Free Community WiFi

Tom Perry, a popular columnist for the Courier News back when newspapers enjoyed higher circulation, was fond of saying that he was an inveterate newspaper junkie. He once wrote that when on vacation, he would always pick up a copy of the local paper to get a feel for the people and customs of the area.

I like to do the same. That’s how I came across a noteworthy story of how the City of Nashua, N.H. deployed a free, extensive WiFi network, one which blankets the downtown area with seamless and reliable Internet service.

Nashua’s wireless network was designed and deployed under the initiative of the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce, which worked with the support of a prominent consortium of area businesses and a California firm. John T. Barker, IT Director for the City of Nashua, directed much of the technical aspects of the project, working strictly as an unpaid volunteer, contributing, he says, approximately 100 hours of his time. The project was completed for about $40,000. Project bids exceeding $100,000 were thrown out.

We in Central Jersey can learn from this example: The patrons of businesses in downtown Somerville would benefit enormously from the provisioning of a free WiFi network which doesn’t break the bank.

Bridgewater Township, which has no central business area, could prod management of the Bridgewater Commons Mall to establish a free WiFi network to cover the entire Mall area. Similarly, such a network could be made available for public use in the Township’s new, showcase Municipal Building Complex, where space could be set aside for public use.

Even the Bridgewater-Raritan school district should consider opening up the nearby high school on Garretson Road for free public internet access: The school library, located just to the left of the main entrance is a perfect spot for such public use.

We all have the same DNA. Yet, as I travel about, I am always struck as I observe the number and diversity of communities outside of New Jersey which seem to be squeezing so much more out of a dollar than we in Central Jersey seem to have the will to do.


Note: According to Wikipedia, “Nashua was twice named ‘Best Place to Live in America’ in annual surveys by Money magazine. It is the only city to get the No. 1 ranking two times—in 1987 and 1997.”

After the Storm

Friday, 24 hours after torrential rains battered the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, morning light dawned bright and clear, and the sun burned off any remnants of mist hanging over the Ossipee Mountain ridge, just across the water. By mid-morning, the rainy dreariness which had covered the lake the day before transformed itself into brilliantly blue sky, with sharp green forest lining the opposite shore; and the lake glistened with calm, welcoming water – barely a ripple breaking the surface.

Time for a walk! Out of the driveway and onto Eagle Shore Road, Priscille and I headed east to Black Cat Island, a small, densely-treed granitic point just off Moultonborough Neck. The access to Black Cat is by way of a steeply arched bridge which permits boats to transit under. It’s a good spot to linger briefly and to enjoy the water and wood vistas.

In such a pristine environment, a person’s mind and thoughts don’t wander much to events in the outside world. Somehow, the race for the presidency gets put into its proper perspective.

The walk around the circumference of the island is scenic, with breaks in the trees where the beauty of the lake beckons a walker to linger. Vacationers and Lake People wave as they drive by, off to daily errands. This is not a place for a frenzied, what-are-we-going-to-do-next vacation. People are friendly and they express it.

Our refreshing walk was somewhere under 3 miles up and down the hillocks of the road. About 60 minutes later, after a second scenic stop on the arched bridge over to Black Cat Island, we returned to our place refreshed for meeting the rest of the day.

The Garden State & the Granite State

New Jersey has an income tax – New Hampshire, none; New Jersey has a sales tax – New Hampshire, none. Yet, despite an enormous gap in revenue sources, there is no evidence that the people of New Jersey enjoy an overall standard of living which is notably better than that of its neighbors up north.

But the vast income gulf between the two states begs the question: Why? Well, for one thing, pick up any newspaper in the Granite State, and you will not find story after nauseating story of governance malfeasance and legally endorsed fiscal abuse, as you regularly will in the pages of the Courier News, the Star Ledger, etc.

Yet, except for regional quirks, language accents, local customs and habits, people of both states are the same. So why then, is New Jersey functionally bankrupt, while New Hampshire, which faces similar problems, is not?

I don’t believe that it takes a boatload of economists and psychiatrists to answer the question. Although the economic, social, and educational issues facing the State of New Jersey, its municipalities, and its school districts are complex, they can be reduced to one clarifying metaphor: Even a pig knows when to stop eating.

The Lake and the Shore

The distance between our favorite seashore vacation haunt, Cape May, New Jersey, and our favorite freshwater retreat, Lake Winnipesaukee, in mid-central New Hampshire, is about 550 road miles.

However, that difference reflects more than merely geographic distance. The Lakes Region of N.H., about an hour south of the White Mountains National Forest, offers not only recreation and dining: Its relative vastness and isolation forces a person to stop and to seep in the deep, elemental forces of nature. You won’t get elbowed out by anyone else here.

Any person who is active and fit can easily be challenged and rewarded by trekking up mountain trails towards peaks ranging in height to over 6000 feet. Big, ornery ones, like Mount Washington which creates its own weather patterns that can turn from sunny to dangerously nasty in a couple of minutes, are best left to professional climbers.

There are plenty of smaller mountains, like Mt. Major at Winnipesaukee’s southern end, which attract thousands of day climbers, including families and camping groups, each year.

The only traffic problem you’ll have around here occurs on a rainy day, for example, when the light at the four corners on Route 25, in the center of Meredith, causes cars to back up for a couple of miles, as house-bound vacationers seek diversion for themselves and their kids at nearby amusement centers and shopping emporiums.

Just Hanging Out

Symbols and images can evoke pleasant memories. That’s what happened to me today, when I was in the midst of searching through my photo files, looking for a summer-appropriate shot. The one depicted in this post was snapped in the outdoor area of a little souvenir hut in Cape May, at Sunset Beach, the spot where Cape May Diamonds are found, and where you can view the famous WWII cement ship, aground in the green offshore waters.

Those seven little guys shown above all hanging neatly in a row against a gray, weatherworn fence seem quite content soaking in the summer sun and taking life easy, waiting perhaps, for someone to purchase them for a home decoration. Personally, I think they look perfectly happy just chilling out, enjoying the natural benefits of a Jersey Shore sun-soaked day. I hope they are still there the next time we come for a visit.

They don’t have to worry about taxes, Iraq, frozen government in Washington, tricky goings-on in Trenton, and talking heads on TV who fill in air time with hot air.

Ah! . . . I suggest emulating those little guys in the picture and forget about all your cares for a day or two this weekend – take a break from problems you can do something about and forget the rest.

Fun in Frenchtown

Sunday morning, after church, we decided to drive to Flemington in order to exchange a purchase made at one of the outlets in Liberty Village Premium Outlets.

It was a great day – very hot … and from the meager group of shoppers there, it looked like most people were already at the shore, preparing for backyard barbecues, or off to other events.

Priscille and I decided to head home the long way: We followed New Jersey Route 12 which parallels the eastern side of the Delaware River, and ended up in Frenchtown, where Bastille Day was being celebrated.

Throngs of walkers filled the little hamlet, and traffic moved along at a snail’s pace, reflecting the touristy aspect of last Sunday’s celebration.

One of the attractions which caught my eye was a very adept young lady on stilts, entertaining people at random. She’s an excellent juggler. She didn’t drop a single pin, balancing herself high up on her airy perch, while strolling the streets of Frenchtown with much assurance or, as the French might say, “avec beaucoup d’aplomb.”

Chores, Suds and More Wild Raspberries

It’s 7:20 pm, and I’ve just finished a bunch of yard chores that I began around 4:00 this afternoon. During that time, Priscille and I picked a second batch of wild raspberries – it’s a bumper crop this year: A pint of those is destined for our friend, S.B., who deserves a lot more from life than merely that. But it’s the thought that will accompany the gift, and we wish our friend nothing but good blessings.

Now, before you conclude that I’m getting far too syrupy, I need to disclose that I’m on the patio, quenching my well-deserved thirst with a bottle of Saranac Hefeweizen Wheat Ale, purchased as part of a 12-bottle, summer variety pack, at the Super Saver on Route 22 East in Somerville, next to Post Hardware.

My wife is quenching her own thirst with a bottle of Bud Light Lime: “Everything in moderation,” my Mom was fond of reminding me. Just think of all the good things in life that turn into sour experiences through abuse. Drinking to excess is, in this case, the obvious example.

Beer has a long history and tradition. Some researchers claim that it was first brewed thousands of years ago in Egypt. Pilgrims, of all people, brought its process with them when they settled in New England. It makes sense, because potable water could go bad on a long sea voyage and become contaminated, whereas the alcoholic content in the sudsy brew would keep it drinkable for a longer period of time. At least that’s what I’m told. I’ll raise a glass to that.
One of us will drop off your raspberries, S.B. Hope you enjoy them.

Ah, summer . . . . What a good season.

It’s Wild Raspberry Season in Bridgewater

Early this evening after completing my gardening chores, I checked the wild raspberry patch in the back yard and discovered it was begging to be picked. My wife came out and collected a batch while I completed my work. A few minutes later I pitched in to help. Between the two of us, our first pick of the year yielded a full stainless steel bowl – I’d estimate at least three dry pints of some of the best, natural, organic berries around.

As I was moving in and about that thorny berry patch, I found myself slowing down and enjoying the work. It was then that I realized: You can’t get stressed out doing this – it’s one of those pleasant pastimes with Mother Nature where you just relax and benefit from the work that she’s already done for you.

It also reminds me of the seasons, and of how there are just so many of them for any one of us, regardless of status or income – kind of God’s own way of leveling the playing field, something which so many of us fret about and which the guy upstairs has already taken care of in his own way.

Route 202-206 Road Repair Hazards

Drivers travelling in either direction on Route 202-206 from the Somerville Circle, through the entire length of the Bridgewater corridor, and past the AT&T facility in Bedminster, need to be mindful of the partial repaving work that has recently been done.

Since the project is not yet finished, the roadway is still dotted with raised manhole covers and storm drain grates which sit above the level of the pavement, waiting for the final coat of asphalt which will bring the completed roadway up to the proper level.

In driving along this stretch of road, I’ve noticed that most drivers avoid the raised castings by swerving to one side or the other. Except for the storm drain covers, the raised manhole castings are situated in the driving lanes, either to one side, or near the center.

Be careful: It’s not a problem if you spot them ahead of time, but they could present a nasty surprise, especially if you are driving a little too fast, and roll over them unsuspectingly. They pose a greater threat to motorcyclists who get caught unaware.

Bush and Obama’s Common Trait

What could George W. Bush and Barack Obama possibly share in common? The first seems to be as conservative as one can be (at least on paper!), while the other seems to be tilting as far to the liberal side as he can be (at least on paper!).

But if you put on your memory thinking cap, you may remember that way back when Bush was running for his first term, he declared that the U.S. should not get involved with nation-building: It would not be his administration’s business to get involved in the internal matters of other countries, he would go on to claim. Years later, the events of 9/11 changed all that, and the U.S. Military is now deeply involved precisely in what Bush once said he wouldn’t do: nation-building.

That brings me to Barack Obama. During his entire presidential run, when he was not yet the presumptive Democratic nominee for President and, at a time when he was heavily engaged in a campaign struggle with Senator Hillary Clinton, he emphatically and proudly underscored his premier campaign clarion call: He did not vote for the Congressional resolution authorizing the invasion of Iraq, he emphasized over and over and, should he be elected President, he vowed to bring all the troops home within 16 months.

Now we hear Obama claiming that, after his trip to Iraq where he will meet with General Petraeus and other U.S. Military commanders, he will, if necessary, “refine” his strategy. Well, you should have heard all of the brouhaha generated in the media and political circles about that remark! It caused Senator Obama to quickly re-appear before the mikes and cameras in an apparent effort to recant.

However, should Obama win the general election in November, there will be a transition team put in place to advise the President-elect of all classified information concerning national security. That’s when the President-to-be discovers the dirt about what’s really going on.

This isn’t what surprises me, though. What does is that Obama has declared himself so soon about a potential policy reversal regarding troop withdrawal. The man has a large, well-paid cadre of advisors on his team. Yet, for reasons known only to him, Obama decided to test the acceptance of a potential future change in his troop withdrawal strategy with the use of the word, “refine.” In Washington, in a statement about Iraq, that’s a fighting word!

A long time ago, Bush decided to go into the nation-building business, something he said he would never do. When the dust settles after November, Obama could very well find himself following the same policy of nation-building.

When Bush was first running for President he proudly considered himself a Washington outsider, as Obama now does – a trait which each man shares in common. But, the real question is not whether a presidential candidate is a Washington outsider: It is what that person does once he gets on the inside.

Happy Birthday, Betsy Ross and Uncle Sam

Here’s hoping that you will resonate with a few personal, patriotic musings coming from a backyard patio in a small corner of Bridgewater:

Tomorrow, we celebrate the founding of our nation, one of the most successful experiments in human governance – perhaps the finest in all of history. Yet, to listen to so many strident internal voices which have been railing and lashing out at America and at the caliber of its citizens, you could be excused if you did not comprehend the fullness of the achievements attained in this land in just a little over 200 years – a mere blip in time.

There has been so much recent stridency and self-interest; such a disproportionate degree of self-perpetuating victimhood – one accompanied by a sense of entitlement made obvious by too many at all the strata of our population, that it is sometimes difficult to put one’s hand on the real pulse and life-blood circulating across this nation, keeping it alive and vital. Despite all of its faults – and this country has many – it still burns with the brightest light.

Just look around: How many people are beating at the exit doors of our northern or southern borders – or at our sea ports on the east and west coasts – looking in droves for ways to escape to other nations for greener pastures?

Conversely, just observe the hundreds of thousands of people beating down the entrance doors on our southern border, as well as the uncounted others of foreign-born origin from all other points of the globe, struggling and hoping to obtain green cards and visas to get in.

I’m not a Pollyanna, but remember this: Always look at what people do – not what they say – and witness those who flock to this country. What they seek and hunger for is at the very core of what defines the essence of our values on this troubled Fourth of July.

Happy birthday, America.

NOTE: For an excellent editorial about this American holiday, see "America, still beautiful," at http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080704/OPINION03/80703071/1062

Cool Summer Thoughts

The man’s name sounds like an anachronistic mouthful: Maltbie Davenport Babcock. I doubt you’ve ever heard of him; neither have I – until, that is, I stumbled across a book of his, chock full of stimulating insights.

I like old books because in them, one can find some of the darndest examples of modern thinking such as, for example: “The tests of life are to make, not break us.” Hard to swallow, but a good one to hold on to when things get rough.

Or this one: “No person has a right to amusement, or knows the real joy of it, who has not earned the right by work.” Ouch! Better not show that one to the wrong people.

How about this? “Dependable people – their price is above rubies.” No comment required.

The musty-smelling volume from which I drew this mere sampling of cool ideas is so old, that it is no longer protected by copyright law – and, that legislation now protects certain works for as long as 95 years! Old Babcock’s mind shows that the validity of some concepts is never out-dated.

Stay well. Thanks for checking in.