Massachusetts

Stories 841 - 860 | << Prev   Next >>

Wind Power Finds Its Sea Legs
 Wind Power
 Finds Its Sea Legs 
May 10, 2008 9:39 AM CDT

Wind Power Finds Its Sea Legs

Turbines that can float in deeper waters would mean more power, and revenue

(Newser) - An answer to the world's energy crisis might be a breeze, the Economist reports—specifically, a breeze offshore. With wind blowing twice as fast offshore than on, engineers have been racing to develop technology to "float" wind turbines far out in the ocean—where they won't ruin coveted views...

Bans Keep Teens From Lighting Up

Restaurant prohibitions seen to influence how youngsters see smoking: study

(Newser) - Restaurant smoking bans are effective at discouraging teen smoking, the AP reports. Studying Massachusetts because of its patchwork of local smoking restrictions, researchers found that teens living in places with strict bans were 40% less likely to become smokers. Local laws didn’t change how many experimented with cigarettes, but...

Boy Marries Boy: Then What?
 Boy Marries
 Boy: Then What? 
Apr 27, 2008 7:25 PM CDT

Boy Marries Boy: Then What?

Young married gays seek balance between tradition and nonconformity

(Newser) - Wedding bells have rung for more than 700 homosexual couples in Massachusetts since the state started marrying gays in 2004, prompting the New York Times to profile young gay men who said “I do.” But there are many things the spouses don’t do, such as follow traditional...

DNA Used to Nab Criminal Kin
 DNA Used to Nab Criminal Kin 
Apr 21, 2008 12:51 PM CDT

DNA Used to Nab Criminal Kin

But questions arise over genetic privacy of innocent relatives

(Newser) - Law-enforcement agencies are using DNA of family members—often without their consent—to identify and convict criminals, the Washington Post reports. Privacy advocates object that it turns family members into unwitting informants, and subjects innocent relatives to “lifelong genetic surveillance” because someone in their family committed a crime. But...

Mass. Rep Vows to Legalize Pot
 Mass. Rep Vows to Legalize Pot 
Mar 23, 2008 4:44 PM CDT

Mass. Rep Vows to Legalize Pot

Barney Frank says public is ready for change

(Newser) - Rep. Barney Frank will move to legalize “small amounts” of marijuana, Politico reports, citing Americans who think use of the drug is no big deal. “It's time for the politicians to catch up to the public,” said the Massachusetts Democrat on "Real Time with Bill Maher....

Plastic Bags Getting the Sack Across US

San Francisco ban in effect; taxes, prohibition likely elsewhere

(Newser) - The party's over for plastic bags, USA Today reports. A San Francisco ban on petroleum-based bags already has imitators from coast to coast. Massachusetts is eyeing a bill that would "nudge" consumers with a 2-cent tax on each bag; Connecticut could slap retailers with a $1,000 fine for...

Gay Couples Steer Clear of Altar
Gay Couples Steer Clear of Altar
Feb 22, 2008 12:19 PM CST

Gay Couples Steer Clear of Altar

Many same-sex partners find responsibilities outweigh benefits

(Newser) - As domestic partnerships, civil unions, and even same-sex marriage gain traction, reality has tempered the gay community's exuberant initial reaction, Salon reports. For numerous reasons, both practical and ideological, many couples would rather not get hitched. Those who haven't cite concerns from worry over inconsistent laws to resentment of what...

Jesus-Themed Cosmetics Fail to Amuse
Jesus-Themed Cosmetics
Fail to Amuse
Feb 14, 2008 11:29 AM CST

Jesus-Themed Cosmetics Fail to Amuse

Mock-religious line pulled from shelves in Singapore

(Newser) - What would Jesus use? A line of cosmetics that worked just that angle has been whisked from shelves in Singapore after a Catholic backlash, reports the Independent. The US-made line, called "Lookin’ Good for Jesus," drew criticism over slogans for lotions and bubble bath like “Get Tight...

Clinton Scores Mass. Surprise
Clinton Scores Mass. Surprise
Feb 5, 2008 7:07 PM CST

Clinton Scores Mass. Surprise

Kennedy, Kerry endorsements can't help Obama overcome ad blitz

(Newser) - Hillary Clinton topped Barack Obama in the Massachusetts primary today, overcoming his fervent endorsements by Ted Kennedy and John Kerry, MSNBC reports. Clinton did benefit from backing by state lawmakers like the senate president, Therese Murray, who implied Clinton lost the big endorsements because she is a woman, the AP...

Big Dig's Big Mess Nets Big Settlement

Authorities to receive $458M for bungled Boston project

(Newser) - Contractors on the botched Boston construction project dubbed the Big Dig will pay state and federal authorities $458 million for its “gross failures.” But Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff will avoid criminal charges for a fatal 2006 ceiling collapse and won’t be banned from future government contracts, the Boston Herald...

Mitt: 'Freedom Requires Religion'
Mitt: 'Freedom Requires Religion'
Dec 6, 2007 11:00 AM CST

Mitt: 'Freedom Requires Religion'

Romney stands by Mormon faith in long-awaited address

(Newser) - In a much-hyped address on religion, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney asserted today, “Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone." The former Massachusetts governor focused on religious liberty during the speech in College Station, Texas, but did allow that if Mormonism hurts his candidacy, “so be...

Rob Bank, Violate Parole, Lose $1M
Rob Bank, Violate Parole, Lose $1M
Nov 29, 2007 2:10 PM CST

Rob Bank, Violate Parole, Lose $1M

Or, how Mass. might take back this ex-con's lottery jackpot

(Newser) - A Massachusetts man who scored a $1 million jackpot this week wasn’t allowed to buy his ticket to begin with: He’s a twice-convicted bank robber whose five-year probation bars him from gambling. Now, the Globe reports, Timothy Elliot will find himself betting on whether the state will revoke...

Noel Grazes Mass., Hits Canada
Noel Grazes Mass., Hits Canada
Nov 4, 2007 11:45 AM CST

Noel Grazes Mass., Hits Canada

43,000 New Englanders lose power in winds up to 70 mph

(Newser) - New England was only hit with the remnants of Hurricane Noel, but that was enough to cut power for about 43,000 people, with winds howling up to 70 mph. Massachusetts felt the brunt of the storm, with Cape Cod and coastal communities suffering most of the outages. The storm...

Tsongas Wins House Seat in Close Vote

Widow of Paul Tsongas ran for Mass. seat on anti-war campaign

(Newser) - Democrat Niki Tsongas, the widow of Sen. Paul Tsongas, has won a special election for a vacant Massachusetts House seat once held by her husband, reports the Boston Globe. Making the election a referendum on President Bush and the war in Iraq, she headed off a strong challenge from a...

It's as Plain as the Glasses on Your Face

Company puts a phone number—and a reward —on your lost specs

(Newser) - Americans spent $445 million replacing lost eyeglasses last year; one small company aims to come to the rescue by selling tiny tubes of plastic that shrink unobtrusively onto the eyepiece of spectacles, carrying a code and a phone number. Finders of registered glasses get a small reward, while their owners...

Rudy and Romney Spar Over Illegal Immigration

(Newser) - GOP frontrunners Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney are trading heated barbs over immigration, each accusing the other of a weak stance on illegals. Through radio ads and campaign speeches, both candidates are looking to rally the conservative GOP base, the Washington Post reports—though neither man has solid conservative credentials...

10 Best Family Towns
10 Best
Family Towns
Jul 21, 2007 1:49 PM CDT

10 Best Family Towns

From the Rockies to a Miami suburb, perfect places to raise your babies

(Newser) - These places earned Family Circle's attention with for their serenity, natural beauty, community, and culture. Living costs, commutes, and crime rates are low, but schools and museums rank high. They're all BYOB: Bring Your Own Baby.
  1. Castle Rock, Colo.
  2. Diamond Bar, Calif.
  3. Morton Grove, Ill.
  4. Cedar Park, Texas
  5. Derby, Kan.
...

Low-Key Lawyer to Moderate Dow Buyout

Attorney will mediate Bancrofts sit-down, then tally the votes

(Newser) - One man stands between News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch and the Dow Jones-controlling Bancroft Family: a reserved, unassuming Boston lawyer named Michael B. Elefante, who has managed most of the Bancrofts' trust accounts for decades. Next week, beginning with Monday's strictly informational meeting, Elefante will mediate the $5B transaction.

Uninsured Ignore New Health-Care Law

Massachusetts takes its time enforcing universal requirement

(Newser) - A law requiring Massachusetts residents to have health insurance kicked in yesterday, but two-thirds of the 372,000 residents who need coverage haven't signed up, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Massachusetts is a pioneer in universal health care, and most people eligible for subsidized care have insurance, but some 6%...

New England Towns Mint Local Bucks
New England Towns Mint Local Bucks
Jun 19, 2007 3:56 PM CDT

New England Towns Mint Local Bucks

But utopian experiment faces some hurdles: like paying the bills

(Newser) - A cluster of towns in Western Massachusetts has created its own currency—BerkShares. The banknotes, which trade for 90 cents on the dollar, feature local heroes like Norman Rockwell and are accepted as cash at 280 cafés, shops, and even the local "chakra balancing" joint. 

Stories 841 - 860 | << Prev   Next >>
Most Read on Newser