The Universal Notebook: The war on the woke
In the American culture wars, conservatives appear to be winning the battle over abortion rights in the courts. And while they attack democracy at...
The Universal Notebook: Asylum seekers mistreated in Texas, welcomed in Maine
Asylum seekers in Texas who risked their lives to get from Venezuela to the United States were lied to, tricked and flown to Massachusetts...
Politics and Other Mistakes: Don’t ask, don’t tell: version 2.0
Allow me to state the obvious: Legislative candidates should answer all questions about their stands on important issues, whether those queries come from voters...
A View from the Hill: A tribute to a newspaper man
I began my newspaper career right out of college in 1975 as a reporter at a muckraking weekly newspaper in Kennebunk.
From the first day,...
My Two Cents: Letting go
When I joined the team that relaunched the Portland Phoenix, it was with the expectation we would publish an independent weekly newspaper that readers...
The Universal Notebook: Crackdown on cruise ships
In the ongoing wake of the coronavirus, you’d think cruise ships would be things of the past. The cruise industry worldwide was cut in...
Politics & Other Mistakes: Debate debacle
There’s nothing more fun than watching political candidates in a televised debate. Get out the chips and salsa, crack a beer, and settle back...
Unpacking the Sausage: Your guide to the ‘BS Olympics’
Welcome to the last stretch of the 2022 election season. Who’s ready to watch the Bullshit Olympics?
I’d particularly like to welcome the new voters...
The Universal Notebook: Signs of summer’s end
Before the fall foliage, before the first frost, before the geese gather and go, there are other sure signs of summer’s end.
Crickets.
In contemporary slang,...
Politics & Other Mistakes: A less-than-perfect union
There are lots of good arguments against democracy.
As Oscar Wilde put it, “Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for...