Bitching about Boston

Something about this wind, that reminds me of Hurricaine Bob and his pal, the No Name Storm.

see- Beaufort scale

( I don't care. A gale like this, does not belong here. It is abnormal. 80- 90 mph is too much.)

February 2, 2013

Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his lair Saturday, in front of thousands but didn’t see his shadow.

Does this mean that Boston will get a Spring Blizzard, or not ? Who does not like an April Fools snow storm ?

J. Geils- He grew up, filled out, and cleaned up, very nicely. His voice is deeper, now.
interview on Greater Boston

His dad was at Bell labs! Ma Bell is a zombie ?

My snow shovel is neglected. The snow is dry as dust. Dust my broom. oooo cold

It has been 35 years, since the Blizzard of 1978. 99 people tragically lost their lives due to that storm.

The Massachusetts Butterfly Club

Nineteen years of Massachusetts Butterfly Club (MBC ) sighting data
has been used to demonstrate increases in southern-based butterfly
species and decreases in northern-based butterfly species.

Table 1: Butterflies which may have Increased or Decreased 1650 - 1850
as a result of agricultural and other development.

Table 2: Butterflies which may have Decreased 1900-2000 due to loss of open habitat, or
Increased due to immigration (Southern butterfly species move North)
adaptation to new host plants (invasive weeds!) or re-growth of early successional habitat.
Table 3: Switchers: Butterflies known to have adapted to a non-native host plant in addition
to, or instead of, their original native host plant.

Table 6: Species likely to increase or decrease in Massachusetts as a result of climate warming.

Butterflies from the southern US, that used to be rare in the northeast are now appearing there on a regular basis.

More than 75 percent of northern species—with a range centered north of Boston—
are rapidly declining in Massachusetts now.

It might be pleasant and efficient, to have less snow in Massachusetts, but
there is a downside. Snow provides insulation from the cold air. An igloo, if
you will, for wild things. 2013, and Massachusetts is having another year of
snow drought. It is normal to have a thick layer of snow, all winter long.
It is normal to have slush and high piles of snow, all winter long.

"Population trajectories indicate increases of many species near their northern range limits and declines
in nearly all species (17 of 21) near their southern range limits. Certain life-history traits, especially
overwintering stage, were strongly associated with declines. Our results suggest that a major, climate-
induced shift of North American butterflies, characterized by northward expansions of warm-adapted
and retreat of cold-adapted species, is underway."

http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v3/n2/full/nclimate1663.html

http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2013/01/butterflies-booking-it-north-climate-warms

Trends and Changes- increase and decrease

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV7UFkH8gTs

blurb-
Harvard Forest, Produced by Roberto Mighty, Celestial Media

Massachusetts Butterfly Club
A Chapter of the
North American Butterfly Association

http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/

Links to media-

NBC Nightly News broadcast - 9/11/2012
(Both clips are preceded by a 15 second commercial.)
This clip was broadcast September 11 on the NBC Nightly News.
It includes interviews with Greg Breed, Steve Moore and Tom Gagnon along with photos taken by Frank Model.
Southern butterflies shifting to warmer north
The following clip was not broadcast but is available on the NBC Nightly News website.
Butterfly enthusiasts "delighted" data being used

500 miles of the East's coastline due to take a two- punch snow storm. Predicting Boston weather is not easy.
Who will get five inches of snow, every hour ? Three inches per hour ? Dry snow or wet snow ? Snow day!

Stay home.

Feb. 14, 1940. 31 people lost their lives because of a blizzard.
Large amount of snow that was dumped quickly and high winds.

Gov. Patrick Urges All Schools To Close Friday

Government employees who are not essential are ordered to stay home.
Public schools are closed.

3:30 Friday the MBTA will not be available for transportation.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/02/07/gov-patrick-encourages-all-schools-to-close-friday/

The snow is currently forecast to begin falling on Friday morning, picking up in intensity during the afternoon
with the heaviest Friday night into early Saturday. Winds up to 40 mph with gusts up to 65 mph combined with
heavy snowfall are expected to make travel dangerous.

Widespread 2-foot snow accumulations are expected, with more than 2 feet possible in the greater Boston area,
and areas west and south.

There will be extra help on hand, to cope with the snow-
5,000 to 6,000 Guard members had had training scheduled for this weekend.

http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/201...xXEEB271sFKyVO16D8PDL/story.html?comments=all

Who will be getting 5 foot snowdrifts? Visibility is down to a quarter of a mile.
The reason Mayor Menino wants people to stay home ? High winds and high tide.

Winds will come out of the North, tonight. Some will get 17-20 foot waves.
9:00- 10:00 tonight, the wind will pick up.

Travel ban starts at 4:00 Fuel delivery and food delivery are allowed. EMS and other medical personnel allowed.

There will be no trains or bus rides after 3:30.

Stay off the road- $500.00 fine or jail time.

Don't be a horse's backside. The plows and power workers will be driving in dangerous conditions.

No parking on major arteries.

http://www.wcvb.com/weather/-Histor...ods/-/9850416/18460004/-/14nijnj/-/index.html

Not seeing much snow, yet ? That will change after dark. It will get cold.

Dah May-ahs Au- furce

· A Snow Emergency and Parking Ban will go into effect at noon

· All City buildings will close at noon

· Boston Public Works has 600 pieces of equipment on city streets

· 34,000 tons of salt are available for use

· The Boston Fire Department has added 7 extra fire trucks from its reserves and 8 rapid response vehicles to monitor downed power lines and other road hazards

· Boston Emergency Medical Services has added 8 extra ambulances, 14 more rapid response vehicles

· Boston Police have a full deployment in the field, and the shift may be held over throughout the storm.

Harvard University's Hasty Pudding roast for Golden Globe-winning actor
Keifer Sutherland is taking place, in spite of the snowstorm.

http://www.wcvb.com/news/entertainm...oup/-/9848582/18471828/-/lmn6srz/-/index.html

A Cambridge Snow Emergency Parking Ban will go in effect Friday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m.
Parking is prohibited on streets signed No Parking during Snow Emergency.
All City Buildings will close at 11 a.m. on Friday and will be closed on Saturday.
Cambridge Public Schools will be closed. All weekend programs have been cancelled.

"Overnight temperatures could dip as low as seven degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday night."

It is 20F is some areas now. The wind has started gusting. This is the kind of night, where
you will not be able to see an arm's length ahead of you. Do not fall into the Charles River.

Last flight out of Logan was at 3:00 this afternoon ? Logan obeyed and there were no buses out of Logan after 3:15.

Is Keifer Sutherland stuck in Massachusetts ? Lightning seen in Dorchester. Are we in for some thundersnow ?

"With the blizzard not forecast to end until Saturday afternoon, the Bruins announced that the starting time
for tomorrow's game against the Lightning has been moved from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m."

The snow storm has turned Saturday matinee hockey into Saturday night hockey. The Bruins and the
NHL announced Friday that their Saturday game with the Tampa Bay Lightning, originally scheduled for
1 p.m., will now start at 7 p.m. at TD Garden. NESN coverage begins at 6 p.m. with Big Bad Bruins Live
followed by Bruins Face-Off Live at 6:30, all leading up to puck drop from the Garden at 7 p.m.

nesn.com

Southern Massachusetts is getting slammed. Snow emergency called in states, up and down the coast.

Paths to everything. Thank you for the snow blower's path. I would have never got all the paths done, without help.

Here, is why-

Freezing rain could snarl Monday morning commute
Clogged storm drains could bring flooding

Feb 10, 2013

If nearly three feet of snow weren't enough create difficulty for the back-to-work commute,
Monday could also feature a wintry mix in the morning, specifically around the end of the
morning commute.

"As warm moisture-laden air moves up from the south, rain will fall on cold surfaces and create freezing rain,"
said Storm Team 5 meteorologist A.J. Burnett.

"Eventually this freezing rain and sleet will change to all rain," Burnett said.

Later in the day, with the snow covering storm drains, there could be
some street flooding as about one-half inch of rain falls.

This rain also will fall into the sponge-like snow, adding to the weight on roofs.

http://www.wcvb.com/weather/Freezin...ute/-/9850416/18487326/-/12jua9n/-/index.html

They sent the sturdy tractor to plow. It slid all over the road. Greasy snow!

Downtown Boston is back to normal. If you can call aggression and road rage , normal. This van, with Boston Sheriff plastered on the
side of it ( written in gold, very official ) swung just a bit wide- taking a corner. A man in a sleek, black, (very expensive looking) sports
car (illegally parked) took exception to the intrusion of the Sheriff's vehicle into "his" space. Going from zero to sixty, the sports car rode
up the middle of the dividing line (solid) forcing the Sheriff's van over into the next lane. How entitled do you have to feel, to do something
like that ? They were both heading -only feet away from a very busy, city intersection, when this nonsense came to and end. yikes

good for MASS, i can't stand none of their proffesional teams.

"A cold front is pushing through the area this morning. This front will be ushering in colder air and moving the mild air of yesterday
(Mild ? I wore light summer ball cap, summer T shirt over cotton long sleeve shirt, cotton sweat pants, cotton socks. ) out to sea."

"This front will be accompanied by a few snow showers and there could be a dusting up to an inch of snow of accumulation this
morning. (Snowflakes big enough to cover my eye socket, when it started. The flakes are getting smaller, as the day wears on.)

"As the front hits the coast it will slow down and a new storm will develop on this boundary late tonight."

"It will all wind down, on Sunday." (For Boston ?) The "pleasure of trying to predict the weather, on the East Coast.
Everything is "iffy."

Where are all the strong winds, coming from ? Who will get a blizzard ?
Just where in Canada, did the cold air come from, this time ? Calgary ?

Blustery day. Non- stop wind. It is snowing sideways. Somehow, I am reminded of a night-
when I could not see my own hand in front of my face. Everything was a ghostly lump in
the darkness. I was on a waterfront path. I was stumbling in deep snow. The wind was
constant, and would shriek and whistle when the gusts picked up speed. Not much of
a chance to hear where I was going. There were stone walls standing opposite of the
water. My memory was good enough, to help me imagine where I was, and what was
there. The streets were empty. No one would have known that I had slipped into the
ocean. The wind pushed me this way, and that. Good luck was with me that night.
I was worried and I was scared. I was so relieved to reach the other side. I did
not have to know hypothermia in freezing water, to fear it. The drunks were
asleep. None had died that night. Only the sober dared to risk their lives.

A sunny warm day, kind to the spirit, and kind to my cold. Followed by rain. Soaking the new fallen snow.
On the paths I was too sick to shovel. Well, the man on the local news, was right. He said shovel soon
after the blizzard, or it will be there all winter long. There is a couple of inches of ice under the snow I
did not move. The soaked snow will turn to concrete, when the cold returns. Do not kick old snow piles.

Shakespeare’s marriage is at center of ‘The Last Will’

February 14, 2013

William Shakespeare’s final years were even more puzzling and obscure than the rest of his life. Why did he retire
from the stage in 1612, when he was just 48, and leave London for Stratford? How did his wife, Anne, receive him
when he returned home? And then there’s his last will and testament. Why did he leave most of his property to elder
daughter Susanna? Why did younger daughter Judith receive so little? Why did Anne inherit, infamously, her husband’s
“second best bed”? And why is his signature on the will such a scrawl?

“In the sonnets he talks about having contracted syphilis from the Dark Lady,” says Brustein. “And I simply
assumed that syphilis had run its course and become paresis by the end of his life, which is a deterioration
of the brain, and that he was going mad and confusing himself with his own plays.

http://www.boston.com/ae/theater-ar...e-last-will/bG6kW8J4gSdOIr0TNktNIK/story.html

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and Suffolk University present the World Premiere of The Last Will.

The Last Will
by Robert Brustein
directed by Steve Maler

February 13-24, 2013

http://www2.suffolk.edu/moderntheatre/

School is out, and the streets are full of children. Rock and Roll Disney 0n Ice, for those who are not taking the big pilgrimage.
A day to be bundled up. The moon looked lovely in the sunlight. Brick and mortar stores still have a spot, in Boston. Mall ? No!

With A Signature In Green, St. Patrick’s Day Became A Holiday

Gov. Leverett Saltonstall signed the “act making March seventeenth a legal
holiday in Suffolk County,”
in both green and black ink, at 4:57 p.m. on March 12, 1941, according to a
copy of the law provided by Secretary of State William F. Galvin.

Under the law, state as well as municipal offices and schools in Boston, Chelsea
Revere and Winthrop — the communities that compose Suffolk County — are all
closed on the holiday. Private businesses remain open. The law does not mention
Evacuation Day by name, only specifying that March 17 will be a legal holiday.

On March 17, 1776 the British withdrew from Boston in the Revolutionary War- though
the Irish tradition marking the death of Saint Patrick dates several hundred years prior
to that.

http://www.wbur.org/2010/03/12/evacuation-day-holiday

June 17 holiday commemorating Bunker Hill Day that was created by the same law-

(The Battle of Bunker Hill- June 17, 1775. The battle wasn't fought on Bunker Hill, but on Breed's Hill which was a neighboring hill.)

Dr. Joseph Warren, born JUNE 11, 1741

Dr. Joseph Warren became President of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, April of 1775

On June 17, 1775, Warren was killed instantly by a musket ball in the head. His body was stripped,
bayoneted until unrecognizable, and then shoved into a ditch. Ten months later, Paul Revere helped
identify his remains by an artificial tooth he had placed in his jaw.

Why did the English hate Warren ?

September of 1774, Dr. Joseph Warren wrote the Suffolk Resolves, urging Massachusetts to establish
a free state, boycott British goods, form militias and no longer be loyal to a king who violates their rights.

On the evening of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere was sent for by Dr. Joseph Warren and instructed to ride to Lexington,
Massachusetts, to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that British troops were marching to arrest them.

http://www.paulreverehouse.org/ride/real.html

Fourth of July fireworks, amaze visiting Brits. Excessive ? How can joy of freedom, be excessive ?

Walking through Boston Common, this afternoon. News helicopter was hovering around the Chinatown area,
then moved off, further down the highway. Many fire trucks and ambulances.

Related to this ?

A lab technician on the sixth floor of the building operated by Massachusetts General Hospital was working
with a chemical called tetrazine when the vessel broke, said Boston Fire Department spokesman
Steve MacDonald.

He said the worker suffered an arm injury, but no hazardous material was released.

Some workers in the building evacuated according to their own protocols, MacDonald said,
but they were able to reenter shortly after firefighters arrived at about 3 p.m.

http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/201...ficials-say/EhiFFkQgShqovCEMLSIXNM/story.html

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/...86556/2-hurt-in-accident-at-mass-general-lab/

Was a beautiful, mild day in Boston. Hard to believe we will be shivering, again.

Make Way For Ducklings
What a wonderful children's book! I finally got to see the Boston Public Garden. It took many visits to Beantown before I had time enough to spare for a walk through. The boats and the bridge were exactly as they appeared in the book's illustrations.




A long, long time ago I remember when they couldn't figure out how to keep the windows from popping out of the Hancock Tower.

Before that, there was Dunster and Kirkland and Lowell and Memorial Drive and the Charles and Carpenter Center and Acorn and Widener. Beacon Hill and the bookstores.

Damn cold in Boston in the winter- as bad as Chicago.

Boston- Blows hot and Arctic, by turns.

5,000- 7,000 year old arrowhead, found during an archaelogical dig on the Boston Common.

https://www.facebook.com/BostonArchaeologyProgram

This should prove to be interesting-

Boston Calling Music Festival

Boston Calling will be the first multiday, multistage, ticketed rock festival held on City Hall Plaza.
The event, planned for May 25 and 26, could draw as many as 20,000 fans -

The lineup includes many high-profile rock acts, including recent Grammy winners Fun., as well as the Shins,
the National, Of Monsters and Men, the Walkmen, Andrew Bird, Ra Ra Riot, St. Lucia, the Dirty Projectors,
Matt & Kim, Cults, Youth Lagoon, local acts Caspian and Bad Rabbits, and others.

Early bird weekend passes
VIP pass
Single day show tickets

They announced on TV this morning

Check your sources!

Early Bird Passes will be on sale as of Friday, March 1st ?
All other passes go on sale on Friday, March 8th ?

Why did the TV news personality say tickets on sale, tomorrow ?

bostoncalling dot com