A facebook post about how to check out a boat with your library card got more attention and shares than anything I have ever posted. It's part of our Library of Things and it's simple. The boats are already at the lake; the item barcode is on a tag on a floating key ring with a key to the security cable of the boat; the user checks out paddles and life jackets as well and signs a waiver. Amish adolescents were our first takers, checking out 4 kayaks twice. I think we are the only LOT in the state with boats. We would like to put another rack of boats on Sandy Stream if we can find a good spot.

The primary is over and Graham Platner won it easily. I have never seen such a flood of negative articles and posts from mainstream media and the politial establishment in response to a candidate. AIPAC and its aligned journalists and politicos are especially virulent in opposition to him. He's not afraid to say that Gaza is a genocide, and in the senate, one or two members can create an effective opposition to things. The democratic primary for governor has me guessing that Pingree might end up on top. I love Ranked Choice Voting. It prevents someone winning with just 25% of the vote. The first step in the tabulation will be assigning the second choices of King voters to the other candidates and I think Pingree will get most of those. That will push her above Shah. Then someone else will be on the bottom and their second choices will be distributed. I'd be ok with Pingree, Bellows, or Jackson.

Prepping a statement here before a newspaper calls for it. There are two reasons I still support Graham Platner for Senate in Maine. First, I don't balance his past behavior against that of some imaginary flawless candidate; I balance it against the pedofile rapist in office, the unprecedented corruption of his administration, the genocide and warmongering supported by our current senator. Platner's policy positions are the same as mine; I stand for the radical changes he promotes. Second, I believe that people can change, can be transformed. I agree that if you believe in a transformational politics, you have to believe that people can be transformed.

So the WSJ reporter called and I said the above. She asked about Susan Collins and I said that she brings home the money to Maine, but she does so by trading her votes for support of wars and terrible nominees and authoritarian rule. Her votes are transactions for position and power not for the good of the country. The reporter asked about Platner support among other people I know. I told her that we have sort of an old lady focus group at the library and that we are voting for change. We'll see if I get quoted right. I'm a policy voter and here are the policies I look for from a candidate.