12/23/2021 Weirs Times by The Weirs Publishing Company

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

THE WEIRS, LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE, N.H., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

COMPLIMENTARY

Just Before Christmas

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

Jamestown, New York, Saturday, December 24, 1966. It was the weekend edition of the western New York State newspaper, The Post-Journal, and I wondered why I had saved that particular issue. It was in a box with some other items of the past that I was looking through not long ago. We are downsizing, a painful project, and my first thought upon looking at the paper was that this was probably a throw-away item. It was a Christmas Eve issue, and it was only later that I gave

much attention to the front page headlines of the 62 page newspaper. One said “Christians Gather For Celebration Of Yule Message.” The Associated Press article began with “Christians put away the cares and gathered for joyful celebrations of the message of eternal peace proclaimed in Bethlehem 1,966 years ago.” The city mayor didn’t sound so joyful by the headline declaring “Mayor Cites Problems In His Yule Message.” And the boldest headline was about the war in Vietnam: “MARINES ATTACKED: Reds Break Truce After Eight Hours.” See SMITH on 19

Merry Christmas From The Weirs Times!

that we will be soon be able to put it all behind us. We are honored to put out this publication every week and humbled by your support. We look forward to a bright and happy future. Thank you! Merry Christmas!

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Everyone here at the Weirs Times would like to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas. The last two years have been challenging for everyone and we are forever thankful to all of you who have supported us. 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. As we approach our thirtyfirst year of publication we look forward to things returning to a sense or normalcy and

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

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Hatred Convulses The World To The Editor: The spate of hatred perpetuated against Asian Americans in the United States (U.S.) through physical and verbal attacks; and the discrimination against LGBTQ, Black, Latino, Indian and Jewish Americans in recent years highlights the persecution of minorities in the U.S. and the world. Blacks and Native Americans in the U.S. have experienced this over the past 300 years. Other minorities in the world have been subjected to persecution and discrimination, and all of the wars in the world have had an element of hatred within them. Genocide has been committed against the Armenians by the Turks, in Rwanda by Hutus against the Tutsis, in Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge, and by the Serbs against the Bosnians. Jews in the world, especially in Europe, have been persecuted over the millennia, and they experienced the largest genocidal massacre of all time. The Holocaust in the 1930s and 1940s perpetrated by Nazi Germany and the Nazi leaders (who amazingly claimed to be devout Christians’), along with the acquiescence of the vast majority of the German people, exemplified the European hatred of the Jews. An Anti-Defamation League study in 2019 documented widespread anti-Jewish behavior persisted against a miniscule Jewish population of 0.2% of the total European population. Greece was at 67% Jew

hatred with Jews only 0.05% of the Greek population, Poland 48%, Ukraine 46%, Hungary 42%, Russia 31%, Spain 28%, Austria 20%, Italy 18%, France 17% and Germany 15%. The United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland were 5% to 15%. In comparison the U.S. was 14%, but attacks are increasing by neo-Nazis and Muslims. Muslim countries in the Middle East and North Africa were at 74% Jew hatred. Muslim persecution of Christians was recently documented in the “ World Wide List, 2021 “. It states every day in some Muslim countries 13 Christians are killed, 12 are arrested or imprisoned, 5 are abducted and 12 churches are attacked. Extreme persecution of Christians, which includes harassing, beating, imprisoning and raping occurs in 12 nations, nine of which are Muslim-majority countries, including Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, Yemen, Iran, Nigeria, Iraq and Syria. Nearly 80% of Christian persecution in the world is committed by Muslims. The United States has seen a number of Muslim attacks on Christians and Jews, including the World Trade Center, 9/11 and numerous attacks by individuals over the decades.. Some strides have been made in reducing the persecution of people, but there remains a long way to go to overcome the convulsiveness of hatred and violence in the world perpetrated against people who are typically very intelligent, educated and

successful. Donald Moskowitz Elizabeth (Jones) Moskowitz Londonderry, NH.

Response To Past Letters

To the Editor: In last week’s Letters From the Mail Boat there were two letters in favor of Roe verses Wade being overturned. One, speaking to Senator Shaheen comments on abortion and the other quotes the Bible along with comments on Planned Parenthood. What is interesting to me is that they were both written by men. That is unless Thomas and Kenneth are also girls names. I believe it was only men that brought the women (they accused of adultery) to Jesus for judgment. Over looking the fact that there was a man involved. In my experience as a Christian, I have seen that Religious groups are very concerned about the unborn child all the way up to birth, then judgment sets in on the mother and child. They have become a burden on society and start eliminating the programs that they could benefit from and God help them if they ask the church for assistance. No I don’t have an answer to the hopelessness a woman must feel when making decisions regarding her unborn child. Perhaps men being more responsible for their actions would be a start. John Brennick Rochester, NH.

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 over 20 years, this publication is devoted to printing the stories

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

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

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NO PRESSURE, NO GIMMICKS, NO KIDDING!

Snow, Rain, Snow Ski, Hike, Ski we would find plenty of snow and ice along the way. I wore my boots with the carbide spikes in the treads and Zachary put on a pair of “rock” micro-spikes, a pair of spikes already dulled from walking on bare rocks. Ice surrounded the tops of bare rocks in the trail. As we headed up the trail I joked about how easy it is to miss the spur path up to the summit of Mt. Crawford and I had once turned back some people who were looking for it. About a mile later I turned around and pointed and Zachary looked. Yikes, we were looking back at See PATENAUDE on 24

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I am pretty sure Mark Twain wasn’t a skier and he wasn’t wishing for snow. But his famous quote sums up how I am feeling about the weather the past couple of weeks. I know it is normal, or it has been this way for as long as I can remember–Snow, Rain, Snow in December. Mother Nature had decorated the mountains with some snow and it was pretty and it felt like winter. During the cold nights the ski areas turned on their snow making guns full blast and covered their trails with more snow. The ski areas opened up and continued to make more snow. Then we had a warm-up and I skied in the rain. Yes, I skied in the rain and you know what, I wasn’t the only one. Lots of other people love skiing and snowboarding enough to put on their raincoats and brave the elements. The conditions were good and the corn snow was nice and soft for making good turns. Thankfully it only rained in the morning and then we went back to more winterlike conditions.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

“Snow Or No, We Go” Series At Canterbury Shaker Village

The 2022 Snow or No We Go Trail Series returns, beginning Saturday, January 15 and continuing through Saturday, March 5. In addition to Canterbury Shaker Village, races will be held at Prospect Aces, located at 4 Beaumier Drive in Franklin, NH. The Snow or No, We Go trail series is pre-registration only and limited to 75 participants per race. Each of the six trail races are between 2-4 miles. All races are run on loops, with the choice of one or two loops. Races will not be cancelled or postponed for lack of snow. Races are urged to run on snowshoes when/if conditions are acceptable, and in trail shoes or micro spikes in the event of no snow. Racers may participate independently or as a team member. Teams must have at least three athletes to finish a race to score as a team. Registration for each race is $20, or $100 for all six races. Participants need to pre-register and sign a waiver in order to participate. Registration is open now at https://www.runreg.com/ nh-snow-or-no-we-go-series. All proceeds of this series will benefit Canterbury Shaker Village and Prospect Acres. Race dates and locations are as follows: January 15, 29; Feb 5, 12 & 19 10 am: Canterbury Shaker Village. March 5th 10 am: Prospect Acres. For further information, please email Tom Walton at twalton@nedelta.com, Ellen Raffio at ellenraffio@gmail.com, or Steven Nelson at stevennelson1967@gmail.com.

Last Night Wolfeboro Events Hundreds of Lakes Region residents and visitors are expected at Last Night Wolfeboro 2021, Friday, December 31st. Family-friendly, in-person and streaming events include crafts, music, magic, and Wildlife Encounters’ animal show. Select events will be broadcast live on Wolfeboro Community Television (WCTV-channel 25); more events will be streamed on WCTV’s You Tube channel or Last Night Wolfeboro’s You Tube channel. Last Night Wolfeboro fireworks are scheduled to take place over icy Wolfeboro Bay about 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve (Postponement date January 1st). Last Night Wolfeboro events at Town Hall December 31st, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. will feature interactive games, crafts, community displays and more. Masks are strongly recommended at indoor events. Afternoon entertainment at Great Hall includes (events and times subject to change): •1 p.m. Expressions Dance Academy of Wolfeboro •2 p.m. Local singer-songwriter and recording artist, Stacey Kelleher •3 p.m. Perform It! •4:30 p.m. Wildlife Encounters live animal show, sponsored by The Children’s Center •Escape Room -Wolfeboro Girl Scout Troop 58756 at Wolfeboro ‘train station,’ Railroad Ave. (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) •Magic by Brewster alumnus Yu Koriki (Last Night Wolfeboro http://bit.ly/youtubelnw or WCTV Channel 25 or https://www.youtube.com/c/WolfeboroCommunityTelevision) Programming and event details are subject to change; updated information is posted @WolfeboroLastNight on Facebook.

Dueling Pianos At Franklin Opera House Dueling Pianos of New Hampshire brings the fast-paced, requestdriven fun of Dueling Pianos to the Franklin Opera House Saturday, January 15th at 7:30pm. Dueling Pianos is a non-stop, high-energy show where the audience picks the set list! No musical style or genre is off limits, and no two shows are the same. Dueling piano shows combine music and comedy in a truly unique type of performance. This event is sponsored by Grevior Furniture of Franklin, proudly serving central New Hampshire since 1932. Tickets are on sale now at https:// www. f ranklinoperahouse. or g/ . Adults $16. Seniors $14.00

Great Waters Music Festival Announces 2022 Season The Great Waters Music Festival has just announced its 2022 Concerts in the Clouds Performance Series and you won’t want to miss any of it. There will be five shows in the Great Waters performance tent located on the field near Shannon Pond at the Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough starting on July 16th. Season tickets are on sale now. Over fifty years ago four young men from Liverpool, London came to the United States as part of the British Invasion and with them came the pop and rock music of the United Kingdom. During this coming July when you come to see 1964 The Tribute you will experience a Beatles’ Concert the way it was performed during those early years. One week later, some of the biggest hits of the 1970’s will be heard throughout the tent when The Electric Light Orchestra Experience takes you on a musical journey with brilliant arrangements, flawless musicianship and superlative vocals. If you were lucky enough to see Classic Albums Live present Eagles Hotel California Note for Note Cut for Cut this past summer then you know how good they are and their Classic Albums Live Fleetwood Mac Rumours Note for Note Cut for Cut will be just as spectacular during the month of August. Two weeks later, you will be thrilled with Michael Cavanaugh, star of the hit Broadway show “Movin Out”, when he performs the music of Billy Joel. Handpicked for the part by Joel, Cavanaugh received both Tony and Grammy nominations for his role. Show number five will find you standing on your feet singing and dancing when One Night of Queen with Gary Mullen and the Works performs those iconic classics we all love. For information regarding the purchase of season tickets or a Great Waters gift certificate, contact the Great Waters office at 603-569-7710 or go to the website at www.greatwaters.org.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

F O O L NEW HAMPSHIRE A

in brendan@weirs.com

entral Baptist hurch

Live Free or Die.

*A FLATLANDER’S OBSERVATIONS ON LIFE

Talking Football I like to watch football sometimes, but I don’t care much for what happens before and after the game. Sometimes I feel guilty that by Brendan Smith I’ve wasted a Weirs Times Editor lot of time after spending three to four hours watching a whole football game, especially if my team loses. This happens to me more often than not being a Flatlander who still roots for the New York Jets. It’s been fifty-two years since the Jets were last in the Super Bowl. I was fourteen at the time. That’s a lot of wasted time. (Though I still enjoy watching Joe Namath trying to get me to sign up for Medicare before the enrollment period ends.) Still, I could really expand on the time wasted if I got sucked into the pre and post -game frivolities that are a big part of the sport. Listening to a group of ex-players and one designated “professional” broadcaster, talk for an hour about what might happen in an upcoming game is only slightly more interesting to me than listening to the same group talking for a half hour after the game about what they got wrong. Even more of a waste of time is watching the post-game press conferences where coaches and players fulfill their contact obligations by answering rhetorical questions from sportswriters who are paid to ask. “Were you upset when you threw that interception?” “Coach, after a big loss like this do you think the team could play better?” The only fun part of these interviews is watching the faces of the player or coach being asked the questions. Take for example Bill Belichick, Head Coach of the Patriots.

Every time he is asked a stupid and obvious question, his face tightens up as though he just realized he should have gone to the bathroom before the press conference. I’m sure that he often thinks to himself: “What a stupid question. I should just walk away. Why am I even here? Oh yeah, eighteen million dollars a year. Life is good, even if nothing seems to make me happy.” What is worse than the postgame press conferences, is the interviews with players and coaches in the days leading up to the big game. Due to lack of space I cannot provide the questions asked, but I can give you the answer. In fact it comes from the “The Correct Answer For Any Pre Game Question” handbook each player in the NFL receives. “They have a great team and a great offense and defense. We just have to focus on playing our best game and we can’t make any mistakes.” Probably the most ridiculous interviews come as the teams are leaving the field at halftime. The head coach, who has all of about eight minutes to get together with the other coaches (which in football I believe is around thirtyeight per team) in the locker room and figure out how to fix things for the second half, first has to stop and be interviewed by the “on-field” reporter whose job during the game is to fill you in on the statues of an injured player. “Yes, Jim, we have been told that Cooper may have had his joint ripped out of his shoulder socket and his right ear seems to have come off for some reason. His return to the game is questionable at this point.” The coaches needs to stop, put his hands on his hips (as required by NFL rules) and pretend they are actually listening to the question. (Remember that eighteen million dollars.) “Coach, your defense seems to be on its heels at the moment.

How do you fix that for the second half?” “Well, we definitely need to play better.” “Thanks Coach, good luck in the second half. Now back to the studio for some more idle chatter about things you already know about the game you’ve been watching for the last hour and a half.” The on-field reporter also has the onerous task of tracking down one of the stars of the game before they leave the field after the game and ask them more obvious questions. “Can you tell us about that catch you made at the last second to win the game?” “It was a great pass and I caught it.” “Thanks and congratulations. Now back to you guys in the studio to tell us how you got everything wrong in the pre-game show.” Of course, the biggest waste of time, in my opinion, is spending time the next day listening to “experts” on radio and television discussing what happened in the game. “If he had only caught that pass we wouldn’t be here this morning talking about how he dropped it.” “Belichick didn’t look happy at that press conference after the game. The word around the league is that he may be having some regularity issues.” So, you can see why I don’t like to watch the before and after. I find it a waste of my valuable time. Of course, if the New York Jets ever make it to the playoffs again, we will have to revisit this issue. Brendan is the author of “The Flatlander Chronicles” and “Best Of A F.O.O.L. In New Hampshire” and his latest book “I Only Did It For The Socks and Other Tales of Aging” . All are available at BrendanTSmith.com.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

Where In The World Is Hoax-Enabler Tina Tchen? Jussie Smollett, the drug-addicted, antiwhite, anti-Trump celebrity who cried wolf, was convicted last week on five out of six felony counts of disorderly conduct after falsely reporting to Chicago police that he was a victim of a hate crime attack in the sub-zero morning hours of Jan. 29, 2019. Let us revel in the criminal comeuppance of a Hollywood liar. It’s rarer than by Michelle Malkin spotting a pair of MAGA redneck viewers Syndicated Columnist of the liberal, anti-cop black TV drama, “Empire,” at 2 a.m. in downtown Chicago. LOL. Speaking of whom, here’s a breaking news update in perpetuity: Smollett’s two phantom conservative white assailants -- who somehow recognized the C-list actor and somehow knew he was gay and somehow just happened to be carrying around a “noose” along with a hot sauce bottle filled with bleach -- are still on the loose. The fictional fugitives have gone the way of the “real” killer of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman, the racist gang rapists who assaulted Tawana Brawley and the white supremacist who hung that door pull -- sorry, “noose” -- in NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace’s garage. It’s getting rather crowded in the liberal theater of manufactured racism. I know. I’ve been documenting the twisted phenomenon for 30 years, since my days at the hate crime hoax-hotbed of Oberlin College. But there’s an important loose end, hanging limply like the rope around Smollett’s neck, that deserves more scrutiny: Where in the world is the Obamas’ Chicago fixer and Jussie fangirl Tina Tchen? Let me remind you of who this cronystate actor is. Two months after Smollett and his bodybuilding bro buddies play-acted their fantasy attack, Chicago Sun-Times reporters discovered that deep-pocketed Obama campaign finance mega-bundler Tina Tchen had inserted herself in the investigation. Tchen texted Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx just three days after the incident “on behalf of Jussie Smollett and family who I know” to express “concerns.” She suggested that Foxx lean on Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson to yield to the FBI, and she shared an unidentified Smollett family member’s cellphone number with Foxx. Foxx texted back that she had done as requested and that Johnson was “going to make See MALKIN on 28

The Death Of California In “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Victor Hugo told the tale of Esmerelda, a gypsy dancer falsely accused of attempted murder, set to be hanged by an unjust state. Quasimodo, the titular hunchback, by Ben Shapiro swings down from the Syndicated Columnist cathedral of Notre Dame and saves her, carrying her off while crying “Sanctuary!” In fact, throughout European history, churches provided places of safe haven for accused criminals; the claim of “sanctuary” is made to this day by people seeking refuge from the law. It is strange, however, to see the language of sanctuary adopted to protect precisely the sort of activity abhorred by anyone of religious bent: abortion. The secular sacrament of abortion has become so sacred, however, that the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, recently announced his intent to make his state the first abortion sanctuary in the nation. “We’ll be a sanctuary,” Newsom announced. “We are looking at ways to support that inevitability and looking at ways to expand our protections.” The state of California, according to Newsom’s Democratic legislative allies, could provide travel expenses including gas, lodging, transportation and child care for those seeking to kill their unborn children. Already, some 15% of America’s abortions occur in California, according to the Guttmacher Institute. That number would skyrocket if the state began subsidizing abortions across the land. None of this is particularly surprising. It is telling, however, that as California sinks into the mire, it embraces ever more radical social policy. This is a state that currently houses -- no pun intended -- some 162,000 homeless people, a number that increased approximately 24% from 2018 to 2020. About a quarter of all homeless people in the United States currently reside in California.

Meanwhile, crime in California has become endemic, with smash-and-grabs roiling major cities and even wealthy residents murdered in their homes. This week, the head of the Los Angeles police union, Jamie McBride, warned people to stay out of the city, explaining, “We can’t guarantee your safety. It is really, really out of control.” Even former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa laments, “Rome is burning.” And California’s economy trails the nation’s, too. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, California is tied for the worst unemployment rate in the nation, at 7.3%. And while California is currently experiencing a seven-day rolling average of just 67 COVID-19 deaths -- compared with 550 at the height of the pandemic -- Newsom recently reimposed another monthlong statewide indoor mask mandate. So why does California keep embracing ever-more-radical policy? Because the radicalism is itself the moral justification for policy failure. Sure, Democrats can argue, crime and homelessness are out of control, the economy is stagnating, and businesses are leaving. But that’s morally excusable, because California seeks a higher purpose: the purpose of Leftist utopianism. Thus, Newsom has little to say about California’s stagnation, but much to say about how California will push new laws targeting gun ownership. For years, Democrats have claimed that California leads the nation. We can only hope they’re wrong. Ben Shapiro, 37, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and editor-in-chief of DailyWire.com. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers “How To Destroy America In Three Easy Steps,” “The Right Side Of History,” and “Bullies.” 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 WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

Deadly Delays C O V I D - 1 9 deaths are up. Politicians tell us to wear masks and get vaccinated. Amid the fear, I’m surprised that we haven’t heard by John Stossel more about two Syndicated Columnist drugs that could make COVID-19 much less of a threat. In blind tests, Pfizer’s Paxlovid was found to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death by 89%! It was so effective that Pfizer was advised to stop the tests.

“They halted the clinical trials!” exclaims Michael Cannon, director of health policy at the Cato Institute in my new video. “They decided it would be unethical (not to give the drug to people in the control group.) But if it’s unethical to deny them the drug, it’s unethical to deny the American public that drug!” Excellent point. Yet that’s what the Food and Drug Administration is doing. They force us to wait until they’re sure all drugs “meet the agency’s rigorous standards.” How long might they delay? “If the FDA is following its current practice,” says Cannon, “it’ll be a

matter of months.” Months is an improvement over the 10 years it usually takes the FDA. During the pandemic, the FDA loosened regulations to get some medicines to people faster. “(But) we’re still losing thousands of lives unnecessarily,” complains Cannon. At the beginning of the AIDS crisis, the FDA delayed approval of many AIDS drugs. Some Americans formed “buyers clubs” to purchase AIDS drugs from Mexico. That’s what the movie “Dallas Buyers Club” was about. But buying unapproved drugs from other countries is illegal.

Now the United Kingdom has approved molnupiravir, Merck’s coronavirus antiviral pill. In tests, it cut hospitalization by 30%. But we can’t try it in America. “More input is needed,” says the FDA. More input is always helpful, but our FDA is just slow. “The United Kingdom approved molnupiravir back at the beginning of November,” Cannon points out. “The FDA didn’t even (SET ITAL) meet(END ITAL) to decide whether to approve it until the end of November. In the meantime, thousands of Americans died.” See STOSSEL on 29

Hungary Helping Embattled Christian Communities in Mid-East, Africa The Christmas Season is upon us. Seasonal cheer is everywhere. Christmas trees, wreaths and pine bunting abound. Lights by John J. Metzler and displays on Syndicated Columnist stores and homes glisten reflecting the Advent joy. The smell of pine branches waifs throughout the City as our weary world celebrates its second Covid Christmas. While there’s certainly cause for celebration and family gatherings, let’s pause and take a somber look at the birthplace of Christianity; the

Middle East where ancient but embattled Christian communities are facing decline amid the backdrop of terrorism, socio-economic stagnation, and in some cases enduring civil conflict. One bright star glistens in the turbulent Middle East. A small Central European country, Hungary has chosen a special mission to help embattled Christians in places such as Iraq, Lebanon and Syria. The Hungarian Mission to the UN sponsored a high level seminar, “Supporting Religious minorities and Persecuted Christians” citing, “The recent and growing number of attacks against religious minorities by violent extremists and terrorist groups is an alarming trend around

the world.” A briefing note adds, “Hungary has therefore stepped in to fill the gap and defined it among its key national and foreign policy priorities to take action against the spread of intolerance and persecution based on religion or belief.” Dr. Ferenc Dancs, Deputy State Secretary for Migration Challenges, stated “Hungary is deeply committed to upholding freedom of conscience and religion and is an active advocate for persecuted Christians.” He added, “The Hungarian humanitarian policy organization Hungary Helps, pays special attention to Christian and other minorities persecuted on the basis of their religion.” Given that Christians are particularly targeted for persecution and

discriminated against globally, the Hungary Helps program has so far spent $50 million in humanitarian aid to assist them, mostly in the Middle East and Africa. The group focuses on rebuilding churches, schools, and hospitals. Dr. Dancs told me, “Hungary Helps offers aid directly to Bishops as they know the best for their communities and where to spend the funds. The money does not go into trust funds.” “We choose to support Christians due to our own history and our Christian culture reflected on Hungarian history of 1,100 years. These civilizations are the most ancient and we provide our assistance to the Middle East.” Even during the hard See METZLER on 27

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

Letters From God

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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.

of my Son, was such a joy. What a joy to prosper the Wise Men from the east, who humbled themselves and came to worship my Son (Matthew 2:1). Another reason my Son came as He did, is because many and indeed most were not looking for him and his arrival. This is so sad, since I made it abundantly clear, for thousands of years, through the prophets I sent. I detailed not only that my Son would appear on the earth but also when He would arrive. I told Daniel to write the exact time that He would live and even the exact time of His death, which would precede his resurrection (Daniel 9:24-27). Read my book, the bible, and see that when King Herod asked the religious leaders of my Chosen people, who knew the scriptures, they said rightly, that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. They knew, but they never came to worship because His coming was humble and unimaginable to those who were proud. Despite my efforts to clearly announce, through prophecy, the time and place of my Son’s arrival, only a humble few would experience and enjoy the delights of seeing Him and rejoicing over His birth. Which leads to yet another reason why His arrival was so humble. Most, even many of my Chosen People and their leaders were blind to His arrival because they were hardened by sin and had no desire to anticipate or prepare for

His coming. As I wrote in the Gospel of John, which my Spirit led him to write, “he came to his own, but his own did not receive him.” (John 1:11). In fact, because of the hardening of hearts due to the practice of things I declared as wrong and deadly, many, especially the so-called spiritual leaders, even sought and successfully initiated His death sentence. Their pride not only didn’t see Him coming to welcome Him into the world to be their Savior, but it also sent Him out to die in order to keep their exalted positions and privileges (Matthew 27:20-26). I think the final reason my Son’s arrival was so “common,” was because most of my people were uneducated by their spiritual teachers. They were uninformed, and as a result had “no room” for Him and most missed Him (Luke 2:7). Now you know. But now it is your turn to prepare “room” for Him. To recognize that you are a “visited planet.” “Emmanuel,” which means “God with us,” is with you. He was sent by me, to rescue and redeem you from your slavery to the consequences of your sin. Because, I am without sin, when you sinned, even once, the wages or consequences was death (Romans 3:23). You became separated from me, the source of life, and ensnared in sin after sin as well as the Devil’s web of destruction. The only way out is for the payment to be made by another. My

Letters From God

QUESTION: If You Are God, Why Such a Humble Arrival? I’m so glad you noticed the humble arrival of my Son, Jesus, when He visited the earth and you, I created to inhabit it. (Genesis 1,2). There are multiple reasons why He was born to an unheralded & common woman, in a small unremarkable village, in an unseemly stable, because there was no room for Him in any of the upscale lodging places. The most significant is that I, your Creator, am humble (Matthew 11:29). I am not proud, nor do I desire to be lavished with a lifestyle of your so called “rich and famous.” I don’t need the pomp and circumstance to be recognized and celebrated. Which leads me to the second reason my Son’s arrival was so humble. Because I am humble and not proud, I desire to be with and to show my love to those who are also humble (1 Peter 5:5-6). Those shepherds were the lowest of the low and it was such a thrill for me to share the great news of my Son’s arrival with them to bless them and honor their humble trust in me (Luke 2:8). Likewise, to bless Simeon (Luke 2:25) and Anna (Luke 2:36) who humbly trusted in me and waited for the arrival

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Son, Jesus, was the other. He was eternal and sinless and when he died, he didn’t die for His sins but for yours so that you could be forgiven and restored to me (Romans 5:21). He came to set you free and to give you, life that would last for eternity. Indeed “he came to His own but his own did not receive him,” “but to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDDREN OF GOD.” (John 1:11-12). You will see me soon, either at your death or the return of my Son, Jesus, to consummate human history. Will your humility make room for Him now, so you will live thereafter? I Love You, God

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Manny Ramirez was one of my favorite Red Sox players, perhaps in part because we share the same May 30 birthday. (Please make a note of it.) Maybe not the greatest leftfielder, but that guy could HIT! My favorite memory of Manny is of him running onto the field at Fenway Park waving an American flag to celebrate his new American citizenship. It being fashionable nowadays for so many dreary selfloathers to denigrate the land most of us love, we especially appreciate folks who still celebrate America. Folks like Manny, and also like Boston Celtic center Enes Kanter, who became a citizen on No-

Manny Ramirez runs with an American Flag at Fenway Park celebrating his citizenship. vember 29 while legally changing his name to Enes Kanter Freedom. Or like Fahim Fazli, the Hollywood actor and Marine Corps interpreter whom I met in Afghanistan. In the process of collaborating on our award-winning book Fahim Speaks, his love for his adopted homeland shone through. Manny, Enes, Fahim and others had to study the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service’s civics/ history exam en route to citizenship. This assessment provides a solid foundation re: fundamentals of American government and its deployment is a comfort to parents concerned about “civics” classes which focus on climate change or critical race theory—as opposed to the constitution. Many states now require this test as a high school graduation requirement—to include New Hampshire after Governor Sununu signed HB320 into law earlier this year.

HB319 is a bipartisan sister measure requiring that public college grads also pass the test. Given all the statistical and anecdotal evidence showing profound civics ignorance amongst college students, the passage of HB319 by the N.H. House received much attention. A subsequent poll showed 80% support for the measure. Unfortunately, HB319 got hung up in the Senate Education Committee before it could join HB320 in statute. The usual suspects from the education establishment did what they could to spook senators concerning HB319. Having spent 12 years in the University System of New Hampshire and 20 years in the Community College System, I’m familiar with edu-speak and have worked with others to counter the misinformation that’s been promulgated. The full senate will vote on the measure in January. It’s relevant that nu-

merous other states have put this healthy requirement in place, most recently Florida and Missouri. This despite opposition from those usual suspects with aversions to accountability. But such assessments increase student knowledge as well as support for public education. Obsessed with funding as opposed to fundamentals, these opponents disregard the will of taxpayers who directly or indirectly provide so much support for higher education. Even elite private universities like Purdue University have made the USNIS test a graduation requirement. So why not the Granite State’s public institutions? Despite protestations that such a requirement would create an egregious administrative burden, it could be easily administered on-line via a platform such as Moodle or Blackboard. Students could take it as many times as necessary to get a passing grade. And they’d actually learn things along the way. Important things. Hopefully senators will support the will of the people as well as the vote of the N.H. House and pass HB319. Manny, Enes, and Fahim don’t get to vote on it but I’m sure they’d agree as well! Sports Quiz With what MLB team See MOFFETT on 28

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

Save $10 Off

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Contributing Writer

Christmas is around the corner and, if you’re like me, you have some last-minute shopping to do. Every year I tell myself that next year I’m going to have my shopping done before December. Never happens. I don’t even have it started by December. My mother used to be done holiday shopping by August. For me, I’m happy stores are open on Christmas Eve. If you still have names on your list to scratch off, and they happen to be birders, or are at least interested in protecting nature, this column is for you. If you’re all done shopping and have been for some time, well, no one likes a show-off. Enjoy the column anyway. I always like to start by suggesting a membership to a nature organization as a holiday gift. Everybody benefits. The organization gets much-needed funds and the giver and receiver get the feeling of doing good and helping nature and the environment. Granted, it’s not the most exciting gift to open, but the benefits and joy of doing good will eventually take over any feelings of dissatisfaction. I won’t name specific organizations because

Bird feeders make a great gift and attract a variety of birds, like this downy woodpecker. CHRIS BOSAK PHOTO

there are hundreds of them and I’d certainly leave out some that deserve a mention. There are multitudes of international, national, regional, state and local nature or conservation organizations to be found. For me, I like to support the local organizations, such as a land trust or town nature center, but any nonprofit that is dedicated to protecting nature is a good one to support. If you are unsure of what groups exist in your area, an internet search will yield plenty of results. Just be sure

you have the right state to match your town. When I lived in Norwalk, Connecticut, internet searches would often show results for Norwalk, Ohio, or Norwalk, California. If you think the people remaining on your list would appreciate a material gift more, here are some more suggestions. Optics are always great, but they can be pricey and serious birdwatchers usually like to pick out their own binoculars or spotting scopes. For the beginning birder,

or even someone you think may be interested in the hobby, an inexpensive pair of binoculars is a great gift. Like most things, the more you spend the better the quality, but a decent pair of binoculars – good for start-up birders – can be had for $20. A $50 pair would be way better, though. A $100 pair would be way better than that. (You can keep playing that game into the thousands of dollars.) I keep a cheap pair in the truck so those inexpensive binoculars have utility beyond being someone’s main pair. Good spotting scopes have many digits to the left of the decimal point, so unless you really like this person and know exactly what they want, it may be best to avoid this as a gift. Bird feeders are always a thoughtful gift, as are birdhouses. (Has anyone else noticed the new commercial where an older woman gets a bird feeder for a seemingly lonely young woman and the two strike up a friendship? Anyway, good commercial.) Feeders bring the birds close and houses provide shelter in all seasons. Birdhouses, of course, can be decorative and serve as home décor as well. Speaking of home See BOSAK on 27

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

THE SIMPLE FEAST

Cheese Cake!

by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer

By the 1990’s cheesecake was becoming a popular holiday dessert in the Gibson household. I think it was my sister who paved the way with the Mini Cherry Cheese Cake. Baked in a muffin tin then cooled, a dollop of cherry pie filling on top; these were an instant hit and began my obsession with cheesecake. At some point I was given (or bought) a set of springform pans and the floodgates opened! The type of cheesecake didn’t matter, we didn’t eat cheesecake in our house grow-

ing up so any cheesecake was a good cheesecake. Finding a small cook book on cheesecakes my mind started racing with all the delicious possibilities. I made

MINI CHEESE CAKES

YIELD: About 2 dozen Mini Cheese Cakes Preheat oven to 324 degrees F. Regular size muffin / cupcake tins and paper or foil cups BASE 24 ea. Vanilla Wafers Cookies CHEESE CAKE 1 cup sugar 4 eggs, separated 1 cup vanilla yogurt 2 Tbsp. flour ¼ tsp. Salt 1 tsp. Vanilla 1 pound cream cheese, room temperature TOPPING 1- 21oz. can Cherry Pie Filling

cheesecake so often, I think, at one point, my friends were sick at just the thought of trying another cheesecake. Plain, with fruit, Chocolate Walnut, Pumpkin Spice,

Milkyway, Snickers, Peppermint Candy, and Irish Cream with Creme de Menthe whipped cream, garnished with mint chocolate candies (my personal favorite!). I have even made a cheesecake using Blueberry pie filling, Blueberry Schnapps and whipped cream. The two pieces we had were delicious but the rest of it, that’s a sad story for some other time. I know there is an art to making the ¨Perfect¨ cheesecake, and that art is science. But if you´re like me, I lack the patience (and experience) to be an award winning baker that turns out the consistently perfect cheesecake every time. So I have learned to live with some minor lumps and brush up on my ¨spackle and paint¨ skills. After all, I’m just a guy who likes See FEAST on 14

INSTRUCTIONS - Beat egg yolks until thick and pale. - Add vanilla yogurt, flour, salt, ¾ cup of sugar, and vanilla and beat until well blended. - Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. - In a separate bowl beat egg whites until foamy, then gradually beat in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, beating until the whites are thickened and shiny. Not peaks, just thicker. - Fold whites into the cream cheese mixture. - Prepare muffin tins with muffin cups and place one vanilla wafer cookie into each cup. - Gently ladle cheesecake batter into each muffin cup, the weight of the batter will ¨push¨ the cup into the tin. - Bake for approximately 22-25 minutes. - Remove from the oven, let cool, and top each cheesecake with a spoon full of cherry pie filling (about two or three cherries and filling syrup). - Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. - Enjoy with friends and family.

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With over 40 of the best of Brendan’s weekly columns he covers everything from politics to health to technology to shopping and more. This is the perfect sampling of his unique humor which has been entertaining readers of The Weirs Times and Cocheco Times for twenty years. 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.) Send checks or money orders for $16.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: Best of a F.O.O.L., c/o The Weirs Times, PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247. Order online at www.BrendanTSmith.com (Pickup autographed copies at the Weirs Times)

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

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FEAST from 13 to make simple food that tastes good and if it happens to be eyecatching or looks close to perfect, so much the better! So here are a few pointers I have learned. First: Follow the directions! If you are not confident enough in your skills to ¨wing it¨, always follow the recipe. Someone put a

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lot of time into perfecting cookbook recipes and even those on the backs of food labels. Those companies pay a lot in research and development. If the recipe says ¨room temperature cream cheese¨ then make sure you leave your cream cheese out for an hour or so before making your batter. For a smooth cheesecake you want the cream cheese to blend properly, and the closer to room temperature it is, the better your chances for a smooth batter. I have also found that using granny´s electric two beater style hand held mixer helps too, rather than the single whisk

or mixing attachment found on some types of counter stand mixers. If the directions call for eggs to be added one at a time and blended thoroughly, then do that. Eggs offer a variety of needs for baked goods including; lift, body, texture, color, and moisture. All these qualities are affected by eggs because of their water content, their protein content, the yolk as well as the white, even the age of the egg, and several other fun little things in eggs that interact with other ingredients such as starches, leavening agents, and so on. So, there truly is a methodical science to

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the madness of baking. But do not be deterred from all this, you’ll be fine! Just follow the directions. Second: Camouflage, Spackle, and Paint! So you made a cheesecake and it had a small crack when it came out of the oven, no big deal. Then it cools an d n o w yo u have a sunken top. What do you do? A bag or two of mini candy bars stashed on the baking shelf during the holidays is like gold in the safe. Chopped up candy bars along with a jar of caramel and / or hot fudge drizzled over the top of the cheesecake and Viola! Delicious camouflage, a topping to hide cracks and blemishes. Keep pie filling and heavy cream on hand during the holidays. These items are, to amateur bakers, what a can of spackle and some touch up paint is to the painter. You can use the pie filling to literally fill in that Grand Canyon running across your cheesecake and level off the top. Then, heavy whipping cream, some confectioner’s sugar, a pinch of Cream of Tartar and some time in the mixer and you´ve got whipped cream. Apply a good coat, smooth it over, and who’s going to notice? Afterall, it’s not Hollywood you’re cooking for, it’s just a Simple Feast! Merry Christmas!

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

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The holidays are a busy time for members at the Gilford Community Church (GCC), which impacts hundreds of kids and families through several community-based initiatives, beginning with the distribution of Thanksgiving and Christmas Food Bags. We handed out close to 60 bags to area families,” said Pastor Michael Graham, who noted GCC is now “fully engaged” in its Angel Christmas Program. “This program services 800 children with

A Gilford Community Church member delivering holiday bags. requests for pajamas, socks, underwear and outerwear and hygiene items,” he added. Jessica Fleck of GCC’s Outreach Com-

mittee said the church has also “adopted” several families in the community. “We offer a helping hand to those who need

it – anything we can do to help others have a Merry Christmas for their children,” she said. For Graham, the holidays – regardless of one’s religious beliefs – are a time to gather together. “This is a time of year that, I hope, can bring all of us together,” he said. “We are people, and everyone deserves care and compassion.” Located in Gilford at 19 Potter Hill Rd, Gilford Community Church (GCC) is an inclusive, open community that welcomes believers and doubters, seekers and skeptics, young and old. To learn more about GCC, or any upcoming event, visit gilfordcommunitychurch.org.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

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Engagement photo of Donna Morton in PostJournal newspaper, Jamestown, NY, Dec.24, 1966. SMITH from 1 So why did I save the 1966 Christmas Eve newspaper when I was making my home as a single young man in western New York State? I didn’t find the answer on the obituary page, though death didn’t take a vacation in the season that we celebrate the birth of the One Who came to deliver believers from sin and death. The editorial page found a wish of a Merry Christmas to the readers and mention of Christmas being the observance of the birth of the Christ Child, and a cartoon suggesting that Jesus is sometimes forgotten on His birthday. Still, the words weren’t so attention gathering as I would have hoped to cause me to save that newspaper above others. I found the answer to my inner questioning however, on page thirteen, right under the dear Abby

column. Someone had written to Abby suggesting that she update her picture at the head of her column to better represent her age. He or she wrote: “Who are you kidding with that high school graduation picture? I bet you’re a fat, old, gray-haired

bag. I would like to see what you really look like?” Well, Abbey told him/her that she was born in 1918, married in 1939 and still married to the same man, mother of a son (22) and a daughter (24), height: 5’ 0”, weight 105, and if they REALLY wanted to see what she looked like she would be on Art Linkletter’s Houseparty on Dec. 26th. But I didn’t save the newspaper to preserve Dear

Abby’s column. I had saved the newspaper because of the “Engagement Told” beneath Abby’s column. For, behold, there was a picture of my bride to be and the announcement: “Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Morton of Sherman announce the engagement of their daughter, Donna Elaine, to the Rev. Robert H. Smith of Dewittville, son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond C. Smith of New Hampton, See SMITH on 20

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

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SMITH from 19 N.H.” This Christmas Eve will add up to 55 years since that notice was printed and over 54 and ½ years of married life and her beauty lasts. I just read that the church where I served as Pastor for a few years back in the 1960’s is now looking for one, and I couldn’t help but think of asking if they would like me to return. My wife,

Part of front page of newspaper, 1966.

people in general, and those feelings are not always of peace and joy. There is always sorrow in some homes because there are reasons for sadness. It may be a blue Christmas because a soldier or student or someone else can’t make it home for Christmas. It may be because someone has passed away. My Dad passed away during the second week of December and

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however, has no desire to return to the blizzard prone landscape of her youth. Just before Christmas there always seems to be a different feeling in the lives of

my wife’s Dad left us during a Christmas Eve blizzard in western New York. During wartime some families have been notified of the death of their loved one just before Christmas. Children in poor families may be sad that they receive little for Christmas and those who care for the poor and feel helpless to help may share in their sadness. But I also remember those Christmas Eve services when a small church was filled with people who realized that Christmas was really about a gift that was for everyone who would receive it. See SMITH on 21

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

SMITH from 20 The message as told to shepherds outside the town of Bethlehem was that a Savior had been born Whose name was Jesus. And whether the message was sounded in New Hampshire or somewhere else, if believed, it could bring comfort even to the brokenhearted. I have received many gifts over the years, but I cannot tell you now what most of those gifts were, except in a general way. But I have not forgotten about the one gift that makes Christmas Christmas. The Bible tells us the message that I have heard over and over,

but some people have yet to hear, that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. I have also heard that if I’m bad Santa will not bring me any gifts or at the most leave me a lump of coal. Jesus, however, I’ve heard, is willing to give me His gift of eternal life if I turn away from my sin and trust in Him. This column is a history column, not a religious one, but I sometimes use it to relate some of my history and passing on the meaning of Christmas in my experience is part of who I am, to use a modern day phrase. I have also

From Ad in The Post-Journal newspaper, Jamestown, NY, Dec.24, 1966 long been acquainted with Christmas cards, parties, candy canes, trees, stockings, candles, stars, carols, can-

tatas, and other things out and about just before Christmas. I understand the phrases “Keep Christ In Christmas” and “Jesus is the

Reason for the Season.” And the song we used to sing in church services, “When I am sad, He makes me glad; He’s my Friend.” I know and understand that not everyone agrees with my faith and theology. Some, like many of the early settlers in New Hampshire didn’t celebrate Christmas, but they shared much of the same faith and theology as some of us who do celebrate the event. Going back to my childhood days I was intrigued by a Christmas poem that stated: “Just before Christmas I’m as good as I can be.” That’s not the

reason for the season, but later in life as a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I felt that the best compliment I could receive from someone was that I practiced what I preached. I just wish I could remember who it was that paid me that compliment. And, no, I didn’t pay them. Though, like many others I do feel some sadness this Christmas time I also experience peace and joy and love and hope. May you experience the same. I wish a Merry Christmas to you all!

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

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(BPT) - During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s easy to lose sight of important safety tips - especially where fire is concerned. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments responded to an average 950 home fires that began with decorations. And trees aren’t the only culprit. To have more peace of mind this holiday season, here are tips to help keep your home and family safer. 1. Use flameless candles. December is the top month for candle fires, and over a third of all home decoration fires are started by traditional wick candles. Fire safety experts strongly recommend flameless

candles that offer the same glow but without the fire hazard. If using traditional wick candles: * Keep lit candles out of reach of children and pets. * Make sure candles are at least 12 inches from flammable items like holiday decor, bedding and curtains - and Christmas trees. * Always blow candles out before leaving a room. 2. Sturdy tree setup. Make sure to set up trees in sturdy tree stands to prevent any mishaps like toppling over when kids or pets try to play near it. To prevent fires, set up your tree at least three feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or

lights. For those with live trees, add water to your tree stand daily so it doesn’t dry out.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

Yours truly on the Parker Trail on Mount Resolution. The whole day we enjoyed big mountain views--nearest is the cliff of Stairs Mountain and in the distance Mount Washington.

Zachary on the summit of Mount Crawford, elevation 3,119 feet. Way out there and white is Mount Washington! The two big steps of Stairs Mountain are just a few miles further up the Davis Path.

PATENAUDE from 3 Mt. Crawford! We were concentrating so hard on stepping carefully that we walked right

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past the spur path. We turned back and found the path and it wasn’t easy making our way up the ice covered steep granite slabs to Mt Crawford. We enjoyed big views all the way to Mt.Washington. We could see our next destination, the big steps of Stairs Mountain. Up the Davis path all the way to Stairs Mountain it was more

of the same ice and bare rock with some snow in low areas. After taking in the view we headed back down the Davis Path to the Mt. Parker Trail intersection. Soon we were on top of Mt. Resolution and enjoyed more big mountain views. The trail doesn’t go over the true highpoint so we bushwhacked about a See PATENAUDE on 25

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

Last weekend youngsters and the young at heart were out taking lessons to learn to ski and snowboard at Pats Peak in Henniker. Even if there isn’t a lot of snow in your yard there is lots of snow to be found on the ski trails at your favorite ski resort. Check ski conditions on-line at SkiNH.com. Know Before You Go---most places are requesting face coverings be worn when going inside the lodges but not while you’re outside. this winter and hopefully we’ll be on snowshoes. Have fun. Amy Patenaude is an avid skier/outdoor enthusiast from Henniker, N.H. Readers are welcome to send comments or suggestions to her at: amy@weirs.com.

This wintery scene was the first Sunday in December. Bria and Charlie cross country skiing in Franconia Notch beneath Cannon Cliff. Think Snow and Merry Christmas. PATENAUDE from 24 tenth of a mile through some thick brush and trees to find it. There is a neat gravely area with fine views of the Stairs Mountain cliff. Next up we walked over Mount Parker and from its open summit

we had a good view of Attitash’s ski trails that looked like white ribbons down the mountain. Zachary got his peaks for December and I guess I did too. Both of us want to return to these peaks

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 — SAFE from 23 lights, inspect and replace cords with signs of wear or fray, broken cords or loose bulb connections. Make sure to keep cords out of reach of kids (and pets, who might chew on them) and always turn off decorations and lights before going to bed or leaving home. 4. Opt for LED. Because LED lights emit less heat than incandescent lights, they pose less of a fire hazard. Choose LED lights approved by a recognized testing laboratory, and use lights only for their designated purpose - lights are rated for indoor, outdoor or both. 5. Lose the metal hooks. For households with young children and pets, consider losing the traditional

metal ornament hooks and opt for fabric and string hangers, a safer option. 6. Hang stockings with care. Everyone loves the look of stockings on the mantel. If you have a working fireplace, shop for fireresistant decorations and remove them from the fireplace before lighting a fire or turning on the gas logs. 7. Maintain fireplaces. It’s important to have good safety practices with fireplaces. Not just for Santa but for the family (including pets). Have those chimneys cleaned and inspected annually - before lighting for the first time each year - and clear the area, about three feet for safety, of anything flammable. 8. Know when to say goodbye to your tree. If you like to keep the holiday cheer going and still have your tree up after New Year’s ... sorry, it’s time to kick it to the curb. It’s likely dried out, which is a major fire hazard. Most Christmas tree fires actually occur after the holidays. 9. Be prepared for snowy weather. If you lose power, take care when using a generator, which can be a major carbon monoxide (CO) hazard. Install your generator outdoors, at least 20 feet from the home, with

the exhaust pointing away from the house. Only operate the generator outdoors in a well-ventilated, dry area, away from air intakes and protected from direct exposure to rain or snow. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using generators. 10. Know the age of your alarms. Every smoke alarm must be replaced at 10 years and every CO alarm between 7-10 years, depending on the model. If you have forgotten when the alarms were installed there is a workaround - look at the manufacturing date and add the life span of the alarm. For example, a smoke alarm with a manufacturing date of April 14, 2012 should be replaced near April 2022. Consider installing alarms with built-in 10-year batteries that send replacement signals such as Kidde’s Worry-Free Living Room, Bedroom, Hallway, and Kitchen Alarms and Kidde’s WorryFree Carbon Monoxide Alarms. Available at The Home Depot, Amazon, Menards and Kidde.com. For more information about fire and CO safety, visit KIDDE. com.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 — METZLER from 7 pressed Covid period, the Budapest government gave $480 million in aid in 2020; a considerable increase from $140 million in 2010. Assistance is slated for forty-seven countries. Dr. Dancs stresses, “Instead of encouraging Christians to leave their home countries we believe that such assistance makes it possible for them to stay.” Such sentiments were rooted in the massive 2015 migration crisis where more than a million Syrian and Iraqi migrants transited through tiny Hungary en route to Germany and Sweden. “We face a very serious massive illegal migration in the modern age unfortunately in Europe which grows anti-Semitism,” he added.

Rev. Roger Landry of the Holy See UN Mission outlined the wider issues of Christian persecution in the Middle East. He underscored the extraordinary trip of Pope Francis to Iraq in March in which the Pontiff visited destroyed but rejuvenating Christian communities in the embattled country. The Pope visited ancient churches in Mosel which were destroyed during occupation of the ISIS so-called caliphate and affirmed that “fraternity is more durable than fratricide.” According to the advocacy group Aid to the Church in need, Christian persecution is rapidly rising globally; 75% of all religiously motivated violence and oppression is suffered by Christians. The group adds, “Radical extrem-

ist Islam is responsible for the persecution of Christians in twentytwo of the worst offending countries.” “The size of the Christian Community in northern Iraq could drop to just 23,000 by 2024; just 20 percent of the population on the Nineveh Plains before the Islamic State group attacked in 2014,” according to a report from Aid to the Church in Need. The report adds, “This would move the Christian community from the category of ‘vulnerable’ to the critical category of ‘endangered with extinction.’ ” Edward Clancy Director of Outreach for Aid to the Church in Need, spoke of Christians facing persecution in Iraq, Syria and Nigeria. Currently in conflict ridden Syria the group has set up the Hope cen-

ter in Damascus and Homs to try to build new lives shattered in the wake of war. Since 2010 Syria’s Christian population drastically decreased from 4 million to about 700,000.” Christian families are still leaving. He spoke of “Raising the voice of the disadvantaged.” Do we hear them during this Christmas Season? 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.

BOSAK from 11 décor, wildlife art and photographs are a great option. This includes duck decoys, which is most definitely an art. Prices vary greatly in the wildlife and decoy category, from less than $100 to many thousands of dollars. I have a modest decoy collection with nearly all of the pieces originally costing less than $100. Most of them are practically worthless now due to my raising two boys. When possible, get your gifts from a local business. Remember, many franchise stores, such as Wild Birds Unlimited, are owned by local people who would love your business. Field guides or other books about birds are also nice to open. There are hundreds

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of field guides and several thousand bird books out there, both old and new. There are a few print birdwatching magazines still hanging in there and a subscription would be a gift that gives all year. Most field guides these days are electronic for smartphones. These field guides, of course, do what print field guides could never do. They include the audio of the songs and calls of the birds, videos and interactive capabilities such as reporting your sightings and sharing with others. It’s a great gift if you can figure out how to give something like that. The options are many, but time is running out. Happy holidays everyone.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

MALKIN from 6 the ask.” The unidentified relative rejoiced: “OMG this would be a huge victory.” As I reported at the time, the ties between Tchen and the Smollett family run deep: -- Tchen and Smollett’s sister, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, joined together in March 2018 at South by Southwest in Austin to proclaim that “There Is No Time’s Up Without Women Of Color.” -- In May 2018, Tchen and Smollett-Bell took the stage together again-- hand-in-hand, glued at the hip -- at the United State of Women Summit in Los Angeles (where Tchen’s former boss and gal pal, Michelle Obama, also appeared). -- Smollett-Bell and another sister, Jazz Smollett-Warwell,

worked for the Obama campaigns in 2008 and 2012 and volunteered as tireless surrogates. -- My search of White House visitor logs shows Jurnee SmollettBell paying at least one personal visit to “POTUS/FLOTUS” at their residence in March 2013 while Tchen was serving as a top strategist to both Obamas. Since I wrote “Culture of Corruption” in 2009, I’ve tracked Tchen’s political maneuverings in the Democrat Deep State: -- Tchen personally shoveled more than $200,000 into the 2008 Obama presidential campaign coffers while a high-powered lawyer at white-shoe Skadden Arps. -- Tchen served as special assistant to President Obama and then took over as chief

of staff in the East Wing for Mrs. Obama. -- Tchen headed up the Obama White House Office of Public Engagement, spearheaded by longtime Chicago pal and fellow corporate lawyer/bundler Valerie Jarrett. -- Tchen coordinated Hollywood celebrities to promote Obama’s domestic policy agenda through the taxpayersubsidized National Endowment for the Arts. -- Tchen was listed in 2009 White House visitor logs I reviewed as having met there with radical left-wing billionaire George Soros, and as Breitbart’s Joel Pollak noted, Soros donated a total of $408,000 to super PACs supporting Foxx’s successful primary and general campaigns for Cook County state attorney.

There’s another set of related loose ends, too: How much did the Obamas know, and did they instigate Tchen’s meddling in Smollett’s folly? Remember: Michelle Obama hosted Jussie Smollett at a musical event at the White House in 2016 and danced with him on stage at a College Signing Day Event in 2018. I consider them all unindicted co-conspirators in the Smollett Swindle. And they should pay. Tchen has disappeared from public view since her fiasco with the #MeToo movement. She was forced to resign from the board in August after being exposed for running cover for former New York Governor and accused sexual harasser

Creepy Andrew Cuomo. I reached out to her for comment this week on the Smollett verdict and for her expert legal opinion as a high-powered lawyer on whether there be legal consequences for aiding and abetting a convicted hate crime hoaxer. No response. I have a feeling I’ll be waiting longer than O.J. Simpson’s victims for an answer. Michelle Malkin’s email address is MichelleMalkinInvestigates@ protonmail.com. To find out more about Michelle Malkin and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 — STOSSEL from 7 While people die, President Joe Biden praises the FDA for their “hard work.” “We shouldn’t be praising them for doing a job that no one should be doing, which is violating your rights,” says Cannon. “If we just gave patients the freedom to purchase drugs other countries had approved, we would go a long way toward restoring your right to make your own health decisions.” FDA regulators don’t

want to kill people, but they do have an incentive to work slowly. If they approve a drug that hurts someone, they’ll get horrible publicity. They may get fired. But when people die from delayed approval, no bureaucrat gets in trouble. We don’t know which people might have been saved. “That’s why the FDA always tries to make sure that it never lets an unsafe drug on the market,” says Cannon. “Even if the cost is years of delay

and many, many lives lost.” His solution: Have no FDA. I push back. “Some people would try drugs that would kill them.” “Yes, some people would have adverse drug events,” he replies. “But the number of lives that we would save would absolutely swamp the number of lives that we lose to unsafe drugs.” The FDA was created 100 years ago because some people were harmed by quack medicines. But

of course, some still are. “The entire premise of an agency like the FDA is that you’re not smart enough to make these decisions for yourself,” says Cannon. But maybe we’re not smart enough, I tell him. “I’m not smart enough to judge whether a pill really works or I’m being sold snake oil.” “It’s not true that you’re not smart enough to make this decision yourself, John,” he says. “You

can consult experts, your physician, medical journals, Consumer Reports. You can consult government regulatory agencies in other countries. Every day the FDA delays costs lives.” He’s right. Once a regulatory agency is created, we tend to assume that only government can do the job. But that’s not true. “The FDA needs to get out of the way,” concludes Cannon. “Let patients make decisions for them-

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

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Old Fashioned STONEWALL

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

Super Crossword

PUZZLE CLUE: BEGINNING AT THE TOP

B.C.

by Parker & Hart

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —

Sudoku

Magic Maze THEME THIS WEEK: AT FIRST

Caption Contest OUR PICK FOR BEST CAPTION

Runners Up : How I learned to stop crossing my legs. - Barbara Bowman, Franklin, NH. The Teazie Wheezie Go Grabber massage machine is hot! hot! hot! - Jean Cram, Pittsfield, NH.

PHOTO #889 Joan was disappointed when she received her new “Peelaton” and wished she had read the advertisement more closely. -Robert Digilio, Lynbrook, NY

CAPTION THIS PHOTO!!

The Winklman Aeffect

PHOTO #891

Send your best brief caption to The new “Clamp Down” us with your name and location Rocker reduces the within 2 weeks of publication “Knee jerk” reactions of date... Caption Contest, The day to day stress. -Robert Patrick, Moultonboro, NH. Weirs Times, P.O. Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247 email to contest@weirs.com

by John Whitlock

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 23, 2021 —