Mention the word "buffet", and many people think of an array of dull food that's sold by being cheap rather than any gourmet quality. Well, the Sunday buffet at The Cockeyed Gull on Peaks Island is always a an exciting gourmet treat, and also an incredible bargain.

Each Sunday Chun Ye and her staff create a buffet from a different country or region. She's from Korea, and it's not surprising that her Korean buffet is magnificant. But last night we were delighted with the South American dishes, and we're already looking forward to the Middle East meal next Sunday.

When it's not buffet not, the Gull is still a wonderful restaurant. And the view -- even (or especially) in Winter -- is unsurpassed.

For the buffet, you can take the 4:30 or 5:35 boat from Portland, returning on the 6:00 or 7:40. Note that the buffet is only a winter phenomenon. When tourist season begins prices do go up. But nobody's complaining. Local businesses need to survive, and the Cockeyed Gull is a wonderful gift to us in any season.

Stories about Israel's savage attacks on mostly civilian targets in Gaza are horrifying. Incredible pain is being inflicted upon civilians, in apparent retaliation for Hamas attacks on Israel.

As a Quaker pacifist, I don't subscribe to any calculus that allows one killing and not another, that identifies some wars as being "just", or any such. But I'm not blind the to disparity here. Hamas has lobbed projectiles at Israel, killing few. Israel has unleashed a massive and continued attack.

Put aside the morality. All reports I've heard indicate that the anger and resolve of Palestinians have only increased. The difficulty of a true peace settlement - that is clearly in Israel's interest - has increased. Israel's attacks have brought more suffering and less hope for all of us.

When will American jews, and the rest of our nation, get the courage to criticize such behavior from Israel? When will those Jewish ideals of justice and mercy be put into action?

"The best time to win customer loyalty is when you make a mistake". I heard this comment years ago in an address by an IBM executive, and I keep finding examples of it again and again.

The most common positive example in Maine is probably L.L. Bean. I never forgot that pair of Bean boots that sat in my closet for years because they didn't fit right. Finally, about eight years later, I got up my courage, brought them back and exchanged them for a pair that didn't chafe at my feet.

The IBM exec called attention to two costs: transaction and opportunity. The transaction cost was what it cost Bean to replace my boots -- years after most retailers would have said my chance had past. That was probably about half the retail cost of the boots. The opportunity cost was the sales volume since then -- generated both by me and by those I've told about this story. L.L. Bean made money by replacing my boots!

I've never forgotten a restaurant in Maine (since closed) that made a mistake and served me not the wine I had ordered, but one that was slightly more expensive. They tried to charge me for the more expensive wine. When I protested they charged me even more, saying that they had undercharged me for the wine I had been served. I can't tell you how many people I steered away from that restaurant.

Not long ago Siano's Pizza made up a large pizza when I had ordered a small. I didn't have to ask -- they served it to me, and charged me for what I had ordered. Yes, I got a bargain, but they did the right thing. I'll not forget.

The French casement windows, and one of the expensive doors, that we bought from Kolbe-Kolbe have never worked properly. Most don't fully close, and one is stuck and won't open. Kolbe-Kolbe gave us many excuses for why they weren't going to fix the windows, except at our (huge) expense. I'd advise anybody to stay clear of Kolbe Kolbe. The cost of having windows that don't work, and for which responsible support is not available, is much too great.

But I shouldn't dwell on the negative. That lobster I bought at Harbor Fish that turned out to be bad. . . It was replaced without question or hassle, and with a profuse apology. I could have bought my bad lobster at any (unsuspecting) dealer; luckily I went to a place that had integrity and heart. Note that this is not a story about a bad lobster, but about a good business.

PC Connection once sold me a computer with some added components that were not the premium brand I had ordered. Rather than spend time getting replacements, I asked for a partial refund. They asked what I thought was fair, and then immediately said 'yes' to my reasonable request. No hassle, no need for manager's approval.

Maine Laser Tech once failed to fix an intermittent problem in my printer. I don't believe I could fault them, but it was frustrating ... having lugged the big heavy unit into town from Peaks, and then back again. Their response was brilliant. They sent out a young new employee to fix the printer at our summer cottage. He had clearly been given specific instructions of what might be needed on our printer, and he succeeded. I assume that the owner of Maine Laser Tech spent more on our repair than we paid him ... but I've sung their praises ever since. They remain my vendor of choice for laser cartridges, or for repair of laser printers.

What leads a company like Maine Laser Tech to put customers first, while Kolbe-Kolbe leaves them behind I don't know. I'd like to believe that in the market place, those who offer the best service will rise to the top. However, it's not at all clear that this really is true.

Now, in the days after Christmas, and after Christmas presents have been exchanged, if you need customer service, remember that you're giving the merchant an opportunity to win your loyalty. Let's see if they understand.

It's always a joy to find a new restaurant in Portland that is small, quiet, pleasant to be in, has great food, and is also a good value. The Merry Table (43 Wharf Street) is just such a place.

Following a friend's recommendation, I wandered in today for lunch, and took advantage of their $7.50 lunch combo special: Ham and Cheese crepe, French onion soup, and a small salad. It was excellent. I chose not to take advantage of the special price for Allagash White (only $3.50) because today is a work day.

I should note that specials on the other days are a bit more expensive, but I'd not mind paying for quality.

My only complaint about the place is that the name "Merry Table" sounds like it belongs to anything but this tiny European style eaterie, and I want small places like this to succeed. Maybe if enough of you go (and once you've been once, you'll be back), it will.

I was delighted to read this morning that Obama has chosen our own Susan Rice as Ambassador to the UN, and that he is elevating that position to cabinet level.

When Susan Rice spoke at the Martin Luther King breakfast last year, I was keenly interested. I knew that I supported him, and she was one of his key foreign policy advisors. As she began her speech I said to my, "Yes -- I know that, but she says it so clearly, so strongly". But then she went deeper and deeper, helping tie together so many aspects of justice, liberation, security, democracy, and struggle. And as I left that breakfast, I felt even more strongly that any candidate who would surround himself with such advisers needed my strong support.

Well, he's not a candidate any longer, and this morning I read that she will be our Ambassador to the UN. I can't think of a better person for the job. And by elevating her position to cabinet level, Obama is signaling that acting as part of the world community -- and not as a power force outside that community -- is really important.

Congratulations to Susan Rice, and to all of us. We've all won.

The huge Wal-Mart in Valley Stream NY usually opens at 9 am, but for black Friday the opening was set for 5 am. Crowds began building the night before, and by 3:30 am there were 2,000 people stretching across a vast parking lot. The Nassau County police were called, but one officer with a bullhorn could do little to bring order.

And then just before 5 am the crowd began pushing forward, broke down the doors, and streamed into the store. It's to bad that a temporary Wal-Mart employee was pushed over in the melee, and the crowd streaming in trampled him to death. Other Wal-Mart employees tried to reach him, and could not. No police were anywhere in sight.

Just a minute! "To bad"? What happened to the compassion of Thanksgiving, the joys of Christmas season? Evidently the lure of a few vastly underpriced Christmas presents were too great.

Blame appears to be widespread:

* Obviously the crowd that trampled Jdimytai Damou bear much of the responsibility. However, people in the middle of a raging mob have little freedom to stop it.

* Wal-Mart, in setting the stage for this crowd event, but providing minimal security arrangements, deserves most of the responsibility. This was not an accident. The lack of planning for serious crowd control made some tragedy all too likely.

* The police who came, found that they couldn't control the crowd, and then left also share responsibility.

* And the rest of us . . . are we making Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other days of spiritual celebration real days of compassionate renewal? When police tried to clear the store after Jdimytai Damou was killed, shoppers refused to leave. Getting their bargains was more important than stopping after such a tragedy.

Many people are looking to Obama for leadership in dealing with this nation's huge problems. Well, on this one, responsibility is much closer to home. Yes, Wal-Mart needs to be held accountable, but what's happened to us as a people?

Neighbors on the 7:15 commuter boat from Peaks to Portland were passing out fluted glasses each with a drink of champagne, so that we could toast to whatever. Strangers sitting on a bench in monument square couldn't and didn't hold back their sense of hope and excitement.

Portland may look the same, but it sure doesn't feel the same -- at least to this observer (and resident).

What a difference it makes to have a leader in waiting -- somebody who inspires our trust, our respect, our admiration. How grounding to have a leader whose campaign was about positive messaages, constructive visions, real accomplishments, and difficult truth telling about difficult topics such as racism, loyalty, and real diversity. And how refreshing to have a leader who isn't trying to tell us that things are okay, and who doesn't suggest that our force and might is going to be our salvation.

I've my issues with his policies, but I heard and believed his victory promise that he'd listen most intensely to those who disagree. I actually believe that, and am delighted at the prospect of having a government that feels a lot more lot our government.

I almost learned the hard way about visible house numbers.

Several years ago we had overnight guests. When I handed one a cup of espresso in the morning, he took a single sip, turned gray, and collapsed on the floor.

All I could think was "heart attack", although I'm not a trained EMT, and didn't know the exact signs. But I did know what to do. I immediately called 911, gave the operator full information (starting with our address), and stayed on the line until she said it was okay to hang up.

Then I counted the seconds. I knew that the Peaks Island police would have to go back to their station, pick up the ambulence, and drive to our house ... but that shouldn't take long. Why no ambulance? It turns out that the ambulance was there, driving up and down our street looking for #10. Most of the officers probably knew our house and knew us, but not this pair.

That was our lesson, and now there's a big #10 on the side of our house. By the way, it turned out that our friend did not have a heart attack, regained his color just as the officers did come in, and appeared to be fine during his examination at Maine Med.

What made me think of this story was my experience last night, as my wife and I went canvassing for our candidates of choice. We had been given a list of specific addresses to visit (not just all houses on certain streets), but were able to identify only about half of them in the dark. Some had only tiny numbers, and many had no numbers at all. Others had large metal numbers that had been painted over, so that they were almost invisible.

We're lucky that Portland has well trained teams of EMT's, ready to come help us at a moment's notice. Do your part and PUT A CLEARLY VISIBLE HOUSE NUMBER IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE, WHERE IT CAN EASILY BE SEEN. Think of that emergency moment, and how important it is that emergency workers be able to come right to your door as quickly as possible.

Yes, it's a place where kids can go, and for a bit of money and some sweat equity they can get a bike. It has tools to true the wheels, fix the brakes, get it all working real well. And there are teachers who can pass on these skills.

But the "bike shop" is really a home away from home for the latchkey kids of Kennedy Park and elsewhere in Portland. It's a place where kids can find friendship, mentors, wholesome play, and meaningful work. Good manners are not out of date there.

And, sadly, it's closing. At least that's the plan, since funding has run dry, the space is no longer available, and the founders -- somewhat disheartened -- are planning to move on.

No -- it's not too late to save it, rescue this successful tiny project and give it a new lease on life. Kids' lives depend upon it. And yet, while the larger charities in town keep doing their good works, smaller projects, such as this one, are left out. It's the kids they've been serving that are the real losers.

Our Senators profess to be "liberal" Republicans. Indeed, they have veered from party positions on some issues. Both have actually spoken mildly against the current dirty tricks campaign that attempts to smear Obama with allegations of association with one terrorist. And yet the automated "robocalls" delivering this misleading and irresponsible message continue. Will our Senators stand up for their beliefs, and demand that these calls stop -- at least in their state (and ours)?

The facts are simple, and not in dispute. Obama has served on several boards along with William Ayers, who had been involved with a militant anti-war group about 40 years ago. Ayers hosted a fundraiser for Obama's state campaign.

But Ayers has long since outgrown his Weatherman days, has long since left their position behind, and is now a respected college professor. There's not been the slightest suggestion that either Ayers or Obama is now even flirting with terrorism as a method or tactic, or that Obama's slight connection with Ayers is any indicator of domestic or foreign policy leadings.

Obama has taken many positions on current issues. Of course it's fair to disagree with him on his plan for universal health care, for a more equitable tax policy, for an update in our foreign policy, for a rapid end to the Iraq war which Obama (and many of us) insist was a tragic mistake from day one.

But it not fair, and not right to suggest that his innocent association with Willaim Ayers should be even relevant to this election campaign.

Our Senators have said this -- SOFTLY. Can they now speak up, with integrity, clarity, and force, and set a standard for professional behavior in this serious and important election.

A candidates event, where we'll never get to vote? That's right.

Somehow I was invited to a forum for the candidates jockeying for the Maine Attorney position. The AG is chosen by the legislature, so our only strategy is to lobby our legislators for the candidate of our choice. This was a rare opportunity to hear all three legislators who are seeking this position in the expected-to-be democratic legislature.

Why I was invited to this forum I might never know. Looking around the room, I didn't see anybody from the Maine Civil Liberties Union, or the NAACP, or any other activist groups with a vital stake in this office. I might have been the only "activist" there. Evidently nobody from NAACP was invited; I'm not sure about MCLU. The meeting was held at the offices of Pierce Atwood, and most of those in attendance looked like they worked there or at other top law firms in the city.

Listening just to what was said in this forum, I'd have to say that Sean Faircloth was the clear winner. He spoke clearly of taking leadership on civil rights issues, noting that he'd be in much better company if the next US attorney in Maine is appointed by Barak Obama, and he promised to take a "significant and activist" role. Brautigam was not as clear or articulate, didn't sound as strong to me, but was still impressive in this performance. Enough said.

The Attorney General position is incredibly important. Look at at the recent history of racist incidents, anti-gay violence anti-Muslim displays, and it's clear that the civil rights agenda for the AG's office is vital. I certainly hope to hear more about this contest, and want to see stakeholders such as NAACP and MCLU invited to take part -- even if we don't get to vote on it directly.

Welcome to a wonderful new lunch place right across the street from the Maine College of Art. The owners of Sengchai Thai Cuisine (on Forest Avenue) have opened up a new Thai buffet. The lunch buffet, at $8.50 is an incredible value, considering what's available. I had several varieties of sushi, spring rolls, tom yum soup, and a variety of tofu, chicken, fish, and beef dishes -- all excellent. It's a pleasant comfortable place.

And the "but": Like any buffet, it's much too easy to overeat, and with the array of choices here, that's especially tempting. So, only head to 511 Congress Street if you've plenty of self control.

Do support our local businesses -- and this is one of them!

The headline announcing this blog series says "conversations about Maine issues", but it it appears that I and the other bloggers are broadcasting messages, with very little response coming back.

In one post I suggested that "sign season" is about visual pollution from campaign signs, and that it represents a disrespect for voters. Are you as concerned as I am about people making voting decisions just based on these silly signs that litter our streets?

What about shoplifting at Micucci's -- or any other local business?

And how much industrial noise is acceptable in residential parts of our city?

The Press Herald has given all of us an exciting opportunity with this blog. Will you use it?

Want the best pizza in Portland? Go to Micucci's (on India Street), and walk to the back where Stephen Lanzalotta and his family preside over the ovens. It's not fancy, and there are no options. It's just plain and simple good. People vote with the feet, and often there's a line waiting for the next one to come out of the oven and its five minute mandatory wait. You can even eat it there, and help yourself to free coffee.

I work nearby, and too often walk across the street to indulge in this treat. Today I found something new awaiting me on the tables -- a sign saying "Please Pay First".

Evidently some people have been eating their pizza and just walking out without paying. That's shoplifting, plain and simple, and it's wrong in any venue. But to rip off Micucci's -- one of our best local community stores -- seems unthinkable to me. You can watch Steve and his family going through the whole process, and can see how much work goes into that delicious slab that's for sale.

I can't fault Micicci's for putting up those signs. They're not in business to give away food. Their prices on most items are already lower than at other stores, the quality is unsurpassed, and if one item seems too expensive we always have the option of not buying.

Portland lost something. I don't know what it would take for those signs to come down. Meanwhile, their presence is a reminder that integrity does not always prevail in our fair city.

I'm not fed up with taxes. But I'm clearly fed with with "Fed Up With Taxes", who've placed more signs on our median strips than any candidate. If one sign doesn't convince me, will 101 signs have more of an impact?

It's the season of sign pollution -- in which each candidate or issue group tries to display more signs than their rivals. Frankly, I view it as an insult to our intelligence. Instead of spending their limited campaign funds to produce issue-oriented material, that might give us reasons to vote for them, they bombard us with a name, and perhaps a slogan, but nothing more.

Of course, I don't like taxes, and the slogan "Fed Up With Taxes" does resonate with me. Like most of you, I've imaged the pleasure of paying less. But the agenda of that group represents a horribly regressive program. I guess their hope is that I'll count the signs and not read further to find out how they will turn my discontent into constructive or destructive action.

Tom Allen! Yes, I know he's running for office, and I could write here about why he's my choice. But what I see on the street is simply: Tom Allen, Tom Allen, Tom Allen, Tom Allen, Tom Allen, Tom Allen ... I could repeat this story for each candidate -- those I would support, and those I vigorously oppose.

I respect and admire Tom Allen -- what he does, and what he says. He's out there with a solid and well informed message and program, and a track record that I admire, and lots of integrity. He shouldn't need hundreds of signs with just his name ... but, evidently, in our electoral climate he does. Just like mud season, we have sign season. Frankly, I found more comfort seeing him at the vigil for James Angelo. Tom Allen wasn't on the program, and wouldn't grab headlines. But clearly he wanted to be there. That was a statement that mattered much more than his name recognition signs.

Can't the candidates show respect for us, address us with meaningful dialog, and leave our city looking like a city instead of a convention hall?

It sounds too good to be true: Ships come in Portland Harbor, silently unload their cargo of oil into the storage tanks from which oil flows into the pipeline, and money flows back to our local economy.

And, no, it's not true!

Last night my wife was awakened several times by the noise of tankers unloading their cargo. Many times I've been kept awake. We live on Peaks Island; the ships are docked at South Portland. What's going on?

Evidently there are several ways to unload oil from the tankers that land here, and one often preferred (by the pipeline company) is to pump compressed air into the ships' tanks. This displaces the oil. It's this strong flow of compressed air pushing the oil that makes a very loud rattling sound. Atmospheric conditions determine how the sound carries. Sometimes we hear it as if it were right outside our house.

I've spoken to the president of the pipeline company, who was most accomadating. But still, the noise continues. Many times I've spoken to the night dispatcher at the pipeline company, and received promises that the noise level would go down. Sometimes it does -- a little. I've received promises of a call back from the technical people at the pipeline, but no calls have come in.

Who regulates this? Is it a local South Portland issue, a regional issue (the noise is heard in parts of Portland), a matter of interstate commerce, or a matter of foreign commerce. I don't know, and, so far, have not succeeded in pushing the right button to get the noise turned off.

I expect that the cost of reducing this noise -- either by using another unloading technology, or by reducing the flow of compressed air, is one that the pipeline company would prefer not to incur UNLESS CITIZENS RAISE THEIR VOICE. There's no reason why the pipeline company, with its unloading operations, shouldn't be able to become a good neighbor.

Last Thursday the Addison Woolley Gallery held an evening program for photography collectors. Speakers included the publisher of "Photo Review", a respected newsletter from Philadelphia, and our own Susan Danly, one of the curators at the Portland Museum of Art.

Who came? Most of the audience were photographers, in search of collectors who might buy their work. (Confession -- I'm one of those, and have exhibited at this gallery.) Also in the audience were a number of other gallery owners, some of whom had co-sponsored this event. I could count at most a handful of actual collectors.

Addison Woolley has become one of Portland's best venues to see contemporary photography (and other media) by local artists ... but the group attending that event had more artists than art buyers. What's wrong wrong with that picture?

Portland may have a vibrant arts producing community, but the arts buying community appears to be no so vibrant at all. Perhaps there's a better market for painting and sculpture. Photography appears (incorrectly, I must add) to be more technical, more mechanical, more subject to infinite reproduction -- and collectors may be weary of treading into this rapidly changing territory.

Of course, a market place does not exist with only sellers. Who are the potential buyers, and what will give them the confidence, the knowledge, and the willingness to help get the arts economy moving more vigorously?

A "blog" like this is not only for broadcast. It's a space for discussion. So please join in.

Often the news accounts of an event that I attended reasonably reflect what I actually experienced. But for the vigil last night, honoring the life of James Angelo, and calling out for peace in our city, that was not the case at all.

There was a spiritual power to this event, a sense of rootedness, and an incredible beauty. James Angelo, I learned, was not just any young man -- although the death of any person would be tragic. He was a jewel of the Sudanese community in Portland, a mentor to many younger people, an inspiration to all around him. Having decided to become a policeman, and then a lawyer, he had taken a job as a security guard as a step on this journey.

We started hearing songs like Amazing Grace, that were so familiar to me, and hauntingly beautiful Sudanese music that was completely new. Looking around me I was truly surrounded by people of all colors, many backgrounds, all clinging to America as a home, and wanting it to be the America of their dreams -- of our dreams.

We heard stories about James Angelo's life, and about the lives of many of his relatives ... people who left their war torn country seeking peace and quiet, and who found a true welcome here in Maine. In the tones of their voices, I could hear reverence, deep thanks, anger, pain, and fear. The police chief's promise to find James Angelo's killer or killers gave comfort, but that's a promise that needs to be delivered.

The TV images and text suggested an unruly gathering, and a family torn apart by grief. What I saw was a large, orderly and peaceful crowd, and an extended family grieving with great dignity. Of course there was pain. But relatives had come from as far as Michigan to offer support, and to share in their grief.

As for that American dream -- it may have been suspended for part of our community. As one speaker reminded us, children should bury their parents, and not the other way around. And while the particular rituals of grief may be different in different cultures, the depth of pain, and the need for people to join together is absolutely the same. I felt privileged to be able to be present at this event.

The death of James Angelo is both a personal tragedy, and a community event that might have brought us closer together, but that requires action and not just concern.

We spend much too much time speaking with those who agree with us, and to little time listening to divergent opinions. Although my opinions on many issues are clear, I still welcome seeing candidates with opposing views, and believe we all grow in the resulting debates.

But a candidate with no views, no experience, no reasonable qualifications. I feel that McCain has given me a slap on the face, by picking as his running mate a woman whose only qualification for high national office appears to be ... well, the fact that she's a woman ... and that's no qualification at all. As a lifetime member of the NRA, she may be a better shot than our current vice president, but what experience has she had in foreign diplomacy, national economic policy, civil rights, civil liberties, dealing with Congress.

With her lack of a record, she'd probably not make it through Senate confirmation hearings for any of the cabinet positions, and yet she'd be next in line to succeed the oldest president ever to be elected.

With his announcement, McCain has shown us his utter disdain for the American voter, and for America itself. His action has shifted the topic of debate from a number of serious issues -- on which responsible disagreement may be possible -- to the ethics of appointing a running mate whose only virtue may be her perceived electability.

I'd expected more from the Republicans. Will either of our Senators -- both women of integrity and accomplishment (and with whom I usually disagree) -- be able to tell us with a straight face that their vice presidential candidate is ready to assume the highest office in our land, and perhaps in the world?

Friends have told me they wished for more good news in the paper. Well, here's a column of only good news. I've chosen to put the spotlight on a few vendors that I've found to be excellent. For sure, there are more than one excellent car dealer, auto mechanic, fish market. I've chosen just one of each, and named a few other places that I frequent regularly.

What's the test? Simply that I'm glad to give them my money, feeling that they've really taken care of me in a wonderful way. Yes, money is tight, but they've given me so much value, and so much good will, that the exchange feels especially fair. Problems? When I'm back for service, support, assistance, or whatever they're right there with me. I could tell whole stories, but have chosen to just name names.

For those of you who want to comment, add your own choices. Put the spotlight on other vendors who've earned our respect, and our patronage. Here goes:

Portland Motor Sales -- for used car sales, and excellent foreign car service

Harbor Fish -- if it lives in the water

Micucci's -- Not just Italian groceries, but cheeses of all nations and many other items. Also Steve's excellent breads and pizza.

Maine Professional Opticians -- As a photographer, my eyes are important!

Downeast Appliance -- Actually two businesses, one for sales and another for service.

O'Naturals -- They've said it themselves: they put food in their food.

Who have I left out?

That's right. Went to get on the 8:15 ferry Sunday night, and was hit by a dangerous burst of noise. A call to the Portland Police revealed that the city had actually given permission for a so-called concert to take place on public property, producing noise far in excess of the noise ordinance in effect in Portland. The ferry terminal is our front door. We couldn't comfortably walk onto the boat with this assault.

Who is giving permission for this, and why?

The Bates Dance Festival is a largely unknown gem. As a center for advanced dance study with master teachers enrollment has been full for months. Serious dancers should consider going next year.

But tickets for most of the series of dance concerts -- some free, and the rest very moderately priced -- are generally available. Look at their web site, and plan a wonderful evening (or afternoon):
    BatesDanceFestival.org

Disclosure: I've been the photographer in residence for the past three summers, and will be there again. I've also a show of my work at Chase Hall Gallery (56 Campus Ave -- NOT the Bates art museum). Note that the gallery closes at 6 pm each day. But you could see that show, eat at the wonderful new Bates cafeteria, and see a great concert -- all in one evening.

Unfortunately, the Press Herald editors got it all wrong when they wrote (in this morning's editorial): "Portland cannot thrive in this economy by being unwelcoming to passenger automobiles."

Just how many cars are we supposed to welcome? Parking is already scarce, traffic on such routes at Forest Ave (302) is heavy, and huge streets like Franklin just chop up our city. There are better alternatives.

The Press Herald goes further: "In fact, one of Portland's big advantages as a place to live and visit is the relative ease in getting around the city by car." Wrong again. Leave out the "by car" and the sentence is still true. But keep it in and it won't be true for long.

Continuing: "Put another way, incentives to get people out of their cars make sense, but penalties for using them do not." But the report doesn't impose penalties -- it assesses real costs. As a Peaks Islander, I have to pay to park my car in town. Why shouldn't we all -- except for those who are smart enough to live and work in town, or near good transit hubs. Uups. I mis-speak. There are few good transit hubs here, because so much money has been spent on car facilities instead.

Arriving by boat from Peaks Island, it would take me more than an hour to get to Whole Foods. There's no bus to the Dana Warp Mill in Westbrook. The airport is now a taxi -- not a bus -- ride away. There are no buses to the bus stations. And we've a huge new garage a few blocks away, with cinder block walls.

There was an engaging debate when Tim Burton was selected as police chief for Portland. Nobody questioned his integrity, ability, or performance during his successful career in Portland. He had been an enlightened officer and manager.

The other key contender for the position had similar credentials, but was black. Would a person of color be better able to understand the needs and concerns of our "minority" communities? Would such a person have been a better leader at that time? We'll never know, and I've no criticism of chief Burton.

I hope the question stays alive as we prepare to choose another chief, now that Burton is moving to Texas. We need to not be color-BLIND but color-AWARE as we select a security chief for our multi-ethnic community.

I also hope we'll find another term than "minority" -- because there's nothing "minor" about the many people of color who are becoming more and more visible in our community. What do they need, and what do we all need, for a sense of security right now?

Please don't just read this! Think about it, answer my question, and ask your own. Post here, and speak up.

Jeannine Guttman's column today announces news that all of us must have expected, and nobody wants to hear. As our society shifts its attention towards on-line media, and away from print, print circulation goes down, ad rates drop, and, eventually "adjustments" need to come. That's sad for the wonderful staff who've been let go or enticed to leave, but also for the rest of us ... left with something less of a newspaper. Jeannine Guttman promises a re-invention of the paper, produced with fewer staff and fewer news bureaus. I hope her vision is realistic, and that this moment will appear later to have been a time of change rather than the beginning of the end.

Of course, I could see it coming. The paper has been getting thinner. When we had an apartment for rent last year, almost all of our responses came from free ads on CraigsList, rather than the paid ads in the Press Herald.

I mourn this change -- as I want both new media, and the kind of thoughtful reporting and reflection that can only be shared in print. My media diet includes "All Things Considered" on NPR, and the New Yorker magazine, as well as the New York Times, Press Herald, Boston Globe, and CNN on-line.

Of course, if you're reading this, you MUST be on-line. But, please, don't be just on-line. Continue to subscribe to newspapers, buy newspapers, write letters to the editor, and help keep a print culture alive!

And, whatefver you read, don't believe it at first. Find a second source, and see what they have to say. Read about or hear the same story reported in different ways, by people who come with different points of view, different experiences.

Buy local! We don't have to support those large out of state corporations that colonize our business.

Micucci's has the best quality and prices on everything from olive oil to Greek coffee, and an excellent in-house bakery. It's a family owned business that is a gift to the community.

What go to Starbucks when there are at least half a dozen excellent small local coffee houses near by -- such as Coffee by Design and Portland Coffee Roasters.

You could buy fish at Hannafords or Whole Foods ... or you can go right to the source and buy at Harbor Fish or Browne Trading.

The choice to buy local is a vote for self-reliance, supporting small business that is part of our community and gives to the community in so many ways.

It's true -- When flying, I do patronize Starbucks counters at airports. Often there's no choice. But in POrtland there is a choice. Use it!

I must respectfully disagree with my colleague, who characterizes gun ownership as being about "self-defense". I too have learned to shoot, and understand that target practice and hunting can be engaging experiences. Guns, by themselves, don't scare me.

But guns ownership needs to be redefined as a privilege, awarded to those who have indicated their understanding of safe storage and usage, have passed reasonable background checks, and who are accountable for the guns that they own or use.

Nobody questions the right of the state to license drivers -- making sure that we know the rules of the road, understand the perils of drinking and driving, realize that we must STOP when we reach a stopped school bus. We don't challenge the right of the state to require eye tests, to regulate driving by those who have had seizures, etc. What's different about guns?

At one time, guns appeared to be practical means of protest. The revolutionary war was just behind us, and owning guns seemed like a kind of insurance policy. Times are very different today. I can recall hearing loud arguments coming from an apartment in the building behind our house. I worried about possible abuse, and on more than one occasion called the police. What if the man, or woman, in those disputes had a gun? What if verbal anger was expressed in a deadly gunshot?

Guns belong in locked cases, far from the ammunition they require. They belong far from people who have not proven themselves worthy of the privilege of gun ownership. And guns that are not suitable for target practice or hunting (automatic weapons, for example) have no business being in any home.

I'm frightened by the recent Supreme Court ruling, but, frankly, I'm not surprised.