Could it be that Deval Patrick's administration has got its sea legs? Consider this: the guy portrayed as just waiting to free all the rapists and cop-killers just made his first nomination to the Parole Board without stirring the slightest hint of controversy.

I look at what last week's appointments say about the state of the Patrick administration, in tomorrow's issue -- online now.

That's a dollar figure -- Anthony Petruccelli has $43,000 more on hand than his opponent, Daniel Rizzo, as they enter the final push to the May 29 primary that will decide who succeeds former pres. Traviglini in the state senate.

Campaign-finance reports filed today show that Rizzo has spent $50,773 to Petruccelli's $48,946, but Rizzo has just $11,605 left in his campaign account.