A Gator in Maine

Memories of a Vacation Blizzard

2012-02-20T06:19:00.002-05:00

This President's Week school vacation week is a huge contrast to one I remember 60 years ago. This week's mid-week weather forecast caught my attention Sunday morning. It said our area of Maine could hit 50 degrees Wednesday, but that number was reduced by a couiple of degrees by Monday morning. That's what it said Sunday morning. Even thinking about 50 degrees in February in Maine is sort of incomprehensible.

February is considered by many as the year's snowiest month. And with snow usually comes cold temperatures. There are many indications this February won't quite live up to the month's reputation. It seems a litle strange, though, that in February we in our part of the state have to be told that there is snow cover in the western Maine mountains and up north and ski areas are operating as usual this school holiday week. I'm not a skier, but some I know tell me it is difficult to look outside around this part of the state and see relatively bare ground and hear of potential 50 degree weather to get excited about heading for the slopes. So, the reminder, there is good skiing in Maine this school vacation week. You just have to drive a bit to get to it.

That wasn't the case 60 years ago. I was an high school student in 1952 and, like most students at the time and I understand today as well, I looked forward to those "no school storm days." But that year, the snows blew in the weekend that started vacation week. It snowed. And snowed. And snowed. It resulted in Greater Portland's worst blizzard in my memory, and some say the worst ever.

Our family home was directly across the street from a field and the winds packed us in. The snow was so deep we had to use the upstairs windows to get out and slide down that packed snow to the ground. We finally were able to shovel a tunnel from the driveway into the back door. It took "forever," but we eventually did get the driveway shoveled. We didn't have a snow blower back then and so that storm resulted in one mighty "back breaking" chore.

I'm not sure just why the driveway was so important to get cleared because there was no way to get a car out of it. The street on which we lived was so deep in snow that the city's plows couldn't touch it. They didn't even bother to try. However, getting that driveway cleared of snow was the beginning of what has become an important part of every storm we've had since. I still take great pride in getting my driveway free and clear following a snowstorm.

By mid week we ran out of heating oil. My dad did have a guarantee delivery system, but no oil truck could make it down the street. I pitied the poor delivery guy. He had two five or ten (one memory that fails me) gallon containers which he lugged several times as he plodded to our house. It must have been a miserable time going a block through waist or higher deep packed drifts, but he got enough oil into the tank to run the furnace for a few days.

My dad was a partner in a business and he had to go there during the week to check on it. I went with him one time as we donned snow shoes and skis to make the long trek in the snow. I wasn't used to using either so a trek that in the summer might take a half hour took us several hours in both directions. To say I was "pooped" by the time we got home would be a big understatement.

By mid week, we heard a loud roar outside and looked to see a huge military machine plowing our street. Even that powerful land mover was working with difficulty moving the now self-packed, wet snow. But when it finished, we were free at last and able to once again to use our car for travel around the city. Of course there were another few days of getting the plow banks cleared up and the porches cleared for safe use, but it had been a storm for the memory of a lifetime.

It began as February school vacation began. By the time the vacation ended, it had been cleared so we teens did not get a single second of a "no school" storm day. I remember, I think, of many of us in the high school corridors saying that it had been a real lousy timing for such a great storm.

It certainly doesn't appear that we're in any danger of repeating that blizzard this vacation week in Maine.

Gator,

2012-02-17T06:05:00.000-05:00

Another February weekend is here and it'll be an interesting one in the weather. Although we'll have a little non-sunny stuff, the temperatures should be relatively nice in our part of the state. There will be a little precipitation along the way, and possibly some accumulating to the north.

The weather will be better than the first part of the week when I wasn't motivated to do a lot here. I'm not sure what it was, but some very less than pleasant thing developed in my stomach and caused some discomfort and, well, embarrassment. But that's all behind me now.

The Gator bunch doesn't have any chores scheduled for this weekend, but we will be visited by our daughter and her dog, our dog's sister. The dogs will have the chance to run and romp out in our large yard, but if it gets too wet, their activity will be restricted.

It's time for the Old Gator Dude to say "Goodbye" to my Fearless Friend. Now this is far from a final parting; in fact, of course, we'll be able to maintain communication via email, etc. At long last he and Mrs. FF are heading for their Florida retreat for a much shorter winter stay this year. His trip was delayed for a month and a half due to a medical procedure he had at the beginning of the year.

At least he'll be there for his favorite part, at least I think it's his favorite part, of the trip: Baseball's Spring Training. One of the Major League teams trains right there in his Florida Home Town so the two of them frequently visit the ball park for games.

They leave Saturday but they will return this spring. I'm not sure if he's told me they'll be there only until his normal annual return or he'll stay a little longer to make up for the delay in going. I think he's told me, but I'll use the age excuse for not knowing.

In any event, he'll be spending this weekend traveling South with a stop to visit his sister and brother-in-law along the way. We wish Mr. and Mrs. Fearless Friend a very pleasant and safe trip to their Florida home and are already looking forward to their return to Maine.

On the political front, I had mentioned a while back that I didn't understand why Maine' Republican Party scheduled it's caucuses over a several week period. I didn't understand why, like most of the country, they weren't all held in one day. Then to compound the confusion, the Party scheduled a straw vote for President right in the middle.

The GOP is now paying for that scheduling decision as some caucus votes are not being included and result reporting confusion in others have caused considerable controversy within the Party. It's too bad those in control hadn't had the same lack of understanding I had. The controversy, which should have been foreseen, could have been avoided.

And in anothe front, in a special election last Tuesday, a Democrat was elected to the Maine Senate in a normally Republican district. I wonder if the voters there were giving the GOP a warning that unless those Republicans elected to get the state under control don't stop acting like Democrats and do the job they were elected to do, the voters will simply turn them out in November and return to what hasn't changed.

I hope you have a super weekend.

Gator

Still not motivated

2012-02-15T06:42:00.000-05:00

The week continues and I'm still not motivated. So rather than just babble along, I'll let it continue to rest.

Here's a closer look at yesterday's picture...the Golden is taking her cue from her 'dad.'

Gator

The Golden is bored!

2012-02-13T06:00:00.001-05:00

Shucks! I've got my toys. Why won't someone pay just a little attention to me?

Saturday change for weekend

2012-02-10T06:13:00.015-05:00

I wrote yesterday that there's a small chance this attempt to clear my head of stuff might not make it through the weekend.. And it didn't. The "track" of the storm might pass too far out to sea to bring us any significant snow. Or even just plain any snow. The forecasters Saturday morning were holding on to some hope we might get a little, but probably not much more than a dusting in our area. The weather radar this morning shows the storm passing about an eighth of an inch off shore. Those forecasters do try to keep us interested with that "dusting" stuff. It doesn't look like the plow guys in our area are going to make much money this weekend.

Here's another small added interruption: Gator Golden just came back in after her morning check of her yard. She wet. I don't see anything so it must be raining no snowing here.

I do know one person who might be a little disappointed. My Fearless Friend had a small medical procedure which put lots of restrictions on him for a month. Among them, no snow handling. Waiting for the restrictions to be lifted did cause him to postpone his annual trip to Florida this winter. But now all those restrictions have been lifted and he will be heading south next weekend. He told me in an email earlier that he was looking forward to working his snow machine just once before he heads out, but now it looks like it might not happen. Of course if he neighborhood should get that two inches in the "trace to two inches" in the forecast, he just might get it out anyway. And his neighborhood usually does get more than we do here at the coast.

By the way, do you know how much snow has fallen at the Jetport in Portland where one of the Weather Service snow depth stations is? In the snowiest month of the year February this year, four tenths of snow fell last weekend, and that's it so far.

In any event, the weekend couild be cold. "Cold" is one of those relative terms that really depends on a lot of factors for its meaning. When I lived in Gainseville, Florida, for example, there were a couple of times when I was colder than I've ever been here in Maine. The temperature was not what we'd call "freezing" here, although it did get into the low 30s if my memory doesn't fail me. But blood thinned from the summer's heat and not exactly parka wearing apparel caused it to be very cold.

The weather we've had for the past several days could be called "cold," but, considering our clothing decisions, we'd be hard pressed to put temperatures in the 40s, some mid 40s or higher, into that cold definition. Cold in Maine in February is in the 20s or lower, often much lower. So that same track could keep it rather "cool" this weekend, below freezing Sunday with wind chills as high (or low, if you will) of fifteen below zero.

It won't last, though. We're told those temperatures could climb back into the 40s by next mid next week.

The Old Gator Congregation might get together this weekend. "Depending on the track" could decide which day or both days or, the 'might' part, neither day. Thankfully we have no events planned other than just being together. The Congregation, of course, includes Gator Wife, Gator Daughter, Gator Golden, and Golden Sister.

The Maine Republican caucuses come to an end Saturday. They began last week. I think Maine had a disadvantage of getting presidential candidates to the state by spreading the caucus out over more than a week. Until Friday, none came; but the surprise in the three states with either a primary or a caucus last Tuesday has brought two to Maine for the weekend. Rick Santorun surprised just about everyone by winning those three states, but neither he nor Newt Gingrich are expected in Maine this weekend. Paul had a visit here last month.

As a result, though, Mitt Romney will be in Portland Friday night for a town meeting. I'm not sure if he's going to stick around for any of the Saturday caucuses. Ron Paul is also planning a trip to the state to attend some caucuses in York County Saturday.

Romney, of course, is hoping to sway enough voters his way. Each of the caucuses, including already held like one I attended last Saturday, is conducting an unofficial straw vote for President. We'll learn the outcome of that voting Saturday night. The vote is non-ninding but candidates hope the outcome will help delegatges to the state convention commit to one of them. For Romney, it may be too little too late to have jumped in at the last minute. Although I didn't vote for him, I think the Paul campaign in Maine is so well organized Paul could very well be the straw vote winner. I can't speak for all the previously held caucus, actually I can't speak for the Scarborough one which I attended either, but my observations were that the organized Paul people were there outnumbering the other campaigns, at least visibly.

(Edited Sat Eve: Romney won relative easily over Paul in the voting, 39% to 36%. Santorum was third and Gingrich a long way back in fourth. Also, for the record, I did misread my own town's caucus. In spite of Paul's organization there, Romney received 41 votes to Paul's 25. Our vote was a week before Romney came to Maine.)

Personally, I had some great news Thursday. I had my annual conversation with my personal physician, along with his annual touchy, feely, and listening. Not a bad report for a three quarters century old gent who has had a heart attack, a burst aneurysm, a crushed hip, and wears an ICD (Implanted Cardioverter Defibrillator), has a bunch of stents, and a whole lot more. The report showed I'm still alive.

I hope the weather report ends up as good this weekend, but it's looking less and less promising, and that you have a great one.

Gator

Facebook, R's in the Legislature, Occupy

2012-02-08T06:09:00.002-05:00

Everywhere I look I'm seeing the "Friend us on Facebook" message. I read frequently the social media, mainly Facebook and Twitter I think, are affecting all of us. I have a Facebook page. I've had it for a couple of years. I look at it occasionally, but there's nothing there to look at.

I think I might like to try Facebook just to see what this social media stuff is all about. There's only one little problem: I have absolutely zero idea how to use it. I see a place on my page called "Wall." I gather that's where I'd post stuff. Post what? Who would ever see it? There's another page for pictures. Pictures of what? Does it explain how to get pictures there? I don't know. And I have a "Friends" page. I have no friends.

There's just so much about Facebook that I don't understand. There's a good chance I never will. But when I hear people talk about their communications through Facebook, I'd almost like to be able to join them. Unfortunately, it looks like I'm destined to be in The Black Hole of Facebook.

Twitter is another story. About the same time I got my Facebook page, I joined Twitter. Just 30 minutes after opening the account, my email inbox filled up with about 50 or more junk emails. I cancelled my Twitter account even though they admonished me that I'd probably never be allowed to join again. No problem. I've never tried. And the junk email almost immediately returned to what I'd consider normal for me. Unfortunately for the spammers, I have a program that does tell me that junk is on my server, but it doesn't allow it onto my computer.

I guess that's life. I just have to accept that I'll probably never use social media.

Maine Republicans in the Maine Legislature are trying to live up to my expectations. They are not doing a very good job, as I expected. Now, in fairness, the whole Legislature hasn't yet discussed or worked on the DHHS shortfall problem and a budget plan isn't yet in place. However, the Republicans on the appropriations committee working on Gov. LePage's plan to fix the crisis is doing just what Republicans in the Legislature have been doing for the past 40 years: Giving in to the Democrats. Like the whole Legislature, R's on the committee outnumber the D's, but that seems to be a well-kept secret. Tuesday night, the committee did vote to cut some of the medicaid budget, but that now would go to the full legislature. It was a copout vote.

For the first time in 30 to 40 years Republicans have a majority in both houses of the Legislature and in the governor's office. It would seem they should have the ability to get spending under control in this state. They don't. As I have said, Maine Republicans have lost the ability to legislate. I had said after the elections that gave them the control that I hoped they didn't lack the intestinal fortitude ... or if you prefer, the uniquely male appendages ... to fix problems. My fears are coming true.

At least we have a governor who's willing to take on the challenge; it's too bad those other Republicans we elected aren't. As I said, so far it's only a small R majority on the committee that is giving in to the past practices. We haven't heard, however, any efforts by the rest of the body to put pressure on them leaving me with the impression the whole group's actions will be no different.

I surely do hope I'll have to eat some humble pie when this is over. But the DHHS problem is just one facing this state and I'm not getting very pleasant vibrations that any of the others will have any different debate. If you feel as I, I hope you'll contact your Legislators today and urge them to get this state's spending under control. Tuesday night's effort doesn't do the trick.

And today's final topic, the City of Portland has given several extensions to the Occupy Maine group to stay in Lincoln Park in Portland. After winning a court battle that allowed the city to force the group to vacate the park by last Monday, the city gave the group yet another extension to this Friday. I'd bet that if my group of retirees decided to make camp in the park, we'd have been ousted before the first day had ended. It'll be interesting to see Friday if the city is serious this time.

Gator

The calendar says it's February

2012-02-06T06:17:00.001-05:00

To look outside or to travel outside would make one think that the 2012 calendar is confused. It says this is February. With the weather we're having, that is hard to accept. And the weather is forecast to continue at least into next Saturday, and possibly beyond. February???

This is the Republican caucus week in Maine. Actually, it began last week and will continue into Saturday this week. I'm sure the results so far are probably posted somewhere, but I haven't looked so can't say how the candidates are doing so far. I'm not really sure it makes a difference. Attendees at the caucuses, at least most of them, are being asked to participate in a straw poll, a non-binding presidential test. I do know the Paul and Romney people know how our straw poll turned out. They counted the ballots.

Maine's delegates to the national convention where the actual nominee will be chosen will be determined in May. By then it will probably be moot as many states will have already chosen committed delegates. They will have to vote according to their states' wishes and if any candidate has a sufficient number (1144 us the required number) of delegates, the convention becomes just one big party. Of course not all states have to vote according to their primary or caucus outcome. Some states, like Maine I think, have non-committed delegates so if the committed ones don't have quite enough, then the convention becomes very interesting.

I attended my town's caucus last Saturday. I think it had a reasonable turnout, but it probably wasn't quite as good as the Town Committee would have liked. I haven't talked to anyone about that so I'm just conjecturing. Town Republicans who did not attend missed a very well organized and run caucus. We were told it would run about two hours and it ended just before the two hour mark.

Like, I believe, most all caucuses, we heard speakers extolling the virtues of some of the Presidential candidates, surrogates for Republican congressional candidates, and Republicans running for the state legislature from our districts.

Only three of the four candidates for President were represented.

It appeared to me, coincidentally sitting right in the middle of the Paul group, that possible most of the people there supported Ron Paul. I had already chosen my seat and then a large group began sitting in the same section. The gentleman who spoke for Mr. Paul did a pretty credible job representing the candidate's positions on various issues.

A lady from New Hampshire was there to represent Mitt Romney and she was outstanding. As you know, Romney isn't my first choice at this point in the process, but this speaker was excellent with a well-prepared presentation that had anticipated all the negative questions about Mr. Romney and answered them before they were asked. Naturally she also had a litany of positives about him. The thought that I'd vote for her entered my mind. She was a very convincing speaker. Probably the Paul people and other non-Romney supporters would take issue with that assessment.

As she began the round of presidential speeches, our moderator told us that only those two people had expressed a desire to speak on behalf of their candidates. When they finished, the moderator explained that a Newt Gingrich state representative wanted to speak and she granted him that opportunity.

It was you know possibly the worst you know speech I’ve ever you know heard. I wanted you know to scream out at him you know that "If I you know knew, why in Hell you know were you trying to you know tell me?" Actually, he didn’t tell me anything. He did apologize to us saying that public speaking wasn't his forte. But I will give him some credit; he did try.

Rick Santorum wasn't represented.

Sen. Olympia Snowe had a very good surrogate who was also a local House candidate herself. She later did an outstanding job for herself. Our other House candidate was also very good. And Patrick Calder, a potential candidate for Congress, was also well represented.

I easily could have been elected to both our Town Republican Committee and to the delegation representing the town at the state convention. Virtually everyone who wants to be on the Town Committee can serve and fewer than the alloted number of town delegates to the convention expressed a desire to run so all were elected.

Our moderator was elected chair person of the delegation. She was opposed by a Paul delegate but the delegates, the only ones eligible to vote, selected the moderator. That sort of puts a big question mark into my statement that it appeared the Paul contingent had the most people there, doesn't it?

That's a rather ad-lib with no authority account of our caucus which began right on time, was interesting and informative, and ended on time. I enjoyed being there.

Finally on another note: What are the Boston Red Sox people thinking in not getting ink on a contract with David "Big Papi" Ortiz? Considering the winter the new management team has had, I'm beginning to worry about the coming season.

Gator

"Sour" thoughts on the Super Bowl

2012-02-03T06:09:00.001-05:00

The weekend has arrived. It will end Sunday night and, thankfully, so will the Super Bowl.

I am already tired of the Super Bowl and rapidly beginning not to give a darn which team wins. It might help that my team can't lose. Nevertheless, no football game is worth all the energy the local stations put into the Super Bowl. Gator Wife asked me if we could just turn the darn TV off until Monday. Well, she may not have said, "darn."

I can remember a time when the local stations presented us with news.

Except for that which is force-fed me on the news shows, do you know how much of all the advanced stuff I'll be watching? And that includes all the non-news shows on network television. Yup, you guessed it. Zero. Absolutely Zero! Sure, I'll turn the game on at kickoff time and watch it until I go to bed. I'll bet I don't see the whole game. And I love football. The game, that is, not all the ridiculous pre-, post-, analysis, and on and on.

I saw another of those Super Bowl commercials. It didn't entice me to buy a Chevy. And that "Ferris Beuhler" one, isn't that a car commercial, too? I've already forgotten which car. Actually only two Super Bowl commercials from the recent past remain in my mind: Betty White being tackled playing mud football and the Darth Vader one with the little kid and the car from last year. I remember the scenes but have no idea what was being sold. I doubt I'll even remember the product of the two I seen so far this year. I've already forgotten one.

I'll be glad when this weekend is over. The Super Bowl will be behind us.

Puxatawney Phil saw his shadow Thursday. That means we'll have just (or another, depending on how you look at it) weeks of winter. Considering how this winter has gone, that may not be a bad thing.

Just one other little thought: Another sad thing about this weekend is the realization that the national Republican Party has committed suicide.

Oh. I hope you have a super weekend.

Gator

And now it's February

2012-02-01T06:22:00.000-05:00

That was a cute little storm we had Tuesday. I think we got an inch or so more than anticipated, but about all that did was cause some rather slippery driving. Listening to the police monitor was rather entertaining. Wednesday morning we heard that we could get some more freezing rain or drizzle during the morning hours, then the sun could come out and begin the drying process. No more storms appear to be in sight through the weekend.

Not much of a surprise out of Florida, was there? Mitt Romney regained the momentum he had before South Carolina. Is it over yet? The Republican nomination for the Presidency, of course? No, it isn't. The actual nominating convention isn't until this summer, but Romney just got 50 votes. Newt Gingrich says he's staying in the hunt all the way to that convention. We'll see.

Here in Maine our caucuses are underway. We have caucuses rather than elections. The caucuses select folk to attend the convention and they they elect our electors. My town, Scarborough, is having its caucus this coming Saturday. I'm thinking of attending. I'm not hoping for any offices, like being a delegate to the state Republican convention, but it is fun hearing the people talk about their favorite candidate. I'm not sure about other caucuses in Maine, but ours will also select representatives to the county party and members of our town committee.

Of course by the time our state convention is held, the whole selection could be rather moot.

I may stay away from JC Penney department store. They have been running the most irritating commercial I've seen for years. Even Gator Wife says she'll stay away. After what seems like an eternity of screaming, "No!" the announcer says enough is enough. I think they're trying to tell us the company will have no more sales events. I wish that 'enough' was an admission that that commercial once was enough. Actually, even one would have been too many. In reality, it's an empty boycott threat. I think you could count on one finger, perhaps fewer, the number of times we've been in a Penny in the last five years.

There's one good thing about this coming weekend. All that Super Bowl hype, especially on Channel Six, will come to an end. Well, almost. I'd be very surprised if the station doesn't continue into next week, especially if the Patriots win. I will watch at least most of the game, but I'll not see one minute of all the stuff that leads up to it.

Speaking of commercials, one of the Super Bowl ads has made the internet, thus the public airways. I absolutely see nothing that puts the Ferris Bueller ad into category except mediocre. In fact, as far as the so-called Super ads to be shown Sunday night, it might be among the poorest. I think I saw a promotion for a presentation of the game ads to be broadcast Wednesday night. I'll miss that. I'm among people who have only seen a handful of any ads during a Super Bowl game that were really entertaining. Oh, yes, they're not supposed to be entertaining, they're supposed to sell me something.

None have ever done that, either.

I know I'm negative on ads, but I remember when agencies had imaginative people designing them. Perhaps I live in the past, but I have seen many funny, informative, or interesting ads that have led me to visit stores or buy products. I may simply be too old to understand some of these modern ads, especially the ones when I turn to Gator Wife and ask, "What was that about?" Sorry about my ads feeling, but that's the way it is.

Next up for us is a weekend.

Gator

January is ending.

2012-01-30T06:06:00.001-05:00

When Tuesday ends, so will January. The best thing I can say about this month on a personal basis is it was slow. Glancing over my calendar shows I had many days that had nothing planned. Of course I always had Tuesdays and Thursdays filled in with my senior fitness session, but that is only a hour each day and very early in the morning. I did get new glasses this month and I did attend my monthly lunch session with a group of fellow retirees. But that's it.

The rest of the time was contemplating the state of the state and the state of the country. It was very depressing. Republicans in Maine have forgotten why they were elected, or perhaps they simply don't have that intestinal fortitude to make tough choices. Republicans nationally have spent their time eating their own and telling us why none of the candidates for president should be elected. As a result of that, they probably will get their wish and President Obama will continue making great speeches.

Maine Republican caucuses will begin Saturday in Scarborough and other places. I'll probably be attending the Scarborough one. I hope you other Republicans will check out the date, time and place of your caucus and attend. If we do get involved, perhaps, just perhaps, the local efforts will be able to overcome the damage being done on the national scene.

Gator

It's cleanup time again!

2012-01-27T06:27:00.000-05:00

We've arrived at the weekend, so let's have a little lousy weather. Isn't that the way it's been working? We woke this Friday morning to some snow which had already turned to rain in our area. Gator Wife left for work just a little earlier in case the roads were bad. She has called and said she ran into no problems, except there was some slush. But not too far inland could get rather messy. It may also see some rain, but there's a good chance of icy conditions developing. Up toward the mountains, it'll be mostly snow.

Once it all clears out, we'll be left with Saturday and Sunday to do some cleaning up. Wonderful! I might be in a little trouble cleaning our yard, although the rain has already washed away most of the snowfall. There is black showing. Unfortunately for me, it's very wet and my tractor/snow blower absolutely doesn't like wet snow or slush and my neighbor with his plow is away for the day.

Wow! I sure did like Rick Santorum at Thursday night's Republican debate in Florida. At least I liked one of his answers that echoed my pleas. Santorum called on the candidates to focus, focus on the issues. He said we all can acknowledge that Newt Gingrich as a former member of Congress can use his background and abilities to influence current members and that Mitt Romney is extremely rich and has worked and is working very hard to be a success in life. But, Santorum said, we are searching for a nominee for President and asked why these debates can't focus on the issues. Moderator Wolf Blitzer didn't want that though, and led the debators right back into personalities.

Apparently issues weren't part of CNN's agenda.

In fairness, though, the candidates did spend more time on issues after Santorum's minor rant. I didn't watch the entire debate, but after the plea I think for the first time Romney came out the winner of that debate.

By the way, I like ESPN3. I was able to watch the debate on TV and the Gators' basketball game on the computer.

We didn't have the pleasure of having Gator Daughter and her dog over last weekend. My wife and I look forward to their coming weekends because we enjoy her company. The dog is also important because it gives our Gator Golden some socializing play. She seems to look forward to the visits as you can bet starting about 11 AM Saturday and Sunday morning GG will be at the window looking for her sister to be heading up the driveway.

She's visibly disappointed when her sister can't come. I have no clue how the dog knows it's a weekend, but she surely knows the days she has the best chance of a playmate.

If the weather turns colder and the yard turns to ice, we won't be getting any visitors. That's a mutual decision to protect both animals but primarily GG. You may remember she slid on some ice last winter and had to have reconstructive surgery on her knee. We'll do all we can to protect her from a repeat.

Have you been using the new word in English? I haven't, but I hear it quite frequently on local radio and television programs. I'm not sure exactly what it means, but in context I think it used to be a prefix generally meaning "not." It seems to have divorced itself from words to take on a life of its very own, however. "Un" is the word. You know, like un believable. Or un important. Although I've seen "til" many times, I've yet to hear un til. I guess in the scheme of things that's really not too big a deal, is it?

Here's another one. If you've visited here more than once or twice, you know I'm partial towards the news department offerings of WCSH. It's a loyalty thing. I worked there for a number of years and left when I retired from all my jobs. But I still watch the newscasts on that station even though I don't often agree with their politics. I do think that lately they've tried to become more balanced. My first boss there required that equal time to both sides of an issue always be included in a story. That was in a day when we were taught balanced reporting in journalism school like the one I attended at UF.

Recently the departments seems to try to show us how modern it is. It uses Skype. Every time a story through Skype comes on, I want to change channels, but don't because I know it won't last long. Thursday was a good example. A reporter in Augusta was trying to deliver a story using Skype. Thankfully, the anchor told us what the story was about because my ears found the story conditions so bad that I could not understand what was being said at all. The reporter was one of the station's best and most balanced so I know he had both sides of the story. I wish I could have heard it. I haven't seen one story using Skype that was of even fair quality. I probably haven't seen them all, but that's one technology I'd like them to lose.

I hope you don't have to work too hard to get your yard cleaned up this weekend and can have a really nice one.

Gator

Politics and Football

2012-01-25T06:12:00.003-05:00

I don't have much to offer this morning so I'll visit a couple of outdated items.

First, I watched part of the Republican debate from Tampa Monday night. I kept talking to the TV, which doesn't seem to listen to me, trying to tell Brian Williams, the moderator, that there were four guys on the stage, not two. I didn't put a stop watch on it, but it seemed that Williams paid a lot more attention to Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich than he did Rick Santorum and Ron Paul. He did give them a token appearance every several minutes or so.

What I don't understand is all the attention to the tax returns of Gingrich and Romney. Who really cares? I think this non-issue is simply a news media attempt to turn the upcoming election into a class war as that is what the President seems to want. We already know that Romney and Gingrich are rich. Very rich. But they aren't the only rich people to ever run for office. Was being a member of the fifth wealthiest family in America ever examined when John F. Kennedy was elected? I don't remember so. But that's just one example. And has anyone demanded the tax returns of Santorum and Paul? I think the President has released his, but, again I ask, who cares?

For goodness sake, what politician down there in Washington isn't rich? There are a few who may not have reached the million dollar mark just yet, but there are many others who have become millionaires. As I see it, a major problem with gaining that wealth is the individuals' growth of the need for greed and the putting aside the good of America to gain it.

The politicians' protection of their money becomes the reason for being elected, not protecting the richness of America.

I've now watched parts of two debates and have learned extremely little about THE ISSUES. There is a distinct possibility I'll be participating in the worst election as far as choices go in my lifetime. I've heard people say in the past that they're voting for the "lesser of two evils." I'm beginning to think the November choices may have sunk even lower, if that's possible.

Gingrich and Romney are playing right into the hands of the backers of the President.

The sports world is ending the National Football League season in an almost similar situation. "My team" will win the Super Bowl; that's a guarantee. I've been a fan of the NFC's New York Giants about as long as I can remember football. When I was growing up, the Giants was the only team anywhere close to Maine and almost all the news coverage then concerned the Giants. Because when the television began covering pro football, coverage was regional so again, all I really had was the Giants.

Then as I returned to live in Maine in 1960 after a stint in Florida, an upstart football league, the American Football League, began its inroads into our lives. I can't say the Boston Patriots, at least back then, took over the football spot in my heart, but at least we had a New England team for which to cheer. In 1970 the AFL merged with the NFL and two conferences, one consisting of most of the old NFL teams and the other mostly the AFL teams with a few, three I think, switches. The National and American Conferances were born and the Boston Patriots became the New England Patriots.

I had dual favorites, although it would still be a while before the Pats rose to consistant prominence.

Therefore, on Feb. 5th I'll enjoy this year's Super Bowl as both "my teams" will be in it. I can't lose.

Where, then, does the similarity arise? Well, this could be the first Super Bowl played by losers. I watched both conference championship games last Sunday. Yup! The Pats scored three more points than the Ravens and the Giants followed suit against the 49ers. However, did the Pats and Giants really win these games? Or did Baltimore and San Francisco lose them. I think there is a difference. So, I say again, this could be the first Super Bowl played by losers.

(In case you're wondering why no mention of Pres. Obama's speech or Gov. LePage's speech, I have no comment. Most of these types of speeches are rhetoric and sound nice, but it's the doing that counts. And I haven't had a chance to digest either as I didn't watch them.)

Gator

No rant today!

2012-01-23T06:14:00.001-05:00

I'd bet you probably are expecting a rant about Newt Gingrich winning in South Carolina. Well, Surprise! You won't, at least from me. It's not that I particularly don't give a sweet pea about Gingrich, it's simply because I've become discouraged about any candidate of either party. Oh, I'll vote in November; I know not for whom yet, but it will be the nominee with the "R" after his name.

We are rapidly falling into an abyss of the worst Presidential election in my lifetime. As I follow the campaigns of the candidates for that "R" nomination, I'm not seeing anyone that gives me what I was promised three years ago: Hope for the future.

These early stages of the race for the nomination have seen the spending of millions of dollars finding the faults of the candidates and it seems like precious little spending on what they could do for America if elected. And the President can just sit back a wait until he sees who is opponent will be before he even starts, although many might say he already has.

I simply dislike negative campaigns. We always end up with the people less likely to perform for the good of the people and not for their own good. Seems to me we have a perfect example of that right here in Maine. And I'm not suggesting it's our governor. Of course, not everyone shares what I want for America and that's not necessarily bad. The truth is always somewhere in the middle but we need elected officials that can reach that point through working from each side towards it, not from starting there and then moving to one side or the other.

We still have a very long way to go before both the nominations and elections occur and it's shaping up to be a rather bumpy ride. Possibly the only winner will be President Carter who simply must be smiling widely as he digs his peanuts. His position in the order of Great Presidents is in serious jeapardy of changing.

Now, as a side note: I listened to Gingrich as well as N.J. Gov. Christie for Romney on NBC's Meet the Press Sunday. Gov. Christie did little or nothing to advance Romney while Gingrich seemed to be offering ideas more closely in line with my thinking. Hmmmmm. Perhaps.

And finally, I liked a comment I heard somewhere over the weekend by someone I honestly don't remember because the comment didn't sink in until I was no longer thinking about it. One of the "experts" said that Gingrich won in South Carolina because the people there were typical of people throughout the nation who are simply tired of being manipulated by the news media. They don't like being told to vote for one candidate over another because their unofficial and manipulative polls say only one can win so we should vote for him.

And now it's on to Florida. Floridians are in for a very nasty time.

How's that for a non-rant?

Gator

2012-01-20T06:06:00.000-05:00

It's kind of pretty outside this Friday morning. The snow that fell overnight wasn't unexpected and it seems to have turned out just about the way it was forecast. Most of us didn't see the storm as it raced through our Southern Maine area overnight. Because Gator Wife works Friday mornings, we were up sometime between 4:30 and 5 and the snow had already stopped. At least here the snow is that light, fluffy stuff that's really easy to clean up, especially if one gets to it before the sun begins the melt. The weather forecasters tell us we will get some nice sunshine beginning this morning.

By 5:30 this morning, our neighbor had already plowed the driveway and our porches and steps were swept off so we're basically all set. All we have left is a little brushing in front of the garage doors and the deck. And it's not even six o'clock, yet.

Here's an oddity for you. As of this hour at least, Portland Public Schools in our area is the only system that has closed for the storm. We do have some one or two hour delays in a few other systems around here. The oddity is Portland Schools are rarely the only ones closed for storms and more often than not, among the last to throw in the towel.

The less than good news for the weekend, though, is that another storm is heading our way and could possibly (depending on that track) give southern sections of Maine some more snow Saturday. The we could be in a storm track with more storms about every other day into next week.

Today's storm will quickly leave the who state later this morning, but the scenery is rather pretty this morning.

Traveling s a wee bit slow; but like most of the time, if drivers simply add a few minutes to the commute, they should be O.K. Both Gator Wife and our daughter had to go to work this morning; but being a thoughtful person, GW has checked in with the Old Man to let him know she arrived at her job in fine fashion. I expect to hear from our daughter soon.

The ground will be pretty for a while this weekend and we have little else planned except to enjoy it. I doubt Gator Daughter and her pup will be visiting, though, as we sort of discourage our dog from romping too hard in this weather to protect that leg she injured last winter.

I hope you have just a super weekend. I think the earlier you can get your yard cleaned will make the task easiest for you.

Gator

2012-01-18T06:17:00.001-05:00

Certain fireworks are now legal in Maine. The Legislature passed a law last year to allow the sale of fireworks in the state. It did include in the law an option for communities to opt out and continue their ban on the sale and use. That law went into effect New Year's Day.

At the time I thought to myself, "It's about time," remembering my very young youth when we could set off some low level firecrackers and other types of celebratory devices. I remember when we switched to allowing only those most dangerous Sparklers. I thought at the time and continued to think through the years they were more dangerous than the Chinese firecrackers. After all, the sparklers did burn at an outrageous temperature and could do some serious damage to little fingers and faces that touched the burning end.

I even cheated one time as we were returning from a vacation in Florida. My wife and I had our two pre-teen children with us. I really don't remember in which state we stopped after being enticed by those signs offering to sell fireworks to us. We bought some and brought them home. We weren't injured during our celebration.

So when Maine once again decided to allow their sale and use, I thought how foolish many communities were that outlawed them. Many, perhaps most, of those cities and towns are neighbors of Scarborough. Our town government did not ban them. Of course no one in Maine sells them yet, but now that they're legal, they're easily available in nearby New Hampshire and the Maine police won't be stationed outside their stores to radio license plates to cohorts at the border.

Now I'm not so sure I wouldn't urge the Town Fathers to rethink their decision. We were "entertained" the other night. Shortly after suppertime, we were sitting quietly in front of our TV when three loud pops followed by two more rattled through the neighborhood. They sounded like pistol shots. Gator Golden, who had never heard them before, became very nervous, and that just might be an understatement.

Gator Wife and I discussed calling the police to report the gunshots but we really didn't know from where they came. Then a crescendo of various pitches swept over us. Fireworks. We chuckled a little, and then, at our tender ages in the 70s, began to get slightly irritated at the continuing pop, pop, pop. Some were obviously much bigger than others and we found them to be disrupting our peace.

We never did learn exactly from where the popping came, only a direction. To the best of our knowledge no damage resulted and I didn't hear any calls for the medics on our police monitor. I'm only guessing here, but it was probably just some young folk down the road a piece being young folk. It did bring back the fun we had so many, many years before.

About 15 or 20 minutes after it began, it ended just as all good fireworks displays end, with someone lighting a whole block of firecrackers just as I did way back in the 1940s. But those several minutes gave me a new insight into how the "old people" must have felt then when they had to listen to our fun.

Don't get me wrong here. The people who had their private fireworks show the other night certainly didn't seem to be trying to cause a disturbance. Considering the lack of police activity, it's pretty clear they were just a bunch of folks out for some good, clean fun. Depending on the cost and how much fun they had, I'd be surprised if we didn't get another burst of fun. Possibly several. I might even wish I knew where the party was and try to join it. Naw. I'd feel just a wee bit out of place.

But I don't like having the pup scared. She's eight years old and has lived a sheltered life. Things like those fireworks are distressful to her. Probably, if I were honest with myself, my age doesn't react too well, either.

I'm may be thinking now that perhaps my town should have joined the others around here and banned the fireworks. They are fun, noisy fun, for the people using them and when they are not out for destruction or harrassment like the nearby group was not, then they can provide enjoyment for the users. But now I realize that what I thought was or would be fun in my youth and early adulthood just might not have been as enjoyable to the neighbors not connected to the display. I guess it's safe to say our perspectives change with the years.

Would that put me now in favor of banning fireworks once again? I'll have to wait until this summer to see what happens when people spend more evening hours outside. Until then, the pup and I will just have to learn to adjust.

Gator

The Mania!

2012-01-16T06:16:00.003-05:00

I haven't been able to get the Tebow Mania thing out of my mind. I'm hoping that thinking about it here might rid me of those thoughts so here goes.

I'm a legitimate Gator having spent most of my education years at the University of Florida and earning a degree there. I'm also a legitimate New Englander having been born in Maine and having spent most of my life here.

I have followed Florida football ever since the 50s when I entered UF. It wasn't exciting in most of those years. I remember vividly, however, some of the good times. For example I recall telling a popular Portland TV sports director, now deceased, that he should be watching a guy named Steve Spurrier. He was going to win the Heisman Trophy. I took a ribbing over that one for a while, then the look on his face following the announcement was priceless. He didn't have to say anything, and he didn't.

A few years later, Spurrier, now the head coach at South Carolina, returned to Gatorland to take over the team as its coach. He brought the Gators into real national attention and consistently at or near the top of college football. He left for a coaching positions in the pros and Florida had a few lean years.

Then came Tim Tebow and a new coach. With Tebow came another Heisman winner, a couple national championships and the Tebow Era and Mania were born. But many forget those teams also had a supporting cast of superior players, many of whom are in the NFL today, and some are stars in their own right.

Tebow was eventually drafted by Denver, but the professional mania was only tickled last year. "Those in the know" said that Tebow, in spite of his Florida credentials, didn't have what it takes to be successful in pro ball, at least as a quarterback. He played a few minutes in various games last year and seemed to prove "those in the know" correct. Denver kept him but it was unclear what his role would be this past season.

Until Game Five. With the Broncos already burying themselves in the cellar, Tebow was given a chance to show what he could do. What he did best was on several occasions rally the Broncos in the last quarter, yanking them from the jaws of defeat. When the season ended, what no one, except the ardent Tebow fans, thought could happen happened. Denver went from the cellar to winning its AFC division.

There was a major bump along the way: they played the New England Patriots in a season game. Well, at least they were on the field with the Pats. Denver struggled after that until the first playoff game against Pittsburgh.

Under normal circumstances, the Steelers probably would have made a short stay in the post season for Denver. But the circumstances for Pittsburgh were not normal. My late grandmother used to tell me that how one's feet feel gives an indication of the whole body. Ben Roethlisberger had a sore ankle. Not exactly the foot, but close enough. I cannot help but admire Roethlisberger for doing what real leaders do: he played uncomplainingly hurt. And it showed. When time expired in that game, all the Steelers could show was a tie score. Tebow performed one of his miracles.

Tebow and the Broncos had to play the Patriots. Tebow Mania was in full force and his name was on the lips of even non football fans. But New England had a true champion and Tom Brady didn't have a sore foot. I agree with one of the commentators during half time of the game when he said that all the Tebow talk was a huge mistake. I wish I could remember the announcer's name so I could give him credit. He pointed out that Tebow was really a rookie with no real NFL past beyond this season. He was up against one of the best, if not the best, quarterbacks currently playing football.

Brady has Super Bowl championships, MVPs, All-Star games, records, and experience going for him. That announcer pointed out that all the talk of Tebow and virtually none of the much better quarterback didn't go unnoticed by Brady. There could have been no better motivational hype than being ignored.

On the field Saturday night, the game was over in the first two minutes. For the rest of the game, the young man from Denver was taken to school. Will Tim Tebow ever become an NFL super star? I don't know; only a few more years can give us that answer. But for today, hindsight is much easier to handle.

By the way, Tebow wasn't the only Gator on the field. In fact one of Tebow's UF classmates has shined this season at least as well if not better. I think if I could pick anyone for my team today, I'd select Aaron Hernandez over Tim Tebow.

I wonder if the Ravens will be hyping Joe Flacco!

There, now I can give my thought process just a little rest. Thanks.

Gator

Snow came! That's enough!

2012-01-13T06:07:00.000-05:00

O.K. I've been lightly suggesting for the past few weeks that I'd like some snow. All I wanted was a little to turn the ground white and give us a winter look for a little while. Well, the ground is white. I don't think the forecasters I watch quite got this one right. Inland a way, where it should be, was to get perhaps eight, perhaps more inches of snow. We along the coast were supposed to get an inch or so and then have the storm turn to rain.

The storm gods forgot to watch my weather forecasters. They turned the amounts around...much at the coast, less inland.

One of them said in a Thursday morning broadcast that a front fooled them. It got right off the coast an inch or two and then stopped. It was strong enough to hold the cold on the land side and keep out the warmer weather on the ocean side. So we got all snow. I think some coastal areas Downeast did see a changeover to rain, but my little chunk of the world was all snow, about a half a foot or more of it. The weather of TV said Friday morning, my area got 10 inches. Yes, while I was out snow blowing, I did feel about four minutes of sleet.

My super neighbor Ed has a snow plow and he took care of the bulk of the driveway for us; but Gator Wife and I did the rest with a shovel and the snow blower. The "rest," of course, are the walkways, porches, steps and a deck and area directly in front of the garage..

Friday could give us a few more flurries or snow showers or even rain, but bitter cold weather will also be ushered in possibly ending our winter of warmth. Did you see Sunday's project high? Ten degrees. Now that's cold. I know Gator Daughter won't bring her dog here for a Sunday romp this weekend.

There is one thing I have learned during this spell so far: I had forgotten just how much my aging body hates the cold. I've been taking, at my doctor's orders, a blood thinner for several years, too, and that doesn't help. When we finished our cleaning task Thursday, I was so cold I wasn't sure even the fireplace would get me some warmth again. It did.

Now we have a weekend for all the rest of the cleanup. Other than that, we, at least, have no plans. I will, however, begin my thoughts that no more snow is needed for this year. I'll bet those snow gods don't hear those thoughts, either. Thursday taught me a lesson about wishing for snow.

I hope you get your place cleaned and then have a wonderful weekend.

Gator

Snow coming??? Well, Maybe!

2012-01-11T06:23:00.002-05:00

I've written a lot of words over the last few weeks about our lack of winter here in Southern Maine along the coastal section. Sure, we have had a few flakes here and there so we do still know what it looks like. But I've been following the fun folks on coastal Alaska have been having. I can't even imagine what more than 18 feet -- yea, you read that right, 18 feet -- of snow would be like. That's what the good people of Cordova, Alaska, are seeing outside their homes, several of which have collapsed under the weight.

That's not the deepest. Nearby Cordova is Valdez, you know of the oil spill fame. They're passing the 21 foot mark. And that's not even the normal. Almost, though. The average annual snow in the area reaches about 27 feet. I'd sure like to see an inch or two of snow here this season, but I certainly wouldn't want us to get 320 inches.

Oh, by the way, that Alaskan coastal area is again in a snow storm. Another foot or two was expected in this one.

Back here in Maine, our fortunes could be in for change, though. Certainly not as drastic as the Alaska situation, but the forecasts here say we could be getting some real snow Thursday. A goodly portion of our area, especially just a few miles away from the coast, could get up to six fee...whoops, I got carried away writing about Alaska... six inches of snow, the first real storm in January. Here along the coast, though, it'll depend on that old standby, The Track. The Wednesday morning forecast said we might get a couple of wet inches before it turns over to rain. Again, it's that track. We'll know Thursday morning.

Another one is down. The second test for Republican presidential candidates took place Tuesday and surprise! Romney won. He lived up to the polling exectations and beat runner-up Ron Paul. Jon Huntsman, who spent all his time only in New Hampshire, was third making these three the targets heading south. Rick Santorum, who spent nothing in New Hampshire, was unable to follow-up on his close second showing in Iowa, and Newt Gingrich virtually tied for fourth place. And Rick Perry, who had stayed in South Carolina during the New Hampshire quest, finished in last place.

Now it's South Carolina's turn to get all the robocalls, blanket ad campaigns, and news totally dominated by the chase. Perhaps there'll be one or two fewer still in the hunt (even perhaps by mid-morning today), but that's not certain just yet. It is possible, probable, that if not before certainly after S.C. the cast of six could be reduced. I do believe I'm glad I'm not in South Carolina so don't have to go through all of it again. We'll still get our share, though.

And speaking of robocalls, did you see the people complaining in New Hampshire about the number of those automated calls they got. I liked the comment of one voter exiting the polling place. Asked when he made up his mind, he responded, "About 30 calls ago."

Here's an interesting tidbit in the news. The good people of Madison, Wis., are resting a little easier. Beezow Doo-Doo Zopittybop-Bop-Bop, a 30-year-old man, was arrested in a tennis court. He was charged with excessive drinking and using drugs.

Gator

Another Monday

2012-01-09T06:13:00.001-05:00

I guess one might call the weekend that just left us a rather dull one. Well, not really. It was nice weather for local people who don't like shoveling. But for outdoor lovers it might have been another in a long string of disappointments. Imagine, temperatures in the 40s in the first full weekend of January. I understand that if skiers wanted to travel just a wee bit, some of the mountain slopes were open for skiing. Many, probably most, entrepreneurs who rely on winter weather continue to struggle, though.

This week has started off right about in the same conditions. There is a chance, we're told, of a storm later in the week, possibly Thursday, but you know the old familiar phrase: It depends on the track. We could get some precipitation, most likely rain in our part of Maine, or that storm could miss us altogether. We'll see.

We weren't disappointed in the blanket coverage of the New Hampshire Primary election which will be held Tuesday. The Republicans were involved in two debates within just a few hours of each other over the weekend. Believe it or not, I watched one of them.

That one was the agenda-driven NBC David Gregory Meet The Press/Mitt Romney show. I suspect you've seen here a few times in the past what my opinion is of David Gregory as a moderator. He lived up to my expectation Sunday morning. It might be interesting to see how much time was given to Mitt Romney, the front-runner, compared to the other candidates. Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich also had a pretty good share of the 90 minutes. The others were given a chance to express themselves occasionally.

Romney was a target for the others throughout the debate but on several occasions he did hold his own. Unfortunately, I never heard just how each of them would work to bring together the huge split in government in Washington or just what their plans were to fix our economy, get businesses to create more jobs, to fix the housing crisis, to meet the challenges in foreign countries.

I would like to see the six candidates debate the issues and show me how they differ in leading the United States. The name calling and bringing up, for the umpteenth time, long gone issues does nothing to grow the Republican Party and give us a reason to make a much needed change in Washington.

I'll probably end up following the advice of my Fearless Friend: in November, go the voting booth, hold my nose very tightly, and make my mark for whoever is the Republican candidate. I had said a while back that I might just not vote, but that would be a mistake. I always remember a saying on a sign at the Portland Boys' Club (long before it was the Boys' and Girls' Club): A winner never quits and a quitter never wins.

New Hampshire will be over Tuesday. Then we'll have to go through it all again in another couple of weeks. Perhaps by then there'll be a dropout or two from the six remaining candidates.

Monday night also brings the last college football game of the season. LSU and Alabama duke it out for the National Championship. Or do they? The AP news service doesn't participate in the Bowl Series championship selection. Even though the AP usually selects the same team as the winner of the National Championship game, it isn't a given. I've read of some unrest among the AP voters that Oklahoma State should have played LSU in this game. After all, they say, the Tigers have already beaten UA once this season. If Alabama wins, the AP could vote for Oklahoma State giving us dual national champs. I doubt it'll happen, though. (If you're reading this Tuesday, you probably already know.)

I remember, and I bet most of you do also, when we only had a handful of bowl games, all of which ended the season on New Year's Day when all but one or two of them were played. Attendance was down this year for the bowl games which could be the result of the economy but more likely it was the number of games. We had 35, yes, 35 college football bowl games this season. Too darn many teams created many really lousy pair ups and many scores showed that. Perhaps that's a reason why attendance was down this year.

I should acknowledge the college season isn't fully over. There remain a couple of senior showcase games to give N-F-L hopefuls a last chance to show off their skills before draft day. I rarely watch these kind of games in any sport.

Gator

We're greeted with a light snow this (Friday) morning

2012-01-06T08:17:00.001-05:00

Although I think I explain in my profile that the thoughts that I express here are totally mine and unsubstantiated, I try to base my thoughts on what I actually know. You've read here many times that I couldn't be definitive because I simply wasn't involved in whatever it was about which I was commenting. Usually it involved a guilt or innocence of someone.

Sometimes I may screw up. That was the case on my earlier post this morning (Friday). I commented on an issue on which I hadn't checked both sides. I've learned a lesson. You can see that earlier post if you wish as it is still available on this blog. Nevertheless, I'm unhappy with myself that I jumped off the diving board without checking for water below.

So this post contains much of what I had earlier said but without a reference that now appears to be totally untrue.

Speaking of change, isn't it pretty outside. A light snow has been falling for a couple of hours and there is a coating that has turned the ground area a nice, clean white. It's not going to amount to much, but it sure is pretty.

Now here's much of my original weekend post:

After a rather cold-for-this-time-of-year couple of days it would appear that the weekend will once again return to above normal temperatures. Still no snow in the forecast, except there's always the chance of a flurry or two. Knock on the top of my head, I still haven't gotten any flu symptons yet this season, but this is the kind of weather pattern that just invites illness.

I see in the news I may have been right. A couple of Republicans have come out and flatly said they would oppose at least part of Gov. LePage's plan to fix the shortfall in the DHHS budget. As usual with folk critical of things, they didn't offer a solution to the lack of 122 million bucks. I guess their own electable future is the main concern. I wonder what they'll do when the state simply runs out of money, perhaps as early as this year.

Wow! Have you seen the price of gas lately? Last Tuesday when I went to my senior fitness session, the gas on Western Avenue in South Portland was $3.229. Two days later on Thursday, it was $3.369 per gallon. In two days! I've read that it's going up another 30 to 60 cents in the next couple of weeks. Why? I can think of a couple of reasons. Iran is making threats about closing the Straits of Hormuz to cut off an oil supply route. The U.S. does not rely on oil through those straits. The U.S. hasn't permitted a pipeline to be built from Canada which would give us cheaper oil. And Congress has allowed a subsidy for its required ethanol in gasoline to expire. Did you read that the United States' #1 export is gas? Perhaps we should keep more of it here.

It would be far better if Congress would simply eliminate the ethanol requirement and that just might lead to a lowering of food prices along with lower gas prices. And my lawn mower might run better, too, along with a return to the former gas mileage in my car.

Did I also hear on the radio that gas prices could reach $4.50 by this summer? I haven't been out this morning, but I'd be surprised if they're not already rising above Thursday's price.

In the TV advertising department: The entire ad industry must be salivating over the new Jenny Craig commercial. You know, the one that has the big scantily dressed girl gyrating and making a funny noise. The ad agencies would have to go a long way to create a worse commercial.

I could stand to lose a few pounds, but the latest Jenny spot sure turns me off. There's nothing about it that would want me to buy the comany's diet food. Maybe it's just the "before" ad and they're planning a "30 pound loss" one later. "But, Gator, if it doesn't affect you, why say anything here?" Simple. When it comes on, and it appears to be in a 'flood the market' cycle, both Gator Wife and I cringe and say almost simultaneously that it is by far the worst commercial we've seen in many years. Jenny, it's time to bring back Valerie.

The Gator family here will have another easy weekend. Seems strange in January to have such fine weather and we've got nothing planned. At least I'm not concerned with lawn mowing every week.

I hope your weekend is just a super one.

Gator

The weather makes it difficult to think of January

2012-01-06T06:15:00.003-05:00

After a rather cold-for-this-time-of-year couple of days it would appear that the weekend will once again return to above normal temperatures. Still no snow in the forecast, except there's always the chance of a flurry or two. Knock on the top of my head, I still haven't gotten any flu symptons yet this season, but this is the kind of weather pattern that just invites illness.

I see in the news I may have been right. A couple of Republicans have come out and flatly said they would oppose at least part of Gov. LePage's plan to fix the shortfall in the DHHS budget. As usual with folk critical of things, they didn't offer a solution to the lack of 122 million bucks. I guess their own electable future is the main concern. I wonder what they'll do when the state simply runs out of money, perhaps as early as this year.

Did you read about the legislators of both parties who have taken advantage of a well written loophole in state law that allows them to get millions of dollars in state money without having to declare a conflict of interest? If you haven't, it makes for interesting reading but I'm not sure if any of the sites I've read still have the story. You may have to Google it to find something current.

Edited at 7:25 AM: I'm retracting the above paragraph (not just eliminating it because that would be unfair editing). I just heard Joe Bruno, one of those charged with unfairly taking state money give a full explanation. He never did take the money except a couple organizations he is involved with, including a pharmacy he owns, were mentioned in the story. Speaking on the Ray Richardson Show on WLOB radio, Bruno explained that the money his pharmacy received was all payments for prescriptions authorized through the MaineCare program of the DHHS. He gave a thorough explanation of the whole accusation and proved just how the original news media stories were simply fabrications of the truth. I hadn't mentioned Mr. Bruno in my original paragraph, but his name was prominent if you found the stories. I'm sorry I brought this forth here.

Hmmm. I wonder if there's any connection between those last two items. Hmmmm. Naw!!!! Just Replublicans who are clueless why the majority of voters in this state returned them to leadership roles. Obviously the first sentence here also becomes a hoax.

Wow! Have you seen the price of gas lately? Last Tuesday when I went to my senior fitness session, the gas on Western Avenue in South Portland was $3.229. Two days later on Thursday, it was $3.369 per gallon. In two days! I've read that it's going up another 30 to 60 cents in the next couple of weeks. Why? I can think of a couple of reasons. Iran is making threats about closing the Straits of Hormuz to cut off an oil supply route. The U.S. does not rely on oil through those straits. The U.S. hasn't permitted a pipeline to be built from Canada which would give us cheaper oil. And Congress has allowed a subsidy for its required ethanol in gasoline to expire. Did you read that the United States' #1 export is gas? Perhaps we should keep more of it here.

It would be far better if Congress would simply eliminate the ethanol requirement and that just might lead to a lowering of food prices along with lower gas prices. And my lawn mower might run better, too, along with a return to the former gas mileage in my car.

Did I also hear on the radio that gas prices could reach $4.50 by this summer?

In the TV advertising department: The entire ad industry must be salivating over the new Jenny Craig commercial. You know, the one that has the big scantily dressed girl gyrating and making a funny noise. The ad agencies would have to go a long way to create a worse commercial.

I could stand to lose a few pounds, but the latest Jenny spot sure turns me off. There's nothing about it that would want me to buy the comany's diet food. Maybe it's just the "before" ad and they're planning a "30 pound loss" one later. "But, Gator, if it doesn't affect you, why say anything here?" Simple. When it comes on, and it appears to be in a 'flood the market' cycle, both Gator Wife and I cringe and say almost simultaneously that it is by far the worst commercial we've seen in many years. Jenny, it's time to bring back Valerie.

The Gator family here will have another easy weekend. Seems strange in January to have such fine weather and we've got nothing planned. At least I'm not concerned with lawn mowing every week.

I hope your weekend is just a super one.

Gator

The end begins, but it's still a long road

2012-01-03T06:19:00.014-05:00

This is a good day. We'll finally get Iowa out of the top of the news. Finally! Of course New Hampshie will still be right up there and, because of our proximity to New Hampshire, the onslaught of the primary there will make Iowa's efforts look rather dismal. Then we'll be on to even more of these state promotions.

I heard one pundit, sorry-don't remember which one, say that it might be possible the Republican nominee will be known by the end of February. That's probably too much to hope for.

I'm selfish. I'm beginning to think of only how all this stuff will affect me. Truth is, it won't. I can't vote in Iowa. I wouldn't anyway as one has to pay to vote in the caucus. The results tonight could affect the ultimate choice of a nominee. Did I read somewhere, though, that the Iowa caucus isn't consistent in choosing an eventual winner? I believe New Hampshire has a better record. But I can't vote there, either. Nor can I vote in any of the other primary or caucus states except Maine and this state's turn doesn't come around until well into the process. By then, we'll already have a strong hint of whom the national convention will choose this summer. Maine, incidentally, will hold its caucuses in mid to late February, but the state conventions to select people for the national one won't be until much later.

I will vote for the Republican nominee next November; except there's one candidate I could never give the "X" to. If that person gets the nomination, I'll probably just stay home as I couldn't vote for the other team's nominee, either. That other team has already chosen current President Barrack Obama to try for a second term.

We had hoped for great things last year when voters gave Republican majorities to both legislative houses in Maine and the House of Representatives in Washington. There were also enough Republicans elected to the U.S. Senate to affect change. Maine also made it a trifecta with a Republican governor so they had total control in Maine.

I'd give Maine Gov. Paul LePage high marks for his efforts. We haven't had nearly the improvement that many of the wing of the party I mostly support wanted. But that's not because Gov. LePage hasn't tried. He's worked tirelessly to get our economy and jobs market under control along with changes in our tax structure and medical care. Currently he's working extremely hard at getting the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) under control.

The problem is in the Maine Legislature. Most politicians in both Maine and the for Federal offices work only for one goal: get re-elected. To Hell with the state and nation. They can't bring themselves to recognize the trouble both this state and country are in. If they do have a glimpse of it, they don't have the will to do anything about it. After all, they need to be re-elected in November. Furthermore, many members of Congress and the State Legislature were members when all the spending and growth of government began. It's very difficult for people to admit they were wrong and make corrections.

Gov. LePage knows the problem and is trying at least to get the spending and debt under control. President Obama has no clue and is only working to make it worse. I will give the President a compliment, though. He sure can speak a good game and get many people fooled.

I guess I'm spending a lot of words to say simply that considering the cast of characters the Republicans are considering and the Democrats choice of President Obama, when it's all over next November, nothing will change in either the state or the nation.

I'm sad at the direction we're taking.

But, at least the first obstacle will be completed later today.

Gator

I've only one seen Bowl Game live, and it was a Gator Bowl

2012-01-02T06:09:00.005-05:00

Gator Bowl: Florida 24, Ohio State 17

It was back in January of 1960. I was in my senior year at the University of Florida and the Gators were heading to a nearby bowl, the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville. I had never been to a Bowl game so right after it was announced the Gators would be in the Gator Bowl, a very close friend at the time and I decided to make the trip.

Directly across the street from my dormitory was Florida Field, then the home field of the Gators in games only, and where the home/away ticket office was located. So on the morning tickets were dispensed, I was in line very early. I wasn’t alone; I think at least half the student body was there. We were ending Final Exam Week so many had already left for home.

I was lucky. My tickets were for great seats about on the 45-yard line about half way up the side. After I completed my one remaining final exam, in the same building, incidentally, as the ticket office, I headed for home just outside St. Petersburg. My friend, who was a student at Florida State University in Tallahassee, had already gone to her parents’ home on the other side of St. Pete.

We had a good time planning our trip. My Mom and Dad helped me out considerably. On Christmas Day I had dozens of presents under the tree; all of them were carefully wrapped variously sized and shaped containers containing a five dollar bill. I shall never forget that Christmas Day.

Back in the pre-Interstate Highway days, the trip to Jax from St. Pete was a rather long ride, but it was a fun one. We attended some Gator events before the game and then she pretended interest while I yelled and cheered as the Gators beat Baylor. The fun, the excitement, the atmosphere of a college Bowl Game, even if at the time it was only rated fifth behind the Rose Bowl, the Orange Bowl, the Cotton Bowl and the Sugar Bowl, is an experience one never forgets.

Those same five Bowls are still in existence although in this day and age of corporate naming their names aren’t quite the same. And now under the new Football Championship Series they don’t even have the same importance. Well, the four others still claim the top teams and the national championship game is played in one of them on a rotating basis, but with the plethora of new Bowls and the number of teams playing for their own bragging rights, those old New Year’s Day Bowl Games, which are no longer even played on New Year's Day, have lost a little of their luster.

My friend and I parted ways about half way through that final semester and have had no contact since. But that won’t change my venture into memory lane as I turn on the Gator Bowl this Jan. 2^nd.

I hope your New Year Celebration was a nice, safe, and sane one and that this New Year will bring you prosperity and happiness.

Gator

Happy 2012!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year,

Everyone

May 2012

Bring you Great Personal Peace,

Wonderful Happiness,

and Prosperity.

Gator

One ends, another begins

2011-12-30T06:14:00.003-05:00

The weekend brings change in our weather. How about some snow? And colder temperatures? It also brings in a change in years as 2011 travels into the past while 2012 is set to bring us some much needed improvement in the nation's economy. I hope it brings you a Most Happy New Year!

The Iowa caucuses will be held next Tuesday. At last! Was it during the last century that the battle for the Republican presidential nomination began? It’ll be over very quickly.

My Fearless Friend has joined me in garaging an ICD, an Implanted Cardioverter Defibrillator. That’s a device I wear to more or less regulate my heartbeat. I’ve had mine for a couple of years. I periodically transmit via telephone a record of its performance. I’ve never felt it do anything and I’m not sure I ever do want to feel the electrical jolt. The doc has told me I’ve been paced a couple of times, though. I didn’t know when that happened, either. If his is anything like mine, FF’s experience will be that he’ll be wondering for the next several days just when that jolt will happen. He’ll never know he has the device after that wait which probably be in vain.

This is the weekend for college football lovers, except New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday this year. That means the normal Sunday Bowl Games will be played Monday.

Unfortunately, the Bowl Season has changed during the last few years. There was a time when all the major bowl games were played on New Year’s Day. Remember how we used to spend much of the afternoon and evening switching among the channels while watching mostly the game that most interested us.

But like most things, the Bowls have gone through a huge change. The Bowl Season actually began last week and will continue into the second week of January. Although not every night produced a game, most did and some even had two of them except the two games were at different times, and another day has four scheduled. Of course that means the number of games has grown and I think that makes most of the additional Bowls irrelevant, except for the two teams playing and their fans. It also has opened the Bowl doors to any team that wins a paltry six games during the season. (That includes the Florida Gators.)

The Gators take their impressive record (not a single win against a top team) into the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, FL. There is no relationship between the Gator Bowl and the Florida Gators. They’ll play Ohio State Monday at one o’clock. One, probably the only, spark for the game is a coach. Last year, Urban Meyer coached the Gators. Next year, he’ll coach OSU.

I hope your weekend will be super; it certainly will be for the Gator Congregation. (BTW: a bunch of gators in a single place is called a “congregation.” The name doesn’t truly fit my situation as my clan only has one Gator, me.)

Gator

Weather is screwed up!

2011-12-28T06:16:00.002-05:00

Winter is now close to a week old. It’s almost the end of 2011. It’s December in Maine. And what do we have for weather? How about Texas getting snow while Maine gets rain? That’s what this latest storm has brought. Who can remember when the temperatures this time of year here have been closer to those of late March or early April than what we should be getting here.

I’m no longer a snow buff although I still like to see some snow. I usually no longer strike out in my car during snow storms; and when I do, I have my walking stick with me and it has a ice grabber. Walking is a serious challenge and a scary one for me. If the snow or ice causes me to fall, I’ll probably break something. That’s what osteoporosis does to you. The temperatures and rain we’re getting this season aren’t conducive to ice and snow.

The Maine Legislature returns to Augusta for its second session next week. Congress folk will be returning to Washington to continue doing nothing. Republicans have demonstrated they have a tough time sticking together and a tougher time figuring out how get true reform, change, spending/budget control. Therefore, I have little faith any real accomplishment, less on the federal level, will succeed.

I haven’t seen the list of stores Sears/K-Mart will be closing yet, so I don’t know if any of them will be in Maine or locally. It is a shame to watch these stores fail and probably heading for extinction. I’d hate to try to figure out all the things that we have bought through the years from Sears. Until not too long ago, all our appliances, for example, were Kenmore. Consumer Reports consistently rated Kenmore brand, even though they were all made be companies will much lower ratings, at the top.

Craftsman stuff couldn’t be touched for quality and longevity. In fact, many if not most of my tools bought as many as 50 years ago are still in use.

We also loved the local K-Marts (Kresge when they were in downtown Portland) before they were bought out by Sears Holdings. But along came Wal-Mart. It appeared to me that K-Mart simply threw in the towel rather than fight to do better than Wal-Mart and the quality of the store, the sales people, and the cleanliness fell rapidly. And soon the Scarborough store entered history.

Sears (also once in downtown Portland), too, stopped upgrading their stores. There is nothing exciting or inviting about the store at the Maine Mall. It has been probably fifteen or more years since we bought an appliance there. They drove us away. That last appliance broke down and we called for service. By the time the fee for them to answer the phone, the fee for them to write the repair order, the fee for them to send it to the repair shop and get assigned, the time and mileage fee just to come to our home to evaluate the appliance, and on and on, it became painfully obvious that for just a few more dollars, we could replace the appliance elsewhere. Our appliance business is now with a locally, family owned company.

Earlier this year, we did return to price something at Sears. We found the item and it appeared to be competitively priced. We waited for a sales person to help us out with some questions. And we waited. And waited. Nearby was a sales kiosk of sorts. No one was there. We left.

From my perspective, if Sears/K-Mart are running out of time, it’s solely because of their own business practices and failure to put the customer into a position in at least seemingly importance. Sears Holdings, it would appear, simply has never entered the 21^st Century and now it’s feeling the consequences.

Added Thurs. P.M.: Sears Holdings announced this afternoon the list of stores to close. Maine stores have apparently survived this round of cutting. You can see the list here but expect a loading wait.

Let’s close today with Iraq. Are we satisfied that “We won” or are we satisfied we left that country in a stable, developing democracy? It seems to be reverting to “former Iraq” even faster than we expected.

Gator

What a nice day!

2011-12-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

Christmas Day, of course, is the day I mean. And it even ended with the swamp all white. Since that was mostly late afternoon and early evening, I'm really not sure I can say we had a White Christmas. But we did get the white for a while.

The GiM home was a happy place. Gator Daughter and her dog, our Golden Retriever's litter sister, came over. Santa was good to the pups and left them a nice stocking full of squeaky toys and doggy treats. I'm not exactly sure how they know, but it looked like they remember Christmases and those Santa stockings. We had five of them up and the only ones the two dogs went to were theirs. Probably the scent of the treats draws them.

GD and Gator Mom spent a goodly amount of time in the kitchen making pies and a traditional turkey dinner. It was absolutely delicious as I'm sure your family's was. We opened our gifts mid day and each of us got exactly what we wanted. Of course we shopped together to be sure the right stuff was had.

If you haven't set up a new router lately, you're in for a surprise. I got a new wireless "N" router. Once we got our network wires in the right spots (We had reversed somehow two cat 5 wires. The software that came with the router discovered the mistake and suggested we swap them out. We did.) the new network and configuration zipped right through. Now that I had a new network, I had a laptop, a network storage drive, and a printer to attach. I thought. The printer and external drive found the new net themselves so they were all set. I think it took about 15 seconds for the laptop to connect to the new network, thus to all the other devices.

I'm still not in the mood to rant and rave so I'm taking another day off. We'll see what happens Wednesday, if anything. I hope your Christmas was as nice as mine.

And in case you can't make it back here this week, I hope you have a Happy New Year. I do know my Fearless Friend will get his Christmas present of the ages Wednesday and so he will have a very Happy New Year.

Gator

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T00:01:00.009-05:00

The entire Gator in Maine congregation

wishes you and yours

The Merriest of Christmases.

May this day bring you peace, joy, and happiness.

Gator in Maine

Merry Christmas Weekend!

2011-12-23T06:12:00.007-05:00

1. Edited Friday Mid-Morning

Thursday, the first full day of Winter, was one mighy spectacular day. The sun was generally shining although there were a lot of clouds, too. The temperature on my weather station device got into the 50s as did the official temperature in Portland. And Winter was fully underway. What a way to begin!

Now we're into the first Winter Weekend. The best part of this one, though, will be Sunday's ending. Christmas Day! One of the nice things for some people is that it occurs on a Sunday and those folk will be able to take Monday off from work, too. Of course next week is already a vacation week for most kids.

Driving around our neighborhood, we've seen what we perceive to be fewer decorative lights, but we've also seen some houses with decorations that we couldn't remember seeing in previous years. Nevertheless, we do enjoy the ride.

I've told the story just about every year of my then 3 or 4 year old son's encounter with Santa Claus during one of those light viewing trips. We still mention it around here some 40 years later. I wish I had had a camera with me to record the boy's expression when Santa walked up to our car and spoke with him. Santa, of course, was a nice person visiting his neighbors with a cup in his hand. Probably was looking for some eggnog.

Now we are patiently waiting to see if we'll have a White Christmas or not. All week I think I've been saying we will, then we won't, then . . . Of course, under all the wonders was a hope we would. At one point, the Channel Six weather people were promoting the possibility of a Sunday snow. Then they changed their collective minds. Since then, the chance has once again popped up. Of course, a lot depended on "the track" of a storm that should be passing us by Friday.

We did awaken this Friday morning to a little light snow. We are beginning to see some white in the yard. According to the Friday morning weather forecaster Kevin Mannix, this will be a "quick hitter" and should be out of here by mid afternoon. And that ends the snow until next week, except Mannix did keep just a chance of snow flurries or showers Christmas afternoon.

He did say that we in the Portland area could get from 1 to 3 inches of snow, closer to the 1 inch Portland south, but noticeably absent from his early morning forecast at least was the mention of a White Christmas. So that wait will simply have to continue and Sunday we will have the final answer.

1. Edited to add:

Some storm, huh? This is all I see out our front door.

Bumma! Here on the GiM swamp, a White Christmas is probably out. The storm fizzled over our place and we only received a crunchy dusting of snow and then it turned to rain for a short while. What whitening that fell doesn't appear to have any hope of making this a White Christmas here. However, an email from my Fearless Friend indicated his place got perhaps a couple of inches and his driveway had to have some snow pushed aside. Good possibility of a White Christmas there and in many other places in Maine, but not here at the coast. This will be the final and only update of this storm.

With all that in mind and, like a little kid, patiently awaiting for a true white Christmas, I'm hoping you have a real nice Christmas, that you can remember your creator and give praise for all he has done for you. And I hope you have a super weekend and the Merriest of Christmases. Always remember, the love we have for our family and friends far outweighs those temporary gifts we'll be giving and receiving on Christmas.

Merry Christmas, everyone. (My annual Christmas card will be here Sunday.)

Gator

Will Christmas be white?

2011-12-21T06:11:00.003-05:00

Christmas is closing in. Only a few more days to go. We've made no additions to our present list so it looks like we're all set for the day.

There are so many things happening both in Washington and Augusta that I'd love to offer my unsolicited and just off-the-cuff thoughts, but I'm staying with this celebratory week of being quiet.

From what I hear on the TV weather forecasts, Wednesday won't be too nice of a day as we should get mostly, probably all in our area, rain into early Thursday morning. Clearing should set for the rest of Thursday, but then the "iffy" arrives. I've been saying for a couple posts now that it looks like we'll not have a white Christmas this year, but later reports are trying to draw me into a possibility we'll have some white Saturday night into Sunday. "Later," however, doesn't mean last. The forecast Wednesday morning indicated that the threat of a Christmas storm has all but gone.

As much as I want a White Christmas, I want even more the safety of our people. Christmas morning usually has a lot of cars on the roads as families head to gatherings for the holiest of days. I'd hate to see an amount of snow sufficient to make travel dangerous or non-existant.

However, we all know how exact those "if the storm travels ..." forecasts are so all we can really do now is wait for a weekend forecast or to see what happens for ourselves.

Gator

'Tis the week before Christmas

2011-12-19T06:10:00.002-05:00

Christmas is now less than a week away. I'd say this bunch of gators is about all set. We haven't hung the stockings with care by the fireplace just yet, but Santa isn't due until Saturday night. All the decorating we're going to do has been accomplished, including the Christmas Tree and our Christmas Village. We might take a couple trips to some stores during the week just in case we might see something that we simply must have. I don't think our Christmas will be a white one this year. I'll miss that.

On the blog front, in spite of the Washington and Augusta developments, this simply isn't my week to rant and rave, so we'll be back as usual on Wednesday.

Gator

A Quiet Weekend

2011-12-16T06:03:00.002-05:00

Another weekend and then it'll be Christmas Week. Well, sort of. As the old song says, "Tis the season to be jolly" and jolly we'll be beginning this weekend. After Sunday we'll have our own Christmas Tree sparkling pleasure and joy down upon us. The Old Gator congregation will be having a super weekend, and I hope you and your family will, also.

Gator

NTSB says "No" to cell phone use; DHHS budget hearing in Augusta; New source for news

2011-12-14T06:11:00.005-05:00

By December's usual standards, our weather remains rather nice. At least it will be like that through today, but some precipitation is possible in most parts of the state tonight into Thursday. Actually rain or snow is expected to arrive sometime before dawn tomorrow and stay with us through most of the day. Even the Portland area could see some very light snow on the ground during tomorrow morning's commute. But the storm should pass us to the west so we'll have mostly rain.

December is supposed to give us snow, not rain. A White Christmas is looking less probable with each passing day.

The National Transportation Safety Board has apparently read enough reports about traffic accidents by people using their cell phones while driving. The kicker was a report from the Missouri folk about an accident caused by a teenager, who had sent 11 texts in 11 minutes while driving, who plowed into the back of a truck. A school bus then whacked him followed by a second school bus into the first. At least two were killed and several injured.

As a result of that crash and others about which it had been informed, the NTSB is now recommending a total ban on all cell phone use, including hands free usage, surfing the web, checking email, and texting and other uses. Using a phone in a non-emergency is just too dangerous to allow to continue.

Some states have already acted, most of which with only limited restrictions. But most states have no restrictions. Maine's restriction is for texting. The final word on accepting the recommendation of the NTSB is up to the states and their legislative bodies. But it is a powerful recommendation.

I've told you my story several times and won't repeat it here, but there's not a time when I'm out in my car or riding with Gator Wife that I haven't seen countless other drivers with a phone up to an ear. We don't see teens as often with the phone around the head, but they do glance down a lot so it is easy to conclude they are texting.

Maine also has a distracted driving law. I won't say it isn't enforced, but I only read about drivers getting cited for breaking that law after an accident has occurred.

From my own experiences and observations, I can join in urging Maine's Legislature to adopt the NTSB recommendations.

Last week Gov. Paul LePage called for a massive change in Maine's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Among other things, he is recommending that eligibility for MaineCare, the state's version Medicaid, but cut way back to bring it to national averages. Maine has 35% more usage of MaineCare than the Medicaid national average.

That change is one of several being considered this week by the Legislature's Appropriations Committee as the state needs to find 220-billion dollars to make up for a DHHS budgetary shortfall in the next year. Past practices of the Democrat controlled Legislature and Executive Branch of using budgetary tricks and relying of Federal funds which are no longer available, to cover the rising costs of MaineCare.

Gov. LePage has proposed courageous steps to get Maine's spending under control. The Democrats have, not unexpectedly, blasted his proposals as irresponsible. That's no surprise as the Dems simply have to try to justify their outrageous spending for the past ten years.

Hearings begin today in Augusta and continue through Friday. You will hear some of the most outlandish claims and many just plain lies about the consequences of not getting the budget into line with the state's income. In fact, they've already begun. So far, the only alternative the Dems have offered is to raise taxes which most of us can't afford to pay or take the money from other departments, like education, public works, police, etc., to pay for the huge gap they've created in the DHHS.

If you can attend a session or two, they are being held in the State Capitol by the Appropriations Committee in room 228. The hearings begin at 9 AM. You don't have to speak unless you wish, but your presence will give encouragement for support of the Governor and his recommendations to make life easier for us in Maine.

Finally today, if you'd like a slightly different slant of the news, we have a suggestion for you. The Maine Heritage Policy Center has launched a new news offering, The Maine Wire. Its first effort was released to the public yesterday and has some interesting potential. It's all explained in the first publication. Because it's a publication of the MHPC, I'd guess you might be right if you think it leans just a wee bit right and has a slight conservative slant, but Lance Dutson, the CEO of MHPC, has said that it will strive to bring honest, balanced news stories and in depth reports of events in the State House and Executive Office in Augusta that you won't find in the main stream media. A rather impressive group of reporters, columnists, and guest writers has been gathered for the publication.

If you'd like to see for yourself, you can see the first edition of The Maine Wire right here. To learn more about the Maine Heritage Policy Center, click here.

Gator

A weekend icon loss; Pats might be heading for trouble

2011-12-12T06:42:00.001-05:00

The weather is getting cooler. I'm still using "cooler" because it seems to be unusually warm for this time of year. It said on the TV the other day that we've had a couple of inches of snow so far, but with the temperatures as they are, that snow didn't last too long. Here it is just two weeks before Christmas and the ground around my house is still not frozen. Ski enthusiasts, I'm not one, are still able to get their skiing in as most of the mountains are making snow at night.

And the Monday weather doesn't promise too much change, either. Nights will be getting colder, but the daytime temperatures will still be nice. Actually, surprisingly, they're almost normal but without any real cold and without snow, it remains rather nice. We have only one possible storm on the horizon. There could be some rain Thursday.

Not a whole lot going on around the Gator Place. We've completed our Christmas shopping, except both Mrs. Gator and I have admitted to each other we don't have presents for each other yet. Sure, I've a couple of minor things for her and she's got a couple for me, but that major present remains elusive. One of the problems of getting to our age, I think, is that we're in a stage of life where it's getting shorter, so if we need something or really want something during the year, we just go out and get it so we can enjoy it. That makes Christmas a tough time.

We recently bought tickets to our favorite theater in Pennsylvania and we're planning a trick there next July. Perhaps that trip can serve as a nice present.

There are a lot of people not too much younger than I that lost a television icon over the weekend. The Ed Sullivan of Portland television passed away. Dave Astor had his Dave Astor Show on the TV from 1956 to 1971 on first WGAN-TV then on WCSH-TV. Teenagers were highlighted on the show singing or lip synching to the popular teen music of the day. Many of you will remember the Saturday night show. Teens lined up vying for a spot.

Edited at 8:10 AM to correct some information: I just heard on the radio that the Dave Astor Show actually had its debut on WPMT-TV in 1953. I would still have been in high school then, and I can almost remember watching it a few times. However, I'm very unsure if the memory is really from its later years after I returned to Maine. I do remember the TV station, but there's a chance our family TV couldn't receive it. I'm sorry for the error in this posting.

I was living in Florida in 1956 and was rapidly leaving my teen years behind. By the time I had returned to Maine, I was on the wrong side of the age bracket so I never did get involved with the Dave Astor Show. But I do remember watching it occasionally. It was a big teen hit of the day. And it was local.

Dave Astor was 92 years old.

The Occupy Maine group, that bunch that has taken over Lincoln Park in downtown Portland, have voted to sue the City of Portland for violating their free speech and assembly right. The City has ordered them to leave the park by Thursday. First up is an attempt to get a restraining order preventing the City from enforcing it's order.

I agree with them that they have the right to peaceful assembly and free speech. If I lived in Portland I'd be very upset that the City has allowed them to take over public property and pay for the protection and cleaning of the park resulting from the tent city. I'm not sure that Constitution allows the taking over of public property and creating a small neighborhood.

Municipalities all around the country have taken the same steps as Portland in ordering the end of the encampments. Others have been much more forceful than Portland. The Augusta Occupy group did attempt to get a restraining order, but a judge there declined to issue one. Now we'll have to see what happens in Portland.

The New England Patriots just might be in for a surprise and perhaps a loss this coming weekend. They'll be facing the Denver Broncos and their phenominal young quarterback Tim Tebow, a Heisman Trophy winner and one who led the Gators to a couple National Championships. When Tebow took over the quarterback spot for the Broncos, the team had a one win, four loss record. In his first start Tebow brought them from behind for a win but lost his second start.

Tim Tebow, you'll probably know, was said to not be able to play NFL football. Bad mechanics, you know. Well since that one loss, he's won six straight. It is, however, the way he wins that could cause the problems for the Patriots. Tim waits until he's behind in the fourth quarter and brings the Broncos out of the shadow of defeat with a remarkable comeback, and wins, frequently in overtime.

If the Broncos can stay within a couple TDs of the Pats next weekend, and having been watching the Pats' extreme difficulty in closing out games. Sure, they've been doing it, but Sunday's win over the lowly Washington Redskins (which was being quarterbacked by another Gator, Rex Grossman) was a perfect example. Except for just one bad pass catching attempt by the 'Skin's end as time was running out allowing the Pats to intercept, the outcome might, probably, have been different.

If Tebow can get into that same position next week, the "no pass" defense Pats just might be in big trouble. Denver, incidentally, was in the race for the first draft choice when Tebow took over the team and now they're in first place and playoff bound in their division.

And another sports spectacular, one that shows the idiocracy of today's rules. High school and college players cannot show any emother in a game. That ridiculous rule was called by a referee in a recent game in Boston. A player racing for the winning touchdown, one that would have given his team an undefeated season and a championship, raised one arm over his head while heading for the goal line. The ref called unsportsmanlike conduct, called the TD back, and the team lost both. I think it was a horrible call. I can't imagine kids not being allowed to be excited while playing a game. Excitement just might hurts someone's feeling. Well, such a rule just might hurt someone else's feelings.

I guess it's just like the banning of "Christmas" in schools and stores because the word might cause hurt feelings. Well, allowing other religions to celebrate just might hurt my feelings; but I don't count, do I?

Gator

To Tree or Not To Tree? Not wins.

2011-12-09T06:21:00.002-05:00

It's getting closer, Christmas is. Hard to believe it's just two weeks away; well, at least it'll be just two weeks Sunday.

Now we're facing another weekend, and a nice one, but cold, it should be. According to the weather reports, there's no significant storm in sight. That doesn't mean we won't get anything, but if we do it'll be just a quick hitter. The temperatures this weekend, though, are going to be more like December. That stretch of really nice stuff just might be behind us. Or not. We see there's still some warm stuff to the west of us and that could get here for another mild spell. I think the Farmers' Almanac, not sure which one, said we'd have a warm December. In fact, I think it said we'd have a warm winter.

We haven't put up our Christmas Tree yet. The big tree, not the Department 56 one we showed you after Thanksgiving. Both Mrs. Gator and I grew up with our trees being decorated shortly after Thanksgiving and through the first half at least of our marriage we had our tree all prettied by the first weekend of December.

We haven't done that for a while. After the kids left the nest and there were just the two of us, our old tradition got pushed back to two weeks before the holiday. Now we have a Golden Retriever which has a very active tail. Because of Gator Golden we had to put our village up higher than we first planned because that tail kept wiping the display off the table.

We put the big tree in a space that blocks off the entry to the dining area, a regular route for GG to her bed. She could get by the tree by charging under it, but you can imagine what that did to the decorations. And she's a mighty happy dog so her tail is in near constant motion. When we're in the living room, that's where she has to be and that tail can do a real number on the lower part of the tree.

So, we now only put that tree up the week before Christmas so we can enjoy it for at least a week. It comes down the day after the holiday. That was a major topic of discussion again this year. Under the old circumstances, the tree would be up and decorated this weekend. We thought about doing it again as both GW and I like the spirit the tree brings. But good judgement won out and the tree will wait until next weekend.

Oh, we do have a gift wrapped very long box that we put behind the tree in the actual doorway. That box has successfully served as a deterrent to GG's trip to her bed. She can and does, however, know she can get there by going through the kitchen.

Like most weekends, I try to keep this along family matters. Weekends are times of rest from the world that affects us. Even though the issues don't stop, I try to relax. And so it is this weekend.

Oh, I would like to make a comment about sports. I find it absolutely obscene that a baseball player can earn a quarter of a billion dollars, that's 254-million, over ten years. I'm sorry, but Mr. Pujols or any other baseball player isn't worth that much money to play a game. Now, that said, I'd be the first to admit I too would take a deal like that if it were offered to me. No chance of that. But I can't fault the player for taking it. If management is stupid enough to pay it, the player is in the right to accept it. That doesn't make him worth it, though.

Another big bucks signer makes me happy. Although I've said in the past that Big Papi (David Ortiz) had peaked and probably should hang up his spikes, I'm glad, especially after last year, he'll be with the Red Sox for at least another season.

And the Gators. Oh, those Gators. I'd be surprised if you hadn't noticed I haven't mentioned them a whole lot this football season. They simply stink. The only surprise is they ended up bowl eligible and will be in the Gator Bowl. No, it's not their own but just another Florida entity with "Gator" in it. But, at least they might get a decent offense coordinator for next year. This year's first year Gator OC has just been named head coach of Kansas U. Their loss, our gain. Charlie Weiss had one of the worst offenses in college football this season.

Now I hope you have just a very superior weekend.

Gator

MaineCare faces huge budget cuts

2011-12-08T06:09:00.001-05:00

We have an unusual Thursday comment today only because yesterday’s post was devoted entirely to the date, Dec. 7^th, Pearl Harbor Day. I just thought you’d like to know why we are here today.

Gov. Paul LePage has revealed his plan to begin the seemingly impossible task of getting the Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ budget under control. DHHS is facing a shortfall of more than a hundred million dollars. MaineCare, Maine’s version of Medicaid, alone has seen its growth from $1.44 billion in 2002 to $2.55 billion this year. Sometimes a chart is easier to understand than numbers no one can visualize.

It is a spending pattern that the state simply can no longer afford. Maine has become one of the most generous providers of benefits of all states.

What Gov. LePage is recommending this time around will, he says, get the MaineCare budget under control. He proposes eliminating the benefits for able bodied adults with no children and to bring coverages for other services in line with what is offered by other states. The Governor says his proposal does as much as possible to protect the most vulnerable Mainers.

The Democrats, who had been in control of state government for nearly 40 years until Gov. LePage was elected last year, began their protestations even before the governor had ended his presentation.

You will hear opponents saying things like the shortfall was caused by a decline in revenue or because of recent tax cuts. Of course they would be wrong. The shortfall was caused by unchecked growth of enrollment and spending for years.

They will say we need to tax Mainers even more to make up the shortfall, taxes Mainers no longer can afford. They will also say money in other parts of the state budget must be found to spend on the benefits.

But the rest of the state budget funds such things infrastructure, roads, bridges, and the like, and schools, municipal revenue sharing and other governmental essentials. Most of them are also facing major problems because so much money is being spent by DHHS.

The Democrats have used gimmick budgeting, hopeful funding which never came from the Federal government, and other financial tricks in the past. The failure of the previous administrations to see our current financial problem coming is what has put us into the estimated $220 billion shortfall for next year.

Gov. LePage recognizes the only way to get the state’s finances under control is to stop spending. Getting the DHHS under control is just the beginning. One in four people in Maine receive some form of benefits and that’s 35% more than the national average.

It’s not the end of reform for Gov. LePage, however. He was asked yesterday on the Ray Richardson Morning Show on WLOB (1310 AM) radio when more cuts would be proposed. The governor said that he already is working on the next proposal, but he won’t go into it until after the Legislature acts on the DHHS cuts in January.

Credit: The information regarding the DHHS budget and proposed cuts were taken from an email from Jason Savage, Executive Director of Maine People Before Politics. He urged his email be posted on Twitter and Facebook. Since I have neither, I took the liberty of using his work here.

Gator

And where were you?

2011-12-07T06:17:00.003-05:00

Dec. 7th. This is one of many Most Memorable Dates in our history, a date that President Roosevelt told Congress, "A date which will live in infamy." And it has. This is the kind of day when people ask, "Where were you?" or "What were you doing?"

This is Pearl Harbor Day. It was on this day, except Dec. 7, 1941, was on a Sunday, that Japan rained down a surprising attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The hope was that it would so decimate the American Armed Forces that Japan would have a clear path to the United States and the world. It didn't quite turn out that way, though.

I'll never forget that line the Japanese Admiral said in the movie about the attack, "Tora, Tora, Tora." He said, "I'm afraid we've only succeeded in awakening a sleeping giant." The attack not only prevented Japan from conquoring the world but it also prevented the Germans who had begun their own world war from winning, too. The attack did indeed awaken the United States.

It was four more years, however, before the second war to end all wars ended. Unfortunately, again all wars weren't ended.

So, where were you? What were you doing? I'd be surprised if very many of us can remember. Most of you weren't even a twinkle in your then very young daddy's eye. But I'm a 30s (late 30s) child. So I should be able to easily answer both questions. Well, I was very young, not even yet in school. I'm not sure if my memory is real, it probably isn't, or a result of what my family told me and from what I've read over the years.

I'm not even sure I had an inkling to what a war was. But my folks had kept the newspapers and I do remember the Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor headlines, but probably not from reading them that day. I think I remember the excitement exhibited by my parents.

What was I doing? Same answer. If I could venture a guess, I was probably outside just being a pre-schooler with my neighborhood buddies. Shucks. If I'm honest with myself, I really have no clue as to what I was doing on Dec. 7, 1941. I can say for sure, however, where I was; I was at home with my family. We undoubtedly spent part of that morning in church; but that would have been a Sunday thing and have nothing to do with the war. Perhaps the grownups upstairs were talking/praying about it, but in the kiddies' room downstairs, I doubt anything was said.

I do have some vivid memories of those war years, however. Perhaps another anniversary or event will give me the opportunity to share them with you. But this is not the time.

So my answer to my questions: I was, but that's about all there is to it.

Gator

Now there are two, maybe three

2011-12-05T06:14:00.002-05:00

It would appear that we may be in for one more, perhaps final, week of relatively nice and above average temperatures. There could be a blotch in the week Tuesday or Wednesday as some showers, possibly snow showers depending on where you live, come through. But the temperatures should remain in the upper 40s to the 50s most days. Wednesday or Thursday is giving some problems to the forecasters as a possible storm will be in the area.

Keith Carson, the weekend meteorologist on WCSH6-TV, said Sunday that we should see a colder trend, possibly for the long term, beginning this coming weekend.

Christmas, though, continues to draw closer and closer. Unfortunately for me, I haven't grown any closer to figuring out a present for Gator Wife. Oh, yea, I've got some of the usual ones she gets, but that one special present remains out of reach. I've ordered a new router on line and it will be here well before Christmas, but I'll let GW put it on the tree for me.

There are now probably three viable candidates left in the Republican challenge for a nominee to oppose President Obama next year. When all of this started earlier this year, there were 17 announced candidates. As of Sunday, three, Thad McCotter, Tim Pawlenty and Herman Cain, had officially withdrawn. Nine are so near invisible that I suspect you can't name most of them, the exception being Rick Santorum. Still in are Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, the two most prominent, and Ron Paul who is a growing strong outsider. Also continuing to get some press are Michelle Bachman and Jon Huntsman.

The latest leader in the polls is Gingrich, but now we can begin to watch the major attacks on him. I'm not sure who's behind those attacks, but as each candidate has risen to the top, the attacks have begun. Bachman and Rick Perry had risen to the top early on, but neither was the dandy of the news media and the opposition and attacks soon showed them where they belong. As they fell from grace, Herman Cain rose. So the attackers turned on him and Saturday he officially put his campaign on suspension, and by doing so, withdrew from the race.

Gingrich has also had some of the negative ads against him, but with the concentration on Cain, Gingrich could get a breath. In Iowa, Paul has moved up the ladder and over the weekend, at least, was second in the polls. I haven't seen a lot of negative stuff about him, but the media and opposition apparently consider him so vanilla they've generally left him alone.

And that leaves Mitt Romney. He apparently is the chosen one by the media and opposition to run against the President. Those in control possibly believe he would be the easiest for President Obama to beat next November.

I've read in many places that many people wish Sarah Palin and/or Chris Christie were available. I guess Republicans now might think one of them might be a shoo-in.

We've still got more time to think about all this, but not much time. The Iowa Caucus is in early January and the New Hampshire Primary follows a week later.

Unfortunately for Mainers, we won't have much, if anything, to say about who the Republican nominee will ultimately be. Our primary isn't until next March, and by then the chosen one will undoubtedly already be known.

I never mention the Democrat race for a presidential nominee. There isn't one. The incumbant, Barrack Obama, has that party's nomination all wrapped up, especially since he has no contenders.

And those are my thoughts for this time around.

Gator

December's opening weekend

2011-12-02T06:24:00.000-05:00

The first weekend in December is upon us. We had a "cool" start to this month and this weekend, but the weather folk are telling us that by Sunday we'll be headed right back into abnormal warm temperatures like we had in November, the warmest November on record.

We're sort of teased with the forecast of some snow in the coming days, but it's mostly up in the Maine mountains and in Northern Maine. We along the coast will see some cooler temperatures but any precipitation will probably be in the form of rain. I heard one forecast say there's a good chance December will be warmer than normal with not very much, if any, snow.

I guess we'll know how the month turned out in, say, four weeks.

My router is beginning to quit a couple times a day. It takes a reset to get it going again. I'm not sure just how old it is, but it's new enough to be wi-fi if not "N." My Fearless Friend told me just a couple weeks ago he was having similar trouble. I guess he put the idea into my router's mind. Gator Wife has been asking me what I want for Christmas. I mentioned a new router to her and she said she wouldn't buy one because she just knows it would be the wrong one. She told me to get one and she'd put it under the tree. I guess I know what one of my presents will be. Naturally, I'm only assuming...hoping...the plural use in that presents word is correct.

My 12-year-old car is now nice and legal for another year. It's been registered and inspected. Inspections haven't been too tough all those years. I drive a Toyota that was built when the old man of the company still made the decisions. He wouldn't allow shortcuts to quality. In the 12-years I've owned the car, I probably haven't spent more than a couple hundred dollars on the car and all of it on minor stuff like alignments, etc. I think I've bought a tire and a battery, too. When I bought the car, the dealership offered an incentive...free oil/filters, etc., for life. I doubt they thought too many of us would keep the thing 12 or more years. My dad always told me, "Keep your oil up to date and the car will take care of you." Free oil has made keeping it up to date very easy.

I think this is a candy type weekend in the Gator household. Our daughter will be here Saturday and she and Mrs. Gator will be making fudge, snowballs, bark, and stuff for the holidays. Some home made caramel popcorn might also be tossed in. I like the Christmas season.

This is a weekend so I think I'll just sit back and enjoy it. I hope you can find time to do the same, too, and that you have just a super weekend.

Gator

The Cain Affair

2011-11-30T06:22:00.003-05:00

I’m not sure where I’m going with this as it is just a gut thing with absolutely zero honest research. But I say my comments are my unsubstantiated thoughts, so here goes.

The nation’s press has once again set the course for discourse. Apparently not satisfied with the lukewarm reception to the charges that Herman Cain may have sexually abused some subordinates at his work place, the media now has a wowzer on its hands. It has uncovered a possible long term affair the candidate had recently.

Just like he did with the first accusations, Cain vehemently denies that last one, too. After reading a news report on the background of his latest accuser, I must say I my thought was, “She sure sounds credible. Not!” Now I’m not saying her claim isn’t true; I’m only wondering where all this sex stuff has originated concerning Cain.

Guilty or not guilty means nothing to the news media. Some people have come forward with claims and claims are good enough for the press. You’ve read here several times of my belief that one is innocent until proven guilty. That hasn’t changed with the accusations against Herman Cain.

What I do know, though, is that his life and reputation have been damaged, probably irrevocably. The news media has seen to that. It would be interesting, if I felt moved enough and I don’t right now, to search on the accuracy rate of the claims that have been reported. As a result of the current one, guilty or innocent, they are claims that Herman Cain will never see end.

As Cain was announcing yesterday that he is now taking his campaign through an assessment on the future viability of his chances to win the Republican presidential nomination, I was wondering just who could be behind all this activity. It certainly is much more than coincidence these accusations have come out at this time.

I have to wonder just who, if anyone, could have begun this anti-Cain drive. I ask myself just who might be the most challenged if he did win. Only one name comes to mind. Now we have to wonder who’s next? I know where I’d put my money.

Disclaimer: I’ve already said on at least one occasion in recent weeks that Herman Cain was not the candidate I would support in the primaries and caucuses.

O.K., Old Gator Dude. How come you don’t feel the same about those child abuse accusations against the coaches? I don’t know anything about them, either, except like Cain they’ll never live them down whether guilty or not. They are not only about claims told to a news media but also have some legal background. In one case, an arrest was the result of a Grand Jury inquisition. In the other the Syracuse police have admitted they haven’t investigated reports from many years back. Both of the coaches’ situations are in the legal system, but, like the Cain cases, all I know is what the news media wants me to know.

Speaking of political campaigns, I have also said here earlier that I wouldn’t support Ron Paul because of something I heard him say during the 2008 campaign. As I said earlier, I cannot remember what it was but it was something that at the time made me decide I could never support him.

Yesterday I received a rather heavy mailing from his campaign that not only outlined his plan to revive America and the American economy but also included a copy of his complete plan. I have not yet studied it, but I have glanced through it. As a result I thought, “Hmmm. I might have to change my mind about this guy.” Now I’ll have to study the plan and research if his actions, both past and present, support what he is saying. As it stands, however, the outline portion would give conservatives something to really give good thought to and provide substance for serious discussion.

It would be nice if the other candidates also sent copies of their plans for America. Paul has his in writing and is publicly disseminating it.

Finally, a sports update. Earlier this week I criticized Ndamukong Suh for his actions in pro football game last week I saw on television. I said he should be severely punished. The League has given him a two-game suspension, but, as he should have, he has appealed. Although I think it should have been harsher, I support the League’s decision. I also support Suh’s following the rules in appealing.

Gator

A Monday ramble

2011-11-28T07:04:00.000-05:00

Sunday wasn't too bad. At least in spite of the cloudiness, we didn't get any rain on our little piece of the world. Three more days and we'll be out of November. Those three days, however, could be interesting. Temperatures today, for example, could reach into the 60s. We appear to be on target to set an all-time record high average for a November.

It seems like this has been a rather quick month. Perhaps the two major holidays has help speed it along. The first part of the month Mrs. Gator and I were preparing for our milestone anniversary as the first fifty years of our marriage slipped into the past. Then came Thanksgiving, a holiday for giving Thanks for all we are together and for bringing back family memories.

Next up, Christmas.

It wasn't too long ago that we would have put up our outside decorations this past weekend, the one following Thanksgiving. We probably outdid outselves in our former home in Portland as it was ablaze with lights and other decorations. Once we began there, just about everyone on our street began to put up grand lighting for the holidays.

The first couple of years after we moved to our present location, we tried to get into the decorations mood for a couple or three years, but we were one of only two houses in our field. Even the street was a dead end so extremely few passersby got to enjoy our efforts. The area has since grown up around us and our street is no longer dead ended.

We turned to the inside. One day Gator Wife arrived home with a single Department 56 structure and placed it on the shelf in front of our bow window. It was lost. So we bought two or three more along with some accessories and our Village was born. Growth of the Village has been our decoration project ever since.

There are lots of things in the news to mention. Cities and towns around the country and here in Maine are finally beginning to do what they should have done on Day One and that is push back against the "Occupy ..." movements. I never understood why the protesters were allowed to pitch tents and other structures and take over public spaces. Peaceful assembly and speech freedom are Constitutionally allowed. I've never read in the Constitution where setting up tents and other structures in public parks were permitted freedoms.

The continuing and growing shortfall of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services is going to be a costly fix. Major reform is badly needed.

The term "vocational education" has taken on a very negative image and school districts have long changed any focus on it. But now under Gov. Paul LePage Voc Ed is being primed for a comeback, only it will be under a different name. The new name is "Career Education Training," or something close to that. Education had abandoned a lot of Maine students and the state is now paying for it with unprepared workers. The rebirth will be a major highway into our economic future.

These are just two or three of the many events around us that affect us. They, along with many others, just might get a mention or two here with my thoughts and opinions that may or may not hold any water.

Turning to a couple of sports thoughts: The NBA owners and players have reached a tentative agreement and the pro basketball season will get underway Christmas Day. Ho-hum. I absolutely could care less. The NBA is just plain boring to me. It can't hold a candle to good college basketball games. I even prefer watching the high school games. I've never understood the popularity of pro basketball.

And,

Thanksgiving Day was hectic. We had a lot of activity happening here, probably just like most of you had in your homes. We are early eaters as far as holidays go. So it was about one o'clock when we sat down to give our Thanks and enjoy the hard work of Gator Wife and Gator Daughter. By mid-afternoon, the clean up had been completed and our projects done. We wanted a nap. GD and her dog headed to their home and GW and I curled up, sort of, in our chairs in the TV room.

I turned on the TV. The football game was just beginning the third quarter. It wasn't long before I saw one of the dirtiest plays I've ever seen in pro football. There have been many, but this was a pip. After a hard play Ndamukong Suh of the Detroit Lions was lying on top of a face down Green Bay Packer player repeatedly driving his face into the turf. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and even said out loud that that guy should be tossed from the game.

He was finally dragged off the downed player but as he was being escorted away, Suh appeared to deliberately throw his leg out in a sideways kick to stomp the other player. His legged pumped a couple or three times but I'm not sure if he actually spiked the Packer. News reports later indicated he did not or only grazed him. But the attempt was unmistakable. Not only should Suh have been thrown out of the game, he was, but the League should be taking even stronger action.

News reports say the league will be meeting this week to review the play. From what I saw, Suh's season, possibly career, should be over. There is no place in sports, professional or not, for that kind of activity.

Village is Lit -- A Final Look

2011-11-25T06:00:00.006-05:00

Thanksgiving is over. Ever since I can remember, and that's a lot of years ago, my family celebrated its Christmas Season all the way from what we now call Black Friday through Christmas Day. Gator Wife tells me her family also began shortly after Thanksgiving. It is a tradition that she and I have carried on since we were married 50 years ago.

When our kids were little, we would "park" them at Grandma's House early on the Friday after Thanksgiving and head out for our Christmas shopping. I honestly don't recall it being called "Black Friday" way back then, but it still was one of the busiest shopping days of the year. And like today there were bargains galore. When we had done our job of helping Santa by getting all we could for the year, we headed home and wrapped and hid the presents. Then, like our folks before us, we headed to Grandma's for supper and brought the kids home.

We haven't done the Black Friday thing for many years, but last year we did go out Monday to help Santa with our daughter's (she's now in her forties) list and was pleasantly surprised at how much money we saved on the technical items she needed. We just may go out again this coming Monday.

But the real purpose of this post is to tell you that on schedule we completed and lit our Christmas Village on Thanksgiving Day. It is a project we begin each year on Veterans' Day with the goal of lighting it on Thanksgiving. It is a two week project. Our Village is a combination of the Victorian and Dickens collections of Department 56. We've been giving you some progress reports throughout the construction phase. Now here is a final look at our Christmas Celebration Village.

This is the first table one sees upon entering our living room from our dining area. It is a table that runs behind our sofa. As you can see, we have a skirt around the table, which, incidentally, we also constructed, which hides all the wiring and stuff under the actual display.

At the end of this section of the sectional sofa is Kensington Palace, the future home of Prince William and Princess Katherine of England. It was also the home in which the future king grew up with his mother Princess Diana. It is the center piece (or corner piece if you prefer) of this year's Village.

The sun was shining in the window and made taking a good picture difficult, but this is a sample of our Window section which is on the window base behind the second section of the sofa. Every piece in this section depicts something from Charles Dickens' immortal story of Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim, A Christmas Carol.

We call this our Main Village and it has lots of scenes going in it. In the rear corner is a mountain; a skating pond is in the middle; a farm dots the far center left, and a river connects this section to the window section running from a waterfall.

And this is our main section leading back to the window section.

One would have to see this village "in person" to really get the feel of its size and depth. Nevertheless, we are very happy with our celebration of the Christmas Season. The whole congregation of Gator in Maine offers you this early wish for a Very Merry Christmas. By the way, if you click on any picture, you can see it enlarged, but, and this is important, it doesn't open in a new window, you'll have to use the back arrow or button to return to the blog.

We'll return Monday with some regular GiM thoughts including one of the dirtiest plays I've ever seen in the NFL.

As always, we hope you have a super weekend.

Gator

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T00:01:00.003-05:00

A Most

Happy Thanksgiving

To You and All

Your Family

From The

Gator in Maine Congregation!

Wednesday -- A stormy day before the holiday

2011-11-23T06:19:00.001-05:00

Happy Wednesday! Well, at least try to make it one. The weather forecast doesn't forebode well for this day. We have some winter storm warnings in effect and a goodly portion of the state will see a rather large snow storm which began last night. Travel could be rather treacherous in spots, but along the immediate coast, snow should turn to rain early this morning, if it hasn't already where you are. This could be a trying day for a major travel holiday. Many folk take a vacation day today so they can get to Grandma's House in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with families.

At least one good thing about this storm: it should end late today and overnight giving morning time for cleanup and then some good family time. I'm not sure what will happen to tomorrow's football game between Portland and Deering high schools. It's scheduled for 10:30.

A major change for the day: many stores are beginning their annual "Black Friday" Christmas sales during the day Thursday. The opening time for the super sales has crept backwards for years and many stores had begun opening between midnight and six AM Friday morning. This year many of those same stores will be opening at different times during the day Thanksgiving.

This is just a personal thing but I would not do any store shopping tomorrow. It is a day when even those lower paid employees that could use the additional paycheck should be able to spend the time with family and friends. It is, after all, supposed to be a day of Thanks for our getting into this day each year. (I might, though, spend some time doing some 'looking' out there on the Internet from my computer at home. Yea, I know what that makes me.)

Last year, Gator Wife and I did take advantage of the "Black Friday" sales on the following Monday and we did save a whole lot of cash. Perhaps that'll be the order of the day this year, too.

The most important day, however, is today. If you do have to venture out, please be extra careful so that your family will be able to spend a good thankful time tomorrow.

Just a couple "quickie" items about the news of the day...Congress's super budget committee failed to reach any type of agreement and so all the time that bunch of twelve spent to resolve last spring's budget dispute went for naught. I guess it's safe to say it simply mirrored Congress for the past couple of years in doing nothing.

The "Blame everyone and everything but me" President and his congressional buddies have once again said it's all the fault of former President George Bush and his tax cuts. Poor Pres. Bush, three years later and he's still at fault for all the world's problems. Naturally, the trillions of dollars that have bloated the national debt and deficit since 2008 has had nothing to do with our poor economy. I was impressed with Senator Kerry's line on the news. He said (nearly a quote), "It's a shame that a small bunch of people can stop all progress in Congress." He must have been referring to himself and his own party.

My goodness, we only have to look across the big pond to see what's happening in Europe to countries that have followed the same socialistic economy. But shucks! This is America. We set courses and not learn from the failures of others.

I was watching the news the other day and the scenes at Tehrir Square and that California college brought back the scenes from many other countries since last spring. That brings to mind the "Occupy" movement in America. Do you see any similarities? But here, especially in Portland, we're encouraging the protests. Perhaps I've mentioned it before, we don't want to learn from others as we're much better. "It can't happen in America!"

Here in Maine the Department of Health and Human Services budget crisis continues to grow. That department is now more than $120 million in the hole and growing. We simply can't continue to give away all our money and benefits and expect to survive. There must be cuts in the DHHS budget and programs need examination. A whole lot of accountability on welfare eligibility and spending must be developed. Perhaps, spending some money for a full outside audit, which doesn't happen now, would be money well spent and eventually save that department millions.

And finally, our Village: As I said earlier this week, the Village 2011, our celebration of the Christmas Season, will be completed tomorrow and "lit" tomorrow evening. I'll take some final pictures following those events tomorrow and post some samples Friday morning. Because I'll have to work on the picturs early Friday, the weekend post will be later in the day, but probably by noon.

I hope all of you have a truly "Happy Thanksgiving."

Gator

Snow, skirt all that's left forVillage 2011

2011-11-21T06:00:00.003-05:00

The Gator Clan has had a busy weekend literally completing Village 2011, our annual decoration to celebrate the Christmas Season. We are way ahead of schedule this year as we usually begin on Nov. 11th and hope to light it by Thanksgiving Day or the following weekend at the latest.

We could have finished it this year almost a week early but chose not to put the final touches on it until Thanksgiving Day. Both my wife and I have a history from childhood of beginning the Christmas Season following the Thanksgiving feast, and so it has been since we've married as well. When we started the Village several years ago, we chose the schedule so that our celebration could begin as we've always known it.

On the odd chance that someone is reading this for the first time, our Village consists of a combination of Department 56 collectible Victorian and Dickens villages. Every piece we use except those we use to construct base tables and a snow base and a cemetary and a skating pond are from Department 56.

We create several sections in our living room and make a few changes to give slightly different looks each year and to utilize our entire collection.

We still have to add "Fresh Fallen Snow" from Department 56 and a skirt to hide the underside of the tables and that will take place Thanksgiving Day while the turkey and stuff is cooking.

Gator Daughter climbed into a confined space to design this year's corner piece. You've read in the papers recently that Kensington Palace has once again reached the news as it will become the new home of a royal couple, a home the Prince grew up in. That is the Department 56 version of the Palace in the back.

Both on the picture above and each these four you can see why we always put a skirt around the display to make it more presentable. On the left is the long section behind a sofa while on the right we see what we call our main village. It includes a mountain, a forest, and a skating pond, all designed by Gator Daughter.

On the left is our creation of the Charles Dickens immortal story of Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol. And finally I thought you might like to see what the underside (right) looked like and just why we need a skirt to hide it. Probably a more creative person than I could make it presentable without the skirt.

We'll officially complete the construction phase Thanksgiving Day. I won't guarantee a final look will be here over the weekend, but I'll give it a try. If not, then it'll be here Monday.

Gator

Robocalls revisited; Village 2011 information

2011-11-18T06:16:00.001-05:00

I recall waking Wednesday, Nov. 9th, with a happy thought...those extremely annoying robocalls touting various candidates or issues for the voting the day before would have ended. Robocalls are the political ads that you get via your telephone and generated by a computer and calling lists. Well, I was just plain wrong. The calls are continuing. Now, though, instead of for local people and issues, they're for national ones.

I guess I simply forgot that the various state primaries and caucuses (Is the plural of 'caucus' "caucii"?) are just around the corner. I can't imagine what the folks in Iowa are going through as they are facing the nation's first caucus early in January. But here our neighbor New Hampshire will have the first in the nation primary election. These events will begin a series of them all across the nation for the following several months and lead to the probable Republican candidate for next November's presidential elections. The Democrat candidate, President Obama, is already chosen unless something really dramatic happens between now and then.

Politicians, naturally, excluded themselves from being listed on "Do not call" lists when they passed a law allowing us to include ourselves on such lists. So you can't stop those calls from coming by requesting inclusion on the list.

The new round of robocalls is from Republican candidates for the Presidential nomination. Like before, I've never heard one as the instant I determine the phone ring is signaling a robocall, I hang up. I'm not sure why I'm getting these irritating calls. Maine is way down the list of states in order of selecting its preferred candidate. Way down. I suspect New Hampshire wouldn't allow me to register and vote on the same day with no proof of residency or photo I.D. or background check or anything, so the calls are totally wasted on me.

I'm also irritated that the majority of these wastes of my time happen during the suppertime hour. That makes it a double turn off for me.

I got one the other evening from one of the top tier candidates. As always, I hung up just as soon as I heard the "I'm your idiot candidate" so have no clue what the message was. A few moments later, I picked up the phone to make a call and, son-of-a-gun, he was still rambling. Apparently the calling computers also have the ability to bypass hang-ups. I don't know why as no one would be hearing the message. I continued not to listen.

I find robocalls to be nothing but a total waste of time, money, and message. At least in the Gator household, they create a whole lot more negative feelings on the candidate than any good will. I'm keeping a list of calls and each candidate gets put to the bottom of my list of potential favorites.

We have nothing new in Village Construction to show you right now as we've taken a couple days off for some other things that needed doing. The major section needs the input from Gator Daughter before we can finish it. She annually creates a section of the Village that includes a forest scene complete with animals and a pond. She'll be here Saturday to make that section come to life and then Gator Wife and I will complete that section.

GD is planning to return Sunday and they way we've been able to progress, there's a good chance the Village will be mostly completed. That'll give GW and me a couple of days to complete putting in trees and "snowing" the Village. Thursday morning, the two ladies of the clan will put the underside hiding skirt around the entire project while the Turkey is cooking, and we'll official light the Village for this season.

When it is "Lit," Village 2011 will look something like

this lit Village 2010, but there will be some

different pieces and even these will be in different places.

I'll have a picture or two of the progress either later this weekend or, more likely, Monday morning. For anyone new to here, our Village is a combination of Department 56 Victorian and Dickens village collections which we erect each November as our Christmas Season celebration project. The village comes down early in January.

Meanwhile, as always, I hope you have just a super November weekend.

Gator

Village 2011 construction continues

2011-11-16T06:19:00.001-05:00

Nothing challenging here today. We're spending our time working on our Village for the upcoming Christmas Season. We erect a combination Department 56 Victorian/Dickens village in our living room each year. It has remained basically the same fror the last 4 years or so, but various pieces are changed.

The construction began Veteran's Day (also our wedding anniversary) and we aim at completion and lighting the village Thanksgiving Day. We are on schedule, perhaps even a little ahead of it. Monday we showed you the first weekend's progress and today we have some of the continuing work. Please keep in mind, that none of the sections is completed and won't be until we add trees, lots and lots of trees, and snow to the layout and the final configuration is complete. We also will be adding the skirt that hides the underneath sections as the final task on Thanksgiving.

We have basically arranged the structures for the section behind one portion of our sofa. If you look closely enough, you can see some of the Department 56 accessories that go with these villages. Missing, as I mentioned earlier, are trees and snow.

At the far end of the couch section is a widened area to fill in space where the sofa curves around a corner. This section is also the least completed of the section. That tipping British flag is a give-a-way to the need for more work. Also, the Palace has a fence and Honor Guard that need adding along with other accessories, trees, and snow.

The Dicken's Town Square is also nearing completion. This scene, which one of the favorites, depicts the Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, the immortal story of Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim. The structures and accessories in this section can all be found in the story.

In the middle of the Town Square we have the author himself giving an oral reading of the story. Those two buildings in the background are the Scrooge and Marley warehouse (center) and Fezziwig's company (left). A working Town Clock is next to the Scrooge and Marley building.

The display base and styrofoam is at least positioned, This is the final big section of the project, A mountain is in the corner and Gator Daughter's forest and skating pond sections will be placed here this weekend when she visits. But this does give a pretty good idea of how the Village is constructed. We still have a Christmas Tree section to put up, but that's an easy one on top of an existing cabinet in the room.

All Village pieces, including both structures and accessories, depicted here are part of the Victorian Collection and the Dickens Collection and copyrighted or registered trademarks of Department 56, a division of Enesco, LLC.

Gator

Village 2011 Is Underway

2011-11-14T06:21:00.001-05:00

Before I show you the beginnings of Village 2011, I have a question: Did Portland's experiment with the majority win rank voting system work? For the first time, and appropriately for the city's first mayor in some 80 odd years, all fifteen candidates on the ballot were ranked in the order of preference by voters. It was, we were told, an attempt to be sure the mayor would be elected by more than 50% of the voters.

It took 13 rounds of counting the rankings before Michael Brennan was named Mayor. Voters had numbered the candidates according to preference on one ballot last Tuesday. Then, the lowest vote getter in each round was eliminated until one candidate emerged with more than 50% of the votes.

Brennan was the leader after round one, but with far less than the magic 50% number. So counting continued into the next day. He finally won the day. BUT, did he? I believe I heard a news story on WCSH 6-TV News that after final inspection, some ballots were eliminated and Brennan's actual final total was less than 50%.

If my hearing was accurate, how did all the added expense to the voting system get justified when the leader after the normal count was declared the winner by less than the promised 50%? I'm not a Portland resident, but if this ranked voting becomes widespread, I could be later. Just wondering.

Now, the Village. We erect a display of Department 56 collectible village pieces, combining structures and accessories from the company's Victorian Village and Dickens Village series. Each year, we begin the construction process on Nov. 11th with the aim of lighting the village on Thanksgiving Day or, at the very least, the weekend following Thanksgiving Day. The village represents our celebration of the Christmas Season. We usually take it down and pack it away a couple of weeks after the New Year.

We began on schedule last Friday. Here's are some samples of the construction program through last Sunday.

The first step is to put together our base tables. This is one of three which we build for three of the several sections of the Village. This piece will hold a section between our sofa and a wall. The pieces on it are generally shops, but a house or two also probably will dot its landscape. We also reassemble base tables for a section behind the sofa and the front window. The third one is the largest section against a rail separator between the living room and the front door.

The above base was completed and placed in its spot behind the couch. A little hard to see here, but at the far end the base widens to fill in the space between the front wall and the round sofa connector where its two sides meet.

A plywood tabletop is then placed on the base and it is covered with some hard Styrofoam. You'll see some foam layers here which we use to create some depth to the display. The those things that look like holes are holes. We run the varous structure lights through them to the structures. It is, of course, those structure lights which makes our presentation a lighted display, or as Department 56 calls it, a lit village.

Structures are added. Here they're just randomly placed so we'll get an idea of relationships. The next function is to place them where they'll work together to make a section of the Village. I'll have them arranged Wednesday so you can see a more organized look.

If you saw our Village last year, you may remember there was a mountain in the corner of the room. Because of the news stories lately, for this year at least, we eliminated the mountain and have inserted our Department 56 version of the famed Kensington Palace. This is just the building itself. Later we'll add its accompanying accessories, including the Royal Guard. This is on that widened section I mentioned earlier.

That's just a brief look at the construction progress. We are, however, well on schedule to complete the Village on time Thanksgiving Day, and perhaps even next weekend. I'll have more on the Village Wednesday

Gator

11•11•11=50

2011-11-11T06:00:00.020-05:00

1. Edited Sat. AM (See below)

We've finally reached another holiday weekend. This one, however, is in the "very special" category.

First, Friday is Veteran's Day, the main reason for this weekend's celebrations. It is a day we honor all the brave men and women who have kept the greatness in our country both today and since the country was founded. We all should go out of our way the give a big "Thank you for your service" to any and all veterans we meet today. If your city or town has a parade or other type of celebration to honor our heroes, then I'd hope you can get to see it or participate in it to show your support.

The Old Gator offers his big "Thank You" on this, your day of celebration.

Second, Nov. 11th is the day the Gator Clan begins its construction of our Christmas Village, our way of celebrating the upcoming season. Our Village is a combination of collectible pieces from Department 56's Victorian and Dickens Collections. It takes us about two weeks to get the Village ready to be lit and our target date this year is Thanksgiving Day, or at the latest the weekend following.

Friday will be spent putting our homemade tables together and putting them in their places in our living room. We may even begin to place down the hard foam pieces which form the snow covered base for the settings. Saturday and Sunday will see the beginning of the placing of structures which make our Village.

It is a time consuming, slow process, but the Clan truly enjoys both the construction and the enjoyment the Village brings throughout our Christmas season.

I'll try to edit this weekend post to add some pictures of the construction progress. Check back perhaps Sunday.

1. The 50th Celebration is over. Now we're back to the Village. The base for one wall is complete, along with the preliminary placing of many pieces. But here is a picture of one of this year's corner pieces:

Of course there's still a lot to be done, but we put it up to see how we'd like it. Our first impression was that we really do. This building has been in the news lately.

But the third and the most important event, the one which makes it "very special," this weekend happens Friday. It was 50 years ago that this branch of the Gator Clan was started.

In 1960, a cousin with whom I had grown up scheduled her wedding. I had left Maine five years earlier to join my parents in Florida. My cousin asked if I could at least return long enough to be in the church on her wedding day.

I was preparing to graduate from U of F, but timing was right and I was able to make a weekend trip. It would be a short stay as I arrived late the night before the wedding and was leaving the day after. I did not get to meet her wedding party members.

Sitting in the church as the bride and her attendants started down the aisle, I saw for the first time what to me was the most beautiful sight in the world. It was Cousin's Maid of Honor. I never saw another thing in that church. I suspect she never knew I was there.

A couple of weeks later I was granted my degree and had interviewed for a job on a newspaper in a mid-Florida city. (Orlando, FF, wasn't quite as big back then and the newspaper wasn't quite as important as it is today.) I was also slated for a visit to a newspaper in Georgia. But those newspapers would no longer be in my future. My destiny was in Maine and I came home.

I casually asked Cousin who her M of H was. She laughed, told me, and said she was not committed to anyone. I could feel the anxiety building. I still can remember every minute of our first date and my earlier "first impression" only grew. That was in the summer of 1960. A little more than a year later, we began the oddysey that continues today.

That November day was like the beautiful weather we've had earlier this week. It was the 11th, Veterans' Day 50 years ago. And I can't think of a single moment, even during some tough times, when I was sorry we got married.

SJJ, Thank you for still being with me as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary. Thank you for being at my side when our personal economy was tough, and especially when my health took a rotten turn ten years ago. And I'm glad I was here for you during your ordeal a couple years ago. I think there's a name of something that has held us together. For me, it's "love." I love you.

As we celebrate our 50 years together, I can't help but wonder what happened to the pool money. My Dad, yes MY dad, had started a money pool on just how long our marriage would last. I never did know how much money was in that pool nor who was the keeper. I do know that my dad has long since left us as has many of the other people, including my brother and that cousin, at the wedding. Wherever it is, if it even still "is," there is no winner of that pool. Our marriage continues.

What say you, Mrs. Gator? Shall we try for another fifty?

(Added at 7:50 Fri AM: GW said, "Absolutely! Let's give it a try!")

Gator

Sex

2011-11-09T06:20:00.002-05:00

Caught your attention, didn't I? Well, surprise; this isn't really about sex. More on that in a bit.

I can think of one very good thing this Wednesday morning. We won't have to suffer through those absolutely awful ads and robocalls any longer. At least for this go 'round.

I'm sort of surprised at the state wide results of voting Tuesday. Question 1 to keep same day voter registration passed by an absolutely huge margin. It did prove that big outside money (one man contributed over 285-thousand dollars to the campaign) can still buy elections in Maine. That same person had contributed huge amounts in the districts' House of Representative race last year. Mischief at the polls will continue. Now I'll hope the results will lead to the requirement for voter I.D. at the polls.

Both gambling questions, #2 to allow racinos in Biddeford and Calais, and #3 to allow a full blown casino in Lewiston, were both defeated by rather surprisingly large margins. One website for the "No on One" campaign also proved something in Maine: Dirty politics are alive and well. That said, I'm not unhappy over the gambling defeat, although I have been privately wavering on my feelings since I got an email from my Fearless Friend. He pointed out that such projects should be allowed to rise and fall on their own business decision. I'd add as long as public money wasn't involved. I thought, though, the Yes on One folk had done a good job sticking to their jobs point and it would prevail.

The fourth question, the one changing the state redistricting date in the state's Constitution, passed easily. That was a "no brainer."

The Cumberland County Civic Center was an ill-conceived project from day one. To renovate it at tax payers' expense is still ill-conceived, but renovate it they will. I've always believed that those who benefit from an establishment should pay for it. Since I would still have to pay to attend events there, I'm paying double...through my taxes and my entrance fee. We were told the Civic Center brings millions of dollars to downtown Portland. If so, then downtown Portland businesses should be paying for it.

As I write this this morning, we're still awaiting the results and comments about Portland's new attempt at voting using a ranking procedure.

BUT...I also said I hoped at least half the state's registered voters would turn out. That wish fell far short. So, once again, I'm not satisfied we truly have full winners and losers. Me? I was three for four on the statewide questions. As far as I'm concerned (except in Scarborough where more than 50% of registered voters cast votes) no one can claim mandates resulting from this election because of the less than 30% turnout.

Now, sex. I think I'm a little saddened about what's happening to the Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. I can't, right off the top of my head, remember a time when JoePa wasn't the PSU coach. I probably should as it was in my adult lifetime, but he has been such an icon, such a role model, that he has been in Happy Valley for 46 years. And now, apparently through no fault of his own, the end of his career might be at hand.

Reports out of Pennsylvania say the support for Papa Joe Board is eroding. The president of the university might also be heading for the guillotine. And it's all because a former assistant coach has been accused of sexual improprieties with underage boys. That assistant gave up his position in 1999 but has had access to PSU, including his own office, since.

Why is Paterno now being targeted? Perhaps is as simple as his becoming a scapegoat. According to the reports, Paterno first learned of the impropriety in 2002 when a then assistent reported a scene he viewed in a shower. The now accused assistant was, according to the report, involved in improper activity with a young boy.

Paterno followed procedure, PA state law, and his good sense to report the incident to his superior. He had simply done what he not only should have done but also what he was supposed to do. If today's reports are accurate, his failure in the incident was not following through. When he was called before a Grand Jury, he apparently answered all their questions to be best of his ability.

When the arrests began over the weekend, JoePa's efforts perhaps were simply not enough.

"Sources," according to the reports, say that Paterno's exodus from Penn State may be imminent, perhaps within a day or two or a week. Perhaps even before you read these thoughts.

Do I know any of the facts surrounding all this? Heck, no! You've read here many times that all I know is what the news media wants me to know, and I've been around too many years, in fact involved in the news media for many of them, to accept all I read as fact. So I'm not judging Joe Paterno here; I'm just trying to express my sadness that a legendary career probably will come to an end over these events.

He should have done more say some of his detractors. From only what I've read, he followed the rules. What else is there?

And Citizen Cain's accusers seem to continue to come out of the woodwork. Like I've said, I only know what the news media wants me to know so I won't comment on those accusations. From what we have seen, there seems to be a similarity among the accusers. Their timing is rather interesting. By the way, Cain is not at the top of my list of Republican preferred candidates.

I do have an inkling just how both JoePa and Herman Cain feel right now. Someone very near and dear to me has been in a similar situation. Fortunately for him, his accuser admitted to the police she was just trying to punish him for a perceived sleight. His episode ended very quickly with no repercussions. I'm afraid Mr. Paterno and Mr. Cain won't have the same outcome.

One final puzzle for this mid week: What's with all the conference changes in college football? I can appreciate that all the schools want to be where the big TV money is, like in the SEC, Big 10, PAC whatever it is now, etc. But some of the real or probable changes simply don't make any sense. Boise State in the Big East, for example. Boise State will eat all and probably more of its share in travel alone. I guess they are east of some place, like the Pacific Ocean. First the changes in bowl and championship selections now a total screwing up of long established conferences. And why is all this happening? $$$$$$$$$!

Gator

Those referenda ad campaigns

2011-11-07T06:19:00.004-05:00

The weather forecast is sort of giving us a hint that this will be a pretty good week, at least into Thursday and Friday. Temperatures could touch 60 or at least into the upper 50s into Wednesday when they'll fall just a bit, but remain above the 52 degree average for this week. Rain or showers could be here Thursday and continue into Friday.

About an hour and a half after this picture was taken, the leaves had been vacuumed up. About two hours after this pictures was taken, more leaves had fallen.

I'd be a little disappointed if it rained on Friday for that date a half century ago was just a delightful day. I really remember it well.

I spent much of this past weekend thinking about what I'd write today and decided that I'd keep it simple, as usual, and leave Tuesday's election out of it. After all, I said what I've wanted to say and I've already cast my ballot. Unlike a recent gubernatorial candidate, I don't want to recall my ballot and get a second chance. Win or lose, I'm comfortable with the way I've voted.

But the weekend sure did bombard us with advertisements on Questions 1, 2, and 3 on the state ballot and I changed my mind. There was a plentiful amount of money spent. Possibly unfortunately for me, I think the huge amount of money, mostly out of state money and much of it from one person, spent to pass the repeal of the voter registration requirement and the huge amount of money spent on the two gambling questions urging passage were infinitely more effective than the money spent on the other side of those questions.

Perhaps the best campaign was waged by the "yes" on questions two and three groups. The campaigns stayed on task and were calm and effective. The "no" on question one group was very close to ineffectiveness. Shucks, I don't even think that group had a clue what the question was. They did make a change during the weekend, but it may have been too late. I had a hard time understanding what the "ethics election" was all about. The question was simple: Do we want to allow election day voter registration or not. I'm not sure just how one way or the other would be more ethical.

My stand on gambling has been solidly etched and I would have cast my vote as I did regardless of the advertising campaigns. But the "no" people have repeatedly and consistently told us that we could lose 25 million dollars in education funding if the voters allow two new racinos and a casino, three new gambling establishments. Huh? They also tell us that there are no specific educational provisions if voters pass the new gambling places. Well, gee! If there's no provision for new gambling to provide money for K-12 education that we could lose, what is it in current law or practice that would be eliminated by the gambling passage? I'm afraid that argument just makes no sense to me and leaves me cold.

I said in an earlier post that a basic message philosophy is sticking to message and saying it often enough begins to make people believe it, whether it is absolutely true or full of lies or not. One side has advertised by that philosophy and the other has simply confused us. None of the advertising campaigns, however, did or could have affected the way I voted. My mind had been made up way back when the initiative campaigns began.

Enough of all that. I truly do hope that if you haven't already done so, you will take a few minutes Tuesday to visit your polling place and cast your votes according to your own beliefs. The more people who vote give more credibility to an outcome and it is our civic duty to vote. Don't take the attitude that "My one vote won't count" or that "My spouses vote and mine will just cancel each other out" be your feeling. Every single vote counts and is important. Not only does your one vote count for winners and losers, the more of them cast gives credibility to the outcome. After all, which is better, a person or cause winning by 51% or more of all registered voters, or by winning 51% of only 50 percent of those registered? Vote on Tuesday!

Taking a picture with my camera in the sun is impossible as the viewing screen is totally washed out. Twice Sunday I just pointed it generally in the direction of Gator Golden. Usually when I try that, I get half a dog or nothing.

Gator

Robocalls

2011-11-04T06:21:00.005-04:00

November's first weekend is forecast by weather folk as probably a pretty nice one, especially here in Southern Maine. Sunday might be the better day. Thursday wasn't too shabby itself. Portland (and the unofficial weather device on my back deck) reached a high of 61 degrees. That's pretty good for this time of year. Watch out leaves; here we come. Again.

I'm pleased I was able to vote my conscience at the voting booth Tuesday, a full week before I'd have to walk the gauntlet to the booths this coming election day.

Unfortunately, though, people manning those automatic calling machines don't know they're wasting their time calling my number. I don't know if robocalls are the only kind being used this year to urge voters to support a particular person or cause. But so far that's all I've gotten.

Robocalls, as you know, are all computer generated. A candidate or spokesperson records a message and a computer just begins dialing in a targeted area. Some of the calling programs are pretty sophistocated. They detect by the voice of the person answering if that person is male or female and give an appropriate "hello." Some can even connect the number to a family and, like a mail merge document, speak directly to the answerer. "Good evening, Mr. Gator," or "Hello, Mrs. Gator." I'd suspect that just how much the candidate or pact authorizing the call is willing to spend determines if it's a generic or personalized call.

Usually you can tell instantly you're getting a robocall. If you have caller I.D., as most people have nowadays, the number can give it away. If you have Time Warner's cable phone, the number appears right on the TV screen. If you don't utilize caller I.D., then a small pause after you answer is the telling sign of a robocall.

I don't like robocalls from either side of an issue simply because I can't be my usual polite self and have a nice conversation with the caller. I like to tell them, "Thanks for the call, you blooming idiot. Now I can eliminate your person (or issue side) from my selection."

Or, like this year, I can always tell the caller I've already voted. When they ask how I voted, I can tell them it's none of their business, or something like, "Gee. Sorry. Not for your person or cause." All I've been able to do so far this season is hear it's a robocall and hung up on it. What a waste of candidate's money!

I don't get people coming to our door. Canvassers generally don't want to walk my long driveway.

I heard someone on the radio yesterday (Thursday) morning saying that folks visiting homes will be all over Portland this weekend. That person pointed out that there are 15 candidates running for Mayor in the city and they'll be out in force in all neighborhoods to press the flesh. I don't live in Portland so I won't get any of them. Probably a good thing. I'd be tempted to tell all but one that my candidate had already visited me. I'd explain that person thought enough of my vote to get to my place early. Of course, it really would have been moot; I'd have already voted.

Someone asked me the other day how I felt about the Herman Cain accusation. I have no feelings about it right now. I honestly don't know anything about it, only what the news media wants me to know. And that's usually less than half the story. So, until there's some substance to the accusation, I'll keep an open mind. I should point out, however, that as of about a week ago, Cain wasn't my top choice on the Republican ticket to face President Obama. Unless he becomes the eventual nominee, I probably won't ever have any "feelings" about this issue.

Lest we forget, the November elections are Tuesday. It's your chance to vote for whomever you wish to make decisions affecting you in your city or town and county. There are also several local referenda or bond questions to decide. And there are four state questions concerning gambling, elections themselves, and redistricting to decide. I feel I can complain when things seem to go wrong and make an issue of it simply because I have exercised my civic duty. I hope you'll exercise yours.

By the way, if you live in Portland, Portland Press Herald columnist Bill Nimitz has an interesting story in this morning's paper about the ranked voting system being used to elect a new mayor for the city. You might be interested in reading it to see how previous users of the ranked system have succeeded. Or not. It's also here on line.

And now, as I do just about every Friday, I hope you have an absolutely super weekend.

Gator

November, one of my favorite months

2011-11-02T06:19:00.001-04:00

We are in November. This is an exciting month for the Gator Clan. First, we made it and that's pretty significant. There are a couple of good holidays in the month. Next week we honor all the men and women who have served, and especially those who have died, in the armed services of our country. The second is the the fourth Thursday, the 24th this year, when families get together for Thanksgiving.

It's the month we begin our annual Christmas Village, a collection of pieces representing England's Victorian Age and the Charles Dickens' era. It takes us about two weeks to assemble the year's depiction. The village construction will begin next week and we hope to light it on Thanksgiving Night, or at least by the weekend following.

This is the month that marks 50 wonderful years that Gator Wife and I have been married.

And now, at last, November is underway.

As I said we probably would in my last post, GW and I visited our Town Hall Tuesday and filled in the little bubbles that next Tuesday will be joined with other people's bubbling to determine how we will be governed for the next year.

The task here in Scarborough at least was very simple as there were only one contested full term and one contested complete-a-term Town Council seats. Four people were running for three full terms on the Town Council. I had carefully read about them earlier. A weekly newspaper had asked each the same specific quesions and using their responses I eliminated one from my list. Two folk were vying for the term to complete a fourth council seat. Both sounded O.K. in their writeups and both were familiar names in town politics, so I just said, "That one!"

Only two candidates were running for the two school board seats.

My choice for County Commissioner would be obvious to anyone who reads these posts. One of the candidates is an officer in the Town Committee that represents me. Besides she and I agree on a bond question to fund a remodeled Cumberland County Civic Center. (Yea, I know; it was deliberate.)

I suspect you already know how I voted on the four state questions from stuff I've written in the last few weeks. If you have read my stuff from previous years, you probably already know how I voted on the bond questions, too.

I'll probably remind you to vote yourselves on my weekend and Monday posts. I am very proud that I have voted in just about every election since I turned 21 back in the 1950s. I'd like to say I've "never" missed one, but somehow that word "never" always comes back to haunt its sayer. I honestly believe it is a prime duty of all citizens to exercise their right of selection in the voting booth.

Now if I lived in Portland, I might just be complaining. The more I read and hear about that new candidate rating system they're using to select a new mayor, the more I think it's going to leave a bad taste in Portland residents' mouths. I heard some residents in news stories last night saying they were going to simply "bullet" the ballot, i.e., vote for just the one they wanted, and others say they were only rating two to five candidates. I would think that might leave the system really suspect in its final results. We'll have a much clearer picture on its success or acceptance next week and I hope, for Portlanders' sake, I'm dead wrong.

I do appreciate the desire for the winning candidate to have at least 51% of the vote, but I think I'd prefer a runoff to get there rather than the rating system.

GW and I had a needed to take a short trip on the Maine Turnpike Tuesday. The construction work on it is brutal to traffic. We were headed north bound past Exit 48. The south bound lane was simply a parking lot. Both lanes were backed up from just north of Exit 48 all the way past the Falmouth Exit to Route 100. A stream of cars was approaching the backed up traffic so I don't know how far north it eventually went. Motorists have been warned of construction delays, but I wouldn't have expected anything like I saw Tuesday.

We completed our business in Lewiston and decided to take Route 100 back to Portland. I'd warn anyone planning to head south, probably either direction at different times of the day, to heed those traffic delay warnings. The Turnpike people aren't kidding.

Gator

Yup! For most it certainly was a storm!

2011-10-31T06:16:00.001-04:00

I don't think our weekend storm did exactly what the forecasters thought it would, but certainly some places in our section of the state picked up a substantial amount for an October storm. I haven't seen any official words yet, but I'd be very surprised if in many places a record wasn't set for October depth.

The little plot of Gator Land didn't get very much depth, but we did experience some limb problems. My unofficial ruler said we got about 1 5/8 inches. That was on the front steps. It could have been a wee bit deeper in other spots around the yard. But not too far from here, reports of 4 to 8 inches were common and just a wee bit further were reports in excess of 20 inches.

The heaviness of the snow did the most damage though. Thousands lost power at least temporarily during the storm. We had between 30 and 40 limbs come down in our yard, but none threatened any wires. Knock on that wood, we didn't lose power nor cable nor internet nor telephone. We've got our limbs dragged to our long driveway and hope we can get our neighbor, who has a one-ton dump truck, can take them to the disposable place for us.

The sun came out around lunch time Sunday and by evening much of the slush and glop had begun its trip to the never-never land.

It was, no matter where you were in Maine, or anywhere in New England for that matter, an October storm to remember. Let's hope it wasn't any kind of harbinger of November and December and beyond.

A friendly reminder here, especially if you don't have tots at home and have forgotten. Monday is Halloween. It gets dark very early these days and the costumed kids sometimes are hard to pick up by drivers. As you drive tonight, pay special attention to the roaming trick or treaters. I don't know if the tradition has continued or not, probably in today's ridiculous politically correct madness it hasn't, but back a few years at least, when my kids were still in school, many youngsters of all ages dressed up in costume to wear to school.

You might want to be watchful at bus stops and walking routes to and from school, too. Excited kids aren't concerned about you; you must be concerned about them.

I did learn a lesson Sunday. I headed outside when the snow was still creating a rather beautiful scene in our yard. The maple trees in our front yard and put their limbs, at least the ones that stayed on the trees, all the way to the ground, just like they were holding up the tree. The camera's battery was deader than the proverbial doornail. Well, not to worry, I had another one inside. It was, however, equally as dead. No pictures.

As I thought back, I don't remember putting a charge on them since before we went to Branson, MO, last October. And I know better than thinking an unused battery holds its charge. Unfortunately for me, by the time I got one of them charged, there was no more picture opportunity. It's really too bad for me. I'd like to have a penny for every time over the years. my wife and I have commented on the absolute beauty of nature in all its destructiveness.

At least the storm did one good thing; it gave me time to do some research on next week's ballot. Nothing national facing us, but we do have some statewide referenda, some county and local questions, and some people to put into various offices needing consideration. My mind is made up on everything on our ballot; but in fairness, it has probably been made up on the question topics for quite a while.

I hope you have made yourselves equally as informed in your area. Voting is one of the most important duties we have. We'll probably take the opportunity to visit our town office sometime this week and cast our ballot. After all, like every single voting age person in Maine, we don't have to wait until election day to register and vote. And that, of course, is true even for anyone who has yet to register.

I also think...big word there, think...I've narrowed my list of Republican presidential candidates I hope to support to one. So far, that person is not at the top of the polls. But I still have the perogative to change my mind as the discussions continue.

Gator

We've made it into another weekend

2011-10-28T06:26:00.015-04:00

3. Edited Sunday morning (final edit for this storm) to comment on the storm and to replace all previous updates and comments.

We've made it into another weekend and it's the last one we'll face in October. We did awake to somewhat of a shocker this Friday morning. The weather forecast has changed a wee bit since yesterday. Yesterday, a potential weekend storm was probably heading out to sea. Today it's possibly going to give us one mighty smacking.

NewsCenter6's Kevin Mannix did say the "models" could change again before Saturday night and push the storm coming up the coast out to sea, but right now, he says, it's looking like we'll get three to six inches of snow Saturday night into Sunday. Now we'll have to do as I said last time, we'll have to just wait and see what happens. I used to like Kevin!

3. Final storm update: Here on the Gator Place only an inch or two of snow fell, but parts of Southern Maine had a bunch. As of 7 AM, Shapleigh had the jackpot with 17+ inches and other areas got a foot. There were many places with less than six inches, including our little plot of the state. By sunrise this morning, well, by the time the sun should have risen, the storm had all but passed us by leaving just a wet, messy slop. Much of it is already melting away. Trees with limbs resting on the ground during the night have already returned to near normal, except we do have some limbs permanently down.

We were among the lucky ones as we didn't lose our electricity, but several thousand in our county and severy thousand more elsewhere in the state weren't so fortunate. We are expecting some sunshine to return to the area this afternoon and the remnants of this storm will all be melted away almost as quickly as it fell.

Well, you wonder, where's a picture? You can chalk this one up to the Old Gator. It's been several months since he checked the battery in his camera. Big boo-boo. When he headed outside to take a memory of the storm, his camera just sort of chuckled at him. The battery is now on the charger but by the time it's ready, there'll be no good picture opportunity left. Lesson learned by the Old Gator.

And that ends this final storm update. Now, back to the regularly scheduled Gator in Maine. Can you tell I used to be a broadcaster?

Monday is a holiday of sorts, but not one of those legal ones that extends the weekend. Monday is Halloween. WCSH-TV played a very cute "ghost" story this morning, one I suspect will be repeated during the weekend. It was a very well done report on "ghosts" haunting the Channel 6 building, mainly in the archives room and throughout the building. Reporter Jackie Ward's eyes were perfect. The famed "Maine Ghost Hunters" investigated and we'll see their report next week.

Halloween is a great time for the very young and the very young at heart. It's kind of too bad that it can't be held on a weekend night, perhaps the last Friday or Saturday in October rather than Oct. 31st. That would take some pressure off school kids about getting homework done, rest, and dealing with potential upsets tummies and getting up the next morning for school. But then the date does have its own meaning so I'll just put this thought into the clouds.

One of the tough things about this last weekend is the thought that we sometimes get snow, real plowable snow, in November. I'm hesitant to change my tractor over from lawn mower to snow thrower this early for a couple of reasons. The leaves are still dropping off the trees in my yard and I use the lawn mower as a leaf vacuum. We do have a compost pile for the leaves as well as grass clippings so there's some reason for my collections. Speaking of grass, vacuuming the leaves also gives the lawn a little trim to keep it even before snow flies in earnest. We have completed the winter fertilizer drop, though. (If Kevin was correct this morning, perhaps I should take that changeover more seriously; but if we do get snow, it won't last long.)

The problem with not making the changeover is sometimes I get caught and have to do the task in much colder weather with snow already flying. I know you may be wondering why I simply don't go out and get some shovelling exercise. Well, my driveway is about 350 feet long. Using my age and physical condition, I'd wonder if I'd make it through a whole storm. So, we will put off the changeover for at least another couple of weeks.

We are also approaching Village Construction Time. If you've followed me for a year or more, you know that every year the Gator Clan designs a Department 56® combination Victorian and Dickens villages. It's a huge undertaking that we traditionally begin on Nov. 11th and complete it and light it on Thanksgiving Day. Of course Nov. 11th is not only Veterans' Day but also is a special day for Gator Wife and me. It's extra special this year so we may start the village the weekend before or the one following the 11th this year to be able to celebrate. Then, of course, there's always the possibility that since both events, the special one and the village beginning, are so important in our lives that we'll stay on schedule and begin construction on the 11th.

It occurred to me the other day that I've mentioned the upcoming elections (Nov. 8th) once or twice here but have only focused on the statewide ballot questions. We are also facing many other items on the ballots in many cities and towns. Councilors, selectmen, school board members, county officials, and many other people are also on various ballots throughout the state. Not all, of course, are on all ballots, but many places are choosing more than just voter registration procedures and gambling.

This was brought home to me Thursday when I read an article on line in The Forecaster, a weekly regional newspaper. The article dealt with the selection of town councilors in my town, Scarborough. It suddenly dawned on me I haven't paid enough attention to our local politics, and that's not a good thing. Fear not, I'm not going into any local politics here, but just wanted to note that many of us in the state are facing local elections and ballot questions. Among them here, for example, is whether we'll allow a 35ish million dollar bond for a new school.

We still have a week to familiarize ourselves with the local ballots and I urge you to do as I'm planning to do, some homework. These local elections are equally as important, perhaps even more so in some places, as those statewide questions. There's still time to learn what's on your ballot and your decisions could affect your life and/or your pocketbook.

I'd also remind you that in spite of the lies you see on those Vote Yes ads, you can register during next week and vote at the same time. Of course, most of you are already registered.

I hope your weekend is a great one.

Gator

A little hopscotching around

2011-10-26T06:33:00.002-04:00

1. Edited Thursday AM

Probably by the time you read this, we'll kinow for sure; but I didn't particularly like the weather forecasts for the past few days; However, this morning it has all changed, once again.. This is only October and there's SNOW already in the forecast. Sure, the ground, especially here along the coast, isn't cold enough to have any accumulation, but I don't even want to see snowflakes flying around right now. As I mentioned, it now appears that storm will pass us by and we won't see that snow after all. Nevertheless, it's still too darn early to be scaring us. 1. This morning's weather seems to be a little contradictory to the forecast we were getting yesterday. Even snow flurries have returned to the forecast. It was simply 'yucky' outside this morning.

Shucks. The weather forecasts are so disturbing that one of my last-Wednesday-of-the-month (that, incidentally, is today!) lunch buddies is leaving Friday for his winter home in Florida. Actually, it's his legal home as he headed south when he retired to get away from Maine's income taxes. He's found lots of things he had in Maine not to be in Florida. Automobile excise tax, for example. On the other hand, he says some things are more expensive down there. But there's no state income tax.

I'm not a police officer, never have been one, and the chances of ever being one are nil at best. But I get a kick out of watching the brave officers on TV cops shows when they enter a place, especially a dark place, seeking out a villain. I don't know if real cops do it or not, but I watch in amazement how they hold a gun in one hand right in front of themselves and a light of some sort in the other hand right in front of their head. Every time I get to thinking just how nice and thoughtful it is for these TV good guys to give that waiting villain a clear, well lit target. It is fun watching them. And I think the method is used in every cop show on TV.

Election day is now less than two weeks away. The gambling interests have already geared up big time to get you to vote to approve more gambling facilities in Maine. One of the fun parts of all the activity, though, is watching them feud among themselves on questions 2 and 3 on the ballot. I say it's easy to solve that conflict: vote "no" on both. The promoters, though, have seized upon a good theme during these economic times. They claim gambling will create thousands of jobs. Personally, I think that's a very dubious claim, but I have no statistics to back up my feelings. All I can say is I have travelled around the country and at least driven through communities that have gambling facilities. They haven't looked too prosperous to me. Has anyone looked into the economic impact in other places? If they have, I've missed it.

All that out of state money is working hard to get you to vote to repeal the new law that limits voter registration to take place before election day. The arguments for repeal are so specious that I'd bet many people are believing them. The new law simply does not limit anyone's right to vote. Even if registering on election day is the only recourse for new voters or people who have recently moved, registration and voting can still take place the same day in early registration. What the new law does do is give local officials time to confirm residency, something that can't happen with election day registration. I can't help but wonder just what mischief repealers are planning for election day.

Sure, massive voter fraud hasn't been proven in Maine; but in Maine once a ballot is cast, it can no longer be challenged. Sort of limits the ability to prove fraud, doesn't it?

By the way, I wonder just how many really do have to register the same day anyway. After all, only if you're a new resident, a recently moved resident, or one just reaching voter age do you have to register anyway. For everyone else, once registered, it's for life as long as you continue to vote.

I think the new law is a good beginning to restoring the credibility of the election process. I still wish it would take the next step and require identification and residency proof to vote. Forty-four other states do not follow the Maine model. Now why could that be?

If I lived in Florida, I'd never want to serve on a jury again. A Florida judge has released the names and addresses of all the jurors in the Anthony murder case. She's the one, you may remember, who was found "not guilty" of murdering her infant child. Many folk didn't agree with the jurors and now their homes are being "visited" by reporters and such. Those jurors made their decision on the presentation of the facts and not just "feelings." They do not deserve having their lives disruptively invaded by reporters. I'd find some way, any way, to get out of serving on a jury if I thought my participation would result in that kind of inconsideration.

WCSH-TV has made some minor changes in the background of it's new HD news programming. I still find that background to be very dark and ugly. I don't know what it's supposed to be, but it appears to be attempting to make it look like we're looking out a window at a city scene. But, who am I? I'm only someone who's watched that station's news for as long as I can remember. Their HD set needs work. By the way, the "Updates" during the Today Show were much better. Had some light. May be a wee bit too busy, but much better than the full news reports.

Gator

A fireboat memory

2011-10-24T06:21:00.001-04:00

It appears cooler weather with some dampness is moving into our region. The weekend wasn't as nice as were told it would be and did you see the temperatures forecast for later this week? In the 40s.

The TV station I watch the most for news...hard to break old habits...began broadcasting in HD over the weekend. I sure do hope someone at the station notices that the dark blue background is, in my humble opinion, extremely ugly. I have no clue what it's supposed to represent. The commentators this morning said they're working on getting everything switched over so that soon we won't be faced with the narrower field stories. It's great to see them now in HD, but I sure do hope they change that awful blue background.

President Obama announced that the agreement signed by President Bush to have all U.S. troops out of Iraq at the end of this year will be honored. He said American troops will be home by the holidays. At first I was a little upset he couldn't say the word "Christmas," but in more thought, there really are many different holidays at the end of the year. Will this bring a peace to Iraq? We've already seen the answer to that one. Nevertheless, I'm glad we'll stop losing American men and women in at least one part of the world.

The Portland Fire Boat is in the news. Published reports say it was on a what some call a family/friends cruise on Casco Bay the other night. Other reports say it was a training cruise. Whichever it was it hit something in the water and an estimated 38 thousand dollars in damage resulted. At least a couple suspensions have resulted which might hint that it wasn't a training cruise.

It's really unfair for me to make judgmental comments on the situation because I wasn't there. All I know is what I've read in the newspapers and from very informal sources on the Internet. So I won't. But you know me, I love to reflect on past experiences. Some say it's my age that leads me here as the older we get the more vivid past events seem to get.

I've had trips on a Portland fireboat.

They weren't on the current, modern one but rather on a rather old boat used in the 1970s and early 80s. They were cruises sanctioned by those years' City Council and administrative officials of both the city, like the City Manager and others, and fire department officials. I had been invited along for this annual City Council tour of the Portland owned islands each summer. I don't know if those trips are still taken or not, but at the time councilors took this trip as an opportunity to discuss island conditions with the residents.

I was a reporter for a local radio station at the time and City Hall was on my beat. The Portland newspapers' reporter and I were always invited to join them. The trip was both informative as the source for several stories and pleasurable. It was kind of nice riding on the boat enjoying a can of Coke with the city's leaders. That's when one gets to really know the people making the decisions that affected all Portlanders.

What's all this got to do with the present fireboat controversy? Nothing. But reading about last week's ride by the reported family and friends of the crew simply awakened some memories of my other life.

As a true Gator, I have to congratulate possibly one of the best Gator football players in recent history in his first start of the season in the NFL. Tim Tebow led a huge comeback in the final 2 3/4 minutes to guide the Denver Broncos to an 18-15 win over the Miami Dolphins. The Broncs trailed 0-15 when the comeback began and ended with an O/T field goal. Sure, the Dolphins haven't been too good this year, but neither has Denver. Congrats, Tim, even though it wasn't your greatest or prettiest game ever.

Trust

2011-10-21T07:20:00.001-04:00

I don't have much to offer this weekend, so I'll just mention a few things I find interesting.

First, the weather: We heard on this Friday morning's weather forecast that this weekend will be mostly sunny but sort of blustery. The temperatures will be in the sixties, according to the reports, in many areas, but this could be the beginning of the end for those sixties' readings.

Kevin Mannix, the morning weather guy for WCSH6-TV, told us that beginning next week, highs will be mostly in the fifties and some of the higher elevations, like in our mountains and northern Maine, might even see some snow flakes. He also indicated that this trend wasn't unusual for this time of year, so it looks like we can start looking for some colder weather to begin.

I don't think his forecast means absolutely no more warm weather this season, however. I can't help but think back to a November some 50 years ago. Gator Wife and I got a message from Heaven that we were making a good choice of selecting each other. The temperatures were well into the 60s and the sun was shining brightly as we joined each other for a lifetime. And there have been other Novembers with great temperature readings, too. Each one has brought our conversation to the memory of November, 1961. Yes, we're still joined.

We're not alone, of course, to reach that milestone. My Fearless Friend and his wife also hit the 50 mark this past summer, and several of our "End of the Month Lunch" retired group have also hit that milestone this year. 1961 was a good year for more than that warm, sunny November day for us. There's a possibility I'll have more to say on this in November.

On the politcal scene, the first part of the breaking down of the Obama jobs bill has failed in the U.S. Senate. Since the total stimulus plan failed a while back, the Democrats had pledged to break it into sections and get it passed piecemeal. No surprise here, President Obama blamed the Republicans for the defeat Thursday. They were unanimous against it. The Democrats just can't to admit it's simply a bad bill. Perhaps it's time for the two sides to get together for some honest discussion and compromise in finding help to solve the economy. Key word there, "honest." Naw! That's not going to happen. The blame game will continue.

Did you see the article in the Friday morning Portland Press Herald and on MaineToday.Com, the newspaper's web site, about a new device AAA is giving its car insurance buyers to monitor the driving habits of their children? The device plugs into the family car and works like a GPS device to allow parents to track their car and its speed when the kids are driving it.

I don't know if this is a good thing or not, but it is an interesting one. I'd like to think that if I had teenage kids in their earliest driving years that I'd have enough trust and faith in them so the device wouldn't be needed. I'd like to think that if I had done my job bringing them up, I wouldn't need this thing.

But then again, I sort of remember my teenage years when I was first driving. Back then we didn't have to go through all the steps today's teens must take. All I had to do was go into the motor division office, prove I was 15 years old (yes, 15), take the "E" test and the color test, anwer a couple legal questions and prove I could read the words "pedestrian crossing" on a sign. I walked out with my license.

I honestly believe my mom and dad did a great job raising me with all sorts of fabulous ideals and ethics. I never wanted to displease them. I've mentioned my dad's lesson about asking myself how I would like it if either of them walk in on me while doing anything. If I wouldn't be embarrassed in my feelings, I probably had made a good decision. However, I honestly don't recall asking myself that question when I was driving.

I don't want to give you the impression I was a bad driver. No teenager would admit to that. But, well, there just may have been a time or two when I forgot a speed limit or that drag racing was illegal, or clowning with friends in the car. Maybe those things might have happened, but naturally I don't remember them. I can say, though, without any reservation at all that I never drove after or while drinking. I simply didn't drink alcohol until I was in college.

I would not have wanted to have one of those AAA (American Automobile Association) devices in my car. The thought of my parents keeping track through that spying might have destroyed my hope my parents' had (possibly misplaced) trust in me.

How would I feel today if I still had teenagers? Hmmm. I do know that every time one of them borrowed my car I wasn't calm until they got it back home. I didn't worry as much about my daughter, but perhaps I'd want a device if my son were in the car. Perhaps. It would take a lot of thought.

You can read about the device in today's (Friday's) MaineToday.com and in the morning Portland Press Herald.

That brings us to wishing you an absolutely super weekend.

Gator

I don't like debates

2011-10-19T07:21:00.000-04:00

The weather folk tells us we're in for a couple days of rain, some rather heavy at times. We're told it'll all begin this afternoon and end Thursday morning, depending on where you live, or afternoon. The accompanying winds will join the rain in raising havoc with our fall foliage.

I watched a Republican debate for the first time Tuesday night. At least I watched part of a debate. I'm not sure I'll watch another one, or at least part of another one, until the number of wishful people in the running is cut down. We in Maine won't have any say until late in the process, and even could be voting for just one or two when our caucus arrives.

I don't know if it were typical or not, but I am sure if it was typical, we're in for a long election period and one that I suspect that will have the Obama people licking their chops.

Please don't read this thinking I'm going to be a reporter and give you "just the facts, ma'am, just the facts." I say that only because some of you who know me know my academic work at Florida was in journalism and I spent 30 years as a part time reporter for a great Maine news outlet.

Nope. These are just my reactions to the Las Vegas debate last night on CNN.

Seven of the eight remaining candidates for the Republican nomination were there. The eighth, Jon Huntsman, did not debate but rather spent his time in New Hampshire.

Probably not much changed. Herman Cain, Rick Perry, and Mitt Romney went into the debate leading in the polls and I suspect they came out leading, too. Personally, Perry showed me he's just a little weak. I always feel that anyone who can't let an opponent finish a point is too scared the point is correct so has to constantly interrupt to keep the point from being made. Perry's biggest attribute was his bickering.

Romney fired back well enough, but what did we learn new about Romney?

Cain was also on the defensive over his 9-9-9 tax plan. He should be. The more I hear about it the more I dislike it and he did nothing last night to prove it would work. Basically, he wants to eliminate the existing federal tax code and replace it with a 9% income tax with no deductions, 9% national sales tax on all goods and services, and a 9% business tax. We'd all pay higher taxes under his plan. I think it was Rick Santorum who tore it apart the most.

Ron Paul demonstrated why he won't get the nomination. He had a very weak appearance in my observations. He did say all foreign aid should be cut, including aid to Israel. He softened his stance a bit later, however.

Perhaps the biggest applause from the audience came from several saying they would oppose cutting the defense budget as America must remain strong. Paul said he was opposed to just a percentage cut of all the budget but there are many elements within the budget that could be cut without hurting the country's ability to defend itself. He asked why we kept troops in Korea, for example, and in several other post around the world. He was generally against all foreign aid.

Perry jumped in telling the audience we should immediately stop funding the United Nations, and I don't disagree with that, and Romney said we should stop most all humanitarium funding to foreign countries. He asked why are we borrowing money from China to send to other countries. China, he said, should be doing the funding itself.

Michelle Bachman jumped in on Israel. She said President Obama has created the biggest gap in relationships between the U.S. and Israel since it became a state. She said it is that gap that is causing all the conflict in the Middle East today.

One especially contentious exchange took place when Perry accused Romney of hiring a company to mow his lawn that employed an illegal immigrant. Perry did all he could to outshout Romney's defense saying that when he learned that, he dismissed the company. But it was, perhaps, one of the most contentious times of the night.

Well, perhaps not "the" most. Romney was also under attack for his statement he would eliminate the Obama health care plan, commonly called ObamaCare, but others pointed out it was Romney's RomneyCare when he was governor of Massachusetts that was the basis for ObamaCare. Romney said the plan, which many analysts say is an expensive failure in Massachusetts, like Dirigo was in Maine, should not be for everyone but that the states should decide for themselves the best way to handle health care.

Romney's religion, Mormanism, also came under attack by a member of the audience, but most of the candidates, if not all, said that religion had no place in the selection of a President. The consensus seemed to be that a person's values should be more important.

It was a very contentious debate as I suspect most all of them are. It was Newt Gingrich who pointed out that the road to the White House is not through bickering. I think I liked that line as much as anything said last night.

So, I have watched my first debate of the season so I guess I'm not "into it." I think I learned nothing I didn't already know. I did get some reactions to the evening. Of the front runners, both Cain and Perry dropped in my estimation and Romney stayed about where was began the night. I feel a little sorry for Bachman, Gingrich, Huntsman (who wasn't there) Paul and Santorum.

I think I'm still hoping that someone will come out of the darkness that can lead America. Each passing minutes puts that possibility even more improbable.

As I said earlier, this was not intended to be an accurate report of the debate, only my observations according to my values. I know Romney has more space here, a violation of my JM training, but he was the one under constant attack last night. I'll probably vote for the R no matter which wins the ultimate nomination simply because we desperately need change in Washington.

Gator

Jobs and gambling

2011-10-17T06:25:00.000-04:00

That didn't turn out to be a bad weekend at all, especially here in my little piece of the state. The sun began early Saturday and stayed right through the daytime Sunday, although there were quite a few clouds. The wind, however, really did a number on the leaves. Our trees are just about bare. Fortunately, the sun allowed us to vacuum up most of them Sunday, but the lawn was already getting full again within an hour. Some wet greeted us early this morning, but the sun will take over for today and Tuesday. A heavy soaking will begin late Wednesday into Thursday.

I've got a couple questions about the racino question on the November ballot. Jobs creation has been emphasized in the ads, but some things don't seem to get answers. I don't have them, either, but it might be interesting to have them explained. For example, of all the jobs being touted for the Biddeford part of the question, just how many of the 500 (or 800 according to one ad) construction jobs are new jobs, that is, jobs created for people currently unemployed? Or are these jobs for people currently employed but being moved to that project? Are these new jobs permanent or just temporary?

Unless the construction jobs are for currently unemployed, the project really isn't creating jobs, is it?

And about the permanent jobs at the race track, doesn't Scarborough Downs already have people employed in the track positions? When the track moves to Biddeford, are all the current employees going to be at the new track or are they going to be fired and currently unemployed people going to get the Biddeford jobs? If the answer is the latter, then isn't the project simply exchanging one group of unemployed with another? If the answer is the first choice, then where is the benefit of all those job creations?

The same question exists for all the peripheral jobs, such as farms, hay, trailors, etc. Don't they already exist to service Scarborough Downs?

Of course the new track will have other entities such as the slot machines and it will take a few people to maintain them and service the patrons. But really, just how many? I haven't been to Scarborough Downs since the 1960s, but I think there is a restaurant there. Wouldn't those employees be moved to Biddeford thus possibly only a few new hires?

As I listen to the ads touting all the job creations, I can't help but wonder what the truth really is. I'll probably not know until the new facility is open for business. Do I think Biddeford Downs will become a reality? I've never voted "yes" on a gambling question, but there's something about repeating the same story often enough. And this jobs creation one is certainly being repeated often. Are we being snookered? Again?

By the way, the same questions about the construction jobs would apply to both Lewiston's and Calais's proposals, but since both those facilities would be new, I'd have to admit that jobs would be created to man the casino in Lewiston and racino in Calais.

I'll still be voting "no," however. And I don't believe we need three gambling facilities in Southern Maine and two in Northern Maine. If these do get approved, how many more will we be facing in the next couple of years? Maine already has a facility running in Bangor and one under voter approved construction in Oxford.

Totally non-related, I think, but Biddeford is losing one building supplier. Reports this morning say the Lowe's story has shuttered its doors permanently. One report estimated a hundred jobs will be lost in December.

Over the weekend I suggested you join me in taking a good look at the 9-9-9 tax plan being espoused by Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain. I suggested that it may not be quite as good as Cain tells us. I hope you also did some research to either agree with me or refute my findings so far.

I'm still looking and found a link to a possible alternate reason why Cain should get the nod. Reading through the forum As Maine Goes, I saw a link by a poster on one of the threads in the Public Square that sent me to a reason at least one person's perspective on why Cain should be elected. According to the author in the link, he may be the only one who can beat President Obama because, says the author, the President can't use a race card against a fellow black. As I said, the link was a few days ago and may no longer be available, but if you're interested, it was here on AmericanThinker.com.

I guess it's no secret I'm a Gator fan. These are sad times for a great university's football team. UF seems not to learn lessons I hope it teaches: Learn from your experiences. It tried two coaches ago to succeed with a coach that had not been a head coach before. Ron Zook was a total disaster. Then it tried to gain success with an experienced head coach. Urban Meyer brought great fame, championships, and glory to the football program. Now the school is trying again with a first time coach. Shades of Zook...Will Muschamp has taken the Gators, a team with extremely good players, back into the shadows. And his offensive coordinator, former Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weiss, is having about the same success he had with the Irish. It's a sad time for Gator Football fans.

Gator

Some thoughts for an October weekend

2011-10-14T06:23:00.000-04:00

My old body is once again protesting the weather. Yesterday's rain brought whatever rains bring to every joint in my body. It is continuing today and possibly into early Saturday morning, at least in our part of Maine. I liked last weekend's weather much more.

I don't know of anything special on tap for the Clan this weekend. Sunday might see a trip around the yard on the lawn mowing tractor. That will depend entirely on how wet or even damp the grass is. The grass catcher part of my machine simply doesn't like wet grass. It clogs just about every circle around the yard and has to be pretty much dismantled to get cleaned. All the stops add at least a half hour to the already too long chore. There won't be too many more mowings this year, though.

Our daughter probably will bring her Golden Retriever to romp and chase around the yard with our Golden. The two dogs are sisters and continue to look forward to being with each other. They've been best of friends for eight years.

We are so happy to see Gator Golden romping and wrestling. She had her hind knee surgically repaired last spring and, at doctor's orders, we had kept her quiet for several weeks, then only allowed her limited playing for several more. About three weeks ago, she threw all caution to the wind and raced around the yard with her sister. Other than really tiring herself out, she showed no negative effects from the playing. It had been her idea to run and we've just enjoyed the return of our playful pup to what I guess one would call normalcy.

She always used to 'sneak' up onto our bed in the middle of the night and snuggle between us. It was an allowed behavior. But when she slipped on ice last February, she couldn't get up. A trip we older men seem to have to take in the early morning hours ended with GG a little restless. Shortly after I returned to bed, I heard her sort of sneaking around and then for the first time since the accident she jumped onto the bed. It was almost funny watching her literally holding her breath and looking at each of us as if she was waiting for the 'axe' to fall. Of course, it didn't and a big sigh sent her into snuggling.

If you think the Post Office is slow in delivering packages and mail, you've never had something shipped via FedEx Smartpost. Once you do, you'll think the USPS is the fastest package deliverer around. I ordered something online last week from Wisconsin. Using the FedEx tracking system, I started following the package. In fewer than two days via regular FedEx it arrived in Northborough, MA. It's due here on Oct. 18th. It was a "free" shipped item so I shouldn't complain. But I think next time I'll pay the few bucks to regular delivery. That's only about three days from Wisconsin.

I've been reading some information on Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain's 9-9-9 tax plan. He's right. It sounds simple. It would do away with some current tax code, like the income tax, but everyone, I mean everyone, will be paying a sales tax, 9%, on everything they buy in addition to 9% on income. I'm still a little fuzzy on the third 9.

On the first glance, it looks like everyone will be paying an effective 27% to the federal government in addition to Maine's sales and income taxes. I emphasized the "everyone." You see, there will be no low income exemptions so people who now pay no or very little income tax will be faced with an up to 27% tax right off the top. My first looks indicate that the low income and middle class Americans will be slammed hard with the 9-9-9 plan and the wealthy in our country will get a huge break.

Let me emphasize once again that my early understanding may be somewhat flaky and I have a lot of work to do for a full understanding. What I will do, however, is urge you to do some research of your own to form your own honest impression of the plan. This is one time you shouldn't let your party's talking points do the swaying. My first impression is Cain's 9-9-9 plan will do more harm than good, especially to the low income and middle income families.

I know some of you would tell me to provide links for information. I won't because I don't want your impression to be skewed by places I look. If you don't know how to search, one place to start might be Google. Type 9-9-9 in the search box.

Meanwhile as we mentioned last time, the Senate stopped President Obama's job plan and is back at the drawing board look for a new tact. Now the Republican's have formulated their own jobs bill which as is has about as much chance of passing as something I'd come up with. Two provisions in their plan are doomed even before the ink dries. They are the complete repeal of the ObamaCare and a Constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget.

Don't get me wrong. I'd favor both, but realistically the Congress critters won't. And I won't limit that to one party.

And I must mention the raking over the coals of the Boston Red Sox by the news media and bloggers all across the country. There's been precious few positive articles about the Sox Management, especially over allowing Epstein and Francona to go away and the failure to take control of the clubhouse. This could be an interesting winter.

I hope you have great weekend in spite of the weather.

Gator

Unsubstantiated random political thoughts

2011-10-12T06:50:00.003-04:00

1. Edited Wednesday evening (last paragraph)

We knew it had to end, and that ending began Tuesday. Of course I'm referring to the weather. That doesn't take a thing away from those absolutely beautiful days we had, though, over the weekend and Monday. Now a cool Wednesday and then some rain moves in. One report I read the other day said that the whole month of October will be warmer than usual. We'll see.

The Republican debates continue as well as the candidates' rhetoric. I'd like to hear them talk about what they will do if elected to fix this country. Presidential hopeful Cain at least offers something called a 9-9-9 plan which deals with taxation. He wants to lower income and business taxes to 9% and introduce a national consumption (sales) tax of 9%. Seems to me an awful lot of other tax changes would have to take place before his plan could even begin to be effective.

Other than that, what other economic plan can you mention? There are several candidates that I still have no idea where they stand and, since they'll probably be gone a lot sooner than later, I'm not interested in spending much time on them.

The news media continues to attempt to control the outcome. It successfully has eliminated N.J. Gov. Christie and former Alaskan Gov. and Veep candidate Palin from the mix. There really only seems to be three, Cain, Perry, Romney (alphabetically), left in the realistic mix, four if you count Huntsman. There remains a good contingent of Paul supporters but my goodness he's as old or older than I am. I wouldn't want me in the White House.

Unfortunately, Perry and Romney seem to be spending more time taking pot shots at each other, mainly on Perry's immigration stand (which probably takes me out of supporting him) and Romney's stand on his RomneyCare in Massachusetts, a Dirigo-like failure, than telling how they would help America recover from the economic crisis. Wow! If I were an English teacher grading that sentence, I might have a comment or two.

We had mentioned earlier this week that the latest Administration stimulus package, the so-called Jobs Bill, would be taken up by the Congress early in the week. It was, Tuesday night. The Democrat controlled Senate failed to advance the bill. I point that out because I'll bet once again the failure will be placed at the Republicans' feet. It would appear the plan will go back to the drawing boards. I wonder when an honest negotiation between the two parties will take place to get something accomplished on the jobs and economics crisis.

Did you hear the Lewiston mayor, while supporting a new casino in his city, say that the crime rate does not increase with the presence of a casino? Paraphrasing his words, he said that poverty causes crimes while a casino creates jobs thus ending poverty. Interesting logic. But then, I think it's also possible that people gambling away what little money they have hoping for that "big payoff," which probably will never come, is one of the ways poverty exists, thus, using the mayor's words, causing crimes. I don't have any statistics or research to back up my thoughts; they're just a result of thinking about the mayor's observations.

Finally, will we know the future of Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein before the week is over? There's a good chance he'll head for the Chicago Cubs. The handwriting was on the wall a few weeks ago and probably has been being written for several months. Considering the leadership in Boston, I think we Red Sox fans just might be in for another very long dry spell. 1. Edited to add later information: Epstein signed a 5-year contract with the Chicao Cubs. Reports say he'll be out of Boston by the end of the week. Like the Red Sox with an 86 year curse, when he took over, it has been more than a hundred years since the Cubs have won a world championship. The Cubs management hopes he can produce the same miracle for Chicago that he did for Boston.

Gator

Spectacular! Just spectacular!

2011-10-10T06:17:00.003-04:00

1. Edited mid Monday morning
2. Edited Monday evening

Is there another way to describe that weekend we just had here in Southern Maine? My goodness! Here it is October; Mount Washington in New Hampshire has already seen snow this fall season, although not this past weekend. Saturday officially tied the record (81 degrees) for the high temperature on an Oct. 8th.

Sunday simply wasn't going to be outdone and even did better; Sunday evening's TV weather said we reached a high of 85 while crushing the old record for Oct. 8th of 79. That was the temperature also on our home device. but the TV said Monday morning the high was 81. I'll go with my temperature. (1. Added Monday morning: I just heard on a local radio station that indeed Portland did set that 85 degree record yesterday so I'll stick with my record crushing statement earlier.)

It was a weekend to be outside. And the Gator Clan was.

This Monday isn't going to be too shabby, either, if the forecast for a high in the uper 70s holds. This will end those super days, possibly for the season. Tuesday and Wednesday will see the highs fall and we're told we could get a rainy Thursday. 2. Added Monday evening: In fact, today was just as nice as the two weekend days. We didn't set a new record but we did tie the old one at 81 degrees.)

Octobers are known for a spell like this one. Over the years, and usually on the weekend that's near the Oct. 8th date, we have seen similar if not quite as super weather. Gator Wife and I used to use this weekend for our annual leaf-peeping trip. We've rarely been disappointed, but this weekend was devoted to outdoor stuff around the home so we didn't go. Perhaps a short trip last Thursday into foliage country was so disappointing, it looked like it has passed peak, discouraged us this year in spite of the TV stations telling us the foliage was at or near peak and spectacular.

Nevertheless, that past weekend was spectacular, simply spectacular.

I think I don't understand just what the "occupies" around our country are for. In fact, reading the news reports about them, I'm not even sure the occupiers know what they are for. Of course when asked, many will say they're protesting "corporate greed." I find that fascinating as included in all the pictures are cell phones, tablets, laptops, music devices, designer clothing and accessories, and dozens of other things, all resulting from the work of corporations.

I can't help but wonder where these mostly young folk would be without their corporate gadgets.

I'm not a fan of Herman Cain, a republican presidential hopeful, but he may have hit it right on the head over the weekend when he opined that the Occupy XX movement just might be a well organized attempt to deflect the growing realization that the economy and lack of jobs is really because of the completely failed policies of the present President and his administration.

I say I'm not a Cain fan, but I'm not a fan of any of the hopefuls at this juncture. There are some I have eliminated from my consideration and with the list now set and no one hiding in the wings, I've got to start paying better attention to see which one I could vote for. The election process, at least the process leading up to an official nominee next summer, gets underway in just three short months, and perhaps ever quicker if Iowa pushes its sessions to Christmas time.

By the time you read this, the jobs bill fight in Washington could be over. A vote on President Obama's plan to create mostly temporary jobs could be held as early as today. I have wondered, though, why the President keeps blaming the Republicans in Congress for the lack of a vote. It was Harry Reid, the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, one man, who has done all the blocking of the vote. The President's plan for a new stimulus package has now been rewritten by Reid and it is his change that faces Congress. Yet it's the nasty Republicans who are holding things up, according to the President.

No matter whose bill it is, it is wrong for America. Earlier stimulus packages haven't worked so one must wonder why people think this one will succeed.

Gator

Some serious stuff for weekend thoughts

2011-10-07T06:52:00.000-04:00

My weekend posts are normally very light fare, usually about what the Clan will be doing...or not doing. But a couple of events in the last couple of days has me thinking about some important items. So I'm digressing just a little from normalcy.

However, I can't let this weekend go by without mentioning the possibility of some mighty fine weather. We're told that we'll have sunny skies and really nice temperatures right into next week. Sunday, in fact, could see that thermometer climb into the 80s, at least away from the coast. Looks to me like it'll be a good day for another "last cookout of the season."

Along with many Republicans Thursday, I received an e-mail from the Maine party about funding for the upcoming People's Veto ballot question concerning a change in voter registration days. Maine for many years has allowed people to register to vote even on election day. The last legislature changed that requiring registrations at least two business days before elections to allow the checking of eligibility.

A so-called "grass roots" campaign gathered enough signatures to place a repeal of that new law on next month's ballot. When the required 68-thousand or so signatures was gathered, a leader of that campaign said it was proof that Mainers supported the volunteer efforts ot repeal the law.

Well, the Maine Republican Party pointed out Thursday after the filing a election financial records that that grass roots campaign wasn't nearly as grass roots as it claimed. For example, the campaign paid nearly $100 thousand dollars to signature collectors. And guess who that money came from. By now you've read it came from Donald Sussman, the husband of Maine First District Representative Chellie Pingree. Now that is some grass roots contribution, wouldn't you say?

Much of the rest of the nearly $200 thousand dollars collected was from several well-known organizations that support democrats. Those organizations include American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, AARP of Washington, D.C., Maine People's Alliance, League of Women Voters of Maine, and Maine Conservation Voters Action Fund. $20,000 was from the Maine Education Association.

This grass roots campaign paid the former director of the Maine Education Association more that 37 thousand dollars to direct the efforts for the three months.

The financial reporting documents show just how much that so-called "grass roots" campaign was really "grass roots."

I'm not saying here it's fact, but considering the Democrats have run this state for the past 40 years or so right up until last November since the same day voter registration was adopted, one can't help but wonder just how much mischief has taken place on election day. It also begs the questions, just why are these contributors so bent on continuing that practice? And why are they trying to convince Mainers the effort is by the people?

A report by another, but mainly Republican organization, said that in at least three of the last several election cycles, there were more registered voters in Maine than citizens over the age of 18. If that is true, I wonder where those extra voters came from. Could it have anything to do with same day voter registration?

I hope Mainers are not fooled by the rhetoric and will not allow this repeal effort to take place and will join me in voting "No" next month.

I've never owned an Apple computer, but in my job situation, I did use Apple computers beginning with the Apple 1 andremember those two floppy, really floppy, disk drives. Seems to me the earliest ones used external drives. My work place did graduate to Macintosh computers. We also had the TRS-80s (Trash 80s) in the early '80s. My first personal computer was run by the now defunct CP/M (Computer Program for Microcomputers) operating system. But when I moved away from that, I preferred the DOS (Disc Operating System) over the Apple.

I really liked the Mac, but back then I found it easier to write my own programs on the DOS computer than the Apple. So I stayed with DOS. Of course today we're a lot more familiar with the Windows system which, ironically for me, attempted to emulate the Apple interface.

I have never owned an IAnything. Nevertheless, I mourn the passing of Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Computer Company, and the mind behind all those fantastic innovations, inventions if you will, in the computer industry. Anyone who loves computers as I do, even though we still use a different system, can only truly appreciate what Mr. Jobs has done for our lives.

May he rest in peace.

Now I hope you and your family enjoy another remarkable weekend. The weather promises to do its part.

Gator

911 dispatch centers revisited

2011-10-05T06:51:00.001-04:00

At last it would seem nice weather has returned to Maine. It will be a wee bit cool into Friday, but then the temperatures once again will rise to nice, fall-like levels. And the sun we'll see this Wednesday will remain with us for the several days. There could be a shower or two along the way, but the sun will dominate.

On the negative side, we're in for a couple cool nights. In fact freeze or frost warnings have been posted for most all of the state except right along the coast, at least forWednesday night and Thursday night's temperatures could be even colder.

Back when the state proposed, ordered, a reduction in emergency call centers to handle 911 calls, I objected because in many areas those centers have put an added layer to the 911 emergency situation. In some instances where communities have maintained their own dispatchers, the call centers transfer to the local for dispatching. Where local dispatching has been eliminated, the centers dispatch emergency help.

We have read/heard in the news of numerous incorrect addresses having been dispatched emergency help while the need had to wait. Consequences have not always been good.

But the consolidation was designed to save money. Now we're told we need to consolidate again to just two statewide emergency centers. It seems as a result of the last consolidation the state will need an additional six hundred thousand dollars, but consolidation would solve that problem. The state's commissioner for such things says suggestions to make counties or cities the dispatch centers would be OK with him. But isn't that where it was before the state took them over?

We're paying for these 911 centers with the more than $8 million a year we pay on our phone bills each month. As I said when all this consolidation business began, I'd rather have my 911 calls answered locally where local dispatchers instantly dispatch the proper equipment to a proper address. Thankfully, I live in a community that kept its local dispatchers.

I'm selfish in wanting the local people. When I had a time sensitive burst aneurysm several years ago, going through layers probably would have added enough time for me not to be able to write this today.

Of course most if not all cell phone 911 calls are answered by a 911 call center, but you already know how much I use a cell phone. Still, with today's technology, cell towers should be able to be programmed to direct a call to a local dispatch center. Perhaps some of all the savings we were promised should go to development of such direction.

On the national political scene, the republican field for the presidential nomination next summer appears to now be set. Once the caucuses and primaries begin next January . . . there's some talk of beginning them around Christmas time this year . . . the field will get narrowed down quickly. One prominent governor took his name out of the race Tuesday as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said he would not run. I think on Sarah Palin still has yet to be heard, but I doubt she'll do anything but continue to tease her supporters.

Edited Wed. eve: Sarah Palin announced today she will not be a candidate for the presidency this election cycle.

I'm still a very long way from deciding which candidate, if any, will get my support. I'm not terribly impressed with any of them still running.

Gator

A dull weekend, a dull beginning to the week

2011-10-03T06:23:00.000-04:00

The weather didn't play very nice with us this weekend. Here in the southern, or is it soutwestern?, part of Maine, we had a lot of rain. The Gator Clan didn't do a whole lot; even the Golden's sister didn't get to pay a visit.

The first half of the week doesn't promise to be a whole lot better, except perhaps more showery than rainy.

In sports over the weekend, the Patriots won (as did the Giants, the team I grew up 'loving'), the Gators didn't win, and the Red Sox are on winter vacation sans Terry Francona.

On the political front, I still can't get enthusiastic about presidential race. The U.S. Supreme Court opens its session Monday. It has a whole bunch of stuff facing it, the outcomes of which will affect all of us dramatically. This might be a Court worth watching.

And that's about all I have to say this Monday morning. Perhaps an inspiration will come by Wednesday.

Gator

One ends, another begins

2011-09-30T06:19:00.001-04:00

When Friday ends, so will September. The weatherman says it will end on a relatively nice note, but our new month and the first few days of it could be rather damp. October is a tough month to call. We've had some of the most beautiful weather of a year, some of the wettest weather, some warmth and some cold, and even snow has visited in years past.

October probably is mostly known for its spectacular fall foliage. The changeover has begun, but it is usually around the 7th or 8th in our region when the foliage is best. Gator Wife and I are thinking of taking a short tour Friday afternoon, but the reason for the tour would mostly be to find some apples. I realize that Maine apples are readily available in the local supermarkets, but there's just something about getting them at an orchard that seems to make them stand out just a little bit.

I'd guess we'll take a longer leaf-peeping trip toward the end of next week.

Speaking of spectacular sights, the City of Portland built a multi-million dollar ship pier last year. The new megaberth was designed to allow any sized cruise ship to dock at landside. We've had a few cruise ships over the years, but the larger ones had to drop anchor in the bay and transport passengers to shore on motorboats.

I'd say the new pier is a success as this week, the huge ships have been coming and going daily. In fact, I think many have come throughout September. Therein lies the spectacular part. Those ships are absolutely beautiful in our harbor and tower over most of the buildings in the area. I've read the passengers spend lots and lots of money in the area, too, which helps the local economy.

GW and I have cruised on a couple of ships, and if you haven't, you should seriously consider a cruise for one of your vacations. There easily is as much fun on the ship as in ports of call.

The Red Sox season has ended. Quite unceremoniously I might say. I'm not going to rant about the Sox as they ended the year just about as they started it. Now the part I like least; in this day of playing the "blaming game," only the wrong people will get "blamed" for the collapse. The truth is, the whole team participated. We know ownership and management won't accept any responsibility so that leaves the coaches, managers and players. Baseball is a team game and the winter months should treat the Sox as a team. Forget blame, the team should concentrate on fixing whatever problems exist.

Edited Fri Eve: I'm saddened by the news late this afternoon that Terry Francona will not be returning to the Red Sox. He has been a superior manager who has brought Boston and Red Sox Nation much pride in great baseball. Some of us can't think of a manager Boston has had in the past that was as good as or better than Francona. The wrong person is taking this hit for the collapse of the Sox this season, and, yes, I've read about the club house problems.

The announcement adds new meaning to our title today. Not only does one month end and another begin but also one great manager for the Red Sox ends his tenure and another, yet to be named, begins.

Oh, shucks. I forgot to buy tickets to the Michelle Obama visit to Maine Friday. In fairness, I probably should mention I forgot to get tickets to Mrs. Romney's visit to Maine, too. Sorry, I found that last one so interesting I forgot a few details...like her first name and the date/time of the visit.

As we mentioned earlier, this weekend could be a little bit wet but I hope if the forecast holds it won't stop you from having a super weekend.

Gator

Texting could be costly

2011-09-28T06:34:00.000-04:00

I got my first cell phone back in 2002 after a major medical situation caused me to want to have emergency help relatively nearby. I had no intentions of using a phone except in an emergency. While I was at it, I got a phone for my wife, too, so she also could summons help in an emergency.

That phone was long before today's Smart Phones. It did not have a built in camera, but it did have some texting capability. I had already bought some minutes, I think it was a 300/month plan, so Gator Wife and I decided that we'd use the phone to let the other know why we may be later than expected at places. That worked out very well.

That summer, we had scheduled a short trip to Pennsylvania, one of our favorite vacation places. Gee! We had this cell phone with nationwide calling and only charged for air time. We had yet another use for it, to keep our daughter informed of what we were doing.

Then there was another good use for it. I have periodic blood tests for various reasons and by using the phone from anywhere in the country, we could have draws taken at hospitals anywhere (my doctor had given me a blanket prescription) and then call the doc's office for the results and changes in medications, etc.

The cell phone had become part of our lives.

But we always stop the car if we're driving before we use the phone.

That decision came about because in the early weeks of getting one; I naturally wanted to give it a try in the car. One day as I was driving to my daughter's house in Portland, I decided to call her to let her know I was on my way. The call ended as I turned onto her street. And then it hit me. I had no idea on how I got there. The time from when I started onto the Interstate in Scarborough until I reached North Deering in Portland was a total blank. To this day I only remember the beginning of the call and the end.

I vowed never to fool myself in thinking I could use the phone while driving again. It is a vow that I've never broken. I always pull over and stop before attempting a phone call from my car.

I still have just a basic phone. It is texting capable, but I've had the phone company shut off all texting, both incoming and outgoing, on the phone.

I live on a street that intersects with U.S. Route 1. A traffic light coordinates the intersection, but everyone in my neighborhood has learned that just because we may have a green light, it may not be safe to go. I've seen up to four, even five cars drive right through the Route 1 red light without the drivers even slowing or looking. If three pass, two or all three of the drivers are either conversing on their phone or glancing down as if texting.

Drive just about anywhere and you'll see the same scene. The state calls it "distracted driving." I say it's an accident looking for a place to happen. Until today the law didn't specifically define texting as distracted driving. Now texting while driving is a traffic offense punishable by a fine of at least $100. That new law which bans texting while driving is now in effect and police say they will vigorously enforce it.

Smart Phone users have the ability to get an App to help them avoid texting. The app determines the speed of a car and either stops the phone from texting or sends a message that the phone is temporarily unavailable. This description is not exact, but you get the idea.

I think the new law is a good start to solving the distracted driving problem, but I'd like to see the use of phones by drivers outlawed altogether. This attitude doesn't make me friends, but I'm selfish; I'd prefer the safety when I'm in my car.

I often wonder just how I made it through nearly three-quarters of a century without having a phone planted in my ear. I remember when people could have discussions face to face. Hard to do today. How many times have you seen people, especially young people, walking side by side texting each other?

Remember, texting while driving is now against the law in Maine. If you get caught, you will face at least a one hundred dollar fine.

Gator