February 2010

508 is a show about Worcester.

 

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This week, Mike and Brendan begin with a recap of city government’s efforts to bring Google Fiber to Worcester. The Whiskerite charity beard competition raised almost $1000. Check out the video.

We have learned of the origins of the “Right Place, Right Time” song. (Video here, too.) Anyone have a copy of Worcester’s 1972 theme?

CSX wants to expand their Worcester rail yard. We are planning to learn about Worcester’s position on the Opioid Overdose Prevention program.

Worcester’s metalheads are awesome. We may as well link to Juggalo News.

Mike is enthusiastic about the Free Store at the Holden Recycling Center, and Coinstar.

We don’t like Worcester’s proposed pit bull ordinance. Mike recommends a Malcolm Gladwell article on the subject.

Finally, Holmes Wilson had a beautiful wedding in the Midtown Mall.

As I mentioned earlier, I went to a talk by Dr Sándor Fülöp, Hungarian Parliamentary Commissioner for Future Generations, at the British Ministry of Justice headquarters on Thursday evening (2010-02-25). Here are some notes I took. Any inaccuracies are mine.

The Commissioner is one of four ombudspersons in Hungary, appointed by a two-thirds supermajority by Parliament for a 6-year term (good), eligible for reappointment (not so good). It is the only such commissioner for sustainability in the world. The legal basis is the Ombudsman Act, passed only a couple of years ago.

The name is poetic, but really the job description as provided in the Act is that of an environmental ombudsman – a complaints officer. It would be unwise to reopen the Act to include socio-economic concerns of future generations, for fear of industrial lobbying that would erode the environmental focus. Read the rest of this entry »

I wrote this note 12 November 2009 and recently sent it to my friend Dr Rupert Read. After discussion with him – who turned out to be in support of a Green Senate or a Sustainability Commissioner – I added a moderating amendment (see below). Rupert and I are going to hear the Hungarian Parliamentary Commissioner for Future Generations, Dr Sándor Fülöp, at the Ministry of Justice on Thursday, at an event organized by the Foundation for Democracy and Sustainable Development.

In the past 5 years or so, I have heard from time to time impatient proponents of a Green Senate, a committee for sustainability, a parliamentary chamber with a built-in long-term view and overriding power in favour of measures for sustainability. Famous proponents include Norman Myers, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, and (most recently, this past Tuesday) John Strickland. I do not think such a constitutional arrangement would work.

First, who would we appoint to this Senate? Would they be 70-year-olds, having accumulated years of experiences and (one hopes) accompanying wisdom? Or would they be 20-year-olds, or even teenagers, who have a stake, with realistic interests, in the future? Or a mixture thereof? Then, what about the midlifers? Are they totally disinterested, and should only be shoved around by the young and the old? Read the rest of this entry »

The best thing about entering a charity beard competition is telling people with a straight face: “I have entered a charity beard competition.”

Thanks to the organizers for raising money for the Worcester County Food Bank and giving us an excuse to stop shaving!

WINNERS: Burly Man – Derek Ring; Facial Topiary – Mike Benedetti; Fan Fav – Peter Mascitelli; Best in Show – Duncan Arsenault.

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel is Brendan Melican, Scott Zoback, Jen Burt, and Jeremy Shulkin.

 

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Inspired by Jeremy’s Worcester Magazine cover story “Selling Worcester: Who will take the lead to market our city?”, we discuss the rich oral tradition around Worcester’s many slogans, including the long-lost “Right Place, Right Time” and Bruce Russell’s “This City Should Be Destroyed”. Worcester even had a No Slogan Day. In the ad industry, slogans have fallen from favor.

Mike mentions that you can buy Ethiopian/Eritrean foods at Fresh Farm in Worcester, across the street from Lincoln Plaza. This Saturday is the Whiskerite fundraiser, Distant Castle anniversary party, Q arts fundraiser, and Pecha Kucha IV Haiti fundraiser.

Jen tells us about Clark students and alumni uniting to help Clark food service workers unionize.

The ongoing Venerini Academy story is starting to make sense as we learn their fundraiser has left a “trail of lies”.

Mike didn’t like the AP article in the T&G about Wal-Mart’s financial situation; he thought the NYT article was better.

Read the rest of this entry »