Jim Hand
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Articles by Jim Hand
Cyberrisque : l'angle mort des courtiers
Tous les Canadiens ont déjà entendu le terme cybercriminalité, mais la plupart le considèrent comme une préoccupation relevant du service des technologies de l'information. Malheureusement, ce qui est le plus souvent perdu de vue dans les discussions sur la cybersécurité ou la cybercriminalité, c'est que les attaques les plus efficaces dans le contexte actuel n'ont pratiquement rien à voir avec la technologie.
Cybercrime got personal: Why hasn't the advice?
Every Canadian has heard the term cybercrime, but most dismiss it as an IT department worry. Unfortunately, the thing that most commonly gets lost in conversations about cyber security or cybercrime is that the most effective attacks in the current landscape have almost nothing to do with technology. Social engineering — the practice of manipulating people into doing something they otherwise wouldn't — is now the dominant threat for Canadians. Not malware. Not zero-day exploits.
Attleboro school board member Dianne Sawyer apparently ousted
ATTLEBORO -- Veteran school committee member Dianne Sawyer has apparently lost her bid for re-election just weeks after verbal run-ins with another candidate and a police officer. She finished behind frequent candidate Jim Poore in South Attleboro's Ward 1 school board race on Tuesday. The unofficial total was 501 to 470. kAmx? EH@ D6A2C2E6 :?4:56?ED 5FC:?8 E96 42>A2:8?[ $2HJ6C DA2CC65 G6C32==J H:E9 >2J@C2= HC:E6\:? 42?5:52E6 y@9? #@3:?D@?
Attleboro school board member Dianne Sawyer apparently ousted
ATTLEBORO -- Veteran school meeting member Dianne Sawyer has apparently lost her bid for re-election just weeks after verbal run-ins with another candidate and a police officer. In unofficial results, she came in behind by a 438 to 330 count to frequent candidate Jim Poore in South Attleboro's Ward 1. kAmx? EH@ D6A2C2E6 :?4:56?ED 5FC:?8 E96 42>A2:8?[ $2HJ6C 925 DA2CC65 G6C32==J H:E9 >2J@C2= HC:E6\:? 42?5:52E6 y@9? #@3:?D@?
Hawkins, Scanlon support independent Legislature audit
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Foxboro's Feeney appointed assistant vice chair of key Senate committee
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Foxboro's Feeney appointed assistant vice chair of key Senate committee
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Foxboro's Feeney appointed vice chair of key Senate committee
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Foxboro's Feeney appointed vice chair of key Senate committee
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Attleboro, North Attleboro state reps named to leadership posts, Rausch heading 2 committees
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Area Democrats in disbelief following Trump's win, Republicans exuberant
They are not about to storm the Capitol or claim the election was rigged, but area Democratic officials seem distraught over Donald Trump being re-elected president. Some expressed confusion over how so many people could align with the Republican Trump over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris after his many criminal cases and his presiding over a recession when he was previously the president. Area Republicans, on the other hand, were joyful.
Mansfield-Norton-Foxboro House seat will remain in Republican hands with Chaisson besting Loukos
FOXBORO -- It took a long time to count the votes, but Republican Michael Chaisson has apparently eeked out a win for the state representative seat long held by the retiring Jay Barrows. Chaisson bested Democrat Kostas Loukos by a mere 104 votes. He won his hometown of Foxboro 5,630 to 4584 over Loukos and then held on in Norton 2,866 to 2,565 for the win. Loukos dominated his hometown of Mansfield 4,004 to 2,761, but it wasn't enough as only four of the town's precincts are in the House district.
North Attleboro's Scanlon cruises to re-election for House seat
NORTH ATTLEBORO — State Rep. Adam Scanlon, D-North Attleboro, held on to his House seat Tuesday by easily winning re-election over Republican David Cannata. Scanlon, 28, now has won three consecutive races for the seat that was controlled by Republicans Kevin Poirier and then his wife Betty Poirier for decades before they retired.
Mansfield-Norton-Foxboro House seat will remain in Republican hands with Chaisson besting Loukos
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GOP declares victory for Chaisson over Loukos for Mansfield-Norton-Foxboro House seat
FOXBORO -- The Massachusetts Republican Party declared victory for Michael Chaisson in the race for state representative in the Mansfield-Norton-Foxboro area Tuesday night, although Mansfield and Norton had not yet released voting results to the media by 11:30 p.m. Votes from Chaisson's hometown of Foxboro were released and he had 5,630 votes to 4,584 for Democrat Kostoas Loukos. In a message on X, the state party congratulated Chaisson for his victory.
Many state lawmakers unopposed in Tuesday's election, while area sees several races
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Many state lawmakers unopposed in Tuesday's election, while Attleboro area sees several races
Massachusetts is notorious for giving incumbent lawmakers a free ride to reelection and this year is no exception. Sixty five percent of the 200 state legislators have no opposition and will be returned to office without a fight. The voter-information website Ballotpedia says Massachusetts is the least competitive state in the nation when it comes to providing election opposition to incumbents and notes competitive elections in the state have been dropping over time.
Analysis: Democrats often cruise to victories in Massachusetts, except for one pocket in, near Attleboro area
Former President Donald Trump lost Massachusetts and the Attleboro area to President Joe Biden by wide margins four years ago and polls show he is likely to do the same in Tuesday’s presidential election against Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, but there is a pocket of nearby towns where the Republican nominee shows strength. The Southeastern Massachusetts towns near Rehoboth, including Dighton, Swansea and Berkley, all voted in favor of Trump in 2020.
Foxboro's Feeney faces challenge from Workers Party candidate for state Senate seat
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Foxboro's Feeney faces challenge from Workers Party candidate for state Senate seat
State Sen. Paul Feeney is accustomed to dealing with conservative Republican opponents, but in Tuesday’s election the challenge will come from the left. Feeney, D-Foxboro, will face socialist Laura Saylor. She is a member of the Workers Party of Massachusetts. Saylor has run before, but she is a relative unknown running against a seven-year veteran of the Senate. Feeney said he welcomes competition whether it comes from the hard left or right.
Foxboro's Feeney faces challenge from socialist party candidate for state Senate seat
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Foxboro's Feeney faces challenge from socialist party candidate for state Senate seat
State Sen. Paul Feeney is accustomed to dealing with conservative Republican opponents, but in Tuesday’s election the challenge will come from the left. Feeney, D-Foxboro, will face socialist Laura Saylor. She is a member of the Workers Party of Massachusetts. Saylor has run before, but she is a relative unknown running against a seven-year veteran of the Senate. Feeney said he welcomes competition whether it comes from the hard left or right.
Number of unenrolled voters rise in the state, but not high-ranking independent lawmakers
Independents now make up 67 percent of voting rolls, but they have made little progress getting other independents elected to office. Democrats make up only 27 percent of Massachusetts voters, but they control every congressional seat and statewide office. There are no independents or Republicans in those offices. The situation is only slightly more balanced in the state Legislature.
State Sen. Becca Rausch faces challenge from Republican newcomer
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State Sen. Becca Rausch faces challenge from Republican newcomer
Voters in the Norfolk, Worcester, Middlesex District state Senate race have a choice between a veteran, progressive Democrat and a conservative Republican newcomer. State Sen. Becca Rausch, D-Needham, is being challenged by Dashe Videira of Franklin in a district that includes the Sun Chronicle area towns of Norfolk, Wrentham and Plainville. Her family is from Foxboro. They disagree over issues such as immigration and using the MCAS test as a graduation requirement for public school students.
Question 3: Voters to decide whether ride-share drivers can unionize
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Question 3: Voters to decide whether ride-share drivers can unionize
NORTH ATTLEBORO — Several years ago, Osman Ahmed quit his job with the state Department of Mental Health and started driving for the ride-share companies Uber and Lyft. At first things went well. He was working 40 to 50 hours a week, making adequate money and had time to spend with his four children and wife. “It was decent enough to raise a family,” he said. “It was a good way of making an income.” But the 48-year-old says things have been changing over time.
Debate over MCAS graduation requirement spills onto state ballots with Question 2
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Debate over MCAS graduation requirement spills onto state ballots with Question 2
Before becoming a politician, state Rep. Jim Hawkins was a math teacher at Attleboro High School for 14 years. In that time he saw the implementation of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests, or MCAS. Hawkins, D-Attleboro, didn’t like what he saw. He said the tests were too long, disrupted the school schedule and rewarded students who were naturally good at taking standardized tests over those who are not.
Deaton cruises to GOP primary win, will take on Warren
Trial lawyer John Deaton cruised to a primary win over two fellow Republicans on Tuesday and will now face incumbent U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in the November general election. Deaton, 56, who put $1 million of his own money into the race, easily outpaced engineer Bob Antonellis and Quincy City Council President Ian Cain. Unofficially, he had 64.8% of the Republican votes with 74% of the vote tallied, according to the Associated Press. Antonellis had 26.2% and Cain had only 8.9%.
Deaton cruises to GOP primary win, will take on Warren
Trial lawyer John Deaton cruised to a primary win over two fellow Republicans on Tuesday and will now face incumbent U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in the November general election. Deaton, 56, who put $1 million of his own money into the race, easily outpaced engineer Bob Antonellis and Quincy City Council President Ian Cain. Unofficially, he had 63% of the Republican votes reported at 9:45 p.m, according to a New York Times vote tracker. Antonellis had 27% and Cain had only 9.6%.
One of three Republicans vying for US Senate seat criticizes the others for failing to publicly support Trump as president
Only one of the three Republicans running for U.S. Senate in Tuesday’s primary election says he will vote for Donald Trump for president in November. Both John Deaton and Ian Cain said they will work with whoever is elected president, but will abstain from voting for either Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris. They said “none of the above” when asked who they were supporting during an Aug. 8 debate on WRKO radio.
Three Republicans vying for US senate seat held by Elizabeth Warren
For the three men running in the Republican primary for the Massachusetts U.S. Senate seat now held by Democrat Elizabeth Warren, imposing ways of stopping illegal immigration is near the top of their to-do lists. With polls showing immigration is an issue of high concern, it has Democrats on the defensive.
Three Democrats vying for chance to take on Republican for 1st Bristol state rep seat
For more than four decades, Democrats have had their eyes on the state representative seat in the 1st Bristol District, but Republicans had a grip on it with the likes of Jay Barrows and Bill Vernon. Now with Barrows retiring, three Democrats have stepped forward to try to win the open seat. Michael Toole of Norton, a businessman and former Norton Select Board member; David Martin of Mansfield, an attorney and former legislative aide in Gov.
Three Democrats vying for chance to take on Republican for 1st Bristol state rep seat
For more than four decades, Democrats have had their eyes on the state representative seat in the 1st Bristol District, but Republicans had a grip on it with the likes of Jay Barrows and Bill Vernon. Now with Barrows retiring, three Democrats have stepped forward to try to win the open seat. Michael Toole of Norton, a businessman and former Norton Select Board member; David Martin of Mansfield, an attorney and former legislative aide in Gov.
Attleboro area Dems like what they're learning about Walz
Even the most dedicated of local Democrats conceded Tuesday they had hardly heard of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz before Vice President Kamala Harris picked him to be her running mate for the White House. Now that they are reading up on Walz, the Democrats said they like what they are learning. Walz has been a soldier, a teacher, a congressman and a governor. He has a winning Midwest, plain-spoken charm and quirky sense of humor, they said.
Candidates running for Mansfield state rep seat trying to drum up interest
MANSFIELD — The craziness of the presidential campaign is taking up all the political attention this summer and leaving candidates for state and local offices struggling to get noticed. In addition to the usual hype of a presidential campaign, in the past few weeks, President Joe Biden had a disastrous debate performance during which he looked old and absent-minded, former President Donald Trump was the target of an assassin, and then Biden dropped out of the race.
Candidates running for Mansfield state rep seat trying to drum up interest
MANSFIELD -- The craziness of the presidential campaign is taking up all the political attention this summer and leaving candidates for state and local offices struggling to get noticed. In addition to the usual hype of a presidential campaign, in the past few weeks, President Joe Biden had a disastrous debate performance during which he looked old and absent-minded, former President Donald Trump was the target of an assassin, and then Biden dropped out of the race.
Attleboro area Democratic lawmakers say they support Harris to become first female US president
State Rep. Adam Scanlon attended a Democratic fundraiser on Cape Cod Saturday where Vice President Kamala Harris was the star attraction. At one point, Scanlon, D-North Attleboro, was within three feet of her as many of the state's biggest political names gathered around. "It was a surreal moment," he said. What he -- and everyone else there -- didn't know at the time is that less than 24 hours later Harris would be by far the favorite to receive her party's nomination for president.
Former Senator, ambassador Scott Brown hints at potential political comeback
News that former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is considering a potential political comeback is flowing out of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, making local Republicans happy. Brown, a former Wrentham resident and town selectman, and long-time office holder in the state, has told various news outlets that he would consider another run for elective office or an appointment as Homeland Security secretary if Donald Trump wins the presidential election.
20 years after SJC gay marriage ruling, former Wrentham state rep recalls his crucial vote to uphold right
It was June 2007 and the political battle of the day at the Statehouse was as tense as anyone could remember. Opponents of gay marriage were working feverishly to get a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot to give the people of Massachusetts the chance to restrict marriage exclusively to a man and a woman.
Wrentham school board to discuss parent complaint alleging open meeting law violation
WRENTHAM -- The school committee will meet Monday to discuss a complaint by a parent alleging three board members violated the state Open Meeting Law by privately conferring through emails about a controversial proposal to harness political discussions in school.
Wrentham school board shoots down proposal to regulate political and social discussion
WRENTHAM — The school committee has unanimously rejected a policy proposal to regulate political and social discussion in schools, a proposal the American Civil Liberties Union said was unconstitutional. The proposal would have banned political symbols and advocacy and discussion of controversial topics. It stated teachers are free to engage in politics on their own time, but not in school. Local opponents said the proposal was too vague, would undermine teachers, and could lead to more conflicts.
Lapointe, Buzzell, Peters elected to North Attleboro school board
NORTH ATTLEBORO — Two well-known town figures and one newcomer were elected to the school committee Tuesday in a sleepy race with few candidates for other town offices. Keith Lapointe, a former Town Council president, led the five-person field for three school boards seats with 867 votes. School committee member Tasha Buzzell was re-elected with 781 votes. Newcomer Charles Peters captured the third and final seat with 684 votes. High school senior Meaghan Lee came in forth, followed by Aaron Whirl.
Five candidates vying for three seats on North Attleboro School Committee
NORTH ATTLEBORO — Voters will have a choice of five candidates with greatly different backgrounds when they cast ballots for school committee Tuesday. The candidates’ backgrounds range from years of town government experience to a high school student making her first run for office. Voters will be able to select three out of the five. The candidates are Charlie Peters. Aaron Whirl, incumbent Tasha Buzzell, Keith Lapointe and Meagan Lee. Lee, 18, will graduate from North Attleboro High in June.
At meeting of state Democrats in Attleboro, a push for more transparency
ATTLEBORO -- State Auditor Diana DiZoglio Saturday asked for the public's help in her efforts to audit the state Legislature. DiZoglio said legislative leaders are not cooperating with her audit, saying its beyond her authority. In response, she is trying to get a referendum question on the ballot giving her the power to conduct the audit. She said she has collected the necessary 75,000 signatures supporting the move.
State Democrats gather in Attleboro, emphasizing importance of November election
ATTLEBORO -- After a four-year hiatus caused by the pandemic, area Democrats resumed their annual political breakfast with a packed crowd at the Portuguese-American Club Saturday. Nineteen Democratic candidates from throughout the Attleboro area spoke to about 130 voters with the November elections in mind.
More voters in Mass choosing not to affiliate with political party
Voters go to the polls Tuesday to help pick their party nominees for president at a time when interest in partisan politics is at an all-time low, even within the state’s dominant Democratic Party. Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin said enrollment in both the Democratic and Republican parties is in a downward spiral. Two-thirds of Massachusetts voters are now unenrolled, the official moniker for independents.
More voters in Mass choosing not to affiliate with political party, says secretary of state
Voters go to the polls Tuesday to help pick their party nominees for president at a time when interest in partisan politics is at an all-time low, even within the state's dominant Democratic Party. Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin said enrollment in both the Democratic and Republican parties is in a downward spiral. Two-thirds of Massachusetts voters are now unenrolled, the official moniker for independents.
Attleboro area and state see surge in requests for Libertarian ballots for March 5 presidential primaries
Massachusetts is experiencing a surge of interest in the Libertarian Party as the March 5 presidential primaries approach. Interest in voting Libertarian is so high, the state was forced to send extra ballots out to cities and towns to meet the demand for mail-in voting. Four years ago, only 4,159 people voted in the Libertarian primary for president in Massachusetts, Debra O’Malley, communications director for Secretary of State Bill Galvin, said.
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