Of course not all cops are bad. But the fact that people feel like they have to begin all condemnations of corrupt police with that preamble is a testament to just how many rotten law enforcement officers there are, and to the way that many of them take out their aggression on those who point out the obvious, all evidence of their atrocities be damned.
Dear Reader
MY BRUSH WITH DEATH
It sounded like a toilet being catapulted into a brick wall. I was walking down the street in Portland, Oregon, where I traveled last week to meet with friends from across the US and Canada who work at newspapers like DigBoston, and suddenly my whole existence flashed before my eyes.
ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN JOURNALISM 101 WITH KLARFELD
I always describe Klarfeld as someone who tended the net in hockey before goalies wore face masks.
MY FACEBOOK FEED IS A MUCH DIRTIER DUMPSTER THAN IT WAS JUST TWO WEEKS AGO
I was hardly alone in complaining. Countless critics from the journalism space have spoken out about the devastating impact this abusive relationship has had on both newsmakers and readers, particularly since Facebook spent a lot of time last year explaining how it hoped to help the public cut through bullshit and fake news.
EVERY TRICK ON THE BOOK
In the meantime, we’ll still be quarreling with other alt and independent crabs in Facebook’s barrel, hoping articles that we work tirelessly on find readers. When you see us down there scrapping, it would be great if you’d extend a sharing hand.
IF YOU BELIEVE WALSH ABOUT LONG ISLAND, I HAVE A BRIDGE TO SELL YOU
Here’s what Walsh said in an October 2017 WGBH debate against then-City Councilor and challenger Jackson...
HOW THE GOP SCREWED CYCLISTS WITH ITS TAX SCHEME
That’s right, in a move that will save the federal government a mere estimated $5 million a year—and as part of an overall overhaul that will, by all trustworthy accounts, deliver more to the haves at the expense of have-nots—the Trump army is removing the tax incentive to cycle to work.
THE YEAR IN HATING YEAR-END LISTS
The next couple of weeks, in this publication and in virtually every other outlet as well, will yield an endless flurry of year-end lists. Some will be interesting, a lot will be informative, and more than anything else, they will all be seriously subjective.
A BIG DAY FOR SMALL BIZ (AND YOUR LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS TOO)
I’m using these inches on the eve of Small Business Saturday to ask for your money. Plus your contacts and connections.
MASSACHUSETTS SUPER TROOPERS
No matter how many bullets they shoot or dangerous arrests they may make, those who cover up atrocities and fortify a system that coddles the family and friends of the powerful are pathetic and weak next to the few who facilitate transparency.