12/22/2022 Weirs Times

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

“Nice Christmas, but no snow,” was written on Christmas Day of the year 1931 by Dorothea Gage who was then the teacher of the one-room Hanaford School in New Hampton.

Here in New Hampshire snow is one of a number of things that are associated with Christmas, so a Christmas

without snow can seem to be one in which something is missing.

Dorothea was actually spending that 1931 Christmas winter vacation with her parents in Manchester. While in New Hampton Miss Gage boarded at a home about three quarters of a mile north of the school, and she walked to and from the school unless someone with a car came along and offered her a ride.

She had been busy with holiday sea-

son activities in the days before Christmas. She was in charge of a Christmas program at the New Hampton Grange meeting on December 17th and arrived home at midnight. December 18th was the last day of school before the two weeks vacation and also the evening of the school Christmas program. According to the teacher it “went off well.” But she was “dead tired.”

A young, twenty-five year old man

Merry ChristMas FroM the Weirs tiMes!

Everyone here at the Weirs Times would like to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas!

From our many loyal advertisers to our faithful readers, we realize that without you, the Weirs Times would not even be here and we are eternally grateful.

Over the past thirty-one years we have strived to bring you the best publication we can to entertain and inform, not just with our regular weekly columnists, but also with the input and contributions from you, our readers.

As we approach our thirtysecond year we are honored to put out this publication every week and humbled by your support.

None of this would have been possible without you.

We look forward to a bright and happy future and we wish you all the best!

Thank you!

Merry Christmas!

Moving On

To The Editor:

Now that we’re finished with all the election fatigue we can do something useful with our time. Such as figure out just how much we can do for ourselves during the next two Biden years. Mind you, I’m not saying that everything is going to get worse, but shouldn’t we get ready, just in case?

The power has gone out. What can you do without a cell phone? Sobering thought. Maybe we should all give this prospect some serious consideration. So should the kids in the family. A shift back to selfreliance and personal responsibility is not a bad thing at all, in the long run. Let’s start the shift now from dependence to independence and maybe the nation will start to heal itself. “Couldn’t hurt.

Mary Weston Dover, NH

President Biden Deserted A Marine

To The Editor:

Brittney Griner is back in the U.S. after the Biden administration was able to negotiate a prisoner swap with Russia, but was this the right swap?

Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, has been a Russian prisoner for four years. His health has deteriorated, and Whelan and his family are probably losing confidence in the ability of the U.S. govern-

ment to bring him home. I am sure many people in the U.S. believe Whelan should have superseded Griner in the order of swapping prisoners. Furthermore, the prisoner we returned to Russia was an arms dealer who sold weapons to anti-U.S. terrorists. Have we enabled him to sell more weapons to terrorists who want to strike at the U.S.? I wonder if Griner’s popularity and notoriety as a big time basketball player played into her superseding Whelan in the prisoner swap. Did the Biden administration place importance on her popularity and the impact on the voting public when compared to Whelan’s obscurity? Whelan was a Marine who was willing to fight and die to defend our country. Griner said she thought the national anthem should not be played prior to her basketball games.

Hopefully, Whelan will be receiving the same U.S. negotiating skills Griner received, and we will see him back in the U.S. very soon.

Donald Moskowitz Londonderry NH.

Federal Reserve: Worlds Greatest Pick Pocket

To

The Editor:

We have been blessed as a nation with the “gold standard” of government. Unlike other nations that grants rights and takes them away, the basic premise of our Constitutional

Republic is: “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights” … and it’s the function of government “to secure these rights.” Without these truths our liberty is on the brink.

The “gold standard” of economic systems is free enterprise based on morality. The system has been lost because of the electorate lacks a moral foundation of biblical morality. Our Founders knew the foundation of money for free people must to be anchored to “thou shall not steal.” The result therein is private property, an essential foundation of liberty.

In The Economic Consequences of the Peace, John Maynard Keynes states “the best way to destroy the capitalist system [is] to debauch the currency” a quote said to be traced back to Vladimir Lenin. Birthed in 1913, the Federal Reserve (FED) has usurped our liberties using Keynesian economics. A mechanism by which the government inflation machine increases the dollars in circulation while citizens are blind to who initiates their dollars being worth less. By a continuing process of inflation, governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens. By this method they not only confiscate, but they confiscate arbitrarily; and while the process impoverishes many, it actually enriches some.

Americans need account -

Our StOry

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

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.

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Five thiNgs to do iF you doN’t sKi or sNoWBoard!

It sure feels like winter!

I have skied in the sunshine, the rain, the cold and a snow storm all while it was still officially Fall. Calendar winter began yesterday, Wednesday, December 21st at 4:48 pm! It’s going to be a great winter.

Let’s all enjoy winter. Here’s five things you can do even if you don’t ski or snowboard!

#5 Apres Ski!

Apres is a French word for After. Apres Ski means After Skiing! Did you know that apres ski can be celebrated even if you didn’t go skiing or snowboarding? All it takes to join in on the fun is to be happy it is winter. Apres Ski can even take place in the middle of the day. The fun of socializing at a resort or a ski town can be enjoyed by everyone. On weekends and holidays the

resort’s pub will have entertainment or a promotion event. Most people don’t dance in their ski boots so you’ll fit right in.

Resort’s pubs, nearby restaurants and brewpubs allencourage skiers to celebrate the winter inside their warm cozy places and talk about the weather and snow conditions.

#4 Take a lift ride to the summit of a

Snowshoeing is a fun thing to do even if you know how to ski or snowboard! There are certainly more than five things--go snow tubing, take a sleigh ride, make some Spa Time, sit by a fireplace!

viva Las vegas

by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer

If you’ve never been to Las Vegas, then you need to add a trip there to your “bucket list.” There’s no place like it.

I’ve been to Vegas numerous times, most recently for a legislative conference on sports gaming. As always, it’s very interesting to meet, mix, and mingle with lawmakers from across the fruited plain and compare notes on what other states are doing—or not doing—in terms of laws, policies, and pending legislation. I love it.

All but two states (see sports quiz) have some sort of governmentsponsored gambling, ranging from lotteries to casinos to pari-mutuel betting to sports betting. New Hampshire actually led the way in this area when the Granite State established its sweepstakes lottery in 1964.

Nevada pretty much had a monopoly on legalized sports betting until a 2018 Supreme Court decision opened the doors for other states to follow. New Hampshire quickly worked with Draft Kings to get a sports betting program passed into law in 2019, ahead of most other states (as usual) and around $40 million betting dollars have since gone towards education in our state.

So back to Las Vegas. Sin City has it all. Numerous destination resorts. Fabulous shows. World class restaurants. NASCAR (Vegas took away New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s September NASCAR race in 2018). Big time college sports. And now, major league sports.

The Las Vegas NHL entry, the Golden Knights, made the Stanley Cup Finals in 2018—their first year in the league. The Las Vegas NFL entry—the Raiders—unfortunately lost a lot of close games this year and would otherwise have been a top playoff contender. Conference rumors involved MLB’s Oakland A’s following the Raiders to Vegas and the NBA’s Oklahoma

Thunder following suit. I suppose if Vegas can take away our NASCAR race, it can also “Steal the Thunder.”

While in Vegas I watched the Army-Navy Game at the “Dawg House” sports bar with N.H. State Senator Tim Lang, who was prime sponsor of New Hampshire’s sports betting initiative which became law on Jan. 1, 2020. (See Dec. 7 Sport-Thoughts column.) That football classic was interesting to watch, as both teams ran the ball almost every play. Army would win the game in overtime, 20-17. A small bet on Navy didn’t pay off.

They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. And our unsuccessful modest wa-

ger on the Midshipmen meant that a few of our N.H. dollars would stay in Vegas. Next year we’ll bet on Navy in New Hampshire. That way if Army wins then at least a few of our dollars will go to education in the Granite State. Live and learn.

“Merry Christmas!

Sports Quiz

What are the only two states which are not in the gambling business? (Answer follows)

Born Today

That is to say, sports standouts born on December 22 include longtime Athletics manager Connie Mack (1862) and Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton (1944).

Sports Quote

“Las Vegas is the only place I know where money really talks. It says Goodbye!” – Frank Sinatra

Sports Quiz Answer Hawaii and Utah.

State Representative Mike Moffett was a Sports Management Professor for Plymouth State University and NHTI-Concord. He coauthored the awardwinning “FAHIM SPEAKS: A WarriorActor’s Odyssey from Afghanistan to Hollywood and Back” which is available on Amazon. com. His e-mail address is mimoffett@comcast. net.

Las Vegas Raider running back Josh Jacobs leads the NFL in rushing

OOL

HAMPSHIRE

the Night BeFore ChristMas

Then I Saw Someone Who Looked Just Like Me Searching For Something He Just Could Not See

I Felt One With Him And What He Was Feeling He Looked Right And Left And Up To The Ceiling

Then A Voice From Above Woke Us Up From Our Trance “We Are Closing In Five Minutes” It Was Now The Last Dance We Knew We Were Done We Had Failed In Our Mission To Complete Our Simple Part Of This Christmas Tradition

by Brendan Smith Weirs Times Editor

T’was The Night Before Christmas And All Through The Store The Employees Were Restless People Still Wanted More

It Was An Hour Till Closing And The Customers Lingered With What Little Was Left They Examined And Tinkered

The Goods Were Picked Over The Choices Were Slim They Would Need To Get Something For Her Or For Him

I Was There With The Rest Looking To Find A Gift I Should Have Bought Long Ago Or Online

She Gave Me A List Back on Thanksgiving Day With Many Great Choices All I Had To Do Was Pay

But Now Here I Was Along With The Rest Scouring The Remains And Put To The Test

I Could Not Find The Shirt The Pants Or The Shoes Or Even The Pin That She Did Long Ago Choose

There were Pieces And Portions Of This Thing And That I Had Even Considered Buying A Funny Old Hat

I Was Desperate For Sure But What Could I do I’d Have To Pick Something But Had Really No Clue

Maybe He Thought By Some Strange Twist Of Fate There’d Be Something Up There Be He Knew It Was Too Late

I Walked Over To Him And Told Him My Name And Said I would Help Him If He’d Do The Same

Then We Shook Hands And Showed Each Other Our Lists Then Headed Each Way To Look For The Gifts

I Went Right He Went Left Me East And Him West To Divide And To Conquer To Find What Was Best

There Were Still Ten Minutes Till The Doors They Were Shut And Our Last Ditch Effort To Save Both Our Butts

I Started Towards Jewelry And He Went Towards Clothes Would We Find What We Needed? God Only Knows

Towards My Destination I Stopped For A Second To Browse The Big Screen TVs For My Senses To Arouse

I Knew It Was Wrong To Waste Precious Seconds But The Color And Clarity To Me It Did Beckon

The Off To My Right I Saw A Known Figure It Was My New Friend And With Me He Lingered

My New Friend Had A Thought And He Beckoned Me Forward Towards The Cashier Who Looked Tired And Tortured

She Gazed At Us Grimly Her Last Customers That Night As We Approached Her Station And It’s One Glowing Light

I Didn’t Quite Know What My Friend Had Planned But When He Opened His Mouth I Would Soon Understand

“Merry Christmas Young Miss” He Gave His Regards “We Would Both Like To Purchase Two Hundred Dollar Gift Cards”

He Gave Me A Wink As He pulled Out Some Cash I Did The Same And We Left With Our Stash

We Walked To Our Cars And We Said Our Goodbyes Then Drove Off To Home With Our Christmas Surprise

I Heard Him Exclaim As He Drove Out Of Sight “I Sure Hope She Likes It Or It Will Be A Long Night”

Brendan is the author of “The Flatlander Chronicles”,“Best Of A F.O.O.L. In New Hampshire” and “I Only Did It For The Socks Stories & Thoughts On Aging” All are available at BrendanTSmith. com. year.

“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)

BRENDAN SMITH’S NEW BOOK!

“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)

JaCK dorsey gettiNg a perJury pass shoWs duaL JustiCe systeM

When it comes to prosecuting former President Donald Trump and his associates for alleged malfeasance, or any conservative, left-wing politicians and their supporters like to tout the “no one is above the law” line. Yet, when one of their own breaks the law, their collective silence is deafening.

the sLippery sLope Never eNds

by Adriana Cohen Syndicated Columnist

It’s selective justice where lawbreakers on the right are swiftly and harshly held accountable by the full weight of the U.S. Department of Justice, but at times, their left-leaning counterparts are either given a pass or treated with kid gloves. One of the latest high-profile examples is former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, who lied before Congress while testifying at a 2018 House Energy and Commerce Committee meeting to discuss “Transparency and Accountability” at his social media company.

“I want to read a few quotes about Twitter’s practices, and I just want you to tell me if they’re true or not,” Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Penn., said. “Social media is being rigged to censor conservatives. Is that true of Twitter?” “No,” Dorsey responded. “Are you censoring people?” Doyle followed. “No,” Dorsey answered again. “Twitter’s shadow-banning prominent Republicans ... is that true?” Doyle asked. “No,” Dorsey said a third time. Twitter’s then CEO also assured Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., that any shadow-banning of Republican lawmakers by the social media company’s algorithm “was not written with that intention.”

Yet the recent release of documents and internal discussions among Twitter’s top brass and far-left “content moderators” confirm it did shadow-ban and censor conservatives while Dorsey ran the then public company. “A new #TwitterFiles investigation reveals that teams of Twitter employees build blacklists, prevent disfavored tweets from trending, and actively limit the visibility of entire accounts or even trending topicsall in secret, without informing users,” journalist Bari Weiss tweeted last week.

She revealed “Take, for example, Stanford’s Dr. Jay Bhattacharya who argued that Covid lockdowns would harm children. Twitter secretly placed him on a ‘Trends Blacklist,’ which prevented his tweets from trending. Or consider the popular right-wing talk show host, Dan Bongino who at one point was slapped with

by Ben Shapiro Syndicated Columnist

In 2006, then-Sen. Joe Biden ranted against the supposed irrelevance of a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage in federal law as one man, one woman. “We already have a law, the Defense of Marriage Act,” he said. “I’ve voted, and others have said, look, marriage is between a man and a woman and states must respect that. Nobody’s violated that law, there’s been no challenge to that law. Why do we need a constitutional amendment? Marriage is between a man and a woman.”

Sixteen years later, President Joe Biden stood on the lawn of the White House and chortled that he had finally enshrined samesex marriage into federal law. “Today’s a good day,” he said. “A day America takes a vital step toward equality, toward liberty and justice, not just for some, but for everyone.”

A vital step. Not the final step. Not the culminating step. A vital step.

The language here is important because it is revealing. Biden and his allies have an agenda that goes far beyond the redefinition of marriage. The agenda is simple: use of government to obliterate traditional values and intermediary social institutions that embody them.

Biden made this clear in his speech, in which he lumped together opposition to same-sex marriage with “racism, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia.” This is patent nonsense, of course. But it does set the groundwork for the actual transgressive agenda: to liken traditional views about marriage to pure bigotry. And this will necessitate governmental action against those who believe in marriage. After all, we as a society don’t tolerate racism on the basis of religious freedom. If Christian views about marriage are treated similarly, why should churches maintain their tax-exempt status while “discriminating” against same-sex weddings?

Biden went still further. In championing same-sex marriage, he said that Americans “need to challenge the hundreds of callous, cynical laws introduced in the states targeting transgender children, terrifying families and criminalizing doctors who get children the care they need.” In other words, if you oppose the hormonal sterilization and surgical mutilation of minors as a pseudopalliative for gender identity disorder, you are evil, and you must be stopped by force of federal law.

The natural outcome of this agenda will be precisely what Democrats pretend now to oppose: anti-religious discrimination, educational cramdowns, threats to traditional parenting. And make no mistake: they are pretending. They have no rationale for drawing lines to hem in their cultural imperialism. When asked by CBS News correspondent Steve Portnoy whether protections for religious practice were “codifying discrimination,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered, “Is there more work to do? Absolutely. There’s always more work to do.”

In the early 1990s, Democrats denied that they wanted civil unions. They were lying. In the mid-2000s, Democrats denied that they wanted same-sex marriage. They were lying. Now Democrats say they don’t want religious discrimination or educational indoctrination. They are lying. In the end, what transgressives want is simple: a national state that stands as the god of a new moral system, and atomized individuals without recourse to intermediary institutions of community or civil society.

And if the Republicans who voted for the Orwellian Respect for Marriage Act think that they have bought a respite from the predations of the Left by signing onto an erstwhile compromise, they will soon learn the error of their ways.

To find out more about Ben Shapiro and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

the sCieNCe oF happiNess

Are you happy?

Many people say they feel happier during the holidays.

But I’m not happy.

sisters who were so happy all the time that our film crew found them annoying to be around. The twins laughed all the time.

It wasn’t because of anything their parents did. The girls were separated at birth and didn’t meet until they were in their 30s.

“Someone like you can become happier if you want to,” says psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky in my new video. “Socializing is hugely associated with being happy.”

“But I’m an introvert,” I respond. “I don’t want to socialize!”

did.

It worked. “It made them happy,” says Lyubomirsky.

You don’t need to be super outgoing, she says, “Just a little bit more social than you otherwise are -- call up an old friend, for example.”

by John Stossel Syndicated Columnist

Democrats and Republicans keep voting for bigger government. Few people accept the idea that government that governs least -- governs best.

It makes me sad.

I once did an ABC special on “The Mystery of Happiness.” We interviewed the “Giggle Twins,” two

“Probably 50% of happiness is genetic,” says twins researcher Thomas Bouchard.

Other research with brain scans shows babies who smile a lot usually have more electrical activity in their left prefrontal cortex.

I volunteered for a scan.

My brain scan showed less activity in that part of my brain.

She laughs and says, “We did a study where we asked both introverts and extroverts to act more extroverted for one week ... talk to strangers, like a barista at a coffee shop. We thought that it would be exhausting for an introvert like you.”

The introverts did resist, but the researchers pushed them -- told them that on their next commute, they had to talk to someone. They

Calling a friend might help even more if the friend is lonely. High on the researchers’ happiness list: doing something kind for someone.

A current trend at Starbucks is “pay it forward.” A customer tells the cashier they will pay for the person behind them. That surprised customer then often decides to pay for the next person. It starts a chain.

iraN expeLLed FroM uNited NatioNs’ WoMeN’s rights CoMMissioN

In a hugely symbolic but stinging rebuke, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been expelled form the UN’s Commission on Woman’s Rights.

The vote in the 54 member Economic and Social Council, (ECOSOC) came amid growing global outrage at the Iranian regime’s brutal and bloody crackdown on widening demonstrations across the country in protest to the theoretic regime’s restrictions on women’s rights and freedoms.

by John J. Metzler Syndicated Columnist

The resolution, backed by the United States, supported the action to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women, for the remainder of its four year term ending in 2026. The development comes in the wake of the Tehran regime’s brutal crackdown on protests and calls for justice for Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died in custody of the infamous “morality police.” She was accused of not wearing her hijab headscarf properly.

U.S. Ambassador Linda ThomasGreenfield commented, “Iran’s membership at this moment is an ugly stain on the Commission’s credibility.”

The recorded vote was 29 in fa-

vor, 9 against and with 16 abstentions. The Yes votes supporting the resolution included among others the United States, Austria, Canada, France, Japan and New Zealand. Equally Croatia, Czech Republic, Guatemala and Israel joined.

The 9 No’s comprised the usual suspects including China, Kazakistan, Nicaragua, Russia and Zimbabwe.

Again the 16 abstentions were interesting including Mexico, India and Indonesia.

As expected Iran’s UN representatives “categorically and strongly condemned” the action.

The resolution rebuked the Iranian Government’s actions since September 2022, “to continuously

undermine and increasingly suppress the human rights of women and girls”, and “often with the use of excessive force.” The document moreover decries, “the use of lethal force resulting in the deaths of peaceful protesters, including women and girls.”

As United Kingdom Ambassador Barbara Woodward stated, “The severity of Iran’s brutal and disproportionate state-sponsored use of force against protesters calling for ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ over the past several weeks have appalled the world.” She added, “Here at the UN, we cannot sit by and allow the violence that led to the arrest and death of Mahsa Amini to continue

See STOSSEL on 25 See METZLER on 26

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.

Letters From God

QUESTION: How Could You Be God Yet Be Born In A Stable?

I think your question reflects your limited understanding of me, God. Unfortunately, when you think of God, you tend to think of him being like you, a human being. The problem with this is that you make me, God, in your image instead of accepting me as I am, radically different. You have confined me in your proverbial “box,” instead of basing your understanding on my revelation of myself to you. By doing this, you fail to see that I am vastly different than you. “you thought I was altogether like you.” (Psalm 50:21). But you must never forget that, “my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways, declares he Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-10).

There is a predominant problem for all humanity, it is that you are proud. All begin their lives demanding that others serve you. Early on, you begin to believe that you are the center of the universe.

At the age of reason, everyone at some point, makes the decision to do what they want,

thereby rejecting me as God, my will and my desires for proper behavior that brings life, not death. From that point on it is inevitable that you choose to make yourself your own “god,” and thus pride becomes your prominent sin. I say this because when pride is your controlling influence, you take it to its logical conclusion and make the tragic mistake of making me in your image, instead of accepting me as I am. “You have trusted in your own wickedness and have said, ‘no one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.” (Isaiah 47:10).

You must recognize that though I am almighty, I created all that you can and can’t see in the universe, I am humble. I am the King of Kings and one day every knee will bow before me yet, unlike you, who when you are exalted and make yourself a “god,” which you are not, I remain humble.

This leads me to your question. When I sent my Son to the earth, he didn’t need first class accommodation. He didn’t need marching bands and worldwide coverage though, as God, he certainly deserved it. Thus, for him being rejected by each of the inn keepers and being relegated to a stable at his birth, was not only not offensive, but it was perfectly suited to his humble tastes. Everything about his birth and life was a picture of humble living.

But here is the problem. If you are proud you will miss my Son, the Messiah, because you couldn’t imagine such a humble arrival. Even worse, if your pride is so great that you didn’t want him in your life because he might upset your proud lifestyle, you may go beyond missing him and possibly try to quash him. You might go so far as try to eliminate him as a threat to your “kingdom.”

That is what the Jewish King Herod did, when he learned Jesus’ birth. He was proud and wicked, and he couldn’t stand the thought that there was someone who might take his kingship away from him and relegate him to a mere servant. So, after he heard from the visitors from the East, seeking to find the location of the “king of the Jews,” who had been born in Israel, and even after discovering that the scriptures predicted he would be born in Bethlehem, hundreds of years earlier (Micah 5:2), he tried to kill Jesus, my Son and your Messiah.

Imagine being so proud that you would want to kill your creator God, who humbled himself enough to become a man and give his life so that you could be restored to me and to us and have eternal life. You don’t have to imagine because as I write, it is occurring around the world. His coming should cause all humanity to immediately recognize their sin, bow in humble adoration and seek his forgiveness. This should be followed with a surrender of your life to his will in response to his

sacrificial love, demonstrated in him paying the price of your debt of sin against me, God.

How is your reaction now, in light of this appropriate response to His sacrifice for you? Do you humbly bow or recoil at the thought? Do you reject him and even try to eliminate him from your life? If so, your pride has caused you to miss your Messiah. Sadly, he is your only hope. Without his sacrificial and substitutionary death, you will die in time and for eternity.

Would you consider at least that in light of who I am, you must accept me on my terms and accept my Son, Jesus, as your only hope for life?

I love you, God

These letters are written by a New Hampshire pastor.

New England’s Wild Birds & Their Habitats

sLoW tiMes at the Feeders

by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer

For those who feed birds, it seems that there are slow times, busy times, and routine times.

It can be disconcerting and frustrating during the slow times. You glance out of the window hoping to see a few birds to lift your spirits or to just appreciate a bit of nature during the day, and nothing is there. It can be worrisome because the thought often arises as to whether or not the lack of birds indicates that some -

thing is wrong with bird populations.

Populations of many bird species, of course, are indeed in decline. But a slow period at the feeder is typically not an indication of a broader concern. There are certain times of the year when birdfeeders go through a slow period. Seasonal fluctuations are normal. We are perhaps going through one of those fluctuations now as I’ve received a few emails recently wondering why the birds have suddenly stopped visiting.

There are also many

other factors that may contribute to slow times at the feeders.

Even feeders that are typically busy throughout the year can experience lags in bird visits. One of the main reasons for a lag is the presence of a new predator. Maybe a Cooper’s hawk or sharp-shinned hawk has been trolling the area and hiding out near the feeders. Perhaps, unseen to the one who feeds birds, the hawk grabbed a meal or two and the rest of the birds took note and found a new place to find food. Not

to worry, however. The birds will return before long.

A new cat in the neighborhood could also be impacting the number of birds visiting the feeders. Many cat owners keep their cats strictly as indoor pets, but many cats are allowed to roam the neighborhood. The presence of a cat around birdfeeders is likely to result in the birds staying away while the cat is around.

Another potential reason for a slow period at the birdfeeder

A northern cardinal perches in a bush near a feeding station in New England last week.

The Simple Feast

Cherries JuBiLee

The Simple Feast

Simple

by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer

The Simple

Thanksgiving had it’s pies, all of them home made and all were delicious, but Christmas had only one dessert; Cherries Jubilee!

It was the 70’s and Christmas still retained some of its innocence from decades past. People still freely said “Merry Christmas!” without pause or guilt. Christmas was celebrated in public schools with yuletide trim, gift swaps, and cookies. The majority of houses in the neighborhood had brilliantly decorated Christmas trees replete with lights and tinsel prominently displayed in a front window. Many houses were trimmed with lights, some even had Santa in his sleigh pulled by Roudolf and the gang adorning the front lawn. And yes, the Nativity Scene held its rightful place, center stage, on the public square.

I can still remember the phone call that happened each December, it was in the evening of the day the neighbor next door decorated their house. They would call mom, chat for a moment, and within seconds of placing the receiver back on the hook

mom had us kids gather at the dining room window. The dim light, cast from dad’s reading lamp in the living room, helped us find our way around the formal dining table. Standing there straining every muscle as we leaned over the credenza to peer out into the night, only our reflection in silhouette was seen against the dark frosty panes. Then, as if by magic, Dotty and Miron’s smiling faces appeared across the way. Framed, as if on a Christmas Card, they waved to us from their window. Wreathed in colorful lights, the frosted edges of their window panes each took on a different hue. The snow covered ground beneath awash in subtle pastels; red, yellow, green, and blue.

As kids, my siblings

and I spent the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas dreaming of presents and Cherries Jubilee. We longed for it. We craved it. To us, Cherries Jubilee was the Holy Grail of desserts. It was akin to one of Tolkien’s Golden Rings of Power, for indeed, this dessert had the ability to enchant those under its spell with greed in the form of gluttony. Never satiated, no matter how full the belly, the pallet always demanded more.

Five of us were crammed into that tiny house on the south side of Dover. Add a tree, presents, a few extra family members and, well, an already cozy house just got cozier. In stark contrast to this modest dwelling, holiday meals were quite fantastic. It was mom’s time to

shine, with Roast Beef always the main fare at Christmas. Add to this all the trimmings; mashed potatoes, gravy, squash, boiled onions, peas and other veggies, and mom’s Parker House Rolls. She even served some sort of a milky pale green thing on a plate that was shaped like a dome and wiggled. She had every detail covered right down to the celery and black olives offered in a cut glass relish tray. The entire feast was spread out on white linen and served on Royal Albert china with the family Silverware. It was all rather ostentatious for blue collar wages but for Christmas, mom pulled out all the stops, and dessert, Cherries Jubilee, was the crown jewel of this not so simple feast.

Not ones to savor this dessert, if given the option, we would have descended upon it like a starving pack of Jackals downing a Wildebeest on the Serengeti. After filling ourselves full of Christmas dinner, somehow, we always found room for Cherries Jubilee. Finishing our delightful repast we kids would spend Christmas afternoon sprawled across the living room floor like a huddle of walruses lazily adrift on an arctic flow.

As an adult, I asked mom what was in Cherries Jubilee.

“If I told you what was in it, you would never eat it!”

Not what a child wants to hear from their mother, but, I certainly will

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Henniker - Working Man’s Porter Concord Craft - Safe Space Stoneface - IPA Moat Mtn - Blueberry 603 - Winni Amber Ale ...+6 More On Tap

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Robert Cray Band In Laconia

Laconia welcomes back The Robert Cray Band on Saturday, February 25 at 8pm. Since 1974, The Robert Cray Band has been touring and recording their unique groove, born from a love of Soul, R&B, Gospel, Blues and Rock n Roll. The fivetime Grammy winner has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame

and earned the Americana Music Awards Lifetime Achievement for Performance. Tickets are on sale now at ColonialLaconia.com or by calling 1-800657-8774.

Tickets for The Robert Cray Band at the Colonial Theatre are $39-$79 and go on sale Friday, December 16 at 10am at ColonialLaconia.com or by calling 1-800-6578774.

The newly reopened Colonial Theatre has a seating capacity of 750 and plays host to a wide range of performances. The Colonial Theatre is located at 609 Main Street, Laconia, NH 03246. www. coloniallaconia.com

MAILBOAT from 2

ability from the FED. The national debt was only 1 billion in 1913, jumping to 8 billion by 1918, 1980 achieving a trillion, today 30-plus trillion and tomorrow? The sky is the limit. Did you know that the FED became the embodiment of the fifth step that Karl Marx advocated in the Communist Manifesto needed to enslave a nation? Marx said “centralization of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly” What it amounts to is pre-meditated well planned generational robbery. Do you appreciate your elected officials ignoring this theft of your hard earned money?

To combat the theft, we need citizen support for HR 9157: The Gold Standard Restoration Act. The bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney from W. Virginia puts control of the money supply with the free market instead of with the Federal Reserve. He informs us of the reality of how deep the hidden tax of inflation has been. He contends that the U.S. dollar has lost 97% value since 1913. That is a rate of stealing half the value of the of the American peoples wealth measured in dollars every 35 years. This is nothing more than the “euthanasia of capitalism”.

Congress plays the

game of buying party support with your money. They please the bankers while simultaneously hiding big spending. The time is now to take back your wealth. Go to JBS.ORG for con -

sequential legislative action. Demand your legislator support HR 9157. This is the solution to get the worlds greatest pickpockets out of our pockets.

Russ Payne Merrimack,

NH.

named Raymond Smith lived a quarter of a mile north of the school house and it was he who gave 23 year old Dorothea a ride to the train station the next morning from which she traveled to the family home in Manchester. “No snow here in Manchester,” she wrote in her dairy.

During the remaining days before Christmas the young teacher prepared for the holiday with shopping and helping her mother to entertain the Ladies Aid at church. Church involvement was an important part of their lives. The day before Christmas she bought a Christmas tree and decorated it. But something else was missing besides snow. T’was the night before Christmas and she did not hear from Ray.

She still had a nice Christmas, with no snow, and received lots of nice presents including $25 from her Dad and a fish pole and

Christmas Program Book from 1930 - Used in schools.

pocket book from her Mother. And, also, she got a pen, pencil, and chocolates from Ray, “but no letter,” though on Monday, the 28th

of December she could write, “Letter from Ray at last.”

The previous Christmas in 1930 followed much of the same rou-

tine with the school Christmas program on the 19th which “went off well” with about 40 present and the teacher receiving lots of things from kids, and it was snowing when they went home. It also snowed hard all day on the 23rd with about nine inches accumulating to make for a white Christmas. Dorothea’s Christmas was “ nice, even if it was quiet.” The tree was set up and decorated on Christmas Eve as tradition dictated, and she received the traditional chocolates along with pendants from Ray Smith which left her wishing she had sent him something.

Raymond and Dorothea (Dot to some) were married in the summer of 1932 and made their home at that house a quarter of a mile north of the schoolhouse. The Christmas traditions continued, however, and on December 19th of the year 1932 Ray and Dot went Christmas shopping in Laconia. While there, Dot wrote, “Saw Dr. Normandin. She says I’m pregnant.”

Traditions continued, but from then on Christmas would be different for my Mother and Dad, even their first one as a married couple.

It was a cloudy day, but Mother wrote that she received a lot of nice presents. However, she added, “ Couldn’t go home today. Grandma Gage passed away this morning.” I don’t know if the first statement had anything to do with the second.

Mother wrote in 1931 that those were “ hard times, worse than last

year.” That being so, and our Christmases being quiet and maybe simple to some, Christmas was exciting and meaningful to me.

Though my Mother was no longer the teacher, the yearly Christmas programs continued in the one classroom schoolhouse with depictions of Dicken’s “Christmas Carol,” recitations, singing of Christmas carols and the entrance of Santa Claus. All the children were given little Christmas boxes filled with pieces of hard candy.

There were the added celebrations of the event at the regular meetings of the Juvenile Grange and 4-H Club. During those years of my childhood there was the annual search in the woods for the family Christmas tree, and the setting the same on a wooden stand in the liv-

ing room, not weeks before the big day, but, the day before Christmas.

Among the decorations were many homemade ones to supplement the glass orna -

ments and an abundance of tinsel intended to make the tree sparkle. There was also the tree at school which had to be decorated with the decorations we made.

These would be traced and cut-out figures from construction paper like bells and angels and chains made of rings cut out of construction

SMITH from 16 See SMITH on 18

CELEBRATE THE REASON FOR THE SEASON! AT ST. ANDRÉ BESSETTE PARISH

Please join the St. André Bessette Catholic Community as we Celebrate the Birth of Our Savior St. André Bessette Parish, 277 Union Ave., Laconia

—MASS SCHEDULE FOR CHRISTMAS 2022—

Saturday December 24:

4:00 p.m., Sacred Heart

4:00 p.m., Parish Hall

6:00 p.m., Sacred Heart

12:00 a.m., Sacred Heart

Sunday December 25: 9:00 a.m., Sacred Heart

—MASS SCHEDULE FOR NEW YEARS 2022/ 2023—

Saturday December 31: 4:00 P.M., Sacred Heart

Sunday January 1:

7:00 A.M., Sacred Heart

8:30 A.M., Sacred Heart

10:30 A.M., Sacred Heart

COME CELEBRATE THE REASON FOR THE SEASON at St. Joseph Parish, Belmont

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 2022

Saturday December 24: 4:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.

Sunday December 25: 9:30 a.m.

MASS SCHEDULE FOR NEW YEAR’S 2022/2023

Saturday December 31: 4:30 P.M.

Sunday January 1: 9:30 A.M.

Fr. Marc, Fr. Dick, Deacon Mark & the Pastoral Staff

Fr. Marc, Fr. Dick, Deacon Mark & the Pastoral Staff

SMITH from 17

paper.

Back in those days popcorn was strung into garlands to make an additional decoration. Christmas morning at our house during my childhood would begin with searching within our stockings to find what was there which usually meant an orange (something we didn’t usually have), some candy and nuts, probably a candy cane, and the surprise items.

After the initial excitement had died down there was breakfast, after which we had to finish the farm chores of feeding and watering the animals and poultry, and bringing in the wood for the stoves before the

opening the presents that were under the tree. The breakfast dishes also had to be washed and everybody’s must do things finished be-

fore someone was appointed to distribute the wrapped presents one by one. There was no freefor-all when everyone looked for and grabbed

their gifts. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of looking for the gifts with one’s own name on them and speculating as to what might be beneath the wrappings. Mid-day would come the special Christmas dinner and a nice, enjoyable Christmas day!

It was in the home and the church that I learned the “reason for the season” which often seems to be an underlying factor instead of at the top where it should be. The word begins with Christ and the season is meant to celebrate the incarnation which is the message of God becoming flesh in the person of Jesus, the Christ. He came, the Bible tells us, to save people from their sins. Among Christmas season traditions are the Sunday School and/or church Christmas programs and the Christmas Eve service.

My Mother’s “Up-ToDate Christmas Programs” book from 1930 for the public school classroom contains a mixture of plays, recitations, and songs about Jesus and Santa Claus. Realizing that the mixing of the two has probably caused confusion in many young minds, and that I am writing for an audience of varied beliefs, allow me to quote a verse from Mother’s 1930 book:

“No one is too wise to worship Jesus’ No one is too lowly to find Him today, So let us seek Christ as our Savior And keep Him in our hearts alway.”

Have a nice Christmas!

a ChristMas poeM

The poem was written in 1986 in Washington D.C. by Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt. It has become a favorite among the military. It was shared with us by Dolores Beal Stephens.

Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone, in a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone. I had come down the chimney with presents to give, and to see just who in this home did live. I looked all about, a strange sight I did see, no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stocking by mantle, just boots filled with sand, and on the wall pictures of far distant lands. With medals and badges, awards of all kinds, a sobering thought came to my mind.

For this house was different, so dark and so dreary, the home of a soldier, now I could see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone, curled up on the floor in the one bedroom home. The face was so gentle, the room in such disorder, not how I pictured a United States soldier. Was this the hero of whom I’d just read? Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?

I realized the families that I saw this night, owed their lives to these soldiers who were willing to fight. Soon round the world, the children would play, and grownups would celebrate a bright Christmas day. They all enjoyed the freedom each month of the year, because of the soldiers, like the one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone, on a cold Christmas eve in a land far from home. The very thought brought a tear to my eye, I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice, “Santa don’t cry, this life is my choice;

I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more, my life is my God, my country, my corps.”

The soldier rolled over and soon drifted to sleep, I couldn’t control it I continued to weep. I kept watch for hours, so silent and still, and we both shivered from the cold evening’s chill.

I didn’t want to leave on that cold, dark, night, this guardian of honor so willing to fight.

The the soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure, whispered, “Carry on Santa, it’s Christmas day, all is secure.” One look at my watch, and I knew he was right.

“Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night.”

WeLCoMe the WorLd to hoLiday gatheriNgs

The traditional dishes served year after year at your family’s holiday gatherings may bring comfort and a sense of nostalgia, but you can open your loved ones up to a whole new world by incorporating recipes from around the globe.

People of all different cultures across the Earth are often connected by food, whether it’s a classic holiday dish or a unique take on a traditional dish, like this raisin-infused Challah. While the dishes themselves may drastically differ, using similar ingredients can be a unifying thread.

For those looking to pull off worldly cuisines this holiday season, consider a familiar and nearly universal ingredient like raisins, an innovative and delicious addition incorporated in culturally diverse

dishes. On top of their versatile flavor, SunMaid Raisins offer a better-for-you whole fruit option with no added sugar per 1/4-cup serving.

Consider these global recipe ideas enjoyed at holiday gatherings around the world.

Germany

* Apple Strudel: Quite possibly one of the most famous German desserts of all, raisins add a delicious chewiness to this traditional strudel.

* Lebkuchen: A traditional German cake similar to gingerbread that’s full of sweet spices, walnuts, dates and raisins.

Italy

* Cuccidati Siciliani: Typically at their most

popular during the holiday season, these Italian fig cookies feature raisins inside the deliciously fruity filling.

* Panettone: Also a holiday favorite, Panettone is a towering round of sweet bread speckled with raisins, citrus and almonds.

England

* Fruitcake: Traditional fruitcake is chock-full of dried raisins, golden raisins, cherries, dates, pineapple and apricots soaked in dark tea overnight.

* Bread Pudding: This English staple uses stale bread, spices, sweetener and raisins to create a dense and delicious cake.

Poland

* Cinnamon-Raisin Rugelach: These flavor-

ful pastries are characterized by a melt-inyour-mouth cheesebased dough with a sweet cinnamon, raisin and walnut filling.

Greece

* Christopsomo: Considered sacred in many Greek households and translating to “Christ’s Bread,” this revered dish is usually prepared the day before Christmas Eve and is served with nothing but bare hands at the table. Raisins, nuts, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg are all found throughout the loaf.

Armenia

* Ghapama: A baked pumpkin stuffed with partially cooked rice, raisins, nuts, cinnamon and honey.

Ireland

* Irish Soda Bread: The cakey texture of this Irish favorite is complemented by sweet, chewy raisins throughout the loaf.

Visit SunMaid.com to find more recipes perfect for holiday gatherings.

mountain.

Some of the lifts at ski resorts can carry passengers that have no intention of sliding down the slopes.

Cannon Mountain’s big Tramway

Ski Instructors at Pats Peak gathering to start the day. The snowsport school at ski resorts and Nordics Centers are looking forward to teaching you to learn to have FUN.

summit observation tower, but truly the views of Mount Lafayette and the Franconia Range from the Tram building are just as wonderful.

Bretton Woods’ gondola gives an eye popping vista of

Mountain Washington and the Presidential Range and the red roofed Omni Mount Washington Hotel below. Once at the top of Bretton Woods’ gondola riders can go into the Rosebrook Lodge and enjoy the view

more, dine in the restaurant, grab a bite in the cafe or warm up with a cup of hot chocolate.

Loon Mountain’s gondola takes riders to the top of Loon Peak where visitors can enjoy theviews of the White Mountains by climbing the viewing tower or from the deck of the Summit Cafe. Loon’s Summit Cafe offers breakfast, lunch and beverages.

Of course the people watching is an excellent activity at all the resorts. You might be surprised by what skiers and snowboarders wear while flocking on the slopes.

#3

snowshoes and have dedicated snowshoe trails. Jackson XC is known for their excellent cross-country skiing but they also have 40 kilometers of dedicated snowshoe trails and they offer guided tours and rentals too.

Gunstock’s Nordic Center offers rentals and hosts a Saturday evening snowshoe ridge tour–ride the chairlift up the mountain and then traverse the ridge down the snowshoe trail.

Go Snowshoe!

If you like walking or running you can do it on the snow with snowshoes.

Most resorts rent

Like Riding a Bike?

#2

If you can ride a bicycle you can ride a bike with skis instead of wheels. Pats Peak has Snowbikes and Loon Mountain has Sno-Go, both offer lessons and rentals. I have done it a few

The New England Nordic Ski Association’s annual Women’s XC Ski Day will be held at JacksonXC in Jackson on January 22nd, visit NENSA.net to register--sign-up soon before it sells out! Ski clinics are coached by volunteer top women instructors, including a few Olympians. Clinics are for beginners and good skiers that want to improve their technique at classic and skate.

PATENAUDE from 22

times at Pats Peak and on the bunny slopes I had a blast carving nice turns and it felt like coasting down hill on my bicycle Fatbikes–they’re mountain bikes with big fat tires that perform well on packed snow. You canmfind them to rent at Great Glen Trails, Bretton Woods Nordic Center and Waterville Valley’smAdventure Center. Fatbikes are permitted on some Nordic trails when the snow conditions are Znot too soft.

#1 Learn to Ski or Snowboard!

YOU CAN DO IT!

If you don’t ski or snowboard every cross-country center and downhill resort is ready and waiting

to teach you to ski or snowboard. Go on-line and check out the learnto- ski programs or give the ski school a call. Make a reservation, get bundled up in your winter clothes and head to your lesson.

Ragged Mountain has an extra special program for people who have never ever been on skis before, the Bebe Wood Learnto-ski or ride program. Monday thru Thursday for just $30 a newbie gets a twohour lesson and rentals with a lift ticket for the entire day. Be sure to sign your children up for the ski and snowboard programs that New Hampshire’s resorts provide for their local kids. That’s how

my friends and I all learned how to have fun on the slopes. Have a fun winter and Merry Christmas.

Amy Patenaude is an avid skier/outdoor

JOY

enthusiast from Henniker, N.H. Readers are welcome to send comments or suggestions to her at: amy@ weirs.com

TO THE WOOLED!

FROM KINDRED SPIRIT FARM

Center Sandwich • 603-284-7277 kindredspiritfarmnh@gmail.com Like us!

That small act “makes you feel like the world is a good place,” says Lyubomirsky.

One survey found that what makes most people most happy was ... making love.

“Not shocking,” says Lyubomirsky. “The key to happiness is connecting with others.”

But solitary activities are on the researchers’ list too, like gardening and walks in nature.

“Those aren’t group activities,” I point out.

“You need to find what works for you,” Lyubomirsky responds. “That’s different for different people.”

Near the bottom of the list were activities I do often, like using social media.

“We’re not crazy,” I say to Lyubomirsky. “We’re doing it because we think we get something out of it.”

“There’s pretty good

evidence of harm from smartphone use,” she replies. (Especially for girls using Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram.)

“We did a study where we ask people to give up their smartphones as much as they can, over eight days,” says Lyubomirsky. “People who did reported being more satisfied with their life, more present and attentive, less lonely, less stressed out.”

Several researchers told me the happiest people in America are the Amish. That surprised me because they live relatively primitive lives, giving up not just things like cellphones but even electricity. In Pennsylvania, we persuaded some Amish people to take a happiness quiz. All rated themselves happy or extremely happy.

Why? Probably because we always have

lots of family around, said one. “Lots of cousins, maybe 100 or 150, always there to take care of you if you have a need.”

Additionally, the Amish, obviously, are religious. “Religious, spiritual people are happier,” says Lyubomirsky.

Maybe that’s a reason people report being happier around Christmas.

It certainly isn’t politics.

Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom. He is the author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media.”

from 7

with impunity.”

Think about it for a moment; why are Iran’s Mullah’s represented on a Women’s rights committee in the first place?

The Islamic Republic of Iran has long been designated as a state sponsor of terrorism; witness its military meddling and support of Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon or the significant military support of Revolutionary Guard units deployed in Syria. But what we are now witnessing is a wider domestic crackdown in Iran aimed at those, including many women, not following the diktat of the Islamic rulers.

Just recently a top Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti was arrested and detained for among other things, condemning the execution of Moshen Shekari who was hanged last week. She criticized some international organizations for not taking a forceful stand against the Tehran regime.

In another recent incident, Dr. Ayda Rostami, a Tehran physi-

cian, was found dead after she had been seen visiting injured protesters in hospital. This represents the kind of silent hand killings where people who oppose the regime, disappear and are later found dead. In the meantime the protests continue. More than 500 people have been killed since the demonstrations began in September, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, a group that monitors the situation. At least 18,200 people have been detained by the authorities.

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield called the vote “historic,” the first-ever ouster of a commission member saying it was “the right thing to do.” The Ambassador later told the media, “I think we sent a strong message to the Iranian government and we sent a strong message to Iranian women.”

Thus more than forty-three years since the Iranian Revolution which ushered in this theocracy and destabilizing force in the Middle East, many governments and human rights groups now finally seem serious about pressuring the mendacious Mullahs in Tehran. It’s about time!

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.

METZLER

CHERRIES JUBILEE

Yield: 1ea. 11x16 Baking Dish and 1ea, 6x8 Baking Dish (24 Servings)

Time:35-40 min plus refrigeration

INGREDIENTS

2 Sticks Butter slightly soft 3 Cups plus ¼ Cup Confectioners Sugar 1 Cup Pasteurized Liquid Egg 1 Box of Vanilla Wafer Cookies crushed (divided)

2 Cans Cherry Pie Filling

Cups Heavy Whipping Cream 1 Dash (less than ¼ tsp. of Cream of Tartar) Dash of Vanilla Extract

Preparation Instructions

Main Body Of Dessert

-Cream together the butter and 3 cups of confectioners sugar, mixing until light, fluffy, and completely combined.

-Add 1 Cup of Liquid egg, one quarter at a time, mixing well between each addition, bringing the final mixture to a thicken state. (Not soupy.)

-Using ¾ of the cookie crumbs, spread evenly on the bottom of each pan.

-Spread the ¨custard¨ mixture evenly over the cookie crumbs.

-Spread the cherry pie filling over the ¨custard¨ (does not have to be perfect).

-Top with an even coat of whipped cream.

Whipped Cream And Crumb Garnish

-Pour 3 Cups of Whipping (Heavy) Cream into a mixing bowl. With your whisk attachment whip the cream adding a ¼ Cup of Confectioners sugar (sprinkled in by spoonfuls). Add a dash of Vanilla Extract (¼ tsp or less) for flavor if you have it. But not necessary.

-A light dash of Cream of Tartar while mixing will help keep the body of the whipped cream but is not essential. Whipped cream is ready when a spatula will stand straight in the bowl.

-Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cherry pie filling.

-Garnish with remaining cookie crumbs over the top of each dessert and refrigerate until service (preferably overnight).

remember those words, uttered so long ago, for the rest of my life. Prod as I may, she never did tell me the full list of ingredients. “Oh, there’s sugar and butter, some cherry pie filling, some whipping cream, and some cookie crumbs. Things like that.” And then she quickly changed the subject.

“That was it? Nothing else?” I thought to myself, “So simple, yet so delicious!”

I remember finding the recipe for Cherries Jubilee. It was shortly after mom passed away and I was sifting through a box of her recipes. As I read the ingredients, I remember saying, “Holy

Cow! Mom tried to kill us!” The key ingredient she omitted when giving me that list, so many years ago, was eggs. And not just any eggs, RAW EGGS!!!

One of the big issues in food safety is the safe handling and service of proteins. Eggs are little balls of protein. And, eggs have the potential to carry Salmonella, a bacteria that can cause foodborne illness if not handled and cooked properly. Back in the day, pasteurized liquid eggs were not readily available on supermarket shelves but, by the late 1990s / early 2000s they were gaining in popularity. Pasteurized liquid egg product has

become a safer alternative to raw eggs in some recipes where “raw” eggs are present, as long as proper preparation, holding, and refrigeration temperatures are still observed through the flow of food (from preparation through service).

So, what is Cherries Jubilee? It can only be described as a sweet decadent confectionlike creation layered with cookie crumbs, a custard-like filling, cherry pie filling, and all of it covered with real whipped cream and more cookie crumbs. Being mindful of food safety concerns noted above, making Cherries Jubilee is very simple,

taking very little time to prepare. And, this dessert is ideal for a crowd gathered round the table in celebration of a most worthy holiday; that of Christmas. While Cherries Jubilee is probably not your best choice for the all day buffet, taken from the fridge when it is time to serve dessert would be the ideal option for this Simple Feast. Enjoy and… Merry Christmas!

Please note: Neither the author nor this publication are responsible for the health and safety risks that may be associated with consuming raw eggs and egg liquid products. This recipe for Cherries Jubilee is provided for informational purposes only and athose who choose to make this recipe assume sole risk and responsibility.

SALES/APPLICATION SUPPORT/ENGINEERING

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CNC SET-UP MACHINIST/OPERATOR

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FEAST from 13

a ‘Search Blacklist.’” Weiss added, “Twitter set the account of conservative activist Charlie Kirk to ‘Do Not Amplify.’”

Weiss explained, “What many people call ‘shadow banning,’ Twitter executives and employees call ‘Visibility Filtering’ or ‘VF.’ Multiple high-level sources confirmed its meaning. ‘Think about visibility filtering as being a way for us to suppress what people see to different levels. It’s a very powerful tool,’ one senior Twitter employee told us. ‘VF’ refers to Twitter’s control over user visibility. It used VF to block searches of individual users; to limit the scope of a particular tweet’s discoverability; to block select users’ posts from ever appearing on the ‘trending’ page; and from

inclusion in hashtag searches. All without users’ knowledge.”

That’s the definition of shadow-banning and censorship, which Dorsey’s almighty social media company used to silence political opponents and conservatives from sharing information and opinions his “woke” speech police didn’t like. The underhanded and farreaching censorship operation also included GOP lawmakers who were shadow banned, former President Donald Trump, who was booted from Twitter under Team Dorsey, and the New York Post, whose factual reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop was blocked in October 2020 to help Joe Biden win the election.

Yet despite these bombshell revelations illustrating the liberal tech darling Jack Dors-

ey made false statements before Congress and likely committed perjury, he’s a free man.

Now contrast that with how Donald Trump’s longtime confidant Roger Stone was treated by the Justice Department for making false statements before Congress in 2017 during sworn testimony before the House Intelligence Committee. Stone was not only charged and convicted for making false statements and subsequently tossed in jail, but his over-the-top arrest was also nothing short of spectacular.

“At the crack of dawn, 29 FBI agents arrived at my home with 17 vehicles, with lights flashing, when they could have contacted my lawyer,” Stone said in January 2019, following his heavy-hand-

ed arrest.

Yet today, since the #TwitterFiles have been released by its new owner Elon Musk, not a single Democrat lawmaker has called for Dorsey to be investigated for making false statements before Congress. Nor have we seen any action, so far, by the DOJ to haul the billionaire Twitter co-founder in for questioning.

Tells you everything you need to know about the politicization of the Justice Department today.

Adriana Cohen is a nationally syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate. To find out more about Adriana Cohen and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

BOSAK from 11

is that the birds are simply finding ample supplies of wild food. This may seem like a strange time of year to be finding an abundance of food in the wild in New England, but there are a lot of seeds yet to be picked off of the weeds, grasses and flowers that died off in the fall. Once these sources become more scarce, the birds will return to supplementing their diet at feeders.

A change in seed type or a new batch of the same seed typically bought can cause a temporary slowdown at the feeder as well. The seeds may not be as fresh as usual, or the birds may take a while to adjust to the new seed offerings. In the meantime, the birds may look for another source of food

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nearby. Again, they will usually return before too long.

Timing is also very important in birdwatching, of course. Sometimes I will look out at my feeders and see absolutely nothing for hours on end. Then, suddenly, it seems as if every bird in the neighborhood arrives. If your feeders remain full of food, however, timing is probably not the issue.

When a long-standing feeder that has been popular with birds for years suddenly goes dry, it can be a bummer for sure. But it is more often than not a temporary slowdown, and the birds will be back within a few days or weeks.

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PHOTO #941

Caption Contest

Runners Up : If a three dog night keeps you warm, imagine how this works. - David Barth, Laconia, NH.

Cheerleading has come a long way since the days of the Dallas Cowboy Caterpillars. - Richard Briggs, Tilton, NH.

Beach blanket Bingo prequel filmed in Chernobyl

-Priscilla Merrill, Northwood, NH.

“Lucky Lois” was disqualified as the winner of the Derby after testing positive for steroids.Robert Ferlito, Lynbrook, NY.

PHOTO #943

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

The Winklman Aeffect by John Whitlock