The Northern Forest

I’m reading an interesting book, The Northern Forest by David Dobbs and Richard Ober.

It’s about, guess what.

I’m only on chapter one but it looks like a good balance between real people, environmental policy and what society and politics does to everything it touches. This is quite a feat considering how big this issue really is from the first chapter:

“The region known as the Northern Forest spans 26 million acres, from the Atlantic Coast of Maine to Lake Ontario to the St. Lawrence River in New York. It covers the upper two thirds of the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.”

This is a big area.

Is Grafton County Burning?

“The only foes that threaten America are the enemies at home, and these are ignorance, superstition and incompetence.”- Elbert Hubbard.

Recently I was reading the liberal, special interest, ad infested Littleton Courier newspaper and a letter to the editor by the Grafton County Commissioners. I think it’s a disgusting display of ignorance and incompetence by elected officials.

They just can’t stop spending money!

In this case they’re trying to decide what to do with the old Grafton County Jail having been replaced by a multimillion dollar shining monstrosity on the hill. Along with all their simpering they actually had the gall to state, “no construction is planned for the immediate future.”

The Grafton County Commissioners Just Can't Stop Spending Money.Isn’t that nice.

Property taxes have increased how much over the past year and the commissioners and their ‘ideas’ might actually be thinking about what the electorate actually wants instead of what they want.

Here is how I think this will go: There are numerous contractors within 50 miles of the Grafton County Complex that could demolish these old buildings. Watch what the politicians will do, especially the award of the contract and who gets it.

Mooring Lines Don't Break. NH Politicians Do.

Mooring Lines Don't Break. Note the stern line and then the lines going all the wayup the port side of the vessel.Bloggers Note: If your not into political conspiracy theories and speculation then stop reading this blog. I’m disclosing it now.

I spent six years in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve most of it stationed at Marine Safety Office (MSO) Portland, Maine the unit that is responsible for all commercial maritime operations north of Boston including all of the terminals on the Piscatequa River and locations in Portsmouth and Newington.

So I’m reading about the oil tanker that somehow escaped from its mooring at the NH State Port Authority and crashed into the Sarah Long Bridge causing substantial structural damage to the historic span.

I’m skeptical that this was an accident. I sense the stench of political conspiracy.

For staters mooring lines don’t break (see picture), maritime operations and line construction have been around for as long as time itself.  So from this statement let’s consider some of what the law says. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) which is what the U.S. Coast Guard enforces states that during transfer operations "there has to be a qualified crewmember or transfer supervisor available on the ship at all times." This vessel, “The Harbor Feature,” as I understand it wasn’t transferring product, however, there was product on board this ship and though it isn’t the law, it is industry practice that a qualified crewmember is on board whenever there is product on the ship. The only exception to these laws is that the Commanding Officer of the MSO also known as the Captain of the Port (COTP) can issue a COTP order of anything deemed needed. For example, when I was in Coast Guard frequently there would be COTP orders given about times when product could and could not be transferred, when storms were approaching often all transfer operations “were to be ceased immediately.”

So how did this oil tanker break free from its moorings and crash into the Sarah Long Bridge?

Enter New Hampshire politics.

Is Port Director Geno Marconi up for re-nomination?

What is Port Director Geno “Jew Canoe” Marconi’s relationship with the Governor’s Office and/or the owner of the ship that crashed into the Sarah Long Bridge?

My conspiracy theory is that Mr. Marconi has only remained in this state position because Gov. Lynch did not remove him this also includes the political actions and/or inaction of the Governor’s Council.

Well, they'res a new Sheriff in town.

The Effects Of European Uncertainty.

Yesterday I had an interesting political experience and something I had never done.

So I’m driving south of I-93 listening to NHPR “The Exchange” and the subject was: “The Effects of European Uncertainty.” There were two I’d term Keynesian, Central Banking economics professors on from Dartmouth and Norwich University. They started out the hour long program with a discussion about Cyprus and the economic and financial issues there. They made some quality arguments about what is and what could be the result of the implosion and banking failures in Cyprus and what this means.

Then the discussion drifted over into the European Union (EU) and negative issues that are affecting the U.S. and New Hampshire. I didn’t think their arguments were valid or supportable with facts so I decided to try and challenge their position(s). I figured I’d never get in.

“Hello please state your name and question.” I did stating the current market price of the Euro Currency Unit against the U.S. Dollar (up 22 points), the declining price of gold and long-term U.S. debt instruments like the T-Bond and the T-Note.  The Euro is not only getting stronger but the European economy might actually be improving faster than that of the United States. “This is a good question, try and shorten it I’ll try and get you on the air.” The voice said. Again I figured I’d never get in.

“Our next caller is from Bethlehem.” “Hello your on the air.” It was Laura Knoy.

http://nhpr.org/post/effects-european-uncertainty

I’m not going to recite all the details but I think I did okay. I went up against two full-time academians that probably spend some 40-50 hours a week studying global economic policy and finance. And both of their responses to my position-- unemployment statistics in the European Union (EU) which are very high. I didn’t try and argue with them on this point, but unemployment statistics aren’t exactly the leading indicator of overall economic prosperity or bust conditions.

"Trade the facts not the ideas." I said to them.  

I think some of the other New Hampshire callers had valid points too which I also think builds on my position(s) that the EU isn’t as bad as they say it is.

But it was still pretty exciting to be on the air!

More Welfare. More Progress.

NH Welfare by Credit Card. If you notice that with the departure of Speaker O’Brien the whole issue of reform to the NH EBT programme has simply gone away.

The statistics don’t go away but the politics does.

The New Hampshire Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) programme overseen by the NH Department of Health and Human Services passes out carte blanche credit card payments to accounts across New Hampshire and even, according to published sources to a few sun birds in places like Florida and New Mexico!

That’s right New Hampshire welfare benefits simply handed out.

This can't be good policy over the long term.

 Does Welfare To Work Actually Exist in New Hampshire?