Archive | September 2013
September 30, 2013  

Boat Ride On Lake Winnipesaukee (NH), Alton – Wolfeboro, Glorious Fall Foliage Day, September 30, 2013.

Anura Guruge, June 8, 2013.
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.by Anura Guruge

Related posts:
++++ Search ‘lake’ and ‘Wolfeboro’ for other posts >>>>

We are no strangers to Lake Winnipesaukee. When we lived waterfront on the lake we should to go out, by boat (or jet ski), quite a bit.

When I was a part of “Waiters on Water“, where we delivered take-out food to the Islands and moored boats on Lake Winnipesaukee, by boat or jet ski, I used to be on the water, every day during the Summer, sometimes multiple times a day.

Though I swim in the Big Lake (i.e., Winnipesaukee) without fail every year, off the Alton public dock, this was the first time we have been on the lake in a boat since we moved to Alton in 2007.

A local marina owner in Alton, an Alton famous fixture, invited us for a boat ride in his amazing, 1967 wooden Lyman. I used to be his customer 1993 – 1997. That was two decades ago.

Today, the day before the government shutdown, weatherwise on the Lake, was picture perfect: warm, sunny, calm as it gets and hardly any boat traffic. We actually didn’t see any boats in Alton Bay per se. That is pretty amazing. Not good, however. Boat traffic on this lake has plummeted noticeably over the last decade. These days I repeatedly hear that our mandatory ‘Boating Certificate‘ (I call it the boat license) is a factor. I can believe that. I don’t have one. 2007 was when I needed to get one. I wasn’t boating that year so I didn’t get it. Haven’t bothered since. Might get it, or TRY to get it, next year. Something I learned today: ONLY NH and Louisiana have such mandatory boating certification — and LA does not require that you sit a test! So the ‘Live Free, Or Die‘ state is the only one that requires boaters to pass a test. Seems wrong, especially in terms of the ‘Live Free’ — THOUGH I fully understand that this is to stop people killing others. Anyhow …

Click to ENLARGE.

September 29, 2013  

The Circus Is Coming To Manchester, NH, This Week. But, The 2013 ‘Elephant Parade’ Or Lack Thereof.

Anura Guruge, June 8, 2013.
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by Anura Guruge

Related posts:
>> Circus will play down elephant parade
>>— Aug. 15, 2013.
>> ‘Dragons’ circus is coming to town — July 6, 2013.
++++  Search ‘circus’ or ‘elephants’ for the numerous
>>>>  ‘circus in town (with elephants)‘ posts.  >>>>>>

2013noparade

circus2013schedule

I doubt very much whether there will be an ‘official’ elephant parade in Manchester, NH this year;
i.e., October 2013.

Yes, of course, THE CIRCUS, i.e., Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey, will indeed be performing
at the Verizon Arena in Manchester, Thursday, October 3 to Sunday, October 6, 2013.

Yes, we have tickets, and as we have for the last five or six years, we will be there.

Those of you who followed my the ‘Elephant Parade‘ posts will know the lengths
that the circus, the arena and the Manchester PD went to
to ensure that the timings of the two ‘parades’ were kept in the dark.

I, however, now understand.

They are understandably WORRIED that some idiot will create an incident
that escalates beyond a joke.

Even a single elephant spooked, in public, can be ugly.

Plus, of course, we don’t want any harm coming the way of the elephants.
Check this disturbing post related to a circus elephant.

So, to keep the timing for the ‘parades’ secret makes sense.

All that said ten(+) plus Indian elephants are hard to hide in Manchester.

The circus train will arrive in Manchester on Tuesday — latest Wednesday. I think train parking is cheaper in NH, as it should be, that in other states.

Once the train gets here they will move the elephants, within a few hours, from the train to the Arena. They don’t do this using vans or F-150 trucks. The elephants and the horses walk from the train to the Arena. This was the much loved, much anticipated ‘parade’. It still has to happen. The difference is that they won’t admit to when it will occur beforehand. Me making all those phone calls last year was a mistake. They must have thought I was some crank trying to cause mischief. No wonder they gave me the runaround.

As some of YOU so kindly did last year, you can help out. If you work in Manchester and can see the train pull in … please let me know. Ditto when they start unloading the elephants. At least that way SOME kids in Manchester might get to see the elephants. As for the trouble makers. They probably are camped by the railway siding waiting for the train. It is a crying shame. The parade was so much fun for the kids.

If, last year’s routine is followed, they will take the elephants back to the train during the 2nd half of Sunday’s last show. So, if they follow that same routine, the elephants will be leaving the arena between 5:15 pm to 6:30 pm.

So, again. I do NOT want to see ANY trouble with the elephants. That would be BEYOND STUPID. Elephants are wonderful creatures. If you think the circus is harming the elephants have a dialog with the circus. DON’T HARM THE ELEPHANTS and whatever you do, don’t even THINK about spooking an elephant. That will be a disaster and the POOR elephant will get shot! So, please no craziness.

Think of the kids. Let them enjoy the elephants. We don’t have many elephants in NH. So this is their BIG chance.

IF you can help the kids with a ‘heads up’ on the train and unloading, I will do my best to get the word out
— BUT always with the admonition, NO STUPID STUFF.

Let the kids watch the elephants, in safety, PLEASE.

September 29, 2013  

Nutcracker (2013) With ‘Northeastern Ballet’ At Durham & Wolfeboro. Teischan As A ‘Bon-Bon’.

Anura Guruge, June 8, 2013.
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.by Anura Guruge

Teischannutcrackerposter12

Click to access ‘NorthEastern Ballet’ Website.

Click to access.

Click to access.

September 28, 2013  

We Got Our Rescue Puppy From Kentucky, Braxton, The Beagle, Today. Very Slick & Smooth Operation. Kudos.

Anura Guruge, June 8, 2013.
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 .by Anura Guruge

Related posts:
>> The name ‘Braxton’ —
>> Sep. 21, 2013.
>> Method to my madness
>> — Sep. 23, 2013.
>> We are getting a Beagle
>> — Sep. 21, 2013.
>> Goodbye to ‘Ulysses’ — Sep. 16, 2013.

We picked him up in Kittery, Maine, at the ‘Welcome to Maine’ visitor center, off I-95, at noon — as promised and as hoped. No hitches. Very smooth. We were very impressed. Very slick, professional operation. More in a minute.

Sure is a beagle. Paperwork says ‘mixed’ — but they also say they don’t know exact date of birth of breed. I weighed him a few minutes ago (after he had his dinner at 4:30 pm). 5.6 pounds! He is LITTLE. Smallest dog I have ever had. Having had Goldens for 25 years I am not used to such a small dog. But, sure is cute.

Ate his dog food, mixed with warm skim milk. But prefers chicken and cheese. Likes yogurt too. All our dogs get yogurt at night (to match my yogurt eating habit, though I eat Greek, plain, low-fat). He will get chicken and cheese.

So here is the first set of pictures. Suffice to say all are delighted. Deanna will probably be taking 50 pictures a day.

Click on any of the pictures to ENLARGE them.

I found him on ‘Adopt-a-Pet‘ (via Petfinder) online, as I posted here, and spent 36 hours making sure I got him.

The NH contact and ‘Foster Home’ was Janice Berry, in Rochester. She was very good. Yes, I pestered her near daily, including this morning at 10:30, to make sure the puppy would arrive today. We highly recommend her. Phone number: 603-332-2965.

The actual agency appears to be ‘Butler County Animal Shelter’ in Kentucky.

The delivery operation by bus was very smooth. Very impressed.

This was so good that I am already talking about getting another one!

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Some pictures of the dog drop off this noon in Kittery, Maine.

The ladies that drive the delivery bus take pictures of each puppy as it is handed over and then posts it on their Facebook page (quite quickly). Very impressive.

This is the picture they took of us.

Sept 28, 2013 Picking up Braxton our resue - adopted doggie

September 27, 2013  

More Common Sense On ‘Common Core’ By A Credible, Ex-Educator — In Today’s ‘Laconia Daily Sun’.

Anura Guruge, June 8, 2013.
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.by Anura Guruge

Related recent posts:
>> Common Core the REAL standards …
>> — Sep. 27, 2013.
>> Common sense on Common Core
>> — Sep. 22, 2013.
>> Board gets congratulated for
>> meaningless vote — Sep. 19, 2013.
>> Common Core Vote … — Sep. 16, 2013.
++++ Do a SEARCH on ‘Common Core’
or ‘Alton Central’ from Sidebar search trench for other related posts >>>>>

In the Friday, Sept. 27, 2013 edition of the Sun. That is today's edition. So it is NOT in the 'Past Issues' archive. As such I can't give you a link as yet. You will have to go to the home page and track it down from there.

In the Friday, Sept. 27, 2013 edition of the Sun. That is today’s edition. So it is NOT in the ‘Past Issues’ archive. As such I can’t give you a link as yet. You will have to go to the home page and track it down from there.

This person is basically saying what I said earlier today.

This standard is innocuous.

The people who oppose it are doing it for purely political ideological reasons
or as is the case with one poor, hangdog soul because he is pussywhipped by his wife.

Concern #3

Refer to this post for Concerns #1 & #2.

Shaker Regional School District June 2013 Newsletter. Click to access.

Shaker Regional School District June 2013 Newsletter. Click image to ENLARGE. Click link below to access the Newsletter.

Click to access Newsletter.

Guess WHO teaches at this School District?

So how come HE is going along meekly at Shaker?

How come he hasn’t stood up and opposed CC at Shaker?

September 27, 2013  

New Hampshire ObamaCare Website To HELP Us As Of October 1, 2013.

Anura Guruge, June 8, 2013.
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.by Anura Guruge

Related posts:
>> Prices set for NH ‘Obamacare’ — Sept. 25, 2013.
++++ Do a SEARCH on ‘health ‘ or ‘insurance’ from
Sidebar search trench for other related posts >>>>>

Click to access.

Click to access.

September 27, 2013  

Has Anybody Bothered To Go And Look At The Common Core Standards Voted Down By The Dysfunctional Alton School Board?

Anura Guruge, June 8, 2013.
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.by Anura Guruge

Related recent posts:
>> Common sense on Common Core
>> — Sep. 22, 2013.
>> Board gets congratulated for
>> meaningless vote — Sep. 19, 2013.
>> Common Core Vote … — Sep. 16, 2013.
>> How come no ACS teachers attended
>> … — Aug. 10, 2013.
++++ Do a SEARCH on ‘Common Core’
or ‘Alton Central’ from Sidebar search trench for other related posts >>>>>

Click to access ... you can get ALL of the current standards here.

Click to access … you can get ALL of the current standards here.

I am totally and utterly convinced beyond a shadow a doubt that all those around here that vehemently oppose ‘Common Core’ have no idea, whatsoever, as to what they are opposing!

They are opposing something because they think it came from D.C. and that Microsoft is behind it.

But, just look at what the standards are. They are BUT damn guidelines that say these are what kids should know at this grade. Just motherhood and apple pie stuff.

Here is A STANDARD: “Interpret a multiplication equation as a comparison, e.g., interpret 35 = 5 × 7 as a statement that 35 is 5 times as many as 7 and 7 times as many as 5.”

What is YOUR problem with that?

Coming up with standards like that isn’t easy. It is NOT something that can be done on the fly. It takes years. That is why CC isn’t a bad thing.

Yesterday’s, i.e., September 26, 2013, ‘editorial’ (but lets face it you can’t have a socially inept, sports writer writing editorials) in the shameless ‘The Braysider‘ about Alton’s CC vote was abject proof of it. They have NO IDEA what a standard is.

But, it got me thinking. That is why I am showing you how to look at THE STANDARDS. IF it is easier for YOU start with the standards for the lower grades, e.g., Grade 2, where one of the standards is: “Use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve one- and two-step word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem”. Any questions? Is there anything sinister in that?

So a few things continue to bother me about the inane, meaningless
vote taken by the Alton Central School (ACS) Board on September 16, 2013.

Concern #1

The Alton Central superintendent, the Alton Central Principal, the Alton Central  TEACHERS representative (Mr. Richard Kirby) & Carol Locke, Principal of Gilmanton School were in favor of Common Core. They made that very, very clear.

But, Terri Noyes and Krista Argiropolis voted against CC.

So, lets look at this: 1 superintendent, 2 principals & the majority of ACS TEACHERS for CC.

Terri Noyes and Krista Argiropolis AGAINST CC — and given that democracy was at work they prevailed.

Does anybody KNOW the educational and professional credentials of Terri Noyes and Krista Argiropolis?

I am NOT even sure whether between them they can come up with 4 years of College. I could be wrong. I have asked the Superintendent, William (Bill) Lander, so far with no avail, to let me know what the educational credentials of these two women are.

BUT, one thing has to be sure. They CAN NOT be better educated on the issue they voted on THAN 1 superintendent, 2 principals & the majority of ACS TEACHERS.

So mull that over. 1 superintendent, 2 principals & the majority of ACS TEACHERS override, roughshod, by two women who from what I can see could have questionable math skills.

Concern #2

I was told, at a prior Board meeting, within the last 3 months, that a previous Board, within the last 2.5 years,
APPROVED the school going ahead with CC.

As far as I know Terri Noyes and Krista Argiropolis have been on the ACS Board forever and a day. I am sure they were there 2.5 years ago.

I would love to know how they voted at that meeting that APPROVED CC.

Did they vote ‘Yes’ for it BEFORE changing their mind now and voting ‘No’.

IF we had a more responsive  Superintendent I would be able to get this information from him. But, he doesn’t cooperate.

But, I will persevere.

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