Who owns the fish in the sea? Who owns the whales? Who owns the habitat they live in?

You do. We all do. Fisheries and the marine environment are a public resource trust.

The United States has jurisdiction over 3.4 million square nautical miles of ocean – this exclusive economic zone extends 200-miles seaward from our coasts and the US island territories in the Caribbean and Pacific. This ocean terrain, larger than the land area of all the 50 states combined, makes the United States the largest maritime nation in the world. The resources of this vast area provide for our economy and are under our stewardship. (For more information see: http://oceancommission.gov/)

But for all the wealth at stake, governance of our ocean territories is poorly developed.

Maine is a maritime state – the fourth largest seafood producing state in the US. We have a lot at stake in how fisheries are managed. Living marine resources in federal waters (3 miles out to 200 miles) off New England are the responsibility National Marine Fisheries Service in close working relationship with the New England Fishery Management Council. The Council is an appointed body of eighteen trustees, with fiduciary responsibility to the fish and to our nation. The resources under its management are valued in the billions of dollars.

The New England Fishery Management Council will be meeting in Portland this week, Tuesday through Thursday, at the Holiday Inn by the Bay. The meeting is open to the public – come observe your trustees at work and please share your impressions. (An agenda can be found at www.nefmc.org/calendar/index.html)

I was terribly saddened to read of the two girls injured while sunning themselves on a train track. I had the distinct displeasure of sitting on a jury about a year ago in a trial where a man was accused of criminal negligence when his son was killed by a train in Warren Maine. I had walked those same tracks in my youth as had a couple of the other jurors. None of us was aware that this was illegal.

It is illegal as well as simply unsafe to walk within the railroad right of way.

Please stay off the tracks. There is no way to win against a train.

When reading reports about Scott McClellan and his accusations of lies and deceit from the Bush administration leading up to the Iraqi invasion, the only surprise I have is that some people still express surprise. The propaganda campaign that led up to the Iraqi war was never based on truth but simply a successful effort by this administration to support their own political agenda. Most of the Washington insiders on both sides of the aisle fell in step and feared to state the truth as if it was a reading of the Emperors New Clothes. The soldiers of our armed forces were simply pawns in a political game where American lives were not as important as polling results. The thousands of dead and injured soldiers were considered an acceptable price by Bush and Cheney to entertain themselves with a little war.

White House press secretary Dan Perino states that Bush is "puzzled - he doesn
't recognize this as the Scott McClellan he hired and worked with for so many years". Bush is not used to "his" people telling the truth and is simply puzzled when he hears it. This administration continues to lie to the country and considers it to be business as usual.

I can only hope that as accusations are made against Iran that the American people will have the courage to question authority. The rest of the world has learned not to trust anything that comes from this presidency. The harm done to America by Bush's little game of politics will take years to be repaired if it ever can be.

Whether one is a democrat or republican, liberal or conservative or for George Bush or against him, loyalty should matter.

Scott McClellan’s book is a disgrace and seems to say more about him than about the President. I am basing my conclusion on just the small parts that I have read, however, I can already see that loyalty has no value to him and money has a lot.

Why didn’t he speak up several years ago? Staying within the circle of power meant more to him then the truth at that time, and now he is giving another example of his own shameless lack of integrity. He may excuse himself somewhere in the book, I am not going to waste a lot of time reading the whole thing looking for that, but it is obvious that his purpose in publishing his rhetoric is about making a profit.

He will end up with money but who will he end up with for friends?

Yesterday's Press Herald contained an editorial suggesting that Maine was jumping the gun in requiring stricter standards for lead in toys. Apparently, a law taking effect later this year will require that toys sold in Maine contain less than 90 parts per million of the substance. The Press Herald is concerned that this legislation is premature, and that Maine would do better to wait for the federal government to set its own strict standards and means of regulation.

I have mixed feelings about this stance. I do agree that we would do better to have uniform legislation, rather than asking manufacturers to comply with numerous different state laws.

On the other hand, lead is dangerous. And it is especially dangerous to a very vulnerable (and voiceless) group: our children.

Here is the skinny on lead, taken from an article I wrote for the Parent and Family Newspaper in 2000:

"Lead poisoning can cause 'damage to the brain and nervous system, behavior and learning problems (such as hyperactivity), slowed growth, hearing problems and headaches' (from www.hud.gov). Pregnant women with high lead levels in their blood may not only pass these problems along to their babies, but they may become sick during pregnancy. Non-pregnant adults are not immune either. They may suffer from memory loss, an inability to concentrate, nervous disorders, high blood pressure, muscle and joint pain, stomach or bowel problems and difficulty getting pregnant. Some of these issues may resolve when a person’s lead level comes down, while others, like mental retardation, are more permanent in nature."

Scary stuff, eh?

Given that we've likely been exposing our kids to leaded toys for years--and that we've previously acknowledged the danger of lead by outlawing its use in paint and gasoline--I don't think it makes sense to wait any longer. And perhaps by taking a stand now, we will be encouraging the government (and manufacturers) to take action more quickly. The California emissions standards certainly have a had an impact on the way automakers approach clean air.

Maine is doing its part for clean air, too. In another May 28 article, the Press Herald reported that our state is joining ten other states (including New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island) in a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency. The lawsuit wants the EPA to be tougher on smog. In March, it lowered the maximum concentration of ozone from 84 parts per billion (ppb) to 75 ppb. According to an EPA advisory board, this is not adequate--they recommended a limit of 60 to 70 ppb, a limit necessary to protect (again) our most vulnerable (and still largely voiceless) citizens: children, elderly, and those with respiratory problems.

Ozone is particularly troublesome for Maine and other New England states, because we end up being exposed to smog from our more industrial and urban southern neighbors. Levels skyrocket in the summer, causing our public health officials to release repeated advisories against exercising outdoors. That can't be good for a state (or a country) struggling with obesity.

So I applaud Maine for addressing the lead and ozone issues. Sure, we could have waited. But as is always the case when dealing with unpleasantness, someone has to take a stand. When it comes to our health--and the health of our children--that someone might as well be us.

When Clarence Allen – “the Boss” – brought his three year-old summer camp from the New York shores of Lake Champlain to Chewonki Neck in Wiscasset in 1917 he had to cross the Kennebec River in Bath on a ferry. The old abandoned farm on Chewonki Neck was a rough and rustic place to find a new home.

Over 90 years later, Camp Chewonki for Girls is about to open its doors in a similarly rustic and by far more remote corner of the state. The old Pleasant Point Wilderness Camps on Fourth Debsconeag Lake – between the state’s Nahmakanta Ecological Reserve and The Nature Conservancy’s Debsconeag Preserve – will be the site of this new venture. We’ve heard more than once that “it’s about time!” Wilderness travel and nature study have been staple activities at Chewonki since the beginning. No girls younger than thirteen have been able to participate until this year, and then only on extended wilderness expeditions since 1974. It comes as no surprise to me that the women who have created this new camp for Chewonki have chosen the wilderness path so deliberately.

The Appalachian Trail is just a mile or so to the west of camp, and Baxter State Park is no more than 15 miles north as the crow flies. You can get close by navigating woods roads from a couple of directions, but the last stretch to camp is either across the lake in a boat or through the forest on foot. The girls who come to camp on Fourth Debsconeag will learn skills that will help them travel with their new friends through the great North Woods. At a time when the federal government is crying “no child left inside” and the Department of Conservation is urging us all to “take it outside,” we are very excited to be launching this new summer camp.

Two cabins were already occupied by visitors a couple of weekends ago when a group of us headed north to help open the place up. The leaves were just flushing. Black-throated Green and Blackburnian Warblers were singing in the hemlock and spruce. A Least Flycatcher was back at the edge of a big vernal pool behind the cabins, and the frogs were singing. A Black-backed Woodpecker was drumming at dusk, followed after dark by a raucous group of Barred Owls. The night sky was dark and shimmering – like it is across the northern tier of the state.

We have our work cut out to be ready for camp in just under four weeks. When the girls camp is not in session, Debsconeag Lake Wilderness Camps will be available for visitors on a regular basis by mid-August, and will remain open until mid-October. Take it outside!

As I paddled my kayak on Damariscotta Lake with my wife and two sons, I heard a noise like a low flying plane approaching from afar. I told my boys to paddle to the side and in a few seconds a Bass Boat with humongous outboard roared past just touching the tops of the waves. If this had been a jet ski flying past then the cries for a ban would have been heard all the way to Augusta.

I believe in responsible controls on boats and boating. I also believe in making a public resource available for the public to use and enjoy. I have followed the quest by Mark Haskell to overturn the discriminatory ban on jet skis on Maine lakes and support his efforts.

I have sailed for over 40 years on fresh and salt water. I have paddled and rowed extensively along the Maine coast and many Maine lakes and ponds. I also enjoy riding my jet ski. I and many others ride responsibly on modern jet skis that are both clean and quiet.

On July 4th on Lake St George in Liberty, Mark Haskell will be hosting the Ride With Pride to support your right to enjoy Maine's public waters. I hope that many of you will show up to support the rights of Maine boaters. If the shore land owners can ban jet skis then the next step is to simply ban whatever else they don't like.

... Fairpoint Communications is under fire in Maine after their 911 systems malfunctioned nearly a half-dozen times over the last few months, several times for at least half an hour. According to the Portland Press Herald, "software and customer service problems" were to blame for the outages, and at least one county is redirecting 911 calls to the State police dispatch system until the problems are fixed.

Source: http://www.dslreports.com

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The Full Moon is a time of harvest, of completion, and the fulfillment of plans and dreams. The magic of Grandmother Moon is strong and it is the time to create medicine and focus energy.
This morning a Ruby Throated Hummingbird circled me as I watered the newly planted Poppy seeds. He flew in and out of the droplets and finally alit on the rich moist soil, to dance and sing and lick the moisture from the air. It was a moment of Magick and intimacy that I wondered if it were a dream. But Jeff saw it too and together we marveled at the delicacy and joy of such a tiny shimmering jewel.
What a contrast to our other winged visitors. The colors and variety is astounding; from the blue of the Jay to the red of the Cardinal, to the yellow of the Goldfinches, the rainbow of diversity abounds on our land. To the Chickadees that eat from my hand, with a nod of a thank you, to the Wild Turkeys that gobble and run at the first sign of the dog, we are all part of this land and part of each other.
The Full Moon in May is known as the Flower Moon. I gather sunny Dandelion flowers and cool silky Violets now to preserve and use throughout the year. Dandelions are healing for the liver, are diuretic and pain relieving. Violet flowers are loaded with vitamin C and known to sooth a sore throat and settle an upset tummy. Nibble some fresh from the garden and smile!
Remember to give thanks to the spirit of the plants as you harvest their colorful bounty. Watch for nectar gathering ants and leave those flowers for their enjoyment. Never harvest every bloom or leaf at one time, for other spirits of the Earth require their nutritional and healing properties as well. I use the guidelines of a third for me, a third for the Earth and a third for the creatures that share the harvest with me. I know it’s tempting to take them all, but greed does not bring prosperity or health to anyone.
Dandelion blossoms and Violet Flowers are healthful and healing and fun to harvest and process. This year, Page, my 3 year old neighbor who calls herself my “little helper girl”, gave a hand with the picking. Children love plucking the large soft flowers of the Dandies, though you will have to help them stay focused by enjoying the hunt along with them.
Dandelion blooms may be preserved in several ways. To make a DANDELION CORDIAL, soak the fresh blooms in a good Brandy by filling a quart jar with flowers and adding an organic lemon rind. Fill with your desired alcohol - some people use vodka instead - and shake several times a day for two weeks. Strain and enjoy over ice or added to tea. Substitute Violets to make a Violet Cordial or use Dandelions for the syrup receipt that follows.
VIOLET SYRUP - Pick just the blossoms after the sun has dried the dew and the blooms are fully open.
2 cups of Violet flowers
2 cups of boiling water
2 cups of honey
Pour the boiling water over the blossoms, stir and add the honey. Let mixture cool and transfer to a glass container. Shake several times a day and imagine the healthful properties of the flowers giving their healing to you. Strain, bottle, label and share with friends. Add a spoonful to iced white wine or mint tea. Take by the spoonful to sooth a sore throat or settle an irritable stomach. Feel pain and worry leave and recall the joyful day in May when you were given this blessing. Enjoy!

I recently had the privilege of being invited to a college graduation party/barbeque held in honor of one of my youngest son’s oldest friends. They had completed grammar school and high school together and also were members of the local Boy Scout Troop, both attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.

They both attended college, my son graduating with a degree in Graphic Design and his friend graduating from Maine Maritime Academy with a third-class license in Engineering.

The future seems bright for these two young men; one has secured a position with a company providing tug service for coastal transport barges and the other has worked for a Boston-area software company for well over a year.

Significantly, neither of them made the decision to stay in Maine. Both reviewed the job opportunities available in our state and found that none came even close to matching salaries and benefits available elsewhere.

There are many proud parents who have watched their sons and daughters graduate from college during the past few weeks and I can’t help but wonder how many of these bright, talented young people will leave Maine for better opportunities.

When I graduated from high school many years ago, there were limited chances for advancement. One could continue one’s education (and many of my classmates did so, most leaving for out-of-state schools), go to work in a mill and at least make a salary that one could live on, or join the military (again, leaving Maine) which was my choice.

How unfortunate that despite the passage of so many years, so little has changed. Most opportunities for smart, hard-working young people from Maine still require leaving the state. Until those in state government are willing to change the business climate here in the Pine Tree State, we will continue to lose our most valuable resource – the productive good citizens we have so carefully raised.

As some of you are doubtless aware, the Portland Press Herald has been auditioning comic strips to replace the ubiquitous Peanuts (whose author has been dead for EIGHT YEARS!). I was recently informed that Mark Ricketts – a Maine-based cartoonist – had unsuccessfully lobbied to get a trial run for his daily strip, “Moose Mountain”. Moose Mountain is a strip about a dysfunctional Forest Ranger and his animal acquaintances. The story is set in Maine’s own Acadia National Park and the surrounding area.

Make no mistake: Moose Mountain is no “amateur” comic strip. Mark Ricketts is a successful, professional illustrator with a long resume. Residents of the Bangor area will recognize Mark as the creator of “Earl Hornswaggle” in the Bangor Metro monthly magazine.

In my view, Moose Mountain is superior to most of the test comics in both content and execution. The only qualification it seems to lack is the fact that it isn’t already syndicated. I think it's unconscionable that the Press Herald won't allow Moose Mountain to compete head-to-head with the other strips. Perhaps there's some underlying business reason that makes it difficult to include Moose Mountain in the test group: For example – a contractual agreement with a comics syndicate. If that’s the case, maybe a Press Herald editor can comment in this blog or elsewhere.

It seems to me that newspaper editors often fail to understand that syndicated cartoons wouldn’t BE syndicated unless an editor had taken a chance on them initially. Sadly, many Maine editors don’t seem to feel that the state has any homegrown talent: They’d prefer to publish the same content that’s available in USA Today. With this attitude, it’s not hard to see why the industry has been decimated by the Internet.

Click here to check out Moose Mountain by Mark Ricketts …

Click here for background info on the Press Herald comics contest …

If you agree with me, I urge you to email comics@pressherald.com and let them know that Moose Mountain should be allowed to compete.

Housing sales declined less than expected at 1% in April, but inventories grew to record highs ... There are now 4.55 million single-family and condo units for sale, the most since combined tracking began in 1999, and enough to last 11.2 months at the current sales pace. For single family homes the index stretches further back, and we now have the most inventories - relative to sales - since 1985.

Source - http://seekingalpha.com ...

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Hey! Breaking news bulletin! “16 out of the 21 oceanic shark and ray species that are caught in high seas fisheries are at heightened risk of extinction due primarily to targeted fishing.” www.livescience.com/environment080522-oceanic-sharks.html

Well, actually this shouldn’t be news to anyone interested in ocean ecosystems. Despite their reputation for ferocity, sharks are some of the most vulnerable creatures in the world. They bear live young, have the longest gestation periods in nature (close to two-years), and produce only a few babies at a time. Sharks are incredibly susceptible to overfishing and as the world demands more protein these various shark species are going, going…..soon to be gone.

Porbeagles, makos, blue sharks – we have them here in the Gulf of Maine. They are oceanic sharks, meaning they don’t often come close to shore. I’ve had a basking shark along side of a lobster boat while fishing on Jefferys Ledge – the animal was longer than the boat (42 foot). It’s a plankton eater.

These open ocean predators are becoming relatively rare. What we human beings have done in terrestrial environments around the planet we are also doing in our oceans, which is to relentlessly crop off those species at the top of the food-web. It’s happening around the world, and it’s happening here in the Gulf of Maine.

I firmly believe that Maine is a special place, both in its physical beauty and in the character of its native inhabitants (known to some as “ornery, crusty Yankees”). No doubt members of the 20th Maine who engaged opposing forces at Little Round Top earned that description.

I recall that when growing up here in Maine I learned that the concept of an individual’s given word, along with a firm handshake, would be accepted as readily as a written contract. Today, such an agreement would be considered by many as naïve, at best, in addition to causing fits amidst the legal community.

For years I have used a local mechanic to service my vehicles. Like many Mainers, he had a fulltime job in a local mill and utilized his mechanical knowledge and expertise to help “get by”. Only recently, after his former employer closed its doors, has he turned to mechanical work as his main source of income.

A few weeks ago did some work on one of our family cars and within a short time it became apparent that something was still wrong and that a second visit to his shop would be necessary. The situation was soon corrected to our satisfaction and we were informed that he always stood by his work and that no additional cost would be incurred.

No signed work orders required. No written warrantees. Just the word of someone who stood by his work.

Once upon a time, our mechanic had run for his District’s seat in the Maine House of Representatives. He lost the election by a narrow margin.

Seems to me that Maine government was by far the greater loser.

Anecdotally we've observed that after being together for a while, many people end up looking like their dogs.

Or their spouses.

If people end up physically resembling other creatures simply by spending time with them, it seems reasonable that over time they might begin acting like them, too. Which is what medical researchers are now verifying. Apparently infections are no longer limited to viruses. We now have social infections: namely, obesity and tobacco abuse. In a July 2007 New England Journal of Medicine article, we learned that obese people who spend time with other obese people are likely to continue being obese. An article published in yesterday's New England Journal of Medicine found that the same was true of people who smoke.

According to Drs Christakis and Fowler, of the 12,067 people studied as part of the Framingham Heart Study:

* Smoking cessation by a spouse decreased a person's chances of smoking by 67%.
* Smoking cessation by a sibling decreased the chances by 25%.
* Smoking cessation by a friend decreased the chances by 36%.
* Among persons working in small firms, smoking cessation by a coworker decreased the chances by 34%.

This is good news and bad news. Bad news because it means we must now take into consideration an obese or tobacco-addicted individual's entire social network when offering treatment.

Good news because it means we must now take into consideration an obese or tobacco-addicted individual's entire social network when offering treatment (which, fortunately, organizations such as Maine's Center for Tobacco Independence are already doing).

Good or bad, the concept of social connections impacting one's health is not really even 'news.' In family medicine (as in other primary care and related specialties), we have always been trained to take the needs of the family into consideration, even as we seek to treat the individual. In preventive medicine and public health, we look for ways to improve the health of the community, as a way to indirectly impact the health of individuals. These are two slightly different ways of acknowledging the same idea: that we humans are actually connected to one another. And we are connected to our environments. For better or for worse. As John Muir once said, "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe."

Instead of picking out--and picking on--obese and tobacco-addicted individuals, let's find out who they are hitched to. Let's continue to talk about tobacco-free Maine communities, and try to 'love the smoker,' though we may 'hate the smoke.' Let's work with people within the context of their lives, as we seek to solve these social infections.

Then maybe we can figure out how to keep people from looking like their spouses.

And their dogs.

I had the distinct pleasure of leaving Maine last week to accompany the DR Gaul School 8th grade on their 3 day class trip to New York City. New York is a lovely town. Where else can the average guy stand within inches of several Picassos, take in the Phantom of the Opera, and visit with Lady Liberty, all in one day? This was not my first trip to New York and I have also made several visits to London and spent a lot of time in Chicago. Cities have a lot to offer with non stop action and sights that can not be had anywhere in my home state. When our 3 days were up, my group of students and I discussed our thoughts about leaving home and what we had seen. We don't have as much art, culture, or tall buildings, but what we do have is people and places that can never be matched by any city. We have to leave Maine to appreciate what we leave behind. The best part of going away is always the coming home.

Has anyone been by the Custom House on the Fore Street side? Did you hear anything odd? I did. It sounded like the attack of the Flying Monkeys or jungle noises in a Tarzan movie. It was more like the screeching and chattering of birds, very big birds. I think it’s a recording, a loud one, intended to make real birds reconsider plans to deposit guano or, worse yet, build nests on the building and (oh, God, dare I say it?) rear their young. Does bird poop dissolve granite? Is it a remake of Hitchcock's classic? If you know what’s up, drop me a line. Facetious replies are welcome.

My wife has a rule in our house – no talking about fish after 6pm.

Good luck, honey. Most evenings that prohibition lasts until about 6:20 and then, somehow, the conversation wanders back into fish, or fishing, or fishery management, or some esoteric related subject. Poor woman – she’s been listening to these rambles for 30 years.

I remember when she first raised this defense. We were living in Juneau, Alaska, sharing a camp with another young couple, on a small lake north of town. Mendenhall Glacier was a grand background. Salmon berries and alders crowded the shoreline, the fir trees hung heavily with moss, and the stream behind the house running down to Auke Bay ran so thick with sockeye salmon sometimes it seemed more fish than water.

My buddy and I had a fishing vessel repair business. We’d spend our days replacing rotten wood with fiberglass, or repairing nets, or out on the boats during the salmon openings. Of course when we did show up for dinner, the topic of immediate importance would be – fish. Most specifically – salmon.

So our wives ganged up on us. No talking about fish, or boats, until we’d socialized with them a bit. About twenty minutes, give or take.

Eventually, Peggy and I came home to Maine. I started fishing out of Kittery. I became enmeshed in fishery management and was eventually appointed to the New England Fishery Management Council, on which I served for nine years. I represented industry in conservation planning for fisheries and marine mammals. I began working with the National Marine Sanctuary system and chaired the Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary’s advisory council.

As my understanding evolved, I gravitated toward environmental advocacy, and found my place working with the Ocean Conservancy, the oldest and largest national environmental organization devoted solely to the health of our oceans.

Now, here I am 30 years later, just as obsessed with fish, where they live, how we value them, and how we value and protect our oceans. I care deeply about the Gulf of Maine and living marine resources. And I’m still talking about fish.

And my wife is still patiently listening, God bless her.

Welcome to my blog. Although I reserve the right to discuss anything and everything in this column, I will focus in part on developments in the museum world and the local museum community. This brings me to the subject of this entry.

A couple of weeks ago, Daniel O’Leary resigned his post as director of the Portland Museum of Art. He will become director of the museum’s Winslow Homer Studio Project. Bob Keyes wrote an excellent piece in the Portland Press Herald summing up O’Leary’s career. I wanted to add a few words from the perspective of a museum professional.

As the Press Herald article pointed out, annual attendance at the Portland Museum of Art almost doubled during O’Leary’s fourteen- year tenure. During that same period, the museum’s endowment increased tenfold. On their own, these numbers are remarkable enough, but considered in the context of trends in the museum world, O’Leary’s accomplishments are nothing short of extraordinary.

Attendance is stagnant at many museums around the country, and some museums are experiencing declining attendance. Increasingly, museums are struggling to balance their budgets. Some museums, accustomed to spending only the interest earned by their endowments, have been forced to draw down the principal. Suffice it to say that the Portland Museum of Art was fortunate to have someone of Daniel O’Leary’s high caliber at the helm.

Has anyone noticed how “gaming” has crept into the language and supplanted “gambling” as the word for throwing money down the rat hole? I hear it all the time now. I am glad that ignoring terrible odds and losing money now sounds more dignified. Countless thousands of people, once called “suckers”, are spared great embarrassment. No longer can they be accused of gambling away the egg money. Now they game it away.

Whom should we thank for the great leap forward? Why, none other than the Gaming Industry itself. This fig leaf first appeared as it thrust its tentacles into new territory and new pockets.

I shouldn’t be so critical. The gambling industry itself stood in need of greater dignity. It’s embarrassing to take a person’s money, give him absolutely nothing in return and drop tiny crumbs of cash to lure him on. So, you see, if the racketeer and the racketee both seek solace in euphemism, then everybody wins.

The battle between Democrats is poised to continue, as it should. After listening closely to both personal and public discussions it becomes clear that some individuals talk on one side of an argument but then, in the midst of all the confusion, join the group that is promoting the other side.

Barack Obama’s campaign is insistent that the battle is over. It strikes a similar sense to me as when Republicans last year were insisting that Hillary Clinton was their choice as an opponent for them in the fall election. The reality is the Republicans have always been in awe and frightened of Mrs. Clinton. She was not who they wanted to be running against. Evidently, Mr. Obama, and some other Democrats, feel the same. They are now using the same mentality that the Republicans were using as they try desperately to create their own reality. The reality is, the battle for the Democratic nominee, is not over.

There is suddenly such a rage about the purpose and power of super delegates in the Democratic party. One individual told me recently that super delegates get to cast a vote that counts one thousand times to the regular delegates one vote. How democratic is that, he asked. I ask, where does this type of misinformation come from? Evidently, the anger and sense of frustration that results because an organization is not set up in a purely democratic way, manifests itself into this perception of a thousand fold injustice.

Similar discussion and confusion prevails every four years about the electoral college.

The truth is, that this is just a party issue. If the Democrats choose a nominee that other members of the party are not happy with, then their candidate can run for office as a member of another party. This is not the general election. Each party uses their own rules to identify the candidate that they believe will promote their platform and win in the general election. The real injustice would not be that the super delegates play a role and elect Hillary Clinton. The real injustice would be if the process stopped now.

They say April is the cruelest month, yet May is the meanest month. Maine in May brings the promise of Spring with the desire for Summer. It holds the torrent of an Autumn rain and the frosty kiss of Winter. May is the time of Life and Death, of Do or Don’t Do. It is predictable in its’ unpredictable ways.
In May we run gingerly across the bright green grass and gather armloads of Daffodils before the rain beats the soft buttery petals into slug food. We plant Peas and gather Dandelion greens while the new Garlic leaves wave Hello. The next day can bring death to tiny nurtured seedlings by forgetting to cover or water or open or close a door. Other green children surprise me with their strength or mere presence. How did that the Lungwort get so huge? (Thanks Leslie - I always think of you in Spring.)
In May I don’t hurry to put away that Winter vest or those heavy wooly socks. We keep the wood box full and watch for 100 year Spring floods. I do dig out my summer sleeveless shirts and shorts and soak up the first warm days in the garden. One must feel the sun and breathe deeply of the scents of birth and Life. So enjoy and savor the easy joy of it all, for soon…usually the first week in May…it happens. The joy is sucked away. Along with pints of unauthorized blood donations, for the Black Flies have arrived.
And they are more than cruel - they are mean.
Now the garden chores take on an intensity as we pull weeds and swat our ears. No more strolling serenely and gazing about. Now we stumble and weave and wave our arms. Some call it the Black Fly Shuffle, though I think it may only attract the little buggers.
How do we deal with these annoying, insipid creatures? I avoid the Deet, despite the dire warnings that nothing else will work. I could explain it all in technical terms of the nasty chemical composition that neither you or I can fully comprehend or simply tell the bottom line truth - it gives me severe headaches. There are various natural products out there made with citronella that work well for me when I must use something. I also employ the ancient concept of a layer of oil. Avon used this concept when someone noticed the additional benefit of one of their skin so softeners. (Smirk)
Others don the baffling bug nets and this is my first line of defense if I must be outside in a swarm. (Especially if I’m standing at the potting table for an hour or so.) Just remember to tuck in those loose ends people!
I sometimes use the Bug Whisperer approach. This does work and I’ve heard this theory from others as well. I simply and quietly state that I must be outside for a while and I would appreciate it if the Blackfly herd could respect that and not chew me to bits. I will allow a few small bites as a Thank You for their respect. Too many bites and I will grab one by the wings, shake it sternly, remind it of our agreement, then let it go. She’ll usually tell her sisters to leave the crazy lady alone.
Here’s a favorite old time recipe from Midcoast Maine - It' good!

Blackfly Stew

1 onion
1 celery stalk
1 handful of green beans
1 carrot
1 handful of mushrooms
1 or 2 garlic cloves
Slice all and sauté in a heavy saucepan with a little butter or olive oil, adding each in order and stirring gently before adding the next ingredient.
Stir in a lb of thawed frozen Maine shrimp and pour in a quart of chicken broth with left over chicken. Cover and simmer an hour or so. Add more water if necessary.
Next - here’s the Blackfly part - go out in the garden and gather a handful or two of snips of fresh chives, garlic leaves, mustard and dandelion greens. Then chop them and add along with a spoonful of fresh minced Ginger to the simmering soup and any clinging Blackflies you may have accumulated. These are highly nutritious and delicious! In the old days, fisherman’s wives would knit small nets to wave over their heads in the garden to collect the juiciest bugs. Our modern day palettes are unable to appreciate the tenderness of the flavor now though; so many people (including me) omit this step. Stir in a couple of cups of cooked brown rice, add salt and pepper to taste and a few spoonfuls of soy sauce. Serve steaming hot with a salad of greens sprinkled with chives and heartsease (Johnny Jump Ups) flowers. Bake up some Biscuits too.
(Please note - the author assumes you know dandelion greens from poison hemlock and accepts no responsibility for any and all adverse reactions to ingestion of any wild plants or insects.)
Enjoy!

I'm so relieved.

We no longer have to drink eight glasses of water a day. An recent editorial in the online version of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology has laid that urban myth to rest. Its authors (Drs Negoianu & Goldfarb) found that there is no clear evidence behind this long held recommendation.

Now I can keep doing what I've been doing: drinking when I'm thirsty. And telling my patients to do the same. Only now I don't have to feel guilty about it.

I stopped drinking (and recommending) 64 daily ounces of water several years ago. I had heard this health tidbit early on in my medical career, though I had never seen a good study to back it up. Yet my colleagues in the nutrition field were always touting water's benefits, and it seemed reasonable enough. So ever the dutiful doctor, I passed along the advice. And I took it myself. During residency, I would carry a water bottle in the pocket of my white coat, and sip from it while going over charts or sitting in lectures. As a runner (and a breast-feeding mother, at the time), this was probably a good idea.

But after a while it became clear that large amounts of water are not a good idea in every situation. My water-obsessed patients often showed up bloated and edematous. The ones with heart disease occasionally noted that their blood pressures went up along with their water intake. Once I was no longer a busy resident (and my babies were weaned) I actually started to get headaches when I drank too much water--not to mention that I was constantly in the bathroom. So I began to question the previously sacrosanct notion that excessive hydration is healthy.

Of course, other healing traditions have questioned this notion for decades--if not centuries. In the worlds of macrobiotic nutrition and Traditional Chinese Medicine, too much water is thought to unbalance the body. We've known about the dangers of over-hydration in the Western medical world as well. Of recent interest was a 2005 study printed in the New England Journal of Medicine. This study found that found Boston Marathon runners who drank too much water were at risk for potentially harmful hyponatremia (low sodium levels): "The strongest single predictor of hyponatremia was considerable weight gain during the race, which correlated with excessive fluid intake." Hyponatremia can cause a myriad of significant problems, including brain swelling and death.

There is no need for hyponatremia, or dehydration, for that matter. Our bodies known what we need, as long as we are willing to listen. When we are thirsty, we can drink. When we are not, we can stop.

And we will stop needing to run to the bathroom every ten minutes to rid ourselves of excess fluid.

Which is, itself, quite a relief.

Last month the EPA ordered Scotts Miracle Gro to stop selling and distributing several of its products after it violated federal law. This report has been widely ignored by the media even though the EPA acknowledges that the risks posed by these products are unknown and they are currently conducting lab analysis of the affected products.
The illegal products include:
*Miracle Gro Shake 'n Feed with Weed Preventer All Purpose Plant Food (EPA Reg. No. 62355-4)
*Scotts Bonus S MAX (EPA Reg. No. 538-301)
*Scotts Turf Builder MAX (EPA Reg. No. 538-299)
*SLS Fertilizer with .28 Halts (EPA Reg. No. 538-304)

With prom season and graduation upon us thoughts turn to the dangers of underage drinking and driving. The Portland Papers’ recent series about underage drinking on Maine college campuses underscores the importance of dealing with this problem. Underage drinking of alcohol has been an issue for decades, and it appears to be getting worse. The dilemma extends into our middle schools and in some cases into elementary schools. Studies show that those teens that binge drink at an early age are more apt to become alcoholics. We all know about the societal problems that arise from alcoholism. We know that drunk drivers kill people on the highways.

Some communities such as Nobleboro and Cumberland are identifying under age drinking as a community problem. Their initiatives are based on the premise that societal attitudes and behaviors must change. But they are up against the old adages such as: “boys will be boys” or “it’s a right of passage.” Other obstacles are the students’ parents. Some parents are willing to allow teens to drink in their homes, because they feel that the kids will do it any way. Other parents leave alcohol in places that are easily accessed by teens. Although it is difficult to fathom, many parents leave their kids home alone for extended periods of time, which results in an open invitation to all the partiers in town.
The other big community concern is the supplier. Most stores do not sell alcohol to minors and are diligent about carding young people. However, older friends frequently buy alcohol for younger kids, who in turn share with their friends and the opportunity to access alcohol spirals downward. Students respond to the question of underage drinking philosophically by saying that kids will always find ways to find alcohol and share it with their friends.

But how do we effectively address illegal, destructive behavior that has become so mainstream that efforts to enforce consequences are often met with resistance from parents? Do these parents truly understand the potential impact of alcohol on their child’s life? Public service announcements encourage parents to talk to their kids, to wait up for them when they have been out, and to know their friends. The commercials need to go one step further. Parents need be acquainted with their kids’ friends’ parents. Much can be learned about child rearing by a casual conversation – parent to parent. Coalitions between parents can be powerful tools in keeping kids safe, but if those parents do not pass muster, we must think twice before we let them influence our children.

Kids need clear expectations, and despite their protestations they really do want us to talk to them. To be effective conversations about risky behavior need to begin when kids are little. Waiting until they are in college is too little too late.

Is the high price of oil really good news?
Painful yes, but is the high price of oil going to save our economy and the world around us? There are many systems and technologies that allow us to heat our homes and power our cars but since the development of the internal combustion engine and indoor furnaces, the low cost of oil has tied us to these systems and slowed the adoption of others. Why pay more when oil is so cheap? This has led to global warming and pollution of the air around us and has left our country at the financial and political mercy of repressive regimes around the world.
There are many ways to use the sun, wind, and local products such as wood to power our homes and our cars. With oil approaching $4.00 a gallon and gas headed that way, there is a big increase in actual installation of alternate energy systems. The installation of a solar hot water or solar electric system immediately replaces the importation of oil with work for local people who build the systems and do the installations. This serves to support our local economy instead of sending our money to countries in the Middle East or South America.
The large SUV or 4 wheel drive truck with big V8 seems to be the vehicle of choice for many families throughout Maine and the US. Why drive a small car when gas is 99 cents a gallon? I have driven small cars for 30 years and wondered why others didn't but now there is finally the beginnings of a change to high mileage, hybrid, or electric cars. I still have a big 4WD Dodge truck but only put about 1000 miles on it last year and drove my 35+ mile per gallon Chevy (Thats right - a Chevy) or my wifes 35+ MPG Scion for the rest of our transportation needs. We got rid of a Ford van last year and now sometimes have to squeeze to get the family of 4 into our car with all our stuff but the payment on the smaller car is less than the gas we were putting into the old van and that was at less than $2.00 a gallon! We are also sending less oil money to the Middle East and putting fewer pollutants into the air.
I looked at and sat in an all electric car this weekend at an alternate energy show in Damariscotta and it was roomy and comfortable. It won't yet go far enough for my daily commute but would serve many people who live intown or closer to their job. I hope that the increasing cost of fuel will make sales of these cars take off. They keep our energy money in this country which supports local people.
It is always painful to pay more for anything but oil costs are not going to return to their former lows and it is time to stop exporting our money and jobs overseas. Reducing your use of oil through the many choices available saves money and supports our local economy.

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