Wednesday, December 28, 2005
'Now it is Kevin White's turn': Actually it is Peter Lucas' turn -- and I'm surprised he doesn't twist the knife more. Then again, he may not want to stir up too many memories of The Headline. ...
... I'm glad they're honoring Kevin White. He was a good mayor and it's always nice, in this era of bitter partisan politics, to see people genuinely respecting recent history and accomplishments. More, please. But a few things about the Kev: A.) His mayoral predecessors, Hynes and Collins, don't get enough credit in my book for the 'New Boston.' B.) The Kev really was insufferably imperial in his last years. ... By and large, I think Boston has been blessed with great mayors in the modern era -- Hynes, Collins, White, Flynn, Menino. Compare that line-up with the disasters in other Northeast cities like Detroit and Philadelphia. ...
Resolved: Percolators over drip coffee makers: Because I almost burnt my home down, I recently switched to a drip coffee maker with an automatic two-hour heat shutoff. But I've missed my Corning Ware percolator. This morning, I used the Corning Ware for the first time in months -- and the coffee is simply richer and stronger. I don't care what the Europhobes say. Percolators are better, even if they're a pain in the ass to monitor. (I also had to use less coffee.) ... But I've decided upon this: Drip coffee during the week, percolator on weekends and special occasions. I happen to like my home more than my coffee. ... French press, bah. I want a full pot of coffee in the morning.
Adopting the Chinese model: Andrei N. Illarionov, a maverick Russian economic advisor who I once interviewed in Boston, is out at the Kremlin and blasting away at Putin. I think it's pretty clear now that Putin has adopted the Chinese authoritarian model for Russia. I don't agree with it, obviously. But there's a part of me who sympathizes with Russians who are still furious with the botched privatization there. ...
... I'm glad they're honoring Kevin White. He was a good mayor and it's always nice, in this era of bitter partisan politics, to see people genuinely respecting recent history and accomplishments. More, please. But a few things about the Kev: A.) His mayoral predecessors, Hynes and Collins, don't get enough credit in my book for the 'New Boston.' B.) The Kev really was insufferably imperial in his last years. ... By and large, I think Boston has been blessed with great mayors in the modern era -- Hynes, Collins, White, Flynn, Menino. Compare that line-up with the disasters in other Northeast cities like Detroit and Philadelphia. ...
Resolved: Percolators over drip coffee makers: Because I almost burnt my home down, I recently switched to a drip coffee maker with an automatic two-hour heat shutoff. But I've missed my Corning Ware percolator. This morning, I used the Corning Ware for the first time in months -- and the coffee is simply richer and stronger. I don't care what the Europhobes say. Percolators are better, even if they're a pain in the ass to monitor. (I also had to use less coffee.) ... But I've decided upon this: Drip coffee during the week, percolator on weekends and special occasions. I happen to like my home more than my coffee. ... French press, bah. I want a full pot of coffee in the morning.
Adopting the Chinese model: Andrei N. Illarionov, a maverick Russian economic advisor who I once interviewed in Boston, is out at the Kremlin and blasting away at Putin. I think it's pretty clear now that Putin has adopted the Chinese authoritarian model for Russia. I don't agree with it, obviously. But there's a part of me who sympathizes with Russians who are still furious with the botched privatization there. ...
