The World This Week: Litter Bugs Us

by | Aug 7, 2008 | News

Often, the first thing one sees when visiting a city in quaint, historic New England is a McDonald's wrapper, a styrofoam Dunkin Donuts cup, a bucket-sized Big Gulp, and mounds of Snapple and "Eco Shape" Poland Springs bottles. These sorts of items dot...

The Power of One

by | Aug 7, 2008 | News

Give credit where it's due: Springfield state reps Angelo Puppolo and Sean Curran may not have proven to be giant killers last week, but at least they attempted something many in Massachusetts political circles apparently don't have the stomach...
CD Shorts

CD Shorts

by | Aug 7, 2008 | Music

Sa DingdingAlive(Wrase Records)Alive may not be the best pop album of the year, but it's got to be the coolest. Twenty-five-year-old Sa Dingding of China brings Sanskrit, Mandarin, Mongolian and Tibetan song into the age of electronica and sweaty dance floors....
Soundcheck: A Cellar Full of Sound

Soundcheck: A Cellar Full of Sound

by | Aug 7, 2008 | Music

One of Northampton's hidden gems is about to move into the spotlight of Main Street with a relocation of around a tenth of a mile. Dynamite Records boasts humble beginnings. It started some 20 years ago, located in the trunk of a station wagon parked in downtown...
Behind the Beat: The Canadians Have Landed

Behind the Beat: The Canadians Have Landed

by | Aug 7, 2008 | Music

If he had to do it all over again, Carl Newman would have left his band's name—The New Pornographers—off his credit card. The moniker often elicits snide remarks and sidelong glances. They don't tour often these days, so they are looking forward to...