It is difficult to overstate the importance of water for life. It’s one of the reasons why so many human cities and human civilizations sprung up in places next to rivers or lakes where fresh water was plentiful. And in many places the bringing in of fresh water is one of the first public utilities to appear. Even here in Boston, a public water system was available by the end of the 18th century.
So how is it that in the 21st century, we have so many places, not just in the developing world but right here in the United States, that are struggling just to provide potable water for their population?
Continue reading “When suburban uniformity and reality collide”
Tag: sad
@The_Fireplace is closing at the end of this year
and that just breaks my heart. And Kelly’s too. We love The Fireplace. It was where we had our rehearsal dinner. It is hands down our favorite restaurant in Boston, and believe me, that says a lot because there are so many good restaurants that we love.
We are going to try to go a few more times before they close. At least they will be here until the end of the year. But we are heartbroken. We are going to miss that place, and we will miss seeing owner, chef and all-around great guy Jim too.
Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria can take over your building, but they can’t fill your shoes.
-Geoff
Sigh… I miss Game of Thrones
It really hasn’t been that long since Season 4 ended, but it feels like it has been an eternity. I guess I had not fully appreciated how much I looked forward to watching Game of Thrones every Sunday, but there were times when it was practically the highlight of my week. I miss having that weekly thing to look forward to watching with Kelly.
So in the meantime I have been finding all sorts of ASOIAF/GoT things to keep myself entertained.
Three things that almost made me cry tonight on GoT
Sure, I have read the books. And sure, as a result I generally know what is coming in terms of the show. But every once in a while David Benioff and Dan Weiss really throw a curveball in there and it just totally takes me by surprise. So not only did they surprise me tonight, they hit me with a triple whammy.
Continue reading “Three things that almost made me cry tonight on GoT”
Being a Stubborn Dachshund has Consequences
Yesterday Rerun had his second bout in a little over a week of vomiting and listlessness. Last night was the worse of the two episodes and it was clear by bedtime that he wasn’t a happy dog. He didn’t want to eat anything and he was clearly uncomfortable. He woke us about every hour through the night heaving, vomiting, or whining. We were encouraging him to vomit because there was clearly something bothering him that he needed OUT.
Continue reading “Being a Stubborn Dachshund has Consequences”
Internet in Greater Boston – fewer options for more money
Greater Boston, and especially our home of Cambridge, is undoubtedly one of the technology capitals of the United States, and certainly of the East Coast. And yet Kelly and I have struggled for years to find a decent, reliable Internet provider for a reasonable price. Currently we are using Comcast, because we simply could not get reliable service from Verizon no matter how hard we tried. It was depressing, but at least we figured it probably wouldn’t get any worse.
And then earlier this week I read that our Internet/phone/cable provider, Comcast, is going through yet another merger.
Sigh. No good can come from this.
Continue reading “Internet in Greater Boston – fewer options for more money”
Poverty and the polar vortex
Today I read two very different but still related stories about things that happened in Hammond, Indiana due to the polar vortex. Both stories emphasize the plight of the working poor in the United States, and how extreme cold affects them in ways that many people may not have even considered.
The first was about a house fire that claimed the lives of three small children and put two others and their father in the hospital. The second was about a warehouse where workers were forced to continue working – without heat – even after the state had declared an emergency.
My family and the Kennedys
Wow. Fifty years.
It’s hard to describe the relationship I have had with a President who died before I was born, or the way that relationship was shaped even as I grew up in Alabama. But there was, and still is, a relationship. It led me to make speeches in high school that evoked Kennedy’s own speeches on public service. It led me to defend JFK vigorously even when I was still a dumb young Reagan Republican. And it led me to make a point of visiting his grave at Arlington when I finally had the opportunity on a class trip. Where I wept.
Your cry for the day
If you haven’t had a good cry lately, here it is. I’m proud that this story happened in my home state and that the individuals involved did what they did out of love and compassion for both the animal and the officer involved.
Rest in Peace, Kaiser.
~Kelly
More news like this, please
Yesterday I saw the news that Michael Clarke Duncan had died and I was SO sad. His part in The Green Mile had really left me feeling like I knew him. As an actor he’d stepped out of himself and let the character fill him. In other words, he did a damn fine job and I really, truly respected that. Geoff and I both, when we heard the news separately, felt like we’d been socked in the gut.
This kind of news, however, I could read all day.
The Books are Taking Over... 