I was so saddened and disappointed to learn Edgar Allen Beem no longer appears in The Forecaster. The paper has been a wonderful source of local news and happenings since we moved to the Midcoast, just as a local weekly had been a similar source where we previously lived. The Forecaster was far superior because […]
The Universal Notebook
Posted inThe Forecaster
Letter: Trump speaks for those who don’t dare speak for themselves
This is meant to be a friendly message to Mr. Beem in regard to his question, how can an active duty military person or veteran support Trump (“Veterans for Trump?”, Aug. 28)? I am a great fan of his, but feel that his question might be a tiny bit disingenuous. I am a 71-year-old woman […]
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Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: COVID civic corrective?
An article about Lisbon, Portugal, in the Aug. 17 New York Magazine made me think about Maine in general and Portland in particular. It seems that between one-third and one-half of working class housing in some parts of Lisbon have been converted to hostels, hotels and Airbnbs, driving local people out of the city. Sound […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion
The Universal Notebook: Veterans for Trump?
A few weeks back I saw a car at an ice cream stand with a Go Army sticker and a Trump-Pence sticker. I wanted to ask the driver how anyone in the military could support a draft dodger like Trump, but I didn’t want to disrespect the elderly vet. How any active duty military or […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: America needs a sabbatical
In my Aug. 4 column, I urged that schools remain closed until the coronavirus pandemic is over. Teachers shouldn’t have to risk their lives and parents shouldn’t be caught between worries about the health of their children and the need to get back to work. But if your primary interest in education is child care, […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: Being and nothingness
The recent hot spell may partly explain why I find myself in such a listless state of mind lately. I was going to write about some pressing issue of the day, such as whether the United States can recover from another four years of Donald Trump (A: Not in my lifetime.), but that will have […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: Closed until further notice
Schools all over the state are wrestling with the question of whether and how to reopen this fall. Let me make it simple for them. Don’t. Maine public school systems have been working on contingency plans geared to the state’s designating communities as green (OK to return to in-person instruction), yellow (best to try hybrid […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: Preferred gender pronoun primer
Though I have written for publication since 1965, I had never run into the use of gender-neutral pronouns until a couple of weeks ago and then I blew it. To begin with, I was not told that the subject of my article used “they/them/theirs,” not “she/her/hers,” but when we did try to make the requested […]
Posted inLakes Region Weekly
Letter: Founding fathers knew change would be necessary
I am extremely disappointed with Edgar Allen Beem’s remarks in his July 17 article, “America makes a correction.” His comments highlight a fundamental difference I have when assessing and commenting on the founders and our U.S. Constitution. Mr. Beem says: “All of the founding fathers were racists and sexists, otherwise Black citizens and women wouldn’t […]
Posted inThe Forecaster
Letter: Beem may hate policies more than the president
One thing you have to say about Edgar Allen Beem, he is consistent and unflagging in his hatred for Donald Trump and any who dare to support him. His self righteousness is sorely offended that anyone would dare to challenge his political views (July 9, “What do Trump-Pence signs mean?”). Ed throws half-truths around like […]