This Blog May Not Be For You

If you have been here for a while and can’t distinguish between politically incorrect humor and real life fact based journalism this blog may not be for you.

This is taken from my response to Cynthia Hill who for whatever reason hasn’t quite figured out the difference and more often than not in the comment section feels the need to scold me. ; I just don’t have the energy to spell every thing out for her every time she writes in to complain.

To those that can’t distinguish between the two or are so sensitive that they are offended by obvious liberties taken in the name of ball busting or humor there are much more generic feel good all the time blogs where delicate sensibilities won’t be offended.

We get to do politically incorrect. ; The Times, The Globe, The Post, The Journal doesn’t. ; ; ;

Here you go in case you are one of those that hasn’t figured it out yet-

Cynthia-

I’d like to think the GMG readership gets it but you take everything so literally it’s exhausting having to explain the obvious jokes to your politically correct self.

Should I also take the time to explain to folks that might have thought I’m actually outraged at the Cambridge Health Officials endorsement of banning large sodas that its more about making fun of how ridiculous the notion that we need public health officials to dictate what goes into our bodies while I lay laughing on the beach as I write the piece ; pouring down super sugary girly-man drinks? ; Not Offended Like The Title of The Post Said. ; Also not serious when I point out that they should mandate that 7-11 stores be required to pass out super sized snickers bars with every 64 ounce Big Gulp. ; If you need me to spell this out for you- this blog probably isn’t for you.

Cambridge Health Experts Back Ban On Big Sodas and I’m Outraged

Should I actually take the time to explain that in my “Poop vs Lysol” post yes, Poop vs Lysol that I don’t really go down on my elbows commando style to exit bathrooms to escape poop/lysol smells? ; If you don’t understand that when I say “drop down commando style to avoid the poop/lysol smell” it’s taking some liberties to illustrate a point then this blog probably isn’t for you.

Poop and Lysol- The Poll

Do people still not get that this is a blog meant for entertainment in which everyone including myself gets skewered in the name of fun? ; If you can’t take a good natured ribbing like then this blog probably isn’t for you.

Have you not seen my rants about my terrible nosehair, male pattern baldness, armpit hair, ect, ect, ect? Do you not read the ball busting that goes on in the comment sections?

Jesus I’m Disgusting- Male Armpit Hair Poll

Please, if we cant laugh at ourselves and the rest of the worlds imperfections then maybe the people that don’t get that GMG is not Time or Newsweek, it’s for fun and you suck the joy right out of it when you and the politically correct folk like you can’t grasp the incorrect part of Politically Incorrect humor. ;

You say in your many critical comments on my rants that I need to get over myself. No, the folks that take every obviously outrageous rant and try to turn it into something serious that a politician is lobbying for need to get off their high horse and understand that this for entertainment, not politics. I cant stand politics.

Cynthia Hill,

Maybe this blog isn’t for you.

Update: Good sport Cynthia Hill walkin the walk submits-

20130110-093322.jpg

Frank Destino Memorial/ Celebration Slated For Jan 27th at Bass Rocks Golf Club

Tucker Destino submits-

Hi Joe,

We will be having a memorial/celebration for my uncle Frank Destino on Sunday, January 27th at 12pm at Bass Rocks Golf Club. We are reaching out to GHS Athletic Alumni and people of Gloucester who were unable to attend his services in Newton, Ma. 

We are going to pass the microphone around for people to share any stories they might have. It will be informal and hopefully a lot of laughs will be shared.  Happy New Year!

Thank you!

image

On Flu Hysteria and The Self Admitted Creepy Guy On Twitter (oh and a poll too)

So yesterday I’m reading all the hysteria about the flu on twitter and suddenly now that Menino announced it as a crisis I guess everything that every man woman and child knew about  this flu season  became real for folks.  But I came across this Tweet that was the straw that broke the camel’s back as far as the hysteria meter goes-

Let me answer unequivocally that I’d rather be the dude that sucks up a couple days with the flu rather than the dope that goes a whole winter wearing a surgical mask.

I hope to god this guy is married already because he’s got zero and I mean zero chance of getting laid rocking a surgical mask out and about all winter.  We’re talking about an epic case of blue balls.  And you know what?  If it comes between an epic case of Blue Balls and an Epic Case of The Flu, give me the Flu 100 times out of 100.

We’re talking about a flu.  Yeah, a nasty flu.  A really sucky fever and chills flu.  Any parent that has had it or had a child with it can tell you how sucky it is but you don’t see the most paranoid Type A moms in the Hamilton or Manchester Mother’s clubs wearing surgical masks.  So I’m gonna venture out on a limb here and use that as my litmus test.  If the Alpha Psycho Type A Moms of the world aren’t even considering wearing surgical masks then no man should wear one.

If you are battling a life threatening illness or if you’re eighty years old and can die of pneumonia, if you have a young newborn at risk at home, by all means, but not if you’re a healthy 30 or 40 something. We’re not talking about SARS.  We’re talking about a flu.

Man Up Bro.

#mancardrevoked

(I just totally signed my I’m gonna get the Flu the minute I land back in Boston card)

Anyway- here’s the poll-

Art Conservation at City Hall Gloucester MA

image002

Catherine Ryan writes-

Hi Joey

SAVING ART CULTURE HISTORY

Besides the Public Art Challenge that is happening as we speak, the Gloucester Committee for the Arts (CFTA) has other exciting news in January 2013!

Part of the work of the Committee for the Arts (CftA) includes mapping the way for appropriate and comprehensive ongoing preservation plans for the City’s art holdings. The CftA is committed to the preservation of Gloucester ’s irreplaceable cultural legacy for future generations.

Art conservation involves the cleaning, preserving, and occasionally the repairing of works of art. Art conservator, Peter Williams, will be setting up scaffolding in City Hall to commence cleaning on some of our stellar WPA murals by Charles Allan Winter (1869-1942). Williams, who has worked with museums and galleries for over 40 years and began his career as conservator with the MFA, was chosen to perform the restoration and preservation work and to complete the work in Phases as funding allows. The restoration work will be a great chance for everybody to see a very cool crossover of science and arts up close, all the while eyeing some of the very best New Deal art in the country. If you’re visiting City Hall, look up, look around! We know art can be a touchstone for so many learning disciplines. Take this chance to get a behind the scenes look at the preservation of our beloved murals. It’s a real joy to be able to look at art like these special murals, learn more about them and now, too, this opportunity to share awareness about the science of conservation.

Before any restoration work could begin, the CftA for several years spearheaded a fundraising effort and applied for grants for the painstaking process of cleaning and restoring these giant murals. Among the contributors were individuals and foundations/grants, including seARTS/Massachusetts Cultural Council, the City of Gloucester CPA funding, and the Bruce J. Anderson Foundation. Perhaps some readers may have purchased postcards at City Hall on Middle Street walk or coasters at another event all of which have contributed to this fund. With over $28,000 raised, the CftA now has the support necessary to begin Phase I for the first few murals, and will continue to raise more funds to finish the projects. We are so fortunate for these contributions. Thank you!

Here are details from two murals. This series by Charles Allan Winter wraps around the doors and architecture surrounding the lobby just outside the Mayor’s office. City Council in Session fills the space above the collector’s windows (approximately 7 feet high by eleven feet wide). City Government covers the opposite wall. Tucked in and around the arch-topped lunettes, the two-part mural, Civic Virtues, spreads across the two other opposing walls. This Winter series focuses on government themes as befitting their location, and the test of time. They offer special glimpses of our community in the 1930s as they include many portraits from life, great detail, artistry and ideas. Note the boys (youth) in the “planning” section of Civic Virtues clasping pieces from a model of the Gloucester High School .

image001

ABOUT THE GLOUCESTER COMMITTEE FOR THE ARTS

Made up of citizen volunteers appointed by the Mayor and City Council, The Committee for the Arts was established by City ordinance in 2000 to promote and celebrate Gloucester ’s cultural heritage.  The Committee recently has worked to preserve and increase awareness of Gloucester ’s WPA murals and other City-owned art. Additionally, the Committee develops and promotes educational programs and establishes awards and honors to recognize local artists. It implements a city-wide public art policy.

Old Gloucester Sea Food Recipes Circa 1932 Frank E Davis Fish Co Part 10- Halibut

Thanks to Clark Dexter who dropped off this booklet filled with old fish recipes and some commentary from the man himself- Frank E Davis. The man who built the last building that was on I4C2- The Frank E Davis Fish Co.

I’ll be posting a page or two a day-

click the photos for the larger easier to read versions and click here for the other pages in the series

2012-12-30 08.09.11

BREAKING NEWS: North Shore 104.9 launches new FM signal tomorrow to reach a million more people

#BOOM you heard it on GMG first!  This just in from Aurelia Nelson at North Shore 104.9.  Congrats to all at the station!

New FM Radio Signal In Boston Radio Market

Upgraded FM Signal to cover over 1 million more people inside the Boston Radio Market

Beverly, MA, January 9, 2013: WBOQ 104.9 FM announces the upgrade of WBOQ FM radio licensed to Gloucester, MA. WBOQ has moved its main transmitter site 11 miles West of the former transmitter site trading 11 miles of Atlantic Ocean coverage for 11 miles plus coverage of densely populated geography in the suburbs of Boston located in Essex and Middlesex counties and into Southern New Hampshire.

The move in project has been years in the making with federal approval from the FCC and FAA and local zoning approvals. WBOQ will launch the new station with all new state of the art antenna and transmitter equipment.

The stations move may not be its last as the station still has the ability for another upgrade with approval from the FCC and cooperation of another New England broadcaster that would give WBOQ one of the largest FM signals in the Boston radio market.

Station President and Owner, Todd Tanger, commented, “We are excited to turn on our new signal on Thursday January 10th as we continue to serve the North Shore of Boston and beyond. “ WBOQ is one of the last privately held FM radio stations in the country. Tanger also said, “ We have always taken pride in our opportunity to provide great music, information, and free public service announcements to our neighbors and friends.”

WBOQ FM’s signal will now reach a potential 2.4 million people in the Boston Radio Market.

WBOQ has been called North Shore 104.9 since 2003.

WBOQ FM has been home of the Red Sox Radio on the FM dial since 2006.

The Boston Radio market is the 10th ranked radio market in the United States.

Anyone want to help take down our great Lobster Trap Tree?

We will be taking the Lobster Trap Tree down on Saturday, January 12, 2013 at 9:00 am.  We need volunteers to help with this fun experience, also remember it is great exercise.  Thank you and see you there on Saturday.   If you have more questions please feel free to contact Art Haven, Ed Collard or Donna Ardizzoni.

A reminder what Art Haven does with the painted buoys.

Join us for our 5th Annual Buoy Auction

Saturday, January 19, 5-8pm

stop by Art Haven or The Hive to buy tickets!

family: $25 adult: $15 student: $5

Lobsta tree

Cambridge Health Experts Back Ban On Big Sodas and I’m Outraged

@GlobeDavidD: We do like to ban things here in Mass., don’t we? Latest: health experts back ban on big sodas in Cambridge. http://ow.ly/gG2b6 Shared via TweetCaster

Now normally I’d be all over these Commies for trying to take away our Civil liberties but I’m upset about this for a whole different set of reasons.

First and foremost because I look at it as a Darwinian type of deal. Like if you’re that grotesque that you gotta pound down the 64 oz Big Gulpie at 7 Eleven shouldn’t we let you so you can put yourself out of misery that much sooner and we won’t gave to carry your ass through retirement?

Just makes much more fiscal sense doesn’t it?

Fish Tales: Live Storytelling at Gloucester Writers Center

When: 7:30 PM on Thursday, January 17th (1/17/13)

What:

The Gloucester Writers Center presents Fish Tales!: Live Storytelling, a live storytelling event that is looking for storytellers for the inaugural event. Similar to The Moth Story Hour on NPR, at Fish Tales you will tell your true story live in front of an audience. The story must be no more than five minutes from beginning to end, and should follow a traditional story arc—having an introduction to set the stage, a story climax, and a conclusion. Those are really the only criteria that we have. “Fish Tales” will be a bi-monthly event, and each reading will have a different overarching theme.

The Gloucester Writers Center presents Fish Tales!: Live Storytelling, a new live storytelling event. Similar to The Moth Story Hour on NPR, readers will tell their true life stories live without notes or cues. The stories will all be a maximum of five minutes long and will follow the theme of the evening; Hook, Line, and Sinker. Fish Tales will be a bi-monthly event, and each reading will have a different overarching theme, so if you miss this one be sure to attend the next one!

If you are interested in performing then visit the http://www.gloucesterwriters.com for more information on how to prepare. All are welcome to just come and listen to stories.

Who:

The event will be made up of whoever signs up to read for the night. All are welcome to come listen to or to perform their stories! If you are interested in reading email fishtalesofgloucester@gmail.com

Where:

The Gloucester Writers Center is located in the late poet Vincent Ferrini’s historic home, at the Gloucester Writers Center at 126 East Main Street, East Gloucester, MA. The Center was founded to celebrate, preserve, and promote Gloucester’s rich literary legacy and to create space in the community for the voices of people of all ages and backgrounds to be heard through writing, dialogue, and the artistic process. Find out more about the Gloucester Writers Center at gloucesterwriters.org

Contact Person: For information about the event please contact Maxwell Snelling at msnel371@mail.endicott.edu or Maureen Aylward at maureenaylward@comcast.net or visit gloucesterwriters.org/event/fish-tales/.

Download of The Day- Rapper’s Delight

I sure hope these guys got to retire from the money they made on this song. 

Still Holds Up To This Very Day #Old School

It’s a free download on the Amazon mp3 store Rappers Delight On Amazon mp3 Store

image

Gloucester Seagull Photo Request

Do you have a favorite photo of Homie(s)? We would love to share. Send photos to kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com and I’ll post here.

Please submit average size photos, roughly 8 x 10; please no enormous files. Don’t forget to watermark your photo. Looking forward to seeing everyone’s submissions!

Good Harbor Beach Seagulls ©KIm Smith 2013

Good Harbor Beach Seagulls

BREAKING NEWS: Last night’s open mic @ Dog Bar was so great that Steve Caraway will host every Tuesday

What a great week of music this has been and it’s only Wednesday!

Last night Steve Caraway struck up the open mic again at Dog Bar and by all accounts it was a HUGE SUCCESS!  So much so that he’s decided to host every week.  Way to go STEVE!

Before Steve began at Dog Bar, Allen Estes sat in Dan King’s seat at Jalapenos and rocked the house with Dave Brown, Dave Mattacks and Wolf Ginandes.  All were at the top of their game, especially DB, whose solos took us away!

And I just have to say that it is such a pleasure listening to Dave Mattacks, whose percussion is absolutely perfect for every song .  He is without a doubt one of the best drummers alive today.  These guys are so professional they were able to follow Allen on one of his brand new songs, having never heard it before — and it sounded as if they’d just come from rehearsal.  Aren’t we lucky to have people of this caliber on Main St., in Gloucester every Tuesday for FREE!  Next week J.B. Amero is in Dan King’s seat.  Oooohh, that’ll be HOT!

Excellent live music starts up again tonight at 7pm (early enough to take the kids).  See the schedule here.

Motivational Tweet of The Day- Doubt Me

Are You Pushing Yourself To Be The Best You Can Be?

Let’s Do This!

Temple Ahavat Achim Presents: Cafe’ Shalom

ha swingset templehttp://www.taagloucester.org/index.aspx

http://www.myspace.com/judithmurray/music

http://www.reverbnation.com/henryallenthenewswingset

St Lucia vs Playa del Carmen vs Turks

A few words about these three warm January locations. 

Once the grueling 7 day a week season is over we book a warm climate beach destination for our January vacation.  Over the past 4 years it was St Lucia twice, last year Playa del Carmen and this year Turks.

I trust the Mrs’ vacation planning skillz implicitly.  She uses Trip Advisor to drill down on the best intersection of price/value/nice accommodations.  It hasn’t failed us yet.  I assume most of you have heard of Trip Advisor but for those who haven’t, it’s user based ratings and recommendations on just about every vacation property under the sun.  From big mega-resorts to tiny boutique hotels.  The benefit of using Trip Advisor as a guide is that when you get hundreds or thousands of user-based reviews and ratings it helps you drill down quickly on the types of places that suit your taste and/or budget without the influence of huge marketing budgets from the mega-factory travel resorts.

Big huge resorts have big huge marketing budgets and are comping travel agents or building into their pricing structure all those marketing costs to try to lure you in to their joint but what we’ve found is that the smaller hotels offer good value and the Mrs can’t stand to travel with the masses in buffet lines or fight for spots around pools with hundreds of people at mega-resorts.

So using Trip Advisor is my number one piece of advice when doing your vacation planning.  If you have no confidence in your ability to read and process what other people have said or how 5 star ratings are better than 1 star ratings, use a Travel Agent instead.

Anyway.  For my money from March to May or September through December there’s no better beach destination to escape the Northeast than Naples Florida.  Warm, Clean, Safe, Awesome Beaches, Tons Of Restaurants, Tons of Shopping, Tons of Attractions.  It’s got it all, there are a ton of flights, it’s a quick flight.  I could go on and on about the virtues of Naples Florida.

But in January and February you aren’t guaranteed beach weather anywhere in the continental US.  You’re really not guaranteed beach weather in Playa Del Carmen either but your chances are greatly increased of being able to swim in the ocean there over any place in the US in January or February.

So now for the differences between the three winter destinations we’ve been in the past four years- St Lucia, Playa del Carmen and Turks.

The Grub:

All three have had fantastic dining options.  Wide ranges of different kinds of foods.  Of the three Playa had the most and by far the least expensive.  St Lucia in Rodney Bay where we stayed had plenty and the prices for dinner were surprisingly about the same as eating out in Gloucester be it Passports or Lat 43 or The Duck.  The food here in Turks has been outstanding but you have to close your eyes when the bill comes because it is very very expensive.  Example- the nice, recommended casual tiki-bar-esque Somewhere CafĂ© we got two pulled pork taco inners, two coors lights, and two orange stoli tonics with a slice of Key Lime pie and it came to $100.  Then add $10 cab ride back and forth for a $120 dinner.  That’s steep for comfort food in my book.  In Rodney Bay St Lucia and Playa you can walk to dozens of great restaurants.  There are dozens of great restaurants here but they’re not congregated.

The Beaches:

The water here in Turks is just like the water in Playa- that turquoise blue, warm, crystal clear water that you could float in all day long.  The sand like powder.  I’d rank them both 9s.  The beaches in Rodney Bay St Lucia were nice but there were lots more tourists on them.  they were a bit more scenic with the hills surrounding the bay with lush vegetation as well.  I’d rank the beach at Rodney Bay a solid 8.  Nothing to sneeze at but just a step behind.  It should be noted that St Lucia is really lush with flora being in a Rain Forest and Turks is flat with lots of scrub.   The most beautiful beach I’ve been was Horseshoe Beach in Bermuda.  Little lagoons, and rock formations and clear water, and powdery sand.  A nice spot but not swimming weather warm in January or February.  Highest concentrations of Europeans wearing banana hammocks- St Lucia by a mile.  This is a positive and a negative.  The positive is that you get to make fun of dudes wearing banana hammocks, the negative- you have to look at dudes wearing banana hammocks.

Turks:

Reduit Beach St Lucia:

Playa Del Carmen:

The Attractions:

There is probably the most number of quality outdoor attractions if you want to be active in St Lucia (this could be wrong but it was our experience) Between Rainforest Segway Tours, Zip-lining, Snorkeling, Catamaran, the Castries marketplaces, and more. 

Playa had the usual boating, snorkeling, parasailing stuff but they don’t have the Rainforest stuff.  Still plenty of stuff to do there and by far the most nightlife and shopping, with the awesome Fifth Avenue providing great people watching and dining/shopping.

Turks is ALL about relaxation.  Mellow, mellow, mellow.  There is the boating stuff, parasailing, snorkeling and such but the place is more spread out than Rodney Bay in St Lucia or Playa Del Carmen’s hotel/shopping district.  This can be a really good thing if all you want to do is unwind.  Playa is much more active and Rodney Bay falls somewhere in between.

If you plopped me down on the beach in Turks and told me I was on the beach in SW Florida I wouldn’t argue the point.  Playa Del Carmen definitely has it’s Mexican stamp on it and St Lucia has more of an island feel to its layout.

Overall Here’s How My Recommendations Would Play Out Regarding The Three Different Places For Warm Beach Destinations In January or February.

If you totally want to unplug and relax and do NOTHING- go to Turks with a buttload of dough.

If you want more of an eco-rainforest beach vibe with stuff to do and great dining go to St Lucia and stay at the Coco Palm. Highly rated and excellent value in St Lucia.

If you want beautiful beaches, and a little more excitement and Mexican flavor and great value go to Playa Del Carmen.

Feel free to ask questions.

Missing Dog Update

thanks joey !!we found her up in the woods last night, coyotes howling all around. she was thrilled to come home. happy and safe now ! thanks to everyone who helped !~alexandra

Public Policy Polling: Root canals, lice and Nickelback more popular than Congress: Poll

Can you imagine?

Congress Less Popular than Cockroaches, Traffic Jams Raleigh, N.C. – Facing low approval ratings after a historically unproductive 112th session and a series of last-minute showdowns over fiscal matters, Congress is now less popular than root canals, NFL replacement referees, head lice, the rock band Nickelback, colonoscopies, carnies, traffic jams, cockroaches, Donald Trump, France, Genghis Khan, used-car salesmen and Brussel sprouts. When asked if they have a higher opinion of either Congress or a series of unpleasant or disliked things, voters said they had a higher opinion of root canals (32 for Congress and 56 for the dental procedure), NFL replacement refs (29-56), head lice (19-67), the rock band Nickelback (32-39), colonoscopies (31-58), Washington DC political pundits (3437), carnies (31-39), traffic jams (34-56), cockroaches (43-45), Donald Trump (42-44), France (37-46), Genghis Khan (37-41), used-car salesmen (32-57), and Brussels sprouts (23-69) than Congress. Congress did manage to beat out telemarketers (45-35), John Edwards (45-29), the Kardashians (49-36), lobbyists (48-30), North Korea (61-26), the ebola virus (53-25), Lindsay Lohan (45-41), Fidel Castro (54-32), playground bullies (43-38), meth labs (6021), communism (57-23), and gonorrhea (53-28). Congress’s overall favorability rating stands at just 9% favorable and 85% unfavorable. Women (13-81) view Congress slightly more favorably than men (6-89), as do Democrats (13-82) than Republicans (9-87), perhaps reflecting Democrats’ higher level of satisfaction with the recent fiscal cliff deal. Among ideological groups voters who describe themselves as “very liberal” have a higher than single-digit approval rating, with 36% holding a favorable view and 56% unfavorable. “We all know Congress is unpopular,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “But the fact that voters like it even less than cockroaches, lice, and Genghis Khan really shows how far its esteem has fallen with the American public over the last few weeks.” PPP surveyed 830 American voters from January 3rd to 6th. The margin of error is +/-3.4 percentage points. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews