Showing posts with label mayor marty walsh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mayor marty walsh. Show all posts

Thursday, October 22, 2015

GUN CONTROL - The Final Word on all this Nonsense

I finally got so sick of screaming at the TV that I decided to write some stuff down just to get it off my chest. There’s a few topics I would like to address in my own unique way and if you would permit me then I would be happy to answer any comments you post in the space below. Rebuttals are always welcome as well as constructive criticism, insults and yo mama jokes.


  1. GUN CONTROL


I live in a suburb of Boston. I am surrounded by people all day. I know a LOT of people because I am a somewhat sociable guy and have a ,for lack of a better word, big mouth. So let me lay some facts on you from my own observations.


Most people know nothing about guns. They have never shot one and actually they have never shopped in a gun store, learned about guns, or even held one in their hand. I am going to go out on a limb and say that almost everyone you know does not own a gun, could never shoot a gun even if a loaded one was put in their hand and they were locked in a room with a hungry bear, and in fact, have no desire to own a gun or have guns in their lives at all. If they need a gun they call someone with a gun. You know, a cop. The police are pretty good with guns when they have to be. But ask a cop how often he has had to use his weapon. How often has he discharged his weapon? 9 out of 10 will tell you they never have. Guns simply are not this big problem the media and our politicians are telling us they are.


Your typical American person would crap a week's worth of Wheaties out of their butts if they ever had to defend themselves in any way. They work, they procreate, they have little versions of themselves and they go about their daily lives thinking, No, KNOWING that everything will be fine. And there is nothing wrong with that.


But just ask someone where they stand on gun control and out pours all the opinions.


We have to protect our right to bear arms!


2nd Amendment! 2nd Amendment!  


Ask them to recite what the Amendment says in it’s entirety or better yet see if they can name 2 or 3 other Amendments. Then laugh as they illustrate their stupidity.


If the Nazi’s were resurrected and joined forces with the Russians, the Chinese and the Iranians and took over our Government do you know how many people that you know would join a militia and start fighting to save everyone? I don’t know, maybe 3. Most people would do what I’m doing right now. They would write an angry letter.


It’s what Americans do. We get angry. We get outraged! We yell, scream, poke, prod and whine. Most (not all) people are soft, pink, little animals. Most people haven’t been to war. Most people would exercise their right to bear arms by letting the other guy fight or by hiding in the basement. I'm not trying to sound mean. It’s just that anyone who’s read Yelp reviews or waited on line at Starbucks knows it’s true. Most people are lovers not fighters.


This gun issue is important because we don’t want the 1% of crazies, criminals and killers who live here to be able to walk into a place that sells guns and buy one easily.


DUUUUHHHH! Am I right?  Background checks. Strict background checks for everyone. Argue with that and you are a moron.


“But the criminals will still be able to buy illegal guns on the street!”


Yeah? So? If you are that scared that all these criminals are buying illegal guns everywhere and are coming to get you then either get meds because you’re paranoid OR , since you aren’t a criminal, get your own legal gun, learn how to be proficient at using it and shut the hell up. Buying a gun on the street is not that easy. Guns are NOT everywhere. You don’t want a gun or you would have a gun. You just want to have an opinion about everything.


Do you hunt? Do you know a lot of hunters? Not that many people hunt. Most people hunt for bargains in the supermarket. If every hunter in the country had 3 votes they still couldn’t decide on who the next President was going to be. That’s how few people go hunting. Most of us work, go out to dinner, watch the game, cook meat on the grill and do NOT give a crap about killing animals.


So when some Duck Dynasty looking camo wearing “hunter” starts whining on Fox News about how they need an assault rifle to kill wild boars or feral groundhogs or whatever. then I say this:


Nothing. I say nothing because what he thinks does not matter. It’s just a sound bite. Yeah I know the NRA is a big powerful organization and they have bought off hundreds of politicians for the right to hunt and have weapons easily available but that is pretty much the point of this rant.


The fact that they have power at all is the problem. It’s the old shell game. They keep telling us that Americans have more guns than anyone else in the world. We love our guns! It’s just nonsense. We love TV. We love Facebook, cell phones, hamburgers, sex, sports, music and a good horror movie but we really don’t love guns.


Guns should be controlled. Alcohol is controlled. Cigarettes are controlled. Driving is controlled. Actually almost everything is controlled. I can’t even go out into the woods near my house and cut down a tree. The woods are controlled. This is a non issue. Guns should be controlled more than the woods. The trees aren’t a deadly weapon.


So if your attitude is that they can have your gun when they pry it from your cold dead hands…


Well, then I suggest you buy one first. Legally. And be forced to wait while they thoroughly check your background.


You know what?


That’s all for today. I’m going to get something to eat. I bet I don’t see a single gun along the way and if I do. I’ll admit I was wrong.

But don’t hold your breath.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Five Things You MUST Do This Fall Around Boston




You are wasting your life. You know at some point you are going to die. It gets closer every single day yet what are you doing? WASTING your time! You think these measly little 24 hour increments we get will last forever? Well they won't. One of my friends was killed when a tractor ran him over. I know what you're thinking. Tractors are slow right? Why didn't he just get out of the way? There is a good answer to that. He was DYING from Cancer and had NO legs! Another guy was attacked by a pit-bull in his own yard. One minute he was watering the daisies, the next thing he was food for a canine who was probably trained by Michael Vick! Those may or may not be true stories but..



You see why we really can't afford to waste one single minute. Our time could be next week or it could be tomorrow. Besides, the Fall or Autumn, (as some annoying people say), is the best season all year.

 Sure, you can't wear that thong to the beach any more and the Speedo has been put away until that Caribbean vacation you've been planning for ten years comes around this winter (yeah right), but that's ok. 

It's cool out but not cold. It's comfortable. We are back in jeans and a light jacket. We look better that way anyway. Personally I always feel a little silly in shorts. I like jeans. When I'm hot though I don't give a crap what I look like. I'll wear Jorts and a halter top if it will make me less hot. Man, I hate the heat. But forget about it. It's the FALL now so let's go:

New England in the Fall is the best place to be. We have the mountains to the north, the Berkshires to the west, the ocean to the east and alcohol ....right here near by. It's football season and bar crawl season. It's comfort food season when you can start making chili and eating things like Shepard's pie and crock pot beef stew again. All that summer weight loss looked good on you but now we need to bulk up. Winter is coming. So let's eat!



(right click on links and open in new window)

1. Mid Week Call in Sick Food Truck Fun Run

Here is what you do. Do this during the week when the myriad of food trucks are out throughout Boston. They congregate in Dewey Square by South Station among other places. So call in sick or take a day off. You deserve it.

Then plan your route. If you go to Dewey Square Tuesday or Thursday then you get the added plus of the Farmers Market too from May through November. Use this site to plan your Food Truck Route:


Now the next step is the mode of transportation. You could always take the MBTA but that's for wimps. Driving is just crazy talk so go find a Hubway bike. Biking it is the best way to get around Boston and you can burn off some calories as you sample from an array of food trucks selling all kinds of things like fish tacos, falafel, Banh Mi, barbecue, seafood, ice cream sandwiches and so much more. It is an eating odyssey! 

Here is where the Hubway Bikes are located. It is inexpensive and convenient:


With the bikes you can start at Dewey then hit the rest of the Greenway then Gov. Center, financial district, Copley, Huntington, Kendall...... It's all just a ride away.  




2. Boston Harbor Islands

The tourists are gone now and we can have all the areas back that are usually full of them. The Harbor Islands are a hidden treasure that an entire blog could cover but  the bottom line is that you have to go. It is a very inexpensive ferry ride over and then there are free water taxis to all the other islands. Here are Ranger recs of just a few things you can do there taken from their site:

Ranger Recommendations


One of the best things ever would be to camp out over night before it gets too cold. You can have a bonfire and feel like you are a million miles from home. You can also just spend the day exploring, having a picnic, taking boat rides, hiking or just finding a nice quiet spot to read. Here is a link with more info:






3. Go to a  New England Patriots Game

Going to a fall Pats game is a rite of passage if you live here and it is a great time! Getting tickets are easy on the Pats web site but Craigslist always has face value tix from people who bought them and then realize they can't go.

You can handle this a few different ways. 

a. Take the train. There is traffic on Route One. No. not traffic. TRAFFIC. So if you don't want to sit in it take the train. It is very easy, cheap, convenient and you won't have to pay hugely expensive parking fees. Also Patriot Place which is attached to the stadium has more than enough bars and restaurants to pre-game at.   Click here for more info;



b. If you are like me and the tailgating is a huge part of the experience then you have to leave early. It will be an all day affair but that's the way you like it. Bring a gang. Drive down together. You will need a good grill and some pre-made food. I like to marinate steaks for a few days, make some honey hot wings and have a few good salads like chicken or coleslaw. Bring lots of chips and of course a good craft beer like Trillium or Clown Shoes.

Remember the music!  A Jambox or a portable speaker system so you can get your groove on or rock out. Definitely do not forget some comfortable chairs and BOOM! Ya got a party. Bring extras to share and make friends. Don't forget to cover yourself in Pats gear and after the game THEN go check out Patriots Place and wait for the traffic to subside.







4. Fall Foliage


I see your eyes opening wide in disbelief. "Cappy! You're not a leaf peeper are you?" 

Foliage and Fogeys may sound alike but trust me leaf peeping isn't just for old farts on tour buses coming in to have the cheapest vacation imaginable. 

City living makes it easy to forget how awesome it is to get away sometimes. This is the best time of year to do it too. I'll give you three quick reasons why. Native Sweet Corn, Maple Syrup on Pancakes and Cider Donuts!

Not to mention that if you can time it right and go during peak colors, it is like visiting Oz. We are so fortunate to have New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and the Berkshires so close by. I will give you a couple of my favorite places to go for fall foliage or just fall stuffing of the face:





Do you like live music, barbecue, hot apple cobbler, corn on the cobb, chicken pot pies, cider donuts, hay rides, apple picking, pumpkins and PIE?

No? You must be crazy.  But if you do. This is the place to go.

Closer by we have 


All the things above minus music but add in fishing, hiking, all kinds of fruit to pick and a petting zoo. Hey they have a Llama.    There are also AWESOME cider donuts too. It is  just minutes up route one from Boston.

Ever hear of a sugar shack?  It's where maple syrup is made. They make the syrup right there then they feed it to you on pancakes. Yup it's worth driving for. Here is a pretty good Chowhound thread giving you some great places to go:


But the best thing to do is to go near one of those sugar shacks like maybe in Franconia Notch and go on a serious hike up into the mountains to see some real color. Bring your camera and research the hikes because some are easy and some like the one I did a while back are hard. (crawled back to my car in the dark after hiking a long, amazing loop up into the mtns.)  3 hour drive north on route 93. Hike within your limits and have fun and don't forget that native sweet corn sold at every farm stand you will pass on the way.


But if hiking isn't your thing then you can go to the Berkshires and drive to the top of Mt. Greylock too. It's absolutely gorgeous.





5. Visit the Wineries and Breweries all over New England


A word about Octoberfests

I love a party as much as the next guy. Octoberfests and there are plenty around here are full of amatuers who want to see how much beer they can imbibe before acting stupid. It is also a great way to spend the day standing in line, overpaying for food and being around college kids. Not MY scene but if it's yours and you must go,  here are the best:





 Boston Magazine  recently did an excellent feature on breweries you have to visit this summer and I concur. There is no reason at all why this can't be the breweries you have to visit this fall article too. So check it out:


That's the better way to try some of our amazing micro brews around Boston. No lines and it will make for a really great leisurely fall excursion.
OR if WINE is more your thing we also have something called the Coastal Wine Trail that sounds like fun.

Or there's this:  New England Brewery Tours


BONUS

I know I said five but as an added bonus for no extra charge I'm giving you a mini list before I go away until next time. Here are some things that are very touristy but I love to do and I would be remiss in my duties as your half sane New England fall tour guide if I didn't mention these:

Topsfield Fair. October 3 - 13,  2014 -  Don't listen to naysayers just go. I will give you my list of tips and tricks just before it's here so keep checking back.

Salem.  The entire month of October is Salem month. They have lots of cheesy Halloweeny stuff to do but they also have some great restaurants, a great waterfront and great history (obviously)

Six Flags.  You've never been to Six Flags? It's better than Disney. Tons of amazing roller coasters, concerts, special nights (like Halloween fright fest) and more. Worth the money but discounts are everywhere.

Corn Maze.  Find one. Do one. That is all.

and a few more that you will have to Google to find where they are -  zip-lining, white water rafting, canoeing, sea kayaking, bi-plane rides, whale watching and more. Check Living Social and Groupon for deals.

SO get your butts out there and enjoy the greatest season of all!

 See you on the streets!



Love,
Cappy







Saturday, March 8, 2014

It's Passover! Let's Party at Boston's Iconic JEWISH Pubs!

PASSOVER is coming up and Boston is just as famous for it's Jewish Pubs as it is for places like the Black Rose or the Shaved Shillelagh. SO come along and take a tour and remember , A Manischewitz cocktail can knock you on your ass too!             



  L'Chaim!!





Shmukler's of Boston

Located in a refurbished Orange Line T car, Shmukler's is one of the most unique places to revel in overindulgence this side of the Charles River. Jason Shmukler founded this Jewish Speakeasy a short time ago and after realizing that Martini's would be a better money maker than Matzoh Brie. And now he has revamped and revolutionized. Ask for a Sex on the Beach and you are given a choice. You can have a drink made from delightfully fresh squeezed orange, cranberries straight from a local bog, locally sourced microdistilled maple sap vodka, Creme de Cassis and hand cut ice cubes all in a crystal Waterford glass. OR for the regulars you can actually have sex with one of his daughters over on Revere Beach. Now that's hospitality! You can order the Harvey Wallbanger and get the same fresh squeezed OJ with vodka and Galliano or you can lean up against the wall and get ....well you get the idea. This exemplary establishment deserves your drinking dollars this next Passover for certain!
Shmukler's of Boston


Shmukler Sisters



Fercockt & Bull

This so called "dive bar" has been nestled away in the seaport district long before the developers and the gentrified discovered the area. It is a true waterfront bar best known for it's surly bartenders and amazing value. For just a few shekels you can get the Kreplach Special! They have their own take on the Chinese soup dumplings that are all the rage right now. They fill a Maztoh Ball with chicken soup and you get ten for five dollars and they are delicious! Once in a while Shmuley the chef will surprise you with a gizzard or a chicken head so be careful when you eat them. You have to eat them a certain way so you don't burn your mouth. How to play with your balls.


Shmuley the Chef


Mini B with L



Bagel with Long Island Iced Tea

                                                           



Alter Cocker's Wacky Packy

Jews don't really know diddley about the speakeasy craze. During this time period in American history they were mostly just trying to get through Ellis Island without having their names changed from Lifshultz to Lipshitz. But one man was a visionary. While most Jews were settling in Brooklyn and Brookline Mr. Hyman Kunstler moved his family to Revere beach. Growing up in the Shtetls of Germany he had never even glimpsed a beach before. He set up his small package store right across from the ocean next to Stromboli's Ravioli's. It was a perfect set up and remains so to this day. The secret Speakeasy behind the Wacky Packy is the reason to go. It's sort of a  Fiddler on the Roof meets Tiki Bar place. The Manischewitz Mai Tai is off the HOOK good and the Hot Pastrami Luau Feast is one of the areas best values for any celebration. Check it out when in Reveeeeeah.


Manischewitz Mai Tai



The Kosher Poser Watering Hole Tap Room & Shul

Temple Beth Shalom is the last place you would expect a Pop Up lounge/chophouse but lo and behold there it is! Once a month and twice in April the archetypal synagogue transforms into one of the most chic and trendy places to see and be seen in the Boston area. It helps to get on the guest list but if your name doesn't end in a Stein, Witz or Berg you should probably make friends with someone whose name does. Every Microbrew and top shelf liquor company is represented and are all passing out samples. The food may be Kosher but trust me on this, they are doing things with chopped liver that have NEVER been done before. The celebrity chef list reads like a show line up from the food network or at least the guest list at the Spielberg Bar-Mitzvah.  You won't run into Guy Fieri here folks but Ina Garten, Nigella Lawson, and Duff Goldman have recently made appearances. Even Bobby Flaystein is rumored to be coming this April to guest Chef. Hey Now!


Jewish American Princess Night
Not on guest list


Some Other Amazing Jewish Bars and Places Not to Miss


Shmendrick's Bagels and Beers

Bubeleh's Meshugena Drinkery

Horvitz Wine and Spritz

Faygela's (gay bar)

Weinstein's Stein's of Beer

Mispoche's Nosh n Get Sloshed

Bubbe's Doobies (new medical marijuna dispensary)






 So remember, St. Patty's is just the start of spring imbibing. Then we have Passover. Then  Easter, , May Day, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, Armed Forces Day, Victoria Day (Canada but who cares) and then Memorial Day! Summer is almost here! We don't have to be sober EVER!

 Isn't Boston the greatest city on earth? You bet your gluteus maximus it is!

So don't be a klutz. Shlep your keister over to one of these great places and kibbitz the night away!

Mazel Tov!!