Jim Foley and journalistic heroism

Islamic extremists yesterday posted a video purporting to show the beheading of GlobalPost.com photojournalist James Foley, a New Hampshire native in Syria nearly two years ago.  U.S. intelligence is still not confirming the grizzly death as of 7 a.m. this morning, and GlobalPost CEO Phil Balboni has not yet confirmed the tragic event, said by ISIS terrorists to …

Continue reading Jim Foley and journalistic heroism

Is there any reason to stay with Verizon?

This month has brought several scam calls from a man with an Indian or Pakistani accent claiming to be from the IRS.  FTC take notice!  Also, proving what a fraud the national Do Not Call Registry is, there have been daily calls from a 406 MT exchange, with caller ID cleverly popping up the name "Evelyn Davis," …

Continue reading Is there any reason to stay with Verizon?

Israel’s dilemma: how much is too much

President Obama said again today that Israel has a right to defend itself against the 1500 missiles Hamas has recently lobbed from Gaza into Israel and tunnel incursions to kill and capture Israeli citizens. But this morning he expressed concern about "the rising number of Palestinian civilian deaths and the loss of Israeli lives." The Hamas missiles …

Continue reading Israel’s dilemma: how much is too much

Marathon musings: who is a hero?

Don't read this if you're tired of the non-stop coverage of the Marathon bombing.  Don't read it if you're not touched in some way by the tragedy that befell individual runners and bystanders or disturbed by the assault on our community.  Have there been efforts to capitalize on the grief and memorialization of the event?  The profit …

Continue reading Marathon musings: who is a hero?

Selfie, shmelfie – where will it end?

Four months ago, when the Oxford English Dictionary named "selfie" the 2013 word of the year, I had never even heard of it. In the last couple of days, it's almost all I've heard.  Of course, there was the selfie taken by President Obama of himself and Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, a comely lass, …

Continue reading Selfie, shmelfie – where will it end?

Remy brings ick factor to ballgame

Despite a hailstorm today, little green shoots are starting to poke their heads up in our yard, tomorrow is April 1st and the baseball season has officially started.  I'm poised to wrest control of my garden from the rabbits and welcome the season with a clean slate. Except for the Remy factor. When Jerry Remy started broadcasting from spring training, …

Continue reading Remy brings ick factor to ballgame

Remy back; feels odd

Jerry Remy is back, broadcasting from Red Sox spring training.  His return to the broadcast booth last weekend was duly reported on local news.  Hearing his voice was familiar but definitely odd. He's doing his usual color analysis, but now his broadcast may be colored by the scandal surrounding his son. When he announced his return, …

Continue reading Remy back; feels odd

Staying connected with the world

15 years ago the Atlantic Rim Network hosted a symposium here on the dangers of the decline of international news coverage and the importance of making world events relevant to parochial audiences.  It was January 1999. One participant, a CBS news producer, pointed to the other panelists (e.g. CNN, USA Today, NYTimes), telling them they were missing …

Continue reading Staying connected with the world

Slaps and Claps

Claps for the Boston Sunday Globe's photojournalism spread by Mary Beth Meehan showing the pattern of violence in New Bedford against Mayan Guatemalans.  They fled the war in Guatamela and came here for peace and opportunity, but they're being beaten and robbed by African-Americans and Puerto Ricans. They live in constant fear.  Seems there's no end of viciousness that …

Continue reading Slaps and Claps

Does moral turpitude negate high art or sports accomplishment?

No mistake about it.  Woody Allen's latest movie, Blue Jasmine, was deserving of  an Oscar nomination, especially for Cate Blanchett's performance.  Allen also recently won lifetime achievement recognition in the Golden Globes. This is more troubling. Allen is prolific and creative, but what does lifetime achievement really mean? NY Times' Nick Kristof last weekend published an open letter …

Continue reading Does moral turpitude negate high art or sports accomplishment?