March 3, 2017
Dealing with Elder Abuse in Maine
Some things just don’t make sense. Why, for example, would someone derive satisfaction from kicking a dog or setting a cat on fire? Why would anyone ever abuse a child — any child? Or a spouse — any spouse? Or an older person? What demons drive someone to deliberately inflict pain on another living — […]
Why Trump Sees Media as ‘Enemy of the People’
Donald Trump is an honest man. When the president says the traditional media, sometimes labeled “heritage,” “main stream.” or “lame steam,” is publishing “fake news,” he believes it. How can he think that traditional media reports, backed by sound evidence, are fake, while his claims are accurate? The answer lies in the difference between the […]
The Fight for Obamacare has Turned
The campaign to let 20 million Americans keep their health insurance is working. It still has a long way to go, and it’s not guaranteed to succeed. But the progress of the last couple months is remarkable. Thanks in part to a surge of activism — town hall meetings, online postings, calls to Congress — […]
Simple Things Go a Long Way
Simple things can go a long way. It is relatively simple for a professor to arrive early for a class and interact with students on a personal level before the teaching begins. But research shows that this straightforward task can have considerable effect: Forging relationships with faculty members has the power to motivate students to […]
LETTERS
Wiscasset Traffic Troubles The ongoing saga of what to do about the summertime traffic problem in Wiscasset continues. The latest attempt by the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) hits another snag as an unhappy resident files a lawsuit to block their latest attempt. Nothing, it seems, can satisfy the town. Meanwhile the traffic problem continues […]
FAITH NOTES :
Growing up in rural churches, we never celebrated Lent. I’m not sure I even knew what it was before going off to college. Occasionally a pastor held a special service on Good Friday — the day Christ died. But that was it before donning our Easter finest to celebrate his resurrection on Easter morning. It […]
Losing our religion: The rise of secularism on the Seacoast
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. Seacoast religious leaders said a recent cultural shift toward secularism has caused them to make significant changes, including altering their strategy for attracting members and consolidating churches. Secularism, which experts say has always been prevalent in New Hampshire and has continued to rise, have caused attendance to dwindle in many religious congregations. A […]
Living the Word
“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.” Luke 4:1-2 Lightening Up The season of Lent invites us to take stock of our lives. How are we progressing in our spiritual journey? Do we […]
Pope Francis gets Ash Wednesday ashes in Rome to start Lent
ROME Pope Francis bowed his forehead to receive a dab of ashes, then smudged ashes in turn on the heads of other faithful during an Ash Wednesday service in an ancient Roman basilica. Ash Wednesday begins the Catholic Church’s annual Lenten period of reflection in preparation for Easter. The day’s rituals include rubbing ashes on […]