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Politics
March 28, 2008
Second Take: The view from the podium at the League Debate

It was shortly after I walked into the SPACE Gallery Wednesday night when Nat May, the gallery's executive director, asked me if I wanted a shot of whiskey.

Figuring for the night ahead - moderating the debate among the seven candidates running in the First District Congressional race, reading the questions, and speaking in front of a live studio audience - it seemed like it might be a good idea.

I've had my fair share of public speaking engagements over the years, starting with student council in high school and more recently in panel discussions on the press or journalism workshops for young writers.

But this is politics, and that means people's ideals, passions and futures are in the mix. For the candidates it's another opportunity to present themselves to the public, share their views and beliefs and distance themselves from their peers.

For the public it's part of the bigger process of taking
part in what our civics and history teachers often called "our civic duty."

And in the middle of it is just me, playing equal parts traffic cop and Bob Barker.

Continue reading "Second Take: The view from the podium at the League Debate"
Posted at 11:31 AM
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March 27, 2008
The Scanner: An excuse to spend time on the Interwebs

It's time for another weekly installment of The Scanner, otherwise known as "The NXT Desk goofs off and looks up random stuff on the web instead of writing something better."

Continue reading "The Scanner: An excuse to spend time on the Interwebs"
Posted at 02:31 PM
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March 26, 2008
Tweeting from the No-Spin Zone

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    Posted at 04:22 PM
    Comments (0) | Permalink

    March 25, 2008
    Keeping 'em honest - Debate Edition

    About a month ago I got a call from the League of Young Voters looking for my help on something.

    No stranger to the League, I gladly said I'd be happy to help in any way (as long as it did not conflict with my job, naturally.).

    They wanted me to moderate a forum with the candidates running for Maine's First Congressional District seat.

    I said, "Sure...I can do that."

    Continue reading "Keeping 'em honest - Debate Edition"
    Posted at 04:38 PM
    Comments (0) | Permalink

    February 11, 2008
    Monday Morning Round–Up (So that happened part. II)

    Was there something going on at Portland High School yesterday?
    I drove past there and it looked like the entire city was trying to get in there.

    Continue reading "Monday Morning Round–Up (So that happened part. II)"
    Posted at 10:33 AM
    Comments (0) | Permalink

    February 05, 2008
    Super Tuesday, Super Fun!

    It's the biggest thing since the last biggest thing...which was probably the Super Bowl.

    It's Super Tuesday and in states near and far from Maine primaries are taking place that will (in theory) determine who the presidential nominees are for the Democrats and the Republicans.

    Lucky for you we here on the NXT desk have up–to–the–minute coverage of the campaigns that you likely won't find elsewhere.

    Continue reading "Super Tuesday, Super Fun!"
    Posted at 11:52 AM
    Comments (1) | Permalink

    January 30, 2008
    A pint and politics on CraigsList

    Obviously you can find a lot of things on CraigsList, and as anyone who has read Best of CraigsList knows, it is often hilarious.

    Continue reading "A pint and politics on CraigsList"
    Posted at 10:17 AM
    Comments (1) | Permalink

    January 28, 2008
    Monday Morning Round–Up

    It's Monday. You know it, I know it. I'm coming off a bitter doughnut/brunch experience yesterday that still has me rattled. Let's dispense with the pleasantries and just get on with this thing.

    Continue reading "Monday Morning Round–Up"
    Posted at 11:49 AM
    Comments (2) | Permalink

    September 20, 2007
    The Jena 6

    The Portland Chapter of the NAACP is holding a rally in Tommy's Park in the Old Port today in support of the Jena 6 starting at 5 p.m.

    Continue reading "The Jena 6"
    Posted at 10:13 AM
    Comments (6) | Permalink

    September 19, 2007
    Politics near and far

    I snuck in (about as stealthily as a 6'3" man can) and caught the tail end of The League of Young Voter's local candidates debate last night over at the Community Television Network studios.

    Continue reading "Politics near and far"
    Posted at 09:38 AM
    Comments (2) | Permalink

    August 27, 2007
    Politics and the Internets

    No, I am not teaching a Poli Sci course - which is good for all of us.

    If you'll recall a few weeks back there was a minor dust-up between Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic Congressman Tom Allen, who is hoping to take her spot in the Senate next year.

    Continue reading "Politics and the Internets"
    Posted at 02:12 PM
    Comments (2) | Permalink

    July 24, 2007
    Getting straight on the YouTube debate

    YouTube is a lot of things, including a distraction, a source of comedy, a repository of nostalgia and embarrassment.

    Continue reading "Getting straight on the YouTube debate"
    Posted at 01:57 PM
    Comments (0) | Permalink

    Getting straight on the YouTube debate

    YouTube is a lot of things, including a distraction, a source of comedy, a repository of nostalgia and embarrassment.

    Continue reading "Getting straight on the YouTube debate"
    Posted at 01:57 PM
    Comments (0) | Permalink

    May 31, 2007
    Politicking to the Beat of the Funky Drummer

    For several years now the League of Young Voters has been doing the best it can to crash the traditional political scene by bringing a bunch of young people with them.

    Continue reading "Politicking to the Beat of the Funky Drummer"
    Posted at 01:00 PM
    Comments (0) | Permalink

    April 17, 2007
    Housekeeping and other nuisances

    For all my MegaStorm 2007 jokes, guess who ended up manning the phones and chasing power outages yesterday. Sadly, I did not get access to anything with the word Doppler in it.

    Continue reading "Housekeeping and other nuisances"
    Posted at 02:20 PM
    Comments (1) | Permalink

    Justin is a former newspaper intern and has the scar tissue to prove it. Justin has been a staff writer for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram since 2003, and in 2004 began writing a weekly column in the Monday Magazine.

    If he had to pick a label, the column would fall under "youth culture," covering everything from high school dance etiquette, dealing with college debt, the resurgence of Roller Derby and Portland's one-of-a-kind music scene. This of course has not stopped him from answering letters to Santa Claus or writing about his experience riding shotgun in a drift car.

    Justin is an export from the Midwest. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri and is originally from Minnesota. He enjoys bacon, cheap beer, redheads, Burt Reynolds jokes and wondering what the soundtrack to his life would sound like.

    When he grows up he wants to be an international art thief. Or Captain America.

    Until then he'll be bringing you dispatches about "the young people" and what they do.





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    Second Take: The view from the podium at the League Debate (0)
    The Scanner: An excuse to spend time on the Interwebs (2)
    Jonathan wrote: Great piece by Cory Doctorow! He makes me proud to be a Canadian - among ma...

    Tweeting from the No-Spin Zone (0)
    Keeping 'em honest - Debate Edition (0)
    Monday Morning Round–Up (So that happened part. II) (0)
    Super Tuesday, Super Fun! (1)
    ac wrote: The beer question is crazy to me, primarily because it was the supposed rea...

    A pint and politics on CraigsList (1)
    Alex Steed wrote: I am a big fan (peripherally, of course) of the group "Drinking Liberally"....

    Monday Morning Round–Up (2)
    beetzacheep wrote: beats a cheap what?...

    The Jena 6 (6)
    Elsa wrote: "The principal called the noose incident a 'prank'..." A prank? The dis...

    Politics near and far (2)
    Jane wrote: I agree with ac. Both Meyer and the police were out of line. Meyer did no...

    Politics and the Internets (2)
    brian Hiatt wrote: oh man - what a topic for my COTW debut. too bad i've got two houses full...

    Getting straight on the YouTube debate (0)
    Getting straight on the YouTube debate (0)
    Politicking to the Beat of the Funky Drummer (0)
    Housekeeping and other nuisances (1)
    Richard wrote: OK Justin, I'm .... I ..... I apo- apologize for making fun of the phrase...

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