Yet she was voted in again. Now all of Northampton will pay a hefty price for the choice that some made. I hope someone is keeping track of her undemoncratic decisions for the next election when she starts "tooting her own horn".

Thanks to the Hadley Police, State Police, and other agencies involved.

I don't personally know any prostitutes but it seems it wouldn't be their first career choice. So what you're saying is you want to tax and have society make money off someone's unfortunate situation. Real nice, not the society I want to live in.

Do your research? Buy a Vowel! Indeed, international organized crime syndicates are often involved in sex trafficking and prostitution. Why? Because it's very lucrative. And why is it so lucrative? Because of the antediluvian prudery of nations such as ours, which have outlawed it, thereby furnishing a generous revenue stream for the criminals.

If prostitution were legalized, the profit motive for these multinational criminal syndicates would vanish utterly. For all but the terminally hidebound hypocrites & moralists, this point is brutally obvious. Prohibition is an effective analogy; does one see organized crime involved in bootleg liquor these days? No? Why not? BECAUSE there's NO money in it. Since alcohol was made legal, the bootleggers could not compete with Seagrams or Anheuser-Busch.

Anyone who feels that consenting adults should not be allowed to sell sex is simply a prude, a busybody, and an authoritarian fool. Personally, I may find it really crass & distasteful, but that doesn't mean I want to interfere with someone's else right to their own body.

Prostitution is as old as civilization. It will never go away. It should be legalized, regulated and taxed. The fact is that this country is trillions of dollars in debt to the Chinese. The fiscal bottom line is that we can't afford this fatuous archaic morality anymore. It's as phony as a 3 dollar bill. We would all benefit through taxing this activity, & thus the criminals would be thwarted, and law enforcement and prosecutorial resources could be better spent toward interdicting violent crime, the exploitation of minors, and counterterrorism.

We have had geothermal for many years. The heating aspect of it is almost like an air conditioner in reverse. If you google it, you can find some pretty informative web sites. This article does nothing, as you have picked up on, to explain how it really works. But basically, the savings comes from not having to use fuel to create heat. The heat pump works as a compressor/condenser only, not as a source of heat (unless it is sub zero for over a week, then it provides back up). In any case, our electricity bills are extremely small.

""These aren't issues I can speak to," Foudy said, when apprised of the newspaper carriers' complaints."

Well this is your paper, so you better start speaking before your customers start communicating their complaints to you in other ways. I am sensing that there are many people who much rather cancel their subscriptions than to support this kind of misconduct towards your carriers.

I heard about the youth carriers being dropped but this is unbelievable. This is a longstanding newspaper with a historical basis in the valley. Sure economics are tight and papers are hurting in this financial climate but taking it out on the people who put the paper into actual readers' hands is ludicrous. Just shut your doors now Mr. Foudy. Like I am ever going to subscribe to your paper again. And if I could encourage all businesses who advertise with you to think about what this decision means in terms of doing business within the valley..the principle of a livable wage. I own a business and I have advertised consistently over time in the Gazette. If the Gazette keeps making these kind of decisions which effect all of us, our neighbors and friends, and our enjoyment of getting the paper delivered, all businesses should reduce and or cease their advertising commitments to this paper. They don't deserve our loyalty. They are showing no loyalty to their employees nor their readers. I just can't believe this is the choice this paper made to try to stay afloat. The Gazette management looks bad...but I give you credit for running the story....but it isn't PCF's problem....you chose them to manage the delivery of the paper....you knew what they were going to do....you know what you need to pay them to get it done...and the trickle down starts at the Gazette. SHAME ON YOU MR FOUDY!!!

I have read every blog in Standing in the Shadows at The Valley Advocate. While I thought I was always a good parent, albeit a very human one, reading these blogs truly helps me not only relate to many issues but learn about new ones. And quite frequently helps me feel supported which is essential for any parent. I feel as if I have a good friend who shares the ups and downs of parenting and the joys of motherhood, even though I live as far away as Florida. Not to mention that the bog is an example of excellent writing of which anyone can learn from. Bravo to Sarah and "Standing in the Shadows"!