I just read the Jan. 7 OpEd by Jo Cooper about the elderly and their need to being able to drive. The prospect for those of us who are old now is not good. Even though we are safe drivers, we are faced with the need for alternative transportation if we lose that right.
The article mentions the bus system in Bangor. How are we supposed to get to the bus in the first place? If you live a mile from the bus, do you walk? I don’t think so.
Catherine Goodnoh
Bangor
···
Driver courtesy
This is a response to the letter, “Can’t drive after 75” (BDN, Jan. 8).
While in line at a store, two teens were discussing their plans. The boy wanted to know if the girl had informed someone else of their plans. Her answer was: “Oh, yeah, I texted her driving over here.” She had her keys in one hand and the cell phone in the other.
I would rather see a cautious 75-year-old in front of me on the road then anyone with a cell phone, no matter what the age. They seem to don a self-important attitude while disregarding everything and everyone around them.
I realize this occurs off the road as well as on, but we are discussing driving here. When did society drop courtesy like an old sweater?
There isn’t a person on the road that doesn’t need to look at their own driving habits each and every time they get behind the wheel; I repeat, no matter what their age.
Mary A. Eastman
Brewer
···
Thanks for nothing
Thank you, federal government, for stealing the public airwaves from us, and forcing us to buy new televisions, antennas, and converter boxes. Blessings on you also for creating millions of tons of obsolete electronic junk, which will end up in Third World landfills.
Most of all, thank you for mandating digital transmission, which will leave large numbers of us in outlying areas without a signal unless we pay for cable or a dish.
Oh, federal government, what would we do without you?
Henry Smith
Sorrento
···
Learn from the Irish
The BDN’s Dec. 29 editorial, “Maine’s Population Woes,” was right to cite the negative economic impact a stagnant population has on our state.
Unfortunately, its analysis of the factors that contribute to Maine’s population challenges was seriously lacking. It cites weather and sociology as the primary forces driving our current situation but ignores the underlying role of economic incentives. Taxation policies for individuals and businesses have a significant impact on population growth and migration.
One need only look across the ocean to Ireland to see how this works. Long mired in declining population — from 8 million people in 1841 just before the famine, down to 2.6 million in 1961. Ireland’s population today is estimated at almost 4.2 million. In 1990, Ireland’s total work force was 1.1 million, and this year 2 million people are left with minimal unemployment.
Many factors have contributed to Ireland’s reversal, but the primary reason is that businesses have been attracted to invest in Ireland due to continued bipartisan support for fiscal austerity and the lowest corporate tax rates in Europe.
Today, Ireland enjoys the second-highest per capita income in Europe.
The model it uses is being copied by many Third World and Eastern European countries. This model works, and easily could be emulated by Maine. So, before we sink completely to Third World standards ourselves, let’s stop blaming the weather and instead fix our tax policies and improve our business climate. We just may find that our population woes will vanish.
Richard Malaby
Hancock
···
Senior drivers responsible
“Driving while elderly,” as the BDN’s Jan. 8 editorial put it, is not synonymous with driving irresponsibly. The tone and tenor of the editorial leaves me baffled! One has to assume that at some magic age we, the elderly drivers, take leave of our senses and forgo our responsibilities as drivers to ourselves, our families, and the entire driving public.
I applaud Jo Cooper’s Jan. 7 letter to the editor for raising our awareness to the fact that “simply being a certain age does not make us less able to drive well.”
In a recent trip downstate, I encountered many drivers on their hand-held cell phones or their BlackBerry text messaging with both hands off the wheel, navigating with their knees. Not one of those irresponsible drivers was white-haired and wrinkled.
I take exception to the impression that senior citizens should be re-evaluated, with written and driving tests, and even having their license revoked at the young age of 75. One need only take a drive down I-95 to see that inattentive drivers using cell phones and text messaging are the ones driving irresponsibly no matter what their age.
Lorraine Redwine
St. David
···
Small hospitals ailing
State and federal governments currently owe Waldo County General Hospital more than $12 million for the 2004-2008 period. No interest is being paid on this money. The state and federal governments owe more than $400 million to Maine hospitals. This debt has caused two-thirds of our hospitals to borrow from banks and use their investments to meet daily operating costs.
In addition, patient bad debts and charity care at WCGH has increased by 30 percent in the last quarter of 2008. This amounts to well over $3 million annually that WCGH incurs without payment for services.
The 16 percent cut to Maine’s 15 critical access hospitals along with the hospital-based physician cut will be devastating. For WCGH, this is a reduction of approximately $2 million equating to more than 40-50 jobs. These cuts will have severe consequences for access to health care services and to the smallest and most vulner-able hospitals in our state. It is predicted that a half-dozen will close because of these cuts.
WCGH employs two-thirds of its physicians and these cuts will restrict the recruitment of doctors at a time when our state has more than 240 vacant physician positions. Patient access to physicians will become severely limited and emergency department use will increase.
Patient services will be eliminated or reduced as a result of these reductions in reimbursement. The hospital may have to consolidate or reduce staffing. Annual preventive health screenings, wellness clinics and chronic care services may be reduced or eliminated.
I urge legislators to oppose these cuts to critical access hospitals and hospital-based physicians.
On 1/14/09 at 7:07 AM,
vichet wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
"Conservatives are often accused of scaremongering when they claim left-wing environmentalists are actually socialists hiding behind green disguises. But with Carol Browner, incoming President Barack Obama's freshly appointed Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change - the so-called White House "Climate Czar" - there is no question about the socialism. Browner is a member of the Commission for a Sustainable World Society (CSWS), which is a formal organ of the Socialist International. Oddly enough, the group's web site was recently scrubbed to remove Browner's picture and biography, but her name is still listed next to the photo-biographies of her 14 colleagues on the commission. The Socialist International is no group of woolly-headed idealists. It is an influential assembly of officials from across the international community whose official Statement of Principles describes an agenda of gaining and exercising government power based on socialist concepts. "
On 1/14/09 at 7:09 AM,
anne_of_mdi wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Vichet, did you mean to post that somewhere else? What does it have to do with any of the letters here?
On 1/14/09 at 7:15 AM,
vichet wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
I see breaking news stuff all the time that you have posted in other places that have nothing to do with the subject matter at hand... Whats different about this post? Is it because you didnt post it? If the BDN tells me I can't post here (like you seem too be saying) then i will, otherwise, mind your own business.
On 1/14/09 at 7:27 AM,
anne_of_mdi wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Well, there's lots of breaking news vichet. Why did you post this particular article?
On 1/14/09 at 7:40 AM,
MrBeane wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Richard Malaby - companies are now shutting down their Ireland operations and relocating to Eastern European countries that have recently joined the European Union because the labor is so much cheaper. Now that the standard of living has risen in Ireland it is not as an attractive place to do business because somewhere you will find people willing to work for less.
On 1/14/09 at 7:56 AM,
vichet wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
carefull Anne... It doesnt help when you are inconsistent. They only need a small excuse to put you away.
On 1/14/09 at 11:43 AM,
David889327 wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
BDN blogmeisters: Have you swept your servers for viruses lately? They seem to be quite slow.
On 1/14/09 at 12:13 PM,
duckwa wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Vichet, too much of that is un-noticed and under reported.
On 1/14/09 at 2:53 PM,
Saltoria wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Further, I haven't seen anything, other than a link on Drudge, about Iranian protesters burnig Obama's poster picture and driving over ti with their cars. If that had been Bush, it would have been plastered all over the news. It would have been breaking headlines just to prove how much Bush is hated. In this case, the media continues to protect Obama. It will be interesting to see how long that honeymoon lasts!
On 1/14/09 at 3:11 PM,
anne_of_mdi wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Saltoria, Duckwa, you two crack me up. You are so willing to gobble up this crap and spit it back out. Vichet didn't even cite his source.
On 1/14/09 at 3:54 PM,
BlueCollarBob wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
vichet, you and the rest of the right wingers posting on this site are so terrified of socialism, yet not one of you seems remotely concerned about the fascism that's been raging in this country for quite some time. The US government has been a tool of powerful business interests since the Reagan years. Average American's wages have been stagnant or in free fall for over twenty years. Now we're in an economic tailspin, because, surprise, surprise, America no longer manufactures ANYTHING and average people, (the vast majority of us) can't keep up with our bills and are one paycheck away from financial disaster due to those low wages while executive compensation has gone through the roof. Meanwhile we're footing the bill for the reckless greed of the "free market" capitalists. They've cleaned out our life savings they're now pocketing our tax dollars, (the hundreds of billions of dollars of TARP funds) rather than using that money to fix the problem like they were supposed to. There's absolutely No accountability, yet you guys are afraid of socialists spending "hundreds of billions of dollars over the next two decades,” to make the world a safer, cleaner, and healthier place for future generations. Personally I'll take "socialism" that makes the world a better place any day over fascism that rewards greedy corporate "capitalists" who've spent the last three decades ruining this country and the rest of the world for their own personal gain. I read the article that you quoted from vichet, it's here, http://www.dcexaminer.com/opinion/Browner_is_an_environmental_radical__and_a_socialist_seriously_010809.html and it looks like Palin-style fear mongering to me.
On 1/14/09 at 4:42 PM,
duckwa wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Bcb, I hear what you are saying, and I even wouldn't say I don't care about it. You make some good points from us not making enough stuff here anymore, wages and ceo's wages, ext... For me it just comes down to looking at history and attemps at both capitalism and socilaism, and I think capitialism has a better track record. Though it is clearly not without its issues. If anything I think there are combinations of both that work best. I think the problem with going too far toward socialism is that it doesn't by nature encourage people to inspire for more.
Anne, vichet pointed out an appointment that has been under reported, but a simple google provided a lot of information and sources. You need to try googling yourself more. It might brighten your day.
On 1/14/09 at 4:43 PM,
vichet wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Actually BCB I have a couple questions first,
1) Why do you always jump in when Anne gets in too deep?
2) Why does something that's a obvious "copy and post" put up without comment upset you so?
3) Actually BCB this is where I got it. http://spectator.org/blog/2009/01/12/carol-browner-a-socialist. I have ridiculed the BDN editor for using this source myself in BDN editorials.
4) "The US government has been a tool of powerful business interests since the Reagan years." In my opinion that hasn't changed since the countries inception if you think it has ever been any other ways you are delusional. (Remember that in the first US presidential election only landowners could vote.) If you think that will change under Obama you are mistaken.
5) "Average American's wages have been stagnant or in free fall for over twenty years." Absolutely true...and from a simplified view... but as jobs have funneled overseas and new wealth is created there billions are living better than they ever have before. My wealth is down 30% since September.. I have that problem to. I also have a good idea about where the problem lies but it isn't with some trumped up Facist boogeyman.
6) I am opposed to handing out the TARP money as well. But its those that want to take control of Corporations that are the biggest advocates of it. Pelosi & Obama. I am happy to have you on my side for this.
7) And a personal note.... considering your far left radical views on 9/11.... I am fairly certain you believe that every other person to the right of you on the political spectrum must be a "right-Winger". So while you are walking that parapet, throwing glances to your right, be sure not to walk off the edge.
On 1/14/09 at 5:15 PM,
BlueCollarBob wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
vichet, I usually post when I get home from work, it has nothing to do with Anne getting in "too deep." You don't need to worry about me and bridges, but I do appreciate your concern.
I understand your point regarding the US government being a tool of big business but there used to be a little more back and forth, that hasn't been the case for quite some time. You should look up the definition of fascism. The pace of the concentration of wealth to the top tier has increased astronomically since Reagan's first inauguration. The wealth created overseas has bankrupted this country, unless you're one of the wealthy architects of outsourcing. I find it amusing that these architects talk about patriotism and how the free market enables anyone willing to work hard enough an even chance to live the American dream, whereas all this outsourcing has done is enable them to pocket even more cash from worker exploitation in countries that don't have regulations that protect their people or the environment. They move their operations from country to country as wages rise, and have left a trail of destruction around the globe. I'd like to believe one day all suffering they've caused will come back to them, but I'm old enough to realize that's probably not going to happen.
The Bush administration insisted on changes to the TARP legislation at the last minute to make it easier for their buddies to pocket the money without having to account for it. "The Bush administration insisted on a one-sentence change to the provision. The change stipulated that the penalty would apply only to firms that received bailout funds by selling troubled assets to the government in an auction, which was the way the Treasury Department had said it planned to use the money. Now, however, the small change looks more like a giant loophole, according to lawmakers and legal experts. In a reversal, the Bush administration has not used auctions for any of the $335 billion committed so far from the rescue package, nor does it plan to use them in the future. Lawmakers and legal experts say the change has effectively repealed the only enforcement mechanism in the law dealing with lavish pay for top executives."
When it comes to my "radical" leftist ideas, I believe the middle is further to the left than you do, that's all.
On 1/14/09 at 5:38 PM,
duckwa wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
BCB, are you telling me that this is another thing the congress passed, hold no responsibilty for? Just Bush?
On 1/14/09 at 5:40 PM,
BlueCollarBob wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
duckwa, I appreciate your comments but capitalism is having a really bad run at the moment. I agree some type of blend of capitalism and socialism is probably the answer but I'd venture to guess I'd want a larger dose of socialism than you.
On 1/14/09 at 5:42 PM,
SteveyDee wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Remember GW has some strong shoulders Duckwa. He has to carry the blame for everything that goes wrong. Congress can't do anything wrong. That's why Barry has been working out harder lately so he can take over the heavy load.
On 1/14/09 at 6:15 PM,
anne_of_mdi wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Vichet, what the heck are you talking about, "when Anne gets in too deep"? You're the one who's piling it high, bro. Aren't you proud you started this stupid conversation?
On 1/14/09 at 6:26 PM,
anne_of_mdi wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Wow, how appropriate to be quoting the fascist Klaus, ladyslipper. Kudos to you for finally contributing something.
On 1/14/09 at 6:28 PM,
vichet wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
BCB Ok... about Anne..
I am sure that Bill Gates and Warren Buffet and George Soros ....liberal Democrats all... would make some comment about the system that allowed them to accumulate that concentration of wealth that you refer to. But I dont think any of them would call themselves fascists. I know little about Soros or how he accumulated his wealth though I understand he was a major player in the defeat of he Soviet Union under Reagan in the cold war. He had a big role in Poland.. I have heard. Warren Buffet was a owner of a Waterville Maine shirt factory (Hathaway) until he moved its operation overseas.. Good liberal democrat move there. It was a move that positioned him to accumulate great wealth over the next number of years. There is a reason his company is called Berkshire-Hathaway. The class A version of that stock today closed at over $93,000 dollars per share. Buffett owns over 2 million shares. Bill Gates... My personal favororite gained his wealth from a novel idea sold to the right people and a quick visit to the Xerox research Lab. My favorite Gates Quote is "Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose." Microsoft has investments and software production facilites over seas as well. Each of these men liberal Democrats all ... did well in the American system at least two of them benefited from outsourcing. I know they each had one other thing in common. They know someting that you missed about the American capitalist system. Yes they worked hard but they did something else. They worked SMART. There are millions of people all over the globe that do more with their lives than work an 8 hour shift and come home and sit playing video games and watching TV. They arent waiting for a union to give it to them. They arent waiting for a government handout or even a pay raise so they can put butter instead of margarine on the table. They arent blaming some corporation for outsourcing. They are thinking, planning, and taking risks with what they have in order to get a better life. Thats why i respect immigrants so much. They know what we have here and the opportunity around them. I know a family that came here about 18 years ago. Today they own 2 restaurants , own 2 homes, and have 3 rental properties. Not bad for a family of broken English speakers living in a corrupt capitalist facist racist system.
On 1/14/09 at 6:37 PM,
anne_of_mdi wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Wow, vichet, that was a whole lot of nothing, because it had nothing to do with why you chose to post the quote from the Spectator in the first place, or with why you said "when Anne gets in too deep." Are you trying to say, in some twisted way, that you respect immigrants?
On 1/14/09 at 6:49 PM,
anne_of_mdi wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
fas?cist: a person who is dictatorial or has extreme right-wing views. Now, ladyslipper, convince me that Putin's best friend Vaclav Klaus is not a fascist.
On 1/14/09 at 7:01 PM,
vichet wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Anne... i was talkiing to your paramour.... who attacked the capitalist system and made reference to wealth creation in America as fascist...
On 1/14/09 at 7:03 PM,
anne_of_mdi wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Vichet, you have gotten very good at answering the question you weren't asked.
On 1/14/09 at 7:19 PM,
vichet wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
ladyslipper, I dont think the most recent generation of immigrants is any different than those of 20 years ago or 200.... They all want something better for their families. They may not all mow thier lawns like we do (BCB excepted) or speak perfect english or look the same. And not all can make the transition without difficulty... Lewiston & Lowell Ma. (I spend time in Lowell) come to mind. But taken on the whole these folks want and work for and succed at getting what many in our society believe is unattainable . My friends who I mentioned in a previous post are stunned by the lack of ambition by the americans they hire.
On 1/14/09 at 7:21 PM,
vichet wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Gotta follow the thread Anne... IQ required
On 1/14/09 at 7:29 PM,
vichet wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Ok Anne... I made my first post without comment... like a kid turning over a rock to see what crawls out.
On 1/14/09 at 7:29 PM,
ParkAveJoe wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
I will be more than willing to pay high taxes in Maine and face its discouraging business climate when I move myself and my small business to Maine.
Those high taxes and regulations, along with the black flies and snow, are simply the price I must pay to live in a place that is not mobbed with people and developmen, like this heck-hole I live in now--New York City.
On 1/14/09 at 7:38 PM,
David889327 wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Re: Immigrants
Most European immigrants who have arrived here within the last 200 years are here because they were thrown out of Europe.
On 1/14/09 at 7:49 PM,
ParkAveJoe wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
The reason the powers that be, flood America with immigrants is to increase the supply of labor, thereby depressing the price of labor.
.
This forces American workers to kiss the butts of their masters and to work their brains out--because there's a line of qualified hard-working newcomers waiting to take their place for less money.
.
On 1/14/09 at 7:50 PM,
vichet wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Small business owner here to Joe. If you didn't know the business climate here already Joe.. I'd say move to North Carolina... but as you know the down side already. Move to bangor..
On 1/14/09 at 7:51 PM,
vichet wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Never mind.
On 1/14/09 at 7:54 PM,
ParkAveJoe wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
ladyslipper: Thanks or the welcome--the best part is I will continue to make all my money from out-of-state, and plan to spend as much of it as I can in Maine, even if it costs a little more for some things. I'm tempted to go to New Hampshire, instead, because it has no income tax and because it's not a nanny state--but it's coast is crawling with people and ugly buildings. So, once again, you get what you (don't) pay for. It will cost me more to live and do business in Maine, well, I think it will be worth it.
On 1/14/09 at 7:57 PM,
ParkAveJoe wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
ladyslipper wrote: "ParkAveJoe-the reason the powers that be flood america with immigrants .....is to get votes."
.
The votes benefit the democrats.
.
Increasing the supply of labor and depressing the price of labor benefits the republicans.
.
That's why they're both in on it!
On 1/14/09 at 7:59 PM,
ParkAveJoe wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
vichet: North Carolina is too warm and overcrowded. My target states are Alaska, Washington, New Hampshire, and Maine.
.
And everytime I investigate the pros and cons of the four, I keep coming back to Maine.
On 1/14/09 at 8:06 PM,
ParkAveJoe wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Business card--wait till I move!
Anyway--the way I see it, Maine is still an overall improvement to where I've spent my whole life--New York City and Long Island, NY--so even though other sates may be better in some categories, I'm ahead no matter which I pick.
Anyway, I wish you and all Mainers well in this economic mess we're in.
On 1/14/09 at 8:09 PM,
vichet wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Every August we go to upstate New Hampshire.. friendly people,nice small villages, picturesque and at twin mountain region... no overcrowding.
On 1/14/09 at 8:19 PM,
ParkAveJoe wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
vichet wrote: "Every August we go to upstate New Hampshire.. friendly people,nice small villages, picturesque and at twin mountain region... no overcrowding."
'
Vichet, if either New Hampshire had Maine's seacoast or Maine had New Hampshire laws, either would be a heaven on earth.
.
But I gotta have ocean nearby--its in my blood, as much as the woods and fields.
On 1/15/09 at 1:52 AM,
ParkAveJoe wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
I stopped going on vacations years ago.
Because it was too depressing to leave a cabin in the woods to return to NYC.
Thank goodness technology now allows me to work anywhere.
On 1/15/09 at 1:56 AM,
ParkAveJoe wrote:
Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
Err, Richard Malaby, isn't Ireland's newfangled economy crashing of late?
Post a comment about this story
You must be logged in to post a comment.
click here to log in.
