Former Governor of Massachusetts, Jane "Jingle Money" Swift donates the dregs of her campaign funds to a worthwhile charity.
Well, I guess John Olver can sleep a little more soundly tonight...with the Commonwealth proving such stony ground for the GOP and no President McCain to appoint Janie to the Jamaican Embassy...there is nothing left to do but abdicate and start clipping coupons.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Monday, April 06, 2009
Or else...we could all end up with...
The Boston Metro on home delivery more of Michelle McPhee's falangist ravings...won't that just be joyous?
That is the core problem with the Globe's potential closure, it advantages too many wingnuts.
***
If the Globe does go under then one of the things we wiil have to internalize is that newspapers have become at best a niche market. Given that, and the limited revenue potential of a daily, even a truncated daily...what sort of successor publication can be envisioned?
Or should we just throw in the towel and grab into the web with both arms?
That is the core problem with the Globe's potential closure, it advantages too many wingnuts.
***
If the Globe does go under then one of the things we wiil have to internalize is that newspapers have become at best a niche market. Given that, and the limited revenue potential of a daily, even a truncated daily...what sort of successor publication can be envisioned?
Or should we just throw in the towel and grab into the web with both arms?
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Whither the Boston Globe?
The news is not good...the Times is leveraging the Globe's unions with threats of an imminent closure if concessions aren't made.
Meanwhile the rest of us have to wrap our minds around the notion that an outhouse rag like the Herald might be the last man standing in this market, however long that lasts.
Well, one of the things we have to assimilate quickly is that the whole US economy is rigging itself pell-mell for efficiency, hence the declining payrolls, the wholesale flight to the cheap environs of the internet, the nigh extinction of black box stores, the fall in consumer spending...if you don't have money you can't spend it, if you do, you are saving it.
Revenues are down, circulation is down, the readership is greying...and bigger US institutions than the Boston Globe will vanish like the velociraptor before this recession is over.
Frankly the newspaper business with it's dependence on huge printing presses and a house to house distribution system is an archaic faith based bet at best.
Do we need rigorously edited news?
Yes.
Will be delivered on paper every morning...maybe not.
I'm gonna miss that morning ritual, I'd like to think another publication could rise and take the Globe's place, something liberal in politics, independent in spirit and of a Jacksonian tone...something scaled to meet the resources at hand...but that might be sheer fantasy at best.
Of course some will say, what'll happen to the Chimes at Midnight without Joan Vennochi and Jeff Jacoby to kick around?
My answer is simple, Humble Elias has been swimming in rough waters for a few years now, and those guys will need to take fresh dog paddle lessons...quick.
Here is hoping all and sundry can come to terms.
Meanwhile the rest of us have to wrap our minds around the notion that an outhouse rag like the Herald might be the last man standing in this market, however long that lasts.
Well, one of the things we have to assimilate quickly is that the whole US economy is rigging itself pell-mell for efficiency, hence the declining payrolls, the wholesale flight to the cheap environs of the internet, the nigh extinction of black box stores, the fall in consumer spending...if you don't have money you can't spend it, if you do, you are saving it.
Revenues are down, circulation is down, the readership is greying...and bigger US institutions than the Boston Globe will vanish like the velociraptor before this recession is over.
Frankly the newspaper business with it's dependence on huge printing presses and a house to house distribution system is an archaic faith based bet at best.
Do we need rigorously edited news?
Yes.
Will be delivered on paper every morning...maybe not.
I'm gonna miss that morning ritual, I'd like to think another publication could rise and take the Globe's place, something liberal in politics, independent in spirit and of a Jacksonian tone...something scaled to meet the resources at hand...but that might be sheer fantasy at best.
Of course some will say, what'll happen to the Chimes at Midnight without Joan Vennochi and Jeff Jacoby to kick around?
My answer is simple, Humble Elias has been swimming in rough waters for a few years now, and those guys will need to take fresh dog paddle lessons...quick.
Here is hoping all and sundry can come to terms.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Is there a BIGGER cowardly lion in American Politics than...
Newt Gingrich?
Now he is idly threatening the GOP with a dissenting third partei if they don't toe the conservative line come 2012.
This...is nothing short of a laugh riot.
Serious students of politics will immediately note that Gingrich does not associate himself with any such 3rd partei revolt, he just predicts an uprising if'n da Republicans don't get religion.
Let us recall Newt has had three presidential elections to get his shit together and take his case to the American people and he has chickened out all three times. There is nothing in his record to suggest 2012 will be any different...you know as well as I do, Newt can't stand up to the slightest investigation into his background, a good summary of his heinous behavior during his FIRST divorce will be enough to compell him to flee to Thunder Bay where he will campaign exclusively by shortwave radio.
Newt talks a tough game, it impresses the hell of the David Broder's of this world, but when push came to shove, the Clinton's beat his fat ass like a red headed step child...and I have no doubt that given a sound wind and good sound system Barack Obama would do the same.
Now he is idly threatening the GOP with a dissenting third partei if they don't toe the conservative line come 2012.
This...is nothing short of a laugh riot.
Serious students of politics will immediately note that Gingrich does not associate himself with any such 3rd partei revolt, he just predicts an uprising if'n da Republicans don't get religion.
Let us recall Newt has had three presidential elections to get his shit together and take his case to the American people and he has chickened out all three times. There is nothing in his record to suggest 2012 will be any different...you know as well as I do, Newt can't stand up to the slightest investigation into his background, a good summary of his heinous behavior during his FIRST divorce will be enough to compell him to flee to Thunder Bay where he will campaign exclusively by shortwave radio.
Newt talks a tough game, it impresses the hell of the David Broder's of this world, but when push came to shove, the Clinton's beat his fat ass like a red headed step child...and I have no doubt that given a sound wind and good sound system Barack Obama would do the same.
I thoroughly approve...
sleeper cars are making a comeback on Amtrak's Boston to Chicago run...
To think for a quarter of what we've flushed away on loser outfits like AIG we could have state of the art rail service in the Northeast. Hell, the Vice President of the USA ought to be able to board the Acela at Penn Station in NYC and debark four hours later in Manchester New Hampshire ready to harangue the nearest unsuspecting crowd.
Hell for a quarter of AIG's bailout boodle the national freight grid could be fully electrified thus creating all sorts of cost savings at the consumer level. UPS and Fedex could ship more cheaply and efficiently, flewer dedicated planes in the air, level truck fuel being burned...it is a no brainer really.
To think for a quarter of what we've flushed away on loser outfits like AIG we could have state of the art rail service in the Northeast. Hell, the Vice President of the USA ought to be able to board the Acela at Penn Station in NYC and debark four hours later in Manchester New Hampshire ready to harangue the nearest unsuspecting crowd.
Hell for a quarter of AIG's bailout boodle the national freight grid could be fully electrified thus creating all sorts of cost savings at the consumer level. UPS and Fedex could ship more cheaply and efficiently, flewer dedicated planes in the air, level truck fuel being burned...it is a no brainer really.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Joanie lays down the law...
The Boston Globe's own Joanie Vennochi almost discusses policy today with respect to the Governor's plan to merge the Massachusetts Health & Education Facilities Authority with the Massachusetts Development Finance Authority...at least until she gets to this howler:
Maybe it's a bad idea, maybe it isn't. Who knows for sure? A public debate on the merits would be welcome. At the moment, all that's clear is that each entity has a vested interest in maintaining its empire, the better to remain a comfortable repository for the politically connected of any given gubernatorial era.
WHADDYA MEAN "who knows for sure"??? What kind of a cop-out is that??? Geez Joanie just hold your nose and jump! The cold water won't kill yuh!
The reason we have so many quasi-independent agencies is simple and diabolical, a string of Brahmin GOP Governors with Mayflower'd names wanted to seed solid republican loyalists into the state work force. Democrats within and without the legislature went alone with all this mishaugas as it created a pool of entirely legal patronage ...and this process has gone on for over half a century.
Regrettably Governor Patrick falls heir to it at the worst of times, a recession.
An argument can be made that a top down review of all authorities and agencies is in order but the process has a fifty plus year history and such an audit will take time and money.
Rome wasn't burn'd in a day folks....
Maybe it's a bad idea, maybe it isn't. Who knows for sure? A public debate on the merits would be welcome. At the moment, all that's clear is that each entity has a vested interest in maintaining its empire, the better to remain a comfortable repository for the politically connected of any given gubernatorial era.
WHADDYA MEAN "who knows for sure"??? What kind of a cop-out is that??? Geez Joanie just hold your nose and jump! The cold water won't kill yuh!
The reason we have so many quasi-independent agencies is simple and diabolical, a string of Brahmin GOP Governors with Mayflower'd names wanted to seed solid republican loyalists into the state work force. Democrats within and without the legislature went alone with all this mishaugas as it created a pool of entirely legal patronage ...and this process has gone on for over half a century.
Regrettably Governor Patrick falls heir to it at the worst of times, a recession.
An argument can be made that a top down review of all authorities and agencies is in order but the process has a fifty plus year history and such an audit will take time and money.
Rome wasn't burn'd in a day folks....
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Query for the Day....
Has there ever been a bubble that Fox News Business yakker Neil Cavuto couldn't cheerlead?
If the Dutch tulip-mania came back, wouldn't Neil be out there shaking his pom-poms and doing cartwheels?
Doesn't it all come down to, "If Neil is for it, it must be a swindle?"
***
Well, Neil was on Imus this morning, and you'd think it was departed Augustan days of 2003 the way he was carrying on...no apologies let alone any analysis for the disaster he'd brought down on us all.
***
Those can't teach, those who can't teach, teach gym, those who can't teach gym, cover business for Fox News.
If the Dutch tulip-mania came back, wouldn't Neil be out there shaking his pom-poms and doing cartwheels?
Doesn't it all come down to, "If Neil is for it, it must be a swindle?"
***
Well, Neil was on Imus this morning, and you'd think it was departed Augustan days of 2003 the way he was carrying on...no apologies let alone any analysis for the disaster he'd brought down on us all.
***
Those can't teach, those who can't teach, teach gym, those who can't teach gym, cover business for Fox News.
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