Showing posts with label Massachusetts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Massachusetts. Show all posts

Monday, July 11, 2011

Massachusetts Town To Pay Married Gay Employees To Offset Tax

Marriage gay city employees of Cambridge, Massachusetts will become the first in the nation to be paid a small stipend to cover a federal tax that their heterosexual colleagues don't have to pay.
Like many people, these 22 school and city workers chose to put their spouses on their employer-provided health insurance. Because they're in a homosexual relationship, the value of that health coverage is considered taxable income by the federal government. But starting this month, Cambridge will become what is believed to be the first municipality in the country to pay its public employees a stipend in an attempt to defray the cost of the federal tax on health benefits for their same-sex spouses. The city employees hit by the extra tax pay an additional $1,500 to $3,000 in taxes a year and officials estimate the stipends would cost the city an additional $33,000. "This is about equality," said Marjorie Decker, a Cambridge city councilor. "This is a city that models what equality really means."

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

MASSACHUSETTS: Nine Charged With Hate Crimes In Bashing Of Gay Man

Nine Springfield, Massachusetts youths have been charged with hate crimes in the beating of an openly gay man.
Sgt. John Delaney said the beating occurred shortly after 3 a.m. Tuesday as the 30-year-old victim walked down a Springfield street. Delaney said the victim told police he was then attacked by the suspects who knocked him to the ground, kicked him in the head and abdomen and punched him in the face with closed fists. He said the females in the group encouraged the males to beat up the victim and others yelled disparaging remarks about the victim's sexual orientation during the attack.
MassLive.com has more.
The victim and the people accused of attacking him all live in the same neighborhood. While none of the suspects knew the victim by name, they were familiar with him from the neighborhood, police said. The victim told police that a group of youths inside Barrows Park yelled and asked him to come inside the park, said Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet. The victim kept walking and told police he was then attacked, knocked him to the ground, kicked him in the head and abdomen and punched him in the face with closed fists, Delaney said. “During the beating, the females encouraged the males to beat up the victim,” Delaney said. He said all yelled remarks disparaging about what they believed to be the victim’s sexual orientation.
The victim was released from the hospital after being treated for head trauma and facial lacerations.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Historical and Cultural Importance of Boston

Boston is often called as the cradle of American history and it is because Boston is one of the oldest cities of the United States.

The city of Boston was founded in 1630 as the capital of Massachusetts. It is the largest city of New England and since it is the major economic and cultural epicenter of New England, it is often called as the capital of New England including the six states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut.

In 1770’s, British government tried to enforce stringent rules to attain total control over Boston along with other 12 important colonies in America through extreme taxation. During that period, Boston arouse as the hotspot for the upcoming American Revolution and Civil War.

The Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party were some of the most significant events of American Revolution that took place in the city of Boston following which, the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill and Siege of Boston were fought. Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride worked as the initiation of countrywide revolution.

The Boston National Historic Park preserves all the historic sites, documents and artifacts that are pertinent to the period of American Revolution.

Puritan colonists from England were the founders of the city of Boston and right from the beginning, Boston established itself as the epicenter of religious philosophy. At the South End, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is situated which served more than 300 parishes.

At Beacon Hill in Boston, headquarter of Protestant faith of Unitarian Universalism is situated while headquarter of Christian Scientist is situated at Mother Church in Back Bay, Boston.

Bostonians uses a popular dialect of non-rhotic Eastern New England accent which is the major language of Boston and is also known as Boston English.

Sea foods, dairy products and slat are the popular cuisines of Boston. Boston is also considered as the mother place of hardcore punk music. The culture of Boston is well guarded and boosted by the presence of numerous theaters and art museums in Boston. Boston Opera House, Culture Majestic Theatre, Citi Performing arts Center, the Orpheum Theater and the Colonial Theater are the major theaters situated in Boston.

Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Ballet, Boston Early Music Festival, Boston Lyric Opera Company, OperaBoston and Handel Haydn Society are some significant organizations that devoted for promoting Bostonian culture.

The Boston city government is responsible for operating and maintaining all beautiful gardens and parks.

Presence of many green, beautiful and mesmerizing parks in Boston is the reason why it is also known as the city of beautiful gardens and parks. The Skyline of Back Bay from the shores of Charles River offers a great scenic view for visitors at Boston.

Some of the most important and finest arts museums of the US are situated at Boston and one of them is Boston National Historic Park. A few other significant arts museums are Museum of Arts and Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum.

Boston city is also famous for its Caribbean styled Boston Carnival which is celebrated in August. Just like the Carnival of Trinidad, the Boston Carnival is also famous for dances, colors, exotic costumes, fun activities and Soca music.