Adding travel restrictions won’t keep us safe. It never has.

By Marc Levy
Published: December 26, 2009
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Our efforts at airport security aren't working. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Our efforts at airport security aren't working. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)  | read this item

Can homeland security officials really, really be this dumb? They keep piling on airline travel restrictions as a response to attempts at terrorism, and they don’t work. At the risk of drawing the wrath of safety officials around the world, I’m going to explain how terrorists think: Whatever the restrictions are, they try something different.

Council ends year, with some goodbyes more lasting than others

By Marc Levy
Published: December 24, 2009
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Mayor Denise Simmons is given a sendoff Monday in Cambridge City Hall by councillor Ken Reeves. (Photo: Marc Levy)

Mayor Denise Simmons is given a sendoff Monday in Cambridge City Hall by councillor Ken Reeves. (Photo: Marc Levy)  | read this item

Mayor Denise Simmons and Vice Mayor Sam Seidel presided over their last meeting of the City Council on Monday and Larry Ward attended his last as councillor — at least for a while. The biggest loss may be Ward’s aide, Andy Farrar.

Diesel brings back its mugs (if customers will)

By Marc Levy
Published: December 22, 2009

Your eyes, stomach and bladder are not deceiving you: Diesel’s large drinks have indeed gotten bigger.

Fired hotel workers find many still fired up for their cause

By Marc Levy
Published: December 22, 2009
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Charles Marquardt, attending Monday’s meeting of the Cambridge City Council to speak on a retiree fund, is surrounded Monday by former employees of the Hyatt Regency Cambridge present to speak on their firings. (Photo: Marc Levy).

Charles Marquardt, attending Monday’s meeting of the Cambridge City Council to speak on a retiree fund, is surrounded Monday by former employees of the Hyatt Regency Cambridge present to speak on their firings. (Photo: Marc Levy).  | read this item

Mostly silent in City Council meetings since launching her write-in re-election campaign, councillor Marjorie Decker returned her passion and rhetoric to discussion Monday over 100 fired housekeepers, leading a unanimous vote to pressure and punish their ex-employer, the Hyatt Hotels Corp.

Election Commission clarifies registering, absentee voting for Kennedy seat

By admin
Published: December 22, 2009
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U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy talks April 21 with President Barack Obama during the signing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act at The SEED School of Washington, D.C. (Photo: White House)

U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy talks April 21 with President Barack Obama during the signing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act at The SEED School of Washington, D.C. (Photo: White House)  | read this item

Cambridge residents can register to vote to fill the seat of the late U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy up to 8 p.m. Dec. 30, the city’s Public Information Office said today in a press release.

Reversing vote, council appoints two Housing Authority overseers

By Marc Levy
Published: December 22, 2009

Cambridge Housing Authority tenants will be waking up today to a surprise. They left Monday’s meeting of the City Council satisfied that two appointments of authority commissioners were tabled, but the appointments went through when councillors Majorie Decker and Larry Ward — in very nearly his final act in office — changed their votes.

Can Toad swallow The Doctors Fox? Band may be big draw at small club

By Marc Levy
Published: December 22, 2009
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Ryan Aylward, Jon Dashkoff, David Ladon and Josh Kiggans are The Doctors Fox, playing Wednesday at Toad in Porter Square.

Ryan Aylward, Jon Dashkoff, David Ladon and Josh Kiggans are The Doctors Fox, playing Wednesday at Toad in Porter Square.  | read this item

Toad had better brace itself. The Doctors Fox plays Wednesday at the tiny Porter Square bar and music venue — so small its stage often doesn’t fit whole bands — and it has been packing larger houses lately.

Festival of lights? Party proves Hanukkah a celebration of noise, movement

By Marc Levy
Published: December 18, 2009
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The Good News Bears perform improv comedy Thursday at The All Asia in Central Square, part of the 7th Night Hanukkah party. (Photo: Marc Levy)

The Good News Bears perform improv comedy Thursday at The All Asia in Central Square, part of the 7th Night Hanukkah party. (Photo: Marc Levy)  | read this item

That noise you may have heard Thursday night coming from The All Asia was 7th Night, a Hanukkah party and fundraiser thrown by the Boston Workmen’s Circle.

Emeen Z evolves into Spirit Kid, announces CD release

By Marc Levy
Published: December 17, 2009
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Emeen Zarookian jumps, quite possibly for joy. His album “Spirit Kid” will be release in January with a Jan. 7 release party at T.T. the Bear’s Place. (Photo: Maclaine Diemer)

Emeen Zarookian jumps, quite possibly for joy. His album “Spirit Kid” will be release in January with a Jan. 7 release party at T.T. the Bear’s Place. (Photo: Maclaine Diemer)  | read this item

Cambridge-based Emeen Zarookian is reporting an album ready to go, a release-party date set and a name change. Instead of The Emeen Z Band, Zarookian and his mates will perform as Spirit Kid, and they have an eponymous album ready for release in January.

Restaurants have moves, expansion on the menu

By Marc Levy
Published: December 17, 2009
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Somerville’s Evoo and Arlington’s Za are converging in February in Cambridge’s Kendall Square. (Photos: top, Chompster_2009; above, courtesy of Za)

Somerville’s Evoo and Arlington’s Za are converging in February in Cambridge’s Kendall Square. (Photos: top, Chompster_2009; above, courtesy of Za)  | read this item

It’s been news to foodies since October that the restaurant Evoo is moving to Kendall Square from Somerville, and that its 350 Third St. location — called the Watermark Building — will also host the second Za, an Arlington pizza restaurant run by the same group. They should open in February, helping Kendall become more of a nighttime destination.

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