No matter who steps forward to say they’ve been the target of discrimination, no matter what studies find, no matter how obvious it is that people are targeted because of their sexual orientation, some people aren’t going to believe it.And some people don’t care that homosexuals face discrimination. In fact, they hope that they do. […]

Preparing for the possible outbreak of a potentially catastrophic disease is inherently limited by the actions and inactions of the weakest partners.Indonesian and international health officials reported this week that the country covered up the spread of bird flu until this summer, when people began to get sick. The outbreak started in poultry plants and […]

With icy cold, bone-thin fingers, the federal government is reaching its hand into Maine’s wallet.This time, the feds are coming after $9.2 million in Medicaid funding to pay for the poorly designed drug benefit that will become Medicare Part D.As part of the Medicare Reform Act that created the prescription drug plan for seniors, lawmakers […]

It’s the small things really – the small, creepy, crawling, icky things.Lewiston’s schools have been honored by the IPM Institute of North America for the way they deal with pests. The nonprofit group advocates for a smarter pest management policies. In 2003, Lewiston put in place a comprehensive plan to control bugs and rodents through […]

Maine faces significant economic hurdles, but it also has tremendous assets.Before the state can figure out how to overcome the first and accentuate the latter, we need to identify which is which. That’s where the Brookings Institution comes in.The debate about Maine’s economy is often dragged into predictable partisan territory. The right says taxes are […]

Integrity often comes with a high price.With a state championship on the line, Poland Regional High School senior Halsey Copp called a one-stroke penalty on himself after grounding his club during a putt. Copp said the ball moved, but none of his playing partners had seen the infraction. Copp said it happened and insisted on […]

Lewiston High School and its principal, Patrick O’Neill, deserve credit for the way they have handled a recent dispute with a student and the Maine College Republicans.On Oct. 4, media outlets around the state received an inflammatory news release attacking the school. In the release, produced and distributed by the state’s College Republicans, 17-year-old Brent […]

The trial of Saddam Hussein, which started Wednesday, is not important because it will likely result in some sort of punishment for the dictator. It’s important because it will present to the Iraqi people and the world an accounting of the atrocities committed under Hussein’s regime.Saddam has lost power. He is confined to a cell […]

General Motors bought itself some time by reaching an agreement with its unions to shift some of the costs of health insurance to workers.Even though the agreement will save GM $1 billion a year, about one-sixth of its total health care outlay for its 750,000 hourly workers, retirees and their dependents, it’s a temporary solution […]

A Spanish judge has issued an arrest warrant for three U.S. soldiers for their actions during combat in Iraq.A Spanish journalist and Ukrainian cameraman were killed in Baghdad when a U.S. tank fired on their hotel during hostilities in April 2003. An investigation by the U.S. military cleared the soldiers of wrongdoing in the deaths. […]