The North Star Monthly

February Issue

Columns

Lies, half-truths and fantasy
by Isobel P. Swartz
There are some things about politics that really get me riled-up. Right now, the election primary back to the jungle sport of “dog eat dog” is one of them. Maybe Darwin would be impressed by this demonstration of natural selection at work.

Follow the Money: '...and statistics'
by Rachel Siegel
The normal distribution, the old familiar bell curve, has been disparaged in recent years, mainly for engendering false hopes of a “return to normalcy.”

Reflections
by Van Parker
It’s too early to tell what sort of winter this one will turn out to be. So far, here in Connecticut, winter could hardly be more different from the cold and snow of the previous January.

Eating with Em': A season of light
by Van Parker
February has arrived and to some people this brings great joy as this means winter is almost half way over; to others they are saddened as they live for the winter and are on the mountain skiing or boarding in negative 20 degree weather.

Features

Trailblazers: Part 1 (from the memoirs of Jonathan Elkins Jr.)
Introduction by Justin Lavely
In 1774, pioneers from Newbury, Vt. staked their claim in Peacham. The French and Indian War had ended and settlers from southern New England were establishing towns along the Connecticut River, including Newbury in 1762, followed by Barnet in 1770 and Ryegate in 1773. It didn’t take long for these hearty folks to hear tales of cheap, fertile land to the west in a territory that wouldn’t become known as Vermont for another 40 years.

18-year-old snocross racer gives pros a run for their money
by Jacob L. Grant
Behind his father’s trucking company in St. Johnsbury, 18-year-old Lincoln Lemieux rockets his custom snowmachine into the air again and again as easily as though he were walking down the street.

The Senses Part II - Fooling nature's camera; seeing is believing?
by Bill Amos
We’re visual creatures and what we see, we accept as fact. Most of the time. The eye, nature’s camera, evolved in the distant past from an unsophisticated patch of cells capable of distinguishing light from dark.

Going to see the elephant
by Gary Farrow
The North Star reported that things were looking up for the North. The Union Navy secured another victory and a bearded, soft-spoken small man from the West appeared on the scene to accomplish what eluded the Union generals who came before. In addition there is a story of “boys being boys” in Brattleboro and Captain R.W. Laird making a trip back home to Danville.