WAITING FOR SANTA. Santa Claus will arrive by helicopter at the Aviation Museum of N.H. in Londonderry on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 11am His annual visit gives area families a chance to meet the Big Guy in person. The event is free and open to the public. Find out more on this and other seasonal events in our Christmas in New Hampshire section.
by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer
They didn’t celebrate Christmas!
They were called Puritans, and they came to the newly discovered ‘New World “ of America in the 1600’s seeking freedom to worship as they desired. But they had this strange, to us, custom of not celebrating Christmas.
They were believers in the Bible, so they believed in the coming of the Christ-Child and the Biblical accounts of His birth, but they discouraged the celebrating of that event because of the pagan customs that they perceived as prevailing not only in the secular world, but also in the religious realm.
Going back to the days of my childhood, and probably long before then, there have been concerns expressed that Christmas has become “too commercial.” In these days of greater commercialism and secularism I don’t see the expression of those concerns being expressed as much.
The self-proclaimed ‘World’s Greatest Barstool Challenge’ is returning for it’s 13th Pub Mania event on Thursday, December 12th from 11am to 11pm at Patrick’s in Gilford.
Thirty teams, comprised of local businesses, organizations and friends and family, will celebrate their year-round fundraising efforts on behalf of the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction. The public is invited to visit Patrick’s for lunch or din-
ner between Noon and 8PM to cheer on participants and enjoy the festivities. Organizers have arranged games and events throughout the day beginning with Opening Ceremonies at 11am, with live music running from 4pm – 11pm.
by Hal Shurtleff Director, Camp Constitution
Sunday, December 15th, marks the 233rd anniversary of the first ten amendments U.S. Constitution known as the Bill of Rights.
It is important to point out that the Bill of Rights did not grant or give rights to anyone. Rights come from God, and the main reason for government at any level is to protect the God given rights of its citizens.
The Bill of Rights unenumerated some rights and basically said that the federal government cannot mess with them. The word “right” doesn’t appear in the original U.S. Constitution. So, we don’t have any Constitutional rights; we have God given rights protected by the Constitution.
While doing research on this article, I thought I would see of the Biden Administration had issued a proclamation to commemorate Bill of Rights Day, and to my surprise I discovered that it did back in 2023. This may have been due to the fact the closest date on the LGBTQ+++++ calendar is Pansexual/Panromantic Pride Day celebrated on December 8, but I am sure that they will come up with another gender to celebrate on the 15th.
The first two paragraphs of the proclamation were good:
“On December 15, 1791, after years of debate and deliberation, our forebearers ratified the Bill of Rights. In doing so, they forever enshrined the fundamental rights and liberties we hold sacred as Americans
and set in motion the greatest self-governance experiment in the history of the world.
The freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights — the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, privacy, and more — have helped define who we are as a people and served as our Nation’s enduring North Star.
The 17 additional Amendments that have been ratified since have opened the doors of opportunity wider to each new generation. But time and again we have been reminded that progress is not linear, and freedom is never guaranteed; it requires constant vigilance.”
But it went downhill from there.
It went on to denounce the Supreme Court for taking away the right of women to kill their unborn babies which is a lie. It simply left the issue of abortion to the states which was the case prior to the awful “Roe v Wade” decision. It also went on promote the conspiracy theory of voter suppression, advocated that Congress pass a law in order to strip the power of states to make their own election laws, and it denounced states that have passed or proposed laws against gender mutilation of children, and banning biological men from women’s sports and showers. Leave it to the Biden Administration to politicize everything it touches.
Thankfully, we won’t be seeing many more proclamations by the Biden Administration which have done its utmost to trounce on many of the amendments in the Bill of Rights.
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 30 years, this publication is devoted to printing the stories of the people
Convention, there were some delegates who refused to support the proposed Constitution unless it contained a Bill of Rights; George Mason and Elbridge Gerry led the way. Delegates James Madison, the Father of the Constitution, was initially against a Bill of Rights believing that since the U.S. Constitution granted specific powers to the federal government, there was no need for a Bill of Rights. Mason and Gerry proposed a Bill of Rights on September 12, 1787, a few days before the Constitution was approved by the delegates. Roger Sherman of Connecticut rightfully contented that the proposed federal Constitution had no authority to repeal Bills of Rights enshrined in state constitutions. It was unanimously rejected by states each having one vote. James Wilson of Pennsylvania warned that by expressly listing rights, those that weren’t listed did not exist. This legitimate concerned was addressed by the Ninth and Tenth Amendments. James Madison changed his position, and he made the issue of proposing a Bill of Rights a key part of his Congressional campaign. One of the first things Madison did as a member of Congress was to propose a Bill of Rights. On September 25, 1789, Congress agreed to 12 Amendments and submitted them to the states for ratification needing 3/4ths for approval. On December 15, 1791, Virginia ratified amendments three to twelve making them part of the Constitution. The second proposed amendment concerning Congressional pay raises was eventually ratified in 1992.
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.
by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer
My experience with the coyote the other day got me curious about the species. As I mentioned last week, coyotes are fairly common throughout all of New England these days, but I’ve seen them on only a few occasions.
The recent sighting was my closest encounter with a coyote to date and the only one so far that afforded a photo opp. As is often the case, once I get a decent photo of a species, I do a deep dive into its life history.
Here are some interesting facts (at least I found them interesting) about the eastern coyote, gleaned from several sources on the
An eastern coyote runs across a field in New England this fall.
internet.
Eastern coyotes are much larger than western coyotes, up to twice the size, according to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, and range in color from “silvery gray to grizzled, brownish red.”
Based on the one I saw the other week, I am not surprised to learn that eastern coyotes are bigger than their western relatives.
“My” coyote was big and sturdy looking with a rich, thick coat and bushy tail. It was the opposite of the
sickly, scraggly-looking animal that many may imagine when picturing a coyote.
Eastern coyotes have a genetic mix of coyote, domestic dog and wolf, hence their larger size.
“Recent genetic research has attributed the eastern coyote’s larger size and unique behavioral characteristics to interbreeding with Eastern Canadian wolves,” NH Fish and Game writes on its website.
Coyotes are a relatively new species to the region. Although it is unclear whether they are historically native to the region, NH Fish and Game states that there were no coyotes present in New Hampshire in the late 1800s, and
See BOSAK on 26
As we enter the holiday season, your life may well become busier. Still, you might want to take the time to consider some financial moves before we turn the calendar to 2025.
Here are a few suggestions:
• Review your investment portfolio. As you look at your portfolio, ask these questions: Has its performance met my expectations this year? Does it still reflect my goals, risk tolerance and time horizon? Do I need to rebalance? You might find that working with a financial professional can help you answer these and other questions you may have about your investments.
• Add to your 401(k) and HSA. If you can afford it, and your employer allows it, consider putting more money into your 401(k) before the year ends — including “catch-up” contributions if you’re 50 or older. You might also want to add to your health savings account (HSA) by the tax-filing deadline in April.
• Use your FSA dollars. Unlike an HSA, a flexible spending account (FSA) works on a “use-it-or-lose-it” basis, meaning you lose any unspent funds at the end of the year. So, if you still have funds left in your account, try to use them up in 2024. (Employers may grant a 2½ month extension, so check with your human resources area to see if this is the case where you work.)
• Contribute to a 529 plan. If you haven’t opened a 529 education savings plan for your children, think about doing so this year. With a 529 plan, your earnings can grow tax deferred,
and your withdrawals are federally tax free when used for qualified education expenses — tuition, fees, books and so on. And if you invest in your own state’s 529 plan, you might be able to deduct your contributions from your state income tax or receive a state tax credit.
• Build your emergency fund. It’s generally a good idea to keep up to six months’ worth of living expenses in an emergency fund, with the money held in a liquid, low-risk account. Without such a fund in place, you might be forced to dip into your retirement funds to pay for short-term needs, such as a major car or home repair.
• Review your estate plans. If you’ve experienced any changes in your family situation this year, such as marriage, remarriage or the birth of a child, you may want to update your estate-planning documents to reflect your new situation. It’s also important to look at the beneficiary designations on your investment accounts, retirement plans, IRAs and insurance policies, as these designations can sometimes even supersede the instructions you’ve left in your will. And if you haven’t started estate planning, there’s no time like the present.
• Take your RMDs. If you’re 73 or older, you will likely need to take withdrawals — called required minimum distributions, or RMDs — from some of your retirement accounts, such as your traditional IRA. If you don’t take these withdrawals each year, you could be subject to penalties.
These aren’t the only moves you can make, but they may prove helpful not only for 2024 but in the years to come.
NICK TRUDEL, CFP®, ChFC®, AAMS™ , CRPC™, FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 293-0055
nicholas.trudel@edwardjones.com 28 Weirs Rd., Suite 1, Gilford, NH
BENJAMIN J WILSON CEPA®, FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 524-4533
benjamin.wilson@edwardjones.com 55 Canal Street, Laconia, NH
JASON R POCHILY FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 524-4533
jason.pochily@edwardjones.com 55 Canal Street, Laconia, NH
DAVE BOCHICHIO FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 524-4533
dave.bochichio@edwardjones.com 55 Canal Street, Laconia, NH
DEVON SULLIVAN, CFP®, ChFC®, CRPC™ , FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 279-3284
devon.sullivan@edwardjones.com 164 NH Route 25, Unit 1A Meredith, NH
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC.
Investing is about more than money.
At Edward Jones, we stop to ask you the question: “What’s important to you?” Without that insight and a real understanding of your goals, investing holds little meaning. Contact your Edward Jones financial advisor for a one-on-one appointment to discuss what’s really important: your goals.
CARI LAMONTAGNE FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 279-3161
cari.lamontagne@edwardjones.com 3 Mill Street Meredith, NH
KEITH A BRITTON FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 253-3328
keith.britton@edwardjones.com 512 Whittier Highway, Suite 1 Moultonborough, NH
in Live Free or Die. brendan@weirs.com brendan@weirs.com
by Brendan Smith Weirs Times Editor
FLATLANDER’S OBSERVATIONS ON LIFE *
Some folks have been asking me (two so far) if I was going to print a list of recommendations for new books that would make great Christmas presents. So, without further ado (whatever that means) here you go.
You can thank me later.
THE “INCREASE YOUR INCOME AND IMPROVE YOUR LIFE BY WRITING SELF HELP BOOKS” SELF HELP BOOK –This book has already been flying off the shelves since it was published in November. In it, author and Self Help Guru Pete Takurbucks, explains in detail how to take advantage of the self-help book phenomenon by teaching folks how to write their own, how to market it to the correct phobias and how to promote it using social media and other sources. The chapter on designing a silly mantra that people will get sucked into believing will actually change their lives if they repeat it several times a day is worth the $44.95 cover price alone. I would suggest that you reserve your copy today.
THE TIM WALZ HAND SHADOWS WORKBOOK – Famously known for his wild and crazy hand gestures during his failed run for Vice-President, Walz has compiled this fascinating collection of Hand Shadows that he created whiling away his time on the campaign trail waiting for someone to talk to him. Included in the easy to do hand shadows section are a horse, a pig, a cow and other barn animals. The second part of the book contains some more complicated hand shadow images such as The Sinking Of The Titanic, The Battle of Gettysburg and The New Eng-
land Patriots amazing comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl Fifty-Two. Amaze your family, your friends and yourself.
VOTERS – Since the election many people who voted for Kamala Harris have expressed concern the end of the world is upon them. This quickly assembled survival guide, put together by the VP herself over a couple of bottles of Pino Noir, contains hundreds of great tips for surviving the next four years and how to avoid things like the Death Camps which will soon be created in your neighborhood as well as how to avoid your fascist family members and neighbors who had the audacity not to vote the same way you did, putting things like your freedom of choice in peril. Many will agree that the price of two hundred dollars is a little steep, but buyers of the book will be pleased to know that all profits will go towards paying of the Harris campaigns two hundred million in debt. (For three hundred dollars fans can buy a copy signed by someone who has an autograph very similar to Harris’.)
– This collection of weather forecasts, planting charts, astronomical data and recipes is written by a bunch of people with no farming, planting or cooking experience. They are just a bunch of people who figured they could write a book with a lot of predictions about weather and stuff and probably be right thirty percent of the time as well as find some obscure recipes and planting ideas on the internet and publish them and that people would buy it. Not to be confused with the 2025 Old Non-Farmer’s Almanac, which is basically the same thing but by a different group of people who loved the idea after they saw the
2024 Non-Farmer’s Almanac, changed a few of the weather predictions and were also correct thirty percent of the time.
POTTER AND THE ONLINE BOARDING PASS – The exploits of Larry Potter, a seventy something man learning to adjust to ever changing new technology, continues with this wild tale as Potter, who recently booked an airline flight online all on his own, is faced with using the boarding pass downloaded to his phone instead of the more comfortable paper version. You will feel the tension as Larry, while at the boarding gate, tries his best to remember the instructions his teenage nephew showed him in how to retrieve his boarding pass as an angry mob of tech savvy twenty and thirty somethings grows impatient behind him. This is the latest in the series following “Larry Potter And His First Smartphone”, “Larry Potter At The Self Checkout” and “Larry Potter And His Very First Zoom Call” which will be a major motion picture this summer starring Dustin Hoffman.
THE 2025 UNHANDYMAN’S GUIDE – A great book for the incompetent handyman in your life. This comprehensive guide covers all the bases from the difference between a Philips Head and a Flat Head screwdriver to exactly why in the world there are so many different types of darn nails. A full glossary in the back is full of complicated terms like “drywall” and “soffit” and their meanings (as well as pictures to help him understand fully) so your man won’t feel like a complete idiot when he is out drinking a few beers with his handy friends. (I own a copy myself and it has saved me from total embarrassment more than a few times. Of course, if you live in New Hampshire you might not need this, just check out the Weirs Times classified section.)
“I Really Only Did It For The SocksStories & Thoughts On Aging”
Order your autographed copy today for $16.99 plus $3 shipping. (Please include any inscription you would like.) Make out checks or money orders for $19.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: Socks Book c/o Weirs Times, PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247 Or order online at BrendanTSmith.com (Autographed copies also avail. at the Weirs Times)
“I Really Only Did It For The SocksStories & Thoughts On Aging”
Order your autographed copy today for $16.99 plus $3 shipping. (Please include any inscription you would like.) Make out checks or money orders for $19.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: Socks Book c/o Weirs Times, PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247 Or order online at BrendanTSmith.com
(Autographed copies also avail. at the Weirs Times)
by Star Parker Syndicated Columnist
Dean of the nation’s political analysts, Michael Barone, sat down with The Wall Street Journal to discuss the 2024 election.
The headline that emerged from that discussion was “Donald Trump’s Rainbow Coalition,” noting that the monopoly of the Democratic Party over the nation’s Black vote seems to be over.
If this is true, and it indeed seems to be, the implications for the political dynamics of our nation’s future are profound.
In 2024, Trump picked up 13% of the Black vote compared to 8% in 2016, and 21% of Black men voted for Trump.
Also, among Black voters, as in all voting groups, young voters moved more to the Republican candidate.
Among Black voters ages 18-29, 16% voted for Trump compared to 6% of Black voters 65 and up.
In 1956, Republican candidate Dwight Eisenhower won 39% of the Black vote. In 1960, Republican Richard Nixon captured 32%.
Then the world changed in 1964 when Republican candidate Barry Goldwater voted against the Civil Rights Act. Goldwater picked up 6% of the Black vote in that election, and the Republican Party never recovered with Black voters.
In all presidential elections since, the Democrat-Republican ratio has hovered around what Barone calls the 90-10 ratio.
The election results this year point to change. But why should we conclude that this is not a one-off move?
Despite the ongoing and persistence of race as a political topic, it is capturing the interest of young Blacks less and less. They see themselves more as individuals than belonging to a Black voting bloc.
In a survey done by the NAACP last September, 26% of Black men under 50 said they would support Trump. Of these, 82% said their most important issue was the economy.
Barone also points out, correctly, that the central role of the Black church as a platform for political unity is weakening.
The PRRI American Values Survey released in September showed 13% support for Trump among Blacks saying they attend church weekly or more, 15% among those saying they attend church monthly or a few times a year, and 23% among those saying they seldom or never go to church.
Per The New York Times,
by Ben Shapiro Syndicated Columnist
This week, I visited Buenos Aires, Argentina, to speak about free markets and socialism at the Conservative Political Action Conference. It was a fitting location: Argentina is now Ground Zero for the revitalization of capitalism in the West. In a time when the right often laments “late stage capitalism” in terms reminiscent of Noam Chomsky, while the left laments the very existence of billionaires in the manner of Stalin targeting the kulaks, Argentina’s experiment in liberty represents an audacious foray into the world of economic dynamism and innovation.
Argentina has been, for decades, a basket case. In the early 20th century, thanks to a plethora of natural resources and a burgeoning Western constitutional structure, Argentina was one of the wealthiest countries on earth on a per capita basis. But from the 1940s on, Argentina began to pursue a policy of nationalist socialism: interior redistributionism and external protectionism, along with corrupt expropriation of property.
The result was decades of stagnation.
Dictator Juan Peron declared himself in favor of a “social market, putting capital to the service of the economy and the wellbeing of the people” -- pretty words that should sound familiar to economic populists of the left and right, and that should scare the hell out of everyone, given that Peronism led to the complete economic meltdown of the country. In fact, between 1980 and 2023, Argentina was one of the few countries in the West that saw a relative decrease in living standard: The time it takes to work to buy basic goods actually increased during that period.
Finally, the Argentine people had enough. They elected as president Javier Milei, an audacious and magnetic Austrian school economist dedicated to free markets. “Viva
la libertad, carajo!” he shouted while wielding a chainsaw -- signifying proposed cuts to government spending -- on the campaign trail. As Milei told the arrogant interventionists at Davos, “Economic freedom, limited government and unlimited respect for private property are essential elements for economic growth. The impoverishment produced by collectivism is not a fantasy, nor is it an inescapable fate. It’s a reality that we Argentines know very well.” Milei has pursued his vision with alacrity. And the results are nothing short of astonishing.
While shouting “afuera!” he has cut the number of ministries from 18 to eight, fired members of the bloated public sector en masse and dumped the corrupt intermediaries in the welfare system. He has slashed the budget by 32%, brought a fiscal surplus for the first time in years, and brought inflation down from a month-on-month rate of 25% to 2%. The stock market has skyrocketed; investors are once again looking at Argentina as a target for their money. That’s because Javier Milei understands the power of liberty.
Now the rest of the West must follow.
For too long, the West has followed the fallacy-ridden economic philosophy of John Maynard Keynes, who preached government interventionism and redistributionism as a corrective to the animal forces of free markets. And the result has been stagnation, unsustainable debt and, finally, radical inflation.
Javier Milei shows it doesn’t have to be this way.
So do Argentines. Perhaps the most astonishing element of Milei’s presidency is his continuing popularity. Tough economic measures often deliver short-term pain in favor of long-term health; that’s what makes them so difficult to sustain in a democracy. But Argentines are clearly willing to take their medicine in order to ensure the possibility of a brighter future.
Now it’s time for the rest of the West to follow suit.
by John Stossel Syndicated Columnist
Some union leaders are self-destructive idiots.
America’s ports have fallen behind.
Not a single one ranks in the top 50 worldwide.
A big reason is that dock unions stop innovation.
This fall, the International Longshoremen’s Association shut down East and Gulf coast ports, striking for a raise and a ban on automation. They got the raise.
Now union president Harold Daggett says longshoremen will strike again in
by John J. Metzler
January if they don’t get that ban on automation.
His statement in my new video makes it clear that he knows how badly his strike would damage other Americans.
“Guys who sell cars can’t sell cars, because the cars ain’t coming in off the ships. They get laid off,” says Daggett. “Construction workers get laid off because materials aren’t coming in. The steel’s not coming in. The lumber’s not coming in. They lose their job.”
Obviously, labor leaders aren’t necessarily “pro worker,” says Mercatus
Center economist Liya Palagashvili.
“They’re saying, ‘We don’t care if
these other jobs are destroyed as long as we get what we want.’”
Daggett is unusually clueless. He doesn’t understand that a ban on automation will also hurt his members.
As Palagashvili puts it, “They’ll save some jobs today, but they’ll destroy a lot more jobs in the future.”
That’s because today’s shippers have options. Daggett’s union only controls East and Gulf coast ports. Shippers can deliver their products to ports that accept automation.
“We’re going to see less activity in ‘Stone Age’ ports,” says Palagashvili.
“Stone Age?”
“They want to ban automated opening and closing of port doors,” she
points out, requiring workers to pull heavy doors themselves.
Weirdly, the union boss makes his demands while also pointing out that dockworker jobs are dangerous.
“Very dangerous ... We’ve had 17 people killed in the last three years!”
That’s terrible, but it’s an argument for automation! Using machines instead of vulnerable humans protects human workers. Daggett’s arguing against himself!
I see why he wouldn’t agree to an interview.
“It’s backwards,” notes Palagashvili. “(If) you care about the safety of these workers, you should enhance their
PARIS -We have witnessed a modern day miracle. The splendid Notre Dame Cathedral, the heart and soul of France which was scarred and damaged by the terrible fire of April 2019, has been rebuilt, renovated and revitalized, through an amazing and painstaking restoration effort encompassing both the private and public sector.
On the weekend of December 7-8, Notre Dame hosted the grand reopening ceremony including the Archbishop of Paris Laurent Bernard Ulrich, President Emmanuel Macron and foreign dignitaries
among them President-elect Donald Trump.
The 12th Century Gothic edifice which has stood firm through the turbulent centuries as a symbol of Paris, representing the very soul of France, has indeed been reborn.
The near apocalyptic inferno of 2019 had shocked, stunned and saddened even largely secular France to tears. From those tears rose the tide of civic, emotional and religious fervor which started a massive rebuilding effort at a time when some scoffed that the challenge was nearly insurmountable. But the challenge was overcome by a great national revitalization effort.
This writer has seen and visited Notre Dame many times over the years; yet contrary to the other
great cathedrals of Reims, Bourges or even Chartres, Notre Dame’s unique appeal was that it stands at the very center of Paris, the spiritual heart and soul of France.
The key to the rebuilding wasn’t the effort per se but the exacting precision, the meticulous loving detail, the reestablishing near spiritual quality of the massive edifice which few of us thought possible to restore so exactly, so well and yes, so soon.
Following the inferno, French president Emmanuel Macron vowed, “We will rebuild Notre Dame de Paris” by 2024. This ambitious goal opened a tug of war between some government officials who viewed the Church as a Museum or Monument and the Archdiocese of Paris who saw the Cathedral as an
active Catholic Church and place of worship.
The 1905 Law of the Separation of Church and State enshrined a codification of secularism. Yet the French State actually owns the cathedral!
But rebuilding Notre Dame to the meticulous standards of its past glory, few people, assumed this as possible. The cost, the availability of materials, and qualified builders, remained towering challenges. Thus one of the last official acts before reopening the Cathedral on 7 December was a totally secular address by the President profoundly thanking over 2,000 artisans, craftsmen and builders for their yeoman service to restoring Notre Dame’s heritage to France.
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)
If you mean the recent movement to overthrow all previously held values, in preference to “every man doing what is right in their own eyes,” (Judges 21:25). No! It is only in remission. Wokeism promised an awakening to injustice to all, so that the “light’” of justice would shine on your Country and upon the world but it has only cast a dark pall instead. Any good was overshadowed by the negative influences of your sin nature. The recent election and choices of your American people have made decisions to repudiate the movement, but it has taken deep roots and is alive and well.
When people forsake me, your Creator and designer, and forsake my will and ways that I designed “for your good,” (Deuteronomy 10:13) what you call good quickly turns bad and leads to decay, decline and death. You have become godless and instead of choosing my way and experiencing life, you have chosen your own and inherited death (Proverbs 14:12). You are in this condition as a result of a hostile takeover by politicians and people who have attempted to foist this so-called progressive agenda, usually by imposing their values with undemocratic fiats.
These values include: Throwing me out of public venues of government and schools, not even allowing the reading of my book, the Bible, prayer and the celebration of holidays to remember my precious gift to you of my Son, Jesus. He
came to you to die as a substitute for your sinful behavior and was raised from the dead to prove he is God, so that you can be restored to me and to the life only I can give; rejecting my 10 Commandments which has been the basis of your moral law since your inception; rejecting my will for protecting the life of the unborn in the womb and calling it a woman’s right to reproductive health; taking away my commission to parents to be the primary caregivers, instructors and guardians of their children’s wellbeing, not giving it to the godless state that has been in power; arbitrarily changing my God given and scientifically proven design of only two sexes of male and female, for the chaos of endorsing that “you can be anything you want” depending on your whimsical feelings and even recommending bodily surgery to provide for this foolishness with tax payers money; changing the basis of marriage being only between a man and woman in a committed relationship for life and practicing sex indiscriminately even between people of the same sex; reversing the work of previous generations who sought to destroy racial divisions and make every aspect of life based not on the “content of the heart,” but “the color of your skin,” unlike what Martin Luther King once championed; eliminating just laws and judicial penalties for crimes that once made the perpetrators feel the pain of their illegal actions instead of now, where the victims continue to be victimized and suffer; destroying
all the past efforts to defend and protect your borders with vetting and stringent requirements for citizenship instead of using euphemisms like “undocumented aliens” or “dreamers” to allow anyone to enter your Country who may not defend you but destroy you; foolishly appointing people to critical and vital, life threatening, jobs based on identity, gender or any other basis, instead of on proven excellence, training and ability to do the jobs entrusted to them; using government agencies to silence and even punish those who attempt to challenge the fiats made against my will, the historical record of the basis of past successful living and even of common sense. These are only a few of the agendas of wokeism, imperiously imposed by the hostile takeover of moral values by godless and so-called progressives, that have held power in the recent past. Be assured there is soooo much more.
By your electoral decisions, you have awakened to the “woke” attempts to control your government. I know that many decided on repudiating the policies of the recent past from less than spiritual reasons.
For many, you only want sanity and security back.
For others you only desire to have economic prosperity again. I also know, that not all on the conservative side have spiritual interests or even support the challenges to the woke culture of the past. That is why I spoke earlier the woke movement isn’t dead, it is only in remission. It can and will return if you don’t recognize
and change the roots of the system. Since the beginning of time humanity has sought to overthrow me and my righteous rulership over my creation. In my book, the Bible, I had David pen the words, “the Kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.” (Psalm 2:2). The Devil himself has sought to deceive humanity, since the dawn of time. He has made you think that I am the mean and evil one who must be rejected for self-rule and determination of what is right and wrong (Genesis 3:1-8). Every time that lie is believed, it leads to death. The deception was actually intended to get you to rely on yourself instead of me, a loving God, so that he, the Devil, could get you in his death grip.
So, I advise you to use this “stay of execution and death,” that is always certain when you abandon me and entrust yourself to the Devil, to pray that your leaders follow me and my will. Use it to recognize the sure and certain “dead end” of wokeism that leads you away from me and my will. Use the time to change yourself, your belief in me and my son Jesus, your Savior. Use it to plan to vote in the future for leaders who will lead you farther from the precipice of destruction and closer to the heights of my blessings. I love you, God
These letters are written by Rev. Dr. Sam Hollo of Alton, NH
by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer
So the newly unionized Dartmouth College Big Green (née Indians) men’s basketball team started the season with a bang by beating NVU-Lyndon (née Lyndon State) 129-47 before playing Sacred Heart and then losing to Albany State, Boston University and Marist en route to another losing record.
But … On November 29 the Big Green traveled to Boston College where they whipped the Eagles 88-83. That must have been a fun ride back to Hanover.
(An aside: One of the best experiences in sport is enjoying the afterglow of a big win during a long bus ride home.)
BC was 6-1 when the Big Green (née Indians) came to town. So the Dartmouth win was quite significant. A harbinger?
On Dec. 3 Dartmouth topped New Hampshire’s other Division I team, UNH, 69-65.
A Big Green Renaissance?
Dartmouth played at Notre Dame last night (Dec. 11). A win over the Fighting Irish (née Fighting Irish) would show that the Big Green can handle major Catholic universities in addition to Lyndon State.
Anyway, the Dartmouth win over BC
despite the opposing protestations of many indigenous NaDartmouth basketball prospects are looking up!
stoked some Division I basketball energy in a Granite State which is arguably 50th out of 50 states in terms of bigtime college basketball success.
Neighboring U-Maine has been to ten NCAA tournaments. The Black Bears once beat Stanford during March Madness. Neighboring Vermont has also been to multiple Big Dances as well, once upsetting powerful Syracuse dur ing March Madness.
The UNH men have never come close to even going to the NIT— much less the NCAAs.
Sad.
Dartmouth once had a decent hoop tradi tion, but perhaps was cursed when it es chewed the “Indian” nickname in favor of the amorphous “Big Green.”
(Amorphous, adj. “A characterless conurbation.”)
Hanover, of course, is a hotbed of politi -
cal correctness, and Dartmouth was one of the first institutions
Intrigue AI mimics the cerebral cortex of the human brain to quickly and more accurately ‘fill in’ the gaps produced when our hearing system falters.
• Replicates how our “normal” auditory system works.
• Distinguish words and speech more intuitively and naturally.
• Hear soft sounds without distracting noise.
• Reduce the effort it takes to listen and hear.
by Tim Moore
Contributing Writer
Mobility is a relatively new term when it comes to ice fishing. The New England tradition of ice fishing has long consisted of drilling holes, setting tip ups, and waiting for a flag to go up, or just sitting inside a bobhouse waiting for a bite. Very few anglers take their boat out in summer, anchor, and wait for a bite, but when winter arrives, that’s the way they fish. There seems to be a big difference, almost a disconnect, between open water and ice fishing. For some reason, as soon as many anglers walk onto the ice, that’s exactly what happens. They set tip-ups and wait for the fish to come to them. The result is often fewer fish.
I can remember one of the first seminars I ever gave about Modern Ice Fishing. I was talking with some folks after the seminar and one gentleman scoffed when I said that I drill lots of holes and often move around all day. I asked him if he casted his line in the same spot all day when he fished from his boat. Of course he didn’t. So, I asked why he did it in the winter. It made as much sense to him as it does to me.
Traditional sit-andwait ice fishing is so engrained into many anglers that it is dif -
When fishing is toughest, Tim spends longer in one area to maximize the chance of cruising fish coming through.
ficult, if not impossible, to approach ice fishing the same way we approach summer fishing. Just because you’re not in a boat, and you’re not casting for distance, doesn’t mean you can’t make a lot of casts and even troll. You just need to think outside the box, sort of.
Mobility is a key factor in my success on the ice. I consider every hole a cast, and I often make a lot of casts. In certain circumstances, it’s not uncommon for me to drill 100 holes or more in a day, especially when I’m fishing for
panfish. I also go back through and fish old holes, because drilling holes often moves fish around. When I locate schools of white perch, and I discover that they are holding at a specific depth, I follow bottom contours. I am effectively ice trolling. What about when the fish are on the move? The question always becomes not when, but if we should make a move. Some days, especially on high pressure days with bluebird skies and/or high winds, when the bite is negative and the fish don’t want to eat.
These are days when some anglers want to move, move, move, and some days it pays off. I find more often than not, that these are actually the days to sit tight and spread out my gear. Moving often puts you in front of more fish, but you can’t fish and move at the same time. The more time you spend moving, the less time your lines are in the water, and you can’t catch any fish if your lines are not in the water. I often read the room, so to speak. I watch other anglers out on the ice. Anglers who are on fish don’t usually move. If everyone around me is constantly moving, I know that they are likely struggling, and I stay put. They’ve done the work for me. I keep my lines in the water, but spread them out a bit to cover a larger area.
Tim Moore is a fulltime licensed professional fishing guide on Lake Winnipesaukee. 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 or email info@TimMooreOutdoors.com with questions or comments.
by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer
So, who wants turkey? Hmmm, just as I thought. Not too many hands went up at the prospect of having turkey so soon after Thanksgiving. I cannot say as I blame you. If you hosted Thanksgiving you too may have bought a bird that was at least four sizes too big and now have a Turkey stash banished to the freezer. Never to be seen again until the power goes down for four or five days this winter. Or perhaps until next year’s turkey leftovers too, are sent off to Siberia. Also, by the time many will read this we will be two weeks post Thanksgiving, if you still have a bird carcass in the fridge thinking you are going to pick the bones or make some soup with it: DON”T! That time has passed. It is time to throw it out. Do not stop! Do not “Pass Go”! Do not “collect $200.00”! THROW IT OUT! Rule of thumb on keeping properly saved leftovers in proper refrigeration temperatures is 3 to 4 days. For more details visit the USDA website: ( https://www.fsis. usda.gov/food-safety/ safe-food-handlingand-preparation/foodsafety-basics/left -
overs-and-food-safety)
So let’s assume you did everything right. You cooked the bird to a proper internal temperature. You fed the masses. You properly stored the leftover carcass and all the fixings in airtight containers or ziplock bags after they properly cooled. Now what? What are you going to do with all those pesky leftovers?
Believe me when I say, I feel your pain. No matter how much we try to convince ourselves of how much we just love a Turkey Dinner with all the fixings, the thought of facing that same meal the following Friday, Saturday, and Sunday? Well, I, for one, am ready for something else. Now, if you are still with me at this point you are probably thinking that I’m not exactly Johnny on the Spot with this article, thinking it
could have been more timely had it been last week. But remember, Christmas is coming, or what some may refer to as “Round Two”. And as the more seasoned veterans of holiday meal making will agree, “Be Prepared” isn’t just a motto it’s a mantra.
So what can you do with turkey and some of its “friends” when the party’s over and everyone has gone home? For starters plan on sending some of those leftovers home with others. Second, plan on properly storing those leftovers. Being prepared is as simple as the purchase of some zipper seal bags of different sizes and maybe some little plastic microwave safe containers with sealable lids that are just the right size for individual meals. Convenient and inexpensive, these make great “parting gifts” for
Grill & Galley
83 Main Street, Alton
603.875.3383
Akerlysgrillandgalleyrestaurant.com
Stoneface - IPA
Moat Mtn. - Blueberry
Great Rhythm - Pale Ale
Baxter - Coastal Haze
603 - Amber Ale
TAVERN
At Hart’s Turkey Farm
Restaurant
233 D.W. Hwy, Meredith 603.279.6212
hartsturkeyfarm.com
Fiddlehead - IPA
Guinness
Tuckerman Pale Ale
Allagash - White
Shipyard - Pumkinhead +6 More On Tap
D.A. LONG TAVERN
At Funspot
579 Endicott St N., Weirs
603.366.4377 funspotnh.com
Aunt Flo, Uncle Ned, or Grams and Gramps. Taking a few minutes to put up a couple of these meals post feast ensures that when inlaws leave, they have a meal or two to take with them. Knowing that they will have something substantial to tide them over through the next day or two gives a certain peace of mind. Rather than the thought of them heading back to a salad, soup, or the deli combo that awaits them at Ghost Town Manor while much of the dining staff are off for the holiday.
But what do you do with the other ten pounds of turkey, taters, stuffing, and the rest? Short of making the traditional soups, stews, and casseroles I was trying to come up with some alternatives. A few ideas came to mind as I
Jack Abby -Red Tape
Muddy Road -1762 Porter
Northwoods -Autumn Buzz +30 More On Tap
Porch & Pub
286 S. Main St., Wolfeboro
603.569-3662
Morrisseysfrontporch.com
Morrisseys’ 20 Year Lager by Great North
Smithwick’s
Guinness Harp
Concord Craft Safe Space +11 More On Tap
18 Weirs Rd., Gilford
603.293.0841 Patrickspub.com
Patrick’s Slainte House Ale
Great North - Moose Juice
Guinness
Clown Shoes - Bubble Head 603 - Winni Amber Ale
Tuckerman - Pale Ale +9 More On Tap
Founders - KBS (2019 vintage)
Stoneface - RIS 2024 Release
Schilling - Pierce
Hobbs - Hi, Jack!
Oxbow - Nightfall
Smuttynose - Key Lime Pie
+6 More On Tap
FOSTER’S TAVERN
403 Main Street
Alton Bay, NH 603-875-1234
fosterstavernbythebay.com
Tuckerman pale ale
Aqua Vue Haze
Allagash white
Maine Lunch
Guinness
Stoneface IPA +10 More On Tap
At Johnson’s
Seafood & Steak
69 Rt 11, New Durham 603.859.7500
eatatjohnsons.com/ newdurham
Lone Pine -Brightside
Widowmaker -Blue Comet
Shipyard -Smashed
Pumpkin
6 East Side Drive, Alton Bay,NH
603-875-2110
Tuckerman - Winter Ale
Maine Beer - Lunch
Michelob Ultra
Bud light
Budweiser
Blue Moon
At The Craft Beer Xchange
59 Doe Ave., Weirs Beach
603.409.9344
FB @craftbeerxchange
Jack’s Abby – Blood Orange
Wheat
Golden Rod – Mango Cart
1911 – Raspberry Cider
Kettlehead – Dreamstate
Able Ebenezer – Lady of the Lake Lager
Last Chair – Powder Bear +30 More On Tap
by Lucie Winborne Syndicated Columnist
* In cities like Seattle and Des Moines, the number of parking spaces per acre is about five to 20 times that of residential units.
* Spiked and studded dog collars derive from the days of the ancient Greeks, who would give their sheepdogs sharply spiked collars to protect their necks from wolves while they watched over a shepherd’s flock at night.
* A theory suggests that the entire internet, based on the mass of moving electrons, weighs about as much as a strawberry.
* Big League Chew bubblegum created its biggest-ever pouch for Shaquille O’Neal, at an impressive 24 inches by 18 inches, more than 15 times the size of a regular pouch.
* The square dance is the official state dance (or folk dance) of 24 states.
* Ancient Roman artisans created a glass chalice known as the Lycurgus Cup with nanoparticles of gold and silver so the type of liquid it contained would determine its appearance. On display, the cup appears jadegreen when lit from the front, but blood-red when lit from behind.
* Nepal’s Kusunda language has no words for yes or no, or for di-
* The “Ding” bowl, purchased for $3 at a New York garage sale, turned out to be a 1,000-year-old Chinese bowl from the Northern Song Dynasty. It later sold at auction for $2.2 million.
rections such as left or right.
* Modern Olympics founder Baron Coubertin tried to create an Olympic event combining a 14-km race with a written essay to demonstrate prowess in mind and body. It never made it to the starting block.
* Contrary to popular belief, the bottom figures on a totem pole usually hold the most significance, as their placement keeps them closer to viewers.
* NASA’s first interplanetary CubeSats, a pair of briefcase-size spacecraft called Mars Cube One, or MarCO, which flew by Mars in 2018, were named for the Pixar characters Wall-E and EVE.
* Figure skate blades were originally made of animal bones.
* Dolphin calves are typically born tail first, so they don’t drown during the birthing process.
* Christian Louboutin manufactured a limited edition shoe for brides. They had baby-blue soles to give the bride “something blue,” but the company ceased production after copyright issues.
* It takes Pluto 248.09 years to make one orbit around the sun.
* Jim Henson made his first Kermit puppet
using his mother’s old coat and two halves of a ping pong ball.
* Bacon was used to make explosives during World War II.
* Peter Pan creator James Barrie used to act as if he were his
dead brother, David, to cheer his mother by dressing in his brother’s clothes and whistling like his sibling used to do. On one such occasion, his mother thought for a moment that David had actually returned from the dead.
On Saturday, Dec. 14, Saint Nick will land via helicopter at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry.
Touchdown is scheduled for 11 a.m. outside the Aviation Museum. All are welcome to attend and join in welcoming the jolly old elf.
Families wishing to welcome the arrival of Santa’s helicopter should be at the museum no later than 10:45 a.m. to park and then make their way to the landing observation area.
After arriving, Santa will enter the museum, where he’ll visit with children one-on-one.
Santa will be available until 1 p.m., when he’ll depart by fire truck courtesy the Manchester Airport Fire Department, which will whisk him off to his next appear-
ance.
Children who speak to Santa will be rewarded with goodie bags given out by Santa’s helpers.
Santa’s visit will take place rain or shine on Saturday, Dec. 14 from
Decorate your own wreath class
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. If the weather prevents Santa’s chopper from flying, he’ll arrive by fire truck instead.
The Aviation Museum will be open free to visitors on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 10 a.m. to 1
Check out the new wild bird supplies,including bird seed, bird feeders, bird baths and more.
Great gift ideas for the entire family
Local Fresh trees, wreathes, kissing balls, swags all locally grown poinsettias, boughs, holly berries
New fleece lined winter mittens, hats, scarves, headbands Christmas trees sales open late Fridays with a campfire
Black Friday Specials Available, like Buy $100 Gift Certificate and get $20 Gift Certificate Free.
HOLIDAY HOURS:
p.m. Following Santa’s departure, regular admission prices will be charged from 1 to 4 p.m.
The Aviation Museum’s store will be open throughout the day so
All are welcome on Saturday, December 14, at 4pm, as the 1st Congo Bluegrass Band will host a Sing-a- Long Caroling Party at the 1st Congregational Church in Meredith. The music will celebrate the season - the birth of Jesus, the amazing gift-giving of Santa Claus, and the happiness of old holiday favorites. There will be songs for everyone to sing and join in the
rhythms, so find a festive sweater and come to the party. Donations to the Meredith Food Pantry would also be most appreciated. The church is located at 4 Highland Street and has parking in the back, across the street at the Town Annex, or on Main Street.
WOLFEBORO — “The Herdmans were the worst kids in the history of the world! They smoked and cursed and burned down Fred Schumacher’s old tool shed!” Things get really exciting when the Herdmans show up at Sunday school because they think they will get snacks, but end up taking over the annual Christmas Pageant. No one knows what will happen, but it’s sure to be a disaster.
Enjoy this holiday classic live on stage with a delightful cast of adults and young people. The show is only one
The Christmas pageant angels gossip about the horrible Herdman kids in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at the Village Players in Wolfeboro, December 13, 14, 15
hour long, and makes a perfect theater experience for young and old.
Performances Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14 at 7:30; Sunday, December 15 at 2pm, at the Village Players Theater, 51 Glendon St, Wolfeboro, NH. Tickets $10, online at village-players. com and at the door.
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is generously sponsored by Bruce and Kris Gurall and is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
On Saturday, December 14, the Meredith Public Library presents a holiday movie double feature celebrating Charles Dickens and his classic Christmas tale along with a hot cocoa bar and a Christmas cookie buffet.
Showing at 9:45am will be The Man Who Invented Christmas (rated PG). This clever 2017 film tells the magical journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and other classic characters from A Christmas Carol. The movie shows how Charles Dickens mixed real life inspirations with his vivid imagina-
ens.
The second movie, A Christmas Carol, (rated PG) starts at 11:45am. This is the 1984 version of the timeless tale that became an instant classic in its own right starring George C. Scott as Scrooge. Both movies will be shown in the library Function Room on the large flat screen TV. Admission for the movies is free and there will also be popcorn and movie candy available at no charge, courtesy of the Friends of the Meredith Library. Attendees can enjoy both movies in their entirety or drop in any time to catch a bit of the holiday magic.
visitors can enjoy holiday shopping.
Besides Santa’s arrival, Saturday, Dec. 14 also marks the debut of this year’s “Festival of Planes” exhibit inside the museum.
The exhibit, which runs through Sunday, Jan. 19, includes more than 2,000 aviationrelated toys, games, and other items that celebrate the enduring childhood fascination with flight.
This year’s holiday exhibit will be highlighted by a display of vintage aviationthemed board games as well as a pair of custom-made mobiles hung with model planes that will fly in formation overhead.
The Aviation Museum of N.H., located at 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H., is a non-profit 501(c)3 taxexempt organization dedicated to celebrating New Hampshire’s role in aviation history and inspiring tomorrow’s aerospace professionals.
The detrimental effect of diverting interest from the true meaning of Christmas,to lesser and self-serving things, however, seems to be greater than ever. Some seem to even fear to use the expression of “Merry Christmas,” lest they offend some.
As we reflect upon the manner in which much of the world celebrates Christmas we should be able to understand why the Puritans opted out.
Using a similar format as that of a popular secular poem of the past, I wrote the following as a guideline to help clean up my Christmas celebration, not to eliminate it, and to help others do the same.
The Christmas season can be a meaningful one, and our Christmas Day a Holy One.
Twas the week before Christmas
And there was no time for fun,
Time was short and there were things to be done; Cards to address and toys to be bought, Cookies to bake and a tree to be sought; Plans to be made and secrets to keep, Parties to go to and no time to sleep.
Mother was complaining and rushing about, And the children were scattering after her shouts!
But company was coming and coming soon,
And the house must be spotless by Saturday noon.
Dad was counting his
money in the den
And grumbling that it was spent before it came in.
He looked at his mail and he grumbled some more
At the requests that he give some help to the poor.
The children were tired and rather fussy, too,
From staying up late watching specials, not a few.
Between squabbles they added to their list of toys
Which, if delivered at Christmas they thought would bring joy.
And, then, in a flash my intellect perceived That anti-Christmas spirits had crept in like thieves.
And it seemed like the Devil was cheering them on,
“Yea fear, yea worry, yea anger and scorn, On selfishness, on vanity, on depression and care, Get ‘em rudeness, you too hatred, impatience,
and despair!”
Into the town these creatures had come, And into the stores and into the homes; They followed us to work and they went to the schools,
Where they stole all the joy like destroying tools.
And though we thought surely we were doing what was good, It was obvious to all we weren’t acting like we should;
And a little reflection soon made us to know
There was more to Christmas than bright lights and white snow.
The stockings may be full when comes Christmas morn,
And an abundance of presents marked by wrappings now torn. Stomachs may bulge and keep us from sleep, And we may have done well with traditions we keep;
But something is wrong, and everything’s not right
If these anti-Christmas spirits plague us day and night.
If Christ is not honored and if Christ is not King,
Then it is not really Christmas, but some other thing!
The Lord Jesus was born that first Christmas Day,
And if we are to honor Him, He must have His way.
So celebrate Christmas, but celebrate right!
Let Christ be your Saviour, He’ll give you the might
To say with conviction, as you rise in height,
“Away with all bitterness, hatred, and spite, I’ll be happy and nice, I’ll be helpful and kind; God will take away my darkness, I’ll let my life shine!.
Impatience and worry must flee with the night, Come love, joy, and peace, for Christ is my Light!”
FOR THHE SEASON AT ST. JOSEPH PARISH, BELMONT
holiday
30 Main St., Suite A, Meredith 603-279-0557 thegalleriesat30main.com
ANDRÉ BESSETTTE E PARISH CELEBRATE E THHE REASON FOR R THHE SEASON!
PLEASE JOIN THE ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC COMMUNITY AS WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOR ST. JOSEPH PARISH, 96 MAIN STREET, BELMONT
MASS SCHEDULE FOR CHRISTMAS 2024
Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24 4:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25: 9:30 a.m.
the first verified account was in 1944. They gradually spread throughout the state and are now found in every county.
I can recall two incidents, one in Errol near Umbagog Lake and one in Pittsburg near the Canadian border, where I was alone in the woods and heard a pack of coyotes howling and yipping back and forth. Both incidents were in the middle of the day. The frantic and loud nature of the communication was simultaneously unsettling and exhilarating. I never caught a glimpse of the pack in either case.
“Coyotes are capable of many distinct vocalizations − the yipping of youngsters, barks to indicate a threat, long howls used to bring pack members together, and group yip-howls issued when pack members reunite,” NH Fish and
Game writes.
Coyotes, contrary to what some believe, do not howl or otherwise vocalize after making a kill, as that could draw the attention of other predators.
“The last thing coyotes would want to do is attract competing coyotes or other predators to their hardearned kill or to announce their presence to any nearby prey before a hunt. Their howls, yips, and barks likely have more to do with cementing family bonds and defending/ establishing territory,” writes the National Park Service on its website.
Coyotes have a varied diet that includes rodents, squirrels, rabbits and hares, insects, fruit, and even carrion and garbage. They have also been known to take house cats and small dogs. In other words, they have adapted well to living among people.
“As for your safety, coyotes pose little risk to people,” NH Fish and Game writes.
Controlling coyotes has proven to be a difficult task, as they are smart, elusive and produce a lot of offspring. Hunting season is open all year for shooting in New Hampshire, and there is also a five-month trapping season. It is illegal to use poison as a means of control.
“Few animal species have been persecuted and hunted down with as much vigor and vitriol as the coyote in the United States,” the National Park Service writes.
I’ve never lost a pet to a coyote, and I don’t have a farm to protect, so I like the idea of coyotes living among us. The resourceful predators add mystery, verve and diversity to New England’s wild landscape.
A minority of disaffected Native American activists, offended by some Indian symbology, were successful in throwing out the baby with the proverbial bathwater and canceling indigenous sports associations across the land.
Hello Cleveland Guardians!
The disaffected did have some fair points about tasteless mascot portrayals. But offended parties weren’t interested in compromising, even when mascots like the Atlanta Braves’ Chief Noc-a-homa were retired.
Lefty bullying was daunting. But kudos to the Laconia Sachems and others for bravely remaining “uncowed.” Again, most Native Americans approve of the Indian nicknames and symbols—around 80% according to a Sports Illustrated survey.
Indeed, the strongest proponents of eschewing Indian symbology were white liberal progressives—not Indians.
Thus it was refreshing to see a Native American group call for the NFL’s Washington
Commanders to re-embrace the team’s former “Redskin” nickname.
The Native American Guardian Association (NAGA) gathered around 100,000 signatures to get Washington’s attention, while claiming 90% of Indians are not offended by the term “Redskins.”
Indeed, a sign outside a Navajo Reservation school in Arizona states “Welcome to the Home of the Redskins.”
Interestingly, the Redskins’ team name originated when the club played in Boston at Fenway Park in 1933. A name similar to “Red Sox” was sought for Boston’s NFL franchise, which moved to Washington in 1937.
It seems refreshingly clear that Americans are finally pushing back at woke bullies, politically correct nicknames, males playing on female teams, and a whole package of liberal lunacy.
Hail to the Redskins!
Sports Quiz
What was the Stanford University team nickname from the 1930s to the 1970s?
(Answer follows) Note: Stanford’s current mascot is a tree.
Born Today
That is to say, sports standouts born on December 12 include basketball great Bob Pettit (1932) and American gymnast Cathy Rigby (1952)
Sports Quote
“It is, Sir … a small college. And yet there are those who love it.” –Daniel Webster speaking about Dartmouth College
Sports Quiz Answer For decades Stanford University teams were known as Indians.
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 e-mail address is mchlmoffett@yahoo.com.
was picking the carcass. Obviously freezing the meat was one idea and for this I would suggest it be done in differing amounts. Rather than putting it all into one big container or zipper bag, use several smaller freezer zipper bags. Smaller bags are more manageable, they thaw faster (great for mid week meal making), and you can adjust to the recipe size needed without taking too much out of the freezer. Remember, when you are filling zipper bags, leave a little bit unsealed so that you can gently squeeze out the air before completely sealing the bag.
Separate the meat into like sizes for what you want to do with it, this helps to ensure proper reheating. Not as many people came as anticipated so maybe you have a full side untouched? Taking the entire breast halve from the carcass you can refrigerate this to cool and then slice it for sandwiches for the next few days. Or perhaps you can freeze it sliced and ready for reheating sometime this winter when the memories have faded and the thought of a turkey dinner is once again appealing?
Smaller “chunks”, those bite size pieces of meat, can be tossed into a bag and used for casseroles or salad toppers. The scraps and small pieces can be placed in a zipper bag to be saved for soup or mixed with a scoop of mayo, some seasonings, some leftover finely diced veggies from the “appe-teaser” platter, then sealed in the bag. With a little gentle kneading this makes a rather tasty Turkey Salad for sandwiches.
How about Buffalo Turkey Mac and Cheese Pizza? Tiring from turkey, by Sunday I decided to make Mac and
Cheese. (Yes, we had a lot of cheese leftover from the Appe-teaser platter!) And the big pot of Mac and Cheese too became a leftover. Pizza is a regular menu feature in this house and Tuesday we needed a quick meal. I pulled a frozen Cheese pizza out and in the time it took for the oven to preheat I warmed about two cups of Mac and Cheese in the microwave added some pulled turkey meat, a dash of cream,
into thin strips and arranged them like spokes on a wheel. The results were a delicious Buffalo Turkey Mac and Cheese Pizza, elevating the ordinary to extraordinary.
some Buffalo Dip Sauce, and a couple slices of American Cheese to help get it all creamy and spreadable. Plopped by the spoonful all over the top of the frozen pizza, I then took two slices of Mozzarella Cheese cut
How about a “Cheater Turkey Soup”? For many of us the leftovers were not just the main meal but side items as well. Did you too have cut veggies left over from the appe-teaser tray? How about doctoring a can of Chicken Noodle Soup? Dice up some of those leftover carrot and celery sticks. Toss them into a pot with a dab of butter and saute over medium heat for a few minutes to get them tender. Add a can of Chicken Noodle Soup, some diced turkey, and maybe even a leftover boiled onion or two cut up? An open carton of chicken or turkey stock? Add that too. Toss in a can or so of water and bring it all to a boil and season to taste. Again, Delicious!
And if you really want
to jazz up that Cheater Turkey Soup you can take some leftover stuffing and make “dumplings”. Take a few gobs of stuffing (about the size you would use for making cookies) figuring on four per serving. Roll each gob into a ball. With a dab of butter into a hot skillet, lightly toast the stuffing “dumplings” on all sides and then place them into the pot of soup. Let this all come to a boil for just a minute or two while you get ready to
enjoy a delicious repast. It is a soup with body and substance, much more so than just popping open a can of soup. Most everyone enjoys a turkey meal with all the trimmings once in a while, but too much of a good thing can lead to “same old same old” really quick. With a little preplanning, you too can create delicious hearty meals with variety, turning those same old leftovers into their own Simple Feast. Enjoy!
Electric Heat Pump will keep any room cozy in the winter, cool in the summer ... and energy-efficient year-round.
Black church attendance over the last 20 years is down 20 percentage points. Among young Black millennials and Gen Z, 50% of those who say they do attend church say they attend a Black church compared to two-thirds of older generation Blacks.
There is meaning both to more Blacks not attending church and to the movement of those attending church to non-Black churches. Politics are far more likely to be the topic of discussion and sermons in Black churches.
Kamala Harris’ campaign pitch to the American people was about big government. More spending, more subsidies, more social engineering.
More young Blacks,
certainly young Black men, see the path to prosperity as taking personal responsibility, and this means an economy that is kept free. Less government spending and lower taxes.
The data is there to see that Blacks can get ahead in America. Per the Federal Reserve, median Black household wealth stood at 5.6% that of white households in 1989. By 2022 this was up to 15.7%. In 1972, median Black household income stood at 57.5% of white households. By 2022, this increased to 62%.
Is this enough progress? Clearly, no. But it is increasingly clear to a new generation of Black Americans that what they need to get ahead is freedom. Data abounds show-
ing countries that are more economically free have far greater wealth and opportunity.
The ideological divide between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party -- more or less government, more or less freedom -- is more pronounced than ever.
Black Americans, particularly young Blacks and Black men, want a future, and they see the future in freedom.
Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.” Her recent book, “What Is the CURE for America?” is available now
jobs and make them safer and better. And the only way you can do that is with technological advancements in automation.”
Other countries have used automated cranes for years. They’re 80% faster than the humanoperated cranes in many American ports.
“The best ports,” says Palagashvili, “are Asian and Middle Eastern ports. They allow for innovation and technological advancements. If you look at Chinese ports, they’re actually sitting behind a computer and directing port activity through the screen. That’s a better job.”
“I bet there are fewer of them,” I push back.
“Some port jobs will definitely be lost,” she says, “but that’s not a bad thing. Look at
it historically; we had hundreds of thousands of blacksmiths and candlemakers and watchmakers.”
Obviously, those and other jobs were destroyed by new technology. But unemployment didn’t surge. New jobs emerged -- jobs people at the time didn’t imagine: programmers, mechanics, electricians, medical technicians ...
That’s capitalism’s “creative destruction.” It constantly creates new jobs. That makes most everyone richer.
The media rarely cover that, because it’s a slow, non-exciting, good news story, and the new jobs appear in many different places. By contrast, when a factory closes, the union assembles the media, and we report the tragic story about workers losing their jobs.
“That reporter doesn’t
follow up with the worker two years later,” says Palagashvili, “but research does, and research shows that that worker gets a new job.”
“On average, (a) better job,” I note.
“Better jobs,” agrees Palagashvili, “and higher wages.”
Higher wages because innovation allows workers to accomplish more.
“Bulldozers and crane trucks made construction industry workers better off,” says Palagashvili, “and the real wages of those construction workers increase.”
Daggett and his union just don’t get it. They fight to keep American ports dangerous and inefficient. That will hurt their own workers and, eventually, themselves.
and gold.
Over the past few years until recently, the sides of Notre Dame were covered in scaffolding, supports and construction cranes; Ironically the Cathedral’s majestic front twin bell towers seemed thankfully unaffected. However the 8 bells of the North Tower were later removed and cleaned. Its massive bells marked seminal events in French history such as the liberation of Paris on 25 August 1944.
Miraculously the magnificent medieval stained-glass colored windows survived too.
For the past few years, the Cathedral became a massive work site of artisans, using traditional materials and building techniques, recreating the historic perfection of the ages. For example; *The Cathedral walls, vaults and columns, grayed by soot of the ages and blackened by the fire were cleaned painstakingly, an area covering 450,000 square feet. Most of the stone was undamaged but scarred. Indeed the most noticeable feature of the renovation emerges as the sheer luminosity of
the cleaned limestone blocks. The Altar too has been refurbished.
*An enduring image of the inferno was the massive fire on the wooden roof which appeared to many as the death knell for North Dame. All 300 feet of the roof exploded in the conflagration and none the 800-yearold timbers survived. Yet the decision was made to replace the timbers with oak from French forests; over 1,200 oaks had to be found standing tall at 40 feet long. The wood was hand-sawn and hewed exactly as the original beams were in
the 13th century!
*The Eugene Violletle-Duc spire, added in the 19th century, once an iconic symbol of the Cathedral, collapsed but has now been replaced and topped by the golden rooster of France. The famed gargoyles have been reconstructed too guarding the edifice.
*The 18th century Grand Organ. a unique symbol of the Church, was restored all 8,000 pipes; cleaned, restored and reassembled.
Its cost? Nearly one billion $US dol -
lars in contributions from private donors internationally. The Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris (based in Etna, New Hampshire) has played a notable role in the USA. Notre Dame stands majestically along the Seine as an enduring spiritual symbol of France.
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.
by Parker & Hart
THEME THIS WEEK: WATCH
Answers on Page 29
