Holding Steady at 39 Percent, LePage Keeps the Bar Low By Matthew Principe

Alas, the time has come to talk about politics on the Knight Writer. I would like to apologize for Governor Paul LePage’s extended absence from the KW website. Nevertheless, the governor now returns to Knight Nation, as strong and silly as ever!

Actually, the governor never left the spotlight. He’s still at center stage, making outrageous comments and bringing too much unwanted attention to Maine. As a public servant, LePage has a weird of way of representing Maine. As a member of the Tea Party movement, he is one of many angry state governors across the nation today. However, the rest don’t hold a candle to our chief executive  -- if the standards are upsetting his supporters and encouraging the rest of the country to  look down at his state.

Some of the memories LePage has created for us with include the removal of a mural from  the lobby of the state Labor Department that -- get this -- celebrated laborers.

According to salon.com, LePage claimed “it presented a one-sided view that bowed to organized labor and overlooked the contributions of job-creating entrepreneurs.”

 There was the time he told the NAACP they could “kiss my butt” on Martian Luther King Day. He’s so controversial that the switch from a Republican majority in the state Legislature to a Democratic majority is viewed as a rebuke of Paul LePage.

However, the newly elected Maine Senate President, Justin Alfond, D-Portland, knew that the people of Maine were expecting a fight between parties and expressed a desire to  “disappoint” skeptics. Didn’t work out that way. What is known as “celebrity day” for the newly elected lawmakers was upstaged by LePage, who lashed out at the winners for beating his Republican buddies by using a “tracker.”

(A tracker, in political terms, means someone who follows a government official around and videotapes him at live events, sort of a hybrid spy/paparazzi. Both parties have trackers set in place for the other side; it’s  a common practice for both sides.)

When the day came to swear in the newly elected lawmakers, LePage used that time to take a whack at Democrats. According to the Portland Press Herald,  LePage “thanked” Democratic lawmakers for providing him with paparazzi. LePage also talked about how he felt that the next two years would be quite interesting, adding that he objected to the use of a Massachusetts tracker, instead of the Democrats hiring someone from Maine.

Earlier this year, LePage publicly expressed his intense dislike for newspapers. According to the Huffington Post,  he told reporters that he didn’t like newspapers because  of their "lack of objectivity." Television and radio, he said, are better because they don't "spin" the news.” He also believes the reason people have stopped buying newspapers is that news consumers have realized that what we’ve been reading is all wrong.

Whew. Good thing Knight Writer is an online publication. 

In early February Lepage had a 39% approval rating. That sounds pretty low. Sounds like he’s not popular. But that is exactly the percentage of votes he earned to win the governorship in 2010. Ever wonder what those 61% bumper stickers mean?

CSL is Back! By Matthew Principe

Did you know our school has a club where you can go out and do community service for a sweet reward? Its called the Community Service Club (CSL). As a group we venture out into the surrounding communities and see what jobs there are to tackle. 

We meet once a month, usually on a Wednesday. The day can vary from scheduling purposes. In addition to the meetings, we schedule dates in the community to help people-- usually once or twice per month. Last year the club made numerous trips to the Norway Veterans Home which always welcomed us. We played games with the vets and listened to their war stories dating all the way back to World War II.

 Upcoming events this year will be the December toy drive and a possible trip to Poland Spring Campground to paint picnics tables. The campground trip could be rescheduled for next spring. We will be returning to the veterans home later in the winter. We are open for new ideas to help the communities we grew up in.

A Photo from the Boston Trip Last Year

The reward for doing at least 20 hours of community service is an all-expense paid trip to see the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in the spring. From experience, I can tell you the trip is amazing. As a group we travel on a Greyhound bus into Boston with other community service clubs from other schools.  We go on a tour of Fenway and learn all the cool stories about the 100-year-old ballpark. We also get to watch the Red Sox take batting practice, and we get coupons for our dinner. The trip makes for a long day and night, but it also means a day off from school for jobs well done.

Our most recent project was at the Gray Wildlife Park in Gray Maine. Last week was their annual Halloween Night, where you could trick or treat while experiencing the animal night life. The place was covered in Halloween decor as well as many activities for kids to do. One of these was a small obstacle course for the kids to run through. Our job was to clear out the space again and rake all of the straw and hay away from the nearby cages. The design was set up so that  the kids could run next to the little creatures in their cages. Our group received  a surprise visit by Ricky Raccoon, a lone raccoon left in his cage who watched over us as we worked around him.

When our group was finished we raked and swept the walkways from the gate to the cages. There were seven of us and in less than an hour we had about 100 feet of trailway free of leaves and pine needles. l It was a beautiful site. As we finished up our handiwork the head park ranger came and relieved us from out duties. He let us let us roam around the park for the remainder of our time there. It was a nice reward after a long day of hard work. The moose were out and about and put on quite a show for us.

 If you are interested in learning more about the community service club, or if you want to join,  please contact Ms. Carrera at ncarrera@rsu16.org.

Doing Our Part By Matthew Principe

The Norway Veterans home is home to some of the nicest people you will ever met. I’m talking about both the veterans and the people who work there. Our school’s CSL (or Community Service Learning) has taken may trips to this place, each time coming back with smiles on our faces. Even though it has rained every time we have gone up to the home, inside you could never tell. Everyone there is happy. 

The home is a wonderful place. The staff is very friendly. There are always activities for the elderly to enjoy taking part of. For the last couple of visits the CSL has been the main attraction. We have played games and painted with the veterans that come to see us. We also listen to all of their remarkable tales.

I remember one veteran who talked about his secret mission while in the service. He was stationed out in a ship in the middle of an ocean and there was talk that he and other members of his crew would be sent out to do something, but no one knew what that something was. That something turned out to be flying planes to places that need them. He never had to fight in battle or risk his life. The army sent him to all the beautiful places in the world such as Jamaica and Hawaii. At the end of his service he was scar free. 

Another person I personally talked to was a remarkable man. He has lived in Maine for a long time now. He told me and the other members of the CSL about how he has been going skiing at Sunday River for as long as they’ve been open. Every weekend he went skiing, even if he was injured. Lately, however, he hasn’t been able to go much because of his age, but he is still able to get at least one run done when he does make the trip. At that age you have to keep moving. Its inspiring to see someone over the age of 80 able to still ski down the mountain he basically grew up on.

The last man that I’m going to talk about is a man known to everybody as Gramps, who is 101 years old. He is the oldest man in the home. Not only is he as charming as he is funny, but he is also very artistic. He has come to see the CSL every time the group makes the trip. Gramps is a very talented water color painter. He always shows us something out of his many works. If you wish to see his art, go see Ms. Carrera in her room. She has one piece that Gramps did a long time ago. He also filmed some of his stay in WW2. He tried to show the group but the DVD, unfortunately, did not work. When you live 100 years, minor technological glitches don’t bother you. 

If you wish to join the Community Service Club, contact Ms. Carrera, the group’s co-curricular advisor. Let me take this opportunity to say how much fun I personally have serving in the club. It’s hard work, but we have fun -- lots of it. What a better way to get a credit than having fun and helping out your community (not to mention the Red Sox game at the end of the year)? If you have ideas for community service learning or places where we can go to make a difference in people’s lives, stop on by. We meet on Wednesdays after school at the bell, 2:05 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Drop on by.

Zombies. Presidential Candidates. Same Thing. By Matthew Principe

Most high school kids don't care about politics. This includes those who actually know a few things and those who don't. Those who do care about politics desperately need comic relief.

So I'm asking all of you – those who care, those who don't, and those who think our leaders and candidates will end the world in 2012 before the zombies do – to pay attention to this guy:

His name is Vermin Supreme. He is becoming quite popular this year (if you have not heard of Mr. Supreme, check him out on the link we have provided). He has run for president before, but every year he continues to increase in popularity.

In Mr. Supreme's words, he is a “tyrant, a friendly fascist, someone you should trust.”  Sounds crazy, right? Maybe, but this is not Supreme’s “first rodeo.” Heck, no, he has political experience! According to Wikipedia, in 2004, he received 149 votes in the Washington, D.C. presidential primary. In the 2008 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, he received 41 votes. In 2012, Vermin Supreme received 833 votes in New Hampshire's Democratic presidential primary. Is he catching on? 

Who would vote for this guy? What is this world coming to? Former PRHS student Dillon Douglass gave this some thought before saying that Vermin Supreme's metaphors on teeth made him look quite stupid. “And he wears a boot on his head,” Dillon said. “I question that.”  (Dillon is clearly overqualified to editorialize on politics for Fox or MSNBC). 

Don't worry, I think Supreme's candidacy is a big intentional joke; I don’t think he will actually go though with a legitimate campaign. I mean, nobody has time to think of that many teeth puns when they have to run the country or play politics with the big boys and girls. 

I think it’s funny. Today, politics are very serious. We do live in serious times, but we need more humor and relaxation now. I think that’s just what Supreme brings to this election. 

Most students I talk to don't want to discuss politics. If I press them and ask what they would look for in a leader, the most common answer is “intelligence.” But who knows whether Vermin Supreme is or more or less intelligent than Barrack Obama, Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich?

In no way am I supporting him and giving him my vote, but, if the world is going end this year due to a zombie apocalypse (you don't hear Romney, Gingrich or Obama talking about this, do you?) then we need something in our lives to make life just a little easier. So let’s sit back, wear a boot, brush our teeth, and wait for a zombie apocalypse.

Paul LePage's Two-Month Sprint By Matthew Principe

Even if you haven’t been watching the news lately (or even if you live under a rock in New Hampshire) it's hard to avoid Governor Paul LePage. 

People are talking about Maine's new governor. He's upsetting some people while uplifting others, and he's not even close to finishing his first 100 days in office. The first 100 days are sort of a benchmark for governors and presidents. LePage looks like he's doing a 100-yard dash instead of a mile.

Our new governor is outgoing. He's not media-friendly, but he's not media-shy, either. He has spoken on many controversial issues already. 

The fun began during LePage's campaign for governor. (He ran under the Republican Party ticket against Libby Mitchell, a Democrat, and Eliot Cutler, an Independent; LePage won with 38 percent of the vote.)  Maine newspapers had fun with headlines such as “LePage tells Obama to go to hell.” Also during the campaign, LePage said he does not object to requiring the teaching of creationism in public schools. 

Early into his term LePage said he refused to be “held hostage” by special interest groups. He refused to take part in Martin Luther King Day events or meet with the Maine representatives of the NAACP. He told newspapers to “Tell them they can kiss my butt.”  He was referring to the NAACP. His comments sparked  outrage, with civil rights leaders calling his remarks “astonishing and troubling.” The governor said he can prove he's not a racist because he has an “adopted” son who is not white. Unfortunately,  the adoption paperwork has never been filled out. Fortunately, the young man is still considered part of LePage's family. LePage eventually met with NAACP representatives and tried to “make nice.” 

 
Another hot issue was the hiring of LePage's daughter, Lauren LePage. Paul made her an assistant chief of staff with a pay of about $41,000 despite limited experience. State laws applying to nepotism did not apply to this matter. Critics of the hiring noted that Lauren LePage is earning a salary higher than trained many police officers and teachers.  

Governor LePage has made some his biggest media splashes on health care issues. 

He called for a repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,  which is the bedrock of the federal health care reform laws passed by Congress a year ago.  Among the law's many features is that it  helps patients with pre-existing conditions get health insurance coverage.  LePage called for a repeal of the act and called it  “unconstitutional.” He has asked Maine’s attorney’s general to back him up and challenge the law. He also does not believe in MaineCare (Maine's Medicaid program, which helps low-income people with health insurance) because, he says, it can be too easy to join or qualify for. 

LePage opposes same-sex marriage.  He says civil union couples get the same legal standing. 

Very recently a study has found that in baby bottles there are organic compounds, called Bisphenol A (BPA), which contain toxins. These hormone-disrupting compounds have been found in everyday items such cash register receipts, canned food and baby bottles. Expressing his skepticism, LePage joked that “the only bad thing about BPA is that it might give women little beards.” This did not go over well. 

Seems like it's only a matter of time before the governor says something that upsets a lot of people. It would be foolish to dismiss him, however, because of one important issue that he is staking his reputation on: Maine's business climate. LePage wants to make Maine a more business-friendly state so that we can have more jobs and more opportunity for young people. Who can argue with that?

A spokesman for LePage has said this about the governor:  "He's got a directness about him that a lot of people find appealing." If Maine's economy improves dramatically on LePage's watch, it may not matter how many people find the governor's comments unappealing.

*Photo credits to http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Maine/photos*

The Cool Kids Play 4 Square By Matthew Principe

Unless you come to school late or are just plain blind, you have been a spectator of 4 Square. Consider yourself a witness to the coolest activity at PRHS.

4 square is very popular at PRHS. Every morning, lunch, and sometimes after school you can see the endless competition, the trash talking, and the feeling of community. If you don’t know what 4 Square is or how it is played, here's a primer:  it is a game that involves a ball and 4 squares. The names differ among the players, but in every game there is a king square. This is the best square or the square that you are advancing towards or staying in. You can get knocked out by not missing a ball hit at you, or hitting it outside the boundaries of the square, or having the ball hit you before the square.

The game may seem difficult, but is a lot of fun, and perhaps a addictive. How popular is it? Joey Costa, a senior, says that if he could drive he would get to school early just to play 4 Square. Jeremy Benway says “If I could come to school early, it would be to play 4 Square before the bell.” 

Could 4 Square actually help keep kids in school? Hey, anything is possible.

This reporter would rather sleep later in the morning than play 4 Square before 7:30,  but I appreciate the passion. This school loves 4 Square so much, it has a 4 Square Club.

The 4 Square Club meets every Monday and Thursday to discuss the game, its culture at this school, and, of course, to play 4 Square. Lots of 4 Square. 

The club is thinking big.  The kids want to go the 4 Square World Championships that will be held in Maine in February. Currently they are training by playing tournament rules, not schoolyard rules. If you want to join the club should contact Joey Costa, 4 Square Captain.  You've been warned, however. You may get hooked into a new way of life.

*Photo credit to http://www.kidactivities.net/?tag=/school+age+care*

Bullying By Matthew Principe