Insurance package discounts?
Home, Auto and Liability Insurance
Call 774-6257
Serving Portland’s Peninsula Since 1931 • www.clarkinsurance.com
September 2016
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com Page 1
Here’s What We Think...
be included. Right now, on a hot Summer’s day, a walk there is little better than one in the Sahara Desert as the sun beats down, no water fountains are around and it can be a hot, uncomfortable time — not the pleasure it should and could be. Do not get us wrong: we “get it” that trees cost money and present maintenance needs, from water in dry times to trimming and cleaning up after. And the right “street trees” also have to be planted so their root systems, hardiness and other factors give them a fair chance at survival in a city where Winter salt and Summer drought are all-too-often factors... but let’s try and remedy the situation anyway.
Up Portland’s Opinion
Portland Oregon has so many rose bushes that it’s known as “The Rose City.” Based upon that, the Portland we live in should be known as “The Dead Tree City” because so many of the trees originally planted along the Peninsula’s sidewalks have died, been cut down and, even more sad, most have never been replaced, leaving holes, weeds, uneven bricks, fill or just dirt with stumps... and to this editor that is totally uncalled for and an embarrassment in a town which tries every day to impress locals and visitors. Visitors stay but a day or three, but those holes and empty spaces are especially bad for those of us locals who traverse the streets every day. With holes replacing trees, shade does not exist. Valuable oxygen does not get replenished. And
Let’s quit cutting down dead or dying trees unless plans are in place to replace them. And let’s plant trees (not bricks or asphalt) in as many of the old holes as we can as soon as possible. Not only would the streets look way better, but they’d be safer without the holes and dips where old trees have been removed. Let’s make this a priority lest we become “The Dead Tree City”. A moniker we’d not want to deserve, but one we are perilously close to earning.
Ted Fleischaker, Publisher, Up Portland.
there’s the tripping hazard that so many of these sidewalk tree graveyards pose to walkers and bikers. We at Up Portland say it’s time to get a plan and plant some new trees — not fill dirt, cement, more bricks or stumps — ASAP. We honestly feel that whoever has jurisdiction over the sites of these missing trees should also pay for new ones to be planted — whether that’s the city, the businesses or a combination of both. But in any case we need our downtown trees to be replaced, not just cut down. Probably our worst example of what not to do exists (above, before & after) at Fore & Franklin where a hole with a stump existed for months until rather than plant a new tree, the spot was bricked over recently. We are 99% sure whoever did the bricking thought they were “solving the problem” of an open hole, whereas we feel all they did was put down more sidewalk and eliminate a chance for shade we so badly need. On the same topic, if you have ever walked the Eastern Prom Trail along the wonderful waterfront you surely have noticed a shortage of shade trees. This path is delightful and we as a paper are excited about the new developments proposed along the area from Newbury Street toward the East, but we do hope in all the planning for fountains, beach access, boat launches, playgrounds and more, some trees for walkers, skaters and bikers who use the trail regularly can
Page 2
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com Page 3
Sauntering With Mat
By Mat Robedee / Up Portland Commentator
Summer is supposed to be the time to relax, let loose and have fun. Yet this time of year, I find the end of August and into September to be the most stressful. I feel an overwhelming need to cram all the warm weather activities I’ve yet to do into a limited amount of weeks, knowing Autumn is right around the corner. Every day there seems to be another event: a backyard BBQ, going on a bike ride, swim or kayak adventure and still so much to do before the Summer ends. Maine Summer bucket-lists can be long, it’s one of the perks of living here, but no Summer in southern Maine is truly complete without a boat trip out on Sebago Lake. Sebago is just a short northwest drive from Portland and is the second largest lake in the state. It’s also one of the deepest. The lake was naturally formed over 14,000 years ago by melting glaciers, leaving the lake quite the sight to
SEA KAYAKING & PADDLEBOARDING AT EAST END BEACH
Explore the Islands of CASCO BAY
RENTALS • GUIDED TRIPS • LESSONS PortlandPaddle.net • 207-370-9730 Page 4
see. Compared to other lakes around the area, Sebago is a beast. The max length is around 12 miles; it’s 316 feet at the deepest point and nearly 29,000 acres in total. When out on the lake, one of my favourite things is to stop the boat and swim out in the open water. My size truly gets put into perspective, just knowing the bottom is hundreds of feet below me. Even the water itself feels deep. The sensation of being at sea is common but not far-fetched, as in some spots, the shoreline is just a small slice upon the horizon. My mind quickly wanders... what if all those local tales about fish being big enough in the lake to eat me (or you) are true? It was one of those final sweaty Saturdays of the season and I decided to take advantage of my sister owning a boat on the lake. After packing up some cold brews, sandwiches and plenty of sunscreen, a small group of us went out for the day. We rode out to, and spent the day at, a sandy beach laughing, swimming and relaxing in the sun. Much as I loved the fun in the sun, the thrill-seeking highlight of my tranquil day was on the boat ride back to the marina. That’s because along the way, we passed by Fryes Leap, a series of incredible cliffs along the lake shore. The cliffs are well known amongst locals and fellow Mainers. Despite the fact that it may be completely illegal to jump from the cliffs (several lives have been lost here) that certainly does not stop people from making the leap. A place as naturally delicious as the beer named after it, Frye’s Leap, is a must see. Most of my summertime adventures take part along off-the-beaten-path locations, away from the crowds, tourists and traffic jams. Sebago Lake is not that. (Even though I would not doubt that somehow, even on a boat in the middle of the lake, a Massachusetts driver could cut you off in their car and nearly cause a collision.) What Sebago is though is a “Maine must”. It is a staple for Maine Summers and for many like me, a place full of childhood memories. Not only is it a local favourite but it holds great importance. The size and location of Sebago makes it the primary water supply for the Portland Water
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com
District. This water serves the Greater Portland region and about 15% of Maine's population, and has since the aqueduct to the city was completed just after the big fire of 1866. So drink up my friends! Sebago is also considered to be one of the lakes with the purest waters in the state. So yes, the lake may be boat busy in certain areas and a go-to destination for tourists, but being able to swim in such clean and clear water easily makes up for it. As the swimming season may be coming to an end, it’s not time to put the boats up quite yet. So if you have not been out on the lake before or it’s been awhile, consider making some time to go. Call a friend or family member who has a boat and ask them to take you out. Better yet, treat yo’self and rent one for a day because when the colder weather finally sets in, you’ll be thankful you did. And a side note: if you ever meet a banana on the beach, don’t forget to take a photo…or it never happened.
We are more than just copies… and and
G
and R
S
HU
M
BROC
N
ES
PRINTI
PROGRA
and
FLYERS and SELL SHEETS and CALENDARS and BANNERS and NOTE CARDS and MAILERS and BUSINESS CARDS and NEWSLETTERS and POST CARDS and INVITATIONS and MENUS and POSTERS and … including cutting, scoring, folding, multiple types of binding, hole punching, dry mounting, and laminating
Conveniently located at 100 Fore Street in Portland
(next to Hamilton Marine on your way to the Eastern Prom) with plenty of free parking
207.775.2444 • www.xcopy.com Like us on
/facebook.com/XPressCopy
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com Page 5
Food For Thought... Don’t look now, but Hot Suppa (703 Congress Street) is lost. Not lost on Portland’s great food scene, but lost because it’s about 1,100 miles too far north of Atlanta to qualify as a southern restaurant. But southern cooking it is, and what we meant by 1,100 miles too far north is simply that the food at Hot Suppa is up there with the best of the South’s eateries, even though it somehow has landed on the Peninsula in Portland. In this reviewer’s opinion, it is way better than Atlanta’s Pittypat’s Porch and at least equal to the “down home” food one would get at Nashville’s Loveless Restaurant or Louisville’s collection of spots like the late, lamented Lynn’s Paradise Cafe. They will even (we were told) be having a Louisville staple: The Hot Brown open-face turkey, bacon and mornay sauce sandwich when the weather turns and Winter arrives in Maine. But what about the food now? We liked it so well on our first recent visit at dinner (served 4 til 9.15 Tuesdays thru Saturdays) that we went back for the combo brunch/breakfast/lunch they serve every day from 7 a.m. til 2 p.m. Both times we left smiling and both times wanting to come back to try another item on the regular menu or the specials board. But what makes the place so good? First and foremost, the smiling staff. One gets the impression (correctly this reviewer feels) that even with the small space they get to work in, and what looks like a tiny kitchen that the crew here actually enjoy their jobs. You read that right: enjoy. Even the hostess (who had a broken collarbone last visit) smiled, chatted and managed to fold some silverware all while riding herd on the nuts-to-butts crowded dining room with locals and folks we spoke with from as far as Toronto. That, my friends, takes dedication and true happiness with a job. And do not be fooled: the bar crew, wait staff and every face we saw through the kitchen door bore the same smile and happy attitude. Score 100% for staff. Next (and of course equally vital) was what appeared on the plates. And like the staffing, it was and is excellent. On my first (the dinner) visit I had shrimp & grits (pictured) which the menu describes as “Country ham red-eye gravy, Geechie Boy cheddar grits, sautéed shrimp, bell peppers, mushrooms.” I can describe it as wonderful... not only because those were the first grits I have had since moving up here from the south, but because they did the dish right. By the way, as an aside, we’d not heard of Geechie Boy Grits, even down south, so we did some research and found they are from a market & mill of the same name in Edisto Island, South Carolina — a town stuck in between Beaufort and Charleston, so from even further than the ones we love to get (and have friends
Page 6
bring us) from Weisenberger Mills in Kentucky. Meanwhile, partner Ivan had one of several dishes they offer at Hot Suppa which contain fried green tomatoes... and he proclaimed them as good as the best we have ever enjoyed — made by family members back in Kentucky, Southern Indiana and Florida. Hot Suppa also has specials, and the names are fun. One night (memory is a bit foggy) they had a Carolina Picnic, one with plenty of their Pimiento cheese sauce and other items one would find at a Summer picnic in the countryside outside Charlotte, Clinton, Wilmington or Raleigh. They also offer (on the regular Summer menu) things like a Pimiento Cheeseburger (“Pineland Farm beef, tobacco onions, green tomato chow chow, Kaiser”) and a Fried Chicken & Buttermilk Waffle plate (with Maine Maple Syrup no less). If you make it for the breakfast/brunch/lunch, there are two different menus from the dinner one, and both will leave you spoiled for choice. I did a French Omelette with bacon and cheese, which was delicious and more resembled a
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com
crepe than the typical omelette I so enjoy at Miss Portland or Marcy’s diners. Probably my only gripe was I wish it were bigger, but no problem... I just ordered a 2nd side of the grits and left grinning ear-to-ear. Have I mentioned I adore grits yet? Ivan doesn’t eat eggs due to a mild allergy, so he selected several sides and made his own breakfast plate. He proclaimed the buttermilk biscuits (think Nashville’s Loveless Cafe) with sausage gravy supreme and the hash browns got big smiles, too. Other choices (eggs or no) are wide-ranging and some names are knee-slappers (as in humourous in south speak) too. One’s called The Mother Clucker (“fried chicken breast, buttermilk biscuit, cheddar curds, sausage gravy. Add hashbrowns, Geechie Boy grits, or baby kale for $1.”) and there’s a Red Green Breakfast Burrito (“Scrambled egg, hashbrowns, peppers & onions, black beans, cheddar cheese, salsa roja, green tomato salsa verde, queso fresco, flour tortilla,”) too. The menu is extensive, so go check it out or visit the website (www.hotsuppa.com) and get a preview, but there’s nothing quite like seeing, smelling and tasting to clinch the deal. Finally, speaking of the deal, pricing at Hot Suppa is more than fair given the huge portions which appear on the plates. They have a good price point, quality ingredients and the smiling staff (yes I left 20% plus) all add up to a total win. The breakfast for two (with tip and the extra grits) was about $39. The best part is it’s in Portland so no long flights, lost luggage or transfers in Philadelphia needed. One final word: season. We talked to the staff at Hot Suppa and they tell us that after season things slow down, they go from the Summer (picnic menu mode) to a comfort food and indoor cold weather one. That’s when we are told that Ken-
• Bagel Sandwiches • English Muffin Sandwiches
• Assorted Sandwiches & Wraps • Salads
• Breakfast Pizza
• Yogurt & Fruit Cups
• 2 Fat Cats Muffins & Scones
• Green Mountain Coffee
Cumberland County Courthouse 205 Newbury St, Portland, ME Open 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM Breakfast & Lunch, Mon. - Fri.
HONY T N
LI
’S
Bits & bites...more restaurant news... They say the restaurant biz can be a revolving door, but boy did it revolve fast on two Maine spots — one in Portland and one in Cape Neddick to the south of us.
Yes, you can now order in the Court!
I TA
We are counting the days till it (and the other Winter specialties) hit the Hot Suppa menu, but while we are counting we are enjoying the Summer items again, so get by and have a meal before (and after) the change. It’s a great bit of the south come north to Portland.
Order in the Court!
FE
So what IS one of those? A dish I was weaned on growing up in Louisville as it was “invented” at the Brown Hotel there and still tops their menu. Essentially it’s a delicious, cholesterolpacked, calorific “sandwich” one eats with a fork. Start with two slices of toast, well buttered of course. Top with cooked turkey, maybe some country ham, too, tomato slices, then drench with mornay cheese sauce, add some parmesan cheese on top, put under the broiler to get bubbling and top with slices of crispy bacon. I believe we did say calories and more, but delicious.
A
tucky Hot Brown makes its appearance.
AN C A
The Portland fast track was seen just off Monument Square at 30 City Centre, where Hero didn’t get but a few months to become heroic. In fact, the time frame was so short this reviewer never got to even go in. But closed it Please continue on the Next Page
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com Page 7
More Food For Thought... Continued From The Previous Page is, as a sign posted on the door (left) states. The place opened on the 4th of March and the end came suddenly the first week of August, just five months later. The eatery was a much-touted cooperative effort between the owners of Empire and Otto Pizza, but sometimes all the best intent doesn’t lead to profits and happiness, which was apparently the situation here... And speaking of closings, we hope the historic farmhouse which housed the great Arrows restaurant comes back yet again in Cape Neddick. We never got to the Velveteen Habit, which replaced Arrows just 16 months ago, but to be honest, after reading what the latest owner did to a time-honoured spot, we were not impressed enough to make the hour trip south. We say that because from a traditional eatery and very much local landmark, all the reviews we spotted indicated that the place was “foodied up” by the new owner who, along with the new name made many changes which were not popular with Arrows regulars — so much so that they stayed away in droves. There is always room for change or improvements, but from everything we saw and heard from locals this was a lot of change for change and modernisation sake. If you happen to have $1.3 million (in small change, of course) you can buy the historic property and give operating one of Southern Maine’s coolest venues a try. If I had that kinda cash I think I’d undo all the changes the last owner made to the historic (1700s) farmhouse and bring back Arrows, which was successful for many a year. Anyway, we reviewers are always full of what in the day we called “piss and vinegar” (with a bow to John Steinbeck who coined the phrase) and sometimes we say a lot we couldn’t make happen all that well, either. In short, the place is closed and is for sale if you are looking to try your hand... And finally, while I’m on reviewer rants, two things I need to mention. One, if you are a waiter or host in a restaurant and someone says “no thanks” to more tea or coffee, please, please, please listen to the customer. This was brought to mind recently when, at a favourite eatery we love, I said “no thanks” and sent a waiter on his way when he attempted to louse up my iced tea, which I’d finally just got to the right consistency and sweetness. Too bad not two minutes later, while my back was turned in conversation, he showed back up, dumped more tea in my glass and ruined it all for me! Staffers: when a customer says “no thanks” please, please take that to heart no matter how hard that may seem. Of course, you could always be like my late Grandma Fanny who, when waiters would show up with more unwanted coffee or tea would put her hand over her cup or glass to prevent any being added. Only once did a non-attentive waiter
Page 8
pour anyway and back in the day we’d not have dreamed of suing despite her hand getting scalded by the coffee! And finally, to diners who are in the dining room when other folks arrive: when you are done, please look around and if there are people waiting, pay your bill and give up the table for those who’d like a meal, too. In spite of season being high lately, I never cease to be amazed at the lack of etiquette some folks have. Enjoy your meal at a leisurely pace. Have dessert or sip drinks after for sure. But when you are done, and the bill’s been presented and paid, those of us waiting would really appreciate your taking your 30-minute chat to the bar, the car or outside. Oh, and when you do get up to leave...please leave. We never saw this in our former Midwest home, but Portland seems filled with folks who finish, pay, get to their feet and stand and stand and stand by their table or chairs and converse. At one well-known restaurant recently we timed a group of six and that conversation on their feet ran over 10 minutes, all while staff waited to clear the table, folks were waiting for the seats and you oafs bumped our table’s chairs and towered over we seated diners the whole time. To borrow a quote from an old, old Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour with Lucille Ball say it: “We hate long good-byes. Goodbye!” and then get a move on.
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com
The Standard Reviewer
believe the tale. They still look forward to going to the great beyond. When Frank and Brenda and their packaged compatriots finally find themselves in a customer’s shopping cart, they can’t believe their luck and the shopping cart turns into an impromptu party.
By Bill Elliott / Up Portland’s Film & Theatre Reviewer
There is definitely a change in the air in America. It is most noticeable in the current presidential election campaign. There’s a meanness, a crudeness, an almost guilty pleasure in overstepping normally sacrosanct boundaries, in revelling in political incorrectness, in calling a spade a spade. In case you hadn’t noticed, this has been going on in the world of American comedy for some time now. In sitcoms like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Veep. In animated shows like The Family Guy and American Dad. In the stand-up comedy routines of Louis C.K. and Amy Schumer. And in just about any movie comedy from Bridesmaids to anything involving Seth Rogan, Kristin Wiig, and Melissa McCarthy. Comedy has become raunchier, nastier, and more daring, pushing the envelope of good taste and cultural acceptance. Sausage Party, the new adult computer-animated adventure comedy, exemplifies this new social and cultural Zeitgeist. It is a smorgasbord of filthy jokes, puerile behaviour, mean-spirited insults, and cultural, racial, and sexual stereotypes. In short, it should be offensive to just about everyone. Miraculously, the film happens to be very, very funny. On the surface, Sausage Party is about a group of idealistic and naïve supermarket food items in pursuit of liberty, happiness, and justice for all. OK, I exaggerate a little. But, it’s not too much of a stretch to see facets of every spectrum of American society in the film’s anthropomorphised characters. As the movie opens, it’s another morning at Shopwell’s, an anonymous American strip mall supermarket. Before the store opens its doors to the public, all the foodstuffs perform their morning ritual — singing a song to the gods to liberate them from the confines of the store into the “great beyond.” The song tells of dreams of a “promised land” where “nothing bad ever happens.” What exactly the foods expect of life beyond the store isn’t exactly delved into. That’s what the rest of the movie is about. A few expletives aside, the opening song is worthy of any children’s Pixar or Disney film. In fact, the music was written by Disney alumnus, Alan Menken, who composed songs for Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. But, Sausage Party, is no Little Mermaid. In fact, it’s not like any other mainstream animated film you are likely to see. And it is certainly not for kids. For while the supermarket’s foodstuffs worship the human gods they hope will eventually “choose” them, they have no concept of what happens to them once the shopping carts are pushed beyond the parking lot. Frank (a hot dog sausage voiced by Seth Rogan) and Brenda (a hot dog bun voiced by Kristin Wiig) want nothing more than to escape their packages and bask in the joys of sex for the first time. They imagine life beyond the supermarket to be one long, heavenly “bun-ogamous” relationship. That’s what they’ve been taught to believe. However, a returned jar of honey mustard (its’ buyer mistakenly thought it was regular mustard) tells them its “all a lie.” They have in fact, been celebrating their own doom. Despite the warnings, the foodstuffs refuse to
Yet, disaster ensues as the shopping cart collides with another and spills some of its contents. Frank finds himself perilously hanging outside the cart, and Brenda escapes her package to help him, leaving the pair stranded in a strange aisle, while the rest of the foods are happily carried off to their promised land. Teaming up with a bagel and a lavash (a form of thin, unleavened bread eaten throughout the Middle East), they go in search of answers, which Frank believes may be found in the liquor aisle. The bagel (“Sammy Bagel Jr.,” voiced by Edward Norton) sounds like Woody Allen, while the lavash (named “Kareem Abdul Lavash,” and voiced by David Krumholtz) looks and sounds like every stage-villain Arab. The verbal sparring between Sammy and Kareem provide some of the funniest moments in the film. They cover all the hot political topics in the world from racism to illegal land grabs. In the liquor aisle, Frank meets Firewater (no prizes for guessing that he is Native American), who tells him about life beyond the supermarket. It turns out that life after the store is no picnic. Or, rather it is. The gods they worship actually eat the food once they take it home. The film cuts to a grotesque scene in which a housewife prepares food for dinner. A potato is heard screaming in an Irish accent: “She’s peeling me f**king skin!” It’s like an animated horror film. Of course, Frank has to convince Brenda and the other foods of what really happens in kitchens across America — and the world. It’s no easy task. Eventually, Frank stumbles upon a cookbook and, using the store’s intercom and CCTV system, exposes the horrors of everyday life for food. Along, the way, Frank, Brenda, Sammy, Kareem, and their newfound lesbian taco friend, Teresa (Hispanically voiced by Salma Hayek), have to contend with a vengeful douche who blames Frank for the damage he sustained in the shopping cart accident. It’s all madcap, surreal, outrageous fun, with jokes about every target imaginable. Even Stephen Hawking becomes a figure of fun in the guise of a wheelchair-bound piece of chewing gum, who has a jaw dropping revelation at the film’s end. Despite the laughs, Sausage Party raises some important issues about blind devotion to religious faith, about prejudice, and about coming together to fight a common enemy. In the wrong hands, Sausage Party could be simply offensive and off-putting. It takes a little while to get into the film’s rhythm. But, it is worth sitting through some uncomfortable moments to “get it.” The filmmakers are clever enough to make sure the film is an equal opportunity offender. No national, ethnic, or religious group remains unscathed — along with women and gays, Hispanics, African Americans, Jews, Arabs, French, Germans, Italians, even the Brits, are all stereotyped in ways that are rarely disguised. Sausage Party a crazy salad with more than a little raunch dressing.
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com Page 9
Processed Media By Randy Dankievitch — TV Critic / TVOvermind 2016 in Gaming: When Everything Old Was Old Again To paraphrase the infamous DJay, it’s hard out here for a game developer: in 2016, developers and publishers alike are feeling the fiscal crunch (and mental strain) of producing and releasing a top-tier video game. Traditional “AAA” quality titles are expensive to produce, years-long investments that can run into nine-figure costs, particularly when mechanical innovation is involved — Grand Theft Auto V, for example, cost nearly $250 million to produce. And as the gamer base becomes more fragmented between mobile, console and PC, the expectation of these games to run on multiple systems of varying power has grown, further inflating the cost of production, as well as the price of QA and post-development support. This has led to a number of interesting trends in recent years — trends which have only magnified in the first half of 2016: the proliferation of indie games, the condensation of AAA release windows and the shift toward mobile gaming (and by proxy, free-to-play game mechanics) have put the industry in a very uncomfortable place. So uncomfortable in fact, that companies are getting safer with each release, to the point they aren’t releasing anything new at all. And I’m not just talking about the proclivity of video game publishers to make sequels, because that just makes sense (spend $50 million making an engine and various systems for a video game? I can see why you’d want to use it more than once). No, I’m talking about the unsettling trend of developers trying to make the new old again, with the endless wave of remasters and re-releases we’ve seen come out and announced this year.
complete versions of games, like Borderlands: The Handsome Jack Collection, offers players a complete experience they may not have had before, with the marginal graphical upgrade that comes from the generational gap between consoles. But there’s no denying the fact these are games released at full price for the second time. It’s the polygonal equivalent of double-dipping: just search “Definitive Edition” in any video game marketplace and you’ll see what I’m talking about when it comes to the sheer amount of games being re-marketed for essentially the same audience. The simple fact is developers are becoming increasingly hesitant to release new, different products on the marketplace. Game development gets more expensive by the minute, and it seems every new IP we’ve seen in recent memory has been met with some serious backlash, which is further scaring the margin-watching game development executives from trying anything risky (see: Konami firing Kojima and making Metal Gear pachinko machines). And forget Nintendo: they’ve been releasing “re-imagingings” for the past decade, unfortunate trendsetters barely able to profit off their own cannibalistic release cycle. So what’s the solution? Maybe a little less internet vitriol (like not telling developers you want to kill them when they delay a game a few months)? Perhaps a new purchasing approach, like not buying No Man’s Sky until a year has passed, and all the features from the first trailer are installed (one can dream, right)? It’s clear right now neither consumers nor developers have an answer to this problem, and this upcoming holiday release season is a great reflection of it. Hell, it’s 2016 and Microsoft and Sony are already re-releasing the consoles they just put out three years ago because maybe there is no hope, plus the iPhoneification of video game culture is finally complete. Or maybe, just maybe, the revolution is right around the corner: with titles like The Last Guardian, Death Stranding, Sea of Thieves, and Horizon: Zero Dawn scheduled for release in the next 12 to 18 months (though who knows when Death Stranding will come out – 2018? 2019?), there’s still good reason to hold hope for the future of video games on console, Mac and PC... potential we can all grasp onto as the sea of remasters and sequels washes over us this holiday season.
Forget some of the high-profile releases like Final Fantasy VII, which is basically being turned into a completely different game. I’m talking about the dozens and dozens of “Remastered” collections and re-releases slated for the next 12 months. Included on the list? Return to Arkham Collection, Bioshock: The Collection, Skyrim - Special Edition, Crash Bandicoot remasters, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, Resident Evil 4, Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, Final Fantasy XIII, Dead Rising Triple Pack and Rocksmith 2014 Remastered. These are all games released themselves within the last decade, mind you. And that’s not even mentioning the many collections and remasters already littering the game landscape of 2016 (Uncharted and Final Fantasy X the most notable of the bunch). Place that line-up next to all the sequels and “reboots”/ “re-imaginings” scheduled to release in the same time window, and the state of new video games in 2016 is barely a discussion of new video games at all. In a year where we’ve really only seen three new major IP’s successfully launch, the state of “new” video games is a pretty dim proposition. Sure, we’re all hyped up for Rockstar’s upcoming announcement and the release of The Last Guardian, but these are rare examples. For the most part, we’re being left to get excited about re-releases of games — undeniably great games, in many cases — to whet our appetite for game play on consoles, Macs and PCs. There are a lot of reasons for this, of course, in particular, the shift toward postrelease DLC patches to actually complete a game. These play a big role in what’s going on (I’m looking at you, three years of $60 Destiny “upgrades”). Re-releasing
Page 10
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com
Letting The Cat Out Of The Bag By Stacy Begin / Owner, Two Fat Cats Bakery
The Dilemma of Hope It happens every now and then. Not infrequently, but certainly not every day, either. But each time it happens, I’m unsure what to say. I waver and hesitate; try to be truthful, but not discouraging. I want to be helpful, but doubt that I have been. All in all, I think it comes down to a personal decision and a leap of faith. What is it I’m talking about? It’s the dreaded question from the uninitiated, “How do I get into baking just like you?” Oh, dear. That’s a loaded question. It’s a question full of sincerity and hope from a generation that grew up watching Food Network and devoured (no pun intended) Bon Appetite magazine. They bake. Everyday. Not just anything, either. They rise early to make bread, they are the family’s wedding cake decorator, they are the friend and co-worker who brings in warm, wonderful little nuggets of exotic flavours to share. They are the person everyone says should sell their pastries, it would be hugely successful! They know their stuff and assure me that, if they only had a chance, they’d ditch their career of accounting or nursing or suspend their yoga practice to tackle the world of baking. And, oh, by the way, they learned to bake from their grandmother. Oh, how my heart goes out to them! They are asking a question that I should have a brilliant answer for. After all, I took the leap myself. My background did not include a lot of professional baking experience but did include 20 years of non-profit management (oddly, non-profits and small businesses have lots in common from my perspective), so you would think I’d enthusiastically encourage them with insider information and the blueprint to making the change.
Did Someone Say Season? It’s just about exactly three months — from 20 May to 25 August — between the photo above and the one below, taken from the very same spot at the Casco Bay Lines Terminal on Commercial Street. The two photos both were taken around mid-day and on both occasions the sun was shining. Our point ? When we say it’s literally all hands on deck for “season” in Portland, we are not exaggerating one bit, folks. And for those locals tired of what one friend calls “the terrorists” instead of “the tourists”, a reminder that they will be gone for another year in a few weeks’ time and downtown will return to a more tranquil place until next Spring. We, for one, will miss the hustle & bustle and we know a lot of businesses (those which do not close after season in October sometime) will miss the extra customers, too. Here’s to a good September and from us a big welcome visitors. See ya down on Commercial and Exchange streets!
But that’s the point. I know what it’s like to come into baking from out of the blue. It’s hard. Really, really hard. For the uninitiated, the equipment is scary. It’s huge, noisy and can be dangerous if you’re careless or not paying attention. There are any number of opportunities to suffer burns. Four years in and I have many more war scars to show for clumsiness or inattention. And then there is the physical aspect of the job. Eight hours of standing, bending, and lifting 50-pound flour sacks. By the way, that’s an easy day. Perhaps the most eye opening of all revelations is that you don’t get to bake when you want, what you want and then sit. It’s a 4 a.m. call to bake what other people have ordered. To do these jobs and do them well, you must enjoy physical work, love to bake even if it is by someone else’s direction, and not be afraid to make a giant mixer bend to your will. In other words, it’s not for everyone. So, I hedge. A bit. Give them good, realistic information and sometimes a lead on some open positions knowing for most of them it will not be the experience of their marshmallow dreams. But, the good news is that there are a lot of wonderful accountants, nurses and yoga instructors who can make a really, really mean cupcake.
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com Page 11
Downtown’s Most Up-To
3 1
Page 12
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com
To-Date Map & Directory
Insurance package discounts?
Home, Auto and Liability Insurance All Together Can Save You 10%
Call 774-6257
4 9 2 6 7
Serving Portland’s Peninsula Since 1931 www.clarkinsurance.com Top Stops By The Numbers
10 8 5
The Observatory
1
Coastal Pharmacy
2
Rite Aid Pharmacy
3
Hannaford (Grocery)
4
Whole Foods
Portland’s Independent Pharmacy 84 Marginal Way, Portland Across from Trader Joe’s in the InterMed Building Compounding pharmacy Retail pharmacy
5
6
Veterinary medicine
CVS Pharmacy Two Fat Cats Bakery
High-quality vitamins, supplements, and natural remedies. Medication Therapy Management
September Event Wednesday, September 21st Preventing Dementia: The Future is in Your Hands with Carrie Levine, CNM Also, watch our Facebook page for details on a new series of discussions for new moms.
7
Ocean Gate Terminal
Free monthly educational events
8 1
Maine State Pier
Knowledgeable team at your service, helping you make informed health decisions
Maine Jewish Museum & Etz Chaim Synagogue 10 Longfellow House 9 1
Phone: 207.899.0886 www.coastalpharmacyandwellness.com www.facebook.com/coastalpharmacyandwellness
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com Page 13
Hackin’ The Net By Ted Fleischaker / Publisher As always, I have a plethora of things I want to cover in this column, but will try and hold it to two, to make things more manageable. First off, probably THE most asked question I get is “should I update my (name of device here) as the latest, greatest and newest will be out (fill in date here)?” My answer has not changed since I was first asked this 15+ years ago when I began this column ... and that answer is “sure if you want to, have a reason to or can afford to... otherwise, why?” That sounds pretty cut and dried, but amazingly I still get asked a lot. With the announcement of the iPhone 7 due this month and a lot of other gear, my old iPhone 5S seems to be ringing off the hook (Remember when all phones HAD wired headsets and HAD hooks?) And I get it... I really do. But my answer is still the one above. Note that I said I have a 5S iPhone. That’s the one which first hit the Apple stores and carrier’s shops in the autumn of 2013. In other words, in phone or tech lingo, it is growing long in the tooth. Now it’s nothing like a friend’s who asked to borrow a charger when he was in Portland from Atlanta (having forgotten his) a few weeks back and me unable to help at all as it was an iPhone 3, was of 2009 vintage and had a different connector they do not make anymore, rendering me unable to assist at all. But back on topic... When should you update? And why? The practical answer first: The operating systems (OS) for phones, tablets and computers get updates and re-dos all the time — be the devices pc, Apple or droid. There are good and bad sides to that, too. The good is that most times the firm’s OS updates, it’s made or allowed to do more than the iteration previously. Siri gets upgraded or tweaked; maps and other apps get refreshed and more. But the problem is, just like were you to drive a Model T on today’s roads, there are some you’d not wish to venture on. It’s one thing to drive that old car down India Street or up Congress. You likely will get a lot of thumbs up and waves and smiles. Try taking it on the Maine Turnpike or I-295 and then instead you likely will get a lot of horns honking at you, dirty looks and cussing as you will be delaying traffic and instead of being a novelty, you’ll be a nuisance. There comes a certain point in the life of any device when this same thing happens. The computer, pad or phone becomes “vintage” or “legacy” or in a more plain speak: outdated. The firm which made it will no longer offer tech support, The OS updates will slow things to a crawl or maybe not even work. A friend in the biz told us that he’s seeing what he believes is the final update for his 2009 iMac. The system and the RAM are all being passed by and so the new OS due out about the time you see these words, will likely be the final one Apple will make work on his old hardware. New OS updates after this will be geared to bigger, better faster processors and like that Model T just won’t keep up on 295, the computing power he has (“the deal” in 2009) is about to get left in the dust. That does not mean his computer will quit working anymore than that Model T should go to the scrap heap. It does, however, mean that eventually there will be some (then more and more) programmes and other functions it will not be
Page 14
able to do or read... at least not in an efficient manner. That doesn’t mean it will need scrapping, but it does mean eventually if the user wants his programmes to work (and work quickly and correctly) there will come a day when replacement will be the only option. So what about the initial question? Remember, it was about “want” versus “need” and that will never change. We know a few folks who are already planning to line up on “opening day” for the new iPhones. And there are others (this writer included) unsure if I want a 7 anymore than I wanted a 6 or 6S — both of which I could have but chose not to buy in the last two cycles. So will I get a 7? Probably, if I can see a pressing need. I already know my old 5S is slow, slow, slow compared to friends’ 6 and 6S phones. I also know there are all kinds of upgrade programmes for which I qualify. But the bottom line is do I really, really want one or need one? And, if so, do I want to pay for it? Until I can personally say yes, look for me in my Model T on Congress Street and be sure to wave! Next, what’s the real truth about ad blockers? As a newspaper you’d think we’d be opposed to them, but that’s not the case. We do hope you look at the ads in the print papers and online, and if you do, please tell the advertisers you saw their ads since it pays the bills. But there’s more to it than that. Both the Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) and Editor & Publisher magazine — two of the most respected publishing and newspapering trade magazines — had stories about the increase in security that ad blocks give to readers — an increase most publishers won’t ever mention. CJR said the following: “New York Times CEO Mark Thompson caused a minor stir a couple weeks ago when he gave a speech at an advertising conference declaring that ‘No one who refuses to contribute to the creation of high quality journalism has the right to consume it.’ He went on to say that while The Times is ‘not there yet,’ the company may soon prevent users with ad blockers from accessing its site. “But newspaper executives like Thompson often focus exclusively on the drawbacks of ad blockers, leaving a big part of the story untold. Thompson did not say one word in his keynote address about the significant security benefits of ad blockers, which is ironic, because his paper was one of several news organizations that served its users ransomware — a particularly vicious form of malware that encrypts the contents of your computer and forces you to pay the perpetrators a ransom in bitcoin to unlock it—through its ad networks just a few months ago. Several major news sites — including The Times, the BBC, and AOL — had their ad networks hijacked by criminal hackers who attempted to install ransomware on readers’ computers...” You can read the whole piece at www.cjr.org/opinion/ad_blockers_malware_ new_york_times.php but suffice to say that there were thousands of instances found of news sites placing malware and spyware on users’ computers. And get this: the article notes: “One Princeton study that looked at a million websites found that news sites were the most likely to feature trackers — even more than porn sites.” That says a lot that’s not good. It’s also why we use ad blockers and recommend readers download one (or several) to use not only on their computers, but their other devices as well. I would never ever say that these will prevent anything evil from happening to you, but when sites like the BBC, Forbes and Time.com are among those being found to have had spy and ransomware hidden in their ads, it’s time to do something for your protection. Before I call it a day, I will say that my fellow publishers need to keep an eye on their own sites and see what is being handed out to those looking for news, but as in all things this is a case of the buyer beware...and this buyer, while selling ads in Up Portland, also runs ad blocks and does his damndest to stay safe online. I recommend readers do likewise! For your browser I use Ad Block Plus and Ad Block. On the phone or tablet there are a lot of them out there, so do a search for “content blockers”. Personally, I am using 1Blocker if that helps. Happy surfing!
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com
The Buck Stops Here
require special diets and medicine – both of which can be pricey. Monthly fees such as veterinary checkups and grooming appointments can also be expensive. And be sure to ask your apartment’s landlord or your condo management firm if you rent or own in shared space if there’s a monthly pet fee or deposit. Some of those can be quite hefty.
By Luke Reinhard / Advisor — Ameriprise Financial
Financing For a Furry Friend While many people have experience with pet ownership, it’s easy for even a seasoned animal caregiver to overlook the costs involved. Although owning a pet likely won’t derail your financial future, it’s important to consider how the expenses can add up over time. Here are some financial aspects to think about before bringing your new furry friend home. —Decide to buy or adopt. First, you will have to decide whether to adopt a pet from an animal shelter, which is often less expensive, or buy from a licensed breeder or pet shop. Keep in mind that shelters frequently spay or neuter animals prior to adoption, which eliminates a cost that can be upwards of several hundred dollars. To help reduce medical bills later on, you may want to choose a breed that is less prone to health or genetic problems. At a minimum, be sure to carefully research your options so you can make informed decisions. —Consider the supplies. Although the initial fees can be striking, the total cost for supplies such as food, treats, toys and cleaning equipment that will need to be replenished throughout your pet’s lifetime, may be the cause for real sticker shock. Some animals may have food sensitivities or medical conditions that
—Think about lifestyle. Providing a comfortable lifestyle is a top priority for any animal owner. When thinking about your pet’s new environment, be sure to address any potential safety hazards. Preventing accidents may lessen unforeseen costs down the road, and more importantly, keep your pet out of harm’s way. If you are a renter, check with your landlord to see if you’ll need to pay more to have a pet or even if you can have one. Homeowners should make sure they are compliant with city ordinances as some require fences for certain animals. You’ll also want to consider whether a caretaker is needed for your pet during your workday. If you travel frequently or plan to in the future, you should be aware of the expenses associated with bringing your pet on vacation or having someone care for it while you’re gone. Airline tickets and the price of a hotel or rental property will likely be higher if your pet is along for the trip. —Prepare for emergencies. Even with a tremendous amount of planning, accidents can happen. In an emergency, pets may need medical attention and costs can accumulate quickly. Be sure to have money set aside for these instances or think about purchasing pet insurance to help offset the potential financial burden. Finally, consider who will look after your pet if you become unable to care for it. Some owners decide to incorporate pets into their wills. Pets can be one of life’s greatest sources of companionship and joy. While it may not be possible to put a price tag on the bond shared between owners and their animals, it’s important to take appropriate financial considerations into account when considering pet ownership. Doing so will help you avoid surprises down the road and ensure you’re able to provide a happy and healthy life for you and your pet.
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com Page 15
The Optimal Corner Eric Hilton / Optimal Self Community Health and Wellness Center Have you ever found it hard to get started at the gym? Have you ever felt how difficult it is to get yourself motivated? Are you not the best at holding yourself accountable? These are common challenges that a lot of people go through when they are going back to the gym or are just starting. One great solution to all of these challenges is finding a good workout buddy to help you get started and accomplish your goals. Many times on my path of fitness I have needed help to get started. When I could not get myself motivated to start a new routine; I found a buddy to train with me. Sometimes I felt totally stuck. My body would be tired and heavy. I would have no motivation to move my body at all. It is such a mental thing for me to get started with all of life’s everyday challenges and stress. I need a little gentle kick in my butt to get moving. I needed a good friend to hold me accountable. That’s when I found my workout buddy Eric. That’s the two of us below, in case that’s not too obvious. Eric and I meet Monday to Friday at 6 every morning at my gym, Optimal Self. We make some coffee and spend a few minutes stretching and comfortably talking to get our minds going. Then we discuss what we are going to work on that day and then we go and do it!
Once you find your workout buddy, create a plan. Look at your schedule, goals and resources and plan the course ahead. You could invest in a personal trainer to set up a plan for both of you and check in with him or her every once in a while. Or you could try looking online at the endless available training plans and find one there that fits both of your goals. A workout buddy is there to keep you accountable and honest with yourself, too. You both agree to meet at a specific time. When it’s just you deciding to go to the gym, you and I both know it may not happen, but when you are committed to your buddy then you are pushed to show up. Some times that is exactly what we need. I feel a strong obligation to my buddy to help and motivate him because he does the same for me. Both your successes depend on your commitment to each other. Having a workout buddy is fun, too. It is taking the mundane task of doing our daily fitness routine and making it an adventure. Starting off with a new workout buddy you may both come from different training styles or understandings. Together you collaborate and learn new training techniques and discover new interests. You may have been bored with your old routines and now you have a new set of eyes to show you new ways to unlock more potential in yourself. As you grow with your workout buddy you develop a bond and every day you grow together. After a short period of early tired mornings, you now feel stronger and more motivated. Once both of you get the momentum going together, you are both in a new groove and driven. You have created a positive addition to your lifestyle and you now get excited to go train with your buddy and even to look forward to future workouts. If you are looking for a workout buddy and good environment to train in, come us at Optimal Self Community Health and Wellness Center at 640 Congress Street. We believe in working together through the community to achieve our goals and dreams. Oh, and if you know someone who is ready (like you are after reading this) to make a change in their life, bring them along, too.
He does an exercise, then I do it. He is there to root me on and I am there to spot him. Together, we act as team both with the same mission. Together we motivate each other and have a lot of fun doing it, so finding the right workout buddy is important. You want to find someone who lives close to you and shares a similar schedule for you both to create a comfortable and realistic routine. Look for people in your everyday who already share a common schedule. It helps to find someone who shares similar training goals, too. Maybe you both want to lose weight or get stronger? Having similar goals gives you a common drive and passion for what you are both doing once you get to the gym. You definitely should be able to trust your potential workout buddy and feel comfortable with him or her. Having a training routine is an intimate relationship where you both push each other to your limits, so make sure that your buddy is someone close to your level or who understands where you are. You want to your training buddy to be aware and safe, too, — someone whom you can rely on in those heavy moments under the bar. And I mean the pull-up one, not the one at your favourite club!
Page 16
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com
LOVE Downtown. LIVE Downtown www.portlandmecondo.com
ANDREW ROY Associate Broker
c: 207.649.1166 o: 207.619.7571 andrew@portsidereg.com portsiderealestategroup.com
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com Page 17
Beyond The Forecast
By Jack Sillin / Weatherman & Meterology Student Hello everyone!
We’ve had quite a few “scoahchahs” during the month of August but the first real cold front of Fall arrived in the early morning hours of 22nd August, bringing the first taste of cooler weather to come. We’re now well on our way towards Autumn, and by the time you read this, it will be in the meteorological world. Meteorological Fall arrives in the Northern Hemisphere on the 1st of September and encompasses September, October and November. With that in mind, this month’s column will be Summer’s last stand and will discuss some of the unusual cloud formations associated with thunderstorms. The first cloud I will talk about is the thunder cloud itself. Thunder clouds are known as Cumulonimbus (cumulus for lumpy, nimbus for rain). Their bases depend on the day but are usually between 3,000 and 6,000 feet off the ground. This depends on how much low level moisture there is in the atmosphere and thus how much an air parcel needs to rise to cool to the point where its moisture condenses. This point at which the air has risen sufficiently to cool to the dew point is known as the Lifted Condensation Level or LCL for short... but I digress... Cumulonimbus clouds can grow really, really tall. In the Midwest and Southeast where thunderstorms are strongest, the tops of the largest will extend over 80,000 feet above the ground. In Maine, our strongest storms usually make it to about 50,000 feet in the air. This difference is due to the lack of the super high octane fuel you can find in the SE and Midwest. There are three main parts of a cumulonimbus cloud, the upper part, the middle part, and the lower part. I’ll talk most about the lower part because that’s where most of the clouds unique to thunderstorms happen. The first and most common special cloud that thunderstorms produce is the shelf cloud. Shelf clouds look like an alien spaceship that’s about to sweep you off to another planet. In reality, they’re just marking the leading edge of cooler air and letting you know that it’s about to get really windy. How do they form? When rain falls, it cools the air through a process known as evaporational cooling. This happens when the water in raindrops evaporates, changing from a liquid to a gas. Gas molecules contain more energy than liquid molecules which means that for the evaporation to work, some energy must be put into the liquid molecules so that they can be gas molecules. Because energy
Page 18
is conserved, something has to lose energy for this to work. The air surrounding the raindrops is what loses the energy. As it loses energy, it cools because cooler air, by definition, has less energy than warmer air. All that to say that when rain begins to fall during a thunderstorm, it creates a pool of cold air. Cold air is dense and likes to sink towards the ground along with all the raindrops. When the cold pool arrives at the ground, it can’t sink anymore so it spreads out. Along the leading edge of the advancing cold air, the warm air that is fueling the thunderstorm is forced to rise, cool, and condense. This is what causes a shelf cloud. Roll clouds are another type of cloud that forms as a result of an advancing cold pool caused by the process I described above. The difference is that roll clouds aren’t visibly attached to the main storm. They can roll out dozens of miles ahead of the parent thunderstorm and can sometimes form along boundaries of warm and cold air that don’t have anything to do with thunderstorms. Roll clouds have been observed along the leading edge of sea breeze boundaries (we don’t get this in Maine because the air ahead of sea breeze boundaries is almost always too dry to condense before it reaches the top of the sea breeze and stops rising), or cold fronts that don’t have any attendant thunderstorms. They are much rarer than shelf clouds, which happen with many thunderstorms. The attached picture was taken on a run in July right here in Yarmouth as a line of thunderstorms approached. I almost made it back before they hit... The second type of cloud that is sometimes seen near the base of thunderstorms is known as scud. It looks scary and tornado-like sometimes but is really just harmless. Scud happens when pockets of air that have slightly more moisture than their surroundings are sucked upwards by the storm and because they have more moisture, they condense before they reach the bottom of the main cumulonimbus cloud. They form close to the ground and then rise until they are absorbed into the main cloud formation. The next couple clouds happen very rarely here in Maine but they’re worth mentioning because of their significance when they do happen. Tornadoes and
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com
supposedly resemble. To quote from Wikipedia: “Mammatus, also known as mammatocumulus (meaning “mammary cloud”), is a meteorological term applied to a cellular pattern of pouches hanging underneath the base of a cloud. The name mammatus is derived from the Latin mamma (meaning “udder” or “breast”). According to WMO International Cloud Atlas mamma is a cloud supplementary feature...” And on that note, I’ll say that’s it for this month. Next month we’re on to Fall. By the time you’re reading my next column, the snow guns at Sunday River will already (hopefully) have been fired up for their first test, which happens as soon as the temp falls below freezing... usually mid to late September in the higher elevations. Understanding The Terms Here are a couple of terms you may want to know about as we head into both the beginning of fall and the peak of hurricane season.
their predecessors, funnel clouds, are rapidly rotating and rising columns of air. A tornado is simply a funnel cloud that has touched the ground — that’s the only difference. Air condenses in the column because it is rising really fast. It rises so fast that it creates an area of really low pressure at the centre of the column. The destructive winds associated with tornadoes are a result of surrounding air trying to fill that “hole” in the atmosphere. Thankfully, we don’t often see tornadoes in Maine, but they have been known to happen. The final neat thunderstorm cloud that I’ll discuss here is known as Mammatus. Mammatus clouds form along the bottom edge of the anvil of thunderstorms. They are unusual in a number of ways. First and foremost, they form from air sinking, not rising like almost every other type of cloud. After air rises in the updraft of a thunderstorm, it spreads out at the top of the troposphere and then must come down at some point. This sinking air is what causes mammatus. Air that sinks warms as it does so, which usually removes the air from its condensation point. However, in the air that forms mammatus clouds, there are lots of snow and ice crystals. As the air begins to sink, it warms. That warming melts the snow and ice. However, since energy is conserved, the energy required to break the bonds of the solid water is removed from the air surrounding it. As that energy is removed from the air, it cools, bringing the temp back to the saturation point and thus forming a cloud. The air will continue to sink as it cools, because remember cool air is denser and heavier than warm air, and eventually all the solid ice crystals will melt and the cloud will evaporate. However, in big thunderstorms, the supply of ice crystals is constantly being replenished as more air rises, cools, and condenses. This allows mammatus to appear suspended for long periods of time because air entering at the top brings new ice crystals which melt in the cloud before that air moves out the bottom full of liquid that has no power to cool and thus condense.
—Invest: An invest is an area of disturbed weather in the tropics that the NHC (National Hurricane Centre) wants to take a closer look at. By designating an invest, special models will run, special satellite images will be taken and special analysis done by both computers and humans. Usually an invest is designated when it looks like a tropical system could form, but most invests don’t become tropical depressions or storms. Invests are nothing to panic over, despite the posts of scary looking maps you may see on social media. They are simply something to be watched. Almost always, invests either die out or develop into named systems before they impact Maine but if you have interest in the weather for tropical locations — like that Winter home in Florida — invest is a good term to know. —La Nina: As we head towards Fall, you will likely begin to wonder what the upcoming Winter will look like. You can find lots of chatter on this topic both online and at basically any gathering of people in Maine between the months of September and December. La Nina is likely to be one of the more talked about things with regards to the Winter forecast. La Nina is the opposite of El Nino. La Nina occurs when the waters in the equatorial east Pacific are cooler than average. It sets off a chain reaction that ends up favouring cooler and drier weather for Maine during the winter. The La Nina that is forecast for this year is likely to be pretty weak, which means that actual conditions are likely to be driven by other factors, such as Siberian snow cover, the NAO, the AO, the PNA and the whole alphabet soup of teleconnections I shall have to interpret for you in later columns. What do I think? We’ll have more snow than last year and less than two years ago. Oh, and don’t listen to the Farmer’s almanac. They thought we would have another blockbuster Winter last year. How well did that work out?
This whole cycle won’t create a cloud unless more energy can be removed from the air due to the melting than can be put into the air from it sinking. This situation happens very rarely, and almost never in Maine, but is absolutely stunning when it does happen. By the way, just in case you were wondering, my publisher, who studied weather a bit in his college days, reminded me that the unusual name — mammatus — is from the Latin and refers to a portion of a person’s anatomy which the clouds
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com Page 19
Page 20
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com
The Gossip Column
By Britain & Sydney / The Office Gossip Cats
What a busy month it’s been for we pussies, what with over 6,000 folks showing up last Sunday on the maiden Portland stop of the Anthem of the Seas (that’s about the population of Belfast) alone, and just the usual Summertime rhythm of things. But we have had a bit of time to get out and about and what did we find? Well, we can say one thing we did not find (and neither has his boss) which is (or was) one of the town’s best bakers as we hear tell said pie boy took his cherries and has vanished. Apparently, as he left the boss and his co-workers in the lurch at this busy time of year, his job has also vanished, though knowing said boss he might not be out of work if he has a damned good excuse for vanishing as totally as one of her delicious pies. This one’s for sure to be continued... Speaking of continuing, we hear Micucci’s Dan is continuing
Still
to look for a partner of the female persuasion (a.k.a. a girlfriend.) Applications are being taken at the register weekdays till 5.30 and Dan is the goodlooking short one, but bags are still a nickle, lest there be any confusion... And speaking of confusing, parents and kids sometimes look a lot different than one another. Take Rabbi Gary Berenson up at Etz Chaim on Congress Street. He has a big smile, two legs and no feathers, but he played “dad” to a baby seagull which got ignored by his real dad after falling out of their nest on the synagogue roof. How, you ask, does one “father” a gull? Why by going out front with a plate of gefilte fish to feed said bird each afternoon around five! Apparently it all worked well as the gull made it, and recently flew off, leaving a happy rabbi behind to tell all about his “son” whom he appropriately enough named Jonathan Livingston Seagull! No good deed goes unpunished. Mazel Tov to the good rabbi and for September that’s it for we cats. Meow!
Deborah Klotz
September 15 - November 13, 2016 Opening Reception with Artist: Thursday, September 15, 2016, 5pm - 7pm Artist Talk: October 30, 2016 2pm
“...After working on an active archeological dig site in Jerusalem, my garment project evolved to include laminated clothing and stone formations from reclaimed paper. As I sifted through the very tiniest of potential artifacts, sorting into bins marked, glass, metal, stone, ceramic, I started to ask with each shard, “Is this something?”. The answer visually is “Still”, a response to the very mundane yet poetic objects of socks and stones, that are essentially and metaphorically, grounding elements that orientate us vertically. Standing, we look up to notice the sky with everything in between.” Deborah is a sculptor and imagemaker who employs diverse materials and methods to design and fabricate her work. She holds an M.F.A in 3-Dimensional Art and a B.F.A. in Sculpture from Massachusetts College of Art, as well as a B.A. in English and American Literature from Brandeis University. Her work is in private and public collections in New England, Florida, California, Colorado, New York, Washington D.C., and internationally she has exhibited in Korea, Israel,
Maine Jewish Museum
267 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101 (207) 773-2339 Monday - Friday 10am-2pm + Sundays 1pm - 5pm or by appointment
mainejewishmuseum.org Curated by Nancy Davidson
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com Page 21
Summer Membership Special
PORTLAND’S COMMUNITY HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER
WEIGHT ROOM M OV E M E N T R O O M M A SS AG E A N D E N E R G Y W O R K P E RS O N A L T RA I N I N G F I T N E SS C L A SS E S Up Portland Is A Proud Member of the
YO G A A N D T ’A I C H I
TWO GREAT MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS: $30/mon
$50/mon
Gym Membership
Gym
Membership + Unlimited Classes
G y m H o u rs : M o n - Fr i 6 a m - 9 p m | S a t 9 a m - 9 p m | S u n 9 a m - 6 p m
640 Congress Street | 207-747-5919 | OptimalSelfME.com
Page 22
Halloween / Oct Edition Deadline
Friday 30th September Papers On Street: Tuesday 4th October
Up Portland is edited in Portland and printed the last week of every month in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. We may be contacted at the e-mail or phone number below. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy and fairness, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors. Liability is limited to the cost of said ad. Ads not cancelled by published deadlines may be billed at agreed-upon price. Ads may be edited or rejected for content at the discretion of the publisher. All items appearing in Up Portland, as well as the name, logos and design are copyright 2016 by BBS, A division of High Speed Delivery Fork Ltd. & Ted Fleischaker and may not be reproduced in any form without prior written approval.
Phone: 207/536.0922 e-mail: ted@upportland.com Friend us on Facebook!
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com
Please Read Then Recycle!
Newbury Street • Portland, ME Occupancy Summer 2016
Luxurious urban living with private outdoor spaces Onsite parking and storage Wide variety of thoughtfully designed floor plans Steps to all that downtown Portland has to offer Prices from $320,000 to $1,150,000
Visit us Online
Call: Sandra Johnson
Call: Gail Landry
www.113Newbury.com
+1 (207) 415-2128
+1 (207) 650-8893
Visit our Sales Center at 15 Middle St. Suite A2 – by appointment
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com Page 23
Page 24
Up Portland 09.16 On The Web At: www.upportland.com