I'm excited about moving to Salem...

You're moving to Salem? I'm excited for you, but sad you'll be leaving the 'hood.

I am continually shocked at S-ville housing prices. It's coming up to nine years since I bought my 2-family. If I told you what I paid for it, you'd scream. I couldn't afford to buy my house today.

If it's any consolation Nora, everyone I know who grew up around here (that is to say, except for those people who grew up *in* Somerville), are pretty boggled that Somerville is so hot, these days.

Signed,
We always called it Slummerville.

Hell, she'd scream over what I paid for my house, 5 years ago now.

Thanks for the link to the Salon article, Tom -- I hadn't caught that. My take is much the same as the writer's.

It's a little cold and damp here today, but all the trees are starting to show little leaves and my narcissi are opening, and I've even see a couple violets in my violet patch, so all is well. Also, it looks like I'll actually get some lilac blooms this year, so hurrah!

Timelies all!

My left wrist hurts and I don't know why...

I'm sure your Tivo will be good to you.

I hope so. It was still in set up mode when I left, but assured me that I would have a working Tivo in 4 to 8 hours.

My TiVo did a scary thing a couple days ago, where it was refusing to delete anything. I rebooted, it repented, and we're still an item.

So now I can catch up on my Kojak without worries of having to commit.

eta: What are the key components of Kojak? Botht he show and the character? Ving's bald and sucks on the lollipop. What else do they need to do to make it more than just lifting three things?

There's the whole "Who loves you, baby?" charisma thing.

You know, I never thought of Savalas!Kojak as charismatic. But I was wee then, and prone to crushing on motorcycle cops and guys who drove cars that talked. Okay, just warming up for the talking car.

So far Ving is charismatic, if we can characterise charisma as having a large component of "I could be killing you, but I'm not -- aren't I nice?"

Savalas!Kojak as charismatic

Watching it as a teenager? Loads of charisma. It's the bald head, it's hypnotizing. I won't even tell you of the fantasies involved with bald heads.

Find out what it takes to pulverize the earth.

[link]

Too bad, there aren't any cool visuals.