Cheers to each member of Maine’s congressional delegation for supporting a seating change-up for the 2011 State of the Union Address scheduled for Jan. 25.
The Democrats — now the minority party in Congress — first suggested a show of bipartisanship to abandon the usual aisle of separation and have Democrats and Republicans seat themselves on both sides of the aisle during the president’s address. A number of Republicans have accepted that invitation, including Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins.
With members of both parties saying for several years now that the rancor and partisanship in Washington is toxic, and that it has to stop in order to address what ails the United States, a more friendly and less formal seating arrangement sounds like a pretty good idea.
It would be a break in a 200-year-plus tradition that pits parties opposite each other in the chamber, and it’s a symbolic gesture to be sure, but it would be a healthy symbol for Americans to see that our leaders are — at the very least — able to sit next to each other in harmony.
At least for a couple of hours.
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Did you get out during Wednesday’s storm? See anyone who was driving around without having completely cleared the snow off their car windows?
Sure you did.
And every driver in any storm who doesn’t take the extra couple of minutes to clear the snow and ice not only endangers others on the road, they’re violating Maine law. Jeers to them all.
Drivers are required to ensure they have a clear view through the windows, free of stickers, piles of belongings and — snow, including the snow that may slide off the roof mid-commute.
Violations carry a $135 fine, which is a pretty significant risk to take for shirking on snow removal.
So, come on, people. Clear off the snow from the roof and all windows, more than just a bitty patch to peek through the windshield, before shoving off and down the road.
Other drivers and their passengers will appreciate it.
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The American Red Cross is always in need of blood donations because blood has a shelf life and the supply needs constant replenishing.
The recent spate of storms up and down the East Coast has diminished the rate of donation because people simply haven’t been able to get out, and the need for blood has increased to treat storm-related accidents and injuries.
It’s a double whammy.
An estimated 38 percent of Americans are healthy enough to give blood, but the actual donation rate is much lower, closer to 10 percent. We can do better than that.
The Red Cross has greatly increased the efficiency of donations in recent years, with donors able to set up specific appointment times and Red Cross blood teams working quickly to get donors in and out of donation sites in under an hour.
What’s an hour if you can save a life?
Check your local Red Cross chapter for times and locations of blood drives, or check with your local hospital, many of which offer regular and convenient donation hours.
Cheers to all who become regular blood donors. Because, when we need blood, we are quite literally relying on the kindness of strangers to supply one donated pint at a time.
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