Some Things You do not Need to Know About...

Somerville...

Barak Obama lived here when he went to Harvard.

Hank Hanson, who helped put up the first flag on Iwo Jima (it was taken down and replaced by a bigger one that made it into the famous picture) grew up in Somerville. He was killed on Iwo Jima 5 days after the flag went up.

Archibald Query invented Marshmellow Fluff in Somerville.

Nick Gomez, director of "The Sopranos", is a native.

Lots of real gangsters are natives too.

Somerville is the most dense municipality in New England.

Some Things Your do not Need to Know About...

Newton.

Yes, the Fig Newton was born here. In 1991 the city had a 100th birthday party for the said pastry. A 100 foot "newton" was on hand and Juice Newton performed.

Francis Stanley lived here and most likely drove to work in his "Steamer."

Sam Smith lived here and most likely wrote, "My Country 'tis of Thee". here.

Sasha Baron Cohen "subbed" Newton for a reed-neck southern town part of his Movie "Borat" (the Bed and Breakfast section).

What's in a Name?

A lot of folks hereabouts, over the years, have asked me for my assessment on the day's program at the local race track. That's horses of the Secretariat mold we're talking here. Now I know my way around the past performance charts as well as any man -- which means that on those instances when I do go to the ponies, I can expect to get back change from my twenty...and only change.

Well, the other day, on the morning of the Mass Cap at Suffolk Downs, I'm tagged in the local McDonalds by a punter wanting to be in the know. He wanted me to tell him on what nose he should hang his 8 bits when he visits his bookie.

So I finally ask, "Why are you asking me?"

And he says, "Well, because of who you are."

Flattered by his warm and trusting opinion of me, I fish for a few more compliments, "And who am I?" expecting something in line with a "Pope and Tom Cruise" morph.

"You are the president of Hollywood Park." Out with the flattery and in with the bad information. It appears I share a name with an illustrious "Horse Guy". Right name wrong guy.

It's that way with houses. I knew a guy who just fell in love with a house because it was on an Elderberry Street. Loved the name. Did it matter that the house was next to a swamp?...and festooned with skunks? It did, but he went for the name and not was behind the name. Better to buy a great home on solid ground on Skunk Street than on a boulevard of dreams with a great street sign.

So there's your lesson for today. There's nothing in a name. But just to make sure I do not interlope into another man's life, I've researched my moniker and herewith put out these disclosures:

I am NOT the above mentioned horse guy.
I am NOT the Expert on Asian Business relations.
I am NOT the internet geek who came up with something that seems so simple now.
I am NOT the organized crime lord.
I am NOT the windows and gutters guy in Texas.

Oh...I AM, however, the former Golden Gloves boxer. Wanna learn how to right cross your neighbor?