NOTES TO CARL | LESSONS IN MEDIOCRITY
Randy Seaver, a grumpy old guy, offers advice to his grandson and howls at the moon
Selected pieces from my newspaper column, All Along The Watchtower
Since I am literally on the cusp of turning 60 this week, I thought for this installment of All Along The Watchtower, I would share 60 different things I have learned (sometimes the hard way) over the past 60 years. Here we go:
No one can deny that the city of Biddeford – once derided as “Trash-town U.S.A.” -- has today become an unlikely hip destination for young adults and others who enjoy an eclectic array of craft breweries, a diverse culinary scene and dozens of boutique shops and businesses that offer everything from gourmet cheeses to hand-crafted … Continue reading A Hard Day’s Night
If you ask Alan Casavant to describe his time as Biddeford’s mayor, he’ll tell you he used the same basic approach that he used as a high school teacher for more than 35 years. Casavant, 71, is now completely retired as both a teacher and politician. He served 12 years (six consecutive terms) as the … Continue reading Alan Casavant: Interview
Talk seems to be what we do best. We talk. We write white papers and convene focus groups. We talk some more. We spend money on consultants and form more committees. We pontificate and bloviate in newspaper editorials and at the podium in the City Council Chambers.
Two rather interesting events happened this week, each painting a troubling picture for loyal, solid Democrats at both the national and local level: Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced he would not seek reelection, and City Councilor Marty Grohman was elected to become Biddeford’s next mayor. What do Manchin and Grohman have in common? … Continue reading I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Several people were less than pleased about something I posted yesterday on Facebook regarding Biddeford mayoral candidate Susan Deschambault. Several of Deschambault's supporters questioned my take-away observations of Monday's mayoral debate, in which I wrote that candidate Susan Deschambault tripped over herself and made a big "gaffe." Some folks speculated that I was supporting the … Continue reading Deschambault stumbles during mayoral debate
I have been covering Biddeford City Hall for nearly a quarter century, and I don’t recall seeing anything so silly and inane as what I witnessed during Tuesday’s city council meeting.
Breathlessly, city leaders in Saco extolled the virtues of the new facility, congratulating themselves for being such good stewards of the environment. The facility was hailed as state-of-the-art, dedicated to be a giant leap forward in the pursuit of a better world, where every boy and girl has a pet unicorn and we all actually enjoy eating kale.
Biddeford City Councilor Marc Lessard and I have a long and somewhat tangled history that goes back more than two decades. Lessard -- who holds one of the two at-large seats on the council -- is the longest serving elected member in the Biddeford-Saco area, and he can always be counted upon for a good … Continue reading That’s Some Bad Hat, Harry
Rights without obligations set the stage for anarchy. Obligations without rights set the stage for tyranny. The older I get, the more I wonder about the world, humanity and whether we are making progress or simply marching off a cliff while chanting about our rights, about our individual uniqueness and about being offended. What do … Continue reading Sick of Myself
NOTES TO CARL | LESSONS IN MEDIOCRITY 