Here's one of my top tips for newcomers to Boston. If you want news that really matters to your life in Boston, you need to know about Universal Hub.
It's usually the first site I visit each morning. And, when I want to know what's going on: why traffic is stopped on Storrow Drive or why I'm hearing helicopters or non-stop sirens, I call up Adam Gaffin's @universalhub timeline on Twitter.
Stories are updated not only by Adam, but also by commenters, photographers who contribute to the Universal Hub photo pool on Flickr, and by members of the UH community who send additional information to the site via twitter.
What's more, much of this hard work is done with a good dose of fun whenever possible. Adam has turned headline writing into a pun art. Some of the world's greatest punsters have been known to participate in a string of punny comments that will have you moaning in that good way that only bad puns can create.
Mainstream Media Failure
Local TV news has lost me as a viewer because more and more of these programs have become promotional vehicles for the station, the network, or a sports team. They may present stories, but they are from who knows where, about things that have no impact on your life. Why? Because they have video and because they are really about entertainment rather than news.
Instead of a half hour of news, you get seven minutes of local news, endless sports and political blather, and lots of hype. They just take the feed from the network to fill the time. If I want local news, I have to turn to sites like UH.
Support Universal Hub
As with many other sites, Universal Hub is supported by advertising, affiliate programs, and contributions.
Last year Adam added a link that asks readers,
"Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) donation."
You'll find the place to click by scrolling down in the right-hand sidebar. (Or, if you are a long time user, click here and make that contribution now.) The next time you get a great, timely, local answer to your question, "What's going on right now in Boston?" click the link and drop a few coins in the UH tip jar.
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon
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Words: Penny Cherubino
Screengrabs from Universalhub.com