House legislators have received gifts to persuade them to oppose the gift ban. Really. They got lots of mugs, with notes inside them subtly asking…”Is it possible a mug, a pen, or a sticky-note pad could influence your vote? We doubt it….” But the New England Promotional Products Association very clearly wanted the House to vote its way, against the gift ban. But the public agrees with the gift ban. According to A Healthy Blog: 86% of those surveyed believe free dinners (from pharmaceutical companies) should not be allowed 80% believe speaking fees should not be allowed 78% believe free lunches at the office should not be allowed 70% believe free note pads and pens should not be allowed 62% believe free attendance at mandatory continue medical education classes should not be allowed. And the public thinks there are some other clear lines that should be drawn: Disclosing payments to doctors from drug companies: 68 percent would support legislation requiring pharmaceutical companies to publicly disclose any gifts or payments given to physicians. Academic detailing: 71 percent would support legislation that enables clinical experts to provide unbiased non-commercial information about drugs to physicians in their offices. Clearly, the Pharma industry has [...]
Mayor Menino annouces “Healthy Main Streets” Initiative
Hi All: On tonight’s news, Mumbles was touting a new initiative to encourage Bostonians to be healthier. Too bad for him that the press conference was held right next to J.P. Lick’s Ice Cream Parlor. It made him look even more foolish than usual. Sincerely, Wayne Wilson Roslindale
The URL for the most extraordinary diary I have ever read on any blog
Here it is: http://www.dailykos.com/storyo… Read to the end. What do you think? Do you have questions as a result? What questions?
Undertaking a successful public project
[Cross-posted from the Accountable Strategies blog]
The new library in the center of the town of Harvard, where I live, is a clear example of a successful public project.
Construction of the library was completed a little over a year ago, on time and on budget. CBT, a Boston-based architect, came up with a design that seamlessly matched a new brick structure to the existing historic Old Bromfield school. Inside, the refurbishing of the old has been done with sensitivity and the new has been matched to it just as flawlessly. The project recently won an award from the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
Quarry Threatens Health, Safety and Ecology in Berkley, Freetown and Lakeville MA
Cape Cod Aggregates (CCA)purchased property in a residential neighborhood on the Freetown and Berkley town line near an area that also intersects with a portion of Lakeville. They have already received permits from Freetown for blasting and operating a screening plant for screening rocks. This spring, CCA submitted a proposal to the Berkley Soil Board seeking permits to create a quarry that would be 45 acres large, 250 feet deep, taking the top off a hill and continuing down 120 feet below sea level removing 19,200,000 cubic yards of earth.
The land is zoned as residential. Homes would be located within 200 feet of the rim. This heavy industry strip mining operation in a residential neighborhood would create blasting and flyrock hazards near residents’ homes. It would also create increased truck traffic creating a traffic hazard. Silica dust from crushed rock causes cancer and lung disease. Homes could suffer damages from blasting and flyrock. The operation using drills, explosives, rock crushers and heavy equipment would be a significant source of noise. Property values throughout the area in a 4 mile radius or more of the site could significantly loose value, affecting home owners and the tax base of all 3 towns.
Because there is no public water supply and residents depend on water in bedrock fractures from private wells, the quarry project could dry up private wells, damage well pumps through blasting, and/or cause ground water contamination.
The site threatens wetlands, a brook that feeds into the Assonet River, vernal pools and a conservation habitat all located on the property.
No environmental impact studies, traffic studies, prevailing wind studies, noise studies or hydrology studies have been performed to determine the true impact of this project before permits are issued.
Due to a large public outcry against this project by Berkley residents, CCA has temporarily withdrawn their proposal. However, they make it clear that they plan to re-apply. They are currently operating on the Freetown side of the property.
Visit www.noquarryinberkley.org for more information.
Support the citizens action group opposed to this operation, of which I am a member. Purchase a t-shirt from http://www.cafepress.com/noqua… A portion of the proceeds go towards the No Quarry In Berkley citizens action group to help fund the fight.
Please help us oppose the placement of this project in a residential area and in an area with wetlands, vernal pools and a protected species. Please voice your opposition to Senator Marc Pacheco (617-722-1551 marc.pacheco@state.ma.us) and Representative David Sullivan (617-722-2230)and the Berkley Soil Board, Board of Health and Board of Selectmen at 1 North Street, Berkley, MA 02779.
Join out mailing list at information@noquarryinberkley.org.
Welcome to Middleborough
The Middleborough Democratic Town Committee is pleased to invite all to a summertime cookout on Saturday July 12 from noon – 5pm.
For all of you whose only information about Middleborough is from the Great Casino Debate, please come and see how much more the town is about than just hosting a casino (and being mostly responsible for the Open Meeting Law).
On the political front, our guest speaker will be State Senator Marc Pacheco. Emcee for the day will be Plymouth County Treasurer Tom O’Brien. Other guests expected to attend include: Plymouth County Commissioner Jack Riordan, Plymouth County Commissioner candidates Laurie Maker, Tony O’Brien, and Dick Zaccaro.
More on the flip
WTF?? Local musician with green card to be deported?
What on earth is going on here? The Somerville-based Latin-jazz ensemble Either/Orchestra has gigs scheduled this weekend in London and Glastonbury, but their long-time percussionist won’t be along for the trip. He’s locked up in a Boston jail – not for committing any offense, but because the US Department of Homeland Security has decided to have him deported. Vicente Lebron, born in the Dominican Republic, has lived in the US for 38 years. He is married with grown children (and grandchildren) who were born and raised US citizens. He has a green card and a passport. He has traveled in and out of the country many times, thanks to Either/Orchestra’s world-wide popularity. He and his congas are, safe to say, a mainstay of Boston’s music scene. All of that did him no good when the group returned from Europe in mid May, after performing in Germany and Holland. For reasons that are unclear – his attorney, Lenore Glaser, won’t discuss the case for fear of antagonizing the immigration judge, and the Phoenix was not able to get an explanation from Customs and Border Protection by press time – Homeland Security agents at Logan Airport decided that Lebron is no longer [...]
Obama to deliver his convention address in a football stadium
This just in! At the Democratic National Convention next month, we’re going to kick off the general election with an event that opens up the political process the same way we’ve opened it up throughout this campaign. Barack has made it clear that this is your convention, not his. On Thursday, August 28th, he’s scheduled to formally accept the Democratic nomination in a speech at the convention hall in front of the assembled delegates. Instead, Barack will leave the convention hall and join more than 75,000 people for a huge, free, open-air event where he will deliver his acceptance speech to the American people. The address will be at Invesco Field, Denver’s football stadium. Apparently, JFK did the same thing. Coincidence, I’m sure! Comparisons to JFK aside, this is good news. Locals will recall that, in a major break from tradition that annoyed the insiders to no end, Governor Patrick moved his inaugural address from its traditional, largely closed-to-the-public venue of the House Chamber to the Boston Common. I thought that was a great idea. For many of the same reasons, I think this is a great idea too.
“He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark.”
My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. ~ Dr. Evil Was Dr. Evil’s dad John McCain? Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) plans to promise on Monday that he will balance the federal budget by the end of his first term by curbing wasteful spending and overhauling entitlement programs, including Social Security, his advisers told Politico. All this while spending indefinitely on the Iraq occupation and cutting taxes for the wealthy? Impressive! Who said “the issue of economics is not something [McCain has] understood as well as [he] should”? [Hint: it was John McCain. ~ ed.] McCain doesn’t understand economics like a fox, I’d say!
