It was 95 years ago in June, 1930, that President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff law (which had been passed by a Republican Congress) that imposed draconian increases in tariffs on more than 20,000 imported goods. Smoot-Hawley has been…
Category: Editorials
Vaccines are Safe — and They are Essential
The recent outbreak of a measles epidemic in areas of west Texas and New Mexico (where the measles vaccination rate is far below the national average) should serve as a warning to all Americans that vaccinations against measles and other…
Once Again, Logan was a Breeze
We wish to take a moment to mention that our recent travels through Logan Airport, as always, were a breeze. Unlike the days before 9/11, air travel has become a dreaded experience for everyone. The requirements of security protocols are…
Guest Op-Ed: “En Es-pa-ñol:” Trump’s Executive Order on English undermines Civil Rights
By Adilson González Morales Whenever I talk to friends and colleagues about their experiences learning Spanish, French, or another language, you’d think they all went to the same school. Most people know the story – your bladder is about to…
We Have Lost the Battle to Stop Climate Change; We Need to Save Ourselves
We recently saw a chart that was incredibly depressing: Even though the amount of greenhouse gas emissions (GGE) by the United States has decreased by about 15% since 2000, the rest of the world has increased its GGE by 50%. Right now,…
Are Americans Losing Their Appetite for Junk Food?
PepsiCo, the international food conglomerate, reported last month that the company’s North American snacks business, which makes Doritos, Cheetos, and Lay’s potato chips, saw a 3% dip (pun intended) in sales volume in the quarter ended Dec. 28. Smuckers, which…
Guest Op-Ed
An open letter to the Massachusetts Port Authority Board Dear Editor, The following letter was submitted to the Massport Board members. Dear Massport Board Members, AIR, Inc., Mother’s Out Front, GreenRoots, Friends of Belle Isle Marsh, and other member organizations…
Please: No Public or Underage Drinking On St. Patrick’s Day
With the St. Patrick’s Day holiday and traditional South Boston parade approaching on Sunday, March 16, we urge our public safety officials to plan for enforcing the laws which prohibit drinking in public, especially by underage drinkers. A couple of…
There’s An Upside to Our Lousy Pro Sports Teams
When we were younger (from when we were kids through our 40s), the adrenaline rush from watching one of our local sports teams compete in a big game was something we looked forward to. But now that we’re a “bit”…
Guest Op-Ed
A swimmable Charles River? Yes we can! By Emily Norton Forty years after the cleanup of the Charles River began, we still cannot safely swim in its waters. The only swimming that takes place in the Charles’ “Lower Basin” –…