Bostonist

Grabauskas to MBTA Executives: Psych!

Rick Sawyer — 2008-08-20T10:44:17-05:00

Remember that 9% raise the MBTA gave to its top brass but couldn't figure out how to pay for? Well, now it doesn't have to. After Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen asked T general manager Dan Grabauskas "WTF?" Grabauskas rescinded the pay increase for the T's highest paid employees. Non-union administrators making less than $70,000 will still see a boost in pay.

Wednesday Happenings

Rick Sawyer — 2008-08-20T10:00:00-05:00

Movies

-- Douglas Sirk was the master of suburban melodrama, and his 1955 film All That Heaven Allows remains a textbook example of the genre. Jane Wyman plays a country club cougar with her eye on Rock Hudson, her young gardener. What heaven allows naturally comes into conflict with mid-century sexual deed restrictions. Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge. Showtimes and tickets.

Ukuleles, Etc.

-- Bostonist faves Ukulele Noir use small instruments to make a big racket. Johnny D's Uptown, 17 Holland St., Somerville, 8:30 p.m. $15/$5.

Cellos, Etc.

-- Rasputina, formerly a female cello trio, is expanding to include men (well, a man) and non-cello instruments. Gasp! Paradise, 967 Comm Ave, 7pm, $15. (KS)

Two Sevens, Clashing

-- Joseph Hill, founder and vocalist for legendary roots reggae act Culture died two years ago. But that hasn't kept the rest of the band from touring steadily. Tonight, the authors of the classic, apocalyptic Rastafari album Two Sevens Clash (1977) chant down Babylon in Boston. Harper's Ferry, 158 Brighton Ave., Allston, 8 p.m. $15.

Godfathers

-- Still Black, Still Proud: An African Tribute to James Brown unites African musicians Cheikh Lo and Vieux Farka Toure with OG JB's Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley to celebrate the legacy of the Godfather of Soul. Two performances. Calderwood Courtyard, Museum of Fine Arts, 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. $35/$28.

Kerry Skemp contributed to this post.
Image of Vieux Farka Toure courtesy Museum of Fine Arts.

Sports Redux: Sox Win One For Yaz

Michael Femia — 2008-08-20T08:32:32-05:00

While Carl Yastrzemski was "resting comfortably" at MGH after his triple bypass surgery, the current Red Sox were 400 miles south, honoring Yaz with some clutch hitting and some fire as they beat Baltimore again, 7-2.

The hitting came from Jason Varitek (2 HR in 2 nights?!?) and Kevin Youkilis (3-for-5 with a homer), among others. The fire came from Dustin Pedroia, who launched a few indiscretions at umpires, and Coco Crisp, who became the target of a Baltimoron in the front row, leading to an inning-long contretemps. Cursed to First provides a blow-by-blow account of the proceedings. There are some bad words, so kids, check with Mom and Dad before you click there.

Daisuke Matsuzaka picked up his 15th win, and we're just going to accept the fact that he's going to give up a lot of walks on his way to each of these wins. Five walks in five innings before Tito had seen enough and turned it over to the bullpen, who proved adequate if not spectacular. Because we need to fret, though, we can focus on Josh Beckett, whose hand is sore and numb (which explains his stinkeroo against Toronto) and will have his next start pushed back while they figure things out.

The Rays won - AGAIN - beating the Angels in what everyone outside of Boston hopes is an ALCS preview. The Yankees lost - AGAIN - and if you still loathe the Yankees and Johnny Damon, you owe it to yourself to watch the ESPN clip and see how the winning run scored.

Ray Allen seems to be getting used to the idea of collecting rings. The Celtic and World Champion [insert victory lap] got married to longtime special ladyfriend Shannon Walker Williams on Martha's Vineyard. He's come a long way since that sex-drenched college recruiting trip to Tech U.

Boston Blotter: Evening Assaults Soak Hub in Blood

Rick Sawyer — 2008-08-19T17:00:22-05:00

-- A four-year-old Roxbury boy was shot last night along with his 17-year-old cousin while the two sat on the back porch of a Jamaica Plain three decker. The 17-year-old, whom police suspect as the target of the assault suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his shoulder. The four-year-old underwent surgery at Boston Medical Center and has been reported in stable condition. Boston police arrested and released a 17-year-old suspect last night in connection with the crimes. The shooting took place on Bragdon Ave., between Columbus Ave. and Washington St. [Herald]

-- Three men were shot last night in an unrelated incident on Harvard St. in Dorchester. The victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries. [BPDNews]

-- A third, apparently unrelated shooting happened later in the evening on Hamilton St. in Dorchester. [BPDNews

-- A woman was stabbed multiple times last night on Edgemere Rd., West Roxbury in what has been described as a "brutal domestic incident." [Herald]

-- A deputy fire chief in the Boston Fire Department faces charges that he raped a woman at gunpoint in Brockton last June. Peter Pearson, 51, of East Bridgewater allegedly impersonated a state trooper before forcing the victim to "perform a sex act." [Herald]

-- A Marshfield carnival worker stands accused of raping two underage carnival-goers. [Globe]

All charges alleged until proven under law.

Bite Size News, August 19

Kerry Skemp — 2008-08-19T16:00:00-05:00

Suzanne Vega Documentary! Awesome! Still and doc from Chris Seufert

Olympic medalist Shawn Johnson is made of both butter and gold. [KCCI]
A new plan for development in Kenmore Square. [Herald]
Donnie Wahlberg is not crying about being divorced. [TMZ]
The Taliban attacked a U.S. military base, killing 10 French soldiers and wounding 21 others. [NYT]
Russians detained Georgian soldiers. [NYT]
If you want to feel really old, think about the incoming class of 2012. And how most of its members were born in 1990. Perhaps the most disturbing fact: Radio stations have never been required to present both sides of public issues. [Beloit College]
Are your values Judeo-Christian? McCain hopes so. [Globe]

Food Events around Town: The Wine Gallery's "Free Beer Mess", Veggie-gasms at UpStairs on the Square, Finale's 10th Anniversary

Ryan Weaver — 2008-08-19T15:00:00-05:00

If you're surfing Bostonist right now, wishing you were somewhere else, listening to your stomach grumble its way through the post-lunch-pre-dinner doldrums, we've got some fantasy fodder for you. Because no matter who you are—a princess, a jock, a nerd, a criminal or a basket case—there's a food-filled party in your honor this week. Get ready to make some reservations.

Here's the scoop:

The Wine Gallery's Second Annual Free Beer Mess
371 Boylston St., Brookline
(617) 277-5522
Aug 23, 3 to 6p.m.

If you are: An impoverished foodie down on your luck; a mensch helping a friend move in Brookline this Saturday (and you already know he's too cheap to buy the beer); a bro who needs to take the more-cultured girlfriend to something fun, stat, before she breaks up with you for a bartender.

What it is: A free tasting of over 50 beers, including New England faves like Smuttynose and Allagash, as well as beers from Brooklyn Brewery, one of NYC's only redeeming features.

Cost: FREE, y'all

UpStairs on the Square Farm Vegetable Dinner Series
91 Winthrop St, Cambridge, MA
(617) 864-1933
Aug 26, 28, 29 and Sept 3

If you are: A vegetarian who's sick of Grasshopper takeout; a locavore who's sick of cooking; a 50-something Cantabrigian with lots of money and nothing appropriately hippie to spend it on this week.

What it is: a series of dinners at UpStairs on the Square featuring a veggie-fest of Siena Farms squash carpaccio, elderberry sorbet and fried zebra tomatoes. The first, on August 26, is presented in conjunction with the Boston Vegan Association, which means seats will fill up fast. The dinners on Aug 28-29 include vegetarian and fish dishes. The Sept 3 dinner is a vegetarian tasting dinner with organic wines. So pick your (non) poison and make your reservations, like, yesterday.

Cost: $45-90, depending on dinner menu and wine pairings

Finale Coolidge Corner's Girlie Drinks & Desserts!
1306 Beacon St, Brookline
(617) 232-3233
Aug 26

If you are: A pragmatic fashionista who needs an excuse to re-wear that expensive bridesmaid's dress to something fancier than a house party; a fan of Shecky's Girls Night out; an office-bot who is PMS-ing hardcore and it's only Monday.

What it is: We'll look past the fact that the name of this event makes us want to send a copy of The Second Sex to every publicist in town, and focus on the fact that it will involve delicious desserts and tasty drinks in a "cool classroom-type" setting, which hopefully means you'll learn how to make delicious desserts and tasty drinks. Finale will enlist the help of bartenders from 33 Restaurant & Lounge to mix the drinks (they'll be promoting fancy French Les Vergers Boiron fruit purees), while Finale's executive pastry chef Nicole Coady (a girl!!) whips up dessert. And sorry boys, this one really is girls-only.

Cost: $29.95 (includes tax and gratuity; admission by reservation only)

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The Hub-o-sphere

divertingbailey — 2008-08-19T14:00:00-05:00

-- How to move death fridges in East Boston: a photographic journey. [Fabulously Out There]

-- Starving teens on Route 9 give one of the most honest "But Officer!" speeding excuses of all-time. [What Was I Thinking?]

-- When you've got lemons, you make lemonade. And when you've got ten days of straight rain in Boston, you make yourself lightning bait. [Suldog]

-- Quincy Market in slow-motion and freeze tag in Government Center: Chris was there and recaps it all for us. [The Chronicles of Chris]

-- Northeastern U. journalism professor defends the Globe's honor against the Wall Street Journal after WSJ copied the not-very-original idea of a news-photo blog. Boston.com has a news-photo blog? Cool. [Media Nation]

-- Thank you, Boston Phoenix, for giving us video clips from the Radiohead concert along with a Twitter review of the show. Boston Phoenix is on Twitter? Okay. [On The Download]

-- Can blogging change the world? For the better? Register to write something about poverty on "Blog Action Day." [Blog Action Day]

-- Over the weekend, old guys were dressed like British redcoats. They didn't even have water muskets... [Universal Hub]

Robert Vassegh contributed to this post. Blogtopus courtesy of bionicteaching and a Creative Commons license.

Yaz Is In the Hospital

Michael Femia — 2008-08-19T13:24:00-05:00

Boston.com is reporting that Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski is at Mass General Hospital after some chest pains, according to his spokesman, Dick Gordon. "Any time you are in the hospital, it's got to be pretty serious," was Gordon's reply to the predictable question. Yaz is 68 years old, but since he was always suspected of having a training regimen based more on lifting a lighter than a barbell, it's an old 68. Our thoughts and best wishes are with you, Yaz. 4:30 PM UPDATE: They're saying a bypass operation looks likely.

Photo of the Day: August 19, 2008

Korri Leigh Crowley — 2008-08-19T13:00:00-05:00

seosmh brings back childhood memories of heading down to Cape Cod with this great shot of the Bourne Bridge. We love the lines and bold contrast.

Glamping a ludicrous activity, subject of silly Globe article

fangfriends — 2008-08-19T12:00:00-05:00

Bostonist has watched in shock and awe as the Boston Globe has sympathetically chronicled the increasingly ludicrous vacation woes affecting the financially overprivileged. Sometimes those visiting their "friends" just get sick of the razor sharp sisal rugs and use their sensitive soles to walk right out of a Cape Cod summer home and into a Hummer or Prius, and then drive into the wilderness. (After all, being in the wilderness reminds us of survival instincts, and survival instincts remind us of how we pulled ourselves up from the bootstraps we got at Macy's, and allows us to recognize how much we deserve to relax, but in a civilized manner, and not with people who might have bought generic bootstraps.) Thus, an article from Saturday's Globe introduces the concept of "glamping" -- high-end near-nature habitation that offers on-grounds amenities such as butlers and silk-lined sleeping bags. Oh, and no bugs.

Camping is no longer a classless endeavor, alas. Finally the upper echelons have found a way to put a non-nomadic yurt with AC and a plasma TV between themselves and the lowlifes who might actually make use of a nylon tent. But, we think that, in the case of true class warfare, the folks who can deal with a bit of dirt under their fingernails might fare better than those who consider it a huge inconvenience to even clean up their own campsite. Hold your Zombie Survival Manual close, but hold the SAS Survival Manual even closer. One day your butlers and cleaning ladies might hear just one too many complaints about Trials by Sisal Rug. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then perhaps you are a bit too comfortable.

Sipping wine in a did up nest-like treehouse sounds cool, but it does not sound like camping. Rustic chic, perhaps. But camping, no. If glamping is camping, then Marie Antoinette must have nommed on Betty Crocker cake.

Dunkin' vs. Krispy: The Donuting

Kerry Skemp — 2008-08-19T11:00:00-05:00

Dunkin' Donuts is gettin' serious. The Quincy-founded donut chain is infringing on southern-born Krispy Kreme's home territory, plotting a location in Krispy headquarters of Winston-Salem, NC. There are no Krispy Kremes in Massachusetts right now, so Dunkin is definitely throwing down the gauntlet and declaring donut war. Who will emerge victorious?

A quick comparison of the companies:

Chain	Since	Founded	Types of Donuts	Revenue	In the Smithsonian?	In Wal-Mart?	Advertised as Trans Fat Free?	Keffiyeh Controversy?
Dunkin Donuts	1950	Quincy, MA	35	$4.7 billion	Yes	No	No, but	Yes
Krispy Kreme	1937	Winston-Salem, NC	27	$510.21 million	Oh yes	Yes	Yes	Not that we know of

Having fled the south, this Bostonist must admit she prefers Dunkin's cake donuts to the too-sweet Krispy Kreme glazed (Krispy claims to have cake donuts, too, but we've never tried one). Still, there is something alluring about a donuts-only franchise that doesn't get distracted by bagels, muffins, pizza, and those weird flatbread sandwiches (have you ever ordered one?). Additionally, we kind of prefer the "doughnuts" spelling to the reductive "donuts," though we recognize the utility of shorthand. So will Krispy ever reach its sticky fingers back up north in retribution? Only time will tell.

Revenue figures from that trusted source, Wikipedia.

Sports Redux: Chesapeake Bay

Michael Femia — 2008-08-19T10:07:12-05:00

Did we promise we were finished with the Jason Bay puns? We don't think we did promise, technically. Anyway, it's appropriate, since Jason is now the King of Baltimore after slamming two home runs to help the Sox get back on track, 6-3 at Camden Yards. And if they don't name Maryland's most distinctive geographical after the kid, you can't blame us for trying.

Bay hit a solo shot in the second and a 2-run job in the eighth; the first gave the Sox a 1-0 lead and the other gave some appreciated breathing room to Jon Lester. Lester stifled the Orioles for four hits and one run over seven innings and left with a 4-1 lead. Manny Delcarmen promptly walked two in the eighth, making Terry Francona call for the Headache Kid earlier than expected.

Both of Delcarmen's runs scored on an Aubrey Huff double, so it was 4-3 and so much for the breathing room. But the Sox tacked on two in the ninth and that was, as they say, the ballgame. Also props to Jason Varitek, who put his personal matters aside and hit his first home run since, let's say, 1983.

Tom Brady broke his silence on his injured foot. He says, yes, it's the same foot that was giving him trouble in the (sigh) Superbowl, but this injury is completely different. We're frankly not sure if that makes us feel better or worse. Shockingly, he was mum on whether he'd play in this weekend's meaningless preseason game against the Eagles. Meaningless, of course, unless the Pats look flat and listless again, in which case we're all headed for the highest point of the Tobin Bridge.

Are you ready for college football? No, we're not either. But the people who matter are, and the Globe takes a look at BC lineman B.J. Raji, who was forced to take a season off and hit the books, and has renewed focus to hit opposing players instead. The Herald, meanwhile, looks at all the Eagles' question marks before next Saturday's opener against Kent State.

The USA is still #1 when it comes to total medals, but the Chinese are kicking our butts at golds. And congratulations to our neighbours to the north; after a slow start, Canada has more medals than Kazakhstan. They should've sent the Blue Jays.

Map from the Perry-Castaneda collection at the University of Texas, which is a map geek's dream site.

Tuesday Happenings

Rick Sawyer — 2008-08-19T10:00:29-05:00

Places to Avoid

-- Bloggers will clog JP's Centre Street tonight as Bella Luna hosts "Blogger's Lounge," an evening of self-reflexive discursion in which everybody will have a laptop. God, we hope not. In all likelihood, meet a lot of outgoing, oversharing Bostonians with an undying passion for the internet. Multiple Bostonists to be on hand. Bella Luna, 405 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, 6:30 p.m. Free with reservation. Email bostonblogevents@gmail.com.

Music

-- Jana Hunter lives in Baltimore now, but she's still a Texan to Bostonist. Hunter's the type of performer who got stuck with a label that she neither courted nor deserved. Widely known as a "freak folk" artist after cutting a double LP with Devendra Banhart, Hunter has an incredible stylistic range. She can swing a country ballad as easily as she can tack together a noise collage. The one constant? Houston's muddy, languorous Buffalo Bayou is never far from her guitar tone. T.T. the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St., Cambridge, 9:15 p.m. $8.

Movies

-- The Brattle's Bette Davis retrospective is beginning to wind down, with a pair of dramas from the 1960s, both directed by Robert Aldrich. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) might offer a vision of the future for the Lohan sisters; Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964, before Hollywood had normalized punctuation), is an absolutely creepy film in which there is not a single redeeming character. Brilliant. Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge. Tickets and showtimes.

Photo of Jana Hunter by Yoni Kifle, from Hunter's MySpace page.

Boston Blotter: Stabbings in Roxbury, Shooting at Downtown Crossing

Rick Sawyer — 2008-08-18T17:00:21-05:00

-- A fisticuffs between two Roxbury women turned bloody early Sunday morning after a broken bottle got involved, authorities said. Police arrested one. The stabbing victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries. [BPDNews]

-- Thursday night, Boston police arrested two men after a Roxbury bouncer was found beaten and stabbed. The incident, which happened on Norvia's bar on Washington St., began when the bouncer tried to escort three brawling patrons out of the establishment. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries. [BPDNews]

-- A man was shot early Sunday morning outside the Paramount Theatre at Downtown Crossing. [WHDH]

-- A Hyde Park woman was arrested in Dedham for an alleged bank stick-up. The suspect, 43-year-old Rosemary Maddrey, a suspected prostitute, initially accounted for her presence at the heist location by claiming that a carjacker had kidnapped her, a tale she later recanted. [Herald]

All charges alleged until proven under law.

Bite Size News

cheap_robv — 2008-08-18T16:00:00-05:00

Image by amythyst_lake from photos tagged "Bostonist" on Flickr.

The community of Mashpee has lost two of its sons to fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan on Friday and Saturday. [Boston Globe]

According to a presentation at the American Psychological Association convention, video games can improve coordination and problem-solving skills. Researchers were silent on the chances of getting laid. [Boston Herald]

Thanks to—or in spite of—protests by the Special Olympics regarding the use of "retard" in its dialogue, Tropic Thunder became the first movie to surpass The Dark Knight in weekly box office since it opened. [LA Times]

When Bostonians have a themed water gun fight, some of the press can't tell the difference between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. [UPI]

An asshat gets creative by lighting a notebook before throwing it at his wife. [Patriot Ledger]

Chocolate for Cows Now More Expensive

Kerry Skemp — 2008-08-18T15:00:00-05:00

If you didn't know, cows are eating chocolate these days because corn is too expensive. But with the rising candy prices, will chocolate byproducts remain an affordable alternative for cow farmers seeking cheap feed? This remains to be seen. But if you find an M&M in your steak, don't be too surprised. Fortunately, there are a few grass-fed beef options locally, if you prefer your cows to eat a junk-free diet.

Celebrate International Hug A Gator Day with the Bostonist

fangfriends — 2008-08-18T14:00:00-05:00

As the weather cools, Boston's sewer alligators begin their slow migration out of our public works and down the Charles to more equatorly places. Say goodbye to the giant reptilians till spring, and make sure to bid them adieu with a hug. Just try keep that gator from turning the embrace into a death roll. The Bostonist covers all sorts of critter-related happenings about town. Interested? You should be! For more information, contact the New England Herpetological Society.

It's Educational: UMass Doesn't Need No Stinkin' -Amherst

Kerry Skemp — 2008-08-18T13:00:00-05:00

UMass-Amherst is lamenting the presence of that pesky "-Amherst" in its name. As Massachusetts' preeminent state school attempts to grow in prestige, the university feels the qualifier takes away from its importance. Having lived in places where Wisconsin and Texas mean only one thing when it comes to higher ed, this Bostonist can understand this dilemma. The UMass alumni association has a catchy slogan--"You were. You are. UMASS."--but we think that a pair of prestigious alumni have offered an even better solution in the form of a certain song. Still, we won't exactly be surprised if the university doesn't start singing that tune.

Photo of the Day: August 18, 2008

Korri Leigh Crowley — 2008-08-18T13:00:00-05:00

We're generally fans of gnarayan's work and this shot is no exception. There is a lot to like here, but we'll focus on the ridiculous color and the great movement of the flag. Really well done.

Police Details Result in Over 100 Arrests

Kerry Skemp — 2008-08-18T12:00:00-05:00

Our friends at the Herald astutely point out that police officers on road detail have made over 100 arrests since January 2007, insinuating that we'll be less safe if normal folks are allowed to work details in lieu of police officers. Gosh, it is so sweet and touching that cops continue to do their real jobs while serving details--just imagine how many more arrests they might make if they were patrolling the streets, investigating cases, and following leads, instead of tooting whistles and waving their arms! Additionally, most of these situations caused the officer to leave the detail to make the arrests, meaning that no one was doing that all-important detail job (perish the thought!). A Beacon Hill Institute Study from 2004 concluded that police details cost the state millions of dollars and do not improve safety. As with those "consumer-protecting" price stickers, it may shock Bay Staters to learn that no other state puts police on detail--and crime has not swallowed up the rest of the country as a result. It's time for Massachusetts to stop doing things a certain way just because it's always been like that, and start doing things that actually make sense. We know this may cause some heads to explode, but we're willing to take that loss.

Bostonist Photo Gallery: August Moon Festival in Chinatown

Kerry Skemp — 2008-08-18T11:00:00-05:00

Yesterday Bostonist caught the August Moon Festival in Chinatown. From tiny turtles to mooncakes to hung gar to lion drumming to traditional Chinese folk dancing, we experienced a variety of aspects of Chinese culture. The Moon Festival is traditionally held to celebrate summer's harvest. Check out the dancing, martial arts, and drumming we saw on Sunday. Also check out photos from shoothead and in the viewfinder, who were there as well, and keep an eye on the Bostonist photo pool because we're sure more festival photos will pop up!

There is an image gallery to this entry which you can view at Bostonist

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Monday Happenings

Rick Sawyer — 2008-08-18T10:00:31-05:00

Dudes

-- The Coolidge hosts its annual The Big Lebowski (1998) bowling party. Prizes for best Dudes, Jesuses, and nihilists. Bowling is supposedly part of of the package, but the Coolidge's notoriously cryptic website does not clarify. Have they built in alley in the cinema? We're guessing that it's bowling of the Wii variety, but don't hold us to it. Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline, 7 p.m. $9/$6.

Dancing Hipsters

-- San Francisco duo Eat Tapes makes spastic electronic dance music that sounds like the soundtrack to Mario and Luigi's Mega Man fetish night. Part of the Beat Research series. Enormous Room, 567 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, 9 p.m. Free.

Benefits

-- The Middle East brings bands from all over Massachusetts to Central Square for a Darfur fundraiser. Indie rock categories from drone to math rock are each well represented. Featuring Forest Henderson, Palacios, ITtheverb, and the Spotlight Crisis. Middle East Upstairs, 9 p.m. $8.

Bostonist Photo Gallery: Banditos Misteriosos Go to War

Rick Sawyer — 2008-08-18T09:00:50-05:00

The Banditos Misteriosos held a mock Revolutionary War water gun battle on the Esplanade Saturday.

There is an image gallery to this entry which you can view at Bostonist

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Sports Redux: Canadian Clubbed

Michael Femia — 2008-08-18T08:26:44-05:00

Well...that sucked.

Trying to stop a modest 1-game losing streak, Josh Beckett was turned into hamburger by the suddenly red-hot Blue Jay bats. The Jays shelled Josh for eight runs in less than three innings, and Beckett got the loss in a 15-4, 22-Toronto-hit massacre. "They were just really, really bad pitches. Well, good pitches to hit," said Beckett, and it's hard to argue.

The Sox did scratch out a little offense - an RBI Lowrie triple (he was 3-for-3) and solo homers by Youkilis and Pedroia, but they never scratched any closer than 12-3, and that's no way to run a railroad. Compounding the fun, J.D. Drew left the game in the third with a stiff back, possibly from running all over watching Blue Jay doubles bounce around the outfield. And Jonathan Papelbon is having migraine issues, which is no fun.

The Rays won, so the Sox slip to four and a half back (as sportswriters, we're obligated to note they're five back in the all-important loss column). The Rays are headed home to play Anaheim, but there's a hurricane headed for Florida, which might be the best thing to happen to the Red Sox, not that we'd wish Tropicana Field and the two AL leaders to be blown to sea. The Sox, for their part, send Jon Lester to the mound at Camden Yards to start a three-game series in Baltimore. Is it time to panic?

Meanwhile, Bostonist got a worried phone call from a reader asking if it's time to panic about Tom Brady. Remember, he was seen in a "walking cast" on his foot before the Superbowl, which they (sigh) lost, and he hasn't played yet in the preseason. And the Patriots looked feeble in a 27-10 loss to the Buccaneers. We're sure, though, that Coach Belichick will soon fill us in on all the details and make our hearts soar with some good news. James Orthwein, who owned the Patriots for a couple of crummy years before the Krafts, and tried to move them to St. Louis, died yesterday at 84.

Interesting note in Peter King's column (scroll down to #7): Coach Bill said he'd "cancel night meetings and waive curfew if nose tackle Vince Wilfork caught a punt while holding a football in either arm", which he did. Maybe we'll see the big guy in a special teams package this year. Against the Jets.

Photo by Winslow Townson/Associated Press.

Book It: This Week's Book Events

Kerry Skemp — 2008-08-17T18:00:00-05:00

From the uber-trendy literary man visiting us tomorrow to the also uber-trendy musical man visiting us on Saturday, this week has its share of exciting book-related events. Try to make it to at least one!

Monday, August 18, 7pm, Brookline Booksmith
Sana Krasikov, One More Year
Keith Gessen, All the Sad Young Literary Men

Tuesday, August 19, 7:00 p.m., Porter Square Books
Anna Winger, This Must Be the Place

Wednesday August 20th 7pm, Brookline Booksmith
Judith Nies, The Girl I Left Behind: A Narrative History of the 1960’s and How Women Transformed America

Thursday, August 21, 7:00 p.m., Porter Square Books
Sophie Gee, Scandal of the Season

Saturday, August 23, 1pm, Brookline Booksmith – Signing Only
Reverend “RUN” Simmons, Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America’s Parents

Free Rides Not Enough: MBTA Employees Steal Fare Revenue, Too

Kerry Skemp — 2008-08-17T17:00:00-05:00

Bostonist received the following email alert from the MBTA today:

An MBTA Fare Collection Agent was arrested this morning by Transit Police for allegedly stealing fare revenue. 43-year old Gilberto Carrasquillo of Dorchester is a Senior Revenue Collection Agent, who has been working at the MBTA for more than 22 years. Acting on information from the director of security for the MBTA's Money Room, Transit Police launched an investigation into the possibility that cash was being stolen from "drop boxes" that are used to expedite the fare collection process for events that draw large crowds to the subway system. These "drop boxes" are often used at Fenway and Kenmore Stations for Red Sox games. As part of its sting operation, the Transit Police's Internal Security Unit dropped marked currency into the fare boxes last night. When the contents of boxes were audited early this morning, all of the marked bills but one were missing. After questioning Mr. Carrasquillo, who had transported the "drop boxes" from the subway stations to the vault, Transit Police placed him in custody. He will be arraigned tomorrow morning in Boston Municipal Court on a charge of Larceny over $250.

Guess those free rides weren't enough for this T employee. And how much you want to bet Gilberto still gets to collect his pension, even if convicted?

Sex and Drugs Trivia at the Savant Project

Rick Sawyer — 2008-08-17T15:30:57-05:00

Sex and Drugs Trivia
Savant Project
1625 Tremont St., Roxbury Crossing
Sundays, 7:30 p.m.

Every Sunday evening, Maureen Hautaniemi stands at the front of the Savant Project, a Mission Hill bistro, with a coiled whip and The Practical Encyclopedia of Sex and Health.

"We punish cheaters with my whip, just so you know," she told the crowd, who had assembled last Sunday for a night of Sex and Drugs trivia.

Hautaniemi has the soft-focus good looks of a 1960's Scandinavian film star. Give her a haircut and she could vie with Liv Ullmann in Persona. Last Sunday, she hosted the trivia night dressed in school girl plaids and knee socks. As "Mistress Maureen," she shows up in a different style of fetish gear each Sunday. "It's like Halloween every week," she quipped, "and I never get hit on [by audience members], ever, which is awesome."

Boston's a great place for bar trivia, but the typical night is geared toward those who know more about mid-century hockey position players than ancient Greek sexual positions. Hautaniemi's trivia night is the one that gives a chance to the scholar who knows more about cannabis varietals than varieties of Swiss cheese.

Each round has a mix of open-ended and multiple choice questions, which make things easier for those whose brains might be clouded by sex or drugs. They also give Hautaniemi the opportunity to say a lot of dirty things.

She had toned the questions down last week, in deference to Restaurant Week diners who might have had a greater interest in the glaze on their steaks than the packets of Good Vibrations lubricant on their tables. Nonetheless, categories such as "Dan Savage," "Aphrodisiacs," and "Cheech and Chong," got the audience tittering.

Bostonist has mixed feelings about acing the "Celebrity Rehab" round.

Prizes were awarded to the top three trivia teams (Bostonist won first place, besting a contingent from Yelp.com) and to the team with the most creative name. "Lance Armstrong's Lost Nut" took those honors. Brookline sex shop Good Vibrations provided the prizes, which included a calendar of sexual positions, t-shirts, and vibrators.

Drugs, for obvious reasons, were absent from the prize table.

Hautaniemi admits that the event is a "guilty pleasure" for most, but she hopes that people get something more out of the evening. "I've always been into the factual side of sex and drugs," she said. "We really want people not just to know the answers, but also to learn something."

What did Bostonist learn? Prostaglandin E, a derivative of seminal fluid, can ease symptoms of erectile dysfunction, but only through direct injection. "Nobody wanted to get that one," said Hautaniemi.

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