Day: September 30, 2010

A Barter Available to You

Posted on by DIY SKI GUY

Ever hear the story of the kid who bartered a  free cell phone up to a Porsche or a red paperclip up to a house? Craigslist offers yet another random section under for sale, called barter. Here is a local one available to you:

Bounty Hunter Metal Detector (Gloucester)

I have a $750.00 Bounty Hunter metal detector that I would like to trade for an Ipad tablet.This machine has been used three times and just sits in a closet.I need to trade it for something I can use.I would like to get a 32 gig Apple IPAD for trade.Let me know what you have and we can go from there.Thanks for reading.Comes with bag and two coils and manual.

I have always told my wife,  when I retire I just want an old school lawn chair (you know the ones that you can’t strap on your back) and a metal detector. I will roam the beaches with my headphones on and dream of the big find.  I hope someone takes their Ipad, trades it for the metal detector, finds a huge diamond ring and then buys a house on Good Harbor Beach. With a name like Bounty Hunter were you really expecting a metal detector? I was thinking sawed off shotgun.

Joey – You think you can convince them to go for a Windows 7 Netbook so they can edit video?

John Atkinson Checks In From the Southern Hemisphere

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

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hey joey, don’t say we were not thinking of everyone in beautiful gloucester. we finished our aerial photographic survey of the endangered southern right whales and got a few good shots! in one of the attached photo is of the pilot oscar, me, and science officer/camera asssistant marcos standing by our airplane. second shot of whale breach we got in the last hour of our survey  we all send greetings to everyone in gloucester! john atkinson

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Bruce Bonham Shares Some Gloucester Images From His Recent Trip

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi Joey,
You may recall I was at the ‘dock’ last Tuesday (Sep. 21).
Since 2004, we’ve stayed at Mona Faherty’s Rocky Neck Accommodations.
Since I’m now retired, we’re trying to make the trip from St.
Catharines, Ontario (near Niagara Falls).
Obviously, we love the area. And we love GMG!
Thought I’d send you three pictures I took during our last visit, if
they’re any use to your web site.
See you next May, if all goes as planned!
Bruce and Louise Bonham

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Living In Lynn Reports On Yet Another Blow To Freedom Of Expression

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Wait, did this really happen!?

I’m usually neutral on Lynn Happens. If anything, I’m pro-arts and pro-nightlife over there. I reserve most of my opinions for this blog. Last night’s City Council meeting pushed one of my buttons, so here I go.
An amendment was added to an over-reaching adult entertainment ordinance in order to quell some fears artists and area residents such as myself had about some of the over-reaching parts of the ordinance inadvertently impacting the arts. Just to zone them out of existence and deny them alcohol licenses would have been sufficient, but it took things a bit too far. In an attempt to compromise, an amendment was proposed that any artistic expression that crosses some sort of line, wherever that is, can apply for a permit for a fee of $175.

read the rest here

Kenny MacCarthy Soap Box Derby Video

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Kenny writes-

I got some great video of last Sunday’s races on Roger’s St. If you know anyone that had kids participating, you might want to share this with them. BTW it’s rated G but does have a couple crash scenes. Rest assured, no one got hurt.

Kenny MacCarthy
Check Out Kenny’s Blog The Cut Bridge here
thanks for watching

Linn Parisi Wants To Let You Know About The Sou’westers Popping Up All Over Town

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Linn Writes-

 

My Receptive business, Over the Bridge Tours of Cape Ann, has been using sou’westers as a brand for Gloucester

for several years. I wear a sou’wester whenever I meet a group coming into town; I pass them out as prizes; I build

them into itineraries that I plan ie. all 130 USS McCaffery Reunion attendees got a sou’wester when they were in Gloucester

last Wednesday for the day.

I’ve made sou’westers available to visitors, particularly recent Eurodam cruise ship passengers.

Mayor Kirk has a supply of them to hand out to visiting dignitaries as well.

As the Director of Discover Gloucester, the Seaport Gloucester Destination Marketing Organization- a volunteer effort to get visitors to come to our area-

I’ve been able to extend the exposure for Gloucester and our sou’westers to the travel & tourism trade shows I attend around the country. We continue to tell the story of the sou’wester in the Discover Gloucester Visitor Guide and get the story out there at every opportunity we can.

My objective has been to have the sou’wester become part of the branding of Gloucester- and clearly, it’s working!

Thanks to the CATA folks for furthering the promotion of the brand!

Sou’ westers can be purchased at The Cape Ann Brewery; The Weathervane on Main Street; The General Store on 7 Seas Wharf; Palazola’s on Main Street (they’ve been selling them for years to GHS fans to wear at games- Go GHS!) and at Nelson’s on Main Street.

If there are other retailers out there selling them- let us know.

For info or for large quantities of sou’westers, send me an email at Linn@DiscoverGloucester.com

Thanks Joey!        Linn

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Weekend Picks From Your Boy Joey Starting September 30th

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Thursday Sept 30th

Cape Ann Farmer’s Market

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Cape Ann Film Festival Preview Night

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Info from Jo-Ann Castano–

MULTI-DAY, MULTI-VENUE FILM FESTIVAL TO LAND IN GLOUCESTER AND ROCKPORT THIS OCTOBER

The Cape Ann Community Cinema at 21 Main Street in Gloucester will celebrate its 2nd full year in

business with 17 straight days of films from around the state, around the country and around the world.

The Cape Ann Film Festival will run from October 1-17, and will feature 43 films and events, many of them

with filmmakers in attendance.

The Festival’s preview night is on Thursday, September 30 starting at 7:00pm, and will feature trailers from

each of the 17 nights of films, plus a special musical set from the quirky instrumental rock band,

The Weisstronauts.  Admission to this special event is $10.00, with complimentary hors d’oeuvres, beer and

wine for all guests.

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2010 marks the first year that the Cinema has invited another venue to participate in one of its festivals.

The Shalin Liu Performance Center at 37 Main Street in Rockport, which just this week starts its

year-round film programming under the name “The Rockport Music Cinema,” will host several of the Festival’s

films in its 330-seat state-of-the-art amphitheater.

“We’re hoping that a lot of folks who have heard about us but haven’t made it down yet will come and celebrate

with us during this very huge month,” said Robert Newton, managing director of the Cape Ann Community Cinema.

“The Festival is going to be a great time for all, and I’m very much looking forward to making a whole lot of new

friends in October.”

The Cape Ann Film Festival will feature 43 films of all genres: “180° South,” “1981,” “Asparagus: A Stalkumentary,” “Barbarella,” “Best Worst Movie,” “The Blue Bird,” “BoyBand,” “Breathless,” “Cairo Time,” “Canvasman: The Robbie Ellis Story,” “The Cartel,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” “The Clamdigger’s Daughter,” “Cropsey,” “Do It Again,” “The Eagle: America’s Tall Ship,” “For Once In My Life,” “Gasland,” “The Gloucester 18,” “The Green Room,” “Handsome Harry,” “Hibakusha,” “Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child,” “The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground,” “Lovely, Still,” “Metropolis,” “My Tale Of Two Cities,” “Night Of The Living Dead: Re-Animated,” “Orgasm, Inc.,” “Orlando,” “Polis Is This,” “Racing Dreams,” “Ran,” “Science Fiction Double Feature: 2081/I’m Here,” “The Secret Of Kells,” “The Secret Of NIMH,” “Soul Kitchen,” “Speedy Delivery,” “Stonewall Uprising,” “The Stranger,” “Ten9Eight” and “Truth: Fishing Crisis Or Government Mismanagement?”

Additionally, the dozen short films in this year’s “Media That Matters” touring show will be interspersed, paired appropriately throughout the Festival.

Synopses, trailers and full Festival schedule are listed on the Festival’s website at www.CapeAnnFilmFest.com.

Friday October 1

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Listing the Topsfield Fair is kinda obvious, no?  Well at least if you click on the picture above it will bring you to the website (I know how people hate to look things up for themselves)  Makes it so much easier when someone puts that nice fat juicy link right in front of them to click right through.

so here you go-

Topsfield Fair Website Click Here

GHS Football vs Beverly Under The Lights!

Friday Night 7PM

Click picture to go to GHS Football Site For More Info

Saturday October 2

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Pick Your Own Apples at Russell’s Orchard

On Saturday there will be music

October 2
Fall Music Series Laurie, Ellen & the Boys 12:30 PM-3:30 PM at Russell Orchards

Saturday October 2&3 The Gran Prix Of Gloucester

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Paul Boudreau, race founder gives us some insights on why YOU should check out this international event happening right here in Gloucester!

For more information check out the website-

Gran Prix of Gloucester Link Here
The Best of Rocky Neck
Rocky Neck Art Colony Member’s Exhibition, October 2 to 16
Reception, SAT, Oct 2, 5 to 8pm

Members Exhibition

Pictured above are some of the images that will be displayed in the Best of Rocky Neck Members Exhibition.

From USA Today- A breakdown of airline fees

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

It is absolutely astounding to me the amount of bullshit that airlines are allowed to get away with.  It has become buyer beware to the nth degree but there are downright devious patterns of abuse that I’ve detected over the years and there seems to be no one that is looking out for the consumer.

As an example I offer up the bait and switch that I’ve fallen for two years running.  My last scheduled day off for the calendar year is May 15th and I work 7 days a week excluding major holidays until December 31st.  We plan vacations for the winter to get to the sun and planning those vacations is somewhat of a geeky hobby for me.  I try to get the best flights for the best prices and I check for my vacation dates on travel sites like Kayak almost daily in case a great fare pops up for direct flights. 

Just one abuse I’ve detected is that certain airlines will offer a direct flight at a decent price and then change it days later without allowing you to book a different flight and without paying exorbitant change fees. It goes like this- I’ll book a great non-stop flight and then two days later I get an email saying that the flight had been changed and now there will be a stop along the way.  Well the reason I booked the flight was because it was a direct flight and if anyone knows about traveling with small children and getting car seats through airports you know you DO NOT want to have to get off and on different flights or risk being stuck in the middle of the country due to inclement weather in Chicago or some other midwest hub. 

It wouldn’t be so horrible if they changed the flight on you and allowed you to opt out or get a refund because what you booked (a non-stop flight) is not what they are changing you to.  But no, they won’t budge on it and they say you can change each ticket for a $75 fee PLUS any change in ticket cost to the different flight.  THIS IS UNCONCIONABLE to me and makes me feel extremely violated.  It has happened two years in a row on the same exact flight so that is why it seems like this is by design and planned to lure customers in and give them the bait and switch with absolutely no recourse except to take it up the ass with crazy fees.

How is it that the airlines are allowed to get away with such shenanigans and malfeasance without any politician calling them out and protecting us?  The one place where I think there should actually be more government intervention and they are no where to be found but they are climbing up our ass in every other way like the latest plan to gain easier access to wiretap folks Facebook accounts.

We could write novels about the crap airlines are getting away with such as the baggage fees and how they advertise low fares on airfare checking sites like Kayak but don’t have to list their baggage fees which can bump the cost of those tickets up by 10-40% over what the price they list the cost of the flight for.

Well at least people can inform themselves about these fees and try to book on airlines like Southwest which don’t charge change fees or baggage fees.

This article on USA Today details all the fees that you should take into account before you book your flights-

Sources: Airlines, USA TODAY research by Gary Stoller

Click the picture to go to the full breakdown of add on fees airlines charge. 

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Look for The Kids GMG Homie Pumpkin Display At Topsfield Fair!

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Featuring the creative stylings of Sista Felicia, friend of the family Sara Francis,neice Amandacakes, nephew BJ, The Bean and Snoop Maddie Mad.

Also look to see if Sista Felicia garnered a Blue Ribbon for her Rosa Rugosa Rose Hip Jelly or the Rose Petal Jelly.

The GMG pumpkin display is in the Fruits and Vegetables Building, center aisle half way down on the left hand sign.   If you see it send in a not!

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