By: Dr. Bharani Padmanabhan With this column I present a newly coined term – assertocracy – and show it’s current use. In her superlative book – In The Footsteps Of Mr Kurtz – Michela Wrong applied the term kleptocracy, government by theft, to the post-war nation state. In the same vein, assertocracy is government by assertion. […]
By: Cheryl Hajjar – December, 2013 As the Yuletide spirit is among us, and the frenzy of holiday shopping has begun, 17 budding entrepreneurs from the Merrimack Valley are preparing to participate in a 12 week program called the 2014 Winter Accelerator Program. Hosted by The Merrimack Valley Sandbox, this is their third program since […]
By: Sandra Stotsky – December, 2013 Unless high school students can prepare for a calculus course in grade 12 or as college freshmen, they are unlikely to become science, engineering, or mathematics majors. Common Core doesn’t let them. James Milgram’s analysis in Lowering the Bar makes that very clear. Interestingly, Jason Zimba, the lead writer […]
By: State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell – December, 2013 Thus far this session, the Massachusetts Legislature continues to make progress on several issues of public interest. House and Senate legislation is moving forward which pertains to on-line voter registration and early voting in Presidential elections; welfare reform; increasing the state’s minimum wage; reforming the […]
By: Attorney Timothy Stark – December, 2013 The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (commonly referred to as the “MCAD”) was established to enforce M.G.L. c. 151B, often referred to as “The Fair Employment Practices Law.” The MCAD is a part of the Executive Branch of the Massachusetts state government. If an employee believes they have suffered […]
By: Opinion Columnist Dr. Bharani Padmanabhan, October, 2013 Read Part 1 HERE Inevitably Sir Donald Berwick’s mindset ended up causing the Mid Staffs Scandal. The hospital at the center of this heart-rending scandal is Stafford Hospital, then under Sir Donald’s good friend Sir David Nicholson at the Staffordshire Health Authority (part of NHS West Midlands). […]
By: Phil Lahey, October, 2013 When it comes to drug addiction, who is public enemy #1? You might guess the drug dealer, or the one who introduced our kid to drugs, a so-called friend. Maybe it is the addict himself. The fault could be the easy access to obtain the drugs. If you guessed any […]
By: Celleste Begley – October, 2013 Prescriptions can be the key to a longer, fuller life; but if not handled properly, they can also cause serious problems. To help us all use prescriptions properly and minimize risk, Right at Home has been instrumental in raising awareness in the communities north of Boston, as well as […]
Salisbury Town Manager Neil Harrington addressed our Valley Patriot story in last months edition called “The 80 Million Lie” “I wanted to read the following because I think it is important; and I think members of the board received an email from me last Friday that deals with the subject that I am going […]
By: State Representative Linda Dean Campbell – October, 2013 First off, I wish to pay a sincere compliment to my Republican colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate – it is a privilege to work with you: your motives are honorable; you have the best interests of your constituents at heart; and, I […]
By: Opinion Columnist Dr. Bharani Padmanabhan – September, 2013 In “Miss Smilla’s Feeling for Snow”, one of the best books humanity has produced, Peter Høeg writes about an alcoholic Greenlander who lost her husband – “She gazes at me helplessly. People die. You won’t get anywhere by wondering how or why.” I was instantly reminded […]
Craig Floyd, Executive Director, National Law Enforcement Memorial March 2004 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Almost every day this past year we have heard the reports of new casualties in the fight for freedom-another assault, another injury, another death. A few of the casualties drew national attention, but most remained faceless and nameless, just another statistic […]
By: Phil Lahey – September 2013 I started writing a letter to the editor stating that September is National Recovery Month. Then Tom Duggan asked me to write a column instead. So here goes. Every September is recovery month. So what does that mean? Many of us that have lived the life of addiction, either […]
WALKING TOURS Change is in the air, and so we begin the fall season. Andover is one of the jewels of the north shore so let us check out some very interesting things to do and places to go. September 22, from 12-1:30 p.m., the Andover Village Improvement Society (AVIS) invites interested residents to a […]
By: State Representative Lenny Mirra – September, 2013 Conversations with our fearless editor Tom Duggan typically turn into loud and contentious affairs. It was no exception at our latest discussion while at a fundraiser for our good friend Shiela Mullins who we both hope will be Newburyport’s newest City Councilor At-Large. Tom came in guns […]