State of the State

In his final State of the State address last night, Governor Carcieri focused on Rhode Island’s economic situation. He mentioned this crisis was the most severe for the Ocean State in the past 30 years, but that with some efforts “our economy once again will rise on the tide of an entrepreneurial revolution.” [...]

A Ghost Busters Time-Traveling Sequel? We Can Only Hope

It turns out that pursuing poltergeist is in Dan Aykroyd’s blood. The star of the 1984 film is the third generation in his family with a ghost fixation. Aykroyd’s grandfather, Samuel Augustus Akyrod, a dentist in the 1890s, gained interest in the paranormal when he hypnotized people to help relieve tooth pain. Now, [...]

More Route 195 I-Way Changes On Route

The new Point Street ramp from Route 95 north in Providence is set to open today. Motorists will now have access to the Jewelry District, the hospitals, and the West Side of the city from Exit 20. Governor Don Carcieri is hailing the completion of another major segment of the Route 195 relocation [...]

H1N1 Vaccine Clinics In Schools

The state Department of Health sent letters to the parents of 180,000 Ocean State kids – in kindergarten through 12th grade. These letters informed the families about the upcoming H1N1 vaccination clinics in schools and included consent forms. DOH director Dr. David Gifford says the free, voluntary clinics will probably start next month. [...]

Food Stamp Lawsuit Settlement Against State

U.S. District Court Judge William Smith approved a settlement against the state in the food stamp lawsuit. He ruled that the state must agree to meet federal deadlines for processing food stamp applications. The Rhode Island chapter of the American Liberties Union and the National Center for Law and Economic Justice sued [...]

The Brief, 10/05/2009, Community News: ‘Green Building’

Could there be a win-win-win movement in architecture – that is ecological, economical, and enjoyable? This week, Maggie Lange investigates how “Green Building” creates jobs, saves money, and saves the environment.

Green – it used to mean cold, hard cash. Now, it’s a buzzword for the environmental movement. But with initiatives like “Green Building” and [...]

French Kissing Is Getting a Lot Less Sexy

Government agencies, schools, and businesses are banning the traditional French cheek kiss – la bise – as a form of greeting. In an effort to hedge the spread of H1N1, officials recommend French citizens keep a “three-feet buffer zone” and awkwardly wave, like Americans do.

Battle of the Fiercest

A pitch battle has sparked between pop-diva Beyonce and teen-clothier Abercrombie & Fitch. The Grammy-winning singer announced she is joining the celebrity-scent fad and releasing a fragrance named after her alter-ego – Sasha Fierce. This scent is due to launch next spring. However, Abercrombie thinks that “Sasha Fierce” will cause consumer confusion between their man’s [...]

Someone Might Be in Trouble…

Former President George W. Bush might have some ‘splaining to do. His presidential speechwriting, Matt Latimer reports in his new book that Bush said of Obama, “This cat isn’t remotely qualified,” called Hilary Clinton a “fat-ass” and said that Sarah Plain “is not even remotely prepared” for national office.

Gettin’ Scuppered

On E-News, Kaya and I decided to expand our vocabulary. We know that there’s this destroyed-myth that the 
Eskimos have 20 words for “snow” – but it turns out that Scotsmen have about a zillion words for getting (as we would say) wasted. The list ranges from the comical – bevied, bootered, guttered, and [...]