Not that anyone is keeping score
There’s an article in todays T&G about an art heist from the semi-permanent public art installation at Elm Park in Worcester. While the story is full of interesting bits of information such as Rob Antonelli, Assistant Commissioner of Public Works and Parks, having to explain to his staff that they were to look out for the sculptures after they noticed, but failed to report one missing. Makes one wonder what, exactly, his staff thought their job was up until this point. But it’s one magical quote from Assistant City Manager Julie Jacobson regarding the boosted statue which really takes flight on it’s own:
“It’s upsetting that it didn’t even make it 48 hours,” Ms. Jacobson said yesterday. “This isn’t just an attack on a piece of art. It’s an attack on the whole community.”
Actually, what’s upsetting is the Assistant City Manager doesn’t seem to realize the art works were installed almost a month ago. I don’t know what’s worse, that it’s nearly impossible to have meaningful things in the city without some douche ruining them or that when we do have meaningful things, city officials are often not even aware they exist unless a speaking engagement is involved.
Lights! Cameras! Are you kidding me?
Today’s big story in the T&G is the Scorsese film being shot at Medfield State Hospital, which is the same Scorsese film that should have been shot in Worcester. The story is a good read for a number of reasons as it points to the benefits being seen by local business in Medfield. For whatever reason, Worcesters leaders cannot wrap their heads around the concept of secondary effects of film for Worcester. That’s not hard to understand, Worcester being such an isolated community, many provincial locals are sure to believe we’ve got it all right here, which is quaint, but obviously not true. For example, my whole life I’ve run into people who have no connection to the city of Worcester other than one night at Ralphs Diner. There is a population of people scattered throughout the world who truly believe Worcester is a great place only because they got some free coke and a blowjob back in ’91. Maybe not how the Economic Development office wants to define Worcester, but it’s certainly better than today where the average person thinks of Worcecester as… OK so people just don’t think of Worcester. But the most important aspect of the story is the light cast on the attitudes held by Worcesters finest pols. Take a look at this quote from State Rep Pedone:
“To put all that in jeopardy to have Martin Scorsese driven around in his limousine to look at the little diners on Shrewsbury Street would have been foolish,” Mr. Pedone said. “Maybe Medfield has people in their diners at noon, but what we’re going to have on top of that hill is a $300 million investment that’s going to employ people for the next 50 years.”
Grand. I hope I’m not the only one pointing this out to Vincent today, but what he is describing is the exact opposite of investment, it’s a divestment. There will never be a return from a new state hospital, that’s just silly. For as long as this hospital is open the people who pay for it, Massachusetts taxpayers, will never see a return. I’m not going to start getting checks from the state because this hospital is making so much money they’re going to give some back. And let’s not kid ourselves; there are examples of actual government investments. My family in Anchorage for example, receives a dividend check every year for their collective ‘investment’ in the oil pipeline. That’s a return on investment. And as that investment losses its value as it has over the years, their checks get smaller, that’s how investments work. But you have to at least start with the potential for return. You would have to be a moron to actually believe that something that will cost, for all time, with no actual expectation for a return, could ever be considered an investment. Since I know Vincent isn’t a moron, I look forward to his statement of correction.
the Mos Eisley of the planet Earth
Just found this shirt while cruising cafepress. Pure unadulterated genius.
Worcester, MA may have been the Paris of the 80’s but now it is the Mos Eisley of the planet Earth. Great gift for Clarkies!
Worcester Star Wars remake circa 1977
Came across this via metafilter:
In June of 1977, Jim Jongsma, John Jongsma, and Gary Baker saw Star Wars at White City Cinema in Worcester, Massachusetts. They were impressed. In the months after seeing the movie, so many costumes and models were made that they decided to remake a few scenes on super 8 film. The project grew into a fifty minute film.
A 15 min version of the film is here and it’s amazing.
The site describing the film is here and it’s almost unbelievable, the work that went into this 30 years ago.
the day after
Wow. Just, wow.
I was real excited yesterday afternoon, watching Boston come to screeching halt. Not because I enjoy hysteria; no, I just kept telling myself ‘any minute now, they’ll figure it out and we’ll all have a good laugh’. Not so much, it seems. As Boston Mayor Tom Menino and AG Martha Coakley ramp up the state legal machine, it appears that nobody in the Boston or State Administrations, or even a fair number in the media have yet to realize THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS LAUGHING AT US.
Even Mississippi.
What needs to happen and happen today, is for Governor Patrick to knuckle up, admit that podcasting aside his administration is really not that hip and start reeling in the Attorney General and Menino. With the possible exception of littering, no crime was committed in Boston when these signs were hung over two weeks ago. There was no “hoax”, there wasn’t even a “stunt”, just a real slick light-brite advertising campaign. Calling for Ted Turners head will not make the fact the city of Boston overreacted to the tune of half a million dollars go away. Neither will locking up a couple of local artists. The only thing that can fix this is a simple apology coming from the corner office and City Hall.
Being from Worcester, I’m supposed to be jealous of Boston; I believe it’s in Mass General Law that I be forever jealous of Boston, actually. Not today. Frankly I’m embarrassed to share the Commonwealth with the city. We’ve just watched the birthplace of the American revolution go from Orwellian, to Orson Wellsian, to straight up Cromwellian all within normal business hours and it’s not fun for this observer any more. A Mayor whining about not receiving a sympathy note hand delivered by Ted Turner himself, a Governor who doesn’t know the definition of “hoax” and local media outlets censoring a cartoon middle finger made of four LEDs. If ‘fire’ was indeed yelled in this crowded theater, it was yelled by city, state and federal employees. The only hoax, revolves around the Commonwealth trying it’s damnedest to convince me it’s capable of dealing with a real emergency. Clearly, it’s not. Hopefully, when the dust settles, all of us in-state will find that truth, much more disturbing than a poorly drawn cartoon alien recreated in LEDs.
With that, please take a minute to read the recently posted editorial at Bostons Weekly Dig. We’re moving into editor Joe Keohanes last week at the paper and more than a few of us consider yesterday to be the perfect parting gift to a guy who obviously loves Boston and has an uncanny ability to help us outsiders understand its short comings.
link
And they say government is boring
As some of you may know, I’m a member of the Worcester Cultural Commission which acts as the Local Cultural Council(LCC) for the city of Worcester. Over the years LCC’s statewide have seen a significant decrease in the funding they receive from the Massachusetts Cultural Council(MCC) which has obviously resulted in a decrease in the number and scope of projects we’re able to fund. Well this year we’re going to try and change that. June 26th we’ll be holding a public forum to gather input on a series of changes we’re working on to the local funding guidelines we use to distribute our monies. The most significant change will be allocating large chunks of our funds to public art. We have two paths to this goal that we’re exploring, one being the use of our current grant process for permanent installations. The second being a sort of rental system which has gained popularity in other communities nationwide that would also use our existing grant process to acquire works on a semi-permanent and rotating basis. As these are big changes in the way we do business and will affect the overall number of smaller grants we’ll be able to award in any given grant cycle we’re looking for as much public input as possible. Even if you’re not someone who would apply for a grant, large or small, this money still plays a role in your city; especially in how its viewed by outsiders. That said we we’re looking for a large headcount to attend and offer their input and/or criticisms.
The forum will be held on June 26th at the Worcester Center for Crafts.
I’ll see you there.
WoMag ‘Turtle Boy Music Awards’
For all you local music fans, Worcester Magazine has gone live with their ‘2006 Turtle Boy Music Awards’
– a fresh departure from the music element of our “Best Of Worcester” Awards – that will finally give our local musicians the recognition they so richly deserve
So head on over to the poll and may the best band win…
Doug Chapel @ CC Lowell
My buddy Doug Chapel, a local cartoonist who can be found weekly in the pages of Worcester Magazine, was featured this weekend by local video blogger Carl Weaver during Doug’s opening at CC Lowell in Worcester. The exhibit runs until Jan. 25th and the video featuring Doug runs until Carl’s bandwidth is cut.
link (via Pete Caputa)
South End Style
Here in Worcester, MA we’re obviously making progress in terms of dragging our limp hulk of a industrial city out of the sewer where we festered in for the last two decades, culturally speaking. But this South End Style event my man Andrew Teman tuned me into is the sort of thing we need to emulate if outsiders, and in some cases insiders, are going to take us seriously.
On Thursday, May 5, 2005, the South End Business Alliance (SEBA) will host its inaugural event, South End Style, to be held in the South End at the historical Boston Center for the Arts Cyclorama on 539 Tremont Street in Boston from 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm. This memorable evening will be filled with an array of gourmet foods from culinary hot spots, talented jazz performers and a spring fashion show by noted designers such as Denise Hajjar and David Josef. Rounding out the night, SEBA will present a silent auction which will feature involvement from the many South End businesses.
The mission of South End Style is to increase awareness and promote the Hip and Historic flare of the South End’s many eclectic shops, artists and superb restaurants while enhancing the lifestyle for all our residents. In addition, South End Style was formed to support and promote the vibrancy of South End businesses while supporting the efforts of various South End non-profits.
I like to think I have a pretty solid bead on the pulse of my city, but what we have here is an excellent example of how business can tie it all together for their customers. Our own local Taste of Shrewsbury St. events are similar in design but seem to have more of a job fair feel.
**update**: via LinneaDates.com
Here’s some additional info on the event:
Tickets are $ 75 per person and will benefit several local charities. You can buy tickets by calling (617)375-8139 and if you use the promo code “weblog” when ordering you will receive a complimentary cocktail. Now don’t say I never did anything for you.
The MassBay Film Festival
I’m still sort of having a hard time grasping the hugeness of this. All right here in my little Worcester. Seriously, this is huge and Everybody that lives in this city should give Rob Newton and his crew a very large hug next time they see him. Two frickin weeks of great flicks man!
