Squid’s Ink: The last minute factoid edition

At Motif, unless there’s a scandal, corruption or award, it isn’t often that we go behind the scenes, but… We are mourning the departure of our amazing graphic designer, Francie Eannarino. Francie hasn’t kicked the bucket, but has moved on to a corporate job that actually pays real money! (gasp!) Francie, we will miss your silent efficiency, your pointy-toed stiletto heels, your elfin grin, and your sullen scowls that often hid exasperation at last-minute changes and late advertisers. Wherever you go, remember our motto here at Squid’s Ink – “Swim fast, swim far, swim free, or be bait!”

One of Francie’s last gifts to us was moving the press deadline up a week. Unfortunately, we just found out about it on deadline day, so forgive us if our insights aren’t thoughtful, well-crafted and inciteful. Assuming that they have been in the past. [Wait, when was that? – ed.]

Farewell Caught in Providence

We’re not at all sad to see that the Caprio dynasty’s “Caught in Providence” television show is about to be flushed. As nice as Judge Frank Caprio seemed, playing to the cameras in his hit reality show, you have to wonder whether signing a waiver wasn’t a form of authoritative domination. Harvey Weinstein got his rocks off by “asking” young women to have sex, and no, no their movie careers weren’t on the line. If you owed money for a parking ticket or a moving violation, signing a waiver might seem like the best way to get a pass. And the Caprio family made money off the show, while the City of Providence got nothing? Push the lever, Brett.

Doozy and Dozing Deals

Have you noticed that RI’s politicians think that taxpayer money is minted by the Hasbro corporation? Either they’re lousy negotiators for the public interest, or the best negotiators for corporate interests.

·  In his budget, Governor Dan (“It’ll all add up, I promise”) McKee proposed cutting the state’s sales tax from 7% to 6.85%. Yowza! I’m going to take that extra 15 cents and buy myself…

·  Because truck tolls on I-95 were deemed illegal by the courts, McKee also proposed making up the difference with a cut in the state’s gasoline tax. Huh?

·  Marc Crisafulli, former head of Bally’s, was responsible for the passage of a bill named in his honor, giving his company a 20-year extension on its lucrative lottery contract. Now he’s being appointed to the state’s I-195 real estate sweepstakes… er Redevelopment District Commission. Looking forward to seeing what giveaways he’ll propose.

·  Speaking of Monopoly deals… Remember Brown’s 2003 10-year, $60 million PILOT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes) deal? It worked out to be $10 million a year from a non-profit valued at $6.7 billion. And in exchange, Brown got tons of free parking.

·  Don’t even get us started on the Fain Tower Disaster and Tax Break Giveaway, where even the people who were in favor of the design aren’t anymore…

·  Just as we’re trying to lower carbon emissions, TF Greene airport is planning a $100 million cargo terminal to benefit Fedex and UPS. That’s one way to lift emissions sky high.

ProJo Death Watch

·  Have you noticed that the printed help wanted ads in the Sunday Providence Journal are dominated by jobs for engineers and software developers. Aren’t these the sort of people who actually look for jobs online?

·  We don’t see dead BIPOC obituaries in The Journal… Just saying that our brilliant research team only spotted one photo of a non-white decedent so far this year.

·  We loved the full page ad for the digital editions of the Patriot Ledger, The Newton Tab and the Wellesley Townsman·  We also loved the front page coverage of the Walshe murders! Because there is no crime here in RI, we’ve got to pay attention to stuff happening in Mass.