On a Lighter Note…

Friday Diversion

By Marc Comtois | March 5, 2010 |

Hold Your Horses! is a French band that apparently includes a few American kids (the progeny of diplomats I read somewhere), so they sing in English (at least what I’ve heard). I’d put them roughly in the same artistic corner as that inhabited by locals The Low Anthem with maybe a little of The Polyphonic…

Asserting Humanity by Little Steps (Literally)

By Justin Katz | February 16, 2010 |

Even apart from the political point, Mark Steyn’s most recent last-page essay for National Review is worth a read for the scene that the anecdote presents.

“Touching Base” “Outside the Box” and Other Office Irritations

By Monique Chartier | February 14, 2010 |

Actually, the Reuters list via Yahoo News is broken down into Top Ten Annoyances and Top Ten Annoying Phrases. What surprised me about the biggest office annoyance 1. Grumpy or moody colleagues (37 percent) is that it didn’t also include perky or cheerful collegues. In fact, such people don’t appear to have made the list…

How Could I Not Chime in on a Tool Discussion?

By Justin Katz | February 12, 2010 |

Glenn Reynolds promoted a Milwaukee Sawzall, this morning, and late on a Friday, I couldn’t do otherwise than offer some notes. The Milwaukee version of this tool is a satisfying piece of equipment, but the brand isn’t but so important, in this subcategory. (I own a Porter Cable Tiger Saw.) There are a couple of…

Dave Barry Offers a Frank Assessment of the Host City of today’s “Big Game”

By Monique Chartier | February 7, 2010 |

Courtesy the Miami Herald. … Miami has been hosting Super Bowls for more than 150 years, and in all that time no harm has ever come to a visitor who didn’t do something stupid such as venture outside the hotel. So have fun! Here are some tips to help you make the most of your…

Life as a Preparation for Writing

By Justin Katz | January 30, 2010 |

The non-political aspect of this advice from Mark Steyn is well worth heeding by anybody with an interest in writing: Whenever aspiring writers ask me for advice, I usually tell ’em this: Don’t just write there, do something. Learn how to shingle a roof, or tap-dance, or raise sled dogs. Because if you don’t do…

The President’s New Initiative

By Justin Katz | January 22, 2010 |

Admit it… we’ve all known this announcement was coming: [Press Secretary] ROBERT GIBBS: Tonight at 9 P.M. Eastern time, President Obama will declare a War on Reality. He will call on all branches of government and volunteer organizations to stand together and fight against reality in all of its forms. … Q: Turning to the…

Charlie Hall Passes Along an Admonishment from the President …

By Monique Chartier | January 19, 2010 |

Courtesy the Ocean State Follies.

Pants on the Ground

By Marc Comtois | January 15, 2010 |

Joe the Plumber….Rick Santelli….“General” Larry Platt? There’s something about wannabe American Idol auditioner Larry Platt’s song “Pants on the Ground” that is striking a chord. PANTS ON THE GROUND Pants on the ground Pants on the ground Lookin’ like a fool with your pants on the ground With the gold in your mouth Hat turned…

Doughnut Capital of the World!!

By Marc Comtois | January 14, 2010 |

Hey, we’re number 1!!!! A recent study by the market-research firm NPD Group Inc. found that the Providence metropolitan area has more doughnut shops per capita than any other region in the Untied States. NPD said the Providence-Fall River-New Bedford area has 25.3 doughnut shops per 100,000 people. The Boston area ranked second, with 20.4…