Joe Biden has a chance to restore the United States’ credibility in parts of the world that are crucial for U.S. foreign policy. The continent of Africa has remained ignored under the Trump administration. The U.S. commitment of trade and investment in the continent has been unheard of for the last four years. The United […]
Forecaster Opinion
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: The time that is given us
How are you doing? After the global dumpster fire that was 2020, it would have been kind of nice to get through the first month of the new year without an uptick in pandemic deaths, a full-out assault upon our democracy and a crashing economy to say nothing of the weather disasters in the nation. […]
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Posted inForecaster Opinion
Superintendent’s Notebook: Custodians among front-line heroes of pandemic
At the Portland Public Schools, we’ve always been grateful to our custodians for making sure the buildings we walk into each morning are clean and safe. Now, however, we are even more aware of how important their work is to safeguard the health of our students and staff. COVID-19 has made us value these essential […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
Over Easy: What will the new normal look like?
So here we are, almost a year into a pandemic that seems to be getting worse and worse. There has been talk of a “light at the end of the tunnel.” Talk about “back to normal” and what it means to our lives. We’ve all been waiting anxiously, but the question looms: Will there be […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
Superintendent’s Notebook: Fingers crossed
The year 2020 is finally behind us. There were positive moments in 2020 that can provide us with seeds of hope for the coming year. Author Jodi Picoult said, “The human capacity for burden is like bamboo – far more flexible than you’d ever believe at first glance.” When we first thought the lockdown from […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Here’s Something: Trump’s legacy
What will be President Donald Trump’s lasting legacy? Long after the dust settles on his four years as president, how will historians view his term in office? Honest, non-partisan reflection will likely note it with one word: complex. But while we wait for history’s permanent verdict on Trump, how should we Americans who lived through […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Make truth-telling great again
Well. I chose a heck of a time to give up outrage, huh? I mean, giving up outrage for New Year’s and then having the week we had is like giving up sugar only to have a French patisserie open up next door. Because truly, the events of the past week, described by many (including […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Life Unwound: Letter of love
My mother died a year ago between Christmas and New Year’s. I’ve thought about her often and that song from the musical “Rent” keeps reappearing: “How do you measure a year? In daylights? In sunsets? In midnights? In cups of coffee? In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife?” How do we measure a life? […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
Superintendent’s Notebook: New year, no resolutions
Just about the time people stop asking “How was your Christmas?” they start asking about New Year’s resolutions. But after this year, committing to exercising more or eating better just doesn’t seem to sufficiently acknowledge the bigger picture. We’ve learned a lot about making the most of life, caring about others in tangible ways, appreciating […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Guest Column: Today’s America is unrecognizable
President Trump tweeted Dec. 30 about a website called Africa World News that recognized him to be the Africa World Man of 2020. This website is not much known in Africa. In fact, it may not be even physically located in Africa. The president saw it; it said something good about him, he tweeted it. […]