Coal tar sands
The development of coal tar sands in Canada is very scary. With the promise of renewable energy just on the horizon, I am so disappointed with this obvious greed for revenue over “doing the right thing.”
Stephen Harper has long made it his business to ram through Big Oil’s agenda, from destroying a forest the size of England to sending his lobbyists to meddle in U.S. climate policy.
But censoring his opponents is more than just a step too far, it’s an abuse of power that could very well bankrupt critical groups at the head of the tar sands fight. This is a shocking attack on both democracy and the global climate.
Suzanne Hachey
Stetson
Bravo to Penobscot Theatre
Once again, Penobscot Theatre has gone above and beyond. The recent performance of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” was incredible.
Exceptional versatile role playing and musical vocal ability by the four cast members, along with superb orchestral accompaniment, made for a great performance. We are very fortunate to have such professional talent and amazing theater staff in a city the size of Bangor. If you have never attended a performance at the Penobscot Theatre, do make a point to. There is nothing like live theater.
Rodney Duplisea
Bangor
Deep pockets
Put the teachers out of work. Cut health care. Close the rest areas. Ignore the highways. Stomp on the elderly. And so on. And then go out and spend hundreds of millions, maybe billions, of dollars trying to get elected to this or that office.
And now Gov. LePage has classified the Wisconsin recall attempt as a “cheap prank.” Understand that, allegedly, $78 million was spent on that prank by the combined parties. And that is cheap?
Spending all of this money on elections is positively crazy. Take a minute and think about what good that money could do. Folks are struggling to pay their bills and the politicians are asking us, on a daily basis, to send them more money so those already in office can continue and those seeking that office can get in the game. And evidently “someone” keeps sending it.
I for one, am finished giving to politicians who, once elected, do little else than posture themselves for the next election.
We don’t have to send them a red cent. We can express our sentiments by spending a few dollars for gasoline and driving over to the polls and voting them all out. And, if the new guys are no better, out they go on the next election.
Keep your money in your pocket and let these guys and gals spend their own money to represent themselves.
Russ Irwin
Hampden
Quality of life
You know the quality of life is going downhill when Portland needs a military armored vehicle for police work.
Richard Mackin Jr.
Millinocket
Slow down
I’ve never felt compelled to write to the editor, but after a life-changing event after the Zac Brown concert I had to. My husband, best friends and I were visiting Bangor. We left the concert early to head back to our vehicle when the unthinkable happened. A hit-and-run before our eyes, imagine the shock and anguish that came over us.
My husband and best friends Ron and Julie Eby sprang into action as I hollered to anyone that would listen that we needed a doctor. In the meantime some young woman in a Neon is accusing us all of drinking as this is all unfolding. Before you judge people, lady, we were not drinking, not one sip for the record. You know who you are. It was all to no avail as Joshua Richard Constantine at the young age of 37 lost his life that night.
He did not die alone; he was surrounded by people who cared. I too have lost a son to terminal illness so I know the pain of losing a child, it is so unnatural for our kids to go before us. My heart goes out to all of Joshua’s family and friends. From all accounts I have read he was a wonderful human being.
This letter is not only about the terrible loss, it is to tell people to slow the hell down. What is the hurry? So much lost in that instant, so many dreams dashed far too soon. Do something nice for someone in his memory and the world will be a much better place to live.
Patricia Dunn
Freeport
New media
Commenting on a recent Michael Cuzzi and Anthony Ronzio editorial titled ” Maine’s newspapers remain strong.”
Just reporting the news isn’t enough to sell newspapers today. What is needed is investigative reporting. Exposing fraud and corruption that impacts society in both the public and private sectors will sell newspapers.
This is the kind of reporting which, in addition to reporting the news, contributed to the success of newspapers over the last couple of hundred of years. In today’s society, news is everywhere, in every format imaginable, from newspapers to the latest electronic media. Investigative reporting will ensure that newspapers remain a relevant medium in contemporary society.
Ed Kokoszka
Bangor
Russ Irwin–I concur. Money in politics has become one of the primary problems with our republic today. I propose a system that will allow every candidate to spend as much as he/she wants to–a campaign advertising tax. Tax all TV, radio, print and internet ads at a minimum of 50%. A higher amount such as 90% would be better. The monies could be dispensed to clean election candidates. Coupled with a ranked choice voting system, this would dispense with much of the excess while at the same time open up the field to a variety of candidates–something we don’t get anymore. Politics will always be messy but this system would give a chance to wrest the government away from those who have hijacked it and turned it into a personal business to fill their own already overflowing coffers.
Investigative reporting ???? Not likely, that’s why so many people choose to leave the paper in the rack and seek out other means to get actual news. Anyone that thinks there is a balanced representation in any newspaper is simply not paying attention. Newspapers as well as the electronic media have an agenda to push and will always spin any topic to push that agenda. The best recent example of this is the push for greeen energy. BDN has continiously ignored facts for thier “feel good” if someome calls it green it has to be good attitude.
I am not that interested in balanced…all humans have slants one way or another–an attempt to be balanced is the best we can ask. I have brains enough to figure out a slant when I see one, and can discount that as I read. Besides, reading the “other side” makes sense, see what and how they think.
But INVESTIGATIONS are what journalists need to be doing… backed by courageous editors and publishers, with sufficient patience and funding to get the job don…there is a WHOLE LOT we can learn about our world if people with the smarts and guts to expose it are allowed to do their work….used to be a journalist was an esteemed profession, if not highly paid.
These days you are lucky if you do not feel yourself a hack.
BDN, are your listening?
A good place to start with investigative reporting is the WELFARE ABUSE that is going on locally and nationally. Our nation is falling apart because we’re spoon feeding able-bodied Americans when they should be working hard to make a difference in their lives and that of our nation. We need reporters to look into the fraud, abuse and waste that is not only bankrupting our nation but that is creating another generation of users and abusers of the system.
Re: Coal Tar Sands. There are no coal tar sands in Alberta. Renewable energy is a promise but as of yet is farther over the horizon than we need. Even with billions of dollars of investment, renewables are just beginning to push some fossil fuels out of our energy choices. As far as lobbyists and big oils agenda, big oil in Canada is US ownership in a large proportion. From news stories in Canada the government hired US lobbyists, we bought american. I understand the green lobby wanted to continue the funding arrangements as they were, even though they were in contravention of existing laws. I sure if the roles were reversed their would be a similar cry from US citizens. I know that green organisations are fit to be tied, they have the same right to intervene now as I do as citizen of Canada. The missed funding for intervening and lost photo op are just as hard to swallow. The abuse of process green organisations have called victory, the use of delay, is evident. There was bound to be a change.
TO BOB SOUSA: Yes, investigative reporting that is “fair and balanced” is important, and indeed it’s hard to find in most newspapers these days that don’t have the resources of the major newspapers of big cities. But the husband and wife team of John Christie and Naomi Schallit–whose most recent expose was of the shameful hiring of seven former Baldacci top assistants for seven highly paid posts at the U Maine System (save for one at the Orono campus)–do indeed contribute significantly and without any apparent ideological basis. Typically, the System doesn’t bother to respond, much less to defend itself. They could care less. But at least these investigators are trying to stir public interest. And the Portland paper has done some very good investigations of the poor financial management of the U of Southern Maine when its president was the same person who hired six of those seven Baldacci associates: recently departed Richard Pattenaude, who became Chancellor despite this poor record. The legislature generally shows no interest in such matters, to its own shame.
Mr. Mackin, Where do you think all that surplus military hardware from two unfunded wars should go? Cops in almost every small burg now have tasers and assault weapons. And you are right, quality of life sure has degraded, both the air we breathe and the systems we thought were supposed to protect us.
We don’t need military hardware in American towns and cities to set up an “us against them scenario”. Law enforcement were viewed as public servants, now they are viewed as “authority figures”. They have the power over you.
They sure do. The police are out of control.
Russ It was a Democrat that announced that he was going to be the first Presidential candidate to raise $1 billion.
And another thing Russ, it’s not your money to decide what to do with.
No, but I do like the idea of taxing all that money spent on buying an election. Of course, the real problem is those who are bought….. the voters. And the truly funny but sad thing is they get little in return.
Suzanne Hachey to short on details to understand your point?
Russ Irwin I hear you and I agree…we are upside down and inside out?
Richard Mackin, Jr. …and it’s going to get worse before it gets any better.
I agree with Ed’ Kokoszka. But it’s doubly hard for many newspapers. Staff and money, I would imagine. Advertising drops immediately if a newspaper steps midstream in the political wars.
A swing, even slightly to the left, loses many republican advertisers. Playing the middle, draws scorn from republican readers.
The public would like to know more about today’s radically changed political scene. They’d like to know more about what happened in that Waterville home where Ayla disappeared. Why we have so many pot holes and can’t fix ’em. Where is the mural that Le Page removed because one e-mail that decried it. Just skinning the surface. But it would help newspaper circulation if it could be done. The slicks that the state is peppered with are glorified ad’ catalogs.
Great letter Russ. And I hope you send someone other than Cushing to the Senate. He is an ALEC protege. Seems more interested in taking care of corporations than people.