Sunday, May 1, 2011 at 6:15 pm
By Josh
The Maine Sunday Telegram really took a shot at Maine’s Governor Paul LePage today: “Our View: Gov. LePage acts like he’s in over his head“.
Key quotes are a-plenty, but here’s my favorite:
For the most part, the governor has surrounded himself with people who, like him, are novices to state government. He has filled his administration with people he is comfortable with, politically and personally, and excluded those who could augment his get-tough philosophy with experience, expertise and an occasional dash of common sense.
LePage doesn’t seem to take advice from anyone, much less from newspaper editorials, but we’ll offer some anyway.
The governor should recruit at least one adviser who can point him in the right direction, warn him when he’s about to make a mistake, counsel him when he’s in trouble. Maybe he could solicit advice from some former governors or other public officials – and act on it.
Wow.
Tags: LePage, Maine Sunday Telegram, politics
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Friday, April 22, 2011 at 5:00 am
By Josh
To celebrate Earth Day today let’s look at the history behind the ubiquitous recycling logo: “Who designed the famous recycling symbol?”
Tags: Earth Day, environment, logo, The Logo Factor Design Blog
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Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 9:01 am
By Josh
The lawsuit over the removed mural at the Maine Department of Labor’s headquarters begins: “Labor mural raises free speech issues.”
Apparently the judge, who coincidentally was appointed by GW Bush in 2003, looks likely to support LePage’s position that the removal was a political statement. This rankled Edgar Allen Beem, opinion columnist for the Forecaster, and one of the protest’s organizers:
“If the governor can legally remove any work of art he doesn’t like from public view, does he also have the power to remove any book from the state library?” Beem asked while addressing the demonstrators. “Based on the state’s argument, we have to assume he does.”
Bam.
Tags: 1st Amendment, Edgar Allen Beem, free speech, Paul LePage, politics, Portland Press Herald
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Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 11:11 am
By Josh
I don’t think I ever mentioned this here, but my brother was on the front page of his local paper, the Bridgton News, a few weeks ago:
Here’s a link to the article: “Step inside the big top“.
It’s a wide-ranging article – in it he mentions his undergrad school, Rochester Institute of Technology; kickstarter.com; our parents, Steve and Bonnie Edwards; former LRHS classmate Erin Whalen [sic]; Binaca Macdonald; Molly Mains; long-time friend, Greg Plummer; our cousin’s child, Zoe; his girlfriend’s family; his friend, Andy Painter; Annika Black, the children’s librarian at the Bridgton Public Library; and a guy in Los Angeles.
Here’s a photo of the cover:
And here’s the title page:
For ordering info, check out Dan’s website: www.dsedwards.com.
Tags: Bridgton News, D.S. Edwards, dsedwards.com, Flickr, Mr. McFrawley's Traveling Show
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Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 7:27 am
By Josh
The New York Times likes the whole “Tea Party governors are crazy” storyline. It may not be compelling journalism, but I bet it sells papers.
Looks like they just ran another one, I fired up their iPhone app this morning and look at the mug I see:
Yep, our fair governor, Paul LePage.
Here’s the story “G.O.P. Pushes to Deregulate Environment at State Level” nyti.ms/gmRgz0 (Sorry link is wonky, I’m on my phone).
In fact, LePage leads off the story, and also contributes more than a few juicy quotes:
Governor LePage summed up the animus while defending his program in a radio address. “Maine’s working families and small businesses are endangered,” he said. “It is time we start defending the interests of those who want to work and invest in Maine with the same vigor that we defend tree frogs and Canadian lynx.”
I’m so sick of all of the Canadian lynxes coming down here and taking all the good jobs. I’m glad someone is finally standing up for the straight, white males …
But in all seriousness, it’s not like when people think of Maine they think of nature …
Tags: environment, LePage, NY Times, politics
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Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 5:00 am
By Josh
I haven’t read the whole article yet, but check out this Vanity Fair piece on Dubai: “Dubai on Empty“.
It seems a bit racist at points (going “head towel in hand” to get a loan from Abu Dhabi? Really?!) But probably most of it will make all-too-much sense to me …
Tags: Dubai, Vanity Fair
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Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 12:23 pm
By Josh
Fascinating article in today’s Orlando Sentinel: “Disney says it generates $18.2 billion a year in Florida.”
Starts with a bang:
Walt Disney World and its related businesses in Florida generate an estimated $18.2 billion a year in economic activity and more than 1 out of every 50 jobs in the state, according to an impact study paid for by the giant resort and released Wednesday morning.
It ends strongly, too:
It amounted to a cumulative direct economic-impact of $6.3 billion. When researchers modeled in “indirect and induced” impacts from Disney’s operations, they said the impact swelled to $18.2 billion and approximately 161,000 jobs.
Tags: Disney, Florida, Orlando Sentinel, Walt Disney World
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Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 5:00 am
By Josh
Interesting Gulf News article from the other day: “‘End of days’ billboards in Dubai to be removed, says official.”
Apparently some wacko church in the US is putting billboards up in Dubai that says the world is ending.
On May 21.
Wow, that’s soon.
Tags: apocalypse, Dubai, Gulf News
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Monday, April 11, 2011 at 11:14 am
By Josh
The Sunday New York Times had an interesting article about the Muppets: “It’s Time for Your Face-Lift, Miss Piggy.”
It’s pretty much about the upcoming November 23, 2011 film The Muppets.
Odd quote (can’t tell if it’s good or bad?):
“This is the first Muppet production of any size that is really being spearheaded by fans instead of hard-core Muppet professionals,” said Lisa Henson, Jim Henson’s daughter and chief executive of the Henson Company.
I for one can’t wait!
Tags: Disney, Muppets, NY Times
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Monday, April 4, 2011 at 6:58 pm
By Josh
I’m so sorry about this.
See, I don’t watch Jersey Shore and wouldn’t know “The Situation” if I fell over him, but this Paul LePage mural malarkey is almost as bad as reality television.
First there was a free speech claim made last week: “Federal lawsuit seeks return of mural to Labor Department“.
Then Republican state senators took a swipe at him in the press: “LePage rhetoric interferes with goals, say GOP senators“.
AND now the federal Department of Labor is getting in on the action: “US Labor Department demands refund in Maine mural dispute“.
See? Reality TV at it’s worst.
I’m glued!
What’s next?!?
Tags: Bangor Daily News, Paul LePage, politics, Portland Press Herald
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 10:12 am
By Josh
I don’t want to make “this all Paul LePage, all the time” but I have to share this.
Mount Holyoke College President Lynn Pasquerella wrote a letter to the New York Times about Governor LePage’s removal of the Department of Labor murals: “Honoring Frances Perkins“.
Additionally, here’s the letter that Dr. Pasquerella faxed to his office yesterday.
Key quote:
I was particularly surprised to read that you were influenced by an anonymous fax comparing the 11-panel mural to North Korean political propaganda, because the act of removing images commemorating Maine’s history itself conjures thoughts of the rewriting of history prevalent in totalitarian regimes. If the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. is housed in the Frances Perkins Building, why can’t she be honored with a conference room in Augusta?
Boom.
Tags: Frances Perkins, Mount Holyoke, Paul LePage, politics
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Monday, March 28, 2011 at 6:19 am
By Josh
So we’ve had Jon Stewart, Rachel Maddow and countless blogs chime in on Governor LePage’s decision to remove murals from the Department of Labor.
Let’s add the New York Times to the list: http://nyti.ms/fWiWA5
They get bonus points for mentioning the thing with employing his daughter in a $41,000 entry level job …
Tags: NY Times, Paul LePage, politics
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Friday, March 25, 2011 at 7:38 am
By Josh
Tags: Paul LePage, politics
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Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 8:55 pm
By Josh
A thanks to all of the people who voted for Mitchell, Moody or the other one there. You brought us to this.
Robert Reich – Robert freakin’ Reich! – comments on LePage now: “A governor destroys history in the name of promoting business.”
Key quote:
Governor, you might be able to erase some of Maine’s memory, but you’ll have a hard time erasing the nation’s memory – even if it’s not in keeping with your pro-business goals.
Personally I hope he names the conference rooms after some other famous Americans: Rockefeller, Carnegie, Astor, Gould, Morgan, Vanderbilt …
Tags: Christian Science Monitor, Paul LePage, Robert Reich
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Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 5:00 am
By Josh
I know, I know, making fun of USA Today is a little easy. But even this story is basic beyond belief: “City’s design, transit system can ease gas costs“.
Key quote:
Some cities in the USA are better positioned to deal with rising gas prices than others because of their design and transit systems, according to basic common sense.
Okay, okay, I changed the last line. But seriously, a whole article about how transit saves people gas money? C’mon!
Tags: things that are foolish, transit, USA Today
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Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 5:00 am
By Josh
I just saw an interesting/scary quotation and thought I’d share:
I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.
– Albert Einstein (1947)
Tags: Einstein, quotation, World War
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Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 9:17 am
By Josh
I don’t know if I buy that this is true, but it makes a great story: “iPad 2: Wife Says No, but Apple Says Yes“.
Apple is paying close attention to all iPad 2 returns during the first few weeks to make sure there are no major production defects. This policy has led to an amusing story that we thought was entertaining enough to share.
The story comes by way of an individual close to Apple:
[Apple's] focus this week has been to troubleshoot all the iPad 2s that customers are returning to the stores. One iPad came back with a post it note on it that said “Wife said no.” It was escalated as something funny, and two of the VPs got wind of it. They sent the guy an iPad 2 with a note on it that said “Apple said yes.”
We’re guessing a free iPad satisfied any objection the customer’s wife might have had.
Awesome!
Tags: Apple, iPad, macrumors, things that are genius
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Tuesday, March 15, 2011 at 5:00 am
By Josh
Awww. AWWW!
“Study: High-speed train would have made money“.
Key quote:
The Orlando-to-Tampa high-speed train scuttled by Gov. Rick Scott as a multibillion-dollar boondoggle would have made money from Day One, according to a ridership study released Wednesday by the state.
More than 3.3 million people would have used the 84-mile line, generating almost $63 million in ticket sales during its first year of operation in 2015-16, the report said, leading to a $10 million operating surplus.
Tags: high-speed rail, Orlando Sentinel, transit
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Monday, March 14, 2011 at 2:35 pm
By Josh
Today’s New York Times article has nothing to do with Facebook, in fact, it’s 15,000 years older than the six year old social website. Check out: “Supremacy of a Social Network“.
It’s so amazing it was hard to find just one key quote:
The two principal traits that underlie the human evolutionary success, in Dr. Hill’s view, are the unusual ability of nonrelatives to cooperate – in almost all other species, only closely related individuals will help each other – and social learning, the ability to copy and learn from what others are doing. A large social network can generate knowledge and adopt innovations far more easily than a cluster of small, hostile groups constantly at war with each other, the default state of chimpanzee society.
It’s the most concise report detailing the transition from primates to humans – it’s got it all from walking upright to tools to monogamy, to the building of societies.
Clever.
Tags: anthropology, chimpanzee, human, NY Times, society
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Friday, March 11, 2011 at 8:49 am
By Josh
Interesting David Brooks column at the New York Times today: “The Modesty Manifesto“.
Key quote:
If Americans do, indeed, have a different and larger conception of the self than they did a few decades ago, I wonder if this is connected to some of the social and political problems we have observed over the past few years.
I wonder if the rise of consumption and debt is in part influenced by people’s desire to adorn their lives with the things they feel befit their station. I wonder if the rise in partisanship is influenced in part by a narcissistic sense that, “I know how the country should be run and anybody who disagrees with me is just in the way.”
Most pervasively, I wonder if there is a link between a possible magnification of self and a declining saliency of the virtues associated with citizenship.
Citizenship, after all, is built on an awareness that we are not all that special but are, instead, enmeshed in a common enterprise. Our lives are given meaning by the service we supply to the nation. I wonder if Americans are unwilling to support the sacrifices that will be required to avert fiscal catastrophe in part because they are less conscious of themselves as components of a national project.
Tags: citizenship, David Brooks, Modesty, NY Times, politics
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