No, Actually: Let It Begin HERE

What? Where? The Pine Tree Riot? One of the first acts of rebellion by the American colonists? Yeah, you know Weare...

"We would love to have you join us as we commemorate one of the earliest acts of American resistance against British tyranny. Americans for Prosperity-New Hampshire will celebrate the 244th anniversary of the Pine Tree Riot which occurred in 1772 in Weare, New Hampshire.

Long a symbol of centralized government overreach, the Pine Tree Riot was a testament to the spirit of independence, freedom, and the New Hampshire way of life. Therefore, it is fitting that the celebration of the anniversary of the spark of the American Revolution takes place during the same week as the day Americans are forced to hand over their hard earned money to an overgrown federal government.

Be a part of a liberty loving community who will hear from distinguished speakers about the importance of standing up for freedom and opposing the encroachments of our rights by an ever-growing government. Refreshments will be served. The event will begin at 6pm and go until 8pm.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 13, 2016 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (EDT)
WHERE: Weare Town Hall Public Meeting - 16 North Stark Highway, Weare, NH 03281

Hope you can join us!"

Sarah Scott
Field Director
Americans for Prosperity-New Hampshire

History & Press

• Weare Historical Society
• Weare, NH 1772: Rebellion Before the Revolution -- The Pine Tree Riot | Cow Hampshire
• The New Hampshire Pine Tree Riot of 1772 - New England Historical Society
• Pine Tree Riot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Pine Tree Riot | RealClearPolitics
• Pine Tree Riot: A History of Rebellion | Free State Project
• Pine Tree Riot Remembered - Shire Liberty News

Let's raise a very appropriate tankard this day to the very able Ebenezer!

(If you're still struggling, the title refers to Captain John Parker's orders to his company of militiamen at the Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775: "Stand your ground; don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.")

adventures in the apiary: the inception

It was mid-40s and calm for hiving our first bee package -- 3lbs, 10k bees (Carniolan queen), 8-frame Langstroth (a Flow Hive, actually, although that's an entirely irrelevant distinction until the last honey super goes on) -- mid Saturday afternoon, 4/9/2016. Lower mortality in shipping than I'd anticipated, really.

New JZBZ plastic queen cages, it turns out, while I was prepared to deal with the traditional ones. Only way I could get it not to fall (without spending a whole lot of time cogitating on it real-time in less than ideal temps) was to put a toothpick through it, and let it hang candy-end-down from the top of the frames. No attendants in there with her, but could still be dangerous. Not pleased. Drawn comb should hold it up, but I ain't got none o' that yet, so...  When I have some more time to inspect it after removal, a better solution may well present itself for next time. (It would seem that the additional step of then setting the tube on top of another toothpick should work.)

Scout bees took flight fairly quickly. No outside activity by Saturday dusk, not surprisingly, with temps pushing 40° in the wrong direction, but also dead quiet inside, which didn't seem good. Similar Sunday morning, but some scouts and guards eventually ventured out, some disposing of the dead. Still disconcertingly quiet, though.

By dusk Sunday, I could finally hear a very faint buzz emanating from the screened bottom board. Gonna wait until Wednesday, I think (after the next forecasted rain, conveniently), before checking the frame feeder and the troublingly inverted queen cage, and verify that comb is being drawn. Go back again next weekend to first look for eggs...

Btw, I can hear it already, so this video is intended more as instructional than as artistic. Hit the 'gear' icon to speed it up, and quitcher whining...

NH 'Decrim' YET EVEN STILL AGAIN

The devout and desperate prohibitionists have moved on, en masse, from hysterical (in both senses) to downright stupid and aggressively (even scientifically) ignorant: 'We're unfamiliar with the difference between correlation and causation, but we just know what's going on here is the one that supports our cause. Which one is that, again? Oh, and we'd love to see harsher ineffective penalties, please...!'

I feel compelled to ask them: Are you on drugs...?!?

HB1631, "relative to penalties for possession of marijuana," a concept -- decriminalization, a mere ramping down of criminal penalties for possession of a plant while harming no one -- again passed recently by the (Republican, notably -- and still the first legislative body in the country ever to pass 'legalization', btw) NH (where, too, a recent poll found 62% support even for full legalization) House, is again sent to the Senate (where it's ultimately died the 6 previous times since 2008 -- many hearings of which can be found here) Judiciary Committee, 4/5/2016.

It has invariably been torpedoed in the past by (generally the mere threat of) a "Democratic" (uh-huh) governor's veto and an all too reliably accommodating Senate -- "honor among thieves," or "professional courtesy," or something. Will they finally recognize that they're the very last recalcitrant police-state authoritarian Drug-Warrior holdouts in New England, and that they do not represent the will of the people -- to say nothing of the liberty spirit of their authorizing charters? Hey, give 'em a shout and ask 'em...

Press

• Email - N.H.: Senate will hold public hearing TOMORROW on decriminalization bill - Marijuana Policy Project
• New Hampshire Senators Consider Marijuana Decriminalization | Marijuana
• Concord Monitor - Will N.H. become next state to decriminalize marijuana?
• Pot decriminalization opponents speak out against bill | New Hampshire
• Concord Monitor - Editorial: State should decriminalize marijuana
• Committee recommends killing pot bill | New Hampshire (4/13/2016)
• Concord Monitor - Where is the outrage for Jeffrey Pendleton? (4/14/2016)
• Concord Monitor - Marijuana decriminalization effort fails in Senate (4/21/2016)

Remember these servants' defiant recalcitrance come November...