đź”· Open Thread

Thank you for posting the clip! Two things.

First, the 1941 Packard Darrin convertible Banacek drives is one of the most gorgeous, stylish American cars ever made. If you have a spare $250k, you can buy one. It is a bargain at that price.

Second, the clip caused me to focus on a hitherto unarticulated criticism of the Hollywood Handouts. Banacek successfully branded Boston as a stylish place. It was all about Boston (or a Hollywood imagined one, sort of "Thomas Crown" lite) and it made people want to visit. Same sort of positive thing happened with Cheers.

Do these movies that you and I are co-producing today brand Boston (and Massachusetts) at all?

I read in the paper today that some Tom Cruise movie being shot in Bridgewater, MA is set in Bridgewater, Ohio, or some such place. So here is my complaint. If I am paying for the film, I want not only the jobs, but some script control. Set your movie here so we are promoting our area. Then maybe I will feel better about the dole. It is all about the right kind of propaganda, baby.

P.S. I am willing to make an exception for Tom Cruise movies.
 
Do these movies that you and I are co-producing today brand Boston (and Massachusetts) at all?
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"The Departed", "Mystic River", and all the Ben Affleck films give the city an image that's 180 degrees of Banacek. Oh, I shouldn't forget "Southie", "Boondocks Saints", "Fever Pitch," and the film that made the pivot from stylish Boston to provincial, cussy Irish Boston possible: "Good Will Hunting".

On TV, it's not much better: Boston has been populated by the boring yuppie lawyers of "Boston Legal" and "Ally McBeal".

Maybe it's no wonder this is no longer the city that produces Design Research or the original Au Bon Pain.

I read in the paper today that some Tom Cruise movie being shot in Bridgewater, MA is set in Bridgewater, Ohio, or some such place. So here is my complaint. If I am paying for the film, I want not only the jobs, but some script control. Set your movie here so we are promoting our area. Then maybe I will feel better about the dole. It is all about the right kind of propaganda, baby.
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The Cruise film is called "Wichita," and I think the Midwest location is already pretty integral. Why does that mean MA should surrender the economic benefits to rural Ohio?
 
Au Bon Pain is technically still headquartered here. They're owned by Compass Food Group, which is located in Great Britain. I was looking into this last night as a friend and I were debating the merits of St. Louis Bread Co./Panera Bread and Au Bon Pain, only to find out they have a very mixed history.
 
What I meant is that ABP is a shadow of its former self, which was apparently very gourmet and innovative, and that Boston hasn't really produced anything similar in subsequent decades. Ablarc can tell you all about it.

I do see some breakout potential for Upper Crust, but...it's just expensive pizza. Nothing special.
 
czsz said:
I do see some breakout potential for Upper Crust, but...it's just expensive pizza. Nothing special.
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And I find the self-congratulatory atmosphere off-putting. Pizza is peasant food, and I'm proud to be a peasant. I'd rather eat cold, day-old Bianci's.
 
Miles Fisher is making some really good music, and tearing up the prime time TV circuit. Really great stuff, if a little bit too 'poppy' for some. Check him out when you have time, download his 4-song EP free (at link provided), and watch the "This Must Be The Place" video (also at the link provided).
 
czsz said:
I do see some breakout potential for Upper Crust, but...it's just expensive pizza. Nothing special.
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St. Louis has 'gourmet' pizza flying out the wazoo. It's ridiculous, I think after they've been deprived of anything worth calling pizza for so long, they hail anything new as the next big thing. Come out here, open up shop, throw some stainless appliances and brick around, cook pizza the normal way and give it "fresh and natural" ingredients, you'll make bank in no time. They're used to Imo's, a combination of a Saltine(tm) cracker crust, Provel Cheese, and ketchup.
 
He has been a Sheriff's deputy for 20 years?
 
Lurker said:
He has been a Sheriff's deputy for 20 years?
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Apparently?

"I?ve decided to work with A&E on this series now because I believe it?s important to show the nation all the positive work being accomplished here in Louisiana?to see the passion and commitment that comes from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff?s Office in this post-Katrina environment."

The Arts & Entertainment Network -- like calling a short guy "Stretch."
 
Question for Toby:

Is it normal for a response brief to use language like this?:

Only an abject imbecile could believe that the domain name would have any connection to the Complainant.

We are not here because the domain name could cause confusion. We do not have a declaration from the president of the international association of imbeciles that his members are blankly staring at the Respondent?s website wondering ?where did all the race baiting content go??
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http://kevinunderhill.typepad.com/Documents/Opinions/People_v_Foranyic.pdf

A police officer acted reasonably under U.S. Const., 4th Amend., in detaining a man he observed with an ax riding a bicycle at 3 a.m. A reasonable police officer, considering the totality of the circumstances, would reasonably suspect criminal activity might be afoot upon viewing someone riding a bicycle, with an ax, at 3 a.m., even though no recent ?ax crime? had been reported. The officer could reasonably eliminate firefighting and logging from the list of possible pursuits the man might have been engaged in, and while there were doubtless some reasonable explanations that might be conjured up, the possibility of an innocent explanation did not deprive the officer of the capacity to entertain a reasonable suspicion of criminal conduct.

This incident did take place during the hours of darkness. Stygian darkness. No one who has ever worked a graveyard shift can underestimate the significance of any bicycle traffic at that hour, much less lethally armed bicycle traffic.

[?] While acknowledging the defendant's right to be in such an area conversing with acquaintances, the court explained, ?Three a.m., on the other hand, is both a late and an unusual hour for anyone to be in attendance at an outdoor social gathering, particularly in a residential neighborhood where he does not reside.? (Id. at p. 155.)

We consider it equally unusual to be abroad at that hour on any errand that requires an ax.

[...] Nor can we ignore the long history of the ax as a weapon. While no one refers to a ?gun-murderer? or ?knife-murderer? or ?crowbar-murderer,? the equivalent usage with regard to an ax is well ensconced in American usage. The ax, like the machete and the straight razor, is an implement whose unfortunate utility as a weapon sometimes overshadows its value as a tool.

Thus, while it is true no ?ax crime? had been reported, and while it is true the officer was not asked what specific crime he might have thought he was investigating when he ordered Foranyic to dismount, it was nonetheless reasonable, logical and legal for the officer to require Foranyic to spend a few minutes explaining himself and these circumstances, which were not *191 only unusual, but unique in the annals of reported California decisions. Some things cannot be ignored. The judgment is affirmed.
 
This incident did take place during the hours of darkness. Stygian darkness. No one who has ever worked a graveyard shift can underestimate the significance of any bicycle traffic at that hour, much less lethally armed bicycle traffic.
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Huh? If you stood in Porter Square at 3 am, I bet you'd see at least one bicycle pass by within 10 minutes. (Not with an ax, however.)
 
Ron Newman said:
Huh? If you stood in Porter Square at 3 am, I bet you'd see at least one bicycle pass by within 10 minutes. (Not with an ax, however.)
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Last weekend I was chilling in the esplanade at 3-4am and two bikes went by.

Incidentally, theyve redone the lighting between the BU bridge and the mass ave bridge. Its much brighter
 
This forum has been deserted for the last few days. Has everyone gone away for the long weekend or is the recession so bad that there's nothing at all to report?
 
czsz said:
This forum has been deserted for the last few days. Has everyone gone away for the long weekend or is the recession so bad that there's nothing at all to report?
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I was thinking the same thing. I know that construction is coming to a close as most major projects are wrapping up.... but is there really nothing happening?
 
What IS happenin IS THE MAYOR is getting reddy to CRUSH those loosers so then HE WILL tell you about the getting hi risers that WILL be buidin . Wate till XMAS and there will be prescients under the stokins!!!

(and there will be missile toes hangin over te Mayors bum for all the kissin you WILL do)
 
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