First they had a $250,000 worldwide search for a new school superintendant (just to hire then current SHS principal Tony Sarno). Then they paid the chief of police his salary, in full, during a pending criminal investigation. Now my beloved hometown of Stoughton, zipcode to Ikea, Town Spa, and Alex's Gentleman Club, is being called the most "unpatriotic town in America" by their own fire department.
You seriously can't make this stuff up, folks.
(I only wish I had known that I was living in the most unpatriotic town in America back in the 90's - there's no way that I would've bothered to memorize all of those state capitols in 8th grade social studies.)
The town fire chief has been called to active duty service by the Air National Guard. By law, the only thing an employer has to do for a reservist is hold his/her position open during their deployment. The town of Stoughton agreed to go above and beyond by making up the difference between his military pay (approximately $47k/year) and his firefighter pay (approximately $64k). Additionally, they agreed to pay for his health insurance during his deployment to save him the hassle of getting enrolled in TriCare. The fire union is crying foul, arguing that the chief should receive his regular pay, plus bonuses, plus equipment stipend during his time in the Sandbox.
In all fairness, a lot of the firefighters probably graduated from Stoughton High, so I can attest to the fact that math may not be their strong point. However, when the town is $1.2 million in the hole, coughing up a salary for a fire chief that isn't in the country seems a bit ridiculous. Hundreds of thousands of reservists that have been deployed to the Middle East do not have generous employers like the town of Stoughton making them financially whole during their call-ups. I don't often agree with what happens in ToughTown, but I think that the Selectmen made the right decision here.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Is this now a 3 credit course?
Criticsrant.com has determined (how? I have no idea) that one would require a post college degree to understand this blog . Personally, I'm not 100% convinced that reading about scotch, Shaw's cookies, and parking wars in Southie requires a superior level of thinking. However, the fact that this same site determined that the nytimes.com is written for your average high schooler, yet pahkcah02 is post-graduate certainly makes me feel warm and tingly inside. If the NY Times ever decides to stop being a liberal rag I'll be more than happy to cut out some big words and freelance.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
I've Got Fives in Southie
The Globe did another article today on the space saving debaucle that's been going on in Southie since the horseless carriage emerged. Yesterday Mayor Menino ordered the Boston DPW to remove over 220 cones, chairs, and broken toilets that the colorful residents use to mark their territory. No one can ever accuse Hizzonah of not going out on a limb to befriend the natives.
Since the main Boston arteries must be free of all cars in the event of a snow emergency, the only people who are really affected by this are residents who live on side streets. If you spend over an hour shoveling out your spot (plus the sidewalk in front of your house, plus a fire hydrant, plus your elderly neighbor's walk because the majority of people who live in Southie are old school and courteous like that) then you are entitled to it, at least until the snow melts. Personally I'd be bullshit if I broke my back shoveling out my car just to find that spot taken by some jerk who couldn't find adequate parking on Dot Ave.
Leaving a cone out to remind everyone that if they take your spot you'll slash their tires may be archaic and mob like, but let's cut these folks in Southie a break. A lot of them own houses in these neighborhoods, pay taxes, and get very little in return from the city of Boston. In the grand scheme of things, a parking spot in front of their own home is not a lot to grant them.
Since the main Boston arteries must be free of all cars in the event of a snow emergency, the only people who are really affected by this are residents who live on side streets. If you spend over an hour shoveling out your spot (plus the sidewalk in front of your house, plus a fire hydrant, plus your elderly neighbor's walk because the majority of people who live in Southie are old school and courteous like that) then you are entitled to it, at least until the snow melts. Personally I'd be bullshit if I broke my back shoveling out my car just to find that spot taken by some jerk who couldn't find adequate parking on Dot Ave.
Leaving a cone out to remind everyone that if they take your spot you'll slash their tires may be archaic and mob like, but let's cut these folks in Southie a break. A lot of them own houses in these neighborhoods, pay taxes, and get very little in return from the city of Boston. In the grand scheme of things, a parking spot in front of their own home is not a lot to grant them.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Blame It On the Genes I Guess
I used to love thumbing through my grandparents photo albums. The old black and white photos chronicle the lives of relatives that had passed long before I was born. Aside from the 30's fashions and '40's hairstyle, one thing that always caught my attention is the fact that my female relatives (on both sides) were not particularly small people.
As a Jewish women of Eastern European descent, I always figured that my body was genetically altered for two specific purposes: to survive cold winters and to squeeze out tons of babies. Though I'm hardly a DNA guru, Reuters published an article last week that supports my hypothesis. So while I'll never be a supermodel, my forefathers high fat, high cholesterol diets did give me the ability to walk a mile to "uptown" Amherst wearing little more than a tank top in the middle of February. Bring on the matzoh balls!
As a Jewish women of Eastern European descent, I always figured that my body was genetically altered for two specific purposes: to survive cold winters and to squeeze out tons of babies. Though I'm hardly a DNA guru, Reuters published an article last week that supports my hypothesis. So while I'll never be a supermodel, my forefathers high fat, high cholesterol diets did give me the ability to walk a mile to "uptown" Amherst wearing little more than a tank top in the middle of February. Bring on the matzoh balls!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Home is Where the "Happy Haht" Is
I've been watching a lot of HGTV lately, mostly because I'm obsessed with the full screen 16:9 format of their HD. A lot of their programs are quasi-reality based, in that they feature a person or couple who feels that they need the help of a professional decorator. The decorator goes to work and by the end of the show they usually put together a room that's about as personal as a Westin hotel room.
I think that when most people move into a new place that they are pretty ambitious when it comes to personalizing their space. They envison clean, modern paint jobs, high end furniture, and stainless steel accents. After the paint has dried from the walls, they generally fall into their old pack rat habit. Shortly thereafter the place is cluttered with books, the walls are full of half-assed framed photos, and they end up eating all of their meals on the couch since the kitchen table is buckling from the weight of clean/dirty clothes. Spaces that people actually have the gall to live in? That's what I call home!
A lot of my friends have had multiple addresses since starting their careers. However, no matter how many time Queen Dee moves, I know that I can find a DNC collage, a personalized advertisement for WMD, and a picture of us taken to commemerate her first Puffton party. Nay is always kind of in transition, but that doesn't prevent her from proudly displaying her photos of Billy and Ella in a prominent place. I love that the Troll keeps everything in exactly the same place I would. I'm insanely jealous of Attorney Lee's book collection and I've spent more nights than I care to recall curled up under Mama T's Red Sox blanket.
I could go on, since I'm always impressed with the way that people take pride in where they live. Whether one travels to an inner-city housing project or a multi-million dollar estate, their guests are treated to a personal glimpse of the way people live their lives. It's pretty fascinating if you think about it.
HGTV never follows up with any of the homeowners who appear on their show but I definitely think they should. I think that more people would be happy if they knew that the people who lived in these freshly re-done home with their shiny appliances and expensive kitchen countertops still had a sink full of dirty dishes and smudge marks all over the fridge. As for those half-assed framed photos that would likely make their way back to the staircase wall? They're completely charming - don't change them HGTV.
I think that when most people move into a new place that they are pretty ambitious when it comes to personalizing their space. They envison clean, modern paint jobs, high end furniture, and stainless steel accents. After the paint has dried from the walls, they generally fall into their old pack rat habit. Shortly thereafter the place is cluttered with books, the walls are full of half-assed framed photos, and they end up eating all of their meals on the couch since the kitchen table is buckling from the weight of clean/dirty clothes. Spaces that people actually have the gall to live in? That's what I call home!
A lot of my friends have had multiple addresses since starting their careers. However, no matter how many time Queen Dee moves, I know that I can find a DNC collage, a personalized advertisement for WMD, and a picture of us taken to commemerate her first Puffton party. Nay is always kind of in transition, but that doesn't prevent her from proudly displaying her photos of Billy and Ella in a prominent place. I love that the Troll keeps everything in exactly the same place I would. I'm insanely jealous of Attorney Lee's book collection and I've spent more nights than I care to recall curled up under Mama T's Red Sox blanket.
I could go on, since I'm always impressed with the way that people take pride in where they live. Whether one travels to an inner-city housing project or a multi-million dollar estate, their guests are treated to a personal glimpse of the way people live their lives. It's pretty fascinating if you think about it.
HGTV never follows up with any of the homeowners who appear on their show but I definitely think they should. I think that more people would be happy if they knew that the people who lived in these freshly re-done home with their shiny appliances and expensive kitchen countertops still had a sink full of dirty dishes and smudge marks all over the fridge. As for those half-assed framed photos that would likely make their way back to the staircase wall? They're completely charming - don't change them HGTV.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Make Way for New Math
While visiting my fifth grade cousin in New Hampshire last year, she asked me if I could help her out with her math homework. She was having some trouble with long division and was hoping that I might be patient enough (ha ha!) to walk her though it. As I took five semesters of college level statistics, I assumed that showing her how to drop and carry numbers would be a cakewalk. After a half hour of demonstrating my 'skillz my cousin walked away and turned to her more mature seventh grade brother for help.
If you regularly hang out with school aged relatives, you've probably noticed that Investigations is sweeping the nation. Today's Washington Post did an interesting article on this hot new way to teach kids math. While Investigations is linked to better test scores, parents are outraged at the fact that they no longer can help their youngsters with their homework.
Back in my glory days of learning multiplication (circa 1988) my dad forced me to sit out and write out the multiplication tables a billion times, as did his father before him and his father before him. With Investigations, children are steered from memorizing columns of numbers in favor of understanding why 7 x 6 = 42 and not 108. Here's an example:
41 + 15
Old method: It's 56. Why? Because you stacked it together and figured out that 4 + = 5 and 1 + 5 = 6, therefore the answer must be 56.
New way (via the stringing method):
Take the second digit (in this case 1 and 5) and add them together:
1 + 5 = 6
Take the first digit, keeping the fact that this is a double digit, and add them together:
40 + 10 = 50
Take the two answers and add them together: 6 + 50 = 56
Working out a problem using Investigations is supposed to help kids excel in math, which will obviously turn them all into engineers and keep them out of prison. Kids at a very early age figure out whether or not they are a "math person" and the stigma certainly follows them for the rest of their lives. The truth is that memorizing tables doesn't work for every kid, and having an alternative such as Investigations may help those who learn differently. However, like educations fads of yore (remember Phonics?) I have a feeling that when I have children in the next decade or two, I'll still be able to help them with their math homework and not the other way around.
If you regularly hang out with school aged relatives, you've probably noticed that Investigations is sweeping the nation. Today's Washington Post did an interesting article on this hot new way to teach kids math. While Investigations is linked to better test scores, parents are outraged at the fact that they no longer can help their youngsters with their homework.
Back in my glory days of learning multiplication (circa 1988) my dad forced me to sit out and write out the multiplication tables a billion times, as did his father before him and his father before him. With Investigations, children are steered from memorizing columns of numbers in favor of understanding why 7 x 6 = 42 and not 108. Here's an example:
41 + 15
Old method: It's 56. Why? Because you stacked it together and figured out that 4 + = 5 and 1 + 5 = 6, therefore the answer must be 56.
New way (via the stringing method):
Take the second digit (in this case 1 and 5) and add them together:
1 + 5 = 6
Take the first digit, keeping the fact that this is a double digit, and add them together:
40 + 10 = 50
Take the two answers and add them together: 6 + 50 = 56
Working out a problem using Investigations is supposed to help kids excel in math, which will obviously turn them all into engineers and keep them out of prison. Kids at a very early age figure out whether or not they are a "math person" and the stigma certainly follows them for the rest of their lives. The truth is that memorizing tables doesn't work for every kid, and having an alternative such as Investigations may help those who learn differently. However, like educations fads of yore (remember Phonics?) I have a feeling that when I have children in the next decade or two, I'll still be able to help them with their math homework and not the other way around.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Shooting the Messenger
Fresh out of college at the tender age of 21, I landed my first job in sales. Part of the job involved wearing a suit, which my very demanding boss made sure we did regardless of triple digit temperatures or negative wind chill factors. About six months into my job a new baby-faced college grad came on board and assumed that a business professional dress code meant she could wear Doc Martens with her skirt suits. Needless to say, her shoe selection didn't quite fit with the image our company wished to project.
Playing the role of good cop, my boss demanded that I tell this new hire that her Doc Martens were not appropriate work shoes. It was a crazy position to put me in, especially since this girl's shod foot didn't effect my sales efforts a single bit. However, my boss was flat out scary, and I really didn't want to disappoint her by wussing out. For the next few days I wondered what I could possibly say to my colleague in order to tell her that her shoes were hideous without coming across as an asshole.
"Um....our boss wanted me to tell you that we are not allowed to wear Doc Martens"
"Dude, those shoes look ridiculous. Don't you own loafers?"
"Your shoes are flat out against this company's dress code!".
Since I couldn't figure out to tell her tactfully, I held off on telling her anything. A few days later something miraculous happened: my colleague came in wearing appropriate shoes. My response:
"Wow! I love your shoes! They go with your suit perfectly. You should wear shoes like that more often!".
The result? My colleague loved the compliments, my boss got what she wanted, and I got my point across. Sure the girl quit about three months later, but those Doc Martens never again graced the office carpets.
The moral of the story: it's not what you say, it's how you say it. Just one more way to spread love this Valentine's Day.
Playing the role of good cop, my boss demanded that I tell this new hire that her Doc Martens were not appropriate work shoes. It was a crazy position to put me in, especially since this girl's shod foot didn't effect my sales efforts a single bit. However, my boss was flat out scary, and I really didn't want to disappoint her by wussing out. For the next few days I wondered what I could possibly say to my colleague in order to tell her that her shoes were hideous without coming across as an asshole.
"Um....our boss wanted me to tell you that we are not allowed to wear Doc Martens"
"Dude, those shoes look ridiculous. Don't you own loafers?"
"Your shoes are flat out against this company's dress code!".
Since I couldn't figure out to tell her tactfully, I held off on telling her anything. A few days later something miraculous happened: my colleague came in wearing appropriate shoes. My response:
"Wow! I love your shoes! They go with your suit perfectly. You should wear shoes like that more often!".
The result? My colleague loved the compliments, my boss got what she wanted, and I got my point across. Sure the girl quit about three months later, but those Doc Martens never again graced the office carpets.
The moral of the story: it's not what you say, it's how you say it. Just one more way to spread love this Valentine's Day.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Canadian Entertainment: Brought to you by Celsius and Kilometers
Crack open your Molsons - the Canadians are coming.
With the Hollywood writers strike going on three months (though it's rumored they may ink a deal as early as this week), the letter networks have been looking north to satisfy our craving for original programming. Canadian hits The Border (CBC), Sophie (CBC), The Listener (CTV), and Flashpoint (CTV) have all been picked up for the Fall 2008 primetime schedule. After months of watching reality television and Netflix, I'll pretty much watch anything, including a full hour of Canadian dry humor.
If anything, the TV writers strike proved that modern American television is both a) uninspiring, and b) unoriginal. While there are certainly some popular and worthy shows out there, the majority of hits are reality television shows that require absolutely no creativity or ingenuity by television execs. With over 800 channels to choose from, I still count on the Big Three to produce entertaining, thought-provoking content. If our American television writers are not up to the task, I have absolutely no problem tuning my attention to Toronto.
Despite the fact that you can get from Boston to the Canadian bordertown of Philipsburg, QC on a single tank of gas, most of us are unaware of the fact that Canada even produces their own television shows. The folks at CBC/CTV are undoubtedly going to have to strip their hit shows of all national identity if they are going to capture a larger, more lucrative American audience. Personally, I'm pretty excited to watch them try. The bar for original programming on network TV is set fairly low to begin with. Should any of the four new shows catch on, it'll only be a win-win situation for audiences everywhere.
With the Hollywood writers strike going on three months (though it's rumored they may ink a deal as early as this week), the letter networks have been looking north to satisfy our craving for original programming. Canadian hits The Border (CBC), Sophie (CBC), The Listener (CTV), and Flashpoint (CTV) have all been picked up for the Fall 2008 primetime schedule. After months of watching reality television and Netflix, I'll pretty much watch anything, including a full hour of Canadian dry humor.
If anything, the TV writers strike proved that modern American television is both a) uninspiring, and b) unoriginal. While there are certainly some popular and worthy shows out there, the majority of hits are reality television shows that require absolutely no creativity or ingenuity by television execs. With over 800 channels to choose from, I still count on the Big Three to produce entertaining, thought-provoking content. If our American television writers are not up to the task, I have absolutely no problem tuning my attention to Toronto.
Despite the fact that you can get from Boston to the Canadian bordertown of Philipsburg, QC on a single tank of gas, most of us are unaware of the fact that Canada even produces their own television shows. The folks at CBC/CTV are undoubtedly going to have to strip their hit shows of all national identity if they are going to capture a larger, more lucrative American audience. Personally, I'm pretty excited to watch them try. The bar for original programming on network TV is set fairly low to begin with. Should any of the four new shows catch on, it'll only be a win-win situation for audiences everywhere.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Amazing Amazon
I am the type of consumer who researches every major purchase to death. Because I seriously need to know everything about the product that I'm buying (some may call it obsessive compulsive, I call it being a smart consumer), I generally turn to the user feedback on amazon.com. After all, if 400+ people either like or dislike a product so much that they are willing to share their opinion online, it's probably worth heeding their advice. Upon reading those posts I stumbled upon a bit about amazon.com's pricing policy.
Unbeknownst to most people, Amazon will price match your purchase 30 days from when it ships. I bought a TV back in January with a sneaking suspicion that the price of it would drop after the Super Bowl, which it did. Today there was a $65 difference between what I paid for it last month and what they're currently selling it for. After a phone call that I'm tempted to categorize as "extremely pleasant", they will be refunding the difference back to my credit card. While it doesn't quite eliminate the buyers remorse of buying something that I totally didn't need, it's certainly a great way to start my weekend.
Unbeknownst to most people, Amazon will price match your purchase 30 days from when it ships. I bought a TV back in January with a sneaking suspicion that the price of it would drop after the Super Bowl, which it did. Today there was a $65 difference between what I paid for it last month and what they're currently selling it for. After a phone call that I'm tempted to categorize as "extremely pleasant", they will be refunding the difference back to my credit card. While it doesn't quite eliminate the buyers remorse of buying something that I totally didn't need, it's certainly a great way to start my weekend.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Super Tuesday is for Lovers
I saw this on Beantown Caffe and thought it just about summed up Super Tuesday:
It's been a pretty interesting race so far, especially in the battle for the Democratic nomination. If nothing else, the uncertainty of this election will make for excellent blog fodder. DC/MD/VA vote next week - it's bound to get ugly out there.
It's been a pretty interesting race so far, especially in the battle for the Democratic nomination. If nothing else, the uncertainty of this election will make for excellent blog fodder. DC/MD/VA vote next week - it's bound to get ugly out there.
Monday, February 4, 2008
18-1
Reppin and KnitPurlMama were in touch last night, mostly to act like dicks about the fact that the Pats lost to the Giants. Most people tuned in last night pretty much assumed that New England was going to win, which means there are a lot of happy bookies this morning. In all fairness, New York played a better game, and therefore deserved to win over the fumbling, bumbling Pats.
I was at a Super Bowl party last evening that was graciously hosted by a couple of Giants fan. While they joked that no one besides Giants fans were allowed to sit on the "Giants couch", they were very cordial to opposing Pats fans. Most importantly, they made sure that we either had a beer or an artery-cloggin appetizer in our hands throughout the entire game.
For me, the Super Bowl is about getting together with friends and having a good time, regardless of whether or not the Patriots are even playing. One the eve of an election and an unpopular war in Iraq, the Super Bowl is the ultimate American religious experience. Football is the only American sport that transcends racial, economic, and religious boundaries. That's something definitely worth celebrating, even if it means having to deal with enthusiastic Long Islanders.
New England lost their chances for a perfect 19-0 season but 18-1 is still pretty damn good. Normally we'd have to wait for our revenge next season but with the Celtics holding the best record in the NBA and spring training just around the corner, Boston teams will have plenty of opportunities to seek revenge on our neighboring city rival. I think this may give me the opening I need to create a "Boston couch" of my very own.
I was at a Super Bowl party last evening that was graciously hosted by a couple of Giants fan. While they joked that no one besides Giants fans were allowed to sit on the "Giants couch", they were very cordial to opposing Pats fans. Most importantly, they made sure that we either had a beer or an artery-cloggin appetizer in our hands throughout the entire game.
For me, the Super Bowl is about getting together with friends and having a good time, regardless of whether or not the Patriots are even playing. One the eve of an election and an unpopular war in Iraq, the Super Bowl is the ultimate American religious experience. Football is the only American sport that transcends racial, economic, and religious boundaries. That's something definitely worth celebrating, even if it means having to deal with enthusiastic Long Islanders.
New England lost their chances for a perfect 19-0 season but 18-1 is still pretty damn good. Normally we'd have to wait for our revenge next season but with the Celtics holding the best record in the NBA and spring training just around the corner, Boston teams will have plenty of opportunities to seek revenge on our neighboring city rival. I think this may give me the opening I need to create a "Boston couch" of my very own.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Q & A with Pahkcah02
Ashley has left a new comment on your post "Geezers of '78":
I've commented before, but I felt compelled to comment again. I was reading through posts and discovered you went to UMass. Which campus did you go to? Did you like it? I'm going in the fall and I'm so nervous! No one in my family has ever gone to college, so I don't really know what to expect at all. :(
Wow... fanmail! Fantastic stuff, Ashley - thanks for reading.
Congratulations on being admitted to the UMass class of 2012! Getting into UMass is no easy feat, and I'm sure that your family is extremely proud of your achievement.
I spent 1998 - 2002 as an SOM student at UMass-Amherst, graduating with a degree in operations management. My decision to attend UMass was by far the smartest move I've ever made. While the classes were challenging, my friends were the ones who really made my college experience.
Going off to college as a freshman is a very scary thing. UMass campuses are huge and it's easy to get lost among the maze of ugly, concrete buildings. When you finally manage to find your dorm you are immediately paired up with a total stranger who you may or may not get along with. Snatched from a high school environment where I had plenty of friends, I personally found the first month of college to be a lonely, isolating experience. Luckily, the rest of my college career became the best four years a girl could ask for.
Statistically speaking, almost 2 in 5 of your classmates will not graduate from the UMass system in four years. Since college is not free, it should be a top goal to remain in the class of 2012, especially if you're paying for it yourself. If you haven't decided on a major, now is the time to start doing research. General Education Core Requirement (aka: Gen Eds) will also expose you to a variety of disciplines you may not have otherwise considered. Also, start brushing up on your calculus as the test you take at orientation may allow you to place out of freshman math.
The key to getting through college in four years is balance; in other words don't fuck up too bad. I count my lucky stars that camera phones did not exist or else I would have some pretty damning footage of my time at UMass. There's a lot of stuff you can do at college that will result in a criminal record, pregnancy, or both. Welcome to adult fraternity.
Now the fun stuff: you can study or intern abroad (I spent a semester interning at a dotcom in London for the same price as UMass tuition). You can join up with Habitat for Humanity over winter break, row for the crew team, run for Student Government Association, or host a weekly radio show. You'll be taught by brilliant professors, make amazing friends, and walk out four years later as an adult prepared to meet the challenges of the "real world". I look forward to buying you a drink at your first alumni club event.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
