A Visit from the Possum

George Jones didn’t have a lot of voice left Friday night. But the poor guy, now an octogenarian, apparently is on the upside of recovery from pneumonia. He occasionally put his hand to his chest as if he was hurting, and his upper range was a whisper. Nobody...

Wellness: Downplaying the D

Is vitamin D a wonder drug that can cure almost anything that ails us? Or is it a specialist in the toolbox of supplements that does one job really well—promoting strong bones? An analysis of more than 1,000 studies and interviews with experts leads to the...
StageStruck: WHAT's Up at the Harbor

StageStruck: WHAT's Up at the Harbor

I’ve been away. On vacation. This is news only because it’s the first time I’ve left Western Mass. during the summer theater season since, let’s see, oh, yes, ever. I went to the Cape and did nothing but loll and laze, sun and swim. And, okay,...

The Battle for the Climate

It’s official: the Arctic set a record for ice loss this summer as 50 percent more per day melted than in 2007, the year the previous record was set for Arctic summer ice melt. The potential results include more climate destabilization and polarization between...

Poll Numbers Favor Medical Marijuana

Massachusetts voters are firmly in support of a November ballot initiative that would legalize the medical use of marijuana, according to recent poll results. Fifty-eight percent of respondents favored the measure, while 27 percent were opposed and 15 percent were...