VOL. 118 - NO. 46 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, NOVEMBER 14, 2014 $.35 A COPY CHARLESTOWN ANNUAL VETERANS’ DINNER by Sal Giarratani Once again, all Charlestown veterans and those presently on active duty, family and friends packed the Knights of Columbus on Medford Street last Friday, November 7 at the 2nd Annual Veterans’’ Dinner sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Post 11, GAR. This year’s gathering more than doubled in size over previous gatherings at Post 11 GAR on Green Street. Post Commander Joe Zuffante, hoped next year’s gathering and those to follow will keep growing in participation. As a member of Post 11, I very much appreciated the tribute this year to all those Townies who served during the Vietnam War, especially honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. This annual pre-Veterans Day appreciation dinner is held to honor all who served in the Armed Forces. It was 96 years ago on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, that World War I came to an end and hun- dreds of thousands of American soldiers began the long voyage home. This year, in the months to come many of our troops will be coming home and sadly many others will be going off to harm’s way leaving their loving fami- lies behind to defend American principles. As a Vietnam era U.S. Air Force veteran, I remain especially cognitive of the lack of appreciation and honor due to them when they returned from the war which had grown quite unpopular at home in the U.S. This feeling of being unrecognized was aptly portrayed in the poem “Coming Home” by Bill Ehrhart who served as a Marine sergeant in Vietnam back in 1967-68. In this poem he wrote a very sad and descript scene of his invis- ible arrival in San Francisco at the end of his tour of duty in 1968: “COMING HOME” “No more corpsmen stuff, L-R: City Councilor Sal LaMattina, Boston Veterans Commissioner Ruptured chests with cotton balls and Francisco Urena, Post 11 Commander Joe Zuffante and State Rep. Danny not enough heat tabs to eat a decent meal. Ryan. I asked some girl to sit and have a Coke with me. She thought I was crazy; I thought she was going to call a cop. Today, in America, coming home means something again. What happened I bought a ticket to Philadelphia, at the loading gate they told me, back then should never be repeated again. “Thank you for flying TWA. We hope you will enjoy your flight. That is why Charlestown honors service to country and gathers No brass bands; no flags, no girls, no cameramen. them for a meal together. We are, after all, all Americans together once Only a small boy who asked me what the ribbons on my jacket meant.” again. News Briefs BOSTON EVENT COUNCIL ESTABLISHED by Sal Giarratani AMIDST CONTEST FOR OLYMPICS Quote to Note Right now, the world is celebrating the de- struction of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet col- lapse 25 years ago and I believe a quote from President Ronald Reagan says it all, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” Sergeant Tahmooressi Finally Released Finally, after seven months in a Mexican jail, Sgt. Andrew Tamooressi was finally released a few weeks back and most of us didn’t even know it because the story was buried by the U.S. press. It was a disgrace that it took so long. We could have been much more forceful. I can’t help but think the timing was planned, released just a Members of the recently established Boston Event Council at first meeting held at few weeks before Veterans Day. Disgraceful, this Granite Links, Quincy. whole thing was disgraceful. The International Special Events Society Boston, Boston Venue and Hotel Expansion, President Sounded Angry (ISES) recently hosted a presidential meet- Cal 133 and Boston Fire Codes. Lisa Santoro, Looking at Election Results ing of the minds to establish an event coun- ISES New England President, explained, President Obama’s policies were on the ballot cil for Boston. This call to action was neces- “with the planned expansion of the Boston on Tuesday, November 4 and the Democrats sary with the city vying for a bid at the 2024 Convention and Exhibition Center in the took a beating at the polls. Republicans were Olympics. This meeting of event organiza- next few years, we must add more hotels the big winners of the day across the country. tion leaders included representation from and large venues to accommodate the larger Even here in Massachusetts, Charlie Baker the six major associations in Boston: ISES, conventions and tradeshows coming into our was one of several new governors defeating Boston Wedding Group (BWG), Meeting Plan- city. If the Olympics come to Boston, the city Democrat opponents. ners International (MPI), National Associa- must create and build temporary and per- tion of Catering Executives (NACE), Greater manent building structures. With our need (Continued on Page 13) Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau for more hotels and large event venues, the (GBCVB) and Hospitality Sales and Market- Boston Event Council will have the opportu- ing Association International (HSMAI). nity to have a voice in what structures stay As a group, it was decided that in order to and become places for events to take place THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS OPEN positively effect change in Boston, they will permanently.” meet frequently to discuss the economical A tentative meeting has been set for AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON standings in the city, representing the December, adding in representatives from This office is open on Tuesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM 2,000 + collective members of hospitality the Professional Convention Management and Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM providers. General topics that were dis- Association (PCMA) and the Massachusetts cussed included the Olympic 2024 Bid for Convention Center Authority (MCCA.) Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, NOVEMBER 14, 2014 Res Publica by David Trumbull North End and East Boston Delivered for Charlie Baker BIRTH OF THE GODS In the election for governor earlier this month, Republi- One essential difference nurse, along with a promise can Charlie Baker won, narrowly, statewide and in the City between Greek and Roman that she would always find in of Boston outperformed most Republican candidates of mythology is the extent to it whatever she wished. This recent years, getting 30% of the vote in a Democratic strong- which their family trees is now called the “cornuco- hold. were developed. Greek my- pia” or the horn of plenty. Baker won three Boston neighborhoods, including the thology lists at least eight Later, after the nurse died, North End and nearly won in a few others, including the Primeval Beings as the fore- Zeus placed both the horn historically Italian-American neighborhood of Orient runners of the Titans, and and the goat among the Heights in East Boston. at least twenty-one Titans stars. Here’s a breakdown of the neighborhoods in which Baker who were the forerunners of Zeus eventually succeeded did better than his 30% city-wide average. the gods. Generally, Roman in getting Cronus to drink a Boston-Neighborhood Baker % mythology identifies only potion which contained a one Primeval Being and powerful emetic. This caused Dorchester, Pope’s Hill 55% six Titans. The balance of the great stone to become South Boston 54% the mythological families disgorged and it was followed North End 52% appear to be about even in by the five brothers and sis- West Roxbury 49% both cultures, with close ters of Zeus, who had previ- Beacon Hill/Downtown 48% likenesses in many of the ously been swallowed. These East Boston, Orient Heights 48% gods and demigods. other deities are known today Charlestown 48% During past issues we as Hestia, Demeter, Hera, have discussed the legends Hades, and Poseidon. Zeus Back Bay 48% surrounding the develop- was known to the Roman as Dorchester, Cedar Grove 47% ment of the Primeval Be- Jupiter, and those brothers Beacon Hill 47% ings. We also discussed the and sisters were known as Dorchester, Clam Point 45% Titans; who in some in- Vesta, goddess of the hearth; Dorchester, Neponset 42% stances were the fathers of Ceres, goddess of agricul- West End 41% the Gods. This week we are ture; Juno, wife of Jupiter; ready to discuss the mytho- Painting by Peter Paul Dis, God of the underworld Roslindale/West Roxbury 41% logical Gods themselves. Rubens (1636-1638) of and Neptune, God of the sea. Brighton, Chestnut Hill 41% They are divided into two dis- Cronus devouring one of In time all of these Primary Readville 41% tinct groups; (a) Primary his children, Poseidon. gods banded together in sup- Chinatown 40% Gods, and (b) Secondary Gods. Prado Museum, Madrid, port of Zeus, to wage war Brighton, Comm. Ave. 39% The six Primary Gods are Spain against the Titans. After the Dorchester, Ashmont, Adams 39% the offspring from the union Titans were defeated, the South Boston, Ft. Pt. Channel, Waterfront 38% of the Titans Cronus and wrapped in swaddling clothes world was divided into three Rhea, while the Secondary and presented to Cronus in parts; Hades took the lower East Boston, Central Square 36% Gods are the offspring from place of the sixth child. This world; Poseidon (Neptune) Dorchester, Savin Hill 36% the union of Zeus (Jupiter) bundle was quickly swallowed took the sea, and Zeus (Ju- Brighton, Oak Sq. 35% with other Goddesses. by Cronus, thinking that piter) took the heavens. The Brighton, St.