MONDAY'S HUM ( 10-16-06 )Early Edition

START YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
Hum around town re: Burlington Firefighting, a new book from the Images of America series. Here's the scoop from Arcadia, publishers of over 3,000 local history titles.

Book Description: Burlington Firefighting richly illustrates the triumphs and tragedies, the hauntings and secrets of the Burlington Fire Department. Originating as a series of bucket brigades, the fire department developed from competing companies that served as elite social clubs into a professional organization that was incorporated in 1895. The transitions from hand-drawn to horse-drawn carts and pumpers to steam engines and motorized trucks largely shaped the evolution of firefighting in Vermont as a whole.

The author is not some schmo who comes to us from a Images of America corporate cubbyhole. Liisa Reimann has impressive credentials; she's a grad student in UVM's Historic Preservation Program. Read her bio here.
The book sells for 20 bucks and has lots of great old photos.

FIVE CORNERS UPDATE - Essential Collection
Heard a budding entrepreneur talking about starting carhop service at the Essex Junction Five Corners intersection. What a great idea! You've got cars idling at the lights, sometimes for hours or even days, with a captive audience waiting for your product. Have a waiter on rollerblades delivering yummy food to motorists who are deeply entrenched and have time to kill. By the way, does anyone remember the Essex A&W? Those were the days, my friends.