Cleveland Circle- Our Lil’ Aberdeen Falls Apart

Aberdeen is an old term which means a coming together of rivers to one body of water. Its origin comes from the original Scotland area of Aberdeen.

I bring this up to signify the fact that 3 Green Line T-lines all come to a head at or near Cleveland Circle.

With the closing of the old Circle Cinema, I felt compelled to discuss the area since landmarks are closing down. 

If you walked through Cleveland Circle, asking younger folks (college students and young pros), you feel like your in the Twilight Zone.  Nobody knows where they are.  Some people think they are actually in Boston, MA; others say it’s Brighton or Brookline, MA; maybe it’s even the outskirts of Newton, MA?

As usual I spoke to a long time resident of Aberdeen to find out Cleveland Circle is a Brighton, MA location.  (Which, in turn, means it’s a Boston Area?)

Maybe it’s the history buff in me, or maybe it’s the politico in me, but with Cleveland Circle in mind I drafted a letter to my Representative:

Dear Representative Capuano,

I am writing to contribute to, what I feel, is one of the defining faults in Americans today. My generation lacks the dedication to question, write and demand answers or consideration by our representatives on so many issues. 

This, I hope, will be the first of many questions and considerations to share with my Representative.

Today, is dedicated to the land called Cleveland Circle, or as I have come to know it, ABERDEEN.

I know that the passage from Route 9 to Boston College, Comm. Ave and Beacon St runs through Cleveland Circle.

While the Circle may be the westward center of the Green Line railway system, I feel that the Department of the Interior or Transportation has lacked judgment or persistence over the past years in keeping up with the roads and flow of traffic in the circle.

I recommend you, either take a look for yourself, or have someone take a look at the disastrous conditions of the roads in Cleveland Circle and the intriguing fact that NOBODY knows where they are when they are there. 

Some say it’s Boston; some Brookline; I learned from an older gentleman that it is a Brighton neighborhood that goes by the name Aberdeen.

With the recent closing of a Circle Landmark (The Circle Cinema), Cleveland Circle seems to losing its past to the stadium seating lives of the future.

Please take a look at this forgotten part of our City.  It’s a center for students and professionals.  It can be more than it is, and I believe that has to start with at least knowing where we are and having a safer and better paved area to walk and drive.

Thanks for your time and I hope to hear from you.

God Bless.

Joshua Spencer

Ramblings: Decision ‘08

It’s now September and it beg’s the question “What is the American frame of mind?”  I truly believe we need to focus on what really matters and it’s not the economy, or the war or that he’s a black man and she’s a ill-prepared VP candidate, or are we the best country in the world.

 

People who pay attention can see that John McCain is NOT a Republican.  Barack Obama is not the PERFECT choice for America, but it’s not about one man.  It’s about judgment, character and ideology.

We are not the country we want to be or have been in the past. The golden years are over and I am voting Obama because it’s time to shift focus.  Obama even seems to be weakening his stance on his own merits.  The War is wrong. We failed.  It’s Over. It’s not about that anymore and the idea that if we immediately pull out we are in more danger. GET US OUT.

If McCain wins, he will strongly pursue reversing Roe v. Wade.  He wants to eliminate the right to choose for women. This is not about life or death. It’s about freedom.  I don’t believe in it, but I will be damned if I am going to take any personal freedoms away from Americans.  I know women who have had an abortion and I think it’s very sad and wrong, but in those situations it was the best choice. CHOICE is what it’s about.

We are worse off right now than 8 years ago. Nobody can debate that. It’s not about experience; it’s time to focus on what we were taught many years ago.  We must look in the mirror and realize, who we are, is, who we were.  It’s time to lead by example and be proud of what we do. Make Health Insurance affordable for everyone and not allow insurance companies and large cooperation’s dictate our individual rights to proper coverage.

Keep all government out of our everyday decisions as much as possible.  Get back to fundamentals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  One World, One Peace.  Let’s take care of our elderly folk and children. Make the Upper Class pay more so the Middle Class can thrive.  CEO’s can deal with making 400k a year instead of 600k.

Democracy never survives. John Adams said ‘Every Democracy has committed suicide.’  We are a Republic. We choose our leaders and those leaders are not just meant to lead, but to follow to judgments of the people.

McCain is more of the same. The world has changed. His generation’s time has passed more than 8 years ago, but we were too foolish to see it.

It’s time for something new. Whether it works or not, is for history to decide.  But let’s find out because we deserve better than what we have and where we are.

 

 

 

Tasca Cooks What Matters

A local Brighton delight served up a FIESTA this past week for the dedicated people at Design What Matters.

A local non-profit just over the river in Cambridge, Design helps improve services and opportunities in less developed nations across the world.  

For example:

Over 75% of people living in certain rural areas in West Africa are Illiterate.  To solve this problem, DtM designed a projection system, which uses a microfilm cassette to store 10,000 pages of information at a fraction of the cost of paper books. In 2004, with funding from USAID, World Education implemented Kinkajou Projectors in literacy centers in 45 Malian villages. To date, over 3,000 adults have learned to read using these projectors.

Tasca threw them a Spanish fiesta to help raise funds for future projects.  After over $2,000 dollars raised and thousands of hours donated to help design, consult and advise, the night ended a complete success.

Tasca’s tapas are well known throughout the city and have been a Best of Boston choice for years.  Not to bad for a group of people from Ireland who wanted to open a Spanish restaurant. 

I can honestly say it tastes better then Corn beef and cabbage.  So drop by and give back to those who give so much. Maybe wash it down with a nice, cool Guinness.

Buenos Noches Amigos.

 

 

 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

 

“It [Internet] enables pompous blowhards to connect with other pompous blowhards in a vast circle jerk of pomposity.”

 

 

 

My Cold Dead Hands

Well…..I guess we can have his gun now…. Awwwww  too soon?

 

Heston’s most controversial role was not in a movie but as leader of the National Rifle Association, the gun-rights lobby group, from 1998 to 2003.

 

He famously stood at a podium, holding an antique rifle above his head and telling gun-control advocates they would not get his gun unless they could pry it “from my cold, dead hands.”

 

Well, Charlton Heston is now gone.  I always give credit to those who stand up for what they believe and the man was a sincere conservative and admirably lived his life that way. Yet, he was insane.

 

Moreover, what does it say about a group like the NRA to use a 70-plus year old man as there spokesperson.  Was Wilford Brimley unavailable? After all, Wilford is just trying to keep our cholesterol down and prevent Diabetes.  Charlton was leading a group who believes we can protect ourselves with personally owned weapons of mass destruction.  We can’t get a kid to learn to read and write, not take drugs, not get pregnant at 12 and not walk into there schools and bust a cap in someone’s ass, but yeah we need guns to protect us from people.  Heston was the man for these people.  Someone not to intelligent, who, like many stars (Susan Sarandon), who should stick doing what, they are QUALIFIED to do best.

 

Heston will be remembered by my generation for the NRA, but generations before me and even myself, hopes he is remembered for playing Moses, his performance in Ben-Hur, and putting Science Fiction films relevant in the film business with the Planet of the Apes films. (Charlton Heston must be the actor William Shatner modeled himself after)

 

My personal favorite is Touch of Evil.  If you haven’t scene it, I recommend.

 

He was a good man to many people, who actually knew him.  I, being a movie snob, must say goodbye to one of films early mega-stars

 

A LITTLE BANG FOR OUR BUCK

It’s been over decade since Bill Buckner visited Fenway Park. His return marked the vindication of a great player in the town that, I think, knew down deep, that this man was never the real goat of the ‘86 series.

I sat in the RF Box today watching a historical moment, which I will remember forever. I watched it on NESN in ‘04, but nothing compares to seeing it in person. 

The weather was absolutely perfect. Barely a cloud in the sky, the sun shined bright with a cool breeze blowing out towards left (perfect).

The dropping of the 2007 flag over the 2004, covering the entire length of the green monster, was amazing to see. But the thing that made it unforgettable was the firm breeze that kept the 2007 flag from fully draping itself over the 2004 flag, which, it was trying to cover.  The wind left only the 2004 in clear sight as the fans waited for the flag to drop properly.  It left me with just one thing to say. “Wow, we just can’t let go of 2004.”

It finally did fall for the entire world to see, and that’s when I got a text message from my brother Ratty.  BUCKNER! Are you kidding me? Buckner was throwing out the first pitch?  It was the kind of news that changes the entire way you look at the day.  For some reason I was all about this moment. I don’t even remember the play or Buckner’s career. I was like 7, and I hate when people my age say they remember such moments because they flat out DON’T.

Any-who, The moment didn’t disappoint. The man appeared gloriously from behind the 2007 flag and walked his way from the outfield to the pitchers mound. Again, I don’t remember the man, but we are not allowed to forget “the play.”  For some reason I felt for the man and screamed with all I had.  Prudent or not prudent I am proud to show this man as an example to my kids when I tell them stories about the Sox.  Cause a man stands up. Not for the glory, but for himself.  The cheers raged through Fenway like it was a Beatles concert. It didn’t stop until Buckner was able to compose himself enough to throw a perfect strike to Dwight Evans at the plate.

So here’s to you Billy Buck, you will always be welcome at the friendly confines.  And let me say what is rightfully deserved to you. We are sorry.

(Sox 5, Detroit 0.  Dice-K does his thing and opening day 2008 closes as just the 8th game of season, but for me, it was one for all time)

 

Long Live The Circle Theatre

The Circle Theatre, in Cleveland Circle, is kind of like Great Woods in Mansfield, MA (now the Tweeter Center). It may be called Circle Cinemas, but it will always be the Circle Theatre to me. One of the oldest Theatres in Boston reminds us when ushers, were really ushers, and not 16 year old kids holding brooms and listening to there IPod’s while texting on there phones. It was a time of candy girls and bright lit marquees. When a doorman would greet you when you entered the theatre and an orchestra waited to entertain you with music before the show. It was the epitome of a “night on the town.” Now the so-called “Circle Cinemas” is more of a broken down old relic. It’s more a forgotten piece of Boston area history than a top notch stadium seated auditorium. The Cinema itself still plays popular films of the time and still has one of the best deals in the city. Tuesday Night’s are $5 dollar movie night. It say’s for a limited time, but I hope it becomes its signature. Access to the theater is easy via the Green Line on the MBTA. The final stop on the C-Line is Cleveland Circle and just a short walk up Chestnut Hill Rd to the cinema. The D-Line stop at the Reservoir is directly across from the cinema. Most Brighton Locals know of this spot, and most BC students do as well (excluding freshmen). It’s important to remember parts of the city that have become easier to forget. So on a Tuesday night after work or after class, drop by Cleveland Circle for a bite to eat and a beer and walk over the Circle to catch a $5 dollar flick to help save a little piece of History.

Driver’s Indifferent To No Turn On Red

The people of Brighton, MA have lived long enough with this driver’s eye-soar that is NO TURN ON RED in front of the Police Department at the corner of Washington St. and Cambridge St.  When driving down Washington St. from Comm. Avenue, you have two choices; Left to Brighton Center and Right toward Storrow Drive and the Pike. Please, take down the useless sign, which drivers don’t pay attention to anyway and please put the empty Police Cruiser you have parked out front in the parking lot. You aren’t fooling anyone. We all know that there is nobody in the car.  You’ve been had.