We received the following e-mail just now, and it bears reading. (Our comments in red; please add your comments below.) As you'll see, facts don't get in the way of an impassioned argument, and the opinion of the majority of Americans has little connection with these folks' reality. Enjoy.

	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Note to Editor: The guest column/op-ed piece below is submitted for consideration for use prior to or after the opening of "The Nativity Story" movie on Dec. 1. [We get these kinds of things all the time, seeking to use our pages for personal or partisan gain. I hate them and never publish them, but read some for the sheer entertainment value.] To interview Dr. Ted Baehr, contact Matti Stevenson, LegacyRoad Group, at 719-388-1603 or matti@legacyroad.com. For more information, go to www.movieguide.org/nativitystory. [Great - I've been hoping to talk to them.]
		'The Nativity Story' Has Important Message for Today's Teenagers By Dr. Ted Baehr and Dr. Tom Snyder "The Nativity Story" movie, which tells the story behind the Greatest Story Ever Told, the birth of Jesus Christ, has an important message about faith, honor and purity for today's teenagers. [No actual doctors would use this kind of language. And of course, they're not: Baehr is a "juris doctor," which is a Latin way to say "lawyer." Snyder has a PhD in film studies.] The movie depicts Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Joseph, the step-father of Jesus, as a young, upstanding couple of their [Jewish] community who are touched by the Holy Spirit of God. As devout believers in the God of the Holy Bible [Torah], Mary and Joseph are confronted with a moral dilemma that creates tremendous social pressures on them. Keisha Castle-Hughes as Mary. [Too bad - she was really good in Whale Rider.] Oscar Isaac as Joseph. [His first name means "Lover of Deer;" his last name is Biblical in origin.] Although this Christmas Story took place 2,000 years ago, it has great resonance for our world today. First, despite the problems and pressures it would cause for her, Mary gladly accepts the call of God to become the Holy Vessel for the Son of God. [But didn't the Angel Gabriel have to appear to her and tell her not to be scared? She'd never even spent a night alone with Joseph, and here she is preggers. That is scary.] Though she suffers the scorn of the community, she sticks by her faith in God and     what He is doing through her. In fact, back in the days when this story took place, it was not uncommon for unwed mothers to disappear, deliver their babies secretly and leave their babies out in the wilderness to die. [This type of thing still happens in some countries around the world. Are the writers upset about that?] Instead of killing her baby, however, Mary treasures her baby, Jesus, as a miraculous, divine gift from God. As C. Raymond van Pletsen writes in "The Nativity Story: The Faith of Mary," Mary "responded" to God's love and believed in Him. Second, Mary's betrothed, Joseph, was able to stand by his fiancee because he too responded to God's love and believed in Him. [Imagine the act of faith this must have required - to believe that your teenage fiancee had not, in fact, had an affair, or been raped, but instead was impregnated by God - whose interactions with humans, legend has it, weren't so much gentle as violent.] Joseph's faith and trust in God gave him great courage to obey God, resist social pressure and take Mary home to be his wife. That courage, trust and faith inspired Joseph to protect Mary's holy child, Jesus, when His life was in danger. Today's teenagers are daily bombarded with hedonistic, pagan images and sounds of sex in the mass media.[It is very rare that I have heard the "sounds of sex in the mass media." And I had no idea that the sounds of sex were pagan.] No wonder that a recent medical study revealed that half of all of today's teenagers will get a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) by the time they are 25-years-old! [Not so. A study in 2004 cited on this page by the Centers for Disease Control says half of all new infections of HIV (just one STD) will be in people under 25. That's very different from what this "doctor" is alleging. And another study, this one cited in a news report by the American Medical Association, gets closer, but still proves the assertion false: "one of two sexually active young people" will get an STD by age 25 (emphasis added). But despite this inaccuracy, perhaps the rhetoric might sink in, if not the facts: still no movement on condoms or sex education?] Today, of course, an STD can kill you. In fact, some STDs can kill you long before any second-hand cigarette smoke will! [All the more reason to focus our resources on teaching kids how to stay safe from any kind of hazard.] Another recent study, by the journal of the American Association of Pediatrics, [It's the American Academy of Pediatrics] found that teenagers listening to music with explicit sexual lyrics fornicate sooner than teenagers who do not. [The others just "mess around," we presume. They haven't heard the songs with those "nasty" words, like "fornicate." And by the way, here's the abstract of the study, which clearly states that "degrading sexual lyrics" are the problem - not "other sexual lyrics."] These two studies show clearly that following the example of sexual purity and honor set by the Virgin Mary and Joseph is not just some quaint remnant of Medieval Times or the Victorian Age. It's a matter of Life and Death. If explicit depictions of sex in the media encourage teenagers to cave to social pressures to have sex before marriage, then "The Nativity Story" and other positive media products like it can help teenagers to avoid media pressure, peer pressure and pressure from misguided school teachers luring lure them into a world of lust and sexual immorality that could lead to sickness and even death. [Are these the health teachers who want to make sure kids know how to use a condom and know how not to catch STDs? NPR reported that this debate was "over" two years ago!] Of course, Mary and Joseph were able to remain pure because they had a strong faith in God and His promises of the coming Messiah in Mary's womb. Because of their strong faith, they were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, who enabled them to follow humbly the commands of God. This shows that, when we have faith in God, faith in His miraculous promises to us, and faith in His Holy Word, the Holy Spirit can use that faith to help us do what God says, regardless of the cost. By having the same kind of faith as Mary and Joseph, today's teenagers can resist poor choices and pressures running rampant in our society. It was a faith in the Word of God made flesh, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the true Light who enlightens all people. Jesus is full of God's Grace, Truth and Love. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound! Dr. Ted Baehr is a noted critic, educator, lecturer and media pundit. He is founder and publisher of Movieguide (www.movieguide.org) and is chairman of the Christian Film and Television Commission. Dr. Tom Snyder, editor of Movieguide, has more than 15 years experience as a political journalist. He has a Ph.D. in film studies from Northwestern University.   To interview Dr. Ted Baehr regarding "The Nativity Story," contact Matti Stevenson, LegacyRoad Group Publicity, at 719-388-1603 or matti@legacyroad.com.

You may also contact us offline at: The LegacyRoad Group 5575 Tech Center Drive, Suite 104 Colorado Springs, CO 80919-2353 Copyright 2006. LegacyRoad.com All rights reserved.

11/28/2006 6:36:58 PM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [0] |  

A 20-page report on Portland’s “creative economy,” supplemented by 100-plus pages of “attachments,” used dozens of buzzwords to rehash a meeting that happened six months ago, and left to the imagination most specifics about who, or what, will happen next in the city's efforts to support artists.

The folks being nominated to pick up the torch as part of the Creative Economy Steering Committee, who are expected to be confirmed by the Portland City Council on December 4, were not named in the report, but as identified by city planning director Lee Urban, are:

Adam Ayan of Gateway Mastering
Jim Baker, president of MECA
Tom Blackburn, an artist and member of the Bayside Neighborhood Association
Gillian Britt, public-relations consultant to many of the big arts organizations in town
Doug Green of Green Design Furniture
Art Henson of Henson Advertising
Pandora LaCasse, whose light sculptures grace the downtown every winter
Kristen Levesque, marketing and PR director of the Portland Museum of Art
Joe Malone of Malone Commercial Brokers
Rose Marasco, a USM professor and artist
Dan Minter, the artist working on the plaques for the Portland Freedom Trail
Anita Stewart, artistic director of Portland Stage Company
Joe Wood, provost of USM
Steve Woods, president of Key Bank in Maine

Urban says councilor Jim Cohen, who spearheaded pro-creative economy efforts during his year as mayor, and incoming councilor Dave Marshall, are likely to be the city's representatives to the group.

Those 14 non-councilors were nominated by an informal working group that has been meeting with Urban for the past couple of years, including Ron Spinella, owner of Three Fish gallery and a member of the Bayside Community Development Corporation; Jess Tomlinson, from MECA, PACA, and the Maine Arts Commission; Nelle Hanig, from the city's Economic Development Division, and David Swardlick of Swardlick Marketing.

The steering committee, once appointed, will meet in January and begin work to implement the "top three opportunities" identified at the summit: "connect [the] audience to artists," "publicly supported and/or affordable public space for artists," and "build Portland's identity as an international creative center."

In official-speak, the committee will be “tasked with moving Portland’s creative economy and the Portland creative community forward to the next level.” No word on whether that level is where we face the intense creativity of Mother Brain from the Metroid game series.

11/28/2006 3:24:07 PM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [0] |  

A Scarborough 22-year-old who looks suspiciously like "Appliance Man," that kitchen-equipment selling superhero of Portland renown, has won $25,000 in a contest to come up with a new commercial for Snickers candy bars.

Read the story at KeepMeCurrent.com, and check out the video here:

(By the way, Portland Appliance, for whom Appliance Man was the mascot, has gone out of business, according to a member of the Ciampi family, who started the company many years ago.)

11/20/2006 2:48:24 PM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [0] |  

Bowdoin College has decided to divest any direct holdings in the African country Sudan and to avoid investing in companies in the future that have holdings in the country as long as the genocide there continues. The largely Arab Sudanese government has fought non-Arab rebels for three years and has allowed more than 200,000 people in the Darfur region to be killed and another 2.5 million to leave homeless, according to a recent Reuters report. The Bowdoin College Board of Trustees voted unanimously to divest on November 11 after the school's staff, faculty, students, and trustees spent months studying the issue.

Strangely, Bowdoin doesn't currently invest in any companies dealing in Sudan, but the vote was created to help establish a policy for future investments.

"Where there is universal agreement that crimes against humanity stand in violation of our commitment to the College conception of the common good, we must take actions...that are commensurate with the violation in order to stay true to our mission and to reinforce for our community and our successors that our commitment to serve the common good is genuine and enduring," wrote Bowdoin College President Barry Mills in a press release announcing the vote.

 

 

 

 

11/13/2006 5:34:01 PM by Sara Donnelly | Comments [0] |  

John Eder has not conceded his race to Jon Hinck and may ask for a recount.

Eder, a Green Independent who ran for reelection to the state House in Portland's District 118, trailed Democratic opponent Hinck by just 97 votes at the end of election day, according to the Portland city clerk's website and Hinck. Hinck tells the Phoenix he has not received a concession call yet from Eder, and Eder confirmed this in an email sent today to the Phoenix in which he wrote, "I have not contacted my opponent at this point since the matter of a recount is still under review."

According to state law, Eder has until next Wednesday at 5 pm to call for a recount. Any candidate can call for a recount, even if they lost in a landslide, but they must pay a fee related to the margin of votes cast in the race. Since Eder lost by less than 100 votes, a margin of just over 3 percent, he would have to pay a $500 fee for the recount. If the recount reverses the election, Eder would get his money back. The recount would likely take only a few hours, the Elections rep says.

This post was updated at 3:09 pm, Nov. 10, to correct a reporter's error.

 

 

 

 

 

11/10/2006 10:17:32 AM by Sara Donnelly | Comments [1] |  

Maine Veterans for Peace will march in the Veterans Day Parade on Saturday after initially being banned by the American Legion branch sponsoring the Portland vets celebration. Some area vets objected to the MVFP's dedication of a Congress Street flag to an Iraqi baby killed in the war. The Portland Downtown District, which co-sponsored the Adopt A Flag program, returned MVFP's $100 donation for their commemorative flag in September, shortly before the local American Legion, which was also involved in the flag project, contacted the MVFP and told them they could not march in the parade this year.

Long story short, the city got involved and now the MVFP is back in the parade, albeit without the gloomy graveyard float it usually pulls along to comment on the lives lost at war. At the end of the parade, the MVFP will donate its returned $100 to Ethan Strimling and Victoria Mares Hershey of the nonprofit Portland West in a ceremony in Monument Square. The donation will be made in memory of Wa'ad Achmed, a one month old Iraqi male killed by US bombs in May 2004. The money will be used for a youth program at Portland West.

 

11/9/2006 2:32:37 PM by Sara Donnelly | Comments [0] |  

Yes, politics are very important, but I can't help being fascinated by Britney Spears, her personal grind with this crazy thing we call life, and her decision to divorce Kevin Federline, aka K-Fed, on election day. Britney's been through a lot at 24 - years on the preteen talent mill the New Mickey Mouse Club, "true" (or not) love with Justin "Sexy Back" Timberlake, kids with Federline. Latest rumor is she dumped K-Fed via text message during a televised interview. Put that in your bubble gum and chew it.

Here's a good source for dirt on the divorcing couple, now known as "Fed-Ex" in the blogosphere, from the venerable Washington Post:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/celebritology/

11/8/2006 3:57:05 PM by Sara Donnelly | Comments [0] |  

Pulled from today's press releases, here are US House representatives Tom Allen and Mike Michaud on Donald Rumsfeld's announcement a few hours ago that he will resign from his post as Secretary of Defense:

Portland, Maine-U.S. Representative Tom Allen today issued the following statement on the resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld:

 

"Donald Rumsfeld's tenure as Secretary of Defense, characterized by polarization and arrogance, has not served the nation or our troops well.   His resignation is long overdue.    His mismanagement, combined with serious misjudgments in the President's policies, sent our troops into battle without adequate equipment and without a clear plan for stabilizing Iraq.  Secretary Rumsfeld's refusal to listen to uniformed professionals sowed unproductive discontent.  His priorities, rushing an unproven missile defense system while cutting Navy shipbuilding, have been bad for Maine and our overall national security.  I hope that this change in leadership will also usher in a new partnership between the President and Congress to rebuild our military, restore American credibility, and redeploy US forces from Iraq."

 

Michaud Statement

 

It is long past time for Donald Rumsfeld to step down and for a new defense secretary to take his place.  It is my hope that the Administration will appoint a defense secretary who will embrace the change in direction that the American people have clearly called for and that we need in Iraq with our other challenges around the world. I look forward to working with the new defense secretary on issues that include seamless transition and assistance for our newest generation of veterans.   We face great challenges and we must all work together to again make America the light for others to follow.

11/8/2006 3:42:17 PM by Sara Donnelly | Comments [0] |  

The election is over and the results are in, at least for Maine. Virginia, you have to wait a bit.

State and Federal

The Dems hung onto the big seat, with Gov. John Baldacci winning reelection with 38.03 % of the votes over contenders Pat LaMarche (14.34 %), Barbara Merrill ( 21.39 %), Phillip Morris NaPier (0.86 %), and Chandler Woodcock (29.92 %). Thus marks the official end of open season on Woodcock jokes. [Our favorite - "I'd rather have a Wood Cock than a Bald Acci."]

US Senator Olympia Snowe, a Republican, stayed in her seat with 73.99 % of the votes over Dem. opponent Jean Hay Bright (20.61 %) and independent Bill Slavick (5.40 %). US Rep. from the first district, Tom Allen, a Dem, won with 60.94 % of the vote over Republican Darlene Curley (30.72 %) and independent Dexter Kamilewicz (8.34 %) and US Rep. from the second district, Mike Michaud, also a Dem, won reelection over Republican opponent Laurence D'Amboise 70.52 % to 29.48 %.

TABOR, the controversial "Taxpayers' Bill of Rights," failed - nays at 54.07 %, yays at 45.93 %. The constitutional amendment to clarify rules governming citizens referenda passed with 54.08 % of the votes in favor, 45.92 % against.

As for Portland state house and state senate seats, Jon Hinck narrowly beat incumbent Green representative John Eder for the House seat in District 118 and newbie Green Matt Reading made an impressive (though ultimately insufficient) showing against incumbent Dem Rep Herb Adams, earning 41.84 % of the vote to Adams's victorious 49.83 %. Jason Lavoie, the Republican in that race, won 8.34 % of the vote.

Here are the results of the House and municipal races, WINNERS IN RED:

State Senator (District 8) Democrat Ethan Strimling  (67.17%), Republican David Babin (18.41 %), Green Independent Kelsey Perchinski (14.43%)

State Senator (District 9) Dem. Joseph Brannigan (70.33 %), Repub. David Fernald (29.67%)

House Rep. (District 113) Dem. John Brautigam (52.88 %), Repub. David Ellowitch (47.12 %)

House Rep. (District 114) Dem. Boyd Marley (73.14 %), Repub. Sharon Forbis (26.86 %)

House Rept. (District 115) Dem. Glenn Cummings (71.38 %) , Repub. Melinda Loring (18.07 %), Green Independent Murrough O'B rien (10.55 %)

House Rep. (District 116) Dem. Charles Harlow (73.97 %), Repub. Janette Gauger  (26.03 %)

House Rep. (District 117) Dem. Anne Haskell (68,58 %), Repub. David Pelletier (22.35 %), Green John Safarik (9.06 %)

House Rep (District 118) Dem. Jon Hinck (51.53 %), Green John Eder (48.47 %)

House Rep. (District 119) Dem. Herb Adams (49.83 %), Green Matt Reading (41.84 %), Repub. Jason Lavoie (8.34 %)

House Rep (District 120) Dem. Anne Rand (56.98 %), Green Ben Meiklejohn (43.02 %)

Citywide

In Portland, the Greens pulled out a couple of big wins on the city council with Kevin Donoghue finally finding employment as the newest city councilor for District 1 with 47.44 % of the vote and Dave Marshall snagging a seat as the working artist representing District 2 with 45.35 % of the vote. Both wins were something of an upset, as Donoghue beat incumbent and longtime Munjoy Hill activist Will Gorham and Marshall beat Cyrus Hagge, who'd been endorsed by almost everyone under the sun, including us.

Nick Mavodones hung onto his at-large seat by a wide margin (54.25 %) over Christina Feller (30.46 %) and Andy Verzosa (15.29 %).

On the school committee, Green Rebecca Minnick beat Mavourneen Thompson in District 1 with 59.32 % of the vote and Robert O'Brien showed incumbent Green Stephen Spring the door in District 2 with 52.89 % of the vote. The At-Large seat was snagged by Sarah Thompson with 50. 29 % of the vote over opponents Kevin Gardella (19.31 %) and Teri McRae (30.40%).

Portland municipal and legislative election results, the unofficial county tallied as of 11:30pm on November 7, are from Portland city clerk's office.

Gubernatorial and federal results from the Bangor Daily News as of November 8.

 

11/8/2006 9:47:45 AM by Sara Donnelly | Comments [0] |