Beanpot, ARoid, Octuplets, MA Politics and Whitey Bulger

A few random thoughts this morning relating to a handful of stories littering the newspapers today:

Beanpot
Boston University won the Beanpot...again. Whoopie ding dong. As a Northeastern grad, I was pulling HARD for the Huskies to dethrone the hated Terriers. The Huskies came out flying around the puck in the first period. Things leveled out in the second. The game was neck and neck up until mid-way through the third when BU score two short-handed goals within a minute of each other. That was the nail in the coffin. Worst part of all this is now I owe a client and friend, @jimrattray a 12-pack of @magichat #9's. Adding salt to the wound is the fact that one of our interns at MS&L Boston is a BU student and we've been talking trash since last Monday. Needless to say, I'm ready to eat a big portion of crow.

ARoid
Out of all the juiced up players during the steroid era, I would never have suspected A-Rod to be on that list. I assumed the guy was just naturally talented. Well, he wasn't. He was un-naturally talented. The numbers really don't lie. His HRs jumped by about 15-20 when he was with the Rangers. I love his "apology" that was cooked up by some spinster:

To all those journo's who have Hall of Fame votes. Don't let him in. Treat him like McGuire, Bonds, Clemens and the rest. They juiced up. They cheated. Want to protect the integrity of the game? That's how you do it. Don't give them the votes...ever. Cheaters. (subsequently, I'm interested to see what Red Sox players are on the list - hello Nomar.) The only thing ARoid did was apologize, sorta, immediately. Any communications professional will tell you to admit wrong doing immediate and begin rebuilding your credibility. That's the only way out from under a PR nightmare. And oh yea, Obama also thinks you're A-Fraud.

Octuplets
We've all read the story about the woman who gave birth to eight kids...yes, eight kids. The kicker is that she already had six at home...yes, six. Did you happen to catch the interview on NBC with the mom and the kids? It was like she was auditioning for a movie. What I found interesting was when she was asked about how she was going to feed all those kids she basically said God will find a way to help her. Sorry honey, you mean the state and your fellow taxpayers. Why, in your right mind, would you want any other kids when you have SIX AT HOME. This is yet another reason why a test should be given to all those that want to be parents. What a moron. I feel sorry for each of those kids. The road that lies ahead is going to be a difficult one. God speed kido's.

MA Politics
A cpuple things caught my attention this morning relating to some political chess by Gov. Patrick and Mumbles Menino.

First up is Gov. Patrick and his attempt to fix our roads. The way he wants to solve MA's chronic shortages of highway and bridge money is to jack up the gas tax by $.29. Doesn't sound like a lot of money, but it would give MS the highest state gas tax in the country while apparently generating enough revenue to potentially rid the Massachusetts Turnpike of tolls. Yea, right. Heard that one before. Let's give you more of our hard earned cash so you can figure out creative ways to over spend on more state projects. Thanks, but no thanks Mr. Governor.

Secondly, Mumbles Menino has decided that he's making too much money. In fact, a lot of peeps in his circle will be expecting some pay cuts - as much as 3 percent. Additionally, Mumbles is asking about 17,000 other state workers to freeze pay raises for a year. While I applaud the effort, Mumbles is only doing this because he's starting to feel the heat a bit as other credible Bostonians are vying for his job.

Whitey Bulger
Apparently, Whitey Bulger is still a priority with the feds and they need help from those on the other side of the pond, specifically scribes. Hey guys, leave the dude alone at this point. He's a million years old and unless he's car bombing American's in Iraq, what can he be doing from his secluded hide-out in Southie that requires tax payer money to be churned like butter.

That's all the news that's fit to print. Until next time.

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Behind the scenes at the Inauguration

Check out what it takes to put together the TV production of the inauguration. Quite impressive.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Thanks to @newmediajim for a heads-up on the link. Read more!

Obama Weekly Address, Dec. 6, 2008

I enjoying watching President Elect Obama's weekly address...on YouTube.

How strange is to say those two words in the same sentence - President-Elect and YouTube?

Obama's use of social media is a case study in the making. Twenty-five years from now when weekly addresses via web 10.0 are the norm, we'll be looking back at Obama's ground-breaking strategy to use every communication channel he can to get his message out there.

This week he hits on critical issues like the economy, technology in the classroom, infrastructure and healthcare - all issues that no matter what side of the isle you are on, you can resonate with.

He talks about the importance of upgrading all schools in this country so they are state-of-the-art. Now, I know that's a very tall task, but imagine an infusion in cash that rebuilds all schools in your city/town? There would no longer be a battle by parents to get their kids in to the best looking schools from a brick and mortar perspective (though what's happening inside is probably more important). However, Obama also talks about putting the best technology in the classroom possible. I couldn't agree more. He states that in order for our kids to be competitive in this global marketplace, they are going to be tech-saavy - and when I say they, I mean everyone - not just privileged kids.

Watch the video. It's short and to the point. Not that I want to fast forward time, but I am looking forward to seeing how this man will impact our country and, in turn, history.

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Obama and the stimulus package

With news about the President-elect pushing hard on the idea of pumping more cash in to the economy, it has me thinking about...



Please excuse the f-bombs and other dicey language in this, but hey, it's hip-hop...it's part of the art of rhymin'. Read more!

Voting videos

Two videos caught my attention this morning. This first is of Steve Garfield and the long poll lines in JP and the second is from my daughter's pre-school courtesy of the Boston Globe.

Steve heads to the polls and was told that he couldn't video tape in the polling area. Well, Steve's right. He can video tape and what a good idea it is to document something like this. I can going to do the same with my daughter this afternoon.



This is from the Boston Globe, who visited my daughter's pre-school and recorded their election - Froggy vs. Lion. My daughter voted for Ms. Froggy.

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Please tell me who to vote for

I'm not a political junkie. I don't read political columns or follow any political pundits via RSS because to be honest, I just find it boring. I know we are in the middle of one of the most important elections in our country's history, but I'm just not caring. Don't get me wrong, I do care, but all I hear is talking, talking, more talking, SNL jokes and more talking.

So my question to you hardcore voters out there, tell me who to vote for and why. However, before you answer, here are the issues that are important to me:

1. Taxes: I understand the need for taxes. It costs money to run the country and our hard-earned cash fuels it. However, please tax within reason and make sure that those they are able to pay taxes are taxed based on their overall net-worth. I don't want to be taxed the same way Matt Damon is for example. He makes just a little more money than I do.

2. Healthcare: The system is broken. Long waits, misdiagnosis' and increasing costs are killing healthcare. Simply put, we need more doctors. I'm convinced that's why we wait so long in doctor's offices. The more doctors we have, the more care that can be given out and the better healthcare service will be because doctors will be able to spend more time with patients, really trying to figure out the best course of treatment. Now, we wait hours, are seen for 10-30 minutes and sent on our way with a prescription for high blood pressure when all you're suffering from is a bum knee. I'm not sure what exactly needs to be done but all I know is that care is poor and costs are high. Fix it

3. Education: Why is no one talking about education and the ridiculous costs of higher ed? Parents work very hard to keep their kids on the straight and narrow, while preparing them to be responsible adults. Part of that process is their education. Every parent would love to see their kid go to Harvard and graduate with honors. However, that's not feasible because 1. not all students can make the Harvard cut, but more importantly, 2. it's just way to expensive to attend to the top tier schools. If my daughters get into top schools along with other second or third tier schools, I'm going to want them to go to the cheaper option because it'll be a difference of paying 100K a year to 70K a year - still not a treat, but geez. I'm going to need four jobs. I just want them to get a good education that will prepare them for long, rewarding and fruitful careers WITHOUT putting them in 50 years of debt.

4. National Security: This is not a war rant but rather a protect-our-borders rant. I agree that the best defense is a good offense. We need to be out in the world, fighting terrorists in their backyard so they aren't trying to attack us on US soil. However, that doesn't mean we shouldn't bolster our defenses within our borders. I can't tell you how many times I've taken the MBTA and thought to myself how easy it would be for a terrorist to bring a pack back on the train and detonate a bomb. It's a legit concern. Every so often the MBTA police are checking bags and running chemical tests on items brought on to the T. I think they should do that everyday. Yes, it would backlog the entrance to the platform, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I just feel that since 9/11, our country has gotten a little lax in terms of security within our communities.

5. Financial Futures: I understand that the economy goes up and down. That's how it works. But how the heck does it get so bad that tax payers have to cough up BILLIONS to bail out our banks and other financial institutions!? All I'm saying is that it should never get this bad again. Put measures in place to avoid such disasters please.

Some might think this list of concerns is small-minded, uneducated, etc. That's fine. I'm a simple-minded guy and these are the discussion points that resonate with me, my life and the well-being of my family. That's how I prioritize everything in my life. If it's good for me, my kids, my family and friends, I'm all for it. If it's self-serving, makes the rich richer and the poor poorer, I'm giving it the Heisman.

Lastly, as a former journalist and current PR professional, it's my job to ask questions, probe issues and educate myself on anything and everything. So to those that are more passionate about politics than I am, please feel free to break it down for me. Give me the scoop as to why you are voting the way your are. Tell me which issues you are passionate about and why. Read more!

Why Politicians are morons (for the most part)

Why do you think politicians are looked upon by the general public as crooked morons who think they are protected by their title?

Because they honestly feel that they won't get caught.

Sometimes, however, the rats get caught in the trap. Just ask MA Sen. Dianne Wilkerson.

BOSTON -- FBI agents arrested troubled State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson Tuesday morning.

The Roxbury democrat was reportedly taken into custody in connection with a corruption investigation.

A news conference is schedule at the U.S. Attorney's office later Tuesday morning.

Source: WHDH-TV

Read more!

On the FM radio this morning

The FM radio was all abuzz on politics this morning, specifically about advertising attacks and rap lyrics.

Apparently, McCain feels Obama is more of a celeb than a political figure and should be placed in the same bucket as Paris Hilton.

As for the controversy over rap lyrics, well, read it for yourself:

"But those aren't the lyrics that have displeased the Obama team. On the song, 'Cris expresses other thoughts on the political climate, calling Hillary Clinton "irrelevant" and insinuating that Jesse Jackson's apology to Obama for some recent crude statements wasn't genuine. Like many of his peers, he also complains about President George W. Bush's "poor" job while in office. "McCain don't belong in any chair unless he's paralyzed/ Yeah I said it, 'cause Bush is mentally handicapped," Luda raps."

I enjoy the mud slinging and the political banter because at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. What matters is their political views and what they promise they will do while in office (whether that pans out is a different subject all together. Read more!

How long before a bridge collapses?

The Globe has a story about the Feds mandating that the MBTA slow down Red Line trains to a crawl over the Longfellow Bridge because it's basically crumbling.

I realize these sort of repairs can't happen over night but don't you think that if these structures were checked frequently that repairs could have been made as needed versus letting them compile and having to endure a longer project?

This is the sort of thing that really drives me nuts about politics. Who's going to fix these bridges? Who's going to pay for them?

I know the answer to the latter question. That's us, the tax payers. So instead of marginal increases in taxes, road tolls, etc., we'll see big jumps in costs to fares on the T and $1 increases to tolls. That's how those politico's roll.

Basically, ah shucks guys, we have a problem. But, we have the solution. Let's bend the tax payers over the barrel one more time and really stick it to 'em so we can rake in more money to fix these problems. Then we'll do it again in about a year because we're over spending on contracts and can't budget a state project properly.

Ah, gotta love Massachusetts. At least our sports teams are winning. ;) Read more!

MA residents: please get behind this piece of legislation

Folks who know me will tell you that I'm not one for political jousting. However, sometimes and issue comes up that I will have an opinion on and I don't mind sharing it. This is one of those times, mostly because this piece of political news revolves around family.

I recently signed a petition that I would love to others support. Here's the letter:

To: Mass. Senate Ways & Means Committee

On behalf of our Commonwealth’s elderly and disabled adults – hundreds of whom every year do not have legal representation when faced with losing their independence through guardianship— we urge you to pass the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code, including Article V on Guardianship (S843 and H 1652/1633) and send it to the full Senate.

This legislation is not controversial; it is consistent with guardianship bills that 13 states passed last year, including New England neighbors Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The legislation – supported by groups including Greater Boston Legal Services, the Boston Bar Association and the Massachusetts Bar Association – would fully protect individuals faced with guardianship by giving them a right to legal counsel. The Massachusetts’ Uniform Probate Code also ensures that elderly or disabled adults have the opportunity to be present at their guardianship hearings, and requires that the Court find that the guardian is qualified before appointment.

The proposed legislation states that a guardian cannot admit a ward to a nursing home without specific Court approval. Without passage of S843 and H1652/1633, this basic safeguard does not exist. After more than a decade of consideration by the Massachusetts Legislature, we respectfully ask that you do not delay this any further. Thank you.

If you are a resident of MA and would like to get behind this piece of legislation, please sign here. Read more!

Bush Tours Country to see damange he's caused during presidency

When you have a second, you have to watch this video. I got wind of it via twitter and almost fell out of my chair. Even if you're a Bush supporter, you have to think this is funny.


Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

Ah, you gotta love social media and word-of-mouth, the two reasons why this video found me. Read more!

Obama's social media strategy

Interesting piece in the Times today about the former Facebook starter who jumped shipped to help Obama and his assault on social media.

I would stop short at calling Barack a genius. Maybe he has smart people around him who are in tune with social media, but their strategy is simple:

- lots of conversations happen online
- you can motivate people through the internet easier than in person, especially the younger voters
- it's a cost effective effort more so than jumping on buses and shaking hands (especially with the rising cost of gas)
- you're dealing with an audience that craves the interaction
- you're bringing a menu of conversations for them to jump in on, making it easier for supporters to pick off their favorite discussion points without having to dive deep into the rabbit hole to find something that resonates with them

As the article pointed out:

The centerpiece of it all is My.BarackObama.com, where supporters can join local groups, create events, sign up for updates and set up personal fund-raising pages.

It's a smart idea that companies need to adopt if they are looking for real support from customers. Building unique social networks is where it's at. in this case, it connected people with similar interests, provided them with a tool to recruit other supporters and all the while they are working for you, Mr. Obama, for free AND raising money for your campaign. The kicker is that they are enjoying themselves and it empowers them to be part of the conversation and contribute to it versus being spoken to. That's what social networks are all about.

The cost of some servers, IT support and a staff to manage the site is small potatoes compared to what Obama's raked in through his social media efforts.

Brilliant? No. Smart? Yes. Read more!

The Obama Hillary ticket

Finally, is all I have to say. We now know that Obama has secured the seat on the Dem side. The one stone left unturned is who he will select as his running mate. I heard an interesting argument this morning on the radio about Obama's future selection that got me thinking about this entire political process.

Obama HAS to select Hilary. Why?

Rumor on the street is that those who support Mrs. Clinton will vote for McCain OR not vote at all if Hilary is not on the ballot. Maybe that's not the word on the street, but I've heard that said a few times via those who are really into politics.

Now, does that make any sense? To me, no. Just because your candidate didn't get top billing, you're going to vote Republican? Does that mean you (those in question) believe that McCain's policies and beliefs are that close to those of Obama? Or will your vote for McCain be cast out of spite? Or maybe you're not going to vote at all. That's also a dumb move.

Here's my point. Life is all about choices. More often than not, you are not presented with choices that are absolutely up your alley. Sometimes you need to compromise. That's what life is all about. It's also what the political process is all about.

I rarely talk about politics on this blog because it really bores the crap out of me. I do enjoy following the marketing strategies each camp employs to trash the other however.

So whether your allegiance lies with Obama or Hilary, but you're a Dem, why not just vote blue? From what I gather Obama's policies are as close to Hilary's as you're gonna get. Not voting at all would be the biggest travesty.

Just make a choice to vote. That's all I'm asking. If we don't vote, then the political process failed to do what it's designed to do - give the people a voice.

Make a choice. Don't candy-ass your way out of your right to vote just because you're gal got her butt whooped. Read more!

Celtics Pistons, Social Media for Healthcare, Kenndy on the brain, and RIP Auntie Mal

Good morning my fellow bloggers, co-workers, friends and family. Another hodge-podge post this morning covering the Celtics, social media, Kennedy and a shout out to a family member of mine who passed this week.

Game one of the Celtics Pistons Eastern Conference Finals was a start to what I'm sure will be a nail-biting series. It's like watching to heavy weights swap round house hooks. I predict that the Celtics will win in 7 and even get a road win. That means, however, that the C's will lose at home at some point. I honestly don't care, just as long as they win...especially now that I have a bet in place a few of my fellow co-workers who are Detroit fans. There is no money involved. No clam chowder for (insert whatever Detroit is known for other than cars here). The stakes are much more important. Losers have to wear a winning team's t-shirt (of the winners choice), take a picture with it on and put use it for a week as their profile pic on Facebook. The kicker of it all is that losers also have to change their status update to say something like, "...is the biggest Celtics fan in the world."

I love these sort of bets. It gives you a personal stake in the outcome of the series, but it also builds office camaraderie and adds fun to the work place. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in what we are doing during the work day that we forget to have a little fun. However, if the basketball gods happen to rain on my parade, I will be one miserable SOB wearing that Pistons shirt (puking).

Another thing I love is social media. I'm slowly but surely carving out a specialty in the office as the go to person when it comes to this "new" communication tool. I'm interacting with or following members of the media via twitter, reading tons of blogs via RSS, commenting when I have something to say, getting feedback on posts from other bloggers and members of the media, etc. It's very cool to get paid for something you really enjoy doing. I like the PR business very much. It's exciting. Keeps me on the forefront of the what's happening locally and around the country/globe. Throw in the tech aspects of social media and going to work feels like Christmas morning, every day....well, maybe not everyday, but you get the picture. One of the recent posts I've read (because I'm also a contributor to the site AND editor/designer) is a post about social media and healthcare. For those in the PR business and social media experts, you know that healthcare companies (hospitals, biotechs, medical device companies, etc.) have been very slow to jump on board the bandwagon. The PR Finish Line says that healthcare co's must get on before the train leaves the station and we're on to web 3.0 (or are we already there?)

Speaking of leaving the station (warning: crude joke coming), seems as if Ted Kennedy is on the way out. Poor bastard. The guy has had a helluva a life and has made an impact on this country that will not be forgotten. He's made lots of political friends and enemies but he truly seemed to care about the people. What gets me about this situation is the media coverage. I know it's an important, history story. But man, it's absolutely all over the place. Forget trying to plant a story in the local Boston papers for clients. There's now way it'll happen. Outlets are now on Kennedy death watch. It's sad really. I know it's a big story, but man, do we really need constant "live" shots from outside of the hospital? What more can you report on now? When the plan of action for his treatment is released, it'll spawn another barrage of coverage. The Boston media is and will continue to be consumed by this story. When he does pass away, it'll get even worse. I hate being cynical like this, but being in this business for 14+ years has made me this way.

One last note relating to passing away, my great aunt died this week. Auntie Mal as we called her, was a rocket. Every year we'd have a family reunion in NH. The event had a number of traditions. Horse shoes, lots of food, brews, laughter and music were all on the menu. One of the traditions was a camp fire starting at dusk. We'd all sit around the fire (30+ of us) while my dad, his brothers and cousins would play guitar and sing. They are all musically inclined so the music was good. Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, etc. were on the play list. As the night got darker, one last tradition was implemented - a big bottle of goldschalger. The bottle would be cracked and it was passed around the circle until it was done. It only took a few rotations for it to get tapped. When the bottle would come to Auntie Mal, she never hesitated knowing that it would knock her on her butt. She never passed. Always took her shot and enjoyed it. Should would tell jokes, tell stories of the old days, etc. I'm not entirely sure she was actually sipping the stuff, but it looked like it. Either way, it seemed as if she really enjoyed those times because she was there with her sons and daughters, their kids, her nephews and their kids, etc. Those were good times and Auntie Mal was the cornerstone of all of it.

She, and her jokes about the old days, will be missed. The camp fire won't be the same without her. Read more!

Mayor Menino bike path PR stunt brings memories of Dukakis in tank

Mayor Menino did an inaugural half mile bike ride to pump up the impending bike lanes throughout the city of Boston. That's cool and all, but didn't his flunkies tell him that he looks like a tool in the helmet? Hello, Mike Dukakis? You there?

Remember this pic?


Now, I know that the Menino pic is no where as damaging as the Dukakis tank pic, but come on. It's pretty damn close IMHO.



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Booster seats, Weekend sports, and Weak Coffee

So it's another lazy Sunday here in the Martelli house hold. I like that way. Do I clean the basement? Fix the fence in the backyard? Prep for the work week? Or maybe just sit on my behind and blog all day long. That's the beauty of Sunday with no plans. It's like an empty canvas. In terms of news and sports, however, it was an interesting weekend.

Booster Me Some News
First off, Gov. Patrick tried to slip a piece of legislation past the general public yesterday by passing the booster seat law.

Basically, all kids up until the age of eight have to use a booster seat in the car. This replaces the weight requirements that were in place before. Now if a kid doesn't reach a certain height he/she has to use the booster seat in the car until they are eight. I applaud the legislation. It makes total sense. Maybe it was a timing thing with passing the legislation, but why get this out over the weekend? Is it because more people are home and paying attention to the news - so no one would miss it? That's my guess. Typically, Saturday's are slow news days so it makes perfect sense to get this out there over the weekend and on a day that it would pretty much dominate the news and be the lead story - which it was. It continued to today with the "man on the street" story. You know what I'm talking about. This is where the media gets the reaction of the general public.

What got me about this coverage was a couple parents who said that they weren't going to follow the law because it would be hard to get their kids to use the booster seat.

Are you kidding me? It would be hard for you to get your kid to use a booster seat? That's ridiculous. You're the parent. You simple make the kid use it. No if's and's or but's about it.

Love Weekends Packed With Sports
This weekend was full of sporting entertainment. Let's review:

• First off, we had the Bruins (yes, I'm leading with the Bruins), who are now pretty much fighting for their playoff lives as of this morning. They are down 2-0 and lost a heart breaker in OT last night. They played well, were aggressive, skated hard and were hitting. The Habs, on the other hand, were just that much quicker and in sync on offense. They look like the team to beat IMHO.
• Secondly, we had the Sox Yankees at Fenway. The Skankees too game one of the series, but the Sox rallied to take game two. The one thing I have to say about the Sox and Yankees these days is that it's not really the same. We've won the last two WS in the past four years. Each time we've handled the Yankees like they were the DRays. Maybe it's because I'm into hoops and pucks as of right now versus baseball. I'm sure I'll revisit this as the weather gets warmer and baseball is the sole focus of the sporting world.
• Celtics keep rolling - even though they are in the playoffs and have the best record in the league and home court advantage throughout the second season, the C's continue to dominate teams they should be dominating. They played the Hawks last night and won convincingly. The good thing about this win is that the Hawks might be the C's first round opponent. So needless to say, the last win of the season in their small series will set the tone when the real season starts.
• Did you know that we have some pretty good college hockey teams in this state? As a matter of fact, we have the best team in the nation right here in Boston - your Boston College Eagles won the national championship last night. When things are going good, they go real good huh? We are spoiled in Boston, for sure.
• Masters - I used to be into golf, but it's lost it's allure for me a bit. I am keeping my eyes on the Tiger tournament, but it doesn't appear like Tiger will win. It's the field this time.

Weak Coffee
So on the weekend, I'm usually up with the kids. The wife is up all week and I take it on the chin and get up early. That's ok though. I'm an early riser to begin with. I'm also trained to get up early because I'm doing it during the week anyways.

Part of the routine is to wash the dishes from the night before and get the java going. Gotta have the java on a slow Sunday morning. It's a perfect wingman as I sit at the computer and begin planning out my blog posts.

So, back to the "weak" in the headline.

I get up this morning and do the usual. Get the kids drinks, change a diaper, and get the coffee fired up. Mrs. Big Guy comes down stairs a couple hours later and fires up some java. She then calls me out and says my coffee is weak.

Wassup with that? What's the deal with the hatorade on my coffee? I'm a regular coffee drinker. I don't need the high octane stuff to get me going. As a matter of fact, the last thing I want is to feel like I am sitting across the table from Juan Valdez.

Read more!

Friends of the Clinton's

More crap email from family and friends brings this gem to me today.

Just in case you are going to consider working on the Hillary campaign, might want to look over this.

Just a quick refresher course lest we forget what has happened to many "friends"of the Clintons.

1-James McDougal - Clinton's convicted Whitewater partner died of an apparent heart attack, while in solitary confinement. He was a key witness in Ken Starr's investigation.

2 -Mary Mahoney - A former White House intern was murdered July 1997 at a Starbucks Coffee Shop in Georgetown . The murder happened just after she was to go public with her story of sexual harassment in the White House.

3- Vince Foster - Former White House counselor, and colleague of Hillary Clinton at Little Rock's Rose Law firm. Died of a gunshot wound to the head, ruled a suicide.

4- Ron Brown - Secretary of Commerce and former DNC Chairman. Reported to have died by impact in a plane crash. A pathologist close to the investigation reported that there was a hole in the top of Brown's skull resembling a gunshot wound. At the time of his death Brown was being investigated, and spoke publicly of his willingness to cut a deal with prosecutors. The rest of the people on the plane also died. A few days later the air Traffic controller committed suicide.

5- C. Victor Raiser II- Raiser, a major player in the Clinton fund raising organization died in a private plane crash in July 1992

6-Paul Tulley - Democratic National Committee Political Director found dead in a hotel room in Little Rock , September 1992. Described by Clinton as a "Dear friend and trusted advisor".

7-Ed Willey - Clinton fund raiser, found dead November 1993 deep in the woods in VA of a gunshot wound to the head. Ruled a suicide. Ed Willey died on the same day his wife Kathleen Willey claimed Bill Clinton groped her in the oval office in the White House. Ed Willey was involved in several Clinton fund raising events.

8-Jerry Parks -Head of Clinton's gubernatorial security team in Little Rock Gunned down in his car at a deserted intersection outside Little Rock. Park's son said his father was building a dossier on Clinton. He allegedly threatened to reveal this information. After he died the files were mysteriously removed from his house.

9-James Bunch - Died from a gunshot suicide. It was reported that he had a "Black Book" of people which contained names of influential people who visited prostitutes in Texas and Arkansas

10-James Wilson - Was found dead in May 1993 from an apparent hanging suicide. He was reported to have ties to Whitewater.

11-Kathy Ferguson- Ex-wife of Arkansas Trooper Danny Ferguson, was found dead in May 1994, in her living room with a gunshot to her head. It was ruled a suicide even though there were several packed suitcases, as if she were going somewhere. Danny Ferguson was a co-defendant along with Bill Clinton in the Paula Jones lawsuit. Kathy Ferguson was a possible corroborating witness for Paula Jones.

12-Bill Shelton - Arkansas State Trooper and fiancé of Kathy Ferguson. Critical of the suicide ruling of his fiancée, he was found dead in June, 1994 of a gunshot wound also ruled a suicide at the grave site of his fiancée.

13-Gandy Baugh - Attorney for Clinton's friend Dan Lassater, died by jumping out a window of a tall building January, 1994. His client was a convicted drug distributor.

14-Florence Martin - Accountant & sub-contractor for the CIA, was related to the Barry Seal Mena Airport drug smuggling case. He died of three gunshot wounds.

15- Suzanne Coleman - Reportedly had an affair with Clinton when he was Arkansas Attorney General. Died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head, ruled a suicide. Was pregnant at the time of her death.

16-Paula Grober - Clinton's speech interpreter for the deaf from 1978 until her death December 9, 1992. She died in a one car accident.

17-Danny Casolaro - Investigative reporter. Investigating Mena Airport and Arkansas Development Finance Authority. He slit his wrists, apparently, in the middle of his investigation.

18- Paul Wilcher - Attorney investigating corruption at Mena Airport with Casolaro and the 1980 "October Surprise" was found dead on a toilet June 22, 1993 in his Washington DC apartment. Had delivered a report to Janet Reno 3 weeks before his death.

19-Jon Parnell Walker - Whitewater investigator for Resolution Trust Corp. Jumped to his death from his Arlington, Virginia apartment balcony August 15, 1993. He was investigating the Morgan Guaranty scandal.

20-Barbara Wise - Commerce Department staffer. Worked closely with Ron Brown and John Huang. Cause of death unknown. Died November 29, 1996. Her bruised, nude body was found locked in her office at the Department of Commerce.

21-Charles Meissner -Assistant Secretary of Commerce who gave John Huang special security clearance, died shortly thereafter in a small plane crash.

22-Dr. Stanley Heard - Chairman of the National Chiropractic Health Care Advisory Committee died with his attorney Steve Dickson in a small plane crash. Dr. Heard, in addition to serving on Clinton's advisory council personally treated Clinton's mother, stepfather and brother.

23-Barry Seal -Drug running pilot out of Mena Arkansas , death was no accident.

24-Johnny Lawhorn Jr. - Mechanic, found a check made out to Bill Clinton in the trunk of a car left at his repair shop. He was found dead after his car had hit a utility pole.

25-Stanley Huggins - Investigated Madison Guaranty. His death was a purported suicide and his report was never released.

26- Hershell Friday - Attorney and Clinton fund raiser died March 1, 1994 when his plane exploded.

27-Kevin Ives & Don Henry - Known as "The boys on the track" case. Reports say the boys may have stumbled upon the Mena Arkansas airport drug operation. A controversial case, the initial report of death said, due to falling asleep on railroad tracks. Later reports claim the 2 boys had been slain before being placed on the tracks. Many linked to the case died before their testimony could come before a Grand Jury.

THE FOLLOWING PERSONS HAD INFORMATION ON THE IVES/HENRY CASE:

28-Keith Coney - Died when his motorcycle slammed into the back of a truck, 7/88.

29-Keith McMaskle - Died stabbed 113 times, Nov, 1988

30-Gregory Collins - Died from a gunshot wound January 1989.

31-Jeff Rhodes - He was shot, mutilated and found burned in a trash dump in April 1989.

33-James Milan - Found decapitated. However, the Coroner ruled his death was due to "natural causes".

34-Jordan Kettleson - Was found shot to death in the front seat of his pickup truck in June 1990.

35-Richard Winters - A suspect in the Ives / Henry deaths. He was killed in a set-up robbery July 1989.

THE FOLLOWING CLINTON BODYGUARDS ARE DEAD:
36 -Major William S. Barkley Jr.
37-Captain Scott J Reynolds
38-Sgt. Brian Hanley
39-Sgt. Tim Sabel
40-Major General William Robertson
41-Col. William Densberger
42-Col. Robert Kelly
43-Spec. Gary Rhodes
44-Steve Willis
45-Robert Williams
46-Conway LeBleu
47-Todd McKeehan

Quite an impressive list!

Pass this on. Let the public become aware of what happens to friends of the Clinton's!

HILLARY FOR PRESIDENT? SURELY YOU JEST !!

Seriously...people have WAY to much time on their hands.
Read more!

War Anniversary

My opinion on the war in Iraq is sort of 50/50. I understand why we are there, but I also understand the anti-war stance. It's a subject many have written about and one that I honestly don't have time to dive into.

With that said, however, one thing grabbed my attention from George W's speech on the 5th year anniversary of the Iraq War - he believes that the war has made the world and the US a safer place.

Again, I'm 50/50 on this. On one hand, I bet over the past five years we have put out many fires that could potentially flared up, i.e. killed a lot of bad guys that want to kill us. On the other hand, as I'm going home on a packed train, I can't help think about what happened in London and in other parts of the world in terms of suicide bombers. I know it's a terrible thing to think about, but we live a totally different world today than we did five, 10, 20, etc., years ago. I am always conscious on the train as to who is around me. The one thing that scares me is that security on the T is pretty much non-existent. Every once and a great while I'll see MBTA cops or authoritative figures. But for the most part, all I see are crowded platforms and trains.

FUBAR, as they say. Read more!

Catching up on bloggy goodness

Been extremely busy as of late, which has contributed to the neglect of this blog. We couldn't be busier at work, which is great. New business pipeline is full and we're pumping out proposals faster than Former NY Gov. Spitzer was spitting out "I'm sorry's." As part of our efforts to keep the pipeline full, we launched a blog. Actually, the blog is part of a larger marketing campaign targeting the top 400 private and public companies and organizations in the state of MA (with a few odd balls in between). We've developed an eight week post card campaign that touches upon eight different PR/communication issues. Each card has a call to action, which is visiting the blog to find out more about the topic. It's a traditional direct mail campaign with a digital twist. So far so good as we're seeing some traction in terms of visitors and RSS feed subscribers. If things work out the way we hope, the rest of the year will be extremely busy...which is a good thing.

On to some personal tech things.

I have a computer that's about two years old. It was built by the computer club at Malden Catholic High School, my previous employer and one that I won in a raffle. It runs well and has a ton of hard drive space and RAM (as I've tweaked it here and there to maximize its use). Recently, however, I've experienced slow performance. Come to find out, I have been experiencing some memory leaks. A number of the applications I would normally run started to use more RAM than they were supposed to. I've yet to isolate the issue, but have since googled each of the applications that are using too much memory and have had to patch them and tweak other system utilities to get the machine running smooth again. It's a pain in the butt. I can totally see how non-tech consumers go out and buy new machines when their's is "running slow." It's a very complex thing. PC's are a nightmare IMHO. I am yearning to go Mac.



Since I've had my newest toy this yearning over everything Apple has increased. To add salt to the wound, my brother in law just bought an iPhone. I have never had the case of tech envy in my life since playing around with that thing. Yea, the iTouch is great, but it's nothing like the iPhone...well, maybe it's similar, but it's just in a different league.

Here are my issues though:

1. Verizonwireless is my provider and has been for a long time. I like them. Network is great.

2. I need access to work email. Yes, I know they are starting to roll out enterprise solutions for the iPhone, however, it doesn't include the antiquated system we are using - Lotus Notes.

3. I need at least 32 gigs. I've had two other iPods before I got my hands on the iTouch. Each time, I've had at least 20 gigs to play with. With all the music I listen to, videos I watch, TV shows I download, I use at least 15-25 gigs. the iPhone comes in 8 and 16.

4. The AT&T contract with Apple expires in 2012 I think. That really stinks. I don't know if I can wait that long. What if they sign up with AT&T again...keeping VZW and other providers out? Then I might have to force myself to switch. Not sure I can stomach the hassle and BS to make that happen. I guess we'll have to wait and see how this plays out. In the meantime, I'm addressing my tech envy with the iPod touch and it's working, sorta, kinda.

The last bit of tech news comes in the form of virus protection. I finally got rid of Nortons (because it was hogging my system resources) and went with AVG. It's a not so well known anti-virus software package that also monitors the websites you go to for malicious stuff that's embedded in the pages. It's great so far. It's not a RAM hog either.

Last bit of news I'll share is that my god daughter had her first baby the other day. Check out the post over at my photog site for a pic. It reminds me of when my kids were born. You forget that sort of stuff because everything happens so fast. You forget how small and fragile they are. You forget that all they do is sleep and eat. You forget how light they are. You forget that they like to be tightly wrapped like a burrito. It reminds you of how quickly they grow up. It's nuts.

That's it for now. As they say in the tweeners world, l8tr. Read more!

Still undecided

Super Tuesday is tomorrow. I'm still undecided. I'm leaning democratic and Obama. It would be great if the two of them would just come together and run on the same ticket. Don't think that's going to happen, but it would make my decision easier.

I must admit, on a scratch level, I do like McCain because he seems like a no nonsense guy, but I don't know much about his policies.

If anyone has any good comparison links to share, real detailed info on Obama and Clinton policies, please post a comment. Read more!