Diary of a Nation

Over the course of his careers as a police detective and an animal cruelty investigator, Steve Sprowl has seen the worst of humanity. He's a retired detective from the Rochester, NH, police department, where Sprowl spent 25 years. Today, he works as an animal cruelty investigator at the New Hampshire SPCA. Be advised, we discuss disturbing crimes and cases of animal cruelty in this interview.

The NHSPCA receives no federal or state funding and relies entirely on community support. Paws Walk, the organization's largest annual fundraiser, takes place next month. To register or to donate, visit https://nhspca.org/paws-walk.

War causes so much needless suffering, and Russia’s war with Ukraine is one distressing illustration. New Hampshire resident Marianna Lundberg grew up in Ukraine, in the port city of Odessa. Today, her mother and grandmother remain in Ukraine. In this episode, Marianna shares stories of her country and its people as they live in the midst of the Russian invasion. 

Photo credit: Leila White, Y'R Charm Photography. https://www.yrcharmphoto.com.

Here are several organizations that help the people of Ukraine:  

https://razomforukraine.org. Razom means “together” in Ukrainian. Together, the organization works to build a better future for the people of Ukraine. 

https://www.sunflowerofpeace.com. Sunflower of Peace is a Boston-based non-profit that provides medical and humanitarian aid for paramedics and doctors in areas of Ukraine that are affected by the violence. 

https://www.sbcnh.org/welcome/en. For a resource local to New Hampshire, reach out to the Slavic Baptist Church in Londonderry to donate supplies or money.  

https://ukraine.welcome.us. Welcome.US is a humanitarian group for refugee resettlement. Most people who live legally in the US may apply to sponsor Ukrainian migrants, as long as they can provide financial support. 

The New Hampshire high school teacher I interviewed for this episode did something quite rare in his profession. He quit during the school year. After 17 years in the classroom. His story is one experience, but I imagine his challenges mirror what any number of other teachers across the country face today. Please be advised that some of the issues he describes may be disturbing to hear. 

Carolyn Plummer has worked as a comic for nearly 25 years, and she's in the process of filming a sitcom pilot, "Finding the Funny". Later this year, she's slated to perform in Boston at "Comics Come Home", the longest-running comedy fundraiser in the US. I recently lured her into my basement for an interview. Look for Carolyn's upcoming shows at carolynplummer.com. More information on "Comics Come Home" at: camneelyfoundation.org/comics-come-home.

Fred Marple is to New Hampshire what Garrison Keillor is to Minnesota. That is to say, Fred has a vivid imagination. Fred is an author, playwright, humorist, cartoonist, singer and songwriter. His most important role is serving as the official spokesman for Frost Heaves, a quaint New England town that flies under the radar, despite his half-hearted attempts to promote it. Listen as Fred and I share our love of his home state of New Hampshire and my home state of Oklahoma.

Learn more about Fred at fredmarple.com. 

James Osborne is one of the coldest people to ever survive dry land hypothermia. He watched his friend die of the same fate during a winter hike in the White Mountains, and then James went unconscious himself. He left the hospital with several amputations, but the accident also led him to find love again. 

This interview is a follow-up to the previous episode in which New Hampshire author Ty Gagne details the mountain rescue and recovery effort in his book, The Last Traverse. You can order a signed copy of Gagne's book at: fullconditionsnh.com. 

A New York woman climbed four of the famed Seven Summits but lost her life in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The core body temperature of a New Hampshire man dropped to a record 76 degrees in an unrelated climbing accident that killed his hiking buddy on the same mountain range. 

Ty Gagne is the author of two books that explored those winter climbing accidents. He's the CEO of Primex, the New Hampshire Public Risk Management Exchange. He's also a certified wilderness first responder. His risk management strategies apply to the outdoors, the office and everyday life. 

Order Ty's books or read his essays at: fullconditionsnh.com. 

The following episode contains explicit language and descriptions of disturbing incidents. My guest spent a decade in prison after he accepted a plea deal on drug conspiracy and gun charges. He went from stashing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash under his bed at home to earning a few dollars a day in federal prison while managing over $200 million in military contracts. 

The United States is the incarceration capital of the world. We're home to just 4% of the global population but nearly 25% of the world's incarcerated. Do Americans commit more crimes than other people, or are other factors at play? Listen as we explore the issue together. 

In New Hampshire, this summer was a banner season for mushrooms. Enthusiast Christine Gagnon with the Uncanoonuc Foraging Company recently led me on a walk in the woods and schooled me on the science of mushrooms.

From opposing the death penalty despite the murder of his father to opposing nuclear power to defend the will of the people, the impact of Renny Cushing's activism reaches beyond the borders of his home state of New Hampshire. The state representative continues to dedicate his life to a wide range of social justice issues, but a diagnosis of prostate cancer is now making demands on his time.  Photo credit: Jim Cole, Associated Press.

Update: Renny passed away on March 7, 2022. Obituary in The New York Times: https://tinyurl.com/uv2enbzm.