By: Brinens and Things

Brinens and Things — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 13:48:57 +0000

[…] oh my god […]

By: A reader* asks: “Have you heard about the Boston Molassacre?” – Langa.com

Sat, 15 Dec 2018 12:00:22 +0000

[…] kind of an interesting story. Lots more info online. E.G.:Great Molasses FloodThe “Boston Molassacre”Without Warning, Molasses in January Surged Over […]

By: City on a Hill | Scruffy Beard Face

City on a Hill | Scruffy Beard Face — Sun, 30 Jun 2013 01:26:27 +0000

[…] When I was in my early 20s, rolling one’s eyes at the mere mention of Americans was almost compulsory. I was a left wing student from a left wing family at university in left wing city. Bush II was freshly entrenched in Iraq and Afghanistan. They were an easy target for lazy and frankly racist scorn. While I agreed with the general derision that met US foreign policy, I simply couldn’t relate to the vitriol directed at its people. I hung out with a fair number of them at uni and met hordes of them while travelling in various corners and almost to a person, they are some of the most friendly and awesome people I’ve known. It’s really no surprise then, that I’ve found such warmth from the people of Boston. Being my US beachhead if you will, the effects are perhaps more pronounced. Still, it’s hard not to love the way everybody says “you’re welcome” and “thank you” and “no problem” and shout across the street in greeting one another. It’s really quite endearing. They’re loud, laughing and often seem larger than life. They’re mad for sports, especially baseball and ice hockey. They’re proud of their town, too. In many cities, town-centric clothing is mostly seen on tourists. Here, I’ve seen Boston shirts and hats on countless construction workers, runners, truck drivers (there’s massive trucks all over the place, which I find kind of odd), as well as travellers. I was in a bar and wondered aloud if was partly as a result of the marathon bombing a couple of months ago, but a local guy dismissed that notion. It’s always been like that, he said, speculating that it’s more down to the sports-loving nature of the place. Thinking about it a bit more, I wonder if it’s due to being the home of the American Revolution. Who knows. So Boston is a cool town. It’s very chilled out. One Bostonian told me it’s the only city in America you could mistake for a town. He may have been exaggerating (I’m sure there are others), but I took his point. There is none of the rushing around one encounters in places like Melbourne, Sydney, or even Wellington. Yesterday I found myself in the financial district at around 11am and the place felt distinctly…relaxed. This could also be a result of the early summer from which they are suffering, but I don’t think so. I have to say, I haven’t done much that would interest you lovely folk – I’ve been running in the ridiculous heat and humidity. It gave me an odd sense of bullish pride that I was the only person running one afternoon. This in a town where you can’t turn your head without seeing somebody charging around in a Boston Strong t-shirt. I’ve had some beers. I walked the “Freedom Trail” and went on tour of Fenway Park. Cruised around on a boat a little bit. I skipped Salem and whale watching, though I have a few more days here before NYC, so either one is up in the air. A Red Sox game on my last night is probably how I’ll finish up. I like it here, but I’m quite keen to meet up with my amigos in New York now. Oh yeah. Here’s a thing that happened 90 years before I showed up. “When we think of potential disasters in the Northeast during the winter months, we think of snow-related problems, but on January 15, 1919, the force that Bostonians had to reckon with was fiery hot molasses. Twenty-one people died and scores were injured when hot molasses burst from a huge vat in an industrial building near Boston harbor…without warning, the bolts holding the bottom of the tank exploded, and an eight-foot-high wave of molasses pushed through the building and down the streets, moving at about 35 miles per hour. The hot wave of goo knocked over buildings and pushed down support beams for the elevated train line. Bystanders said the roar and feel of the wave of molasses was like that of a train hurling past.” http://americaca.wpengine.com/2012/01/08/the-boston-molassacre/ […]

Comments on: The “Boston Molassacre”

By: Brinens and Things

By: A reader* asks: “Have you heard about the Boston Molassacre?” – Langa.com

By: City on a Hill | Scruffy Beard Face