Saturday, September 26, 2009

More Walker Wackiness

But of course, Shirley Walker is at it again.

Check out this Salem Gazette article.

I'm in the downtown area very frequently. not once have I ever thought of it as a combat zone. It never really seems on the verge of mayhem, either. Have there been incidents? Of course, it's a downtown with numerous nightlife options. Things happen. But combat zone? Mayhem? I must be the crazy one because I don't see it. Yup, that's it.

Currently, several units are for sale in Shirley's own building. If I owned one of those units I'd ask the condo board to censure her. Any prospective buyer who reads her comments will turn and run. Way to be a good neighbor, Shirl.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Derby Lofts moron update!

It just keeps getting better!

Since my original post on this subject, the owner of Murphy's held "Derby Lofts Appreciation Night" where he offered half-priced appetizers to Loft residents. Everyone's favorite Lofter, Shirley Walker, was angered and threatened by this offer and extension of good will, and decided to call both the mayor's office, and the Salem Police Department, because surely neither of them had anything better to do. Isn't that what most people do if they aren't getting along with their neighbor? No?

Now, was the offer meant sarcastically? Maybe. I don't know anyone affiliated with Murphy's so I really can't say. What I can say is that we have a wonderful little thing called the first amendment which protects free speech and expression. Additionally, doing something like this with poor intentions would show a real lack of smarts so shortly after being sanctioned. More likely, he was trying to promote some peace.

With someone as prone to complaining as Shirley seems to be, even that brings on complaints. A Salem Police sgt. was quoted by the Salem News as saying that although he asked Murphy's to remove the sign, he didn't see anything offensive or threatening in the sign. The owner of Murphy's is quoted at length, as well, about the fact that he attempted a legitimate promotion with the goal of smoothing things over and starting a dialogue with his neighbors. Unfortunately, those neighbors thought it was a better idea to call the police, and their buddy the mayor, rather than inquire about the promotion.

I defy anyone to read that article and explain to me how the real problem here is anyone other than Shirley Walker and her gang of bullies. I'm also struck by the fact that, just like in Quincy, it's always her name attached to these problems. I'm starting to believe that she's leading what is a very small minority of VERY vocal Derby Lofts residents.

Finally, the youtube videos posted by the Shirley Walker Downtown Neighborhood Association and filmed from Derby Lofts are also apparently an illegal breach of the state's wiretapping law. The camera was supposedly mounted on the roof of the building, but if you watch the video, it definitely appears that someone is holding the camera and in fact moves it out farther to get a better picture. I guess if you've violated the law you don't want to admit that you were doing it actively.

Congrats to Shirley Walker and her loft crew for being the first people saluted twice here for keeping it klassy!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Derby Lofts whiny morons

The next winner of the Keep it Klassy, Salem award is clear. The award has to go to Shirley Walker and her fellow Derby Lofts minions. These mental midgets have succeeded in hampering a new "DOWNTOWN" business because these "DOWNTOWN" residents failed to notice that they were purchasing overpriced lofts in the center of a "DOWNTOWN" even though they were heavily marketed as such.

Viewing the Derby Lofts website, you'll see the follow quotes, ostensibly from Derby Lofts residents.

"We liked the feeling of being downtown in the middle of everything."

"I can remember when Salem was a sleepy little town. There's a lot happening right now, so I'm glad to be a part of it."

So which is it? Do you want to be in the middle of everything, or did you not notice that your concrete behemoth is at one of Salem's busiest intersections, with a bar on one side, and a FIRE STATION on the other? Gee, do you think it might be loud there? Naw, and if it is, we'll just make the DOWNTOWN not a downtown. Everyone will go along, right? These freaks are so out of whack that they've even videotaped many citizens without their consent, whose only crime was going to a bar and having fun, and then daring to leave the bar.


The only silver lining to the Derby Lofts idiocy is that they are all losing their shirts. A review of recent sales even shows one resident who sold two years after they purchased at a loss of over $144,000. No wonder these are such angry individuals.

Back to Ms. Walker for a second. She is apparently a serial nightlife terrorist. You see, Shirley Walker used to live in Quincy. More specifically, she lived at Marina Bay, a designed mixed use area that features nightlife and retail, and touts itself as "Boston's premier waterfront entertainment destination." Care to guess which Marina Bay resident made an utter nuisance of herself complaining about the fact that the place was successful in realizing its mission? Of course it was Shirley Walker. She formed a "community organization" there to lead her complaints, much as she did here with the supposed "Downtown Neighborhood Association," which seems to only truly be open to Derby Lofts residents. Unfortunately even they seem fed up with her, as rumor has it that she has recently resigned as their leader.

So what could possess this woman, after her previous experience, to move here, into the middle of downtown? My guess is either she's starved for attention, or she's completely insane. You'd think that she'd move to a quiet, suburban neighborhood. But who would listen to her there? What's even better is that Shirley made her $428,700 mistake on 12/29/2005. I consider myself a newcomer to town, who hasn't really earned the right to complain about the way things have been since before I chose to move here, and I've lived here longer than that.

I've never been to Murphy's, the target of Shirley's vitriol, but I'll be sure to become a customer now. I suggest that we all honk every time we pass Derby Lofts, just so that Shirley has something new to complain about. Who knows what she'd do otherwise. Maybe try to silence the fire trucks.

Here is a picture, from the Derby Lofts website, of one of the units.



Notice a few things about this "loft." First, it faces BUSY, DOWNTOWN Derby Street. Second, as klassy as they claim to be, the lofts are in sight of the Point, arguably Salem's most uber-klassy neighborhood. Yup, that's the Point out the window. Finally, lets look at this unit. Wood floors, huge windows, and a concrete ceiling. Yup, lots to deaden noise, right? No wonder they're so quiet.

What ever happened to buyer beware?