Thursday, March 28, 2013
Weighing the pros and cons of a hybrid cars.
Hybrid cars have come a long way since the Honda Insight became the first hybrid for sale in North America in late 1999. For one, the styling has gone from futuristic insect to more traditional looks. And while once the sight of a Prius rolling by would turn heads, hybrids seem ubiqutious now. (The more traditional looking models also don't turn as many heads.) There are the well-known pros to hybrids, starting with cutting down on trips to the gas station. The miles per gallon these cars get is the first specification that jumps out at most people, and what many customers are looking for when shopping for a hybrid. For city-dwellers, the fuel economy of hybrids is often better for city driving than for highway driving, flipping the …
Monday, February 11, 2013
How well did your town handle the snowstorm?
Is your street clear? Are you still buried? Is your mailbox still standing? On Friday and Saturday, area residents experienced a snow storm it will not soon forget. Several residents took to Facebook to talk about the plowing. As the piles of snow remain, we want to know how you feel about the town's response (or state's) to yesterday's major snowstorm. Does the snow removal effort deserve a grade? Tell us what you think below in the comments section.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Do you agree with the governor's decision or was it too drastic?
All non-emergency drivers were ordered off the roads on Friday when Gov. Deval Patrick issued an executive order banning travel during the blizzard. (Editor's note: The ban is lifted statewide as of 4 p.m. Saturday.) Patrick's executive order is being praised by some and bashed by others, reported The Boston Globe. While former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who was in charge of the commonwealth during the Blizzard of ’78, praised the governor’s move, others called the order “tyrannical” and say the strict ban and hefty fines were too much, according to The Globe. Those caught violating the ban would face up to a year in jail and a $500 fine. What do you think? Do you agree with the governor’s decision or do you think the travel ban …
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Pentagon lifted its ban Thursday on women serving in combat roles, including roles on the front lines of battle. What do you think about the change? Tell us below.
The Pentagon made a historic move Thursday when it lifted its ban against women serving in combat, according to USA Today. A 1994 restriction prevented women in the military from serving in combat, including service on the front lines. However, many argued, including the American Civil Liberties Union, that reality showed women already serving on the front lines. U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Armed Services Committee who strongly supports the historic change, issued the following statement after the announcement. “I applaud the Secretary for formally removing the ban," Reed said. "The reality of today’s battlefield is that all who serve are in combat.” The military's lift of the ban opens up 230,000 posts to women in …
Friday, January 4, 2013
Three years after a Kansas man donated his sperm, the state wants him to pay child support.
A mechanic who answered a Craigslist ad to donate his sperm to a lesbian couple, is now being pursued by the State of Kansas for child support, reports the Kansas City Star. In 2009, Angela Bauer and Jennifer Schreiner entered into an agreement with the donor, William Marotta to provide his sperm. They signed a contract that outlined he would be free from any financial responsibility as well as parental privileges, according to the newspaper. The legal contract stated Marotta was not responsible “for any child support payments demanded of him by any other person or entity, public or private, including any district attorney’s office or other state or county agency, regardless of the circumstances or said demand.” Although the women offered…
Monday, December 31, 2012
Your group of local patch editors weighs in on the standout sports moments of the year.
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Monday, December 31, 2012
Editor's Note: The following is part of a special "end-of-the-year" series in which local editors from your nearby Patch towns highlight their favorites in various topics. Jonathan Friedman - Editor, Attleboro-Seekonk Patch From my earliest days through college, I was a competitive swimmer. I was never good enough to be an Olympian, but I have a tremendous respect for those who are. And every four years, it is exciting to see swimming in the spotlight. Special kudos go to Michael Phelps, who looked like he had lost his magic when he didn't even win a medal in his first individual event, the 400 IM (first time since 2000 that had happened), but then regained it later in the week with spectacular wins in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly, while…
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Editors from nearby Patches weigh in on their favorite TV shows of 2012.
- OPINION
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Sunday, December 30, 2012
Editor's Note: The following is part of a special "end-of-the-year" series in which local editors from your nearby Patch towns highlight their favorites in various topics. What was your favorite TV show from 2012? Ben Paulin - Editor, Walpole Patch "Breaking Bad" is the best show on TV and maybe the best show ever. Every episode is more thrilling than the last and I will be sad to see it go next year. Walter White's journey from high school science teacher to crystal meth king pin has been truly incredible to see unfold. The creators of the show do an amazing job of leaving no stone unturned and leaving no loose ends. If you haven't seen it yet, I would highly recommend it. Jeff Sullivan - Editor, Mansfield Patch Too many to count. This…
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Editors from nearby Patches weigh in on their favorite movies of 2012.
- OPINION
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Saturday, December 29, 2012
Editor's Note: The following is part of a special "end-of-the-year" series in which local editors from your nearby Patch towns highlight their favorites in various topics. Ben Paulin - Editor, Walpole Patch "The Dark Knight Rises" was my favorite movie of 2012. I love all three movies in the trilogy, and while the "Dark Knight" was my favorite of the three, "Dark Knight Rises" was a close second. It was action packed and Bane was a great villain. Jeff Sullivan - Editor, Mansfield Patch "Seven Psychopaths." There were a lot of great movies this year, and they all catered to a specific demographic/genre. "Twilight" was for hopeless romantics, "The Avengers" was for geeks, "Lincoln" was for history buffs and "Les Miserables" was for …
Friday, December 28, 2012
Your team of editors weighs in on the best songs from 2012.
- OPINION
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Friday, December 28, 2012
Editor's Note: The following is part of a special "end-of-the-year" series in which local editors from your nearby Patch towns highlight their favorites in various topics. Jeff Sullivan - Editor, Mansfield Patch David Byrne and St. Vincent - "Who." I'm a sucker for baritone saxophones, what can I say? If you haven't checked out this song, you should. It's a rocky dance number with amazing vocals from both Byrne and St. Vincent. Dan Libon - Editor, Wrentham Patch "Take a Walk" by Passion Pit marked the return of one of the best bands to come out of Boston in recent memory. With an upbeat song about financial struggles and trying to make it, Passion Pit once again proved that even the most serious of issues can be expressed with an …
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Your team of local editors weighs in on their favorite books from the past year.
- OPINION
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Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Editor's Note: The following is part of a special "end-of-the-year" series in which local editors from your nearby Patch towns highlight their favorites in various topics. Jeff Sullivan - Editor, Mansfield Patch "Death of Kings" by Bernard Cornwell. If you want historical fiction, Cornwell is one of the greatest writers of all time. You thought Stephen King wrote a lot? Cornwell has written 53 books since 1981. King has written 55 since he started writing professionally since the 1970s. Anyway, the book is about the death of King Alfred the Great during the Danish invasion of England circa 899 AD. You might ask why care about Alfred, well, any town with the name "-borough" after it owes its monicker to him. He started building "Burhs," …
Terry J
10:44 am on Saturday, March 30, 2013
Perfect Troll reply. Other adjectives come to mind when you consider what kind of person feels good about paying $6.57 to go 25 miles when a Prius owner is only paying $1.84. I get the same feeling when I see a drunk with cash falling out of their pockets. Clueless and pissed. more ›