Today’s semi-random thoughts – It’s more like semi-semi-random thoughts today. Here goes:

Is distrust driving return-to-office orders?

Employers like to say they want workers to return to work because productivity and teamwork have suffered as a result of remote work. But what some employers are not saying is that they also flat-out don’t trust their employees to put in a solid day’s worth of work without bosses watching them like hawks. … At least for some, it’s a control-freak thing as well as a productivity and teamwork thing. … The Globe’s Jon Chesto has more.

MGB physicians want to unionize

The strongest evidence yet that our health care system is totally dysfunctional: MGB primary care physicians want to join a union. Yes, physicians. You know, the types who way back when belonged to exclusive country clubs, drove tacky yellow Mercedes, lived in affluent Peyton Place-like towns and neighborhoods, tended to vote Republican, and were preyed upon by stock brokers who sensed their complete ignorance of finances.

It’s the working-class, stupid

Another story, this time via the NYT, on how Dems have really blown it with the working-class, particularly the minority working-class.

A national emergency?

Do you feel like there’s a national emergency out there requiring the intervention of the U.S. military in domestic affairs? I didn’t think so. … But Trump confirms he’s going to declare an emergency anyway due to the hordes of illegal aliens mowing our lawns, stocking our supermarket shelves, driving our delivery trucks and, unforgivably, opening one too many hair salons. It’s an emergency!

Healey is acting like a governor, not an AG

Anthony Brooks at ‘BUR reports how Maura Healey’s more tempered response to Trump II may be tied to the nature of her new job as governor. I suspected roughly the same thing a few weeks ago (see ‘Maura Healey, the non-heretic’), but Brooks says it better.

Misguided missile decision

It’s a bad decision. Needlessly provocative. That’s my armchair-general take on Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied missiles to strike deeper inside Russia. How much of a difference can the new policy make if Trump likely reverses the decision in January? … A reader writes “WTF!” in response to a WSJ report that Ukraine has already launched a missile attack against a Russian ammo depot.

Trump’s ‘flood-the-zone’ tactic

The other day I wrote about the ‘drone-attack’ theory of Trump’s awful wave of cabinet picks. The Times is referring to it as the “flood-the-zone approach.” Same difference. 

BlueHub Capital’s ‘get out of jail free’ card

Bruce Marks is blasting the legislature’s nicey-nice provision tucked into the massive economic development bill that effectively gives BlueHub Capital, a community development company accused of being as predatory as they come, an exemption from the state consumer protection statutes. It’s essentially a “get out of jail free” card for the firm, Marks argues. … The politically wired BlueHub Capital is putting Gov. Healey in an uncomfortable spot.

The mystery of a WWI doughboy’s death

The best feature story of the week. Very sad, very moving.

Thomas Alperin and Greg Bialecki, RIP

The Boston business community suffered a double blow last week with the deaths of Thomas Alperin, the co-founder of National Development, and Greg Bialecki, the former economic and housing chief under Gov. Deval Patrick. They’ve both left a truly lasting impact on the development industry in Massachusetts. … B&T’s Steve Adams and the BBJ’s Greg Ryan have the sad details.