As typical, business owners are being portrayed as "the problem." "If only the owner's would pay their workers a living wage...." blah blah blah.
How about the shop owners themselves? When you compute the per hour rate that many shop owners earn it is less than $2 an hour. During difficult economic times many shop owners forgo a paycheck so that they can continue to pay their workers.
Will The City of Northampton guarantee that the shop owners earn a "livable wage" by subsidizing their earnings? Will The City of Northampton step up and help the shop owner to earn $11.90 an hour when all the dust settles?
Who the devil are the Northampton City Council and fellow tofu chewers to ask that the nasty capitalist shop owners raise the pay of their employees when the shop owner's themselves make far less on a per hour basis? Who are these tofu chewers to ask that the capitalist shop owners take a PAY CUT?
What these mental midgets fail to realize is that if the shop owner agrees to pay the $11.90 an hour, and the shop owner does not want to be magnanimous and take a pay cut themselves, THE ONLY place that they can make up the increase expense of a "livable wage" is to charge more for their goods and services, thus driving prices up - and thus automatically reducing the buying power of the $11.90 hourly rate (assuming the money is respent back into the Northampton economy).
If The Northampton City Council, and fellow tofu chewers, are serious about living wages, why not ask the shop owners to pay their employees $100 an hour. Using their logic, this would create a HUGE economic boom in Northampton! Just imagine if everyone working in Northampton made $100 an hour and reinvested it back into the local economy! Again, using their logic, the cost of goods and services would remain the same and we'd all be rich!
Whooo Hoo! Call up Hugo Chavez! Call up Fidel and Raul Casto! Call up Kim Jung Il! Call up Obama! Little ol' Northampton has solved the pesky problem that all socialist countries have suffered from since the beginning of time! Why hasn't anyone thought of this before????

That is NOT discipline that is torture. Why don’t you try holding an 8 pound jug above your head for a half hour while kneeling down on a hard deck in 40 degree weather. Let me know how EASY that is for you and then tell me it's discipline. Remember this is a 10 year old child. It's called child abuse.

This journey for Adam has been one with many hills and valleys. Prayers have made so much difference as well as the kindnesses of so many people close and far away!
Through all the struggles, I am truly impressed with Adam's strong will and determination to heal and recover. His experience has certainly changed the way I approach each and every day or issue because whatever struggles I may experience pales in comparison. I hope one day Adam can write a book because I know he has lots to share. My prayers and best wishes to you, nephew!

There a many things Adam enjoys but a few include being around kind people, getting mail, parties & campfire chats and keeping & making friends. If you would like to send Adam a word of encouragement and kindness, please feel free to do so - I have his permission to provide his email address. Remember, his computer reads each word and digit - he cannot see well enough to read. Please NO SOLICITATIONS or MARKETING emails. Personal messages only.
Email Adam at: adamsviking@mydvox.com

Parents aren't allowed to discipline their kids anymore?? I'm SO glad I don't have to deal with that.

Cheryl Wilson's beautiful writing and accompanying photos show off this beautiful building to its utmost. I will always be special to us because we had our wedding reception there in 1955, with many photos to prove it. It is wonderful to see the building so tastefully restored and I pray that its new owners have many happy years in this piece of Valley history.

This idea is amazing! I am getting a poem a day from a local poet, and every day I am delighted to see a new poem pop up in my email. The writer "warned" us that quality was not a guarantee, yet that's not an issue. I'm thrilled by these touching - and fun - spontaneous poems. Its a great "investment" for a great cause - it can make a difference to many.

Protect,Cherish and Re-Energize downtown.... it needs a kick in the ass to put it back up in the rankings for a great, creative and powerful downtown. Downtown Northampton is/was a special place and it needs to go back to that. Support local shops, growers and the like.