The “Bird feeder”
by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer
As I watched birds fly to and from my “bird feeder” the other day, I was reminded of an old story when my oldest son was about 12 years old. I put bird feeder in quotes because this particular feeder is nothing more than an old section of split rail fence that has plenty of nooks and crannies to hold sunflower seeds. My son had the week off from school, and we spent one day doing some outdoor work:
chopping and stacking wood, taking down some dead trees, building a brush pile, and assorted other outdoor projects.
It may not have been the ideal way to spend a day off from school, but he managed. I know I had plenty of those types of days off when I was growing up. So there we were: chopping away and stacking ‘em up. I broke out the chainsaw to cut some logs to fireplace length. He grabbed the pieces and
chopped them. As I recall, he was pretty good with an ax for a 12-year-old.
Then an idea came to me as I grabbed a particularly fat log. I had been wanting a platform bird feeder to add to my arsenal, but I couldn’t bring myself to actually buy one as the design is so simple. Platform feeders are simply a flat platform (hence the name) with raised sides. That’s about it. Some birds, such as cardinals and grosbeaks, prefer this
type of feeder design. I decided long ago that one day I’d make my own rather than buy one. Well, that “one day” had arrived, I told myself.
I’m not big on making things, and my “handy skills” are well below average, but I was going to try to make a platform feeder. I had nothing to lose, really.
Here was my plan: Cut a thin circle from the fat log using the chainsaw, nail some small branch pieces
The
(L) Colonel Frank Knox. Republican primary candidate for NH governor in 1924 and John Gilbert Winant who won Republican primary for governor that year.
New Hampshire voters who went to vote in Primary elections of the year 1924 did so in what was described as torrential rains and an electrical storm. Fewer voters showed up to vote than the previous two elections which may have influenced the surprise result of the Republican choice of a candidate to become the next Governor of New Hampshire. The choice was between that of Major Knox and Captain Winant. Major Knox was considered to be the favorite. He was well-known as the publisher of the Manchester Union and as the choice of the party’s leadership. Captain Winant, also
a military veteran, was not as well-known in the state, but he was victorious in the election with 2,000 more votes than his opponent.
The results of this contest between an establishment candidate and a somewhat unknown one, with the latter being the winner, raised the question as to what made the difference.
At the time, the explanation had to do with the type of election campaign each candidate followed. Policy issues that were being considered 100 years ago included a 48 hour work week for women and children and improved industrial
A tufted titmouse grabs a peanut from a home-made bird feeder.
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Obituary
Helen E. Hollingworth, 99
Voting Guide Not Bi-Partisan
Helen E. Hollingworth, 99, died at home in Bangor, Maine, on Aug. 23, 2024, with her niece Sandi by her side.
To The Editor:
Helen was born on Jan. 27, 1925, to Leland and Ethel (Southard) Hollingworth. She outlived her younger sisters, Natalie and Nancy; her brother-in-law, Tom McRae; and many dear friends.
The Town Clerk – Tax Collector’s Office will be closing early at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday August 29, 2024 due to unforeseen circumstances. This information is being provided to you in advance to assist you in planning your visit with us. As an option, we do have online services as well. Our website is www.gilfordnh.org.
A couple of years ago a group called “Citizens for Belknap County” materialized to try to affect our primary and general elections. Saying that they were a “bi-partisan” group, anyone with half a brain could see they were a group of leftists trying to influence the elections. They partially succeeded in Belknap County but the voters in Alton and Barnstead saw through the charade and voted back in our three conservative state reps. Their group now publishes an online “voter’s guide.” It would probably be worth viewing to see who NOT to vote for in the primary election.
Helen was a passionate and inspiring educator. She taught third grade in the Natick, Massachusetts, public school system for 45 years. A lifelong animal lover, she brought small animals into her classroom to engage her students and enrich the curriculum. She also treasured and pampered the many cats and dogs she kept as pets throughout her long life. She named her final cat Faith, and Faith plus her strong religious faith provided great comfort during the difficult weeks preceding her death.
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Thank you, Danielle LaFond, Town Clerk – Tax Collector
PROSPECT MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL SAU #301
INVITATION TO BID
September 3, 2024
MANDATORY SITE VISIT
September 5, 2024
BIDS FOR: Snow Removal Services for Prospect Mountain High School
DUE DATE:
2:00 PM on Friday, September 13, 2024
Bids for Snow Removal Services will be accepted until 2:00 PM on Friday, September 13, 2024, at the Business Office, SAU 301, Prospect Mountain High School, 242 Suncook Valley Road, Alton, NH 03809, at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. Bid specifications can be obtained from Heidi Duford, Business Administrator at hduford@pmsau.org or 603.875.3800x2158. Questions can be answered by calling or emailing the Facilities Supervisor, James LeClair, at 603.875.3800x2031 or jleclair@pmhschool.com.
Bids will be accepted only if sealed and clearly
marked:
The voters of Alton and Barnstead will return our state reps Paul Terry, Peter Varney and Barbara Comtois for the nominations despite their efforts because they continue to represent the conservative values of the majority of voters.
Conservatives in Belknap County should also vote for Hollie Noveletsky for the House of Representatives in District 1 and Chuck Morse for Governor. Both are successful business people, are pro-life and staunch supporters of our 2nd ammendment rights, border security and small government. They have both supported President Trump, past and present. Unlike other candidates, we do not have to guess as to whether they will flip-flop on the most vital issues facing New Hampshire and our country.
We are living in exceptionally dangerous times. If you care about your state and America, if you care about freedom, we urge you to cast your vote for Paul Terry, Barbara Comtois, Peter Varney for state representatives, Hollie Noveletsky for House of Representative, and Chuck Morse for governor.
Phil and Chris Wittmann Alton, N.H.
Why I Run
To The Editor:
I am Lily Tang Williams, Republican for Congress in New Hampshire’s 2nd Congressional District.
I was born in China to poor working-class parents, survived Mao’s Cultural Revolution and Communist dictatorship. I wanted freedom. America was my promised land.
Helen resided each summer at the family homestead in Bristol. The 1850s-era farmhouse in Bristol, filled with fond memories of her maternal grandparents and great-grandmother, was the place she felt most at home. Her favorite pastimes included gardening, fishing, berrying, creative art projects, board games, and playing the organ. Above all, Helen was devoted to her family, as a granddaughter, daughter, sister, aunt, and great-aunt. She was a steadfast, caring, and loving presence in the lives of her niece and nephews, their spouses, and their children.
Following the death of her beloved sister Nancy,
our government take on such debt to Kick that Can down the road, printing money, driving up inflation, along with interest and mortgage rates. Young people can’t afford to rent or buy a home.
Helen relocated to Country Villa in Bangor. She built warm friendships with all of the staff, fellow residents, and her daily caregivers, and especially enjoyed the weekly games, holiday parties, and art activities. Sandi visited often, and occasionally took her out for meals and scenic drives. Her last long car trip “back home” to Bristol was a 10-day visit in July 2024. Helen is survived by her niece and three nephews, along with their spouses: Sandi McRae Duchesne and Bob of Hudson, Maine, Rick McRae and Reinhild Steingröver of Rochester, New York, Jim McRae and Sue O’Reilly-McRae of Warwick, Massachusetts, and Dave and Sharon (Klupt) McRae of Columbia, Maryland. She also leaves behind grandnieces Hannah, Sophia, Marcie and Tess, and grandnephews Liam, Dana and Evan. Helen will be fondly remembered and honored by her church family, especially by Marilyn Donnelly, Pat Price, and Pastor Alecia Reeves Freeman, all of whom remained in loving contact with her.
I was 23 when I came to the U.S. Arriving with $100 in my pocket and knowing very little English, in debt $1200 to my American sponsor, I worked hard to make my American dream come true and became a proud citizen 30 years ago.
A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 9, at Fisk Memorial United Methodist Church, 106 Walnut St., Natick, Massachusetts. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may donate in Helen’s memory to Fisk UMC, Bristol NH Historical Society, or VOA Northern New England.
We must stop deficit spending, bring down the inflation, balance the budget, pay down the national debt, cut regulations that hurt businesses, and unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of our citizens so our economy can grow. We must secure our borders. Over 9 million illegals have come to our country with Biden/Harris financial incentives. It is a slap in the face to the legal immigrants like my brother who followed our laws and waited 13 years to come to America with my sponsorship. It is draining our community resources and causing high crimes on the back of tax payers. I am running for congress to save the American Dream. I love this great country and our Live Free or Die state. I want to give back to this country and the Granite Staters who welcomed me with open arms.
Arrangements are entrusted to the care of the John C. Bryant Funeral Home of Wayland, MA. For condolences visit johncbryantfuneralhome.com.
(NYT) — Rudy Franchi, who during a kaleidoscopic life brought French films to New York City, indulged in trysts with Hollywood stars as a publicist, operated one of the country’s largest vintage movie poster businesses and appraised ephemera — most memorably, a lunch menu from the Titanic — on PBS’s “Antiques Roadshow,” died Aug. 6 in Santa Monica, California. He was 85.
The cause of his death, at a nursing home, was lung cancer that had metastasized, his family said.
Today I am happily married with three adult children, have my own businesses, and live in the Granite State where the spirit of liberty abounds. My concern is that my children won’t have these same opportunities.
Please vote for me on September 10. I will be honored to represent and serve the people of New Hampshire.
Lily Tang Williams
Rudy Franchi, who put movies at the center of a technicolor life, dies at 85
Baby Auschwitz
The US hit a record $35 trillion national debt for the first time in its history. We now spend $2 billion per day on interest alone. It is very disconcerting to see
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.
Franchi’s life was highbrow, lowbrow and sometimes surreal.
Locally owned for 30 years, this publication is devoted to printing the stories of the people
Along with movie posters, his store, The Nostalgia Factory, dealt in kitsch — Mickey Mouse
ter,” Grey Smith, a longtime vintage poster appraiser and dealer, said in an interview. “He was fascinating to be around because he had all of these crazy stories, and he could really talk about anything.”
Franchi was not a gadfly, per se, but he was the sort of person whose name was familiar in the letters-to-the-editor departments of newspapers, especially The New York Times. It published six of the many missives he sent in on topics such as the foreign exchange rates of American Express traveler’s checks, a critique of Playbill magazine and a brief history of neon signs.
To
The Editor:
I was recently re-watching an old episode of the TV miniseries “The Winds of War.” The scenes of the German invasion
See MAILBOAT on 18
them Andrew Sarris and Jonas Mekas as well as novelist Ralph Ellison. Franchi also started The New York Film Bulletin, a mimeographed magazine that published articles by American critics alongside translated commentary by foreign writers on French cinema.
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 24,000 copies of the Weirs Times every week to the Lakes Region/Concord/ Seacoast area and the mountains and have an estimated 60,000 people reading this newspaper.
To find out how your business or service can benefit from advertising with us please call 603-366-8463.
In 2000, responding to a Times article about foreign films, he
Franchi branched into Hollywood publicity work in 1965, hired by 20th Century Fox. At first, the move “turned out to be a disaster,” he told Collectors Weekly, “because as soon as I went to Fox, all my friends thought I had sold out and had nothing to do with me.”
But hanging out with Hollywood stars was exciting in a way that publishing a film journal was
by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer
In the category of “Baseball,” the Final Jeopardy Answer includes “Adrian Beltré, Todd Helton, and Joe Mauer.”
So, what is the Final Jeopardy Question?
“What former players were inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2024?”
Yes. Earlier this summer Beltré, Helton, and Mauer were enshrined in Cooperstown, N.Y., joining other 274 other players as well as dozens of other contributors and luminaries.
As with most recognitions, whether involving National Honor Societies, All-America football teams, or Presidential Medals of Freedom, well-intended efforts to recognize
Barry, roger, PeTe, shoeless Joe, & forgiveNess
achievement often invite animated discussions, if not controversy.
But how many readers can site stats for Beltré, Helton, and Mauer? How many readers can state what teams these guys played for?
Back to Jeopardy’s Baseball Category:
Answer: He hit 762 career home runs, including 73 in one season.
Question: Who was Barry Bonds?
Answer: The all-time hit king, he had 4256
safeties during his Major League career.
Question: Who was Pete Rose?
Answer: He won 354 games, as well as seven Cy Young Awards with four different teams.
Question: Who was Roger Clemens?
So even if real fans can’t tell you much about Beltré/Helton/ Mauer, real fans know all about Bonds/Rose/ Clemens.
More than any other sport, baseball is about statistics and numbers. And Bonds/ Rose/Clemens have unsurpassed stats. But unlike Beltré/Helton/Mauer, they’re not in the Hall of Fame. Why?
For Bonds and Clemens, the knock is their supposed use of performance enhancers. For Rose, it’s gambling.
Every summer baseball fans debate the
Babe Ruth and Shoeless Joe Jackson in 1920,
A breakthrough in Ear-Brain Technology™:
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by Brendan Smith Weirs Times Editor
NEW HAMPSHIRE F OOL
doiNg my BesT
I am feeling a bit lazy this weekend and really not in the mood to be sitting at my keyboard and writing a column. My plan is to sift through some of my older stuff and then pick out and tidy up an older column and use the old publishing trick of prefacing it with “Brendan is on vacation this week so we are running this column previously written on…….”
In all honesty, it wouldn’t be the first time I have used this ruse. If you look back at some past issues you might notice that I have done this more than a few times over the last few years. If you add them up, it would seem like I took more than my share of vacations.
The reasons I usually do this are 1) I might be feeling a bit under the weather, 2) I am actually on vacation (slim chance) or 3) I don’t have a single idea to write about.
So, number three is pretty much where I am right now. No vacation and I feel fine. I am just sitting here staring at my laptop trying to figure out what in the heck to write about this week, but nothing is coming.
I’ve been twisting and turning and agonizing and…well that’s not exactly true. I haven’t really been doing much of anything except sitting here trying to figure out what to write about. It’s also hard to type if you are twisting and turning.
It’s also Labor Day weekend and that gives me more impetus to just grab something old, stick the Brendan is on vacation blurb on and call it a day.
But I won’t do that. I owe it to my readers to stick it out and come up with something. You
would think with all of the crazy political news and woke nonsense going on 24/7 that ideas would be flowing like Kamala’s cackle, but it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes amid all of the craziness in the world, nothing seems to click.
Still, I refuse to give up without a fight, you deserve better than that. I will sit here until an idea takes shape and leads me to an outburst of frantic typing that will culminate in yet another masterpiece.
I got to thinking about this video I saw the other day. It was on the internet so it must be true. It was about how you can be and do anything you want if you really put your mind to it, focus and concentrate. In fact, it is well documented that the people who wrote the books and made the videos about how to think positive and get what you want, thought long and hard about how to be successful writing the books and making the video and they became very rich and successful selling the books and the videos.
Of course, it’s not a bad thing to try and motivate people to be more proactive, but I’m not sure it’s a good idea to make them believe they can get there sitting on the couch, thinking hard while eating a pint of ice cream.
Still, after sitting here for hours trying to generate an idea for this column, I thought I ‘d give the whole “Think hard and make it happen idea” a shot. What do I have to lose?
I closed my eyes and tried to eliminate all thoughts from my mind. Unfortunately, all I could think about was not having any thoughts which led to think about how hard it is not to have thoughts which led me to think about the drip in the kitchen faucet which led me to think about whether or not I could get away with another day of not mowing the lawn
Finally, I settled down and really started to think hard about
the issue at hand.
“Give me a column, give me a column, give me a column,” I repeated over and over again in my head.
After about ten minutes of this I started to get hungry, but I didn’t want to leave my laptop in case the big idea finally arrived in my head.
I closed my eyes and switched my thoughts to contacting the local pizza place to make me a meat lovers pizza and have it delivered.
It didn’t happen, so I had to get up and make the call myself.
So, I am still sitting here trying to focus on an idea for this column, but keep striking out. I am really concentrating, but nothing is coming. I know many of you look forward to it and I am trying hard not to disappoint.
Okay, I am going to give this one last try. Closing my eyes and taking deep breaths, I am trying to eliminate all other thoughts in my head to focus on a column idea.
“Give me a column! Give me a column! Give me a column!!’ Wait!!
I think it just came to me.
Yes, what a great idea. Why didn’t I think of this before. It is so obvious.
It actually worked. This just may be one of the best columns I have ever written. Genius, in fact!
Oh no. Looks like I have run out of space and will probably have to wait until next week. Plus the pizza delivery is here and I’m starving. What do you think of that?
Brendan Smith welcomes your comments at brendan@weirs. com
Letters From God
This series of Letters
From God is an attempt to put the thoughts of God as revealed in the Scriptures as they relate to individuals and the nation of the USA
against me, a holy and sinless God (Psalm 22 & Isaiah 53).
QUESTION
Should We Be Prepared For Your Return?
Would you prepare for a day in court, where you are facing charges that are worthy of Capital punishment, that if convicted would result in the death penalty? Would you do all you can to find the best lawyer, who would defend you and prove to a judge or jury that you are innocent, so that you don’t face impending death and remain free to enjoy life?
Of course, you should be preparing for the return of my Son Jesus. He came once, as I promised in my Old Covenant, to be a sacrificial lamb to give his eternal and sinless life, to pay the penalty for your Capital offenses
When he returns, as I promised in the New Covenant, he will not come in weakness, as a slain Lamb, but in the strength of a Lion to consummate human history. At that time, I will set up my court and all humanity will stand before me and my Son Jesus, along with the Holy Spirit, and you will face the Capital charges that have violated my laws (Revelation 4). They are “Capital” and will deserve the death penalty because even one act of disobedience against my will, separated you from me, the source of life. I told the first man and woman, whom I created, that if they chose to disobey me it would result in immediate separation from me, the source of life, and that it will begin a death process (Genesis 2:16-17).
Letters From God
That judgement will come when you die but will be consummated after the return of my Son. In light of this certain “deadline,” you only have “now” to prepare.
It has been over 2,000 years since he first came. You are getting closer to the day of his return, than you could ever imagine. It is why, in my book, the Bible, I had Paul write a letter to a church in the city of Thessalonica, to warn them of the stupor they were in, despite the reality of coming judgement. He wrote, “for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
While people are saying, ‘peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman and they will not escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3).
Imagine being unaware of my Son’s return, the consummation of human history and your day in court and suddenly, as birth pains suddenly begin for a woman, you realize, I am unprepared.
For those who have ears because they are honest with themselves and with me, wake up. My Son’s return is imminent. You have less time than ever! Prepare to meet your God!!! (Amos 4:12).
But how, you ask?
Fortunately, because I love you, I have made a way for you to stand in judgment and live, escaping the certain Capital punishment that awaits you. It is because I loved you so much that even when you rebelled against me and willfully sinned egregiously against me, I made a provision for your sins to be forgiven (Romans 5:8). I sent my Son Jesus, who is God and who is sinless and eternal, to pay for your penalty. Since his eternal and sinless blood was given as a ransom to pay your debt, I will, when you stand before me, no longer see any of your sins and declare you righteous in my sight and thereby worthy to enjoy life through me for eternality (2 Corinthians 5:21). You will live because of “grace” or unmerited favor. It will not be because of any self-effort but
only by my efforts , those of my Son Jesus and through the Holy Spirit. We did for you what you could not do for yourself.
But you must understand that this gift is not your unless you ask for it. I will not violate your free will. You chose to leave me and live as though you were your own “god,” and committed myriad numbers of sins as a result. If you are to receive this forgiveness and the pardon that follows, you must choose to accept our gracious gift to you. “it is by grace that you are saved through faith.” (Ephesians 2:9). Genuine faith must include an awareness of your sin, a willingness to turn from them and return to me alone as God (repentance) and a heartfelt and sincere request for me and my Son Jesus, to do what you can’t, forgive your sins. If you combine faith with our grace, I will forgive your sins and when you stand before me, my Son Jesus will stand with you as your lawyer and declare your innocence, because of his sacrifice for you (1 John 2:1). This offer expires when you do, at your death or at the return of my Son. Don’t wait until it is too late!!!
I Love You, God
These letters are written by Rev. Dr. Sam Hollo of Alton, NH
by Ben Shapiro Syndicated Columnist
hidiN’ harris
To call the last eight weeks in presidential politics unprecedented would be a wild understatement. It was just over two months ago when Joe Biden -- a man deemed highly successful and mentally sharp by our legacy media -- took to the stage to debate Donald Trump, and promptly expired. It took another month for Biden to drop out of the race, prompted by the backstabbing Democratic cadre of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and, most importantly, former President Barack Obama, all of whom wheedled donors and cudgeled Biden into submission.
It then took promptly one day to so-
by John J. Metzler Syndicated Columnist
lidify Vice President Kamala Harris in Biden’s stead.
It has been more than a month since Biden was defenestrated in favor of Harris. Since then, Harris has answered precisely zero difficult questions from the media. She has spent the intervening weeks being “brat” -- social media-friendly and utterly vacuous. We know that she likes Doritos, that she enjoys cooking, that she supposedly makes a mean brisket, that she wears Chuck Taylors. When asked outside Air Force Two what she will do next this week, she answered, “We’re going to walk up those stairs.” Deep stuff. Deep.
And yet there are less than 70 days to the election. Republics are predicated on the idea that the voters deserve to know something about the candidates for whom they vote. Voters
See SHAPIRO on 10
leT’s sToP NegoTiaTiNg
WiTh TerrorisTs
My organization, CURE, Center for Urban Renewal and Education, organized a delegation of 20 prominent pastors to travel to Israel to host a press conference on Oct. 7 as a show of support for and solidarity with Israelis on the one-year anniversary of the horrendous, savage terrorist attack that took place. A few days ago, we were notified by Delta Airlines that our flight was canceled.
Airlines are canceling flights in light of the ongoing hostilities and instabil-
ity in security in the region. How can this not be seen as an achievement for the terrorist group Hamas and the nation that finances its existence, Iran?
Hamas continues to hold over 100 hostages taken during their attack Oct. 7, 2023, eight of whom are Americans.
The parents of one of these American hostages spoke at the Democratic convention, appealing for a deal that would lead to a release of hostages. But we must ask how it is we got to where terrorists and murders have become our negotiating partners? How do you win good will from unrepentant murderers?
See PARKER on 20
BeiJiNg, sea-chaNge aNd red liNes
The three day visit of U.S. National Security advisor Jake Sullivan to Beijing had a clear message; “Don’t Rock the Boat.” Chinese/American relations remain very sensitive over trade tariffs, strategic issues, and Beijing’s continuing military threats to democratic Taiwan and the Philippines.
The mutual political mistrust between Beijing and Washington did not appear to thaw.
At a Beijing press conference Sullivan said, “We believe that competition with China does not have to lead to conflict or confrontation…the key is responsible management through
diplomacy.” Through a grueling fourteen hours of discussions with key Chinese communist officials including Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chairman Xi Jinping, Sullivan apparently did not see any substantive sea change on Beijing’s side.
China’s ruling Communist Party demands the “return of Taiwan to the Motherland,” a non-negotiable mission yet to be achieved by the Beijing regime. While democratically ruled Taiwan has no desire to unite with the communist controlled Mainland, China has never renounced the use of force over seizing the self-governing island. Chinese military jets regularly circle Taiwan like vultures and deliberately veer into its sovereign airspace as a provocation. What’s next?
Equally Beijing claims large swaths of the South China Sea despite con-
flicting claims from other countries such as the Philippines and Vietnam.
China’s enigmatic Foreign Minister Wang Yi made it crystal clear to Sullivan that the Taiwan issue is a red line for Beijing’s national interests. Yet later while meeting in the cavernous Great Hall of the People, Chairman Xi Jinping offered a softer view praising long term Sino/American relations and sending his good wishes to President Biden. Xi likely favors the current Biden Administration over a more politically assertive and strategically focused second term of Donald Trump.
Typical Beijing bluster.
Though the U.S. no longer maintains a formal defense treaty with Taiwan as it does with Japan and South Korea, (it was abrogated during the Carter Administration), the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 passed overwhelmingly by Congress, permits defensive weapons sales to the island and allows the President and Congress to determine appropriate actions during a military crisis. This remains Taiwan’s lifeline.
But behind all the smoke and mirrors and the Palace intrigues of the People’s Republic there are a few key elements often overlooked in the future Chinese power equations. First, while Mainland China and
But during a meeting with General Zhang Youxia, Vice Chair of the Central Military Commission, Sullivan was bluntly warned that Taiwan’s status “was the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-U.S. relations.” China’s General warned, “Taiwan independence and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are incompatible.”
by Star Parker Syndicated Columnist
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WhaT’s WiTh all
The
algae Blooms?
by Tim Moore
Contributing Writer
Spiny water fleas are the newest aquatic invader to Lake Winnipesaukee. Their presence was confirmed last summer by the NH Department of Environmental Safety. In late summer of 2022, I noticed what I believed to be spiny water fleas on my downrigger lines when trolling. I reached out to NH DES, and I was asked to save a sample of them if I saw them again. I didn’t see them again that year, but during trawl surveys of the lake a year later, in September of 2023, DES confirmed their presence. Since their confirmation, their numbers have exploded. In 2023 I saw them on my lines a total of six times. This year they are on my lines every time I bring them up. What does this have to do with this year’s unprecedented algae blooms? I think it has a lot to do with them. First, I think it’s important to look at the effects spiny water fleas have on ecosystems. Spiny water fleas are known in the angling community for sticking to fishing lines, especially when trolling, at times making it impossible to reel in lines without stopping to clean off
the clusters of spiny water fleas, but they are most critically known to disrupt food chains. When I saw the spiny water fleas in Winnipesaukee my first thought was, “What effect will this have on smelt populations?” Spiny water fleas primarily eat zooplankton. So do native smelt populations.
In Lake Winnipesaukee, zooplankton is also the primary food source for rainbow smelt and young-ofthe-year perch. Smelt are the primary food source for most of the other fish species in the lake. When smelt populations decline, native fish populations are affected, as are growth rates and overall health of stocked fish. This year I am seeing far fewer clouds of smelt, in places that historically have huge schools at certain times. I am also seeing bellies
of kept salmon and rainbow trout full of spiny water fleas rather than smelt. While correlation does not imply causation, causation does imply correlation. It’s hard to ignore the correlation of new spiny water fleas and fewer smelt. It will be interesting to see what the NH Fish and Game Department’s annual smelt surveys reveal.
So, when historic algae blooms occur, scientists first look for significant changes in anything that could lead to the blooms, such as temperature.
Unusually high temperatures are typically the first culprit, or at least the first to get the blame, and for good reason. Bluegreen algae blooms most often occur in waters with high levels of phosphorus, which is food for cyanobacteria, and during warm spells that create ideal condi -
tions for the bacteria to multiply, or bloom. June had above average temperatures and phosphorus levels are known to have increased, which alone increases the likelihood of algae blooms.
The question now is, are spiny water fleas partially to blame for this year’s historic algae blooms?
NH DES states that one of the impacts to waterbodies is, “Possible shifts in harmful algal bloom patterns in waterbodies with spiny water flea, because of the potential reduction in the native zooplankton community which consume algae.” It does beg the question regarding what NH DES considers “unprecedented” bluegreen algae blooms on Lake Winnipesaukee. For my readers, spiny water fleas have no known direct effects to swimmers or anglers. They won’t hurt you or your pets and unless you fish, you’ll likely never see them. To Winnipesaukee boaters, spiny water fleas get moved from lake to lake in water left in bilges and live wells, and on aquatic vegetation that gets stuck on trailers. If you use your boat in other water bodies, drying is the most effective
A cluster of spiny water fleas on a fishing line.
PHOTO JEFF GUNDERSON, MINNESOTA SEA GRANT.
The Simple Feast The Simple Feast Simple
by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer
They say it takes a humble person to admit their faults. Personally, I think sometimes admitting one’s faults makes for a better story. At the very least, it offers the opportunity to have a little more fun and creativity. Baking the “perfect” biscuit can be a lifelong pursuit. I, for one, surely hope that I figure it out soon so we can all enjoy a “perfect” biscuit article.
The Simple The darkside of BiscuiTs
termine this place must have a usable phone while conveniently ignoring the fact that the rutted sawgrass and cypress lined cow path leading up to the house was completely void of power poles.
Always having a book by the bedside, most nights before lights out I can be found reading a few pages. If it is not a book on some historical topic of interest then it will often be a cookbook. Yes, I know, it’s not the most riveting of contemporary thrillers but I often find them to be filled with just the right amounts: a measure of suspense, a splash of fantasy, a pinch of intrigue, and just a dash of decadence to spice things up while usually void of too many big words so as not to be the fodder for nightmarish heartburn.
While I continue to struggle with the making of “perfect” biscuits, I can sometimes make a passable if only feeble example; hardly noteworthy. So imagine my
surprise when late one evening I turned the page to reveal a chapter on the “perfect” biscuits. I found the topic quite consuming. And the making of the “perfect” biscuits? Well, to put it mildly… elusive. Who knew there were so many kinds? But one common theme was shared by all “perfect” biscuits: light, tender, moist, flakiness. And this whole business of “perfect” can be quite the enigma. But who among us can resist a good mystery? So I continued to read about the joyous wonders of perfect biscuits. After all that reading I thought I was ready. With the goal of making the “perfect” biscuit in mind, recently I came to the realization that biscuits can have a dark side. In fact, they can have a very ugly dark side, which I have witnessed first hand. It is a dark side akin to those low-budget cliche horror movies. You know the type. The never ending train wreck of
events that continue in succession throughout the movie. After taking the wrong turn to Nowhereville at half past the full of the moon, the car full of twenty-somethings conks out on some deserted stretch of forgotten Bayou byway. Instead of listening to the voice of reason, that person who insists that the group go back the way they came (and incidentally, this is usually the first person of the group to go missing), the group decides to press onward in search of a house with a phone. Venturing deeper into uncharted territory our dwindling band of wayward travelers happens upon the prerequisite creepy old mansion replete with 5 tons of Spanish moss and cobwebs hanging from every balcony, banister, archway, and balustrade. Not to mention the haunting hues that illuminate the upper story windows. The undaunted but dimwitted, this pack of coeds de-
One by one, as all his friends go missing, the movie culminates in a finale where our fearless protagonist is alone. He’s about to reach for a doorknob on a door that has radiant blue pulsing light emitting from all around it. There is a key in the lock. He reaches out an unsteady hand for the knob, the skeleton key falls out of the lock as if it were pushed out from the other side of the door. As our hero looks down at the key, he offers the customary pause to build suspense. Then bending with hand outstretched as if to pick up the key, curiously, the key swivels like the needle of a compass and, as “Sir Braveheart” withdraws his hand in reservation, the key is sucked under the door, making that ominous sound of metal dragging across wood as it disappears. Then, the sound of a key being placed into a lock on the other side of the door is heard. An audible “click” as the tumbler in the lock set is thrown. And like an idiot, the guy reaches out a hand to again attempt to open the door while the entire theater audience erupts in screams at the movie screen, “DON’T OPEN IT!”, as if the guy can hear them.
This pretty much de-
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SHAPIRO from 7 and MSNBC headlined, “Dems spent four days in Chicago castigating, belittling, and demonizing Donald Trump. And then they did something even more vicious: They turned him into the incumbent.” Trump the incumbent? She’s the sitting vice president of the United States!
already know everything there is to know about Donald Trump; he’s the most overexposed political figure in history, and we’ve already seen what his presidency looks like. But voters have been shielded from Harris. According to the legacy media, her 2019 presidential campaign policy positions are completely irrelevant: She’s now sent out surrogates to disown her own position on decriminalizing border crossings (she was in favor), electric vehicle mandates (she was in favor), private health insurance (she was against), “reimagining public safety” or defunding the police (she was in favor), and fracking (she was against), among others.
All of that in the last month alone.
The media apparently have zero questions.
Meanwhile, we’ve been told that she’s not even tied to the administration in which she is currently the vice president.
This week, Politico headlined, “Vance tries to tether Harris to Biden during Michigan rally.”
Tries to? She’s the sitting vice president! Her boss -- the same person she shivved to steal his nomination -- is currently still the president. Sam Stein of The Bulwark
All of this is why Harris must avoid scrutiny. She’s obviously squirrely on debating Trump -first she tried to bully Trump into accepting the same debate rules he’d accepted against Biden; then she denied him extra debates; then she tried to switch the rules. Her campaign has gone through Talmudic discussions internally to determine if and when she ought to be interviewed. Their verdict: OK, fine, but only if pretaped while joined by happy but cloddish sitcom dad running mate Tim Walz.
This entire charade smacks of disdain for the American people. Rig the nomination process in favor of Biden; throw Biden off a cliff in favor of Kamala; hide Kamala behind an Instagram filter while she dances and calls herself Momala for the duration of the campaign. At no point do Democrats want Americans to understand just what Kamala Harris will do as president, or to connect her to what she’s already done as vice president. Perhaps it will work. If so, Americans will only have proved H.L. Mencken’s cynical theory: “Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.”
BOSAK from 1
around the edges and drill some holes in the circle for drainage. Simple enough, right?
I cut the circle (not as easy as I thought as the chainsaw blade was smaller than the log’s diameter) and handed it to Andrew. He broke out the drill to make the drainage holes. I halved a few small maple branch pieces and nailed them around the edge of the platform. Simple as that. My feeder was done. It turned out looking … well, let’s say rustic. That was the look I was going for anyway. If I wanted to spend more time on the project, I’m sure I could have made it look prettier, but I was more than happy with how it came out.
Then it was time to put it to the test. I didn’t have chains or hooks to hang it up, so I just rested it on the railing of the deck and put on a handful of seeds and a few peanuts.
I went inside for a quick drink of water and to wash my hands. I glanced out the window, and two tufted titmice were already on the new feeder. It took all of about five minutes for it to get its first customers. The deck railing is not far from the regular feeding station, so it wasn’t like it was difficult for the birds to discover it, but it was still fun to see it being used so quickly.
Over the next 15 minutes or so, chickadees, downy woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatches and even American goldfinches gave it a shot. The squirrels came later, of course. It also quickly became a favorite for blue jays and red-bellied woodpeckers.
One more thing about
this column: Although we took down a few dead trees, we left plenty standing. Dead trees, or snags, offer much value to wildlife, especially birds. They are home to woodpeckers
and other cavity nesters. They are also home to lots of insects, which are eaten by birds and other wildlife. That food will be particularly important in the upcoming months as we head
towards colder weather. My general rule is: if the tree is not in danger of falling on a house, automobile or other property, let it stand.
Watercolors By The Water
Want a free souvenir of the lake to decorate your home? Come paint the lake with Lakes Region Conservation Corps members Claire and Megan on September 7th at the Squam Lakes Association’s waterfront on Piper Cove. Using watercolors and the lake itself as an art medium, we will capture the beauty that Squam Lake has to offer in a 2-hour art session from 2–4pm. We will observe and identify organisms on the lake and develop our art skills and color theory knowledge together.
Participants of all ages and art backgrounds are welcome to join!
However, all children must be accompanied by an adult. Participants are suggested to bring extra layers and raingear in case of unpredictable bad weather. Similarly, bringing bug spray and sunscreen is always recommended. Art materials will be provided but participants are welcome to bring their own! Cameras of any kind are useful for taking pictures of inspiring landscapes, fauna, or flora that participants may want to capture in their paintings.
For more information, or to sign up for this Adventure Ecology, visit the SLA website (squamlakes.org) or contact the SLA directly (603-968-7336).
The Squam Lakes Association is dedicated to conserving for public benefit the natural beauty, peaceful character and resources of the watershed. In collaboration with local and state partners the SLA promotes the protection, careful use and shared enjoyment of the lakes, mountains, forests, open spaces and wildlife of the Squam Lakes Region
Plymouth Town Wide Yard Sale
Join in the great treasure hunt September 7, 2024, the Saturday after Labor Day, from 9am to 3pm (rain or shine).
The Plymouth Town Wide Yard Sale has been a popular community event for 28 years. Since 2013, the Yard Sale has benefited the Veterans fund at the Bridge House Shelter in Plymouth, New Hampshire. Sale sites include a community group site with fifty-plus vendors at the Plymouth Municipal Airport, 311 Quincy Road, Plymouth, NH, several business and nonprofit sites, and private yard sale locations throughout Plymouth. Group site vendors may sign up until the day of the sale. Forms are available at the Bridge House or online at https://tinyurl.com/tbhyardsale or you can request forms from sheila@coppertoppe.com.
When registering in person or by mail, make checks payable to “Bridge House Veterans Fund” with “Yard Sale” on the memo line. Please be sure to include complete contact information. Make checks payable to “Veterans Fund” with “Yard Sale” on the memo line. Deliver or mail to: The Bridge House, ATT: Yard Sale, 260 Highland Street, Plymouth, NH 03264
Bridge House Shelter is a non-profit facility serving individuals and families of the Lakes Region, Grafton County and North Country New Hampshire as they work to transition to permanent housing.
Every veteran is welcomed and served, supporting the national mandate to end veteran homelessness. The Fund 4 Veterans helps a veteran pay for special needs and activities of daily living. To learn more about how you can help, visit http://tbhshelter.org/ or call 603-536-7631 weekdays.
ACTIVITIES
Meredith On Canvas Returns
On Saturday, September 7th from 1pm to 3pm at Karlin’s Wine, Cheese & Provisions, 20 Main Street, Meredith, meet the artists, purchase works painted during the plein air course and enjoy very special libations. After the show, their works will be displayed and for sale at The Galleries at 30 Main, 30 Main St. Suite A, Meredith, NH 03253. The works will be there until September 30th. Meredith on Canvas is a plein air event dedicated to enhancing the public’s awareness of outdoor painting while providing a venue for established and emerging artists alike to share creative endeavors with the public.
All summer Artists painted at any location of their choosing within the “Do The Loop” map. This includes lake views, landscapes, gardens, landmarks, architecture, and street scenes. The “Do the Loop” Sign and Brochure program promoting local businesses is sponsored by the Greater Meredith Program. The map is in racks at the Town Docks, the Meredith Sculpture Walk kiosks, participating businesses or can be downloaded at www.greatermeredith.org.
New At Museum Of The White Mountains
PLYMOUTH - New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail member, the Museum of the White Mountains (MWM), will feature their summer exhibition, Of Baskets and Borers: The Past, Present, and Future of the White Mountains, until Saturday, September 14.
“The exhibition
explores Indigenous basketry in the White Mountains region,” said MWM Assistant Director Kala Brzezinski. “We will be examining the intersection between Indigenous basketry, brown ash trees, and the Emerald Ash Borer.”
On September 10 from 4-5pm the MWM will host The State of the Clean Energy Transition with Sam Evans-Brown and there will be a Basket Making Demonstration with Annette Nolett on Saturday, September 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. as part of the exhibit’s closing celebration. The MWM is also preparing for exhibits that will be on display this fall. In the Path of Totality will focus on the recent eclipse, and Echoes of Resilience: Unveiling Stories of Devastation, Survival, and Hope will explore the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey in February, 2023.
In the summer of 2025, MWM will host Crossroads: Change in Rural America as part of the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street traveling exhibition.
“The White Mountains region is an ever-changing, ecologically diverse, economically and socially evolving area with rich artistic and cultural histories,” said Brzezinski. “As an institution, we strive to be as dynamic and evolving as the place whose stories we aim to exhibit and amplify.”
For more information about the Museum of the White Mountains, including more information about exhibits, speakers, and events, visit plymouth.edu/mwm.
In addition to the Museum of the White Mountains in Plymouth, member institutions on The Trail are located in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, Merrimack Valley, and Seacoast. To learn more about any member institution, visit nhmuseumtrail.org.
conditions, tax-equalization, temperance, and education, but voters seemed to be more focused on the issue of whether candidates should be required to publicly state their positions on the issues before the primary elections. Captain Winant was apparently doing just that while Major Knox relied on the method of making friends by personal contact with people.
The assessment of one commentator was as follows: “ Captain Winant avoided all personalities and made his appeal principally through frank and open discussion of issues. He early announced his positions on all the controversial issues and advocated a liberal and specific platform. While Major Knox, avoiding discussion of issues or platforms, made his campaign on lines of personal contact, hand-shaking and speeches before various gatherings.”
Young people, women, progressive farmers, and Republicans in labor groups were
said to have voted for Winant.
Major William Franklin (Frank) Knox, like his primary opponent, was not a native of New Hampshire, coming here from Michigan, and , like his opponent, had served in France during World War I. He received the rank of Colonel some time after the war. Knox took pride in the fact that he served in three wars, the first having been with Teddy Roosevelt’s “Rough Riders” during the Spanish-American War. In civilian life
Knox was a newspaperman and it was his acquisition of the Manchester Leader newspaper that brought him to New Hampshire.
Soon after he also bought the Manchester Union and merged the two papers into one. In August of the year 1931 he became publisher of the Chicago Daily News
Frank Knox remained active in Republican politics throughout his life, even being nominated for vice president of the United States under Alfred Landon in 1936. Even so, he,
Republican candidate for United States Senator from NH in 1924Henry W. Keyes.
like his opponent in the 1924 New Hampshire primary, Knox served in the administration of Democrat Franklin Roosevelt, being appointed the Secretary of the Navy in 1940. He was never the governor of New Hampshire, but he held many important positions on the national scene.
John Winant came to New Hampshire from New York City as a
Democrat candidate for United States Senator from NH in 1924George E. Farrand.
student at St. Paul’s School in Concord and that city and the State of New Hampshire became his home and the springboard for his political career. After attending Princeton University he went back to St. Paul’s school as a teacher and entered into New Hampshire politics. It should be noted that Winant was a pilot in the United States Army Air Service in World War I, and that he commanded the 8th Aero Observation Squadron stationed in France with the rank of Captain. After Winant’s upset win in the NH Primary Election he went on to defeat Democrat Fred Brown, who had served two terms, to become the new Governor of New Hampshire in 1925. He was 35 years old when he was elected Governor of New Hampshire and, among other accomplishments, was credited with the passing of a minimum wage act that benefited women and children. Though Winant was a Republican he later served in the administration of President Franklin
to its nominees.” The North Conway Reporter reported, “Captain Winant will make an ideal candidate. He will conduct a clean campaign for election and will be a worthy opponent of our good Governor Brown.” The Woodsville Times added their opinion as “Capt. Winant, we believe, has won the nomination because of the people’s belief in his absolute sincerity and honesty. Behind him should be a united party.”
Roosevelt, initially as the first head of the Social Security Board, and then as the United States Ambassador to Great Britian during World War II. He was closely associated with Winston Churchill and reportedly had an affair with one of Churchill’s daughters.
The year 1924 proved to be a good one politically for the Republican Party and they seemed to win without demonizing their opponents.
The Democrat governor Fred Brown seemed to be respected by the candidates from both parties, but the takeover of state government by the Republicans seemed inevitable.
State newspapers seemed to be divided in their primary choice for the gubernatorial candidate while overwhelmingly supporting the Republicans.
The Exeter Newsletter supported Knox over Winant and expressed disappointment over the defeat of Knox, but wrote, “The primary was fairly contested, and now it is the duty of every Republican to give effective support
Sometimes it seems as if the Press in general is supporting one candidate for a particular office, does it not? Democrats were still active in 1924, and one newspaper seemed to be pleading for attention:“The Argus has been Democratic in tone and liberal in policy since long before the oldest surviving citizen cast his first vote. It intends to be active in the present campaign, presenting its views with due regard to the right of counter-opinion on the part of any reader, striving to avoid unfair criticism or unsound argument. The Argus is glad to welcome into the editorial field a new paper, The New Hampshire Democrat, issued from Portsmouth by A.J. Smith, and with editorial columns prepared by the skillful and experienced hand of Hon. H.H. Metcalf of Concord. The paper is recommended to all seekers of the truth. But we must respectfully request that the Democrat modify its heading which says ‘The Only Democratic Paper in New Hampshire.’ Even with two, brother,the field could not be called overcrowed.”
But what is this about calling your opponent “good” and running a “clean campaign?”
SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK BISCUIT
YIELD:8-12 (Depending On Cutter) TIME:20-30 Minutes INGREDIENTS
2 cups Flour ¼ tsp. Salt ½ tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Baking Powder ¼ cup Lard or Vegetable Shortening 1 cup Buttermilk
PREPARATION
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, soda, powder.
- Work in the lard, shortening, or butter into the dry mixture so that you have a mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the buttermilk until the mixture is a sticky mass.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface and (with floured hands) work the dough gently a few folds. Then roll or gently pat into a half inch thick rectangle and cut with a round biscuit cutter.
- Place on a sheet pan and bake for about 8-10 minutes. Pull from the oven when tops are starting to turn golden brown.
- Serve hot.
scribes my latest foray into biscuit making. I began with good intentions following closely the path set before me (the recipe directions). It seems that here too, just like in those cheap thriller movies, the voice of reason is taken out of the picture early on as I begin to improvise, substituting butter for lard or shortening. Blinded by ignorance mixed with an unhealthy dose of curiosity, I used a “tea spoon” to measure a teaspoon rather than a teaspoon measuring spoon. And instead of making a level cup measure I decide that the small heap over the
top will compensate for the small void missing in the cup. And for some reason I think this time the results will somehow be different from previous attempts at the “perfect” biscuit over the last 35 years?
Blinded by ignorance or ambition (sometimes the two are synonymous) and deaf to the warnings (my hearing aids were still on the charger so I didn’t hear the timer), I forge ahead no matter how many family members taste buds are lost to this illfated, doomed from the start, “perfect” biscuit quest. At the first faint whiffs of smoke the smart ones have run
from the house while the less fortunate fall victim to another biscuit debacle.
My persistence in the quest for the “perfect” biscuit could probably be summed up in one sentence. Something elusive that continues to haunt me, I am ever hopeful that behind the next oven door all the secrets, all the illusions, all the mysteries, by tales end, when the timer goes off, will be revealed and offer a successful Simple Feast. Enjoy!
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exclusion of Bonds/ Rose/Clemens from Cooperstown’s shrine. Should any of this infamous triumvirate ever get a Hall of Fame plaque?
Perhaps their extended exclusion has been punishment enough, especially considering that the Hall already has plaques for other players who used performance enhancers. No Hall of Fame member is flawless—except for maybe Lou Gehrig.
Sacred Heart Church
291 Union Ave Laconia, NH
603-524-9609
St. Joseph Church
30 Church St. Laconia, NH
603-524-9609
Babe Ruth was not an angel, to put it mildly. Neither was Ty
Cobb. All Hall members had their shortcomings.
St. André Bessette Parish
Mass Schedule at Sacred Heart Church
Saturdays: 4pm; Sundays: 7:00, 8:30 & 10:30am
Daily Masses: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 8am, Tuesday: 5:00pm
Reverend Marc B. Drouin, Pastor
Shoeless Joe Jackson, of Black Sox infamy, was banned from baseball due to his involvement with White Sox players who threw the 1919 World Series to the Reds, due to deals with gamblers.
After Jackson’s misdeeds came out at a court trial, a little boy famously approached the Chicago slugger and plaintively pleaded, “Say it ain’t so, Joe.”
so!” and they spoke honestly with the fans, then there might be a way for them to somehow join their distinguished brethren in Cooperstown. The truth may set them free.
Sports Quiz
For what teams did Roger Clemens win his seven Cy Young Awards? (Answer follows)
Except for maybe Lou Gehrig.
Anyway, Bonds, Clemens, and Rose can’t continue to lie about their pasts. Come clean. Tell the truth. And then, having served their sentences, maybe they can receive the recognition their incredible stats rate them. And they can use the bully pulpit of a Cooperstown lectern to humbly share some lessons that could resonate and do some good.
Many, including Ted Williams (another Hall of Fame sinner) advocated for Shoeless Joe to gain recognition for amazing baseball statistics. But Jackson’s sins almost destroyed fan confidence in Major Leagues and thus the sport itself. The South Carolinian died a pariah in 1951.
Bonds/Rose/Clemens still live, although Pete is now going on 84 years of age.
Perhaps if we said to them, “Say it was
Born Today
That is to say, sports standouts born on September 5 include Hall of Fame Philadelphia Athletic second baseman Nap Lajoie (1874) and star Pittsburgh Pirate second baseman Bill Mazeroski (1936).
Sports Quote
“I’d walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball.” –Pete Rose
Sports Quiz Answer Clemens won Cy Young Awards with the Boston Red Sox (1986, 1987, 1991), the Toronto Blue Jays (1997, 1998), the New York Yankees (2001) and the Houston Astros (2004).
State Representative Mike Moffett was a Sports Management Professor for Plymouth State University and NHTI-Concord. He co-authored the award-winning “Fahim Speaks: Between Two Worlds: A Hollywood Actor’s Journey as a U.S. Marine Translator through Afghanistan” which is available on Amazon.com. His email address is mchlmoffett@yahoo.com.
Pete Rose, Barry Bonds, and Roger Clemens.
603-207-1773 1477 Lake Shore Road Gilford, NH 03249
MAILBOAT from 2
of Poland, the incident that triggered WW II, were horrific. How could an educated people fall under the spell of such a monster like Hitler? Evils often blind us with fanfare like the Nazi propaganda.
Then I reflected on our own evil—slavery--that caused the terrible Civil War. Again, how could educated people like the Southerners, believe it was ok to own and often mistreat other human beings? Oh, well, that was 160 years ago, and we are so more enlightened today, no? No!
I hope, if the USA is still around 100 years from now, that people can look back to 2024 and ask, “How could an educated people tolerate—if not celebrate— the slaughter of babies in the womb?”
We praise Planned Parenthood, which could be better named “Baby Auschwitz,” and don’t even blink when all the Democratic candidates are pro-aborts and Republicans distance themselves from any pro-life positions!
Years ago, Mother Theresa at a prayer breakfast said, “There is little hope for a na-
tion that kills its own children!”
Ora pro nobis!
Dr. Ken Weinig Rumney, NH.
Supporting Morse & Prescott
To the Editor: Please support Chuck Morse for Governor and Russell Prescott for Congress in the First Congressional District. Morse and Prescott have done what so many candidates fail to do: fight for and deliver on their campaign promises to make the lives of New Hampshire citi-
Laconia Adult Education Fall 2024 - Enrichment Class Schedule
zens better. Morse has spent more than a decade fighting to make New Hampshire citizens more safe, more prosperous, and more free. Learn about Chuck Morse here: https:// www.chuckmorsefornh. com
As a US Senator Kelly Ayotte didn’t fulfill her campaign promises; she increasingly voted with the Democrats, for example: she voted to start funding illegal immigrants (HR 240), restrict Second Amendment rights (HR 2578), and against eliminating wasteful Government agencies (HR 2028).
It’s too bad we can’t count on Kelly Ayotte, she is a good speaker, knows how to appeal to voters. But she hasn’t explained why Republican voters should trust her this time.
In his 14 years in office Russell Prescott fought to fulfill his campaign promises; he remained true to NH voters and his conservative beliefs. Prescott is also a winner, having won seven elections, including against, now US Senator, Maggie Hassan twice.
It’s vitally important to elect people who have demonstrated commitment to their promises in the face of strong opposition since Washington seduces so many politicians into abandoning their promises, e.g., Ayotte.
Learn about Russell Prescott here: https:// www.prescottforcongress.com. We must support the candidates who have proven they will fight for their campaign promises to make our lives better. If we don’t reward them, why should they fight so hard to govern for the people rather than just go along like many politicians do?
Please support Chuck Morse for Governor and
MAILBOAT from 18
Russell Prescott for Congress in the First Congressional District.
Don Ewing Meredith, NH
When A Nation Forgets God
To The Editor:
In Hosea 4:6 of God’s holy scriptures, He tells the people of Israel that they are “destroyed for lack of knowledge,” indicating both the priesthood and the people have forgotten His law. Americas decline from the greatest national power has followed a similar path, forgetting His eternal truth that: “Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.”
As God accused Israel they had forgotten His laws, as a nation we have forgotten God. Decades of “educational establishment” governmental bias teaching youth they have descended from apes while steadily decreasing the teaching of the eternal Godly wisdom poured into the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. This purposeful shift in focus has prepared our nations for destruction.
Erwin Lutzer’s book: “Tyranny: When A Nation Forgets God” describes this downward plunge followed in Nazi Germany. The most educated people fell for Hitler’s policies of ruling by “edict.“ Similarly, too many American’s are “without knowledge” of God’s eternal wisdom in our nations birthing documents; surrendering their Bill of Rights to Executive Orders. These Godly inherent rights secured to limit our government with the words, “Congress shall make no law…,” must remain supreme that freedom shall not perish.
Our American Republic was built by a courageous and God-fearing people. They challenged the greatest military power of that day with their foundational reason to declare their independence: “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government….” The domination of fake news in the COVID-19 scare played on our peoples fears. Many forgetting God is the reason for our liberty. Instead of challenging the lie that authorized the dethroning of the Bill of Rights with their “edict, they followed the will of tyrants. Thus, the Godly limitation on government secured to prevent violation of inherent rights was ignored with the tyrannical words: “except in an emergency.”
Today, because of a dominant educational establishment teaching our children that God does not exist, and government has the solution for everything, we inherit Lincoln’s prophetic words, “that
the philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” The John Birch Society since 1958 has been teaching the philosophy of Americanism. Take heed of Thomas Jeffersons eternal wisdom: “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be….” American’s who feel our educational system has failed to prepare them to preserve liberty should contact Matthew Rhodes JBS Regional Coordinator for further info at mrhodes@jbs. org. about the Constitutional Seminar, “The Constitution Is The Solution.”
Russ Payne Merrimack, NH.
GILPATRIC METAL RECYCLING
method of preventing transport, but it can take up to five days. If you do move your boat to other lakes, a 2% bleach solution is known to kill spiny water fleas and their eggs. I always use a pump sprayer to spray a 50/50 bleach and water in my bilge, live well, underside of my boat, and on my
trailer when moving my boat from one water body to another. There may be nothing we can do about the spiny water fleas in Lake Winnipesaukee, but we can all help prevent them from spreading to other lakes and ponds.
Tim Moore is a fulltime licensed professional fishing guide in
New Hampshire. He owns and operates Tim Moore Outdoors, LLC. He is a member of the New England Outdoors Writers Association, and the producer of TMO Fishing on YouTube and the Hooked with TMO Fishing Podcast. Visit www.TimMooreOutdoors.com for more information.
PARKER from 7
In 2011, Israel agreed to release 1,027 Palestinians being held prisoner in exchange for one Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, held hostage by Hamas. Among those released then by Israel was Yahya Sinwar, who has now become leader of Hamas, and the mastermind behind the Oct. 7, 2023, atroci-
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ties. Sinwar was being held under four life sentences tied to murders of Israelis and Palestinian collaborators.
Estimates of the annual support that Iran has provided to Hamas are in the range of $200 - $300 million. Estimates of Iran’s support of Hezbollah in Lebanon are in a similar range. Overall, Iran’s support of terror over the years has been tens of billions of dollars.
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, now U.S. Ambassador to Israel, noted in testimony last year to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, “When you’re dealing with Iran, you’re not dealing with a rational economic player. You’re dealing with an evil, malign government that funds its evil and malign activities first.”
Despite being among the top 10 oil producers in the world, per capita GDP in Iran, per the World Bank, is $4,500.
Clearly, economic development of their own country, and prosperity and well-being of the Iranian population, is not a priority for the Iranian regime. Terrorism and murder are.
And the same is true of their terrorist clients.
The hundreds of millions annually funneled to Hamas has been directed to fund infrastructure to attack Israel, not to improve the quality of life of the Palestinian population in Gaza.
In her remarks at the Democratic Party’s con-
vention, Vice President Kamala Harris said, “I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself” and then continued, “At the same time, what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating.”
Terrorists will always murder as long as they see hope in achieving their deadly objectives.
The vice president may have said nice words at the convention about recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself, but what message did she send to the Hamas murderers, who precipitated all of this, by boycotting the Israeli prime minister’s speech to Congress several weeks ago?
The message that our pastors wanted to bring to Israel this October was their adherence to the words in the Book of Deuteronomy that “I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse, and you shall choose life.”
Israel, since its founding in the ashes of the Holocaust 76 years ago, has been about choosing life.
The Abraham Accords, signed by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco along with Israel, were about Arab nations joining with Israel to choose life and prosperity in the Middle East and worldwide.
But the terrorists want death.
The USA must stop giving them credibility. It’s the only way to a better world for all.
METZLER from 7
Hong Kong hold a major global economic power, there’s a decided slowdown since the COVID 19 pandemic. Once dizzyingly high economic growth rates have moderated. There’s an aging workforce. China is facing global pushback to its exports.
Recently Canada’s Trudeau government announced a 100 percent tariff on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles.
Facing the clear and present dangers from both China and North Korea, Japan’s government is boosting defense spending; a newly proposed budget calls for a record $59 billion for Japanese military spending as part of a plan to raise the defense budget to 2 percent of GDP by 2027. Since the era of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe defense spending has been on an upward tra-
jectory now standing at 1.6 percent of GDP. Tokyo is far less apologetic about its increased military spending which was politically and psychologically capped at 1 percent for a generation.
In Taiwan in the meantime, the Ministry of National Defense submitted a new plan which focuses spending an additional $216 million next year on reserve units, asymmetric warfare systems, command and control resiliency.
The Taipei Times cites a report titled, “The FiveYear Force Design and Policy Plan,” which outlines increased military spending of 16 percent over this year’s budget. At long last Taiwan is taking its own security more seriously with upgraded defense spending and as importantly the expansion of its military reserves. Which brings us back to Beijing’s policy parameters. First, Tai -
wan is a non-negotiable “red line.” But recall “red lines” have two sides and can work in two directions. Second, Beijing’s baseless “historical” claims to the South China Sea’s maritime lanes of communication and scores of small islets and shoals are not sanctioned by international law. In fact there’s overlapping claims to the Spratly islands and others by six other states, among them the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
These high geopolitical stakes in East Asia confront global stability both militarily and economically.
John J. Metzler is a United Nations corespondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of Divided Dynamism The Diplomacy of Separated Nations; Germany, Korea, China.
SUPER CROSSWORD
B.C.
by Parker & Hart
PUZZLE CLUE: THE ROD SQUAD
Answers on Page 20
The Winklman Aeffect by John Whitlock
