This is a brief clip from Sarah Palin's interview with Katie Couric.
As soon as I saw it, it instantly reminded me of another video clip I've seen.
Do you think Sara Palin can identify the United States on a map? She could be president someday. That is scarey!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
The beatings will continue until morale improves.
After reading the above memo from Len Greaney to RFD Chief Gary Wentzell, its clear Mr. Greaney doesn’t like the Fire Department very much. He brow beats them as being greedy (“RFD does their job for money”, lazy (“No one volunteered”) and creating a “barrage of grievances and letters asking for impact bargaining”. He says “everything is about money, money”.
Mr. Greaney talks about being upset that our Professional Firefighters want to be paid for their work. I don’t know about what most readers think but getting paid for the work you do isn’t exactly a foreign concept. Is Mr. Greaney getting a paycheck for being the town manager? Perhaps he should volunteer as the town manager to show that he has developed a sense of “service over reward”.
This is the truth about the RFD. In 2006, the RFD members knew there was a tight budget situation in town. The members of the RFD agreed to pay and insurance concessions that amounted to well over $90,000 out of their contract. That's $3,000 to $4,000 per firefighter. What RFD asked for in return was an agreement from the town to keep four men on at all times. It wasn’t about money, it was about safety, theirs and ours. Mr. Greaney’s characterization of the firefighters is misinformed and unfair.
Mr. Greaney clearly knows that we need to have four firefighters available to respond to a fire scene. There are laws that say that unless there are four firefighters on scene, they can’t enter a building to fight a fire or save anyone trapped inside. In essence, they can’t do a whole lot of anything except watch it burn and listen to screams.
His solution is to make other towns responsible for the safety of the residents of our town. Mexico has already complained abut the cost of mutual aid due to the number of calls they have responded to in Rumford. Our town leaders need to work with other towns, not dictate to them and characterize them as slackers who “don’t do their share”.
With Len Greaney, it’s clearly not about safety, it’s all about money. While we want our town manager to be responsible with money, we want him to balance that with safety and public service. We want him to care about the safety of the people of this town and of town employees.
Mr. Greaney treats our professional firefighters with contempt, despite the sacrifices they make on a daily basis. Maybe it’s his new strategy to “build the best fire department in Maine” as he promised when Chief Wentzel came on board. Maybe characterizing other towns as slackers and telling them what to do is his idea of sharing town services.
As a tax paying citizen of this community I expect our town manager to be more professional than that. He clearly doesn’t have the experience to be a town manager. He’s aligned himself too closely with one section of the community, the TRR crew, instead of being a leader for the entire community. He treats our employees and our neighbors with contempt. It’s time for him to step down and for a search to start for a “real” town manager. A town manager that is experienced, objective and professional.
Palin Interviews Spark GOP Concerns
AP
posted: 14 HOURS 21 MINUTES AGO
comments: 12575
filed under: Election News, Sarah Palin
WASHINGTON (Sept. 27) - A conservative columnist who welcomed Sarah Palin's entry in national politics says she's proven to be a dud and should step aside as John McCain's running mate.
Kathleen Parker, writing in the National Review Online, says her "cringe reflex is exhausted" after watching the Alaska governor stumble through TV interviews and it's become clear to her that Palin is out of her league. .....
Get the full story here
posted: 14 HOURS 21 MINUTES AGO
comments: 12575
filed under: Election News, Sarah Palin
WASHINGTON (Sept. 27) - A conservative columnist who welcomed Sarah Palin's entry in national politics says she's proven to be a dud and should step aside as John McCain's running mate.
Kathleen Parker, writing in the National Review Online, says her "cringe reflex is exhausted" after watching the Alaska governor stumble through TV interviews and it's become clear to her that Palin is out of her league. .....
Get the full story here
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Urge to play slots spurred thefts
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/51489.html
Woman stole $43,700 from residents of assisted living facility in Bangor
Judy Harrison, BDN Staff
BANGOR, Maine - The prosecutor called it elder abuse. The defense attorney said it was the result of an illness. Members of Gamblers Anonymous warned the judge to expect more cases just like it.
Lucia Faria, 41, of Bangor was sentenced Wednesday in Penobscot County Superior Court to three years in prison for stealing more than $40,000 from elderly patients at the Bangor facility where she worked and gambling it away at Hollywood Slots.
Greg Campbell, assistant district attorney for Penobscot County, said it was the most serious case related to gambling at Hollywood Slots since the facility opened on Main Street three years ago.
Faria, a Portuguese citizen in the United States legally, admitted stealing $43,700 from three victims — two of whom are over the age of 80 — and her employer over a 15-month period in 2006 and 2007. She pleaded guilty on Sept. 2 to forgery and theft charges after being indicted by the Penobscot County grand jury in April. She also pleaded guilty for failing to appear in court in May.
Faria had no criminal record.
She faced up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $20,000 and could have been ordered to pay restitution.
Faria took checks from three patients at The Country Villa, an assisted living facility on Kenduskeag Avenue, where she worked as a housekeeper. She forged them to get money for the slot machines. She also borrowed money from patients and her employer on the pretext that she needed it to return to Portugal to care for a sick brother.
“This is a classic case of elder abuse,” Campbell told the court. “These are reprehensible crimes against our most vulnerable citizens. This was a tremendous breach of trust in which she bilked senior citizens out of a substantial amount of their life savings.”
Defense attorney Kirk Bloomer of Bangor said that Faria’s crimes were a result of her addiction to gambling. He said that she had banned herself from Hollywood Slots before she was indicted, had sought treatment for the disease and regularly attended Gamblers Anonymous meetings.
“She didn’t appear in court as she should have,” Bloomer said, “but she returned from Portugal to deal with this, knowing she probably would be arrested in Boston. The easy thing to do would have been to stay in Portugal. It was the guilt, quite frankly, that made her come back. She couldn’t live with it.”
A man who identified himself only as Fred said he was a member of Faria’s Gamblers Anonymous group. He urged the judge to allow her to repay her victims as part of her recovery.
“I’ve never seen any one person help as many people [in recovery] as Lucy did,” he said, before making a prediction.
“On account of that big, wonderful building down by the river, you’re going to have a lot of people show up here,” he said. “Lucy is not going to be the only one.
”Even though she is married to a 95-year-old man who lives out of state, Faria is expected to be deported after completing her sentence, Campbell said.
The prosecutor said after the sentencing that Faria banned herself from Hollywood Slots and sought out Gamblers Anonymous the day after police interviewed her about the thefts.
In imposing the sentence, Superior Court Justice William Anderson did not require that she pay restitution, and he didn’t impose probation. He said that because of her impending deportation, it was highly unlikely she would be able to repay her victims and that the state has no ability to collect restitution from her once she leaves the country.
“Usually I hear that drugs or alcohol made me do it,” Anderson said. “I don’t really think that gambling is a huge excuse. I’m sentencing [Faria] to three years with none of it suspended. I’m also taking into consideration the fact that this was not a crime of violence, there’s limited space in our prisons and this was a property crime, although a very serious property crime.”
Violent crimes are dealt with more severely than thefts of property under Maine law.
Campbell recommended that Faria be sentenced to six years in prison due to the amount of money involved and the age of her victims. Bloomer urged that she be sentenced to two or three years in prison with all but the three months she’s been at the Penobscot County Jail suspended and two years of probation.
Faria has been held without bail since she returned from Portugal in July.
Hollywood Slots maintains a self-exclusion list for patrons who believe they have a gambling problem, and the state maintains a toll-free problem gambling hot line.
Woman stole $43,700 from residents of assisted living facility in Bangor
Judy Harrison, BDN Staff
BANGOR, Maine - The prosecutor called it elder abuse. The defense attorney said it was the result of an illness. Members of Gamblers Anonymous warned the judge to expect more cases just like it.
Lucia Faria, 41, of Bangor was sentenced Wednesday in Penobscot County Superior Court to three years in prison for stealing more than $40,000 from elderly patients at the Bangor facility where she worked and gambling it away at Hollywood Slots.
Greg Campbell, assistant district attorney for Penobscot County, said it was the most serious case related to gambling at Hollywood Slots since the facility opened on Main Street three years ago.
Faria, a Portuguese citizen in the United States legally, admitted stealing $43,700 from three victims — two of whom are over the age of 80 — and her employer over a 15-month period in 2006 and 2007. She pleaded guilty on Sept. 2 to forgery and theft charges after being indicted by the Penobscot County grand jury in April. She also pleaded guilty for failing to appear in court in May.
Faria had no criminal record.
She faced up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $20,000 and could have been ordered to pay restitution.
Faria took checks from three patients at The Country Villa, an assisted living facility on Kenduskeag Avenue, where she worked as a housekeeper. She forged them to get money for the slot machines. She also borrowed money from patients and her employer on the pretext that she needed it to return to Portugal to care for a sick brother.
“This is a classic case of elder abuse,” Campbell told the court. “These are reprehensible crimes against our most vulnerable citizens. This was a tremendous breach of trust in which she bilked senior citizens out of a substantial amount of their life savings.”
Defense attorney Kirk Bloomer of Bangor said that Faria’s crimes were a result of her addiction to gambling. He said that she had banned herself from Hollywood Slots before she was indicted, had sought treatment for the disease and regularly attended Gamblers Anonymous meetings.
“She didn’t appear in court as she should have,” Bloomer said, “but she returned from Portugal to deal with this, knowing she probably would be arrested in Boston. The easy thing to do would have been to stay in Portugal. It was the guilt, quite frankly, that made her come back. She couldn’t live with it.”
A man who identified himself only as Fred said he was a member of Faria’s Gamblers Anonymous group. He urged the judge to allow her to repay her victims as part of her recovery.
“I’ve never seen any one person help as many people [in recovery] as Lucy did,” he said, before making a prediction.
“On account of that big, wonderful building down by the river, you’re going to have a lot of people show up here,” he said. “Lucy is not going to be the only one.
”Even though she is married to a 95-year-old man who lives out of state, Faria is expected to be deported after completing her sentence, Campbell said.
The prosecutor said after the sentencing that Faria banned herself from Hollywood Slots and sought out Gamblers Anonymous the day after police interviewed her about the thefts.
In imposing the sentence, Superior Court Justice William Anderson did not require that she pay restitution, and he didn’t impose probation. He said that because of her impending deportation, it was highly unlikely she would be able to repay her victims and that the state has no ability to collect restitution from her once she leaves the country.
“Usually I hear that drugs or alcohol made me do it,” Anderson said. “I don’t really think that gambling is a huge excuse. I’m sentencing [Faria] to three years with none of it suspended. I’m also taking into consideration the fact that this was not a crime of violence, there’s limited space in our prisons and this was a property crime, although a very serious property crime.”
Violent crimes are dealt with more severely than thefts of property under Maine law.
Campbell recommended that Faria be sentenced to six years in prison due to the amount of money involved and the age of her victims. Bloomer urged that she be sentenced to two or three years in prison with all but the three months she’s been at the Penobscot County Jail suspended and two years of probation.
Faria has been held without bail since she returned from Portugal in July.
Hollywood Slots maintains a self-exclusion list for patrons who believe they have a gambling problem, and the state maintains a toll-free problem gambling hot line.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
CASINOSNO! BEGINS ‘THE DAILY PAT-DOWN,’A FACT-CHECK SITE ON CLAIMS BY LAMARCHE
PORTLAND – CasinosNO!, the grassroots organization opposed to the expansion of casino gambling in Maine, today inaugurated “The Daily Pat-Down,” a page on its website that tracks the outrageous and erroneous claims by casino spokesperson Pat LaMarche.
The site can be found at www.casinosno.org
Today’s statement, which LaMarche made yesterday on WGAN radio, concerns the “positive” impact that casinos have had on Connecticut’s economy. She said, “The area [in Connecticut] that the casinos went into, they are importing labor now, because everybody in that area has a job.”
(To hear LaMarche’s interview, go to www.wgan.com)
The facts tell a different story. The unemployment rate in the region around the Connecticut casinos is actually higher than the national average, and higher than Maine’s unemployment rate, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the full response go to “The Daily Pat-Down” at www.casinosno.org
Contact: Dennis Bailey, 207-749-4963
The site can be found at www.casinosno.org
Today’s statement, which LaMarche made yesterday on WGAN radio, concerns the “positive” impact that casinos have had on Connecticut’s economy. She said, “The area [in Connecticut] that the casinos went into, they are importing labor now, because everybody in that area has a job.”
(To hear LaMarche’s interview, go to www.wgan.com)
The facts tell a different story. The unemployment rate in the region around the Connecticut casinos is actually higher than the national average, and higher than Maine’s unemployment rate, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the full response go to “The Daily Pat-Down” at www.casinosno.org
Contact: Dennis Bailey, 207-749-4963
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
CASINO BALLOT QUESTION MISLEADS VOTERS
With the Arrival of Las Vegas, “Maine Company” No Longer Involved
PORTLAND – The arrival of Las Vegas to rescue a floundering proposal for a gambling casino in Oxford County renders the ballot question that voters will face in November inaccurate and misleading.
The ballot question reads, “Do you want to allow a certain Maine company (emphasis added) to have the only casino in Maine, to be located in Oxford County, if part of the revenue is used to fund specific state programs?”
But now, the Maine company that began the referendum for a casino, Evergreen Mountain Resort and Casino, has been purchased by a Las Vegas outfit, making the ballot question seriously flawed.
“Almost all the claims by the casino proponents are flawed and misleading, now the ballot question itself is part of the big lie,” said Dennis Bailey, executive director of CasinosNO!, the grassroots organization opposed to the expansion of casino gambling. “The backers of this casino promoted it as a Maine company with Maine roots. Now we learn their roots go all the way to Las Vegas.”
Bailey said CasinosNO! will be working over the next several weeks to make voters aware of the misleading and inaccurate claims by the proponents of the Oxford County casino, including the misleading wording of the ballot question.
CONTACT: Dennis Bailey, 207-347-6077, or 207-749-4963
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
CASINOSNO! RESPONDS TO THE ARRIVAL OF LAS VEGAS PORTLAND
– Dennis Bailey, executive director of CasinosNO!, released the following statement today in response to the announcement that a Las Vegas company is now behind the proposal for casino in Oxford County:
“This is just another layer of deception in an already deceptive casino scheme. The Oxford County casino proposal was sold to Maine voters and the petition signers as a Maine owned-and operated casino. Now, less than two months before the election we are told that the real owners are a Las Vegas outfit who’s only interest is taking money from Maine people to fill their vault in Nevada.
“Maine voters won’t be fooled, just as they weren’t fooled in 2003 by another Las Vegas developer who made the same misleading claims. This proposed Oxford County casino will be a local casino attracting local residents and will take money from Maine’s economy, not add to it.
“This latest development doesn’t change the fact that the casino bill we’ll be voting on in November will lower the legal age to gamble from 21 to 19, and lower the legal age to work in a casino from 21 to 18. It’s in the proposed law and cannot be changed before the vote. So in a casino with card games, craps and cocktails we’ll have young people under the legal drinking age throwing away their weekly allowance or their college savings to fatten the wallet of Las Vegas. Is this really what we want for Maine’s young people?
“On top of this we still don’t know where this casino will be located? Bethel? South Paris? Rumford? It’s just one of the many questions surrounding this deceptive casino scheme.”
Contact: Dennis Bailey, 207-749-4963
“This is just another layer of deception in an already deceptive casino scheme. The Oxford County casino proposal was sold to Maine voters and the petition signers as a Maine owned-and operated casino. Now, less than two months before the election we are told that the real owners are a Las Vegas outfit who’s only interest is taking money from Maine people to fill their vault in Nevada.
“Maine voters won’t be fooled, just as they weren’t fooled in 2003 by another Las Vegas developer who made the same misleading claims. This proposed Oxford County casino will be a local casino attracting local residents and will take money from Maine’s economy, not add to it.
“This latest development doesn’t change the fact that the casino bill we’ll be voting on in November will lower the legal age to gamble from 21 to 19, and lower the legal age to work in a casino from 21 to 18. It’s in the proposed law and cannot be changed before the vote. So in a casino with card games, craps and cocktails we’ll have young people under the legal drinking age throwing away their weekly allowance or their college savings to fatten the wallet of Las Vegas. Is this really what we want for Maine’s young people?
“On top of this we still don’t know where this casino will be located? Bethel? South Paris? Rumford? It’s just one of the many questions surrounding this deceptive casino scheme.”
Contact: Dennis Bailey, 207-749-4963
Saturday, September 13, 2008
TRR has moved from town bullies to community terrorists
The TRR website has long been the bullies of the town. There are numerous examples of them wreaking terror on anyone that has a different view than them about what should happen in this town and forgiving the unethical behavior of those that are “one of their own”.
Prior to their recent posts, they would usually single out individuals for their vicious attacks. They incessantly attacked Jolene Lovejoy, Jim Thibodeau, Walter Buotte, Jim Doar, Steve Eldridge and many others. There motto seems to be “if we can’t get our way with facts, we’ll just disparage and bully those that disagree with us”. All of these people have suffered greatly under their attacks.
They cranked it up with their attacks on the Fire Department. While they continued to go after individuals on the Fire Department, they used their website to ridicule the entire department. Why? Because the RFD dared to offer information to the community that TRR didn’t want them to have. They dared to stand up to them.
Then there was the heartless vicious attacks exhibited on the asmainegoes.com and in posts to us when they thought an individual of this town was the editor of this site. No one should have to suffer though such cruelty.
This time though, they have resorted to what I can only describe as community terrorism. They have unleashed their venom on St. Athanasius and St. John School and the teaching staff. They have gone after an entire community within our community. A community that I’m sure is filled with hardworking, responsible citizens of our town. A community filled with children. When parents feel their children are being attacked, they usually lose their apathy…and their patience. Attacking children may well be a dangerous move for TRR.
They tell us all why they have gone after St. Athanasius and St. John very clearly. It’s because they think that one of the members of their Board of Directors is the Administrator of this website.
So once again, let’s set the record straight, for the TRR and the community at large. Sue Adley, Judy Collette and anyone else involved at St. Athanasius and St. John School has nothing to do with this website. I have no knowledge of any of them posting here or even being aware that we exist. I think it won't be long before they realize we exist now though.
I do hope that the community that embodies the St. Athanasius and St. John School rise against this terrorism levied against them. TRR posted their involvement as facts. They should be held accountable for their lies and slander.
It’s past time for the community to rise up against this group of individuals that is willing to engage in community terrorism, even against children.
Prior to their recent posts, they would usually single out individuals for their vicious attacks. They incessantly attacked Jolene Lovejoy, Jim Thibodeau, Walter Buotte, Jim Doar, Steve Eldridge and many others. There motto seems to be “if we can’t get our way with facts, we’ll just disparage and bully those that disagree with us”. All of these people have suffered greatly under their attacks.
They cranked it up with their attacks on the Fire Department. While they continued to go after individuals on the Fire Department, they used their website to ridicule the entire department. Why? Because the RFD dared to offer information to the community that TRR didn’t want them to have. They dared to stand up to them.
Then there was the heartless vicious attacks exhibited on the asmainegoes.com and in posts to us when they thought an individual of this town was the editor of this site. No one should have to suffer though such cruelty.
This time though, they have resorted to what I can only describe as community terrorism. They have unleashed their venom on St. Athanasius and St. John School and the teaching staff. They have gone after an entire community within our community. A community that I’m sure is filled with hardworking, responsible citizens of our town. A community filled with children. When parents feel their children are being attacked, they usually lose their apathy…and their patience. Attacking children may well be a dangerous move for TRR.
They tell us all why they have gone after St. Athanasius and St. John very clearly. It’s because they think that one of the members of their Board of Directors is the Administrator of this website.
So once again, let’s set the record straight, for the TRR and the community at large. Sue Adley, Judy Collette and anyone else involved at St. Athanasius and St. John School has nothing to do with this website. I have no knowledge of any of them posting here or even being aware that we exist. I think it won't be long before they realize we exist now though.
I do hope that the community that embodies the St. Athanasius and St. John School rise against this terrorism levied against them. TRR posted their involvement as facts. They should be held accountable for their lies and slander.
It’s past time for the community to rise up against this group of individuals that is willing to engage in community terrorism, even against children.
A quick message to TRR
Provide proof for your malicious behavior. You have none.
Once again your website is full of lies and slander. You obviously hate to be called on your disreputable and unethical behavior and so you continue to try to hurt innocent people.
Once again, you prove your actions are motivated by hurting anyone you "think" may be holding you accountable and that you will seek revenge without care for who you hurt in the process, even if it's the children of this town. You continue to prove it never was about caring about this town or this the people in it.
You're behavior completely disgusts me.
The real editor of the RFP
Once again your website is full of lies and slander. You obviously hate to be called on your disreputable and unethical behavior and so you continue to try to hurt innocent people.
Once again, you prove your actions are motivated by hurting anyone you "think" may be holding you accountable and that you will seek revenge without care for who you hurt in the process, even if it's the children of this town. You continue to prove it never was about caring about this town or this the people in it.
You're behavior completely disgusts me.
The real editor of the RFP
Friday, September 12, 2008
'Drill, Drill, Drill'
by playwright, Eve Ensler
I am having Sarah Palin nightmares. I dreamt last night that she was a member of a club where they rode snowmobiles and wore the claws of drowned and starved polar bears around their necks. I have a particular thing for Polar Bears. Maybe it's their snowy whiteness or their bigness or the fact that they live in the arctic or that I have never seen one in person or touched one. Maybe it is the fact that they live so comfortably on ice. Whatever it is, I need the polar bears.
I don't like raging at women. I am a Feminist and have spent my life trying to build community, help empower women and stop violence against them. It is hard to write about Sarah Palin. This is why the Sarah Palin choice was all the more insidious and cynical. The people who made this choice count on the goodness and solidarity of Feminists.
But everything Sarah Palin believes in and practices is antithetical to Feminism which for me is part of one story -- connected to saving the earth, ending racism, empowering women, giving young girls options, opening our minds, deepening tolerance, and ending violence and war.
I believe that the McCain/Palin ticket is one of the most dangerous choices of my lifetime, and should this country chose those candidates the fall-out may be so great, the destruction so vast in so many areas that America may never recover. But what is equally disturbing is the impact that duo would have on the rest of the world. Unfortunately, this is not a joke. In my lifetime I have seen the clownish, the inept, the bizarre be elected to the presidency with regularity.
Sarah Palin does not believe in evolution. I take this as a metaphor. In her world and the world of Fundamentalists nothing changes or gets better or evolves. She does not believe in global warming. The melting of the arctic, the storms that are destroying our cities, the pollution and rise of cancers, are all part of God's plan. She is fighting to take the polar bears off the endangered species list. The earth, in Palin's view, is here to be taken and plundered. The wolves and the bears are here to be shot and plundered. The oil is here to be taken and plundered. Iraq is here to be taken and plundered. As she said herself of the Iraqi war, 'It was a task from God.'
Sarah Palin does not believe in abortion. She does not believe women who are raped and incested and ripped open against their will should have a right to determine whether they have their rapist's baby or not.
She obviously does not believe in sex education or birth control. I imagine her daughter was practicing abstinence and we know how many babies that makes.
Sarah Palin does not much believe in thinking. From what I gather she has tried to ban books from the library, has a tendency to dispense with people who think independently. She cannot tolerate an environment of ambiguity and difference. This is a woman who could and might very well be the next president of the United States. She would govern one of the most diverse populations on the earth.
Sarah believes in guns. She has her own custom Austrian hunting rifle. She has been known to kill 40 caribou at a clip. She has shot hundreds of wolves from the air.
Sarah believes in God. That is of course her right, her private right. But when God and Guns come together in the public sector, when war is declared in God's name, when the rights of women are denied in his name, that is the end of separation of church and state and the undoing of everything America has ever tried to be.
I write to my sisters. I write because I believe we hold this election in our hands. This vote is a vote that will determine the future not just of the U.S., but of the planet. It will determine whether we create policies to save the earth or make it forever uninhabitable for humans. It will determine whether we move towards dialogue and diplomacy in the world or whether we escalate violence through invasion, undermining and attack. It will determine whether we go for oil, strip mining, coal burning or invest our money in alternatives that will free us from dependency and destruction. It will determine if money gets spent on education and healthcare or whether we build more and more methods of killing. It will determine whether America is a free open tolerant society or a closed place of fear, fundamentalism and aggression.
If the Polar Bears don't move you to go and do everything in your power to get Obama elected then consider the chant that filled the hall after Palin spoke at the RNC, 'Drill Drill Drill.' I think of teeth when I think of drills. I think of rape. I think of destruction. I think of domination. I think of military exercises that force mindless repetition, emptying the brain of analysis, doubt, ambiguity or dissent. I think of pain.
Do we want a future of drilling? More holes in the ozone, in the floor of the sea, more holes in our thinking, in the trust between nations and peoples, more holes in the fabric of this precious thing we call life?
-- Eve Ensler
I am having Sarah Palin nightmares. I dreamt last night that she was a member of a club where they rode snowmobiles and wore the claws of drowned and starved polar bears around their necks. I have a particular thing for Polar Bears. Maybe it's their snowy whiteness or their bigness or the fact that they live in the arctic or that I have never seen one in person or touched one. Maybe it is the fact that they live so comfortably on ice. Whatever it is, I need the polar bears.
I don't like raging at women. I am a Feminist and have spent my life trying to build community, help empower women and stop violence against them. It is hard to write about Sarah Palin. This is why the Sarah Palin choice was all the more insidious and cynical. The people who made this choice count on the goodness and solidarity of Feminists.
But everything Sarah Palin believes in and practices is antithetical to Feminism which for me is part of one story -- connected to saving the earth, ending racism, empowering women, giving young girls options, opening our minds, deepening tolerance, and ending violence and war.
I believe that the McCain/Palin ticket is one of the most dangerous choices of my lifetime, and should this country chose those candidates the fall-out may be so great, the destruction so vast in so many areas that America may never recover. But what is equally disturbing is the impact that duo would have on the rest of the world. Unfortunately, this is not a joke. In my lifetime I have seen the clownish, the inept, the bizarre be elected to the presidency with regularity.
Sarah Palin does not believe in evolution. I take this as a metaphor. In her world and the world of Fundamentalists nothing changes or gets better or evolves. She does not believe in global warming. The melting of the arctic, the storms that are destroying our cities, the pollution and rise of cancers, are all part of God's plan. She is fighting to take the polar bears off the endangered species list. The earth, in Palin's view, is here to be taken and plundered. The wolves and the bears are here to be shot and plundered. The oil is here to be taken and plundered. Iraq is here to be taken and plundered. As she said herself of the Iraqi war, 'It was a task from God.'
Sarah Palin does not believe in abortion. She does not believe women who are raped and incested and ripped open against their will should have a right to determine whether they have their rapist's baby or not.
She obviously does not believe in sex education or birth control. I imagine her daughter was practicing abstinence and we know how many babies that makes.
Sarah Palin does not much believe in thinking. From what I gather she has tried to ban books from the library, has a tendency to dispense with people who think independently. She cannot tolerate an environment of ambiguity and difference. This is a woman who could and might very well be the next president of the United States. She would govern one of the most diverse populations on the earth.
Sarah believes in guns. She has her own custom Austrian hunting rifle. She has been known to kill 40 caribou at a clip. She has shot hundreds of wolves from the air.
Sarah believes in God. That is of course her right, her private right. But when God and Guns come together in the public sector, when war is declared in God's name, when the rights of women are denied in his name, that is the end of separation of church and state and the undoing of everything America has ever tried to be.
I write to my sisters. I write because I believe we hold this election in our hands. This vote is a vote that will determine the future not just of the U.S., but of the planet. It will determine whether we create policies to save the earth or make it forever uninhabitable for humans. It will determine whether we move towards dialogue and diplomacy in the world or whether we escalate violence through invasion, undermining and attack. It will determine whether we go for oil, strip mining, coal burning or invest our money in alternatives that will free us from dependency and destruction. It will determine if money gets spent on education and healthcare or whether we build more and more methods of killing. It will determine whether America is a free open tolerant society or a closed place of fear, fundamentalism and aggression.
If the Polar Bears don't move you to go and do everything in your power to get Obama elected then consider the chant that filled the hall after Palin spoke at the RNC, 'Drill Drill Drill.' I think of teeth when I think of drills. I think of rape. I think of destruction. I think of domination. I think of military exercises that force mindless repetition, emptying the brain of analysis, doubt, ambiguity or dissent. I think of pain.
Do we want a future of drilling? More holes in the ozone, in the floor of the sea, more holes in our thinking, in the trust between nations and peoples, more holes in the fabric of this precious thing we call life?
-- Eve Ensler
Monday, September 8, 2008
CASINOSNO! URGES END TO SECRECY, CHALLENGES CAREY TO DEBATE PORTLAND
– CasinosNO!, the grassroots organization opposed to the expansion of casino gambling in Maine, has asked casino promoter Seth Carey to publicly disclose what he told the Rumford Board of Selectmen during a recent closed-door meeting, and challenged Carey to a public debate on the referendum proposal.
In a letter to Carey, CasinosNO! chair Philip Harriman said that according to Rumford officials, Carey discussed the possible location of the casino and other investors in his plan for a Las Vegas-style casino in Oxford County.
“As far as we know, the location of the casino and the investors in the casino have not been revealed publicly to the voters who will decide this issue in November,” wrote Harriman. “It is our view that this closed-door meeting with the selectmen was a violation of Maine’s Right to Know Law. We believe the voters deserve to know all of the facts surrounding your proposal, including the details of what you told the Rumford Selectmen in last week’s private meeting.”
As a way to put an end to the secrecy and confusion surrounding the casino proposal, Harriman suggested a televised debate between the two sides. “We believe that Maine voters, not just the Rumford Selectmen, deserve to know the possible location of the casino and who is financing it before voting on Nov. 4th,” Harriman wrote.
The Rumford Board of Selectmen held an hour-long, closed-door meeting on Aug. 28th with Carey to discuss his casino proposal. Following the meeting, according to a report by the Lewiston Sun Journal, at least one of the selectmen who was undecided about the casino stated his support based on what he was told by Carey during the meeting.
CONTACT: Dennis Bailey, 207-347-6077, 207-749-4963
In a letter to Carey, CasinosNO! chair Philip Harriman said that according to Rumford officials, Carey discussed the possible location of the casino and other investors in his plan for a Las Vegas-style casino in Oxford County.
“As far as we know, the location of the casino and the investors in the casino have not been revealed publicly to the voters who will decide this issue in November,” wrote Harriman. “It is our view that this closed-door meeting with the selectmen was a violation of Maine’s Right to Know Law. We believe the voters deserve to know all of the facts surrounding your proposal, including the details of what you told the Rumford Selectmen in last week’s private meeting.”
As a way to put an end to the secrecy and confusion surrounding the casino proposal, Harriman suggested a televised debate between the two sides. “We believe that Maine voters, not just the Rumford Selectmen, deserve to know the possible location of the casino and who is financing it before voting on Nov. 4th,” Harriman wrote.
The Rumford Board of Selectmen held an hour-long, closed-door meeting on Aug. 28th with Carey to discuss his casino proposal. Following the meeting, according to a report by the Lewiston Sun Journal, at least one of the selectmen who was undecided about the casino stated his support based on what he was told by Carey during the meeting.
CONTACT: Dennis Bailey, 207-347-6077, 207-749-4963
Friday, September 5, 2008
A Day in the Life of This Small Town
Today was really like any other day in the town of Rumford for the past few years. The sky was a little overcast. People were on their way to work and school, greeting each other at the corner store and thinking about what they needed to accomplish.
The local section of the newspaper had a little local news about the proposed school merger and a wonderful story about a 17 year old local boy who single handedly worked to make our community a better place.
Then there was one story about the Rumford Selectmen backing away from their endorsement of a proposed Casino in Oxford County. The story in itself was interesting and had some controversy in it but nothing major after all the controversy this town has suffered through for the last few years. The selectmen held a meeting that was likely illegal. The meeting was designed to garner support for the Casino sponsored by the son of the town attorney.
You know the town attorney, Tom Carey. He was hired to protect the town from opening itself up to things that could cause problems like holding illegal meetings and using town resources to affect the results of a pending political referendum. This particular meeting was asked for by his son who is also an attorney (at least for the time being) so whatever. This town has become quite accustomed to such controversy so we are all probably more than a little desensitized to this kind of stuff by now.
Then you read the comments section of the online story. Wow!
There is an unbelievable amount of information in there and it says so much about what’s been happening in this town over the last few years.
Most of the comments were not very supportive of the current town manager.
You know the town manager, Len Greaney. He was hired by the town without providing a resume or as much as a single letter of reference. That’s OK though because he is (at least for the time being) friends of the three selectmen that have been controlling the town. They told us he was hired only as an interim town manager until the selectmen could search for a real one. After they got him in the door he was deemed not to be interim any longer. It’s really not a big deal to us residents of the town because we’ve become quite accustomed to such things in our town and we are all probably more than a little desensitized to this kind of stuff by now.
But I digress.
What I really found interesting was a couple of the comments made in the online section of the story. Take this one for instance:
Holy crap! Did I really read that?
It seems Hugh Chisholm Fan is mad at Mr. Greaney because he had the moral fortitude to tell the truth about the illegal meeting. Perhaps Hugh Chisholm Fan thinks Mr. Greaney should have lied? He had 4 aces, a winning hand and if he had only not admitted his mistake, they would have taken care of “one of their own and won”
Want to know why we have had so much controversy in this town? Go read that post again. It’s right there.
Len Greaney was publicly ridiculed by one of his own for having the “spine” to do what was right. That is quite alone is telling.
This battle in town is about a select group that is willing to do whatever it takes to take care of their own. It’s not about taking care of the town. It’s not about taking care of the residents that live here. It's not about doing what is morally right. It's not about telling the truth. It’s about taking care of their own and they are obviously willing to do whatever is necessary to take care of their own and win. If you have to behave unethically, so what? They know the fine people of this town have become quite desensitized to that kind of behavior.
Many in this town have talked about the damage this group has caused and continues to cause the town of Rumford. I fully believe that this group has caused more damage to this town than any other thing that has happened since my earliest recollections and that’s becoming a long time now. This post by lovetohate is quite telling too:
This person moved away from Rumford because they couldn’t stand the constant nonsense that this group has caused with their self-serving, manipulative behavior. I’m sure there are others as well.
I know former RPD Detective Mark Cayer moved for this reason because he flat out said so. I’m guessing our former Fire Chief left for similar reasons. Quality town employees will continue to move on to other jobs where they are appreciated.
I could go on about the damage this group continues to cause our town but I don’t think I have too. All you have to do is read the article in the Sun Journal. It’s pretty clear.
And it’s just another day for this small town, just like any other day has been for the past few years.
The local section of the newspaper had a little local news about the proposed school merger and a wonderful story about a 17 year old local boy who single handedly worked to make our community a better place.
Then there was one story about the Rumford Selectmen backing away from their endorsement of a proposed Casino in Oxford County. The story in itself was interesting and had some controversy in it but nothing major after all the controversy this town has suffered through for the last few years. The selectmen held a meeting that was likely illegal. The meeting was designed to garner support for the Casino sponsored by the son of the town attorney.
You know the town attorney, Tom Carey. He was hired to protect the town from opening itself up to things that could cause problems like holding illegal meetings and using town resources to affect the results of a pending political referendum. This particular meeting was asked for by his son who is also an attorney (at least for the time being) so whatever. This town has become quite accustomed to such controversy so we are all probably more than a little desensitized to this kind of stuff by now.
Then you read the comments section of the online story. Wow!
There is an unbelievable amount of information in there and it says so much about what’s been happening in this town over the last few years.
Most of the comments were not very supportive of the current town manager.
You know the town manager, Len Greaney. He was hired by the town without providing a resume or as much as a single letter of reference. That’s OK though because he is (at least for the time being) friends of the three selectmen that have been controlling the town. They told us he was hired only as an interim town manager until the selectmen could search for a real one. After they got him in the door he was deemed not to be interim any longer. It’s really not a big deal to us residents of the town because we’ve become quite accustomed to such things in our town and we are all probably more than a little desensitized to this kind of stuff by now.
But I digress.
What I really found interesting was a couple of the comments made in the online section of the story. Take this one for instance:
Posted By:Hugh Chisholm Fan at September 5, 2008 6:49 AMMr. Greaney, Go to MVHS
and ask the biology deptartment if the have any room in the lab to grow a few
spines? If so please grow a few and pass them out at your next closed door
session. We are known for standing up and taking chances, the Sun Journal
continues to bash us no matter what we do. wouldn't it be nice if actually stood
up for ourselves and one of our own and WON. The Sun Journal staff is always
looking to cut other towns because they hate the fact that they live in Lewburg,
they should turn their negative spew on themselves what a DUMP lewiston is,
drive down any Tree street in Lewspew, and you will see.. These poor
writers/staff have to live with this daily, its no wonder they have chosen a
town like Rumford to dump on, especially hen the town manager folds his 4 aces.
Way to lay right down Len, you make this so easy for them, great job!
Holy crap! Did I really read that?
It seems Hugh Chisholm Fan is mad at Mr. Greaney because he had the moral fortitude to tell the truth about the illegal meeting. Perhaps Hugh Chisholm Fan thinks Mr. Greaney should have lied? He had 4 aces, a winning hand and if he had only not admitted his mistake, they would have taken care of “one of their own and won”
Want to know why we have had so much controversy in this town? Go read that post again. It’s right there.
Len Greaney was publicly ridiculed by one of his own for having the “spine” to do what was right. That is quite alone is telling.
This battle in town is about a select group that is willing to do whatever it takes to take care of their own. It’s not about taking care of the town. It’s not about taking care of the residents that live here. It's not about doing what is morally right. It's not about telling the truth. It’s about taking care of their own and they are obviously willing to do whatever is necessary to take care of their own and win. If you have to behave unethically, so what? They know the fine people of this town have become quite desensitized to that kind of behavior.
Many in this town have talked about the damage this group has caused and continues to cause the town of Rumford. I fully believe that this group has caused more damage to this town than any other thing that has happened since my earliest recollections and that’s becoming a long time now. This post by lovetohate is quite telling too:
…i moved away from rumford because of all the bulls--- last year iSorry Rumford but I just couldn't live there anymore?
got sick and tired seeing Rumford in the newspaper and people complaining
about things that they cant or wont help fix every time we get someone in
office that can help straighten that mess up somebody got something bad to
say now i dont have to listen to it. Sorry rumford but i just couldnt live
there any more…
This person moved away from Rumford because they couldn’t stand the constant nonsense that this group has caused with their self-serving, manipulative behavior. I’m sure there are others as well.
I know former RPD Detective Mark Cayer moved for this reason because he flat out said so. I’m guessing our former Fire Chief left for similar reasons. Quality town employees will continue to move on to other jobs where they are appreciated.
I could go on about the damage this group continues to cause our town but I don’t think I have too. All you have to do is read the article in the Sun Journal. It’s pretty clear.
And it’s just another day for this small town, just like any other day has been for the past few years.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
TRR nonsense has gone a long way towards ruining the town of Rumford
The recent sarcastic article at TRR poking fun at the Rumford Police Department is a good indicator of the mentality of the folks that are associated with that site. They had been pretty good lately and people on the River Valley Free Press Forum had seemed to all but forgotten about them. It seems the TRR crew just doesn’t have it in them to act like responsible citizens all the time though.
I believe that their behavior continues to tear down the town of Rumford far worse than anything else in this town.
They have worked hard to destroy the Fire Department and have made a total mess out of that department. Morale there remains at an all time low and the budget is now a complete mess. The only reason that things have stayed together there as well as they have is because of the professionalism of the people in those positions
Now they are starting on the Police Department again and I doubt they will be happy until they make a total mess over there too. They have already started to ruin that department with their petty attacks, inaccurate, biased “statistics” and now their sarcasm.
The people that work in these departments will only tolerate the political climate TRR is creating for so long. Detective Mark Cayer left last spring and directly said he was leaving because of the political nonsense in this town. This is the quote from the Sun Journal. “He blamed the situation on political differences between selectmen who should be focusing their energies on economic development instead of petty attacks on one another, Cayer said”
It’s just a matter of time before more good people follow.
The people associated with the TRR are doing their utmost to ruin this town.
Why can’t they see that? Why do they continue to do so?
I believe that their behavior continues to tear down the town of Rumford far worse than anything else in this town.
They have worked hard to destroy the Fire Department and have made a total mess out of that department. Morale there remains at an all time low and the budget is now a complete mess. The only reason that things have stayed together there as well as they have is because of the professionalism of the people in those positions
Now they are starting on the Police Department again and I doubt they will be happy until they make a total mess over there too. They have already started to ruin that department with their petty attacks, inaccurate, biased “statistics” and now their sarcasm.
The people that work in these departments will only tolerate the political climate TRR is creating for so long. Detective Mark Cayer left last spring and directly said he was leaving because of the political nonsense in this town. This is the quote from the Sun Journal. “He blamed the situation on political differences between selectmen who should be focusing their energies on economic development instead of petty attacks on one another, Cayer said”
It’s just a matter of time before more good people follow.
The people associated with the TRR are doing their utmost to ruin this town.
Why can’t they see that? Why do they continue to do so?
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
SECRET CASINO MEETING IN RUMFORD RAISES QUESTIONS, CONCERNS
PORTLAND – A closed-door meeting of the Rumford Board of Selectmen last week concerning the proposed Oxford County casino has raised more questions about the campaign tactics of the casino proponents.
Last Thursday, the Rumford Board of Selectmen held a closed-door meeting with Seth Carey, the head of the casino proposal. The meeting was private; no members of the public or press were allowed into the hour-long session. Following the meeting, according to a report by the Lewiston Sun Journal, at least one of the selectmen who was undecided about the casino stated his support based on what he was told by Carey during the meeting.
“We believe the meeting was illegal, a violation of the state’s Right to Know law,” said Dennis Bailey, executive director of CasinosNO!, the state’s grassroots organization opposed to the expansion of casino gambling. “We’ve written to the Rumford town manager asking for clarification but have received no response.
“Besides being illegal, the private meeting raises other questions,” Bailey continued. “What is Seth Carey telling the Rumford selectmen to win their support that he isn’t telling the voters who will decide this issue in November? Have promises been made or deals struck that the voters should know about before deciding this issue?”
Bailey said the question of the possibly illegal meeting is complicated by the fact that Seth Carey’s father, Thomas Carey, serves as the town’s attorney (although it is unclear if he was involved in last Thursday’s meeting) and has contributed to the Oxford County casino campaign.
Bailey also noted that Seth Carey is facing misconduct charges related to his legal practice, and the former spokesperson for the casino Pat LaMarche recently resigned suggesting that she would have had to lie in order to promote the casino. LaMarche also complained about “moral failings and disreputable conduct” by members of the campaign organization.
“And these people want to run a casino,” Bailey asked. “I think it’s clear from their tactics and behavior that voters should be very skeptical about giving them the keys to the castle and vote NO on Nov. 4th.”
CONTACT: Dennis Bailey, 207-347-6077, 207-749-4963
Last Thursday, the Rumford Board of Selectmen held a closed-door meeting with Seth Carey, the head of the casino proposal. The meeting was private; no members of the public or press were allowed into the hour-long session. Following the meeting, according to a report by the Lewiston Sun Journal, at least one of the selectmen who was undecided about the casino stated his support based on what he was told by Carey during the meeting.
“We believe the meeting was illegal, a violation of the state’s Right to Know law,” said Dennis Bailey, executive director of CasinosNO!, the state’s grassroots organization opposed to the expansion of casino gambling. “We’ve written to the Rumford town manager asking for clarification but have received no response.
“Besides being illegal, the private meeting raises other questions,” Bailey continued. “What is Seth Carey telling the Rumford selectmen to win their support that he isn’t telling the voters who will decide this issue in November? Have promises been made or deals struck that the voters should know about before deciding this issue?”
Bailey said the question of the possibly illegal meeting is complicated by the fact that Seth Carey’s father, Thomas Carey, serves as the town’s attorney (although it is unclear if he was involved in last Thursday’s meeting) and has contributed to the Oxford County casino campaign.
Bailey also noted that Seth Carey is facing misconduct charges related to his legal practice, and the former spokesperson for the casino Pat LaMarche recently resigned suggesting that she would have had to lie in order to promote the casino. LaMarche also complained about “moral failings and disreputable conduct” by members of the campaign organization.
“And these people want to run a casino,” Bailey asked. “I think it’s clear from their tactics and behavior that voters should be very skeptical about giving them the keys to the castle and vote NO on Nov. 4th.”
CONTACT: Dennis Bailey, 207-347-6077, 207-749-4963
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
