Wednesday, November 22, 2006

I Fought the Law and I Won


Even though it was incredibly inconvenient, I went to hearing last night in Mansfield to appeal a parking ticket I got at the train station last month. I was in a legit spot and paid my two clams in the box but got ticketed anyways. Nice crowd at the town hall, very friendly, not the group of vaguely suspicious looking miscreants I packed in with a few years back in Woonsocket when I appealed a moving a violation. No judge this time, just an amiable clerk who didn't need to hear my theory (Susan B. Anthony dollars mistaken for quarters by a harried collector?) and waived the fine based on a double payment logged in the records that day. I suppose it's possible I paid the wrong slot, in which case anybody else who got a ticket for non-payment that day would be the off the hook as well. Justice has been served.

My branch gives me rolls of Sacajawea dollars now, instead of the Susie Bs, so if it was coin confusion, it shouldn't happen again. All of this serves to remind that the Susan B. Anthony dollar may be the unit of currency with the best song written about it: The Junkers "Susan B. Anthony Dollar Rag."

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Dit le chien:

"Sonic Youth joue ce soir ... ils jouent avec Nirvana ce soir."
Lo-fi documentary of Sonic Youth touring with Nirvana in 1991.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Great News for the Blogosphere


Ethel the Blog is back in full effect. The November 10th post (no permalinks) on GOP scumbag Randy "Duke" Cunningham is just like the good ol' days. (Heads up by way of GitM)

Wednesday, November 8, 2006

The Morning After


I vote in RI, so I was actually a little conflicted about the Senate race. I voted for Whitehouse, who won, but our Republican, Lincoln Chafee, actually voted against the invasion of Iraq -- a vote on principle that, frankly, I doubt if Whitehouse would've cast had he been in office in then. Plus, the WEEI sports talk/hatchetmen hate Chafee (for the same reason I respect him) so he can't be all bad, for a Republican. Anyways, I feel like at least I did my part to change the direction of the Senate. Sadly, my neighbors to the west failed to elect Lamont, so Kissin' Joe the Republidependent candidate and the GOP got the last laugh after all.

The other big issue here was Question 1, which would've paved the way for a Narragansett/Harrah's casino in West Warwick. As much as I wouldn't have minded a casino closer than Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun, I let Will's anti-casino propaganda sway me to a 'no' vote. The well-funded proponents gave the hard sell on property tax relief and job creation but, it all smelled like a shell game ... sure, the casino would bring money in, but who would go to Lincoln or Newport Grand anymore? So the state would lose that revenue while Harrah's loaded up the Brinks trucks for Nevada. And, as much as they talked about the benefits to restaurants, hotels, etc. near the planned site, I can't help but think about the areas around Mohegan and Foxwoods ... not exactly thriving. There are no other restaurants to speak of nearby -- just the Dunkin' Donuts. People go to the casinos to game, drink, and eat, they aren't making another stop outside. I seriously doubt tourist dollars would've gone into the surrounding area here either. Now, if Newport Grand and/or Lincoln were allowed table gaming ... that's another story.
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