01/07/2021 by The Weirs Publishing Company

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

Happy

& Hea l t h y

Happy & Healthy New Year!

VOLUME 30, NO. 1

New Year!

THE WEIRS, LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE, N.H., THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

COMPLIMENTARY

Live & Let Live Farm Rises Above The Abyss by Scott Philbrick Live and Let Live Farm

The 19th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche famously mused that “… when you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” The general consensus among philosophy scholars in discerning Nietzsche’s meaning here is well agreed upon: that if we embroil ourselves in the matters of wretched or

evil things for a period of time and with significant intensity, those wretched or evil things can robustly alter us for the worse. That we can unwittingly defile our souls, entice ruin, and not easily span the soiled, ravaged chasm we leave behind. There is no returning. Life at Live and Let Live Farm Rescue & Sanctuary certainly seems a near constant abyss. We stare See FARM on 22

Start Your Year Off With Healthy Living

fit and healthy and also introduce to you some of the folks that are helping in achieving those goals, including our valued advertisers. So, even if you didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions, you can still find out how to enjoy a Happy and Healthy New Year all this month. It all starts this week on page 8. Happy New Year! C h is

le omp

te Edition Available

On lin e

Trigger, who was brought to Live and Let Live Farm Rescue in Chichester, was adopted by Tilton Police Chief Robert Cormier. Despite the hardships 2020 brought to the saving of animals, this COURTESY PHOTO rescue farm managed to continue to do their important work.

As the New Year begins, many of us have made our New Year’s Resolutions. Statistics show that losing weight and staying fit and healthy are always in the top five resolutions. Statistics also show that only about ten percent of those who make resolutions actually keep them. Seems like we can use all the help we can get. This month, the Weirs Times will be expands it Healthy Living section for the entire month of January bringing you a Happy & Healthy New Year. We will be providing you with tips and information on the best ways to keep

om w.Th eWeirsTimes.c

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

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Another Government Boondoggle To The Editor: It has recently been announced that the governor and Executive Council authorized the New Hampshire Bureau of Rails and Transit to enter into a $5,448,607 contract with a company in Manchester to undertake the development and engineering phases of the longdiscredited project to bring commuter rail service to the Capitol Corridor between Lowell, Mass., and Nashua and Manchester. But we are told that we really should not worry because it will be funded with “free money” from the federal government. The contract supposedly includes preliminary engineering and design work, environmental and public engagement services as well as the development of a plan to finance the project, which would extend MBTA service to southern New Hampshire. At guess whose expense. This is a perfect example of government getting involved in something that is not a proper governmental function and that should be left to private enterprise. If the demand is sufficient to make such a rail project financially successful, private enterprise should handle the whole thing. Otherwise, we should not be wasting tax money, federal or state, on anything that will lead to another government run fiasco. Is it any wonder that our taxes are high and keep getting higher, while governmental

“services” continue to deteriorate in quality? But we keep getting told “I’m from the Government and I’m here to help you!” Anyone actually believe that? Government needs to stick to its knitting- namely its first and foremost duty is public safetyour police and fire services. Then solve our deteriorating bridges problems. Norm Silber New Hampshire State Rep. Belknap County District 2Gilford, NH.

Energy Innovation Act To The Editor: Incoming Climate Envoy John Kerry recently referenced a World Bank statement that says we need a price on carbon that reaches $100 per ton by the year 2030 to meet our targets under the Paris Climate Accord. Citizens Climate Lobby has a Carbon Fee and Dividend solution that puts a steadily increasing price on carbon and returns all of the money collected evenly back to US citizens. This policy effectively reduces emissions while protecting American households and creating good paying jobs. The Energy Innovation Act is currently in the House of Representatives (HR 763) with over 85 cosponsors on both sides of the aisle. CCL is a bipartisan organization that helps to build the political will and public support for Carbon Fee and Dividend, which economists agree is a necessary first step to any

meaningful climate action. To find out more about CCL and their proposed solution, visit cclusa.org or energyinnovationact.org. If you agree with this approach, please reach out to your elected representatives in support of the Carbon Fee and Dividend policy. And keep your eyes peeled for a State-level Carbon Fee and Dividend effort called Carbon Cash Back showing up in your local town meeting. Richard Wengenroth Pembroke, NH.

Shame on You, Party Democrats

To The Editor: For 3 long weeks, Lakes Region has been immersed in ugly controversy based on accusations of alleged deliberate bigoted inclinations, speech and activity by Rep. Dawn Johnson. Many are adamant this is a humanitarian issue, not political. Based on observations below, I strongly disagree. This menacing situation has definitely been made political. Until December, Dawn Johnson was a respected upstanding citizen with solid history of giving back to her home city. She has served as an elected official, first on Laconia School Board and more recently, Laconia Republican Representative to NH State Legislature, as well as ongoing pursuit of many charitable volunteer activities. Because she did not research the source, as was prudent especially See MAILBOAT on 27

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This newspaper was first published in 1883 by Mathew H. Calvert as Calvert’s Weirs Times and Tourists’ Gazette and continued until Mr. Calvert’s death in 1902. The new Weirs Times was reestablished in 1992 and strives to maintain the patriotic spirit of its predecessor as well as his devotion to the interests of Lake Winnipesaukee. Our newspaper’s masthead and the map of Lake Winnipesaukee in the center spread are elements in today’s paper which are taken from Calvert’s historic publication. Locally owned for over 20 years, this publication is devoted to printing the stories

of the people and places that make New Hampshire the best place in the world to live. No, none of the daily grind news will be found in these pages, just the good stuff. Published year round on Thursdays, we distribute 30,000 copies of the Weirs Times every week to the Lakes Region/Concord/ Seacoast area and the mountains and have an estimated 66,000 people reading this newspaper. To find out how your business or service can benefit from advertising with us please call 1-888-308-8463.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

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ing and cross-country skiing. On the left, just a mile up Highland Street from the center of Ashland there is a small parking lot for the Whitten Woods trails. A large banner is strung across the entrance to the trails next to the information kiosk that reads “Welcome Hikers” and “No Wheeled vehicles Allowed”.

That morning there were already six or seven cars in the lot and we parked in one of the last empty spots. I recognized the four hikers about to head up the trail and I rolled down the window and shouted them a greeting that was happily returned. I downloaded the trail map from the SquamLakes.org webSee PATENAUDE on 24

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Friends in Ashland had recommended visiting Whitten Woods and since we were in the area with limited time to hike I suggested to Charlie that we should go. My New Year’s Resolution is the one that I keep repeating year after year--to visit new places.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES Unitarian-Universalist Church & Lions Club Host Latest Food Drive

On Saturday January 9 from noon to 3 p.m., the Unitarian-Universalist Society’s Social Justice Committee will reteam with the Laconia-Gilford Lions Club to collect food donations for Community Action of Laconia’s (CAP) food pantry. Lions will be out front of the little white church at 172 Pleasant St., curbside, for drop off of any donations. “The last food drive we held got a very good response, but need is also high, and this event will give those who were unable to participate another opportunity,” explained Lions Club President Matt Soza. “Items particularly requested are peanut butter, jelly, pasta, rice, soups, cereal, tuna fish and canned foods of all varieties, especially easy open pop top cans.” “This effort is the latest in our ‘Step Up to the Plate’ campaign, where Lions partner with area churches on food collections benefitting local food pantries,” said Lions Secretary Lori Chandler. “Food insecurity is an issue which been heightened by the pandemic and lockdowns.” Contact the UUSL at 524-6488. For further information on this event call 998-5549.

Summer Gundalow Programs Spring and summer gundalow programs are coming this year to the Gundalow Company, 60 Marcy Street, Portsmotuh. While there is still some uncertainty for what 2021 will look like they are planning to move forward with their summer programs as normal and a modified spring program. Spring Programs will start in April and will be listed on the website soon (www.gundalow.org). Registration opens Feb 10th for members and Feb 17th for the public. Summer Camp Information will be live on the website by mid-Jan. Registration opens for members Feb 6th and the public Feb 13th Become a member today and get early registration AND a discount on camp and school year programs. Gundalow Company offers a variety of camp experiences to get kids on and around the water. These programs are run aboard the gundalow PISCATAQUA, at our land base at Creek Farm owned by the Society for the Protection of NH Forest, and at our other partner organizations. We also offer aftercare from 3:00-5:00 during our full day programs. These programs offer the best of summer in the Piscataqua Maritime Region.

Prescott Farm Welcomes New Year LACONIA – After ten months of binging Netflix and baking banana bread, Lakes Region residents and visitors are ready to connect with their community and the natural world. Prescott Farm is here to help! Two Community Connections Programs will be offered each Saturday at the White Oaks Road property in Laconia. These COVID-safe programs are led by Environmental Educators who meet guests ‘where they are’ on their nature-connection journey and guide them to a deeper understanding and appreciation. Programs will take place outside with appropriate social distancing, masks, and other safety protocols in place. The environmental education team at Prescott Farm has combined their extensive skills and experience to create a full year of programs that include many returning favorites along with some brand-new offerings. Ashleigh Roberts, the newest member of the staff, has been instrumental in generating exciting new ideas. Originally from Ohio, Roberts joined Prescott Farm in November. She has worked as an outdoor/environmental educator all over the United States and has experience teaching across age groups and experience levels. “Ashleigh is an incredible asset to Prescott Farm,” Andie Hession, School & Community Programs Director, said. “Not only has she been able to help us maintain our current program offerings, she has fresh, innovative ideas that will provide even more opportunities for people Ashleigh Roberts to connect to the natural world.” It was Roberts’ love of hiking—with lots of stops to enjoy the tiny things– that inspired Prescott Farm’s new-in-2021 ‘Tiny Things Hikes,’ kicking off on January 9 at 1 pm. Other programs up first in 2021 include: Saturday, January 2: New Year, New Beginnings Nature Hike (1-3 pm) & Meteor Shower Campfire (4:30-6:30 pm) Saturday, January 9: Beginner Snowshoe (10-12 pm) & Tiny Things Hike (1-3 pm) Saturday, January 16: Snowshoe Adventure (10-12pm & The Mystery of the Subnivean Zone (1-3 pm) A full calendar of programs, descriptions, age level recommendations, fees, and registration information is available at prescottfarm.org. In addition to educator-led programs, visitors can enjoy the trails, sledding hill, and natural playscape on the 160-acre property as a free community resource from dawn-to-dusk every day. Visitors who wish to rent snowshoes ($5) may do so while the program building is open (Monday – Saturday, 9 am – 4pm). For program details, a list of health and safety requirements, and to register, please visit prescottfarm.org. Prescott Farm is a nonprofit 501c3 dedicated to environmental education and preservation. For more than twenty years, Prescott Farm has been a destination for people of all ages to learn about New Hampshire wildlife, ecology, natural history and cultural history through hands-on public programs and service learning opportunities in the beautiful Lakes Region of New Hampshire. It is a designated wildlife viewing area with over 160 acres of idyllic farmland, forest and pastures open daily, year-round to the public. For more information about Prescott Farm and all of its programming and ways to help, please visit www.prescottfarm.org.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

F O O L NEW HAMPSHIRE A

in brendan@weirs.com

Now In 4th Printing!

The Flatlander Chronicles Live Free or Die.

*A FLATLANDER’S OBSERVATIONS ON LIFE

2021 Predictions At the beginning of 2020 I was reluctant to write my annual predictions for the new year column. So, I didn’t. Now you by Brendan Smith k n o w w h y . Weirs Times Editor If I had told you that there would be a worldwide pandemic that would last through to 2021, you would not have believed me, maybe even panicked. So, I kept quiet. But I am here this week to bring you hope as I make my predictions for the New Year. It seems that 2021 will see a lot of changes due to the events of 2020. Still, I promise you there will be no new pandemics this year. (But anything goes for 2022.) AIRLINES - The middle seat will be eliminated from all planes in the future to prevent another outbreak of a new virus. Unfortunately, the aisle seat will now be moved to the middle and a new seat called “the outer seat” will be installed where the aisle seat used to be. Flight attendants will now be required to wear full-body plastic bubbles adding an interesting new dynamic for the passenger who desperately needs to get to the restroom while the attendants are serving snacks. PERSONAL FITNESS - The latest invention to come out of the whole “safer at home” pandemic thing will be the “Refrigaton”. Inspired by the success of the “Peleton”, this innovative machine can be installed in your refrigerator so that every time you open it to grab yet another snack, a personal trainer will appear on a small screen to shame you into not eating by shouting motivational expressions such as: “What another Mallomar?

Have you no shame?”, “Remember what happened the last time you had too much cheese?” “You do realize this is the seventh time you have looked in here in the last forty-five minutes, don’t you?” and dozens of other sayings to try and help you stay fit while doing nothing. For an additional $199.95, you can buy an override option, which has been extremely popular. SPACE - Scientists will discover that many of the planets they thought were uninhabited are now full of life since they all were just going through their own virus lockdowns. MUSIC – A new slew of classic rock songs will be rereleased with new titles and new words, sung by today’s performers to address the new normal . Among them will be: “I Don’t Want To Hold Your Hand”, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – Or Toilet Paper”, “I Saw Her Standing There – Six Feet Away From Me”, “Will Get Fooled Again” and “Mrs. Brown, I Think You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter, But I Can’t Really Tell With The Mask” among many others. RESTAURANTS - Restaurants will now have new game plans in place to be ready for another shutdown. Called “Eat Here At Home” it involves sending a kitchen and waitstaff, as well as tables, candles and condiments directly to your home to provide that restaurant experience. For additional fees you can have a hostess who will come to the living room while you are watching TV to tell you “your table is ready, follow me please.” PC - On the political correctness front, there will be a whole slew of exciting new pronouns as well as the elimination of innocuous words and phrases that we have been using for decades. (To save space in future columns, I will also make this prediction for

every year going forward.) SOCIAL MEDIA - A new social media site called “You’re An Idiot - No You Are” will garner hundreds of thousands of users in its first week. “You’re An Idiot No You Are” will only allow posts that contradict other posts with an emphasis on mean speech and insults. Anyone posting positive thoughts or ideas will be banned for thirty days. TV - Dr. Anthony Fauci will appear on “Dancing With The Stars” and will wow the crowd with a new dance move he created called “The Flip Flop”. Also, an updated version of “Gilligan’s Island” will premiere. In this new version, now titled “Gilligan’s Condo” the usual cast of characters find themselves trapped in Gilligan’s 800-sqaure foot, one-bedroom condo after it is revealed they all have been exposed to COVID-19 and need to quarantine for a month and the antics that ensue. Episode eight is guaranteed to tickle viewers funny bones as the cast fights for time in Gilligan’s tiny bathroom after eating a pot of the Skipper’s famous chili. TECHNOLOGY – A new App for iPhones and Androids will be very popular. Called the “App App” it will let you know when a new app you might like has been released. Now you won’t have to waste time looking for time wasting apps. MEDICINE – With the popularity of Telehealth increasing during the pandemic, some new innovations to the on-line medical experience will be added. Among them a link to read some twoyear-old magazine articles about subjects you aren’t interested in while you are waiting for the doctor to sign in, so as to give you the waiting room feel that you have been missing. Happy New Year

Weirs Times F.O.O.L columnist, Brendan Smith’s first book with over 30 of the best of his original Flatlander Columns. From learning to Rake The Roof to Going To The Dump to Buying Firewood for the first time and everything in between, Brendan recounts the humorous tales of his learning to fit into New Hampshire life as a Flatlander from New York.

Order your autographed copy today for $13.99 plus $3 for shipping. (Please include any inscription you would like the author to personalize your copy with.) Make out checks or money orders for $16.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: The Flatlander Chronicles, c/o The Weirs Times, PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247. Order online at www.BrendanTSmith.com (Pickup autographed copies at the Weirs Times)

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

2020: The Year ‘Expert’ Credibility Died If there were ever a time to “question authority,” as the old counterculture slogan of the 1960s urged, the authoritarian age of COVID-19 is that time. 2020 will go down in American history as the year that public health “experts” got everything wrong. It’s not just that their judgment was faulty. It’s that time and again, the proby Michelle Malkin fessional elites deceived the citizenry, Syndicated Columnist derided other academics and medical professionals who challenged them and de-platformed outspoken dissidents who refused to obey them. These pathological liars are the true public health threat. Exhibit A: Anthony Fauci. The incurably smug director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases led the “Great Mask Hoax” in March 2020 when he told CBS News, “There’s no reason to be walking around with a mask.” He very explicitly characterized mask-wearing as a performative gesture that “might make people feel a little bit better and it might even block a droplet, but it’s not providing the perfect protection that people think that it is.” Months later, fact-doctorer Fauci performed a whiplashinducing 180-degree turnaround and became the planet’s No. 1 mask cheerleader. He rationalized that he needed to mislead the nation about the efficacy of masks in order “to save the masks for the people who really needed them because it was felt that there was a shortage of masks.” I don’t know about you, but in my house, we call this sick behavior “covering your behind.” Last week, Fauci was at it again. After repeatedly asserting over the past year that 60-70% of Americans would need to submit to vaccine jabs to reach herd immunity, he cranked up the number to between 70-90% in an interview with The New York Times. Fauci confessed that he manipulated the numbers based on polling data about citizens’ vaccine hesitancy: “When polls said only about half of all Americans would take a vaccine, I was saying herd immunity would take 70 to 75 percent ... Then, when newer surveys said 60 percent or more would take it, I thought, ‘I can nudge this up a bit,’ so I went to 80, 85. We need to have some humility here .... We really don’t know what the real number is.” “We” need to have some humility? Speak for yourself, Dr. Gasbag! See MALKIN on 28

No, Joe, We’re Not In A ‘Climate Crisis’

Ben Shapiro is off this week.

Former Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel’s famous axiom is that a crisis is a terrible thing to waste. It’s an even worse thing to manufacture. by Rich Lowry Although PresidentSyndicated Columnist elect Joe Biden obviously disagrees. Creating an unwarranted sense of drama and urgency around climate change is central to his approach, in order to catalyze action unsupported by the facts or common sense. In announcing his climate and energy team, Biden declared climate change a crisis requiring a “unified national response.” Going even further, he called it “an existential threat of our time,” a frankly preposterous claim if taken literally, or even seriously. To maintain that increasing global temperatures are a threat to human existence itself entails believing that human beings -- an endlessly adaptive species that has drastically increased its own lifespan over the past century -- will be snuffed out if the planet gets a few degrees hotter. If the worst comes and sea levels rise significantly, we won’t move away from the coasts and find better ways to control flooding. If summers get much hotter in places unaccustomed to it, we won’t invest more in air conditioning. If droughts markedly increase, we won’t husband our water resources more intelligently. If some areas become uninhabitable, we won’t leave for more hospitable climes. No, a humanity that is wealthier and more technologically proficient than ever will be content to expose itself to the worst depredations of nature that it has done so much to master over the past millennium. This is a laughable account of how the world works. The globe has been getting warmer for decades now, with no adverse

effects on human population or longevity. Heck, even polar bears, once held out as the pitiable victims of global warming, aren’t being driven to extinction. In a climate speech during the campaign a few months ago, Biden relied on the tried-and-true alarmist tack of attributing every adverse weather event to global warming, including the flooding in the Midwest. Somewhat counterintuitively, Biden also blamed drought in the Midwest on climate change. Finally, Biden cited Hurricane Laura, the Category 4 storm that made landfall in Louisiana, as yet more climate-driven extreme weather. The studies do show more storm activity in the Atlantic, Lomborg writes, but there’s no global trend in tropical cyclones. Biden spoke of “a feeling of dread and anxiety” over climate change, but this isn’t a sentiment that, to the extent it exists at all, he wants to address or assuage. Instead, he seeks to stoke it, and if that requires frankly distorting the scientific consensus to paint catastrophic scenarios, so be it. There is no doubt that human activity contributes to climate change. It is a longterm challenge that we should seek to understand better and prepare to address through adaption and innovation should the worst come decades from now. But that’s not enough for Biden. He doesn’t want to get us thinking about climate change, but rather to suspend all rational thought about the issue -- especially about the downsides of costly measures to crimp the U.S. economy in the name of saving the planet. In short, he needs a crisis atmosphere, the facts and science be damned. Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

2020’s Good News Was 2020 the worst year ever? The media keep saying that. We did have the pandemic, a bitter election, unemployment, riots and a soaring naby John Stossel tional debt. Syndicated Columnist But wait, look at the good news, says historian Johan Norberg. His new book, “Open: The Story of Human Progress,” points out how life keeps getting better, even if people just don’t realize it. 2020 was “the best year in hu-

man history to face a pandemic,” he says. Had the pandemic happened in 2005, “You wouldn’t have the technology to create mRNA vaccines.” “In 1990,” he continues, “we wouldn’t have a worldwide web. If we had had this pandemic in 1976, we wouldn’t have been able to read the genome of the virus. And ... in 1950, we wouldn’t have had a single ventilator.” These last 20 years, adds Norberg, have been especially good. “Mankind has attained more wealth than ever.” I push back: “There’s more to life than wealth! And lot of this money

went to the top 1%. Ordinary people think they’re doing worse.” “If you look at specifics like global poverty, child mortality, chronic undernourishment and illiteracy,” Norberg replies, “they all declined faster than ever.” Those things: global poverty, child mortality, undernourishment,and illiteracy are pretty good measures of quality of life. “Literacy might be the most important skill,” says Norberg. “It’s the skill that makes it possible to acquire other skills. We’ve never seen literacy at these high levels ever before. (Even) in the most problematic countries around the

world, it’s better than it was in the richest countries 50, 60 years ago. That’s most important for those who have the least.” Of course, there were bad trends in 2020. Murder rose in the United States. Social media algorithms divided us further. “Suicide is up,” I tell Norberg. “I can definitely see the problems,” he replies, “but once upon a time, if you ended up in the wrong school or neighborhood, you had nowhere to go -- no other community available to you. Now there is, and that opens up a world of opportunity. Some awful See STOSSEL on 29

China’s Xi Sets Table For Transformative Year In a self-congratulatory and hubristic speech to the nation, China’s President and Communist Party supremo Xi Jinping by John J. Metzler praised the efSyndicated Columnist forts of the People’s Republic to overcome the Wuhan virus and to create a powerful Chinese economy amid global downturns. Chairman Xi boasted that this is “the first major economy worldwide to achieve positive growth,” despite the corona virus pandemic. Since the onset of the Wuhan virus in March, countries around the world have faced lockdowns, limited manufacturing,

and seen widespread small business shutdowns. The pandemic has wreaked global calamity and disruptions not seen since the 1930’s Depression or the Second World War. But China somehow has largely ducked the bullet. Xi’s speech was notable not for what it said, but what it chose not to say; gone was the ominous rhetoric towards Taiwan as in his 2019 address, nor were there any hints of the acrimonious political relationship between Beijing and Washington. “I am proud of our great motherland and people as well as the unyielding national spirit,” Xi said in a recorded video, “with solidarity and resilience, we wrote the epic of our fight against the pandemic.”

But is Beijing’s propaganda bravado hiding the cost of the pandemic even in China? Yet the true extent of the virus infection and mortality rate in the epicenter Wuhan and throughout China for that mater is unknown. Coverups and misinformation are common in Beijing’s playbook. Early in the crisis, Dr. Li Wenliang tried to warn his colleagues in Wuhan about an outbreak of a virus and was among a group visited by the police; he later died in hospital. Significantly the short speech was a kind of a legacy victory lap for Xi who is nearing the end of his formal second term in power. Perfunctory praise for the comrades fighting the virus, for the workers keeping China’s produc-

tion flowing, and for its scientific successes; breakthroughs in scientific explorations like the Tianwen-1 Mars Mission and Chang-e 5 Lunar Probe. The key theme was focused on the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Founded in Shanghai, the once small and conspiratorial Party would after a quarter century morph into the ruler of the vast Chinese Mainland. The Party’s Myth and Legend remains the grist of the People’s Republic’s history and stands sacrosanct. The CCP remains a singular and pivotal force in control and rule over China. It’s a political talisman for Xi Jinping and a generation of leadership which has See METZLER on 27

Happy

New Year!

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

y h t l a e H &

Happy & Healthy New Year!

Dental Visits Are Essential Health Care, Here’s Why

If maintaining good health is top of mind these days, as it is for many, be sure to factor dental hygiene into the equation. Medical experts say that a healthy mouth is critical to whole-body health, and warn that during the COVID-19 pandemic, certain stress-related

oral health concerns are on the rise. “Dental health and overall health are intrinsically linked. Beyond teeth and gums, the mouth serves as a window to the rest of the body, providing clues about health related issues that may be brewing,” says Dr.

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Alice Boghosian, American Dental Association (ADA) spokesperson. Dr. Boghosian reminds the public that dental visits have always been an essential part of health care and are safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to ADA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, dentists have increased their already strong infection control and office sterilization protocols when treating patients. “Routine dental exams during the pandemic can help keep your mouth and body healthy. In addition, dentists can sometimes spot signs suggestive of medical issues, alerting you to the need for medical follow-up,” says Dr. Boghosian. According to the ADA, here’s why you should be seeing your den-

tist regularly, and insights into how oral and overall health are connected: • The COVID-19 pandemic has been a tremendous source of anxiety and stress, which makes it no surprise that since its onset, a majority of dentists in an ADA Health Policy Institute survey report a rise in stress-related oral health conditions in their patients. If you are waking with a tired or sore jaw, find you’re grinding your teeth or have a chipped or cracked tooth, a dentist can help. • Dentists’ areas of care extend beyond teeth, gums and supporting bone to include the muscles of the head, neck and jaw, the tongue, salivary glands and the nervous system of the head, neck and other areas. When appropriate, dentists can

take samples of tissue to screen for chronic or infectious diseases, and even oral cancer. Catching oral cancer early reduces the risk of your being among the 10,030 people nationwide whose lives are claimed annually by the disease. • For the 29.1 million people in the U.S. living with diabetes, and those at high risk of developing the disease, dental visits are especially important. Untreated diabetes can take a toll on your mouth in numerous ways your dentist can detect. What’s more, people with diabetes are more prone to periodontal disease, a chronic, inflammatory disease that can destroy gums, all the tissues holding your teeth and even bones. Research suggests that treating gum disease

and then practicing good oral hygiene can help improve blood sugar control in people living with diabetes. • With pregnancy come changes in your body, including an increased risk of the gum disease called gingivitis. Keeping up with regular dental cleanings during your pregnancy can help keep this issue at bay. For more dental health tips and resources, visit MouthHealthy.org. To find a dentist near you, visit FindaDentist.ada.org. “Dentists, along with your physician and other healthcare professionals, are part of your health care team,” says Dr. Boghosian. “Your oral and overall health are our top priority.”

Happy

y h t l a e H &

T o Y our G ood H ealth

Happy & Healthy New Year! by Dr. Keith Roach M.D. Synidcated Columnist

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have always read that when you are having your blood pressure taken, your arm should be elevated above your heart. When mine is taken this way, it is normal, around 120/70. When I go to the doctor, my blood pressure is taken with my arm hanging at my side. I often get a much higher reading taken this way, say, 140/90. Is there a correct way to take it, and does it affect the reading? My doctor said the position doesn’t matter and wants to prescribe medication. -- U.P. ANSWER: When taking the blood pressure, the goal is to approximate the blood pressure in the heart. That means that the blood pressure cuff should be at the level of the heart. If the blood pressure cuff is above the heart, then the blood pressure reading will be artificially low. If the blood pressure cuff is dangling below the level of the heart, the reading will be high. For every 10 cm (about 4 inches) above the heart, the blood

pressure will be about 7 mm of mercury too low. If I stretch out my arm as high as I can above my heart, I can get it about 30 cm higher than my heart, which would be enough to explain the difference between the 140/90 and 120/70 you have observed. However, for most people when sitting up straight, a properly placed cuff on the arm will approximate the same level as the heart. Although you are right the position matters, it sounds like the doctor’s office is taking the reading correctly. I should also note that the feet should be resting on the floor, not dangling, which can artificially raise the blood pressure. The arm should be supported while taking the blood pressure. I recommend taking the blood pressure three times and using the average. Given how important blood pressure is, correct technique is essential in order to properly recommend who should get blood pressure treatment. Evidence is increasing that a 24-hour home blood pressure device is more accurate at determining who might need medication, especially in suspected white coat hypertension, where the readings are artificially high just because a person is in the office (even if they don’t feel nervous). ***

New Year!

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently had a cancer growth removed from my upper arm by a dermatologist. I was instructed to use Vaseline on the wound. I told them I use an antibiotic with pain reliever. I was told that because this is an antibiotic, I will become immune to the usage. Does the topical antibiotic have the same effect as a pill or shot? Because it is on the outside of my body, will I become immune as described, or is it safe to use as I have done for 40 years? -- W.B. ANSWER: I agree with your dermatologist. Petrolatum, such as Vaseline, is effective at keeping a wound moist, which promotes healing, and acts as a barrier to keep out dirt and bacteria.

Topical antibiotics may have additional usefulness in areas of skin infection or to reduce carriage of a dangerous bacteria like MRSA, but is no better than petrolatum for a clean surgical wound. Potential downsides to topical antibiotics include not only resistance, but also skin reactions. Accordingly, they should be used sparingly and only for clear indications. Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@ med.cornell.eduica Synd., Inc.

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y h t l a e H &

New Year!

What Every Chronic Pain Sufferer Needs to K now y h t l a e H

According to a new survey from Boston Scientific of more than 500 people with chronic pain, 60 percent aren’t satisfied with their current treatment or therapies. Professional golfer Grant Waite can relate. Repetitive, rotational movements make golf incredibly stressful on the back. Waite tried multiple surgeries, which didn’t provide relief, and he said he couldn’t function while taking prescription medications. Twelve years ago, the pain in his back was so debilitating he could barely get out of bed, let alone play professional golf or spend time with his family. “Pain is debilitating not just physically, but mentally and emotionally because there’s no escaping it. When you’re in pain, it’s just difficult to function.” According to the CDC, more than 50 million chronic pain sufferers nationwide are struggling with pain that lasts for six months or longer without finding relief. One of the most common reasons that adults seek medical care, chronic pain has been linked to restrictions in mobility and daily activities, dependence on opioids, anxiety and depression, and reduced quality of life. Unfortunately, less than half of those surveyed are aware of drug-free, minimallyinvasive, interventional therapies helping pa-

tients such as Waite return to activities they love and regain hope for their future. Waite sought help from a pain management specialist – a doctor specially trained to address acute and chronic pain. That’s when he learned about spinal cord stimulation (SCS). SCS is an FDA-approved implanted medical device that interrupts pain signals from reaching the brain. Unlike some surgical procedures, it can be personalized to an individual’s needs and is reversible. Patients undergo a trial period, allowing them to evaluate and adjust the pain relief delivered before deciding to receive a permanent implant. Initially, Waite didn’t know much about this treatment, but after completing his trial and full implantation with the Boston Scientific Spectra WaveWriter

SCS System, he champions it. “Before SCS, my pain forced me to give up my active lifestyle, which was hard. Now there are very few limitations on what I can do,” says Waite, who is back to playing golf, working out, and even hiking and traveling with his family. “The experience of chronic pain is complex and unique to every person. But pain management specialists have many tools in our arsenal that can provide adequate, lasting, personalized pain relief,” says Dr. Steve Pyles, a pain specialist and founder of the Pain Treatment Centers in Florida. The new survey found that 94 percent of chronic pain sufferers would try an FDAapproved, drug-free alternative to help manage chronic pain, but less than half have ever seen a pain specialist. Dr. Pyles notes that

for patients with chronic pain in the lower back, legs and feet, SCS offers a personalized experience that can treat multiple pain areas simultaneously. For those suffering from moderate lumbar spinal stenosis, interspinous spacers may relieve pain and discomfort in the lower back, legs, groin and buttocks. Alternatively, radiofrequency ablation delivers a small current to interrupt pain signals at the source. To find a local pain management specialist and learn more about chronic pain, visit www. pain.com, an educational site from Boston Scientific. You can also take a pain assessment quiz and connect with other patients. Life with chronic pain can be all-encompassing. However, experts say that non-drug therapies are providing tangible relief to patients.

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Top 10 Bird/Nature Watching Highlights of 2020 by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer

It may have been a disastrous year in most regards, but one bright spot is the connection with nature many people made while dealing with the pandemic and associated quarantines, isolation and soul-searching. Bird-feeding stores reported increased sales as people stuck at home turned to the hobby as

A pileated woodpecker looks for food at the base of a hemlock tree.

CHRIS BOSAK PHOTO

a much-needed escape. Nature preserves closed their visitor centers, but most of the trails remained open and people flocked to them to ward off cabin fever. I worked from home for most of the year and, while I missed seeing my co-workers, I did enjoy watching my backyard bird-feeding station daily as the seasons changed. I never realized how much you miss when you go about your regular routine. With that in mind, here are my top 10 bird/ nature watching highlights of 2020. Feel free to send me an email with

some of your highlights. 10. Warblers in the snow. A rare overnight snowfall in early May dropped a coating of snow that lasted until about noon. It provided a short window to see warblers and other migratory songbirds in snow. I managed a few photos of an ovenbird and bluewinged warbler. 9. Love birds. I watched several birds at my feeding station feeding seeds to their mates. Cardinals, blue jays and rosebreasted grosbeaks were among the species I saw. 8. Goldfinches on coneflower. It’s always fun to watch birds at

your feeder, but it’s even more exciting when they grab seeds from flowers in your garden. In early fall, I watched a flock of American goldfinches devour seeds from dead coneflower heads. 7. Pileated works over hemlock. My yard has a lot of dead or dying hemlocks. The downfall of the eastern hemlock is a sad one, for sure. The carnage has been somewhat of a boon for woodpeckers and other cavity-nesting birds, however. One morning, I watched as a pileated woodpecker tore apart the base of a dead hemSee BOSAK on 27

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

Not So . . . o g A g LoN

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Exploring ThE lEgEnd & lorE of our graniTE STaTE

Fact And Prediction New Years Bring New Dreams

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

“TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Be it known that Dr. R. Hanaford Smith will present a lecture at Nyack Alliance Seminary Wednesday evening, November 27, 1980, on the following topic:‘My experiences as a Genius and Philosopher.’ All young ladies are expected to be present and prepared to stand for review by the Dean of Women. All young men are expected to be present and prepared to stand. All faculty and staff members are expected. “P. S. THIS CONCERNS YOU! This honorable gentleman is a prominent member of one of New England’s most respected and highly cultured families. His wife is also known for her culture and fine breeding. Their home in Istanbul is known the world around for its excellent taste and décor. Dr. Smith is expected to relate something of his former days at Nyack. Following the lecture

Henry Ford with Model T Ford Car -1921. will be the official opening of Smith Hall.” That was the prediction that my college roommate wrote and handed to me sometime during those college days around 1960. Of course the prediction has not come true. I do not live in Istanbul. Neither is there a Dr. in front of my name, etc. The first few days of a New Year is a popular time for predictions as well as resolutions, and many of both do not become fact. Nevertheless, let me treat you to some past predictions. It seems that in our day that people in the U.S.A. are quick to mention the name “Hitler” when talking about someone they feel has abused a powerful position. In 1933 an article by Clifford Sharp,

entitled “How Strong Is Hitler?” was published in The Readers Digest and The Living Age. Mr. Sharp had spent ten days in Berlin, Germany and then made his predictions about Hitler and his followers. He thought persecution against Jews would continue, but “without further violence.” He found no German who thought that they would be involved in any war in the next 10 to 15 years at least. To quote Sharp:“The truth is that the Nazi mind is concentrated on the internal problems of Germany and does not want to be bothered by foreign affairs at all for a long time to come.” He thought that the emphasis of Hitler was on building a strong and prosperous economy in the country and

the avoidance of any foreign complications for many years to come. He seemed to recognize the strength over the people that Hitler possessed, but didn’t seem to see him as a threat outside of Germany. An earlier prediction, probably made about 120 or 125 years ago had to do with paper and paper products. “The paper world,” the rest of the world was told, “boasts that we are entering the paper age, when we shall not only live in paper houses, but wear paper clothes, and use paper napkins, handkerchiefs and plates.” The Globe Democrat (paper and ink) stated that a few years previously people laughed when someone suggested building houses out of paper, but insisted that it was coming about when cheap houses could be made entirely out of paper. It was suggested that when these paper houses were infected by disease or started decaying that the building material (paper) would be so cheap that the house could be replaced by another paper one. Of course a section of the prediction has come about when we think of the things like paper See SMITH on 26

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“No one knows what goes on behind closed doors …” – Country music star Charlie Rich Or, as fans of the musical “Hamilton” might put it, “In the room where it happened!” That would be the room where former New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady and Patriot head coach finally agreed to part ways. Not being an insider, I don’t know where that room was or when the final, irreversible schism occurred. But it happened. Brady left New England for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020—a “lost year” in so many ways for so many people. Patriot Nation noninsiders probably assumed that Belichick and Brady were close. They, along with owner Bob Kraft, were the “common denominators” associated with the Pats’ two decade run of football excellence—marked by six Super Bowl triumphs. But even non-insiders knew that despite being very public figures, both Belichick and Brady were hard to fathom. Each was adept at saying little during their countless media interviews. Inscrutable. Enigmatic. Sphinx-like.

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But both were real overachievers with passions for winning. The still boyish-looking Brady maintained his winning ways in Tampa at the age of 43, helping the Bucs to the playoffs for the first time in 13 years, while Belichick’s Pats missed the playoffs for the first time in 12 seasons. Advantage: Brady. The affable yet reclusive Brady is clearly stoked by competitive fires that are not apparent during those pleasant media sessions where he gives up little. One would think success might have softened the welldo-do California boy, but he remains a gunfighter with a need to prove himself—whether it’s winning titles, setting records, or marrying the world’s most compelling super model.

W i t h little left to prove, Brady’s now on a mission to accomplish t h i n g s no other 43-yearold football player has ever done, both individually and as a team player. He seems to delight in challenges. I’m sure he’d be fascinating to golf with. Sports people sometimes chat about who they’d want to share a foxhole with if they had to face a deadly enemy onslaught. Names like Ty Cobb, Gordie Howe, or Mean Joe Greene come up in such discussions. But I’d take Brady over anyone. We’ll soon know how far the Bucs will go in an NFL post-season that will culminate with Super Bowl LV at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium. No team has ever played a Super Bowl in its own stadium. Sounds like a perfect challenge for Tom Brady.

Sports Quiz Where did Tom Brady go to college? (Answer follows)

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

Burnt Timber Brewing & Tavern ‘Brewing’ Success WOLFEBORO - 2 0 2 0 has been a challenging year for many area small businesses, which has led Eddie Michno to think creatively at Burnt Timber Brewing & Tavern in Wolfeboro. “I’m always thinking of new ways to attract people here,” said Michno, who opened the tavern part of the business in 2017. One recent method has been the introduction of ‘Take and Bake’ dinners, some of which feature Burnt Timber Brewing’s in-house bratwurst with pretzel buns and house sauerkraut. “It’s made from pigs raised on our small farm and fed spent beer grains,” said Michno. “We also just rolled out a Family

Burnt Timber Brewing owner Eddie Michno.

Taco Kit, which has been a great hit.” In addition to chicken, pulled pork, brisket, ground beef and impossible crumbles, Family Taco Kit comes with 10 shells, various ‘fixings’ and two choices of sides, which include slaw, apple ginger kimchi, spicy ‘OG’ kimchi, or pickled vegetables. Recently, Burnt Timber Brewing also released their first kid’s menu, a development Michno said was in response to a demand. “We normally would try to cook kids whatever they wanted based on the ingredients we had on hand, so it was nice to finally put it on paper,” he said. “We want families -- local or passing

through -- to know we are thinking of them.” Michno said he is also testing out a new online food ordering system. “We are working out the kinks, but we are excited at the opportunities it opens up for us to better serve our customers,” he explained. Of course, beer specials remain popular, too, as Burnt Timber Brewing features a Covid Jar, a 32-ounce fill of beer in a mason jar and a 32-ounce Fill in which staff will sanitize and refill a customer’s growler. In looking ahead to the winter, Michno said he hopes Burnt Timber Tavern can work with other local businesses “to promote Wolfeboro itself.”

“This is a special place,” he said. “We have the Rail Trail for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. We have other trails and a small ski mountain, too…We need to think creatively this winter and let people know Wolfeboro is still open for business.” A family-friendly 24-seat brewpub in downtown Wolfeboro that features rotating beers and a full food menu, Burnt Timber Brewing & Tavern is located at 96 Lehner St., Wolfeboro. To learn more, visit burnttimbertavern.com.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

Wicked BREW Review

The

wickedbrews@weirs.com

2020: The Year In Beer

WHAT’S ON TAP IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?? A listing of some of the area’s beercentric watering holes where you can find old favorites on tap as well as some cutting edge seasonals.

ACKERLY’S JOHNSON’S GRILL & GALLEY TAPHOUSE

JIM’S TOP 10 BREWS of 2020

by Jim MacMillan Contributing Writer

As you ponder putting away the ornaments, decorations and holiday cheer that chalk up 2020 as a total disaster, it’s worth reminiscing about what made 2020 more of a memorable year - positively. You probably had some good family moments, friends and acquaintances to recall, but what about your favorite things? Of course I am referring to your favorite beers of this or recent years! There are certainly a TON of beers available to purchase in NH from everywhere in the world. New Hampshire has a wealth of breweries to its credit so there are a lot of brews from which to choose. Categories help us differentiate these selections. I’ll give you my selections from past reviewed beers at the end of this piece.

10- Bent Water (MA) Sluice Juice IPA 9- Breakaway Brewing (NH) Rise IPA 8- Concord Craft (NH) Gov’nah DIPA 7- Ten Bends (VT) Northern Heights IPA 6- Twin Barns (NH) Lake Cruiser DIPA 5- Southern Tier (NY) Nitro Chocolate Milk Shake Stout 4- Schilling (NH) Erastus Abbey Tripel 3- North Coast (CA) Old Rasputin Imperial Stout 2- Elysian (WA) Space Dust IPA 1- Rockingham (NH) Three Little Pigs Triple So let’s discuss typical beer styles. There are Pilsners and Lagers which are light, crisp and flavorful. Pale Ales follow with a bit more hop presence. Golden Ales and Wheat Beers from Germany and Belgium are still within the lighter hue beer category. Next are India Pale Ales which collectively are a vast and diverse commodity. Within this group generally are West Coast IPA’s, New Englandstyle IPA’s and Double IPA’s. Thereafter follows

Amber and Brown Ales and stop short of the dark beer styles of Porter and Stout. If you are a frequenter of this column, you know I gravitate towards Double IPA’s and Stouts and my forthcoming list fully reflects those types of beers. If I were going to recommend my top 10 brews for 2020, five of them are coming from NH, three from greater New England and two from the west coast. I hope that you enjoy some of these beers and

experiment with varied food pairings in the new year. Why not send along your thoughts on the topic to wickedbrews@weirs.com so we can commiserate our likes and dislikes. All of these beers are available at Case-nKeg, Meredith as well as other fine providers. Some may not be out right now but make a note of the ones missing and seek them out. You may find a new world waiting for you in great craft beer!

83 Main Street, Alton 603.875.3383 Akerlysgrillandgalleyrestaurant.com Henniker - Kolsch 603- Winni Ale Tuckerman - Pale Ale Great Rhythm - Squeeze Moat Mountain - Stout

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At Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant 233 D.W. Hwy, Meredith 603.279.6212 hartsturkeyfarm.com Bud Light Stoneface IPA Moat Mtn - Blueberry Tuckerman - Pale Ale 603 - Winni Amber Ale ...+6 More On Tap

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At Funspot Family Entertainment Ctr. 579 Endicott St N., Weirs 603.366.4377 funspotnh.com Bell’s - Christmas Ale Woodstock - Dbl Pigs Ear Henniker - Dustoff Sloop - Citra Bomb Maine Beer - Mean Old Tom Gneiss - Nord ...+6 More On Tap

At Johnson’s Seafood & Steak 69 Rt 11, New Durham 603.859.7500 eatatjohnsons.com/ newdurham Wormtown- Blizzard of ‘78 Bentwater- Sluice Juice Maine Beer Co.- Lunch Southern Tier- Salted Caramel Banded- Blueberry Charms & Hexes Liars Bench- No Dice Pilsner ...+30 More On Tap

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18 Weirs Rd., Gilford 603.293.0841 Patrickspub.com Patrick’s Slainte House Ale Sam Adams - Seasonal Guinness Tuckerman - Pale Ale 603 - Winni Amber Ale Harpoon - IPA Woodstock - Frosty Goggles ...+8 More On Tap

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At The Craft Beer Xchange 59 Doe Ave., Weirs Beach 603.409.9344 FB @craftbeerxchange Concord – Apres Brewski Von Trapp - Dunkel Bunker Machine – Czech Pils Rockingham – 3 Little Pigs 603 – Coffee Cake Porter Spencer – Imperial Stout ...+30 More On Tap ** Tap listings subject to change!

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

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Eggs are one of the only foods that naturally contain vitamin D. Lutein and zeaxanthin -- antioxidants that are believed to reduce the risk of developing cataracts and slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration, a disease that develops with age and is one of the leading causes of blindness in older adults. Choline -- essential for normal functioning of all cells. Brain development and memory may be enhanced by the choline content of eggs, and the consumption of eggs is particularly important during pregnancy to support healthy brain development of the fetus. Eggs are not only good for your health, but also good for your wallet! This inexpensive ingredient can be used in a variety of dishes as a source of protein for breakfast, lunch or dinner. My Easy Supper Shakshuka is a popular dish with variations served in North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. It’s also known as Eggs in Purgatory because of the spicy sauce the eggs are cooked in. This simple, versatile one-pan dish features eggs nestled in a flavorful tomato sauce enhanced with onSee EGGS on 21

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

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EGGS from 20 ions, garlic and spices, and sprinkled with Feta cheese. It can be served for breakfast or brunch right out of the pan with toast and breakfast sausage or bacon, or with a salad and crusty garlic bread for lunch or supper. EASY SUPPER SHAKSHUKA 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 teaspoon red chile flakes or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves or cinnamon 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups prepared marinara sauce 2 cups fresh baby spinach 4 eggs 1 1/2 cup feta cheese Cilantro, basil or parsley leaves, chopped (optional) 1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, then add the chopped onion, the chile flakes or cayenne pepper or hot sauce, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin and cloves or cinnamon, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion becomes soft

and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. 2. Stir in the marinara sauce and turn the heat to high to bring the sauce to a boil. Add the spinach, one handful at a time, and stir it in to wilt it. 3. Turn the heat to low. Using the back of a large spoon, make 4 indentions (wells) in the sauce to place the eggs. Gently crack the eggs in the skillet into the indentions in the tomato sauce and cover the skillet with a lid for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the whites of the eggs are cooked and set. 4. Sprinkle the feta cheese around the eggs and on top of the sauce. Garnish with the cilantro, basil

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or parsley, if desired, and serve warm with crusty bread or rolls to mop up the sauce. Serves 4. *** Angela Shelf Medearis is an awardwinning children’s author, culinary historian and the author of seven cookbooks. Her new cookbook is “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook.” Her website is www.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

Horse named “Fly” comes to Live and Let Live Farm’s Rescue after his owner dies of complications due to Covid. Mountain goat Buddy Pete. FARM from 1 into it daily. We stare into the abyss when we see and deal with the relentless tide of abandoned pregnant dogs and cats that come in to us on a near weekly basis. We stare into it when we take in horses so weak from emaciation and parasites that they’re several hundred pounds underweight, and you read the solitary thought in their

eyes: “I give up.” When a horse must be euthanized because of some mindlessly insensate and completely avoidable bone infection, left unattended in what must have been unimaginable pain, and came to us just a bit too late. Or when a newborn goat arrives, having been left all alone out in sub-zero temperatures so long that her ears and rear legs have

to be amputated due to frostbite. Through the endless cacophony of easily avoidable situations involving animal abuse or neglect, we stare into the abyss. And to be honest it’s always a struggle for me discerning how much of that abyss I should share with you, our loyal, or lightly passing, readers. On the one hand there is such a constant sense of urgency to report the reality of our day to day undertakings. On the

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other hand I nearly always feel a reticence to reveal too much of the horrors of that abyss unnecessarily. It’s a thin line I readily admit I cannot always clearly see. So whenever I meet with the Executive Director, Teresa Paradis to discuss the content of these pieces I write, we tend to want to focus on the good, the successes, the joy. And that is precisely what the volunteers at the farm, who put in so many tireless hours, do. They focus on the joys and successes, for those are part of that great abyss, as well. And these are the parts we want staring back at us. Here are some highlights, good or bad, from our abyss of the last year. First up is Pete, a beautiful mountain goat with a dazzling set of horns, who somehow escaped a trip to the slaughterhouse and survived on the loose, on his own, for over a year. Affectionately called “our buddy Pete,” he arrived at LLLF on November 17, and has

related animal turnovers to LLLF, in September we took in our first rescue as a direct result of a covid-19 death. Fly, a lovely paint gelding, arrived on his ninth birthday, as a result of his owner being struck down by the virus that now so perniciously surrounds us all. Then there are the pregnant dogs and pregnant cats, kittens and puppies, abandoned; discarded, that are arriving on a near weekly basis. Even though adoptions are way up, there is great difficulty stemming directly and indirectly from covid-19 related hurdles. The tide is rising. A NH soldier serving in Afghanistan sent a dog, Maggie, home ahead of him, where she was fos-

Rescued when pregnant, Mama Julie gives birth to 10 puppies, now soon ready to head to new adoptive families. been making friends and has even established somewhat of a cult following among the volunteers. There’s something exceedingly joyful to an animal rescue organization, about animals that manage to rescue themselves. While 2020 brought many COVID-19 stress

tered for eight months. When he returned, he was reunited with Maggie, and also adopted another rescue dog from Tennessee, Trigger. The happiness was relatively short-lived, as hard times fell on the soldier, and ultimately his parents, who had taken in the dogs. When the soldier’s father See FARM on 23

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

abyss a little less oppressive.

Found on the streets when pregnant, Mama Trudy and 4 newborn kittens.

Mama dog and pups dumped on the side of the road, rescued by volunteers of Live and Let Live Farm. FARM from 22 died, it was all too much for the family, and they began searching for a safe place to which they could turn over Maggie and Trigger. The Tilton Police Chief suggested LLLF, and in the fall they both came to our rescue/sanctuary. A soft heart cradled beneath that body armor, the Tilton Chief began stopping by LLLF to walk the dogs, and ended up adopting Trigger. Shortly thereafter, the fosterer stopped by to see how they were doing, and when she saw Maggie, took off her mask. Maggie instantly recognized her face and, long story, short— Maggie was quickly adopted! Over Thanksgiving weekend, we were asked to take in two more litters of pups along with one mom, and a litter of 2-week old kittens whose mom had disappeared. In early December we took in two more pregnant dogs from Georgia, along with two

more pregnant cats and three litters of kittens. Recently we took in a horse and seven sheep from a woman who needed a permanent takeover due to surgery and significant life changes. All this while still maintaining the staggering coordination and efforts to meet the constant needs of 7080 horses at any given time. It’s emotionally crushing, and is indeed, a type of abyss. “For when you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” I left out a part of that Nietzsche quote earlier; the first part, where he expressly lays out a warning: “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.” Philosophers have been debating what Nietzsche meant by this since it was first published in his 1886 work, Beyond Good and Evil. We all

Natural Snow blanket on Jewels at Live and Let Live Farms snow storm last week. have our monsters, don’t we? And I suppose it’s up to each of us to define our own monsters. For LLLF, the abyss into which we stare each and every day, the monsters, are Ignorance. Arrogance. Selfishness. Greed. Cruelty. Evil. Thankfully, for every act of ignorance that lands a suffering animal in our care, there is a canceling act of kindness that donates a vehicle or some piece of vital equipment to help us do what we do. For every act of cruelty that lands a broken spirit with “I give up” etched

in their eyes here at our rescue/sanctuary, there is a sensitive and kind someone out there who is moved to make a financial contribution that helps us fund that broken spirit’s rehabilitation. Nietzsche doesn’t explain the meaning behind his quote; he leaves that up to the individual reader to interpret. Philosophers, for the most part, seem more predisposed to posing questions than positing answers. To all our readers, our supporters out there, to those who are moved to help us out in any way you can, especially in such harsh economic times, we’re truly grateful, and thank you for making our perpetual

Please consider contacting Live and Let Live if you’re considering adopting a loving family companion. Financial contributions are desperately needed and greatly appreciated, as the costs to operate such a facility are staggering. Contributions are fully tax deductible, and 100% allocated to the care and healing of these animals. Contact Teresa by email, at: tehorse@aol.com, or send donations to: Live and Let Live Farm Rescue, 20 Paradise Lane, Chichester NH 03258. Donations can also be made with credit or debit cards, at: www. liveandletlivefarm.org. IMPORTANT: Due to covid-19 our weekly tours to meet the animals of Live and Let Live Farm, normally held every Sunday at 2:30 pm, have been temporarily suspended, so please check our website above for weekly updates. Also, our 2021 calendar is printed, looks fantastic as always, and is ready to go, for $12 or two for $20 (plus shipping). As always, see our website (below) for additional details.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

Charlie points the way up the South Peak Trail at the end of the Main Junction Trail. Whitten Woods has 2+ miles of trails over South and North Peaks in the 500+ acre conservation area. The trail map is available on-line Hikers headed up the Main Junction Trail in Whitton Woods. Beth, Steve, at SquamLakes.org. JoAnne and Bill out geocaching.

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PATENAUDE from 3 site. The map is also posted on the information kiosk and at every trail junction. I soon learned. A short history of the Whitten Woods is posted alongside the trail map at the kiosk. It begins by telling us that Reuben Whitten is a local Ashland legend and recounts how he saved the lives of many of his neighbors in 1816 during the “year without a summer.” His south facing land yielded crops and he shared his bounty with others that would have otherwise starved. This history reminded us of how difficult life was for early settlers. Light traction is a good idea to reduce the risk of slipping and falling. Charlie and I put our spikes on our boots. There wasn’t much snow on

the ground but there was enough that was packed down by the boots of many previous hikers so much of it had turned to ice. We could see by the tracks that it looked like everyone had some type of traction strapped to their feet. We followed the Main Junction Trail, it is marked by red blazes and it is 6/10ths to reach the trail junction with the South and North Peak Trails. The trail is wide and climbs at an easy grade uphill. Along the way we passed the hikers that started out just before us. We chatted with Beth, Steve, Joanne and Bill and learned they were headed to replace a missing geocache. At the intersection we turned left and followed the green blazes for 3/10th of a mile to See PATENAUDE on 25

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

properties and trails. I am looking forward to discovering more of them this year. Have Fun. Amy Patenaude is an avid skier/outdoor enthusiast from Henniker, N.H. Readers are welcome to send comments or suggestions to her at: amy@ weirs.com.

geocaching friends. They told us their mission was successful and that they were heading to the Page Pond Conservation Area in Meredith for some more geocaching. New Hampshire has many conservation

North Peak’s wooded summit. PATENAUDE from 24 the summit of South Peak. This short spur is steeper but it leads to the most wonderful Whitten Woods lake and mountain vista in its forest. There is a picnic table on top too. The mountains that can be seen stretch from nearby Mount Prospect to Mount Chocorua and more across Squam Lake. A visit to this peak alone would be just 1.8 miles total for the roundtrip--a big reward for the modest effort. We returned to the junction and we decided to do the loop over the North Peak counter-clockwise so we would hike up the steepest section of the trail. Before reaching the wooded summit there are several outlooks along the way. We took a snack break and two hikers with two dogs came up from the opposite direction and they hiked right by us. We didn’t meet any-

Yours truly on the North Peak Loop Trail! Chilly days are fun days. Traction on my boot soles, a warm down jacket, fleece gloves and bright orange hat keep me warm. After all the turkey and pie I enjoyed over the holidays, it is good to get outside. one else along the North Peak Trail. The woods were quiet and once we were off the summit peak the trail once again was wide and had easy grades. This would be a nice

place to cross-country ski too. We retraced our way down the Junction trail. Just before reaching the parking lot we once again caught up with our

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“ Who Will Invent This?” ( From Modern Mechanics, 1929). SMITH from 13 plates that are in common use today. Henry Ford and Thomas Edison were asked in the year 1929 to predict the inven-

tions of the future. An article in The Literary Digest revealed their response. Henry Ford foresaw future developments in the airplane industry.

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He said that in that year of 1929 there was no such thing as an airplane engine because airplanes were powered by automobile engines, and he predicted that someday someone would come along and discover that airplanes did not need to run by gas engines at all but by an engine using some other fuel type. Ford said that the airplane engine of the future would require four characteristics, namely, slow speed, enabling a landing speed of considerably less than 60 miles an hour; second, reliability; third, perfect balance; and fourth, a fuel that would be four or five times more powerful than the present fuel. Where would that fuel come from?

Thomas Edison. He suggested fruit, though insisting that we could get fuel from almost anything, including “that sumach by the roadside, or from apples, weeds, sawdust...” He said that there was enough alcohol in the yield of one acre of potatoes to drive the machinery necessary to cultivate that field for one hundred years. Ford also predicted that American cities would be heated by electricity in houses that were well-insulated. He also said “Why not convert coal into electric power by burning it..” Thomas Edison was anticipating the invention of fully automatic machines that could produce a completely made product. He spoke of a great “reserve” principle of the future- “the principle which brings into action the various parts of a machine in accordance with a perforated pattern traced on

a steel card or as on the paper roll of a playerpiano.” Edison envisioned machines that would do all the work in producing garments for people to wear. The predictions of the inventors may be more involved than those of most people at the beginning of a new year and are apt to make their appearance at any season but comments like “The day is coming when cooking will no longer be done for individual families”, and “in years to come we shall undoubtedly use rubber for floors,” make us realize that predictions don’t always become facts. Hundreds of people are sometimes fed from one kitchen and rubber is incorporated into many products, but most families have their own kitchen and walk on materials other than rubber. An article back in the 1929 era from The Iron Age publication predicted the coming of the

airport terminal. Construction of facilities for the comfort of air travellers had only recently begun and the forecaster predicted that air terminals would be built to rival those of the railroads. The article noted that: “Passengers in good weather and bad still embark and alight on the airport field, which not infrequently is muddy, and face the hazard of whirring airplane propellers.,” Concourses were to be built which would take the passengers to their seats on the plane without leaving cover. In addition to the waiting room the terminal was predicted to contain other specialized rooms as the baggageroom, and even a restaurant. The increased use of airplanes made the improved terminal a necessity. What new thing do you predict for 2021 and beyond?

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 — METZLER from 7 seen China prosper through economic reforms and world trade but nonetheless keep unquestioned authoritarian control of its society. A new pamphlet “Xi Jinping’s Thought on the Rule of Law” is now emerging as the central tool in the attempt to elevate the status of the Chinese President as a Marxist ideologist no less important than Lenin, Stalin, or Chairman Mao. Whether this would work, or Xi will gain immortal status in the iconography of the CCP regime remains an open question. Yet not since the rule of the dictator Mao has China witnessed such a strongman. Furthermore “Xi’s Thought on the Role of Law” stresses that the Law should be subject to the CCP, rather than the CCP to the Law. It adds a novel twist arguing that international law be subject to the interpretation of a coalition including CCPled China and like minded critics of the concept of universal human rights, according to a commentary in the respected BitterWinter.org. Naturally all this is leading to Xi’s investiture at next year’s CCP Congress to an unprecedented third term in political power, a continuous rule not seen since the days of Chairman Mao. In classic communist lexicon Xi extolled, “A journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country is about to start …The road ahead is long; striving is the only way forward.” Xi’s task this year

is focused on socio/ economic rebuilding after Covid-19; thus he’s resetting China’s development goals both domestically and globally and also setting the stage for China, assumed by some economists to be the second largest global economy, to solidify its standing in the post pandemic era. Yet China lives and thrives on the oxygen of world trade and open markets something drastically disrupted by the pandemic and now the smoldering political resentments and reevaluation many countries have in dealing with a repressive, dominant and militarily powerful People’s Republic. Beijing’s new trade deal signed with the European Union underscores the next moves. The real test comes if the USA returns to business as usual with China. John J. Metzler is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of Divided Dynamism The Diplomacy of Separated Nations; Germany, Korea, China.

MAILBOAT from 2 for a public leader, on 12/9/2020 Rep. Johnson made the much regretted error of poor judgement and unintentionally posted an article linked to a notorious Neo-Nazi website on social media. Subsequently the antiSemitic, racist image, which has understandably caused her Jewish and Afro-American constituents much pain and outrage, was somehow added to the post, not by her. When friends made Rep. Johnson aware of the malicious source and odious implications of image attached, she immediately removed her post and apologized, also on social media, stating clearly she does not agree in any way with that extremist organization. This incident has been exploited by local and state Democrat organizations as an opportunity to discredit Trump supporters, common Conservative views, NH Republican Party and leadership, and particularly Rep. Johnson. A blatant example is Daily Sun article on 12/12/2020, p. 9, starting at paragraph 7, solidly linking Rep. Johnson’s support of President Trump with Neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin, his beliefs and actions, through to end where NH Democratic Party Chair, Raymond Buckley states, “The Republican Party has become a place where people like Dawn Johnson can share hateful racist, and anti-Semitic posts without repercussion…”. In addition, shortly after Rep. Johnson apologized and took her damaging post offline, Belknap County Democrats (BCD) sent out their current newsletter via email with link to view online. Head-

line of lead article read “Laconia Republican State Representative Posts Racist and AntiSemitic Cartoon on Social Media”. Directly below they purposely republished a screen shot of that same “disgusting” post including “hate speech” image, duplicating the offense for which they condemned Rep. Johnson, demanding her resignation from both elected offices. Weeks after this initial circulation by BCD throughout our region, which includes Jewish and Afro-American residents, at time of this writing that post is still accessible online from newsletter browser link titled “URGENT! ACTIVISM ALERT!”. BCD’s malicious actions, especially republishing the offensive post previously removed, triggered a firestorm of harsh discord across Lakes Region, NH and other NE states. Where, directed at them, is the relentless demonization, public shaming and violent threats they inappropriately instigated against Rep. Johnson, her family and even her employer’s business? Perpetuated in the name of Social Justice during a season with traditional focus of “peace on earth and goodwill to all” no less… oh yes, this is dirty politics at it’s worst. Molly Notkin Gilford, NH.

BOSAK from 27 lock and picked out morsels to eat. 6. Planting a garden. The April quarantine had me searching for a new hobby so I dug up a patch of earth and planted a garden. It didn’t produce very well but it made for some interesting nature sightings as warblers and other birds perched on the fence and garden spiders built their webs among the pepper plants. Seeing a tomato hornworm (a large green caterpillar) covered in braconoid wasp larvae was perhaps the most interesting sighting of them all. 5. Christmas Bird Count surprises. The CBC provides some surprise sightings each year. This year it was a prairie warbler, pine warbler, northern pintail and northern shoveler. 4. Florida wildlife. I visited my brother in southern Florida this fall and took a few walks in nearby parks. White ibis were extremely abundant and other wading birds were frequent sightings as well. Of course, alligators were the highlight and we saw several. 3. Busy fox. I watched a fox parent busily hunt for its family every day for a few weeks in the spring. It would trot

through my backyard to start the hunt and run back through about an hour later with a mouth full of chipmunks, mice and voles. Amazing. 2. Return to Pittsburg. I visited northern New Hampshire for the first time in a few years and was rewarded with a sighting of a cow moose with twins feeding on the shore of a pond. Moose are my favorite animal and it breaks my heart to see their population depleted because of winter ticks and brain worm. Moose sightings used to be a given up there. Now they are few and far between. 1. Feeder watching. This makes my Top 10 list every year, but this year it tops the list because of the extra time I had to observe the backyard birds. I had regular visits from bluebirds throughout late winter and spring, as well as sporadic visits from yellow-rumped warblers, pine warblers, Baltimore orioles and rose-breasted grosbeaks. Of course, the regular backyard feeders filled in the slow moments and entertained me all year. Happy New Year, everyone, here’s to normalcy in the year ahead.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

MALKIN from 6 Fauci further disclosed on CNN this weekend that his herd immunity pronouncement was nothing more than a “guesstimate.” I don’t know about you, but in my house, we call this kind of prestidigitation “pulling things out of your behind.” Fauci’s colleagues performed similar feats of scientific fraud, deception, misdirection and political propaganda. The Erroneous Experts shut down playgrounds, ordered us to stop singing and dancing, and canceled Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas in the name of social distancing -but gave the green light to Black Lives Matter marches, antifa protests and postelection celebrations by Joe Biden supporters. The Erroneous Experts caused panic shortages of

hand sanitizer and antiseptic wipes with unsupported claims that COVID-19 spread through surfaces. The Erroneous Experts facilitated the suffering of countless patients by recklessly hooking them up to ventilators, turning their lungs to mush and forbidding their loved ones from comforting them as they lay dying unnecessary deaths -- while publicity-thirsty doctors and nurses went viral twerking for TikTok and Twitter. The Erroneous Experts conducted online purges and witch hunts against naturopaths, chiropractors, independent investigative journalists, informed parents and frontline doctors who advocated vitamin D, zinc, sunshine, exercise, hydroxychloroquine or any other commonsense measures that did not involve lining the pockets of Big

Pharma -- even as twofaced Fauci admitted he takes vitamins C and D to boost his immunity. The Erroneous Experts stoked widespread fear of “asymptomatic transmission” of COVID-19, forcing catastrophic lockdowns of healthy people around the globe. But as a new British Medical Journal article acknowledges: “(W)e know very little about the proportions of people with positive results who are truly asymptomatic throughout the course of their infection.” About half of people classified as “asymptomatic” go on to develop symptoms. Contrary to the impression Erroneous Experts have left the public with, they have no idea to what extent people with no symptoms transmit the virus to others. Moreover, the BMJ article makes clear: “No test

of infection or infectiousness is currently available for routine use. As things stand, a person who tests positive with any kind of test may or may not have an active infection with live virus, and may or may not be infectious.” So, the COVID-19 tests are unreliable as we hurtle toward mandatory, universal testing, tracking and tracing. And, as I reported in my three-part series on the clinical trials, the COVID vaccines are neither safe nor effective by any honest measure. Indeed, the World Health Organization’s chief scientists admitted Monday what I pointed out last month: “I don’t believe we have the evidence on any of the vaccines to be confident that it’s going to prevent people from actually getting the infection and therefore being able to pass it on,”

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan stated. The “believe science” cult of Erroneous Experts is the epitome of anti-scientific thought. May 2021 be the year of resistance and the death knell for COVID control freakism. Michelle Malkin’s email address is MichelleMalkinInvestigates@protonmail. com. To find out more about Michelle Malkin and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www. creators.com.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 — STOSSEL from 7 things as well, but some beautiful things.” That meant that even during this pandemic, people found new ways to help others. Volunteers used the internet to find better ways to donate their time. Young people brought food to the elderly. Zoom and Slack taught us that not being in the office sometimes works as well, or better. Businesses had new tools with which to adapt. Restaurants moved to takeout and delivery, aided

by apps like UberEats and Grubhub. Such healthy adaptation rarely makes news, because reporters seek out problems. Many worry loudly about climate change. Some claim the environment keeps getting worse. A dismayed CBS correspondent mourned, “Biodiversity is reportedly declining faster than any time!” Even if that were true, says Norberg, “We have never made this much progress against pollution. The six leading pollutants, the ones that used to pollute

our lungs and forests and rivers, they’ve declined by some 70%!” In January of this year, when President Trump announced the assassination of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, “World War III” trended on Twitter. The Selective Service website crashed for fear there would be a draft. “People think there’s more war,” I say to Norberg. “But we’ve forgotten the wars that we had in the past! When I grew up in the 1980s, there were more wars, and battle death rates were four times higher.”

Less war is one reason people keep living longer. After COVID-19, that trend will continue. “We have this tendency, for good reasons, to focus on problems, because that’s our way of solving problems,” says Norberg. “But then there’s the risk that we’ll just despair and think it’s hopeless and we give up. That’s not the solution to our problems. “Just cheer up and be happy?” I ask. He answers, “Be a little bit grateful for what we have.”

John Stossel is author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media.” For other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www. creators.com.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

Super Crossword

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B.C.

by Parker & Hart

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —

Sudoku

Magic Maze THEME THIS WEEK: SPOTTED WORDSS

Caption Contest OUR PICK FOR BEST CAPTION

PHOTO #839

Runners Up : Avoid that Christmas Tree Top ornament job, it’ll drive you up a tree. - Robert Patrick, Moultonboro, NH. Angela, there’s no COVID here in heaven. Feel free to fly closer. Andrey Mann, Bristol, NH.

Darla’s sorority sisters duped her into believing Breaktime in Heaven.angel wings could Robert Ferlito, actually be grown by an intricate process known only to them. -Jean Cram, Pittsfield,NH.

CAPTION THIS PHOTO!!

The Winklman Aeffect

PHOTO #841 Send your best brief caption to us with your name and location within 2 weeks of publication date... Caption Contest, The Weirs Times, P.O. Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247 email to contest@weirs.com

by John Whitlock

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 7, 2021 —