There are two rival spectacles on the television tonight -- the State of the Union and the advertisement marathon for people who want to deliver not the next State of the Union, but the one after that.  The pageantry is delightful, based on … [Read more...]

-Off we go then.  First impressions and introductions: the guy selling red ties in the parking lot must have made a killing.  Weird camera angle on Jake Tapper.  Huckabee calls his group the "A-Team"...it's another group with only one … [Read more...]

Like many of us here, I can be cynical about politics.  But how can one be cynical today?  The men and women of Ireland, in the privacy of the voting booth, made a global first by voting by an almost a 2:1 margin for marriage equality.  42 … [Read more...]

Okay, I'll admit, quid is the only "Britishism" I could work into the title.  But the UK election right now is more fascinating than anything we're likely to see over here.  Some highlights: The Scottish Nationalist Party lost a … [Read more...]

So, when a listing of states comes out regarding civil liberties or quality of life, I generally expect Massachusetts to be near the top.  We were kind of ahead of the curve in the 1770s and I'd like to believe we've stayed there … [Read more...]

Stop me if you've heard this one before.  The government makes promises to those willing to accept pay cuts to work for it.  The state doesn't provide the funding to meet those promises, and then declares that those silly enough to believe … [Read more...]

For better or ill (opinions vary), Boston will be representing the United States in its bid for the 2024 Olympic Games.  Given the recent rapprochement between American and International Olympic officials, and the span of time since the … [Read more...]

I've accepted that people here are more worried about Boston 2024 than Baker 2015.  Depending on rumors instead of facts isn't too impressive, though.  I don't claim to have worked for a bid, just having done some university level work on … [Read more...]

When things are slow in the sports world, the guys (almost all guys) on sports talk debate their "top 5" lists: quarterbacks, all-time basketball greats, etc. Much of the time they talk about people I only vaguely know. I root for the home … [Read more...]

Well, our reactionary Supreme Court decided to satisfy itself with half a loaf today, opting to merely open the door to eviscerating some basic rights, rather than actually smashing them to bits altogether. In the Hobby Lobby case, the … [Read more...]