Veterans Day at the Woodman

DOVER—

The Woodman Institute Museum in Dover invites all veterans to visit the museum on Saturday, November 12, for free from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. On hand will be some World War II re-enactors and military vehicles for museum visitors to enjoy. Visitors will also be able to ask questions about the many artifacts on display in the museum’s war room display. German, Italian, Japanese and American items have been donated over the years that include weapons, flags, uniforms, medals, radio equipment and souvenirs brought home.
A new exhibit displays items related to the capture of the German U-boat U-234 in 1945, which was brought into Portsmouth by the USS Sutton. Dover’s former high school principal and superintendent Fred Walker was the communications officer on the Sutton, and his children recently donated items from that historic event that include a German cap, photos of the prisoners being transferred, items from U-Boat Captain Fehler and original tracking charts from the U-234 was being hunted.
Also on display are many items related to the War of 1812, Spanish American War, World War I and a special Vietnam display showing the uniform and Purple Heart medal received by Dover’s Ann Darby Reynolds, Navy nurse injured in the 1964 Christmas Eve bombing at Saigon. Lt. Reynolds was the youngest nurse and one of the first women to serve in Vietnam and receive this recognition.
This year is the beginning of the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War. The Woodman has an entire room displaying one of the finest Civil War era collections in New England.
Many items related to Dover area veterans are being preserved and displayed at one of New England’s finest science, art and history museums. The Woodman Institute Museum is located at 182 Central Ave. in historic Dover and open Wed.-Sun., 12:30-4:30. Special group tours are available. Call 742-1038 or visit www.woodmaninstitutemuseum.org for more information.
Photo caption: In 1964, Lt. (JG) Ann Darby Reynolds was the youngest Navy nurse and one of the first women to serve in Vietnam and receive the Purple Heart for injuries received during the Christmas Eve bombing in Saigon. The Woodman Museum in Dover displays her uniform, medals and photographs as a tribute to all the women that served. (Courtesy photo)

Young, Loud and Snotty: A Review of Steve Jobs’ Biography

By Chip Schrader

Staff Book Critic
Biographer Walter Isaacson has covered the lives of innovative thinkers Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, and Henry Kissinger. Being his latest subject, Steve Jobs approached Isaacson about being his biographer while he was still working on the Einstein biography nearly ten years ago. This was shortly after Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The book was released only weeks after Jobs’ death, but was not necessarily intended for a posthumous release.
The first chapters focus on Jobs’ childhood. His adoption, his biological parents’ more privileged background, and his adoptive parents’ blue collar background lead all the way up to the day his adoptive parents realize this emotional and manipulative child was more intelligent than they were.
The next several chapters borrow and quote heavily from Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak’s autobiography “iWoz.” In fact, the chapters in this section mimic “Woz’s” autobiography by naming and organizing chapters after the Apple products that were being introduced at this stage in their lives: “Apple I, Apple II, Lisa, Macintosh,” etc.
Those who have read “iWoz” can almost skip a good portion of the first one hundred pages without missing too much vital information, but this fact also reinforces that Isaacson’s research seldom, if ever, conflicts in perspective. This consistency of facts about the relationship between Wozniak, Jobs, and the foundation of Apple validates Isaacson’s research. Moreover, Isaacson freely elaborates on many of Jobs’ associates’ backgrounds throughout the book, providing a small biography of each important personality that comes into his life.
Isaacson has interviewed ex-girlfriends, friends, foes, current and former colleagues. There are no pulled punches, and the cheap shots are free game, as they were in Jobs’ life. In later chapters, Isaacson reminds us of how Jobs had worked with the likes of Ross Perot, founded Pixar, and played a major role in Disney picking up a contract with Pixar to supply the 3-D animation technology. We even are given a glimpse at his part in the creation of the “Toy Story” franchise.
Isaacson’s detailed account of these business endeavors and friendships brings the reader back to the eighties when Atari video games were king, and his description of American culture’s continual evolution. The cast of characters surrounding Jobs’ life paint a vivid reminiscence of a bygone era. Moreover, the biography shows how long and how short the span of thirty years really is, and how quickly the world changed.
Thoroughly researched, and written with a balanced perspective and detail, the book reads like an intelligent conversation. It never lags or gets dull; even the explanation of the technology and business negotiations keep the reader engaged. Isaacson keeps the details pertinent without driving the descriptions over readers heads, a tall order when trying to aptly explain such a rapid technological evolution.
With all of the headlines coming out showing how unpleasant Jobs’ disposition, hygiene, and ethics were, the story provides something deeper than just headline gossip. In fact, the last chapter consists mostly of Jobs’ own words and statements on his own life. This biography is a time machine that brings every reader back to recent eras we can easily access. It is epic in scope as it covers a revolutionary personality who forged a revolution.
Hardcover: 656 pages. Publisher: Simon & Schuster (October 24, 2011).
Photo caption: (Courtesy book cover image)

Updates from the Bridge

By Larry Favinger
Staff Columnist
KITTERY, ME—
The replacement of the Memorial Bridge that connects Portsmouth, N.H., and Kittery, ME continues to move forward on several fronts.
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) has named a Chicago firm as the apparent team for the design/build contract for the bridge and the Maine Legislative Council has unanimously approved the submission of a bill by State Sen. Dawn Hill, (D-York) to allow signage on Interstate 95 to aid downtown Kittery businesses by directing travelers to them.
Other legislation submitted by Sen. Hill to provide immunity from tort claim lawsuits for a New Hampshire based transportation company looking to expand its one Maine route through Berwick to include Kittery and Eliot since the closing of the Memorial Bridge failed to receive support from the Legislative Council. It was voted down in a 5-5 vote.
Sen. Hill said Monday she will appeal that decision.
A team headed by Archer Western Contractors had been selected for replacement of the bridge that carries Route 1 across the Piscataqua River.
Archer Western submitted a bid price of $81,420,000 to replace the 88-year old lift bridge that is closed to motor vehicle traffic. The projected date for opening the new span is July 2013.
The bid opening is “another important milestone in our aggressive approach in partnership with the Maine Department of Transportation towards building a new Memorial Bridge,” Christopher Clement, NHDOT commissioner, said.
“We will get the successful bidder on the job to restore this vital transportation link between New Hampshire and Maine as soon as possible.”
Design-build is a process in which the design and construction phases of a project are combined into one contract, with the goal of expediting project completion.
On the legislative front Sen. Hill said she appreciates “the support of legislative leaders to recognize the importance of signage on Interstate 95 to the people and businesses of this area. I look forward to discussing this issue in the upcoming session.”
“The bridge may be closed, but the community is still open for business,” she continued. “This bill will help the people and businesses of Kittery during this period.”
Sen. Hill said the signage will not be billboard-type that is prohibited by State Law, but will help direct traffic to popular local destinations, similar to detour signage.
As to the tort immunity proposal, Sen. Hill said she would like to reinforce the importance of it with help from the business community. She is seeking individuals and businesses to write in support of this legislation.
“I think once I am given the chance to explain the situation, there will be a clear understanding that this bill is of emergency status,” she said. “Input from local businesses and residents will be very helpful in garnering the support needed to move forward.”
At present the New Hampshire company does not fall under Maine’s immunity from tort claim lawsuits because it is located in New Hampshire.
Sen. Hill noted that without protection in Maine Law, the transit business faces insurance issues and is thus reluctant to expand its services. Maine transit organizations are protected from tort claim lawsuits.
A date for appeals has been scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Maine legislators filed over 290 bills for the upcoming session but none is allowed to be processed before the full Legislature unless approved by the council.
The State Constitution limits legislative business during the Second Regular Session to budgetary matters and legislation of an emergency nature.
The legislative session is scheduled to begin Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012.