A different kind of drug abuse

There comes a moment when you realize you've crossed over into another "demographic," when it hits you that you're no longer as young as you think you are, or as young as you feel. You discover that while you may think you're 39 years old, the world knows you're, well, not.

There's no surer confirmation that you've crossed over to the other side than when the television shows you watch feature advertisements not for fast cars or high-tech gadgets, but for pharmaceuticals.

What are we building all this parking for?

For many, the impression of downtown Lewiston is the infamous "dirty Lew." The days of more bars, head shops and adult bookstores than you could shake a stick at, along with blighted buildings, decaying mills and a rotten river, made for an unpleasant introduction.

With the grittiness, hard work and pride that put Lewiston on the map over a century ago, local leaders put together plans to turn the page on Lewiston's decline and make it a viable urban center for the 21st century.

Making healthy parents, one-by-one

My first interaction with Advocates for Children was as a parent, not as a pediatrician. When my children were young, I had the good fortune to attend AFC's Parenting Matters conference. Of all the parenting interactions I have had, Anthony Wolf's keynote speech at that conference was the most helpful and influential for me.

A father, a daughter and a clash of cultures

We don't know why Faleh Hassan Almaleki came to this country in the mid-'90s, and it's unlikely he'll be able to tell us anytime soon. He's in jail in Maricopa County, Ariz., at this writing, in lieu of a $5 million cash bond. It hardly seems far-fetched, however, to suppose he emigrated from his native Iraq for the same reason immigrants typically seek these shores: America promises opportunity and freedom.

But one wonders if he truly knew the meaning of the words.

Morass of mixed messages

No wonder the electorate is confused, because as a "political animal," I was baffled at some of the results of some of these referendums. (Athough others made perfect sense, though.)

The following are the outcomes and my take on them.

1. Yes on 1 was really not a surprise, after speaking with real folks in our town and around the state. Traditional folks came out in force because marriage is a religious tradition, not becuase they are bigots. As stated in my previous article, core values are core values and not intolerance.

Good, bad and a 'no brainer'

1) I was disappointed but not all that surprised by the outcome. This is a civil rights issue, voters of our great county don't have a favorable track record of supporting the premise that "all men are created equal." It may be the time to take the issue of same-sex marriage to the state courts.

Leftists won't admit errors about dangerous regimes

On Nov. 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall was pulled down to the consternation of leftists, who still had faith socialism could work with the right leaders, and to the delight of conservatives, who believed that socialism and communism guaranteed mutually-shared poverty.

Two years later, the Soviet Union crumbled. Soviet communism might not have endured for 70 years had it not been for enablers in academia, religion and journalism. Lloyd Billingsley has written about them in "The Generation That Knew Not Josef," as in Stalin.

Flight plans disrespectful to Western Maine

Western Maine's unspoiled environment is easy to admire, but challenging to live in, especially in tough economic times. Still, this rugged landscape has inspired self-sufficient entrepreneurship for over two centuries. Today's fast-paced world appreciates a sport-filled landscape, scenically worthy of university sabbaticals. Residents know our economy depends on our ecology.

Young, educated Iranians making their voices heard

Iranian students have been engaging this week in Round Two of their street-level struggle for reform. Round One took place last June, when young people protested the fixed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Obama rejects idea of America as world leader

In his first year in office, Barack Obama has visited more foreign countries than any other president. He's touched ground in 16 countries, easily outpacing Bill Clinton (three) and George W. Bush (11). It's an itinerary befitting a "citizen of the world."

In Chicago, justice and truth take back seat

Anthony McKinney got a life sentence for running down the street.

The suburban Chicago street down which he ran, on Sept. 15, 1978, took him near the spot where security guard Donald Lundahl had earlier been shot to death. Police, still on the scene investigating, arrested McKinney, 18, who said he was running from gang bangers. With no physical evidence linking him to the crime, they ended up letting him go.

Tenth Amendment may scuttle liberals' agenda

Does the U.S. Constitution stand for anything in an era of government excess? Can that founding document, which is supposed to restrain the power and reach of a centralized federal government, slow down the juggernaut of czars, health insurance overhaul and anything else this administration and Congress wish to do that is not in the Constitution?

Wall Street reform bill needs close scrutiny

I recall that September day like it was yesterday — the explosion so stunning, so memorable. It wasn't 9/11/01, it was 9/29/08 — a moment when a rare blast of populist democracy briefly singed the economic terrorists who hold the Capitol hostage.

Virginia candidate proves conservatives aren't dead yet

The Republican Party has no national leaders. Its standing with voters is at an all-time low. It battens itself on an ideological purity that turns off the center and can't appeal to an increasingly suburban and diverse electorate. If it is not fated to go the way of the Federalists or the Whigs, it is certainly a spent force.

Government mulligan

With another Election Day upon us, Mainers will head to the polls to vote on a couple of issues never go away: taxes. The most notable proposal is the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Following closely behind is a referendum to slash the excise tax in Maine on new and hybrid vehicles.

The rhetoric on both sides is compelling. The pro-TABOR camp, again claiming that restraining the growth in spending is the best approach to manage government services, is taking a second stab at using the citizen initiative process to pass spending caps.

When it comes to beauty, the story is in the hair

An open letter to African-American women:

It's about the need to be beautiful, I know.

As goals go, that one is neither extraordinary nor gender-specific. But it's different for women, isn't it? A man's sense of self worth is seldom endangered by crow's feet. On him people will say they convey "character." On a woman, they convey wear.

Best health plan ideas don't include public option

Does anyone in Washington tell the truth? Why should Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid be believed when he promises states can "opt-out" of a public option on health care? This isn't like opting-out of sex education class. Individuals won't be able to avoid the consequences of national health care once the government puts the insurance companies out of business, because there will be no other choice than the government program.

With resort casino, Oxford County can grow

Hopefully, one year from now, voters will again be asked to consider expanding casino gaming in Maine.

As spokesperson for Black Bear Entertainment, the new group proposing a resort casino in Oxford County, I want to offer an overview of the project and our hopes for the next 12 months. I am not going to fill this page with gaming industry statistics. I will, however, tell you about Black Bear Entertainment and why this group represents the best chance for success, where others have failed. It begins with a well-written bill and a superb group of Maine businesspeople.

Time to unmask the answers

Out from behind the masks they come. The true identities of the trick or treaters are now being revealed.

Just as our Halloween mysteries are being solved, so soon will be the outcomes of this year's historic referenda. In the just over 100 years the petition-initiated voting process has been available in Maine, at no time there been this many at once: marriage, marijuana, mergers of school districts, car taxes and TABOR II. (Plus a transportation bond issue and a constitutional amendment.)

Bill threatens advances in medical technology

As a former police officer, I've experienced my share of challenges. But nothing compares to the trials I've endured in recent years battling life-threatening illnesses, including cancer and diabetes. As a result, I have come to appreciate, in a very personal way, how precious good health is, and how important good health care and modern medical advances are to saving lives and helping ensure a good quality of life for people like myself who face serious health issues.

Taking the country back to basics

"Don't it always seem to go

That you don't know what you've got

'Till it's gone" — Joni Mitchell, "Big Yellow Taxi"

What terrible thing has the church done?

The Roman Catholic Church, in general, and Bishop Richard Malone, in particular, have been verbally abused, vilified, and denounced during the Question 1 campaign.

What terrible thing have they done? They have asserted that marriage is an institution established and based upon the principle of a union of one man and one woman, and that such an institution is essential to a healthy society and should be defended and maintained.

Working together is easy

A monumental move was made this week to advance shared service delivery in Lewiston and Auburn. The decision to put city planning, zoning, and permitting systems on the same information technology backbone sets the stage for significant efficiencies.

Planning and permitting has, for years, supported each other and covered tasks on either riverbank as workloads have demanded. The working relationships among the staff have advanced collaborations that have often gone unnoticed.

Fame: The achievable dream, but at what cost?

For hours, the fear was the boy would be found smashed to jelly somewhere, so my first emotion upon learning 6-year-old Falcon Heene was actually safe in his family's Fort Collins, Colo., attic, was relief.

When authorities said two days later the whole story of a boy trapped in a balloon floating away was an elaborate hoax perpetrated by a family hoping to land a reality TV show, I suppose my second emotion was the anger anyone feels at having their chain yanked.

Obama administration can't jam stream of truth from Fox