OK Already, I Can Take a Hint!
Some light governmental fare interspersed with our economic and budgetary woes, I guess.
I got the official notice from the Patrick administration, then someone from his office forwarded it to me specifically, then another of my political friends forwarded it to her e-list as well. Then Governor Patrick put the link in his Facebook status. All right, I can take a hint already! So here you are - you can help decide what Massachusetts national park will be featured on our 50-state dollar quarter coin from the US Mint. Vote for your favorite. And yes, the Lowell National Historic Park is on the list, so I expect you to do your duty!
Vote early, vote often! We get four choices, one preferred and three alternate. Let’s see if we can get Lowell into the top four. 
(Update on the correction: Oh sure, I read “quarter dollar coin” as dollar coin. Yes, indeed, it’s Monday…)
February 9th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Just to be picky/nerdy about this it should be clear that not all of these sites are National Parks. Many are simply listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In case anyone’s interested the following are officially managed by the National Park Service:
Adams National Historical Park (Quincy)
Boston African American National Historic Site
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
Boston National Historical Park (includes Freedom Trail sites)
Cape Cod National Seashore
Frederick Law Olmstead National Historic Site (Brookline)
John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site (Brookline)
Longfellow National Historic Site (Cambridge)
Lowell National Historical Park
Minuteman National Historical Park (Concord/Lincoln)
New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
Salem Maritime National Historic Site (does NOT include witchcraft sites)
Saugus Ironworks National Historic Site
Springfield Armory National Historic Site
February 9th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Just to be extra nerdy I wonder how liberal they are on the “vote as much as you want” claim. If we’re not careful, some college kids in Boston are gonna game the system! Lynne, you’re a computer professional too, right?
import java.io.BufferedReader;
import java.io.BufferedWriter;
import java.io.InputStreamReader;
import java.io.OutputStreamWriter;
import java.net.HttpURLConnection;
import java.net.URL;
public class LowellVoter
{
public static void main( String[] args )
{
try{
while (1==1){
URL siteURL = new URL(”http://www.mass.gov/cgi-bin/massgovmail.cgi”);
HttpURLConnection conn = (HttpURLConnection)siteURL.openConnection();
conn.setInstanceFollowRedirects( false );
conn.setRequestProperty(”Content-Type”, “application/x-www-form-urlencoded”);
conn.setRequestMethod( “POST” );
conn.setDoOutput( true );
conn.setDoInput( true );
BufferedWriter outp = new BufferedWriter(new OutputStreamWriter(conn.getOutputStream()));
outp.write( “&file=/Agov3/forms/quarters_program.txt&vote=Lowell+National+Historical+Park” );
outp.close();
conn.connect();
BufferedReader r = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(conn.getInputStream()));
boolean moreData = true;
while (moreData){
String data = r.readLine();
if (data == null){
break;
}
else{
System.out.println(”* ” + data);
}
}
System.out.println(conn.getResponseCode());
System.out.println(conn.getResponseMessage());
conn.disconnect();
java.lang.Thread.sleep( 5000 );
}
}
catch(Exception e){
System.out.println(”Ruh oh: \n” + e.toString());
System.exit( -1 );
}
}
}
February 9th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Hey Lynn, I’d love to meet you! Do you ever come to the Center City Committee meetings downtown? There’s one tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8:30 am at Olive That & More on Market St. They happen the same time every week - I hope I see you there!
February 9th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Sorry, gotta go with Walden. I don’t think much about guys who make a big deal about camping in their backyards, but that really is a great place.
February 9th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Sorry Mayor Bud, the Owl Diner did not make the list.
February 9th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Hi Anne. Maybe I’ll stop by if I can. Tomorrow I have a meeting at 9am nearby, I might at least pop in.
PC: Wow, ouch!
February 11th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
I’d vote for “Owl Diner Omelette” if it was a choice.