Holiday 603 - When Does The Season Start for You?

A flurry of holiday-related posts (Janice, John, Rick and El) got me thinking, we should have a holiday category on Area 603. A chance to peek into the collective psyche of our 603izens. After all, how you choose to celebrate a given holiday must say something about you, no? Mother's Day? Valentine's Day? Easter? Christmas? Flag Day? Our idyllic idea of each holiday well spent is probably as unique as a fingerprint. We ought to dust for 'em.

So there's now officially a holiday category. Let's fill it up with rituals, remembrances and resources.

And here's a question to kick us off -- when (if you celebrate it) do you officially begin your Christmas season? When do you set up the tree, hoist the lights and start buying eggnog? (Do you drink eggnog?)

For me it's usually the start of Advent -- but this year we jumped the gun a week and decorated last Sunday. Not sure why, except that the kids are now both old enough to really get a kick out of the lights, and to help decorate the tree, and that made it harder to wait. Hope there's something left besides dry, brown, denuded branches come Christmas!

How about you?

Miracle on South Street

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like the world goes a little faster every year. This becomes most apparent at the onset of winter, which is kind of like an annual deadline. There are some things that just have to be done before it gets too cold or else they simply have to wait, and the list of undone tasks grows every fall. For instance, this year I never got around to planting bulbs, one of the easiest ways to cheer up mud season. My driveway is about five years overdue for a coat of sealant. I still have leaves from my late-dropping silver maple all over my yard. (I know, there’s no snow yet and the ground isn’t frozen, but I’m already resigned to cleaning up the yard after the thaw.) I never turned the mulch pile or tilled the garden before I dumped the few measly tarps of leaves I was able to scrap together. My plan to paint the exterior of the house in sections is such a bold initiative that I suppose I can wait another season to start it up.

At a certain point, the activities of the year actually “lap” you and leave you in their dust. But it’s only at that point that you begin to discover the true blessings of procrastination. Case in point, the storm doors and windows I never took down last spring (it was so cool last summer I never felt the need) are fine just where they are. Mission accomplished. But then, while casing my forlorn yard, I noticed that the Christmas lights I strung last year and never took down had been chewed by squirrels and their wires were dangling.

I found some duct tape and with my pocket knife I was able to strip and splice them right where they hung. I pulled the old extension cord out of the weeds, stretched it to the outlet and plugged it in. There were a few goners, but most of the strings worked just fine.

The Broussard home was one of the first on the block to have trees aglow with twinkle lights.

It was like a Christmas miracle.

WiFi Hot Spots in New Hampshire

Bring it on, Holiday Season

I love the holiday season. I love the snow, the egg nog, the scarves and mittens, the colored lights, and the general feeling of merriment and magic that pervades the region during the coming weeks. I blame my parents who always made the holidays special -whether they realized it or not. I know Thanksgiving just ended, but I couldn't wait to get a Christmas tree. Click on the image to view our search for the perfect tree.

Mark your calendar (under "geeky"): Lego Millyard Event

Turkeys On the Lam

Honestly, I wouldn't blame turkeys if they made a run for the border.

The story of Thanksgiving that we usually accept is historically flawed, and those poor gobblers end up in a hot oven because of it.

First thing, the date is wrong. The Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving was probably held between September 21 and November 9, most likely in very early October. They were most apt to have eaten Indian corn and venison (although documents written 20 years after Thanksgiving admittedly do refer to turkey). So why do we continue accepting these Thanksgiving Day myths?

By 1879 (only 16 years after Thanksgiving became a national holiday) New Hampshire newspaper writers were already noticing that the focus of Thanksgiving was on the food and frolic, and less on being thankful.

Not everyone in New Hampshire celebrates the day with a happy heart. A U.S. Census Bureau report issued over a year ago estimated that 96,000 New Hampshire people lived below the federal poverty guidelines ($18,850 for a family of four) at some point during 2003, up from 79,200 people in 2002 and 63,300 people in 2000. Most of these people rely on a combination of government food assistance programs and emergency food providers to get enough to eat.

Janice

Books & Birds On Holiday

Folks:

My thanks to Mike Marland, political cartoonist for the Concord Monitor and The Courier, among others, for his rendering me in caricature. When a cartoon begins to look more like my likeness than my photo, it's time to present myself as such.

On the edge of wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, I'm also inviting you to arm yourself with my latest book: "CAUGHT IN THE SHOWER WITHOUT A PENCIL -- Baby Boomer Humor, And Other Maturity Problems."

Now available on Amazon, or if you'd like a signed, dedicated, discounted First Edition from the author, drop me a line via my website e-mail. If we traditionally use our major holidays to hawk appliance bargains, (The Whirlpool Thanksgiving Day Cornucopia Blow-Out!) I have no qualms about pitching the work here.

Where better to find that perfect Christmas gift than a Thanksgiving Day book sale, and just in time for the New Year?

A safe & happy holiday, everyone.

When enough's enoughing ... pass the stoughing.

Best, El

new hampshire's very own comic strip

I had the honor of interviewing Jennifer Omand this week. Since 2003, she has created a daily web comic about her life and friends living in New Hampshire --and I'm a big fan. When it rains around here, it rains in the comic. How cool is that? Her strip is called Square Cat Comics. It's just another New Hampshire resident using the Internet for amazing things. Click on the image to view the video.

A blogger gets elected

And Not A Single 'Godfather' Allusion?

A Happening Place

Last week was quite the artistic week for Concord.

In the space of a week we had a 5-day SNOB Film Festival, screening a vast variety of independent films at various downtown locales. Tuesday night, the Capitol Center had another great free Giles Concert (what a gift these are to the public) featuring world class Tango musicians and dancers. A few nights later, Ani DiFranco rocked the same stage while Savoy Express performed Gilbert and Sullivan at the Audi.

Friday night guitar master Leo Kottke played the Audi. St. Paul’s School presented the play "Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992" for free over multiple evenings. Also free was another Bach Lunch concert at the Concord Community Music School, this one featuring David Surette and Jeremiah McLane.

I am sure I am inadvertingly leaving something out, but the happy point of this is what a happening place Concord, NH has become. Thanks to all those who made it possible.

If this keeps up we'll have to ditch the nickname of "the Racing Capitol" for "the Arts Capitol." Gladly!

S.N.O.B. Film Festival 5x5 Challenge

For their 5th anniversary celebration, the Somewhat North of Boston Film Festival held anually in Concord hosted the 5x5 Challenge. Local filmmakers were asked to make a 5 minute-or-less film in 5 days inspired in some way by the number 5. New Hampshire's improv comedy troupe Stranger Than Fiction woke up early Saturday morning and made 3 short films in 5 hours. Here is the one I directed. Click on the image to see the video.

Also, in case you missed it: Granite Staters embrace podcasting

Mr. President, don't tear down that wall!

Democratic tsunami ...

Ordinary Heroes

Previously I posted a story about Rene Gagnon, the Manchester man who was one of the "flag raisers" at Iwo Jima, to coincide with the release of the movie "Flag of Our Fathers." This movie has generated a great deal of interest in the lives of the men who participated in that now famous event.

John Lynch's Empty Answers Are Beyond Annoying

Tell me if these words sound familiar:

"Together, working in a bi-partisan way, we... Uh, came together! Partnering in an inclusive fashion, to put partisanship to one side, to move forward for the people of New Hampshire and impact the wellness of all our children, all our seniors, and all our working people. That's what leadership is all about."

If you watched the WMUR/Union Leader debate between Governor John Lynch, and Representative Jim Coburn, you probably recognize lots of those phrases, and if you're like I, you didn't appreciate them.

The lyrical drivel emanating from our current governor's mouth in this political battle is about as empty as a jar of space, and the citizens of the state deserve better.

When he's not posing for commercials in rolled-up shirt sleeves, or meeting "the people" in set-ups on the streets of Manchester, he's hard at work sidestepping the questions of reporters faster than Mario Lopez can do the Tango.

Case in point. John DiStaso asked John Lynch this question:

"Governor, you've said that you agree with the principles of the 1997 Claremont Two school funding decision, which says that the state has the singular, sole responsibility of funding an adequate education state-wide. Yet your targeting plan would require local property taxes to pay some of those costs, apparently in violation of the Claremont decisions. How do you rationalize supporting the Claremont principles while proposing a plan in violation of its holdings?"

John Lynch never answered the question. Instead, he patted himself with pride for the "progress that we've made" and then changed the premise of the question, telling people what his education goals are. You know, they're those rare, politically risky goals of making sure "every child in New Hampshire should have an equal opportunity for a quality education; all of our (our?) children should, regardless of where they live or their economic background. Now, I proposed a plan, and had strong bi-partisan support (yes, we know, Governor, it's all the rage, we're 'partnering for our wellness') for targeted real state aid to the children and the communities that needed it the most."

But we know that. It was in Mr. DiStaso's question. Regardless of the mans position, be it governor or garbage collector, what would you the reader do if someone answered you in this way? Would you get a sense that you were being dealt with honestly? Lynch's answer continued, but did not touch upon the fact that he cannot reconcile his position of agreeing with the Claremont decisions, and his desire for targeted aid. If he favors uniform state funding, as the decisions "mandate", then how can he support targeted aid? The two are irreconcilable.

Lynch's fancy footwork can't hide his shoddy shoes. Likewise his rhetoric can't hide his lack of substance. For example, when asked by NH Public Radio's Laura Kinnoy to define what he believes is an "adequate education", something the Supreme Court ordered the legislature to do by mid-2007, he shocked the audience by, yeah, you got it, never giving her an answer.

Instead, he said, "The court has asked us to come up with a definition of an adequate education by June 30^th, (really, thank you for repeating Laura Kinnoy's observation) and I'm absolutely convinced that we will be able to do that. I don't particularly like talking about the word 'adequate'..."

Let's pause for a moment and review. Laura asked him a simple question, which is based in turn on the court "order" for the legislature to definition "adequate education". But Governor Lynch doesn’t like talking about the word "adequate". Could it be that he has trouble defining something that, by its nature, is subjective? Hmm... But let's continue with his illuminating answer.

"I like talking about quality education..."

He certainly does. He brought it up with DiStaso. But, just like the term "adequate", "quality" is subjective, as well. The trouble that John Lynch is having ought to tell him something about civics and economics. It shows him that it is not possible to define in any objective way that which is by its nature subjectively measured. And this false assumption is at the heart of the recent Supreme Court mandate, something John Lynch refuses to acknowledge.

But don't think this is unusual. John Lynch has an uncanny knack for simultaneously retaining two clearly contradictory thoughts, and telling voters this is healthy. For example, when asked about local property taxes, the Governor said that he "favors local control" of education. Unfortunately, just a few minutes earlier, he had praised the standards of the State Board of Education, which crushes "local control" with regulation after regulation. He is also rabid about mandating to the localities that they keep their students in school until the age of eighteen. Can someone explain how his love of "local control" is exemplified by the promotion of increased state regulations? Isn’t local control just that? Or am I missing something?

The fact the John Lynch rarely gives straight answers to questions cannot be denied. The most obvious example of this came when Scott Spradling asked both John Lynch and Jim Coburn what programs they would cut, in the next term.

"The best way to answer the question," cooed the Governor, "is to talk about what we’ve done."

Actually, Governor, the best way to answer the question is to answer the question.

"I believe we've shown, that you can keep your eye on the bottom line, and still look out for people. Now when I started, we were faced with a $300 million deficit (false), we were able to eliminate that deficit without new taxes (again, false)."

There is something to be said for a man who can so shamelessly avoid answering a question, and promote falsehoods in the same breath. Not only did John Lynch not submit a balanced budget to the House, which in turn did not submit a balanced budget to the Senate, but he pushed for $80 million in new cigarette taxes over two years. Of course, he gets slick by playing semantics, saying "without new taxes", but that should tell people something. John Lynch is afraid of speaking plainly, and instead tries to deceive through word choice. I don't appreciate it, and perhaps the people asking the questions didn't either.

Just for the record, a message to Governor Lynch: If reporters go to the trouble to show up at a debate, and to prepare questions to ask you, the least you could do is have the courtesy to answer them. You do a disservice to the debate process, and show great disrespect to the people in the audience, by sticking to tired, rehearsed, lame platitudes that may sound good in our politically correct world, but are either deceptive or meaningless.

Thanks for showing up.

Scary Monsters

For those of you that didn't get your fill of Halloween, here is video I took at Haunted Overload in Exeter -which Amy covered last week. The event lived up to its name. I brought a bunch of actors from Stranger Than Fiction... and you can hear them screaming like children. Click on the image to view the video.

Watch the transit of Venus, in Concord or Exeter

At least two places in the state (Christa McAuliffe Planetarium and the observatory at Phillips Exeter Academy) are offering free viewings of Mercury crossing the face of the sun on Wednesday. The transit, as it is called, runs from 2:12 to 7:10 p.m., and won't happen again until May 2016. It's not easy to see a tiny planet against the glare of the sun; only the best filter-equipped backyard astronomer can do it on their own.

Mercury's tranist doesn't have the historical punch of the transit of Venus, which was the target of some of the 18th century's most interesting scientific expeditions, but it's still kind of cool. These days, transits of the two closer-to-the-sun planets are interesting anomalies - the sun, us and them all in a line! - rather than ways to make important astronomical observations.

More information on the McAuliffe Planetarium show is here; on the Exeter observatory here.

The Worst, Or At Least Oddest, Political Web Sites

Fungus dulled leaf-peeping - on one species, anyway