Thursday, January 3, 2013
When does a brisk autumn turn into a frigid winter?
We've all have a case of the shivers at one point or another, but this week, our New England winter has lived up to its reputation, with highs in the teens and wind chills that dip below zero. What made you shiver this morning: Taking the dogs out? Standing at the bus stop? One reader said "you know it's cold out when the wet clothes in the dryer are frozen." We want to hear from you - have you had your "winter is here" moment?
Monday, December 3, 2012
Massachusetts is one of five states to add 300 hours of class time every year for certain schools. Will it help?
Will more time in school translate into greater student achievement? Federal and state officials are announcing today that Massachusetts, along with Connecticut, New York, Tennessee and Colorado, are participating in a pilot program to find out. Csmonitor.com reports that the program will add at least 300 hours of learning time in some schools starting next fall. Fall River and Lawrence are the two Massachusetts towns included in the pilot project. Boston.com reports that this new program adds to an effort launched six years ago in Massachusetts to lengthen the school day in several school districts. The pilot program reportedly will last three years and include almost 20,000 students in 40 schools with an eye to bringing in more schools …
Monday, November 26, 2012
It's a decision families make every year - are you willing to withstand the cold, sap and needles necessary for an 'authentic' Christmas?
Sure, everyone appreciates some good holiday decor. But have you ever been tempted to take it easy on yourself and purchase an artificial Christmas tree? Purists won't go near them, but for others, the thought of chopping down a tree - leaving needles, sap and leaking water in your living room - is not their idea of a happy holiday. Despite the hassle, real trees outsell their artificial cousins by more than a 3-to-1 margin each season, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. Bear in mind, of course, artificial trees can be reused every year. Readers, what do you think? Are you undertaking the Griswold family tradition this year, or are will an artificial tree do the trick for your family? Share your views with your …
Thursday, October 18, 2012
As the Nov. 6 election nears, political discussion is getting heated. How much do you share of your political opinions with your Facebook friends?
Maybe you're a die-hard Democrat, and you think Joe Biden wiped the floor with Paul Ryan in the vice presidential debate Thursday. Or maybe you're a staunch Republican, you believe Paul Ryan was on top of his game. Do you share these opinions with your Facebook friends? Maybe you shouldn't, suggests a recent article on Boston.com. People of all political leanings told the Globe they're learning too much about their friends' and relatives' attitudes. The article is informed by data from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. The study found that 18 percent of Facebook users have blocked, unfriended, or hidden a friend because of political differences or a distaste for the sheer volume of the friends’ political posts. …
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Reactions to Elizabeth Warren's claim that Republicans, including Scott Brown, were waging a war on women varied.
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Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Last week, Melrose Patch asked you whether or not Senate contender Elizabeth Warren was correct in saying that Brown and the Republican party are waging a war on women. Readers offered opinionated comments about Warren and Brown's campaigns, the Violence Against Women Act and cats. Here is a roundup of the couple that responded to the question, "Do you believe there's a war on women?" "Just because one jerk makes an idiotic statement about rape, doesn't mean all people in a party share that sick view," he said.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Trailing in the latest polls, Elizabeth Warren charged Scott Brown is part of a Republican war on women. Do you agree, or is this just a stunt?
Senator Scott Brown has opened up a lead over challenger Elizabeth Warren in a new poll released Tuesday. Public Policy Polling has Brown over Warren by five points. On the stump, however, Warren's on the offensive, saying Brown and the Republican party are waging a war on women. She's pointed to comments by Missouri Senate hopeful Todd Akin as the latest evidence of that war. Akin has been roundly condemned by liberals and conservatives alike for his statement that it's rare for women to become pregnant after a "legitimate rape." Akin has apologized and attempted to clarify his statement, saying he meant "forcible rape." Brown has publicly called on Akin to drop out of the race, and asked that the Republican party soften its stance on …
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
U.S. Senator Scott Brown and his challenger Elizabeth Warren both condemned Akin's comments this morning.
What do you think - should Rep. Atkins withdraw from the race? Share your views with other readers below. - In tweets just six minutes apart, Massachusetts U.S. Senator Scott Brown and his challenger Elizabeth Warren condemned comments made by Rep. Todd Akin that implied women who are raped could shut down their reproductive organs. When asked his opinion on abortions in the case of rape during a TV interview Sunday, Akin, a Republican from Missouri who is running for a seat in the Senate, said the following: "It seems to me, from what I understand from doctors, that's really rare. If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let's assume that maybe that didn't work or something, I think …
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Do you think Olympic champions should be taxed on their medals and prize earnings?
Leave it to the IRS to be a buzzkill. According to the Huffington Post, a national pat on the back isn't the only thing awaiting our returning Olympic champions: medals and prize money are both subject to income tax bills that can reach as high as $8500 a win, depending on one's ranking. A gold medal - valued by CNN at $650 - could cost American athletes about $236 in taxes. A bronze metal, worth about $5, would only cost about $2 in taxes The big costs, instead, come from cash prices: The U.S. Olympic Organizing Committee will award London champions $25,000 for a gold medal, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bringing home a bronze, Reuters reports. At a 35 percent income tax rate, bronze medalists will owe the IRS a total of $3,500, …
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
After two major shootings in the past several weeks, is it time for an assault weapons ban?
Do assault weapons and large ammunition clips need to be banned again in the U.S., or should there be more citizens carrying? Let us know in the comments below. Advocates of expanding gun laws in Massachusetts, including some top law enforcement officials, spoke about the subject during a Boston press conference last week, vowing to lobby Senator Scott Brown and other congressmen to end their opposition to a ban on the weaponry. The conference came days before a shooter with reported ties to white supremacy organizations opened fire at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin last weekend, killing six people. Just weeks prior, a gunman sporting body armor and automatic weapons killed 12 people and injured 58 others in Aurora, Colorado. A …
Betsey Benagh
11:40 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013
Had to jump start my car this morning. Yup, it's winter (and I need a new car battery). more ›