The Human Rights Campaign – one of the most influential national organizations working to advance/protect the rights of GLBT people – announced its “Year to Win” election-mobilization campaign yesterday. Part of the initiative includes endorsing candidates in 14 “targeted Senate races,” and assisting those candidates with get-out-the-vote efforts and fundraising.

            Maine’s incumbent Republican senator, Susan Collins, is the only Republican that got an HRC nod. The endorsement sticks out like a sore thumb, and induces no small measure of head-scratching. Why did the HRC choose to endorse Collins over her Democratic opponent, Tom Allen, when Allen’s voting record in the House has been more consistently aligned with HRC interests? And while Collins’ record isn’t shabby in this regard, her votes have been in line with the HRC only 78-88 percent of the time over the past few years (as opposed to Allen’s 100 percent).   

            In response to the HRC snub, Carol Andrews, communications director for the Allen campaign, said this: “Tom Allen is proud of his record of fighting discrimination on all levels and for standing up for equality. When he was on the Portland City Council, it led the state in nondiscrimination practices by banning bias based on sexual orientation for housing, credit and employment. As a Member of Congress, he has consistently supported fairness and equality measures while opposing discrimination. As a member of the Senate, he will continue to do what is right for all people. Specifically, he will not support judicial nominees like Sam Alito who don’t understand fairness and equal rights.” (Collins did vote for Alito.)

We’re not the only ones who think this endorsement is kinda fishy. But the HRC might just be playing realistic hardball politics – putting more value in a swing Republican senate vote than in the fall-in-line support of a solid Dem.

As Phoenix writer Tony Giampetruzzi wrote last August, with regard to Collins’ mixed messages on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell: “Perhaps she is playing politics, but those champing at the bit to repeal DADT may just consider the ranking Republican a better ally in the war against the policy than a senator-wannabe who has opposed the law from the very beginning.”

Seems like Giampetruzzi presaged the HRC’s strategy to a T.

[When we hear from the HRC and the Collins campaign, we’ll update this post.]

UPDATE: From Senator Collins: "I am grateful to have the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign and will continue to work in the Senate to protect the rights of all Americans, regardless of gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation."

UPDATE #2: From Brad Luna, HRC Spokesman: "Successfully getting pro-equality legislation to the President’s desk for signature or veto requires partnerships with pro-equality lawmakers of both parties.  Sen. Susan Collins is a strong ally for the GLBT community, supporting a fully inclusive employment protection bill, a fully inclusive hate crimes bill, and funding for critical HIV/AIDS programs."

4/29/2008 11:28:06 AM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [1] |  

Cool. We could do this in Portland too.

4/29/2008 9:23:35 AM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [1] |  

We all remember the Emmy-nominated EepyBird folks from up at the Oddfellow Theater in Buckfield for their video of Diet Coke and Mentos imitating the Bellagio Las Vegas fountains.

(If you've forgotten, or didn't see it, it's here:)


That video was played on a huge outdoor television in Belgium yesterday, in advance of an attempt to break the world record for most Diet Coke-Mentos explosions at one time. This is the best photo of that event, from a story in Britain's Daily Telegraph:



There's also some video of the event - the first video shows the EepyBird video on the outdoor TV:

And the second shows the attempt itself from a distance:




A third video shows a more intimate view, admittedly with less of a sense of scope:

4/24/2008 9:13:33 AM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [0] |  

Without endorsing a precise timeline, retired US Army general John Johns appeared with Maine Congressional District 1 candidate Chellie Pingree this afternoon to support the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq. The plan mirrors many of the (largely ignored) recommendations issued by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group in 2006.

Johns summed up the plan’s main goals thusly:

1)      To initiate increased diplomatic negotiations in the Middle East and worldwide;

          2)      To start withdrawing troops immediately.

You can read the complete document here.

Pingree was one of six US House candidates to originally sign onto and present the plan; there are now 51 Congressional candidates who pledge to uphold its tenets if they are elected in November.

4/23/2008 2:19:48 PM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [0] |  

In honor of Earth Day, I’d like to assess my eco-progress over the past year – things I’ve successfully implemented/changed, and areas for improvement – using criteria from about a year of Going Green columns.

--      My first official column dealt with trash – and I vowed to produce less of it. Certainly, I’ve become a diligent recycler, I remember my reusable mug much more often, and I pay more attention to excess packaging on new purchases (so as not to create more garbage). However, I’m far from reaching my lofty goal of producing just one plastic grocery bag’s worth of trash per week (and one blue bag per month). On average, I fill up one small blue bag per week.

--      If I don’t say so myself, I think I’ve developed a bit of finesse when it comes to non-intrusive persuasion. And I still don’t use paper towels, even if my guests think of them as necessities.

--    I use many more organic / PABA-free toiletries and cosmetics than I did before. I use Dr. Bronner’s for hair and body, and I’m partial to Aubrey Organics for facial products. I must admit that I haven’t found the perfect natural deodorant yet – I switch back and forth between Tom’s of Maine (for when I know I won’t be doing anything strenuous) and Arm & Hammer (for when I risk offending the people around me).

--      On July 11, I wrote about my rather disastrous composting attempts. I said I’d give it another go, but my second attempt never really got off the ground. However, I shelled out $38 last month for an 80-gallon Earth Machine (discounted by the City of Portland) that I’ll pick up on May 11. I’m looking forward to starting afresh.

--      Overall, my CFLs and electricity-saving measures have worked great.

--      Water-saving efforts have proved slightly dicier (is that a word?). My Portland Water District-issued low-flow showerhead and faucet aerators are doing their jobs (though I still haven’t worked up the willpower to take “Navy showers”). But laundry remains my least-favorite and most environmentally complicated chore: I do it at the non-eco-friendly Laundromat, with eco-friendly detergent, and haven’t been hanging my clothes out to dry – but may start that again now that the weather’s nice.

--     In October, I reported that if you’ve gotta drive, there are ways to do it that could save gas and carbon emissions. While I still try to walk as often as I can, I do find myself driving more than I should – hopefully the sunny temps will change that pattern too. When I do drive, I try to remember the tenets of fuel-smart driving (but slowpoke drivers still get on my nerves).

--      My cats continue to get super-green treatment. In fact, I’ve gotten greener (and, fear, meaner – but it’s for their own good!): I keep them indoors now.

--      I got a live Christmas tree which has lived on my porch since the holiday season. Honestly, I fear for its health. I did try to handmake most gifts – which resulted in fewer people getting presents. I’ll have to start earlier next year.

--      Eating less meat is relatively easy (except when I’m drunk or hungover, when animal products seem most appealing). I continue to try to get most of my protein from beans and nuts, but I enjoy the occasional soy product. And the occasional hamburger.

--      Local strong-arm (and co-worker) Chris Gray and I are joining a CSA! We’re hoping to split the veggie-herb riches from Pleasant Valley Acres Farm in Cumberland, since neither of us thinks we could consume an entire share. I’m looking forward to the joys and challenges of cooking in-season.

I give myself a B-. I’m doing okay, but I justify lazy choices a bit too often. However, I’ve definitely laid the groundwork for an Earth-friendly summer, and beyond.

4/22/2008 4:38:01 PM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [0] |  

For many local activists, Common Ground Collective is a familiar cause, and one that is close to their hearts. Formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the organization is a community volunteer effort that provides long-term sustainable assistance to residents and neighborhoods of the New Orleans area. Over the past two-and-a-half years, a number of Mainers have volunteered with Common Ground; Maine-native Meg Perry was working with the CGC before her untimely death in 2005. If they weren’t already, that tragedy inextricably linked Maine with New Orleans.          

Indeed, the fight for peace and justice knows no regional boundaries, and thus two prominent and powerful New Orleaners, Malik Rahim and Robert King, traveled to Maine last week – to “link the struggles here with the struggle in New Orleans,” to remind us that the work in the Gulf Coast region is far from over, and to show how Common Ground’s mission has evolved from hurricane relief to broader social-justice concerns.

“I don’t believe there can be any progress until we analyze what happened,” Rahim said in a wide-ranging interview at the Phoenix office on Friday. Rahim, a Common Ground founder, worries that people have yet to learn the lessons of Hurricane Katrina – whether they be economic, social, or logistical. He described an “adversarial relationship between the government and the activist community,” and said there is still a dearth of educators and social safety nets within “traditionally disenfranchised” communities – that is, the poorer parishes of Louisiana.

He also detailed the connection between Common Ground and the Angola 3, of which Robert King is one. The story of the Angola 3 is symbolic of the prejudice and disenfranchisement that existed in Louisiana long before Hurricane Katrina brought these problems to the surface. Long story very short: When three young black activists (all in prison for armed robbery) tried to expose prisoner maltreatment at the Louisiana State Penitentiary – a/k/a Angola Prison – in the late 1960s, they ‘mysteriously’ were accused of having murdered a young prison guard. All three of them spent more than 25 years in solitary confinement for a crime they did not commit. Robert King Wilkerson is the only prisoner to have been released thus far.

“There wouldn’t be the Angola 3 without Malik,” King said of his friend on Friday, describing Malik’s efforts to free these prisoners of conscience. Negotiations to free the remaining Angola 2 are ongoing, as is King’s quest to overhaul not just Angola, but America’s industrial-prison complex.

(Several aspects of King’s story – including prison officials using increased security as a punishment, insufficient money spent on rehabilitation, and less-than-adequate treatment of mentally ill prisoners – sound awfully familiar.)

Rahim and King spoke at the Meg Perry Center on Saturday evening, at what was apparently a well-attended, moving discussion. Rahim is scheduled to speak at Bowdoin on April 29.

4/22/2008 12:31:52 PM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [0] |  

Maine and Massachusetts share a history, having once been two parts of the same colony. Which is why both states celebrate Patriots' Day - that's why banks, government offices, and schools are closed today.

It commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord, and in honor of the holiday (on which we're working, natch), we've collected a few interesting tidbits about the holiday in honor of the start of the American colonists' struggle to throw off tyranny.

First off, a piece I did a couple years back, comparing King George III of England with King George III of Washington DC.

But now let's step away from politics and into history. We can move past the relatively brief Wikipedia entry on the holiday and go straight on to the orders of British General Thomas Gage to Lieutenant Colonel Smith, 10th Regiment Foot, commanding him to proceed from Boston to Concord to seize ammunition being prepared for use in a revolt.

And then there's the account by Paul Revere of his ride to warn the colonists that the British were coming.

Let's bring things back closer to home with a poem about the occasion by one of Portland's favorite sons, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. This one is called "Paul Revere's Ride." (with thanks to commenter Brendan for correcting me on the title)

Happy Patriots' Day!

Paul Revere's Ride

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1807-1882

Written April 19, 1860; first published in 1863 as part of "Tales of a Wayside Inn"

Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.

He said to his friend, "If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,--
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm."

Then he said "Good-night!" and with muffled oar
Silently rowed to the Charlestown shore,
Just as the moon rose over the bay,
Where swinging wide at her moorings lay
The Somerset, British man-of-war;
A phantom ship, with each mast and spar
Across the moon like a prison bar,
And a huge black hulk, that was magnified
By its own reflection in the tide.

Meanwhile, his friend through alley and street
Wanders and watches, with eager ears,
Till in the silence around him he hears
The muster of men at the barrack door,
The sound of arms, and the tramp of feet,
And the measured tread of the grenadiers,
Marching down to their boats on the shore.

Then he climbed the tower of the Old North Church,
By the wooden stairs, with stealthy tread,
To the belfry chamber overhead,
And startled the pigeons from their perch
On the sombre rafters, that round him made
Masses and moving shapes of shade,--
By the trembling ladder, steep and tall,
To the highest window in the wall,
Where he paused to listen and look down
A moment on the roofs of the town
And the moonlight flowing over all.

Beneath, in the churchyard, lay the dead,
In their night encampment on the hill,
Wrapped in silence so deep and still
That he could hear, like a sentinel's tread,
The watchful night-wind, as it went
Creeping along from tent to tent,
And seeming to whisper, "All is well!"
A moment only he feels the spell
Of the place and the hour, and the secret dread
Of the lonely belfry and the dead;
For suddenly all his thoughts are bent
On a shadowy something far away,
Where the river widens to meet the bay,--
A line of black that bends and floats
On the rising tide like a bridge of boats.

Meanwhile, impatient to mount and ride,
Booted and spurred, with a heavy stride
On the opposite shore walked Paul Revere.
Now he patted his horse's side,
Now he gazed at the landscape far and near,
Then, impetuous, stamped the earth,
And turned and tightened his saddle girth;
But mostly he watched with eager search
The belfry tower of the Old North Church,
As it rose above the graves on the hill,
Lonely and spectral and sombre and still.
And lo! as he looks, on the belfry's height
A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!
He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns,
But lingers and gazes, till full on his sight
A second lamp in the belfry burns.

A hurry of hoofs in a village street,
A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark,
And beneath, from the pebbles, in passing, a spark
Struck out by a steed flying fearless and fleet;
That was all! And yet, through the gloom and the light,
The fate of a nation was riding that night;
And the spark struck out by that steed, in his flight,
Kindled the land into flame with its heat.
He has left the village and mounted the steep,
And beneath him, tranquil and broad and deep,
Is the Mystic, meeting the ocean tides;
And under the alders that skirt its edge,
Now soft on the sand, now loud on the ledge,
Is heard the tramp of his steed as he rides.

It was twelve by the village clock
When he crossed the bridge into Medford town.
He heard the crowing of the cock,
And the barking of the farmer's dog,
And felt the damp of the river fog,
That rises after the sun goes down.

It was one by the village clock,
When he galloped into Lexington.
He saw the gilded weathercock
Swim in the moonlight as he passed,
And the meeting-house windows, black and bare,
Gaze at him with a spectral glare,
As if they already stood aghast
At the bloody work they would look upon.

It was two by the village clock,
When he came to the bridge in Concord town.
He heard the bleating of the flock,
And the twitter of birds among the trees,
And felt the breath of the morning breeze
Blowing over the meadow brown.
And one was safe and asleep in his bed
Who at the bridge would be first to fall,
Who that day would be lying dead,
Pierced by a British musket ball.

You know the rest. In the books you have read
How the British Regulars fired and fled,---
How the farmers gave them ball for ball,
From behind each fence and farmyard wall,
Chasing the redcoats down the lane,
Then crossing the fields to emerge again
Under the trees at the turn of the road,
And only pausing to fire and load.

So through the night rode Paul Revere;
And so through the night went his cry of alarm
To every Middlesex village and farm,---
A cry of defiance, and not of fear,
A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,
And a word that shall echo for evermore!
For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,
Through all our history, to the last,
In the hour of darkness and peril and need,
The people will waken and listen to hear
The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,
And the midnight message of Paul Revere.

4/21/2008 8:58:01 AM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [1] |  

There is more bad news for the employees of the Blethen Maine Newspapers - five full-timers and four part-timers are being laid off from the Augusta-based Kennebec Journal and the Waterville-based Morning Sentinel, sister papers of the Portland Press Herald. And it's not the last of the cost-cutting for the year. "Highlights," which really are lowlights, include: total ad revenue has dropped $70,000 since last year, circulation revenue is down $71,000, and third-party commercial printing jobs are down $52,000.

This after last week's strange news. about how Frank Blethen thinks about newspapers.

Here's today's all-staff memo from KJ/MS publisher John Christie:


To:   All Employees
From: John Christie

About a month ago, I spoke to you about the financial state of Central
Maine Newspapers. I explained that when we established the financial goals
for 2008, we recognized this would be a tough year and planned – with the
approval of Blethen Maine Newspapers – to make less money this year than we
did last year.

Despite that very reasonable approach, the year started off behind, with
January results that were discouraging. Although February results were
better, they did not make up for the shortfall in January. Still, we needed
at least one more month’s results before we could project a trend for the
months ahead. It was at that point – when the results of the first two
months were “in the books” – that I spoke with you.

I was asked then if layoffs or other cutbacks were planned. I said, no,
there was no specific plan at that point, but that layoffs were always
possible. I added that we would monitor financial results on a
month-by-month basis and determine at the end of each month whether layoffs
and other expense reductions would be necessary.

March financials are now in and have been reviewed, along with projections
for the rest of the year. They are not good. March revenues were down by 6
percent versus last year and cash flow for the month was 28 percent below
budget. For the first quarter, cash flow was off well more than $100,000
vs. budget and even more than that vs. January-March, 2007.

We cannot sit back and hope things will turn around. We have to take action
now; waiting will just make the hole deeper and require bigger cutbacks.

For that reason, we are today announcing a set of expense reductions,
including some layoffs.

The cutbacks include:

      Layoffs: five full time and four part-time employees. Those affected
         will be notified today and will receive severance payments based
         upon their years of service. The actual number of people affected
         may be smaller because one or two may be able to fill vacancies in
         other, related areas. In most cases (but not all), the layoffs are
         related to a reduction in work in the effected departments. For
         example, there is less commercial print work and fewer classified
         ads and those two areas are among the effected departments.
      Department directors have already or will soon further reduce
         expenses by reorganizing their departments in ways that ensure
         that our work assignments are well aligned with the areas where we
         need to put our best efforts. Some people have already had their
         work assignments modified; others will very soon; and a few
         changes will occur later this year as opportunities arise.

In making these cutbacks, we have been careful not to materially diminish
our service to readers and advertisers. There should be no discernible
difference in our daily and Sunday products.

The reasons for the cutbacks are worth explaining.

First, the expense side:

   Newsprint – the paper we print on – costs a lot more than it did a year
      ago. Between the recent price increases and the ones scheduled for
      the next two months, our costs for newsprint will have risen 15
      percent compared to a year ago.
   Fuel. Our fuel costs include delivery trucks, mileage by reporters,
      photographers, sales representatives, circulation employees and
      contractors and heating oil. Gas is up 18 percent from a year ago;
      diesel and heating oil are up even more.

Second, the revenue side:

   Total advertising revenue is down $70,000 compared to a year ago, mostly
      due to classified and national advertising declines. Retail
      advertising – which comes mostly from local business – is holding
      steady.
   Circulations revenue is down $71,000 vs. last year.
   Commercial print revenue is down $52,000 vs. last year. This is due
      mostly to the Sun-Journal purchasing the Franklin newspapers and
      switching the printing from CMN to their own plant; and other jobs
      switching to presses near their home base in order to reduce
      transportation costs (more fallout from the high price of fuel).

We have avoided layoffs for the past five years, a time when most
newspapers have had multiple layoffs and buyouts. But we could not be
immune forever to the broad forces that caused problems at those
newspapers. Some of those factors, such as a stagnant economy, the cost of
commodities and the effect of the Internet, have damaged our business to
the point that we have to take these regrettable steps or risk having to
take even more drastic steps in the near future.

You will likely wonder if today’s announcement is connected to the fact BMN
is for sale. There is no connection. Declining revenues and rising expenses
would have to be dealt with under any circumstance if we are to sustain our
two newspapers into the future.

Is this the last of the expense cutting for the year? I hope so, but cannot
make a guarantee. Ad revenues, particularly, have become hard to predict.
As I have said all along, we will monitor our finances and make adjustments
as needed.

I thank all of you for your hard work and dedication. That’s what has
allowed us to go this long without major cutbacks and what has allowed us
to keep this reduction narrowly focused.

Keep up the good work, knowing that it is appreciated, especially in these
challenging times to our industry.

4/18/2008 11:45:09 AM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [1] |  

On the heels of several reports that returning service members are reporting high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, Maine Congressman Mike Michaud announced yesterday that he would hold a congressional field hearing in Sanford this Monday to discuss veterans’ health issues. (Sanford Town Hall, 919 Maine St.)

Despite a wealth of available resources, many soldiers do not seek help because they don’t understand the system, or because they are ashamed of their problems. It can be difficult, too, to access resources in a large, rural state like Maine. Monday’s hearing (which US Senate candidate Tom Allen will also attend, shocker) will focus particularly on rural, female, and special-needs veterans.

The more information Michaud collects, the better. After all, the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health (which Michaud chairs) announced earlier this month that “the scientific evidence on treatment modalities for PTSD does not reach the level of certainty that would be desired for such a common and serious condition among veterans. Most studies included in the committee’s review were characterized by methodological limitations, some serious enough to affect confidence in the studies’ results.”

In other words, we’re still not sufficiently prepared to help veterans overcome these serious health issues. And we need to be.

4/18/2008 10:38:06 AM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [0] |  

Since 9 a.m. this morning, Michael Chase and two kindness-cronies have been brightening people's days throughout Southern Maine. Chase, who founded and runs The Kindness Center in Biddeford, was joined by Tracy Chaplin (a neighbor) and Michael Hallahan (his brother-in-law) in his 24-Hour Day of Kindness, which has so far consisted of: handing out flowers and balloons, helping strangers move a heavy washing machine, and visiting schoolchildren in Biddeford.

From left to right, that's Hallahan, Chaplin, and their leader, Chase.



For the remainder of the 24 hours, the gang plans to help out at the Bon Appetit Soup Kitchen in Saco, then make their way into Portland, where they will grill hot dogs and buy coffee for people all night long.

"Nine out of 10 people have been really receptive," Chase said in the parking lot of the Shaw's shopping center in Saco, where he distributed carnations, hugs, and smiles to befuddled passers-by.

"Can I give you a flower to make your day a little brighter?" Chaplin asked a little old lady, who graciously accepted the offering.

At first, people are wary, "wondering what you want," Chase said. But when they realize the kindness is being given for free, they appreciate it.

"That's wicked nice," said a woman named Norma, when Chase offered her a flower outside of a laundromat. "What can we do for you?"

"Just pass it on," Chase answered.

With tears welling in her eyes (literally!), Norma said: "That's inspirational." Then she and Chase hugged.

I plan to meet up with them in town later, so check back for more niceness news.



Like most people, Norma was wary at first.




But she really warmed up to the idea.

4/15/2008 4:51:51 PM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [0] |  

A little less than two weeks after Maine’s State Senate narrowly passed the National Popular Vote Bill – which would guarantee that in presidential elections, the winner of the popular vote gets the majority of Electoral College votes – the state House has struck it down.

For decades, Maine has had an innovate (and unique) system for proportionately distributing its electoral votes; the National Popular Vote Bill would have gone a step further by strictly tying electoral votes to the people’s will.

The bill would have gone into effect as soon as “states possessing a majority of the electoral votes—that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538),” had signed on, according to National Popular Vote, Inc., a California-based organization. I guess Maine won’t contribute to that majority.

4/14/2008 4:50:49 PM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [0] |  

Don’t be surprised if someone pays your toll, tips you extra-well, or gives you an unexpected hand with the groceries tomorrow – it’s Michael Chase’s “Day of Kindness,” and he has his sights set on all of Southern Maine.

For 24 hours (Tuesday into Wednesday), Chase, founder of the Biddeford-based Kindness Center, will roam through Portland, Saco, Scarborough, and Biddeford doing nice things for people.

“It’s going to be absolutely crazy,” he said on the phone last week, excitedly anticipating the experiment. “I’m an inspirational type of teacher,” he continued, who wants his students to realize: “When you are living a life of kindness, you simply cannot feel depressed, unhappy. I want it to be contagious.”

Chase likens his teachings to those espoused in The Secret, a 2006 film (and later, a popular book) that suggests we can shape our lives and get what we want using thoughts, energies, and creative visualizations.

He’s already recruited some thoughtful elves to help in tomorrow’s endeavor (I’ll be with him for part of the day too). If you want to be a rogue kindness warrior, or just want some tips on how to make people smile, check out Chase’s 100+ ideas here.  

4/14/2008 3:06:44 PM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [0] |  

There are a few things you should know before the weekend begins, in addition to the impending return of Granny's Burritos, which we told you about earlier today:

News: The unionized employees of the Blethen Maine Newspapers had previously said they were considering trying to buy the papers (the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, the Augusta-based Kennebec Journal, and the Waterville-based Morning Sentinel). They have officially launched their effort, including a Web site where they are seeking financial backers to support the union's efforts.

Art: It must be video-contest month. Both the AFL-CIO and the Maine Association of Realtors have announced cash prizes for creating good videos. To win the AFL-CIO's top prize of $1000, make a video on the theme "Turn Around America," trying to build grassroots momentum for elected leaders whose policies focus on workers. To win the Realtors' top prize - $20,000 (now we're talking!) - make a video about why you want to own a "piece of Maine" - by which they mean buy a house. (If you own a house, tell 'em why you love it - and don't be shy about admitting it can no longer be because of the great resale value!)

Event: Maine's Green Party is hosting a showing of American Blackout, a documentary about Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney's efforts to figure out what went wrong with the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. (We're assuming the movie is short.) McKinney is seeking the Green Party's nomination for president. It's at 7 pm at the Meg Perry Center, 644 Congress St, Portland, and costs $5. We're not sure if McKinney ever came to Maine, but also-seeking-the-Green-nomination Jesse Johnson from West Virginia did, a couple months back, and stopped by the Portland Phoenix office for a brief chat. He was very nice, fairly predictable in terms of issues, and energetic. (And he became the only candidate I've ever met, in more than a decade of interviewing candidates, who ever sent me a thank-you note after a sit-down interview.)

Other brief tidbits:

-Portland-based Shipyard Brewing Company was named the 15th-largest craft brewing beer by 2007 sales volume by the national Brewers Association. When the list expands to include all US brewing companies, Shipyard moves down a little (gotta make room for the big guys, like Anheuser-Busch) to be the 27-largest US brewing company by 2007 sales volume. It's the only Maine brewer on either list.

-Portland Stage Company just got a $25,000 federal grant (from the National Endowment for the Arts) to perform Julius Caesar for students who have previously had little exposure to professional theater.

 

4/11/2008 5:00:16 PM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [0] |  

Wausau Paper company announced earlier today that it is laying off 40 workers at its Jay mill. Chalk it up as another success of Maine's corporate-tax break system, which we profiled in Lance Tapley's story "Tax Break Heaven," back in February.

Specifically, Wausau got a $593,942 refund of its business-equipment property taxes in fiscal 2007. Back in 2004, the company got $163,710 "double-dip," meaning a "reimbursement" from the state for local property taxes the company never actually paid. (2004 is the most recent year for which double-dip numbers are available.)

Too bad all those handouts from the state - which state officials and business lobbyists say are needed to keep Mainers working - couldn't keep 40 people employed. Who's next?


-Thanks to contributing writer Lance Tapley for being quick on the numbers.

4/11/2008 1:40:29 PM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [0] |  

The reports are true – much-mourned Granny's Burritos will be revived, in the space formerly known as Uncle Billy's Resto-Bar. Owners Chris Godin and Jonathan St. Laurent are teaming up to resuscitate Granny’s, which closed suddenly in December.

“We’ve had a tough winter here,” admits Uncle Billy’s owner and local restaurateur St. Laurent, amidst the chaos and debris of a quasi-renovation (the restaurant’s general layout and décor is staying the same). “My whole operation had never really gotten going here,” he adds of the 653 Congress St. location.

Enter Godin, and the culinary collaboration that germinated over the winter. “This guy’s got a good thing,” St. Laurent says. “We’re doing it together, but I’m letting him run his concept.”

BBQ lovers, take heart – Uncle Billy’s isn’t disappearing, it’ll just take the back seat for a while. St. Laurent plans on doing some summer catering. Mouth-watering favorites like the poutine (a Quebec classic made of fries, beef gravy, and fresh curd cheese) will stay on the menu – and the jukebox and liquor license are staying put too.

Godin and St. Laurent hope that the new eatery will have a “soft opening” as early as next week.

4/11/2008 12:24:06 PM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [0] |  

A note to my colleagues in other media outlets: We — that is, you — need to start calling  Michael Heath what he is, and has always been: the venomous leader of a fringe hate group.

He is not the "executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine," even if that's what it says on his business card (and I don't know whether it actually does or doesn't).

He has repeatedly spouted his vitriolic, uninformed, irrational hate for gays, lesbians, and transgendered people, and has even sometimes gotten that hate transformed into a question on a statewide ballot.

He took a break for a while, deciding to oppose gambling, but his most recent action demonstrates what a charade that was.

Despite being roundly defeated every time he has tried to deprive Mainers of human rights, he's trying again. It's obvious that last time, the "Maine Won't Discriminate" campaign seized on an excellent name for their effort - no matter how filled with intolerance, Heath clearly knew he couldn't become the "No, You're Wrong - Maine WILL Discriminate" campaign.

What slogan is he going to try this time? "Bring Back Bigotry"?

If you really want to read some of his ill-informed hate speech, click here, but don't say you weren't warned.

UPDATE: And now, an experiment in crowd-sourcing. Below are links to the three most recent CCL IRS Form 990 filings, which are required for the type of organization the CCL is - it's a 501(c)4, if you must know. Anyway, post to the comments (or e-mail to me) interesting findings and conclusions you see in these records, which are public documents, and which I downloaded for free from GuideStar.org (a great place to get financial info on any non-profit/tax-exempt organization).

CCL-2004.pdf (702.47 KB)
CCL-2005.pdf (589.04 KB)
CCL-2006.pdf (616.52 KB)

4/10/2008 1:48:43 PM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [0] |  

Seattle Times president/publisher Frank Blethen (still the owner of the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, the Kennebec Journal, and the Central Maine Morning Sentinel, though not for long) found himself in some sort of mind warp earlier today, according to a story on Editor & Publisher's Web site.

Blethen was arguing not for family ownership of newspapers, as he has done for decades, but, suddenly, for local ownership, even saying saying he would "rather have a crummy paper owned locally than a supposedly good paper owned in absentia."

Of course, he was referring to his family's flagship property in Seattle, where he and almost the entire Blethen family lives. But think about that statement in relation to the papers the family owns in Maine.

There has been plenty of fire directed at the Press Herald and the Blethens in general since they bought the paper 10 years ago, for being absentee owners, for being disconnected, for bringing in non-Mainers to run the place. But the Blethens and their proxies in Maine have always defended themselves by saying family ownership was best, and harping on the Blethens' commitment to strong journalism.

Now, though, the patriarch of the family is reversing himself, and admitting at least the possibility that a "crummy" owner who is local would do better than a "supposedly good" owner elsewhere.

Of course, he has already put the Maine papers up for sale. And the Maine papers have laid off people (though not nearly as many as the Seattle Times just did). And the Press Herald's newsstand price went up 25 percent a couple weeks back, from 60 cents to 75, in the same week the paper slashed the space allocated to news.

So perhaps Blethen is trying to have it both ways, becoming a "crummy" owner-from-away, and hoping that a "supposedly good" local owner will spring up. We shall see.

In other Seattle Times/Blethen/Press Herald news:

-City editor Andrew Russell (or whatever his new title is) announced at the end of March (in his only blog post of the month) that the newsroom is being reorganized, away from the "traditional" beat structure, where a reporter has a subject-area of expertise, like city politics, or public safety. Word is that the ideas being batted around leave out a few things we might think are important. We're still seeking specifics on that, and will get back to you when we've got 'em.

-Frank Blethen will step down from his post as the top man at the Seattle Times in 2015. Of course, by then, no Mainers will care, because he won't have been involved in newspapers here for seven years (if all goes according to his plan to sell the Maine papers by the end of this year). But when the Seattle Times is on the run, they're really on the run - laying off people, selling papers, and even their fearless leader is planning an exit strategy. It doesn't help things that he apparently believes (having told E&P so, anyway) that by the time he's done, "we will have the difficult part out of the way." Surely nothing could happen between now and then to surprise anyone.

-The good folks at Crosscut Seattle, whom I will stretch and call my colleagues-in-fascination-with-all-things-Blethen, have put out a really fascinating four-part series of the financial crisis facing the Seattle Times. (Here are Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.) As I mentioned above, much of this won't matter to us Mainers, though some of it may have a bearing on the price the Blethens seek (or get) for the Maine publications. But there is one parallel I found interesting, though not really surprising: The Seattle Times's coverage territory once expanded well into the suburbs and met many news consumers' needs for daily information. But when faced with budget problems, the Times contracted, leaving unmet demand behind. Sound familiar?

 

 

4/9/2008 3:48:39 PM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [0] |  

Seen this afternoon in Monument Square:

4/9/2008 12:19:08 PM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [0] |  

With the American public-at-large already suffering from a bit of campaign fatigue, I was both surprised and not to hear that the League of Young Voters had scheduled a legislative candidate debate for last night. Surprised that we’re already focusing on state house races, not surprised because, well, election cycles are year-long affairs these days.

 

Regardless, last night’s debates -- between candidates running for state representative (of Districts 114 and 120) and state senator (District 8) -- offered a good introduction to the upcoming races.

 

First up were the candidates for state rep – Justin Costa v. Peter Stuckey for D114 (part of Portland that includes the islands and off-peninsula), and Ed Democracy and Diane Russell-Natera for D120 (the Old Port and the East End). Each candidate answered questions from the sponsoring organizations – the League, USM PIRG, and the Portland Community Television Network – as well as questions from the audience. Later, the three candidates running to represent Portland in the state senate followed the same debate format.

 

Here are some initial impressions.

The District 114 race will be one of upstart idealism (Costa) versus older wisdom (Stuckey). Don't they look like grandpa and grandson?

 

 

(Sorry so dark.) Democracy said he and Russell-Natera have pledged to make theirs a campaign of issues.

 

 

From left to right, Cliff Ginn (a founder of Opportunity Maine), Anne Rand (a small-business owner and state legislator), and Justin Alfond (who founded the Maine branch of the League, and served as its director for four years).

 

Rand, who’s already served several terms in the State House, had best not sit back and expect her experience to speak for her. Both Alfond and Ginn are slick, smart politicians, who know what to say, and when to say it.

4/9/2008 10:37:39 AM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [0] |  

If you care about the environment and like free booze (two traits with which I am quite sympathetic), put tomorrow night's Portland Greendrinks happy hour on your calendar. The event, dreamt up by recent transplant Elliott May, takes place at a different commercial establishment on the SECOND Tuesday of every month, and it's aim is simple: "good times shared among people working in, or interested in, environmental and sustainability issues (with good conversation, food and beverages guaranteed)!"

Tomorrow night's Greendrinks (the second-ever; last month's inaugural event attracted more than 100 people) will take place from 5:30-8 at Maple's Organic Desserts in the Videoport/Bull Moose plaza. It's co-hosted by the Sunrise Guide.

4/7/2008 9:30:51 AM by Deirdre Fulton | Comments [0] |  

The Citizens Against Government Waste report on government pork-barrel spending for 2007 is out. The searchable 2008 Pig Book reveals that Maine received $29,521,533 in pork projects. The largest was a $9.7 million allocation for a "consolidated emergency control center" at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard — an amount backed by Republican US Senator Susan Collins. The smallest project was a $16,000 surveillance project by the US Army Corps of Engineers in the "Northern Boundary Waters" of Maine, money sought by no members of Maine's Congressional delegation.

Many of the projects were backed by more than one member of Maine's DC representatives, but we've listed here each member's total pork distributed nationwide (and the largest and smallest projects), plus each member's total pork brought home to Maine (and the largest and smallest projects here).

Among the observations we have so far are these:

Our delegation likes war. Three of the four of them backed a $10 million allocation into the XM312 heavy machine gun (described in Infantry Magazine in November 2007, and with more info from GlobalSecurity.org) - including Democratic 1st District US Representative Tom Allen, who is running on an anti-Iraq-war platform in his challenge to Republican US Senator Susan Collins, who partnered with him and fellow GOP senator Olympia Snowe to back the spending.

Only Democratic 2nd District US Representative Michael Michaud liked other things more - his largest pork project was a $4.8 million allocation to research ways to use wood and wood products. But he doesn't get off so easily, having joined with all the other three to support giving $4 million to the University of Maine to research ways to bullet-proof tents and other temporary shelters in combat zones.

All of them supported more, and bigger, pork-barrel projects outside the state than inside it. Democratic US Representative Tom Allen was the worst offender, with only 18.6 percent of his total pork actually coming to Maine. Next was Democratic US Representative Michael Michaud, who got 24.2 percent of his total pork back home. Then came Republican US Senator Olympia Snowe, with 25.1 percent of her bacon actually making it to Maine. Doing her best for Maine was Collins, with 31.2 percent of her total pork coming to Maine.

Even so, at least two-thirds, if not four-fifths, of pork-barrel projects supported by Maine representatives, went elsewhere. But what's the point of bringing home the bacon, if the bacon actually ends up somewhere else? If politicians are going to engage in pork-barrel politics (a decision we question), shouldn't they at least make sure their constituents are benefiting?

US Senator Susan Collins (R)

Nationwide pork total — $81,252,412

Largest project anywhere in the country — $10 million for Army research into the XM312, "the machine gun of the future"

Smallest projects anywhere in the country — see "Smallest Maine projects" below

Maine pork total — $25,340,553

Largest Maine project — $9,700,000 for a consolidated emergency control center at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Smallest Maine projects — $97,000 for each of the following:

         -Fish River Rural Health, Eagle Lake, for construction, renovation, and equipment;

         -Maine Alliance for Arts Education, Augusta, for the Complete Education for Rural Students Project;

         -First Book, Washington, for the Maine Literacy Initiative for Low-Income Children;

         -Jeremiah Cromwell Disabilities Center, Portland, for awareness training for students;

         -Community Counseling Center, Portland, for the expansion of the Greater Portland Trauma Assistance Network;

         -Spurwink Services, New Gloucester, for child mental health service;

         -Waldo County Preschool & Family Services, Belfast, for the Maine Early Language and Literacy Initiative;

         -Maine Lighthouse Corporation, Bar Harbor, for the Therapeutic Community for the Substance Abuse Treatment Project

 

US Senator Olympia Snowe (R)

Nationwide pork total — $62,372,532

Largest project anywhere in the country — $10 million for Army research into the XM312, "the machine gun of the future"

Smallest projects anywhere in the country — see "Smallest Maine projects" below

Maine pork total — $15,640,553

Largest Maine project — $1,837,500 for Swan's Island Ferry Facilities

Smallest Maine projects — $97,000 for each of the following:

         -Fish River Rural Health, Eagle Lake, for construction, renovation, and equipment;

         -Maine Alliance for Arts Education, Augusta, for the Complete Education for Rural Students Project;

         -First Book, Washington, for the Maine Literacy Initiative for Low-Income Children;

         -Jeremiah Cromwell Disabilities Center, Portland, for awareness training for students;

         -Community Counseling Center, Portland, for the expansion of the Greater Portland Trauma Assistance Network;

         -Spurwink Services, New Gloucester, for child mental health service;

         -Waldo County Preschool & Family Services, Belfast, for the Maine Early Language and Literacy Initiative;

         -Maine Lighthouse Corporation, Bar Harbor, for the Therapeutic Community for the Substance Abuse Treatment Project

US Representative Tom Allen (D-1st District)

Nationwide pork total — $38,317,537

Largest project anywhere in the country — $10 million for Army research into the XM312, "the machine gun of the future"

Smallest project anywhere in the country — $73,000 for Cross City, Dixie County, Florida, for facilities and equipment for the primary care faciltiy

Maine pork total — $7,125,453

Largest Maine project — $1,600,000 for Army research into the Ripsaw Unmanned Ground Vehicle Weaponization

Smallest Maine project — $97,000 for Spurwink Services, New Gloucester, for child mental health service

US Representative Michael Michaud (D-2nd District)

Nationwide pork total — $17,652,948

Largest project anywhere in the country — $4,840,875 for research into Wood Utilization in Arkansas, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, and West Virginia

Smallest projects anywhere in the country — see "Smallest Maine projects" below

Maine pork total — $4,278,205

Largest Maine project (other than some portion of the nationwide Wood Utilization research money) — $885,600 for the Greenville Steam Efficiency Project (in addition to some portion of the nationwide Wood Utilization research money)

Smallest Maine projects — $97,000 for Fish River Rural Health, Eagle Lake, for construction, renovation, and equipment

 

4/3/2008 11:13:07 AM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [0] |  

Not long ago, we told you about the Perfect Woman Project, in which Delia W. Oman (not her real name) is transforming herself into one man's ideal mate. The winner was chosen in February, and Delia has until mid-April to effect her transformation.

We caught up via email with 30-year-old Alan, who lives in California and will travel about 400 miles (on Delia's tab) to meet his dream girl -- or, at least, Delia's approximation of her -- on April 29 (interested parties will be able to watch the dates online).

PHX: How did you hear about the Perfect Woman Project? What was your initial impression?
Alan: I saw an ad on the dating site, plentyoffish.com, in one of the forum sections.  I felt really curious about it, at first thinking that it would lead to a hyperlink to some webpage that asked a bunch of questions, processed the data and then popped out a response of who my perfect woman would be.

PHX: Why did you decide to enter? How much time did you put into writing your submission?
Alan: I figured it would be fun and interesting to find out how the transformation process would work, as well as to date someone. Was it going to be a celebrity, a psychologist, sociologist, or an everyday person like myself?  How would she do it-- character makeup and prosthesis? Have a general idea of the persona and spontaneously improvise the character? I thought that it would be nice for someone to try to be someone I described, if just for a few dates. I didn't realize the extent to which Delia was willing to go in order to change and the toll it would take on her, although she assured me that there wouldn't be too much change and hopefully if things get too rough she can go back to being her previous self, if even just temporarily. I honestly don't remember how long I spent on my submission.  I'll guess 30

PHX: If you don't mind me asking, what's your romantic history (in a nutshell)?
Alan: In a nutshell, I'll have to say it's pretty nutty (pun intended). Actually I don't have much of a romantic history except for a few dates and some relationships that didn't work out.

PHX: Your description really runs the gamut, from superficial to deep. Are there some criteria that you care more about than others?
Alan: What'