UNH’s Jeffrey Bolster rethinks our shamed maritime history

From the days when Native Americans paddled along the Piscataqua River and out to the Isles of Shoals on birch bark canoes, up through World War II, when the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was churning out submarines faster than any other shipyard in the world, the Seacoast has enjoyed a rich culture around the construction of sea vessels. To this day, Portsmouth’s working seaport remains a vital part of the regional economy and identity.

But American maritime history, which has its roots in northern New England, has long been rife with inaccuracies. That’s according to Portsmouth resident Jeffrey Bolster, who co-authored the recent book, “The Way of the Ship: America’s Maritime History Reenvisioned, 1600-2000.” According to Bolster, an associate professor of history at the University of New Hampshire, the canonical view of the nation’s maritime history has focused almost exclusively on oceanic ships, and not enough on the domestic ships that have crisscrossed the country’s lakes, rivers and coastlines for centuries. The historical focus on deep water ships and the U.S. Merchant Marine belies the fact that America’s shipping trade has thrived for centuries in the country’s interior.

jazz singer Sheila Jordan reflects on a life in jazz

Billy Collins to headline Jazzmouth 2008

On Feb. 4, the Bush administration rolled out its $3.1 trillion budget proposal for fiscal year 2009. The new budget calls for increased spending on national defense and foreign aid, while cutting funding for several domestic priorities. One of the programs that could suffer under the proposed budget is the Community Development Block Grant, a federal program that provides funding for local solutions to challenges like affordable housing, job creation and economic development.

The cuts could have a crippling effect on communities throughout New Hampshire, and three Seacoast cities would be among the hardest hit. Dover, Portsmouth and Rochester are three of the state’s five “entitlement cities,” meaning they meet certain standards that allow them to apply for CDBG money directly from the federal government.

local manufacturer and regional artists put their best bag forward

At a time when most manufacturing jobs can’t get overseas fast enough, it’s no small wonder that BaileyWorks has been able to thrive on the Seacoast. The Portsmouth-based manufacturer is not sheltered from the stormy winds of international trade, but it has been able to carve out a sizable share of the messenger bag market while remaining true to its local roots.

Locally, the bags have a certain cache. Walking around downtown, you are likely to see at least one pedestrian or cyclist with a Bailey bag slung over his shoulder. But the popularity of BaileyWorks extends beyond the confines of Portsmouth. Wherever a whiff of bike culture exists, Bailey bags are often present. Jonathan Bailey, owner of the Islington Street business, has received letters and postcards from as far away as Cambodia, all from customers extolling the virtues of the simple satchel. 

RPM bloggers reflect on the trials and triumphs of February 2008

The mainstream music industry is filled with savage competition and rabid money-grubbing, which has led to some damned ugly situations. In a nasty demonstration of this trend, Kid Rock recently sucker-punched Tommy Lee in the face. And remember when Axl Rose publicly challenged Vince Niel to a rumble? For that matter, remember the Guns N’ Roses song “Get in the Ring?” Here at RPM headquarters, however, we deplore violence. The RPM Challenge promotes a sense of collective musical camaraderie that has been reflected in countless blog entries on the RPM discussion board. Musicians across the globe found creative unity in the singular objective of writing and recording 10 songs or 35 minutes of original music in 29 days. Artists who were oceans apart went through the same daily rigors as they attempted to balance their RPM projects with day jobs, families and basic necessities, like eating and sleeping.

The 2,400-plus participants who signed up this year were propelled forward by a common motivation. The noncompetitive nature of the Challenge, which offered no reward other than the personal gratification of finishing, spurred determined participants to support and encourage one another throughout the month, bolstering each other’s spirits when they encountered inevitable setbacks, and congratulating one another when they successfully laid down a track or wrote a new tune.

UNH professor looks back on five years of war coverage

It’s been five years since the war began, and the U.S. military is still operating in Iraq. The war, which many believed would be a short-term engagement, has turned into a long-term disaster. If Americans had foreseen such a lengthy involvement, would they have been so eager to invade Iraq? If more accurate information had been available before the invasion, would support for the war have been so strong?

Joshua Meyrowitz is a professor of media studies in the Department of Communication at the University of New Hampshire. His research explores how the war in Iraq has been covered by the American news media, the challenges faced by U.S. journalists covering this conflict and how changes in the news industry have tied the hands of war reporters.

Boys of the Lough plays pre-Paddy’s Day show

Few people outside of Ireland and Scotland were familiar with Celtic music prior to the early 1970s. It existed, primarily, in kitchens and pubs sprinkled across the Irish countryside. Generations of self-taught musicians fiddled and sang folk tunes while exchanging local gossip, filling small spaces with colloquial banter and song.

“Irish traditional music existed only in tiny little unknown ghettos, really,” said Dave Richardson, multi-instrumentalist for Boys of the Lough. “To a great degree, as far as the general public was concerned, they didn’t even know it existed.”

When Boys of the Lough embarked on its first overseas tour of the United States in 1972, the band members believe it was the first time any professional Celtic folk ensemble had toured in North America. More than 35 years later, traditional Irish music has thoroughly infiltrated the United States—especially in New England, where Irish immigrants maintain a strong presence.

“Other bands saw that we had been able to tour this music, and it gave them the courage to attempt it themselves,” Richardson said. “It has turned into an incredible worldwide phenomenon.”

the glory and the terror of dodgeball

I’ve dodged many things in my life—work, household chores, phone calls from my family (sorry, mom)—but I am largely incapable of dodging balls. I found that out on Tuesday, Feb. 26, when Wire editor (and absolute chump) Matt Kanner and I joined members of the New Hampshire Sports & Social Club for an evening of dodgeball domination.

N.H. Sports & Social Club sends balls flying

Dodgeball was originally conceived by humankind’s prehistoric ancestors Australopithecus robustus, who would scratch lines in the savannah sands and hurl rocks at each other.

The game hasn’t changed much. Only now, instead of rocks, the players hurl six-inch, rubber-coated balls and compete on courts with parquet floors. And, without all the terrible rock-inflicted wounds and concussions, it’s a lot more fun.

On a snowy night in February, fellow field reporter Larry Clow and I embarked on an in-depth exploration of the modern game. We arrived shortly after 8 p.m. at Spinnaker Point Recreation Center in Portsmouth, where games were underway between participants in the local chapter of the New Hampshire Sports & Social Club. There we met local dodgeball organizer Todd Henley, captain of Casual Encounters, who gave us an introduction to the awesome world of dodgeball.

The objective dangers in the winter mountains are many, which are contrasted by their extraordinary beauty, and the rejuvenation and peacefulness they can bring us. These factors together create the challenges that give us the intense fulfillment as human beings and keep us coming back time and time again. We must be ever on the lookout for all the hazards we face while pursuing our mountain passions. The mountains will be here another day. —posted on www.mountwashington.org Avalanche Advisory page by USDA Forest Service Snow Ranger Christopher Joosen, Jan. 20, 2008—one day after climber Peter Roux’s body was found.


There has been too much bad news coming from the White Mountains this winter. It seems like every time I turn around, I hear about another search and rescue operation on the news or see my fiancé nervously reading an online news flash about another lost hiker in Franconia Notch, wondering if the ongoing search is going to find him dead or alive this time.

It was about 2:30 a.m. when a trio of hikers pulled into the Appalachian Trail parking lot in Randolph on Sunday, Feb. 17. They hoped to ascend the Valley Trail and reach the summit between Mount Madison and Mount Adams before first light so that they could watch the sunrise from above the tree line. After reaching their initial destination at about 8:30 a.m., one of the hikers, Will Chere, turned around and headed back to the car. The other two hikers, 30-year-old Alex Obert and 29-year-old Steven “Dewey” McCay, both of Arlington, Va., continued southward. Their goal was to hit all eight peaks of New Hampshire’s Presidential traverse and arrive at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center at the top of Crawford Notch by 7 p.m., traveling a total of 19 miles in a single day. Chere would be waiting there to pick them up.

They didn’t show. Chere waited as the hours passed, but his friends did not arrive. He eventually contacted authorities and, at about 2:30 a.m. on Monday, word reached N.H. Fish and Game that two hikers were missing in the mountains.

Two Mexican art exhibits are bringing balmy breezes to the Seacoast, reminding us of warmer climates. “Frida Kahlo: Images of an Icon” is on display in the Lamont Gallery at Philips Exeter Academy, while “Lola Alvarez Bravo” can be viewed at the Portland Museum of Art in Maine. The exhibits, which both portray the lives of Mexican female artists, were not planned by either curator to coincide. The conjunction of these two shows provides an unexpected opportunity to get an in-depth look at the relationship between these two important artists, as well as a taste of life in 20th century Mexico.

On Sept. 21, 2004, President George W. Bush stated before the United Nations General Assembly, “At this hour, the world is witnessing terrible suffering and horrible crimes in the Darfur region of Sudan, crimes my government has concluded are genocide.” For the first time in history, the United States Government had declared atrocities to be genocide while they were ongoing. Although many people have been advocating for an end to the genocide in Darfur for some time, Bush’s statement added credence to their movement and an impetus for more people to act.

In terms of culture and geography, New Hampshire is about as far from Sudan as you can get. But, as the world becomes more interconnected through trade and communication, the Granite State is no longer as isolated and distant from world conflict as it may seem. In fact, unbeknownst to most residents, money from New Hampshire could be finding its way into the hands of the Sudanese government, which many people believe is responsible for carrying out the genocide. A bill currently before the N.H. Legislature is aimed at stemming the state’s unwitting financial contribution to the Darfur genocide.

The Red Door celebrates four years of its Monday night music series

It’s easy to walk past The Red Door without even noticing that it exists. There is no sign beckoning customers to the State Street location in downtown Portsmouth, just an unadorned entrance between AK’s Bar and Bistro and Dos Amigos Burritos. The windowless door would be entirely inconspicuous were it not painted blood red, which makes it stand out slightly against the white façade of the building. 

Once you open the door and climb the narrow staircase on the other side, however, you discover a thriving metropolitan alcove with wood floors, leather sofas and all-red walls. The scene within varies, depending on the night of the week. On Tuesdays, DJ Beat Pervert hosts an evening of experimental soul and hip-hop called the “Scissor Test.” On Wednesdays, the Green Lion Crew hosts its popular reggae night. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, a range of guest DJs and artists provide house music. And, on Sundays, hip-hop ensemble Pharos improvises fresh beats.

author Peter Francese discusses New Hampshire’s path toward a gray future and what we can do to fix it

Judging from the demographics, New Hampshire communities seem hell-bent on chasing out young people with legal pitchforks and torches, while rolling out the welcoming mat for old retirees. The result: The Granite State is rapidly going gray. And, if the exodus of young people and the influx of old people continue, it will have devastating long-term consequences for New Hampshire’s economy.

That’s the basic premise behind the new documentary and accompanying book “Communities & Consequences: The Unbalancing of New Hampshire’s Human Ecology, and What We Can Do About It.” Co-author Peter Francese will discuss the book at Portsmouth’s RiverRun Bookstore on Wednesdsay, Feb. 20.

Like it or not, dramatic change is headed Portsmouth’s way. Within a couple of years, the outdated Parade Mall office building that is currently nestled between Deer, Hanover and Maplewood streets will be replaced with massive new development. As motorists head east on Maplewood Avenue toward downtown, they will be greeted by four gigantic brick buildings with large windows reflecting the azure sky. The ground level of each building will feature shops, cafés and restaurants with outdoor patios lining broad brick sidewalks. On Deer Street, an extended stay hotel with 128 rooms will hover over retail spaces, and 28 new residences will fill the top four floors of a building on Hanover Street. The two other buildings will offer a combined 160,000 square feet of office space abutting Deer, Hanover and Maplewood streets. 

In October 2007, the N.H. Lottery Commission made available a $30 scratch ticket called Polar Express. Offering a top prize of $1 million, it is the highest priced instant lottery ticket ever to be sold in the state. The odds of winning the lowest possible prize of $40 are one in six. The odds of winning the $1 million prize, however, are one in 150,000. Good luck.

The $30 ticket represents the latest development in a state and national trend of lottery players requesting higher priced scratch-off tickets with bigger payoffs. It was only a couple of years ago, in fiscal year 2006, that New Hampshire first unveiled a $20 scratch ticket. The state now offers at least five different $20 games and one $30 game, and higher priced tickets could be on the way. Texas began offering a $50 scratch ticket last year, and other states could soon follow suit.

“There’s always a discussion on how we can make better products that appeal to our players,” said Maura McCann, spokesperson for the N.H. Lottery Commission. “We are continually assessing our products to make them more entertaining to our players, more fun for our players to be a part of and that sort of thing.”

Lottery critics contend that Americans with low incomes and limited education tend to spend the most money on scratch tickets. Opponents also argue that higher priced tickets lend themselves to problem gambling and addictive habits typically associated with casinos. 

The Wire’s 2008 legislative preview

The New Hampshire primary has come and gone, and while most of us are still nursing political hangovers and wondering what sort of terrible, strange surprises democracy has in store for us next, the political work that matters most to Granite Staters is already underway. The New Hampshire Legislature is back in session, and more than 400 members of the House and 24 members of the Senate are in Concord, ready to debate, pontificate and maybe even pass a law or two. Some of the topics up for discussion this year are familiar to voters—debates over how to fund education in the state, questions about spending cuts and so on—while others are new and, occasionally, weird (why is the legislature talking about peeing in public, anyway?). Here’s a look at what lawmakers will be talking about during the legislature’s 2008 session.

the big two: education funding and revenue shortfalls

It’s 2008, and the new year brought a number of fresh laws into effect in New Hampshire. From highly publicized bills, like the passage of civil unions, to lesser known mandates involving dog penalties and hunting regulations, the new laws will have varying degrees of impact on the average citizen’s daily life. But, after a full year with a Democratic majority in Concord, New Hampshire’s basic ideologies seem to be undergoing changes. While Republicans see the latest policy changes as evidence of a left-wing, “nanny state” government, Democrats feel they are making long-awaited and necessary changes for the betterment of the Granite State.

Surely the most controversial law to take effect this year was House Bill 437, which “permits same gender couples to enter civil unions and have the same rights, responsibilities, and obligations as married couples.” The state made available applications for civil union licenses beginning in early December, and a flood of applications followed. Dozens of homosexual couples entered into civil unions during ceremonies held just after midnight on the morning of Jan. 1.

More than a foot of new snow settled across Sunday River’s eight peaks during the overnight hours between Jan. 1 and 2. By the time the lifts opened the following day, the mountain had surpassed 100 inches of total snowfall for the season, just two days into 2008.

According to Sunday River spokesperson Alex Kaufman, a typical December brings about 24 inches of snow to the resort in Bethel, Maine. In December 2006, a measly eight inches fell, Kaufman said. December 2007, however, was a different story. Kaufman had not yet tallied the final sales numbers for the busy holiday week that encompassed Christmas and New Year’s Day, but he knows they were significantly higher than last winter.

“It was potentially record-breaking,” Kaufman said. “It was head and shoulders above last year, as far as snow conditions and visitation.”

Reports from New Hampshire ski resorts were similar. At Attitash, located in Bartlett, ticket sales for holiday week were double the previous year, according to spokesperson Krissy Fraser. She expected all 75 of the mountain’s trails and glades to be open by Monday, Jan. 7, and December was highly successful.

a roundup of polling places for the first-in-the-nation primary

New Hampshire voters have had ample opportunities to meet the 2008 presidential candidates. In anticipation of the Granite State’s first-in-the-nation primary, candidates from both parties have spent months trekking along the campaign trail that stretches around the state. If you haven’t had a chance to get out and see the candidates, you have less than a week to educate yourself on their policies and make a choice. Primary ballots will be cast on Tuesday, Jan. 8, in every New Hampshire community. With a field of eight Republicans and eight Democrats to choose from, it’s time for you to decide who will best represent your party as we head into the general election next fall. What follows is a list of polling hours and voting locations in southern New Hampshire. Help determine the nation’s future and vote!

a guide to Seacoast happenings on New Year’s Eve

Why do we celebrate New Year’s Eve? As a wise man with a weird mono-nomenclature once said, “Nothing changes on New Year’s Day.” It’s true—when we wake up on Tuesday, Jan. 1, not much will have changed from the previous day, other than the date on the calendar. It will still be cold and snowy outside, you will still have the same banal day job, and your gambling debts will still be unpaid. 

But that’s a pessimistic view. If New Year’s Eve is nothing more than an excuse to temporarily break free from the tethers of your inhibitions and celebrate life with friends and family, there’s nothing wrong with that. Still, it broaches the question of what to do on New Year’s Eve. Expectations of extraordinary fun are high, and time is running low. So decide!

For years, terms like “consumerist holiday” and “bah humbug” have been flung at Christmas like monkey detritus, besmearing the holiday’s shimmering, tinsel-draped spirit. This year, even Father Christmas himself has come under attack, accused of using offensive language every time he rears back for a good belly laugh.

A number of media outlets have reported, with a mix of horror and fascination, that Santas across Australia and some parts of the United States have been advised to veer away from their traditional “ho ho ho” greeting because it is offensive to women and frightens some children. The jolly laughter sounds too close to the American slang word for prostitute, argue representatives from Westaff, an international supplier of Santas. Therefore, the famous elf is advised to instead bellow “ha ha ha.”