Commentary
Here’s what a bear market is and why it matters
A 16th-century proverb advises: “It’s unwise to sell a bear’s skin before catching it.” That’s one of the stories used to explain why, in modern times, Wall Street types call someone who sells a stock expecting its price to drop a “bear.” It follows that a market in which securities or commodities are persistently declining […]
New research finds social stress can speed up immune system aging
As people age, their immune systems naturally begin to decline. This aging of the immune system, called immunosenescence, may be an important part of such age-related health problems as cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as older people’s less effective response to vaccines. But not all immune systems age at the same rate. In our […]
Decades of research document the detrimental health effects of BPA
Whether or not you’ve heard of the chemical bisphenol A, better known as BPA, studies show that it’s almost certainly in your body. BPA is used in the manufacturing of products like plastic water bottles, baby bottles, toys, and food packaging, including in the lining of cans. BPA is one of many harmful chemicals in […]
No longer ‘alien to our affections’ – commentary
At the invitation of Monadnock Family Services, writer David Blistein, co-director Erik Ewers, and producer Julie Coffman showed a 30 minute preview of the four-hour film they call “Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness” in Keene recently. Interesting as the filmmakers were to the audience, the impact in the room belonged to Yanerry, a […]
3-Minute Civics: Judicial discretion and the decision to set bail
Imagine you are a judge taking up your morning docket. The day starts with an arraignment and bail hearing for an individual charged with first-degree assault with a firearm. The prosecutor informs you the police received a 911 call at 10 the night before for a gunshot in the city center. The police sped to […]
COVID in Black and white: A Juneteenth reflection – commentary
“When white folks catch a cold, Black folks get pneumonia.” We’ve known this old adage for years but never before did it strike so close to home as it did last month when COVID finally caught up with our interracial family. First, a little background. Since the global pandemic began in March of 2020, my […]
Gov. Sununu needs to veto the ivermectin bill – commentary
Earlier this year, the New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Association, representing licensed prescribers working in the state of New Hampshire, registered its members’ strong opposition to House Bill 1022, permitting pharmacists to dispense the drug ivermectin by means of a standing order to treat COVID-19. We wrote to the House and Senate with our concerns, noting […]
Editor’s Notebook: A win for the Bulletin, a win for New Hampshire journalism
Last week, the New Hampshire Bulletin took home 10 awards from the New Hampshire Press Association Distinguished Journalism Contest. As I said in a short story we posted on Friday to announce the awards, “I couldn’t be more proud of Amanda, Ethan, and Annmarie” – and I meant it. It’s not easy to keep track […]
Blaming ‘evil’ for mass violence isn’t as simple as it seems – commentary
The word “evil” circulates widely in the wake of terrible public violence. The May 24 massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, is a case in point. Texas state safety official Christopher Olivarez spoke of “the complete evil of the shooter.” Others expressed their resolve with the same word. “Evil will not win,” the […]
Decades after special education law and key ruling, updates still languish – commentary
It has been 40 years since the U.S. Supreme Court first took up a case about special education in public schools, Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley. In that case, the court ruled that a deaf student didn’t qualify for a sign-language interpreter because the student was doing well […]
Did the assault weapons ban of 1994 bring down mass shootings? – commentary
A spate of high-profile mass shootings in the U.S. has sparked calls for Congress to look at imposing a ban on so-called assault weapons – covering the types of guns used in both the recent Buffalo grocery attack and that on an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Such a prohibition has been in place before. […]
School mental health resources critical to ensuring safe school environments – commentary
Whenever a mass shooting takes place in schools, public discussion often focuses on laws or policies that might have prevented the tragedy. But averting school violence needs more than gun policy. It requires both prevention and crisis response that take students’ emotional well-being – not just their physical safety – into account. School violence prevention […]