One of my favorite sources for local news is GoLocalProv.com ... I'm there constantly. Like any pathological relationship, however, I am spurred to emotional highs and lows ... They are a great source of local reporting ... They are a wonderful example of new media ... Equally inspiring is GoLoco's local entrepreneurial flava'. And while their Who's Hot and Who's Not political column has the potential to keep me awake Friday nights, GoLoco has proven to be a wonderful example of what can happen when the Media "Gets Their Mission" ...

(Full Disclosure: GoLoco was kind enough to post an article I penned last month on the "State of Rhode Island Talk Radio")

With all of that in mind, I find myself repulsed by their choice of "Company of the Year"....My initial response, as posted there ...

I would enjoy hearing what all of you have to say ...

"Twin Rivers has been nothing less than an economic disaster for Rhode Island ... Hundreds of millions of dollars are drained from the economy of Rhode Island annually, all to feed the beast of Rhode Island State Government .. Rhode Islanders effectively subsidized the purchase of the Biloxi Casino ... And with the promise of Massachusetts competition on the horizon, watch this "hometown" company gradually wean themselves off  of their Lil Rhody Dependency within the next 2-3 years .... Probably to move their offices, and their Rhode Island blood profits, elsewhere ...

Government should never profit from games of chance, foisted upon an undereducated audience, with the imprimatur of government approval. This is a highly regressive tax, targeted at the poor .... A suckers bet, the house, statistically always wins

Think about this ... If Rhode Island State Government raised taxes hundreds of millions of dollars a year, the electorate, would be, I dare say, peeved? But let them play a cool video game, and its entertainment?

Imagine the effect on the Rhode Island economy if only a fraction of that money had been spent on local businesses ... But the biggest travesty is, given the vacuum our leaders make decisions in, we will never even know ...

As Rudy says ... Sleep Tite Vo Disland"

The John DePetro Imbroglio     

Just days after Mr. DePetro made, at the very least, hateful comments about women protesting a Raimondo "Campaign" Appearance ... A "Grass Roots", "Spontaneous" (although Spontaneous has never had such great production values before ...) campaign has risen to rid the Rhode Island Media Landscape of the ever controversial DePetro ...

God Bless'em ... It's about time we saw some decent political theater round here ... Social Activism doesn't have to be so darned earnest all the time

Sooooo .... Let's watch the Candidates do their best to "Never Let A Good Crisis Go To Waste ...."

Gina ... Let's be blunt ... she's not exactly making history among Union, or Women Voters. Any opportunity to appear sympathetic (read pander) to the same, simply can't be missed .... Folks, if you ever had any questions about political loyalty, they were answered here ... A frequent guest of the DePetro Show, she never missed an opportunity to indulge in John's Sloppy Wet Media Kisses ...

Fung? Given the Gender Gap that even the most liberal feel good RINO experiences ... summoned his most potent outrage for a forum that he too, has routinely supped at ... I'm wondering if he did a push poll before his brave condemnation ...

Block? This is the biggest disappointment ... Ken Block has gone through a significant political maturation process over the last 2 years ... He does not engage in the "Student Council I'm Gonna Get Rid of Homework" Rhetoric that has been the hallmark of the Fung Campaign ... And he has consistently called for banishing the social issues that typically became the source of outrage porn fodder in the Lil Rhody Gubernatorial Campaigns of the past. I expect more subtlety from him ... Perhaps appearing on Dan Yorke's show to discuss the issue ...

And of course, late to the party as always .. the Regrettable Mark "Automatic" Smiley, of Gun Raffle Fame ... Someone woke up Mr Smiley from his political slumber and pointed out that the RIGOP would be the odd man out, if they did not jump on the Boycott Bandwagon. So jump he did ... appearing as Tone Deaf as ever ... (BTW, where is the usually indefatigable (and Former PRO Employee) Doreen Costa? Genetically unable to avoid a photographic device, she seems to be MIA ...

To My Point:

Individuals have free choice to listen to, or participate in a show like DePetro's, at their sole discretion. However, public officials refusing access to an entire media outlet is a dangerous precedent ... Using the power of government, which was granted to them by the electorate, to effectively quiet the media? Whether it be in the name of some feigned interest in defending the honor of womanhood, or more likely, in limiting media insight into Rhody's Scandal Du Jour ... Obscene ... Boycott DePetro? No problemo ... Effectively shut down WPRO, probably the only state wide media outlet that continually challenges the status quo? ... Disgusting ...The Urinal, of course, can't wait to pile on their media (and advertising do re mi $$) nemesis.  And the late, band wagon reaction of Smiley/Fung is typical ... They are reacting out of political fear ... Believe me, there is no courage being displayed on either side of the issue.

The RINO In The Room ... 


Conservatives & Libertarians are again being called upon to vote for a Republican, merely because they aren't Linc Chafee or Frank Caprio .... For too many years, in a manner bearing striking similarities to the treatment of African American Democrats, Conservatives & Libertarians have been asked to check their principles at the door, because, well, its better than the alternative. I believe differently ... Embracing another MeToo Bush Republican is nothing more than a continued prop to the status quo. That propping up a thoroughly corrupted, financially, economically & morally bankrupt Rhode Island represents progress against an enemy ingrained in RIThink is somehow ennoblingIt is time to let Rhode Island Go ...The efforts of a well meaning few, (If Black is the new White, is the Tea Party the new Operation Clean Government? Anyone for a march down Route 95?) to provide continued economic support to a moocher\looter constituency that lives off their efforts, in fact relies upon them to provide a host organism, does nothing but delay the inevitable ... a complete economic\social collapse.Slavery to a failed system ... in this case the Rhode Island Economy\"Way of Life" ... is nothing more than a delusional belief that a few individuals can continue to simultaneously support, and at the same time reform a society so selfish, so narcissistic that one is reminded of a woman's love for an abusive boyfriend.In a manner not unlike a whore's ... your desire to save them is neither understood, or desired. Trust me, they are not grateful.How else to explain the leftward swing in last months primary elections? The complete denial over the pension abyss that lies before us? An ignorance of even the most fundamental economic principles?A Governor who insists that Rhode Island shows a surplus, despite a multi-billion dollar unfunded pension liability?The display of political might of a Union Culture that will inevitably bankrupt us?The Greed of a Corporate Culture that will use the last of our discretionary funds to bankroll a risky high tech gaming venture ... a move that brings to mind the vision of a late night, desperate gambler, playing his last few chips on Red?It is time to let Rhode Island Go ...Liberals, Unions, the Welfare Industrial Complex, when quizzed about the source of their funding, inevitably point to the existence a vague Wealthy Class, from whom an unimaginable fount of riches emanates. When they are forced (usually under some form of psychological duress) to admit that there may be some limitations to this wealth, they invariably stumble away, muttering that the wealth will simply BE there ... This blind faith that you, the producer, will always be there to support them needs to be shaken badly ...It is time to let Rhode Island Go ...For those of you with options, invest elsewhere ...starve them of the capital they need ... your tax dollars are their wealth ... Among the few private sector employees remaining? Recognize the coming storm and act accordingly ... Companies unfortunate enough to own/rent property in Providence have begun to see the "New, Progressive" Tax Structure already ... Own a business here? Take what little time is left to diversify ... seek new revenue streams elsewhere ... Pay those taxes due, when due ... As seen in the aftermath of the floods, Rhode Island's cash flow is so poor that even a delay of a few weeks threw the bureaucracy into a near death spiral.

Simply put, the Producers who cling to the notion that Rhode Island can somehow be saved merely continue to enable the behavior of the looters\moochers who cannot grasp the notion that wealth needs to be created, not distributed ... that the success of the few can improve the lives of many ... that productivity & innovation are to be cherished, not derided ... and as a Society, we cannot continue to blindly trust that the actions of a few will continue to support the many, who choose to sit on life's sidelines, waiting for their handout


PO Taxpayer