Open Thread

[kz1000ps]

Hmmph, I scoff at the Challenger... too big, too clumsy, a design that blandly copies the original, awful interior... a distant third to the other two pony cars... something for someone who cares more about what the badge says and less whether it's actually well engineered or not.

[statler]

I'll agree with you that both the engineering and interior are well behind both the Camaro and the Mustang, and I like the retro styling on all three but I really think Dodge did a much better job of pulling off the retro look with the Challenger (but oddly enough completely screwed up the Charger).

http://autoanything.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/2010-chevy-camaro.jpg

http://2011-fordmustang.com/images/2010ford_mustang_1.jpg

http://www.dodge.com/shared/2010/challenger/gallery/images/ext/10_d_cgr_photo_ext_16.jpg

Yeah, the first two are better cars, but based on looks alone, I'll take #3 every time. I just wish they didn't have reputations for being redneck cars. :(

[kz1000ps]

but I really think Dodge did a much better job of pulling off the retro look with the Challenger

I guess we have different criteria for what's good design in a pony/muscle car -- I don't care for the whole retro thing, and the fact that the Challenger is nothing but retro (with zero new ideas thrown in the mix) leaves me cold. I mean, it's cool to hark back to your heritage, but there's gotta be something new to chew on too. This one looks exactly like the old, just fabricated out of cheep plastic instead of chrome and steel (don't forget vinyl for the roof!).

Another thing, the slab sides on the Challenger look decidedly un-agile compared to the sculpted, muscular flanks on the other two. Me like sporty and sexy curves on my cars!

[kennedy]

Camaro all the way.

[palindrome]

man, Celtics are killing me right now.

[statler]

I always thought we had a thread dedicated to cool maps. Guess not.

The Most Popular Photo Spots in the World's Most Popular Cities (http://gizmodo.com/5559037/maps-of-the-best-spots-to-take-photos-in-79-cities)

[tobyjug]

I like the way all 3 cars look. Test drove a Challenger, which seems to be just a shortened Chrysler 300 and is decently quick. Handling is ok. Decent space. Rented the Mustang for a couple of weeks when I was fishing in Florida. Entertaining. Killed the tires. Usual Mustang vice: short wheel base, poor rear suspension, dangerous in the wet. Spun it out a couple of times on dry pavement! I haven't tried the Camaro yet.

My favorite recent rental car: Fiat 500!

[statler]

I like the way all 3 cars look.

This surprises me. You are such a fan of old-school European sports cars I figured these would bore you.

[kz1000ps]

Usual Mustang vice: short wheel base, poor rear suspension, dangerous in the wet.

The only one of the three I'd truly consider owning is the Mustang (Camaro IMO is a bit too cartoony looking/trying too hard to be macho), but then that live rear axle is inexcusable in this day and age, so I might have to pass on the segment altogether.

PS: where did all the (semi-)affordable coupes go? Besides these you've got the Hyundai Genesis and little else.

[tobyjug]

This surprises me. You are such a fan of old-school European sports cars I figured these would bore you.

Oh, no. I take my pleasure where I can find it. It's true that the cars I've bought and/or kept tend to fall into certain categories. But if I had the space, here are some less pricey additions I'd make to the stable:

63-66 Buick Riviera
66-67 Oldsmobile Toronado
67-68 Cadillac Eldorado
72 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
68-70 Cadillac deVille convertible
Cadillac Allante
56-57 Lincoln Continental Mk 2
61-65 Lincoln 4 door convertible
69-71 Lincoln Mk3
Late 40 Willys Jeepster (in yellow)
53-66 International Travelall
Early 50's Chevy pickup
Late 40's Ford Pickup
Ford Model A pickup
32 Ford Deuce coupe with Lincoln V-12 flathead, 3 speed Columbia rear axle, moon discs and flames on front.

[kz1000ps]

Mopar never did anything for you?

[tobyjug]

The 50's Imperials are pretty hot. Any of the 300 letter cars in coupe or convertible form up to about 64. Maybe the Elwood Engle redesigned mid 60's convertible Imperials ("Golly Miss Jane, is that Mr Drysdale down by the cement pond?") Throw in a 56-59 DeSoto coupe, convertible or station wagon!

[tobyjug]

I always loved Mel Brooks because he had the right idea about evil: identify it, ridicule it, and make it so uncool that no one wants any part of it. But this (non-Brooks) movie project, I just don't know what to make of it:

http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/bollywood-film-focuses-on-adolf-hitler-and-eva-braun-romance/19509495

[Beton Brut]

Oh, no. I take my pleasure where I can find it.

Nothing beats an old-school Caddy with stacked headlamps:

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/8079/bettyqg0.jpg
Big Pimpin'

Though the "standard issue" model was a underpowered, I kinda dug this retro ride from a few years back:
http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/200609/2006-jaguar-s-type-r-25_1600x0w.jpg"]http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/200609/2006-jaguar-s-type-r-25_1600x0w.jpg

You ever take a spin in one of these, Toby?

The 50's Imperials are pretty hot.
http://automotivemileposts.com/auctions/images/imp1962crown4blue.jpg
Awww, hell yeah!

Any of the 300 letter cars in coupe or convertible form up to about 64.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a81/CanadaCraig/1959Chrysler300ERedGrill01.jpg
Looks mean. More Dick Dale and Dave Brubeck.

I need one of these:
http://www.7litre.org/images/800px-1966_Ford_Galaxie_7_Liter.jpg

A shame the folks at Ford didn't have the balls (or money) to launch this:
http://www.babez.de/lincoln/mk9/newtitel.jpg

[kz1000ps]

http://thephoenix.com/BMP/Boston/2010/NewAct/

The Boston Phoenix jus named my band Best New Act.......FUCK YEAH!!

Also, recording in Cleveland is wrapping up, and we should have a full-length album to show by summer's end!

[kennedy]

Nice job, looking forward to hearing the album. Any chance of a show in Boston before the end of the summer? Or a show in Columbia, Missouri sometime next year?

[statler]

http://thephoenix.com/BMP/Boston/2010/NewAct/

The Boston Phoenix jus named my band Best New Act.......FUCK YEAH!!

Also, recording in Cleveland is wrapping up, and we should have a full-length album to show by summer's end!

That's awesome kz! Congrats!

[Shepard]

I'm getting married today! To a perfect lady that I'm astoundingly lucky to have...

I wanted to wish all of you the absolute best for your families and loved ones... see you on the other side!

And PM me if you want to crash.

[vanshnookenraggen]

Congratulations!

[statler]

Congratulations Shepard!

[briv]

Congrats Shepard!

[palindrome]

Congrats! I hope you had an amazing day!

[kennedy]

Congratulations! Good luck!

[BostonUrbEx]

Congratz Shepard!!! :)

[tobyjug]

Shep, does this mean ArchBos will be gaining its 3rd female member?

[Shepard]

Possibly... but only if we add a subforum on the topic of Bravo reality TV!

[statler]

Shep what are you doing here?

I figured you would be getting busy.

[blade_bltz]

PICS NAO or it didn't happen

/internet joke

[kennedy]

Fuck Kobe.
Fuck the Lakers.
Fuck everything.

[czsz]

It helps to have the refs on your payroll.

Of course, it's a miracle the Cs got as far as they did with "keep that rock moving" as a grand strategy.

[blade_bltz]

As opposed to Phil's Zen Master strategy of "Be the rock"

... and when that fails, bitch about the refs?

[kennedy]

Part was the refs, but half the Celtics fouls were their own fault, especially in the fourth. And they got some pretty generous calls. It was terrible officiating all around. The Celtics lost the game because they looked like the regular season Celtics, come out on fire, and fall to pieces towards the end. Doc must be awful at halftime speeches.

[Lurker]

Anyone who doesn't think the officiating in the fourth quarter was as crooked as a Gehry building must not have been watching the same as I was.

[tobyjug]

Much as I love him, Ray Allen was as cold as one of the moons of Uranus. That was the difference.

[kennedy]

Yep. I honestly want to see the Celtics push to get Lebron. I think he'd be willing to take a pretty significant cut in order to play Kobe in the Finals.

Just think about it. They'd call them: LeBrondo.

[statler]

Well, at least the U.S. won again.

[kennedy]

I was going to say something like, "I don't like making excuses for teams." But after that non-goal for USA, and last night, I officially hate officials.

[Ron Newman]

Well, at least the U.S. won again.

Interesting definition of 'win'.

[statler]

^^ A better riff I just saw elsewhere:

United States ties Slovenia 3-2

[Lurker]

And now for something completely different:



A German student created a major traffic jam in Bavaria after making a rude gesture at a group of Hell's Angels motorcycle gang members, hurling a puppy at them and then escaping on a stolen bulldozer.


German police said on Monday that after making his getaway from the Hell's Angels club, the 26-year-old dumped the bulldozer, causing a 5 km (3 miles) traffic jam near the southern town of Allershausen, local police said. He then fled to his home nearby where he was apprehended by the police.
"What motivated him to throw a puppy at the Hell's Angels is currently unclear," said a spokesman for local police, adding that the student had lately been suffering from depression.
The puppy was now in safe hands, the spokesman added.


http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65E39Q20100615

[KentXie]

My worries is how to transition to a new team for the Celtics. Do you think Ray Allen would mine being relegated to the bench or split time with a young player? Same with Garnett. We need these guys to develop new young players to take the torch. Somehow, I hope the C's do bad next year OR trade up their draft pick so we can pick a potential superstar on the draft.

[kennedy]

Yeah.

Or go for LeBron. Please?

I don't think Ray or KG would mind being demoted to the bench (especially not KG). They could definitely act in a mentoring capacity, and be brought into the game as needed. The only issue that remains is whether or not they would be willing to take a pay cut more appropriate to their new roles. I would hope they are okay with it.

The NBA Draft is always risky. I'd try and find a big guy that can be developed rather than a superstar who is more likely to burn out quickly. If we want to sustain our success, we'll need to rely on some trades. Keep Rondo - potentially trade Perkins, Baby, or dare I say it, Tony Allen.

It's going to be an interesting off-season, to say the least.

[BostonUrbEx]

And now for something completely different:



A German student created a major traffic jam in Bavaria after making a rude gesture at a group of Hell's Angels motorcycle gang members, hurling a puppy at them and then escaping on a stolen bulldozer.


German police said on Monday that after making his getaway from the Hell's Angels club, the 26-year-old dumped the bulldozer, causing a 5 km (3 miles) traffic jam near the southern town of Allershausen, local police said. He then fled to his home nearby where he was apprehended by the police.
"What motivated him to throw a puppy at the Hell's Angels is currently unclear," said a spokesman for local police, adding that the student had lately been suffering from depression.
The puppy was now in safe hands, the spokesman added.


http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65E39Q20100615

Sounds like something from The Onion. Wow. lol

[statler]

http://i.imgur.com/54zHb.gif

[kennedy]

I'm seeing a show at the Middle East Downstairs this Thursday. Never been there. Never really been to see anything in a small venue like that period. What can I expect?

By the way, it's Theophilus London (http://www.myspace.com/theophiluslondon) and The Cool Kids (http://www.myspace.com/thecoolkids).

[tobyjug]

If you are short and deaf, stand near the front!

[kz1000ps]

I wouldn't call the ME downstairs small... it can hold about 400, which puts it solidly in the midsize range (at least as far as Boston venues go).

The only thing notable about the space is how low the ceiling is -- at the back of house or on stage, it's no more than 10 feet from the floor, which, combined with how wide and long the place is, gives it (or at least me) a claustrophobic feeling.

Also, it's got a good setup with two big bars on each side, so getting drinks usually isn't a problem.

[kennedy]

So, arriving a little later and missing out on a spot towards the front is bad idea?

As nice as having two bars on the sides sound, it's an all ages show and I'm not of drinking age, so I doubt they'll be serving much of anything.

[tobyjug]

I dunno man, its all about preference I guess.

I have to wear ear plugs near the amps now so it isn't loud enough, usually don't like the way anything is mixed, and hate music thru house PAs. In other words I am a cranky old man with tinnitus.

Just get there when you feel like it and have fun!

[statler]

Toby, are you the only lawyer with a sense of humor (http://www.thinkgeek.com/blog/2010/06/officially-our-bestever-cease.html?icpg=pbfiasco)?

[kennedy]

Like: the Soccer Ball Vuvuzela button on select YouTube videos.

[kz1000ps]

Just want this on the new page cuz I like it so much:

http://i.imgur.com/54zHb.gif

[tobyjug]

Did you hear that BP fixed the oil well?

They put a wedding ring on it and it stopped putting out.

[kennedy]

Brilliance.

Also, the Cookie Monster was definitely my favorite Sesame St. character.

[BostonUrbEx]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l4jet93OB81qcp395o1_500.jpg

[czsz]

Is this some ironic commentary on the obsolescence of rail?

[BostonUrbEx]

No, just people on Tumblr making fun of hipsters' photos that they find on Flickr.

I guess you could interpret it as saying the rail industry is dieing, as well, though.

[kennedy]

Infinity! Horizons! Potential! Optimism!

Hooray for word associations!

[Lurker]

http://www.scotuswiki.com/index.php?title=McDonald_v._City_of_Chicago
(http://www.scotuswiki.com/index.php?title=McDonald_v._City_of_Chicago)
Now that the US Supreme Court has determined that 2nd amendment applies not only to the Federal Government, but state and local governments as well, a little light reading for all you crazy kids.

How to strip your baby (http://www.ep.tc/problems/25/index.html)

[tobyjug]

Lurker,
Your AK was a little more infantry friendly.

[kennedy]

So...now states can't individually rule that gun ownership is illegal or otherwise restricted? I am terrible at understanding legal issues. That wiki page looked like gibberish.

[statler]

http://www.nypost.com/rw/nypost/2010/06/29/news/photos_galleries/g_russian_spy/anna_chapman_facebook09083302--350x600.jpg

This is why I could never be trusted with any kind of national security information.

[vanshnookenraggen]

Yep, I would let all my secrets out.


Which would probably ruin Russia since I don't know shit.

[Lurker]

Lurker,
Your AK was a little more infantry friendly.

As far as servicing in the field for cannon fodder conscripts, yes. But I could give you a laundry list of reasons why the common as dirt AK47/AKM/AK74 series are inferior to most Western rifles.


For those who've wondered, that spy looks remarkably like my twin daughters. Only that in my daughters' case, if looks could kill, all of you would already be dead.

[BostonUrbEx]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/64/Revised_petrol_use_urban_density.JPG

[czsz]

Interesting. Why are NY and LA so close? How do Australian cities manage to consume roughly the same amount of gas relative to their size?

[vanshnookenraggen]

Source???

[GW2500]

It seems damn near impossible that LA and NY would be on the same level in these regards. Actually this says that NY consumes more gas per person. That has to be wrong.

[BostonUrbEx]

Source???

Image page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Revised_petrol_use_urban_density.JPG

Found via:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_planning

[statler]

Oh God. It's clipboard season again.

Make them go away. Please.

[Ron Newman]

Are you referring to reporters? Or people collecting signatures for initiative petitions and political candidates?

[statler]

The "save the whales/save the childern" folks.

I don't mind what they do per se, I just find them to be oftentimes...overaggressive.

[Ron Newman]

Oh yes, they are a constant nuisance in Davis Square too.

[briv]

They're so obnoxious. They'd be a bit more bearable if they were really passionate volunteers rather than employees paid per signature.

[czsz]

Oh God. It's clipboard season again.

Make them go away. Please.

Um, it's always clipboard season. I've seen these people working during blizzards.

And actually, it's when they're passionate volunteers AND getting paid that they're the worst.

[statler]

Oh, I see them here or there throughout the year, but during the summer it seems like they are on every single street corner.

[Beton Brut]

I tend to politely tell them that they may find my world-view disappointing. It's true and honest, regardless of their cause.

[ablarc]

^ So ... are you against whales? ;) Children, perhaps?

[Beton Brut]

I tend to prefer whales to children. ;)

[statler]

^^Something else we have in common!

[Lurker]

Don't any of you accuse me of not being a giver. (http://videos.mediaite.com/embed/player/container/1440/741/?layout=&playlist_cid=&media_type=video&content=YFJ6Q51WLTGTKNCS&widget_type_cid=svp#)

[tobyjug]

I'll bet Tatiana's collar and cuffs don't match.

[Beton Brut]

^ No cuffs, toby. My money's on short sleeves.

Edit: I mean sleeveless...

[tobyjug]

Yes, BB, I believe that is the fashion trend.

[tobyjug]

As far as servicing in the field for cannon fodder conscripts, yes. But I could give you a laundry list of reasons why the common as dirt AK47/AKM/AK74 series are inferior to most Western rifles.

Fair enough, but to quote Uncle Joe: "Quantity has a quality all its own."

I'd take an FN.

[statler]

Have a good weekend y'all!

http://www.willdallas.us/images/sparkle.gif http://www.coolholidaygraphics.com/flagday/glittergraphics/flagdayglitter9.gif http://www.coolholidaygraphics.com/flagday/glittergraphics/flagdayglitter11.gif
http://www.coolholidaygraphics.com/flagday/glittergraphics/flagdayglitter12.gif http://www.coolholidaygraphics.com/flagday/glittergraphics/flagdayglitter15.gifhttp://www.coolholidaygraphics.com/flagday/glittergraphics/flagdayglitter14.gif

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds7FYOEX7Os

[bostonbred]

und eINE GluckLICHe fErein ZU IhnEN!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPG9GcykPIY

[czsz]

I love the inclusion of Harry Potter in the "America: Fuck Yeah" video.

EDIT: Haha, and sushi, too.

[blade_bltz]

And the kid flipping the rest of the world the bird is actually a Dutch football hooligan in training...not a diehard Red Sox fan, as one widely distributed Photoshopped version would have it

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1Qmpvl2TtJ0/RuAu5OB2r0I/AAAAAAAABS8/Fra2QMOrtR8/s320/kid-middle-finger.jpg

[kennedy]

This is unfortunately true, but the Red Sox kid is better than the awful Kansas State photoshop-job that went around during the NCAA tournament.

[TikiNYC]

und eINE GluckLICHe fErein ZU IhnEN!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPG9GcykPIY

Do any of you guys play Thievery UT?

Most awesome game - ever.

In one of the maps, there's a gramaphone in the mansion, you press play and it plays this very song.

Thievery = makes any other game ever made looks stooopid.

[BarbaricManchurian]

STFU

[palindrome]

this heat makes me have such a short temper.

[BostonUrbEx]

Asian Longhorned Beetle Confirmed in Boston

For Immediate Release
July 06, 2010
Released By:
Mayor's Office
For More Information Contact:
Environmental & Energy Services

Sightings of the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) have been confirmed on the grounds of the Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain. This is the beetle that eats through and destroys trees. Mayor Menino was joined by federal and state officials to address the situation at a press conference this morning. The infested trees have been removed. The surrounding area was surveyed and no additional infestation was found. A 1.5-mile radius ?Restricted Area? has been imposed around the site. It is critical that no type of wood be removed from this restricted area to prevent the beetle from spreading. The city will host a community meeting with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Tuesday, July 13 from 6-8PM at the Franklin Park Clubhouse on Circuit Drive in Franklin Park. If you have questions or want to learn more about the ALB please check the link Pest Alert on the Asian Longhorned Beetle. To report a possible ALB sighting call the USDA's toll free hot line at 866-702-9938 or use the website.

Report a Possible ALB Sighting
http://massnrc.org/pests/albreport.aspx

More Information from the US Department of Agriculture
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/ar/archive/jun00/asian0600.htm

Press Release Issued by Mass Department of Conservation & Recreation

FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE DISCOVERY OF ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLES ON GROUNDS OF BOSTON?S FAULKNER HOSPITAL

Six infested trees in Jamaica Plain removed this morning represent first confirmed Massachusetts presence of ALB outside Worcester County

BOSTON - Following the discovery of Asian longhorned beetles (ALB) in six trees in Jamaica Plain this past weekend, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Ian Bowles, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr. and other federal, state, and local officials today announced plans to further investigate the source and extent of the infestation, and scheduled meetings to inform local residents and businesses about the effort.

?We understand that news of the ALB presence in Boston will be a concern to the community, and we are working as quickly as possible to determine the extent of the issue,? said EEA Secretary Bowles. ?So far, only six infected trees have been found here, and they were destroyed this morning. We have a highly trained and skilled team with experience in the eradication efforts in Worcester, and the situation is in good hands.?

Over the weekend, federal officials from the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the presence of the invasive beetles in six trees on the grounds of Faulkner Hospital in Boston?s Jamaica Plain neighborhood. Early this morning, they removed those trees and ground them into chips to kill any adult beetles or larvae. The six infested trees in Jamaica Plain represent the first confirmed ALB presence in Massachusetts outside Worcester County, where the invasive species was discovered in August 2008.

The ALB is believed to have come to the United States in wooden packing crates originating from China several years ago. The beetles bore into the heartwood of a host tree, eventually killing the tree. The beetles have no known predators in this country.

Since their discovery in Worcester in 2008, $50 million in federal and state money has been spent to eradicate the beetle, and 25,000 infested trees in the Worcester area have been cut down in an effort to halt the spread.

?We are engaging all our partners, including the US Department of Agriculture, city of Boston, town of Brookline, and other municipalities and agencies to educate the public on the ALB and solicit their help in reporting and dealing with it,? said DCR Commissioner Sullivan. ?We have set up a community meeting next week for the public, and a training session this week for anyone involved in the wood and wood products industry to answer questions and keep everyone apprised of procedures and progress in the infested area.?

The community meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 13, from 6-8 p.m. in the Franklin Park Clubhouse on Circuit Drive in Franklin Park.

An education session for those involved in the wood and wood products industries will be Thursday, July 8, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in the Franklin Park Clubhouse on Circuit Drive in Franklin Park.

?While we are hopeful this is an isolated and contained incident, the City of Boston considers this issue to be very serious and we are taking every step to protect our trees by pulling together city, state, and federal resources,? said Mayor Menino. ?After last year?s incident in Worcester, hundreds of volunteers were trained to survey trees. Together with professional arborists, we have been proactive in searching for the ALB in major areas like the Arboretum. These areas will again be searched by the US Department of Agriculture and, combined with a community meeting and training session scheduled for this week, I am confident in our plan to handle this incident in an efficient manner.?

DCR officials already have declared a regulated area around the site where the infested trees were found. The area extends in a 1.5-mile radius from the site. No wood or wood products are allowed to leave that area. (A map of the area is attached with this press release and also can be viewed at www.mass.gov/dcr.)

For property owners clearing limbs or other wood debris from their yards and properties, and anyone else wanting to dispose of wood, a drop-off area will be set up within the regulated area. The location and any additional details will be posted on www.mass.gov/agr/alb.htm as soon as a location is determined.

To report suspicious tree damage, view photographs and videos of tree damage, or read about the Asian longhorned beetle, visit www.mass.gov/agr/alb.htm or call the toll-free Asian longhorned beetle hotline at 866-702-9938.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr., the agency?s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at mass.parks@state.ma.us.

http://www.cityofboston.gov/news/uploads/6844_45_6_42.jpg

- http://www.cityofboston.gov/news/default.aspx?id=4682

[Beton Brut]

At least it's not termites. Imagine the streams of sawdust pouring out of the Mayor's ears.

[czsz]

This is potentially very bad, actually. Get ready to say goodbye to all the nice street trees along VFW Parkway, not to mention streets closer downtown.

[vanshnookenraggen]

So are these beetles good at math and science too?

[Lurker]

Now that LeBron has eliminated the tourism industry in Cleveland, it's time to find that new hot vacation spot off the beaten path:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH7Te9Q8KBk

[czsz]

Funny except for the 95% that mocks people trapped in unfortunate circumstances.

[Lurker]

^I take it you hadn't seen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZzgAjjuqZM
Which explains the type humor the creator is going for.

[czsz]

Ha, I vaguely recall that one. Yeah, I see that they're aping the style, though at least one big difference is that the people who made the Cleveland video were definitely mocking themselves.

[Beton Brut]

This is potentially very bad, actually.

I know. My old gig was at Radcliffe, working with the Landscape Design program (now the Arboretum Landscape Institute). I'm sure my former colleagues are deeply concerned.

[Boston02124]

could'nt fine a state house thread? today from Ashburton st http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn80/boston02124/boston%20skyline/tampa%20fla/200-1.jpg

[BostonUrbEx]

This is potentially very bad, actually. Get ready to say goodbye to all the nice street trees along VFW Parkway, not to mention streets closer downtown.

Luckily the Greenway has no trees and will thus outlast this Asian Longhorn Beetle outbreak. That was brilliant foresight on somebody's part! :rolleyes:

[bostonbred]

IAM seein this STRANG touristica vid makes the FUN of us peeples here

:/http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLppPfNTf5U

[Lurker]

I don't get it, why did the wannabe thugs who made the video take the time to watch a gay parade? It's like they are in denial of something.

[TikiNYC]

Googles getting its google back on in Chiland.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/13/google-china-business-with-the-west?showallcomments=true

Read the comments about the Wonderland! Go Googles!

[statler]

Keep grinding that ax dude. Maybe someday, somewhere, someone will care.

[TikiNYC]

Keep grinding that ad hominem ax dude, someday people will care when they start reading some history, or that article and all of the comments, which you likely havent.

If you think that the continued relative decline of America as jobs and technology are exported and stolen is a great thing for this country, your nieces, nephews and children of your relatives, then why not go to the middle of Boston and tell everyone that. :-)

And let the rest of us who actually want to discuss the issue actually discuss it. Something you can't.

[statler]

Isn't there some chinasucks.com forum you can go haunt instead of constantly bombarding us with this stuff?
If you were a regular contributor who posted on-topic throughout the forums I wouldn't really care, but this is pretty much all you do.
It gets old. Sorry.

Not to mention it really bothers some of our members who actually do contribute useful discussion to this place.

Oh, and what I posted wasn't an ad hominem attack. You might spend your days rescuing orphans from burning buildings and adopting stray puppies, I have no idea. But your posts generally consist of nothing but spam, shitty drawings and links to articles about how awful China is. That's ax-grinding.

[TikiNYC]

You're the only one saying that dude. I have never said that, nor would I.

But if you dont think this is a good or important point of discussion and the article about Google vs Chiland being something important, then don't post on it, and don't shout down others Mao style who want to. Go and post something about Power Rangers or something. Like Horse Dances or Fanta ads in J Land (http://sleepny.lefora.com/2009/08/26/tenenbaums-japan-culture-watch/) or other stuff people post on my site.

[BarbaricManchurian]

STFU

[TikiNYC]

Wow. I guess that article I posted has now been refuted - SUPER MAO STYLE!

But let me guess, your further comment will consist of a lame hubristic nationalistic and paranoid douchebaggery type of attack with 4 letters.

[BarbaricManchurian]

STFU

[czsz]

hubristic nationalistic and paranoid douchebaggery

That's a lot to infer from four letters!

[BarbaricManchurian]

Seriously, just leave. NO ONE WANTS YOU HERE.

[kz1000ps]

Tiki, maybe if you actually posted something about ARCHITECTURE on this ARCHITECTURE WEBSITE we'd be more receptive to your silly little time-wasters of articles, but you don't, and the fact that this ^^ is the result should surprise nobody.

Letting us know that some hot chick got fired cuz of her figure is NOT enriching the forum, k?

[TikiNYC]

Seriously, just leave. NO ONE WANTS YOU HERE.

I guess you don't know about a little thing called Google. It shows that you have form for this kind of paranoid thinking.

Example

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=60304411&postcount=34

Google. Try it sometime. And the article I posted for comment, it's about Google.

[BarbaricManchurian]

just LEAVE. NOW. NO ONE WANTS YOU HERE

[BarbaricManchurian]

And luckily the mods are a lot stricter on SSC so they'll ban your troll account archnyer promptly. Seriously, is your life that miserable (in NYC of all places!) that you have nothing to do but cyberstalk me and troll forums?

[TikiNYC]

Manchurian, please stop the paranoia. If you want to discuss the article posted, be my guest. I am genuinely interested in what you have to say.

If you want to talk to archnyer, hes on the forum, and you can join and pm him here. (http://sleepny.lefora.com/members/archnyer/)

I Googled your name, and it's clear that you have a problem with others posting on forums as seen in that link (above) when they disagree with your world view.

I can't help you with that.

[BarbaricManchurian]

I'm not joining your joke of a forum, I'm sorry. NOW GTFO

[BarbaricManchurian]

I Googled your name, and it's clear that you have a problem with posting ON-TOPIC material in forums and not trolling.

I can't help you with that.

[BarbaricManchurian]

anyway, to be honest, I don't care what google does, they knew the consequences of what they were getting into, and luckily they didn't get any punishment, in the end. Most people in China don't care about google, except for their maps, for search people use Baidu mostly. But having a foreign company come in and lecture the Chinese government on censorship is a bit rich, considering that Google allowed the CIA to use their resources. Resistance to censorship will only come from inside, external pressure will only be counterproductive and people's annoyance with censorship is far from a breaking point (meaning, at least decades away).

[TikiNYC]

There. See? I knew you could do it. *pats head*

Now, here's another one for you. What do you think about this report out of Chiland about the enemy in Afghanistan training monkeys to use guns?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7GIl4zKrV8

[statler]

Again, you are not really initiating any real discussion. You are just throwing out random reports about what is going on in China and demanding people respond. And worse, you are clearly targeting certain members of this board.

You are not welcome here. You contribute nothing positive to this place. I'm sincerely hoping you will choose to stop posting here.

[BarbaricManchurian]

There. See? I knew you could do it. *pats head*

Now, here's another one for you. What do you think about this report out of Chiland about the enemy in Afghanistan training monkeys to use guns?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7GIl4zKrV8

well are you actually going to debate about google or just post random stupid unrelated youtube videos? I DONT CARE ABOUT MONKEYS WITH GUNS

[TikiNYC]

It's the general thread. That is where I had thought others and I have and could post general topics. The report has nothing to do with Chiland, but is actually a satire, unless I am mistaken. But excellent reporting in the spirit of the Onion.

My view on the Google in Chiland? Go for it! After all, the Indians and others don't want to buy Chiland made routers anymore, for security concerns. That's the real story out of all of this.

[BarbaricManchurian]

STFU

[czsz]

Chiland?

BM's right; in fact, Google is being sued by the EU for sucking up Europeans' internet history data and cache information via wireless while roaming around to collect photos for Street View. It's in no position to lecture anyone.

[BarbaricManchurian]

It's kind of obvious that archnyer (the guy cyberstalking me on SSC) is TikiNYC. Look at how similar one of his spammy posts on WNY is to Tiki's posts here: http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23855&mode=linear

Seriously Tiki, cyberstalking is not cool. GET A LIFE.

[TikiNYC]

Will you never stop? I mean, being the opposite of a gentleman? Seriously, dude cant you read?

If you have a problem with someone on WiredNY or SleepNY, then take it up with them. You can PM archnyer at WiredNY at your link or on SleepNY here (http://sleepny.lefora.com/members/archnyer/). Don't bother me about it - I've received no complaints about archnyer.

It's obvious from your posts here and elsewhere that you have a problem with dissent and now accuse everyone of being in cahoots.

I am sorry that I can't be more obedient to your brand of paranoia.

That said, this thread should not be about your personal problems.

[statler]

Boston Globe (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/07/17/blocks_away_urbanites_find_seasons_splendor/) - July 17, 2010
SUMMER IN THE CITY
Blocks away, urbanites find season?s splendor

By Peter Schworm, Globe Staff | July 17, 2010

In the hierarchy of summer destinations, New England?s resplendent array of beaches is undisputed royalty. Crane and Coast Guard. Scusset and Siasconset. Wingaersheek. The surf and sea breeze, the shimmering shorelines. The perfect summer getaway.

If you can muster the energy to get there, that is.

For many Boston-area residents, a day at the beach is often a bridge too far, demanding a bit too much time and effort. Packing up the car, fighting traffic, waiting in line for parking, all for a postage-stamp patch of sand by numbingly cold water? Maybe next weekend.

So for the carless or time-crunched, for weary workers and harried parents, the city?s parks and playgrounds, roof decks, and riversides provide a quick escape and a sweet respite from the urban grind.

At the Public Garden and Paul Revere Park, along sun-splashed stretches of the Greenway and Esplanade, from Post Office Square in the Financial District to Peters Park in the South End, many city dwellers spread their beach towels and work on their tans in the heart of the city. They?re used to the sirens and don?t miss the gritty sand and scavenging seagulls.

Sure, the neighborhood park might not be as glamorous as a day trip to the ocean. But in a city where winter can seem to last half the year, warm, sunny days can?t be squandered, many say.

?You don?t need to travel to find the sun,?? said Jenna Albers, a 24-year-old from Beacon Hill whiling away Thursday afternoon on the Boston Common.

While some took full advantage of peak tanning hours, the powerful sun kept many in the shade and sent throngs of families to the Frog Pond wading pool in search of relief. Young children splashed and sprinted through the shallow water, ignoring parents? pleas and the occasional lifeguard?s whistle. Families used park benches as their plot of sand, covering them in towels, picnic baskets, and coolers.

There was no sea breeze, but a watery mist helped brush the heat away. And merciful shade was only steps away.

For children, Frog Pond is a magical place. On one side, there is a merry-go-round. On the other, the Tadpole Playground, with sprinklers and fountains, and a nearby face-painter. They could be happy for hours.

Midway through the afternoon, three mothers brought their eight children to the pond, delighting as they found a good-sized square of shaded grass.

?Perfect,?? said Amy Narvaez, a 30-year-old mother of two from Roslindale, as she and the children stretched out a blanket. ?What a spot!??

As the children scrunched on to the blanket, Narvaez opened up the picnic basket and started handing out lunch. Ham-and-cheese sandwiches, fruit, and Capri Suns. The children, none older than 10, dug in. The faster they ate, the sooner they could be in the pool.

At the Christian Science Center yesterday, crowds thronged to the campus?s popular pool and fountain as if it were a water park. Luz Ruiz, a 32-year-old from Everett, even brought her 7-year-old?s remote control boat. Until then, he would just splash.

Adults need to splash sometimes, too, said Roger Lussier, a 27-year-old who took a five-minute break from his pedicab to run through the fountain.

?I went in shoes and everything,?? he said, laughing as water droplets freckled his glasses and dripped from his baseball cap.

Along the Charles River in Brighton, the sun and shade were in equal demand. Across a grassy field, 20-somethings chatted on the phone as they lounged in beach chairs, read page-turners, or drifted off into catnaps. Some lay perfectly still for long stretches, stirring only to reorient themselves to the sun or to grab a treat from Snowy Joe?s ice cream truck.

Most wore little clothing, but made sure to apply sunscreen. But some of the older crowd, while mindful of warnings about the sun?s damage, said they never touched the stuff.

?I don?t want to scare it away,?? quipped a 60-something Brighton resident named Lorraine, who had been roasting in the sun for several hours. Asked if she ever got burned, she frowned, as if letting a child know it was past his bedtime.

Across the way, a couple sat near the river. They sat on the asphalt?s edge, feet dangling. Behind them, bikers and runners zipped by. Before them, kayakers and rowers. Beyond that, a steady stream of cars and motorcycles rumbled along.

There was no sand or swimming, but it was only minutes from their Watertown home. They could come here for a short visit or stay until the sun went down. They brought shrimp and iced tea and swapped stories. As families packed up the children and the sun bathers called it a day, they laughed and lingered, in a riverside nook all their own.

Globe correspondent Sydney Lupkin contributed to this report. Peter Schworm can be reached at schworm@globe.com.

Gotta be honest. If there is one time of the year that my love of all things urban wanes it is July/August. When it gets above 80, give me trees, trails, lakes & beaches. About the only good thing the city provides in the summer is plenty of air-conditioned buildings to duck into to escape the heat.

[Lurker]

If the city aggressively maintained street trees and allowed buildings on side streets to cast sufficient shadows on each other to provide ample shade, this part of the year wouldn't be so bad. Most of the greenery at street edge seems to be a token gesture made with a half heart. Anemic and underscaled in almost every instance. The utter paranoia against shadows and the complete disregard for the nature of diffused environmental light boggles my mind in this city. It's as if anything blocking the sun in the slightest fashion is going to induce the chilling darkness of space, while conversy the incendiary glare of the sun does not receive any scrutiny for what seasonally would be desirable abatement.

[statler]

Nah, I can't really pin this one Boston. It is cities in general and specifically it is their typically greatest asset: density. When it's hot, being stuck in crowds of people sucks. Walking everywhere sucks. I don't want to share a T car with a bunch of gross, sweaty people, I don't want to have to push through a group of people on a sidewalk. I'm cranky, they're cranky, it's just a bad scene all around. I can only imagine this would be worse in places like NYC.

The worse time for Boston is February/March. This place is disgusting with the mounds of dirty snow, slushy puddles, ice, nasty weather, everything is still dead and all the filth that was buried under the melting snow.

edit: Everything you said still holds true though.

[kennedy]

Saw Sam Adams at the HOB last night. That is one hell of a concert venue, even if the exterior architecture is tragically cartoonish.

[czsz]

^ Speaking of which, isn't nighttime during summer in the city pretty okay, at least?

[Ron Newman]

Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting burnt and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city

All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head

But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come-on come-on and dance all night
Despite the heat it'll be alright

And babe, don't you know it's a pity
That the days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city

-- John Sebastian & the Lovin' Spoonful, 1966

[BarbaricManchurian]

finally arrived in china last night :)

[vanshnookenraggen]

STFU

[BarbaricManchurian]

my main complaint about the urban design here is that all housing is organized into walled complexes, which wouldn't be a problem if you can pass between adjacent complexes, but no, one has to go out of your complex to the street and take a circuitous route through the other complex's main entrance to get there. It's like suburban roads, taking a long distance to get somewhere that's close by as the crow flies, but just much higher density

[vanshnookenraggen]

Le Corbusier's city of tomorrow, today!

[BarbaricManchurian]

well there's still a ton of street life, but yeah it is sorta close to Le Corbusier's vision (Eastern European cities are a lot closer to his vision, apartment blocks are more repetitive and zoning puts things in their designated areas)

[statler]

^ Speaking of which, isn't nighttime during summer in the city pretty okay, at least?

Yeah. It is. Seeing a show at Harborlights is always a treat.

[statler]

1. This sentence contains four words.
2. This sentence contains five words.
3. Exactly one sentence in this list is true.

[BostonUrbEx]

1. This sentence contains four words.
2. This sentence contains five words.
3. Exactly one sentence in this list is true.

Only #3 is correct. "Four" is a number, "five" is a number, and if either were correct then two sentences would be true in that list.

Yes? No? Kinda?

[statler]

^^That is an interesting solution to the paradox.

[kennedy]

There is no truth in this world.

Is that the moral of the story?

[blade_bltz]

Only #3 is correct. "Four" is a number, "five" is a number, and if either were correct then two sentences would be true in that list.


Wait wha? Isn't this question begging?

[statler]

Shame.

I just had my first NIMBY moment (I'm over it now).

I live across the street from a cemetery, but as luck would have it there is a large berm in the section I live directly across from so as look out from the front of my house it looks like it is just a large park. You would need to strain your neck to the right to see any stones off in the distance. I just read that they plan on putting 120 new plots in the berm. Disturbingly, my first reaction was "No! My view!"

Ugh.

At least I don't have to worry about shadows. ;)

[Shepard]

And you should be ashamed...because every good urbanist knows that burials for dead people are a far better use of urban real estate than the open space you might foolishlty and instinctively hope to protect.

[statler]

Based on where I live (and why) I would never call myself a good urbanist. A good urbanist is what I hope to someday be, if I can ever talk my wife into it. :(

Urban cemeteries are an interesting topic though. When I first heard someone say they were a waste of land I was horrified. As time went on, and learned more about urbanism I became more and sympathetic to the idea and now I see modern cemeteries as more or less ridiculous. Though, I must say, they do make neat (if unnecessarily large) time capsules. Hopefully, over time people will chose cremation and these large tracts of land will be put to better use.

[statler]

I'm generally not too into bikes, but I love me some art deco.

http://www.knucklebusterinc.com/features/wp-content/2010/07/Rhinebeck_2010_B1_102-tm1.jpg

Link (http://www.knucklebusterinc.com/features/2010/07/15/1930-art-deco-henderson/)

[Beton Brut]

Very sexy, but the riding position looks a bit awkward (http://www.knucklebusterinc.com/features/wp-content/2010/07/Rhinebeck_ADexcel__100.jpg).

I'm not a bike-person either, but I'd learn to ride if I could have a bike from these guys (http://www.zero-eng.com/).

[kennedy]

Speaking of sexy, I cannot wrap my mind around how starkly beautiful the Upper West Side Apple Store is. Bohlin Cywinski Jackson just astounds me.

http://images.apple.com/retail/upperwestside/images/uws_photo3.jpg

Especially when it's devoid of any life.

[BostonUrbEx]

It burns my retinas:

http://lickystickypickyme.tumblr.com/photo/1280/846718601/1/tumblr_l5zbbqpONG1qzqvm2

[tobyjug]

I'm generally not too into bikes, but I love me some art deco.

http://www.knucklebusterinc.com/features/wp-content/2010/07/Rhinebeck_2010_B1_102-tm1.jpg

Link (http://www.knucklebusterinc.com/features/2010/07/15/1930-art-deco-henderson/)

Looks like a Figoni et Falaschi Delahaye. With similar driveability problems.

[Lurker]

It burns my retinas:

http://lickystickypickyme.tumblr.com/photo/1280/846718601/1/tumblr_l5zbbqpONG1qzqvm2
Those are more urban than the seaport district and as far as land use aren't too different from the Back Bay or South End. If only the building typology, some mixed use retail/office/etc was introduced into that density, those neighborhoods would be praise worthy.

[BostonUrbEx]

It's extremely autocentric though. It screams "car" and there seems to be zero mixed use or mingling of zoning.

[kennedy]

Density without urbanity.

[TikiNYC]

http://images.apple.com/retail/upperwestside/images/uws_photo3.jpg

Beautiful photo! Check out the crowds in the store. (http://sleepny.lefora.com/2010/01/27/apple-store-on-uws/) It does look better empty, but I believe its the largest Apple store by single room size designed to date. With a 45 foot long genius bar no less.

[czsz]

The architecture looks a bit stale to me. Much prefer the Fifth Ave. and even Boston versions.

[kennedy]

No way. This one seems so much more pure than Fifth or Boylston. This almost seems like it holds some sort of monument to Modern/Minimalism inside. I can't get enough of those stone walls. And the arced glass roof is just right, in terms of concavity and the amount of supports. This and Regent Street are my favorites.

http://images.apple.com/uk/retail/images/store_photos/photo_regentstreet.jpg

[czsz]

^ The Regent Street one is cool, because of the contrast between Apple minimalism and pompous neoclassical.

The UWS one? I haven't been, admittedly, but the curve in the ceiling looks a little too PoMo. Kills the sharpness of it all.

[czsz]

http://www.cyburbia.org/gallery/data/6518/058.jpg

[Ron Newman]

I thought Henry Siegel Co. (a short-lived branch of an NYC department store) was in the Washington-Essex building, not up here in Scollay Square?

[czsz]

It was probably just a billboard advertising them, not the actual location.

[Lurker]

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/5633/lurkerinthe1980s.gif (http://img529.imageshack.us/i/lurkerinthe1980s.gif/)
I was originally going to post this in the Walking in Boston thread.

[czsz]

^ 128 breakdown lane during rush hour?

[czsz]

Popularity of farming exploding in Mass.:

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2010/08/02/popularity_of_farming_soars_in_massachusetts/

[kennedy]

Just requested my free student copy of Vectorworks (http://www.nemetschek.net/). I'm kind of excited about it.

EDIT: I'm also probably going to need a textbook to figure it out.

[Lurker]

^ Do yourself a favor and learn to use a Mayline.

[Pierce]

Just requested my free student copy of Vectorworks (http://www.nemetschek.net/). I'm kind of excited about it.

EDIT: I'm also probably going to need a textbook to figure it out.

http://9to5mac.com/Autocad-mac

[statler]

I love old color photos (http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured/2010/07/26/captured-america-in-color-from-1939-1943/).

[BostonUrbEx]

^

http://denverpost.slideshowpro.com/albums/001/496/album-125171/cache/color053.sJPG_950_2000_0_75_0_50_50.sJPG?128101108 0

Holy Jesus, it's a behemoth.

[kennedy]

http://9to5mac.com/Autocad-mac

Woah now. I wonder if I'll be eligible for that with the Autodesk Student Community thing? I know I can get Maya, not sure about AC. Either way, I miss the command line.

[czsz]

LOL @ Colorado Tea Party candidate thinking a pro-bike policy is a UN one world government conspiracy against freedom:

http://www.denverpost.com/election2010/ci_15673894?_requestid=149413

[BostonUrbEx]

Post Poll - Bike Agenda
Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes warns of a bike agenda that will spin cities, including Denver, toward United Nations control. How seriously do you take this warning?
Total Votes = 14597
Very seriously
36.02 %
Seriously
6.857 %
Somewhat seriously
3.829 %
A little seriously
1.918 %
Not seriously
2.418 %
Not seriously at all
48.95 %


Voted VERY SERIOUSLY. This is a crisis.

[Lurker]

There's an ounce of truth in what the guy is saying, the UN is trying to force all kinds of lifestyle regulating bullshit upon member nations, however calling all promotion of bicycle use a conspiracy is quite looney-tunes.

[GW2500]

If the UN can't even interfere w/ stoping genocide 3 times in the last 20 years then I"m not too worried it can force American's to get off their fat asses. Republicans really need to split from there idiotic portion, but if they did that they would loose too many votes.

[BostonUrbEx]

Boston Red Sox fans ranked best in America by Forbes Magazine, New York Yankee fans come in 14th

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2010/08/05/2010-08-05_boston_red_sox_fans_ranked_best_in_america_by_f orbes_magazine_new_york_yankee_fa.html#ixzz0vn72Me Cj

[briv]

Funny how sports fanaticism has become synonymous for culture in Boston. You can't find a city comparison involving Boston that doesn't mention the fucking Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics or Bruins. Nothing against sports fans--I'm one myself--but when I see people constantly touting the city's sports "culture" as one of top reasons Boston is a desirable place to live it makes me very sad.

[GW2500]

^^ Yea, and it's also misleading. We are one of the least athletic regions of the country. W/ the exception of Everett, Brockton, and a few other schools our football programs are jv compared to the rest of the country (esp FL, TX and PA). Though we do produce NHL players.

[Lurker]

If the UN can't even interfere w/ stoping genocide 3 times in the last 20 years then I"m not too worried it can force American's to get off their fat asses. Republicans really need to split from there idiotic portion, but if they did that they would loose too many votes.

The UN has no interest in preventing war or genocide if there isn't a financial motivation for them to do so. If anything the UN has allowed countries to sit on their hands during wars and genocides by claiming the UN should handle it, knowing full well the UN won't do a damn thing.

The secretariat is all about lining their own pockets with misappropriated money, dictating rather undemocratically what other member states should be doing (usually pushing for productive countries to subsidize their corruption), taking cushy positions in the lap of luxury (why must every diplomat live in a 5 star hotel?), and exploiting diplomatic immunity with impunity (parking tickets, sexual assault, money laundering, arms and big time drug smuggling, conflict diamonds, oh those can simply be forgotten).

Any time some idiot wants to put the UN ahead of your national sovereignty BE VERY WORRIED.

Now on the subject of bicycles: quite simply they are too small to fail! Infrastructure is mere paint and bent tubes of steel on sidewalks (for parking). For a pittance during repaving or re-stripeing of urban roads a whole network can be created. How could any politician miss this low hanging fruit?

[BostonUrbEx]

Lemonade stand crackdown spurs revolt
By QMI Agency
Last Updated: August 6, 2010 10:21am

A seven-year-old girl learned a hard business lesson recently when Portland, Ore., authorities shut down her lemonade stand.

Officials with Multnomah County told Julie Murphy she needed a $120 licence to operate her lemonade stand at a neighbourhood event. Murphy's mother told The Oregonian newspaper that they were threatened with a $500 fine just minutes after Julie set up her table. She was selling glasses of lemonade for 50 cents.

A health supervisor for the county told the newspaper the booth had to be shut down because of public safety concerns.

But Julie's mom, Maria Fife, said her daughter was very careful when she made the lemonade. After inspectors approached them, the mother and daughter started to pack up. However, other vendors encouraged them to stay and to give away the lemonade, but say people could give them a donation. Julie and her mother gave that a try, but soon the inspectors returned and forced them to close their booth for good.

Some of the vendors and people who were at the event are now planning the Lemonade Revolt to be held Aug. 27. The Facebook event page for the revolt says they want to fill an entire block with lemonade stands.

"Get together with your friends and family and come up with a creative lemonade. Rosemary, lavender, mint, honey, agave, mate, carob, what the f--- ever you can come up with," the group says.

"We should fill the entire bloc with lemonade stands! The state will come, but we will NOT leave. We will fill the streets with dance and revelry in the spirit of last Thursday's origins, an autonomous, anarchistic freak show that reclaims the streets, the neighbourhoods and our lives."

http://www.torontosun.com/news/world/2010/08/06/14941206.html

[Lurker]

When health inspectors have the time to immediately shut down a little kid's lemonade stand, it's probably indicative of them either being overstaffed and time to lay off people OR all the local restaurants have paid them off to not conduct real inspections. Either way, heads should roll.

[statler]

NY Times (http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/travel/08hours.html) - August 5, 2010
36 Hours in Boston
By KATIE ZEZIMA

BOSTON is known for its bricks and brownstones, but the city is starting to take on a glossier, more modern sheen. With the completion of the $15 billion Big Dig, downtown now stretches unimpeded to the harbor, making Boston feel like a whole new city. History abounds, of course ? Faneuil Hall still stands, Paul Revere is still buried at the Granary Burying Ground ? but it is now joined by a high-tech exuberance, modern parks and a reclaimed harbor. Revere would not recognize it.

Friday

4:30 p.m.
1) EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW

In a city this historic, it?s not every day that a new neighborhood is built from scratch. But that is essentially the story with Fan Pier, a former industrial blight on the South Boston waterfront being transformed, albeit slowly, into a hub of fashion, art and dining. Anchored by the Institute of Contemporary Art (100 Northern Avenue; 617-478-3100; icaboston.org), a glass-and-steel museum that seems to hover over the harbor, it is becoming the go-to place for the cool crowd. Shopping?s a draw, too: LouisBoston (60 Northern Avenue; 617-262-6100; louisboston.com), the high-end store, has opened a 20,000-square-foot flagship next to the museum.

8 p.m.
2) TASTE OF DAKAR

There?s more to Boston than baked beans and oysters. As the city becomes more diversified, so do its culinary offerings. Case in point: Teranga (1746 Washington Street; 617-266-0003), a Senegalese restaurant that opened in May 2009 on a busy South End street, far from the well-dressed masses. An elegant space with exposed brick walls and a long banquette, it serves spicy, fragrant dishes like nems, spring rolls stuffed with vermicelli ($6), and thi?bou djeun, a popular West African dish with kingfish, jasmine rice, tomato sauce, carrots and cabbage ($15).

10 p.m.
3) HEAR THE BUZZ

There are plenty of places to catch a show but not to hear live music with no cover. The Beehive (541 Tremont Street; 617-423-0069; beehiveboston.com), a restaurant where the lights are low and bands are chill, fills the void. Descend the staircase to be closer to the band, or stick to the quieter bar upstairs. Either way, don?t leave without catching the intricate, hand-painted bathroom walls.

Saturday

11 a.m.
4) EASY AS GREEN

Downtown was once defined by an elevated steel highway. Then by the Big Dig, the seemingly never-ending project to sink the roadway underground. After billions of dollars and an untold numbers of delays, it is finally home to the Rose Kennedy Greenway (rosekennedygreenway.org), a mile-long ribbon of lawns, public art and much-needed playgrounds snaking along Atlantic Avenue. To explore this emerald oasis, start at South Station and meander toward the North End, stopping to frolic in the fountains or take a spin on the carousel. At Christopher Columbus Park, find a spot under a wisteria-covered trellis and watch as boats bob in the harbor and planes take off from Logan Airport. It?s been worth the wait.

1 p.m.
5) LOBSTER BAR

It?s a clich? for a reason: you can?t visit Boston, smell a salt breeze and not want to eat seafood. Steer clear of the waterfront traps and head to Neptune Oyster (63 Salem Street; 617-742-3474; neptuneoyster.com), a tiny spot where Sam Adams-swilling frat boys rub shoulders with fabulous Champagne sippers at the marble bar. The attraction? Why, the lobster roll, a mountain of warm, butter-slicked lobster piled into a soft brioche bun, with a side of crispy, skin-on fries ($25). For lighter fare, try yellowtail sashimi on a bed of kimchi ($13) and an array of clams and oysters plucked from nearby waters.

3 p.m.
6) COUTURE AND CANNOLIS

Boston?s Little Italy has become more Milan than manicotti, with boutiques popping up between restaurants and pastry shops. Acquire (61 Salem Street; 857-362-7380; acquireboutique.com) melds vintage and modern housewares; the Velvet Fly (28 Parmenter Street; 617-557-4359; thevelvetfly.com) does the same with indie designers and old threads. In the continuing battle between women and the perfect jeans, the ladies win at In.jean.ius (441 Hanover Street; 617-523-5326; injeanius.com), where the friendly staff stops at nothing to turn up that perfect pair.

6 p.m.
7) PERSONALIZED LIBATIONS

Tired of forking over $15 for a cocktail that doesn?t quite speak to your individual tastes? Then pull up to Drink (348 Congress Street; 617-695-1806; drinkfortpoint.com), where mixology becomes personal. Instead of providing menus, bartenders ask patrons about their tastes and liquors of choice, and try to concoct the perfect tincture. The bar is reminiscent of a booze-drenched chemistry lab, and any experiments that don?t turn out right can be sent back. You can?t go wrong with the Maximilian Affair, a smoky combination of mezcal, St. Germain, Punt e Mes and lemon juice. Beer lovers, on the other hand, should head to Deep Ellum in Allston (477 Cambridge Street; 617-787-2337; deepellum-boston.com), an elegant pub with 28 taps that regularly rotate with Massachusetts breweries like Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project.

8 p.m.
8) PROVENCE ON THE CHARLES

The Boston-New York inferiority complex is nothing new, especially when it comes to restaurants. But Boston has raised its culinary game recently with Bistro du Midi (272 Boylston Street; 617-426-7878; bistrodumidi.com). Opened last November, this bistro is run by Robert Sisca, formerly the executive sous chef at Le Bernadin, who has created a Proven?al menu with a focus on local fish. Favorites include the sweet and spicy pan-roasted cod with chorizo, chickpeas, pimentos and golden raisins ($28). Ask to be seated upstairs, where businessmen and dolled-up couples sit in buttery yellow leather chairs and gaze at unbeatable views of the Public Garden outside.

10:30 p.m.
9) LOCAL TALLBOYS

A cozy antidote to the tourist trap that is the ?Cheers? bar is around the corner at 75 Chestnut (75 Chestnut Street; 617-227-2175; 75chestnut.com). Tucked on a romantic side street, this dimly lighted restaurant feels like a modern take on an old brownstone, with tin ceilings and mahogany pillars. For a younger and cooler scene, check out the Delux Caf? (100 Chandler Street; 617-338-5258), a reigning temple of kitsch with walls decorated with records, comic books and a bust of Elvis. To get some New England hipster cred, order a tallboy Narragansett Beer ($3.50), the region?s answer to Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Sunday

10 a.m.
10) MORNING HASH

Put your sunglasses on and grab an outdoor seat at the Woodward, a restaurant and tavern at the Ames Hotel (1 Court Street; 617-979-8200; woodwardatames.com) that is injecting minimalist style into the staid Financial District. Brunch offers modern New England fare, like the lobster and leek hash ($16 for large portion), along with great people-watching.

Noon
11) WATER CREW

The Charles River is cleaning up nicely. Relive your Head of the Charles days and rent a kayak at Community Boating (21 David G. Mugar Way; 617-523-1038; community-boating.org) for $35 a day. Paddle out for some of the best views of Boston and Cambridge. Sunny days are spectacular, with light bouncing off the gold-domed State House and the city?s skyscrapers casting shadows on the intricate architecture of the Back Bay. The city has never looked so futuristic.

GETTING THERE

There are many ways to get to Boston from New York, from airplane shuttles to Chinatown buses. JetBlue, for example, has flights from Kennedy Airport to Logan starting at $109 round trip, according to a recent Web search.

High-speed Acela trains run several times a day starting at about $190 round trip, while slower regional trains start at $128. It?s also four hours by car, assuming there?s little traffic.

The W Boston (100 Stuart Street; 617-261-8700; whotels.com/boston) opened last year and has 235 sleek rooms that look out over the Theater District and beyond. Rooms from $287.

The Ames Hotel (1 Court Street; 617-979-8100; ameshotel.com) opened last November as part of the Morgans Hotel Group, and has 114 minimalist rooms, a fitness center and trendy d?cor. Rooms from $285.

The 32-room Newbury Guest House (261 Newbury Street; 617-437-7666; newburyguesthouse.com) is in a brownstone on Newbury Street, and combines quaint touches like brick fireplaces with clean design. Rooms from $189.

[czsz]

Oh no; I hope this doesn't mean there will be a crowd of New Yorkers stepping off the platform at South Station and wondering why they can't find the Fan Pier "neighborhood".

LOL @ the RKG being "an emerald oasis".

"More Milan than manicotti" is a nice way to euphemize character-vaporizing gentrification in the North End.

Admittedly, Bistro du Midi is fantastic (especially when you're on an expense account meal!). And this is a more interesting itinerary than the last one they did (http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/01/01/travel/escapes/01boston.html), a surprisingly short time ago.

[bostonbred]

When health inspectors have the time to immediately shut down a little kid's lemonade stand, it's probably indicative of them either being overstaffed and time to lay off people OR all the local restaurants have paid them off to not conduct real inspections. Either way, heads should roll.

IAM blamin the UN for these thing to happen

[Lurker]

BostonBred, if the UN had been involved the situation would have been immediately resolvable through a bribe.

[kz1000ps]

Heads up: for anyone in the Back Bay this afternoon, stop by the Pru plaza on Boylston and you can see my band playing for free at 4pm, and Ben & Jerry's will have free ice cream and who knows what else on hand as part of their Joy Ride festival.

(PS if you come out I'm the drummer for Gentlemen Hall.. don't be afraid to approach me!)

[Lurker]

I might show up or send a minion with an ArchBoston related sign.

[kz1000ps]

Haha, excellent!

By the way we are scheduled to start at 3:30 instead of 4 now.

[Mike]

http://vimeo.com/13808511

[BostonUrbEx]

That was awesome.

Boston's Batman.

[vanshnookenraggen]

YES.... YES.... YES...


All people involved with that video was douche bags.



Cuz this is how it's done

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O07u7KdRVo0

[Beton Brut]

^ Nice.

Always been a fan of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D00vjBqHRtI

[GW2500]

In all fairness pimp didn't even have his fists up, but I guess there are no rules in a street fight.

[Lurker]

"I'm sorry we aren't serving Chicken McNuggets yet, it's breakfast time....."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPWsBwDDupg&feature=player_embedded

An East Toledo woman became so enraged that chicken nuggets were not available at a Toledo McDonald's that she punched through the drive-thru window.

Toledo Police say Melodi Dushane, 24, stopped at the fast-food restaurant at Front and Main Streets in East Toledo Friday and asked for chicken nuggets. When the drive-thru attendant told her the item was not available, Dushane punched through the window.

Dushane was treated at Mercy St. Charles Hospital for her injuries and then incarcerated at the Lucas County Jail.

In court on Saturday, Dushane pleaded not guilty to a felony vandalism charge. She was released from police custody on her own recognizance and is scheduled to be in court next on Jan. 28.

McDonald's employees did not report any injuries to police.


A judge has ordered that Dushane not visit the 90 Main St. McDonald's location again.

[Beton Brut]

^ "All units: Felony Stupidity in progress at the McDonalds drive thru."

[czsz]

Hit or miss, but some gems if you look all the way through:

http://stuffboston.com/supplements/2010/onenight/

[BostonUrbEx]

In court on Saturday, Dushane pleaded not guilty to a felony vandalism charge.

Should be charged with a count of assault for every person at the window and for DUI and for a felony count of being white trash.

[czsz]

Southie about to break out in some kind of civil war over non-locals using beach:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/08/11/an_unexpected_hot_spot_southie_beach/

[Pierce]

An East Toledo woman became so enraged that chicken nuggets were not available at a Toledo McDonald's that she punched through the drive-thru window.


That's my hometown! Toledo Loud, Toledo Proud, BITCHES!!!!!!

[Beton Brut]

Southie about to break out in some kind of civil war over non-locals using beach...

Sometimes it doesn't feel good to be right (http://www.archboston.org/community/showpost.php?p=106423&postcount=1416)...

[BostonUrbEx]

Docs discover sprouting pea in Mass. man's lung
By Steve LeBlanc
Associated Press Writer / August 12, 2010

BOSTON?Doctors say a pea has taken root in the lung of a 75-year-old Massachusetts man. Yes, a pea.

They feared the worst when they studied Ron Sveden's (SVEE'-dehn) x-rays and spotted a small dark spot. When biopsies came back negative for lung cancer, the doctors decided to take a closer look. What they found was an encrusted mass that was hiding a sprout.

His surgeon, Dr. Jeff Spillane, says Sveden apparently inhaled a pea that began sprouting in his lung.

Sveden, a retired teacher who lives in Brewster, says he had been feeling unwell for several months. The medical detective work began when he went to a hospital on Memorial Day weekend.

After his surgery in June, Sveden spent three weeks in the hospital and a week in rehab. He says he feels fine now.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/08/12/docs_discover_sprouting_pea_in_mass_mans_lung/

[statler]

http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/081410/toilet-computer-2010.gif

[statler]

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x176/bstnstatler/x2_253954b.jpg

[crash575]

^ At least they offer diet pepsi...

[kennedy]

Oh god.

For some reason, I feel like I would perpetually searching for the center food part of deep-fried butter.

[statler]

Take this with a laaaarge grain of salt.

Boston.com (http://www.boston.com/travel/blog/2010/08/honestly_boston.html?p1=Upbox_links) - August 17 2010
Honestly, Boston is honest
Posted by Anne Fitzgerald, Globe Travel Editor August 17, 2010 08:21 AM

Honest Tea, an organic bottled tea company based in Bethesda, Maryland, recently conducted social experiments in several US cities, including Boston, by setting up unmanned kiosks of Honest Tea bottles for purchase on the honor system. For each bottle, people were asked to put a buck in a locked plastic box. Boston proved to be the most honest, eking out a first-place finish with 93.3 percent honesty, just ahead of Washington, D.C.?s 93 percent. Other cities were San Francisco, 91 percent; New York, 89 percent; Atlanta, 89 percent; Chicago, 78 percent; and Los Angeles, 75 percent.

?Although a sociologist might find flaws with our social experiment, we were surprised and heartened to discover that across the country, Americans will do the right thing, even when no one is looking,? said Seth Goldman, who bills himself as the TeaEO of Honest Tea.

The company produced short videos of each city?s experiment. In LA, one woman bought 10 bottles to give away to strangers. In Washington, a homeless man paid a buck and expressed thanks for someone believing in him. In San Francisco, a woman asked ?What if we placed more trust in people. How could the honor system benefit society on a grander scale??

Boston?s clip showed a bunch of honest people ponying up for the brew and one guy who pulled up on a bicycle, snagged a bottle, and rode away without paying ? right by what looks like two Boston cops.

Posted by Paul E. Kandarian, Globe correspondent

[czsz]

There's been an "honor system" book stand on Brattle St. in Cambridge doing this for years. I guess Bostonians have just had lots of practice?

[Lurker]

I wonder where and when they put that stand up. I can imagine things would have went differently if the stand was set up outside a RedSox/Celtics/Bruins game with tons of drunken rowdy fans, or next to the Pine Street Inn, or next to a college campus, or in a high crime neighborhood.

"?!Where did our stand go?!"

[GW2500]

I read that the "anit snob" 40B law is up for vote this election year. They say its doomed. It seemed like a good way to mix up the suburbs w/ a bit more affordable housing options.

[BarbaricManchurian]

What are the chances for the initiative to lower sales tax to 3% to pass?

[Lurker]

What are the chances for the initiative to lower sales tax to 3% to pass?

What the chances the legislature would listen to the ballot initiative? Remember the clean elections law that was voted in by the people and ignored by the state until they could find a friendly judge to nullify it?

[BostonUrbEx]

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1408/1419504712_f7908c3959_z.jpg

[czsz]

Where is that?

[Lurker]

In a just world that would be the awful Orange Line platform connector at State Street Station.....

[JohnAKeith]

Well, we had a ballot initiative pass lowering the income tax to 5% yet the legislature has ignored it, so passing another one lowering tax to 3% won't make much difference.

[JohnAKeith]

http://johnakeithrealestate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/IMG00535-20100821-1303.jpg

Burger King has opened a new-style restaurant in Manhattan (and in several other major cities, I believe).

It's a Burger King that serves liquor.

[vanshnookenraggen]

And a burger pizza. I used to go there when I worked in Times Sq and I might just have to go back.

[czsz]

Boston is 19 on FP's Global Cities Index, beating Frankfurt and Shanghai:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/node/373401

It also has the 11th highest urban GDP.

Update: enjoy the commenters here bashing their own city (Shanghai) and extolling the virtues of Boston:

http://shanghaiist.com/2010/08/19/shanghai_only_ranks_20th_on_foreign.php

[Shepard]

http://johnakeithrealestate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/IMG00535-20100821-1303.jpg

Burger King has opened a new-style restaurant in Manhattan (and in several other major cities, I believe).

It's a Burger King that serves liquor.

The website for the Manhattan location has only soft drinks. Even the bourbon sauce has an asterisk that points to a disclaimer that the sauce does not contain alcohol.

The Miami Beach location has "ice cold beer" (Trappist Belgian microbrews, I'm guessing, right?)

So the lesson is if you go here, be drunk already.

[BarbaricManchurian]

Boston is 19 on FP's Global Cities Index, beating Frankfurt and Shanghai:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/node/373401

It also has the 11th highest urban GDP.

Update: enjoy the commenters here bashing their own city (Shanghai) and extolling the virtues of Boston:

http://shanghaiist.com/2010/08/19/shanghai_only_ranks_20th_on_foreign.php

Lol, the people on Shanghaiist are mostly homesick expats and self-loathing Chinese

[blade_bltz]

Can someone explain, in a concise fashion, why Sydney always scores so high on these lists?

[Shepard]

Few cities in Asia/Oceania are as demographically diverse as Sydney. Many global professional services firms (consulting, banking, etc) have large offices in Sydney to serve East Asian, especially Southeast Asian, clients. And the reverse is true as well that East Asian exporters may do business in Sydney to reach developed market companies that do not have a direct East Asian presence. Sort of a more sleepy and more firmly developed market version of Hong Kong.

[GW2500]

Haymarket 1971

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpuu5VXPfhc

[JohnAKeith]

Love it. The "Stone Pub" was where the Bell in Hand is today or was/is next door? And was it named so because it's where the first marker was placed showing the center of Boston?

[BostonUrbEx]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterbaker/4755209514/in/photostream/

[BarbaricManchurian]

UFC in Boston going on right now!

[czsz]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterbaker/4755209514/in/photostream/

Nice find. Allegheny County is one of the poorest (if not the poorest) county in NY State, so I'm not surprised to see this.

I was, however, surprised to see similar burnt-out shells of buildings and standalone, barely-supported facades literally across the street from the NY State Capitol Building in Albany, though.

[kz1000ps]

^ Those standalone facades by the Capitol ended up in that state just last year in anticipation of a big new mixed-use development going in behind them. Of course the numbers behind the project don't work in this (or any) economy, so those facades will probably end up standing there alone for another decade or two. That's progress, Albany style.

[statler]

NSFW:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBjMyYB_Xzw

[JohnAKeith]

Is that about 9/11?

[BostonUrbEx]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4320280442_16458d6286_b.jpg

[czsz]

Sao Paulo?

[Beton Brut]

After 40 minutes on Wikipedia, I discovered that it's the central business district of Rio de Janeiro (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Rio.Centro.jpg). I initially thought it was Melbourne.

[BostonUrbEx]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GOn13YUUYY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSVx6woPoxI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_8ehRQMvew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD6rAJL7WXc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-dASxCAMhY

I figured most was sent by ship, then trucked. I wonder how much produce around here comes in on this train.

[JohnAKeith]

It's exciting because he's running.

[GW2500]

So I think the three gun related deaths in Malden this week can offically call that "Malden the greatest place in America to raise a family" tittle laughable. It's by far not the worst place, but..... it's Malden. And having been a deliverman in that city and having gone up and down just about every street I can tell you that at the end of the day a good chunk of that city can be classified as gritty inner-city (I was surprised by the density of many side streets). And that scares the shit out of suburban white America.

[czsz]

It's primary day. Get out and vote!

If you live in the 9th US Congressional District (Southie, Dorchester, West Roxbury, Roslindale, Needham, Milton, Randolph, Canton, Brockton and some other places in between) and are a registered Democrat or an Independent with even vaguely progressive inclinations, Mac D'Alessandro could use your support. He is running against Stephen Lynch, who voted against health care reform and for the Iraq War (and its indefinite prolongation). Mac is big on reducing the US military footprint worldwide in places that even most generals think it's unnecessary to be, which would take a big chunk out of the national expenditure.

[Lurker]

It's primary day. Get out and vote!

If you live in the 9th US Congressional District (Southie, Dorchester, West Roxbury, Roslindale, Needham, Milton, Randolph, Canton, Brockton and some other places in between) and are a registered Democrat or an Independent with even vaguely progressive inclinations, Mac D'Alessandro could use your support. He is running against Stephen Lynch, who voted against health care reform and for the Iraq War (and its indefinite prolongation). Mac is big on reducing the US military footprint worldwide in places that even most generals think it's unnecessary to be, which would take a big chunk out of the national expenditure.

Typically candidates like that NEVER reduce spending, they just remove dollars from defense and place it into programs which buy them as many votes as possible.

Oh and:

I hope you all wrote in John A. Keith for every uncontested position on the ballot.

[czsz]

Typically candidates like that NEVER reduce spending, they just remove dollars from defense and place it into programs which buy them as many votes as possible.

I guess when you "remove dollars from defense", it's not "reducing spending"?

Oh well, we lost anyway. Now just rooting for the crazy Tea Party hack to kill GOP chances in NH in Nov.

[Mike]

txdv_oNq81I

[statler]

Fuck. That.

[Lurker]

Those altitudes are soooo much more fun with 50kg of crap on you, a parachute, prop-wash, and potentially people shooting at you.

[JohnAKeith]

I guess this lamp post has been there for a long time but I just noticed it for the first time, corners of Dartmouth and Newbury streets. Also seen on Route 93. Bizarre to have this in the Back Bay.

http://johnakeithrealestate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/IMG00584-20100915-14371.jpg

[Pierce]

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i101/clinky_photo/ica.jpg

Found deep in an unrelated google image search

[Lurker]

In other parts of the city those posts are painted green as to be less obvious. How the Back Bay gave approval for that eyesore when even trash barrels face scrutiny is befuddling.