Earlier this week, we came across this map that offers a state-by-state breakdown of where most Craiglist missed connections happen. Some of the results are surprising, others not so much. It should come as a shock to no one that for many southern, midwestern and other what we'll charitably call "flyover states", Walmart is the place. That distinguished list includes: Idaho, Montana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas, Ohio (fact: the most American state in America), North Carolina and Florida. For California and Nevada it was 24-hour fitness clubs and casinos respectively – no surprises there either. There are some interesting finds, however. In North Dakota, for instance, the answer is simply "bar", which we assume refers to the only one in the entire state. Perhaps the oddest of all is Indiana, which cites "at home." We can only imagine how badly the housing crisis has ravaged that state if people are having missed connections in their own homes.
Of course what we really want to know is where people are (almost) meeting people in Rhode Island. Surprisingly, the answer was not Dunkin' Donuts, but parking lots. (Perhaps Dunkin' Donuts parking lots?) We wanted to check this out ourselves, so we hung around some parking lots trying to look intriguing yet available. When that got creepy, we scanned Rhode Island Craigslist for some actual examples of parking lot pimpin'. Here are some of our finds:
Black Underwear at Gym - m4m - 40 (West warwick) You always have on hot sexy underwear for a older guy, walked up to you in parking lot asked where you bought them told me international men, love to do more than just look at that hot ass of yours, tell me what kind of car you drive and your age so i know its you stud. also what gym we both were at.
work together on Capitol Hill - m4w - 42 (Capitol Hill) We work together on Capitol Hill and run into each other in the parking lot often. I think we both have something for each other but nervous to …More
Today is a somber day for many Rhode Islanders: the tenth anniversary of the Station Fire, which took the lives of 100 people. It also marks the beginning of a documentary web series that will tell some of the stories of the lives affected by the tragedy. Episodes of The Station Web Series will run weekly on the project's YoutTube channel. Various installments will include interviews with survivors, family members of the victims, first responders and medical personnel, lawmakers and fire safety professionals. The project is the work of Paul Lonardo, Gina Russo and David Bettencourt, and is based in part on From the Ashes, a book that Londardo and Russo co-authored about the fire. Russo is also the current president of the Station Memorial Foundation. Check out the first episode below:
Two of the most abused words in the American lexicon are “small government.” Everyone is in favor of it – or at least claims to be. It’s a time-honored rallying cry of the Republican Party and Democrats will at least feint in that direction when it’s politically necessary or expedient. For a disaffected and angry electorate, they are immensely appealing words, alluringly full of empty promise and backed by bumper sticker rhetoric. In particular, the embittered white base that grudgingly backed Romney in the last election has adopted these words as dogma. But does anybody really want smaller government? All evidence points to the contrary.
Democrat and Republican alike have been quick to expand government – both in terms of the tax dollars it gobbles up and the infringement upon our liberty it imposes – with flagrant disregard for their own rhetoric. While Democrats screamed and cursed and spat about the Bush administration’s overreaching and at times downright unconstitutional notion of national security, they have been conspicuously silent as Obama’s beloved drones patrol the skies, conducting summary executions around the globe – including at least one on an American citizen – and the veil of government secrecy remains as thick and opaque as it did during the Bush years. Republicans, for their part, continuously decry the “reckless spending” of Democrats while practically putting on a clinic in fiscal irresponsibility, and their extremely selective memories allow them to place unpopular government bailouts firmly in Obama’s column, while conveniently ignoring the fact that they began with his predecessor.
The underlying and more insidious deception of the small government gospel, however, is that nobody really wants it yet they still preach it. What people really mean when they say they want “small government” is that they want government that does only and …More
Just in time for Valentine's Day, the Projo reports that a "ten-foot phallic snow sculpture" in South Kingstown has been getting some of the neighbors hot and bothered. The police came multiple times – though we think they might have been faking those last couple – to the home off Middlebridge Road where the sculpture was erected, but decided that they weren't at liberty to touch the owner's private... property. Though the person responsible claims the sculpture will last for days, we think that just leaving it exposed like that will lead to softening and significant shrinkage. Anway, here's a photo... you know you want to look:
By now you may have heard that Winter Storm Nemo is bearing down on New England and preparing to drop anywhere from 1-265 inches (give or take) of powder in the Northeast, and possibly anything from a few flurries to a catastrophic blizzard of biblical proportions around the region, including New York, New Jersey, DC, Miami, Atlanta, Albuquerque, the US Virgin Islands, Belize, Hawaii (the island of Oahu only), New South Wales, Isengard and The Shire. Here is the latest Storm Tracker XL5000 DopplerMaster Radar Luxury Edition III satellite photo of Nemo's approach:
Always concerned for the wellbeing of our readers, we've compiled a list of the following snow preparedness tips so you can be ready for The Wrath of Nemo:
-Stock up on milk and bread.
-While you're at the market, might as well pick up other food that you might need to eat an actual meal instead of subsisting off milk and bread like a Dickensian street urchin.
-Hold up the entire damn line at Stop & Shop like there's no one else waiting while you look for that expired coupon for milk and/or bread.
-Act like it has never snowed before. Ever.
-Call a parent, grandparent or older relative so they can remind you how this is nothing compared to the Blizzard of '78.
-Start live-Tweeting the storm now so that your hash tag wins. #snowedin #statingtheobvious #didImentionitssnowing? #catchinguponHomeland
-Post a Facebook update encouraging everyone to stay safe and warm. Seriously. Do it now. Do you want your friends to die a horrible, freezing, snowbound death? You've got to warn them!
-Gather the supplies you'll need if there's an extended power outage: candles, flashlights, warm blankets, non-perishable food, booze, satellite phone, animal pelts, whale blubber, a trashcan to throw through the front window of whatever store you're planning to loot.
-In the event of both a parking ban and a power outage, set your car on fire to stay warm and avoid costly parking …More
“What’s a Twitter?”
It wasn’t that long ago that my father asked me this question. Without having to go into detail about how Twitter isn’t “a” thing, but rather “the” thing of our generation, I ended up just blurting out, “It’s what young people do.”
I realize that this explanation wasn’t entirely accurate, but this is a man who puts an “s” after every chain store name and still thinks text messages don’t require a response. He is OK with inaccuracy.
What I should have told him is that Twitter is an information highway that brings millions to its daily conversations, in social exchanges of endless information, shared interests, world events and random thoughts. That it’s a powerhouse marketing tool that allows the business world and brands alike to connect to real-time life and its consumers. That it’s a canvas for all ages to engulf themselves in and receive immediate feedback on culture, arts, fashion, technology, parenting, business and just about anything they can fit into 140 characters.
In other words, “a Twitter” is a modern-world, real-time life encyclopedia. And the new norm in social and digital media.
In recent years, theatres of performing arts across the nation are jumping on the Twitter wagon with their “tweet seat” program—in which a group of seats are set aside in the back two rows of the theatre for those who promise to live-tweet any aspect of the performance using a special hashtag—in hopes of engaging a broader audience while trying to discover where live arts belong in the realm of digital and social media.
Providence Performing Arts Center began its Tweet Seater initiative last April with the show Bring it On. I, along with a group of other local Twitter-fanatics, joined the initiative with its third live-tweeted show, Memphis, whose success was apparent in how quickly it began …More
Flipp-Salon and Apothecary has joined Rhode Island Beauty Week and is offering 50% off reflexology appointments booked this week, as well as a Free acupressure head massage with a men's haircut.
Some other many Beauty Week deals include:
- $10 per unit (min. of 25 units) of Botox, from Agape Medical Spa
- Free OPI gel manicure with a peppermint or cranberry spa pedicure at Eneida Vann Salon
- The $10 manicure, $10 brow wax, $10 blowout at Suite Tart
- 50% off foil highlight and blowout at Studio B.
For a full list of beauty specials, visit www.ribeauty.com.More
Half Way Tree Authentic Jamaican Cuisine has opened at 44 Hospital Street in the Jewelry District, providing full service lunch and dinner as well as takeout. The menu includes all the Jamaican and Caribbean classics you’d expect. They offer authentic jerk chicken wings and spicy meat patties, plus small and large plates of oxtail, curry goat, red snapper and jerk chicken accompanied by rice and peas, fried plantains and vegetables. On Friday and Saturday they’ll have a special of ackee fruit and saltfish, another classic Jamaican dish.More
Don’t fall into a winter biking slump! Providence Bicycle offers free indoor training classes each Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7:00pm throughout February at its Branch Avenue location. If you don’t want to haul your bike back and forth, the shop will even store and set up your bike and trainer each session for free. If you don’t have a bike trainer, you can rent one for $5.00 per class. 725 Branch Avenue. 331-6610, providencebicycle.com
Hoping to become a better, less injured runner? Sign up for the next RUNstrong class series, a collaboration between Rhode Runner and Foundation Performance Sports Medicine. Class meets every Tuesday at 6pm from February 5 - March 12. RUNstrong is a 55-minute circuit style strengthening class that will utilize only your body, a foam roller, and an elastic band. Sign up for one class or for the whole series. Rhode Runner, 657 North Main Street. 831-6346, rhoderunner.netMore