Published January 4, 2011

Good morning!

» I’ll be a big letdown at the water cooler today because I didn’t watch “Craigslist Killer” last night (the Lifetime movie about Phillip Markoff, a BU med student accused of killing a masseuse after meeting her on Craigslist and who killed himself in jail). I don’t have cable.

» I’ll be on Here & Now today at noon, showing Robin Young how to use an iPad. Then I’m on Radio Boston at 3 to talk about HirePatriots.com, an online job board for service members that just expanded to Mass.

» Lawmakers are putting pressure on the Patrick administration about the death Woburn Police Officer Jack Maguire, who was shot to death during a suspected jewel heist on Sunday night. The alleged robber and shooter, Dominic Cinelli, was freed on parole while serving three life sentences. Gov. Deval Patrick said he is “obviously upset” by the shooting but will not comment on the Parole Board’s decision to release Cinelli in 2008. The Herald spun it this way:

Gov. Deval Patrick said yesterday that he still hasn’t watched the parole hearing of felon turned cop killer Dominic Cinelli or reviewed the con’s lengthy criminal record even as House Speaker Robert DeLeo joined the outcry over Cinelli’s controversial release.

» The Globe reports 99 percent of schools filed anti-bullying guidelines in time for the Dec. 31 deadline. Also: The town of Norton has expanded its anti-Facebook rules for teachers, which I’ll be reporting on later.

» Hey, the Mega Millions jackpot is $330 million today. My ticket buys me a 1 in 175,711,536 chance of winning. The Herald did a good little piece of the misfortunes of past winners from Mass. (Also, for some reason the photo of the man with the Corvette reminds me of this classic from the Onion.)

Mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid to upper 30s today.

Published January 3, 2011

The Boston Sunday Globe Magazine named Sen. Scott Brown

On Sunday, the Boston Globe Magazine looked back at the year that was and declared Sen. Scott Brown the 2010 Bostonian of the Year.

Reporter Neil Swidey opens the piece with a familiar description of the most junior senator:

When he entered the national consciousness, he was considered something of a lightweight. Sure, he was camera-ready – a handsome, fit guy surrounded by an attractive family. But as someone asking the people to send him to conduct the serious business of the United States Senate, he had little in the way of a legislative record.

He is describing Ted Kennedy, of course. Brown would be little different 47 years later.

Brown is a natural choice for the Globe’s annual distinction (that is, if you don’t mind he is actually from Wrentham), and we declared Brown’s Senate victory WBUR’s Story of the Year.

But the Boston Herald focused on the year ahead: 2012. Doug Rubin — a political strategist and Gov. Deval Patrick’s former chief of staff — says Brown will face a tough challenge in the next election, despite being wicked populah.

Gov. Deval Patrick (AP)

Remember, when Brown won a year ago, how everyone said a red tide would sweep over America in the mid-term elections? That happened, but it missed Massachusetts. Democrats vowed never to be caught off-guard again. Rubin writes:

The Democratic Party is energized, its grass-roots re-engaged, the groundwork laid for another successful statewide get-out-the-vote operation. Plus, the Democratic nominee will have the advantage of a popular incumbent Boston mayor, state governor and Sen. John F. Kerry campaigning on his or her behalf.

And then there are those who want Gov. Patrick to run for the Senate seat. Patrick has said his second term, which begins Thursday, will be his last.

Swidey joins Radio Boston at 3 p.m. to talk about the Bostonian of the Year. Was Brown the right choice? If not, who do you think deserves the distinction? Who will be the Bostonian of 2012?