--Beware of the bears in Worcester. A 108-pound bear was found up in a tree yesterday. It was as probably as scared of animal control as animal control was of him. [Boston Globe] --Speaking of animals on the loose, watch out for Black Angus cows roaming through Groton. [WCVB] --Don't eat the tomatoes. And if you're wondering where the "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" joke is, Fox 25 beat us to it. [Boston Globe,......

--Investigators of the fatal Green Line D rear-end crash said they have not found evidence that driver Terrese Edmonds, who was killed, applied the brakes. [Boston Globe, Boston Herald] --Let's get this straight. Massachusetts will avoid recession. But many people will "feel like" they are in one. So that means we're in a recession, right? Just checking. [Boston Globe] --Cape Cod is mourning the loss of Genevieve, their favorite donkey. [Boston Globe] --Akshat Shekhar......

Bostonist hearts the Herald's habit of mashing up anything sports-related with other subjects, such as online romance. Today, as the Super Bowl approaches, Joe Dwinnell contacted a shrink to help fans find meaning in Bill Belichick's hoodie and cope with various neuroses. The good doctor warns that fans might want draw clear mental boundaries between themselves and the Patriots coach: Q: Bill Belichick is so dry, but that’s good. Should we all go through life......

A recent piece of the Boston University police blotter reads like a lost, possibly porny, chapter of the fairy tale "Goldilocks and the Three Bears": A caller reported an individual was in the shower for more than two hours and was not responding to knocks on the door at 520 Park Drive at 12:41 a.m. Dec. 9. BUPD found the shower was left running with no one in it. Gee, wonder what was happening in......

Ask Bill Belichick about last week's game, and you may as well be asking him about the Treaty of Ghent. Ask him about the 14-point-underdog Chargers, and you may as well be asking him about an All-Star team composed of the '85 Bears, '89 49ers and the Justice League of America. You know what you get from Coach Bill when you ask about football. But apparently, ask him about team fight songs and you hit......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Bostonist. Go Eight, a Hanukkah party on December 8th at TT The Bears. Sony Card, because you'll get a free MP3 player if you apply. Love is a Mix Tape, Rob Sheffield's book about women, music, and love. Busted Tees, where they've got naughty holiday-themed shirts. If you're interested in advertising on Bostonist or any other site in our network, check out......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Bostonist. Go Eight, a Hanukkah party on December 8th at TT The Bears. Sony Card, because you'll get a free MP3 player if you apply. Richard Hawley, at TT The Bears on December 4th. Busted Tees, where they're selling 12 shirts for $12 each. If you're interested in advertising on Bostonist or any other site in our network, check out our online......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Bostonist. Go Eight, a Hanukkah party on December 8th at TT The Bears. Homes for Working Families, because who hasn't been squeezed out of the housing market? Sony Card, because you'll get a free MP3 player if you apply. The Widow, the new book from Carla Neggers about a seven year-old murder off the coast of Maine. Busted Tees, where you get......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Bostonist. Go Eight, a Hanukkah party on December 8th at TT The Bears. Homes for Working Families, because who hasn't been squeezed out of the housing market? Sony Card, because you'll get a free MP3 player if you apply. Busted Tees, where you get free shipping with the purchase of three shirts. If you're interested in advertising on Bostonist or any other......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Bostonist. Wicked, playing a limited engagement in Boston through Sunday! Go Eight, a Hanukkah party on December 8th at TT The Bears. Homes for Working Families, because who hasn't been squeezed out of the housing market? The Cheetah Orphans, airing Sunday on PBS. How to Cook Your Live, opening in Boston on 12/6. Austin City Limits, which will feature The Arcade Fire.......

The Red Sox have been linked time and time again to reality television this season. There was "Sox Appeal," of course, but there were also calls for the jigging Jonathan Papelbon to Riverdance his way onto "Dancing With the Stars" and the segue FOX used last week to link the Boston bullpen band (the Black Pearl) to what looks like a God-awful new series, "The Next Great American Band." Sox bloggers, however, just might be......

Protest over national vs. regional chains, the never-ending debate over the place of cars and bicycles in our metropolises, professional sports scandals, remembering a solemn day, and being issued a search warrant - it all happened across our sites this week! Another banner week at Chicagoist started off with daily reports from food writer Lisa Shames on her attempt to eat only locally grown and raised foodstuffs all week as part of a farmers market......

Happy first weekend of September - and happy Labor Day weekend, too, for our American cities! Let's take a look at what's been happening around the Ist-a-verse. The deaths of two firefighters shook Bostonist this week. Boston's firefighters bent over backwards all week long - first, they fought flames pouring from the Boston Tea Party museum, and then a restaurant fire killed two and injured many more. Their efforts make everything else - like Tom......

A startup by some MIT grads started making waves a year ago when they began putting some venture capital to use to build their social networking site. After a year of growth some issues arose with their name, coincidentally with their expansion from Boston into New York City and the Bay Area. HeyLetsGo was to be no more; they were looking for a new name. Today they announced their new identity: Going.com. Going is looking......

As the saying goes April showers bring May flowers. We're willing to subscribe with that theory. April looks to be a bit soggy for us in the beginning, especially considering the current seven day forecast. That means that frolicking in the outdoors will be limited and heading into the haven of the local rock haunts will be plentiful. Lucky this week provides a host of great shows around the Boston area. Included this week......

A little bit of SXSW and a little bit of Japan are converging tomorrow night in Central Square. The SXSW Japan Showcase makes a few U.S. stops in addition to the big indie weekend in Austin. And, lucky for those of us unable to make a pilgrimage to Texas, Japan Night drops by TT's this weekend. Japan Night includes garage punk band The 50 Kaitenz. In addition to strains of The Ramones (one of their......

Despite all our lovin' of Lovie, what was supposed to be the Bears' next Super Bowl Shuffle turned into the Rex Grossman Stumble as the Colts defeated the Bears 29-17. Then again, who knows how the game would have turned out if a monsoon hadn't hit Miami. The players seemed miserable stumbling all over the field. There were turnovers galore because the pigskin probably felt like a real, live greased pig. The only person who......

For the Super Bowl, this Bostonist is going with Da Bears, just because they're the ones who didn't knock us out of the game. And Bears coach Lovie Smith has a name custom-made for punny headlines. The -Ist-a-Verse, when not busy with other important issues, such as the sex life of the mayor (no, not Mayor Menino, SF mayor Newsom!) or that danged ATHF "meat wad," has been gearing up for the Super Bowl. Of......

Tonight the State of the Union speech will be delivered in our nation's capital. While we're hitting the booze and playing the State of the Union drinking game, the media will talk about possible ramifications of the President's statements. But the focus has already started to shift from the current commander-in-chief to who's going to take over his job. The Democratic field of contenders is growing fast. Below you'll find Bostonist's guide to the field......

Sunday. Usually, a quiet, contemplative day in the Blogosphere. But not here in the Ist-a-Verse. Nonono! Just look below and see all of the wild and crazy stuff our staffs are up to. In Austin, bands are beginning to confirm for SXSW and the rumor mill is up and running. Good thing, too, because we all know how much Austinites love live performances. Austin also found itself in the national spotlight, with Longhorn Legend......

Not feeling up for First Nighting? Unable to get to New York City to watch the ball drop in person? As usual, the TV networks are more than willing to provide you with the kind of entertainment that will drive you to drink. Here's the lineup: WGBH 2 (PBS): Garrison Keillor's New Year's Eve Special. 10 pm. This one's for those of you who are feeling civilized. WBZ 4 (CBS): Local First Night Special. The......

Renaissance man Harry Shearer will read from Not Enough Indians at the Coolidge Corner Theatre at 6pm on Monday, December 11. The event is cheap at 2 bucks, and you can stay for a discounted screening of For Your Consideration. Comedian / writer / actor / director / Le Show host Harry Shearer has a knack of either soaring to the heights or plummeting to earth. His multiple achievements include his work voicing Ned Flanders,......

What a game last weekend, the Pats and Bears. Excitement, defense, hard hitting, and even some of the usual drama added by the NFL Zebras (are they serious with those Pass Interference calls? Were they watching the same game? Bostonist is in agreement with Troy Aikman; its time to make Pass Interference a reviewable offense). But, last night's game was proof that Defensive games can be fun. Here's hoping the boys over at Elias Sports......

The Pats flubbed another one this weekend in the Bostonist satellite office down in Foxboro, to the hated Jets of all teams, 17-14. This one was a mud bowl, and one would think that would benefit the home team, seeing they have control over their field. But, not this time around. And speaking of field conditions, can anyone respond and tell Bostonist why in the world the field at Gillette Stadium looked more like......

Photograph of Rick Santorum conceding defeat with his family by Gene J. Puskar/AP The -ists this week had politics on the brain. And what goes better with politics? Partying-- that's two great tastes in one. Oh, and Kevin Federline...can't forget about Kevin Federline. That's three great tastes in one. -Bostonist discussed two big state issues-- what sort of math constitutes a marriage and what kind of alcohol can be sold in most grocery stores.......

The Scissor Sisters finished their North American tour at the Orpheum Sunday night to a capacity crowd of gender bender hipsters and straight freaks alike. Less than two years ago the band was playing at TT the Bears and beginning to ride the wave created by their disco version of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb." Although the single off of their sophomore album, "Ta-Dah," is getting regional airplay it was obvious that most people were there......

Let's take a look back at a week that raised this Zen koan: if Kevin Federline got into a wrestling ring with a wrestler, who would you root for? Austinist was in an entertainment state of mind as they covered the dickens out of the Austin Film Festival, depicted all the Big 12 football coaches as South Park characters, and interviewed Jose Gonzalez. Chicagoist talked about the passion as they bid adieu to Bell's......

Why ramble? We've got shows to get out and see. We could put up a whole narrative about the state we were left in after NEMO and BeanTown Jazz swept through this weekend. But not now. Monday 10/2 Built to Spill with Helvetia Built to Spill delivers Indie Rock from when they first hit our radar on college radio and they actually were an indie band. They've been with Warner Bros. for what seems......

The season finale has just aired for your favorite TV show. NBC hasn't run Must See TV on Thursdays for a decade. The sun is shining and temperatures will be perfect for showing up jacketless to the next performance. Something to do every night this week – and rock it out for free with the pop tunes from WBOS' EarthFest line up on Saturday, starting at noon. All this and we're tivo-ing the Sox/Yanks games......

Doug Flutie, Heisman Trophy Winner, NFL Pro-Bowler, CFL legend, and the man who put Boston College football on the map, has retired after 21 years (yes, twenty-one) of professional football. Flutie is best known for his "Hail Mary" to Gerard Phelan to defeat the Miami Hurricanes back in 1984. If you have ever watched sports at all, even as a casual viewer, it is very likely that Flutie to Phelan was something that you......