Monday, October 2, 2023
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Another Viewpoint: Yes on A would ‘fix’ rent control, campaign says

Tenants like mine are collateral damage. They are the victims of the overly restrictive and burdensome rent control mandate put forth by the Maine...
Al Diamon

Politics & Other Mistakes: Putting a label on No Labels

Guess who was among the earliest supporters of forming a Maine chapter of No Labels, a political party allegedly based on reforming government and...
Edgar Allen Beem

The Universal Notebook: All in the crime family

While I sincerely believe that Donald J. Trump is a criminal who should spend the rest of his life in prison, I am also...
Bre Kidman

Unpacking the Sausage: Flavortown vs. Big Tobacco

In theory, I quit smoking the day I found out I’d passed the bar exam. Having steadily increased my nicotine consumption over a period of...
Al Diamon

Politics & Other Mistakes: O Lieutenant! My Lieutenant!

O Lieutenant! My Lieutenant! Here are some things Maine doesn’t have: Alligators. Poisonous snakes. Paul LePage. Also, this state doesn’t have a lieutenant governor. Florida has all that stuff,...
Edgar Allen Beem

The Universal Notebook: IMHO (in my humble opinion)

Now that virtually all of us inhabit the metaverse, an opinion column about opinions seems in order.    Other than the fact that I have been...
Edgar Allen Beem

The Universal Notebook: The Republican attack on LGBTQ people

Nationally, there are now some 400 bills in state legislatures aimed at opposing or controlling LGBTQ citizens and transgender people in particular. Here in...
Al Diamon

Politics & Other Mistakes: Dope economics

Maine has finally found a way to eliminate the black market in marijuana. It’s made legal pot so cheap that bootleggers can’t compete. On the...
Al Diamon

Politics & Other Mistakes: I’m not a budget bore

There’s only one reasonable response to any in-depth discussion of the state budget: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Hey, wake up. I promise that’s not what this column is about....
Edgar Allen Beem

The Universal Notebook: What does Maine’s ‘Right to Food’ amendment actually mean?

What were we thinking on November 2, 2021 when we voted 61 percent to 39 percent to approve adding "a right to food" to...