s strictly based on how strong the candidate is on issues concerning working people. For instance, if the politician voted to raise the minimum wage, then they’d probably get union support. If they voted to send manufacturing jobs oversees, then they would lose it. And, by the way, it just so happens that most of the candidates who also support working men and women are Democrats.

:

And as for Clarke’s statement about Jimmy Hoffa Jr. being “one unattractive man.” To that I say, you’re no Brad Pitt yourself!

Karen Rudy Renaud, Greenfield – The Recorder, March 11, 2011

Let me add to the Brad Pitt comment that Ben S. Clarke did admit to having dating problems in an earlier article.

Store opponents’ arguments come up short

Source: The Recorder, March 12, 2011
Reprinted with permission by the author, Penny Ricketts

For one last time, let me see if I have this straight.

Greenfield was first approached with a 165,000-square-foot building to house Store X. It has been reduced to 135,000 square feet. We have been warned by Group Y that the traffic will be horrendous. Instead of people traveling out of town, they may choose to stay in town and travel down High or Federal streets. Now, if I understand this correctly, if the building is reduced to 80,000 square feet, the traffic will lessen because … I’m still not sure of the thinking. If the bottom line is because Store X will not be able to carry enough goods to satisfy customers, who exactly is Group Y trying to help?

In the next breath, I have heard that so many people don’t want this store and vow to never shop there. Group Y is so sure this is the case that they have asked that it be returned to its natural state once the building is torn down because it’s gone out of business.

I’m wondering where all the traffic is coming from if we are to believe that most people truly don’t want this.

I’m also confused by this: If everyone is traveling down Federal or High streets, isn’t the majority coming from the Main Street area? I’m guessing that is because many are coming from area towns. I think it would be easier to use the highway, but obviously Group Y understands our driving habits better. Are we purposely trying to lessen the traffic, shopping and restaurant visits downtown?

I have read that Group Y also believes that our public safety personnel will be deterred from doing their job in a timely fashion. Was there a report done saying people headed toward a discount department store will not pull over when they see or hear sirens? Perhaps people are only cordial if they shop locally. I wonder what the time response in Keene or Hadley is.

I am equally confused about Store X hurting our downtown. We have a very unique Main Street, filled with specialty stores, yet there’s an effort to convince us that Store X will hurt them. I think that’s a slap in the face to those businesses. Shopping at Cleary’s, Magical Child, Baker’s and All About Beads, to name a few, will never be the same experience at Store X. For those of you who don’t believe me, drop in sometime. Do you think Opus or Greenfield Games will attract the same customer base as someone dashing in and out of a Kohl’s?

Now, if you want me to believe that new businesses do indeed hurt the existing ones, and we shouldn’t tolerate them, why weren’t we fearful for The Outlet Store or the Farmer’s Cooperative when Tractor Supply was being built? Do we not care about Village Pizza or a locally owned Subway with the arrival of Deangelo’s? If there is a list, please share it.

I will never forget the vote and decision to not allow BJ’s to sell more affordable gas because we had too many gas stations and it would hurt a local family. Now that those stations were sold, do we get our share of what we lost from paying a little bit more? Of course not, it’s business. Why did this vote matter so much yet the overwhelming two townwide votes for Store X are being ignored?

When Group Y signs my paychecks and pays my bills, I will consider shopping at only stores A and B. Until that time, please see your way out of my shopping options.

Penny Ricketts, a Greenfield resident, is a moderator of the penrick.com website and a pro-growth advocate.

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A Novel by Wilfried F. Voss

I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
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The Irish War is officially a part of history, but not for Finnean Whelan, an IRA veteran of almost 40 years. British Intelligence has produced evidence that he is the mastermind behind a conspiracy to assassinate the First Minister of Northern Ireland. For Whelan this is not only a mission of revenge, but marks the beginning of a journey into the past and the return to the one true love: Ireland. [More...]

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At this time nobody knows who is coming to town, if at all, but it could be a Walmart, and this is where the paranoia/schizophrenia starts. It may not be Walmart, but chances are… and what happens if it is, in fact, a Walmart…?

Just to be politically correct, what is the difference between paranoia and schizophrenia…?

The psychological difference is paranoia is a disorder that makes someone feel everyone is out to get them, or watching them etc. That could be caused from one of many disorders including bipolar, excessive drug abuse, head injuries and at times depression and anxiety disorder. Schizophrenics are mentally ill and can engage in agressive behavior, violence, hallucinations, hearing voices, harming themselves and or others and the list goes on, and some are paranoid and some are not.
- Source: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/111771

Well, looking at the past years of living in Greenfield, check on both. Norman and a bunch of misguided followers have started a campaign that did nothing but poison the atmosphere in the town of Greenfield. Their fight against Walmart – or not – is based on ideological  issues; it has nothing to do with the well-being of the town and its residents. Norman fights for the survival of his reputation; his followers, mostly a bunch of 1970s wannabe-hippies who fried their brains with drugs and alcohol, fight Walmart – or not – because it represents capitalism in its worst. Nobody but Walmart offers mainly part-time positions or purchases low-quality products from China. Walmart products are manufactured by five-year-olds in China who have a slim chance of seeing the age of six – Just kidding… but you get the picture.

Norman has pulled every recipe out of his cookbook filled with actions of delay tactics, harassment, and intimidation. Initially, Norman and his disciples were against a department store development – period. After the 2:1 vote pro department store, it was “yes, we need a store, but not that big,” hoping that a small size would discourage Walmart – or not. What followed was a series of delusional arguments designed to delay and interfere with the decision process. Well, it seems Norman has met his match, and his campaign is coming to a stuttering halt.

In his last step, probably taken in desperation, Norman demanded to have more input in the Greenfield Planning Board’s deliberations, but he met his match in form of the board’s Chairwoman Roxann Wedegartner. Wedegartner had opened the public hearing in September of 2010, and she had warned the public that once the board began deliberations, the public’s time would be over. The public hearing was closed on February 17, 2011 and during that time – more than five months – the public was allowed to talk about the project as recorded in the minutes of the board’s meetings.

However, Norman accused Wedegartner of suggesting to the board to review only materials submitted by the developer of the project and town departments. Wedegartner stated, “We are considering public comment and they’ve been heard. We wouldn’t have held nine meetings with more than 30 hours of testimony if we weren’t going to consider the public’s comments. When deliberations begin, public comment ends. That’s the way it has always been done. We have to move forward with this.”

According to the local newspaper:

Several attempts by Norman to be recognized by Wedegartner at the Feb. 22 meeting were unsuccessful and he seemed visibly frustrated.
- Recorder, March 5, 2011

Several thoughts come to mind. First, I am inclined to look at above definitions on psychological disorders. Secondly, it is good to see that a good college education beats an obsessive-compulsive dropout at any time. But that’s just my personal view, and I am sure there are people who disagree.

I am more 100 percent American than some of the born Americans. I resent some losses of freedom more quickly. I mean I want to be proud of my country, I think more than a born American does. That way I feel I am an immigrant. Otherwise I have never felt like one. - Rachel Goldman – Jewish, from Russia. Arrived 1946.

Open Letter To Mr. Tim Grant of Bernardston, Massachusetts:

Dear Mr. Grant,

On January 8, 2011 the local newspaper, the Recorder, in an ill attempt to provide “fair sampling of different opinions,” published your letter to the editor:

Problem with liberals

In 2010, our uppity first lady vacationed in Madrid (at taxpayer’s expense), liberal loudmouth Charlie Rangel was convicted of ethics violations, Sen. John Kerry didn’t pay taxes on his $7 million yacht, and Cadillac Deval (who once befriended a rapist) go re-elected.

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Liberals always justify abortion, but when Sarah Palin shot a caribou, the left went berserk. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin even compared Palin to the despicable Michael Vick, who tortured and killed dogs when he wasn’t playing football.

Shockingly, the president of the United States admitted that he’s glad Vick was given a second chance.

Let me be clear: Barack Obama is the worst president ever!

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As best-selling author Ann Coulter says, “There are a lot of bad Republicans; there are no good Democrats.”

TIM GRANT, Bernardston

For the record, I have condemned the Recorder for printing your letter. Yes, they have an obligation to fair representation of reader opinions, yet they acted in bad taste by printing your borderline racial slurs. The word “uppity” is originated in the South of the country, and it was used in combination with the “N” word pointing to blacks who dared to climb the socioeconomic ladder.

I dare to re-print excerpts of your letter, because I am not obligated to fair representation like the Recorder, and I can and will give you an “unfair” representation of my mind.

It is very apparent that your problem is not only with liberals, but specifically with African Americans, since you used – to put it diplomatically – offensive comments about the President of the United States, the First Lady, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and football player Michael Vick.

So, I won’t waste my time with quoting Martin Luther King. You’ll probably snort when you hear praise of his life and work.

I also won’t waste my time and condemn you for your remarks like many residents, from Greenfield and Bernardston alike, already did.

My angle is a little different, and I point to the above quote, especially the section, “I mean I want to be proud of my country, I think more than a born American does.” Let me explain:

The history of the United States was written in great parts by immigrants. These days, the United States Citizenships and Immigration Service allows people from foreign countries to stay in the United States or even become citizens – and, yes, I am sure you have an opinion on immigrants, too.

What separates immigrants, applying for citizenship, from born Americans is simple: They need to apply for the privilege of American citizenship, and they are undergoing a process during which they have to prove that they are worthy of being an American. They need to know – and understand – the American constitution especially the aspects that make this country so great. They need to know and may have to explain American history including the special accomplishments of people like Martin Luther King, Jackie Robinson, Barack Obama, and others. They need to prove and swear that they are willing to defend the United States of America with their life.

Lastly, my point is: You, Sir, fail the prove that you are worthy of being an American citizen, because you don’t understand the fundamental values of American citizenship, which includes, but is by far not limited to diversity of races and opinions. You, Sir, are a disgrace to American citizenship. Let me add, your hate will die with you, and when the time comes no one will remember your accomplishments in life.

I don’t want to appear overly dramatic with the above headline, but I can prove my case. The local newspaper, the Recorder, serving the people of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region, seems to be undergoing a shift toward supporting extreme right-wing views, which includes, but is not limited to the publication of borderline racial slurs.

Let’s start with the most recent case of published racial slurs: A Facebook friend of mine, who happens to be African-American, posted this morning:

I’ve been reading the letters in today’s Recorder about Tim Grant calling Mrs. Obama uppity. I want to thank people for being brave enough to call out the racism.

She was referring to a letter to the editor in the Recorder January 8, 2011 edition, written by some Tim Grant. Let me quote:

In 2010, our uppity first lady vacationed in Madrid (at taxpayers’ expense)….

The publisher and employees of the Recorder should not claim ignorance of the racial history of the word “uppity,” a derogatory term applied throughout the Jim Crow South to blacks who dared to climb the socioeconomic ladder. For a reference on the word “uppity” see the article Racial Offense Taken When ‘Uppity’ Rolls Off Certain Tongues. The context in which the word was used is “uppity N….”

Mr. Grant continues in his letter by referring to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, who happens to be African-American as well, as “Cadillac Deval (who once befriended a rapist)…” Also: “Let me be clear: Barack Obama is the worst president ever!” At the end he quotes author Ann Coulter: “There are a lot of bad Republicans; there are no good Democrats.”

There is much to say about Freedom of Speech, but I am still in shock that the local newspaper, the Recorder, dares to print racial slurs, even if it is through a letter to the editor. It is at their discretion which letters are published and which are not, and many regular comments are not printed. Again, Freedom of Speech or not, but racial slurs have no place in a newspaper like the Recorder.

One might argue that this was an unfortunate, but isolated incident. However, there is more…

Since March of 2010 the Recorder publishes comments by Ben S. Clarke on a regular basis. According to the Recorder, Ben S. Clarke spent the past 10 years working as a speechwriter and political consultant in Washington, D.C. He has recently relocated back to Greenfield, where he works as a freelance writer. As you may guess, Ben S. Clarke is a Republican and he has his problems with liberals, and there is nothing wrong with that. Everybody is entitled to an opinion.

However, let me quote Ben S. Clarke from a few of his contributions:

• I am not proposing we amend the Constitution and smuggle in an undocumented lesbian from Honduras to run for president. But I would at least hear her out. Assuming she could cook.
• I have a strict policy about changing diapers: I don’t. It has something to do with “gender equity” and division of infant labor duties. (Note: He referred to his sister and her two year old son.)
• Frankly, I get tired of my writing the day after pieces are published. (Note: That comment was made through an e-mail to yours truly.)

In another case he condemns the entire state of Vermont, because he got caught driving at 48 mph in a 30 mph speed zone:

• I used to love Vermont; even thought about moving there upon departing Washington. No longer. Vermont, you are shunned. As a non-skiing, non-anarchist carnivore with little craving for maple syrup, I am confident I can uphold said shun with Dwight Schrute-like exactitude.

Ben S. Clarke, whenever he writes, manages to offend. That is what he is good at. Yet, somebody at the Recorder hired him to write his nonsense. And yes, we don’t need to read his blabbering, but the matter of the fact is, we all used to enjoy reading our local newspaper. Seeing another of Ben S. Clarke’s “My Turn” is like watching the scene of a car accident. It’s ugly, but you feel the urge to watch anyways. To this day I fail to understand why the Recorder allows a Rush-Limbaugh-Wannabe to poison our community with his inflammatory, Joseph-Goebbels-inspired rhetoric.

Last, but not least, let me say that the people of Greenfield continue to condemn such writings, may they be by Tim Grant, the poor misguided chap with his white robe, or Ben S. Clarke, the man with the profound dating problems.

Still, the Recorder, “serving the people of Franklin County,” continues to print their rubbish on a regular basis.

Really, I am sick and tired of the misleading comments regarding the impact of a potential large retail store on downtown Greenfield, Massachusetts. Today’sRecorder - who seems to allow more opponents than proponents to comment lately – shows another “My Turn” article written by Hazel Dawkins, another misguided Al-Norman-Worshipper.

“Our downtown stores will be affected. No doubt about it.” - Hazel Dawkins, My Turn, January 18, 2011

Honestly, I do agree. Nevertheless, what stores are we talking about? Are we talking about Wilson’s, the store famous for derogatory treatments of customers that don’t fit their specifications? In the nine years I live in Greenfield, I attempted four times to shop at Wilson’s, however, without success. Sorry, my mistake when I was there the last time, because, apparently, they don’t carry children’s shoes. The memory that remains is that every time my wife and I visited, we were observed and treated like potential shoplifters. And yes, I have heard similar stories about Wilson’s. If they go out of business, I won’t shed a tear for them. They deserve it.

Just this last weekend we shopped at Faces in Northampton, where the young lady at the cashier took every effort to greet newcomers and bid farewell when they left. We received the same pleasant treatment at the Payless shoe store in the Holyoke Mall, where you can get three pairs of children’s shoes for under $25, while in Greenfield you get only one pair. (Note: Don’t bring the argument of better quality. My three-year-old will outgrow these shoes in a few months, anyways.)

The only store in downtown Greenfield where we can shop frequently is the Monkey Tree with their friendly and professional service. Sometimes they don’t have what we need, but we still come back. I don’t believe that the Monkey Tree will be affected by a large retail store in town. We still shop at Walmart frequently, but we also return to the Monkey Tree.

What it all comes down to is an effective business plan, which includes excellent customer care and an attractive product line. Every experienced business man will tell you that, in order to be able to compete, you need to point out where you are better than the competition. Most of our downtown stores – I am referring to the minority of businesses in Greenfield who will be affected by a large retail store – have too long relied on and benefitted from the lack of competition.

And for those who lack the understanding of basic economics: One of the side-effects of competition are lower prices. Just imagine, if Greenfield had only one gas station in town. Competition serves the consumer. Why should it be my personal responsibility to support local stores, especially those who don’t care for my business?

As a matter of fact, for many businesses – like Wilson’s – it would be a relief if a large retail store came to town, because in that case they will have an excuse when they go out of business.

Why would we kill off one of the few remaining downtown areas in the country? - Hazel Dawkins, My Turn, January 18, 2011

Well, it seems Ms. Dawkins doesn’t come around very much, at least not with open eyes. Ms. Dawkins, have you been in downtown Northampton lately? Northampton is that beautiful town just about twenty miles to the South. Northampton has its Walmart, and Hadley, just around the corner, has one, too, plus Target, JC Penney, Kohl’s, and more. Have you ever been in downtown Northampton at 10 pm during any season, may it be the hot summer or cold winter? My point is, Northampton is a vibrant town at any day at any time. Have you ever walked alone through downtown Greenfield at 10 pm in summer or winter? Did you notice the difference?

Have you ever been in Brattleboro, Vermont or Keene, New Hampshire? Well, if yes, what are you talking about? You remind me of those people who complain about the increasing crime rate in Las Vegas since they established gambling in town. The fact is, before gambling there was only desert in Las Vegas.

And yes, I agree, traffic on High Street will increase (Why is everybody so concerned about High Street? Do you live there, too?). In fact, traffic has increased by at least 5000% in recent years… since 1754. Let’s blame Walmart for that. Oh, I forgot, we don’t have one…

Let me add another little fact of real life: The majority of Greenfield residents shop frequently in Hinsdale, Keene, Hadley, and Northampton where all the large retail stores are. Why is that? Why do you ignore and fight the majority of Greenfield residents and their vote for a large retail store?

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http://www.thegreenfielder.com

Why would somebody start an online newspaper in Greenfield, Massachusetts these days, you may ask? The answer is simple: Bigotry, hypocrisy, racism… Will that do?

I don’t want to appear overly dramatic, but I can prove my case. The local newspaper, the Recorder, serving the people of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region, seems to be undergoing a shift toward supporting extreme right-wing views, which includes, but is not limited to the publication of borderline racial slurs.

Let’s start with the most recent case of published racial slurs: A Facebook friend of mine, who happens to be African-American, posted this morning:

I’ve been reading the letters in today’s Recorder about Tim Grant calling Mrs. Obama uppity. I want to thank people for being brave enough to call out the racism.

She was referring to a letter to the editor in the Recorder January 8, 2011 edition, written by some Tim Grant. Let me quote:

In 2010, our uppity first lady vacationed in Madrid (at taxpayers’ expense)….

The publisher and employees of the Recorder should not claim ignorance of the racial history of the word “uppity,” a derogatory term applied throughout the Jim Crow South to blacks who dared to climb the socioeconomic ladder. For a reference on the word “uppity” see the article Racial Offense Taken When ‘Uppity’ Rolls Off Certain Tongues. The context in which the word was used is “uppity N….”

Mr. Grant continues in his letter by referring to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, who happens to be African-American as well, as “Cadillac Deval (who once befriended a rapist)…” Also: “Let me be clear: Barack Obama is the worst president ever!” At the end he quotes author Ann Coulter: “There are a lot of bad Republicans; there are no good Democrats.”

There is much to say about Freedom of Speech, but I am still in shock that the local newspaper, the Recorder, dares to print racial slurs, even if it is through a letter to the editor. It is at their discretion which letters are published and which are not, and many regular comments are not printed. Again, Freedom of Speech or not, but racial slurs have no place in a newspaper like the Recorder.

One might argue that this was an unfortunate, but isolated incident. However, there is more…

Since March of 2010 the Recorder publishes comments by Ben S. Clarke on a regular basis. According to the Recorder, Ben S. Clarke spent the past 10 years working as a speechwriter and political consultant in Washington, D.C. He has recently relocated back to Greenfield, where he works as a freelance writer. As you may guess, Ben S. Clarke is a Republican and he has his problems with liberals, and there is nothing wrong with that. Everybody is entitled to an opinion.

However, let me quote Ben S. Clarke from a few of his contributions:

• I am not proposing we amend the Constitution and smuggle in an undocumented lesbian from Honduras to run for president. But I would at least hear her out. Assuming she could cook.
• I have a strict policy about changing diapers: I don’t. It has something to do with “gender equity” and division of infant labor duties. (Note: He referred to his sister and her two year old son.)
• Frankly, I get tired of my writing the day after pieces are published. (Note: That comment was made through an e-mail to yours truly.)

In another case he condemns the entire state of Vermont, because he got caught driving at 48 mph in a 30 mph speed zone:

• I used to love Vermont; even thought about moving there upon departing Washington. No longer. Vermont, you are shunned. As a non-skiing, non-anarchist carnivore with little craving for maple syrup, I am confident I can uphold said shun with Dwight Schrute-like exactitude.

Ben S. Clarke, whenever he writes, manages to offend. That is what he is good at. Yet, somebody at the Recorder hired him to write his nonsense. And yes, we don’t need to read his blabbering, but the matter of the fact is, we all used to enjoy reading our local newspaper. Seeing another of Ben S. Clarke’s “My Turn” is like watching the scene of a car accident. It’s ugly, but you feel the urge to watch anyways. To this day I fail to understand why the Recorder allows a Rush-Limbaugh-Wannabe to poison our community with his inflammatory, Joseph-Goebbels-inspired rhetoric.

Last, but not least, let me say that the people of Greenfield continue to condemn such writings, may they be by Tim Grant, the poor misguided chap with his white robe, or Ben S. Clarke, the man with the profound dating problems.

Still, the Recorder, “serving the people of Franklin County,” continues to print their rubbish on a regular basis.

And again, let’s post the question again: Why would somebody start an online newspaper in Greenfield, Massachusetts these days?

For those who don’t know, the most heated discussion in the town of Greenfield, Massachusetts involves the approved installation of a large retail store, an idea supported by roughly two thirds of Greenfield residents, but fiercely fought by an aggressive minority, most prominently represented by the so-called “Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future.”

The topic of a large retail store in Greenfield would normally be something that I would just monitor with some interest, because I do live in town, and my wife and I would appreciate an addition to the otherwise sparse shopping alternatives. As a matter of fact, we buy groceries and garden supplies in town, but everything else we get from one of the Walmart stores in the neighborhood, the nearest being roughly 20 miles from our home. Despite rising gas prices we still save a considerable amount of money with every visit. So, it could be better, but, in fact, we’re doing fine.

What caught my attention, though, is what I consider an unbearable level of hypocrisy maintained by the opponents of the “big box store” idea. Their ringleader is the man known as the “sprawl-buster” consultant for those who oppose Walmart nationwide, Mr. Al Norman. (Note: At this time, nobody knows which retail store might come into town, not even the developer of the assigned property, but it might be a Walmart, and this is where the schizophrenia sets in.)

I am not in business of defending or condemning Walmart for their employment policies (which seems to be the true issue), but as a businessman I see the positive impact on an otherwise economically depressed area such as Franklin County. Initially, I was curious regarding Mr. Norman’s view, but right from the beginning I saw some serious problems with his argumentation, and these days I seriously wondered whether or not I can go so far as to call him a liar. As a result, I decided to look into the issue.

I don’t know Mr. Norman personally. In fact, all I know about him I know by reading the local newspaper. I realized early that the man is in an ugly situation. First, he is a Greenfield resident, but he fights Walmart nationwide. Secondly, the vast majority of Greenfield residents voted pro large retail store. Imagine the blow to his reputation, maybe even resulting in a career-ender, in case a Walmart comes to town.

The question is, how can you revert the decision pro large retail store? How do you eliminate a majority vote? Well, Mr. Norman knows what to do, because that is what he is good at. Destruction is his mission. The answer comes in form of delay tactics. Officially, in a 180-degree change of mind, Mr. Norman now confirms the need for a retail store, but, naturally, he sees some problems with the current proposal for a large retail store.

According to the January 5, 2001 Recorder – the local newspaper – Mr. Norman would like to see adjustments “that include reducing its hours of operation, limiting the amount of groceries it can sell, limiting the size of the store and requiring the developer to restore the property to predevelopment conditions if the building remains vacant for 18 consecutive months at any time in the future.”

Mr. Norman has a history of discrediting recently developed economic impact studies, but he himself presented an analysis derived from data developed roughly seventeen years ago. In general, Mr. Norman does not accept data from other sources if 1. They don’t match his view and 2. The studies are not recent (Item 1. overrides item 2. in any case)

Again, this is all part of the delay strategy. In the end, Mr. Norman and his followers hope that any resistance to their goal will cease, and, even if a smaller sized store is being approved, potential retailers, especially Walmart, will decline due to lack of potential profitability.

What I personally find very problematic about the current situation is that the opponents, very obviously, don’t speak their mind. They don’t tell the true reasons behind their opposition to a retail store. They have a proven history of adjusting opinions and “problems” as it fits the situation.

Especially, Mr. Norman, with his ever-changing opinions and arguments, reminds me of numerous questionable characters in history. One might get the feeling he might be better off living under a Soviet-communist system. Let’s have a look at the history of the Soviet Union, or even the current Chinese government: Ignoring the wishes of the people’s majority – Check! Feeding the population with misleading information – Check! A group of privileged citizens, i.e. the Party/Politburo (“Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future”), tells the majority what is best for them – Check! American capitalism is the devil’s work – Check!

Well, I am ready to call the Chinese President Hu Jintao a liar for various reasons, and I don’t think that remark will sour the diplomatic relationship with China. The question is, at what point can you call somebody a liar? I am sure there are some legal definitions, but in my personal world it depends very much on an individual level of integrity. For me, as straightforward as I consider myself, that level is very high. Others are skilled enough to adjust their personal level, allowing an outright lie to be told as the truth when it fits the purpose. Again, it’s a personal choice…

If you live in Franklin County, Massachusetts, and you read the local newspaper, the Recorder, you can’t avoid being confronted with Ben S. Clarke’s lessons on life, may it be his dating problems, his diaper-changing-phobia, or other “issues” that are of interest to nobody else but Ben S. Clarke. Ben S. Clarke, whenever he writes, successfully manages to offend, in this current case the entire population of Vermont. In the January 5 edition he condemns Vermont for enforcing speed limits (in my personal opinion, he whines like a little, spoiled princess), because he got caught, and now he has to pay a $186 speeding ticket. Yes, the laws do apply to everybody, even Ben S. Clarke.

I used to love Vermont; even thought about moving there upon departing Washington. No longer. Vermont, you are shunned. As a non-skiing, non-anarchist carnivore with little craving for maple syrup, I am confident I can uphold said shun with Dwight Schrute-like exactitude.

- Ben S. Clarke, “My Turn,” The Recorder, January 5, 2011

My turn is, everybody has the right to be stupid, but don’t submit your stupidity into public record. It’s not a smart career move. The question is, can you call going 48 mph in a 30 mph zone, in an area you are not familiar with, stupid? Think about it! That’s a whopping 60% over the speed limit, well worth the $186 as fined!

So, the story is, he and a friend, a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, took her ’98 Toyota with 183,000 miles… no, wait… her “fairly sizeable Lexus SUV” to drive to Manchester “to do a little shopping and have dinner.” Now wait… Ben, is it true? Your hometown of Greenfield, Massachusetts is not good enough to take out a friend from Washington, D.C. “to do a little shopping and have dinner?”

Okay, actually, I’m with you. I do the same, meaning I take my family frequently to Walmart, followed by a nice dinner in Northampton in our 1997 Jeep with 226,000+ miles on the meter. However, I don’t have a mother, who is a member of the so-called “Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future,” and who proclaims publicly the virtue of shopping and dining in Greenfield, Massachusetts, to support local businesses. And yet, you have the audacity to prove her wrong on public record?

Your mother is also the Director of the Franklin County Community Meals Program, an organization dedicated to help those in Franklin County who cannot afford buying their own food. And yet, you have the audacity to write about shopping and dining in Manchester? There are families in our county who, with $186 at hand, could manage to buy food for a whole month… well, provided there was a Walmart in town.

To emphasize my point: Everybody has the right to be stupid, but don’t submit your stupidity into public record. It’s not good for the reputation. The question is, is writing about shopping and dining in Manchester, considering the underlying issues, stupid?

I guess, in the end it doesn’t matter, neither to Ben S. Clarke nor his mother. After all, as we all suspect, it might have been she, the one so skilled in the art of nepotism, who got him the writing job at the Recorder.

I still would like to talk to the nerd who hired him, and I would like to tell him: Everybody has the right to be stupid, but don’t submit your stupidity into public record. It’s not good for business, and granting favors might bite you at some time. The question is, was hiring Ben S. Clarke stupid?

The Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future is a group of Greenfield residents who are interested in supporting growth that is sustainable and beneficial for Greenfield.

While we support the idea of a broad range of retail options in Greenfield, including a discount department store, we remain concerned that a large scale Big Box store located on the outskirts of town, with acres of free parking, could unfairly compete with our independently owned small businesses that are the heart and soul of our town.

Source: SustainableGreenfield.Com

No, really! Who is behind the “Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future?” The website delivers no insights about chairmanship, membership, etc. The “Coalition” may not be an official organization but they did receive funds in the amount of $1,500.00 from the “New England Grassroots Environment Fund.” So, somebody – I mean, a real person – must have applied for the funds. Somebody must declare income for a non-profit organization. The website contains zero information on membership and organization status.

Is the “Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future” a secret organization like, for instance, the Freemasons? Do they declare income? Why don’t these people openly show their faces? Are they afraid that, as soon as they are identified, they might loose the business of the majority of people who support the retail development? Or are they just plain cowardice?

In fact, the “Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future” is a group of local business owners who are afraid of competition complemented by higher-income residents who pursue either ideological ideas or are just annoyed by increased traffic in their immediate neighborhood. Let’s just stay with the facts:

The so-called “Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future” does not have the support of the vast majority of Greenfield residents. In fact, the “Coalition” is out of touch with the real-life-needs of Greenfield residents.

But let’s get back to the mystery of “Coalition” membership:

1. You can count that Al Norman, nation-wide sprawl-buster, is at least an active advisor. His motivation is as primitive as can be, and there is no connection to the needs of Greenfield: He can simply not afford a Walmart in his home town. That would be a major blow to his reputation. Note: It is still unclear who may come into town. “Walmart” is merely used as a threatening keyword due to their  - at times – questionable employment practices. It also points to some real schizophrenic characteristics. It may not be a Walmart, but it could… and if it is…

2. In a letter to the Valley Advocate, some Sandra Thomas stated “Greenfield Needs Facts, Not Opinion” without offering any facts. She also stated “I am part of a citizens’ group, called the Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future.” I believe, Ms. Thomas used to be a Director with NESEA (Northeast Sustainable Energy Association), which indicates to me a primarily “green” motivation that does not take the needs or opinion of the majority of Greenfield’s residents into consideration. We’re talking non-profit attitude, which is no help to the residents in Greenfield. Ms. Thomas also attends the same church as Mrs. Amy Clarke (see next paragraph).

3. A sure bet on membership is Amy Clarke who positioned herself as the “Coalition’s” spokesperson. As far as I know, most of her (if not all) five children went to private schools. In another “My Turn” column in the local newspaper she complained about the potential of increased traffic on High Street (Note: Ms. Clarke lives close to High Street). She remembered the times when it was safe for the kids to walk to school, and she warned of the dangers of increased traffic. I am sorry, but even if her kids ever walked to school (Ben S. Clarke went to Northfield Mount Hermon) it was quite some years ago. Traffic patterns change, Walmart in town or not.

Ms. Clarke is also the Executive Director of the Franklin County Community Meals Program (FCCMP), and one might assume that her clients, the poorest residents in the neighborhood, would benefit from a large retail store. It seems, however, that personal reasons weigh more than the needs of her clientele. I remember the time when Ms. Clarke asked the FCCMP board members to buy diapers at the local Big-Y, because there was a special sale. The lack of diapers can be a real hardship on families with kids and no income. My wife and I bought as many diapers as we were allowed to take out of the store (the trunk was full, and we refused the FCCMP reimbursement). My thinking is that a large retail store in town would provide even more opportunities to support people in need, but that kind of thinking apparently does not count when it creates more traffic in the neighborhood.

I have to admit that I do have some issues with Ms. Clarke, especially since the FCCMP board (whose member I was at the time) placed an ad in the local newspaper, looking for a meal-site coordinator, a paid part-time position. I know that many people applied for the job, and at least some of them never received an answer. The job was granted to a good friend of Ms. Clarke who lives in the same neighborhood. This friend also worked at the Stoneleigh-Burnham School when Ms. Clarke was on the board of trustees, and one of Ms. Clarke’s daughters worked for the very same person. Needless to say, but I have resigned from the board, and, also needless to say, the remaining board members saw no wrong-doing (Note: At the time of that discussion, the board did not have a quorum).

It is also no secret that I have my issues with Ms. Clarke’s son whom she apparently helped to be accepted as a writer for the Greenfield Recorder. I, personally, find his writings repulsive, and I would like to have a long talk with the person(s) at the Recorder who favor(s) him over other citizens. In my very personal opinion, his writings are a slap in the face of every serious, professional reporter, who works hard to present facts, but does not receive the attention he/she deserves.

4. Another possible member is Larry Clark, owner of the local “Music Store.” Naturally, he sees any large retail store as a threat, and he engaged in extensive research on the “Walmart” issue (as he reported in the “My Turn” column) and the negative impact on communities who allowed “Walmart” into town. My turn is, as a serious business owner you don’t waste your time fighting windmills, in this case represented by capitalism (for instance, you make sure your website is up and running, which it didn’t today.) In fact, Mr. Clarke’s store will most probably go out of business as soon as or shortly after he retires. It would help him, though, if a Walmart was in town at the time, because then he can blame it on them. Otherwise, he’ll use the standard “bad economy” excuse.

5. My guess is that the owners of Baker’s Office Supply and the Wilson’s department store are on the membership list as well. Both stores are prime victims if a large retail store came to town, Walmart or not. They are the most vulnerable businesses in town, and especially Wilson’s has done close to nothing to counter such possible threats in a constructive manner (i.e. other than criticizing the “Walmart” prospect). I, personally, am surprised they are still alive.

Well, this is the result of my amateurish analysis, and I admit, I may be totally wrong about the “Coalition’s” membership. So, come out and show your faces if you dare!

Broaden the conversation

Let’s hear from these groups on proposed store

Maybe 5 minutes is too long for public comment.

Of course I’m being sarcastic, but once you give people 5 minutes to weigh in on a topic, you have now given them the license to become the authority on what is best in Greenfield.

Let me begin by changing the fear-infused moniker “big box store” to “retail development.” Each time I read the headlines or listen to the foes rail against the project, the words big box are meant to make us think we are the first in the country to have a large store.

Not once in my life has anyone asked me to go to the big box store.

I challenge the media outlets as well as anyone speaking to the Planning Board to begin using the words “proposed retail development.” Those who don’t will only suggest to me that they plan to keep the fear factor alive and well. Let’s remember, it’s only going to be a store or two.

I’m satisfied with the store staying at the proposed site. I really thought I should compromise and get on board with a smaller footprint, but the demands from the opponents grow weekly and I have come to realize they will never be happy. And unhappy or not, they continue to assert they know best as they speak for Greenfield.

I’m unsure why we spend so much time on consultants regarding traffic, economic impact and additional police resources if we are going to allow a group of residents to refute each point. If we aren’t going to believe any of the reports, then I have a few groups that would like to speak as well.

• Black Friday shoppers. These well informed and researched people would like to bring receipts showing not only did they purchase numerous holiday gifts, but some traveled out of town.
• Weekend shoppers. Again, these customers will bring receipts of purchases, gas, restaurants, movies and sometimes they even buy groceries while they are in Keene, Holyoke, Hadley and Northampton.
• Grocery shoppers. Although I believe Greenfield has cornered the market on food shopping possibilities, I hear talk of residents still shopping at Hannafords, Trader Joes and other stores where they happen to be shopping. They will also state that when they do stay in town, they find good choices as they had years ago when we had A&P, Harvestland and Giants. It has been wonderful that Greenfield never stood in the way as grocery stores came and went over the years.
• Historic shoppers. These folks remember Kings, Ames, Penney’s, Sears, McClellans, Mammoth Mart and Montgomery Ward in Greenfield. They will state that they shopped in town and then ate locally at the Corner Cupboard, Bill’s, Minuteman and Alberti’s. (Thank God it’s OK to have new restaurants) What is so special about historic shoppers? They can tell you about all the downtown businesses they shopped at once they completed their shopping at some of the more regional or national retailers.
• Voters. Residents voted numerous times to have a retail development in the French King area. They took the time to vote, sign petitions, attend meetings, put signs on their lawns and write letters to the editor. At some point in time, many have decided to go about their lives and shop outside of Greenfield – until the proposed store opens its doors.
• Internet shoppers. It may be hard to believe, but those UPS and Fedex trucks you see are not only adding to our existing traffic, but driving to some of our quietest neighborhoods.
• Shopper from out of town. Sorry to tangle these customers up in our mix, but it’s a reality that we are the hub of Franklin County. I’m 50 years old and remember making the trip to Mammoth Mart from Wendell on the weekends. As a child, it was a great trip to purchase popcorn and ride the horse while my parents shopped, but, it was more exciting that we would be heading to the downtown. Why? That’s where The Garden Theater, Brown’s Toy store and Western Auto were. Although the department store sold shoes and sneakers, we still had to go to Thom McAn or whatever shoe store on Main Street had real shoe experts who measured our feet.
• Angry shoppers. I wish I could say they don’t exist, but they do. These are the people who travel out of town but don’t have lots of time. Not all people love jumping in the car and hitting Interstate 91 in late August to get the school shopping done. These are parents who find out their child has decided to join the band, a play or some sport and it’s 6 p.m. Guess where they are going to get what they need?

For each month that this battle over the proposed retail development (come on, you can say it) continues on, it is another month people are traveling out of town, shopping on the Internet and taking money away from downtown Greenfield businesses. It’s also another month that leaves too many  young adults and others without opportunities for jobs.

It must be nice to the group of people who have deemed themselves the voice of Greenfield. Please take it down a notch since you are not speaking for me or plenty of other people.

Penny Rickets, a Greenfield resident, is a moderator of the penrick.com website and a pro-growth advocate.

Yesterday, I did the unspeakable yet again: My family and I drove to Northampton to shop at Walmart. In combination of getting gas at the Stop & Shop gas station ($2.17 per gallon) we saved in excess of $60 compared to shopping in Greenfield. As a result, we had a nice dinner in a fine restaurant… in Northampton, of course, not Greenfield.

For those who don’t know, we don’t have a Stop & Shop gas station in Greenfield, because that would create competition and would result in lower gas prices. However, economical principles, like the impact of competition, don’t work in Greenfield if you listen to the “Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future.” A Walmart in town would “facilitate poverty.” A Walmart in town would destroy small businesses in Greenfield including law offices, hairdressers, restaurants, plumbers, electricians, etc. You’ll have to ask the “Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future” for an exact explanation.

It seems, however, that we’re not the only family who shops at the Walmarts, Targets, Kohls, etc. out of town. The revenue lost to the town of Greenfield blows the mind. But, as I stated numerous times before, the politburo of Greenfield, Massachusetts, the “Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future,” composed of a bunch of wealthy residents, is not interested in improving life for the majority of Greenfield. All they do is pursuing a fight against capitalism (Really! I’m not making this up!), against any economical improvement in town. Their interest is their own personal well-being.

Let me quote Penny Rickets who wrote in the Greenfield Recorder today:

“It must be nice to be the group of people who have deemed themselves the voice of Greenfield. Please take it down a notch since you are not speaking for me or plenty of other people.”

Remember the Charlie Chaplin movie The Great Dictator?

I am reminded of the scene where the great dictator, Adenoid Hynkel, speaks in a dramatic, macaronic parody of the German language (reminiscent of Adolf Hitler’s fiery speeches), “translated” at humorously obvious parts in the speech by an overly concise English-speaking news voice-over.

Democracy is schtunk!

Freedom of Speech is schtunk!

Well, after reading today’s Recorder (Serving the people of Franklin County, Massachusetts since 1792) I have been educated that:

Voting is schtunk!

Let me quote John C. Yarmac III, a Shelburne Falls resident, from his “My turn” opinion in today’s newspaper:

Election day, Tuesday, Nov. 2, was, for me, like any other. As I am retired, I did not get up and go to work, something I really miss. And I did NOT go to the local polls and vote. After 70 years on this Earth studying and observing the world around me, I have come to the conclusion that the political act of voting is just a game. A game to make you, fellow Americans, feel good about having a say in the way our country is run. Well, folks, face it! We lost that game a long time ago.

- The Recorder, Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Life in this little town of Greenfield, Massachusetts never ceases to amaze me! For a while, I analyzed Mr. Yarmac’s writing to find a hint of humor or sarcasm and categorize it as a bad joke. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Basically, he goes on how elections do not turn out the results he would like to see.

I am sure his remarks will trigger more letters to the editor, explaining to Mr. Yarmac the pillars of democracy, pointing to the lack of alternatives, etc. But that’s not the point.

What we have here is a bitter, old man whose life did not turn out the way he wanted. The scary part is that he blames the government for his misfortune. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with being old. The problem is with old ideas that don’t work in today’s society.

My turn is: If you are young at heart, you don’t give up on life, regardless what your biological age might be.

I am also reminded of two people with whom I have a professional relationship. Joy J. Kaimaparamban, born in 1939, lives in the Southern state of Kerala in India. Peter Carroll, born in 1933, lives in beautiful Torbay in South Devon in the United Kingdom.

Just a few months ago I published Joy’s second novel “The Ayurvedic Healer,” and I am in the process of publishing Peter’s first novel “Queen of Misfortune.” Both men, while living on different parts of this planet, have learned to enjoy retirement and follow their passions, namely novel writing. During the initial contacts with both authors I estimated their age, based on their comments and the attitude they reflected, to be somewhere in the mid-thirties. Quite obviously, I was wrong.

Well, by the time I hit 70 I would like to be full of energy like Joy or Peter and enjoy life with a passion. I certainly wouldn’t like to be another John C. Yarmac III.

Before I go into more details, let me state that, just this last Friday, my family and I shopped at the Walmart in Northampton, a little over twenty miles South of our home – Now, take a few seconds, take a deep breath, and let this shocking statement sit for a little while… (For those who don’t live in Greenfield, Massachusetts: The public uttering of the “W” word may result in major repercussions if overheard by or reported to the Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future, a.k.a. the Greenfield Politburo.)

Yes, I spent roughly $130 at the Walmart in Northampton, Massachusetts. Right after, I filled the tank of our Jeep Grand Cherokee for $1.81 per gallon, which is $1.00 less per gallon than the local average. You get there by shopping at the Stop & Shop supermarket and pumping gas at the Northampton Stop & Shop gas station (Side note: The Greenfield Stop & Shop does not have a gas station; that would create competition and lower the local gas prices.) After the gas station trip we went into town (Northampton, not Greenfield) and had a nice dinner.

As long as we are on the reality side of life, let me continue: The Walmart trip saved us roughly $40 compared to shopping in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Add to this that there are certain items you can’t get in Greenfield, Massachusetts, but they have them at Walmart. Even if you can get those items in town, you need to go from store to store to find them, probably wasting as much gas as we did for the Northampton trip, not mentioning the time it takes to find them.

Add to the Walmart savings the $14 I paid less at the gas station. All in all, the savings paid for the trip (gas) plus a fine dinner.

Okay, now the switch to the delusional side of life:

Shop local. Of every $100 you spend in town, roughly 60% will remain in town. If you shop at Walmart, only 40+% remain in town.

Wrong! See above example of shopping in Northampton. The reality is: Shopping at Walmart left 0% (Zero!) in town. That’s a loss of 40…60% for the town of Greenfield, Massachusetts.

Shop local. Support local businesses.

Why? Really! Why? Why is it my responsibility to support local businesses? Why is it my responsibility to maintain the lifestyle of local business owners? Why should I support local businesses who fear competition and keep prices high? Why should I support local businesses who waste their energy complaining about the prospect of a big-box store in town? Why should I support local businesses without a business plan? Why should I support local businesses who neglect their responsibility as an employer? My advice: Stop the complaining and create a stable platform for your business!

Walmart is a threat to local businesses.

Wrong! If Walmart is a threat, it will only be to a very small number of local businesses, especially those without a real-life business plan. The fact is, the vast majority of small businesses in Greenfield, Massachusetts are not in the least threatened by a Walmart! The vast majority is represented by businesses like hair dressers, restaurants, law offices, contractors, and other services not covered by Walmart.

Walmart will increase traffic in town.

Well, maybe… The fact is, looking at the last 200 years, yes, traffic has increased and most probably will continue to do so. Walmart involved or not. Increased traffic would bring more people into town. Now, wait a moment… We don’t want more traffic, but we want to revive downtown… That’s confusing. I give up!

Walmart facilitates poverty.

What? Now we’re approaching the weed-smoking world… In the same sense, you can argue that an organization like the Franklin County Community Meals Program (FCCMP) facilitates poverty by serving free food, but let’s not get into this one…

Walmart treats their employees like dirt.

Not really… I am not in the business of defending Walmart’s employment policies, but if you want change at Walmart, you need to change the entire American society. Let me just refer to a single example: A good friend of mine works for the University of Massachusetts. Not only pays the U of Mass minimum wages; they also lay him off between May and September each year. Yes, there may be good reasons why they do that, but why is that acceptable and a job at Walmart isn’t? Naturally, my friend collects unemployment compensation each year…

Let me make a final statement: All arguments against a Walmart in town (if, in fact, it is going to be a Walmart) are maintained by people with a decent income, mostly, however, by wealthy residents annoyed by the prospect of increased traffic in their neighborhood or other reasons related to their personal well-being. These people are utterly unable to understand the concept of a less-than-$20,000 annual income to maintain a family of six. They have never been confronted with the hardship of paying for diapers or formula for a new-born, or they have conveniently forgotten about it. For instance, the local CVS keeps baby formula in a locked cabinet due to thefts in the past; you need a CVS employee to unlock it. Just get a grip on this one: People do steal baby formula!

I could go on, but what it comes down to is that the Greenfield Coalition for a Sustainable Future is out of touch with reality in Greenfield, Massachusetts. They are only interested in their own personal well-being and not, as they claim, the majority of Greenfield residents. In order to reach their goal they distort facts and use threats. A comparison to the Soviet communist politburo seems to be acceptable.

These days, everyone talks about free content. “Give it away!” they say, but does this really work? Well, yes and no. As with anything, there has to be a strategy.

Recently I was on my morning run through our neighborhood and I noticed a number of garage sale signs (that’s tag sale for those of you back east). One of the signs had a sign beneath it that read: We have free stuff! As I ran though the neighborhood I passed that house and noticed they put all their free stuff in the “Free zone” and already, even at that early hour, hoards of people were migrating there. I passed the other garage sales which were doing OK, but not great. Clearly the one with the free stuff pulled more people, but did it actually sell more paid merchandise? Yes. I checked in with the sale after my run to find most of the good stuff gone (note to self: shop first, exercise later). When I talked to the homeowner they said that the free stuff went fast, but as I noted each time I passed by, it wasn’t junk stuff, it was actually good enough to make the garage sale shopper feel like they got a real deal. If it’s junk and it’s free, it doesn’t really matter.

What’s the lesson here? Free stuff can help you sell more of the paid merchandise, but you have to be careful, because some people just want freebies and that’s fine. But they are not your customers. Here are some tips to help you maximize the use of free:

1. Why free? The first question you should ask yourself is why are you doing this? If you aren’t sure, then free might not be right for you. Free content should be offered to help further your message, build a list, and get new people into your marketing funnel. If your model isn’t set up this way, maybe it should be. If you aren’t interested in this kind of a marketing model, then free probably isn’t your thing.

2. Define how free can help: Figure out why you want to give free stuff. As I mentioned above, getting clear about your model will help determine if a free product is even worth your time. If it is, then you need to figure out how it will help you. As an example, we have a lot of free stuff on the Author Marketing Experts, Inc. site (www.ameauthors.com) but the free for us is designed to build trust. Distrust is rampant online, and in particular, in the book promotion and publishing industry. There are a lot of scams out there and so trust is important. Our free stuff builds our mailing list, yes, but it also builds trust.

3. Make sure it’s really free: A lot of people have content that is purported to be free when it’s not really free. What I mean is that you get a sliver of it, not even a piece really worth mentioning, but the stuff you want is something you have to pay for. If you want to do free, make it free. Find something of value and give it to your customers.

4. Make it something your end user wants: As I’ve mentioned a few times, make sure the free is something people want. If it isn’t you a) won’t bring in the right crowd of people (you’ll end up just getting the freebie hunters, and b) you won’t build your mailing list as fast. So, for example, give your readers something really substantial like an e-book or tips, or a workbook. Virtually any electronic product is easy to create and deliver. When I changed our freebie on the Author Marketing Experts, Inc. website, we quadrupled our sign-ups. So, what was the freebie? 52 Ways to Sell More Books. Now, as an author, isn’t that appealing to you? Exactly my point.

So, what if you’ve written a fiction book? Well, consider this: 83% of Americans want to write a book, so what if you gave them a free how-to guide? You don’t even have to create this yourself, you could partner with someone who has already created this. If you don’t like that idea, consider (for those of you in the historical fiction market) doing a did-you-know piece on the history you’re referencing in your book. The idea here is to a) give value, and b) give your readers something they will care about. Also, whenever possible, give your readers something they need to keep so it will remind them of you and your book: tip sheets, workbooks, reference charts. All of these things are pieces that your consumer may keep, which can keep you top of mind.

5. Take names: You should never give free away without asking for an email address. I see people do this all the time; they have a ton of free stuff but never collect emails. If that’s the case, the freebies you are offering may be of great value to your end user but they won’t matter to your marketing. Get emails. It’s called an ethical bribe. You get something (their email) and give them something (the free stuff).

6. Make it easy to get: Don’t make free difficult. What I mean is make it easy to get your free stuff. If people have to jump through hoops, they won’t do it and the free stuff won’t matter. For example – put your free stuff on your home page, or at least have a link to it, though I recommend using free stuff as an ethical bribe (as a way to get sign-ups for your newsletter). When you ask for their email, make it easy. A simple click or two is all it should take. Then, don’t ask for too much information. If you ask me for my address, birthday, and whatnot I doubt I will want your free stuff that badly. Shorten the staircase. If you make it complicated, it’s not really free. Just bait. If you bait your consumer in this fashion you’ll lose them.

7. Make the free stuff work for you: If you give away something, make sure that it works for you. What I mean is that when you get our free stuff, we always make sure and remind folks of who we are and what we do. For a while we had a free Twitter e-book that always went out with our product catalog imbedded in it.

8. Call to action: Make sure that your free stuff has a call to action. You are collecting names and email addresses and building your list, that’s great. But what do you really want people to do? Define what you want them to do, and then include your call to action in the free stuff. Let’s face it, it’s a good piece – designed to help your reader – but it must also help you. It’s ok to promote your book on the last page, or encourage folks to do a consult with you if that’s what you offer. You can also offer specials and change these periodically in the giveaway.

9. What will you give? People often ask me what you should give away, and I say, it depends: Who is your market and what do they want? Now, on our site you’ll see 52 Ways to Sell More Books, which is an e-book we offer when you sign up for our newsletter. Do our folks want that? You bet. Why? Because they are authors and authors want to sell more books. A special report or e-book always makes a great freebie, maybe you have a white paper that you did on the industry; if so, offer it as a freebie.

10. Follow up! The best kind of free stuff is, as I like to call it, the gift that keeps giving. Auto responders are a great system but often underutilized when it comes to marketing. If you are collecting names and then never contacting your prospects again, what’s the point? Our 52 Ways to Sell More Books is delivered over several weeks, and then when we’re done, we deliver more quality content. People need to be reminded, and reminded again. Now, you can also funnel folks into your newsletter as I mentioned earlier. I do both. We have the auto responder and the newsletter. Think it’s too much? Maybe, but our market wants information. Define what your market wants and then give it to them. If a newsletter and an auto responder is overkill, then scale it back. No one knows your market like you do.

The real key here is that free stuff can work well for you in so many ways, but free stuff without a goal is just free. Great to get free stuff, right? But then how is all of this hard work going to pay off for you?

If you still aren’t a believer of free, try it for 90 days and see if it doesn’t change your life. If you do it right, free will monetize your audience like nothing else will. The biggest reason is that in an age of pushing things on consumers, your audience really wants to sample what you have to offer before they buy. Free is a great way to do that. It’s also a great way to stay in front of your audience, build trust, and develop a loyal following.