More items in the old noggin

Is everyone following the strange case of bloated attorney Raymond Buso? (Any Stern fans out there?)

Something appears to be very wrong with this man right now. Did the owner of Rita's refuse him service or something? Attorney Buso was arrested after stealing two Rita's signs from inside the Museum Place Mall. His ridiculous explanation for this, after he was caught, was that he considers signs left on public property to be abandoned. Here's the rub ... the mall is private property. It's not owned by the city, so it isn't public property. Of course he knows this, and obviously his rationale, if he had one, was something else. He has since been accused of harassing this woman with intimidation.

Bloated attorney Raymond Buso

Bloated Attorney Dominic Barbara

Are we seeing our own Charlie Sheen style meltdown right here in Salem? Can we expect Christian Day to come to the rescue?
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Speaking of #Winning, Sheen binding ceremony participant Laurie Stathopoulos was in the news recently for getting into a fistfight during the Heritage Days Street Fair.  I've neglected this story so far because it's just too easy. Her claim is that another shop owner was taking her picture and wouldn't stop, so they brawled. Is this a continuation of witch wars II?

Am I wrong to think it's far-fetched to believe that the former pornstar Toppsy Curvey, who invited every media member on earth to watch her bind Sheen just a few months back has suddenly become shy? I mean, clearly she wants attention. Click (EXTREMELY NSFW, like the definition of it) here to see Toppsy (Laurie) displaying just how unshy she used to be. Why do I think she's had some reduction since then?

Speaking of witch wars II, stay tuned for a little inside account of the Christian Day licensing hearing. It's a doozy.


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The city has acquired use of that empty weeds lot on Derby Street next to the Hess station to use as a parking lot through the end of January. The intention is to alleviate downtown parking issues during the busy season, as well as additional snow emergency parking. When Patch first broke the story, there was much discussion about what would happen to the amusement rides that occupy that lot for the last two weeks of October. The Salem News is now reporting that parking will not be allowed for those two weeks, and the craptacular will remain. Those are among the two busiest weeks of the year in downtown Salem. The city should have found other accomodations for the rides. Josh Turiel suggested the Willows, which could boost the existing food and arcade businesses up there. It was exactly the outside the box thinking that makes him a formidable council candidate.

I have another suggestion. Why not put the rides on Michael Coleman's Common? It's used liberally in October, but really never more than about half of it at one time. Why not put these rides on the other  half for those two weeks? Obviously they'd have to have a fairly early shut down time at that spot, say 7PM Sunday through Thursday, and 9PM Friday and Saturday. Some will say that the Common Neighborhood Association won't allow it. I'll remind them that it is public land, and isn't owned by the SCNA. If they'd like to buy it, I'm listening.

I only have one other question regarding this new parking lot. How long before the "This space reserved for Shirley Walker" and "This space reserved for Marlene Faust" signs go up? Squeakiest wheels, eh? Some complain that this administration doesn't listen. If you're one of those people, how do you explain this feedback driven decision to go get more parking?

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Roost posted this article on their Facebook page. The basic gist is that you can look at several key indicators and know if a city is going places, or going nowhere. It included the chart I've included below. I added the caption underneath it myself.

                         Salem                                                                            Peabody

Shirley Walker compliments Murphy's?!

A reader pointed this article out to me.

It seems that Derby Lofter Shirley Walker is quite pleased with the new hillside plantings on the Murphy's patio. I've noticed them walking by and it is definitely a nice improvement.

I have to admit that I'm completely flabbergasted to see Shirley Walker praising anything that Peter Kelly and Murphy's does. This is the same Shirley Walker who not two years ago called the police and the mayor because Murphy's had a "Derby Lofts Appreciation Night" where they offered residents half-priced appetizers.

I wonder what went on to bring about this new peace. I have a friend who spent a weekend night at the Lofts recently and commented on how loud it was when the bar let out, so it's not that it is perfectly quiet now. Maybe the other residents who have and are selling at large losses have asked her to play well with others? Maybe she's just mellowed and accepts living in an urban downtown? Maybe there's hope for us all.

Good for you, Shirley!

Crime Watch

Check out the police log over at Salem Patch. Welcome back, Aubry. We missed you!

A couple just wow moments.

Fights between customers at both Wal-Mart and Target? Gives new meaning to "The High Cost of Low Prices." Blood! Ridiculous, people! There are enough Cadbury Eggs for everyone!

We also must ask, is Shirley Walker at it again? Apparently "someone" called the police because the Lobster Shanty had a band outside, as they regularly do from April through October. Nothing new. Please, let's have the downtown music debate again. That is SO much fun. /end sarcasm. So, where was Shirley at 3:30 on a Sunday afternoon when this complaint was made?

Spring is here III

In yet another sign of spring's arrival, preparations are underway for another season at the Lobster Shanty. Unfortunately for them, they just learned that their sound system has "died." After an off-season of no cash, they're a little strapped and are asking for assistance in purchasing a new one. All they want you to do is help "sponsor" the new system by purchasing a gift certificate. They're even doing a sponsor plaque that can have your name on it.

While I assume that the system died of natural causes, this news got me thinking. Does Shirley Walker have an alibi for when the system died, of natural causes I assume. She does, after all, have quite the history with downtown noise.

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.

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!

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?