Representative Don Humason



DEFENDING TURKEYS By Representative Don Humason, Jr. November 24, 2007 I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving. If you are like most Americans, and like the original Pilgrims of old Plimouth Colony, you enjoyed a feast of turkey with all the trimmings. I was reading an article from “Worcester Living” magazine and found this interesting little article on Turkeys, entitled “Birds of a Feather.” "If you think of turkeys as dumb birds, think again. Ben Franklin favored the wild turkey over the bald eagle as a symbol of our nation. In a letter to his daughter, Franklin wrote, in part: "...I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen the representative of our country. He is a bird of bad moral character. He does not get his living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead tree near the river, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labor of the fishing hawk; and when that diligent bird has at lengths taken a fish, and is bearing it to his nest...the bald eagle pursues him and takes it from him. ...the turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America...he is besides, though a little vain and silly, a bird of courage, and would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British guards who should presume to invade his farm yard with a red coat on." Wild turkeys, abundant in Franklin's time, became extinct in North America in the early 1900s because of hunting and loss of habitat. Restoration programs gave the big birds a new lease on life. Today they're often seen in the woods - and backyards - of Central Massachusetts." And I would add Western Massachusetts. In fact, Janice and I have a large flock of wild turkeys living in the woods behind our house and we see them nearly every day walking through our backyard. I wanted to give you a Christmas tree update. The 65 foot Colorado Spruce tree that was cut down last Friday morning from the front yard of Ed & Joyce Mead's house in Westfield is now in place on the front lawn of the Massachusetts State House, high atop Beacon Hill, right on the edge of Beacon Street across from the Boston Common. It's all set up and the lights have been hung, but we're still waiting to hear from the Governor's office when the official Massachusetts Holiday tree lighting ceremony will be held. The day after Thanksgiving marks the official start of the Christmas holiday shopping season. Retailers call it Black Friday in hopes that all the sales of merchandise will put them in the black. These days, it’s followed up by what’s come to be called Cyber Monday, where shoppers go online (usually from their work places) and order Christmas presents via their computers. Right in time, the state Attorney General's Office has come out with 3 updated publications with a consumer focus: The AG's Guide to Retail Rights, The AG's Guide to Consumer Credit, and the AG's Guide to Landlord/Tenant Rights. These publications, and many others, are available on Attorney General Martha Coakley's website www.mass.gov/ago. The Massachusetts House of Representatives and State Senate, under joint rules, have recessed for our holiday break. In a whirlwind session lasting late into the night on Tuesday, legislators tried to hurry up and pass a number of bills that have been languishing in the legislative procedural quagmire. We will reconvene formal sessions in January. The House has taken nearly 235 roll call votes in 2007 (as well as numerous unrecorded voice votes). I am happy to report that I have been present for every vote and have not missed a single one. I am aiming for another 100% voting record for the entire session and so far I am right on target. Finally, I would like to say hello to the boys and girls in Mrs. Linda DiMartino’s 2nd grade class at Franklin Avenue School. I visited their class on Reach Out And Read day a few weeks ago and read the story “Ruthie and the (not so) teeny tiny lie.” Representative Don Humason and his new aide Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us
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DEFENDING TURKEYS

By Representative Don Humason, Jr.

November 24, 2007

I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving. If you are like most Americans, and like the original Pilgrims of old Plimouth Colony, you enjoyed a feast of turkey with all the trimmings.

I was reading an article from “Worcester Living” magazine and found this interesting little article on Turkeys, entitled “Birds of a Feather.”

"If you think of turkeys as dumb birds, think again. Ben Franklin favored the wild turkey over the bald eagle as a symbol of our nation.

In a letter to his daughter, Franklin wrote, in part: "...I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen the representative of our country. He is a bird of bad moral character. He does not get his living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead tree near the river, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labor of the fishing hawk; and when that diligent bird has at lengths taken a fish, and is bearing it to his nest...the bald eagle pursues him and takes it from him.

...the turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America...he is besides, though a little vain and silly, a bird of courage, and would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British guards who should presume to invade his farm yard with a red coat on."

Wild turkeys, abundant in Franklin's time, became extinct in North America in the early 1900s because of hunting and loss of habitat. Restoration programs gave the big birds a new lease on life. Today they're often seen in the woods - and backyards - of Central Massachusetts."

And I would add Western Massachusetts. In fact, Janice and I have a large flock of wild turkeys living in the woods behind our house and we see them nearly every day walking through our backyard.

I wanted to give you a Christmas tree update. The 65 foot Colorado Spruce tree that was cut down last Friday morning from the front yard of Ed & Joyce Mead's house in Westfield is now in place on the front lawn of the Massachusetts State House, high atop Beacon Hill, right on the edge of Beacon Street across from the Boston Common.

It's all set up and the lights have been hung, but we're still waiting to hear from the Governor's office when the official Massachusetts Holiday tree lighting ceremony will be held.

The day after Thanksgiving marks the official start of the Christmas holiday shopping season. Retailers call it Black Friday in hopes that all the sales of merchandise will put them in the black. These days, it’s followed up by what’s come to be called Cyber Monday, where shoppers go online (usually from their work places) and order Christmas presents via their computers.

Right in time, the state Attorney General's Office has come out with 3 updated publications with a consumer focus: The AG's Guide to Retail Rights, The AG's Guide to Consumer Credit, and the AG's Guide to Landlord/Tenant Rights. These publications, and many others, are available on Attorney General Martha Coakley's website www.mass.gov/ago.

The Massachusetts House of Representatives and State Senate, under joint rules, have recessed for our holiday break. In a whirlwind session lasting late into the night on Tuesday, legislators tried to hurry up and pass a number of bills that have been languishing in the legislative procedural quagmire. We will reconvene formal sessions in January.

The House has taken nearly 235 roll call votes in 2007 (as well as numerous unrecorded voice votes). I am happy to report that I have been present for every vote and have not missed a single one. I am aiming for another 100% voting record for the entire session and so far I am right on target.

Finally, I would like to say hello to the boys and girls in Mrs. Linda DiMartino’s 2nd grade class at Franklin Avenue School. I visited their class on Reach Out And Read day a few weeks ago and read the story “Ruthie and the (not so) teeny tiny lie.”

Representative Don Humason and his new aide Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group