Are Western intelligence services—primarily America’s—stupid or is North Korea a convenient toreador’s cape for problems so enormous the Trump administration and the Congress cannot begin to handle them? Look at history. Why did the most powerful nation on earth in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy backed down the Soviets during the Cuban Missile Crisis […]

“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.” Soren Kierkegaard Summer is done and the silent beauty and peaceful surroundings of autumn creep in. These times overlap and blend together along the magnificent Maine coast – forest, rock, sea, ocean and farming. Nature speaks to our senses without ceasing. Look at […]

We are about to start talking about the Vietnam War again. Not because of events in Korea, another divided Asian country, but because filmmaker Ken Burns has produced a major series of programs on that historically divisive conflict. Many Americans are unfamiliar with this war, though its effects continue to be felt in our public […]

I’ll never forget when prominent local car dealer Adam Lee spent a day with us at the Legislature. He said to me, “Marty, skilled automotive technicians are making twice as much as engineers right out of school.” Now, I’m an engineer. So maybe I was a little offended by that. But it turns out it’s […]

One of the most famous opening lines in literature comes from Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina: “All happy families are like one another; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Great literature causes us to think and ponder; it directs us to the significant questions of life. As such, it might have multiple meanings at […]

The eyes have had it. Literally. Last month my children and I went for our annual ocular examinations. The young Youngs passed all their tests with flying colors. Their father, however, didn’t fare so well. My left (good) eye sees things at a visual acuity of 20-30, which all things considered isn’t bad for a […]

As regular visitors from Canada and now competitors in your beautiful area,  we just can’t speak highly enough for how Old Orchard Beach (and the entire connected areas) was represented through the recent Ironman Maine 70.3 triathlon event.   I’m not sure if area residents know the outstanding level of quality and experience the organizing […]

Thank you Saco for banning plastic bags and helping our environment. And thanks to Hannafords for quickly changing to paper bags. But Shaws — so we were never told — have permission to continue with plastic until their supply is gone — who knows when that will be? So if you are a Shaws shopper, […]

Since 2000, conservatism has been in retreat. For those who believe in limited government, freedom, the rule of law, secure borders, lawful immigration, traditional values and a restrained foreign policy, the past two decades show very little accomplishment. We have now elected three presidents since then and yet the federal government continues to grow, agencies […]