Sam G. Howard
@samghoward.riliberator.com
Rhode Islander, education union data organizer and Democratic ward committee member. Recovering comms pro, RI's leading vexillologist (probably). Occasionally blogs at riliberator.com
I didn't know RI even had a raven population. www.wpri.com/news/local-n...
November 26, 2025 at 4:10 PM
I didn't know RI even had a raven population. www.wpri.com/news/local-n...
That last story includes this line: "Instead, Ocean Staters must go to a package store."
November 25, 2025 at 2:39 PM
That last story includes this line: "Instead, Ocean Staters must go to a package store."
The Journal is getting hard-up for filler news.
November 25, 2025 at 2:36 PM
The Journal is getting hard-up for filler news.
Despite almost 40% of RI Democrats not knowing much about Joe Shekarchi, he (slightly) outperforms Dan McKee in UNH polling for the Dem nomination. scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcont...
November 24, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Despite almost 40% of RI Democrats not knowing much about Joe Shekarchi, he (slightly) outperforms Dan McKee in UNH polling for the Dem nomination. scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcont...
My favorite US flag fact is that the earliest visual representation we have of the full Stars and Stripes is this 1792 painting by John Trumbull, and notably the stripes are reversed (seven white, six red — theorized to be the land flag for US forces).
November 19, 2025 at 12:49 AM
My favorite US flag fact is that the earliest visual representation we have of the full Stars and Stripes is this 1792 painting by John Trumbull, and notably the stripes are reversed (seven white, six red — theorized to be the land flag for US forces).
I wrote this in November 2023! It was telegraphed well in advance! Lots of people did not take the reporting seriously. riliberator.com/2023/11/14/n...
November 18, 2025 at 7:51 PM
I wrote this in November 2023! It was telegraphed well in advance! Lots of people did not take the reporting seriously. riliberator.com/2023/11/14/n...
His campaign slogan could definitely use some work.
November 18, 2025 at 2:39 PM
His campaign slogan could definitely use some work.
Our AI-powered Conan the Barbarian toy answers your child's questions just like the famed Cimmerian would!
November 17, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Our AI-powered Conan the Barbarian toy answers your child's questions just like the famed Cimmerian would!
I actually think a counterfactual where RI’s 2010 LG race is won by Healey is worth thinking about; would people have just rode out the four years, abolished the office, or ticketed it?
November 17, 2025 at 7:17 PM
I actually think a counterfactual where RI’s 2010 LG race is won by Healey is worth thinking about; would people have just rode out the four years, abolished the office, or ticketed it?
I guess if I was Pope I’d also summon my favorite film stars and directors to make them hear my opinions on the movie industry.
“God said you should only do remakes of *unsuccessful* movies, not ones that were popular the first time or still hold up.”
“God said you should only do remakes of *unsuccessful* movies, not ones that were popular the first time or still hold up.”
November 15, 2025 at 12:41 PM
I guess if I was Pope I’d also summon my favorite film stars and directors to make them hear my opinions on the movie industry.
“God said you should only do remakes of *unsuccessful* movies, not ones that were popular the first time or still hold up.”
“God said you should only do remakes of *unsuccessful* movies, not ones that were popular the first time or still hold up.”
Just massive drops in crime across the board in Providence; particularly notable that this is part of a nearly 25-year decline in violent crime. ppd.providenceri.gov/crimedata/
November 14, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Just massive drops in crime across the board in Providence; particularly notable that this is part of a nearly 25-year decline in violent crime. ppd.providenceri.gov/crimedata/
Good author talk for “The Right of the People” by @ositanwanevu.com at @symposiumbooks.bsky.social; with @phileil.bsky.social interviewing.
November 14, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Good author talk for “The Right of the People” by @ositanwanevu.com at @symposiumbooks.bsky.social; with @phileil.bsky.social interviewing.
Love this bit from the Wikipedia entry for the US Senator who resigned alongside Roscoe Conkling in order to block Garfield’s appointments. Years later, returned to the Senate and pulled another maneuver that also blew up in his face. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_...
November 13, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Love this bit from the Wikipedia entry for the US Senator who resigned alongside Roscoe Conkling in order to block Garfield’s appointments. Years later, returned to the Senate and pulled another maneuver that also blew up in his face. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_...
Listen, @ohnocastro.bsky.social, if you're going to mix unofficial neighborhoods together with official neighborhoods, you can't just cut "Summit" out in favor of "Hope Village"
November 13, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Listen, @ohnocastro.bsky.social, if you're going to mix unofficial neighborhoods together with official neighborhoods, you can't just cut "Summit" out in favor of "Hope Village"
Totally beside the point, but Rhode Islander alert (in case any local media need an excuse to cover this trial).
November 13, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Totally beside the point, but Rhode Islander alert (in case any local media need an excuse to cover this trial).
Whenever I read one of these, how modern right-wing talk radio in RI would've described colonial RI.
"More about those animals in Newport.. Listen, I don't care what your politics are, you can't just start shooting cannonballs at our troops!"
www.providencejournal.com/story/news/h...
"More about those animals in Newport.. Listen, I don't care what your politics are, you can't just start shooting cannonballs at our troops!"
www.providencejournal.com/story/news/h...
November 12, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Whenever I read one of these, how modern right-wing talk radio in RI would've described colonial RI.
"More about those animals in Newport.. Listen, I don't care what your politics are, you can't just start shooting cannonballs at our troops!"
www.providencejournal.com/story/news/h...
"More about those animals in Newport.. Listen, I don't care what your politics are, you can't just start shooting cannonballs at our troops!"
www.providencejournal.com/story/news/h...
Wait, they ARE doing promotion and relegation? I remember they said during construction that the owners weren't interested because it can make them lose money!
November 10, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Wait, they ARE doing promotion and relegation? I remember they said during construction that the owners weren't interested because it can make them lose money!
Labour is going to be annihilated because it’s lost ground to both the left (Greens/SNP/PC) and the center (LibDems) and all it can think to try in response is half-baked Faragism.
November 8, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Labour is going to be annihilated because it’s lost ground to both the left (Greens/SNP/PC) and the center (LibDems) and all it can think to try in response is half-baked Faragism.
The writer makes an argument that campaigns are intensely aware of this while voters aren’t, but if you look at the numbers, around 22% of possible votes aren’t being cast, which mathematically would work out to all voters casting four or fewer votes (though obviously people skew the average).
November 7, 2025 at 12:09 PM
The writer makes an argument that campaigns are intensely aware of this while voters aren’t, but if you look at the numbers, around 22% of possible votes aren’t being cast, which mathematically would work out to all voters casting four or fewer votes (though obviously people skew the average).
Mamdani is doing better in 2021 districts that voted for Sliwa than Sliwa is. www.urbanresearchmaps.org/electioncomp...
November 5, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Mamdani is doing better in 2021 districts that voted for Sliwa than Sliwa is. www.urbanresearchmaps.org/electioncomp...
Well, it turns out that turnout was actually really good for an off-off-year special primary (I expect it may be better than the general).
November 5, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Well, it turns out that turnout was actually really good for an off-off-year special primary (I expect it may be better than the general).
The question is whether officeholders are limited to their consecutive terms (2 for the mayor, 3 for councilors) once in their lifetime (Solomon ineligible) or whether it's in a single sitting and you can come back once you take at least a one term break (Solomon eligible).
November 4, 2025 at 5:55 PM
The question is whether officeholders are limited to their consecutive terms (2 for the mayor, 3 for councilors) once in their lifetime (Solomon ineligible) or whether it's in a single sitting and you can come back once you take at least a one term break (Solomon eligible).
Former Providence City Council President Mike Solomon is running for his old ward now that his successor Joann Ryan is term limited out, which also means that any potential primary opponent can test the meaning of the Providence city charter's term limit provision.
November 4, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Former Providence City Council President Mike Solomon is running for his old ward now that his successor Joann Ryan is term limited out, which also means that any potential primary opponent can test the meaning of the Providence city charter's term limit provision.