HubArts.com

Off-topic, sorta: Bridge-raising

Last night's entertainment here in Newburyport featured sculpture of a sort, some dancing around, fireworks and even a clown car. It was kind of like Cirque du Soleil. They drove what amounts to the golden spike for the Clipper City Rail Trail - installing an 80-foot bridge above Low Street for pedestrians and bikes, which fills the last gap in the trail that will connect the train station to the waterfront. There used to be a railroad bridge at the site, but this project required new abutments and a bridge built down in Tennessee. The work started much later at night than expected, and a lot of local folks missed it, so I'm posting it here with the indulgence of my regular readers. After the jump: pix, tales and a video.

Sarah Palin, book ban fan

Read this. While you still can.

Hauling in some big stripers

From your reading pleasure, I've got a long feature in Globe North today about the Surfland shop on Plum Island. But it's better in print so you can see the pix.

Hello, strangers

In addition to my job at Top 10 Media I've been working on a pretty neat feature for tomorrow's Globe North section, about Newburyport painter Alan Bull. I'll get links up in the morning; there's also going to be a narrated slide show on Boston.com if everything comes together. ... Today's must-read? Geoff's interview with XTC-er Andy Partridge, in which he has this to say about the Cars: "I always thought the Cars were frighteningly bland. I thought they were like the food that people serve in old people's retirement homes, the stuff where there's somebody behind the screen chewing up the food before they serve it."

Morning reads: "Tanglewood Storm"

Sounds like a cheesy mystery where the killer is a devious bassoonist, but it's something that actually happened, damaging the facilities, and Geoff has the news and pix here. ... The NYT has a rave review of the new ICA here, calling it "a milestone for Elizabeth Diller and Richard Scofidio, a duo who have dwelled largely on the fringes of the architecture profession" and "architecture of empathy, welcome therapy for a self-involved age." ... Providence noise-rockers Lightning Bolt play MassArt tomorrow, and are explicated here.  ... More trauma at Symphony Hall. ... Cate McQuade takes a look at that big Maine prints exhibit. ...

Morning reads etc.

Geoff says the first Italian loan to the MFA under their new pact will be announced tomorrow. ... New Hampshire's Ken Burns will debut his new documentary "The War," about World War II, at Dartmouth on Friday, sez Names & Faces. Rationing may be enforced on the homefront when the full project debuts on PBS in the fall: it's 14 hours long. ... Four days until the ICA press opening.

Ruth Brown on radio

Over at WGBH (89.7 FM), they've posted a 2005 interview with the late Ruth Brown by "Eric in the Evening" host Eric Jackson. It's worth a listen.

And as your holiday bonus...goodbye

Bruce Hangen is out at the BSO, sez Geoff. And the Dig has snark on more layoffs at my tabloid alma mater, the Herald.

Happy holiday

I'm sure Howie Carr or someone will be railing against it by the end of the day, but there's a pretty interesting Thanksgiving-related art exhibit that's the subject of a Globe feature today. Artist Sam Durant purchased some of the figurines and other items from the closing Plymouth National Wax Museum and has turned them into art exploring the real relationship between the Pilgrims and the Indians. The exhibit, "Scenes from the Pilgrim Story: Myths, Massacres, and Monuments," is at Mass Art.

News from Central Square

My employer has just rolled out its latest venture, Lisensa, which allows bloggers to set licensing terms for republishing their content and collect $. We've already gotten one pretty positive writeup - from Plagiarism Today, no less. Scroll down that lefthand rail of this page and you'll find the Lisensa logo, which will link you to a page where you can find out the rules for reprinting HubArts. And yes, I know the logo is cut off, we're working on it.