LD 1603 What Is Lisbon's Rep. Crafts So Afraid Of,,,, His Own Guilt Perhaps?

Bill would loosen gun carry laws for state workers

By Eric Russell, BDN Staff

Posted Jan. 30, 2012, at 12:40 p.m.

AUGUSTA, Maine — Lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow state employees to bring guns to their workplace, as long as they have a concealed weapons permit and keep the firearm locked in their vehicle and out of sight.
LD 1603, sponsored by Rep. Dale Crafts, R-Lisbon Falls, was modeled after a contentious bill that passed last session that gave similar rights to private-sector employees.

The Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee held a public hearing on the new bill Monday, but the committee is not expected to vote on it until next month.
No one spoke in favor of the bill, although the National Rifle Association of America submitted written testimony in support.

“When the state allows employees to park on their property, the property rights of the state should not negate the constitutional right of self-defense for their employees,” the NRA letter read.

Sen. Garrett Mason, R-Lisbon Falls, the Senate chair of the criminal justice committee and a co-sponsor of the bill, said the bill’s intent is simply to give state employees the same rights as private-sector employees.

Read more

Brasscheck: Stuff they don't want you to know‏ (drinking water, fluoride, history, nazis, poison, russians)

Ed's note:  Lisbon Water is fluoride free when we last checked.

Lisbon,

As I look around and wonder why so many people are blind to the
realities of the growing tyranny all around us, I realize...
they've been drugged.

It was good enough for the gulags and concentration camps, well
then by golly it's good enough for you.

Wake up, man! How can you take the Red Pill, if you're drinking the
blue one?


Goodman Green
- Brasscheck

It's in the water...

Communities across the U.S. add fluoride to the water supply. Mainstream experts believe it prevents tooth decay, but conspiracy theorists think there's something sinister afoot. Tune in to learn the craziest (or not so crazy) fluoride conspiracies in this episode of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know.

 Stuff They Don't Want You To Know - Fluoridation

 

OH GREAT!!! Just When You Think You Have Heard It All!!! NaturalNews: Children's medicines found coated with brain-damaging aluminum‏

Dear Lisbon Reporter & NaturalNews readers,

Aluminum is one of those metals that infects healthy brains and drives people to total insanity. Aluminum causes dementia and Alzheimer's, and in children it has been linked to learning disabilities and behavioral disorders.
So why does Big Pharma coat children's medicines with both aluminum and toxic coloring chemicals that damage brains?
It's sick. Learn the truth, then pass it on:
http://www.naturalnews.com/034813_childrens_medicines_aluminum_pills.html

Hey moms, don't be fooled into buying "all natural" breakfast cereals, tortillas and other corn products at the grocery store: They're almost all genetically modified! Nearly all corn and soy ingredients you'll find in food products every day are GMOs:
http://www.naturalnews.com/034812_GMO_corn_soy.html

And did you know that if you eat canned food, the level of BPA in your blood rises 1,200%?
http://www.naturalnews.com/034811_BPA_canned_food_soup.html

On the good news side of things today, Yerma Mate tea is able to kill colon cancer cells:
http://www.naturalnews.com/034806_Yerba_mate_colon_cancer_caffeine.html

And spirulina can help allergy sufferers!
http://www.naturalnews.com/034809_spirulina_allergies_exercise_recovery.html

More news continues below...

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Today's Feature Stories:

Children's medicines coated with brain-damaging aluminum (NaturalNews) Aluminum Lake food coloring, used to heavily coat liquid medicines for children, contains dangerous amounts of aluminum and harmful synthetic petrochemicals. These "petrochemicals" are carcinogens containing petroleum...

Did you know? Nearly all corn and soy products purchased at grocery stores are genetically modified and may place your health at risk (NaturalNews) More than 90 percent of all soybeans grown in the United States are genetically modified (GM) for herbicide resistance and are consequently sprayed with massive quantities of those toxic chemicals. Fully 85 percent of all corn grown in the...

Toxic BPA levels increase by a shocking 1,200 percent after eating canned food (NaturalNews) A Harvard study suggests that avoiding BPA packaging most of the time isn't enough to avoid its toxic side effects. Even a daily bowl of canned soup is enough to spike your BPA levels by more than 1,200 percent. Researchers at...

McDonald's forced to disclose all chemical ingredients on food sold in Russia (NaturalNews) A Russian consumer rights' group recently filed a lawsuit against McDonald's at Moscow's Tverskoy Court. The consumer groups involved in the suit say that McDonald's milkshakes are falsely named because they contain little milk. McDonald's...

Spirulina significantly aids allergy sufferers and improves exercise performance (NaturalNews) Spirulina is a blue-green algae which is commercially produced and widely marketed as a "superfood" and immune booster. It is also a rich source of natural, plant-based iron, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C, and an excellent source of plant...

Prescription heart drugs kill dozens of hospital patients in Pakistan (NaturalNews) Tainted pharmaceuticals from unnamed manufacturers are confirmed to have killed dozens of people, and likely many more, in Pakistan. Reuters reports that thousands of doses of contaminated heart drugs freely distributed by the Punjab...

Lawsuit filed to halt US Navy's use of sonar that damages marine life (NaturalNews) Five environmental groups have joined forces with an inter-tribal group representing ten Northern California American Indian tribes to sue the US government for failing to limit sonar naval training exercises harmful to marine life. ...

Yerba mate tea kills colon cancer cells (NaturalNews) A recent scientific study found that yerba mate tea induces death in human colon cancer cells. Scientists discovered that in vitro cancer cells died when exposed to the bioactive compounds present in one cup of the beverage long valued for...

Public remains stunningly ignorant about residential solar (NaturalNews) After months of wrestling with the County Building Department about permits and codes, excruciating financial gymnastics and down and dirty back-breaking spadework, we finally got our solar installation up. It's a massive 3 kw (stc) photovoltaic...

How to maintain healthy weight loss (NaturalNews) At the start of every new year, many people like to make a resolution or two. Often this revolves around their weight, having over-indulged during the holiday period. So they start at a gym or engage in a weight loss program or buy a book...

Scientists admit non-stick cookware and fluorine compounds cause vaccines to fail (NaturalNews) Many consumer and industrial products contain perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which are highly-persistent organofluorine compounds that make certain materials oil, water, and stain resistant. But according to a new study published in the...

Government 101: Assault on the Constitution by Judge Napolitano (carrot and stick, federal , nanny state, states)+

The federal government's carrot and stick over the states

Lisbon,

How did the control freaks in the federal government get so much
power over every little aspect of our lives?

These powers aren't given to them by the Constitution!

How did they come by this 'claimed' authority to rule and regulate
and even criminalize everything?

Well, one way they did it was by withholding federal money unless
states complied with federal demands.

The old carrot and stick...

Video:

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/9161.html

Goodman Green
- Brasscheck

 How the federal government
gets around the Constitution

Example: Minimum drinking age
or no federal highway funds

The United States Congress passed legislation, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, designed to discourage states from lowering the legal drinking age in 1984. It did so by withholding 5% of federal highway funding from states that did not comply. In 1988, that amount changed to 10%. South Dakota, which had allowed 19-year-olds to purchase beer containing up to 3.2% alcohol, sued to challenge the law, naming Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole as the defendant because her office was responsible for enforcing the legislation.

The Supreme Court decided that Congress applying its taxing and spending clauses was not in violation of the 21st Amendment. It is subject to four covenants:

1.The condition must be unambiguous;

2.The condition must promote "the general welfare";

3.The condition should relate "to the federal interest in particular national projects or programs"; and

4.Other constitutional provisions may provide an independent bar to the conditional grant of federal funds.

The first three restrictions, Rehnquist noted, are uncontested. This leaves the fourth restriction. The Tenth Amendment bars federal regulation of the States, and it has been suggested that the Twenty-First Amendment might prohibit federal regulation of the drinking age. Nevertheless, the Congressional condition of highway funds is merely a "pressure" on the State to comply, not a "compulsion" to do so, because the State's failure to meet the condition deprives it of only 5% of the highway funds it may obtain. Therefore, Congress has not run afoul of the Tenth or Twenty-First Amendments.

Dissent

Justices O'Connor and Brennan each filed dissents. O'Connor agreed that Congress may attach conditions on the receipt of federal funds, and that the Twenty-First Amendment gives states authority over laws relating to the consumption of alcohol. The attached condition on the states, O'Connor said, must be "reasonably related to the expenditure of funds." O'Connor disagreed with the Court's finding that withholding federal highway funds was reasonably related to deterring drunken driving and drinking by minors and young adults. She argued that the condition was both over and under-inclusive: it prevents teenagers from drinking when they are not going to drive on federal and federally-funded highways, and it does not attempt to remedy the overall problem of drunken driving on federal and federally-funded highways. Therefore, the relation here between the condition and spending is too attenuated:

“ Establishment of a minimum drinking age of 21 is not sufficiently related to interstate highway construction to justify so conditioning funds appropriated for that purpose.”

If the condition and spending are too attenuated, then they fail the court's "reasonable relation" test, falling outside the scope of Congress's power in the Constitution. Brennan, in a brief paragraph, states his agreement with O'Connor, stating that the Twenty-First Amendment "strikes the proper balance between federal and state authority".

‏

Brasscheck TV: US and EU sign ACTA, global internet censorship treaty‏ (ACTA, Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, censorship, eu, European Union, obama)

Lisbon,

Months before websites all over the internet voluntarily went dark
in protest of SOPA, the internet censorship bill which was being
considered by congress, Obama signed onto the Anti-Counterfeiting
Trade Agreement.

He did so way back in October of last year using his claimed
authority to make 'executive agreements', which basically means he
doesn't intend to, or even believe he needs to, get the congress to
ratify this TREATY.

Yesterday the European Union signed onto ACTA without any debate.

ACTA has become a reality far worse for internet freedom than
either SOPA or PIPA ever even threatened to be.

Here's what you really need to know about ACTA...

Goodman Green

- Brasscheck

 Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
(ACTA) explained

EU signs ACTA, global internet censorship treaty

Rady Ananda
Activist Post

Today, the European Union and 22 member states signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. They have now joined the US and seven other nations that signed the treaty last October.

This signing ceremony merely formalized the EU’s adoption of ACTA last month, during a completely unrelated meeting on agriculture and fisheries, reports TechDirt.

Though initiated by the US, Japan is the official depository of the treaty.

Removal of the Three Strikes clause, in which users accused of three counts of piracy would be barred from the internet, paved the way for the EU to adopt ACTA last month.

Related to ACTA, a chapter in the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) “would have state signatories adopt even more restrictive copyright measures than ACTA,” reports the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Both ACTA and TPP were developed without public input and outside international trade groups, like the World Trade Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
 Leaked cables published by WikiLeaks in 2009 exposed early drafts of ACTA, resulting in a firestorm of controversy. Those cables, coupled with later releases, showed that ACTA negotiations began in 2006 and were controversial even to participating states.  An historical summary of the treaty’s progress through December can be found here.

ACTA Violates Magna Carta and US Constitution

Like PIPA and SOPA, two domestic internet censorship bills that prompted major websites to blacken their name or website in a Jan. 18th protest, ACTA allows accusers of copyright infringement to bypass judicial review.  Lack of “due process” makes these bills and ACTA unconstitutional and violates the Magna Carta, a charter signed in 1215 on which most Western law is based, including the US Constitution.  It is often cited as the most important legal document in the history of democracy.

(The USA PATRIOT Acts, Obama’s assassination program, and the National Defense Authorization Act that allows indefinite detention are among many recent laws passed in the US which directly breach the Magna Carta.)

“The Constitution states only one command twice,” explains Peter Strauss of Cornell University Law School, further elaborating:

The Fifth Amendment says to the federal government that no one shall be ‘deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law.’ The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, uses the same eleven words, called the Due Process Clause, to describe a legal obligation of all states. These words have as their central promise an assurance that all levels of American government must operate within the law (‘legality’) and provide fair procedures.

Not only due process, but US adoption of ACTA also violates Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, which provides that the president “shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur.”

The Senate never voted on ACTA.

During the Jan. 18 internet blackout, Darrell Issa (R-CA) introduced OPEN, (H.R. 3782, the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade Act).  Heather Callaghan points out that even though OPEN targets foreign-based websites,

[T]he bill’s wording is wide open to pursue American sites. Just one example: when describing an infringing site, it starts with those ‘that are accessed through a non-domestic domain name,’ but continues in section (8)(A)(ii) for any site that ‘conducts business directed to residents of the United States.’

 

As this slew of internet censorship bills and treaties make their way into law, “the United States fell 27 places on the Reporters Without Borders tenth annual Press Freedom Index of 2011 to 47th overall,” reports Activist Post.

Today’s signatories included the EU, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Last October, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States signed ACTA.

Though involved in early ACTA negotiations, Switzerland and Mexico have not yet ratified it.  However, “Since the agreement remains open to signature until May 2013, it is possible that other states may make a move to join it as well,” said Maira Sutton of EFF.

Read original here

The Maine WIRE- LD1778 Summary and Public Hearing Primer

LD 1778 Summary and Public Hearing Primer

by Terrilyn Simpson

The director of the Maine State Housing Authority has no accountability to the governor, the legislature or the MaineHousing board of commissioners.

Maine State Housing is the only quasi-governmental agency in the state in which the director has no accountability to its board.

Maine citizens will have an opportunity to voice opinions and offer arguments regarding MSHA director accountability on Tuesday afternoon at a legislative hearing at the state capitol. It will be the first public round in the debate over the MSHA director accountability bill sponsored by Senator Jon Courtney (R-York County).

The public hearing on LD (Legislative Document) 1778 — An Act Relating to the Governance of the Maine State Housing Authority — will be held at 1:00 on Tuesday, January 31 in Room 208 of the Cross Building, located next to the State House.

More here.

ACTION ALERT: MaineHousing Accountability Bill Public Hearing - January 31st, 1pm‏

 

MHPC Action Alert: 

MaineHousing Accountability

________________________________________________________________________________   What: MaineHousing Account​ability Bill Public Hearing   When: Tuesday, January 31st, 1pm   Where: Augusta, StateHouse (Cross Building) - Room 208: Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development   Why: To Testify on LD 1778, A bill that would make the Maine Housing Authority Director accountable to the MSHA Board of Commissioners.

________________________________________________________________________________   The problems at MaineHousing have been well documented. The nearly $300,000 for one-unit "affordable" apartments, bonuses of $1,000 handed out to all employees and the hundreds of luxury hotels, massages, parties and political donations - all paid for with public dollars.   Currently, the Director of MaineHousing is accountable to no one. The Director was appointed, and is in the beginning of a 4-year term as Director that cannot be changed. LD 1778, Sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Jon Courtney, would make the MaineHousing Director accountable to the Board of Commissioners at MaineHousing.   If you are concerned about what is going on at MaineHousing - please join MHPC at the January 31st public hearing for LD 1778 and consider providing public testimony in support of more accountability and oversight for the Maine State Housing Authority.   If you plan to provide testimony, please bring 25 copies of your written testimony to submit to the committee.    If you have questions - please contact Sam Adolphsen:

 

CONTACT:   

Sam Adolphsen

207.975.6617 (c)

sam@mainepolicy.org

Symptoms of a Stroke

Stroke has a new indicator     

They say if you e.mail this to ten people, you stand a chance of saving one life.  Will you send this along?  Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator,  the Tongue

 

I will continue to forward this every time it comes around!
STROKE: Remember the 1st Three Letters..... S. T. R.  
STROKE  IDENTIFICATION:
During a BBQ, a woman stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) ...she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.
They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Jane's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 PM Jane passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.
It only takes a minute to read this.

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough. 
RECOGNIZING A STROKE
  Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR. Read and
Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say a  bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S  *Ask the individual to SMILE.
T  *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A
SIMPLE SENTENCE  (Coherently)
(I.e. It is sunny out today.)
R  *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue
NOTE:  Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue. If the tongue is
'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved. 
I have done my part. Will you?

Submitted by: Rufus

Brasscheck TV: The Bogus drug war - Introducing Incarcerex: Helping politicians maintain long lasting election results‏

Lisbon,
 
A humorous depiction of how the government incarcerates too many
people for petty drug offenses. The Prison Industrial Complex is
making too much money locking up otherwise law abiding citizens.
 
The government is addicted to Incarcerex...
 

 
Goodman Green
- Brasscheck

 Introducing Incarcerex ℞: Helping politicians maintain long lasting election results

 

 Active duty cop: 

'The war on drugs is a war on people'

 Raw Story

Speaking to Raw Story recently, an active duty police officer who asked not to be named threw down the gauntlet over the part of his job he hates most: the drug war.

"I did not get in law enforcement to destroy a person's future because that person had marijuana or a pill in their pocket," the officer explained. "Why would you want to destroy that person's future and cause them great harm because of that? It's not worth it."

Like many Americans, the reality of the drug war was was nothing like what he'd been taught to believe in his youth. But statistics like a citizen being arrested for drugs every 19 seconds in 2010, and 1.6 million people incarcerated over drugs in 2009, were nothing compared to what he actually experienced in the front lines of the drug war on America's users.

But for those officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect the public from dangerous, violent criminals, the drug war isn't always just another part of the job. For this officer in particular, it's much more than that: "The war on drugs is a war on people," he claimed.

"I just didn't see problems from illegal drug users that I'd been led to believe," the officer explained. "Most of the calls that we get on drug use, as police, are alcohol related. Alcohol is a serious drug that can be abused, but I just didn't see the calls on other drugs like I had been led to believe. I didn't see these drug-crazed people out there doing crazy things... Even growing up before entering law enforcement, I was always led to believe that the drug war was meant to stop all these people from doing crazy things. But on the street, that's not what you see. That's a lie."

In his view, the officer said that the American public would be much better off if the government would "regulate drugs and keep the control out of the hands of the black market criminals."

"The cartels have been running a serious drug operation in America for decades, and I don't think most Americans are really aware of it," he said. "The money comes from the prohibition of drugs. These criminals are making their money because of the prohibition. If you legalize and regulate it, their profits go to zero."

For more than two decades in law enforcement, he said that he's carried an immense guilt: his first drug arrest.

"I was in training, on 'the other side of the tracks,' for lack of better words, and we pulled a vehicle over," he explained. "The guy, I think he had a defective taillight or something. He was sober, polite, respectful, no problems, and my training officer said, 'Oh yeah, he's gonna have drugs.' So, I asked if we could search his vehicle and he gave me permission. Within no time, I found a small amount of (hard) drugs, so he was facing a serious charge. The whole time I was thinking, 'This is not right. This guy's keeping to himself, not hurting nobody, he's a peaceful person.' I instinctively knew this was wrong. I changed my perspective immediately. This was not the war on drugs that I thought it would be."

Read more here

Thrive ~ What On Earth Will It Take? (Full HD Trailer)

THRIVE is an unconventional documentary premiering online on 11.11.11 at http://thrivemovement.com.

"THRIVE lifts the veil on what's REALLY going on in our world by following the money upstream -- uncovering the
global consolidation of power in nearly every aspect of our lives. Weaving together breakthroughs in science, consciousness and activism, THRIVE offers real solutions, empowering us with unprecedented and bold strategies for reclaiming our lives and our future."

Dear Visitors, Friends & Subscribers,

Personally, I can't wait to see this on 11.11.11.

Astronaut Edgar Mitchel, Nassim Haramein, Steven Greer, M.D., Deepak Chopra, M.D., David Icke, to name but a few, on limitless energy, ancient symbols, UFO's, E.T's, Crop Circles, Big Pharma, Big Energy, and the Federal Reserve.

The clock is ticking folks. Watch this full HD trailer. Visit the website in the video information section. Don't miss any of this one.

Wishing you all Love, Light, Peace and Truth ~ Always.

Namaste,

NDD

Thrive - Corporate Personhood - Rinaldo Brutoco

Thrive - Take Money out of Politics - Paul Hawken

Thrive - How the Money Scam Works - Bill Still

To Believe In A Day,,, Jackie Evancho Video - To Believe with Lyrics HD

Jackie Evancho - The Official Jackie Evancho Site
http://www.jackieevancho.com/us/home

Professional Deception Of Town Funds Lisbon Style OR Gross Mismanagement? Both?

MORE MONEY UNCOVERED

The master of hiding money from the people is none other than the Chief of Police, David T. Brooks. It is a shame he cannot find money like our $32,500 misappropriated from the town but he sure can hide it from the citizens of Lisbon. During his presentation on the Consolidation of the Communication Center, Brooks openly admitted line items for the communication center were placed under different departments in the budget. The cost for communication center personnel, telephone, software, repair & maintenance and supplies was scattered in other places within the budget in order to disguise the actual cost of operating the police department.

After reviewing the school budget for this year, there was an interesting abnormality discovered. It seems the school is required to pay the two Student Resource Officers assigned to the school department. According to the Superintendent of School, Richard Green, these Lisbon Police officers perform critical tasks such as cyber bulling and handle family crises. These two officers are on the staff of the Lisbon Police Department and are performing police duties. Mr. Green stated these officers are a critical entity of the school system.

Now comes the rub, the School Department is required to pay 75% of these officers salary. Why should the school department pay anything for these officers? These officers are members of the 14 officers of the Lisbon Police Department and are performing police duties in the schools. Just because these officers duty assignment is in the school does not justify making the school department pay 75% of their salary. This is just another way for Brooks to hide more money from the people of Lisbon. Brooks does everything he can to conceal the true operating cost of the police department.

Honesty would go a long ways to improving communications in this town. The people have a right to know where their money is going and what the true cost of operating each department is. How can anyone see where to cut spending if all the costs are not located in their right places? This is yet another prime example of mismanagement by our town officials.

Larry Fillmore

Concerned Citizen

ANDROSCOGGIN RIVER TRAIL HAPPY TRAILS OR WHITE ELEPHANT?

ANDROSCOGGIN RIVER TRAIL
 
HAPPY TRAILS OR WHITE ELEPHANT?

On November 4, 2009 Town of Lisbon residents went to the polls and voted to approve a bond in the amount of $320,000.00.

This $320,000.00 is the town’s share of $1,600,000.00 to build a trail continuing from the present trail at the Sabattus River Bridge on Route 196 and Frost Hill Avenue, UNDER the Sabattus River Bridge, over several sections of wetlands, cross the railroad TWICE, pass right under the kitchen windows of property owners on Davis Street.

More than 2 ½ years and how many dollars later and the project still
has not gotten off the ground. The town is still waiting for approvals
from the Army Corp of Engineers and Maine DEP.

At a January 24, 2012 Council workshop, Town Engineer Ryan Leighton said we still need to obtain the necessary permits, get easements from property owners, decide if the town will hire a contractor to oversee the project or act as our own contractor, which would mean hiring a Licensed Professional Engineer and additional workers at the Public Works Department.

Why hire another Engineer?

We are a long way from even beginning work.

Councilor Bowie laughingly said if the homeowners won’t sign easements maybe the town could use Eminent Domain.

 Keep Praying Mike Bowie, You And Brother Dale Have A  Lot of Sins To Undue!

Would Mr. Bowie want people walking under his kitchen window?

Would Mr. Eldridge want people walking under his windows?

Mr. Noyes Lawrence is a big proponent of the Androscoggin River Trail.

Would he want people walking under his windows?

We are paying $16,000 a year on a bond for a project they are nowhere
near ready to begin! ! ! !

How much has already been spent??????

Will those coming from other towns to walk our beautiful trails,
spend any money here? Support our local businesses? (Other than at Hogie’s Hot Dogs? No offense Frank. )

Eat at our restaurants? Shop at Food City, Rite Aid, Family Dollar?

WHY ARE WE SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY FOR SO LITTLE RETURN ON INVESTMENT??????

Dot Fitzgerald
Lisbon Concerned Citizen

Brasscheck TV: War Is A Racket - Phil Donahue on the foreign policy of a warrior nation (anti-war, campaign 2012, CNN, iran, Phil Donahue, Piers Morgan, Ron Paul, war)‏

Lisbon,
 
Phil Donahue, an American media personality, writer, and film
producer best known as the creator and host of 'The Phil Donahue
Show', was interviewed recently and had some very common sense
arguments against the next war.
 
"You can hear the drums in the background," says Phil as we listen
to any one of the Presidential candidates on the campaign trail.
"You can't use an anti-war platform to get elected, so maybe that
explains why it's so easy for us to go to war." 
 
Phil's right, but I certainly hope he's wrong...
 
Video:
 
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/9142.html
 
Goodman Green
- Brasscheck

 Phil Donahue on the foreign policy
of a warrior nation

The Iranian oil embargo:
does this mean war?

The Guardian
The decision to impose an EU oil embargo on Iran, agreed on Monday by European foreign ministers, sets a potential bomb ticking, timed to detonate on 1 July.

On that day, according to the package of measures on the table in Brussels, Europe will stop importing oil from Iran, about a fifth of the country's total exports. At about the same time, US sanctions targeted at the global financing of Iran's oil trade will also kick in. Iran could still export some of its oil to Asia, but at big discounts.

Unlike previous sanctions on Iran, the oil embargo would hit almost all citizens and represent a threat to the regime. Tehran has long said such actions would represent a declaration of war, and there are legal experts in the west who agree.

The threat of an immediate clash in the Gulf appeared to recede over the weekend when the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier and its task force, including the British frigate HMS Argyll and a French warship, travelled through the strait of Hormuz without incident. This was despite warnings earlier this month from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that it would oppose the return of a US carrier to the region.

But tensions are almost certain to build again as the effective date of the oil sanctions approaches. The US has already begun beefing up its military presence in the region, and the IRGC is planning new naval war games next month. Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi told the Fars news agency earlier this month that the upcoming exercises, codenamed "the Great Messenger", would be different from previous war games, without going into detail.

Read more here

Excessive Spending Lisbon Style

EXCESSIVE SPENDING

Check out the article below and then explain to the people of Lisbon why our town manager received an annual salary of $86,749 according to the 2009-2010 Lisbon Annual Report.  Also, since then Eldridge has received a 1.75% increase in his salary.

http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/contract-okd-for-skowhegan-town-manager_2012-01-25.html

According to this article, the Skowhegan Selectman just renewed the town managers contract for another three year period.  His salary for the coming year will be $66,837.  This is for a town loaded with businesses such as  SAPPI Fine Paper, New Balance Shoe, Howard P. Fairfield and Redington Fairview General Hospital just to name a few.  Skowhegan’s population is approximately 8,500.  This community is growing rapidly. 

Now, compare the communities of Skowhegan and Lisbon.  See if you can explain why Lisbon’s town manager is receiving $19,912 plus dollars more than Skowhegan town manager for a community losing revenue from businesses closing.  

 If you still do not get it, then look at your tax bill and ask yourself why is it so high?  The answer is inflated salaries and excessive spending. 


As long as Lisbon keeps this council in place to protect these ridiculously inflated salaries and continue their excessive spending, your taxes will continue to climb higher and higher.

On another note, this council is not planning on allowing the people to vote on any municipal budget.  Bowie is going to do everything in his power to protect Brooks and his inflated budget.  Since he is the puppet master, and no other councilor dares to cross him, the police budget is safe.  I think it is time for a special town meeting to vote on this year’s municipal budget.  Since there were over 2,000 voters in Lisbon, who want to vote on the municipal budget you would think the council would make this their number one priority honoring the people’s wishes but instead they are plotting to find ways to prevent this from happening.   Brooks knows if the people vote on this year’s budget they will cut his budget deeply and he cannot afford this to happen.

 

 How 'bout it Councilor Bickford & New Councilor Ward, Do You Support The People's Wishes to Vote on the Town Budget?

If you want to vote on this year’s budget, please contact Mrs. Dot Fitzgerald at 353-9306.  Dot is going to take the lead on this.
 
Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen

Brasschecktv: War Is A Racket USS Enterprise, Possible False Flag? (false flag, iran, Israel, USS Enterprise, war)

Lisbon,
 
False flag operations are covert operations conducted by
governments, which are designed to deceive the public in such a way
that the operations appear as if they are being carried out by an
enemy.
 
Basically, it is a way for governments to 'play victim' in order to
mask their own aggression.
 
History is replete with such operations, but it's getting harder
and harder for governments to conduct false flag operations because
they've run the play over and over again.
 
People are paying more attention now, and we've seen it before...
 
Video:
 
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/9122.html
 
Goodman Green
- Brasscheck

 USS Enterprise, possible false flag?

 

False Flag Terrorism

WantToKnow.info

"False flag terrorism" occurs when elements within a government stage a secret operation whereby government forces pretend to be a targeted enemy while attacking their own forces or people. The attack is then falsely blamed on the enemy in order to justify going to war against that enemy. Or as Wikipedia defines it:

False flag operations are covert operations conducted by governments, corporations, or other organizations, which are designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as if they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is, flying the flag of a country other than one's own. False flag operations are not limited to war and counter-insurgency operations, and have been used in peace-time; for example, during Italy's strategy of tension.

The term comes from the old days of wooden ships, when one ship would hang the flag of its enemy before attacking another ship in its own navy. Because the enemy's flag was hung instead of the flag of the real country of the attacking ship, it was called a "false flag" attack.

There are many examples of false flag attacks throughout history. For example, it is widely known that the Nazis, in Operation Himmler, faked attacks on their own people and resources which they blamed on the Poles, to justify the invasion of Poland. And it has now been persuasively argued — as shown, for example, in this History Channel video — that Nazis set fire to their own parliament, the Reichstag, and blamed that fire on others. The Reichstag fire was the watershed event which justified Hitler's seizure of power and suspension of liberties.

And in the early 1950s, agents of an Israeli terrorist cell operating in Egypt planted bombs in several buildings, including U.S. diplomatic facilities, then left behind "evidence" implicating the Arabs as the culprits (one of the bombs detonated prematurely, allowing the Egyptians to identify the bombers). Israel's Defense Minister was brought down by the scandal, along with the entire Israeli government.

The Russian KGB apparently conducted a wave of bombings in Russia in order to justify war against Chechnya and put Vladimir Putin into power (see also this essay and this report). And the Turkish government has been caught bombing its own and blaming it on a rebel group to justify a crackdown on that group. Muslim governments also play this game. For example, the well-respected former Indonesian president claimed that their government had a role in the Bali bombings.

This sounds nuts, right? You've never heard of this "false flag terrorism," where a government attacks its own people then blames others in order to justify its goals, right? And you are skeptical of the statements discussed above? Please take a look at these historical quotes:

"If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy." - U.S. President James Madison

"Why of course the people don't want war ... But after all it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship ... Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country." - Hermann Goering, Nazi leader.

Continue reading here

Lisbon PWS Geography Club‏

Lisbon - On Wednesday, January 11, ten students participated in the initial
round of the National Geographic Bee at Philip W. Sugg Middle School in
Lisbon Falls. Ciera Miller took first place in the competition and is
looking to qualify for the State Level Bee to be held in March. Second
place went to Jacob Fusaro. Both winners were provided with certificates,
medals, and gift cards for Books-a-Million. Ciera also won a full-color
reference book to further her studies in geography and social sciences.
 
Ms. Amy Kissell, seventh grade English language arts / social studies
teacher, was the Bee coordinator and advisor for the group, practicing and
studying for the competition in the previous weeks and months after school.
 
"All of the members of the PWS Geography Bee worked very hard in preparation
for the school level National Geographic Bee. It was really fun to see their
efforts pay off as they answered many challenging questions correctly in the
multiple rounds of competition. I'm so proud of everyone who challenged
themselves to participate," shared Kissell.
 
 

Pictured(l-r):Back row: Ms. Kissell, Cody Richard, Paige D'Amboise, Melinda
Durgin, Jeremy Pelligrini; front row: Jake Angelico, Ciera Miller, Jacob
Fusaro. Not available for photo Jordan Cole, Noah Bainiskas, Ali Sult.

FMI on other events and programs email mmillhime@lisbonschoolsme.org or call
754.0021. Like us on Facebook at Community Resource News in Lisbon Schools.

Lisbon Community School Presents Get Up & Grow!‏

Members of the fourth grade at Lisbon Community School are busy rehearsing for their Annual Drama production. Working under the director Laurie Adams,  students will be ready when the curtain goes up opening night on Friday, February 3.   Pictured (l-r) David Poulin, Charlee Cox, Carolyn Shane, Abby Lebel, Lena Couture, Destinee Miller, Megan Ross, Aubrey Huntington, Siara Martin, Elise Smith, Eva Deveau, Jack Tibbetts.  Not available for photo Katie Scroggins.  Photo by Pamela Shane.

Lisbon - Lisbon Community Schools' Drama Club will be performing “Get Up and Grow” a play in a day on anti-bullying by Jill and Michael Gallina. The inspirational play in a day encourages the children to grow up healthy and with good values. Members of the LCS and PWS staff, the LCS Parent Teachers Organization along with the student’s parents and community volunteers assisted with the production.  Curtain goes up in the LCS Cafetorium, 33 Mill Street in Lisbon on Friday, February 3 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, February 4 at 1 p.m.  Donations accepted at the door.  FMI call 353.4132 or visit us on Facebook at Community Resource News in Lisbon Schools or email mmillhime@lisbonschoolsme.org.

Sugg Middle School Girls Basketball‏

Winthrop traveled to Lisbon
 
7th grade
 
Lisbon 42 Winthrop 16
 
Lisbon 
Kipri Steele and Hayley Wheeler 10 points
Kaylin Le 8 points
 
 
Winthrop
 
Haley Stoneton 8
 
 
 
 
 
8th grade 
 
Lisbon 51 Winthrop 27
 
Lisbon
Adrianna White 24 points
Bree Sautter with 6 points
 
Winthrop
 
Abby Abbott 14 points
 
Sarah Smith 5 points
 
Lisbon Plays away at Cony Thursday 1/26
Lisbon Plays Home vs Monmouth 1/27
 

Town Council Busted: Last night, the Town Council Held It's First And Hopefully It's Last Secretive Workshop

SECRETIVE WORKSHOP

Last night, the Town Council held its first and hopefully its last secretive workshop.  This event was not published on the town web site but was on the sign board in front of the town office.  The calendar had no entry but the workshop was held.  Workshops are supposed to be open to the public and this one was because Mrs. Fitzgerald and I showed up because we do not trust this town council.  Both Dot and I check the town web site daily in order to stay on top of what is going on in this town.

 

 Roger Therriault

 "Finally he was able to stay awake and do a presentation!"

The Town Attorney, Roger Therriault, finished up his Councilor Orientation.  The information he put out was very enlightening but unfortunately fell on deaf ears.  Here are some of the items covered:

a.    There are no limitations on workshops.
b.    The purpose of workshops is to gather information. 
c.    Workshops should have a published agenda along with the documents (handouts being discussed)
d.    The council can take comments from the public.
e.    Can take polls but no voting.
f.    Discussed Ethic and conflict of interest.
g.    Avoid the perception of any conflict of interest.
h.    All decisions must be based on “fair and equitable facts”
i.    Discussed the Charter
j.    Discuss the “Home Rule”
k.    Municipal’s has the power to do whatever that is not explicitly stated by the state.
l.    Charter is the rules and regulations of how the council should operate.
m.    Urged the councilors to read the chapter on “Separation of Power”
n.    How to change the Charter.
1.    The council can prepare amendments.
2.    Establish a Charter Commission
3.    Petition by the people.
4.    All of the above must be voted on by the people.

It would be nice if this council would adhere to the attorney and start publishing the agenda and placing the handouts on the web site prior to the workshop like is done for their meetings.  Also, taking input from the public at workshops would go a long ways to gather information which is the purpose of a workshop.

Next the Town Engineer, E. Ryan Leighton, wanted to discuss the closing of numerous roads in order to cut spending and save money.  I was not provided the handouts so I cannot publish what roads were discussed.  At the end of the discussion, it was determined the council would select one road to use as a test to ensure the process was good.  They also needed to get information from the Assessor on what impact this would have on the property value.  Mr. Leighton stated there is no significant saving short term but possibly long term.

The next topic Mr. Leighton discussed was the Androscoggin River Trail project.   This project was bonded several years ago by the people.  The project has not moved very much and cannot move ahead until the Army Corps of Engineers approve the project.  Then there is another hurdle to be overcome and that is putting the project out to bid.  But the most significant fact that came out is the town will have to hire a real engineer to oversee the project.  This is a “Licensed Professional Engineer” which Mr. Leighton is not but is receiving a salary equal to a Licensed Professional Engineer.  This is additional expense to the town which is paid by the taxpayers.
Why doesn’t the town hire a Licensed Professional Engineer if we are going to continue spending these taxpayers’ dollars on an engineer? 

 

Were You Listening?

 I hope the Town Council will take the guidance of the town attorney and make the adjustments to the procedures of the workshop.  I believe it will benefit the council and make workshops more productive.

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen

Study Shows Reduction in Public-Sector Union Enrollment Would Save Maine Taxpayers $263 Million Per Year‏

STUDY: Reduction in Public-Sector Union Enrollment Would Save Maine Taxpayers $263 Million Per Year 

 

 

Bloated State Employee Wages More Than Double the Amount

Needed to Fill the DHHS Budget Shortfall

 

PORTLAND – A study released this week by the Goldwater Institute details the crippling financial impact of public-sector unionization, and shows that a 50% reduction in Maine’s public-sector union membership would save taxpayers $263 million a year. This savings would more than double the amount needed to fill the current shortfall in the Health and Human Services budget.

 

The Goldwater study cites information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that shows state employee wages are 44% higher than private sector wages. Further study shows that unionized state employees nationwide earn 42% more than state employees that don’t belong to a union. A 50% decrease in union membership across the nation is estimated to save taxpayers over $49 billion annually, and $263 million in Maine alone.

 

The study also notes a study from the Kennedy School at Harvard University, showing an increase in interest cost to states with high public-sector union membership:

“The study’s authors note that union strength in a particular level of government…can indicate to bond markets that those governments may not be able to overcome the political pressure to implement budget-conscious measures when necessary.

 

“Those states with a more heavily unionized government sector tended to have higher borrowing costs relative to other states with a less unionized government sector."

 

“This study reinforces what Franklin Roosevelt told us more than 70 years ago – that the concept of public-sector unions is ‘unthinkable and intolerable’,” said Lance Dutson, Chief Executive Officer of The Maine Heritage Policy Center. “Maine taxpayers have been squeezed dry by public-sector unions. The very money that is taken from the pockets of working Mainers is used to reinforce their political stature in government, which allows them to squeeze more money from taxpayers. All of this is untenable, especially in light of recent budget developments."

 

“The taxpayers of Maine have a strong willingness to help the least-fortunate among us, but state workers are not our least fortunate,” Dutson continued. “With the threat of cuts to our social safety net, the travesty of bloated union wages is especially poignant. It’s time to face the facts: public-sector unions drain precious resources away from Maine’s sick, elderly, and poor. Allowing this to continue in Maine is unacceptable, and we hope the legislature will take appropriate action to correct this terrible imbalance of priorities.”

 

The full study is available here: http://goldwaterinstitute.org/article/save-taxpayers-tens-billions-dollars-end-government-sector-collective-bargaining

Maine Christian Civic League PAC Violation Determination This Morning‏

The Maine Ethics Commission voted this morning (about an hour ago) 2 - 2 to find no violation of PAC reporting on the part of the Christian Civic League of Maine's Christian Action League PAC ('doing business as' Marriage Matters in Maine' currently) in their 42-day Post-election report from last month.  McKee (who proposed the motion) and Amero voted for this motion and Duchette and Matheson voted against it (Commissioner Healy was not present at the meeting).

 

The Commission then motioned and voted 2 - 2 to find a violation by the League's PAC in their PAC reporting, with Duchette and Matheson voting for this motion and McKee and Amero voting against it.

 

The Commission's initial staff recommendation to the Commissioners was to not take any action on my complaint/request.  After the Commissioners asked questions of me, then Conley, Jr. (Executive Director of the League), then State Rep. Ray Wallace, Jonathan Wayne (Ethics Commission Executive Director) amended his staff recommendation to ask the Commissioners to make a decision upon my complaint/request (reversing his initial recommendation).

 

The Commission's staff verifed afterward for me that the end result of these decisions will be for the Christian Civic League of Maine to be forced to publicly amend their most recent Marriage Matters in Maine PAC reports, and the Commission's staff will report back to the Commissioners at their next meeting as to what additional 'corrective action,' if any, was taken by the League due to their PAC violation(s).

 

Susan Cover (of the Kennebec Journal) and Susan Sharon (of Maine Public Broadcasting) were in attendance, along with a camera crew from WMTW (Channel 8 - ABC).

 

Mike Hein

Augusta

207-485-3396