Lisbon’s 2 million dollar Police Force.

Yes I said 2 million dollars. That is what I estimate our Police Force costs when you carefully calculate all the hidden costs associated with the  Department. We will never know the exact figure because most of it has been cleverly shifted into other department accounts to give a false impression of the department's size.

What do we get for that 2 million dollars?

It appears we get a Town Manager and the head of the Police Dept. , by extension, that has been selectively using their authority to decide who should obey the ordinances in Lisbon and who gets a pass on the law. 

I was brought up to believe the Police were our friends . This belief doesn’t seem to hold any truth today. I feel  the police in Lisbon are used as an enforcement arm, by the local political structure, to enforce the law when it is convenient for the Town Management and turn a blind eye when that enforcement would cause problems for the Towns Elite.

By now everyone must be aware of the traffic ordinances that are being ignored in Houston Park.  Numerous times concerned residents have called the local PD to get relief from this potentially dangerous problem and countless times the police have looked the other way and ignored their duty. I wonder if this neglect has anything to do with the resident on Scottsdale Ave. (their boss)

I view any Police corruption as an especially heinous offense.  Once a department crosses the line they inevitably embark on a journey down a slippery slope that usually escalates into more serious indiscretions.  Whats next  “selective spot zoning” or worse.

When police and town officials selectively enforce laws several things happen..
      1.  They lose credibility with the people they serve.
      2.  A legal situation is created that can cast doubts on their legitimate work.
      3.  Officers lose all moral authority and are often viewed as the problem not             the solution.
      4.   Due to our litigious society they place unnecessary financial risk on the Town.

When the people we trust to enforce the laws  are viewed as the law breakers, society as a whole is in danger of crumbling.

We need to vote these Councilors out in November.



Sadly
Joe Hill  
LisbonMaine,net

Joke of the Day

 Could this be Lisbon's Management??

Smoking during pregnancy raises high-functioning autism risk

Mon Apr 30, 2012 3:56PM GMT

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What we are seeing is that some disorders on the autism spectrum, more than others, may be influenced by a factor such as whether a mother smokes during pregnancy."
Lead author, Amy Kalkbrenner of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Women who smoke during pregnancy may be at a greater risk of having a child with high-functioning autism, such as Asperger’s disorder, US researchers warn.

Exposure to tobacco smoke can cause a long list of health problems for pregnant women and their babies such as congenital defects, miscarriage, premature death and asthma.

Preliminary findings from a nation-wide US study have provided new evidence for effects of tobacco smoke on development of autism in kids.

The investigation which involved more than 630,000 children born with autism spectrum disorders in the 1990s in 11 US states revealed that 13 percent of their mothers were smoking during pregnancy, says the report published in Environmental Health Perspectives. 

Read more http://presstv.com/detail/238881.html 

Chewing gum can mess with your mind

psychology

By Charles Choi

Apr 28, 2012 9:00 AM

Teachers who make classes stop chewing gum might be right — it can mess with your mind, research suggests. As it turns out, walking and chewing gum at the same time might be more difficult than we ever suspected.

Usually, trying to do more than one thing at once impairs at least one of those tasks. For instance, tapping your finger while trying to remember a list of digits such as a phone number makes the digits harder to recall.

A past study had suggested that chewing gum could improve short-term memory — recognizing words and numbers, for example. Researchers had suggested that perhaps the act of chewing sent more blood to the brain.

However, scientists at Cardiff University in Wales now find chewing gum can impair classic tests of short-term memory —

Read more http://io9.com/5905964/chewing-gum-can-mess-with-your-mind

Editors Note:  This explains a lot.

Rochester, NY Police Tries To Buy Community’s Respect and Trust with Billboards

Posted on April 29, 2012.

By DAVY VARA
It’s the Rochester Police department’s latest desperate attempt to gain the trust and respect of Rochester’s African-American and Latino community.

In referring to the billboards, which feature titles such as “We’ve Got Your Back”, and “On The Same Team”, as well as actual R.P.D. officers, Chief Sheppard said, “We’re trying to get the message out to the Rochester community that the R.P.D., one, has their back. We want them to have faith in us. The other message we’re trying to send is to youth. To let them know we’re on the same team. We don’t want them looking at us as the enemy.”

The billboard campaign is expected to last about two months, and Chief Sheppard says he hopes to get feedback from the community.

Well Chief, here is my feedback. It’s going to take alot more than a few cheesy, corny billboards to gain not only the trust, but also the respect of African-Americans and Latinos in Rochester. You can put up billboards at every intersection if you’d like Chief, you can even try to bring back “Officer Friendly”,who many elementary shool children looked up to in the 1980′s when he would visit city schools and talk about safety, but that’s not going to cut it. You can talk the talk the talk, but are you willing to walk the walk Chief?

Read more http://www.copblock.org/15225/rochester-ny-police-tries-to-buy-communitys-respect-and-trust-with-billboards/ 

Alternative treatments dissolve cataracts, prevent their return, and help to avoid surgery

(NaturalNews) Surgery is usually the only option offered by conventional medicine to people with cataracts; however, there are alternative treatments that may dissolve cataracts preventing their return. Cataracts occur when the eye's natural lens becomes cloudy, causing vision loss. They are most common in people over 40 and are the main cause of blindness worldwide, according to All About Vision. More than 22 million Americans suffer from cataracts with that number expected to rise to over 30 million by 2020.

Symptoms include blurring of the vision, reduction in night vision, "glare" when looking at artificial light or sunlight, and eventually blindness.

Experts don't know what causes cataracts, only that the protein in the lens of the eye begins to clump causing small areas of cloudiness. Some studies suggest that cataracts may develop after the eyes are repeatedly exposed to ultraviolet light and radiation, such as that emitted by computers. Certain risk factors are diabetes, taking steroids, tranquilizers or diuretics, using HRT, smoking and heavy metal toxicity.

Although there is no hard scientific research, anecdotal evidence indicates the efficacy of several natural substances in preventing and reducing the severity of cataracts.


Read more http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=238384

United Methodists Face Moment of Occupation Truth

The mainstream media does not know it, and far too many high steeple church folk do not want to know it.

by James M Wall

But in Tampa, Florida, this week, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church will make a decision.
They will spend the week writing and rewriting. Some, like  Alissa Bertsch Johnson, a campus minister at Washington State University (at right), will passionately state their case.

Before the gavel falls on the last session of the 2012 General Conference, the people called Methodists will have responded, one way or another, to the call from Palestinian Christians that they take one small step toward ending the Israeli Occupation.

They may vote to endorse a targeted divestment resolution.
Or, they may declare that such action is not needed, forgetting that in doing so, they follow the path of those segregation-tolerating Birmingham church leaders who wrote to Martin Luther King, Jr., in words to this effect, “it is too soon to attack this evil. We must wait until our people are with us.”
A half century since King died in his battle with the evil of racism, we are still waiting for the end of  yet another manifestation of racism, one which continues to be tolerated, and even worse, financially sponsored, by the spiritual heirs of those earlier Birmingham church divines to whom King wrote his historic letter from a Birmingham jail.

Read more http://www.veteranstoday.com/2012/04/28/methodists-face-moment-of-occupation-truth/

Psychologists demonstrate implanting non-believed false memories in troubling study

Madison Ruppert, Contributor
Activist Post

A recent study has found that people can have memories of events that never occurred implanted in a laboratory setting, even when they know that it never actually happened. Combining these findings with the reality of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA’s) hallucination-inducing technology and you have the potential for both the reliability of our memory and perception to be manipulated and thus become completely unreliable.

In 2010, Giuliana Mazzoni and Lucy Harvey of the University of Hall in the UK along with Alan Scoboria of the University of Windsor conducted a survey of over 1,500 undergraduate students. These researchers found that almost an entire quarter of the individuals surveyed reported having a memory of an event which they know or believe did not actually happen.

Read more ://www.activistpost.com/2012/04/psychologists-demonstrate-implanting.html 

CISPA Internet Spy Bill Exposed

Home Owners Across the Nation Sue All Bank Servicers and Their Offshore Havens

Home Owners Across the Nation Sue All Bank Servicers and Their Offshore Havens; Spire Law Officially Announces Filing of Landmark Lawsuit

Largest International Money Laundering Network in History Formed During Obama Administration; U.S. Banks' Theft of Home Owners' Money Laundered Through Cayman Islands, Isle of Man and Numerous Offshore-Based Affiliates

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Apr 23, 2012) - In a lawsuit alleged to involve the largest money laundering network in United States history, Spire Law Group, LLP -- on behalf of home owners across the Country -- has filed a mass tort action in the Supreme Court of New York, County of Kings. Home owners across the country have sued every major bank servicer and their subsidiaries -- formed in countries known as havens for money laundering such as the Cayman Islands, the Isle of Man, Luxembourg and Malaysia -- alleging that while the Obama Administration was publicly encouraging loan modifications for home owners, it was privately ratifying the formation of these shell companies in violation of the United States Patriot Act, and State and Federal law. The case further alleges that through these obscure foreign companies, Bank of America, J.P. Morgan, Wells Fargo Bank, Citibank, Citigroup, One West Bank, and numerous other federally chartered banks stole hundreds of millions of dollars of home owners' money during the last decade and then laundered it through offshore companies. The complaint, Index No. 500827, was filed by Spire Law Group, LLP, and several of the Firm's affiliates and partners across the United States.

Far from being ambiguous, this is a complaint that "names names." Indeed, the lawsuit identifies specific companies and the offshore countries used in this enormous money laundering scheme. Federally Chartered Banks' theft of money and their utilization of offshore tax haven subsidiaries represent potential FDIC violations, violations of New York law, and countless other legal wrongdoings under state and federal law.

Read more http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/home-owners-across-nation-sue-all-bank-servicers-their-offshore-havens-spire-law-officially-1647025.htm 

Has Lisbon Management placed Lisbon in Legal Jeopardy?

The town of Lisbon is in quite a quandary created by the “Good Old Boy” policy.  The Planning Board is now in a no win situation and even AVCOG cannot recommend a solution.  Some citizens were denied the right to operate a business out of their residence and others were allowed.  This is called discrimination.  There are small businesses all over town operating out of their residence in clear violation of the town ordinances.  Management acknowledges these businesses by collecting personal property taxes and ignoring the violations of town ordinances.  Management is ONLY interested in collecting revenue and helping out their friends. 

The Code Enforcement Officer has been told several times to leave these business owners alone and ignore the town ordinances.  Because of the proposed Comprehensive Plan changes to Route 9, all of these businesses have been exposed.  Even a member of the Planning Board, had a hand in shutting down his competition.  This was a clear abuse of his power but was acceptable behavior by management.  The powers to be take care of their own and their friends. 

The Planning Board is in a box and the only way out of this situation is to enforce the ordinances of the town equally by shutting down all of these illegal businesses.  This is the ONLY course of action available because if the Planning Board continues to allow these businesses to operate then the citizens who were ordered to shut down their businesses will be able to file a Class Action law suit against the town for discrimination.  This would be an open and shut case and the residents of Lisbon will have to pay dearly for management utilizing the “Good Old Boy” policy.

It is unfortunate these business owners have put time and money into their businesses knowing the whole time the businesses were in violation of the town ordinances.  These owners were probably assured they would be protected from being closed by management since the Town of Lisbon is operated on favoritism.  These owners knew the consequences of their action but were willing to accept the risk.  The Chief of Police and the Town Manager dictate who can and cannot violate the law and the town ordinances.  This is obvious by the enforcement of the law and our town ordinances.

The policy of begging for forgiveness rather than asking permission has to cease immediately.  Enforcement of the law and town ordinances must be applied equally for all citizens.  No longer should law abiding citizens be made to suffer while the good old boys are allowed to prosper.  I know it is hard to close all the illegal businesses but it is the right thing to do.  This town can no longer afford to allow management to selectively break the law and provide preferential treatment to certain individuals.  It is imperative all laws and ordinances be applied equally to all citizens of Lisbon because this is true justice for all.

As hard as it is to swallow, in order to restore Lisbon back to law and order, someone must suffer and in this case it HAS to be the owners of these illegal businesses rather than law abiding citizens.   These business owners knew they were wrong and ran the risk of being discovered.  It would be totally unjust to penalize law abiding residents any further.

It is clear who is at fault for creating this no win situation and that is the management of this town and until the people of Lisbon get rid of the Town Manager this type of situation will continue to be the norm.  This is a travesty of justice and the citizens should never be subjected to this type of behavior.  A court case will cost the taxpayers a great deal of money for something management created. 

Why should the taxpayers of Lisbon have to pay for a corrupt administration?

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen
 

Police don't protect and serve everyone equally

WHAT ARE WE REALLY PAYING FOR?????

The residents of Huston Park complained to the Police Department about overweight vehicles in the park and individuals (including Councilor Pomelow and her husband) ignoring the STOP Sign on Wing Street.  Also, residents on Winter Street complained to the Police Department of vehicles exceeding the speed limit.   These situations put all the people at risk in these areas and what is the Lisbon Police Department doing to eliminate these situations and to protect the citizens; absolutely nothing. 

The residents report a pattern of these violations to the Lisbon Police Department and still nothing is being done.  The taxpayers pay a great deal of tax dollars to employ this police force and what is their return on investment, nothing.   The residents of Lisbon need to know the police department is concerned about their safety.  One resident even recommended “Rubber Speed Bumps” during months without snow and the Town Engineer and Town Manager felt there was no need.  Apparently, management is not concerned about safety until someone is injured and killed.  


Why are we paying so much for a police force that does not care about the citizens of Lisbon’s safety?  Chief Brooks provides statistics about the ever increasing number of service calls and the need to provide more tax dollars to remedy the situation.  Well, the numbers of service calls are probably on the same situation.  This would explain the high numbers of service calls.  If ten residents called and complained about the same situation it would reflect ten service calls when in all actuality this is only one service call which was never acted upon by the police department.  This is how the police department pads their numbers.

This use to be a great community to raise children in and now we have to be more protective because the police department picks and chooses whom they will protect and serve.  This town is currently being operated and managed on favoritism.    The law is not enforced equally for all citizens of Lisbon which is a shame because the majority of this community has exceptional people and good neighbors.

Maybe a better solution for the town of Lisbon is to come under the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s department.  The sheriff’s department is not operated on favoritism and everyone will get a fair shake.  I am total convinced it would be cheaper for the taxpayers.
Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizens

A. Baxley: Slow down; save a life

Ashley Baxley

Letters |

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

I am a Lisbon citizen, taxpayer and voter. I question if town officials really support residents' rights and safety.


I have contacted the Lisbon Town Office for help in diminishing the excessive speeding from motorists on my 25 mph residential street. I have witnessed public works vehicles, Lisbon school buses carrying children, everyday motorists, etc., traveling upward of 60 mph on this stretch of street in Lisbon.

I have been told by town officials that they don't feel that any action is necessary.

Read more http://www.sunjournal.com/news/letters/2012/04/11/baxley-slow-down-save-life/1178484

New US Stealth Fighters Now at Iran’s Back Door

 Posted By: Steve
 Date: Sunday, 29-Apr-2012 07:53:42

 America’s most sophisticated stealth jet fighters have been quietly deployed to an allied base less than 200 miles from Iran’s mainland, according to an industry report, but the Air Force adamantly denied the jets’ presence is a threat to the Middle East nation.

 Multiple stealth F-22 Raptors, which have never been combat-tested, are in hangars at the United Arab Emirates’ Al Dafra Air Base, just a short hop over the Persian Gulf from Iran’s southern border, the trade publication Aviation Week reported. Air Force spokesperson Lt. Col. John Dorrian would not confirm the exact location of the F-22s, but told ABC News they had been deployed to a base in Southwest Asia — a region that includes the UAE. Dorrian also stressed that the F-22s were simply taking part in a scheduled deployment and are “not a threat to Iran.”

 “This is a very normal deployment to strengthen military relationships, promote sovereign and regional security, improve combined tactical air operations and enhance interoperability of forces,” Dorrian said.

Read more http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=238285 

Home Remedies for Cough

Naomi Woods
NaturalSociety
April 29, 2012
Having a cough is something every single person goes through, sometimes on a daily basis. It is so common, we even try our best to brush it off when it attacks. However, if you are constantly bugged by aching and itchy throat combined with persistent coughing, ignoring your cough can be quite difficult. What should you do then? There is no need to resort to pharmacy or doctor visits while home remedies for cough can easily exist within your own home.

Home Remedies for Cough – Natural Solutions

Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/home-remedies-for-cough/#ixzz1tRApaYsP

EURASIAN ECONOMIC BOOM AND GEOPOLITICS: China’s Land Bridge to Europe: The China-Turkey High Speed Railway

by F. William Engdahl
Global Research, April 27, 2012
The prospect of an unparalleled Eurasian economic boom lasting into the next Century and beyond is at hand. The first steps binding the vast economic space are being constructed with a number of little-publicized rail links connecting China, Russia, Kazakhstan and parts of Western Europe. It is becoming clear to more people in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Eurasia including China and Russia that their natural tendency to build these markets faces only one major obstacle: NATO and the US Pentagon’s Full Spectrum Dominance obsession.  Rail infrastructure is a major key to building vast new economic markets across Eurasia. China and Turkey are in discussions to build a new high-speed railway link across Turkey. If completed it would be the country's largest railway project ever, even including the pre-World War I Berlin-Baghdad Railway link. The project was perhaps the most important agenda item, far more so than Syria during talks in Beijing between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Chinese leadership in early April. The proposed rail link would run from Kars on the easternmost border with Armenia, through the Turkish interior on to Istanbul where it would connect to the Marmaray rail tunnel now under construction that runs under the Bosphorus strait. Then it would continue to Edirne near the border to Greece and Bulgaria in the European Union. It will cost an estimated $35 billion. The realization of the Turkish link would complete a Chinese Trans-Eurasian Rail Bridge project that would bring freight from China to Spain and England.1  http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=30575

Tampa Bay Bureaucrats Look to Ban Concealed Carry at RNC

April 28, 2012 by POPEYE  
Filed under Featured Stories, Gun Control

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(INFOWARS)   Tampa’s City Council wants Governor Rick Scott to pass an executive order banning concealed carry rights to coincide with protests at the Republican National Convention later this year.
“The thousands of protesters expected at the Democratic and Republican national conventions can come armed with a lot more than signs and slogans: State law in Florida and North Carolina allows concealed weapons, including guns,” reports the Sacramento Bee.

“The Tampa City Council wants Scott to issue an executive order, preventing people with concealed weapons permits from carrying guns.”

The executive order is required because according to Florida law, local officials are prohibited from pre-empting state gun statutes.

This move represents yet another effort to turn a right into a privilege and creates the pretext that fundamental liberties can be revoked by local bureaucrats when the mood takes them.

We’ve seen a similar assault on free speech rights with protesters being forced to ask the authorities for permits to exercise rights already guaranteed under the First Amendment.

Read more http://www.federaljack.com/?p=174652 

So much for security: airport employees allowed to work without TSA background checks

Madison Ruppert, Contributor
Activist Post

If the continued Transportation Security Administration (TSA) abuses, which just seem to get worse as time goes by; the ludicrously costly, potentially dangerous and ineffective “naked body scanners;” and the completely bloated Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were not enough reason to be infuriated by the ever-expanding agency which looks ever more like Hitler’s SA, here is yet another one to add to that list.

Recently the TSA confirmed that they have been allowing new employees to be hired without completed background checks.

Read more http://www.activistpost.com/2012/04/so-much-for-security-airport-employees.html 

Mobile phones may foil stealth bombers

By Robert Uhlig in London
America's multi-billion-dollar stealth bombers could be rendered obsolete by a British invention that uses existing mobile telephone masts to detect and track aircraft that were previously invisible to radar.  US stealth fighters and bombers such as the F117, B1 and B2 played key roles in the Gulf and Kosovan wars as they are almost impossible to detect using conventional radar.  However, the ease with which the mobile telephone mast system - developed at a laboratory in Hampshire - can be used to detect the aircraft has greatly concerned the military.

Mr. Peter Lloyd, the head of projects at Roke Manor Research, said: "I cannot comment in detail because it is a classified matter, but let's say the US military is very interested."  Stealth aircraft, each of which costs at least $A3.6 billion, are shaped to confuse radar. A special paint absorbs radio waves, reducing the radar signature to the equivalent of a gull in flight.  The Roke Manor scientists discovered that 

telephone calls sent between mobile phone masts detected the precise position of stealth aircraft with ease. "We use just the normal phone calls that are flying about in the ether," Mr. Lloyd said. "The front of the stealth plane cannot be detected by conventional radar, but its bottom surface reflects very well."

RRead more http://www.g2mil.com/foil-stealth.htm 

Death of alleged murderer in Washington state highlights media bias against survivalism

Anthony Freda Art -  Buy Here

Joe Wright  
Activist Post

A Washington state man suspected of murdering his wife and daughter had been on the run and was being hunted in his underground bunker by SWAT teams until his death was announced moments ago.

The FOX News article which recounts the details of 41-year-old Peter Keller and his hideout in the Cascade foothills pays almost equal attention to his being identified as a "survivalist," as it does the fact that he was a man wanted for a horrible double murde.........

It's an ongoing double-standard portrayed by corporate media that sees government preparation for disaster as completely sane and logical, while individuals who build bunkers fortified with food and weapons are implied to be dangerous survivalists who might just kill their family, as Peter Keller had been accused of before having explosives detonated on top of his hideout. 

Read more http://www.activistpost.com/2012/04/death-of-alleged-murderer-in-washington.html 

Baseball: Greyhounds shock Saints, 6-5

 Kalle Oakes, Staff Writer

Sunday, April 29, 2012

LISBON — Lisbon shed the dubious label of best winless MVC baseball team in stunning, dramatic fashion Saturday morning.

Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Mitchell Lorenz of Saint Dom's freezes between second and third after Lisbon shortstop Brandon Hovey made an outstanding catch on a low line drive with the bases loaded during the 7th inning of Saturday's game in Lisbon. Lorenz managed to scamper back to second base, but Hovey fired to first for a force out. A ground out eneded the inning,adding to the 10 stranded runners on base Saint Dom's left during their first loss of the season for the Saints and the first win of the season for the Greyhounds.

Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Saint Dominic Academy catcher Tyler Furtado has his foot on the plate for a force out at home plate, but the throw went wide and Lisbon't Kyle Bourget, right, scored the game winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning in Lisbon.

After giving away a two-run lead in the top of the seventh inning, the Greyhounds rallied for two in their half of the final frame to trump previously undefeated and reigning Class C champion St. Dom’s, 6-5, at Doughty Diamond.
Freshman pinch hitter Joe Philbrick, fellow ninth-grader Kyle Bourget and Jo Osmond drew walks to load the bases with one out against tiring St. Dom’s starter Joe Bryant.
Dalton Dunphy watched reliever Zak Johnson’s 3-2 offering for a walk, furnishing his fourth RBI and tying the game.

Read more http://www.sunjournal.com/news/local-sports/2012/04/29/baseball-greyhounds-shock-saints-6-5/1188063 

PLANNING BOARD MEETING – APRIL 26TH

At Thursday’s night Planning Board meeting, the Planning Board held, as part of this meeting, a Public Hearing on two issues:  Case #11-06 Swift Demolitions Co. Demolish and Remove Existing Building at the Old Masonite Fiber Board Site in Lisbon Falls and the Comprehensive Plan Amendments, specifically for limited commercial uses for properties directly abutting Route 9 in Lisbon Falls. 

Also the Planning Board Regular meeting dealt with these two issues and Case #11-05 Site/Plan/Subdivision Final Plan Application:  Premier Development LLC Develop a Commercial Park.  Both Cases 11-05 & 11-06 were passed by a vote of 5-0 with little or no discussion.  However, the Comprehensive Plan Amendment was a totally different matter altogether.

During the Public Hearing on the Comprehensive Plan Amendment, there were members of the audience who spoke against the proposed changes.  Roger Cote, David Bowie, Dot Fitzgerald, Mark and Curtis Lunt all presented arguments against the proposed changes.  Each of these individuals provided insight as to the damage being done by allowing businesses on Route 9.  It was brought out the businesses on Route 9 have been in violation of the current ordinances for a long time.  The policy in effect throughout the town is; it is better to ask for forgiveness rather than ask for permission.  No one wants to prevent people from earning a living or supplementing their income by operating a business from their residence but the town has ordinances in order to protect the environment and the investment residents have put into their homes.  Rural Open Space 1 was established to protect the rural environment and a peaceful lifestyle.  Allowing limited commercial in Rural Open Space 1 will destroy both the environment and the rural lifestyle.

Everyone agreed this current situation was a direct result of the Code Enforcement Officer not performing his duty.  However, in all fairness to Mike Cote, it is the Town Manager, Stephen Eldridge, who is not enforcing the ordinances of the town of Lisbon.   Eldridge has on several occasions reversed Mike Cote trying to enforce ordinances.   Mike Cote is close to retirement and will lose his retirement if he tries to enforce any ordinances without Eldridge’s prior approval.  Eldridge protects his and Brooks’ friends.  They both protect and make exceptions for town councilors such as Gina Mason and Lori Pomelow.  These two councilors receive preferential treatment. 

It is a known fact; the town of Lisbon is operated on favoritism and not in accordance with the law or ordinances.  The laws and ordinances are not applied evenly throughout the town.  Brooks and Eldridge enforce only what they want to in order to protect their friends.  Law abiding citizens are actually penalized for following the rules.  In some cases, citizens are actually put at risk by the police not enforcing speed limits and stop signs in residential areas.

Some residents, who were operating a small business at their residents, were in fact ordered to close the business when others were allowed to continue operating a small business from their residence.  This is called discrimination and the courts take a very dim view of this practice.  Eldridge and Brooks have placed the town of Lisbon is a very compromising position.  

The town has been collecting personal property taxes on these businesses on Route 9 for years.  This means the town has acknowledges these illegal businesses were operating but wanted the revenue instead of enforcing the town ordinances.  

There was no one who spoke in favor of the proposal and so the Planning Board voted 4-0 with one abstention to table the Comprehensive Plan Amendment.  A representative of AVCOG was present but could not offer any solution.

Stay tuned for more to come on this situation.

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen

FAMILY CIRCUS OR DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY ?

The only reason Steve Eldridge was hired as Town of Lisbon Town Manager was because Chief of Police David Brooks knew he could lead him around like a trained dog. Eldridge was kicked out as Rumford's town manager. He ran Rumford into the ground, needed a job, and brought along his lady friend giving her a job. 

                                IT WAS PERFECT ! ! ! ! ! ! !

The Town of Lisbon was a fairly thriving community.

Situated between two picturesque sites, the Androscoggin and Sabattus Rivers, on heavily traveled Route 196, midway to Lewiston/Auburn to the west and Topsham/Brunswick to the east.

New businesses were springing up; The Dingley Press, Floor Systems, The Furniture Superstore, Quality Car Care, all bringing jobs to Lisbon. New Lisbon Credit Union and Post Office buildings on Route 196, all nicely landscaped, were nice additions. 

Main Street Lisbon Falls was fairly bustling with activity.

Village Street in Lisbon Village, while needing a good

face-lift, the businesses, including Graziano's, were doing pretty good. There were no empty store-fronts.

Speed forward to 2012.

Two Down Town Revitalization's later:

Main Street Lisbon Falls is looking more and more run-down.

Business is declining. Village Street Lisbon Village is looking more and more like a Mid-Western ghost town. The former Worumbo Mill, some buildings burned down in 1987, not like Phoenix, has not risen from the ashes.

The former Masonite Fiberboard buildings on Route 196, on the banks of the Mighty Androscoggin River, and Lisbon's Gateway from the East, is or has been stripped of all personal property and the buildings are about to be demolished.

Our streets are in deplorable condition.

And what are our Town Fathers doing about it????? 

What is the Town Council doing about it??????? 

Ignoring the obvious ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 

 Eldridge hired someone not qualified, as Community Development Director  with a nice pay raise. Every business started with town seed money and  TIF's have gone under, leaving taxpayers holding the proverbial bag.

When that person left for another job, he hired  another incompetent as a replacement. 

 He  hired a friend, writing the bid in such a way that

no other firm could bid, to revalue the town at an inflated price.

We have a Town council that does not dare to vote before looking to Eldridge or Mike Bowie as to how they should vote.

We have a Planning Board, aka Larry, Curly and Moe and The Three Stooges, with the Codes Enforcement Officer as the fall guy. Trying to change the Comprehensive Plan to do illegal spot zoning.

They know not what they are doing, but are only doing Eldridge's bidding.

Codes Enforcement Officer does not dare to cite illegal businesses, or illegal junkyards for fear of losing his job.

He does not dare to burp or fart unless  Eldridge approves it first.

Many town department heads are overpaid and have bloated budgets.

(Apologies to the ones who do care and do not inflate their budgets).

The Town of Lisbon is falling into decay under Town Manager Eldridge and his puppets. Real estate taxes have gone through the roof and are going even higher.

Why should Eldridge, Town Engineer Ryan Leighton and Fire Chief Sean Galipeau care? They approve improvements to town buildings that do not need improvements while ignoring buildings that do need to be improved, at inflated costs.

They do not live In Lisbon. They do not pay real estate taxes to Lisbon. Galipeau and Leighton do not even have to own a vehicle, pay excise tax and vehicle insurance. They have free use of  town owned vehicles 24/7. All expenses paid  by Lisbon taxpayers ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Do you want  Lisbon  to continue to stagnate???  

Or do you want a vibrant and healthy business community? 

To accomplish that we need new leadership ! ! ! ! !

It cannot happen without you ! ! ! ! ! ! ! the voters ! ! ! ! 

Embarrassed

Mad Cow Disease May Infect Through Milk Despite USDA Claims

Anthony Gucciardi
NaturalSociety
April 27, 2012
Following the latest confirmed case of mad cow disease in California, the USDA and the dairy industry alike are struggling to assure consumers that drinking affected milk poses no serious risk to your health. Despite these warnings, some scientists have found research that points to the contrary. In fact, two large studies found that prions — pathogenic agents associated with mad cow disease and other life-threatening conditions — can actually transfer from animal to animal via milk consumption.

One such study, performed by a conglomerate of French, Norwegian, and British researchers, actually observed the presence of prions in sheep milk – the very prions that the USDA says cannot inhabit US dairy. Shockingly, this peer-reviewed study was published back in 2008 in the journal PLoS Pathogens. Why has the USDA not spoken of this study, or even the second study that reached similar conclusions? In case you’re unsure, let’s examine an excerpt from the study authors:

Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/mad-cow-disease-may-infect-through-milk-despite-usda-claims/#ixzz1tFSbMTLV

US Sergeant Booted off Marines for Obama Facebook Posts

RT
April 26, 2012

US president Obama's head superimposed on an "Incredibles" movie poster. Taken from Armed Forces Tea Party Facebook page.

A US Marine has been given “other-than-honorable discharge” for calling president Obama an “enemy” and making Facebook comments about him.

The decision has caused a row over whether the Pentagon’s social media policy violates rights of the military.

Sergeant Gary Stein, who had served in the Marines for nine years, including a term in Iraq, will not be able to re-enlist in any branch of the US armed forces, and will lose his benefits.

Stein made his comments about Obama on the Armed Forces Tea Party Facebook page, which he created.

Read more http://theintelhub.com/2012/04/26/us-sergeant-booted-off-marines-for-obama-facebook-posts/ 

Active Duty Marine Shot 37 Times by Local Deputy and CHP Can Proceed to Trial

By REBEKAH KEARN

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     SAN DIEGO (CN) - A wrongful death suit against a San Diego deputy sheriff is proceeding to trial after the deputy along with a group of California Highway Patrol officers killed an active duty Marine who was a veteran of the Iraq war, by shooting him 37 times after pinning his car at the side of the freeway.

     After an argument with his wife, Robert Medina led 18 officers and 13 police cars on a slow-speed chase down the I-5 through Oceanside, which is near Camp Pendleton, before he was eventually trapped and penned in near Encinitas a few miles south.

     Medina was an active-duty, 22-year-old Marine who had recently returned from a tour in Iraq and suffered from post traumatic stress syndrome, according to a federal court ruling. The syndrome often develops after a person experiences a violent personal attack or traumatic event, such as being in a war zone. Military personnel are especially at risk for developing PTSD, which includes symptoms like flashbacks, depression, and difficulty functioning in social situations.

Read more http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/04/26/46004.htm 

Latest Cybersecurity Bill CISPA Passes First Vote in Congress

image source

Activist Post

Never mind that no cyber threat has been proven, or even appears imminent, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, or CISPA, which many say is just the reincarnation of the failed SOPA bill, passed a rules vote in the House of Representatives today by a count of 248 to 168.

"This bill in its current form… is an unprecedented, sweeping piece of legislation that would waive every single privacy law ever enacted in the name of cybersecurity," Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.)

The vote clears the way for a full vote likely to take place today.  Facing a veiled veto threat by president Obama because the bill doesn't do enough to protect civil liberties, CISPA is said to be potentially worse for Internet free speech and activism.


Read more http://www.activistpost.com/2012/04/latest-cybersecurity-bill-cispa-passes.html

Taming the Wild Nugent

by Jim Goad

April 23, 2012

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Ted Nugent

All the right people hate Ted Nugent. And when I say all the right people, naturally I mean all the left people.
His pinko antagonists were screeching like freshly castrated mink at an overcrowded fur farm last week regarding comments the wild-eyed and possibly insane rocker/hunter/gun fetishist had made at a National Rifle Association convention in St. Louis, specifically this Nugent nugget:

If Barack Obama becomes the president in November again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year.

READ MORE. http://takimag.com/article/taming_the_wild_nugent_jim_goad#ixzz1tFMzSE5C

5 New Lies That The Federal Reserve Is Telling The American People

The Federal Reserve says that everything is going to be okay. The Fed says that unemployment is going to go down, inflation is going to remain low and economic growth is going to steadily increase. Do you believe them this time? As you will see later in this article, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has been dead wrong about the economy over and over again. But the mainstream media and many Americans still seem to have a lot of faith in the Federal Reserve. It doesn't seem to matter that Bernanke and other Fed officials have been telling the American people lies for years. As I always say, most people believe what they want to believe, and many people seem to want to have blind faith in the Federal Reserve even when logic and reason would dictate otherwise.

 The truth is that things are not going to be getting much better than they are right now. When the next wave of the financial crisis hits, the U.S. economy is going to fall back into recession, financial markets are going to crash and unemployment is going to absolutely skyrocket. But you will never hear any of that from the Federal Reserve.

The following are 5 new lies that the Federal Reserve is telling the American people. After each lie I have posted what The Economic Collapse Blog thinks is actually going to happen....

Read more http://www.bushstole04.com/monetarysystem/fed_lies.htm 

Bob Marley Lisbon H.S. ---- Tonight

Occupy Orlando Protester Wins Free Speech Claims

By DESHAYLA STRACHAN

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     ORLANDO (CN) - A federal judge said police officers violated free-speech rights by arresting of an Occupy Orlando participant for writing political messages on the sidewalk outside City Hall.

     Occupiers can write on city sidewalk to express political messages because the messages are not advertisements or public notices, and they are not permanent, U.S. Magistrate Judge David Baker said.
     Orlando arrested Timothy Osmar twice in December 2011 for writing with chalk on the sidewalk outside City Hall.

     The first arrest, on Dec. 15, occurred after Osmar ignored officers' orders to stop writing his messages. The second arrest occurred after Osmar returned to the plaza on Dec. 22 and wrote, "All I want for Christmas is a Revolution #Occupy."

     In a lawsuit against the city, Osmar claimed officers had applied the law against sidewalk defacement unconstitutionally to suppress his political speech activities. No other person has been arrested or charged under the law since it came into effect in 1985, Osmar claimed.

Readf more http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/04/26/45998.htm 

Ron Paul, ‘the only candidate speaking of lost civil liberties and pending illegal wars’

Debbie February 20, 2012 2

United States presidential contender Ron Paul has warned that his country is slipping into a twenty-first century fascist system with a broke government ruled by big business. RT asked some experts whether they agree.
Speaking to supporters in Kansas City, the Republican candidate said Americans’ individual liberties were being stripped away.

And, as Houston-based author Anis Shivani says, Paul is “the only candidate on the Republican side who is talking about the loss of civil liberties, pending illegal wars, making the connection between imperialism and the loss of rights at home.”

It now looks like Ron Paul could have won the Maine caucus, and Shivani believes he could have more support with the American public but it seems that the media won’t allow it to happen:

http://mycatbirdseat.com/2012/02/ron-paul-the-only-candidate-speaking-of-lost-civil-liberties-and-pending-illegal-wars/ 

Press TV banned in Germany

Censorship reflects society's lack of confidence in itself. It is a hallmark of an authoritarian regime. ~Potter Stewart

The German government follows US and the UK attacks on Iranian Television and orders their international English news channel be removed from their airwaves.

It was through a simple email sent to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) officials that the Media Regulatory Office (MHA) based in Munich notified of the decision to remove the Iranian English-speaking channel Press TV from German airwaves.

Read more http://mycatbirdseat.com/2012/04/post-democracy-press-tv-banned-in-germany/ 

Veteran Plea for Help: Bob Strait and Family

Begin Experiencing the Benefits of Garlic

Naomi Woods
NaturalSociety
April 26, 2012

A common ingredient for sautéing, garlic is a spice relative of onion, leek, chive and shallots. This is a common staple for many savory dishes. Although popular in the kitchen, the health benefits of garlic have also been recognized and taken advantage of since the ancient times, showing countless individuals the compelling reasons to increase garlic consumption.

Benefits of Garlic

Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/benefits-of-garlic/#ixzz1t9cpF0mi

Indonesia bans some US beef after mad cow outbreak

Updated 26 April 2012, 19:11 AEST

Indonesia has suspended imports of some types of US beef following a confirmed case of mad cow disease in California.

Two major South Korean retailers suspended the sale of US beef on Wednesday after an outbreak of mad cow disease. [Reuters] 

Video: Mad cow disease reported in US

But the partial ban will only have a limited impact with mayor buyers saying they would continue to import US beef.
Agriculture Ministry officials said boned meat, gelatin from bones and innards shipped from April 24 will be forbidden. Boneless meat will still be allowed into Indonesia, Vice-Agriculture Minister Rusman Heriawan said.
The partial ban will be lifted once the US provides scientific evidence to guarantee that its meat and meat products are safe for human consumption, officials said.
Mr Heriawan said US beef is mainly used by hotels and high-end restaurants. Indonesia also imports beef from Australia, New Zealand and Canada, as well as live Australian cattle.
Read more http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-04-26/indonesia-bans-some-us-beef-after-mad-cow-outbreak/934172 

22 Red Flags That Indicate That Very Serious Doom Is Coming For Global Financial Markets

The Economic Collapse Blog
April 25, 2012
If you enjoy watching financial doom, then you are quite likely to really enjoy the rest of 2012.

Right now, red flags are popping up all over the place.  Corporate insiders are selling off stock like there is no tomorrow, major economies all over Europe continue to implode, the IMF is warning that the eurozone could actually break up and there are signs of trouble at major banks all over the planet.
Unfortunately, it looks like the period of relative stability that global financial markets have been enjoying is about to come to an end.  A whole host of problems that have been festering just below the surface are starting to manifest, and we are beginning to see the ingredients for a “perfect storm” start to come together.

The greatest global debt bubble in human history is showing signs that it is getting ready to burst, and when that happens the consequences are going to be absolutely horrific.

Hopefully we still have at least a little bit more time before the global financial system implodes, but at this point it doesn’t look like anything is going to be able to stop the chaos that is on the horizon.
The following are 22 red flags that indicate that very serious doom is coming for global financial markets….Read more http://theintelhub.com/2012/04/25/22-red-flags-that-indicate-that-very-serious-doom-is-coming-for-global-financial-markets/

Lisbon Maine Budget Process

                           Budget Process

After several years of monitoring the politics of Lisbon’s budget process I have come to a very definite realization. We are hopelessly over our heads when it comes to reducing the tax burden in our town.

While cutting a few hundred dollars here and there is a worthwhile endeavor I don’t think it will bring the savings needed to rescue us from another financial fiasco.

We shouldn’t expect our Councilors or the Budget Committee to be able to unravel the intricate nuances of our creative accounting system.This system was devised by experts to hide or shift the true costs of each municipal department.

In order to cut  taxes by any meaningful amount without detrimental consequences, we need the assistance of some of the architects that conceived this system. 

While we may feel helpless by the complicated nature of our budget process we do have an “ace in the hole”. Our Councilors hold the power to "hire and fire" the very people that are holding us hostage in this budget process.

Our Councilors should go to each of the Department heads and tell them Lisbon needs a  20% reduction in their department and request they give us the least painful solution to our budget dilemma.

If we sit back and nickel and dime this budget, we will all be storming the town hall again in September when the new taxes are sent out. Lets be proactive this time and fix this problem now.

Councilors beware.  You only have a few months left to save your legacy.

Respectfully
Joe Hill

Bob Marley -- Lisbon High School ---- 4/26/2012

Lisbon Maine Town Council Workshop Recap 4/24/12

RECAP COUNCIL WORKSHOP – APRIL 24TH

Last night’s Town Council workshop on the municipal budget was extremely entertaining.  The workshop had the department heads of the following department  explain their proposed budgets:  Library, Town Engineer, Town Building, Technology, Solid Waste, Finance and Town Clerk.

The council listened as each department head went over their proposed budgets.  There were very few questions ask except by Bowie and Mrs. Dot Fitzgerald.  Every time Mrs. Fitzgerald asked a question Eldridge would reply by talking down to her.

The most fascinating aspect of the workshop was when Eldridge announced the 2% wage Adjustment for all town employees.   In the beginning, Bowie and Eldridge stated this was going to be a onetime bonus to all town employees but now it is going to be a wage increase.  During the workshop, it was a wage increase plus step/longevity, not a onetime bonus and would cost approximately $174,657 dollars.  I believe the total cost is closer to $278,363 which includes the department heads. 

                   
All town employees received a 1.75% pay increase last year so why a 2% this year?  In this economy, it would be more practical to save jobs rather than increase wages.  Let’s think about what this 2% could be utilized for:  improving our roads, eliminate several capital gains, and most important  the Library would not have to eliminate or reducing the pre-school, head-start and the summer reading programs for the youth in our community.

           
Mrs. Fitzgerald asked the town engineer, Leighton, why he had proposed $15,000 for a new roof and $4,000 to replace windows at the E.T. Smith fire station when the roof was not leaking but the roof of the Public Works building is leaking and was not in the proposed budget?  To everyone amazement, she received no answer.  Apparently, the question was too tough.  This is the ignore logic behind this ridiculous proposed budget.

Another question Mrs. Fitzgerald asked which received another stupid answer was why the Town Engineer takes a town vehicle home with him.  The response was in case of emergencies.  Well, the two Deputy Fire Chiefs utilizes their own vehicles and receive mileage, when necessary.  The elimination of the town engineer taking a town vehicle home every night will increase the longevity of the vehicle and reduce maintenance cost.  How many times in a year does the town engineer have to respond to an emergency?

At the end of the workshop, there was no mention of cutting any of the proposed budgets so it would appear the citizens of Lisbon are looking at between 1 or 2 mil increases in their taxes in order to offset the fraud, waste and abuse in this proposed municipal budget.

This council is rubber stamping everything Eldridge puts before them.  Bowie is steering the remainder of the council to approve increases in spending instead of trying to reduce spending.  Without a reduction in spending, taxes can only increase. 

It is apparent; this council has no intentions of making an honest attempt to reduce spending.  This reflects a total lack of concern for the citizens of Lisbon.

In November, let’s make a clean sweep. 

Vote them out!!!!!!!!

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen

Mad Cow Disease Newly Confirmed in California

Cassandra Anderson
NaturalSociety
April 25, 2012

madcow 220x137 Mad Cow Disease Newly Confirmed in CaliforniaA dairy cow in California’s Central Valley was found to be infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or Mad Cow disease, which is fatal and causes degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. A USDA spokesman said that the cow did not enter the food chain and that its carcass will be destroyed.

John Clifford of the USDA chief veterinary officer says that the cow had an atypical case of BSE and did not get the disease from eating infected cattle feed. An official at Cornell University says that this was a “random mutation” that happens once in a while.

Read more:

Trayvon Martin and Gun Violence — Setting the Stage for Gun Control in Obama’s Second Term

Brandon Pierce, Contributor
Activist Post

The controversial killing of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman as a “neighborhood watch patrol” is one of the biggest stories of 2012 so far.  And with his trial upcoming, it will continue to be so.

The incident is a rallying point for those that think that gun control is a necessary evil for the United States and that it is time for the Second Amendment (you know, the one that guarantees that we have the right to bear arms) to be nullified.

http://www.activistpost.com/2012/04/trayvon-martin-and-gun-violence-setting.html