i've been all winter wearing sandles because i could not afford a warm pair of winter boots.

Iv'e been all winter without a car and no money to buy one.

Iv'e been all winter burning wood outside, a little built on 5 feet by 5 feet room off the entrance of my little camper to keep warm ,Had no income to afford propane.

The list goes on about my life in Maine ,noit that I want or need any sympathy at all. I really don't for I firmly believe that if your not happy in the surroundings of life ,only i can chande it. BUT sometimes it is nice to have a little help from some that do have more to give. Thank you taxpayers for the food stamps throughout, I atleast was able to eat and stay alive through the rough winter.

I wasn't quite as bad off as the homeless in Maine but close. MY POINT! Bald Archie and the GOV. can dish out $50 million dollars for art and to hell with so many poor Maine people like myself and my wife.

Good job Bald Archie!Good job Obama! Keep on dishing that stimulus money out to the banks, car companies, fuinance corps. and wall street and on and on. Please remember though I am a non profit organization too. I hope my sandles continue to hold togeather. Summer is finally soon to be here and i am sure with no car yet and not to afford one ,I will be doing alot of walking.

juddy, I too am outraged by this. What size boots do you need. If you could somehow get your phone number to me or address maybe I have a pair your size that I could give you.

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the Public Treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the Public Treasury with a result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy.

--- most commonly attributed to

"The Decline and Fall of the Athenian Republic"

by Alexander Fraser Tytler Lord Woodhouselee (1748-1813)

(Scottish judge and historian at Edinburgh University)

“I think the government arts jobs are real jobs and that they are central to our nation’s recovery just like any other worker,” said Maine Arts Commission director Donna McNeil.

Meaning if we don't get this 'stimulus money' I'll have to go get a real job to be able to afford my 4-inch heels and designer suits.

Government has no business wresting money from the taxpayers to support art. Real people buying real art is the real way to support real artists. Not the Government buying crappy art that real people would never have in their homes or offices. Ms McNeil had a large part in the decision to pay a New York photographer a third of a million dollars to hang pictures of his doggies in the 3 new rest areas on the Pike. Please explain how that did anything to promote Maine artists.

And please don't bother to tell me the Pike isn't tax money. Were it not for this purchase the tolls would clearly be lower so that makes it a tax. Calling a pig a flower does not make the pig any nicer smelling.

The arts are important and it is the role of government to make sure that they are supported for the benefit of us all.

OMG, it's amazing what you can learn by using "The Google."

From snopes.com, the website that debunks forwarded emails:

"The Fall of the Athenian Republic, Mostly False"

# The "Alexander Tyler" quoted at the head of the article is actually Lord Woodhouselee, Alexander Fraser Tytler, a Scottish historian/professor who wrote several books in the late 1700s and early 1800s. However, there is no record of a Tytler's having authored a work entitled The Fall of the Athenian Republic (or The Decline and Fall of the Athenian Republic), and the quoted material attributed to him above is likely apocryphal.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/ballot/athenian.asp

See also "The Truth About Tytler" http://www.lorencollins.net/tytler.html

Why can't people just get jobs and pay for their own hobbies?

An 18th century lawyer named Alexander Fraser Tytler said, “A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.” from a BDN editorial 1/07/2009

Debunked or not, Anne - still a fact. Government has nothing but what it collectively takes from the taxed public. Everyone figures the other guy will get taxed at a higher level and everyone thus believes they will be the giftee of that largess after it's taken from the 'wealthy'. Guess what - we all lose.

And yes, bangorian, we do have a responsibility to spend some money on art. We do that in our schools. Once the appreciation of art has been taught it is then up to each of us to support the art forms we appreciate.

You don't see much Government money having to be spent on country music now do you? Poor as those who appreciate that genre are, they find the money to go to way more concerts that 'rich folks' find for opera. theater, ballet and silly pictures of dogs staring at the sky. Could it simploy be that some art is real and some affected?

The full text of the paper are available on line:

However, this has also been attributed to Benjamin Disraeli, Alexis de Tocqueville, R. G. LeTourneau and others. It is likely that it is actually two quotes, put together. Parts of it show up in printed record as far back as 1950, when the "Fatal Sequence" portion was cited in a speach by Eugene E. Wilson at a special United Nations Convocation at Hillyer College in Hartford, Connecticut. But regardless of the quote's origin, it is interesting to note how accurate it details the past and how much further we have progressed along that predicted line, since it first appeared in modern recorded history, in 1950

What do I do? Sandals are the only pair of shoes I own. I can't afford 10 bucks at the thift store for boots or find a pair from a local charity.

I guess I'll continue to pay for my computer and internet access so I can complain about in the Bangor Daily News.

No offense, but if you have a computer and pay for access the net you have the money for a pair of boots for the winter if you set your priorities straight.

But no, you mumble on about your hardships while telling us your not complaining except that Obama's and Baldacci have not given you the money you think you deserve. You should try and get some of that money Maine is giving to the arts because from what I have been seeing you post here you seem to be quite an artist yourself.

If we greatly value arts in Maine, why are there so many schools that have virtually no performance arts programs? Maine is a joke, unless you are talking about the most Southern part of it. Take that money and invest it in the kids education, let the artists and their nonprofit centers support themselves.

Ah ha ha. Now BDN editorials are the bastion of facts. As the church lady says, "How con-VEEN-ient!"

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/church-chat/2732/ (at 4:05)

ronfromdowneast I thought I was the only one to notice that. Can't afford a room, shoes, a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out. But by God, I have the net.

Gee wiz, this is really going to stimulate the economy and bring back America...........man are we in trouble.

"We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle." – Winston Churchill

Tea Party Time!

forhimtoday i do appreciate very much your concern of my feet and yes I would be graseful to you for the boots if u have a pair that may fit me .winter or snowy cold weather as we know still wants to hold on in maine into long April .thank you very much forhimtoday. There should be a world full of people like you who do care for people without just because we have a government with billions in our tax account.My #is 368-5929 .Call me anytime i'm right here in my 5x5 next to the wood stove waiting patiently. COME ON SPRING!

loudmothronfromdowneast, While you are to get on with running your mouth about people getting my priorities straight must you know mr. smartass i do not own a computer you are reading the words from my mind right now on my neighbors computer, that is why i also cannot afford a computer or a car or boots. If you think im looking for anything from you ,you are right, i am. this is what i'm looking for,Come live at my home for a week and play survivor all winter long or for a week with us ,you will be about one day and youll want to get voted off. I got in an accident two years ago and am still waiting for two years now for a decision on my disability. from the state that is getting 50 million to for artists, Of course idiots like you wouldn't understand where i could possibly be disabiled and still use my fingers and hands to carry wood and so on. As a fact i had a concussion, was in a coma for two months and now on meds. for several things occured to me from the 20 foot drop to a concrete floor and put me out for the next two months. I guess to quickly sum up to what i want to say fromdowneast is i may need to wait for two more years for the maine system decide that i may be disailed and in the mean time the artists will go on with their funding. As well you are correct ,I was an artist I used to paint for a living and can no longer climb ladders or get on staging .Orders per the doctor and equilibrium ,So please if i could work believe me you , I would be more than happy to do so. I come from the old school of 55 years and i never was scARED TO WORK. by the way i have no problem with 50 million to art work as long as it is good doings for many in this state due to work and publicity to support Baldarchies tourisim bussiness.I have to do cooking, house cleaning ,laundry wash and fold and much more for my wife of 36 years now. She is full of artiritus and fibermialiger and can not us her hands or feet much at all.I suppose you would think she should still go to work and support the two of us don't you/ She's been waiting 2 years now for her disabilty decision. MrNixxon I don't even have a net but you do have one. Your net is fromdowneast. 4 Him2day, Thak you for responding to me at my number so quickly .You are a man of good will and a heart of much peace ,GOD bless you for the gift he gave you, seam people like MrNixxon and from downeast were left without. I will pray for them. Thank you for the boots.

juddy53

i agree with you. there is a store in machias that will provide you and yours with free cloths and shoes. the number is;255-4649. just tell them you have no money and they will help with what ever you need.

The role of nonprofit organizations in Maine go WAYYYYY beyond "crappy art that real people would never have in their homes or offices." Several of the nonprofits mentioned in the article have VERY real and VERY effective education programs that are making a real difference in young people's lives. Perhaps making a difference in how these children develop into adults and hopefully helping them become contributing members of society. These programs are made possible by the generous donations of both private individuals as well as grant funding from state and federal sources. Several of these organizations offer jobs in areas that have no industry left and are key in helping support a local economy. So get educated about the offerings and benefits of nonprofit organizations before you throw stones from up on your soapbox. In my opinion giving money to a strong orgnaization that can actually apply those funds to help educate and improve people's situations is a WAY better use of your and my tax dollars than handing out cash to individuals that do nothing to help their own situation, but sit on the couch and cry 'whoa me.'

Tea party!

Great idea, putting money into art instead of infrastructure.

I don't it would hurt the state at all if we had none of these so called "artists".

This gives us an interesting look at how a Maine state agency squanders money. The feds are giving the Maine Arts Commission $293,000 to pass out to non-profit arts organizations, but the Commission has decided to keep $38,000 to fund a temporary position to dole out the remainder. You might think that between the 14 Commission members and 9 Commission employees, they could figure out a way to distribute the money. But no, not in Maine, not at a state agency. They have to create a job and hire someone to do it. I thought that was THEIR job in the first place- to administer grants for the arts. Really, how much more effort does it take to administer a six figure grant program?

test message for time stamp

Juddy53: The time stamp on these mesage is an hour off. Your first post of today railing against snowmobilers was stamped 3:48AM which would have been 4:48 AM as it appears the BDN forgot to spring ahead an hour on their time stamp here.

So that means you were over your neighbors house "borrowing" their computer at 4:30 this morning, eh?

Oh, but wait. You complained about money for the arts at 5:50AM and called all police officers pigs at at 6:15 AM and again in multiple posts at 9:15AM.

You responded to my post, calling me an idiot at 9:22AM. You posts make you out to be a a bitter old man who has nothing better to do than complain about others and his lot in life.

Then, you tell the good samaritan who offered you boots to call you anytime, furnishing a phone number and saying "i'm right here in my 5x5 next to the wood stove waiting patiently". So you do have a phone, eh?

How can you be there in the 5 x 5 (whatever that is) to recieve a phone call and at your neighbors typing that message at the same time?

Methinks you might be fibbing.

Response?

And since Juddy53 was kind enough to give out his phone # and it bring a nice day for a ride in the county, I mosied over that way to see what the house that matches the phone # might be like. Hahahaha. 2-story new modular of about 2400 sf. Four-wheeler in the yard and all. Yup-poverty in Maine is tough to take. And that's just the kind of 'poverty' that bugs those who have to pay taxes to support all these 'disabled' folk. And bythat I do not refer to those with real issues, most of whom try hard to do everything they can for themselves and families before begging for Government help. Or before blantently asking for freebies on a newspaper comment page.

Pathetic...

ron from down east ,sounds to me that you are a private eye Your good but not so good and not so fast as i am .I had to go to my 5x5 to pee. O.k. with you i hope. And the good samaritan did send the boots .i got them today, march 25, 2009 at 11;10 , hand delivered to me by my neighbor. 4him2day you are a very kind considerate stil concerned real live caring American. THANKS FOR THE BOOTS and asocks.