Part 1: Ray and Dee Dee discuss the Cirque du Soleil Crystal. Ray thanks Darren for the tickets and Dee Dee describes some of the beautiful scenery and artistry. They did so many acrobatic feats, most on skates. There was even a hockey player doing a tap dance on skates. Ray turns to the protests of the President on his condolence trip to El Paso and Dayton.
Part 2: Ray gives a heads up about Linda Ball coming up later on the show. Ray reads a text about Elizabeth Warren not saying something. Ray goes back and reads the headline again. Ray says that they aren’t covering Dayton because it doesn’t fit their narrative. The left are saying that Trump somehow has caused the El Paso tragedy.
Part 3: Ray and Dee Dee welcome Bob Witkowski from Visit Portland and author of 100 Things to do in Portland Maine Before You Die. Bob gives a shout out for a former Sea Dog player, Anthony Rizzo, on his birthday. He also promotes the Sea Dogs Field of Dreams game on September 1st against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. It’s a scene right out of the movie as the Sea Dogs wear old tyme uniforms and emerge from a cornfield. For more information on this and other Sea Dog promotions, visit www.milb.com/portland/tickets/promotions.
Part 4: Today’s History Lesson: Elbridge Gerry (July 17, 1744 – November 23, 1814) was an American politician and diplomat. As a Democratic-Republican he served as the fifth vice president of the United States under President James Madison from March 1813 until his death in November 1814. He is known best for being the eponym of gerrymandering. He was elected to the first two Congresses from Massachusetts and, in 1797, was one of several envoys sent to France. He was elected governor of Massachusetts in 1810 and 1811. He was much criticized for redistricting the state to the advantage of his own party (Democratic-Republican). A political cartoon that ran in the Boston Globe showed his strategically devised district map, which was shaped much like a salamander, along with the caption “The Gerrymander.” The term is still used today to describe the unscrupulous practice of political incumbents devising electoral districts in such a way as to virtually assure their re-election. In 1812 he was elected Vice President of the United States. He died in office, on November 23, 1814, at the age of 70. Bob gives a shout out to an history lesson tour in Portland and gives a brief touch on how the Founding Fathers affected the Portland area. The boys continue the discussion on Maine’s vast history and the contributions it has had throughout mankind.
Part 5: Ray talks about racism and how words have consequences. He goes back to the hate and discontent that President Obama spewed during his terms as President especially toward the police which made it okay to attack police and first responders.
Part 6: Ray and Bob welcome David Ciullo of Career Management Services and Dale Carnegie Maine, he also hosts The H.R. PowerHour on WLOB Radio. Today’s topic is equal pay. Dave explains how and when the new rules affect employers and employees. Bob brings up the age discrimination case involving the 78 year old music director who has been let go and suing. This brings up the discussion about age and older people that are still as sharp as a tack.
Part 7: Ray and Bob talk about the emails asking for money for candidates and groups using these tragedies in our country as a political pawn. Ray mentions a couple of names that he has received an email from in this short segment.
Part 8: Ray continues with his thoughts on the left and the emails that he has received in the last few days trying to get money by using the VICTIMS of the tragedies that happened over the weekend. Ray doesn’t know how you respect people that don’t respect life. Ray lets loose in this raw emotional segment.
Part 9: Ray talks about the attack ads against Senator Susan Collins on TV in Maine by a dark money group called “Maine Momentum“. The group is run by two political operatives, including Sara Gideon’s former communications director, and is rumored to be funded by out-of-state billionaires – but they refuse to disclose who’s behind it. It makes the deceptive claim that Senator Collins’ support of tax reform “put Medicare and Social Security in jeopardy.” About a month after the cited article was written, Senator Collins fixed this problem by ensuring the passage of a bill that specifically protected Medicare from these automatic cuts. Senator Collins’ motion to protect Medicare passed the Senate 91-8. AARP praised the effort in a December 2017 article titled “Medicare Spared From Budget Cuts in 2018”: “Congress has acted to prevent mandatory funding cuts to Medicare . . . as a result of the new tax overhaul legislation.”
Part 10: Ray welcomes Linda Ball of CMP by phone. CMP’s SmartCare billing system has been plagued with issues since it was launched in 2017 and Ray asks her what are some of the issues that have facing CMP and customers. They have added a dedicated, nine-person IT business support team to troubleshoot future problems with its billing software. Linda has been hired as a new, Maine-based manager in charge of billing and collection, and a newly created position, vice president for customer service. They talk about the investment in the corridor being built and the investment in customer service and how they are not one in the same. Linda stresses that she wants people to call if they have a problem or concern. She wants you to be a happy customer and not a frustrated one.