Two Great Ways to Spend Your Money on Thursday

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin

Thursday, Feb. 4 is important because there are two awesome events going on, both worthy of your time and money.

From 5:30 to 7:30 at Coral Seafood (225 Shrewsbury Street) there will be a fundraiser and silent auction with proceeds going to the vandalized Belmont Street Community School. The event is free, and donations of any amount will be accepted. It’s being organized by local pols Vincent Pedone, Harriette Chandler, Joe O’Brien, Diana Biancheria and John Monfredo. You can also check the WPS website (www.worcesterschools.org) for a list of specific items the school needs.

Before you go to that though, we here at Worcester Mag are beginning a grand tradition dubbed Worcester Mag on Tap, where the first Thursday of every month we–the writers, editors, graphic designers, sales staff and any other employee under the Worcester Mag banner–will go a pre-determined bar at 5:30 with the sincere hope that our readers/friends/lovers/haters will join us there to hang out, talk about recent news and meet other WoMag readers. Special guests–as in some of the people featured in the latest issue–will be there too.

So, at 5:30 on Thursday come to the first ever Worcester Mag on Tap at the Hotel Vernon, have a $1 draught or two, then pop on over to Coral Seafood for a great cause. It might be the best Thursday of your month.

More Haiti Relief Efforts

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin, sent from Lea Ann Scales of Worcester State College

Worcester State College has set a goal of raising $10,000 for Haiti relief. The college has also established the website http://www.worcester.edu/haiti to communicate Haiti relief efforts to the college and greater community. The college will be collecting donations for a host of student and athletic events. In addition the Basketball team will donate proceeds from the February 6th game and will also donate proceeds from the game’s 50/50 raffle. All proceeds will benefit the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders and Partners in Health.

“The human mind, which is capable of so many remarkable things, is also capable of rationalizing the greatest of evils.”

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin

It’s been a tough couple days for literature with both JD Salinger and Howard Zinn’s deaths, but for Zinn there’s a recent local connection.

In 2007, to correspond with Martha Rosler’s “Bringing the War Home” exhibition at the Worcester Art Museum, the WAM invited Howard Zinn to speak at Tuckerman Hall. Thankfully, they recorded it.

It’s an hour and fifteen minutes long–and why shouldn’t it be? With the country’s two wars in full swing he had plenty to talk about. It’s definitely worth a listen.

Going over the heads of many

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin

In today’s live chat with the Governor (see post below) “parent” asks:

If you can’t get an answer go to the person in charge. In this case, way in charge. I like your moxie, “parent.”

Happening now!

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin, on a tip from Brittany Durgin

Gov. Patrick is hosting a live chat at 12:00 on the Boston Globe website (you may have to refresh the page if the chat screen doesn’t load correctly) right now regarding his released FY2011 budget. We’re only three questions in so far and already he’s been asked about public health money and whether or not state troopers will begin patrolling subways. He’s also brought up the proposal to repeal tax exemptions for soda and candy.

It all unfolds in front of your eyes, like eMagic. I’m already jealous, as their software makes our city council liveblogs look like a Model T to their Porsche.

Blog Log Digital 1/27/2010

Posted by Tim O’Keefe

Posted by “Nicole” on nicolecommawoo.wordpress.com

I know I haven’t been posting a lot this week, and part of that is because yesterday I visited the Worcester Public Library and talked with a bunch of the librarians there about the latest and greatest library happenings.  Over the next week, I’ll be posting the details of those conversations, but it’s going to take me another day to recover from the awesomeness overload that was my trip to the library.  Everyone there was so incredibly kind and helpful and I have never felt like such a celebrity (“Oh, you’re the blogger!”)  So, I am even more passionate about the library and even more committed to letting people know about all the great things happen there.

Posted by “Brent S. Abrahamson” on futureperfectprogressive.blogspot.com

Much has been made of the use of the term “Teabaggers” to refer to the so-called grass roots movement that has been so much in the news. While it is true that the term emanated from the protest group itself, they have distanced themselves from it when it was pointed out that “teabagging” is a slang term for a sexual act. Recently I was taken to task for using the term “Teabagger” in a blog post. While I generally have avoided the terminology, I did indeed use it. I should not have because its use takes away from the seriousness of purpose of this group. The Tea Partiers take their name from the American Revolution. So let me set the record straight unequivocally. The Tea Partiers are mad. The Tea Partiers are revolting.  I trust this clears things up.

City Council Liveblog–1/16/10

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin

We’re back after a week off. Tonight will hopefully be as eventful as the agenda promises.

7:09: Here we go. Clancy and Germain aren’t here.

7:10: J. O’Brien begins by thanking people for their time and money spent at Friday’s Haiti fundraiser.

7:14: Commissioner Mikielian, the city’s Director of Inspectional Services, is leaving for Savannah, GA, and the councilors and City Manager are giving him his props. Haller says he’s done wonders for D4, Toomey says it’s important to note there are city employees–including him–who don’t work 9 to 5, and she says that his hard work carried over into nights and weekends. Eddy says that during his campaigning he had an ally in Mikielian. Smith says it seems like they’ve had a retirement like this every week. Petty says he would see him every morning while getting they got their coffee, and that Mikielian has helped address cleaning up neighborhoods during his tenure. Palmieri loved that Mikielian would answer the phone directly when called. Rushton wishes him the best, and hopes he doesn’t have to be like Dr. Morse and come back four or five times.

Robbery on Park Ave.

Word is that TD Bank on Park Avenue was robbed just a little while ago. No details, other than the suspect did get away with some money. Nothing yet about whether he had a weapon.