Trick or Treater's so far:
1 - baby from Cambridge
15 - Gang of kids with very poor costumes from another neighborhood
3 - pretty girls in white dresses
Later...
a couple of clowns
a little spiderman
And, hey, check out a few of those moms:
a flapper in red, a vampiress and a cute mom with whiskers!
Even later...
Of the 100 pieces of candy we bought, only a few Almond Joy's remain.
We watched in shock as two little kids picked up the Almond Joy bars and then threw them back in disgust.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Go Pats!
If you key 'patriots' into your browser you get sent to http://www.patriots.com/
Hey, if you key 'redsox', you get taken to http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/index.jsp?c_id=bos
If you key 'celtics', you go to http://www.nba.com/celtics/
And if you key in 'ericrice', you go to http://www.ericrice.com/
Weird.
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Friday, October 29, 2004
GNN Exclusive: Bush Wanted To Invade
Bush Wanted To Invade Iraq If Elected in 2000:
Two years before the September 11 attacks, presidential candidate George W. Bush was already talking privately about the political benefits of attacking Iraq, according to his former ghost writer, who held many conversations with then-Texas Governor Bush in preparation for a planned autobiography.And then there's this:
“He was thinking about invading Iraq in 1999,” said author and journalist Mickey Herskowitz. “It was on his mind. He said to me: ‘One of the keys to being seen as a great leader is to be seen as a commander-in-chief.’
“He told me that as a leader, you can never admit to a mistake,” Herskowitz said. “That was one of the keys to being a leader.”
Be an MSNBC Journalist
Over at MSNBC they are looking for you to file stories for them to use on MSNBC blogs and broadcasts, Be A Citizen Journalist:
What have we been saying all along? Citizen journalism isn't bound by standard journalistic practices.
Big media is broken and we'd like to hear about your personal biases.
Try to remove your personal biases from the story, and do not overhype anything. If there are lines and frustrated people, for instance, that does NOT mean there is voting fraud. Mistakes happen. What we are looking for is the color and flavor of voting across the country, funny stories, mistakes, problems, but mostly the story of Election Day 2004.Hello?
What have we been saying all along? Citizen journalism isn't bound by standard journalistic practices.
Big media is broken and we'd like to hear about your personal biases.
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Technology is changing politics
The Personal Democracy Forum Blog points to Video Vote Vigil where they are asking for volunteer videographers to send them video of disturbances outside polling locations on Election Day.
I wonder if they'd like my video, 150 Feet, from the Massachusetts Primary as an example?
via [ Jeff Jarvis ]
I wonder if they'd like my video, 150 Feet, from the Massachusetts Primary as an example?
via [ Jeff Jarvis ]
World Champion Boston Red Sox
Red Sox win!
Who's going to Disney?
Schilling... joined Pedro Martinez and David Ortiz on the pitcher's mound to film their Disney World commercial.Hey, that looks like Jimmy Fallon.
Frolicking in the champagne-soaked celebration on the field with the team and hundreds of Boston Believers was ``Fever Pitch'' star Drew Barrymore, wearing a Red Sox jacket, refilming the finale of her baseball movie.Back in Boston the crowd didn't go ickey-balooky crazy:
Her co-star Jimmy Fallon and ``Tessie'' gal Colleen Reilly were spotted jumping up and down during the raucous post-party in the infield screaming ``They did it!'' at the top of their lungs. And in a bizarre case of art imitating life, the Farrelly Brothers' cameras were rolling when the last out was recorded and the Red Sox won their first World Series since 1918.
Some in the crowd were high-fiving cops; others chanted ``Don't shoot me'' in unison.Manny Ramirez says:
"We go out to have fun and we don't think -- we eliminate thinking. We have fun and pick each other up."
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
58,000 Votes For Bush
Postal Experts Hunt for Missing Ballots in Florida.
Those ballots will probably show up sooner or later.
They'll just all be filled out.
U.S. Postal Service Inspector Del Alvarez, whose federal agency is independent from the U.S. Postal Service, said it had yet to be determined if the ballots reached the post office.Don't worry.
"It's highly unlikely that 58,000 pieces of mail just disappeared," he said. "We're looking for it, we're trying to find it if in fact it was ever delivered to the postal service."
Those ballots will probably show up sooner or later.
They'll just all be filled out.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Objectivity is a false pretense
Gotham Chopra of INdTV says:
More impoartant to me is that we peel back some of the veneer that traditionally lurks in the media: i.e. the pretend objectivity that we proclaim so loudly. To me objectivity is a false pretense. It's a false promise on a false premise. Everything we see, feel, hear, know, happens within a certain context - social, economic, political, spiritual, etc...Right on!
I say - come out of the closet. Let us know who you support, why, and what for. Let it be part of the public discourse and debate. It's the only meaningful way of trading ideas and feeling sincerely inolved in this process.
Dick Cheney = Incompetent Hack
Dan Kennedy writes in this week's Boston Phoenix, The Cheney myth:
The veep’s reputation is that of ‘the evil genius.’ His record at Halliburton, though, reveals him to be nothing more than a corrupt, incompetent hack.
Monday, October 25, 2004
I LOVE The Office
Watch the video of David Brent's new release If You Don't Know Me By Now [ VIDEO ].
This video was part of the BBC America, The Office Special.
I laughed, I cried, I dread the US version
This video was part of the BBC America, The Office Special.
I laughed, I cried, I dread the US version
It's really live and things go wrong
Eric Olsen writes in Ashlee Simpson and the Joys of Live TV:
The sin wasn't that THE GREAT INDESCRETION OF LIPSYNCING ON SNL WAS REVEALED. All that was revealed is that she (Ashlee Simpson) was using a backing track to go along with the live band and lead vocals; her sin was that she didn't just take control, stop the band, tell the sound engineer to turn off the freaking backing track, and tell everyone to start over again. that is what a seasoned performer, a professional, would have done. She could have simply started singing the correct song and the band would have joined in one way or another. She let the system and technology control her rather than she controlling it.And here's the story of Elvis Costello on Saturday Night Live, which Ashlee should learn from:
Let me set the scene: the SNL announcer says: "Once again here's Elvis Costello" as the band launched into a slightly hyper version of "Less Than Zero". Elvis is wearing a grey jacket with a dark tie and a striped shirt, plus narrow-leg blue jeans. As Elvis reaches the line about "there's a vacancy waiting in the English voodoo" he stops short, not quite getting the word 'voodoo' out as he starts to turn, yelling frantically "Stop! Stop!" to the Attractions. The second "stop" is almost inaudible as he has his back to the microphone by this point. Having gotten the band's attention Elvis turns back to the audience and rather earnestly announces "I'm sorry, Ladies and Gentlemen, there's no reason to do this song here". He then turns back towards the band and says "OK, Radio Radio... 1, 2, 3, 4" and the band crash, slightly awkwardly, into the opening chords of "Radio Radio".
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Steven Tyler and Jennifer Garner
Party time in Beantown.
We were in Doyle's back room at the start of the game and when Steven Tyler came out to sing the National Anthem, the room fell silent.
Back home, one of the loudest roars came when we spied Ben Afleck and Jennifer Garner in the stands together!
Go Sox!
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Ortiz Not Girly Man
Jackie MacMullan writes in today's Boston Globe, Sweet dreams for Ortiz:
"Something with my swing was not right in Minnesota," Ortiz said. "I could never hit for power. Whenever I took a big swing, they'd say to me, `Hey, hey, what are you doing?' So I said, `You want me to hit like a little [girl] then I will.'via [ SOSH ]
Friday, October 22, 2004
Lie Girls
Lie Girls tell you what you want to hear....
"The economy is getting bigger and bigger.... It's soooo big!"
"We're the coalition of the willing!"
via [ Jeff Jarvis ]
Electoral Vote Count
What drives me crazy are the nationwide presidential campaign polls that say who is leading.
Since we are using the antiquated Electoral College to decide the election, you've got to pay attention to the Electoral Vote Count.
via [ Whine and Cheese ]
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Johnny Damon Rules!
Johnny Damon and his fiance Michelle Mangom celebrate the victory. Johnny Damon is engaged? Red Sox nation doesn't know which emotion to experience, joy or despair.
Pedro gets soaked while wearing the ugly T-Shirt which will become a hot seller despite it's poor design.
David Ortiz thanks the leader of the Red Sox, without whose help none of this would have happened, according to the post game interviews.
New York Post Covers.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
The Prohibition Party isn't for anything
The Prohibition Party is against a lot of things:
Against AbortionIf they're against it, I'm for it.
Against Commercial Gambling
Against the Homosexual Agenda
Against Commercial Pornography
Against Banning Prayer and Bible Reading in the Public Schools
Against Commercial Sale of Alcohol and Other Harmful Drugs
Citizenflicks for Kerry
Band of Citizens:
The Band of Citizens website uses sight, sound, and motion to bring to life the ideas we support. We want to make it easy for people to understand the issues and why John Kerry is the stronger candidate for President, and also easier for them to pass this information along to people who are undecided or unclear about what Kerry stands for.It's citizen's media for Kerry.
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Singing For Kerry
Last night these enthusiastic Kerry supporters took time away from watching the Red Sox to record a campaign song for Kerry/Edwards [ Video ].
Bill Simmons is a corpse
Bill Simmons: The surreal life at Fenway:
I don't have a central nervous system left. My head weighs more than Verne Troyer. My heart feels like somebody tried to make meatballs out of it. I can't think straight. I'm a corpse. I'm a walking corpse.via [ Boston Common ]
Monday, October 18, 2004
The Big Orgasm
That sexy ad for Overstock.com that I just saw during the Sox game got me to type their URL into my browser. This is the message I get.
I guess that ad is too effective.
This is broken
I submitted this to this is broken:
The elevators at the Loews Boston Common Garge have confusing labels.
The label names on the wall are inconsistent AND they don't match the labels inside the elevator.
Shouldn't it be B1, B2, B3, B4, B5?
You could always label B2 as cashier.
Once inside the elevator, B1 and B2 show up, but B1's label of Cashier is gone.
So if I'd gone into the elevator, thinking, "Go to cashier, Go to cashier, Go to cashier', I wouldn't know to push B1.
The elevators at the Loews Boston Common Garge have confusing labels.
The label names on the wall are inconsistent AND they don't match the labels inside the elevator.
Shouldn't it be B1, B2, B3, B4, B5?
You could always label B2 as cashier.
Once inside the elevator, B1 and B2 show up, but B1's label of Cashier is gone.
So if I'd gone into the elevator, thinking, "Go to cashier, Go to cashier, Go to cashier', I wouldn't know to push B1.
Half my face is numb
I just got back from my dentist, Dr. Fiorillo of Connelly and Fiorillo.
They recently remodeled their offices and now you can watch a flat screen TV with Bose headphones while you are having your dental work done.
That Ellen is so funny! Ha!
Now I'm going to have to schedule my denist appointments around the TV schedule.
Note to self: When the dentist asks you if your lower lip is numb yet, say yes. Otherwise he'll get out the big needle and fill you with so much novacaine that you won't be able to feel half your face.
They recently remodeled their offices and now you can watch a flat screen TV with Bose headphones while you are having your dental work done.
That Ellen is so funny! Ha!
Now I'm going to have to schedule my denist appointments around the TV schedule.
Note to self: When the dentist asks you if your lower lip is numb yet, say yes. Otherwise he'll get out the big needle and fill you with so much novacaine that you won't be able to feel half your face.
Sunday, October 17, 2004
Toyota Wheel Commercial
The music in the new Toyota Commercial, with a wheel rolling along, is by the band Fisher.
They say on their site:
They say on their site:
If you've been searching for the band that created the "Beautiful Life" song for the Toyota commercials you've found us. We will be releasing a full length version of the track on our next CD due out March 2005. We have also received word that because of the overwhelming amount of inquires Toyota has received about the commercial, they will soon make the 1 minute edited version of the song available for a free download at their site.
Saturday, October 16, 2004
Need a tradesman?
I was just Googling this guy who is doing some work for us and found him listed on the High Street Hill Association Tradesman list.
This looks like a good list of recomended tradesmen. I wouldn't have necessarily searched under the word 'tradesman', but the list looks like a good one since it's made up by people in the neighborhood and no money seems to be involved.
Kinda like my list of Boston's Best.
This looks like a good list of recomended tradesmen. I wouldn't have necessarily searched under the word 'tradesman', but the list looks like a good one since it's made up by people in the neighborhood and no money seems to be involved.
Kinda like my list of Boston's Best.
Friday, October 15, 2004
Squirrel-hunting season opens tomorrow
The squirrel watch was cute, but now it's war:
If you're a sportsman, you might be interested to known that the squirrel-hunting season... begins Oct. 16 in the eastern part of the state. Both hunting seasons end Jan. 1. Squirrel hunting is popular in some parts of the country, as is squirrel cuisine. Young squirrels are reportedly tasty when fried while older ones are better stewed.Die, Squirrel, Die!
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Mark Cuban's Manifesto
Over at Change This, Mark Cuban tells us all about Success & Motivation: from Joe Schmo to The Benefactor.
His life parallels mine, except for the billions of dollars.
His life parallels mine, except for the billions of dollars.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Kafkaesque and Orwellian
Kafka-Orwell 2004:
If you think American life and language in 2004 sounds like they have been lifted from the work of Franz Kafka and George Orwell, you’re not alone.
Here at Kafka-Orwell headquarters, we realized that if doublespeak, promotion of irrational fear, and upbeat "message discipline" in the face of troubling reality are what it takes to win the presidency, we might as well have true masters of the form – Franz Kafka and George Orwell – lead our nation for the next four years!
Print digital photos without a computer
I saw some really nice photos from the HiTi Photo Printer 730PS at last night's Boston Camera Club meeting.
Sharp.
What about the internets?
Dave writes about Kerry's decision making style in The Man Who KNew Too Much:
Maybe he should be using some type of internets to streamline his communication?
He has three dozen domestic policy councils, two dozen foreign policy groups, an expanding corps of consultants, and many informal advisers he calls -- about 15 per night -- before going to bed.15 calls a night?
Maybe he should be using some type of internets to streamline his communication?
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
San Francisco: Trip Report
Best Bets
The Expeience Music Project is a fun place to spend three hours. In addition to watching movies and learning about the history of music, you really can experience music here.
Upstairs there was a cool exhibit where you can learn to play the drums, keyboards and guitar.
Best Restaurants
Sears Fine Foods is the place to go in San Francisco for breakfast. Joshua took me here while we were at MacWorld, and I decided to go back. When I searched for the place on Google, it looked to me like it had closed down, but when we walked by, it was open! Get the stack of little Swedish pankakes. They rule!
Zibibbo.
430 Kipling Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Open kitchen. Loved it. Lots of little rooms. They make the food in front of you, if you choose to sit at the bar and watch.
A Tavola Restaurant
716 Laurel Street, San Carlos.
Another open kitchen. Another great place.
Gordon Biersch
They have the best fresh beers and pretty good sandwiches too!
The Expeience Music Project is a fun place to spend three hours. In addition to watching movies and learning about the history of music, you really can experience music here.
Upstairs there was a cool exhibit where you can learn to play the drums, keyboards and guitar.
Best Restaurants
Sears Fine Foods is the place to go in San Francisco for breakfast. Joshua took me here while we were at MacWorld, and I decided to go back. When I searched for the place on Google, it looked to me like it had closed down, but when we walked by, it was open! Get the stack of little Swedish pankakes. They rule!
Zibibbo.
430 Kipling Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Open kitchen. Loved it. Lots of little rooms. They make the food in front of you, if you choose to sit at the bar and watch.
A Tavola Restaurant
716 Laurel Street, San Carlos.
Another open kitchen. Another great place.
Gordon Biersch
They have the best fresh beers and pretty good sandwiches too!
California Wine Country: Sonoma and beyond
Sonoma
Ravenswood wins the award for having the coolest laid back dudes behind the counter. I went here expecting to dislike the wine, because I'd had it before and didn't like it. Guess what? They have more than one variety of red. Yup. All the labels look alike, until you take a closer look. Each label designates which vinyard the grapes come from. So if it says something like, 'California', then yhou know it comes from a bunch of different areas. That's the cheapest wine. Probably the one I had and didn't like.
Then you get to the wines where it says where the grapes come from, for example: Barricia or Big River, and those taste better. Note: those labels are narrower than the others. They cost more and taste better.
Arrowood wins the award for having the nicest guy behind the counter. He told us that the laws regulating the sale of wine over state line, like a wine-of-the-month club, are up for review in the Supreme Court this session. Massachusetts won't let wineries send wine to you in the state. All sales must go through a wine distributor. Pretty lame. I hope these restritions get shot down soon and would like to keep up on the case.
Imagery is just next to Arrowood and features artists on each label. This is a nice place to visit both for the wine tasting and for looking at the artwork. This is another winery where you can take your wine and relax and walk around while sampling the different wines.
Chateau St. Jean transports you to a villa in France. Very relaxing. There's a nice place outside in the garden to eat your lunch. We brough ours along, but you could buy one there too at their deli.
Healdsburg
Kendall-Jackson was the final wine on our trip and wouldn;t you know it, there wasn't a wine tasting charge! They also were happy to give us coupons for free tasings at other wineries. Do all the wineries have these coupons? I actually had a coupon for a free tasing here. While here we got a great suggestion for dinner, Charcuterie, 335 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg.
Next time we go to wine country we're going to concentrate on this area.
Ravenswood wins the award for having the coolest laid back dudes behind the counter. I went here expecting to dislike the wine, because I'd had it before and didn't like it. Guess what? They have more than one variety of red. Yup. All the labels look alike, until you take a closer look. Each label designates which vinyard the grapes come from. So if it says something like, 'California', then yhou know it comes from a bunch of different areas. That's the cheapest wine. Probably the one I had and didn't like.
Then you get to the wines where it says where the grapes come from, for example: Barricia or Big River, and those taste better. Note: those labels are narrower than the others. They cost more and taste better.
Arrowood wins the award for having the nicest guy behind the counter. He told us that the laws regulating the sale of wine over state line, like a wine-of-the-month club, are up for review in the Supreme Court this session. Massachusetts won't let wineries send wine to you in the state. All sales must go through a wine distributor. Pretty lame. I hope these restritions get shot down soon and would like to keep up on the case.
Imagery is just next to Arrowood and features artists on each label. This is a nice place to visit both for the wine tasting and for looking at the artwork. This is another winery where you can take your wine and relax and walk around while sampling the different wines.
Chateau St. Jean transports you to a villa in France. Very relaxing. There's a nice place outside in the garden to eat your lunch. We brough ours along, but you could buy one there too at their deli.
Healdsburg
Kendall-Jackson was the final wine on our trip and wouldn;t you know it, there wasn't a wine tasting charge! They also were happy to give us coupons for free tasings at other wineries. Do all the wineries have these coupons? I actually had a coupon for a free tasing here. While here we got a great suggestion for dinner, Charcuterie, 335 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg.
Next time we go to wine country we're going to concentrate on this area.
California Wine Country: Napa Valley
Best Wineries
Darioush - Brand new multi-million dollar tasting room. Just look for the tall Corinthian columns outside. Or maybe they are Doric. I'll have to look that up.
Once inside, there's comforatble seating for tasting the wines, plus a really cool wall of water. Located at 4240 Silverado Trail, Napa.
Robert Sinsky - Beautiful modern tasing room with free olives and nuts. Mmm, nice olives served on a beautiful bar.
S. Anderson / Cliff Lede - This is a brand new tasing room, with outside seating. There's also artwork on the grounds. The unique thing about this tasting room was that you could take one of the wines you were tasing out into the coutyard and sit under the sun while sampling the wine. It was a very relaxed atmoshphere compared to some of the ther tasing rooms where there was no where to sit.
Niebaum-Coppola - We went here twice. The grounds are stunning. There's a very interesting museum area devoted to the films of Francis Ford Coppola. They've also got a huge store there that sells wine and all kinds of neat little gadgety things.
Cakebread - The best tasting/tour in Napa! That's why you have to make a reservsation beforehand. The cool thing about this tour is that you get to learn the story of the winery as you walk through the premises and taste the wine. No boring talk about how the wine is made.
This was one of my favorite tours and wines!
Hess Collection - The modern art museum is the highlight here. The ride up to this winery is long and windy. No guardrails, so be careful of the steep drops on the road! Art is in the eye of the beholder. This was one my favorite things in the gallery.
Best Restaurants
Uva Trattoria
1040 Clinton Street at Brown
Downtown Napa
A great place to sit at the bar and split a meal. This restaurant was suggested by a local. Modern themed and casual.
Tuscany
1005 First Street
Napa, CA 94559
Tel: 707.258.1000
Right in downtown, one big open room, and open kitchen.
Darioush - Brand new multi-million dollar tasting room. Just look for the tall Corinthian columns outside. Or maybe they are Doric. I'll have to look that up.
Once inside, there's comforatble seating for tasting the wines, plus a really cool wall of water. Located at 4240 Silverado Trail, Napa.
Robert Sinsky - Beautiful modern tasing room with free olives and nuts. Mmm, nice olives served on a beautiful bar.
S. Anderson / Cliff Lede - This is a brand new tasing room, with outside seating. There's also artwork on the grounds. The unique thing about this tasting room was that you could take one of the wines you were tasing out into the coutyard and sit under the sun while sampling the wine. It was a very relaxed atmoshphere compared to some of the ther tasing rooms where there was no where to sit.
Niebaum-Coppola - We went here twice. The grounds are stunning. There's a very interesting museum area devoted to the films of Francis Ford Coppola. They've also got a huge store there that sells wine and all kinds of neat little gadgety things.
Cakebread - The best tasting/tour in Napa! That's why you have to make a reservsation beforehand. The cool thing about this tour is that you get to learn the story of the winery as you walk through the premises and taste the wine. No boring talk about how the wine is made.
This was one of my favorite tours and wines!
Hess Collection - The modern art museum is the highlight here. The ride up to this winery is long and windy. No guardrails, so be careful of the steep drops on the road! Art is in the eye of the beholder. This was one my favorite things in the gallery.
Best Restaurants
Uva Trattoria
1040 Clinton Street at Brown
Downtown Napa
A great place to sit at the bar and split a meal. This restaurant was suggested by a local. Modern themed and casual.
Tuscany
1005 First Street
Napa, CA 94559
Tel: 707.258.1000
Right in downtown, one big open room, and open kitchen.
California Wine Country: Copia
Copia is 501(c)(3) not-for-profit cultural center and museum whose mission is to investigate and celebrate the culture of the collective table through wine, food and the arts.
While at Copia, we attended a cooking class by Sharon Lebewohl, author of The Second Avenue Deli Cookbook. Sharon was the BEST at showing us how to make chicken soup!
This place was so cool. I'm sure it's different every time you go there. There were a lot of really fun interactive exhibits. I could have stayed inside even longer, but it was such a nice day, after about three hours we just had to get outside.
Monday, October 11, 2004
I'm at WZBC today
I'm back from my west coast vacation. It was a lot of fun. We hit San Francisco, Napa Valley and Seattle. I'll be posting some trip reports this week.
I tried to stay off line during the trip, to take a break from blogging.
One thing I did though, as you can see from my previous posts, was make one camera phone post per day.
I'll be at WZBC today helping out with thier fundraiser.
