And Now For More Boston Globe Bashing - LVI

On the one hand, sanctimonious pricks like Boston Globe columnist Bob Hohler love to mention Tom Brady's personal wealth numerous times in a column correctly derided as a 'hit piece' because, let's face it, class warfare still works. The goal is to make the reader jealous, envious and / or resentful towards Tom Brady.

When it comes to spending their own god damned money, well, that's different!

The parent company of the Boston Globe applied for and received a $1.3 million tax break, spread over 10 years, from the city of Taunton as it plans to ramp up employment there to more than 600 people in the coming months.

Kevin Shea, executive director of Taunton’s Economic and Community Development, told the Business Journal that Algonquin Management Holdings LLC, a Boca Raton, Florida-based parent company of Boston Globe Media Partners LLC, was granted the tax incentive in exchange for the promise to create jobs in the area. Algonquin is headed by Red Sox owner John Henry, owner of Boston Globe Media.

Methinks the town got the wrong end of the bargain here - how many readers think the dying newspaper industry is a robust creator of jobs? The only explanations I see are these - the town got suckered or there's another deal / angle that's not being disclosed.

Either way, it's always nice to start your day with a good laugh!

Hat tip to reader Walter R.

Duped

This isn't a post about Shank, but when the subject of trust in the major media is discussed, I don't have any problem throwing another log on the fire.

It was back in November, before Notre Dame played Boston College, that I made my first-ever trip to South Bend, Ind., assigned to write about star linebacker Manti Te’o.

By that time, his story was well-known, featured in everything from the South Bend Tribune to Sports Illustrated. Te’o had lost his grandmother and his girlfriend within six hours of each other in September. He had played on, helped the Irish beat Michigan State, and made a moving tribute to the girl he said he loved.

Now, suddenly, we learn that she never existed. It was mind-blowing — all the more so because I had heard it from him directly.

So I read Deadspin. I read Twitter. I watched Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick explain the college’s side of the story. I yearned to hear from Te’o. And I couldn’t help but think about my role in all of this, as yet another complicit reporter who retold Te’o’s tale.

And that's the problem, isn't it?

Maybe next time Amalie remembers the old Russian proverb 'trust, but verify'.