The Future of France and the EU
The EU was established to promote unity and peace, but times have changed and priorities have shifted. So, what does the future of the European Union look like and how does France fit into the mix?
The EU’s expansion throughout the years has involved integrating some diverse countries, at first for stability and later for economic and political strength. Recent challenges like Brexit, a financial crisis, and the Ukraine War have demanded a shift from an economic focus, to a political and military focus.
Union Fair 2024 Part 1
Watch these highlights of the 2024 Union Fair. Part I includes youth steer pulling, youth livestock showing, judging of Whoopie Pies and Maine Wild Blueberry Pies, the Axe Women of Maine demonstration, a tour of the Exhibition Hall featuring exquisite quilts, grange exhibits and a veterans exhibit, interviews with fair exhibiters, fair personnel, and the new Queen B’s Bakery providing all kinds of blueberry treats .
As ecotourism grows, so does the desire to maintain Downeast’s wild character
The roar of summer traffic on Route 1 as it zooms over the Pleasant River bridge in Columbia drowns out the burbling water below. The slip of river meandering under the road is easy to miss.
Even less visible is the Pleasant River Fish and Game Conservation Association, tucked among the dense woods a short drive, or paddle, away. But the volunteer club has been around since the 1950s, working to preserve and promote the region’s vast natural resources.
Later this month, the association will hold its annual Puckerbrush Primitive Gathering, where about 200 visitors from near and far will come to camp and learn traditional outdoor skills.
Italy Is Running out of Young People!
While the Italians may have mastered the arts of pasta, wine and gelato, they should have been spending less time in the kitchen and more in…another room. That’s right, we’re looking at the demographic problems facing Italy, and Genoa will be our example.
A Peter Ralston 4th of July
As sort of a follow-up to last week’s “hug from Maine,” here are my images from the Fourth. In a departure from my usual inclination to get as close as possible to fireworks, this year Terri and I took a picnic basket up nearby Mt. Battie to settle in for a restful couple of hours overlooking all of Penobscot Bay before the main event at 9PM.
Thomaston 4th of July Parade 2024
Watch this video of the 2024 Fourth of July Parade from Thomaston, Maine. The Grand Marshall was Sigrid Keyes , who has been a crossing guard and traffic cop in Thomaston for 50 years! Also honored in the parade were Mr. & Ms Thomaston – Joey Bell and Jillian Barnard – local high school graduates. The theme of the parade was “American Idols : A Tribute to Hometown Heroes and Celebrities”. As usual, the parade was full of floats, bands , and beautiful cars.
Maine households are worst offenders on food waste, according to DEP study
Every year, we waste the equivalent of more than 9,000 fully loaded semi-trailer trucks. Close to half of the solid waste stream in Maine is made up of organics, according to a study released by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in late May.
Where There’s Fireworks, There’s Usually Peter Ralston
As we approach Independence Day, let us all honor the true spirit of independence for all Americans and those who would become Americans. I freely admit to a life-long passion for everything about fireworks….in my old journalism days I photographed them across the country and abroad. There’s nothing about them that I don’t love…especially on the Fourth.
Russians In Space…Or Not!
Previously, I talked about how Ukraine has been targeting Russian air infrastructure to prepare for the arrival of their F-16s. Well, Ukraine launched a rocket attack on occupied Crimea and destroyed some air defenses and one of Russia’s deep space satellites…
Preview of 2024 Union Fair & the Maine Wild Blueberry Festival July 7 – 14
Watch this video for a preview of the 2024 Union Fair and the Maine Wild Blueberry Festival, to be held this year from July 7 through July 14. Interviews with Rick Butler, head of publicity , Ryan Soule, acting president of Union Fair, and Casey Brown the 2023 Maine Wild Blueberry Queen will highlight the new format and schedule for this year. This program also includes a tour of the creative pumpkin decorations throughout the town of Damariscotta for their Pumpkin Festival last fall.
Maine firearms sent to be destroyed. instead they are resold as gun part kits!
The evidence room at the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office in Portland is bursting with firearms that were confiscated, found or otherwise turned over to the law enforcement agency.
“We have a really strict, really specific way that we deal with all firearms, which is probably at this point, the bane of our existence,” Detective Keith Cook told The Maine Monitor. “They’re very difficult to work with. They’re a problem to store.”
He estimated the office has at least 600 guns that have been there at least two years.
“We’re to the point where we’re pretty much out of space to store firearms right now,” he said.
2024 Rockport Donut Festival
The Second Annual Rockport Donut Festival was a big success! Watch this video for Festival highlights and interviews. Among the events covered here are the Donut Dash 5 K Fun Run, The Donut Festival Parade, Live Music by the Bay Winds North Breakers directed by Marlene Hall, Homemade Donut Contest (winner = “The North End” – featured picture above), Food Trucks, and interviews with Town Manager Jon Duke, Harbor Master Abbie Leonard, Rockport Fire Chief Jason Peasley, Committee Member Megan Griffin, Homemade Donut Contest Competitor Maynard Stanley, and local historian & geneaologist Carole Starr. If you missed the 2024 Festival, be sure to attend the event in 2025 located on beautiful Rockport Harbor.
Headed up the Bay To Isleboro Island with Peter Ralston
A week ago today we headed up the bay to Islesboro Island where I am honored to be showing this summer at the lovely little Double Door Gallery. My wife, Terri, our gallery manager, Sandee, her partner, Sean, and I all needed a perfect day on the water and, boy!, did we ever pick a good one!! Oh, and we took our beloved Lab, Jenny, with us…in all, an absolutely sublime day!
Finally Scientists Discover what’s Making Arctic Glaciers Disappear!
For many years global climate scientists have been trying to figure out what is making the Arctic Glaciers shrink at an ever increasing rate.
But now Professor I. B. Klever of Silicon Valley’s prestigious Klever Research Institute has found what may be the answer.
According to Professor Klever, a Chinese glacier ice cartel has been secretly harvesting glacial ice and processing and distributing the ice from abandoned farmhouses in Maine and…
Ukraine Attacks Belgorod, Russia
From the beginning of the Ukraine War, the Western nations have placed restrictions on how their weapons donations to Ukraine can be used. Specifically, Western nations have been concerned that if Ukraine targets Russian forces within Russia, escalation may be unavoidable. But recent events have forced a change of calculus in the West.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza reaching critical levels
I’ve avoided talking about the Israel and Gaza conflict as much a possible (given that there’s no favorable outcomes for anyone involved), but some recent changes have forced my hand.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is reaching critical levels due to massive destruction and severe shortages of resources. The real kicker is Israel’s renewed offensive in northern Gaza; the presence of Hamas fighters and bodies of hostages in previously “cleared” areas has revealed some MASSIVE shortcomings in Israeli intelligence.
Where will China Be Heading in World Energy Crisis?
We’ve got some more interview style questions for you today!
We’ll be focusing on China, specifically looking at the potential for Chinese energy independence and if any countries surrounding China should be worried about an invasion/resource grab.
While it may appear that the Chinese have access to significant shale oil deposits, the reality of their energy outlook isn’t so pretty.
Recognizing Memorial Day
This is a quick but heartfelt morning salutation from Maine with two purposes…..next Sunday I’ll explain today’s relative brevity. First, here’s recognizing Memorial Day and all that for which it stands. Here’s recognizing our lasting debt to the countless Americans who have given their lives in the service of our country. I think of the grandfather my brothers and I never met, killed in France just before the end of WWI.
Is the U.S. Power Grid at High Alert?
I’ve started hearing rumblings about the American power grid and vulnerability to cyber attacks. Sure there’s been hiccups throughout the years, but this one isn’t keeping me up at night.
Those hiccups I mentioned, such as the post-9/11 power surge, have laid the groundwork for improving the American power grid’s resilience. Through technological advancements, decentralizing power generation, and network segmentation, the American power grid is reasonably equipped to handle most potential hacks. That’s a major pain for the green transition, but shockingly positive for security.
Why Is the US Ditching Coal as an Energy Source
Other than a slight bump in sales during the holidays (shoutout to all the naughty kids), coal has been on the decline for quite a while now. With more environmentally friendly alternatives surging into the spotlight, how does coal fit into the energy framework?
Coal once played a critical role in the US, but political shifts are pushing more and more states towards eco-friendly options like solar and wind. Even natural gas is getting some attention as it becomes more economically viable and a cleaner alternative to coal.
Does Iran really Have a Nuclear Weapon?
Everyone is talking about Iran’s potential development of an active nuclear weapon. Before anyone gets too frightened at the prospect of this announcement, let me give you some food for thought.
Before we even touch on the technical stuff, we have to look the source of these announcements; which just so happens to be coming from ultranationalist members of parliament (you know, the MTGs of Iran). Now onto the real stuff. Building a functional uranium explosive device is no easy feat. It requires some seriously complex implosion tech, and don’t get me started on ensuring an accurate delivery of a nuclear explosion.
I’m still floating – so to speak – on the glory of my first day back out on RAVEN on Friday.
She’s running just fine and I had a wonderful new friend aboard with Penobscot Bay beneath us for a sumptuous long day. At times we didn’t have very much of Penobscot Bay under us as you can see in this picture of my makeshift docking technique at Isle au Haut, but when circumstances dictate, one does what one must.
I am going to simply allow a handful of images from the day speak for me….nothing particularly great, but still, a terrific start to getting out there where I so love to be.
Efforts to remove Camden dam are misplaced
The Montgomery Dam and its waterfall are a centerpiece to Camden’s beautiful and historic core along with the library, Harbor Park (designed by the world-famous Olmsted firm), and the amphitheater.
In 2017 voters allocated $50,000 for repairs to the dam. At the same time the Camden
Comprehensive Plan, endorsed and signed by the Select Board on behalf of the Town, included Montgomery Dam restoration in its suggested 10- year Capital Improvement Plan. Interestingly, the plan did not identify any problems along the Megunticook River.
But now Camden faces an imminent threat of losing Montgomery Dam because of grant requirements within the National Coastal Resiliency Program, a worthwhile endeavor designed to promote fish passage.
This resiliency program is administered by the Federal Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Defense and several private corporations.
Camden does not fit the grant requirements. In its attempt to meet them, the town parroted purposes of the grant, but without a sufficient statement of need.
Magic in a small city: Eastport
Eastport, established as a town in 1798 and incorporated as a city in 1893, is one of Maine’s more fascinating locales.
In this episode of Chasing Maine, Roger McCord travels back to Eastport to present a cross-section of Eastport by interviewing three very different people in the community.
Lack of attorneys keeps Maine parents waiting in child removal cases
Parents are supposed to have 10 to 14 days to respond to accusations, but instead are sometimes waiting weeks or months while their children are placed elsewhere.
My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.
As I did at this time last year, I am treating myself to a bit of downtime…both in honor of Mother’s Day and giving myself some time aboard RAVEN to get her spiffed up for the season ahead. So, to that end I am recycling this “hug”…
Much Higher Interest Rates for Much, Much Longer. Or Maybe Not!
Who doesn’t love spending their morning trying to understand what the Federal Reserve is doing? Oh, no takers? Well, let’s at least look at inflation trends and where I expect interest rates to go.
Thanks to COVID-related supply chain disruptions, inflation has stabilized around 3% (instead of the Fed’s magic 2%). Those baby boomers are also part of the problem. As they age into retirement, capital availability is going to decline and the Fed’s going to have rethink their strategy.
The World Needs More Babies
Well, it looks like there’s something in the water in the US and it ain’t little blue pills. The recent US Census data shows a 40-year low in the birth rate – about 1.6 per woman.
With the birth rate well below the replacement level, there could be huge economic implications that follow. There are plenty of other countries facing similar demographic issues, so the US has plenty of case studies to read up on.
Best Photos? Peter Ralston VS AI!
Imagine the amazingly talented Maine photographer Peter Ralston being challenged by an AI program. Check out this interesting story.
Tik Tik Tik Tik TOK
A little over a year ago, we discussed a potential ban on TikTok in the US. Well, President Biden finally signed the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act”, which would ban TikTok or force its parent company, ByteDance, to sell it.
You can bet that TikTok won’t go down without a fight, so we’ll probably still be talking about this a year from now…but that still leaves Mets/Facebook to worry about!
Jane’s Walk in Camden a Success
Camden’s “Jane’s Walk” visited four of the dam sites on Megunticook River, Saturday, May 4, 2024 — 2:00 p.m. The walk showed a dramatic waterfall at each site except at Montgomery Dam. There has been an ongoing debate about the future of these dams and their waterfalls. This walk was led by volunteer members of “Save the Dam Falls,” which is offering a counter-argument to the Town of Camden’s campaign to remove the dams, millponds, and waterfalls, particularly the spectacular Montgomery Falls at the head of the harbor.
What a great response and wonderful event with 70 people and one osprey chirping up above us in a tree. He was rooting us on!
Japan Beefing up their Naval Aviation
The Japanese Navy is getting a face lift with the conversion of the Izumo-class destroyers into small supercarriers capable of holding F-35s (compliments of the US).
This marks Japan’s return to full-scale naval aviation and is a reflection of the overall strategic shift in Japan’s military posture. With regional affairs growing more dicey by the day (ahem, China), Japan is straightening out its military posture and looking to play a more assertive role.
Can RFK Jr. Alter The the 2024 Presidential Election?
RFK II has a presidential name, but I don’t think he’ll be finding himself in that position this go around. However, he does have the opportunity to cause some problems for Trump in the process.
Donald Trump has created enough challenges for himself by dividing the Republican party and alienating independents, but RFK Jr. might be able to add one more challenge to Trump’s campaign. We all know the conspiracy theorist wackadoos love Trump, but RFK Jr. is catching the eyes of some of the crazies.
Are Russians Going to Start Shipping Via Arctic Circle?
By Peter Zeihan As the ice begins to melt in the Arctic, will the Russians be able to establish a shipping route to the north? While establishing a northern sea route is possible, it won't be the gold mine its been made out to be. There are several factors that make...
Empower Your Young Musician: Songwriting Workshop with Alice Limoges
THOMASTON – Calling all parents of budding musicians! Give your tween/teen the opportunity to unlock their creative potential at the upcoming songwriting workshop presented by acclaimed local singer/songwriter Alice Limoges. Taking place on Saturday, May 11th from...
#6 Vintage Basketball 2024 Spring Session Boys Basketball Camden Hills vs Belfast December 2005
Watch this 2005 Vintage Boys Basketball game between the Windjammers of Camden Hills and the Lions of Belfast. This game was played at Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport in December of 2005. Before the game, Charlie Crockett interviewed Sue Wootton. Playing for Coach Jeff Hart’s Windjammers were Paul Campbell, Christian Pieri, Cameron Puls, Jared Mitchell, Gordon Fischer, Noah Burke, Dave Bryant, Jake Feener, Paul Draper, and Jamie Caswell. Playing for Coach Terry Kenniston were Jake Arthurs, Ben Felton, Matt Benjamin, Yates Murphy, Colin Kennedy, and John Higgins. The announcers were Charlie Crockett and Don Palmer, and the sports videographer was Penny Crockett .
Russian Hypersonic Missiles: Unstoppable or Skeet Practice for Ukraine
Today, we’re talking about the “unstoppable” hypersonic missiles that the Russians have been hyping up over the past few years.
The hypersonics in question are the Kinzhal and Zircon, which are indeed some advanced missiles. However, we’ve already seen instances of these being intercepted with existing defense systems, such as the US Patriot. There are also several other factors that help deconstruct this Russian lie.
Europeans May Have Figured Out That RUssia’s War Plans Don’t End in Ukraine!
It looks like the Europeans may have figured out that Russia’s war plans don’t end in Ukraine, so more and more countries are beginning to send aid to the Ukrainians. The Americans, however, are still working through flawed economics and political considerations. BUT…
DAMS, WATERFALLS, AND MILLPONDS IN DOWNTOWN CAMDEN: THE TREASURES OF THE MEGUNTICOOK RIVER. Join Us for Jane’s Walk.
The Megunticook River is a very short, very steep stream in Camden, Maine. At one time there were ten or more active mills and dam sites on the stream. The town of Camden was settled and grew on the Megunticook River because of the water power of the Megunticook for...
Russia’s War Machine Reaching Twilight
While Moscow has plenty of old equipment to churn through in its attempt to drag Kyiv back into its orbit, the same cannot be said for its ability to place more bodies on front lines. Russia’s post-soviet demography was already a mess before the war. Combined with hundreds of thousands of casualties due to the war, and estimates of up to a million fighting age men who have slipped out of the country, and Russia is facing a grim inversion of its WWII challenges: while it may have plenty of (aging, derelict) equipment with which to wage war on its neighbors, young men are becoming much harder to find and even harder to replace…