Local journalist assaulted, unharmed

This doesn't quite belong up there with the intimidation that some journalists face in other parts of the world, but still, when the editor of a local newspaper is assaulted at an area seniors' meeting, it's worth noting:

After taking a few photos of bargain hunters browsing (see innocent bystanders in photo), I interviewed one of the dissenters...Behind us, someone started shouting. One of the club members was yelling, others joined in. Next thing I knew I was in the middle of a geriatric brawl....

“Are you recording what we’re saying? He’s recording us!” one fired up member on the porch shouted. Apparently, this is the Lancaster equivalent of yelling “gun!” at a political rally. Actually, I’d shut the recorder off just after the shouting match in the hall. Bearing no concern for her own safety, this septuagenarian leapt forward, grabbed the weapon (voice recorder) with one hand, my arm with the other and struggled to wrestle it from my steely grasp. Not wanting to get into fisticuffs with gram, I let go. With her prize in hand, she scurried back through the door, protecting the device like a football player guarding the ball while running for that 30-yard touchdown...

And that's the difference between Lancaster and Leominster. In Lancaster you get beaten by little old ladies, in Leominster you get shot at.

Tags: Massachusetts Lancaster Crime

Don't spend it all in one place

According to today's Sentinel and Enterprise, the state legislature has nearly broken the bank for the state's pre-schoolers:

The new education spending this week came in the form of an additional $6.25 in early education and child care...

What are they going to do with the six bucks? Buy happy meals for two lucky four year olds? Legislative priorities indeed!

Tags: Massachusetts Budget Sentinel and Enterprise

The first debate, the day after

Some reflections on last night's Democratic debate, starting with the "front-runners" and moving on down the list.

Barack Obama: I though Obama was a mess. Let's count the ways:

• He misspoke about the legal troubles of one of his supporters, saying "This donor engaged in some ethical behavior and I have denounced it." Had President Bush come out with that, he'd be roundly lampooned from coast to coast.
  


• Obama couldn't name two allies of the US, coming up only with Japan and "the European Union as a whole." And I'm not sure the "European Union" is even an "ally." Britain is. And what about Canada and Mexico, our allies in NAFTA.
  


• He Dukakis-ed the question about what he would do if America was attacked in another 9/11 style attack, talking about emergency responses, good intelligence and dialogue with the nations of the world or some such dispassionate wonky something-or-another. He tried to recover later, talking about "enemies out there that have to be hunted down" after a question about energy conservation, but he had already missed his chance.
  


• Speaking of which, he blew that one too, talking about planting 3,000 trees when asked what he had "personally" done to make a better environment.

Obama's strength is his ability to inspire people to action and talk in grand themes. He'd better get a handle on the facts, however, or he is only going to get so far in this race.

Hillary Clinton: I keep reading and hearing today about how well she did. I didn't think she did badly, but I wasn't convinced that she believed that she could become president. Maybe I was getting too caught up on her specific words instead of her ideas, but the way she prefaced her answers and referred to the presidency belied a certain uneasiness. She often started her answers with "Let me start by saying" which sounds like she is seeking permission to go forward. She talked about what "we need to do" or what "I'm in favor of" but didn't talk about what "I will do as president." Maybe that's too semantic, but I want to know what she will do.

John Edwards: A strong performance, the best of the "top tier" of candidates. He could have done a better job with the question about his pricey haircuts (I didn't think he should apologize, it is what it is), but he did a nice job of turning that into his "son-of-a-millworker" story of being too poor to afford breakfast at a local restaurant. (As an aside, it looked like he had a few hairs out of place in the area where his hair was parted. I wondered if that was on purpose.)

I liked his specificity on health care and his willingness to acknowledge his error in authorizing the war in Iraq (Hillary Clinton should take notes on that one). Finally, discussing God, his wife, and his father in the context of who he considered his "moral leader" was fantastic and poignant.

Bill Richardson: I think his performance was a classic case of the candidate who sounds great on the radio, but doesn't seem so good on TV. His answers were full of specifics and seemed honest and sincere. He clearly has the best grasp of foreign policy issues. He presented nearly all of his views as specific items he would accomplish, as opposed to Hillary, who spoke of what she favored, not what she would do. I thought he sounded presidential.

But man, he sure didn't look it. To say he appeared awkward might be an understatement. He was the farthest from the moderator, and it was clear that he couldn't hear some of the questions well. he was caught on camera a couple of times leaning forward to hear with his mouth open, like a slack-jawed octogenarian who was missing his hearing aid. He also seemed jittery early. "The poor guy looks nervous," my wife noted. "Look at him shaking." I don't think Poor Guy was the impression he was hoping to give.

Joe Biden: If I had to pick a winner, it would be Senator Biden. I have always liked Biden: I think he is the smartest guy in the room most of the time. Like Richardson, he also has a good handle on foreign policy, and he was nearly as credible as Richardson on the subject.

But more than that, he appeared presidential. He hit the question about his propensity to over talk and make gaffes out of the park, and he continued to be succinct throughout the night. He didn't over talk and he didn't over explain. He appeared confident and in command of the issues. The only time I thought he slipped on that was when he clarified that he's owned a shotgun instead of a pistol (who cares?), but I thought his overall performance (substance + style) made him the winner of the night.

Chris Dodd: Senator Dodd was there. Nothing he said last night stood out to me, to the point that I had to go back to the debate transcript to get an idea of what he said, and even with that, none of it resonated. I've always thought of Dodd as a senator's senator. Nice with the oratory, I touch of insincerity that is ingrown through decades of talking and filibustering and talking some more. That is probably an unfair characterization of him, but nothing last night dissuaded me from that perception.

Dennis Kucinich: Kucinich is much improved from the 2004 cycle. He appears more confident, and doesn't appear nearly as far "out there" as he did in the last cycle, when the war with Iraq was still popular. He wasn't afraid to mix it up a little with the other candidates--especially Obama--and may have presented his positions as strongly as anyone. He's not going to win, but much like Grace Ross in the Massachusetts gubernatorial debates, he has the chance to move the debate to the left with is command and conviction. He needs to drop the props, however. And he and his young wife ought to leave the cuddling for the bedroom instead of the spin room.

Mike Gravel: Former Senator Gravel raised his standing from zero to crotchety old curmudgeon, so I guess he would also have to be listed among the winners. What did I learn tonight? First, it's not pronounced "GRA-vuhl"--as in crushed stone--it's "Gruh-VELLE" as in, um, French crushed stone? No? Beyond that, he is just sucking time away from the other candidates. He's entertaining, and he might get one of the higher-rated candidates to screw up if he can engage one of them, but he's really not helping.

Tags: Election 2008 Democratic Primary Bill Richardson Chris Dodd Joe Biden John Edwards Barack Obama Hillary Clinton Dennis Kucinich Mike Gravel

"Some of these people frighten me." and other thoughts on tonight's presidential debate

Like opening day or the last day of school, today is a great day. That's right. The first debate of the presidential election season. By the time the next 18 months have passed, we'll be tired of all of this. But not tonight.

Don't you just love it?

Let me get my biases out of the way right off the bat. If the primary were held today, I'd be voting for Bill Richardson. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the best candidate. That may change over the course of the debates, but for now, he's my man. John Edwards (who I voted for in the 2004 primary) will also get my consideration. Other than that, the rest have a lot to prove.

So without further ado, let the proving begin...

You're looking live at South Carolina State University. Following this commercial for the college (masked as a historical overview), we'll get going. There's only one given tonight: there will be a question about the confederate flag.

• Bill Richardson looks shell shocked right out of the gate. I wonder if he realized he was on.
  
  
• That local anchor is right out of central casting.
  
  
• Can Richardson hear, does he have a cold? He appears slack jawed. He's got to act like he's on camera all of the time.
  
  
• First question is on Iraq. Clinton: "Let me start by saying..." Just say it. It's your time, we'll let you do anything you want.
  
  
• Biden: "This is not a game show. This is not a game." And then he says Bush needs to "get on the game plan." I don't think he generally remembers what he's saying from one minute to the next.
  
  
• John Edwards conspicuously has a couple of hairs out of place. I wonder if that's on purpose.
  
  
• I don't understand why politicians can't just say they were wrong. I don't think this "If I knew then what I knew now" stuff washes very well.
  
  
• This is what I like about Bill Richardson, he is the only one who has spelled out a specific plan. Michelle just said "the poor guy looks nervous. Look at him shaking." He does sound a little nervous. Talking too fast.
  
  
• Gravel wand to "make it a felony" to stay in Iraq. Huh?
  
  
• So Mr. Anchorman is just there to read emails? Great. Looks good doing it though. He can't hear either.
  
  
• Why is Clinton getting a "rebuttal" to Obama's point on Iraq? I didn't hear Obama say something that needs to be rebutted? I hope this isn't going to turn out to be the Obama-Clinton show.
  
  
• I think Obama meant to say the donor was involved in "unethical" behavior. He doesn't sound ready to answer the question.
  
  
• Don't apologize for how you pay for your haircuts. Do what you do. But he did an excellent job turning around the question to his "son of a millworker" story.
  
  
• What is the deal with the hedge fund questions? Is this a big deal? Is this is big problem? I could have listed 100 things that I'd like to hear them talk about, and hedge funds wouldn't be one of them. And if the idea of this segment is to look at the elephants in the room, it seems like there's a lot more to ask Clinton about than hedge funds.
  
  
• Michelle on Chris Dodd: "He has no chin." Lance on Chris Dodd: He sounds like "the most Washington" of all of the candidates. He talks like a senator.
  
  
• Senator Gravel: "Some of these people frighten me." The answer to the question of who hasn't taken nukes off the table is John Edwards, if not others. Michelle: "I agree with his position, but he's a bit of a fruit loop."
  
  
• Biden is muffing his abortion question. Does he not remember the first names of the supreme court justices? Putting a Trojan horse into what? I'm not sure I have the first idea what he was talking about.
  
  
• Why would you cut off the question about each candidate's favorite justice? Let 'em all answer. In fact, I wish they'd have let them each of them choose any justice (including past justices) and explain their answer. That might have been the most interesting question of the night.
  
  
• Five gun owners out of eight. Dodd looked like he had to think about it. Biden hasn't owned a pistol, just a shotgun. Can't you just raise your hand and shut up? You don't have to explain away everything. You own (or have owned) a gun. OK.
  
  
• Edwards is right, they have not had the chance to talk about specific issues. Good for him for talking the opportunity. Now the others are following suit. Hopefully the debate will become more substantive.
  
  
• "Let me start by saying..." again Senator Clinton, just say it. She sounds like she's yelling. I wonder if she realizes that she is using a microphone. I think that's one of the reason she turns some people off. She sounds shrill.
  
  
• And Mr. Anchorman asks the confederate flag question! Do I know my stuff or what? Obama clearly did not want the question. Put the confederate flag in a museum. Okey-dokey.
  
  
• Biggest mistake: Kucinich fired the police chief of Cleveland live on TV on Good Friday. Good answer. That would in fact be a mistake.
  
  
• Edwards blamed the high price of gas on over-consumption and asks Americans to increase consumption and "be patriotic on something other than war." What about the oil companies? Shouldn't we also ask them to be patriotic?
  
  
• Obama can't list three allies. European Union, Japan. And that's just two.
  
  
• Wow. Biden just listed Putin's Russia as one of the three greatest threats to America. Good for him for saying it. I couldn't agree more.
  
  
• Richardson is so credible when he talks about foreign relations. It's obvious that he has a handle on what's going on. I'm not sure he's doing a great job of appearing presidential, however.
  
  
• Four candidates raised hand acknowledging "Global War on Terror." Gravel looked unsure, as though he was sheepishly trying to order a drink.
  
  
• Obama is fumbling a question about how he would respond to simultaneous terrorist attacks. He sounds wonky, not presidential. Edwards on the other hand, immediately said he would react "swiftly and strongly."
  
  
• Clinton doesn't seem to sound like she can envision herself as president. She says things like "a president should," "I think we should," etc. She doesn't say "I will do" this or that. Maybe that's not a big deal, but if she can't envision herself in the job, how does she expect me to see her as commander-in-chief?
  
  
• Joe Biden couldn't answer the question of what he would propose to deal with climate change that would be "hard." Passing legislation to fund this or that or to mandate this or that is not hard.
  
  
• Obama fumbles another question. He and his friends planted three thousand trees. He mentions energy-saving light bulbs only after being prompted by Brian Williams.
  
  
• Kucinich and Gravel getting into it with Obama over Iran. Apparently Obama joins Edwards as candidates who won't take any options off the table.
  
  
• I thought Edwards did a great job with the question of who his moral leader is. He seemed thoughtful and sincere, and articulated his answer well.

More to come after I've had some time to digest it all.

Tags: Election 2008 Democratic Primary Bill Richardson Chris Dodd Joe Biden John Edwards Barack Obama Hillary Clinton Dennis Kucinich Mike Gravel

Worcester's Football Follies

Following in the storied tradition of the Mass. Marauders (perhaps the only sports team in history to be banned from a league because the owner punched out the league commissioner), Worcester's new indoor football league team is having it's own owner problems. Surge owner Roy Lucas, Jr. has decided to do the Ted Turner thing after just four games, firing the coach and appointing himself successor:

WORCESTER— Disappointed with his team’s 1-3 record, New England Surge owner Roy Lucas Jr. fired coach Rick Buffington yesterday and appointed himself as the replacement.

“We feel very strongly that we should be at the top of our division,” Lucas said.

Worcester’s expansion team in the Continental Indoor Football League is fifth in the six-team Atlantic Division. The Steubenville Stampede leads the division with a 4-0 record.

I'd be disappointed too. You're three games behind a team that plays in a high school gym in Steubenville, Ohio? That would like being three games behind Clinton!

Obviously, a man of Lucas's football pedigree is needed to right the ship:

Lucas, 44, has never been a head football coach before, and his experience as an assistant coach is limited. While attending Bethel College in Minnesota in the 1980s, he was an intern for a year on the football staff at nearby Centennial High School. In 1996, he was strength and conditioning coach at Assumption College, and the following year he coached quarterbacks and running backs at Curry College....

Lucas was an all-purpose back for Burncoat High and a wide receiver for Bethel, a Division 3 school. After a brief free agent tryout with the Dallas Cowboys, Lucas played one season of semipro football in Colorado. Lucas owned his own sports conditioning business in Shrewsbury before founding the Surge.

And what of former coach Buffington?

Buffington said he contacted a lawyer about his firing and would remain in Worcester for a while instead of returning to his home in Somerset. “I’m not leaving here, not until things are taken care of,” Buffington said.

Of course, because it's a three-day coach ride along the post road to Somerset. You're less than an hour and a half away from home, Buff. I can't imagine why you'd want to stay back in Worcester. It's like a baby Steubenville, after all.

Tags: Massachusetts Worcester Surge CIFL Football

"Assault with a dangerous weapon (curling iron.)"

Why can't we get Governor's Councilors like this:

Governor’s Councilor Marilyn Devaney, upset that a beauty supply shop wouldn’t take her check, allegedly hurled a curling iron at a clerk.

Devaney refused to comment about the alleged incident. But a police follow-up probe found enough evidence for the clerk to file a criminal complaint against Devaney for “assault with a dangerous weapon (curling iron.)....”

[Clerk Adriana] Latif said Devaney attempted to use her authority in order to bypass the identification requirement, and “threw a fit” after not getting her way.

“She was trying to make me do something that I couldn’t,” said Latif. “I told her ‘I don’t care who you are.’”

According to Latif, Devaney came into the River Street store around 4 p.m. to return a tube of mascara. But since she didn’t have a receipt, Latif informed Devaney that she was only allowed store credit. Devaney brought a Curlmaster Dual-Heat Spring Iron, eye liner and a small bottle of hairspray to the counter to make a new purchase.

Well, based on the screen shot above, I can see why Councilor Devaney might be in the market for a curling iron. I wish the Herald had been a little more specific, however. There are a number of different models of the Curlmaster Dual-Heat Spring Iron. Did Devaney's weapon of choice have a 3/8" barrel, or was it the larger, potentially deadlier 1" model?

Tags: Massachusetts Governor's Council Assault Marilyn Devaney

Old

I was driving down High Street in Clinton Saturday afternoon with the windows down and Journey playing on the stereo.

It struck me that 20 years ago, I also would have been driving down High Street with the windows down listening to Journey on the stereo.

Only I wouldn't have been driving a sensible family SUV, I wouldn't have had a trunk full of lawn tools, and I certainly wouldn't have had a baby sleeping in the back seat.

Tags: Massachusetts Clinton Old

A terrible reminder

Reading the news of the car crash that claimed the lives of four teenagers this weekend brought a knot to the pit of my stomach. The story was eerily similar to the deaths of the SLA students last January. There were no drugs or alcohol involved, the crash was within a mile of the driver's home, the students killed were all athletes, and just one survived.

Butcher was killed Friday when the driver of the 2007 Toyota Scion, 17-year-old Nathan Plaza of Leicester, slammed into a tree. Also killed were Bryan Rossik , 17, of Leicester, and Julianne "Julie" Caron , 18, of North Brookfield.

The fifth person, Lauren Bennett , 17, of North Brookfield, broke her clavicle and was in stable condition yesterday at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, her mother said. Bennett remained sedated yesterday, as doctors continued to monitor her for internal injuries or brain swelling, Paula Bennett said.

I was especially struck by the stories of the North Brookfield students holding vigil with Lauren at UMass Memorial hospital. It reminded me of the scene at the hospital last January 20.

Visitors have streamed to the hospital and sat with Bennett in the intensive care unit, her mother said.

Many of the young visitors were friends of the victims and were particularly close to Caron, whose family declined to comment yesterday.

The visitors have taken comfort in keeping vigil over Bennett, her mother said.

"They needed to see the one that survived," Bennett said, "and tell her she needs to hang on, because Julie's friends need Lauren to help them get through her death."

I "knew" Julie Caron and Lauren Bennett in the sense that we played North Brookfield twice a year during the four years I coached at SLA. I got to see both of them play (usually running circles around and shooting at will over us) quite a bit over those years, and admired the way they played the game.

You just don't think when you shake hands with kids before or after a game that in just a few months you'll be reading their obituary, or praying that they survive their injuries.

Tags: Massachusetts Leicester North Brookfield Crash

Show the whole Cho video

I think NBC made a mistake in the way it handled the discovery of the materials created by Virginia Tech gunman Cho Seung-Hui.

Suppress it? Keep it off the air? No way. NBC should have published the whole thing and let it's viewers decide.

There has been a lot of discussion over the last 24 hours about NBC's decision to air segments of the video and writings that Cho mailed them during a lull in his rampage. Most of the debate has been around the question of whether or not NBC should have aired it at all, or whether the publication of the video and his documents glorifies the killer, disrespects the victims and their families, and encourages copy-cats to follow through on their delusions.

I think the debate misses the point. Rather than question why NBC would show it at all, I'm more concerned that NBC found it newsworthy, but then decided not to show all of it. In effect, they decided what was and was not appropriate for us to see.

If NBC or any other network found it "newsworthy," they should have shown the whole thing unedited, or made it available online, and printed the entire manifesto.

I have more of a problem with them deciding that I'm too fragile or stupid to interpret that stuff for what it is. Same thing with the scenes of 9-11 or the scenes from Iraq that they all have in their archives but never used. The worlds a tough place, I think we'd be better off seeing exactly what it's like (or at least having the choice), instead of having it packaged and sanitized in the name of decency.

I am not suggesting that news organizations should publish everything they find. Clearly there are things that happen that are not newsworthy, and it's the prerogative of the news organization to determine what is and isn't news. But in this era of the Internet, cable news, and a seemingly infinite ability to present information, once an organization has decided that something has news value that organization should publish all of it--if not in their paper or on their air, at least on their Internet sites--so readers and viewers decide for themselves.

Tags: Virginia Tech Cho Seung-Hui NBC Shooting

Who'll stop the rain?

The flooding in Lancaster (and in my basement!) continues to be a concern. The Telegram and Gazette reported this morning that a handful of homes near the meeting of the rivers were only accessible by boat:

A boat was needed to get to two homes off Bolton Road in Lancaster yesterday afternoon, making that part of town look more like the Louisiana bayou than New England. “One occupant has voluntarily evacuated, but the other is staying,” said Lancaster Fire Chief John T. Fleck. “That means if there’s an emergency, we can only get to them by boat.”...

In Lancaster, the rising water levels of the Nashua River forced the closing of busy Route 117 in the North Village yesterday. Chief Fleck said he expected to open the road by 5 p.m. yesterday if the water had receded.

Bolton and Center Bridge roads remain closed and under several feet of water. The rising water yesterday flooded over a 2-foot earthen berm around a Center Bridge Road home, causing water to pour into the house.

I can tell you route 117 was not open last night as of about 6 p.m. All of the traffic was still being routed through South Lancaster via route 110 and Mill Street. That area of town was near gridlock with all of the traffic heading home to Leominster.

This is the second time in a year (and third time in a little over 18 months) that significant flooding has affected town.

The Times & Courier has posted a couple of videos of the flooding at Center Bridge Road (via you tube):

Tags: Massachusetts Lancaster Flood Nashua River

Changing my mind on rain

I used to enjoy big rainstorms. There was something kind of cool about watching the rivers rise around Lancaster, seeing the Bolton Flats flood, and wondering if I could drive down 117 to work, or if I'd have to find another way around.

That all changed yesterday. Michelle and I came home from a weekend at her brother's wedding to find a foot of water in our basement. Now, you might wonder how in the world a house on the top of a hill could fill up with water. I know I do. It's not like we are in a basin or have a raging river near by. But there it was, a basement full of water.

After two days of pumping, we're mostly dry. I can't get the pilot on the hot water heater to light, however. Anyone care to share a hot shower?

Opening Day

How 'bout them Red Sox!

Sperm banks, terrorists, and teenage vasectomies

The title can only mean one thing: it's the Saturday letters to the editor of the Telegram and Gazette!

Here's one man's plan to level the playing field when it comes to a woman's right to choose:

Adolescent males, upon reaching puberty, should secure seminal samples in a reputable sperm bank. Then they should undergo a vasectomy. Only then can they have the same freedom of choice now granted to women.

Of course, we might be left to wonder what would become of the future of America if terrorists decided to target those sperm banks.

We might also be left to wonder what in hell this guy is talking about.

Previous T&G Letters to the Editor:
"T&G Readers are off their meds again"
"I like Jasmine Guy"
BREAKING: Election fraud in Auburn
"The sting of unboozed Democrats"
"Why is Mitt Romney ashamed of Massachusetts?"
"hot condiments cause them to be...interested in sex"
Disgust with that nasty Francona grows
It's that dirty Francona's fault
T&G reader takes on terrorism
Worcester: the San Diego of the East
Is State Senator Barrios a Bush Crony
Rem-Dawg Debate Rages in Worcester
Jerry Remy has "lost all touch with reality"

Tags: Abortion Sperm Bank Vasectomy

Good Housekeeping, Bad Advice

I'm not sure what makes one qualified to be a consumer advocate, but it's pretty clear that common sense isn't part of the equation. Take this advice from Delia Hammock, nutrition director of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute in a story this morning on Good Morning America:

[I]f you want to save a few bucks, there are some healthy alternatives that cost less, like frozen orange juice.

"Frozen orange juice concentrate is basically the same as the carton orange juice that you buy from the store," said Delia Hammock, nutrition director of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute.

According to Hammock, consumers can replace milk from the dairy case with shelf-stable milk.

"Shelf-stable milk is the same as regular liquid milk," she said. "It is pasteurized a bit longer and it tastes a little bit different, but it's the same."

Oh, where to begin? I'm not a milk drinker, but the idea that milk that has been sitting on a shelf for weeks is as good as a fresh jug of milk is absurd on it's face. Not to mention this idea that "It is pasteurized a bit longer and it tastes a little bit different, but it's the same."

Well, if it tastes a little bit different it's not the same, is it? Milk is pasteurized a bit longer and it tastes a little different than orange juice. I suppose they are the same too.

But maybe worse than her lack of taste, is her complete ignorance of what things cost at the grocery store. If she'd either go shopping or watch the Price is Right, she'd know that her other pieces of advice are no good at all.

For instance, buying "shelf-stable milk" (there's a focus-group marketing term if there ever was one) might be more efficient if one is stocking up for the Great Milk Disaster of '07. But if you're buying it every week, you'd go broke taking this lady's advice.

According Peapod, a 32 oz. box of Parmalat is going to run you a cool $2.39, which means junior will suck down 60 cents worth of milk with his bowl of cereal. Buying the real thing at the same site would cost $4.39 per gallon, for a cost-per-serving of less than 28 cents.

In other words, if you take Delia's advice and buy shelf-stable milk to save money, you'll pay twice as much.

Great advice, Delia!

For instance, buying frozen OJ is not cheaper than buying the same thing at the store. At Peapod, they are offering a 12 oz. can of Minute Maid OJ concentrate (which makes a 48 oz. pitcher) for $2.29. Compare that to Minute Maid's 64 oz. carton (also from concentrate, by the way) which is on sale this week for $2.69. A little math shows that an 8 oz. glass of the frozen OJ costs 38 cents, while the same size serving from the carton costs just under 34 cents.

(Eight ounces of the better-tasting Tropicana--which I buy because it's not from concentrate and therefore belies the suggestion that it's "the same as the carton orange juice that you buy from the store"--costs me 45 cents, by the way.)

Tags: Good Housekeeping Good Morning America consumer prices milk orange juice

Will the real John Jones please stand up?

In a story about the Packers' naming a woman as their vice president, ESPN links to a page referring to John Jones:

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers have appointed a woman as a vice president for the first time in their 89-year history.

Vicki Vannieuwenhoven was selected Tuesday as vice president of finance.

Incoming chief executive officer John Jones also named Jason Wied as vice president of administration. Jones, the current team president, will take over as CEO for Bob Harlan at the team's Board of Directors' meeting on May 30.

That John Jones is definitely not this John Jones. Something tells me the man pictured here has never caught a pass in anger in the NFL or anywhere else.

Tags: ESPN Green Bay Packers John Jones NFL

Happy Easter

One of our neighbors stopped by last week and invited us to come to a neighborhood Easter egg hunt at their home yesterday. Jackson had a great time. Here are a couple pictures.

Jackson with the first egg he found.

Sitting in the grass.

With his basket.

Happy Easter.