“He kind of perfected it sitting around this table”

One of our family traditions on Thanksgiving is to listen to the 18+ minute classic Arlo Guthrie performance of Alice's Restaurant. Usually while driving to one of the family gatherings. This time, pandemic induced, no drive but still time to listen. 

And then across the Twitterverse comes this article about the real Alice, yes that one.

"Arlo Guthrie's rambling, spoken-word tune “Alice's Restaurant” is a Thanksgiving Day tradition on radio stations across the country. Over the course of about 18 minutes, the folk singer unfurls a true tale involving himself and his hippie friends in 1960s Western Massachusetts.

Now — more than 50 years after the iconic song hit the airwaves — its namesake has fallen on hard times. But Alice's friends have launched a crowdfunding campaign to help her stay in the only place she's ever really wanted to be: Provincetown on Cape Cod.

But first, it helps to find out how she got there."

Continue reading about Alice online =  https://www.wbur.org/artery/2020/11/26/arlo-guthrie-alice-help

YouTube link for "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" = https://youtu.be/WaKIX6oaSLs

Phishing, spear phishing info

Via Cyber Security Intelligence:

"Spear phishing is a targeted attempt to steal sensitive information such as account credentials or financial information from a specific victim, often for criminal reasons. A highly targeted form of phishing, spear phishing involves bespoke emails being sent to well-researched victims.

Spear phishing is an email or electronic communications scam targeted towards a specific individual, organization or business. Although often intended to steal data for malicious purposes, cyber criminals may also intend to install malware on a targeted user's computer.

Barracuda Network researchers worked with leading researchers at UC Berkeley and UC San Diego, to study the growing threat to business of email account crime using Spear Phishing methods.

It is all hard to spot without close inspection and difficult to stop with technical controls alone. In 2016 the Fancy Bear attack group used spear phishing tactics to target email accounts linked to Hilary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. They attacked more than 1,800 Google accounts and implemented the accounts-google.com domain to threaten targeted users."

Continue reading the article online  https://www.cybersecurityintelligence.com/blog/spear-phishing-threats-and-trends-4902.html

 

How Big Is Phishing in 2020?

"It is big. Sadly, it is growing even bigger if historical data is any indicator for the imminent future.

Not all spam consists of phishing emails, but it’s safe to assume a spam message might be a phishing attempt. And there are tons of it, cluttering inboxes far and wide, as these phishing stats clearly show.

 -   Spam is 45% of all emails sent. (Source: Propeller)
 -   About 14.5 billion spam emails are sent every day. (Source: Propeller)"

Continue reading more about the phishing trends  https://hostingtribunal.com/blog/phishing-statistics/

Additional info can be found on the FBI page  https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/cyber

MA Consumer Affairs: "Fraud Alert: Unemployment Benefits & ID Theft"

 

"Driven by the economic downturn brought on by pandemic related restrictions, unemployment across the U.S. is at a historic high. While national and local averages slowly decline across the country, unemployment fraud is on the rise.

For many the unemployment benefit is a lifeline. Unfortunately, for some bad actors it is an opportunity. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), unemployment fraud is up significantly and there is suspicion that the culprits are based overseas. Officials say the fraud is affecting tens of thousands of Americans, slowing the delivery of benefits to those in need, and costing states hundreds of millions of dollars.

Whether you have lost your job, or not, you could be a victim of identity theft related to this unemployment scam. Authorities report that criminals are filing for unemployment benefits online using stolen information of people who have not lost their jobs. Stolen identities can be bought online, or obtained from data breaches, email phishing schemes, or from physical theft. Fraudsters also exploit public websites and social media accounts. Many victims are unaware of the identity theft unless they are notified by a state agency, the IRS, or their employer that a claim has been filed in their name."

Continue reading the article online http://blog.mass.gov/consumer/massconsumer/fraud-alert-unemployment-benefits-id-theft/

The Federal Trade Commission has a similar article  https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/business-blog/2020/06/unemployment-benefits-fraud-puts-workers-risk-more-id-theft

 

 

A Most Worthy Read: "We walked up to the edge — and did not jump"

Via Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) :

"This wondrous piece by my friend ⁦@MollyMcKew⁩ is simply the best description of where we've been, and where we must now go. Poetry, prose and truth.  Read this and be thankful we've stepped back from the edge."  

We walked up to the edge — and did not jump
A Thanksgiving message, part 1 = by Molly McKew

"I’ve spent these past weeks with breath held, fingers crossed, afraid to look away, but also afraid not to. To just put all this down for a minute, and take a breath, and look up, out, see again the horizon and the sense of movement toward it that has always defined the expansive land and spirit of America. 

America is a constantly morphing and adaptive idea. But fundamentally we are still, as we have always been, a nation of madness. Mostly good madness — but madness still. 

The people who would build this nation must have been mad to seek where there be dragons — to cross storm-riven seas, arrive on the shores of this wild and magical land, and embrace the idea of living in the haunted wilderness to have the chance — just a chance — of shaping something new. Something removed from the mental and physical confinements of history. 

In that time of wilderness, each one of us here was a zealot of some cause — a zealot of gods, commerce, ideas, quests, adventures. We came here running from things, or toward others. And this strange amalgamated zealotry was somehow integral to our survival, the good and bad forces that shaped us in their conflict. A core belief that old rules didn’t apply. That the frontier could be pushed ever outward. That we could survive against the odds. And that always, always, the sins of the past could be overcome by achieving a righteous future."

Continue reading the article online =  https://t.co/kA7TdJQbGS

FM #398 Davis Thayer FA Insights- 11/19/20 (audio)

FM #398 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 398 in the series.

This shares my interview and discussion with Franklin School Superintendent Sara Ahern and Davis Thayer Facility Analysis Ad-hoc Committee chair Elise Stokes. Our discussion was conducted via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

The recording runs about 27 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Sara and Elise and find out more about what the Davis Thayer Ad hoc Subcommittee is doing.  Audio file =  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-398-davis-thayer-fa-insights-11-19-20

--------------

Survey/Questionnaire  link = https://www.franklinps.net/district/pages/dt-facilities-analysis-survey

Comprehensive Facility Analysis presentation doc
https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee/files/facilities-analysis-presentation-10-27-20

Facility Assessment report doc
https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee/files/facilities-assessment-report

Davis Thayer Facility Analysis page
https://www.franklinps.net/district/davis-thayer-facilities-analysis

Info Session Nov 4, 2020 - Agenda doc  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/agenda_dt_facanalysiscommunitypresentation_11.4.2020.pdf

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

- If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

- If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

DT facility analysis timeline

Senator Rausch: MA Budget Update and Thanksgiving Safety

November 25, 2020

 
Dear friends,

From my family to yours, I wish all of you a safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving. This year has certainly been a difficult one for all of us, but there is still so much to be grateful for, from the development of multiple promising COVID-19 vaccines, to the results of this month’s presidential election, to the small moments of everyday joy amidst these challenging times. Our Thanksgiving celebrations this year may be smaller and look different, but they can be just as profound.

On Beacon Hill, the last couple of weeks have been particularly busy as the House and the Senate debated and successfully passed versions of the FY 2021 state budget. This year’s deliberations were challenging due to the global pandemic and related economic downturn, but despite this, there are still tremendous victories to celebrate in the FY 2021 budget, including no cuts to services or education funding, full funding for teenage dating violence prevention, and a quarter of a million dollars for public schools in our district to continue managing learning during COVID-19. The Senate also adopted by a vote of 33-7 an amendment to notably improve abortion access in the Commonwealth. More details on the budget, the abortion access amendment, safe holiday celebrations, and upcoming office hours follow. 

As always, if you or any of your loved ones in my district have fallen on hard times during this pandemic, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office via phone (617-722-1555) or email (becca.rausch@masenate.gov). We are here to help. You can also find robust resources to help you navigate through COVID-19 on my website (https://www.beccarauschma.com/coronavirus).
 
Wishing you and your families strength, health, and resilience.    
 

Yours in service, 
   
Senator Becca Rausch

   

This email newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full set of content, please follow this link  https://mailchi.mp/7686f073ec7c/maearlyvoting2020-13209536

 

Sign up for a 15-minute appointment here

 

MA origins for Thanksgiving items

via Katie Lannan (@katielannan)

"your pre-Thanksgiving reminder that Bell's Seasoning comes from Weymouth, and there's a bill that would make it the Official Seasoning of the Commonwealth"

Link to draft Legislation = https://t.co/vILz4hm3vr #mapoli  

Shared from Twitter = https://t.co/Z84vLWI7jm

 

"Some official Mass. emblems for your Thanksgiving table: cranberries (official berry), corn muffins (official muffin), Boston cream pie (official desert), and of course, wild turkey (official game bird).  Maybe a Bay State tartan (official district tartan) tablecloth?"

Shared from Twitter =  https://twitter.com/katielannan/status/1331678479524442113

your pre-Thanksgiving reminder that Bell's Seasoning comes from Weymouth