Published July 29, 2010

Statue of St. Denis, Paris (Dan Zelazo/Flickr)

Last week, after Radio Boston host Meghna Chakrabarti offended some listeners with the phrase “lapsed Catholics,” I asked Hubbub readers to offer alternatives.

Turns out a lot of you used to be Catholic. Here is a sample of your thoughtful (and occasionally very funny) responses:

• Jack B: “Lapsed” sounds as if I dozed off. “Fallen-away” sounds like accidentally stumbling down the steps. I prefer to say I’m alienated after noticing long ago that the two very most important matters to the institution were (and are) sex and money.
• Gary Hills: The correct terms are either apostate, if you belong to another religion, or non-believer, or possibly lazy.
• Joanne Archibald: For many years, I used to say I was “a recovering Catholic.” Now I usually refer to myself as “culturally Catholic.”
• John: “Lapsed” was probably an accurate way to describe the targets of this advertising campaign. People who left the Church due to a desire to sleep late on Sunday or those with busy lives are more likely to “come home” than those of us who left due to disagreeing with the Church’s bigoted policies regarding women and gays, their disgraceful coverup of child rape, or realizing that there is not a god.
• Jim: To progress from belief in received wisdom to rationality is hardly a “lapse”. Escape might be more like it.
• Joe The Plummer: I prefer the term “Recovering Catholic” as in recovering alcoholic. As an alcoholic can never get rid of his alcoholism but can control its harmful effects by staying away from alcohol, a cradle Catholic can never get rid of the Catholic upbringing, he can control its harmful effects by staying away from the church!
• Paul: You can call me, “No Longer Guilt Ridden.”
• Steve Louis: I’d like to proffer the nomenclature “Non-Observant Catholic” for consideration. Some of my Jewish friends refer to themselves as “Non-Observant Jews”, and it seems to work for them.
• chris: I consider myself a “fallen Catholic” who has no intention of getting up. I also say I stopped practicing Catholicism because I wasn’t getting better at it.
• ivoted: Around my town, we call former Catholics “Unitarians”

My favorite response is from commenter JKHJ:

“Inactive” or “Not an Active Member” is how I describe my relationship to the Church, when called to do so.

To me, “Former” implies bitterness or alienation. I was treated well in the Church and I have deep respect for the Sisters of Loretto who run the best schools in the world. I believe a person can truly develop spiritually (mentally and emotionally also if “spiritually” is too ethereal a word for you) through the sacraments, in a Catholic community. This may sound a little arrogant but I feel that I have outgrown the church, therefore am not a member. No hard feelings though, and many fond memories, and much respect for my parents who have always been active participant even when they were in disagreement.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love our readers?

Published July 29, 2010

OK, the ascension of Joe Sciacca to editor in chief of the Boston Herald is not even remotely controversial. From what I can tell he’s a stand-up guy who deserves the gig. We talked with Joe yesterday on Radio Boston.

In his honor, I submit this fake Herald cover for your review:

Because the Herald does such a good job making non-controversial things controversial. (Illustration by Andrew Phelps/WBUR)

Good luck, Joe.

If you want a laugh, you can browse through some the Herald’s (actual) recent covers — they’re instant classics. What’s your favorite?

Update: Twitterer David Guarino (@davidguarino) replies: “Shoulda gone with a hat. As Joe knows, you haven’t made it until Herald puts a hat on you on page 1.” Hilarious.

Published July 28, 2010

Empty seats at Fenway Park (Eric Kilby/Flickr)

Dustin Pedroia, NESN, Jacoby Ellsbury, WEEI…

The Red Sox have suffered devastating injuries this year. And now, with the team stuck in third place in the division, can we add Sox broadcasts to the injured list?

After six straight years as the top local baseball broadcast, Sox games on NESN are ranked fifth this season. According to analysis of Nielsen Media Research data by the SportsBusiness journal, NESN’s Sox ratings fell 35.8 percent since last season.  Radio isn’t immune to the drop either: WEEI’s Sox broadcast ratings are down 16.5 percent.

Do Bostonians not care anymore? Are we — gasp — fair-weather fans?

Most of Boston media seems to think so: NECN proclaims the “death of a ratings dynasty.” WBZ asks, “Have the Boston Red Sox jumped the shark in New England?” Masslive.com trumpets, “Red Sox Nation appears to be tuning out…”

Could it be the Sox’s early-season ratings were hurt by long postseason runs by the Celtics and Bruins? Or maybe we were consumed by the World Cup? Or maybe it’s just that the Sox have lost marquee stars to injury?

Just as teams can’t win World Series titles in July, the rankings battle isn’t over until the playoffs start. If the Sox make a strong run toward the postseason, rest assured they’ll be the No. 1 topic in the Dunkin’ Donuts line and that WEEI’s and NESN’s advertising coffers will be overflowing.

Hey! The Patriots open training camp tomorrow! Football is back, baby!

Published July 28, 2010

With as many as five more shark sightings off Chatham — including a Great White that was caught, tagged and released on Tuesday — I’ve updated Hubbub’s summer 2010 shark map.

I have a question for all you fishermen and women out there: Why does the reported length of sharks vary?

I understand that a spotter in a plane has to make an estimate. But in three cases this summer, a shark was actually caught and measured. The Gloucester crew nabbed a Great White of six to seven feet. The Rockport fisherman caught a Thresher shark of seven to eight feet. The catch in Chatham yesterday was 12 to 14 feet. That’s a margin of error of two feet!

Published July 28, 2010

Is Rhode Island on a nefarious mission to chip away at our state coffers?

First we got news that Sen. John Kerry docked his new yacht there, a tax haven for boaters. After the manufactured uproar, Kerry has voluntarily agreed to pay about a half-million dollars in taxes to Massachusetts. Take that, Rhode Island.

The Herald as-sails the senior skipper this morning and quotes state Republicans who say Kerry voters will jump ship. Bostonist has a roundup of the important work Kerry is doing, overshadowed by recent controversies.

Meanwhile, former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling throws a change-up and moves his video game venture, 38 Studios, to Rhode Island, promising 450 new jobs there. C’mon, Curt. Rhode Island is the smallest state in America, it probably doesn’t even have 450 people. The Globe’s Hiawatha Bray reports on the reignited debate over business incentives in the Bay State.

Finally, it turns out Rhode Island and Massachusetts are among 19 states competing for a share of $3.4 billion in “Race to the Top” education funding. Rhode Island is asking for $75 million. Massachusetts wants $250 million.

Published July 27, 2010

Sen. John Kerry (AP)

The Boston Herald put him in an impossible position.

Last week, the paper’s “Inside Track” gals — Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa — broke the story that Sen. John Kerry purchased a $7 million yacht and skipped the Massachusetts “sails tax.” Thing is, Kerry didn’t buy her in Massachusetts. He bought her and kept her in Rhode Island, where there is no sales tax on vessels. Still, the Herald kept hounding the senator over its manufactured controversy.

Late on Tuesday night, Boston.com ran a non-story — curiously late — about statements made by Kerry’s office on Sunday, promising he would pay any and all applicable taxes.

I publicly asked why Kerry should be obliged to pay sales taxes on a boat he bought in another state. He did not appear to break any laws. Twitterer @HubScout thoughtfully replied, in a series of tweets:

He lives in Mass & sails mostly in Mass – so choosing different, cheaper state to dock sends odd message for a state official. It’s kinda like a senator voting to impose liquor taxes on Massachusetts residents, while driving to R.I. to get his tax free.

Point taken. Kerry could keep evading the tax — and let the story live.

But this just in: The Globe reports he did something more odd today: Kerry agreed to voluntarily cut a check for about $500,000 to make the story go away. That’s the amount Kerry would have owed had he purchased the boat in the Bay State instead of the Ocean State.

Published July 27, 2010

People have had emotional reactions to my story about Monday’s Massachusetts SJC ruling on homeowner liability when it comes to icy sidewalks.

Charles Lindbergh staged an impressive recovery after slipping on ice in this January 1935 file photo. (AP)

I reported an explainer today for Morning Edition. If you missed it, the state’s highest court closed a loophole — rooted in medieval English common law — that has helped many a plaintiff escape liability.

The reaction from readers is unevenly split: It seems most of you think this is the latest example of our overly litigious commonwealth. Some are even scared that they can’t do enough to protect themselves from a lawsuit.

Other readers are thrilled that property owners are out of excuses for impassable sidewalks. I know this post is long, but I promise I picked only the most interesting comments.

In this corner…

Thank you, SJC. While we may be sweltering now, winter is not far away. Property owners — commercial and residential — need to step up and take care of their property –Eric

while it is upsetting to know that there will be frivolous suits brought over un-cleared sidewalks there is
another way to look at it. In the city trying to get around can be a real problem when a neighbor or business doesn’t do a decent job of clearing their sidewalk. –TMacD

And in this corner…

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