More Back Talk: Lowell Rages On!

Back in April, ROTI ran down the best entries from the Lowell (MA) Sun‘s Back Talk section, in which disgruntled olds air their grievances with the city, the media, and the nation.

Back Talk is created from messages recorded on an anonymous call-in line or submitted anonymously through the Internet. Anecdotally, the contributors are generally cranky senior citizens from Lowell and nearby towns who have had it UP TO HERE with you kids and your damned shenanigans.

We’ve continued to monitor this clearinghouse of elder rage, selecting the best entries for your enjoyment. This time around, infuriating subjects include President Obama, welfare recipients, boom boxes, dog poop, President Obama, multiculturalism, light prison sentences, and President Obama.

KIDS STUFF: What’s up with all these grownups on bicycles? It’s dangerous! At least bring back the bells.

GREEN WAY: Save the plywood! Save the trees! Go with the Crestgate system; what’s the matter with these tree- huggers; don’t they know plywood is made out of trees?

TURNOFF: Why does Comcast charge me for 22 Spanish channels? I am not Spanish! And what about all the shows that sell stuff? I buy stuff from stores. Why am I paying for this?

LIFE IS GOOD: Welfare was the worst thing you people ever did. These people ride around in Lexuses, eat much better than I do, buy lottery tickets and have babies.

DUBIOUS DISTINCTION: There’s a new breed out there: proud single father. What’s next?

SINKING FEELING: I was watching the movie Titanic and I don’t believe some of the things that went on. If this was true, how could anyone be so cruel? I hope the survivors took them to court or did something.

HOLLYWOOD HYPE: I just finished watching War Horse. This movie did not deserve an Academy Award. Editor’s note: War Horse won no Academy Awards.

Didn’t deserve the Academy Award that it didn’t win.


ROLE REVERSAL: It’s a sad thing about what happened to Trayvon Martin in Florida, but I don’t think everyone would react this way if he were white.

TOO MUCH FOREIGN AID: $1.5 billion dollars to Egypt in foreign aid, and they’ve never joined us in any wars to help defend us? This needs to stop. Shame on our president.

SITTING TARGET: Is it my imagination, or does it seem like there are more vehicles hitting houses lately than ever before?

SWITCH ON THE JUICE: When are we going to become civilized and put these cold-blooded killers down? Stop supporting them for the rest of their lives!

VIEWER CRITIQUE: Looking back, television was clean and good. Today, it’s so filthy and serious. They should be ashamed.

LOUD AND CLEAR: To the “top three” leaders of Lowell: Stop these boom boxes!

DEAL-BREAKER: Plea deals should be abolished. It’s ridiculous how abused they are!

DRIVING TO DISTRACTION: These people should not be allowed to have cars; many of them can’t drive!

ALL THE FASHION: Bluejeans used to be worn by the poor, the hard working, and lower class; now, they’re worn by all the followers.

Follower!!!

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Back Talk: The Unchained Id of Lowell, Mass.

The (Lowell, MA) Sun is a venerable daily broadsheet serving the city of Lowell, northwest of Boston; its presses started running in 1878. Jack Kerouac once wrote for the paper as a sportswriter. But today, the most entertaining commentary published in its pages is in a regular feature called “Back Talk.”

Back Talk is created from messages recorded on an anonymous call-in line or submitted anonymously through the Internet. Anecdotally, the contributors are generally cranky senior citizens from Lowell and nearby towns who have had it UP TO HERE with the shenanigans they see going on around the city.

ROTI has been monitoring “Back Talk” for some time now, collecting the entries that best encapsulate the amusing material found therein. Enjoy this treasury of complaints about welfare recipients, the Red Sox, President Obama, local elected officials, inconsiderate neighbors, and other topics that enrage elderly citizens of Lowell.

NOT A DUMPSTER: I have a mattress and a TV in front of my house on Canada Street. Someone else decided to put out a bunch of shelves, too. How dare you. I’ll get your plate next time.

FOWL MOOD: Why do these large chain markets that do rotisserie chickens make them look sick? They’re always grayish.

RETIRING PITCHER: Tim Wakefield was so popular with the Sox, they named a city after him: Timbuktu.

PRIVACY POINT: Remind people to cover their bathroom windows because there are several families on Gilmore Street witnessing your use of your bathroom. We’d like it to stop.

SEEING IT ALL: The presidential candidates want to show they look like the rest of us. They showed us the blue jeans, now show us the tattoo and flip-flops.

NOT CUTTING IT: I was just wondering — could the Gillette Co. send a bunch of razor blades down to the Red Sox in Fort Myers?

Ugh, shave that DISGRACE on your face!


LOW-BALLING VARITEK: The Red Sox can do a little more with Jason Varitek; couldn’t they have offered him something else? It’s insulting, especially to be a person like him.

PALIN BY COMPARISION: Last time gas prices got this high, Sarah Palin said we should drill. Yet, this past week, Obama says we should check the air pressure in our tires. Something tells me Palin is looking smarter on this one.

CONFUSION IN CHIEF: Every day there is more bad news with this president. He’s either enforcing contraception, apologizing, not allowing the pipeline to go through, allowing abortions. I wake up and wonder what he will do today. Let’s elect Romney and get this over with.

WELFARE ISN’T FAIR: I am so tired of paying high taxes on everything. People on welfare are the ones that make out good, they don’t have to worry about anything.

CRIME WITHOUT TIME: Why is there always a double standard for women? If I was a woman, I’d steal all sorts of things. You’ll never go to prison.

SHARP DEPARTURE: What happened to the youth today? Back in the day if there was an argument, you’d settle it using your fists. Now every­one uses a knife!

TV DRAMA: Why is Comcast taking off SoapNet and replacing it with another Disney channel? Can’t you leave us something to watch at night?

GUTTER POLITICS: It’s a sad day in Chelmsford politics when people who put out a sign to support their candi­date get their house toilet­papered. It has now stooped to a new low.

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The Signs of Sav-Mor Spirits

Boston-area liquor chain Sav-Mor Spirits (also known as Sav-Mor Liquors) has four locations in Somerville, Cambridge and Medford.

According to their Facebook page,

Sav-Mor Spirits, a responsible provider of alcoholic beverages, has been family owned and operated for more than 40 years. We offer over 600 types of craft beer, wines from nearly every country, and a tremendous selection of spirits, all at the best prices. If there is one thing that distinguishes Sav-Mor, it’s our commitment to customer service, providing an atmosphere that makes it easy to purchase — and to return time and time again. We’re rightfully proud of the long-term relationships we’ve formed with customers and the communities we serve.

Fair enough, but if there’s another thing that distinguishes Sav-Mor, it’s their amazing sign postings. The giant sign that stands beside McGrath Highway is especially known for its funny messages, but other stores have been known to strike comedically from time to time.

I shop at their stores all the time — in addition to good prices and selection, they do cool things like posting stickers that describe each type of beer and its qualities — and I’ve been thinking for a while that the Sav-Mor Signs needed to be chronicled…

Thanks to the company’s social media presence, that dream is a reality! A number of classic signs have been immortalized on Zuckerberg’s servers.

Therefore I’m pleased to present to you this slide show: The Signs of Sav-Mor.

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