HOT

Ted Siedle

The Forbes Columnist and Rhode Island pension fund critic is eyeing a run for Rhode Island Attorney General.

This is tremendous news as Siedle has shown a tremendous amount of dedication towards protecting the little guy in Rhode Island through his pension fund advocacy.

All signs point that he would do a tremendous job as the state’s top law enforcement official. It will be interesting to see if he takes the plunge.

HOT

Francois Luks

Hasbro Children’s Hospital has named Dr. Luks its pediatric surgeon-in-chief and division chief of pediatric surgery. Dr. Luks brings a wealth of experience and acclamations to the position and should serve the hospital exceptionally well in his new role.

HOT

Daniel Weinreich and Brenda Rubenstein

The two Brown University scientists received a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study genetic mutations. The result of their research may very well make antibiotics more effective. Congrats to these two professors and here’s wishing them the best of luck with their research.

HOT

Daniel McKee

The Lieutenant Governor deserves some credit for leading the fight against the proposed National Grid rate increase of over 50-percent and putting some pressure on the Public Utilities Commission to scale it back.

Yes, the economy is improving, but this is hardly the time that Rhode Island energy consumers can afford such a drastic increase.

HOT

Craig Robinson

The former Brown University Men’s Basketball coach, who also happens to be former President Barrack Obama’s brother-in-law, has landed himself a job in the front office of NBA’s New York Knicks. Hopefully, he can help turn around that once proud franchise, which has been struggling for decades.

HOT

Josh Rosen

The UCLA quarterback dropped an avalanche of truth on the NCAA during an interview with Bleacher Report by pointing out that there’s little in common with being a football player at an elite school and a scholar. “Football and school don’t go together. They just don’t. Trying to do both is like trying to do two full-time jobs. There are guys here who have no business being in school, but they’re here because this is the path to the NFL.” Rosen is right.

The schools make tens of millions off of these unbelievable talented athletes. The education aspect doesn’t matter or mean anything. The time is long past due to pay these athletes for their labor!

NOT

Rafael Ovalles

The Rhode Island Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline has recommended that Ovalles, an RI District Court judge, be removed from his position, the steepest penalty allowed by the commission.

Ovalles was accused of abusive conduct towards lawyers and sexual harassment. Ovalles will appeal this decision, but this is more bad news for the embattled judge.

NOT

Stephen Miller

Now that Anthony Scaramucci has been fired, I suppose his smooth talking, get-along-with-the-press style have been purged along with him. Enter Stephen Miller, who took to the podium and berated CNN’s Jim Acosta for asking if the White House’s new green card policy would discriminate against certain populations. Miller accused Acosta of having a “cosmopolitan” worldview.

How ironic (read: hypocritical), it is, that the Washington Post reported this week that Miller lives in a $1 million condo in CityCenter, the posh, upscale Washington neighborhood. That’s pretty cosmopolitan, Mr. Miller!

NOT

Stan Lee

The iconic creator of Spider Man agreed to allow RI Comic Con to promote his 2016 appearance as the “last time” he would be appearing in New England in a public setting.

Fans waited in long lines and paid hefty fees to meet, greet, and get pictures and autographs with him, figuring it would be their last chance.

Now, Hasbro is marketing an event this year called HASCON to be held September 8-10, which will feature Stan Lee. That’s not fair. It’s reminiscent of these rock bands who hold multiple “farewell tours”.

NOT

Gas Prices

Electricity rates aren’t the only things rising around here. Gas prices were up 8 cents last week over the week prior. That’s been a regular trend this summer, as gas prices have risen steadily. It certainly isn't making things any easier on the already strained budgets of Rhode Islanders.

NOT

Providence College

Princeton Review, which is known for its college rankings, has ranked Providence College as the most segregated school in the nation. This is a complete badge of dishonor for the school.

The college spokesman notes that the school has made strides to increase its racial diversity since Father Brian Shanley’s tenure began, but it’s clear that the progress, while welcome, is not moving as fast as it should.

NOT

Google

The technology giant fired employee James Damore for writing a manifesto that was critical of the company’s obsession with diversity and what he believes are over-the-top attempts to close the so-called wage gap between men and women. Firing someone for having politically incorrect opinions isn’t a good look.

Of course, they have the right to fire employees for saying things that they think makes the company look bad. But firing someone for speaking their mind makes them look even worse--especially someone who prefaced their remarks by saying “I strongly believe in gender and racial diversity, and I think we should strive for more.”