Our governor got front-page treatment in the New York Times today, above the fold, in a piece which lays out his missteps (the drapes, the Caddy, the Casinos), speaks of his fight with the Speaker, one Salvatore DiMasi (Salvatore?), and makes the usual allusion to Barack Obama that gifted speakers make for lackluster executives.

Ignoring the last point (Joe Keohane makes the far more interesting parallel to Obama and Newark, NJ mayor Cory Booker), the Times piece is enlightening insofar as Patrick still seems numb to the political realities in Massachusetts. (more…)

When I was a kid, I was grateful that I was born in July. My friends were on summer vacation, so they could always come to my birthday party. Not only that, but it was the perfect opportunity to stock up on Barbies and Christopher Pike novels to hold me over until Christmas.

But today’s kids aren’t able to take advantage of this since their parents are forcing them to give up birthday presents.

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Your condensed guide to today’s daily papers.

Sal, it might be time to stop buying software: House Speaker Sal DiMasi spent $120,000 from a fund meant to help re-elect Democratic House members on software from Sage Systems, which is owned by a longtime DiMasi friend. A spokeswoman for the PAC says the money helped get a discount on software that legislators use to examine voter trends. [Herald]

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Your long day of corporate drudgery is over. Get out and enjoy the city! Here are a few ideas to get you started, lovingly picked by Boston Daily.

An Evening in Quebec? No thanks. It’s even colder there. Instead, we’ll attend the event at the French Library Alliance Francaise.

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In the April issue of Boston magazine (on newsstands now!) we examined the case against Gary Zerola, the Boston lawyer and former Most Eligible Bachelor who’s been repeatedly accused of raping young women. In January, Zerola was exonerated on the first charge against him. Today, a jury found him not guilty on a second sexual assault charge.

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It was a happy day for the male members of the Boston Daily team. Harvard professor and loose cannon Samantha Power is back in the news. The former Barack Obama aide appeared at Columbia University yesterday to promote her new book and talk a little more about what she dubbed “monster-gate.”

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Keeping large groups of students from living in an apartment is all the rage. Earlier this month, Boston City Councilor Mike Ross’ four-student limit was unanimously approved by the Boston Zoning Commission. The fad has apparently spread across the Charles.

The Cambridge City Council decided to look into changing local zoning laws. Then immediately regretted it.

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Taking you around the internet for your afternoon enjoyment.

Yes, but you get benefits and a pound of coffee a week for working part-time: A former Starbucks barista is suing the company for allegedly forcing employees to split tips with their managers. A similar case in California netted the coffee-slingers approximately $10,000 each. [Globe]

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Somerville has an undeserved bad reputation. Sometimes referred to as “Slumerville,” it’s best known for its triple-deckers, dismal T service, fascist parking regulations, and as the future home of an IKEA.

But Somerville has so much more to offer. The city has been selected as a finalist for the National Civic League’s All-America City Award.

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Female sports fans have it better than male sports fans. While men’s eye candy appears on the sidelines or between quarters, we get to ogle the athletes during the entire game. We’d rather have equal pay, but we’ll take our victories where we can get them.

But Jason Varitek’s thighs aren’t the only reason we like baseball. Although a new website for female Sox fans makes it seem that way.

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