McDonald's to Offer Table Service in UK

It's sort of funny that Marketing Magazine puts waiters in the category of "cutting edge initiatives."

The service will be tested at the Milton Keynes location. The products aren't changing; but does anyone go to McDonald's for the food?

Downeaster platforms ready in Freeport, Brunswick

Downeaster platforms ready in Freeport, Brunswick

Trains will begin running this fall.

Augusta next?

Lobster Wars

Those crazy lobstering folks are at it again, in the town of Friendship, no less, where two boats were sunk and other lobstering gear was sabotaged.

Sounds like the Wild East out there, but it's all for money. Probably.

Bratty Boys?

It's Mom's fault. Of course it is.

Testosterone-Fueled Infantile Males Might Be a Product of Mom's Behavior

ScienceDaily (May 10, 2012) — By comparing the testosterone levels of five-month old pairs of twins, both identical and non-identical, University of Montreal researchers were able to establish that testosterone levels in infancy are not inherited genetically but rather determined by environmental factors....

Unless it's Dad's fault, or some other environmental cause. But you'd never guess from the headline of that article that the researcher's really don't know the cause, just that is is environmental rather than genetic. "The study was not designed to specifically identify these environmental factors which could include a variety of environmental conditions, such as maternal diet, maternal smoking, breastfeeding and parent-child interactions."

But hey: how boring. Let's blame Mom, just like we did for autism. That stuck for decades!

That Guy Who Burned Down The Grandview

...will spend 30 years in prison.

Prosecutors maintained that Raymond Bellavance, Jr. set the topless coffee shop ablaze out of jealousy over a girlfriend who worked there. As arsonists go, Bellavance was less than stealthy: several people heard him state his intentions to burn the establishment days before the fire. His co-conspirator, Thomas Mulkern, also testified against him in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

Donald Crabtree, owner of the business, did not attend the sentencing an has said he remains unconvinced of Bellavance's guilt.

Asswipes Rob Augusta Pharmacy

Again.

Augusta, Maine to Get Fun Bar!

I know, how'd that happen, right? .

My hometown has all the makings of a fun little town to spend an afternoon, do a little shopping, stay for dinner and a drink, listen to some music...well, except shops and restaurants. (Excluding chains. There are plenty of those in utterly fun-free, unwalkable congregations on either end of town.) But Augusta has the river and some great architecture, in walking distance of the Capitol. State government offices alone should guarantee that there are people in town who have good jobs and a little money to spend.

But as of today, Augusta has no good bars. It has three dives, going from bad to worse like the Three Bears' porridge, and one sedate, almost geriatric establishment where the beers are five bucks.

Is all that about to change? In early summer, Augusta is supposed to be getting a new bar: Charlemagne's, described by owner Tina Charest as "a classy, comfortable place."

Charlemagne's, which will be located in the newly-renovated Chernowsky's building, will offer "light music" and sports.

It's gonna be a great summer.