O n the 75th anniversary of Social Security, its trustees report that program remains strong, despite a demographic problem that may strain its resources in the next quarter-century. The forecast makes the following points: ”“ The program is likely have the  resources to pay full benefits through 2037. ”“ Social Security trust funds have risen […]

Worldwide, the percentage of women-to-men is 49-to-51. Yet, as Kristof and WuDunn document, every year two million young girls and women simply vanish. In some cultures girl babies are valued less than boy babies. For example, in China 100,000 girls die from neglect and outright abandonment. Rumors of this were whispered during the 1950s and […]

Thumbs down to Kennebunk selectmen for refusing to adopt a Property Assessed Clean Energy ordinance in time for voters to have a say on it in November. Even if the board and residents eventually do approve an ordinance, they may find that all the PACE money is gone by the time they can access it. […]

After concluding that California’s Proposition 8 is unconstitutional, Judge Vaughn Walker now appears willing to order California to resume issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. After his clear conclusion that the voter-approved ban amounted to unlawful discrimination, it’s hard to see how he could do otherwise. Like other judges who have reviewed statutes defining marriage […]

In a footnote to one of the many misadventures of the George W. Bush administration, a prosecutor last month concluded that his attorney general and Justice Department committed no crime in firing nine U.S attorneys. Fair enough. Former attorney general Alberto Gonzales and his aides, and political advisor Karl Rove, need not worry about a […]

The question was simple enough. A friend asked for information about the waterfront house that I had rented for vacation. My answer was equally simple ”“ in a word, “no.” Not that I needed to be so blunt; luckily my friend had thought to ask whether I considered the house a private find. In fact, […]

The $26 billion jobs bill signed by President Obama Tuesday addresses key economic concerns for Maine and states across the  nation. It provides $10 billion to school districts for teachers’ salaries, reducing the pressure for layoffs before the start off the school year. It also  distributes an additional $16 billion in Medicaid funds, bolstering state […]

There are great opportunities with today’s fast Internet connections and smart phone knowledge in this post recessionary economy. An innovative e-commerce entrepreneur can run a business from his or her own home, without paying any overhead rent. Now is time to reboot and reinvent the way to do businesses on the Internet, whether it is […]

Sen. Susan Collins recently secured approval from the Senate Appropriations Committee for $10 million for deepwater offshore wind research, an appropriation that should be approved by the full Senate. Wind energy should be part of our future. That ought to be clear as the U.S. works to clean up millions of gallons of crude oil […]

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard will formally welcome a new era, for which it has long been preparing, when the USS Virginia arrives in September for refitting. It’s the first of the Navy’s new line of attack submarines to undergo a major overhaul, and it will be serviced in a drydock that has been reconstructed to accommodate […]