Editorial

Since I've already written on the equal importance of the Labor Day and May Day holidays for working people in these pages, I don't think there's a need to revisit the history of Labor Day as it rolls around this week. Or to point out that May Day certainly deserves equal status with Labor Day. Suffice to say that Labor Day is the only day when workers of all kinds are officially recognized for building this nation. And for making the United States a better place to live for everybody. Naturally it's true that for most working people - though not all - Labor Day is just a day off.

Since it's been a fairly slow newsweek - given the recess in state government, the hot humid weather, and those that can afford it being on some kind of vacation - we thought it would be a good time to ask Open Media Boston viewers for some feedback. We're getting ready to expand our operation at OMB. This naturally includes rebuilding this website to make better use of the latest technology and learn from the experience of our first year and a half as an online weekly metropolitan news publication.

It's always a good idea to keep an eye on what corporate think tanks are up to - especially at the local level - and the Boston Municipal Research Bureau is no exception, backed as it is by the largest corporations and law firms in the region. The best rationale for this opinion being that major corporations are the most powerful institutions in our society.

On the weekend of July 23-25, 2004 over 5,000 progressives from across the region, nation and world gathered at UMass Boston for the Boston Social Forum - three days of discussion, debate and cultural events staged right before the 2004 Democratic National Convention, which also took place in our fair city.