Say readers

A basic organization encourages consumers to participate in an “economic power failure” on Friday as “economic resistance” against corporate greed – a movement Boston.com reader and a few local firms, say that they participate.

“Large companies are pressing consumers who dry out of greed, and the government does nothing to stop it,” said Eric, reader from Boston.com.

The popular union USA founded by John Schwartz, after her websiteEncourages the Americans to boycott large retailers corresponding to Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy to challenge company power. The organization's website states that they aren’t connected to a political party and plan to maintain blackouts all spring.

The planned boycott is scheduled to run on Friday until 11:59 p.m. The group encouraged customers to not make in business or in large retailers or chains in business or especially large purchases. The group recommends that buyers only spend on emergencies or basics, to buy at local firms and to make use of money via credit or debit cards.

When we asked Boston.com readers whether or not they were planning to participate in the ability failure, the bulk (65%) of the over 660 respondents said yes. On the contrary, 32% stated that they’d not participate, and only 3% weren’t certain.

Many supporters of the blackout said that they see it as a approach to show firms the ability of consumers.

“It is a good experiment to see what effects we as a consumer can have on large global organizations,” said reader Chris L. from Melrose.

SLC from Chelsea agreed and argued the day and not using a process “[uses] Our expenses for dollars to express our opinion and show what is important to us. ”

Local firms have also recorded the blackout, like Meet yourself hereA material and yarn business and a nave in Cambridge, which was closed in solidarity on Friday with the movement.

“We asked people to vote on their wallet since our opening in February 2011 – to spend more in local companies and to support the small companies in their communities because we are shopping,” said owner Virginia Johnson in a single post on social media.

Other supporters said it was a approach to protest against the Trump government, specifically the admission of the richest man on this planet, Elon Musk and others by the President Billionaires in first -class roles.

On the opposite hand, some opponents expressed doubts in regards to the actual effects and effectiveness of the economic power, while others argued that this might find yourself ultimately and never help, small firms.

“The best way to break the greed of companies is to support small companies and enforce antitrust laws so that companies do not integrate the market with a certain object or business,” said reader Michelle from Weymouth.

In the next parts readers who will participate within the economic power failure and never, the argument behind their decision.

Do you are taking part within the 'Economic Blackout' on Friday?

Yes, I assume

“Business greed has left too many workers”

“Business greed has left too many employees. Income is crazy. ” – –

“Because we have to end the billionaire greed and the advantage you feel compared to the middle class who kill themselves to make ends meet.” – –

“Because it’s certainly one of the few options for a way work and middle class can resign against fascism, company greed and 1%. My family and I actually have already significantly reduced our total editions and don’t avoid significant purchases. We also mostly buy used and used articles and take a look at to avoid online purchases and prioritize the acquisition of local and small brick and mortar firms. Purchase for brand spanking new articles has been minimized. We will proceed to spend in this manner and save aggressively within the foreseeable future. For us, the old days of willful consumism are over in our households. ” – –

“There is just one language that Corporate America speaks: that’s the language of cash. I all the time spoke to my wallet and can all the time accomplish that each time I can. ” – –

“To send a message together to the new administration”

“I need a way to protest and to show my disagreements with the cuts of Doge and the general philosophy of the Federal Government under the president.” – –

“We have to give an explanation in which the direction of this country is not acceptable.” – –

“I think it is important to send a message together to the new administration.” – –

“It stands out as the only way for the residents to listen to the limited decisions that we now have within the recent elections. We must fall back on large firms in order that they react to us, especially to monopolies like Amazon. ” – –

“I had to seek out a concentrate on the anger that grows daily in response to President Trump's actions. I ask family and friends to participate. Maybe it does a dent, attracts some attention and collects more support for the following. ” – –

“It gives me a way to get up and show my disappointment in the current economic and political climate.” – –

“Personal protest – it may not have any influence, but I have the feeling that I can contribute to dissatisfaction against the attack on our democracy.” – –

“It is time that companies understand the purchasing power of consumers”

“I feel helpless in some ways. It is a straightforward approach to try to attempt. ” – –

“It is a small gesture to take back the ability of firms. Maybe it's a goal that I’m intended once I get the expenses more. ” – –

“It's a protracted shot, but I hope it shows at the very least that employees are those that keep power in a capitalist society. They make them, they buy most of them. ” – –

“I think it's time that companies understand the purchasing power of consumers and that we are not a farmer in a political game.” – –

“These large firms forget that it’s the little people, not the millionaires/billionaires who support them. They don’t have anything without us. ” – –

“To send a message that Big Box Stores is just not the correct way. Plan fastidiously, spend locally and pay in money when you can. It's a tremendous feeling. I deliberately attempt to spend money locally and path in large box shops. ” – –

“It is the following best for a general strike – the big firms within the wallet hit! If enough people participate and proceed to accomplish that in the long run (several other power outages might be planned in the approaching weeks and months!), We have an effect and have political effects. ” – –

No, I'm not participating

“If you ought to help the economy, become profitable. The delay of purchases does nothing. ” – –

“While I agree that bank card firms chase consumers and corporations alike, firms that sell goods employ me with Americans. Not only that, however the overwhelming majority of Americans with an old -age pre -trivial fund is invested in firms. It seems silly to attempt to lower the businesses that we put money into to finance our future. ” – –

“I work as a teacher and care for my family. There are many more problems on this planet that I need to make my efforts as an alternative of showing firms that I won’t buy their goods and services on a certain day. ” – –

“The economic blackout concept is absurd and ultimately hurt none aside from those that have decided that this is a superb approach to protest against the buyer. Big boxing providers can easily survive this, whereby just one attempts to tackle greater than a rise within the inflation costs and outrageous taxes and regulations is thinly painted thinly. Talk about biting the nose to look at the face. ” – –

“I’m not the privilege enough to participate within the economic power failure. I actually have to go to high school and really go to work that day in order that I might need to get gasoline. Maybe I actually have to purchase food for my family because I haven't planned our menu in addition to the rich elite has already done due to her free time. This power failure is for individuals who have each money and time to truly take part in such matters. The remainder of us has a daily life with medium and lower class. ” – –

“Those who imagine that an economic power failure of any duration has a positive effect on the US economy doesn’t have the essential economy. Consumer expenditure, a key metric of economic demand, is of essential importance for GDP growth. Lower consumer expenses bring the brakes to GDP. Higher consumer expenses speed up the gross domestic product (GDP) of a nation. The growing GDP creates the next lifestyle within the nation. ” – –

“It is a waste of time. In addition, shopping on site might be superb, nevertheless it's all the time dearer [than Big Box stores]. “” – –

“Companies should remain open and ask you to buy on site, not nearby.” – –

When I wrote in regards to the closing of a Barnes & Noble bookstore in San Jose, I didn't know the way many other people felt a way of loss. But I heard from several readers who were very sad to see the shop close its doors on January nineteenth.

“I cannot imagine how I will exist without my Almaden Barnes & Noble store,” wrote Barbara Carmichael. “Real book lovers know that you don't just order a title – you have to pick it up, turn it over, read a page or two, and then decide. I'm grieving a great loss here. “

Mary Stradner wrote a letter to the company expressing her disappointment at the loss of the only large, full-service bookstore in South San Jose. “It's sad to see another closing of a book deal, especially one in such an accessible location,” she said in an email to me. “I didn't get a very hopeful response about a new place.”

Margaret Hengel, who serves with me on the Silicon Valley-Reads Community Advisory Board, said the store is also one of her treasures. “I walked in yesterday and left with tears streaming down my face.”

Then the opposite shoe dropped when Books Inc. announced its bankruptcy bid just a few days later. (At least the “we're trying to survive” sort of bankruptcy despite the fact that the Berkeley store is closing.) Luckily, as Carol Zink jogged my memory, there are still books inc. -Locations in Campbell, Mountain View and Palo Alto.

And while I listed a few of the denizens of brick-and-mortar bookstores in bookstores that may still patronize, I didn't get all of them. Joyce Gross jogged my memory of a neighborhood treasure in Saratoga: Book go roundwhich has been around and selling books, records, CDs and DVDs since 1983. Even higher, the non-profit nonprofit store on Oak Street is the Saratoga Library (which is an excellent reminder of this one for favoritism too).

And bookstores aren’t all created equal, as Bruce Tritch identified. His Spacecat comic store shared a wall with the Barnes & Noble in Westgate Mall, until the massive store's corporate suits made it clear they didn't like having a “rival” as a neighbor. “Perhaps the lack of a giant corporate entity is good for small business bookstores in San Jose in the long run,” Tritch said.

We can all hope that that is true.

On the campaign trail: The race can be for San Jose's District 3's latest representative on the City Council, which covers downtown and areas around it. Seven candidates qualify for the April 8 election.

With just over two months to go, attending to know the candidates is more vital than ever, which is why three major San Jose organizations – the Chamber of Commerce, the San Jose Downtown Association and the Rotary Club of San Jose – have teamed up for a candidate forum on February twelfth hold off.

It is predicted The Fourth Street Parking Garage downtown. You can register to go to Participate below www.sjdowntown.com/d3.

Good deed department: Good Samaritan Hospital's success was a fantastic donation for West Valley Community Services, which received a $10,000 donation from the medical center to support its Park-It Market mobile food pantry. Patrick Rohan, CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital, said San Jose Hospital is honored to assist with Cupertino's mission to be certain that nobody in the neighborhood goes hungry.

How did this generosity come about? For the second yr within the series, Good Samaritan took first place in HCA Healthcare's annual sculpture competition, allowing them to donate $10,000 to a neighborhood nonprofit organization. Their winning entry, the Good Sam Can Van, was inspired by Park-It Market and created with greater than 1,500 cans of food, which may also be donated.

WVCS Executive Director Sujatha Venkatraman said the donation will make a giant difference for families facing food insecurity. “It helps us bring fresh, healthy food directly to those who need it most, removing barriers and strengthening our community,” she said.

Music to our ears: The Mission Chamber Orchestra will perform Feb. 2 on the Italian American Heritage Foundation Cultural Center on North Fourth Street in San Jose. And you possibly can bet this system “Sounds of the Motherland” can be more Italian than the Tower of Pisa. Composers include Gioachino Rossini, Alessandro Marchello and Jeremy Cavaterra – together with a reputation most of you’ll immediately hum, Vince Guaraldi.

Longtime IAHF member Ken Borelli notes that not only was Guaraldi an Italian American, but he also hailed from San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood and this yr marks the sixtieth anniversary of perhaps his best-known play, famously featured in “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” became . “” Unfortunately, the nice jazz pianist died far too young, suffering a fatal heart attack in 1976 on the age of 47 after playing a set at Butterfield's, a nightclub in Menlo Park.

Tickets for the three:30 PM concert can be found at www.missionchamber.org.

AUTHOR! AUTHOR!: Since we began with books, let's wind up with the women of the Meet the Author charity on February third. The featured author is Sam Carlino, the owner of Sam's Bar-B-Que on Bascom Avenue, who wrote about his grandfather's infamous history with organized crime in “Colorado's Carlino Brothers: A Bootlegging Empire.” I used to be lucky enough to listen to these stories from Sam just a few years ago when he was working on the book, and it's a tremendous, well-told story.

The 9:30 a.m. event can be held at St. Thomas of Canterbury Church, 1522 McCoy Ave. in San Jose. Tickets are $40 each (with proceeds going toward scholarships for middle school patrons attending Children of Sacred Heart and Our Lady of Grace schools). Go to www.ladiesofcharitySanjose.org More information.

Originally published: January 25, 2025 at 6:45am PST

readers say

As President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration approaches, all eyes are on a pivotal moment in U.S. history. With a nation deeply divided and major challenges on the horizon, many are wondering how the president-elect will address the country's most pressing problems. But what do Boston.com readers hope to see from the Trump administration?

When we asked what issue you think that Trump should prioritize in his first 100 days in office, there was one issue that stood out above all others: immigration. 41 percent of the 140 respondents to our survey cited it as their most vital issue.

“This is our biggest problem right now,” North End reader James said of immigration.

Massachusetts, home to large immigrant communities, is not any stranger to debates over border security and pathways to citizenship. Trump's previous administration took a tricky stance on immigration, but because the country (and Boston) faces ongoing challenges with asylum policy, many are on the lookout for concrete plans that consider each security and compassion.

The economy may even likely be a serious focus of Trump's second term, and readers will need to see this issue prioritized as well. It received 14% of the vote, with readers expressing concern about inflation and disappointment with the state of the economy under the Biden administration.

“Signs of cracks that are well hidden by the outgoing administration are beginning to appear,” said reader Jim from Braintree.

Reproductive rights was also a problem that readers should prioritize. Although Massachusetts has a few of the strongest reproductive health care protections within the country, many are keenly aware – and wary – of the impact of Trump-era policies on reproductive rights after Roe.

“I'm worried that all he's trying to do is [regarding reproductive rights] will only cause more damage,” said reader EM of Brookline.

As Trump prepares for an additional 4 years in office, here's what Boston.com readers needed to say about a few of the country's most pressing issues.

What issue should Donald Trump prioritize in his first 100 days in office?

immigration

“There is no shortage of American workers, just a shortage of companies willing to pay the wages needed to attract skilled workers. The H1-B visa program is just a way to keep wages low and import mediocre workers to exploit them. This undermines the middle class and stifles social mobility.” –

“There are several priorities, but immigration must be followed first by the economy and foreign policy reforms.” –

“Close the borders and stop the flow of immigrants “They clog up the state and strain our resources, making programs that exist for taxpaying residents and their families unavailable.” –

“[Immigration is] The topic that probably got him elected and in which most people can find common cause.” –

Business

“Inflation is bad and prices for food and basic necessities are too high. Seniors in particular cannot keep up with this pace.” –

“If Trump can actually take steps to make things higher for peculiar Americans, he’ll get loads of support. If he gets involved in silly things like invading Canada, it's only a distraction.” –

“The main reason I voted in November and now, [is] the economy. Let’s return to common sense and not progressive politics.” –

Training

“I congratulate President Trump and Vice President Vance and (cautiously) look forward to their inauguration. I hope Trump and Vance remember that access to quality education is the key to social advancement and the redistribution of cultural, economic and social mobility in this country. The famously popular and helpful Economic Impact Payments has helped so many further education students and (returning) adult learners cover their living expenses while achieving their dream of completing higher education without ever having to take on massive student debt. I hope they remember that return on investments is more than just money. If they can get Americans to read (real) books again, then there is hope that their government can actually “Make America Great Again.” –

“The student loan crisis is real and ignoring it will not help. Borrowers need real solutions.” –

“We live apocalyptically.”

The philosopher Bruno Latour said these words in a discussion interview the 2018 California wildfires.

His comments ring even truer in 2025, as Los Angeles area residents grapple with the horror and despair of deadly wildfires Thousands of homes and businesses and have no less than 25 people died.

From coast to coast, from hemisphere to hemisphere, one-off environmental disasters at the moment are commonplace. Large fires occur outside of the season, the fires burn hotter and spread further ever before.

Latour called it “life in the end times”; He points to the necessity to search out alternative routes of living, as extreme events that were once only the topic of dystopian movies simply change into a component of on a regular basis life.

My work focuses on writers' emotional responses to fires shows that literature and reading play a crucial role.

Works about fire often emphasize recovery and determination, but additionally provide space for processing complex emotions. If, as Latour fears, these are “end times,” literature might help readers learn tips on how to survive, cope, and keep hope alive.

A standard enemy

With the pace and tone of a thriller, George R StewartHis 1948 novel “Fire” is a few forest fire in California from its inception to its extinguishment a number of days later.

Stewart's biographer Donald M. Scott, described “fire” as “the first novel about fire ecology,” and the environmental impacts of fires are actually a crucial a part of the work. But “Fire” can also be a novel that deals intensively with the query of how people come together within the face of catastrophe.

Stewart was so concerned with creating a practical depiction of a burning forest that he visited fires with a forest ranger as a part of his research for the book. His burning scenes are graphic and take care of the sensible features of firefighting and the human costs involved.

But the novel also celebrates kinship because the characters form deep bonds as they work together to contain the fireplace. This sense of shared experience is crucial.

One of the story's central characters, veteran forester Bart Bartley, imagines fire as an enemy, “evil, malevolent and scheming.” Fire historians Tom Griffiths and Christine HansenThose who’ve worked with fire-affected communities corroborate Bartley's account, noting how fire “makes victims feel like they are being hunted and toying with the survivors.”

But within the struggle with this “evil” force, Bartley feels “great human love” for many who work with him.

Renewal and regrowth

Stewart's work can also be notable for its give attention to renewal.

After the flames are defeated, the novel's narrator surveys the damage. First he sees a landscape that has been “burnt to death”. But his despair gives strategy to a more optimistic interpretation: “In the next few years, the older trees that are still standing could reseed the ground beneath them.”

The novel, which also examines the events from the attitude of animals, ends with a unprecedented vision of hope:

“The smoke and clouds had disappeared. The sun shone brightly through the rain-washed air, and along the ridge the highest peaks were blindingly white with snow. Damp and clean, the northwest wind from the sea blew steadily over the long ridges, and from soaring cones opened by the fiery heat the winged seeds floated to the earth.”

Stewart emphasizes that fireplace is a natural phenomenon and focuses on regrowth. He reminds readers that burning plays an ecologically necessary role and that a seemingly apocalyptic present may soon transform right into a regenerative future.

Life within the Pyrocene

Historian Stephen J. Pyne has called our fire-prone age the Pyrocene. So it's no surprise that increasingly authors are incorporating forest fires into their stories.

Amitav Ghosh's novel “Weapon IslandIn the first chapters there is talk of a wildfire. But Ghosh is not content to let his fiction speak for itself; his non-fiction work 2016 “The great derangement“is an exhortation to contemporary writers to include depictions of natural disasters into their work to reflect the ways through which the disaster impacts on a regular basis life today.

Australian author and Booker Prize winner Richard Flanagan's novel from 2020: “The living sea of ​​waking dreams“responds to this challenge.

Unlike Stewart's novel, fire is just not the main focus of the work, which Flanagan describes as “rising cry.” As the story, set in Australia, begins, bushfires are raging and it seems as in the event that they are central to the plot. However, they simply smolder within the background – just as they do in real life for a lot of who will not be directly affected by the fireplace. Still.

As it seems, the actual focus of the novel is the overwhelming experience of living in a world where natural disaster follows natural disaster. It follows protagonist Anna as she seeks relief from her mother's terminal illness by scrolling through social media feeds. She is inundated with limitless images of climate emergencies. Her doomscrolling makes her depressed: “She no longer knew whether the fires were over, even though they hadn’t really started yet.”

Through the glow of her smartphone, Anna sees “photos of glittering snowstorms. The smoke was so thick that you couldn't see the street. Four thousand people…gathered on a beach while firefighters formed a cordon to protect them.”

In other scenes, she looks at picture after picture of animals injured in forest fires. For Anna, “the summer was scary. Smoke was scary… suffocation was scary. Today was scary. Tomorrow would be terrible if we made it that far.”

Like Stewart, nevertheless, Flanagan offers hope: Anna eventually connects with one other character, Lisa, whose interest in environmental history and indigenous fire practices offers a substitute for the isolating terror brought on by social media.

Flanagan ends the novel by rejecting each individualism and apocalyptic sensationalism.

The discovery of an endangered chick turns the story of misery into certainly one of hope. Lisa, who finds the little bird, suddenly sees the world now not as hopelessly burning, but “extraordinarily alive”. By the tip of the novel, she is “neither dejected nor defeated,” but inspired to attach more closely with the land and its people.

Human stories don’t have to finish in catastrophe and death. Instead, disasters can signal the start of something latest, and reading about them can highlight regrowth and recovery within the midst of despair.

readers say

The people—or at the very least the individuals who make up Boston.com's readership—have spoken. There's been loads of news in 2024, but these are the stories that readers have cited because the ones that intrigued them essentially the most over the past 12 months.

In total, readers submitted greater than 500 responses to our survey. Below is a countdown of the five they mentioned most frequently, followed by six more that appear slightly below. (And how much do you bet that at the very least just a few of those will appear on the list again next 12 months?)

5. Massachusetts gets (a part of) the eclipse (7%)

Okay, so Boston wasn’t on the “path of totality.” We'll see our own total solar eclipse on May 1, 2079 (the toughest a part of the wait), but within the meantime, Boston.com readers seemed content to get their very own little piece of the natural phenomenon here last April. Silly glasses were commonplace, schools and businesses stopped all the things to observe it, and lots of people actually traveled north to New Hampshire and Vermont to see the thing in its entirety. (Although a lot of them apparently had difficulty returning home.)

4. Pro-Palestinian protests on campus (11%)

The Boston area has many colleges and lots of students who aren’t particularly afraid to talk their minds. So it probably made sense that when students began protesting the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, our schools can be a hotbed of such activity. And indeed, MIT, Tufts, and Emerson led the best way, followed by Harvard, Northeastern, UMass Amherst, Dartmouth, and UNH, amongst others. Even the Rhode Island School of Design got involved, occupying a part of an administration constructing. Last spring, protests, encampments, arrests, and resignations looked as if it would occur virtually day by day, and readers followed the live updates with interest (and possibly no small amount of concern).

3. Bill Belichick says goodbye (13%)

One of two sports stories to make our top five, a big variety of readers pointed to Bill Belichick's departure from the Patriots team he led to 6 Super Bowl championships. Even though this happened in early January, readers reported that his departure had taken up loads of their sporting headspace throughout 2024 – perhaps because he continued to make headlines, whether due to his opinion of the team he left behind or due to his love life (Couples Halloween costume, anyone?) or his eventual landing as a coach in North Carolina.

2. Celtics are national champions (19%)

While they might not have had the juice of our ubiquitous #1 story mentioned below, readers named our Boston Celtics the second most fascinating story of the 12 months, with their decisive championship win over the Dallas Mavericks in June dispelling any doubt about it: arguably the most effective team by far within the NBA. It almost makes you’re feeling sorry for all the opposite teams that don't have Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, a cadre of wonderful backup players, and coach Joe Mazzulla, who churns out the present quotes like an internet-era Yogi Berra. Oh, and their save was pretty good too.

1. The Karen Read Saga (28%)

In a 12 months that saw greater than just a few disturbing murder stories unfold – the cases of Brian Walshe and Lindsay Clancy come to mind – one by far caught people's attention essentially the most. The Karen Read trial made headlines and sparked water cooler discussions far beyond Boston, leading practically everyone to the logical assumption that it might eventually turn out to be a Netflix documentary. Which after all it would be.

As you almost certainly recall, prosecutors allege Read was driving drunk and intentionally crashed her SUV into her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, as he dropped him off at a house party in January 2022. And Read's lawyers claim that O “Keefe was actually beaten by people in the house (and attacked by the family dog).” It's a suitcase that has all the things, including a Turtleboy. And since her first trial led to a mistrial, we are able to do all of it again next April.

Honorable Mentions:

Trump is making progress sparsely: People affiliated with the MAGA movement probably shouldn't get too upset — Massachusetts remained firmly within the green in November's presidential election, with Kamala Harris receiving about 61% of the vote. But Donald Trump took the entire thing on his own, and readers (well, about half of them) identified that his gains even among the many liberal crowd were a key a part of his booming comeback – he topped ten Massachusetts cities, who voted for Biden in 2020, and narrowed the gap in lots of others. Meanwhile, the anti-Trump section immediately began arguing about what impact his policies might need on the situation within the Bay State.

The massive refugee crisis: Thanks to the state’s “right to shelter” law, migrants were in all places — at Logan Airport, in converted community centers, in hotels and in a closed prison. And despite Gov. Maura Healey's increasingly strict shelter-in-place guidelines, the problem stays a thorn in her side.

Crime in Downtown Boston: A wave of shoplifting and violence within the Common – which many blamed on problems that spread from Mass.'s former camps of homeless and addicted people. & Cass spread – caused great consternation among the many townspeople. However, Mayor Michelle Wu assures us that Boston stays the safest big city in America.

Voting questions: There were five! And three — authorizing a legislative review, eliminating MCAS as a graduation requirement, and allowing rideshare drivers to unionize — were actually passed. Sorry, psychedelics and increased minimum wage.

The arrest of Tania Fernandes Anderson: It happened just just a few weeks ago, but Boston City Councilman Fernandes Anderson's arrest on public corruption charges — involving a $7,000 money payment in a City Hall bathroom — immediately caused a stir in Boston's political scene. (One reader even suggested that outgoing President Joe Biden should pardon her.)

State Police Problems: As if State Trooper Michael Proctor's classless texts revealed throughout the Read trial weren't enough, the mysterious training death of recruit Enrique Delgado Garcia solid one other shadow over the organization. Plus all of the cheating. (Your run-of-the-mill city police departments haven't gotten off easy either. Case in point: the Sara Birchmore case in Stoughton.)

readers say

President Joe Biden announced Monday that he would commute the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on federal death row, just weeks before Donald Trump takes office. But Boston.com readers largely disagree together with his decision.

The move means inmates will remain in prison for all times with no possibility of parole. There are three remaining federal inmates who still face execution: Dylann Roof, who killed nine black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015; Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 2013 Boston Marathon bomber; And Robert Bowerswho fatally shot eleven congregants on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018.

Biden attributed his decision to political motivations surrounding the upcoming Trump presidency in addition to his longstanding stance against federal executions “in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.”

“I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. “I cannot in good conscience stand by and watch a new government resume the executions I stopped,” he said in an interview opinion.

In 2021, Biden's Justice Department ordered a moratorium to perform federal death sentences after a surge in executions under the Trump administration. He appeared during Trump's first term 13 federal executions – greater than under any president in modern history.

When we asked Boston.com readers to weigh in on Biden's decision, the bulk (77%) of the greater than 250 readers who responded to our poll disagreed with the move, while just below 1 / 4 (23%) agreed.

“Actions have consequences. Commit the crime and face the punishment. In fact, all cases of the death penalty involved the violent killing of another human being. “What makes the life of the convicted criminal more valuable to society than the life of the victim?” said reader Jay J. of Boston, who opposed the choice.

On the contrary, many readers who supported Biden's decision said that the death penalty is unethical and doesn’t deter crime.

“The death penalty does not deter crime and in many cases is unfairly imposed on minorities. “Furthermore, too many innocent people have been sentenced to the death penalty,” said reader Steven B..

Below, readers share their thoughts on Biden's decision to commute the death sentences of 37 inmates.

Do you agree with Biden's decision to commute the sentences of 37 people on death row?

No, I disagree

“A federal death penalty is very difficult to obtain. The law carefully protects the rights of defendants and sets a high bar for prosecution. They only apply to the most heinous first-degree murders. Once decided by a jury and upheld on appeal, they should not be swept away without compelling specific reasons. If the president disapproved of current federal law, he should have sought to change it democratically, not to cast it aside. He should also have explained why he did what he did. Undemocratic, lack of transparency, no explanation.” –

“I believe this mass commutation is another example of Joe Biden undermining the rights of victims and the decision of the judiciary. It seems to me that he did not respect the rule of law and did not evaluate all the details of the cases in question.” –

“In most cases the evidence was so convincing that there was no doubt that the defendants did it. Many of us were in Boston the day of the marathon bombing. This was an attack on our families, our culture, our community and people were killed, including a young boy. When a decision that took months is overturned by one person… What incentive is there for others not to commit such a crime? How can we defend ourselves and trust that a system will defend us against a person who has demonstrated the ability to commit acts of war or crimes without any sense of humanity?” –

“The judiciary found these people worthy of execution. Now we will support them until they finally die in prison. There will be no justice for their victims and their families with this senseless decision.” –

“The death penalty helps stop crime and reduce the cost of maintaining these inmates.” –

Yes, I agree

“I don’t want my government to play God and decide who should die and when. Courts and processes are not infallible.” –

“Death penalties should only be imposed for the most heinous acts of violence like this [Boston] Marathon bomber. Our entire legal and penal system needs to be reviewed and modernized. It’s not an easy solution, but it takes a start.” –

“The death penalty should be abolished in all states and the federal government.” –

“The death penalty has no deterrent effect and is a social revenge. Trump loved executing prisoners, and Biden prevented that by preempting his attempts.” –

In late December 2023, former New York Times editorial page editor James Bennet said, dropped a bombshell in an article for The Economist. “The leadership of The New York Times is losing control of its principles,” he wrote, saying biased coverage of the institution was “pervasive.”

In the article, Bennet spoke concerning the pressures resulting in what he described as “liberal bias” at considered one of the world's most influential newspapers. While recounting his final days on the New York Times – he resigned attributable to controversy in 2020 about an editorial by Republican Senator Tom Cotton – he also discussed what economists call demand and provide side aspects behind the rise in media bias.

Demand bias occurs when newspapers offer distorted news to appeal to readers. Supply-side bias arises from the ideological leanings of homeowners or employees. Bennet noted that each influenced decision-making at The New York Times.

To be fair, not everyone agreed with Bennet's diagnosis – not least the present leadership on the New York Times. But people across the political spectrum are inclined to agree that media bias is an issue, and not only on the Times.

I wanted to know which source of bias is more vital: supply or demand. So I did an experiment.

Why I “read” 100,000 articles.

As an economist As an authority on the economics of digital, I even have long been fascinated by how recent technologies give editors unprecedented control.

For example, it was once nearly not possible for newspapers to update their “front pages” after publication; If you wanted to vary something, you literally needed to stop the printing presses. But the rise of digital platforms allows editors to make minute-by-minute updates. This helps keep certain stories within the highlight and subtly steers public discourse.

So along with my colleague Coleman Smurf At Wake Forest University, I checked out how this affects two of America's leading newspapers: the New York Times, which individuals generally consider as leaning to the left, and the Wall Street Journal, which is usually seen as leaning to the proper tends to be viewed. We analyzed greater than 100,000 items from each newspapers and 22 million tweets linking to them to search out out the aspects that influence how long articles stay on digital homepages.

By controlling for demand-side preferences—measured by the variety of times each story was shared on Twitter, which we used as an indicator of reader interest—we found that supply-side preferences were a very important think about keeping articles on a homepage. In other words, newspapers placed articles prominently due to their very own political preferences, not because people read them.

Two examples from the New York Times

Using a machine learning approach, we assigned each article a political rating, with probably the most Republican-leaning articles rated “zero” and probably the most Democratic-leaning articles rated “one.” We found that each the variety of tweets and a publication's ideological leanings influence how long a given article stays on the homepage.

To illustrate this, consider two stories from The New York Times. The first, “For many who marched, January 6th was just the beginningpublished on January 23, 2022, had a clearly liberal tone and described the event as the “worst attack on American democracy” and received a “pro-democracy” rating of 0.93. The article was published at 3 a.m., posted on the homepage at 6 a.m., collected around 200 tweet shares by noon, and stayed on the homepage for greater than two days.

Compare this to the second article: “At least 46 migrants found dead in tractor-trailer in San Antonio“, published June 27, 2022. This article had a more conservative tone and emphasized Texas Governor Greg Abbott's criticism of President Joe Biden. The story, which received a “Pro-Democrat” rating of just 0.22, was published at 9 p.m., immediately posted to the homepage and received greater than 600 tweet shares inside two hours. However, despite his strong commitment, it was faraway from the homepage inside the subsequent hour.

Media bias as a bigger phenomenon

Of course, unrelated issues corresponding to competition from breaking news could even have affected the rankings of those two articles. But they weren't isolated cases.

We found that articles that align with the political leanings of their respective newspapers—liberal for the New York Times and conservative for the Wall Street Journal—are inclined to stay on the homepage longer, even when popularity is taken into consideration.

This is obvious evidence of supply-side media bias. Editorial decisions usually are not only a response to reader demand; They reflect the ideological leanings of a publication. This influences which stories are highlighted and which narratives dominate public discourse. (The New York Times and Wall Street Journal didn’t reply to requests for comment on the time of publication.)

Determining whether media distortions are brought on by supply or demand issues isn’t just an instructional game. It has profound real-world implications.

Most importantly, it might help the general public understand how competition within the media industry affects bias. If bias is essentially about publications responding to demand, more competition could actually make the issue worse as media outlets struggle to cater to the precise preferences of their audiences.

On the opposite hand, if the distortion is essentially supply-related, competition might be a corrective. Because in a competitive market, media firms have incentives to appeal to the widest possible audience, which implies bias is bad for business.

The recent waves of Consolidation within the media industrycoupled with that noticeable increase in perception of media bias over the past decade, the availability side argument appears to be supported. With fewer firms controlling a bigger portion of the media landscape, media firms have less incentive to take care of a broad, unbiased approach.

readers say

Boston City Councilwoman Tania Fernandes Anderson was arrested Friday on federal public corruption charges, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced. After her arrest, Boston.com readers overwhelmingly called for her resignation.

Fernandes Anderson allegedly embezzled $7,000 in kickback money from a relative who worked for her in a restroom at City Hall. According to the unsealed indictment, she was charged with five counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud and one count of aiding and abetting theft from programs receiving federal funds.

Fernandes Anderson — who represents Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway and a part of the South End — acknowledged reports of the federal investigation but said she has no intention of resigning, Boston.com previously reported. She pleaded not guilty during a transient appearance Friday afternoon in federal court.

However, several city council members and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu have called on the town council to resign in light of the federal allegations.

“Like every member of the community, Councilor Fernandes Anderson has the right to a fair trial,” Wu said in a press release Friday morning. “But the seriousness of these allegations undermines the public’s trust and will prevent them from effectively serving the city.”

Boston.com readers also called for Fernandes Anderson to resign. When we asked readers for his or her thoughts, nearly 1,800 responded. A whopping 94% approved of her resignation, while only 4% opposed such a move.

“Public trust has been breached for the second time, she must go,” said reader Richard from Dorchester.

Fernandes Anderson has faced quite a few legal problems in recent times. In July 2023, she pleaded guilty and agreed to pay a $5,000 civil penalty after, in response to the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission, she violated conflict of interest laws by hiring her sister and son for paid positions on the Boston City Council had set. And in November 2024, Fernandes Anderson received a subpoena for failing to report $32,900 in campaign contributions and for accepting donations that exceeded state limits.

Many District 7 residents responded to our survey expressing extreme disappointment at their demise. Others argued the fees didn’t change their opinion of her and said she was innocent until proven guilty.

Below, readers — a lot of them District 7 voters — share why or why not Boston City Councilwoman Tania Fernandes Anderson should resign.

Should Boston City Councilwoman Tania Fernandes Anderson resign?

Yes

“Tania Fernandes Anderson represents me and my district. I am deeply saddened that she has taken advantage of and abused the trust of voters. I have been disappointed with their behavior in the past (public riots, etc.) but unfortunately I voted for them. Our district and our youth need better representation and role models. Fernandes Anderson has to go. Extremely disappointed!” –

“There is no place for corruption in our government. We must adhere to the highest standards of professional conduct and ethics without exception. Government officials are held to a higher standard of ethics because we trust them to meet our needs. Nepotism is a prime example of corruption. Everyone in the world knows that the relationship between a family member and an employee is fundamentally different and the former would undoubtedly represent a compromise in ethics. We deserve better in the South End. We pay far too much in taxes to accept this type of individual in our government, and we demand better.” –

“She should resign because this is not her first questionable act. She should have resigned after we found out she had hired her sister and son. This happened after she, like all city councilors, attended a mandatory ethics seminar.” –

“Councilwoman Fernandes Anderson has the right to due process and (I pray) she should respect her own right to due process by resigning. In practice, how would she even be able to show up to work at City Hall during all of this? Serving as Councilman for District 7 is not a job where someone can just “call in” and “work from home.” D7 voters and members of the general public as an entire deserve and are entitled to a greater public service.” –

“Because being in office while being charged with official crimes is a conflict of interest, and she needs to focus on her trial so residents can vote on a successor they can trust.” –

“Recognizing that everyone has the right to due process, accused politicians have a responsibility to the public; They resign both for their own benefit and for the benefit of the public. In the event of a discharge, the person is free to have their name back on the ballot. This applies to Anderson as well as to the youngest members of Congress.” –

“It is completely unfair to the struggling people of this community that someone in this position of power would endanger their city. It was just really sad and honestly made me cry. This is a truly major setback, not just for the Commonwealth, but for our community to place trust in the hands of the people who supposedly have our best interests at heart.” –

“Boston doesn’t need this headache. You cannot take the “moral high ground” after which reap the benefits of your position. “We need sensible council members who will work on issues that will actually help everyone in Boston, not someone who will be fighting federal corruption charges for the foreseeable future.” –

“An elected official who steals from her constituents is a major slap in the face to those same constituents. Character unworthy of a Boston city councilman (or anyone who steals from others).” –

NO

“She is entitled to due process. However, she should be immediately suspended from the city council pending further investigation and legal proceedings.” –

“She is not convicted. Resign if you are guilty. Due process and respectful process is critical.” –

“She is clearly being targeted as a woman of color.” –

“No, she shouldn’t resign. It's about massive and persistent poverty in our society. We need to consider the root cause of the problem. “Sometimes good people commit crimes not because they are a bad person, but because of their circumstances: persistent poverty or low socioeconomic class.” –

Our adventurous readers have been traveling all over the world in the previous couple of months, Exploring AntarcticaTake a day trip to Downton Abbey and in addition discover the wonders of Wyoming. Now these travel stories are shared together with some travel suggestions.

This week we hear from a bunch of friends from San Jose who visited British Columbia last summer. Read on for details and find more travel inspiration at www.mercurynews.com/tag/wish-you-were-here/.

Wish you were here

BRITISH COLUMBIA: A birthday trip took longtime San Jose friends Connie Skipitares, Suzanne Arnaud, birthday girl Maureen Lewis, Kathy Infantino and Shaye Ryall to Victoria in August.

“Victoria is an Anglophile’s dream,” says Connie. “Although this charming city is not on the European continent, it still offers a rich environment of British culture. Afternoon tea is served almost everywhere! At the long-established Empress Hotel, traditional English tea is served daily in the elegant dining room from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Save your money for this lavish experience – $100 per person.”

Other must-see highlights included “spectacular Butchart Gardensa 55-acre flower lover's paradise 30 minutes north; Hatley Castlea sprawling Tudor-style manor house and gardens; and downtown Victoria with lively pubs and quaint shops.”

TRAVEL TIPS: “The Hop-on hop-off double-decker bus tour is a must-do, a two-hour tour around the city that offers us a selection of the main attractions that we returned to on our own tour. In the summer, try to visit Butchart Gardens on a Saturday evening to not only enjoy the flowers at dusk, but also to enjoy an outdoor concert and a breathtaking fireworks display.”

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readers say

The legalization of psychedelic substances in Massachusetts has drawn national attention and divided some Mass. voters on either side of the vote as Nov. 5 approaches.

The ballot measure's major proponent, Massachusetts for Mental Health Options (MMHO)says Question 4, outlining a comprehensive plan to treat adults over the age of 21 with serious mental illnesses “under the supervision and guidance of a trained, licensed professional in regulated treatment centers,” in response to its website.

“Psychedelics are known to produce a profound change in consciousness, often experienced as something deeply meaningful, important or profound event,” said Dr. Franklin King, lecturer at Harvard Medical School and director of education and training on the Mass. Generally Center for Neuroscience of Psychedelics.

If voters vote “yes” on Question 4, Mass third state within the nation There are laws allowing adult use of psychedelic drugs, lagging behind Colorado and Oregon.

“[Psychedelics] create very powerful, powerful states. These should not be taken lightly,” said Dr. King. “Certainly it can be a very challenging experience for some people. There are a lot of things that can potentially go wrong, just as a really positive experience with psychedelics can leave lasting change.”

Founding partner of Shawmut Strategies and spokesperson for Coalition for Safe CommunitiesChris Keohan, is amongst Massachusetts voters confident of voting “no” this fall.

“We do not question the medical benefits of this under medical supervision. But this goes a significant step too far and reduces the overall safety of people here in Massachusetts,” Keohan said. “Not only with the additional problems of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but also with the problems that would come with the growth of the home for children, pets, etc. [and] Household contents insurance in general.”

The coalition's major concern with the ballot measure is the power to grow psychedelics at home. The measure would make this possible as much as 144 square meters have grown. The Minimum dimensions A main bedroom within the state is 120 square feet.

“That’s an astronomical amount of square footage for home improvement,” Keohan said. “If homeownership growth wasn't taken into account, I probably wouldn't be involved on the 'no' side of this ballot question. The fact that this is the case, I think, poses a really significant threat to public safety.”

While some voters support general legalization, they worry about access restrictions.

This applies to the leadership of Bay Staters for Natural Medicinea community group dedicated to educating its members concerning the use of psychedelic drugs.

“Eight cities and counting have already indicated they want this policy implemented,” said James Davis, executive director and co-founder of Bay Staters for Natural Medicine. “If we just implement this, in some ways it's the best form of legalization because it means people are getting this drug from someone they know and growing it themselves.”

Still, there are differing opinions about how psychedelic drugs needs to be regulated within the state.

“We never thought a ballot question would be viable in the state of Massachusetts,” Davis said. “We don't believe we exist from the perspective of public opinion, and that's why we exist.” Educating slowly, having tough conversations, meeting with individuals who don't agree with us, and not only attempting to force it through , by getting 51% of the vote.”

“That’s really what we want as an alternative form of legalization,” he said.

Following the announcement of the certified ballot questions, Boston.com polled readers whether or not they consider psychedelic mental health care needs to be legalized within the state. Of the full 430 responses, 74% voted “yes,” 21 voted “no,” and 4% voted “I don’t know.”

Based on reader responses, two of probably the most common themes and concerns surrounding legalization were public safety and mental health.

Here's a collection of what readers said and the way they plan to vote on Question 4.

Yes: Psychedelics promote mental health

Of nearly all of “yes” votes, readers commented on what psychedelic-assisted therapy could do in managing PTSD and other serious mental health diagnoses. Dr. King said, “The patient has to do a lot of work, just being open to the experience and not shying away from negative things that might come up.”

“People hear psychedelic and forget the word therapy,” added Dr. King added. “I think this is simply an exploration of the contemporary issues that we can probably expect more of when it comes to psychedelics.”

“Post-traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating, agonizing illness that claims countless lives through suicide and devastates many more. Veterans, first responders and BIPOC people are disproportionately affected. Conventional medications and psychotherapy are not enough to help these people. But research at Johns Hopkins, Columbia and other universities has shown remarkable and rapid benefits from short courses of psilocybin. The bias of the Nixon era cost us 50 years of unnecessary suffering. It’s time.”

–

“For medical and psychological purposes only – not for recreational purposes. The data is compelling.”

–

“This medication is so important for those struggling with PTSD or childhood trauma. It allows us to overcome our fears and find self-care and love within ourselves. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, the leading psychiatrist in trauma therapy, has studied this and is a proponent of this type of treatment. It is discussed in his best-selling book, The Body Keeps the Score.”

–

“If this natural mushroom can help someone heal, it should be available to them. The more natural medicines there are, the better they are for the body and our planet.”

–

“Psychedelic mushrooms have been used for thousands of years and there is clearly a reason for this. It makes no sense that these mushrooms are still illegal when other substances, such as alcohol, which are generally more harmful, are not.”

–

No: I’m concerned about public safety

A typical reason readers vote “no” is concern concerning the potential detrimental impact this access could have. Keohan advises people to “listen to medical professionals.” Listen to the psychiatrists.”

“For the mental health of the clinic, yes. For recreational purposes, no. We have seen an increase in drug abuse since the legalization of marijuana. Our energy should go toward treatment rather than legalization.”

“Psychedelics have been proven not to be medicine in their own right. What psychedelic research has shown is the potential therapeutic effectiveness of psychedelic-assisted therapy in highly structured/supportive environments. These substances actually pose mental/mental health risks that need to be better understood before their access is expanded in the real world. The premature legalization process may have unintended negative impacts on public mental health, with certain vulnerable populations (e.g., high-risk youth) being most at risk.”

–

Risks are known. The advantages are limited. Can be “administered” at home, path to abuse.”

–

“I’m an emergency room nurse. Since marijuana was legalized, the number of traumatic cases I see due to cannabis use has skyrocketed. In some patients I can smell it; others admit to consuming edibles. Most recently, I took the vitals of a driver who passed out during shatter therapy and broke both femurs of the driver whose car he hit with his pickup truck. Human nature is what it is and “patients” will abuse this “medicine” and cause everlasting harm to others. In the case of alcohol, the police could conduct a blood or breath test on site to detect excessive alcohol consumption. Not so with previously illegal drugs.”

–

“One wonders whether the item would not be taxed if we pursued this. Things that distort normal cognitive function don’t seem to benefit.”

–

I'm undecided

“I think we should legalize them. I do not think that the part of the bill that requires it to be adopted within the framework of licensed, very expensive “health” centers (for large profits for private companies) should be included or allowed in this bill. These useful drugs should be decriminalized and allowed to be used by health centers without reservation. We don't do that with marijuana. This should not happen in this case either. It restricts access to very wealthy people, and people with mental health problems who are not wealthy will be denied access under this proposed law.”

–

“I don't know enough about them to give a fair opinion, but when something is described as 'psychedelic,' isn't that tantamount to distorting reality? I’m not sure how altering reality could be of any use to anyone.”

–