Tag Archives: CNAG

06.10.14
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Racism is apparently alive and well in Centralville

Lowell Sun
LOWELL — Cities from Boston to Atlanta to Chicago have had fiberglass cows standing on sidewalks as part of a public art project, among other ways cities work to brighten their common spaces.
A city that touts arts contributions of its own, Lowell now has a similar project, except with homemade scarecrows.
About a dozen are now on city streets, mostly in Centralville, with at least that much more or as many as 20 more to come.
“What the community needs to be aware of is that we’re trying to build the community and have fun,” Beacon Street resident Heidi Miller said.

We’ve chronicled extensively in this forum that pretty much anyone or anything flies in Centralville. Everyone that is, except for the Crows. The local community is sending a very loud and visible message: if you have black feathers, generally spend your days loitering, have an ominous juxtaposition, and a track record of annoying people when they’re trying to sleep, then you’re not welcome in this neighborhood. “Go back to we’re you came from, Crows!” said on vocal fella on Bridge Street. “Our power lines are for sneakers, only!”
This shocking display of imagery drums up memories of the neighborhood’s dark past. Those who are old enough to remember can’t help but shake eerie similarities of the Great Purge of the Back Yard Chicken circa 2013. A time that triggered widespread condemnation from across the Global community. A time that still haunts the city’s image to this day.

PS. I suppose its tough to pick a favorite with Humpty Dumpty’s disappearance, but I find it difficult to believe that any is better than this Rita Mercier scare crow.   A wonderful tribute. Continue reading →

10.01.13
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CNAG Meet the Candidates Night…Where glamour politics go to die.

20131001-101601.jpgDoes it get any better than selling out for local city politics? Look at that crew sitting there. Burning a Monday night at Dom Polski, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to do their best to get another group of insane people (willing to burn a Monday night at Dom Polski) to clap for you. It’s a hell of a commitment.

I’m not sure how Mark was able to secure a press credential for this red carpet event, but I don’t ask questions. I just gleefully await his tweets. Here’s the recap and some of my thoughts if you weren’t able to clear your calendar:20131001-080947.jpg
Clutch performance by Marty Lorrey, fitting all his “favorite movies” in a 2 minute window. He’s a vet now. The Dom Polski crowd was no doubt impressed by that experience on display.

20131001-110616.jpg in keeping with his stance on local code enforcement, the local fire code at Dom Polski doesn’t permit the standard Fred Doyle entrance of lasers and dry ice smoke. Naturally he sat this one out.

Continue reading →

07.31.13
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SOFC apology to the Taliban

20130801-083545.jpgLowell Sun Column

Jack Mitchell, a member of the Centralville Neighborhood Action Group Board of Directors, has some explaining to do — at least to fellow board members. In a recent on-line comment, Mitchell mentioned the city’s neighborhood groups and the Taliban in the same sentence, as if they’re synonymous. His choice of words have left some neighborhood activists, including two prominent women from Centralville, searching for an explanation. – See more at: http://blogs.lowellsun.com/thecolumn/2013/07/29/angst-in-centralville/#sthash.9cb1A3EW.dpuf

It is a sad day. All these people lining up to declare how offended they are by droning blog commentary referring to hood’group leaders as “Lowell’s Taliban.” Folks that I didn’t even know existed, popping up demanding apologies. Well, I for one am disgusted. I haven’t heard anyone apologize to the Taliban yet.

Sure, it’s been a rebuilding season for the regime, but that doesn’t mean they’d appreciate being compared to the leaders of the Centralville Neighborhood Group. Aside from lower Bridge Street looking a bit like Kabul, there’s really nothing else in common.
I imagine the Taliban is largely indifferent about what you keep in your back yard…from fowl to mortars. And they would never let a couple of hens speak for the entire neighborhood (pun absolutely intended).

Since it seems nobody else is going to get around to it, I’d like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the Greater Lowell blogging community, to apologize to the Taliban for this ignorant, undeserving assault on their reputation. I can assure you, that as long as this Sheriff is on watch, it will never happen again.

Sincerely Yours,

Ned