Dept. of chairs

I was born in Gardner, known as the Chair City.

While big chairs are impressive, they aren't always what's needed.

When we attended Lily's swim meet a couple of months ago, we discovered that it was quite uncomfortable sitting on the concrete bleachers for several hours. We also noticed that several people had brought stadium chairs, a fold-out chair that gives some back support.

We ordered a couple for ourselves and for Adam and Jenny. That was before I noticed this wearable chair.

But, of course, Google trumps them all with their own, special nap pod:

WorldBlu | Designing Democratic Organizations

A note of thanks and congratulations to Equal Exchange, a local coffee company that provides high-quality Fair Trade coffees at good prices. We've been buying coffee from them for many years and have always enjoyed their products and services: WorldBlu | Designing Democratic Organizations

Pie and Coffee » Happy 75th birthday, Catholic Worker movement!

Giving voice to those who have no voice: Pie and Coffee » Happy 75th birthday, Catholic Worker movement!

This week's RoasterBoy Playlist

Willie Nelson - Crazy

Happy 75th Birthday, Willie. 04/30/2008 06:58 AM

Randy Newman’s ‘Louisiana 1927’ Long before Katrina, New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana faced mighty floods. This past Sunday, the New York Times ran an article about Randy Newman’s ‘Louisiana 1927’ and the story behind the song. Here's Randy Newman performing the song on YouTube. 04/29/2008 12:09 PM

the Big Mattress: Videos from WBCN Charles Laquidara returns for the 'bcn 40th anniversary: the Big Mattress: Videos from WBCN 04/28/2008 03:51 PM

Whole Lotta Shakin' | A Documentary Series on Rockabilly Music Whole Lotta Shakin' | A Documentary Series on Rockabilly Music 04/28/2008 03:29 PM

The Band - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

Maybe it's impossible, but it seems that if you win a war, but leave the vanquished with some honor, the war will be over a lot sooner. (American war between the states, Germany after WWI.) You take what you need and leave the rest. But, they should never have taken the very best. MilkandCookies - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down 04/28/2008 03:14 PM

A shout-out to niece Lori for making it to the big time.

Lori MacBlogger: When a personal blog gets personal -- or becomes the subject of an essay in the LA Times

Vappu - May Eve and May Day

Helsingin Sanomat - International Edition - Notes To Readers: "May Eve and May Day - known collectively in Finnish as Vappu - constitute one of Finland’s most boisterous and profusely liquid festivals and public holidays"

May Day has been a celebration of workers and workers rights (including the right to partay) throughout the world. May 1st has also been celebrated as International Workers' Day. The United States has its own workers' holiday, Labor Day, which is set far from May Day to keep American workers far from those Socialist and Communist heathens.

On a gentler note, my grandmother would give me a May basket which was a lot like an Easter basket - full of candy and colorful stuff. She wasn't particularly religious or political; she just liked giving treats to her only nearby grandchild.

Update: More about Vappu from Metafilter: Vappu - The more you know.

AARP now eligible for AARP membership

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) was founded 50 years ago today. AARP is for people age 50 and older.

Forward into the past

I went to the Charter cable office in Worcester this morning to return a digital receiver that we were no longer using. The office had lots of brochures and displays that touted Charter's state-of-the-art technology. There were three high-def plasma TVs on the wall, showing the Judge Maria Lopez show. A few points of note:

• One of the clerks asked aloud, "How come the picture is so snowy?" The clerks mumbled among themselves, but had no answers.
  
• The clerk who waited on me printed the receipt on an 1980s-vintage dot matrix printer.
  
• I asked for a print-out of our current services. "I can give you a copy of your bill," she said. "But, I can't give you a list of services. We can't print what's on the screen."
  

Pie and Coffee » Fr Bernie Gilgun’s homily, April 25, 2008

Father Bernie was a friend of my mother's from back in the 60s. I met him a few years later. He is a powerful, passionate, and compassionate force on behalf of those who have no voice.

Pie and Coffee » Fr Bernie Gilgun’s homily, April 25, 2008

Teeth, we have some.

A couple of weeks ago, a crown on one of my front teeth cracked and then broke apart. Some quick repair work by the emergency backup dentist (regular dentist was on vacation) put a non-scary smile back on my face. The permanent replacement crown will be ready in a couple of weeks. (For varying values of permanent. This crown was 13 years old. It also suggests that others of the same vintage are likely to let go sometime soon as well.)

It's a bit surprising to learn that Greensboro NC has much better dental health than Boston: Rating America's Cities - Where the Teeth Bite : Men's Health.com

None of my teeth have gold fillings, so I won't be joining the gold rush that's taking place now that gold is north of $1000/ounce.

A disabled president?

Brit Hume, at Fox News, cites an LA Times report that John McCain is receiving about $58K/year, tax-free, because he is 100% disabled from wounds sustained during the Vietnam war, including his time as a POW.

It's my understanding that 100% disability means that you are unable to work. The federal definition of disability, as reported in First Draft: 100%? Really?: "Total disability will be considered to exist when there is present any impairment of mind or body which is sufficient to render it impossible for the average person to follow a substantially gainful occupation;"

McCain himself has claimed that he's healthy enough to hike the Grand Canyon. A spokesman for McCain, senior adviser Mark Salter, reiterated that the senator is entitled to his pension. "Tortured for his country -- that is how he acquired his disability," Salter said.

So, he's in good health, even though he's 100% disabled. If a truck driver who was receiving a disability payment was seen hiking the Grand Canyon, how long do think it would be before the disability claim was reviewed and then overturned.