With Technology Comes New Frustrations

Back in the 70's when cable TV was becoming the "next big thing", towns were caught off guard, as was the legislature. As a result, each town has a contract with a particular cable company. Some towns have their own, like Shrewsbury, but the majority are stuck in an endless contract with the devil. Deals were made in the beginning, and companies supplied equipment, studios, and technical training to the towns for the towns use. Public access stations were then more easily accessible, and schools had another way form of communication for the students to explore for free.

Things change.

Try to get your local cable company to add an other channel that you would like to view and it is like passing a kidney stone. Rates are expected to rise over time, but they have risen to an outrageous level just for a basic subscription.

As a result, the town is trapped. The contract is binding, and if another company did come in, it would be more of the same. Huge presents up front, special rates, more programing, and then more of the same.

Technology has advanced so far, and so fast that the next time cable service comes up for serious discussion in town I think it would be good if the subject of a town owned, and operated venture be explored. It would also be another source of revenue. Money is a good thing for town.

Another service that has come far over the past several years is cell phone service. When I first came to town a few years ago reception was very poor. My service was dropping calls on the Town Common, Fiskdale, and that stretch of Route 131 just past Dunkin' Donuts to the Southbridge line. Well, service has improved with the building of more towers over the past few years. I rarely ever drop a call now.

Except at my house.

I live in a dead zone. I had Sprint for years, but changed over to Verizon last September since Sprint had customer service department that seemed to have all gone to the I Could Give A Rats Ass School of Public Relations. Verizon customer service is somewhat better, and their coverage is supposedly better (Can you hear me now?), but I still have to go out onto the back steps to use the cell phone. This is not fun in January. Or, in the rain. So, I still pay for a land line, and a cell phone. Verizon sent me a standard email when I expressed my concerns and disappointment in the service stating it was only happy if I was happy, and if I was not happy they were bummin', too. No resolution, just an outpouring of emotions.

Thanks, Verizon.

Several months ago I checked the Verizon coverage map online and right where our house is is a small white rectangle indicating no service, and everywhere else is red indication excellent service. Go figure. Yesterday I checked the map again, and the white rectangle was gone. Strange. My service is still horrible.

So, when I see those Verizon commercials on TV about their being no dead zones in their network, I laugh, and then swear at the TV. Funny, they can't hear me.

Technology has sure changed in the past decade, and in the next ten years one can't even imagine what changes will be waiting for us.

I can see it, though. By then, land lines will be history, and I will be sitting on my back step, on my cell phone, in the rain, and on hold with my cable company trying to fix some outlandish charge on my bill.

I can see it all as clearly as if it was today.

A Most Amazing Thing

We sat on the couch in front of our TV for hours watching what will go down as the most incredible, and happy, televised event in history: the opening ceremony at the Olympics in Beijing.

We were awe struck.

I won't take up any space here trying to describe what we experienced, but it is not for lack of wanting to. It's like, where do I begin? It is easier for me to tell you to go to http://www.nbc.com/ and view it for yourself.

If something as benign as 2500 Chinese drummers moving simultaneously, and perfectly, as was demonstrated at the opening ceremony, can rivet the eyes of the world just imagine what is in store from that country over the next 10 years without their drums.

The world has been changing, but until Friday night most of us had paid little attention.

Last night we not only witnessed history being made, but the future being promised.

And this happy fella to the left?

He's beating the drum for his countries March into the Future, and this time, it won't be a Long March.


Click on the photos above for a slide show courtesy of the NY Times.

Associations Can Help, Or Hang Us

A number of years ago I was told that we are the sum total of the people we know, and the books we have read. I would also add, that the actions we perform speak even louder. It has long been said that we are judged by the company we keep. Businesses know this. Individuals also know this.

Barak Obama learned this lesson rather late in the game. Criticism of his relation to Reverend Wright caused him to rise up and defend not only himself, his church, but the Reverend. That was until it became quite clear that the Reverend is totally Looney Tunes. It was then that he spoke out against the words of his pastor, and made it clear that the reverends thoughts and ideas were not of is own.

It was a brave thing to do, but it was long overdue. Obama risked offending his fellow members of the church, and his old friend as well, but it had to be done. He could not move forward unless he set the record straight, and do it in such a way as to distance himself from those ideas of his pastor, but not to distance himself from his church. A tight wire act that he performed well.

All throughout our lives we experience situations like this. When we were much younger our mothers may have told us, "I don't want you playing with that Flevis boy. He's always in trouble, and I don't want you there with him".

We may have listened, maybe not, but she was most often right on the money. As we got older, and our circle of acquaintances and experiences grew, we began to heed those words on our own. We had to, we knew that we would not be at Westwood High School, or St. Peter Marian High for ever, but what we did there would certainly affect where we went from there. Our grades, our activities would all help us onto our next step. And, if by chance we were able to advance regardless of our poor actions, we were fortunate.

The same holds true for us as adults. We are judged by the company we keep, and by those that speak for us. We could have a stellar record, or maybe one that was seen by some as needing some improvement, either way, a spokesperson that lacks credibility, and is fighting on our behalf, will certainly hurt our reputations more than anything else.

Then, there is another scenario. Maybe the person speaking on our behalf is not doing so for the obvious reason, to help us. Maybe, they are using it as the back road to attack others. Others that they obviously have had it in for for a long time, and this gives them an avenue. A warped avenue at best, and suddenly, we are in the middle.

It is the adult version of the game we played as kids when we latched onto someone just to piss off someone else.

The good thing is most of us can see through it. As adults we have grown, but childhood games are still familiar, and when they are played, we can spot them like rice on coal. The ones that believe they can pull one over on us lose more credibility, and thus hurt those they have chosen to support even more by their behavior.

At first, a few words of support are appreciated, but after a time, when the words drone on and on, day after day and take on less of a supportive role, and more of an attack role, we need to pull an Obama.

Otherwise, we will be judged by the company we keep, and once that has begun there is little we can do to change it.

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Time For A Roadtrip

This past Sunday we headed northeast to Newburyport. It's been too many years since I visited Plum Island, and to tell the truth, I have never been to Newburyport.

That was a mistake.

The town is beautiful. Old brick buildings line the main streets and along the waterfront. There are shops of every description. Antiques, maritime curiosities, books, art galleries, and restaurants by the score.

The sidewalks are brick, and the street lights reflect the period lighting of the late 18th, early 19th century. There is a great boardwalk along the waters edge with a wonderful view of the harbor area. Boats tie up there, and we were fortunate enough to go aboard a Coast Guard ship in town that day that was open to the public.

Downtown, at the intersection of three main roads there were vendors set up and selling all sorts of food. A small covered stage offered the live music of an a cappella mens group, Overboard, who were superb.

Along Inn Street, an area renewed in the 1970's with old shops, and a small park off the Main Street, we grabbed a sausage sub from a cart and sat in the shade of an old tree. We watched the families along the small brick street, and playing wiht their children in the small shaded playground. The music from the a cappella group could still be heard not far away. It was beyond peaceful, and very relaxing.

Little did we know that this past weekend was the end of a nine day celebration in Newburyport, Yankee Homecoming. I spoke with a nice lady at the information booth near on the main street near the water and she told me that the Homecoming had been going on for 50 years, and everyone that was born, or raised in Newburyport comes back home during that time to celebrate. It's a nine day long celebration.

My kind of party.

There was all sorts of entertainment, shows, exhibits, even a three hour long parade. We missed the parade because we had no clue it was going on, and the sky opened up with a heavy rain, so we headed out of town for Plum Island.

The rain worsened, but after a few minutes of standing out in it, and watching the waves, we headed back to town. We stopped a the new National Fish & Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center, and the new Audubon Visitors Center across the street. Both were a great place to duck out of the rain,and a a nice place to learn more about the area. Once back in town we had a great lunch at the Starboard Galley. The rain had chased everyone inside, so getting a table with a view of the harbor was impossible, but our table had a great view of the 50 inch wide screen TV and the Red Sox game. This view was great, too.

Newburyport is not only a pretty town , one that is obviously loved by her citizens, it is a well cared for historic town that attracts a boat load of visitors daily.

The Chamber of Commerce page is awesome. Up to date and filled with information. Seems that all the businesses in the town are on board to make the town a success, and the town fathers are right there as well.

Sure, there are growing pains, a few new chain stores have come to the down town like Talbots, and a hotel is going to be built on the waterfront. Some of the townsfolk are a little worried about change.

Sounds familiar.

Anyway, Newburyport, Massachusetts is doing something right, as are many other tourist areas in the Commonwealth. We can learn so much from these places.

I think it's time for a field trip.

I'll drive.

28 Flavors In Sturbridge

When I was around three years old my mother would load me and my baby sister into the green Pontiac at our home in Nabnassett, and point the car south to New Jersey.

I remember those road trips. Driving along the back roads out of Westford, and south till we got to the Mass Turnpike. The Pike was brand new back then and it was all the rage. People would actually just take a Sunday drive on the that highway. They'd stop at the travel plazas along t their way, maybe grab a meal for the family, or just some ice cream from the 28 flavors at Howard Johnsons, and when they were done, they'd find the next exit, turn around and head back home.

It was an adventure!

For me, I got all excited when I saw that orange roof that stood out like beacon on the highway. Clam strips, that's all I wanted was clam strips, a little cup of cole slaw, and some fries. This orange topped palace had it all. Those highway meals became my on-the-road comfort food over the years. Just the sight of an old HoJo's and that orange roof would get me all nostalgic for that simpler time.

The restaurants themselves were state of the art back in the 1950's. Most looked just like the ones in the photos above. Through the main door, and once inside you would had a choice of the lunch counter with chrome columned stools to the right, or the dining room, to the left ,with a couple of dozen vinyl glad booths and large bright windows on two sides.

The waitresses uniforms were always the same, a light blue covered by a ruffled full apron, and of course, the name pin.

Memories. Silly HoJo memories.

When I stumbled on the postcard at the top of the page, it brought back a suitcase full of road trip memories. The restaurant is so familiar, in fact, the car parked out front looks just like our old Pontiac.

That old restaurant in Sturbridge is long gone. Once the cutting edge of food service on the American highway, they are very few in number today. Click on the link in the caption above to view the site of the old Sturbridge HoJo's as it looks today. Nothing is forever. Somethings are tossed aside. They used to call it progress.

I'm not sure that is what we'd call it today.














The Sturbridge, Massachusetts Howard Johnson's around 1957.