Forecast history

It is with great interest that many of us consult your daily Upper Valley Forecast for the latest data on precipitation, snowfall and such.

But there is a problem. The “Normal season to date” and “Normal year to date” do not indicate the length of “normal.” What is the time frame? Is it since the data first began to be compiled (and when was that?), or the last 100 or 50 years, or the beginning of this century, or what?

Perhaps you can enlighten us on this. Presumably the trends will show the effects of ongoing global warming.

Raymond Malley

Hanover

On microaggressions

I’ve been thinking about the topic of microaggressions; even the name raises my hackles a little. It feels a bit threatening, perhaps because I too have asked some of these questions.

But before passing judgment we need to ask if the question “Where are you from?” is to place them, or to put them in their place? Am I curious about who they are versus making them into a what?

I once signed a blind young woman in at a conference. When I asked what she wanted on her nametag she became angry and said she couldn’t read nametags and so she refused to wear one. I did not say that the nametag would help others to say her name, get her attention and make a connection.

It made me wonder, to what opportunities have I been blind? What if we begin to assume the best of intentions of each other instead of the worst? We need to be able to talk to each other about ourselves and what matters to each of us and why before we can begin to address our multitude of problems.

Jane Masters

Hanover

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