Don't get me wrong, I love disasters

[sovay]

Happy ninety-fifth anniversary, Boston Molasses Flood. You remain one of the weirdest disasters I know to have overtaken a city and in combination with the London Beer Flood would have been one of the worst milkshake ideas I've ever heard. I hope for some equally weird commemoration in five years.

In the meantime—

The glaciers of northern Italy give back their dead of World War I.

The Porpentine Players get a shout-out from DigBoston. (That's derspatchel with the crutches. He doesn't look bad in a watch cap. The flat cap is snazzier.)

Oh, whatever. This song is hilarious.

I have a doctor's appointment for my back tomorrow.

Comments

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

Man, The Dead Milkmen are *good*. That's one of the best band names ever. (I'd never even heard of the London Beer Flood! Sinclair should write about it; he used to work in a brewery.)

The Peio story is both sobering and awe-inspiring. I hope Maria's letter finds its way to her descendants. The louse ode made me smile.

Good to see Spatch and company getting reviewed! I'm sorry you have to wait for the appointment.

[ron_newman]

I also had never heard of the London Beer Flood until I read your post. On Wikipedia, I see there are cross-reference links between it and the Boston Molasses Flood.

[sovay]

On Wikipedia, I see there are cross-reference links between it and the Boston Molasses Flood.

See! Two great tastes that . . . er . . .

[ethelmay.livejournal.com]

This, which has both beer and molasses in it, sounds awesome: http://www.italian-dessert-recipes.com/spice_cake_recipe.html

[sovay]

That's one of the best band names ever.

I think I was introduced to them when derspatchel played me "Punk Rock Girl," but I found "The Great Boston Molasses Flood" (non-demo!) this afternoon just by wondering what songs there were about the disaster; it seemed impossible that no one ever had ever written any. The folk tradition was mysteriously silent, but fortunately Philadelphia post-punk supplied.

(I'd never even heard of the London Beer Flood! Sinclair should write about it; he used to work in a brewery.)

He should! It's exactly his thing.

(I don't remember how I first heard of it, honestly—Tanith Lee climaxes The Book of the Mad (1993) with a supernatural flood of gin and I think I may have run across mention of the Beer Flood while trying to check whether anything like that ever really happened, to which the answer is "sort of, yes." But without the penguins and the madhouse.)

I'm sorry you have to wait for the appointment.

It's all right! Tomorrow is significantly better than even next week.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

"Punk Rock Girl" is one of my favorites.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

If you enjoyed the Italian glaciers, you may like the Russian forests.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

Yes, that was fascinating.

[sovay]

If you enjoyed the Italian glaciers, you may like the Russian forests.

I had not heard of this project, or even its dead. Thank you!

[snowy-owlet.livejournal.com]

'You're the ones who made this soldier nameless, what are you proud of? Have you no conscience? This soldier had a family, he had children, he had a surname, a name and patronymic, he had a life, he had a love of his own. What are you proud of?"

YES

[lillibet.livejournal.com]

I totally encourage seeing the doctor (and PT and chiropractor) for your back. The following is not meant as an "or" offer: If you ever want to try inversion for your back, I have an inversion table and would be happy to let you come by and use it whenever you like.

It has made a big difference with regard to my sciatica and kept my upper back from going into serious spasm for over a year now. I bought it after hearing from several other people who swear by inversion and reading a lot of positive reviews online. From what I can tell, it has not been evaluated by medical research and when I asked my GP, my physiatrist and my PT about it, they each said "I don't know anything about those, the theory makes sense and I'm not telling you not to do that, but I can't officially recommend it". So--totally up to you, but if hanging upside down (well, slightly upside down, really) and letting gravity provide traction for your spine sounds good to you, just let me know.

[sovay]

If you ever want to try inversion for your back, I have an inversion table and would be happy to let you come by and use it whenever you like.

Thank you. I do not know whether it would be helpful to me or not, because I don't know what is causing the problem with my back right now, but I very much appreciate the offer.

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

... in combination with the London Beer Flood would have been one of the worst milkshake ideas I've ever heard.

I wonder if anyone has made a milkshake combining the two? I have to admit I might try a molasses-porter milkshake, although I'd rather eat molasses-porter cake or maybe drink a porter with molasses in.

I hope for some equally weird commemoration in five years.

May your hopes be fulfilled. (And I'll probably feel stupid for not realising what you were talking about in a few minutes, but what weird commemoration was there this year?)

The glaciers of northern Italy give back their dead of World War I.

This is sad and striking. Thank you for sharing it.

The Porpentine Players get a shout-out from DigBoston.

Congratulations to them!

I hope all goes well with your appointment tomorrow.

[sovay]

I wonder if anyone has made a milkshake combining the two? I have to admit I might try a molasses-porter milkshake, although I'd rather eat molasses-porter cake or maybe drink a porter with molasses in.

My great-grandfather the pharmacist famously tried to make a beer milkshake. According to family legend, it was not a good idea.

(And I'll probably feel stupid for not realising what you were talking about in a few minutes, but what weird commemoration was there this year?)

There wasn't that I know about. Just given the weirdness of the original disaster, I'd like the centenary to be as odd.

I hope all goes well with your appointment tomorrow.

Thank you. I got information, which was useful.

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Snow is truly a sign of mourning

A sad, astonishing story.

Can't wait to see the Common Man.

Hope the doctor has remedies.

Nine

[sovay]

A sad, astonishing story.

I was struck by "Many of their relations had fought on the Hapsburg side, and when the soldiers started melting out of the ice, they looked on them as their grand-fathers or great-grandfathers." Even nameless, even mysterious. Someone feels like family toward them. That feels valuable, somehow.

Can't wait to see the Common Man.

You'll like him. He's very fine.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Happy ninety-fifth anniversary, Boston Molasses Flood. You remain one of the weirdest disasters I know to have overtaken a city and in combination with the London Beer Flood would have been one of the worst milkshake ideas I've ever heard.

--Heh, beer-and-molasses disaster milkshakes on the house!

[sovay]

--Heh, beer-and-molasses disaster milkshakes on the house!

JUST WHAT NOBODY ORDERED.

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

>>The glaciers of northern Italy give back their dead of World War I.<<

Dang.

Of course I can't decide if I think this is more interesting, or would rather have seen them turn Iceman, hidden away to be revealed in another 5,000 years.

[sovay]

Of course I can't decide if I think this is more interesting, or would rather have seen them turn Iceman, hidden away to be revealed in another 5,000 years.

See above to nineweaving; I like that they mean something to the people who have seen the ice yield up its dead.