N.H. court upholds Bigfoot’s free speech rights

January 14, 2012|By Lynne Tuohy
CONCORD, N.H. - The New Hampshire Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Bigfoot’s right to romp around Mount Monadnock - and against a state regulation governing special events at parks.

The court ruled unanimously yesterday that the language of the regulation is so broad it would apply to six people holding a private prayer service, three people carrying campaign signs at a mountain’s peak, or even a lone protester.

Jonathan Doyle filmed a friend in costume on Mount Monadnock in September… (photos by NYCreator.com)

Keene entrepreneur Jonathan Doyle and the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union Foundation appealed after state park officials barred Doyle, an amateur filmmaker, from wearing his monkey costume and interviewing other hikers about a Bigfoot sighting at Mount Monadnock in September 2009.  

Park officials said Doyle had failed to pay $100 for a special-use permit 30 days in advance and secure a $2 million bond, as required by the regulation. The permit regulation applies to all properties operated by the state Department of Resources and Economic Development.

The court said the regulation violates constitutional free speech rights by requiring someone to get a permit 30 days in advance for any “organized or special events which go beyond routine recreational activities.’’

The justices called the regulation “panoptic’’- including in one view everything in sight.

The regulation, the court said, “is unconstitutional in a substantial number of its applications and is thereby overbroad.’’

Barbara Keshen, director of the NHCLU, called the ruling a “strong affirmation of people’s First Amendment rights to express themselves politically and artistically.’’

Assistant Attorney General Matthew Mavrogeorge, who argued to uphold the regulation, did not return calls seeking comment.

Doyle said he was uncertain how the court would rule and had doubts along the way about taking on the state.

“I’m very happy and pleased,’’ Doyle said yesterday. He said he will return to Monadnock in costume the first chance he gets.

Doyle first wore his Bigfoot costume on the top of Monadnock on Sept. 6, 2009, and interviewed hikers about what they saw. Those interviewed went along with the skit - some feigning fear and awe - and Doyle posted his video on YouTube.

He planned to make a movie, “The Capture of Bigfoot,’’ which The Keene Sentinel newspaper wrote about. Park manager Patrick Hummel saw the report and e-mailed a supervisor under the subject line, “Bigfoot problem on Monadnock . . . not kidding,’’ according to court documents. In another e-mail, Hummel wrote, “Why does this mountain attract these time wasters?’’

CREDIT: boston.com

Deadly parasite turns Bay Area honeybees into zombie slaves

By Lisa M. Krieger

lkrieger@mercurynews.com

San Francisco biologists have made a macabre discovery that might help explain the mysterious crash of honeybee populations: parasites that turn bees into zombies.

Infected bees go mad, abandoning their hive in a suicidal rush toward bright lights, according to a new study by San Francisco State researchers.

"It's the flight of the living dead," said lead investigator and biology professor John Hafernik, also president of the California Academy of Sciences.

The parasite, a tiny fly, has been found in bees from three-quarters of the 31 surveyed hives in the Bay Area -- essentially, everywhere except Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.

In a plotline similar to a George Romero horror film, the fly deposits its eggs into the bee's abdomen, then takes over. The hapless bees walk around in circles, with no apparent sense of direction. Some are unable to even stand on their legs.

"They kept stretching them out and then falling over," Hafernik said. "It really painted a picture of something like a zombie."

The bees' demise may contribute to what's known as Colony Collapse Disorder, the phenomenon of failing honeybee hives around the United States -- and a great concern in the agricultural community, which depends on these pollinators.

Despite six years of intense research, scientists have been unable to find a single reason for colony collapse. Increasingly, they suspect that several factors, including viruses and fungus, may be to blame.

"This is one more piece in the puzzle," said researcher and San Francisco State graduate student Jonathan Ivers. "But no one has come up with a coherent picture of what the puzzle even looks like."

The stakes are high, because honeybees are the primary pollinator of most nuts, vegetables and fruits. California's $1 billion-a-year almond business, for instance, is entirely dependent on the honeybees.

"The agricultural economy of California would be devastated if honeybees disappeared," Ivers said.

This creepy parasitic parable started in an unlikely place: a desk at San Francisco State. Three years ago, Hafernik returned from a field trip with a hungry praying mantis, so he scrounged for insects for it to eat. He found some bees under the light fixtures outside his classroom at Hensill Hall, and stuck them in a vial.

"But being an absent-minded professor," he joked, "I left them in a vial on my desk and forgot about them."

When he looked at the vial again -- a week or so later -- there was a startling sight: the dead bees were surrounded by small brown fly pupae.

"I knew that was unusual," he said. "I knew that a parasitic fly was feeding on them."

The fly's identity -- Apocephalus borealis -- was revealed through a DNA test. The same fly is known to infect wasps and bumblebees.

Ivers and fellow grad student Andrew Core gained permission from Bay Area beekeepers to set up traps at the hives, then caught 20 to 50 so-called worker bees en route to find food.

Infected bees were found in San Francisco, Oakland, Orinda, Walnut Creek, Concord, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Benicia, San Rafael, Mill Valley and Larkspur. They were not found in hives in Los Gatos, Saratoga, San Jose or Mount Hamilton.

The parasitic flies even engage in mind control. Somehow they're able to hijack the bee's normal daytime behavior, turning it into a nocturnal creature. Seven days after death, little larvae emerge from the bee.

The casualties are hard on a hive in two different ways. Not only does it lose important workers -- but when these foragers are gone, younger bees inside the hive are forced to take their place. The entire labor structure of the hive goes awry.

"As you lose more and more workers, there's a tipping point, which could lead to collapse," he said.

Bees from the infected hives are often infected with a virus and a fungus -- suggesting the fly might be a vector for these pathogens.

There are other gruesome examples in the insect world of exploitation.

An Asian wasp stings a cockroach in the brain and injects venom that controls where the roach walks. Then it lays its egg on the roach, and its larvae eat it alive.

And there's an Amazonian nematode that, once inside an ant, turns the insect's abdomen the same bright hue as a tasty berry. The ant is eaten by birds, who spread baby nematodes through their droppings.

While San Francisco State researchers are far from discovering a treatment for bees, the next step is to expand their geographic search for infected hives.

Already, Hafernik has noticed a colony in the walls of his San Francisco house. "At night, they bounce against the windows while my wife and I are at the dinner table," he said brightly.

And they'll deploy a range of identification tools to better understand the freeloading fly. Next spring, they will glue tiny radio-frequency devices -- smaller than the head of a pin -- to the backs of bees, then track their travels. Once sick, do they re-enter the hive, infecting others?

"We don't know how big a player this is" in collapsing colonies, he said. "It could be a really important one."

honeybees


Source Credit: http://www.mercurynews.com/

Overdue Maryland hikers OK | New Hampshire NEWS07

Overdue Maryland hikers OK | New Hampshire NEWS07

Published Jan 16, 2012 at 12:28 pm (Updated Jan 16, 2012)

CRAWFORD NOTCH - Two experienced Maryland hikers were in great condition when they walked out of Shoestring Gully on Mount Webster early Monday morning, long overdue after a more arduous hike down the mountain than they expected.


New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officer Alex Lopashanski said the wife of Greg Kozloski, 33, of Darlington, Md. reported him and his hiking partner, Richard Brown, 30, of Bel Air, Md., overdue about 10 p.m. Sunday night.


State Police Troop F located their car on Route 302 across from the gully.


Kozloski and Brown, both experienced climbers, had planned to hike 2,500 feet up to the ridge of Mount Webster, the last 600 feet of which involves “technical climbing,” according to Lopashanski.


Lopashanski arrived at the scene about 1:20 a.m. Monday to see two headlamps coming out of the trail. The men had made it to the ridge but, instead of coming down the trail, they descended through the woods which took them much longer than they anticipated, Lopashanski explained.


Both were well-prepared for the hike and in fine shape, he said.


They left an itinerary with Lopashanski’s wife which, had either man been in trouble, would have made it quicker and easier for Fish & Game to locate them.


“They did a lot of things right,” Lopashanski said.

Huntsman To Drop Out Of Race For White House - Politics News Story - WMUR New Hampshire

Huntsman To Drop Out Of Race For White House - Politics News Story - WMUR New Hampshire 

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Jon Huntsman staked his entire presidential campaign on New Hampshire in the hopes he could emerge from the shadow of fellow Mormon Mitt Romney to become a legitimate competitor. But less than one week after a disappointing third-place finish in the Granite State's primary, Huntsman has decided to withdraw and back Romney.....

Read more: http://www.wmur.com/politics/30221600/detail.html#ixzz1jdCh6ybb

A winter ascent to the top of Mount Washington

EXPLORE NEW ENGLAND

Step by step up Mount Washington, snowy, shadowy sights on all sides

By Jeffrey Romano

 |  GLOBE CORRESPONDENT   

  JANUARY 15, 2012

As the highest peak in New England, Mount Washington attracts countless visitors to its rocky summit each year. Famous for dangerous and rapidly changing weather conditions, the mountain has claimed the lives of more than 130 visitors since its first recorded fatality in 1849. In fact, the mountain’s notorious weather unfortunately contributed to the fatality of a hiker last week. This is a sober reminder that while Mount Washington is potentially hazardous throughout the year, winter often poses the most life-threatening obstacles with short days, cold temperatures, persistent wind, abundant snow, and treacherous ice. Yet, when one approaches the climb with ample preparation, respect, and planning, there is no more beautiful location to behold in the Northeast than winter atop Mount Washington, a landscape I had the pleasure to witness firsthand last March.

The night before, I went to sleep with great anticipation. With my gear packed and food prepared, I eagerly awaited departure. En route to the trailhead early the next day, I caught my first glimpse of the snow-draped mountain. The summit was aglow in the early morning sun. It was as I had dreamed the night before, a perfect day in the White Mountains.

Soon, I arrived at the Cog Railway Station, the start of the day’s ambitious journey. Resembling a ghost town this time of year, the crowded summer attraction serves as a popular winter base from which to scale Mount Washington. As usual, my brother had beaten me to the parking area and was waiting patiently. On this glorious winter day, we chose to ascend the Jewell Trail.

Crossing the rail tracks and a swift moving stream, we quickly entered a cool mountain forest. Fortunately, the well-trodden, hard-packed surface made for good footing and before long the blood flow amply warmed our bodies.

Well-protected and straightforward for much of its course, the Jewell Trail is an inviting winter path. As we ascended higher, the trail softened with increasing snow. We slipped on snowshoes to maximize traction and continued up the challenging climb. Soon our persistence paid off. The trees grew increasingly shorter, until finally they nearly disappeared altogether. Now atop the upper reaches of the ridge, we enjoyed our first breathtaking vista of the day.

When the weather fails to cooperate, this spot at the edge of the alpine zone is the optimum location to rethink previous plans and consider turning back. This day, however, we were blessed with ideal conditions as the light winds, blue skies, and sun’s warm rays drew us higher up the mountain.

At a junction, we veered right onto the Gulfside Trail. Now completely on hard-packed snow and ice, it was time to switch from snowshoes to metal crampons. Around the rocky summit of Mount Clay, we meandered across a low saddle to reach spectacular views into the remote reaches of the Great Gulf Wilderness and the impressive northern peaks of the Presidential Range that rise high above it.

After catching our breath, grabbing a bite to eat, and downing some water, we started up the difficult, final climb to the highpoint. Fortuitously, there were plenty of distractions and many excuses to stop, snap a photo, and stand mesmerized with the incredible natural beauty in all directions. Awe-inspiring in warmer months, Mount Washington leaves one breathless in the heart of winter, as the gray rocks of summer lie covered by a clean carpet of white, highlighted by both sparkling ice and shadowy crevices.

Continuing up the last incline, we crested the final pitch and arrived at the apex of New England. While it is more crowded in August, there were nonetheless dozens of fellow hikers scattered about the collection of icy buildings that dominate the summit area. Appropriately respected for dangerous weather, on this day Mount Washington was showing off its tamer side. We decided to take full advantage of the situation by savoring the boundless scenery and enjoying a well-earned lunch.

Although relatively mild, the temperatures were below freezing and this time of the year one’s body has a tendency to cool down quickly. Our hearts were telling us to stay, but we wisely decided to begin the journey down.

Looking for a change of pace, we headed south along the Crawford Path. The longest continuously-used trail in the White Mountains, the Crawford Path is also one of the region’s most scenic. Departing the summit, we were quickly rewarded with tremendous views of the Southern Presidential Range and the nearby Dry River Wilderness, as well as countless peaks from western Maine to Vermont in the distance.

No longer feeling the pressure on the lungs that dominated our ascent, now the emphasis focused on our legs. In the summer, this descent can be quite punishing as one’s feet pound from rock to rock. On this day, hard-packed snow was the surface. Our crampons dug firmly to ensure safe passage, but they did little to ease the pain associated with fighting the force of gravity.

The trail eased as we approached the Lakes of the Clouds Hut. Operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club, the hut is nestled near a collection of small, shallow ponds high above tree-line. In winter, the building remains closed, yet the location often offers protection from winds and on a good day, ample afternoon sun. It proved to be the perfect spot to soak in the day’s beauty one last time before dropping back into the forest.

From the hut, we joined the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. At its upper reaches, it can be difficult to follow in the winter, but we were able to track the footsteps of previous hikers and recall our memory from past excursions to safely make our way down. Once back into the thick boreal forest, the path remained steep, but more obvious. With the leg muscles still burning, we finally reached Gem Pool. From here the final 1.4 miles back to the parking lot become much more gradual. Finally, we could remove our crampons and walk freely again.

Paralleling the rushing, yet still frozen, mountain stream, the trail provided a perfect end to an amazing day on Mount Washington. My brother and I recounted the day’s journey and everything we had witnessed. Upon returning to our vehicles we took in one last glance of the mountain we had so thoroughly enjoyed.

If you go...

Climbing Mount Washington in the winter is not for everyone and frequently weather conditions make itimpossible even for seasoned hikers. Fortunately, the White Mountains offer countless winter treks that are ideal for people looking to gain more experience or for days when weather conditions dictate caution. Keep in mind that Mount Washington can be just as beautiful to witness from afar as it is up close. Two hikes you may want toconsider are Mount Avalon, which leaves from the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center Lodge in Crawford Notch and the Imp Face, whose trailhead is located on Route 16, 5.4 miles south of Gorham. Less than 5 miles round trip, each hike is challenging, but with minimum exposure to the elements. Both destinations also showcase tremendous views of Mount Washington and nearby peaks and valleys.

For more information visit www.mountwashington.org.

Jeffrey Romano, author of “100 Classic Hikes in New England’’ (2011) and “Best Loop Hikes: New Hampshire’s White Mountains to the Maine Coast’’ (2006) can be reached at www .jeffreyromano.com.


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