Borderline: A Newton and Waltham blog

Rethinking Borderline. Should I continue this blog?

2007-01-27T22:19:00.000-05:00

I feel bad about blogging. Lately it's been hard to come up with posts, and when I do, it seems that a lot of readers don't like what I have to say.

There're other problems, too. It takes a lot of time to blog. Borderline has written something like 200 or 300 posts since 2005, and some of them take many hours to write, research, or maintain, such as the ones listed on this page. I can't write this stuff during the day, it's always at night or on the weekend, or when I have a day off from work. I'm writing this post right now at 10:30 pm on a Saturday night. So blogging is taking away from my free time, which I could otherwise be spending with my family, or doing other more productive things around the house, or just relaxing.

And I don't make any money on this blog. Not one red cent. I know I could make some money using Google Adsense or the Boston Blogs advertising banner, but it just seems ... wrong. I really did start Borderline out of a labor of love, talking about all of the interesting things about Waltham and Newton, and to add commercials just takes away from the independent spirit that I want to have on Borderline. As regular Borderline readers know, I love tweaking the nose of the establishment and business community, which includes companies, connected people, and mainstream media titans. It would seem hypocritical to start taking money from this group, even if it was only indirectly through the automatic advertising banners that Google uses with Adsense.

So what should I do? Take a break? Sell it? Open it up to other writers? Give it up?

Someone's Having Fun at the Fortune Cookie Factory

2007-01-21T09:10:00.000-05:00

On Friday night we went to a nice dinner at our favorite local Chinese restaurant. The meal is always followed by pineapple cubes and fortune cookies. These days the fortune includes an unpronounceable Chinese phrase with lots of Xs and Zs, and lucky lottery numbers. But the main attraction is still the fortune, usually something suggesting wisdom, cleverness, or immenent luck.

Not this time. In my fortune, it read:

Your pain is breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.

Huh? This sounds more like a phrase that might be uttered by Darth Vader before he dispatches some particularly hapless underling, or something a pumped-up World Wrestling Federation star might spit at his opponent in the pre-match, on-screen posturing session.

Mommy!

Waltham sends Northland packing, the Common is saved! (For now)

2007-01-18T22:15:00.000-05:00

This news brings a smile to Borderline: The Northland Invesment Corporation was told by the City of Waltham that there's no way its ridiculous plan to build a hulking, snooty development at the northern end of Moody Street will be allowed to move forward in its current form. Northland was able to muster support from pro-development Councilor Gary Marchese, but everyone else on the council who took part in the vote rightly recognized that residents are fed up developers and the special benefits and zoning variances sent their way. From the News Tribune article:

"I have never in 18 years on the council, seen more opposition to a proposal," Councilor Robert G. Logan said. Indeed, before the meeting began, protesters lined the front of City Hall bearing signs that read "Save Our Common, Say NO to Northland."

You may also remember that Borderline wrote about Northland's development demands late last year, which actually drew criticism from a fan of the proposal, a reader named James. Good for James for putting forward an unpopular, contrarian view, but I have to ask, what made you think other residents of Waltham wanted this?

Thank you city councilors, for recognizing what a mistake this project would be, and not going along with the developers, as you have in past cases.

I would also like to give thanks to the News Tribune and the Boston Globe for attempting to cover both sides of this development-related issue. I've given the Globe a lot of crap lately, and have hammered both papers for sucking up to developers and big corporations (see " Boston Globe's news pages become free advertising for Verizon", Blackout, part II. Media misses the story at first, then gets it wrong", "Sloppy reporting on Waltham development", and "News-Tribune sucks up to the realtors ... again"). But this time reporters and editors at both papers showed some backbone, and made a point of covering the real grassroots anger over at out-of-control development in Waltham.

Now it's time to see if Northland comes back with something else. Larry G. and co., we're watching you, and we'll bite back again if you try to ram another monster development down our throats!

The Boston Globe Challenges Borderline; Proves It Really Doesn't Get Blogs

2007-01-13T08:32:00.000-05:00

The Globe really doesn't like Borderline. I criticized the online version of the Boston Globe for calling their news-lite publishing experiment a "blog", and they huffily responded with this:

... Globe West Updates is clearly a "blog" according to the generally-accepted definition and we will continue to use the term ...

The Globe further challenged Borderline to look up this alleged definition, which I did. And lo and behold, almost all of the generally accepted definitions would exclude the Globe's effort. I responded with this:

Ralph: You mention the "generally-accepted definition" of a blog. Accepted by whom? Big Media?

I followed up your challenge to look it up. So I did. And the generally accepted definition I found supports what I have been saying all along. When I used Google to define "blogs" almost all the results stress personal thoughts and perspectives, comments, etc. as opposed to publishing news bits.

So Ralph, and your anonymous booster, you're WRONG. The Globe blog is not a blog. If you want to have a blog, it's not hard: Simply turn down the news, crank up the personality, get comments, and get a clue.

I'll add one thing here: I don't think the Globe was lying, and attempting to bluster its way out of a jam. They just don't get blogging.

Borderline interviews Newton Alderman Ken Parker: Mayor Cohen, Newton North, CPA, Hannon, Verizon discussed

2007-01-10T22:46:00.000-05:00

Borderline from time to time interviews local residents and pols on the weighty issues of the day. Well, actually only one time -- with Guive Mirfendereski, back in April of 2006. But I have invited other people to participate in the interviews, anyone who wants to talk about life and issues in Newton or Waltham (email Borderline at borderlineblog@gmail.com if you are interested), and someone recently responded: Newton Alderman Ken Parker.

Parker agreed to the ground rules of the Borderline interview format, which are as follows:

1. I choose the questions.

2. I will publish everything you have to say in your reply, and it
will not be edited down for space considerations, like a newspaper. It
may be spread into multiple posts if it is long, however.

3. There is one exception to No. 2: If your reply contains something
that could get me into legal trouble (i.e., plagiarism, defamation) I
will send the reply back and ask you to revise before printing.
Otherwise I won't print that reply.

4. You can choose not to answer a question, but that will be noted in
the transcript.

Parker generously agreed, so here is the complete transcript of the interview. Note that Borderline sent the questions on Dec 4, 2006 and he replied on January 9, 2007.

Borderline: In the most recent issue [Nov. 29, 2006] of the Newton Tab, you've reacted to Mayor Cohen's budget plans as failing to take into account critical expenditures. In your opinion, what are the three issues that will cause the most grief for Newton's budget in the next five years?

Parker: Mayor Cohen’s budget practices are irresponsible and unrealistic. He has been diverting funds from the operating budget for years to set aside for the NNHS project, while cutting teachers and other city staff. In his budget forecast, he predicts that at the end of five years the City will have a $9 million budget deficit. The Blue Ribbon Commission’s draft report on budget forecasting predicts that the deficit will be $36 million if Mayor Cohen’s practices continue. You can read their draft report here:
http://util.wickedlocal.com/multimedia/newton/Draft.pdf

In addition, the Blue Ribbon Commission chides Mayor Cohen for neglecting infrastructure. Was this neglect forced upon the Mayor? No, he had better choices available to him. For the past few years, Mayor Cohen has been setting aside millions of dollars each year in a fund for the Newton North High School Project, while cutting teachers, firefighters and police.

During the most recent budget process this past spring, Mayor Cohen cut the funds for preventive maintenance of City Buildings by 37.7%. Even after the Board of Aldermen passed a unanimous resolution asking him to restore the $70 thousand he had cut, he maintained that he did not have the funds to do so. Only after members of the Board of Aldermen wrote to him and continued to highlight the issue publicly did he relent and restore the cut.

If the Mayor goes ahead with his borrowing plan for Newton North High School, we can expect further cuts in teachers firefighters and police, as well as continued neglect of City infrastructure.

Borderline: What do you find most encouraging about the plans for the new Newton North High School?

Parker: I am encouraged that after years of insisting on a hybrid renovation of the existing building, the Mayor finally came around to the position that many of us have long held in favor of building a new school. Of course, the problem is that that Mayor’s plan for a new school is overpriced and fails to address serious educational, financing, environmental and safety concerns, but since he changed his position on whether to build a new school, I am hopeful that he may yet end his refusal to compromise regarding the site plan and financing plan.

Borderline: What worries you most about the NNHS rebuilding project?

Parker: Paying for it. The Mayor wants to build an overpriced school with a sprawled-out design that requires additional foundation work, specialized construction to build irregular corners, demolition and reconstruction of the existing stadium, and depression of the stadium below grade. The bottom line is that the Mayor’s plan will cost more than $325 per square foot to construct. When you add $20 million in soft costs, you get a total project cost of $375 per square foot. Compare this price tag with the cost of the last six public high schools built in Massachusetts. Their construction costs ranged from $146 to $189 per square foot. Adjusted to inflation to the midpoint of the NNHS project (2008), those six schools would cost an average of $229 per square foot to build.

The problem with the Mayor’s financing plan is that he uses more than 94% of new school-related borrowing over the next five years on this one project, leaving us less than 6% to deal with the pressing needs at many of our elementary and middle schools. In fact, the Mayor’s financing plan for NNHS uses up 88% of all new borrowing for the next five years. That leaves very little for renovating our fire stations and other crumbling infrastructure let alone the estimated $100 million of work needed on our other schools.

Borderline: Why should or shouldn't the Newton South athletic fields be "astroturfed" using CPA funds, as opposed to School or City funds, which have been used to tend the fields in the past?

Parker: First, please allow me to make a comment on the phrasing of your question. "Astroturf" is like a green rug placed over concrete. It is a terrible, unsafe playing surface and is not being considered in Newton (or anywhere else these days). The surface being considered for Newton South High School’s fields is in-filled synthetic turf, which is a soft, multi-layered playing surface being used at many municipal, university, and professional playing fields around the country.

That correction having been stipulated, I’ll proceed to answer your question. I have been pointing out to the Mayor for years that the fields at Newton South High School are unusable most of the time. In fact, I have proposed repeated budget resolutions to that effect, several of which passed the Board of Aldermen unanimously. For years, the Mayor ignored this problem, but, to his credit, he endorsed the proposal of the NEWTURF group, led by Ted Tye, to create new in-filled synthetic turf fields at Newton South High School.

I strongly support creating playable new fields at Newton South by approving the NEWTURF initiative.

So that bring us to the question of how to pay for the new fields. While my preference would have been to see the fields included in the NSHS renovation project (which I advocated at the time) or paid for out of our Capital Improvement Plan and Supplemental Capital Budget (which I proposed repeatedly with unanimous support from my colleagues on the Board of Aldermen), I was not in a position to dictate terms, so I accepted the Mayor’s preferred funding source (CPA funds).

That having been said, as soon as I realized that my colleagues on the Board of Aldermen were not comfortable appropriating CPA funds for this purpose, I asked the Mayor to switch the funding source to general-fund backed borrowing, which I have been told (through an intermediary) that he has agreed to do.

Borderline: What have residents been telling you about their feelings concerning use of the CPA funds for NSHS astroturf?

Parker: Most of my calls and emails have been in favor of the NEWTURF initiative. People point out that the current fields are unusable and that on such a wet site, a natural grass field is not a viable option, since even with an expensive new drainage system, it would turn to mud for a considerable period of time after we get much rain, where as in-filled synthetic turf can be playable right after it rains.

Many people have also pointed out to me that synthetic turf can be played on three-times as much as natural grass (it won’t die if you abuse it) and that it costs much less to maintain (no need for watering, re-seeding, or mowing).

There is also some people who just hate the idea of synthetic sports fields. Some of these people have indicated to me that they hate sports fields, period. They want to see fields kept pure and natural without teams of kids running around on them. To be fair, others of this group don’t hate sports, just synthetic turf.

Also, a small group of neighbors has expressed opposition to the project, but some of them say they will be okay with it if there are no lights (there aren’t) and if concerns about noise and screening are addressed. There may be one or two of them who will not be happy with any playing field in their backyard.

Finally, there is a small but very vocal group of people who object to the use of CPA funds, but say they have no problem with the artificial surface itself. I wonder what will happen when CPA funds are no longer the proposed funding source for the project—will these people drop their opposition to NEWTURF or will they come up with new reasons to oppose it?

Borderline: You talk of supporting the Municipal WiFi for Newton. Considering most households already have high-speed access, what's the point?

Parker: I don’t just talk of supporting Municipal WiFi, I have been working on bringing it to Newton for more than three years, and it looks like we are close to success! I assume that Borderline is joking when asking what the point is, since comparing municipal WiFi to wired high-speed access is like comparing an airplane to a train. Depending on where you’re going, the train may get you there just as fast, but there are many places the train just won’t work and many things it just can’t do.

If all you are interested in is getting on the Internet while sitting at your desk at home, then RCN or Comcast or even your buddies at Verizon may meet your needs (for a pretty penny). But what if you want to surf the web in a public park? Or check your email at a store? Or watch a movie on your laptop at a friend’s house (who doesn’t have a high-speed connection). Then, you want municipal WiFi.

And for folks who are dependent on Internet access for their work, WiFi provides a great backup to your wired connection. RCN down? No problem, you can still download the presentation before rushing off to an important meeting or conference. Just log on to the free WiFi service (one free hour per day anywhere in Newton).

Another advantage for Newton residents, is that municipal WiFi offers another choice for high-speed residential Internet access. A choice that is expected to cost about half what folks are paying now for Comcast, RCN, and Verizon. That not only benefits people who make the switch, it also helps to keep prices low for the other service providers who want to keep their existing customers.

But the most important reason to have Municipal WiFi is that it gives access to City Departments to improve services and public safety. With municipal WiFi, the Fire Department will be able to download building plans from the scene of a fire, getting people out more quickly with less chance of loss of life. They will also be able to locate an address more quickly. By a similar token, the police will be better able to send a picture of a suspect to their colleagues in another community, before that suspect gets away or commits another crime. The Public Works Department will be able to read water meters remotely, saving the time and expense of sending an employee to your home. Better yet, if one of your pipes springs a leak while you are on vacation, you can be notified by a message to your cell phone, so that you can have a neighbor turn off your water service before your house floods.

And municipal WiFi will not only improve City services, it will also save a great deal of money. Free WiFi access will allow us to replace cell phones with wireless Voice-Over IP phones. It will allow us to use employee time more efficiently by directing parking meter enforcement officers to meters that are actually expired, so that they don’t waste their time wandering around looking at meters with plenty of time remaining.

It can also help to clean up our parks, as smart trash cans can signal our Parks and Recreation Department when they are nearly full, so that they do not overflow.

There are a great many more advantages to municipal WiFi. You can read about them in my recent Newton TAB column, which you can find here:
http://www.kenparker.org/WiFi_TAB_112906.html

You can also find the terms of the agreement I negotiated with Galaxy Internet here:
http://www.kenparker.org/GIS_WiFi_Offer_062106.pdf

Borderline: What's your stance on Verizon to get access to the Newton cable market? Considering some of their underhanded lobbying efforts (see http://borderlinenewtonwaltham.blogspot.com/2006/11/despite-hynesnew-media-strategics.html), is this the type of company that should be allowed to do business in Newton?

My initial instinct is to be repulsed by the kind of tactics you describe, but having read your blog entry, I’m still not sure which law Verizon has broken. Please send me more information on this topic and I will check with the City of Newton Law Department to see if Verizon’s franchise application (that was recently signed by Mayor Cohen) is legal. My big concern was that they tried (illegally, I am sure) to enter the Newton cable market without contributing to our public access station, NewTV. However, my understanding is that they finally agreed to honor their obligations under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and pay a portion of their proceeds to support Newton public access television. If I have this wrong or am missing something, please fill me in.

Borderline: Why should or shouldn't the City of Newton buy Pat Hannon's property adjoining Crystal Lake?

Parker: I have been working on this issue for about as long as the Newton WiFi proposal. I strongly support acquiring this parcel (with CPA funds) as it is a perfect addition to the public swimming area on Crystal Lake and the upper portion of the site would make a great park.

That having been said, Mayor Cohen may have ended any chance of the deal going through by low-balling Pat Hannon with an offer half a million less than the property’s assessed value. My understanding is that Mr. Hannon has listed the property with a broker and indicated that he is no longer willing to sell his property to the City after the Mayor’s low offer.

Borderline: Are you interested in running for any other city or state office?

Parker: Yeah, sure. You have something in mind?

What part of "blog" does the Globe not understand?

2007-01-06T23:22:00.000-05:00

I've ranted about this before, but I am going to do it again: STOP CALLING THE GLOBE'S WESTWORD/WEST UPDATES A BLOG!

Reporters posting news articles and random news tidbits, without any real opinions or mechanism to comment, is not blogging. It's just typical MSM one-way reporting, albeit in an online-only medium.

And Ralph Ranalli, if you are reading this message, I am sorry to be so harsh, but the last time you left a comment on Borderline it was the summertime and you said comments would be enabled ASAP. If it's not going to happen, and the site will merely continue to report news rather than other things like freeform opinion, then please remove the word "blog" from this part of the Globe website. 'Cause it ain't a blog.

The Phoenix's top 40 Boston concerts

2006-12-27T21:18:00.000-05:00

Via a link about James Brown's 1968 concert in Boston, I checked out The 40 greatest concerts in Boston history, according to the Boston Phoenix.

Now, you may not know this about Borderline, but I was wickedly into the local underground music scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s. For a time, I attended a show every week or two at The Channel, TT The Bears, Bunratties, The Rat, Green Street, The Paradise, and other local dives in and around Boston and Cambridge. Sometimes I saw shows out in the burbs, like the WBRS live productions up at Brandeis. Almost all the bands were local, or "alternative" acts from elsewhere -- the kind of shows that one would see listed in the Phoenix's music pages. So this top 40 list interested me greatly. I knew every single act on the Phoenix top 40 list, but was disappointed to see none of Borderline's faves were included, such as Bad Brains' performances at the Channel, Bob Mould at Axis, Soundgarden at Axis, Slapshot at the Rat, the Lemonheads or Bullet LaVolta at TTs, Rollins Band at TTs, and a few others.

The Top 40 list is good (with the exception of a few shows that were seemingly added for name-dropping/I-saw-them-first-nyah-nyah-nyah rights, like PJ Harvey in 1992) but is really focussed on the national and international acts, rather than the solid local rock scene. It's worth checking out the list, and if you saw any of the shows that are included, you can add your own review, which is cool.

Another Newton niche blog about hating Brian Camenker

2006-12-18T21:09:00.000-05:00

The Newton Tab blog pointed me to another Newton niche blog -- Hate Resistance, which seems to be focused on attacking Brian Camenker, the former Newton Taxpayers Association head who made quite a stir a few years back when he tried to videotape ToBGLADay activities at Newton North.

Even though Camenker has quieted down in the past few years -- or, as one post suggests, moved to Waltham -- the writer of "Hate Resistance" is not letting this stuff fade into memory. This author is pissed, and wants everyone to know about it.

An unusual niche blog from Newton

2006-12-17T21:58:00.000-05:00

This is impressive for a Newton niche blog: Newton Streets and Sidewalks, which talks about life on the Garden City's paved surfaces. This guy really has a passion for this topic. Who knew?

For more Newton and Waltham blogs focused on niches or local community issues, be sure to check out the blogroll on the front page of Borderline (scroll down, it's on the right side of the page below the archive.) Also, email Borderline if you have a blog you'd like to add to the list.

Boston Globe's news pages become free advertising for Verizon

2006-12-17T09:57:00.000-05:00

How low can the local media go in bending over backwards for corporations? Pretty low, as evidenced by this morning's edition of the Boston Globe. The paper has printed an advertisement for Verizon in the Globe West section of the newspaper.

Now, advertisements are nothing new in the paper, but the problem with this ad is that it's disguised as a news story. Lauren K. Meade is listed as the author of "Verizon FiOS arrives" but it looks like it was written by someone working for Verizon's marketing department. Unfortunately, it's not possible for Borderline to determine whether this is actually a violation of the Globe's ethics policies, because these are apparently not posted on the website for the public to review.

In a way, the Globe's articletisement doesn't surprise me. Verizon has proved itself to be very adept at seeding the media with pro-Verizon coverage, and the Globe very pliant in printing it (See "Despite the Hynes/New Media Strategics fiasco, Verizon's master plan for Newton is working"). And while this case is extreme, Borderline would like to remind readers that the Globe has been manipulated by business interests before. Exampes include "Blackout, part II. Media misses the story at first, then gets it wrong" and "Sloppy reporting on Waltham development".

Borderline's love/hate relationship with WGBH

2006-12-12T22:31:00.000-05:00

Boston has an extensive local public TV system, WGBH (aka Channel 2, and Channel 44). Borderline watches it a lot with the kids and Mrs. Borderline, and has some observations that need to be shared.

One is the fundraising pitch. I know it needs to be done to keep all this great programming coming to us, blah blah blah, but can we cut down on the bogus claims about commercialism? On channel 44 right now, people are pleading for money. Text superimposed on the screen reads:

"WGBH is non-commercial public TV"

Yet at the same time on channel 2, they have something that looks like an infomercial, an hour-long program called "The RealAge Makeover." What gives?

Don't get me wrong. Borderline loves public TV, especially some of the kids programming (except for Boobah) and the documentaries and Frontline. And the cooking programs. But jeez, don't claim its non-commercial, when there's an infomercial by some doctor or financial guru or new age mystic running on 2 or 44 every other night.

Also, while I'm on the subject of bad public TV programming, can someone at WGBH please take all of the tapes of that crazy Teutonic violinist Andrew Rieu and launch them into the heart of the sun? Classical music is great and all, but this guy is Frankly (get it? get it?) irritating as heck. He's on all the time, especially on weekends when there are fund raisers. If WGBH is going to do classical music on TV, why not videotape some of the live studio sessions that they play every day on WGBH radio? Why rockstar Rieu? Is he paying WGBH to show his programs, in order to sell more CDs or DVDs? Why not show video of some equally talented yet more obscure artist who really needs the exposure and would give more variety to WGBH?

Whittemore meeting on Wednesday night

2006-12-12T21:46:00.000-05:00

Finally, community action! Somebody dropped a flyer in my mailbox on Monday about a Whittemore meeting, that's scheduled to take place on Wednesday night at 7 at the South Middle School on Moody Street (aka, the temporary Whittemore). The flyer says the construction schedule is on the agenda, but I don't see how they can have that nailed down if the bidding process has resulted in no usable bids.

Where to see Good Xmas Light Displays in Newton and Waltham

2006-12-11T20:38:00.000-05:00

For the past few nights, Borderline has been checking out some of the displays in and around our Borderline area. Here's a short list of houses and streets that are worth a drive-by, or walk-by, especially if you've got smallish kids.

Most ornate houses:

Lexington Street, Newton, near the "back entrance" to the Burr School athletic fields. There's a very elaborate light show at one house there, and just down the street (in the direction of Waltham) there is a group of lit-up houses and yards, too.

Near the intersection of Crafts and Watertown Street in Newton. This is just one block north of the fire station at that intersection. Someone did a pretty good job getting lights all over the frame of this house, plus some displays in the yard.

The Blue House, Cherry Street where it meets the Waltham line. This house likes blue lights. You can't miss it!

Neighborhoods and streets with high concentrations of lights:

Newtonville/The Lake, on the side streets off California and Nevada Streets

Parmenter Street, on both sides of the Newton/Waltham line. It seems like every other house has lights. Get there by going to High Street in Waltham, or Derby Street in Newton. Also, on adjoining Myrtle Street (Waltham) there is a cluster of big displays.

Waltham Common - There's something very comforting about the light show on the trees there. It's big, colorful, and strangely quiet ... not many people walk through at night.

Feel free to add your own favorite light shows in Newton or Waltham by commenting below. Leave the street name and city, and a brief description.

Newton developers demand special zoning giveaway from Waltham

2006-12-08T07:37:00.000-05:00

In the News-Tribune this morning, a story about how a Newton-based developer is getting ready to put a 7-story monstrosity at the intersection of Charles and Moody Street. It's going to block out light, dominate the small businesses and residences nearby, and make for more traffic. But hey, it will give the top floor tenants river views! Now the developer is asking for special treatment from the city. The article says:

Northland has asked the City Council to create a new zoning district, called Business D, to allow for the project. The proposed zone change is set for a City Council public hearing Monday.

The change would allow bigger buildings than those outlined in the developer’s informal proposal. Northland said it will build six stories on Main Street, and seven stories on Charles, where the ground slopes down toward the river, but the new zone would allow 90-foot-high buildings seven stories tall, across the block.

An artist’s rendering of the project, presented to the council this week, shows a building that appears smaller than the actual structure would stand at 77-plus feet. The new building appears to be just slightly larger than a building across the street that, at three stories, would be half the new building’s height.

A developer playing games, by trying to downplay the size of the building? Is anyone surprised?

Northland's chairman and CEO is Lawrence R. Gottesdiener. City councillors, please send Larry G a resounding message: NO WAY!

You can read the rest of the article at Building plan irks residents

Update

The Globe West has more information about the proposed project:

The plan calls for 350 luxury apartment units above 35,000 square feet of first-floor retail space on a 4 1/2-acre site at the corner of Main and Moody streets, opposite the common. ...

An underground parking garage. Plans call for 570 spaces.

Fast-food restaurants.

There's a public hearing at City Council tomorrow night (Monday, 8pm) to debate this project. Don't let it go forward!

Whittemore school rebuilding situation goes from bad to worse

2006-12-07T22:23:00.000-05:00

Borderline has warned that problems with the Whittemore reconstruction process might lead to delays, and was greeted by resounding silence. No comments, no reaction -- perhaps because readers thought I was exaggerating the issue.

But now it looks like the South Side kids in this part of Waltham are being set up for an extra year in an inferior temporary facility, and more pain when they finally get their new school. The News Tribune reports that there was only one bid for the Whittemore reconstruction, and it came in at $5 million over budget. It's been rejected by the city. Now David King, chairman of the School Building Committee, realizes that there's a "problem of what to do next."

I'll say. Moreover, King's proposed solution to the problem is in itself a problem: Cut corners! I quote from the text of the News-Tribune article:

King described this as a process where costs could be cut without damaging the design of the building.

"The thought was that we could try to get some savings through value engineering without cheapening the building itself," King said.

"We agreed to not make Whittemore inferior and the goal is to make it comparable to other new schools," McCarthy said.

For example, King said mechanical rooftop units could be built with aluminum instead of steel. "We’re not sure if that’s appropriate, and some people probably feel it isn’t, but there could be substantial savings," he said.

Excuse me? The pols "agreed to not make Whittemore inferior" yet you're talking about cutting millions of dollars worth of corners? We got a little logic problem here, buddy. Or you're just blowing smoke.

The Whittemore community has a lot of other things to deal with besides the rebuilding issue, including lagging MCAS scores. The way things are shaping up, the school rebuilding project is going to be a lose-lose situation for the kids. The failure of the bidding process means the planned Sept. 2008 reopening of Whittemore is almost certainly going to be pushed into the future. How far remains to be seen. And, while the kids may be coming back to a new school, it will be inferior to what kids elsewhere in Waltham have received under the city-wide elementary school rebuilding plan.

One other thing that Borderline would like to say about this News Tribune article: The reporter really let residents down by not interviewing a single Whittemore parent. It's all about the spin put out by city officials. I expect this from the Globe (see Sloppy Reporting on Waltham Development), and am really disappointed to see this trend creeping into the News-Tribune. Don't forget your readers, Trib! For every minute you spend talking with or quoting the pols, you should spend at least one minute talking with the people impacted by their schemes.

Other Borderline rants about the Whittemore school:

What's up with Whittemore?

Whittemore budget problems, and a warning for Newton

Another reason to be worried about Whittemore

A tale of two stories, or why Borderline loves the Herald

2006-12-02T07:22:00.000-05:00

Clumsy editing errors aside, the Herald really runs circles around the Globe when it comes to crime-related news. Check these two headlines and introductory paragraphs, detailing the arrest of killer/mob dude Carmen DiNunzio:

From the Boston Globe:

Alleged underboss of New England Mafia is arrested

By Shelley Murphy and Raja Mishra, Globe Staff

Reputed Mafia underboss Carmen "The Big Cheese" DiNunzio was arrested on extortion and illegal gambling charges as he emerged from a North End social club yesterday, potentially ending the reign of an underworld leader credited with uniting the fractured Boston mob into a low-key, profit-focused machine.

From the Boston Herald:

Cops nab alleged Mafia boss: ‘Big Cheese’ busted after 5-year probe

By O’Ryan Johnson and Laurel J. Sweet

Carrying a wad of 100s and 50s as fat as a ball of mozzarella, Carmen Salvatore DiNunzio was busted by state police yesterday in the North End near the spot where the alleged Boston Mafia kingpin runs a cheese shop, authorities said.

The Globe reads like an obituary, the Herald like a thriller. Which story do you want to keep reading?

Borderline has said it before, and will say it again: This city needs the Herald. They are so superior to the Globe in a few key "beats," like crime, the neighborhoods, and official corruption. There are a few decent reporters at the Globe, but the Ivy Leaguers who run the Globe just don't how to consistently cover these areas that well.

Newton High/NNHS Alumni Directory

2006-12-01T18:46:00.000-05:00

The fat Newton High School/Newton North High School Alumni Directory arrived in the mail this week. It's comprehensive, and in many ways better than class-based activities like reunion updates and class websites in that you can see what's happening to people from other classes ... if they responded.

So, when I got the book, I immediately did what every other recipient did: Looked up old flames and crushes. Then, friends whom I haven't heard from in years, like some guys I knew on the soccer team. Then acquaintances. Then bullies and class clowns. Then anyone else whose name I remembered.

The entries could include name, married name, current address and phone number, email, occupation, spouse's first name, and kids' names. Some alumni left out pieces of information. A lot of people responded -- I'd say a third to half of the people in my class had a diamond next to the entry, indicating that they had responded to the survey last winter. Other people were listed as well, but it looked like old information -- occupations included student and home addresses were still in Newton. Still others didn't have any listing at all, I think because they asked not to be included, or their status was "unknown."

The back of the book was interesting. They had complete class lists for some years as far back as 1925. But other years had only a few dozen entries, like 1926. Then there were the giant classes from the 1960s and 1970s, with more than a thousand names in each class -- these were the baby boomers, and part of the reason why Newton High was split into Newton South and Newton North.

Another interesting section: Alumni by town of residence. They broke it up by country, state, and city. About 400 alumni who responded listed Waltham as their city of residence. And that's just the people who responded. The number is probably over 500, and this comes to no surprise to Borderline -- about half the people on my street in Waltham grew up in Newton, mostly in northern areas such as The Lake, West Newton, and Auburndale. We knew Waltham growing up -- and hung out on Moody Street and Wal-lex as kids -- and when we couldn't afford housing in in our hometown (or didn't want to put up with the taxes in Newton) we settled to Waltham. By comparison, less than 200 alums listed Watertown as their place of residence.

Another reason to be worried about Whittemore

2006-11-30T21:26:00.000-05:00

Update on the Whittemore situation. The silent schoolyard and lack of any official news on Whittemore progress aren't the only things that worry Borderline about the Whittemore reconstruction project. This news article in Globe West about shoddy construction and lawsuit-related delays on other local school projects in Newton, Weston, and Waltham really makes me wonder if the Waltham City Government is setting Whittemore reconstruction up for more pain, by announcing that they are low on money and want to cut back on extras.

The Whittemore kids are stuck in an inferior temporary building right now for two years. It's very old. There's no playground. The gym is tiny. It's next to one of Waltham's busiest streets. It would be very, very bad if the system failed them for yet another year for delays and construction-related problems.

Don't let it happen!

Groans-giving

2006-11-21T22:27:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow morning, guess what time the Borderline family has to get up?

Yes, like millions of other Americans, we have to travel on Thanksgiving. It only happens once every other year or so that we have to travel out of state, but this year it's our turn to hit the road, or in this case, the airport. Get to Logan by 6:30 am (along with about 20% of the population of Boston) and get to our flight. Then it's five hours to the Southwest (Mesa, to be exact, which is a part of Phoenix), for a weird Thanksgiving routine in 80 degree weather. Then back on Saturday.

Borderline will be groaning for more than just turkey ...

Plans for the Waltham Watch Factory: Worse than condos

2006-11-18T15:42:00.000-05:00

Developers in Waltham. They just won't give up! From the Boston Globe:

Developers have applied for a special permit from the Waltham City Council that would allow them to create a 30-unit "apartment-hotel" at the site of the Waltham Watch factory complex on Crescent Street.

"It's kind of a new concept," said Andrew Albers, project manager for Colomba Brothers Development Corp. "It's for stays longer than in a hotel but shorter than a year's lease on an apartment."

Actually, Andrew, it's kind of an old concept, that Waltham has lots of experience with. Excecutive hotels, welfare hotels, long-term hotels, dormitories ... the type of facility aimed at people who have no intention of putting down roots here. Even condos would be better than this.

Borderline hopes our elected leaders don't suck up to the Waltham Watch Factory developers, like many of them did earlier this year to support development near Rte. 128.

Despite the Hynes/New Media Strategics fiasco, Verizon's master plan for Newton is working

2006-11-18T15:05:00.000-05:00

Goal: Verizon wants to increase its business in Newton and other local cities where there are lots of rich people.

Problem: The law

Strategy 1: Get high-profile mainstream media outlets to parrot your PR and marketing lines, like this report from the Boston Globe does:

Verizon touts higher Internet speeds, more cable channels, a larger library of movies, and better quality -- all at prices that would be competitive with the town's only other cable provider, Comcast.

Strategy 2: Get high-profile municipal politicians on your side by using fake letter-writing campaigns, like this one, orchestrated by Verizon's Stephanie S. Lee and Santoro:

".... If you are interested in more competition, please send an email directly to Mayor Cohen to let him know you want cable choice. A sample letter is provided for your convenience. Please add personal information and comments to customize your letter, if you prefer. ...

Subject: Bring more cable choice to Newton

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

Verizon has invested millions of dollars in Newton by installing its advanced fiber optic network, which offers video, internet and phone services. Verizon not only offers us another alternative to cable, but will provide residents with a more robust channel line up, more HDTV offerings, and thousands of shows and movies on demand -- at lower prices than we are paying today.

The City of Newton has been a pioneer in fostering the spirit of cable competition. With the addition of Verizon's video service, we will be among the few municipalities in Massachusetts to provide consumers with three options for cable TV.

Today residents in nearly 20 Massachusetts communities are enjoying Verizon's FiOS TV. Newton residents also deserve the best technology available along with a superior choice for cable TV.

I am writing to ask that you move quickly to approve Verizon's application for a video license so that Newton residents can benefit from more competition and the capabilities of this advanced fiber network.

Strategy 3: Try to astroturf local blogs like Borderline.

Result: Success, probably, judging by page 3 of the Nov. 15 Newton Tab.

The type of ratings Arbitron gets for $1

2006-11-15T23:55:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago Borderline got a letter from a company called Arbitron. The envelope contained a letter, and a crisp $1 bill.

Wow! People demand money from Borderline all the time -- I'm used to getting dunned for unpaid bills a few times a week! But getting free money, unsolicited? What's going on here?

From what Borderline understands, Arbitron produces "ratings" for radio programs, which stations and networks use to make programming decisions and adjust advertising rates. For instance, the data that Arbitron gathers help determine how much WBZ can charge Subaru of New frigging England for running 30 second radio spots during our drive-time commute. There is another company, Nielsen, which does the same thing for TV programming.

Anyway, Borderline pocketed the dollar bill and threw away the letter without reading it. Some people actually like to reveal their innermost radio habits to a bunch of statisticians. But not Borderline. I don't know how they got my name, but I sure didn't volunteer for help-out-the-advertisers duty. I feel no obligation to take part in whatever schemes this company uses to make u- I mean gather statistics upon which multi-million dollar PR decisions are made.

Then the calls started.

Every night at dinner. Early in the morning on weekends. Late at night on weekdays. Borderline never answered. There were hangups, recorded messages, and sometimes, breathing from a real live stats-gathering human. They used legitimate caller ID most of the time, but a few times they didn't. I could still tell it was Arbitron, because of the area 410 code. Later Borderline looked at the caller ID list for these numbers, and they all led back to the same number:

(410) 312-8222

If you Google it, this weird mashup appears, that seems to be charting telemarketers and the like who are breaking the federal "Do Not Call" list. Borderline signed up for this "Do not call" registry service several years ago, to stop the flood of unwanted solicitations at dinnertime, but Arbitron apparently feels they are above federal law because they have a "business relationship" (an exception to the Do Not Call rules) with me. Yeah, that's right. Arbitron thinks that by virtue of the $1 bill they sent me, they now own me and my time.

So, yeah, I feel used. It's almost as bad as when Patrick J Hynes and New Media Strategics tried to co-opt this blog for some corporate lobbying purpose.

Anyway, now Borderline is torn between doing nothing, or answering the phone and giving these jerks and piece of mind, or answering the phone and lying about all the fringe radio programs I listen to on WBRS, AM talk radio, and the like.

But I'll probably end up doing nothing.

Arbitron sucks!

Newton Drives Borderline Crazy

2006-11-14T20:56:00.000-05:00

Seems like crappy weather really brings out the worst in local drivers. Yesterday it was some yahoo driving a green Newton Roofing pickup truck (truck no. 1) who cut me off in the front of the Newton police station on Washington Street.

Then this morning, this jerk in a gray Ford Escort sedan pulls a U-y on Comm ave without signalling. He just pulled off the right side of the road, like he had to look at a map or stop the car, then swerved sharp left, forcing me and the Boston Globe truck in back of me to slam on the brakes.

His car had a bumper sticker on the window, "100% Jesus." Shoulda been "100% idiot."

Who is Joe Publius?

2006-11-14T20:49:00.000-05:00

Borderline and 49 other people -- most of them current residents of Newton who are involved in or follow the local political scene -- have received a series of emails from someone calling himself "Joe Publius." The emails, and the website they directs us to, are dedicated to questioning the use of CPA funds for the Newton South Astroturf project.

Here's the text of the first message, which Borderline received on November 10:

Hello. On June 21, 2006 the Community Preservation Committee voted 7-2 to recommend to CPA funding for the Newton South synthetic turf improvement project.

Now the Board of Aldermen is being asked to okay CPA money to pay for something that is essentially a School Department proposal.

Says who? Check out the clips from the CPC meeting – statements by the committee members Mr. McMillan and Mr. Dickson on www.joepublius.com.

Here attached is a clip from www.joepublius.com. Enjoy!

For more on this and other insights go to www.joepublius.com.

Feel free to share this e-mail with the grassroots growing near you.

The second installment came on Nov. 12, and followed the same format, referring us to the clips he had gathered (see sample), apparently by pointing a digital videocamera at a television screen, which was showing the CPA/Astroturf debate.

By now people on the email list were beginning to notice, and someone fired this message off to all recipients, including Borderline:

I asked privately and now I ask publicly: I would like to know who is behind Joe Publius. You have answered that you don't want to "distract" the reader's ability to get the facts by knowing who is putting up the web site. However, you have provided parts of people's conversations from a variety of meetings. These bits and pieces can be edited and put back together in ways which support or not. Unless you are willing to say who you are - I for one find that fact a huge distraction to the believability of the material you present.

This email prompted a reply from Jeff Seideman (also on the list of 50), who agreed that the anonymity was distracting, but noted that the clips seemed legit and also presented the community preservation committee in a new light.

So who is Joe Publius? Stay tuned ...

It's all about the Ws: The Herald confuses Waltham and Watertown

2006-11-12T23:42:00.000-05:00

More sloppy reporting, this time in the Boston Herald. The news article is about a corporate whistleblower named Paul Carpilio, who used to work for a big mutual fund company named Putnam Investments. Carpilio apparently uncovered a scheme to overstaff a Putnam customer service center, which allegedly resulted in big bonuses for greedy Putnam executives.

Corporate bigwigs feathering their own nests through trickery and mismanagement? No surprise there. But the Herald made a slip as to the origins of Mr. Carpilio, which makes me wonder about the accuracy of the other "facts" listed in the article. Check this:

The Waltham native just traded his black double-breasted suits for chinos and a brown leather bomber jacket. This month he opened the deli in a Plymouth industrial park to keep the money flowing when he isn’t consulting for other companies - or shuttling his three kids to hockey or soccer practice.

Then, at the bottom of the article:

As for Carpilio, money, he says, is not what he’s after.

“Where I come from, it’s about respect,” the Watertown native says. “I give respect, and I expect to be respected back.”

Well, Mr. Carpilio, you just got disrespected big time. The Herald can't even get your hometown right!

Borderline's election analysis: TV news sucks

2006-11-09T07:09:00.000-05:00

Sorry the lack of updates. Like a lot of people these days, Borderline has to take work-related overseas trips every now and then.

But I did make it back in time for the elections. I was surprised by the wine vote, but hey, Massachusetts has been a haven for bizarre alcohol-related rules since the 1600s. Why stop now?

I won't comment on the local or national races -- other local blogs are better on that front (Check out local reax from H2OTown, The Newton Tab Blog, and The Garden City Blog).

But I will make one observation regarding televised media coverage: What the heck happened to objectivity? Elections are serious business, and personal feelings of reporters are supposed to stay off camera. Right? But half of the local TV people couldn't stop smiling. Even on channel 44, MacNeil or Lehrer or whatever his name had this huge grin on his face at one point, for the first time since, like, 1978.

The local Fox 25 political coverage was odd. Their chief political reporter, Battenfeld, sounded like he was going through puberty -- his voice was really cracking. At least Bob Ward managed to look serious, even though he was at party central -- aka Deval Patrick HQ.

Eventually, once it became clear who was coming out on top, I decided to wait until the morning for real political analysis in the Globe and NYT, which goes way beyond the 100-word sound bytes that pass for talking-heads analysis on TV.

I then switched to South Park on 38. Good episode, too -- Cartman as a robot!

Waltham Halloween: Where'd all the kids go?

2006-10-31T21:00:00.000-05:00

What a perfect Halloween night. Warm, dry, partly cloudy, a half moon ...

... But very few trick or treaters. It really was a big change from last year. Borderline remembers running out of candy in 2004 or 2005, and borrowing from our neighbors, but not this year. We got about a dozen groups of trick or treaters, and the flow stopped at about 7 pm. That compares with about 20 groups last year, including a few older kids coming until 7:30 or 8.

I'm not sure why that is. Part of it may be some of the houses nearby, who turn off the lights for various reasons. Some trick or treaters think, why bother with that side of the street?

I hope it's not like this next year ... we like Halloween!

Borderline thoughts from last year's Halloween:

Halloween dying in Newton?

SNL vs. Mad TV

2006-10-29T09:02:00.000-05:00

Saturday Night Live has been in a rut for years. Last night was no exception. They have an A-list TV actor, Hugh Laurie, and what skit do they lead off with?

An extended fart joke.

Why do I even bother? Probably the memories of seasons past. Good seasons, when the talent and skits were consistently funny. I can remember the last one, which would have been about five years ago, when Will Ferrell was still with the program. There have been a few good shows and skits since then, but they are increasingly few and far between. The Ben Affleck episode with the Gigli sendup ("Frondy" played by Fred Armisen) was good, as was Will Ferrell's first guest episode, with Queens of the Stone Age. The cupcake rap video was well done, but since then ...

.... Nada. Half the time it seems like reruns are on (SNL really does have a short season) and they are steadily bleeding some of their best talent. Tina Fey left this season, which turned one of the few SNL bright spots, the news update, into a borefest.

And the skits ... absolutely painful. The Hugh Laurie/farting thing was just the latest in a long line of unfunny bits.

And then on channel 25 there is an honestly funny, well-done comedy show that starts at 11 pm on Saturday nights, Mad TV. Six or seven years ago Mad TV was really amateur hour, but now they are on top of their game. Many of the people on the show have been around for at least five years, and are comfortable working with each other. The skits are well-written and funny. Crista Flanagan, Keegan-Michael Key and that McDonald guy are absolutely priceless. I only watched a half-hour of the program last night, but they had two or three really strong skits, including a Survivor/Cook Island sendup and a piece based on a sociopath concession counter employee (played by McDonald) that was just classic. The crazed basketball coach skit (recurring) based on steroids was great, too. Yes, sometimes Bobby Lee gets irritating with the streaking gags, but redeems himself with skits like the Asian translator who is only capable of saying "Oh No, Hotdog!".

I am far more of a NY kind of guy (Yankees excepted) than LA, but in this case LA wins hands down. SNL is on the ropes. Mad TV is the place to be ...

H2Otown's election blogging experiment, and an invitation to interview

2006-10-24T21:27:00.000-04:00

Hmmm. Lisa over at H2Otown always has something interesting going on with the blog. I see tonight that it's an effort to welcome campaigners into the online community.

There are a lot of rules the contestants and their staffs have to follow, but they seem fair and geared toward starting a decent, honest conversation.

Borderline has talked about local elections before, like this entry, but I saved my analysis for after the fact -- I frankly don't want to endorse a candidate based on a limited amount of information I get from the Newton Tab, The News Tribune, and flyers that get dropped off in my mailbox. Very few local pols have emailed me, perhaps because Borderline occaisionally rips their heads off.

But Borderline will do interviews with any Waltham or Newton pol that wants to. I did one before with a local activist in Newton, and found that the format worked well. There are a couple simple ground rules, and they include that Borderline picks all the questions, the pol has the right not to answer a question but that fact will be noted in the transcript, the pol has to answer himself or herself (Borderline is good at spotting fakes) and ALL of the pols answers will be printed, except for profanity or things that could get Borderline in trouble. If you want to be interviewed, send Borderline an email.

Fading fall colors at the Riverwalk footbridge, one week apart

2006-10-22T20:48:00.000-04:00

Two views of the Mary Early footbridge and old railway bridge over the Charles, seen from the south side of the Bleachery waterfall. They were taken almost exactly eight days apart: The first on Oct. 14 (Saturday) at 11:10 am, and the second this morning at 10:40 am. There are not many sugar maples in this spot, so the transition goes from late summer dry green to faded yellows and tans. In one week's time there will be more yellow, and probably a few bare trees as well.

Newton Police Department, circa 1889

2006-10-22T14:01:00.000-04:00

This is great: An account of the size and responsibilities of the Newton Police Department in olden times, from M.F. Sweester's "King's Handbook of Newton" (1889):

The police force numbers 3 officers and 20 patrolmen. Of the latter, 4 are stationed at Newton, 3 each at Nonantum, West Newton, and Newton Center, 2 at Newtonville, and 1 each at Auburndale, Newton Lower Falls, Newton Upper Falls, Newton Highlands, and Chestnut Hill. There are also 6 police officers subject to call for special service. This vigilant civic force makes between 500 and 600 arrests each year, about one-third which are of persons who have imbibed too freely, while perhaps 100 are incarcerated for disturbances of the peace, and 50 or more for larcenies. Most of the rueful culprits are foreigners, some of whom are also represented among the 1,200 tramps that are yearly cared for by the city authorities. There are police stations at Newton, Nonantum, West Newton, and Newton Center. The City Council has just provided for the introduction of a police electric signal alarm.

Definitely not politically correct, but very interesting just the same -- this is an era before telephones and automobiles, and police could only be notified of problems in person -- which necessitated the force having an officer or two in every village of Newton.

Patrick Hynes and New Media Strategics: A pattern of deception, and a Romney connection

2006-10-20T00:13:00.000-04:00

Well, Hynes is back in action at his Ankle Biting Pundits blog, so it's time to continue where I left off: Exposing Hynes' bogus activities.

Turns out that Hynes and his company New Media Strategics regularly use deception to manipulate the public online and in print, and hide the identity of his true paymasters.

In his home base of Portsmouth, NH, he has been busy writing letters to local newspapers and misrepresenting that he works for Calypso Communications (another one of his PR gigs). It's happened on more than one occasion, according to Drew Cline of the Union Leader. Read about it here, and here.

And then there are some deceptions on the national political scene. You can read what Jim Geraghty found out in his National Review post. Seems like Hynes is or was John McCain's hatchet man, trying to sabotage Gov. "Slick" Romney's presidential ambitions in typical New Media Strategics fashion -- hot air and deception. Hynes' cover was blown in a rather embarrassing manner. But least he owned up to who's paying him -- which is quite unlike the pro-Verizon, anti-Net Neutrality (and now defunct) Channel Changer blog, which he amazingly claimed was some kind of personal hobby.

Anyway, I don't know if Hynes/New Media Strategics is still on the McCain payroll, but if he's not, I'm sure Deval Patrick could use the help against Romney sidekick "whats-her-name" Healey.

More background on Hynes' attempted deception of Borderline can be read here.

Just what Waltham doesn't need -- A Big Box Lowe's On River Street

2006-10-19T08:12:00.000-04:00

I can't believe this is even being considered. A big-box Lowe's Home Improvement store in a place that already has major traffic problems -- The River Street/ex-Raytheon area, right on the Watertown line. The News Tribune has the details, including furious neighborhood reaction.

"That's not going to work in our neighborhood," homeowner Chris Hayes said to applause from his neighbors. "The traffic is already brutal."

Several residents mentioned traffic and loud trucks brought in by a recently built Shaw's supermarket on River Street. They said major retail on River Street is too damaging to the nearby Warrendale and Rangeley Acres neighborhoods, and some said office buildings would be preferable.

They are absolutely right. There already is too much traffic there, and the streets around that site, many of them one lane in each direction, are not meant to handle thousands of extra cars and trucks every day. People with families live there. I cross River Street all the time at that intersection to go to Dunkin's with my kids.

There's another thing that the News Tribune failed to mention: Just down the road, across the Watertown line on Pleasant Street (aka, across from Russos) someone is building a big-box condo development. Guess how many extra cars that monstrosity is going to bring to the area once it opens? There's only two easy ways to get there, Pleasant Street and River Street in Waltham.

Here's my suggestion to Waltham citizens: Let your councilmen know what you think about the Lowe's juggernaut destroying this neighborhood, and let them know that they need to put up a fight, instead of sucking up to developers.

Last call for alcohol ...

2006-10-14T21:04:00.000-04:00

Borderline has watched with great amusement the TV commercials for and against Question 1, which proposes that grocery stores be allowed to sell wine. Not surprisingly, the grocery stores are for it, while the local liquor stores (aka package stores, packies) are against it.

I saw a pro-grocery store ad last night, and it was a hoot. Packies are represented by fuzzy, neon signs at night. The grocery stores are well-lit bastions of civility, where a good-looking professional couple are smilingly picking up a bottle of wine.

But all this makes me wonder: Didn't Star Market in Newtonville sell booze until three or four years ago? Right in the back of the store? It was the only supermarket that I know of that was able to sell wine and beer, and it was very convenient. And then suddenly they got rid of it. How did Star/Shaws manage that for so long, and just in that store?

Tower Records sale? Yeah, right

2006-10-13T22:24:00.000-04:00

Going out of business sales usually translate to major savings. Not at Tower Records. At least, not yet. I went to Tower this afternoon hoping for some deals, but nada. 15% off most stock, but the baseline prices are their regular prices, which are not cheap -- $13 to $18 for CDs, etc. There were no clearance bins or anything like that. The only extra discounts are for magazines and rap music -- 30% off.

So I guess that Metallica DVD that I had my heart set on will have to wait.

Or, who knows? Maybe the Waltham Public Library will have it ...

Calling all Newton and Waltham blogs ...

2006-10-11T19:43:00.000-04:00

Borderline added a few new blogs to the blogroll last night, including Paula's House of Toast (Waltham) -- quite possibly one of the best local blogs I've seen to date (check out the fall photographs from the Sept. 30 post).

I am hoping to add some more, too. So if you live in Newton or Waltham, and sometimes post about goings-on or life in the Garden and Watch cities, shoot me an email.

T.V. O.D.

2006-10-08T20:11:00.000-04:00

Anyone notice all of the television sets lying on curbs all over Newton and Waltham? And not just 30-year-old sets, either. Lots of big 25" sets that are just a few years old, tossed out and left to sit there, often for weeks -- lots of people don't know that TVs and computer monitors contain harmful materials that require special disposal or recycling, and you have to call up BFI (Newton) or Capitol (Waltham) to arrange for special pick-up.

Anyway, Borderline noticed that the number of derelict TVs started increasing in the spring, and really picked up in late summer. What's behind this trend? Borderline believes it's all about HDTV, which started picking up steam as programming has increased and prices have dropped, and XBox 360, the newfangled videogame console which supposedly looks better in HDTV. The tax holiday in the late summer prompted lots of people to make the switch (LCD and Plasma HDTV sets can cost thousands, I hear) and say goodbye to their old-fashioned cathode ray tube TV sets.

Expect to see another rush post-Christmas ...

Whittemore budget problems, and a warning for Newton

2006-10-05T20:36:00.000-04:00

I was worried about the slow pace of the Whittemore Elementary School rebuilding project before, but after reading "Price won't deter Waltham from finishing school project" in Globe West, I'm even more worried now.

At first glance, the article doesn't seem unusual, or cause for worry -- typical Boston Globe fare, actually. The writer, Denise Dubé, quotes lots of officials, who sound determined and play down potential problems. Not once are ordinary people interviewed. (See "Sloppy reporting on Waltham development" and "Blackout, part II. Media misses the story at first, then gets it wrong" for other examples of the Globe's bias towards officials and company spokespeople)

But read between the lines. What worries Borderline about this article are some developments about the Whittemore rebuilding project that spell major problems for Waltham families and taxpayers.

Here's major development No. 1:

"Despite $25 million in cost overruns, Waltham officials say they will not scale back plans for rebuilding the James Fitzgerald and Henry Whittemore elementary schools."

Here's major development No. 2:

"The mayor has said the schools come first," [City Auditor Dennis] Quinn said of the loan. "I don't believe there will be a major impact on the taxpayer over the next decades because of the school building program."

And here's major development No. 3:

"Whittemore will be renovated and expanded, with bid solicitations due to go out this month."

$25 million in cost overruns? Let's put this number in perspective: It's nearly half of Waltham's "education budget for FY 2006. Moreover, $25 million is not even a final figure, because building hasn't started on these two schools -- it may very well go over budget.

And there will be no "major impact" on the taxpayer? $25 million short, and we need to find the money somewhere, and there's no major impact? What are you smoking? These types of comments are just the type of worthless B.S. that anti-tax fanatics love to turn into a major issue around election time.

Waltham will not scale back plans? Not only is that ridiculous, it is flatly contradicted by an official statement at the end of the article that says the city is trying to identify cheaper building materials to use.

And to top it off, no bids have gone to actually start work on the Whittemore renovation. Borderline thought something was odd back in August when no work was going on, but now it turns out that we don't even know who is going to do the work, or when they will start?

Whittemore parents have already put up with a lot. The teachers and classmates are all the same, but the kids have to go to a different, temporary school. It's far away, on Moody Street -- one of Waltham's busiest roads. There's no playground at the temporary school, and the crowded gymnasium is dominated by the older kids during breaks. Now we find out that we don't have the money in hand to rebuild Whittemore, and bids haven't even gone out!

Borderline has to ask: Is the planned 2008 reopening realistic with so many uncertainties?

And, why didn't any of our elected and appointed officials see this coming? If they did, why didn't they tell us parents about these problems at the community meetings in 2005 and earlier this year?

There's a Whittemore parents meeting coming up (tomorrow, I believe) to talk about some of these issues, but Borderline can't attend. I am not sure I can trust the local press to tell us what's going on with Whittemore -- apparently all they are capable of doing is reporting happy talk and hot air from officials. Therefore, can someone leave comments on this blog post, or email Borderline to tell us what happened?

Oh, and I almost forgot the warning for Newton. Check out this item from the Boston Globe article about the Whittemore/Fitzgerald budget problems:

Officials blamed escalating costs of steel, concrete, copper, and asphalt for boosting the total cost of the school reconstruction project from $165 million to more than $190 million.

Does a $165 million estimate sound familiar?

It should.

October

2006-10-01T16:26:00.000-04:00

October is here, and pretty soon Fall will be in full splendor. Already the small sugar maple in Borderline's side yard has turned yellow and red, and in two weeks' time all the big sugar maples in this neighborhood will be peaking too.

I'll probably post some pictures at that time ... there's a few good spaces nearby along the river and elsewhere that make for good compositions.

Waltham Public Library Sale

2006-09-30T19:58:00.000-04:00

The Patrick Hynes/New Media Strategics blog manipulation story will continue to be updated at this link, but in the meantime Borderline needs to get back to the main focus of this blog: Waltham and Newton.

The Waltham Library Sale is going on right now, and if you've never been, it's very worth your while to check it out. The books are cheap -- I got about 10 and all were $1 or $2, including the hardcovers and recent bestsellers. There are some "premium" books which can be more expensive, but of the thousands of normal books there's a huge selection and there are great deals. It just started yesterday for Friends of the Waltham Public Library, which organizes the sale, and today it opened up to the public, and will be ongoing until Oct. 14. Visit the Waltham Public Library website for more information.

One interesting note about the sale: The FWPL guy at the cashbox said that on the opening night, restricted to members, there are a hardcore set of bookbuyers who rush in with boxes, grab certain books, run out to their cars, and run back in again for more. It's a zoo, he said. I suspect they are Internet book sellers grabbing textbooks and such which can sell for high prices online.

While I am on the topic of libraries, the Waltham Public Library is a really, really nice library. Better than the bigger and newer Newton Free Library, in Borderline's opinion. The Waltham library has nicer reading room, better garden, better kids space, and a video and music section where it's actually possible to find decent stuff to take out. Newton, however, has bigger fiction and nonfiction selections, and more periodicals. Newton also has local branches, whereas the Waltham library only has the Main Street building.

Lies, cable TV, and Patrick Hynes

2006-09-25T07:31:00.000-04:00

Note: Ten updates appear at the bottom of this entry - latest update 10/20/06 -- New Media Strategics and the Romney Connection ...

Borderline does not like being lied to or manipulated.

Borderline especially doesn't like being lied to and manipulated by national corporate interests pretending to be earnest locals with an axe to grind.

Yet that's exactly what has happened to Borderline in the last week. The lie was sent to me by a corporate interest, disguised in an email from an ordinary local college student supposedly concerned about cable TV. The message said:

I'm reaching out to Boston bloggers because I think that what's happening (or should be happening) in the Boston area with regards to cable competition is a pretty important topic. Check out my recent posting on competition in Southern Massachusetts. [link] If you don't want to join my personal vendetta against the cable companies (due to an excess of sub par experiences), it's worth taking a look at the comment string on Broadband Reports message board (that I link to) to gauge how people feel. Interesting topic ...

Anyway, hoping for a link and wonder what your take is.

I was immediately suspicious. "Personal vendetta" over cable television? C'mon. No one has a personal vendetta over cable television. I have complained about the high prices in Waltham before, but I just consider it a luxury that our family can't afford. No reason to get in a snit about it, or - gasp! - launch a vendetta.

But I became even more suspicious when I visited this guy's blog. Or, should I say, this student's blog. An English-majorin', guitar-playin' student, and a junior at a local college. Writing on a regular basis about arcane debates all across the country involving cable TV and Internet access, with posts titled Michigan Edges Toward Cable Competition and Video Choice Vs. Net Neutrality.

What's all this about? Well, if you've been reading the business sections of the papers over the past year or so, you've probably seen a few articles about this stuff. From what I understand, the debates involve delivery of television signals and other high-bandwidth content (i.e., Internet service) to people's homes. Cable TV has been the dominant player for the last 20 years, thanks to technological issues and municipal-level monopolies, but ISPs and telephone companies are positioning themselves for an era where the Internet is used to deliver paid television programming.

A related issue is how Internet traffic will be treated in the future. Currently the Internet isn't owned by anyone, but companies do own parts of it. Any network connection that's part of the Internet treats all traffic - whether email, Google searches, news, music, or video - equally, or relatively equally. From what Borderline has been able to fathom, some companies which own "backbone" connections (kind of like the superhighways of the Internet) as well as potential distributors of high-bandwidth programming -- want to be able to segregate traffic by type and price, so things like blogs or free video posted on local websites would be on the slow road with lots of traffic lights, while paid video channels would be on the faster toll road. "Net Neutrality" refers to the efforts to keep the Internet the way it is now, i.e., all traffic is treated in the same way, rather than paid programming getting higher priority.

In any case, do topics like this sound like the interests of a typical 20-year-old to you? A 20-year-old of the MySpace generation? No, of course it doesn't. It sounds like a 40-year-old lobbyist or PR person ... and you know how Borderline feels about PR people!

So I write back:

It is an interesting topic, and we've had a very unusual experience here in Waltham with cable and two carriers, Comcast and RCN.

I don't mind starting a dialogue or linking to grassroots political blogs, but I insist on transparency on the motivation for such blogs. Therefore, before I link to your blog, could you please confirm whether you are are in contact with any ISP, telco, satellite TV company, their PR agencies, or special interest groups? Are you receiving any money from anyone to post blog entries on this subject?

Borderline doesn't receive a reply. And there is no reply to a follow-up message a few days later. Why so shy, guitar-strumming, cable-hating guy?

In the absence of a response, I can only try to dig up information on my own. And the more I research these issues, the more angry I get. Someone is trying to play Borderline, but it's surely not a 20-year-old college student. So who might it be?

It doesn't take long to find out. Whenever Borderline wants to understand a blogger, he looks at the very first month's worth of posts, which usually reveal something about the motivations for posting. In the case of the Channel Changer blog, the first few posts from December of last year are not different than the posts from September of this year. I see More on Unbundling and Cable Rates on the Rise. Could it be that our young college student has been writing up the cable industry for the past 10 months?

No. From December 1, 2005, until August 14, 2006, all of the posts are written by someone named "patjhynes." After that, there was a period of a few weeks when someone named Matthew Wrotch contributed to Channel Changer, before fading out on Channel Changer (but still talking about these issues on his own blog, and sometimes linking back to Channel Changer). Then came the college student, for the past month or so.

But let's take a look at patjhynes. It takes just a few Google searches to figure out who it is: Patrick Hynes, a suit-and-tie kind of guy with a national political and media consultancy based in New Hampsha. Hynes created the Channel Changer blog, but eventually decided to change the public face of the blog. After all, a consultant doesn't seem like an authentic enough supporter of a grassroots issue. So he recruited a 20-year-old kid at a local college to be the face of Channel Changer to post the articles and contact people like Borderline, writing about being a fed-up consumer in an attempt to create legitimate grassroots support.

Hynes has an extensive online presence elsewhere. He is the founder and proprietor of the political blog Ankle Biting Pundits. He consults for Calypso Communications and owns New Media Strategics. On the New Media Strategics pages, Hynes says he "understands how bloggers receive and process information." Moreover, he understands "what energizes them and, just as import, what turns them off." He offers services like:

Target Sweep (tm) - Our technology and professional expertise allows for regular, detailed canvassing of the New Media to capture and analyze relevant chatter based on predetermined target words, subjects, sites, and content. Target Sweep (tm) is a reputation management tool that augments our Personal Brand Protection (tm).

Alliance Building - Our existing relationships with bloggers create powerful alliances to deliver your brand message and reputation through the New Media.

Rapid Response Swarming (tm) - Today's participatory news cycle allows for immediate reaction to negative and potentially damaging stories. In fact, it demands a rapid response. Through the power of the blogosphere, a single mouse click can counter negative press. When you multiply this power by scores, even hundreds of bloggers, you get a "swarm." Through our existing international network of blogging experts and the formation of new alliances, New Media Strategics uses Rapid Response Swarming(tm) to manage reputations. Beyond diffusing negative press, Rapid Response Swarming(tm) creates an outcome better than if the story had never broken.

Buzz Targeting(tm) - Often to persuade public opinion, you need to create a lot of noise to influence only a few people, sometimes only one person. Buzz Targeting(tm) uses blogging technology to reach decision makers and journalists with precision. Buzz Targeting(tm) is fast, effective, and measurable.

In other words, it's all about manipulation of the blogosphere to serve corporate clients. And while his trademarked methods may sound professional, as an attempted victim of his tactics, I feel they are deceptive and amateurish. Consider the following elements and actions that he is apparently selling to some company:

A blog called the Channel Changer, that pretends to be a grassroots, citizen effort demanding increased cable competition, and playing down the Net Neutrality debate

A 20-year-old college student pretending to get riled up about these issues, and lying to Borderline in an attempt to get me to post something that supports the "more competition" issue

"Matthew Wrotch", a person who does not have any current or historical public listings in Zabasearch in the United States, yet blogs about the same issues and links back to the college kid and Channel Changer.

Scattered comments on other people's blogs

And some client is actually paying money for this? Who could it be?

It's not hard to figure out who's probably buttering Hynes' bread. Read Channel Changer posts like About Verizon's Investment, or this one entitled Video Franchise Battles - First Local, Then National. There's a company that comes up again and again in Hynes' blogs and comments. A company that wants to compete with the cable franchises. A company that wants a tiered Web, with their traffic getting higher priority. A company that is desperately positioning itself for the post-DVD and cable TV world when all media programming is delivered over the Internet. A company that is trying to get better access to the Newton market. A company whose name starts with "V", ends with "n", and whose public voice was once the same dude that played Darth Vader in Star Wars.

Has anyone else been approached by the Channel Changer blog, or allied interests?

Note: Borderline contacted the Channel Changer blog a total of four times about the true motivations behind the blog. In the most recent two emails, sent over the past day and a half, I asked for any clarifications or responses to the specific issues listed above. There was no reply.

I am also leaving out the identity of the college student. He's a stand-in for Hynes, and he shouldn't take the heat for the misdeeds of Hynes and his corporate client. Hynes should recognize this, and remove the student's name and picture from the Channel Changer blog and replace it with that of the blog's true master - himself.

Update to this post

Well, thanks to links from sites like the Consumerist, Craig Newmark (the Craigslist guy ... yeah, that Craig!) and Universal Hub, there has been a huge spike in traffic to Borderline, and some very interesting questions and comments. Some interest from national media, too. Stay tuned ...

Hynes responds! (Second update to this post - 9/26/06 11 pm)

Patrick Hynes, the owner of the Channel Changer blog and Ankle Biting Pundits, has responded. Kind of. You can read it all here.

Interestingly, Hynes doesn't mention his blog manipulation consultancy, New Media Strategics. He is also very careful not to mention the name of the company that I suspect is responsible for this fake grassroots effort. Yeah, that's right, the company whose name rhymes with "horizon." He had a chance to deny this before I posted on Monday morning (I notified Channel Changer on Saturday, Sept. 23, that I was preparing a long entry on the subject) but he didn't answer. And he didn't mention the name in his last post, either, even though it would be the most convincing piece of evidence to back up his "weird" and "bizarre" claims.

He further distances himself from the "Network Neutrality" issue. No, no, he says. It's all about "my personal dislike for on particular cable company."

Really? Who might that be? Hynes occasionally criticizes major cable companies, but often in conjunction with praise for another company. Here's an example:

"Looks like a huge victory for consumers will be celebrated next week in Hillsborough County, Florida. More than 700,000 county residents will be allowed to choose between incumbent cable provider Bright House Networks and Verizon, which will roll out its FiOS cable offering after county officials approve a deal they made with the telecom powerhouse next week.

The Tampa Tribune predicts the outbreak of a possible price war. Why? Because Verizon will offer more channels for less money than the incumbent cable operator ..."

Sometimes, Verizon is fawned over, without ANY mention of that mysterious, evil cable company.

And check out the comment on that post:

It's getting closer! Now I've got competition right next door. I never thought I'd see the day when I would want New Hampshire to have something that Massachusetts has, but it's here. Bring it on up - competition that is.

Hmmm. Does that sound like a normal human being to you? Excitedly talking about "competition" in the cable market? And the name -- "Pablo Joven"? Sounds like one of those names you see in the "from" line of a spam message!

I'll finish off with a few responses to the other lies/half truths/exaggerations in his latest post.

Hynes quote:

"... The idea that I am "secretly" behind this blog is absurd, as I have never presented this blog as anything but my own."

BS, Patrick. You had a 20-year-old student as the face of your page until a few days ago. In the "About" section, there was no mention of you founding the blog, or supporting it while you had other writers contributing to the blog. The motto of the blog, which you removed in the last two days, was "One man's crusade for communications competition". There could be no other conclusion that the blog belonged to the college student.

Furthermore, that student emailed me, saying that he had a "personal vendetta" against cable companies. Vendettas are very personal. You can't transfer them from one person to another, unless the second person is personally affected ... or compensated.

Another Hynes quote:

"I generally try to ignore it when anonymous bloggers cast baseless aspersions at me."

"Baseless"? Please. I have presented evidence that identifies you as contributing to an astroturfing campaign.

And what's with the Victorian lingo? "Aspersion"? What is this, Wuthering Heights?

Earth to Patrick Hynes: You can't hide behind fancy language, a student at a local college, your children, or your ABP blog. You started Channel Changer for a reason ... and that reason is not that it's your hobby, or something to do with your "personal dislike" for a certain cable company.

Strategics vs. Strategies (Third update to this post - 9/27/06 8:45 pm)

I made an error involving the name of Hynes' black-hat PR firm. It's New Media Strategics, not -ies. My apologies to the legitimate, white-hat PR firm affected by the mixup.

Six Questions for Patrick Hynes (Fourth update to this post - 9/27/06 9 pm)

Now, onto other things. Patrick, it's time for you to come clean about the issues raised in this post. You've tried to spin yourself out of the mess that you've created, but I won't let it go. I'll make it easy for you, by posing a series of simple questions that you can answer by comment, email, or on your own Channel Changer blog:

1) What is the nature of your professional relationship with Verizon? Have you had any contact with Verizon executives, or Verizon-affiliated lobbyists/PR people in the past year?

2) Is Verizon, its PR firm, its lobbying firm, an industry consortium that it belongs to, or any other Verizon-associated company compensating you for services?

3) If yes, do those services include blogging or leaving comments on Internet message boards?

4) If no, are you being compensated in any material way for posting on the Channel Changer blog, or contacting local blogs like Borderline?

5) Did you write the posts that were ostensibly created by the BC student?

6) Is "Matthew Wrotch" really you? If not, do you have any contact with him outside of cross-linking?

Myself and the many other people visiting Borderline this week are looking forward to your replies.

Verizon's History of Astroturfing (Fifth update to this post - 9/29/06 7:45 am)

While we wait for Patrick Hynes to come clean about his Buzz Targeting (tm) campaign that attempted to snare Borderline, let's not forget about Verizon's likely role in this. Verizon has a history of astroturfing and comment seeding, along with other big telecommunications companies, apparently. Check out these posts:

Oh Look, Even More Astroturf

Do Broadband Providers Employ Blog Comment Shills?

Markey Attacks, Barton Defends, Telecom Legislation

Then there's this entry/definition from SourceWatch on Astroturfing:

Sometimes genuine grassroots organizations are recruited into corporate-funded campaigns. In June 2003, for example, the Gray Panthers participated in protests against WorldCom that were funded largely by the telecommunications company's competitors such as Verizon. According to the Gray Panthers, this reflected a policy decision that the organization made prior to and independently of its funding. However, an article in the Washington Post raised questions about failures to publicly disclose the corporate funding which paid for full-page advertisements that the Gray Panthers took out in several major newspapers that called on the federal government to stop doing business with WorldCom. The ads said they were paid for the Gray Panthers but did not mention that Issue Dynamics Inc. (IDI), a PR firm that specializes in "grassroots PR," had provided most of the $200,000 it cost to place the ads. Verizon spokesman Eric Rabe has declined to say how much the company is paying IDI, and Gray Panthers Executive Director Timothy Fuller has declined to say how much of the funding for its "Corporate Accountability" project comes from IDI. Notwithstanding the egregious nature of WorldCom's corporate crimes, the lack of transparency in these funding arrangements by WorldCom's corporate competitors raises the question of whether the Gray Panthers campaign should be considered genuine grassroots or astroturf.

The Beltway Takes Notice (Sixth update to this post - 9/30/06 10:07 am)

More blog buzz about Patrick Hynes. I didn't know that he had been "exposed as a hypocrite" earlier this year, or had also been engaged in unethical behavior with political blogs. But it's documented, check out this Beltway Blogroll edition for more.

Channel Changer no more? (Seventh update to this post - 10/3/06 6:00 am)

Uh-oh. Looks like Channel Changer is offline. I wonder what prompted that? A technical glitch? Or Patrick Hynes and New Media Strategics can't take the heat, and this is some sort of attempt to put out the fire?

Well, Patrick, you can run, but you can't hide from your online activities. Borderline made an archive of the original Channel Changer blog -- the pristine version, before you started removing information from the blog. If you're another blogger or news outlet and would like a copy of the Channel Changer archive to better understand the context of this post, email Borderline and I'll try to zip one over to you.

Moving onto Verizon ... (Eighth update to this post - 10/4/06 12:10 am)

Borderline is going to lay off Patrick Hynes for a while. His family has a newborn on the way this week. If you have kids, you know what it's like. I'll revisit him when he gets off of paternity leave and resumes posting on his Ankle Biting Pundits blog.

In the meantime, we'll cover a few items relating to the Verizon Corporation. They've apparently been carrying out some questionable activities in the Commonwealth. Borderline will relate some of them in the weeks to come.

Maybe a few things about Net Neutrality, too. Stay tuned ...

Verizon and the courts (Ninth update to this post - 10/8/06 9:00 pm)

Most of this post has concentrated on Patrick Hynes, but it's time to turn the focus to Verizon and its designs for world domination.

Well, maybe not world domination, but certainly market domination. And, Verizon has a checkered past in Massachusetts and other states, writes Bruce Kushnick, of a group called "Teletruth":

We filed a complaint in 1999 over the fact that in 1995 Verizon (then New England Telephone) made commitments to have 330,000 Massachusetts homes rewired with fiber optics. In exchange for these upgrades, the company was able to get the state public service commission, the Department of Telecommunications and Energy (DTE), to change state law to give the company more money in the form of higher phone rates and tax perks.

Here's a copy of our complaint, and the actual filing by Verizon, MA.

http://newnetworks.com/Masscomplaintsummary.html

And here's the filing from Verizon.

http://newnetworks.com/massfiberfailurepage1.htm

... this is not history. The current franchise fights throughout the US have the bells etc. not only making the same claims of deploying, but this time they want to own the networks, even though customers paid about $2000 a household in money for "OPEN" ubiquitous networks. --- And today, rates are still inflated because of the changes in law.

Bruce also pointed Borderline to some astroturf efforts by Verizon (in addition to the resources already noted by Borderline).

Now, one thing Borderline wanted to establish when Bruce contacted me was his own background. After all, after being an attempted victim of Hynes' deceptive blogging efforts, I don't want to be deceived by someone else on the other side. And, unlike Hynes'/Channel Changer's refusal to answer my questions about PR firms or payment for posts, Bruce was very direct in saying that he represents a group which has tangled with Verizon in the courts. There's no pretend games about being an ordinary joe or other astroturf B.S. -- Bruce was a telecom analyst, and Teletruth is involved in industry debates and legal action. Another way to put it: His group has an agenda, although he's not trying to cover it up. Here's what he had to say, when I asked him where he's coming from:

Teletruth is an experiment in customer advocacy, We are unfunded and for-profit, which means we lose money. Most of the services -- web stuff -- have been donated by Bway.net, on our board of advisors Teletruth does not receive money from corporations/industry/political groups. Instead, we've ended up have an active board who works together on projects. ...

Our income since 2002 has been a) the successful settlement of 2 class action law suits against Verizon, NJ. We helped to initiate these suits based on our phone surveys, and act as 'expert witness' --we settled out second case last month. b) phone bill auditing. LTC has an active auditing business, which Teletruth/NNI works with, c) the sale of the ebooks and licensing the book/data, d) a grant from the California Consumer Protection board in 2004 to study phone bills with UCAN, and e) occasionally donations.

The legal work was also done 'pro-bono' for our FCC, SEC, IRS filings, while we work with a law firm to take class actions.

Bruce also pointed me to one of his group's latest triumphs, "Verizon New Jersey Settles Class Action Alleging Overbilling for Special Circuits".

New Media Strategics and the Romney Connection (Tenth update to this post - 10/20/06 midnight)

This post really is getting too long, so I am continuing the discussion of Patrick Hynes, New Media Strategics, and his pattern of deception here.

Street life comes to Watertown - the Waltham connections

2006-09-21T22:00:00.000-04:00

H2Otown has a post about the problems plaguing a certain neighborhood in Watertown, not too far from the Belmont and Waltham borders. The problems allegedly include drug dealing, and a recent drive-byish shooting.

There are two Waltham connections with this story. The alleged perps were caught by Waltham police after a Waltham officer heard the APB go out over Watertown police radio, and pulled over the vehicle in Waltham.

The other Waltham connection is one of the perps is a Waltham resident by the name of Herbert Bonds of 1000 Lexington St. in Waltham. Bonds has at least one other arrest, judging by this January 25 report from the Boston Police blog:

At 2:52am this morning officers from District 1 responded to Warrenton Place for a person hit by car. The victim, a 48-year-old male working as a parking lot attendant, told the officers that he was attempting to break up a fight when a white Cadillac SUV struck him. The suspect vehicle fled the scene and was stopped on Kneeland Street by a Detail Officer. The driver, 34-year-old Herbert Bonds of Waltham, and passenger, 28-year-old Alexis Martinez of Lowell, were arrested for Leaving the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident and Reckless Operation. The Cadillac SUV was seized as evidence and towed. Arraignment is today in Boston Municipal Court.

On a completely unrelated note to Mr. Bonds, H2Otown, in the course of talking about bad tenants contributing to crime in Watertown, also trashes a great Michael Keaton movie called Pacific Heights.

Pacific Heights is about the special terrors of being a landlord. It features a tenant who rips off every piece of molding and sells it, starts fires, deliberately releases cockroaches, and violently intimidates the landlord, all in a bid to drive them out of the house and get it cheap. Every time I've signed a lease, I've had a brief flash, a moment of wishing that I were on the other side of the lease again, a tenant whose housing mistakes are easily reversible by logging on to Craigslist and finding some new digs. As a landlord I've been exceptionally lucky, but like all landlords, I have that moment of doubt when a stranger becomes a tenant.

Pacific Heights is a bad movie; and it's as believable as any featuring Michael Keaton, Melanie Griffith, and power tools is likely to be. But there isn't a landlord on the planet who can watch it without getting the chills.

What do you mean, "bad movie"? Borderline loved the cockroach scene!

Winterized!

2006-09-21T20:58:00.000-04:00

We've noticed some water in the attic after rain storms for a few months now, and finally called the roofers in to take a look before nasty winter weather sets in. The diagnosis: Cracked shingles on the west-facing side. Now they've been patching and replacing all day, and we're out $600.

The only good part of this news, is the contractors did not say we needed to replace the whole roof. How much does that cost these days? $10,000? $20,000?

A love letter to Waltham

2006-09-18T21:01:00.000-04:00

Lisa over at H2Otown has pointed Borderline to a convert to the Cult of Waltham, who writes a moving ode to our fair city.

"Waltham City Boy" is a Las Vegas transplant who first came a few years ago but got a couple of bad first impressions. He had to sleep on someone's floor. He had never dealt with rotaries before. After a while, he moved to Boston, thinking it would be better, but now he's back, and he's come around:

I cannot remember what it exactly was I hated about Waltham when I left. But I can tell you what I love about it now that I am back, one year later. Waltham, how I love thee.

I love the fact that at any time of afternoon, at the intersection of High St and Moody St, you can find a handful of locals hanging out on the benches near the fire station. Those same individuals are usually still there the next morning.

I love the fact that Moody Street is ripe with small, individually owned restaurants like the Hungry Coyote (which is listed on www.burritophile.com but unrated because you have to login to give it a review and apparently nobody wants to do that!)

Where else but Waltham will you walk down High St and come across a toilet put out on the sidewalk for the garbage men to pick up. Not just the toilet seat, the bowl, the tank and the floor boards it was attached to, too!

Waltham has a Costco! I mean, come on.

Waltham has its own stretch of the Charles River that is actually picturesque throughout the seasons.

Welcome home, City Boy. Welcome home.

And speaking of the electorate ...

2006-09-12T22:06:00.000-04:00

Joe Vizard points Borderline to a letter he wrote to the Trib about transparency in local government. He has a couple of suggestions that would let Walthamers/ites better understand the workings of the city government here. The one that I agree with relates to the website:

... More information should be provided to citizens through the City's Web site. During the budget process, citizens should be able to view city budget information online. It is the people's money that is being spent, and the people deserve to see how it will be spent. Minutes of City Council meetings, including roll call votes, should be placed on the Web site.

Vizard notes in his letter that the city already places some useful information online, including the contact information for councillors, meeting schedule, and the City Council docket.

He also suggests having City Council committee meetings covered by the Municipal Access Channel. Borderline is not so sure about that one unless the costs for production can be kept down. And really, who would watch it? We can't afford cable TV, but even if we did shell out for RCN or Comcast we probably wouldn't watch -- there's just too much going on in terms of the number and complexity of issues being covered, and too much procedural stuff that gets in the way of the interesting debates.

BTW, if you have interesting tips related to Waltham or Newton, send 'em in. The email is borderlineblog@gmail.com.

Ignore the electorate at your own risk ...

2006-09-12T21:59:00.000-04:00

Newton pols are steamrolling the people of Newton on rebuilding NNHS, and residents have decided to fight it. Not a handful of residents. A LOT of residents. They have 800 signatures so far, sez the Newton Tab Blog. Check out the petition that's going around, or visit the Better Newton North website.

If I were the mayor or an alderman, I'd be worried ...

The Barn is a Zoo

2006-09-10T16:04:00.000-04:00

West Newton has a secret shoe store called The Barn. It's off Washington Street, near the old National Guard Armory and Trader Joe's. And it's great -- the people there know their shoes and you can get some good deals. (see Borderline's review from last year).

But Borderline wandered in there last week and found that The Barn had become a zoo. The lot was full, and it was tough to get help. The reason? Back to school. Everyone takes their kids down there not only for school shoes, but also athletics -- they sell soccer cleats, balls, shin guards, running shoes, and everything else for the Fall sports season.

A true New England moment ...

2006-09-03T15:03:00.000-04:00

A rainy fall Sunday. Nothing to do, nowhere to go. Flip on the TV. And what do I see?

Candlepins for Dollars, on the WB.

I couldn't believe it. Candlepin bowling on TV? Didn't that die out in 1985 or so? Right around the time the candlepin alleys started to slowly fade?

But still, seeing Candlepins for Dollars brought back some memories. On rainy Sundays when I was growing up, there were a few givens: Davey & Goliath, the late morning service at Our Lady's in The Lake, and Candlepins for Cash. A rainy Sunday trinity for many a Catholic child in the 1970s, in these parts ...

And who knows, maybe candlepin bowling is making a comeback.

Related Borderline musing:

Old School: Candlepin Bowling Alleys

Damage control, City Hall-style: Hire a lightning rod

2006-09-03T13:45:00.000-04:00

I had a good laugh reading Mayor Cohen's spokesman Jeremy Solomon's fiery letter to the Newton Tab and criticism of editor Greg Reibman on August 30. Here's the meat of Solomon's rant:

For a long time now, Greg has simply been unable to hide his animosity toward Mayor Cohen.While careful readers of the Newton TAB may pick up on the paper’s propensity to print sensationalistic headlines and articles with negative slants, it is only now that Greg has made it personal.

Shame on you Greg Reibman. For someone who claims to care about our community and who serves as a newspaper professional, to disparage our city leaders in a Brookline media outlet is unprofessional at best, and slanderous at worst.

Given your stated opinions of the form of government and our elected officials here in Newton, as long as Greg Reibman is the Editor-in-Chief, it is clear that Newton residents should not expect to find unbiased news coverage of our city in the Newton TAB.

Unfortunately, the Tab editor is taking the letter way too seriously in the Tab blog, not realizing that it's an old ploy from the PR professional's bag of tricks: Deflecting attention from an unpopular issue or your unpopular boss by making provocative statements in your own name about a completely unrelated issue. Here's how Borderline responded in the Tab blog:

On the face of it, it looks like an attack on you, Greg, as well as the Tab, but there's more to the story than that. Remember, as a hired PR gun, Solomon's job is to make the mayor look as good as possible. A large part of that responsibility involves deflecting criticism from Mayor Cohen, who has a serious image problem, as evidenced by his hiding from the media and public scrutiny. What better way to draw attention away from Cohen than to send a provocative letter to the Tab? He's setting himself up to be the lightning rod for people critical of City Hall, as next week's crop of letters to the Tab are likely to prove. This takes attention away from Cohen, just as things are starting to heat up on the NNHS and NFD fronts.

Don't let yourself be played by Solomon, Greg. Stay focussed on Cohen and the city's real problems.

There's no doubt that Cohen has a tough job, but the way he's handling the media -- deferring all questions to Solomon and refusing to answer unscripted questions on his own from the city's no. 1 media outlet -- is really quite sad. Answering tough questions from the media is part of the job of being a public figure. Hiding behind Mr. Solomon — an unelected official whose job is to make Cohen and the city government look good — is weak and doing the public a disservice. Mayor Cohen’s job is to lead the city, and explain his policies — which often means answering tough questions off the cuff. Mayor Menino gets five microphones shoved in face every time he appears in public, and is not afraid to answer questions that deal with ugly or unpopular topics. Why not Cohen?

Mr. Diabetes' Recreational Vehicle Spotted on Crafts Street

2006-09-02T13:44:00.000-04:00

Borderline got behind Mr. Diabetes' SUV on Crafts Street this morning. You may remember reading about Mr. Diabetes in the Tab and the Globe last month. He's a Newton native and diabetes survivor named Andy Mandell who raises awareness and funds for the disease. He also keeps most of the money for himself, his brother, two paid employees, a "recreational vehicle" and other overhead, according to the Salem News.

Well, Borderline was able to identify the "recreational vehicle" quite easily. It has Mr. Diabetes logo, and his website URL (DefeatDiabetes.org) plastered all over it. It's a tricked out Land Rover with lots of antennae sticking out of the top. Not sure if Mr. D was in the vehicle, which was speeding toward Newtonville as I turned onto California Street.

Fall is here

2006-08-27T10:19:00.001-04:00

Hard to believe, but autumn is here, and this year it's coming well before Labor Day.

It's hard to say when it started. Maybe it was when the daytime heat and humidity disappeared. Or a few days ago, when it got so cool at night that we started to make the kids wear long-sleeved pajamas. Or the tomato plants in the garden started getting yellow leaves. Or the Monarch Butterflies flew away.

Maybe there will be an Indian Summer, but in the meantime, get ready for New England's best season ...

What's up with Whittemore?

2006-08-22T21:56:00.000-04:00

Whittemore Elementary is supposed to under renovation right now. It's part of the big plan hashed out with the neighborhood, the mayor, city councilors, city workers, architects, parents, teachers, and most important of all, the students.

But since the last day of school in June, nothing has happened at the school. No signs have gone up, warning of impending construction. I don't see trucks unloading equipment, or carting away debris. The 70s-era gym is still standing, but I thought it was supposed to be torn down and replaced. The ventilation system is still on -- I can hear it when I stand outside the bridge between the school and the gym. Why isn't it turned off, and how much is that costing the city every month?

And why isn't anything going on?

I ask because the construction schedule directly impacts my neighborhood, and my family. The last thing I want is this to drag out for longer than possible. Not only would costs go up, but the kids would have to be at the temporary Whittemore -- South Middle School -- for longer than the planned two years.

Anyone have an idea what's going on with Whittemore? Is it a delay, or is this part of the plan, for budget reasons, or something else?

Related blog entries:

Updated school designs presented at stealth meeting

Whittemore planning meeting

Waltham Latin Festival, 2006

2006-08-20T14:29:00.000-04:00

We watched the parade and browsed some of the stalls this afternoon. I'd say more than a thousand people were there, representing a dozen or so countries and Puerto Rico -- lots of people brought flags or T-shirts to represent ...

Condo-mania in Watertown!

2006-08-20T08:31:00.000-04:00

The mystery of the old warehouse across the street from Russo's has been solved. It's being turned down and going to be made into a mega condo development. Check out the last paragraph of this story in Sunday's Globe West for details. Check out this H2Otown thread for debate from local Watertownians (or is it Watertownites?)

Geese Begone!

2006-08-19T13:59:00.000-04:00

Here are some scenes from Waltham's Calvary Cemetery, and the Riverwalk waterfall at the bleachery, taken this morning:

Until now, if you called state or local officials and complained about the public health hazard and frustration caused by Canada Geese, you'd have gotten a shrug. They could have rightly said that their hands are tied, owing to federal rules which protect Canada Geese, and permit them to take over parks, waterways, lawns, and highway medians.

It was truly a ridiculous situation. If you protested that goose poop was preventing you from letting your kids play in the grass at the park, they would do nothing. Yet if you said dog poop was the problem, the city would issue tickets to dog owners, start partrols, and round up any strays contributing to the problem.

But it looks like things are about to change. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a "full and final rule" that allows the destruction of "resident" (as opposed to migratory) nests and geese, by property owners and officials, under certain conditions:

The new regulatory program consists of three components. The first creates control and depredation orders for airports, landowners, agricultural producers and public health officials that are designed to address resident Canada goose depredation and damage while managing conflict. This component will allow take of resident Canada geese without a federal permit provided certain reporting and monitoring requirements are fulfilled.

The second component consists of expanded hunting methods and opportunities and is designed to increase the sport harvest of resident Canada geese. Under this component, States could choose to expand shooting hours and allow hunters the use of electronic calls and unplugged shotguns during a portion of early September resident Canada goose seasons.

The third component consists of a new regulation authorizing the Director to implement a resident Canada goose population control program, or "management take". Management take is defined as a special management action that is needed to reduce certain wildlife populations when traditional and otherwise authorized management measures are unsuccessful, not feasible, or not applicable in preventing injury to property, agricultural crops, public health, and other interests. Under Management Take, the take of resident Canada geese outside the existing sport hunting seasons (September 1 to March 10) would be authorized and would enable States to authorize a harvest of resident Canada geese between August 1 and August 31. Management take would be available to States in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyways following the first full operational year of the other new regulations.

That's right, folks. The handcuffs are off. It's time to "harvest" a few thousand geese that are polluting our parks and public places in Newton and Waltham, especially near the river and ponds. Call your local municipality or representative to get them cracking.

Population decline: Local media gets it wrong again, but ...

2006-08-19T10:10:00.000-04:00

When will they ever learn? Earlier in the summer, I took the News Trib to task for screwing up the population decline story, and then another reporter working for the same company does it all over again for the Newton Tab this week!

The missing factor, of course, is illegal immigration. Waltham has thousands, Newton probably hundreds, who are not counted by city or federal censii for reasons including language barriers, fear of deportation, and potential investigation of illegal living arrangements. The reasons why local journalists don't even mention this question likely are a combination of ignorance and political correctness. Why political correctness? Because when you start talking about illegal immigration, you have to start investigating who they are and how they are affecting the community. Then you have to deal with the complaints from rightists, who claim that the paper is painting too sympathetic a portrait of illegal immigrants and not doing enough to highlight crime and the burden on local services, and leftists who claim the media is demonizing illegal immigrants and following some national conservative agenda. The easy way out: Just pretend the issue doesn't exist, and hope that no one notices.

I should note that the Tab article did get one thing right: They zeroed in on the Mayor's Office, and how population declines in Newton will affect planning and financing the new high school. The city's response is laughable. Read Borderline's comments about the Tab article here on the Newton Tab blog.

Additionally, Borderline has commented before on the population decline, which I believe is a long-term trend, and its impact on rebuilding NNHS. I suggested moving back to a one-high school system, like Framingham did in the early 1990s. Here's the main reasoning that I put forth:

Having two high schools made sense in the 1960s when the baby boom unleashed a tidal wave of kids on the school system, and there was the need for a dedicated vocational program in one of the high schools. But it doesn't make sense anymore. Besides demographic trends, and the decline of the Tech-Voc program, the costs associated with maintaining two quality high school campuses and academic programs are just too much. Returning to a single high school would eliminate redundancy and reduce costs. Citizens and officials wouldn't be arguing every two years about overrides, cancellation of important academic programs, cuts in essential city services, or illegally dipping into the CPA fund to pay for questionable school improvements.

I am sure there are people who think Borderline is crazy. But consider the crazy situation Newton is in right now before you dismiss my ideas. An estimated $165 million for the new Newton North? A seemingly never-ending series of overrides and budget shell games? The constant spectre of public employees being laid off, and cuts to services and programs?

And what will happen when it's time to rebuild Newton South High School? No one's talking about it now, but they probably will be in ten years. Where's the money for that going to come from?

Newton had one high school before and the kids did fine. It's time to reconsider returning to that model for Newton's schools, and putting an end to the fear, uncertainty and doubt that will continue to plague the city if it rushes into building an expensive new Newton North.

Please feel free to read and comment on the full text of the original blog post.

Waltham teacher accused of disgusting crimes. Let justice take its course

2006-08-15T21:08:00.000-04:00

A Waltham drama teacher has been accused of some disgusting crimes, and Dancer gives a local perspective.

Sound familiar? Sure it does. We hear about stories of teachers taking advantage of students all the time, and there are some real sick predators out there. But before the baying mob rips this guy's reputation to shreds, let all the facts come out, and let justice take its course. As everyone in Newton knows, sometimes an innocent teacher gets fingered.

Butterfly paradise?

2006-08-15T20:56:00.000-04:00

Anyone notice how many Monarch Butterflies have been around this summer? I've seen them in Newton, Waltham, and on the Cape. I can't recall seeing any around these parts for years, and now they're everywhere.

The picture is from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Fire error

2006-08-15T20:54:00.000-04:00

Borderline made a factual mistake earlier this week. The fire wasn't located on Dana St., but rather on 15-17 Cambria Road. Sorry for the mixup!

The Newton Housing Authority's broken list

2006-08-14T23:14:00.000-04:00

Rants about municipal bureaucracies are nothing new, but what caught my eye about margalit's post about her recent dealings with Newton Housing Authority was this statement, concerning her place on the waiting list for public housing resources in Newton:

... [The NHA employee] comes back like 3 minutes later and tells me my number is the same that it was two years ago.

Now that's a problem. Because it's a sequential list, and if I'm the same number that I was two years ago, that means that not one family has moved in 2 years. And I personally know of two families that have moved. So something is very rotten in our city. I tell her that this isn't possible, that I know people have moved, so how come my number hasn't changed. Hmmm... she's a bit stumped there. Then she tells me that's not how the list works. But that's exactly how the list works. People move out, you move up.

I tell her I'm finding this extremely suspicious, especially since I was number 1 and then pushed way down the list and now the list remains the same. When I was on the top of the list it moved but not it no longer does? Something is not right. Something is very wrong.

I am sure that the NHA will come up with some smooth excuse to tell the local paper (if any reporters actually look into it) but my own observations of public waiting lists for valuable or important public services is that people with friends or relatives on the inside -- either civil servants or politicians -- tend to rise to the top faster than unconnected outsiders. This situation was one of the causes of the public housing scandal in Boston in the 1980s and early 1990s. It would be very interesting to see how people on the NHA list jumped the queue ahead of someone who has been on the list for years. Or is there a more innocent explanation?

Borderline has his own public waiting list problem, but hardly on the same scale as margalit. I have been on a two-year waiting list with the Waltham CIty Government's tree planting program for a tree on our curb -- for five years. I don't want to say some connected persons got pushed to the top of the list, because it could be the result of budget cuts or something else, but no bothered calling me up about it. When I contacted my city councillor two years ago, he said he had a lot to say about the list, but didn't get into details, except to promise he would push for some type of city-wide plan to improve the planting program.

Translation: I'll never get to the top of the list.

Cross-border firefighting

2006-08-13T22:40:00.000-04:00

Sometimes Borderline writes about cross-border crime involving people from Newton and Waltham, but I'd also like to point out how neighbors and the two cities help each other out. This evening there was a fire on Dana Rd. (correction: Cambria Road!) which straddles the border, about halfway between Franklin Elementary in Newton and Whittemore Elementary in Waltham. A two-family house was heavily damaged in a manner of minutes. I heard the sirens at about quarter of six, saw the smoke a few minutes later, and arrived just before six, at which point it was already under control, but had totalled the upper story of the house -- as someone standing in a nearby driveway told me, "it happened so fast."

I am still not sure in which city the fire occured. My map points to Waltham, but a Newton cop said it was in Newton.

Regardless of where the fire happened, there were a few things that really impressed Borderline about how it was handled. First was the concern shown by all the neighbors in our area. Everyone wanted to know if the people inside were OK, or if anyone was hurt. Second, was how well the Newton and Waltham Fire Departments worked to put it out. As the photo shows, a Waltham engine and a Newton ladder truck were the first to arrive, judging by their positions directly in front of the house. There wasn't any bureaucratic haggling about where the border was, or which city had responsibility, the firefighters just worked together to get the flames down as quickly as possible.

Good job, firefighters.

What's missing from the Boston Globe's "Westword" blog

2006-08-09T23:26:00.000-04:00

I just checked out the Boston Globe's "Westword" blog, aimed at the folks who live in the newspaper's western coverage zone (an awkward collection of towns and cities stretching from cities inside 128, to semi-rural towns beyond 495).

There's a few things wrong with the blog, in Borderline's opinion.

One, there are no comments, so readers cannot communicate with Globe staff, or leave their own opinions and observations.

Two, it's all about articles that appear in the paper. In other words, a promotional tool.

Third, it's overwhelmingly oriented to the bigger cities and towns, especially Newton, Waltham, and Framingham. That's great for residents of those towns, but not fair to folks farther out.

For the first two reasons, I don't think Westword qualifies as a blog, and I am not going to link to it in the local blogs listing on the right side of Borderline. The Newton Tab does a better job with its blog, which not only has comments enabled, but sometimes posts about issues that aren't covered in the Tab. Sure, the Tab uses the blog as a promotional tool, but it's also a real community resource and place for people to voice opinions.

Road Rage in Waltham

2006-08-08T21:08:00.000-04:00

An item from a few weeks ago in the News Tribune, about Stephen Villandry of 180 Prospect Hill Road being charged with road rage and driving with a suspended license:

An officer working a construction detail, then watched as Villandry stopped his tan minivan in the travel lane, got out, walked over to the alleged victim's Chevy Aveo, and yelled obscenities at her, he said.

Road rage is quite common. This article says road rage is quite common, and it seems like there's an item like this in the paper every week, either as a standalone article, or in the police log. A survey cited in the article found more than one third of drivers had personally experienced road rage in the previous six months.

Waltham City Council steamrolls residents, mayor on pro-developer zoning change

2006-08-06T12:13:00.000-04:00

Anyone who cares about development in Waltham must read the front-page Globe West article in today's Boston Sunday Globe by Stephanie Siek. The article, "Waltham City Council overrides zoning veto," sums up what's been going over the past few months, as developers lick their chops over the chance to replace office buildings with more lucrative structures that include stores and restaurants, and pratically every Waltham city councillor helps them out by changing the zoning regs, and then overrides Mayor McCarthy's veto.

It's clear that Mayor McCarthy and a handful of councillors are the only ones who want to protect our interests against the neverending wave of development in Waltham. The only councillors who supported the mayor's veto, notes the article, are Councilor George A. Darcy III of Ward 3, Councilor at Large Patrick J. O'Brien, and Councilor Stephen F. Rourke. Councilor at Large Kathleen B. McMenimen wans't able to vote, but she has been against the zoning proposal in the past. Good for them, for actually showing some backbone when it comes to saying "no" to developers.

Then, on the developers' team, we have Council President Edmund P. Tarallo of Ward 2 and the rest of the Council gang. Tarallo couldn't vote for the veto for procedural reasons, but has supported the zoning changes in the past. All other councillors apparently supported the veto, i.e., they want the pro-developer zoning changes. I wonder why?

Unlike the previous Globe article on the proposed zoning changes (see "Sloppy reporting on Waltham development"), this time the Globe talks to people opposed to the zoning plans -- namely, the citizens of Waltham who are fed up with the development that is ruining our city. Here's a quote that I think sums up the feeling in the city:

Several attendees said the council was ignoring the public.

"My reaction is and has been that the council seemed to be working in a vacuum," said Herbert Henderson, who lives on the south side of Waltham. "There was no effort to gauge the public's will for or against this proposal."

For a sample of other residents' feelings on this issue, check out the July 18 and July 19 letters to the editor in the News Tribune. Also check out the August 2 editorial in the same paper, "Let the mayor's veto stand".

Summertime at the Cove

2006-08-06T08:33:00.000-04:00

The Cove is one of Newton's best-kept secrets. I've been going there since the early 1970s. The only way to get there is via a bunch of obscure side roads in Auburndale without any signs, or by canoe.

They've removed all the old kids' equipment, including the Yellow Submarine and the infamous spinning wheel of nausea, but they have some new wooden structures that are just as fun.

The Cove is great for anyone who likes the outdoors.You can play on the playground equipment, play in the fields (if there's no baseball game going on), feed the ducks (not the Canadian geese!), have a cookout under the trees (you might have to reserve the grills, anyone know for sure?) and take nature walks -- there's a network of paths that go along the river toward Waltham's Island neighborhood, the Marriott, and Lyons Field in Auburndale.

At one time back in the 70s and 80s they had ice skating at the Cove in the wintertime, but I don't think the City of Newton oversees that anymore.

Spotted on a Waltham tow truck ...

2006-08-06T08:32:00.000-04:00

The motto "We meet by accident!" I think the company is Pilgrim Towing.

Awesome!

Newton native killed in Israel

2006-08-03T20:53:00.000-04:00

David Martin Lelchook who grew up in Newton Center and graduated from Newton South was killed in Israel, where he has lived since the 1980s. The News Tribune has the details:

"He was a very devoted father and would do anything to be nice to people," Doris Lelchook said yesterday, just hours after learning her son had died in a guerrilla rocket attack on the kibbutz he had called home for two decades.

The death of any civilian in this war -- whether Lebanese or Israeli -- is terrible. My prayers go out for the hundreds of victims and their families.

The system is broken: Globe exposes the snakes that prey on the debt collection system

2006-08-01T23:44:00.000-04:00

The Globe is doing a lot more investigative work these days, uncovering official incompetence, sleazy businessmen, and questionable court processes. If you haven't seen the Globe Spotlight investigation into Massachusetts' broken debt collection system ("Debtor's Hell"), you should check it out now. It will leave you fuming. Here's a sample from today's report on constables, who get paid to serve court papers. They are not trained in the law, have no oversight, and charge huge fees for their services, and have an incentive to screw the little people. Many even have criminal backgrounds:

In Boston alone there are 186 of them, and Mayor Thomas M. Menino has given arrest powers to every one, including (Kenneth) Dorsey and 87 others with criminal arrest records for offenses including firearms violations, indecent assault and battery on a child, and impersonating a police officer. Seven have been appointed in spite of guilty verdicts, among them one convicted twice in the last four years of beating his wife.

The other part of this series that was really scary was the second episode on how the small claims court system has been corrupted by lawyers and court staff who consistently favor business interests, even when these business interests accuse the wrong person or don't have evidence that someone owes them money. Disgusting.

These types of articles are traditionally more of the Herald's turf, but I am glad to see that the Globe is getting involved -- whereas the Herald often seems to lean toward sensationalism, the Globe investigative reports usually spends more time researching the problems and presenting more than one side of the story.

Poor timing, wrong message for pro-Israel demonstration in Newton

2006-08-01T20:42:00.000-04:00

(Warning: There is a disturbing image in this post of a victim of the Israel Defence Force "mistake")

Just spotted this in the News Tribune, about a pro-Israel vigil and rally at the Newton City Hall War Memorial:

The rally featured speeches from prominent leaders in the Boston Jewish community, but a crudely drawn cartoon on a poster articulated why many in the crowd had gathered.

On the poster, two gunmen, kneeling, aimed machine guns at each other; one was labeled Israel, the other Hezbollah. The Israeli soldier was kneeling in front of a baby carriage, protecting it, while the other individual used a similar baby carriage as coverage to hide behind and fire the weapon.

I don't dispute that terrorists mix in with civilians in the Middle East, but to have this rally supporting the Israeli miltary now -- just days after dozens of innocent women and children were killed by Israeli military incompetence as they huddled in a basement shelter, too afraid to evacuate their village -- is the wrong message to send. After this disgraceful incident, not to mention the indiscriminate targeting of any vehicle travelling in certain parts of Lebanon, including ambulances, and the deliberate bombing of a United Nations outpost which killed four UN peacekeepers, supporters of Israel's military should be asking hard questions of this mission and how it's being carried out, rather than offering unconditional support.

I also find it unusual that the News Tribune reporter did not mention the baby carriage cartoon in the context of what happened in Qana. Did he not ask anyone at the rally about what they thought? Or was he unaware of the killings?

High Street, Waltham

2006-07-30T22:45:00.000-04:00

High Street sunset -- telephone wires and raised surfaces.

Waltham Shopper coupon nirvana

2006-07-26T23:58:00.000-04:00

The Waltham Shopper (see Borderline's article from last year) recently has featured lots of coupons that are very good deals. The Asian Market on Waverly Oaks Road (Rte 60, see the Borderline review) has had $5 coupons in the past few issues of the Shopper, and Eaton Apothecary on Hope Ave also has a $5 coupon. Mal Elfman's has a $10 coupon, and Stephanie's Dry Cleaners, a $3 coupon.

But wait -- there's more! Tri-City Wings, and Asia Express have discounts and coupons for takeout food. The New Verona also has a coupon deal, dinner for 2 for $25.

I believe the Waltham Shopper is distributed in Waltham, Newtonville, and Auburndale, and comes bundled in the mail with local grocery store flyers.

Shaw's Obstacle Course

2006-07-22T15:25:00.000-04:00

Anyone notice how the Shaw's in Waltham (River Street) has become an obstacle course in the past few months? The big aisles are filling up with giant pallets of soda and boxes of potato chips, while the narrower aisles have vendor display racks clogging up the aisle every 20 feet. Even the area where people line up to check out has racks of junk that you have to navigate around.

I also noticed in the past few months that the Star Market in Newtonville has replaced the blue Star sign that hangs over the Mass Pike with the orange Shaw's sign. A little-known grocery store history fact: Before the Pike was built, the Newtonville Star was on Walnut street, where the CVS is now. Yes, it was that small!

Blackout, part III: The local paper wises up

2006-07-21T21:35:00.000-04:00

On the heals of my diatribe against local media organizations which either ignored the widespread power outages, or took NStar's word on the extent of the problem, I am happy to report that at least one of them -- the News Tribune -- got its act together by midweek.

This article, Cedarwood neighborhood left in the dark, still repeated the NStar PR mantra about 'how well power supply infrastructure held up", but also countered that with the experience of ordinary people in Cedarwood, and got some numbers, too: 350 households affected (Cedarwood only, nothing about Borderline's own neighborhood, or others in Waltham). It's a suspiciously round number, but at least readers can see that the extent of the outage was hardly minor.

Blackout, part II. Media misses the story at first, then gets it wrong

2006-07-18T22:21:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it? Last night Borderline was whining about the power outage that targeted our side of the street, but tonight it's the other side of the street. I feel for you guys!

Also, I gotta ask, where's the media on this story? All over Newton, Waltham, Brookline, and Boston, there were outages, says Universal Hub. But I didn't see any newspapers or TV stations covering this. Can't they take some of the reporters over-covering the Big Dig tunnel collapse, and reassign them to the neighborhood news beats?

Update:

Despite zilcho in the Globe, Herald, News Trib, and Fox 25 as of late Tuesday night, this morning the Globe finally got its act together on the blackouts. Well, almost. The headline on the Boston Globe website this morning: "New England sets record for electricity use but avoids blackouts". Ha ha. If you click through to the story, the actual headline reads "major blackouts". Still, the reporter merely talks to Nstar, and doesn't bother describing where the "scattered" outages were, how many people were affected, or get any quotes from those affected. It's clear that there's a bit of a disconnect between what ordinary people are experiencing in Newton, Waltham, Boston and Brookline, and what the Globe's official sources claim is happening. Telephone journalism at its worst, in Borderline's opinion.

Incidentally, this reporter is one of the same ones who neglected to interview ordinary residents of Waltham a few weeks ago when describing Waltham's development plans (see "Sloppy reporting on Waltham development"). I think I see a pattern here ...

Update 2:

This morning the News Tribune also has a story on the outages, and includes more details. However, the details are incomplete -- the outages affected Cedarwood and Russell St., says the paper, but neglects to mention High Street and surrounding side streets. It also parrots the NStar propaganda line, claiming there were "no major outages". Gee. In my book, four known outages in Waltham affecting hundreds or thousands of people, not to mention additional outages in Newton, Brookline and Boston, may not be "major," to Nstar, but definitely qualifies as "widespread" ... and a major inconvenience to those affected.

Update 3:
From Universal Hub: Thousands affected in Cambridge, and lots of weighing in with comments. Geez, looks like NStar really has the traditional media on its side for this story.

Blackout (and thank God for dial-up!)

2006-07-17T23:32:00.000-04:00

This sucks. Our little Borderline neighborhood has been without power on one of the hottest nights of year so far. It happened just around bedtime, which freaked out the kids, and forced us to move them downstairs, but it's now three hours later and still no power. As far as I can tell, it's affecting High Street in Waltham, part of Cherry Street in Newton, a few side streets, and frustratingly, just our side of the street we live on. The houses on the opposite side of the street have power.

So now the only power we are getting is the 6 volts through the phone line. And we are still dial-up ISP holdouts, so I am actually able to surf the net and post to Borderline on my laptop battery.

So nyah nyah nyah wireless power users with your useless newfangled access points! They don't work in these parts!

Kidscursion: Boston Harbor/Georges and Spectacle Islands

2006-07-16T14:08:00.000-04:00

Here's a half- or full-day kidscursion: A trip to the Boston Harbor islands! They are close to shore, have lots of fun activities, are perfect for a picnic, and the ferries are frequent and leave from a convenient location. There's a bunch of the islands open to the public, but Borderline will only review Spectacle and Georges, which seem best suited to outings with the kids.

Spectacle Island: Spectacle Island was just opened to the public a few weeks ago, and is now part of the Boston Harbor Island parks and recreation system. It's very close to Boston proper, just off Logan airport.

Old-timers may remember Spectacle Island as the site of giant garbage dump; in elementary school I can recall seeing a film about how filthy the harbor was and the actual presence of an island made of garbarge. That was a bit of an exaggeration, because Spectacle was a land mass -- or two separate masses -- before its dump status. Indians used it for a while to dry fish or gather plants, then the English settlers used it for pasture. From the late 1790s the two little islands were the site of two summer resort hotels that were famous for gambling and other "undesirable activities." This got to be a big enough problem that the hotels were shut down just before the Civil War. Grease rendering plants opened later in the 1800s on each one of the islets, and these evolved in the dump. Families lived on the islands from 1912 to the 1940s. The dump closed in 1959, and then after the Boston Harbor cleanup, the politicians and government organizations decided to turn it into a park using landfill from the Williams Tunnel. All of this information is available in the excellent little museum they've set up in the visitor's center, right by the new ferry pier.

When you visit Spectacle now, there's no garbage or earlier structures to be seen now, with the exception of old stone pilings which probably supported the dock for one of the old grease rendering plants. The two hillocks (or drumlins) on Spectacle are covered with meadows and light brush, and a few wooden pavilions. If you're there on a sunny day, be prepared to slather on the sunscreen because it can get really hot, and there's very little shelter. On the other hand, there are some really nice breezes cutting across the island. There're tons of places for picnics, either on the meadows, or at the picnic tables they've scattered across various points. Any trash you create, you have to bring out. There are no trash barrels. Even the toilets in the visitors' center use some type of new-age recycling system.

And then there are the beaches. They've set up a swimming beach right next to the pier, but unfortunately it's pretty bad. The water is cloudy, and there's too much unpleasant debris on the sand to really relax and run around -- on our trip Canadian Geese poop and scores of dead jellyfish. They have lifeguards but I don't think they'll last -- it's just not the right type of place for a fun family beach outing.

The highlights of Spectacle are the views from the high points, and the rockier beaches on some sides, which are good for beachcombing and walking. The eastern end of the island has some spectacular views of Logan airport, and one of the main shipping channels -- you can see these giant freighters passing right below the vantage point, not to mention dozens of pleasure boats.

So in summary, I'd say Spectacle is good for a few hours with the kids. Bring water, sunscreen, and binoculars. Start with the visitor's center, which has historical and nature exhibits, then walk around one of the drumlins or the beach to collect shells and talk about the things out in the harbor, and then have a picnic, or a snack back at the visitor's center. The swimming beach isn't anything special, but that may change if the water and jellyfish situation clears up, and officials realize that Canadian Geese are health hazards to children and do not deserve the protections that allow them to crap freely all over our parks and beaches.

George's Island: George's Island is the granddaddy of kids field trips. I must have gone there a half-dozen times as a kid. And no wonder -- a boat trip, a giant, castle-like structure, and lots of places to run around and have fun are appealing to kids of all ages.

Georges Island hasn't changed since the last time I was there, in the 1980s. Fort Warren is still standing, hulking and empty and covered with grass and trees. There are lots of tunnels and mysterious stairways leading up into dark places, and you can walk along the ramparts. There's even a little prison (the guardhouse). They've set up little explanatory plaques in key places, and there's also a visitor's center. It's an impressive historical site, and one of the few in Massachusetts that doesn't have luxury condos or commercial developments next door.

There are beaches, too. I am not sure they are good for swimming. The ones I briefly checked out were dark sand and shell bits, but I didn't see any geese or jellyfish. There were no lifeguards.

However, unlike Spectacle Island, George's has much better opportunities for cooling off. The tunnels and areas near the walls have this damp, stony coolness about them. In the center of the star-shaped fort, they have these giant trees of some species I have never seen scattered all over the place, probably planted when the fort was built back in the 1800s. They give great shade, and are perfect for picnics.

Getting to the Islands: The ferries to the islands leave from Long Wharf, on the north side of the Marriott, not on the south side/New England Aquarium, which is where the whale watch and Cape Cod ferries leave from. If you park at the garage next to the Aquarium, just cut through the Marriott lobby to reach the Harbor Island ferries dock. You can buy tickets at the booth, or on board.

There are other ferry lines servicing the islands, too. We saw the T ferry to Quincy at Georges. Inter-island ferries come at regular intervals. The ferries to and from Long Wharf depart every hour or two, but this might change depending on the weather.

We got a family pass to Spectacle for $32 (two adults, two kids). Once on the islands, you can take inter-island ferries for free to other islands, so it's possible to hit Spectacle and Georges in six hours or so. The slow ferry to Spectacle is about 25 minutes from the wharf, but the small catamaran is just 15 minutes. Georges is about twice as far.

If you go on a weekend or holiday, consider parking on the street, because many meters in that area (especially in the financial district) are only Monday through Friday. The parking garage next to the Aquarium is a ripoff. $30 if you are there more than 80 minutes.

Lastly, be aware that the Big Dig tunnel collapse has totally altered commuter driving patterns in Boston, and the streets between South Station and North Station -- not to mention I-93 in both directions -- are experiencing a huge amount of extra traffic as a result. Take the subway if you can -- there are several Blue Line and Green Line stops within walking distance of the ferry terminal and the Aquarium.

Links:

Boston Harbor Islands partnership

When FNX was like a public radio station ...

2006-07-12T08:08:00.000-04:00

Usually my commute is a bit of radio hell, as I switch between radio stations to catch good songs and avoid commercials and mindless DJ blather. But for the first part of this summer I actually enjoyed my commute a lot, 'cause I knew exactly where to tune in: WFNX.

They had some type of deal with Snapple for about a month which made the station commercial free. Well, almost. They had a few 10-second plugs for Snapple, but that was it. I think it's a good model for commercial broadcasting, and actually mirrors a lot of what we see on noncommercial (public) broadcasting, with "corporate underwriting." The alternative -- endless blocks of commercials (WAAF is especially bad in this regard) and huge sales staffs to support them -- is a bloated, frustrating model, especially as more and more people bring iPods and satellite radio in their cars, and totally bypass commercials and questionable radio station playlists (WBCN is especially bad in this regard).

So a, I think your experiment was a success, and I hope you bring back this model -- I'll definitely be listening if you do!

World Cup 2006 -- How Waltham, Newton Reacted

2006-07-09T21:48:00.000-04:00

Borderline couldn't watch the copa today, but it was easy enough to figure out who the victor was in the late afternoon: the cacophony of car horns drifting over from High St. and Waltham St. could only mean one thing: Italy had won.

There sure as heck aren't many French expats hanging around these parts, and the people around here with French surnames mostly descend from French-Canadians who came down in the past centuries to work in the mills. A hockey victory from Quebec might set them off, but they wouldn't be honking for the French. On the other hand, the thousands of local Italians and Italian-Americans in the Lake, other parts of North Newton, and South Waltham would let it rip for Italia. So that's how I knew.

A neighbor told me it was a penalty shoot-out that brought about the Italian victory, which isn't the best way to win, but a World Cup victory under any circumstances deserves respect. Congratulations, Italy!

Sloppy reporting on Waltham development

2006-07-06T23:13:00.000-04:00

Time for Borderline's monthly anti-development rant, and while I'm at it, I'll throw a barb at the Globe, too, for some really poor reporting.

You may remember a few months back I took Waltham city councillors to task for a pro-development proposal they support ("Councillors Tarallo, Logan and Kelly and their pro-development zoning proposal"). Well, Chris Reidy and Stephanie V. Siek and Thomas C. Palmer Jr. of the Globe had an article about this issue as well, "N.Y. company to redevelop Polaroid site in Waltham" which does a great disservice to the residents of this city. These two reporters basically spend several hundred words gushing over development plans for the Polaroid property, as well the councillors' zoning plans which give "developers the chance to upgrade about a half-dozen older buildings in the new district."

All of the developers and politicians code-words for profitable endeavors at the expense of the citizens are in the story. "Mixed Use", "new zoning designations", "best suburban market", etc. Developers, politicians, and businessmen are quoted throughout the story.

But not once did the Globe bother to interview ordinary Waltham residents to see what we think about yet more development. Come on! Three crack reporters couldn't wear out a little shoe leather and talk to folks who live near this "zone"? Are our opinions so unimportant that no one bothers to ask what we think? Or did the reporters actually try, but the quotes were removed because there wasn't enough space?

There's a bit of sloppiness in this article too: At one point (paragraph 2) the article says "residences" might be in the mix (I'm sure the local condo industry would love that!) and a hotel but the rest of the article is all about office space, shops and restaurants. No description of how residences or hotels would be allowed.

Nice job, fourth estate. Thanks for sticking up for the little guys.

Borderline's earlier posts on real estate:

Borderline isn't the only one alarmed by out-of-control development in Waltham

Local housing bubble deflates

Newton housing bubble?

Borderline prediction comes true: Housing prices decline

News Tribune sucks up to the realtors

Traditional & new media gives Borderline a boost

2006-07-02T21:33:00.000-04:00

Today's Sunday Globe excerpted Borderline again, this time mentioning the post about the Newtonville Kidscursion. Borderline would like to thank Matt Viser of the Globe, who has highlighted posts five or six times in the last year, and no doubt brought in some readers who would otherwise never check out the Borderline Blog. Matt's column also points to other local BFOBs (blogging friends of Borderline) including H2Otown and Krissy.

While I am thanking Matt, I should also thank Adam Gaffin at the Universal Hub for all of the traffic in the past six month or so. I usually get one ding per month, which is very much appreciated.

Newton and Waltham 4th of July fireworks

2006-06-29T18:33:00.000-04:00

OK, for the hundreds of people who have been pinging the Borderline Blog looking for fireworks and other activities info for Independence Day 2006, here's your fix:

Newton: Kids Morning, Open Air Market and Fair, Evening Fireworks. Times, location, and other details courtesy of the Newton Tab

Waltham: Prospect Hill Daytime Activities for the Kids, Evening Music and Fireworks. Times, location, and other details courtesy of the Waltham City website

Note that parking anywhere near the fireworks locations is impossible, unless you arrive early.

Have a fun and safe 4th!

PS: If you are a new visitor, be sure to check out some of the other articles on the site, listed to the right, or visit the monthly archives. There are hundreds of entries in the Borderline Blog, on everything from activities for the kids to local history to opinions about housing and schools. You can leave comments on any of the posts that you read!

Kidscursion: Newtonville

2006-06-25T21:30:00.000-04:00

I never used to think of Newtonville as a worthwhile family outing, but in the past year or two I've come to realize that it's a great place to kill a few hours with the kids, especially if the weather is bad. Here's a list of three great things to do with the tykes in Newtonville:

1) Start out with a visit to Newtonville Books and the Lizard's Tale (296 Walnut Street, 617 244-6619, website). They have a special kids' reading room (I assume this is the Lizard's Tale) with lots of comfy chairs and other activities, such as a drawing table, bean bags, a crawl tubs, and wooden puzzles. The book selection is really good for younger kids, and there are quite a few educational selections for those getting interested in science, occupations, and even the Red Sox (I heard one father reading his son a book about the saga of the 2004 World Series while I was there!). For the older kids there are tweener and early-teen oriented novels. Oh, and there's also a super selection of books for adults. The staff are young but extraordinarily helpful.

2) Newtonville Pets used to be known as Debbie's Petland. At some point Debbie moved on but the place hasn't changed much -- there's still the row of plexglass puppy pens on the right, rabbits and gerbils in the center, birds and lizards a little further back, and the dark fish room way in the back. Kids love animals and it's easy to kill a half hour here. Say "hello" to the giant parrot sitting near the window, when you enter the store. I think his name is Harvey.

3) In terms of places to eat, there's no shortage of decent places to grab lunch or a snack in Newtonville. I like the little cafe that's next to Jin Mi and the fitness place that replaced Ritz Camera -- it's cozy, and serves great little gourmet sandwiches and cakes, and you can even by a bottle of wine or Belgian beer (not recommended if you're with the kids, but OK in the evening -- it's open til 10 pm every night!). They also serve about a half-dozen flavors of ice cream. The prices are super. If you want to go across the Pike to Newtonville's northern half, Lam's (Vietnamese) and Cabot's Ice Cream are all kid-friendly places to nosh.

Hope you enjoyed this Kidscursion -- Borderline will identify a few other local kidscurions from time to time.

The Red Ice Cream Truck Guy -- Identified!

2006-06-22T23:56:00.000-04:00

The Garden City blog did some great legwork, and got a photo and interview of the Red Ice Cream Truck Guy. Borderline talked about him last year, but didn't get the name.

He's still around, too, despite the presence of an interloper -- a square ice cream truck guy, with a different tune.

More high school debate: Garden City blog responds to Borderline

2006-06-22T21:51:00.000-04:00

Chuck over at the Garden City blog responded to Borderline's earlier call to transform Newton's dual-high school system into a single high school system. Here's an excerpt:

The new North will probably have a little more than 1800 students, fewer than attend now. But if you wanted to combine the two high schools, where would you put a different one? When last the schools were combined Newton was a different place--the south side not as built up and traffic not nearly as bad.

Chuck brought up some very good points in his blog, but I still think fiscal and demographic realities necessitate moving back to the single high school model. Here's my response to Chuck:

Thanks Chuck for discussing Borderline's single high school proposal. You bring up some very valid points about location, traffic on the south side of Newton, and more. But my basic argument is Newton can no longer afford two full sized high schools in an era of skyrocketing school costs and inevitable demographic change. Yes, Newton is a very attractive place to live because of its schools, but what type of young family can afford to move to Newton to take advantage of them, when single family houses cost 500 or 600k? Only people that have lots of money, or families in which the parents are working two demanding jobs. These are the types of families who have fewer children. Or send their kids to private school.

Changing districts or downsizing school systems is not impossible. Framingham merged its North and South high schools back in 1991. Newton closed Warren Junior High as well as many elementary schools back in the 1980s, including my own, Davis school. It was tough for my family and my neighborhood but we survived. What were the reasons for the closures? Demographic changes and budget pressures. It sounds a lot like the situation Newton is experiencing right now, in my view.

The Newton Tab blog has also talked about Newton's school-related budget discussions here and here.

The Missing Factor in Population Decline Stories

2006-06-22T08:54:00.000-04:00

A slew of stories this week in the papers, on population declines in and around Boston. This one by Peter Reuell on the Daily News Tribune website is typical:

Framingham lost 1,882 residents since the 2000 Census, more than any other city or town in MetroWest, and accounting for nearly one-fifth of those lost in all of Middlesex County, estimates released yesterday by the U.S. Census Bureau show.
The drop, from the 66,942 counted in the 2000 Census to 65,060, represents a nearly 3 percent dip in just five years, far outpaced Newton, the second highest population loser, where 737 were lost.
"It's such a complicated situation, it's very hard to get a finger on it without doing a lot of study," said Barry Winston, director of development at the Waltham West Suburban Chamber of Commerce.

The article goes on to cite rising housing prices, death rates, and a host of other factors, except one: Tens of thouasnds of illegal immigrants in and around Boston who don't want to be counted, or can't be counted because of language barriers or the transitory nature of their living arrangements.

I am not sure why Ruell didn't dig on this point. It's so obvious, but it's a pink elephant in the room that pols and the press don't want to address either for reasons of political correctness or because they don't want to admit it's a problem.

Colors! Colors! C-c-c-c-Colors! (or, Crips in Newton)

2006-06-15T22:45:00.000-04:00

I choked on my Cheerios when I saw this item in the Boston Herald:

Cops hunt Crip Ties in Newton School

It wasn't just the fact that some Los Angeles street gang had supposedly arrived in leafy Newton, but where it had arrived -- Lincoln-Eliot elementary school!

A follow-up in the Tab by Dan Atkinson ("Wannabe" gangstas menace Newton) suggests that fear, grafitti, teen posturing, and rumors seem to be behind talk of Crips showing up in The Lake, rather than real-life bad mans rolling into town with their glocks and low riders.

Compare that with the gang situation in Waltham, which Borderline noticed a few weeks back (Misguided teenage pranks, or gang signs?). In Waltham, it's for real, at least according to people who should know -- a policeman told me after I posted that MS-13 does have a presense in Waltham.

See also:

Crack Houses in Newton

Trouble in the Waltham Police Department

2006-06-11T22:39:00.000-04:00

A few months back there was a buzz about a series of anonymous letters to the News Tribune and Waltham City Hall alleging misconduct in the Waltham Police Department. I heard the problem related to nepotism, but according to a Jennifer Roy article "Report finds fault with Waltham Police Department" (News Trib, dated June 6) there's a lot more involved.

Roy bases her article on the release of an independent report drawn up by investigator Warren J. Rutherford. I believe there were 35 complaints in the original anoymous letter(s), and the article alludes to some of them, including the department overlooking medical problems, wrongful termination of a cadet, issues involving the use of unmarked police cars, favortism relating to sick leave, and more. Unfortunately Roy was only able to see a censored version of the report, so there's still a lot of mystery.

The Boston Globe article on the Rutherford report couldn't dig up much more in the way of details beyond something involving the alleged abuse of a "reserve" list of police applicants who have taken the civil service exam. The article adds Mayor McCarthy pledges to take action, etc. etc.

Anyone else have any details?

Some suggestions to solve the Newton North High School problem

2006-06-07T23:02:00.000-04:00

I knew it was going to come up sooner or later. A proposal to once again raise taxes to pay for Newton schools. Or, in this case, one school.

Newton North.

Page 1 of the June 7, 2006 Newton Tab has the story. The increase has been proposed by a group of aldermen, who are worried that the current city plan to pay for North will result in other essential services being shortchanged. Buried in the text is the estimated cost for a 20-year, $150 million debt exclusion: It "would raise the average resident's yearly taxes by about $240." The article continues, "The overall tax increase over 20 years would be about $4,800."

Borderline is not surprised. I predicted this type of scenario in an earlier post. Now I am going to offer some real ideas about how to deal with this mess.

Borderline's first suggestion: put off reconstruction on any new high school for five to ten years.

There are several reasons for this. As noted in page 23 of the May 31 Tab, "the average life of a municipal building is about 50 years," but North is still in its 30s.

It's not just the standard shelf life. It's the fact that the NNHS building is not in dire straits, as some would like us to believe. I don't deny that the building is a little rough around the edges, and some rooms are dark, or don't get ventilated that well. But the school is not about to fall down. And Borderline disputes the Tab's May 31 claim that "people have been complaining about North" for every year it's been in existence. I attended the school for four years, and aside from rumors of asbestos in the auditorium fire curtain, damage to the walls of the Little Theater, the pool supposedly being six inches too short, and the undeniable angular ugliness of the building, I didn't hear students, teachers, officials, or parents complaining about Newton North's physical integrity. No one ever said the building was seriously flawed and needed to be torn down.

I have been in the building in recent years -- I visited the campus when Mrs. Borderline was taking night classes through the Newton Community Education program -- and it looked almost the same as it did 20 years ago. There was no damage in Main Street, the corridors, or in the classrooms I saw. Outside, the only damage I have seen in the past few years are some of the exterior bricks facing Lowell Street are crumbling. And I suspect these bricks may have been allowed to deterioriate on purpose, in order to give members of the public driving by the idea that the building is dilapidated.

Another reason to put off reconstruction: In five years we will have a better idea of Newton's demographic trends. I am not convinced Newton will need two giant high schools, because, frankly, this town is too expensive for most young families to live in, and people are having fewer kids. I am sure that the city has a good idea of high school enrollment 10 years down the road, based on the current crop of 1st and 2nd graders in Newton's elementary schools. But what about 15 years from now? Or 20 years from now? Are there really going to be enough kids to fill a brand new Newton North and the existing Newton South?

This brings up Borderline's second suggestion: It's time to give up the idea of two separate high schools in Newton, and return to a city with just one high school.

Having two high schools made sense in the 1960s when the baby boom unleashed a tidal wave of kids on the school system, and there was the need for a dedicated vocational program in one of the high schools. But it doesn't make sense anymore. Besides demographic trends, and the decline of the Tech-Voc program, the costs associated with maintaining two quality high school campuses and academic programs are just too much. Returning to a single high school would eliminate redundancy and reduce costs. Citizens and officials wouldn't be arguing every two years about overrides, cancellation of important academic programs, cuts in essential city services, or illegally dipping into the CPA fund to pay for questionable school improvements.

I am sure there are people who think Borderline is crazy. But consider the crazy situation Newton is in right now before you dismiss my ideas. An estimated $165 million for the new Newton North? A seemingly never-ending series of overrides and budget shell games? The constant spectre of public employees being laid off, and cuts to services and programs?

And what will happen when it's time to rebuild Newton South High School? No one's talking about it now, but they probably will be in ten years. Where's the money for that going to come from?

Newton had one high school before and the kids did fine. It's time to reconsider returning to that model for Newton's schools, and putting an end to the fear, uncertainty and doubt that will continue to plague the city if it rushes into building an expensive new Newton North.

Related Borderline Blog commentary:

Why I won't be moving to Newton anytime soon

Why No Newton North Alumni Association, or Alumni Fund?

Local housing bubble deflates

2006-06-05T20:30:00.000-04:00

Borderline knows there's a serious problem with the real estate market, when there are "for sale" signs posted on every other street in Newton and Waltham, and it's once again possible to buy a single-family detached home in Newton for less than $400,000.

Actually, the problem only exists for some people -- namely, sellers and their real-estate agents. I have sympathy for the former group, especially if they bought in the past few years, but not much feeling for the middlemen. People who are staying put can actually anticipate a slight drop in property taxes. And people who are buying really do have a lot of opportunities, although rising mortgage rates will bring some pain.

See Borderline's earlier posts on real estate:

Newton housing bubble?

Borderline prediction comes true: Housing prices decline

News Tribune sucks up to the realtors

News-Tribune sucks up to the realtors ... again

Pat Hannon, Crystal Lake, and the law

2006-06-02T23:12:00.000-04:00

I used to think that Pat Hannon was a selfish, whining jerk. I mean, riding a snowmobile on Crystal Lake in Newton Center? Demanding that the swimming hole be shut down, because of some alleged infringement upon his property rights? Come on!

But I have to admit, the guy has a lot of pluck, and has to be admired for standing up to Newton City Hall, far past the point where other mortals would have given up.

And it now turns out that he has something else on his side, that's even more powerful than City Hall: State environmental law. He has been directly responsible for uncovering several environmental no-nos that the City of Newton apparently hoped no-one would ever notice, including arsenic-filled lumber in a retaining wall at the lake's recreation area, and problems with a circulation pump used at the swimming hole.

I know a lot of people wish that Hannon would just go away. But regardless of his motivations, the City of Newton has to follow the law, too.

See also:

Newton's CPA Astroturf Scandal

Gee, Who Forgot to Turn Out The Lights?

Once again, Congress thinks it's above the law

2006-05-27T10:43:00.000-04:00

I can't believe the arrogance of some of our elected leaders. First, they tell us they intend to grant amnesty to millions of non-citizens who have broke our laws. Now, Congress is attempting to force our own law enforcement officials to hand back evidence in a blatant case of corruption involving one of its own -- and President Bush seems to be going along with it!

At least law enforcement is showing some backbone; the New York Times reports that important Justice Department people -- including F.B.I. director Robert Mueller and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales -- are ready to quit if G.W. forces them to return evidence in the Congressional corruption case.

Borderline's take: Mueller and Gonzales are absolutely right. No one is above the law. It doesn't matter if you are an illegal immigrant or an elected official of either major party. If there is evidence that you broke our laws, you should be investigated, prosecuted, and sentenced accordingly. No amnesty. No favors. No backroom deals.

Newton Tab has a blog

2006-05-25T21:29:00.000-04:00

Yay! The local mainstream media finally pays attention to this blogging thing. The writers are still trying to figure out a good blogging style and focus, but it's a start. Check the Newton Tab blog here ...

Saying No To National Lumber

2006-05-24T21:06:00.000-04:00

Borderline is going to steer contractors who work for us to other suppliers, after reading about National Lumber's policies toward the victims of a unscrupulous contractor named Dennis Bartel.

As described in the Needham Times (and reprinted in the Newton Tab) Bartel was contracted to do work for a bunch of homeowners in Needham. He took money from them to get started, but then never did the work. National Lumber, which allegedly supplied Bartel on some type of credit arrangement, was also stiffed. However, unable to recover money from Bartel, National Lumber has placed liens on the homes of the victims in an attempt to force them to pay for Bartel's cheating ways. In other words, the homeowners are being victimized twice, first by Bartel, and now by National Lumber.

National Lumber is a big company with local roots. It has 450 employees, and $125 million in sales in 2002, according to this Prosales article. Yet they are ruining innocent people's lives over someone else's debt, totalling in the thousands of dollars for each homeowner?

According to the Tab article, the lawyer orchestrating National Lumber's campaign is Mark Barnett, but in Borderline's opinion, the executives of National Lumber are ultimately responsible for the company's policies. They are co-CEOs Steven Kaitz, and his sister Margie Kaitz-Seligman. Both apparently have Newton connections -- Steven was raised in Newton, and the company has an office on Needham Street.

Misguided teenage pranks, or gang signs?

2006-05-21T15:29:00.000-04:00

These tags appeared on a wall next to the Riverwalk off Calvary Street in Waltham sometime last year. They were still there as of this morning. The person who did it, "Chino" or "Chano", obviously has some artistic talent. Too bad his talent has to manifest itself through this type of activity.

What really bothers me is not the destruction of someone's property (the wall is part of a building that houses a heavy equipment rental agency) or the vandalism to a great community resource (the Riverwalk). It's the message conveyed by the words "Mexican Power" (in the first picture, to the right of the clown's face). Being proud of your ethnic or national background is one thing; asserting that background with words that suggest militancy at others' expense is another. It's no different than "Black Power", "White Power," etc., in my mind.

There's another disturbing possibility as well: the tags could be the calling cards of some local gang marking its territory or announcing its presence. Just last week I saw a similar "Mexican Power" tag on the sidewalk next to the playground at Lowell and Chestnut, with the number "13" added below it, and a skull next to it. When I saw that number, I instantly thought of MS13 ("Mara Salvatrucha"), a terrifying El Salvadoran gang which has been responsible for violence in Somerville and East Boston. Are the "Mexican Power" and "13" tags a sign that the gang has set up shop in Waltham, or allied itself with another immigrant gang with Mexican roots? Or is it just some local kids searching for/asserting their identity, using terms designed to intimidate?

Brandeis and its Jewish identity

2006-05-20T09:20:00.000-04:00

Following a brouhaha over a Palestinian art exhibit, there's been a bit of a debate taking place over at Brandeis, as described in the Boston Globe:

The clashes highlight the tricky dual role the university plays, as both a majority Jewish school, drawing the bulk of its support from Jews, but one not formally associated with or governed by tenets of the Jewish religion.

Jehuda Reinharz, president of Brandeis, insists that the school is better for the duality. In an interview, Reinharz described Brandeis as having a ''discrete obligation to the Jewish community," which he said means research and scholarship in areas of Jewish interest. Yet he said it also is committed to maintaining a diverse student body, which is, among other groups, roughly 20 percent Catholic and 10 percent Muslim.

''Brandeis is not a Jewish university; it is a great American university," he said. ''But it is an American university with a particular flavor."

That ''creates a tension on campus," he said. ''. . . I think it is a healthy debate."

I would agree with this statement. Brandeis may not have a charter that requires a heavy Jewish enrollment, but the fact of the matter is that there is a very strong Jewish-American community which is continously refreshed by the attendance of new Jewish students from elsewhere. It's no secret that many of these students are attending because of this community -- as well as Brandeis' strong academic profile and its location. I was associated with the Brandeis radio station, WBRS, in the 1980s (they allowed non-student members of the community to have programs at that time) and got to know a fair number of students and get a feel for the campus.

Anyway, back to the current situation. Matt Brown, a student at Brandeis, questions the university's Jewish character in a recent opinion piece in the Justice. At one time, he says, it was necessary to have a safe haven for Jewish students (at many other universities, there used to be quota systems limiting Jews, or outright discrimination) but that's not needed anymore, and Brown feels that the University's Jewish character is too strong. He asks: Is a quota system limiting the number of Jewish students a solution?

The Deluge

2006-05-15T23:34:00.000-04:00

The North Shore got the worst of the rain, but even in Waltham we got many inches, especially on Saturday. The trash barrels were about 40% full with water when I emptied them on Sunday morning, and we had puddles in one corner of the basement.

Also on Sunday morning, I drove over the Newton Street bridge, and the Charles River was almost touching it. When I checked the falls at the Shaw's parking lot on River Street, there was a lot of volume, but hardly a crisis -- except for the ducks and Canada geese, whose nests were likely washed away.

Borderline isn't the only one alarmed by out-of-control development in Waltham

2006-05-11T21:43:00.000-04:00

Just a few days after posting my last rant against developers and the Waltham city councillors who support them, I spotted a letter in the News Tribune written by Judy Derle of North Waltham, lamenting the changes that have turned North Waltham into a developers' playground. Here's an excerpt:

... I am apalled at all the construction that is going on in North Waltham. It used to be a refuge from the downtown area -- a nice, quiet suburban landscape. Now we will be just as or maybe even more congested as downtown. All that is left for City Council to do is to allow another Shaw’s Supermaket and CVS somewhere in the residential area of Trapelo Road and that will make it complete. It’s something I wouldn’t put past them to do. Thanks for the article and the update with the trees. Thanks for letting me vent. Is it too late to sell?

City Councillors, Mayor McCarthy, and the Planning Department, take heed: The citizenry of Waltham is fed up with development. What are you going to do about it?

Councillors Tarallo, Logan and Kelly and their pro-development zoning proposal

2006-05-09T17:40:00.000-04:00

Borderline has slammed unrestrained development in Waltham before (see "The News Tribune sees 'potential' in development. Borderline sees something else"). There's more news today about developers getting a zoning boost from the city in the News Tribune.

This time it's not just the Planning Department advocating for more development -- it's our own city councillors! The article lists City Council President Edmund P. Tarallo, Robert G. Logan, and Robert S. Kelly supporting a zoning change which would benefit developers.

The justifications they use are amusing. President Tarallo seems to thinks the fact that office buildings are old justifies them being overlaid with new condos:

"The Rte. 128 corridor that helped Waltham's tax base to grow is now over 50 years old in some locations," said City Council President Edmund P. Tarallo, who spoke in favor of a new commercial revitalization overlay district during a public hearing last night.

Kelly's take: More tax money (potentially):

Ward 1 Councilor Robert S. Kelly, in whose ward the proposed overlay district would lie, said he does not think mixed-use development would harm the few residential areas surrounding the Rte. 128 office parks. On the contrary, he said, economic development would benefit residents by potentially lowering tax rates.

Unfortunately, Logan was unable to attend the meeting, so we couldn't learn about his reasoning, but the article says he authored the proposed zoning change.

Borderline's message to city councillors: You represent citizens and our interests, not the interests of developers. And Waltham doesn't need more condos, strip malls, or Frankenstein projects that combine the two!

River herring swim free -- or do they?

2006-05-08T08:26:00.000-04:00

At one time, the only people you'd see catching alewifes along the Charles were immigrants and a few catch-and-release fishermen, but in recent years an ugly trend emerged: Commercial fishermen who would come with giant tanks and nets, scoop up all the fish they could, assumedly for bait or even resale.

The Mass Division of Marine Fisheries finally cracked down, making this announcement last November:

Three-Year River Herring Moratorium on Harvest, Possession, & Sale (322 CMR 6.17):
In response to recent drastic declines of many river herring spawning runs, the harvest, possession or sale of river herring in the Commonwealth or in the waters under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth by any person is prohibited through 2008. To accommodate the bait harvesting fisheries, the MFAC approved a slight tolerance (up to 5%, by count, of a batch of fish may be
comprised of river herring species)

There are now notices all along the river telling people of the new rules. Unfortunately the division website doesn't say who should be contacted if you see a violation, and it's unclear from the announcement what the penalties are for breaking the rules.

The News Tribune sees 'potential' in development. Borderline sees something else.

2006-04-25T06:19:00.000-04:00

Ever get the feeling that developers dominate Waltham?

Borderline sure does after reading an article by correspondent Samantha Monk in the Daily News Tribune, entitled "Analysis shows Waltham could nearly double its population".

I've written about the Tribune's pro-real estate bias before, but this latest article takes the paper to new lows, starting with the first paragraph:

"The city has potential for great changes in the years ahead."

What are the "great changes"? Why, more development! The article refers to a report prepared by the city Planning Department, which finds that "the city has the potential to build thousands of new homes and millions of feet of commercial space, producing substantial revenue."

Sure, the article mentions "caution" and "concern" from residents and the League of Women Voters (who had some role organizing a meeting with city officials) regarding development, but the damage is already done: "Potential" is equated with more development.

Is this what people really want? Maybe some do -- namely, developers and their associates, who are interested in lining their own pockets, even if it means breaking the law. Maybe some city officials and councilmen too, who are friendly with these characters. But no ordinary resident of Waltham I know has ever said, "Hey, you know what Waltham really needs? More townhouses!"

Message to elected officials: We don't need no more stinkin' development in Waltham. There are already too many condos, office parks, and strip malls here. We should be looking at Lincoln as a model for development, not Framingham.

Message to the News Tribune: Please do a better job of eliminating pro-development bias from your correspondents' articles. We know you receive a lot of money from real estate advertisements and commercial inteersts, but remember who your readers are.