Kenmore Square

Interesting nightime shot of the Citgo sign from Kenmore Square.

World Leader, whose city councilor is Jerry McDermott, says enough about Hugo Chavez already: Take down the Citgo sign because it's embarrassing that a major Boston landmark is an ad:

... As the video says, London has its Big Ben, Paris has its Eiffel Tower, and Boston has its...Citgo sign?

Boston? The "Athens of America"? The "Hub of the Universe"? And its famous landmark is a neon Citgo sign? ... The Citgo sign is stupid. It's an embarrassment. It's pathetic. I've wondered why it's been there for years except that it represents the low stature of Boston and its inability to attract or build some sort of interesting landmark. ...

Harry Mattison, who actually gets to vote for Jerry McDermott (or not), says we should all rush out and buy genuine Citgo caps and golf balls to remind us of our First Amendment rights.

Oh, yeah, that pesky First Amendment. Dan Kennedy wishes to have a word with McDermott:

... Both ('RKO blabmeister) Miller and McDermott are advocating government censorship, in direct violation of the First Amendment. Miller, as a talk-show host, is exercising his right of free speech. McDermott, as a representative of the government, is not -- he wants to use his power to silence someone whose speech he disagrees with. ...

Hub Politics, of course, says the symbolism of showing Chavez he can't diss us is more important than the tradition of the sign:

... Traditions and symbols will come and go. There is no more Boston Garden and no more Curse of the Bambino. Fenway Park looks more like an ad book than a ballpark and you can sit on the Green Monster. T tokens are soon to be a thing of the past, and Filene's is now Macy's. FAO Schwarz is gone and the Teddy Bear has a new home. There has been a few other running traditions in this state, like electing Republican governors, a nearly 90% liberal legislature, toll booths on the Pike, and a 5.3% income tax, but there are plenty of people willing to see those traditions come to pass.

Traditions and symbols will come and go. It's time to say goodbye to CITGO. ...

The Herald comes up with the best headline of the day: Mayor: We’d hate to C-IT-GO.

John Daley says McDermott should stop wasting his time with meaningless protests:

... If we really wanted to do something about being smacked around by punks like Chavez, we'd be doing more to promote energy independence.

Beth lets Jerry McDermott, Allston/Brighton's district city councilor, have it with both barrels over his demand the city tear down the Citgo sign:

... I may not be a Bush fan, but anyone with half a brain knows that Hugo Chavez is a total moron, and a moron who has little to no actual clout on the geopolitical world as a whole. The fact that a Boston City Councilor would embarrass himself giving Chavez's remarks enough weight to consider changing a fundamental aspect of the landscape of the city he is charged to serve makes me wonder if we can add some new diagnosis of "Conservative Psychosis" to the DSM-IV. ...

Dan Kennedy fact-checks Scott Allen Miller:

... Scott Allen Miller is raising a ruckus because "taxpayers" several years ago refurbished the landmark Citgo sign in Kenmore Square. Citgo, you see, is owned by the Venezuelan government, and Venezuela's president, Hugo Chávez, went off on President Bush yesterday.
< br />Trouble is, Miller was wrong -- in fact, Citgo refurbished the sign at its own expense, replacing the tubes with LEDs. ...

Over in the Wicked Good Conference, Crayonmoonbeam wonders who put up that billboard in Kenmore Square. The Web site doesn't say (and the domain registrant is "private"). Ron Newman speculates:

Since the last organization (of many) listed on their website is the American Hunters & Shooters Association, and their president is John Rosenthal, who owns property in Kenmore Square .... I'm going to guess it's him. But I could be very wrong.

Little Brother watching Tom Menino.

Update: Campaign to save the billboard.

Taken from the Museum of Science.

Mike may pine for the Kenmore Square of yore, but Mats says there are some good reasons to yuppify it:

... It's not that I'm rah-rah about the New Kenmore Square, but I think us Kenmorians have to take one for the team here: Making Kenmore Square ridiculously attractive to parents of prospective BU students is just about the best-use one can imagine for K-Square, from a city perspective. You miss the grittiness of the Rat? Take the T to Allsgone/Crimeghton. ...

Mike is getting sick of adulatory puff pieces about the new Kenmore Square:

... OK, show of hands - does anyone who actually lives in this neighborhood think Kenmore Square has improved? Did anyone without a vested interest in the new development really believe this was a "down-on-its-heels" neighborhood?

Personally, I miss the Deli Haus. The Rat. The old Cornwall's. And never mind the IHOP, I miss Charlie’s Cafeteria ...