Al Pacino, in the film version of Glengarry Glen Ross, sat in a bar and said, “Our life is looking forward or looking back. That’s it. Where is the moment?“ Good philosophical advice. We can’t alter the past and we can’t see the future, so we should maximize the present moment. Live in it. Draw satisfaction […]

The Biden campaign is floundering — directionless, unable to formulate a coherent second term vision and battered by a series of national polls that place his public standing at historic low levels for an incumbent president seeking re-election. Bidenomics, the president’s economic policy once heavily touted as the centerpiece of his administration, was a monumental […]

THE CONVERSATION — With 13 Oscars nominations and seven wins — including best picture — “Oppenheimer” was the star of the 96th Academy Awards. Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster, which told the story of the making of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, added to its awards season haul that includes five Golden Globes and seven BAFTA […]

THE CONVERSATION — In the weeks since the Alabama Supreme Court held that embryos are “unborn children” under one state law, most attention has been focused on in vitro fertilization – whether the decision imperils parents’ attempts to create a family. On March 6, 2024, Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation to shield IVF providers from legal […]

In medieval times, kings had court jesters who could give them serious warnings or advice, candy-coated with humor. America may now have its own court jester: Jon Stewart on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.” Perhaps he’s worth our attention, even when it concerns a subject as difficult as the Gaza War. Israel exists in a […]

Tina and I recently went to TJ Maxx to buy underwear. She picked out hers, I picked out mine, and we went to the counter. I told the young woman behind the register that we were buying “unmentionables.” She didn’t smile. We got home, and I discovered that my four pairs of underwear had no […]

There’s a dear friend in my life, a publicist, a man I’ll call “T” who has very famous clients, a good man, smart, well connected. We chat via email just to say hello, for him to give me some great inside dish, and for us to get caught up on wuzzup with our respective lives. […]

During a time when our state is facing a significant workforce shortage and an aging population, we cannot afford to allow unnecessary barriers and criticisms to get in the way of people who want to contribute to our economy. In 2019, a 10-year economic development plan for Maine highlighting our workforce challenges estimated the state […]

Four months ago, I began a new position as community navigator at The Gathering Place, a day shelter in Brunswick. My first impression of this welcoming environment was one of compassion and giving. The staff and volunteers had nurtured a safe, secure social atmosphere that was inclusive of all people. I had not known that […]