Hi there from the land of Zip Code 04074. Big week with local elections, high school sports playoffs, and the silliest custom/law in the Western Hemisphere Daylight Savings Time, turn clocks back (guys, let’s just decide on what it will look like at 6 a.m. and at 6 p.m., and stick with it, OK?!).

Once around the horn with news items and keen insights today:

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

I don’t mean to be unkind, but what is it with people and running for U.S. Senate or governor nowadays?! The latest person to breathe new life into the phrase, Overestimating One’s Value to Society, is the former head of the ACLU in Maine. I won’t say his name or her name. This is not designed to be personal or ad hominem. But this person has just announced candidacy for U.S. Senate. What causes some people, with zero political experience, and stature that has left me unbowled over anyway, to look in the mirror in the morning as they brush their teeth and say, “That is a U.S. Senator I see staring back at me!”

Red Sox Win

The biggest highlight for me (an Orioles fan) this year concerning the Red Sox’ success was that, due to the Sox’ good season, in July, the phone callers on Boston sports talk radio were calling about baseball. In summer 2012 when the Red Sox were horrible, and Bobby Valentine was perpetrating his “can of smooth” operation in the dugout, and beer and chicken wings were apparently being consumed during the game by players, the phone calls were not baseball. They were often from “Kevin from Malden” and dealt with whether the Pats were deep enough, with three or four players, at left offensive tackle.

Thank you, Sox. And congratulations, John Farrell!

Just Like the Grownups Do It

I spend a fair amount of time driving around Scarborough and South Portland. In the land of Zip Code 04074, I saw a bunch of lawn signs favoring a candidate named Jean Marie Caterina for Town Council on lawns. Ditto a guy named Tom Blake in SP. I am guessing the issue of the Current that contains this column will also contain stories about those two winning their elections.

Deadbeat Patrol

There has been a bill in the Legislature this fall dealing with public assistance only going to people who can prove they are fervently job hunting. My impression – am I wrong? – is that some people in Augusta think people on the dole are deadbeats. In l984, I had a similar bill in the Legislature when I represented Scarborough in the House of Representatives. My bill said people could only get welfare if they were willing to do work for the municipality that was paying them for public assistance. It was called “workfare instead of welfare.” I had the bill in because I thought people on welfare WOULD work let’s give them a chance to prove it.

Towns and cities and their lobbyists killed the bill.

They were worried about people doing such work and getting injured.

Who Does Your Hair? (My Teammates!)

A trend in high school youth sports the past 10 years has players on teams in playoffs getting their heads shaved, etc., as a bonding exercise. Good or bad? I like it. In this put-my-head-down-stare-at-MY-personal-cell-phone-all-day-to-see-who-is-texting-ME-right-now, I am in favor of anything that makes young people realize they are part of something bigger than themselves.

Questions now come up about peer pressure, lack of free choice, is Johnny being “hazed.” Legitimate questions? Or yuppie helicopter parenting in overdrive?

Best 100-word answer will be published and win a 12 oz. Diet Moxie, in a can, slightly chilled (Respond to jonesandwarren@gmail.com).

That is all. Class dismissed. Single file out of the classroom please.

Dan Warren lives in Scarborough. His email address is: jonesandwarren@gmail.com.