Massachusetts

On banning gifts from pharma companies to doctors, Ways and Means Chair Bob DeLeo may hurt himself with all that head scratching and hand-wringing:

“I’ve heard from a lot of folks on that,” he said. “That would be by far, I think, the largest single item in that bill that’s getting a lot of attention.

… I’ve been talking to some folks who have already come in to express support, you know, opposition, and everything in between on it, so we’re taking a look at that now.”

Well who knows, some people are for it, some are against, everyone's got opinions, you know?

It isn't that hard.

(Read the full post about ‘DeLeo wobbly on pharma gift ban’…)

( - promoted by David)

Today I introduced a revolutionary new global warming bill, the Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act, or iCAP.

(Read the full post about ‘iCAP - Let’s Start the Clean Energy Age and Stop Global Warming’…)

(This was a Murray priority, and as lanugo says, now breaks a logjam of big-time legislation. - promoted by Charley on the MTA)

Governor Patrick signed the Oceans Act 2008 today at the Aquarium. Massachusetts is leading the way on the important issue of managing offshore resources more effectively and if used correctly, the measure should allow for a proper balance to be struck between environmental protection and commercial development. Conservationists see this as a potential model for other coastal states going forward and there is nothing I like better than seeing us lead — not lag — in developing innovative policy.  Here is the link to the AP story. (Read the full post about ‘Leading the way: Patrick Signs Oceans Act 2008′…)

(Adults are stupid sometimes. - promoted by Charley on the MTA)

Better the Commonwealth Corps then the School to Prison Pipeline

Here is a quote from today’s Boston Globde:

A 13-YEAR-OLD girl was handcuffed and arrested at Brockton High School last June for wearing a T-shirt. The T-shirt, which she was asked by school officials to remove, bore the image of her ex-boyfriend, 14-year-old Marvin Constant, who had recently been killed in a Boston area shooting. The girl refused to remove the memorial shirt and was arrested for “causing a disturbance.”
In Texas, 14-year-old high school freshman, Shaquanda Cotton, was sentenced to seven years in prison.

(Read the full post about ‘Shutting down the school to prison pipeline - what can we do?’…)

The goods on that tale-spinner Obama:

The Republican National Committee today issued a list of Obama “tall tales:”

1. Mistaking the Nazi concentration camp his uncle helped liberate, saying it was Auschwitz, when it was Buchenwald.

Translation: “We got nothing. Sorry for wasting your time, everyone.” 

LONDON (AP) ― Naomi Campbell has been charged with assaulting two police officers during an alleged luggage rage incident at Heathrow Airport, her lawyer and prosecutors said Thursday.

The 38-year-old supermodel was charged when she reported to Heathrow police station to answer bail over the April 3 fracas, lawyer Simon Nicholls said.

The Crown Prosecution Service said Campbell faced six charges — three counts of assaulting a constable, two counts of using threatening, abusive words or behavior to the cabin crew and one count of disorderly conduct. (Read the full post about ‘Naomi Campbell Charged In London Airport Incident’…)

First it was a film and a book. Now the next stop for Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” is the opera.

Officials of Italy’s La Scala opera say Italian composer Giorgio Battistelli has been commissioned to produce an opera based on the international multi-format hit. It’ll debut in the 2011 season at the famed opera house in Milan.

The movie version of Gore’s presentation on global warming won an Oscar. And Gore’s efforts to get people involved won him the Nobel Peace Prize.

PLYMOUTH (AP) ― The developers of a proposed $300 million movie studio in Plymouth are looking for a new site for the project after land title problems stalled plans at the original site.

The project was originally planned for 1,000 acres of town-owned land off Route 25 near the Bourne Bridge.

Studio development coordinator William Wynne says Plymouth Rock Studios is now looking at nine alternate sites, all within Plymouth County, seven within Plymouth itself.

Developers have proposed a 1.5-million-square-foot movie and TV studio that would include 14 sound stages, two lots for outdoor sets, a special effects studio, an arts school, stores, restaurants, a performing arts center, athletic fields, a hotel and a movie theme park. (Read the full post about ‘Plans For Plymouth Movie Studio Hit Snag’…)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ―

Gary Dourdan won’t do time.

The “CSI” co-star pleaded guilty to two of three counts of felony drug possession Wednesday but will not face prison following his drug arrest outside of Palm Springs last month, according to his lawyer. Dourdan could have served up to three years and eight months behind bars.

“Once Gary completes 30 hours of a diversion program, his case will be entirely dismissed,” lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley told The Associated Press in an e-mail. “There is no jail time involved.”

The 41-year-old actor was arrested after police found him asleep in his car outside of Palm Springs on April 28.

(Read the full post about ‘Gary Dourdan Won’t Go To Jail For Drug Charges’…)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Ashlee Simpson is so over. The newlywed pop singer will go by Ashlee Wentz in private, and be professionally known as Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, according to a report posted Wednesday on People.com. The heretofore Simpson was married on May 17 to Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz.

“I think that that’s something that a woman should do when they’re marrying a man,” the pop star lil’ sis of Jessica Simpson told the magazine. “It’s a tradition that I think is a great tradition.”

Phone and e-mail messages left with Simpson-Wentz’s publicist regarding the name change were not immediately returned.

Simpson-Wentz, 23, and Wentz, 28, exchanged vows earlier this month at her parents home in Encino, Calif. (Read the full post about ‘Ashlee Simpson Will Take The Wentz Name’…)