Do you bike a substantial portion of your commute and don't receive any compensation for public transit or parking compensation from your employer?

The Herald reports the owner of Darque Tan was upset the woman didn't fight back when the gunman held the place up last month.

Police are looking for Preston Jackson, 42, of Mattapan, in connection with that and other recent hold ups in the Back Bay and Fenway.

Anyone who has spent a lot of time in Downtown Crossing over the past three or four years can see that it is now a deteriorating business district, with increasing levels of violence and loud, menacing behavior, especially up and down Washington Street. Last week's shooting during a busy Friday afternoon was only the tip of the iceberg.

This area is more perilously close to a bad tipping point than the Powers That Be either recognize or are willing to admit publicly. Here's why:

Angela gets confirmation when:

... your boss gives EVERYONE, and I mean everyone from the mailman to city employees to delivery folks, a Christmas bonus/check EXCEPT you. ...

Local ink-stained wretches have obviously not been immune from the MSM death spiral chronicled by local former ink-stained wretch Paul Gillin on Newspaper Death Watch. So it's kind of cool to see a job posting for an actual journalist at a job with full benefits, to oversee its Web site, although it's kind of puzzling they advertise it as "part time" when they expect the person to manage a staff of 35 fulltimers and freelancers. Also, you'll need "a passion for health care."

5.9% in November, up from 5.5% the month before.

UH fellow do-gooders,

We are hiring for the following positions at Be the Change, Inc. / ServiceNation:

Wade Roush reports that state Rep. Will Brownsberger of Cambridge and Arlington is filing legislation to forbid companies from including contract clauses that keep workers from working for competitors for at least a year.

Although it's a hot topic among tech workers, Brownsberger told Roush he's especially concerned about low-level service workers who effectively can't find work in the same industry even though they know none of the trade secrets the clauses are meant to protect.

Bijan Sabet is thrilled, argues the clauses put Massachusetts at a competitive disadvantage with states, such as California, that do not allow them.

Unemployed Amy got annoyed watching a Channel 4 reporter interview unemployment-center workers in their cubicles about how tough it is trying to keep up with all the calls from the newly unemployed:

"Behind every call is someone who is unemployed. And this is their lifeline to the desperately-needed check," the reporter voices-over.

Hey, lady - if it's so damn important, let the workers you interview answer the phone. I called yesterday to get some help on how to claim my severance payment, and I was told to call back because the operators were too busy. So stop asking these people if they cry or pray for the teeming refuse of which I am part, and let them take a call. ...

Local PR pro Rebecca Corliss is burning up the charts with her single about how much traditional marketing and sales suck in the Age of Social Networking:

Corliss provided both the lyrics and the vocals.