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Ted Kennedy: A Life in Politics
No one could have predicted the life Kennedy would live.
Spotlight: An unhealthy system
Is Partners HealthCare good for Massachusetts?
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Blogs
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I'm planning to take a short break from this blog...
Cash vs credit for year-end deductions
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Christmas present for the bears
As a Christmas present for my furry and fanged friends, today I offer them Marc Roth. Mr. Roth has caused a stir in the real...
To "Unfriend" Or Not To "Unfriend"
Q. One of my "Facebook friends" is a man...
2009 Volvo XC70: All-purpose Swede
The XC70 is a great all-purpose vehicle for a family of four. ...
Who's what, where?
Here's your guide to personnel changes in Massachusetts.
Today's stories
State health care costs glaring issue
It was a scene that David Himmelstein, a primary care physician at Cambridge Hospital, has seen frequently. Before he had a chance to treat his scheduled patient yesterday morning, the man left the reception area, having decided at the last minute that he could not afford medical care. (By Robert Weisman and Kay Lazar, Globe Staff)
Nonprofits say car donations are down
Car donations aren’t the money-making vehicles they once were for charities. This year fewer people are donating used cars, partly because the recession is forcing them to drive their old cars longer, while others have turned their rusting wheels into the Cash for Clunkers program. (By Erin Ailworth, Globe Staff)
Missed payments vexing to Frank
US Representative Barney Frank, who was instrumental in helping OneUnited Bank line up $12.1 million in bailout funds a year ago, said he was troubled by the Boston bank not making three straight quarterly dividend payments to the government. (By Todd Wallack, Globe Staff)
Some state tax credits go to prospering firms
More than half the $25 million in tax credits doled out to 28 firms earlier this week by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center went to three that were already prospering without extra help from the government - Genzyme Corp. , Shire Human Genetic Therapies, and Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. (By Bruce Mohl, Globe Correspondent)
Beating the odds
Here’s the problem with every promising new drug that pops out of a lab: There are a million ways to fail before any treatment completes the testing and clinical trials required for commercial approval. Hope springs eternal, but the odds stink. (By Steven Syre, Globe Columnist)
Jobless claims, rise in durables signal rebound
WASHINGTON - A fitful economic recovery is drawing strength from a stabilizing job market and signs that manufacturing will contribute to the rebound. The evidence signals a better-than-expected end to the year, though doubts remain about growth in 2010. (By Martin Crutsinger and Daniel Wagner, Associated Press)
S&P 500 index climbs to a 15-month high
Though pre-holiday trading was extremely light, the S&P 500 rose to a 15-month high as initial jobless claims fell more than forecast - it was the best such report since September 2008 - and orders for durable goods (excluding transportation) topped estimates. A weaker dollar also helped buoy the market, lifting shares of energy and materials companies. (Boston Globe)
Apple sets record on talk of a new product
Apple Inc. shares hit a record high after The Financial Times on its website suggested Apple may be getting ready for a major product announcement. Citing unnamed people familiar with the preparations, the newspaper said that Apple has rented space for late January at a San Francisco arts center. Analysts are betting Apple will unveil a tablet computer - a ... (Boston Globe)
Stimulus grant gives telecom a boost
Salem-based Atlantic Tele-Network Inc. said its subsidiary ION Holdco LLC will get a $39.7 million federal stimulus grant to fund its ION Upstate New York Rural Broadband Initiative, which involves building 10 segments of fiber-optic broadband infrastructure, serving more than 70 communities in upstate New York and parts of Pennsylvania and Vermont. The project will be a public-private partnership between ... (Boston Globe)
Oshkosh Corp.
The defense arm of Wisconsin-based Oshkosh has received another military contract, this one calling for the vehicle maker to provide protective armor for nearly 1,000 trucks. Oshkosh Defense said the deal is worth more than $54 million. The contract means the company will provide armor for its new class of mine-resistant trucks. The all-terrain vehicles are designed to handle the ... (Boston Globe)
Questcor
Questcor Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s shares surged the most since November 2007. The Union City, Calif., maker of a treatment for a potentially fatal seizures in infants said the Food and Drug Administration had accepted for review Questcor’s request that it be allowed to market H.P. Acthar Gel to treat infantile spasms. (Boston Globe)
Merrimac Industries
Crane Co. reported that it is planning to buy Merrimac Industries Inc. , which designs and makes parts for satellites, aircraft, and cellular communications, for $16 a share. Shares of Merrimac, of West Caldwell, N.J., soared 38 percent to the highest price since March 2001. (Boston Globe)
US removes $400b cap on aid to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac
NEW YORK - The Treasury Department has removed the $400 billion financial cap on how much money it will provide to the beleaguered mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , a step taken to keep the companies from failing. (By J.W. Elphinstone, Associated Press)