3 Up, 3 Down

3 Up

UNITED WAY: The Valley United Way has decided that simply distributing money to local groups no longer will suffice. Those groups now must show that they’ve used the money effectively. This development mirrors a growing national trend in light of the recession for nonprofits to exercise greater discretion in how money gets used. Count this as a good reason to keep giving to the local United Way and the worthy causes it funds.

SWINE FLU CALM: Goodness! The dread H1N1, or swine flu (or alphanumeric), virus has arrived. Local health officials have been on top of the dread swine flu since word first came that it was making the rounds. This gives people reason to accede to officials’ call for calm. After all, it’s no pig deal.

VITA RESHUFFLING: George F. Coulter, the new boss at the state’s technology agency, riled his board this week by canning three agency staffers. All of them, like us, had been critical of Northrop Grumman, the embattled state technology subcontractor. So why are the firings a good thing? Because it leaves Coulter squarely accountable for what happens now. If the tech agency mess with Northrop abides, we all know whom to blame.

3 Down

LIAR, LIAR: South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson, reeled into apology Wednesday after his own cat call briefly interrupted 45 minutes of progressive scolding by the Orator in Chief. Wilson is sorry he shouted out, “You lie,” at Barack Obama during the president’s health care reform speech. OK. But what about Obama? He made repeated references to “lie[s]” and “bogus claims” and vowed, “If you misrepresent what’s in this plan, we will call you out.” What does this mean? Sounds like a threat. Misrepresentation frequently being in the eye of the beholder, we wonder if the president remembers or cares about free speech.

JOHN KERRY: What is it with senators from Massachusetts? John Kerry wants Gov. Deval Patrick to appoint Ted Kennedy’s replacement rather than let the people decide in a special election. In 2004, Kerry wanted a special election to determine his successor in the unlikely event he won the presidency. The reason? Patrick is a Democrat. In 2004, the governor was Mitt Romney, a Republican. Oh.

SAY IT AIN’T SO, JOE: Word was that Joe Biden was searching for himself and finding nothing. (Perhaps the president finally sent him on that one-way trip to Guam,) the veep’s official picture was missing in federal buildings, setting off a buzz. Turns out, it took longer to print Joe’s picture than Obama’s (likely for extra work on the mouth).