Retro T August 15, 2008
Posted by argotnavis in Life.Tags: Boston, maps, Red Line
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I was on the Red Line today, and for the second time in as many weeks, I noticed that one of the maps above the doors was slightly out of date. I really wish that I’d thought to take a picture one of those times, because it’s pretty cool. Perhaps I’ll get lucky and see it a third time.
It’s at least as old as 1980, judging from the fact that the Braintree branch doesn’t actually stop at Braintree. This also means that the northern branch only goes as far as Harvard, and Downtown Crossing is still listed as Washington.
I wonder, though, if this has ever caused anyone to panic for a moment or two? All of the other maps are correct, but couldn’t you see it happening? You know, just for a second.
Way #34 to improve your morning commute July 20, 2008
Posted by argotnavis in Life, Music.Tags: Boston, iPod, Nine Inch Nails
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I recently had the idea to update my iPod with several songs from quite a lot of artists, rather than whole albums from relatively few artists (these are really the only options you have when your iPod is a beefy 2ish GB). I find that this keeps me more entertained on the way to work, and it also allows me to include artists who otherwise might not have made the cut. Not that those are bad bands, but one has to make some tough choices.
The point of all of this, though, is that this also allowed for the inclusion of some early Nine Inch Nails. You see, when listening to Nine Inch Nails on the Green Line, the loud screeches from the wheels of the remarkable Breda Type 8s actually sound like parts of the song! It’s beautiful. Of course, this calls for further research.
Impulse buying May 12, 2008
Posted by argotnavis in Archaeology, Humor, Life.Tags: '60s, books, Boston, Kathleen Kenyon
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I was out at the rather strange used furniture/electronics/whatever store in Allston today buying a chair (my previous Ikea chair didn't make it), and I decided to look through their used book rack. There are usually a couple cool old books in racks like that, and they had one I couldn't pass up:
Yes, Kathleen Kenyon's Beginning in Archaeology. This is the revised edition, printed in 1968 (the first printing was 1952), as you might have guessed. Check out that cover. Groovy, no? That's actually what convinced me that I had to have it. I'll probably actually read it one of these days, too.
Of hot dogs, hechshers and hexakosioihexekontahexaphobes December 3, 2007
Posted by argotnavis in Food, Life.Tags: annoyances, Boston, dogs, hot dogs
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Many people are, I'm sure, aware of the problems of quantity that sometimes face purchasers of hot dogs. Eaters of Hebrew National hot dogs, for example, get seven dogs, but in order to match most other brands of hot dog, the buns are only sold in packages of eight. Or so I thought. Last time I bought hot dogs, I decided to go with New England-style buns, since I'm in New England and all. For those of you who aren't familiar with them, picture a cross between a normal hot dog bun and a folded slice of white bread, and you've pretty much got it. Unlike a normal hot dog bun, these are also quite likely to contain lobster rather than a hot dog, but lobster isn't usually in my price range, even here. Back to the point. When I purchased said buns, I didn't check to see exactly how many of them the package contained, probably because I assumed there would be eight. Well, I've made an ass of the both of us. Apparently, Shaw's New England hot dog buns come in packages of six. Why wouldn't they? Luckily, you only have to buy four packages of buns and three packages of dogs to wind up with an equal number of both. Of course, that's still more hot dogs than I tend to eat. Oh well, at least it isn't three six-packs of buns.
