News Talk for the week of Nov. 29

News Talk for the week of Nov. 29

Anybody see the latest union picketing development last Tuesday? The fire and patrol union faithful were protesting the mayor and the stalled contract negotiations in front of the entrance to City Hall, when none other than that star of stage and screen himself --- Police Chief Bob Bradley --- drove aggressively towards the picketers, nearly hitting one firefighter. Apparently Bob Brando, oops, we mean Bradley, was angry the union folks were picketing in the crosswalk. Well, he let some of the guys and gals have it and they started yelling right back. A chant of “No more commercials” began and, for a moment, it looked like we were going to get a good old fashioned street fight. But luckily, cooler heads prevailed and the Chief drove calmly into the parking lot. Oh well.

                                                    **********
Mayor Joe is probably just as irritated as Chief Lawrence Olivier, oops sorry, as Chief Bob Bradley is with the unions these days. Mayor Joe must have been angry to have his fundraiser cancelled by the gutless owners of The Rack, who cancelled on their commitment to Joe because of the Police/Fire union pickets. Ticket sales must have been going well though, because the mayor’s committee quickly set up a new destination for it. Quincy Market Place at Boston Rocks, 245 Quincy Street tonight Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 5:30 p.m. is the new date and time. Should be an interesting evening, don’t you think?
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We hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season this year, Christmas is a time for joy and giving. Unfortunately, there’s always a grinch somewhere in town. We strongly urge boycotting any store that tries to hijack Christmas by calling it Happy Holidays.
                                                       **********
The bloggers have made the Scott Trant story the number one most commented on story this year, with over 200 comments. Number two thus far is the tale of seized personal items from the fire station, “The big payback,” with well over 100.   Thousands and thousands of hits weekly on our site and why? Because it’s instant communication and discussion within our city.      
                                                         *********
Alderman Bob Trane, the current VP of the Board of Alderman, is working hard to be elected by his fellow aldermen to be next year’s president of the board. We hear he has the votes now. Apparently his ratings with aldermen jumped up last week when he took on the planning department and their behind the scenes move to change the plans for the new VNA at the old Conwell School site.
                                                          *********
Ok Gene, we were wrong you didn’t sell the Western School for $1.00, but we noticed you didn’t mention what the City of Somerville has been paying in rent to use the school.    Believe it or not, the City of Somerville pays Tufts University a whopping $300K a year for rent, and that’s down substantially --- a few years ago it was far more. Our Somerville High math says if you sold the building to Tufts, and now they collect rent of $300K a year at 10 years its 3 million out of the city’s pockets and into the Tufts strongbox. And of course we know its more. Oh, the $1.00 sale price was the Pope School on Washington Street to the Boys & Girls Club, which by the way, is up for sale for over a million dollars. We wonder what the sale price will be on the old Powerhouse School and to whom?    
                                                          **********
The online informant, “The Mole” made a comment about broken down city trucks being stored in the rear of the Homan’s building. We checked it out and “The Mole” was correct --- its pretty nasty back there and not the type of image the city should be projecting on its own land.
                                                           ***********
By the way, to the bloggers who don’t like us calling the Progressive’s “Secular Progressives,” we like the name, so can it. We’re men and women of letters over here at News Talk and we guess you just don’t understand how we can take phrases rarely heard and flip them into daily words. And, some of us were around in the real progressive days when organizations such as Somerville United Neighborhoods advocated for the people.  And besides, we like the title, it’s our opinion and we have a right to our opinion.   
                                                             **********
Looks like Jack Connolly is the first to declare his candidacy for the Alderman-at-Large special election. The aldermen are discussing the dates for the special election and the time frame between primary and final elections. Then maybe Marty the secular progressive will announce.    

                                                          ***********
On a lighter note, apparently we were not the only ones that noticed something done by our US Post Office Dept. Have you noticed that the first, last and only new time to have your mail picked up by the Post Office is at 1 p.m. daily? We noticed how weird it was for businesses and residents alike that the Post Office would do this without letting the public know ---  it seems there was major publicity about the raising of the stamp prices but not about the time frame on pick up mails. While we’re on it, have you noticed that your mail is not being delivered like it once was when it was cheaper? Now its always late, or sometimes not just there for days in a row.
                                                           ************
We heard from very reliable sources that certain city department heads have unofficially banned the Somerville News from their properties. One such department head at the Tufts building has reportedly remarked that the paper wasn’t wanted there. Our sources tell us that more then one person has heard her make such outlandish comments about this fine publication. We’re watching and hoping its not true. But we’re watching.
   

Comments

[Just]

No not again now the stench is really bad the Tufts building a JOE department head and no don't put that rag in or bring it here GENE your boy just won't let you get away from it. I bet you wish you never ever wrote that letter about that building. Oh by the way that department head would not have a first name begining with "C"???? no say it is not so.

[Ron Newman]

What exactly do you mean by 'secular' progressive? Are you trying to contrast them with another group of 'religious' progressives?

[brickbottom]

Please News Talk......the Midgets official title is "ACTING" Chief of Police. And if there is any justice and common sense in this world it will be once again Captain or for the betterment of this city Retired Captain Midget.

If anyone has thought I was wrong about "ACTING" hopefully the above post from News Talk will remove all doubts. For any sitting head of a department to lose his cool in that fashion by trying to run down or provoke his men and women like that is not reason enough to believe that his incompetence and mental stability is in question needs to re-think their support of this political arse kisser.

[brickbottom]

Did you know that the Lincoln Park School (Argenziano) is about 15 Million dollars over budget and climbing.

"State officials say the Argenziano school followed a troubling statewide trend that led to schools larger than state regulations dictated, driving up costs. The Argenziano School provides 183 square feet per student; state rules call for 115 to 135 square feet per student.

State officials said they have the right to review school blueprints.

''We're not just going to be giving this money out to those who refuse to rein in their programs," Cahill said."

So if the state doesn't, in the end, make up for these overbudget costs, who will? Is this something that will be put on the back of the citizens of Somerville?

This is all we need!!!!!!

[Johnny Protester]

why is it named after a guy who left for another job ?

[brickbottom]

Johnny,

What is the driving force for anything in this city?

POLITICS.....plain and simple.

It will always be called the Licoln Park School by the citizens of this city anyways......just like the Boston Garden, they can name it the FleetCenter, TD BankNorth Garden or whatever. But people still say they are going to the "Garden" to see a game.

[somerville old timer]

Glad you did correcting the record on the Boys and Girls Club. And since your happy with Somerville United Neighborhoods, why dont you look at the Affordable Housing Organizition which is trying to save real housing in union square?

[Bite Me]

I'm guessing that whoever writes this News Talk crap doesn't have a college education and gets all of their "news" from Fox News? From past News Talks it is obvious that they don't believe in journalistic integrity, nor in fact checking. This being a purely opinion column, they must be excused from that.

Getting back to this week's New Talk... I am so sick of right-wing christian crybaby panty-wastes whining about the "happy holidays" phrase. Pull your heads out of Bill O'Reilly's ass! This isn't a christian theocracy here, thank GOD.

[brickbottom]

Bite Me,

Merry Christmas and may God Bless You!

Póg mo thóin!

[MERRY CHRISTMAS!]

To 'Bite Me' (what a clever name. Based on your vocabulary, perhaps you don't have a college education, either!). This may not be a 'Christian Theocracy', but it is a CHRISTIAN SOCIETY, founded on Christian beliefs, principles, and philosophies. The majority of the country is Christian, and we're tired of the _____(fill in the blank-Muslim, Jewish, agnostic, etc.) crybaby pantywastes (sp.?) whining about Christmas! Retail stores do most of their business for the entire year during the CHRISTMAS season (hence the term Black Friday)because people are shopping for CHRISTMAS. To try to pretend that it's not CHRISTMAS is just plain crazy. Only when stores lose some of those precious CHRISTMAS dollars will they wake up and acknowledge that it's a Christian holiday. Anyone offended by that will have to deal with it. I don't see anyone complaining about being offended by the signs, decorations, and gifts geared to Hannukah celebrations. Do you?
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

[Ditto]

Good one, brickbottom.

Ditto.

[James Norton]

MERRY CHRISTMAS! -

Thank you for beating me to the punch.

JN

[Donald Norton]

Merry Christmas and God bless

DN

[Sabot]

James, Donald, brickbottom, Tauro Bros, and anyone else who cares,

Let's try to get this out there for the last time:

That idiot Bite Me said, "This being a purely opinion column...".

That fact it is a "newspaper column" (or an Op-Ed pice for that matter) immediately denotes that it is "an article giving opinions or perspectives."

Wikipedia says this about columns:
"A column a recurring piece or article in a newspaper, magazine or other publication. Columns are written by columnists.

What differentiates a column from other forms of journalism is that it meets each of the following criteria:

It is a regular feature in a publication
It is personality-driven by the author
It explicitly contains an opinion or point of view"

By its' very nature there cannot be a non-opinion column, because then it would be a news article, a human interest story, an obituary, a classified, a comic strip, etc. It could be anything BUT a column.

This is something I learned in college.

Keep up the great work at The News!

I close by saying Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas! Especially to Bite Me. He needs the Holiday Spirit more than anyone.

[Black Panther Friday]

Both sides of this argument is bonehead driven.

Would we appreciate some substinace and facts to back up an opinion? Yes

Does the fact that all the money I make before aprill belong to the government mean that I only make money after April? No, Black friday means that stores are in the Red untill that part of the year. The money they make after that is profit but you could just as easily say the the the first two months earnings are profits and the rest go to pay the bills.

A college education only means that you most likely paid a lot of money to learn how not to think for yourself. Think about it! If you paid attention in college and got througoughly brain-washed you may end up joining the Rebublican Party because Rush Limbaugh makes sense for you. I mean, how else can we easlily rationalize everything? We can'nt do it without Rush making it so simple for us can we. Rush brings to the surface what we already know deap down. That everything is Black and white. If someone has a different perspective that just means they are wrong! See how the over-rationalizations work?

[Dr. Mrs. McCarthy]

Now that's a first. The Donald himself chimming in. Hoooweeeee..........

Now let's see, "bite me"? "Chew some butt"? "bite me", "chew some butt"???????

Oh I get it!!!! Hi Alderman Trane!!!!!!!

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas Bob.

Dr. Mrs. McCarthy

[Whatever]

First of all, it's Laurence Olivier.

Second, regarding the "Happy Holidays" nonsense, I really enjoyed the article in the Boston Globe magazine two Sundays ago. The hotheads on both sides need to read it. There Is No "War on Christmas," So Get Over It:

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2006/11/19/how_to_survive_the_holidays_without_angering_your_family_annoying_your_friends_and_alienating_your_neighbors/

[Donut shop of online Rags]

Congrats on becoming the Donut shop! The bloggers have made the Scott Trant story the number one most commented on story this year, with over 200 comments.

[brickbottom]

Didn't the "ACTING" Chief violate this law:

PART I. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT

TITLE XIV. PUBLIC WAYS AND WORKS

CHAPTER 89. LAW OF THE ROAD

Chapter 89: Section 11. Marked crosswalks; yielding right of way to pedestrians; penalty

Section 11. When traffic control signals are not in place or not in operation the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way, slowing down or stopping if need be so to yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk marked in accordance with standards established by the department of highways if the pedestrian is on that half of the traveled part of the way on which the vehicle is traveling or if the pedestrian approaches from the opposite half of the traveled part of the way to within 10 feet of that half of the traveled part of the way on which said vehicle is traveling.

No driver of a vehicle shall pass any other vehicle which has stopped at a marked crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross, nor shall any such operator enter a marked crosswalk while a pedestrian is crossing or until there is a sufficient space beyond the crosswalk to accommodate the vehicle he is operating, notwithstanding that a traffic control signal may indicate that vehicles may proceed.

Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $200.

Whenever a pedestrian is injured by a motor vehicle in a marked crosswalk, the department of state police or the municipal police department with jurisdiction of the street, in consultation with department of state police if deemed appropriate, shall conduct an investigation into the cause of the injury and any violation of this section or other law or ordinance and shall issue the appropriate civil or criminal citation or file an application for the appropriate criminal complaint, if any. This section shall not limit the ability of a district attorney or the attorney general to seek an indictment in connection with the operation of a motor vehicle which causes injury or death and which violates this section.

If this was a regular citizen they would have been given a moving violation in a heartbeat....why wasn't the "ACTING" Chief?

[Rush Limbaugh]

Ever since the Fairness Doctrine was eliminated by Ronald Reagan, we’ve been subjected to partisan pro-Republican radio hosts and newspaper commentaries who don’t check their facts, and that’s bad for our democracy.

[Ron Newman]

Regarding your next-to-last item:

The mailboxes outside the Day Street post office still list pickups at both 1 pm and 5 pm on weekdays. Where did you get your information that they have discontinued the 5 pm pickup?

[The Mole]

YOU BETTER WATCH OUT
YOU BETTER NOT POUT
YOU BETTER NOT CRY
I’M TELLING YOU WHY
ALCUUUU IS COMING TO TOWN

THEY KNOW WHEN YOU’VE BEEN LYINIG
THEY KNOW WHEN YOU’VE BEEN CRYING
THEY KNOW WHEN YOU’VE BEEN BAD AND BAD
SO BE GONE FOR GOODNESS SAKE

OH, YOU BETTER WATCH OUT
YOU BETTER NOT POUT
YOU BETTER NOT CRY
I’M TELLYING YOU WHY
ALCUUUU IS COMING TO TOWN

The Mole

[MikeBuckley]

Stan, how long are you going to let me be the Highway Superintendant and the MOLE at the same time?

[Is it true that Buckley is the mole?]

Is it true that mike buckley is the mole? More and more people are speculating his loyalty and agenda.

[No Buckley isn't the Mole]

Buckley isn't the Mole. He's one of the only people thjat Joe can trust and he's one of the few that brings credibility to his job. No wonder people are trying to take him down, he's TOO honest for them!

[CuriousGeorge]

Dear Mole,

What is ALCUUUU ?

I know what the ACLU is but i've never heard of the ALCUUUU.

[Cambriville News]

CAMBRIVILLE NEWS
SUNDAY DECEMBER 3, 2006

LATE EDITION.............

From the Editor In Chief:

We apologize to our readers for the tardiness of this mornings edition. The holiday season is now well underway and the staff and I intend to hit every single Christmas party we've been invited to. As a result, we'll get to our jobs when the old noggin has stopped pounding like a freakin jackhammer.

Back to Bed,

Dr. Mrs. McCarthy
Editor In Chief
The Cambriville News

(Editors Note: And to the pusspocket who accused me of being a "middle aged man" pretending to be and "old woman", I hope you rot in hell. I've been trying to get rid of this moustache for 32 years, been accused of being a hormone imbalanced Greek girl, and once appeared alongside Richard Simmons in a public service announcement for a "private parts" itching cream product, but I have never been accused of being a middle aged man.

YOU ASSASSIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

[DR Mr McCarhty]

Buckley is the mole? I always new he was a low life scum bag but didnt think he would betray the people that took care of him. Any theories on why he became the mole? Is it part of some master plan to be Mayor himself someday? Perhaps Buck is tired of being Joe's glorified errand boy / taxi driver?

[Buckley is boxed in!]

I agree with the doctor above. Buckley is the mole. Too bad Joe can't see through his jealousy. He's tired of paying for dinners, being a taxi driver, and a lacky. In retribution he reaveals insider information on the blog. He's a sick kid.

[Scam]

That's no the REAL DR., so haold your horses. The real DR. doesn't make spelling mistakes. Buckley isn' the Mole. He's a bright guy and could do other things with his career. He doesn't need to work fo the city and attack the Mayor at the same time. Stop the bomb-tossing. Buckley ISN'T the Mole.

[Dr. Mrs. McCarthy]

Thank You Dear. You are only half way correct though. Dr. Mrs. McCarthy does not make spelling mistakes or any other for that matter. Or so think I.

As for the speculation of the Mole's identity, not even the one and only Dr. Mrs. McCarthy knows for sure. Or do I?????????????

All I know is that the Mole is a red head, has a prosthetic limb, once dated Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee simultaneously and gives 75% of his/her net income to charity.

Back to Bed,

Dr. Mrs. McCarthy

[Dr Mr McCarthy]

Pay attention people. I never said I was Dr Mrs McCarthy. I typed the name Dr "Mr" McCarthy.

If Mrs McCarthy (who is actually a man) can pretend to be a woman, I can pretend to be a man.

The Mole has made a huuuuuuuuuuuge mistake. People talk about what they see, and what they saw was you and me. A riddler I'm not, Accurate I am, Come this week we'll see who's the man!

[It Dosen't Matter Buckley'zzzzzzzzzz da mole]

regardless buckleyzzzzzzzzz da mole.

[The Mole]

Geez US, big deal. So there are typos in my blog. Opps, shame on me. So my fingers move faster than my brain and my old equipment doesn't have the updated spell check. Shoot me, who gives a hoot.

When I graduated from Medfa High we had stenographers that sat on our laps and took DICK-ta-tion. Those were the good ole days.

So take it for what it is. ACLUUUU, ALCUUUU, CLAUUUU or CALUUUU, what ever it be, it be here in a few weeks. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show. It is going to be a good one.

The Mole

[I bet its going to be good]

good/bad M.B. is still the mole. How can you look us in the face!

[brickbottom]

Dear Dr. Mrs. McCarthy,

It must be tough sitting on the top of the hill in bloggerland.
Your accuracy with the facts have made some in here take double doses of Atenelol and Prozac. Your wit and charm have so many hacks in here fit to be tied it is absolutley hilarious!

When they start the guessing game you know you have really hit the main nerve of their quivering, gutless agenda's.

The truth hurts and because of you the rats are scurrying for cover.

Keep up the good work and may Cambriville live on into eternity!

[brickbottom]

There are so many rats and malcontents within this Administration that to say who or who isn't the so called "Mole" is like finding a needle in a haystack.

The truth of the matter is who really cares, except of course by the ones who are being reported by the Mole for their acts of greed or incompetence.

Go get them Mole!

[NotBuck]

You are correct when you say the Mole's intials are M.B.

But.... Hold the phone, it's not Mike Buckley that's the mole.

Drumroll please......................

It's Mike Browne the one the only Highway Repair Foreman......

The truth is finally told.......

[TheDoc]

Its funny how everyone is tryin to figure out who the mole is when to me it seems pretty simple. ill give you an easy way to figure it out, go to the DPW yard, walk into the repair garage and look for the person who is his office acting like he is the president, take a look at him and tell me what you see. A MOLE right on the side of his fat head! i cant believe it would take people that long to figure that out, all ties lead to him anyway. atleast him and his little click that is. or should i say the treo. MB, FS, JO. seems like a pretty acurate guess to me, MB sits in the yard all day and wonders around gathering some 411, FS sits up stairs and gets his 411, and JO drives the streets for like 10 minutes then goes to craige st or glen st to hang out and gather his 411, by the way he is not picking up trash on those streets either. then at the end of the day they meet at the dante club and everyone hands in their notes from the day and then they get on the computer and hit up www.thesomervillenews.com from there they go home and clean up there badges and guns and get ready to do it all over again the next day. well see what this stirs up for a while.. TheDoc will return. P.S. stop trying to make buckley look bad its not working, and i promise you, you will not succeed.

[Sabot]

Right on, Doc!
If these clowns weren't up to bad things, they wouldn't be worrying who the Mole is. As for Buckley, he's a little too straight-laced for most of these people. As a result they want to get rid of him and get one of the good old boys in there as a boss.

[GoDocGo]

Hey Doc,

If JO spent as much time picking up Trash as he did picking up football cards, the city would be spotless.....

Wonder why the mole doesn't mention that one.....

[Dr. Mrs. McCarthy]

Dear Brick,

You flatter me. While I certainly do not consider myself to be "sitting on top of the hill"(not until I'm elected Mayor anyway)in the rarefied bloggersphere of Cambriville, sitting on that hill is probably thougher than sitting through the Mass and Rosary with stuttering Father Kelley.

As for those that are too blind to see what is happening in our beloved hamlet, I only have this familiar quote, I believe from Dante,(no not the club on Craigie St., Francis) to offer to them for contemplation.

"The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those, who in a time of moral crisis, preserved their neutrality."

Never Neutral,

Dr. Mrs. McCarthy

[DancinMachine]

Brownie, Okie, Frankie the Mole? Get real! The Mole is always ripping them apart. That doesn’t make sense at all. I personally do not know who the mole is nor do I give a shit. He or she is obviously a very unhappy person who should grow up and enjoy life for a change.

[Buckey-mole needs to stop spinning the truth]

Buckley is the mole. Let the truth be said. Buckley has big ambitions down the dpw yard and hopes to manipulate his way to the commish j. o. b. Don't let Buckley fool ya.....

[FOX]

You guys have no idea do you. Keep guessing. This is hilarious. Who’s next to board the train wreck?

Sullivan was the mole, Aliano was the mole, Aylward, Vitello, Corey, Mitrano, Antonelli, Votour, Horan, Buckley, Santangelo, Browne, O’Connell alike. Who’s next boys and girls?

Keep beating the snot out of each other while the real mole gets a free ride all the way to Winchester!

[MikeBuckleyMole]

Browne and Santangelo were both at a fundraiser Saturday Night @ Goodtimes when the Mole posted about the ACLUUU at 7:56pm and Buckley and Koty were not.

[You Neva KNOW]

The Skipper has a lap top. Just ask anyone at the Dante Club. Check out some of the times the mole person posts. It is around the time the Skipper is tipping the elbows at the club.

[Kotymole?]

Well on that note... Buckley was at PJ Ryans watching college football with a group of people at 7:56pm Saturday. He was seen by many people (including myself).

Besides, I don't think that Santangelo and/or Browne are the mole. They are, however, the ones accusing Buckley. Jealousy and anger will get you nowhere.

[Give It A Break]

Forget it people. You will never catch the Mole. Take if from someone who knows.

[The Mole]

Mole Mapping

This year, close to 50,000 people will say they know who “The Mole” is. Below are a few people that thought they had the mystery solved:

Health reporter Janet Wu shows us a new high-tech system being tested that may help save lives by "Mole Mapping".

Kerrie Rourke
"I had noticed that over the year it had gotten bigger and it had changed shape a little bit.

Darlene Johnson
"You can now photograph “The Mole”, have a documented date and time and location of where “The Mole” is and then have a picture to compare it to side by side to see if it's changed. Using the model on the screen, the correct Mole is easily located and an accurate comparison can be made.

If you have any suspicions of “The Mole”, remember your ABC's. The Mole should be asymmetric, borders should be well defined, and color should all be the same.

The Mole