US – Saturday, November 21

Shave and a haircut — Elliott’s $.02

You’ll notice none of America’s problems have been solved. Well, you can only blame yourself for not doing a good enough job of demanding the government act on the brilliant ideas I’ve been dispensing every week in Metro, the world’s greatest newspaper. Don’t bother groveling for forgiveness; it demeans us both.

The last of the original urban village

It was once a vibrant neighborhood, but was cleared out to make way for hospitals, hotels and upscale condos emblematic of a new Boston. Fifty years later, those that remember the neighbors and streets of the "old" West End are becoming as scarce as the landmarks of their youth.

First drop in Mass. jobless rate since ’07

The state unemployment rate fell to 8.9 percent in October, marking the first decline in over two years, according to state labor officials.

Kids stand by as reform debated

Eighth-graders at the Excel Academy Charter School in East Boston scored tops in Massachusetts on the English and math MCAS tests last year, a feat that left principal Komal Bhasin and her staff both proud and motivated to continue their success.

These Orphans are not afraid to play with ‘Dolls’

Ryan Landry and his Gold Dust Orphans have long been having their way with some of the greatest films of all time. Finally, the men, women and not-so-easily-identifiable members of this ridiculously talented troupe take on the big kahuna of camp, “Valley of the Dolls.”

Exploring every ‘Avenue Q’ puppet

The fuzzy puppets that inhabit “Avenue Q” won’t teach their audiences how to sing the ABC’s. These mature Sesame Street-like adult puppets have real problems: sex, racism, morals and finding a purpose in life.

Time to erase fourth-and-2

The Patriots sound like they’re sick of talking about it.

UMass heads the crowded HEA pack

UMass sits atop Hockey East going into the weekend. But not by much.

What to do and where to go.

Published 22:24, October the 6th, 2008

Somerville Ave. project moves on

SOMERVILLE. Work to reconstruct Somerville Avenue is 75 percent completed and six months ahead of schedule, city officials said yesterday.

The underground work is finished, according to Somerville’s Public Works department, and crews will now be repaving the road and installing new curbs, street lights and signals.

“We needed to do this work in order to provide the infrastructure for current and further development in Union Square and all along the Somerville Avenue corridor, but it’s been challenging for the businesses within the construction zone,” Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone said in a statement. “This fall and throughout the holiday season will be a critical time for all of us to show our support.”

Most of the work to replace the sidewalks will be done this spring, and the entire $23 million project should be done by the end of 2009. Original estimates had pegged mid-2010 for completion.

The November MMMpod features interviews and music with a band called Girls, a band of girls called Supercute, and a supercute vampire. Yes, listeners, we have Pattinson!

[Flyers by PaperG]