Gentle Reader -- You are welcome to peruse my web-based journal. I assure you that my contributions to this medium will be both infrequent and inconsequential. Read on!

URBAN RENEWAL

I am a homeowner, and as such I have a high-intensity obsession with the value of real estate on my neighborhood. I am pleased to report that as many as three buildings on my street are having major renovations done at the moment -- one is being gutted, one is being re-sided, and a third is mysterious but a commercial dumpster is on the lawn and permits are visible in the windows.

This is good news. posted by Carlton at 7:35 PM

TUESDAY'S CHILD

I did nothing convention-related today. I had lunch with Molly on an outdoor patio near Copley Square however, and a military (?) helicopter was kind enough to come down and hover close to the level of the tops of the buildings, rendering it impossible to have a conversation for about ten minutes. And then the fire alarm went off in the building. It was a very stressful steak sandwich.

Also, in the grassy area in front of Trinity Church was an anti-war exhibit that I had read about -- hundreds of pairs of combat boots, spaced out at even intervals, each one tagged with the name of a U.S. soldier who has died in Iraq. A sign stated that there were 907 pairs. It was really quite moving, especially when I was walking among them. I don't have a picture, and can't publish one anyway, but it is worth seeing.

And finally, last night I was awakened about midnight by the sounds of explosions in the distance. For twenty minutes or so there was a long series of muffled booms, the occasional krupp, and rat-a-tat-tats. Half awake, I did think that something, well, bad was going on downtown. Turns out it was a fireworks display, audible from my house but not visible. I learned this from, of all places, craisglist. posted by Carlton at 7:25 PM

WHEN ANIMALS ATTACK

Oh, not animals . . . I mean terrorists. What I mean to say is that I don't think that Al-Quaida will attack Boston or New York during either of the conventions. I think this because in the past they have always struck at targets that were undefended, or very lightly defended: the Cole, the African embassies, the original WTC attack. The September 11 attacks fit this pattern if you think of them as being attacks against which we could not defend (or against which we have no adequate defense). As many have observed, that kind of attack is not likely to work again.

Right now, security in Boston is very tight, and I can only assume that it will be even tighter in New York. There are enough "soft" targets in this country that Al-Quaida can forget about the "hard" ones. I'd guess that Boston would be in more danger NEXT week, after the convention (during the inevitable security "hangover" that follows) than this week. Unless, of course, they have figured out another mode of attack that we can't anticipate or defend against. I did buy a couple of gallons of water and canned goods and put them in a box in my closet, just to be "safe" (hahahaha).

I went to hear Richard Clarke, of Against All Enemies fame a few weeks ago, and someone asked him why he thought that there had been no subsequent attacks in the U.S. since 9/11. His respose (I recall) was that either 1) there had been attempts that we had caught in time, 2) that AQ had been reduced in strength and were unable to mount attacks here (which he didn't think was true), or 3) that they did not wish to mount an attack smaller in scope than the 9/11 attacks, since it would make them seem weak by comparison.

You decide. Or maybe they will decide. posted by Carlton at 2:29 PM

BACK FROM THE DEAD

Now that I have succeeded in driving away all of my readers (all three!) by taking a month and a half off from posting here, I thought I'd get back on the horse. My posting may yet be irregular, since my computer at home has been rendered totally inoperative by a virus and I am forced to make do with the computers of others. (Blanche: "I have always depended on the Internet access of strangers.")

So, the big thing in town this week is the Democratic National Convention. I signed up as a volunteer for the convention and took this week off from work in order to participate. I was not, however, given a task as a volunteer. So, I find myself in an ontological gray area: I am a "volunteer" in that I did offer myself and my time, but I am not a "volunteer" in that I am not actually doing anything. We also serve who only stand and wait.

In actuality, I am not going to be doing any standing and waiting. There being a great many events here this week and me having the week off, I have determined that I will see how many parties, luncheons, etc. that I can possibly get into. (Not to say "crash." I am not a crasher.) Last night, for example, I was able to attend (with Molly and a couple of confederates) a party given by the Congressional Black Caucus in Charlestown, which could only be reached by a private ferry. It was fun if uneventful, although Molly managed to get hit on while I was standing RIGHT THERE (she decided not to leave me at that time, but it was a near thing -- such are the perils of having a girlfriend who is much classier than I am). I didn't meet or see anyone worth mentioning. Barack Obama was listed as an "honored guest" on the invitation, but we were greeted at dockside with the news: "Barack is not here, he will not be here, he was never going to be here." Well, OK.

Aside from that particular event, I can see lots of changes in the city. Helicopters pass by overhead constantly -- whether media, traffic or military is hard to tell. At the State Street T stop we were met by uniformed Military Police, who did nothing untoward but stand there and look menacing. I'm told that traffic is shut down by both police and all variety of protesters -- yesterday I saw part of a parade of yellow-shirted Falun Gong aderents marching in Copley Square.

If I manage to see or meet or get involved in anything interesting, I will certainly write about it here. Ther most important thing, of course, is getting my boy Kerry elected. posted by Carlton at 1:54 PM