It was 12 years ago last week when two students at Columbine High School used a variety of weapons, including homemade propane bombs, a shotgun, a semi-automatic rifle and a 9mm handgun in a massacre that left 12 of their classmates and one teacher dead before both shooters committed suicide. In the days before the … Continue reading Janie’s Got A Gun
Why can’t we be friends?
“We are reckless in our use of the lovely word, friend.” --Romain Rolland If he were alive today, I wonder what Mr. Rolland, a French journalist who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1915, would think about Facebook and its use of the word “friend.” How many “friends” do you have? According to the … Continue reading Why can’t we be friends?
Pocketful of Kryptonite
Although it was 30 years ago this week, I still remember the day like it was yesterday. I came home from high school and flipped on the television. The news was on, and that was strange because this was long before the days of CNN, MSNBC or Fox News. Back then, there was no such … Continue reading Pocketful of Kryptonite
The needle and the damage done
It is paper-thin and measures only 8 by 3-1/2 inches, but it scares the hell out of me. It has been sitting on the dashboard of my truck for several days, just there. Always visible. Always reminding me of what I cannot escape. It is a placard that allows parking in disabled parking spaces. You … Continue reading The needle and the damage done
Testimony in support of LD 364
A copy of the testimony I presented to the Maine Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Insurance and Financial Services on March 2, 2011 Re: LD 364, Resolve, Directing Updated Review and Evaluation of Maine's Mental Health Parity Law Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you … Continue reading Testimony in support of LD 364
Tucson shootings and the costs of stigma
(originally published in the January 11, 2011 Portland Press Herald) The horrific event that transpired in Tucson on Saturday has inspired more than ample discussion regarding the tone and spirit of our nation's political discourse. Despite all the fervent commentary, there is one piece of this puzzle that remains largely glossed over, however. And this … Continue reading Tucson shootings and the costs of stigma
An Inconvenient Truth
Originally posted June 2009: The tide has turned on our economy. Millions of Americans are out of work. The real estate market is in the toilet and consumer confidence is at an all-time low. Our nation's current economic picture is very similar to what was happening in 1930s Germany, a country that was especially hit … Continue reading An Inconvenient Truth
Uncle Bert
Originally posted on Dec. 22, 2005 on All Along The Watchtower. Last week, I thought today would be little more than a day of drinking and celebrating with my co-workers and those I developed relationships with during the last seven years as the Courier's editor. But God had different plans. So, instead I will be … Continue reading Uncle Bert
Roland, the headless gunner
As we inch closer to the 2004 elections, we all seem to be getting either more stupid or lazy. Maybe both. While we listen to the presidential candidates debate how they spent their summer vacations during the Vietnam War, a number of key issues seem to have fallen by the wayside. At the same time, … Continue reading Roland, the headless gunner
Brother can you spare a dime?
Laura and I are now facing the prospect of soon being homeless, and it’s all because of a terrorist group in the Middle East, a spilled bowl of water and the power of the internet. Shortly after the tragic events of Sept.11, 2001, interest rates were slashed as a way to restore consumer confidence in … Continue reading Brother can you spare a dime?
