September 7, 2010 · 5:32 pm

Taxes Are Good??

Paying taxes is good, according to John Burciaga, because it keeps us from becoming evil rich people.

You talk about a hard sell.  I hope that the Newburyport Current editors did not force John Burciaga to write an article advising us that taxation is a good thing.

Whatever the incentive, he made a run at it last week with “The Taxation Myth.” 

I recall back in the day when people would come to our door trying to sell encyclopedia sets and vacuum cleaners.  That was not easy to do but the items being sold made sense to some of us and we became buyers.  But selling taxation as a good thing?  How do you talk anyone into buying that?

John tries it using the “logic” that without taxation there would be rich people….and this is bad.  And even worse, the rich people might not want to associate with those who are not as rich as they are.  He cites those snobs, who built mansions in Newport (RI), and would not associate with those of lesser wealth.  A heavy dose of taxation would have righted that social injustice if John had his way.

What John cannot come to grips with is that most of us can manage our money better than the government can.  When we hear, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help you,” we expect the worst.  John, on the other hand, is delighted.

I think that most Americans are willing to help others.  They will do it without being forced to especially in situations they are informed about.  But if you take money from folks and they learn of it being used unwisely, the taker has a quick two strikes against him. 

I wonder what the taxpayers in Boston think about the idea (described in the Boston Herald) of pouring millions of dollars into the worst schools in the city at the expense of the rest of the schools.  Shouldn’t those who perform well be getting the rewards?  I wonder if John is fearful of successful students getting even further ahead academically.

John’s friend from Hawaii (or wherever?) in the White House has clearly demonstrated a lack of financial sense.  Why would anyone want him using our money?  John might have used Barack’s money management for some sort of reservation about giving the government too much money but the lefty in him would not allow it. 

Maybe in a future article John could explain why the rich people these days (John Kerry?) seem to be on the public payroll and why he wants to give them more money to waste!

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July 4, 2010 · 7:44 pm

Phil Richert Wins Bridgton 4 on the Fourth Road Race

Part of the crowd of 1757 finishers at the Bridgton 4 on the Fourth road race.

(Bridgton ME) Steamy Bridgton was the scene of the 34th annual 4 on the Fourth road race.

Temperatures were in the 80s even at the 8AM start time from beside Food City.

Winner Phil Richert runs alone to victory in the 34th 4 on the Fourth

For the third straight year, the winner was a newcomer to the event.

I like to size up the runners as they prepare for the start to see if I can pick the winner.  After the race starts, I move over to in front of the Magic Lantern to get a great view of the runners cruising down Main Street and to see how I did.  I suspected that there were ringers in the race but chose the wrong one.  My wife, however, guessed Phil Richert and had the winner.

For the second straight year, the eventual winner ran Main Street without company.  The first competitive race was for fifth between Tim Even and John Bechshaw and Tim eventually won while John faded to seventh.

The race now attracts over 1500 runners and has come a long way from 1977 when it was started.  In that starting year, the race was held in DECEMBER with a course that included Chadbourne Road and Upper Ridge Road.  That race ended at the house of the organizer and hot cider was served to the 28 participants.

Later the starting point shifted to the golf course and the ending to Highland Lake.  The hassle of getting runners to the golf course caused it to be shifted to downtown Bridgton in the 1980s where it has stayed.  USA Track & Field have certified the course.

The event is very well organized from beginning to end.  There are still folks who think that they can drive along Main Street just before the runners show up.  Two cars tried it this year and judging by the number of stops they were forced into and the verbals they got, I doubt they’ll make the same mistake again.

Bowman Schneider (aged 7) was one of the 1757 finishers.

One change I noticed was that cones ran down the middle of Main Street giving the runners just half of the road.  With 1757 finishers, I’m not sure that was a great idea.

That high heat brought out health concerns.  You never worry about the elite runners because they have trained enough so that they could probably keep the same pace for another four miles.  It’s the folks who are trained but the heat gets them or the untrained that should be standing beside me rather than risking their lives in front of a large audience.  I did hear a couple of ambulances as I was leaving the race, before all had finished, and pray that there wasn’t a fatality.  I did see one scary elderly gentleman in the race look as if he was going to go down at any minute since he was running at about a 45 degrees angle.  Fortunately, it looked as if a family member was near him in case he headed for the pavement.

I did some online research on the top finishers after seeing their summer residences listed beside their names.  I just wanted to know a little more background.

Winner Phil Richert is from Minnesota and went to Wisconsin = Stevens Point.  The 23-year-old ran track there.  What’s he doing in Bridgton, Maine on a hot July 4th?  The Portland Press Herald found out that he has a summer job at Arcadia National Park in the gift shop on Cadillac Mountain.

Phil’s 19:58 winning time was quite a ways from that of record-setting Colin Peddie.  The 3-time winner ran the course in 18:46 in 1987.  Colin still holds a number of Maine state track records set while he was at Cheverus High School.

Noah Graboys, Douglas Whichard, and Richard Klauber finish 2nd, 3rd, and 4th

In second was Noah Graboys, who just graduated from New Trier High School in Illinois. If you want a favorite for next year, how about this kid?  He finished eighth in 2009.  It surprised me to see an elite runner like Noah have such long hair.  If he returns next year with short hair, he’s my favorite.  Noah’s brother, Sam, finished 11th and he’s just 15.  Both boys are again connected to Camp Wigwam in Waterford for the summer and have run the Bridgton race several times each.

Third was Douglas Whichard who finished 15th at Bridgton as a 16-year-old in 2006.  Doug is from California and is connected to the track program at UC Santa Barbara.

In fourth was Richard Klauber.  This was Richard’s first try at Bridgton.  He’s from Thomaston CT and now runs for Quinnipiac College.  He’ll be a junior.

The first truly local runner to show up was Stoneham’s Tim Even.  Tim is 21, attends the University of Southern Maine and runs track there.  He has been running Bridgton while he was at Fryeburg Academy and had been stuck in the teens for the past three tries.  This time, though, he put together his best time and best finish.

Erica Jesseman finishes first for the women and 14th overall

Scarborough’s Erica Jesseman finished 14th overall to pace the women finishers for the second time.  She also was the best woman in 2006.  She just graduated from UNH and starred in track.

(All information should be considered unofficial.)

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May 9, 2010 · 5:48 pm

Luminaries on the Left Lit Into

John Burciaga gave capitalism a good whacking in the Newburyport Current (May 7th) – “Goldman Sachs: Poster boys for capitalism”.    He states in the article, “I’ve had my glimpse of the business world and excused myself, lest I were found guilty by association.”

Too close to Goldman Sachs?

That “guilt by association” thing, he writes of, can be a good guide.  Staying away from bad folks like Goldman Sachs is terrific advice. 

With this in mind, I wondered why John’s article never referenced President Obama’s still-in-place connections to Goldman Sachs.  The President received $994,795 in campaign contributions from them.  He also has several people in his administration, including Timothy Geithner, with ties to Goldman Sachs.  How does the President escape from a guilt by association perception?

A week ago, John wrote an article for The Current entitled, “It was never easy being green.” In it, John gave unqualified praise to Rachel Carson and the Sierra Club.  Do they deserve it?

Rachel Carson's malaria connections?

Rachel Carson was a marine biologist who wrote as if her training also made her an expert on pesticides.  She asserted in Silent Spring that DDT had questionable value and some readers took her assertion and went on to get DDT banned.  Prior to this, DDT had been part of successfully eliminating malaria in Europe and North America.  Under Rachel’s initiative and the zealotry of followers, Africa was denied the protection DDT provided.  The result was an estimated thirty million deaths in tropical Africa from malaria and yellow fever. 

Rachel originally had a co-author (Edwin Diamond) when the manuscript that became Silent Spring was started. Edwin had been a professor at MIT as well as Science Editor for Newsweek.  Reason for quitting the writing with Rachel?  “It (Silent Spring) was an emotional, alarmist book seeking to cause Americans to mistakenly believe their world was being poisoned.”  Shades of Al Gore? 
 

Louisiana black bear - protected at what cost?

Another of John’s favorites is the Sierra Club. Back in the 1990s, the Army Corps of Engineers studied and determined that the levees on the southern end of the Mississippi Rivers needed to be raised and fortified.  A spokesman for the Army Corps at the time said, “The 303 miles of upgraded levees (along the Mississippi River) were needed because a failure could wreak catastrophic consequences on Louisiana and Mississippi.” 

The Sierra Club ignored the warning being more concerned about the disruption the levee improvements would cause the Louisiana black bear.  Therefore, when the Army Corps tried to start the levee-improving project the Sierra Club filed suit and prevented the work from getting started.  In late August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed into Louisiana.  The levees, as they were, proved no match for Katrina – $81 billion worth of damage and 1,836 deaths. 

John frequently makes sport of Fox News’ claims of being “fair” and “balanced.”  Overlooking Obama’s connections to Goldman Sachs, Rachel Carson’s connection to lives lost from malaria, and the Sierra Club’s connection to the Hurricane Katrina disaster assure me that John will never be accused of either.

 ( Appeared as a letter-to-the-editor in the Newburyport Current on May 14, 2010. )

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April 22, 2010 · 11:08 am

Do Earth Day Earthers Realize the Folly of Godlessness?

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

We are to be stewards of His creation.  Awesome responsibility don’t you think, especially if we do not check in regularly with the earth’s Creator for advice. 

Imagine I give you a car with some miles on it.  In a while, the car doesn’t run as smoothly as you like.  You search for a solution.  You drive differently.  You use different gasoline.  You keep it in your garage.  Would it take a genius to suggest that you might want to check back with me regarding the problems you’re experiencing? 

Am I the only one who realizes the folly of trusting people to “fix” the earth?  How about the folly of trusting governments to “fix” the earth?  But that is exactly what many of these earthers (If there are birthers, why can’t there be earthers?) do. 

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”  Establish a relationship with the Creator and then act on the wisdom He gives regarding earth management.

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April 7, 2010 · 2:05 pm

Annual Skating Show to be Held at Graf Rink in Newburyport

show soloists - (left to right) Lauren Clear, Angelica Kennedy, Sherry Jamieson, Kate Dubois, and program director Nikki Roberts

The Graf Rink in Newburyport will be hosting the Merrimack Valley Skating Club’s annual skating show on April 11th (Sunday) starting at 4PM.

“It is an affordable activity ($5 for adults – $3 for children and seniors) that the whole family can come to and enjoy,” explained show director Nikki Roberts. 

The performers in the show range in ages from three to eighteen and their abilities vary significantly.  “Some are just starting out while our show soloists are skating year round,” said Nikki.  “The soloists are getting private lessons during the year and many of them travel to take part in monthly competitions representing the Merrimack Valley Skating Club.”

The theme of this years show is “Fairy Tales, Fables, and Fantasies.”

Nikki has been program director at Graf Rink since 2003 and has a history with the Graf Rink before that.  “I started skating here in the 1980’s as a kid and then went on to coach part-time,” she recalled.  “A full-time job here was offered and I am glad I accepted the offer.  I love what I do.”

Any show with performers of various ages and ability levels makes for a nerve-wracking afternoon for the director watching from the wings.  However, there is a sense of certainty as to what will be the hit of the show.  “The tiny tots (age 3-6) will get the biggest crowd reaction,” said Nikki.  “They are all in one group number and are just so cute.  Every year the crowd loves them.”

Beyond their three minutes of being in the spotlight in costume, all ten groups and nine soloists will return to the ice for the grand finale at the show’s end to salute the crowd.

The Merrimac Valley Skating Club is headquartered at the Graf Rink. It was formerly known as the Newburyport Figure Skating Club but with numerous members coming from away from Newburyport, the name of the club was changed.  Some of the skaters are from New Hampshire. 

The economy has hurt the club’s numbers.  “With sixty kids, it has been one of our quieter years,” the Newburyport resident said.  “We have had over 100 kids in the show in the past but tighter budgets for families have impacted us this year.”

“My goal is to have the skaters in the show feel good about themselves,” she said.  “They’re cold and nervous and it is difficult going out there in front of a crowd.  They even may fall but that’s okay, as far as I’m concerned, as long as they leave here happy, smiling, and proud of what they’ve done.”

For families considering enrolling their children in the MVSC, the show is a great opportunity to see the skills that their children/grandchildren will be learning. 

For those who enjoyed the Vancouver Winter Olympics, it is a chance to see how trained skaters at the local level are coming along. “We have a large community of talented skaters in this area that go virtually unrecognized,” said Nikki.

Those interested in more information about the show or in becoming part of the Merrimack Valley Skating Club can contact Nikki at the Graf Rink at (978-462-8112).

(This story appeared in The Town Common on April 6, 2010.)

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April 5, 2010 · 6:06 pm

Working With Columns in an Excel Spreadsheet

(I learned how to set up columns on an Excel spreadsheet.  I include it on my blog so that I will have it available for future reference.  Maybe it will also help others who are using Excel and trying to set up columns.)

(1) Inserting a new column

Click on the title of the column where you want the new column to be.

In INSERT click on COLUMN.

(2) Making a formula for a column

Click in the first cell under the title of the column you’re working on.

Start the formula with ( = ) then follow the address ( M2 ) of the cell that starts the formula.

Follow with ( – ) for minus and then add the address of the cell that is doing the minusing. 

Press ENTER.

This will give you a result in that cell of the subtracting that went on.

On the bottom right of the cell with the subtracting result in it, is a small square. 

It can be dragged down the column so that the formula works in all the cells in the three columns involved.

(3) Moving an established column to another place

Highlight the column and in EDIT click on CUT.

Click the column you want the column moved to.

In INSERT click on CUT CELLS.

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March 30, 2010 · 7:25 pm

Will Phoebe Prince’s Death Wake Up the Parents and Grandparents of Teenagers??

Phoebe Prince ended her life on January 14, 2010 in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

The investigation into Phoebe Prince’s death in South Hadley (MA) should be a wake-up call to parents and grandparents of teenagers.  It was to me.

I started thinking about what the kids in my life have to fall back on when family, friends, and school become troubled, and in Phoebe’s case, when they all get troubled at the same time. 

I refused to buy the, “It can’t happen to my kid,” folly and ignore the issue.  This line of thinking would be like living on low-lying land on Plum Island (MA) and choosing to believe that you will always be safe during storms.

“We get along well with our kids.”  “They have lots of friends.”  “They’re doing well in school.”  Among those nine kids indicted in South Hadley, there are surely relatives who said those same things before Phoebe arrived in the summer of 2009.  Who could have imagined that an apparently minor thing like one young girl moving into town could lead, in months, to everything coming unglued for a group of teenagers? 

Family, friends, and school are wonderful things but not worth putting our ultimate trust in.  Each comes with an uncertainty similar to that experienced by the realistic, low-lying homeowners on Plum Island. 

I trust God when it comes to my ultimate security. You and your family ought to consider doing the same thing if you have not already.

As I understand it, Phoebe had no one to turn to.  She did not know that God loved her.  If she had, she could have felt secure in Him despite all the trouble with family, friends, and school. She would have known that God cared for her even if she believed that no one else did. That knowledge may have prevented the choice she decided to make. 

The first four books of the New Testament have numerous stories of Jesus interacting with the Phoebe’s of His time.  He healed, comforted, and blessed many that had troubles that seemed insurmountable.  We face no trouble that He cannot help us get through in our day as well. 

 If you see the limitations of secular solutions then now is the time for you to try God. 

How is that done? First, understand that God is perfect and you are not.  Sounds obvious but some folks get hung up there.  In addition, because of your lifetime of imperfections of all types (small and large), you deserve to end up separated from God.  However, God loved you and sent Jesus to die (Good Friday) for the punishment you deserved because of your imperfections. 

Making God your ultimate life support takes three steps: (1) admit to God that you are imperfect, (2) believe that Jesus died to cover your imperfections, and (3) give your life to God.

Do those things and you will be adding Someone to your life that will never leave you no matter what the circumstances.  He will be there in the mountains of life and the valleys. 

There is a story in the Bible about a foolish man and a wise man.  The foolish man built his house on the sand.  The wise man built his house on a rock.  When the storms came, one house collapsed and the other did not.

You know that life will produce storms for you and your family.  Is your ultimate security and their ultimate security in something solid enough to make it through?

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March 23, 2010 · 5:58 pm

Over-30 Softball Leagues Available for Men and Women

Christine Miller (left) and Jen Miller-True (right) operate a softball league for women over thirty of any ability.

Two area leagues offer softball opportunities for men and women over thirty. 

Skill level and most recent playing experience are not detriments to participation.

In Groveland, Dirt the Skirt Sports Corporation (name came from the movie, “A League of Their Own”) is in its second season. “We offer women over thirty the chance for some fun and exercise playing softball,” said league president Christine Higgins.

“I was an athlete in school,” said Christine, a Boston attorney, “but life had sort of gotten in the way for the last 10-15 years of continuing in sports.  So I decided to organize a softball league.”

The overwhelming response to the women’s league has been a surprise.  “Last year we had 100 members and this year we’re anticipating over 150 members,” said league VP Jen Miller-True.  “Many women have been looking for this type of league for some time and we’re the first to provide it.”

On the other hand, the Over-30 Men’s Softball League in Ipswich is well established.  “This is our 38th season,” said league secretary Peter Rockett.

The origins of organized, over-30 softball for men in Ipswich had little to do with softball or exercise.  “A group of guys in Ipswich, back in the ‘70s, were looking for a way to raise money for scholarships for seniors at Ipswich High School,” Peter explained.  “The idea of organizing for that purpose, around softball for over-30 men, was suggested and then begun.  No one else anywhere was doing anything like this.”

The women’s league uses fields in Groveland. The league is open to players from anywhere.  Games are on weekends from May-August and there are practices during the week. 

The Ipswich men’s league uses fields in that town. Players must be from Ipswich or a surrounding town or work in Ipswich. Games are once a week.  “The only time we get together is for doubleheaders on Sundays,” explained Peter.  “Not having practices appeals to some players’ time schedules but the possibility of getting a muscle strain or worse is a real one especially early in the season.”

A common theme with both leagues is the attempt by management to keep the teams balanced.  The Ipswich league, with four teams of sixteen players each, has a complete redrafting of players every two years in an attempt to keep teams even.  The Dirt the Skirt League, with seven teams and possibly three more, has tryouts to evaluate players before attempting to place them on teams.

One certainty with both softball leagues is the variance in skill levels.  Some players come with resumes while others, as Christine, who played softball at Revere High School, puts it, “don’t know which hand to put the glove on.  We work hard to accommodate all skill levels.”

Another variable is age.  “The age goes up to about sixty so far in our league,” said Jen, who was co-captain of Triton’s softball team for two years. “I still hope that I can be playing when I’m in my 50s and 60s.”

Any discussion of age with the Ipswich Over-30 league turns to Joey Rosenberger, listed on the league’s website as the League Historian/Director.  “Joey goes back to the beginning of the league,” said Peter, who joined in 1995.  “He’s in his mid-70s and still plays two games each Sunday at second base.  He’s in great shape and loves playing and being with his friends.”

Both softball leagues have websites (www.ipswichover30.com and www.dirttheskirtsoftball.com ) where additional details and contact information is available. 

Christine said, “Our motto is: Haven’t played in ten, twenty, or thirty years?  Neither have we.  Come out and join us and have some fun.”

(This story appeared in The Town Common on March 23, 2010.)

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March 13, 2010 · 7:41 pm

Pentucket Falls in State D3 Finals to Lee 56-42

Lee girls pose with D3 state championship trophy after pulling away from cold-shooting Pentucket in the last quarter.

(Worcester) Defense can only take a team so far.  They must light up the scoreboard to win.

Pentucket (26-1) went incredibly cold in the final quarter and it cost them as they lost the D3 state finals to Lee, 56-42, on Saturday morning at the DCU Center in Worcester.

Lee (24-1) neutralized Pentucket’s normal defensive advantages by using the same approach (pressure defense) nearly as effectively.

It was on offense that the Wildcats won the game.  Although Lee was only 15-for-47 (31.9%), and most teams don’t usually win shooting 31.9%, those numbers were good enough on this day because the Sachems were just 12-for-67 (17.9%).

However, despite all the subpar shooting, Pentucket was in contention even as late as two minutes into the last quarter. Sarah Higgins nailed a jumper to bring the Sachems to within a point, 39-38, and left the outcome very much in doubt. Unfortunately, after that, Pentucket connected on just 1-of-17 shots with three air balls in the mix.

During the fatal last six minutes, Pentucket’s ability to put together consistent offense vanished and their ability to control Lee defensively took a similar route.  While the Sachems struggled to score, the Wildcats put up points in ten of their last thirteen possessions (17-4 run) and had more than enough offense to win the state title.

Both teams played fullcourt defense and the exertion required executing it and reacting to it may have taken the shooting legs out from under the Sachems late.  Lee, on the other hand, had foul trouble in the first half and some of their players were benched and got some extra rest because of it.  That unwanted rest may have been given Lee the extra energy they played with in the late, game-deciding minutes.

Katie Eckert (15 points) chased by Emily Lane

Pentucket started the game slowly (trailed 11-4) despite forcing six turnovers in the first three minutes. Katie Eckert (15 points) tallied Lee’s first nine points with a couple of 3’s.

Behind 13-6, the Sachems rallied for seven straight into the start of the second period to tie the score with Ashley Viselli (19 points) getting the last points on a three assisted by Erin McNamara.

Pentucket’s best show of offense was late in the second quarter when they put up ten unanswered points to take a 27-21 advantage with two minutes left in the half.  Ashley Viselli scored five while sister Nicole had two free throws and Sarah Higgins hit a trey.

The Sachems had a 28-24 halftime margin.

When a team (Pentucket) has won 26 straight and leads at halftime, you can’t help but expect that they are on their way to a state title.  However, the Lee girls’ basketball program has more state championships (now seven) than any other athletic program in the state.  They had also reached the state semifinals in seven of the last eight years.  Point?  This team knows something about winning.

This year’s Lee team is a team with multiple point guards and that became important in the second half.  Lee ended up with only eight turnovers in the second half and, as a result, Pentucket had less success using their pressuring defense to limit an opponent’s opportunities on offense.

The Wildcats were able either to get to the basket or the foul line during  the regrettable (for Pentucket) final period.  Lee was 11-for-15 on free throws in the last quarter.

Tara Dooley (#22) defends Erin McNamara (#3)

Erin McNamara (4 points) faced a very good defender in Tara Dooley (9 points) but had shot attempts that we’ve seen her connect on as recently as the Archbishop Williams game (state semifinals – 28 points).  Versus Lee, Erin was 0-for-6 on 3’s and 1-for-14 overall.  To see how sad she was as the game slipped away had me hoping that someone got in her ear about the fact that no one player wins or loses a team game.

What a great run the Sachems had this season!  A quick look at their roster would suggest that this might not be the last time I’m writing about them in an MIAA tournament connection.

( All stats are unofficial. )

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