StoryPress: “Can we profit from your work product without compensating you?”

Much ado has been made recently about Lena Dunham’s intention to invite seven lesser known artists to warm up the crowds during her upcoming book tour, without actually paying them. More generally, it seems like there has been a growing backlash against the idea that it’s OK to offer artists “opportunities” for “exposure” without actually… Read More »

EZ-Pass Massachusetts credit card replenishment stupidity

I’ve had my share of run-ins with the incompetent bureaucracy of EZ-Pass Massachusetts (née “MTA Fastlane”), but somehow they’ve avoided being deservedly mocked on my blog. Well, the free ride is over. Several months ago, I had to change the credit-card number associated with my EZ-Pass account, because of a lost credit card. Unfortunately, EZ-Pass tried… Read More »

My analysis of 2014 Massachusetts ballot questions

Here’s my take on the state-wide ballot questions that will be on the ballot in Massachusetts on November 4, 2014. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts in the comments. UPDATE: I originally recommended a vote against  Question 2, but I’ve changed my mind. See below for the details. Question 1: Eliminating Gas Tax Indexing The… Read More »

MBTA’s “Transit Diary” a failure before it has even begun

The MBTA is currently beta-testing a project & corresponding web application called “Transit Diary“. Its purpose is to collect data directly from riders about their experiences riding the T, presumably to help the T evaluate how well it is serving riders’ needs and where service-improvement efforts should be focused. Unfortunately, Transit Diary employs obsolete, inferior… Read More »

Appalling Gaza coverage in July 11, 2014 “On The Media” episode

To: onthemedia@wnyc.org Cc: letters@camera.org I just listened to your July 11 episode. I listened in HORROR to your interview with Philip Weiss of Mondoweiss. His comments were a skewed, biased, warped version of reality. That’s not surprising, since Mondoweiss itself presents a skewed, biased, warped version of reality. It is a radically anti-Israel, anti-Zionist pro-Palestinian web… Read More »

Morning Jew’s Katie Halper apparently doesn’t understand how politics, or reality, works

I suppose if a Disney Channel star and hip-hop artist are qualified to render informed opinions on the conflict in the Middle East, then “comedian, writer and filmmaker” Katie Halper is just as entitled to dive in over her head as they are. Perhaps she wanted to prove that Jews can be just as clueless… Read More »

Support for Israel

Dear President Obama, When Palestinians kidnapped and murdered three Israeli teenagers, Palestinians danced in the streets, and the terrorists were praised by PA officials. Rather than helping capture them, the PA facilitated their escape; they still have not been apprehended. Palestinians who expressed regret over the kidnapping received death threats. In contrast, when Israelis kidnapped… Read More »