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Wakefield a reminder of how give-and-take should work

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:47:00 EST

Before diving into the deep end of the cynical pool, let it be stated that there was nothing wrong with the way the Red Sox honored Tim Wakefield before Tuesday afternoon’s game. They surrounded him with family, old friends, old teammates, and young fans who have benefited from the charitable work he still subsidizes and performs. Wakefield walks the walk when it comes to community service. Most impressively, he doesn’t hire publicists to make sure his every contribution is properly recorded and fed to the world with all the appropriate bells ringing and whistles blowing. He received the Roberto Clemente Award last year, which goes to the big leaguer judged to have gone above and beyond in their community involvement; that is generally considered the equivalent of a Cy Young Award for off-field performance. Not surprisingly, the show stopper came when his longtime catching caddy, Doug Mirabelli, arrived from beneath the center field bleachers in a Boston police cruiser and waddled down the middle of the diamond to catch Wakefield’s first pitch. Who doesn’t remember where they were when Mirabelli was rushed to the park by Massachusetts State Police so he could arrive back from his San Diego banishment to catch Wakefield against the Yankees? Those who don’t should be commended for their grip on reality. It could be argued that Wakefield’s most significant charitable act was giving the Red Sox cause to extend Mirabelli’s otherwise dreary career. Well, it is obvious that the inevitable has happened and we have reached the deep end of that pool. While we’re here, let’s point out that Ted Williams had one day to commemorate his retirement.

Fishing for future clients

Tue, 15 May 2012 23:01:29 EST

Most professionals never stop searching for the next client. Stockbrokers will tell you that they never stop cold calling, no matter how successful they become. Lawyers and consultants never stop networking and prospecting. It becomes, for most of us, a way of life.

Eating local involves a lot of principles and knowledge

Mon, 14 May 2012 21:00:02 EST

I love the flavors of spring. In 2007, Barbara Kingsolver wrote “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life,” a wonderful account of eating only local food – and in season. She and her family decided to grow as much of their own food as possible, and to say no to strawberries in winter or any food flown long distances. That meant no oranges or bananas, which made the onset of the rhubarb season all the more special for them.

Training needs some work

Mon, 14 May 2012 21:00:07 EST

Guys, when’s the last time you got scammed by a pretty face? Even if she’s a dog. So, my puppy, Basia, is 12 weeks old, and I’m not sure who is training whom. I think she is jiving me with the treats-for-tinkle program we just started. Since we’re trying to housebreak Basia, our puppy kindergarten trainer suggested a small reward for going potty outside versus on my hardwood floors. She goes about 70 percent outside and 30 percent inside.

C’s Garnett might be seeking classic final act

Tue, 15 May 2012 07:54:00 EST

Remember when great athletes went out on top? Barry Sanders comes to mind. Jim Brown might head the list. The Celtics had Bill Russell, the greatest winner of all time, who called it quits after leading the team – both on and off the court as player-coach -- to its 11th NBA title in 13 years in 1969. The 35-year-old Russell promptly retired, not exactly at the top of his game, but with another NBA title in his clutches. Maybe what we’re seeing from Kevin Garnett is not an athlete setting himself up for another big contract, but one planning the ultimate sports exit. We’ve seen plenty of bad ones, like a 43-year-old Carl Yastrzemski spending his last four or five years as an average player in the longest curtain call in Boston sports history. Remember Michael Jordan’s comeback with the Washington Wizards? We all wish we didn’t. More recently, there was Shaquille O’Neal, wrapping up a brilliant career last winter by limping around with the Celtics. Since the All-Star break Garnett, who turns 36 Saturday, has played as well as he did in his first year in Boston four years ago. We know how that ended.

Fighting a war on invasive species? Mathematical modeling could be your new weapon

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:22:00 EST

Fighting invasive plants is tough, as I know from an endless backyard battle against the nasty weed called swallowwort (may it be cursed for all eternity). So I was delighted to hear Dartmouth post-doc Jeff Evans offer a potential new weapon in the war against invasives: mathematical modeling. “I’m seeking vulnerabilities in a species’ life cycle. We’re looking for a species’ Achilles heel,” Evans told me, as I chuckled with malicious anticipation. You can chuckle, too, if you come to Wednesday’s Science Cafe gathering, because Evans will be one of three panelists answering questions about invasive plants, amid bites of food and swigs of beverage. Other panelists are Brookline Conservation Commission member Buddy Dougherty, who has been involved for years in the fight against that slimy invasive plant called milfoil in Lake Potanipo, and Douglas Cygan, invasive species coordinator for the state Department of Agriculture. Along with Evans, a Ph.D.

The Week in Preview: Other items in a cooper’s repertoire may include casks, puncheons, butter churns, firkins and kegs.

Sun, 13 May 2012 22:59:49 EST

Tuesday Heavenly sights With the change of seasons comes the change of constellations. Get reacquainted with the spring night sky at Skywatch from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Wadleigh Memorial Library at 49 Nashua St. in Milford. The program will begin in the Keyes Meeting Room, where members of the New Hampshire Astronomical Society will present a brief introduction to stargazing.

’12 Sox a lost cause

Sat, 12 May 2012 22:58:41 EST

They say it takes some time for a ballclub to develop its persona, but the 2012 Red Sox might have stumbled upon theirs in just five weeks. Try this word association test on anyone who professes some emotional attachment to the Boston American League Baseball Company’s product: Red Sox = Mess. Having completed a completely unscientific poll on this by talking to three people over a 90-second span, I feel comfortable reporting that the above stated result is absolutely accurate with a 0 percent margin of error. The Red Sox truly are a mess. A modest winning streak (of two games would be a nice start) may create the illusion that the organization is a bit tidier, but don’t be fooled. It should now be absolutely clear that last September was not the product of heartburn and hangovers. Nor can the blame be pinned on Terry Francona, any more Bobby Valentine should be the rhetorical punching bag for the current pungent state of affairs. Even the ubiquitous pink hats are having trouble maintaining their sickeningly bubbly, “so good, so good” reaction to all things Red Sox.

From egg shells to handmade cards, an evolution of Mother’s Day presents

Sun, 13 May 2012 08:59:00 EST

EDITOR’S NOTE: Tete-a-tete runs every other Thursday in Encore. Today’s column is a special tribute to Mother’s Day. Today, as I hope most of you already know, is Mother’s Day. If this is new information for you, I advise you to hide this newspaper until you’ve made appropriate celebratory arrangements. The mother in your life is likely already aware of the holiday, but there’s no sense reminding her before you have everything ready. In our house, Mother’s Day poses a peculiar problem. Because Mom is such an essential part of our lives, it’s difficult to give her an entire day off, much less celebrate her in a way that doesn’t require her to clean up a mess. For reasons I can’t fathom, making breakfast for Mom is an idea that occurs to just about every child at the age when they’re at their least coordinated and most clueless about what cooking actually entails. Oldest Younger Brother and I prepared delectable Mother’s Day breakfasts of scrambled eggs, lovingly garnished with eggshells and warm root beer for two years before Dad stepped in to oversee our efforts. We were adamant that we could handle everything ourselves, but after two years of scraping pancake batter off the floor and mopping soda off the ceiling, Dad and Mom begged to differ. Over the years, all four of us siblings have gone the route of making coupons, both for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, that can be used in exchange for chores. Neither parent has ever cashed in a coupon, preferring to fold laundry and dust tables themselves rather than have a less than thorough job done by one of us. Youngest Brother and Younger Sister still require a lot of reminding and/or supervision to perform a chore properly, but Oldest Younger Brother and I have improved.

Elections take center stage in global economy

Sat, 12 May 2012 23:00:20 EST

President Barack Obama had better hope that the European elections aren’t an omen. For the first time in memory, incumbents throughout the world are at a disadvantage. That’s what happens when leaders screw up so badly that they can’t spin their way out. France’s Nicolas Sarkozy is gone and that’s a shame.

Rivalry reborn for C’s, 76ers

Sat, 12 May 2012 23:01:34 EST

It’s been called the second best rivalry in the history of the NBA. They have played more post-game series against one another than any two teams in NBA history. But does the rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, which began Chapter 18 in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday night, mean anything to anyone under 40? The last real meaningful postseason series between the two teams was in 1985, and it wasn’t a classic, the Celtics polishing off the Sixers in five games. There were great series in the early 1980s between the two teams with many memorable moments. The 1981 series ranks with the best in league history, with the Celtics coming back from a 3-1 deficit to win it and go on to their first title in the Larry Bird Era. Without question the biggest deflection in league history occurred on April 15, 1965, when the Celtics’ John Havlicek “stole the ball’’ in the final moments of a one-point Celtic victory in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Celtics were six-time defending league champions at the time, but the Sixers, who had added Wilt Chamberlain in a mid-season trade, were one possession away from ending the streak. They trailed by a single point and had the ball under the Celtics basket in the final seconds, after Celtic great Bill Russell had turned the ball over by hitting a basket support wire on an inbounds pass. But John Havlicek saved the day, darting over to tip Hal Greer’s inbound pass to teammate Sam Jones, who dribbled out the clock. You’d have to be close to 40 to remember when Celtic forward Cedric Maxwell went into the stands to confront a Sixers fan in Game 5 of the 1981 playoffs.

Get more from gym time by actually working out

Sat, 12 May 2012 23:01:52 EST

When I decided I was going to go to the gym two Mondays ago, I thought it might be best to just stick to a long climb on the stair machine. Thanks to a hectic 10 days of work sandwiched around a long weekend out of town, it had been more than two weeks since I stopped in at Hampshire Hills. As I’ve learned from past experiences, jumping back in like I hadn’t been gone was not a good idea. The sore muscles tend to last a little longer now that I’m on the other side of 30, and it means taking two days off in between workouts rather than the usual one. My plan for the day was to get up a little earlier than normal, eat a good breakfast and get some work done before heading to the gym. I was right on track until a couple of e-mails – some work related, some not – knocked me off the rails. Frustration, at myself and one of the correspondences, set in and by the time I walked into the fitness center, I could almost feel the steam coming out of my ears. The first person I saw was Shelby Young, one of the trainers at Hampshire Hills, and he made the mistake of asking me how I was doing.

Getting older doesn’t mean cutting ties with old friends

Sun, 13 May 2012 17:58:59 EST

There’s nothing like a birthday to wax nostalgic about childhood friends and the crazy things you did as a kid. This past week, I carved notch No. 63 in my big gun of life. I wish I knew where it all went, but somewhere along this incredible journey I blinked, and now here I am, a bit older and grayer, but no wiser than I was in high school. One of a small handful of true, special friends I remember from my high school “daze” is Steve Kopka. We shared a love for the Beatles and all those “British Invasion” bands from the Sixties.

Food saver helps preserve produce, saves trips to the market

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:58:58 EST

Food preservation and storage date to ancient civilizations. They include clay jars, drying racks, salt and spices, pickling and canning, all methods to protect food from exposure to air, moisture, bacteria and insects. Freezer burn has “burned up” many a cook; mold spores spoiled many an appetite. A vacuum sealer would save a Mailbag reader’s food by the bagful. Cool items “I am looking for a ‘food saver,’ one of those small appliances that heat-seals bags of food for storage, freezer and/or refrigerator, that they are not using anymore?” writes Louise S., of Nashua (LTR 1,078). “Every day, I deal with back pain, so going to the grocery store isn’t possible many times. So, to be able to keep food fresh longer would be a real blessing. “Thank you to all who help keep Chris’ Mailbag going week after week, it’s such a wonderful needed service.” FoodSaver and other vacuum seal manufacturers, claim to “keep food fresh up to five times longer.” That sounds like a money-saver, as well. Also, Louise is offering: “A Frigidaire 12,000 BTU window air conditioner, 24 inches wide by 14½ inches high, 10 years old, but has always worked/cooled very well. Has been kept up, but most likely should be cleaned before putting it in your window.

McDaniels showing maturity

Sat, 12 May 2012 01:59:59 EST

The memory is probably fresh in New England Patriots fans’ minds, seeing Josh McDaniels about 4 feet off the ground, pumping his fist. It was his first year as the Denver Broncos head coach, and he had just won a coaching duel with his friend and mentor, Bill Belichick. At that point in time, the Denver Broncos were 6-0, and McDaniels, with some bold and controversial moves, was the toast of the NFL. See: Jay Cutler. But as they say, sometimes the NFL stands for “Not For Long.” The Broncos were never the same under McDaniels after that game, or at least never enjoyed the same success. They ended up missing the playoffs, and then he crashed and burned the following year when a controversy similar to SpyGate involving practice video was the final straw that got him fired. The image was that of a brash, young coach who just wasn’t ready and was too headstrong to be an NFL head coach. It happens.

House panel likes look of voter ID bill

Fri, 11 May 2012 09:20:48 EST

CONCORD – A key House committee endorsed a voter ID bill that would take effect in time for the 2012 fall elections and exclude student IDs and require polling places have cameras and printers at the ready. The House Election Laws Committee product would wholly replace a Senate-passed version (SB 289) that had the backing of city and town clerks and Secretary of State Bill Gardner’s office. Rep. Will Smith, R-New Castle, said the rewrite balances the interests of letting everyone who shows up at the polls get a ballot and a strong ID provision to prevent fraud. Smith conceded the local clerks now oppose this bill because the new requirements would apply to this election while the Senate bill contemplates a non-binding dry run this year with the voter ID mandate in full force for 2014. If the voter has no acceptable ID, the House bill would require them to sign a qualified voter affidavit. “On the primary day, they would be allowed to vote without the affidavit; at the general election, they would have to sign the affidavit,” Smith said. “This is entirely an identification issue.” The author of the Senate plan, Sen. Russell Prescott, R-Kingston, said he’s now doubtful about a compromise emerging given the number of “unfriendly amendments” the House would add to it. The House bill removes IDs that are valid in the Senate version.

Rivier senior ready for tough job market, proud to be first college graduate in family

Wed, 09 May 2012 23:01:42 EST

For four years at Rivier College in Nashua, John Green saved up his $10-an-hour, part-time wages to meet $1,000 monthly payments. He lived at home, walked to school and skipped nights out to write papers and polish off business presentations. On Saturday, the effort pays off. Green will be the first in his family to graduate from college, a “big personal achievement,” he said.

Preparing for child’s college education starts early, often

Tue, 08 May 2012 23:00:35 EST

I call it your child’s “first mortgage.” With the cost of annual tuition at public and private colleges and universities continuing to rise, it’s becoming increasingly likely your child may have a six-figure bill for their college education. The average cost of a bachelor’s degree from a private college in 2009 was $28,500 a year and $8,244 a year for a public college education, according to the 2008-09 study completed by the College Board. This translates to $114,000 for a typical private college and $32,976 for a public college for four years, not including room and board or ancillary expenses, such as laboratory fees, school supplies, extracurricular activities, etc. Tuition and fees at U.S. public colleges are rising at twice the rate of inflation, or 8.3 percent in 2011 according to the College Board.

Fighting writer’s block

Tue, 08 May 2012 11:59:08 EST

The only problem with being a writer is that you measure your progress by words on paper – either actual or virtual. (The paper, that is, not the words.) I know when I haven’t been doing my work because it isn’t there. Writers’ block was hardly ever a problem for me when I was paid to write words about computers – either software or hardware. Expository writing is expository writing, no matter what the subject you are describing is. Creative writing? It’s a bit different. I have recently been employed writing questions for tests.

Toilet conversions, helpful tips can conserve water

Mon, 07 May 2012 21:59:11 EST

Bathrooms make up a major part of your home’s water bill. When it comes to water conservation, there are the new inventions and then there are the helpful tips, especially in regard to toilets. Converting your flusher is a helpful move. Flusher options are easy to get and install. They are available at Home Depot and are cheap.

Light’s out for Patriots

Tue, 08 May 2012 07:50:01 EST

You didn’t think he was going to cry, did you? That’s not Matt Light’s style. There’s no crying in pro football, he would probably tell you. OK, they say he may have come close once or twice on Monday, depending on your interpretation. It’s going to be a little different without the affable offensive lineman in the New England Patriots dressing room next fall. Where will the levity come from? There won’t be any on the field if Patriots quarterback Tom Brady ends up constantly on his rear end, that’s for sure. Brady will then probably have a few choice words for Light, his protector for the better part of the last decade. He might even point up to the stands with a not so friendly gesture in the direction of where Light could be sitting, enjoying that “$14 beer” he said he was looking forward to while watching Patriot games. Typical Light.

Whooping cough outbreak was only a minor problem, thanks to vaccines

Sun, 06 May 2012 23:00:11 EST

When New Hampshire reported a spike in cases of whooping cough among schoolchildren last November, on the heels of a similar report from Vermont, some people feared the worst. The worst is happening in Washington state, which is facing a localized whooping cough epidemic, with hundreds of children falling ill, in part, because of people avoiding vaccinations. More on that in a minute, but first let’s enjoy our good news – well, sort of good. It turns out that virtually all of the roughly 60 pertussis cases reported throughout Hillsborough County in late fall of 2011 were in children who had been properly vaccinated, said Marcella Bobinsky, head of the state’s immunization section, and the outbreak didn’t spread. “It has been calm since then,” said Bobinsky. The vaccination news is good because it reflects the state’s relatively high rate of immunizations, but it’s bad because it shows that our control of whooping cough, officially called pertussis, still leaves much to be desired. The disease, named because it leads to a deep, persistent cough, kills about 300,000 children a year in the developing world. It hasn’t been a serious problem in the U.S.

The Week in Preview: Mother’s Day is this Sunday! Give Mom a hug and let her sleep in.

Sun, 06 May 2012 23:00:16 EST

Wednesday Civil War spotlight As far as military history goes, the Revolutionary War tends to be the center of attention here in New England. Learn about another war that included Granite State soldiers at “New Hampshire Towns and the Civil War” at 7 p.m. at the Merrimack Public Library at 470 Daniel Webster Highway. Jere Daniell, professor emeritus at Dartmouth College, will discuss the nature of New Hampshire town government in the 1860s and how towns helped recruit soldiers to fight. He’ll also talk about how local attitudes changed as what was expected to be a weeks-long conflict dragged on for four years, as well as how towns memorialized soldiers who didn’t return and cared for their widows and children. Registration is advised as seating is limited. To reserve your seat, call 424-5021, email mmkpl@merrimack.lib.nh.us or visit the library’s online calendar at www.merrimack.lib.nh.us. Thursday Class warfare How far would you go to support your favorite celebrity? Today, in 1849, at Manhattan’s Astor Opera House, fans of American actor Edwin Forrest clashed with city police and the state militia, who had been called out by supporters of British rival William Charles Macready.

Celtics Game 4 blowout over Hawks exactly what Doc ordered

Sun, 06 May 2012 23:58:57 EST

As the Boston Celtics prepared for Sunday night’s playoff game with the Atlanta Hawks, a few couldn’t help glancing up and wincing at the television screen in the locker room. New York Knick guard Baron Davis was stretched out on a gurney, being wheeled off the court at Madison Square Garden after a knee injury that was difficult to watch. Ray Allen was sitting in front of his locker discussing post-season surgery to remove bone spurs from his ankle. But the 36-year-old sharpshooter was also expecting to play basketball in another hour. Allen would come off the bench in the first half, hit his first shot, and score nine points as the Celtics built a 64-41 halftime lead and were about to put a stranglehold on the first round series. They would go on to a 101-79 victory and will take a 3-1 series edge into Atlanta on Tuesday night. Allen sat out nearly a month before returning Friday night and logging an incredible 37 minutes. He played so long because guard Avery Bradley’s shoulder popped out earlier in the game. It’s a recurring injury for Bradley, but Celtics coach Doc Rivers – who often reminds people that Doc is only a nickname, not a profession – wasn’t too interested in medical updates. “It’s happened a few times and it’s gone back in,” Rivers said of Bradley’s shoulder joint. “The scary part (Friday) was it didn’t go right back in.

Crux of the matter: poor communication

Tue, 08 May 2012 17:28:59 EST

Call this a hunch; or, as Bill James might sneer, a concept completely unfounded by any quantitative analysis: The 2012 Red Sox season now quivers within spitting distance of disaster. If this is what a bridge year looks like, they may want to consider tunneling into 2013. Saturday’s embarrassment is only part of the inspiration for this opinion. Aaron Cook’s first appearance in a Red Sox uniform could hardly have been worse – 22⁄ 3 innings, eight hits, seven runs, zero reasons for optimism – lending credence to the notion that Boston’s pitching staff is an absolute mess. But, Friday night’s 13-inning loss to the Baltimore Orioles, who are looking a lot less like a mirage than they did three days ago, actually lit the fuse. Jon Lester, whose six innings of work produced a no-decision, was asked about his exit from the proceedings after throwing pitch No. 99. “You’d have to ask Bobby,” he said. “I don’t know what the thinking was behind it.” Translation: “I have no (bleeping) clue why Valentine yanked me.

Incumbents’ announced departures leave Senate in state of flux

Fri, 11 May 2012 09:20:43 EST

You can now call it an epidemic. The decision of first-term Sen. Fenton Groen, R-Rochester, to suddenly decide not to seek another term brings the number of incumbents taking a pass on 2012 to seven – six Republicans, one Democrat. And that doesn’t count Sen. Andy Sanborn, R-Henniker, who is aborting his seat, moving to Bedford and running in the district being left by another retiring senator, Raymond White, R-Bedford. Consider the dilemma facing Senate President Peter Bragdon, R-Milford, who started 2011 with 19 eager GOP colleagues and now has to scramble to find candidates to run for unexpected – and in some cases very different – open seats. Less than a month ago, Groen had told colleagues he was all in even though ideological ally White and other associates were skeptical he would go through with it. Then the loss of some contracts and small layoffs at his Rochester construction business made the decision easy for Groen to make. This comes despite the fact Bragdon made sure Groen was set up well for his re-election. The reconfigured Senate District 6 is a lot friendlier to GOP candidates than its past incarnation. Groen had left only his hometown to run in, losing the Democratic strongholds of Barrington (home to the woman he beat in 2010, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jackie Cilley), Madbury (home of U.S. Sen.

Collecting ties for re‘tie’rement party surprise

Sat, 05 May 2012 22:01:25 EST

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – Dr.

Create family landmarks in time

Sat, 05 May 2012 22:59:42 EST

Apparently, if E equals MC squared, then an astronaut traveling close to the speed of light would return from a 100-year voyage just a minute or two older than when he or she left, even though his great-grandchildren would be there to greet him upon his return. How Einstein figured this out and what it really means is far beyond my grasp, until you bring the concept down to Earth. Our experience of the passage of time differs as a function of age. One year is a full 20 percent of a 5-year-old’s life, but only a 20th or 30th (or 50th?) of ours. This is like the difference between finding a boulder or a pebble in the road. An empty afternoon seems like a huge and insurmountable boulder to your 8-year-old, but an insignificant pebble – easily overlooked and quickly forgotten – to you and I. I know these things because I’m shocked to see that the calendar already reads May, that the children I enrolled in preschool just yesterday are suddenly graduating from college, and because those once impossibly distant and morbid concerns about retirement and old age and wills and such are now part of my day-to-day reality. AARP has me on speed dial. Where did the time go? We can’t change the basic physics of time here on Earth any more than the astronaut can change Einstein’s laws of relativity.

Revisionist history

Sun, 06 May 2012 08:35:00 EST

The disadvantage of being ahead of the curve is that you have to wait for the news to catch up. It’s beginning to dawn on Wall Street that Europe’s depressed economy is a problem. In April, the euro zone suffered its steepest decline in manufacturing activity in almost three years. The only bright spots were modest increases in activity in Ireland and Austria.

Flying high thanks to weight loss

Tue, 08 May 2012 17:28:00 EST

We’ve all got things we love to do. Now imagine for a moment, you physically could no longer do whatever it is you love. It happened to a friend of mine, let’s call him Pete the Pilot. Back in 2008, he hurt his back while on the job and he was no longer able to fly. Long story short, he herniated some disks in his back, and the result of it was a long stint where he could no longer do the thing he loved – and was making a career of doing – flying airplanes. Pete has been a friend for a long time, and I can tell you, it was devastating to see him in that position.

Fly-fishing enough to take his breath away, so to speak

Sun, 06 May 2012 08:59:26 EST

I have fished since childhood but never tried fly fishing. Having read descriptions of the surreal pleasures of artfully plunking an artificial fly in front of a hungry fish made we wonder, especially the artful part. Awful is the closest I have ever come to artful. Maybe fly fishing is different. I am a threat only to dumb fish, even then briefly. Hooking a fish is not the same as catching one, just the first step.

April dry, but temperatures were above normal

Sat, 05 May 2012 08:25:00 EST

April’s weather was almost a letdown after the March we enjoyed. March was more like April than it typically is. Despite the return to reality last month, we still saw more nice weather than April normally dishes out. Rainfall continued to be a problem until nearly 3 inches of badly needed moisture from April 22-23 brought some improvement. While not a drought-buster, this rain was essential in temporarily knocking down the extreme fire danger and adding some much needed moisture to the ground for spring growth. Despite the welcome rain later in April, we still saw a monthly total below normal, and the calendar year deficit continues to build. Since Jan.

Coast Guard honor made even more special through family ties

Sat, 05 May 2012 08:59:35 EST

Jayme Reed is a woman of few words, especially when it comes to talking about herself. She’d much rather a conversation revolve around her family – the maternal side of which has deep Nashua roots – and one member in particular, her uncle Steve Kopka, who everyone calls Sam. Beyond being family, Sam and Jayme share an extra-special bond: the Coast Guard. Sam, his family said, nearly burst with pride that mid-April day he learned Jayme had been named the 2011 Coast Guard Enlisted Person of the Year, requirements for which include phrases such as “sustained, exceptional standards of proficiency and conduct” and “role models whom all Coast Guard personnel strive to emulate.” “My uncle was the inspiration for me to join the Coast Guard,” Reed, 30, said from Bangor, Wash., where she’s stationed with the Maritime Force Protection Unit. Eight years in, Petty Officer 2nd Class Reed is a health services technician, which represents yet another connection to her uncle Sam. While stationed in Hawaii not long after he joined the Coast Guard, Kopka was barely past 20 when a vehicle he was in tumbled over a cliff, leaving him partially paralyzed.

Smithless Hawks no pushover in Game 3

Sat, 05 May 2012 01:59:06 EST

Celtics fans had to have a sense of foreboding before Friday night’s playoff game with the Atlanta Hawks at the TD Garden for one simple reason, an overload of good news. About 30 minutes after Hawks coach Larry Drew stood in the same crowded hallway to announce Josh Smith would miss the game because of a sprained left knee, Celtics coach Doc Rivers told the same media horde that Ray Allen would try to play on his cranky right ankle. Smith is 26 and, for better or worse, the heart and soul of the Hawks, a high flying double-double machine whose shot selection might be suspect at times, but a player who possesses the kind of athleticism that presents a difficult match up for an aging team. Power forward Al Horford, sidelined since January with a torn shoulder muscle and Zaza Pachulia, who played well in place of Horford before going down with a foot injury a nearly a month ago, add to Atlanta’s crippling lists of injuries. Horford is 25. Pachulia turned 28 in February. All things considered, you’d expect the Hawks would simply roll over and let the Celtics have that one last shot at playoff glory. They haven’t, pushing Friday night’s game to overtime before falling 90-84. Allen is 36, a medical marvel who when not sidelined by painful bone spurs, can still launch 3-pointers with anyone in the league.

Lack of quality feeder program hurting North, South girls lacrosse programs

Fri, 04 May 2012 00:04:12 EST

It may seem like an eternity to anyone involved in the current girls’ lacrosse program at Nashua High School South, but just five years ago they stood on top of the state. The 2007 Division I championship came after losing in the finals the year before and ended a run of fourth straight Final Four appearances for the Panthers. Thursday night, when it lined up to play Nashua High School North in the annual Battle of the Bridge clash at Stellos Stadium, the program was at the opposite end of the competitive spectrum. This year’s Panthers are 0-8. They were outscored in their first six games 113-16. They have just 25 players in the entire program. First-year coach Megan Ackerman, a 2006 graduate of South, remembers the good year and is determined to do what it will take to turn things around. But it won’t happen overnight. Seven of her 25 players are seniors.

Without football Seau never had a chance

Fri, 04 May 2012 00:04:36 EST

He stood on the Gillette Stadium turf, big smile, big heavy coat and fancy hat and embraced the cheering crowd. “We got a chance,” Junior Seau told the New England Patriots faithful one cold, cloudy late January Sunday morning in 2008 as the team was holding its departure rally before leaving for Arizona and Super Bowl XLII. “We got a chance.” He did what Junior Seau always did, make an emotionally complicated situation simple. The Patriots were 17-0 and looking to become the greatest team in the history of the NFL. All Seau was talking about was they were given a chance to win a game and a championship, all any team can ask for. Seau should be reaping the benefits of retirement from the National Football League now.

Ledge Street students get health, safety tips from Nashua South students at Safety Fair

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:00:44 EST

A group of first-graders in red plastic fire helmets crowded around a small table in the gymnasium at Ledge Street Elementary School in Nashua on Wednesday morning, ready for a game of Internet safety bingo. Each student grabbed a crayon and colored in their game boards, as older peers posed questions about computers and online activity. Other kids raced around in the background, strapping on life jackets and touring a fire truck from Nashua Fire Rescue. It was all part of the annual Safety Day at Ledge Street School, as the elementary students learned health and safety tips from juniors at Nashua High School South. The event is the culmination of a four-month project in the high school’s health sciences program. “It’s a great feeling actually teaching these kids,” said South junior Melissa Lambert, who helped organize the Internet Safety booth. “There’s so much kids can do on the Internet.

Negative remarks aren’t always basis for gender discrimination suit

Wed, 02 May 2012 08:00:33 EST

Negative remarks about a worker being “insecure,” “fragile” or “immature” are gender-neutral comments that do not form the basis to support a valid gender employment discrimination claim under federal law. This issue was addressed in the April 10 decision in the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals case of Myrta Morales-Cruz v. University of Puerto Rico School of Law. While this case originally comes from the U.S.

Johnson’s departure from Bishop Guertin no surprise

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:50:01 EST

As we close the book on April, it’s time to take stock in some recent news: First, how predictable was it that Tony Johnson would be leaving Bishop Guertin High School as athletic director? While he has a knack for the administrative side, the man is a born coach and you simply can’t take the coach out of intense competitors. Once he was ordered to give up his football job and be strictly the Cards’ AD, the countdown to his departure began. Thus, that chapter is closed and Guertin, which issued a press release applauding Johnson’s efforts, now has to decide how to move on. “There’s mixed emotions,” said Johnson, who is now the head football coach at Worcester Academy and will actually be living next fall on the school’s campus. “I have a tremendous amount of love and affection for (BG). “I had a great career at BG. The kids have been great.

Time to spur classic

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:59:43 EST

I can hear it in my 1964 adolescent muscle car brain: “Go, go, go with the Mustangers.” It was the commercial jingle that introduced the 1964½ Ford Mustang to a national audience from my hometown of Detroit, where I was just 13. Lee Iacocca’s baby was only expected to sell 100,000 units. The mid-year model sports car ended up selling 417,000 instead. I bring this up because the Mustang is getting close to turning 50 years old, and I’m wondering if Ford will create a retro ’Stang, a la 1964, or remake it to look like a Ford Fusion, as one story that I read suggested. Ford brought back a retro mid-’50s Thunderbird a few years ago.

Warm start to garden cleanup; right time to admire

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:00:00 EST

April was a busy month for most gardeners because it was warm and sunny. Our flower gardens and trees have awakened early, allowing us to do tasks we might, in other years, put off until May. Here are some jobs I’ve been working on – and you should be, too. Raking the lawn. Always one of my least favorite jobs, it needs to be done if you want a good looking lawn.

Electric ‘smart meters’ are coming, raising hopes and a few concerns

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:32:00 EST

If branding is everything, the person who coined the phrase “smart meters” deserves a pat on the back. Who could oppose electric utility meters that are less dumb? Many people, as it turns out, several of whom showed up in Concord earlier this month to support a bill that would put a damper on the whole smart meter push. I’ll get into that later, but first, let’s consider the state of smart meters in New Hampshire. Note that the term “smart meter” has no set definition, and spans everything from almost-dumb, digital versions of your current spinning dial analog meter whose main function is to report usage without the need for meter readers visiting your home, to networked, interactive devices, which can control your thermostat. One value of smart meters is that they help utilities figure spot outages (meters have capacitors that send “last-gasp calls” when power is cut), but their real value is the ability to provide insight to consumers and companies, and to empower “time-of-usage” billing. TOU, as its called, charges more during peak hours – typically weekday afternoons in the summer – and less the rest of the time, providing an incentive to do the laundry at night or raise the temperature on the air conditioner thermostat. The idea is to cut power usage during peak times, when the most expensive – and often the most polluting – power systems have to be turned on to meet demand.

The Week in Preview for Monday, April 30

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:59:24 EST

WEDNESDAY Saving the Nashua River The Hollis Social Library, Beaver Brook Association and the HBHS Green Group are excited to tell the story of how activist Marion Stoddart led the cleanup of the Nashua River as told in “The Work of 1000,” a 30-minute documentary film about Stoddart. The self-described ordinary housewife took on big business, politicians and public skepticism to save the Nashua River, at the time one of the 10 most polluted rivers in America. After the documentary, there will be a question and answer session with Stoddart and an informal reception. Admission is free and open to all, in the Hollis Brookline Cooperative High School auditorium. For more information, call the Hollis Social Library at 465-7721 or Beaver Brook Association at 465-7787. Thursday Spam, spam, spam! The first spam email wasn’t sent by a money-hungry opportunist posing as exiled Nigerian royalty, but by a Digital Equipment Corp.

Signs of spring remain mixed

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 08:36:00 EST

The Federal Reserve issued its quarterly forecast adjustment, which is to the upside. Am I missing something? As the year began, the employment and economic data was relatively positive and the Fed expressed caution. Now, with the employment numbers weakening and Europe struggling to keep its bailout plan on track, the Fed’s outlook is brightening. I realize I don’t have Ben Bernanke’s economic credentials – just a successful track record of predicting economic conditions – but I don’t get it.

Series examines Speaker O’Brien

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:17:29 EST

Who is House Speaker William O’Brien, R-Mont Vernon, how did he get to where he is and can he stay there? Those are just some of the questions The Telegraph set out to answer in its Rise To Power series that begins today and runs through Wednesday. My colleague Jake Berry and I set out to explore what makes O’Brien such an extraordinary political figure, how long will his management style wear well in the New Hampshire Legislature and how successful has he been with it. The series examines O’Brien’s relationship with former law partner and legendary, Massachusetts House Speaker Tom (aka King Tommy) Finneran, how he became financially comfortable and what makes him a leading, New England legal expert on intellectual property. We hope you find the series informative, revealing and yes, even entertaining. We supplement the stories with a variety of videos to include interviews with O’Brien himself, myself, my editor Michael Brindley and some key allies and foes in O’Brien’s world. The two authors will be conducting a live chat on O’Brien and please send us questions via twitter at #obrienrisetopower. Soon, O’Brien will visit The Telegraph for an extensive interview with the paper’s editorial board that also will be available online. Senate GOP leaders hopping mad at House Rarely does any prophesy from this source come to pass this quickly. We foreshadowed last week that the frayed relations between House and Senate Republicans running the Legislature were growing longer and earlier than usual in what is always a stress-filled, election-year session. Boy, was that spot on. This powder keg blew on Wednesday when the House of Representatives took the unprecedented step of slamming onto the table six Senate bills that were not of great import. What was significant was the sponsors of the House hostages. They nearly all were Senate GOP leaders including Senate President Peter Bragdon, R-Milford, Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro, Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Morse, R-Salem, Senate Ways and Means Chairman Robert Odell, R-Lempster, Education Chairman Nancy Stiles, R-Hampton, and Sen. Jim Luther, R-Hollis. The message was clear from rank and file House members: you Senate bosses messed with our bills and it’s payback time. The House then employed a trick that is time memorialized in the State Senate – tacking their bills as full amendments onto others. They did this with the 24-hour waiting period before an abortion bill put on a popular measure that would double the tax credit for research and development. Ditto for letting cities and towns declare a moratorium on refugees – slapped onto a nondescript bill about expense deductions under the state Business Profits Tax. In any other year, the House would declare those to be non-germane amendments that would have to first go back to a committee for a public hearing before any movement on the idea. Not with this bunch that is hopping mad. Bragdon said he was “appalled” by what he called the “political games” being played. House Majority Leader D.J.

Bride-to-be could now be pronounced ‘recipient of wedding decor’

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 23:00:27 EST

Most weddings are planned far in advance, with few details left to chance – a guest list compiled, menu approved, reception site selected, some place cards moved. With no eloping on this occasion, the cost may enter into the equation. Is there a bride ready to say “I do!” to a Mailbag offer asking, Is there anyone who would like wedding-related items, and some for setting up housekeeping? For the bridal party “I have some items that a bride-to-be who is on a budget might be interested in using for her wedding,” writes Mary Jane Q., of Amherst (LTR 2,908). “The items include a complete invitation packet (50 sets), full and partial packs of bubble wands, a dozen small bubble vases that my daughter floated candles in and mirror tiles that reflect the candles in the vases. “Because we are moving, I have some household goods to give away, including a small kitchen table, some dishes and pans. Also, I have an electric typewriter (1980s). “All items to be picked up, or I may be able to deliver depending on time. Thank you for having this great service.” If these items would serve your purposes for your big day and beyond, give Mary Jane a ring at 673-7793 (not “the” ring, of course.) Wheelchair needed “Does anyone have a small and/or portable wheelchair they are no longer using or may be willing to lend for the summer?” asks Cindy B., of Nashua (LTR 587).

Shedding light on viewing problems

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 23:01:14 EST

Normally, I’d start this column with some lighthearted comments concerning whatever topic fellow Lawnchair enthusiasts might find amusing. As a fan of tongue-in-cheek monologues, I try – though not always successfully – to make light of our common raison d’etre – seeing and enjoying the night skies from the comfort of our favorite piece of outdoor furniture and backyards. However, this month, I got to thinking as I sit here on a rainy April weekend how the odd weather – what some call the result of global warming – may affect the Lawnchair. During the last few years, we’ve all seen or heard of the wild weather extremes occurring all over the country and the world. As severe swings between drought and deluge visit our skies, we can expect the occasional breaks in available opportunities to enjoy our shared pastimes. The worst-case scenario for the Lawnchair, however, is that at some near or distant point in the future, the skies may become completely – perhaps permanently – shrouded in clouds, just as our neighbor Venus endures. As adaptable as many of us are, I don’t think moving from optical to radio telescopes would be conducive to the continued enjoyment of the Lawnchair. However, regardless of climatological uncertainty, the more persistent threat to our way of life is still light pollution. As I remember it as a child growing up in a small city, on a moonless evening, there were hundreds – if not thousands – of stars above our heads each evening. Unfortunately, if you live in or near the cities today, you’ll be hard-pressed to see more than a scant few dozen stars above your head each evening. Typically, that means a Lawnchair road trip to a dark-sky site away from the incessant glow.

Last hurrah for C’s Big 3

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:00:24 EST

It’s their building now. The Bruins might own it, but the only professional team that will play games at the TD Garden in May are your Boston Celtics. It might not have looked that way a couple of months ago. With the team floundering in February some Celtics fans were hoping for the worst. They wanted Danny Ainge to get whatever he could for the aging Big Three and swing a deal for that mercurial spoiled brat, Rajon Rondo, while you’re at it. Then they’d take their chances in the draft lottery and, who knows, maybe Austin Rivers would drop in their lap. Now national NBA analysts sit in studios with smiling faces and agree that Rondo just might be the best pure point guard on the planet; at least when Derrick Rose is sidelined, like he’s been for much of the season. Kevin Garnett has been reborn as a center, a position he’s done his best to avoid playing during a lengthy Hall of Fame career. The sweet science of the center position peaked in the 1960s, when men like Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Willis Reed and Nate Thurmond clogged the pivot. Now, unless you are a behemoth of Andrew Bynum or Dwight Howard dimensions, elite 7-footers would rather be listed at 6-11 and call themselves a power forward. Garnett’s remarkable rejuvenation in the last two months is why some experts have begun to think what was unthinkable earlier in this crazy, condensed, lockout-shortened season. The Celtics, if they can stay relatively healthy, just might have one last playoff run in them. It’s a big if, and that long playoff run would have to include a huge second round upset over the Bulls.

Local pizza icon’s passing conjures warm memories

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:00:45 EST

Unless you were looking for trees or big farms, there wasn’t much way out there in the sticks. Indeed, as any old-time local can tell you, once you passed Eat Here and Get Gas, you pretty much had Milford Road to yourself until you started seeing the big, old homes of East Milford. Not long after World War II, though, something new appeared on the landscape, just a little ways past Eat Here and Get Gas (actually, the store/gas station was Roy’s Variety, but it was recognized near and far for its iconic rooftop sign). Right about where south Merrimack, Amherst and Hollis come together, a young man named Silvio Adamo had resurrected an old ice cream stand, and come 1953 he was selling cones and cups to anyone he could lure off the narrow, signal-less, two-lane Milford Road rarely referred to as Route 101A. Four or so years later, Silvio, who was doing pretty well dishing frosty treats, got a call from back home that would not only steer him toward a new career, but lead to one of the luckiest breaks thousands of Nashua-area baby boomers collectively got without even realizing it. Just laid off from their jobs at the old Cordage Company in Plymouth, Battista and Josephine Adamo, Silvio’s parents, wondered if their son needed some help running his ice cream stand. Sure, Silvio might have said, c’mon up.

Application process for charter schools in New Hampshire raises the bar

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:59:38 EST

Looking at the application process for the Academy for Science and Design, Merrimack’s public charter school, one could easily mistake it for the steps one would find for gaining admission to a private school. After attending the mandatory information session, students must get two letters of recommendation from their current school, one letter of recommendation from someone outside the school, fill out a 29-question academic interest survey, take part in an interview with school staff and, finally, take a skills assessment. Director David Chauvette admitted it is intensive and is “almost like a college, private school process,” but he also believes it’s necessary. Not to protect the school, he said, but to protect the parents and the children. “Our process is on the longer side because we try to expose the student and parent to the reality of the school. We have to make sure the students are capable of doing the work,” he said. “We don’t want to put any student on academic probation.