Braintree police were sad to learn that a 94-year-old Hull woman, who was the victim in a two-car accident on Tuesday, died of her injuries at South Shore Hospital on Saturday.

Esther E. Chandler had been driving northbound on Quincy Avenue when a second car turned left from the right lane, causing Chandler’s car to crash and rollover, trapping her inside.

The second driver, an unnamed Quincy woman, was cited for marked lanes violation, and police will be consulting with the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office to potentially bring additional charges against her.

QUINCY — Siobhan Magnus, who was the sixth place finalist on the ninth season of American Idol, is a local girl from Barnstable. Today she made the trip to Quincy to join Joe Biden, John Kerry, Vicki Kennedy and other prominent Democrats in a rally for Norfolk District Attorney William Keating, who is hoping to take over the seat being vacated by Rep. William Delahunt.

She was terrible.

For those who enjoy seeing people merely because they have been television, her appearance may have been a treat. But as soon as she began her rendition of “Star Spangled Banner” it was evident that her voice — at least today — was neither powerful nor pretty. Worse, she chose an over-ambitious arrangement whose glides and turns would still have been a challenge to a singer of far greater talent.

The crowd showed appropriate appreciation for her willingness to perform and to support their favorite candidate. But even as people put their hands together for applause, many were turning to the person next to them to whisper a critical remark. She wasn’t “Rosanne bad” but it was pretty terrible for someone who is supposed to be one of the best young vocalists in the United States. Watch the video.

When she returned to the stage to sing “America the Beautiful” her rendition was simpler and less-offensive but still nothing to brag about.

Ayla Brown, daughter of Republican Senator Scott Brown, has been on American Idol as well. It might be interesting to see which of these two young local ladies — one a Democratic supporter and the other the daughter of a Republican — sounds worse without the backing of Simon Cowl’s production company. If that contest ever happens, let me know how it turns out. I’m staying out of earshot.

As far as I’m concerned, Joe Biden — or rather his extra-planetary auto-tuned counterpart — was by far the best singer to take that stage today.

Biden spoke passionately about what he feels is at stake this election (John Stephen Dwyer for Blast Magazine)

QUINCY — The race for the 10th Congressional District of Massachusetts is a close one in an election that many view as pivotal. Norfolk District Attorney William Keating is running to succeed retiring fellow Democrat Rep. William Delahunt. Hoping to tip the scales in Keating’s favor, Vice President Biden appeared today at a rally in Quincy alongside fellow prominent party members including John Kerry and Vicki Kennedy.

It was an outdoor event where the sun was shining, the stage was decorated with ornamental gourds, and autumn-colored hills in the distance looked calm under a bright blue sky. And there were occasional moments of levity, such as when the bald-headed Keating kidded Kerry that at least he didn’t have to worry about his hair flopping in the wind as the Senator’s was. But the overall tone was serious.

Thelma Goldstein, a nonagenarian resident of Falmouth, MA, is known locally as Matriarch of the Democratic Party. (John Stephen Dwyer for Blast Magazine)

Alluding to a quote from Mark Twain, the Vice-President assured the crowd of a few hundred people that “reports of the death of the Democratic party are premature…we are going to maintain the Senate, we are going to have a majority in the House, and Bill Keating’s going to be part of that majority.”

He also warned the crowd that today’s GOP “is not your father’s Republican Party” and said that its unprecedented fiscal irresponsibility and lack of concern for working people is the reason middle-class families have “watched that (American) Dream slip away.”

Among other Democrats speaking on Keating’s behalf was Delahunt, Rep. Ed Markey, State Rep. Sarah Peake, and local supporter Thelma Goldstein, a nonagenarian who voted for Franklin Delano Roosevelt and whose long-time political involvement has earned her the honorary title “Matriarch of the Democratic Party.”

Click the “YouTube” button below to see more videos from this event and other Blast stories.

QUINCY — Jill Quigg, whose South Boston accent and rapid-fire foul mouth won her praise in the film “Gone Baby Gone,” was arrested Friday after she and a friend allegedly broke into an apartment and stole a television and printer, according to the Boston Globe.

Quigg, 35, pleaded not guilty Monday in Quincy District Court to charges of breaking and entering in the daytime, larceny over $250, and destruction of property over $250. She was released on personal recognizance.

Police responded to a report of a breaking and entering inside an apartment at 613 South St. around noon Friday, Quincy police Lieutenant Jack Sullivan said.

Two witnesses told police they saw Quigg and Georgios Keskinidis, 28, of Lynn walking down the hall from the apartment and out of the building, Sullivan said. They followed the pair and watched them walk across the street with a flat-screen television and a computer printer, so they called 911.

But when officers confronted Quigg, however, she told police they had seen a black man break into the apartment, leaving with the television and the computer printer. She maintained that she and Keskinidis had chased the man, who ran, dropped the stolen items, hopped into an unidentified car, and sped off. With the burglar gone, she had thought it was best to keep the stolen property in her apartment across the street.

Quigg’s boyfriend was also arrested Friday afternoon when he showed up at the scene. Lawrence J. Schwindt, 49, of Quincy had an outstanding warrant in Weymouth for a probation violation, the Globe reported.

Quigg is expected to be due back in court for a pretrial conference November 12.

In the film  Quigg played Dottie, the best friend of the movie’s female lead, played by Academy Award-winning actress Amy Ryan in the 2007 gritty crime drama directed by Ben Affleck. The film tells the story of two private investigators searching for an abducted 4-year-old girl in Dorchester.

The Globe reported that Quigg, who has two children, ages 8 and 19 months, is addicted to heroin. She checked into a week-long detox program.

QUINCY — You may have heard of a Spanish island called Ibiza, that, although small, is best known for throwing some of the best, biggest summer club parties in the world.

On Sunday, 6one7 Productions, will be bringing a bit of Ibiza to the Boston area. Introducing the "Sounds of Ibiza," featuring DJ Victor Calderone. His skills in the music industry span across the spectrum, with experience working with stars like Madonna and Sting, and now his beats will play into the night at New England’s largest outdoor nightclub, The Ocean Club at Marina Bay.

Club creators Nick Varano and Frank DePasquale promise that the summertime party will continue on into September with the Sounds of Ibiza event. From noon to 1 a.m., Calderone’s music will fill the club and the dance floor, with DJ’s Chriss Vargas, Rob Mirage and DJ Deka joining him on the turntables.

Tickets are $20 in advance for the first 100 tickets sold. Otherwise general admission is $25 in advance or $35 at the door.

Don’t miss this international party experience with an upbeat vibe and energy of the island of Ibiza!

A Quincy police lieutenant suffered second-degree burns on Friday when his propane grill exploded, the Patriot Ledger reported.

Kevin Tobin was burned on his right leg, right arm, and left hand. He was treated and released from Massachusetts General Hospital.

His uncle, Quincy District Court chief magistrate Arthur Tobin told the Patriot Ledger that the lieutenant had just brought the grill out to his driveway when it exploded. Neighbors rushed over to help him.

QUINCY — Home oxygen equipment is a lifesaver. A medical device, it allows patients with breathing problems to stay in their homes and lead a normal life. But like any medical device, it can be deadly.

In Massachusetts several fatal fires have moved investigators to look more deeply into the dangers of home oxygen, especially when people smoke with this equipment in the house.

The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services has launched an educational campaign around this issue. Stephen D. Coan, the state fire marshal and top fire official, says he considers the issue a top priority.

"Smoking in homes where people use oxygen starts many fires each year that cause deaths and injuries," Coan said. "These fires force whole families and other building tenants out of their homes, destroy a lifetime’s possessions, and cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage."

Home oxygen is pure O2 — the fuel required for fire to burn. In the presence of an open flame or spark, pure oxygen can ignite. And if a fire is already burning, bottles of home oxygen can suddenly and violently explode or release their contents into the fire, giving it more fuel, and quickly turning a small fire into a massive blaze. These fires can be more deadly for residents and more dangerous for responding firefighters.

Fire needs oxygen to burn, and the more oxygen there is in the air, the easier and faster things — furniture, clothing, bedding — will burn. Normal air is about 21 percent oxygen, while home medical oxygen is 100 percent. It’s the difference between a beer and pure rubbing alcohol.

In Quincy a woman died on the morning of Dec. 26 after fire officials said she was smoking a cigarette while using home oxygen. Donna Marani, 62, brutally burned to death in a two-alarm fire in her high-rise apartment complex. In her tiny apartment, the first thing that was visible was her front door, down a long hallway, where a sign warned passersby that home oxygen was in use and that people shouldn’t smoke. But inside the apartment, the remains of a pack of cigarettes and a lighter were visible on a table. On the floor, Marani’s oxygen unit was a charred mess. Quincy Fire Chief Joseph Barron said she was found in a hallway, between a couch where the fire started and her bathroom. The couch was burned down to the springs, with only the tatters of a Boston Red Sox blanket remaining.

"The investigation revealed the cause to be consistent with a smoking-related fire,” Coan said. "And there was home oxygen in the apartment.”

Marani was declared dead at the scene. Across the living room, a bookshelf full of Christmas cards and old photographs gave a sad reminder of the humanity surrounding the preventable danger.

"She was a smoker,” said Jenn Fell, 31, who lives in the Marani’s building with her two sons. "Several people in the building have warned her about smoking while on oxygen. … Everybody lost a really good friend out of this tragedy.”

Fell was allowed to return to her home, but the entire building, some 10 stories tall, housing low-income, elderly, and disabled city residents, smelled of smoke. Water damage seeped downstairs. Smoke and fire damage hit adjoining apartments. Two other residents were hospitalized.

On May 16, a house fire burned so intensely that firefighters in full gear and air masks were unable to reach a 73-year-old grandmother in the town of Whitman, Massachusetts. Helena Drass died in a fire that was violently accelerated by her therapeutic home oxygen containers. Fire investigators believe she was smoking a cigarette while her oxygen equipment was in use.

Drass was living with her daughter, who was out of town that night. A babysitter was hailed as a hero for getting Drass’ four grandchildren out of the house safely, but there was nothing that could be done for the grandmother.

“The fire was so intense — it did more damage in 10 minutes than most fires do in 30 minutes,” said Whitman Fire Chief Tim Grenno. Fire crews from four neighboring cities and towns helped put out the 2-alarm fire.

Elsewhere in Massachusetts, on March 27, 2004, a 39-year-old Salem woman died after she was overcome by heat and smoke when her apartment caught fire. Her roommate was using home oxygen and lit a cigarette. Six other people were hurt in the fire. On January 13, 2004, the town of Holbook battled a massive fire in a single-family home. A resident on oxygen dropped a cigarette that ignited the living room cough on fire. The fire caused several oxygen tanks in the room to rupture and explode. A firefighter was hurt. In 2003, a Boston man on home oxygen died in a flash fire. Even though his oxygen was off, there was enough remaining in the air to ignite his clothes when he lit a cigarette. He died and his wife and daughter were burned trying to save him.

On October 28, 2002, an 8-year-old girl died when her father, a smoker with lung disease, dropped a cigarette while he was using home oxygen. The tank exploded, and the little girl couldn’t escape the house.

Smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths in Massachusetts. Statewide since 1997, about two-dozen people have died and nearly 50 people have been injured in fires caused by smoking around home oxygen. According to the Quincy-based National Fire Protection Association, 46 people die each year around the country from fires sparked by improper use of home oxygen equipment — namely, smoking around such apparatus.

According to a National Fire Prevention Association research study, from 2003 to 2006, 1,190 people were burned per year in the United States from fires associated with home medical oxygen. Seventy-three percent of those fires were caused by smoking and 89 percent of victims suffered facial burns.

Coan’s office is circulating educational pamphlets to local fire departments, including a step-by-step guide for firefighters to educate residents on the dangers of smoking around oxygen. Essentially, oxygen users are told they should not smoke and should stay away from candles, gas grills, stoves, and any open flames.

"It’s a very dangerous thing. This is an issue that is extremely dangerous in homes," says Lorraine Carli, a spokeswoman for the National Fire Protection Association. "But like most fires and burns, they can be prevented by people taking some very simple steps."

Coan says that his campaign will target more than just residents and patients. He said that health care providers also have to take responsibility.

"Before sending a patient home on oxygen, health care providers must make sure the patient understands the dangers of smoking in an oxygen enriched environment," Coan writes in a statement. "Smokers should be asked about their intentions. If they are unwilling to quit, the risk of fire can outweigh the benefit of oxygen therapy."

There are simple ways to reduce risks that firefighters and officials are trying to teach. Patient on oxygen should avoid matches, lighters, cigarettes, candles, gas stoves, major appliances, electric razors, hair dyers and space heaters. Oil-based products like certain lotions or lip balms can also be dangerous for oxygen users. "You should not smoke. Your family and friends should not smoke around you," Coan said. "No one should smoke in your home. The fire danger is too great."

Transplants from Texas to New England long for abundant sunshine, open roads and — most importantly — Mexican food. "But we have Mexican food!" Bay Staters doth protest, unaware that the lumpy burritos and watered down tequila that count as authentic Mexican cuisine up here would never pass muster with even the least epicurean-minded Texan. Therefore, I set out to perform a service to lost Texans and New Englanders alike: find the best Mexican food in the Boston area.

First, let’s get a few things straight.

Number one: Burritos do not count. No amount of Qdoba, Chipotle or even Anna’s Taqueria will suffice to fulfill my Tex-Mex cravings. "Burrito" did not enter my vocabulary until chains like Taco Bell appeared on the scene, and in fact burritos originated in that most un-Texas-like place: California.

Number two: Hot sauce, salsa, and pico de gallo are three separate condiments. While some Texans may indeed use the terms "hot sauce" and "salsa" interchangeably — much like Coke can also mean Dr. Pepper — we would never mistake pico de gallo for salsa. Pico de gallo (which means "rooster’s beak"), often served with other sides like sour cream and guacamole, is a chunky combination of raw tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and jalapeno peppers. Salsa is the cooked, liquefied version, usually served with chips, and hot sauce can be defined as any of the thin, vinegar-based sauces like Cholula and Tabasco. Most of the Mexicans I know put hot sauce on everything. I once traveled through Austria with a few folks from Ciudad Ju¡rez who kept hot sauce in their pockets and even doused their Wiener schnitzel. Some taquerias specialize in their own sauces, which at one of my favorite taco stands (operated out of a roadside trailer) is nothing more than liquefied jalapenos — not for the faint of heart.

I’ll summarize other ground rules by clarifying that real margaritas have salt and fresh lime juice. tequila shots can be taken straight, with lime and salt, or even with cinnamon and orange, and I’m not even going to get into the bastardization that is Velveeta-spawned queso (cheese dip). With that out of the way, we are ready to begin with my top five finalists.

Tu y Yo, Somerville

Fashioned after a Mexican fonda (a hostel with home-cooked meals), Tu y Yo is one of my favorite restaurants in Boston. This tiny gem, tucked into Powderhouse Square (about a ten-minute walk from the Davis Square T stop), offers food deeply rooted in Mexican culture. Tex-Mex purists may feel a bit lost at first, but will undoubtedly be won over by the flavor and colors of "You and I."

While dinner is excellent, if a bit steep ($13-$18), I actually prefer stopping by Tu y Yo for brunch on weekends, which is not only cheaper but features my favorite dish, huevos divorciados (two eggs sunny-side up on a fried tortilla, with red and green sauces and refried black beans). The caf© de olla is a treat (coffee brewed with chocolate, cinnamon, and orange peel), and while Tu y Yo does not offer liquor, they do serve a range of wine, sangria, and beer. A Slow Food snail icon adorns the menu, much like yellowed reviews and awards adorn the crimson and orange walls. Those in need of a Mexican food education will appreciate the pictorial glossary at the back of the menu (with entries like nopales, huitlacoche, and amaranth). Best of all, the menu proudly proclaims "No Burritos!!!" — encouraging even the sepia-tinged se±ors hanging out over the bar (photographed with guns, sombreros, and abundant mustaches) to crack a smile.

La Paloma, Quincy

Of all of my finalists, La Paloma represents the truest Tex-Mex feel. While it’s a bit of a trek for those of us near Boston proper, La Paloma is definitely worth it. I know a couple of Colorado transplants who make monthly pilgrimages out on the red line (La Paloma is a short walk from the North Quincy T stop). The d©cor is laid-back with a "homey" atmosphere, and the menu and drinks are all reasonably priced (dinner entrees from $7-16). A vegetarian pick: cheese and onion enchiladas with verde sauce. La Paloma offers a wide range of tequila and a long list of margaritas and specialty drinks under $7. With these kind of prices (not to mention the freshly made salsa), I almost feel like I’m back home.

Ol©, Inman Square, Cambridge

Ol© offers a citified atmosphere and menu that may bode well for Houston and Dallas residents used to chi chi gourmet food — not to mention the expense. But as the saying goes, you get what you pay for: superb margaritas, to-die-for guacamole (prepared right at your table), and excellent mole (a traditional sauce made with chocolate and pumpkin seeds). While no Tex-Mex restaurant I can recall offers organic baby spinach and Canadian goat cheese, Ol©’s flavors still form a veritable fiesta in your mouth. Entrees range from $15-26, and the menu features a plethora of seafood and creative concoctions, like a vegetarian "lasagna" with chile poblanos on a corn puree. Save your pennies and treat yourself, or that special someone, to Boston Mexican done right.

Boca Grande, Brookline, Boston and Cambridge

Boca Grande caters to those in the market for Mexican fast food—but not too fast. While there is no table service and the counter ordering process can prove a bit hectic, Boca Grande still offers real plates and silverware to dine-in customers (a plus for the eco-conscious), and there are plenty of complete meals (an entr©e served with rice and beans) on the menu. All of the food is prepared fresh on location, and I particularly appreciate the vegetarian specialty, marinated tofu enchiladas. (My omnivorous partner-in-crime can vouch for the chicken tamales, which are roughly as big as your head). The d©cor of the Coolidge Corner location may leave a bit to be desired, but the atmosphere is nonetheless cozy and cheerful, perfect for treating those recession winter blues.

Your Own Kitchen

Have you tried all of the above and still felt something lacking? Then never fear, because the perfect Mexican meal is never farther than your own stove. The biggest challenge to preparing authentic Mexican food may be knowing where to shop, but neighborhoods with concentrations of Latino immigrants are always a safe bet. My favorite Hispanic grocery is Hi-Lo in Jamaica Plain, which offers bins full of ripe avocados and plantains (however, the organic-minded should shop elsewhere). Within its haphazardly organized shelves, Hi-Lo features a wide variety of imports at reasonable prices (much more diverse and reasonable than, say, Shaw’s cheesy "Shop the World" section). I like to stock up on packages of dried chiles, fresh tortillas, and the ubiquitous Mexican white cheese. To get you started, here is my favorite salsa recipe, adopted from my college roommate’s host mother during her study abroad in Mexico. ¡Ol©!

Francesca’s Salsa

4 tomatoes (preferably in season)
Enough water to cover the tomatoes
3 dried red chiles (may vary amount depending on desired spiciness)
2 cloves garlic
1 medium onion, diced
1 fresh jalape±o, diced
Finely chopped cilantro, to taste

Boil the tomatoes with the red chiles and one garlic clove, until the skin of the tomatoes begins to break. Drain but save the water (can be used to thin the salsa later if necessary). Put the boiled ingredients, plus the jalape±o, half of the diced onion, and the other garlic clove into a blender; blend but leave chunky (add retained water if too thick). Pour contents of the blender into a bowl, stir in the remainder of the onion and the cilantro, and serve with chips or fresh tortillas.

Most 3D software, gaming or otherwise, available up to this point has been very gimmicky. Either you were traversing polygons in a huge, virtual reality apparatus at a theme park, you were peering into a set of unwieldy goggles which rendered Wario in an ugly red monochromatic landscape–and yeah, we know you’d rather leave the horrendous Virtual Boy buried in the annals of your memory.

However, desktop 3D gaming is actually experiencing somewhat of a renaissance, and you can actually experience pretty decent 3D gaming from your computer.  We’ve looked at the hardware offered by North Quincy, MA computer manufacturer Psychsoftpc before, but the maker has since expanded their offerings, and now you can order your gaming rig with NVida’s 3D Vision Kit with their Psyborg Extreme Gamer PCs to experience 3D gaming straight out of the box, provided you have one of the many supported steroscopic montors. And, as the computer maker points out, this is probably the closest we’ll ever get a holodeck.

The kit comes with viewing glasses that function on the same principles as the ones you wore when you watched latest Pixar flick. Each eye sees a slightly different image, and the brain integrates the two images to produce a depth of field. The best part of the entire system is that the software inteagrates with existing games, meaning most games are compatible with the viewing system. NVidia often demos the system by playing Mirrors Edge, an experience that has to be absolutely and delightfully nauseating.

As we said before, Psychsoftpc makes some powerful computers, and by offering NVidia’s 3D Vision Kit with them, the package only becomes even more valuable.

QUINCY, Mass. — Last Sunday night marked the kickoff to Quincy Fashion Week. And by week we mean day. And by day we mean half hour.

The clear highlight of Quincy Fashion Half Hour was the Betsey Johnson fashion show, held at the Marina Bay Beach Club. The models strutted a beachside runway wearing playful styles currently available at Johnson’s Newbury Street store, including summery dresses, swimsuits and handbags.

Stylists from Salon Marc Harris primped the models for the event, turning out spunky up-dos and making frizzy pigtails a worthy fashion trend. The show started off with the stylists presenting a birthday cake and singing “Happy Birthday” to Harris, who attended the event and blew out his candles on the runway.

While Johnson and her trademark cartwheel were absent from the event, the show stayed true to the designer’s high energy. Models danced along the runway to upbeat music from The Ting Tings, Alien Ant Farm, Lady GaGa and Kevin Rudolf.

The Connecticut-born designer recently unveiled her Fall 2009 collection in New York, entitled
“Betsey’s Crocker’s Recipes for Dressings.” All of the outfits in the collection are named after comfort food recipes, including Sex Pot Pie and Triple Cheeseburger Deluxe.

Sunday’s show, however, was more about celebrating what’s left of summer. The sand-strewn runway and whimsical party dresses made us wish there’s a whole lot left.