The three best sandwiches of all time are peanut butter and jelly on white or wheat (with cold milk), grilled cheese and tomato on pumpernickel (with cold milk), and tuna salad on any kind of toast (with cold milk); an Italian sub with oil and vinegar gets a very honorable mention; as does a tomato sandwich with tomatoes just picked from your own garden;
Harvey Weinstein is a very ugly man;
ATMs and CDs are awesome inventions; so is on-demand;
Guys my age are very confused over which remote to use when watching television;
It’s nice when young grandchildren take mercy on their grandfather and show him which remote performs which function;
Men objectify women; for example, Giselle Bunchden is a beautiful woman;
Women objectify men; for example, Tom Brady is a handsome man;
And Harvey Weinstein is still a very ugly man;
After the initial objectifications, it’s a blessing to meet a person who is warm, kind, funny, and smart;
Three great final meals would be either a) mac and cheese, b) steak with a big baked potato and fresh peas, or c) broiled scallops and whole belly fried clams, all served with a vodka gimlet (Tito’s and Rose’s lime juice);
Dessert for that final meal would have to be molten chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream and a glass of ice-cold milk;
Harry Truman was one of the greatest Presidents of all time;
Civics should be taught in all schools;
Public libraries are a sign of an advanced civilization;
Four great pies are mince, cherry, peach, and blueberry;
New fallen snow on fields and trees is a beautiful sight;
Old fallen snow—dirty snow—is an eyesore (like Weinstein, only not as bad);
The Sports Illustrated cover jinx continues (see the March Madness edition with No. 1 seed Virginia on the cover. Say good night to Virginia, losing in the first round);
New England’s four seasons are delightful in their variety;
But one of the four (can you guess which one?) tends to make us a bit weary;
Despite the cattle car atmosphere and the occasional obnoxious passenger, air travel remains a modern miracle (a mere three hours to Florida and its beaches);
America is a great and greatly confused country;
Three great seasons are around the corner, bringing golf, baseball, and beach days back to our lives;
Enjoy the day!
P.S. Bonus round for baseball fans: you’re in the World Series with four consecutive games ahead—who are your four starters?
Tom Finneran is the former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, served as the head the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, and was a longstanding radio voice in Boston radio
GoLocal: Benchmark Poll, October 2017
Sponsor: GoLocalProv
Sample: N=403
Rhode Island General Election Voters Margin of Error: +/- 4.9% at 95% Confidence Level
Interviewing Period: October 9-11, 2017
Mode: Landline (61%) and Mobile (39%)
Telephone Directed by: John Della Volpe, SocialSphere, Inc.
Are you registered to vote at this address?
Yes: 100%
When it comes to voting, do you consider yourself to be affiliated with the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, Moderate, or Unaffiliated with a major party?
Unaffiliated: 49%
Democrat: 32%
Republican: 15%
Moderate: .4%
Next year, in November of 2018, there will be a statewide general election for Governor and many other state offices. How likely is it that you will vote in this election?
Will you definitely be voting, will you probably be voting, are you 50-50...
Definitely be voting: 78%
Probably be voting: 13%
50-50: 9%
In general, would you say things in Rhode Island are headed in the right direction or are they off on the wrong track?
Right track: 39%
Wrong track: 45%
Mixed: 10%
Don't know/Refused: .6%
What would you say is the number one problem facing Rhode Island that you would like the Governor to address?
Jobs and economy: 21%
Education: 12%
Taxes: 12%
Roads: 12%
State budget: 9%
Corruption/Public integrity: .8%
Healthcare: 3%
Governor: 3%
Homelessness: 2%
Immigration: 2%
Other: 7%
Don’t know: .9%
Over the past three years or so, would you say the economy in Rhode Island has improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?
Changed for the better: 35%
Changed for the worse: 16%
Not changed at all: 43%
Don't know/Refused: 5%
Over the same time, has your family's financial situation improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?
Changed for the better: 26%
Changed for the worse: 19%
Not changed at all: 54%
Don't know/Refused: 1%
Recently, a proposal has been made to permit the issuance of $81 million in bonds by the State to build a new stadium for the Pawtucket Red Sox. If there was an election today on this issue, would you vote to approve or reject issuing $81 million in financing supported moral obligation bonds to build the stadium?
Net: Approve: 28%
Definitely approve: 15%
Probably approve: 14%
Net: Reject: 67%
Probably reject: 19%
Definitely reject: 48%
Don't know: 4%
Could you please tell me your age?
18-24: 7%
25-34: 15%
35-44: 15%
45-54: 20%
55-64: 17%
65+: 25%
Don't know/refused: 1%
What was the last grade you completed in school?
0-11: 2%
High school grad: 16%
Technical/Vocational school: 1%
Some college: 23%
College grad: 34%
Graduate degree: 24%
Don't know/refused: 1%
The next question is about the total income of YOUR HOUSEHOLD for the PAST 12 MONTHS. Please include your income PLUS the income of all members living in your household (including cohabiting partners and armed forces members living at home).
$50,000 or less: 27%
More $50,000 but less than $75,000: 13%
More $75,000 but less than $100,000: 13%
More $100,000 but less than $150,000: 17%
$150,000 or more: 13%
Don't know/refused: 17%
What particular ethnic group or nationality - such as English, French, Italian, Irish, Latino, Jewish, African American, and so forth - do you consider yourself a part of or feel closest to?
American/None: 21%
English: 13%
Italian: 13%
Irish: 12%
Black or African American: 6%
Latino/Hispanic: 6%
French: 6%
Portuguese: 3%
Jewish: 3%
German: 1%
Would you say that Donald Trump has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as President?