We went through this back in 1967-68. I went to Gorham (which changed is name every few years whether it needed to or not). The proposal then was to merge Gorham with the University of Maine at Portland and call it the University of Maine Portland-Gorham (affectionately known as PoGo). Students at UMP complained that tey would lose their alma mater that way -- but they couldn't care less about losing ours. Eventually the compromise became the University of Southern Maine.
Now someone stated a few weeks ago that USM doesn't tell anyone where the University is. I beg to differ. It's in "Southern Maine". Like ALL OVER Southern Maine.
Renaming USM to UMP again totally ignores other campuses in York, Lewiston, Gorham. If its only campus were in Portland, I could see it. But what idiot doesn't understand what "Southern Maine" means?
Leave it alone!
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We don't know our own history
An article in this morning's newspaper bemoaned that most Americans really don't know anything much about our own history.
Really?
When the only subjects that matter are science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) we're not going to get kids who know history, can write proper English, know any foreign languages, or have any concepts of art or music.
The importance of history was proven to me several times before I retired.
First, the state of Maine stopped testing history -- they continued testing in STEM and music. So that told me that on a state level, history was unimportant.
Second, when I retired from my four-person team, the plan was to split history teaching among the English, science and math teachers on my team. Now all three were first-rate teachers, but the administration would have had a fit if we had, instead, split math instruction among the English, science, and history teachers. In fact, I was told that math is so important it must be taught by a specialist -- so apparently history is NOT important enough -- it can be taught by anyone.
Here in Kentucky, even funding for the state universities (Murray State, Western Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, University of Kentucky, Morehead State, and Northern Kentucky) is based on the number of STEM students enrolled and graduating. So if one majors in history, it doesn't count toward state funding. Then we wonder why history isn't learned.
Long story short, don't expect our nation to know anything about its own history if it's not taught by specialists, or if it's put on the back burner as "unimportant."
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Closing off pubic records in Kentucky
The conservative Republican governor, often listed as the worst governor in the country, is closing off public records, and cutting off access to the state Capitol. No more protests there, must submit FOIA requests in writing not email. The little tin-horn dictator in Frankfort is getting his way and is being supported by conservative Republicans all the way. They have just passed the most restrictive abortion law (banning it entirely if Roe v Wade is overturned) and the most liberal gun law in the country (no permits, no training, open or concealed carry practically everywhere).
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County magistrates asking questions called "nosy."
We had an election this past November in which we elected county officials -- Judge Executive (like the mayor of the county) and Magistrates (like the board of selectmen). In all my years here, I have never heard of the Fiscal Court (which runs the county) being politicized.
But now the Republicans are in charge, and things are different. One magistrate asked when the next meeting of the Parks and Recreation Committee would be held. One of the most conservative Republicans told him to look it up in the paper! When the magistrate asked, what paper, he was told he was asking too many questions. Needless to say, the Magistrate asking the questions was a Democrat, and the "holier than thou" Republican just HAD to get those digs in.
By the way, the notice of the meeting was NOT in the newspaper.
This particular magistrate who could not even be civil to his fellow magistrate crowed after the election that now, thank God, we have a Republican majority on the county level. It's as if party comes first and county comes second...again typical of what we see from Republicans nowadays.
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Bernie running.
NOOOOOOO!
First, he's not a Democrat. He shouldn't be running as one.
Second, if he runs as an independent, he'll split the progressive vote, and will re-elect Trump. Look what happened in Maine in 2010 and 2014 when liberals split. LePage won. Twice.
Third, if he doesn't get the nomination, how many of his supporters will stay home, and thus elect Trump -- like they did in 2016?
Don't get me wrong here. I LOVE Bernie. I LOVE all of his ideas, even the impractical ones. I also LOVE Joe and Hillary. But that doesn't mean I would vote for any of them given other choices (well, of course if they get the nomination they WILL have my vote).
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Maine joins several "liberal" states suing Trump
After 8 years of becoming North Alabama, Maine is finally coming out of the conservative shadows. Five years ago, there was a survey done that basically compared Maine with MS, AL, LA, GA, and AR in terms of economics and social aspects. Frankly, I'd rather see Maine allied with NY, MA, CA, OR, WA and VA, which is happening as a number of states are suing Trump over the "state of emergency." Interestingly, none of Maine's former "friends" are doing that.
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Cornbread Mafia -- largest marijuana growing and distribution operation in US History
Last night at the Boyle County Genealogical and Historical Society meeting, we hosted Joe Keith Bickett for a talk and book signing on his latest book, Cornbread Mafia: The Outlaws of Central Kentucky. From the press release of the Boyle County Public Library:
Many years ago he cultivated and distributed marijuana, and in the late 1980s was indicted, convicted, and sentenced to twenty-five years in federal prison along with many others as part of the infamous “Cornbread Mafia.”
While in prison, Bickett wrote several memoirs about his life and personal involvement in the Cornbread Mafia. Bickett was released from prison in 2011, and published his first book in 2016. The Origins of the Cornbread Mafia: A Memoir of Sorts is the untold, true story as to how the term “Cornbread Mafia” was coined many years ago.
Bickett’s latest book, Cornbread Mafia: The Outlaws of Central Kentucky, details members of the Cornbread Mafia and other outlaws during the 1980s. It features a cast of colorful characters recounting unbelievable and sometimes humorous stories of their experiences. The book also tells the chilling story of drug addiction, as well as the prosecution and incarceration of many of those involved. Outlaws includes pictures of many of the “founding fathers” of the Cornbread Mafia that have not been previously published.
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