New York, U.S.A - Thirty years after its eponymous debut album, ASIA ascended to the top of the Billboard Top 100 chart (where it remained No.1 for nine consecutive weeks), the legendary British classic rock band (with all original members Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer & John Wetton) returns with a brand new studio album, a 30th Anniversary edition of their debut album, 2 DVDs, and a world tour.

ASIA will release their new studio album “XXX” (pronounced Triple X) on Frontiers Records on July 3, 2012.  The new record, produced by Mike Paxman, is being hailed as ASIA’s best album since its classic early 80s releases, and features original artwork by Roger Dean.

The first single taken from the highly anticipated new album is entitled “Face on The Bridge”, released worldwide on May 14, 2012. The video clip can be seen on YouTube.

“We’re very pleased with, and confident about XXX,” says John Wetton. “It encapsulates, lyrically and instrumentally, the essence of ASIA today.  However, it is the very same four people that gave you the original, iconic album 30 years ago.  If you loved it then, you will love it now.”

“We wanted to recapture the energy of the first album,” adds ASIA’s guitarist, Steve Howe. “ASIA has always been about great songs, and fantastic musicianship. I’m sure fans of the first album, will fall in love with XXX.” In addition ASIA has also completed “Resonance”, a DVD concert film of the group’s 2010/2011 Omega World Tour, captured live in Switzerland which will be released later in the fall.

To celebrate their 30th Anniversary, ASIA will release a collector’s edition box set based on their legendary 1982 eponymous debut album, including 2 audio CDs (a re-mastered edition of the debut album, plus a CD of live rare tracks), an expansive historical booklet, a limited edition ASIA T-shirt, items from ASIA’s 1982 tour, plus a DVD of the new band documentary: ASIA - 30 Years On.  A newly commissioned painting by Roger Dean updates the symbolic dragon and pearl from 1982 to 2012.

2012 North American tour dates so far:

Oct 17 - Red Bank, NJ, Count Basie
Oct 18 - Boston, MA, Wilbur Theater
Oct 19 - Westbury, NY, Westbury Theater
Oct 20 - Philadelphia, PA, Keswick
Oct 21 - Wilmington, DE, Opera House
Oct 23 - Verona, NY, Turning Stone Casino
Oct 25 - Ridgefield, CT, Ridgefield Playhouse
Oct 26 - Uncasville, CT, Mohegan Sun
Oct 27 – NY, NY, Best Buy Theater
Oct 28 - York, PA, Strand Capital
Oct 30 - Annapolis, MD, Rams Head On Stage
Nov 01 - Royal Oak, MI, Royal Oak
Nov 02 - St. Charles, IL, Arcada Theatre
Nov 03 - Sloan, IA, Winnavegas Casino Showroom
Nov 08 - Santa Ynez, CA, Chumash Casino
Nov 09 - Agoura Hills, CA, Canyon Club
Nov 10 - Las Vegas, NV, Green Valley Casino
Nov 11 - San Juan Capistrano, CA, Coach House
Nov 13 - Scottsdale, AZ, Talking Stick Casino
Nov 16 - Dallas, TX, Granada Theater
Nov 17 - Austin, TX, One World Theatre (2 shows)
Nov 20 - Clearwater, FL , Capitol Theatre
Nov 21 - Orlando, FL, Fl Plaza Theatre
Nov 23 - Manistee, MI, Little River Casino Resort

Image Courtesy of   Original Asia

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New York, U.S.A - Viacom unveiled the results of its new “Social TV: Viewers C’s The Moment” study exploring the social TV phenomenon through the lens of the viewer. While fairly nascent, social TV and co-viewing trends are growing rapidly, representing a shift in TV viewing from a lean-back to a lean-forward experience.

Viewers engage in an average of seven different types of social TV activities – online or offline – on at least a weekly basis. The most common activities include watching TV with others (85%), searching for supplemental content (61%) and viewing TV show clips on social networks (58%). The new research reveals that consumers engaging in social TV activities “C’s the moment” primarily by communicating, consuming content and checking comments.

The two-phase study involved 24 ethnographies in Boston and San Diego with VMN viewers aged 13-52 that engage in social TV activities on at least a weekly basis. National online surveys were conducted with over 1,500 VMN viewers aged 13-54. When asked what social TV means to them, the most commonly reported words were “interactive,” “friends” and “Facebook “or “Twitter.” The leading source of discovery of social TV services is through search (38%), followed by social networks (26%) and ads run on shows (22%).

“One of the main goals of this research was to understand how to inspire social TV activity among our audiences,” said Colleen Fahey Rush, Executive Vice President and Chief Research Officer, Viacom Media Networks.  “At VMN, we’re focused on leveraging our fans’ attachment to their favorite shows by developing compelling social TV services and apps that deepen those connections and unlock the value of social chatter.”

Communication

Communicating is a top priority for social TV users. Many respondents described cobbling together unique communication systems to interact with different social circles while watching a show. “When I’m watching Jersey Shore, I have Facebook chats with 10 friends and I’m texting a dozen people, and I can be on the phone to my best friend,” said one participant.

There is no one-size-fits-all in terms of chat options. Of those interested in chat features, 56% prefer communicating through the social TV app/service, 53% through Facebook, 50% through individual or group texts and 38% through Skype or Apple FaceTime.  For those that use check-in services, 71% check in to a show to let their friends know and 64% check in to let other fans of the show know. Check-in services are a unique way of communicating viewing activities while simultaneously encouraging others to tune-in and join a shared experience.

Smartphones dominate the use of social TV apps at 82%, trailed by tablets at 18%. For services that are delivered via HTML websites and associated apps, 52% of usage occurs on smartphones or tablets, followed closely by desktop or laptops at 48%.

Content

Content is king for social TV users. Viewers want something special from their social TV services rather than commoditized content that can be found through online searches. The number one request for content is full-length episodes (88%), followed by sneak peeks of new episodes (75%), and behind-the-scenes extras (71%) and highlight clips (71%).

The majority of TV socializers is interested in rewards with real value, like free merchandise or signed cast photos. When putting aside the material aspect, virtual rewards offer an emotional pay-off, described as being similar to the feeling when ‘liked’ on Facebook. Trivia and casual games related to a show are of greater interest if they offer some kind of reward. Real fans want to have their knowledge and skills tested, and expect the game to be challenging.

Comments

Social TV users check comments about their favorite shows for a variety of reasons. Comments provide a different point of view, can pick up on something a viewer may have missed on their own and most importantly, create a direct connection between fan and show. “I love reading Daniel Tosh’s tweets while watching Tosh.0. It gives the show a whole other dimension,” said one survey respondent.

Not all sources of comments are equally valued. The number one source viewers want to hear from is a show’s cast and crew, followed by the people they know. Audiences are sensitive to the quality of comments from a show’s cast and crew – they look for authenticity and prefer the star(s) to be in character.

Social TV Users “C’s the Moment” During Live Viewing

“Viewers C’s the Moment” reveals that live TV show viewing unlocks the real value of social TV services and co-viewing activities. Features relating to communication, content and comments are twice as likely to be used during live than time-shifted viewing. Social TV enthusiasts reported feeling “left out” of the conversation if they missed a live airing.

One respondent said, “I’m most likely to engage with Social TV networking when it’s live. So when a new show comes on, I’m very likely to check-in just before the show, see comments from other people, [and] make my own comments during the show as well.”

Social TV activities also increase directly after a live show, when viewers can access exclusive content like sneak peeks without interrupting the live viewing experience. “I go to the website and watch the director’s cut…after it airs as I like the extra scenes. I like to feel that I am getting something extra and it extends the show,” said a participant.

Social TV can also help foster show discovery. Features like check-ins, viewer comments and shared video clips help viewers discover shows incentivize them to watch and encourage them to join the live conversations.

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Cruelty Free International has announced the support of singer-songwriter Joss Stone for its mission to end product testing on animals worldwide.

More than 80% of the world still allows animals to be used in cruel experiments for the sake of beauty. Despite progress with some countries and companies, animals, including rabbits, guinea pigs, mice and rats are routinely injected, gassed, force-fed and killed for cosmetics testing. In a global market it is important that all countries ban the practice to avoid testing simply moving around the world to those countries with no effective laws.

Joss is raising awareness across the world about the continued cruel use of animals to test everyday beauty products and toiletries. She said: “Thousands of animals continue to die each year for lipstick, toothpaste, fragrance and other products, so it’s crucial that we campaign for a global ban. Cruelty Free International has taken on this challenge and I am pleased to support them, and I urge you all to do the same.”

“I’m proud to support Cruelty Free International. At last someone has stepped up to the plate to take on the task of ending cosmetics tests on animals around the world.” Joss Stone commented on his new role.

Cruelty Free International, the new global non-profit organization, was established in March by the BUAV, one of the world’s longest standing and most respected animal protection organizations. Cruelty Free International will place the issue of animal testing on the agenda of many governments for the very first time as part of a global strategy to tackle product testing. With offices in London, Boston and Singapore, it will work with governments, regulators, companies and partner organizations worldwide.

“We are thrilled to have Joss Stone on board and are grateful for her support in helping us with our mission for a global ban on the use of animals to test cosmetics.” Cruelty Free International Chief Executive, Michelle Thew, stated.

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Imagine that you have to put all your trash of one month in one small Ziploc sandwich bag. Everything you use and buy for 30 days, that would normally be thrown away, has to either fit inside this bag or be recycled or composted. Michael Brown did just this, for the first of a series of 30 day experiments. And better yet, he documented it in his blog, The Young Urban Unprofessional.

“When I started this blog I had been living in downtown Boston working full time for about a year.  I was having a hard time coming to terms with the daily grind and general lack of diversity and excitement associated with being a young, urban professional (yuppie). I was losing my small-town roots in favor of the luxuries and daily grind inherent in young, urban professional life.”

Brown grew up in a small town in Maine and has now been living in an urban environment for approximately six years. He graduated from Tufts University in 2009 and in his first year after graduation, Brown’s days consisted of a routine: commuting, working and going out with friends on the weekends. This wasn’t enough for him; he wanted to have more meaning in his life. During this year he read various books, blogs, and websites that talked about the idea of lifestyle design.

He came up with the idea for ‘The Young Urban Unprofessional’ one Sunday afternoon, sitting in his apartment discussing urban sustainability with his girlfriend and roommates. He decided he was going to find out if it was possible to have a lifestyle without a landfill, and for 30 days he didn’t throw anything away and only consumed recyclable and biodegradable materials.

That lead him to a 30-day lifestyle experiment that he has been doing for the past eight months. He forced himself to study his life and change his habits.

“I decided that the focus of my lifestyle experiments would be centered on challenging yuppie lifestyle, looking for a more fulfilling and examined way to approach life,” Brown says.

The first experiment, “Life without a Landfill,” was by no means easy to pull off. To get rid of his food waste he had to build a compost. Because he lives in a city environment, he built a vermi-culture compost (which Brown describes as a “worm bin”). Unfortunately, the first 20 days of the experiment he didn’t have the compost built and was keeping 20 days worth of food leftovers in a large Tupperware container.

“It was incredibly hard to pull off because everything seems to involve the production of trash in one way or another.  The habits I learned during that month have crept into my daily life (composting, recycling, reduction of trash) and it really improved my outlook on urban sustainability.”

Some of his other life experiments have included daily conversations with people on the public transport, a month of being a vegetarian, a month of getting a minimum of eight hours of sleep a night and writing a dream journal. Additionally, Brown has experimented with doing daily random acts of kindness. He normally gets his ideas from talking with friends and family, but also encourages readers of his blog to submit ideas.

Brown says that each life experiment has affected his life and his daily habits change even after the experiment is over. After the “Life Without a Landfill” experiment, he now has a Kleen Kanteen thermos and almost never uses throw-away coffee cups. He has also continued composting all his food scraps.

After his ‘random acts of kindness’ experiment, he finds himself helping lost tourists with directions or people needing help getting their suitcases off the train more often than he did before his experiment.

“It really doesn’t take much time to help people out, you just have to keep your eyes open, be able to recognize situations when they’re happening, and then do something about it,” Brown says.

His current experiment is to be sober for one month. Brown says he feels fit, happy, and healthy. But just because he isn’t drinking this doesn’t mean he’s not going to parties with his friends. He says he’s gotten over the awkwardness of not drinking alcohol at bars and parties.

“I’m hoping the habits I’ve learned from this month will help me to moderate my alcohol intake and purchasing going forward.”

Brown already has several ideas to try in the future and says for now he doesn’t see an end to these experiments. He knew he was on to something when his friends started teasing him about it. He says it’s often that friends sarcastically ask, “Is this going to end up on your blog?” or “What are you going to tweet about this?”

Putting sarcasm aside, Brown feels lucky to have such a strong support team. He says that his girlfriend has been a great influence and support from the very beginning. His family, roommates, friends and Twitter followers have been helpful with ideas and content for his blog.

You can follow Michael Brown on Twitter @YoungandUrban and read his blog: Young, Urban and Unprofessional.

Image Courtesy of   http://theyoungurbanunprofessional.com/

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As the internationally celebrated holiday St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, the only question left to ask is; where will you be celebrating? All across the globe this March 17, bars will be packed, streets filled with enthusiastic celebrators and roads filled with entertaining parades.

New York City is known for its enormous and grand parade, Boston for its Paddy’s day atmosphere, Chicago for its green river and of course Dublin, Ireland for creating the holiday.

This holiday is one of the biggest celebrations of the year with more than 100 St. Patrick’s Day parades being held across America each year. This is a holiday where Americans spend $4.5 billion, but where are the best places to spend this money?

NEW YORK

New York is home to the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world. With over two million spectators NYC is undoubtedly one of the best cities to celebrate this Irish holiday. This year the parade will commence at 11am at 44th street and will march up 5th avenue to 83rd street.

There will also be plenty of places to celebrate with a pint in hand. Several organizations are hosting bar crawl tour across the city, some tours even starting Friday night and finishing Sunday afternoon. Prices for the bar tours are averaging $12 a head.

If you would rather find your own bars to celebrate, here are a few that are celebrating in style; Mc Sorleys Old Ale House, Pig n Whistle, The Baggot Inn, Eamon Doran’s and Murphy’s Law. And if you want to join the firemen and police officers after they have marched in the parade for a drink, head to Jeremy’s Ale House.

BOSTON

The first ever recorded parade was hosted in Boston by the Irish Society of Boston in 1737. As Boston is the home to many Irish-Americans and is the most Irish state in America, the city transforms into an all day celebration filled with beer festivals, drunken shenanigans and of course lots of ‘craic’.

If your looking to honor St. Patrick himself in the adopted Irish city, here are some of Boston’s best St. Paddy’s Day parties; McFadden’s, Dillon’s and Murphy’s Law. An Tua Nua will be providing Irish dancers along with Irish bands and a traditional Irish dinner menu.

DUBLIN

If you are lucky enough to celebrate the holiday in the city where it all began you will be celebrating the day with over a million other people. Dublin City lights up with heritage, patriotism and festiveness with an added unbelievable atmosphere.

This national holiday brings families together to participate in and watch the parade and also enjoy the annual festive carnival that runs all day long. After the parade finishes many spectators continue the celebration in one or more of the 1,000 pubs that surround the city.

Some of the most atmospheric places to join in the celebration are Dublin’s traditional tourist areas, Temple Bar and South Williams Street. If you want to go the extra mile you can make an attempt at ‘The Baggot Mile’. This challenge refers to a strip of pubs along Baggot Street, located in the city centre. To complete the challenge one must have at least one drink in each pub, staying no longer than 30 minuets in each and only being allowed only one bathroom break per bar.

Like every March 17, this St. Patrick’s Day will definitely be a day to remember for some, or a day trying to remember for others. A holiday that was originally known as a religious holiday celebration is now seen as the biggest party of the year. Why? Because the Irish know how to have a good time. Slainte!

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Because of care advances, more infants and children with previously lethal health problems are surviving. Many, however, are left with lifelong neurologic impairment.

A Children’s Hospital Boston study of more than 25 million pediatric hospitalizations in the U.S. now shows that neurologically impaired children, though still a relatively small part of the overall population, account for increasing hospital resources, particularly within children’s hospitals.

Their analysis, based on data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Kids’ Inpatient Database, was published online January 17 in PLoS Medicine. The researchers analyzed KID data from 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006, encompassing 25.7 million hospitalizations of children age 0 to 18. Of these, 1.3 million hospitalizations were for children with neurologic conditions, primarily cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

During the 10-year period, children with neurologic diagnoses were admitted more to children’s hospitals and less to community hospitals. At non-children’s hospitals, they made up a falling share of admissions (from 3 percent in 1997 to 2.5 percent in 2006); at children’s hospitals, they made up a rising share (from 11.7 percent of admissions in 1997 to 13.5 percent in 2006).

Within children’s hospitals, neurologically impaired children accounted for an increasing proportion of resources: In 2006, they accounted for 25 percent of all bed days (up from 21.8 percent in 1997) and 29 percent of hospital charges ($12 billion, up from 27 percent in 1997).

“Our findings suggest that children’s and non-children’s hospitals are caring for increasingly different populations of children,” says first author, Jay Berry, MD, MPH, an attending physician in the Complex Care Service at Children’s Hospital Boston.  “Children with neurologic impairment tend to require expensive, lengthy hospitalizations. As policymakers increasingly focus on healthcare costs, we must be careful to not jeopardize the care these children receive as health reforms are considered.”

The researchers note that improved care delivery and coordination could lead to reduced hospital utilization and better patient outcomes. Children with severe neurologic conditions commonly have additional health problems, such as respiratory and feeding problems, that make their care needs more complex. Yet studies indicate that pediatric providers often feel unprepared to assess and treat them.

The result, the researchers write, is uncoordinated, crisis-driven care that can lead to a disproportionate share of emergency care and frequent re-hospitalizations that drive up costs. “We’re nervous that many children with neurologic impairment are without a healthcare provider who is taking charge of their care and making sure that all of their healthcare needs are adequately addressed,” says Berry.

In the study, inpatient utilization increased most markedly among neurologically impaired adolescents. Across all hospitals, this group of children had a 28 percent increase in hospitalizations from 1997 to 2006, while children of the same age without neurologic diagnoses had an 8.4 percent decrease in hospitalizations.

“Children with severe neurologic impairment tend to have more health problems as they reach adolescence and young adulthood,” says Berry. “This coincides with a difficult period where they begin to outgrow their pediatric providers, but have trouble transferring their care to adult providers.”

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Doctors at Children’s Hospital Boston are just another step closer to securing a cure for sickle cell disease thanks to a little help from some superstar friends.

More than $1 million was raised in support of their research efforts Sunday, January 15 during the ‘Play Without Pain: Children’s Sickle Cell Benefit,’ a partnership with international megastar Celine Dion, Caesars Entertainment, AEG Live and Children’s Hospital Boston. Held at Caesars Palace, the evening included a performance of Celine Dion’s glamorous show directed by Grammy Awards producer Ken Ehrlich, including a touching tribute to sickle cell victims during her rendition of Billy Joel’s “Lullabye.”

“As a parent, I’ve been touched by the stories that were shared with me about the impact sickle cell anemia has on millions of children around the world,” said Dion. “We know that doctors with Children’s Hospital Boston are very close to discovering life-saving treatments for these children, and I wanted to help.

No child should have to live a life filled with pain and, hopefully, tonight’s benefit show moves us one step closer to ending their suffering.” Sickle cell disease is a debilitating condition that causes excruciating pain, organ failure, stroke and early death. It is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States, affecting 100,000 Americans and the number of sufferers is in the millions worldwide.

Affected populations are mainly of African descent, but the disease also strikes individuals of Hispanic, Mediterranean and Caribbean heritage. And its treatment is costly: an estimated $1.1 billion a year in the U.S. alone. ”Even though sickle cell is one of the most common inherited disorders, research on the disease is historically under-funded,” said Gary Fleisher, M.D., Physician-in-Chief at Children’s Hospital Boston.

“The team at Children’s is making important progress toward developing new gene therapies that could help millions of sickle cell sufferers across the globe. We are incredibly grateful to Celine Dion and Gary Loveman, with Caesars Entertainment, for helping us work toward our fundraising goals and inching us ever closer to achieving a cure.”

Researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston have found a genetic switch that overrides the sickle cell defect and have identified the gene that controls the unhealthy form of hemoglobin, the protein responsible for sickle cell disease. Treatments to flip the switch promise to deliver lifelong relief.

The new therapies would turn off the unhealthy form of hemoglobin and turn a healthy form back on. These therapies promise to reverse disease rather than simply treat symptoms. ”Children’s physician-researchers have done what others have tried to do for decades; they’ve found a way to override the sickle cell defect,” said Gary Loveman, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Caesars Entertainment and a member of Children’s Hospital Boston Board of Trustees.

“I am pleased that tonight’s benefit has placed these doctors on a path toward delivering life-saving treatments to patients and proud that Caesars could play a part in helping meet their goals. I hope that tonight’s benefit will inspire others to join me, Celine and the doctors of Children’s Hospital Boston in the fight to find a cure.”

Prior to Celine’s benefit performance guests were treated to dinner at Restaurant Guy Savoy, where they enjoyed a menu personally created by the acclaimed French chef who flew in from France especially to participate in the benefit. Guests enjoyed Savoy’s signature artichoke soup, turbot and black truffle mouselline, beef Wellington and, for dessert, chocolate fondant with chicoree sauce. Guests were also treated to an exclusive meet and greet with Celine Dion prior to the show.

The benefit concluded with a VIP cocktail reception at PURE Nightclub featuring a special performance by Las Vegas-based entertainer A.J. Green, a 19-year old sickle cell patient. Green’s performance at PURE included hits from his debut album ‘Whatever You Need’ including ‘Jump,’ ‘I’ll Be There’ and ‘Superstar,’ a Luther Vandross cover. The reception was sponsored by Angel Management Group and Southern Wine & Spirits.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcfly1er/

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Winter is coming. No that wasn’t a tagline for the hit HBO show Game of Thrones, winter really is coming. The Northeast region of the United States was hammered this weekend by a freak snowstorm that dropped up to 2 feet in some areas. The record setting October storm spanned across five states and cut off power to more than three million customers during the weekend.

On Monday morning there were still almost 2 million people without power and officials have reported that power may not be restored to all areas until Friday. Most of the damage to the power lines was caused by falling tree limbs. The limbs were more susceptible to falling because leaves still on the trees caught more snow, overloading the branches and eventually caused them to snap.

These overburden limbs have also done numerous amounts of damage to houses and cars as well as blocked several roads. The snowstorm has wreaked havoc and caused many transportation issues. Icy road conditions are being blamed for a 30 car pileup in Bristol Township, Pennsylvania on I-95.

Multiple railroad stations had to be shut down after hundreds of lines were covered with wire damage and toppled tree limbs. New Jersey Transit service on the Morris & Essex Lines is expected to be out until Tuesday and Amtrak service between major routes like Albany to Boston, New York City is out as well.

The snowstorm affected air travel the hardest. A JetBlue flight from Fort Lauderdale, FL was diverted to Hartford International Airport, and the passengers were stranded on the tarmac for an excruciating eight hours. The pilot of the flight became inundated with problems after the plane could no longer supply running water and food.

Passengers began to fight one another and the pilot had to call for police support multiple times. The freak snowstorm is also supposedly the culprit for more serious damage as the snowstorm is being blamed for up to 13 deaths, although there are no reports as to what exactly caused the deaths as of now.

This issue has become so serious that President Barack Obama has signed an emergency declaration for Connecticut on Monday, ordering federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts. In Massachusetts, state officials said utility crews had come from as far as Louisiana and Texas to help.

If this snowstorm is any indication of what mother nature is going to throw at us this season, winter is definitely coming and it’s not going to pretty.

Dainis Derics / Shutterstock.com

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Taking a trip to historical Boston, Massachusetts is a travel experience for Americans, along with international tourists. As the biggest cosmopolitan city in New England, Boston is a hub for history buffs and sports fanatics, as well as those who like to shop, dine at fine restaurants, and explore what the city has to offer.

With more than 18 million tourists traveling to Boston each year, the city has made a name for itself as one of the top travel destinations in the United States. Divided into distinct neighborhoods, including Beacon Hill, the South End, Back Bay, and Downtown, contemporary activities are intertwined throughout the historical city.

Visiting Boston often begins at the famous Boston Common, a historical park in the heart of the city. Boston Common, also referred to as the Commons, is the oldest park in the United States. First opened in 1634, the park is a 50 acre nature retreat amidst the bustling streets and skyscrapers. The park has served as a public space for hundreds of years, paving the way for historical events throughout the years.

The Commons once housed camps of soldiers in 1775, followed by scenes of public hangings in the 1800s. In more recent times, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech there. A walk through Boston Common allows visitors to step back in history while admiring the beautiful green space. The Commons now is a place where visitors and Bostonians can enjoy festivals and the natural outdoors.

The history of the city can be seen in its famous marketplace, Faneuil Hall. Created in 1742, Faneuil Hall was considered to be a meeting place, where people could come and share ideas and news.

The original Faneuil Hall also had a portion designated as a marketplace. The use of Faneuil Hall has changed over the course of time, now making it one of the most popular marketplaces for people to visit.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace is a shopping and dining spot where visitors can browse through nationally known apparel stores. Visitors can also choose from dozens of food vendors, as well as 14 different restaurants and bars. Visiting Faneuil Hall brings the pleasures of contemporary shopping into a historic space, where people can view the old architecture of the building while admiring the history behind it.

Traces of Boston’s history can be seen all throughout the city’s architecture. A walk through the South End neighborhood of Boston can be an easy way for visitors to understand and appreciate the history in its houses. The streets of this quieter neighborhood are lined with brownstones; a Victorian style of housing which dates back to the 19^th century.

Walking through the neighborhood is a great way for visitors to get away from more famous tourist traps for the opportunity to experience Boston the way Bostonians do.

The South End is a neighborhood full of unique shops and hip restaurants. Tremont 647 offers an array of delicious food for anyone with a hungry appetite.

For those who want to catch live music, The Beehive is a spot where people can grab a drink at the bar or have dinner while listening to new music. With a minimal amount of venues offering live music in Boston proper, The Beehive makes sure it offers a live band every day of the week, often having numerous bands throughout the weekend. Spending time in Boston’s South End shows how a neighborhood rich with history can mix contemporary restaurants and bars.

For visitors with a sweet tooth, a stop at the legendary Oak Room in the Fairmont Copley Plaza is a must. The Oak Room, opened in 1912, is rich with history in every inch of its regal wood paneling and ornate drapery. Ordering a slice of the city’s famous Boston Cream Pie at the Oak Room is a way to taste history in the luxurious dining room. Located in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood, the Oak Room is just a short distance from the South End.

Visiting the sights, sounds, and tastes of Boston give visitors the chance to take in the contemporary, cosmopolitan experience of New England’s popular city, while also stepping back in its history rich culture that remains the backbone of the city.

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Expired foods mistakenly made its way to public school cafeterias last week, declared the Massachusetts State Department of Education. Roughly a dozen of schools reported expired food shipments from warehouses of at least six weeks past the expiration date.

Expired food first showed up last month in Boston. Since then the problem has been targeted state-wide.

City councilor of Boston John Connelly said that many of the students from Boston are given discounted or free food at school. Now that expired food has been surfacing in these schools, Connolly fears that the students may be receiving food of no or low nutritional value.

Due to these events, school board members and officials have asked the Agriculture Department to place a more standardized system of determining expiration dates.

The current system consists of randomization of coding practices to date the food. Some food packages are labeled with an expiration date, some with a packaged-on stamp, and others with no dates.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines complicate the situation, saying that the food products may be fine to eat even after the date listed.

The food is supplied by USDA and is stored by four different warehouse facilities.

According to JC Considine, spokesperson of Elementary and Secondary Education of Massachusetts, the expired food has been coming from one of the warehouses that deliver food to the northeastern part of the state.

All of the warehouses are currently under review to ensure there will be no more expired food delivered.

In Boston last month, officials reported 280 cases of food with questionable dates in 40 of 46 full service kitchens that serve 135 public schools. Out of date products included cheese, chickpeas, and beef patties. Some of the dates were as old as 2009.

Recently, officials identified over 3,000 cases of expired food at the storage facility.

”We uncovered some real fiscal waste because of inventory mismanagement that was resulting in the expired food making its way into schools,” Connelly said.
This news has prompted an immediate upgrade to the inventory management and changed long-term menu planning.

Boston school officials have reassured parents and students the food being served is safe, but some schools have reported a decrease in breakfast and lunch participation since the situation came to light.

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When I told my mom I was writing a story comparing the sports Mecca’s of Boston and New York, she laughed in my face. She said, “Son, you’ve lived your whole life in New Jersey and I swear to god if you say one thing good about the Red Sox I’m taking the car from you”…No mom, anything but the car! These words stung because I decided to write this when the Red Sox were on a roll and leading the American East. Now, I can breathe easy as the first place Yankees have won seven straight and damn are they good; but wow have Boston sports been on a tear in recent memory. (Sorry momma)

Let’s compare the cities by the three big sports (basketball, baseball and football). I can promise all of you that you won’t find any use of “wicked” or “fugghet about it” in this article. This shall be fun.

New England Patriots vs. New York (New Jersey) Jets/ Giants

This matchup shouldn’t even exist because both New York football teams don’t actually play in New York but we’ll let that slide.  Now a few years ago this would be a no brainer. The Patriots were in the midst of the dynasty, the Giants were a slightly above average football team, and the Jets were a joke under “The Walking Cast”; Chad Pennington.  Then in 2009, the Giants beat the undefeated Patriots in an amazing Superbowl comeback, and all of a sudden the Rex Ryan Jets have become a constant visitor to the AFC championship game. Oh how the tables have turned. Today, the Jets are young, led by third year quarterback Mark Sanchez and a dynamite offensive line.

There defense is top in the league but aging quickly. The Patriots are led by the one of the all time greats in Tom Brady. They lack an effective running game and a star wide receiver but Coach Belichick has a knack of developing great role players with the likes of Wes Welker and Danny Woodhead. There defense is young, and becoming really good, really fast. The Giants have an average quarterback in Eli Manning, an inconsistent running game but a very good receiving corps led by Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith. There defense looks to be losing a key member in Osi Umenyiora and their secondary looks to improve with rookie addition Prince Awakamura.

The Edge:

Boston: The only reason I almost picked New York was because of Tom Brady’s draft day crying episode a few months back; oh and that hideous ponytail. The Patriots though, are still one of the best teams in the league. They have a hall of fame coach with a hall of fame quarterback; and any team that can make a star out of Danny Woodhead is doing something right. The Jets will still be solid but they’ll be losing key free agents whenever the lockout ends and it’s hard to tell if there defense can stay out of the trainer’s room. As for the Giants, well I just see no hope for them.  The team is going downhill instead of up and Eli’s play has become too inconsistent.

New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox

Ah, finally; the almighty rivalry of Yankees vs. Red Sox. There is so much history between these two teams that it’s hard not to get excited over the rivalry. From back in the days of Babe Ruth to Ted Williams to the present of Jeter and Pedroia, the rivalry never gets old. The Yankees are 27 time World Champions with their last championship coming in just 2009.  The Red Sox has been on fire recently and won two World Series since 2004 after an 86 year losing streak. Both teams seem to be 1 and 2 in the American League East every single year and seem to both make the playoffs. Every. Single. Year. (Do you think they get tired of playing each other?) Today, the Yankees are atop the AL East with the Red Sox less than two games behind and both teams are World Series contenders. All it comes down to really is who will beat who?

The Edge

New York: Got to give this one to the Yankees (You’re welcome Mom). The Yankees are the best franchise in all of sports. I know, I know, they had one collapse to the Red Sox back in 2004 but I’m sure the Yankees just felt bad and let them win. The Red Sox are known for losing; Babe, Bucky, Buchner, Boone anyone? If you’re going to pull the Yankees buy their team argument; well guess what? So, do the Red Sox. (Crawford, Gonzalez). The Yankees are currently first in the AL East ahead of the Red Sox and have the stronger lineup and bullpen. The Yankees take the cake on this one.

New York Knicks Vs Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics have been one of the most consistently winning teams in all of the NBA for the past few seasons. After a forgetful start to the new millennium, the Celtics returned to prominence in 2007-2008 with the formation of The Big Three. The Big Three consisted of Boston superstar, Paul Pierce and new additions of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.  The Celtics have gone on to win an NBA championship and win at least 60 games every season since the formation of the Big Three.

The Big three though is getting up there in years and coach Doc Rivers seems ready for retirement. The Knicks on the other hand have been well, awful. They were a league embarrassment under former President and Coach, Isaiah Thomas (Drafting Renaldo Balkman?!) and have only recently reinstated the winning to the Knicks faithful. With the additions of Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks could have a bright future ahead of them.

The Edge:

Boston: It was almost a no brainer on this one. Even though Boston is a team full of old men, they are a well oiled machine. The Celtics put on a clinic this past spring and swept the new look Knicks in the first round of the playoffs. The Knicks are on the rise but without a big man and a stable front office; I don’t see it happening quickly. The Celtics are destined to win for at least a few more seasons.

It looks like that Boston has edged out New York for the better sports city. (Sorry Mom). The battle is extremely close and could go either way but right now Boston just can’t seem to lose. Wicked awesome right?

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbell1975/4873621842/

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If paying attention to the news of Major League Baseball is part of your daily diet, then there is little questioning that you have heard about the early struggles of some of the League’s perennial contenders. St. Louis, San Francisco, Minnesota, and Tampa Bay, all playoff teams in 2010, have limped out of the gates. But the worst start of all belongs to…

…the Boston Red Sox. That’s right, Red Sox Nation. Kansas City, a team that hasn’t finished over .500 since 1994, is five games up on the BoSox at this point. Fans throughout the (Red Sox) Nation are panicking. But are the early season struggles warranted?

Boston spent freely in the offseason, making major upgrades offensively by adding left fielder Carl Crawford ($142 million) and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez ($161 million). The result thus far has been mixed. As a team, the Sox are hitting only .230, and have managed only seven homeruns (which is worse than every other American League team but Minnesota, which has three).

Crawford has yet to find a groove in Beantown. In 11 games, Crawford has six singles, two steals, one double, and eight strikeouts. If history prevails, though, fans will have little to concern themselves as the season moves forward. Crawford has never hit lower than .273 in the regular season, and his career averages of 53 steals and 77 runs batted in give Red Sox fans some room for optimism. It is likely that, when Crawford adjusts to playing in a major baseball town, that the old “C.C.” will rise to the occasion.

The start of his Red Sox career has not been as rough for Gonzalez. Although his starts in the past two seasons have been much better, Gonzalez has still managed a .268 average and 18 total bases. His RBI totals should increase with better production from the hitters batting in front of him. Of his table setters, only Dustin Pedroia (.366) is reaching base with any regularity. Gonzalez is another guy with proven pedigree (30 homers, 100 RBIs, .280 average over the past four seasons), so things are bound to eventually come around.

Problems in the Sox camp have stemmed from the back-end of the pitching rotation. The team earned run average of 6.77 is the worst in all of MLB. After Josh Beckett and Jon Lester (who has started to show some signs of life), Boston is, well, bad. Clay Buchholz, who just signed a $30 million extension, is 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA. In his 10 innings pitched, he has allowed five homers. John Lackey, who at $15.25 million this season might be the highest-paid fourth starter in the majors, is awful. Lackey has allowed 15 earned runs in 8.2 innings. His end of the rotation mate Daisuke Matsuzaka has been equally as bad. Dice-K has allowed 10 runs in seven innings (2 starts) and was unable to get out of the second inning of his last appearance (Monday against Tampa).

Things aren’t all that bright in the Boston minor league system either. In AAA, the Sox have few options to contend with what is already on the Major League roster. Alex Wilson, a 24-year-old righty at Portland (AA) may be a stop-gap. Or Boston could call on touted prospect Felix Doubrount or not-quite ready Kyle Weiland. A Red Sox blog has been calling for the return of Pedro Martinez. With the state of the rotation, no measure can be ruled out of the equation.

One thing that will keep Boston competitive is their willingness to leverage prospects (and money) in trade negotiations. The Red Sox will leave no stone unturned in the search for trade bait to fuel their machine. Never do Boston fans settle for a “rebuilding year.” Management will continue to look for upgrades, and that promise is something that offers unlimited upside.

Eventually or unfortunately (depending on your viewpoint), the Red Sox will find their way. The team has too much talent and financial means to stay down for too long. Because of the competitiveness of the American League East, the team will have to fight a little harder than others. Comebacks from bas starts have been made before. The 2001 Oakland A’s (Tim Hudson, Barry Zito, and Mark Mulder) didn’t reach .500 until July and still managed to make the postseason. The’91 Twins started 2-9 and still won the World Series (remember Jack Morris?).

2-9? Gahbidge. The Sox are still only five games out of first place.

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