09/14/2023 Weirs Times

Julie is on top of Middle Brother, aka Old King Cliff above Dixville Notch. The Cohos Trail traverses the ridges of the mountains that form Dixville Notch. From the top of the cliffs are dramatic views to those that climb to reach them. The more famous Table Rock with its narrow rock gangplank high above the Notch can be seen on the left. From here the view across Lake Gloriette to the shuttered BALSAMS Resort below Abeniki Mountain certainly is a grand eye-filler. Cohostrail.org

The Cohos Trail

Dixville NoTCh To sTark

by Amy Patenaude

On The Trails & Summits Columnist

The Cohos Trail runs the length of Coos County from the Canadian Border to its

Pastor Charl van Wyk’s Amazing Story

Camp Constitution

Speaker’s Bureau is sponsoring two speaking engagements for Pastor Charl van Wyk, a Christian missionary, author and activist in Africa om Tuesday, Septemeber 19th.

The first will be at the Loudon Congregational Church 7018 Church St, Loudon) at 11am and then at the Community Church of Alton (20 Church St Alton) at 7pm.

His belief in his Christian duty to protect the innocent, vulnerable and oppressed led him to single-handedly return fire in the midst of a terrorist attack, saving many lives!

Armed with only a 38 revolver, Pastor Charl returned

See WYK on 37

most southern reaching point at the bottom of Crawford Notch in Hart’s Location. The trail is 170 miles long. Some people backpack and thru-hike the entire trail but

a lot of people section hike the trail too.

We have been section hiking our Cohos Trail adventure. A month ago Julie and I finished our last outing in

Dixville Notch and now we would continue southbound from there to South Pond in Stark. We planned to go from Dixville Notch and through

McBreairty Presentation

To The Editor: The Dangers of K-12 Public Education will be exposed by Shawn McBreairty at the Marion Gerrish Community Center, 39 West Broadway in Derry, NH on September 28th, 2023 - 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Parental control along with teachers have long been victims of “government force” used as tools to target our children minds with anti-America, bureaucratic curriculums created by the U.S. Department of Education and UNESCO.

A great book that challenges government schools called “Crimes Of The Educators” co-authored by Alex Newman and Sam Blumenfeld reinforces McBreairty’s facts that back up witty cultural critic Henry L. Mencken’s prophetic statement (1880-1926):

“The aim of public education is not to spread enlightenment at all; it is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry, to put down dissent and originality.

McBreairty has appeared on Tucker Carlson, the Ingrahm Angle and Steve Bannon’s War Room among many other TV and radio engagements. And look for his podcast called the “Maine Source of Truth.” He’ll be covering many of the crimes of the educational establishment such as hypersexualization grooming in the classroom, and CRT. Do they

think parents are so naive that these will replace Godly - family disciplines, core values needed to educate?

For more information contact Matthew Rhodes at 207-3190970 or at rhodesmatthew431@ gmail.com Attendee’s must register at https//form.jotform. com//232328201086044 .

Russ Payne

Merrimack, NH.

Tired Of Hearing About Systemic Racism

To The Editor:

It’s tiring hearing black billionaires, millionaires, professors, executives, politicians, and others claim that systemic racism prevents blacks from succeeding.

Despite extensive anti-discrimination laws our courts aren’t swamped with discrimination cases. Racial discrimination/hate is so rare that some is faked, e.g., Jussie Smollett, Bubba Wallace, Duke Lacrosse team, and others (http://tinyurl.com/29w3rzf7).

What do these black elites do to help others? Do they fight for school choice so everyone has a good chance to prosper? No. Do they demand stricter law enforcement so everyone can live in safety? No. (Being mugged changes some minds: https://tinyurl.com/ycyntkpc) Do they support policies that incentivize growth and provide better jobs? No.

Do they fight the laws and

attitudes that result in 75% of black births being to unwed mothers, knowing that fatherlessness increases the odds that children will live in poverty, be uneducated, and end up in jail? No. These are the apparent systemic racism I see, they don’t seem to care!

Unwilling to fight for things that help, but wanting to feel good, Black elites complain that our founding documents are racist, as if freedom, safety, and equal justice are not universal values. Despite worldwide acceptance of slavery, our Constitution set the stage for its eventual elimination by reducing the power of slave states (the maligned 3/5s clause, Article 1, Section 2) and limiting importation of slaves (Art1, S9).

Democrat leaders, including the black elite, reject Republican attempts to provide everyone with: the good educations needed for success, proper law enforcement to create safe communities, and good jobs so people can prosper rather than struggle/suffer on government assistance.

Although non-white, often non-English speaking, people immigrate here and prosper, many American blacks do poorly because they fall for Democrats’ false promises and listen to black elites who betray their trust.

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.

To find out how your business or service can benefit from advertising with us please call 603-366-8463.

Don Ewing Meredith, NH

Center Street, Wolfeboro•603.569.4554•nhbm.org

BIRDS For The

New England’s Wild Birds & Their Habitats

BuTTerflies have Blemishes Too

by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer

Our wrinkles, scars and other blemishes make us who we are. They are our story.

The same is true for butterflies. Not all butterflies look like the perfectly drawn or photographed models in field guides. In fact, most of them don’t.

It wasn’t until I started photographing wildlife (many years ago at this point) that I even noticed. I’d take a great shot of a tiger swallowtail butterfly and check the image when I got home. (Or, in the old days, when the film was developed and photos processed.) Then I’d notice the butterfly was missing part of its wing. Or I would compare photos of two butterflies and notice that one is much more colorful than the other.

Yes, butterflies have blemishes too, and the scars are reflective of the trials of life in a dangerous world. The blemishes come from a variety of sources: a predator tried for a meal and came up with only a piece of a wing, a run-in with another large insect, a particularly prickly thistle plant, a harsh storm and, yes, age. Just like wrinkles betray the age of us humans, faded wings show the age of a butterfly.

In my experience,

A tiger swallowtail butterfly with one of its

missing.

the most common wing imperfections among butterflies are the missing tails on the back wings of a swallowtail. The excitement of getting a perfect shot of a swallowtail is often subdued by noticing that the insect is missing one or both of its “tails.” It’s still a great shot and the butterfly is still beautiful, but it’s not the shot that was expected. Those

fore I knew it, I was standing in shin-high poison ivy, waist-high grass, and eye-level ironweed and Joe-Pyeweed. I was in hot pursuit, so I kept going. Finally, I caught up to the temptress. Throughout the entire pursuit, I saw only its right wing. When I got a close look at last, I noticed that its left wing was nearly completely gone. Something drastic had happened to this butterfly, but it survived and flew about the meadow just fine. Nature is amazing.

For those keeping score at home, it turned out to be a great spangled fritillary. It’s not a rare butterfly

See BOSAK on 35

missing tails are likely the result of a close call with a bird.

The other day I had a similar experience. My butterfly identification skills are average at best, so I get excited when I see something other than a monarch or swallowtail.

I tromped through a field to pursue an atthe-time unidentified butterfly. It lured me into the tall grasses like a siren song. Be-

“tails”

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Civil War Era Folksongs In Belmont

NH Boat Museum Hosts Wolfeboro Vintage Race Boat Regatta

On Friday, September 15 and Saturday, September 16, the New Hampshire Boat Museum (NHBM) will host the 13th biennial Wolfeboro Vintage Race Boat Regatta on Wolfeboro Bay. Sanctioned by the Vintage and Historic Division of the American Power Boat Association (APBA), the event features dozens of vintage boats, including small outboards, Grand Prix hydroplanes, Jersey Skiffs and Gold Cup racing boats.

The Regatta is a free spectator event. “This is so much fun to watch as a spectator,” said NHBM Executive Director Martha Cummings, who noted the Regatta features several social events with the Awards Dinner on Saturday, September 16 at Wolfeboro Inn open to the public.

“It’s a great chance to meet the drivers, many of whom come from across the nation and Canada to participate,” she added.

Race boat heats take place on Friday, September 15 and Saturday, September 16 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Awards Dinner takes place at Wolfeboro Inn from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with tickets priced at $65 per person.

To see a full schedule of events, or purchase tickets to the Awards Dinner, visit nhbm.org/theregatta.

The 13th biennial Wolfeboro Vintage Race Boat Regatta is sponsored in part by Eastern Propane & Oil, Goodhue Boat Company, Belletetes, North Water Marine, JC Signs, TM Crane Service Diamond Shine Boat Detailing, Stark Creative, and Epoxy Floor New England.

Lakes Region Art Gallery “Art Talk

Theresa D’Esopo Spinner is the Guest Speaker at this month’s “ART TALK” on Monday September 18th at 7pm at the Lakes Region Art Gallery, Tanger Outlets, 120 Laconia Road, Tilton, NH . “ART TALK” is free and open to the public.

Teresa D’Esopo Spinner, a native of New Haven, Conn. began her art career at the Whitney School of Art. Teresa established her artistic reputation during her travels around the United States and Europe. Her first solo exhibitions were in the 1970s.

Throughout her broad experience in various artistic endeavors, Teresa always comes back to a love of painting custom portraits.

She greatly enjoys the connection she experiences with those she paints, recognizing the privilege and honor it is to capture their personalities and translate their emotions into artistic form.

Ms. Spinner’s work hangs in public and private collections throughout the United States and in Latin America.

The public is invited to attend her “Art Talk”, as well as her exhibit which opens at the LRAA Gallery on Thursday September 21st at 10 am. A “Meet and Greet” Reception will be held on Saturday, September 23rd from 5 pm - 8 pm at the LRAA Gallery.

On Tuesday, September 19th the Belmont Historical Society along with the NH Humanities-to-Go will be hosting a program titled, “Rally ‘Round the Flag: The American Civil War Through Folksong” that will be presented by Marek Bennett, an awardwinning cartoonist and musician Mr. Bennett will provide an overview of the American Civil War through the lens of period music. Audience members are welcome to participate and sing along as the presenter explore lyrics, documents, and visual images from sources such as the Library of Congress. Through camp songs, parlor music, hymns, battlefield rallying cries, and fiddle tunes, Bennett examines the folksong as a means to enact living history, share perspectives, influence public perceptions of events, and simultaneously fuse and conserve cultures in times of change.

Showcasing various instruments, the presenter along with the audience will consider possible new connections between song, art, and politics in American history.

The program will be held at the Belmont Mill (rear entrance), 14 Mill St, in Belmont, at 7 pm. This free program which is sponsored by NH Humanitiesto-Go along with the Belmont Historical Society is open to the public and is handicapped accessible.

Martha Gallagher, Harpist in Concert

The Joyful Noise Music Series is delighted to present harpist, Martha Gallagher, in a special concert on Saturday, September 23rd at 7PM at the First Congregational Church in Meredith.

For over three decades, Martha Gallagher has captivated audiences with her distinctive and richly varied performances; vibrant living tapestries of songs, stories and in-the-moment inspirations. She is widely known in the Adirondack Mountain region of New York where she makes her home, as the “Adirondack Harper.”

Her solo tours, many sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, have taken her across the US and Canada. In her career, she has performed with such luminaries as six-time Grammy winners, The Chieftains. She has been featured on numerous television and radio programs including BBC TV, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, New Hampshire Public Radio and Good Morning Arizona. She has recorded and produced 7 CDS on her independent label Singing Strings. Martha has a diverse musical background, training and experience. Her music dances gracefully from jazzy to contemplative, from bluesy to contemporary, from Celtic tunes to Latin grooves to Classical melodies.

This is a special concert to be enjoyed by all. A suggested $20 donation is appreciated to continue bringing quality performing artists to the Joyful Noise Music Series.

The First Congregational Church of Meredith is located at 4 Highland Street. Parking is in the back of the church, or across the street at the Town annex and nearby public parking off of Main Street. To learn more about this event and The Joyful Noise

by Brendan Smith

Editor

alTerNaTe PlaNs

Brendan is off this week, se we are reprinting this article from 2019 which also appears in his book “I Really Only Did It For The Socks- Stories & Thoughts On Aging.”

As I get a little older the thought of retirement often invades my daily thinking.

I’d imagine that I wouldn’t be really “retiring” as the word is often interpreted. I’d still be doing what I’m doing in one form or another.

I’m sure I’d be getting up every morning to sit at this keyboard (sometimes actually typing on it). I have always enjoyed writing since I was a nerdy little kid, so I’d probably keep at it for whatever it’s worth.

Sure, I might go out and shoot a round of golf on occasion to play to the retirement stereotype, but I have golfed enough in a previous younger life to know that…well…I stink.

I’m not sure if at this stage in the game I’d want to dedicate a lot of time and blood pressure to getting just a little bit better at it.

I would enjoy having my own schedule though. Doing what I want when I want. Having extra time does have its benefits… I would imagine.

Still, there is that one tiny obstacle that stands in the way of when to retire.

Money.

Have we saved enough to have a nice retirement? Of course, that all depends on how long we live.

I am always grateful that modern day breakthroughs in medicine have given me extra time with my recent heart surgery, but I’m also glad that it hasn’t advanced enough yet to be able to keep me alive till I am

two hundred, then retirement wouldn’t even be a consideration for at least another hundred years. I doubt I could even make fifty.

I am hoping that my wife, Kim, and I will have stashed away enough by retirement age to see us through when we are in our golden years (a nice term to say “old”).

But, just in case, I am thinking of using a modern-day method of raising some additional cash to see to it that our last decades are comfortable…our very own GoFundMe page.

It seems that every time I turn on my computer to read an email or go on social media (which is anything but social nowadays), people are trying to get me to cough up some bucks to help them pay for something through GoFundMe.

There are many noble GoFundMe fundraisers that really are purposeful. When someone starts one for a friend who is facing an unexpected hardship or a natural disaster somewhere has disrupted people’s lives, or someone is facing the overwhelming cost of dealing with a life-threatening disease, that makes sense to me.

But when someone starts a GoFundMe page because their kid needs new braces, they want to take a trip around the world, or they want to test an idea so ridiculous that they wouldn’t even consider risking their own money on it, I’m not sure that was the purpose for the thing in the first place.

Still, it seems that this weird way of raising money for just about anything is here to stay, so why not join in? Why keep on working towards retirement when I might be able to just have a bunch of other people take care of that for me?

So, I am starting a GoFundMe page to finance our retirement.

I think two million dollars would be a great amount to shoot for? What do you think?

I realize that I might not get anywhere close to that, but on the other hand I might be surprised. Maybe spending my days being lousy at golf on Hilton Head just might be something I’d be willing to waste my time doing, if the money wasn’t a concern.

We figure that we will shoot high and even if we fall a bit short and only collect only one and a quarter million, we will still manage... somehow.

So, keep your eyes open for an announcement for our GoFundMe Page which should be up and running as soon as I figure out how to do it.

I don’t have all the specifics yet, but if you do decide to contribute to our GoFundMe page for our retirement, you will be guaranteed a very special handmade thank you card as a .pdf delivered straight to your inbox.

For those who donate over $10,000 you will receive a handwritten card at Christmas direct from Hilton Head.

I hope you will see it in your heart to help us in our quest.

Thank you in advance.

Brendan is also the author of “The Flatlander Chronicles” and “Best Of A F.O.O.L in New Hampshire” available at BrendanTSmith.com.

Weirs Times

TrashiNg The CoNsTiTuTioN JusT To geT TrumP

Star Parker is off this week.

Innocent until proven guilty. That’s a fundamental right in America, at least until now.

how BurNiNg maN BeCame uNCool

inclusion principle.

by Ben Shapiro Syndicated Columnist

Anti-Trump groups determined to disqualify the leading Republican candidate for president are urging state election officials across the U.S. to remove Donald Trump from the ballot, claiming he’s an “insurrectionist.” They’re citing an arcane clause in the 14th Amendment, written after the Civil War, that disqualifies anyone who “engaged in insurrection” against the United States from holding public office.

by Betsy McCaughey Syndicated Columnist

Here’s the hitch. Trump has never been convicted of insurrection, and none of his prosecutors — not Jack Smith nor Fani Willis — is charging him with insurrection. The House of Representatives impeached him, accusing him of insurrection, but he was acquitted. So, zero convictions, one acquittal.

Even so, left-wing group Free Speech For People has sent letters to state election officials, including the co-chairs of the New York State Board of Elections, labeling Trump an insurrectionist and telling these officials they have a duty to remove Trump from the ballot, just as they would be obligated to remove any presidential aspirant who had not reached the age of 35 or was not a natural born citizen.

Under this scheme, if Trump wants to be on the ballot, he’ll have to go to court and prove his innocence.

In short, guilty until proven innocent. That’s as un-American as it gets. Whether you like Trump or loathe him, you should be concerned.

George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley calls it “the single most dangerous constitutional theory I’ve seen in decades.”

The ploy could also produce chaos in November and December, as states preparing for the upcoming presidential primaries deal with lawsuits over Trump’s presence on the ballot. New Hampshire’s secretary of state and attorney general issued a joint statement last week saying they are “carefully reviewing the legal issues involved.”

Ultimately, any attempt to remove Trump from the ballot would rocket up to the U.S. Supreme Court.

This week, the Burning Man festival -- a convocation of large groups of men and women seeking sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll and other forms of hedonistic bliss -- was flooded. It seems that a half-inch of rain swamped the event, which takes place in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, turning the dust to deep and sticky mud. The images of barely clad neo-hippies struggling to walk through the muck spread like wildfire across the internet; even the White House was forced to acknowledge that it was monitoring the situation.

For a huge swath of Americans, all of this was simply amusing. But the rise and mainstreaming of Burning Man is a far more interesting story than its pathetic possible demise. Burning Man was founded in 1986, when some hippie types gathered at the beach in San Francisco to burn a nine-foot-tall wooden man. Over time, the bonfire became larger and larger, until eventually it moved to Nevada, where it has been located ever since. Each year, 100,000 people head out to the middle of the desert to participate in events ranging from impromptu art exhibits to orgies and mass drug use.

The fundamental principles of Burning Man are spelled out in co-founder Larry Harvey’s 10 Principles, written in 2004. These principles construct a paganistic morality built around a bevy of mutually exclusive notions. For example, Burning Man is about “radical inclusion... No prerequisites exist for participation in our community.” But Burning Man is also “devoted to acts of gift giving.” Unfortunately, without some form of mutuality, giving alone cannot form the basis of a functioning society, even temporarily. All of which means that Burning Man features social pressure to ostracize freeriders -- a tragic violation of the radical

Burning Man values “radical selfexpression,” which cannot be defined by anyone other “than the individual or a collaborating group.” But such radical self-expression quickly comes into conflict with Burning Man’s call for “civic responsibility,” which surely encroaches on the unlimited right to self-expression. Burning Man also values “immediacy,” which it calls “the most important touchstone of value in our culture.” But Burning Man also calls for the community to “clean up after ourselves,” which runs directly counter to the premise of immediacy.

All of this would be sheer countercultural nonsense, except for one perverse fact: The counterculture has now become the culture. This accounts for the fact that Burning Man now seems tired and played out, less transgressive than wearied. The age of Burning Man attendees has increased over the past decade (average age in 2013 was 32, compared to 37 just nine years later); so has the average income (in 2006, 14% of Burners listed their personal income at above $100,000, compared to 27.4% by 2016). Influencers now show up at Burning Man to sell Popeye’s Spicy Chicken; Elon Musk, Paris Hilton and Mark Zuckerberg have shown up.

And herein lies the problem for the broader American culture. Our elite class used to be inculcated in the same set of baseline values as “normal” Americans: John D. Rockefeller was a regular churchgoer; so was Cornelius Vanderbilt. Today, our elites participate in drug-fueled binges in the desert -- or at least wish to appear as though they do. Throughout the 1930s, even the poorest Americans aspired to dress well, wearing suits even on the breadlines. Today, even the richest Americans dress as though they shop at Salvation Army.

When elites promulgate countercultural garbage that eats at the roots of fundamental

Colorado has a popular Democratic governor, Jared Polis.

He’s a rare Democrat who says, “I’m for more freedom and lower taxes.”

But is he really?

DeBaTiNg a DemoCraT

sas now help parents send their kids to any school.

When I tell Polis that Colorado lags, he responds, “I’m not a fan of these voucher programs with no accountability where it can be Joe’s Taco Shop and K-8 academy and they’re getting taxpayer money.”

between those who attend Head Start and those who don’t.

“Why fund something that makes no difference?” I ask.

Polis responds: “High-quality early childhood education leads to better outcomes.”

But nicotine isn’t what kills.

At least, when it comes to legalizing marijuana and psychedelics, Colorado leads the country.

by John Stossel Syndicated Columnist

At least he’s willing to come to Stossel TV to debate.

Refreshingly, Polis supports charter schools. He even founded two. Unfortunately, his state’s school choice program only applies to government schools. Florida, Arizona, Utah, Indiana, West Virginia, Iowa and Arkan-

But it’s not true that independent schools have “no accountability.” They are accountable to parents, which is better than being “accountable” to sleepy government bureaucrats.

His state also launched universal preschool. But why? Even the muchpraised Head Start program doesn’t help kids. A federal study found that by third grade, there was no difference

It probably would. But rarely does government offer “high quality.”

Another Polis mistake: He supported a higher tax on vape products.

“Vaping saves lives,” I point out. “It’s better than smoking.”

“Even though vaping has been effective in helping people get off of smoking,” Polis responds, “it’s also led to more nicotine addiction, especially among young people.”

“It’s ultimately a matter of personal responsibility,” says Polis. “If you want to use marijuana, if you want to drink, if you want to smoke, that’s your prerogative. The government shouldn’t be deciding that for you.”

That’s good to hear.

Colorado produces lots of oil and gas. Polis is requiring 30% reductions for nitrous oxide emissions.

“Sounds like it will cripple the business,” I tell him.

“The oil and gas companies are go-

uN assemBly oPeNs amiD wiDeNiNg wars aND humaNiTariaN Crises

Presidents, Prime Minsters, Kings and Potentates are converging on New York for the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly. The 78th annual Assembly of the world organization presents both a global gala and expanded Summit meeting to try to solve a myriad of crises facing the international community.

will solving the challenge of the Sustainable Development Goals a seventeen point mantra for countries ranging from no hunger, clean water, quality education and zero poverty.

by John J. Metzler Syndicated Columnist

While the ongoing and yet unresolved war in Ukraine shall take front and center among the 193 assembled UN members, so too

As the UN says, “ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth.” Realistically, the SDG’s are probably only partially attainable given the worsening civil conflicts and humanitarian challenges worldwide.

Ambassador Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago has been elected as President of the 78th Assembly. His slogan “Peace, Prosperity, Progress and Sustainability” encompasses the goal and spirit.

Actually this session is the first full-fledged Assembly since the pandemic; 145 world leaders will arrive along with an expected 15,000 diplomats, delegates and staff. Opening day of the General Debate on 19 September sees the first speaker, by tradition, being the president of Brazil ( the socialist Lula), then the United States, and others among Turkey, Ukraine and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In parallel to the ongoing political events, there’s a huge security operation throughout New York City where speeding motorcades, street closings, helicopters and Coast Guard ships on the East River all form part of the Assembly’s security bubble, especially during the first

week. NYPD is tasked to the hilt to provide security but also keep the rest of the city moving safely too.

Interestingly China, France, Russia and the UK are not sending their Presidents or Prime Ministers. Obviously Russia’s Vladimir Putin fears arrest while on American soil, China’s Xi Jinping appears preoccupied by domestic economic and political concerns. The UK’s Rishi Sunak is not expected either.

France’s Emmanuel Macron shall not attend; he’s hosting Britain’s King Charles II on his delayed visit to Paris. Moreover the time slot for France to speak is late in the day on a Saturday.

Despite the still shifting sched -

half ameriCaN: The ePiC sTory of afriCaN ameriCaNs fighTiNg worlD war ii aT home aND aBroaD

WOLFEBORO - On Tuesday, September 19th, the Wright Museum will welcome Matthew Delmont. This is the final program of the Wright Museum’s 2023 Education Series

Over one million Black men and women served in World War II. Black troops were at Normandy, Iwo Jima, and the Battle of the Bulge, serving in segregated units and performing unheralded but vital support jobs, only to be denied housing and educational opportunities on their return home. Without their crucial contributions to the war effort, the United States could not have won the war. And yet the stories of

these Black veterans have long been ignored, cast aside in favor of the myth of the “Good War” fought by the “Greatest Generation.”

Half American is American history as you’ve likely never read it before. In these pages are stories of Black heroes such as Thurgood Marshall, the chief lawyer for the NAACP, who investigated and publicized violence against Black troops and veterans; Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., leader of the Tuskegee Airmen, who was at the forefront of the years-long fight

to open the Air Force to Black pilots; Ella Baker, the civil rights leader who advocated on the home front for Black soldiers, vet -

erans, and their families; James Thompson, the 26-year-old whose letter to a newspaper laying bare the hypocrisy of fighting against fascism abroad when racism still reigned at home set in motion the Double Victory campaign; and poet Langston Hughes, who worked as a war correspondent for the Black press. Their bravery and patriotism in the face of unfathomable racism is both inspiring and galvanizing. In a time when the questions World War II raised regarding race and democra-

cy in America remain troublingly relevant and still unanswered, this meticulously researched retelling makes for urgently necessary reading.

Dr. Matthew Delmont is the Frank J. Guarini Associate Dean of International Studies and Interdisciplinary Programs and the Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Professor of History. An expert on African-American History and the history of Civil Rights. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Public Scholar Award to support this research. Dr. Delmont has spoken and consulted with Fortune 500 companies, universities, colleges, and community organizations regarding civil rights, diversity, and inclusivity, and how to reckon with the history of rac-

ism in America. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., the program begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 19th at the Wright Museum’s DuQuoin Education Center, 77 Center Street in Wolfeboro. Admission is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made online at www.wrigthmuseum. org/lecture-series or by calling 603-5691212.

The region’s leading resource for educators and learners of all ages on World War II, the Wright Museum features more than 14,000 items in its collection that are representative of both the home front and battlefield. For more information about the 2023 Lecture Series, or museum, visit wrightmuseum.org.

This series of Letters

From God is an attempt to put the thoughts of God as revealed in the Scriptures.

Letters From God Letters From God

QUESTION:

What Is The Gospel?

The word “Gospel” has different meanings when it is used in my book, the Bible, which I had written for mankind in order to know my thoughts and my will. It is an important word that must be understood if you ever hope to enjoy life now and forever.

One of the ways that it is used in the Bible is a reference to the four writers of the events of the life of my Son Jesus, your Messiah. I asked Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to record these events, from the time of my Son’s birth to the time of his death, resurrection and return to me in heaven at his ascension. In fact, in the Gospel written by John, he actually records events related to the pre-existence of my Son, in heaven with me, before the world began. He also included the fact that he was the one who, as God, spoke the words that brought all of creation into existence (Genesis 1:3; John 1:1-2).

Each of these writer’s books are called Gospels because the word means “good news.” I had each written so that everyone would know and understand my love for you and the love of my Son Jesus, who by coming to walk among you, lived a perfect life and died as a substitute to pay for your sins (John 3:16).

When I raised him from the dead, I proved that he was God and that his death in your place, made a way for you, who are sinful human beings, to be restored to me, your Creator, and to life. I couldn’t offer you any better “good news” than this. You would do well to read each of these books written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. If you do, you will see the evidence that my Son, Jesus, has visited the earth and made the only provision possible for you to be restored to a relationship with me and to life that will last for eternity.

But there is also another meaning to the word Gospel. Since the word actually means “good news,” it is used in that sense as a word that is appropriate for the entire Bible that I had written.

Beginning in the first book, Genesis, I asked Moses to describe how I created the universe and the earth within it to be the glorious home for those I created as human beings. I created them without sin and as a result they enjoyed a relationship with me, their God, and the perfect life that I enjoy and made for them. That perfect life included a perfect environment in which there was no sin, no wickedness, no evil, no suffering, no pain and no death (Genesis 1 & 2). In order to maintain that relationship, I made it clear to them that they could not disobey me, for if they did, they would be separated from me a holy God. Once separated from me, the source of

life, they would begin to die. You cannot pull yourself away from me, the source of life, and expect to continue to live. That is why death is your constant companion in every aspect of your life including your physical death and if you die in your sins, your eternal death. Despite my warnings, the first man and woman chose to disobey and were separated from me. Immediately, they manifested death in their relationship with me, with each other, with their environment and with their shortened lifespan. It was at that time that, together with the Holy Spirit and my Son Jesus, that we devised a plan to get them back. I promised them a Savior who would crush the power of the Devil, who tempted them and held them in bondage to sin and death (Genesis 3:15).

If you’ve read my book, the Bible, you’ll know that the rest of the Old Testament was my preparation, to deliver your Savior, through my chosen people the Jewish nation (Genesis-Malachi). He would come and sadly was rejected by many.

“yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12). When they received him as their Savior and turned back to me, I would forgive their sins and restore them to me and to life forever. This is the Gospel, the good news that though you are dying you can live forever.

Finally, the Gospel is a word that’s used of the salvation process. If you will trust me to do for you

what you can’t do for yourself, I will provide salvation from the penalty, power and even the presence of sin. The penalty is your legal debt for disobeying me with even one sin. The power is the ability to obey me once your penalty has been paid. The presence will be when you arrive in heaven with me and are never tempted again. I had my servant Paul, write the book of Romans, that describes this process of moving from death to eternal life. So, as you can see the Gospel is not only “good news,” it’s great news and the only news that will restore you to me and to life.

Will you trust me and experience the rich benefit from this “good news” or continue to reject me and face the inevitable “bad news” of death?

I love you, God

Israel: A Trip of A Lifetime. Come join Rev. Samuel Hollo, writer of Letters from God, as he guides a tour of Israel, March 18-27th of 2024. Together you will visit major sites of Biblical events throughout Israel of both the Old and New Testament. Each site visited will be viewed for their historical as well as their spiritual importance. This will be a 10-day trip that will be unforgettable and deeply inspirational. For information call

875-5561

Many amazing gift baskets to be raffled, including a Pfaf Sewing Machine donated by North Country Quilters & Sew ‘n Vac of Rumney, NH

Quilt Show winners determined by popular voteVoting ends at Saturday at 5pm

Not So LoNg Ago ...

Exploring ThE lEgEnd & lorE of our graniTE STaTE

The olD oNe-room sChoolhouse - aN olD-fashioNeD eDuCaTioN -ParT i

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

It wasn’t just any schoolhouse. It was the one where I was educated for six years until the call to consolidate came to my hometown which had, years before, heeded the call to do the opposite, that is, establish district schools to be scattered around town so all the children would have a school near them.

It was the lack of transportation that prompted the state to ask towns to divide into districts, but better roads and better means of transporting reversed the trend, and consolidation was the word by the 1950’s.

But for those who haven’t experienced the old-fashioned, one-room schoolhouse experience, here is mine.

At age six I walked with my siblings one September day down the quarter of a mile stretch from our home to the Hanaford

Schoolhouse, previously known as District Number 3 and the Marston schoolhouse. We entered the school’s entryway which was narrow, with a door to the left leading to the classroom, and one to the right leading to the woodshed, being a part of the school building, and beyond that the indoor outhouse, the waterless toilet with a section for the girls and one for the boys.

If one went straight ahead in the small entryway there were hooks to hang one’s coat on and a water container for drinking

and hand-washing, with a basin for washing, though I’m not sure if too much of the latter took place in those old fashioned days. The water was obtained from a spring beside the road which we would pass on the way to school. It is still there today in an relatively unnoticed place.

The classroom was equipped with a teacher’s desk, and oldfashioned students’ desks with the chair attached and a top with hinges toward the front that one could lift to reveal a box-like place for books, papers, etc.The desk top

also had an inkwell in which a bottle of ink could be placed to be used with the oldfashioned pen we used to write with when we did our cursive writing on lined paper. We dipped the end of the pen in the ink and transferred the ink to the paper, using samples of cursive writing which we copied. We also were supplied with ink blotters to soak up any excess liquid. The introduction of ball-point pens at some point along my school years was a welcome addition.

The classroom was equipped with a wood

The Hanaford School in New Hampton.

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Expires 11/1/23

Expires11/1/23

george BesT

by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer

I’m one of those oldsters who hearken back to a youth where our family could only get three black and white television channels via a big roof antenna. And two of them came in fuzzy. But everyone watched the same shows—providing a cultural glue that’s now long lost.

Eventually cable television changed everything. And then satellite television changed everything again. Now there are countless television channels. And I don’t even have to get up to change the channel, like back in the old days.

“Young people now just don’t know how tough we had it back in the day. We had to get up off the couch to go change a channel.”

Remote control was a great invention. (Before Smart Phones became an even greater invention.)

But now I don’t even use my fingers to change a channel. I can just speak to my TV.

“WMUR Channel 9.”

“C-SPAN.”

“ESPN.”

And, voila. My smart TV gives me what I asked for.

What I don’t ask for anymore is network television. Especially network news. It’s mostly compromised. Progressives have suc-

ceeded in controlling the media, just as they have academia. For example, one needs to swallow—hook, line, and sinker—the whole climate alarmist narrative. I feel badly for youngsters who unknowingly are constantly proselytized. But the world wide web still allows one to see the big picture, if one wants to see it. Although progressives are now trying to restrict and control the internet too now. Of course.

Anyway, through the wonders of modern technology I’ve discovered easily accessible TV documentaries on almost anything. As opposed to vapid sitcoms or biased news reporting. I love it. I watch mostly history but also sports. While ESPN has its own progressive slants, the network still produces some good stuff. And a live telecast is what it is. They can’t blame a missed tackle

The film footage of his exploits is breathtaking. Seriously.

I learned that Best was so good that he was approached by the legendary Manchester United football/soccer franchise when he was only 15. And during the course of the show there were repeated referrals to “Munich,” and I learned about a 1958 plane crash in Germany that decimated the iconic United team, killing 23. The shadow of “Munich” hovered over Manchester United for decades.

on climate change.

(Actually, they probably can. They blame man-induced climate change on everything else. But I digress.)

ESPN’s 30 for 30 series has some great stuff. Originally 30 documentary episodes on great sports figures to celebrate ESPN’s 30th birthday in 2009, the show became a multiseason program. Yes, there are now far more than 30 great sports documentaries. Occasionally I call one up. Like I did the other day with soccer great George Best.

I vaguely recalled this Northern Irish sports figure from the days when I played soccer. In high school. A little bit at UNH. And in the wonderful old New Hampshire Summer Soccer Conference.

The documentary fleshed out this Best character, who may well have BEEN the “best” soccer player in the world 50 years ago.

Anyway, it was fascinating to learn about Best’s sport journey, which sadly ended in alcoholism and early death. But soccer folks should find it and watch it some tine if they’re interested in a powerful story and some amazing soccer footage.

Indeed, just utter “Sports Documentaries” into your “smart” control device from your couch and stand by for a cornucopia of amazing sports stories. You don’t have to go up on the roof to adjust the antenna, like back in the day.

Or even leave the couch!

Sports Quiz

When was Mt. Everest first scaled by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay? (Answer follows).

Born Today

That is to say, sports standouts born on September 14 include former Boston Bruin

See MOFFETT on 37

George Best.

What to know about HSAs and FSAs

Paying for health care can be challenging — but are you taking full advantage of all the resources available to you?

You might have access to a Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), so let’s look at both.

An HSA is a personal savings account used to pay health care costs. If you’re enrolled in a high-deductible health plan, you also may be eligible to contribute to an HSA. You aren’t taxed on the money you put into this account or on the earnings generated from your contributions, as long as withdrawals are used for qualified health care costs such as deductibles, copayments and coinsurance. And there’s no “use it or lose it” provision with HSAs — the money stays in your account until you use it. In fact, you can carry your HSA with you all the way until retirement, when you can use the money to pay for qualified expenses that Medicare or Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) doesn’t cover. In 2023, you can contribute up to $3,850 to an HSA, or $4,850 if you’re 55 or older; for family coverage, you can put in up to $7,750.

It’s important to keep in mind that your HSA’s tax benefits only apply when your withdrawals are used for qualified heath care costs. If you use the money for non-qualified expenses, it is considered taxable income, and you may also face a penalty of 20% on the amount withdrawn. However, once you turn 65, you can use your HSA funds for any purpose without a penalty, though the withdrawals will still count as taxable income.

Now, let’s turn to the Flexible Savings Account. An FSA may be available to you if you get health insurance through your employer. And because you fund your FSA with pretax dollars, your contributions can reduce your taxable income. (In 2023, you can contribute up to $3,050 to an FSA.) Your employer may also choose to contribute to your FSA. Once your account is funded and active, you submit claims with proof of your medical expenses, along with a statement that these expenses aren’t covered by your plan, and you can be reimbursed for your costs.

It’s helpful to have a good estimate of your yearly medical expenses for a Flexible Savings Account. That’s because an FSA generally needs to be spent before the end of the plan year — if you don’t use all the money, you can only carry over some of it and any remaining balance is forfeited. (You can carry over up to $610 from 2023 into 2024.)

You can't contribute to an HSA and a traditional FSA in the same year. But if you have an HSA, you might be able to use what’s known as a Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account (LPFSA) for dental and vision expenses. You’ll need to check with your plan to see if this option is available.

Managing your health care expenses should be a key part of your overall financial strategy — so consider putting an HSA or FSA to work for you.

GILFORD

NICK TRUDEL, ChFC®, AAMS™ , CRPC™, FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 293-0055

nicholas.trudel@edwardjones.com

28 Weirs Rd., Suite 1, Gilford, NH

LACONIA

BENJAMIN J WILSON, CEPA®, AAMS™, FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 524-4533

benjamin.wilson@edwardjones.com

386 Union Avenue, Laconia, NH

BELMONT

JASON R POCHILY FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 524-3501

jason.pochily@edwardjones.com

171 Daniel Webster Hwy., Suite 7 Belmont, NH

MEREDITH

DEVON SULLIVAN, CFP®, ChFC®, CRPC™

FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 279-3284

devon.sullivan@edwardjones.com

164 NH Route 25, Unit 1A, Meredith, NH

MOULTONBOROUGH

KEITH A BRITTON FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 253-3328

keith.britton@edwardjones.com 512 Whittier Highway, Suite 1 Moultonborough, NH

Investing is about more than money.

At Edward Jones, we stop to ask you the question: “What’s important to you?” Without that insight and a real understanding of your goals, investing holds little meaning. Contact your Edward Jones financial advisor for a one-on-one appointment to discuss what’s really important: your goals.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC.

The Simple Feast

aNaDama Beer BreaD

WEIRS TIMES’ BEER FINDER

by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer

The Simple Feast The Simple The Simple

A yeast bread with cornmeal and molasses as its signature ingredients, Anadama Bread is a NewEngland favorite known for both its unique flavor and humorous, while perhaps somewhat dubious, origins.

Anadama Bread, some will argue, is a hybrid, a cross between a yeast bread and New England Brown Bread. Personally, I think it is the best of both worlds. The typical rectangle yeast loaf with its slightly rounded stippled grainy dome (indicative of the cornmeal) and a hue that ranges from pale to deep brown (depending upon the molasses used). The aroma and flavor are both yeasty and slightly sweet, making Anadama Bread, in my opinion, one of the most delicious breads ever to be savored. Warm and or toasted, with a smattering of real butter, the texture, flavor, and aroma all culminate in an indescribable most pleasingly satisfying experience for both the olfactory senses and taste buds.

The origins of Anadama Bread, while humorous, do seem rather improbable. The facts

notwithstanding, history points a fickle finger toward this bread being conceived not too far south of our border with Massachusetts, in a town called Rockport on the Cape Ann Peninsula. How to get there from here? Take I-95 south to Danvers, hang a left and head to the Atlantic. When you get to the ocean, you´re there, or pretty close to it.

But it is here in Rockport where, as fact and fiction so often do, collide to make a good story. What seems to be the “facts” is there was once an old fisherman who had a wife named Anna. And, as the story goes, it seems ¨Mrs. Anna¨ was not too ambitious, or perhaps lacked the culinary creativity needed to create

ger fussed and stewed, “That Anna! Darn her!” (Yes, I did sanitize it a bit for my young impressionable readers.)

ACKERLY’S

Grill & Galley

Shipyard -Smashed Pumpkin

an appealing meal. “It was always the same old thing,” her husband would complain. “Cornmeal Mush!” “Mush for breakfast, mush for lunch, mush for dinner and Sunday Brunch! Mush! Mush! Mush! For pity sakes Anna, you’d think we lived in Alaska!” I´m certain his exact quotes are lost in history´s foggy undertows.

Well, one day “Mr. Anna,” that old salt, he was so fed up with mush that he took matters into his own hands. While rummaging through the pantry (I love pantries!) he found the makings for bread: a bit of yeast, a cup or two of flour, and a few other essentials. All of it, stirred into the pot with the mush. And all the while the old cod-

Well, as if by magic, the only explanation I can think of, a dough forms. This, he plops into a loaf pan, and then into the hot oven it went. An hour later, “Tah-Dah!” out came a loaf of delicious yeast bread made ostensibly of molasses and cornmeal. Now, little did he nor “Mrs. Anna” realize at the time, but he became a trendsetter. Why? Because it wasn’t too long before the neighbors got wind (quite literally) of this delicious bread brewing under the gable ends up the street and everyone wanted to know what “Mrs. Anna” was making. And as more and more people began making this bread and wondering what to call it, the wags about town passed the word of the old geezer sputtering about his wife and mush. And that’s how Anadama Bread got its name.

Fact or fiction? Not quite sure up to this point, but I truly have my doubts as to the validity of the story of Anadama Bread´s beginnings as presented by lore. I’m thinking it would be more along the lines of “Mrs. Anna” was busting her butt with a house full of kids, trying to make do with what meager rations her husband’s share of the catch of the day would purchase. No doubt “Mr. Anna” was fed up with cornmeal mush day in and day

83 Main Street, Alton 603.875.3383 Akerlysgrillandgalleyrestaurant.com

Woodstock - Dbl Pig’s Ear

Great Rhythm - Squeeze

Baxter - Coastal Haze

Tuckerman - Pale Ale

603 - Summatime

COPPER KETTLE

TAVERN

At Hart’s Turkey Farm

Restaurant 233 D.W. Hwy, Meredith 603.279.6212 hartsturkeyfarm.com

Henniker - Working Man’s Porter

Concord Craft - Safe Space

Stoneface - IPA

Moat Mtn - Blueberry 603 - Winni Amber Ale

+6 More On Tap

D.A. LONG TAVERN

At Funspot 579 Endicott St N., Weirs 603.366.4377 funspotnh.com

Thowback - Dippity Do

Northwoods - I Appreciate It!

Maine Beer - A Tiny

Beautiful Something

Southern Tier - Caramel

Pumking

Woodstock - Burst of Green

Southern Tier - Warlock

+6 More On Tap

FOSTER’S TAVERN

403 Main Street

Alton Bay, NH 603-875-1234 fosterstavernbythebay.com

Bud Light

Tuckerman - Pale Ale

Aqua Vue Haze -Muddy Road Brewery

Sam - Seasonal

Allagash - White

Maine - Lunch IPA

+2 More On Tap

JOHNSON’S TAPHOUSE

At Johnson’s Seafood & Steak 69 Rt 11, New Durham 603.859.7500 eatatjohnsons.com/ newdurham

Lone Pine -Brightside

Widowmaker -Blue Comet

Jack Abby -Red Tape

Muddy Road -1762 Porter

Northwoods -Autumn Buzz +30 More On Tap

MORRISSEYS’

Porch & Pub

286 S. Main St., Wolfeboro 603.569-3662

Morrisseysfrontporch.com

Morrisseys’ 20 Year Lager by Great North

Smithwick’s Guinness

Harp

Concord Craft Safe Space +11 More On Tap

OVER THE MOON FARMSTEAD

1253 Upper City Rd., Pittsfield overthemoonfarmstead.com

Oatmeal Stout

London Porter

Pitt Stop Pils

Coffee Porter

No Need To ArgueCranberry Mead

Maple Apple Cider +6 More On Tap

PATRICK’S PUB

18 Weirs Rd., Gilford 603.293.0841 Patrickspub.com

Patrick’s Slainte House Ale

Great North - Moose Juice

Guinness

Clown Shoes - Bubble Head

603 - Winni Amber Ale

Tuckerman - Pale Ale +9 More On Tap

THE WITCHES

BREW PUB

At The Craft Beer Xchange

59 Doe Ave., Weirs Beach 603.409.9344

FB @craftbeerxchange

Zero Gravity – Conehead IPA

Dogfish Head – 120 Minute

Able Ebenezer – Auburn Red

603 – Sparkle Bomb Sour

Notch – Salem Lager

Mast Landing – Gunner’s Daughter Stout

+30 More On Tap

** Tap listings subject to change!

JUST GOOD FOOD!

The DemoliTioN DerBy Car

by Donald Guarino Gilmanton, NH.

I sat on the worn vinyl seat of the late 60’s or very early 70’s Ford station wagon and I felt I could win!

It was a warm summer night at the Hopkinton Fair, and I felt confident, as I pulled on the chin strap of my worn open face Bell helmet.

I had considered for years competing in the derby and it came together in the late eighties. The key was finding the right car! There it was, a two ton station wagon with big Ford V8 for 100 dollars. Nearly rust free and completely drivable I purchased it .

Saved from the junkyard crusher to live or die in the Colosseum at the fairgrounds. I trailered the big Ford home and went about preparing for competition. Removed all the glass, lights, full tank and exhaust to under the bench seat. Placed and secured a remote battery to the front

floor and a five gallon gas can to the passenger floor with a left over seat belt. All according to the regulations to pass technical inspection.

That evening the ground crew watered the track; soaked would be a better term! Placed the big Ford in drive and drove into the log lined rectangle in front of a sell out crowd in the grandstand. I knew I was in trouble; as crew chief I needed to have anticipated that I needed snow tires. The flag dropped and I backed right out into the middle of the maelstrom. Looking back I realize that the professionals stay near the rail and back out trying to minimize the damage.

I was a rookie and went out full throttle trying to smash anything. Out of somewhere a vehicle had backed up on my hood and took out the radiator. The competitor drove off my hood as boiling radiator fluid steamed through my open windshield. The impact had killed the engine and I felt around the floor for the direct starter wire to attach to the positive battery terminal. Attached, I could not even hear if it was cranking over it was so loud on the track .

I was dead in the middle and was being slammed from all

sides. Like the Starship Enterprise in a space battle with Klingons.

I kept cranking the starter with my right foot to the floor mat. The big V8 fired up!

The loud rumble of exhaust under the floor pan told me so. Too little too late ; I had been pushed up on one of the logs. Crossed over with one tire in the mud and one tire in the air, all the shifting was futile. I was out of the competition in just a matter of minutes.

I had to stay in the car until the end. When they cleared the track, I was pulled off the log, and loaded the Ford on the trailer for the depressing ride home .

This past week I drove past a big yellow school bus in a field near the road leading into Somersworth. A banner hanging on the side was advertising the Granite Fair, Rochester, N.H.

GUARINO from 16

whaT homeowNers NeeD To kNow Before aND afTer a hurriCaNe

(StatePoint) The official Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, and the Nation -

al Weather Service is predicting between 12 to 17 total named storms. The best advice for homeowners who want to be better prepared? Proactively think about what can be done ahead of time -- as well as after the fact -- so that you and your family are able to withstand severe weather and quickly recover from it.

“Every day, our team speaks with homeowners needing guidance on their insurance and ways to help keep their family and property safe. Customers typically ask our loss consultation team about water damage, deductibles and what might be covered under their insurance policies,” said Jim Wucherp -

fennig, vice president of Property Claim at Travelers, a property casualty insurer that assists homeowners in planning for and recovering from hurricanes. “Knowing policy terms and conditions can help alleviate some of a homeowner’s anxiety that accompanies a storm.”

Wucherpfennig suggests taking the following steps to be ready for severe weather:

Before A storm:

• Review your policy: Know your insurance coverage limits and check to see that your coverage amounts will allow you to repair or rebuild your property based on current costs.

• Keep good records: Store your policies and insurance contact information in a safe place should your property be damaged and you want to make a claim.

• Create an inventory of personal belongings: Capture video or write a list of items and store it with any important photos in a fireproof safe or safe deposit box. Consider purchasing extra coverage for computers, jewelry, art and other expensive items that could be damaged or destroyed in a storm.

• Consider purchasing flood insurance: This is a separate policy and can cover water damage due to

BrighTeN your fall laNDsCaPe wiTh mums

by Melinda Myers

Mums are a favorite fall flower that adds weeks of seasonal color to containers, gardens and fall displays. They are also a popular gift plant in garden centers and floral shops. Choosing the right one for the purpose and providing proper care will help you achieve your desired results.

Start by selecting the best mum for your gardening goals. You’ll find mums labeled as garden, perennial, gift or florist mums. All these names for plants that look alike can be con-

fusing. The answer lies in their response to day length, hardiness and use.

Mums set flowers based on day length. Growers can force them into bloom by covering them to create shorter days that initiate flowering. Those grown as gift mums, often called florist mums, usually require the longest periods of uninterrupted darkness or shorter days. When these mums are grown under natural daylight they usually don’t flower until late fall or early winter. These late bloomers are

usually killed by cold temperatures before or soon after the flowers appear in colder areas.

Nurseries selling mums ready to flower in the fall often refer to them as garden mums. These may be perennial mums or “florist” mums forced to flower for fall displays. The intent is to use them as annuals. Select ones with lots of buds and just a few if any open flowers to maximize the bloom time and your enjoyment. Place one or two mums on the front steps, plant them in vacant spots in the

garden or combine them with other fall favorites in containers. These garden mums may be hardy and suited to the area but since all the energy is directed to the flowers little is left to establish a hardy, robust root system. If you have success overwintering your garden mums, feel free to brag. If your plants don’t survive or you don’t try, don’t worry. You are using them as a fall annual as they were intended. This also provides space for new plants in the spring and

Mums add seasonal color to the fall landscape.

(StatePoint) When the temperatures drop and the precipitation turns cold, efficiently keeping your home cozy and warm is likely a top priority.

As you make home upgrades this fall, be sure to use materials designed to withstand extreme weather events and which help manage indoor climate control. Doing so will mean greater comfort and more affordable energy bills, not only when it’s cold, but all year long.

Roofing

As your first defense against all kinds of weather, your roof

sustains a lot of wear and tear. Consider prioritizing durability, strength and weather resistance in a new roof by opting for metal. The good news? You can get a classic appearance with this material, thanks to updates in roofing technology. For example, the energysaving metal roofing offered by ProVia has the textured appearance of natural slate or shake shingles, but is constructed of highly durable 26-gauge steel, for added strength and lifetime protection from wind, rain, hail and corrosion.

Siding

Is your home is ever drafty or chilly when the temperatures drop and the wind kicks up? The culprit may be insufficient insulation. Keep in mind that most wall insulation is placed only between the studs, and wall studs make up to 25% of the wall surface of an average home. You can fill in these insulation gaps with insulated vinyl siding that’s been tested and proven to increase the R-value (a measure of a material’s resistance to heat flow) of an exterior wall. One of the most energyefficient exterior clad -

five TiPs for orgaNiziNg your home offiCe

(Family Features)

When temperatures creep up again, it signals time for an annual tradition: spring cleaning. While big projects like windows are hard to overlook, don’t forget smaller areas that need attention, too, such as your home office.

Making sense of a year’s worth of paperwork and clutter can take some serious time, especially as many people have been working from home more than normal, but getting organized can help you tackle home management tasks more efficiently. Making the office a priority can reduce frustration when it comes to spending additional time in your office while working from home.

These five tips can help get you started:

1. Make sure you have furniture that can adequately store your stuff, including plenty of space for files, reference books and computer equipment. Pieces need not be costly to be functional and there are plenty of attractive options available online and at both small and major retailers.

2. Arrange the space with its intended use and your own work style in mind. For example, if you don’t need ample space to spread out over a large, flat work area, eliminate that space – it’s simply an invitation for clutter.

3. Place items you rely on frequently, such as a calculator or ruler, within arm’s reach so they can eas-

ily be put away between uses. Capture these items in containers and bins to keep the space looking neat and free of clutter.

4. Establish a filing system that lets you keep track of important papers you need to keep and have a shredder handy to help you discard any sensitive documents. Whether you alphabetize, color code or use some other method, group paperwork into segments for

categories such as bills, banking, health care, auto, insurance and so on for easy access in the future.

5. Tangled cords can make even the most organized spaces look messy, and they may pose a fire or tripping hazard. Get control of your cords by storing devices you don’t use regularly and securing the remaining cords with twist ties or clips. Remember to use a surge-protected

power strip to minimize the chance of damage should a power surge

an opportunity to try a different color mum next fall.

Those mums sold as perennials are hardy enough to survive the winter and flower in late summer or early fall providing weeks of color in the garden. They are often sold alongside other perennials, labeled as perennials, or promoted as hardy for the area. Increase your success by planting them in spring.

This allows the plant time to develop a robust root system before it begins flowering in the fall which will increase its ability to survive cold winters. Place mums in an area with full sun and water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil moist but not soggy wet. Check the soil in containers daily and water when the top few inches of soil are starting to dry. Always use a container with drainage holes or

a self-watering pot. Increase overwintering success by leaving the plants intact in the garden over winter. Those gardening in colder regions may opt to cover the plants with evergreen boughs after the ground freezes, providing extra insulation. Remove the mulch when temperatures begin hovering above freezing. Whether covered or not, prune out the dead stems

in spring as new growth appears. Whatever you call them, add a few colorful mums to your fall displays. You are sure to enjoy the blast of color they provide to your landscape before winter arrives.

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Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

MYERS from 19

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COZY from 22

KNOW from 18

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the Nash Stream Forest spending two nights on the trail.

I recruited my husband Charlie to help us with a car drop so when we finished in Stark so we wouldn’t have to drive an hour back to Dixville to pick up my car. We dropped Julie’s car off at the gate at South Pond in Stark and Charlie drove us north to Dixville Notch.

Charlie took our photo at the Cascade Brook Picnic Area and wished us good weather and good luck. Carrying our heavy backpacks we headed up the Cascades Trail and the trail went straight up past the pretty Huntington Cascades. At the top we crossed the brook and continued on the Three Brothers Trail.

At the Middle Brother Outlook spur we

dumped our packs and went down the path. The view to nearby Table Rock’s rugged spire and down over the former resort to Abeniki Mountain was spectacular and if you’re out day hiking to Table Rock be sure not to skip this outlook. We also dropped our packs and took a quick trip down to Table Rock where we saw two hikers. Julie had no interest in climbing out to

Our first night on the Cohos Trail we slept in the Baldhead Lean-to. Morning breakfast felt a little chilly at elevation 3,000 feet. The shelter sleeps six but it was most comfortable for just the two of us. The site has a privy and a bear box (below) to safely store food while sleeping.

the end of the narrow cliff.

Once we left the popular Table Rock Trail the trail became wild with lots of deep mud and it was grassy and brushy.

Nearing the summit of Mt. Gloriette we popped out on the abandoned ski trails of the former Wilderness Ski Area at the Balsams. It has been closed since 2011. As a skier that once enjoyed these slopes it is heartbreaking to see the rusting ski lifts and I have little faith that anything will be opened again in Dixville.

Next up was the climb to Dixville Peak, home of the numerous wind turbines, the Cohos Trail crossed below the summit and we left the green tunnel into the wide open wind turbine service road. On the edge of the road we found a nice rock to eat lunch in the sunshine and watched a

couple of ATVers ride by. We were nearly out of water by the time we reached the bottom at Kelsey Notch we went down to a small brook next to the stringer bridge we just crossed to filter water. We filled all our bottles because looking at the map we didn’t see any brooks over the next two miles to Baldhead Lean-to. We needed to carry enough water for supper and breakfast.

Just before we reached the shelter we dropped out packs and I led Julie to the wooded summit of Baldhead Mountain, a peak on the NH Highest 200 list. There isn’t a herd path and for ten

the trail. Thank you volunteers.

We didn’t see a Moose but we saw a lot of tracks and moose poo. We filtered water at the Pike Brook bridge and continued on. Reaching the Sugarloaf Mountain Trailhead we thought about eating lunch but decided to push on to the Old Hermit Shelter up the Sugarloaf Arm. A few years ago Julie

Yours truly and Julie on the Gadwah Notch Trail heading Sobo (southbound) leaving Baldhead Mountain. Gadwah Notch is located in the northern end of the 40,000 acre Nash Stream Forest. The Cohos Trail feels remote and wild here because it is very remote and wild!

minutes I wound us around mud holes and a thick patch blow-downs. I was surprised to see when we signed the register, I was the last to sign-in when Zachary and I snowshoed here way back in January.

With ten miles behind us we now had the shelter all to ourselves and we were all moved in and making dinner by 5pm. The privy was nice and we stored our food safely away from the animals in the nearby bear box–a metal box that locks. The temperature started to drop and the sky was clear and the moon and stars were bright. This might be the quietest place on earth.

Julie woke me up and we enjoyed oatmeal and coffee and were hiking Sobo by 7 am.

We found water ten minutes down the trail.

The Nash Stream Forest is nearly 40,000 acres owned by the State of New Hampshire and camping is only permitted at the Cohos Trail’s

Setting up tents at the Percy Loop Tentsite on the Cohos Trail. The Cohos Trail is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year. Visit CohosTrail. org to learn about the trail, events and volunteer opportunities.

designated sites. And fires are never allowed on the Cohos Trail or in NH State Forests. We’d be in the middle of the Forest until we reached Rte 110 in Stark.

The trail was well blazed and easy to follow but everything was wet. The Gadwah Notch

Trail feels like the best wilderness New Hampshire has to offer. We hiked up and down and mostly down to the Nash Stream. The Cohos Trail volunteers recently had a work day and built many new bog bridges/ puncheons and brushed

and I hiked the Percy Peaks and then tackled Sugarloaf the same day. We decided that we’d skip them during this hike.

It was just after noon when we made it to the shelter and there is excellent water here. Julie shared a bag of dill pickles and it made my lunch extra good.

Down we went again until we crossed the

Nash Stream and the road and up to Pond Brook Falls. Oh they are loud and pretty and the granite ledges are a sight to see.

Now we were on our last section of trail before the campsite, the Trio Trail. This trail is joyful and well groomed with some nice stone steps. The trail is trimmed like a golf course–someone

Julie on Bald Mountain with Victor Head and the Percy Peaks seen in the distance. Luckily for us the clouds just lifted and we were able to enjoy the views of the Nash Stream Forest and its mountains.

is giving this trail major love.

We hiked 17 miles to reach the Percy Loop Tentsite and two Nobos had already settled in and there was only one tent platform. So we set up right in the middle of the trail on the best spruce needle covered flatspot. Another good privy that could use a step to climb into it, a bear box and water flowing nicely right at the site. We climbed into our sleeping bags before it was dark. It rained all night but stopped by the time Julie woke me up extra early. We were hiking by 6:30 am and in a cloud. So skipping the Percy Peaks was easy.

When we reached the spur to Victor Head the clouds were starting to lift. We dumped our packs and climbed. From its ledges we had a nice view of Christine Lake. Percy Peaks were still in the clouds.

There is no sign of an unofficial path to Bald Mountain and I convinced Julie it was worth the climb. It is one of my favorite ledgy

Cohos Trail Volunteers constructed 30 new bog bridges on the Gadwah Notch Trail in August. The planks are covered with chicken wire so they are not slippery when walking on top of them. The trail is well blazed and there are good signs all along the route. Thank you trail tenders! Visit CohosTrail.org for more information; maps and fun Cohos Trail clothing and CT patches are sold on their website.

summits because of its far reaching panorama to the Mahoosucs and beyond and of course the Percys. We weren’t disappointed when the clouds lifted and we saw it all. Even Berlin’s wind turbines looked near.

Our third day on trail went by quickly, another ten miles behind us and with less than a mile to go we were walking in mud with the worst mosquitoes that we have run into this whole summer. We couldn’t have been more happy to get to the car.

From the Canadian border to South Pond we met few people on the trail. We had the lovely forest all to ourselves. The Cohos Trail is a gem. It is rugged and wild. The volunteers that care for it love it very much and we do too. It was fun to section hike Sobo the northern 100 miles of the Cohos Trail this summer.

We now have completed our section hike of the Cohos Trail. There is no more newto-us trail ahead. We’ve both hiked the Kilkenny Ridge to Jefferson. Earlier this summer together we hiked from the Jefferson Country Store and through the Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge. We’ve hiked over Cherry Mountain and up the Edmands Path, over Mt. Isolation and down the Davis Path during many different outings over the years.

But I think we are to continue our section hike Sobo from Stark; only 70 miles to go. It is too much fun not to do it again.! Have fun.

PATENAUDE from 29

ANADAMA BEER BREAD

Yield:12-16 Servings Depending On Pan Size Time: 70 Mins.

1 ½ Cups AP Flour

¾ Cup Cornmeal

½ Cup Dark Rye Flour

¼ Cup Whole Wheat Flour

3 tsp. Baking Powder

INGREDIENTS

¼ tsp. Salt

¼ (½*) Cup Molasses

1-12oz bottle domestic beer

¼ Stick of Butter melted

Preparation

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (If using a metal pan lightly grease.)

- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, add the molasses and beer and stir to moisten the dry ingredients and form into a wet sticky dough. The dough should resemble a moist ¨shaggy¨ biscuit dough.

- Plop the dough into a loaf pan or casserole round.

- Pour melted butter over the entire dough.

- Place into a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for one hour.

- Remove, let cool for 5 minutes, and then remove to a cutting board and serve warm with butter or let stand (removed from pan / crock) onto a wire cooling rack until ready to serve.

* One quarter cup of molasses will work but I added more for extra sweet molasses flavor. You can use up to one half cup. You may find that adding a quarter cup more flour and a pinch more Baking Powder may be needed to offset the added moisture from the extra molasses.

out. Who wouldn’t be? But, do you really think the “old salt” was in any frame of mind or had enough patience with a full head of steam brewing, to be able to toss a bit of this and a smidge of that into a pot of mush and whip it up into a pan of bread dough? Then turn said dough out onto a floured board, knead it, plop it into a bowl again, and let it rise?

TWICE! And then let it cook for an hour after an hour or two’s rise?

Doubtful!

Seeing porridge on the table one too many times he more likely left the house in a huff muttering all the way down Fisherman’s Wharf to the Windy Gale. Plopping himself at the bar, he probably ordered a pint along with his Finnan Haddy and sputtered to anyone who would listen about, “That Anna! Darn her!” (Again, sanitized for my young impressionable

readers.) And it probably just so happened that some aspiring baker by trade sat idly by barflying while nursing his own libations and misery after a long hot day in front of the ovens. Listening to the old curmudgeon languishing in his larger, said baker, having an epiphany, jotted a crude recipe onto his cocktail napkin, and well…. history or heresy? You decide.

While we may never know the origins of Anadama Bread, what is known is that as early as the 1850’s it was being produced in quantity by local bakeries around Rockport Massachusetts, and was very popular. By the 1940’s the Smith family perfected a recipe, built a factory located in Rockport, and had a fleet of delivery trucks running daily throughout New England, bringing Anadama Bread to local neighborhood grocery stores.

Sadly, the factory closed in the 1970´s with the passing of its founder Bill Smith, thus ending commercially available Anadama Bread. However, this signature bread of New England lived on in cookbooks, newspaper columns, a handful of restaurants, and the few remaining local bakeries throughout rural New England.

from under the counter it was time. I began by playing with the flour ratios, knowing that I wanted that rustic coarse texture that mixed flours brought to the body of the loaf, along with that essential “grit” that comes from cornmeal. Too, I wanted that signature sweet bold raw earthy taste, that “moxie” which Anadama Bread imbues from dark molasses.

A convincing quick bread did not take long to accomplish. The dough is rather forgiving unlike a traditional yeast bread, and since it is a quick bread it re-

quires no rise or proofing. This Anadama Beer Bread comes together in a pinch. It fills the home with a welcome fresh baked yeast molasses bread aroma. And, it has that highly desirable rustic flavor and heavy texture one would expect from a traditional yeast dough of this nature. A bread that goes with just about any meal, as we set our sights toward Fall, this Anadama Beer Bread would be a perfect side as you again gather friends and family at the table for a Simple Feast.

Enjoy!

KINDRED SPIRIT FARM

And now too, the internet.

Being a lover of all yeast breads but having little patience for yeast and proofings, I decided I was going to make Anadama Bread. And, I would do it with beer! With my trusty Beer Bread recipe in hand and my favorite round baking crock pulled

FEAST from 15

stove that had an outer wrap-around protective metal enclosure (jacket) to limit burns from the hot inner metal. And there were blackboards and chalk- large blackboards that hung on the wall that were used for math and other learning activities. These were an important part of the learning process in the old fashioned schools. Blackboards, chalk, and erasers.

There were also some long settees in the classroom used for the few public occasions that the school hosted and certain other school activities. There were no closets, but there may have been a cabinet or two to hold supplies, and there was a piano.

Someone had to bring water from the spring each day and light the stove each morning. As I remember this was usually assigned to one of the older boys in the school for those in grades one through eight. We

had no kindergarten or pre-school classes in those days. The school day was usually run on a more or less routine schedule with one teacher in charge with no assistant or teachers aid to assist. Each day

began with the pledge of allegiance to the American flag. Reading, writing, and arithmetic would probably be considered to be the main subjects that were taught at all grade levels, but geography, history, and a

little science were also part of the curriculum, though I don’t remember that “c” word being used in a spelling bee. With multiple age groups there were many hours when the pupils had to do worksheets or study at their desks. Reading was done in groups with the teacher present to help the readers navigate through the words and sentences as they learned by doing their reading out loud, or sometimes not so loud. The spelling bee was held weekly on Fridays, beginning during the late morning and lasting until one speller was left standing. We would all stand in a row and each pupil in turn would be given a word to spell. If a pupil spelled the word wrong he/she would have to take a seat. If the word was spelled right then the pupil would remain standing for another round until a winner was recognized. Often the “bee” would last until past noon, but those who had missed words were allowed to eat

Ink and pen ends used in one room school. Probably in the Hanaford School .

lunch. Pupils had to bring their lunches or go home for lunch. Some of us who lived close to the school sometimes did the latter as the lunch hour was just that - an hour long.

School hours were

from 9am. until 3pm. Once a week a music teacher would visit the school and we would all sing together as one class. The song books started out with simple, short songs obviously designed for the

List of 1920 New Hampton grade 8 graduates. The program cover for My Dad’s 8th grade graduation in 1920.

lower grades and then would progress to longer and more involved songs. But whether it was “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” or “Beautiful Dreamer” we all sang together as a choir. Oh. to hear those old songs once again! Such as “Captain Jenks of the Horse Marines” or “The Old Folks At Home,” “The Old Oaken Bucket.” or maybe “Grandfather’s Clock.” Our school song book also held some hymns and Christmas carols and patriotic songs. There were the pictures of two United States’ presidents on the classroom wall, those of Washington and Lincoln, and we learned about them as our American heroes, along with other patriots like Benjamin Franklin.

The school bell at the Hanaford School was a hand held one that the teacher would ring when it was time to begin school or to come inside from recess. Yes, recess was a popular part of what was called grade school. A field near the school owned by

my parents provided a place to play baseball and football and also at the edge of the field there was a sandbank which provided a fun place for playing in the sand.

In the small school yard we played marble games, sometimes “for keeps,” which meant if you won the game you kept your opponent’s marbles. I seldom if ever seemed to win, so I usually “lost my marbles.” Those lessens from simple gambling games in my school days make me scratch my head when I see the ever increasing

appetite for and legalizing of gambling in the 2020s. Instead of “finder’s keeper’s” we could say, “Winners keepers, losers weepers,” to summarize the gambling games. And the latter always number far greater than the former, which is cushioned today by the assurance that our losses support charities.

Some other school games seemed to never end, or maybe I should say they ended with a disagreement, sometimes called “ a fight.”

(Continued Next Week.)

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by any means, but it caught my attention, and it was a fun chase. And, yes, I got poison ivy on the back of my calf a few days later. It wouldn’t be summer without me catching poison ivy at least once. Luckily, I didn’t find any ticks on me.

There are many ad-

jectives to describe butterflies: peaceful, graceful, beautiful, delicate, fascinating. We can add these notso-romantic adjectives to the list: resilient, durable, tough, rugged, indefatigable. We probably won’t see any of those later words in any poems about butterflies, but they are

just as descriptive and accurate.

We’ll see how that works out.

Another area where we disagree: Polis opposed the recent Supreme Court decision that ruled a website designer should not be forced to create a wedding site for a gay couple.

“It’s OK to force me to make a website or cake for your marriage?” I ask.

“If you’re a public accommodation or storefront, you can’t say no Blacks, no Jews, no gays,” Polis responds. “Obviously, you don’t accept a commission to paint something or do something that you don’t agree with. There’s a gray area ... what’s creative, and what’s public accommodation.”

I don’t think it’s a gray area. Business owners should be free to make their own rules. They created the business. Consumers have choic-

es. There’s more than one bakery or website designer.

Polis also criticized the court for declaring President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness unconstitutional. I ask, “Why should someone who doesn’t go to college ... have to pay for people like you and me who went to the same overpriced college (Princeton)?”

“There is a problem with costs in higher education,” replies Polis, dodging my question but admitting that government handouts raise prices. “Federal policy ... helps fuel the increase in costs.”

Polis then claimed that Democrats are “more pro-freedom than Republicans.”

But most Democrats don’t want people left free to own guns, choose their kids’ schools, hire whom they want or not bake cakes for people with whom they disagree. Sometimes I think abortion is the only choice Democrats support.

I complain to Polis, “Democrats got me pret-

ty much banned from Facebook because I say climate change is not an emergency.”

September is a good month for watching butterflies, particularly monarchs as they head south for their incredible migration to Mexico. I know I’ll be out there looking. ing to be able to reach that,” Polis responds. “It simply means rather than moving oil and gas on trucks, they use pipelines.”

“Why do you say it’s Democrats?” Polis replies, arguing that Republicans are more eager to ban social media.

He points to Montana’s ban of TikTok. But of course, that’s not about censoring content; it’s about China’s ownership.

Polis and I talked for almost an hour about crime, equity versus equality, entrepreneurship and more. We disagree but also find common ground. I’m glad he’s willing to debate. You can watch the whole interview at JohnStossel.com.

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.”

Free Speech For People President John Bonifaz has worked closely with Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the lead impeachment manager in Trump’s second impeachment trial in 2021. Raskin and Democrats failed to convict Trump then. Resorting to the “insurrection clause” is a ploy to get what they failed to achieve constitutionally.

Anti-Trumpers on the Right are also willing to label Trump an “insurrectionist” without legal proof and deem him disqualified. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said as much on the Republican debate stage in Milwaukee on Aug. 27.

The “insurrection clause” was added to the Constitution during Reconstruction, right after the Civil War, to

disqualify Confederate officeholders and military leaders.

But the clause became a dead letter when Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase, who rode circuit and decided appeals court cases as well, ruled in 1869 in Re Griffin that Section 3 by itself could not disqualify anyone from office.

Chase’s ruling remains federal precedent.

Free Speech For People and other anti-Trumpers point to a forthcoming University of Pennsylvania Law Review article arguing Chase’s ruling was wrong. Harvard Law professor emeritus Laurence Tribe also calls Chase’s opinion “poorly reasoned.”

That’s the ivory tower crowd’s take. It doesn’t change precedent.

In 1918, Socialist Eugene V. Debs went to

prison, convicted of inciting U.S. Army personnel to resist authority. But he was not convicted of insurrection. The Socialist Party nominated him for president in 1920, and his name appeared on the ballot in 40 states. Justice for Debs, but not for the 45th president?

Last spring, Free Speech For People tried to get Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) removed from the ballot in Georgia using the insurrection clause. But Judge Charles Beaudrot ruled there was insufficient evidence she had engaged in insurrection. “Heated political rhetoric? Yes,” the judge said. “ A call to arms for consummation of a preplanned violent revolution? No.”

Thank you for the sane perspective, Judge Beaudrot. Jan. 6 was

unfortunate. But the Civil War cost 750,000 American lives. Fortunately, nothing like that has severed this nation since.

The ploy to take Trump off the ballot is profoundly anti-democratic. Tell anti-Trumpers in both parties to woo voters with winning policies instead.

Due process and the presumption of innocence — even for Trump — are principles that make our nation exceptional.

Respect America.

Betsy McCaughey is a former lieutenant governor of New York and chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths. Follow her on Twitter @Betsy_McCaughey.

societal institutions, societal bonds dissolve. Ironically, that dissolution occurs first at the lowest rungs of the income ladder: As Charles Murray points out, “The belief that being a good American involved behaving in certain kinds of ways, and that the nation itself relied upon a certain kind of people in order to succeed, had begun to fade and has not revived.” In fact, those who live out lives of good decisionmaking are, all too often, embarrassed of their good choices. To promote those choices might seem “judgmental.”

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Ben Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and cofounder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author; his latest book is “The Authoritarian Moment: How The Left Weaponized America’s Institutions Against Dissent.” 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

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ules, the fact remains that of the five Permanent Security Council members, only the United States will be represented by the head of government, Joe Biden.

A growing list of humanitarian crises confronts the assembled delegates as both natural disasters such as earthquakes (Turkey and Morocco) compete for funds and attention from long running civil conflicts in Syria, Libya and Ethiopia.

Without question Russia’s war in Ukraine remains the biggest global flashpoint; we are probably tiptoeing around some sort of nuclear confrontation than more than we wish to believe.

Though most member states rightfully condemn Russia’s aggression in Ukraine,

where are the calls for peace? During almost any war diplomatic trial balloons and peace plans are floated to try to solve the conflict even during the fighting. Now largely crickets.

The signature General Debate session offers a week long talk fest where Presidents and Prime Ministers grandly state their country’s vision and viewpoint on varied world crises. Sadly there’s little oratory but instead political palaver and rote rhetoric. Usually by the second day of “debate” the droning speeches inside the cavernous Assembly Hall often create a torpid boredom.

Naturally there’s an element of time tested ritual during the General Debate where UN Protocol usually flawlessly choreographs

what emerges as a diplomatic dance where all the partners, players and estranged participants seem to be on site and on cue not only for their formal speeches but more significantly for the sideline “bilateral” meetings either one on one or with allied groups; ASEAN, EU, African Union etc.

But beyond the High Level week, the Assembly then sets into a laborious routine covering 172 Agenda items from areas of Maintenance of Peace and Security, Promotion of Human Rights, Disarmament and International Law. Specific issues like the Question of Palestine, the Situation in Afghanistan, Situation of Democracy and Human Rights in Haiti are among the items.Overall a disproportionate number of agenda

items for debate concern and criticize Israel.

Yet, practically speaking there’s discussion and action on Program Budgets for various UN operations and financing for the myriad of global Peacekeeping missions.

Thus the UN complex on the East River becomes the undisputed center for global diplomacy for a few weeks each year. Adrenaline, anticipation and caffeine move the process sometimes long into the night. So does hope.

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.

WYK from 1 MOFFETT from 13

coach Harry Sinden (1932) and longtime NBA coach Larry Brown (1940.)

Sports Quote

“In 1969 I gave up women and alcohol. It was the worst 20 minutes of my life.” –George Best

Sports Quiz Answer

May 29, 1953

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.

fire as a group of communists armed with automatic rifles were attending to kill every man, woman and child in the church. While they murdered eleven and wounded dozens more, Pastor Charl’s actions saved dozens of people from death.

The story of how God led Charl to forgive and pursue reconciliation with his attackers is captured in his bestselling book, Shooting Back – The Right and Duty of Self-defense. Admission is free. Donations accepted. For more information call Hal Shurtleff (857) 498-1309.

METZLER from 7

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PUZZLE CLUE: SCALE MODELS

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MAGIC MAZE SUDOKU

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The Winklman Aeffect by John Whitlock