In the ongoing game we imagine going on between Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts, Dunkin' Donuts just scored a point. At least their local employees aren't suing them. A Starbucks employee in Chestnut Hill is suing because he feels the company didn't give him his due from the tip jar. Specifically, the employee claims that the managers, who were already getting paid more, were getting a cut from the tips: "In a class-action suit filed yesterday......

Be warned, Starbucks addicts and people who like free bathrooms: The coffee shop will be closed tonight between 5:30 and 9:00 for an emergency training of its employees, or "baristas," as they are known. In a city where the Starbucks vs. Dunkin' Donuts battle rages, Dunkin' Donuts is staking its claim by cutting prices on its small drinks to 99 cents until 10:00 pm, WBZ reports. Dunkin' Donuts is declaring coffee war, and it's......

Update: Adam notices that Rachael Ray is no longer on the Dunkies website. Perhaps her big mouth cost her a job? From what we gather, no one likes Rachael Ray's association with Dunkin' Donuts. And they will like it even less when they hear what she had to say about the beverage she is paid so handsomely to promote. A rumor has been swirling on the Internets, starting at New York Magazine, floating to Jezebel,......

Tim Blane Gregory Douglass Paradise Lounge Tonight, 9 p.m. doors, 18+, $10 MySpace Boston singer-songwriter Tim Blane isn't just the kind of musician who goes out of his way to talk about his music, he's the kind who will take a phone call when he's enjoying a day off in Florida - on his birthday. He won't mention this to a caller until the interview is already underway and laughs when the secret is revealed.......

Oldies station WODS (103.3 FM) is already playing holiday music. Laurel Sweet at the Herald wrote, "Admit it: You love it." No, we do not love it! At least it's easy to turn the FM dial away from the Trans-Siberan Orchestra's "What Is Christmas?" But what about the sudden appearance of Starbucks holiday cups? And what about Rachael Ray's uber-perky Dunkies ad? Amy at Boston Daily is already feeling irritated by Ray's self-proclaimed "million pounds"......

--A fire on Blue Hill Avenue in Mattapan injured 13 people, but a firefighter managed to save a baby. --Apparently the Pope ain't a Sox Fan. We dig visiting the 9/11 site, but mass at Yankee Stadium? C'mon... --At least Dustin showed the Yanks who's boss. Or if not boss, then Rookie of the Year. --One man lends a new meaning to meat salesman. --Women can't win, even in Starbucks lines. Give us a......

This rounds up the best of local blogs. Now that we're doing "Bite Size News," "Series of Tubes" will repeat those links, too. --Matt O'Malley, who has run for city councilor himself, analyzes the votes in the Boston City Council election and finds out what may have gone wrong for Felix Arroyo and right for John Connolly. [O'Malley on the Web] --Brace yourselves! Bobby Brown will perform at the Boston Music Awards on December 1.......

--Don't eat the yellow pills: "Mixing cough syrup, Vicodin or Lipitor with cat litter is the new advice on getting rid of unused medications. Preferably used cat litter." [WCVB] --Another BPD (pardon us, ex-BPD) officer has pled guilty to protecting shipments of cocaine. Unfortunately for him, the people shipping the cocaine were undercover FBI. [Boston Globe] --A boiler explosion in Salem sends three people to the hospital. [WCVB] --A huge sinkhole in the middle of......

Gothamist learned about the craziest urban nightmare come true: A huge python found in the bathroom pipes. It was also a nightmare for some Yankees fans, as manger Joe Torre declined to come back and manage the Bronx Bombers. At least the city's attempt to give some direction to subway riders was interesting, pranksters went shirtless at the Fifth Avenue Abercrombie & Fitch and the I Heart Brooklyn Girls calendars came out. And just......

- Two men are on the lam after an attempted carjacking in broad daylight on the Mass Pike. The suspects jumped into the back seat of a car waiting in line for the Allston-Brighton toll. When they arrived at the booth the driver alerted the attendant to the carjacking while being "pistol-whipped" with a handgun. The car hit another and then stopped, at which time the two men fled and have yet to be......

Fans of the local Boston music scene always have an abundance of tunes to be able to check out, given the ever-deepening pool of area talent and multitude of venues. Usually, things work out in the listeners' favor: one can't miss band one night, another the next. But sometimes the fates align themselves and cackle a bit as a potential audience member realizes she can't be two places at once. A musical cagematch emerges, with......

Starbucks, schmarbucks. Dunkin' Donuts thinks it can rule the world. It's rolled out corny commercials with the likes of Naomi Campbell and Rachael Ray leaving skidmarks on a floor. The next step in world domination starts this month, when our beloved Dunkin' Donuts begins selling packaged Dunkin' coffee across the United States at Wal-Mart, Kroger, and other stores. This is excellent news for anyone who no longer lives in New England yet who still feels......

Bostonist was a few minutes late arriving in Davis Square on Saturday evening. We briefly worried that we wouldn't be able to find Boston's undead elite lurching their way toward Harvard Square. Fortunately, zombies aren't the neatest of creatures and we were able to follow a twisted sort of crumb trail composed of corn syrup drops, fabric scraps, and distant cries of "BRAINS!" Zombie organizers told Bostonist prior to Saturday's march that last year's event......

How do you write a treatise on Dunkin' Donuts? With five dollar words like "inculcated" and "extant." Mike Miliard writes such a tome for the Phoenix titled "Choosing our Religion" about the rise and embrace of Boston's beloved coffee and donut shop. It's not clear if people outside New England identify our chain the same way we see Starbucks as something coming from Seattle, but it really doesn’t matter – we drink it, and love......

We really aren't sure where this came from. It seems like the stereotypes portrayed below have been applied to areas around St. Louis, Florida, Memphis, Detroit, among other US geographic locations. It came to us via email, un-attributed to the author (email us, we'll give you credit), and humorously rang true for some of the locations integrated into the list. Suggestions for the South Boston Barbie (both original model and Fort Point edition), Cantabrigian Barbie,......

As the world holds its breath, teetering precariously on the cusp of the Super Bowl (well, at least in America), the wheels of the -ists keep on turning. Austinist was in a musical frame of mind as they listened to the new Shins album, updated the SXSW band listings and got called "punk rock" for their efforts by MTV. And an ice storm swept through the area. Bostonist said goodbye to John Kerry's plans......

We posted about a big party that the local startup event/social site HeyLetsGo was planning for Fenway. We thought it was a good idea, but forgot that it's fall in New England and the weather doesn't cooperate with outdoor events this time of year. The threat of rain this evening (see picture. as of lunchtime it looks like rain is on the way) has moved the party across Lansdowne. The party will sprawl through Avalon,......

Celebrate Ben Franklin's 300th birthday with the Bikini Bandits and Phillyist! (NSFW). Speaking of Mr. Franklin, send in a picture of Ben (or Ed Rendell) with a red tongue and win a free t-shirt. And they might have the next YearlyKos in Philly. You know who's going to be upset about those Bikini Bandits? The Houston school system. Houstonist also reports on some redevelopment shenanigans over a landmark theater. LAist's sex advice column on......

It was about 7:30pm yesterday when the sky started getting dark. It may have been clouds that would bring in some overnight rain. Or maybe it was just a sign that summer is starting to wind down. The season of outdoor shows is starting to wind down and things will begin to move back indoors. Some of the best music in town this week will get you inside, even if there is still a......

This has been a rough week for your -ist pals, though you wouldn't know it from the great posts all over the network. Plagued with server problems, our tech team (led by the great Neil Epstein) toiled around the clock to solve the glitches as they arose. Seriously, we've said, typed, and thought the phrase "server problems" more in the past week than we have for the last 35 years combined. Why not say it......

There is something intriguing about snooping around your neighborhood to see what is going in the vacated spots that once housed a locally owned business. In February, many were surprised when arriving at Zathmary’s in Coolidge Corner for some matzah ball soup and the doors were locked, bread in front of the door, with no sign of life inside. The place was gone forever without a last chance to hit up the great salad bar.......

Starbucks has decided to give you a little treat this morning by handing out free 12 oz. (or "tall" if you jive like that) Arabica coffee to celebrate its First Annual National Coffee Break. We first saw it mentioned over on boston.com on Monday but when we were accosted this morning outside Copley T station with a free copy of the Globe with an insulating Starbucks sleeve around it, it actually made Bostonist quite happy......

DCist helps us make more sense of the world this week. Posts like this concert review are the reason for Scott Stapp. DCist also enumerates the reasons for playing ultimate frisbee, Condi's tight buns, their love of a local convenience store, and their jealousy of a person in Seattle calling the city. LAist documented graf artist Banksy's most recent visit to LA in one two three posts. They also found the best possible use......

Cambridge based Power Pop trio Anushka Pop, are earning some well deserved buzz from their 2nd EP, Akathena. Give a minute, well, 2 minutes to be precise, and listen to the title track; you'll understand why. The boys (John Soares - lead vocal/guitar/ organ, Chris Welch - drums/vocals, and Johnny Arguedas- bass/vocals) were nice enough to sit down with Bostonist, and after one round of whiskey, spill all their trade secrets. Akathena.mp3 | Why I'm......

Yes, we know it’s cliché to love the Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” but every time we see lil’ Zuzu talk about an angel getting its wings, Bostonist goes straight into tears. The1946 Frank Capra film is like a bad habit we just can’t kick. Well, if you are jonesing for some George Bailey vs. Mr. Potter action tonight, the Brattle Theater is showing the black and white film tonight at 7:15 p.m. for......

Those of you who are worried about your girlish figures but want to eat french fries and the like need to head over to b.good, the Back Bay restaurant with the tagline: "real.food.fast." Located on Dartmouth Street right past the Back Bay station, b.Good is fast food for the calorie-conscious, and is one of Bostonist's favorite lunchtime spots. All of the menu items are up on a board, which lists the nutritional value of everything.......

Last week, before we started shedding tears of sorrow for the Red Sox, Bostonist had overheard some stuff in the city. We asked if you had overheard some things to. Apparently you had. Crazy guy sitting alone at outdoor table by City Hall Plaza Starbucks As ugly as I am, people still love me! I'm not angry. Two twenty-somethings walking down Newbury Street First Girl: I'd rather have cancer than be pregnant. Second Girl:......

When one finds herself stuck at her parents' house for the weekend, the suburban nightlife can leave something to be desired. So when Bostonist was in this situation last week, we did what we used to do Saturday nights in high school: we headed to the local cinemaplex, which always lacks independent films but always has a Starbucks in the lobby. Bostonist decided to take in the newest addition in the chick lit-turned-flick genre, In......

Bostonist decided to jaunt over to the North End this past Friday for a few reasons. Despite its lingering odor and smashed remains all over the road, the Haymarket does have some ridiculously priced produce. (Where else can Bostonist get 2 avocados for $1? On a recent trip to California, they were a buck a piece.) After a quick stop at the market, which has recently come under scrutiny now that the Big Dig is......

After spending another $4 for a latte this afternoon at the green awning mecca known as Starbucks, Bostonist was disgusted. No, not by the coffee, but by how typical the whole Starbucks experience now is. When they were few and far between, a Caramel Macchiato was heavenly; but now, with the 'Buck on every street corner, they are the norm. Luckily, Bostonist was saved by our fellow blog, the DCist, who mentioned a fabulous new......