VOL. 115 - NO. 50 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, DECEMBER 16, 2011 $.30 A COPY First Night Boston 2012 NORTH END ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION 41ST ANNUAL NORTH END CHRISTMAS PARADE Here Comes Santa Claus! by Sal Giarratani FedEx Family Festival. (Photo by Paul Marotta) This year, First Night Boston celebrates the 36th edition of the country’s oldest and largest New Year’s Eve arts festival by announcing a line-up of world class events that offer some- thing for everyone. On Saturday, December 31, 2011 from noon to midnight, First Night presents its annual day-long festival of art, music, dance, ice sculpture and more. First Night will showcase 1,000 artists in 200 exhibitions and per- formances in locations all over downtown Boston, from the Waterfront to the Fenway. First Night welcomes children, families and revelers of all ages to celebrate community While driving up from the rival of Santa by helicopter jolly ole Santa. This year First Night organizers strongly suggest through the arts. south on Route 95, I heard at Puopolo Park. marked St. Agrippina’s 17lh visiting the interactive planner at www.firstnight.org to Bruce Springsteen singing The Christmas parade was Annual Christmas Program plan attendance . The schedule is subject to change and “Santa Claus is Coming to sponsored by the North End for the kids. updates can be found on the website. Town.” This Christmas clas- Athletic Association in asso- I’m sure many other chil- All First Night outdoor events are free, though supported sic was playing on the radio as ciation with The Nazzaro dren were thinking the by sales of the First Night button, which is the ticket for I was headed to town to see Center, North End Against same thing. Santa is a very (Continued on Page 11) Santa for myself. Sunday, Drugs and the Mayor’s Office busy guy this time of year. December 11 was an outstand- of Arts, Tourism and Special Often he must be in so many ing day. The sun was shining Events. places so fast; it looks like and if you stood in the sun, it After the parade, we all he’s in two places at the even felt a tad warm too. headed up to the St. Agrip- same time. News Briefs This year marked the 41st pina Society on Hanover It isn’t easy jumping off a he- by Sal Giarratani Annual North End Christ- Street to see Santa again licopter for the parade and then mas Day Parade through and have a photo taken with rushing up to St. Agrippina’s There is No 99 Percent the streets of the North End. too. Somehow he does the Children and their families impossible, just like magic. If you listen to those occupodos down at anxiously awaited the ar- A final note on the Santa Deweyville, the battle is between the 1 percent parade and visit to St. money-ed class and the rest of us. However, in Agrippina’s: Santa Claus reality, when 48 percent of the country’s citizens couldn’t do any of these great are on EBT cards, food stamps and free health care, things for the kids without the 99 percent is actually only 52 percent. Many the help of so many dedicated conservatives are afraid the country is moving community folks and organi- toward socialism but in reality, socialism is already zations. Their tireless ac- here. By the way, what happens when the 48 per- tions year after year con- cent of free loaders reach 52 percent or 60 percent? tinue to make the North End A truly democratic republic is in trouble when more the best community anyway. people are riding in the wagon than pulling it. Here the children always President Obama is not helping matters when come first. he keeps pushing the unfairness of those on the top over those on the bottom. He keeps the class warfare alive because it feeds his appeal to the masses that think government is there solely to give them free stuff. Lately, Obama compared him- self to President Teddy Roosevelt when he seems more like President Hugo Chavez. We seem to have lost our American pride and we need to get it back. They All Should be Ashamed of Themselves Every time the City of Lawrence makes the news, it is seldom ever good news. First, it was The Shriners joined the (Continued on Page 15) Children and their families anxiously wait for Santa to parade. arrive. (Photo by Rosario Scabin, Ross Photography) THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS NOW OPEN AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON This office is open on Tuesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PMPM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, DECEMBER 16, 2011 Res Publica by David Trumbull Occupy Pre-School I don’t know how I missed and mittens. The fact that this when the City of Boston some person or persons in AURELIUS THE EMPEROR issued it at the end of Octo- authority thought it neces- After he was adopted bune of the night watch, and Mother nature always has ber, but even now, after the sary to inform the occupiers into the imperial household, then expired. been able to find some way “Occupy Boston” group has that a Boston winter can be Marcus’ respect for his rela- Marcus Aurelius was now to disrupt any form of na- vacated Dewey Square, it is cold and damp reflects badly tives, friends and finances forced by the Senate to as- tional tranquility; the time still interesting, not to men- on the intelligence of the oc- remained unchanged. Had- sume the office of emperor. of Marcus and Verus was no tion, hilarious, to read what cupiers, or the city officials, rian died about six years One of his first acts was to exception. A flood of the the Boston Public Health or maybe both! later, leaving Antoninus name an adopted brother as Tiber River, probably the Commission, Inspectional Or how about this official Pius as heir to the throne. his colleague in the empire. most severe of their time, Services, Police and Fire De- City of Boston admonition to This is the time when He gave his colleague the ruined houses, drowned ani- partments really thought Occupy Boston: Marcus worked very closely name of Lucius Aurelius mals, and caused wide- about the “occupiers.” “Wash your hands often with with the new emperor, did Verus Commodus, but also spread famine. The joint I quote directly from “Pub- soap and water for 20 seconds, a tremendous amount of bestowed upon him the titles emperors helped to alleviate lic Health & Safety Tips from after going to the bathroom, work for him, but still found of Caesar and Augustus, the pain and suffering by the City of Boston” published before eating, and after cough- time for his studies. Marcus however, history records their own personal financial October 26th and addressed to ing or sneezing.” soon married Faustina, the him as just plain Lucius aid. A volatile situation in “those at Dewey Square”: Now that’s good advice. It daughter of Antoninus Pius Verus. This was the first Parthia now erupted into a “Cold weather has arrived was when I was taught it in instead of Hadrian’s grand- time in history when two full scale war, hostilities and nighttime temperatures will kindergarten and I still stand daughter. In spite of Faus- adopted brothers sat in joint threatened to break out in soon be below freezing ... Wear by it, as I stand by this advice tina’s extravagance and rule of the Roman Empire. Britain, and forces of the several layers of loose-fitting, from the City of Boston to the recklessness, he highly Having taken care of all Catti tribes invaded Ger- lightweight, warm clothing occupiers: praised her obedience, sim- preliminary matters with the many. Agricola, an excellent rather than one layer of heavy “Do not engage in negative plicity and affection. Senate, the two rulers set general, was sent to Britain, clothing. The outer garments behavior, such as fighting, Pius ruled for 23 years and out for the Praetorian Camp General Victorinus repelled should be tightly woven and throwing objects, or destroying when he saw that his end where they promised 20,000 the Catti, but the Parthian water repellent. If clothing be- property.” was drawing near he called sesterces apiece (about war became the personal comes wet, change into dry Shall we add, “biting,” “run- his chief magistrates and $1,000) to the common sol- concern of brother Verus. clothing as soon as possible. ning with scissors,” “eating friends around him and diers and a proportionately Marcus kept watch over the Wear mittens over gloves, lay- paste,” and “stomping your formally named Marcus larger amount to the officers. administration of the empire ering works for your hands feet and yelling ‘Mine’ until Aurelius as his successor The joint rulers acted in while Verus was successful too. Wear a hat and cover your you get your way.” Actually, in the empire. He ordered such democratic fashion that in the prosecution of the mouth with a scarf to protect strike that one as that is the your lungs.” very essence of the occupy that the golden statue of even the lenient manner of war. At the end of hostilities Now I love to hear Button Up movement. Fortune, which he normally Pius was not missed. Marcus each emperor was voted the Your Overcoat (1928; music by It’s good to see that the City kept in his own chamber, pursued his philosophical in- name “Parthicus” and later Ray Henderson; words by B.G.