Author Archive

The Library, the Manager and the Sun

Be sure to read Jack Mitchell’s recent post on Left-in-Lowell about the Lowell Sun’s coverage of the City Manager and the Pollard Memorial Library. Jack prudently copied and retained some interesting Facebook postings that have since been (mysteriously) deleted. Thankfully, Jack includes them in his piece.

Read More »

Scott Brown v Elizabeth Warren

I’ve been fascinated by the on-going struggle to resolve the debt-ceiling crisis, both because the failure to resolve it will be economically calamitous and also because the outcome will in many ways shape next year’s federal election. Four years ago the voters threw out the Republicans; two years ago they…

Read More »

Borders bites the dust

Back in early 1977, a double full page ad appeared in the Boston Globe announcing New England’s first mega bookstore – a Barnes and Noble at Downtown Crossing in Boston (it may not even have been called Downtown Crossing way back then). Barnes and Noble grew rapidly and soon a…

Read More »

Japan wins World Cup

For the first 30 minutes of yesterday’s World Cup finale, the American team unleashed an offensive blitzkrieg that left the announcers speculating about it being a “statement game” by the US – except they didn’t score any goals. After the initial half hour flurry, the teams settled down into a…

Read More »

UK Newspaper Scandal

Today’s New York Times article on the ever-expanding scandal that has engulfed Rupert Murdoch’s UK newspapers , Scotland Yard and perhaps even Prime Minister David Cameron reads like a script from the old BBC police drama, Prime Suspect. Televised periodically in the US from its 1991 debut until its 2006…

Read More »

Lowell DPD “Visioning Session”

Nearly 50 people gathered last night at the Lowell Senior Center to participate in a community “visioning session” conducted by staff of the Department of Planning and Development. The topics for discussion were housing and public services. Here’s how it worked: There were four table groupings in the big hall…

Read More »