Wacky Wendy Thomas wants religion taught in public schools. Not Christianity, of course. No, Wacky Wendy wants climate paganism taught. Children will be taught that those who reject this religion are “climate deniers.” They will be taught that the apocalypse is coming … melting ice will cause massive flooding. What dry land that’s left will be devastated by drought and hurricanes.

But they will be taught that there is still time to repent! Stop eating red meat! Stop driving and use public transportation! Tax fossil fuels … if that means some people cannot afford their heating bills, well, that’s a small price to pay to “save the planet!” Pass the “Green New Deal” … before it’s too late.

To cut to the chase … VOTE DEMOCRAT!

And, needless to say, the children will NOT be taught about the environmental degradation and human misery caused by mining necessary for car batteries. There will be no discussion allowed regarding the obviously absurd claims that both colder-than-normal and hotter-than-normal temperatures are caused by human activity warming the planet.  Religious education does NOT allow questioning of the religion.

Wacky Wendy and her ilk want to turn other people’s children into cultists. This is what Woke-Communists do. This is what Woke-Communists are.

The post Wacky Wendy Thomas Wants Religion Taught In The Public Schools appeared first on Granite Grok.

Just because other countries do something does not mean we must adopt it, too. America used to pride itself on being the innovator, setting the trends for others to follow. Not any longer. We have entered into the lemming mode where we think it is WOKE to conform to Canada, Norway, Switzerland, or any other progressive country with off-the-wall ideas. We even see individual states doing the same thing. Maine desperately wants to be like Oregon, even though Oregon is already reversing course on many of its failed ideas.

Depending on upbringing and religious beliefs, some may have radical thoughts on abortion and medically assisted suicide (MAS) to the point of being repulsed by the concept. Christians, myself included, have always looked upon life as sacrosanct, with birth and death in God’s hands. That is not the case with many people who think that mankind should be the keeper of the bell. These folks want to decide which fetus is to be born and when adults should die, and they are ready and able to assist with either. They will kill a fetus up to the time of birth or help someone to end their life because they have lived enough.

Oregon first accepted MAS in 1997, starting as a ballot initiative under the Death with Dignity Act. Nine more states and Washington D.C. have followed suit, with 20 more States debating various forms of the law. Should all these states pass their version, MAS will be legal in most of the United States. With each passing bill, the concept seems to grow, and the list of reasons accepted broadens. In Canada, where 4% of all deaths are listed as MAS, there is a documented case of a veteran with chronic leg pain who checked with his doctor for a remedy and was asked if he would consider a MAS option. Unfamiliar with the term, the patient inquired and was shocked that he was being offered a ticket out rather than relieved of his pain. The patient was deemed a burden for the system and a long-term expense for Canada, so the best solution for the state is for the patient to opt for MAS. This example shows how little respect there is for life when you open the door to legal death. It also shows how the bar can be lowered significantly as each state tries to be more progressive than the last.

When this idea was young, MAS was considered an option for people who were in the advanced stages of debilitating diseases with less than six months to live and had exhausted all treatment options. There was also a 48-hour wait period as a final obstacle. Now, it has expanded to mental illness, depression, and even alcoholism. These laws may be reversed when more conservative governments take the reins in these liberal states, but we need to fight them before they become law in the first place. We have to stop accepting we have to stay in the backseat as progressive Democrat leadership runs us off the road. We have to help Jesus take the wheel and remove these Democrat’s hands from the wheel.

The post Abortion To Medically Assisted Suicide, Where Will It End appeared first on Granite Grok.

Democrat State Senator David ‘rising’ Watters deserves a new nickname or at least a second one. He earned the first as your atypical environmental legislative radical ranting about accelerated sea level rise (and associated tin-foil-hattery).

His latest obsession is offshore wind; like any good ‘green,’ he’ll have it no matter what anyone thinks.

The offshore wind commission he leads doesn’t post past or future meeting announcements, keeps no minutes anyone can find, and appears to be little more than the appearance of procedural propriety. Look, we had a commission. You can ask questions or offer concerns, but that might get you an email reply about how you will get offshore wind regardless, and BOEM is no different.

Biden’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has issued a report finalizing its environmental review of the Gulf of Maine Offshore Wind Research Lease.\ as if it did one. It found no significant impacts, which suggests the unexplained rise in whale deaths near offshore wind projects isn’t a concern.

In October 2021, the state of Maine requested a research lease for the purpose of researching floating offshore wind energy technology and its deployment. The research site lies 28 nautical miles off the coast of Maine, roughly southeast of Portland, and if developed would comprise up to 12 floating offshore wind turbines capable of generating up to 144 megawatts of renewable energy.

On May 29, 2024, BOEM will publish the “Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment for a Wind Energy Research Lease on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Maine” in the Federal Register. After carefully considering alternatives described and analyzed in the Final EA, as well as comments from the public and cooperating and consulting agencies on the Draft EA, BOEM finds that the issuance of a wind energy research lease within the proposed lease area offshore Maine, and related site characterization and site assessment activities, would have no significant impact on the environment. As a result, under the National Environmental Policy Act, BOEM is not required to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in order to issue a wind energy research lease offshore Maine.

The process moves forward without much regard for the unexplained culling of sea life.

I’m no expert. I don’t know if offshore wind is to blame. The whole thing is fishy to me, but I do know that wind is not green, and it will kill sea birds and have some detrimental impacts. If there was a desperate need, we could take time to evaluate the risks further and manage loss because of some higher purpose, but replacing fossil fuels to reduce CO2 emissions is not it. Shutting down cheap, reliable energy for expensive intermittent alternatives is economically irresponsible and will result in real-world harm to people and businesses, including (are you listening, Whale Killer?) minorities.

Even if you believe the warming narratives about CO2, America isn’t the problem. Decarbonizing will only cripple our productivity and performance, hampering economic growth and lending to joblessness and systemic stagflation. India, China, Russia, Africa, and Asia will not leave their people in poverty, and neither wind nor solar, even if they were green and affordable, will ever alleviate that. That’s why they are burning coal, gas, and oil and ramping up capacity.

The sacrifice is literally for nothing, but to progressive resume plumping goofs like Watters, the threat to our lifestyles and sea life is worth it. Look! I got offshore wind! Shower me with accolades.

We will Dave when the whales start to wash up on Hampton Beach.

This is a massive waste of time, resources, and money to pander to a misguided illusion that will cripple the country and our state.

So, what about poor people if you don’t care about whales, dolphins, lobsters, fish, or seabirds? They are already being priced out of the economy by inflation. The influx of illegal aliens is stressing their urban communities. Let’s make everything cost even more, including keeping the lights and heat on in your home. You do know they want it to all be electric, right?

I doubt he believes it or cares. He wants wind. His commission is a bunch of head-nodding bobbles. And I suspect that this project is getting fast-tracked because of the fear that should Trump win, all the federal money (on whose debt and interest advocates have enslaved future generations) might disappear.

So, there is still a chance to stop it. Even if approved, the project won’t reasonably get underway for some time, and, as has happened in states like New Jersey and Delaware, the actual final costs (ongoing operational contrast + real energy costs) will be so high that even goofballs like Watters can’t get it past his own Democrat conspirators. The forward-thinking party probably knows about all this fresh hell but is proceeding anyway while a small raft of Republicans float along for the ride (for reasons I have yet to fathom).

Ultimately, this will prove to be a costly and destructive development, fast-tracked for appearances rather than utility, and expensive even if it never gets built.

Be sure to thank David ‘Whale Killer’ Watters.

 

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With some issues, you can’t just jump right into the pool.  You have to ease in a little at a time.

For example, we couldn’t go straight to constitutional carry.  We had to ease into it, by first having shall-issue licensing.

We couldn’t go straight to legal weed.  We had to ease into it first, by having medical marijuana, and then decriminalized pot.

A friend (who is a former state representative) just called me to tell me that, according to his sources at the statehouse, the state is planning to start selling marijuana at the state liquor stores.

My friend was laughing because years ago, during an audience with His Excellency, he proposed that the state liquor stores should sell liquor, sell marijuana, and offer prostitution.  His Excellency was shocked… and yet, here we are, two-thirds of the way there.

What’s missing for prostitution is an intermediate step, comparable to shall-issue carry licenses and medical marijuana.  Why not medical prostitution?  Or, since legislators seem to like alliteration, medical magdalenism.  (This has the added advantage that many legislators might vote for it without having any idea what it means.)

Magdalenism can be used to alleviate many of the conditions (such as depression and anxiety) that are now treated with pharmaceuticals, without any of the dangers of addiction or overdose or government mandates, and (with oversight by the state) a greatly reduced danger of the transmission of certain diseases.

Imagine how it would work.  You’d go to your doctor, who would tell you that you need to get laid.  He’d write you a prescription, and you’d drop by the state liquor store to fill it. And maybe pick up a fifth of bourbon and a bag of sativa gummies on your way out the door.

Or maybe you’d get a medical magdalenism card, which would authorize a certain number of visits over a certain period of time.

Look, it’s going to happen.  The state is leaving too much money on the table to ignore this opportunity to transmute a punishable crime into a taxable vice.  Why not get started on it sooner, rather than later?

The post Medical Prostitution appeared first on Granite Grok.

This week, the House met to vote on all remaining Senate bills. Since the Senate has been working away, quite a few bills some members strongly supported have been killed or drastically amended, one way or another. So the practice is to attach your pet bill to another that you think the Senate really wants. Any bill that has passed the House is automatically germane to any other bill, so there are lots of choices…

There was no memorial remarks this week, but one member resigned since he’d moved out of his district. We approved 65 non-controversial bills at once, including five from my committee. The first bill on the calendar, SB 558, on insurance coverage for infertility treatments, was special ordered, 325-32, to be the first one taken up after lunch. At that point it was quickly tabled, 325-32.

SB 418, increasing the penalties for refusing to take a breath test when stopped for driving under the influence, was debated, not killed, 101-253, then killed on a voice vote. A major issue was that the forms used when notifying the driver about this test were confusing and didn’t specify the consequences of refusing.

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SB 340, allowing schools to communicate information about special education to parents via email, had a floor amendment with special ed reporting requirements. This was adopted, 184-177, and the bill passed, 186-176, and was not reconsidered, 176-188.

CACR 22, putting the first in the nation primary into the state constitution, was not tabled, 175-187, then debated, and failed to pass, 195-164 (needs 60% for a constitutional amendment.) I don’t really think it’s a constitutional matter, but I voted for it to let the voters have a say.

SB 373, easing the air tightness test requirements in the state building code, was debated on the committee amendment, which added a study committee on Native American affairs. I added a few words in support before the amendment failed, 130-215, and the bill passed on a voice vote.

SB 440, expanding the optometrists’ scope of practice, was the hot bill from my committee. We had the committee amendment, a floor amendment that specified four procedures they would be able to do (once they’d been certified after training and mentoring,) and three speakers lined up on each side – but an opponent promptly moved to table and that motion passed, 224-137.

SB 134, setting up a separate disability pension for victims of violence, had been unanimously recommended by the Finance committee. The first floor amendment, adding HB 1111, a penalty for false reports of abuse and neglect, was explained by the sponsor and not passed, 160-201. A second floor amendment, adding HB 1620, forbidding new landfill permits for seven years, passed on a voice vote, as did the bill.

SB 217, setting up an educator incentive program for rural and under-served areas, was debated and killed, 184-174, and not reconsidered, 177-185. SB 311, providing payments in lieu of taxes for Hampstead – because the state bought the hospital there – was amended to use federal funds rather than state, then not amended to have the state pay part of localities’ pension payments, 177-183. The bill passed, 317-45.

SB 337, on doula and lactation provider certification, had a floor amendment from Dan,

replacing “racially” with “culturally,” which passed on a voice vote after he explained it. Another floor amendment would have added the content of HB 378, which told survivors of sexual assaults of their rights. That bill had passed the House on consent, but was indefinitely postponed in the Senate. This amendment did not pass, 164-195, and the bill passed on a voice vote.

SB 352, setting up an early detection cancer screening program for firefighters, passed on voice votes after one of the firefighter representatives spoke in favor. SB 355, newborn screening for cytomegalovirus; SB 369, increased notice requirements for licensing boards; and SB 393, funding regional drinking water infrastructure, all passed without comment (or floor amendment!)

SB 369, appropriating funds to the culinary arts program at the career and technical center at Alvirne High School in Hudson, had a floor amendment offered to expand the school lunch program to be free for most children. This was debated and failed, 177-185, and SB 369 passed on a voice vote.

SB 403, on the health care workforce, passed 241-122, without debate. I (and 121 other Republicans) was opposed because this created a new, rather nebulously defined category of “community health workers” to grab more Medicaid money for fairly minor activities.

SB 404, making more child care workers eligible for child care subsidies, and SB 406, increasing the daily rate for homeless shelters, both passed without comment.

SB 409, allowing Medicaid to pay for ambulance services other than transport, had the committee amendment adopted without issue, then a floor amendment to add HB 1593, an allocation for recreation for a number of developmentally disabled people. This was explained and passed, 210-152, and the bill passed on a voice vote.

SB 417, on out of home placements for children, was debated on the committee amendment, which strengthens the position of a non-abusive parent in such a proceeding. Currently, the law requires this parent to prove their suitability to keep their own children! The amendment passed, 186-178, the bill passed, 361-3, and was not reconsidered, 33-325.

SB 453, creating an online voter registration portal, went to interim study without comment, since we’d passed a similar House bill. SB 455, increasing Medicaid rates for prosthetic and orthotic devices, passed quietly.

SB 456, adding $300,000 to the existing student loan repayment program for nurses, was debated on the fact that it would only benefit six nurses. The bill was not passed, 178-182, killed on a voice vote, then not reconsidered, 174-186.

SB 463, access to counsel for children in dependency proceedings, passed without discussion.

At this point, Rep. Jason Gerhard, from Northfield, moved to suspend the rules and introduce a bill to demand that all legislators be allowed to visit all government facilities. This is needed because he has a criminal record and has been forbidden from the prison and the county jail; he spoke earnestly on the need for actual interactions with the people there to prevent the sorts of abuse that happened in the youth center. The motion failed, 148-216; I voted for it because he’s on my committee.

SB 476, appropriating $40 million for engineering and design of a new prison, had a floor amendment

to add HB 1711, which reports mental health judgments to the federal gun clearance database. This was debated and passed, 202-165, and the bill passed, 212-155. At this point a scuffle broke out between the member who’d moved and spoke for the floor amendment (Rep. Roy from Deerfield) and Rep. Aures from Chichester. We recessed while they calmed down, then another representative – uninvolved in the kerfuffle – moved to reprimand them for conduct unbecoming a representative. Each reprimand was tabled on a voice vote and we continued with out business.

SB 499, a motley collection of anti-hunger programs, was debated at length over the majority committee amendment, which deleted all of them except for a simplification of the application process for seniors. This amendment finally failed, 182-185, and the minority committee amendment was debated and passed, 192-178. This was similar to the majority amendment but also required HHS to work on a program for supplemental food aid in the summer for children who got free or reduced lunches from their schools. Then a floor amendment added HB 1466, emergency aid to towns, 189-181. The bill, as amended, passed 235-136 without further discussion.

SB 553, requiring the public investment pool invest in New Hampshire, is an attempt by the New Hampshire bankers to get these funds, which are currently accumulated from towns, counties, and various municipal trust funds and invested for safety and high returns. The committee amendment, which required 30% of the fund be invested in New Hampshire banks, was debated and passed on a voice vote. The bill was further debated and not passed, 176-190, then sent to interim study on a voice vote.

SB 567, requiring a report on the availability of two abortion drugs, was tabled, 302-54, before debate. SB 591, on the youth development center settlement fund, was debated on the committee amendment, which eliminated the authority to borrow money for these settlements. It passed, 187-173, and the bill passed on a voice vote.

SB 596, on how to assess children with special needs for extra funding for childcare, had a committee amendment to convert it to a study committee on the issue. This was debated and not passed, 180-182; the bill also did not pass, 181-182; was not tabled, 182-183; killed, 187-178; and not reconsidered, 177-188. I was surprised nobody went for indefinite postponement …

SB 604, providing a death benefit for the family of Bradley Haas, who was killed in the line of duty while working as a security guard at the state hospital, had a floor amendment from Dan, which put security guards into the list of those employees eligible for this benefit. It passed after he explained it, and the bill passed on a voice vote.

SB 503, requiring a criminal background check for fish & game guides, had a floor amendment to legalize brass knuckles, etc, for adults. This was debated and passed, 183-181. Another floor amendment wanted to add HB 1400, which forbade some parking requirements in zoning ordinances – mostly needing more than one parking space per unit. This was briefly debated and passed, 262-104; SB 503 as amended passed on a voice vote.

SB 402, allowing pharmacists to administer more vaccines and not require explicit legislative approval for each vaccine, had a floor amendment to add three vaccine-related House bills: HB 1213, which deleted the requirement child care agencies keep track of the vaccination status of each child; HB 1194, changing the definition of

“noncommunicable disease” as it related to required vaccines; and HB 1669, restricting data sharing by the immunization registry. This was debated and failed, 177-185; the bill was debated, with the main issue being that approval by the FDA and recommendation by the CDC was taking the place of legislative approval. The bill passed, 231-135. I was opposed.

SB 411, creating a study committee on emergency mental health services for minors, was briefly debated and passed on a voice vote.

SB 419, a fairly minor bill on reports about the medical cannabis program, had a committee amendment that made some technical corrections and also included the content of HB 1231, which allowed users of the program to grow their own. This passed, 236-122, and the bill passed on a voice vote.

SB 461, requiring providers to report some data on abortions, was, as expected, debated at some length and killed, 201-164. SB 505, repealing the sunset of the ban on hemp products containing THC, had a floor amendment to simply move that repeal out by three years. It was debated for longer than I thought necessary, and not passed, 172-190. A second floor amendment added the content of HB 1633, the House version of cannabis legalization and regulation; after some debate, that also failed, 87-278, and the bill passed, 242-124.

SB 559, on the vaccine association, simply adds the RSV vaccine to the existing vaccine purchase and distribution program. A floor amendment requiring that vaccine be of proven safety and efficacy was debated (really!) and failed, 176-185. After more debate, the bill passed, 192-171. I was opposed because adding a vaccine that is not safe and effective is just wrong.

SB 330, allowing the unemployment program to consider remote work, passed without comment.

SB 431, on wake surfing, was debated on the committee amendment which changed the setback to 300 feet. The amendment passed, 193-164, and the bill passed, 214-148. I supported the amendment but not the bill, since the opposition to wake surfing is driven by waterfront property owners – wind causes much more erosion than wake surfing.

SB 527, on student housing, simply created a study committee. The committee amendment added HB 1281, forbidding zoning ordinances that limit fewer than 2 people per bedroom or ban more than three unrelated people. This was debated at length, then failed, 173-179, and the bill passed, 199-154.

SB 358, invalidating out of state driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants, was debated at length, was killed, 176-174, reconsidered 176-175, then killed again! 176-174. I personally don’t have that much of a problem with these licenses, except that many of them can be used to vote – and that is a problem.

SB 469, allowing video surveillance at a park and ride facility under some circumstances, passed without comment. SB 501, on driver’s licenses for non-citizen residents, was debated on many of the same issues as SB 358. It passed, 181-169, with eight Republicans joining all Democrats in favor.

SB 510, simplifying the sale of vehicles sold to Massachusetts residents (now that they use temporary plates) passed without comment.

SB 485, procedures for temporary occupational licenses for military members and their spouses, had a committee amendment to focus on licensing

boards not within the OPLC. That passed without comment, then a member moved a floor amendment with penalties for false accusations of abuse or neglect in family court. After a little talk, it passed, 173-169, and the bill passed 175-169.

SB 543, establishing the state environmental adaptation, resilience, and innovation council, was not tabled, 170-175, then debated at tedious length. It passed, 172-168.

Rather a long day, with the common good start tapering off to a weak finish. More Republicans than Democrats have a life and tend to leave early, so long days are not our friend.

Next week we’ll be meeting to concur (or not) on Senate-amended House bills. They got very busy this week and slapped a lot of bills we don’t like onto others, hoping to get their pets through one way or another.

The post Your State House appeared first on Granite Grok.

Some dude named Jared Ravizza, who identifies as “she” and claims to be “a beautiful soul who continuously works for the betterment of his community,” just went on a multiple-town stabbing spree in Massachusetts.

Jared (she) also self-describes as an artist (just like Joker in the first Tim Burton Batman Movie), so perhaps Jared’s idea of betterment is subjective. The bigoted term for it is assault with a deadly weapon, possibly with the intent to kill (see also attempted murder). And if you care, Jared committed all this alleged community betterment in Massachusetts, specifically an AMC Theater in Braintree (four stab victims, all female – ages 9 to 17), and two more at a McDonalds in Plymouth (one woman who also identifies as a woman and one man who identifies as a man).

I’m not sure what made Jared all stabby, but reports indicate no one sustained a life-threatening injury, so Jared’s not good at this either. All were treated at local hospitals. Jared is in custody after crashing his/her SUV (which he won’t need anyway, so he might as well burn that bitch, am I right?).

After the reported incident in Plymouth, Massachusetts State Police then began to pursue the vehicle before it crashed in Sandwich.

Photos shared with Boston 25 News showed the suspected SUV blackened and charred on Cotuit Road in Sandwich after catching on fire following the crash.

Four girIs, ages ranging from 9 to 17, were st*bbed by a maniac at an AMC theatre yesterday in Braintree, MA.

No details about the suspect yet… pic.twitter.com/ecPUvoNbR0

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) May 26, 2024

Jared is also allegedly connected to a homicide in Connecticut on which there are no details presently.

And this is the part where I remind everyone that none of Jarend’s victims was likely armed, or Jared might not have gotten quite as stabby. Pepper spray, by the way, can also be a fabulous accessory that, properly applied, makes driving from the scene difficult to impossible. I believe you can carry it in the Bay State now, and you can get it delivered tomorrow from Amazon (I am not sure about age restrictions; you should do your own leg work on that). This is still Massachusetts. It’s filled with illegal alien pedophiles and guys who say they are girls that get stabby.

So, you can’t be too careful.

I should also warn you that because this is Massachusetts, just because the state was forced to acknowledge that you have a right to defend yourself doesn’t mean they won’t arrest and prosecute you for attempting or succeeding.

The post Night Cap: Transwoman “…Who Continuously Works for the Betterment of His Community,” … Stabs Five appeared first on Granite Grok.

Are you in favor of destroying the lives of Catholic priests under false pretenses? If not, please read on. Catholic priest Gordon J MacRae is now in his thirtieth year of wrongful imprisonment after rejecting a 1994 plea deal offer to serve one to two years.

The NH ‘Laurie List’ is a once-secret list of police misconduct. Ex-Detective James F McLaughlin was recently removed from the list in a secret ‘John Doe’ hearing.

I previously wrote at the link cited above about newly emerging evidence in the case. The Wall Street Journal boldly took up this matter in a series of articles by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dorothy Rabinowitz and noted civil rights attorney Harvey Silverglate. Their work exposing this wrongful prosecution and police misconduct is collected at “The Wall Street Journal on the Case of Fr Gordon MacRae.”

Newly emerging evidence came to light with a revelation that the police detective who investigated and testified against Father Mac Rae was added to a previously secret list of officers with dishonesty or police misconduct issues. The list was held in secret by the New Hampshire Attorney General until a court ordered publication of the list in 2022. Detective James McLaughlin was added to the list for “Falsification of Records,” an incident or incidents that occurred in 1985, nine years before the 1994 MacRae trial. Because the behavior was known to state prosecutors at the time of the trial, they were obligated by Supreme Court precedent to report this to Father MacRae’s legal counsel before trial. They failed to do so.

This bombshell was first reported by someone at the New Hampshire Office of the American Civil Liberties Union which had been a plaintiff in a lawsuit that eventually made the “Laurie List” public. Father MacRae himself wrote of this development in “Predator Police: The New Hampshire ‘Laurie List’ Bombshell.”

Police officers placed on the Attorney General’s list have the ability to challenge its publication by petitioning the courts to remove their names for cause. Former Detective McLaughlin filed such a petition so, pending a court hearing, his name was blacked out from the public list just hours after it appeared. New Hampshire courts have allowed officers on the list to file their petitions using “John Doe” pseudonyms. A hearing for McLaughlin — though not a public one — is likely to be scheduled early in 2024.

Not everyone is on board with the notion of a judicial system operating in secret. One judge, a former Senior Assistant Attorney General, has objected to the secret forum in which these removal petitions are being heard. (See “Judge: Laurie List Police Lawsuits Are Being Improperly Sealed”). Judge Will Delker’s published objection cites a fundamental precept of democracy that public officials must be accountable to citizens: “Court records are presumptively open to the public absent some overriding consideration or special circumstance. The party seeking to maintain court records under seal must demonstrate a sufficiently compelling interest that outweighs the public’s right to access.”

New Hampshire reporter Damien Fisher has managed to obtain, through Freedom of Information Act requests, some limited, heavily redacted evidence of the matters before the court in former Detective McLaughlin’s petition. He documented them in a December 18, 2023 article, “Laurie List Lawsuit Matches Former Well-Known Keene Cop’s Record.” To force a reporter to such lengths to obtain public information in public records turns the court system into a sham.

Covering Up for Police Corruption

There is a good deal more in the problematic and unconstitutional practices of Detective James F. McLaughlin than what is currently before the Court in his petition to be removed from the public accountability list, but the public is kept in the dark. Citizens should have an opportunity to address concerns about why his name should remain on that published list, but that is circumvented by secrecy. The public cannot learn the identity of the “John Doe” before the Court. Reporter Damien Fisher was only able to discern this from a careful examination of this particular “John Doe’s” petition.

Additionally, the public cannot obtain a Court date or docket number to have their concerns heard. As a result, pertinent evidence is prevented from coming before the Court. The court of public opinion is a different matter, but no citizen should have to appeal to it in order to obtain justice.

Though not a resident and citizen of the State of New Hampshire, I have researched its laws in regard to the conduct of police. The violations alleged against McLaughlin in the case of Father MacRae alone are many and great. No public entity has investigated these and judges hearing MacRae’s two appeals — a direct State appeal in 1996 and a Writ of Habeas Corpus in 2012 — resulted in rejection without hearing from any witnesses privy to said misconduct.

So if we cannot place it before the Court, we place it before you in the form of official excerpts of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated, the very State laws that Detective McLaughlin has broken and for which he should be censured. Each is followed by signed Statements given to a former FBI official investigating this case, but in each case no judge has allowed the Statements or witnesses thereof to be heard under oath and on the record in any New Hampshire court.

RSA 105 : 19 — Reports of Misconduct by Law Enforcement Officers

For the purposes of this section, ‘misconduct’ means assault, sexual assault, bribery, fraud, theft, tampering with evidence, tampering with a witness, use of a choke hold, or excessive and illegal use of force.

1. STATEMENT OF STEVEN WOLLSCHLAGER (Alleging Attempted Bribery)

Introduction: Steven Wollschlager was a friend of accuser Thomas Grover. During Detective James McLaughlin’s investigations in 1988 and 1994, Mr. Wollschlager was interviewed. It is unknown whether the interviews were recorded. Wollschlager states that the interview reports misrepresented statements attributed to him that he never made. In a 1994 pre-trial interview, McLaughlin is alleged to have attempted to suborn Wollschlager to commit perjury before a grand jury with the suggestion of “a large sum of money.” Wollschlager reported being lured into agreement, but later recanted, refusing to testify before a grand jury:

“My name is Steven Wollschlager, DOB 12-7-1973. I give this signed statement at my own free will to Investigator James Abbott with no promises or bribes. I am willing to testify to the following statement to proceed in a court of law or otherwise under oath that I am giving facts and details to the best of my memory.

“I have had opportunities during several periods of my life to know Gordon McCrea (sic). Never in all our meetings or conversations was there any inappropriate talk of sex, sex for money, favors, or any other thing related to such.

“My first encounters with Gordon came when I was age 15 and using drugs. Gordon counseled me through Monadnock Family Counseling, maybe three sessions. During this time he also introduced me to some persons in the AA program. At this time there was never anything inappropriate going on, nor did I ever feel uncomfortable for any reason around Gordon.

“In 1988 while in rehab (which Gordon helped my parents get me into), I was interviewed by [Keene] Detective McLaughlin about Gordon. This detective did most of the talking — Did he ever do this or that? — asking me many questions as to whether or not anything inappropriate ever happened with Gordon against me. Never during this time did I say anything to any police officer that Gordon had done anything wrong towards me.

“Years passed and in 1994, before Gordon was to go on trial, I was contacted again by Keene police detectives McLaughlin and Collingworth. I was aware at the time of Gordon’s trial, knowing full well that it was bogus and having heard of the lawsuits and money involved, also the reputations of those who were making accusations. I agreed to meet with the above detectives after being told that I would be reimbursed for my time and gas money.

“Again during this meeting I mostly just listened to scenarios and statements being spoken to me by the police. The lawsuits and money were of greatest discussion and I was left feeling that if I would go along with the story I could reap the rewards as well.

“McLaughlin asked me many times if Gordon ever tried to come onto me sexually or offered me money for any sexual favors. He had me believing that all I had to do was make up a story about Gordon and I could receive a large sum of money as others already had. McLaughlin reminded me of the young child and girlfriend I had and referenced that life could be easier for us with a large amount of money.

“I knew the Grovers’ reputation as well as others involved, many of whom I went to school with. It seemed as though it would be easy money if I would also accuse Gordon of wrongdoing. I left that meeting after being given, I believe, $50, easy money like what would come from lawsuits against McCrae (sic). I was at the time using drugs and could have been influenced to say anything they wanted for money .

“A short time later after being subpoenaed to Court, I had a different feeling about the situation. I did not want to lie or make up stories. After speaking with the Clerk of Courts I was approached by another person. After telling this person that I did not want to be there and I stated Gordon had never done anything wrong towards me sexually or otherwise, I was told I could leave. This person seemed visibly upset that I had nothing to say.”

Signed: Steven Wollschlager October 27, 2008

2. STATEMENT OF DEBRA COLLETT (Alleging Witness Tampering and Tampering with Evidence)

Introduction: Ms. Debra Collett was Thomas Grover’s primary counselor in 1987 at Derby Lodge, a residential drug addiction treatment center located in Berlin, NH. In police interviews with Detective McLaughlin pretrial in 1993/94, Grover claimed to have revealed to Debra Collett that Fr. Gordon MacRae molested him in his teen years. Grover had previously been treated for addiction at Beech Hill Hospital in Dublin, NH in 1985, but his treatment was terminated when he was caught smuggling drugs to sell to other patients. Ms.Collett here reveals that Detective McLaughlin recorded his interviews with her, but neither a report nor the recordings were ever turned over to MacRae’s defense as required.

“I am Debra Collett, DOB 6-17-1952. I am making this Statement to James Abbott, Investigator for Gordon MacRae. My involvement leading to speaking with James Abbott was as Clinical Director at Derby’s Lodge in Berlin, NH. I was individual counselor for Tom Grover when he was a client at Derby Lodge.

“Thomas Grover never revealed to me that Gordon MacRae perpetrated against him. Mr Grover spent a great deal of time being confronted in treatment for his dishonesty, misrepresentation, and unwillingness to be honest about his problems. Thomas Grover did reveal that he had been perpetrated against sexually, but named no specific person except to say that his “step father” or “foster father” molested him. When asked if Thomas meant, “Mr. Grover,” Thomas replied, “yes, among others.”

“Thomas Grover presented as unwilling to join a group of other people who like himself experienced similar difficulties. Instead, he became angry, punched walls, flicked things, and slammed doors to evade and not address his issues.

“When it became evident that [the MacRae case] was going to trial, I was contacted by Keene Police Detectives Clarke and McLaughlin. They questioned me and I had several contacts with them.

“My experience was that neither presented as an investigator looking for what information I had to contribute, but rather presented as having made up their minds and sought to substantiate their belief in Gordon MacRae’s guilt. I experienced Detective Clark as the primary questioner. I was uncomfortable with his repeated stopping and starting the tape recorder when he did not agree with my answers to his questions and his repeated statements that he wanted to put this individual where he belonged, behind bars, that a priest of all people should be punished.

“I confronted Det. Clark about his statements and his stopping and starting the recording of my statement, and his attitude and treatment of me which seemed to include coercion, intimidation, veiled and more forward threats as well as being disrespectful. At that point, and in later dealings, I was overtly threatened concerning my reluctance to continue to subject myself to their treatment with threats of arrest. McLaughlin told me he would personally come to my home, drag me out of it bodily if necessary, and force me to appear in court and testify despite my information to him.

“My overall experience in interacting with these detectives was one of being bullied with their attitude of animosity, anger, and preconception of guilt regarding Gordon MacRae. They presented as argumentative, manipulative, and threatening via use of police power in an attempt to get me to say what they wanted to hear.”

Signed: Debra Collett 05-20-2008

3. STATEMENT OF LEO DEMERS IN A LETTER TO JUDGE ARTHUR BRENNAN (Alleging Witness Tampering and Suppression of Evidence)

Letter dated October 24, 2013:

“My wife, Penny, and I were present in the courtroom throughout most of the trial of Fr. Gordon MacRae. For all these years, I have had many questions about this trial and much that I’ve wanted to clarify for my own peace of mind. I learned recently that both a superior court judge here in New Hampshire and the NH Supreme Court declined to hold a hearing on the evidence and merits of a habeas corpus petition in this case. Now that state courts seem no longer to be involved, I feel more inclined to approach you on what has been bothering me, as you were the presiding judge.

“We saw something in your courtroom during the MacRae trial that I don’t think you ever saw. My wife nudged me and pointed to a woman, Ms. Pauline Goupil, who was engaged in what appeared to be clear witness tampering. During questioning by the defense attorney, Thomas Grover seemed to feel trapped a few times. On some of those occasions, we witnessed Pauline Goupil make a distinct sad expression with a downturned mouth and gesturing with her finger from the corner of her eye down her cheek at which point Mr. Grover would begin to cry and sob on the stand. The lawyer’s questions were never answered.

“I have been troubled about this for all these years. I know what I saw, and what I saw was a clear attempt to dupe the court and the jury. If the sobbing and crying were not truthful, then I cannot help but wonder what else was not truthful on the part of Mr. Grover. If he was really a victim who wanted to tell the simple truth, why was it necessary for him and Ms. Goupil to have what clearly appeared to be a set of prearranged signals to alter his testimony? The jury was privy to none of this, to the best of my knowledge.

“Secondly, I was struck by the difference in Thomas Grover’s demeanor on the witness stand in your court and his demeanor just moments before and after outside the courtroom. On the stand, he wept and appeared to be a vulnerable victim. Moments later, during court recess, in the parking lot he was loud, boisterous and aggressive. One time he even confronted me in a threatening attempt to alter my own testimony during sentencing. …

“I simply believe that, like so many others, Mr. Grover and those coaching him have misled you and your court. You also seemed to rely heavily in your sentencing of MacRae on the investigation and findings of Det. McLaughlin. My wife and I had some firsthand experience with him and his tactics during his investigation. He was not at all interested in the facts or the truth. He attempted to use coercion and bullying tactics to get my wife and me to change the facts we presented to him, facts that did not support any of his preconceived ideas.

“We are not the only persons to have had this experience with him. I have read that Debbie Collett, Thomas Grover’s counselor, outlined in detail how she was threatened and coerced into altering her testimony. Another witness alleges that he was overtly bribed by this detective to accuse MacRae during that investigation.”

Signed: Leo Demers, August 24, 2013

+ + +

There is much more alleged of this detective that should come before a Court deciding on his public exposure on the Exculpatory Evidence Schedule or ‘Laurie List.’ As long as the Court allows Mr. James McLaughlin to appear as “John Doe” in any hearing regarding his appearance on the police misconduct list which is meant to be public, citizens are prevented from witnessing to the truth in this regard. None of the people mentioned here have ever been allowed to testify under oath about this detective. Now we know why.

This necessitates a Part 2 of this post, hopefully coming next week.

Meanwhile, please share this article. There is nothing more destructive of the cause of justice and the common good than the noise of too few and the silence of too many.

Pray for justice, and for the integrity of our justice system.

 

Republished with permission.

The post Detective James McLaughlin and the Police Misconduct List appeared first on Granite Grok.

If normal people think that they are going to get justice in these times – forget it! I just went to court against the City of Nashua for Right To Know information which they would not give me. I assumed that once in court the city employees would tell the truth under oath but I was wrong. The saddest part was the judge believed them.

I did not think that I had to bring more proof to show that they lied because I had already included some information showing that they had the information but were not willing to give it to me. Wrong.

Mr. Cummings, who was in another courtroom recently, could not remember anything and kept on saying “he could not recall.” This is a man that Mayor Donchess just made Chief Operating Officer for the City of Nashua at $160,000 per year. But he could not even remember that he sent out an email, even after showing it to him. He was a total disgrace.

Jennifer Deshaises, Risk Manager for the city also kept saying that the taxpayers did not have to pay anything for insurance on the Performing Arts Center. The premium increased, but there was no problem because the taxpayers paid to insure a property not owned by the taxpayers. Jennifer has her orders not to tell the Nashua taxpayers how much we are paying for insurance on a for-profit corporation.

We have struggled in Nashua with record delays for four years, and the Courts will not help us. The City waited over 100 days to tell a citizen that their request was unclear. The Court says this is not a problem. The Court then footnoted in a ruling that it was concerned with the city’s lack of a response. But more recently, when the City decided it would take 3-4 years to produce emails on the Arts Center, a citizen filed a records delay, and the Court would not hear it as a stand-alone case. My RTK case heard before the Court had a claim that the new Records Administrator hired to help us get records waited over 60 days to inform me that an attachment was not sent after sending the five-day letter, never noting the oversight. The court found no delay with that. The City is playing endless games and the Court is all in with the City.

The courts in Nashua have shown favoritism to the city because taxpayers help pay their salaries. The sad part is that the courts have shown that they do not stand up to the laws in the State of New Hampshire, and that should not be acceptable to any resident.

The post Nashua’s Right Not to Know appeared first on Granite Grok.

Ben Ming is a State Representative from Hollis who wants a promotion to the State Senate. He says that you should vote for him because he is Asian-American and your vote would help make history.

It is very curious, then, that Ben Ming is NOT supporting Lily Tang Williams, as that would also be “making history” and indeed would be considerably more historic, as the position of Congressman is much more prominent than that of State Senator.

 

Do you get it yet, bitter-clingers? One set of rules for you and a different set of rules for the Woke-Communists. If you don’t vote for Ming it is because you are against diversity and, more specifically, are bigoted against Asian-Americans.

But Ming and his Woke-Communist ilk don’t have to vote for Lily Tang Williams because … well, because the rules only apply to you. That’s how Woke-Communism works.

The Woke-Communists do not care about diversity or about Asian-Americans, except to the extent that it helps them maintain and gain power. Ming would make the State Senate more diverse because he is the right kind of Asian-American … that is, just like all the other “Democrats” in the State Senate he will do and speak and vote as he is told by General Secretary Donna Soucy. Lily Tang Williams would NOT make the U.S. Congress more diverse because she is passionately opposed to Woke-Communism and extremely articulate in exposing the “Democrats” as Woke-Communists. She is not the right kind of Asian-American.

Do you get it yet bitter-clingers?

The post Vote For Me … Because I’m Asian-American appeared first on Granite Grok.

It was close to a decade ago when I saw this video by Bill Whittle:

 

Lights Out! The Chaos When Our Grid Goes Down | Bill Whittle

 

 

An EMP Attack on America? | Frontpage Mag

An Electromagnetic Pulse Catastrophe | Frontpage Mag

Now, I’ve known about EMP for quite a while, but general threats to the grid never really occurred to me to be a real and significant danger absent something like that.  But the security and stability of our electric grid are getting more attention now.  For example, Russia’s recent attacks on Ukraine’s power system drew the attention of the (formerly) notable 60 Minutes (video, 13 minutes).

Dennis Quaid’s documentary is, IMHO, also a must-watch:

GRID DOWN, POWER UP (griddownpowerup.com)

Also:

The Truth About The Power Grid Outage Risk in America (youtube.com) (video, about 12 minutes)

Even absent ill intent, our bailing-wire, duct-tape-and-chewing-gum grid is surprisingly fragile.  Add in ill intent and the danger is dire.  For example, I drive around and I see totally-unguarded transmission line towers and transformer stations.  At best there’s a simple chain link fence around the latter.

A Mad Max Nation with No Electrical Grid | Frontpage Mag (bolding added):

But is it really too much to imagine ISIS, which has repeatedly threatened the homeland, carefully studying the three connected American grids and their vulnerabilities? Why would ISIS not, let us surmise, make plans to dispatch nine small teams, inserted from the porous Mexican border, to the key transmission substations, which would then plant bombs under cover of darkness set to detonate at a specific time? Such an event would not be “another 9⁄11.” Such an event would be a soft kill on the United States of America.

From later in that same article (link in the original, bolding added):

According to yet another damning study, “Most substations sit out in the open protected only by a simple chain-link fence. All but a few high voltage lines are also in the open.”

Now, I’ve never been in the military, but even I can see how attacking a nation’s electric grid – a nation so dependent on electricity as we are – would be child’s play given the lack of security.  Honestly, I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already – at least, not more than the incidents we’ve seen.  Such as (same article, bolding added):

In an April 2013 probing action, unknown terrorists attacked the Pacific Gas & Electric’s transmission substation in Metcalf, California. One terrorist crawled into an underground vault to cut the telephone lines for help. Then a squad of gunmen fired “more than 100 shots and knocked out 17 transformers.” The shooters took their time, blasting away for almost a whole hour, before police finally showed up and the terrorists melted away. The attack caused millions of dollars in damage and required 27 days before the small transformers were replaced and back online.

And how many ISIS-minded people do we have now thanks to The Potato’s open borders?  Chinese SpecOps posing as migrants?  Other hostiles?  Not thousands coming in… tens of thousands.

 

 

One more thing – if the grid is taken down nationally, restarting it is not just a matter of flicking on a switch even if there is power in localized areas… and what if those local areas can be predicted and have agents to shut it down again?

 

What Is A Black Start Of The Power Grid?

 

 

 

 

POWER SHORTAGES COMING – SOON

 

“This COMFIRMS the power grid will COLLAPSE and no one is ready” | Redacted with Clayton Morris

 

 

Many, including essays on the Grok, have mentioned the growing EV demand for power (video, about 15 minutes).  I’d never considered the added strain by the millions streaming into the country across our southern non-border, but that’s an excellent point.  (Aside: if they’re that dirt poor, how do virtually all of them have smart phones?)

This is not just an American problem.  “Big Green” climate-scam-driven commitments are causing shortages of power all over Western Europe.  Australia is issuing warnings about its own grid stability:

Warning for NSW and Victoria residents to brace for blackouts this summer| things to get worse over the next decade….cant supply enough electricity for your air conditioner but no worries,go out and buy an electric car

 

https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/australia-power-warnings.mp4

 

Worldwide.  All with the same timing: this year.  Weird, right?  Why it’s like there is a goal of answering the 7.3 billion person question.

 

 

MORE THAN JUST POWER

I want to be clear before I conclude.  I think this is a likely, indeed very likely, thing that’s coming – but IMHO it’s not inevitable.  Be that as it may, understanding what COULD go south is the first step in preparing for it or, if we had a political class that would work on it rather than lining their own pockets, preventing it.

So, concluding… electricity is much more than lights.  It’s refrigeration.  It’s water pressure (even for us with a well, we need electricity to get it up from the depths).  It’s fuel pumping.  It’s communication.  It’s heating and air conditioning.  The list of what electricity does in our modern world is almost endless.  But that’s just in our personal lives.

Factories require reliable power.  Subways and public transportation require reliable power.  Workplaces of all types require reliable power.  City life, as we have it now, requires reliable power.  Employment and modern healthcare and so much more require reliable power.  And we’re about to have that reliability crash.

That will, indeed, be a “total transformation of America”; backwards, to the pre-electric era, but a transformation nonetheless.  Just as promised by the former still-current President.  Do not doubt, when it happens, that it was planned.

The post Grid Teetering – Coming Sooner Than You Think? appeared first on Granite Grok.

In the fast-paced and competitive landscape of modern commerce, efficiency is paramount. Every minute saved, every resource optimized can make a significant difference in achieving success. Recognizing this need, an increasing number of businesses are turning to personalized assistance to streamline operations, enhance productivity, and provide unparalleled support to their teams.

Understanding Business Concierge Services

Corporate personalized assistance are specialized solutions designed to address the diverse needs of companies across various industries. Unlike traditional customer assistance that caters primarily to personal needs, business personal assistants focus on assisting organizations with tasks ranging from administrative support to strategic initiatives.

These services are often provided by dedicated professionals or agencies with expertise in corporate management, administration, and customer service.

The Role of Business Concierge Services

1. Administrative Support: Business concierge service excels in handling administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, managing calendars, arranging travel, and coordinating events.
2. Customer Relationship Management: Maintaining strong relationships with clients is essential for fostering company growth. Concierge services can play a crucial role in managing customer inquiries, resolving issues promptly, and ensuring exceptional service delivery, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
3. Research and Analysis: In the contemporary landscape where information plays a crucial role, having access to up-to-date and pertinent data is indispensable for making well-informed decisions. Corporate concierge services offer support in performing market research, competitor analysis, and trend forecasting.
4. Project Management: From small-scale initiatives to large-scale projects, effective project management is critical for success.Corporate personal assistants can support organizations in planning, organizing, and executing projects efficiently, ensuring deadlines are met and objectives are achieved.
5. Specialized Expertise: Depending on the specific needs of a business, concierge assistance can provide access to a wide range of specialized expertise, including legal, financial, marketing, and IT support.

Conclusion

In summary, corporate concierge services play a vital role in enhancing efficiency, productivity, and effectiveness within organizations.

By outsourcing administrative tasks, leveraging specialized expertise, and accessing professional support, businesses can optimize their operations, streamline processes, and focus on driving success.

As the demand for flexible, scalable, and cost-effective solutions continues to rise, corporate concierge support is poised to become indispensable partners in the journey towards business excellence.

The post The Role of Business Concierge Services appeared first on Granite Grok.

Someone told me that if I came here, I’d see more memes than I can shake a stick at (pardon the sentence ending preposition).

It depends on the stick, I suppose.

In any case, I’m back pulling temp duty as the mid-week memester and doing what I can to uphold the position with honor and dignity. Who am I kidding? These are memes. Yes, memes. You’d do well to remember that. Almost anything could climb the scroll.

Here we go!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click Play

pic.twitter.com/H6VTnaVt65

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 26, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally, some Libertarian Party Jokes.

 

 

 

The post Midweek Memes – Once More Unto the Breach! appeared first on Granite Grok.

It would be funny if it weren’t so dangerous and destructive. Woke-Communists (a/k/a Democrats) portray themselves as “intellectuals,” in contrast to Republicans, whom they consider backward rubes. Yet it is the Woke-Communist … especially the ones portraying their garbage degrees and credentials on their social media … who are the actual dummies.

A quintessential example is Debby Altschiller.

Debby believes that “gender” is a “social construct.” So just ignore that women, and only women and never men, produce eggs. And just ignore that men, and only men and never women, produce sperm. And just ignore that you need an egg (a woman) fertilized by a sperm (a man) to have a baby. Debby apparently believes in immaculate conception or that storks bring babies:

Debby, if she really believes the nonsense she regularly spews, is a really, really, really DUMB person. Indeed, the featured image for this post … Debby wearing a CLOTH mask OUTDOORS … suggests that she really does believe all the Woke-Communist nonsense.

 

 

The post Debby Altschiller Thinks Eggs And Sperm Are “Social Constructs” appeared first on Granite Grok.

The Trump trial; Biden’s pier problems in Israel; is our military incompetent? How much was it destroyed by Obama/Biden? If Iran could build a bomb, can they deliver it? The libertarian convention; why do republicans want federal law to ban abortion (at any point in pregnancy)? Can republicans run against the national debt? Could anyone win the presidency on reducing entitlements or even any of the national debt? The panel had positive comments about Trump not pandering in either the Bronx rally or at the libertarian convention; new portrait of King Charles; baseball integrating stats from other leagues into their official stats.

The post The Conservatarian Exchange Podcast #208 appeared first on The Liberty Block.

Unrelated site business: A rise in recurring site downtime issues has prompted me to consider changing hosting companies, so the update is in a holding pattern until all the options are reviewed and a decision is made (sorry). We are not, however, waiting to find out who last week’s comment of the week winner is.

Ian Underwood.

Congrats to Ian (Again), whom I will now have to not pick for reasons we all understand. His comments always tend to be well thought out and excellent. Readers tend to vote for him if I give them the option.

We want to spread the love around, but we do love Ian’s input.

Here’s the comment!

New Hampshire’s “Red Flag” Camels Nose is Back!

Ian Underwood First, note how concerned youare about ‘infringing on the rights of innocent, law-abiding citizens’. Second, go back and check Part 1, Article 2-a of the state constitution. It protects the right to keep and bear arms… for what group of people? Innocent, law-abiding citizens? Or all persons? The other day, I saw someone who should know better make the blanket statement that ‘criminals forfeit their constitutionally protected rights after they have committed a crime and been convicted by a jury’. Really? Do they forfeit the right to freedom of speech? Freedom of religion? Freedom from warrantless searches? Freedom to enter into contracts, or have children? Freedom to travel? No, they don’t. Why not? Why do they lose somerights, but not others? Because we just let judges make things up on the fly, and call whatever they say ‘the Constitution’. Conservatives who have spent decades beggingfor things like HB1711 are now acting surprised and outraged because they’re getting what they asked for: https://granitegrok.com/blo… https://granitegrok.com/blo… All of this comes back to what I said the first time I testified at a bill hearing: If the legislature is going to just ignore the state constitution, why shouldn’t the people just ignore the legislature? https://granitegrok.com/blo..

The post The Comment of the Week Winner …. appeared first on Granite Grok.

Electric Vehicle owners continue to find themselves the victims of a massive global bait-and-switch. They bought the car thinking it would save the planet (jokes on you, fool) only to discover hidden costs, from insurance to longer and more expensive repair times, for a car that’s not really green, that isn’t running on green energy, and now this.

Tires.

EVs are extremely heavy, causing significantly more wear on roads and bridges and, naturally, on the tires rolling across them.

Tyre manufacturer Michelin has previously said that conventional tyres wear out around 20pc faster in an electric vehicle, while Goodyear said they can degrade as much as 50pc faster.

Last year, research by technology firm Epyx found that, on average, tyres fitted to EVs lasted 6,350 fewer miles than those on petrol or diesel cars. The first tyre change for electric cars takes place after an average of 17,985 miles, compared to 24,335 miles for petrol and diesel cars.

Tires are not a green commodity (not that many, if any, of the self-proclaimed green ones are), which means your EV purchase, whose environmental bill of materials continues to carbonize the earth (if you still believe that’ seven a problem), can add some redder to its ledger.

Every time you need new tires, you are degrading the planet (your worldview, not mine). From manufacture to delivery to installation to the increase in particulates in the air that results from the more rapid wear (every time you drive it), you are a driving contradiction.

It reminds me of the Tyre Extinguishers. “Green’ Activists that puncture SUV tires as punishment for driving a larger Internal combustion engine. It is supposed to be pro-green, but doing so comes with a litany of dirty side effects.

How many unnecessary calls (cellular networks emit carbon) were made for tow trucks or auto club services to come and reinflate them, or calls to the police who had to drive out to file a report? And how often was it two of these things and not just one? Call the police. Call the European equivalent of AAA. Emissions, emissions, emissions.

Depending on the miles driven, round trip by police or services, plus the emissions from the compressors to reinflate the tires or generators to run the compressors, you’ve likely added a pile of unnecessary crap into the biosphere … in the name of reducing it.

And did you walk to wherever it is you went to deflate all the tires, or did you catch a ride there and there and there and back?

Depending on the type of damage (you can’t repair sidewall breaches) and the carbon footprint for the manufacture, delivery, and replacement of the old tires with new ones (we should add calls to insurance companies and all the carbon generated on that end as well), and let’s not forget the disposal of the damaged tires.

Stupid.

 

The post EVs Worse for the Environment Episode Number (…I’ve Lost Count) appeared first on Granite Grok.

Although the federal administrative state probably existed before the Franklin Roosevelt administrations, those administrations ushered in a large expansion of federal agencies and more and more have arisen almost continuously thereafter.

The federal administrative state is populated and effectively controlled by unelected bureaucrats who seemingly ignore the policy will of voters expressed in presidential and congressional elections. Thus, changes in administrations in Washington frequently do not result in meaningful changes in the administrative bureaucracy and its rules and regulations.

Efforts to Drain the Swamp are usually hampered in large measure by the existing federal administrative bureaucracy.

Unfortunately, the Supreme Court of the United States effectively expanded the powers of the administrative state in 1984 in its so-called Chevron decision.
The research department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, an integral part of the Federal Reserve system, regularly publishes a variety of research papers, including a magazine named “Econ Focus.” The latest issue contains the following article, reprinted with permission, by contributor Sam Louis Taylor, on the so-called Chevron Doctrine, which appears to be a very cogent explanation of the Chevron Doctrine and what might be coming in the future for us regarding it.

[Please note that the views expressed in Econ Focus are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond or the Federal Reserve System.]

“Following the will of Congress is often a complicated endeavor for regulators, especially when lawmakers leave aspects of a regulatory law unclear. That uncertainty often leads to litigation.

But how should courts determine if an administrative agency has gone outside the bounds of the law when designing regulations? This is an important question for regulators, like the Fed, that have been charged with implementing laws passed by Congress.

In the 1984 landmark case Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. the court established a process to determine whether an agency has acted properly in creating a regulation in the face of legislative uncertainty. This concept, commonly referred to as Chevron deference, has been a critical legal concept that has governed how courts oversee the regulatory process for the past 40 years.

In January, the Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases that could overturn Chevron and set out new expectations for how agencies should implement laws passed by Congress.

In Chevron, the Supreme Court established a two-part test to determine the lawfulness of a regulation. First, when a regulation is being challenged, a court will determine if Congress has spoken clearly on the matter. “If the intent of Congress is clear, that is the end of the matter.” But if Congress does not clearly state how it wants a statute to be implemented, then courts should defer to an agency’s interpretation of the statue that is within its administration so long as it is a “permissible construction” of the law. The court based this deference on three reasons: ambiguity in a statute amounts to an implicit delegation of authority by Congress to an agency to resolve outstanding questions of implementation; an agency has greater subject matter expertise than courts to resolve this ambiguity; and an executive branch agency is a better venue for reconciling “competing political interests” than the courts because the president has greater political accountability.

The Supreme Court has combined two cases in its current term, Relentless, Inc. v. Department of Commerce and Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, in which two herring fishing companies have challenged a rule from the National Marine Fisheries Service that requires the industry to pay for on-board observers to monitor federal conservation efforts. Lower courts cited Chevron in rejecting the companies’ challenges. The petitioners have asked the Supreme Court to overrule Chevron or at least significantly curtail the deference given to agency determinations.
What would be the impact of ruling against the government in these cases?

Legal scholars have predicted that agencies could become more constrained in their interpretations of statutes and more hesitant to create regulations in response to new and emerging issues without going to Congress for more authority. Experts have also observed that Congress would need to clearly state its intent when drafting laws or be willing to come back and tackle new issues as they arise. There are also predictions that regulations would more often be challenged in court because agencies could not count on judicial deference to their interpretations of statutes.

There are many in the political and legal sphere who see these potential changes as a feature, not a drawback, of overturning Chevron. In an amicus brief led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Republican members of Congress have argued that Chevron has inappropriately expanded the role of agencies into policymaking, a power reserved for Congress. “Over time, it’s proven to be a harmful precedent because it shifts decision making away from democratically elected members of Congress to the permanent members of the bureaucracy,” the Republican members of Congress argued.

Others have argued that Congress purposefully provided agencies with leeway to respond to new threats that it could not have anticipated. A brief filed by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., on behalf of a group of Senate Democrats stated, “As industries grew more complex, Congress delegated some regulatory authority to administrative agencies. Chevron deference has been an important element in this endeavor, allowing Congress to rely on agency capacity and subject matter expertise to help carry out Congress’s broad policy objectives.”

Regulators and other interested parties will be following the ruling closely to better understand the limits courts are likely to impose on the way agencies operate in the future.”

The post Draining The Swamp? appeared first on Granite Grok.

Marketing, as a modern digital technology, regularly changes, evolves, and modernizes. What worked before may not work next year, and vice versa. This is why it is important to always stay up-to-date and be aware of the latest online marketing strategies. A well-thought-out, structured, organized, and personalized action plan for each small business can serve as a real guide that leads to clear results. Moreover, it is essential to remember that the strategy needs to be regularly updated, expanded, and improved in accordance with the tools that appear online.

To create and develop a personalized strategy, it is better to turn to a qualified Roseville SEO company where professionals work. They will help achieve all goals and complete all tasks at a high level. Additionally, the specialists will be interested in managing the business project and will be able to implement current digital marketing technologies without problems and difficulties. The coordinated actions of the team will help expand reach, increase recognition and conversion, gather the target audience together, and find new clients, etc.

What is the Importance of an Online Marketing Strategy?

Digital marketing, as an essential approach, helps brands achieve success through the effective organization of media advertising, online campaigns, search engine optimization, and other tools. It encompasses a wide range of strategies—from content creation to email marketing, web design, and video production. Before drafting a plan for a business project to promote and optimize it, it is crucial to understand its importance. The answer is quite simple, as a marketing plan:

• helps attract additional potential customers;
• informs online users about the brand’s presence on the Internet;
• showcases features, advantages, and strengths in digital format;
• enables the sale of products or services, and much more.

Having a strategy in a business plan can be compared to a breath of fresh air, essential for every person to live fully. However, in this case, everything operates in the digital world, where only electronic types of advertising and online channels are utilized.

What effective strategies deserve the attention of modern small businesses?

To establish their presence and showcase their current products or services, small businesses need a clear marketing strategy. This strategy must be not only unique and aligned with the brand’s theme but also comprehensive, skilled, objective, and step-by-step. Various strategies can be used individually or in combination during the optimization and promotion process. The most effective include:

1. A quality website adapted for mobile devices. Modern scenarios and approaches cannot exist without the comfortable use of web resources. Therefore, small businesses should ensure their website is designed, configured, and constructed considering all current trends. Special attention should be given to adapting the website for portable gadgets (phones, smartphones, tablets, etc.).
2. Social media presence. This is a mandatory step that helps businesses remain visible to online users and followers. Creating a social media page is a strategy that will be successful in any case since most people use social networks. Neglecting an account can cause problems in the future, as it may be unclear why the brand does not have its web page and account there.
3. Strengthening online reputation through SEO tools. By implementing high-quality content, businesses can reach the top rankings. The essence is that showcasing their strengths and promising aspects through texts and articles allows people to understand that the brand is trustworthy. Building trust and authority is an excellent approach to strengthen an online market reputation and target the audience by providing what they truly need.
4. Personalization and individual approach. If products or services can solve the target audience’s problems, qualified leads can be generated and attracted. It is essential to ensure high-quality service, technical support, and find touchpoints through interaction with the target audience.
5. Visual content – a real key to success. Attractive photos, high-quality images, and pictures should become an integral part of digital marketing. Beautiful and trendy web design on the site and in social networks will undoubtedly interest consumers and draw clients’ attention. Visual content will contribute to creating an effective presence on the World Wide Web.

Additionally, don’t forget about remarketing, which can also be an excellent internet marketing strategy, allowing businesses to target people who previously visited the website or social networks for purchases. Small businesses should also ensure a smooth customer journey (attracting consumers to the process of purchasing goods and services can be achieved through e-commerce SEO and other relevant promotion channels). It is worth noting that any of the aforementioned strategies is an excellent opportunity to ensure the prosperity of your brand.

The post Effective Digital Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses appeared first on Granite Grok.

So here is a tweet (X) from Rep Lori Selig in which she accuses Republicans of not wanting “to feed hungry kids” and claims that there are “many kids across New Hampshire” who are going hungry. Both the accusation and the claim are lies. BIG LIES. But that’s what Woke-Communists like Selig do. LIE.

 

The bill that was defeated would have extended eligibility for free and reduced school meals from the current 185 percent of the federal poverty level  to 350 percent.  If my arithmetic is correct, the 350 percent amounts to roughly $100,000 for a family of four.

So, in order for Selig’s accusation that Republicans want hungry kids to go unfed during the school day to be true, her claim that “many kids across New Hampshire” in families making up to $100,000 “suffer an empty belly” has to be true. Please review the comments to Selig’s tweet (link above). She is repeatedly asked to provide some documentation to substantiate her claim that “many kids across New Hampshire” in families with incomes between 185 percent and 350 percent of the federal poverty level “suffer an empty belly.” She provides NOTHING.

A serious person would not make such a bold claim without having the facts and data to back it up. Selig, at a minimum, is NOT a serious person. She was, at a minimum acting with reckless indifference to the truth. However, I think it is safe to say that if there were any facts and data showing widespread hunger in families making up to $100,000 the Woke-Communists in the House and their allies at NHPR, etc. would have presented it. I think it is fair to conclude that there is no such data and, therefore, Selig was telling the BIG LIE.

Moreover, if Selig really cared about helping children she would NOT be supporting Joe Biden because the Biden-Regime’s INFLATION is destroying the standard of living of working and middle-class families.

What Selig and her Woke-Communist comrades want is power. Spreading the LIE that Republicans refuse to feed “hungry kids” helps elect Woke-Communists (“Woke-Communists”). This is what Woke-Communists do … they LIE. It is part of their DNA. Open your eyes, bitter-clingers, to what you are dealing with.

 

 

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Gayle E. Pitman, the author of the book “My Maddy,” published by the American Psychological Association, promotes to boys and girls that some people can be neither male nor female. The book is about a parent that the child calls “Maddy”, a combination of Mommy and Daddy.

The first page of the book:

Most mommies are girls. Most daddies are boys. But lots of parents are neither a boy nor a girl.

No mention is made of the child’s other parent or who gave birth to him. However, Maddy has a masculine face and the book says that Maddy’s face feels like sandpaper against the child’s face, so the reader can assume he wasn’t the one who gave birth to the child and we never find out what happened to the child’s mother. The reader can only assume that the mother is not around because this mentally unbalanced parent has destroyed their relationship in pursuit of his gender obsession.

This book promotes to children the idea that if they aren’t comfortable with their sex they could be non-binary. It sows gender confusion in children.

The mission of the American Psychological Association should be to help alleviate mental health problems. With this book, they are working to create mental health problems in children. They should rename themselves to the American Psycho Association.

 

 

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