Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Granite State
New Hampshire is known as 'The Granite State' for its extensive granite deposits. If truth be known, more granite is mined in Vermont.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Castle in the clouds
Back in 1913, a guy named Thomas Plante, built this home. (Notice I said 'home' - not castle). Mr Plant made his fortune in shoe manufacturing. After retiring, he sold his company to United Shoe Machine Company which made him a millionaire.
He turned his attention to his new estate, nicknamed 'Lucknow'. I guess he didn't care for neighbors because after buying the Ossipee Mountain Park, he gradually accumulated 6300 acres! Some of it in a rather ruthless manner. On which now stands: A Cafe, Gift Shop, Hiking Trails, Art Exhibits, a much more I'm told. Plan a wedding or corporate meetings there. Your friends will be impressed.
Like so many who had so much, Thomas Plante died with substantially much less than he once had. After a few poor investments, he attempted to sell the estate from the mid 20s through the great depression, but no one bit. It was eventually repossessed by the bank. A year later in 1941, he died.
After that...
He turned his attention to his new estate, nicknamed 'Lucknow'. I guess he didn't care for neighbors because after buying the Ossipee Mountain Park, he gradually accumulated 6300 acres! Some of it in a rather ruthless manner. On which now stands: A Cafe, Gift Shop, Hiking Trails, Art Exhibits, a much more I'm told. Plan a wedding or corporate meetings there. Your friends will be impressed.
Like so many who had so much, Thomas Plante died with substantially much less than he once had. After a few poor investments, he attempted to sell the estate from the mid 20s through the great depression, but no one bit. It was eventually repossessed by the bank. A year later in 1941, he died.
After that...
Mt Washington Auto Road
There's one record that no one can break. Thats when you're FIRST to do something. It was 1899 when Mr and Mrs Feelan O. Stanley was the first to drive up the mountain. They did it in a Locomobile. that car was soon to be known as a Stanley Steamer.
When construction started in 1853, horse drawn Carriages were the common mode of transportation. By 1911, the Carriage Road became the Mount Washington Auto Road as Automobiles outnumbered horse drawn carriages.
Cars are much better now, but now when you use your own car, you can one of those nifty bumper stickers which reads" This Car Climbed Mount Washington"
When construction started in 1853, horse drawn Carriages were the common mode of transportation. By 1911, the Carriage Road became the Mount Washington Auto Road as Automobiles outnumbered horse drawn carriages.
Cars are much better now, but now when you use your own car, you can one of those nifty bumper stickers which reads" This Car Climbed Mount Washington"
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Shopping - you oughta know this..
I happens every year - someone fron out of state (or 'ouddastate') picks up an item in a store and takes it to the counter. It is there that customers confusion begins.
"That'll be 5.99, please."
The customers confusion is apparent and quickly turns to surprise when the clerk informs him that "We don't have any sales tax here in New Hampshire..."
Thats right NO SALES TAX! I know many from out of state can't get over this. You can bet folks living in southern Maine or northern Massachusetts don't forget it - especially when purchasing a big item.
I know its difficult to imagine paying what the price tag ACTUALLY says, but try to get used to it. I did. If you wish, I'll try to invent kind of 12 step program to get you all help you need.
Every now and then, someone tries to give us a sales tax. So far, no one has come up with a good reason why the state should come between a willing seller and a willing buyer. What reson does YOUR state use?
In any case, someone is always proposing a sales tax. You know, if they don't like their job or if they simply want out. The last one was governor Jeanne Shaheen. She proposed a sales tax of 2.5%.
2.5%? Thats nothing! Maine has 5%. Massachusettes also has 5%. Vermont has I dunno what... With 2.5%, New Hampshire still has an advantage. Thats not the point really.
People don't go shopping there to pay LESS tax, they go there to have NO tax! And thats not the point either.
We know from watching other states that once the state gets their hand in, the'll want more and more. They won't ask, either. Its the government! Who trusts them?
"No sales tax? Whats the income tax like?", comes the 'aha' question.
"We don't have one of those either."
"How does your state run?"
"-runs very well"
"That'll be 5.99, please."
The customers confusion is apparent and quickly turns to surprise when the clerk informs him that "We don't have any sales tax here in New Hampshire..."
Thats right NO SALES TAX! I know many from out of state can't get over this. You can bet folks living in southern Maine or northern Massachusetts don't forget it - especially when purchasing a big item.
I know its difficult to imagine paying what the price tag ACTUALLY says, but try to get used to it. I did. If you wish, I'll try to invent kind of 12 step program to get you all help you need.
Every now and then, someone tries to give us a sales tax. So far, no one has come up with a good reason why the state should come between a willing seller and a willing buyer. What reson does YOUR state use?
In any case, someone is always proposing a sales tax. You know, if they don't like their job or if they simply want out. The last one was governor Jeanne Shaheen. She proposed a sales tax of 2.5%.
2.5%? Thats nothing! Maine has 5%. Massachusettes also has 5%. Vermont has I dunno what... With 2.5%, New Hampshire still has an advantage. Thats not the point really.
People don't go shopping there to pay LESS tax, they go there to have NO tax! And thats not the point either.
We know from watching other states that once the state gets their hand in, the'll want more and more. They won't ask, either. Its the government! Who trusts them?
"No sales tax? Whats the income tax like?", comes the 'aha' question.
"We don't have one of those either."
"How does your state run?"
"-runs very well"
Friday, August 15, 2008
20 Miles of coastline.
We gotta make it count! 20 mikes is not alot! I read it before as 13 miles; 18 miles . I don't know what it is, but its not a lot.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Boundries?
You'd think border disputes were all over and done with during colonial times. Not so! There has ben a disute on the Maine and New Hampshire border for a long time. It has to do with the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Well, who cares really?
The guys and gals who work (or worked) at the shipyard, thats who. The reason is fairly simple. Money. You see Maine has an income tax and those who work at the shipyard have to pay it. Well, they don't phyisically have to pay it - it's deducted from Their checks. New Hampshire has NO income tax, so they'd prefer it to be in New Hampshire.
This WAS settled a long time ago. First by Kings decreee way back in 1740, then more recently by the US Supreme Court ruling in 1976. They revisited the issue again in 2001.
The guys and gals who work (or worked) at the shipyard, thats who. The reason is fairly simple. Money. You see Maine has an income tax and those who work at the shipyard have to pay it. Well, they don't phyisically have to pay it - it's deducted from Their checks. New Hampshire has NO income tax, so they'd prefer it to be in New Hampshire.
This WAS settled a long time ago. First by Kings decreee way back in 1740, then more recently by the US Supreme Court ruling in 1976. They revisited the issue again in 2001.
President
For all the big-to-do about the new Hampshire primary, there was only one president from New Hampshire. It goes all the way back to #14. Franklin Pierce was from Hillsborough. His landslide victory soon had the electorate questioning their decision. He became known as one of our WORST presidents. ( What can you expect for someone who won thei partys nomination (Democrat) on the 49th ballot! (That was back when conventons were conventions.)
Keeping mind, this was a VERY different time. Since it inception, the arguement raged on. Strong cental government or a more efficient, smaller government. Both had advantages, but this was the classic Jefferson versus Hamilton arguement.
Pierce ,leaning toward states rights,had sympathies for the southern states and that didn't help him in the north.His reputation was vitually destroyed during the Civil War when he declared support for the Confederacy. Thats almost understandable as the Civil war was NOT about slavery. The issue at stake was about states rights. The independent thinking Pierce didn't like the ides of big, bad Washington telling the states what to do.
Pierce was largely ineffective in these turbulent times. So distainful was he that he didn't even get his partys' nomination for a second term! (I think its the only time in history.) The Democrats nominated James Buchanon in 1856. He was ineffective also, leaving many to wonder if they went 'from the frying pan into the fire'.
Keeping mind, this was a VERY different time. Since it inception, the arguement raged on. Strong cental government or a more efficient, smaller government. Both had advantages, but this was the classic Jefferson versus Hamilton arguement.
Pierce ,leaning toward states rights,had sympathies for the southern states and that didn't help him in the north.His reputation was vitually destroyed during the Civil War when he declared support for the Confederacy. Thats almost understandable as the Civil war was NOT about slavery. The issue at stake was about states rights. The independent thinking Pierce didn't like the ides of big, bad Washington telling the states what to do.
Pierce was largely ineffective in these turbulent times. So distainful was he that he didn't even get his partys' nomination for a second term! (I think its the only time in history.) The Democrats nominated James Buchanon in 1856. He was ineffective also, leaving many to wonder if they went 'from the frying pan into the fire'.
Lottery
1964 was a magical year. Most recall it as the year we were intoduced to the Beatles. Others recall the first Ford Mustang. Before he presented 'the great society', LBJ announced the war on poverty (that worked, didn't it?) Civil Rights laws passed, saturn unmaned rockets etc etc etc. But for our purposes, 1964 was the beggining of lotteries across America.
Most states have a lottery now, but New Hampshire was FIRST (someone had to be). Back in the 1964, the New Hampshire sweepstakes was introduced. This was largely due to having to find more tax revenues. The people of New Hampshire have continuously rejected the idea of a sales tax (we still don't have one!) and have felt the same about income taxes (we don't have one of those either!).
Most states have a lottery now, but New Hampshire was FIRST (someone had to be). Back in the 1964, the New Hampshire sweepstakes was introduced. This was largely due to having to find more tax revenues. The people of New Hampshire have continuously rejected the idea of a sales tax (we still don't have one!) and have felt the same about income taxes (we don't have one of those either!).
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