Representative Don Humason



TRIVIA ANSWERS By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. October 7, 2006 This week I will give the answers for the Massachusetts Trivia Contest questions I posted in my column August 19. I think the questions must have been too hard this time because nobody got all the answers right. Massachusetts Trivia questions and answers: 1) How many counties are there in Massachusetts? 14, Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket. 2) What is the official state marine mammal of the Commonwealth? The Right Whale, adopted by the Legislature in March, 1980. 3) Who is the official state heroine? Deborah Sampson, who fought for the Continental Army in the War for Independence by masquerading as a man, Robert Shurtleff. The Legislature recognized her heroism on July 22, 1983. 4) What is the official state polka song? For all you polka fans in Westfield, the official state polka song is Lenny Gomulka’s “Say Hello to Someone from Massachusetts.” The Legislature adopted this on October 1, 1998. 5) Who designed the current Massachusetts State House? Boston architect Charles Bulfinch, in 1795. 6) How many Republican State Representatives and State Senators are there in the Massachusetts Legislature? 21 Republican Representatives and 6 Republican Senators. 7) How many Democrat State Representatives and State Senators are there in the Massachusetts Legislature? 139 Democrat Representatives and 34 Democrat Senators. There are a total of 160 Representatives and 40 Senators in the Bay State. 8) Name all the Republican and Democrat candidates for the Governor’s race this fall. Kerry Healey, Chris Gabrielli, Tom Reilly, and Deval Patrick. Of course now that the state Primary Elections have passed the 2 major party candidates are Kerry Healey and Deval Patrick. 9) What is the newly-designated official state sport of the Commonwealth? Basketball, adopted August 8, 2006. 10) The House of Representatives has a cod fish for a mascot and it hangs in the House chamber. We call it The Scared Cod. The Senate has a cod fish built into a chandelier in their chamber. What do they call theirs (with tongue-in-cheek?) The Holy Mackerel. Bonus question) When I read to young children in Westfield’s elementary schools, I sometimes read this famous story which is also the official children’s book of the Commonwealth. Robert McCloskey’s Make Way for Ducklings. Springfield’s own Theodor Geisel, known as Dr. Suess, was made the official Children’s Author and Illustrator by the Legislature on January 1, 2003, the first year I served as Westfield’s State Representative. If you want to peruse more Massachusetts Facts like these, go to the Secretary of State’s website www.state.ma.us/sec/cis. I’ll do more quizzes in the future. Sometimes you have to blow your own horn: I was recently recognized by House Minority Leader Brad Jones for having a 100% Roll Call record for 2006, having participated in every one of the 585 roll call votes held this year, casting votes on issues that included new benefits for veterans, additional aid for Westfield State College, and increases in local aid for Westfield. “Don’s perfect attendance this year is testimony to his dedication and commitment to being a constant and fervent advocate for the people of his district,” Jones said. “Don devotes a great deal of time and effort to being an active, involved legislator, and his constituents certainly reap the benefits.” Living so far from the state capitol it isn’t easy to be there for every single roll call. I try to make it my priority to be in the House Chamber to observe and participate in the debate and deliberations, especially on issues important to Westfield and Western Massachusetts. The voters of Westfield hire me to do a job. I believe maintaining a good roll call record is an important part of that job. Have a great week! Representative Don Humason and his aide Joe Wynn may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 443, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2460. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us * * * Please feel free to forward this column to your family, friends, and associates. If you do not wish to receive an email copy of my Saturday Westfield Evening News column, please reply and let me know. I will then take you off the list. Sorry for any inconvenience.
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TRIVIA ANSWERS

By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

October 7, 2006

This week I will give the answers for the Massachusetts Trivia Contest questions I posted in my column August 19. I think the questions must have been too hard this time because nobody got all the answers right.

Massachusetts Trivia questions and answers:

1) How many counties are there in Massachusetts? 14, Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket.

2) What is the official state marine mammal of the Commonwealth? The Right Whale, adopted by the Legislature in March, 1980.

3) Who is the official state heroine? Deborah Sampson, who fought for the Continental Army in the War for Independence by masquerading as a man, Robert Shurtleff. The Legislature recognized her heroism on July 22, 1983.

4) What is the official state polka song? For all you polka fans in Westfield, the official state polka song is Lenny Gomulka’s “Say Hello to Someone from Massachusetts.” The Legislature adopted this on October 1, 1998.

5) Who designed the current Massachusetts State House? Boston architect Charles Bulfinch, in 1795.

6) How many Republican State Representatives and State Senators are there in the Massachusetts Legislature? 21 Republican Representatives and 6 Republican Senators.

7) How many Democrat State Representatives and State Senators are there in the Massachusetts Legislature? 139 Democrat Representatives and 34 Democrat Senators. There are a total of 160 Representatives and 40 Senators in the Bay State.

8) Name all the Republican and Democrat candidates for the Governor’s race this fall. Kerry Healey, Chris Gabrielli, Tom Reilly, and Deval Patrick. Of course now that the state Primary Elections have passed the 2 major party candidates are Kerry Healey and Deval Patrick.

9) What is the newly-designated official state sport of the Commonwealth? Basketball, adopted August 8, 2006.

10) The House of Representatives has a cod fish for a mascot and it hangs in the House chamber. We call it The Scared Cod. The Senate has a cod fish built into a chandelier in their chamber. What do they call theirs (with tongue-in-cheek?) The Holy Mackerel.

Bonus question) When I read to young children in Westfield’s elementary schools, I sometimes read this famous story which is also the official children’s book of the Commonwealth. Robert McCloskey’s Make Way for Ducklings. Springfield’s own Theodor Geisel, known as Dr. Suess, was made the official Children’s Author and Illustrator by the Legislature on January 1, 2003, the first year I served as Westfield’s State Representative.

If you want to peruse more Massachusetts Facts like these, go to the Secretary of State’s website www.state.ma.us/sec/cis. I’ll do more quizzes in the future.

Sometimes you have to blow your own horn: I was recently recognized by House Minority Leader Brad Jones for having a 100% Roll Call record for 2006, having participated in every one of the 585 roll call votes held this year, casting votes on issues that included new benefits for veterans, additional aid for Westfield State College, and increases in local aid for Westfield.

“Don’s perfect attendance this year is testimony to his dedication and commitment to being a constant and fervent advocate for the people of his district,” Jones said. “Don devotes a great deal of time and effort to being an active, involved legislator, and his constituents certainly reap the benefits.”

Living so far from the state capitol it isn’t easy to be there for every single roll call. I try to make it my priority to be in the House Chamber to observe and participate in the debate and deliberations, especially on issues important to Westfield and Western Massachusetts. The voters of Westfield hire me to do a job. I believe maintaining a good roll call record is an important part of that job.

Have a great week!

Representative Don Humason and his aide Joe Wynn may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366.
Their Boston address is State House Room 443, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2460. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us

* * * Please feel free to forward this column to your family, friends, and associates. If you do not wish to receive an email copy of my Saturday Westfield Evening News column, please reply and let me know. I will then take you off the list. Sorry for any inconvenience.