Rober Clemens? Give a columnist a break, everybody lies to Congress. Even people who know better.
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| Opinion: |
| Clemens goes from national pastime to national past-crime Rober Clemens? Give a columnist a break, everybody lies to Congress. Even people who know better. Click here to read more ... |
| Oh-5hundy-Pop brings heat to Outside Magazine After a positive Portland ranking, there are several interesting comments at the Outside website, including some questions about whether the city still has a "working waterfront" or not, but most of the ire focuses on that magical mystery population number: 516,000. Click here to read more ... |
| Since baby, hospitality needs a few shortcuts I am a tad OCD when it comes to people staying in my home, as I am sure many of you are. I force this B-and-B dream on guests, regardless of their inclination toward little muffins and bud vases. Of course, this was easy pre-baby when I had days to create themed menus and polish the piano. Click here to read more ... |
| Women who lunch: It's a primal thing Women who lunch, they are a primal force. Click here to read more ... |
| Something smells in the catbox of Augusta Last week a story surfaced in the Maine media in the Forecaster weekly newspaper. Naomi Shalit had done a piece for the Maine Center For Public Interest Reporting (MCPIR) on ex Public Utilities Commission chairman Kurt Adams, and his recent acceptance of a job for one of the wind power companies the PUC had regulatory powers over. But the costs are sky high – why is that? Click here to read more ... |
| Gulfs, both Maine and Mexico, would benefit from oceans endowment While the Senate failed to take any action on the BP oil spill before going on August recess, when they return next month they should ensure funding is available to restore the Gulf Coast and all the coastal and freshwater “Great Waters” of America, by passing the National Endowment for the Oceans Act. Click here to read more ... |
| Chewing gum may be good for students There is one Maine-born junk food that school officials might take a second look at: chewing gum. Click here to read more ... |
| Immigration debate calls for class-action plea bargain We need to borrow a page from the national trial lawyers, especially the ones specializing in those class-action lawsuits we're always hearing about in issues large and small. Click here to read more ... |
| Another decade wrap-up for 10 years of trouble A writer looks at the decade closing, noting that he's not alone. Click here to read more ... |
| New Year brings danger zone for significance flu A seasonal illness can make us crave importance. Click here to read more ... |
| A good time to examine our alcohol relationship A New Year's resolution for the city: Address its drinking problem. Click here to read more ... |
| Holidays activate the Norman Rockwell gene in many A writer sails along on the expectations of the holidays, until crashed on the shores of reality. Click here to read more ... |
| Winter weather bring cool idea festival idea A writer offers an odd addition to the winter lineup. Click here to read more ... |
| Scofflaws facing a crackdown at the library Higgins looks at library fees, and his own decade-old fine. Click here to read more ... |
| Beer is not only civilized, it casued civilization A writer considers that beer caused civilization -- really. Click here to read more ... |
| Embracing Christmas with Chinese food and a movie The writer embraces Jewish friends for a different sort of holiday food celebration. Click here to read more ... |
| Health care reform for Christmas, some assembly required Whatever the health care reform really means, it shows some ugly truths about Congress. Click here to read more ... |
| Wow. That decade went really, really fast Our music writer and his friends look back at some memories. Click here to read more ... |
| Group helps neighbors pay property tax increases A Peaks Island group helps pay property taxes, but faces expanding need and battles "rich folks" perceptions. Click here to read more ... |
| Great Waters effort will need folk singer skills A new effort to secure federal funding for regional water conservation effort. Click here to read more ... |
| 'Bucket list' vs. New Year's list focuses on timelines Over the years, some New Years lists mean more than others. Click here to read more ... |
| Top ten lists are going to bring up 9-11 memories Another look at top-10 emotions. Click here to read more ... |
| Cell phone warning label idea sparks ideas A proposed warning on cell phones sparks some other ideas. Click here to read more ... |
| Dogs, weather, Winslow are causes to hang around The all-new installment of our ongoing novel. Click here to read more ... |
| Getting in touch with those Blue Ribbon blues The PBR trend brings a researcher to the truth about Dennis Hopper. Click here to read more ... |
| Small businesses need a public option in health care Small business owners in Maine and across the country are closing and laying off employees due to the skyrocketing cost of health insurance. Some premiums are more than doubling in a year, as mine did, resulting in dropped coverage for business owners, family members and employees. Click here to read more ... |
| Santa's gifts can be profound and plentiful A writer looks back at a year of oddly important gifts. Click here to read more ... |
| Three things: Broadband, parking bans and food praise Follow-up Friday. Click here to read more ... |
| Buying locally will never get easier than tonight Click here to read more ... |
| Regulation of medical pot is gonna be a buzz kill A take on the likely challenges of regulating medical marijuana. Click here to read more ... |
| Some ideas on correcting our perceived weakness New ideas for improving nearly everything. Click here to read more ... |
| Redemption needed for sin of bad lobster roll The lobster roll at the Red Claws concession is a culinary sin. Click here to read more ... |
| Time to pull the plug on state's health care mistake The health programs supposed to save us are like vampires to the general fun. Click here to read more ... |
| 'Santa guilt' challenges our lust for the magical A mom faces Santa guilt -- to lie or go with the magic? Click here to read more ... |
| Real-time decisions: books, videos and shirt tucks The Gretchen saga continues, with a trip to the video store going sideways. Click here to read more ... |
| Beware taking on the wily Snowe leopard Those suspecting Sen. Snowe can be beaten are doomed. Click here to read more ... |
| Letter: Portland Democratic official rebukes Lieberman A letter to Sen. Joe Lieberman: Dear Senator Lieberman, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ever spent the time. Click here to read more ... |
| Parking ban is nudge-nudge, wink-wink non-event The city issues a parking ban, doesn't enforce it, then calls it off without telling many folks. Go figure. Click here to read more ... |
| Arrest at church seems way too much If charges are made, why make an arrest on the church steps? Click here to read more ... |
| Among year-end stories, gay marriage looms large For good or ill, a chance for national leadership was lost on the gay marriage issue. Click here to read more ... |
| Parking bans consistent in preventing snow Clearly, all it takes to prevent snow in Portland is to issue a parking ban. Ice, of course, is another matter. Click here to read more ... |
| Dealing with toes in boots, not tows and boots The first parking ban of the season was last night, and it sparked memories of a writer's last Pinto. Click here to read more ... |
| The TV controversy never really takes a nap For parents, few issues hit home like TV time for young kids. Click here to read more ... |
| Parasitic excuse for a decade needs a name A downer of a decade deserves a good name. Click here to read more ... |
| City's WWII history can teach, refute war's narrative Wars claim truth as first victim, but Portland's history fills in some blanks. Click here to read more ... |
| Found 'wallet' shows money for cops, country club What happens when you find a property site that feels like porn. Click here to read more ... |
| Family cookbooks spark conversation, election eats A few years ago, someone donated some old family cookbooks to the Cape Elizabeth Historical Preservation Society. Like many oft-used books, there were plenty of notations in the margins. Some related to food preparation and preservation; some were of a more personal nature. Click here to read more ... |
| The proof of burden weighs heavily on Gretchen A client is in trouble, no matter whose words they end up using. Click here to read more ... |
| Folow-up Friday: Crush Curdo, for a good cause Mark Curdo approaches the end of "Markathon," breaking last year's money-raising level. Click here to read more ... |
| Leaked climate change emails challenge trends 'Climategate' is an important issue for Maine. Click here to read more ... |
| Baby proofing troubles extend to liquor cabinet Thoughts on baby-proofing gone wrong. Click here to read more ... |
| Some advice for Mark Curdo on staying awake A radio host is doing a marathon fundraiser — he'll need tips. Click here to read more ... |
| Taking a cat to work shows city's tolerance Taking a cat to work can offer insights. Click here to read more ... |
| Finally, I'm a dream guy, in a bad way Just prior to settling in for some serious snacking on Thanksgiving, I decided to wander down to my watering hole for a few quick beverages. I ran into my friend Tanya, who was sitting there, quite a few beers ahead of me. She looked up at me with some shock, and announced that she had had a dream about me the other night. Click here to read more ... |
| Vampire trend is for those seeking asylum A look at the troubling vampire trend. Click here to read more ... |
| 'Fifty means sixty and sixty means drugs' Tim is visiting Gretchen and still seems to be struggling with numbers, though this time they have to do with his age rather than his underpants. Click here to read more ... |
| Have some wild radio with your leftovers A radio host is going open format, week-long for charity. Click here to read more ... |
| Coverage of city's Christmas tree brightened my day Thank you for your Nov. 19 issue and outstanding coverage (in photos and print) of 2009 Monument Square Christmas tree arrival. Click here to read more ... |
| How to nudge the leftover turkeys out the door Some advice for the holiday leftovers — mostly in jest. Click here to read more ... |
| The wheels of political justice sometimes come right off Thoughts on making our political foes look foolish, not try to convict them all the time. Click here to read more ... |
| Black Friday? Maybe it's time for another color Some holiday advice about Black Friday alternatives. Click here to read more ... |
| Taser approval moves us closer to Star Trek future Some musings on a space-age weapon, and the Taser namesake. Click here to read more ... |
| Community should help Wayside feed the working poor RE: Wayside, Preble St. splitting up. It does not take much reading between the lines of Casey Conley's story about Wayside Soup Kitchen and Preble Street Resource Center parting ways ("Wayside, Preble Street splitting up," Nov. 17) to realize it's not an amiable split up. Click here to read more ... |
| Still supporting Tasers, for all the right reasons Those who might be shot by police support the Taser alternative -- at least one does, anyway. Click here to read more ... |
| Leftover season begins: Wine into grog Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season and therefore the "leftover season." The prospect of hot turkey sandwiches is what inspires many cooks to cook their once-a-year turkey. Most of what isn't eaten at the table on Thursday can be transformed into soup, served for breakfast or thrown in the freezer. Click here to read more ... |
| Locavore movement debated in pages of NY Times The New York Times has a column debating locavore stuff. Click here to read more ... |
| Hey, BosWash: Do you feel more dense than Japan? We catch up on BosWash catching on as a regional identity. Click here to read more ... |
| Observations from a building designed for such Another installment from Gretchen and her world. Click here to read more ... |
| Going caveman on all those gubernatorial hopefuls We are standing on the brink of an enormous possibility, though, in determining who is most qualified to run this state. Forget that darn (D) or (R), or (G) or (I) next to their names. I'm issuing the challenge to do some off-the-wall kind of thinking here, and the results of the different candidates taking said challenge might tell you a lot more about them than the bloated advertising budgets of the coming year, or the smiling grinning mailers we are all used to receiving. Click here to read more ... |
| A correction about that Marshall-Skolnik mayoral column Well, there are mistakes and there are mistakes. I made a dandy one yesterday by inverting two of the city councilors in my continuing rant about the secrecy around the Portland mayor's selection. Click here to read more ... |
| Why the secret mayoral election actually does matter What really happened in the mayoral selection process? Let's speculate. Click here to read more ... |
| Hunting orange is NOT the new black Fashion and hunting are not in the same ballpark, or woods. Click here to read more ... |
| Seasonal changes remind us how to fix everything From how to handle snow-fueled parking bans on Peaks Island to individuals making their seasonal car-stash deals with wary neighbors, the ritual of winter parking prep is well under way. Click here to read more ... |
| Sometimes an angel looks out for fools, children Over the weekend, it became apparent to me that the citizens of this city have some sort of guardian angel hanging over their shoulders, protecting them from all manner of diabolical influences, such as myself. As any that know me can attest, I'm usually up to no good, attempting to get others to do my dirty work and other types of bidding that might amuse me at any given moment. Click here to read more ... |
| Abortion makes a comeback on political stage WASHINGTON — Is it possible to hear the sound of hands wringing? Or of souls agonizing? Or of ironies clanging? I think you can. Click here to read more ... |
| Mayoral 'election' is this weekend, or Monday, who knows? Portland is electing a mayor this weekend, most likely illegally, but don't worry if you forgot to vote. Unless you're one of the city councilors, of course, you don't get to vote. They are slated to meet "in caucus" Monday to select the next mayor from among their ranks. Click here to read more ... |
| Job search leads to questions about feeding cats When Sleeping Pills Take the Edge off the Day Click here to read more ... |
| From 'Caddyshack' to meeting somebody 'under the Lizard' You can make jokes in a bar with people your own age, but unless they have the historical background, the joke just falls flat. Take for example, meeting someone "Under the Lizard." Click here to read more ... |
| Memories from a grateful non-military citizen A note of gratitude from a non-military writer. Click here to read more ... |
| Recycling efforts still need our focus With the few days left until Recycling Week morphs into Anti-Turduckin Day, make an effort to add one new recycling measure to your repertoire Click here to read more ... |
| Finally a civic post to help the left-handed lettuce So I'm chucking my stained battered cap into yet another political ring, figuring that this is a job custom made for the Captain. Looked at one way, I'm the logical choice for appointment: I've been around the Portland scene for over twenty-five years, and have never been found to have so much as a seed in my pocket. Click here to read more ... |
| Dali aside, some cheesy dreams can come true Smith ran his own restaurant in New York before moving to Maine. He and MacDonald dabbled in cheeses during his five-year stint as chef at the Kennebunkport Inn. Eager to get back in business for himself again, he and MacDonald thought they would turn their full attention to their increasingly successful kitchen experiments. Click here to read more ... |
| Burning cookies brings lesson in politics, life You can find wisdom in the oddest of places. Click here to read more ... |
| Salvation Army to kick off kettle fund-raisers For 118 years, Salvation Army red kettles around the world have been linked to the Christmas season and to compassion for the needy. To mark the beginning of this year’s kettle campaign in Augusta, Gov. John Baldacci will speak at the kick-off celebration. Click here to read more ... |
| At least political jobs are expanding in Maine Nobody tracks political operative employment figures -- and not all those jobs are easy to spot -- but for Russell and at least dozens of others, Maine's political position has brought employment. Click here to read more ... |
| Another angry journalist considers the PR option Another date lapses into advice. But the real issue is anger and the Truth. Click here to read more ... |
| A high school pal brings new writing gig I'm not turning writing gigs down, that would be the Mount Everest of stupidity. I think it might be a while before I promise to do anything like this again, as it did serious damage to my beverage time. Click here to read more ... |
| Festival beer dinner listing missed the mark It’s always great to see Maine’s Craft Brewers highlighted on the front page of your newspaper, as it was today (Friday, Nov. 6, "Brewers Festival Comes to a Head"). I was, however, disappointed when I turned the page and read the “notes” for tonight’s Brewer’s Festival Beer Dinner at The Portland Clarion. Click here to read more ... |
| Bragdon thanks supporters, plans to run again for council I want to take the time to thank everyone who supported me in my race against Kevin Donoghue for the Portland District 1 City Council seat. Click here to read more ... |
| Making the case that SoPo is officially lib-pro Where you start much on your own private SoPo imagery: You hang out at 158 Cafe on weekends, or maybe visit Scratch bakery to see if the stack of Sunday New York Times outlasts the fresh croissants, then you have one mental image. If you think of the city as home of the mall and the airport and the corporate chains and the national restaurants, you might have another opinion. Click here to read more ... |
| After election defeat, anger and 'what next?' debates For the national gay rights movement, the decision to repeal the state's marriage equality legislation will no doubt lead to reconsidering basic strategy. And it will no doubt renew the idea that putting equal rights to the voters isn't the way to go. Click here to read more ... |
| Suggestions for replacing L.L. Bean on Congress That leaves us with a big problem. A building with that kind of, well, let's just say it -- acreage -- is just impossible to rent. Don't believe me? Look a little further downtown, and see the hulking relic that was once Jordan's Meats factory. Click here to read more ... |
| Even cleaning the pantry can bring decisions My big project for weekend past was to completely gut and reorganize my pantry. What sparked this was Darling Husband informing me that canned tomatoes are now supposedly poisonous. Click here to read more ... |
| Election Day is over, let the politics begin There was a time when politics had off-seasons, but then there was a time when the hottest thing on he highway was the Model T and there was a time when the focus of the world economy was not the United States Congress. Click here to read more ... |
| Diabetes can be prevented through diet Diabetes and its complications cost the United States more than $174 billion a year. November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and as a nurse practitioner, I think it’s time to focus on simple, cost-effective dietary changes to fight this preventable epidemic. Click here to read more ... |
| Starbucks joins religion, politics as risky topic Yes, in places like the Nation's Most Livable Large City, your coffeehouse politics, your choice of that establishment to become your "Coffeehouse of Choice" has joined politics and religion on the outskirts of polite conversation. For many in our age of consumer-identity awareness, the coffeehouse has become a secular church and community center, with a double-shot of caffeine for good measure. Click here to read more ... |
| We few, even we vile, head for the polls Election Day brings musical emotions. Click here to read more ... |
| 'Child abuse' claim over diet seems far-fetched Regarding Maggie Knowles' column ("Seriously some kid diets are really child abuse," Oct. 28) I never knew that taking your daughter to Pumpkin Land on a beautiful day to have a picnic lunch constituted child abuse. People are addicted to salt and fat in the same way they are addicted to oxygen. To use the word "enabling" about a french fry is a confused distortion. Click here to read more ... |
| A map, a mystery, and some culinary adventures A chat in the kitchen with a foodie map maker. Click here to read more ... |
| Walking dogs on Willard Beach key to life in SoPo Being able to walk my dogs at Willard Beach for the past 15 years and letting them play in the water has been one of the best things about living in South Portland. It has allowed me to make new friends, see old friends who also enjoy this beautiful place and build a sense of community. Click here to read more ... |
| Islanders level sharp pencils at City Hall On Peaks: The tax-benefit question is the baseline issue for many islanders upset with the city, and it has long been a core argument for those advocating that Peaks become independent of the city. About 57 percent of islanders voted to do just that in 2006, but the state legislature wouldn't pull the trigger on separation, which would have likely required another election -- maybe a Portland citywide election. Click here to read more ... |
| On gay marriage, some people learn nothing from history Two letters in Wednesday's (Oct. 28) paper yammer on about the rights of Maine voters being violated if gay marriage is allowed in this state. Click here to read more ... |
| Capisic Pond neighbors miffed at city plans About 60 residents showed up for a "routine" community meeting at Deering High School on Tuesday night to discover the city's ongoing project to separate storm runoff from the sewer system is going through their neighborhood. The city intends to enlarge pipes and create a roadway to better access the pond. Click here to read more ... |
| Scrapping old fire boat makes no sense in eBay era Though we do have a brand new fire boat, I was surprised to learn that the old boat would likely be sold off for scrap. In my never ending "Captain Obvious" mission to pursue truth, justice, fast cash, and a full beer mug, I've decided to pass along another of my helpful hints to the city. Click here to read more ... |
| Don't believe claims that Willard Beach is in bad condition I am greatly distressed by the recent comments of the Save Willard Beach group's ad in the Sentry; they are totally wrong and completely misleading in their claims that the last several years the beach is in the dirtiest and worst condition it's ever been in. Click here to read more ... |
| Good “Karma” for Willard Beach? Vote no on dog ban For the first 35 years of my life, I was not a “dog person” and often avoided them…particularly large dogs. However, that changed when I met and fell in love with a friend’s dog; she was so sweet, smart, and behaved not to mention that she would get so excited to see me that she would piddle a little! I often joked that the world would be a better place if humans could take cues from this dog. Click here to read more ... |
| Crosby's right; dogs are a problem on Willard Beach I disagree with Susana Erlin. I don't think that Gary Crosby is deceiving me. I'm a "mellow, friendly, joyful, and responsible" person who thinks that he is correct, that dogs on the beach are a problem. Click here to read more ... |
| Voters weren't given a chance to weigh in on gay marriage In discussing Question 1 (People’s Veto), let’s ignore for a moment the rights, or lack thereof, of homosexuals. What appalls me in this issue is that the people need to veto anything at all. Click here to read more ... |
| Vote yes on Question 1 to defend rights of the majority The same sex marriage law (LD 1020) appears to protect the rights of homosexuals. In fact, it seriously erodes the rights of the rest of the population. Click here to read more ... |
| Seriously, some kid diets are really child abuse Some parents, for the sake of ease, use food to quiet their kids when they cry or whine for attention. Can they really think it is good parenting to slap a bag of donuts in front of them rather than reading a few pages from a book or give them a big hug? You wouldn’t give in to let your kids smoke cigarettes if they screamed for a Camel. Click here to read more ... |
| Even non-fans find something to like at new Bingas A non-fan finds a welcoming wing at a sports bar. Click here to read more ... |
| Personal crusade explains push to ban dogs from beach A full page of unconvincing Q&A in the Sentry notwithstanding, the bottom line is still the same. Gary Crosby is on a personal crusade to deprive the 20 percent of the South Portland households who own dogs of their right to use Willard Beach consistent with the current laws. Click here to read more ... |
| Running the petition maze isn't always easy Petitioning in this state has become a profitable enterprise, and the streets are now cluttered with aggressive petitioners, the kind that make aggressive panhandlers blush. Click here to read more ... |
| So what if gay couples can't procreate? In response to Pierre Tardy's letter in Saturday's (Oct. 24) paper, "Gay couples can't procreate, despite all our laws": I say, SO WHAT? Aren't there enough people on this planet now at 6 billion plus? Click here to read more ... |
| Doesn't an industry deserve to operate if safe, legal? To the people of Westbrook: About the issue of Pike Industries and Idexx Associates and their disagreement about the quarry operations on Spring Street. It seems to me that the president, David Shaw, and associates should have had an idea at the time of their planning stages of building their Spring Street site, that PIke Industries, was already using the site as a quarry and that blasting was a necessary part of the operation. Click here to read more ... |
| As politics heat up, we need Roller Derby analogies With less than a week before our off-year elections here and with growing national political pressure being visited upon Maine, one thing becomes abundantly clear: we're gonna need to upgrade our sports analogies. Click here to read more ... |
| South Portlanders should watch Channel 2 interviews on dogs South Portlanders who are interested in voting on the question of use and restrictions (dogs) on Willard Beach should check out Channel 2. Click here to read more ... |
| Jesus does not change, and we can't change that Jesus said, "I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. I change not (beside me there is no other)." If something is an abomination yesterday, it is an abomination today, and will be an abomination forever. Nobody can change that, not even you, Curtis, with your big stage. Click here to read more ... |
| Gay couples can't procreate, despite all the laws A spiritual understanding of gay marriage: Satan is just using the "gay mind set" to undermine God's blueprint for marriage. The fallen angelic spirit world continues to seek to be given the same value and position as God’s children through the rite of marriage. Click here to read more ... |
| Some corrections, but the Peaks story marches on Still, the significant parts of the story remain -- a Peaks resident collapsed, neighbors came to help, and a sole police officer who came to help would have been in real trouble if he'd had to handle a rather large patient solo. Click here to read more ... |
| Portland's Rand-faithful brace for her defense Okay, in truth I don't know how many Rand fans the port city harbors, but when there's a shrug in the force I usually hear from several of them. They write "not for publication" emails and sometimes even call, usually from "private number" phones, but they've learned that in a progressive community perhaps those Fountainhead tats should prompt longer sleeves. Click here to read more ... |
| A food challenge defines culinary term 'Ben Franklin-ed' I should have known that I was in trouble as soon as I heard the diabolical laughter emanate from the kitchen. I'd challenged her to a spicy food prep, and she was taking some kind of sadistic delight in making me pay for my supposed cast iron constitution. Click here to read more ... |
| Child on Willard Beach never troubled by dogs I'm writing in regards to all the concerns about Willard Beach. My 3-year-old daughter had the opportunity to meet many of the dogs, during the morning hours, on the beach this summer while she went to beach camp. All of the dogs as well as their owners were very conscientious of the children in the camp. There were no incidents of any children getting sick or being attacked by dogs. Click here to read more ... |
| If you wanna waste stimulus money, waste it locally You wanna waste some federal money, let's at least waste it locally. Click here to read more ... |
| Streets offer glimpses through a bizarre distortion field My "day job" has me working near Preble Street Resource Center, so street scenery is nothing new. I used to live in that neighborhood, so you get used to seeing the truly strange. It's time to move when the weird gets normal. Click here to read more ... |
| We explain our abundance of stories about an island The Q: What's up with you guys and Peaks Island? It's a question we get with a variety of voices. Click here to read more ... |
| Donoghue makes himself accessible to public It seems pretty clear that Councilor Donoghue has many accomplishments to be proud of, and The Daily Sun enumerated some of them. Kevin has a master’s degree in city planning from the Muskie School, and he has proven that he weighs each decision the council makes based on the long-term best interests of Portland, and not what his neighbor might be lobbying for at the time. Click here to read more ... |
| Cans for a Cure deemed a success thanks to organizers I would like to thank the many people who made WJBQ 97.9’s annual Cans for a Cure such a huge success this year. Click here to read more ... |
| Namesake for Willard Beach loved his dog If South Portlanders vote to ban dogs from the beach on Nov. 3, I think the name "Willard" should go, too. Let's call it what it's becoming: Private Beach. Click here to read more ... |
| What's the ritual for retiring a Red Sox cap? Burning? The cap is a remnant of its former glory. Its faded, with the dangling Sox logo on the back barely recognizable under the application of perma-grease. Like our infield, the brim has lost its sharp edge, and now resembles a pair of faded ripped out jeans. One of my friends pointed out to me a few weeks ago that I should just get a new one, since that rag on my head was too infested with plague, pestilence, and death to even be admitted to a landfill. Click here to read more ... |
| Why all the fuss about dogs at Willard Beach? Why all this fuss about dogs on the beach? I’ve been walking my own and occasionally others’ dogs’ for 20 years on Willard Beach in every season without ever experiencing any problems with other animals, their owners, or the non-dog people on the beach. I have never heard of or read about any health problems that have resulted from children or adults playing in the sand; and I know the sand and water is tested regularly for health safety. Click here to read more ... |
| Halloween can get scary, here's some help Sixth grade was my last year of trick or treating. It wasn’t from a lack of want, but my final costume was such a disaster, that it ruined any future desire to circle the West End a.k.a Candy Land in search of peanut butter cups. Click here to read more ... |
| Don't put 'no trespassing' signs on Willard Beach Eight years ago I moved to South Portland and found myself back by the shore. There, among the kayakers, sailors, swimmers, joggers, picnickers, first-daters, sea glass hunters, and dog lovers I found something that felt like home. Click here to read more ... |
| Voters: Think about your legacy to future families Why should young families in South Portland be denied the joy of sharing the ocean and beach with their children and dogs for a few hours a day? Click here to read more ... |
| Vote against dog ban by looking at facts I apologize for another email regarding the proposed dog ban at Willard Beach. I ask you to vote with knowledge of the situation not an emotional reaction to false representation of Willard Beach. Click here to read more ... |
| The slow-motion revolution tackles elected mayor issue Granted, it's a revolution on the installment plan and widespread interest is unlikely unless we move the meetings to the Old Port, host debates after hours and serve beer. Maybe even pizza. But now the "elected mayor" issue is inching into the spotlight. Click here to read more ... |
| Harbor event is the big ticket, but Rabelais offers book signings The Second Annual Harvest on the Harbor is taking place this weekend. The Greater Portland Convention and Visitor's Bureau has assembled a wide array of activities and vendors to fill the Ocean Gateway. Big, big doings as you can see at www.harvestontheharbor.com but not the only game in town; there's lots happening for food and beverage lovers. Click here to read more ... |
| Modern politics: Like a bottle upside the head Somewhere along the line, even when there's a good outcome, those being benefited can feel a bit "used" in this process. Especially when nobody asks them. Click here to read more ... |
| My vote's not worth a second round at the bar aptop on table, I charged into the fray of a virtual paper blizzard. Although the state website (www.mainecampaignfinance.com) does make the process less tedious, it's helpful if you know what you are looking for. Unless you are intensely curious or obsessive, you can skip most of the first few pages of any of the reports. Click here to read more ... |
| Welcome to Sector 1 with increased police monitoring Some notes on the new community policing designations. Click here to read more ... |
| It's always pointy-stick season for real Maine men As with so many Maine gatherings these days, there were a few around the table that had pretty strong feelings about hunting, trying to talk us out of the prospect of dressing up in hunter orange and wandering around the woods, searching for little Bambi. Click here to read more ... |
| Race, immigration, football, family — do the math Quality time gets testy when immigration mixes with race over a football game. Click here to read more ... |
| Lords of the Rings seek domain over middle mile kingdom No way to summarize this wild ride -- it's all broadband and analogy. Click here to read more ... |
| Chill brings ritual of the winter shuffle-walk You've seen it before; Hands in pockets to ward off the winter chill or a cold wind, head cast downward instead of looking at traffic, intuitively trying to spot the slippery spots, feet shuffling in baby steps so they don't fly out from under you on a slick spot. Staying "centered" is a very literal thing in slick season. Click here to read more ... |
| Hatred against defenders of traditional marriage troubling I am very concerned about the TV ads coming from the the No on 1 campaign. It would seem that Jessie Connelly really didn't want the clean fight he so publicly pronounced back in August. According to No on 1's advertising, anyone who believes that marriage is between one man and one woman is now being told that they are trying to harm Maine children. This is the public display of “tolerance” coming from the No on 1 campaign. Click here to read more ... |
| SoPo dog owners find widespread enthusiasm By now many readers have seen our Share Willard Beach signs popping up in neighborhoods all over South Portland. Over the past week, I have been walking around my own neighborhood in Meetinghouse Hill, delivering yard signs to the many people who have requested them. It’s been an incredibly heartening experience — drivers give me thumbs-up, people pull over and ask where they can get a sign, and several people have asked me how much it costs to buy one! At this point our biggest challenge (a good one to have) is that we’re running short on signs, and we have to say no to people who want one. Click here to read more ... |
| Vegetarian Month brings an environmental suggestion Going Veg is just a kinder way to live. People say, “God wouldn’t have made meat if we weren’t supposed to eat it.” Even if that is true, I don’t believe God (or whomever) would be cool with the torture and disgusting conditions animals endure so you can eat a burger. Click here to read more ... |
| Dog owners thank supporters of accessible beaches On behalf of the South Portland Dog Owners Group I would like to thank the outpouring of support we have experienced in the past year. Thank you to everyone who has worked as a volunteer with SHARE Willard Beach and SoPoDOG to share public space. Click here to read more ... |
| Problems with dogs on beach have abated with task force As of Oct. 5 the Animal Control Officer reports having been called to the beach only twice because of people walking their dogs during non-dog hours. Click here to read more ... |
| Sen. Snowe's historic vote is already history Maine Senator Olympia Snowe grabbed national headlines yesterday as she joined with Democrats passing a health care package out of a Finance Committee, but anyone thinking the vote was more than symbolic -- and a fairly tepid symbol at that -- is going to be disappointed. Click here to read more ... |
| A sad day in South Portland politics Yesterday, Oct. 11, we put up 200 campaign signs on public property for the upcoming Willard Beach referendum. Within 36 hours I found that 12 of them had been torn down and five had been vandalized. These signs were for the referendum to pass and ban dogs for the summer months and paid for by donations to Save Willard beach group. Click here to read more ... |
| Policy wonks face third-and-long for public's attention The wonks have never been able to grasp how the heck their Fellow Citizens find something like the private option for health care "too confusing," but can immediately grasp the strategic flaw in a third-down draw play to a left-handed receiver when defenders shift beyond simple zone coverage check-offs. Click here to read more ... |
| Slow and steady the right prescription for health care reform The U.S. Senate could learn a lot from the old story of the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady wins the race. We've seen it proved true time and again. In the case of health care reform, the Senate should stop rushing to meet artificial deadlines. Instead senators should slow down and focus on what's best for America. Click here to read more ... |
| A political crane move: The voice inside your head You need to know that part of that health care voice in your head, the one what keep saying "what the ....?" belongs to one Mr. Frank Luntz. Click here to read more ... |
| Who says we can't have our own oil in Maine? Months ago I heard about the edible oil project up in Aroostook County and got an email a few weeks back to say that we southerners were now able to get our foodie mitts on the stuff. Distribution is somewhat limited so it took a while to make it to a shelf that I frequent. Last week I found a bottle cuddled up next to some olive oil at Rosemont on the Hill. Click here to read more ... |
| Striving for identity with a Snug meeting Just as I’d given up on any possibility of romance, John suddenly seemed to remember what we were doing alone together at The Snug. Click here to read more ... |
| Harbor Terrace is Wayside's affiliate on Food Rescue I am writing to extend sincere thanks from Wayside Soup Kitchen and Food Rescue for your news coverage of our Food Rescue program, printed in the Oct. 6, 2009 issue of the Portland Daily Sun. Wayside has received an outpouring of support in response to your article, and we very much appreciate the coverage! Click here to read more ... |
| Trash on the street illustrates policy problems While gently prodding the pile with my well-booted toe, indexing what was there, I saw a bag of what appeared to be some kind of drug. I say appeared, since if it was actually what it pretended to be, It had a street value of at least a couple of grand. There is no way on this earth that any junkie would ever abandon something like this, so it had to be a bag of "bunk," something that was sold to the naive. Click here to read more ... |
| Meatless diet can reduce health risks We've long known that cheese and ice cream aren't health foods, but is your side salad really a health risk? A recent report outlines the 10 foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration that cause the most cases of foodborne illness. Cheese, eggs, ice cream, and tuna are among the riskiest foods, but the report also implicates leafy greens, tomatoes and sprouts. Click here to read more ... |
| Maine residents show tolerance, acceptance I was reading the Portland Daily Sun this morning and found a letter to the editor about the vote Maine will be taking in November ("Maine's vote on gay marriage will affect more than a minority," Eric P. Olsen, Oct. 8). Click here to read more ... |
| Vote on gay marriage will affect more than a minority Editor, I recently watched the commercial videos produced by Protect Maine Equality, an advocacy group supporting gay marriage in Maine. The repeated argument that “true Maine values” uphold a redefinition of marriage I found demeaning and disingenuous. I am from Maine. I grew up on a farm in Lincoln County and recently came home to spread my 97-year-old father’s ashes on the land. Click here to read more ... |
| How did Creative Portland Corporation spend its first $30,000 The most telling question Curtis Robinson could have asked in his reporting on the Creative Portland Corporation ("City-backed nonprofit ready to enter arts scene," Oct. 6) was how this new city organization spent or is spending its first $30,000. Click here to read more ... |
| The word 'marriage' could make the difference The apparent collection of more than enough signatures needed to place the gay-marriage law on the November ballot will now enable the people of Maine, rightly or wrongly, to have the final say on the definition of marriage. Click here to read more ... |
| On path to city event, GOP shatters 11th Commandment As Portland's Republicans gather today at the Italian Heritage Center for what is, in effect, a kick-off fundraiser for next year's gubernatorial campaign, somebody is bound to note that a Commandment has being broken. The 11th. Click here to read more ... |
| Some closing remarks on annoying phrases Over the weekend, I ran into one of those phrases that drives me totally and completely bonkers. I read a lot, and some phrases are used consistently throughout the language that show the writer of the phrase hasn't clearly thought the whole mess through. Click here to read more ... |
| Let's hope Mainers can be forward-thinking on 1 These "yes on 1" people have caused me to become involved in this matter. I am married (man/woman) and have two kids in school in Maine. Click here to read more ... |
| Ask my husband 'what Brown can do for you' It has taken a few years and a few dozen oatmeal cookies bribes, but our UPS man has finally listened to my plea of: Never Deliver to My House on a Friday (my husband's day off). Find out why. Click here to read more ... |
| City's GOP's no-spin position on issues: None The GOP City Committee is showing signs of life this week, starting to organize its first recent "candidates night" fundraiser, featuring the six declared Republican candidates. On Thursday, Oct. 8, a the Italian Heritage Center (40 Westland Ave., the reception begins at 5:30 p.m., four of six candidates for governor have confirmed they'll attend), the organization will launch what amounts to a comeback attempt. Even Elliman says last year's outing was less than what they might have liked. Click here to read more ... |
| Hey, arty types, how about a loan from the city? For a city that prides itself on a "creative economy," you'd think such a deal would draw creative folks from near and far, even with that "gotta pay it back" part. But just such a program has been in place for years, and to date nobody -- nada, zip -- has asked for a helping hand. Click here to read more ... |
| Late for work? Try one of these excuses From time to time, just like anyone else, I roll in to work a few minutes late. In this shrinking economy, that is a dangerous move, but anyone left on the job at this point is pretty much indispensable, or at least has a good excuse for being late. Following is a list of my favorite and most often used excuses, in case you find yourself in need of a quick answer. Click here to read more ... |
| Elected mayor is a no-brainer, but details will be difficult The good folks who are re-writing what amounts to our City Constitution are seeking opinions about "Should Portland have an elected mayor?" They have selected Monday, Oct. 26 for a meeting at Portland High School. Click here to read more ... |
| Charges of 'bias' have plenty of irony Wow, how times have changed in a short eleven years. Back in 1998, when the state was debating a gay rights law, Michael Heath, former head of The Maine Family Policy Council, was quoted as stating "If a Maine businessman or landlord wants to discriminate against a person because of their sexual orientation, they should be able to do so." Click here to read more ... |
| Gay marriage, health care create Snowe challenges Even the RINO baiters -- the word stands for Republicans In Name Only -- are likely to remain relatively radio silent. After all, the party lost Sen. Specter of Pennsylvania, in large part, because it became clear that a more conservative candidate might gain party favor in the Republican primary. Click here to read more ... |
| Talking about race as important as discussing sex, drugs According to a Newsweek article that ran last week, white American parents are falling way short when it comes to talking with their children about race. Researcher Birgitte Vittrup conducted a study with 100 Caucasian families with children aged 5-7. The children displayed attitudes that “most black people are mean/dishonest/unattractive” while “all of whites are nice/honest/pretty.” Click here to read more ... |
| Banned books week brings little fanfare Banned books week brings little fanfare Click here to read more ... |
| Hukkin' a Chainek host responds to story on Anton Thanks for your coverage of my show, Hukkin' a Chainek, on WMPG last Thursday. I guess it's easier for your reporter to stay home and listen to the radio than actually cover an event. Click here to read more ... |
| Captain Obvious to the rescue on liquor enforcement Liquor enforcement changes bring out a super hero. Click here to read more ... |
| Grant process may usher in Year of the Grouse More business may alter block grans process — ushering in the Year of the Grouse. Click here to read more ... |
| Willard Beach should remain open to dogs Willard Beach is, can and should remain one of South Portland’s most prized assets, one available to ALL community residents, even appreciative visitors like myself. Click here to read more ... |
| Attend the SoPo planning board meeting on Oct. 1 On Thursday, Oct. 1 The South Portland Planning Board is having a public meeting to discuss a zoning change for the entire Village Commercial Willard Zone (Willard Square). The proposed changes will permanently impact property values and the quality of life for those of us who live in the neighborhood. Click here to read more ... |
| Willard Beach vote revolves around sanitation Click here to read more ... |
| Daily Kos and 'Bill from here' raising local profile The Daily Kos is a political website, one of the early "break through" sites that is pretty much required reading in Dee Cee. To say it's biased in an understatement on par with saying the Watchtower may have an agenda. A lead writer is gay, from Portland and could be our next Dan Savage. Click here to read more ... |
| A plea for amnesty among the bar-banned masses Bar bans: Once sentence has been pronounced, you are as good as dead to all your old friends at that establishment. They'll avoid hanging out with you at other bars, for they fear that you'll ask to intercede on their behalf. Here's an idea. Click here to read more ... |
| A wandering spirit can lead to international yawns Now this week Gretchen goes on a date with another wandering spirit, although he hasn’t wandered quite as far as the Moon. And so we bring you this week’s episode: Click here to read more ... |
| A Capricorn outlines acceptance of local metaphysics Perhaps the most astounding thing is that psychics and other New Age metaphysics (using the term broadly) have become commonplace. They have storefronts and seem unaware that this is New England, where, not so long ago, witches were in big trouble down on the town square. Say no more! See, now I've gone and mixed a religion with psychics and a poor Monty Python reference ... well, there's just an intellectual abyss on those topics. But to see how far such things have come, and to once again celebrate Portland's tolerance, let's examine the Portland Public School's metaphysical adult education offerings. Click here to read more ... |
| City's furry, feathered thieves show little remorse To anyone who has spent any amount of time grabbing a quick bit to eat in Monument Square, It won't come as a surprise to any of you readers that both the feathered and furry residents of this city are not to be trusted. Click here to read more ... |
| Can the lobster roll really save the lobster industry The lobster roll idea is not entirely new — McDonald's, after all, has offered McLobster rolls, although the home of the clown used mostly Canadian lobster and, also, the sandwich kinda sucked. (Although it's worth noting, on the quality scale, that you wouldn't confuse the Big Mac with a Front Room burger, yet the Golden Arches stays in business.) Click here to read more ... |
| The charms of age, going out to launch To sum: I couldn’t charm my way to the front of the bar to get a drink; no member of the male (or female for that matter) species felt sorry for me and offered to get me one; the photographer walked by me numerous times without even a pity snap and someone dumped something sticky all over my insanely expensive shoes. Click here to read more ... |
| McCoy's political cartoons offend reader Re: Glenn McCoy's political cartoons: His cartoon today (Tuesday, Sept. 22) — showing Jimmy Carter dressed as a clown, with a deck of "race cards," and "Race Baiting Czar" on his office door — is disgusting, the grossest kind of insult to a fine American. I'm sure a lot of Americans agree with what Carter said. Click here to read more ... |
| Robert's Rules of order meet Bob's rules Most meetings are run on these rules, and if you know them like a broken record you can get away with just about anything at a public meeting. I decided it was time to re-write the rules for the present day, keeping in mind the screaming quotient of meetings on the local an national level. Click here to read more ... |
| Senator's 'intuition' solves public option mini-mystery The senator's widely ignored revelation came Sept. 17 during a 21-minute online interview with John Howard of MSNBC and posted on the New York Times website -- part of a new online effort to combine the immediacy of print with the depth of cable news. Click here to read more ... |
| Politics bringing some heat to fall's early days Today is the first day of fall, and that of course means things are heating up — politically. Click here to read more ... |
| Burning Lobster Festival officially moved to the fall The burninglobster fest, inspired by the famous burningman festival, is one of theideas we have been kicking around all summer. Initially, it was proposed as an "anti-festival", sort of a kicking back at all the super-clean and mostly sanitized festivals that we hold all summer long. Click here to read more ... |
| Old Port biz shuffle claims a fine barber, uh, stylist My barber tells me that a combination of parking frustrations, rent increases and the economic downturn is forcing him to move -- all the way to Scarborough. Click here to read more ... |
| Space - a final frontier in relationship progression As the saga continues, we learn that “Man wasn’t so much going to the Moon, Henry,” Ethan said, making craters in the surface of a gray Styrofoam ball with the base of a pencil for Henry’s science project, “as getting off the Earth.” Which seems a good idea for some. Click here to read more ... |
| High stakes in Pittsburgh PITTSBURGH — In less than a week, 20 world leaders will convene here for a global summit to take the measure of the international economy and examine what they can do to irrigate the green shoots and fertilize the fallow areas. In a month of big moments for President Barack Obama, this will be one of the most important. Click here to read more ... |
| Nudity might be answer for Old Port issues Lately, many of the local residents and hotel dwellers have complained about the noise, the revelry, and the never-ending sounds of music coming from the streets. Council members and the mayor have been actively seeking some sort of alternative to the constant disruption, and have even gone so far as to suggest staggered (no pun intended) closing times for the various bars. Click here to read more ... |
| Last of the triplet summers is fading into history This year's "calendar" summer -- the real one, ending Sept. 21 -- actually has shared a spotlight with at least two other summers: "weather summer and summertime." Click here to read more ... |
| The changing face of Europe Most of the world goes to war about geography. Europe goes to war about history. And while the war that broke out late last week in Europe wasn't a shooting war, it was a classic European dispute about the past — one that, like all of these European historical controversies, has implications for the future. Click here to read more ... |
| New York Times adds to those praising our foodie ways The Times pieces comes on the heels of Bon Appetit naming us this year's "Foodiest Small Town in America" and a spate of other laudatory coverage. It's worth pointing out that, even for those of us who figure Old Port dining is best done from a cart, such coverage is important not only for drawing visitors but also for FFFGs -- "Friends and Family Focus Groups." Click here to read more ... |
| A warning from a member of the staggering class It does seem to be a timing issue. I could stand on just about any street corner in town, and listen to the crickets and watch tumbleweeds roll by. As soon As, like the proverbial chicken, I decide to cross the road, the traffic snarls and the very act of crossing turns into a mixture of that old "Frogger" game and a mad dash for the other side. Click here to read more ... |
| 'Dottering' our way into Maine's energy future Nothing is easy in the era of constituency identity. Click here to read more ... |
| Diet, lifestyle changes can help prevent pancreatic cancer I was saddened to hear about legendary actor Patrick Swayze's death. His brave, public fight against pancreatic cancer inspired many others. Millions of Americans will miss him, and people are also looking for ways to protect themselves from this deadly disease. Click here to read more ... |
| Protect our kids, sure, but will it really work? From books on meth to Internet stalkers — threats to our kids abound. Click here to read more ... |
| Clowning around in the city's costumed economy I've adjusted to taking a lot of odd jobs to get by -- like dressing up for marketing. Click here to read more ... |
| Councilor showed poor judgment by calling out Gray City Councilor Skolnik's sharp criticism of City Manager Joe Gray in front of a packed audience in City Council chambers regarding Mr. Gray's failure to attend the Council meeting seemed to me to be shockingly unprofessional ("Councilor calls out no-show city manager," Sept. 10). Click here to read more ... |
| Offer to proffer illustrates a zero-summary game “I don’t have to talk,” he said. “This is a free country.” Considering the handcuffs, the bars on the windows, and the corrections officer sitting outside with a gun, I thought that was kind of a generous view of the situation in his case. But it seemed petty to point that out. Click here to read more ... |
| Sister cities aside, how about cousin cities If sister cities are good, how about cousin cities? Click here to read more ... |
| Playa dime, don't let health care gank your soul Okay, "Wired" has been off HBO too long for a white guy from Portland to riff on gang culture, even with a good Bing connection, but it's time we got hip y'all: Our U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe is getting tons of press as an original gansta in the Finance Committee Go6 (Gang of Six). And in the wake of whatever the president said last night (of course, this was written in advance of both the speech and the spin) she will be among the few who decide just what sort of drive-by happens over the next few weeks. Click here to read more ... |
| Voter wonders when 'yes' is 'yes' on ballot A few years ago, if you did go to vote, if you did want it to pass, then you did vote "yes" and if you did not want it to pass, then you did vote "no." Then someone did come up with the idea of if you want it to pass, then you would vote, "no," and if you do not want it to pass, then you would vote, "yes." Click here to read more ... |
| With a little knowledge, mushrooms are really magic Increased interest combined with a tough economy, means that many more people are taking to the woods to pick and sell the mushrooms they find. Click here to read more ... |
| You have your catalog sins, I'll have mine For a certain kind of catalog fan, the kind who still roam the stacks of reference libraries and never pass Longfellow Books without a walk-through, the quarterly fix has once again arrived. It's sheer information wonk porn, and they call it the Consumer Information Catalog. Click here to read more ... |
| Some late-night bar sins, a shot at redemption With my special ministry in the sacrament of alcohol and all its lofty purpose, I've tried to limit my practice to certain particularly sinful establishments in our beloved Old Port. Since payday is an occasion to sin, Friday night has become the night of confessional for me. I sit and listen to the lurid tales of the bouncers and barkeeps, and pretty absolve them of all sin, providing of course that they go back inside and grab me another Pabst. Forgiveness does have its price. Click here to read more ... |
| OUI catch-and-release weekend illustrates issue Last weekend, officers from Portland, South Portland and Cape Elizabeth set up a roadblock on the Casco Bay Bridge and reminded 523 drivers, plus their passengers, that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that using random checkpoints to catch drinking drivers is important enough to suspend Fourth Amendment rights. But they used catch-and-release. Click here to read more ... |
| Being interested crosses over into mental stalking Gretchen, a 44-year-old, divorced, criminal defense attorney, ran the risk of over-education when she went on the internet and met up with Alan, a professor of jurisprudence at Harvard, to go on a hike. Class began the moment they set foot on the trail with a dissertation on the economy. So she is trying again ... Click here to read more ... |
| Away teams, gov plugs broadband, and back to school It's Friday, and a good time to follow up on some of our ongoing stories. Click here to read more ... |
| True confessions of a street poster scofflaw The City Council met in emergency session, and passed an ordinance prohibiting putting leaflets under car wipers. You can hand them out to folks, but you're not supposed to attach them to anything without permission. Click here to read more ... |
| Recess is over, time to show some class Maine has of course been to this year's congressional recess what a spankin'-new merry-go-round would be for a schoolyard recess. Just on the health care debate, we've seen a faux ambulance delivering individual case histories to lawmaker's offices, a tricked-out RV making a photo-op visit, fairly large protest marches and, finally, an old-fashioned send-off, back-to-D.C. rally at Monument Square. Click here to read more ... |
| A new firehouse? There has to be a better idea My research hike to the waterfront, just to check out the digs, illustrated that there was actually precious little room in our crowded Old Port for such a trailer, especially without disturbing the sleeping areas of several waterfront drunks. Not to be one to push someone I know out of a sweet sleeping space, I quickly went back to the drawing board for another whack at the problem. Click here to read more ... |
| The foodie town challenge: Do it for the kids Getting worked up about what kids eat is just another sign of living in one of those so-called "foodie towns." Click here to read more ... |
| Handling Maine winters takes energy, and resources I can report that the Maine Legislature has been working to meet the energy. Recent legislative efforts include: 1) putting in place the State’s first ever statewide energy building standards; 2) facilitating wind and ocean power development and wood-based biofuel research; 3) offering solar, wind, and geothermal rebates; and 4) promoting community renewable energy projects. Two bills I sponsored and passed curtail vehicle idling and support Mainers’ rights to use solar energy. Click here to read more ... |
| The battle of 70 summers Across oceans and continents it raged, drawing 100 million people into combat, leaving tens of millions dead, transforming millions more into refugees, costing hundreds of billions of dollars, redrawing borders, rewriting alliances, creating scientific advances so frightening that the end of civilization could be contemplated. It moved the center of military power (and with it the center of scientific power) from Europe to the great Eurasian land mass and North America. Click here to read more ... |
| Unlike deer and salmon, there' s no limit on children Yesterday, the Duggar family announced via Meredith Viera they are expecting their nineteenth kiddo. If this wasn’t endorsed by NBC it would read like some backwoods special. And, it is wicked cunnin’ to note that the daughter-in-law is also preggo; the granddaughter is going to be the same age as her aunt. I would be shocked, but this type of family tree is sooo 2008. Click here to read more ... |
| Riding along in your local's disguise? Hey, "duck!" Ah, admit it -- we all have a list of those "touristy" places and events and foods and rides we secretly adore. And it's guilty-ish fun to be a tourist in our own town. Click here to read more ... |
| Recycling milestone good news for 'landlord kids' o today we pause to celebrate a bit, because the "way of life" is kinda paying off, according to the folks at ecomaine, the municipality owned non-profit waste management company that handles Portland area recycling. This week, the organization is heralding a milestone of more than 30,000 tons of recyclables being processed in one year. Click here to read more ... |
| Connecting the dots from Suppa! to skateboarding Some stories just speak volumes beyond the "facts." And at least two are in today's Daily Sun. Click here to read more ... |
| Halloween ale? A case of season interruptus In about two weeks and a few days the otherwise sane folks at Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company will begin selling ... wait for it ... HALLOWEEN ALE. It launches August 4. Click here to read more ... |
