Archive for 2004

I mentioned yesterday that the temp industry in New England is doing pretty good. Here’s what the Federal Reserve Board said in its latest Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions by Federal Reserve District (a.k.a. the “beige book”) about the temp situation in the Boston district (New England): Temporary Employment Demand for temporary workers [...]

A sweet little story by Boston Herald’s Jules Crittenden about a mother who recently discovered that her grandfather served in the 82nd Infantry Division, now the legendary 82nd Airborne, where her son currently serves: Good-luck charms and comfort for those whose loved ones are going to war can come from the strangest places. Elizabeth Hayward [...]

A group of illegal aliens and pro-illegal immigration activists held a rally in Harlingen, Texas, today, protesting what they called “human rights abuses,” according to the Associated Press. Among the alleged abuses are unpaid wages, unlawful evictions, sexual harassment, and theft. Imagine that, felony criminals decrying crime. “Harlingen is actually no different from where I’m [...]

According to the latest Massachusetts Job Vacancy Survey, 35 percent of employers in the state expect to hire in the next six months, while only 6 percent expect having to lay off workers. According to the report, we may see increased hiring in several sectors, including “professional, scientific, and technical services, including state-of-the art engineering, [...]

As just about everybody with a minimal interest in racial voting patterns immediately suspected, George W. Bush did not get 44% of the Hispanic vote. In all likelihood, he did not get more than 40%, and possibly as little as 33% – although 38 to 39 per cent seems a reasonable estimate at this time. [...]

AP story about collecting, trashing, and recycling electronic junk such as cell phones and computers: In part because the gadget industry is relatively young, recycling efforts tend to be scattershot: All Staples Inc. stores and some Whole Foods Market Inc. stores will take old cell phones, but few people think to take recyclables to the [...]

It feels strange talking about David Brudnoy as if he is already dead, but I guess the upside is that he gets to hear all the accolades he deserves. He had a tendency to go off on wild tangents that sometimes left his guests with little to say, but that’s a small quibble, and the [...]

Pat Buchanan on the situation in Ukraine and the West’s role in it: Our most critical relationship on earth is with the world’s other great nuclear power, Russia, a nation suffering depopulation, loss of empire, breakup of its country and a terror war. That relationship is far more important to us than who rules in [...]

Hail Wally, the Lebanon-born Medford store clerk who gunned down an armed robber and chased away another. Boston Herald reports: A pistol-packing gas station clerk unloaded on a pair of would-be robbers in Medford last night, leaving one of the stickup men riddled with bullets and the other fleeing into the night. Police said both [...]

Whittier Street Health Center in Roxbury has surrendered to a bunch of emplyees who insist on speaking Spanish in the workplace. The clinic had ordered its employees to only speak English, and disciplined 14 who couldn’t bring themselves to do something so demeaning. It caved after being pressured by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, [...]