Here’s yet another example of the Trump 10/90 Rule at work, i.e., when Trump may hold a view that has a 10 percent kernel of truth to it, but then he goes 90 percent overboard.  In this  latest case, it’s cult follower Pete Hegseth’s recent purge of books at the Naval Academy library, one of which was a book written by a friend of Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby, who says the views of Phil Perlmutter were anything but DEI. … Past examples of the 10/90 rule here and here. 

Update –5.16.25 — At Liberal Patriot, Ruy Teixeira grades Dems’ inability to acknowledge that Trump and MAGA types might actually be partly right on some issues — and how that inability is really hurting Dems.

The NYT lists what other nations, mostly European countries, are doing to recruit top American scientists to their shores amid the Trump administration’s cuts in U.S. research funding. … You can bet much of their recruiting efforts will be, and already are, aimed at Boston-area researchers. … “This is a once-in-a-century brain gain opportunity,” one Australian institute has gleefully pronounced.  And they can thank DOGE for the brain-gain windfall. …The Herald had something on this subject last week. And Gov. Healey was warning about the competitive threat back in March, as the Globe reported.

It’s rather simple: when both the state and national GDPs contract in the same quarter and there’s open talk of recession, sooner or later state tax revenues are likely to take a hit. That partially explains why Gov. Maura Healey has announced a hiring freeze within state government. … It should also be noted that the Mass. GOP is making hay of all the recent negative economic news. 

This poignant post about the Peace Corp funding cuts is getting passed around a lot. I got it from a former Peace Corps volunteer, who notes the ludicrousness of DOGE’s claim that it’s creating ‘efficiencies’ at an agency built entirely around volunteerism. … Here’s some other reactions to the post.

The Celts are going to have to rebuild again after only one championship season? Unfortunately, yes, probably, in the wake of Jayson Tatum’s devastating Achille’s heal injury.  The Globe’s Gary Washburn explains why and how a Celts ‘reboot’ will probably unfold this off-season … Even before Gary’s excellent article came out, a Hub Blog reader wrote in: 

“Given the (apparent) upcoming sale of the team and the ludicrous luxury taxes facing the Celtics, it’s easy to see them tearing it down next year and waving a fond farewell to Kristaps, Jhru and Al. If the 80s Celtics were operating under today’s NBA tax regime, they would’ve done likewise when McHale’s and Walton’s feet, and Larry’s back, went out… prepare for the Baylor Scheierman years.”

I’m not sure about the Baylor Scheierman years. But this current Celts era sadly seems over. What an awful turn of events. 

The Celts’ season is probably done after last night’s loss to the Knicks. But next year’s season could be done too if the injury to Jayson Tatum is as severe as feared, i.e. an Achilles’ tear … The Globe’s Gary Washburn has more on the potential long-term repercussions of Jayson’s injury. …  This could scramble the front office’s post-season roster/payroll moves. Maybe Porzingis isn’t a no-return? Who knows.

Update — From a reader: “Well this is what happens when you can’t watch the game but only the boxscore on espn… hoping for Tatum recovery.  As Celtic post seasons go this is the most deeply frustrating in 42 years… “

Update II – Even before Jayson’s fall last night, the Knicks were on a roll and the Celts weren’t. Here’s what the same reader above wrote just prior to Jason’s injury: “I don’t think the Celtics have a chance in hell keeping on doing what they are doing: 7 points from Porzingis … 5 points from Al … 4 points from Holiday. Never mind 42 points from Tatum – part of the problem.   Also offensive rebounds (by Knicks), apparent Paul Silas isn’t walking through that door…  Sad!”

Universal Hub’s Adam Gaffin has an amazing post that captures an important part of Boston’s history, mostly a forgotten history, by telling the story behind one black-and-white photo taken in old Dudley Square in 1968. The photo appears to show one thing, then transforms into another as Adam describes how a Black student protest over a school dress code led to rioting that spread from Egleston and Grove Hall and into Dudley Square, all of it foreshadowing the school busing crisis in Boston six years later. … An accompanying photo of Louise Day Hicks, a Boston School Committee member at the time and a staunch opponent of school desegregation, is eerie. She’s just standing there, far off, all alone, monitoring events. … Definitely check out the post. It’s a piece of city history that deserves to be remembered.

We’re talking jewelry, chocolates, textiles, vases, candles and florals. … The prices are all going up. It’s horrible! … And tariffs could drive some people to hold their weddings overseas, eliminating jobs right here in the U.S.A. … The BBJ has more.

Update – And I hadn’t even thought of the Azazie dresses and French Champagne, as noted by the Times. …

Here’s a quick roundup of some local political news, mostly Republican news (oddly enough) and covered mostly by the Herald (not so oddly enough since the Herald has traditionally covered the GOP more closely than the Globe). … Brian Shortsleeve, the former MBTA chief and venture capitalist, has launched his bid for governor, becoming the second  Republican candidate seeking to unseat Gov. Maura Healey, the Herald reports. Even before the launch, Shortsleeve was making the MBTA Communities Act a political issue, saying the housing law should be repealed and confirming Hub Blog’s prior hunch that the act would become a significant issue in the 2026 race. … As Shortsleeve starts his campaign, state Sen. Peter Durant, also a Republican, has ruled out a run, the Herald reports. …  The Herald has one more piece on the ‘burning debate’ within the Mass. GOP over whether to embrace or reject Donald Trump. You would think the answer is obvious, i.e. both, depending on the make-up of an individual legislative or congressional district. But political purists, such as MAGA types, rarely think in such terms. They want complete control and adherence to their cause, thus the ‘burning debate.’ …. Speaking of political purists, Patrick Roath, who apparently comes from the David Hogg wing of the Democratic Party, is challenging U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, a moderate Dem, GBH reports. Yet another progressive, I guess, who believes the best way to defeat Republicans is to defeat Democrats. … Frank Baker, the former Boston City Councilor, wants to return to the council, the Globe reports. … Universal Hub has the stunning news that Robert Cappucci is making his fourth run for mayor, officially becoming a perennial candidate. 

And, finally, as a centrist, I really enjoyed Bill Maher’s ‘Retake the Flag’ monologue the other night:

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Update – A reader notes, without comment, that Patrick Roath’s wedding got a New York Times write-up, as if that’s all that needs to be said. … For some reason, the Hub Blog mind drifts to the book ‘Abundance.‘

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The New York Times has a nice write-up on Billerica’s Factorial Energy, founded by a husband-wife team from China who are in a race to develop the first workable solid-state battery that could transform the electric-car industry. … The firm has received nearly $250 million in funding over the years, including investments by Mercedes-Benz, as the BBJ has reported. The Globe has previously named the firm’s cofounder and chief executive, Siyu Huang, as a  local Tech Power Player. … Image above via Factorial Energy.