Lieberman In CT

Since national Democrats did nothing to him, Senator Lieberman is trying the same strategy in his home state:
Lieberman reiterated that he has “regrets” about some of the things he said concerning Obama during the “heat of the campaign.” But he said he has no intention of resigning his Democratic Party membership.
“I think the economic crisis [...]

Happy Fashionable Thanksgiving

Well, for those who think sexism is gone:
“With due respect to Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush, after decades of matronly suits, it’s refreshing to see the first lady-elect in fashion-forward looks,” says Nicole Phelps, executive editor of Style.com. “She’s got an independent sense of style and seems genuinely interested in clothes.”
…
“In some ways we’ve wanted [...]

Somalia and DR Congo

Somalia and the DR Congo have been in the news a lot lately. For Somalia it’s because pirates from there have become high profile:
Efthimios Mitropoulos, secretary general of the International Maritime Organization, said 120 attacks have been reported off the coast of Somalia, resulting in the seizure of more than 35 ships and the kidnapping [...]

What Do I Have Against Myself?

Lately it seems that I have it in for myself. Why just yesterday, I zoned out for a bit and when I came back I had a bomb in my hands. What was I thinking? And the day before that, I woke up in the morning to find myself at the zoo and in the [...]

Northeastern University to Help?

I’m not sure what to think about this:
Offering high school graduates an additional year of study before they enter college is not a new idea, but Northeastern’s program would stand apart because students would earn college credit for successfully completed courses.
Aoun said the earned credits should equate to a full-freshman year of college, enabling students [...]

Doctors Say They’re Not the Problem

A sample sent out by a doctor’s association to doctor’s finds:
A vast majority of physicians in Massachusetts say the fear of being sued is driving them to order unnecessary tests, procedures, referrals, and even hospitalizations, a phenomenon that is adding at least $1.4 billion to annual healthcare costs in the Bay State, according to a [...]

Nothing To Do, but Listen to Music

Actually I have quite a bit to do (I have papers, labs, two quizzes to grade, and I teach again in 30 minutes but let’s not be picky), so here’s my random 10:
Silent All These Years Tori Amos
Here Comes The Flood Peter Gabriel
Dr Seuss   Autoclave
The Lie And How We Told It Yo La Tengo
Darkening Of The Light Concrete Blonde
Heaven Talking [...]

Affordable? For Whom?

I’m a little confused. I’m on a email list to get affordable housing opportunities in Boston. Here’s a link to one. Notice this bit:

1.
Up to 80% of Median Income

 

Maximum Household Income:
$48,050.00 for one person

 
$54,900.00 for two people

 
$61,800.00 for three people

 
$68,650.00 for four people

Two Bedrooms:
1 Unit

Price:
$1,545/mo.

Affordable housing is defined to be housing that costs at [...]

Red Sox Feel Our Pain

Sometimes the rich and powerful show exactly how little they understand the common people:
“We have been the beneficiary of fan support and fan loyalty,” said Larry Lucchino, the team’s president and chief executive, waving a list of ticket prices at Fenway, last year the most expensive in baseball. “And at a time when our fans [...]

A Couple Milestones

There was another big first last Tuesday:
New Hampshire last week voted into office a majority-female Senate, the first time any state in the country has elected a legislative chamber in which women outnumber men.
…
In addition to electing 13 women to the 24-member state Senate, voters also chose former governor Jeanne Shaheen as a US senator, unseating [...]

Organic or Not

The Boston Globe had an article on organic food yesterday. It would have been nice if they had looked at all the issues to decide if buying organic makes sense, but all they looked at was pesticides in the food and nutrition. What about:

Taste: many people claim that organic food tastes better. Does this seem to [...]

Larry Summers

Since it seems that Larry Summers might be up for Treasury Secretary, there is again discussion on his talk about women in science. Here is his summation at the beginning:
There are three broad hypotheses about the sources of the very substantial disparities that this conference’s papers document and have been documented before with respect to [...]

Hmm, Here’s a Title

Another Friday, another ‘wait what are you doing with that papier mache bus’. Anyways a random 10 (only the Garbage song is a real video, but hey hay):
Poltergeist Mayumi Kojima
The Have Nots X
Evergreen Matthew Sweet
I May Know The Word Natalie Merchant
D.T. AC/DC
Fake Frowns Death Cab For Cutie
Us And Them Pink Floyd
Nothing Lasts Matthew Sweet
Dog New Tricks Garbage
psycho Pajama Slave Dancers
Philosophers Stone Van Morrison
Dwelling On You People [...]

Poor Poor President Bush

Via Steve Benen, this is one of the funniest things I’ve read in a while:
According to recent Gallup polls, the president’s average approval rating is below 30% — down from his 90% approval in the wake of 9/11. Mr. Bush has endured relentless attacks from the left while facing abandonment from the right.
You would think this [...]

President Obama

That sounds very good after 8 years of having to say President Bush, although the next two and a half months are going to seem very long. Democrats also have increased their margins in the US House and Senate (but didn’t get the 60 Senate seats to get the filibuster proof margin).
Everything/everyone I voted for [...]

Now I Wait

I voted a few minutes ago, I was number 1100 (when I last voted, the local primaries, there were not many more than 100 voting). There were other people there, but no real line (I would guess there will be one after work, but I’ll see since I live across the street from the place). [...]

Vote, Vote, Vote

Get out there and vote, early and often–unless you’re voting for McCain or for Question 1 in MA. Ok, you should vote in any case. I’ll vote for:

Obama for President
Kerry for US Senate
Markey for US House
Fargo for MA Senate
Koutoujian for MA House
NO on Question 1 (a yes vote gets rid of the state income tax)
YES [...]

Rape Leads to Stoning

In another case of the craziness that religion can engender, a 13 year old is stoned to death for being raped:
Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow was accused of adultery, but sources told Amnesty International that she had in fact been raped by three men, and had attempted to report this rape to the al-Shabab militia who control [...]

US Works With Zimbabwe

The US again has shown that it is different than the rest of the world when it comes to arms:
It endorsed a resolution urging UN member states to consider how to implement “the highest possible standards to prevent the diversion of conventional arms from the legal to the illicit market, where they can be used [...]

Vegetarian Food Fest and Art Open House

This weekend there are two different things happening:

The Boston Vegetarian Food Fest is today from 10-6 at the Reggie Lewis center. Click the link for information and directions. Also go there for the Boston Vegetarian society which has a list of veggie restaurants amony other things.
The Waltham Mills Artists’ Association has their open studios this weeked [...]