Shorts (right)
After nearly a month of deliberations by President Barack Obama over whether to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, frustrations and anxiety are on the rise within the military.
Financial Giants Donating Little to Obama & Democrats
The Wall Street giants that received a financial lifeline from Washington may have no compunction about paying big bonuses to their dealmakers and traders. But their willingness to deliver “thank you” gifts to President Barack Obama and the Democrats is another question altogether.
Justice Department Will Not Prosecute Medical Marijuana Use
People who use marijuana for medical purposes and those who distribute it to them should not face federal prosecution, provided they act according to state law, the Justice Department said Monday in a directive with far-reaching political and legal implications.
Afghan Leader Is Said to Accept Runoff Election
Under international pressure, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan appears set to concede as early as Tuesday that he fell short of a first-round victory in the nation’s disputed presidential election, but the path to ensuring that the country has credible leadership remains uncertain, U.S. and European officials said Monday.
Iran Issue Veiled Threats as Nuclear Talks Begin
Iran opened two days of nuclear talks with the United States, Russia and France on Monday with veiled public threats that it could back away from an agreement to ship more than three-quarters of its stockpile of nuclear fuel out of the country, unless the West acceded to Iranian demands to provide it with new fuel.
Going From Less to Zero Waste Catches on in U.S.
At Yellowstone National Park, the clear soda cups and white utensils are not your typical cafe-counter garbage. Made of plant-based plastics, they dissolve magically when heated for more than a few minutes.
An El Niño Winter
NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, recently stated that El Niño would be a dominant factor in this winter’s climate. But how is it that one phenomenon apparently restricted to the tropics can affect climate around the world? Well, it’s all due to the circulations in the atmosphere and ocean in the equatorial Pacific. Normally, there is great upwelling of the waters to the west of Peru; cold, nutrient-rich water is brought up and is blown westward by the trade winds, creating a “cold tongue” of water near the equator. More convection is seen to the west; but when El Niño conditions set up, the trade winds decrease; cold, nutrient-rich water does not upwell as much; and warmer waters set up further to the east than normal. As low pressure tends to coexist with warm waters, the pressure field in the Pacific tropics shifts, changing surface pressures and weather patterns, across the globe. However, despite all of these changes in the atmosphere, New England will not be affected significantly. For us, there are equal probabilities for a relatively cold or warm winter and for a relatively wet or dry winter.
H1N1 Vaccine Is Fresh Fodder For Opponents
People who do not believe in vaccinating children have never had much sway over Leslie Wygant Arndt. She has studied the vaccine debate, she said, and came out in favor of having her 10-month-old daughter inoculated against childhood diseases. But there is something different about the vaccine for the H1N1 flu, she said.
Holiday Travelers Who Wait to Book Flights May Pay More
Procrastinators were rewarded last year when they finally got around to booking flights for holiday travel. Back then, airlines were not prepared for the sharp falloff in travel and offered last-minute deals to fill up empty planes.
A Woman,Her Son and His Father, the Priest
With three small children and her marriage in trouble, Pat Bond attended a spirituality retreat for Roman Catholic women in Illinois 26 years ago in hopes of finding support and comfort.
Shorts (left)
For hours on Thursday, people around the country were gripped by television images of a homemade, silvery balloon careening through the skies near here, whooshing over fields and trees and yards with a 6-year-old boy believed to be inside.
A Wet and Windy Weekend
So far this week, we have seen a departure from the sunny, enjoyable autumn weather of early October for cloudy skies and chillier temperatures. This weather has been more reminiscent of late November than mid-October, but those looking for a reprieve will have to endure a few more days of cold. In fact, a bit of storminess will be added to the equation, as two low pressure systems will bring wind and rain to the Boston area over the weekend.
Congress Splits on Taxing High-Cost Health Plans
A proposed tax on high-cost, or “Cadillac,” health insurance plans has touched off a fierce clash between the Senate and the House as they wrestle over how to pay for legislation that would provide health benefits to millions of uninsured Americans.
Ads Are Taking On A Rosier Hue
The American economy is back or so some of the country’s biggest advertisers are saying in new campaigns.
Renewed Attention for Longstanding California Water Issues
In a sign that a deal addressing California’s longstanding water supply problems may be near, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger convened a special session of the Legislature on Monday to revisit a package of water bills.
Shorts (left)
Caijing, a respected Chinese business magazine, has been thrown into turmoil after a dispute over its editorial direction recently led to the resignation of 11 high-ranking executives and nearly 70 other workers from the business staff, according to people close to the magazine.
Russia-German Pipeline Sparks Fears in Eastern Europe
With an ambitious new pipeline planned to run along the bed of the Baltic Sea, the Russian natural gas giant Gazprom is driving a political wedge between Eastern and Western Europe.
Market Attack Shows Pakistani Militants’ Tenacity
Militants on Monday launched their fourth assault in a week on strategic targets across Pakistan, this time with a suicide car bombing against a military vehicle in a crowded market in the northwest, killing 41 people and wounding dozens more.
Shorts (right)
Many small and midsize American businesses are still struggling to secure bank loans, impeding their expansion plans and constraining overall economic growth, even as the country tentatively rises from its recessionary depths.
Grab Your Blanket
As winter approaches, the days and nights grow colder and colder as the sun’s position above the horizon gets lower and lower. At night, the temperature is also dependent on the presence of clouds. On a clear night, radiation from the earth’s surface escapes efficiently to space. On a cloudy night, the clouds act as a blanket that traps radiation. Tonight, as the clouds clear out, temperatures will plummet into the upper 30s°F, the coldest night we have seen yet this fall. Temperatures this week will be generally colder than average, as cold air from the north dominates our region.