Senator Ted Kennedy at Peace in Mission Hill

Ted Kennedy's funeral this past weekend was held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica in the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston.

Mission Hill is not exactly the Hyannis of Boston. There are certainly far more esteemed locations throughout the city. Don't get my wrong, I love Mission Hill and almost bought a place there last year (and still hope to live there some day). It is a close-nit and diverse neighborhood. It includes families, young professionals, college students attending Northeastern, medical interns that work at nearby hospitals... even a politician or two.

Mission Hill residents don't claim to be particularly distinguished, and don't want to be.

In all respects, it would not be the location one would expect for a visit by all the living Presidents save one and numerous other elected officials. But it was a perfectly fitting spot to pay final respects to this particular Senator.

As we review the Senator's accomplishments in the immediate hours after his death, what is repeated so often is how "Teddy" devoted his life to those most often forgotten. Not just the sick and poor. But also the parents who need extended leave from work to take care of a relative and worry they will get fired in the process. The mentally ill who are often treated more like outcasts and less like those that can be cured. Young children born to working families who benefit from the early tutelage provided by Head Start. The millions and millions of individuals who do not have adequate healthcare, even though they are citizens of the richest country on the planet.

We've heard the stories of these people Kennedy touched. They talk about receiving calls from him after losing relatives, how he simply would say, "This is Teddy." They talk about the graciously kind individual that Senator Kennedy was. They talk about how they called his office, even if they lived in Kansas or Texas, simply because he was the only Senator they knew.

I only learned after his passing that Senator Kennedy went to the Basilica on several occasions to prey. He was there when his daughter was battling lung cancer. I read this week that it was one of his first stops after receiving his brain tumor diagnosis last summer.

It should not be a surprise to anyone that he felt comfortable there. The Mission Church, as it's called by the locals, is surrounded by the types of people Senator Kennedy sought to help each and every day.

I have taken a bit of time during the past few days to reflect on my own personal connection to Senator Kennedy. I met him a few times. I slapped him high-five when he spoke at a rally in 2006. I developed a deep respect for him over the past nine years, as my politics shifted during the Bush II years. I admired his determination for public service, which we need now in a time when our public servants are often derided. While not a perfect person, Senator Kennedy was perfect in that he stood for the very best of government. He believed the government could and should do good.

This past Saturday, Senator Kennedy's funeral took place in a Catholic church within an exceptionally catholic section of Boston. To me, there was no better place for that service to be.

The Trials of Being a Runner's Fan

For the past few years, I have thoroughly enjoyed following around my good friend Annmarie as she has achieved numerous athletic milestones.

She has completed seven Boston Marathons, the BayState Marathon in Lowell and the New York City Marathon (I have been to six of the nine). Last fall, I saw her complete the Panama City Ironman, and this past weekend, I witnessed her finish at the Timberman Triathlon at Ellacoya State Park in New Hampshire.

Somehow, after she finishes, she always has way more energy than I do.

Annmarie Connors finishes the Timberman Triathlon.

Gilford, N.H.
August 23, 2009

You see, being a running spectator is hard work.

There are the countless hours scanning the crowd, looking for the white visor, the long hair, or the baby blue wicker shirt.

There are the intense moments getting the camera ready, aiming and capturing the moment.

There's the quick communication with the athlete. "It's really hot," was one refrain from her this past Sunday.

There's the jockeying for a good position among other faithful followers of their own athletes.

And there's the intense calculations to estimate when she would pass a certain point on the course.

At the end of the day, though, the effort is worth it, especially when Annmarie and her teammates cross the finish without injury.

Mayor Menino Visits Beacon Hill

Mayor Menino addresses seniors at 74 Joy.
Beacon Hill, Boston
August 18, 2009

One of the biggest criticisms I hear about the Mayor as I walk around Beacon Hill is pretty basic. They say the Mayor doesn't come here often. While the Mayor has had his hand in a number of successful projects that have helped the neighborhood-- such as a unique partnership between the Beacon Hill Civic Association and the Parks Department to maintain trees-- some lament that he doesn't spend much time here.

Well, he was here last night. The Hill House community group hosted a seniors' dinner, and the Mayor and Mrs. Menino stopped by to say hello. He stayed for an hour, and he spoke to each attendee personally. He even posed for a group photo with the young volunteers who ran the dinner.

The Mayor warned attendees about some telephone scams related to the ongoing national debate about healthcare. He said that seniors might get calls from people who try to take advantage of them, and he said his office is always available to help cut through the confusion.

To me, seeing the Mayor standing in the same room where I have participated in dozens of community meetings was kind of neat.

When My Air Conditioner is on, it's Hot

It's gotta be pretty hot for me to turn on my air conditioner. It's something I learned from my dad, who is also a parsimonious air condition user. Most of our cars growing up did not have the a/c.

My logic, which I admit is masochistic, comes from temperature patterns during the evening. The hottest part of the evening is, logically, at the beginning, which just happens to be the time we all go to bed. At that point, the air conditioners in downtown Boston are humming.

During the night, as the air cools, the fan in my bedroom begins to circulate comfortable air. And the air conditioners continue to hum.

In the morning, when I wake up, I often have a sheet or thin blanket on me. The day has begun, and the air is at its coolest. And still the air conditioners hum.

I would bet that the temperature in my room those mornings is cooler than in the air-conditioned rooms. People seem to forget that the air conditioner controls the temperature inside regardless of the temperature outside.

I do admit, however, that sometimes in the summer, the air conditioner works well. When it's oppressively sticky, and when the temperature is warm enough during consecutive days that not enough cooling happens overnight, and the exposed bricks inside my living room stay warm. This generally happens during a heat wave.

We're starting our first official heat wave of the summer in Boston, and my air conditioner went on this morning at 10:36 a.m. for the first time this year. The thermometer inside was 84 degrees.

But the a/c is only on in my bedroom. My dad would be proud of that.

Back to the Present

A week ago, I went into black hole. On the eve of a work trip to Texas, I decided to download a few movies to my new iPhone to keep me occupied during the long flights. When I connected the phone to iTunes, it asked if I wanted to upgrade the iPhone software to a new version-- 3.0.1. I have only had the phone a month. It was 11 p.m. the night before an 8 a.m. flight to Austin, and I started the upgrade. Big mistake.

The fun began in the middle of the upgrade, about 20 minutes later, when my computer crashed. When it rebooted, it asked to restore the iPhone. That took a ridiculous amount of time, and I restarted the machine again, only to find out that I suddenly had no Internet access.

Now seven hours to my flight, my iPhone crippled and without Internet access in my apartment, I went to bed deflated. I flipped the SIM card back to my old Nokia phone and abandoned iPhone as I left for Austin.

A week later, I am happy to say I am out of the black hole, and that's thanks to great support from Comcast and the Apple Store. You don't hear about good support often, so I figured it was worth outlining here.

When I returned from Texas late Wednesday, I went online and scheduled time at the Apple Store in Cambridge, Mass. at the Genius Bar, which is a cool name for the support desk. I spent an hour at the Genius Bar Thursday night, and a capable technical brought my iPhone back to life.

On Friday morning at work, I posted a Tweet indicating that my iPhone was back, and Comcast Internet was the next issue. A quick back and forth with Comcast support on Twitter, and I decided to recycle the power on the modem.

Now that the dust has settled, it's clear that something must have happened Saturday night to the modem, which proceeded to fry the wireless router in my apartment. Recycling the power on the modem worked, and today I purchased a new wireless router. As of now, everything seems to be working.

For whatever reason, someone didn't want me to bring my iPhone to Texas. And they went to great lengths to stop me from trying, killing my wireless router on the same night my iPhone crashed.

Thanks to both Apple and Comcast support, I am back!

A Roving Standout for Mayor Menino

You can tell it's campaign season because of the signs. Temporary advertisements for the Mayoral candidates in Boston are popping up everywhere, and as part of my volunteer role for Mayor Menino's campaign, we are organizing standouts, which is basically where you gather a bunch of people in one location and hold signs so everyone can see.

Today, a few volunteers and I had to deliver larger signs (4 by 8's, in campaign-speak) to a location in Back Bay. We decided to have a "roving" standout, where we would carry the signs to their destination, and cheer on the Mayor along the way. It was quite a spectacle, primarily because the signs were... ahem... pretty big.

Parading Down Charles Street, Beacon Hill
Boston
August 15, 2009

Red Sox Fans Need to Relax

As a Yankees fan my entire life, this past weekend was a good one to start watching baseball again. I had taken some time off mid-season, given other priorities I had in my life.

Well, the Yankees swept the Red Sox in a four-game set in New York City. Meanwhile, one of the most loved Red Sox players, David Ortiz, held a press conference to address the swarming story stories about his being on "the list" of players who tested positive for performance enhancing drugs back in 2003.

Today, it would seem, Red Sox Nation is limping. The emails I have seen put it in pretty dire straits. It's over, they proclaim. The worst Red Sox weekend ever. Woe is me!

The Red Sox might be down, but they are not out. This is the same team that beat my beloved Yankees eight consecutive times before the start of the recent series. The Yankees were 0-8 against the Red Sox this year. Boston needs a mere single win among the six games remaining between the teams to win the season series.

Moreover, the Red Sox have a great record and are tied for the American League Wild Card. And this follows losing six straight games. There's still a lot of baseball to play, folks.

Finally, this Yankees fan believes David Ortiz. He admitted her was careless, but after seeing him at the press conference, I have to admit I do see his side of the story. And I kind of felt sorry for the predicament he's been under for the past several days.

So there you have it. A Yankees fan telling Red Sox faithful it "ain't all that bad." After all, you guys have won two World Championships this century. Or do you just enjoy being miserable?

Why the Seatbelt Sign Matters

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people disregard the fasten seat belt sign while in flight. Often while in the air on a a business trip, passengers flirt with the authority of the sign. Even though the ominous light is illuminated, someone a few rows up from me will get up, enter the aisle, and proceed to conduct a stretching routine.

Two in-flight incidents this week show how the seat belt sign means you should have your seat belt sign on. In both cases, a Continental flight from South America to Houston, and a domestic Northwest Airlines flight, passengers got hurt when the planes that carried them hit violent turbulence.

The injured passengers were not wearing their seat belts, even though the fasten seat belt sign was on.

It's also worth noting that based on what I read, the planes involved in the flights were not damaged.

Lesson learned: The seat belt sign does not mean "put the seat belt on when convenient."

What I Read on Vacation

I bought four books last week for beach reading. With various things happening during the week, I read two of them.

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. That's right, I opened the page of a book most read in high school. Before reading the book, the only impression I ever had of Frankenstein was the infamous scene in the movie when the good doctor gave life to the beast by literally jump-starting his head. I remember it was a long scene. In the book, it took about a paragraph.

Shelley's work at such a young age made me regret not taking the course "Forbidden Knowledge" at BU. My friend Lauren D'Angelo, who was with me for part of the vacation, took the class. They read Frankenstein, because it touched on such issues as cloning, civic obligation, and life-long ambition versus the public good. I definitely didn't give enough attention to the book as one would in college. I did note that the doctor in the book is actually Frankenstein, not the beast itself.

The Innocent Man, by John Grisham. I used to read a lot of Grisham when I was a teenager. His books are action-packed even if they are not very deep. Many a lawyer criticizes Grisham for making the courtroom far more interesting than it actually is and the judicial process far more rapid than in real life. The Innocent Man was an ambitious project for Grisham, since it is actually non-fiction. Grisham definitely did his homework, for the tale of Ron Williamson and his conviction for a crime not committed was presented in detail. Moreover, one who reads the book certainly has a more negative feeling about the death penalty.

Back to work tomorrow!

As a footnote it's worth noting that my friend Kim recommended both books.

A Toast to Being From "The In-Between"

Point O' Woods at Sunset
South Lyme, Conn.
July 22, 2009

The biggest thing I miss about Connecticut, believe it or not, is being in-between. I grew up in Connecticut, and I returned to the Connecticut shore this week for a mid-summer vacation.

Connecticut has a bit of an identity problem. Situated between New York City and Boston, Connecticut is in-between. My home state is part of New England, but it is also one of the tri-states (N.Y., N.J. and Conn.). Parts of Connecticut have a New York accent, parts have a Boston accent, and still others (including me) aren't really sure what our accent is (I don't pronounce w's that come after r's, whatever that means).

I often describe the state as being split in two by the Connecticut River. To the west of Connecticut river, the state is essentially an offshoot of New York, and most hail from the Empire State. To the east, New England influence dominates, and the attitude is different.

In college at BU, being from Connecticut meant hearing an endless series of complaints about the state, since most people drove through it to go home. The traffic was horrible. The rest stops were far between. And Connecticut had left-hand exits that made directions confusing. Oh the horror. Connecticut was the drive-through state. To many, Connecticut simply meant Route 84.

So far this week, I actually have enjoyed being back in-between. Stores here sell the Boston Globe, Hartford Courant and the New York Times (as well as the hyper-local New London Day). I can watch the Mets, Yankees and Red Sox each night. I can choose between Boston or New York local news.

I brought a New York Yankees sweatshirt with me. On a visit to the supermarket in Old Saybrook (a few miles southwest of South Lyme, where I am for the week), I ran into no less than three fellow Yankee fans who patted me on the back or gave me the thumbs up.

Each year, my hometown newspaper, the Norwich Bulletin, would write a story about how a certain spot in Norwich was exactly equidistant between Boston and New York City. The story inevitably came the night before the first game in the seasonal Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. The story chatted with fans on both sides, and came to the conclusion that the mixture of fans made life more interesting. I can't help but think that the general in-between-ness of the state does make Connecticut interesting.

I am sure the Connecticut identity crisis has benefited me. I appreciate distinct identities, like Boston's, more, and I would guess I am more open to them. By the same token, it's somewhat nice to be back where you see the mesh of different identities. It's nice to be back where Boston and New York City meet.

[For the record, I grew up east of the Connecticut River; my family presents many New England characteristics.]

Forecast Roulette

I am enjoying a nice vacation on the coast of Connecticut, at a cottage my family owns in South Lyme. To kick off the vacation, this past weekend I hosted friends for a beach BBQ on Saturday and Sunday.

I have decided that if one is hosting a BBQ, it's necessary to invite a meteorologist. I used to say I would invite a doctor, lawyer and mechanic. The doctor is in case I do something to myself, the lawyer is in case I do something to someone else, and the mechanic is in case I do something to equipment vital to the event.

A meteorologist is now on the list.

Let's just say that last week was not a good week for New England meteorologists. And that drove me crazy. On Wednesday morning (three days ahead of the BBQ), I checked no less than seven forecasts. All of them were different. Twenty-four hours later, on Thursday morning, they were all in agreement. It was going to pour on Saturday. A regular wash-out. Make no mistake, one meteorologist wrote on his station's website, "the rain is coming."

Saturday ended up being a fantastic day, even though the rain scared away two of the BBQ's attendees. By 11 a.m., it was sunny and in the mid-70s along the Connecticut shore.

Now I must say that I know the weather is fickle, especially in the Summer and especially in New England. However, my suggestion is the forecasters should note in their predictions that they really don't have a clue what the weather will be further than 24 hours out.

As an example, I took the liberty of recording the Connecticut forecasts twice a day during the week last week, and for the purposes of this exercise I will show you below what those forecasts predicted for Saturday (as well as my reactions to each). To protect the innocent, I will not say where the forecasts are from, but I can tell you they were all from the same source.

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TUESDAY A.M.

Saturday: Mix of sun and clouds. Low: 61. High: 82.

Sunday: Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. Low: 62. High: 79.

[OK, I can deal. My first check of the forecast and it looks ok. Better order extra hot dogs. Also, better expect people will leave early Sunday if they stay over.]

TUESDAY P.M.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms possible. Low: 66. High: 81.

Sunday: A mix of sun and clouds. Low: 66. High: 83.

[Ahem? Where did the clouds come from on Saturday? Must be a glitch in the system. It will be back on track tomorrow.]

WEDNESDAY A.M.

Saturday: Cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70s. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Saturday Night: Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers. Lows in the mid 60s.

Sunday: Partly sunny. A chance of showers in the morning. Highs in the lower 80s. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows around 60.

[Crap. What's the difference between mostly cloudy and cloudy? Now there's a "chance" for storms, whereas on Tuesday night, it seemed definite there would be storms. Why can't it be Tuesday morning again? I was happy then.]

THURSDAY A.M.

Saturday: Showers with thunderstorms likely. Cooler. Humid with highs in the mid 70s. Northeast winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 80 percent.

Saturday Night: Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then a chance of showers after midnight. Patchy fog. Lows in the lower 60s. Chance of rain 60 percent.

Sunday: Patchy fog in the morning. Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s.

Sunday Night And Monday: Partly cloudy. Lows around 60. Highs around 80.

[Screw the clouds, it's going to rain. This BBQ is going to be a washout. Should I cancel? Maybe I should move to Sunday? Do I have boardgames at the cottage? Do people still play Chutes & Ladders?]

FRIDAY AT NOON

Saturday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms in the early morning, then mostly sunny. Another chance for storms in the afternoon with clearing tomorrow

night. Low: 60. High: 82.

Sunday: A mix of sun and clouds. Low: 60. High: 83.

[God must have listened to my voice message that I left last night! However: "Mostly sunny"? That's pretty dramatic from scattered showers earlier in the day. I will take it, I guess.]

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Again, I know that weather forecasters have a tough job, but what irks me, and probably many others like me who had outside events last weekend, is that each forecast is presented as if it's absolute. The forecast for Saturday that was given on Tuesday morning was written in the same tone as the Saturday forecast published on Friday.

Shouldn't they attach a level of probability to each? I wouldn't mind it if they inserted text in front of the forecast that said, "No one has a clue what's going to happen on Saturday, but if you ask me to take a swing at it, here goes." I would actually respect the forecaster more for such a tone.

For the record, it was a nice weekend, and thanks to my friends the event was a very memorable affair. I thank them for that. I also thank Mike Binder, one of the guests, for nailing the forecast on Thursday afternoon, when he told the group that the coming storm would clear out.

You see, I did invite a meteorologist to my BBQ. And I am happy I did.

I Took the Plunge-- I Now Own an iPhone

My brother Brett's recent blog post outlines how he avoids the fad in life. In other words, he is suspect of trends.

It must run in the family. I am also not one to purchase what is trendy. At college graduation, my fist car was a Saturn, not a Jetta (everyone else went with the German pick). I really don't go to the trendy new fancy restaurant or drinking establishment. My reasoning might be found in my profession-- marketing. To me, if something is trendy, I tip my hat to the marketer behind the fad, I dissect how they did it, and then I try to apply those tactics to what I do for a living.

Except now I own an iPhone, and I must admit, things are different. When I bought the phone last week, I went into the AT&T store (I have been an AT&T customer since my first cell phone in 1998) with the 20 dollar pay-as-you-go phone I bought on New Year's Day. I asked the sales person how to flip the SIM card between my iPhone and my old phone. You see, I wasn't really going to use the iPhone that much. I was going to check it out for my work, but most of the time, I intended to use my old phone.

You can probably guess the end of this story. I have not switched the SIM card once. I have been using my iPhone ever since.

My friend Elizabeth puts it best. The iPhone really eliminates the need for me to check my laptop for simple things, like checking the weather or my email.

I am not saying I buy into all of the iPhone hype. But let me just say that I am not turning mine in anytime soon.

Top Five Beacon Hill Issues-- June 2009 Issue

Every six months, I have gotten into the habit of providing a brief summary of the top five stories affecting Beacon Hill. You can review the list from late December of 2008 and the end of May 2008.

Here is the 1H 2009 edition. (Apologies for being a tad late; I meant to post this last week.)

5) Single-stream recycling

We could not have a top-issues-on-Beacon-Hill list without something about trash. And here it is. Single-stream recycling basically means not having to separate your recyclables. You place them all in a plastic bag and put them on the curb ten feet or so away from your regular trash.

The great thing about single-stream is it makes recycling easier. And it's catching on. Beacon Hill started single stream recycling last year, and now the plastic bags used for recycling are the hottest items to buy in the neighborhood. For the record, one can find them at Charles Street Supply.

4) 3rd Suffolk House Election

We had an election that affected part of Beacon Hill during the first part of the year. It was to fill the seat left vacant when former State House Speaker Sal DiMasi left office in January.

The election had a local candidate, Lucy Rivera, but she never really was in the running. This race came down to two candidates hailing from two other neighborhoods. Aaron Michlewitz from the North End, and Susan Passoni from the South End. In truth, the district only includes a tiny portion of Beacon Hill, though I can tell you many of the neighbors on those four or five streets are very active.

Michlewitz won the Democratic primary by a fairly close margin and went on to win the special election easily.

3) Robberies

Crime is rarely an issue on Beacon Hill. Except when there are a couple of robberies clumped together, residents get worried.

The Boston police have stepped up patrols on Beacon Hill, following robberies that happened in the Spring. Let's be honest-- we're not talking a lot of incidents here. But the connection between the robberies and youth gangs in Downtown Crossing is a bit unsettling.

2) Protecting the Esplanade

Last year, the Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA) board of directors (I am a member) voted to support making the Esplanade a historic landmark (in colloquial terms, a process called "landmarking.") At the time, the effort was so that the State would not decide to turn the Esplanade into a highway- diverting Storrow Drive while the Storrow Drive tunnel was rehabilitated. While that threat has abated (in fact the fate of the tunnel is, for now, on hold), it does make sense to landmark the Esplanade. And I am happy to hear the process is moving forward.

However, landmarking the Esplanade does directly impact an effort by neighbors to place a locked fence around the Teddy Ebersol Fields. On a portion of the Esplanade, the fields are used by children who live on Beacon Hill. While I can understand the need for a fence, I cannot understand why the fence needs to be locked. Such an occurrence only extends the long-held belief that Beacon Hill residents feel privileged.

Supporters of the fence want to get it approved before the landmarking occurs, since at that point making any changes to the Esplanade would get a lot harder.

1) Navel gazing

The BHCA has launched a noble effort to define priorities for the neighborhood for the foreseeable future. While still in its early stages, the process has yielded some interesting facts. For example, a significant percentage of my neighbors are young. As in younger than 30. I think you can expect the BHCA will make an effort to get these young residents involved.

The BHCA's vision for the future is fairly conservative. I was especially interested in a proposed phrase from the planning process that supports development efforts "around" the Hill. As long as you don't touch the neighborhood itself, and as long as the development doesn't affect us in any way, we're ok with it.

In truth, the BHCA's conservative streak has long been noted in the meetings I have attended (I have been a Board member of the group for many years). As a former board member once said often, "If Beacon Hill isn't Heaven, it's at least in the same zip code." Why change it? Of course, the conservative nature of the BHCA might soon come into conflict with the younger residents it's trying to court.

Obviously I speak someone facetiously, and I do support the planning effort, though I wish my neighbors were a tad more open to new ideas that might in the long run benefit all of its neighbors, even if they do represent the dreaded "change."

And it's great that the BHCA is opening itself up more to younger neighborhood residents.

Happy 4th of July!

The Hatch Shell on the Esplanade
Boston
July 3, 2009

Day on The Esplanade

Each July 3rd, it has become a tradition that my parents come to Boston, and together we wait on the Esplanade at the Hatch Shell. You see, while there is a Fourth of July Concert at the Hatch Shell each year, the special secret is the same concert is performed the night before. It's a dress rehearsal.

Getting to the Hatch Shell early means you get a nice spot close to the act. This year, the special guest performer was Neil Diamond. He actually came down near the crowd while he sang "Sweet Caroline."

Neil Diamond at the Hatch Shell
Boston
July 3, 2009

One of the interesting aspects about the yearly tradition with my parents is seeing the avid fans (groupies, if you prefer) of the special guest. Since the special guest changes each year, the dynamic of the fans changes as well. It's safe to assume that the avid fans who follow Neil Diamond (Or "Neil" as they call him) are very different than the fans who follow Rascal Flats (last year's special act).

This year we waited to get into the oval in front of the Hatch Shell with a Diamond fan that has seen "Neil" perform seven times in the last year. I have now seen Neil Diamond once in my entire life.

At one point in the evening, we were warned about a threat of rain. Suddenly, the blue tarp we had been using to mark our territory on the Esplanade lawn was transformed into a tent. The three of us not-so-quite fit under the canopy.

Ready for Rain
The Oval at the Hatch Shell
Boston
July 3, 2009

Fortunately, the rains never came.

Absolutely No Requirements

Jen Mehigan at "The Landing" Bar
Boston
June 27, 2009

The city came alive yesterday, thanks to a couple hours of sun.

Drinking a summer beer on the wharf during a sunny Saturday. And having absolutely no requirements. The lack of sun for so long in Boston made it even more enjoyable.

Unfortunately, now it's cloudy again.

City Council Forum: My Thoughts

Thirteen of the fifteen candidates for at-large seats to the Boston City Council appeared at a forum held this past Tuesday, sponsored by Boston's Ward 4 and Ward 5 Democratic Committees.

Adam Gaffin of Universal Hub was there, and David Bernstein of the Boston Phoenix was the moderator. They both filed nice summaries and stories based on the forum. I figured I would jot down my observations here, primarily so that I do not forget them later as the election gets closer.

For those that are interested, the Boston preliminary election is on September 22. The field of 15 will be slimmed on that day to eight. The final election is on November 3, when the four at-large seats will be filled from among those eight.

This year's election is a municipal election only; there are no state or federal offices on the ballot. Municipal elections in Boston are non-partisan. That's why there is a "preliminary" election and not a primary.

OK, enough with the primer. Here goes on my thoughts.

I voted to endorse four candidates. Two of them are incumbents: John Connolly and Steve Murphy. I also voted for Ayanna Pressley and Scotland Willis. Based on the votes cast, the Ward 5 committee officially endorsed Connolly and Pressley, as they both earned a vote from more than 2/3 of the Ward 5 members present (It took 17 votes to earn an endorsement).

Now, I know what you are thinking-- Why with so many candidates did you vote for the incumbents? Much has been written about how Boston is an incumbent-protected town; but the bottom line is, both Connolly and Murphy were the most educated candidates in the room. That's certainly because of their tenure. It might not be fair to the others, and this was the *first* forum of the campaign, so the others will only improve.

I was impressed by John Connolly's answer on education. He stressed the need for creative approaches that I have been looking for. And he somehow summarized his thoughts in 30 seconds (candidates were given 30 seconds only to discuss education, kind of like curing cancer by Monday).

I was impressed by Steve Murphy's reality check on the BRA. Everyone wants to change it; some want to get rid of it. But getting rid of it would require a change to state law. I don't like how Murphy says this is "impossible." It's not impossible, but of course it will be hard.

As for Ayanna Pressley, she is an incredibly exciting candidate on paper. She grew up in difficult circumstances. Her mom raised her while her dad was in prison. She became policy director for Senator John Kerry. She used to live in Ward 5 and served on the Democratic Committee.

The problem is the expectations for Ayanna, unfortunately, are sky high. While she performed fine on Tuesday, the sizzle of her resume was missing in her presentation. I still think she deserves the job (hence she got my vote), but the expectations' battle she faces might cause her problems down the road.

As for Scotland Willis, well, he touched me with his life story (raised four boys on his own), and he impressed me with his knowledge of the issues-- especially neighborhood development. And I really appreciated seeing him on the T on a random Sunday weeks ago collecting signatures to get on the ballot.

To be sure, there are many other impressive candidates. Tomas Gonzales performance was admirable. Felix Arroyo left his campaign kick-off early to attend, which is admirable, and he spoke with a passion that will remind many of his dad (a former councilor). Also, most of the candidates support an ultimate move to neighborhood schools, and a careful look at the way Boston plans its development, which are among my priorities.

Lastly, every campaign has its comic relief. And in this campaign, it has to be Doug Bennett. I caught myself chuckling at his colloquial, almost folksy style. He started the forum by noting that he's running for city council at large, almost as if that's his knee-jerk first line to any question. He pumped his fist and gestured to the other candidates when urging for a round of applause to congratulate them all.

I am not in agreement with Bennett's politics, but I have to say I eagerly awaited his answers on Tuesday.

First City Council Debate Tuesday Night

On Tuesday of this week, the Boston Ward 4 and Ward 5 Democratic Committees are hosting a forum for the candidates running for the four Boston City Council at-large seats.

Given that the Mayoral race in Boston has attracted two current at-large City Councilors, and by running for Mayor those two cannot also run to be re-elected as Councilors, this year's race has attracted a regular bevy of candidates.

Tuesday's event will be held at the Community Church of Boston, 565 Boylston Street, in Copley Plaza (over the Globe Bar and Restaurant). Beginning at 7 p.m., it is the first time the candidates will debate.

Following the debate, the committees will consider endorsing candidates. As a member of the Ward 5 Committee, it will be a tough choice. As of right now, I have decided to vote to endorse one candidate (I can pick up to four). And that's one of the incumbents, John Connolly.

Councilor Connolly has done a good job since he took office less than two years ago. I am impressed by his dedication. I hear he is often in the office very late at night and very early in the morning. He also called me personally to ask for my vote, which means a lot. To be fair, candidate Tomas Gonzales has also called me, but I have not decided if I will support him or not.

I am also hearing that the forum will feature new rules regarding how the forum will proceed. Candidates will receive the questions in advance, and the forum will be moderated by David Bernstein of the Boston Pheonix.

Here's what I am looking for at the debate:

-- Candidates that understand the limitations of the Boston City Council. Boston has a Mayoral form of government, and city councilors are not really given much power. However, given their staffs, they can greatly assist with constiutent relations and as feeton the street for pressing day-to-day challenges. I will be watching for candidates who know that a city councilor cannot effect sweeping change.

-- Candidates that have done their homework and know the issues of concern to Ward 5 residents. Given that Ward 5 includes portions of Beacon Hill, Back Bay, South End, Bay Village, and Fenway, we certainly have our hot-button issues.

38,000 Feet

38K Feet Somewhere over the United States

Aboard United Airlines Flight 179

June 15, 2009

I am back in San Francisco for work this week, albeit a short trip. Celebrity sighting: I ran into Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at Logan Airport before I left. I recognized him and went over to shake his hand while I was waiting at the gate for my flight to San Francisco. He was quite pleasant. I wonder if anyone else knew who he was.

Mayor Villaraigosa was in New England for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which took place this week in Providence, R.I.

A Car Salesperson is Not Your Friend

My friend Jen Mehigan bought a car this week, and I am very proud of her, because she did a good job negotiating. When I was in college, I took a persuasion and propaganda course, and we spent one entire lecture talking about car buying. We reviewed the common persuasion techniques used by car salesmen. The three tips that I most often talk about are below:

1) Do not test drive the car until you are sure you can buy it. Often I say, don't even bother to test drive the car. You know it's going to run fine if it's new. The reason you should resist is because the salesperson desperately *wants* you to test drive the car. When you drive the car, you start to feel ownership for it. That means you are willing to pay more for it. Car dealers know this; it's one of the reasons it is very easy to drive a car you don't even own and have not even indicated any interest toward buying.

It's funny sometimes to see how badly the salesperson wants you to take a test drive. If you resist, they will say they can't get you a quote on the car or negotiate a deal until the test drive is out of the way, almost as if your check will not cash otherwise. To be sure, a test drive is somewhat of a commitment from you, the buyer, to show that you are serious. But there's no reason why you need to test drive the car in order to buy it.

Since you you really should be ok with the feel behind the wheel before you drive the car off the lot, I concede it does probably make sense at some point to take the potential new car for a spin. Here's the key: Do not test drive the car until you are absolutely certain you can afford it. Literally, have everything else taken care of-- dealing with financing, making sure the monthly payment is one you can put in your budget, knowing what initial payments will be necessary, etc.

2) You don't have to buy the car *TODAY*. The car salesman wants you to buy it today. They don't want you to go home and "think about it," which is why you should go home and think about it. You will hear that the deal you were guaranteed today may not be available tomorrow. Something tells me it will be, if you show up ready to sign the dotted line.

My college professor used to say that you never want to make a difficult decision without a good night's rest and a good breakfast. The same goes with buying a car. Tell them you will be back tomorrow. And while you are at it, wait until tomorrow for that test drive, too.

3) In general, the more badly the salesperson wants you to take an option, the less likely you need it. My friends will tell you I am not a fan of warranties or insurance. Think for a second about why insurance exists. You probably don't realize this, but the main reason you have car insurance is not to fix the car if you are in an accident but so that you can pay to fix the car of the other person you hit, and as protection if that other person decides to sue you if it happened to be your fault. This is why so many people drop "collision" from their insurance when they own the car and have paid off any loans. The car at that point isn't worth too much, so it makes sense to get rid of coverage to fix it.

The insurance company is a business; it makes money by betting on the fact that you won't actually file a claim. And the system works pretty well. As car owners, we are protected if something really bad happens, and as businesses, the insurance companies are doing pretty darn well.

Given the model, let's look at the classic extended warranty, which is insurance in case something goes wrong with the car not caused by routine wear or neglect. The salesperson *really* wants to sell you it. And that's because it's a cash cow. You will pay an additional fee every month, and chances are you will never have a claim to file. Any repairs you have will be in the variety of routine maintenance, which is not covered. And if something catastrophic
happens, chances are you will no longer like the car and will want a new one.

The key here that I always point out is the salesperson will try very hard to sell you an extended warranty. Generally speaking, if they really want to sell it to you, I don't want it. The salesperson is not out to help you; they are out to help the dealer and themselves. Remember that. And that applies to other "offers" beyond insurance, including offers made to you by the finance team, etc.

So there you have it. Three tips courtesy of my persuasion and propaganda course taught at BU back in 1997. My college education at work.

Have a super Sunday.