Sunday, June 21, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
WEEKEND LOVE FORECAST:
ARIES: You may have to go against what someone else wants in order to do what is right for you. TAURUS: Do what you have a flair for doing and new friends flock to you. GEMINI: You get superior results at work and rock your personal life as well. CANCER: Make preparations so that your dates go as well as possible. Others will be impressed by the effort you put out. LEO: Dare to be unavailable to work from midnight tonight until midnight tomorrow. You need a complete reprieve. VIRGO: Stop rescuing a loved one and trust that this person can handle things on their own. LIBRA: Everyone from the clerk at the drive-thru window to your closest loved ones seem to want you to take a "survey" to report a favorable review of their performance. SCORPIO: Rejuvenating activities include cooking, reading and walking. SAGITTARIUS: Be proactive. Think about what you want a relationship to be like and you will naturally drift toward that reality. CAPRICORN: You will benefit from formal study of the art of courtship. AQUARIUS: Despite what you learned as a child about saying "no" to loved ones, you'll do so this weekend to favorable result. PISCES: Ask advice of one who has triumphed over relationship hardship.
COUPLE OF THE WEEKEND: Sagittarius and Aquarius are two adventurers who have potential to come together for a shared adventure this weekend. They favorably affect each other's lives as they set out on the journey. Sagittarian style is to embrace other worlds and, while in them, do as the natives do. Aquarius is intent on learning about the new territory and leaving it a better place. Both will succeed in their aim.
Sir James Paul McCartney MBE (born 18 June 1942) is a multiple Grammy Award-winning English singer-songwriter, poet, composer, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur, record producer, film producer, painter, and animal rights activist. He gained worldwide fame as a member of The Beatles, alongside John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. McCartney and Lennon formed one of the most influential and successful songwriting partnerships and wrote some of the most popular music in rock and roll history. After leaving The Beatles, McCartney launched a successful solo career and formed the band Wings with his first wife, Linda Eastman McCartney, and singer-songwriter Denny Laine. He has worked on film scores and classical and electronic music, released a large catalogue of songs as a solo artist, and taken part in projects to help international charities.
McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the most successful musician and composer in popular music history, with 60 gold discs and sales of 100 million singles. His song "Yesterday" is listed as the most covered song in history—by over 3,700 artists so far—and has been played more than 7,000,000 times on American television and radio. Wings' 1977 single "Mull of Kintyre" became the first single to sell more than two million copies in the UK, and remains the UK's top selling non-charity single. (Three charity singles have since surpassed it in sales; the first to do so, in 1984, was Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?", whose participants included McCartney.) According to britishhitsongwriters.com he is the most successful songwriter in U.K. singles chart history, based on weeks that his compositions have spent on the chart.
One of McCartney's first girlfriends was called Layla, whom McCartney remembered as having an unusual name in Liverpool at the time. Layla was slightly older than McCartney and used to ask him to baby-sit with her, which was a code word for sex. Julie Arthur, another girlfriend, was Ted Ray's niece.
McCartney had a three-year relationship with Dot Rhone in Liverpool, and they were due to get married until Rhone lost the baby she was expecting. In London, McCartney had a five-year relationship with actress Jane Asher. They were engaged to be married until they broke up in 1968. McCartney married American photographer Linda Eastman in 1969 (McCartney was the last Beatle to get married). They had four children (Linda's daughter Heather who was adopted by Paul, followed by three more children) and remained married until Linda's death from breast cancer in 1998. In 2002, McCartney married former model Heather Mills and they had a child, Beatrice, in 2003. They separated in May 2006 and were divorced in May 2008. Widespread animosity towards McCartney's wives was reported in 2004. "They [the British public] didn't like me giving up on Jane Asher," McCartney said. "I married a New York divorcee with a child, and at the time they didn't like that."
Barry Manilow (born June 17, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, entertainer, and performer, best known for such recordings as "I Write the Songs", "Mandy", "Weekend in New England" and "Copacabana". Manilow's achievements include sales of more than 76 million records worldwide. In 1978, five of his albums were on the best-selling charts simultaneously, a feat equaled only by Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson and Johnny Mathis. He has recorded a string of Billboard hit singles and multi-platinum albums that have resulted in his being named Radio & Records number one Adult Contemporary artist and winning three straight American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist. Several well-known entertainers have given Manilow their "stamp of approval," including Sinatra, who was quoted in the 1970s regarding Manilow, "He's next." In 1988, Bob Dylan stopped Manilow at a party, hugged him and said, "Don't stop what you're doing, man. We're all inspired by you." Arsenio Hall cited Manilow as a favorite guest on The Arsenio Hall Show and admonished his audience to respect him for his work.
As well as producing and arranging albums for other artists, such as Bette Midler, Dionne Warwick and Rosemary Clooney, Manilow has written songs for musicals, films, and commercials.
Since February 2005, he has been the headliner at the Las Vegas Hilton, and has performed hundreds of shows.
Copacabana
If you cannot decipher the words, try pulling the
corner of your eyes as if you were Japanese.
The remains of a person were spotted this morning floating off the Point of Pines neighborhood in Revere today.
The remains were recovered by the Revere fire department after they were found near the confluence of the Pines and Saugus rivers and alongside the General Edwards Bridge on Route 1A, according to Revere Fire and Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley's office.
The person's gender or identity could not be immediately established, officials said.
State police assigned to Conley's office are investigating. The discovery was made around 11:25 a.m., Revere fire officials said.
Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours?
They're both dogs!
If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?
If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons??
Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune
Why did you just try singing the two songs above?
Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's in your butt?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?
My friend's son wrote this poem...please vote for his poem by clicking on the link below and clicking on vote on the right hand side of the webpage and selecting "Mutualism" by Steven Biondo.
Thanks for your help!
http://www.angelicdynamo.com/poems/03/
A reporter interviewing a 104-year-old woman asked: 'And what do you think is the best thing about being 104?'.
She simply replied, 'No peer pressure.'
The nice thing about being senile is You can hide your own Easter eggs.
My memory's not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
THE SENILITY PRAYER : Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.
ARIES: Nothing is a waste of time in relationships. Look back and note what you've learned so far from the people you have loved. TAURUS: You haven't had time to pursue a certain interest -- until now. You're lucky in love when you do. GEMINI: You'll be thinking short term, though your date may be thinking long term. CANCER: You might want to change something about yourself, but someone dear loves you the way you are. LEO: You're willing to let go of an old way of thinking so that you can have more fun with someone special. VIRGO: Be wary of making promises, especially if you feel pressured to do so. LIBRA: A kiss is not just a kiss. You'll get one that's loaded with emotion. SCORPIO: Quiet the critical voice that's keeping you from expressing yourself to your love. SAGITTARIUS: Someone will take a risk to be with you, perhaps by expressing their heart to you. Stay in the moment. CAPRICORN: You might fall for a person who is trying to sell you something. AQUARIUS: Speed dating or Internet dating is particularly lucky for you now. PISCES: Go to a sporting event -- amorous vibes will flow freely there.
COUPLE OF THE WEEKEND: Gemini and Aquarius are simply dazzling this weekend as the sun and moon turn up dial on their wit, charm and beauty. Naturally, they are attracted to each other, though they have a funny way of showing it. An innocent passerby might think they dislike each other immensely -- the arguing and teasing just doesn't seem friendly. But secretly each is eating up this sassy brand of attention.
FIRST DEGREE
A married couple was asleep when the phone rang at 2 in the morning. Alisha picked up the phone, listened a moment, and said 'How should I know, that's 200 miles from here!' and hung up. The husband said, 'Who was that?'
Alisha answered, 'I don't know, some woman wanting to know if the coast is clear.'
SECOND DEGREE
Alisha and her friend are walking down the street. Alisha notices a compact on the sidewalk and leans down to pick it up. She opens it, looks in the mirror and says, 'Hmm, this person looks familiar.'
Her Friend says, 'Here, let me see!'
So, Alisha hands her the compact.
Her Friend looks in the mirror and says, 'You dummy, it's me!'
THIRD DEGREE
Alisha suspects her boyfriend of cheating on her, so she goes out and buys a gun. She goes to his apartment unexpectedly and when she opens the door she finds him in the arms of a redhead. Well, Alisha is really angry. She opens her purse to take out the gun, and as she does so, she is overcome with grief. She takes the gun and puts it to her head.
The boyfriend yells, 'No, honey, don't do it!!!'
Alisha replies, 'Shut up, you're next!'
FOURTH DEGREE
Alisha was bragging about her knowledge of state capitals. She proudly says, 'Go ahead, ask me... I know 'em all.'
Rick says, 'OK, what's the capital of Wisconsin ?'
Alisha replies, 'Oh, that's easy. Its W.'
FIFTH DEGREE
Q: What did Alisha ask her doctor when he told her she was pregnant?
A: 'Is it mine?'
SIXTH DEGREE
Alisha while in her fourth year of the eleventh grade , sat in her US Government class. The professor asked Alisha if she knew what Roe vs. Wade was about..
Alisha pondered the question; then, finally, said, 'That was the decision George Washington had to make before he crossed the Delaware .'
SEVENTH DEGREE
Returning home from work, Alisha was shocked to find her house ransacked and burglarized. She telephoned the police at once and reported the crime. The police dispatcher broadcast the call on the radio, and a K-9 unit, patrolling nearby, was the first to respond.
As the K-9 officer approached the house with his dog on a leash, Alisha ran out on the porch, shuddered at the sight of the cop and his dog, then sat down on the steps. Putting her face in her hands, she moaned, 'I come home to find all my possessions stolen. I call the police for help, and what do they do? They send me a BLIND COP!'
REVERE - Police say veteran city employee Michael Ferragamo admitted to stealing street signs from the Charger Street city yard over the last two weeks and selling them to an Everett scrap metal dealer.
Ferragamo, 47, 65 McKinley St., is slated to plead innocent in Chelsea District Court to breaking and entering and larceny charges.
Police Sgt. Thomas Malone in a report filed Friday stated Ferragamo admitted being paid $500 to $700 for the signs valued by Public Works Superintendent Donald Goodwin at $2,000 to $5,000. Between 1,000 and 1,500 signs are missing.
A call to Ferragamo's listed telephone number Friday afternoon found it disconnected.
A public works employee returning to work Wednesday after a week off noticed the signs missing from the sign shop in the Charger Street yard. Police reviewed security camera videotape with DPW officials and observed Ferragamo getting out of a city van and entering the shop on May 28. Video taken May 29 and June 1 shows the van leaving and entering the Charger Street yard.
The GPS device installed in the city van tracked the vehicle traveling on May 28 and on May 29 to a residence abutting Ferragamo's house and to Everett. The GPS also tracked the vehicle traveling to Everett on June 1.
The theft is the latest source of unwanted attention for Goodwin and his department.
A confrontation last week with City Councilor at Large John R. Correggio prompted both men to file criminal complaints set for review June 25 in Chelsea District Court.
The missing signs also raise the specter of another city theft a half year after city auditors documented misspending in the public library. Former Library Director Robert Rice resigned after the spending discrepancies were found and the probe into library accounts continues with the Suffolk District Attorney's office spearheading it.
Lynn Item
Alcohol does not make you FAT
- it makes you LEAN...
against tables, chairs, floors, walls and ugly people.
Heart broke? Most of us go through it one time or another. It's a crucial aspect of love, as it couldn't be a glorious process if there were no risk of getting hurt. Here are clues based on your sun sign about how to get through heartache with some degree of grace.
Aries people going through a hard time should not vow to remain friends with the ex. Instead, Aries, you should jump right back into the dating pool, even if it means spending time with people you'd rather drown than go to a movie with. Believe it or not, for you, being annoyed with your choices is part of the healing process.
Taurus, the story is different. The bull usually reacts to heartache with shock and denial, followed by a period of intense self-pity. Wallow in it, Taurus! Don't share your chocolate. Let yourself wear the same clothes for days while eating nothing but candy and coffee. Usually by day five, you're pretty sick of the sad thing. With your special resolve, you have the power to pick yourself up and never look back.
Gemini can usually heal a broken heart with the art of distraction. Getting deeply into another topic of interest unrelated to romance is the quickest way to normalcy.
Cancer should go hermit-style. Stock up on food and hide out in your own home. It really doesn't matter if you're productive or not there. Whether you get the energy to dabble in those projects around the place that you've been meaning to finish or simply catch up on soap operas, the point is that being with yourself in your own environment is healing. The more time you can spend there over the next lunar cycle (about 28 days), the faster your heartache ends.
Leo put your ex on the list. You know the list -- the one you keep of people who are going to be sorry and eat their hearts out when you become wildly successful and hopelessly glamorous. Oh, won't they be so very envious and so bitterly sorry then about the lame way they treated you! So write their name on the list and then get on with the task of becoming wildly successful and hopelessly glamorous.
Virgo, Go on a cleaning spree. Not just the ordinary things like the shelves and the wineglasses. Get deep into the family photographs, the wardrobe from years past and the antiquated address book. Touching, cleaning and organizing these bits of your life will remind you who you are while helping you feel better.
Libra, Align yourself with the great artists throughout time. Go to museums, read books and get tickets to events. Chances are that a lot of the art you respond to was made by deeply feeling people in a similar emotional place to the one you are at now. If they can turn their pain into something beautiful, so can you.
Scorpio should watch comedies. As many as you can. It's a curious mix of truth and pain that produces laughter. Every chuckle you emote will be a Band-Aid for your heart.
Sagittarius, A change of scenery does wonders for a Sagittarius who has been through a painful ordeal. And here's a bonus, Sag, You are the one most likely to create the most interesting experiences in the shortest amount of time to get you over the hump and on with your life.
Capricorn should stop thinking so much. You'll have a tendency to overanalyze the situation in an attempt to figure out what exactly went wrong. While it's important to learn the lessons of a breakup, chances are that you'll do that better when you're over the initial pain. Accept that there will always be unanswered questions and get your mind onto the task of pampering yourself.
Aquarius, Get closure. It will be difficult for you to leave on an unresolved note. If it's at all possible for you to part on friendly terms, make every effort to do so. For other signs, this makes it harder. But you take comfort in knowing that just because relationships change, sometimes drastically, doesn't mean that they are completely over.
Pisces, Write about the bad times. Get your pain out on paper so it's not in you body or psyche anymore. Do not, under any circumstances, let your ex read what you wrote. When you're ready, make a ritual of burning the papers and letting it go.
The wise T.E. Kalem once wrote of a "...final comfort that is small but not cold: The heart is the only broken instrument that works."
With all the new technology regarding fertility recently, a 65-year-old friend of mine was able to give birth. When she was discharged from the hospital and went home, I went to visit.
'May I see the new baby?' I asked
'Not yet,' She said 'I'll make coffee and we can talk for a while first.'
Thirty minutes had passed, and I asked, 'May I see the new baby now? '
'No, not yet,' She said.
After another few minutes had elapsed, I asked again, 'May I see the baby now?'
'No, not yet,' replied my friend.
Growing very impatient, I asked, 'Well, when can I see the baby?'
'WHEN HE CRIES!' she told me.
'WHEN HE CRIES?' I demanded. 'Why do I have to wait until he CRIES?'
'BECAUSE I FORGOT WHERE I PUT HIM, OK?!!'
REVERE - City Councilor at Large Robert Haas wants police to crack down on drivers behind the wheel of cabs that he said look like "they are held together by bungee cords."
"They look like they just came back from a demolition derby," Haas said Monday, adding, "You see some bombers down on Broadway."
Police Chief Terance Reardon said officers respond to every complaint about taxi maintenance the department receives but underscored his police priorities in the face of recent city spending cuts.
"We're down from 118 to 86 officers. At some point we have to face the facts we're grossly understaffed."
Nine cuts in Police Department ranks and layoffs of seven firefighters are part of the overall personnel cuts made since January by Mayor Thomas Ambrosino. The cuts are aimed at offseting a $1.2 million shortfall in the current city budget compounded by a $1.64 million hike in costs for Fiscal Year 2010.
Ambrosino told the council the increases in city expenses represent health insurance costs and hikes in the water and sewer assessment levied on the city by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. City Councilor at large Anthony Zambuto complained during Monday's public safety committee meeting about inaction one year after he "tried to restructure the hackney division."
"My good friend, the chief, thinks there is no problem. I totally disagree," he said.
Zambuto wants to limit the number of medallions available to cab companies but Reardon said police discipline cab companies violating taxi ordinances. Reardon said he "has no problem" with limiting medallions but disputed Ward 6 Councilor Charles Patch's claim that police do not thoroughly check taxi operators' criminal records.
City ordinance permits 50 to 75 cabs to operate in Revere and 56 currently are assigned medallions, said Reardon.
Patriot Taxi owner Robert Raduazzo said the city needs to increase the number of local cab stands from four. He said the limited number does not leave cabs enough legal locations across the city to park and puts them at risk of getting ticketed by meter readers.
Monday's public safety meeting followed another committee meeting that saw two city personalities involved in a well-publicized confrontation on their best behavior.
Public Works Superintendent Donald Goodwin referred to Councilor John R. Correggio as "Jack" while answering Correggio's question about Squire Road sewer work.
The tone the pair took toward each other was markedly different at Paul Buonfiglio Funeral Home last week when they exchanged words and, according to Correggio, Goodwin grabbed the older man by the neck.
The men filed criminal complaints setting the stage for a Chelsea District Court hearing later this month. Goodwin said the exchange grew out of Correggio's call for Goodwin's resignation in the wake of last year's state probe of Public Works operations. Goodwin said he touched Correggio on the shoulder, not the neck, and said the councilor has been "interfering" in Public Works personnel matters.
The first testicular guard "Cup" was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974.
It took 100 years for men to realize that the brain is also important.
Pregnant women and college students would be excused from jury duty under several exemptions to the dreaded summons being proposed by lawmakers this week.
Businessmen whose civic responsibility would temporarily force them to shutter their doors would also get a free pass, as would people denied a firearm license or those caring for a sick individual dependent on their help for survival.
The Committee on Judiciary is scheduled to hear rationale for the proposed cop-outs at the State House tomorrow.
But not everyone is looking for a way out.
State law allows for residents 70 and older to elect not to serve on a jury. A constituent of Boston state Rep. Martha M. Walz believes the elder privilege should be delayed until age 75.
The law “reflects an antiquated notion of what people 70 and older are capable of. It’s rooted in an era when, by age 70, the vast majority of people were retired,” said Walz, an employment attorney.
“It was a head-scratcher to me,” she said, adding that these days, “Some (seniors) are still working full time. I just don’t think age should be a factor in exempting someone from jury duty.”
Jury Commissioner Pamela J. Wood could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Dozens of exemptions to jury duty are already on the books, including: Boston firefighters, surgeons, public school teachers, members of the Legislature and Christian Science practitioners. A parent responsible for the daily care of a child under age 15 may refuse to serve.
State Reps. Kathi-Anne Reinstein (D-Revere) and Linda Dean Campbell (D-Methuen) want to expand that rule to include women expecting babies, but it’s unclear why. Neither pol could be reached yesterday.
State Rep. Louis L. Kafka (D-Stoughton) is petitioning to excuse college students from jury duty, as well as primary health-care providers, whether they’re paid or not.
State Rep. Bradley H. Jones Jr. (R-North Reading) is proposing exempting anyone who is the “sole owner” of a business and would have to close in order to hear a trial.
Meanwhile, a private citizen from Southboro doesn’t think anyone should be required to sit in judgment of their peers if they don’t qualify for an FID card.
Boston Herald
Marilyn Monroe,(1 June 1926 – 5 August 1962), born Norma Jeane Mortenson but baptized Norma Jeane Baker, was an American actress, singer, and model.
After spending much of her childhood in foster homes, Monroe began a career as a model, which led to a film contract in 1946. Her early roles were minor, but her performances in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve (both 1950) were well received. She was praised for her comedic ability in such films as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire and The Seven Year Itch, and became one of Hollywood's most popular and glamorous performers.
The typecasting of Monroe's "dumb blonde" persona limited her career prospects, so she broadened her range. She studied at the Actors Studio and formed Marilyn Monroe Productions. Her dramatic performance in William Inge's Bus Stop was hailed by critics, and she won a Golden Globe Award for her performance in Some Like it Hot.
The final years of Monroe's life were marked by illness, personal problems, and a reputation for being unreliable and difficult to work with. The circumstances of her death, from an overdose of barbiturates, have been the subject of conjecture. Though officially classified as a "probable suicide", the possibility of an accidental overdose has not been ruled out, while conspiracy theorists argue that she was murdered.
She was married 3 times: James Dougherty (1942–1946); Joe DiMaggio (1954); Arthur Miller (1956–1961).
In 1999, Monroe was ranked as the sixth greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute.
On August 5, 1962, LAPD police sergeant Jack Clemmons received a call at 4:25AM from Dr. Ralph Greenson, her psychiatrist, proclaiming that Monroe was dead at her home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California. Sergeant Clemmons was the first police officer to arrive at the death scene. Many questions remain unanswered about the circumstances of her death and the timeline after Monroe's body was found.
The official cause of Monroe's death was classified by Dr. Thomas Noguchi of the Los Angeles County Coroners office as "acute barbiturate poisoning", which he recorded as an accidental overdose. Eight milligram percent of chloral hydrate and 4.5 milligram percent of Nembutal were found in her system after the autopsy. Her death was rumored to be a "probable suicide", but because of a lack of evidence, investigators could not classify her death as suicide or homicide. Also, some conspiracy theories involve John and Robert Kennedy with her death, while other theories suggest CIA or mafia complicity.
On August 8, 1962, Monroe was interred in a crypt at Corridor of Memories, #24, at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. Lee Strasberg delivered the eulogy.
COUPLE OF THE WEEKEND: Sagittarius and Aquarius are two adventurers who have potential to come together for a shared adventure this weekend. They favorably affect each other's lives as they set out on the journey. Sagittarian style is to embrace other worlds and, while in them, do as the natives do. Aquarius is intent on learning about the new territory and leaving it a better place. Both will succeed in their aim.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Today's Birthday: Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney MBE (born 18 June 1942) is a multiple Grammy Award-winning English singer-songwriter, poet, composer, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur, record producer, film producer, painter, and animal rights activist. He gained worldwide fame as a member of The Beatles, alongside John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. McCartney and Lennon formed one of the most influential and successful songwriting partnerships and wrote some of the most popular music in rock and roll history. After leaving The Beatles, McCartney launched a successful solo career and formed the band Wings with his first wife, Linda Eastman McCartney, and singer-songwriter Denny Laine. He has worked on film scores and classical and electronic music, released a large catalogue of songs as a solo artist, and taken part in projects to help international charities.McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the most successful musician and composer in popular music history, with 60 gold discs and sales of 100 million singles. His song "Yesterday" is listed as the most covered song in history—by over 3,700 artists so far—and has been played more than 7,000,000 times on American television and radio. Wings' 1977 single "Mull of Kintyre" became the first single to sell more than two million copies in the UK, and remains the UK's top selling non-charity single. (Three charity singles have since surpassed it in sales; the first to do so, in 1984, was Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?", whose participants included McCartney.) According to britishhitsongwriters.com he is the most successful songwriter in U.K. singles chart history, based on weeks that his compositions have spent on the chart.
One of McCartney's first girlfriends was called Layla, whom McCartney remembered as having an unusual name in Liverpool at the time. Layla was slightly older than McCartney and used to ask him to baby-sit with her, which was a code word for sex. Julie Arthur, another girlfriend, was Ted Ray's niece.
McCartney had a three-year relationship with Dot Rhone in Liverpool, and they were due to get married until Rhone lost the baby she was expecting. In London, McCartney had a five-year relationship with actress Jane Asher. They were engaged to be married until they broke up in 1968. McCartney married American photographer Linda Eastman in 1969 (McCartney was the last Beatle to get married). They had four children (Linda's daughter Heather who was adopted by Paul, followed by three more children) and remained married until Linda's death from breast cancer in 1998. In 2002, McCartney married former model Heather Mills and they had a child, Beatrice, in 2003. They separated in May 2006 and were divorced in May 2008. Widespread animosity towards McCartney's wives was reported in 2004. "They [the British public] didn't like me giving up on Jane Asher," McCartney said. "I married a New York divorcee with a child, and at the time they didn't like that."
State pushes a wave of construction
Public outlays could spur private projects
Governor Deval Patrick’s administration will spend hundreds of millions of dollars this summer building roads and highway ramps for at least five struggling private developments - from the former Naval air station in Weymouth to Somerville’s Assembly Square - in hopes of jump-starting construction and the local economy.
The money, a combination of federal stimulus money and state funds, will not go directly to the private developers, but rather for public works that Patrick aides said they expect will make it easier for companies to arrange financing in otherwise tight credit markets. That, in turn, would kick off construction of the planned office parks, shopping centers, housing, and hotels that will create new jobs.
Although more projects may be chosen later, the ones already approved include not only SouthField in Weymouth and Assembly Square, but a new business park in Fall River that will recruit biotech companies, the Westwood Station project, and Waterfront Square at Revere Beach.
The state’s immediate goal is to start work in the current construction season, with the first five projects receiving $20 million to $60 million in public works improvements. Patrick officials expect to officially an nounce the funding commitments over the coming weeks.
“The projects we will be announcing will change the way we grow and develop over the next 10 years,’’ said Gregory Bialecki, the Massachusetts secretary of housing and economic development. “What we’re trying to do is create the places that will be our new employment centers.’’
The federal funds will come out of an $800 million allotment for transportation projects Massachusetts received from the stimulus package.
Initially the Patrick administration used some of that federal money for simple projects such as road paving. But it now wants to target improvements that have the ancillary benefit of creating additional economic growth.
“Now, we’re able to look over the horizon and go after the big picture things we’re trying to do,’’ Bialecki said.
In Somerville, Mayor Joseph Curtatone called the selection of the Assembly Square project a major benefit for his city, which like many communities is struggling to fund public services with less money.
“This project will do a lot to stabilize our future,’’ Curtatone said of the proposed development. “It will allow us to invest in education, public works and public safety. It’s the most important project in the city.’’
The state is still sorting through the list of projects that have applied for public aid, and more may be added in the coming months.
But Bialecki indicated several high-profile stalled developments have needs the state cannot accommodate.
One is Columbus Center, an $800 million condominium, hotel, and retail project over the turnpike in Boston that has been unable to arrange private financing.
Another request that is too large to fill came from Gale International and Vornado Realty Trust, developers of the Filene’s block in Downtown Crossing, which Bialecki said were looking for as much as $300 million in assistance.
Neither set of developers returned calls seeking comment.
In downturns in the early 1990s and 2001, Massachusetts lagged the national economy in its recovery, taking months longer to restore jobs and production lost during the contraction.
The new spending initiative is an attempt to reverse that trend, although it is unclear just how quickly some of these private developments can get underway and contribute to the economy.
The five projects chosen so far are all ambitious:
◼The Assembly Square project in Somerville includes retail stores such as Ikea, office buildings, and more than 2,000 residential units.
◼The former South Weymouth Naval Air Station would become SouthField, a minicity with more than 2,800 housing units, golf course, stores, offices, and movie studios. State officials are arranging financing to build an access road that would connect the development with routes 3 and 18 and cost about $60 million.
◼At Waterfront Square at Revere Beach, Eurovest Development is planning to build a $500 million mixed use project that would include more than 900 housing units, a hotel, and 200,000 square feet of stores, restaurants, and offices. The state is considering upgrades to the MBTA’s Wonderland Station as well as the network of roads around it.
◼For Fall River, the state will build an off-ramp from Route 24 that would allow officials to add new space next to the city’s 500-acre Industrial Park for biotech companies.
◼The $1.5 billion Westwood Station project includes hundreds of housing units, retail stores, and offices on a large site opposite the Route 128 Amtrak station. The developers want help building a new highway interchange at interstates 95 and 93 that would improve traffic flow around the project, which is projected to create about 3,700 construction jobs and as many as 9,000 permanent jobs.
“We have one or two critical tenants that are still waiting to see what happens with the road system. And if these commitments come through, we can get financing to move the project forward soon,’’ said Jay Doherty, chief executive of developer Cabot, Cabot & Forbes.
Boston Globe
Governor Deval Patrick’s administration will spend hundreds of millions of dollars this summer building roads and highway ramps for at least five struggling private developments - from the former Naval air station in Weymouth to Somerville’s Assembly Square - in hopes of jump-starting construction and the local economy.
The money, a combination of federal stimulus money and state funds, will not go directly to the private developers, but rather for public works that Patrick aides said they expect will make it easier for companies to arrange financing in otherwise tight credit markets. That, in turn, would kick off construction of the planned office parks, shopping centers, housing, and hotels that will create new jobs.
Although more projects may be chosen later, the ones already approved include not only SouthField in Weymouth and Assembly Square, but a new business park in Fall River that will recruit biotech companies, the Westwood Station project, and Waterfront Square at Revere Beach.
The state’s immediate goal is to start work in the current construction season, with the first five projects receiving $20 million to $60 million in public works improvements. Patrick officials expect to officially an nounce the funding commitments over the coming weeks.
“The projects we will be announcing will change the way we grow and develop over the next 10 years,’’ said Gregory Bialecki, the Massachusetts secretary of housing and economic development. “What we’re trying to do is create the places that will be our new employment centers.’’
The federal funds will come out of an $800 million allotment for transportation projects Massachusetts received from the stimulus package.
Initially the Patrick administration used some of that federal money for simple projects such as road paving. But it now wants to target improvements that have the ancillary benefit of creating additional economic growth.
“Now, we’re able to look over the horizon and go after the big picture things we’re trying to do,’’ Bialecki said.
In Somerville, Mayor Joseph Curtatone called the selection of the Assembly Square project a major benefit for his city, which like many communities is struggling to fund public services with less money.
“This project will do a lot to stabilize our future,’’ Curtatone said of the proposed development. “It will allow us to invest in education, public works and public safety. It’s the most important project in the city.’’
The state is still sorting through the list of projects that have applied for public aid, and more may be added in the coming months.
But Bialecki indicated several high-profile stalled developments have needs the state cannot accommodate.
One is Columbus Center, an $800 million condominium, hotel, and retail project over the turnpike in Boston that has been unable to arrange private financing.
Another request that is too large to fill came from Gale International and Vornado Realty Trust, developers of the Filene’s block in Downtown Crossing, which Bialecki said were looking for as much as $300 million in assistance.
Neither set of developers returned calls seeking comment.
In downturns in the early 1990s and 2001, Massachusetts lagged the national economy in its recovery, taking months longer to restore jobs and production lost during the contraction.
The new spending initiative is an attempt to reverse that trend, although it is unclear just how quickly some of these private developments can get underway and contribute to the economy.
The five projects chosen so far are all ambitious:
◼The Assembly Square project in Somerville includes retail stores such as Ikea, office buildings, and more than 2,000 residential units.
◼The former South Weymouth Naval Air Station would become SouthField, a minicity with more than 2,800 housing units, golf course, stores, offices, and movie studios. State officials are arranging financing to build an access road that would connect the development with routes 3 and 18 and cost about $60 million.
◼At Waterfront Square at Revere Beach, Eurovest Development is planning to build a $500 million mixed use project that would include more than 900 housing units, a hotel, and 200,000 square feet of stores, restaurants, and offices. The state is considering upgrades to the MBTA’s Wonderland Station as well as the network of roads around it.
◼For Fall River, the state will build an off-ramp from Route 24 that would allow officials to add new space next to the city’s 500-acre Industrial Park for biotech companies.
◼The $1.5 billion Westwood Station project includes hundreds of housing units, retail stores, and offices on a large site opposite the Route 128 Amtrak station. The developers want help building a new highway interchange at interstates 95 and 93 that would improve traffic flow around the project, which is projected to create about 3,700 construction jobs and as many as 9,000 permanent jobs.
“We have one or two critical tenants that are still waiting to see what happens with the road system. And if these commitments come through, we can get financing to move the project forward soon,’’ said Jay Doherty, chief executive of developer Cabot, Cabot & Forbes.
Boston Globe
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Happy Birthday, Barry Manilow!
Barry Manilow (born June 17, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, entertainer, and performer, best known for such recordings as "I Write the Songs", "Mandy", "Weekend in New England" and "Copacabana". Manilow's achievements include sales of more than 76 million records worldwide. In 1978, five of his albums were on the best-selling charts simultaneously, a feat equaled only by Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson and Johnny Mathis. He has recorded a string of Billboard hit singles and multi-platinum albums that have resulted in his being named Radio & Records number one Adult Contemporary artist and winning three straight American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist. Several well-known entertainers have given Manilow their "stamp of approval," including Sinatra, who was quoted in the 1970s regarding Manilow, "He's next." In 1988, Bob Dylan stopped Manilow at a party, hugged him and said, "Don't stop what you're doing, man. We're all inspired by you." Arsenio Hall cited Manilow as a favorite guest on The Arsenio Hall Show and admonished his audience to respect him for his work.As well as producing and arranging albums for other artists, such as Bette Midler, Dionne Warwick and Rosemary Clooney, Manilow has written songs for musicals, films, and commercials.
Since February 2005, he has been the headliner at the Las Vegas Hilton, and has performed hundreds of shows.
Japanese Eye Test
corner of your eyes as if you were Japanese.
Homeless man's body pulled from Saugus River
REVERE – A state police dive team extracted the body of a 46-year-old homeless man from the banks of the commuter rail bridge crossing the Saugus River in Revere by the General Edwards Bridge just before 12:40 p.m. today.
The fully clothed body was pulled into a state police boat from three to four feet off shore at low tide. It took police about an hour to raise the body using ropes.
"State police assigned to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office responded to a body recovery in water near Mills Avenue in Revere late Wednesday morning," Suffolk District Attorney Spokesman Jake Wark said.
The case was later handed over to Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office, where the incident remains under investigation.
Essex County DA Spokesman Steve O'Connell confirmed that the body was that of a homeless man, but did not release his identity as next of kin has yet to be notified.
O'Connell said there did not appear to be any signs of foul play, but the district attorney's office is awaiting the results of an autopsy to conclude the investigation.
“ There were no obvious signs of trauma on the body,” said O'Connell. “But the case will remain under investigation as we await the results of the autopsy. We have a pretty good idea of who this person is, but we are still attempting to locate and notify his family.”
O'Connell said two individuals fishing in the area made the initial call to the Revere Fire Department to report the body.
Revere Fire Chief Eugene Doherty said his department took a call at 11:25 a.m. for a body floating in the water at the junction of the Pines and Saugus rivers. According to the caller, the body appeared to have floated down the Saugus River.
Doherty said he dispatched a fire boat and asked for the assistance of a private boater at the Point of Pines Yacht Club.
Divers appeared to locate the location of the body quickly, but it took the dive team some time to carefully lift the body from the water in to a police boat.
Three state police cruisers closed a portion of the General Edwards Bridge during the investigation.
The fully clothed body was pulled into a state police boat from three to four feet off shore at low tide. It took police about an hour to raise the body using ropes.
"State police assigned to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office responded to a body recovery in water near Mills Avenue in Revere late Wednesday morning," Suffolk District Attorney Spokesman Jake Wark said.
The case was later handed over to Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office, where the incident remains under investigation.
Essex County DA Spokesman Steve O'Connell confirmed that the body was that of a homeless man, but did not release his identity as next of kin has yet to be notified.
O'Connell said there did not appear to be any signs of foul play, but the district attorney's office is awaiting the results of an autopsy to conclude the investigation.
“ There were no obvious signs of trauma on the body,” said O'Connell. “But the case will remain under investigation as we await the results of the autopsy. We have a pretty good idea of who this person is, but we are still attempting to locate and notify his family.”
O'Connell said two individuals fishing in the area made the initial call to the Revere Fire Department to report the body.
Revere Fire Chief Eugene Doherty said his department took a call at 11:25 a.m. for a body floating in the water at the junction of the Pines and Saugus rivers. According to the caller, the body appeared to have floated down the Saugus River.
Doherty said he dispatched a fire boat and asked for the assistance of a private boater at the Point of Pines Yacht Club.
Divers appeared to locate the location of the body quickly, but it took the dive team some time to carefully lift the body from the water in to a police boat.
Three state police cruisers closed a portion of the General Edwards Bridge during the investigation.
Body found floating near Route 1A in Revere
The remains of a person were spotted this morning floating off the Point of Pines neighborhood in Revere today.
The remains were recovered by the Revere fire department after they were found near the confluence of the Pines and Saugus rivers and alongside the General Edwards Bridge on Route 1A, according to Revere Fire and Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley's office.
The person's gender or identity could not be immediately established, officials said.
State police assigned to Conley's office are investigating. The discovery was made around 11:25 a.m., Revere fire officials said.
Questions to Ponder
Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours?
They're both dogs!
If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?
If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons??
Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune
Why did you just try singing the two songs above?
Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's in your butt?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Deadline for votes is Today....
My friend's son wrote this poem...please vote for his poem by clicking on the link below and clicking on vote on the right hand side of the webpage and selecting "Mutualism" by Steven Biondo.
Thanks for your help!
http://www.angelicdynamo.com/poems/03/
Monday, June 15, 2009
Aging
A reporter interviewing a 104-year-old woman asked: 'And what do you think is the best thing about being 104?'.
She simply replied, 'No peer pressure.'
The nice thing about being senile is You can hide your own Easter eggs.
My memory's not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
THE SENILITY PRAYER : Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
WEEKEND LOVE FORECAST:
ARIES: Nothing is a waste of time in relationships. Look back and note what you've learned so far from the people you have loved. TAURUS: You haven't had time to pursue a certain interest -- until now. You're lucky in love when you do. GEMINI: You'll be thinking short term, though your date may be thinking long term. CANCER: You might want to change something about yourself, but someone dear loves you the way you are. LEO: You're willing to let go of an old way of thinking so that you can have more fun with someone special. VIRGO: Be wary of making promises, especially if you feel pressured to do so. LIBRA: A kiss is not just a kiss. You'll get one that's loaded with emotion. SCORPIO: Quiet the critical voice that's keeping you from expressing yourself to your love. SAGITTARIUS: Someone will take a risk to be with you, perhaps by expressing their heart to you. Stay in the moment. CAPRICORN: You might fall for a person who is trying to sell you something. AQUARIUS: Speed dating or Internet dating is particularly lucky for you now. PISCES: Go to a sporting event -- amorous vibes will flow freely there.
COUPLE OF THE WEEKEND: Gemini and Aquarius are simply dazzling this weekend as the sun and moon turn up dial on their wit, charm and beauty. Naturally, they are attracted to each other, though they have a funny way of showing it. An innocent passerby might think they dislike each other immensely -- the arguing and teasing just doesn't seem friendly. But secretly each is eating up this sassy brand of attention.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Smart Canadian
A man in a grocery store in Texas tries to buy half a head of lettuce. The very young produce assistant tells him that they sell only whole heads of lettuce
The man persists and asks to see the manager. The boy says he'll ask his manager about it. Walking into the back room, the boy said to his manager, 'Some asshole wants to buy half a head of lettuce.' As he finished his sentence, he turned to find the man standing right behind him, so he added, 'And this gentleman has kindly offered to buy the other half.'
The manager approved the deal, and the man went on his way.
Later the manager said to the boy, 'I was impressed with the way you got yourself out of that situation earlier. We like people who think on their feet here. Where are you from, son?'
'Canada, sir,' the boy replied.
'Well, why did you leave Canada?' the manager asked. The boy said, 'Sir, there's nothing but whores and hockey players up there.'
'Really?' said the manager. 'My wife is from Canada.'
'No shit?' replied the boy. 'Who'd she play for?'
The man persists and asks to see the manager. The boy says he'll ask his manager about it. Walking into the back room, the boy said to his manager, 'Some asshole wants to buy half a head of lettuce.' As he finished his sentence, he turned to find the man standing right behind him, so he added, 'And this gentleman has kindly offered to buy the other half.'
The manager approved the deal, and the man went on his way.
Later the manager said to the boy, 'I was impressed with the way you got yourself out of that situation earlier. We like people who think on their feet here. Where are you from, son?'
'Canada, sir,' the boy replied.
'Well, why did you leave Canada?' the manager asked. The boy said, 'Sir, there's nothing but whores and hockey players up there.'
'Really?' said the manager. 'My wife is from Canada.''No shit?' replied the boy. 'Who'd she play for?'
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Jungle Alcohol
This is all in French, so let me interpret for you before you watch the short clip.
There is a fruit tree. All the animals love this fruit and just cannot wait for it to ripen and drop from the tree. Some animals help it along by dropping its fruit. As the fruit lays in the hot sun it begins to ferment, and I think that is enough to understand the rest of the story.
There is a fruit tree. All the animals love this fruit and just cannot wait for it to ripen and drop from the tree. Some animals help it along by dropping its fruit. As the fruit lays in the hot sun it begins to ferment, and I think that is enough to understand the rest of the story.
7 Degrees of Blonde
FIRST DEGREE
A married couple was asleep when the phone rang at 2 in the morning. Alisha picked up the phone, listened a moment, and said 'How should I know, that's 200 miles from here!' and hung up. The husband said, 'Who was that?'
Alisha answered, 'I don't know, some woman wanting to know if the coast is clear.'
SECOND DEGREE
Alisha and her friend are walking down the street. Alisha notices a compact on the sidewalk and leans down to pick it up. She opens it, looks in the mirror and says, 'Hmm, this person looks familiar.'
Her Friend says, 'Here, let me see!'
So, Alisha hands her the compact.
Her Friend looks in the mirror and says, 'You dummy, it's me!'
THIRD DEGREE
Alisha suspects her boyfriend of cheating on her, so she goes out and buys a gun. She goes to his apartment unexpectedly and when she opens the door she finds him in the arms of a redhead. Well, Alisha is really angry. She opens her purse to take out the gun, and as she does so, she is overcome with grief. She takes the gun and puts it to her head.
The boyfriend yells, 'No, honey, don't do it!!!'
Alisha replies, 'Shut up, you're next!'
FOURTH DEGREE
Alisha was bragging about her knowledge of state capitals. She proudly says, 'Go ahead, ask me... I know 'em all.'
Rick says, 'OK, what's the capital of Wisconsin ?'
Alisha replies, 'Oh, that's easy. Its W.'
FIFTH DEGREE
Q: What did Alisha ask her doctor when he told her she was pregnant?
A: 'Is it mine?'
SIXTH DEGREE
Alisha while in her fourth year of the eleventh grade , sat in her US Government class. The professor asked Alisha if she knew what Roe vs. Wade was about..
Alisha pondered the question; then, finally, said, 'That was the decision George Washington had to make before he crossed the Delaware .'
SEVENTH DEGREE
Returning home from work, Alisha was shocked to find her house ransacked and burglarized. She telephoned the police at once and reported the crime. The police dispatcher broadcast the call on the radio, and a K-9 unit, patrolling nearby, was the first to respond.
As the K-9 officer approached the house with his dog on a leash, Alisha ran out on the porch, shuddered at the sight of the cop and his dog, then sat down on the steps. Putting her face in her hands, she moaned, 'I come home to find all my possessions stolen. I call the police for help, and what do they do? They send me a BLIND COP!'
Monday, June 8, 2009
Revere DPW worker arrested for sign thefts
REVERE - Police say veteran city employee Michael Ferragamo admitted to stealing street signs from the Charger Street city yard over the last two weeks and selling them to an Everett scrap metal dealer.
Ferragamo, 47, 65 McKinley St., is slated to plead innocent in Chelsea District Court to breaking and entering and larceny charges.
Police Sgt. Thomas Malone in a report filed Friday stated Ferragamo admitted being paid $500 to $700 for the signs valued by Public Works Superintendent Donald Goodwin at $2,000 to $5,000. Between 1,000 and 1,500 signs are missing.
A call to Ferragamo's listed telephone number Friday afternoon found it disconnected.
A public works employee returning to work Wednesday after a week off noticed the signs missing from the sign shop in the Charger Street yard. Police reviewed security camera videotape with DPW officials and observed Ferragamo getting out of a city van and entering the shop on May 28. Video taken May 29 and June 1 shows the van leaving and entering the Charger Street yard.
The GPS device installed in the city van tracked the vehicle traveling on May 28 and on May 29 to a residence abutting Ferragamo's house and to Everett. The GPS also tracked the vehicle traveling to Everett on June 1.
The theft is the latest source of unwanted attention for Goodwin and his department.
A confrontation last week with City Councilor at Large John R. Correggio prompted both men to file criminal complaints set for review June 25 in Chelsea District Court.
The missing signs also raise the specter of another city theft a half year after city auditors documented misspending in the public library. Former Library Director Robert Rice resigned after the spending discrepancies were found and the probe into library accounts continues with the Suffolk District Attorney's office spearheading it.
Lynn Item
Newest tax scofflaws
If the various elected and appointed officials of Revere could tear themselves away from dope slapping each other at wakes, and put aside, just for a moment, their quest for metal detectors on the Blue Line to keep out-of-town "yutes" from corrupting their fair city, maybe they could get around to doing something that really affects the quality of life of all their constituents.
But that would mean standing up to the banks, which requires significantly more effort than throwing haymakers at funeral homes or blaming kids from Boston for everything except what the seagulls pick out of the barrels along the beach.
The pols in Revere and just about every city and town in the Commonwealth should be lining up to help Gerry D'Ambrosio. D'Ambrosio is a fine lawyer who performs for cities and towns the thankless task of collecting overdue taxes from assorted deadbeats, crooks, and scalawags. Ask him what the biggest problem facing financially struggling cities and towns like Revere is and he'll tell you.
"Banks," D'Ambrosio said. "Banks that foreclose on properties, throw people out, and then won't pay the taxes."
This is a relatively new phenomenon, a byproduct of the mortgage meltdowns that have fueled the recession, and the seeming inability of government or anyone else to put real pressure on the banks that have received billions of taxpayer dollars to be good corporate citizens.
"We always had three categories of people who didn't pay taxes on properties," D'Ambrosio was saying. "Mom and pops, and municipalities bend over backward to help in these cases, because they don't want to throw them out on the street.
"The second group is slumlords - playing games, manipulating property without doing work on it, and selling it. They play a shell game. They own 10 properties, pay taxes on half, don't pay taxes on the other half. So when the city is about to foreclose, they'll pay on the half they weren't paying and stop paying on the half they were paying. They're just trying to flip properties.
"The third category is commercial enterprises.
"Over the last six months, we've developed a fourth category: banks. Banks foreclose on properties, throw the people out, leave the property empty, letting it become a blight, and at the same time the banks don't pay the taxes."
It's not just one or two banks doing this, he said, "and it's pretty much statewide."
This is new. He calls it "a real industry-wide trend."
Said D'Ambrosio: "It used to be, if a bank had a property, the taxes got paid, right away.
"But now, since the bailouts, it's all changed. So the taxpayer is bailing out the banks, the banks are throwing people out of their houses, and then the banks don't pay the taxes. Properties run down, neighborhoods run down. It's nuts."
Peter Brown, D'Ambrosio's law associate, says banks are suddenly ignoring court orders, unconcerned with the blight and decay that often result.
"In talking with them, they are blasé about the whole process and their obligations, and believe they have an unlimited right to deal with these issues on their timetable and in the manner that best suits them," Brown says.
Last week, D'Ambrosio's firm oversaw the auction of a house in Gloucester. A bank hadn't paid the taxes for months, but at the last second tried to step in and pay the taxes off.
Too late.
The house sold for $180,000, and the bank lost a $165,000 mortgage.
"None of this makes any sense, for the banks, or the cities and towns," D'Ambrosio said. "If you ask me what's really happening, I'd say these are decisions that are being made in boardrooms, not in neighborhoods.
"I don't know how this can be helping the bottom line in boardrooms, but I can see with my own eyes what it's doing to neighborhoods, and it's not good."
Boston Globe
But that would mean standing up to the banks, which requires significantly more effort than throwing haymakers at funeral homes or blaming kids from Boston for everything except what the seagulls pick out of the barrels along the beach.
The pols in Revere and just about every city and town in the Commonwealth should be lining up to help Gerry D'Ambrosio. D'Ambrosio is a fine lawyer who performs for cities and towns the thankless task of collecting overdue taxes from assorted deadbeats, crooks, and scalawags. Ask him what the biggest problem facing financially struggling cities and towns like Revere is and he'll tell you.
"Banks," D'Ambrosio said. "Banks that foreclose on properties, throw people out, and then won't pay the taxes."
This is a relatively new phenomenon, a byproduct of the mortgage meltdowns that have fueled the recession, and the seeming inability of government or anyone else to put real pressure on the banks that have received billions of taxpayer dollars to be good corporate citizens.
"We always had three categories of people who didn't pay taxes on properties," D'Ambrosio was saying. "Mom and pops, and municipalities bend over backward to help in these cases, because they don't want to throw them out on the street.
"The second group is slumlords - playing games, manipulating property without doing work on it, and selling it. They play a shell game. They own 10 properties, pay taxes on half, don't pay taxes on the other half. So when the city is about to foreclose, they'll pay on the half they weren't paying and stop paying on the half they were paying. They're just trying to flip properties.
"The third category is commercial enterprises.
"Over the last six months, we've developed a fourth category: banks. Banks foreclose on properties, throw the people out, leave the property empty, letting it become a blight, and at the same time the banks don't pay the taxes."
It's not just one or two banks doing this, he said, "and it's pretty much statewide."
This is new. He calls it "a real industry-wide trend."
Said D'Ambrosio: "It used to be, if a bank had a property, the taxes got paid, right away.
"But now, since the bailouts, it's all changed. So the taxpayer is bailing out the banks, the banks are throwing people out of their houses, and then the banks don't pay the taxes. Properties run down, neighborhoods run down. It's nuts."
Peter Brown, D'Ambrosio's law associate, says banks are suddenly ignoring court orders, unconcerned with the blight and decay that often result.
"In talking with them, they are blasé about the whole process and their obligations, and believe they have an unlimited right to deal with these issues on their timetable and in the manner that best suits them," Brown says.
Last week, D'Ambrosio's firm oversaw the auction of a house in Gloucester. A bank hadn't paid the taxes for months, but at the last second tried to step in and pay the taxes off.
Too late.
The house sold for $180,000, and the bank lost a $165,000 mortgage.
"None of this makes any sense, for the banks, or the cities and towns," D'Ambrosio said. "If you ask me what's really happening, I'd say these are decisions that are being made in boardrooms, not in neighborhoods.
"I don't know how this can be helping the bottom line in boardrooms, but I can see with my own eyes what it's doing to neighborhoods, and it's not good."
Boston Globe
Saturday, June 6, 2009
The not-so-sweet science of Revere politics
Fists-up tradition fuels calls for change
REVERE - City officials are routinely threatened, their cars and homes vandalized by angry residents or disgruntled city workers. Political challengers report similar intimidation, and even ordinary citizens fear reprisal if they speak out against entrenched leaders.
Politics in this city goes beyond angry outbursts and face-to-face screaming matches. Insults are thrown, sure. But sometimes, so are punches.
Last year, a city councilor investigating trash complaints was slugged in the face by a constituent. And last week, in a tragicomic twist on Revere's bare-knuckles brand of politics, a city councilor and public works superintendent scuffled at a wake.
The widely publicized altercation, coming at a well-attended wake for the wife of a former city councilor, has cast a harsh light on the state of local leadership. And it dragged front and center the city's rough-and-tumble political culture of short tempers and long memories.
"All in a day in Revere," sighed Al Terminello, a former president of the Chamber of Commerce who now works as a freelance photographer. "This wasn't the first fight, and it won't be the last."
Even in a working-class city that prides itself on its plain-spoken style and combative, colorful reputation, the altercation has struck a nerve, stirring outrage and embarrassment. For longtime residents who chafe at the city's seedy image, it marked still another setback. For relative newcomers, it confirmed their cynicism with local affairs as an insiders' game marred by feuds and personal vendettas.
And for those already furious at city leaders for a series of high-profile controversies involving pensions and expenses, it was a last straw.
"It's a disgrace," said Stacey Rizzo, a local real estate agent who has run for the School Committee. "It's tiring. It's disheartening. And people have just had enough."
Adding fuel to the fire are several local blogs that routinely trash city leaders and traffic heavily in rumor and innuendo, including a report that Councilor Anthony Zambuto had recently gotten in a fistfight at a restaurant in East Boston. Zambuto said the encounter in question occurred in late April and was not physical.
Zambuto acknowledged in an interview that the city's political culture has become more "contentious, to say the least."
After insisting he seeks to remain above the fray, Zambuto barely paused before taking aim at his colleagues on the board. He dismissed George Rotondo, a councilor with a maverick reputation, as a "bomb-thrower" more interested in his own career than the city. He then slammed John R. Correggio, the councilor involved in the fight with DPW director Donald Goodwin, for telling the press that many students who played hooky at Revere Beach in late April were carrying weapons. It was an exaggeration that could hurt the city, Zambuto said.
"You don't make comments like that," he said angrily. "We're trying to sell condos and attract developers. To throw the city under the bus like that, it disgusts me."
Correggio conceded he is "getting a lot of anger from a lot of people."
"It seems like everyone, whether they are in politics or not, are on edge," he said. "People are depressed and intense. We're getting the full brunt of it."
In many ways, Revere's political scene is a throwback to a more parochial time, when old-boy networks ruled. The current 11-member City Council, for instance, is entirely male. While city leaders fight relentlessly among themselves, they unite against perceived outsiders and criticism, observers say.
"It's incestuous," Rotondo said of the city's political culture. "It's more than unique [to Revere]; it's absurd."
Rotondo said he is still frowned upon as an outsider for growing up in Everett and for inviting controversy by criticizing council policies.
"There's a sense of Omerta, that every wants to shut things up and sweep things under the rug," he said, referring to the code of silence in criminal organizations. "This is not the Revere I want my children growing up in."
Rotondo said he has received anonymous death threats and his car has been vandalized too many times to count. His wife once found dead birds on her windshield, he said.
State Representative Kathi Reinstein, a Revere resident in her sixth term, said the entire front of her car was vandalized just the other day. Growing up as the daughter of Revere's mayor, she remembered the family car being set on fire.
It's good that Revere residents care about politics, Reinstein said. But sometimes, they probably care too much.
"People are very passionate, but sometimes the passion takes over," she said.
Some of the city's most charming and coveted qualities, namely residents' disarming bluntness and strong sense of community, wind up hurting its politics, local observers say. Many liken the political scene to a close-knit, dysfunctional family.
"Brothers and sisters fight," said Terminello, 71, the former chamber president. "Who hasn't fought with their parents? It happens. It's a city whose politics are inbred, and whose fights carry on for a long time."
The atmosphere of rancor and recrimination, local observers say, discourages some people from running for office and overshadows the city's progress. But the fall election is shaping up to be highly competitive, with many City Council candidates touting their outsider status.
"I am totally a newcomer to Revere politics," said Joe Lavino, a 30-year-old who vows not to "knock anyone else down to get ahead."
"The only people I care about are the neighbors, and they are sick of business as usual," he said.
With a hint of sadness, Terminello said he believed the funeral home fight, which was the culmination of a long-running feud over the council's scrutiny of spending at the Public Works Department, could mark the end of an era. The culmination of disagreements that were once handled in-house are now drawing outside attention, presumably from tipsters alerting the media.
"Things are going to be different now," Terminello said. "You can't talk about anything like before."
At a City Council meeting Monday, councilors were chummy, smiling in private conversations and slapping the backs of officials and members of the public. They handed out citations and a college scholarship, and posed for several photo-ops. Afterward, Zambuto requested the floor.
"I just want to say it's nice to get some good press once in a while," he said.
Boston Globe
REVERE - City officials are routinely threatened, their cars and homes vandalized by angry residents or disgruntled city workers. Political challengers report similar intimidation, and even ordinary citizens fear reprisal if they speak out against entrenched leaders.
Politics in this city goes beyond angry outbursts and face-to-face screaming matches. Insults are thrown, sure. But sometimes, so are punches.
Last year, a city councilor investigating trash complaints was slugged in the face by a constituent. And last week, in a tragicomic twist on Revere's bare-knuckles brand of politics, a city councilor and public works superintendent scuffled at a wake.
The widely publicized altercation, coming at a well-attended wake for the wife of a former city councilor, has cast a harsh light on the state of local leadership. And it dragged front and center the city's rough-and-tumble political culture of short tempers and long memories.
"All in a day in Revere," sighed Al Terminello, a former president of the Chamber of Commerce who now works as a freelance photographer. "This wasn't the first fight, and it won't be the last."
Even in a working-class city that prides itself on its plain-spoken style and combative, colorful reputation, the altercation has struck a nerve, stirring outrage and embarrassment. For longtime residents who chafe at the city's seedy image, it marked still another setback. For relative newcomers, it confirmed their cynicism with local affairs as an insiders' game marred by feuds and personal vendettas.
And for those already furious at city leaders for a series of high-profile controversies involving pensions and expenses, it was a last straw.
"It's a disgrace," said Stacey Rizzo, a local real estate agent who has run for the School Committee. "It's tiring. It's disheartening. And people have just had enough."
Adding fuel to the fire are several local blogs that routinely trash city leaders and traffic heavily in rumor and innuendo, including a report that Councilor Anthony Zambuto had recently gotten in a fistfight at a restaurant in East Boston. Zambuto said the encounter in question occurred in late April and was not physical.
Zambuto acknowledged in an interview that the city's political culture has become more "contentious, to say the least."
After insisting he seeks to remain above the fray, Zambuto barely paused before taking aim at his colleagues on the board. He dismissed George Rotondo, a councilor with a maverick reputation, as a "bomb-thrower" more interested in his own career than the city. He then slammed John R. Correggio, the councilor involved in the fight with DPW director Donald Goodwin, for telling the press that many students who played hooky at Revere Beach in late April were carrying weapons. It was an exaggeration that could hurt the city, Zambuto said.
"You don't make comments like that," he said angrily. "We're trying to sell condos and attract developers. To throw the city under the bus like that, it disgusts me."
Correggio conceded he is "getting a lot of anger from a lot of people."
"It seems like everyone, whether they are in politics or not, are on edge," he said. "People are depressed and intense. We're getting the full brunt of it."
In many ways, Revere's political scene is a throwback to a more parochial time, when old-boy networks ruled. The current 11-member City Council, for instance, is entirely male. While city leaders fight relentlessly among themselves, they unite against perceived outsiders and criticism, observers say.
"It's incestuous," Rotondo said of the city's political culture. "It's more than unique [to Revere]; it's absurd."
Rotondo said he is still frowned upon as an outsider for growing up in Everett and for inviting controversy by criticizing council policies.
"There's a sense of Omerta, that every wants to shut things up and sweep things under the rug," he said, referring to the code of silence in criminal organizations. "This is not the Revere I want my children growing up in."
Rotondo said he has received anonymous death threats and his car has been vandalized too many times to count. His wife once found dead birds on her windshield, he said.
State Representative Kathi Reinstein, a Revere resident in her sixth term, said the entire front of her car was vandalized just the other day. Growing up as the daughter of Revere's mayor, she remembered the family car being set on fire.
It's good that Revere residents care about politics, Reinstein said. But sometimes, they probably care too much.
"People are very passionate, but sometimes the passion takes over," she said.
Some of the city's most charming and coveted qualities, namely residents' disarming bluntness and strong sense of community, wind up hurting its politics, local observers say. Many liken the political scene to a close-knit, dysfunctional family.
"Brothers and sisters fight," said Terminello, 71, the former chamber president. "Who hasn't fought with their parents? It happens. It's a city whose politics are inbred, and whose fights carry on for a long time."
The atmosphere of rancor and recrimination, local observers say, discourages some people from running for office and overshadows the city's progress. But the fall election is shaping up to be highly competitive, with many City Council candidates touting their outsider status.
"I am totally a newcomer to Revere politics," said Joe Lavino, a 30-year-old who vows not to "knock anyone else down to get ahead."
"The only people I care about are the neighbors, and they are sick of business as usual," he said.
With a hint of sadness, Terminello said he believed the funeral home fight, which was the culmination of a long-running feud over the council's scrutiny of spending at the Public Works Department, could mark the end of an era. The culmination of disagreements that were once handled in-house are now drawing outside attention, presumably from tipsters alerting the media.
"Things are going to be different now," Terminello said. "You can't talk about anything like before."
At a City Council meeting Monday, councilors were chummy, smiling in private conversations and slapping the backs of officials and members of the public. They handed out citations and a college scholarship, and posed for several photo-ops. Afterward, Zambuto requested the floor.
"I just want to say it's nice to get some good press once in a while," he said.
Boston Globe
Friday, June 5, 2009
Employee Happiness Kit
NOTICE TO ALL EMPLOYEES!
Due to the hard economic times and otherwise depressing state of the world today, all personnel will now be required to at least look happy while working. Company-approved supplies will be provided to each employee at little or no cost.
Each employee will be supplied 2 paper clips and rubber bands. (See Fig 1.)
Fig 1.
Assemble items as shown in Fig 2.
Fig 2.
Apply as shown in Fig 3.
Fig 3.
Enjoy your day. This new office equipment will help you to reach the end of a productive work day with a smile on your face!
Due to the hard economic times and otherwise depressing state of the world today, all personnel will now be required to at least look happy while working. Company-approved supplies will be provided to each employee at little or no cost.
Workloads getting to you?Here is the new low-cost, company-approved solution to cope with multiple priorities and assignments!
Feeling stressed?
Too many priorities and assignments?
Each employee will be supplied 2 paper clips and rubber bands. (See Fig 1.)
Fig 1.
Assemble items as shown in Fig 2.
Fig 2.
Apply as shown in Fig 3.
Fig 3.
Enjoy your day. This new office equipment will help you to reach the end of a productive work day with a smile on your face!
Dieting Tip
Alcohol does not make you FAT
- it makes you LEAN...
against tables, chairs, floors, walls and ugly people.
WEEKEND LOVE FORECAST:
ARIES: You have a feeling someone likes you, but don't bring it up. This uncomfortable tension is perfect now. TAURUS: Resist the urge to talk about yourself -- it only indicates you have something to prove, which you don't. GEMINI: You're generous with the compliments and now is the time to pour them on thick -- it means something coming from you. CANCER: When someone you love cracks jokes, you laugh the loudest. It's one thing this person loves about you! LEO: Your sophistication on a certain topic might be intimidating to a potential love. Go easy and talk plainly. VIRGO: Someone is showing off for you. Your applause will boost this person's confidence. LIBRA: You'll be tuned in to the body language of those around you and gain valuable insights. SCORPIO: You're unpredictable and even you will be surprised at what you do next in the name of love. SAGITTARIUS: You will get precisely the respect you command. CAPRICORN: You'll suddenly get an insight as to what's going on and how to play it to your advantage. AQUARIUS: Select your company. Don't wait to be selected. PISCES: Your affection is returned -- what better feeling on earth could there be?
COUPLE OF THE WEEKEND: Leo and Virgo are neighbors on the zodiac wheel. To be clear, they are the borrowing-sugar kind of neighbors, not the "You're in my parking space" kind. In fact, these two understand and need each other more than most zodiac neighbors. Virgo is an anchor when Leo goes wild. Leo is the voice of fun when Virgo gets too serious. This weekend, life is a party wherever they meet.
COUPLE OF THE WEEKEND: Leo and Virgo are neighbors on the zodiac wheel. To be clear, they are the borrowing-sugar kind of neighbors, not the "You're in my parking space" kind. In fact, these two understand and need each other more than most zodiac neighbors. Virgo is an anchor when Leo goes wild. Leo is the voice of fun when Virgo gets too serious. This weekend, life is a party wherever they meet.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
COSMIC RX FOR A BROKEN HEART:
Heart broke? Most of us go through it one time or another. It's a crucial aspect of love, as it couldn't be a glorious process if there were no risk of getting hurt. Here are clues based on your sun sign about how to get through heartache with some degree of grace. Aries people going through a hard time should not vow to remain friends with the ex. Instead, Aries, you should jump right back into the dating pool, even if it means spending time with people you'd rather drown than go to a movie with. Believe it or not, for you, being annoyed with your choices is part of the healing process.
Taurus, the story is different. The bull usually reacts to heartache with shock and denial, followed by a period of intense self-pity. Wallow in it, Taurus! Don't share your chocolate. Let yourself wear the same clothes for days while eating nothing but candy and coffee. Usually by day five, you're pretty sick of the sad thing. With your special resolve, you have the power to pick yourself up and never look back.
Gemini can usually heal a broken heart with the art of distraction. Getting deeply into another topic of interest unrelated to romance is the quickest way to normalcy.
Cancer should go hermit-style. Stock up on food and hide out in your own home. It really doesn't matter if you're productive or not there. Whether you get the energy to dabble in those projects around the place that you've been meaning to finish or simply catch up on soap operas, the point is that being with yourself in your own environment is healing. The more time you can spend there over the next lunar cycle (about 28 days), the faster your heartache ends.
Leo put your ex on the list. You know the list -- the one you keep of people who are going to be sorry and eat their hearts out when you become wildly successful and hopelessly glamorous. Oh, won't they be so very envious and so bitterly sorry then about the lame way they treated you! So write their name on the list and then get on with the task of becoming wildly successful and hopelessly glamorous.
Virgo, Go on a cleaning spree. Not just the ordinary things like the shelves and the wineglasses. Get deep into the family photographs, the wardrobe from years past and the antiquated address book. Touching, cleaning and organizing these bits of your life will remind you who you are while helping you feel better.
Libra, Align yourself with the great artists throughout time. Go to museums, read books and get tickets to events. Chances are that a lot of the art you respond to was made by deeply feeling people in a similar emotional place to the one you are at now. If they can turn their pain into something beautiful, so can you.
Scorpio should watch comedies. As many as you can. It's a curious mix of truth and pain that produces laughter. Every chuckle you emote will be a Band-Aid for your heart.
Sagittarius, A change of scenery does wonders for a Sagittarius who has been through a painful ordeal. And here's a bonus, Sag, You are the one most likely to create the most interesting experiences in the shortest amount of time to get you over the hump and on with your life.
Capricorn should stop thinking so much. You'll have a tendency to overanalyze the situation in an attempt to figure out what exactly went wrong. While it's important to learn the lessons of a breakup, chances are that you'll do that better when you're over the initial pain. Accept that there will always be unanswered questions and get your mind onto the task of pampering yourself.
Aquarius, Get closure. It will be difficult for you to leave on an unresolved note. If it's at all possible for you to part on friendly terms, make every effort to do so. For other signs, this makes it harder. But you take comfort in knowing that just because relationships change, sometimes drastically, doesn't mean that they are completely over.
Pisces, Write about the bad times. Get your pain out on paper so it's not in you body or psyche anymore. Do not, under any circumstances, let your ex read what you wrote. When you're ready, make a ritual of burning the papers and letting it go.
The wise T.E. Kalem once wrote of a "...final comfort that is small but not cold: The heart is the only broken instrument that works."
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Childbirth @ 65
With all the new technology regarding fertility recently, a 65-year-old friend of mine was able to give birth. When she was discharged from the hospital and went home, I went to visit. 'May I see the new baby?' I asked
'Not yet,' She said 'I'll make coffee and we can talk for a while first.'
Thirty minutes had passed, and I asked, 'May I see the new baby now? '
'No, not yet,' She said.
After another few minutes had elapsed, I asked again, 'May I see the baby now?'
'No, not yet,' replied my friend.
Growing very impatient, I asked, 'Well, when can I see the baby?'
'WHEN HE CRIES!' she told me.
'WHEN HE CRIES?' I demanded. 'Why do I have to wait until he CRIES?'
'BECAUSE I FORGOT WHERE I PUT HIM, OK?!!'
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Revere council: Tougher police stance needed on taxis
REVERE - City Councilor at Large Robert Haas wants police to crack down on drivers behind the wheel of cabs that he said look like "they are held together by bungee cords."
"They look like they just came back from a demolition derby," Haas said Monday, adding, "You see some bombers down on Broadway."
Police Chief Terance Reardon said officers respond to every complaint about taxi maintenance the department receives but underscored his police priorities in the face of recent city spending cuts.
"We're down from 118 to 86 officers. At some point we have to face the facts we're grossly understaffed."
Nine cuts in Police Department ranks and layoffs of seven firefighters are part of the overall personnel cuts made since January by Mayor Thomas Ambrosino. The cuts are aimed at offseting a $1.2 million shortfall in the current city budget compounded by a $1.64 million hike in costs for Fiscal Year 2010.
Ambrosino told the council the increases in city expenses represent health insurance costs and hikes in the water and sewer assessment levied on the city by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. City Councilor at large Anthony Zambuto complained during Monday's public safety committee meeting about inaction one year after he "tried to restructure the hackney division."
"My good friend, the chief, thinks there is no problem. I totally disagree," he said.
Zambuto wants to limit the number of medallions available to cab companies but Reardon said police discipline cab companies violating taxi ordinances. Reardon said he "has no problem" with limiting medallions but disputed Ward 6 Councilor Charles Patch's claim that police do not thoroughly check taxi operators' criminal records.
City ordinance permits 50 to 75 cabs to operate in Revere and 56 currently are assigned medallions, said Reardon.
Patriot Taxi owner Robert Raduazzo said the city needs to increase the number of local cab stands from four. He said the limited number does not leave cabs enough legal locations across the city to park and puts them at risk of getting ticketed by meter readers.
Monday's public safety meeting followed another committee meeting that saw two city personalities involved in a well-publicized confrontation on their best behavior.
Public Works Superintendent Donald Goodwin referred to Councilor John R. Correggio as "Jack" while answering Correggio's question about Squire Road sewer work.
The tone the pair took toward each other was markedly different at Paul Buonfiglio Funeral Home last week when they exchanged words and, according to Correggio, Goodwin grabbed the older man by the neck.
The men filed criminal complaints setting the stage for a Chelsea District Court hearing later this month. Goodwin said the exchange grew out of Correggio's call for Goodwin's resignation in the wake of last year's state probe of Public Works operations. Goodwin said he touched Correggio on the shoulder, not the neck, and said the councilor has been "interfering" in Public Works personnel matters.
A little known fact....
The first testicular guard "Cup" was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974.
It took 100 years for men to realize that the brain is also important.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Jury’s out on who can serve
Pregnant women and college students would be excused from jury duty under several exemptions to the dreaded summons being proposed by lawmakers this week.
Businessmen whose civic responsibility would temporarily force them to shutter their doors would also get a free pass, as would people denied a firearm license or those caring for a sick individual dependent on their help for survival.
The Committee on Judiciary is scheduled to hear rationale for the proposed cop-outs at the State House tomorrow.
But not everyone is looking for a way out.
State law allows for residents 70 and older to elect not to serve on a jury. A constituent of Boston state Rep. Martha M. Walz believes the elder privilege should be delayed until age 75.
The law “reflects an antiquated notion of what people 70 and older are capable of. It’s rooted in an era when, by age 70, the vast majority of people were retired,” said Walz, an employment attorney.
“It was a head-scratcher to me,” she said, adding that these days, “Some (seniors) are still working full time. I just don’t think age should be a factor in exempting someone from jury duty.”
Jury Commissioner Pamela J. Wood could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Dozens of exemptions to jury duty are already on the books, including: Boston firefighters, surgeons, public school teachers, members of the Legislature and Christian Science practitioners. A parent responsible for the daily care of a child under age 15 may refuse to serve.
State Reps. Kathi-Anne Reinstein (D-Revere) and Linda Dean Campbell (D-Methuen) want to expand that rule to include women expecting babies, but it’s unclear why. Neither pol could be reached yesterday.
State Rep. Louis L. Kafka (D-Stoughton) is petitioning to excuse college students from jury duty, as well as primary health-care providers, whether they’re paid or not.
State Rep. Bradley H. Jones Jr. (R-North Reading) is proposing exempting anyone who is the “sole owner” of a business and would have to close in order to hear a trial.
Meanwhile, a private citizen from Southboro doesn’t think anyone should be required to sit in judgment of their peers if they don’t qualify for an FID card.
Boston Herald
Revere teachers save 7 jobs with pay deferral agreement
REVERE - School Superintendent Paul Dakin said an agreement to delay part of a negotiated raise for teachers by a year will save $420,000 and keep seven teachers employed in the face of next year's state spending cuts.
The agreement between the Revere Teachers Association and the School Committee reduces a 3 percent raise negotiated for 2010 to 2 percent and adds 1 percent to a 1 percent raise agreed upon for 2011.
"This was an unselfish thing to do in order to save the jobs of colleagues," Committee member Carol Tye said.
Lynn Item - Complete Story
The agreement between the Revere Teachers Association and the School Committee reduces a 3 percent raise negotiated for 2010 to 2 percent and adds 1 percent to a 1 percent raise agreed upon for 2011.
"This was an unselfish thing to do in order to save the jobs of colleagues," Committee member Carol Tye said.
Lynn Item - Complete Story
Today's Birthday: Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe,(1 June 1926 – 5 August 1962), born Norma Jeane Mortenson but baptized Norma Jeane Baker, was an American actress, singer, and model.
After spending much of her childhood in foster homes, Monroe began a career as a model, which led to a film contract in 1946. Her early roles were minor, but her performances in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve (both 1950) were well received. She was praised for her comedic ability in such films as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire and The Seven Year Itch, and became one of Hollywood's most popular and glamorous performers.
The typecasting of Monroe's "dumb blonde" persona limited her career prospects, so she broadened her range. She studied at the Actors Studio and formed Marilyn Monroe Productions. Her dramatic performance in William Inge's Bus Stop was hailed by critics, and she won a Golden Globe Award for her performance in Some Like it Hot.
The final years of Monroe's life were marked by illness, personal problems, and a reputation for being unreliable and difficult to work with. The circumstances of her death, from an overdose of barbiturates, have been the subject of conjecture. Though officially classified as a "probable suicide", the possibility of an accidental overdose has not been ruled out, while conspiracy theorists argue that she was murdered.
She was married 3 times: James Dougherty (1942–1946); Joe DiMaggio (1954); Arthur Miller (1956–1961).
In 1999, Monroe was ranked as the sixth greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute.
On August 5, 1962, LAPD police sergeant Jack Clemmons received a call at 4:25AM from Dr. Ralph Greenson, her psychiatrist, proclaiming that Monroe was dead at her home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California. Sergeant Clemmons was the first police officer to arrive at the death scene. Many questions remain unanswered about the circumstances of her death and the timeline after Monroe's body was found.
The official cause of Monroe's death was classified by Dr. Thomas Noguchi of the Los Angeles County Coroners office as "acute barbiturate poisoning", which he recorded as an accidental overdose. Eight milligram percent of chloral hydrate and 4.5 milligram percent of Nembutal were found in her system after the autopsy. Her death was rumored to be a "probable suicide", but because of a lack of evidence, investigators could not classify her death as suicide or homicide. Also, some conspiracy theories involve John and Robert Kennedy with her death, while other theories suggest CIA or mafia complicity.
On August 8, 1962, Monroe was interred in a crypt at Corridor of Memories, #24, at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. Lee Strasberg delivered the eulogy.
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About Me
- Linda
- Beachmont, East Coast, United States
- Send anything you'd like posted, message, pics, etc., to KahluaVod@aol.com and I'll get it on here as soon as possible.
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