SCORES & OUTDOORS: The wonders of nature

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Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee

We have talked about the activities of nature’s little critters in the past, but it never ceases to amaze me as to what can happen in an instance.

Last week, while on vacation, I was sitting on the porch taking a break from some chores, and my wife was behind camp working in her flower garden.

Earlier, she had been filling the bird feeders and had taken a piece of suet, about half the size of a golf ball, and placed in on the ground while she refilled the cages.

Well, shortly following that, a chipmunk came out of his den, which he has many entrances to in the area, and began enjoying the morsel of suet. However, a nearby woodpecker decided that it was his, and began pecking at the chipmunk’s head. The chipmunk was undeterred by all of this and continued to eat the suet, despite taking quite a beating from the woodpecker.

Meanwhile, two mourning doves landed nearby, and decided to get in on the action. They began to approach the other two combatants, sneaking in from behind the woodpecker. At that point, I thought to myself, “this will be interesting.” Unfortunately, my wife was not aware this was going on and came around from behind the camp and began to say something to me. At that point, the confrontation broke up. The chipmunk scooted off to his den, and the three birds flew off in their own directions. We’ll never know how that would have turned out.

Later, that evening, I noticed the chunk of suet was no longer on the ground, so one of them won out on that fight.

But that was nothing compared to what we witnessed on Saturday. It was a beautiful day, and we were out on the lake to take in some fishing. There was a bass tournament going on that day, so many boats and anglers were in the area. At one point, we saw a small bass, about 12-inches in length, floating in the water, obviously dead. We left it, citing that the circle of life would come into play, and some bird of prey, an osprey, bald eagle, or even a sea gull would come along and scavenge that up.

One of the things we did notice in the almost three hours we were fishing was that there were no birds present in the crystal blue sky. Usually, they are all around us.

Finally, at one point, we heard the call of a bald eagle, although we could not see it. I summized it was perched in a nearby tree and possibly warning us not to approach the dead fish, which it possibly had its eyes on for lunch.

The fish was floating approximately 15 yards away from our boat when a bald eagle came swooping down from a nearby tree and flew parallel to the water – maybe five feet from the water level – for about 20 feet, extended its talons, picked that fish right from the surface of the water, and proceeded, at the same altitude, down the shoreline and disappeared around a bend into a cove.

I have seen bald eagles scoop up fish from the lake before, but not from that close a distance. It goes without saying the scene was spectacular. Bald eagles are massive birds.

Even when you think you have seen all Mother Nature has to offer, something like this comes along.

Legal Notices, Week of July 13, 2017

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STATE OF MAINE
PROBATE COURT
COURT ST.,
SKOWHEGAN, ME
SOMERSET, ss
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
18-A MRSA sec. 3-801

The following Personal Representatives have been appointed in the estates noted. The first publication date of this notice is July 13, 2017.

If you are a creditor of an estate listed below, you must present your claim within four months of the first publication date of this Notice to Creditors by filing a written statement of your claim on a proper form with the Register of Probate of this Court or by delivering or mailing to the Personal Representative listed below at the address published by his name, a written statement of the claim indicating the basis therefore, the name and address of the claimant and the amount claimed or in such other manner as the law may provide. See 18-A MRSA 3-804.

2017-114 – Estate of EUGENE E. LAGASSE, late of Solon, Me deceased. Patricia Ann Lagasse, 1356 River Road, Solon, Me 04979 appointed Personal Representative.

2017-169 – Estate of ANN S. LABIN, late of Madison, Me deceased. David Labin, 8 Perkins Street, Madison, Me 04950 appointed Personal Representative.

2017-171 – Estate of EDWARD FRANCIS GILBLAIR, late of Skowhegan, Me deceased. Christie Foster, 81 Robin Court, Skowhegan, Me 04976 appointed Personal Representative.

2017-180 – Estate of DAVID WARREN HEALD, late of Fairfield, Me deceased. Katrina Lynn Heald-Richards, 7 Back Road, Fairfield, Me 04937 appointed Personal Representative.

2017-181 – Estate of GERALD E. MARTIN, late of Hartland, Me deceased. Patricia A. Martin, PO Box 318, Hartland, Me 04943 appointed Personal Representative.

2017-183 – Estate of DOROTHY T. BROOKS, late of St. Albans, Me deceased. Cynthia M. Perrault, 120 Glade Path, Hampton, NH 03842 appointed Personal Representative.

2017-185 – Estate of DAVID E. HOWE, lat of Palmyra, Me deceased. Richard Howe, 571 Detroit Road, Troy, Me 04987 appointed Personal Representative.

2017-186 – Estate of RAYMOND R. WINEGARDNER, late of Smithfield, Me deceased. Melanie Winegardner, 871 Village Road, Smithfield, me 04978 appointed Personal Representative.

2017-189 – Estate of EDISON E. EDELL, late of Bingham, Me deceased. Rachel Wentworth, 116 Easy Street, Canaan, Me 04924 and David Edell, 1421 Stage Road, Etna, Me 04434 appointed Co-Personal Representatives.

2017-196 – Estate of MARY C. WEST, late of Pittsfield, Me deceased. Madelon W. Dyki, 55 West End Ave., New Britain, CT 06052-1220 appointed Personal Representative.

2017- 198 – Estate of GREGG M. WILKINSON, late of Madison, Me deceased. Scott Wilkerson, 129 Madison Avenue, Madison, Me 04950 appointed Personal Representative.

To be published on July 13 & July 20, 2017.
Dated: July 13, 2017
/s/ Victoria Hatch,
Register of Probate

(7/20)

I’m Just Curious: In case you wondered; uses for duct tape and WD-40

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This is a new column. The editor, Roland, is going to let us have a little fun with these “You used _______ to do what?!” I am hoping you will have as much fun reading these and trying them out as I am having putting them together for you. Questions are welcomed! Email me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com, and I’ll do my best to answer them. We are not sure if this will be a twice a month column or ? We’ll let you know as soon as we know. I hope you enjoy!!!

I am starting out this week by relaying something my Maine farmer/doctor told me this week. He said “A real Mainer will have duct tape and a blue tarp (gray or any other color too, I think) however I would like to add the WD-40!

Let’s start with duct tape:

Hem your pants: My brother used to use staples but I think the tape would work better. It will last through a few washes.

Lint remover: wrap duct tape around your hand and it works so good. Removes lint and animal fur. Keep a role handy!

Duct tape for a bandage: You know it will stay stuck. One Maine summer trip my sister’s toenail got lifted, so the nail stood up but was still attached. Oh yeah, painful! Since she was flying home that day we bandaged the toe and then covered it with duct tape. It protected that poor toe.

Secret hidden car key: Hold a spare key under the car with duct tape, just in case you are like me and have been known to lose a key or lock it in the car!

Repair a vacuum hose, actually probably any hose.

Repair outside furniture cushions.

Mend a screen so those nasty bugs won’t move in with you!!

Repair a tent.

Pool patch. Kids are so disappointed if their little pool deflates so this is a quick fix. The fun is on!!

Repair your ski pants. Don’t give up a ski trip because you’re getting too much ventilation! Carry that duct tape with you when packing to go anywhere.

WD-40:

Remove strong glue: I love to play with the do-it-yourself finger nails. I have used Super glue for them (lasts longer). Well, I have, in the past, goofed and glued fingers together. That is kind of scary, but now I just spray on the WD-40, it works. Also you can take glue off surfaces where it doesn’t belong. I’ll be using it today on the kids’ desks at school. (It worked great!)

Stuck on ring: wash your hands after but spray the finger with the stuck on ring.

Zippers: Spray on a zipper that’s being difficult. I had to use it on Ken’s jacket and it really helped the zipper function better. (I like that word, function!)

Bugs and insects: (I wouldn’t use it if I had teething children) Spray WD-40 on windowsills and frames, screens and door frames, critters don’t like this. Don’t inhale fumes.

Remove chewing gum from hair: spray the gummed up hair. Gum will comb out. Again don’t inhale.

Remove scuff marks: spray and rub off the floor. Possibly remove tar as well.

Well once again I have run out of word space, it happens. Gotta go! Let me know what you think. dwdaffy@yahoo.com sub: Uses Remember to check out the on-line version!

REVIEWS: Composer: Mozart; Composer: Tchaikovsky; Singer: Jacqueline Francois

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Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates

MozartMozart

Sinfonia Concertante in E-Flat Major for Violin, Viola and Orchestra; Sinfonia Concertante for Oboe, Clarinet, French horn, Bassoon, and Orchestra- various soloists, Armin Jorad conducting the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, Musical Heritage Society- MHS 4739H,  12-inch stereo LP, recorded April, 1980.

A very fine LP of two of Mozart’s most appealing works and given  very fine performances. Two of several of Mozart’s works that make splendid introductions to the classics. The writer of the liner notes recounted how the assigned conductor of the Sinfonia for woodwinds misplaced the original score, forcing Mozart to recopy most of the music from memory.

Tchaikovsky

Symphony No. 4.
Herbert von Karajan conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra; English Columbia 33CX 1139, mono LP 12-inch record, recorded 1953.

Tchaikovsky’s endlessly compelling 4th Symphony has received many good to great recordings, of which I own a sizable pile. Examples: Bernstein, Ormandy, Kubelik, Stokowski, two Karajans, Albert, three Markevitches, two Mravinskys, Munch, Monteux, Reiner, Abravanel, Ozawa, Abbado, Pletnev, Muti, Rozhdestvensky, Rostropovich, Valek, Termikanov, Ivanov, Masur, Barenboim, Malko, Bernstein, Hollreiser, Freccia, Maazel, etc.

In 1946, Karajan became the conductor of the  Philharmonia Orchestra, an ensemble in London mainly created to make records, and to perform at concerts only secondly. K and a couple of other conductors turned it into a group second to none, while he made many of his finest records during his entire career, the above disc being a prime  example. All of these early LPs have been made available in cd box sets that are quite inexpensive!

Jacqueline Francois

Columbia WL 178, mono 12-inch LP, recorded approx. late ‘50s.

By the end of World War II, France’s most popular pop singers were Maurice Chevalier, Edith Piaf and Charles Trenet. But when the 24-year-old Jacqueline Francois (1922-2009) entered the formidable arena, her talent, charisma and musicianship was akin to a firestorm. Within a month of her first record, she won the Grand Prix du Disque, the French equivalent of the Grammy.

A head’s up – the prospective listener should know French to fully enjoy this record of standards, although the melodies of Fascination and La Mer or Beyond the Sea should be familiar to seasoned fans of ‘50s pop music.

For certain listeners as myself, no need to understand the language in order to enjoy Francois’ phrasing, pacing and delectable voice plus the polished orchestral arrangements of Paul Durand. A delightfully different type of record.

Carrabec HS 4th quarter honors

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Grade 12, high honors: Avianna Boucher, Jade Fortin, Paul Kaplan, Bobbie Peacock, Samantha Taylor and Sara Taylor; honors:  Ian Baker, Whitney Coro, Dustin Crawford, Taylor Cyrway, Allyn Foss, Evan Gorr, McKayla Gray, Eric Libby, Royce Pena’, Sydney Trudeau and Jakob Turner.

Grade 11, high honors:  Rhiannon Ambrose, Jacob Atwood, Kelsey Creamer, Kaitlin Dixon, Bailey Dunphy, Mackenzie Edes, Courtney Fuller, Evan Holzworth and Katrina Mason; honors: Mackenzie Baker, Cyli Bolduc, Emily Buzzell, Patrick Dube, Ariana-Lee Dunton, Michael Hargreaves, Samantha LeBeau and Sierra Turcotte.

Grade 10, high honors:  Tristan Bachelder and Sidney Small; honors: Ethyn Batchelder, Lauren Chestnut, Lillian Johnson, Lindsay Lesperance, Lauren Rafferty and Haley Taylor.

Grade 9, high honors:  Annika Carey, Skylar Karr and Abby Richardson; honors:  Caitlin Crawford, Caroline Decker, Dylan Leach, Scott Mason, Mabel Mouland and Skye Welch.

Area students on Husson University’s president’s, dean’s and honors lists

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PRESIDENT’S LIST

Anastasia Paine-Paradis, of Anson, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Communications Technology with a concentration in webmedia program.

Erin Bolduc, of Augusta, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies with a concentration in elementary education program.

Aaron Haynes, of Augusta, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Communications Technology with a concentration in live sound technology program.

Noah Gallagher, of Augusta, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications with a concentration in marketing communications program.

Lelia Belanger, of Augusta, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Biology program.

Arika Brochu, of Augusta, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education program.

Nicholas Pelletier, of Bingham, is a first-year student who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Communications Technology with a concentration in video production program.

Cora Gavett, of Chelsea, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program.

Courtney Smart, of Cornville, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Tesla Newell, of Fairfield, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Psychology program.

Michaela Sprague, of Jefferson, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice/Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician/Community (MHRT/C) Certification program.

Tamica Day, of Madison, is a graduate student who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Doctor of Pharmacy program.

Victoria Mullin, of Madison, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program.

Kirsten Wood, of Madison, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology-Human Movement Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Darian Hughes, of Oakland, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Psychology program.

Paige Warren, of Oakland, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies program.

Jayme Safford, of Oakland, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies with paralegal certificates in advanced civil practice and advanced criminal practice program.

Kaileigh Lenentine, of Sidney, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies program.

Macy Mansir, of Sidney, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology-Human Movement Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Christopher Pomerleau, of Sidney, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology-Human Movement Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Leah Van Horn, of Sidney, E is a graduate student who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Doctor of Pharmacy program.

Cailee Manzer, of Skowhegan, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies/Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program.

Natasha Thompson, of Skowhegan, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Sport Management/Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.

Ali York, of Skowhegan, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in financial management and a certificate in sales program.

Autumn Holzworth, of Solon, is a first-year student who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Undeclared program.

Sarah Stevens, of South China, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in financial management/Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.

Ross DeLorenzo, of Unity, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in management program.

Mackenzie Gayer, of Vassalboro, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program.

Grace Gould, of Waterville, is a graduate student who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Doctor of Pharmacy program.

Megan Richards, of Winslow, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology-Human Movement Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

DEAN’S LIST

MaKayla Leeman of Anson, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Trent Richardson of Anson, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Laurel Whipkey of Augusta, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology-Human Movement Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Zoe Mather of China, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology-Human Movement Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Adam Littlefield of Fairfield, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in management program.

Tennyson Martin of Fairfield, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program.

Spencer Folsom of Fairfield, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program.

Kyleigh Plourde of Jefferson, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice/Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician/Community (MHRT/C) Certification program.

Matthew Soucy of Madison, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies/Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program.

Devin Campbell of Sidney, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in management program.

David Allen of Skowhegan, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program.

Alyssa Doucette of Skowhegan, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice/Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician/Community (MHRT/C) Certification program.

Shayla Pillow of South China, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology-Human Movement Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Brooke Whitcomb of Unity, is a first-year student who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies/Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program.

Tasha Dutil of Vassalboro, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies/Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program.

Meghan Farrell of Vassalboro, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies program.

Adam Pelletier of Vassalboro, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a graduate certificate in counterterrorism and security/Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration program.

Justine Richardson of Waterville, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Communications Technology with a concentration in video production program.

Michael Quirion of Waterville, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program.

Jessica Pare of Winslow, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program.

Michael Strahan of Winslow, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies/Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program.

Brooke Roy of Winslow, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies program.

HONORS LIST

Taylor Edmondson of Augusta, is a graduate student who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Doctor of Pharmacy program.

Shaun Gallagher of Augusta, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Communications Technology with a concentration in audio engineering program.

Emily Bowers of Augusta, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Ian Jackson of Bingham, is a first-year student who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Communications Technology with a concentration in audio engineering program.

Alyse Whittemore of Cornville, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program.

Jade Landry of Fairfield, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science program.

Owen Freeman of Freedom, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Communications Technology with a concentration in video production program.

Nicholas Maney of Jefferson, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Communications Technology with a concentration in video production program.

Erika Parker of Madison, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Psychology program.

Shaylin Gilchrist of Norridgewock, is a first-year student who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Makaela Michonski of Norridgewock, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology-Human Movement Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Oakley Fortin of Norridgewock, is a first-year student who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program.

Mikhaila Necevski of Oakland, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program.

Raina Rauch of Palermo, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies/Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program.

Megan Mahoney of Palermo, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education program.

Hannah Stanley of Searsmont, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education program.

Anne-Marie Provencal of Skowhegan, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies/Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program.

Christina Belanger of South China, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Alyssa Willette of Unity, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Justin Martin of Vassalboro, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Psychology program.

Jeremy Bishop of Waterville, is a graduate student who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Doctor of Pharmacy program.

Jonathan Doucette of Waterville, is a first-year student who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Entertainment Production program.

Kaitlyn Smith of Winslow, is a sophomore who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in management program.

Molly Ware of Winslow, is a junior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Logan Vashon of Winslow, is a senior who is currently enrolled in Husson’s Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology-Human Movement Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

 

TECH TALK: Welcome to Reality 2.0

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ERIC’S TECH TALK

by Eric Austin
Computer Technical Advisor

Let me take you back a few decades to the 1980s. I was 12 years old and cruising around the neighborhood on my ten-speed mountain bike. On this particular day, I was exploring the garage sales along Lakeview Drive that are so prevalent this time of year.

At one of them, I found an old video game console for 75 cents and eagerly trundled it atop my bike for the trip home. It was one of those all-in-one units with the games built into it, and two controllers, then called “paddles,” with only a simple knob like a control switch for a dimmable light.

The first videogame: Pong.

All the games included were variations on Pong, in which each player controls a short, vertical line on opposite sides of the screen, moved up or down by the control knob on the game paddle. The objective of the game is to “bounce” a little white dot from one side of the screen to the other in order to score points against your opponent.

Nobody looking at a screenshot of this game would mistake it for an actual game of tennis.

Skip forward to the present day. Steam, the largest digital distribution platform on the web, has their Summer Sale and I pick up the game Grand Theft Auto 5 for 20 bucks.

GTA5 is one of the biggest videogame releases in recent years, with over 11 million copies sold within 24-hours of its debut. Basically, it’s a crime story told in a simulated world based on the Southern California city of Los Angeles and the surrounding countryside.

Consider just a few mind-blowing facts about the world of GTA5: The game world encompasses more than 100 square miles! You can fly a plane, ride a motorcycle, or go scuba-diving off the coast of California. If you stop your car in the middle of traffic, drivers around you will beep their horns and flip you the bird until you get moving again. If you make your character act crazy in the game, passers-by will pull out their phones and film you — just like real life!

I’m only 40 (okay forty-two!), but I’ve watched as our ability to simulate real life has gone from Pong, a rudimentary effort to simulate the game of tennis, to Grand Theft Auto 5, an incredibly detailed simulation of an entire city, down to building interiors, wildlife in the countryside, and artificial intelligence-driven people that react to your actions on the fly.

Grand Theft Auto 5: An entire simulated city.

Considering this kind of advancement just in my short life, what kind of worlds will we be able to simulate in another 50 years? If the past is anything to go by, computer simulations of the future will be so real that they will be indistinguishable from actual reality. Already it is difficult to watch a movie today and know which parts of it are real and which are computer generated. Combine this graphics realism with advances in computing power and artificial intelligence and it is not difficult to imagine what videogames of the future might be like.

This kind of thinking has led a number of brilliant minds, as diverse as entrepreneur Elon Musk and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, to ask: Are we already living in a simulated world? Would we be able to tell if we were?

The argument goes something like this:

We can assume that, in the future, it will be possible to simulate reality to the extent that it is impossible to distinguish it from the real thing. Further, it is an obvious assumption that there will be a greater number of simulated worlds than actual worlds. One can then also assume that some of those simulated worlds would be simulations of the past, such as earth in the year 2017. And since there is only one actual Earth 2017, but many possible simulations of Earth 2017, it therefore is more likely we are living in a simulation than not. For example, if there are a billion simulated versions of Earth 2017, but only one actual Earth 2017, the odds that we are living in the real world and not a simulated one would be a billion to one against.

Consider something even weirder. In a video game-simulated world, your computer only renders the part of the virtual world you are currently experiencing. So, when you are looking in a specific direction in the game world, your computer renders the graphics for the part of the world you are seeing, but not for anything that is currently off-screen. It does this to save processing power.

Well, the “real” world eerily works in a very similar way. According to the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, “physical systems generally do not have definite properties prior to being measured” (Wiki, 2017). In other words, quantum particles do not exist in a specific place and time until they are interacted with – something termed in physics as the “(probability) wave function collapse,” in which all possible values (of location, of momentum, etc…) collapse to a single value at the moment of interaction. It is almost as if the universe is a quantum computer which saves processing power by not calculating exact values for reality until it becomes necessary by interaction with an observer. Weird, huh?

Is it possible that we are unwitting inhabitants of an enormous simulation powered by a quantum computer existing sometime in the future?

Are your neighbors simply advanced A.I. personalities designed to give this simulation a veneer of realism? Could we all simply be self-aware A.I. placed into a simulation of earth in the year 2017 and programmed to believe this is not a simulation?

Of course, would I be able to ask these questions if we were?

Do you know someone living in their own simulation of reality? Come share your experience on townline.org or send an email to me at ericwaustin@gmail.com!

KHS to present Women at Sea in Manchester

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This visual slideshow explores the “herstories” of Penobscot Bay women and daughters who went to sea in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Despite the old sailors’ superstition that women at sea were unlucky, the women accompanied their fathers and husbands on cargo voyages around the world. Some were literally born into the profession and others joined their love ones with initial trepidation. Using letters, manuscripts and newspaper articles from the Penobscot Marine Museum archives and objects from the collection, we will learn about their experiences at sea.

Cipperly Good, Collections Manager and Curator at Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport, spent her early museum career just upriver at the L.C. Bates Museum and returned to Maine full-time in 2010 to take her current job at Penobscot Marine Museum. She holds a Masters of Arts in Museum Studies from The George Washington University and is a graduate of Colby College.

The Kennebec Historical Society July presentation is free to the public (donations gladly accepted) and will take place on Wednesday, July 19, at 6:30 p.m., at the Hope Baptist Church, located at 726 Western Avenue in Manchester.

Waterville Cal Ripken Maine District 5 champions

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Front, Alex Spaulding. First row, left to right, Jonathan Roach, Garrett Gendreau, John Nawfel, Ben Foster and Chris Nawfel. Second row, Keegan Dumais, Gage Hubbard, Brendan Roderick, Spencer Brown, Wyatt Gradie and Anderson Maines. Back row, coaches Rick Gradie, Larry Brown, Ben Foster and Wayne Gendreau.
Photo by Cemtral Maine Photography staff

Maine Cal Ripken 11U District 5 champions, Waterville, went undefeated for the weekend and defeated Skowhegan in the championship game, 5-4, with Brendan Roderick the winning pitcher.

New titling program from AKC

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TRAINING YOUR PERFORMANCE DOG

TRAINING YOUR PERFORMANCE DOG

by Carolyn Fuhrer

AKC has a new titling program: The AKC Trick Dog. It is designed so dogs and their owners can have fun learning tricks together.

There are four levels of titles in AKC Trick Dog:

  • AKC Novice Trick Dog TKN
  • AKC Intermediate Trick Dog TKI
  • AKC Advanced Trick Dog TKA
  • AKC Trick Dog Performer TKP

AKC approved CGC (Canine Good Citizen) evaluators may observe the tricks and sign as evaluators for the Novice, Intermediate and Advanced AKC titles.

For the performer level, all tricks must be done as a part of a routine and a video link must be provided to AKC for evaluation.

Here are the criteria for the four levels of titles:

Novice

Perform 10 tricks, or have the CGC on record at AKC and perform five tricks. May use food/toys as a lure (to guide the dog into position) and may use food as reinforcer and clickers to mark behavior. Dog will do each trick two times for the evaluator.

Intermediate

Perform 10 tricks from the intermediate tricks list. May not use food/toys as a lure except where specifically permitted. May use food as a reinforcer and also clickers to mark behavior. Dog will do each trick two times for the evaluator.

Advanced

Perform five tricks from the advanced tricks list. May not use food/toys as a lure. May use food as a reinforcer and may also use clickers to mark behaviors. Dog will do each trick once for the evaluator.

Performer

Perform a total of 10 previously learned or new tricks from the Novice, Intermediate and Advanced titles. Must do at least two intermediate and two advanced tricks. May not use food/toys as a lure. May use food as reinforcer and may also use clickers to mark behaviors.

You can find all the tricks listed at the section on the AKC website devoted to Trick Dog: www.akc.org/about-trick-dog/

The most exciting news is that MCKC (Mid Coast Kennel Club of Maine) will be offering a CGC test and Novice, Intermediate and Advanced Trick Dog tests at their show at the Union Fairgrounds, in Union, on Saturday, September 2, 2017, after Best of Breed. So, come and enjoy the dog show, maybe enter one of the tests or, if you are not ready yet, come and watch the CGC and trick tests and see what its all about.

For more information about the tests: contact Kathy Duhnoski at kduhnoski@myfairpoint.net.

Carolyn Fuhrer has earned over 90 AKC titles with her Golden Retrievers, including 2 Champion Tracker titles. Carolyn is the owner of North Star Dog Training School in Somerville, Maine. She has been teaching people to understand their dogs for over 25 years. You can contact her with questions, suggestions and ideas for her column by e-mailing carolyn@dogsatnorthstar.com.