It was the week when we all exhausted ourselves traveling to see friends and family, sure it was going to be a disaster ... and we had a good time.
- Next time, keep the lights off. Republican Representative Joe Barton just learned this week the same lesson parents everywhere have been trying to drum into their kids’ heads. Naked selfies. Don’t. Ever. Ever. Ever.
- Red-faced. Facebook said it plans to let users know if they liked or followed any Russian propaganda. Newest upcoming meme: “I knew that.” Yeah, sure you did.
- Economic powerhouse. Impeachment fans suffered another blow this week when new data showed jobless claims had dropped yet again, arguably to their lowest point in 47 years. Here’s the problem. At its core, all of Trump’s nativist, anti-immigrant, America First rhetoric was about jobs — especially jobs for those let go during the Great Recession. And ugly tweets and offensive bombast notwithstanding, the president seems to be delivering.
- That's just stinkin' thinkin! It’s a safe bet that Al Franken is no longer a viable presidential candidate for 2020. And if one more woman tells a story about him, it’s a safe bet he won’t even be senator.
- Another boost for Lyft. Uber admitted that a year ago hackers accessed data about 57 million Uber users, at which point the company paid $100,000 to another set of hackers to cover up the breach. Now it’s coming clean, firing its security chief and a subordinate. Two things. First, you know this goes deeper. No chief of security has power to go spending an unbudgeted $100,000 without getting approval from someone. And that someone, I’m guessing, has to be ex-CEO (and still director) corporate badboy Travis Kalanick. And second, when we talk about glowingly about “disruptive” companies and technologies, maybe we ought to make clear that “disrupting” doesn’t include basic ethics.
- Machiavellian. Donald Trump is being taken to task for saying folks should still vote for Roy Moore in the upcoming Alabama senate election. Yes, it’s appalling. But politically it’s a smart move. The GOP is in deep trouble if a Democrat wins a seat — its majority is then down to just one vote. And if Moore wins, it’s almost certain the Senate would refuse to seat him and so a substitute — a Republican — would take his place. And as for Trump’s personal reputation? Does anyone think it gets worse than it already is because he supported an alleged child-molester? Not me.
- Verizon wins one. The chair of the FCC proposed rolling back Obama-era net neutrality rules. Sounds like a great issue for Democrats except that no one understands net neutrality.
- Striking out. Journalist Charlie Rose and congressman John Conyers became the latest to be accused of sexual harassment. The behavior was the kind we’ve become increasingly accustomed to: Exposing oneself, grabbing, lewd come-ons and the like. All of which raises this question: Do this kind of stuff actually work? Did Rose ever walk into a room with his robe open and a woman suddenly says, “Yes, baby, I’m yours!” Of course not. Which means not only did these guys engage in behavior that risks their livelihoods, careers and reputations, but it was also completely pointless. Next time, gentlemen, try a different approach — with someone who’s not your employee, intern or underage: “Hi, care to have dinner with me tonight?”
- Why the Boy Scouts are winning. The Girl Scouts advised parents that their kids shouldn’t feel obliged to give grandma or grandpa a hug over the holidays, urging the kids to rebuff proffered arms with a high-five or an air-kiss. For a while I’ve been wondering when the sexual harassment tsunami would jump the shark. It just did.
- Fair-weather fans. Bostonians everywhere thrilled to the Celtics’ improbable string of victories until it was stopped at 16. At which point they shrugged their shoulders and said, “OK, we’ll watch again when it’s the playoffs.”
- Where’s Drizly when you need ‘em? And finally, the MBTA said it was planning to allow alcohol advertisements on trains and buses. But you still won’t be allowed to drink while riding. It’s so like the T: All promise with no follow through. Kind of like saying we’ll get you there on time but somehow you always arrive late.
This column was first published by Cognoscenti on November 24, 2017.