OK, more radio silence, but there's a good reason this time.
The wife and I are on the road to being home-owners.
We found the house accidentally - we went to look at a house, found out the listing was actually for a condo (the ad didn't mention that), and as we left we noticed a house across the street was for sale. We'd not seen anything about it in any listing, so we did a little checking. We found a listing, but it was pretty vague - one exterior picture, almost no description, and an asking price.
After mulling it for a while, we requested a showing. We figured that if it was bad - and the lack of information had us thinking in that direction - it was just a little time out of our evening (this was the house I mentioned a post or two ago).
I was still pretty dubious as we got to the house, but we were pleasantly surprised. The rooms were of good size, and had good ceiling height (more important to me, I suppose). There were three bedrooms that were actual rooms, not two OK rooms and one closet with a futon. There's bonus space in a back room and in a front porch.
Of course, it's not perfect. There's no parking, the yard is small, and there's a fair amount of updating required. But street parking is generally available, I don't like to mow that much, and most of the updating is work even I can do - taking down wallpaper and paneling, mostly.
We've got a ways to go on this, and there's any number of things that could pop up and cause problems, but if everything pans out we'll be closing in six weeks. Keep your fingers crossed, think happy thoughts, and pray to whatever god(s) you're tight with for us!
27 July 2006
The wife and I are going to see a house tonight (our first foray past open houses, though if this house had ever had one we'd have just done that), which makes this an opportune time to comment on a recent Forbes article which named Essex County, Massachusetts - which is where we live - as the most overpriced region in the country. Go us!
The primary reason for this is the gap between real estate prices and income, which they see as a legacy of the dot-com boom, which they say fueled building (and tearing down and rebuilding), which elevated property values just in time for the bubble to burst. Incomes fell faster than prices, resulting in a lot of houses for sale and/or empty with no one to buy... at least at prices that would allow current owners to break even.
I will say that the house we're seeing tonight doesn't appear to have gotten any dot-com money thrown at it. At least based on the exterior, which is all we've seen of it.
Of course, buying a place and continuing to commute is getting more tenuous, as the commuter rail system is proving incapable of keeping up with demand - and the heat. Equipment shortages - engines in for repairs and coaches lacking air conditioning - were blamed for widespread delays out of North Station yesterday, including the transit version of hitting for the cycle - trains on all four lines delayed at the same time.
Even better was the announcement asking that riders waiting on the platforms return to the concourse "for safety." Only problem being that had they crammed into the concourse area (which is tiny), we'd likely have broken some sort of fire code.
Delays have become endemic, and the Globe reported today that the consortium that runs the commuter rail system is over quotas for both tardy trains and equipment out of service (in some cases at double the maximum allowed by their contract).
Given the increased need for public transportation in the face of the Big Dig problem - which is a whole 'nother topic - it's an incredibly poor time to appear - or actually be - incompetent. Especially when there's a fare increase afoot. Those should be fun public hearings.
The primary reason for this is the gap between real estate prices and income, which they see as a legacy of the dot-com boom, which they say fueled building (and tearing down and rebuilding), which elevated property values just in time for the bubble to burst. Incomes fell faster than prices, resulting in a lot of houses for sale and/or empty with no one to buy... at least at prices that would allow current owners to break even.
I will say that the house we're seeing tonight doesn't appear to have gotten any dot-com money thrown at it. At least based on the exterior, which is all we've seen of it.
Of course, buying a place and continuing to commute is getting more tenuous, as the commuter rail system is proving incapable of keeping up with demand - and the heat. Equipment shortages - engines in for repairs and coaches lacking air conditioning - were blamed for widespread delays out of North Station yesterday, including the transit version of hitting for the cycle - trains on all four lines delayed at the same time.
Even better was the announcement asking that riders waiting on the platforms return to the concourse "for safety." Only problem being that had they crammed into the concourse area (which is tiny), we'd likely have broken some sort of fire code.
Delays have become endemic, and the Globe reported today that the consortium that runs the commuter rail system is over quotas for both tardy trains and equipment out of service (in some cases at double the maximum allowed by their contract).
Given the increased need for public transportation in the face of the Big Dig problem - which is a whole 'nother topic - it's an incredibly poor time to appear - or actually be - incompetent. Especially when there's a fare increase afoot. Those should be fun public hearings.
21 July 2006
Book Log 2006 # 31: Bad Twin by Gary Troup
Bad Twin is a mystery novel whose author died in the crash of Oceanic Airlines flight 815, as seen on the TV show Lost. For those playing along, the book has been published posthumously, and while it claims to be a work of fiction with no basis in reality, it does mention the Hanso Foundation (among other people and entities that exist in the Lost universe), which has put together a negative advertising campaign against the book.
So we have a fake foundation taking out real ads to trash a real book by a fake author that claims all of its contents are fake but makes several mentions of the fake foundation.
And that's all outside of the actual book, a pretty standard mystery where a downtrodden PI is hired to track down the missing son of an extremely wealthy industrialist. But in the course of his investigation, many of the people he's talked to wind up dead, and he fears that death might catch up to him before he can complete the task at hand.
As far as the writing goes, it's adequate. I don't think I'd have picked it up were there no tie-in with the TV show. As far as that tie-in goes, you have the mentions of Hanso et. al, and it definitely shares some themes. And those numbers keep showing up. But even with all that, I don't know that I actually got any sort of insight or clues towards where the show will go next season, which I assume is the motivation for many people in reading the book. Then again, given how slowly the show is developing story lines, stuff from the book may become pertinent later. I just hope it's before, say, season five.
Bad Twin is a mystery novel whose author died in the crash of Oceanic Airlines flight 815, as seen on the TV show Lost. For those playing along, the book has been published posthumously, and while it claims to be a work of fiction with no basis in reality, it does mention the Hanso Foundation (among other people and entities that exist in the Lost universe), which has put together a negative advertising campaign against the book.
So we have a fake foundation taking out real ads to trash a real book by a fake author that claims all of its contents are fake but makes several mentions of the fake foundation.
And that's all outside of the actual book, a pretty standard mystery where a downtrodden PI is hired to track down the missing son of an extremely wealthy industrialist. But in the course of his investigation, many of the people he's talked to wind up dead, and he fears that death might catch up to him before he can complete the task at hand.
As far as the writing goes, it's adequate. I don't think I'd have picked it up were there no tie-in with the TV show. As far as that tie-in goes, you have the mentions of Hanso et. al, and it definitely shares some themes. And those numbers keep showing up. But even with all that, I don't know that I actually got any sort of insight or clues towards where the show will go next season, which I assume is the motivation for many people in reading the book. Then again, given how slowly the show is developing story lines, stuff from the book may become pertinent later. I just hope it's before, say, season five.
Book Log 2006 # 30: Brandenberg Gate by Henry Porter
You don't get too many Cold War thrillers any more - what with the fall of the Soviet Union and all - but that doesn't mean the genre is dead. Witness this book, in which an East German professor has to re-establish contat with a woman who lives in the West - a woman he knows to be dead.
The professor, like so many East Germans, has ties to the Stasi, and they want him to meet the woman to see what she's offering. He's reluctant, but when the Stasi throw his brother in jail, he's off to meet the dead woman. But is he working for the Stasi to get information, or for the West as a double agent?
Things unfurl from there, and with the story taking place in the fall of 1989, you get to play the story of the knowledge of what happened in real life. The two play out really well, proving that there is room in the current day for a trip down espionage's memory lane.
If you're a fan of LeCarre or the like, this should be right up your alley.
You don't get too many Cold War thrillers any more - what with the fall of the Soviet Union and all - but that doesn't mean the genre is dead. Witness this book, in which an East German professor has to re-establish contat with a woman who lives in the West - a woman he knows to be dead.
The professor, like so many East Germans, has ties to the Stasi, and they want him to meet the woman to see what she's offering. He's reluctant, but when the Stasi throw his brother in jail, he's off to meet the dead woman. But is he working for the Stasi to get information, or for the West as a double agent?
Things unfurl from there, and with the story taking place in the fall of 1989, you get to play the story of the knowledge of what happened in real life. The two play out really well, proving that there is room in the current day for a trip down espionage's memory lane.
If you're a fan of LeCarre or the like, this should be right up your alley.
Seeing Cooch's post reminded me that there's been an odd divergence in coverage of the tropical storm. Some news folks are pronouncing it "BER-ill," while others are going with "BURL." Unless we're talking about a singing snowman, I think the former pronunciation is better.
Not quite as momentous as "KA-tar" versus "GUT-er," but still.
Not quite as momentous as "KA-tar" versus "GUT-er," but still.
20 July 2006
It's not been easy to watch the Tour de France this year, what with so many major riders getting bounced and the lack of organization that made it look a little like the Pan-Mass Challenge at times. Throw in having to dedicate pretty much your entire night to watch the stage and even someone as normally addicted as me won't tune in.
Well, if you get the chance to watch tonight I'd suggest you do, as you'll apparently catch one of the great comebacks of the year, at least. You can read up on the details at any sports news outlet, but from following the stage on-line I think this one may need to be seen.
Well, if you get the chance to watch tonight I'd suggest you do, as you'll apparently catch one of the great comebacks of the year, at least. You can read up on the details at any sports news outlet, but from following the stage on-line I think this one may need to be seen.
19 July 2006
OK, which of these is oddest?
1. Jose Canseco pitches in the Golden Baseball League all-star game, gets one out gives up four runs.
2. Buck O'Neil - at 94 years of age - gets 2 at bats in the Northern League all-star game, and walks twice.
3. Garth Snow, backup goalie for the New York Islanders, retires - to become the team's GM.
Really, on any other day I'd be able to pick out the strangest of the three, but when they all come at once I lose perspective.
1. Jose Canseco pitches in the Golden Baseball League all-star game, gets one out gives up four runs.
2. Buck O'Neil - at 94 years of age - gets 2 at bats in the Northern League all-star game, and walks twice.
3. Garth Snow, backup goalie for the New York Islanders, retires - to become the team's GM.
Really, on any other day I'd be able to pick out the strangest of the three, but when they all come at once I lose perspective.
18 July 2006
Book Log 2006 # 29: Garbage Land by Elizabeth Royte
If you've ever wondered where your garbage goes once you set it out on the curb, this book will give you the answers. Royte spends her time tracking down where her waste goes, from riding with her local "san men" (workers from the NYC Department of Sanitation) to checking out landfills, recycling facilities, incinerators, compost sites, and even sewage treatment plants (for that waste that goes under the curb).
It's a pretty interesting trip, though it's pretty clear that most waste management execs would rather not talk to her (or any writer). It's pretty fun to see Royte's reaction to her own waste, from the ritual weighing of garbage to her increasingly futile attempts to recycle and compost.
At the end, the book somewhat negates itself by noting that, for all the work and concern that goes into addressing residential waste streams, the vast majority of waste (upwards of 98 percent) is commercial, which gets less public notice. So I was wondering a bit why Royte spent so much time following her pelletized poop when she could have been meeting with manufacturers who over-package products, but it didn't take too much away from the actual work.
I was also amused at times by Royte's reaction to the people she met - she seemed surprised at the coarseness of the san men, and seemed a bit too confused by why execs wouldn't want to talk to her.
Anyway, it's not a bad read.
If you've ever wondered where your garbage goes once you set it out on the curb, this book will give you the answers. Royte spends her time tracking down where her waste goes, from riding with her local "san men" (workers from the NYC Department of Sanitation) to checking out landfills, recycling facilities, incinerators, compost sites, and even sewage treatment plants (for that waste that goes under the curb).
It's a pretty interesting trip, though it's pretty clear that most waste management execs would rather not talk to her (or any writer). It's pretty fun to see Royte's reaction to her own waste, from the ritual weighing of garbage to her increasingly futile attempts to recycle and compost.
At the end, the book somewhat negates itself by noting that, for all the work and concern that goes into addressing residential waste streams, the vast majority of waste (upwards of 98 percent) is commercial, which gets less public notice. So I was wondering a bit why Royte spent so much time following her pelletized poop when she could have been meeting with manufacturers who over-package products, but it didn't take too much away from the actual work.
I was also amused at times by Royte's reaction to the people she met - she seemed surprised at the coarseness of the san men, and seemed a bit too confused by why execs wouldn't want to talk to her.
Anyway, it's not a bad read.
17 July 2006
Book Log 2006 #28: Doing Nothing by Tom Lutz
The lack of effort his 18 year old son puts into finding work, coupled with his own history of slack, leads Tom Lutz to take a tour through history to put those who mostly don't do anything into perspective. While the opening chapter is personal and quite specific, the following chapters take a broader historical perspective, giving examples of famed idlers through time and how they, as a class, we percieved by
their peers.
There's a pretty rich history of doing nothing, but I can't really tell you much about it after the 18th century, because that's where I stopped reading. I never really felt engaged with the book, and I'm not sure why. The material is interesting, and Lutz can certainly write. Maybe I just didn't find the historical material interesting enough. Or maybe it just didn't work with the start and stop pattern of commuter reading.
Anyway, if the topic sounds interesting it's worth a look. Let me know if you encounter similar problems with getting into the book.
The lack of effort his 18 year old son puts into finding work, coupled with his own history of slack, leads Tom Lutz to take a tour through history to put those who mostly don't do anything into perspective. While the opening chapter is personal and quite specific, the following chapters take a broader historical perspective, giving examples of famed idlers through time and how they, as a class, we percieved by
their peers.
There's a pretty rich history of doing nothing, but I can't really tell you much about it after the 18th century, because that's where I stopped reading. I never really felt engaged with the book, and I'm not sure why. The material is interesting, and Lutz can certainly write. Maybe I just didn't find the historical material interesting enough. Or maybe it just didn't work with the start and stop pattern of commuter reading.
Anyway, if the topic sounds interesting it's worth a look. Let me know if you encounter similar problems with getting into the book.
15 July 2006
Two things that have struck me over the last couple of days:
1. There's an interesting parallel between Mitt Romney taking over the Salt Lake City Olympics and using that as a springboard to becoming governor and his stepping in to oversee the whole Big Dig mess, which could clearly be a springboard to something else.
Not sure if anyone else has made that connection yet - I have to think so - but if not, I'm claiming it.
2. On a less serious note, from seeing the trailer for Cars it struck me that it's really an animated remake of Doc Hollywood. Think about it - a hotshot from the "civilized world" finds himself stuck in a town that got passed by when the interstate came through, falls for a local woman who's had some experience in the world but returned home, and learns from an elder the beauty of small-town life.
Consider as well that Michael J. Fox gets stuck in his town when he has an accident with his red sports car - which, coincidentally (or not) is what Owen Wilson voices in Cars.
I'm also not sure if anyone's made this connection yet, either, but with my luck both movies were written by the same person.
1. There's an interesting parallel between Mitt Romney taking over the Salt Lake City Olympics and using that as a springboard to becoming governor and his stepping in to oversee the whole Big Dig mess, which could clearly be a springboard to something else.
Not sure if anyone else has made that connection yet - I have to think so - but if not, I'm claiming it.
2. On a less serious note, from seeing the trailer for Cars it struck me that it's really an animated remake of Doc Hollywood. Think about it - a hotshot from the "civilized world" finds himself stuck in a town that got passed by when the interstate came through, falls for a local woman who's had some experience in the world but returned home, and learns from an elder the beauty of small-town life.
Consider as well that Michael J. Fox gets stuck in his town when he has an accident with his red sports car - which, coincidentally (or not) is what Owen Wilson voices in Cars.
I'm also not sure if anyone's made this connection yet, either, but with my luck both movies were written by the same person.
14 July 2006
Finally got around to seeing The DaVinci Code tonight, and it was as expected - a mediocre movie of a mediocre book. Not much to say in its favor, though I thought Jean Reno and Ian McKellen did pretty well in their supporting roles. The movie does allow for a more sceptical view of the "facts" around the whole Grail/Prior of Sion (Langdon is more skeptical, and we don't get Holy Blood, Holy Grail referenced as a scholarly work), and Opus Dei... well, they still don't come off too well, but there is some recognition that not all members practice mortification or shoot people. Even so, there's enough in the movie to engender the same complaints as the book in regards to both themes.
And while I wasn't all that intrigued by the character, I do have a greater appreciation for Audrey Tautou.
The previews were kind of a mixed bag. Saw the Miami Vice preview again, and had a few for movies already in release (which makes some sense, as if we've waited this long to see this movie, we're probably not going to get around to Cars or Click for another couple of weeks, if ever.
For upcoming movies, there were trailers for Casino Royale and World Trade Center. I'm more excited for the Bond movie than I suspected, I think based on the idea of it being a bit of a reset. Just as long as they now don't go back and remake the other movies; I don't think we really need another take of Moonraker. The World Trade Center trailer was pretty emotional, though I think it may be more approachable as a movie than the one on Flight 93 (mostly because the trailer says it's a movie about survival, so you know that someone's going to make it out). Nicolas Cage stars, so that could be an issue for some people.
And while I wasn't all that intrigued by the character, I do have a greater appreciation for Audrey Tautou.
The previews were kind of a mixed bag. Saw the Miami Vice preview again, and had a few for movies already in release (which makes some sense, as if we've waited this long to see this movie, we're probably not going to get around to Cars or Click for another couple of weeks, if ever.
For upcoming movies, there were trailers for Casino Royale and World Trade Center. I'm more excited for the Bond movie than I suspected, I think based on the idea of it being a bit of a reset. Just as long as they now don't go back and remake the other movies; I don't think we really need another take of Moonraker. The World Trade Center trailer was pretty emotional, though I think it may be more approachable as a movie than the one on Flight 93 (mostly because the trailer says it's a movie about survival, so you know that someone's going to make it out). Nicolas Cage stars, so that could be an issue for some people.
13 July 2006
Book Log 2006 #27: The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston
The man who made Ebola a household name in The Hot Zone brings dire warnings about a possible return of smallpox in The Demon in the Freezer, melding bioterror and the "eradiction" of smallpox into a pretty worrisome look as to what could be coming down the pike if we're not both careful and lucky.
The book uses the anthrax by mail attacks just after 9/11 as a jumping off point to discuss smallpox, which makes a certain kind of sense, but seemed a little forced to me. It's not the smoothest transition, at any rate.
If you've read The Hot Zone then you'll find this book pretty familiar, as it uses the same mix of past outbreaks and current research to paint its deadly picture.
I will admit that I was a little disappointed at the start that the book wasn't going to be about the research that went into trying to track down the anthrax mailers, but the story that did unfold was certainly interesting enough. It's probably not for the squeamish (which shouldn't be surprising if you know anything about how the disease progresses), and if you went out and bought six months worth of Cipro during the anthrax thing you may want to steer clear, as the book might put you back over the edge. Otherwise, I'd recommend it.
The man who made Ebola a household name in The Hot Zone brings dire warnings about a possible return of smallpox in The Demon in the Freezer, melding bioterror and the "eradiction" of smallpox into a pretty worrisome look as to what could be coming down the pike if we're not both careful and lucky.
The book uses the anthrax by mail attacks just after 9/11 as a jumping off point to discuss smallpox, which makes a certain kind of sense, but seemed a little forced to me. It's not the smoothest transition, at any rate.
If you've read The Hot Zone then you'll find this book pretty familiar, as it uses the same mix of past outbreaks and current research to paint its deadly picture.
I will admit that I was a little disappointed at the start that the book wasn't going to be about the research that went into trying to track down the anthrax mailers, but the story that did unfold was certainly interesting enough. It's probably not for the squeamish (which shouldn't be surprising if you know anything about how the disease progresses), and if you went out and bought six months worth of Cipro during the anthrax thing you may want to steer clear, as the book might put you back over the edge. Otherwise, I'd recommend it.
12 July 2006
Went to a sneak preview of You, Me and Dupree last night, and for going into the movie with no expectations I found it reasonably enjoyable. Glad I didn't pay money to see it, but didn't wish for the 2 hours of my life back, either. That's not something I expected to say about a movie starring Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson (Matt Dillon and Michael Douglas are also in it, but I have fewer reservations about them).
The wife even managed to win a hat and t-shirt for the movie by knowing that Owen Wilson has a brother named Luke. Which isn't much, as far as trivia goes, but it was better than the two questions asking you to name Hudson's mom (the preview was hosted by two radio stations, and their street teams apparently came up with their questions independently).
There was one preview before the movie - for Miami Vice. While I've not enjoyed the trend to remake TV shows into ironically-bent movies, I don't necessarily think that a remake that takes itself more seriously than the show is such a good thing, either.
Plus, there was no hint of the show's original theme music. And neither Farrell nor Foxx were wearing white suits with pastel t-shirts. So sad.
The wife even managed to win a hat and t-shirt for the movie by knowing that Owen Wilson has a brother named Luke. Which isn't much, as far as trivia goes, but it was better than the two questions asking you to name Hudson's mom (the preview was hosted by two radio stations, and their street teams apparently came up with their questions independently).
There was one preview before the movie - for Miami Vice. While I've not enjoyed the trend to remake TV shows into ironically-bent movies, I don't necessarily think that a remake that takes itself more seriously than the show is such a good thing, either.
Plus, there was no hint of the show's original theme music. And neither Farrell nor Foxx were wearing white suits with pastel t-shirts. So sad.
11 July 2006
OK, this weather thing has to get under control. The National Weather service has issued a tornado warning for my home county. The warning even noted that a funnel was spotted less than 10 miles from where I live.
I know, that's hardly worth mentioning in some parts of the country, but a tornado in coastal Massachusetts is about as common as a hurricane in Kansas.
I know, that's hardly worth mentioning in some parts of the country, but a tornado in coastal Massachusetts is about as common as a hurricane in Kansas.
10 July 2006
Thoughts from the weekend:
* I managed to put thoughts of rooting for France away when they flopped their way to the penalty kick goal that gave them their brief 1-0 lead (though I did savor the irony that Italy had their specialty used against them). I can't say I exactly rooted for Italy, though. Let's just say their win left me less conflicted.
* For those of you who did root for Italy, you may want to invest in Fox Soccer Channel now, as many of those players will wind up in the English Premiere League next season, given how match-fixing scandal will cause many of their current teams to get demoted all the way down to Serie C. To put this in US terms, it'd be like the Yankees spending 2007 playing in the Eastern League, but with most of their stars going to play in Japan.
* Do not taunt Surly Mean Zizou.
* I was somewhat surprised at the size of the crowd that assembled on City Hall Plaza in Boston to take in the final game. Not so much that there'd be people - showing the game on the plaza was a smart move to keep the North End from total gridlock - but that anyone would willing stand in the concrete-and-brick desert that is City Hall Plaza for 2+ hours in the middle of July. Better them than me.
* ABC has four years to find a better "A" team of broadcasters than Dave O'Brien and Marcello Balboa. It can't be that hard, can it? Seamus Malin isn't dead, is he?
* So it was an up and down weekend for France, sports-wise. Mauresmo wins Wimbeldon, and Frenchman Sylvain Calzati won stage 8 of the Tour de France. Unfortunately, Calzati was favoring Italy (as you might imagine from his last name). I'd say the odds that he gets pelted with rotten eggs and overripe wheels of brie during tomorrow's stage are about even.
* Unrelated to the World Cup, bug spray is often a good idea when you go picking your own berries. It couldn't have hurt this weekend. I still have bites that itch two days after the fact.
* On the same berry-picking trip I ran into two of my high school classmates, which was interesting given that they live in New Orleans and (I think) Florida. Also interesting is that both are married and have children. The things you learn after not seeing people for a while.
* I've now seen two houses in the same development in Beverly where the garage was converted into a beauty shop. Both were in ranch houses built in the early '50s that have the furnace in the kitchen and some of the more garishly-colored bathrooms I've ever seen. I will say the house we saw yesterday was probably the best of the bunch - it didn't smell like cat pee and had an in-ground pool in the back yard. Or, rather, the pool was the back yard.
Cuts down on the mowing, I suppose.
* With the renewed looking, you'd think we might actually be closer to buying a house. We're not. We did see a couple of places that were interesting (the ranch included, which is funny as neither of us are fans of the style), but prices still seem a little high given that most of the places will need work (in some cases considerable work). At this rate we'll be in a place in 2008.
* Not much else to tell from the weekend. Caught a bit of the New Hampshire PBS station's re-broadcast of The Civil War, which is always good TV. Otherwise, quiet across the board.
* I managed to put thoughts of rooting for France away when they flopped their way to the penalty kick goal that gave them their brief 1-0 lead (though I did savor the irony that Italy had their specialty used against them). I can't say I exactly rooted for Italy, though. Let's just say their win left me less conflicted.
* For those of you who did root for Italy, you may want to invest in Fox Soccer Channel now, as many of those players will wind up in the English Premiere League next season, given how match-fixing scandal will cause many of their current teams to get demoted all the way down to Serie C. To put this in US terms, it'd be like the Yankees spending 2007 playing in the Eastern League, but with most of their stars going to play in Japan.
* Do not taunt Surly Mean Zizou.
* I was somewhat surprised at the size of the crowd that assembled on City Hall Plaza in Boston to take in the final game. Not so much that there'd be people - showing the game on the plaza was a smart move to keep the North End from total gridlock - but that anyone would willing stand in the concrete-and-brick desert that is City Hall Plaza for 2+ hours in the middle of July. Better them than me.
* ABC has four years to find a better "A" team of broadcasters than Dave O'Brien and Marcello Balboa. It can't be that hard, can it? Seamus Malin isn't dead, is he?
* So it was an up and down weekend for France, sports-wise. Mauresmo wins Wimbeldon, and Frenchman Sylvain Calzati won stage 8 of the Tour de France. Unfortunately, Calzati was favoring Italy (as you might imagine from his last name). I'd say the odds that he gets pelted with rotten eggs and overripe wheels of brie during tomorrow's stage are about even.
* Unrelated to the World Cup, bug spray is often a good idea when you go picking your own berries. It couldn't have hurt this weekend. I still have bites that itch two days after the fact.
* On the same berry-picking trip I ran into two of my high school classmates, which was interesting given that they live in New Orleans and (I think) Florida. Also interesting is that both are married and have children. The things you learn after not seeing people for a while.
* I've now seen two houses in the same development in Beverly where the garage was converted into a beauty shop. Both were in ranch houses built in the early '50s that have the furnace in the kitchen and some of the more garishly-colored bathrooms I've ever seen. I will say the house we saw yesterday was probably the best of the bunch - it didn't smell like cat pee and had an in-ground pool in the back yard. Or, rather, the pool was the back yard.
Cuts down on the mowing, I suppose.
* With the renewed looking, you'd think we might actually be closer to buying a house. We're not. We did see a couple of places that were interesting (the ranch included, which is funny as neither of us are fans of the style), but prices still seem a little high given that most of the places will need work (in some cases considerable work). At this rate we'll be in a place in 2008.
* Not much else to tell from the weekend. Caught a bit of the New Hampshire PBS station's re-broadcast of The Civil War, which is always good TV. Otherwise, quiet across the board.
07 July 2006
I'm running into a problem trying to develop a rooting interest for the coming World Cup final - inasmuch as I don't want to root for the French, based on what I've seen of them and Italy in this tournament, I feel like I kind of should. I base this on being more entertained by France's play in games I've seen them in than those involving Italy.
If they just weren't going to be so insufferably French about it if they win...
If they just weren't going to be so insufferably French about it if they win...
Book Log 2006 #26: 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles Mann
I'd long since given up the idea that the Americas "discovered" by Columbus were some sort of pristine wilderness, but I was still somewhat unprepared for the information Mann presents to show that the pre-Columbian Americas were highly populated and pretty sophisticated. There's a lot of information here, and for a commuting read it can require a little time to get back up to speed.
Mann does spend some time in the post-Columbian Americas, both to demonstrate the impact of "discovery" and to use contemporary accounts to work back towards what areas would have been like prior to 1492. It's useful, but at times felt like it was going on too long.
While I wouldn't call the thesis of the book controversial, there are controversies in some theories and interpretations put forward by archeologists and other academics, and good time is given to those on the opposing side. This not only provides balance, but at times helps to underscore why the opposing side may be waning.
Overall, it's a very interesting book, but it was certainly more work that the usual fare I have on the train.
I'd long since given up the idea that the Americas "discovered" by Columbus were some sort of pristine wilderness, but I was still somewhat unprepared for the information Mann presents to show that the pre-Columbian Americas were highly populated and pretty sophisticated. There's a lot of information here, and for a commuting read it can require a little time to get back up to speed.
Mann does spend some time in the post-Columbian Americas, both to demonstrate the impact of "discovery" and to use contemporary accounts to work back towards what areas would have been like prior to 1492. It's useful, but at times felt like it was going on too long.
While I wouldn't call the thesis of the book controversial, there are controversies in some theories and interpretations put forward by archeologists and other academics, and good time is given to those on the opposing side. This not only provides balance, but at times helps to underscore why the opposing side may be waning.
Overall, it's a very interesting book, but it was certainly more work that the usual fare I have on the train.
06 July 2006
I was thinking about recapping the holiday weekend, but before writing anything went back to see what I'd written about July 4ths past. Turns out that, with the exception of last year's trip to New Jersey, my Independence Day was more like Bill Murray's Groundhog Day. Parade in my hometown, cookout at my sister's. All I need is "I've Got You Babe" on the alarm clock.
This year was no exception. And, really, I could re-post my 2002 entry pretty much verbatim. It wasn't as hot, and the parade had some minor changes, but by and large I spent America's 230th birthday doing the same thing I did when she turned 226, 227, and 228.
Like last year, though, we did get to go to a wedding over the weekend, this one for the couple whose engagement I learned of the previous July 4. The wife got to sit this one out, but I made the cut and was in the wedding party. No sari (or whatever the male equivalent is), but rather a tux with lilac vest and bow tie. I felt a little bit like Oscar Wilde. That aside, it was a festive and joyous occasion!
Not much else to add, other than I could get used to this three day work week.
This year was no exception. And, really, I could re-post my 2002 entry pretty much verbatim. It wasn't as hot, and the parade had some minor changes, but by and large I spent America's 230th birthday doing the same thing I did when she turned 226, 227, and 228.
Like last year, though, we did get to go to a wedding over the weekend, this one for the couple whose engagement I learned of the previous July 4. The wife got to sit this one out, but I made the cut and was in the wedding party. No sari (or whatever the male equivalent is), but rather a tux with lilac vest and bow tie. I felt a little bit like Oscar Wilde. That aside, it was a festive and joyous occasion!
Not much else to add, other than I could get used to this three day work week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)