Once the sky was the limit for what hardworking students could achieve. Now it appears there are no limits to the depths to which we can plunge. Success is not to be honored, everybody gets a trophy, and failure is being eliminated.
Alex Lear
Staff Writer
Alex Lear is a lifelong Mainer who has spent 25 years in journalism -- the first 20 as a reporter for newspapers in Damariscotta and Falmouth, then as Opinions section editor for the Sun Journal and now a digital producer with the Maine Trust for Local News. His long-running “Learics” column won first place in the Maine Press Association’s 2023 Better Newspaper Contest. He and his wife Lauren are kept young by their 9-year-old daughter Alaina. Send feedback and suggestions to Alex.
Posted inLetters, Opinion
Betty Prindall: Rules of road must be obeyed
I’ve seen some scary things happen while driving. I’ve seen people riding bicycles on the left hand side of the road, snowmobiles and ATVs driven on the left shoulder, and people walking on the right side of the road versus the left. Snowmobiles and ATVs are vehicles, just like cars and trucks. But they aren’t […]
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Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Rich Lowry: Newsom deserves to be recalled
[California Gov. Gavin Newsom] wouldn’t face a recall if it weren’t for his instantly notorious dinner at French Laundry. This isn’t the most significant of his lapses, but breaking his own coronavirus rules at one of the finest restaurants in the country — the wine bill reportedly came to $12,000 — was going to engender a fierce reaction. Especially after Newsom ordered far-reaching and extensive lockdowns that were arbitrary (no outdoor dining — except for people making movies!) and economically damaging.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Leonard Pitts Jr.: The wisdom of experience is a priceless gift . . . that many spurn
Where COVID-19 is concerned, experience is a priceless commodity that has already been purchased for us in bulk at ruinous prices and is being given away for free. Yet some people will not accept the gift.
They insist on buying their own.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Bob Neal: The Countryman: The census and Maine’s future
I don’t expect Maine to become majority-minority. Certainly not within the lifetime of anyone here now, even the newest baby. But I do expect Maine’s ethnic mixture will change. And I do believe Maine will be richer for the change.
Posted inLetters, Opinion
In rebuttal: John Wade: Dangers of propaganda warfare
Paul Spencer’s letter (“Setting the tone for abysmal future,” Aug. 20) was aptly titled. However, his letter is really about propaganda warfare. Encyclopedia Britannica defines propaganda as “dissemination of information — facts, arguments, rumors, half-truths, or lies — to influence public opinion,” with an emphasis on manipulation. Sadly, the battle is being fought, not against […]
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Rich Lowry: The media’s finest hour
The Afghanistan fiasco has created that most disorienting and discomfiting experience for a progressive administration — a serious bout of critical media coverage immune to White House spin and determined to tell the unvarnished story of an ongoing debacle.
Posted inLetters, Opinion
Clem Bechard: Biden poorly executed withdrawal from Afghanistan
It’s so sad to me that so many of our own citizens will be left behind in Afghanistan. Thank you, Mr. President, for a well-prepared withdrawal of our citizens, military hardware and soldiers. What a well-planned sham. Last news I just heard, we had up to 12 servicemen killed. Who knows the number before it’s […]