Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
10th Anniversary of the Fall of "The Old Man of the Mountain" May 3, 2003
CLICK on any photo on this page for a larger view |
New Hampshire's iconic Old Man of the Mountain fell to the ground 10 years ago on May 3, 2003.
The Old Man of the Mountain, was a series of granite ledges on Cannon Mountain in Franconia Notch.
The Old Man was first observed, in modern times, in 1805. Referring to the sighting, Daniel Webster wrote, "Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades; shoemakers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch, and the dentist hangs out a gold tooth; but in the mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that there He makes men."
In 1832, Nathaniel Hawthorne visited the formation and dubbed it, "The Great Stone Face."
The Old Man became a symbol of New Hampshire, as depicted on a 1955 stamp.
The Old Man was also featured on the New Hampshire State quarter in 2000, three years before its collapse.
At least two presidents have visited the Old Man: President Ulysses S. Grant in 1869 and President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1955, the 150th "anniversary" of the Old Man's discovery.
Throughout the 1900's, efforts were made to keep the Old Man intact.
Freezing and thawing opened fissures in the Old Man's forehead. By the 1920s, the crack was wide enough to be mended with chains, and in 1957 the state legislature passed a $25,000 appropriation for a more elaborate weatherproofing, using 20 tons of fast-drying cement, plastic covering, and steel rods and turnbuckles, plus a concrete gutter to divert runoff from above. In 1958, the Old Man underwent it's major repair work as part of the $25,000 appropriation from the state for improved weatherproofing. A team from the state highway and park divisions maintained the patchwork each summer.
Nevertheless, the formation collapsed to the ground between midnight and 2 a.m., May 3, 2003. Dismay over the collapse was so great that people left flowers at the base of the cliffs in tribute. In 2004, the state legislature considered a proposal to change New Hampshire's state flag to include the profile, an idea that was eventually shelved.
The Profile Plaza was later built. The plaza includes seven profilers, which allow visitors to view the image of the Old Man back on the side of Cannon Mountain.
TIMELINE OF THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN
17th millennium BC–6th millennium BC — An ice sheet recedes from North America, substantially reshaping the mountains, rerouting the rivers, and creating lakes and ponds found on the northern part of the continent.
8th millennium BC — New England undergoes the Wisconsin glaciation, the most recent ice age. Glaciers cover New England and post-glacial erosion creates the cliff which would subsequently erode into the Old Man of the Mountain at Franconia Notch.
1805 — Francis Whitcomb and Luke Brooks, part of a Franconia surveying crew, are the first white settlers to record observing the Old Man, according to the official New Hampshire history.
1832 — Author Nathaniel Hawthorne visits the area and later publishes a story called "The Great Stone Face".
1866 — The "Old Man of the Mountain,"-- A Daring and Ingenious Deaf Mute. - View Article - NYTimes.com http://ow.ly/kIREr
1869 — President Ulysses S. Grant visits the formation.
1906 — The Reverend Guy Roberts of Massachusetts is the first to publicize signs of deterioration of the formation.
1916 — New Hampshire Governor Rolland H. Spaulding begins a concerted state effort to preserve the formation.
1945 — The Old Man is made the New Hampshire State Emblem.
1955 — President Dwight D. Eisenhower visits the profile as part of the Old Man's 150th "birthday" celebration.
1958 — Major repair work to the Old Man's forehead as a result of a legislative appropriation the previous year.
1965 — Niels Nielsen, a state highway worker, becomes unofficial guardian of the profile, in an effort to protect the formation from vandalism and the ravages of the weather.[10]
1973 — U.S. Senator Norris Cotton (R-NH) proposes a "parkway" instead of an interstate highway through Franconia Notch. Fear that blasting for the interstate would bring down the Old Man was one of the main reasons for the proposal.
1986 — Vandalizing the Old Man is classified as a crime under the state criminal mischief law. Under the law (RSA 634:2 VI) it is a misdemeanor for any person to vandalize, deface or destroy any part of the Old Man, with a penalty of a fine of between $1,000 and $3,000 and restitution to the state for any damage caused.[11]
1987 — Nielsen is named the official caretaker of the Old Man by the state of New Hampshire.
1988 — A 12-mile (19 km) stretch of Interstate 93 (which also runs jointly with U.S. Route 3 through the notch) opens below Cannon Mountain. The $56 million project, which took 30 years to build, was a compromise between the government's desire for a four-lane interstate and environmentalists who sought to limit impact on the notch.
1991 — David Nielsen, son of Niels Nielsen, becomes the official caretaker of the Old Man.
2000 — The Old Man is featured on the state quarter of New Hampshire.
2003 — The Old Man collapses.
2004 — Coin-operated viewfinders are installed to show how the Old Man looked before its collapse.
2007 — Design of an Old Man of the Mountain memorial announced.
2010 — First phase of the state-sanctioned "Old Man of the Mountain Memorial" is unveiled.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
COWARDS One Dead and One Captured #BostonMarathon #BostonStrong
1-800-CALL-FBI
These are the main two suspects that the FBI has identified as the main players in the Boston Marathon bombing.
They are to be considered ARMED and DANGEROUS and should not be approached under any circumstances.
Please use the contact information at the bottom of this post if you can contribute any information.
Resources |
To Provide Tips in the Investigation If you have visual images, video, and/or details regarding the explosions along the Boston Marathon route and elsewhere, submit them on https://bostonmarathontips.fbi.gov/. No piece of information or detail is too small. You can also call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), prompt #3, with information. All media inquiries should be directed to the FBI’s National Press Office at (202) 324-3691. - Boston FBI |
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Art the osprey touches down in NH
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center |
With a mix of high-pitched chirps and swooping dives, Art announced its arrival to its mate at their home atop an old, wooden electrical pole along the Pemigewasset River.
Last year, researchers from the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center were able to attach a GPS tracking system to the bird that allowed them to study its winter migration.
The osprey left its Bridgewater nest in September and traveled south to Florida, across the ocean to Cuba, then Haiti, then 400 miles over the Caribbean Ocean to South America, until finally landing in Brazil.
The trip lasted 38 days and covered almost 5,000 miles.
Art's journey back to New Hampshire was 21 days and ended Wednesday morning with what experts call a "sky dance" just before 10 a.m.
Art's mate was waiting, and the two quickly got reacquainted with each other before Art went off to catch a fish.
Osprey expert Ian MacLeod said the two will mate hundreds of times in the next couple weeks before the female lays three to four eggs.
Art will provide the family with food during that time. By the end of the summer, the young will leave the nest, and a short time later, the pair will part, with Art heading back down to Brazil, where he'll spend the winter before his return trip to the same New Hampshire nest next spring.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Acadia National Park's Spring Opening Delayed By Budget Cuts
In a bid to trim $390,000 from the park's $7.8 million budget, officials decided to extend the winter closure of park facilities for one month. Typically, the Park Loop Road and the Hulls Cove Visitor Center open on April 15. This year the Park Loop Road, including the Cadillac Summit Road, and Hulls Cove Visitor Center will not open until May 19. The Sieur de Monts Nature Center will not open until May 25.
Additionally, the cuts mean five permanent positions will not be filled this year, bringing to 23 the number of vacant permanent positions that funding reductions have forced the park staff to do without in recent years, park officials said in a release. On top of that, a dozen seasonal positions will not be hired this year, and 32 seasonal positions will have their appointments reduced between two and six weeks each.
The reduction imposed by sequestration is in addition to budget reductions realized in 2011 and 2012. To compensate for the decreased funding in 2011 and 2012, the park has reduced spending for travel, training, overtime and supply purchases. Additionally the park reduced the number of permanent employees, which left few options to compensate for the 2013 budget cuts. The only remaining alternative to achieve the 5 percent sequester cut is to reduce the level of visitor services that can be delivered this year.
Along with the delayed opening and staffing redutions, the number of free ranger-led programs will be reduced by 30 programs/week this year. Programs for which a fee is charged will continue unchanged from 2012 levels.
Seasonal staffing will be reduced across all operations. That means there will be fewer employees to provide visitor services and operate and maintain park facilities. As a result, there will be reduced hours of operation at the visitor center and Islesford Historical Museum; fewer school education programs; and fewer rangers to respond to emergencies, to provide visitor services, and to answer visitor questions.
Acadia officials say the direct impact to park visitors will be much less by opening facilities later in the season as compared to the alternative of closing facilities earlier in the fall. Visitation in April and May is approximately 220,000 visitors while visitation in September and October is 650,000.
No reopening in sight for Ellis Island
The National Park Service announced that there is no projected reopening date for New York's iconic Ellis Island due to extensive damage it sustained during Superstorm Sandy last October.
This uncertainty comes days after Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's announcement that the Statue of Liberty is set to reopen to the public by the Fourth of July.
Although there is little damage to the museum collection in the Immigration Building, there is significant damage to the infrastructure as a result of the storm, according to the National Park Service. During the storm, water filled the basement of the Immigration Building, and there was also significant damage to mechanical systems and the building's fire suppression system.
The National Park Service stated that it is "working hard to prioritize all the projects needed to reopen and will announce this information as soon as possible."
According to the National Park Service, Salazar stated that repairs to both Ellis Island and Liberty Island could cost as much as $59 million.
Located in Upper New York Bay, Ellis Island served as a gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States from 1892 until 1954. The Ellis Island Immigration Museum opened in 1990 and attracts 3 million visitors each year.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Stop Shell in America's Arctic!
impacts and oil drilling. Tell President Obama to address
both issues by immediately cancelling
Shell Oil's Arctic drilling permits - I did!
To take action on this issue, click on the link below:
http://action.sierraclub.org/site/Advocacy?s_oo=5fMfG5mxEGINVRFdYpHg1w&id=10049
If the text above does not appear as a link or it wraps across multiple lines, then copy and paste it into the address area of your browser.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Cars line up for $2.99 gas in Epping | Local News - WMUR Home
......On Saturday, the Next Level Church in Epping stepped in to help alleviate some of the drivers’ pain.
"I love it. I think it's great," said Bonnie Fallow, of Raymond. "This was our opportunity to show the people in this community that we care about them," said Lead Pastor Joshua Gagnon.
On Saturday, the church bought 3,000 gallons of regular gas at the current price. It then teamed up with a local Sunoco to sell the gas for $2.99 a gallon.
"That's a good gesture by them. It's going to help people around here a lot," said Greg Champoux, of Raymond.
"It's wonderful. It's awesome. I seen it on the news last night, and I told my kids, ‘See, when people give back, good things happen,’" Fallow told News 9.
Cars lined up, stretching more than two blocks as word spread about the event.
"I'm glad I got here early," said Karen Drelick, of Newmarket.
"We expected a lot of people. I don't think gas has been at $2.99 for some time," said Gagnon.......
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Walmart Caught Shortchanging Customers Using Gift Receipts
Walmart's slogan is save money; live better. But you could actually lose money if you return an item using a gift receipt. Karen Anderson reports.
Sure go ahead and regift that present your friend bought for you at Walmart, but whatever you do, don't return it. The world's largest retailer is apparently slacking off on giving full refunds to customers with gift receipts, at least according to a recent report by CBS Boston.
When a producer from the network attempted to return a TV originally purchased for $248 using a gift receipt, she was only able to get back $228 -- the unit's new on-sale price. A cashier told her simply that the register "will just generate however much [the original buyer] paid for it,” even though in this case the original purchase price was higher. This is far from the first time such allegations have been made against Walmart.
Last year, the same CBS affiliate aired similar reports that Walmart was shortchanging customers on gift receipts. The confusion may have to do with the simple fact that such receipts don't show how much money was originally paid for an item.
Consumer advocate Edgar Dworsky says he doesn't think Walmart is perpetrating the scam on purpose, but the retailer clearly has a problem on its hands.
“The best scam is when you don’t even know you’ve been taken,” Dworsky told CBS Boston....... MORE: http://ow.ly/gY8hq
Avalanche Advisory for Sunday 1-20-2013 » Mount Washington Avalanche Center
This advisory expires at 12:00 midnight, January 20, 2013
All forecast areas of Tuckerman Ravine have Moderate avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are unlikely and human triggered avalanches are possible. The only exceptions to this rating are the Lower Snowfields and Little Headwall, which have Low avalanche danger. In these two locations, natural and human triggered avalanches are unlikely.
All forecast areas of Huntington Ravine have Moderate avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are unlikely and human triggered avalanches are possible. The only exception to this rating is Escape Hatch, which has Low avalanche danger.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Escape Outside: Learn to ski and snowboard for free in NH Beginning Jan. 12
PARTICIPATING DOWNHILL SKI AREAS FOR 2013:
Bretton Woods (age 13+)
Cannon Mountain (age 13+)
Cranmore Mountain Resort (age 13+)
Dartmouth Skiway (age 13+)
Granite Gorge (age 5+, Sunday only)
Gunstock Mountain Resort (age 6+)
King Pine at Purity Spring Resort (age 13+)
Loon Mountain (age 13+, Sunday-Friday only)
Pats Peak (age 6+, Monday-Thursday only)
Ragged Mountain (age 13+)
Waterville Valley (age 7+)
PARTICIPATING CROSS-COUNTRY SKI AREAS FOR 2013:
Bretton Woods XC (age 6+)
Dartmouth XC (age 6+)
Great Glen Trails (age 6+, Monday-Friday only)
Gunstock Mountain Resort (age 6+)
Jackson XC (age 13+, Sunday-Friday only)
Purity Spring Resort XC and Snowshoe Reserve (age 13+)
Waterville Valley (age 7+)
To get more information call Ski NH at 603-745-9396 or send an email to info@skinh.com.
Read more: http://www.wmur.com/news/sports/escape-outside/Learn-to-ski-and-snowboard-for-free-in-NH/-/17752420/17987476/-/vqanap/-/index.html#ixzz2GuyLIsKc
Saturday, December 29, 2012
2 p.m. Saturday storm update
Final goodbye: Roll call of some who died in 2012
Dick Clark |
Sadly, for others an established image was shattered by a fall from grace. Whitney Houston ruled as a queen of pop music, but years of hard living harmed her voice while erratic behavior and a troubled marriage took a toll on her image. And Joe Paterno, Penn State's longtime coach, won more games than anyone in major college football, but was ultimately fired amid a molestation scandal involving an assistant coach that scarred his reputation.
Whitney Houston |
Larry Hagman |
"Stormin' " Norman Scwarzkopf |
The year saw the deaths of a number of TV stars including Larry Hagman, who played oil baron J.R. Ewing on "Dallas," and Jack Klugman, often remembered as the messy one of the 1970s roommates in "The Odd Couple"
Read more: http://ow.ly/gqk5V
Final goodbye: Roll call of some who died in 2012 - Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
I Saw this heart warming story today and thought I would share! Merry Christmas to everyone!
Local Police Convoy Heads To Virginia To Deliver Cards To Boy Fighting Cancer
Police cruisers lined up for the journey to Virginia Wednesday. (Photo courtesy: Seekonk Police) |
BOSTON (CBS) – If you saw a massive police convoy on a local highway Wednesday morning, it‘s for a good cause.
About 250 officers from all over New England gathered at the Burlington Mall before sunrise to take part in a ride to Virginia.
Follow this story on twitter: http://ow.ly/gedMG
Read the rest of the story here:
http://ow.ly/gec7I
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Merry Christmas!
Saturday, December 8, 2012
We can't let it happen
Sent: December 8, 2012 9:00 AM
Subject: We can't let it happen
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NPCA | 777 6th Street, NW | Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20001 | 800.NAT.PARK | npca@npca.org
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Monday, December 3, 2012
PUBLIC'S HELP SOUGHT IN FINDING MOOSE POACHER IN BERLIN, N.H.
On the evening of November 30, 2012, authorities from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department were alerted to the presence of a dead moose off Kilkenny Loop Road in the town of Berlin. Arriving on scene, Conservation Officer Geoff Younglove discovered one of the most egregious cases of poaching that Conservation Officers have seen in the North Country this year. A mature cow moose lay in the woods approximately 30 yards from the road, having died from multiple gunshot wounds. Tracks in the snow confirmed that an individual had walked up to the moose, fired a final shot into the animal’s head, and then simply walked away. No meat had been removed from the animal.
Conservation Officers were able to recover evidence from the scene and are continuing a vigorous investigation into this incident. As an integral part of the investigation, Conservation Officers are asking for the public’s help in generating leads and possibly identifying suspects. Authorities believe that the moose was most likely shot either Wednesday, November 27, or Thursday, November 28. Although evidence in the snow indicated that only one person had walked up to the moose, it is believed that multiple people may be involved with this incident.
Anyone with information that may be relevant to this case is asked to call N.H. Fish and Game's Region 1 Office in Lancaster at 603-788-4850, N.H. Fish and Game Dispatch at 603-271-3361 or Operation Game Thief at 1-800-344-4262. Online tips may also be received through the Operation Game Thief website, http://www.HUNTNH.com/OGT. Callers may choose to remain anonymous, and all information is welcomed.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
NH FISH AND GAME ACQUIRES BOAT ACCESS SITE ON LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE
"This is exciting news for New Hampshire's outdoor enthusiasts because it creates the first state-owned and controlled public boat ramp with parking on Lake Winnipesaukee," said Fish and Game Executive Director Glenn Normandeau. "For years, we've wanted to provide the public with a boat access site on the big lake, and I am thrilled that we've been able to do it."
The Downing's Landing facility includes an existing boat launch with paved parking for vehicles with trailers, as well as a handful of cartop parking spaces. The site includes two buildings and several docks that will allow for excellent shorebank fishing opportunities, particularly during the spring salmon season. The facility will be open to the public for launching boats and shorebank fishing with no fee.
The site may be temporarily closed while Fish and Game transitions ownership and determines what maintenance and repairs are necessary. Since the general use of the property will not change, it seems to be for the most part a "turnkey" facility that can be opened to the public with minimal work. This is quite different from most acquisitions of undeveloped property, which can take months or even years of planning, permitting and construction before a boat access site can be opened to the public.
In the near term, parking configurations will be evaluated and maximized for the upcoming boating season. Future renovations will be planned as Fish and Game moves forward. Improvements may include dock repairs and installation of a newer concrete boat ramp. Fish and Game officials hope to have the site open this winter in time for the ice fishing season.
New Hampshire's Public Boat Access Program is funded through boat registration fees and federal Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration funds, a true user-pay, user-benefit program. Fish and Game's Facilities and Lands Division acquires land for public water access sites, refurbishes existing sites and builds new public boat access areas. Fish and Game maintains more than 140 public boat access sites throughout New Hampshire.
VT man claims to have proof of Bigfoot
(NECN: Jack Thurston, Hubbardton, Vt.) - Self-described sasquatch researcher Frank Siecienski insists he captured one of the legendary hairy beasts on a camera he set up outside his Hubbardton, Vt. home.
"This is where the creature was crouching down in this position right here," Siecienski said, demonstrating for New England Cable News how the purported giant creature was hunched over.
Siecienski told NECN he set up the camera because wanted to know who or what was taking all the apples from the tree in his front yard in September of 2010. His photographs produced shots of a coyote, then of a blurry figure near a hemlock tree. That figure has been nearly impossible for most people to identify.
"Both my wife and I, at the exact same time, said, 'My God, what in the world is that?'" Siecienski remembered.
He got some help answering that question this month, when the network Animal Planet aired an episode of "Finding Bigfoot" on TV and online. Folks from all over contacted Siecienski with ideas.
"I just got an email and a call from Australia," the retiree noted Wednesday.
Siecienski believes the figure is a long-haired female sasquatch, about 400 pounds, with a baby in tow.
"Evidently it was either protecting its young or picking it up," he claimed. “We just don’t know.”
One biologist NECN reached with Vermont's Fish & Wildlife Department in Rutland didn't even want to talk about this on-camera, hinting it was a waste of his time to even give it attention. Siecienski admitted he is used to skeptical responses.
"They're gonna call you a nut," he said. "They're gonna call you crazy."
Others have told him what he photographed is more likely an owl. But he said he's not budging, and even bought the vanity plate "BIG FT" for his car.
"I've gotten a good response from that," Siecienski said, claiming it has been a conversation starter that has led to other people reporting their Bigfoot sightings to him.
The homeowner even has decorated his lawn with Bigfoot statues.
"That's exactly what one would look like right there," he said, pointing to a muscular lawn ornament with a long head and broad face.
Until he gets a clearer view of the "real thing," Frank Siecienski said he will keep battling the non-believers and searching for more evidence that Bigfoot is roaming the Northeast.
"It can't be anything else but," he said of his photo.
SOURCE: http://ow.ly/fFfMg
Friday, November 23, 2012
Salem NH Police Rescue Bald Eagle from Trap
Dave has shared the following article from Salem Patch: | |
Salem Police Rescue Bald Eagle from Trap
The rare bird was caught in a beaver trap off Garabedian Drive....
By Marc Fortier
An Eagle was unfortunately caught in a metal beaver trap on Thanksgiving day!
Thanks to a pair of concerned hunters, Salem Police were able to rescue a snared bald eagle caught in a trap on Thanksgiving Day. Around 3 p.m. Thursday, Salem Police received a call from a man saying that he had found a bald eagle caught in a trap off of Garabedian Drive. The caller, James Ransom of Methuen, Mass., and a friend were scouting possible hunting areas when they came across the distressed eagle.
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Thursday, November 15, 2012
Now Reading: The Racketeer By: John Grisham
Synopsis:
Given the importance of what they do, and the controversies that often surround them, and the violent people they sometimes confront, it is remarkable that in the history of this country only four active federal judges have been murdered.
Judge Raymond Fawcett has just become number five.
Who is the Racketeer? And what does he have to do with the judge’s untimely demise? His name, for the moment, is Malcolm Bannister. Job status? Former attorney. Current residence? The Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland.
On paper, Malcolm’s situation isn’t looking too good these days, but he’s got an ace up his sleeve. He knows who killed Judge Fawcett, and he knows why. The judge’s body was found in his remote lakeside cabin. There was no forced entry, no struggle, just two dead bodies: Judge Fawcett and his young secretary. And one large, state-of-the-art, extremely secure safe, opened and emptied.
What was in the safe? The FBI would love to know. And Malcolm Bannister would love to tell them. But everything has a price—especially information as explosive as the sequence of events that led to Judge Fawcett’s death. And the Racketeer wasn’t born yesterday . . .
Nothing is as it seems and everything’s fair game in this wickedly clever new novel from John Grisham, the undisputed master of the legal thriller.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Grant aims to turn Acadia visitors into scientists
Published 7:00 a.m., Sunday, October 21, 2012
BAR HARBOR, Maine (AP) —The National Science Foundation has awarded a $250,000 grant aimed at turning Acadia National Park visitors into citizen scientists.
The grant was awarded to the Mount Desert Biological Laboratory, the National Park Service and the Schoodic Education and Research Center. It will be used to launch a project called "Pathway to BioTrails."
For the project, members of the public will verify the identities of animals and plants using DNA barcoding. Ultimately, a range of citizen science projects will be offered revolving around the park's hiking, bicycling and ocean kayaking trails.
Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory scientist Karen James hopes that once the concept is tested at Acadia, it can be expanded to other national parks and long-distance trails, such as the Appalachian Trail.