http://medford.patch.com/groups/joe-vigliones-blog/p/mcglynn-inauguration-at-1-pm-sunday-january-5-2014
The Medford City Hall parking lot was jammed, perhaps a majority of the 5,775 voters who allegedly cast a ballot for Michael J. McGlynn to go for years 27 and 28. You see, this is supposed to be about public service, and the first strike against an incumbent who has been in forever is that the public is best served when there is PCR - Political Crop Rotation.
As Martha Coakley walked by me we shook hands. I said "Governor, I want my tv station." She smiled broadly and pointed her index finger acknowledging she knew. Senator Edward Makey walked by and he got the same "the people need their tv station." We shook hands and I said "You've been getting my letters on this." State Rep Donato was with a handful of people at the end of the event, so I bowed and said "Happy New Year, Your Honor!" The interesting thing is that the people would probably be happier with Paul Donato back in the Mayor's office...and Mr. Donato might be happier there too. There's an aura of Paul being a bit worn out these days, not the sparkling personality on my tv show a couple of years ago. It is, perhaps, being a powerful state rep yet in Medford, having to play second fiddle to the family affair that is the McGlynn Clan.
Have stated it many times, Mike McGlynn is probably someone fun to hang out with at the Dockside to have a few brews with and talk about life in general, but stagnation happens when anyone stays in political office for too long, and that's the fact of life in Medford. How can we miss old Mikey when he won't leave?
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Lots of people in a good mood shaking hands upon leaving...Breanna Lungo Koehn said "hello" to Johnny Byers walking by my cellphone as the celebrities were leaving the building. Councilor Michael Marks was in what appeared to be a fun "rumba line" - or dance where a train of people were all holding on to each other. It was all quite festive, Mark Crowley, Jeanne Martin, Rick Caraviello, Chief Leo Sacco, Mr. Falco, Mr. Bob Skerry, Erin DiBenedetto, Paulette Van der Kloot and only one space in the parking lot (thankfully - I was in a business meeting 30 minutes earlier outside the city limits - one parking spot with my name on it!) ...
But here's something that was glaring. The band playing "God Bless America" tried their hearts out...but it was obvious there must be a funding problem. Try as they may, they were so out of tune it sounded like Brian Eno's Portsmouth Sinfonia Read my review of that fabled ensemble here: http://www.allmusic.com/album/portsmouth-sinfonia-plays-the-popular-classics-mw0000934854
Portsmouth Sinfonia was a group of professionals performing with novices who had never picked up an instrument before. THAT is exactly what The Emperor's New Clothes sounded like at today's inaugural. It was an embarrassment, all due respect to the players. An embarrassment that a Mayor of this many years would flaunt the alleged lack of funding for music education in this city. Hear the Portsmouth Sinfonia demolish Also sprach Zarathustra if you don't feel like putting yourself through the torture of reruns on the Government Channel; to see what I mean:
Also sprach Zarathustra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpJ6anurfuw
How could Mayor McGlynn have a group of "not ready for prime time" musicians embarrass themselves and this city because McGlynn, allegedly, doesn't properly fund music education in Medford? It's disgraceful. It is a total outrage.
That's your Mayor hard at work, citizens. That was your God Bless America. Somewhere, when the band was playing, I was thinking of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath...it was more like "Satan Laughing Spreads His Wings" than God Bless America. The long-time Mayor laughing at the residents with out of tune musicians struggling through "God Bless America." It was a travesty.
5,775 votes out of 57,000 people in this city. A tiny fraction of residents voted for this nonsense. This is not a mandate McGlynn has...far from it. And it looked like a big family gathering, for insiders only. So much for understanding the term "PUBLIC SERVICE."
Oh well...Tuesday night I will present some remedies to the city council for its perusal.