Need a laugh? Check out Erich Schwartzel’s WSJ piece on how Disney’s new live-action remake of ‘Show White’ has ‘managed to hit every possible cultural land mine on its journey to theaters.’ .,. One of my favorite lines: “The actresses playing Snow White and the Evil Queen even staked out opposing sides about the war in Gaza.”
Month: March 2025
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Theater of the absurd: Remaking ‘Snow White’ in today’s polarized political world
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The outer limits of small-mindedness: White House attacks Wu’s speech
One of the most inconsequential political events in America on Wednesday – Mayor Michelle Wu’s annual State of the City address, usually a silly local stab at national- and state-level gravitas – attracted the petty attention of Donald Trump’s White House. … Question: Who in the White House even bothered to monitor her speech? It’s probably a Massachusetts homer who still regularly reads the Herald. That’s my guess.
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Meet the Celts’ new owner: William Chisholm, aka the future ‘Mr. Cheap’
I would have preferred Steve Pagliuca. But I guess William Chisholm, a native of Massachusetts and reportedly a big Celts fan, is not a bad second choice as the new owner of the Celtics. … The Globe and BBJ have more on the latest PE-type to buy a sports team. … And, yes, the team went for roughly what Wyc et family hoped to get: $6.1 billion. … The Globe separately reports Pagliuca is “saddened” he didn’t win the bidding.
Update – 3.21.25 — Great minds think alike. From Dan Shaughnessy: “Why not Pags? It seems odd that Steve Pagliuca’s Celtics ownership bid was turned down, and other thoughts.”
Update II – Matt Vautour at MassLive thinks Chisholm is going to have a tough time managing the Celts’ big payroll spending: “If his rich guy dream was to own the sports team he’s been rooting for his whole life, this might have been the only chance he had to do it. But he just spent a whole lot of money to assume a position where people are going to accuse him of being cheap.”
Update III – I modified the headline to incorporate Matt’s line about future accusations of cheapness.
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‘The Race for Second-Worst Party’
Another case of loving the headline. … I liked most of Karl Rove’s WSJ column too. This line is so true: “Republicans dream of the day leftists like New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib take control of the other party.” … So who should Democrats turn to instead? The NYT’s Michelle Cottle has the latest Great Moderate Hope suggestion: U.S. Rep. Jason Crow.
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The Globe drifts further into BBJ’s list territory
It’s not a big deal, but, as a former ink-stained-era wretch for both the BBJ and Globe, I find it curious the Globe has come out with its inaugural list of the 50 fastest growing companies in New England, not to be confused with the BBJ’s ‘Fast 50’ list of the fastest growing private companies in Massachusetts. … The two local media outlets have produced similar business ‘lists’ in the past, such as the Globe’s ‘Top Places to Work’ versus the BBJ’s ‘Best Places to Work.’ So view the new ‘fastest growing’ list as the Globe latest foray into BBJ list territory. … Btw: The Hub Blog minds drifts to the old Boston Magazine-Improper Bostonian battles over their respective ‘Best of’ lists.
Update – 3.21.25 — The BBJ has released its 2025 Fast 50 list. … The timing of the Globe’s inaugural list makes more sense now.
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Nvidia goes big on Quantum Computing – and Boston
This ought to boost Boston’s AI/chip competitiveness. The BBJ and Barron’s are reporting the giant chipmaker plans to build a new “Accelerated Quantum Computing Research Center” in Boston, teaming up with various local players like QuEra Computing, Harvard, MIT etc. … There are no figures on how much Nvidia might invest in the center, nor how many employees might be hired. We’ll have to wait and see. But it certainly can’t hurt to have Nvidia developing partnership deals here.
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‘It Is Not Chuck Schumer’s Job to Satisfy Your Emotional Needs’
I loved the above headline on Josh Barro’s recent post. … What do Schumer critics want Dems to do? More paddle-board, pink-dresses and howling-rage protests? … As Michael Baharaeen notes at Liberal Patriot: “’Resistance’ will only take (Dems) so far, especially if rooted in nothing more than mindless rage.” … Bottom line: Dems need to pick effective battles, expand their base and win future elections.
Note – U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who loves revving up the progressive base, is critical of Schumer’s budget vote. But she’s not calling for his replacement, the Globe reports. I.e., she probably knows Schumer took one for the team.
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More pushback against glass-covered towers in Boston
First comes opposition to more glass-covered towers in Downtown Crossing. Now opposition is mobilizing against a proposed tower project in Boston’s North Station/West End, as B&T reports. Is there a pattern forming here? … Bostonians are infamous for opposing major development projects in general. But it does seem people are getting rather sick of these banal towers. Besides the first link above, I also harped on this subject back in January (scroll down to ‘Not quite NIMBYism’).
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MGB doesn’t let a $250M deficit get in the way of its world domination plans
A week after implementing another round of layoffs to deal with a huge budget hole, MGB, aka the former Partners Health, has announces a $400 million investment in a cancer care center because, well, it can’t let Dana Farber team up with rival Beth Israel Deaconess without a counter-move to preserve its cash flow and dominant market share in Boston. … The BBJ has more.
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Please, please, please don’t trade Joe Milton
The Pats will deeply regret it if they do. … Am I the only one who thinks Drake Maye has much more to prove? … Milton chatter via Globe’s Ben Volin.
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