Comments for jackiedoherty.org http://jackiedoherty.org News, schools, and views from a uniquely Lowell perspective Fri, 04 May 2012 04:07:52 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 Comment on Lowell Humane Society by Jackie http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1366&cpage=1#comment-13332 Jackie Fri, 04 May 2012 04:07:52 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1366#comment-13332 So sorry to hear about Milo! Will keep my eyes open. Hey, he may end up around the park anyway; it seems to be kind of a cat hangout. So sorry to hear about Milo! Will keep my eyes open. Hey, he may end up around the park anyway; it seems to be kind of a cat hangout.

]]> Comment on MRT play haunts with Ghost-Writer by Margaret http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1354&cpage=1#comment-13255 Margaret Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:57:52 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1354#comment-13255 I agree with Jackie that this has been a great season for MRT, although I still find the pacing off on many of their plays. In "Ghostwritten" which I thoroughly enjoyed, I felt that the dramatic moments were muffled. It was a very cerebral play, but there was drama. It just didn't shine forth. This may be because of the mistaken use of an invisible person to whom she was speaking throughout which gave the play a slow start (as Jackie pointed out) and had a flattening effect on what action there was. The central issue of the play, whether she was actually channeling the words of her deceased employer (as she claimed) or whether she had actually become the writer made for some lively post-play discussion. (The MRT hosts these discussions on the first Thursday of the previews ). Jackie and I were in the minority in our opinion that she was the writer, others seemed to think she was co-creating with the dead author. The relationship between the two was carefully crafted, poignant and believable. One moment that stands out for me is when the amanuensis cries out that we are all haunted by our losses, and by our memories, that crop up unbidden with a message from the past. I echo Jackie's advice not to miss this one. I agree with Jackie that this has been a great season for MRT, although I still find the pacing off on many of their plays. In “Ghostwritten” which I thoroughly enjoyed, I felt that the dramatic moments were muffled. It was a very cerebral play, but there was drama. It just didn’t shine forth. This may be because of the mistaken use of an invisible person to whom she was speaking throughout which gave the play a slow start (as Jackie pointed out) and had a flattening effect on what action there was.

The central issue of the play, whether she was actually channeling the words of her deceased employer (as she claimed) or whether she had actually become the writer made for some lively post-play discussion. (The MRT hosts these discussions on the first Thursday of the previews ). Jackie and I were in the minority in our opinion that she was the writer, others seemed to think she was co-creating with the dead author. The relationship between the two was carefully crafted, poignant and believable. One moment that stands out for me is when the amanuensis cries out that we are all haunted by our losses, and by our memories, that crop up unbidden with a message from the past. I echo Jackie’s advice not to miss this one.

]]> Comment on Why Asheville? by Margaret http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1332&cpage=1#comment-13041 Margaret Fri, 06 Apr 2012 20:59:17 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1332#comment-13041 So, Cliff, would you go back again, or was once enough? Just curious as it is a question I am asking myself. So, Cliff, would you go back again, or was once enough? Just curious as it is a question I am asking myself.

]]> Comment on Why Asheville? by Cliff Krieger http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1332&cpage=1#comment-13018 Cliff Krieger Fri, 06 Apr 2012 02:03:15 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1332#comment-13018 We have been there and it is a nice place.  Good pick. Regards  —  Cliff We have been there and it is a nice place.  Good pick.

Regards  —  Cliff

]]> Comment on School board decides whether to spend or save while city manager spins by Jackie http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1248&cpage=1#comment-12386 Jackie Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:52:08 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1248#comment-12386 Thanks, I've got to formulate my thoughts in keeping with my word-count mimimum for posts, but I'll be baack! Thanks, I’ve got to formulate my thoughts in keeping with my word-count mimimum for posts, but I’ll be baack!

]]> Comment on School board decides whether to spend or save while city manager spins by Cliff Krieger http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1248&cpage=1#comment-12385 Cliff Krieger Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:37:38 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1248#comment-12385 Welcome Back. Looking forward to your "spin". Regards  —  Cliff Welcome Back.

Looking forward to your “spin”.

Regards  —  Cliff

]]> Comment on When you don’t let facts get in the way by Cliff Krieger http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1228&cpage=1#comment-12382 Cliff Krieger Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:40:08 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1228#comment-12382 I remember that article from <I>The Boston Globe</I> back on Sunday.  I thought for a moment that Democracy was over, that Bill Buckley was wrong. Then I thought about it some more.  People used to trust the MSM—even after they took us to Cuba and the Philippines in 1898.  Today not so much.  And the Internet has helped.  The reason half of TV viewers go Fox over ABC/CBS/NBC is that half the people no longer trust the MSM. I thought about those people in past experiments and decided that maybe the subjects didn't think of the experiments as being in possession of the truth.  Remember, these are the psychologist who tried to get us to torture people we didn't know—<a HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_Experiment" rel="nofollow">at Yale University</A>.  I am hoping we have moved on from that trust of "authority". As for Switzerland, it would be more like bringing back the draft and bringing in everyone and saving money by storing one's firearm at home rather than the local Armory.  As for the US, I am not sure a draft would be a good idea, but that is a different issue. Regards  —  Cliff I remember that article from The Boston Globe back on Sunday.  I thought for a moment that Democracy was over, that Bill Buckley was wrong.

Then I thought about it some more.  People used to trust the MSM—even after they took us to Cuba and the Philippines in 1898.  Today not so much.  And the Internet has helped.  The reason half of TV viewers go Fox over ABC/CBS/NBC is that half the people no longer trust the MSM.

I thought about those people in past experiments and decided that maybe the subjects didn’t think of the experiments as being in possession of the truth.  Remember, these are the psychologist who tried to get us to torture people we didn’t know—at Yale University.  I am hoping we have moved on from that trust of “authority”.

As for Switzerland, it would be more like bringing back the draft and bringing in everyone and saving money by storing one’s firearm at home rather than the local Armory.  As for the US, I am not sure a draft would be a good idea, but that is a different issue.

Regards  —  Cliff

]]> Comment on Council budget review for resilient, nocturnal residents only by kpemscott http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1165&cpage=1#comment-12375 kpemscott Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:48:10 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1165#comment-12375 I am upset that I wasted my time by staying up so late to watch this meeting. I just did not get it at all. Rita voted no to the entire budget, then yes to all the line items, and then no to the entire budget. Bud voted no to the entire budget, then no to all the line items, and then made no suggestions on what to cut. I am upset that I wasted my time by staying up so late to watch this meeting. I just did not get it at all. Rita voted no to the entire budget, then yes to all the line items, and then no to the entire budget. Bud voted no to the entire budget, then no to all the line items, and then made no suggestions on what to cut.

]]> Comment on A tale of two health insurance plans by Jackie http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1141&cpage=1#comment-12373 Jackie Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:25:04 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1141#comment-12373 The good news is that we are seeing tremendous movement as more employees are choosing the less expensive (and I would argue better) health insurance options. The good news is that we are seeing tremendous movement as more employees are choosing the less expensive (and I would argue better) health insurance options.

]]> Comment on A tale of two health insurance plans by kpemscott http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1141&cpage=1#comment-12372 kpemscott Mon, 07 Jun 2010 03:08:43 +0000 http://jackiedoherty.org/?p=1141#comment-12372 This seems like an absolute no brainer. Gone are the days that your local doctor tried to only give you referrals to local doctors. I have Blue Cross HMO and my co-pays have gone crazy in recent years. I pay $40 per doctors visit, $200 emergency visit, $500 per hospitilization or day surgery, and $15 for generic drugs and $30 for non-generics. I also pay $6 more per week for coverage. I now have zero sympathy for looking for cuts in the city health plan or for the city providing more school funding unless the union works with the school committee. This seems like an absolute no brainer. Gone are the days that your local doctor tried to only give you referrals to local doctors. I have Blue Cross HMO and my co-pays have gone crazy in recent years. I pay $40 per doctors visit, $200 emergency visit, $500 per hospitilization or day surgery, and $15 for generic drugs and $30 for non-generics. I also pay $6 more per week for coverage. I now have zero sympathy for looking for cuts in the city health plan or for the city providing more school funding unless the union works with the school committee.

]]>