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30 Jan 2012 23:27

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U.S.: Dentist heading to jail over botched paper clip root canal

  • cause In 2005, Massachusetts dentist Dr. Michael Clair performed a root canal. He used sections of a paper clip during the procedure in order to save money, something he had done on multiple occasions. This was not a good idea — it made the patient’s tooth turn black, and the tooth had to be removed.
  • effect As a result of this, along with allegations of illegal prescriptions and intimidating witnesses, Clair received a one-year jail sentence Monday. Prosecutors asked for more jail time, but Clair received a shorter sentence due to a lack of criminal record and “certain mental health issues.” source

27 Dec 2011 11:16

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Politics: Flashback: Newt Gingrich supported Mitt Romney’s health care plan in 2006

  • We agree entirely with Governor Romney and Massachusetts legislators that our goal should be 100 percent insurance coverage for all Americans.
  • Newt Gingrich • Speaking in support of then Gov. Mitt Romney’s Massachusetts health insurance plan back in 2006, on a site long hidden in the annals of the Internet — well, until now. Archive.org is your friend, guys. source

28 Nov 2011 23:23

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Politics: Barney Frank’s legacy: Three major achievements beyond Dodd-Frank

  • one Barney Frank is one of the most prominent gay U.S. representatives, and as a result, he’s long been a champion of gay rights; he long opposed the recently-repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
  • two Frank was a lead Democrat who helped to build and implement the $700 billion bailout passed in 2008 under George W. Bush; he became a key figure of the financial crisis.
  • three He also worked to end the practice of redlining, a process that banks used to place difficult lending conditions on people and businesses located in low-income neighborhoods. source

17 Nov 2011 20:42

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Politics: Romney response to story involves phrase “opposition research arm”

  • Under state law, a public employee may not provide services to a candidate or campaign during his or her work hours. Nonetheless, it is evident that your office has become an opposition research arm of the Obama reelection campaign.
  • Mitt Romney’s campaign manager, Matt Rhoades • Offering a bit of a rip with a FOIA request sent to Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s office, in response to a story released earlier today that claims that the former Massachusetts governor’s staff deleted e-mails before Romney left office. The key phrase in that statement above? “Opposition research arm.” Someone, please, make a T-shirt with that phrase on it. source

23 Oct 2011 21:06

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Politics: George Will nails supremely unflattering description of Mitt Romney

  • It has a lot to do with Romney. He is rising as more and more Republicans come to the conclusion that the Republican Party has found its Michael Dukakis, a technocratic Massachusetts governor running on competence, not ideology.
  • George Will • Discussing the rise of Herman Cain on ABC’s “This Week,” and in the process dropping a welt-producing comment about Mitt Romney — a comparison to Michael Dukakis, perhaps the weakest presidential candidate in the past 25 years. Expect this line to crop up again during the campaign, because it’s not a flattering comparison, especially coming from the guy who doesn’t like blue jeanssource

01 Oct 2011 16:16

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U.S.: Why the anti-Bank of America “Take Back Boston” protests worked so well

  • Much credit to these protesters: In some ways, these protests were arguably more effective in one quick burst than the Occupy Wall Street protests have been in one long, slow-moving one. With a specific target (Bank of America) and a specific reason (their overly harsh handling of foreclosures) the result is a protest that plays well for the cameras and effectively encapsulates the point of what’s going on. People got arrested, but they did peacefully. It took a while to draw some reaction from Occupy Wall Street; Bank of America was forced to dismiss the protests as a PR stunt right away. But the fact they had to say anything at all is a big deal. source

20 Sep 2011 21:08

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Politics: Elizabeth Warren leapfrogs Scott Brown in Massachusetts Senate race

  • ThenIn June, Scott Brown looked invincible. The Senator led every potential challenger by at least nine points, and Elizabeth Warren, perceived to be Democrats’ best shot against him, trailed by fifteen.
  • Now Since Warren declared her candidacy earlier this month, she’s skyrocketed in the polls and now leads Brown by two points. That’s a seventeen-point gain in a little over three months. source
  • » Hey, wha’ happen? Warren’s rise may be due in part to an “announcement boost;” she was long-rumored as a candidate, and her official entry in the race may have fired up a contingent of Democratic voters. Perhaps more significant of a factor, however, is Brown’s plummeting popularity. Back in December, he was the 16th most popular Senator in the country, out of 87 polled. Now, Brown is in 61st place, and his favorability has dropped by 25 points.
 

13 Sep 2011 15:42

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Politics: Elizabeth Warren will run for Senate in Massachusetts, taking on Scott Brown

  • then President Obama decided that Harvard law professor Elizabeth Warren wouldn’t head up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Despite the CFPB being Warren’s brainchild, it was clear the GOP would not vote for her confirmation in any measure.
  • now Warren’s set her sights on a job for which she doesn’t need Republican approval — she just needs to beat them. Warren is expected to announce her candidacy for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts tomorrow, running against GOP Sen. Scott Brown. source

19 Aug 2011 00:44

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Politics: Elizabeth Warren vs. Scott Brown – It’s on!

  • YES Elizabeth Warren is running for Senate source
  • » Well, technically, she’s not in the race yet; she’s just formed an exploratory committee. But if Warren gets in, this will be a nice coup for Democrats, as she’s absolutely adored by progressives and could stand a shot at unseating Scott Brown. If “Downtown Scotty Brown” goes down, and Democrats gain a Senate seat they would have probably otherwise lost, Republicans will probably regret preemptively blocking Warren’s appointment to the CFPB.

31 Jul 2011 11:39

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Politics: Scott Brown’s gay rights record: It gets better … for seals

  • It’s an environmental issue that affects everyone. I mean, who doesn’t love seals?
  • Sen. Scott Brown • Making a passionate plea for the plight of the seal to the Cape Cod Times. Problem for Scott, though, is that he made this in the wake of a faltering economic recovery and high unemployment — things he used as an excuse to get out of taking part in this “It Gets Better” video right over here. While Brown says he supports gay rights and is against discrimination, his absence from the video raised more than a few eyebrows, especially since, unlike this video, he actually was asked to participate. source