Justin Katz

Let’s Keep Everything Important Under Wraps

By Justin Katz | September 24, 2007 |

If I had the authority — as an audience member — I’d move to end executive sessions at these town council meetings. The council is running through a list of appointments and pretty much rubber stamping applicants (who are far outnumbered by openings, it seems), and the discussion over a town planning–related position became somewhat…

Prioritizing Priorities

By Justin Katz | September 24, 2007 |

It’s so much easier to be active in the summer. How am I supposed to keep up with Prison Break and Heroes if I intend to attend Tiverton Town Council meetings? Maybe it would be different if I could afford a TiVo machine, but such tools are out of my range of affordability. But there’s…

The Reductiveness of Science

By Justin Katz | September 24, 2007 |

A July 30th L.A. Times piece that held the dominant spot in this Sunday’s Providence Journal Lifebeat section is a fine specimen of science’s reductive power in the hand of a secularist: The forces of attraction are in many ways mysterious, but scientists know certain things. Studies have shown that women prefer men with symmetrical…

We Can Only Do What We Can Do

By Justin Katz | September 23, 2007 |

In a comment to the previous post, WillP asks why we haven’t mentioned this: Tiverton police officers are looking forward to their paychecks that will contain 14 months of retroactive salary increases. Fourteen months’ worth of retroactive health-care co-share increases, however, will reduce that amount. The 26 members of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers,…

The Evidence of Affordability

By Justin Katz | September 23, 2007 |

WillP left a curious comment to my “Just a Quick Shake of the Head” post: On what basis do you assume that this is an “unaffordable contract?” Do you have access to details of the current contract negotiations or budget data that the rest of us residents and parents don’t have? Again, you are assuming…

Just a Quick Shake of the Head

By Justin Katz | September 21, 2007 |

Reading Pat Crowley’s reaction in the comments section of my previous post, I find myself shaking my head at the inability of a certain type to comprehend that some people take an honest interest in the world around them and pursue and present knowledge with the intention of finding the truth. I meant it when…

Rearick Leads the Way (And Doesn’t the Projo Have Access to Google?)

By Justin Katz | September 21, 2007 |

Hot on the heels of the Tiverton teachers’ union’s unanimous vote to follow a moderated work-to-rule practice as a negotiating tactic, Schools Superintendent William Rearick has done the minimum that most bosses would do were employees to openly skip work for an expressly inappropriate reason: The teachers’ union is balking at Schools Supt. William J.…

The Morning After

By Justin Katz | September 21, 2007 |

Thanks to everybody who came out last night. I’m always nervous to communicate with folks in a medium that I can’t edit, but it was certainly fun. We’ll be planning more events in the future, and if you have any ideas, we’d love to hear them.

Just to Clarify

By Justin Katz | September 20, 2007 |

It’s the TGI Friday’s on the corner of Bald Hill Road and 117, not (as I’m told there is one) the location by the airport.i

Last Reminder

By Justin Katz | September 20, 2007 |

Tonight’s the night of our first-ever informal Anchor Rising gathering. Warwick TGI Friday’s bar area. 7:00 p.m. Even if you can do no more than stop in for a beer and a hello, we’d love to see you there. Or if you’d like to spend three hours working through RI’s political corruption or the difficulties…