FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Memo from the Maine Association for Letter-Grade Appreciation (MAL-GA), Local 323-P, on the issue of letter grade abuse.
AUGUSTA – The state's leading letter-grade appreciation group is calling for a halt to ongoing abuses of the system in the wake of near-total media dominance in the Pine Tree State.
The move follows dueling letter-fueled stories involving Maine hospitals and the state's educational system.
"For the love of God," said MAL-GA President Albert B. Censless, "go back to your silly top-ten lists and leave us to the serious work of increasingly irrelevant subjective film rankings, where we belong."
That wasn't a real press release, but it could have been.
Up for letter-grade over-simplification this weekend are rankings in two separate areas: hospitals and schools.
On the wildly positive side, new rankings by a "hospital watchdog group" ranked Maine's hospitals safest in the nation.
Of Maine's 20 hospitals in the survey (the state has close to 40 hospitals, but some apparently were not included), 80 percent earned an "A" in the rankings — tops in the U.S.A.
Nationally, the group tells us, something like 2,500 hospitals were graded and only 31 percent got A's.
Granted, the rankings come from an organization that also sells services to the hospitals, but it was still a blast of good news. Imagine how good the hospitals could be if the state paid the $186 million it owes its hospitals!
That's an ongoing debate, of course: Gov. Paul LePage wants to pay the hospitals from a new deal on liquor sales, and if you've been in emergency rooms during certain hours you'll understand a certain level of linkage there.
But Democrats want to tie the funds to increases in Medicaid.
The other letter-grade discussion is more negative and thus more controversial.
Maine is actually among about a dozen states adopting the letter-grade system, and the list includes New York. Critics pounced on the grading news, questioning both the motives and the methods.
"It's flawed with the methodology," said Senate President Justin Alfond, D-Portland, as we reported earlier this week.
The chief problem, say some critics, is that the grading is based largely on mathematics and English standardized test scores, seems overly simplistic and doesn't reflect accurately the quality of some of the schools, particularly those in poorer communities.
It's a shame that this "debate" will no doubt continue along political lines, because it is actually a raging national controversy. Laws like the "parent trigger" in California are removing school decisions from educators, and the key is exactly the kind of "failing school" classification this grading system creates.
But those who would argue the liberal side of this equation should realize that many of us do not buy the idea that schools are too complex to be measured. Few dare say so in the public square, but many parents already understand that having 40-plus nations represented in your system, as Portland does, with 26 languages may explain "why" the system performs poorly on standard tests, but knowing "why" does not actually fix the problem.
Hey, if the A-to-F system is really truly beyond redemption, then I want a do-over for high school. Because I seem to recall my GPA was not only relevant, but downright decisive. I seem to remember some standardized college entry tests that were equally important.
Granted, we can expect this school grading debate to have the sort of dignity usually reserved for the U.S. Congress. The governor has no real intention of discussing this with the state's Democrats and his critics have long since written him off as bats--t crazy.
But there's always an election around the corner, and you can bet this is one issue that's going to become front-burner hot when lots of school supporters issue a letter grade on the gov.
Call it the F-offensive.

(Curtis Robinson is the founding editor of The Portland Daily Sun.)

With all the hubbub over Benghazi missteps, Guantanamo inmate hunger strikes, and Syrian use of chemical weapons, I'm often asked to recommend a primer that puts today's Middle East crisis in context. Sadly, it's not a new question, and one I've answered so much over the years that it's worth a broader discussion.
During the First World War, an obscure archaeologist-turned-British Army officer, T.E. Lawrence, integrated into Arab culture and embarked on a guerilla campaign against the occupying Ottoman Turks. He chronicled his exploits in the classic, "Seven Pillars of Wisdom."
This is the first book anyone should read to begin an appreciation for the Middle East.
In doing so, the first obstacle to overcome is the imagery forged into popular consciousness by the 196s blockbuster "Lawrence of Arabia." Covers of the book are still adorned with immaculate, clean-shaven Peter O'Toole look-alikes striking Errol Flynn poses. The grime and misery of desert existence in peacetime is challenge enough; in wartime, it's close to unbearable.
Once past that, and as someone who spent a year in Lawrence's area of operations, "Seven Pillars" offers insightful cultural and military parallels to today's evolving situation.
The text is organized into 10 books covering the years 1916-18, beginning with an examination of the origins of Arab revolt, and ending with the liberation of Damascus. An understanding of regional history leading up to Lawrence's account is helpful, particularly of the developing Ottoman demise in the 19th century.
Lawrence's military mission was to create havoc in the Ottoman ranks so as to aid a British advance through Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon. This would secure the foothold of vital Mediterranean ports on Turkey's southern flank to aid future operations against Germany's ally.
To do so he collaborated with Arab tribes, most notably the Saudis under Emir Faisal, and groups of regional Bedouins. In describing the plans of major armies and the concurrent harassment of local irregulars, Lawrence explains two enduring facets of the area: the effects of guerilla warfare on a larger empire, and the Arab mindset therein — both unchanged from what U.S. troops, and others, are facing today.
Lawrence also finds moments to reflect on the intimate. He describes facets of Bedouin life down to the logistics of eating and sanitation, and shows a desert bereft of fable and whimsy. At the point of his pen, silver screen images fade; the harshness and filth of desolation take over.
As with many combat veterans, what survives these passages is the image of a fragmented, tortured soul not quite able to find inner peace afterwards.
There are several things to consider when reading "Seven Pillars." First, it starts slowly. Fans of Dickens and Stevenson will enjoy the detail in which Lawrence covers the seeds of Arab rebellion. Such narrative can be invaluable in grasping historical perspective; however, it doesn't begin at the pace of a Ludlum thriller.
Next, Lawrence himself ends up somewhat incomplete. The book only covers a brief span of years and remains much more a memoir than an historical account. But Lawrence does foreshadow many of his own shortcomings, particularly his sadomasochistic tendencies following torture in Turkish hands. That he evolves into a ruthless killer is part legacy from his persecution in captivity, and part osmosis from the no-quarter warrior ethos of the Arabian Desert.
Finally, as with many autobiographies, Lawrence becomes enamored with his actions and overstates their importance. He is qualified to comment on the desert fight and Arab allies. But when he reverts to himself and the British Army, he tends to make too much of his role in certain operations, and inflates his knowledge of post-war imperial intent.
More than two decades ago, despite my familiarity with Middle Eastern culture, I found this book to be most useful before and during my year in the desert. Lawrence's cultural analysis and appreciation for Arabs still rang true 80 years after its publication. The Bedouin tribes he describes were many of the same I dealt with during the first Gulf War. In this way, Lawrence's rendering is priceless.
But "Seven Pillars" is only a start. It falls short in lending insight into the region's current fundamentalist trend, but does touch on its origins. It succeeds as a self-portrait and cultural introduction.
In testament to Lawrence, who remains a folk hero among Arabs, the book is a required text in Middle Eastern studies programs worldwide. Readers still flock to it almost a century later, a herald louder than any of Gideon's trumpets.

(Telly Halkias is an award-winning freelance journalist from Portland's West End. You may contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or follow him on Twitter at @TellyHalkias.)

I was chatting with some fellow colleagues at the Portland Daily Sun about the topic of Health Care Reform following the submission of my column last week. I noticed jaw drops, and concern: "We don't know this stuff," they said.
"You should write a glossary of terms column on Health Care Reform," another suggested.
To which I yawned. Yes — it's true, people don't know this stuff. It's also true that people won't read up on it. A glossary of terms column wouldn't get a reader through the first paragraph. So, you've been spared!
But, I'm wondering if you made it to the end of last week's column. I extended an invitation to a Health Care Reform Lunch & Learn at the Scarborough Public Library, May 7, given by Linda Riddell from Health Economy LLC in Cape Elizabeth. A grand total of four people registered.
I arrived early to help Linda set up the slide projector and lunch. I moved outside to the library entrance and approached people coming to library to return or take out books.
"Would you like to come to a free seminar on Health Care Reform?" I asked. "It will begin in a few minutes; lunch is being served."
I was surprised. Most that I approached were very open to drop everything and come. Participants were engaged, and at the end of the session, the evaluation form revealed that everyone either agreed or strongly agreed that the seminar met their needs; was valuable, and they felt more informed about health care reform. Progress with a few — I thought. How on earth is a whole country going to get informed?
The Princeton Research Associated International survey revealed that 90 percent of Americans don't know when the new health insurance exchanges will open. Since, Oct. 1, 2013 is the date that the Health Exchanges open for coverage beginning January 2014 — just five short months away; I decided the health care reform column needed a sequel or two. The topic this week is Health Exchanges.
What is an exchange? A health care exchange is a government regulated market place where you can purchase health insurance coverage. The coverage is standardized; there are four levels of coverage to choose from: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Each plan has the required "essential benefits." Each plan caps your maximum out-of-pocket expenses.
The exchange is open to individuals and families who don't have employer sponsored health insurance; and to workers who contribute more than 9.5 percent of their gross earnings to their employer sponsored plan, or whose employer sponsored plan offers very minimal coverage (generally speaking).
The goal of the health insurance exchange is for every American to have health insurance. To accomplish this, there will be subsidies to help Americans pay for health insurance. Subsidies will be made available on a sliding scale according to your income. People who qualify for a subsidy have incomes within 133 percent to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. People will need to apply for the subsidies, and as of last Friday, the 21-page application that I spoke about in last week's column has been reduced to three and a half pages. That's progress!
Health exchanges hope to accomplish the following:
• Increase choice.
• Provide easy access to compare plans.
• Standardize plans so that consumers can easily make apple to apple comparisons.
• Provide essential health and wellness benefits.
The exchanges open Oct. 1, 2013 for coverage to start Jan. 1, 2014. The exchange has an open enrollment period, which the first year runs from Oct. 1, 2013 to March 1, 2014. During this time, people can shop the exchange for the coverage that makes the most sense for them. Future open enrollment periods following the 2013 launch will run from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. Unless there's a life changing event, such as death, marriage, divorce, etc, enrollment in an exchange must happen during the designated enrollment period.
As I mentioned, the goal of the health insurance exchange is for everyone to have health insurance. The subsidies are designed to help. For those who still wish to opt out, they can, but will have to pay a penalty in the form of a tax.
Maine has many self employed small business owners, and many individuals are currently uninsured. The health exchanges are for you! And, when they arrive, it will radically change how and when you purchase your health insurance.
There's nothing exciting or sexy about Health Care Reform. Hopefully, this general overview of health exchanges is helpful, or at least, has you asking questions and wanting to learn more. FMI go to: www.healthcare.gov. If there are topics you'd like me to address, please drop me an e-mail.
Health Care Reform won't go away. Better With Age is staying with this subject. Next week's column is an up close and personal interview with Kevin Lewis, CEO of Maine Community Health Options. Stay tuned!

(Karen Vachon is a Scarborough resident. She is a licensed health and life insurance agent and active community volunteer. To follow her on Facebook, go to: http://www.facebook.com/karenvachonhealth.)

When Mike Roylos, the owner of the Spartan Grill, an upscale coffee and Greek gyros shop in Monument Square, got an email from the Portland Downtown District reminding him that he, as a downtown business owner, is responsible for cleaning the cigarette butts off the sidewalk in front of his shop, he was seriously taken aback. Felt like a whack upside the head, actually.
To begin with, he didn't put the things there. He sees the people who did put them there doing it over and over again outside his shop window all day long, seeming not even to be aware that there's a $100 fine for throwing a butt down onto the sidewalk. Not only don't the police enforce the law, but the city tells Mike that it's his responsibility to see that the butts get picked up and that he'll be fined if he doesn't get it done. Wow.
But why get all riled up. Rather than get red faced and tell his tale of outrage to everyone that comes into his shop, because that gets old fast, he decided to do something tangible about the situation. No name calling or fist shaking out the front door, no sign carrying or circulating petitions, just a get-it-done plan to address the problem. An adult among us.
First, the problem: Cigarettes are the most littered item on the planet, by far. Four and a half trillion of the filtered variety get snuffed out on our dear mother earth every year. The most distressing aspect of that is that filters look like food to birds and fish and they go right for them. They're made of carcinogenic non-biodegradable cellulose acetate, and even when our fellow creatures don't get directly poisoned by consuming the little buggers as food, they still get zapped when rainwater washes the toxic chemicals into the rivers, bays, and lakes. Hey, that's where we get our water and some of our food too, come to think of it.
I asked a Portland fisherman what he thought of all this and he said that he often finds cigarette filters in the stomachs of his catch. Cleaning them out is a regular part of the job, he said. Oh my word.
Enter Mike: He did some research online and discovered that a group of citizens in San Rafael, California, has come up with a very imaginative and effective program they call "Bounty For Butts." Mike decided to start a similar program in Portland, came up with the name "No Butts Now!" and it's gotten off the ground, so to speak, in remarkable fashion.
Essentially, "No Butts Now!" is about paying people to pick up cigarette butts then shipping the butts to a recycling company in New Jersey, where they are converted into plastic pellets then sold to companies that have uses for the chemicals that are extracted. To get the program underway, Mike used $120 that had been dropped into a jar on the counter by customers of Spartan Grill, $100 of his own money, and $100 donated by City Councilor John Anton. Mike had sent a letter to the City Council about the program and didn't hear back, but when Councilor Anton returned from a trip to Japan he was a believer and went into Mike's shop and made a personal donation to the cause. In Japan he saw that there were a lot of smokers on the street, but that there were no butts on the sidewalks. Like here, there's a no tossing your butts law, but, unlike here, the law is enforced.
The operations center for "No Butts Now!" is a table that Mike set up in front of the Spartan Grill last week. From there he handed out plastic baggies and instructional fliers announcing that he would pay 5 cents per butt that's picked up and turned in, which would be $20 for a baggie of 400. About thirty people took him up on it. Some were young people from a group which regularly gathers in Monument Square; there were a few "bottlers," people who regularly collect redeemable cans up and down the street; and there was even a six year old boy and his father. Mike was happy to see them all, but was careful to tell them that the program was just getting started and that he had only $320 to pay out, which would break down to $20 for each of the first sixteen people who turned in bags of 400 butts. Knowing that there were only 16 bags to be filled, many people worked together filling bags and split the earnings.
This is a cause that inspires. When you see the problem for what it is you get drawn into doing something about it. What was before not much more than a display of poor manners turns out to be something that has a serious effect on the health of every living thing on the planet. Obviously one store owner working from a table in front of his store isn't going to turn the tide, though. We owe a debt to Mike for bringing needed attention to the problem, but we do we do from here?
Maybe the City Council should look into the possibility of placing butt receptacles around town. Cities everywhere are starting to use them and they're working out very well. The receptacles are more attractive than one might expect them to be, they're are not terribly expensive to purchase or maintain and, by and large, smokers tend to use them. There something about throwing a fresh butt into a trash can that goes against a smoker's instincts. Many of them prefer to just throw it down on the sidewalk and let the rain wash it away. They tend to think of the butt receptacles as being ashtrays, though, and they use them more readily.
Hey, if that company in New Jersey knows what it's doing it would make a gift of the receptacles to the city. We'd be sending a lot of their favorite goodie their way. Somebody ought to look into the whole thing and get something done, they really ought to.
"Yes, the Chair recognizes Councilor Anton ..."

(Cliff Gallant of Portland is a regular columnist for The Portland Daily Sun. Email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .)