All of the Democratic presidential primary candidates had issues, but I was surprised when, in the end, I settled on Joe Biden, Good Old Joe. And what it came down to was a desire for normalcy. I know Joe has said and done some stupid things, but I found that in the end I did […]
The Universal Notebook
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: Should Mike Bloomberg exist?
“Mayor Bloomberg, should you exist?” asked political reporter Chuck Todd. “I can’t speak for all billionaires,” Michael Bloomberg replied. “All I know is, I’ve been very lucky, made a lot of money and I’m giving it away to make this country better.” Billionaires justify their existences by giving their billions away. That seems to be the prevailing ethic among the very rich. […]
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Posted inForecaster Opinion
Here’s Something: 2020 is a year for anniversaries
This year is shaping up to be quite a year for anniversaries. The oldest anniversary we’ll mark this year is the landing of the Pilgrims in Plymouth 400 years ago. An estimated 35 million Americans can trace their lineage to the Mayflower. The U.S. Mint will release a coin to mark the occasion, and the United […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: Susan Collins must go
The short answer to why Sen. Susan Collins must go is that Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell must go and she is one of their chief enablers. In order to restore the democratic rule of law, it is absolutely imperative that we replace the tyrant Trump and the obstructionist McConnell with elected officials who will […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
The Universal Notebook: Writing as an art is too politically correct
As a white Anglo-Saxon protestant heterosexual male I understand that I am the oppressor. Being an unrepentant liberal, I therefore do my best to support non-white, LGBTQ people and women and try to be sensitive to the issues they face. I do my best to be tolerant of all but the most intolerant, but I […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: USM lives in the shadow of UNE and now Northeastern
A who’s who of Maine business, education and political leaders gathered at the Ocean Gateway terminal in Portland Jan. 27 for the announcement that Lewiston native and hi tech entrepreneur David Roux and his wife Barbara are donating $100 million to create the Roux Institute at Northeastern University, a graduate and research program in Portland […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Letter: Is Edgar off the beam on NECEC?
Why do we support the New England Clean Energy Connect project? Because today’s climate crisis is the greatest threat to the health of the planet. If we do not take sensible and sometimes controversial action, it will soon be too late to avoid catastrophic impacts to the natural world that we have spent our careers protecting. […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: Living among the dead
When my high school buddies Roland and Earl and I go out to lunch each week, we keep a photograph of our late, great friend Christopher clipped to the passenger side visor. Chris may be gone, but he is with us always. We even pretend that he didn’t die, feigning indignation that he hasn’t been […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: CMP project supported by old guard ‘environmentalists’
Ten “Maine environmental leaders” signed on to a full-page ad last week endorsing the New England Clean Energy Connect project, Central Maine Power’s bid to transfer Hydro-Quebec electricity from Canada through Maine to Boston. Like everyone who opposes NECEC, I was deeply saddened to see these former leaders attach their names to such a problematic […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
The Universal Notebook: Foreign policy follies
The media is saturated these days with know-nothing talking heads pontificating about the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. So let’s start by stipulating that most of us know little or nothing about foreign policy … and that includes Donald J. Trump. As private citizens, we want to believe that those in […]