New Hampshire Daily; New Hampshire Daily Episode from 2/26/1990

Today show. I'm Terry Gross. Major funding for fresh air is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. By this and other NPR member stations and by a grant from targets retailers have women's classic clothing and accessories through stores and catalogs. 1 800 2 2 5 8 200. This is NPR National Public Radio and this is member supported New Hampshire Public Radio. Stay tuned for New Hampshire daily coming up in just a moment. This is WEO eighty nine point one in Concord Manchester operating untranslated w 2 1 2 A F in Nashua at ninety point three. Programming on New Hampshire Public Radio is made possible in part by a grant from Lapin Miller associates of New London New Hampshire and Andover Massachusetts designers of corporate logos marketing communications and annual reports for clients nationwide and by a grant from the New Hampshire Hart Institute of Catholic Medical Center dedicated to the prevention and treatment of heart disease providing complete cardiac services to patients

throughout New Hampshire and by a grant from NH savings bank of Portsmouth committed to your growing needs. Coming up at 5:30 of course all things considered Nabil will be on at 7 o'clock with classical music and then at 7:30 tonight or rather 9:30 tonight. American Jazz Radio Festival Happy Birthday Benny Carter featuring Hank Jones Ray Brown Dizzy Gillespie and Sylvia Syms. Here's a look at the weather tonight will be clear that increasing clouds toward morning lows 0 to 10 below. Tuesday Cloudy With A Chance of light snow or flurries highs about 30 degrees on Tuesday Tuesday night a chance of light snow or flurries in the evening and then clearing those 15 to 20 and Wednesday will be windy and cold with highs near 20 and it will be fair that period Thursday through Saturday. Stay tuned now for New Hampshire daily with Martin Murray. It's 5:00 o'clock. From New Hampshire Public Radio. This is New Hampshire daily for Monday February 26

1990. I'm MARTIN Mara. On today's program we'll have a local reaction to the Nicaraguan presidential election. Our weekly legislative debate focuses on the states Memorial Day observance. Richard a letter is language commentary Plus the attempts of a New Hampshire resident to change his sex songs I can remember I've always felt like you know I was. Like you know what a normal boy would you know go out and do. So I was kind of you know I didn't understand you know when you're five years all you're usually thinking about going home are things like that you know wondering why you're in the wrong body. First news. From National Public Radio News in Washington on what the U.S. backed Contra rebels could not do with the ballot box did Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega was

defeated at the polls yesterday by a long shot candidate. Ortega conceded his defeat early this morning. Really from the time when we have the fact that the pluralist project. We have the challenge of testing the people's will the vote of the people and periodic elections. Which included in the constitution of our republic. And we went to these elections separate 25th 1990 convinced that this battle. Obvious Lectro field had to be thought once and for all. The end of the war. To bring peace tranquility to the Nicaraguan people Congress which has long been a battleground of bitter political fights over funding of the country guerrillas appeared to

be united today in calling for economic aid to the democratic opposition that toppled the Sandinistas with ballots. In addition the Bush administration is asking that economic sanctions placed on the Central American nation five years ago be removed. The new government is scheduled to be installed in April. The official results are in from the weekend of parliamentary elections in the Soviet republic of Lithuania. The first free multi-party elections in 70 years there so a pro independence movement emerged victorious. The election clears the way for the first non communist dominated parliament in the Soviet Union. Jack list of Aki and President Havel and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev have agreed that also via troops will be out of Czechoslovakia by July of next year. President Havel the former dissident in playwright is on a two day visit to Moscow. NPR's Anne Garrels has this report. President Havel wanted the Soviet troops out of this country even faster. Within a year rather than 60. But he said Gorbachev wasn't sure this was feasible. While Havel praised the new state of relations between the two countries calling them one of equality he couldn't

repress a dig offering to help the Soviet Union with its apparent internal problems. He said Czechoslovakia would be more than happy to transport Soviet troops home for free and provide them new housing in the Soviet Union. Hala suggested that previous agreements making Czechoslovakia subservient to Moscow would not be extended. And he announced a new treaty which in essence puts an end to Cold War intelligence cooperation directed against Western countries a model hobbles suggested for other East European nations. I'm Anne Garrels in Moscow. Prices were higher on Wall Street today the Dow Jones industrial average climbed more than 38 points closing at twenty six oh two point forty eight. Advances led declines for the three in moderate trading of one hundred forty nine million shares. This is NPR. More world or national news later on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED this is New Hampshire daily Good afternoon I'm Martin Murray. There's differing interpretations here in New Hampshire to the stunning victory in the Nicaraguan elections by the U.S. backed candidate Violeta Chamorro

defeated Daniel Ortega in a major upset for the Sandinista government. All the members of the state's congressional delegation who commented hailed the news calling it a major victory for democracy. Most echoed the words of Republican Gordon Humphrey of China Shuster. It's a great victory for democracy as well as Mrs. Jamal. What it means is it is the restoration of democracy to Nicholai what means the end of the Sandinistas subversion of the elected government of El Salvador it means stability for Central America it means the further isolation of Castro. So it's a great victory for for the Nicaraguans for American foreign policy and let's remember for Ronald Reagan because without the Contras without the Nicaraguan Freedom Fighters the Sandinistas would never have scheduled the elections supporters here of the Sandinistas also credit or blame the war for the defeat of Daniel Ortega the New Hampshire Central American network and observers in Nicaragua to monitor the election.

And like many had predicted ascendant East a victory staff member Andrew Davis said in the end tomorrow's promise from the U.S. for an end to the war was the difference people were faced with whether to go with what they felt was right in the long run but would mean continual belt tightening for the foreseeable future. Or to go for what will absolutely work in the short run. Which is the war by going with the U.S. candidate Joe Morrow won the election she's got the power supposedly but the Sandinistas have a lot of power themselves in the two camps work together now do you believe the real interesting question is will the you know coalition hold together as a political entity now that the election's over and they have to go about the real work of forming a government. The Sandinistas are the strongest unified political party still in progress so obviously if Mrs. Chamorro is going to rule for guns she has to give a

major role in her government to the Sandinistas and that will be a measure of her sincerity in her attempts at conciliation and her real ism as a political leader if she's able to do that. It's possible that this could be a very creative time. It's certainly going to be an interesting time. And you remember the old Chinese curse May you live in interesting times. That's Andrew Davis of the New Hampshire Central America network the latest figures show that opposition leader Violetta Mara won 55 percent of the vote in Nicaragua's presidential election. The anti-nuclear Clamshell Alliance plans a round the clock vigil this week at the state house in Concord and outside the Seabrooke nuclear plant as it awaits Thursday's licensing decision. Alliance members say they will set up at noon tomorrow at the State House and outside the plant's main gates where they plan to stay for 48 hours. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it will decide on Seabrook at 11:30 Thursday morning. Both sides expect the plant to when a full power license. And opponents say that just will open

another chapter in the courts in their fight against Seabrook. The group which has sponsored dozens of demonstrations at the plant in woods several thousand arrests have been made also is calling for a mass demonstration at Seabrook Thursday after the NRC decision is announce a Saybrook official said today the plant could begin producing power within a few weeks if a license is granted by the NRC and that full power operation may be achieved within a few months. Rob Williams of New Hampshire Yankee said an affirmative vote Thursday would empower a lower branch of the NRC to actually issue the license. The paperwork on that could take a week according to Williams. Once the license is in hand the plant could produce electricity at 10 percent power within a few weeks according to Williams and that power would be available to consumers by way of the knowing wind power pool. William says the reactor would not operate at full power for a few months. SEABROOK opponents hope to keep that from happening even if a license is issued. They've stated intentions to file appeals with federal courts and Williams today acknowledged that a court could stay operation of

the plant pending an appeal. A resurrected group plans a symposium Wednesday in Portsmouth to brief community members on the economic importance of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. As Liz Richards reports the group fears the yard could be ripe for closure. Spokesman for the so-called Portsmouth Kittery Armed Services Committee said the catering facility pumped 1.2 billion dollars into the regional economy each year. But its very existence may be threatened by federal military budget cuts. Our mission with KFC is to show the people in the department of the Fed and Washington that this yard has very high productivity and it would be actually detrimental to what they're trying to do to close this one said committee members fear the shipyard is vulnerable to closure because it's not a home port. And in his words we're trying to head this off. You said the Port Macquarie Armed Services Committee is made up mostly of shipyard workers and was first formed in

1964 when it sank. Fully halted an early attempt to close the facility. I'm with Richard's reporting and the shipyard has an ally in New Hampshire governor Judd Gregg Gregg is attending a Washington conference of governors and plans to meet with Defense Secretary Richard Cheney tomorrow and urge that defense work continue at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Eighteen years after he ran on a peace platform a New Hampshire primary former South Dakota Senator George McGovern will be back in the state to talk about ending the arms race. McGovern speaks tonight at Keene State College and tomorrow at a luncheon news conference and Daniel Webster College about changing perspectives on U.S. foreign policy. The governor's visit is being sponsored by various peace groups including the Lawyers Alliance for nuclear arms control and a political action committee called stop the arms race. Our weekly legislative debate that's next on New Hampshire daily. The New Hampshire state legislature will get back to work next week after a short recess.

Among the proposals that will be debated is one that would change when New Hampshire celebrates a key holiday. It's the subject of this week's legislative debate between Democratic State Senator Wayne King of Romney and Republican State Representative done a sign of sailing when in a legislative session dominated by issues involving life death and taxes. I'd like to focus on another matter for a change. The House has passed a bill changing the observance of Memorial Day from May 30th to the fourth Monday in May to coincide with the federal holiday. I hope that the Senate will join us in endorsing this change. I support the bill not because I want a three day weekend or an extended Memorial Day sale at the mall but because I believe in tradition. Oh yes the traditional date is May 30th. But it's the traditional observance I'm after the observance of a day to honor those who gave their lives in service to our country. I love the parades the patriotic speeches the gatherings at the cemeteries and even at the local VFW. But it's hard for families to participate in New Hampshire traditions if Mom and Dad work for a company that observes the federal instead of the state holiday. And

this affects a large number of constituents and not just those in border towns like mine. Since there's nothing magic about the May 30th date it doesn't mark the anniversary of an event like Armistice Day or someone's birthday like George Washington's birthday I think it makes good sense to join the rest of the country by changing the day of our observance. This will assure that our children learn to appreciate the contributions of the men and women who died in battle rather than wondering why mom can't watch the march in the parade. Donna Memorial Day parades and ceremonies seem to draw less and less people every year. That's a very disturbing trend. Perhaps it is because New Hampshire and the nation celebrate them on different days. Or perhaps it's because it has been so long since America sent its young people to die in a protracted foreign war that we seem to have forgotten the sacrifices made by our veterans. More likely it's a combination of both those things. Veterans groups are united against changing the date. They believe that doing this would contribute to the demise of a very sacred holiday that Memorial Day would become nothing more than the beginning of the summer or a long

weekend. I think they're wrong that there are deeper underlying causes. But until those groups agree to the change I believe that we should keep it where it is. Donna unless a person has actually been there no one can imagine the horrors of being thousands of miles away from home and your loved ones fighting against a national enemy as well as against the natural instinct of self-preservation. The debt that we owe these people is one that will never be fully paid out of respect for those who sacrificed. I believe that we should yield to their wishes in this circumstances changing the date of Memorial Day won't solve anything that will require education and commitment on the part of veterans groups government and citizens to promote the true spirit of Memorial Day. There is nothing sacred as you say about the calendar date but there is certainly something sacred about the holiday itself. When I think the solution that would get everybody aboard would be for the federal government to change the date back to May 30th. That's what they did in the case of November 11th which is Veterans Day.

They finally yielded to the veterans group who were united in their support for the traditional date. And I think that New Hampshire could join the rest of the country in celebrating it on May 30th. It's unlikely that we in New Hampshire are going to be able to hold out and give any significance to celebrating on the May 30th date. If i kids can't join us in observing it that's why I would hope that the federal government would wise up and listen to veterans groups. I listen to and who my a big supporter of. But if you really care about the traditions that are associated with Memorial Day I think we have to get together and all celebrate on the same day. Don I agree with you it would be very nice if the federal government would change the date back. Barring that though it seems to me that one of the things we need to do is begin to get the interested groups together the veterans groups and some of the groups that have been lobbying for the change to the national date and see if we couldn't work out some kind of an agreement between them to work on I on an effort that would include several goals.

One of those goals would be to join with the nation on the same day. The other goals though would have to be somehow beginning to educate the public and working with the public so that more people do celebrate Memorial Day so that more people appreciate the significance of that date. And so that families can be together on that day and that it isn't just a vacation for them. State Senator Wayne King and Representative Donna saya tak debate issues of concern to the state legislature. Monday's WEO. Growing up is a difficult time for most young people but for some the usual pressures of school grades popularity and proms take a backseat to the internal frustration and desperation of actually wanting to be someone of the opposite sex. Leslie Bennett spoke to Sarah who lives in Portsmouth and says ever since she can remember she has wanted to be a woman. Sara Louise has long curly dark brown hair and is wearing light makeup an oversized pastel sweater jeans earrings and a bracelet ordering hot

chocolate and a bagel. She looks like any other attractive young woman except for the fact that she's lived this way for the last four years in order to prepare herself for a sex change operation that never happened. Up until a year and a half ago she was Jeffrey Louise at which time she legally changed her name long as I can remember I've always felt like you know I was in the wrong body and never did anything like that and boy would you know go out and kill. So it was quite a dilemma. You know I didn't understand you know when you're five years all you're usually thinking about going on playing are things like that you're not wondering why you're in the wrong body and I never put much time or effort into anything I just basically dreamed about what my life would be like once I finally did something about this transvestites are people who assume the dress and behavior typical of the opposite sex. Experts say people cross dress for a variety of reasons. There are men who dress as women because they find it exciting or they don't like the masculine role. What most people don't realize is that there are just as many women as men who feel

they are trapped in the wrong body. Dr. Edward Rohan is a Congress psychiatrist and sex therapist. Rowan sees a number of patients with gender dysphoria the technical term for people who are uncomfortable with their biological gender. When I've ever talked to will say that sometime around the age of 9 10 pre-puberty they have decided or it has occurred to them that they are really. For example the little boy is not interested in sports is not interested in roughhousing is wants to hang out with the girls and play house and play with dolls and clearly believes and identifies as a little girl with a little girl it's more than just a tomboy but is really into the into the masculine role as a kid. There are two options according to Rohan for people who identify with the opposite sex. One is to go through the socially acceptable customs of dating getting married and having children while

all the while feeling dissatisfied The other option is to seek out sexual reassignment. A surgical change of a person sex. Sara Louise has undergone all of the stricter requirements for the operation ranging from intensive psychotherapy and hormone treatments to living and working as a woman. But the final step the surgery may never happen. Even though the preparatory treatments were paid by Louise's health insurance company Massachusetts Blue Cross-Blue Shield it has refused to pay for the operation. Louise is suing the company for 30 million dollars. I basically started 1086 the psychotherapy and everything and then six months later I start on the hormone treatment. And the thing is it stayed to nothing in my booklet that there is no coverage for this procedure. And you know later on when I did contact the company they stated Well they have a booklet in their office that states what they consider unnecessary experimental procedures. And so basically I stated Well that's you know a fine thing for it to be and you know the office well

good of these booklets if they're not going to pharma people what's covered and what's not Louise says Massachusetts Blue Cross-Blue Shield is partly responsible for her decision to have the sexual reassignment because it covered the cost of the preliminary treatments without those. She says she never would have been stuck in this limbo living as a woman but still physically being a man. Bob Warren from the New Hampshire Insurance Department says most health insurance companies don't cover the cost of a sex change operation because it's considered cosmetic surgery. I think in this particular case claims you know those who crawls. Probably didn't recognize. The reasons for these treatments were probably sufficient to trigger any investigation on their part to see what the diagnosis or cause of the treatments was just went ahead and then when they saw a sex

transformation was. The reason for those expenses those who decided. To terminate coverage in this state New Hampshire BlueCross BlueShield specifies in its benefits pamphlet that it does not cover services for sex transformations under any circumstances. Warren says it's the insurance company's responsibility to outline what is and isn't covered. Clearly the Massachusetts company may have been vague but Warren says it's unlikely that Louise will win her case in court. Because of the pending litigation Massachusetts Blue Cross-Blue Shield is reluctant to comment on the Louise case. The company says it will not pay for the sex change operation because the surgery and hormone treatments have not been covered in the benefits package since 1982. In New Hampshire at least one national company self-insured does include sexual reassignment in its health coverage. But that is a very unusual practice.

Sex Therapist Rowan says patients who are interested in the surgery know at the outset that it isn't covered by insurance and have to prepare to pay for it themselves. People that I work with they all know that during this two years that they're working in this one of the things that they're working on is saving money so that they can ultimately get the surgery. The court battle is expected to be lengthy and may not be resolved for a few years. In the meantime a New York surgeon has offered his services free of charge for Louise's operation. But Louise has no way of paying for the related hospital expenses. Reporting for W E v o. This is Leslie Bennett. It's time once again for our weekly look at language and in today's commentary Richard a letter reveals the identity of the 1990s newly elected International punster of the year.

Among the glowing memories of 1989 for me is that I reigned as international punster the Year at the till of the poem the fastest pun in the world. The honor was bestowed by the members of the international save the pun Foundation whose motto is a day without puns is like a day without sunshine there was always gloom for improvement. Well I'm pleased to share with you the news that my successor is international punster of the year has been elected by an overwhelming vote of the foundation members he resides at Manhattan Beach California holds a master's degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota and in 1908 published are we there yet. But my exceedingly successful successor is best known because of two street corner philosophers whose punny comments on life have been entertaining millions entertaining million since 1972. The year in which his comic strip featuring Frank and Ernest was launched. In one frank and earnest panel a prospective employer admonishes Frank. We checked your references and Malcolm Forbes

never heard of you and Frank replies that you advertise for someone with imagination. Well Bob faves is gifted with an abundant and puckish imagination especially when it comes to using the pun for humorous effect. And of course Frank in earnest. The names themselves are puns. So I went over to the State Library in Concord and read through newspapers from September to December and plucked out these poems by faves or maybe it staves seen a drugstore that says cliche Department earnest cliche Department Frank Sure right here are the bitter pills to swallow. And here's a taste of one's own medicine and there's a hair of the dog and a cure for what ails you. Ernest hey there's a fly in it. Frank of course that's the point. The man behind counter-IED computer store talking to the Three Bears. What would you like today. And the Beyer say hardware software and just write where. Frank the bank loan officer Hi my

fixed income is on the fritz. Let's move on the some others from that particular four month period. Man they raise the rent on my apartment and my office Frank the evil of two last orders. Frank look arnest Here's the new mid season TV programs coming up. A show about a rock band made up of hairdressers is called the bleach boys. A second show about a platoon of Army sensors in the Korean War is called a hush and a third show about archaeologists finding old leg bones is called shindig and a fourth about a bunch of guys who slogan is will crash any party you host. Earnest says I got it it's called Host busters. Frank an artist in clown costumes. Frank did you hear about the lady acrobat who is marrying the india rubber man. Ernest Yes she caught him on the rebound. Two Indians in a groove at a gift booth set up on shore as the Nina Pinta

and Santa Maria are coming in first in the and I'm almost ready for visitors. I've got plenty of wash and wear buckskin vest the tie dyed Wampum Belts should be a big hit and I think they're really go for the aerobic moccasins. I just have to hurry and finish carving those always a dart second Indian OK but why the rush. First in the end while I can charge a lot more if they're pretty Colombian. Well Frank once explained the earnest opportunity knocked at my door once but just to ask directions. The opportunity to salute Bob faves will come when the international save the punt foundation holds its annual dinner at the Ambassador West in Chicago. The date April 1st of course and I will be there to see Bob crowned. This is Richard Lederer and if you have a question or comment on language write to Richard a letter in care of WEO twenty six Pleasant Street Concord New Hampshire zip code 0 3 3 0 1. Business news is next on New Hampshire daily.

Good evening this is Steven McRae reporting from the offices of PaineWebber in Concord. Stock prices rallied sharply after Tokyo stock market's biggest setback since October 1987 failed to leave its mark on Wall Street. The Dow Jones averages surged thirty eight point two nine points to two thousand six hundred two point forty eight. There were eight hundred twenty issues advancing six hundred thirty two declining and for 83 remaining unchanged volume standard one hundred forty nine million shares virtually unchanged from Friday's one hundred forty eight million. Looking at stocks of local interest digital seventy one and a half up seven eights Tyco forty five and five eights down a half. Child Life ninety seven and seven eights up a quarter and nine x seventy nine and seven

eighths up wanted to ask. In summary the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 2600 to thirty eight points on a volume of one hundred forty eight million shares. This is Steven McRae reporting from PaineWebber in Concord. Have a nice evening. Now for a look at whether this weather report is made possible in part by a grant from Johnson index fuel Corp. suppliers of petroleum products throughout New Hampshire and Vermont. Clear tonight clouds toward morning lows yr old to 10 above or 10 below rather 0 to 10 below. Tuesday cloudy chance of light snow or flurries highs tomorrow near 30. Tuesday night a chance of light snow lows 15 to 20 Wednesday windy and cold. Highs near 20 and our extended forecast fair skies expected Thursday through Saturday. In sports a funeral will be held tomorrow for former Boston Red Sox outfielder Tony Kanaan who died over the weekend of kidney failure. The New England Patriots have fired Raymond Berry as head coach. The Boston Bruins a New York Rangers faceoff at Madison Square Garden tonight in a battle of first place teams and the

Boston Celtics rest up until Wednesday when they host the Dallas Mavericks at the garden. That's Martin. Public radio is made possible in part by a bank an affiliate of New Hampshire thrift bank shares incorporated providing comprehensive financial services throughout west central New Hampshire providing a full range of legal services to businesses and individuals from its offices in Manchester and buy Stonyfield Farm acres of New Hampshire's Stonyfield Farm supports local culture. It's five twenty nine. New York. MORNING EDITION. That's at 6 o'clock here on.

All things considered is funded by WVO and other NPR member stations and by contributors to the NPR news and information fund including the Ford Foundation for coverage of Eastern Europe. The Geraldine R. dodge foundation for reporting on biological resource issues a full service advertising and public relations agency with offices in Washington D.C. in Philadelphia and Jennifer and Ted Stanley. Stay tuned for all things considered. It's 5:30. One fourth of the nation's young black men are under court supervision. It's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. A new report shows that 25 percent of the young black men in the U.S. are on probation under

arrest in jail awaiting trial or in prison in states like in Massachusetts they want prisoners out of a National Guard armory. The case of Hillary for a child custody dispute in which the child vanished. She's in New Zealand with her grandparents with a fight.