Voter registration deadline for presidential primary: Wednesday 2/15

[ron_newman]

Massachusetts will hold a Presidential Primary on Tuesday, March 6. Here is the list of candidates for each party. President Obama is unopposed in the Democratic primary, but there are contests in the Republican and Green-Rainbow parties.

Next Wednesday, February 15, is the deadline for doing any of these things:

• registering to vote in Massachusetts for the first time
• changing the address where you live
• changing your party enrollment. If you are registered as a Democrat, Republican, or Green-Rainbow you can only vote in your own party's primary. If you are registered as "unenrolled", you can choose on election day which party's ballot you want to mark. You will remain "unenrolled" after doing so.

Here's information on how to register. City and town halls^* will be open until 8 pm on Wednesday, February 15 to accept registrations.

I guess we could run another DSLJ pre-primary poll like we did twice in 2008, but the results would probably be lulzy.

^*Cambridge voter registration is at 51 Inman Street, NOT at City Hall

Electronic Waste Recycling at Eastern Bank, Fri & Sat, 2/10-11

[ron_newman]

Eastern Bank in Davis Square will hold a free electronic waste recycling event this weekend: Friday fron noon to 5 pm, Saturday from 9 am to noon. You can bring these items:

Cell phones
Cameras
GPS units
Laptops
Keyboards
Mice
MP3 players
Inkjet and Toner cartridges

(no desktop computers, monitors, or printers)

All items are sent to Terracycle for recycling. Proceeds benefit Groundwork Somerville and Somerville Climate Action.

Medford public informational meeting on proposed service cuts and fare hikes tonight at 6:30pm

[zard.livejournal.com]

A little late, but I thought I'd post this since I don't see anything on it in this group. I know there are many Medford residents here. I don't think that this is a formal MBTA meeting, more just a place for reps and residents to discuss the proposals. The 96 bus is on the possible chopping block, as are both express buses.

"State Representatives Paul Donato, Carl Sciortino, and Sean Garballey and State Senator Patricia Jehlen are holding a public informational meeting on proposed service cuts and fare hikes for the MBTA. The meeting is taking place on Wednesday, February 8 at 6:30PM in the Council Chambers at Medford City Hall."

http://medford.org/Pages/MedfordMA_News/MBTA%20Proposal

Radiator knocking

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

I grew in an old home with hot water radiators, and sometimes there'd be loud annoying knocking. But we were always able to bleed out the air bubbles. After leaving home, I've lived in hot-air heated homes. Or with steam-radiators in college. Until now, where this old apartment building, with radiators I'll assume are hot water, has the loudest and most persistent knocking, and the landlord says basically "welp, it's an old building, nothing we can do". Is this normal for the area, and I should make sure to only live in differently heated places if it bothers me? Is there nothing they could do, or are they just too cheap to do it?

*googles* Apparently steam systems can knock, or "pound", too, due to water trapped in the system, lovely. I don't know which is more likely, given that at bad times I can feel the floor vibrate, and the floor up by one of the pipes seems damaged. (There's naked pipes running from floor to ceiling, so simply turning off the radiators doesn't help noise.)

The WFNX Mayoral Song Challenge Riiiiiiiiiiiiides Again

[tom-champion.livejournal.com]

UPDATE: TODAY'S SONG IS "HYSTERIA" BY MUSE
(Voter early, vote often)

On Thursday, February 9th, Mayor Joe is back in Lynn to defend his title in the WFNX "My Song is Better than Your Song" Mayoral Challenge.  This week's challenger is actually one of Joe's good friends, Mayor Thatcher Kezer of Amesbury.  He's a great guy, and Amesbury is a lovely town (it's only been a city since 1996, and then only technically -- it's small) but we still need to crush them.  It isn't personal; it's only business.

I therefore entreat you to take a moment tomorrow morning to uphold our civic honor in this meaningless yet strangely satisfying contest. By now you should know the drill:

Tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 9, please tune in to WFNX 101.7 FM at 9 a.m., wait to hear both songs, and then VOTE for our Mayor’s latest inspired choice by 9:30 a.m. (be sure to wait until voting opens after both songs are played!). You may vote by text, phone, or on Facebook.

Here’s how to vote:

Between 9 and 9:30 am:
1) Text the Word WFNX and your song choice to 22122
2) Call 781-595-WFNX.
3) Comment with your choice on the WFNX Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1017wfnx

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

looking for event space & possibly event planner

[artguychris.livejournal.com]

Looking for suggestions for an inexpensive (few hundred $$) event space for 50-75 people, bar, dancing, band or DJ, possibly food.  Somerville would be great if there's parking, but I'm OK with surrounding communities.  I'm looking for late April and every place I've tried is already booked :( 

I don't have much time to do this and am starting to freak out a bit as time slips away.  If anyone can suggest a reasonably priced event planner that can help, I'm all ears. 

Dante Club on Porter St requires a member to sponsor the event.  If anyone is or knows a willing member, drop me a line!
Dilboy VFW seems to be a crapshoot with their recent permit issues.
Arlington Elks - booked
Cambridge VFW - booked
Springstep - booked
I'm going to check a few more local VFW/Legion/Elks type places, but most have sketchy details & no pics on their websites.

Thanks!!

Chris