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[Here are a couple of accompanying pieces of information, which ties into yesterday’s post regarding the need in Maine (as well as other rural areas of the U.S.) to address aging infrastructure, which includes roads and bridges. Not as “sexy” as say talking about the Red Sox (if crotch-grabbing and spitting is your idea of sexy), or the latest 15-minute celebrity poseur, but important, nonetheless, IMHO.]
From today’s Daily Mainebiz. (If you’re not getting this email, you’re missing a convenient way to get daily updates about Maine business, tourism and other related information.)
DOT unveils $10B plan
The Maine Department of Transportation yesterday unveiled a $10.6 billion, 20-year draft plan to address the state’s transportation infrastructure needs.
The plan addresses improvements for roads, bridges, rails, ports and air service in Maine, but allocates most of its funds to maintenance, improvements and modernization of the state’s highway and secondary highway system, according to the Bangor Daily News. The plan also includes $2 billion to replace bridges in the state, which DOT officials said need to be replaced at a rate of 32 per year.
The plan, however, still outlines a $4 billion shortfall in necessary funds over the next 20 years if revenue sources remain the same, the paper said.
Then, in this month’s Working Waterfront, essential reading for anyone wanting to know about coastal issues in Maine, comes Sandra Dinsmore’s article about the new Waldo-Hancock Bridge, including funding issues and the eminent domain controversy involving the Dyers and the Sail Inn Restaurant.
Oh, and don't forget to check out Colin Woodard's Parallel 44 column; Colin is a helluva' writer, author of The Lobster Coast, a must read for anyone who wants to understand life here in the northern reaches of New England.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Roads and infrastructure should be priorities
While there is considerable debate about the role of the U.S. in Iraq and whether, in fact, we should bring the troops home now (my position), or begin a gradual deployment, eventually turning control of Iraq back over to the Iraqis, the cost of U.S. involvement in the country can no longer be discounted, or ignored. If you doubt what role our “war on terrah” is having on the domestic agenda and the well-being of ordinary Americans, you haven’t spent any time reviewing the current FY budget sent forth by the Bush administration. Domestic programs for the marginalized, working poor and middle classes (most of us) have taken not a back seat, but are stashed in the trunk, while the beneficiaries of military spending, namely Haliburton, Carlyle and other instruments of the minority elite, receive additional funding every time a request is put forth. What did Eisenhower warn us about back in the 50s?
While there are a myriad of negatives associated with the $415 Billion ($415,863,980,562 at this moment—it’s already risen dramatically) that we’ve spent in Iraq to date, with arguably little, or no measurable success, after we’ve come in and destroyed much of that countries infrastructure, the entire debacle seems counter-intuitive on a good day and sheer madness and lunacy at its worst.
Back in 1992, Jerry Brown spoke at the First Parish Church in Portland. At the time, he was running as a Democratic contender for president. While the press was given to caricaturing Brown, calling him “Governor Moonbeam” and other pet names, for what they perceived as Brown’s different way of conducting his affairs, both political and personal, he came across as reasoned, articulate and probably the scariest trait for a modern politician—intelligent.
He spoke a great deal on this particular night about the need for a nationwide program of infrastructure rebuilding and refurbishment, similar to FDR’s programs during the 1930s. As Brown mentioned at the time, which was nearly 15 years ago, our roads, bridges and railways have not seen major upgrades for nearly 60 years (and now, closer to 70).
In rural states, like Maine, maintaining the integrity of our roadways is particularly crucial. Since 85 percent of all our freight and 95 percent of all passengers move by truck and passenger vehicle, infrastructure maintenance and bridge upgrades should be regular and proactive in approach. Interestingly, while many clamor for lower taxes, often citing the neighboring New Hampshire, as our model for taxation, New Hampshire has condiderably less pavement to maintain, compared to Maine. Maine has 1.5 times New Hampshire’s road mileage, with 22,748 miles, to the Granite State’s 15,627. Maintaining roads costs money.
Not only does Maine have more roads, but Mainers are now moving to the suburbs, leaving the service centers of our state like a pack of lemmings. Over the past 40 or so years, the percentage of Mainers living outside service centers have grown from 37 percent, to just over 50 percent. Currently the average commute for Mainers is now roughly 44 minutes per day.
Here’s where it gets interesting: With Mainers driving more, driving longer and fully dependent on our roadways for our livelihoods, not to mention public safety concerns, the maintenance of our roadways should be of major concern to our state and local leaders and even our federal delegation. According to the Maine Development Foundation’s Measures of Growth report, 31 percent of the major roads in the Pine Tree State are in poor, or mediocre condition. The report calculates that the cost factor associated with these bad roads at $263 million dollars, statewide, or $282 per motorist. Not only are our bad roads costly, but they are also dangerous. Poor road design is a factor in a third of all crashes on Maine roadways, with the estimated cost of these crashes for 2005 coming in at $1.1 billion.
While I’m a proponent of developing light rail for a variety of uses, particularly pertaining to commuting, Maine is still a decade or more from that becoming a reality and it's the same in many other rural sections of the country.
This is a serious issue here and nationwide. I haven't even touched on food security issues in this post. While Maine should certainly approve pending transportation bonds for road improvements and upgrades, this matter is of national importance and needs to begin showing up on the radar screens of politicians in the Beltway. While its easy to lose site of reality in D.C., many of our elected officials come home to rural parts of the country, which are wholly dependent on automobiles and trucks for our survival. We need to begin to hold them accountable in order to have them address the infrastructure issue.
[I am indebted to the Maine Development Foundation for much of my information in this post, in particular, the Spring 2007 issue of The Catyalyst, their monthly newsletter. which is where my stats on Maine’s roadways came from.]
While there are a myriad of negatives associated with the $415 Billion ($415,863,980,562 at this moment—it’s already risen dramatically) that we’ve spent in Iraq to date, with arguably little, or no measurable success, after we’ve come in and destroyed much of that countries infrastructure, the entire debacle seems counter-intuitive on a good day and sheer madness and lunacy at its worst.
Back in 1992, Jerry Brown spoke at the First Parish Church in Portland. At the time, he was running as a Democratic contender for president. While the press was given to caricaturing Brown, calling him “Governor Moonbeam” and other pet names, for what they perceived as Brown’s different way of conducting his affairs, both political and personal, he came across as reasoned, articulate and probably the scariest trait for a modern politician—intelligent.
He spoke a great deal on this particular night about the need for a nationwide program of infrastructure rebuilding and refurbishment, similar to FDR’s programs during the 1930s. As Brown mentioned at the time, which was nearly 15 years ago, our roads, bridges and railways have not seen major upgrades for nearly 60 years (and now, closer to 70).
In rural states, like Maine, maintaining the integrity of our roadways is particularly crucial. Since 85 percent of all our freight and 95 percent of all passengers move by truck and passenger vehicle, infrastructure maintenance and bridge upgrades should be regular and proactive in approach. Interestingly, while many clamor for lower taxes, often citing the neighboring New Hampshire, as our model for taxation, New Hampshire has condiderably less pavement to maintain, compared to Maine. Maine has 1.5 times New Hampshire’s road mileage, with 22,748 miles, to the Granite State’s 15,627. Maintaining roads costs money.
Not only does Maine have more roads, but Mainers are now moving to the suburbs, leaving the service centers of our state like a pack of lemmings. Over the past 40 or so years, the percentage of Mainers living outside service centers have grown from 37 percent, to just over 50 percent. Currently the average commute for Mainers is now roughly 44 minutes per day.
Here’s where it gets interesting: With Mainers driving more, driving longer and fully dependent on our roadways for our livelihoods, not to mention public safety concerns, the maintenance of our roadways should be of major concern to our state and local leaders and even our federal delegation. According to the Maine Development Foundation’s Measures of Growth report, 31 percent of the major roads in the Pine Tree State are in poor, or mediocre condition. The report calculates that the cost factor associated with these bad roads at $263 million dollars, statewide, or $282 per motorist. Not only are our bad roads costly, but they are also dangerous. Poor road design is a factor in a third of all crashes on Maine roadways, with the estimated cost of these crashes for 2005 coming in at $1.1 billion.
While I’m a proponent of developing light rail for a variety of uses, particularly pertaining to commuting, Maine is still a decade or more from that becoming a reality and it's the same in many other rural sections of the country.
This is a serious issue here and nationwide. I haven't even touched on food security issues in this post. While Maine should certainly approve pending transportation bonds for road improvements and upgrades, this matter is of national importance and needs to begin showing up on the radar screens of politicians in the Beltway. While its easy to lose site of reality in D.C., many of our elected officials come home to rural parts of the country, which are wholly dependent on automobiles and trucks for our survival. We need to begin to hold them accountable in order to have them address the infrastructure issue.
[I am indebted to the Maine Development Foundation for much of my information in this post, in particular, the Spring 2007 issue of The Catyalyst, their monthly newsletter. which is where my stats on Maine’s roadways came from.]
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Mitt on a skewer
In the fraternal spirit of New England blogging, I wanted to tell everyone about Lost Nation TV, a New Hampshire-based blog. Billed by Sam Smith of Progressive Review as the "father of the political blog," progenitor Jack McEnany is an equal opportunity crank, skewering both parties at every opportunity.
Being such an inclusive fellow and supporter of fellow bloggers, I won't hold it against my Granite State neighbors for their lower taxes, better roads and that they drive nicer cars. As long as they keep providing "the goods" on the various candidates, I'm grateful.
Like this one about Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts Governor, man of the people and, well, hypocrite. Read it and chuckle, as McEnany zings ole' Mitty. Seems rich folk need more help than the rest of us keeping the estate maintained.
Mitt the Hypocrite
Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) has a major Zoe Baird problem. It seems he’s been using illegal aliens to make his little 2 ½ acre Garden of Eden in Belmont, Massachusetts tidy and beautiful. Alvarez Rosales, a recently-repatriated Guatemalan claims that as an employee of Community Lawn Service with a Heart, he kept Mitt’s garden green for eight years.
Mitt, ever the duplicitous conniver, endorses the Taco Curtain concept, and number four in his 10-point plan to keep America great is Getting Immigration Right:
Immigration has been an important part of our nation's success. The current system, however, puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically enabled, tamper proof documentation and employment verification system, and increase legal immigration into America.
Do illegal gardeners fall into the “without skill or education” category, or the “best and brightest” division?
Being such an inclusive fellow and supporter of fellow bloggers, I won't hold it against my Granite State neighbors for their lower taxes, better roads and that they drive nicer cars. As long as they keep providing "the goods" on the various candidates, I'm grateful.
Like this one about Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts Governor, man of the people and, well, hypocrite. Read it and chuckle, as McEnany zings ole' Mitty. Seems rich folk need more help than the rest of us keeping the estate maintained.
Mitt the Hypocrite
Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) has a major Zoe Baird problem. It seems he’s been using illegal aliens to make his little 2 ½ acre Garden of Eden in Belmont, Massachusetts tidy and beautiful. Alvarez Rosales, a recently-repatriated Guatemalan claims that as an employee of Community Lawn Service with a Heart, he kept Mitt’s garden green for eight years.
Mitt, ever the duplicitous conniver, endorses the Taco Curtain concept, and number four in his 10-point plan to keep America great is Getting Immigration Right:
Immigration has been an important part of our nation's success. The current system, however, puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically enabled, tamper proof documentation and employment verification system, and increase legal immigration into America.
Do illegal gardeners fall into the “without skill or education” category, or the “best and brightest” division?
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
More than just showing up
Woody Allen was purported to have said that “90 percent of life was showing up.” (Bartleby's says it’s 80 percent). For many business people, apparently they do little more than that. Returning phone calls, answering emails and foregoing one’s golf game in order to get real work done seem to be qualities from another time. Well, maybe not the emails, but you get my point—I think.
I’m on the lookout for a business etiquette book because I’m really growing perturbed about the inability of so many so-called business “professionals” who seem to lack any capacity for follow through—as in, answering messages that you leave on their voicemail, responding to emails, or doing anything more than merely “showing up.”
It’s never been my goal to become “successful” in the Steven R. Covey “7 Habits” kind of way. At the same time, my role as entrepreneur and now, back working a regular 9-5 gig has helped me to recognize that there are certain traits that I find helpful and even welcome when I see them on display. Having an innate capacity to move things forward and “get things done” are skills that benefit non-profit agencies and activist groups, as well as profit-driven business organizations.
One thing that I used to find maddening in all my activist work, was how often meetings, seminars and even marches, or other actions, became exercises in disorganization and worse, even chaos. Finally, I began to see how much of my time was being wasted by people more interested in their nicotine addiction than they were in changing the world. While most could rail against “the man,” I don’t know how the hell they thought they were going to beat him when they had trouble getting out of bed before noon. Laziness isn’t becoming on anyone, much less so on people that claim they have the ultimate cause.
It’s not only activists. Musicians and artistic types also seem to embrace the “slacker” vibe with vigorousness and then wonder why they can’t line up gigs, let alone get their music to the masses. Whatever your goals are for your cause, your art, or making a living, hard work and having some basic organization skills go along way to getting you beyond the 90 percenters that Woody Allen was referring to.
While this post probably makes me seem like I’ve gone over to the corporate camp, the reality is that I’m finding that the work of change and transformation requires at least the same effort as those that put profit ahead of everything else. If you want to change the world, it requires a lot more work than distributing a few poorly put together flyers, or forwarding an email to a few friends.
BTW, if anyone has recommended books on etiquette in the workplace, or what constitutes proper protocol for the office, or place of business, I’d love to hear about them.
I’m on the lookout for a business etiquette book because I’m really growing perturbed about the inability of so many so-called business “professionals” who seem to lack any capacity for follow through—as in, answering messages that you leave on their voicemail, responding to emails, or doing anything more than merely “showing up.”
It’s never been my goal to become “successful” in the Steven R. Covey “7 Habits” kind of way. At the same time, my role as entrepreneur and now, back working a regular 9-5 gig has helped me to recognize that there are certain traits that I find helpful and even welcome when I see them on display. Having an innate capacity to move things forward and “get things done” are skills that benefit non-profit agencies and activist groups, as well as profit-driven business organizations.
One thing that I used to find maddening in all my activist work, was how often meetings, seminars and even marches, or other actions, became exercises in disorganization and worse, even chaos. Finally, I began to see how much of my time was being wasted by people more interested in their nicotine addiction than they were in changing the world. While most could rail against “the man,” I don’t know how the hell they thought they were going to beat him when they had trouble getting out of bed before noon. Laziness isn’t becoming on anyone, much less so on people that claim they have the ultimate cause.
It’s not only activists. Musicians and artistic types also seem to embrace the “slacker” vibe with vigorousness and then wonder why they can’t line up gigs, let alone get their music to the masses. Whatever your goals are for your cause, your art, or making a living, hard work and having some basic organization skills go along way to getting you beyond the 90 percenters that Woody Allen was referring to.
While this post probably makes me seem like I’ve gone over to the corporate camp, the reality is that I’m finding that the work of change and transformation requires at least the same effort as those that put profit ahead of everything else. If you want to change the world, it requires a lot more work than distributing a few poorly put together flyers, or forwarding an email to a few friends.
BTW, if anyone has recommended books on etiquette in the workplace, or what constitutes proper protocol for the office, or place of business, I’d love to hear about them.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Fuelish Saturday
Photos: (Top to Bottom:)
#1 Meet the Baumers
#2 Joe Pez displays his superior listening skills
#3 The Happy Couple
#4 Post-party blurriness, probably courtesy of the wine
[I had hoped to “file” this yesterday, the day after our fabulous Saturday night dining experience. Unfortunately, my Twilight League duties robbed me of my Sunday night; not wanting to miss the chance to rave about Fuel, the truly amazing new restaurant in Lewiston, I’m posting a day late, instead.]
Saturday Night Fuelish-ness
Lewiston’s most anticipated local opening in recent memory has happened; Fuel, L-A’s newest high-end restaurant opened to the public last week and reservations are filling up quickly. Hearing the buzz wherever I went in my travels over the past few months, I made sure to call for a reservation two weeks ago and our party of six experienced firsthand what all the fuss has been about.
If you’re reading this and live in Boston, New York, or some other urban enclave, buzz about openings, swank restaurants and nightclubs, or theatre productions has probably grown old and tiresome. When you live in the far northern reaches of the kingdom known as New England however, we just don’t have enough “happenings” to bypass them. Even more important to me, they become essential to experience if they happen to be in a place that’s rooted deeply in your memories and sense of place, like Lewiston is for me.
I wrote about Carrie and Eric Agren, back in December, long before they had transformed one of the city’s great old pieces of architecture—the Lyceum Hall—into a modern French bistro, the likes of which you won’t find north of Boston. While Portland has a slew of high-end, trendy restaurants, Maine’s largest city’s got nothing on L-A this time and locals can thank these two entrepreneurs for their vision, passion and daring, making it all happen. Business people find success by seeing a trend begin to develop, waiting until they’re sure its moving in the right direction (i.e. can I make money here) and swoop in after visionaries and entrepreneurs live through 100-hour work weeks and lack of sleep to lay the foundation. The Agrens are in the latter category and Lewiston-Auburn residents (and people from the surrounding communities) have a chance to get in while it’s still brand new.
Four (The Baumers and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Pez), from our planned party of six arrived just before our 7 pm reservation time and walked into the long and buzzing room that not too long ago had been a dilapidated storefront, one of the all-too-many that still characterize much of downtown Lewiston, particularly this end of Lisbon Street. Our hostess made us feel welcome, taking coats and offering to get us drinks while we waited for the final couple to arrive. Normally, we would have been escorted to the wine bar area, at the front of Fuel, to wait for our table, but this area was jammed with people enjoying wine, appetizers and face-to-face interaction. With our embrace of technology at every turn, experiencing this kind of vibe is no longer the norm and being in the presence of this kind of palpable, positive energy is an experience to seize and experience whenever possible.
With the arrival of the final third of our party of six, we were off to embark on our three hour journey, experiencing Lewiston's newest eatery. I honestly don't remember the last time I've been this eager for an anticipated event. Part of it probably had to do with the recent articles in the Lewiston Sun Journal and the article and photo spread in the Twin City Times (local weekly) of last Friday's official opening and sneak preview for some of Lewiston's important set. On Saturday, it was just two bloggers, their significant others and one other couple, whose wife works with me.
The restaurant was packed, with nearly every table occupied and the energy palpable as we made our our towards the back of the long, rectangular room that is the restaurant space. Everyone was having a great time and I was sure that we would, also. I wasn't to be disappointed.
As is the case when you try to meld two sets of people--some who already know one another (the Baumer's and the Pez') and the third couple who were unfamiliar with some of the other four people, the first meeting can be an exercise in awkwardness. Instead, we began chatting like we've been out numerous times, rather than embarking on our maiden voyage for this new amalgamation.
By the time we ordered the wine and began contemplating appetizers and first courses, we were engaged in witty repartee and scintillating conversation. The communication, fueled (no pun, honestly) by equal parts red and white vino, the conversation flowed easily, like the spirits.
By the time food began arriving, we were all eager to experience the handiwork of the Fuel kitchen crew. I had a wonderful Potato Leek Soup that was hot, flavorful, with the just the right combination of creaminess, as well as seasoning. It was the perfect beginning for me.
After the initial course, we were ready to order the main course. We all ordered a variety of dishes, with everything from Grilled Salmon, to Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs (mine), which were tender, savory and with the honey carrots and pommes terrine, was exquisite.
Before someone accuses me of being a paid “shill” for Fuel, let me detail a few minor “glitches” that were noticeable. The service was a bit uneven, as our server didn’t quite fit the profile that I’d expect in a higher end establishment. While sincere, this 20-something young lady shared a bit too much information about the chef and his background and prior employment. While not an issue for me, it might have been for someone else. Also, she struggled so much opening one bottle of wine over my left shoulder that I was almost tempted to ask her if she wanted me to do it. Also, there were long stretches when I wondered if our server may have left for the night. Since none of us were in a hurry and enjoying the winning triumvirate of wine, friendly banter and fabulous food, it didn’t dampen our experience.
Since restaurant was barely a week old, it was acceptable, particularly after seeing Carrie Agren running herself ragged all night, carrying food, bringing table settings and doing whatever it took to make the night a success.
The Agren’s have obviously done their homework and preparation and have given considerable thought to the entire experience they hope to provide, even down to the music that’s playing in the background. From the Fuel website, we learn that Eric and Carrie have spent “a lot of time choosing our music, to compliment our urban environment. Classified as ambient, we strive to offer music you won't hear in any other restaurant in town.You will hear sounds from Telepopmusik, Stephane Pompougnac, Thievery Corporation, De Phazz, and more.” Now that’s attention to detail!
If vision, hard work and commitment to community matter, then Carrie and Eric Agren’s Fuel is a can’t miss for Lewiston.
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