Thirty Songs Somehow Worth $675,000: BU Student Fined for Downloads

There are a few songs in history that might be worth $22,500 apiece. "Thriller," "Yesterday," "Layla," "Stairway to Heaven." "Come As You Are" might even make it into the group. But "The Perfect Drug," much as we love(d) NIN, does not. So it's extremely unfortunate that a jury recently ordered a BU doctoral student to pay $675,000 for downloading and sharing 30 specific songs, including the aforementioned Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails tunes.

Skip Gates a Gentleman and a Scholar: Buys Flowers for Lucia Whalen

Subverting perceptions of him as a dangerous criminal, Henry Louis "Skip" Gates Jr. has sent flowers to the woman responsible for the 911 call that eventually resulted in Gates' arrest. Lucia Whalen's attorney said her client "appreciated" the flowers, which were reportedly tulips. No word on whether Whalen is upset at not being invited to the White House or not having a burger named after her. Maybe the tequilafest will happen next week, with Ms. Whalen involved.

Boston Blotter: Third Suspect Nabbed In Harvard Murder

-- According to Middlesex District Attorney Gerard Leone, the third of three suspects in the murder of Justin Cosby, 21, of Cambridge was apprehended yesterday in New York. Jason Aquino, 23, of Manhattan was arrested for first-degree murder, armed robbery and other charges relating to the May murder of Cosby at Harvard University. [Herald]

Bite Size News, July 31: Thank you, Teddy Edition

  • Senator Edward Kennedy will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama on August 12. In his 46-year Senate career, Kennedy has produced legislation supporting public schools, civil rights laws, healthcare, senior citizens, the military and Americans with disabilities. [Boston Globe]
  • Approximately 100-200 Massachusetts farms are battling the same fungus that caused the 19th-century Irish potato famine. [Boston Globe]

Yoon Fires First Salvo in Clever T-Shirt Battle

The Sam Yoon campaign knows how young people communicate with each other. Using their t-shirts. The campaign has set up a Cafe Press store hawking several t-shirt designs using Yoon's name in sometimes excruciating puns. Nobody among his competitors in the mayoral race offers anything similar. We couldn't find a single Thomas Menino shirt for sale, provided this one doesn't count, and Michael Flaherty only offers boring white t-shirts with the campaign's logo affixed.

Two local groups have submitted preliminary bids to buy the Boston Globe, the newspaper reported Friday. Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca and former ad man and Boston go-to guy Jack Connors lead one group, while Stephen Taylor, a former Globe executive and member of the family that used to own the Globe. heads the second group. The Pagliuca/Connors group takes a "civic approach" to ownership that includes involving a "nonprofit foundation to help fund and run the Globe." So, the Globe gets sold and still doesn't make money? Anyway, Mort Zuckerman, Chairman of Boston Properties Inc. and owner of the New York Daily News and U.S. News & World Report, is also rumored to be interested in buying the Globe.

OddBlotter: An Ax, A Rake, Money and Crack

Kids, smoking really is hazardous to your health. What started as a smoke between neighbors turned into a murder as Braintree police said Lucas Walters, 28, allegedly killed Jeffrey Phillips, 31, with an ax after the men argued about money Walters owed Phillips. Phillips brandished a rake before Walters hit him in the back and head with the ax. According to prosecutors, Walters kept the body in a shed for two days, and hid the murder weapon, before burying it in Connecticut. Walters bought gas and cigarettes using Phillips' credit card and allegedly sold his TV, computer and Xbox to buy crack cocaine. Walters turned himself in and allegedly told police "I killed him by accident. I’m crazy." He was charged with murder and pled not guilty, held without bail and faces a hearing on August 25. [WCVB, Herald, Globe] All charges alleged until proven under law.

Pro Cyclist Magnus Backstedt Interview from Thomas Attila Lewis.The Pan Mass Challenge ride to fun cancer research at Dana Farber starts tomorrow.... or does it? Former professional cyclist, and current cycling team manager, Magnus Backstedt, arrived in Boston on Wednesday to participate in fundraisers and make his way across the state in order to start the Pan Mass Challenge ride today from West Stockbridge, on the New York border, in order to ride the entire length of the state.

Obama, Gates, Crowley, Biden At Beer Summit

The Beer Summit involving President Barack Obama, Henry Louis Gates Jr., and Cambridge police Sergeant James Crowley happened today at the White House. Someone invited Joe Biden, which means he probably made a dumb joke that will prolong GatesGate. They sat, snacked, drank and talked. Great. And then, Sergeant Crowley held a press conference. He said he was focused on moving forward from the past month. Crowley declined to detail specifics from the meeting except to say he and Henry Louis Gates will meet in the future to continue their dialogue.

Globe, BPD Respond to Racist E-mail

Do not expend any energy wondering when Boston Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis and soon-to-be ex-cop Justin Barrett will be meeting for their own beer summit. Trust Bostonist on this because they aren't meeting to reconcile any time soon after Barrett described Henry Louis Gates and Boston Globe columnist Yvonne Abraham as a "jungle monkey" in an e-mail he actually sent to Abraham after her column about Gates and his recent arrest. Commissioner Davis quickly acted by suspending Barrett and initiating the termination process. Davis asserted Barrett's due process rights in a public statement on Thursday.

Bite Size News, July 30: A Tech-Heavy Edition

  • Things aren't looking good for a BU grad student's music piracy hearing. [Computer World]
  • For those who don't like MBTA's Trip Planner, directions via T are now available on Google Maps. [Mass High Tech]
  • The emailing Boston cop says "jungle monkey" was just a poor choice of words. [Boston Channel]
  • Did someone steal your iPhone? There's an app for that. [WHDH]
  • We're Just Glad it Wasn't Shaughnessy

    A New Hampshire sportswriter was also allegedly a pimp. We mean a real pimp.

    Fetus Cut From Womb Found Alive In N.H.

    The baby cut from a slain mother's womb was found alive in New Hampshire Wednesday night. The baby was reportedly in "fairly good health" and is being evaluated in a hospital. Darlene Haynes, a 23-year-old from Worcester, was 8 months pregnant when she was found dead in her apartment on Monday. A man and a woman were with the baby when the child was found. According to WCVB, the woman was arrested and charged with kidnapping may face murder charges when she is returned to Massachusetts. All charges alleged until proven under law.

    Boston Cop Called Gates "Jungle Monkey"

    The Boston Herald reports that Boston cop Justin Barrett got himself a dose of administrative leave after admitting to writing an email in which he called Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. a "jungle monkey." Barrett, who had been assigned to District B-3 (Dorchester and Mattapan), presumably knows that black people are human beings, but he may have been concerned that Boston's nationwide reputation as America's most racist city had been jeopardized by the Cambridge police when they arrested Gates.

    Bite Size News, July 29: Get Out The Vote Edition

    • Despite what appears to be a highly contested mayoral race in 2009, will the voter turnout be low? [The Boston Phoenix]
    • Charles Baker is officially running for Governor, which means he can begin criticizing the incumbent and can start making empty promises that are really popular. [Boston Globe]

    Reenact the Gates Arrest... With Your Food

    Mr. Bartley's burgers in Harvard Square has just introduced a "Sgt. Crowley" burger to its menu. Since the burger joint has offered the Skip Gates burger for 10 years now, it's probably the only place in the United States where you can reenact the thrilling truncation of civil rights and acrimonious weeks-long fallout of Gatesgate entirely with fast food.

    Gates 911 Caller Speaks

    Lucia Whalen, the woman who called 911 in the Henry Louis Gates Jr. case, spoke to the media on Wednesday. Whalen defended her actions and said the suggestion that race impacted her actions hurt her. Tapes of the call proved that Whalen did not mention race. Despite what transpired after she called the police, she said she would do it again. In other Gates news, Lee Landor, the deputy press secretary to Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, resigned after calling Gates a racist and President Barack Obama "O-dumb-a." Former Secretary of State Colin Powell discussed the Gates situation on CNN last night.

    The Globe and NECN are reporting on the gruesome case of Darlene Haynes, a 23-year-old woman found murdered in her Worcester apartment on Monday. The sickening part? Haynes was 8 months pregnant when she was killed, and somebody removed the fetus from her body.

    The New Biking Law That Nobody's Heard Of

    Reading today's Globe story on Menino's bike share proposals, we were intrigued to learn about a new bike safety law that includes a fine for hitting passing cyclists with the door of your car. Turns out, the law's actually not that new. The Bicyclist Safety Bill became law in January, but nobody seems to have heard of it. Among other things, the law gives cyclists the right to ride two abreast—previously illegal—and increases penalties for drivers who cut off cyclists or force them to the curb. MassBike has a good rundown of the changes the law has instituted. The full text can be found here.

    Bike Sharing: Menino's Bike News Overshadows Yoon's GreenPrint

    Bostonist's inbox has been flooded by press releases from Sam Yoon's campaign office describing Yoon's "GreenPrint" for Boston. It's a series of proposals to add incentives for homeowners, business owners, and drivers to reduce their carbon footprint—by renovating existing buildings and using alternative transportation—that Yoon hopes will become central to his campaign. To kick things off, he proposed legislation in City Council today to add a tax incentive for businesses who are willing to build "green" roofs—roofs with soil and living flora that reduce winter heating requirements and storm runoff and clean the air to boot. It's a big proposal, destined for the front page of the Globe, right?

    Bite Size News, July 28: Stimulus Cash For Cops Edition

    • Massachusetts will get $29 million in Federal stimulus funds to pay the salaries of 131 cops. [WCVB]
    • Phillip Brunelle, a 29-year old double scratch-ticket winner from Fall River, has quite a colorful past that is both heroic and fraudulent. [WBZ]

    Boston Blotter: Roxbury Man Stabbed to Death; 12 Year Old Shot in Dorchester

    -- A 49-year-old man died yesterday after being stabbed multiple times in Roxbury. Police found him near the corner of Dudley and Dearborn Streets and took him to Boston Medical Center, where he died. Police have not named any possible motives in the killing, and no arrests have been made. [BPDNews]

    Zoo Funding May Return, a New Giraffe, and the Globe Being the Globe

    The Globe's Metro Desk reports Mass. lawmakers are about to create a spending plan torestore funding to the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and Stone Zoo in Stoneham that was cut earlier this year. A vote on the bill, which also restores $40 million to cover health care costs for legal immigrants, may happen Wednesday. ZooNE should get $2.5 million of the $4 million that was cut back, which may or may not be enough to keep both zoos open. Regardless of the funding, there will be no animals killed.

    BU Grad Student Fights Giant Corporate Oppressors

    Joel Tenenbaum, a Boston University grad student from Providence, is accused of illegally downloading and distributing thousands of songs in a civil lawsuit filed by the recording industry. The recording industry alleges Tenenbaum downloaded more than 800 songs on the Kazaa file sharing Web site. The suit is only focusing the suit on 30 songs. He expects to lose, and if he does, could be fined up to $4.5 million. His lawyer, Harvard law professor Charles Nesson, said that possible fine is "crazy". Tenenbaum, 25, has a website explaining his perspective. Check out this ComputerWorld blog for more details.

    Boston Is "The Copper Hole in the Fiber Donut": Somebody Go on a Dunkin Run

    NYC is going all FiOS, but Boston's getting left in the fiber-optic wayside. ArsTechnica opines that Mayor Menino's desire (which the Globe supports) to tax telecom companies like Verizon for the infrastructures they establish here may be keeping the city a few steps behind when it comes to connectedness. There may be other factors at work, too: though you'd think a city would be easy to wire due to its density, the Globe points out that cities also have a lot more problems to deal with: faulty or outdated infrastructure is common, as is landlord resistance. Verizon media relations dude Phil Santoro confirms that the company is committed to bringing FiOS to Boston, but couldn't give a timeline. We imagine FiOs will eventually make it up here, but whether its arrival will be affordable remains to be seen. In the meantime, we'll have plenty of opportunities to eat donuts (ordered in semi-high-tech fashion) while we wait.

    Hot Dogs Over Heart Disease: Berkshires Hospital Combats "Recidivism"

    With health care reform looming, everyone's worried about how to cut costs. When everyone's insured, won't premiums go through the roof? One way to fight freaky fees is to keep patients out of the hospital once they've been in. The Berkshire Medical Center is trying exactly this in a program designed to cut down on hospital patient recidivism. Among the tips and tricks used are encouraging heart patients to avoid hot dogs, which are so full of sodium that they can promote fluid retention and trigger heart trouble. Staying frank-free is harder than you might think, though, especially around Independence Day: this July 4, one Berkshire Medical patient chowed down on a dog; she was back in the Center the next day.

    Boston Jake Bagged For Growing Pot

    The Suffolk County D.A.'s office has just announced the arrest of Paul Bradley, Jr., a Boston firefighter, and his father, Paul Bradley, Sr., on fugitive justice charges. The two men are wanted in the State of Maine for allegedly operating a marijuana grow house, which included 22 marijuana plants. Bradley isn't the first Boston Jake to find himself the target of a drug investigation. Firefighter Sean Berte had his Maine home raided in May, when police allegedly turned up 131 marijuana plants, which means that Bradley had some alleged catching up to do. And last November, Texas police busted a disabled Boston firefighter allegedly rolling through the state with 41 pounds of weed.

    Boston Blotter: Stabbing in Brighton

    -- Boston cops found a man who had been stabbed multiple times lying on the ground near the intersection of Commonwealth and Harvard Ave. in Brighton. He has been hospitalized with life threatening injuries, and no suspects have been caught. [BPDNews]

    Does Sarah Palin really have any significant impact on Boston? Fortunately, no. Governor Community Organizer/Private citizen Palin just quit as Alaska's leader after a rambling sharply focused public statement.

    Bite Size News, July 27: Politician, Priest, Shark Edition

  • Christy Mihos is counting cars on the NH border in hopes of making a bombastic statement about the sales tax increase. [Boston Herald]
  • Let's give this Catholic priest some credit -- at least he's accused of sexually abusing an adult. [Cambridge Chronicle]
  • Senator Kerry is partnering with "Shark Week" to gain support for a shark preservation legislation. [Boston Globe]
  • http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/sharkweek/sharkweek.html
  • The shark tournament off Martha's Vineyard may or may not purposely coincide with Shark Week. [Cape Cod Times]
  • Gates Tapes Released

    Cambridge Police released the 911 tape and audio transmissions from the July 16 arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. The initial 911 call refers to "two gentlemen" with no reference to race. Race first came up when, according to WCVB, the dispatcher asked "Are they white, black or Hispanic?"

    Henry Louis Gates Jr. Caller Lucia Whalen Never Mentioned Race

    In an interesting development in the arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. over a week ago, the person who called in Gates for breaking into his own house says she didn't cite Gates' race when calling in the potential crime. Caller Lucia Whalen has "worked in Cambridge for more than 15 years, about 100 yards from where Mr. Gates resides," according to her attorney Wendy J. Murphy, and "never said she saw two black men." While this creates quite a twist for folks (including this Bostonist) who suspected that the non-crime might not have been called in were it not for Gates' race, it doesn't excuse the fact that Gates was arrested even though he didn't commit a crime. It is unfortunate that this information was not reported from the start; the way information is unfolding piece by piece suggests that someone—the Cambridge Police Department?—has been attempting to keep details under wraps. The police report specifically states that the caller reported "two black males with backpacks"—perhaps that should have been two males with black backpacks?—but at the end of the report Whalen is cited merely as having seen "a man wedging his shoulder into the front door to pry it open." The report also describes Whalen as white, when she actually has “olive-colored skin and is of Portuguese descent" according to Murphy.

    When Buildings Attack!

    A piece of concrete the size of a basketball broke off the facade of the Barnes and Noble bookstore at Boston University and fell to the ground at around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday. No one was injured and there isn't any structural damage. This the second such incident in Boston in less than two weeks. On July 13, the facade of a Huntington Ave building on Northeastern's campus collapsed.

    Planes Crazy In Mass.

    Two potential disasters involving airplanes were averted in Massachusetts in the last couple of days. American Airlines Flight 1937 left Boston for San Juan, Puerto Rico and returned an hour after smoke was smelled in plane’s rear bathroom. The plane left Logan Airport around 8:35 a.m. on Saturday and made an emergency landing at 9:45 a.m. All 185 people on board were not injured and all passengers were placed on other flights. Also, a military C-5 transport plane landed safely at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee on Thursday despite losing two wheels. The crew didn't know the wheels were missing until an air traffic controller told them.

    Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Gatesgate

    This may be the first time we've actually enjoyed reading something on Livejournal (though we might've started off with something more like "Among snowless Cambridge streets / the only moving thing / was the hand of the black man"). Choice excerpts from ayun's take:

    Obama Confirms that Beer Solves All Problems; Invites Henry Louis Gates and James Crowley to White House

    In the aftermath of controversies about a Cambridge police officer arresting a famous African-American professor for existing in his own home (also known as Gatesgate, and of his own choice to call the action "stupid," Barack Obama has proposed the unthinkable: a discussion. Talking about race in America? Get out! Breaking a longstanding tradition of ignoring racial conflict, Obama has officially invited Cambridge police officer James Crowley and Harvard professor Henry Louis "Skip" Gates, Jr., to the White House for a beer and a bit of conversation about the incident. Obama's hope is that the debacle can morph into a "teachable moment" for everyone, and be brought to a conclusion that will allow the nation to focus once again on providing health care to all its citizens. Latest news has it that Skip has accepted the offer. We're excited to see the transcript of that chat, if it's released.

    Boston Blotter: Robber or Witness: Pick  A Side

    -- Two men allegedly robbed a store in Somerville Monday. One suspect from Somerville donned a mask, grabbed a knife and carried out the stick up. He was reportedly a regular customer and recognized despite the mask. The second suspect, from Cambridge, remained at the scene, posed as a witness, and gave false information to police officers. Both men were arrested at the perp's dwelling later that day, where cops found 10 stolen parking meters. [Somerville Journal]

    Bite Size News, July 24: Anthony! Edition

    • It's been 40 years since Anthony Martignetti became the Prince Spaghetti boy. [Boston Globe]
    • The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled police sobriety checkpoints to be constitutional. [Boston Globe]

    GatesGate: The Gift(??) That Keeps on Giving!

    The Henry Louis Gates Jr. arrest saga won't stop. Local and national media have gone into full feeding frenzy mode. At one point today, the Herald's website was unavailable. It's back up. The Latest:

    Mass. Native To Receive Medal Of Honor

    Jared C. Monti of Raynham will posthumously receive the Medal of Honor from president Barack Obama in September. Monti, a 30-year old Army sergeant at the time, was killed on June 21, 2006 in Afghanistan while attempting to rescue wounded soldiers in his unit. He rescued one soldier and was killed while making a second rescue attempt. President Obama called Monti's parents, Paul Monti, of Raynham, and Janet Monti, of Winterville, N.C., on Tuesday to confirm his son would receive the country's top military honor. Both greeted the news with pride and sadness. "I’m so proud of him, but we’re going to meet the president because he’s dead, so I feel no joy in that," she said. Only six members of the military have been given this honor since 9/11. Monti's friends and family have started a scholarship fund in his name.

    Bite Size News, July 23: No Wagers Edition

  • A court decides that gambling on the World Series with furniture is not illegal. [Furniture Today]
  • The Middleborough Indian casino project may be in trouble, because the tribe never lived in there. [Boston Globe]
  • Deval Patrick says he was also harassed by the police once. [Boston Globe]
  • Sgt. Crowley Talks to WEEI???

    Sergeant James Crowley, the Cambridge police officer who arrested Henry Louis Gates Jr., actually appeared on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan show this morning to give his version of the events. Crowley reportedly was asked about president Barack Obama's comments on the arrest of Gates last week, and was given a chance to apologize. He didn't exactly criticize Obama directly. He did say it was "regrettable" that someone would comment on this incident "without knowing the whole story". Crowley appeared to speak in a very calm, rational manner during his call-in appearance. It's his right to choose to explain or not explain himself in any forum he wishes. Given Dennis & Callahan's history, their show might not be the right choice. Look, Ed Harding is an ex-sports reporter, too. But, he is not controversial.

    Boston Blotter: Catching Up To Do

    Internal affairs have kept Bostonist's Blotter stuck in limbo. Let's try to catch up. -- Boston cops captured a pair of Lynn men in Jamaica Plain with two bayoneted AK-47s, a bullet proof vest, and a freaky Halloween mask. [BPDNews]

    Cambridge Cop Won't Apologize to Skip Gates, Opines in Third Person

    "There are not many certainties in life, but it is for certain that Sgt. Crowley will not be apologizing," said Sergeant James "Arrestsalot" Crowley after Henry Louis Gates, Jr. kindly asked him to apologize for putting him in the cooler for four hours for the dubious crime of being a black college professor in his own house who also happens to possibly like yelling at white cops who are trying to arrest him for no reason. This was presumably before the President of the United States said that Crowley acted "stupidly."

    Bite Size News, July 22: Henry Louis Gates Jr. Media Frenzy Edition

    City to Get More Cash Out of Tourists, Lazy People

    Mayor Thomas Menino announced today that the City of Boston will be raising local hotel and meals taxes at the beginning of October. The move, which was authorized by the recent state budget, will increase Boston's hotel tax from 12.45% to 14.45% and the meals tax from 6.25% to 7%. Menino expects the increases to net $18 million during the next fiscal year. According to city figures, the rates are still lower than other major cities. New York, for example, levies a 14.75% hotel tax and a 8.38% meals tax.

    750 New Hampshire State Employees to Live Free... From Employment

    New Hampshire might lay off 750 workers after Labor Day, reports WBZ. The Live Free or Die State, which doesn't levy a sales or individual income tax, is in a budgetary crisis, and the word of the layoffs comes after a disagreement between the State Employees Association and Governor John Lynch over unpaid furloughs. [reports WBZ}

    Scooter Activism: Local Petition Would Keep Scooters on Sidewalks

    Local scooter owners are ruing July 31, the day that the new state law reclassifying scooters as motorcycles. In addition to requiring scooter riders to get a license plate and driver's license, it will also prohibit the vehicles from being parked on the sidewalk, where they are almost universally found at present. Parking scooters on the street may dry up the already parched pond of available parking in the Boston area, and it will make it more difficult to secure the lightweight vehicles against theft. Local scooter riders have banded together to launch a nifty Flash petition site with more information about their position. [Let Us Park on the Sidewalk]

    Update: scoot-in protests are planned for Thursdays, starting July 30.

    "Here's Your $833, Now Hush Up": Emerson Reconciles with Jilted Students

    After being one of many schools implicated in a scandal wherein financial aid workers received gifts from loan companies, Emerson College has settled with its students over the matter. More than 4000 students who were forced to take out loans from "preferred lenders" rather than getting their choice of lender will receive payments of $25 to $833. This is meant to compensate for extra interest the students may have incurred from the preferred loans, thus solving the big problem of loan repayment for a short amount of time. Emerson's former Dean of Enrollment and other financial aid workers (many of whom are still at the college) accepted gifts from institutions such as Citizens Bank and Chase in return for requiring students to take out their loans from these banks.

    Bite Size News, July 21: Oops! They Did It Again Edition

    • Lawmakers on Beacon Hill spent $126,000 on takeout food and $227,000 on office improvement. Bostonist awaits a thank you note. [Boston Herald]
    • Attention scooter people! Massachusetts plans to stop to your free wheeling ways by requiring plates for your bikes on steroids. [Boston Globe]

    Skepchick: Creationism in the Boston Globe

    Though this happened years ago (by Internet Time, aka last Wednesday), Bostonist would be remiss if we didn't mention yet another example of the Boston Globe quickly diminishing standards. Not content to merely wilt and die, the Globe continues its mission to commit suicide in the grandest way possible: by publishing ridiculous tripe that no one with a lump of grey matter between their ears would believe. Case in point: this op-ed by a creationist, claiming that Thomas Jefferson would be a creationist and so it must be true, or something or other.

    Charges Dropped Vs. Gates

    The charges against Henry Louis Gates Jr. will be dropped. Gates, the director of Harvard University's W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research, was arrested at his Cambridge home on Thursday. The Cambridge Chronicle recapped the media attention the arrest got. Someone even is selling a t-shirt inspired by the incident.

    Zoo Redux: Animals Now Off Death Row

    Okay, The Zoo New England saga has become a full-fledged circus and it, fortunately, appears to have a happy ending as Zoo director John Linehan finally confimed that no animals will be killed due to possible budget cuts. Linehan started all of this crap by turning animal goodness into a dirty political prop by suggesting budget cuts could force the Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo to close and some animals to be euthanized. It turned out he was not telling the truth. Last week, Linehan confirmed his initial assertion that animals would die from budget cuts before finally admitting he was incorrect yesterday.

    Globe Union Approves $10 Million in Cuts, Globe Will Not Die (Yet)

    The Boston Newspaper Guild approved $10 million in concessions tonight, marking a possible temporary end to the dragged-out negotiations with Boston Globe owner New York Times Company. Around 80% of Guild members showed up to vote on their fate, with a final score of 366 yay and 179 nay. Maybe this shows that journalism does have a future: just $10 million less of one. According to the Herald, the money-saving deductions include a "5.9 percent pay cut, eight unpaid days off, a pension freeze and the elimination of the 401(k) contributions as well as the lifetime job guarantees held by nearly 200 union members." Dan Kennedy has an email from Boston Globe editor Marty Baron to his workers thanking them for keeping up their "commitment to deliver journalism of the highest caliber" throughout the negotiations. Despite the deal, the Globe is still up for sale for the moment.

    Harvard Professor Gates Arrested

    Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was arrested at his home Thursday by Cambridge Police after officers responded to a call from a woman who saw a man allegedly trying to "pry" open the front door of Gates's house. According to the police report, Gates initially refused to identify himself but eventually provided his Harvard identification card. The report alleges Gates was yelling during the incident and accused the officer of racism and said he "wasn't someone to mess with." Gates is the director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard. A spokesman for Middlesex District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr. told the Globe that Gates is scheduled to be arraigned on August 26.

    All charges alleged until proven under law.

    Bite Size News, July 16: That's The Way It Is Edition

  • Hey, kids, get that nipple piercing now before you need parental approval. [Boston Channel]
  • Longtime Martha's Vineyard regular, Walter Cronkite, died over the weekend. [Cape Cod Times]
  • Obama Family Coming To The Vineyard

    Martha's Vineyard is always a desireable vacation spot for everyone, even Presidents. That's why the news that president Barack Obama and family will be on vacation on the Vineyard during the last week in August was met without much surprise.

    Winners of Mitt Romney Essay Contest Announced

    We can't believe we didn't enter, but somehow the deadline for the essay contest for Mitt Romney's Free and Strong America PAC passed us by. Not to worry, plenty of intrepid folks poured their hearts out on paper, answering the question "What does a free and strong America mean to you?" Some of them even won. Nobody from Massachusetts made the cut, naturally, but a Mainer got honorable mention for writing a poem instead of an essay. Sample stanza:

    Boston Blotter: Guns

    -- Charkem Hyatt, 19, of Dorchester was arrested today on numerous gun charges after a 2 a.m. shootout on Blue Hill Avenue in Roxbury. The shooting led to Packy Connors pub having its license temporarily revoked. [Globe]

    Bite Size News, July 17: Lost In Space Edition

    • With the 40th Anniversary of the first moonwalk looming on Monday, Museum of Science has an updated exhibit on display. Maybe that can explain how NASA taped over that footage? [Boston Globe]
    • The 35-year old father hit by a car on Wednesday in Brighton died last night at Mass. General. [Boston Herald]

    Is Evil At Work In Boston?

    The last thing Boston's political scene needs is some Karl Rove-style tactics injected to its already tension-filled campaign season. But, that's just what we've got from the folks at ChangeforBoston.org despite their alleged support for reforming what ails Boston.

    Menino to Support Bay State Banner

    In a strange instance of a politician seeming to do something potentially useful and community-minded, Mayor Menino has offered to finance the recently-shuttered Bay State Banner with a $200,000 loan. This type of public gesture of support for a publication (particularly a publication about minority issues) makes us wonder how the government might help finance other struggling papers in the future. Is this the start of public funding for journalism (and journalism pandering more than ever to certain politicians)? Or is this an instance of a politician trying to get votes from a certain demographic? Keep an eye on how this plays out. (Or, if you're a Globe commenter, wish that the mayor would fix potholes instead of support journalism.)

    Sex Still Sold On Craigslist; Revenue Increases

    Any alleged negative attention garnered by Craigslist as a result of the "Craigslist Killer" case seems to have had little impact on how people use the Internet classified ad site, or on how well its business is doing. As a motion to investigate media leaks in the case filed by the attorney for alleged killer Philip Markoff was being rejected by Judge Frank M. Gaziano, another arrest involving illicit Craigslist ads was made on July 8. Two alleged prostitutes and a client were arrested in a sting run by Somerville police after officers responded to two separate craigslist ads for prostitution. Bostonist was under the impression Craigslist was cracking down on ads for "erotic services". One thing is certain, business appears unimpeded at Craigslist as the New York Times reported in June that the San Francisco-based company's revenue is expected to rise 23% in 2009 and reach the $100 million mark.

    Northeastern Cited in Cornice Collapse

    The building collapse at Northeastern University on Monday (in which, fortunately, no one was hurt) is being attributed to negligence by the school. The school has been issued a citation for having an unsafe structure and is now working to stabilize the wall and take away the cornice, as well as dismantle a parapet on the roof. OSHA is looking into the situation as well. Progressive Roofing, which had been working on the roof when it collapsed (a new contractor has since been put on the job), had previously been cited for safety failures, according to the Herald. Let's hope the new work precludes further disasters.

    Boston Blotter: Stop That Vespa!

    -- An alleged bank robber attempted to escape the scene of the crime riding his red Vespa scooter. Police say the suspect raced plodded down the Southeast Expressway after he held up a Citizens Bank in Milton. This renegade didn't even wear a helmet. [Herald]

    Bite Size News, July 16: Bombs, Bongs, 'n Bucks Edition

  • Nothing says "happy birthday" like sending a nose-hair trimmer to a professor that's mistaken for a bomb. [Boston Globe]
  • Psst. Check out these anecdotes about people smoking pot in public and not paying the fines. [Boston Herald]
  • A Madoff victim based in Salem is covering his employees' 401(k) plans out of his own pocket. [WHDH]
  • Improvisational Weaponry Blotter

    Criminals - alleged, of course - will use anything as a weapon. A gun, a machete, or even common tools can be used to break society's rules. Examples:

    Harry Potter and the Cold-Blooded Thieves: Burglars Target Potter Fans

    Not-so-crafty burglars targeted cars at a movie theatre in the Cape Cod Mall last night, lifting over $5000 in electronics from Potter fans watching the new film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Two teens were arrested following the theft, which WCVB attributes to Voldemort's work.

    Googlers Heart The TD Garden

    tdbng.jpg The Google section of the Internets is going crazy for the TD Banknorth Garden, which is now going by TD Garden. According to Google Hot Trends, TD Banknorth Garden is today's 50th fastest rising search keyword in the U.S. Bostonist has an idea or three why this is happening. Parents are probably sick of the 12-year olds and their shrieking, but those wholesome young men known as the Jonas Brothers are taking over the Hub on Friday. The Bruins did announce their complete 2009-2010 schedule, too. How much interest does the next Scott Walker sighting generate? Bostonist bets the fuss is over the name change from TD Banknorth Garden to TD Garden that will lead to one lucky fan winning free tickets to every event at the Garden for the entire 2009-2010 season. It's still the Garden to Bostonist.

    Stripes Sack Sailing: Quabbin Closed Due to Zebra Mussels

    Private recreational boating has been banned in the Quabbin Reservoir due to concerns about zebra mussels spreading. The mussels were recently found Laurel Lake in Western Massachusetts and have now been spotted in a stream that feeds into the Housatonic River. The invasive zebra mussels can feed on aquatic life, reduce fish populations, clog boats, and spread like mad. Boating bans are designed to help stop their spread.

    Bite Size News, July 15: Good Deed Edition

    • In 2004, Joan Kroc donated $1.5 billion of her McDonald's Corp. cash to the United Way. In 2009, $80 million of that is going to help build the Kroc Corps Community Center in Uphams Corner. [Boston Globe]
    • The body of Juan C. Guzman, an Iraq War veteran, was recovered from the Merrimack River in Lawrence today. Three days ago, he was thrown into the water after a boating accident. [Boston Globe]

    Boston Blotter: Serial Rapist Suspected in Esplanade Assault

    -- Boston police report that a woman was assaulted and robbed early this morning while walking on the Esplanade. Authorities suspect that the crime was the work of the same man who was behind three unsolved crimes: two unrelated 2007 incidents of rape and robbery on the Esplanade and a July, 2006, rape in Moakley Park in South Boston. The victim in this morning's case told authorities that she had not been raped. The suspect in all four of these crimes has been described as a "clean-shaven African-American male in his mid-20s to mid-30s, standing 5’8” to 5’10”." [Suffolk County District Attorney's Office]

    Bite Size News, July 14: Millions and Millions Edition

    • Since 2002, Boston has been unable to collect $66 million in fines from parking tickets.[Boston Herald]
    • Massachusetts has lost a lot of millionaires - Who hasn't? - since 2008. We are still well ahead of Mississippi. We rock! [Boston Business Journal]

    RIP WBCN, 1958-2009

    WBCN.jpg
    Image from Wikipedia.
    WBCN, a staple of Boston's rock music scene for about 40 years, will disappear in August as CBS Radio switches Mix 98.5 to 104.1 FM and converts 98.5 to an all-sports format with call letters WBZ-FM. The station will carry Patriots games, Bruins games and will retain WBCN's morning duo, Fred Toucher and Rich Shertenlieb/"Toucher & Rich". WBCN's playlists will still be played online at http://www.wbcn.com/.

    Trolley Crash Caused by "Micro-Sleep Episode"?

    Universal Hub reports that the NTSB has suggested that Therese Edmonds might have crashed her Green Line trolley due to a "micro-sleep episode" triggered by job fatigue and undiagnosed sleep apnea, not, as was originally reported, the Doxylamine in her bloodstream. Adam Gaffin's headline says it all.

    Zoo New England Caught with Pants on Fire

    This weekend, Zoo New England let it slip that it might have to euthanize tons of animals because of state budget cuts. But guess what? They were completely lying. According to Steve Feldman, a spokesperson for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, "It’s not part of modern zoological practice, except in very rare instances, to use euthanasia as a population management tool." Zoo New England has since issued a statement to clarify: It has "no plans...to euthanize any animals."

    Boston Blotter: Shot in Somerville, Stabbed in the Kitchen

    -- A Malden teen was shot during a drive-by in Somerville Friday night. His gunshot wound was minor, and he was released from the hospital a short time after being admitted. No arrests have been made in the case. [Somerville Journal]

    A Year Later, NTSB Finds that MBTA Driver Skipped Signal, Was on Sleep Medication?

    On June 1st last year, the National Transportation Safety Board recreated last May's green line crash in order to gain more insight into what happened that fateful day. More than a year later, the board has released its report, which indicates that the car's driver ran through a properly functioning signal en route to the crash. While driver Terrese Edmonds' train did run a working signal, the crash was caused by hitting a train stopped at a malfunctioning signal. This broken signal had been stuck on red for some time; investigators found that broken track section connections were the cause of the perpetual stop sign.

    State Leg. Goes To Dogs

    baddog.jpg
    This photo by flickr user digitalh3lix shows the kind of infernal beast our leaders in Boston hope to protect us from.
    There is a pressing issue occupying "minds" on Beacon Hill: Jobs, taxes, budget cuts, infrastructure, healthcare, crime, global warming, killing zoo animals Dogs. Our elected officials want to create a dangerous dog database, or registry, that lists pooches with bad intentions and records of mischief. The MSPCA opposes the bill, sponsored by Stephen J. Buoniconti (D-West Springfield), which would post pictures of dogs and explain their reckless acts. The MSPCA wants to increase spaying and neutering of shelter dogs, training for animal control officers and define "dangerous dog" properly. The legislature is also considering a bill to allow cities and towns to ban specific breeds of canines. Certainly, caution should be exercised when dealing with any animal, even those that appear safe. However, the summer of 2009 presents us with a full plate of issues that push laws of this nature down on the list of priorities.

       

    The facade collapsed from the front of a building on Northeastern's campus this morning, raining down hundreds of pounds of rubble but, miraculously, harming nobody. The building is located at 337 Huntington Ave., and the area has been all but shut down to road and MBTA traffic as authorities try to determine whether the whole building is coming down. Bostonist reader Sean Frederick snapped a few photos of the destruction.

    Partial Building Collapse on Huntington Ave

    Part of the facade of a dorm on the Northeastern campus collapsed on Monday morning. A roof renovation project has been ongoing for over a month at 337 Huntington Ave., the site of the collapse. Fifty people were evacuated and a police officer on a detail suffered minor injuries. Multiple street closures were in effect. The MBTA Green Line was also shut down.

    Boston Sports Blotter

    Sometimes sports pages are filled with news fit for a police blotter. Bostonist discovered three athletes involved in controversies that involve the law.

    In Most Depressing News Ever: Franklin Park Zoo to (Maybe) Close, Animals to (Maybe) Die

    Hey, what's the absolute best news you could get on a sunny July weekend perfect for going to the zoo? Probably that this is your last chance to go there, because all of the animals are going to die soon! Wonderful. Be sure to check out the lions, tigers, and bears while you still can, because state budget cuts may force the Franklin Park Zoo to close soon, leaving lumpy piles of dead animals in its wake. At current rates, the zoo will run out of money by October, at which time it will have to find new homes for more than 1000 animals. Officials estimate that about 20% of the animals will be particularly difficult to place, meaning that these creatures may have to be put down. The Globe article does feel a little alarmist, but we'd still like to avoid seeing friends like Seamus leave us. Let's hope we can come up with the funds for a solution that's good for the state and the animals.

    Bite Size News, July 10: Honors and Awards Edition

    • The city of Boston honored an EMT and over 50 Police officers for heroic service in the line of duty. [Boston Herald]
    • For the 8th time in its 21-year history, Cambridge Community Television (CCTV) was named the top public access TV station in the country. [Cambridge Chronicle]

    Boston Blotter: Marshals, Mass. Cops Make 558 Arrests in June

    --U.S. Marshals participating in Operation FALCON with other state, local and federal law enforcement agencies arrested 558 wanted criminals on 910 warrants in June. Yes, 558 lawbreakers in 30 days, or almost 20 each day. Bostonist is relieved to know about these arrests. But, that is a shockingly high number, isn't it? [Herald]